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Big Bash defending champions Victoria have begun their 2011 campaign in perfect style with a clinical display to account for Queensland in game two at the MCG

The Bulletin by Alex Malcolm02-Jan-2011Victoria 4 for 188 (Finch 58, Hussey 42*) beat Queensland 9 for 155 (Hopes 36, McKay 3-26) by 33 runs

Scorecard
Aaron Finch clubbed 58 off 38 deliveries•Getty Images

Big Bash defending champions Victoria have begun their 2011 campaign in perfect style with a clinical display to account for Queensland in game two at the MCG.The home side rewarded the 29,429 locals who turned out with a dominant display on a sluggish drop-in wicket.The Victorian openers set the tone, Aaron Finch and Brad Hodge clubbing 98 from the first 64 balls of the innings after Cameron White won the toss. Anything back of a length or shorter Hodge cut or pulled with typical ease. Anything fuller and straighter Finch clubbed to the sightscreen or into the long-on bleachers, which he did on three separate occasions.Finch’s brutal 58 from 38 balls earned him Man-of-the-Match honours. His dismissal and some tight bowling from Bulls’ captain James Hopes slowed the Bushrangers momentarily, but the classy veteran David Hussey (42 not out) sussed the conditions quickly to produce a gem of an innings to take the total to 4 for 188.It was always going to be a tough ask against a barrage of Victorian quicks. New-ball pairing James Pattinson and Dirk Nannes removed the Queensland openers in consecutive overs to put the Bulls well behind in the game. Hopes, on return from a broken thumb, clubbed five boundaries in 36 but his demise to a slower ball from Clint McKay signalled the beginning of the end as Queensland battled to 9 for 155.McKay claimed three wickets with off-speed bowling, Nannes three with blistering pace. The Victorians are going to be hard to beat again with the likes of Dwayne Bravo, Cameron White and Matthew Wade playing just minor roles in tonight’s first-up win.

Michael Klinger and John Hastings, two players who switched states to gain greater opportunities, have been rewarded for their post-move success at the Allan Border Medal night in Melbourne

Brydon Coverdale15-Feb-2010Michael Klinger and John Hastings, two players who switched states to gain greater opportunities, have been rewarded for their post-move success at the Allan Border Medal night in Melbourne. The South Australia batsman Klinger was named the State Cricketer of the Year for the second consecutive season, while Hastings received the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year award having established himself as a key man in Victoria’s line-up.Klinger scored 36 votes and beat the Victoria pair of Chris Rogers (29) and Brad Hodge (27) for the state title. During the voting period, which ran from December 24, 2008 to February 1, 2010, Klinger scored 1532 runs at 56.74 across all formats. He was the leading Sheffield Shield run scorer last season and is again near the top this summer.The two consecutive prizes for Klinger have justified his decision to leave Victoria during the 2008 off-season, at which time he had made 1569 first-class runs at 27.05. His tally is now 3504 runs at 41.22 and the two strong years must have him firmly in the minds of the Australian selectors.Another state-switching success story was Hastings, the Victoria allrounder, who moved from New South Wales at the end of 2006-07. Hastings, 24, decided that his opportunities were likely to be greater with the Bushrangers than in a Blues line-up where he would compete with Moises Henriques as the preferred young allrounder.Hastings finished with 46 votes, well clear of the New South Wales allrounder Steven Smith on 30 and the Queensland fast bowler Ben Cutting (8). Hastings has played every Sheffield Shield match for the Bushrangers this season and is second on the competition wicket tally with 25 victims at 25.12, and he has been a valuable player in the shorter formats as well.”It seems a long while ago now,” Hastings said of his move south. “Three years ago [Victoria coaches] Greg Shipperd and Simon Helmot gave me a call and said do you want to come down to Victoria and see if you can try your luck down here and it’s been brilliant. I feel like I’m a lot stronger and a lot fitter than I was last year.”Across all formats during the voting period, Hastings scored 324 runs at 29.45 and took 49 wickets at 22.77 in 17 matches. He joins a list of Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year winners featuring elite names such as Brett Lee, who won the inaugural prize in 2000, Nathan Bracken, Shane Watson and Ben Hilfenhaus.The Women’s International Cricketer of the Year was Shelley Nitschke, who claimed her second title having also won last year. Nitschke (71 votes) scored a narrow win from Lisa Sthalkear (64), having made 631 runs at 35.05 in 18 ODIs during the voting period and collecting 17 wickets at 29.47.

