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The legspinner sent New Zealand packing for 90, and followed up his first-innings eight-for by striking twice in the follow-on

The Report by Danyal Rasool26-Nov-2018Yasir Shah’s legspin defined the third day of the Dubai Test against New Zealand in a manner that would have made his childhood hero Shane Warne beam with pride. The Pakistan spinner became the first bowler since Anil Kumble, in 1999, to take ten wickets in a day, eight of them coming in a remarkable passage of play that sent New Zealand spiralling from 50 for no loss to 90 all out. New Zealand found respite in the follow-on through an unbroken 65-run third-wicket partnership between Ross Taylor and Tom Latham. But all that did was make sure they could go into the fourth day without the match already being a lost cause.The harbinger of the remarkable day would be an over of pure sorcery from Yasir, which completely changed the tide of the match from a gritty, even contest to one that New Zealand are now resigned to battle for their lives in. He lay waste to a dogged opening partnership with a flurry of wickets that tore through New Zealand’s middle order. The 50-run partnership between Raval and Latham had ended after Raval clumsily dragged the ball back onto the stumps off Yasir, but the real magic was yet to happen. In the penultimate over before lunch, the legspinner ripped through Latham, Ross Taylor and Henry Nicholls to leave New Zealand tottering at 63 for 4 at the break.It began with the first ball of the over, when he drew Latham into a prod and Imam-ul-Haq scooped up a catch at short leg. That opened up the opportunity to toy with the new batsmen; Taylor’s second delivery was a ball that evoked memories of Shane Warne to Mike Gatting. It pitched around middle and leg before spinning past the dead bat Taylor was offering to it to clatter into off stump. Nicholls’ second delivery, too, was the stuff of nightmares, screaming through the gap between bat and pad to smash into middle stump.After lunch, Yasir sliced through the New Zealand innings like a hot knife through butter, finishing with the third-best figures in Pakistan’s history. New Zealand could add just 27 runs to their lunch tally of 63 for 4, with Yasir responsible for four more wickets. He finished with 8 for 41, giving Pakistan a monumental 328-run lead, and made Pakistan’s first-innings declaration look infinitely more prescient than it had yesterday.Kane Williamson had played a lone, forlorn hand at the other end, seemingly batting on a different pitch, but could do little about the carnage unfolding around him as his side lost 10 wickets for 40 runs to be bowled out for 90. With BJ Watling and the skipper himself being the last specialist batsmen at the crease as the second session commenced, how that partnership went was to be pivotal to New Zealand’s hopes in the Test. Four balls after lunch, Watling was run out after a devastating mix-up with his captain, and even luck went Yasir’s way as the ball he fumbled with went on to hit the stumps anyway.After Hasan Ali took care of Colin de Grandhomme in identical fashion to his first-innings lbw in Abu Dhabi, Yasir was in complete charge of the tail. Williamson tried to get the score to three-figures whenever he had the strike, but with no other player able to cope with Yasir’s heat, he was destined to remain a helpless onlooker as Pakistan took a monstrous lead, and instructed New Zealand to follow on.Their second attempt thus far has been a more respectable, less dramatic affair, characterised by the resolute steel with which Taylor and Latham saw through the day after two relatively early wickets. Yasir remained at his mesmerising best for most of the session, but when he tailed off at the end, Taylor was there to punish him, sure to never let a short ball go waste. Two consecutive deliveries in the day’s last half hour went for four and six, and it was the only time all day when Yasir looked slightly tired.Earlier in the innings, there were fears that New Zealand could be run through a second time, particularly when Jeet Raval and Williamson became the ninth and tenth wickets for Yasir. The ball to finally remove the New Zealand captain, who, until then, had been a picture of calm across both innings, was another highlight on a day, the tales of which Yasir is destined to regale to his grandchildren decades from now. He drew Williamson into a forward defensive shot, but even a batsman of his quality could not take into account just the amount of spin Yasir had imparted, and sent an outside edge to the keeper.It was a day that began with rain and ended with darkness. That’s fitting enough for New Zealand, who will remember today by those gloomy images anyway. But the men a few paces away in the other dressing room would put a completely different spin on how events unfolded. It is, after all, the spin of one in particular that puts the hosts on the precipice of a resounding, series-leveling victory, and no dark clouds will deny them the gratification.

