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The two cousins, who play for Punjab in the domestic circuit, landed contracts worth INR 4.8 crores and INR 80 lakhs each with Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians respectively

Shashank Kishore18-Dec-2018The Bollywood hit plays on a loudspeaker in the background as the phone is tossed from one person to another. “Sorry, sir. This was unexpected, everyone has suddenly started a party here,” Prabhsimran Singh, the 18-year-old Punjab wicketkeeper, says as he strains his ears to get to the other end of the telephone call. His world hasn’t quite been the same since he returned from a training session after a long Tuesday afternoon siesta.A contract worth INR 4.8 crores from Kings XI Punjab was least on his mind as he was driving home along with older cousin Anmolpreet Singh, after the three-hour nets near their family home in Patiala. Not having played first-class or T20 cricket, he didn’t even know if his name had made it to the final shortlist of 351. Four hours into the auction, he was reaching out for the phone charger amid a large gathering of friends and family who were feeding them (sweets).It wasn’t just Prabhsimran’s IPL contract they were celebrating. Just an hour earlier, Anmolpreet had been picked up for INR 80 lakhs by Mumbai Indians. The joint family then decided to throw open their house to the neighbourhood.ALSO READ: Curran and Unadkat are IPL millionaires, Hetmyer to RCBIn June, Prabhsimran channeled his frustration of not being picked for India Under-19 by hitting 298 off just 301 balls in an Under-23 inter-district game against Amritsar. He shared a double-century stand in that game with Anmolpreet. In the following month, he was called for an NCA camp and eventually was named captain of the India Under-19 side that toured Bangladesh for the Asia Cup.Prabhsimran had little idea that he was being watched closely by IPL talent scouts on television when he smashed a 33-ball half-century against Sri Lanka in Mirpur. He peppered the big square boundaries on the leg side with ease. It was only when he was called for trials that he know it was that knock which impressed teams.”I was called by Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals but I had to turn them down because I was playing the Under-19 Vinoo Mankad Trophy for Punjab. “My realistic aim was to make the India Under-19 team, so I didn’t really think about the IPL. I don’t know how to react now, I’m not able to believe teams really bid so much for me. After a certain stage, I was like (man), I don’t even know how many zeroes are there!’ I was in fact more happy that Anmol had been picked, I’d started playing because of him.”In September, Prabhsimran was asked to bat at the Kings XI Punjab trials in Mohali and given two scenarios. The first entailed a chase of 100 in 10 overs, and another needing 75 off eight overs. He responded by making half-centuries off 19 and 29 balls respectively in the two instances. Mike Hesson, the head coach, gave him words of encouragement, which Prabhsimran thought was words spoken to any youngster to boost their confidence. “At that time, I thought I’ve done my best, if I’m picked, good, if I’m not picked I’ll work harder.”ALSO READ: IPL 2019 auction: The list of sold and unsold playersGrowing up in a joint family, the brothers who both turned out to be batsmen, needed someone to bowl at them. As it turned out, their fathers took turns to give them practice. When the noise would turn into a distraction for the family, the boys would quietly go out and play with the colony friends. Today, the same friends demanded both throw them a party because it was a reunion of sorts.It was only last week Prabhsimran returned from Sri Lanka after a stint with the India Emerging team that finished runners-up to the hosts. Anmolpreet, meanwhile, flew home to India last week after a stint with the India A team that played three 50-over matches in New Zealand.”His influence rubbed off on me,” Prabhsimran says. “I took to the game hearing the sound of him batting against the wall and playing. So in a way, both our journeys have come along side-by-side. When we’re at home, it’s mostly cricket talk. We also train together when we aren’t with our respective teams.”An attacking opening batsman, Anmolpreet shot into prominence during the Under-19 World Cup in 2016, where he was the Player of the Match in India’s semi-final win over Sri Lanka. He made his Ranji Trophy debut for Punjab last year and has already made three hundreds in 11 first-class matches. He finished his debut season with 753 runs at an average of 125.50″When my name came up, we stopped the car on the side of the road, and kept watching,” Anmolpreet said. “When there was an opening bid, I was relieved. It didn’t matter how much money I’d go for after that, because at this age, you want opportunities to play. At the start of the year, if someone told me I’d play for India A under Rahul Dravid and then be a part of a team having legends like Mahela Jayawardene and Sachin Tendulkar, I wouldn’t have believed it. It feels amazing.”