Half-century for James Vince keeps Hampshire interested but asking rate proves too steep

ECB Reporters Network19-Jun-2025Lewis Gregory clubbed a brutal half-century as Somerset defeated Hampshire Hawks by 17 runs at the Cooper Associates Ground to return to winning ways and move clear of Surrey at the top of the Vitality Blast South Group table.Will Smeed smashed 68 from 37 balls with nine fours and three sixes and dominated stands of 59 and 46 with Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Tom Abell for the second and third wickets respectively after Somerset had been put in beneath the Taunton floodlights. But the home side lost their way during the middle overs and were indebted to skipper Gregory, who clubbed a much-needed 55 from 27 balls with four fours and four sixes and staged a record-breaking seventh-wicket partnership of 82 with Lewis Goldsworthy to propel the cider county to 209 for 6. Veteran allrounder Benny Howell claimed 2 for 12 and Liam Dawson 1 for 29 as the Hawks struggled to contain the South Group leaders.James Vince raised a 30-ball 54 and South Africa batter Dewald Brevis crashed 36 from 16 deliveries, but Ben Green took 3 for 40 as Somerset took wickets at key moments to restrict Hawks to 192 for 7 and secure a sixth victory in seven outings in the short format this season.Put into bat, Somerset made a subdued start by their own high standards, Tom Banton falling cheaply to a tremendous catch on the run by Joe Weatherley at deep square leg off the bowling of Eddie Jack. Kohler-Cadmore encountered no such problems, taking 14 runs off the third over, bowled by James Fuller, as the home side reasserted themselves.Smeed was equally expansive, plundering three boundaries in one Jack over, while Kohler-Cadmore emulated that feat at the expense of Fuller in the next as the second wicket pair fashioned a half-century partnership from just 23 balls in advancing the score to 68 for 1 at the end of the powerplay.Hampshire’s seamers held their nerve and Fuller provided relief, bowling Kohler-Cadmore for a 15-ball 29 in the seventh with the score 70 for 2. Kohler-Cadmore accrued a quartet of fours and a six, only to depart before he could inflict real damage. In his absence, Smeed picked up the cudgels, hoisting Fuller over midwicket for six and then straight-hitting the next ball for four to post 50 from 27 balls.Dawson’s nagging accuracy notwithstanding, Somerset initially managed to maintain momentum during the crucial middle overs, Abell adopting the role of chief support to Smeed, who continued to trade in boundaries and put bowlers and fielders alike under pressure. He eventually succumbed, hitting Jack straight down the throat of Scott Currie at long-on as Somerset slipped to 116 for 3 in the 11th.When Abell played across the line to Howell’s first delivery and was bowled via an inside edge, the home side were 116 for 4 and Hampshire fancied they were right back in the contest, an impression that was confirmed in the 13th, Sean Dickson playing back to Dawson and watching the ball clatter into his stumps.Green came and went quickly, holing out to long-on to provide the wily Howell with a second wicket as the flow of boundaries temporarily dried up and Somerset further subsided to 127 for 6 in the 14th. Gregory then took matters into his own hands, harvesting 25 off one Wood over as the seventh-wicket alliance realised 50 in just 25 balls. Unleashing a barrage of sixes, Somerset’s captain tucked into the seamers on his way to a high-octane 25-ball half-century. His partnership with Goldsworthy, who finished unbeaten on 29 from 16 balls, was a Somerset record for the seventh wicket in T20 cricket, eclipsing the 67 made by Omari Banks and Ben Phillips at Northampton in 2008.Living up to their formidable reputation, Hampshire openers Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Vince afforded the reply a super-charged start, posting 50 in 5.2 overs to force Somerset’s seamers onto the back foot. Pugilistic in his approach, Pretorius struck four fours and a brace of sixes as the partnership advanced to 74 inside nine overs.Somerset needed a wicket and the ever-dependable Green obliged, luring Pretorius into front-foot indiscretion and having the South African held in the deep for 37. With the asking rate rising above 12 for the first time, Vince and new batter Toby Albert looked to attack Goldsworthy. But the spinner defied their best attempts as the home side worked hard to restrict the supply of boundaries during the middle overs.Goldsworthy struck a telling blow in the 12th, inducing Albert to hit high to long-off with the score 95 for 2 as the rate continued to climb. While Vince remained at large, Hampshire were in with a chance, and the England batter hoisted Green high over midwicket for six to raise 50 from 29 balls. He was out next ball, caught on the long-on boundary as Green further reduced the visitors to 107 for 3.South African dangerman Brevis and Weatherley opened their shoulders in a bid to put the chase back on track, but Somerset’s bowlers remained disciplined in their lengths and the latter was run out by Riley Meredith for 15 with 75 still needed from five overs.Fuller attempted to match Brevis blow-for-blow, only to be undone by a Meredith yorker and fall for 11. Having struck four sixes and a four, Brevis then attempted to drive Green down the ground and skied a catch to Gregory at mid-off to signal the end of Hampshire’s prospects in the 18th..

