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Ravindra Jadeja’s five-wicket haul dismissed India Red for 356 and handed India Blue a first-innings lead of 337 in Greater Noida

The Report by Sirish Raghavan12-Sep-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo – Ravindra Jadeja wheeled away for 34 overs, extracting sharp turn and bounce on a tiring Greater Noida surface•AFP

Ravindra Jadeja’s five-wicket haul led a persistently probing bowling effort from India Blue on a day when they were made to work harder than they would have expected to plough their way through India Red’s batting line-up. That was partly down to the pitch – which offered sluggish turn, rather than the spitting variety – and partly down to sparkling fifties from Gurkeerat Singh, Stuart Binny, Amit Mishra and Kuldeep Yadav. India Red’s spirited lower-order resistance frustrated India Blue and delighted a sizeable Monday crowd, but had little impact on the broader outcome of the match as they subsided to 356, conceding a first-innings lead of 337.Jadeja consistently attacked the stumps and turned the ball past desperately groping bats. His speed through the air – averaging over 90kph – was considerably faster than that of any other spinner, denying the batsmen time to adjust to the turn. Bowling 34 overs in the day, he made good use of a sticky surface and dented India Red’s fightback with the key wickets of Gurkeerat and Binny.India Blue could have removed the lower order more swiftly if Jadeja’s fellow spinners, Parvez Rasool and Karn Sharma had been more effective. Legspinner Karn was inconsistent with his line and length, alternating patches of incisiveness with periods that were less convincing. Offspinner Rasool had a good start to the day, troubling Shikhar Dhawan and Yuvraj Singh with offbreaks and straighter ones. Against the right-handers who followed, however, he was not as threatening as he might have liked.The most impressive spinners after Jadeja were the ones wielding bats. Mishra came in at 194 for 6, and was immediately kept company by nine close-in fielders. He, however, responded by lofting Jadeja back over his head for four. Mishra combined with Kuldeep for an 86-run partnership for the eighth wicket that temporarily brought the third session to life and restored some respectability to India Red’s innings.The reason respectability needed restoring was the limp showing of the India Red top order. Dhawan and Yuvraj managed some lovely drives in the first session, but those were far outnumbered by tentative pokes and speculative swishes. While they struggled most against Rasool, they ultimately perished to over-ambitious strokes against Abhimanyu Mithun and Jadeja.Dhawan, in particular, might rue his untimely indiscretion. His patchy 29 in his penultimate – possibly his last – innings before India’s first Test against New Zealand from September 22, puts him in a tight spot as India’s selectors mull which of three possible openers – M Vijay and KL Rahul are the others – to select in the playing XI.Jadeja, meanwhile, worked his way into fine rhythm in the second session, ending a 63-run stand for the fifth wicket between Gurkeerat and Binny when he dismissed Gurkeerat for 57 with a beauty that drifted into middle before turning away to hit off stump. Binny then put on 64 with Ankush Bains, before Jadeja ended that partnership too when he had Bains caught at second slip. The most decisive breakthrough, though, came minutes before the dinner break when Jadeja pitched one on leg stump and spun it away to hit Binny’s back pad in front of middle. That ended a knock that had been gaining in momentum and poise, and left Binny an agonising two runs short of a century.Mishra and Kuldeep counterattacked in the third session of the day, but Karn eventually dismissed both to end the innings. Riding on a huge lead, Gautam Gambhir and Mayank Agarwal played out the remaining two overs and headed to stumps with their side firmly in control.

Says the BCCI is also looking into having “a mental conditioning coach or a mentor” for the women’s team

Sruthi Ravindranath11-Mar-20214:14

Smriti Mandhana: We want to raise our fielding and fitness standards before World Cup

