Category Uncategorized

Peter Handscomb scored his third score of fifty-plus in as many Tests, before Steven Smith hit a hundred to help Australia take the lead against Pakistan on day four

The Report by Daniel Brettig at the MCG29-Dec-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAustralia’s captain Steven Smith beat encroaching bad weather by a matter of minutes to post his 17th Test hundred before a monsoonal downpour all but ensured a drawn Boxing Day Test at the MCG.Moments after Smith reached his 100, the umpires suspended play, a decision followed soon after by a deluge that was more tropical Brisbane than Melbourne’s more typical southerly climate. It would take a pair of highly imaginative declarations from here to manufacture a result, with the hosts likely to be happy to sit on their 1-0 series lead.Smith’s ease at the crease contrasted with two more low scores for Nic Maddinson and Matthew Wade, neither of whom can be sure of their places in the XI, and made life difficult for the visitors who were also inconvenienced when Azhar Ali was helped from the field after suffering a stunning blow to the helmet when fielding at short leg.Usman Khawaja fell three runs short of a century for the second time this summer but the emerging No. 5 Peter Handscomb also made a useful contribution in Smith’s company before the monsoonal rain arrived. Whether either side is inclined to creativity to set-up a final-day run chase from here is a matter for conjecture.As he had done in the Perth Test against South Africa, Khawaja made it to 97 before being dismissed, this time trying to cover drive Wahab Riaz and edging through to Sarfraz Ahmed. He had shelved the stroke when making an excellent century against South Africa under lights in Adelaide.That wicket brought the Victorian Handscomb to the crease on his home ground, and he showed plenty of attacking intent to outpace Smith and close the gap with the visitors’ total. On a pitch offering precious little to the bowlers, Pakistan reverted largely to a short-pitched angle of attack with a leg-side field.Neither Handscomb nor Smith had too many awkward moments before the second new ball was taken, the former passing 50 for the third time in as many Tests. However in Mohammad Amir’s first over with the fresh projectile, Handscomb was beaten by one delivery then, next ball, pushed a difficult return catch back to the bowler, who dropped it.While Amir continued to bowl well, it was Sohail Khan who claimed the wicket, when Handscomb sliced an attempted drive to backward point. Maddinson accompanied Smith to lunch and made it as far as 22 after it, before yorking himself when dancing down the wicket to Yasir Shah to be bowled.Wade connected with several meaty blows, one of which felled the double-centurion Azhar at bad pad, before he edged Sohail Khan to depart for another underwhelming score. It was around this time that the weather began to close in on the ground, and the umpires conferred over the matter of bad light before Smith forced one through an off-side gap for three runs to go to his second century in as many Tests.That, then, was more or less that. A further 42 scheduled overs were lost from the match, meaning a more optimistic weather forecast for day five is most probably a moot point.

A round-up of the Ram Slam T20 Challenge matches played on November 13, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Nov-2015A four-wicket haul from David Wiese defied a fighting half-century from Reeza Hendricks, as Titans edged past Knights by one run in Bloemfontein. Set a meager 129 for victory, Knights began poorly, losing wickets at regular intervals, but Hendricks, who slammed an unbeaten 98 against Cobras, kept his team on course by stroking a 52-ball 63 with six fours and a six. Hendricks, however, received little by way of support from his team-mates; only two other batsmen managed double-digit scores as Wiese dented the Knights’ chase with four wickets in successive overs.Hendricks’ knock meant Knights needed nine runs off the final over. With four runs required off the last two balls, a couple of metres proved the difference, as Hendricks’ pull off Wiese landed in the hands of Lungi Ngidi at square leg. Malusi Siboto, the No.9 batsman, could only manage two off the final delivery, as Titans hung on to go second in the table.Earlier, Titans were restricted 128 for 5 after being inserted. The team was struggling at 48 for 4 before the captain Albie Morkel (46) and Farhaan Behardien revived the innings with a 54-run stand. Siboto and Shadley van Schalkwyk picked up two wickets apiece.Seamer Sisanda Magala’s five-wicket burst helped Warriors seal a 25-run win over Lions after opener Colin Ackermann’s unbeaten 59-ball 79 had taken Warriors to 155.Lions were off to a quick start in their chase, with openers Rassie van der Dussen and Devon Conway putting on 49 runs in 5.3 overs. But, Magala struck twice in the sixth over to remove Conway and Hardus Viljoen, and he followed it up with Andre Malan’s wicket in his next over. In the meantime, JT Smuts had bowled Alviro Peterson for duck.From 60 for 4, Lions recovered through a 51-run stand between van der Dussen and captain Thami Tsolekile, but Magala and Smuts shot down any prospects of a Lions victory with quick wickets in the end.After being asked to bat, Warriors had begun poorly, losing opener Smuts to Bjorn Fortuin off the first ball of the match, but Ackermann and
Colin Ingram, who smashed 52 off 36 balls, put on 96 runs for the second wicket in 68 balls. Despite Warriors losing quick wickets, Ackermann steered them to what eventually turned out to be a match-winning total.

