All posts by n8rngtd.top

Hamilton breaks WBBL records with stunning 5 for 8 in Brisbane Heat victory

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

The left-arm quick, whose school friends are celebrating on the Gold Coast, had never taken a WBBL wicket before this match

AAP17-Nov-2024Brisbane Heat 139 for 4 (Rodrigues 45) beat Melbourne Stars 138 (Garth 31*, Hamilton 5-8)Brisbane Heat teenager Lucy Hamilton became the youngest player in WBBL history to take a five-wicket haul, skipping schoolies’ week to bowl her side to a crucial six-wicket win over the Melbourne Stars.Hamilton claimed the equal-second best figures in the competition’s 10-year history on Sunday, with her 5 for 8 helping Heat bowl Stars out for 138.Related

  • 'Just go all out': Rodrigues looks to Australian mindset

  • Healy out of WBBL, faces race to be fit for India series

Heat’s batters made light work of the chase, with Jemimah Rodrigues and Charlie Knott leading the way and Heat reaching the target with 15 balls to spare.Rodrigues hit 45 from 31, smashing two big sixes down the ground and five fours before being deceived by an Annabel Sutherland slower ball.Heat’s third straight win moved them back up into third on the ladder, while Stars’ season is now almost over with two wins from seven matches.Hamilton was crucial, after the 18-year-old entered Sunday’s match without a wicket in her eight-game WBBL career. Weeks after finishing her QCE exams in Bundaberg and with her friends partying on the Gold Coast, she had the biggest day of her career.After Sutherland got out of the blocks fast with 21, the left-armer bowled both her and Yastika Bhatia in her first over. She also had Meg Lanning caught behind for 13 edging a wide half volley, before having danger woman Tess Flintoff caught driving on the up to mid-off.Hamilton then trapped Deepti Sharma lbw, becoming the first Heat bowler in history to take a five-wicket haul in the WBBL. Her figures sit second only to Megan Schutt’s 6 for 19 in the competition’s history, and level with Amanda-Jade Wellington’s two returns of 5 for 8.”All my mates are at schoolies at the moment, on the Goldy living it up,” said Hamilton, adding she couldn’t believe what had just happened. “Going out there today I was just trying to back myself. Getting my first wicket and getting 5-fa, all the girls were getting around me. It was really exciting. I’ve had to be patient, played a few games, and it finally came and was really thrilling.”Part of Australia’s Under-19 side, Hamilton will finally move to Brisbane in the coming months after routinely making the five-hour commute down from Bundaberg.”I was talking to my bowling coach the other day, and it’s now about working on standing the seam up and just backing myself to swing the ball back in,” Hamilton said. “Progressive training will help that, but it’s having the confidence to be able to do that.”Only late hitting from Kim Garth and Maisy Gibson gave Stars a faint hope, but Heat still chased the target down with ease.

Jofra Archer's Test hopes rekindled by central contract extension

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Stokes says Archer is “very interested” in Test comeback after long absence

Vithushan Ehantharajah04-Dec-2024Jofra Archer’s future as a Test cricketer received a boost after his central contract was extended past the 2025-26 Ashes, with England’s captain Ben Stokes confident that Archer is “very interested” in returning to the format despite a recent tug-of-war with the ECB over his IPL availability.Archer, who has not played Test cricket since February 2021, is one of three England quicks to have had their central contracts updated through to October 2026. Brydon Carse, who took 10 wickets in the match in the first Test against New Zealand last week, and Matthew Potts have also had their deals increased by a year.Jacob Bethell, fresh from a maiden half-century on Test debut in Christchurch, has been upgraded to a two-year central contract from the development contract he was awarded just last month. It caps a remarkable rise for Bethell, who made his ODI and T20I debuts at the end of the 2024 English summer, and has since earned an INR 2.6 crore (£245,000 approx.) IPL deal with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.For Archer, who is 29, the additional year highlights what has been a promising return to regular action. Since bursting onto the international scene in the 2019 season with the World Cup and Ashes, his progress has been stunted by a series of injuries, including stress fractures of the elbow and back.Related

  • Jacob Bethell holds No. 3 spot as England name unchanged side for second Test vs NZ

