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Abhinav hundred leads Tamil Nadu's strong reply

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Group B

An unbeaten century by Abhinav Mukund led Tamil Nadu‘s strong response to Haryana‘s first-innings score of 348 at Chepauk. The hosts reached 169 for 1 by stumps with Abhinav getting 110 of those runs. Haryana had started the day well by adding 84 runs to their overnight score of 264 for 7. Amit Mishra scored 71 not out to help his team reach a strong total while Tamil Nadu were profligate, giving away 34 extras. Tamil Nadu started with an 84-run opening partnership between Abhinav and M Vijay, who was dismissed by Mishra for 33. Kaushik Gandhi, on first-class debut, shared an unbeaten 85-run stand with Abhinav but only got 12 of those runs. Abhinav, who has lost his place in the India Test squad to Ajinkya Rahane, will want to kick on and make a big score as a reminder to the selectors that he is still around.

A century from Ambati Rayudu helped Baroda take a 312-run first-innings lead against Madhya Pradesh at the Moti Bagh Stadium in Vadodara but MP had begun a recovery by the end of the day, reaching 176 for 2. Baroda started the day on 207 for 4 and really made MP pay for their 63 all out on the first day. Rayudu, who was on 80 not out overnight, went on to get 119 and put together 74 for the fifth wicket with wicketkeeper Pinal Shah, who went on to score 54. The rest of the lower order chipped in to help Baroda reach 375. The runs came quickly as well, at 3.98 an over. Jalaj Saxena was MP’s most-successful bowler, taking 5 for 61.MP made a steady start to their reply, with Mohnish Mishra scoring 58 off 60 balls including 10 fours and two sixes, and Naman Ojha ending the day unbeaten on 63. They still have to get another 136 to wipe out the first-innings deficit though.

Niraj Patel converted his century into a double-hundred to take Gujarat to an imposing 520 against Delhi at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium in Valsad. Gujarat then made inroads and Delhi were 119 for 3 by the end of the day. Gujarat started the day on 358 for 6 and Patel and Salil Yadav continued their partnership, taking it to 174 runs. Patel reached his maiden double-century and Yadav reached 71, his first half-century in any professional cricket. Delhi’s bowlers had to toil but 18-year-old left-arm spinner Vikas Mishra took three of the four wickets to fall on the day to finish with his best first-class figures: 7 for 116.Shikhar Dhawan was dismissed early in Delhi’s response but his opening partner, the 18-year-old Unmukt Chand, made his way to 72 not out. Debutant seamer Faisal Dudhat struck twice and Delhi will need big partnerships to avoid a first-innings deficit.

Group A

Karnataka seized control of their match against Railways at the Karnail Singh Stadium in Delhi by bowling Railways out for 134 on the second day, and then reducing them to 33 for 2 following on. Left-arm spinner KP Appanna took five wickets and fast bowler Abhimanyu Mithun picked up three to give Karnataka a 213-run first-innings lead. Karnataka had managed to add 63 runs to their overnight score of 284 for 7. Captain Vinay Kumar brought in spin early and Appanna struck as early as the sixth over. Railways’ top order collapsed and they were 64 for 5 before Sanjay Bangar and Marripuri Suresh added 40 runs. Once that pair was removed, the tail did not hang around long and Railways were all out in 53.5 overs. Vinay Kumar enforced the follow on and Mithun and Appanna struck once each.

Punjab needed wicketkeeper Gitansh Khera to score 47 not out at No. 9 to scrape out a first-innings lead against Orissa in Mohali. Punjab were 220 for 8 in response to Orissa’s 251, and the ninth-wicket pair of Khera and Sandeep Sharma put together 35 to get the crucial lead. Harbhajan Singh decided to declare when the ninth wicket fell, even though Punjab were only four ahead, to give Orissa an awkward over to face at the end of the day. Bikas Pati played out the maiden.Orissa only managed to add five more runs to their overnight score of 246 for 9 at the start of the day with Sandeep Sharma completing his maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket in only his second match. Punjab then wobbled early in their chase and were reduced to 26 for 3. Basant Mohanty took two of the early wickets and finished with figures of 3 for 76. Uday Kaul steadied the innings with his 62 but seamer Lagnajit Samal made regular inroads and the battle for the innings lead remained in the balance before Khera got Punjab over the line.

