All posts by h716a5.icu

Australia’s new coach Darren Lehmann has pushed enjoyment and a balanced perspective on life as part of his remedy for a team culture that has variously been described as toxic, insular, selfish, undisciplined, and just plain stupid

Daniel Brettig in Taunton25-Jun-2013Australia’s new coach Darren Lehmann has pushed the importance of fun and a balanced perspective on life to remedy a team culture that has variously been described as toxic, insular, selfish, undisciplined, and just plain stupid. Lehmann has openly desired the national coaching job for quite some time, but given that it has fallen into his lap a mere two weeks before the first Investec Ashes Test, his initial message to the touring team could not afford to be elaborate.Upon the squad’s arrival in the medieval town centre of Taunton, Lehmann sat down his players and staff to set out a simple but clear direction for the Australian team, both on the field and off it. Relieving the tension of the past few days in Bristol and London was high on Lehmann’s list of priorities, while also ensuring focus shifted instantly to Wednesday’s tour match against Somerset.”Hopefully with the enjoyment factor, we’ll get that going for a start,” Lehmann said of the culture he wished to create. “When you start winning games you have a lot of fun so we need to start winning some games, simple as that. It’s about getting all the lads and everyone in a direction we want to go. We’re going one way and that is forward and everything starts afresh.”It’s about life as well, it’s a game of cricket. It’s important we have success and play well but it’s a small part of your life, so we’ve got to make sure we are helping them grow their lives on and off the ground, that is really important to me. Family is a big part of it, enjoying each other’s company while we’re away, and learning about ourselves and different cultures and different people we have in the team.”I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a job I loved and wanted to do because I fell in love with coaching the first day I started with an IPL franchise. It just probably happened in different circumstances that it comes across my path right now.”That path will now include grappling with the various complications of mentoring a national team in 2013, including the influx of Twenty20 money that has muddled the priorities of numerous young players. The absolutes of Lehmann’s time, as a player who had to carve out nigh on 10,000 first-class runs before making his Test debut, have been replaced by greys like the lavish IPL money on offer to cricketers who have not yet grooved their games.When referring to numerous matters of club versus state versus country issues, Australia’s team performance manager Pat Howard remarked last summer that “no-one owns the players now”. Lehmann though spoke with typical confidence about sculpting the natural talent at his disposal into competitive, thoughtful and loyal cricketers.”The priority for us is Australia, that’s every player that is playing any form, their first right is with Australia,” Lehmann said. “We want to pick the best side each and every time and we’ll worry about the other franchises and issues as we go through.”We’re guided by CA and selectors along the way and that’s part and parcel of being a new-age cricketer. One thing I will say, they’re a lot better athletes that I was in my day and it’s just about teaching them and coaching them the best way to play the game in different situations.”Brad Haddin, Australia’s vice-captain, said Lehmann’s imprint on the team should soon be evident, starting with the respect he already engendered for his playing career and domestic coaching. “Darren’s got experience at all levels, as a player, a successful coach and a good person, and he’s known for that around Australian cricket and world cricket,” He said. “I think he’ll come into this environment comfortable with where he’s at and comfortable with where he wants to take the team.”

B Aparajith’s maiden List A ton booked South Zone a semifinal spot against East Zone on March 12

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Mar-2013
ScorecardA maiden List A century from B Aparajith led South Zone to victory over East Zone by 11 runs in the Deodhar Trophy quarterfinal in Guwahati. Through this win they advanced to the semifinal against West Zone, to be played on March 12.National selectors Sandeep Patil and Roger Binny were in attendance, as South Zone chose to bat. They started poorly, with KL Rahul being dismissed for a golden duck, after his attempted flick carried to wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha down the leg side. Opener Robin Uthappa and Aparajith revived the innings with a solid stand, before Uthappa was forced to retire hurt when he began suffering cramps, and could no longer walk. He was helped off the field by the team’s physio. Contributions from Dinesh Karthik (33) and Sachin Baby (33) helped push South Zone’s total to 284 for 5. Aparajith finished with 121 off 129 balls.Abhimanyu Mithun picked up the first East Zone wicket – that of Pallavkumar Das – with the score on 21. Ishank Jaggi came in next and combined with opener Sibsankar Roy to put on 56 for the second wicket. Saha struck a fluent 77, and along with Jaggi, who finished with 55, provided sizeable contributions. Mithun, along with some important run-outs, helped keep East Zone in check, as the required run-rate continued to climb. Gokul Sharma struck an unbeaten 40, and despite some late fireworks from Abu Nechim, East Zone fell short of the target by 11 runs. Mithun was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 40.

