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Williams enters top ten in allrounders’ rankings, Nissanka gets into top ten among batters

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Nov-2022Wanindu Hasaranga has regained the top spot among T20I bowlers, replacing Rashid Khan, after a successful T20 World Cup, where he picked up 15 wickets in eight matches.Hasaranga picked up three-wicket hauls three times in the tournament. His 3 for 8 against UAE and 3 for 28 against Netherlands ensured Sri Lanka turned their first-round campaign around after an opening loss to Namibia to enter the Super 12s. He then picked up 3 for 13 against Afghanistan in the Super 12s.

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The last time Hasaranga was at the top of the bowling rankings was in November 2021; he finished the last calendar year as the joint-highest wicket-taker in the format.The Zimbabwe duo of Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza made gains among T20I allrounders. While Raza switched places with Moeen Ali – now sixth – to move to No. 4, and Williams entered the top ten in ninth place.While Williams has 395 runs along with ten wickets this year, Raza has had a memorable 2022 across formats for Zimbabwe, and with 735 runs, he is currently the third-highest run-getter in the world in T20Is. Raza has also picked up 25 wickets in T20Is this year, including 4 for 8 against Netherlands in a World Cup qualifier game. He got 3 for 19 against West Indies in the first round at the World Cup, before a haul of 3 for 25 helped Zimbabwe edge past Pakistan in the Super 12s.In other key movements across tables, Adil Rashid moved up to No. 8 among T20I bowlers, and Pathum Nissanka moved up to be the tenth-ranked batter after 214 runs – including two half-centuries – at the World Cup.

Bangladesh captain gutted as crucial no-balls cost team a berth in Super 4s

Mohammad Isam01-Sep-2022Among Bangladesh’s several errors, Shakib Al Hasan rued Mahedi Hasan’s no-balls the most in their two-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka that knocked them out of the Asia Cup.Mahedi’s first no-ball allowed Kusal Mendis, who was reprieved on four occasions, to bat beyond the seventh over. Kusal, who opened the innings, top scored with a 37-ball 60 to lay the foundation for Sri Lanka’s chase of 184.Related

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His second no-ball came in the last over when Sri Lanka needed three runs off four deliveries. In a somewhat tragicomical turn of events, as soon as Asitha Fernando and Maheesh Theekshana ran two, they heard the buzzer that pointed to Mahedi’s no-ball. Soon enough, the giant screens flashed the replay and Bangladesh knew their fate had been sealed. This incident was particularly disappointing for Shakib as he reflected on the team’s performance under pressure, and their early exit from the competition.”No captain wants no-balls from their team,” Shakib said. “It is a big crime when a spinner bowls a no-ball. We bowled a lot of wides and no-balls today. We were not disciplined. We didn’t know what to do when we were under pressure. We knew Kusal (Mendis) plays spin really well, so if we could get him early, it would have set platform for our spinners to come into the game.”But till he was there, it was hard for our spinners to bowl. He was dropped on two, and then when he was out, it was a no-ball. The spinner bowling a no-ball is a big no-no. Our spinners usually don’t bowl no-balls, but today it was proven that we break down under pressure. We are losing in crunch moments. If we won 50% of the close matches, we would have a better record in this format.”What also hurt Bangladesh was T20I debutant Ebadot Hossain’s inconsistency in his final two overs, which went for 38. The penultimate over of the chase, especially, turned the tide Sri Lanka’s way as he conceded 17, including a no-ball and a wide. This undid all his earlier good work; at the end of his first two overs, he had unreal figures of 3 for 13.Ebadot Hossain had mixed returns on T20I debut•Getty Images