Saurashtra got themselves back into their match at the Cantonment Board Ground in Meerut, taking the last six wickets in Uttar Pradesh‘s first innings for 96 runs and then reaching 208 for 4 in response to 362. UP started the day on 266 for 4 with Tanmay Srivastava batting on 134 not out. Seamer Sandip Maniar struck with the second ball of the day, giving him his fourth wicket of the innings. Srivastava went on to get 175 not out but offspinner Kamlesh Makvana took wickets regularly at the other end to finish with 4 for 30 as UP were bowled out 26 overs into the second day.Saurashtra ran into trouble in their innings, slumping to 55 for 3, and then losing Ravindra Jadeja, who scored a triple-century in their last match, with the score 112. Captain Jaydev Shah led the recovery with a 109-ball 79. He shared an unbeaten 96-run stand with Shitanshu Kotak, who got to 32 not out.

Mumbai‘s script for this match was bat first, bat once, pile a massive total and dominate the opposition to try and register an outright victory. Except, in a role reversal, defending champions Rajasthan did exactly what heavyweights Mumbai had in mind. If Hrishikesh Kanitkar, the Rajasthan captain, had laid the platform with a serene century on the first day, young Robin Bist played an equally stoic innings, to remain unbeaten on 82 and help the visitors to 530.Read full report here.

RCB and South Australia vie for last semi-final spot

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Match facts

Royal Challengers Bangalore v South Australia, October 5, Bangalore
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)Will Daniel Vettori be able to hold the Royal Challengers attack together again?•Associated Press

Big Picture

The final Champions League Twenty20 semi-final spot will be decided by the result of the last league game. A win will do for both sides, though Royal Challengers Bangalore would want the victory margin to be big enough to take their net run-rate past the Warriors in case they lose narrowly to Somerset. Both teams will know exactly what to do as they play last but the Royal Challengers will still need their bowlers to defend well, something they have failed to do for two-and-a-half of their three games.While the Royal Challengers’ dependence on Chris Gayle reached unhealthy proportions during the IPL itself, what has hurt them more in this tournament has been the inability of their bowlers to use the weight of runs to exert pressure. They finally managed to get it right against Somerset and managed to hold them off after a nervy first half of the chase.The small boundaries and quick outfield of the Chinnaswamy Stadium do make it a tough ground to defend totals, something Daniel Vettori has acknowledged. But three straight losses at the toss haven’t helped the Royal Challengers and Vettori will be hoping for more luck on that front against South Australia. They will also hope that the weather forecast of clear skies holds good, but having experienced the fickleness of the Bangalore rain on numerous occasions now, they won’t be betting against a washout.South Australia wouldn’t wish for rain either, having already had their game against Somerset in Bangalore abandoned. They have jettisoned their three-spinner combination for these conditions, an approach that gave them their only win against Kolkata Knight Riders. They had spoken of coming back with intensity and bravery after their opening loss to the Warriors. If Gayle clicks again, they’ll need the ability to hang in there as well.

Watch out for …

After two indifferent outings, Dirk Nannes responded strongly in the crucial match against Somerset, troubling them with pace, nip, bounce and his left-arm angle. His working over of Jos Buttler was skillful and relentless. Also helping him was the moisture in the pitch due to the rain earlier. To face his countrymen will be added motivation for him.Callum Ferguson is a batsman who likes to time the ball more than bludgeon it. He showed that he could shift gears effortlessly, though, against the Knight Riders in Hyderabad, moving from 23 off 24 to 70 off 40, clearing the longer boundaries at that ground quite comfortably. The ball has come on better at the Chinnaswamy, something he should enjoy.