As Sri Lanka begin a major overseas assignment, a clutch of young players have been tasked with making the side a force in international cricket again. We profile four of them

Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Dec-20161:27

‘I want to get to 10,000 runs’

Kusal MendisAge: 21
714 runs at 34 in 11 TestsSmall, unassuming and quiet, but possessed of a monster talent, Mendis, a product of Sri Lanka’s school cricket system, may be the premier batsman in his age group. Having earned a scholarship to Moratuwa’s Prince of Wales College early in life, Mendis went on to captain the school, and quickly rose to acclaim as one of the nation’s most prolific teenaged players. He won the Schoolboy Cricketer of theYear award in 2013, and captained Sri Lanka’s Under-19 side at the Youth World Cup the following year. Mendis had shown glimmers of ability on away tours to New Zealand and England, but it is against Australia at home, that he played an innings that commanded the world’s attention. With his side facing an 86-run first-innings deficit, he struck a poised and positive 176 in a match where no other batsman mustered more than 55. That innings turned Sri Lanka’s series fortunes. Mendis top-scored in the next Test, in Galle, as well.1:24

For the love of Steyn

Dushmantha ChameeraAge: 24
21 wickets at 27.28 in five TestsIt wasn’t until he was in his early twenties that Dushmantha Chameera developed his searing pace, but when he did, coaches and national selectors took immediate notice. Slim and tall, Chameera’s primary weapon is the bouncer, with which he claimed figures of 5 for 47 and 4 for 68 in a Test in Hamilton last year. He has had reverse swing at home, but it the pace he generates, rather than the lateral movement he gleans, that makes him a threat.Chameera returns to the Test squad now following a seven-month layoff due to a stress fracture in his back. The most promising Sri Lanka quick in recent years, it is hoped he can avoid the injuries that have consumed other fast bowlers’ careers.1:09

De Silva’s double-ton dream

Dhananjaya de SilvaAge: 25
550 runs at 61.11 in five TestsDe Silva is a languid presence at the batting crease, but so far in his career, has been a high-impact player, hitting a six to collect his first Test runs, and top-scoring in his maiden series, against Australia. He is an opener by trade, but has been charged with batting in the lower middle order for Sri Lanka. His best innings came at the SSC, where he strode to the crease with the score at 26 for 5, and went on to hit a fuss-free 129 against Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon. De Silva comes into the South Africa series with the best run of form from among his teammates: having made 129, 65*, 64 and 127 in his last three Tests.He is also an improving offspin bowler, and a good fielder, often deployed at backward point.1:15

“Dale Steyn is my favourite”

Lahiru KumaraAge: 19
4 wickets at 59.25 in two TestsThe youngest player in the squad, Kumara played in the Youth World Cup earlier this year, but it was in the Under-19 team’s tour of England that he really impressed. In a youth Test in Northampton, Kumara claimed 7 for 82 and 4 for 52 with his bustling right-arm pace aided by outswing. That performance, and another 4 for 56 in a Chelmsford Youth ODI, saw him promoted to the national team.He made his Test debut in Harare.

It is hard to recall a less experienced squad, in recent years at least, flying out of Australia for a Test tour. This is the first glimpse of how the team will look in the Steven Smith era

Brydon Coverdale14-Sep-2015The dizzying disorientation brought on by the premature arrival of the future. That’s how author Alvin Toffler defined his concept of “future shock” back in the 1970s. Next month in Bangladesh, Australian cricket might suffer from a case of it, for it is hard to recall a less experienced squad, in recent years at least, flying out of Australia for a Test tour.Test experience

57 – Siddle
46 – Lyon
33 – Smith
22 – Starc
15 – S Marsh
9 – Khawaja
7 – M Marsh
7 – Voges
4 – Nevill
3 – Maxwell
2 – Burns
1 – Cummins
1 – O’Keefe
0 – Bancroft
0 – Fekete

