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Fifties from Joe Burns and Marnus Labuschagne then led Queensland’s response, bringing them to within 19 runs of Tasmania’s first-innings total

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Mar-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Luke Feldman picked up three of Tasmania’s first six wickets•Getty Images

Queensland’s strong seam attack bowled out Tasmania for 150 before the Bulls pushed to within 19 of the Tigers’ total on day one of the Sheffield Shield match at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.Peter George, Luke Feldman, Cameron Gannon and Jack Wildermuth shared the wickets between them after the acting captain Joe Burns won the toss and sent the last-placed Tigers in to bat. The Bulls need to win this match to keep pace with the Bushrangers and the Redbacks at the top of the Shield table.Tasmania slipped as low as 6 for 61 as the new Dukes ball darted about a well-grassed surface, before Tim Paine and the former Bulls allrounder Simon Milenko mounted a minor rearguard action, adding 68 for the seventh wicket. Even so, the visitors were delighted to roll the hosts for 150 and be batting well before the tea break.Peter Forrest was out for a duck at the start of Queensland’s reply, but Burns was able to lead his side into more comfortable territory. Marnus Labuschagne offered useful support, and he will resume in the company of Sam Heazlett on the second morning.

Rory Kleinveldt took three wickets and smashed a 23-ball fifty as Northamptonshire dominated the opening day of the Specsavers County Championship season

ECB Reporters Network07-Apr-2017
ScorecardRory Kleinveldt had an opening day remember•Getty Images

Rory Kleinveldt took three wickets and smashed a 23-ball fifty as Northamptonshire dominated the opening day of the Specsavers County Championship season. Kleinveldt first helped fire out Glamorgan for just 101 before going to a rapid fifty as Northants closed 268 for 6, a lead of 167.Kleinveldt took 3 for 35 among a fine performance from the Northants seamers. Nathan Buck, on his Northants debut, and Ben Sanderson also took three wickets each as Glamorgan were bundled out in only 31.3 overs.Then late in the day, Kleinveldt was back, this time bat in hand, to smear the bowling all over Wantage Road, his seemingly effortless power on show. In just 23 balls he heaved away seven fours and three sixes – the pick of which was a flat slap over long-on to bring up his fifty – to push Northants towards a match-winning lead.With the ball, Kleinveldt set up the day with two early wickets before Buck produced a dream start to his Northants career. Buck arrived from Lancashire over the winter with the aim of reviving a career that began with much promise at Leicestershire but stalled during two injury-affected seasons in the North West. But back in more homely East Midlands air, he showed the ability that brought him England Lions selection.He struck second ball, drawing an edge from Colin Ingram to wicketkeeper Adam Rossington. Next over a full delivery trapped Chris Cooke lbw for a six-ball duck and Kieran Carlson followed with an edge to Alex Wakely, who took a sharp catch low down at second slip.The hat-trick wasn’t to be but Buck had plunged Glamorgan to 26 for 6 after Kleinveldt removed Nick Selman lbw for 10-ball duck in the third over of the day. David Lloyd shouldered arms and was also lbw, for a five-ball duck, in the following over.Sanderson was equally probing with the new ball and removed Jacques Rudolph caught at second slip for 9. He returned after lunch to induce an edge from Harry Podmore that was sharply held by Richard Levi at third slip.It took several heaves from No. 10 Marchant de Lange – one a wild edge that flew for six over the slip cordon – to nudge Glamorgan into three figures but de Lange was last man out, swinging wildly at Sanderson and losing his off stump. It rounded off a very poor effort from the visitors.Glamorgan tried to keep themselves in the game, reducing Northants to 27 for 3 before Wakely and Rossington shared 65 for the fourth wicket. Wakely fell to a top-edged pull for 38 – Rossington in the same fashion, but only after an attractive 84-ball fifty.Rossington made a rapid century against Loughborough MCCU earlier in the week and looked in good touch here. He pulled Podmore for six over square leg and lifted de Lange over midwicket for the third of his five boundaries. But his best stroke was a sumptuous straight drive off Craig Meschede.But his innings was completely overshadowed by Kleinveldt. He survived an early scare when he pulled to Carlson on the deep square boundary, only for Carlson to run out of room in trying to complete the catch. But thereafter used his power to brutal effect and put Northants into a match-winning position.

