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Rangana Herath sprung from Sri Lanka’s dugout, watched his team-mates collapse, then crafted a Twenty20 spell of astounding quality to slam New Zealand into a wall, claiming five wickets for three runs, as Sri Lanka defended 119

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando31-Mar-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details2:42

Crowe: Herath immaculate from ball one

Rangana Herath sprung from Sri Lanka’s dugout, watched his team-mates collapse, then crafted a Twenty20 spell of astounding quality to slam New Zealand into a wall, claiming five wickets for three runs as Sri Lanka defended 119 and made the semi-finals. He arrived at the bowling crease in the third over, delivered a wicket maiden first up, and had three scalps before New Zealand scored a run off him. By the end of his three-over spell, New Zealand were 30 for 5 – effectively 6, as a dislocated finger prevented Corey Anderson from batting. Kane Williamson batted gamely, hitting 42 off 43 – the game’s top score – but he could not overcome the carnage at the other end.The dew Brendon McCullum had expected at the toss in this must-win game did not materialise, and though an attack led by Trent Boult justified his decision to chase, his batsmen were stunned to a stall in the Powerplay. They managed 60 for 9 in 15.3 overs, as Sachithra Senanayake and poor running contributed the remaining wickets.Rangana Herath had claimed three wickets before New Zealand had scored a run off him•Getty ImagesOne of those run-outs would provide Sri Lanka and Herath the opening they had been desperate for, with at least 30 runs too few on the board. Martin Guptill pushed a full Herath delivery gently towards mid -on, and though he set off for the single immediately, Williamson did not respond. Herath collected, turned and threw smartly to complete that first wicket, but it would be his next 11 balls that truly defined the match.Brendon McCullum was kept scoreless for four balls before Herath tossed one up slow and wide, reading McCullum’s advance, before he spun Ross Taylor in his web next over. Taylor survived a plumb lbw shout, but was out to a straighter one immediately. James Neesham played all around one that straightened, and when Luke Ronchi was trapped in front by another straightening ball next over, New Zealand had been knocked breathless.Crucially, the top-order collapse had been dramatic enough to subdue New Zealand’s typically-ebullient middle order. Nathan McCullum hit two runs from his first eight balls before clipping Senanayake straight to short midwicket, before Senanayake trapped Kyle Mills in front with one that replays suggested would head down leg.Dilshan fined for dissent

Sri Lanka batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan has been fined 20% of his match fee for showing dissent at the umpire’s decision during the match against New Zealand on Monday in Mirpur. The incident happened in the fourth over, when Dilshan was dismissed caught behind. He attempted an audacious reverse Dilscoop off Trent Boult, with the ball deflecting off his gloves to the wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi. He then rubbed his elbow, indicating to the umpire that the ball had not touched his gloves. Dilshan pleaded guilty to the offence and was fined by the ICC match referee David Boon.

The required rate had spiked higher than 12 when Herath returned for his final over, and the wicket that sealed the victory came in fitting fashion. Herath not only completed his five-wicket-haul when Trent Boult hit one to slip, the catch was also gobbled by Mahela Jayawardene, who despite what the teamsheet stated, was Sri Lanka’s captain on the night. He had kept a short leg and slip to the spinners, after Brendon McCullum had been similarly aggressive with his fields in the first innings.If Herath had been the exemplary spinner, New Zealand’s attack had earlier shown how to bowl seam on such pitches. Boult found movement in the air and off the surface, pitching up to the left-hand batsmen as he shaped it away and back-of-a-length to the right-hand batsmen, cramping them. Dilshan had been struggling for timing throughout the tournament, and his tortured innings came to an end when he scooped one high into the keeper’s gloves in the third over. Sangakkara was limp in his 11-ball knock, and the middle order would crumble around Jayawardene, who did not appear fluent himself.New Zealand fielded superbly as Neesham, Mitchell McClenaghan and Nathan McCullum bowled impeccable lines through the middle overs. Nathan would taunt Jayawardene into the sweep that ended his innings, and left Sri Lanka at 85 for 6 at the end of the 15th over.Sri Lanka batted deep, with Senanayake coming in at No. 9, and it was his strike to long-on that would cause Anderson’s injury on the rope, as the fielder palmed a relatively straightforward catch over the boundary.New Zealand were energetic at the change-of-innings, feeling, perhaps rightly, that they had a terrific chance, but it was to be Herath and Sri Lanka that earned their sixth straight semi-final in ICC events.