A marauding Kusal Perera set the platform for Sri Lanka’s 198 for 5, which proved 17 runs too many for the valiant Bangladesh batsmen, in the one-off Twenty20 in Pallekele

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando31-Mar-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKusal Perera hammered 64 off 44 as Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 17 runs•AFP

A marauding Kusal Perera set the platform for Sri Lanka’s 198 for 5, which proved 17 runs too many for the valiant Bangladesh batsmen, in the one-off Twenty20 in Pallekele. His 64 from 44 balls saw Sri Lanka travel at nearly 11-an over during the Powerplay, before their middle-order allrounders exploited generous bowling to close the innings at a gallop. Though three Bangladesh batsmen threatened to rally a forceful response, Mohammad Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah all fell before their side could mount a serious challenge.Kusal’s onslaught began from the second delivery which he whipped aerially off his pads behind square, before he picked up the fifth ball and deposited it in the stands and then blasted the next behind point for four. Like a young Sanath Jayasuriya with a ballet coach, Kusal flitted about the crease – venturing swiftly out of it on occasion – before sending the ball hurtling, with a rapid swing of the blade.At 25 for no loss at the end of the second over, Mushfiqur introduced Sohag Gazi to change the pace of the game, but Kusal welcomed him into the attack with a mighty slog-swept six over cow corner. When Abdur Razzak came on to bowl, he was spared first ball, but slammed into the grass bank behind deep midwicket next delivery.The fours flowed too: over cover, through point, behind square on the leg side – five in total, to go with four sixes. Kusal reined in the big shots when the field spread, rotating the strike first with Dinesh Chandimal, then Lahiru Thirimanne, and the first shot he mishit in the game was the one that brought his demise. He top-edged a cut shot off Mahmudullah, three balls after having sent him high over deep midwicket. When he departed at 100 for 4 after 12 overs, only a middle-order collapse would have restricted Sri Lanka to an average total, and the Bangladesh bowlers’ generosity ensured that would not eventuate.But despite the tall Sri Lanka total, Bangladesh batted so well, they might justly feel aggrieved at the officiating. The match was marred by contentious decisions – at least two of which had the potential to change the game’s narrative dramatically. The clearest of these was Ashraful’s lbw, which came off a thigh-high Thisara Perera full toss. Ashraful had struck two sixes and a four off the three previous deliveries, signalling an imminent sustained barrage, but it was cut short when the umpire ruled him out despite the ball having struck his thigh pad outside the line of the stumps.Earlier, debutant Shamsur Rahman had been given out to his first ball in international cricket, after being struck above the knee roll, some way outside the popping crease. The first ball of the match, however, had been a close call for Kusal, and two more marginal decisions in Sri Lanka’s innings went the hosts’ way.Bangladesh began their innings more slowly than Sri Lanka, hitting only 45 from their Powerplay overs, for the loss of Shamsur and Jahurul Islam. When Ashraful fell in the seventh over, Mushfiqur assumed the aggressor’s role, but soon after, Mahmudullah also began scoring quickly. Mushfiqur first struck two fours in three balls off Sachithra Senanayake, before lifting a low full toss from Shaminda Eranga over the long-on fence two overs later. Angelo Perera had not had a chance to bat on debut, but his part-time left-arm spin disappeared for 17 off Mushfiqur’s blade in the 13th over, to complete a six-over stretch that saw Bangladesh maul 72.But in two balls in the fifteenth over, Bangladesh lost both set batsman, and with them, their hopes of a triumphant end to the tour. Mushfiqur top edged a gentle full toss from Senanayake to deep square leg, and next ball, a mix-up while attempting a third ended with both batsmen stranded mid-pitch, and Mahmudullah eventually given out, having not crossed his partner. With six wickets down, Mominul Haque then faced a required run-rate of 12 with five wickets to go and the tail for company. He finished unbeaten on 26 from 16, having hit three boundaries that made the end result perhaps seem closer than it was.During Sri Lanka’s innings, Bangladesh’s spinners combined through the middle overs to force several setbacks, but a dropped catch off Angelo Mathews in the deep, borne from miscommunication between long-on and midwicket, cost the visitors a chance to keep Sri Lanka to a manageable score. Next over, with six wickets remaining and only four overs to go, Jeevan Mendis felt it appropriate to throw his bat early in the over, sweeping Razzak over midwicket, then blasting him over cover, to herald Sri Lanka’s final charge.The fast bowlers’ indiscipline hurt Bangladesh further, as they continued pitching too short throughout the final overs, with several wayward deliveries served up as well. Mendis pulled Rubel Hossain high into the stands early in the 17th over, before murdering a short wide one through point next ball. When he got out, Thisara completed a sorry night for Shahadat Hossain, when he launched his over of criminally poor bowling into the night for 24, to leave the bowler with no wicket for 54 from four overs. Mathews, who had held the innings together after Kusal fell, finished on 30 from 27 deliveries.