“Ebadot has never played a pressure game like this,” Shakib said. “He has a lot to understand. He brought us into the game after his first two overs. We thought it was going to be his day. You expect a bowler to have good rhythm and be positive when he has taken three wickets in his first two overs. It wasn’t to be. He can learn a lot from this game.”Our plan was to get their batsmen out. That’s exactly what we did. They needed 25 or 26 [25] in the last two overs. Eight [seven] wickets down, you back your main bowlers to defend those runs against their tail.”Looking ahead to the T20 World Cup, Shakib underlined the importance of having to identify the best fast bowlers. “This was an eye-opener to see how we bowl in pressure situations,” he said. “You can expect good 10-12 overs of fast bowling on this type of pitch. Only those who can deliver will be in the team.”It is simple math. We looked at four fast bowlers here, and we will look at more in the tri-series in New Zealand so that we have a clearer idea who can do well in Australia.”Shakib also spoke of the few positives from the tournament. Like how the move to bump up Mehidy Hasan Miraz to open the innings, in his first T20I in nearly four years, worked.Mehidy responded with a 26-ball 38, hitting two fours and as many sixes. Shakib said this was something they had contemplated against Afghanistan too, before going with regulars Mohammad Naim and Anamul Haque.”He has done well in our domestic tournaments, so we had faith in him,” Shakib said of Mehidy’s promotion. “Even in the first game, he was in the mix to bat in the top order. He didn’t play the first game. He showed his character today. He wasn’t nervous. He was playing after [more than] three years, so it wasn’t easy for him. You have to give him a lot of credit, the way he handled the pressure in the first six overs.”Shakib also asked for a bit of patience from everyone as his team tries to work out plans going into the T20 World Cup. For starters, he said, he was encouraged by the team’s attitude and body language.”I have returned to T20I captaincy with these two matches. We have a lot in mind when we make a new beginning. Our planning started with the game against Afghanistan, so there will be right and wrong.”We have a plan in place. We want to reach a goal slowly. But if you notice our attitude and body language in these two games, despite the poor approach in batting in the first game, I think we have improved from our last three or four series.”

Batters in good place after promising four days in Antigua, as off-field matters overshadow

Cameron Ponsonby04-Mar-2022The image that summed up a confused and subdued day at Coolidge Cricket Ground was the sight of injury doubt Mark Wood warming up to bowl at lunchtime as captain Joe Root spoke to the media about Shane Warne’s unexpected death on the boundary’s edge.Things that matter and, you know, things that actually matter.”We’re just really shocked and sad to hear that such a legend of the game has passed so suddenly,” Root said.”We had just started the game and it sort of filtered through the dressing room. It’s been quite a quiet dressing room off the back of it, it’s hit everyone quite hard if I’m being brutally honest.”The news dramatically overshadowed the start of the day’s play as an already diminishing contest finally broke from its illusion of being a competitive fixture and was replaced by the reality of a practice session.Resuming on 77 for 3, England batted a further 17 overs and cantered along at almost a run a ball with Dan Lawrence slashing his way to 48 off 42. When Lawrence’s fun came to an end, it was Craig Overton batting at No.6 who replaced him in the middle. It was a day to make sure that everyone got a go.England will be pleased, therefore, that Ben Foakes gained some time in the middle as he scored 43 not out. It means that, of England’s top eight, only Ben Stokes hasn’t spent any substantial time batting going into the first Test, with five of the likely starting XI having passed 50 in the match and both Foakes and Chris Woakes registering unbeaten 40s.As England declared on 164 for 4 and set the President’s XI a notional 366 to win, eyes turned to whether Wood and Stokes would be able to bowl.Speaking at the close of play yesterday, interim head coach Paul Collingwood said that Stokes had done “everything possible” to be fit to bowl in Tuesday’s first Test and that there was a chance he could “play a small part” with the ball next week in Antigua. A marked improvement from earlier in the match, where word had been that any bowling Stokes would do in this game would be solely focused on preparing for the second Test.The temptation for England to bowl Stokes next week will have only increased after his showing here as he claimed a wicket with his very first ball before clean bowling Shane Dowrich in his following over. Stokes with the ball is currently the late-night kebab of England’s selection dilemmas as they seek to balance short-term reward with the risk of long-term damage.Having undertaken precautionary blood tests yesterday, it was announced at the start of the day’s play that Wood would be fit to take the field and he too impressed with the ball as he managed nine overs across the day, all of which were of good pace as he was able to extract life from a surface that was the very epitome of “docile”. Whether England will deem it sufficient preparation for Wood to be included in the XI for the first Test, however, is another question altogether.Amidst the breaking of bad news and managed bowling loads, a game of sorts did reach a conclusion as the President’s XI batted out the remainder of the day to finish 123 for 7 with Overton the other contributor of note with the ball, finishing with 2 for 12 from his eight overs.In all it has been a useful exercise for England. Batters have batted and bowlers have bowled against a more than competent opposition. And while the pitch being as docile (ibid) as it was was without doubt a considerable downside, overall it was a positive start to Operation Red-Ball Reset.

