All posts by h716a5.icu

New Zealand have opted for experience in the ODIs against Bangladesh, recalling Neil Broom and Luke Ronchi, with the former back after a long hiatus

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Dec-2016Batsman Neil Broom, who last played an ODI in March 2010, has been recalled to the New Zealand squad for the upcoming three-match series against Bangladesh, which starts from December 26.Wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi was also recalled in place of BJ Watling, who was excluded from the side. Two other players who were part of the squad for the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy, batsman Henry Nicholls and legspinner Todd Astle, were also left out.NZ ODI squad

Kane Williamson (capt), Trent Boult, Neil Broom, Lockie Ferguson, Colin de Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Colin Munro, James Neesham, Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee
In: Neil Broom, Luke Ronchi
Out: BJ Watling, Todd Astle, Henry Nicholls

Broom had signed a two-year contract with Derbyshire in 2015, but chose to forego the second year to give himself another chance with New Zealand. The right-hand batsman is expected to slot in at No. 4 in place of Ross Taylor, who was ruled out after recently undergoing surgery on his left eye.”I appreciate everything Derbyshire have done for me and have really enjoyed my time with the club,” Broom said. “It was a tough call at the time. I had signed with Derbyshire for two years and I would’ve liked to see out the contract, but to get an international recall just outweighs it, so it was a pretty easy decision.”Broom played 22 ODIs between January 2009 and March 2010, scoring 333 runs at an average of 17.22. He has also played 10 T20Is, with the last one against Sri Lanka in November 2013.”When I first came in, I was overawed by everything and just really really wanted to do well and I put too much pressure on myself, so this time I’m not going to do that,” Broom said. “I tell myself this might be my last game every time I go out there. It’s probably something they tell you not to do, but you’ve got to enjoy every moment of it and try and have a couple of good years with the team.”Broom is among the top run-getters in the 2016-17 Plunket Shield first-class tournament, having scored 354 runs in seven innings at an average of 59. In 2015-16, he topped the run charts in the List A competition, the Ford Trophy, scoring 508 runs in nine matches with three centuries and two fifties.Ronchi, too, was rewarded for recent form. After a poor tour of India, and a modest run since early 2015, Ronchi was left out for the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy. Turning out for Wellington in the Plunket Shield, he scored a century and, on Thursday, struck an unbeaten 58 in a Super Smash match against Canterbury, which Wellington eventually lost in the one-over eliminator.Watling had scored 31 runs in the series against Australia, which New Zealand lost 3-0, while Nicholls played only one match, scoring 3. Astle was not given a game.New Zealand’s chairman of selectors Gavin Larsen acknowledged that Ronchi was seen as the best ODI wicketkeeper in the country and both players added value to the side with their experience.”With 12 years of domestic cricket under his belt and having previously spent time in the BlackCaps squad, Neil brings a lot of experience to the group,” Larsen said. “Neil was the top run-scorer in the Ford Trophy competition last year, with an average of 84.66. He has an impressive strike-rate and obviously fills the number four role with Ross out injured.”It’s been pleasing to see Luke scoring runs for Wellington again and he returns as one of the most experienced members of the squad. At this stage we see him as the best ODI gloveman in the country and the leadership he brings to the group is also immensely valuable.”The team will convene for a camp on December 23 and 24, with the first match scheduled for Boxing Day in Christchurch. The second and third ODIs will be played on December 29 and 31 in Nelson. The ODIs will be followed by three T20Is and two Tests.

Nottingham Forest are ready to make improvements as the transfer window officially opens, with a Premier League youngster linked with a move to the City Ground.

Steve Cooper isn’t expected to sign another 22 players as he did last summer, but reinforcements must be made if Forest are to continue their stay in the top-flight.

The Reds left it late to secure their Premier League survival this season, confirming their status next campaign in the penultimate fixture, however, the latest transfer link could bolster their chances of extending their stop-over.

What’s the latest on Carlos Borges to Nottingham Forest?

As reported by ESPN, Forest are interested in signing Manchester City academy star Carlos Borges.

The report claimed that sources close to the site have revealed talks between the player and club are at a ‘preliminary stage’, with it being possible that the player extends at City before going out on loan.

The treble winners value their teenage prospect at £11m, with it being ‘unclear’ whether the club would be willing to let the talent leave permanently.

