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Both teams made 300-plus totals in their opening games, so expect another run-fest on a flat surface in Rawalpindi

Firdose Moonda24-Feb-20253:05

Australia’s batters vs SA’s bowlers – who has the upper hand?

Big picture: Expect a hard-fought contest

Australia and South Africa brushed off poor pre-tournament results to record wins in their opening matches of the Champions Trophy and they meet each other with their batters in good form. Australia may be riding slightly higher after they completed the highest successful chase in tournament history – 352 – with 15 balls to spare. South Africa’s 315 for 6 against Afghanistan resulted in victory by 107 runs and put them higher on the points table thanks to a bigger net run-rate.All that, combined with expectations of a batter-friendly pitch in Rawalpindi, means the bowling attacks can expect a tough day out after already being challenged by absences in personnel. Australia are missing more than South Africa with Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc all out of the tournament. But with Anrich Nortje and Gerald Coetzee also ruled out, South Africa had to look elsewhere for express pace. Still, they have five seamers and three spinners (if you include Aiden Markram) to choose from. Australia’s squad make-up is similar, and with Marnus Labuschagne turning his arm over, they have additional options. So the real point of difference may lie in selection and how the captains allocate overs to exert pressure on each other.Related

• Inglis savours 'special' innings as Australia make winning start

• Rickelton is rocking it in all three formats, one by one

• South Africa 'bullish' about their chances – like Australia always are

Victory will not guarantee either team progression to the semi-finals but will leave the winner primed to top the group, so expect a contest that lives up to its billing, especially if the last one was anything to go by. In 2023, at the ODI World Cup semi-final, South Africa were restricted to an under-par total of 212 but had Australia seven down in the 48th when the winning runs were scored. That game had the tension of a low-scoring thriller. This one is likely to have the fireworks of a run fest.Whatever happens, given these two sides routinely bring out the most competitive streaks in each other, this will be one of the tournament’s showpiece matches in front of what is expected to be a sell-out crowd.

Form guide

Australia: WLLLL
South Africa: WLLLL4:16

Carey: We know South Africa are a great team

In the spotlight: Nathan Ellis and Rassie van der Dussen

In a match where 707 runs were scored in 97.3 overs, conceding less than six runs an over was simply outstanding. That’s what Nathan Ellis did for Australia against England, where his ten overs cost just 51 runs in a display of immense control and maturity in just his tenth ODI. Ellis is unusual in that at 5′ 9″ he isn’t as tall as we’d expect a fast bowler to be and relies on consistency and variety rather than pace to make an impact. While he may not be an outright attacking bowler, in a tournament where restricting batting sides in the middle overs has already proven to be important, how he performs in that phase could be decisive in Australia’s campaign.Part of a powerful and in-form batting order, Rassie van der Dussen has the third-best ODI batting average of all time for South Africa and is among their most consistent performers despite a recent dip, and he may have started to feel the pressure of competition for his place. His 46-ball 52 against Afghanistan was his first half-century in 11 innings. South Africa are choosing between Ryan Rickelton, Tony de Zorzi and van der Dussen for two of three top-order spots and also have Tristan Stubbs on the bench, so van der Dussen will want to do all he can to keep proving his worth.

Team news: Heinrich Klassen to have fitness test

Australia don’t have reason to change things and Alex Carey suggested the XI would remain as is. They may consider a switch in their attack, and swap out one of their two left-arm quicks – Spencer Johnson and Ben Dwarshuis – for Sean Abbott.Australia: (possible): 1 Matthew Short, 2 Travis Head, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 Marnus Labuschagne, 5 Josh Inglis (wk), 6 Alex Carey, 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 Ben Dwarshuis, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Spencer JohnsonHeinrich Klaasen missed South Africa’s opener against Afghanistan because of an elbow niggle and will have a fitness test to assess his availability for this match. If Klaasen is fit, South Africa are likely to change their opening combination to make room for him in the middle order, which would mean leaving de Zorzi out after Rickelton made himself undroppable with his century against Afghanistan. South Africa seem content to play one specialist spinner and have the option of four quicks, which could leave Tabraiz Shamsi on the bench again.South Africa (possible): 1 Temba Bavuma (capt), 2 Ryan Rickelton, 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 David Miller, 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Lungi Ngidi4:00

