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Canada won both their matches in Sunday’s Auty Cup double-header against the United States of America

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jul-2013In the Sunday double-header, Canada prevailed on both occasions, with a disciplined bowling effort from Canada‘s bowlers helping them to a five-wicket win over United States of America in the first T20 match in King City. USA chose to bat, but lost regular wickets through the course of their innings. Only four batsmen were able to get into double digits as all of Canada’s bowlers struck at least once. Henry Osinde picked up figures of 2 for 23, as USA reached 106 for 9 in their 20 overs.Canada’s innings started in a similar fashion, with Rizwan Cheema out for 9 with the score on 18. However, Ruvindu Gunasekera and Usman Limbada put together a 41-run partnership to steady the innings. Gunasekera, who has been in prolific form, top-scored for Canada once again with 58 off 50 balls, as Canada reached their target inside of 17 overs.In their second match, Canada once again had the better of USA with a 78-run victory. Canada batted first, with openers Gunasekera and Cheema putting on 63 in just over five overs. Once Cheema fell, Nitish Kumar and Gunasekera put on a further 56 runs to put Canada in the ascendancy. Each of Canada’s batsmen got into double digits as they posted 189 for 5. Timil Patel had best figures of 3 for 40.Facing a steep target, USA’s chase came undone in the first couple of overs itself as they struggled to maintain the required rate while safeguarding their wickets. Only wicketkeeper Akeem Dodson played an innings of note, with his 44 off 36 balls. Salman Nazar’s 3 for 27, Harvir Baidwan’s 2 for 25 and Junaid Siddiqui’s 2 for 32 ensured USA were unable to make a decent fist of the chase.

Jos Buttler’s intelligent innings of 68 not out guided Somerset into the Yorkshire Bank 40 semi-finals with a 13-run victory over arch-rivals Gloucestershire at a packed County Ground in Bristol.

26-Aug-2013Somerset 258 for 9 (Buttler 68*, Trescothick 50) beat Gloucestershire 246 for 7 (Thomas 3-41) by 12 runs
ScorecardJos Buttler played with great maturity to guide Somerset into the last four•Getty Images

Jos Buttler’s intelligent innings of 68 not out guided Somerset into the Yorkshire Bank 40 semi-finals with a 13-run victory over arch-rivals Gloucestershire at a packed County Ground in Bristol.Buttler reined himself back on a two-paced pitch as wickets fell around him as the visitors posted 259 for nine after losing the toss. Marcus Trescothick contributed 50 and Craig Kieswetter 42, but the highlight of the innings was a hat-trick from left-arm spinner Tom Smith.Gloucestershire replied with 246 for 7, having been given a good start by Michael Klinger and Hamish Marshall.Alex Gidman, Chris Dent, and Ian Cockbain made a fight of it, but Alfonso Thomas used his experience to frustrate the hosts with 3 for 41.It was a sad end for Gloucestershire to a day which had seen the opening of their plush new Bristol Pavilion, but results elsewhere meant that even a victory would not have put them in the semifinals. Somerset ended as Group C winners with a superior run-rate to Glamorgan’s.Trescothick and Kieswetter gave Somerset a great start to their innings with a century stand inside 13 overs. The ball after reaching his half-century, off 45 balls, with seven fours and a six, Trescothick was deceived by Craig Miles and drove a simple catch to cover.Nick Compton fell first ball, guiding a Miles full toss to Ian Cockbain at backward point and it was 126 for 3 when Kieswetter, who had struck two big sixes, nicked a catch behind as he looked to pull a short delivery from Payne.James Hildreth and Buttler were content to largely milk singles in a stand of 71 off 12.2 overs, which looked to have put Somerset in a strong position again.But Smith had other ideas, sending back Craig Meschede, caught behind, and Lewis Gregory, who drove a catch to cover, with the fifth and sixth balls of the 30th over before completing the hat-trick by bowling Piyush Chawla with the first delivery of the 32nd.Buttler was left in a difficult position as his team lost wickets in a cluster for the second time and left it until the last over to produce his trademark scoop shot off James Fuller to achieve his first six. He hit only four fours in facing 71 balls.Gloucestershire looked well in it as Klinger and Marshall put on 63 in less than 10 overs before the latter drove a catch to long-off to give Chawla, Somerset’s recent overseas signing, his first wicket for the county.A key moment came when Chawla claimed a tumbling catch at short fine-leg off Steve Kirby to dismiss Klinger, who clearly felt the ball had bounced. After the umpires had consulted he was sent on his way and it was 92 for 2.From then on Gloucestershire were always struggling to keep up with a run rate, which grew steadily from 6.5 an over to reach 10 by the last five overs. The canny Thomas used a succession of slow bouncers to good effect and, as Somerset’s batsmen had found, it was not a pitch conducive to hitting a lot of boundaries.