Decision taken by the ECB’s disciplinary body, in view of Vincent “demonstrating the very highest levels of contrition and remorse” in the decade after being caught up in corruption

Nagraj Gollapudi08-Dec-2023Former New Zealand batter Lou Vincent can resume being involved in domestic cricket or any level below that with immediate effect, after the ECB revised the life ban imposed on him in 2014 for corruption.In a media statement on Friday, the ECB’s Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) said it was revoking the life ban having received from Vincent “compelling evidence demonstrating the very highest levels of contrition and remorse and the very best efforts to make amends wherever possible”.The CDC’s decision comes in response to a “clemency” appeal by Vincent. In 2014, the ECB had imposed a life ban on Vincent barring him from playing cricket at any level, entering any cricket ground, or coaching the game in a professional capacity after he admitted in an open letter that he was a “cheat”. Vincent had been handed 11 life-bans relating to events that occurred during his time at Sussex in 2008 and seven offences committed at the 2011 Champions League Twenty20.Related

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Gerard Elias, representing the CDC, said that it had heard not just Vincent before it’s decision to revise the ban but also the ICC, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and the ECB. Elias said that “cogent and compelling” reasons were needed for the life ban to be downgraded, something Vincent provided. “In particular, this decision was taken in the light of Mr Vincent’s conduct following his sanction,” Elias said, “Namely: full and frank admissions and the fullest disclosures; immediate and total co-operation with cricket and civil authorities in various parts of the world; and, participation in anti-corruption education programmes for NZC and the ECB. I am satisfied that these factors justify an amelioration of the original sanction at this time.”In his first reaction to the relaxation of the life ban, Vincent, who’s now 45, said he was “very fortunate” to be able to return to cricket. “I made a terrible mistake many years ago, which I’ll deeply regret for the rest of my life, and I remain very sorry for the harm I caused,” Vincent said in a statement issued by NZC. “Being able to return to the cricket environment means the world to me and I feel very fortunate to again have that opportunity.”In the years after being banned, Vincent, who last played for New Zealand in 2007, started a new life as a builder in the small town of Raglan, a surfing destination in the Waikato region of New Zealand. Now, one of the things Vincent said he will look forward to is attending cricket matches with his family, something he was barred from during the life ban.Vincent thanked NZC and the New Zealand Players Association (NZPA), as well as his lawyer Chris Morris, for providing support and paving the way for his return. Heath Mills, the NZPA CEO, said Vincent had played a big hand in educating players in all sports about the evils of match-fixing, something the CDC had recognised. “The penalties have been particularly hard on Lou and he’s shown a lot of humility in owning his mistakes and setting about making amends,” Mills said. “I’m pleased the authorities have recognised his contribution to the fight against match-fixing and, also, his ongoing efforts to educate players and administrators around the world on anti-corruption.”NZC CEO Scott Weenink said though Vincent had “made a mistake… he’s given a lot to the game, not least in helping spread the anti-corruption message over the past decade, and it’s good and right that he can be more involved again.”