Agar: Australia’s bowlers need to control middle overs better

Pitch and conditions

Before this tournament, Rawalpindi had not hosted ODIs since April 2023, when Pakistan and New Zealand made scores of 288, 291, 336 and 337 in two matches. South Africa’s captain Temba Bavuma and Carey said they expected another high-scoring encounter on what should be a flat surface. Bavuma also revealed that South Africa noted significant dew during a training session at the venue over the weekend and both he and Carey expected chasing to be easier than defending a target. The weather will be cooler than in Karachi or Lahore with a high of just 17 degrees, and there is some drizzle forecast in the afternoon which could impact the match.

Stats and trivia

• Australia’s chase of 352 against England was their second-highest successful chase in ODIs.
• In that game, Josh Inglis became the fourth Australian men’s cricketer to complete a hundred in all formats, after Aaron Finch, Glenn Maxwell and David Warner.
• Since 2016, South Africa have batted first 12 times against Australia in ODIs and lost only two of those matches. The most recent of these defeats was the semi-final of the 2023 ODI World Cup.
• Travis Head has scored 62 runs off 55 balls off Kagiso Rabada in ODIs and been dismissed by him three times. Against Lungi Ngidi, however, he’s scored only 15 off 25 balls for two dismissals.
• Klaasen has scored 121 runs off 89 balls from Adam Zampa in ODIs and been dismissed twice by him.

Quotes

“We probably don’t want to chase 350 too many more times but our bowlers will learn a lot from that hit out.”
“We’re quite bullish about our chances. Even though in the [preceding] tri-series, we didn’t have all our guys, it still was an opportunity for us to get whatever intel that we can on the conditions and share that information with all the other guys who came in. Confidence is good. We’re quite optimistic about our chances and how far we can go in this competition.”

Kohli’s 49th ODI century and Jadeja’s five-for widened the gap between India and the rest while Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have concerns over Delhi’s air quality

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Nov-20232:11

Kumble: Don’t think any player will come close to Kohli’s ODI achievements

—Fixtures | Squads | Points table | Tournament Index

Top Story: Jadeja razes South Africa for 83 after Kohli scores 49th ODI ton

Virat Kohli gifted himself a record-equalling 49th ODI century and India their eighth successive victory in this World Cup, on his 35th birthday. When Kohli drew level with Sachin Tendulkar, with a punched single in the penultimate over of India’s innings, a crowd of 60,000 at Eden Gardens celebrated with Kohli and made it a memorable birthday bash.Kohli, who walked out to bat in the sixth over after Rohit Sharma had won the toss and challenged India to bat, batted till the end of the innings, lifting India to an above-par 326 for 5. He ended up outscoring South Africa who could manage just 83 in 27.1 overs. Ravindra Jadeja bagged career-best figures of 5 for 33 to wreck South Africa’s chase and consign them to their joint second-lowest total in ODI cricket.Click here for the full report

Match analysis: Kohli soaks up the spotlight so that India can celebrate and shine

Virat Kohli’s terrific hundred took India to above-par 326•ICC via Getty

The path Virat Kohli chose in Pune was a dangerous one. He possibly didn’t even choose that path but was led down it by KL Rahul. Not the path where he tried to hit sixes to get his 48th hundred even as India were running out of runs to chase. But the one where they started manipulating strike to get him there.India had plenty of overs and wickets in hand, so there was no risk of losing. Let’s also put aside the possible disrespect to the opposition – telling them you are beating them with plenty of time to spare – because there are arguments against that too. It was the attention he was drawing to himself. Telling the whole country, which hangs on to his every word and gesture – that he is so keen to get to No. 50 that he is willing to do something he has never done.Read the full analysis from Sidharth Monga

Must Watch: What does India’s dominance mean for the rest?

1:58

What does India’s dominant win mean for the rest?