What could Carlos Borges offer to Nottingham Forest?

Having been hailed as “phenomenal” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Portuguese gem has been an explosive figure in the club’s academy this season.

With Forest finding the net just 38 times in 38 games, there’s no surprise that Borges has caught the eye of Cooper, having enjoyed a lucrative goal-scoring campaign.

In 33 appearances in all competitions, the 19-year-old has scored 29 goals in the Premier League 2, the EFL Trophy and UEFA Youth League, as well as recording a monstrous 18 assists, via Transfermarkt.

The youngster is deployed primarily on the left wing for City’s academy and could be a vital asset to the City Ground if the two clubs can reach an agreement this summer.

Acting as a live wire on the flank, the former Sporting CP graduate could form a wicked partnership with Morgan Gibbs-White, who is the Reds' prime creator.

Named as Forest’s ‘creator-in-chief’ by The Telegraph’s John Percy, Gibbs-White has all the skills to unlock a forward and could take his game to another level if paired with an outlet as strong in the final third as Borges.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers star averaged 1.9 key passes per game this campaign, as well as recording eight assists and creating nine big chances, as per Sofascore.

Having a wide player ahead of him as confident and daring as the Sintra-born gem could ignite Forest with a new attacking outlet and explosive duo going into the new season.

Recording such numbers suggests that the 19-year-old prodigy is ready to assert himself on the Premier League, and with City not having the capacity to accommodate his development on a first-team basis, Forest could provide the perfect area for him to excel.

Arsenal, amidst all their high-profile transfer dealings, could be set to sneak in one for the future…

What's the latest on Pedrinho to Arsenal?

That's according to GOAL journalist Thiago Fernandes, who offered another update on the Gunners' pursuit of Corinthians youngster Pedrinho.

Having been linked last month, it seems now some true ground has been broken in the deal, as Edu has reportedly met with the president of the Brazilian club to discuss a move.

With a bid still yet to be made, it was reportedly suggested that an attempt will come in the future.

Boasting an astronomical €120m (£103m) release clause, this hands the sellers ultimate power over how much they can command for their teenage star.

Who is Pedrinho?

Mikel Arteta will be hoping that should they complete this swoop, it repeats the success earned with Gabriel Martinelli, who also joined straight from Brazil.

Although only 17 years old, it is clear how highly rated this Samba wonderkid is in his homeland, given that astronomical sum placed upon his head.

With speed, flair and technical prowess beyond his youth, Pedrinho first enjoyed success for the U20 team, notching five goals in ten games. Since then he has garnered eight senior appearances, catching the eye of many.

A teammate of his, the long-serving goalkeeper Cassio Ramos, was quick to praise the trickster and explain exactly why the club had come to such a financial conclusion over his value: "For me, Pedrinho has everything to be the best (young) player since I’ve been here. Exceptional. (He is) trains a lot. The best boy I’ve seen. I hope it stays that way.

“We have a lot of confidence (in the young players). Let’s just support them. High-quality boys. We have to help them. When needed, they will come in and help the team."

Although hardly a free-scoring asset at this moment in time, with a clearly bright future on the horizon, to move directly from Brazil to the Emirates would emulate the success the north London outfit has gained thus far with Martinelli.

Having transferred in 2019 from Gremio, it took the 22-year-old time to adapt to the English game. However, this culminated in his starring role in their title charge last term, as he finished as the club's joint-top scorer with 15 goals.

Should Edu emulate similar levels with Pedrinho, nurturing him in the same way he did with the now Brazil international, Arsenal could continue their dynasty which already seems set to last for the foreseeable future.

With a young squad only set to improve further with the potential additions of Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice, there would be no rush for this teenager to have an immediate impact, but the perfect atmosphere for him to one day grow into a key member of this star-studded cast.

