Tag Futebol

William Somerville’s 4 for 75 helped restrict Pakistan’s lead to 74 but the hosts struck back with two quick wickets before stumps

The Report by Danyal Rasool05-Dec-2018Stumps
William Somerville, who had looked at best inoffensive and at worst simply not good enough for the best part of the day, is at the moment the difference between a dead series and one that could yet go either way. His four wickets ensured Pakistan failed to put up any significant resistance following the Azhar Ali-Asad Shafiq stand, losing their last seven wickets for 62 runs. Some fell in a freaky manner, like Babar Azam dragging it on off his bat and both legs onto the stumps. Others were so comical as to channel memories of Basil Fawlty and Del Boy, notably Yasir Shah, who lost his shoe turning around for a second run, and just couldn’t send his captain back. Yasir never stood a chance of completing the run hopping on one foot, leaving Sarfraz Ahmed hopping mad at the other end. He could make little difference with the tail, as Somerville and Ajaz Patel wrapped up the last three wickets for just two runs. It gave Pakistan a 74-run lead, and if that sounds familiar, it should.Make no mistake, Pakistan are still in the driving seat in this Test match, but just the fact they haven’t already put this out of New Zealand’s hands will be frustrating. The visitors may still be 48 runs behind and already down two wickets, thanks to an impressive start by Shaheen Afridi. To further press home the advantage, Yasir had Tom Latham caught in the deep off his penultimate over of the day, putting himself one away from becoming the fastest to 200 Test wickets. But Pakistan will almost certainly be forced into a fourth-innings chase here, with all the psychological baggage that entails, and from the position they were in half an hour before tea, that will disappoint them.If yesterday’s talk of couples had revolved around Trent Boult and Tim Southee, today was all about Azhar and Shafiq. A 201-run partnership that spanned the bulk of the day between Pakistan’s most dependable batsmen had put the hosts in firm control of the deciding Test in Abu Dhabi, beyond New Zealand’s total. Before lunch Azhar had reached his first Test hundred since Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan’s retirements, while Shafiq got to his shortly before tea.For much of the session, the duo carried on the solid work they had done since the start of the day, but they were challenged by better bowling, particularly in a probing spell by Tim Southee, who kept finding the outside edge of the right-handers without a wicket to show for it. However, the absence of an enforcer like Neil Wagner was telling, with Pakistan always confident of a pressure release from any end Southee or Trent Boult weren’t operating from.It was those two quicks who regained a measure of control with the second new ball after Pakistan had got off to a lightning start. Boult, in particular, gave Shafiq a number of nervy moments, exploiting movement and angle both ways. The seamer was judicious in the use of well-directed short balls too. But Shafiq overcame the habit of giving his wicket away after a good start to ensure Pakistan finished the first session with no wickets lost.For much of the day, Somerville remained one of New Zealand’s most economical bowlers, but manifestly lacked the bite required to take advantage of a pitch that rewarded both Yasir Shah and Bilal Asif on the first two days. The surface offered less turn than it had earlier, but one couldn’t help wonder if Pakistan’s spinners would have found a way to be far more troublesome to the batsmen; it is the one facet of the game where the visitors found themselves clearly outclassed. Even Patel from the other end was largely subdued for much of the day.But it was those same spinners who allowed their side a glimmer of hope just before tea, with Somerville removing Azhar for his first Test wicket, and Patel trapping Shafiq in front, allowing their team a crack at an out-of-form Sarfraz Ahmed and subsequently, the lower order. Azhar was on 134 when he fell in the softest fashion, edging a sweep off an absolutely harmless delivery from Somerville, carrying straight to Patel at short fine leg. It got rid of a pair that had frustrated New Zealand for 72 overs, and at that stage, looked like it had killed off Williamson’s hopes of walking away with a series win.The lower-middle-order collapse, alongside with the capitulation of the tail, exposed Pakistan’s weaknesses that have been festering over the past couple of years, and explained their fragility in the time since they became the world’s best Test side. New Zealand were offered the smallest of windows back into the match after tea, and fittingly enough, it was Somerville, an accountant in a previous life, who ensured the wickets column continued to tick over while maintaining immaculately economical figures. The balance sheet isn’t quite a perfect match yet, but New Zealand have bought some time to ensure amends can be made over the next 48 hours.

