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Fred Klaassen and Daniel Doram have been ruled out because of injuries

ESPNcricinfo staff22-May-2024Fred Klaassen and Daniel Doram have been ruled out of the T20 World Cup, and Netherlands have added Kyle Klein, who was the lone travelling reserve, along with Saqib Zulfiqar to the squad as their replacements.Klaasen faced a recurrence of symptoms from a previously sustained stress fracture of the lower back while Doran was ruled out due to a broken hand.Netherlands are preparing for the upcoming T20 World Cup with a tri-series against Scotland and Ireland, where they have so far beaten Scotland comprehensively and lost to Ireland by one run in a close finish. Doram played both those games, returning 2 for 35 and 2 for 27 respectively, but Klaassen hasn’t featured at all.Zulfiqar, 27, has so far played six T20Is – to go with 15 ODIs – and has nine wickets at an economy rate of 6.46, while Klein, the 22-year-old right-arm medium pacer, has played just the solitary T20I and two ODIs till date. The T20I was against Nepal earlier this year, where he bowled just one wicketless over and gave away five runs.Klaassen (Kent) and Bas de Leede (Durham) were the Dutch players allowed to miss the Vitality T20 Blast by their English counties and released for the T20 World Cup, even as the experienced duo of Colin Ackermann (Durham) and Roelof van der Merwe (Somerset) had to stay on with their counties.Kyle Klein was a travelling reserve earlier•ICC via Getty Images

Zulfiqar, a legspinning allrounder, last played a T20I in 2019, while Doram, the Leeward Islands left-arm spinner, had earned a call-up to a full Netherlands T20I squad for the first time.The squad still has a left-arm spinner in Tim Pringle, though.Of the players who were likely to be picked but weren’t, Brandon Glover wasn’t considered as he continues his comeback after an injury, while Timm van der Gugten is out of action with a calf injury.Scott Edwards will continue to captain the side, as he did at the 2022 T20 World Cup.Netherlands have been drawn in Group D of the T20 World Cup, which starts on June 1, alongside Bangladesh, Nepal, South Africa and Sri Lanka, and start with a game against Nepal on June 4 in Dallas.

Netherlands provisional squad for the T20 World Cup

Aryan Dutt, Bas de Leede, Kyle Klein, Logan van Beek, Max O’Dowd, Michael Levitt, Paul van Meekeren, Scott Edwards (capt/wk), Saqib Zulfiqar, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Teja Nidamanuru, Tim Pringle, Vikramjit Singh, Vivian Kingma, Wesley Barresi