Smriti Mandhana has stressed on the need for India Women’s team to know and be informed about their schedule, especially ahead of the next year’s World Cup, and has said that the team is “proactively working” with the BCCI on the matter.With their series against England, Australia, Sri Lanka and West Indies either cancelled or postponed amid the Covid-19 pandemic in the last one year, there was uncertainty around India Women’s return to international cricket. The home series against South Africa, which began on March 7, ended a 364-day period of no international cricket for the side, which was their longest time off the field since 2008.The squads, as well as the tour itinerary, for five ODIs and three T20Is against South Africa were publicly announced only after the team assembled in Lucknow in late February to go into quarantine. After Kerala Cricket Association informed the BCCI about its inability to host the series, the Karnataka Cricket Association was touted to host the games in Bengaluru, but the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association later said in a release that all eight games would take place at the Ekana Stadium.”It’s very important as a player to know what we’re going to look like for the World Cup,” Mandhana said. “We all are working with the BCCI, they’re really proactive in telling us now what series we will be having for the next one year. I think we’ll have a pretty clear idea in some days. I think as a player, it’s important to know what series you’re going to play next or what the schedule looks like so we can prepare ourselves mentally, physically and even with the skillsets like which bowler you’re going to face in the next two-three months. It gets easy if you know who you’re playing against.”Mandhana said that the team’s focus will be on fielding and fitness for the next one year as they prepare for the 50-over World Cup, scheduled to be played in New Zealand in 2022, admitting that they have been working on it since their runners-up finish at the 2017 ODI World Cup.The South Africa series ended a 364-day period of no international cricket for India Women•BCCI

“We’ve come off a really long break so at the moment we’re going out there and trying to play some good cricket,” she said. “But for sure we know that the World Cup is happening in New Zealand. The bowlers look pretty good in the last month and we want to be consistent with bowling. The only thing we’re working on as a team post the 2017 World Cup is fielding. We keep working on our fitness and fielding and that’s the whole plan for the next one year. I think skills can come and go but the fielding and fitness standards are something we want to keep getting higher. In one year, hopefully, we get to a place where we are fielding and running between the wickets really well.”On Monday, the BCCI secretary Jay Shah tweeted that India Women will be playing a Test – their first in six years – against England Women “later this year”. Apart from Shah’s tweet, there has been no official announcement about the Test from either the BCCI or the ECB.Mandhana, who was part of the last two Tests India played – a one-off match against South Africa in Mysore and one against England in Wormsley, both in 2014 – was also not sure when the Test will take place but was excited at the prospect of playing in whites after a long gap.”I’m not sure when the Test match is happening but it has been announced and we all are really excited,” she said. “When we played there last we’ve had really good memories of that Test match. It’s the feeling of putting on whites and going into bat with three slips and a gully, we don’t get to do that much. That feeling as a batter I crave whenever I watch a men’s Test match. It’ll be exciting to go out there after six years and play a Test.”With two other global tournaments scheduled in the women’s calendar in this cycle – the Commonwealth Games in June-July next year followed by the T20 World Cup in 2023 – India are possibly looking at a busy schedule following the year-long hiatus that would also see them spend extended periods in biosecure environments. Mandhana said that talks of having a mental health professional travelling along with the team are ongoing.”At the moment the girls are in very good space because first of all, we’ve come after a long break and everyone’s fresh to go out there and play some good cricket. Definitely, a mental conditioning coach or a mentor could be of use for a lot of girls. I think the BCCI is looking into it and hopefully, we’ll have something going before the World Cup.”