Kaushal Silva hit his fourth first-class ton in as many matches, as Board XI made 352 for 4 on the first day of the four-dayer against Development XI

Andrew Fidel Fernando08-Oct-2013
ScorecardKaushal Silva averages 80.33 in first-class cricket this year•WICB Media

Wicketkeeper-batsman Kaushal Silva’s year in domestic cricket began to encroach on the extraordinary, as he struck his fourth first-class ton in as many matches, on the first day of the four-day tri-series in Colombo. His 125 at the P Sara Oval led the Board XI to 352 for 4 at stumps, against the Development XI, with Kumar Sangakkara also hitting 107.Silva, 27, had top-scored in Sri Lanka’s regular first-class competition, and has also hit three centuries in four matches for the Sri Lanka A team, since June. His 1687 first-class runs have come at 80.33, and is now in serious contention for a place in the Sri Lanka Test squad for the year-end tour in the UAE. He has not prospered in the three Tests he has played so far, however, the last of which was in December 2011.Silva opened the innings alongside Dimuth Karunaratne, who was bowled by Shaminda Eranga for 20, before Silva and Sangakkara put on 195 for the second wicket. Sangakkara dominated the scoring, as he hit 13 fours and a six during an innings in which he struck at 84. Silva put on a further 57 alongside Mahela Jayawardene, before edging Eranga behind.Mahela hit 54 before being dismissed by Lahiru Gamage, and Prasanna Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews remained unbeaten at stumps.Eranga, who bowled 19 overs in the day, was the best of the Development XI’s bowlers, taking 2 for 60, with Gamage and Malinda Pushpakumara taking one scalp apiece.

A round-up of IPL related news on April 25, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Apr-2015Ben Hilfenhaus, the Australia fast bowler, and Colin Munro, the New Zealand batsman, have been signed up by Mumbai Indians as replacements for Aaron Finch and Josh Hazlewood.Finch had been ruled out after suffering a hamstring injury during Mumbai Indians’ match against Rajasthan Royals on April 14, while Hazlewood had opted out of the tournament keeping in mind Australia’s tight international schedule.While Munro is yet to play in the IPL, Hilfenhaus figured in 17 games for Chennai Super Kings, in 2012 and 2014, and took 22 wickets at an economy-rate of 7.72.Fleming wants improvement from Ashwin, Jadeja
Stephen Fleming, the Chennai Super Kings coach, wants his main spinners R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja to improve their performance so far this season.Super Kings have relied heavily on the duo over the years, but this time, they have managed four wickets between them in five matches. While Ashwin has conceded 8.16 runs an over, Jadeja’s economy-rate is as high as 10.15.”The spinning aspect of our game hasn’t been as effective as it has in the previous years so far and it is one area where in this game we would like to get a bit more penetration,” Fleming told the IPL website ahead of Super Kings’ home game against Kings XI Punjab.”But in saying that, we have won games despite our spinners not clicking. That is a good thing because in the past we have been called a team that relies too much on the spinners. If we can get the spin component going well at home, there will be an improvement.”In our home games Ashwin has been our lead bowler. It is not that he is in bad form. Jadeja is someone we would like more from and we are working hard at it.”Bailey impressed with Sandeep, Anureet
George Bailey, the Kings XI Punjab captain, is impressed with his domestic Indian new-ball pairing of Sandeep Sharma and Anureet Singh.Both seamers have taken eight wickets each so far from five games. While Anureet has also been used at the death and has gone for 8.75 runs an over, Sandeep has struck consistently at the start and conceded just 5.55.”Sandeep is showing great capacity of taking wickets upfront, which is very important,” Bailey said. “A lot of teams look for a bowler who can break up the top order.”Anureet has shown how versatile he is to be able to bowl at any stage of the game. He has taken well to the death-bowling role, which is a very difficult one. Our depth is pretty good. We have Shardul Thakur, who had an outstanding Ranji Trophy. But we haven’t been able to get him in yet.”