The teams will play each other twice in the first round, with the top two teams going through to the final

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Aug-2025Afghanistan, Pakistan and UAE will get more matches to prepare for the men’s T20 Asia Cup when they compete in a T20 tri-series hosted by the Emirates Cricket Board in Sharjah in August-September.The Asia Cup runs from September 9 to 28, also in the UAE.As such, based on the ICC’s future tours programme, Pakistan were expected to host Afghanistan for three T20Is in the window that has now been allotted to the tri-series.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Each team will play the other twice in the round-robin stage of the tournament, with the top two contesting the final. All the games will be played from 7pm local time. Pakistan are the highest-ranked side among the three on the ICC rankings at No. 8, with Afghanistan at No. 9, and UAE at No. 14.Pakistan are currently engaged in a bilateral white-ball series, where they have won the first game, against West Indies, and play their first match of the Asia Cup, against Oman on September 12. Afghanistan have not played a T20I since their bilateral series in Zimbabwe at the end of last year, and play their opening match of the Asia Cup, against Hong Kong on September 9.Both the teams qualified directly for the T20 World Cup in 2026, to be played in India and Sri Lanka – Afghanistan as one of the top-seven teams (excluding the hosts) in the previous T20 World Cup and Pakistan based on their ranking on the ICC table at the cut-off date of June 30, 2024. UAE, meanwhile, have not yet confirmed their spot at the World Cup. They have to go through the Asia-East Asia and Pacific qualifiers, to be played in Oman from October 8 to 17, to get there if they can.

Kimber scores 63 in four-wicket, DLS victory but other results don’t go Foxes’ way

ECB Reporters Network12-Aug-2021Leicestershire Foxes missed out on a Royal London Cup knockout spot despite a Louis Kimber-inspired four-run DLS victory over Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Wantage Road.The Foxes needed to win and hope for two of Surrey, Somerset and Yorkshire to lose but in spite of holding up their end of the bargain they fell a point shy in Group 1.Kimber struck 63, his second List A fifty, with Rishi Patel, Arron Lilley and Rehan Ahmed helping the Foxes to 271.Rain meant the Steelbacks needed 266 from 48 over, but Rob Keogh’s 52 wasn’t enough as they fell agonisingly short – with Will Davis, Gavin Griffiths and Ben Mike all taking two wickets apiece.The Foxes won the toss and hared out the gate as Patel aggressively blasted 41 off 33 balls, including a pick up six over midwicket.He and opening partner Harry Swindles were both bounced out by Ben Sanderson – the former plinking to extra cover to hand the fast bowler his 50th List A wicket and the latter wonderfully caught by a diving Saif Zaib at deep square leg.Like Patel, Lilley showed that an attacking spirit was the best way to make runs – the all-rounder striking 46 off 37 deliveries for his third consecutive highest format score.Partnerships were extinguished just as they started to flourish – eight of the stands producing between 20 and 50 runs – with Lewis Hill losing the top of his off-stump to Sanderson, Lilley stumped and George Rhodes leg before to Simon Kerrigan.Mike tamely chipped to midwicket and Ed Barnes was plumb in front to Zaib but Kimber provided the paste with a 53-ball half-century. He was squared up and bowled by a crafty Kerrigan delivery, while 16-year-old Ahmed marshalled the tail with a promising unbeaten 40 before Zaib bowled both Griffiths and Davis – the spinner ending with personal best figures of 3 for 37.The Steelbacks raced to 45 in 7.5 overs before rain helped slow up a wicket which was already friendly to the spin bowlers.Emilio Gay collected 42 of the first 53 runs, including eight boundaries, before he was lbw to George Rhodes and Ricardo Vasconcelos followed soon after when he slashed to point.A third wicket in 10 balls, Ben Curran chopping on, came as the hosts stalled – with a nine overs gap between boundaries highlighting the Foxes’ containment.Luke Procter and Keogh were pragmatic, if rarely pretty, in their 89-run stand. The latter reached his half-century off 56 balls before swatting to midwicket but the former fell short when he hammered straight to point for 48 – both falling to Mike.Zaib tried to take control with 42 from 41, which included a towering maximum over square, but swung a full toss straight to deep midwicket with 37 still needed from 25 balls.James Sales had put on 63 with Zaib and picked out exactly the same fielder, as did Kerrigan.It meant 25 were needed from the last 11 balls, but despite Sanderson’s big-hitting, Jack White was run out to drag the Foxes over the line.