News headlines

• Delhi’s poor air quality could force the ICC to cancel the clash between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka with protocols being put in place to monitor the situation right up until game time with points to be shared if no play is possible.
• Moeen Ali says England’s older players perhaps did not see the writing on the wall ahead of the World Cup after losing six of seven matches to be knocked out of the tournament.
• Cameron Green says he has no issues with being left out of Australia’s first-choice XI against Afghanistan as Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell are likely to return after missing the England game.

Match preview

Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, Delhi (2pm IST; 8.30am GMT; 7.30pm AEDT)3:48

Finch wants to see Shakib at No. 3

This may not be the must-win scenario either side would have envisioned towards the tail-end of this tournament, but the ICC’s confirmation that the top seven finishers (and hosts Pakistan) will gain qualification for the 2025 Champions Trophy has given what would have been a largely inconsequential game some much needed purpose.Both sides’ troubles are well documented. Since their opening game win against Afghanistan, Bangladesh have lost six on the trot. Only England have a worse record, and Bangladesh have lost to them too. For a side that had won 24 of 39 ODIs since the start of 2021, this has been the most underwhelming of tournaments, especially in conditions that on the face of it looked like it might have suited them.Full previewTeam newsBangladesh (probable): 1 Litton Das, 2 Tanzid Hasan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk) 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Towhid Hridoy , 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Shoriful Islam.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Perera/Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Kusal Mendis (capt, wk) 4 Sadeera Samarawickrama, 5 Charith Asalanka, 6 Angelo Mathews 7 Dushan Hemantha 8 Maheesh Theekshana, 9 Kasun Rajitha, 10 Dushmantha Chameera 11 Dilshan Madushanka

Scenarios: What do New Zealand and Pakistan need to do to qualify for the semi-finals?

Daryl Mitchell, Kane Williamson, and Tim Southee talk to an official at the second rain break•ICC/Getty Images

England have been eliminated, South Africa have qualified for the semi-finals, while the fight for the last two semi-finals slots is largely between Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Here is how the qualifications scenarios look for those teams.Read the full analysis from S Rajesh

Title challengers four-down at stumps, allowing Surrey to tighten grip at top of Division One

ECB Reporters Network21-Sep-2022Jack Leaning celebrated his second century of the season to boost Kent’s hopes of avoiding relegation from LV= Insurance County Championship Division One as they set title-chasing Hampshire 378 runs to win.Stand-in captain Leaning struck 112 as the pitch became more conducive to batting, following 23 wickets falling on a fast-forward opening day, as Kent totted up 269 runs.It meant Hampshire, who had seen Mohammad Abbas claim four for 68, required the fifth-highest chase in their history to keep themselves in the title race – with Surrey highly likely to pick up a win and six bonus points.Joe Weatherley was exceptional for his unbeaten 54 but Hampshire lost openers Felix Organ and Ian Holland plus nightwatcher Keith Barker and Nick Gubbins while knocking 105 off the required total in 35 overs – with 273 runs still required to victory.Having taken three evening wickets – albeit two were nightwatchers and the light had dimmed – Hampshire were optimistic they could blast the remaining seven Kent batters, have a modest target to chase and reignite their title tilt.They were in for another chastening day, as the pitch somewhat flattened out and their visitors took advantage.Tawanda Muyeye and Daniel Bell-Drummond came out with a game-plan to attack with the pair driving with glamorous abandon, the pair putting on a carefree 35. Muyeye gained a life on 34 when dropped at third slip but failed to use it when leg before to Kyle Abbott in the following over.Bell-Drummond continued on his way to 40, with all but six of the runs coming in boundaries, with 51 added with Leaning before he was bowled playing around James Fuller. Ollie Robinson also fell before lunch edging a slog to first slip.The afternoon saw Leaning come into his own. He set up outside of his crease and then lurched further forward to try and get to the ball before it significantly moved.His hypothesis worked as he comfortably collected runs, most often guiding to third. His fifty came in that region, although through an edge between wicketkeeper and slip, in 89 balls.Leaning is on course to average above 40 in his first two full seasons at Kent, since moving from Yorkshire, but last season his failure to convert blackened his 745 a tad. He turned a fifty to a century just once in seven attempts in 2021.He has almost matched his overall tally from last year, up to 714 after this innings, and has now scored two centuries – this being in much trickier conditions than his 128 against Gloucestershire at home.The right-hander reached his eighth first-class century by advancing and dispatching a six over midwicket. He had batted through over an hour after lunch with Harry Finch for 78 before the latter was lbw to Abbott.From there wickets fell more regularly as Leaning scored all but one run off the bat in stands of 17 and 21 with Joey Evison and Nathan Gilchrist. Evison was caught behind, Leaning upper-cutting to deep point and Gilchrist picking out long on to end the innings.Only Hampshire sides in 1983, 1985, 1990 and 2006 had scored greater than 378 runs to win a match. Chances of replicating those performances got off to a hitch when Holland was leg before to Matt Quinn in the fourth over.Organ and Weatherley bravely copped knocks on the hand during a ferocious Conor McKerr over with the homegrown duo putting on 68.But after back-to-back boundaries, Organ edged Harry Podmore behind. He left the middle banging his bat against his helmet in frustration before Barker starved off 17 deliveries and then looped a bouncer to midwicket. Quinn picked up his eighth wicket of the match as Gubbins left a delivery that nipped back into his off stump.The smattering of wickets meant Weatherley shyly celebrated his 94-ball half-century – his first since April.