Charith Asalanka starred with bat and ball as Sri Lanka Under-19s comfortably beat Bangladesh Under-19s in the first of the five Youth ODIs played in Colombo

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jan-2015
ScorecardCharith Asalanka starred with bat and ball as Sri Lanka Under-19s comfortably beat Bangladesh Under-19s in the first of the five Youth ODIs played in Colombo. His 4 for 36 was instrumental in restricting Bangladesh to 202 after the visitors had opted to bat, then he followed it up with 63 as Sri Lanka cruised to the target with 5.4 overs to spare.Bangladesh started poorly. When Asalanka dismissed Zakir Hasan in the 18th over, Bangladesh were 51 for 3. An 80-run stand between Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Mehedy Hasan helped Bangladesh recover, but two quick wickets in the 35th and the 37th overs hampered their progress. Nazmul was stumped in the 40th over, bowled by Asalanka, and Bangladesh were later bowled out in the 50th over.Sri Lanka’s brisk start to the chase suffered a minor jolt in the seventh over when opener Kaveen Bandara was run out but Asalanka and Lasith Lakshan added 124 for the second wicket to thwart Bangladesh bowlers. Although Lakshan (71 off 107) and Asalanka were dismissed within the space of 12 balls, Sri Lanka were untroubled.

USMNT defender Matt Miazga has accepted his actions were inappropriate, but believes MLS's punishment was harsh regarding his recent suspension.

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Miazga suspended by MLS for 3 gamesFCC eliminated from playoffs without himDefender responds over 'unfitting' punishmentWHAT HAPPENED?

Speaking to media on Tuesday, the FC Cincinnati central defender claimed he thought MLS's punishment was unjust, but understood that his actions were inappropriate and that he let his team down. On November 4, Miazga confronted a referee postgame in the tunnel – and reports have been scattered since, but as a result of his actions, he was suspended for three games ahead of the Eastern Conference semifinals last weekend. Cincy fell to the Columbus Crew in extra-time, 3-2.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT MIAZGA SAID

"I want to take responsibility for what happened. The intentions of what happened, my intentions didn't play out to what has actually happened. I take full responsibility… I felt the punishment didn't fit what had happened, but you know, I accept it and we got to move forward now."

"It was frustrating because you've been an in-form player all year and then all of a sudden, one of the most important games of the year you can't play. So that was frustrating, but I had confidence in my team that they can get the job done."

Despite crashing out of the playoffs in harsh fashion, the USMNT defender has optimism for 2024: "We're so close and it's a learning experience obviously for everyone involved, especially me as well. So, now there's that extra hunger for next year and extra motivation and, you know, we're a real team so we're excited for the challenges ahead."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Initial reports claimed that Miazga was 'forcibly removed' from the official's room following their November 4 victory over the New York Red Bulls, but as more news surrounding the incident came out, the official's report was described as 'exaggerated' by The Athletic. Fast forward nearly three weeks and MLS's investigation into the incident resulted in suspension – 72 hours prior to kickoff in their most important playoff match of the year.

Following the announcement of his removal from their remaining matches on the calendar, the MLS Players Association released a statement claiming that the investigation contained 'falsehoods' and 'false narratives' to paint the MLS Defender of the Year in the wrong.

Now, following Cincy's removal from the playoffs, Miazga has taken responsibility for his actions, but admits his 'frustration' over the league's findings.

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USA Today Sports WHAT NEXT FOR MIAZGA?