ESPNcricinfo’s full coverage of the alleged altercation between Ravindra Jadeja and James Anderson

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jul-2014September 20
News – Jadeja case went too far – AndersonAugust 6
News – ICC not to appeal Anderson verdict
Full text of the verdict
Sidharth Monga – Unfavourable outcome can rejuvenate India
News – ‘I did something that was right’ – Dhoni
August 5
News – BCCI seeks appeal against Anderson
Video – ‘Bruised egos in the BCCI’
News – ECB offered to investigate Anderson
August 4
Video – Giles: Off the field, this behaviour completely unnecessary
August 3
News – BCCI counsel solved verdict dilemma, says judicial commissioner
News – Anderson admitted to swearing at Jadeja
News – Why Jadeja was allowed to appeal
News – Lewis urges immediate Code of Conduct review
Comment – Over to the ICC
August 1
News – James Anderson found not guilty
News – India dismay at Anderson verdict
Explainer
Video – ‘Anderson must question his behaviour’
Video – Moores defends Anderson’s ‘hard’ brand of cricket
July 31
News – England, India set for Anderson hearing
July 30
News – India granted Jadeja appeal
July 27
News – Richardson tells players not to ‘undermine’ ICC judiciary process
July 26
News – India contest Stokes, Prior testimonies
News – Dhoni slams Jadeja’s guilty verdict
Video – Giles: India possibly getting under England’s skin
July 25
News – Jadeja fined for Anderson incident
July 22
News – Anderson hearing on August 1
July 21
Page 2- Anderson v Jadeja: the hearing
July 20
News – Anderson spat helping Jadeja – Vijay
July 19
News – BCCI questions lack of video for Anderson case
July 17
News – Anderson-Jadeja hearing to begin on July 22
July 16
News – Charges laid against Anderson after mediation failed
Video – Chappell: Administrators let on-field exchanges go too far
News – Stern punishment if Anderson is guilty, says Boycott
News – Anderson charge is India ‘tactic’, claims Cook
News – It was good Jadeja did not retaliate, says Dhoni
Sidharth Monga – Dhoni implacable on Anderson
News – England hit Jadeja with Level 2 offence
George Dobell – Spat provides useful distraction for England
July 15
News – Anderson charged in Jadeja incident

Some of the world's top players are into the final year of their deals, meaning they could leave at the end of the season – Goal takes a look at them

Check out the football players out of contract in 2020 in this updated article!Getty ImagesMario Balotelli | FW | Marseille

Mario Balotelli has enjoyed a career resurgence in Ligue 1 and has recently completed a move to Marseille from Nice until the end of the season.

The Italy international will see out the second half of the campaign at the French side – but where he goes afterwards will depend on how he performs during the season. He has been pictured attending games in Serie A, most recently the encounter between Inter and Atalanta. Make of that what you will.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesHatem Ben Arfa | MF | Rennes

Former Newcastle United, Paris Saint-German and Lyon star Hatem Ben Arfa is often considered one of football's 'nearly men'. Blessed with oodles of ability, the France international's career never quite took off as many would have hoped.

He has shone since joining Rennes in 2018 and his exploits will not have gone unnoticed, nor will the fact that his contract expires this summer. However, it must be noted that there is an option to extend.

Getty ImagesYacine Brahimi | FW | PortoYacine Brahimi has been a key member of the Porto team for the past five seasons since joining from Granada, but he could potentially decide to move on next summer. The Algeria international has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs, including Wolves, Everton and West Ham.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyGary Cahill | DF | Chelsea

No longer considered first-choice at Chelsea, Gary Cahill is weighing up his options as his career with the Blues approaches an end.

