All posts by h716a5.icu

For the sixth time in 12 seasons, Surrey have made their way to Finals Day, this time at the expense of Worcestershire

Vithushan Ehantharajah at The Oval02-Aug-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMatt Dunn was the pick of the Surrey attack, bowling with pace and accuracy•Getty ImagesFor the sixth time in 12 seasons, Surrey have made their way to Finals Day, this time at the expense of Worcestershire. The scorecard suggests the game was close but, as Surrey captain Gary Wilson admitted at the end of the game, they made it hard for themselves. Victory with 21 balls to spare tells it better than the three wickets in hand.Surrey were favourites going into the game. At the halfway stage, those odds had shortened with the hosts needing 142 for victory – small fry, here, where all six targets under 160 have been chased with ease this season (Surrey responsible for five, Middlesex the other, when they adopted The Oval for a ‘home’ game against Somerset).After five overs, with 64 on the board, 52 from the bat of Jason Roy, off just 20 balls, all bets were off. As well as Jack Shantry and Joe Leach bowled to peg things back, with figures of 2 for 26 and 2 for 22 respectively, it was only a succession of Surrey middle order brain fades that gave them a chance.Kevin Pietersen looked like he would see things through, going along at a run a ball – above the rate required. But, once he failed to clear mid-off and Rory Burns was run out brilliantly by Brett D’Oliveira three balls later, panic set in. Three overs later, Azhar Mahmood top-edged to fine leg before Zafar Ansari was surprised by some bounce from Colin Munro to leave them needing another 14 with three wickets remaining.Who knows how close things would have been without Roy’s barrage. Regulars at The Oval will be familiar with his ability to thump through the line and drive along the practice squares, all while maintaining a solid base and fluid follow-through. They were treated to a new trick here, when he swapped hands and somehow managed to hit Shantry over square leg for a once-bounce four. Shantry stood there, mid-pitch, more in annoyance than awe, before meeting Roy’s gaze and furrowing his brow. His half-century came up with a straight six – his third maximum in a boundary count that also included eight fours.It was down to Robin Peterson to see Surrey home, keeping his head to close out the game with a six over midwicket and a nicely timed drive through mid-off.Worcestershire were far from reckless in their innings but the approach of keeping dot balls to a minimum early on was ballsy; tip and run against arguably the best in-fielding side in the competition was always going to result in casualties. Sadly for them, it was Daryl Mitchell, captain and leading run scorer, who succumbed to it. Having lapped Jade Dernbach around the corner, he kept his eyes on the ball as it arrived on the bounce to Matt Dunn, before turning to look at his partner Richard Oliver, who had already made it halfway. Dunn’s throw was near perfect; Dernbach finished it off and Worcestershire were 19 for 1 after three overs.Surrey’s bowlers rarely ceded control, pegging the opposition back after every moment of resistance. When Ross Whiteley used his sharp bat speed to hit Gareth Batty for four and six, he was bowled the next ball, eliciting the usual vein-popping scream from Batty. Joe Leach thumped Dunn over square leg for six and inside out through cover for four as 14 runs came off the 16th over, before he was embarrassed by a slower-ball from the back of Dernbach’s hand that dipped under his mistimed hack across the line and on to the base of his off stump.Oliver’s 34, at less than a run a ball, featured two fours – though not for want of trying. He fell swinging across to line to one of the few loose balls he received: a short one from Peterson, which surprised him with a lack of bounce.The pick of the Surrey’s attack was Dunn, who served up four overs of the sort of pace that had you wincing on the edge of your seat. Touching 90 mph, his second wicket left one of Ben Cox’s stumps standing. It was so savage that the ground needed repairing before the stumps could be reassembled.Along with Roy, Dunn is another that has had England scouts asking after his performances. This has been a brighter season for Surrey than many expected. Sitting second in Division Two and now with a second consecutive appearance at Finals Day for their diary, they will go to Edgbaston as the most exciting and destructive team of the T20 Blast.