He will be suspended for two matches to begin the 2024 MLS season, but the dates for those matches will not be announced until next year. Until then, it will be a massive 'what if' for the defender, knowing that his side conceded three goals in a conference final without him.

A preview of the second India-Pakistan T20 in Ahmedabad

The Preview by Siddarth Ravindran27-Dec-2012Match facts December 28, 2012
Start time 1700 (1130 GMT)Bhuvneshwar Kumar: One-off showcase performance or the start of something special?•BCCIBig Picture A fabled rivalry was renewed after a five-year hiatus with a cracking match in Bangalore. The track wasn’t the usual Twenty20 bowler-killing slab, having enough spice to interest the quicks. There were collapses, fightbacks and some heated moments, before Shoaib Malik enhanced his reputation for raising his game against India with a half-century that was topped off by a match-winning six in the final over. Ahmedabad fans will hope for similar thrills, but a different result, on Friday.The IPL is regularly put forth as one of the reasons for India’s Test decline. While that argument has divided opinion, the IPL doesn’t seem to have done much to improve India’s Twenty20 performances either. Their previous three World Twenty20 campaigns have been lacklustre, and while the batting is more or less settled, no bowler has yet nailed yet his place in the XI. The one spinner who had done that, R Ashwin, was surprisingly left out of the first T20, a move that Mohammad Hafeez suggested helped Pakistan.In contrast, Pakistan have a plethora of bowling options, with Hafeez playing as a genuine allrounder, and Malik and Shahid Afridi able to contribute with both bat and ball. They also have two of the most successful T20 bowlers in Saeed Ajmal and Umar Gul, who combined to trigger India’s astonishing late-innings slide in Bangalore. The home side’s batting needs to find a way to negotiate them, if they are to stand a serious chance of levelling the series.Form guide India LLWWW (Completed games, most recent first)
Pakistan WLWLWPlayers to watch A noisy Chinnaswamy Stadium became even more deafeningly loud when debutant seam bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar got the ball to snake both ways, castling two Pakistan batsmen and having another caught behind. It was not just the swerving deliveries that excited the fans but the manner in which he set up the dismissals. It was a dream start for Bhuvneshwar, but can he repeat the magic or was it a one-off? Ahmedabad will give us a clue.Another new-ball bowler who didn’t just catch the eye but demanded attention with his towering frame was Mohammad Irfan. He was regularly around the 90mph mark, troubling the India batsmen with his pace and bounce. He was much quicker than in his previous international outings – a couple of ODIs against England in 2010 – and drew high praise from Wasim Akram.Stats and Trivia Umar Akmal’s zero in the first T20 was the fifth of his career, leaving him one behind four players – including Shahid Afridi – for the most ducks in T20s Virat Kohli needs 29 runs to break Martin Guptill’s record for the most T20 runs in a calendar year*Quotes”The way we played the last match, our morale is quite high… I will give credit to the bowlers and fielders. They [India] were 70 for no loss and after that we came back. Bowling has always been our strength and in the last match, even after a bad start, the comeback was outstanding. As a captain I am very pleased with that.”
“The conditions here are different. The one [pitch] in Bangalore was seaming and over here, it will be slow and offer turn. There is no pressure on us.”
*03.37GMT December 27: The stat had earlier incorrectly included Umar Akmal. This has been changed

ESPNcricinfo previews the IPL final between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders in Chennai