  • Stokes skipped IPL auction to 'prolong' England career

  • Archer back on England's fast track

  • Archer added back to IPL auction list

The ECB have stuck by the fast bowler, and are working meticulously with Archer. This year has been a success on that front; Archer made 20 appearances across the white-ball formats, including all eight of England’s matches at the T20 World Cup, where he was his team’s joint-leading wicket-taker with 10 dismissals at 19.00.The board’s ambition is to have him primed for a key role in Test cricket next year, ahead of five Tests against India at home followed by the visit to Australia in the winter. His initial two-year deal was set to expire in October 2025.Speaking in Wellington ahead of England’s second Test against New Zealand, Stokes said that Archer’s ambition to return to the red-ball set-up remains strong. He has even put himself forward for their one-off Test match against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge starting on May 22, though he appears unlikely to be available.England’s updated contract list•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“The excitement is understandable around Jofra,” Stokes said. “The best thing is he is back on the field playing. I am sure he might have thought he might not have the chance to put on an England shirt again and the injuries and surgeries he has gone through could have ended other people’s careers so there is no rushing back for anything for Jofra.”He is being handled very well by the ECB and that will certainly continue. But Jof is a man of few words, even over WhatsApp. I had one a couple of months ago saying ‘Zimbabwe?’. That shows he is very interested in playing Test cricket for England.”Talk of Zimbabwe is far-fetched given Archer will be out at the IPL with Rajasthan Royals, who forked out INR 12.5 crore (£1.2m approx.) for his services for the tournament which is set to run until May 25. Given Archer will not have played any recent red-ball cricket before then, he is unlikely to be selected.If the ECB were to pull Archer out ahead of time, he would incur a ban for the next two editions under the tournament’s new regulations. Those same regulations would have also banned Archer had he and his representatives not convinced the ECB to let him enter the mega auction. The governing body initially blocked his entry on the grounds they want to continue to manage his workloads before a late change.As such, the earliest Test Archer could play would be during the India series, which begins at Lord’s on June 20. Given a lack of first-class cricket – his last match in the format came for Sussex against Kent in May 2021 – it is unlikely to be that first Test.Archer in action for Sussex Second XI in May 2024•PA Photos/Getty Images

A round of County Championship matches starting on June 22 (Sussex travel to Durham) could allow him a tune up. He could also play the next one on June 29 (Sussex vs Warwickshire) to refamiliarise himself to the rigors of bowling multiple spells across multiple days. In the event of the latter, he could still play a part in the final three matches of that series, provided he comes out unscathed.”When the decision gets made between him and the people who make those decisions around players, I am sure there will be conversations that he will have to get some different loading,” Stokes said.”You can come back and play a one-day game and get two or three different spells. But in Test cricket you have to do that over a long period of time and then another day to back it up. There is no doubt he is going so well at the moment, it is a case of he will have to build the body up to handle the extra pressure of a Test match.”

Abbott: Didn't take ODI decision out of selectors' hands

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

On the flip side to his one-day omission, the pace-bowling allrounder is one of just three frontline quicks heading to Sri Lanka

Andrew McGlashan13-Jan-2025It’s been a bittersweet few days for Sean Abbott: included in the Test squad for the tour of Sri Lanka, with a baggy green perhaps closer than ever, but omitted from the group heading to the Champions Trophy.Given the Test cap is one of the missing pieces from a fine career, perhaps it’s not the worst way it could have played out. Abbott was also realistic in assessing his absence from the Champions Trophy, having been part of the victorious ODI World Cup squad in 2023, after struggling to make an impact in his last two series.Related

  • Cummins 'heavily unlikely' for Champions Trophy, Smith or Head to lead Australia