Lord MacLaurin of Knebworth, the former chairman of the England & Wales Cricket Board, will make a return to the sport later this year when he succeeds Matthew Fleming as president of MCC

ESPNcricinfo staff03-May-2017Lord MacLaurin of Knebworth, the former chairman of the England & Wales Cricket Board, will make a return to the sport later this year when he succeeds Matthew Fleming as president of MCC.Lord MacLaurin, who also served as chairman and chief executive of Tesco and chairman of Vodafone, is widely credited for ushering in a new, more professional era for English cricket during his five-year term from 1997 to 2002.On his watch, which coincided with the formation of the ECB to succeed the former governing body, TCCB, England laid the foundations of the team that, in 2005, ended Australia’s 18-year stranglehold on the Ashes.Aside from the appointment of Duncan Fletcher as England’s first overseas coach, and the groundbreaking introduction of central contracts, MacLaurin oversaw several incremental changes, such as ending the practice of sharing rooms on tour, and insisting on a stricter adherence to dress codes when travelling.Fleming, whose nomination of MacLaurin was ratified at MCC’s annual general meeting on Wednesday, believes that his successor is “uniquely qualified” for a role that will commence on October 1.”I first came to know Ian in the late 1990s, when I was chairman of the PCA and he was chairman of the ECB,” said Fleming. “Ian was exploring ways of restructuring domestic cricket, recognising the increasingly important role of international cricket and international cricketers.”I was struck by his fairness and clarity of thought about the future of the game, qualities that I believe will be needed in the year ahead, given the uncertainties in the cricketing landscape at present and the opportunities and threats facing the sport.”In choosing my successor, I was looking for someone who can harness a passion and knowledge of cricket with experience and pragmatism. Ian was a talented cricketer, who played to a good level, and has always been a passionate supporter of MCC. A visionary leader of the ECB, widely respected in the business world he is, all in all, uniquely qualified for and deserving of the role of MCC President.””It is one of the greatest honours in cricket to be invited to be the President of the finest cricket club in the world and I am thankful to Matthew Fleming for asking me to succeed him,” said MacLaurin.”I have been a member of MCC for over 50 years, and I take great pride in seeing how the club has blossomed over that period – not only with the development of this iconic ground but also with all of the work done to promote the game for men and women, boys and girls, around the world. I very much look forward to my year in office and hope to help the excellent team at MCC continue all this good work.”

Russell Domingo has said that he has not yet reapplied for his post as South Africa’s head coach and can’t say whether he has plans to take the team to the 2019 World Cup