The table at right tells the story. It is a list of Australia’s 15 squad members for the Bangladesh series, ordered by number of Tests played. If those figures were on a scorecard, it would suggest an exceptionally long tail. It is a glimpse at the future of Australia’s Test team and through retirements, injury and workload management, the future is now.First, let’s consider who is there. Michael Clarke retired at the end of the failed Ashes campaign. So did Chris Rogers, Brad Haddin and Shane Watson. Ryan Harris pulled the pin before the Ashes even started. David Warner is absent with a broken thumb, and the selectors have chosen to rest Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood after a busy few months.Warner, Johnson and Hazlewood will return for the home Tests against New Zealand and West Indies, which will add much-needed experience. But otherwise this squad – plus men from outside the group such as James Faulkner, James Pattinson and Ashton Agar – is Australia’s future. This is the first glimpse of how the team will look in the Steven Smith era.And at first glance it is a squad with some promise, though with much to learn. The make-up of the top order remains undecided, but what is certain is that it will be raw. Joe Burns, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh are all in the mix to open the batting and while it might be tempting to leave out the uncapped Bancroft, it may also be an error.Last summer Bancroft displayed his remarkable patience with a 13-hour innings of 211 in a Sheffield Shield match at the WACA and, oxymoronic as it sounds, that makes him an exciting prospect. He used his feet and the sweep to great effect against the Indian spinners in the recent A series and scored 150 in Chennai, and could be just the man Australia need in Bangladesh conditions.Burns was unlucky not to make the Ashes squad after scoring a pair of fifties in his second Test against India last summer, and his lack of runs in the one-day series against England should not be held against him – the format, conditions and opposition will be vastly different next month. Though he debuted as a Test No.6, Burns is an opener for Queensland.Whatever XI is chosen for the first Test in Chittagong, the batting order will lack Test experience. Of the batsmen, only Smith and Marsh have played more than 10 Tests, and it is far from certain that Marsh will even be in the starting line-up. The situation is clear from the fact that Adam Voges, who four months ago was uncapped, is suddenly the stand-in Test vice-captain.There is more experience in the bowling line-up through Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc, but Australia may yet regret leaving Johnson at home. Their attack was flaccid on the UAE pitches against Pakistan last year and Johnson’s pace through the air at least made him of some value in the first Test in Dubai.Bangladesh’s batsmen do not boast the sturdiness of Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq, but nor are they to be underestimated in their own conditions. They will be thrilled not to face the speed of Johnson; it might be left to Pat Cummins, in line for his first Test match in nearly four years, to deliver the extra pace that may rattle the local batsmen. If his body holds up to it.The selectors will also need to determine how to balance their attack, with the spin of Steve O’Keefe and Glenn Maxwell available as backup to Lyon. It is not the first time Maxwell has been viewed as a valuable all-round option in Asian conditions, but none of his three Tests in India and the UAE have borne out that belief.Undoubtedly the most surprising selection was that of Andrew Fekete, a 30-year-old fast bowler who has spent only two years as a first-class cricketer. One good Sheffield Shield season for Tasmania last summer led to an Australia A call-up and while his tally of five wickets in two first-class games against India A may not look much, the selectors liked his ability to find reverse swing.A debut for Fekete appears unlikely, but his very presence in the 15-man squad highlights just how much things have changed. Even among Australian cricket’s more serious fans, many would struggle to pick him out of a line-up. The fringe cricket watchers who emerge in the home summer would never have heard of him.Bangladesh’s only Test wins have come against Zimbabwe and a third-string West Indies team, so there are worse places to take a team this low on experience. But, weather permitting, anything except a 2-0 series win will be viewed as a failure. The pressure is on Smith and his men to ensure Australia’s tour of Bangladesh is more Dizzy Gillespie than dizzying disorientation.

Plays of the day from the final of the Women’s World Twenty20 in Mirpur

Alan Gardner and Mohammad Isam in Mirpur06-Apr-2014The triple missHeather Knight had already lofted Erin Osborne straight down the ground for one boundary when she tried it again. Her drive was firmly struck but a little lower and Osborne missed the catch above her head by a whisker. Jess Jonassen made good ground from long-off but, in bending to collect the ball, managed to deflect it past the covering fielder, Jess Cameron, who had come across from long-on. Cameron threw herself full length after it but a third pair of hands was unable to prevent four.The first boundaryEngland doesn’t rely on sixes – not having hit any all tournament – but they were having a tough time even finding their first boundary in this final. It came at the end of the third over when Charlotte Edwards played the paddle sweep to Rene Ferrell. It found the gap, and went for four, but the shot looked mildly desperate.The catchEngland’s openers had been penned in by some precise lines but Edwards and Sarah Taylor were still together as the end of the Powerplay neared. Sarah Coyte was bowling the sixth over when Edwards got under a drive, the bat turning slightly as the ball looped towards mid-on. Momentarily it looked as if the lack of power would save her, only for Jess Cameron to swoop to her left and take the ball inches above the ground.The returnErin Osborne had gone for 13 runs in her first over but when Meg Lanning brought her back, she repaid the faith with top scorer Heather Knight’s wicket in the 13th over of the innings. But the wicket was more down to Ellyse Perry’s catch at the midwicket boundary, as it was hit very hard and low.The statement of intentAustralia’s predilection for hitting sixes was in stark contrast to the approach favoured by England. Chasing a small target, and aware that Anya Shrubsole would be giving away little at one end, Jonassen decided to take on Danielle Hazell in the second over. Hazell’s first ball was dumped over long-on (Australia’s 15th six and counting), the third speared through point and the sixth bullied in front of square. Not bad for an ersatz opener.