Australia’s lower order conjured thoughts of a remarkable victory but India held on to take the series lead

Andrew McGlashan09-Dec-2018Had it done enough to be classed as nerve-jangling? It was certainly engrossing. A wonderful Test match. India secured their first Test victory in Australia since 2008 and lead a series in the country for only the second time after a gripping 31-run win in Adelaide.Their quicks led the way on the final day, breaking through each time a partnership was threatening to develop, with Jasprit Bumrah providing the bulk of the key moments. But Australia’s last wicket pair of Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood got it down to needing 32 to win when, on the brink of a delayed tea, Hazlewood drove at R Ashwin and edged low to second slip. Elation everywhere for India, pain for Australia but, when they reflect, pride as well.1:06

Laxman: Both bowling units fantastic, the batting will decide series

It always felt the target was out of reach, but the last three wickets added 104 to ensure India could never be sure. Shaun Marsh, the focus of much attention after his first-innings continued a run a single-figure scores, played very well for his 60 and Tim Paine battled hard, but both fell to Bumrah who then returned to shift the stubborn Pat Cummins when Australia’s lower order was showing plenty of bottle.Rishabh Pant equalled the world record of 11 dismissals in a match, but for a little while it appeared one that escaped – when Lyon edged Bumrah on 7 – looked like it might come back to haunt him as Lyon produced one of his finest Test innings. The tension was starting to show on India when Ashwin was finally rewarded after a final day of toil: never had an India bowler sent down as many overs in the fourth innings of a Test.Australia resumed the final day on 4 for 104, still needing a distant 219, and had only added another 11 when Travis Head was removed by a superbly-directed short ball from Ishant Sharma which he could only fend into the slips. It was the perfect length, leaving the batsman unsure whether to play the ball or sway out of the line.Pat Cummins slams the ball over cover•Getty Images

The first of the day’s mini-stands then began to form between Marsh and Paine, but all the runs continued to be a grind against a disciplined attack. Marsh went to his fifty off 146 balls, his first in the fourth innings of a Test, before being defeated by Bumrah’s line from round the wicket and feathering a catch to Pant.Despite all his catches, Pant’s glovework certainly remains a work in progress and with a better technique might have got closer to Paine’s gloved pull on 7 which flew fine down the leg side. Australia’s captain made it through to lunch alongside Cummins, but could not go much further when he top-edged a pull to the first ball of the second over after the break.At that point, Australia needed 136 and any modicum of tension seemed a long way off. However, Cummins and Starc got the target down into double figures, the former playing a largely defensive role while the latter produced a few more shots. Again, though, just as thoughts were turning to what happen India struck, Starc edging a big drive against Mohammed Shami for Pant’s record-equalling catch.Still Australia did not fold, this time Cummins and Lyon chipping away. Cummins was just showing signs of coming out of his shell, having passed 100 deliveries faced – driving Shami powerfully on the up through the covers – when he edged a drive off Bumrah which was taken at first slip by Virat Kohli, the India captain hurling the ball to ground with a look of thunder on his face.With just one wicket to fall, the odds were stacked against Australia but a few little things started to go their way: Ishant over-stepped when Lyon might have been given lbw on 32 and edges started to fly wide of the slips. Ashwin had rarely been attacked by the Australia batsman, but the last-wicket pair were nullifying him effectively. One delivery jumped at Hazlewood, took the shoulder of the bat and evaded the field. Surely not? And in the it wasn’t. From around the wicket, Ashwin pushed one full, encouraged the drive, and KL Rahul took a sharp catch inches off the turf.The marker has been laid for this series. It promises much more.

Having lost the Test and then the ODI series, the visitors will look to spring a surprise on Bangladesh in the T20I series decider

The Preview by Mohammad Isam21-Dec-2018

Big Picture

Having wrapped up the Test and ODI series, Bangladesh will aim to secure the T20I series as well when they face West Indies in the third T20I. After West Indies won the first T20I, Bangladesh hit back in the second to force this series into a decider. The third T20I will be West Indies’ last chance to salvage something from this tour.Bangladesh had a near-perfect batting performance in the second T20I, with Tamim Iqbal and Liton Das getting off to quick starts before Soumya Sarkar took on the bowling. After a short burst of wickets, Mahmudullah and Shakib Al Hasan kept Bangladesh afloat in the last seven overs, putting on an unbroken 91-run stand for the fifth wicket.Bangladesh’s bowlers also had a decent outing, particularly Shakib, who said that he was surprised with his five-wicket haul in dewy conditions. Mustafizur Rahman and Abu Hider, who had leaked runs, will have to find ways to keep West Indies quiet in the decider. Mehidy Hasan’s offspin will also be central to Bangladesh’s bowling in the middle overs.Shai Hope has been West Indies’ most consistent limited-overs batsman on this tour, but he hasn’t got enough support from Darren Bravo and Evin Lewis. After impressing in the Test series, Shimron Hetmyer hasn’t made a substantial score in the limited-overs series. Rovman Powell, though, returned to form with a fifty in Dhaka and will be key for West Indies in the death overs.Oshane Thomas and Sheldon Cottrell will have to find ways to keep Bangladesh’s scoring rate down, while Fabian Allen, West Indies’ most economical bowler in the second game, will be looking to exploit the conditions if the visitors bowl first.