Derby County have been heavily linked with the 32-year-old, who recently retired from international duty as part of an effort to prolong his club career, but his vast experience means he would also be an attractive acquisition for a number of Premier League teams too.

Nepal lived up to expectation by securing an impressive 80-run victory in their opening World T20 match against Hong Kong

The Report by Alan Gardner in Chittagong16-Mar-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShakti Gauchan finished with 3 for 9•AFPFor the first time in five years, an Associate nation has won a game at the World T20. Okay, so that was a given, as Hong Kong and Nepal contested the maiden encounter between two second-tier sides in the tournament’s history, but Nepal’s achievement, on their World T20 debut, was no less memorable for that.Paras Khadka, Nepal’s statesmanlike captain and the man who has been so visible in their remarkable rise through the echelons of world cricket, struck a belligerent 41 and Gyanendra Malla 48 to set up a resounding 80-run win. Hong Kong, bristling with confidence before the game, crumbled in pursuit of 150, dismissed with three overs left unbowled as only three batsmen made double figures. Playing in front of the TV cameras, if not a packed-out stadium, perhaps exacerbated their nerves.Having worked hard to get back into the match after an 80-run stand between Khadka and Malla, Hong Kong slipped quickly back into the red by losing two wickets in the first two overs. Babar Hayat and Waqas Barkat got through the Powerplay before Shakti Gauchan claimed the first of his three wickets and when Mark Chapman was bowled by Basant Regmi – the first of two in two balls for Nepal’s slow left-armer – it precipitated a calamitous collapse.Gauchan struck twice in the next over, rattling the stumps for the fourth time in a row, and charged off with his arm pointing to the sky in celebration. This was a night on which Nepal’s passion for cricket was given rich reward.Khadka had said before the match that the challenge would be for his players to control their emotions and not let the excitement of playing at a global ICC tournament for the first time overwhelm them. That a number of full-blooded mows were dropped – Hong Kong put down at least three clear chances – or did not go to hand suggests they were only partially successful in that aim but their vim was much appreciated by a partisan crowd, the vocal majority of which seemed to be Nepali.It was at the 2009 tournament, when Ireland overcame Bangladesh, that an Associate last experienced victory at the ICC’s global T20 showpiece. Hong Kong had hinted at their own giant-killing credentials during warm-up wins over Zimbabwe and Netherlands but here was a foe of similar proportions – and one that had beaten them twice previously, including at the World T20 Qualifier last year when Nepal clinched their place in Bangladesh.Jamie Atkinson, who won the toss, inserted Nepal, hoping for his bowlers to inflict psychological blows on a team bowled out for 95 by UAE earlier in the week. The possibility of dew making the ball harder to grip later in the evening may also have played a part in his thinking but, by then, there was no chance of Nepal letting go.With chants of “Nepal! Nepal!” ringing out from one side of the ground and the fielding restrictions in place, openers Subash Khakurel and Sagar Pun began making merry. Khakurel on-drove the first boundary of the match from the fifth ball and Pun then tucked into Najeeb Amar’s first over, twice lofting the spinner down the ground.Having changed ends, former Pakistan U-19 seamer Haseeb Amjad had Pun caught at extra cover, again attempting to carve the ball to the boundary, ending a stand of 36 in the fifth over. Khakurel followed three deliveries later, trying and failing to clear the ring at mid-on, giving Hong Kong’s attack something of a handle on proceedings for the first time.A lull ensued, as seamers Aizaz Khan and Irfan Ahmed bowled with discipline, but Khadka struck the first boundary in five overs when the left-armer Najeeb returned. Next delivery, Khadka chipped the ball down straight down the throat of long-on only for Tanwir Afzal to drop a clanger. The 42-year-old Najeeb, who came out of retirement for this tournament, must have been wondering whether this was the sort of TV exposure he had been promised. [Paras Khadka, hit a six] implored the Nepal support and this was the only facet of their evening in which they were to be disappointed. On social media, pictures were posted of crowds gathered in front of specially erected big screens in towns and cities in Nepal. Much has been made of this World T20 extending cricket’s global reach; in Khadka, who later took a wicket with his first ball, Nepal has an impressive ambassador.Having been 60 for 2 at halfway, Khadka and Malla accelerated through the gears. They had added a further 56 in 37 balls before Khadka was eventually caught in the deep, off Najeeb, having been given a third life the ball before, and Najeeb missed another skier, this time off Malla, from his own bowling later in the same over.Malla continued to play steadily and at the start of the final over crashed a six over long-on – the only one of the match – to take him to within sight of fifty. But two balls later, on 48, he top-edged a pull back to the bowler, Haseeb, who managed to keep Nepal below 150 by taking two wickets, to go with two run-outs, from his final four deliveries. That dramatic end suggested at a change in momentum but Nepal’s scriptwriter, as ever, knew better.

