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The Melbourne Renegades have lost their captain Andrew McDonald to the Adelaide Strikers and the national T20 skipper George Bailey has moved from the Melbourne Stars to the Hobart Hurricanes

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jul-2012The Melbourne Renegades have lost their captain Andrew McDonald to the Adelaide Strikers and the national T20 skipper George Bailey has moved from the Melbourne Stars to the Hobart Hurricanes. The eight Big Bash League teams have until this Friday to sign the majority of their players and most sides were active on Monday, when Phillip Hughes and Nathan Rimmington also changed teams.Rimmington has moved from the Perth Scorchers to the Renegades, while Hughes has not surprisingly switched from the Sydney Thunder to the Strikers, after he signed with South Australia in the longer formats. He will be joined in Adelaide by the allrounder McDonald, who said he was excited to be working with the Strikers coach Darren Berry.”While it was a big decision to leave the Renegades, I think the structure and plans that Chuck Berry has for the Strikers this summer are really impressive, and I’m really excited about coming over,” McDonald said. “I’ve always enjoyed playing at Adelaide Oval, and I know a lot of the guys in the team, so this was an opportunity I wanted to commit to.”Bailey has also departed from Melbourne, leaving the MCG-based stars to play for the Hurricanes, an understandable manoeuvre given his status as captain of Tasmania. “I really like the way the Hurricanes line-up is coming together and I hope the team can go a step further than last season’s semi-final,” Bailey said.In other deals on Monday, Michael Klinger re-signed with the Strikers, Ben Laughlin with the Hurricanes and the fast bowler Ben Edmondson joined the Scorchers. The Perth side also signed Joe Mennie, Tim Armstrong, Jason Behrendorff and Ashton Agar.The Thunder named their first players for this season, with Sean Abbott, Scott Coyte, his brother Adam Coyte, Luke Doran and Gurinder Sandhu all signing up.

Bangladesh Women held their nerves in a low-scoring contest against South Africa Women to win the first ODI by two wickets at the Shere Bangla Stadium

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Sep-2012
ScorecardBangladesh Women held their nerves in a low-scoring contest against South Africa Women to win the first ODI by two wickets at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium. South Africa, who chose to bat, lost their top-three batsmen with only five runs on the board. Captain Mignon du Preez, 24 off 35, led a mini recovery as she added 37 runs for the fourth wicket along with Marizanne Kapp. However, the introduction of spinners blew the visitors aways as they lost their last seven wickets for only 33 runs. The damage was done by offspinner Khadija Tul Kubra, who returned with economical figures of 8-3-8-3, in partnership with Rumana Ahmed, who took three wickets.However, Bangladesh made heavy weather of a small target as their batting followed a similar pattern to South Africa’s. Whereas South Africa had struggled against spin, Bangladesh were cornered by the seamers. Opening bowlers Shabnim Ismail and Kapp ended up with combined figures of 20-8-21-4 and had it not been for a patient knock by Lata Mondal (31 off 54) and a late retort by Ritu Moni (12*), the match could have had a different result.

Shane Warne has clarified his comments regarding a Test comeback, declaring that he is “not even considering” such a move in the lead-up to next year’s Ashes

Brydon Coverdale06-Dec-2012Shane Warne has clarified his comments regarding a Test comeback, declaring that he is “not even considering” such a move in the lead-up to next year’s Ashes. Earlier this week, Warne said he had been frustrated with the way Australia’s bowlers had let down their captain Michael Clarke during the loss to South Africa in Perth, and if Clarke asked him to make a comeback he was confident he would be able to play to Test standard.Warne, 43, would have to make such a return through club cricket for St Kilda and Sheffield Shield cricket for Victoria, but he said on Thursday that was not on his radar. Warne, the captain of the Melbourne Stars, was promoting Friday night’s Big Bash League season opener between the Stars and the Melbourne Renegades, and he said he had spoken to Clarke during the week to clear up any confusion.”I spoke to Pup on a few different matters. That’s all been pretty cleared up about all that sort of stuff,” Warne said. “I’m not asking Michael Clarke. My quotes were all about if you ask me could I do it, I have no doubt that I could. But it’s a big commitment. There’s grade cricket, there’s state cricket, you have to go through that process and hopefully get selected.”For me it’s nothing that I’m even considering. I’m bowling as good as I possibly have for the last five or six years. At this stage right now if you ask me do I want to make a comeback? No. I’m concentrating on the Big Bash.”Warne also dismissed the idea that he could consider playing club or state cricket after the BBL, and said that his commentary duties would keep him busy. “At this stage with my calendar I’ve got the first Test of Australia vs India for ESPN in India [in February],” Warne said. “So at this stage there’ll be no grade cricket.”

