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Sabbir Rahman’s 70 and Nasir Hossain’s fighting half century were not enough as Sylhet lost their fourth completed game in a row

Mohammad Isam20-Nov-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsBrendon McCullum looks to paddle•Raton Gomes

Rangpur Riders came back to winning ways after their seven-run win over Sylhet Sixers at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum lived up to their billing as the star opening act but the Bangladeshi duo, Sabbir Rahman and Nasir Hossain , gave Rangpur a real scare before Sylhet’s chase faded away.Rangpur now have two wins in five outings while Sylhet continue to struggle, losing for the fourth time. They haven’t won a game since leaving their home territory almost two weeks ago.The storm finally makes land-fallGayle played out a maiden over bowled by Hossain, a sure sign of settling down for the Jamaican giant. As he took things slowly, McCullum swatted Shuvagata Hom for two sixes in the second over before Danushka Gunathilaka dropped McCullum’s offering of a return catch in the fourth over.In the following over, Gayle officially got underway in the BPL. He slammed Nasir over his head for his first six before Gunathilaka was tonked for two sixes in a row, on either side of long on. He hit his fourth and fifth sixes off Liam Plunkett and Nasir, both over the square leg-side field.Rangpur’s slowdownWhen Nasir got McCullum in the ninth over, Rangpur started to slow down. McCullum had made 33 off 21 balls with three fours and as many sixes; in the 11th over it was Gayle who left, bowled by Abul Hasan for 50 off 39 balls, with his five sixes and two fours.With the destructive pair gone, Mohammad Mithun and Shahriar Nafees played out 14 balls without going anywhere before Andre Fletcher took a superb catch at backward point to get rid of Nafees in the 13th over. Only Ravi Bopara hit a six among the middle-order batsmen, as Rangpur reached 169-7 in 20 overs.Hasan finished with 2 for 24 from his four overs while there was a wicket each for Nasir, Bresnan and Plunkett.Sylhet lose three quicklySohag Gazi got the initial breakthrough, removing Gunathilaka in the second over. Babar Azam, playing his first match for Sylhet, holed out to deep midwicket off Mashrafe Mortaza before Andre Fletcher’s dismissal in the fourth over, caught behind off Rubel Hossain, made it 25 for three.Sabbir takes overSabbir and Nasir played well thereafter, for the first time in the tournament. The pair added 117 runs for the fourth wicket, taking only 13.4 overs. Sabbir made 70 off 49 balls with seven fours and two sixes but when he fell in the 18th over, Sylhet slipped out of the chase.Nasir ended up unbeaten on 50 off 43 balls with a four and a six while Tim Bresnan struck a six off the last ball but to no avail.Mashrafe, Sohag, Rubel and Thisara Perera took one wicket each as they combined to bring the big-spending Rangpur side a much-needed win.

Chris Gayle did not bother with false modesty after a world-record sixes spree

Mohammad Isam in Mirpur12-Dec-20170:53

Quickinfo – Chris Gayle, the king of T20 cricket

Chris Gayle gave it the full Universe Boss treatment after striking a world-record 18 sixes to turn the final of the Bangladesh Premier League into an affirmation of his talent.Asked by ESPNcricinfo if he would class himself as the Don Bradman of T20s, Gayle banged his own publicity drum after another epic display. “I’m the greatest batsman of all time,” he pronounced.To watch Gayle, legs slightly apart with the bat over his head in his follow through as the ball sailed over the long-on fielder was one of the most enduring images of BPL 2017.Gayle’s relentless assault – a record 146* off 69 balls – razed defending champions and pre-tournament favourites Dhaka Dynamites in the title clash. Gayle’s 18 sixes was a methodical assault, which thrilled the packed Mirpur crowd.He cherished his fifth BPL hundred and 20th overall in T20 cricket, calling it one of his best T20 knocks.”It is a big game, a big occasion to actually stand out and get a century in a final,” Gayle said. “You actually look back and say well done. You tap yourself on the back. It is a winning effort as well, which makes it more special for me. So I am glad that we came out on top. I would put it in the top five [among T20 centuries], certainly for the occasion as well. I will have to reflect where this takes place. It is right up there.”Gayle said that Rangpur Riders looked to bat deep into the innings, especially after they had lost previous match-winner Johnson Charles in the second over.”They [Dhaka Dynamites’ started well. We lost Charles a bit early,” Gayle said. “We had to give ourselves a chance to bat as deep as possible. It was important for one of us to bat right through the innings. It actually set the momentum for us.”Gayle said keeping Dhaka’s key bowler Sunil Narine at bay was also part of Rangpur’s plan. “It is a good wicket, once you are set on it,” he said. You can score a bit freely. It wasn’t the best, fully 100 % batting conditions. They had quality bowlers. We didn’t let their best bowlers get wickets.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“Narine is their key bowler. Once you lose Charles early, you play according to the situation, use a bit of experience. Know when to go, when to hold back.”Gayle also credited Brendon McCullum with whom he added an unbroken 201 – the highest stand for any wicket in the BPL.”Turning over the strike was always going to be important. I thought we did a fantastic job – myself and McCullum,” Gayle said. “We worked out what to do in the middle, which bowler to take down, and when.”When we arrived in Bangladesh, everyone was so excited to see Gayle and McCullum. It didn’t happen early on in the tournament, but I am glad it happened when it mattered. It is not about trying to outdo each other. The communication and understanding was very good.”