Form guide

Bangladesh WLWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)West Indies LWLLL

In the spotlight

Mahmudullah’s counter-attacking 43 not out, after Bangladesh had lost three quick wickets in the second game, tilted the balance in the hosts’ favour. He is the side’s designated finisher, and he needs more support from the other middle-order batsmen.In the second game, Rovman Powell struck his first fifty on West Indies’ tour of the subcontinent this winter. He was particularly severe on Abu Hider en route to his 50 off 34 balls on Thursday. The tourists will want an encore from Powell in the decider.

Team news

Bangladesh are unlikely to tinker with their combination although there are questions over Hider’s place.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Liton Das, 3 Soumya Sarkar, 4 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Ariful Haque, 8 Mohammad Saifuddin 9 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 10 Abu Hider, 11 Mustafizur RahmanSherfane Rutherford’s big-hitting gives West Indies an interesting option, but they could stick to the same XI on Saturday.West Indies (probable): 1 Evin Lewis, 2 Shai Hope (wk), 3 Nicholas Pooran, 4 Darren Bravo, 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Rovman Powell, 7 Carlos Brathwaite (capt), 8 Keemo Paul, 9 Fabian Allen, 10 Oshane Thomas, 11 Sheldon Cottrell

Pitch and conditions

Dew could be a big factor again, so the side winning the toss will look to bowl first. Bangladesh had managed to get over the line in the previous game, but it wasn’t easy. The weather remains cool in Dhaka.

Stats and trivia

• The 24 runs Mustafizur Rahman leaked in his first over in the second T20I is the most he has conceded in a single over in international cricket.
• Shai Hope has hit 596 runs in 11 innings across formats on this tour, while Hetmyer has scored 318 runs in ten.

Wicketkeeper injured after being struck during dismissal on first day in Antigua

George Dobell in Antigua01-Feb-2019England are hopeful that Ben Foakes will be fit to bat in the second innings, after an x-ray on his right hand revealed bruising but no fracture.Foakes, the England keeper, was hit on the hand while being dismissed by Shannon Gabriel on the first day in Antigua, as he attempted a hook that deflected onto the stumps off his glove and hip.He was subsequently unable to keep wicket when West Indies started their reply. Ahead of play on day two, the England camp announced he would not be keeping in at least the first session, either. Jonny Bairstow has taken the gloves in his place.While England are well-placed for reserve keepers – Bairstow had developed into a more than competent keeper before injury gave Foakes an opportunity at the start of the Test series in Sri Lanka – England will be relieved that Foakes’ injury is not more serious. He put on 85 for the seventh wicket with Moeen Ali on day one – easily the highest partnership of the innings – and topped the batting averages in the Test series in Sri Lanka.His break from the action may, however, have knock-on effects for the final Test of the series. With England struggling to balance their side despite the presence of several all-rounders, Foakes’ absence may provide Bairstow a chance to restake his claim to the wicketkeeper’s role. He has made no secret of his desire to reclaim the gloves and, in Barbados at least, England could have done with playing an extra seamer.

In six out of the eight editions of the BBL, the team finishing top of the table as fallen at the semi-final. Here’s a brief history of the curse of dominating the group stage

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Feb-2019ESPNcricinfo Ltd

BBL02: Brisbane Heat 3 for 183 beat Melbourne Renegades 9 for 168 by 15 runsBefore the Bash Brothers were really a thing, a spectacular unbeaten 112 off 70 balls from Luke Pomersbach put the match out of the Renegades’ reach. Their chase started briskly through Aaron Finch and Alex Hales, but wickets fell regularly. Ben Rohrer top-scored with 42 but when he went to Chris Lynn in the 16th over, his team’s hopes went with him.BBL03: Hobart Hurricanes 3 for 142 beat Melbourne Stars 8 for 141 by seven wicketsLong before he was Test captain, Tim Paine hit 65 off 52 balls to steer a comfortable chase for the Hurricanes with George Bailey adding the finishing touches. Cameron Boyce, now a Renegade, was the star with the ball as he claimed 3 for 11 – the scalps of Luke Wright, Glenn Maxwell and David Hussey.BBL04: Sydney Sixers 4 for 181 beat Adelaide Strikers 94 by 87 runsThe Strikers were blown away by a Sixers attack of Brett Lee, Sean Abbott, Nathan Lyon, Doug Bollinger and Steve O’Keefe – Ben Laughlin top-scoring with 22 for No. 10 – after Nic Maddinson’s powerful 85 off 48 balls provided the bulk of the Sixers’ totalBBL05: Sydney Thunder 2 for 160 beat Adelaide Strikers 7 for 159 by eight wicketsFor a second season in a row the curse struck the Strikers with Usman Khawaja’s 59-ball 104 securing an overwhelming victory. Shane Watson contributed just 7 to an opening stand of 57 in 4.5 overs.BBL07: Hobart Hurricanes 4 for 210 beat Perth Scorchers 139 by 71 runsMatthew Wade top-scored in the Hurricanes’ imposing total with 71 off 45 balls and Ben McDermott plundered 67 off 30. McDermott and Dan Christian added 88 from just 39 deliveries against a strong Scorchers attack. Tom Rogers then claimed the top three in the Scorchers’ innings and Christian chipped in with 4 for 17 in a one-side encounter.BBL08: Melbourne Stars 4 for 157 beat Hobart Hurricanes 7 for 153 by six wicketsThe boot was on the other foot for the Hurricanes a year later after they had dominated the first running of the expanded competition. A team effort from the Stars, finished off by Glenn Maxwell and Seb Gotch after Dan Worrall’s four wickets, made it six times the table-toppers had fallen in the semi-final.