Team news

South Australia have settled on a bowling attack of two spinners and two seamers. Shaun Tait hasn’t been part of that combination after a poor first game. Given the size of the boundaries and the speed of the outfield in Bangalore, they would not want to risk playing him and should be fielding an unchanged side.The Royal Challengers brought in Arun Karthik to free Tillakaratne Dilshan of the wicketkeeping responsibilities against Somerset. They also persisted with Raju Bhatkal and Syed Mohammad. The same XI could be playing tomorrow.

Stats and trivia

  • Three of the five highest totals in this tournament have been scored in Bangalore
  • Daniel Vettori has been the Royal Challengers’ best bowler by some distance, his five wickets coming at 6.50 runs per over

Quotes

“One mistake any team can make is to plan too much just for Gayle. Their top four is good and even in the middle they have some good players. Virat Kohli, Dilshan and [Saurabh] Tiwary are all playing really well.”

Pink ball set for County Championship trial

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County Championship cricket will be played using a pink ball under floodlights for the first time after the ECB approached Kent and Glamorgan with a proposal to stage their final match of the season under trial conditions.Both teams have agreed on the proposal for the match at Canterbury on September 12 and the hours of play will be 2pm until 9pm – the floodlights will be turned on at 5.30pm but can be used earlier if needed – while players will wear white clothing. This particular match has been selected because neither side is in the Division Two promotion race.This is the latest stage in the trials to determine whether Test match cricket could be played in day/night conditions. There have already been various trials, including the annual MCC verses Champion County match which has been staged in Abu Dhabi for the last two seasons and also in Pakistan and West Indian domestic tournaments. They have also been used in county second XI cricket and university matches, while Cricket Australia will trial twilight matches during this season’s Sheffield Shield.Both ICC and MCC, who have led the way in the process, believe floodlit Test cricket can become a reality soon although one of the major sticking points has been the colour of the ball. Tests have suggested pink is the best version but there remain concerns over batting during twilight periods.The other factor that needs to be considered is the impact of dew, with can make the second innings of day/night one-day internationals very difficult, and that was an issue mentioned by Dave Richardson during the ICC’s cricket committee meeting in May.”The venue still needs to have decent lights, somewhere like Lord’s, Sydney or Abu Dhabi. You also need to play it at a venue, and time of year, where dew isn’t going to come in a seven o’clock,” he said. “You can have the best ball in the world but it would be unfair in those conditions.”With the English season drawing to a close in mid-September dew could well be a factor that Glamorgan and Kent have to deal with so it will give an indication of the potential impact.

Hope in the air as familiar foes face off

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Match facts

Brendan Taylor leads Zimbabwe back into the Test fold•Zimbabwe Cricket

August 4 – 8, Harare Sports Club
Start time 10:00 (08:00GMT)

Big Picture

This fixture usually does not jump out as the most eye-catching on the international calendar but this time it does. Both teams are making a comeback to the longest version of the game – Bangladesh haven’t played a Test since June last year – but the return will be more special for Zimbabwe.Seventy-one months have passed since Zimbabwe last played a Test match, when they lost to India by 10 wickets in September 2005. Their cricket has spluttered, drowned and been revived in the time since then and if most of the stories coming out of the country are to be believed, Zimbabwe is ready to be welcomed back. The first-class game is attracting interest from players and supporters, better coaching structures are in place and the game has grown and developed. The team of young hopefuls that formed out of crisis in 2004 is now a group of mature men, ready to play international cricket in whites.There is no ranking at stake here, no places to be gained on the points table but there is pride to uphold and progression to show off. It’s just a one-off Test, something Zimbabwe are set to stage more frequently in the coming months, as they make a measured return to Test cricket. They will want to show that they are capable of more and that longer series can be introduced in the future.For Bangladesh, winning is still a concern, especially away from home. Their only away wins came against a second-string West Indies side, so victory in Harare would be their first in Zimbabwe.