The small change with coach Mohammad Salahuddin has made a big difference in Mominul’s approach against spinners, as he can now move forward and back more swiftly

Mohammad Isam01-Feb-2018When most Bangladesh players got away from the game after the BPL in December, Mominul Haque sought technical corrections from his mentor Mohammad Salahuddin. The small change has made a big difference in Mominul’s approach against spinners, as he can now move forward and back more swiftly without being too predictable to the bowlers.The change in technique has so far contributed to three first-class centuries in the last three weeks, including the 176 against Sri Lanka. Salahuddin, who was Bangladesh’s assistant coach under Jamie Siddons, now coaches two top domestic teams but is better known as mentor to many Bangladesh players including Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Mominul. His connection with Shakib, Mominul, Abdur Razzak and Nasir Hossain goes back to his days as BKSP’s chief cricket coach.Salahuddin said that Mominul’s change in technique was about the initial step he took against spinners which limited his options against the fuller deliveries. Seven of his last 10 dismissals before the ongoing Chittagong Test were to offspinners like R Ashwin, Dilruwan Perera, Nathan Lyon and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj. On many occasions, he was either rooted to the back foot with no room to maneuver or confused whether to go front or back.The dismissal to Rangana Herath on the second morning was more Kusal Mendis’ credit as he took a reflex catch at short leg. Otherwise, Mominul batted at an impressive strike rate of 93.23 against Herath, Dilruwan and Lakshan Sandakan, scoring off more than 50% of their 149 deliveries.”Mominul was always fluent against spin but in recent times, I had seen something wrong with his initial foot movement,” Salahuddin told . “He was taking a step while playing the shot. Spinners usually bowl a fuller length so that step was restricting his options. Spin bowlers understood this problem and trapped him. I worked on his initial movement, which he practiced.”He was happy that it worked in the first BCL match. He kept working at it and got results. You saw him on the first day how he played in front, back, stepped out and used the entire crease. He used his feet to thwart the spinners who couldn’t guess what he was doing.”Salahuddin said that Mominul’s problem against spin should have been eliminated long ago by the Bangladesh coaching staff, instead the problem was identified and used against him by the opposition. “I was surprised when someone said that he was weak against the short ball. I was shocked when I heard that he was weak against spin,” he said. “There aren’t many in Bangladesh who play spin better than Mominul.”Mominul’s issue was technical. It isn’t that he never scored runs. A batsman can have a problem. They sometimes can’t catch it quickly since they are always playing matches. So it is the coach’s responsibility to identify and rectify the problem. It is easy to cast him aside but that’s not the solution.”Salahuddin also felt that being kept away from ODIs also hurt Mominul’s batting rhythm. He has been picked only for Tests since the 2015 World Cup, giving him long breaks when the senior side is playing other formats.”You will notice that Mominul hadn’t made a century after getting dropped from the ODI squad,” Salahuddin explained. “The reality, at least in Bangladesh, is that it is hard to keep form by only playing Tests. We play fewer Tests. It is hard to only work on your own, away from the team. I am sure that given the opportunity, he could play such innings in ODIs too.”This is not an excuse though. It is not just working on your batting but such long breaks also has an effect on a cricketer’s mentality. It is tough to motivate oneself. Mominul has been able to remain strong, but anyone else would have been dropped by now. Bangladesh cricket has many such examples.”Correcting Mominul was yet another example of how Salahuddin has been helpful to a Bangladesh player. From his days as Bangladesh’s assistant coach, he has always been critical to their success. The first time he was in the limelight was by helping Razzak return to international cricket after the ICC suspended him for an illegal bowling action. Even when Salahuddin worked in Malaysia, he would be sought out by many players like Shakib to help in technical matters.In 2011, Shakib returned to Dhaka from the IPL for a few days to work on his batting with Salahuddin. There are numerous such incidents and while some at the BCB recognise to use him in an official capacity again, they turned their backs to him after approving his appointment as a batting consultant last August.