Sri Lanka release five players from bio-bubble, including quicks Lahiru Kumara and Nuwan Pradeep

Andrew Fidel Fernando19-Jan-2021Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis will not play for Sri Lanka in the second Test against England, after both were released from the squad and its biosecure bubble, along with three other players.Karunaratne and Mendis have been let go for different reasons. Karunaratne, the regular Test captain, has not sufficiently recovered from a finger fracture suffered on the tour of South Africa, where he sustained a blow during his second-innings hundred at the Wanderers. Mendis, meanwhile, has been ommitted due to poor form – he has four consecutive ducks and a 15 in his five most-recent innings. Roshen Silva is among the batsmen vying to replace him.ALSO READ: Arthur laments Sri Lanka’s first-innings batting tempoAlso released from the squad were fast bowlers Lahiru Kumara and Nuwan Pradeep, as well as reserve wicketkeeper-batsman Minod Bhanuka. With Sri Lanka hoping that Suranga Lakmal will be fit for the second Test, no other frontline seamers may be required – the preferred strategy being to play three spinners and one quick. From the fast-bowling contingent, Asitha Fernando (who played the first Test), Vishwa Fernando, and Dushmantha Chameera remain with the squad.The second Test against England begins in Galle on Friday. Sri Lanka lost the first match by seven wickets.

CA’s own investigation will remain open as they attempt to locate those responsible.

ESPNcricinfo staff and Reuters27-Jan-2021Cricket Australia has confirmed India’s players were subjected to racial abuse during the third test at the SCG but cleared the six spectators who were taken from their seats and questioned by police at the ground.CA launched an investigation with New South Wales Police after India fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj complained of hearing racist slurs while fielding near the boundary rope.Problems first emerged at the close of the play on the third day when a group of senior India players were seen in conversation with the umpires as they left the field.On the fourth day, play was held up for about 10 minutes after Siraj approached an umpire to voice his concerns before police stepped in to take six male fans from their seats.Related

• Ashwin says 'nasty' behaviour in Sydney crowd not a first for India

• Lyon: Siraj sets new standard for calling out abuse

“CA confirms that members of the Indian cricket team were subjected to racial abuse,” CA head of security and integrity Sean Carroll said in a statement.”CA’s own investigation into the matter remains open, with CCTV footage, ticketing data and interviews with spectators still being analysed in an attempt to locate those responsible.”CA’s investigation concluded that the spectators filmed and/or photographed by media in the Brewongle Stand concourse at the conclusion of the 86th over on day four of the test did not engage in racist behaviour.”CA said it had submitted its report on the investigation to the ICC. The board added that it was awaiting confirmation from police that they had completed their own investigation.Both Siraj and Ajinkya Rahane, India’s stand-in captain for the final three Tests in Australia, said that the on-field umpires had given them the choice of leaving the field in Sydney while the authorities were dealing with the spectators, but Rahane refused.”What happened in Sydney was very bad and not acceptable at all,” Rahane told the this week. “When we go overseas, fans abuse opponents to cheer up the home team. But when people are abusing you based on the colour of your skin and hurling racial slurs, that are not acceptable. My message [to the authorities] was: Those who racially abused the players, get them out of the ground. We will not leave the field. Until you are ejecting them, we are not playing.”Speaking shortly after the incidents at the SCG, R Ashwin said abuse from the crowds had been a regular feature of his visits to Sydney.”This is my fourth tour to Australia and in Sydney, especially, we have had a few experiences even in the past,” he said. “I think one or two times even the players have reacted and got into trouble in the past, and that’s not because of the player, it is actually because of the way the crowd has been speaking, especially the people close to the boundary edge.””They have been quite nasty, they have been hurling abuses as well, but this is the time they have gone one step ahead and used racial abuse.”