Giles Clarke, head of the ICC’s Pakistan Task Force, has cautioned that bringing international cricket back to Pakistan will be an arduous process requiring “a lot of time and hard work”

Danyal Rasool28-Jan-2017Giles Clarke, president of the England and Wales Cricket Board and chairman of the ICC’s Pakistan Task Force, has cautioned that bringing international cricket back to Pakistan will be an arduous process requiring “a lot of time and hard work”.Clarke arrived in Lahore on Saturday – his first visit to the country as head of the Pakistan Task Force – on a fact-finding mission to inspect security arrangements that can be put in place for visiting teams. During his visit, Clarke met with senior officials of the Punjab government, including the chief minister and the Home Secretary.Addressing a press conference at the National Cricket Academy at the Gaddafi Stadium, Clarke praised Punjab’s government for “significant investment” in safety and security arrangements for potential touring aides. He was quick to point out, however, that these observations were not to serve as a replacement for expert advice.”I have to receive a proper report from my experts,” Clarke said. “But speaking as a non-expert, I was deeply impressed by the size of the investment, and the passion of everyone I’ve met from the chief minister downwards, the desire and determination to see international cricket return to Lahore was absolutely there. It is a goal of the ICC that every Full Member plays international bilateral cricket in their own country. But for us to do that, we need everyone to be safe and secure.”Clarke referred to a bomb blast in a crowded park in Lahore last March that killed over 70 people. The PCB was in talks with the MCC at the time for the latter to send a cricket team to Lahore, but the terror attack put an end to that.”We don’t want to get it wrong,” Clarke said. “We all know one terrible incident can push things backwards again. What happened here in one of Lahore’s parks did make it impossible for us to send a team here last year. So we’re hoping to move forward, but this isn’t an easy road.”There’s a considerable amount of perception that needs to be changed [around Pakistan being an unsafe country] and information that needs to be shared. But I am most impressed by the efforts of the authorities to make Lahore a safe city.”Clarke, who has been on the Pakistan Task Force since it was set up in the aftermath of the Lahore terror attacks on the Sri Lanka team in March 2009, praised Zimbabwe for coming to Pakistan in 2015 to play two T20s and three ODIs, and said it was a “very well organised” tour. “We want to build on that and move forward in a sensible and measured fashion.” Even that tour, however, was the target of an attempted attack.Clarke didn’t comment on a recent statement by the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) that “an acceptable level of participant safety and security cannot be expected or guaranteed” in Pakistan, saying he hadn’t discussed that statement with FICA, or read it in full. “I was far more interested in coming here for myself before I opened that conversation,” he said.That statement had come on the back of the PCB announcing that the final of the second edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) would take place in Lahore, whether or not international players travelled to Pakistan. Clarke expressed strong support for the PCB’s endeavours to hold the final of “their own domestic competition” in Pakistan. “I completely understand that desire, and will support their efforts to do that.”

Jason Holder has urged his inexperienced West Indies side to “make a mark” during the ODI series against England

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Mar-2017Jason Holder has urged his inexperienced West Indies side to “make a mark” during the ODI series against England.While West Indies’ recent results have not been hugely encouraging – their last ODI action saw them fail to qualify for the final of a tri-series involving Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe – Holder believes his squad contains some richly talented cricketers that require only more experience of international cricket before results start to improve.”The more cricket we play together, the better we’ll become,” Holder said on the eve of the first ODI in Antigua. “We had some new faces come out at the end of last year, in our series in Zimbabwe. I thought we had a pretty decent series but one of the major factors that hurt us was inexperience.”We’ve a very inexperienced side. It’s a relatively young team. But we’re looking to make a mark on the international circuit.”The key thing, Holder says, is to look forward. So there can be no dwelling on the success of the World T20 or the fact that many of the region’s best-known players have been deemed ineligible due to the WICB selection criteria.”The World T20 has gone,” Holder said. “We’ve celebrated that. It was a wonderful achievement a while back now. So it’s important for us to move on. Not to dwell on it – not forget it – but to move on and understand we need to improve our position in the ODI rankings and Test cricket. We need to qualify for the World Cup, that that is our goal.”This feels like a clean slate. We’ve quite a few changes in our administrative part and we have to get accustomed to the new coach, director of cricket and CEO. But it’s important for us to just deal with cricket. That’s the only thing we can control.”It’s a new year. We just came off our domestic competition. Everybody is raring to go. I’m happy with the side I have right now.”While West Indies may adopt a slightly old-school approach to ODI cricket – Kraigg Brathwaite will be expected to provide the anchor role in batting though the 50-overs, with others attacking around him – Holder feels his team also offers aggressive, exciting players who could become well-known over the next few years.”Shai Hope came off a very good tour in Zimbabwe and followed up starting the year well in our domestic competition,” Holder said. “We’ve got young exciting cricketers like Rovman Powell and Jason Mohammed. From the fast-bowling point, there’s Shannon Gabriel and Alzarri Joseph. So we’ve an inexperienced side but we’re looking to make a mark on the international circuit.”They’re ranked higher than us. We’ve got some way to go in terms of catching up in the rankings. We just want to tick off our process boxes in terms of what we set out to achieve as a group. Our main thing is to be a lot more consistent than we have been in the past and I think once we do that we can be moving in the right direction.”