Anderson, Broad call for common sense to prevail after openers motor towards victory target

Andrew Miller11-Sep-2022James Anderson and Stuart Broad admitted to a mixture of frustration and sympathy for the umpires at the close of another captivating day’s play in the third and final Test against South Africa, after a capacity crowd was denied the prospect of witnessing an England victory march by the onset of bad light.After being set a target of 130 for victory, England’s openers Zak Crawley and Alex Lees had rattled off 97 runs in 17 overs, and needed just 33 more to seal both the match and the series. However, shortly after the scheduled close of 6.30pm, umpires Richard Kettleborough and Nitin Menon led the teams from the field, having deemed that the light had diminished too much to continue.The decision cause immediate uproar on the England balcony, where the captain Ben Stokes was seen gesticulating in disbelief, and the crowd booed loudly as the players left the field. However, having taken a light-meter reading at a similar time at the close of Saturday’s play, the umpires were obliged to take that as the precedent for the match, irrespective of the match situation – a point that England’s senior bowlers both acknowledged at the close.”It’s obviously frustrating from our point of view,” Anderson told Sky Sports. “The rate that we were scoring, it might only have needed another five or six overs. The guys were obviously seeing the ball pretty well, and with a good crowd in here tonight, it would have been nice to finish it.”But we understand what the point of view of the umpires is,” he said. “They’ve taken a reading yesterday. That’s the precedent for the whole game. And I think their message is, if it rains all day tomorrow, it would be unfair on South Africa if they just tried to get the game done tonight. But I’d like to think that common sense could prevail every now and then.”Broad also acknowledged that the umpires could not be faulted for having to follow the letter of the law as it stands.”If you’re a neutral making decisions, it was probably a fair call,” Broad said. “The umpires communicated it very clearly with Zak and Leesy out there. They were saying, look, we’re running out of time here … we don’t have long left. It’s not as if they said, right we’re coming off.”But we’re naturally disappointed and frustrated, particularly as the guys were going so well. Leesy hit the last ball of the day through the covers for four and was seeing it fine. I can see that side of it but as a changing room, we’re frustrated that we didn’t get to finish it in front of the crowd that have been with us all day.”It was a point of view backed up by the former England captain Nasser Hussain on Sky Sports, who called on the authorities to adjust to the prevailing late-season conditions.”You cannot be cross with the umpires, they are doing their job,” Hussain said. “The people who set the rules need to take a look. Do they think that suddenly, in September, it’s going to get bright at 6.45pm? It’s not. If you have to make up half an hour, start half an hour early, rather than adding on at the end of the day. But you’ve got a full house here. Cricket can’t just shoot itself in the foot, by picking up the bails and walking off.”Either way, the decision ran counter to the entertainment-first ethos that Stokes and Brendon McCullum have instilled to such good effect in their side this summer, with England now all but assured of finishing the summer with six victories in seven Tests, all of them achieved in a similar vein after batting second and letting their bowlers focus on taking 20 wickets.”It’s been amazing,” Anderson added. “Baz has been a breath of fresh air, it just feels like a positive atmosphere in that dressing room. The message he sends about going out there and trying to entertain, everyone’s bought into it.”Yes, some days it hasn’t come off, but when it does, it’s spectacular. And I think it’s really changed the way, not just the players think about Test cricket, but a lot of the world will think about Test cricket. It’s been an incredible summer, and hopefully we can get over the line and seal the deal tomorrow.”Marco Jansen, South Africa’s allrounder, was phlegmatic about the light situation, admitting that the game was already as good as up for his team, who are now resigned to a 2-1 series loss, having won so emphatically by an innings in the first Test at Lord’s last month.”I feel it would have not mattered whether we played another 20 minutes or we start again tomorrow,” Jansen said. “If the game was more in the balance, it probably would have affected us a bit more. But the situation that the game was in, I don’t feel it would have mattered. As bowlers we are always happy to play on, but it’s all up to the umpires.”