  • Connolly, McSweeney, Kuhnemann included for Sri Lanka tour

  • Smith flays 121* to send a reminder of his T20 worth

  • Cummins, Hazlewood included for Champions Trophy

Against England and Pakistan he took one wicket in five outings at an economy rate 7.36. He will be in the selectors’ thoughts should replacements be needed (captain Pat Cummins’ status is still uncertain) but Nathan Ellis has taken the spot as the fourth quick behind the big three.”I didn’t really take selection out of the selectors’ hands,” Abbott said ahead of Sydney Sixers’ trip to Adelaide for their next BBL clash. “I didn’t perform and bowl as well as I would have liked in my last five games for Australia over in the UK and back home here against Pakistan.”My goal at all times when I play is to obviously contribute and do what I need to do for the team, but on top of that, it’s [to] take the decision to drop you out of the selectors’ hands, and I haven’t done that. So that’s fair. The guys who have been picked are in form and I think we’ve got a great squad to go over and compete for the Champions Trophy.”1:52

Smith: Konstas can bat conventionally too, he’s got ‘all the tools’

However, as one of just three specialist quicks heading to Sri Lanka for the two Tests – alongside Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland – it is possible to see an elusive debut. Abbott was officially part of the squad for the final two matches against India but Starc, Cummins and Boland were able to get through the Melbourne and Sydney games.There remains a chance Australia go with just one frontline quick in Galle and use Beau Webster’s medium pace to supplement it, but Abbott believes he has a skillset which could be valuable. George Bailey noted Abbott’s “durability” when the squad was named while he is also a good exponent of reverse swing.”It would have been nice to debut out here the other day [against India] on what was a bowler-friendly wicket,” he said with a smile. “Sri Lanka typically is more spin-friendly than anything, but I feel like conditions might suit me perhaps more than others. But, again, we’ve got such depth with our bowling at the moment.”It gets mentioned a lot, but every time Scotty comes in and bowls, no matter the conditions, he does well. And then Starcy is obviously bowling high 140s, and then reverse swing will play a role, or being able to tie up an end so the spinners can attack, whatever that looks like. Being one of only three quicks going over, I suppose I feel a little bit closer. But I certainly feel like conditions might suit the way I go about my bowling.”Sean Abbott still has a huge part to play in how Sydney Sixers’ season plays out•Getty Images

The trade-off from heading to Sri Lanka is that Abbott – alongside Steven Smith and Todd Murphy – will miss the BBL finals, where Sixers are assured of a spot. But there are still positions to play for with hosting rights for the Qualifier – which provides a direct path to the final – a major incentive, although it is out of Sixers’ hands with Hobart Hurricanes having a game in hand.”It’s definitely a huge advantage if you can finish in the top two and get home game advantage for sure,” Abbott said.All Sixers can do is win their remaining matches against Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Thunder. They will have Smith available for both those outings following his spectacular 121 not out from 64 balls against Perth Scorchers. Abbott, the leading wicket-taking in BBL history, also played a key role in that victory with 4 for 43 but was critical with himself for a final over that went for 20 and gave Ashton Turner an outside chance of heist.”I had six more balls there at the end to bowl and didn’t really bowl anywhere near as good as I should have,” he said. “Pretty disappointing with the way that over went and how close it ended up getting. So I’ll give myself a little bit of a rap on the knuckles for that one.”

Fanning misses maiden ton but helps keep Western Australia on top

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Michael Neser did his best to keep Queensland in the match but the home side lost a late wicket

AAP19-Feb-2025Opener Sam Fanning fell just short of a century but put Western Australia in a powerful position against Queensland on day two of their Sheffield Shield game.Fanning made 95 as WA posted 312 all out on Wednesday at The Gabba in reply to Queensland’s first innings of 147. At stumps, Queensland were 39 for 1 in their second innings, still 126 runs behind the visitors.Related