Sunrisers bossed the game for 36 overs, and then they let it slip away

Alagappan Muthu11-Oct-20205:09

Moody: Tewatia’s confidence a big reason for his success

Out. Of. Nowhere. The Rajasthan Royals are making a habit of winning un-winnable games this IPL. Rahul Tewatia was their hero in shiny pink armour last time and he was at it again, with two daring reverse sweeps off Rashid Khan. The Sunrisers Hyderabad legspinner is among the most inscrutable bowlers in the world, but he was smacked for 4, 4, 4 in the 18th over which completely changed everything.This time there was help. Riyan Parag is only 18-years old. He had already teased the IPL world with his talent last season and he thought it was time for a refresher once more. He was dropped on 12. He didn’t even have a single boundary to his name then. But by the end of it all, when he tossed his helmet off and began dancing on the pitch, he had two fours, two sixes and 42 match-winning runs at a strike rate of 161.5.The awkward startSunrisers were 26 for 1 at the end of the powerplay. They hit only two boundaries. That’s a new low in IPL 2020. But they didn’t panic. David Warner wouldn’t let them.Bit by bit, he became accustomed to a finicky, two-paced pitch. He realised he couldn’t go searching for runs; that he would just have to make the most of the bowlers’ mistakes. That change in mindset was crucial. It took the pressure off him. It kept his mind sharp. It added to his urgency in running between the wickets. And the moment there was a half-volley, or a wide short ball, it helped him whack them for sixes. With Warner in charge, Sunrisers amassed 48 runs in the five overs from seven to 11.The awesome finishThe Royals could see the problem Warner posed and so they brought Jofra Archer back in the 15th over and he cuh-lean bowled the Sunrisers captain for 48. Their head-to-head tonight: eight balls, three runs and the wicket.Manish Pandey joined David Warner for a 73-run stand•BCCI

Sunrisers could have lost their way at that point, but they still had a set batsman to fall back on. Manish Pandey, who figured if the ball wouldn’t come onto his bat, his bat would just go charging after the ball. All five of his boundaries were the result of his charging down the pitch as he finished with 54 off 44 balls and helped push the total up to 158.The awesome startBen Stokes got into the XI on the back of one day’s training after his quarantine with the Royals and that rustiness showed. He was whisked off the attack after only one over and, having opened the batting, he went to pull a ball that wasn’t short enough for it and was bowled for 5.Steven Smith found another way to undermine himself, this time not trusting his partner’s call for a second run and was run-out for 5. It was his fourth single-digit score in five innings this IPL. When Jos Buttler, who looked in ominous form, fell three balls later, the Royals were 26 for 3 in the fifth over and their chase looked in trouble.The super awesome fantasticular finishThe Royals were 105 for 5 after 16 overs. ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster rated their chances of winning at 7%. This wasn’t so much a come-from-behind victory as it was a %$#@ smash-and-grab.Riyan Parag does a celebratory jig after taking the Royals home with a six•BCCI

And the confusion among the Sunrisers was palpable. Garg simply over-ran a skier in the 15th over. T Natarajan, who nailed his yorkers against Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya, began missing them here. Khan could have had Tewatia stumped but the zing bails would not budge. They would simply light up, almost as if to taunt the bowler. Yep, ball hit the stumps, but it ain’t a wicket.In the midst of this mayhem, Parag and Tewatia ransacked 85 runs in 47 balls to put a 50-foot exclamation point on a five-wicket win.

The youngster battled cramps, an injured hamstring and a fever to script a memorable innings