Firdose Moonda13-Jun-2017Russell Domingo still has no clarity on whether he will continue in his role as South Africa’s head coach after the current tour to England. After South Africa crashed out of the Champions Trophy in the first round, Domingo told the media he had “not yet” reapplied for his post and “can’t say” whether he has plans to take the team to the 2019 World Cup.CSA has also given no indication of whether the process to appoint a new coach has moved forward since it appointed a five-person panel in May to recommend the next coach, who will be in charge for the next two years.While Domingo confirmed he had not yet given any thought to what he might do if he did not continue as national coach, he was willing to reflect on the four major tournaments – the 2014 and 2016 World T20, 2015 World Cup and 2017 Champions Trophy – he has overseen.”We’ve come so close on so many occasions, and it’s just disappointing that we didn’t give ourselves the best chance here,” Domingo said. “The players are bitterly disappointed. I can tell you it’s not through lack of trying or lack of effort or commitment. Someone told me that India didn’t field at all for the last couple of days (before our match), we try and field as much as we can. So it’s not through lack of effort. I’m just bitterly disappointed for the players. They’ve played some great cricket this year and sometimes life can be unfair. But you’ve got to make your own luck as well.”Like his captain, AB de Villiers, Domingo admitted not being able to pinpoint exactly what had gone wrong for South Africa or what needs to be done to change their fortunes. “You just need to play well on the day, that’s the bottom line. There’s no magic wand or injection that you’re going to give guys,” he said. “Guys just need to make the best decision on the day and do what they’ve done prior to those particular games. We haven’t done that. We’ve played great cricket over the last year and Sunday was probably our worst game. We didn’t do the basics well enough and that’s what you need to do in these games.”While Domingo did not directly accept responsibility for the team’s inability to do those things, he indicated that management had done all they can and then some, to no avail. “We’ve had two bad games here, it doesn’t make the side a bad side,” he said. “There are always going to be questions asked until the side wins an event, wins these knock-out games, wins these big games, and rightly so. But there’s no magic wand. A lot of things have been tried, a lot of things have been discussed. A lot of people have been involved and unfortunately the results at the moment are still the same.”South Africa did not employ any specific special methods for this event – no extreme sports adventures a la 2012 when they went mountaineering with Mike Horn, no foreign consultants like Mike Hussey, who was with them at the 2015 World Cup – but entered this tournament on the back of form and on an upward curve. Still, they remain at a loss to explain how things went so wrong and the only consolation they can offer fans is that they will keep at it.”You keep trying, that’s the bottom line. You can’t give up,” Domingo said. “The side’s got to go away and reassess, think about it, and start moving forward again.”In the post-mortem, Domingo cautioned against any impulsive reactions and urged the administrators to wait for the dust to settle before deciding if heads, perhaps even his own, will roll. “Players need to go away and think about it for a couple of days. Never good to make decisions when emotions are high, so once things have calmed down I suppose people need to sit down and think of a way forward once again. Take it from there. Now is not the time,” Domingo said.

Jake Libby returned to his old stamping ground in Cardiff with a century to help Nottinghamshire into a strong position on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship game against Glamorgan

ECB Reporters Network19-May-2017
ScorecardJake Libby impressed in his old stamping ground•Getty Images

Jake Libby returned to his old stamping ground in Cardiff with a century to help Nottinghamshire into a strong position on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship game against Glamorgan.The former Cardiff MCCU batsman made his first-class debut at the SSE Swalec, against Glamorgan, back in the summer of 2014, during a three-year stint at the Metropolitan University.Later that season, Libby not only secured a two-year contract with Notts, but capped his first-class debut with a Championship century against Sussex.Yesterday, back in the Welsh capital, the 24-year-old Devonian helped himself to a 291 minute century off 229 balls as Notts made Glamorgan pay for not building on an impressive start.Having seen his side reduced to 108 for 4, shortly after lunch on day one, it was Libby and Rikki Wessels who rescued the day by adding 123 for the fifth wicket. Notts finished the day on 335 for 6 with Wessels out in the penultimate over of the day for a sparkling 120.Having chosen to bat first, Nottinghamshire made slow progress against a Glamorgan side yet to win a Championship game in 2017. The host county bowled particularly well throughout the session and reduced the league leaders to 64 for 2 at lunch with Steven Mullaney and debutant Cheteshwar Pujara the men out.Mullaney was well caught by wicket keeper Chris Cooke, for 14, off the impressive Timm van der Gutgen (4-52), whilst Indian Test batsman Pujara offered a catch to Aneurin Donald off the bowling of Marchant de Lange.From 64 for 2 at lunch, Notts found themselves 68 for 3 when Samit Patel was trapped leg before by the impressive van der Gutgen. Michael Lumb followed, at 108 for 4, as 19-year-old Welshman Lukas Carey bagged his first wicket of the game.Glamorgan continued to bowl well throughout the afternoon session, albeit without reward.
Libby, who passed 50 off 115 balls with four boundary fours, arrived at tea, unbeaten on 74 whilst Wessels, who was the more aggressive of the two, was 32 not out.Both players continued to prosper after tea with Wessels passing 50 off 79 balls and Libby, who was rarely troubled, reaching three figures in the 73rd over with his ninth four. He faced 213 deliveries in passing 100, and 229 in all before Cooke took another smart catch at the wicket, once again off the bowling of van der Gutgen.Wessels continued to make hay and added 99 for the sixth wicket with Chris Read, who finished the day unbeaten on 47. However, having reached his century off 119 balls, the Aussie departed in the 95th over when he was trapped lbw by van der Gutgen for 120.