Seamer Jake Ball chimes in with 4 for 34 as Somerset win by six wickets

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay14-Aug-2025Somerset 252 for 4 (Vaughan 95, J Rew 53*) beat Yorkshire 247 (Revis 85, Ball 4-34) by six wicketsFour-wicket seamer Jake Ball and opener Archie Vaughan with a career best 95 starred as Somerset ended Yorkshire’s 100 percent winning start to this season’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup by bowling the Group B leaders out for 247 at York and then chasing confidently.Somerset joined their hosts on 12 points at the top of the table at the halfway stage in the group campaign courtesy of this six-wicket win with five balls remaining. Both counties having won three and lost one.Yorkshire still hold sway courtesy of a superior net run-rate, but they were second-best on a used Clifton Park pitch.Yorkshire lost wickets in clusters at either end of a scrambling innings which saw ex-England limited overs quick Ball take an excellent 4 for 34 from 9.4 overs and Matthew Revis top-scored with a middle-order List A best of 85 off as many balls.Ball’s best List A figures in just over six years preceded Sheffield-born teenager Vaughan’s classy 127-ball effort with 11 fours. It was ironic that this senior best should come against the county for whom his father Michael starred.Yorkshire, inserted, slumped to 28 for 3 inside 10 overs.Without injured in-form opener Imam-Ul-Haq (hip), they lost Adam Lyth bowled by a beauty from Ball, Will Luxton run out next ball and James Wharton caught behind one-handed going low to his right by James Rew off Ben Green.Luxton misjudged a push to mid-off, where Josh Thomas misfielded before recovering to throw the non-striker’s stumps down.Revis, who hit nine fours, held things together on the pitch used for Tuesday’s win over Lancashire, with Yorkshire compiling nothing more than a workable total.Fin Bean, on 28, cut 18-year-old debutant seamer James Theedom to backward point with the score on 72 in the 18th over.Revis oozed confidence following three recent Championship centuries and a 69 earlier in this competition. He reached a 49-ball fifty here shortly before Yorkshire reached the halfway-mark in their innings at 115 for 4.He found an ally in fellow all-rounder George Hill. They calmly shared a recovery fifth-wicket partnership of 102.Yorkshire then lost four quick wickets, including Revis and Hill caught pulling, as the score fell from 174 for 5 in the 36th over to 204 for 8 in the 42nd. Green’s second wicket accounted for Revis, 34-year-old Ball’s second was Hill for 41.Tom Lammonby’s left-arm seam also claimed two wickets in that period.Dan Moriarty heaved the only two sixes of Yorkshire’s innings in a career-best 30 before holing out to cover as Ball struck twice in the 49th over to wrap things up.Vaughan, in his first competitive senior career appearance against his birth county, steered Somerset’s stress-free chase.Lammonby was well caught at deep gully by Lyth off Hill en route to 48 for 1 after 10 overs before 19-year-old Vaughan shared a second-wicket partnership of 70 with Lewis Goldsworthy, 30.Vaughan was particularly strong off the back foot on either side of the wicket. He reached his fifty off 65 balls.Goldsworthy fell at 111 for 2 in the 25th over when he top-edged a pull at Revis to long-leg.Vaughan continued on unflustered, sharing 64 with his captain James Rew. But he was bowled looking to go over the top against Dom Bess’s off-spin. Still, at 175 for three in the 38th, Somerset were in a strong position.James Rew finished unbeaten 53 off 62, while brother Thomas also contributed 31.

The teams will take each other on in three T20Is and three ODIs prior to the Tests

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Oct-2024Zimbabwe will host Afghanistan for what will be the first Boxing Day Test in the country in 28 years, followed by their first-ever New Year’s Test, with both matches slotted for Bulawayo.The only previous Boxing Day Test in Zimbabwe was held in 1996, when England were on tour, and the rain-hit Test was drawn in Harare. The only other Boxing Day Tests Zimbabwe have been a part of were in Wellington (2000) and in Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha, 2017).The all-format tour will start with the white-ball games, three T2oIs first between December 9 and 12 and then the three ODIs, between December 15 and 19. These games will be played in Harare, after which the teams will move to Bulawayo for the red-ball fixtures.

Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan

Dec 9 – 1st T20I, Harare
Dec 11 – 2nd T20I, Harare
Dec 12 – 3rd T20I, Harare
Dec 15 – 1st ODI, Harare
Dec 17 – 2nd ODI, Harare
Dec 19 – 3rd ODI, Harare
Dec 26-30 – 1st Test, Bulawayo
Jan 2-6 – 2nd Test, Bulawayo

“Boxing Day and New Year’s Test matches are iconic cricket fixtures that we are delighted to be adding to our calendar this festive season and we are looking forward to celebrating in style one of the finest traditions in the sport’s long history,” Zimbabwe Cricket chair Tavengwa Mukuhlani said in a statement. “Before the Test series, scheduled for Bulawayo, we will start off with some T20I and ODI action in Harare to complete a full tour, a clear demonstration of our commitment to improve our game across all formats.”Matches between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan are always intense and exciting affairs and we have no doubt the players will once again serve up some great entertainment befitting such an historic tour.”His counterpart in the Afghanistan Cricket Board, Mirwais Ashraf, said, “The all-format tour to Zimbabwe is a significant event for us. We have a rich history with Zimbabwe, and playing there has always been challenging, but it’s a challenge I believe the Afghan Atalan can face confidently.”Afghanistan and Zimbabwe have played two Test matches against each other in the past – as well as 28 ODIs and 15 T20Is – and those were both on a March 2021 series held in Abu Dhabi, where both teams won one game apiece.