The Preview by George Binoy26-May-2012Match factsSunday, May 27, 2012
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)When these sides met in Chennai during the league stage, Knight Riders won by five wickets•AFPBig PictureThey are here, again. Those resilient, stubborn Chennai Super Kings. In another IPL final, their fourth in five seasons and their third in a row, pursuing a hat trick of titles. Love them, hate them or couldn’t care less about them, you have to give it to them – the Super Kings got game. They know when and how to turn it on, too, though this season they dangled off the edge of the precipice, holding on with their pinkies, for longer than was comfortable.Kolkata Knight Riders did not leave their chances hinging on an improbable combination of results over which they had no control. They reached the playoffs with a game to spare and made short work of Delhi Daredevils to enter their maiden IPL final. Their performances have been efficient and consistent and they should logically be favourites tomorrow. But they’re facing a resurgent side on its home turf.Super Kings are blessed with loyal fans and the pricklier among them bristle at insinuations that fortune played a role in their team making it to Chennai on Sunday. They got enough points, didn’t they? And they didn’t design the schedule, so they had to hope three results went their way to make the playoffs. And Kings XI Punjab just weren’t good enough to beat Delhi Daredevils, and Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore weren’t good enough to beat bottom-placed Deccan Chargers. What’s luck got to do with it?That Super Kings had to wait five days to know they would be able to defend their title was because of an out-of-sorts start to the season. At times they, the IPL’s least changed side over five seasons, looked passé compared to some of the other teams, who had strengthened squads with new personnel. Super Kings’ turnaround only began after ten league games, of which they had won four. They won four of their last six matches, so their form, when they entered familiar playoff territory, was satisfactory.And then they were near perfect. After clambering on to level ground, Super Kings’ misfiring batting line-up, the longest in the IPL, found its guns and annihilated Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils with breath-taking confidence.While Super Kings had abundant success in seasons past, Knight Riders had nothing. In the first three years, they were the only team without a top-four finish. So in 2011, Knight Riders abandoned failed strategies, completely overhauled their squad, and climbed to fourth in the league, but lost the eliminator. In 2012, they have gone farther, converting their second-place finish in the league into a berth in the finals by beating Daredevils in the first qualifier.Knight Riders also had an iffy start to the season, losing three of their first five games. Since then they’ve lost only two out of 11, acquiring the rarest quality in Twenty20 cricket – consistency. There were no dramas in their progress to the playoffs. Their success has been built around two people with supporting contributions from the rest. The captain Gautam Gambhir has been a reliable run-scorer, while the spinner Sunil Narine has confounded all and sundry with his unreadable variations.If they perform like they have this season, Knight Riders have little reason to worry. Whether they can perform in their first final, against opponents seasoned to such pressure, is the question.Form guide (most recent first)
Chennai Super Kings: WWLWW
Kolkata Knight Riders: WWWLLWatch out for …Sunil Narine: At present, he has the second most wickets this season, the best economy rate, and the best average for anyone who’s played more than two matches – 24 wickets, 5.20 per over and 11.95 per wicket. Gambhir’s used him in a variety of situations – early on to drag back a quick start, in the middle to exercise control over the game and at the end, when batsmen have only attack on their minds. Narine’s delivered each time. Gambhir’s utilisation of Narine in the final will be crucial. Super Kings bat until No. 9 so Gambhir will have to decide when and against whom Narine can have the greatest impact.The middle orders: With top orders evenly matched and Knight Riders shading the bowling battle, this is where Super Kings score heavily over their opponents. The line-up comprising MS Dhoni, Dwayne Bravo, S Badrinath and Albie Morkel is far more reliable and powerful than the one comprising Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Laxmi Ratan Shukla and Manoj Tiwary, or variations of it. Knight Riders are more dependent on their top order than Super Kings are, although Yusuf Pathan did make his first proper contribution in the qualifier against Daredevils.Team combinationBarring last-minute fitness problems, Super Kings are certain to play the same XI that won them the two knockout games to reach the final.A couple of Knight Riders players have hamstring concerns. Manoj Tiwary missed the knockout against Delhi because of a strain and was replaced by Laxmi Ratan Shukla, who impressed with 24 off 11 balls. Tiwary is likely to be fit, though, so either Shukla or Debabrata Das, who has also performed well, could make way. The bigger hamstring concern, however, is over L Balaji, who injured himself during the qualifier. Balaji has been the solitary Indian seamer in the Knight Riders attack so his absence could cause significant change to the team composition.Meetings this seasonAt Chepauk, Knight Riders won by five wickets and two balls to spare. Super Kings were restricted to a middling total and the victory was more comfortable than the margin indicates.At Eden Gardens, Super Kings won by five wickets off the final delivery. Chasing 159, they* had reached 97 for 0 in the 11th over when Narine derailed the innings during a spell of 4-0-14-2. With 5 to get off the last ball, Bravo launched Rajat Bhatia over the long-on boundary.Stats and triviaIn the last five overs of the innings, Super Kings have scored at 10.64 per over on average this season, which is the second best after Royal Challengers Bangalore. Knight Riders have scored at 9.32 per over during this period. There is very little separating the sides’ run rates in the first six overs, though Knight Riders are a little faster.Knight Riders have had the best spinners of the tournament. They’ve taken the most wickets at the best average and economy rate – 48, 16.20 and 6.09. Their attack of choice in recent games has been Narine, Iqbal Abdulla and Shakib Al Hasan, with Yusuf chipping in. Super Kings’ spinners are second best, but by a distance.Quotes”When you go on to the field, you do not go there to make friends but you are there to get results in your team’s favour. You have to be aggressive on the field. That is how we have won matches and now we are in the final and not to just compete.”
.”With his action, it is difficult to catch him as to which side he is bowling, whether it is the one that comes in to a right hander or it goes out. The variation he has got and the consistency that he has got in maintaining line and length has been crucial.”
.*The text said Knight Riders earlier