Durham christened their new floodlights with an exciting six-run win over previously unbeaten Yorkshire in the NatWest T20 Blast.

ECB/PA29-May-2015
ScorecardGordon Muchall made a useful contribution with the bat•Getty Images

Durham christened their new floodlights with an exciting six-run win over previously unbeaten Yorkshire in the NatWest T20 Blast.The hosts made 182 for 4 batting first with four of their top six scoring in the 30s, and then limited Yorkshire to 176 for 8 in reply as Keaton Jennings starred with the ball.Jennings finished with figures of 4 for 37 with his occasional medium pace, including the key scalps of Jonny Bairstow and Glenn Maxwell.The victory leaves Durham at the top of the North Group with three wins from four matches, two points ahead of second-placed Yorkshire.

Insights

Durham won the match in the final five overs of their innings in which they scored 76 for 1, taking 17, 13, 11, 14 and 21 off overs from Maxwell, Plunkett, Bresnan and Fisher. For the second consecutive day Gordon Muchall and John Hastings finished not out at the end of Durham’s innings. Having scored 31* (27) and 21* (13) respectively against Leicestershire, the pair managed 34* (24) and 37* (16) against Yorkshire. With this duo batting below Stoneman, Mustard, MacLeod and Collingwood, Durham have a formidable batting order.
Freddie Wilde

The attendance was 5,539 for the first match played under the new permanent floodlights at Chester-le-Street, with hopes of attracting the ground’s record crowd for a county match not helped by the weather and the Headingley Test.Rain delayed the 7pm start by 25 minutes, after which the sun shone throughout Durham’s innings after they were put in.Mark Stoneman and Phil Mustard got the hosts off to a flying start with a stand of 30 in 3.2 overs, and Paul Collingwood, Gordon Muchall and John Hastings made sure that was not wasted.Hastings provided the late momentum as he hit Tim Bresnan’s last four balls for three fours and a six as 21 came off the over.In a quirk of fate, Yorkshire also needed 21 runs off their final – bowled by Hastings – to snatch the victory.Bresnan had his chance of revenge with 12 needed off the last two to tie, but he missed the first before hitting the last high over the mid-wicket boundary. It left him unbeaten on 36, but scarcely atoned for his figures of none for 51 with the ball. While it was left to Hastings to finish things off, it was Jennings who did the damage earlier on.Jennings is Durham’s four-day opening batsman and had bowled only one over in the three previous T20 matches. But with skilful variations of pace he persuaded Bairstow and Maxwell to play across the line of straight balls, while he also sent back Jack Leaning and Rich Pyrah as Durham claimed the points.

Somerset delivered a painful blow to Gloucestershire’s season by chasing their target with five wickets and two balls to spare

Freddie Wilde in Bristol19-Jun-2015
ScorecardJohann Myburgh anchored the Somerset chase (file photo)•Getty Images