Although Hasaranga’s resignation comes on the heels of Sri Lanka’s poor T20 World Cup showing, it is still something of a surprise

Andrew Fidel Fernando11-Jul-2024Wanindu Hasaranga has resigned as Sri Lanka’s T20I captain after roughly six months in the role. He said in a statement put out by the board that his decision was in the best interest of Sri Lankan cricket.”Sri Lanka will always have my utmost best efforts as a player, and I will support and stand by my team always,” Hasaranga said in his resignation letter, later seen by ESPNcricinfo.*Related

• Calm, chilled and selfless: captain Asalanka steps into Sri Lanka cricket's melee

• Jayasuriya appointed Sri Lanka's interim head coach

• Jayawardene resigns as SL's consultant coach

Although Hasaranga’s resignation came on the heels of a poor World Cup in which Sri Lanka failed to qualify for the Super Eight, it was still something of a surprise. There was little public pressure on him to be ousted, partly because he was still so new in the role. He also appeared to be relishing the job, even prioritising Sri Lanka commitments over IPL appearances this year as he recovered from a foot injury.In his resignation, he lamented Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign at length.”Sri Lanka’s early exit at the T20 World Cup is extremely disappointing to me as the captain and for the entire team,” he wrote. “As a team and a nation our expectations were high, and I was confident that the best Sri Lanka team was selected to play the tournament.”I do not wish to place excuses to condone our below-par performance, but also wholeheartedly believe that the Bangladesh game was very close and we should have been able to pull through [Bangladesh won by two wickets, with six balls remaining]. If so, circumstances and the fortunes for our nation would have been very much different.”Sri Lanka won six of the 10 T20Is they played under Hasaranga, winning bilateral series against Zimbabwe and Afghanistan to start 2024. He had also been suspended for two matches for abusing an umpire during this stint.He remains captain of the Kandy Falcons Lanka Premier League team in the ongoing franchise tournament.While there are no obvious candidates to replace him as captain of Sri Lanka in T20Is, Charith Asalanka’s name will be discussed. He took the reins in the two matches Hasaranga had been suspended for, and also leads Jaffna Kings in the LPL this year.Sri Lanka’s next T20I assignment is the three-match series against India at the end of this month. Sri Lanka will enter that series with a new coach as well, with Sanath Jayasuriya taking over in an interim capacity after Chris Silverwood stepped down following the World Cup. Mahela Jayawardene, too, had quit as consultant coach last month.

Australia recovered from 128 for 5 to post 326, and despite Devine’s best efforts, New Zealand could only make 237

Sruthi Ravindranath01-Oct-2025Two solo century acts lit up the Australia-New Zealand World Cup contest in Indore. It was Ashleigh Gardner’s which proved to be the match-winning one, while Sophie Devine’s effort went in vain, as defending champions Australia opened their campaign with an 89-run win.Gardner rescued Australia from a precarious position, helping them recover from 128 for 5 to post 326, by smashing 115 off 83 balls. It was a total that required a record chase, with the highest ever chase in women’s ODIs being 302. Devine was left to do the heavy-lifting after early wickets, but could not keep up with the scoreboard pressure. She finished with 111, her ninth century in ODIs, while New Zealand could only muster 237 in 43.2 overs.Alyssa Healy and Phoebe Litchfield started positively after Australia opted to bat. Litchfield was particularly adept at using her feet, as she came down the track often to play her big shots. Even after Healy departed in the fifth over, Litchfield continued to pile on the runs in the company of Ellyse Perry, targeting the off side for her big hits.Related