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jan-2020Vijay Merchant, Ajit Wadekar, Sunil Gavaskar, Sanjay Manjrekar, Wasim Jaffer, Rohit Sharma … and now Sarfaraz Khan, members of the Mumbai triple centurions’ club in Ranji Trophy cricket, after the 22-year-old hit an unbeaten 301 to help Mumbai take the first-innings honours despite conceding 625 against Uttar Pradesh at the Wankhede Stadium.While questions could – and should – be raised over the playing surface, where 1313 runs were scored over four days for the loss of just 15 wickets, it should take nothing away from the knock that has just about managed to keep Mumbai’s stuttering campaign alive. They are currently 12th in the combined Group A and B table, and are potentially just a win away from entering the top five. While the position they find themselves in isn’t ideal, they would be encouraged by the recent upswing in fortunes.ALSO READ: ‘I was determined to make this one count’ – Manoj Tiwary on historic tripleLast week in Chennai, they recovered from 129 for 5 on the first morning to post 488 on the back of a superb century from Aditya Tare, the stand-in captain. This set the tone for them to walk away with three points after they secured a lead against an equally deflated Tamil Nadu side.This time, they saw Uttar Pradesh notch up a big score after they had removed half the side with just 281 on the board, with wicketkeeper Upendra Yadav making a fifth of his career runs in a single innings alone from No. 7 (203 not out).Sarfaraz walked in to bat on the third day with Mumbai tottering on 128 for 4, 497 behind. He later admitted to walking out to a lot of chirp from the UP team. After all, three years ago, Sarfaraz was part of Wankhede’s away dressing room, playing for UP against Mumbai, the side that nurtured him from age-group cricket. Lack of assurance from the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) in terms of his place in the side played a hand in Sarfaraz’s move to UP, his home state. His performances there weren’t inspiring, and issues with his fitness and discipline led to him being sidelined.”I was just delighted and would like to thank MCA for giving me another chance. It [century] was due for a long time. I am glad I scored my first century for Mumbai,” Sarfaraz told . “It was daddy’s [coach Naushad Khan] decision [to play for UP]. I still remember when I was leaving for UP and packing my Mumbai Ranji team’s clothing, I was literally crying because of my love for Mumbai. I never thought I would play for Mumbai again. I still can’t believe I came back and played for Mumbai. It’s like a dream.”This time in the home dressing room, after serving a cooling-off period, he was trying to give his career another push with his team in trouble. He had just made one half-century in three innings prior to the UP game, and shook off any signs of nerves by playing the way he does. He put together stands of 210 with Siddhesh Lad, 179 with Tare, and then 150 with Shams Mulani to give Mumbai a lead. It was a special effort given Sarfaraz battled cramps, a wonky hamstring, and a bout of fever during the course of the two days he batted.”Actually I wasn’t going to come out to bat,” Sarfaraz said. “Adu (Tare) was going to come in my place. I was having fever and cough, I wasn’t well for the last two or three days. Last night (Tuesday), I was okay-okay, but the fever returned during the lunch break. But I felt I should go out to bat, I felt I was the kind of player who could change the game if I remained in the middle.”Sarfaraz said the bouts of pain from his hamstring just prior to the tea interval was a result of cramping. “I hadn’t eaten anything since morning, I don’t eat usually while I’m batting,” he said. “I was tired. During the tea break, I said ‘ (that’s it, I’ve had enough)’. When I got to 250, I thought I must walk off, but the team kept backing me.”Sarfaraz’s return to form bodes well for a side that is without designated captain Suryakumar Yadav, Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur, all of whom are either away in New Zealand or preparing to fly out to join the national team. Tare, who is currently leading Mumbai, felt Sarfaraz had matured as a player since he had last played for them.”He has a better head on his shoulders now than when he last played for us,” Tare said. “He was young, used to play a lot more shots then. He has matured a bit now. He is more selective, but still with the range of shots he has, he can bat at No. 5 and 6 and win matches for us.”

It’s not clear which formats he would be in charge of, with S Sriram understood to be at the helm of the T20I side

Mohammad Isam31-Jan-2023Chandika Hathurusingha has returned to the Bangladesh men’s national team as its head coach.Not long after Cricket New South Wales confirmed that Hathurusingha had parted ways with them, the BCB announced a two-year deal starting next month. It has, however, not been confirmed which formats Hathurusingha would be in charge of, with S Sriram also around and at the helm of the T20I side.ESPNcricinfo understands that discussions about the roadmap between Sriram and the BCB in Dhaka earlier this month didn’t provide clear answers. But the board had said in December last year that it wants Sriram to be the long-term T20I head coach. If that remains true, Hathurusingha might only be connected with the Test and ODI sides.Related

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“It’s an honour to have been given this opportunity to coach the Bangladesh national team once again,” Hathurusingha said in a statement. “I really loved the warmth of the people and the culture of Bangladesh. I’m looking forward to working with the players once again and enjoying their successes.”This is 54-year-old Hathurusingha’s second stint with Bangladesh after he had served as the head coach from 2014 to 2017. That included Bangladesh’s famous ODI series-winning streak at home, that included beating Pakistan, India and South Africa in consecutive months. Under Hathurusingha, the team also made the knockout stages of ICC events at the ODI World Cup in 2015 and the Champions Trophy in 2017, and also recorded their first Test wins against England, Australia and Sri Lanka.