  • Rocchiccioli's career-best seven gives Western Australia control

  • Konstas calms himself but can't cash in as New South Wales take control

  • Sangha, McInerney build healthy lead for Shield leaders South Australia

Fanning was within reach of his maiden first-class century when he launched at an off-side drive at a Michael Neser delivery but chopped onto his stumps.The New Zealand-born left hander struck five fours and two sixes in his 229-ball knock and featured in two telling partnerships. He put on 108 with his opening partner Sam Whiteman, who was dismissed for 67 late on Tuesday. Fanning also combined with Jayden Goodwin for a 103-run partnership for the third wicket.Goodwin made 40 before missing an attempted sweep from legspinner Mitch Swepson. Goodwin’s dismissal triggered a slide of 5 for 27 as Queensland stalwart Neser ripped through the middle order.Neser finished with 4 for 34 from 21 overs. He had nightwatchman Corey Rocchiccioli caught at mid-off for 2 early on the second day’s play and later removed Fanning, Ashton Turner and Keaton Critchell, with fellow quick Xavier Bartlett dismissing Joel Curtis as WA lost five wickets in a 10-over span.WA allrounder Hilton Cartwright then rallied his side with a handy 48 not out, steering the visitors to a 165-run innings lead.WA then achieved a key breakthrough when Rocchiccioli snared his eighth wicket in the match. The offspinner, who claimed a career-best 7 for 52 in the first innings, removed Matt Renshaw for 10 in his first over of the innings.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi strikes fastest Youth ODI century as India seal series

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

As youngest Youth ODI century-maker, 14-year-old Suryavanshi’s 52-ball ton comes in 55-run win for India

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay05-Jul-2025India Under-19 363 for 9 (Suryavanshi 143, Malhotra 129, Home 4-63, Morgan 3-54) beat England Under-19 308 (Flintoff 107, Dawkins 67, Moores 52, Pushpak 3-63) by 55 runsFourteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi struck the fastest ever Youth ODI century – from 52 balls – as India U19 beat England U19 by 55 runs in Worcester to secure a series victory.India’s total of 363 for 9 featured two brilliant centuries. Suryavanshi smashed a blistering 143 from 78 balls and Vihaan Malhotra compiled a high-class 129 from 121 as they built a second-wicket partnership of 219 in 24 overs.That left India, at 233 for 1 after 27 overs, eyeing 400-plus but England fought back well as Worcestershire’s Jack Home took 4 for 63 and Middlesex seamer Sebastian Morgan added 3 for 54.

England replied with 308 all out from 45.2 overs after they failed to build on a century opening stand from Kent’s Ben Dawkins (67) and Lancashire’s Joe Moores (52). Rocky Flintoff’s defiant 107 was thereafter largely unsupported against a well-drilled India attack with captain Thomas Rew perishing in the most unfortunate way for just 19, run out backing up.The victory leaves India 3-1 up in the five-match series which concludes back at Visit Worcestershire New Road on Monday.England chose to field and struck an early blow when Ayush Mhatre lifted James Minto to long leg. That paved the way for Suryavanshi who become the youngest ever Youth ODI century-maker with an onslaught which included 13 fours and ten sixes. His truly memorable innings contained no slogging, just a sublime exhibition of power, timing and placement.With Suryavanshi and Malhotra in full flow, the sky appeared the limit for India, but England hit back with a burst of three wickets for one run in 11 balls. Ben Mayes made the vital breakthrough by having Suryavanshi calmly caught by Joe Moores in the deep. That over transpired to be a wicket maiden which Morgan followed up in the next by bowling Rahul Kumar and Harvansh Pangalia with successive balls.Abhigyan Kundu helped Malhotra rebuild with a stand of 93 in 13 overs but Home, on his home ground, having taken some punishment in his first spell, applied a brake on the late-innings charge by taking four wickets in three overs.England’s reply was solidly launched by Moores and Dawkins who added 104 in 14 overs before spinner Naman Pushpak took wickets with successive balls.Moores lifted to long on and Mayes fell lbw, first ball. Dawkins, sketchy at first, passed 50 from 41 balls and was looking increasingly fluent when he hoisted Chauhan to long off.Flintoff and Rew crafted a promising stand of 60 in nine overs before Lady Luck intervened on the tourists’ behalf. Flintoff, having just reached a 41-ball half-century, straight-drove Yudhajit Guha who parried the ball on the stumps, leaving the luckless Rew stranded and run out.A very different run out followed when Albert perished having been called for an impossible single by Flintoff. A third successive run out – Albert scuppered by a direct hit by Malhotra – left Flintoff and the tail needing to find 105 from 10 overs. The Lancashire player reached an 88-ball century but India closed out victory with impressive and relentless efficiency.