• Devine lauds NZ's fighting spirit on 'physically and mentally draining' day

• Evenly matched Bangladesh, Pakistan aim to hit ground running

• Tryon backs powerful SA batting to tame England

• Charlotte Edwards takes confidence from England's strong warm-up displays

Litchfield adjusted well to the lengths of the fast bowlers and began to place the ball in the gaps, looking on track for a big score after taking Australia to 81 for 1 at the end of the powerplay. But the introduction of Amelia Kerr in the ninth over turned the game. In the first ball of the over, she executed the perfect googly that pitched outside leg and turned into the left-handed Litchfield, who played down the wrong line and was bowled. The wicket was also Amelia’s 100th in ODIs.New Zealand put the squeeze on Australia after Litchfield’s wicket, conceding just 20 runs between the 11th and 17th overs. Kerr particularly made run-scoring a task for the Australia batters, mixing googlies, flight and control during her spell. The experienced Lea Tahuhu triggered a mini collapse, starting with Perry’s wicket in the 18th over. Annabel Sutherland was the next one to go in the following over, with Kerr having her caught at mid-on. Australia then lost their third wicket in the space of 24 balls, with Beth Mooney dismissed tamely for 12.The rearguard for Australia came in the form of Gardner. She was aggressive from the start, getting off the mark with a punch over extra cover. Gardner took on the spinners and fast bowlers alike, particularly punishing them through the covers and down the ground. She stamped her authority as she danced down the track to hit Kerr for a six to bring her half-century off 43 balls.Gardner did not take her foot off the gas even as wickets fell around her, hurrying to her century in the next 34 balls. She soaked in the applause of the 8900-strong crowd in Indore, hosting its first-ever women’s ODI, as she celebrated her game-changing innings.Sophie Devine’s knock of 111 went in vain•Getty Images

New Zealand’s chase started chaotically, with Georgia Plimmer run out without facing a ball in the first over after a mix-up. Left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux, returning to ODIs for the first time since December 2024 after an injury layoff, was given the new ball with Kim Garth, and the move paid off. Molineux removed the experienced Suzie Bates for a duck in the second over to leave New Zealand in tatters.New Zealand were 24 for 2 at the end of nine overs, but Kerr broke the pressure with a flurry of boundaries in the tenth over off Darcie Brown. But with Sutherland and Alana King bowling in tandem, Kerr toiled for her runs while Devine occasionally found the gaps. From 28 off 30 balls, Kerr laboured to 33 off 55 before being dismissed by King next ball.The first six of New Zealand’s innings came when Devine walked down to Gardner to pump her into the sightscreen, and soon brought up a 69-ball half-century. Brooke Halliday hit the second one, off King, and followed it up with a boundary, but King had the last laugh, dismissing her for 28.The asking rate had ballooned to ten by then. With Australia’s spinners making New Zealand work hard for the runs, Devine feasted on some wayward bowling from Brown in the 36th over, hitting her for four consecutive boundaries to move into the 90s. Brown had come into the XI in place of premier pacer Megan Schutt.Despite New Zealand needing 107 off 54 balls and wickets falling around her, Devine kept a cool head and hit a six over deep midwicket to raise her century. But a triple-wicket 43rd over by Sutherland, in which she dismissed Devine, Jess Kerr and Eden Carson, all but quashed New Zealand’s slim hopes. Molineux wrapped up New Zealand’s innings in the following over to finish with 3 for 25 on her return.

There could be, however, big changes in their squad’s make-up, with the auction scheduled for September 9

Firdose Moonda15-Jul-2025Lance Klusener will remain in charge of Durban’s Super Giants in the fourth season of the SA20, despite the team finishing last on the points table in the previous one. Klusener has been with the franchise since the tournament’s inception and was in charge when they reached the final in 2024, when they lost to Sunrisers Eastern Cape.”It’s a privilege to continue this journey with the Durban’s Super Giants and the RPSG Group. The support and belief shown in me is deeply appreciated. I look forward to building something even more special this season,” Klusener said in a statement. “We’ve laid the foundation over the past three years. Now, it’s time to build a team that can consistently challenge for the title and make Durban proud. Durban is my home. Coaching this franchise is more than a job–it’s a mission to build something enduring with our fans and players.”As Super Giants coach, he has worked with two different captains: Quinton de Kock in season one and Keshav Maharaj in the next two. While it is expected that Maharaj will continue, there is a player auction on September 9, and Klusener indicated there will be big shifts in their squad’s make-up. “We’ve done a deep review of our past season and have identified key areas for improvement. This auction gives us a crucial opportunity to strengthen our squad and return to our best,” he said.It is not known whether Klusener will keep his support staff, which consists of Jonty Rhodes and Morne Morkel. The latter is now India’s bowling coach.