BCB: Hathurusingha ‘a proven tactician’

During Hathurusingha’s time with the team, Bangladesh had a 40.20% success rate in 102 matches across formats. For the record, that’s lower than what his successors – and now predecessors – Steve Rhodes (51.11) and Russell Domingo (42.34) achieved.”Chandika’s experience and knowledge of Bangladesh cricket will be an advantage for him and will benefit the players,” BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said. “He is a proven tactician and we have seen his impact on the national team during his first assignment.”Following his time with Bangladesh, Hathurusingha went back to Sri Lanka, his home country, and took charge as the head coach of the national men’s team there, before moving to New South Wales in July 2020.

The concern surrounding the pitches in this season’s BPL is getting louder as the tournament heads towards the more important stages

Mohammad Isam07-Dec-2015The concern surrounding the pitches in this season’s BPL is getting louder as the tournament heads towards the more important stages. There has been regular help for the bowlers, who have benefited from the two-paced nature of surfaces, and increasingly the toss has gained importance.In the first 24 games, 13 teams won after winning the toss and out of those, nine had decided to bowl first. Comilla Victorians have been the biggest beneficiary, winning four games after opting to chase. Among those who batted first overall, teams have been shot out for sub-100 totals four times including scores of 58, 59, 82 and 89. The first two scores came in the last two days.At the start of the tournament, the problem was for teams playing in the evening game on the same pitch that the afternoon match was played. Rangpur Riders captain Shakib Al Hasan said that the pitches were getting weary too quickly and the teams batting second were having to deal with lower bounce and more turn.The pitches in Chittagong were much better, offering everyone a chance. When Evin Lewis made the tournament’s only century, he was playing through the line consistently and connecting too. There was a feeling that perhaps the pitches there were also two-paced but it ultimately evened out in the day’s second match.The return to Dhaka has again been tough, particularly in foggy weather, and the lack of sun has meant moisture has not evaporated as quickly as it usually does in the afternoon. It has made the pitches softer, making it harder for those batting first.The improved run-making in Chittagong saw teams scoring 140 on average batting first, at 7.02 per over, after the first 12 games in Dhaka yielded an average score of 136 batting first, at 6.91 per over. However, in the four games since the tournament moved back to Dhaka on December 6, the first-innings average score has dipped to 89 at a rate of just 5.29 per over.Comilla Victorians beat Barisal Bulls by seven wickets by restricting them to 105 for 6 after deciding to bowl and their captain Mashrafe Mortaza admitted that teams would be more inclined to field first on these “unpredictable” pitches despite short boundaries.”It is hard to score runs when you try to force it,” Mashrafe said. “These wickets are very unpredictable. Every team is looking to field first. Maybe they pulled in the boundary ropes because we were playing on the wicket on the other corner but it might also be to increase the run-making. But it is still very hard for the batsmen.”Barisal paceman Rayad Emrit said that the pitch was not ideal. “It is not the best of wickets for T20. It is very difficult to start for a batter and to bat first, especially,” he said. “We batted first in both games and you see the results.”They are probably trying to compensate for the wicket. It is not a wicket where you can go out and play shots. Maybe they are trying to get the fans involved, T20 is about runs. It is always a batter’s game and obviously the bowlers have to adjust quickly. If we had got 120-130, it would have been a different game.”Barisal have been guilty of playing poorly in the last two games despite the arrival of Chris Gayle to pair up with Lewis, who hasn’t made a significant contribution since his unbeaten 101 against Dhaka Dynamites. “We’ve lost two games back to back,” Emrit said. “It is a bit of a concern now. We have a strong top-order but we are very inconsistent in our batting. Our bowlers have done a terrific job. We know how dangerous the guys at the top are, as long as they get off.”While Barisal can take solace from knowing that Gayle coming good could solve their batting troubles, Sylhet Superstars exited the tournament by getting bowled out in the least number of overs in the BPL’s short history. On the previous day they had won the toss and bowled out Barisal for 58. On Monday they were bowled out for 59, after Rangpur decided to bowl first. The BPL isn’t for batsmen, at least from what we have seen on the 12 matchdays so far.