Sri Lanka’s cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha said the team was slightly let down by lack of bounce and slow pace of the the R Premadasa Stadium surface

Andrew Fidel Fernando14-Jul-2017For Asanka Gurusinha, Sri Lanka’s inability to dismiss Zimbabwe by the end of the first day, after having them 96 for 4 at lunch, was partly owed to a significant slowing of the R Premadasa Stadium pitch. Gurusinha, the team’s cricket manager, suggested the slow bowlers’ menace dived substantially after the first break.”The feedback I got from the players was that there was moisture in the morning, so the track did turn a bit, and the ball did a little bit,” Gurusinha said. “After lunch it settled down so much, and even now, when I spoke to them, they said the ball comes slow off the wicket, and doesn’t do anything. It’s more like an old Premadasa wicket.”Zimbabwe scored 117 for the loss of two batsmen in the afternoon session, and 132 for the loss of a further two wickets in the evening. The run rate across both those sessions was four, and the unbeaten ninth-wicket partnership was especially brisk, with 62 runs coming off 97 deliveries.”We did bowl some loose stuff,” Gurusinha said. “We were lucky to have Rangana Herath there, but even to him they had time to get on the back foot and pull him, because it wasn’t coming on at the pace we were expecting. Our discussion at lunch was that we had done well in that first session to take four.”In the second session, we actually discussed that this was a tough session, because the wicket was settling down, and we’ve got to contain as well. To me Zimbabwe got off easy a little in that session. They got some runs, as well as us getting wickets.”Gurusinha put the seamers’ inability to take more than one wicket between them in the day down to conditions, with little seam or bounce on offer. Among the other disappointments for Sri Lanka was the bowling of Dilruwan Perera, the offspinner. He took the wicket of Sean Williams in the morning, but rarely threatened in the second and third sessions, and finished with 1 for 86.”Dilruwan I don’t think he was his normal self, and that might be because he hasn’t played matches recently,” Gurusinha said. “I’m hoping by the second innings he will get that loop we’re used to seeing, and build that partnership.”We also expected a little more bounce than this. That bounce is not that good. It’s a bit low bounce. As soon as that happens, the spinners will also struggle. People like Rangana and Dilruwan will do well if there was a little bit of bounce on the wicket as a spinner, but we’ve got to work hard on these tracks and do well.”Gurusinha said Sri Lanka would also have batted if they had won the toss. Zimbabwe bat deep in this match. Their recognised batsmen go down to No. 8, but even their No. 10 batsman – Donald Tiripano – has a first-class hundred. When it comes time for Sri Lanka to bat, the hosts will also hope their long lineup pays off.”The way the track is playing, I’m expecting our batsmen also to put their heads down and bat long,” Gurusinha said. “Especially in the last session today you saw there were no demons on the wicket. It was easy to play shots and even their no. 10 was batting well. That showed there was enough time to play the shots. The batsmen will have to play their shots and play normal cricket. But the first thing is to get those last two wickets in the first hour or half hour tomorrow.”Meanwhile, Craig Ervine agreed with Gurusinha that the pitch became easier to bat on, but was unsatisfied by the absence of a big score from his teammates. After Ervine’s 151, the highest score for Zimbabwe was 36, by Sikander Raza and Malcolm Waller. Zimbabwe’s No. 10 Donald Tiripano is still unbeaten on 24, however.”It was disappointing to have only one fifty-plus score,” Ervine said. “Guys did get in, but gave couple of wickets away. That’s the way it goes and we put that behind us and come back tomorrow. Donald can bat and he can stick around. I have lot of faith in him.”Ervine described his five-and-a-half hour stay at the crease as exhausting, thanks to Colombo’s heat and humidity. However, his work was made easier by a flattening surface. “At the start, the wicket was little bit damp. But once it dried out, it’s nice wicket to bat on. We wanted a good rate throughout the day.”