Aston Villa secured themselves European football for next season as they finished seventh in the Premier League table under Unai Emery.

The Villans will be playing in the Europa Conference League and their participation could help their ambitions during the transfer window, as they will be able to offer players a chance to compete on the continent as well as the English top-flight.

One talent the club have been linked with a swoop for is Fenerbahce magician Arda Guler, who is reportedly attracting interest from a host of European teams ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Fabrizio Romano revealed that the exciting youngster is available for a fee of €17.5m (£15m) due to a release clause in his contract with the Turkish side, which could open the door for Villa to swoop in.

What is Arda Guler's style of play?

He is a left-footed wizard who is often deployed as a right winger or attacking midfielder and has the quality to make a big impact in the final third.

The 18-year-old dynamo has the potential to be a dream upgrade for Emery on current Villa winger Leon Bailey, who is also a left-footed forward.

During the 2022/23 campaign, the Jamaica international averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.67 across 26 Premier League starts. He contributed in the final third with four goals to go along with four assists and 0.9 key passes per game.

Bailey ranked 15th in the squad for Sofascore ratings and sixth for chances created per outing, which was led by Jacob Ramsey and Douglas Luiz with 1.2.

Guler, meanwhile, enjoyed a terrific Super Lig campaign with Fenerbahce. The teenager, who was dubbed a “sensation” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, averaged a phenomenal Sofascore rating of 7.48 across 20 appearances, including 11 starts, and chipped in with four goals to go along with three assists and two key passes per match.

His average rating dwarfed Villa's best performer – Luiz (7.10) – and he managed 0.8 more chances created per game than any of Emery's aforementioned stars.

Although it is impossible to predict whether or not he can translate his form for Fenerbahce over to the Premier League, these statistics suggest that the potential is there for Guler to be an outstanding performer for the Villans as a creative winger on the right.

At the age of 18, he is also seven years younger than Bailey and could be an immediate upgrade on the former Bayer Leverkusen man by providing more quality, in his average performance level and his ability to open up defences for his teammates on a regular basis.

Warwickshire will build on the success of last season’s T20 double-header by once again scheduling fixtures for Birmingham Bears’ men’s and women’s teams on the same day

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Mar-2017Warwickshire will build on the success of last season’s T20 double-header by once again scheduling fixtures for Birmingham Bears’ men’s and women’s teams on the same day.The concept, successfully implemented for the latter stages of the men’s and women’s World T20 tournaments since 2009, proved popular when Warwickshire trialled it last season, and they will be repeating the concept at Edgbaston on Sunday, July 16.Birmingham Bears men will face Leicestershire Foxes at 2.30pm, followed by Birmingham Bears women against Sussex women at 5.30pm.”It’s essential that we continue to build on the success of the women’s team from last season, when we came very close to winning the NatWest Women’s T20,” said Ashley Giles, Warwickshire’s director of cricket.”Playing at an international venue, in-front of a big crowd is an invaluable experience for the development of this team and I’m delighted that we’re able to secure this second Double Header Day. Whilst we’re hungry for success, we’re also committed to growing the women’s game and hopefully the day can inspire many more women and girls to get involved in cricket.”Captained by Marie Kelly, Birmingham Bears women finished second to Kent in the NatWest Women’s T20 in 2016.

West Ham United have opened talks regarding a deal to sign Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres, according to reports.

Is Viktor Gyokeres leaving Coventry?

The Sky Blues talisman’s contract is set to expire at the end of next season meaning that the ongoing window is likely to be the club's final big opportunity to cash in, and after establishing himself as Coventry's top-performing offensive player last season, he won’t be short of potential suitors should he depart.