The Australia season has come to an end but for plenty of players that does not mean putting the kit away

Andrew McGlashan02-Apr-2019Joe Burns (Lancashire)Put himself in the Ashes frame with 180 against Sri Lanka in Canberra but it’s far from certain he’ll get the chance to add to his 16 caps despite four hundreds in those appearances. Faded towards the back end of the Sheffield Shield season in tricky conditions against the Duke ball. Will need to fill his boots in Division Two of the County Championship.Cameron Bancroft (Durham)Made an impressive return to the Shield after his ban to push claims for a Test recall. The Durham deal was signed during his suspension and now he’s been promoted to captaincy as well, a move that will keep the spotlight on him even more. Away from the debate around his elevation it will be interesting to see how he balances the demands of being a captain and key batsman.Matt Renshaw (Kent)Got himself back in the Test squad but didn’t played against Sri Lanka and now feels a long shot to make the Ashes tour after a disappointing first-class season where he averaged just 21.88. His deal is short-term but he will then expect to feature on the Australia A tour that precedes the Ashes but will need significant loss of form or injury among others to get in.Shaun Marsh (Glamorgan)It remains to be seen how the next few months pan out for Shaun Marsh. Having carried the ODI batting during Australia’s struggles there is a chance he will now miss out on the World Cup. His Test career appears over after being dropped following the India series, but if he’s churning out runs in England and an injury hits the Ashes squad you never know.James Pattinson in his delivery stride•Getty Images

Marnus Labuschagne (Glamorgan)Signed as cover for Shaun Marsh, Labuschagne is another of the incumbent Test batsmen who will be looking over their shoulder ahead of the Ashes squad being named. He has shown promise so far, with his fielding and legspin bowling adding to a useful all-round package, but needs to tighten up against the moving ball.Glenn Maxwell (Lancashire)He opted for county cricket over an IPL stint to push his claims for a Test recall. He has found some rich ODI form during Australia’s resurgence so the World Cup is a certainty but that means he won’t have much red-ball cricket before then to showcase his longer-form batting.Callum Ferguson (Worcestershire)It appears any chance to resurrect his international career has passed Ferguson by despite an era of rather limited first-class batting resources in Australia, but the flip side of that is that he becomes even more valuable to Worcestershire.Peter Siddle (Essex)The fact his return to the ODI side did not extend beyond the India series could work in Siddle’s favour as it will give him a longer run with Essex to prep for the Ashes. There is a battle for the fast-bowling slots, but his skills are perfectly suited to English conditions.Daniel Worrall (Gloucestershire)Talked up as a potential Ashes candidate during the Australia season, a hamstring injury ruled him out of the final stages of the Shield. A bagful of wickets between now and the squad selection would keep him in the frame, but the best he can probably hope for is to be in the right place at the right time if injury strikes during the series.James Pattinson (Nottinghamshire)He is back bowling very fast and there will be some nervous county batsmen around ahead of his early-season stint. His credentials for the Ashes have become increasingly hard to ignore and now the only question seems to be how his body stands up to the workload.D’Arcy Short shapes to play a short ball•Getty Images

Aaron Finch (Surrey – T20)Averaged 147.25 in the last season’s T20 Blast and is scheduled to return after Australia’s World Cup campaign. His brief spell as a Test batsman now looks over so there won’t be a clash with the Ashes. Depending what England do with their Test side, there could be the chance to rekindle a thrilling opening partnership with Jason Roy.Michael Klinger (Gloucestershire – T20)Brought the curtain down on his BBL career with Perth Scorchers at the end of the season but will again turn out for Gloucestershire where he has made his second home.D’Arcy Short (Durham – T20)Has signed for the T20 Blast followed his prolific BBL season and will be looking to channel the frustration of being overlooked for the World Cup squad.Dan Christian (Nottinghamshire – T20)A globe-trotting T20 specialist who chalked up another trophy with his key role in Melbourne Renegades’ BBL triumph, Christian will return for another season with Nottinghamshire and hope to bring that winning feeling.James Faulkner (Lancashire – T20)Four years ago Faulkner was Man of the Match in the World Cup final but now his international days look over. However, he showed at times during the BBL with Hobart Hurricanes that he remains a very effective T20 player and will continue the strong Australia influence at Lancashire this season.Kane Richardson (Derbyshire – T20)Heads to the Blast having top the wicket-taking in the BBL. He now has a chance to feature in the World Cup as well due to injuries to other pace bowlers.Adam Zampa (Essex – T20)When Zampa topped the T20 Blast wicket-taking tally for Essex last season he wasn’t part of Australia’s limited-overs plans. Now he is set to head to the World Cup as their No. 1 spinner before returning to Essex for another Blast stint.Ashton Agar (Birmingham – T20)He has drifted out of the Australia set-up after a difficult season so will be looking to use the T20 Blast with Birmingham to restate his credentials before thoughts start turning to the next T20 World Cup in 2020.