Both wins over SA have been hard-fought as visitors extended unbeaten run in T20I series to eight

Alan Gardner30-Nov-2020

You know, it’s beginning to look like England have got the hang of this white-ball stuff. After successfully completing their 50-over World Cup quest last year, they are now honing their competitive edge in the shortest format, ahead of back-to-back tournaments in 2021 and 2022. Victory in Paarl gave them a 2-0 lead with one to play, and extended their unbeaten run in T20I series to eight.Both wins over South Africa were hard-fought, and Quinton de Kock could rightfully point to “one or two small things” that cost his side at Boland Park. But England are increasingly battle-hardened, both through success on the pitch and competition within the squad. Dawid Malan, ranked the ICC’s No. 1 T20I batsman, came into the tour saying he couldn’t be certain of his place in the side – but after scores of 42, 21 and 19 (a relative trough in his 18-match career) he produced the sort of match-winning hand that has made him all but impossible to leave out.Ignoring the vagaries of form and conditions, Eoin Morgan might already feel he is closer to knowing his best XI – although the difficulties being experienced by Jason Roy could represent a problem to chew on. The batting looks dangerous, and Morgan seems perfectly suited to the finisher’s role at No. 6; the bowling features two of England’s most-successful T20I bowlers, plus the effortless brilliance of Jofra Archer, and is bolstered by healthy competition among the rest of the seamers. Only the emergence of further spin options could fatten their goose.For the hosts, times are tough for a variety of reasons. The burden on de Kock as the team’s leader, best batsman and wicketkeeper looks a heavy one, and they face a fraught 12 months of trying to settle on the right combinations to support a T20 World Cup challenge.To have victory snatched from your grasp is arguably harder to take than to not be in the running in the first place – but as Morgan’s side would attest, reflecting on the experience of Kolkata 2016 or Cardiff 2017, you only learn by getting into those positions and then dealing with the consequences. South Africa went down 2-1 to England earlier in the year, knowing that the series could have gone the other way. It would be hard to find the same consolation in a 3-0 whitewash, so de Kock and Mark Boucher will be looking for a response back at Newlands and signs that lessons are being learned.

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa LLLWL

England WWLWW

He has barely been in the role a year, but already de Kock seems a captain under the pump. His T20I win percentage is well below any of his permanent predecessors in the role – which must be all the more galling given his record with the bat has improved – and the strain of captaining, opening and keeping seemed evident at the toss in Paarl, where he cut a distracted figure (broadcaster technical issues notwithstanding). The unique off-field pressures of the South African system mean he should get plenty of leeway but it remains to be seen whether he can inspire his players to produce better on the field.The focus will doubtless remain on Roy and his attempts to fight his way out of the paper bag of poor form he finds himself in. But it’s also worth highlighting the success of Adil Rashid and what that means for England’s World Cup planning. Rashid’s 2 for 23 in the second T20I saw him pass 50 wickets in the format and draw level with Graeme Swann as England’s most-prolific spinner. The flight and snap have returned after shoulder problems in 2019, and probably helps justify his reticence over a potential Test return and increase in workloads. But with Moeen Ali currently out of the side, England’s reliance on Rashid serves to underscore a lack of depth in the position.

South Africa looked stronger overall in Paarl, particularly their bowling, but there remains scope for another rejig back in Cape Town. Jon-Jon Smuts would provide another spin option if drafted into the middle order, while Lungi Ngidi’s spot could come in for scrutiny after leaking 51 from his four overs. Andile Phehlukwayo and David Miller remain unavailable for selection.South Africa (possible): 1 Quinton de Kock (capt, wk), 2 Temba Bavuma, 3 Reeza Hendricks, 4 Faf du Plessis, 5 Rassie van der Dussen, 6 Heinrich Klaasen/Jon-Jon Smuts, 7 George Linde, 8 Lungi Ngidi/Beuran Hendricks/Lutho Sipamla, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Tabraiz ShamsiDespite having sealed the series, Morgan has said England will resist the temptation to experiment. However, a used pitch at Newlands might mean Moeen gets a chance as second spinner, while Mark Wood’s extra pace is another option – with Tom Curran and Chris Jordan both expensive in the first T20I.England (possible): 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jos Buttler (wk), 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Jonny Bairstow, 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Eoin Morgan (capt), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Mark Wood

There was some spin on offer for the first game of the series, and that ought to increase with the same surface being used again. England felt the ball started to come on better under lights, which may influence the thinking for another day-night game. The forecast is for a cool day in Cape Town, with the chance of some rain earlier in the day.

Stats and trivia

• Victory in the third T20I would see England draw level with Australia at the top of the ICC rankings.
• Newlands has not been a happy hunting ground for South Africa in recent years, with five defeats in seven T20Is going back to 2016.
• Jonny Bairstow needs 62 runs to become the fifth Englishman to reach 1000 in T20Is.