Despite having an excellent record against Pakistan, an out-of-sorts Australia will be tested at venues that are likely to favour spin

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan27-Aug-2012

• Australia and Pakistan have played each other 35 times since 2000 with Australia having an overwhelming 26-8 record. The head-to-head record since 2005 is also loaded in favour of Australia (13-4). While the contests in Australia have been completely one-sided (9-1 to Australia), the record is far more even (4-3) in neutral venues.
• In the last series played between the two teams in the UAE, Australia beat Pakistan 3-2. Pakistan, however, caused a massive upset by ending Australia’s 34-match unbeaten streak in World Cups when they registered a four-wicket win in Colombo in the group stage of the 2011 World Cup.
• Pakistan enter the series with a mixed record in the last 12 months. Pakistan beat both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh comfortably but lost 4-0 to England after winning the Test series. They went on to win the Asia Cup beating Bangladesh in the final but lost the following ODI series in Sri Lanka 3-1.
• Australia, on the other hand, lost their way after wins in South Africa and the CB series. They drew 2-2 against West Indies and lost 4-0 to England which resulted in them slipping in the ODI rankings. It was only the fourth time that Australia lost four matches in a bilateral ODI series.
• Australia will miss the all-round skills of Shane Watson in this series. Since 2009, Watson has scored 3300 runs at an average of 44.59 and strike rate close to 91 with five centuries. In the same period, he is also Australia’s second-highest wicket-taker with 85 wickets at 26.15. However, Mitchell Johnson, Australia’s highest wicket-taker since 2009 (105 wickets at 26.56) returns to the squad. Among non-subcontinent bowlers who have picked up at least 50 wickets in Asia, Johnson’s average of 21.10 is second only to that of Allan Donald (19.60).
• Michael Clarke has scored nearly 800 runs against Pakistan at an excellent average of 61.23. His average is the best among batsmen who have scored at least 750 runs in ODIs against Pakistan.
• With Umar Gul missing out, the top three wicket-takers in Pakistan’s squad (since 2009) are all spinners. Shahid Afridi, one of only three players to score over 7000 runs and pick up 250 wickets, has a best performance of 6 for 38 against Australia in the UAE in 2009.
• In 11 day-night games in Abu Dhabi since 2009, the team batting first has won six and lost five. There is no significant advantage in Sharjah either with the team batting first having a 3-2 record in five day-night matches. Sharjah, which hosts the first and third ODIs, has been the better bowling venue for both pace bowlers and spinners. In day-night games in Sharjah since 2009, pace bowlers have picked up 41 wickets at 28.36 and spinners have 34 wickets at 28.32. The corresponding figures in Abu Dhabi are 85 wickets at 31.91 (pace) and 62 wickets at 31.14 (spin).

The PCB stands to make a profit of over $2 million from the ongoing series against Australia, being staged in England as a “home” series