Raina’s half-century turned around CSK’s floundering innings before Dhoni delivered the blockbuster finish

The Report by Danyal Rasool01-May-20193:19

Vettori: Dhoni’s captaincy made CSK spinners more dangerous

There was a five-over game at the IPL on Tuesday, and while this was played over the full 20, it was the final five of the Chennai Super Kings’ innings that effectively sealed Delhi Capitals’ fate.Having made a sluggish start, Super Kings innings came to life in the death overs, more than half of their 179 coming in the last six. It might have looked slightly above par at the change of innings, but on a pitch that obviously favoured the spinners, Imran Tahir and Ravindra Jadeja put on masterclasses, taking seven wickets for 21 runs between them that sealed a comprehensive 80 run win for the hosts.A half-century from Suresh Raina had kept things ticking along in a first hour firmly played on the Capital’s terms, but a cameo from Jadeja and yet another MS Dhoni blitz at the end was enough to undo most of the Capital’s good work in the early overs. The final over from Trent Boult, who had conceded just two in his first two overs, was tonked for 21, creating a wave of momentum Super Kings surfed on for the remainder of the game.The chase suggested a tight game as far as the opening Powerplay went, but a sensational collapse saw Shreyas Iyer’s side slip from 81 for 4 to 99 all out. A game that had begun so auspiciously for the Capitals finished up as a proper drubbing that leaves their quest for a top-two finish on shaky grounds.BCCI

The ageless MS Dhoni
Dhoni has spent much of 2019 making fools of those who wrote him off. He has always appeared to produce his best clad in the yellow of the Super Kings, and Wednesday’s performance was just another in the ever-burgeoning catalogue of memorable Dhoni performances for his beloved franchise.Super Kings were barely batting above a run a ball with 6.2 overs to go when he walked out to bat. He couldn’t quite get going straightaway, so found himself content rotating the strike, allowing a more fluid Jadeja to do the heavy lifting. But with seven balls left in the innings, Dhoni showed he showed his unmatched ability to make up for lost time, and then some.A six off a beamer from Chris Morris off the final ball of the 19th got him going, but it was the Capitals’ best bowler who would come in for the roughest treatment. Boult had kept Super Kings on a leash in his opening spell, with the hosts managing just seven runs off the first four.A boundary off the third delivery followed by a scampered single didn’t seem too bad, but Boult would send down a wide that enabled Dhoni to scurry back to the strikers’ end. The final two balls went halfway up the second tier to power Dhoni to 44 off 22, with 21 coming off the last over alone.This was Dhoni at his cavalier best; he has struck 46 sixes in the final over of an IPL innings, more than twice as much as anyone else. And he wasn’t nearly done, because Dhoni continues to take his wicketkeeping duties exceptionally seriously. Lightning-quick glovework behind the stumps saw both Chris Morris and Iyer, who top scored with a sparkling 44, stumped, the elegant flicking off the bail indistinguishable from the final hammered nail into the Capitals’ coffin.BCCI

The spin threat
Graeme Swann said at the pitch report the surface was such a delicious turner that he regretted having hung up his boots, but someone just three days younger than him continued to plug away. Imran Tahir, 40, presumably shared Swann’s excitement at how the surface looked, and showed everyone why when he came on.He was summoned first for the 11th over, and two balls later, made his initial mark. A google from Tahir flummoxed Axar Patel, who found himself lured into a drive, only to nick to Shane Watson at first slip. Four balls later, rising star Sherfane Rutherford was undone by another googly, a comfortable catch going straight to backward point.Tahir would take two more wickets to finish up with four for 12, but Jadeja at the other end was having an equally devastating effect. He had struck with his fourth delivery to send Colin Ingram packing with a sharp turner, and two more – thanks in part to Dhoni’s reflexes in his third over all but sealed Capitals’ fate. All told, eight of the Capitals’ wickets had fallen to spin, and their own inability to take advantage of the wicket in the first innings saw them pay a heavy price.CSK’s start
It all looked very different in an odd start to the match. Super Kings may have been put in to bat, but Dhoni had indicated he wanted that anyway, and for a side that opens with Watson and Faf du Plessis, they began exceptionally sluggishly.Watson was back to looking like the player who had struggled in the first ten games, while a beautiful opening spell from Boult, complemented superbly by J Suchith meant only seven were scored in the first four. Had the Capitals’ not lost complete control over the last six, in which Super Kings plundered 91, the chase would not have been as steep as it ended up being.The mental toll the target took, and indeed the manner it had been set, was enough to scramble the visitors’ minds, with the clear-thinking, unflappable Dhoni ensuring his side struck a telling blow ahead of the upcoming playoffs, where they could well play the first qualifier at home.

