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He was a part of New Zealand’s first four Test victories, including their first away from home

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Apr-2024Former New Zealand legspinner Jack Alabaster died at the age of 93 in Cromwell on Tuesday night.Considered among the best legspinners to come out of New Zealand, Alabaster played 21 Tests, taking 49 wickets between 1955 and 1972.Alabaster was part of New Zealand’s first four Test wins. He was on tours to India and Pakistan in 1955-56, England in 1958, South Africa in 1961-62 and West Indies in 1971-72.He took 22 wickets in five Tests in the series in South Africa, helping New Zealand get their first series draw against them. He took seven wickets in the first match of the series as New Zealand narrowly lost by 30 runs, before returning his career-best match haul of 8 for 180 in New Zealand’s first Test win abroad as they drew level 1-1 in the third Test.Representing Otago in domestic cricket, in all he played 143 first-class games and claimed 500 scalps.He played the first two Tests on the West Indies tour in 1971-72, bowling Garry Sobers for his only wicket of the series before an Achilles tendon injury cut his tour short. He retired from first-class cricket after that, which meant his first and last first-class games were both for New Zealand.

Highlights from the final round of Ranji Trophy season

Shashank Kishore19-Feb-2024From 32 teams, eight of them are left standing as the final round of the Ranji Trophy 2023-24 helped lock in the knockouts line-up. Here are the highlights.

TN’s first knockout appearance in six seasons

They began the season with a crushing away loss to Gujarat and then saw their chances of securing full points against Tripura go up in smoke thanks to the weather. But from having a solitary point after two rounds, Tamil Nadu have been an unstoppable force, securing four wins in their remaining five games to top Group B.Their latest win, against Punjab, may have yet not been enough to seal the top spot had Karnataka won their final group fixture against Chandigarh; Karnataka took the first-innings honours to finish second in the pool. For Tamil Nadu, this will be their first knockout appearance since the Ranji Trophy 2016-17, where they lost to Mumbai in the semi-final.Related

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Their fourth win was set up by B Indrajith and Vijay Shankar who struck centuries in a massive first-innings score of 435, before the left-arm spinning duo of S Ajith Ram and Sai Kishore wheeled away to picked up 15 wickets between them. Set a mere 71, Tamil Nadu got there in just seven overs to secure a nine-wicket win.Punjab’s fight in the second innings was led by Nehal Wadhera, who made a quickfire 107-ball 109 in an otherwise forgettable batting display. Overall, their season of promise – they won the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s – ended with a solitary win that had them finish sixth in the group.

Veterans Tiwary, Fazal walk into retirement

He un-retired after announcing his decision to walk away from all forms of cricket at the end of Ranji Trophy 2022-23 to be able to realise a long-standing dream of winning the coveted title. There seemed some merit in his decision, too; Bengal had come within sniffing distance twice in the last three years (2019-20 and 2022-23), only to be pipped by Saurashtra. But there was no fairy-tale ending for one of Indian domestic cricket’s great war horses, Manoj Tiwary, as Bengal endured a disappointing end to a campaign that never took off; finishing third, behind eventual qualifiers Mumbai and Andhra in Group B.The gulf between them and Andhra was seven points, which Bengal would have perhaps felt they lost after two of their seven games were severely weather-affected. They, however, signed off on a winning note after handing Bihar defeat by an innings and 204 runs, with fast bowler Mukesh Kumar picking up six wickets.Tiwary, who led Bengal all season, made 30 in his final innings, thereby ending a first-class career in which he made 10,195 runs across 148 matches with 30 hundreds and an impressive average of 47.86. He was fittingly felicitated by the Cricket Association of Bengal in a ceremony on Sunday evening at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.Manoj Tiwary was carried off the field by his team-mates•PTI

Unlike Tiwary, Faiz Fazal bows out with two Ranji Trophy crowns he led Vidarbha to back-to-back in 2017-18 and 2018-19. His final innings in first-class cricket on Sunday ended in a first-ball duck, but Vidarbha managed to secure a 115-run win over Haryana in a winner-takes-all contest in Nagpur. Fazal finishes with 9184 runs in 138 first-class matches with 24 hundred and an average of 41.The win helped Vidarbha top Group A, with Saurashtra, the defending champions, finishing a close second following their convincing two-day win over Manipur in Rajkot, with Cheteshwar Pujara hitting his third hundred of the season and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, the left-arm spinner, picking up his second straight match haul of ten wickets.

