Play 02:54 Moonda: Playing Morkel a gamble It is dangerous to judge a Test pitch two days before the match starts, but the Dunedin surface had certainly caught the attention of the South Africans on Monday. The pitch looked “juicy” in the words of Dean Elgar, so much so that the self-confessed pie-chucker joked it “looks like I might have to bowl off a long run-up as well”, and the…
New Zealand v South Africa, 1st Test, Dunedin March 6, 2017 They haven’t come across each other much since their careers developed on opposing sides of the world, but it should be a feisty battle between New Zealand’s bouncer-happy quick and South Africa’s stubborn opener Play 01:37 Moonda: South Africa’s quicks could heat up Dunedin In an increasingly globalised sporting world, the story of the migrant player who has to…
Mustafizur Rahman last played a Test in July 2015 © AFP Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim has said that seamer Mustafizur Rahman, who is returning to Test cricket after more than a year, will be the key for his bowling attack in Galle. That several Sri Lankan batsmen have not faced him before only amplifies the threat posed by Mustafizur. Among Sri Lanka’s 15-man squad, only Dinesh Chandimal has faced Mustafizur…
Sri Lanka A 187 for 6 (Jayasuriya 83) beat England Lions 184 (Bell-Drummond 51, Jayasuriya 5-35) by four wicketsScorecard Shehan Jayasuriya starred with bat and ball in a comfortable Sri Lanka victory © AFP Beneath the shadow of Elephant Rock, England Lions produced the sort of under-par display that even an elephant would want to forget in a hurry. There are some Lions on this tour, batsmen and bowlers alike,…
Match Facts March 7-11, 2017Start time: 10am local (0430GMT) Play 04:15 Fernando: Talks of Sri Lanka playing five bowlers Big Picture The last time Bangladesh came to Galle, they played on perhaps the flattest pitch seen in Sri Lanka this decade – one which saw the visitors amass 638, while Mushfiqur Rahim hit his nation’s first ever international double-hundred. Four years later, things have changed. Bangladesh no longer need a…
South Africa can expect plenty of short deliveries from Neil Wagner © Getty Images In an increasingly globalised sporting world, the story of the migrant player who has to face his former countrymen has been told too many times. But this one is a little different. New Zealand’s Neil Wagner, originally from Pretoria, not only has history with the likes of Faf du Plessis, who he went to school with,…
New Zealand v South Africa, 1st Test, Dunedin March 6, 2017 They haven’t come across each other much since their careers developed on opposing sides of the world, but it should be a feisty battle between New Zealand’s bouncer-happy quick and South Africa’s stubborn opener Play 01:37 Moonda: South Africa’s quicks could heat up Dunedin In an increasingly globalised sporting world, the story of the migrant player who has to…
Duanne Olivier may move down the pecking order with Morne Morkel fit again © Gallo Images It is dangerous to judge a Test pitch two days before the match starts, but the Dunedin surface had certainly caught the attention of the South Africans on Monday. The pitch looked “juicy” in the words of Dean Elgar, so much so that the self-confessed pie-chucker joked it “looks like I might have to…
New Zealand v South Africa, 1st Test, Dunedin March 6, 2017 They haven’t come across each other much since their careers developed on opposing sides of the world, but it should be a feisty battle between New Zealand’s bouncer-happy quick and South Africa’s stubborn opener Play 01:37 Moonda: South Africa’s quicks could heat up Dunedin In an increasingly globalised sporting world, the story of the migrant player who has to…
Shardul Thakur has played a solitary IPL match for Kings XI Punjab © BCCI Mumbai and Kings XI Punjab seamer Shardul Thakur has been acquired by the Rising Pune Supergiants for the tenth season of the IPL, which starts on April 5. This is Supergiants’ second trade of the season, having signed opener Mayank Agarwal from Delhi Daredevils ahead of the auction in January. Thakur’s addition bolsters Supergiants’ Indian seam…