“Krunal, myself and my mother, we were finding ways at trying to help out”

PTI01-May-2021Mumbai Indians allrounder Hardik Pandya on Saturday announced that his entire family, including brother Krunal Pandya, will donate 200 oxygen concentrators to help the rural areas of the country fight the raging Covid-19 pandemic.Talking ahead of his team’s match against the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, Hardik said his family had been looking for ways to help those in need.”Gratitude to all the medical staff, frontline workers and all the individuals who have come out and held their hands at such times to fight out the battle,” Hardik said during a pre-game chat on Star Sports. “Krunal, myself and my mother – basically our entire family – we were finding ways at trying to help out. We decided to donate 200 oxygen concentrators to the rural parts of India where I feel the medical infrastructure needs more support.”Related

• Dhawan, Tendulkar contribute to India's fight against Covid-19

• KKR's Pat Cummins donates $50,000 'to purchase oxygen supplies for India's hospitals'

India is reeling under the second wave of the pandemic with cases rising rapidly, the crisis compounded by shortage of some crucial medicines and oxygen supplies. The country recorded over four lakh cases since Friday.”We all understand it’s difficult, we want to show our gratitude, support and just want to tell everyone that they’re always there in our prayers,” Hardik said.Several cricketers, including Sachin Tendulkar, Shikhar Dhawan and Jaydev Undakat, Australians Pat Cummins and Brett Lee, and West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran also stepped up to help in the fight against Covid-19.IPL sides are also pitching in. The Rajasthan Royals have raised INR 7.5 crore (US$ 1 million approx.) while the Delhi Capitals contributed INR 1.5 crore ($20,2500 approx.) for the cause.

The Sydney Thunder fast bowler will continue to represent New South Wales Breakers

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Dec-2019Rene Farrell, the former Australia fast bowler, joined Alex Blackwell and Kristen Beams in announcing her retirement from the Women’s Big Bash League following the exits of their sides from the latest edition of the T20 tournament on Sunday.Sydney Thunder’s Blackwell, Australia’s most-capped woman cricketer, and Beams, who turned out for Melbourne Stars since the tournament took off in 2015-16, had announced their decision to finish up earlier, and Farrell joined Blackwell in a post-match guard of honour after the Thunder lost to the Melbourne Renegades in their last match of the season.Farrell, 32, made her Australia debut in an ODI against New Zealand in Darwin in July 2007 and played three Test matches, 44 ODIs and 54 T20Is over the years, her last outing in national colours coming in March 2017, again in an ODI against New Zealand, in Mount Maunganui. She finished with 114 international wickets.Though she won’t play in the WBBL again, Farrell will continue to play for New South Wales Breakers.”I still have 50-overs cricket with the NSW Breakers. Hopefully I can go out on a high there like we did for Alex’s career and winning that [after announcing her retirement from state cricket last year],” Farrell, who picked up 79 wickets in 66 games for the Thunder over the years, said. “I have a bit of cricket left, [but this send off with Sydney Thunder] was really special.”The Thunder website said that Blackwell had invited Farrell to join her in the farewell, joined by players from her team, as well as from the Renegades, Melbourne Stars and Brisbane Heat, who were all in action at Melbourne’s Junction Oval.Alex Blackwell gets a guard of honour•Getty Images