R Ashwin held the match ball aloft to an applauding crowd after his five second-innings wickets sent Worcestershire second at New Road

ECB Reporters Network31-Aug-2017R Ashwin took eight wickets in the match•Getty Images

Indian spinner R Ashwin took five second-innings wicket to ensure a winning debut as Worcestershire climbed back into the second promotion spot in the Specsavers County Championship with a 189 run success over Gloucestershire at New Road.Ashwin, having a brief taste of county cricket ahead of India’s tour next year, completed a productive opening game for his adopted county by taking eight wickets in total – including 5 for 68 in the second innings – and making useful contributions with the bat.He left the outfield to a standing ovation proudly displaying the match ball.Worcestershire’s sixth Championship win of the campaign moved them 19 points clear of Sussex, who have a game in hand as Gloucestershire were dismissed for 211.They will head into next week’s top of the table clash with leaders Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge full of confidence after this comprehensive victory against their neighbours from down the M5.It was a welcome return to form for the home side after a disappointing NatWest T20 Blast campaign and defeat against Sussex in their last Championship match at New Road.The majority of their batsman made sizeable contributions and Ashwin was well supported on a used pitch that might have been designed for him by Worcestershire’s seam attack in which Ed Barnard was again outstanding.Gareth Roderick, skipper Phil Mustard and first innings century-maker Jack Taylor all got into the 40s for mid-table Gloucestershire but their resistance was ended in mid-afternoon by Ashwin and co.Gloucestershire resumed on 55 for 3 and Ashwin came straight into the attack for the second over of the morning and, apart from a brief spell by Brett D’Oliveira, bowled from the New Road End for the majority of the day.It was Barnard who made the first breakthrough as nightwatchman Tom Smith (9) was trapped lbw by a delivery which ket low.Ashwin collected his third wicket of the innings in the next over as George Hankins also fell leg before for a duck.Gareth Roderick and Mustard defied Worcestershire for 13 overs.Worcestershire skipper Joe Leach brought himself into the attack and knocked back the middle stump of Roderick for 47 – his 49th Championship victim of 2017.Mustard and Taylor provided stiff resistance during a partnership of 71 in 18 overs but the contest was effectively ended when they both departed in quick succession.
Mustard (40) presented Leach with a comfortable catch at mid off when facing rookie paceman Pat Brown and Taylor (43) fell leg before to Ashwin who completed his nap hand when Kieran Noema-Barnett was caught at fine leg.Leach rounded off Worcestershire’s victory by bowling Liam Norwell to secure his 50th Championship wicket of the campaign.

A year ago there were tears in the pavilion for Middlesex’s title win. This year the need is only for survival and the most valuable fizz is on the field

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Lord's20-Sep-20171:18

Kumar Sangakkara’s staggering record leads our Championship round-up

There is something oddly beautiful about a relegation scrap, even here, with only Middlesex in danger. Lancashire, safe, dismayed the race to the top was settled so soon, with a million excuses to have mentally checked out of the 2017 season, are playing their part in a back-and-forth tussle that started with brass knuckles and will be settled by brass balls. That this match, on an unpredictable pitch which has created more errors than excellence, is being played at Lord’s is a quirky filter that provides a wonderfully distorted picture.Oh, the wonders this ground has seen. You only need to go back to the end of last summer when the 2016 season was brought to such a thrilling conclusion for Middlesex’s title win. There were tears in the Pavilion, champagne on the outfield and, after 23 years, a trophy in the cabinet.A year on, barring a handful of interruptions for bad light, the sun shone brightly and the members ensured the best seats in the house didn’t go to waste for the last match of the season. And while the fizz still flowed, the cricket on show was gritty rather than golden. It had to be.No batsman has come in and looked comfortable. Sam Robson was the most at ease with a battling half-century brought up off 96 balls in a Middlesex’s second innings in which his 56 was top score, one of three in double figures, was the top scorer.Luckily for Middlesex, they went into the second innings with the benefit of a 68-run lead, having taken the final five Lancashire first innings wickets for just 52 runs. To do so with a bowler light – Toby Roland-Jones, unable to take to the field with a stiff back, will play no more part in this match after an inconclusive back scan today – spoke volumes of the dirty work that needs to be done.Middlesex fans would rather it did not have to be this way, but they should be proud that their side have rediscovered the grimy qualities that sometimes four-day cricket requires. Traditionalists might see the defending Champions embroiled in a dog fight at Lord’s to stay in the division as unbecoming. And sure: you wouldn’t fork out £1,615-a-night for the Piccadilly Suite at the Ritz only to raid the discount aisle at Tesco for your dinner.But needs must and Middlesex discarded whatever baggage that might have been holding them back this summer – selfish goals, England ambitions and whatever else – to fight together as they did last summer.After 15 wickets fell on day one, 15 more fell to leave Lancashire a target of 221. By stumps, they had made it to 46 for the loss of Alex Davies. They need 175 tomorrow but rather less than Middlesex need those nine wickets.Sam Robson compiled a vital half-century•Getty Images