Australia’s captain Steven Smith is flying home early from India, leaving David Warner to lead the side in the Twenty20 matches, after failing to shrug off a shoulder niggle

Daniel Brettig07-Oct-20170:42

Steven Smith misses T20Is against India with shoulder niggle

Australia’s captain Steven Smith is flying home early from India, leaving David Warner to lead the side in the Twenty20 internationals, after failing to shrug off a shoulder problem he picked up during the fifth ODI in Nagpur.Smith has been unable to bat or throw without discomfort since landing on his right shoulder during that match, forcing the selectors to call in Marcus Stoinis as his replacement for the three T20 fixtures.”Smith landed awkwardly on his right shoulder whilst diving in the field during the fifth ODI against India last Sunday,” team doctor Richard Saw said. “Following the match he complained of shoulder soreness, which has not settled and is restricting his ability to bat and throw.”Subsequently he has had an MRI scan which has excluded serious injury, but we believe the best course of action is for him to not continue to aggravate his shoulder and allow it to recover. He will have further investigation upon his return to Australia but we remain confident he will be available for the start of the Sheffield Shield season.”Since a dominant Test tour of India earlier this year, Smith’s return of runs has reduced significantly, and he has not made a century since that series. After the ODI series concluded, Smith noted that he had not always been as comfortable at the batting crease as he is used to, searching for his best grip on the bat, among other things.”To be honest, I wasn’t feeling great at the start of the series, I wasn’t holding the bat the way I liked to and I was having a few issues there that I was working on,” Smith said in Nagpur after India completed a 4-1 series win. “But I think I’ve slowly found a nice tempo which I’m after. I would have loved to score a lot more runs.”I’ve got myself in on a few occasions and not gone on to get the big runs that I previously have been. From that aspect, as the leader of the team, it’s been disappointing. But I guess sometimes that’s cricket. You have those periods where you’re not playing or getting the scores you really like.”

Nick Lee, the 32-year-old former right-hand batsman from Kent, has been appointed Sri Lanka’s trainer, the SLC announced on Sunday

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Sep-2016Nick Lee, the 32-year-old former right-hand batsman from Kent, has been appointed Sri Lanka’s trainer, the SLC announced on Sunday. Lee will replace Michael Main, the former Hampshire strength and conditioning coach, who was initially appointed for a two-year term in May last year but quit from his post at the end of the home series against Australia. Lee will assume his role from October.Lee was part of the minor county side Suffolk, and was a presence in the Minor Counties Championship tournament for over six years, until 2010. He played 13 matches in his first-class career, in which he scored 490 runs at 30.62, including three half-centuries and a highest of 79 not out. He is part of the Sussex set-up in county cricket, currently working as a strength and conditioning coach.

Sri Lanka have plenty of questions to answer as they start the post-Sangakkara era with a series decider against a hungry India side

The Preview by Karthik Krishnaswamy27-Aug-2015

Match facts

August 28-September 1, 2015
Start time 1000 local (0430 GMT)4:50

Agarkar: India’s best chance to win a series in Sri Lanka

Big Picture

Hearing this last section of Kumar Sangakkara’s retirement speech, Angelo Mathews may well have wondered to himself: “Really?” Because without Sangakkara, and without Mahela Jayawardene, who played his final Test last year, Sri Lanka are bracing themselves for a long and arduous rebuilding phase, with the “amazing future” a dot on the horizon. In their home season so far, Sri Lanka have lost two out of three Tests to Pakistan and are clearly not the momentum team as they go into a series decider against India.Looking around his dressing room, Mathews will not see too many battle-hardened faces. Apart from himself and Rangana Herath – the only two players in the side with more than 50 Test caps – the most experienced player in the likely Sri Lanka eleven at the Sinhalese Sports Club is Dhammika Prasad, who will be playing his 23rd Test.It is imperative, therefore, that the senior-ish players in their side, such as Prasad, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kaushal Silva and Dinesh Chandimal, add an extra level of consistency to their game and take on leadership roles to ease the pressure off Mathews and Herath.They will have to begin doing this right away. Sri Lanka are likely to be without one of their main wicket-taking weapons at the SSC, with Tharindu Kaushal a doubtful starter after an Umesh Yadav bouncer bruised the thumb of his bowling hand during the second Test. Dilruwan Perera will offer more control but less incision.Without Sangakkara, it is unclear how the batting order will resolve itself. Plenty of questions remain to be answered. Will Upul Tharanga slot in at No. 3, or will it be Thirimanne? Will Kusal Perera come in for Jehan Mubarak, and if so, will he keep wickets? Will the two new left-handers in the line-up be able to cope with R Ashwin’s round-the-wicket threat?India will have to make a couple of forced personnel changes too, but they know to a fair degree what they can expect from most of their players. They are a lot further along the road in terms of experience and know-how, and know what the core of their team for the next four-five years will look like. Their batting, save for a couple of hiccups, is clicking into gear nicely, and their bowling attack, in recent times, has never looked as consistently threatening as it did at the P Sara Oval.Even so, they have had to come back from behind to level this Test series, and will know, in all honesty, that they should have been 2-0 up already. Having let Sri Lanka off the hook in Galle, they will be itching to close out the series with a win, and show that they have become better players for the bruising experiences they have suffered on the road, with greater staying power and match awareness.