Only four batsmen reached double figures and two bowlers took five-fors in Barbados Trident’s low-scoring four-wicket win against Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel in Bridgetown

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Aug-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShakib Al Hasan’s best T20 figures of 6 for 6 restricted Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel to 52•Getty ImagesOnly four batsmen reached double figures and two bowlers took five-fors in Barbados Trident’s low-scoring four-wicket win against Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel in Bridgetown. The T20 match actually lasted just over 20 overs and only 105 runs were scored in all on the same ground where over 300 were scored in the opening match of the Caribbean Premier League.Jason Holder accounted for two of the top three T&T batsmen, who fell within five overs after they elected to bat. It was a Shakib Al Hasan show from there on as he ran through the batting line up, dismissing the next six batsmen to finish with figures of 6 for 6 from his four overs.The solo performance had started much earlier when he took the openers’ catches off Holder and Shannon Gabriel. His spell included a triple-wicket maiden, the tenth over of the innings, in which he trapped Dwayne Bravo lbw with an arm ball for 5, got Nicolas Pooran caught at short leg for a duck, and then rattled Kevon Cooper’s stumps on the last ball of the over. From 40 for 4, T&T were now 40 for 7. Shakib came back to dismiss Samuel Badree and Kevin O’Brien in his fourth over. Gabriel finished the innings with his second wicket and only two batsmen, Davy Jacobs and Ross Taylor, reached double figures.Chasing only 53, Jonathan Carter gave Barbados a flying start smashing two sixes in the first over in which Sulieman Benn conceded 20 runs. But Fidel Edwards counterattacked by dismissing the openers in his first over with his swing and pace. Benn continued and had Shoaib Malik caught at second slip for 5. Barbados’ hopes of finishing the chase easily were dashed further when Edwards got Umar Akmal caught at slip and took two more wickets, of Shakib and Kyle Mayers, in his third over to reduce Barbados to 39 for 6. However, they needed only 14 more and Ashley Nurse finished it off two overs later with a four over the midwicket boundary.Barbados are at the top of the table with six points from three unbeaten matches.

Alex Hales, the England and Nottinghamshire opener, will not take part in the controversial Bangladesh Premier League which starts next week

Andrew McGlashan12-Jan-2013Alex Hales, the England and Nottinghamshire opener, will not take part in the controversial Bangladesh Premier League which starts next week even though none of the international players due to appear in the tournament has yet received a contract.Hales had been bought at the auction by Duronto Rajshahi and insisted he would join the event despite strong concerns from the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) who remain extremely worried about payment and contract issues.Hales recently joined Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League as a replacement for the injured Marlon Samuels and enhanced his reputation by smashing 89 off 52 balls just hours after stepping off a place from England.He is guaranteed at least one more BBL match with the Renegades in a semi-final against Brisbane Heat on Tuesday and, it is understood, that has been enough for him to have a change of heart over the BPL, for which he would only have been available for a short period before reporting for Twenty20 duty with England on the New Zealand tour.Hales, along with Nottinghamshire team-mates Michael Lumb and Samit Patel, has been barred by his county from putting his name forward for this year’s IPL as it clashes with the English county season.Currently, Luke Wright, who like Hales will not be available for the whole tournament, is still set to take up his BPL deal.Angus Porter, the chief executive of the PCA, said that none of the promises made by the BPL organisers ahead of the second running of the event have been delivered. “We are five days away from the tournament and there had been a promise that contracts would be delivered well in advance,” he said. “This hasn’t happened, and now there’s no chance it will happen before the event.”I still fully expect some international players to take part, but they will be heading into another unknown situation with very few assurances. I would really like the BPL to work, Bangladesh cricket needs it to be a success, but history tells us that it looks unlikely at the moment.”The problems do not stop at the international stars, either. ESPNcricinfo understands that some of the Barisal players are refusing to sign No Objection Certificates for their franchises until they are paid last year’s fees.