“It was lovely of Al [Blackwell] to invite me to enjoy that moment… very special,” Farrell said. “My reputation is gone now, I had a few tears on TV, but it is special.”It wasn’t a particularly memorable outing for Farrell on the field, though, as she conceded 33 runs in four wicketless overs before scoring 14* in 12 balls in a 29-run defeat. Blackwell, too, didn’t have a good time of it, run out for 1 in the failed chase for the Thunder.”I couldn’t have that send off without sharing it with her,” Blackwell said of the joint farewell. “She’s been an absolute legend of the game; really valuable – especially in T20. She’s a big loss, a wonderful character. She’s been an incredible servant of the game and it’s easy to get emotional when you think of her contribution.”Beams, too, had a bad day at work, conceding 14 runs in her only over as the Heat beat the Stars by eight wickets. She picked up just wickets this season in eight bowling innings for the Stars.”I’ve loved the last five years with the Melbourne Stars and being part of the Stars family,” Beams told the team’s website. “To see the WBBL grow from the first year of competition to what it is now has been a fantastic journey.”The 35-year-old legspinner played one Test, 30 ODIs and 18 T20Is for Australia since making her debut in an ODI against Pakistan in Brisbane in August 2014, last turning out for the national team in an ODI against England in Coffs Harbour in October 2017. She picked up 62 international wickets, and was a one-team player at the WBBL, having been with the Stars since the start of the league.

They could be helped by a batting-friendly pitch in Bloemfontein, where England smashed 399 for 9 in February 2016

The Preview by Liam Brickhill02-Oct-2018

Big Picture

South Africa’s bowlers did a sterling job in the series opener and the hosts are 1-0 up, but there are questions over their batting. In Bloemfontein’s Mangaung Oval, they may have the perfect stage to set right some of their batting errors and get the middle order flowing smoothly.An untested middle order clearly got the memo about playing aggressive cricket, but in the first ODI their application in conditions that made strokeplay dangerous went awry. Only Heinrich Klaasen seemed to have figured out just how to be positive against the extra bounce in Kimberley.South Africa’s bowling, meanwhile, appears in starkly fine fettle. Kagiso Rabada bowled a little within himself on Sunday, but was still effective, while Lungi Ngidi showed that he could be a menace even on a fairly slow pitch. Andile Phehlukwayo and Wiaan Mulder did exactly what was asked of them in backing up the new-ball pair, while Imran Tahir whizzed through his variations to clean up the tail.Zimbabwe’s batsmen will also be pleased that South Africa’s attack might be defanged a little by batting-friendly conditions in Bloemfontein. The visitors do at least also have a little more experience of Bloemfontein than they had of Kimberley before the series opener.The Mangaung Oval is one of the few grounds in South Africa where Zimbabwe have a history in all three international formats. Almost twenty years ago, this was the ground where Zimbabwe played their first Test match on South Africa soil, and more recently Zimbabwe’s batsmen had left with happy memories of T20 and ODI cricket here. Eight years ago, Brendan Taylor cracked a career-best 145* here under lights. Hamilton Masakadza, Sean Williams and Elton Chigumbura were all also part of the XI in that game, and Masakadza has a particular connection to the city.Sixteen years ago, Masakadza enrolled at the University of the Free State to study for a Bachelor of Commerce degree at their Bloemfontein campus, and must have cut a somewhat unlikely figure at his Afrikaans hostel, Vishuis. But by all accounts he enjoyed his time here, studying with the help of a cricket bursary organised by Ewie Cronje, father of Hansie, and when he returned to the city for the first time since finishing university with the national side in October 2010, he cracked 72 in a T20I against a bowling attack that included his old university team-mate, Ryan McLaren.Zimbabwe desperately need Masakadza to rekindle some of that varsity sparkle at the top of the order. South Africa, too, need more out of their batting unit.