Recalled paceman expects his experience and ability to reverse swing the ball to stand him in good stead in the UK

Umar Farooq21-May-20193:01

‘Was disheartening to be sidelined for two years’ – Wahab Riaz

A visibly excited Wahab Riaz said he was raring to go and “prove Mickey Arthur wrong”, after being picked against all odds in Pakistan’s World Cup squad.Wahab last played an ODI in June 2017 during Pakistan’s Champions Trophy title run, and was not among the 23 World Cup probables selected last month or the 17 men who were in England recently for the ODI series. Back in April 2018, Arthur, the Pakistan coach, had criticised the paceman’s “work ethic” and brought up the fact that he had not “won us a game in two years”.He did, however, do well in the Pakistan Cup 50-over tournament this year, picking up ten wickets in five games at an average of 20.70 and an economy of 4.60, as his team Khyber Pakhtunkhwa won the title.”I can’t explain in words the pain I have gone through, but I don’t want to live in the past. That’s history now,” Wahab said at a press conference before leaving for England. “Now it’s about what we are going to do in the World Cup. Obviously it’s the coach’s duty to get the best results from the players, and he wants players that can win matches for the team. I also wanted to be in the team, the only difference is I missed two years of [international] cricket. Now I am in and want to prove him [Arthur] wrong and justify my opportunity.”You can’t say it was unfair [that I was selected]. I kept on hearing that I might be chosen for the Australia series or the one against England, but it didn’t work out. It was Allah’s will that my selection was meant for the World Cup directly, but I have been praying that whatever happens should happen for good. Being named in the squad and then not being able to perform will be another unfortunate thing as there is a lot of expectation. I hope for the best and want to take this opportunity to move on and perform.”The last two years have seen Pakistan bank on the likes of Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hassan Ali, Faheem Ashraf and Junaid Khan for their fast-bowling needs, with Wahab overlooked. He even signed with Derbyshire in a bid to reboot his international career, but to no avail. Till now.”I was extremely disheartened as I was performing for the past two years,” he said. “But since I couldn’t perform in the Champions Trophy, I had to sit out because you need to do well continuously to be a part of the team. I was trying to push my case for selection by performing wherever I could. I was very disappointed and frustrated too. I felt that I was hard done by, but at the same time the team was doing well. But I never lost hope. Now, I feel I have been rewarded.”I kept myself fully prepared for this World Cup even knowing that I am nowhere near the team. I even had dreams I was meeting Mickey Arthur and Sarfaraz Ahmad, and sometimes they would pick me, and reject me at other times. Around ten days ago, I had a dream that Inzi bhai [Inzamam-ul-Haq, the chief selector] gave me a call and told me that I have been selected and this is my last chance. It was exactly how it happened when I was called and told about the decision. It is nothing less than make or break for a player who gets an opportunity to play in the World Cup.”Can’t catch me: Wahab Riaz was too good for Zimbabwe’s tail•ICC

One of his direct competitors for a slot in the 15, Junaid Khan, was dropped after being part of the preliminary squad. His made his frustration and anger plain after the event, posting a photograph on social media, later deleted, that depicted him with tape over his mouth.”Every player wishes to play for Pakistan and the World Cup is the biggest challenge in your career,” said Wahab. “Obviously, he will be saddened and very frustrated, and must be thinking he had been treated unfairly. But when I was out for two years, I was thinking the same. At the end, this is the Pakistan team and its selectors, coaches and captains make the decision. I am sure this wasn’t meant to hurt someone but it’s for the country, and whatever they think is good for Pakistan.”Wahab’s selection is mainly based on his ability to generate reverse swing in what everyone expects will be batting-friendly conditions. Pakistan had not expected the pitches in the UK to be as flat as they were in the ODI series, as Inzamam pointed out, but on the evidence of those games, they realised the importance of an experienced hand like Wahab.”Obviously, there’s a lot of pressure since Inzi bhai has said that I have been brought back on the basis of my experience,” Wahab said. “I have worked hard and matured as a bowler in the last two years. I have learnt a lot and the results are visible to everyone. You can’t judge anyone on the basis of one match. I am a bowler and there are chances that I may concede 60, 70 or 80 runs, and it has happened in the past as well. But that’s doesn’t mean that I lost my skills and ability.”It is important to keep things simple on batting wickets. Variations and reverse swing are key in the death overs. With the conditions dry and wickets hard in England, there will be reverse swing and the team that does it better will have the advantage. I have expertise in reverse swing so I will try to restrict the flow of runs in the final few overs.”