It is hard to walk around Bristol and not see something about the NatWest T20 Blast. Billboards, bus stations and, most conspicuously, the train station are laden with advertising for the season. “T20 cricket in the heart of Bristol” they read – and this west country derby felt like a culmination of that concerted marketing push.Although the result was unlikely to dampen the fervour of a raucous crowd it was Somerset, with a canny performance with the ball and a powerful one with the bat, who delivered a painful blow to Gloucestershire’s season by chasing their target with five wickets and two balls to spare. Johann Myburgh’s 50-ball 63 anchored Somerset’s chase but Max Waller, Sohail Tanvir and Jim Allenby deserve enormous credit for their frugal bowling that set up Somerset’s win.Somerset had won five of their last six away matches in Bristol and, in front of a sell-out crowd and apartment balconies teeming with fans, their quality set them apart from Gloucestershire as they just edged them in all three departments and held their nerve at the pivotal moments.Back-to-back sixes clubbed by Tom Cooper in the penultimate over of Somerset’s run chase with 19 required from 11 and consecutive wides bowled by James Fuller in the final over will be looked back on as match-deciding, and that they were in a chase that became far more tense than it need have been, but Somerset were ahead of the match from the start.The Powerplay, plundered for 59 for 1 by Somerset in comparison to Gloucestershire’s 37 for 1, represented the difference between the two teams. On a pitch that was perhaps harder to bat on than first impressions suggested, with the ball seaming and beating the edge, Allenby and Myburgh used their feet excellently in the initial overs, forcing Gloucestershire to adjust their lengths. Earlier, Gloucestershire, perhaps overwhelmed by the occasion or taken aback by a pitch not quite as true as they had imagined, allowed Somerset to dictate terms with the ball.Allenby, Tanvir and Gregory bowled five outstanding overs at the start of the match, keeping tight lines and using canny cutters. Peter Handscomb fell for a seven-ball duck and Michael Klinger, in such rich T20 form, was also effectively tied down.

Insights

Peter Handscomb has made six single-figure scores in his seven innings so far for Gloucestershire and while playing predominantly in T20 – as Gloucestershire’s second overseas player – is perhaps finding a scarcity of cricket a problem in foreign conditions. He is also opening the batting for Gloucestershire whereas he bats in the middle order for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League.

Although 15 was taken from the last over of the Powerplay, Klinger and Ian Cockbain were unable to truly break free. The closest they came to doing so was when Cockbain swatted a short ball bowled by Gregory straight down the ground for six. Unfazed, Gregory banged the following ball in halfway down the pitch and Cockbain, unable to get on top of it, was caught well in the deep.Waller’s superb spell of 4-0-21-1 kept Gloucestershire down in the middle overs. Delivering a plethora of googlies, which cramped the batsmen for room, and varying his pace and angles expertly, Waller broke Gloucestershire’s rhythm, and deserved more than just the one wicket he took when Geraint Jones top-edged a slog sweep high in the air.Waller’s pressure no doubt contributed to the downfall of Klinger, who was dismissed by Allenby for 44 when he was caught on the boundary off a low full toss. When Kieran Noema-Barnett fell for 6, Gloucestershire were 115 for 5 with just 27 deliveries remaining.However,three sixes, two fours, and some frantic running from Gloucestershire’s lower order squeezed an impressive 42 from the final 18 deliveries to elevate the home side to 165 for 8, a score that was perhaps a tad under par but certainly defendable.Somerset were without Chris Gayle, now at the Caribbean Premier League, and Marcus Trescothick, who was officially rested, but the lack of star-quality made little difference to events as Allenby launched into some loose bowling early on, plundering six boundaries in his 27.It is to Gloucestershire’s credit that they never let things run out of control, with the required run rate remaining above seven and climbing steadily from the 11th over until the 18th. Spinners Tom Smith and Jack Taylor both bowled excellently, conceding no more than six runs per over. Like Somerset, they bowled very straight and relatively flat.Myburgh, a small man, was inconspicuous as Allenby muscled the ball away in the Powerplay, but his innings proved pivotal – no other Somerset batsman managed more than 27. Wickets fell at regular intervals but Myburgh remained until as late as the 18th over when he was brilliantly caught by Handscomb. A lively crowd rose once again to fever pitch as they sensed the possibility of a late and dramatic shift but it never came as Somerset claimed a deserved victory.