Form guide

South Africa WLLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Zimbabwe LLLLLBrandon Mavuta celebrates his maiden ODI wicket•AFP

In the spotlight

South Africa’s middle order is under more than a little pressure to perform after a lull in their last three ODIs. Reeza Hendricks has just seven runs from his last three ODI innings, while Dean Elgar and Christiaan Jonker are yet to show whether they can fill in for the injured Hashim Amla and the absent David Miller. Klaasen helped South Africa overcome a wobble against Zimbabwe in the opener, and the batting hopefuls will be desperate to impose themselves a little more second time around.Zimbabwe have some middle-order issues of their own, but their batting malaise is a little more widespread and of particular concern is their ability to absorb pressure by turning the strike over with singles. This was particularly apparent in Kimberley, when 153 of the 205 deliveries bowled at Zimbabwe were dots. They’ll have to find a way to run South Africa a little harder with quick singles.

Team news

South Africa coach Ottis Gibson spoke about giving extended opportunities to those in the starting XI ahead of this series, and it’s likely that the South African think tank will want to have another look at their combination in different conditions. South Africa’s bowling attack gelled very nicely in the first game, and their top six should have another chance to do the same.South Africa (possible): 1 Dean Elgar, 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Reeza Hendricks, 4 JP Duminy (capt), 5 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 Christiaan Jonker, 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 Andile Phehlukwayo, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Lungi Ngidi, 11 Imran TahirWith Brendan Taylor keeping wicket, Zimbabwe’s combinations are also likely settled for the moment. The value of playing Elton Chigumbura as an extra batsman at no. 7 was demonstrated in the first ODI, when he top-scored with 27, and with Sean Williams and Solomon Mire filling in the fifth bowler’s position, the visitors have plenty of options with the ball.Zimbabwe (possible): 1 Hamilton Masakadza (capt), 2 Solomon Mire, 3 Craig Ervine, 4 Brendan Taylor (wk), 5 Sean Williams, 6 PJ Moor/Ryan Murray, 7 Elton Chigumbura, 8 Wellington Masakadza, 9 Brandon Mavuta, 10 Kyle Jarvis, 11 Tendai Chatara

Pitch and conditions

Unless the pitch plays completely out of character, as was the case in Kimberley, there should be plenty of runs on offer. Unless there is a grass on it, the Mangaung Oval track is as flat as any in the country, with some franchise coaches even criticising the extent to which bat dominated the ball in some games last season.Just to make things a little more comfortable for the batsmen, the weather should be temperate on the day, with plenty of sunshine and a light breeze.

Stats and trivia

• Batsmen usually enjoy Bloemfontein. England smashed 399 for 9 at an ODI here in February 2016, and five of the six 300-plus scores at the ground have come since 2003.
• The last time South Africa played Zimbabwe here, Amla and Colin Ingram cracked hundreds as the hosts reached 351 for 6. Zimbabwe responded through Taylor’s ton, but fell well short as he was given little support.

Quotes

“I’m looking forward to going back home. It’s been a long time coming, I haven’t played there for a while.”
“I am still under pressure of securing a spot in this team so, for me, every game I play in I need to do well.”

Mignon du Preez was signed by the Southern Vipers after Dane van Niekerk was forced to withdraw from the Kia Super League due to injury

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Aug-2017South Africa batsman Mignon du Preez has replaced Dane van Niekerk in the Southern Vipers squad for the upcoming Kia Super League. Van Niekerk had earlier pulled out of the tournament with an injury after the conclusion of the Women’s World Cup. India’s Harmanpreet Kaur, who pulled out of the tournament because of a shoulder injury, will be replaced by South Africa opener Lizelle Lee for Surrey Stars.Du Preez finished the World Cup as South Africa’s third-highest run-scorer with 229 runs in seven games at an average of 57.25, including an unbeaten 76 in the semi-final against England.”I consider ourselves fortunate in that we have found such a talented and experienced player to replace Dane van Niekerk,” Bob Parks, Southern Vipers general manager, said. “She will certainly add value to our batting unit and comes with a high reputation as an excellent fielder.”The Vipers, though, will miss the all-round services of van Niekerk, who finished the Women’s World Cup as the leading wicket-taker with 15 wickets at an average of 10. She also contributed with 99 runs in seven games.The Southern Vipers open the tournament against Western Storm on August 10.