The day’s end came just as the hosts were starting to lose focus. Tim Murtagh, excellent in the morning to remove a dangerous-looking Steven Croft and Jordan Clark (his third and fourth of the innings), lost his usually unerring accuracy to give Haseeb Hameed the four boundaries that currently make up his unbeaten 22.Whatever bruises Lancashire took in the morning in being dismissed for 165 were avenged by Tom Bailey, who collected his second five-wicket haul of the match. His match figures of 10 for 98 are a new career best. He profited most from bounce: pushing Nick Compton back before finding his edge with a fuller delivery and then pinning Stevie Eskinazi on the hand in a set-up that finished with knocking over the right-hander’s off stump. His third kept Lancashire in the match when Robson felt compelled to hook out to deep square leg, where Kyle Jarvis leapt superbly to his right to take one of the catches of the season. The same combination of bowler, fielder and athleticism did for John Simpson, this time at cover, allowing Bailey to claim his maiden ten-for in a match when he trapped Ollie Rayner in front for five.Neither Rayner, nor Roland-Jones, who was able to bat but walked like a man who had forgot to take the hanger out of his shirt, were able to recreate their opening-day blitz of 102 in 20.5 overs.Lancashire will entertain a similar approach when they arrive for the third day. Liam Livingstone is timing the ball nicely. Never mind that a match winning turn on this pitch could grant him a seat on that plane to Australia next month – tomorrow brings a battle and Livingstone is not one to retreat.

The left-arm spinner took six-fors in both innings to consign West Indies A to a heavy defeat

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Oct-2017
ScorecardWICB Media/Athelstan Bellamy

Left-arm spinner Malinda Pushpakumara ripped through the West Indies A line-up, with six-fors in both innings, to seal a 280-run win for Sri Lanka A in the second unofficial Test in Jamaica. The win helped Sri Lanka A bounce back from an innings defeat in the first match to level the series, with the third match set to start from October 26.Set a fourth-innings target of 425 on the third day, West Indies A were bowled out for 144 in 54 overs. Pushpakumara first prised out the top order, dismissing opener John Campbell, captain Shamarh Brooks and middle-order batsman Vishaul Singh for single-digit scores to leave them at 27 for 3, before returning to wipe out the lower order. That West Indies A scored 144 from a position of 80 for 7 was largely due to the lower-order partnerships led by Sunil Ambris (41).West Indies A’s first innings had followed a similar route against Pushpakumara, with the frontline batting order quickly reduced to 69 for 7. On that occasion Rahkeem Cornwall’s 46 carried West Indies A past 100 before Sri Lanka A bowled them out to take a first-innings lead of 157. Pushpakumara had returns of 6 for 52 in the first innings, and followed it up with 6 for 46 in the second.Sri Lanka A were not without a few batting stutters of their own, either. They had lost their openers by the 11th over of the first innings after electing to bat first, but Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka added a steadying 92 for the third wicket. Once the partnership ended, however, there was another slump and Sri Lanka A were struggling at 137 for 5 before they were boosted by Dasun Shanaka’s unbeaten 102. Shanaka added 105 with Roshen Silva for the sixth wicket and then took the lead with the lower order to help Sri Lanka along to 294. His 102 came off 108 deliveries and was his fifth first-class ton.Silva and Shanaka put together another crucial partnership in Sri Lanka’s second innings, adding 106 for the sixth wicket after the side had stumbled to 86 for 5. Silva made 86 off 159 deliveries, while Shanaka scored 60 off 85 deliveries, before an unbeaten 50 off 62 balls from Wanidu Hasaranga helped Sri Lanka put up 267 for 9 and stretch their overall lead to 424.