20-Aug-2012
ScorecardNed Eckersley gave Leicestershire a good chance of dodging an unwanted double of failure by smashing an unbeaten 72 from 44 balls to snatch an unlikely Clydesdale Bank 40 victory over Worcestershire at New Road.With 92 wanted from the last 10 overs, the 23-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman transformed the game by clubbing seven sixes and two fours to see his side home by two wickets with an over to spare.The victory took Leicestershire off the bottom of Group A, moving them a point above Worcestershire with one game to play, and gave them hope of avoiding a last-placed finish in both the CB40 and County Championship Division One, where they are currently 11 points adrift.The race to beat Worcestershire’s 223 for 9 seemed to be going against them when Leicestershire skipper Josh Cobb was bowled for 51, the second of two wickets in four balls from Daryl Mitchell.This followed a valuable spell of two for 35 by leg-spinner Brett D’Oliveira as the visitors slumped to 107 for 6, but Eckersley suddenly wound up for a spectacular display of hitting.One by one he took Worcestershire’s bowlers apart, racing to his first limited-overs fifty from 29 balls in a seventh-wicket stand of 87 in 9.1 overs with Wayne White.White was lbw to Jack Shantry for 22 but James Sykes (12 not out) kept his nerve with Eckersley and nudged the winning single in a shattering penultimate over for Nick Harrison.The young paceman delivered two no-balls, one of which was driven into the press box window, while conceding the last 20 runs.After losing the toss and being put into bat, Worcestershire openers Moeen Ali (30) and Vikram Solanki (41) gave their side a brisk start with 67 on the board before Eckersley held a brilliant catch to his left to remove Moeen.Phil Hughes made only nine before finding mid-wicket off Sykes, the left-arm spinner who finished with two for 18 when Eckersley held another catch from Mitchell (five).Solanki helped his side into three figures before White claimed his second wicket when Worcestershire’s former captain, soon to depart for Surrey, failed to clear Nathan Buck at deep square leg.Neil Pinner, who scored a career-best 82 against Lancashire, lifted the scoring rate with 31 until Buck took wickets in each of his last three overs.It might have been even better for Leicestershire but for Gareth Andrew’s 28 from 21 balls.