West Indies banked on a frenetic finish, but Sri Lanka’s bowlers had choked the chase to suffocation-point before heavy rain, then marble-sized hail, cut the innings short and sent Sri Lanka to yet another major final

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando03-Apr-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsLahiru Thirimanne lifted Sri Lanka with a lively 44•ICCWest Indies banked on a frenetic finish, but Sri Lanka’s bowlers had choked the chase to suffocation-point before heavy rain, then marble-sized hail, cut the innings short and sent Sri Lanka to yet another major final. When the heavens opened, West Indies had needed 81 from 37 balls, with six wickets remaining. The Duckworth-Lewis calculation had them 27 runs adrift.It was always a dangerous ploy to begin the chase slowly, but doubly so with rain in the air, and against an attack that features better death bowlers than most in the competition. West Indies had actually scored 17 from the first, wayward over from Nuwan Kulasekara, but as an unambitious Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels hunkered down, they mustered only 17 from the next six.Sri Lanka’s spinners were allowed to settle, and soon, even the expansive shots were being mistimed. Dwayne Bravo tonked 30 for 19, as messages from the dugout implored Samuels to shift into overdrive, but when Bravo fell in the 14th over, West Indies’ chances grew desperately slim.Darren Sammy, who has been the finisher of the tournament, was about to face his first ball when the weather intruded. Two Lasith Malinga overs remained, however, and the required rate may have been beyond even Sammy’s rapid blade.Only Tillakaratne Dilshan prospered out of Sri Lanka’s senior batsmen, and even he scored only at a run-a-ball, running two batsmen out, including himself, in the process. Kusal Perera’s bold 26 from 12 and Angelo Mathews’ canny 40 from 23 gave the innings its flourishes, while Lahiru Thirimanne’s 44 from 35 was its substance.Perera had dealt powerfully to Krishmar Santokie through the leg side, to set Sri Lanka off at more than 10 an over in the first four, before Santokie had him playing on to a leg cutter. Mahela Jayawardene, so often Sri Lanka’s big-game performer, was dismissed cruelly before he had had the chance to make an impact with the bat. Dilshan called him through after chopping one to point, but sharp work in the infield and a good throw over the stumps caught Jayawardene short, before he faced a ball. Kumar Sangakkara’s demise for 1 from six balls was of his own making. He pushed out early against a slower Samuel Badree ball and lobbed a simple catch to the bowler.Dilshan lacked fluency, as he has done throughout the tournament, but combined sagely with Thirimanne for 42 to lift Sri Lanka from 49 for 3. He would run himself out too, haring out of the crease when there was no run to be had, but Thirimanne completed the recovery, striking two sixes – including an uppercut over third man off Andre Russell. Thirimanne’s innings was as secure as it was well-paced, setting the team up for a death-over spike, with wickets in the bank.Mathews had been tentative against Sunil Narine early in his innings, often having his outside edge beaten as he prodded. But having been 13 from 14 balls, he gathered pace against Santokie in the penultimate over, to help deliver a furious finish worth 32 in the final two overs. Mathews slammed Santokie over long-on first ball, before collecting a four in the same spot.Then, when West Indies strengthened the on side, he made room to loft a length ball over cover for four. A flat, fast six over cover next over was the shot of the innings, and a hooked four sent Sri Lanka to 160, before Mathews was athletically caught at deep midwicket by an advancing Bravo, last ball.Dwayne Smith slogged a four then launched a six off the first two balls of the reply, but following that over, West Indies slowed almost to a stall – first by choice, then by coercion. Malinga arrived in the Powerplay and in his first over bowled Gayle, then Smith with offcutters, before Llendl Simmons was out lbw to Seekkuge Prasanna’s first ball of the tournament. At 34 for 3 in the eighth over, West Indies had backed themselves into a mighty corner.Bravo lashed out valiantly as Sri Lanka’s slow-bowling phalanx sought to tamp the run rate down even further. He walloped Rangana Herath and Prasanna over cover, but with Samuels flatlining at the other end and Sri Lanka’s fielders throwing themselves around to save boundaries, he could not quite spur a game-breaking charge. A Kulasekara slower ball had him caught at square leg as the required rate spiked over 12. When wild winds brought the downpour over the Sher-e-Bangla later in that over, Samuels was unbeaten on 18 from 29.