Sam Billings drafted into XI as like-for-like Covid replacement

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jun-2022England wicketkeeper Ben Foakes has tested positive for Covid-19 and will play no further part in the third Test at Headingley. Sam Billings has been drafted in as a Covid replacement, subject to ICC approval.Foakes was unable to keep wicket on Saturday due to back stiffness, with Jonny Bairstow taking the gloves. Foakes subsequently tested positive after taking a lateral flow test in the evening.Related

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• 'It has changed the way I look at Test cricket. There is another side – entertainment'

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Billings has been in action for Kent in the Vitality Blast but will go straight into the playing XI and keep wicket, with England seeking five more New Zealand wickets before beginning their second innings.England said in a statement that there had been no further cases and “the rest of the England party follows health protocols of symptom reporting and subsequent testing if required”. Marcus Trescothick, the team’s batting coach, tested positive on Tuesday and has been self-isolating throughout the third Test.The news casts doubt on Foakes’ participation in the India Test starting on Friday, although England said that they hoped he would be fit to play. India have also been affected by Covid, with Rohit Sharma, the Test captain, currently isolating after a positive test. The rearranged Test will provide a conclusion to last year’s series, with India leading 2-1.Billings was in London on Saturday evening ahead of Kent’s County Championship match against Surrey at the Kia Oval and made a last-minute, late-night journey up to Leeds, arriving in the early hours of Sunday morning.He will win his second Test cap in similarly hectic circumstances to the first, when he drove nine hours along Australia’s east coast to Sydney and played in the final Ashes Test after injuries to Bairstow and Jos Buttler.

Hosts were reduced to 95 for 5 at one stage, after Odean Smith’s cameo helped visitors push past 300

Abhimanyu Bose06-Jun-2023Half-centuries from Brandon King and Johnson Charles, a spirited cameo from Odean Smith, and then a ruthless bowling display helped West Indies seal a series win against UAE in Sharjah on Tuesday.The UAE bowlers did well to rein things in after a 129-run opening stand between King and Charles, even as Smith’s 24-ball 37 helped take West Indies past 300. However, another insipid performance with the bat by UAE meant West Indies cantered to victory in the second ODI.After the visitors opted to bat, King, on the back of a fine century in the first ODI, played anchor as Charles took on the role of aggressor against the hosts’ opening bowlers Sanchit Sharma and Ali Naseer.Charles, playing just his second ODI since 2016, hit Sanchit for two boundaries in his first over before smashing 18 of the 20 runs that came off the seventh over, bowled by Naseer. King, meanwhile, hit some gorgeous drives through the off side, as he picked up from where he left off.The two took some time to settle against left-arm spinner Aayan Afzal Khan, but in his third over, they both skipped out of the crease to hit him for sixes down the ground.Charles went on to bring up his half-century – his fifth in ODI cricket – off just 33 deliveries before he went on to hit a six and a four off the next two deliveries he faced. But playing in the afternoon heat, he seemed to tire as he added just two more runs off the next ten deliveries and holed out to long-on for a 47-ball 63 off Naseer.That started West Indies’ slowdown, and they lost wickets in regular intervals after that.King, who brought up a fifty of his own off 52 balls, struggled to put debutant legspinner Adhitya Shetty away, and was soon out to him thanks to a brilliant catch at long-on by Basil Hameed. Shetty nearly had another wicket in that over, but shelled the chance off his own bowling to give Keacy Carty a life.Aayan then had Shamarh Brooks chopping on before getting Roston Chase to hit a half-hearted effort to long-on. Zahoor Khan, who was disciplined in his first spell, returned to the attack to get rid of Carty, who hit a drive straight to cover.Shai Hope, batting at No. 6 – the lowest he has batted in ODIs – rebuilt for West Indies with a 43-run stand with Kavem Hodge, but when the two fell in consecutive overs to Naseer and Sanchit, West Indies were in a spot of bother at 249 for 7.Odean Smith’s quick 37 took West Indies past 300•AFP/Getty Images