The batting frailties that cost England so dear in the UAE were exposed once again on the second morning as the tourists struggled in reply to Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 318

The Report by George Dobell27-Mar-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRangana Herath was England’s latest spin tormentor with 6 for 74•AFPRangana Herath exposed England’s failings against spin bowling once more as Sri Lanka took a firm grip on the first Test in Galle. Seventeen wickets fell in the day as batsmen on both sides struggled to play the turning ball and set up the prospect of a three-day finish.The match is not over. England’s bowlers – excellent as ever – fought back with five wickets in the evening session, but a first innings deficit of 125 should prove decisive on a surface that is expected to deteriorate. Sri Lanka had stretched that lead to 209 by the close despite a four-wicket haul from Graeme Swann. Bear in mind that England were dismissed for under 200 four times in the UAE and that they have never made more than 253 at Galle, and it becomes apparent that Sri Lanka have established a dominant position.England’s bowlers could be forgiving for wondering what more they have to do to help their side win a Test. They have performed consistently well over the last couple of years – not just with the ball, but with the bat – yet, in the last three months, England’s batsmen have failed equally consistently.Those batsmen are running out of excuses. While in the UAE England could claim a lack of familiarity with the conditions and a certain rustiness after a relatively long break from the game, those issues are not relevant here. Nor have they come up against a foe as supremely gifted as the Pakistan spinner, Saeed Ajmal.On this occasion the destroyer was Herath, a 34-year-old left-arm spinner who, not so long ago, was plying his trade in the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire League with only modest success. He is a clever, disciplined bowler, but he is no Ajmal or Murali or Warne. And, on a blameless, second-day pitch, he should not have been allowed to take six wickets.Herath gained a little turn, bowled at a gentle pace with traditional variations and received only grudging assistance from the surface. Yet it still proved too much for England. Perhaps mentally disturbed by their experiences in the UAE, several batsmen missed straight balls or played back when they should have been forward.There were exceptions. Ian Bell, the one specialist batsman to offer any meaningful resistance, was bowled by a beauty that drew him forward, turned and clipped the top of off stump. Bell, who contributed more runs in this innings than he managed in the entire series in the UAE, timed the ball beautifully whether driving or cutting and, when the opportunity arose, showed a willingness to hit over the top. Generally, however, England will reflect that they sold their top-order wickets a little too cheaply.The sight of Jonathan Trott lying flat on his back with his wicket broken summed up England’s performance with the bat. Trott had just been stumped after advancing down the pitch and missing a cross-batted swish at a full toss. In trying to regain his ground he came off second best as his head struck the Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene in the chest and he was momentarily left stunned and legless as the hosts celebrated all around him.Andrew Strauss missed a sweep, Samit Patel and Matt Prior both paid the penalty for playing back when they should have been forward – Patel the victim of an arm ball and Prior one that spun past his outside edge – and while England avoided the ignominy of following-on – a distinct possibly when they were 92 for 6 – they still faced the prospect of a fourth successive Test defeat.That England were not obliged to follow-on was largely due to the performance of their tailenders. They put the pitch – and the bowling – in perspective as the bottom four contributed 88 runs. Broad thumped 28 out of a seventh-wicket stand of 30, launching into a series of pulls, cuts and drives off Lakmal, while James Anderson, Graeme Swann and even Monty Panesar also put the efforts of the top four – who contributed 41 runs between them – to shame. The ease with which Anderson drove, swept and even reverse-swept boundaries spoke volumes not just for his improvement as a batsmen but the failure of his top-order colleagues to take advantage of a blameless pitch and a worthy but hardly fearsome attack.Herath was well supported by Sri Lanka’s seamers and the off-spinner Suraj Randiv. Alastair Cook was trapped on the crease by a fine delivery that nipped back from Suranga Lakmal, while Kevin Pietersen played-on off the inside edge as he tried to drive a good-length ball from Chanaka Welegedara. Randiv, in mopping up the tail, claimed two for 26 to leave Sri Lanka’s spinners with an accumulative analysis of eight for 100.Sri Lanka failed to exploit their advantage to the full in the evening session. After Tillakaratne Dilshan, his head falling to the off side, was defeated by a full delivery, Swann bowled with flight and turn to suggest he remains as potent a force as ever. The left-handers, Lahiru Thirimanne and Kumar Sangakkara, were both beaten by balls that drew them into shots then turned away sharply, while the right-handers Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera were defeated by deliveries that slid on with the arm. Swann had four for 28 by the close.Earlier Anderson took the final two wickets to claim his first five-wicket haul in a Test in Asian conditions. It took only 6.3 overs for England to finish off the Sri Lanka innings, with Anderson finishing with five for 72; the 12th five-wicket haul of his Test career and his third outside England. Mahela Jayawardene was the last to go for a magical 180. It says much for his performance that the next highest contribution in the match so far is just 52. It may well surely prove the difference.