Thakur back in business as Mumbai march on

Shardul Thakur’s match haul of 10 for 52 helped Mumbai record their fifth win of the season, as Assam were handed a thrashing inside two days. Assam lasted all of 65.1 overs in both innings combined. This was only Thakur’s second first-class outing since playing the Centurion Test in December. Thakur aside, Shivam Dube continued to have a sensational 2024. He hit a counter-attacking unbeaten 121 that lifted Mumbai from a previous 110 for 5 in the first innings. This was Dube’s second first-class hundred of the season.

Quarterfinal line-ups

• Vidarbha vs Karnataka

• Mumbai vs Baroda

• Tamil Nadu vs Saurashtra

• Madhya Pradesh vs Andhra

Delhi end on a high

Three senior players walked away expressing annoyance and hurt at DDCA’s dysfunctional system. The selection panel chief was forced to resign two games in, following a poor start. Yash Dhull, their young captain, was sacked one game in and the threat of relegation loomed halfway into the season. Yet, despite all the off-field rumblings, Delhi managed to hold their own in the back end of the season to finish with three wins, all coming in their last four games, to end third in the pool.Their win in the final round, against Odisha, was led by Dhull’s first-innings 112, his fifth first-class century, that helped open up a slender 11-run lead before Odisha collapsed in the second innings for 133. Eventually, a target of 123 proved too little to defend as Delhi won by seven wickets with Ayush Badoni and Dhull seeing them home.

Railways pull off record heist

Railways pulled off the highest successful chase in Ranji history to end their campaign on a high. The win was all the more special because they conceded a first-innings lead to Tripura that seemed decisive at the time.Railways were bundled out for 105 in response to Tripura’s 149, and then found themselves chasing a mammoth 378 for victory. At 31 for 3, Railways were in deep trouble before Mohammad Saif and Pratham Singh revived their chase with a fourth-innings stand of 175.Saif fell for 106, but Pratham batted on to remain unbeaten on 169. He was ably supported by Upendra Yadav, the captain, who played his part in the match-winning partnership by making 27 not out.In pulling off a sensational win, Railways surpassed Saurashtra’s record for the previous highest chase (372 against Uttar Pradesh in 2018-19). The win wasn’t enough to secure a knockouts berth for Railways as all of Karnataka, TN and Gujarat finished with more points than them in a tight table that was decided on the final day of matches.

The semi-finals of the age-group tournament threw up two surprising results

PTI15-Dec-2023Ariful Islam’s counter-punching fifty and a fiery spell by left-arm pacer Maruf Mridha helped Bangladesh score a four-wicket win over India to reach the final of the Under-19 Asia Cup in Dubai on Friday.On a slightly two-paced pitch, Indian batters struggled to get going before getting bundled out for 188 in 42.4 overs, with Musheer Khan (50) and Murugan Abhishek (62) doing the bulk of the scoring.Despite some jitters, Bangladesh went over the line pretty comfortably in 42.5 overs with Islam (94 off 90 balls) defending the Indian charge with an engaging innings.However, it was Maruf who kickstarted India’s poor day with a superb opening spell. He took 4 for 41. The pacer found some bounce and swing upfront to reduce India to 13 for 3 inside seven overs. Openers Adarsh Singh, Arshin Kulkarni and captain Uday Saharan returned without troubling the scorers much.But Musheer and Abhishek shared an 84-run alliance for the seventh-wicket to lift India from a precarious 61 for 6. They batted quite fluently and Musheer brought up his fifty off 59 balls with a single to long-off. Abhishek clobbered Sheikh Jibon for a huge six over long-off to bring his fifty in 64 balls.However, both the batters departed without building further as India sank to a modest total.In reply, Bangladesh too made a shaky start and were 34 for 3 in 9.4 overs. But Ariful found an able ally in Ahrar Amin (44 off 101 balls) as the duo milked 138 runs for a stubborn fourth-wicket stand to peg India back.Ariful was a bit circumspect to begin with but once he found his range, the right-hander played some delectable shots around the park to deny Indian bowlers for a long while. Bangladesh lost a couple of more wickets towards the end, but that only created artificial excitement.In the first semi-final, UAE shocked fancied Pakistan by 11 runs to set up a date with Bangladesh in the final. UAE made 193 all out largely thanks to a 55 off 57 balls by captain Aayan Afzal Khan and a 46 off 70 balls by opener Aryansh Sharma. They then defended the target zealously to bowl out Pakistan to 182 all out with three balls to spare.