The two match referees and six umpires managed to get to the BKSP eventually and matches began after a delay

Mohammad Isam13-Jun-2021A group of Dhaka Premier League (DPL) match officials escaped major injuries when the car ferrying them to the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (BKSP) on Sunday morning was attacked during a violent skirmish between protesting garment workers and the police in the Savar industrial area.Eight officials – match referees Debabrata Paul and Adil Ahmed, and umpires Shafiuddin, Tanvir Ahmed, Abdullah Al Motin, Imran Parvez, Barkatullah Turkey and Sohrab Hossain – were in the car and were on their way to officiate in the two DPL matches scheduled at BKSP on the day. The car was completely smashed. Other vehicles stuck in the tailback were also attacked.Related

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An eyewitness told ESPNcricinfo that thousands of agitated workers attacked the cars that had been held up in traffic in a spree that lasted 15 to 20 minutes. The officials managed to escape with help from local police and BCB security personnel. While there were no serious injuries, broken windows had left glass shards on the officials. Once away from the scene, the officials managed to tidy up and find their way to BKSP, and the games were held after a 30-minute delay.Kazi Inam Ahmed, the chairman of the cricket committee of Dhaka Metropolis, called it an “unfortunate incident”, adding, “The match officials showed great courage in the face of such an incident. They could start the matches at 9.30am. The match officials had a police escort but four of them were facing thousands of people in that protest.”On each match day of this season’s DPL T20 tournament, four matches are held at the BKSP, the country’s biggest sports institute, which has two grounds. The match officials, who are staying in one hotel in Dhaka within a BCB bio-secure bubble, take the 40-kilometre journey to the ground together.

Five members of Bangladesh’s coaching staff will not be going to the first leg of Bangladesh’s tour of Pakistan later this month

Mohammad Isam17-Jan-2020Five members of Bangladesh’s coaching staff will not be going to the first leg of Bangladesh’s tour of Pakistan later this month. According to BCB’s cricket operations chairman Akram Khan, Neil McKenzie, the white-ball batting coach, is among those who have withdrawn alongside fielding coach Ryan Cook.The BCB preferred not to use Daniel Vettori, who is contracted to them as spin consultant, for such a short series. They didn’t consider team analyst Shrinivaas Chandrasekaran either on account of his being an Indian citizen. The BCB didn’t apply for visas for the two women’s team coaches during their tour last year because they were Indian citizens as well, although, during the recently concluded series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, several Indian nationals were part of the TV production that brought live pictures from the games in Lahore and Karachi.”[Strength and conditioning coach] Mario [Villavarayan] broke his hand recently while team analyst [Chandrasekaran] will be working with the team over Skype. McKenzie and fielding coach [Cook] will also not be going, while we haven’t yet confirmed on our new bowling coach,” Akram said.Russell Domingo will therefore only have physio Julian Calefato among the regular staff while Sohel Islam (fielding coach) and Tushar Kanti Howlader (strength and conditioning coach) will act as support.The BCB is in the middle of discussions with Ottis Gibson but if they cannot get him on board as bowling coach ahead of the Pakistan tour, they are likely to send Champaka Ramanayake who is already working for the BCB’s development programmes.

England have confirmed two changes to their XI for the third Test, with Jonny Bairstow set to replace the injured Sam Curran and bat at No. 3