West Indies bowled out for 141 in a session after Head, Webster and Carey combined to set up a match-winning lead with the bat

Andrew McGlashan27-Jun-20250:47

Hazlewood tears through West Indies’ top order

Josh Hazlewood led Australia’s surge to a 159-run victory in Barbados as West Indies lost all ten wickets in the final session of the third day, the final two falling in consecutive deliveries to Nathan Lyon in what would have been the last over of the day.Australia claimed the extra half-hour with West Indies seven down but with Shamar Joseph throwing the bat, having been dropped in the deep by Sam Konstas, and Justin Greaves playing solidly, it appeared Australia would be forced to return on the fourth day. However, Shamar edged to slip before Jayden Seales was caught at short leg to end the match. It completed a performance where familiar Australia strengths came to the fore amid continued questions about the top order, but they were confronted by challenging conditions.Travis Head, who was the beneficiary of West Indies’ seventh dropped catch of the match, Beau Webster and Alex Carey all played with the proactiveness needed on this surface. Head was named Player of the Match for his twin half-centuries on a tricky surface. Carey’s superb strokeplay gave Australia plenty of buffer zone when it came to defending the target, meaning a repeat of what happened in the World Test Championship final was always unlikely on a surface that remained devilish at times, especially with the harder ball.Related

• Chase calls out 'so many questionable calls' in Barbados Test

• However you get 'em – Head, Carey and Webster show the way

Mitchell Starc struck in the first over of the chase when former captain Kraigg Brathwaite clipped loosely to backward square0leg where Konstas held a low catch. However, that was followed by some adventurous strokeplay by John Campbell, including a sweep against Hazlewood, as he and Keacy Carty made encouraging process.But innovation brought Campbell’s downfall when he attempted to lap-sweep Hazlewood again, and this time could only glove the ball to Carey. Next ball, Brandon King got an inside edge into his pads which flew high towards gully where Cameron Green, who had earlier given Carty a life on 1, used all his height to cling on. Sadly for Hazlewood, he did not make Roston Chase play at the hat-trick delivery as a packed ring of catchers awaited.Not that he was delayed long when, two overs later, Chase got an inside edge that looped to short leg before spearing one through Carty. This was Hazlewood at his very best: hammering away at a back-of-a-length and giving the surface every chance to play some tricks.Pat Cummins was then the beneficiary of those tricks when Shai Hope was cleaned up by a wicked delivery that scuttled under his bat. The run-scoring of Australia’s middle order against an older ball felt a long time ago. The only question was whether the visitors could get the job done in the evening.Marnus Labuschagne, on as a sub, produced a direct hit to remove Alzarri Joseph and Hazlewood removed Jomel Warrican for his fifth wicket. Shamar Joseph launched two balls out of the stadium and some frustration was growing for Australia before Lyon sealed the job in fading light.Travis Head celebrates his second fifty in the match•Randy Brooks/Associated Press

The game was in the balance at the start of the day, Australia ahead by 82, with plenty of eyes on how the surface would play. There was an early grubber to Head, which fortunately for him wasn’t straight, and he responded by flaying the next delivery through the off side. As Head would later find out there was always something lurking, but with a touch of fortune, runs were there to be made when intent was shown.West Indies, though, were their own worst enemy again. On 21, Head was given a life when Greaves spilled a chance at second slip. It was the seventh they had put down for the game and had come after coach Daren Sammy had overseen the morning slips catching practice where nothing had been spilled. Head went to his second fifty of the match from 77 balls.Webster, meanwhile, built an excellent innings, the third of his brief Test career, which has come on a challenging surface following the debut half-century against India at the SCG. He used his reach to good effect to get to the ball but was especially eye-catching off the back foot through the off side.Travis Head and Beau Webster got the first century stand of the Test•Randy Brooks/Associated Press