Players could sign them this week with NOCs for T20 franchise leagues among some of the key points of divergence effectively addressed

Danyal Rasool20-Aug-2023Nearly two months after the end of their previous central contracts, the Pakistan players and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are close to signing off on fresh contracts. There is optimism that all players will sign them this week and, if not, almost certainly before the Asia Cup starts on August 30 after a number of key objections were effectively addressed.While a number of points of divergence between the players and the PCB look set to linger on, common ground has been found with regards to No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for players for T20 franchise leagues. When Shaheen Afridi’s bumper ILT20 contract was signed, the PCB’s position was that it was the only league besides the PSL he, or any other Category A player, could participate in. Players in the lower categories would be allowed to play two leagues besides the PSL.After pushback from players, the PCB has softened on that position. ESPNcricinfo understands all centrally contracted players will be allowed a maximum of two leagues aside from the PSL, contingent on international requirements. There is also greater permissiveness for players without central contracts; they can theoretically participate in as many leagues as they are drafted in as long as they can obtain NOCs from their domestic sides. One source familiar with the negotiations told ESPNcricinfo they wished to follow a “common sense approach with a view not to prevent players from earning”.Related

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Other issues have proved more intractable, one of the reasons contract negotiations have been stretched out and agreement delayed for so long. A source at the PCB privately acknowledged that the turmoil at board level had unsettled players and undermined players’ confidence in the board, as well as the ability to negotiate in a functional and effective manner.The last three months have seen caretaker PCB chairman Najam Sethi depart in contentious fashion, with Zaka Ashraf replacing him. Zakir Khan was was also replaced as Head of International Cricket when he retired, with the PSL head Usman Wahla returning to the role. During this time, several senior players have been dispersed across the cricketing world, making direct discussions difficult. However, all senior players are now in Sri Lanka ahead of the three-match series against Afghanistan, with Wahla joining them ahead of the series to finalise agreements.Earlier this month, it was reported players were set to be given “historic hikes” in their central contracts, with Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi set to receive as much as PKR 4.5 million (USD 15,900 approx.) before tax as a monthly retainer. While it was felt at the PCB that this increase would be enough to do away with any other concerns players had, this had not proved to be the case.Players’ image rights, revenue sharing and independent sponsorship deals continue to present negotiating roadblocks. These issues came up last year ahead of the Asia Cup as well, with some players feeling they had been rushed into signing contracts ahead of that tournament without proper resolution. There appears to be some give from the PCB on non-exclusive sponsorship deals, meaning individual players can agree deals with sponsors that may be in direct competition with the PCB’s own sponsors. But it is not explicit how that would work in practice. It remains unlikely, for example, with Pepsi as the PCB’s long-time sponsor, individual players could strike separate commercial deals to advertise for Coca Cola. But areas of lesser strategic importance, such as telecommunication companies or housing schemes, could see more flexibility.ESPNcricinfo understands the PCB is reluctant to go public with its revenue-sharing model – that is, how much money they set aside from revenue earned over a year to share with players – but is open to finding other ways to further financially compensate players. Both parties privately acknowledge that the issue of image rights will be kicked into the long grass once more, but it is expected that increases in retainers and match fees will appease players enough to sign their central contracts.Should pen be put to paper this week, it would put an end to a significant distraction ahead of a busy time for Pakistan cricket. The ODI series against Afghanistan will be followed up by the Asia Cup, and then the World Cup in India, before the year is rounded out by a three-match Test series against Australia.