Mashrafe Mortaza underlined the importance of getting used to Dharamsala’s unique conditions – breathing in high altitude and tuning themselves to the cold – quickly to put their best foot forward at the World T20 qualifers

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Mar-2016Bangladesh’s last tour of India was for the Champions Trophy in 2006. Mashrafe Mortaza, the captain, is just one of two surviving members – Shakib Al Hasan being the other – from that side.If Bangladesh were playing in any other part of India, where conditions were similar to their own, it wouldn’t come up as an issue. But Dharamsala has an elevation of approximately 4780 feet above sea level, which would make the conditions on offer a unique challenge for them.And to get accustomed, Bangladesh gave themselves one full day -Tuesday – when they held their only training session at the HPCA stadium after arriving in the country late on Monday, immediately after the Asia Cup final in Mirpur on Monday. There were plans to send the team to Dharamsala late in January for a short camp to get an idea of what to expect, but that was called off because of the harsh Dharamsala winter at the time.Mashrafe said while they had to get used to breathing in high altitude, apart from adjusting to the cold of the receding North Indian winter, in stark contrast to the warmer climes of Dhaka, they were only focused on the controllables after a creditable showing in the Asia Cup, where they beat UAE, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, on their way to being runners-up to India.”Indian conditions are mostly similar [to Bangladesh] but there is a difference here,” Mashrafe said. “You need to adjust to the breathing also. We needed time to adjust. It is cold at night and we have to play two matches at night [on March 11 and 13]. We will have to play at our best. We haven’t had too many chances of playing in India, that is true. There cannot be any excuses. Expect one or two guys, all are new to conditions in India but we are hopeful of doing our best.”While Netherlands have had time to suss up the conditions, having spent a week in Dharamsala, Bangladesh would be banking on their recent form to carry them through. “I think it’s has been great achievement as far as T20 is concerned,” he said. “We are growing up as a team. We did a good job in T20s last week. We have more challenges coming up.”

England’s bowling attack, led by James Anderson and James Tredwell, set up a comprehensive victory completed by Jonathan Trott to secure a place in the Champions Trophy final