“Patience is key at the moment. The team haven’t played cricket together for five or six months, this is our first series back together, but over time, when we spend more time together, the results will start showing.”
“We will focus on trying to get our best XI out, given what type of pitch we might be playing on. I think we are on the same pitch as we played on at Newlands in the first game so we will have a look at that over the next couple of days and see potentially a change in the bowling line-up but I’d imagine the batting would stay the same.”

Leicestershire’s bowlers held their nerve to deny Gloucestershire victory on a thrilling final day

21-Jul-2012
ScorecardLeicestershire’s bowlers held their nerve to deny Gloucestershire victory on a thrilling final day. Set 222 to win in 53 overs, the hosts faltered badly at the death, finishing 13 runs short of their target.Gloucestershire looked to be favourites after half-centuries from skipper Alex Gidman and Dan Housego but, needing 47 off the final 10 overs, they lost four quick wickets before putting up the shutters and settling for the draw. Leicestershire were indebted to veteran South African spinner Claude Henderson, who bowled unchanged from the Chapel End after tea to return figures of 4 for 80 and undermine the chase.Gloucestershire were well and truly in the hunt after Gidman smashed 62 from 55 balls in a stand of 94 in 18 overs with Housego, who made exactly 50. Gidman was brilliantly caught by Ned Eckersley at short midwicket off Henderson and Housego followed him back to the pavilion soon afterwards, caught at the wicket fending at a rising delivery from Robbie Joseph, who claimed 3 for 36.Joseph then removed Hamish Marshall and Ian Cockbain in quick succession, while the wily Henderson accounted for Ed Young and Ian Saxelby to halt Gloucestershire in their tracks. Rather than risk defeat, the ninth-wicket pair of James Fuller and David Payne played out the last three overs with a minimum of risk.Resuming their second innings on 142 for 5 – just 75 ahead – bottom-of-the-table Leicestershire were under pressure from the outset on a two-paced pitch that was offering assistance to spin. But any thoughts Gloucestershire might have had of achieving a quick and decisive victory were dispelled by Ramnaresh Sarwan and Matt Boyce, who staged a restorative stand of 83 for the sixth wicket.Gloucestershire were becoming frustrated when they were gifted a much-needed breakthrough in unexpected fashion, Boyce being run out for 23 by Benny Howell’s throw from deep midwicket following a farcical mix-up.Sarwan still stood between the home side and a third Championship win of the summer and Gidman, Gloucestershire’s captain, played his trump card in a bid to remove the former West Indies batsman, throwing the ball to occasional bowler Howell. The ploy paid almost instantaneous dividends, Howell’s medium pace inducing Sarwan to offer a catch to Housego at extra cover via a leading edge.When Paul Dixey was pinned on the front foot by paceman Fuller in the last over before lunch, Leicestershire were 240 for 8 and Gloucestershire were clearly fancying their chances.Wayne White and Henderson offered up further defiance in a gritty ninth-wicket partnership of 48 but the new ball did for them both. Saxelby located White’s outside edge and Cockbain held on at second slip, while Liam Norwell wrapped up proceedings in the very next over, clean bowling Henderson with a ball that jagged back. But, by then, they had done enough.

Moeen Ali becomes first men’s player without a red-ball central contract to be retained