Form guide

(last five matches, most recent first)


Sri Lanka: LWLWL
India: WLDDD
M Vijay’s hamstring injury gives Cheteshwar Pujara the opportunity to play his first Test in 2015•Getty Images

In the spotlight

With no Sangakkara in the side, the time has come for Lahiru Thirimanne to step up and become the consistent Test batsman he has always threatened to be. He showed glimpses of his potential in both Tests so far, but Sri Lanka want more from him. As vice-captain, they need him to improve his record – an average of 26.13 and only one century in 21 Tests – substantially.Cheteshwar Pujara didn’t look particularly out of form during India’s tours of England and Australia, but while there were only three single-digit scores in 16 innings, he only made two half-centuries and no hundreds. That long run of unconverted starts brought his Test average down from close to 59 to just over 47, and cost him his place in the side. With M Vijay’s hamstring injury giving him a chance to play his first Test in 2015, Pujara will hope he has shrugged off the losses of concentration that have frustrated him of late, and is able to enter the trance-like zone that brought him bucketloads of runs in the early part of his career.

Team news

Sri Lanka are likely to make a couple of changes to their batting line-up, with Tharanga coming in for the retired Sangakkara and Kusal replacing the struggling Mubarak. If Kusal plays, he could take the wicketkeeping gloves off Dinesh Chandimal. Kaushal is a doubtful starter, with Dilruwan Perera his likely replacement. Nuwan Pradeep has recovered from the hamstring problem that kept him out of the second Test, and will probably take Dushmantha Chameera’s place in the pace attack.Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Dimuth Karunaratne, 2 Kaushal Silva, 3 Upul Tharanga, 4 Lahiru Thirimanne, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt), 6 Dinesh Chandimal, 7 Kusal Perera (wk), 8 Dhammika Prasad, 9 Rangana Herath, 10 Tharindu Kaushal/Dilruwan Perera, 11 Nuwan PradeepWith Vijay ruled out, India will field their third different opening combination of the series, with Pujara partnering KL Rahul. With Wriddhiman Saha also enduring hamstring issues, Naman Ojha should make his Test debut.India (probable) 1 Cheteshwar Pujara, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Rohit Sharma, 6 Naman Ojha (wk), 7 Stuart Binny, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Amit Mishra, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Umesh Yadav

Pitch and conditions

Four of the last five Tests at the SSC have ended in draws, but its pitch belied its reputation as one of the flattest tracks in the world last year, when Sri Lanka beat Pakistan on a sporting surface that produced totals of 320, 332, 282 and 165. The pitch for this match might assist the seamers for the first couple of sessions before flattening out; there was grass on the surface on the eve of the match, but it seemed dry underneath. The weather could intervene from time to time, with Colombo experiencing scattered afternoon thunderstorms over the last few days.

Stats and trivia

• R Ashwin is nine wickets from reaching 150 in Tests. If he manages it in this match, his 28th, he will join Clarrie Grimmett as the third quickest to the mark, with only Sydney Barnes and Waqar Younis ahead of them
• If Naman Ojha plays for India, and if Kusal Perera plays and keeps wicket for Sri Lanka, it will be the 14th instance of two wicketkeepers making their debut in the same Test match. The last time it happened was in 2000, when Khaled Mashud and Saba Karim made their debuts in Bangladesh’s inaugural Test in Dhaka

England’s first Twenty20 practice match against New Zealand XI was abandoned due to rain after only 9.1 overs were bowled in Whangarei

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Feb-2013Match abandoned
ScorecardAnton Devcich scoops the ball over Jos Buttler•Getty Images