The Report by David Hopps 19-Jun-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJonathan Trott made sure England had no problems during their chase•Getty ImagesEngland and South Africa had not met in a major ICC semi-final since the World Cup in Sydney in 1992, a match which AB de Villiers admitted before the start of play ended with him “crying myself to sleep.” Grown man now or not, after the mess South Africa made of this tie, he could be forgiven for repeating the experience.De Villiers is no longer an innocent child, he is captain of a South Africa one-day side which throughout his lifetime has repeatedly flattered to deceive in ICC tournaments. So it proved once more. England rampaged through the top order as eight wickets fell for 80. It was a muggy morning at Kennington Oval, England won a favourable toss, and for once the white Kookaburra swung, but South Africa contributed immensely to their downfall.David Miller and Rory Kleinveldt did at least regain a measure of respectability. A record ninth-wicket partnership for South Africa of 95 in 16 overs took them to 175. But all that did was provide Jonathan Trott with a prolonged opportunity to bat much as he wished, seemingly oblivious to the pressure of a Champions Trophy semi-final. He finished with a spritely 82 not out from 84 balls, a seven-wicket win done and dusted with more than 12 overs to spare.Trott’s rate of progress is constantly pored over, his displays routinely regaled by some, condemned by others. As England lost their openers, Alastair Cook and Ian Bell, with 41 on the board, and de Villiers shuffled his bowlers impatiently, looking for a magic trick, no England supporter was carping. They yearned for his stability.Let me watch in peace, they urged him, build your bubble, do it your way. South Africa wanted his wicket more than any other, but Trott and Root, one imperturbable, the other full of vim, confirmed England’s place in the final with a stand of 105 in 20 overs. Root left cursing himself, bowled behind his legs by JP Duminy for 48, but Trott remained productive to the end, completing his ritual post-match scratching of his guard even as Eoin Morgan tried to offer his congratulations.The match was essentially settled by the 23rd over. South Africa batted skittishly, as if 300-plus and the sooner the better, was essential. Critically, they lost their most influential batsman, Hashim Amla for a single and the reverberations of that were felt deep into the order. The coach, Gary Kirsten, voiced what many were thinking. “We choked,” he said. To some extent it was a traditional exercise in self-flagellation because this was not a hugely strong South Africa side from the off.England’s mood was set by the connoisseur of swing bowling, James Anderson, whose opening spell of 2 for 11 was extended to seven overs as his captain, Cook, sought to break South Africa early while the conventional swing persisted.Wickets in the first two overs of South Africa’s innings got England moving. Anderson can cut a serious, brooding figure, but the closeness of the morning left him full of smiles before the start. He removed Colin Ingram for nought with his fifth ball, outswinger followed by inswinger and an lbw verdictSteven Finn has been stalking around the Champions Trophy, none too happy about his omission from the side, but Tim Bresnan’s absence, to be with his wife Hannah with their baby imminent, gave him his first appearance of the tournament. Cook gave him the new ball and challenged him to channel that anger and his fourth delivery brought England the prize wicket of Amla as he failed to withdraw from an outswinger, the first of six catches behind the stumps for Jos Buttler.Even in the early overs, England were planning for the possibility of reverse swing on a dry square later in the day. Stuart Broad began to bowl cross seam, to encourage wear on the ball, as early as the 10th over – and it brought him a wicket, too, as de Villiers was out without scoring, lashing at a wide one and caught at the wicket off an under-edge.Peterson’s appearance at No. 3 encapsulated South Africa’s confusion. He was a pinch hitter in inappropriate conditions. If his left-handedness was perceived as an advantage, Anderson revels against left-handers when the ball is swinging. It was an unconvincing ploy. He acquitted himself better than most, taking three boundaries off a wayward over from Finn before Anderson had him lbw.But this was not just a story about quick bowling. South Africa were so destabilised that a few overs of routine, if intelligently-delivered, offspin by James Tredwell caused further havoc. Tredwell, who was substituting for Graeme Swann, had 3 for 19 in his seven overs as well as causing the downfall, run out, of Ryan McLaren. The bounty that fell upon him was recognised with the man-of-the-match award.No batsman summed up South Africa’s failures more than Duminy. He was all at sea during his 11-ball stay. He survived a first-ball nought when he reviewed an lbw decision for Broad and was reprieved as replays showed the ball had pitched outside leg stump. He then should have fallen lbw third ball but Tredwell, with everything in his favour as Duminy was beaten on the back foot, politely refused a review as if offered a second piece of lemon drizzle cake. Duminy soon chopped on against Tredwell in any case.Tredwell’s success did not end there. Faf du Plessis, who had been as secure as anyone, fell for 26 when he flashed at a quicker, flatter ball and was caught at the wicket.The wicket, though, that brought hearty applause from Swann in the England dressing room will not appear against his name. It was the run out of McLaren who was so unhinged by flight and turn that he ran several paces down the pitch. Trott, who caught the ball at first slip, had the presence of mind to throw down the stumps to effect the run out.At 80 for 8, South Africa’s one consolation was that they batted deep. They at least avoided the lowest one-day score ever made at The Oval batting first, New Zealand’s 158 against West Indies in 1975.They immediately took the batting Powerplay, which Miller greeted by smashing Finn over long-on for six. Miller unveiled his T20 one-legged slash over point, Broad disappearing for six more, and Kleinveldt slugged away when Cook finally felt obliged in the 30th over to introduce his weaker bowlers in tandem.Broad finally ended the recovery with successive short balls to dismiss Kleinveldt and Lonwabo Tsotsobe, first ball. All that remained for England was a regulation dose of Trott, the finest suppressor of panic disorder on the market.