However, Smith’s swashbuckling knock, which comprised one six and three fours, helped take them past the 300-mark. Zahoor finished with three wickets, while Aayan, Naseer and Sanchit took two each.Thereafter, it didn’t take the West Indies quicks long to make inroads as debutant right-arm seamer Akeem Jordan, playing in place of Keemo Paul, got UAE captain Muhammad Waseem nicking off in the fourth over.Waseem’s opening partner Aryansh Sharma was next to go, flicking Smith straight to square leg.West Indies’ spin trio of Chase, Hodge and Yannic Cariah then dried out the runs and took away any hopes UAE may have had of trying to upset the visitors: Lovepreet Singh, in his first game for UAE, struggled to get in before Hodge bowled him through the gate. Asif Khan made 4 off 22 balls before a fine catch from Dominic Drakes off Chase saw him return to the hut. Vriitya Aravind, who trudged to 36 off 52 deliveries, was next to go as he sliced a full delivery from Cariah to point.Basil Hameed and Naseer then put on an 80-run stand after UAE were 95 for 5, but having already lost half the side, they couldn’t keep up with the asking rate.Naseer was the only real bright spot with the bat for UAE, smashing three sixes and six fours en route to his 53-ball 57. Having made his ODI debut in the first match of the series, he now has two half-centuries in two games, with both coming at a strike rate of more than 100.Hameed made 49 before holing out to deep midwicket off Chase, and Hodge got Naseer to top edge a slog to short third. Aayan also made a handy 23-ball 25, but in the end, West Indies’ total proved too much for the hosts.UAE were able to bat out fifty overs, but were restricted to 228 after being bowled out for 202 in the first ODI. As for West Indies, the win will be a big confidence booster for them before they – alongside UAE – head to Zimbabwe for the World Cup qualifiers.

392-run stand with New Zealand’s Will Young denies Somerset before rain

ECB Reporters Network22-Apr-2024Joe Clarke and Will Young were denied the chance of a 400 partnership when heavy rain washed out most of the final day of Nottinghamshire’s Vitality County Championship First Division match with Somerset at Taunton.Only nine overs were possible at the start of the morning session, which began with the visitors 418 for 2 in their second innings, leading by 157 runs.Having already broken a Notts record for a third-wicket stand, which had stood since 1903, Clarke and Young added 22 runs, taking the total to 440 before the rain set in at 11.40am with their partnership extended to 392.No further play was possible before umpires Russell Warren and David Millns abandoned the game at the conclusion of a 1pm lunch period. Clarke was left unbeaten on 213 and Young on 174 as Somerset took 15 points from the draw and Notts ten.The early finish also deprived the pair of a chance to break the Notts record stand for any wicket, the unbroken opening stand of 406 put together by Darren Bicknell and Guy Welton against Warwickshire at Edgbaston in 2000.Related

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“We have to improve as a side because we have been putting ourselves in positions we don’t want to be in,” Clarke said. “We need to be in control and pushing to win games, so although it was good to get points from this one, we know as a group we have to be better.”This was Clarke’s third hundred of the season and he sits one run behind Warwickshire captain Alex Davies at the top of the run-scoring charts in Division One. “The partnership with Will was outstanding,” Clarke said. “We fed off each other well and kept each other going.”It was the first game this year with the Duke ball, but that made no difference to how I approached my innings. As always, I just tried to keep things simple and cash in on the confidence I am feeling with the bat at the moment.”Will Young just oozes class. He had not had many days in the country before we travelled down to play here after a long flight from New Zealand, so to fit back into the team so seamlessly was amazing.”Lewis Gregory, Somerset’s captain, said: “I would like to see pitches here offer a lot more to the bowlers than that one did. It flattened out much quicker than expected, but it’s not an exact science and that can happen here. Three draws is a solid start to the season for us. We have played some really good cricket and now need to build on it with a win.”

Uncapped keeper-batter Uma Chetry is also part of all three squads

Sruthi Ravindranath30-May-2024Batter Jemimah Rodrigues and allrounder Pooja Vastrakar have been named in India’s Test and white-ball squads for the upcoming home series against South Africa, but their selection is subject to fitness.Rodrigues had missed the five-match T20I series in Bangladesh in April-May with a back injury and underwent rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. Vastrakar, however, had played all five games in Bangladesh and the BCCI media statement did not specify the nature of her injury.Uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Uma Chetry was also included in all three squads. She replaced Yastika Bhatia who was out injured after playing just one T20I in Bangladesh. Chetry had also been part of the India’s Asian Games squad that beat Sri Lanka to win gold in Hangzhou in 2023.