Kane Williamson will return to Gloucestershire for the first half of the 2012 season, the club have also signed Paul Muchall

Alex Winter03-Apr-2012Kane Williamson, the New Zealand batsman, will return to Gloucestershire for the first half of the season. Williamson will arrive in Bristol for Gloucestershire’s first home County Championship match on April 26 against Glamorgan.Williamson played in New Zealand’s Test series defeat to South Africa in March, scoring a century to save the third Test in Wellington, and will take an enforced break before returning to Nevil Road.”He proved a very good fit in our dressing room last season,” Gloucestershire director of cricket, John Bracewell, said. “Since then he has developed in all three formats of the game for New Zealand and that reflects great credit on him, as well as showing the benefit of his time with us.”Williamson, 21, scored 831 first-class runs at 36.13 for Gloucestershire last season before returning to New Zealand and making his highest first-class score of 284 not out for Northern Districts against Wellington. He was a regular in the New Zealand side in their tours to Zimbabwe and Australia and the home series against Zimbabwe and South Africa.Gloucestershire also hope to gain the services of another New Zealand cricketer in a unique deal with New Zealand Cricket. Once Williamson departs for his country’s tour of the West Indies in July another centrally-contracted player, not involved in the West Indies tour, will be sent to Gloucestershire.A spokesman for New Zealand Cricket said: “We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with Gloucestershire to develop our next generation of international cricketers. This partnership provides New Zealanders with the opportunity to play in and experience the pressures of a world class competition on a day to day basis.”Gloucestershire also signed allrounder Paul Muchall from Durham. Muchall was on trial in Bristol during the club’s pre-season matches and, having impressed, has signed a two-year contract.Muchall, the 25-year-old brother of Durham’s Gordon Muchall, spent time both at MCC Young Cricketers and in Durham’s 2nd XI with Will Gidman, who signed for Gloucestershire for the 2011 season.”John Bracewell was very specific in what he wanted from me and obviously I have impressed in the right ways,” Muchall said. “I like to hit the pitch hard and nip the ball around off the seam, with the occasional bouncer here and there when needed. I would hope to bat around six, seven or eight in the order, but it looks a strong batting line-up and I’ll happily slot in where required.”