ESPNcricinfo previews the 24th match of the IPL between Chennai Super Kings and Pune Warriors in Chennai

The Preview by Kanishkaa Balachandran 18-Apr-2012Match factsThursday, April 19, 2012
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)Chennai slipped after their fantastic chase against Bangalore•AFPBig pictureFor the third time in as many seasons, Chennai Super Kings have got off to a slow start in the competition. They have three defeats from five games, with their two victories coming against teams placed lower than them in the points table. It could have been worse though. The heist they pulled off against Royal Challengers Bangalore should have boosted their morale. They are back at home in the return match against Pune Warriors, their previous opponents. Their batsmen were strong against the Warriors quicks, but against the spinners they managed 63 runs in ten overs. In the end,155 wasn’t enough. They should expect to do better at home, given the batting-friendly conditions. However, a hamstring niggle for captain MS Dhoni, which makes him a doubtful starter, and Albie Morkel’s return to South Africa after the death of a friend, will have them worried ahead of the game.Warriors have injury worries of their own. Ashok Dinda* impressed with his economical last over in their last game against Royal Challengers but, on the down side, also picked up a side strain in the match. That means he could miss this game. Also, Warriors have had only a day to recover from that loss. There, their bowlers tightened the noose in the first ten overs, giving away only 63, but lost the plot especially in the final over. With 21 to defend, the bowling team would always back itself but AB de Villiers and Saurabh Tiwary manufactured their own luck and pulled off a thriller. Warriors’ batting looks settled, with their openers Jesse Ryder and Robin Uthappa scoring a fifty each. However, Sourav Ganguly is due for a bigger score, with an average of 12.20 in five games.Players to watchWith 171 runs in five games, Faf du Plessis, is the leading run-scorer for Super Kings. He has been solid at the top of the order and was the Man of the Match against Royal Challengers, with his 71 off 46 balls keeping his team in the hunt in their tall chase of 206.The match will be Sourav Ganguly’s 50th appearance in the IPL. Ganguly has scored 1142 runs in the tournament so far. However, only 111 have come till now in this season. Amid questions over his fitness and form, Ganguly could find Super Kings’ spin-heavy bowling attack to his liking.Stats and trivia Super Kings still hold the record for the most sixes hit in a single team innings – 17. The Warriors have lost nine wickets as run-outs in this edition, the most by a team. Super Kings are second with sevenQuotes”In a tournament like this you are going to lose a few games. But you should not allow defeat to enter your psyche and bog you down.”
“I think it would have to be a legspinner with a googly. He can get the ball to spin both ways and can effectively handle left-right combinations that can unsettle bowling line-ups.”
.*06:04 GMT, April 19: The preview has been updated to reflect that Ashok Dinda is doubtful for this match

Zimbabwe chased a below-par total with relative ease after Brian Vitori sliced through the Bangladesh top order to become the first Zimbabwe bowler to take five wickets on ODI debut