The stand of 102 was broken when Head received a brute of a delivery from Shamar Joseph that barely bounced, the only success for West Indies in the morning session when they would have hoped to knock over most of the remaining Australia batting.After the break, Webster brought up his fifty from 100 balls with a thick edge along the ground through gully before glancing Shamar Joseph down the leg side to Hope. An on-field not-out decision was overturned by third umpire Adrian Holdstock without any of the drama of the previous day.By then Carey was into his stride after having started positively but went up a gear in the over following Webster’s departure when he took 14 off Seales including the shot of the match: a skip down the pitch and perfectly executed lofted straight drive into the sightscreen. He went on to repeat the stroke against the lesser pace of Greaves, sending him over the stands at long-off, to motor to a 40-ball half-century as the game sped away from West Indies.When joined by Lyon and Hazlewood, he started to farm the strike as West Indies set their entire field back to him before lofting Chase into the deep. Shamar Joseph, who bowled the most overs in a match of his brief Test career, removed Hazlewood to claim the five-wicket haul which eluded him in the first innings.

India’s bowling coach Paras Mhambrey credited England for being brave but doesn’t believe the hosts have fallen behind

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jan-2024The reverse sweep was England’s second most profitable shot (48 off 30 balls, no dismissals) in the second innings that took them from 190 behind to 126 ahead. Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett in particular were using it repeatedly, throwing India’s spinners off the good length area where most of the danger lurked in this Hyderabad pitch.In all, England made 79 runs off 46 balls using various kinds of sweeps – including a reverse Dilscoop that Pope played late in the day after raising an immense century.India’s bowling coach Paras Mhambrey credited England for being brave and said the only thing to do when a team comes out with such unorthodox strokeplay is to hold your line and hope for the edge.Related

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• England's first outing is oh, so Stokes

• Ollie Pope sweeps England out of deep trouble

“It does happen. If a batsman starts to access different areas, it’s always going to be a challenge,” Mhambrey said. “Someone like Pope who played, he accessed the square, fine leg area as well and the sweep and the reverse sweep and he played it consistently. Credit must go to him. They really played well, took on the attack at the stage where it was needed and sometimes that happens. Someone who plays some shots like these consistently does get the bowlers under pressure in terms of variation in the lines. Credit goes to him.”But as I said, we still have to be patient with the lines, still hit the right areas and hope to get a wicket. Hope to get an edge or something or the other. That can happen. But I think the credit goes to him the way he played.”Joe Root, who spoke in glowing terms about Pope, said the key to playing the sweep and the reverse sweep is to believe you’re going to nail it every single time. This was when he was asked if they might be a better option than a forward defensive on a turning pitch.Ollie Pope reverse sweeps, something he did a lot•BCCI

“It can be if you can play it well,” Root said. “When it’s hardest is when some spin, some don’t. When it’s consistent spin you can work out when to take it on, and which balls from which line you can take a risk on.”The most important thing is you don’t think you are going to miss at all. Have that mindset of committing to the shot and nailing it for four or one, or whatever. Pope did it exceptionally well. It took until 110 to make a small error when he got dropped. There were a couple of balls that ripped past his outside edge but you expect that; it’s part and parcel, almost like in England when it’s swinging and seaming around, and you almost give yourself a pat on the back because you’ve not chased it. It’s exactly the same here. It was a really special knock.”India aren’t bothered that they’ve fallen behind because they believe that the surface in Hyderabad is a little atypical.”If you look at the way the game has progressed over the last three days, looking at the first session, the amount of balls, the pace of the wicket, the pace of the spin, it got better in the second innings and I think it’s only going to get a little better,” Mhambrey said.”It is on the slower side. There’s still turn but it’s not the usual turn that we see on Indian subcontinental wickets where the game progresses and there’s sharp turn. It’s not that. Still a little turn but not as challenging as maybe the other wickets we’ve played on.”

Bangladesh are coming off the high of beating Pakistan 2-0 but the wicketkeeper is asking people not to bring it up

Mohammad Isam10-Sep-20243:46

Isam: Bangladesh’s win in Pakistan is ‘mind boggling’

Bangladesh are about to embark on another away tour on the back of their remarkable 2-0 victory over Pakistan earlier this month and are already deep in preparation for it. They will be visiting India for two Tests starting next week and one of their heroes from Rawalpindi, Litton Das, has revealed that the team has been trying to get used to the way SG balls behave.This is a break from the norm. Bangladesh usually play with a Kookaburra ball. That is the brand they use for home internationals and it was the brand used in the Tests against Pakistan as well. India, however, use SG balls for Test cricket and there is significant difference between the two.”The ball will be a different one in India,” Litton said. “It is a little harder to play against the SG ball. The Kookaburra ball is easier to play when it gets old. It is the opposite with the SG ball. It is harder to get away against the old ball when it’s the SG.”Related