Graeme Smith, the South Africa captain, said his side had trained hard for the World Cup but simply weren’t good enough on the night to beat New Zealand in Mirpur

Firdose Moonda at the Shere Bangla Stadium25-Mar-2011Graeme Smith is not a small man. He towers above six foot, has shoulders broader than a lock forward, a chest that can puff out even if he is not proud and logs for legs. His personality can be even bigger: the larger than life leader of South African cricket for the last eight years, who will bat with a broken hand and will bounce back, bullish as ever, after a broken heart. Add to that the meaty guffaw and booming voice, and you have a massive character. But, on Friday night, in his last game as captain of the one-day team, he looked a small, small man indeed.His gestures, usually open and friendly, were limp. His smile, usually broad, was absent. His frown, usually menacing, had been wiped off, and his eyes, usually alive, were empty. This was a man who was gutted. At the beginning of his post-match press conference, it was almost as though he was battling to speak. Each word was laboured, each breath was long. He had, perhaps a little too literally, been stunned.”It’s hard to describe [how we feel] at such short notice. It’s kind of disbelief; I felt that we certainly had what it took to win,” Smith said. Few will disagree. South Africa were the team that was talked up as the most balanced unit in this tournament. They had a plethora of options, particularly in the bowling department. It was in that discipline that South Africa shone in the group stages, as the only team to take sixty wickets in six matches.Their quarter-final was the first match of the tournament in which they did not bowl out the opposition. Still, they restricted New Zealand to 221 for 8, below the average first-innings score of 236 at the Shere Bangla Stadium. Smith showed creativity in the way he rotated the bowlers and used them in short spells; they displayed control and were assisted by a superb show of ground fielding. Smith said he thought they “certainly bowled well enough to win today.”Graeme Smith said he could not fault the way his team prepared for the World Cup•Associated Press

The problem came with the bat and, inevitably, with the mind. When Smith and Jacques Kallis were laying the platform for the chase, and then again when AB de Villiers was starting to look in good touch, the win was there for the taking. When Kallis and de Villiers were dismissed, the wobble started. Two hundred and twenty two moved further and further away, and the South African middle order slipped further and further in pursuit of it.”The batting let us down in the middle period,” Smith said. “New Zealand squeezed us, the ball got soft and we needed to show a little more composure in that period.” He didn’t go as far as saying it was inexperience that cost them, but a middle order consisting of JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Johan Botha and Robin Peterson is only powerful if one of them can come off in a big way. Although all capable, they are relatively untested and even though they survived the pressure against India, Ireland and Bangladesh, against a rampant New Zealand, it was too much. “We lost four or five wickets quickly and it’s difficult to recover on a wicket like this.”Small as he felt, Smith would not make others feel smaller, and even though he identified the batting as the problem in this game, he was not on a witch hunt and had no more blame to dish out. He maintained that the squad he brought to the subcontinent had given their all and even though they had fallen, they would not be weighed down by South Africa’s history of exiting major tournaments in the knockouts. “We’ve trained hard, we worked on our skills and I cannot fault the way this team has played. When we go homes there’s going to be swords and daggers. We are not the only World Cup team that has not gone on to win.”Towards the end of his press conference, Smith had regained some of the confidence that has become synonymous with him over the years. He was still a long way from being a large man, but he had started to show fluency and conviction in what he was saying. He was being frank and honest and that’s something South African cricket will need to be after this episode.It’s going to be a long process of rebuilding, not the personnel, but the mindset, and Smith started it before leaving his chair. “We’ve just got to be honest with ourselves, that we weren’t good enough tonight. Simple as that.”

Mashonaland Eagles held their nerve on a tense final day to earn a draw against Mid West Rhinos and so win the Logan Cup

Steven Price in Harare04-Apr-2010Mid West Rhinos 364 (Taylor 131) and 335 for 6 (Wessels 108*) drew with Mashonaland Eagles 451 (Lamb 159, Chigumbura 105, Rainsford 6-66) and 67 for 5