Michael Clarke did not train at Adelaide Oval on Tuesday due to his stiff and sore ankle but Cricket Australia insists he is not in doubt for the second Test

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Dec-2013Michael Clarke did not train at Adelaide Oval on Tuesday due to his stiff and sore ankle but Cricket Australia insists he is not in doubt for the second Test.Clarke appeared to roll his right ankle while running at training on Monday and although he left the field, he was able to return for fielding and batting practice.A Cricket Australia spokesman said on Tuesday that Clarke’s ankle was a “bit stiff” but said: “He will train tomorrow and will play the game.”Clarke scored 113 in the second innings of Australia’s win in the first Test at the Gabba, The second Test begins in Adelaide on Thursday.

As the end of an engrossing tour approaches, Pakistan need a considerable change in momentum to win the last Test in Sharjah and draw level with Sri Lanka

Umar Farooq and Andrew Fidel Fernando in Sharjah15-Jan-2014Match factsThursday, January 16 – January 20, 2014
Start time 1000 local (0600 GMT)Saeed Ajmal will be desperate to put his fluctuating form behind him•AFPBig PictureAs an engrossing tour winds up, Pakistan find themselves in need of a considerable change in momentum to draw the series, while Sri Lanka seek to build on the significant improvements they have achieved in the Tests so far. Suggestions that Pakistan were favourites, in the approach to the contest, seem distant now.Pakistan might have entered the series on a high, but find themselves on the back foot in the final Test. Their pace attack remains a decent threat, but has been unproductive so far, while spinners have struggled on pitches without much turn.The inconsistency of the top order has also affected Pakistan’s combination. Mohammad Hafeez was rewarded for his one-day form but he failed to extend his aptitude in the longer-format of the game, scoring 11, 80*, 21 and 1 at No. 3, while Ahmed Shehzad has also failed. The selection of Hafeez and Shehzad meant that the specialist No. 3 batsman, Azhar Ali, and Shan Masood were benched.In Dubai, Sri Lanka were in control of the match from the second session on day one until they hit the winning runs on the fifth afternoon. Consistency from their fast bowlers was key to that victory, but the batsmen have all worked themselves into form as well, with Nos 1 to 7 hitting half-centuries.Kumar Sangakkara has, in the past, been Sri Lanka’s sledgehammer against Pakistan, but among the more unexpected features of the 1-0 lead is that he has only contributed modestly towards it. He has played Saeed Ajmal exceedingly well in the past, but even without a big innings from him, Sri Lanka’s batsmen have played Ajmal safely, if not always with ease. Misbah-ul-Haq has called for a dry pitch in Sharjah and, if he gets his wish, it will be clear whether the Sri Lanka batsmen were just fortunate to play Ajmal on unresponsive surfaces, or whether they have collectively learned to neutralise him as no other team has done in recent years.As a team, Sri Lanka have also played within themselves, adhering strictly and persistently to the plans of attack devised in the dressing room. At times, Pakistan have tried to wear Sri Lanka down, only to find their opponents were more resilient. Awash with inexperience, Sri Lanka will not want to change a good thing, so it may be up to Pakistan to change the tempo of the cricket in order to put the visitors under pressure.Form guide (last five matches, most recent first)