England still need to win one of the final two matches to secure the series – and they may come up against the weather again at The Oval, with a poor forecast for the afternoon

Alan Gardner at The Oval28-Jun-2016England’s increasingly proficient one-day side might well offer a beacon of hope for those looking for a distraction this week. England cricket fans knew the meaning of omnishambles long before it was added to the dictionary and might regard it as something of a perversity that, after the country’s footballers were put on ice by the smallest nation at Euro 2016 and as politicians continue exploring the realms beyond satire, it is their sport that provides a fleeting opportunity for optimism.It is not so long ago that England’s ODI players were sent packing from a major tournament to the accompaniment of boos and hisses, of course. Eoin Morgan is periodically asked to reflect on how far England have come since the 2015 World Cup and his responses to how the culture of the limited-overs teams has been changed, and where they can continue to improve, are typically well-rehearsed and emotion-free. Is it a stretch to suggest his cool captaincy and emphasis on collective enjoyment feels ever-so-slightly Icelandic?Morgan is no football fan, however, and England are one of the most well-resourced teams in cricket, so it is hard to make theirs an underdog story – no matter how mangy their one-day performances have been over the last couple of decades. England’s captain, who perhaps took slightly more of an interest during Ireland’s Euro 2016 defeat on Sunday, did concede that “emotions are probably running high with everybody around the country at the moment” but stopped short of endorsing the appointment of an Australian as Roy Hodgson’s successor.Coincidentally, Hodgson watched England’s cricketers train the last time they prepared for a match at The Oval (one they lost by an innings to Australia) but he has now joined Peter Moores and Stuart Lancaster in the most recent ranks of English coaching disaster. Morgan was more interested in Eddie Jones’ success in turning around the rugby team – “it’s been phenomenal to watch a whitewash against Australia on home soil” – but eventually talk turned to his ongoing project alongside Trevor Bayliss in improving England’s ODI stocks.A tie at Trent Bridge, where Liam Plunkett’s last-ball six salvaged a game that appeared lost, was followed by more consummate displays in both disciplines at Edgbaston and another solid bowling performance, before the rain arrived to wipe out any chance of a result at Bristol. That means England still need to win one of the final two matches to secure the series – and they may come up against the weather again at The Oval, with a poor forecast for the afternoon.”It’s very important we work hard, they are a strong side, we don’t take them for granted,” Morgan said. “The series still stands at 1-0, given we’ve played some really good cricket and not been able to capitalise because of the weather. Tomorrow again it is going to be tough to get it to that point but it’s important to emphasise the hard work that needs to be put in.”As England have broken records with regularity over the last 12 months, it has been the batsmen that have taken the plaudits – most recently with Alex Hales and Jason Roy knocking off the highest successful chase for a team winning by ten wickets.However, the bowling has stood out so far in this series, with Sri Lanka limited to totals of 286 for 9, 254 for 7 and 248 for 9. England have got by on five specialist bowlers in each match, with Joe Root contributing three overs of back-up spin, and while Morgan said he would prefer to have more options – such as when Ben Stokes has been fit to play as an allrounder in the top six – results had been encouraging.”At the moment it has worked, ideally we would have more but our strength has been our batting and to stick with that sends quite a lot of confidence through the changing room,” Morgan said of the team’s balance.”It throws it over to the bowlers, more responsibility on them and they have done pretty well with it. Sometimes if you go in with six out-and-out bowlers it can be off the pace a little bit, when you pack your team with batters and if they play poorly you wonder if they rely too much on other people. It’s a balance you just have to stay with what you feel is right for the team.”England have become more accustomed to viewing the limited-overs formats as a squad game and Morgan said there were still plenty of options to consider ahead of next year’s Champions Trophy. Steven Finn has yet to play a game in the series – in part thanks to Liam Plunkett’s strong form – and Stuart Broad’s name continues to linger at edge of selectoral discussions.Meanwhile, a combination of poor batting, good batting (from Hales and Roy) and poor weather, means that Morgan, Root and Jonny Bairstow have had little opportunity for time in the middle. For that reason, as well as the desire to avoid going to Cardiff still only 1-0 up, England will hope the rain stays away over south London on Wednesday. As Hodgson, who led his team through a perfect qualifying campaign for Euro 2016, would attest, you can never be too well prepared for the challenges ahead.”There is a lot of talk going into tournaments about knowing your best 11 but its more than that. A guy goes down in the first game, must-win, it’s more than having 11 – it’s how big your squad is. When you turn to guys at certain stages of a tournament you have got to be able to trust them, it’s not just your best team, but best squad.”