ScorecardMashonaland Eagles celebrate their victory•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Mashonaland Eagles held their nerve on a tense final day at the Harare Sports Club , to earn a draw against Mid West Rhinos and so win the Logan Cup by virtue of topping the league table in the round-robin stage.A high-scoring match appeared to be heading towards a soporific conclusion on the fourth afternoon when the Rhinos declared leaving the Eagles a target of 249. In the circumstances, they were never likely to take the bait, and the assumption was they would bat out time with ease.However, Graeme Cremer and Taurai Muzarabani caused panic in reducing the Eagles to 36 for 5, and only 27 overs of dogged resistance from Forster Mutizwa and Mark Mbofana averted a shock defeat.Until then, the match had been going as expected. The Eagles won the toss and drew first blood when Rhinos opener Friday Kasteni was sent back by Elton Chigumbura for one. Brendan Taylor then led a strong batting performance as the rest of the top order chipped in with useful contributions.Malcolm Waller and Cremer went past the fifty-run mark to support Taylor who compiled an aggressive 131 off 155 balls, with 20 fours. Prince Masvaure was the most successful bowler, picking 3 for 49, as the Rhinos finished on 364.Ed Rainsford rocked the Eagles’ reply at both ends of their first innings, but two big partnerships in the middle gave the Eagles a significant lead. Greg Lamb struck 159 off 352 balls, while Chigumbura was equally patient in compiling 105. They added 211 runs before Regis Chakabva struck 74 and added 104 with Lamb. Rainsford finished with figures of 6 for 66 as the Eagles ended 87 runs ahead.Kasteni failed in the second dig as well, but Taylor and Innocent Chikunya had no troubles in taking the Rhinos past Eagle’s lead. A succession of wickets left them in some trouble at 174 for 5, before Riki Wessels and Cremer set the tone for a tricky fourth-innings chase. Cremer was stumped for 56, while Wessels was unbeaten on 108 when the declaration came about. Then came the final twist.

Jason Holder stars for Worcestershire but visitors hit back on 14-wicket day in Kidderminster

ECB Reporters Network19-Apr-2024Ollie Robinson spearheaded a powerful Durham response with the bat after Jason Holder had threatened to place Worcestershire in a position of strength on day one of the Vitality County Championship match with Durham at Kidderminster.The England Lions keeper was responsible for a partial recovery after Durham had subsided to 141 for 7 midway through the afternoon session.Former West Indies captain Holder, who is available for the opening five Championship matches, had bowled an inspired spell of 8-2-26-3 to remove David Bedingham, Graham Clark and Paul Coughlin post lunch. But Robinson went on the offensive to such an extent that his half-century came up in only 41 balls with three sixes and five fours.Ben Raine and Matthew Potts provided useful lower order support and then made early inroads with the ball but Jake Libby dug in for an unbeaten 35.Worcestershire were back playing first-class cricket at Chester Road for the first time in four years because of the series of eight floods which have engulfed New Road this winter. At least the first two home Championship matches after Worcestershire’s promotion with Durham from Division Two are being staged at Kidderminster.Groundstaff are hoping for a dry spring to enhance hopes of playing the third home match against Nottinghamshire – beginning at May 24 – at the county’s headquarters.Both sides were forced into changes because of injury setbacks. Worcestershire’s in-form batter Kashif Ali was ruled out with a back injury suffered during training, while Durham pace bowler Scott Boland suffered a foot injury during the drawn game with Warwickshire at Edgbaston. Brydon Carse was also unavailable due to his match play management schedule.Play got underway half an hour late and Durham captain Scott Borthwick opted to bat on his 34th birthday as the Dukes ball returned to the bowlers’ armoury. But it was not a happy anniversary for Borthwick as the home side struck two early blows.Borthwick had failed to trouble the scorers when a delivery in the first over from Joe Leach beat his outside edge and hit the top of off stump. And it became 19 for 2 when Alex Lees pushed forward to Nathan Smith and fell to a low catch by Holder away to his right at second slip.Colin Ackermann had an escape on 18 when he flicked Holder off his legs and saw the chance put down at midwicket. The third-wicket pair of Ackermann and David Bedingham had to fight hard for runs although the latter greeted Matthew Waite’s entrance into the attack with successive cover drives for four.Durham reached 89 for 2 at lunch but Holder switched to the pavilion end and struck in the first over back. Bedingham on 38 went to cut the former West Indies captain but only succeeded in chopping onto his stumps.Leach bowled a probing post lunch spell and was rewarded when Ackermann (47) went lbw to a delivery angled back in.Holder was constantly asking questions and struck again when Graham Clark was lbw working to leg. Adam Finch then replaced Leach and immediately tasted some success as Bas de Leede played a similar shot and perished in the same fashion.Robinson decided attack was the best policy and received excellent support from Ben Raine during a stand of 61 in 8.4 overs. The Durham wicketkeeper struck Waite for two straight sixes in an over and raced to his half-century. But Waite had the final say when Robinson pushed forward and keeper Gareth Roderick held onto a low catch.Finch wrapped up the innings with two wickets in three balls as Raine top edged a pull through to Roderick and Callum Parkinson missed a full toss and was lbw.But Worcestershire quickly ran into trouble against the new ball attack of Raine and Matthew Potts. Raine had Roderick caught behind and club captain Brett D’Oliveira offered no shot and was bowled by Potts.Libby and Rob Jones initially dug in but then started to reel off a series of fine strokes. The stand was worth 60 when Jones (32) pushed forward to Coughlin and was lbw and then Adam Hose chopped the same bowler onto his stumps.