Pakistan: LDLWL
Sri Lanka: WDWDL
In the spotlight Dimuth Karunaratne has deserved his extended stretch in the national team after sustained excellence at the A-team level, but he is yet to seal his place atop the innings. A natural strokemaker, particularly gifted through the leg side, Karunaratne has had the habit of making good starts before falling prey to his own ambition and playing one stroke too many. There is enough in his cricket to convince fans and selectors that he can succeed in Tests, but in a series where many others in the top-order have outshone him, at least one score above fifty in Sharjah will put him at ease ahead of the Bangladesh tour.Saeed Ajmal is under the spotlight once again. He was wicketless in the second innings in Abu Dhabi for 49 overs, conceding 115 runs, and had to wait another 28.2 overs in Dubai to take his first wicket, making the stretch 77.2 overs. He is desperate to put his fluctuating form in the last two Tests behind him.Pitch and conditionsThe track in Sharjah looks flatter and if a batting-friendly pitch is prepared, it may help the team batting first. The pitch is also expected to offer turn from the third day.Teams newsPakistan will be forced to bring in a bowler in place of pacer Bilawal Bhatti, who injured his hamstring during the second Test and may look to add left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman to strengthen their spin reserves.Pakistan (probable): 1. Shan Masood/Ahmed Shehzad, 2. Khurram Manzoor, 3. Mohammad Hafeez/Azhar Ali, 4. Younis Khan, 5. Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 6. Asad Shafiq 7. Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), 8. Saeed Ajmal, 9. Rahat Ali/Mohammad Talha, 10. Junaid Khan, 11. Abdur RehmanMahela Jayawardene’s split webbing means he is unlikely to field in the slips, but he is almost certain to play, having trained normally in the approach to the match. If the pitch looks likely to take turn, Sri Lanka may rest Nuwan Pradeep, who was short of his quickest pace in the second innings in Dubai, and play a second spinner. Sachithra Senanayake may get a second game, but uncapped Dilruwan Perera is also in the side, and is the more highly-rated offspinner in first-class cricket. Elsewhere, Angelo Mathews will not want to change a winning combination, even if his team is a little light on bowling options.Sri Lanka (probable): 1. Dimuth Karunaratne, 2. Kaushal Silva, 3. Kumar Sangakkara, 4. Mahela Jayawardene, 5. Dinesh Chandimal, 6. Angelo Mathews (capt), 7. Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), 8. Sachithra Senanayake/ Dilruwan Perera/Nuwan Pradeep, 9 Shaminda Eranga, 10 Rangana Herath, 11 Suranga LakmalStats and trivia Kumar Sangakkara has at least one hundred in each of his six previous series against Pakistan. Dimuth Karunaratne’s lowest score in the series is 24, and he only has one half-century. Junaid Khan is the leading wicket-taker in the series, with 11 scalps at 26.09.Quotes “In the past there was a feeling that the fast bowlers aren’t effective, but we were able to change that idea on this tour.”

“We have to really put some effort and get a result which we want, to level the series. There is no other option for us.”
0:00

Arnold: A lot depends on the pitch

Gautam Gambhir and Jaik Mickleburgh got Essex off to a strong start in reply to Glamorgan’s 322 on the second day at Chelmsford, a match they need to win to maintain their promotion challenge