Mitchell Santner chipped in with three wickets as the visitors bowled the Board President’s XI out for 310, securing a 33-run victory in Mumbai

The Report by Annesha Ghosh in Mumbai19-Oct-2017Centuries from Ross Taylor and Tom Latham, whose 166-run fourth-wicket stand powered New Zealand to 343 for 9, consigned Board President’s XI to a 33-run defeat in the second warm-up match in Mumbai. Despite a four-wicket haul from left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat and fifties from Karun Nair and Gurkeerat Singh, New Zealand hung on to bowl the President’s XI out for 310 in the 48th over. ESPNcricinfo takes a look at the highlights from the game:Taylor-madeTaylor’s struggle in India last year was validated by his inability to register a half-century in five ODIs. On Thursday, he struck a punishing 102 which featured several glorious cover drives and perfectly-timed square-cuts. He was, however, handed a reprieve in the 32nd over, when Shreyas Iyer dropped a sharp chance at backward point. Taylor muscled 15 boundaries all around the ground – the most spectacular of those being an inside-out six over long-off, which was followed by a cut in Dhawal Kulkarni’s fifth over.Latham’s bid for the long haulIf the fifty in the previous game had been an unfulfilled statement of intent, Latham’s 97-ball 108 on Thursday was the step-up in class and confidence he needed. He used the same clinical application of his technique that had helped him finish as New Zealand’s highest run-scorer in the ODI series last year. Coming in at 73 for 3, Latham swept the spinners regularly, and had little trouble against pace. He brought up his century with a wristy six over deep square leg and hammered the next ball for a four before retiring out for 108. “It [the middle-order batting position] is obviously a little bit of change from the last couple of years but that is something that we have discussed about moving to that position. It was nice to get familiar with that role today,” Latham said of his knock.The Munro squibWith New Zealand coach Mike Hesson wanting quicker starts at the top of the order, Colin Munro opened the batting on both occasions in the warm-up games. He scored 26 in both innings, with his failure to capitalise on starts an indicator that his belligerent template may be better suited for the middle order. If the game offered anything for Munro to take heart from, it would be the two wickets of Iyer and Nair he snaffled off consecutive deliveries.Karn and turnEach of the eight overs Karn Sharma bowled featured, at least, one variation that elicited a collective sigh of agony either from the fielders or the 750-odd spectators that flocked to the Northern Block of the Brabourne Stadium. The one that took most of them by surprise came off the back of a tactful ploy. Called on to bowl the tenth over, Karn darted the first two balls of his opening spell full on a middle-and-leg line to Kane Williamson. He drew the New Zealand captain forward with the third – a relatively slower and loopy legbreak. Playing the line of the delivery, Williamson offered a meticulous front-foot defense. His failure to account for the late turn, however, meant the ball passed the outside edge and kissed the off stump. Karn finished with figures of 2 for 45.Guptill’s three chancesMartin Guptill, who laboured to a 46-ball 32, began his tryst with chance in the 13th over, when a Shahbaz Nadeem ripper turned square, but couldn’t be pouched by the wicketkeeper. In the next over, he swept Karn hard but was dropped by Avesh Khan at deep square leg, where the fielder barely had to move an inch to position himself for the catch. Nadeem subsequently let a caught-and-bowled opportunity through his legs in the 15th over, before Karn ended Guptill’s charmed life by holding on to a return catch in the following over.A late flourish in vainWhat seemed to be a forgone conclusion in the 28th over when Board President’s XI slumped to 158 for 6 was deferred until the 48th, courtesy a 46-ball 65 from Gurkeerat, who enthralled the spectators and agonised the opposition in equal measure with his lusty blows in the V. A 64-run, ninth-wicket stand between Kulkarni and Unadkat carried the hosts past 300, but it wasn’t nearly enough.