Back in November 2022, Football League World first credited the Irons with an interest in the 25-year-old alongside Premier League rivals Crystal Palace, Everton and formerly Southampton, but despite a deal failing to materialise in January, David Moyes appears to be taking a second bite of the cherry.

Fabrizio Romano recently reported that whilst the Sweden international is yet to make a decision regarding his future beyond the summer, the E20 outfit are “ready to push” to bring him to the capital, and their efforts behind the scenes may have already begun.

Are West Ham signing Gyokeres?

According to Portuguese newspaper Record (via West Ham Zone), West Ham have “entered the negotiating table” for Gyokeres ahead of the 2023/24 term. The London Stadium side are firmly “part of” the English top-flight clubs looking to strike a deal and on Sunday, opened discussions with Coventry to see whether they can reach an agreement for the in-demand centre-forward.

Could Gyokeres be a strong recruit for Moyes?

West Ham are likely to have a big budget to play with, should they sell Declan Rice, and it’s been reported that Gyokeres could cost £25m so he’d be more than affordable having been dubbed “unplayable” by his former teammate Maxime Biamou and a "very strong striker" by Slaven Bilic.

The Building Society Arena attacker posted a remarkable 31 goal contributions (21 goals and ten assists) in 46 Championship appearances last season, form which not only saw him collect ten man-of-the-match awards, but he was also named the second-highest goalscorer in the second-tier and currently holds a career-high €13m Transfermarkt valuation, showing he appears to be at the top of his game.

The Irons target is additionally a constant threat even when the ball doesn’t hit the back of the net having recorded 191 shot-creating actions and 133 shots over the course of the previous campaign which was more than any other of his fellow peers, as per FBRef.

Finally, Gyokeres is a versatile operator having been deployed in six various positions over the grass since first bursting into the scene, mainline across the frontline, so he could be a massive addition to Moyes' attacking ranks, should he sign on the dotted line.

Glasgow Rangers have “completed” a deal to bring Cremonese striker Cyriel Dessers to the Scottish Premiership, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Are Rangers signing Cyriel Dessers?

Back in June, Football Insider claimed that the Sky Blues had opened talks regarding a deal for the 28-year-old, who is claimed to be a long-term target of Michael Beale, and it wasn’t long before he had convinced the player to get on side.

Reliable reporter Scott Burns stated that the Nigeria international is “keen on a move” to join the Gers with part of his reasoning being that he wants to experience playing football in the Champions League, something which the outfit north of the border can provide regardless of how far in the competition that they get.

The Glasgow outfit just yesterday were stated to have welcomed the attacker for a medical after he agreed to signing a five-year contract following the acceptance of a bid, and the final price tag between the two parties has now been decided and also made public knowledge.

Taking to Twitter, the ever-on-the-ball transfer guru Romano revealed that Rangers have now finished negotiations for Dessers who is set to imminently be unveiled as the manager’s latest arrival. He wrote:

“Rangers have completed Cyriel Dessers deal with Cremonese — it will be done and sealed on Tuesday. Understand Rangers will pay €5m (£4.2m) fee plus €1.5m (£1.2m) in add-ons.”

Will Dessers be a good signing for Rangers?

Following the departure of Alfredo Morelos, Rangers recruited Sam Lammers from Atalanta to take his place, but one centre-forward reinforcement clearly wasn’t enough for Beale who has turned his attention towards Dessers, and it’s no surprise he’s caught his eye.

The Stirr Associates client has racked up nine goal contributions (seven goals and two assists) in 29 appearances for a struggling Cremonese side and last season recorded a total of 49 shots over the course of the campaign, which was the second-highest throughout his squad, as per FBRef.

The Tongeren native will also provide the boss with plenty of versatility with his ability to operate everywhere across the frontline, including as a second striker and out wide on both the left and right flanks alongside his usual role through the middle, making him a great option to have in the building.

The Teddy Bears will want to create a squad this summer that are capable of seriously competing for titles and silverware with their Old Firm rivals Celtic, and with the calibre of players including Jack Butland, Dujon Sterling, Kieran Dowell and Abdallah Sima who have put pen to paper so far, the incoming attacker will only strengthen the boss’ ranks even further.