Matt Roller22-Oct-2020Moeen Ali and Sophie Devine have been retained as Birmingham Phoenix captains ahead of the Hundred’s launch in 2021.Ali and Devine were announced as captains of the men’s and women’s sides respectively in the spring, before the tournament’s inaugural season was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. They have both signed contracts for next year, with Ali becoming the first player without a red-ball central contract to officially be retained for the men’s tournament.The ECB had previously confirmed that Chris Woakes and Amy Jones had both been retained by the Phoenix, while Dom Sibley has been allocated to them after winning his first Test central contract. Women’s players with contracts for the aborted 2020 season can opt to roll their deals over to 2021, while men’s teams can retain as many players as they wish from the squad compiled in last year’s draft.ALSO READ: Bairstow seeks Hundred payday as Pope takes Welsh Fire spotDevine, who is in Sydney preparing for the WBBL with Perth Scorchers, said that she anticipated the Hundred could have a similar impact in the UK to Australia’s flagship domestic competition. She joins West Indies’ Deandra Dottin and Stafanie Taylor as one of the competition’s three confirmed overseas players to date.”The Hundred will have a massive impact on developing women’s cricket, especially with the coverage on the BBC,” she said. “We’ve seen the impact of the WBBL – the standard keeps on improving with more and more people playing, and I think the Hundred can play a similar role in the UK.”I’m really excited to be captaining this side. I’m looking forward to working with and learning from the local talent who can share their knowledge. The international players that are potentially coming over are of the highest quality, and I’m looking forward to testing myself in the Hundred.”Ali, who has played only once so far this season for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL, said that he had been speaking with Andrew McDonald – head coach at both Rajasthan Royals the Phoenix – while in the UAE about possible retention strategies.”We had a chat a couple of days ago about what we’re trying to do moving forward and how we start to put some plans in place,” Ali said. “There’s a lot of work to do before the season starts and we keep in touch regularly. When I see him at grounds when we’re playing in the IPL, we try to have a quick chat about things and we’re both really excited for the Hundred next year. As players, we’re trying to make it the biggest thing we’ve had in cricket in this country.”ESPNcricinfo understands that several teams in the Hundred have begun to make contract offers to players for the 2021 season, and are negotiating with agents regarding salaries after bands were cut by 20% due to the financial impact of the pandemic.Teams are expected to try to hold on to most of the squads they assembled at the draft last year, but with a particular focus on domestic talent due to uncertainty around the Future Tours Programme (FTP) and, as a result, the availability of international players.Birmingham Phoenix 2021 squads so far:Men: Moeen Ali (captain), Dom Sibley, Chris Woakes
Women: Sophie Devine (captain), Amy Jones

In a series speckled with Indian wickets, the spell Peter Siddle remembered most fondly was one that passed without reward

Daniel Brettig at Adelaide Oval28-Jan-2012In a series speckled with Indian wickets, the spell Peter Siddle remembered most fondly was one that passed without reward. On the third evening of the SCG Test, he and Ben Hilfenhaus delivered eight consecutive maidens between them, squeezing Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir with precision pace bowling of the highest standard on the same pitch Michael Clarke had used to construct his 329.While no wickets were forthcoming during the spell, Siddle remembered it as emblematic of Australia’s bowling across the series, which at times reached heights not even the bowlers themselves might have thought possible. The bowling coach Craig McDermott has moulded the attack in his own image, and its combination of speed, swing and stamina has been a rare sight.”Just the way individually everyone has stuck to their guns and played their role perfectly at each end when bowling has been superb,” Siddle said after claiming the match award in Adelaide. “The batters have set us up at times as well and we just knew we had to go out there and be patient.”I think the best bowling spell we had was probably in Sydney when me and Hilfy bowled a partnership, we didn’t get any wickets but we bowled [eight] overs straight of maidens. I think that just summed up the summer and what we wanted to achieve. In every match that we bowled, that is what we wanted to go about it. That was perfect and showed what we were all about.”Siddle proved himself to be the rugged heart of the Australian attack, a position never more evident than on another late afternoon earlier in the series. Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid had pushed India into a position of power when Siddle burst one through Dravid’s defences, then stood crestfallen when replays revealed a no-ball. Redoubling his efforts, he proceeded to puncture Tendulkar’s defence before stumps, a mighty blow for India and source of a surge of confidence among the hosts.”I had to turn it around or else the bowling coach and captain would have really been on my back,” Siddle said, grinning. “Getting a wicket off a no ball and then getting one quickly around the corner is always pleasing, it makes everyone a little bit happier.”But I think any wicket, it doesn’t matter who you get, any Test wicket is obviously a good achievement it doesn’t matter if it’s Sachin or a Yadav at No.11, you want to get all 10 and you need to get 20 for the match, it doesn’t matter which one you get, as long as you get all 20 like we have been.”Siddle said the partnerships established by the bowlers had been a major part of the attack’s improvement on last summer, when England’s batsmen made both he and Hilfenhaus look ordinary by comparison.”There is always a lot of emphasis on batting partnerships and our big emphasis coming into this summer was bowling partnerships,” he said. “We went about that spot on and no matter what attack we had, we stuck to our guns, we did the job, and that was our plan, we didn’t steer away from that.”We knew every morning we rocked up and had to bowl in partnerships and be consistent and be patient and I think it showed in the performances. Everyone that bowled got the job done and lucky enough a few of us got the rewards.”Well as they bowled, however, Australia’s pacemen know there is room to excel further. Aiding this will be the return to fitness of James Pattinson and Pat Cummins, which would allow the national selectors choice of a fearsome arsenal for their next Test assignment in the West Indies.”The way we are going as a unit definitely but we still have room for improvement,” Siddle said. “We are going in the right direction. The good thing about the whole summer was the number of guys who played from [Mitchell] Starc and Jimmy Patto. There was a big turn around from the start of the summer to now but we never changed, we always stuck to the same game plan which was to be patient, bowl in good partnerships and we would get the rewards.”That showed no matter which line-up we put forward on game day we got the job done. At different times each individual got the rewards.”