Rajendra Chandrika is keen to move on from his forgettable debut against Australia in Kingston, where he registered a pair to become the 40th batsman to start his Test career in such fashion

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jun-2015Rajendra Chandrika is keen to move on from his forgettable debut against Australia in Kingston, where he registered a pair to become the 40th batsman to start his Test career in such fashion.Chandrika, called up to replace an indisposed Marlon Samuels for the second Test, lasted a total of nine balls and 16 minutes in the match, falling to Mitchell Starc in both innings. He put his failures down to poor shot selection.”Once I reached the middle all I had wanted is to get off the mark in both innings but the shot selections were not good,” Chandrika told . “I just want to put that Test behind me and concentrate on the future. I still have a lot of cricket in me so one bad Test is not the end.”Coach Phil Simmons too had words of encouragement for Chandrika. “He has to understand that he can bat, or else he would not have been on the team. He has to keep that confidence in himself, correct his flaws and move forward in his career,” Simmons was quoted as saying by the .Chandrika had opened the batting for the WICB President’s XI in a tour game at North Sound and made 74 in the first innings before being dismissed for a first-ball duck in the second dig.

Led by Dale Steyn, who became the second-quickest bowler to 400 Test wickets, South Africa chipped away at Bangladesh’s line-up reducing the hosts to 246 for 8 at the end of the first day

The Report by Firdose Moonda30-Jul-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details2:21

Trott: Steyn could get 600 wickets

Dale Steyn became the 13th bowler to take 400 Test wickets but South Africa’s part-time spinners enjoyed most of the success on an absorbing day of grind on both sides. South Africa’s bowlers showed more intent and aggression than in the first Test but were made to toil on a slow, dry surface that had been run ragged as early as day one.There were signs of substantial turn, which will suit Bangladesh later on, and it placed added importance on the hosts making the most of what will likely be the best batting conditions of the game. Mushfiqur Rahim’s 65, which included a 94-run fourth-wicket stand with Mahmudullah formed the core of the Bangladesh challenge, which started off strongly but fell away later on. Mushfiqur’s dismissal prompted a collapse of 4 for 31 in the third session to hand South Africa the advantage.The predicted rain did not arrive but clouds lurked around the Shere Bangla stadium for most of the morning session. The moisture they held did not provide any swing for Steyn but he was still South Africa’s best bowler, much-improved from the first Test.He should have had a wicket in the third over of the day when Tamim Iqbal flayed at a full delivery but the resultant edge was out of reach of debutant wicketkeeper Dane Vilas and Dean Elgar could not hold on as the ball dipped on him. Steyn did not have to wait too long for his milestone, though. Tamim could not resist the tempting length and was loose again in Steyn’s next over when he chased a wide ball and edged to first slip, where Hashim Amla collected at chest height.That wicket made Steyn the joint-fastest seamer to 400 Test wickets, equalling Richard Hadlee’s 80 appearances, and the second fastest to the landmark overall. He is the second South African bowler in the 400-plus Test wickets club after Shaun Pollock, who finished with 421 wickets. After the early success, Steyn seemed set to add a few more to his tally but, until he generated reverse-swing later in the day, Bangladesh defied him.Imrul Kayes and Mominul Haque showed impeccable judgment outside off stump and the temperament to withstand the pressure the South African attack piled on them. As a pack, the South Africa pacers forced the batsmen to play more than they did in Chittagong with more attacking lines and lengths. They also used the bouncer more frequently, with Morne Morkel, bowling first change, relying on his stock short ball to intimidate the batsmen.Bangladesh, to their credit, were not so easily bowled over. Imrul and Mominul got into good positions to play the pull and rode the bounce, while waiting to target the spinner. Simon Harmer was introduced in the 12th over and showed confidence in tossing the ball up. The batsmen showed equal confidence in dispatching it.The runs they took off Harmer and part-timer Stiaan van Zyl provided the cushion to see out the pre-lunch squeeze. Steyn returned for a spell, and South Africa only gave away 12 runs in seven overs before the break, but Bangladesh clung on.JP Duminy made his first appearance in the second session and it proved to be a good move. Mominul tried to play a late dab off him but was cramped for room and he edged to Vilas, who took his first Test catch. Nine deliveries later, Duminy rapped Imrul on the back pad in front of middle and off to push Bangladesh towards a mini-collapse.Vernon Philander’s afternoon spell asked questions of Bangladesh’s discipline, particularly when he found some movement as the clouds cleared. He got shape into the right-hander and fished for the edge. Steyn’s reverse-swing threatened to take out the captain when a ball shaved Mushfiqur’s off stump on its way through to Vilas, but no damage was done. Steyn was denied again when Mahmudullah, on 18, was given out lbw off his bowling but the review and replays showed an inside edge.Bangladesh enjoyed relief off Harmer and Morkel, whose threat was negated by the batsmen’s growing confidence, and went to tea in a strong position at 154 for 3. Mushfiqur brought up his half-century, off 79 balls, as the final session got underway and was readying to ensure the day belonged to Bangladesh. He rotated strike with Mahmudullah and milked the spinners as South Africa seemed to be allowing the game to, as Amla would say, “drift.”The captain brought Steyn back as soon as he felt initiative needed to be regained and he struck. Mahmudullah sent a full, straight delivery with a hint of reverse-swing to short midwicket where Temba Bavuma was stationed. Still, Bangladesh were in control, with Shakib Al Hasan joining Mushfiqur.The pair built steadily. Shakib targeted Harmer and the batsmen looked settled when Amla pulled a rabbit out of the hat. With substantial turn on offer, Elgar was brought on for some part time left-arm spin and snagged the big wicket. Mushfiqur came forward to defend a loopy delivery outside off, the ball turned away and bounced and seemed to take the edge on the way through to Vilas. Paul Reiffel gave him out but Mushfiqur reviewed. Snicko showed only a faint spike which may have been the bat hitting the ground but the decision was upheld. Mushfiqur was visibly upset as he walked off, leaving Shakib to marshal the rest.Liton Das showed none of the composure of the first Test when he got a leading edge to sweep Duminy into Elgar’s hands. The Bangladesh tail was staring at facing the second new ball but Amla kept Elgar on, perhaps for a little longer, hoping to take advantage of the turn. Shakib switched to attacking mode to try and add what he could but his fun ended when Steyn and Morkel were brought back on. With the ball still reversing, Morkel got one to swerve across Shakib and took a top edge to gully. Steyn bagged one more to end South Africa’s day strongly and leave Amla with the option of calling on the new ball tomorrow morning.