A list of signings and trades between BPL teams

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jul-2017Michael Klinger to Khulna Titans – The 37-year old Australia batsman is expected to be available for the entire season. He has been in good form in 2017, scoring a century and four fifties in 21 T20 innings, all at a healthy strike-rate of 132. Klinger has played three T20Is as well, with a top score of 62 against Sri Lanka. He has played for Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League and Gloucestershire in the NatWest T20 Blast.Brendon McCullum to Rangpur Riders – The explosive former New Zealand batsman was one of the eight international marquee players for the T20 Global League. The postponement of that tournament has allowed McCullum to sign up for his first BPL season. He will reportedly be available to play for Rangpur Riders from November 15, which means he is set to miss their first three matches.Kieron Pollard to Dhaka Dynamites – The hard-hitting allrounder becomes the first player to shift from the now-postponed T20 Global League to the BPL. Pollard was picked by Bloem City Blazers as the first overseas marquee player at the draft of the South African domestic competition on August 26. Given that the two tournaments were to run side-by-side, the postponement of the GLT20 has afforded BPL teams to dig into additional player reserves. Pollard was part of the Dhaka Gladiators that won the title in 2012 and 2013. Pollard is 13 matches short of becoming the first cricketer to play 400 T20s, but to do that, he has to remain fit for the entire tournament.Mushfiqur Rahim to Rajshahi Kings – The BPL’s highest overall run-getter has left Barisal Bulls for Rajshahi Kings. This is the third consecutive time that Mushfiqur has moved from one franchise to another, having previously played for Duranta Rajshahi (2012), Sylhet Royals (2013), Sylhet Superstars (2015) and Barisal Bulls (2016).Luke Wright to Rajshahi Kings – Having already scored a hundred in the NatWest T20 Blast, Wright will look to replicate his prolific returns for Kings. His only appearance in the BPL was in the 2013 edition, when he struck a half-century in his three innings for eventual champions Dhaka Gladiators.Lendl Simmons smashed three sixes in his 19-ball 32•Randy Brooks – CPL T20 / Getty

Malcolm Waller to Rajshahi Kings – The Zimbabwe allrounder is set to return to the BPL after scoring only 91 runs for Dhaka Dynamites in seven innings during the 2015 season. While his strike-rate will be an asset to Kings, who have looked to bulk up their middle order with big hitting allrounders, Waller’s offbreaks could also be handy in stemming the scoring of the oppositions.Mashrafe Mortaza to Rangpur Riders – Mashrafe Mortaza has moved to a third BPL franchise with the Riders acquiring him this year. Mashrafe had taken 13 wickets in 12 games for Comilla Victorians last year after having led them to a maiden title in 2015. Mashrafe had also led the Dhaka Gladiators to the 2012 and 2013 BPL titles, and was termed by the Riders CEO Ishtiaque Sadeque as a “lucky charm”.Chris Lynn to Khulna Titans – One of Australia’s biggest T20 names, he was set to head to the BPL for the first time this season, until shoulder surgery ruled him out.Seekkuge Prasanna to Khulna Titans – The Sri Lankan legspinner played for Dhaka Dynamites in last season’s Bangladesh Premier League. He had one six-filled innings though his bowling didn’t come off too well. Prasanna played for Barisal Bulls in BPL 2015.Kyle Abbott to Khulna Titans – The South African fast bowler will strengthen the Titans’ pace attack, which already has Junaid Khan. He hasn’t, however, had a lot of success in the format since the World T20 in 2016. This will be his first BPL campaign as well.Sarfraz Ahmed to Khulna Titans – Pakistan’s new Test captain was roped in by the Titans soon after he led his side to their maiden Champions Trophy triumph in England in June. He will certainly be a step-up after they experimented with Nicholas Pooran last season.Shadab Khan to Khulna Titans – The Pakistan spin sensation’s 16 wickets in four T20Is against West Indies put him on the map before he was involved in his side’s Champions Trophy winning campaign. He was signed alongside Sarfraz last month.Rilee Rossouw to Khulna Titans – The T20 veteran batted well for Quetta Gladiators in this year’s Pakistan Super League and will be an important addition to the Titans’ batting line-up.Lendl Simmons to Rajshahi Kings – He will return to the BPL after making 221 runs at 22.10 for Rangpur Riders in BPL 2015. Simmons’ IPL stint this year didn’t go too well after a promising start – he made 137 runs in seven innings.