Osman Samiuddin16-Jul-2010The PCB stands to make a profit of over US$ 2 million from the ongoing series against Australia, being staged in England as a ‘home’ series. The relative financial success of the series, which takes in two Twenty20s and two Tests, could pave the way for future home series being played in the country.Following the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in March last year no international cricket is likely in Pakistan in the near future. That prospect has compelled the board to examine a number of ways in which they can schedule what would be home series.Last year they played a three-Test series against New Zealand in New Zealand as a home series, having earlier staged three ODIs and two T20s in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The Middle East remains the other viable option, Pakistan having played Australia in a limited-overs series in April last year. They are also due to ‘host’ South Africa for a full tour in October-November.Though geographically the region has its advantages, the PCB remains concerned about the economic viability of Abu Dhabi and Dubai; the series against Australia last year wasn’t thought to be financially successful. The New Zealand experiment was also financially a dud.Such hits, admits Wasim Bari, PCB’s chief operating officer, will have to be taken in the broader interests of Pakistan’s progression. “What are our priorities first? Sometimes you have to invest a little and the most important thing is that Pakistan is playing and is moving forward,” he told Cricinfo. “If the choice is to play or not, what is the choice? You play of course.”In England’s robust cricket infrastructure – and a large, committed base of British fans of Pakistani origin – a natural home away from home always existed. But when the series were inked in last year, PCB officials privately feared that it would be, monetarily, a tough option, especially as they would be hosting – and thus bearing the travelling and accommodation expenses – for the visiting team, in this case Australia.Those fears have proved unfounded as an official familiar with the numbers of the series confirms. “At the end of the Australia tour, the PCB will be better off by approximately £1.5 million,” the official told Cricinfo. “England is a very feasible option in that sense and is better as a revenue-generating venue and sponsor option than other neutral venues.”Part of the revenue for the PCB has come from the MCC, who have sponsored the entire series as a non-profit venture in a bid to push their ‘Spirit of Cricket’ message and help Pakistan. The revenue from gate receipts will go to the stadiums themselves, in this case Lord’s, Headingley and Edgbaston; had it been a traditional home series in Pakistan, the PCB would have received a share and left the rest to the local authority. And attendances in a country where ticket prices are high have so far been good.”MCC will keep all ticket revenues from the match but, of course, has paid for the right to host the game,” Keith Bradshaw, the MCC chief executive, told Cricinfo. “[Ticket sales have been] encouraging. Having marketed the match heavily over a number of months, MCC has pre-sold over 43,000 tickets for the first four days of this Lord’s Test match.Attendances are higher than this figure, however, as this does not take account of the number of MCC members who watch the game – likely to be a few thousand on each day. Attendances at the two MCC Spirit of Cricket Twenty20 matches at Edgbaston were very healthy, around 25,000 over the two days.”The PCB will not benefit from in-stadia advertising as it would’ve done for an actual home series, where they would’ve received the entire amount, but the series comes under their five-year broadcast deal for home assignments with Ten Sports (as will all their home series that move to neutral venues), so in principle that revenue is the board’s.Instead of being a content producer this time, however, the network is merely selling content on. Sky, who have territorial rights in the UK, were given broadcast rights for the UK in return for them producing the series. Ten Sports, meanwhile, continues to sell the series worldwide, to Fox Sports in Australia for example and Supersport in Africa.The venue, said an official familiar with the details of Pakistan’s broadcast deal, works out well for the network as well. “As a broadcaster, staging the game in the UK works pretty well for Ten Sports on the Tests (they become prime time in Pakistan), but it didn’t work so well on the Twenty20s which happened too late in the day for a Pakistani advertising market,” the official told Cricinfo.One of the T20is also clashed with one semi-final of the football World Cup, so the delay in Ten broadcasting the semi-final meant lost ad revenue. Ultimately, Pakistan’s security situation has not been as problematic for its broadcast deal as it could’ve been, “as long as the games are moved to good time zones, so that moving cricket to New Zealand or Malaysia would be a disadvantage.”It is no surprise then that the prospect of more “home” Tests for Pakistan in England is an appealing one. “The MCC would welcome Pakistan to play neutral matches at Lord’s in the future with open arms,” says Bradshaw. “It would be a matter of negotiation between the PCB and the ECB as to whether England would host Pakistan home matches / series in the years to come. The Club would always seek to bid for major international cricket fixtures and so would most likely do so should Pakistan return to England in the coming years.”

Shahid Afridi steamrolled the Indian bowlers for the second time in as many Tests

George Binoy22-Jan-2006Shahid Afridi steamrolled the Indian bowlers for the second time in as many Tests and the fact that India were playing five bowlers and that Pakistan were not in as commanding a position as in Lahore, only made him play a more responsible and marginally less destructive innings.While the spinners bore the brunt at Lahore (89 runs off 69 balls), in Faisalabad the fast bowlers came under Afridi’s hammer, going for 111 runs off 84 balls. In the wake of the 57 runs that Afridi clobbered off 6.3 overs from Harbhajan Singh at Lahore, Rahul Dravid didn’t bowl him at Afridi on the second day at Faisalabad. In fact, only 12 off the 128 balls faced by Afridi were bowled by Harbhajan.Pace in the mid-120 kmph range was never going to fluster Afridi and when the ball was pitched up, he clouted down the ground and when it was short he hoicked over midwicket with ease. Irfan Pathan was listless, lacking in pace and swing, and no matter where he bowled Afridi went after him. Twenty two runs were scored of four short deliveries and even the 20 balls Pathan pitched on a good length cost 25 runs.