A round-up of Ranji Trophy Group A matches on November 18, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Nov-2015
ScorecardFile photo: Arun Karthik struck two fifties in the game to be named Man of the Match as Assam thumped Delhi•PTI

Assam continued their excellent run, having earned promotion this year, by beating table-toppers Delhi by five wickets in Guwahati. There were only 95 runs away overnight and most of those were knocked over by Arun Karthik (55*), who struck his second fifty of the match. Opener Rahul Hazarika (59) joined him, and those two were the only batsmen to reach the mark in the entire match. Delhi lost all 10 wickets for fewer than 200 in both innings, which proved their undoing. Assam have now vaulted into second place in Group A. With three wins in six games, they are on 22 points, only two behind Delhi’s 24.Vidarbha 247 (Sarwate 50, Tanveer ul Haq 4-60) and 199 for 2 (Badrinath 70*, Satish 61*) beat Rajasthan 216 (Puneed 67, Dobal 51, Umesh 4-45) and 226 (Menaria 76, Saxena 54, Sarwate 5-58) by eight wickets
ScorecardAditya Sarwate, the 25-year old left-arm spinner, is having a fabulous debut season in the Ranji Trophy. His second first-class five-for now takes him to 25 wickets in four games and has also set up Vidarbha’s third win of the season. A target of 199 became a formality with Ganesh Satish (61*) and captain S Badrinath (70*) and hitting unbeaten half-centuries.Sarwate needed only one ball on the fifth day to wrap up Rajasthan’s second innings on their overnight score of 226. He finished with 5 for 58, to finish with seven wickets in the match. Besides him, Umesh Yadav had taken a hat-trick in the first innings.Early wickets were necessary for Rajasthan to pose a challenge to a line-up that features three of the best professionals in the Ranji circuit. Although Wasim Jaffer did not bat, Satish and Badrinath combined for an unbeaten 127 runs for the third wicket to seal the game and consolidate Vidarbha’s place at three on the Group A points table. They have 22 points from seven, same as Assam, who have played only six.
ScorecardHaryana held on for 103 overs in Lahli thanks to Chaitanya Bishnoi’s unbeaten 86 off 259 balls, but the 250 for 4 that they ended up with while following-on was still not enough to match match Odisha’s 529 for 6 declared. Chances of an outright win were high for the visitors, especially after a Virender Sehwag-less Haryana were bowled out for 216 in the first innings in 85.5 overs. But their batting was able to show greater resolve to deny Odisha a second win of the season. Haryana themselves have not had any victories so far and both teams are stuck in the bottom half of the table.Bishnoi, the 21-year old playing his first season of Ranji Trophy, was the common thread that connected three solid partnerships. He added 86 runs in 36.5 overs with Nitin Saini (64), 75 runs with Rohit Sharma (42) in 30.5 overs, 44 runs with Sachin Rana in 18.5 overs and an unbeaten 30 runs with Priyank Tehlan in 11.5 overs to guide his team to relative safety. And clearly, Odisha’s bowlers could not summon the finishing blow: Dhiraj Singh, Suryakant Pradhan and Basant Mohanty bowled 73 overs for only four wickets.
ScorecardThe game eventually petered out into a race for the first innings lead, and Maharashtra who had come into the final day on 290 for 3 did have an opportunity to run down Bengal’s 528 for 9 declared, but were unable to do so. They were reliant on the overnight pair of Rahul Tripathi’s (132 off275 balls) and Ankit Bawne (65 off 143 balls) but once that 156-run partnership for the fourth wicket was broken, Bengal took control.Bawne was bowled by Veer Pratap Singh and the score became 313 for 4. Tripathi fell 16 runs later, then Maharashtra lost their sixth, seventh and eighth wickets for only 11 runs and finally were eventually all out for 406. Pragyan Ojha took 3 for 71. Ashok Dinda, Mukesh Kumar and Aamir Gani picked up two wickets each. Bengal then played out 33 overs with Abhimanyu Easwaran securing his second fifty of the match.