England’s first Twenty20 practice match against New Zealand XI was abandoned due to rain after only 9.1 overs were bowled in Whangarei. However, the match will be re-played at 1400 local time tomorrow.Stuart Broad, the England Twenty20 captain, won the toss under grey skies and chose to field first. Hamish Rutherford, the New Zealand XI opener, made an aggressive start and scored 21 out of a 23-run opening stand with Anton Devcich, but he was out to Chris Woakes’ first delivery. It was the only wicket to fall as Devcich and Tom Latham put on a 47-run stand before the rains came.The squads featured two players who were making comebacks into their respective sides – Stuart Broad and Ross Taylor. Broad, playing his first competitive match after a heel injury forced him out of India tour after the Mumbai Test in November, bowled just seven balls in the innings.Taylor, who last played for New Zealand during the Sri Lanka tour in November, did not get a chance to bat on Monday and will not be involved any further with the England warm-ups. Andrew Ellis, the New Zealand XI captain, said that Taylor had only been scheduled to play in the first match, before heading back to Hamilton in advance of the T20 series.”Ross is nipping off back home, to pack some stuff up before the tour starts, and then he’ll join the Black Caps,” Ellis said. “Neil Broom is here, so I imagine he’ll be a direct replacement.”Ellis added that he expected Taylor to slot back into the squad without any issues, after he was removed from the New Zealand captaincy and opted out of the South Africa tour. “It’s always good to have ‘Rosco’ around,” Ellis said. “He’s got a big smile on his face, and he’s a happy character. I think everyone has combined now to move forward and attack this series as a combined unit. I definitely get that feeling.”The teams are scheduled to play another practice match on Wednesday in Whangarei before moving over to Auckland for the first of three matches in the Twenty20 series.

Niall O’Brien, the Ireland wicketkeeper batsman, has not been picked in the Ireland squad for the tour of Kenya due to his unavailability for part of the tour

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jan-2012

Squads

Ireland squad for Kenya tour: William Porterfield (capt), Alex Cusack, George Dockrell, Trent Johnston, Nigel Jones, Ed Joyce, John Mooney, Rory McCann, Kevin O’Brien, Andrew Poynter, Boyd Rankin, James Shannon, Max Sorensen, Paul Stirling, Albert van der Merwe, Andrew White, Gary Wilson<br
Ireland provisional squad for World T20 Qualifiers and South Africa camp: William Porterfield (capt), Alex Cusack, George Dockrell, Trent Johnston, Nigel Jones, Ed Joyce, John Mooney, Rory McCann, Kevin O’Brien, Andrew Poynter, Boyd Rankin, James Shannon, Max Sorensen, Paul Stirling, Albert van der Merwe, Andrew White, Gary Wilson

Niall O’Brien, the Ireland wicketkeeper-batsman, has not been picked in the Ireland squad for the tour of Kenya. O’Brien’s participation in the Bangladesh Premier League makes his unavailable for part of the tour. He also hasn’t been picked in the squad for the ICC World T20 qualifier in the UAE in March.The tour of Kenya includes a four-day Intercontinental Cup match, two World Cup qualifying ODIs as part of the ICC’s 50-over league and three Twenty20s. O’Brien said he would be available for the ODIs but the selectors said all players must be available for all parts of the tour, and didn’t pick him.”There were difficult matters for the selectors to discuss regarding Niall O’Brien’s availability,” Phil Simmons, the Ireland coach, said in a release. “They took on board Niall’s offer to play in only the ODIs in Kenya, join the squad for part of the South Africa camp, and then the ICC World T20 Qualifier.”However the selectors remained consistent to their principle, regarding that all players must be available for all parts of the tour. Niall was not able to make himself available for the whole tour and therefore the selectors have decided not to select him for any part of the tour including the ICC World T20 Qualifier.”We are only selecting for this tour and the next selection will be for the RSA Challenge ODI versus Australia in June; at that point they will consider all available players. Niall has communicated that he still wishes to play for Ireland and the selectors will take that into consideration when they next meet.”O’Brien was picked up by Khulna Royal Bengal for US$80,000 at the BPL auctions; the tournament runs from February 9-20. O’Brien, 30, has been a key player for Ireland in their top order and is vastly experienced, having played 49 ODIs and 98 first-class matches.The Ireland squad will be led by William Porterfield. Albert van der Merwe will only play in the Intercontinental Cup match between February 12-15, and Nigel Jones will join the squad from February 15 to take part in the ODIs and the T20s.Ireland also announced a provisional squad of 17 for the ICC World T20 Qualifier in the UAE; a squad of 14 will be selected from this on February 12. The squad will also participate in a warm-up preparation camp in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

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

• Nearly 17 years later, Lou Vincent receives special 100th ODI cap

• Vincent deserves clemency for speaking out, says McCullum

• Vincent's letter: 'My name is Lou Vincent and I am a cheat'

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.”