The Report by Firdose Moonda12-Aug-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details Vusi Sibanda anchored Zimbabwe’s chase and was unlucky to miss out on his hundred•Associated PressDespite a late wobble, Zimbabwe chased a below-par total with relative ease after Brian Vitori sliced through the Bangladesh top order to become the first Zimbabwe bowler to take five wickets on ODI debut. The chase was anchored by a mature innings from Vusi Sibanda, who coped easily with Bangladesh’s arsenal of left-arm spinners and made sure that the late strikes from Rubel Hossain were in vain.Bangladesh’s bowlers were inconsistent early on and they posed little threat to the Zimbabwe batsmen, in contrast to the way Zimbabwe’s bowlers had executed their plans when the visitors batted. Led by debutant left-arm seamer Vitori, Zimbabwe restricted Bangladesh to 184 on a flat pitch. Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim put on a century partnership for the sixth-wicket to resuscitate the innings, which stood on the brink of implosion at 43 for 5 in the 17th over, but it did not do enough to post a defendable total.With Chris Mpofu, Vitori made exceptional use of the early bounce on offer and bowled a tight line, offering no width to the Bangladesh batsmen. That forced them to be circumspect in their approach, refusing to move their feet or look for singles, and they made a slow start to their innings.After two overs of teasing swing, Vitori offered Tamim Iqbal a short ball and the Bangladesh opener took the bait with a horribly timed pull that was safely taken by Elton Chigumbura at mid-on. Vitori bowled an extended eight-over spell and earned regular reward. Shahriar Nafees was bowled with a delivery that pitched on middle and uprooted leg stump as he tried to drive down the ground. Mohammad Ashraful and Imrul Kayes departed in the 14th over. Ashraful took out his frustration on a short ball that went straight to Mpofu at long leg and Kayes was trapped lbw with a full delivery that came into him and thudded into the front pad.Bangladesh continued in free-fall and even Chigumbura, who was the least threatening of the bowlers, picked up a wicket, when Mahmudullah slapped a full and wide delivery to backward point. With the change bowlers on, Bangladesh were allowed to relax and Shakib and Mushfiqur approached their innings as their team-mates should have. They rotated the strike well and took on the spin pair of Propser Utseya and Ray Price, making good use of the sweep shot.Shakib should have been stumped on 17, when he danced down the track to an Utseya delivery but Tatenda Taibu was not able to get the bails off in time. He capitalised on his lifeline and continued scoring at a good rate all around the wicket to notch up his half century. Mushfiqur provided solid support, puncturing the gaps in a spread field.The pair gathered runs at will and medium-pacer Hamilton Masakadza was brought on in the 36th over to break the partnership. Three overs later he removed Shakib, who tried to force one through the covers but could only pop it up to Utseya.With Shakib gone, Mushfiqur tried to accelerate but fell in his first attempt, giving Utseya his 100th ODI wicket. The tail was disposed off cheaply, giving Zimbabwe’s batsmen a fairly simple task on a pitch that got better for batting.Zimbabwe set off at a canter, dealing with the first three overs of seam bowling with disdain, before the spinners – Abdur Razzak and Shakib – came on. Shakib had success with his second delivery, bowling his opposite number, Brendan Taylor, with an arm ball that snuck between bat and pad.The left-arm spin didn’t frighten Sibanda, who played with characteristically nifty footwork and struck two straight drives in the next over. That prompted Shakib to make a third bowling change and bring on Suhrawadi Shuvo inside 10 overs.Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza settled comfortably, ran well between the wickets and scored at a rapid rate, dealing with everyone from Shakib to Mahmudullah with ease. They looked set to take Zimbabwe home with minimal fuss but a little indifference crept in and Masakadza was run out. He hesitated for a single that his partner was unsure of, and by the time Masakadza stopped, he was halfway down the pitch and could not make it back in time.That opened the door for Bangladesh to strike back and Rubel stepped up. He was brought back on after just one over upfront and, with the ball just starting to reverse swing, took two wickets in two balls. Taibu was bowled by a ripper that swung into him and Craig Ervine got a fine edge through to Mushfiqur.Bangladesh showed the right intent by taking the bowling Powerplay but could not prise open the door any further. Sibanda and Forster Mutizwa consolidated, even though Mutizwa looked uncomfortable against the spin at first and Sibanda failed to control the pull off Rubel.Sibanda’s strength against left-arm spin propelled him towards a century as he struck a straight six off Shuvo, but he threw his hundred away with a hurried stroke that looped straight to square leg when he was on 96. That left Mutizwa and Chigumbura with 10 runs and ample time to win the match, and although Chigumbura was out before it was over, a measured Mutizwa took Zimbabwe home.