Warwickshire claim a valuable victory as Dom Sibley and Will Rhodes provide the platform

Paul Edwards at York20-Jun-2019
“Tomorrow is what they call money day. It will be another opportunity for guys to make their names for the Bear. We’ve had a little bit of success recently. Can we have some more tomorrow?”The comments of one or two captains prior to the last day of Championship matches suggest they have undertaken too many voyages aboard the . But Jeetan Patel should not be numbered amongst them. His words on Wednesday evening suggest he is a realist who is leading a young side, many of whom are just getting to know each other. He expected a long struggle on this final day at York. He was mistaken.Yes, the dénouement of this match suggests Aldwych farce. A bizarre final hour or so featured the loss of six Warwickshire wickets, four of them the maiden first-class successes for James Logan, before the visitors reached their target of 217. Logan is a 21-year-old slow left-armer who, like thousands of others, will not forget his visit to York. But if his spell announced the arrival of a fine new talent, they never truly threatened to change the outcome of the game. Warwickshire’s collapse from 181 for 2 to 215 for 7 showed what have happened had Yorkshire taken wickets earlier in the piece. They excited the crowd at Clifton Park and prompted some rash strokes among the middle-order batsmen. They revealed the obvious truth that Patel is leading a fragile side, one easily prone to fret and panic.But perhaps the most significant consequence of that late collapse was to allow the Warwickshire captain to make the winning hit at the club where he first played cricket in England back in 2003. And when Patel drove Jordan Thompson over mid-on he knew his side had completed a victory which will embolden his players as they prepare for the remainder of this season. That late hour also showed the value of the 132-run opening stand between Dom Sibley and Will Rhodes, a partnership which ensured that the foundations of their side’s successful pursuit were pile driven deep before that late anxiety gripped the Bears.Rhodes and Sibley saw off the new ball before lunch, dealt with Yorkshire’s seamers on the resumption and accelerated in mid-afternoon. And Sibley’s polished 81 may also have reassured the England Lions coach, Andy Flower, that his journey up north had not been wasted. The former Surrey batsman is being seriously considered by the England selectors in advance of the Ashes series and his innings today took his tally of first-class runs against county opposition this season to 721. He can do little more to press his claim than to carry on scoring runs at The Oval next week.”I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t [thought about England],” Sibley said, “but at the moment I’m concentrating on scoring runs for Warwickshire, keep trying to get in every time I bat and get some big scores. I did notice that he [Flower] was here but I’ll just keep trying to score runs.”But if Sibley’s composure and leg-side drives caught the eye on the day when Yorkshire suffered their first Championship defeat, Rhodes’ strokeplay was also worthy of attention. The differences in the two men’s height and style may not have helped Yorkshire’s bowlers. Rhodes bats left-handed, Sibley right. Rhodes is tall enough, for heaven’s sake, but Sibley’s build suggests he plays his club cricket for Brobdingnag.Rhodes hit nine fours and three sixes, all the maximums coming in a single Jack Leaning over off which he scored 26 runs. The third six sailed over the Clifton Park pavilion and took with it all doubts about Warwickshire’s run-rate. By the time Rhodes was bowled off the inside edge by David Willey he had made 83 and given his old muckers one in the eye, a fitting achievement perhaps, given that he still plays his league cricket up the road at Stamford Bridge.For another hour it seemed that one wicket would be Yorkshire’s only consolation. Then Rob Yates top-edged a sweep off Logan to Willey at short fine leg and Sibley’s powerful drive over mid-off was brilliantly caught one-handed by Steve Patterson diving to his right.It was as if all the doubts and devils of their early season had suddenly infected the away dressing room. Sam Hain was caught behind trying to cut Patterson; Matt Lamb was bowled having a clueless slog and Adam Hose suffered the same fate when he came down the pitch and slipped. Logan probably wondered if county cricket is always like this. It really isn’t. Patel restored sanity and has no doubt learned more about his team.Soon after the end of the game Warwickshire’s players were sitting in a circle on the outfield and enjoying a well-earned beer. Equally well deserved, though, are all the compliments being paid to York CC after the magnificent manner in which they have hosted their first Championship match.Some permanent memorial might be considered, for if you live in York and do not have a blue plaque outside your house, you are probably entitled to feel hard done by. The city has nurtured artists, politicians, novelists, socialites and social reformers; it was the birthplace of WH Auden and has given a home to whole pewfuls of churchmen, most notably, Alcuin, an architect of the Carolingian renaissance. It was also the birthplace of a Master of Balliol, which trumps all the others put together.York’s fine pavilion was only completed in 2010 and cannot yet boast any notable associations. But perhaps over the winter someone – maybe the extraordinarily resourceful Kevin Hutchinson – should erect some permanent notice recording the return of county cricket to York after 129 years. Surely it cannot be another 13 decades – or indeed 13 years – before first-class cricket returns to the city. Some think it should not be 13 months.This occasion has been wonderful. It has been a fan asking a smiling Willey for a selfie and then being shown how to take it. It has been the giant oak standing guard over the scoreboard. It has been two of the grandest white poplars in the kingdom and the folk watching first-class cricket beneath them. It has been cricket people at their best and most generous.Last evening there was a bash in the marquee for the people who laid on the corporate hospitality. The melodies of Phil Oakey and The Police rang out across the field. This evening there should be songs in the Clifton Park pavilion. And there should be smiles of quiet, exhausted satisfaction on the faces of the people at this great home of cricket.