Form guide

Zimbabwe LLLLL
Bangladesh LLLLL

In the spotlight

It’s the first time Brendan Taylor will captain Zimbabwe and both, his batting and his leadership tactics will come under scrutiny. His 85 in the tour match against Australia A showed that he is in good form. With a first-class batting average of close to 40, Taylor is expected to be the rock of the middle order as well as the man marshalling a Zimbabwean side that will have to adjust to the unique pressures of Test cricket. He is one of only three survivors from the last time Zimbabwe played a Test match. Back then he was only 20 years old, so this is an opportunity for him to show how much he has matured.Mohammad Ashraful returns to the Bangladesh national side after being left out of the ODI series against Australia. Since then, he has captained the A side and scored a century against South Africa A in a one-day game. Despite his inconsistency, he is one of the most talented players in the Bangladesh set-up and has been given another chance to stake a claim for a regular place. Ashraful has faced Zimbabwe many times, being the only man in the current squad to have visited this country in 2004, and the familiarity of the conditions and the opposition should work to his advantage.

Team news

Zimbabwe are likely to have four Test debutants in their line-up, opening batsman Tino Mawoyo, middle-order man Craig Ervine and bowlers Kyle Jarvis and Brian Vitori. With conditions unlikely to favour spinners, Ray Price could be used as a containing option.Zimbabwe: (probable) 1 Tinotenda Mawoyo, 2 Vusi Sibanda, 3 Hamilton Maskadzaa, 4 Brendan Taylor (capt), 5 Tatenda Taibu (wk), 6 Craig Ervine, 7 Elton Chigumbura, 8 Kyle Jarvis, 9 Ray Price, 10 Chris Mpofu, 11 Brian VitoriMahmudullah was the only Bangladesh regular who was in doubt for this match after hurting his hand in the tour game, but was given the all-clear on Wednesday. Uncapped Nasir Hossain may have to watch from the sidelines as Bangladesh are likely field an experienced XI.Bangladesh: (probable) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Junaid Siddique, 4 Shahriar Nafees, 5 Mohammad Ashraful, 6 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 7 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 8 Mahmudullah, 9 Shafiul Islam, 10 Rubel Hossain, 11 Robiul Islam

Pitch and conditions

Winter brings with it dryness and it is understood that the ground staff have been putting effort into making the pitch lively. It has a fair covering of grass on it and is expected to assist the seamers early on. With the weather set to remain sunny and cool, the pitch will flatten and become good for batting.

Stats and trivia

  • Zimbabwe is the first place Bangladesh played a Test away from home, in Bulawayo, in 2001. They are also the country first team Bangladesh beat in Test cricket, by 226 runs, in Chittagong in 2005
  • Collectively, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh have won 11 Tests and lost 108
  • Tamim Iqbal has scored in a century in each of Bangladesh’s last two Test matches, in England last year
  • Only three members in Zimbabwe’s current squad played in their last Test, against India in September 2005 – Hamilton Masakadza, Brendan Taylor and Tatenda Taibu

Quotes

“Recently people in the country have become inspired by cricket and it’s exciting to have Zimbabwe coming back and to be a part of it.”

“We expect it to dry up and start spinning from the third day. Obviously we didn’t bat well in the practice match and we’re going to improve on that.”