A round-up of the matches in the Haier T20 Cup played on September 9, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Sep-2015Group ABahawalpur Region crushed Karachi Whites by 42 runs through an all-round team effort at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad. Faisal Mubashir and Moinuddin struck fifties helping Bahawalpur post a score of 174 after being asked to bat first.In reply, Karachi Whites were never allowed to build a substantial partnership. Sheharyar Ghani and opener Ahsan Ali hit 32 and 28 respectively but failed to capitalise on their starts. Kamran Hussain and Saadat Munir shared five wickets, reducing Karachi Whites to 98 for 7. Zahir Siddiqi also claimed two wickets as Karachi Whites were bowled out in the last over.Sialkot Region survived a scare as Hyderabad Region almost ran down the target of 164 in a thrilling encounter but fell four runs short in Islamabad. After opting to bowl first, Hyderabad reduced Sialkot to 7 for 2 – a wobble that was steadied by Bilal Asif (53) and captain Shoaib Malik’s 28-ball 52 which included three sixes and four boundaries. A quickfire 25 off 15 balls by Haris Sohail propelled the total to 163.Hyderabad retorted strongly with contributions from almost all the batsmen, with the highest score being 29 by Shoaib Laghari. A brisk 15 each by No 10 and 11 batsmen – Nauman Ali and Babar Khan respectively – dragged the game into the final over. Amad Butt conceded 50 off his four overs but picked up three wickets while Bilal Asif chipped in with three wickets to go with his fifty.Kamran Akmal’s boundary-laden fifty guided Multan Region to an eight-wicket win against Rawalpindi Region in Rawalpindi. He struck ten fours in his 35-ball 51 as Multan coasted to the 133-run target with 13 balls to spare. After choosing to bat, Nasir Jamshed (11) and Awais Zia gave Rawalpindi a brisk start, putting on 46 runs in 29 balls. However, the innings fell away as wickets fell frequently. Apart from Zia (33), no other batsman scored more than 15. Four Multan bowlers picked up two wickets each as Rawalpindi were bowled out of the penultimate delivery for 132.Akmal and Imran Farhat (24) began the chase solidly, adding a 78-run opening stand. Hammad Azam got rid of the openers in consecutive overs but Sohaib Maqsood and Naved Yasin took Multan through with quick cameos.Group BLeft-arm spinner Khalid Usman ripped through Lahore Region Whites with a five-for to set up a remarkable 83-run victory for Abbottabad Region in Rawalpindi. The decision to field first backfired on Lahore Whites as both Younis Khan and Yasir Hameed cracked half-centuries to help Abbottabad to a total of 198. Lahore Whites bowlers struggled to take wickets and went at eight runs an over or more. Mohammad Irfan was the most economical bowler with figures of 4-0-32-1.Responding to a daunting target, Lahore Whites failed to keep up with the required run rate with wickets falling regularly. Mohammad Hafeez (31) was the only batsman to score over 20. Beside Usman’s five-wicket haul, Yasir Shah and Junaid Khan both bowled economically and chipped in with two wickets apiece.Iftikhar Ahmed’s brisk half-century led Peshawar Region to a comfortable five-wicket win against Faisalabad Region in Rawalpindi. Faisalabad got off to a bright start after choosing to bat through Khurram Shehzad (22) and Asif Ali (24). Although both were dismissed at inopportune times, Misbah-ul-Haq brought some stability with his 33-ball 38. After he fell in the 13th over, Peshawar made regular breakthroughs and kept the total to 133. Imran Khan conceded just 20 runs in his four overs and also claimed four wickets.Peshawar got off to a solid start in the chase and Iftikhar carried the momentum through with a quickfire fifty, which included four fours and two sixes. Faisalabad kept chipping away at the wickets but Peshawar eventually romped home with seven balls to spare.