Siraj: 'When I woke up this morning, I told myself I would change the game'

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

“I opened Google, downloaded a ‘believe’ image and put that as my phone wallpaper”

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Aug-2025

Siraj acknowledges the crowd after winning the Player-of-the-Match award•Getty Images

When Mohammed Siraj stepped onto the boundary cushion while attempting the catch of Harry Brook, and the batter went on to score a blazing hundred, he felt the game was over. But on the fifth morning of the Test, Siraj woke up determined to make amends.On the final day, England needed 35 runs and India four wickets. Siraj took three of those, including the final one, to give India a six-run win and help them square the series 2-2.”I cannot describe my feelings,” Siraj said after being named the Player of the Match. “After yesterday’s incident, I thought the match was gone. Had we got Harry Brook out before lunch, things would have been different. There would have been no fifth day. That was a game-changing moment. But we came back strongly after that.Related

  • Gill: 'We are a gun team, and we have gun players'

  • Six-run thriller – India script their narrowest win in Tests

  • Siraj goes on and on and on, tired but undeterred

  • Rahul: This series 'will rank right at the top' for India

“When I woke up this morning, I told myself I would change the game. I opened Google, downloaded a ‘believe’ image, and put that as my phone wallpaper.”Siraj had Jamie Smith caught behind in the second over of the day before trapping Jamie Overton lbw in his next. After Prasidh Krishna bowled Josh Tongue, Gus Atkinson tried to farm the strike and hit Siraj over wide long-on for a six. But with seven needed, Siraj rattled Atkinson’s off stump with a yorker to seal the match.”My only plan was to bowl consistently at one spot and to move the ball in and out from there,” Siraj said. “I didn’t want to try too much because that could have released the pressure. From day one to today, every Test went to the fifth day. So hats off to everyone in the squad for the way they fought.”Siraj was a key protagonist of this instant-classic five-match series. He played every Test and picked up 23 wickets, the most in the series. Even with the bat, he was involved in one of the most poignant moments of the series when, in the third Test at Lord’s, India needed 23 to win with one wicket in hand when he defended a Shoaib Bashir delivery with the middle of the bat, but the ball rolled onto the stumps to dislodge the leg bail.”It was a heartbreaking moment,” Siraj said. “Jaddu [Ravindra Jadeja] was telling me not to overthink and focus on middling every ball. He told me to think about my father and how hard I have worked to get here. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen.”

McCann, Haynes half-centuries give Notts the edge

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Kyle Abbott takes two wickets for Hampshire on overcast day on south coast

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay22-Jul-2025Nottinghamshire 241 for 5 (McCann 79, Haynes 70*) vs Hampshire Nottinghamshire batters Jack Haynes and Freddie McCann continued to score runs against Hampshire in the 2025 Rothesay County Championship on an even first day at Utilita Bowl.Haynes and McCann both collected centuries in the reverse fixture at Trent Bridge in May, before each picking up half-centuries on the south coast.Haynes ended the day unbeaten on 70, after McCann was dismissed for 79 – one of two scalps for Kyle Abbott, with Eddie Jack also picking up a couple of wickets.Nottinghamshire ended the day on 241 for five, with neither side able to complain too much about their position in the match.Haseeb Hameed called incorrectly at the toss and was inserted on a very green looking pitch, with plenty of threatening clouds overhead.The Nottinghamshire captain was the only victim in a truncated nine overs before rain came down – which lumped 30 overs off the day. The highly-talented Jack got Hameed chasing a wide delivery which seamed even further away to edge behind.Hampshire’s slip fielding which had blighted them at Trent Bridge returned for another two dollies put down in the cordon.Tilak Varma unsuccessfully juggled to spill Ben Slater, while Joe Weatherley gave McCann a life from first slip.While Slater didn’t make the most of the drop – he scored just two more runs before he was bowled by a Abbott beauty that kissed the top of off – McCann did.The 20-year-old’s season has been plagued by unfulfilled starts save for his 79 against Durham and the 138 against Hampshire.He weathered the early Kookaburra ball movement, which Kyle Abbott had on a string, and was backed up by Jack and Sonny Baker.McCann rebuilt from 31 for two with Joe Clarke and Haynes – putting on 74 and 43 – in a non-flashy, but effective manner.He dominated square of the wicket in a 65-ball half-century, his sixth in first-class cricket.Clarke and Haynes were happier to take risks with their shot-making in the partnerships as runs became easier as the day progressed and the ball softened.Hampshire bypassed that with a plan, which worked to see off Clarke and McCann.It revolved around slightly shorter pitch bowling and a fly gully – aiming to capitalise on the amount of balls being hit square on the offside.Clarke couldn’t keep down a cut shot to pick up the odd field placing, while McCann stuck his bat up like a periscope to unusually guide to the man.Kyle Verreynne returned for the first time since becoming a world champion, having helped South Africa to the ICC World Test Championship.He was punchy in his quick-fire 42 before Jack drew a false pull, which was wonderfully caught by the sprawling James Fuller at deep square. Jack picked up a deserved second to end his first home Championship day two for 57.Haynes passed his fifty in a blink and you’d miss it 54 balls before slowing towards the close, with Lyndon James now for company.Bad light prematurely knocked off another 23 balls from the day’s play.