Legspinner admits ability to bowl his variations had been hampered but now hopes to be “back to his best”

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jul-20195:31

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It was a delivery that not only claimed Australia’s fifth wicket, but confirmed the sense that England were on their way to the World Cup final. Adil Rashid’s googly to trap Marcus Stoinis lbw was a fine example of England’s legspinner going about his craft as well as an indication that he is getting “back to my best” after a shoulder injury that hampered his performance earlier in the tournament.Rashid has been managing a problem with his right shoulder that required an injection and limited his ability to deliver his variations. The dismissal of Stoinis was his first wicket from a googly at this World Cup, and he followed up later in the innings by also removing Pat Cummins with the delivery on the way to figures of 3 for 54.He admitted afterwards that he had been searching to “find that snap” with his wrong’un again after recovering from the injury.ALSO READ: England ‘won’t listen to favourites chat’ – Bayliss“Probably not bowled them as much,” he said. “The main reason was because of my shoulder because I’ve got a bit of a shoulder problem. But I knew that [the googly] is a big weapon for me, that’s one of my big weapons, my variations, looking to create stuff. My shoulder had that little bit of problem and I know I still had to bowl it even if I was in a bit of a pain. Knowing that’s my strength, that’s why I get wickets. Today and the previous two days of practice I’ve done was for that as well.”It’s been good for a while. But in terms of variations, googlies and stuff, it’s been a bit different to what it was pre-shoulder problem. Before the shoulder [injury], I was confident bowling everything. Once you have a niggle it becomes a bit harder with the rotation – the arm gets a bit lower and you don’t find that snap. The previous two net sessions I’ve done it’s come out well.”While he said he had been forced to deliver his googly differently for a while, Rashid was hopeful that problem had now been resolved and said that the dismissal of Stoinis provided further encouragement.”It has been [different]. But now I can get it back to my best. That would come by maybe having that confidence to do it regardless of whatever happens and knowing that I need to do it because that’s my best strength.”It was nice to make a batsman go for a cut on the back foot and spinning it back in that he doesn’t pick, that’s a nice feeling as any spinner that bowls a variation [knows], that a batsman doesn’t pick and gets a wicket. That just gives me more confidence to make sure I keep sticking to my strengths, don’t go away from that regardless of how I feel, knowing if I stick to that things will happen.”Adil Rashid took two wickets in one over to halt Australia’s recovery•Getty Images

Rashid’s performance also included breaking Australia’s fourth-wicket partnership, having Alex Carey caught on the midwicket boundary, before he struck against Stoinis three balls later. He now has 11 World Cup wickets at 44.27, but those figures could have been better had other chances stuck – notably the drop of Mohammad Hafeez at Trent Bridge and a missed stumping against Usman Khawaja at Lord’s – and Rashid suggested he was happy with his bowling.”I reckon there’s been a few times I’ve bowled better but not got the rewards. But that happens in cricket, sometimes you bowl well and don’t get wickets. You don’t bowl as well, you get wickets. That’s cricket and that happens to everybody. For me personally, I want to keep striving, keep looking to work hard and keeping looking to deliver my skills and be confident in that.”Having become a central figure in the first England team to reach a World Cup final since 1992, Rashid was quick to praise Eoin Morgan as “100%” the best captain he had played under.”100%, Morgs. He knows my game now inside out. Been with him for four years, through good times and not so good times. He knows my strengths, what I’m capable of and vice-versa as well.”Me and him have that communication. We have that trust as well. If he senses a feel, we’ll go by it. If I sense a feel, we’ll go by it – what plans we want or how we should bowl. It’s very easy like that. We’re easygoing like that. I 100% trust him in decisions he makes.”As for their progress to the final against New Zealand at Lord’s on Sunday, Rashid said the realisation was beginning to dawn that they could become the first England team to lift the trophy.”At the beginning of the tournament I couldn’t believe it. It’s been a good journey in the World Cup. The ups, the downs as well. Some interesting times. We’ve played good cricket the past three games and now to be in a position where we can win it, it’s a good feeling.”