South Africa tour of India

June 13: tour game vs Board President’s XI, Bengaluru
June 16: 1st ODI, Bengaluru
June 19: 2nd ODI, Bengaluru
June 23: 3rd ODI, Bengaluru
June 28 – July 1: One-off Test, Chennai
July 5: 1st T20I, Chennai
July 7: 2nd T20I, Chennai
July 9: 3rd T20I, Chennai

Top-order batter Priya Punia, who last played for India in July 2023, earned a call-up to the Test side. Medium-pacer Arundhati Reddy, who has played 26 T20Is so far, was called up to the Test and ODI squads as well. However, fast bowler Titas Sadhu, who was part of the T20Is against Bangladesh as well as India’s last ODI and Test assignments (against Australia last year), missed out.Punia had linked up with the India squad ahead of the one-off Test against Australia last year as cover for Shubha Satheesh.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Following a decent run in the WPL 2024, where she picked up eight wickets in nine games for Delhi Capitals, Reddy impressed with both ball and bat in the Senior Women Inter Zonal Multi-Day Trophy in April. She scored 174 runs, including two fifties, and took two wickets, in two games for South Zone.Legspinner S Asha, who had made her T20I debut in Bangladesh, earned her maiden ODI call-up while D Hemalatha, who had made her comeback in that series in Bangladesh, could return to ODI action after almost two years. Hemalatha also retained her place in the T20I squad.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Harleen Deol, who was part of the squad for the ODIs and one-off Test against Australia in December-January, was left out. She had picked up a knee injury early in WPL 2024 and underwent surgery in March. The other absentee from the ODI squad against Australia is left-arm spinner Mannat Kashyap.Related

• Powerplay: An all-South African affair

• India vs SA: Bengaluru and Chennai to host women's all-format series

South Africa’s all-format women’s tour of India will begin with a three-match ODI series, then move to the one-off Test, and end with the three T20Is. The ODIs, as well as a one-day warm-up game for the visiting side against a Board President’s XI side, will be played in Bengaluru, while the rest of the games will take place in Chennai.The one-off Test wasn’t part of the ICC’s FTP originally. It was added since BCCI and CSA have both been trying to promote women’s Tests of late. This will be India’s third Test in seven months, having played against England and Australia in December last year, both at home.

India’s squad for women’s ODIs vs South Africa

Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues (subject to fitness), Richa Ghosh (wk), Uma Chetry (wk), Dayalan Hemalatha, Radha Yadav, Asha Sobhana, Shreyanka Patil, Saika Ishaque, Pooja Vastrakar (subject to fitness), Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, Priya Punia

India’s squad for one-off women’s Test vs South Africa

Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Shafali Verma, Shubha Satheesh, Jemimah Rodrigues (subject to fitness), Richa Ghosh (wk), Uma Chetry (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Saika Ishaque, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Pooja Vastrakar (subject to fitness), Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Meghna Singh, Priya Punia

India’s squad for women’s T20Is vs South Africa

Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Shafali Verma, Dayalan Hemalatha, Uma Chetry (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Jemimah Rodrigues (subject to fitness), Sajana Sajeevan, Deepti Sharma, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav, Amanjot Kaur, Asha Sobhana, Pooja Vastrakar (subject to fitness), Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy
Standby: Saika Ishaque

After five straight defeats, Stars posted five straight wins to book a knockout final against Sydney Thunder

Tristan Lavalette19-Jan-2025Glenn Maxwell may not be touring Sri Lanka, but in a silver lining he’ll be part of the BBL finals after Melbourne Stars’ remarkable regular season turnaround was complete with a comprehensive victory over Hobart Hurricanes at the MCG.Stars needed a win to leapfrog Perth Scorchers into fourth place and qualify for the finals. They took care of business against a Hurricanes team with little to play for.Maxwell continued his purple patch with 76 not out off 32 balls before quick Mark Steketee claimed three early wickets as Stars reached the finals for the first time since BBL 09.Related

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• Maxwell on Test snub: Would have made same call

After a woeful start to the season with five straight defeats, Stars have gained significant momentum with five straight wins to book a knockout final against Sydney Thunder at the Showgrounds.The match was essentially a tune-up for Hurricanes, who had already locked up top spot and a home final in the Qualifier against Sydney Sixers.