Pretoria Capitals name Ganguly head coach, Pollock assistant coach in SA20

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

The former international captains join the team ahead of the SA20 auction on September 9

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Aug-2025Sourav Ganguly is going to be the new head coach of Pretoria Capitals for the fourth season of SA20, starting on December 26. He will be joined by former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock, who was named the franchise’s assistant coach on Monday.*Ganguly replaces Jonathan Trott in the role, having already acted as the director of cricket for JSW Sports – the parent company of Pretoria Capitals – since last year. Pollock will take over a coaching role after a while, having been a part of the Mumbai Indians coaching staff in the IPL in the early years of the tournament. He also worked with the South Africa team as a consultant briefly.Pretoria Capitals have had an uneven time in the tournament so far: they finished the first season at the top of the table in the group stage, before losing to Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the final. In the two seasons since then – in 2023-24 and 2024-25 – they have faced more middling results, finishing in fifth position both times and failing to qualify for the playoffs.Pretoria Capitals will be hoping that their luck turns around with the new appointments. Their first point of focus will be the player auction on September 9, where Capitals will be looking to refresh their squad.This will be Ganguly’s first time as a head coach. For four years, between 2015 and 2019, he was the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal. He joined Delhi Capitals as a mentor for the 2019 season, but left the franchise soon after to become the president of the BCCI.In the time since then, his appointment as JSW’s director of cricket last year moved him closer to a coaching role at the helm of one of their franchises, which also include Delhi Capitals in co-ownership with GMR in the IPL and WPL.* 0900 hrs: The story was updated after SA20 issued a release about Pollock’s appointment

Nepal topple West Indies for their first-ever win against a Full Member

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

It was a complete team effort by Nepal, who outplayed the two-time world champions in every facet of the game

Hemant Brar27-Sep-2025Nepal created history as they beat West Indies by 19 runs in Sharjah for their first-ever win against a Full Member across formats. They had beaten Afghanistan in a T20I in 2014, but Afghanistan were an Associate back then.Even if you keep the win aside for a moment, it was a historic occasion for Nepal. It was their first T20I against West Indies and the start of their first bilateral series against a Full Member. They made it even more special by outplaying the two-time world champions in every facet of the game. It was a complete team effort by Nepal: six of their batters hit at least one six, six of their bowlers took at least one wicket, and their fielding was top-notch.Leading a second-string West Indies side that featured four debutants, Akeal Hosein opted to field after winning the toss. Nepal did not start well and both their openers were back in the pavilion by 3.1 overs. Kushal Bhurtel was beaten by an arm ball from Hosein and was stumped. Aasif Sheikh stepped out to Jason Holder but miscued the lofted shot and was caught by a backpedalling mid-on.Until the final over of the powerplay, Nepal had hit just two boundaries. Their captain Rohit Paudel doubled that count with back-to-back fours off debutant Ramon Simmonds in the sixth over, but it was Kushal Malla who provided the real momentum. He first smashed Fabian Allen to the long-on boundary for a four and then, in the spinner’s next over, deposited one into the stands for the first six of the innings.Malla hit another six, off Obed McCoy this time, to take Nepal to 68 for 2 at the end of ten overs. He and Paudel added 58 off 45 balls before both holed out against debutant legspinner Navin Bidaisee. Gulsan Jha and Dipendra Singh Airee tried to keep the momentum going, but Bidaisee struck again, getting rid of Jha to finish with 3 for 29 from his four overs. Then, in the 19th over, Holder picked up three wickets. But thanks to West Indies’ catching that oscillated from jaw-dropping grabs to face-palming drops, Nepal had a fighting 148 for 8 on the board.File photo: Rohit Paudel top-scored for Nepal with 38 off 35 balls•AFP/Getty Images