Henderson takes four as Essex slump

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ScorecardWhatever image you may have of a cricket ‘festival’ it seems safe to assume that, unless you’ve visited Southgate, Garon Park is unlikely to fit the stereotype. This is not a ground for the romantic. It lacks the splendour of Cheltenham, the beauty of Tunbridge Wells or the charm of Arundel.Indeed, the harsh would even describe it as habitually windswept, remarkably barren and boasting all the charm of an industrial estate. The presence of a Samaritans marquee amid the beer tents and temporary seating underlined the somewhat depressing atmosphere. At most grounds such a marquee would seem incongruous; at times here it felt like a necessity.Yet this ‘festival’ is still a worthy endeavour. Essex reckon that as many as 500 of their members – that’s 10% of the total number – might not renew unless they played in this corner of the county, while they also hope that, by taking first-class cricket to people who might otherwise not see it, that they might nurture new followers. They are, after all Essex County Cricket Club; not Chelmsford Town.By the end of the first day, however, several Essex players could be forgiven for requiring the services of that Samaritans tent. Put into bat on a pitch that started just a little damp, they surrendered their last nine wickets for 87 runs to subside to their second lowest total of the Championship season. As they’re up against the bottom side in Division Two, it suggested that any lingering hopes they retain of promotion are diminishing by the day.Yes, conditions did aid spinner and seamer alike. But, as Pitch Liaison Officer John Jameson confirmed, there was nothing really untoward about the surface. Several of Essex’s batsmen simply lacked the requisite application.The one major exception to that rule was Ravi Bopara. Bopara, captain of Essex for the first time in the Championship due to an ankle injury to James Foster, battled hard for two-and-a-quarter hours only to be undone by a horrid ball that kept low; the only truly unplayable delivery of the day. Bopara’s determination deserved to be repaid with better fortune.Leicestershire also bowled vey well. Nathan Buck, probing an excellent line and nipping the ball around off the seam, just shaded Wayne White as the pick of the seamers, while left-arm spinner Claude Henderson utilised the helpful conditions expertly to claim his best figures for a year.The way he lured the previously elegant Shah, who was the one man to make batting appear straightforward, into a forward prod at one that turned and took the edge was masterful. Ryan ten Doeschate, who was out first ball and now averages only nine in the Championship season,was also lured to his demise in similar fashion.Not everyone made it so difficult. Jaik Mickleburgh, mistaking a positive approach for a reckless approach, skied a catch to mid-off as he attempted to skip down the wicket and thrash Henderson for six, while Maurice Chambers’ attempted slog-sweep against the spin wassimply hideous. It ended up in the hands of extra-cover.In between times, Tom Westley was beaten by a good one that nipped back, Billy Godleman and Adam Wheater missed expansive drives, before David Masters and Tom Craddock were beaten by balls that nipped back. Craddock’s real test was about to begin, however. Preferred to the more experienced Tim Phillips, who has endured a disappointing season in first-class cricket, Craddock is Essex’s only specialist spinner in this game and, on a pitch already offering a surprising amount of turn, will surely need to play a major role if his side is to clamberback into the game.He bowled some fine deliveries and should have had at least one wicket. But, generally, he lacked the consistency to build pressure upon the batsmen and paled by comparison to Henderson. Perhaps that’s not surprising. Henderson is 39 years old, after all, and was playing international cricket when 22-year-old Craddock was still at primary school. Craddock also had the disadvantage of bowling at batsmen who were prepared to graft a little harder for their runs.Besides, had Essex accepted their chances in the field, things would look less bleak. As it was, however, they reprieved James Taylor twice, once off Craddock when the batsman had just 9 and once, from the final delivery of the day, when he had 13. On the first occasion, Shah was unable to cling on to an outside edge at slip – possibly he was hindered by the ball coming off the wicket-keeper’s pads or gloves – while Wheater, who had earlier taken an outstanding diving catch to dismiss Will Jefferson off the inside edge – was unable to cling on to a similar chance off Masters just before stumps.Taylor, captain of Leicestershire for the first time in the Championship after Andrew McDonald was forced to return to Australia for family reasons, will be aiming to make Essex pay on day two.

Pradhan reported for suspect action

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India medium pacer Snehal Pradhan has been reported for a suspected illegal bowling action. She was reported by on-field umpires Jeff Evans and Graham Lloyd, after the the first ODI between England and India women and on June 30 in Derby.Pradhan, 25, has played six ODIs and four Twenty20 games for India. Her bowling action will now be scrutinised further under the ICC process relating to women’s international cricket under Clause 2 of its regulations. Pradhan will be required to first undergo an independent analysis of her action by a member of the ICC panel of human movement specialists, appointed in consultation with the BCCI.This analysis must take place within 21 days of the report being received by the BCCI and the report filed with the ICC within 14 days of it occurring. If the player is found to have bowled with an illegal action during the independent analysis then she will be suspended from bowling until she undertakes remedial action and is reassessed. However, Pradhan will be allowed to bowl until the report is received by the BCCI.