Behrendorff starred with three wickets to restrict Heat to 155

Tristan Lavalette11-Jan-2023Veteran quick Jason Behrendorff took three wickets then Josh Inglis and Aaron Hardie blasted half-centuries as Perth Scorchers continued their stranglehold over lowly Brisbane Heat with an eight-wicket victory in Brisbane.After captain Ashton Turner elected to bowl on a batting-friendly Gabba surface, Behrendorff led a typically disciplined Scorchers attack to thwart the return of Australia Test players Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Matthew Renshaw.Inglis and Hardie then chased the sub-par total of 156 with ease in a brutal 132-run partnership as defending champions Scorchers claimed their second win over Heat in four days.

Behrendorff claims 100th BBL wicket

For the second straight game against Heat, Scorchers were thrashed early and Turner decided to use returning left-arm spinner Ashton Agar in the third over.It failed to do the trick with Agar, who usually bowls after the powerplay, as he conceded 13 runs.Scorchers would have been in worse trouble if not for Behrendorff, whose in-swinging deliveries targeting the leg stump were kryptonite for rampaging opener Josh Brown.The left-arm seamer bowled five dot deliveries in a row at one point before dismissing Brown, who unluckily played on in a tangle much like David Warner against Tim Southee at the recent T20 World Cup.Behrendorff then dismissed Labuschagne and Renshaw with help from superb catches from Stephen Eskinazi and Andrew Tye.He impressively mustered all his experience to limit Heat during the power surge as Behrendorff joined Tye as the only Scorchers bowlers to have claimed 100 BBL wickets.Jason Behrendorff celebrates a wicket•Getty Images

Bryant overshadows returning Test players

Struggling Heat needed a tonic and the return of captain Khawaja, Labuschagne and Renshaw fitted the bill. But switching formats just three days after the third Test against South Africa proved difficult amid an underwhelming Heat display in favourable conditions.Khawaja opened in his debut for Heat after crossing from Sydney Thunder on a multi-year deal. He struggled early and was hit in the helmet after attempting a scoop shot. He also survived a confident shout for caught behind off Behrendorff that wasn’t reviewed. Khawaja then built a platform but couldn’t convert and so too Renshaw.Labuschagne, who sports an underwhelming BBL record, entered at No.3 and started sedately before holing out to deep cover.It was left to big-hitting Max Bryant, who smashed three sixes to lift Heat to respectability, but it proved well short. Once part of a devastating opening partnership with Chris Lynn, Bryant has struggled this season but might have found a niche batting at No.6.

Inglis has point to prove

Scorchers were in trouble at 25 for 2 after the powerplay, but the pressure was released when Khawaja gambled by using part-time spinner Labuschagne in the fifth over.Inglis smashed a six off his first ball then struck consecutive boundaries in a momentum-changing over. He was in sweet touch and showcased his deft use of the feet by counterattacking spinner Matthew Kuhnemann, including one gorgeous six over cover.Wicketkeeper-batter Inglis notched his third half-century of the BBL season and this would have been particularly satisfying, having earlier in the day missed out on Australia’s upcoming Test tour of India.He combined superbly with Hardie, who started with an elegant drive to the boundary en route to his second straight half-century against Heat. Scorchers passed the target with 22 balls to spare, with Hardie sealing the deal with a six.