Fast bowler Adam Milne has been ruled out of the one-day series against England after failing to recover from the heel injury which ended his World Cup campaign

ESPNcricinfo staff23-May-2015Fast bowler Adam Milne has been ruled out of the one-day series against England after failing to recover from the heel injury which ended his World Cup campaign. Ben Wheeler, the left-arm seamer who bolstered the New Zealand squad early in the tour, has been named as Milne’s replacement.Milne did not take his place in the IPL with Royal Challengers Bangalore following the end of his World Cup at the quarter-final stage and, given his injury history, New Zealand are taking a cautious approach with the quick who is capable of topping 90mph (144kph).”It’s been a hard time for Adam,” Mike Hesson, the New Zealand coach, said. “He has worked really hard to get back to full fitness but unfortunately he is still suffering pain and is unable to bowl at his best. He is a young man and has a long career ahead of him so we are focused on making sure he is 100 percent fit before he returns.”Milne’s international career has been hampered by injuries. At the start of the last New Zealand season, he was ruled out of the series against South Africa with an elbow injury which followed an abdominal muscle strain against India last year. Back in early 2013 he missed a one-day series in South Africa due to an Achilles problem.Wheeler, 23, was one of the names covering for the IPL players during the warm-up period before the Test series, during which he took 5 for 18 against Somerset, and has remained with the squad.

West Indies fast bowler Tino Best has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against Bangladesh because of a hamstring injury

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Nov-2012West Indies fast bowler Tino Best has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series and the one-off Twenty20 against Bangladesh because of a hamstring injury. Jason Holder, an uncapped Barbados fast bowler, has been named as a replacement for Best.West Indies team physiotherapist CJ Clark said Best’s injury was a “Grade 1 lateral hamstring strain”.”Though being able to bowl in the second innings with pain-killing injections, he [Best] will need to return home to Barbados for ongoing treatment and rehabilitation,” Clark said. “It is expected that he will be back to full fitness for the Caribbean Twenty20 tournament in January.”Best was a key performer in West Indies’ 2-0 victory in the Test series. He took six wickets in Mirpur, including 5 for 24 in the second innings, and 6 for 40 in the second innings of the Khulna Test. He had been troubled by his hamstring on the first day of the second Test and bowled only ten overs in Bangladesh’s first innings. Best returned to bowl in the second innings, though, and despite his hamstring trouble he blew Bangladesh away to set up a ten-wicket win.West Indies coach Ottis Gibson said it was important to the team that Best regained his fitness for assignments next year. “It is unfortunate that Tino will be leaving, after he came back and bowled so well in the second innings of this game,” Gibson said. “There is a lot of cricket coming up next year and it will be important for us that he gets himself ready for that cricket.”Best’s replacement, Holder, has played 16 first-class matches and is expected to join the squad on Monday. “The selectors have started this policy of looking at giving some of our young players an opportunity at international level to see what they can do,” Gibson said. “Jason has done very well with the A-Team, so it’s a good opportunity for him to come here and get into the environment to see what it is like, and experience the work ethic required to be successful at this level.”