Zimbabwe will go into the third ODI focused on what could be their first one-day series win over a top 10 side other than Bangladesh for more than 14 years

The Preview by Liam Brickhill04-Oct-2015

Match facts

Monday, October 5Start time 9.30am local (0730GMT)Pakistan have slipped to No. 9 in the ODI rankings – if they had been No. 9 three days ago, they would not have qualified for the Champions Trophy•AFP

The Big Picture It scarcely seemed possible after their crushing defeat in the first ODI, but Zimbabwe will go into the third match focused on what could be their first one-day series win over a top 10 side other than Bangladesh for more than 14 years. To do that, though, they’ll have to fire on all cylinders against a Pakistan side who will feel that the momentum was on their side before the inclement weather tipped Saturday’s game in Zimbabwe’s favour.Zimbabwe remain perennial underdogs and though they wobbled noticeably in the face of Shoaib Malik’s death-defying brilliance, they showed during the second ODI what they are capable of as a team when it all clicks. Zimbabwe didn’t lose any wickets to spin in the second match, after losing all 10 to the slow men in the first. Top order runs, a lower order blast, early wickets, and inspired fielding were all on show. But on the flip side of that, there was also the omnishambles of the late afternoon where it all threatened to fall apart, and inconsistency of performance is still a problem for the hosts.Pakistan, on the other hand, have been consistent in both their successes and failures during their trip to Southern Africa. In every match their top order has failed, their lower middle has rallied, and their bowlers have kept them in the game. Their defeat on Saturday means Pakistan have slipped to No. 9 in the ODI rankings – if they had been No. 9 three days ago, they would not have qualified for the Champions Trophy. Though these two teams are now slightly closer in the ICC’s one-day rankings, and despite Zimbabwe’s strong team performance to level the series, once again Pakistan start as favourites.