Whether Beale’s thought process will be to play Lammers and Dessers up top alongside each other as a pair or use one of them as the main striker and the other as a back-up yet remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure, he’ll be spoilt for choice with the positive impact and strong force that the two of them are likely to create together.

A 113-run partnership between Pakistan veterans Shoaib Malik – who scored his ninth ODI century with a six to seal victory – and Mohammad Hafeez saw Pakistan canter to a six-wicket win and clinch the three-match series 2-1

The Report by Danyal Rasool11-Apr-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez put on a century stand to set up victory•AFPA commanding performance to secure a vice-like grip on eighth place doesn’t sound like an especially formidable achievement, but it was a much-needed boost off the back of a troubling few months for Pakistan cricket. A 113-run partnership between veterans Shoaib Malik – who reached his ninth ODI century with the six to seal victory – and Mohammad Hafeez enabled Pakistan to canter to a six-wicket win and clinch the three-match series 2-1.Pakistan’s chase of 234 got off to an eventful start, with a first-ball wicket, a nasty collision between Ahmed Shehzad and Babar Azam, a dropped catch at mid-on and a brilliant grab by wicketkeeper Shai Hope all crammed into a lively first six overs. Babar edged Shannon Gabriel into his stumps less than three overs later, and the upshot from a frenetic opening Powerplay was Pakistan had lost three wickets for 45 and, for the umpteenth time, were looking wobbly.The one positive Pakistan could glean from the situation was that Hafeez and Malik were at the crease together, and with 430 ODIs between them, they represented vast experience, if nothing else. It showed, too, with the pair ensuring they made survival their main priority for the next hour or so amid some testing spin bowling by Devendra Bishoo and Ashley Nurse, and they slowly began to turn the game in Pakistan’s favour.By the time Hafeez holed out to deep square leg, the visitors needed less than 100 to win. Skipper Sarfraz Ahmed then joined Malik at the crease, the pair picking off the poor deliveries with consummate ease in a stroll towards their target. Towards the end, Malik was playing with such ease that he gave himself the chance of a century, which he completed in style with a straight six off Jason Holder. It might not always have been smooth sailing, but in the end, it was unquestionably clinical.West Indies will rue a failure to take proper advantage of the review system for the second game running. When Hafeez was on 39, Nurse, arguably the most consistent performer for his side all series, spun one sharply back into him, the ball striking the top of his front pad. Hawk-Eye showed it would have been given out on review, but Holder decided against going to the third umpire. It was one among a series of errors West Indies committed in the field – dropped catches playing a starring role once again – and by the time Hafeez was finally dismissed, the telling blows had long since been struck.West Indies had managed to scrap to 233 despite being squeezed for runs during much of the first half of their innings. Having slipped to 68 for 3 with a run rate well under four, Hope and Jason Mohammed combined for a 101-run partnership – the first three-figure partnership for West Indies this year – to set their team on course for what was at least a competitive total.The heart of West Indies’ innings was stifled by a sustained spell of pressure from Pakistan’s spinners, a spell that, in hindsight proved decisive. Imad Wasim was the pick of the bowlers, bolstering his credentials as a genuine ODI allrounder following on from his impressive batting performance in the previous match. He was the major reason for West Indies’ sluggishness during the middle overs, consistently bowling on a good line and getting the ball to spin away from the right-handers. Hafeez provided him able support, and their combined bowling figures of 17-1-45-1 aptly told the story of the middle overs.But even when their run rate slipped to as low as 3.34 runs per over, West Indies had one metric in their favour: seven wickets in hand. Inch by inch, Mohammed and Hope began to climb their way back into the contest, Mohammed launching Hasan Ali for sixes in consecutive overs and setting his team up for the final push.However, just as the hosts looked like they were eyeing 250, Mohammad Amir and Junaid Khan took over from Shadab Khan, who had an indifferent day with the ball – despite picking up the wickets of Hope and Jonathan Carter – conceding 57 runs in his eight overs. The quality of Pakistan’s quicks shone through with a splendid bowling performance during the death overs, the two left-armers regularly landing yorkers with surgical precision that the batsmen struggled to get underneath. Only 29 runs came off the last five overs as the momentum West Indies had threatened to build up was punctured severely. Runs in short supply was a familiar theme for the hosts all evening, culminating in a result they – and their fans – have become all too familiar with of late.