A look back at matches involving Afghanistan that wrote themselves in the history books

Shashank Kishore26-Sep-2018ESPNcricinfo LtdZimbabwe v Afghanistan, World Cup Qualifiers, Harare, 2018Afghanistan had lost their opening game to Scotland, and defeat to Zimbabwe looked all but inevitable when Mujeeb Ur Rahman was the ninth man out with Afghanistan still needing 20. But the Zadrans – Dawlat and Shapoor – weren’t giving up yet. In a tense half hour where every ball was an event, the pair slowly ate into the target, batting out 49 deliveries to add 17. It was now down to three runs off four deliveries. A mini-conference on the field kept Afghanistan on tenterhooks. Then Brian Vitori slanted one full, drew the edge from Shapoor and Brendon Taylor held on to give Zimbabwe a two-run victory. A packed Harare Sports Club went into delirium. Shapoor, a picture of dejection and angst, had to be literally forced off the field in disappointment. Afghanistan’s campaign had been jolted.West Indies v Afghanistan, 1st ODI, St Lucia, 2017Rashid Khan had 212 to defend on a sluggish surface. The four previous occasions that he had picked four or more wickets resulted in wins. West Indies were steady at 68 for 2, when Rashid struck off his first two deliveries in the 23rd over to crack the game open. Then he struck off consecutive deliveries in his second over, the 25th, to be on a hat-trick twice during his opening spell that read 4 for 1 at one point. Even the lone run conceded came courtesy a dubious wide call. Rashid scythed through the lower order too, finishing with 7 for 18, the fourth-best haul in ODI history as West Indies were shot out for 149. The 63-run victory for Afghanistan was their first in this format over a Full Member other than Zimbabwe or Bangladesh.Afghanistan v Scotland, 2015 World Cup, DunedinAfghanistan looked down and out when they slumped to 97 for 7. The slide was sparked by Richie Berrington’s accurate seam-ups that triggered an epic 5 for 12 collapse after Javed Ahmadi’s brisk half-century. Samiullah Shenwari, however, had other ideas. He was consuming too many balls, he was struggling to rotate strike, but buckled down and gave himself time. His calmness and a partnership of 35 for the eighth wicket with Dawlat brought them back. But Dawlat slogged across the line to be caught at mid-off.Shenwari made his disgust obvious much before the catch had been taken. Then there were calculated blows, frantic running, pure unbreakable belief and some breathtaking six-hitting with Afghanistan needing 38 off 24. Shenwari hit three sixes in four balls and was caught trying to hit a fourth. It eventually boiled down to five off the final over, and four off four balls. Shapoor had dead-batted expertly, but he had to look for the boundary now. Iain Wardlaw went for a yorker, missed and slipped a low full toss down leg. Shapoor picked it behind square and raced off in celebration the moment it crossed the infield. This was a victory for Associate cricket. This was for Afghanistan. A first World Cup win had been achieved.2:05

What do Afghanistan need to do to reach the next level?

Bangladesh v Afghanistan, Asia Cup 2014, FatullahRashid was still two years away from international cricket, Mujeeb three. Afghanistan were playing only their fourth match against a major team, and in Fatullah, they not only defeated Bangladesh, the Test-playing hosts, but nearly sneaked out a bonus point too. The foundation was laid by a stunning 164-run partnership between Asghar Afghan and Shenwari to lift them from 90 for 5 in the 27th over. After being hauled to 254, they bowled and fielded like Tigers – a name their opponents are fondly referred to by the fans. Shapoor generated enough pace in his first over to rattle the openers. He capped it off with a wicket off the fifth ball. Hamid Hasan, the headband, tattoo and heart-on-his-sleeve bowler, bristled in from the other end and struck vital blows. Bangladesh’s chances of revival rested on their captain, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Mominul Haque but once Afghanistan found their way past, there was a sense of despondency in the Bangladesh camp.Afghanistan v Ireland, 4th ODI, Greater Noida, 2017Afghanistan were tottering at 142 for 8, before Shafiqullah and Dawlat hauled them to 220. Ireland, trailing 1-2 in the five-match series, had every reason to be happy. Mohammad Nabi spun out the top order with his guile to leave Ireland hanging by a thread. Their problems were compounded when Kevin O’Brien had to retire hurt because of a hamstring injury. Then he returned with Ireland needing 91 with four wickets in hand and counter-attacked at the first sign of Afghanistan’s spinners switching off. In a 10-minute passage, O’Brien went berserk, the ferocity of his onslaught offsetting the top-order collapse. Gary Wilson held his own and the series had been tied.Three other historic Afghanistan winsJersey v Afghanistan, final, World Cricket League Division Five, 2008: Chasing 81, Afghanistan won by two wickets.Afghanistan v USA, World Twenty20 Qualifier, Dubai, 2010: Afghanistan defended 135, to win by 29 runs.Afghanistan v Ireland, final, World Twenty20 Qualifier, Dubai, 2010: Afghanistan won by eight wickets to qualify for the World T20 in West Indies..