Former Australia allrounder takes over from Paddy Upton for a period of three years from IPL 2020

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-2019Former Australia allrounder Andrew McDonald has been appointed head coach of Rajasthan Royals for a period of three years from IPL 2020. He will replace Paddy Upton who had been in charge of the side in 2019, when Royals finished second from last with just five wins in 14 games.McDonald, who had played four Tests for Australia, is only 38, but has already built strong credentials as a coach, having ended his playing career in 2016. He enjoyed a stellar season as coach in 2018-19, leading Victoria to the one-day and Shield titles in addition to overseeing Melbourne Renegades’ run to their first Big Bash League crown.McDonald has also had coaching stints in franchise cricket, and was named head coach of Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred in June earlier this year. In IPL 2018, he had served as Royal Challengers Bangalore’s bowling coach. McDonald has also made his mark in English county cricket, having led a revival of Leicestershire from a low base.McDonald, who is currently working with Victoria in the Sheffield Shield, said: “The Rajasthan Royals is a new, exciting challenge for me, and I can’t wait to get started working with our world-class players and coaches in one of the biggest sporting leagues in the world.”McDonald has IPL experience as a player as well, having turned out for Royals Challengers and Delhi Daredevils (who have now been rebranded as Delhi Capitals). In all, he has played 11 games in the league, scoring 123 runs and taking 11 wickets. In the BBL, he has represented Renegades and Sydney Thunder, making 230 runs picking up five wickets in 13 games.Zubin Bharucha, Royals’ head of cricket, welcomed McDonald into the set-up, saying: “Andrew’s innovative, forward-thinking nature, along with his experience in the IPL and success in other leagues is why we have selected him as head coach to help us drive long term success. He is data-focused and an impressive man manager who remains well versed with the rigours of modern day cricket.”

He hit nine sixes in his 47-ball 72, but found little support from his colleagues as Sylhet now have two losses in three matches

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jan-2019How the game played out

Dhaka Dynamites are now unbeaten after four games. The last of these wins came against Sylhet Sixers, who were beaten by 32 runs despite a spell of sensational six-hitting from the West Indies batsman Nicholas Pooran. He hit nine sixes in his 47-ball 72, adding more than a dash of entertainment quotient to the evening. Yet, the result was never in doubt.Dhaka’s 173 for 7 was built around a second-wicket stand of 67 between Sunil Narine and Rony Talukdar, who made 58. Then they collapsed from 117 for 3 to 125 for 7 in the space of 18 balls. They found saviours in Nurul Hasan and Mohammad Naim, who struck two fours and a six between them in the last five overs to give the Dhaka a strong finish. With the ball, Taskin Ahmed took three wickets in an over to derail the chase.Turning points

Taskin removed big guns Andre Russell and Kieron Pollard and allrounder Shuvagata Hom in the 15th over, just as the Dhaka were entering the slog overs.Nurul Hasan and Mohammad Naim, both unbeaten on 18 and 25 respectively, revived Dhaka with their 48-run unbroken eighth wicket stand.David Warner and Liton Das fell inside four overs of the chase.Star of the day
Pooran preferred the straight boundaru, striking his West Indies team-mates Russell and Narine for big sixes. He also attacked Rubel, among Bangladesh’s best bowlers, while hitting Shakib twice over the square leg fence. The best hit was reversed for Shuvagata, who was reverse slog-swept into the second tier.The big miss

During the 17th over of the Dynamites innings, the ball slipped out of Sohail Tanvir’s grip and went flying high over both the batsman Naim and wicketkeeper Liton, bouncing a few times to the boundary as he conceded five runs in no-balls.Where the teams stand

Dhaka have made it four wins out of four while the Sixers have work to do, having lost two out of three games now.

Isobel and Cecelia, who played for nearly two decades in the international circuit, announced their retirements after Ireland’s loss in their final group-stage match in the World T20