18-Sep-2013
ScorecardJaik Mickleburgh will hope for more runs on day three as Essex chase victory over Glamorgan to keep up in the promotion race•Getty ImagesGautam Gambhir and Jaik Mickleburgh got Essex off to a strong start in reply to Glamorgan’s 322 on the second day at Chelmsford, a match they need to win to maintain their promotion challenge.They put on 95 in 23 overs before Gambhir fell victim to slow left-armer Dean Cosker but the home side steered clear of further trouble before the close to reach 107 for 1.Both openers had punctuated the field with some fine driving and pulling before they were separated with Mickleburgh completing his half-century from 62 balls with the help of eight boundaries. He is due to resume on 68 accompanied by Greg Smith, who was yet score and arrived at the crease on the fall of Gambhir, who had scored 37 when he was caught at extra cover.But with unsettled weather forecast for Thursday, it seems likely that the captains will have to come to some agreement to contrive a positive result. Certainly Essex will be hoping so because this is a match they must win if they are to keep alive their slender promotion hopes.Earlier paceman David Masters claimed his fourth haul of five wickets or more in an innings this season, one of them being against Glamorgan in May.After the visitors had resumed on 103 for 2, Masters was soon adding to his overnight two wickets by trapping Ben Wright lbw for 45 to bring an end a partnership of 107 with Murray Goodwin in 44 overs. He also got rid of Goodwin caught in the slips by Owais Shah as he pushed forward after the Zimbabwean had struck a solid 65 that had taken him nearly four hours. His 169-ball effort contained just five fours.But Goodwin’s departure only paved the way for the most entertaining partnership of the innings which featured Chris Cooke and Mark Wallace who went boldly for their strokes while gathering 95 in 21 overs against bowlers who, apart from Masters, struggled to find a consistent line and length.It was broken when medium-pacer Ravi Bopara breached the defence of Wallace who had scored 38 and eight runs later, with the total on 234, left-arm spinner Monty Panesar claimed an lbw verdict to get rid of Cooke. His 67 came from 106 balls and included eight fours and a six.John Glover struck an unbeaten 39 and Glamorgan reached 300 to claim their third batting point but that total would have been less imposing had Masters received better support. His unerring accuracy was illustrated by his figures of 5 for 68 from 36 overs, during which he collected his 50th Championship wicket of the summer.

Engage with the BCCI to rebuild their relationship and hand out stiff action, including possible bans, to the players are courses of action the WICB will deliberate on at its meeting on Tuesday

Nagraj Gollapudi20-Oct-2014Engage with the BCCI as soon as possible to rebuild the relationship. And hand out stiff action, including possible bans, against the core group of players who engineered the pullout from the India tour. Those are the two main courses of action the 18 directors of the WICB will deliberate on at the emergency board meeting in Barbados on Tuesday morning.The WICB realises it has burned bridges with the BCCI, but it has been a loyal supporter of the Indian board in the recent past and hopes to leverage this to its advantage.Even though no agenda has been set for the meeting, directors who interacted with ESPNcricinfo felt the players had “embarrassed” the Caribbean and brought “collective shame” by deciding to leave the India tour mid-way.The WICB was forced to convene the meeting after West Indies ODI captain Dwayne Bravo along with the rest of the squad informed the team management last Friday that the players would not take any further part in the tour after the fourth ODI in Dharamsala. The WICB issued two media releases immediately: initially it absolved itself of any blame, but the second release stated the board was left with no other option but to call off the tour.Although the WICB put the blame on Bravo and his team-mates, the BCCI saw the matter differently. Sanjay Patel, the BCCI secretary, categorically pulled up the WICB for jeopardising the tour and said the BCCI would take appropriate action.With the BCCI holding its working committee meeting in Hyderabad tomorrow, the WICB directors do not want to waste any further time in extending the hand of peace. “The only thing that will solve this problem will be dialogue,” a senior WICB director said. “We need to discuss mainly [how] to try and build the relationship back with the BCCI. We know that the BCCI will have no confidence in the WICB supplying a team again, and no guarantee can be given in the present circumstances. The BCCI and the WICB have shared a good relationship. The BCCI officials should understand the situation and that the WICB had no other alternative but to do what it did. It was the players, really, to be blamed.”A second director agreed, saying reaching out to the BCCI was an “early step” which had become mandatory. “We have shamed our hosts. We have shamed ourselves. That must be on the agenda of the WICB.” According to him the people of the West Indies were “shocked, overwhelmed and disappointed” at the action of the players. “It has brought collective shame to the Caribbean people. It was not the wish of the WICB for something like that to happen.”