• Litton and Mehidy orchestrate a comeback for the ages

• Litton toasts 'big achievement for Bangladesh cricket'

• WTC scenarios: Bangladesh still in contention

The white-ball players are reportedly training with Kookaburra balls as the T20Is that follow the Tests in India will be played with the Kookaburra.Litton also warned that Bangladesh can’t rest on the laurels from their first-ever series win over Pakistan. Although he played a big part in it, his century rescuing the side from 26 for 6 in the second Test, he asked the media not to remind them of it.”We played good cricket against Pakistan but it is already in the past,” Litton said. “It is important for us to look forward. We will need your (media’s) help. It would be helpful if you don’t talk about the Pakistan series. As a player, it is already in the past for me.”Litton Das will continue backing his aggressive style of play in Test cricket•Associated Press

There is typically a lot of focus from the Bangladesh fans on matches that their team plays against India and Pakistan and these games are coming back-to-back as well. The only previous occasion when Bangladesh played back-to-back series against Pakistan and India was in 2015 but both were at home, unlike this time when both series are taking place overseas. Litton understood that fans will be watching with great expectations but he refused to see it as a burden.”It is inspiring that people will know you if you do well,” he said. “There’s nothing better than that. I don’t think it is pressure. We are improving in Tests, so we have to become more consistent in the format. That’s the main challenge.”Litton’s role in the team as a lower-middle-order batter suits his natural game, where sometimes he ends up with the tail and has no choice but to go for his shots. But he did show he had other gears as well, batting for nearly six hours to dig Bangladesh out of a hole in Rawalpindi.”I have to take responsibility now,” he said. “It is the right time. I have been playing for ten years, so there has been some experience. I try to score off deliveries that I believe are there to hit. Scoring runs is more important these days. I think I bat in the same way that most batters approach the game.Litton realises that the way he plays comes with a bit of risk but it is also how he’s found success. “If it gives me more chance to get out, it also gives me a lot of opportunities to score runs,” he said. “I usually get to bat with (Mehidy Hasan) Miraz. Sometimes I bat with Shakib (Shakib Al Hasan) or Mushfiq (Mushfiqur Rahim). If I don’t play my shots, the team score won’t go anywhere. I want to play like this. I try to play the way I bat in training.”Bangladesh are scheduled to depart for India on September 15 to play two Tests in Chennai (September 19 to 23) and Kanpur (September 27 to October 1), both part of the World Test Championship. The three T20Is that follow will be held in Gwalior (October 6), Delhi (October 9) and Hyderabad (October 12).

South Australia’s Peter George bowled himself into history with the best figures ever recorded at Bellerive Oval but the Redbacks still face a challenge to take first-innings points against Tasmania

Cricinfo staff25-Nov-2009
ScorecardPeter George collected 8 for 84•South Australian Cricket Association

South Australia’s Peter George bowled himself into history with the best figures ever recorded at Bellerive Oval but the Redbacks still face a challenge to take first-innings points against Tasmania. George finished with 8 for 84 in Tasmania’s innings of 389 and shared the star billing with the Tigers batsman Ed Cowan, who scored 225.George’s figures beat the previous best at Bellerive Oval, the 7 for 38 collected by Tom Moody for Western Australia during the 1995-96 season. It was the best analysis in the Sheffield Shield/Pura Cup competition since Stuart Clark grabbed 8 for 58 against Western Australia three summers ago.Adding to the impressive nature of the performance, it was the first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket for George, who was playing his tenth match. His victims included Cowan, who added 21 to his overnight score and finished with 57% of Tasmania’s total.In reply, South Australia had reached 4 for 220 at stumps with Cameron Borgas unbeaten on 34 and Graham Manou on 7. They had been well set up by the opener Daniel Harris, who scored 77, and Mark Cosgrove (49) but will need to rely on their lower middle-order to help them overtake Tasmania.