ICC investigating Amir for breach of ban

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The ICC is investigating claims that Pakistan seamer Mohammad Amir has defied his ICC ban by playing for Addington in the Surrey Cricket League Division One, according to a report in the . The sanction – imposed on Amir and two other Pakistani cricketers following the spot-fixing investigation – bars him from participating in the game at any recognised level, and he could be in breach of the ICC ruling if he played for Addington.”We are investigating and awaiting the details,” ICC spokesman Colin Gibson told the paper. “If true, it is clearly a breach of the sanction imposed in February. The ban is absolutely worldwide covering all levels and any activities connected with cricket. What might happen next is a hypothetical question at this stage.”Amir was central to Addington’s 81-run victory in the game, against St Luke’s CC. He surprisingly opened the innings and scored 60 before returning figures of 4 for 9 in seven overs.St Luke’s batsman Karl Quinn was surprised by Amir’s unexpected inclusion. “No one could quite believe it was him,” Quinn was quoted in . “There was no attempt to disguise who he was, he even posed for a picture with me. One of our Pakistani players was rubbing his eyes in disbelief and asking: ‘Is that who I think it is?’ He didn’t stay till the end but it was blatantly him.”When asked over telephone about Amir’s participation, Addington captain Ijaz Raja’s response was cryptic. “You tell me,” he is reported to have said, before hanging up.Amir was handed a five-year ban from the game after being found guilty of bowling no-balls on demand during the Lord’s Test against England last summer. Amir’s team-mates Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif were also handed bans, and all three players are awaiting trial at Southwark Crown Court over allegations of cheating and conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments.This is not the first time Amir has appeared in a game which has had to be investigated by cricket authorities. Earlier this year in January, when he was under provisional suspension and still awaiting punishment for the Lord’s scandal, he turned out for a Rawalpindi club to play a friendly game. That prompted the ICC and PCB to investigate the nature of the game before the former eventually concluded that it was an unofficial game and the club wasn’t registered with the Rawalpindi cricket association; Amir was thus found to have not broken the ICC’s anti-corruption code of conduct.

One wicket away from win – Rampaul

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West Indies pace bowler Ravi Rampaul has said that his side are one wicket away from the “breakthrough” they need to win the first Test against Pakistan. Pakistan need another 139 runs to beat West Indies with seven wickets in hand.”We started really well and with the assistance the bowlers are getting from the pitch we believe we can win this match,” Rampaul, who provided West Indies with the early momentum, picking up two quick wickets in Pakistan’s second innings, said.”The ball swung at the start of the innings and I was able to hit my areas. We will come back in the morning [on Sunday] and run in hard at the Pakistan batsmen again.”Rampaul has been in good bowling for West Indies, having picked up three wickets in the first innings. He also picked up eight wickets in the recently concluded ODI series against the visitors from three games including four wickets in the final ODI in Guyana that West Indies won. He credited his improved performances to better fitness levels and advice from West Indies coach Ottis Gibson.”Last year I had an injury in the Test match against South Africa. After that I spoke to the coach [Gibson] and he offered me some great advice. He told me I needed to improve my fitness levels and he also told me I could bowl a lot faster and be a major asset to the team.”I went away and did a lot of work in all areas of my game and came back with a new focus. I have been doing a lot of good work with Gibson and the work is paying off. He gives us a lot of good advice and he’s easy to work with and easy to talk to. My figures are improving and I’m enjoying my cricket playing for the West Indies.”