George Dobell in Colombo21-Nov-2018James Anderson is to be replaced by Stuart Broad in for the final Test of the series against Sri Lanka in Colombo, while England have also confirmed that Jonny Bairstow will come in for the injured Sam Curran.With England having taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in Pallekele, they are taking the opportunity to rest Anderson and give Broad a run with a view to matches later in the winter.”The thinking is that, with the series sewn up, it’s an opportunity to rotate,” Anderson said. “The management want Broady to get some Test cricket under his belt before we go to the West Indies.”With England’s next Test, in Barbados, more than two months away, it is debatable what benefit Broad will derive from the match, but it will not be the only change. After Curran suffered a side strain in the second Test, they have decided to alter the balance of the team by bringing back Bairstow to bat at No. 3.Although Bairstow has not given up on winning back the wicketkeeper’s gloves, which he lost to Ben Foakes after straining ankle ligaments during the one-day series, the possibility of a route back as a specialist batsman had been floated. He will become England’s fourth No. 3 of the series, after Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes and Keaton Jennings (due to the use of a nightwatchman).The confirmation of England’s XI also means no debut for fast bowler Olly Stone. While the pitch in Colombo would have been unlikely to offer much assistance to Stone, it may have been interesting to see how he handled the pressures of playing at the highest level ahead of selection for the Caribbean tour.In the end, strengthening the batting was the logical choice. The third seamer in Pallekele, Stokes, bowled only one over in the match, while Anderson was the only seamer to bowl in the second innings.The decision to bring in Broad ends a tour that Anderson described as “frustrating”. He has taken only one wicket – and that with his second ball of the series – and, despite his best efforts, found it hard to coax any life out of the pitches or the Kookaburra ball. He is, therefore, delighted to hear that the Duke’s ball is to be used in the Caribbean series.”It’s been a frustrating trip for me really because you want to contribute to the wins,” Anderson said. “But I feel like I’ve tried my best but it’s not really been a series for the seamers.”You go into the games with the best intentions and try and work hard in the nets and make sure you’ve got all the skills you need to get wickets out here. But the opportunities for me to bowl in games have been fairly limited. Bowling a seven-over spell in Kandy, which I thought I bowled pretty well with the second ball. Apart from that, the opportunities have been limited and it is frustrating in a way.”One thing that playing out here has really made me look forward to is getting a Duke’s back in my hand. Sometimes, when the conditions are more seamer friendly, you have to do a lot more bowling and you can take it for granted. Playing out here makes you appreciate it a bit more.”Despite his personal frustrations, Anderson has enjoyed being part of a series win and feels the side has taken a significant step forward.”I think the improvements we’ve made and continue to make have really shown this trip,” he said. “Ben Foakes and Rory Burns have come in and done really well. Keaton Jennings, too.”I certainly feel that, in the past, previous [England] teams might not have played as positively as we have with the bat. The message from Joe Root has been go out and play your way. Be confident. This win is right up there and a real big stepping stone for us as a team.”

High-profile players moving to new teams include Robin Uthappa, Karn Sharma, Piyush Chawla and Ambati Rayudu

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-2017Uthappa moves to Saurashtra
Robin Uthappa has joined Saurashtra as a professional for the 2017-18 season, ending his 15-year association with Karnataka. Uthappa had earlier been on the verge of striking a deal with Kerala, but it did not materialise. He led Karnataka to the final of the 2009-10 Ranji Trophy, when Mumbai snatched a six-run win. Uthappa was also part of the Karnataka side that did the double-treble, winning the Ranji Trophy, Irani Cup and the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2013-14 and 2014-15.Karn Sharma joins Vidarbha
After representing Railways for almost a decade, Karn Sharma will play as a professional for Vidarbha in the upcoming season. Karn took 119 wickets and scored 1639 runs in 51 first-class games for Railways. Karn’s recent form bodes well for Vidarbha: since the start of the Duleep Trophy last month, the legspinner has picked up 31 wickets in four first-class games at an average of 15.29. Vidarbha also have a new coach in Chandrakant Pandit, who coached Mumbai to a Ranji Trophy title in 2015-16, and followed that up with a final appearance last year.Rayudu to lead Hyderabad
Vidarbha, however, have lost the services of Ambati Rayudu, who will lead Hyderabad instead. He returns to the Hyderabad set-up after having started his first-class career with them in 2001-02 as a 16-year old. Rayudu’s experience will help fill the gap left behind by S Badrinath, who has opted to take a year off from first-class cricket to spend time with his family. Hyderabad will also have a new coach in J Arunkumar, who takes over from B Arun, who had been appointed as India’s bowling coach in July.Chawla signs with Gujarat
Piyush Chawla will join his former Uttar Pradesh team-mate RP Singh in Gujarat for the 2017-18 season. The legspinner was earlier in talks with Vidarbha, who eventually signed Karn. In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Chawla brushed aside murmurs of competition for places with Kuldeep Yadav being the reason for his move.Whatmore to coach Kerala
Dav Whatmore, who coached Sri Lanka to the 1996 World Cup title, has replaced former India seamer Tinu Yohannan as Kerala’s head coach. Yohannan had taken charge of the side halfway through the 2016-17 season after P Balachandran was sacked by the association, citing “non-performance”. Whatmore, who is also on a three-year deal as a consultant with the Chennai-based Sri Ramachandra University, has only signed a six-month deal with Kerala, but is likely to see out the entire 2017-18 domestic season.Other signings and transfers
PV Shashikanth to coach Karnataka
Amit Verma leaves Assam, returns to Karnataka
Ajay Ratra appointed Punjab coach
SS Das to coach Odisha
Sameer Dighe appointed Mumbai coach
Lalchand Rajput replaces Sunil Joshi as Assam coach
B Anirudh moves from Hyderabad to Tamil Nadu
Arun Karthik moves from Assam to Kerala
Jatin Saxena moves from Madhya Pradesh to Chhatisgarh
Rahul Chahar moves from Rajasthan to Services
Robin Bist leaves Himachal Pradesh, returns to Rajasthan
GK Chiranjeevi moves from Andhra to Railways
Vidhyadhar Kamath moves from Goa to Railways
Abhishek Yadav moves from Odisha to Railways
Deepak Punia moves from Saurashtra to Haryana
Atul Bedade replaces Jacob Martin as Baroda coach