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Oct-2016Tom Latham also looked good and began to score freely after a testing initial period•BCCIThe openers put on New Zealand’s first century opening stand of the series•BCCIThe 118-run stand ended when R Ashwin had Latham caught and bowled for 53•BCCIGuptill went into lunch unbeaten on 59, with captain Kane Williamson for company•BCCIWilliamson was the first to go after lunch, chopping an Ashwin delivery onto his stumps•BCCIAshwin then dismissed Ross Taylor and Luke Ronchi for ducks – and ran Guptill out at the non-striker’s end – to leave New Zealand tottering at 148 for 5•BCCIBJ Watling and James Neesham then shared a 53-run partnership for the sixth wicket…•BCCI…before Ravindra Jadeja had Watling caught by Ajinkya Rahane at slip•BCCIAnother half-century stand followed, this time between Neesham and Mitchell Santner, before Jadeja struck again, dismissing Santner for 22•BCCINeesham kept attacking, hitting a 115-ball 71, but he was the eighth wicket to fall, adjudged lbw to give Ashwin his 20th five-wicket haul in Tests•BCCIWhen Trent Boult holed out to Cheteshwar Pujara, New Zealand were dismissed for 299•BCCIGautam Gambhir retired hurt after aggravating a right shoulder injury he had picked up while fielding, but M Vijay and Pujara saw India safely through to stumps with 18 runs on the board•BCCI

Australia’s top order’s eagerness to attack saw them gift England wickets, with Moeen Ali especially profiting from a blind spot against spin

Daniel Brettig in Cardiff09-Jul-2015With Australia and Yorkshire, Darren Lehmann laid waste to many a spin bowler. One modest opponent had the joy of occasionally taking him down.Even though Paul Wiseman of New Zealand was hammered plenty of times, he was twice able to deny Lehmann the sorts of milestones that have fallen to more prudent batting types. In 2004, he bowled Lehmann 19 short of a treasured Test hundred on his beloved Adelaide Oval. Two years later, Wiseman again splayed Lehmann’s stumps as he swung for the six that would have taken him to 345 and the highest ever score for Yorkshire. George Herbert Hirst’s 342 still stands.Another record still standing after day two of the Investec Ashes is Australia’s 14-year run without a series victory on English shores. It was difficult not to think that an opportunity had been missed, as all Australia’s top five made starts and none went on to a match-shaping hundred. Most damaging were the loss of Steven Smith and Michael Clarke to Moeen Ali, the latest addition to a growing trend.Australia ‘disappointed’ by Broad reprieve

Australia have defended their short leg fielder Adam Voges and questioned the ruling of the umpires after he faced considerable criticism for appearing to claim a low catch off Stuart Broad that replays showed to have been grounded.
The opener Chris Rogers said Voges had actually said he was unsure if the chance carried to him, only for the umpire Marais Erasmus to give Broad out. Oddly the umpires then conferred and referred the decision, which was then reversed. Rogers questioned whether this process had been correct.
“Happy to defend Adam here, he stood up straight away and said ‘I’m not sure’, and actually the umpire said he was sure and gave him out, so Adam didn’t claim it,” Rogers said. “Then the fact that it was reviewed I’m not sure the ruling there, I think we have a right to be a little bit disappointed. That could be interesting to see what the development is there.”
Moeen Ali, who was at the non-striker’s end alongside Erasmus, said he also thought the chance had carried, and backed up Rogers’ assertion about Voges.