Maxwell ignites again after Webster’s half-century

All eyes were on Maxwell. But the big crowd at the MCG had to wait for their hero as openers Sam Harper and Thomas Rogers laid a solid platform.Stars have badly struggled at the top of the order with Harper particularly out of form. But they peeled off 19 runs in the first two overs in the best opening stand of the season for Stars.Harper whacked four early boundaries, but Stars couldn’t get through the powerplay unblemished with Rogers succumbing to a clever change of pace from quick Nathan Ellis.Having ended a run of five straight single digit scores, Harper could not go on with it after he was trapped lbw by the spin of Nikhil Chaudhary.With Beau Webster struggling with his timing, Marcus Stoinis tried to regain Stars’ momentum with numerous powerful blows to race to 32 off 19 balls. But like countless times this season, Stoinis could not launch off the platform and his dismissal brought Maxwell to the crease.Maxwell, fresh off his extraordinary 90 against Renegades, started fast and smashed Chaudhary down the ground for six on his fourth delivery. His presence had a profound effect on Webster, who shook from his slumber to put the foot down.Webster hogged the strike, but didn’t cop the wrath of Maxwell’s legion of fans as he powered to his half-century with a six down the ground.Maxwell took over after Webster’s dismissal and had the crowd in the palm of his hands when he got under a slower short delivery from left-arm quick Marcus Bean and with a flick of the wrists whacked it over fine leg.He was unstoppable at the death, clubbing a six off quick Cameron Gannon to reach his half-century and then smashing two more into the crowd as Stars powered past 200.It brought some cheer for Maxwell, whose Test career looks over after he missed out on Australia’s squad to Sri Lanka.Mark Steketee took three wickets in his first two overs•Getty Images

Hurricanes experiment with their attack

With little to play for, Hurricanes decided to play it safe. Spearhead Riley Meredith did not play while Nathan Ellis only bowled one over with Ben McDermott on the broadcast saying he was managing a sore groin.Ellis used the match to experiment and seven bowlers were used. Tim David’s handy offspin opened the bowling, while Chris Jordan bowled in the backend in his return from a back injury but struggled amid Maxwell’s onslaught.With injured quick Billy Stanlake to miss the finals, his position is up for grabs and seemingly a race between Bean and Gannon, freshly signed as Stanlake’s replacement.Bean, plucked out of Tasmanian club cricket, impressed in his professional debut against Brisbane Heat at the Gabba. Sporting a change of hair colour, from gold to silver, Bean enjoyed the wicket of Stoinis with an awkward delivery that climbed and hurried the batter.But he suffered in the backend and so too did Gannon, who was playing in the BBL for the first time in three years. He’s been in outstanding Sheffield Shield form, but Gannon struggled with his lengths to finish with 0 for 48 off 4 overs. Bean took 1 for 45 off his 4.Hurricanes were also extremely sloppy in the field to cap a forgettable performance.

Steketee continues strong form

Veteran quick Steketee has been a key part of Stars’ revival with 15 wickets in five matches. He’s been impactful with the new ball and so was the case again. In the second over he dismissed opener Caleb Jewell after Stoinis took a blinder with a full-stretch dive running backwards at mid on.Steketee struck again two balls alter when Charlie Wakim drove straight to backward point. He trapped McDermott lbw in his next over before claiming Ellis at the end to finish with 4 for 24 off 3.3 overs.

Owen unleashes early but in vain

Mitchell Owen has been the breakout player this season with his move up the order being a considerable success for Hurricanes. Their hopes in the chase largely rested on Owen getting off to a flier and he tried his best by bludgeoning left-arm quick Joel Paris for a couple of big sixes in the opening over.He also took a liking to veteran quick Peter Siddle with several mighty blows, unleashing his considerable power, to motor to 34 off 10 balls. But he slowed down slightly before holing out on 38 as Hurricanes’ slim chances effectively ended.Ellis top-scored with a rapid 40 at the end until he holed out to – quite fittingly – Maxwell, who pumped his fist to the jubilant fans knowing Stars’ season will continue.