Middlesex capitalised on a decent first day with a first-innings score of 488, which included a first Championship century in nearly two years for Dawid Malan

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Lord's30-Jun-2014
ScorecardDawid Malan made his first Championship hundred since the 2012 season•Getty ImagesMiddlesex capitalised on a decent first day with a first-innings score of 488, which included a first Championship century in nearly two years for Dawid Malan. Northamptonshire did well to curb the scoring early on but, after getting the monkey off his back, Malan was able to take the hosts to an imposing total. His relief at the close, showered and well groomed, was evident: “It’s definitely been a long time coming.”Armed with the new ball straight away, Northants had a breakthrough within the first over as Azharullah made use of the early morning conditions to trap Neil Dexter lbw. Joe Denly was the next to follow after a breezy 17 and, for a moment, it seemed Northants might skittle out Middlesex before lunch.However, a stand of 128 between Malan and John Simpson took Middlesex past 400 and ensured they made the most of their handy position overnight. Simpson’s knock of 67 was key, not least in allowing Malan the opportunity to end his century drought, before going on to his highest Championship score.Upon reaching 90, his scoring options were limited; the bowlers offering him little width, as Stephen Peters backed them with a tight field. With one ball of the morning session remaining, Malan found himself on 96 and on strike to Steven Crook.Sizing up a vacant leg-side boundary, he put everything into a full ball on leg stump, connecting well, only for the helmet of the bat-pad fielder to take a blow and save four runs. It was by no means a chance but Malan, walking back to the pavilion for lunch with a little look to the heavens, knew it was one of a few bits of luck that had fallen his way in the morning. Soon after the interval, 26 balls after entering the nineties, he had his hundred.”I definitely had the nervous nineties,” Malan said. “It really didn’t feel like I was going to get out of them to be honest.”His uncertainty no doubt cost Middlesex their final batting point, but you could forgive Malan the tentativeness. Since his last Championship century, 121 against Warwickshire in August 2012, he has passed 90 on three occasions and failed to make it count. Two of those failures were this season, the last coming against Middlesex’s current opponents, at Wantage Road in May.While he has been a steady performer in limited-overs cricket, Malan’s four-day form is best described as frustrating. On song, he is a real treat to watch, timing the ball emphatically, with the classical verve of a left-hander. But for all the languid strokeplay, he has a tendency to overthink his own game. Even today, in the moments before he clocked short leg on the head, he had decided on the ball he would receive (a bouncer) and the shot he would play (a clip over third man) before neither came to pass.Last season was no different as he endured one of his leanest periods at the club, with just 387 runs in 19 innings. Unhappy with his limited-overs form, he dedicated most of the winters of 2011 and 2012 to that aspect of his game, while assuming his four-day game would fall in place accordingly. It didn’t, and Malan soon found himself out of the XI.”It’s probably the first time I was properly left out at Middlesex,” he said. “It was a big hit for me but it brought me back down to earth and reminded me that I can’t neglect one format and concentrate on the others.”Even in that time out, he would spend many a match day at Lord’s netting on the Nursery Ground or the indoor school with Middlesex’s batting coach, Mark Ramprakash. At the time, some felt a few days away were best, but he has shown so far, with almost 600 runs by the end of July and an average of 45, that it was worthwhile.As for the destination of this game, Malan was looking to the first session on Tuesday and a wish for at least four more Northants wickets. By his calculation, that would allow Middlesex to sculpt the game as they wish.In the 26 overs they had at the visitors before the rain came, they had accounted for Peters, James Middlebrook and Matthew Spriegel. However James Kettlebrough, on Championship debut, has looked assured so far for his 42, particularly against the usually economical Tim Murtagh, who he took for five boundaries in the 29 balls he faced off him. As the light got worse, his partner Rob Newton did well to survive a barrage of well-directed short balls from Steven Finn. No doubt there will be more to come.