Kyle Mayers kicked off the chase with a first-ball four. But it all went downhill for West Indies from there. It started with Bhurtel’s direct hit to run Mayers out in the second over of the chase. Ackeem Auguste, another debutant, hit two delightful sixes but he too fell inside the powerplay.Still, West Indies were placed fairly well at 40 for 2 after six overs. But the Nepal spinners spun a web around the West Indies batters from which they could not come out. Paudel and Lalit Rajbanshi gave away only 16 in the next four overs while picking up a wicket each.With West Indies needing 93 from the last ten overs on a pitch where the shot-making was not easy, Nepal were the favourites. Three overs later, Airee’s brilliance in the field sent back Keacy Carty. Carty had set off for a non-existent single after pushing the ball towards covers. His partner sent him back but he could not beat Airee’s bullet through to the wicketkeeper.After that, West Indies depended heavily on Holder but he could manage only 5 before holing out to deep midwicket off Bhurtel. Bidaisee, Allen and Hosein tried to keep the fight on with their big hits but they could not keep up with the asking rate. West Indies needed 70 from the last five overs, and 49 from the last three.In the 18th over, the otherwise flawless Nepal fielders dropped Hosein twice in two balls. The first one went for a four and the second for a six. But Karan KC removed the West Indies captain in the following over, leaving Allen to score 28 from the 20th. He could not pull that off.

Calum Chambers proved he has an Arsenal future with impressive display

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

[ad_pod ]

Arsenal have seen the likes of Reiss Nelson excel out on loan this season but, until Tuesday night, Calum Chambers had hardly been pulling up trees in a Fulham team struggling to clamber out of the bottom three. Against Brighton, though, the Englishman put in his best performance of the season so far and just those 90 minutes could be enough to prove to Gunners chiefs that he can still be an asset for them.

On the chalkboard

The Cottagers desperately needed a result from their clash with the Seagulls having lost their last four in all competitions – including a 2-1 defeat to Oldham in the FA Cup third round – and, with just 17 minutes gone, it looked like that poor run could extend to five games as Glenn Murray put the visitors 2-o ahead.

However, Claudio Ranieri’s men battled back and ended up emerging 4-2 victors, with a brace from Aleksandar Mitrovic ensuring the Serbian scooped both the man of the match award and the much-needed three points.

The big striker shouldn’t take all the credit, though, as Chambers put in a solid defensive shift to ensure the home side could focus on getting the goals they needed, while also chipping in with one himself – quite brilliantly – to fire the Craven Cottage outfit back into the game.

Utility man

Naturally a defender, the 24-year-old has been impressive in recent weeks when former Leicester boss Ranieri has deployed him at the base of the midfield, and he already looks far more comfortable there despite having spent most of his career in the backline.

The Southampton academy graduate won 6 aerial duels and took 95 touches as he patrolled the middle of the park, and his fantastic volley was the icing on the cake (stats per WhoScored).

There is no doubt that Arsenal could do with him in their ranks right now; they lack physical presence in midfield while injuries to a number of senior defenders have meant they are also extremely light at the back.

They might wish they’d never loaned him out in the first place, particularly amidst their current issues, but what Ranieri has done with the player this season might never have even attempted at the Emirates Stadium. Perhaps there is hope yet for the utility man, who has thus far made just 83 appearances for the Gunners in four-and-a-half years at the club.

Arsene Wenger is back and he’s not happy with what’s going on at Arsenal. Check out the hilarious parody video by 442oons above…