I can see Rayudu playing for India – Harbhajan

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Mumbai Indians batsman Ambati Rayudu could take a spot in India’s Test middle order once the likes of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman move on, Harbhajan Singh has said. According to him, Rayudu, who joined Mumbai in 2010 after cancelling his contract with the Indian Cricket League, was key to the side’s run to the final in the previous season.”He has special talent. He got lost [in domestic cricket] in between and we didn’t hear much about him, but he’s been playing really well for Mumbai Indians. Last season he was one of the main players who got us into the final, and I can see him playing for India,” Harbhajan said. “He’s got the capability to fill the shoes of Rahul Dravid or VVS Laxman. That’s what I think, in coming years you’ll see him going a long way.”Harbhajan is looking forward to talking shop with Shane Warne when Mumbai play Rajasthan Royals on Friday. “It [the match] is an opportunity for youngsters like Rayudu and Rohit Sharma to face one of the world’s best bowlers ever. Hopefully I’ll get some time to talk to him about my bowling and about me going forward in international cricket.”Mumbai’s fielding, which has received a lot of praise, is what won them the match against Chennai Super Kings on April 22, Harbhajan said. “Jonty Rhodes always pushes us to work really hard on our fielding. We all know that fielding is an area in which we can always improve. If you ask me, we won against Chennai because we fielded brilliantly and not because I took five wickets.”Harbhajan also said if spinners have been faring better in this IPL, it wasn’t because of the pitches. “Pitches have been always slow in India. There have been bowlers like Praveen Kumar who’ve been getting wickets. You have to do different things in Twenty20, I feel you can’t just bowl at 130 plus kph and get away with your four overs. You need some kind of swing or to bowl at 150 kph to survive this form.”We [Mumbai] are doing well as a bowling unit. Even someone like Kieron Pollard, who is not purely a bowler, is capable of getting us three or four wickets on a good day. On a good day, anyone can win a game for us, that is what matters.”The environment in the Mumbai camp is a great one to be in, Harbhajan said. “Last season Zak [Zaheer Khan] was around, and Sachin [Tendulkar], Zak and I tried to makes ours a tight unit. That worked for us, and this year it is the same.”Someone like T Suman, who has just come in [this season], we want him to feel like he’s a part of the think tank. Whatever he feels, he can come and talk to us and give us his suggestions and feedback. We have a lot of confidence in each other, people talk about whatever they have on their mind, which is a great environment to be in.”

All-round Stokes puts Durham on top

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Stumps
Scorecard
Ben Stokes added a century in Durham’s second innings to go with his six wickets against Hampshire•PA Photos

Durham’s Ben Stokes came close to earning a place in the record books in the County Championship Division One match against Hampshire on Sunday. Stokes hit the first five balls of an over from Hampshire’s Liam Dawson for six – but could only manage a single off the last delivery.The 19-year-old came close to recording career-best batting and bowling performances on the same day at the Rose Bowl. Stokes took six wickets for 68 runs, comfortably his best bowling, to wrap up the Hampshire first innings. He then hit an unbeaten 135, just 26 short of his best batting as Durham took merciless command.Left-arm spinner Dawson had no answer to Stokes’ belligerence, but escaped the humiliation of conceding six consecutive sixes when the batsman could only edge his final ball to fine leg. Durham captain Phil Mustard declared soon afterwards, with Stokes having hit 13 fours and six sixes in his remarkable 145-ball innings. At that stage, with first-innings centurion Dale Benkenstein 55 not out, Durham were able to set Hampshire an improbable 490 to win in three sessions and 20 overs.Hampshire resumed the third day at 280 for 6 in response to Durham’s 473 – and Stokes was in the middle of the action straight away. He hustled out Dominic Cork, Danny Briggs and Simon Jones in a five-ball spell with his medium pace to put Durham firmly in control. In the previous over, Callum Thorp had sent back Nic Pothas for 56, but with the healthy first-innings lead of 179, Mustard declined the opportunity to enforce the follow-on.Hampshire were hampered immediately by injuries to former England bowlers Jones and Cork. Injury-troubled Jones managed only nine balls before limping off with a groin strain, and Cork’s contribution was only 14 balls before he too was forced out of the attack with the same problem.Durham made the most of their absence. Michael Di Venuto and Scott Borthwick put on 45 for the first wicket before two big partnerships took the match away from the hosts. Stokes and Gordon Muchall put on 88 for the third wicket, then Stokes and Benkenstein hammered home their advantage on a gentle-paced wicket with a stand of 140 for the fourth.When Mustard declared, Durham were a formidable 310 for 3, but Hampshire openers Jimmy Adams and Dawson found batting just as easy as their opponents had done. Even with another former England bowler, Steve Harmison, available after recovering from a hand injury sustained earlier in the match, Durham were soon on the defensive.At the close, still 403 behind, Hampshire had recovered to 87 without loss. Adams was 47 not out, and Dawson, having got over his mauling at the hands of Stokes, was unbeaten with 35.