Rajasthan Royals have retained five players in Sanju Samson, Ajinkya Rahane, Stuart Binny, Shane Watson and James Faulkner for IPL 2014

Nagraj Gollapudi10-Jan-2014Rajasthan Royals have retained five players – Sanju Samson, Ajinkya Rahane, Shane Watson, James Faulkner and Stuart Binny – for the seventh season of the IPL.All five names were expected to be retained by Royals, who wanted to maintain the core of the team that had performed well last year. Royals finished in third place in IPL 2013, behind Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. They showed strong form in the Champions League T20 also, finishing as runners-up. Rahul Dravid’s captaincy had steered the team to the top tier after Royals had finished seventh in IPL 2012.Although he has retired, Dravid will stay on as a mentor for the side – his presence has been vital for the development of young players like Rahane, Binny and Samson. At 19, Samson is likely to be the youngest player retained among all teams. He had been originally picked by Kolkata Knight Riders as part of their development squad, but was subsequently released and picked up by Royals. He showed enough promise and commitment for the franchise to retain him; he made 206 runs, including a fifty, in 11 matches last season and showed an ability to maintain a calm head in tight situations.Samson is also the vice-captain of India’s Under-19 team, which will play the World Cup in the UAE in February. Rahane was picked by Royals as an uncapped player and has steadily grown into one of their main batsmen. Even Binny, the Karnataka allrounder who had been selected as part of the India squad for the limited-overs series in New Zealand, was signed as an uncapped player by the franchise.Watson has been with the franchise since the inaugural IPL, in which he was Player of the Tournament in Royals’ title success. He picked up the award in the previous edition, too. Faulkner, another pace-bowling allrounder from Australia, also played a key role for Royals in IPL 2013, when they favoured pace-heavy attacks to suit the conditions on offer at their home ground in Jaipur.Since Royals have retained five players, they will have only one right-to-match card available to them at the auction on February 12. As per the stipulated deductions from their auction purse of Rs 600 million (approx US$9.6 million at the current exchange rate), they will be left with Rs 225 million to buy the rest of their squad. Rules state the 2014 squad should have no less than 16 and no more than 27 players, with a maximum of nine overseas players.Royals have always been known for their budget buys and picking unknown talents of all ages and backing them. For example, Kamran Khan, Dinesh Salunkhe and Praveen Tambe, who is 40-plus, had not featured on the Indian domestic circuit when Royals’ coaches and scouts thought they could be moulded into matchwinners.January 10, 11:22 GMT: Swapnil Asnodkar had played first-class cricket before Rajasthan Royals picked him. The story has been edited to reflect that

Titans bounced back from being all out for 123 to beat Brisbane Heat by four runs in the most exciting finish of this year’s tournament