After the fashion of Lehmann, a pillar of Australia’s previous Ashes success was a relentless attack on the spin of Graeme Swann. There was no secret to the tactic, which numerous players had flagged before the series, and no let up in its execution. From the first day in Brisbane, Swann was not allowed to settle. He ultimately chose to retire after three Tests, leaving the tour in haste.Next up, Clarke’s men were similarly successful in attacking South Africa’s left-arm spinner Robin Peterson at Centurion Park. Like Swann, Peterson did not see out the series, being dropped after the first Test. Neither Alastair Cook nor Graeme Smith had been able to gain any traction with spin, as blows rained down on their slow men without anywhere near enough wickets to justify the expense.Since then, however, a blind spot has opened up. In four overseas Tests, Yasir Shah, Zulfiqar Babar, Devendra Bishoo and now Moeen Ali have all benefited from the chances afforded them by Australian aggression. The attacks on spin have continued, but at a far greater cost. No team coached by Lehmann is ever likely to back off from a confrontation with a spin bowler, but there is mounting evidence that a more measured approach is required at times of import.Take Smith. Either side of an admittedly brilliant 199 in Jamaica, he has twice now been dismissed through an impetuous dance down the wicket. On both occasions the bowler anticipated his movement and adjusted his length and pace accordingly, leaving Smith stranded. As Australia’s new No. 3 batsman, Smith cannot afford to be losing his wicket in such a manner, and he knows it.Moeen had been the beneficiary of overconfident batsmen last summer, when India took progressively more liberties against him even as his tally of wickets mounted. He was less successful in Australia during the World Cup, but he is no mug, and like most spin bowlers has become well attuned to the desire of batsmen to use the advantages afforded them in the Twenty20 age – bats, short boundaries, gym work – to take him down.Against Smith, Moeen was initially cowed by the Australian’s fleetness of foot. Three of his first four balls were hammered to the straight and cover boundaries, an unmistakeable statement. In a show of faith, Alastair Cook did not take Moeen off, and in the two overs before he got another look at Smith, the spinner re-calibrated his approach. When they next faced one another, Smith spoiled to get down the wicket again, while Moeen aimed flatter stuff at his hip with a short mid on in place.Steve Smith leaves the field after getting himself into a horrible tangle against Moeen Ali•Getty ImagesThe result of this was a bizarre-looking dismissal, where Smith effectively gave up his wicket to a catch in an effort to avoid being stumped. He had not set off down the wicket before Moeen bowled, but was left hopelessly tangled as the bat face was turned almost completely around and the ball bobbled off near enough to the back of the blade to nestle in Cook’s hands.A little over an hour later, and Clarke was equally eager to get at Moeen. His strength as a player of spin has largely come from his ability to use the full width of the crease, whether getting quickly down the wicket or right back to cut or pull. Both gifts were on display in a pair of boundaries he struck against Moeen, but in attempting to go again, Clarke was jammed by a ball fuller than he was prepared for, bunting back a return catch.These dismissals were a source of great satisfaction for England, their captain Cook and their new coach Trevor Bayliss, who was himself something of a thumper of spinners. But they were exceedingly damaging to Australia, leaving them to struggle through the rest of this match without a first-innings hundred from the top order. As Ashes underdogs in 2013-14, Australia were able to ambush England and Swann. This time, more or less the opposite occurred, and the favourites have some thinking to do.Chris Rogers, who played with considerable verve to reach 95 before also losing his wicket to a shot lacking in some discretion, said that this was Australia, take it or leave it. “If you look at it today you could say perhaps we could have been a little bit more patient, but you can’t have it both ways,” he said. “That’s how guys play and they’ve been so successful doing it. Every now and again they’re going to get out playing that way, and particularly as a side that’s our mentality, to be positive, so when it happens you’ve just got to accept it.”We have spoken about if we can put pressure on the spinner, maybe get him off and get the quicks back on it’s going to help us in the long run. For a lot of us to get out the way we did it’s going to hurt, particularly when there was an opportunity to make it count today. The fact that I go a 90 and there were three thirties and the ways we got out. That’ll hurt us and we think we’re better than that, but these things happen. If you’re positive and you’re going at it, sometimes you’re going to get out these ways.”On day one, Joe Root had said something similar, mentioning that when taking the positive option and “it doesn’t quite come off, you look slightly stupid or you play what looks like a horrendous shot”. Just as Lehmann was made to look occasionally silly by Wiseman, Australia were left looking foolish by Moeen on day two. Their fervent hope is that over the broader measure of a five match series, their approach will win out, as it once did for their coach.