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Nov-2018Ireland’s Joyce twins, Isobel and Cecelia, announced their retirement from international cricket after Ireland’s eight-wicket loss to New Zealand in their final group-stage match in the World T20. It was also the last international game for their team-mates, Clare Shillington and Ciara Metcalfe, who had, in May this year, announced that the tournament would be their last. All four have been in the international circuit for nearly two decades, with 37-year-old Shillington having debuted in 1997.While Shillington and Metcalfe received a guard of honour from players of both teams before taking the field, the Joyces informed their decision to their team-mates only during the post-match huddle.
Allrounder Isobel, who made her Ireland debut in 1999, has played 79 ODIs and 55 T20Is, while opening batsman Cecelia, who entered the international circuit two years later, has played 57 ODIs and 43 T20Is. Isobel had also led Ireland in 62 games before stepping down as captain following the World T20 in 2016.”I can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done for us. The next 10-12 months will be about transitioning the team as we don’t have any international fixtures coming up,” Laura Delany, the Ireland captain, said.Earlier this year, their brother Ed Joyce, who has represented both Ireland and England, announced his retirement from professional cricket, following Ireland’s inaugural men’s Test match against Pakistan in Dublin. Five Joyce siblings have represented Ireland in all – Dom, who played three ODIs in 2006-07, and Gus, who played one first-class game for Ireland in 2000.Post-retirement, all four players are set to stay involved in the game, with Cecelia focusing on her role as vice-president of Ireland’s player association and the other three taking up coaching roles.

Dane Vilas scores unbeaten half-century in successful chase as Lancashire jump to top of table

ECB Reporters Network22-May-2019Lancashire secured a hard fought six-wicket victory over promotion rivals Worcestershire midway through the third afternoon to leapfrog them to the top of the Specsavers County Championship Division Two table.Chasing 126 on a challenging Emirates Old Trafford surface, Lancashire slipped to 32 for 4 before lunch, only to recover through their captain Dane Vilas and fifth-wicket partner Rob Jones, who shared an unbroken stand of 95 inside 30 overs. Vilas led the way with 60 not out off 89 balls, while Jones finished unbeaten on 31. It means their 20-point win is their third on the spin to start 2019.It is the first time they have won their first three Championship matches in a campaign since 1995 and the days of Mike Atherton and Wasim Akram when they beat Durham and Warwickshire here and Middlesex at Lord’s.For Worcestershire, who had to do without Wayne Parnell – who has a hamstring injury – in Lancashire’s chase, this was a first defeat after two victories. But they certainly did not make it easy for their hosts.Worcestershire’s second innings was wrapped up in the morning’s fourth over, for the addition of only five more runs to an overnight 149 for 9, in front of 1,500 children for Schools’ Open Day.Richard Gleeson had Joe Leach caught by James Anderson at mid-off following a miscue to secure his third five-wicket haul in four innings. Having claimed five wickets in each innings of the home victory against Northamptonshire last week, he finished with figures of 5 for 37 from 17.2 overs.While Gleeson claimed six wickets in the match, England’s Anderson picked up seven – five in the first innings and two in the second – to make it a successful return from a week out with a knee injury. Sixteen years ago to the day, Anderson made his Test debut against Zimbabwe at Lord’s.Lancashire were rocked early in their chase. Captain Leach struck twice with the new ball, adding to a wicket apiece for Charlie Morris and Ed Barnard.Morris made the initial breakthrough when he had Haseeb Hameed caught at first slip by Riki Wessels with the 12th ball of the innings before Barnard trapped Jake Lehmann lbw as the score fell to 30 for 2 in the 10th over.Leach then struck twice in as many balls in the 13th over to set nerves jangling in the home dressing room. He forced Keaton Jennings to play on and had Liam Livingstone caught by Wessels for a golden duck.Vilas and Jones took the score to 59 for 4 at lunch before snuffing out Worcestershire’s chances afterwards with more calm and composed batting.When Vilas clipped Leach through mid-wicket for four to move into the thirties, he brought up a half-century stand inside 20 overs and took the score to 82 for 4 with 44 more needed.The visitors added far more to this fixture than their haul of three points suggests and will remain confident of keeping pace with Lancashire in pursuit of a top-three finish for promotion.Parnell was probably the game’s standout performer with wickets and runs. He initially brought Worcestershire back into the game from 38 for 7 in the first innings, scoring 63. He then took 5 for 47 with the ball and scored another 25 in the second innings.When Vilas reached his fifty off 73 balls driving Barnard back down the ground for four – his seventh, Lancashire only needed 19. Jones later hit the winning runs.