The Report by Mohammad Isam24-Sep-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMarchant de Lange bowled Alister McDermott to win the game for Titans•BCCILess-than-perfect batting and excellent bowling usually make for tight contests and today was no different, with both teams being dismissed on a fast Mohali pitch. Titans bounced back from being all out for 123, to beating Brisbane Heat by four runs, in the most exciting finish of the tournament so far. The loss, the Heat’s second, drastically reduced their chances of making the semi-finals.Heat had lost their first match in similar fashion, too, failing to chase Trinidad & Tobago’s 135. Today’s pursuit posed a similar challenge, but they disintegrated against controlled fast bowling. They needed 10 of the final over, bowled by Marchant de Lange, but they lost three wickets instead, two because of run-outs. The match ended with de Lange bowling Alister McDermott.Titans needed a strong performance to defend a low total and de Lange led the way, pulling his team out of the batting rut with pace and verve. Debutant Matthew Gale’s four wickets had put the Heat in a strong position, but their wayward batting cost them on a quick surface, the kind Australian sides are supposed to be familiar with.Titans captain, Henry Davids, once again opened the bowling with Roelof van der Merwe’s left-arm spin, but it was Rowan Richards who provided the breakthrough by dismissing Joe Burns. De Lange then hurt the chase by striking twice in his first over: Peter Forrest’s uppish clip was caught at square-leg, and Cutting top-edged an 89-mph ball he didn’t know much about.James Hopes, the Heat captain, and Daniel Christian attempted to revive the innings, and they almost did with a 44-run stand for the fourth wicket, but they fell in quick succession. Christian’s stumps was shattered by Richards, while Hopes fell to van der Merwe after having survived a missed stumping the previous ball.The rising asking-rate needed to be brought down but the Heat lower order continued to struggle against pace. Morne Morkel and David Wiese bowled well too, picking up a wicket each, but de Lange and Richards were the most impressive. De Lange finished with three wickets, including bowling a tense last over.Heat’s batting failure followed a dramatic Titans collapse after the South African side had made a strong start. Gale dismissed Jacques Rudolph in the second over, but Davids and Heino Kuhn counterattacked immediately during the fielding restrictions. They were particularly harsh on Alister McDermott, who conceded 16 in his first over, the sixth of the innings.The second wicket had added 69 in quick time when Kuhn skied Ben Cutting after making 31 off 27 balls. Davids followed soon after for 39 off 31 balls, run out while attempting a risky single.Wickets tumbled quickly thereafter, with the big one – AB de Villiers – also getting run out after a mix-up with Farhaan Behardien in the 15th over. The rest of the batsmen threw their wickets away, with the last three falling in the 19th over bowled by Gale. A total of 123 seemed below par at the time, but Titans’ quicks proved it was just enough.

An allround display from Papua New Guinea gave them a winning start to their campaign as they beat Jersey by 24 runs

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jul-2015
ScorecardAn all-round display from Papua New Guinea gave them a winning start to their campaign as they beat Jersey by 24 runs.Five of the top six PNG batsmen made twenties after Jersey chose to bowl to take their side to 145 for 9. Tony Ura and Lega Siaka began with an opening stand of 44 inside five overs. Assad Vala, who top-scored for PNG with 29, and Kila Pala followed with a third-wicket partnership of 37.PNG were in a strong position of 93 for 2 in the 12th over before managing 7 for 52 off the last 53 balls. Anthony Kay and Ben Stevens picked up three wickets each for Jersey.Jersey managed to build themselves a decent base at 61 for 2 in ten overs but as the asking-rate climbed, they crumbled in the last quarter of the chase to be dismissed for 121. Apart from No. 3 Jonty Jenner, who made 44 off 29, no Jersey batsmen made more than 15. Norman Vanua took 3 for 19 for PNG while Willie Gavera and Chad Soper snapped up two wickets apiece.

Sam Bilings, Kent’s up-and-coming wicketkeeper batsman, has been approved by the ICC as a replacement Craig Kieswetter in the England 30-man provisional squad for the World Cup

David Hopps12-Dec-2014Sam Billings, Kent’s up-and-coming wicketkeeper batsman, has been approved by the ICC as a replacement for Craig Kieswetter in the England 30-man provisional squad for the World Cup.Kieswetter’s withdrawal became inevitable when he pulled out of professional cricket for the next year after suffering further vision problems following his blow in the eye from David Willey will batting for Somerset against Northants last summer. He anticipates taking a year out of the game while specialists seek to restore him to full health.Billings, 23, replaced the former England gloveman Geraint Jones behind the stumps at the start of the 2014 Championship season and emphasised his 50-over potential in the Royal London One-Day Cup, becoming the leading run-scorer in the competition, with an unbeaten 135 from 58 balls against Somerset being his stand-out innings. Only his T20 performances disappointed.He was named in England’s Performance Programme party for their a training camp in Sri Lanka and won a spot on the England Lions tour to South Africa in January.England have two other wicketkeepers in their 30-man squad, the first choice, Jos Buttler, and Yorkshire’s Jonny Bairstow. Twelve of the 14 30-strong squads have been named, with only Australia and Ireland still to come.