Johnson menaces on BBL debut

Heat had a new-look attack without fringe Test bowlers Mark Steketee and Mitchell Swepson. It didn’t change their fortunes, but towering quick Spencer Johnson grabbed his opportunity in an eye-catching BBL debut.The left-arm quick bowled particularly sharply, with one delivery clocked at 147kmph, as his great height extracted considerable lift from a benign surface.The 27-year-old had played in the 50-over Marsh Cup previously for South Australia and was on Adelaide Strikers’ list last season. For many, however, it was the first time they had watched Johnson in action and he showed enough to warrant a sustained run with Heat.

Despite Chase’s five-for, visitors are 273 runs behind Sri Lanka

Andrew Fidel Fernando22-Nov-2021Stumps West Indies worked themselves back into the game in the first two sessions, taking Sri Lanka’s last seven wickets for 105. But then they gave up all the ground they had gained in the evening, losing six wickets for 54 runs.Essentially, what this means, is that despite Roston Chase’s five-wicket haul, West Indies are 273 runs behind Sri Lanka, with only four wickets remaining. They bat deep, but the pitch is already taking substantial turn, particularly for Sri Lanka’s spinners. So dominant were the slow bowlers of both sides on day two, that no batter could make a half-century; Dinesh Chandimal and Kraigg Brathwaite came closest, hitting 45 and 41 respectively.Sri Lanka lost their overnight pair in the first hour, and lost the remainder of their batters either side of lunch, but still, it was the last session of the day that was most dramatic. West Indies had restricted Sri Lanka to 386 – a good score, but not the gargantuan one that the hosts had threatened at the end of day one. Brathwaite and makeshift opener Jermaine Blackwood (he was taking the place of the concussed Jeremy Solozano, with concussion substitute Shai Hope to come in at No. 4) made a half-decent start, too, putting on 46 for the first wicket. But as is often the case in Galle – though often not as early as the second day – once one partnership is broken, several wickets fall in quick succession.Blackwood was the first to be dismissed. He had been lbw on 2 against Dushmantha Chameera, but the umpire turned down the appeal and Sri Lanka did not review. He had seemed to have become comfortable at the crease, particularly against Lasith Embuldeniya, whom he launched for a straight six, but then missed a straightening delivery from the same bowler, and was correctly adjudged lbw (Blackwood burned a review).Four overs later, Praveen Jayawickrama – the other left-arm spinner in Sri Lanka’s XI – got a ball to erupt from the straight, and take Nkrumah Bonner’s glove on the way to slip, where Dhananjaya de Silva took a sharp catch to his left.Roston Chase had figures of 5 for 83•AFP/Getty Images

Offspinner Ramesh Mendis then took two wickets in two big-spinning balls, split across two overs. His first victim was Brathwaite, who was caught at leg slip. His second was Shai Hope, who was snaffled at short leg – both batters having been out off the inside edge. Mendis would also have Chase caught at short leg before the day was out, after Jayawickrama had nightwatchman Jomel Warrican caught behind. Although West Indies have Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers at the crease, and Joshua de Silva and Rahkeem Cornwall to come, it is not guaranteed, on what has suddenly become such a devious surface, that they will surpass the follow-on score.The first dismissal of the day, however, had been the strangest. Dhananjaya de Silva had added five runs to his overnight 56 and seemed to be batting nicely, when he was a touch late playing a defensive shot to a back-of-a-length Shannon Gabriel ball. He made a good connection, but the ball dropped by his feet and seemed to be bouncing into the stumps, so he turned around to swipe at it. He only nicked it the first time, and had to swipe again, but on that second occasion, dislodged the bails with his bat, and was out hit wicket.Dimuth Karunaratne, who was on 132, had started the day nervously, and was out to some excellent wicketkeeping having added only 15 to his score – Joshua da Silva whipping off the bails after Chase had drawn Karunaratne forward with a loopy offbreak.Jomel Warrican, who had gone wicketless on day one, took three wickets either side of lunch – the dismissal of Ramesh, whose glove Warrican collected with a delivery that leapt off the surface, being the most spectacular of the three. Chandimal, who had battled the spinners as well as anyone on day two, was out to Chase, after Rahkeem Cornwall anticipated and intercepted a reverse sweep. Chase dismissed Embuldeniya to complete his fourth five-for in Tests. At the time, it had seemed like West Indies had clawed themselves to near parity by keeping Sri Lanka’s total under 400.