“Some just measures should be taken against the players. I would especially like the players who were part of the core group to call off this tour to be completely banned from participating in the IPL in future.”A WICB director to ESPNcricinfo

The directors insisted that the WICB “did all what they could have done” in ensuring the tour would continue. They felt that the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) was the rightful place for Bravo and his men to engage in negotiations instead of seeking WICB intervention – only because the board would not bypass the player representative.”We feel that WIPA, the legitimate representatives of players in the Caribbean, did what they may feel was right. They thought despite a lot of our players playing around the world [in different Twenty20 leagues] the standard of West Indies cricket was not raised. It continued to linger at the bottom edge of world cricket. And hence WIPA in association with the WICB decided to have 90 contracted players across the Caribbean to improve West Indies cricket. That is where the money, the players say they are losing, is going. It is not going into the pockets of the WICB bosses,” the first director said.He said he would ask the board to seriously consider some disciplinary action. “Some just measures should be taken against the players. I would especially like the players who were part of the core group to call off this tour to be completely banned from participating in the IPL in future.” He said no such request from the WICB had been sent to the BCCI but that point was bound to be raised at the board meeting on Tuesday.But his fellow board member felt it would be prudent to exercise patience and caution for now. “At this stage it is difficult to apportion blame to anybody. The fact is that they [the players] aborted the tour. No matter what difficulties were faced, this action is unprecedented. None of the tours aborted in the past were due to player conflicts. I wonder if the people involved understood the implications of such a decision.”The WICB finds itself in a tight corner with no ally, including the ICC. Even if the West Indies tour is part of the current FTP, the ICC has no direct role to play with respect to the dispute. Any claims and damages would need to be addressed according to the MoU signed by the BCCI and WICB. Under the new reforms, unveiled after the last ICC AGM, all matters relating to the FTP are dealt with directly by the members.The BCCI’s hard posturing so far suggests it is not afraid to lay down severe financial claims from the WICB. Some of its members want to have a rethink over India’s tours to the Caribbean in 2016 and ’17. “Definitely there will be long-term damage to West Indies cricket, to the reputation of the Caribbean people. How we could mitigate such damages would be the decision of the board, a decision we will have to be advised upon as well. Because it could have far-reaching consequences beyond cricket as well,” the second director said.But he was equally confident about working out a solution with both the BCCI and the players. Despite its aggressive stance, the BCCI is also likely to consider its progressive relationship with the WICB. Dave Cameron, the WICB president, has been a key supporter of India at the ICC board meetings. Last year West Indies players had to cut short their holidays as the WICB assembled quickly a team to play the two-Test series in India which where the farewell to Sachin Tendulkar.”I am confident the administrators will look all around and not put punitive measures on people and territorial and regional boards. We have to look at the collective good of the sport, what is the best decision for the sport, what are the implications of the actions of doing one thing as against another thing. Good and mature sense will prevail in the end. I am confident of that,” the second director said.

Kenya’s tail wagged feebly, but their efforts served only to delay Afghanistan’s victory on the third day of their Intercontinental Cup match in Dubai

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Oct-2013
ScorecardKenya’s tail wagged feebly, but it served only to delay Afghanistan’s eight-wicket victory on the third day of their Intercontinental Cup match in Dubai.The day had begun brightly for Kenya with Hiren Varaiya and Shem Ngoche hitting a four each in the second over. Their stand fetched 30 runs for the ninth wicket before 19-year old seamer Sayed Shirzad bounced Ngoche out to claim his third wicket. No. 11 Elijah Otieno resisted as long as he could while Varaiya collected three of his six fours to push himself to 36 and Kenya to 140.The target of 69 was always going to be straightforward with opener Javed Ahmadi taking Afghanistan eight runs short of victory before nicking to the keeper. The Odhiambo brothers, Nelson and Nehemiah, picked up a wicket each. Rahmat Shah, whose century proved the difference between the two sides in a match that featured 28 wickets falling in two days, was awarded the Man of the Match.The next match for Afghanistan in the Intercontinental Cup is the final against Ireland in December.