Hong Kong kickstarted their two-match T20 international series against Ireland with a 40-run win, made possible by Nizakat Khan’s half-century, followed by a collective effort from the bowlers

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Sep-2016
ScorecardHong Kong captain Babar Hayat scored 49 off 31 to help his side to a score of 169•Hong Kong Cricket

Hong Kong kickstarted their two-match T20 international series against Ireland with a 40-run win, made possible by Nizakat Khan’s half-century and followed up by a collective effort from their medium pace attack.It’s Hong Kong’s second straight win in T20Is over Ireland, following up their dramatic five-run win defending 129 at Malahide in last summer’s World T20 Qualifier. Despite picking five debutants in a bid to rejuvenate their T20 lineup after a winless campaign at the 2016 World T20 in India, Ireland’s woes in the format continued again on Monday. Ireland has now gone five T20Is without a win, their last victory coming against UAE on February 14.Nizakat’s prior career-best in 19 T20Is entering Monday’s contest was 29 but given the opportunity to open the batting for the first time he responded in style with 62 off 43 balls. Six of his seven fours were struck through the off side while his two sixes were lofted over extra cover and long-on. He brought up his fifty in 35 balls when he took two runs from a dropped chance on 49 at long-on by Greg Thompson off of debutant legspinner Jacob Mulder, then punished the error by driving Mulder’s next ball for six back down the ground.Knocks of 49 off 31 balls from captain Babar Hayat and an unbeaten 29 from Ehsan Khan took Hong Kong to 169 for 5 after they elected to bat at Bready Cricket Club. Aizaz Khan, who opened the batting alongside Nizakat, then led the charge with the ball as his 3 for 10 in three overs helped bowl Ireland out for 129.Nizakat dominated an opening stand of 41 in 4.4 overs with Aizaz, the latter contributing just 5. He went on to add 56 more for the second wicket with Hayat before he was fooled by Mulder. Having committed to a premeditated shuffle away from leg stump, Nizakat continued with his shot to a ball pitched wide outside off by Mulder and produced a simple catch to cover. Babar made sure the tempo of the innings was maintained though, his 31-ball knock containing two fours and as many sixes, until his dismissal in the 17th over. Ehsan then ensured a strong finish to the innings with his 22-ball unbeaten knock that contained two fours and a six.Ireland’s bowlers shared the wickets equally with four different bowlers – Mulder, Andy McBrine, Craig Young and Kevin O’Brien – claiming one apiece while the fifth came courtesy of a runout in the field by Thompson. Mulder and McBrine were economical but Young and O’Brien were expensive, leaking 56 and 39 runs off their respective quotas. Four of Hong Kong’s five sixes in the innings came off of Young’s bowling.Ireland stuttered early in the chase and were reduced to 24 for 4 before the recovery started through a fifth-wicket stand of 59 between O’Brien (32) and Thompson, who top-scored with 44 on debut coming in at No. 6. They were the only two batsmen to make it past 15 in the Ireland innings, which was wrapped up in 19.3 overs.Aizaz found support from Hong Kong’s new-ball pair of Tanwir Afzal and Nadeem Ahmed. Former Hong Kong captain Afzal clean bowled Dave Rankin and Sean Terry in his opening spell while left-arm spinner Nadeem had Ireland captain William Porterfield caught at mid-off in the second over before coming back in a later spell to claim McBrine stumped for 10. Medium pacer Tanveer Ahmed also took two wickets while Ehsan’s offspin accounted for O’Brien.The second and final match in the series takes place on Tuesday at the same venue.