Form guide

(Last five completed matches, most recent first)Zimbabwe WLLLW
Pakistan LWLWW

In the spotlight

After spending months as a specialist batsman, circumstances dictated that Elton Chigumbura should return to his traditional allrounder role in the second match. He quickly shook off what rust may have coated his bowling arm and contributed roundly to Zimbabwe’s success with a wicket, a catch, a run-out and a half-century earlier in the day. He’ll want to lead from the front in the decider, and if his top order gives him a platform, his devastating batting could be the difference between ignominy and a historic series win.Shoaib Malik has been the calm centre of a combustible Pakistan middle order on this tour, and every time he has arrived at the crease, his team has been in trouble. He top-scored in the opening T20, and though he failed in the second, he made an all-round contribution to the visitors’ win in the first ODI. He very nearly sealed the series on Saturday and, given the way that match ended, Malik will be out to prove a point on Monday.

Team news

Zimbabwe stuck with the same XI in the second ODI, but they face an enforced change in the series decider. Graeme Cremer’s ankle injury has all but ruled him out, and the most obvious replacement for him is legspinning allrounder Tino Mutumbodzi. Though he dropped a crucial catch, Mutumbodzi was generally an electric presence in the field and his run-out of Mohammad Hafeez was vital to Zimbabwe’s eventual success. While Hamilton Masakadza has looked out of sorts in this series, his place is probably still safe and the only other reserve batsman in the side is Malcolm Waller. Zimbabwe (possible): 1 Chamu Chibhabha, 2 Hamilton Masakadza, 3 Brian Chari, 4 Sean Williams, 5 Elton Chigumbura (capt), 6 Sikandar Raza, 7 Richmond Mutumbami (wk), 8 Tino Mutombodzi, 9 Luke Jongwe, 10 Tinashe Panyangara, 11 John Nyumbu.Pakistan’s changes for the second match didn’t quite work out – debutant Bilal Asif held his own with the ball without ever really threatening and was unconvincing with the bat, while Asad Shafiq was an anonymous presence. Given Imad Wasim’s current form with both bat and ball, Pakistan will want him back and the visitors may well revert to the XI that crushed Zimbabwe so effectively in the first match. Pakistan (possible): 1 Azhar Ali (capt), 2 Ahmed Shehzad, 3 Mohammad Hafeez, 4 Shoaib Malik, 5 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 6 Mohammad Rizwan, 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Aamer Yamin, 9 Yasir Shah, 10 Wahab Riaz, 11 Mohammad Irfan.

Pitch and conditions

After a series of slow, low turners during this tour, the pitch used in the second ODI was more what one might term a good cricket wicket. With a little grass left on the track, Pakistan’s spinners weren’t quite as menacing but it still offered something to bowlers of all types and also made strokeplay a little easier. HSC head groundsman Fungai Shanganya will probably aim for something similar in the decider. Monday will definitely start off sunny and warm, and though there is no rain predicted, once the rainy season arrives in Zimbabwe one can never be quite sure when and where a thunderstorm will appear.

Stats and trivia

• Malik has averaged 93.20 in the ten ODIs he has played since his international return earlier in the year. He has made 466 runs including one century and three fifties. Malik averages 43.61 with the bat and 21.00 with the ball in one-day internationals against Zimbabwe.
• Wahab Riaz is Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs this year. He’s picked up 29 wickets at 23.75 in 15 matches.
• The last time Zimbabwe won a one-day series over a team other than Bangladesh, Ireland or Kenya was against New Zealand in January 2001. Heath Streak was their hero on a sunny afternoon in Auckland, his runs and wickets helping Zimbabwe to their maiden away one-day series win.

Quotes

Shoaib Malik defends Pakistan’s top order, many of whom have been dismissed playing big shots in this series.Zimbabwe coach Dav Whatmore has been very pleased with Brian Chari’s development since his ODI debut.