Chasing just 148 after a disciplined bowling performance, Thunder’s top three of Usman Khawaja, James Vince and Shane Watson crushed the Stars bowlers, who were defending an under-par total

The Report by Alex Malcolm20-Jan-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSydney Thunder kept their playoffs hopes alive with a crushing win over the hapless Melbourne Stars at the MCG.Chasing just 148 after a disciplined bowling performance, Usman Khawaja and James Vince put together a stunning opening stand to crush any faint hopes the Stars had of defending the under-par total. Khawaja dispatched the bowling to all parts of the MCG, scoring 44 from just 26 balls. Vince was overshadowed, but was equally good, making 40 off 29.Getty Images

Shane Watson was dropped twice and capitalised, finishing the job with a brisk 49 not out to help his side win with 23 balls to spare. Watson had earlier picked the key wicket of Ben Dunk and was named Man of the Match.The Stars only had two men shine on a dismal night. Peter Handscomb made 57 at the top of the order, while young left-arm wrist-spinner Liam Bowe removed Khawaja and Vince in an excellent spell.The Thunder moved up to fifth with their fourth win, while the Stars are all but assured of finishing last. The Thunder do have one concern, with batsman Callum Ferguson straining a hamstring in the field.Handscomb thrives at the top againLuke Wright’s announcement that he won’t be returning to the Stars next season leaves a hole at the top of the order that needs to be filled. Dunk has signed a long-term deal, and despite a horror run of dismissals that continued against the Thunder, he seems set to remain at the top next season. For the second time this season, Handscomb opened with him, and for the second time, he made a significant contribution. Handscomb has one of the lowest boundary percentages of all T20 players, but batting in the Powerplay allowed him to strike five boundaries in his first 16 balls. The Stars had a good Powerplay, scoring 1 for 50, but they again struggled when the field spread. Handscomb scored 32 from 27 with just two boundaries in the next 8.2 overs. Kevin Pietersen, Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner combined for 18 off 23, with the spin of Fawad Ahmed and Chris Green causing most of the trouble.Thunder strike a bowler lightArjun Nair has been suspended from bowling for the rest of the BBL, but the Thunder retained him in their XI. Watson filled in as the fifth bowler, sending down four overs, and rotated his bowlers quite well. Previously in the tournament, Watson had used Green heavily in the Powerplay. His one over was hammered by Handscomb, but Watson, bowling more in the Powerplay, held Green back for later. Green’s last two overs, the 14th and 18th of the innings, cost just nine runs and brought the wicket of James Faulkner. It allowed Mitchell McClenaghan, who had previously struggled in the slog overs in the tournament, to bowl at two fresh batsmen in the 19th over. He conceded just eight runs. Watson gave up two boundaries in the 20th, but they restricted the Stars to just 147.360-degree battingThe Thunder look a completely different side with Khawaja and Vince at the top of the order. The left-right combination proved to be a nightmare for the Stars. Both men moved around their crease effectively and struck boundaries to every single part of the ground. Khawaja scooped balls over short fine, and charged down the track and flat-batted over the off side. Vince stepped to off and glanced fine, and leaned back and upper-cut over short third man. It was mesmerising batting. Khawaja hit four consecutive fours off Daniel Worrell and three in a row off John Hastings. The pair put on 85 in 8.2 overs, including 13 boundaries and a six.Bowe breaks throughComing into this match, Bowe had only played three T20 matches, and just one in the tournament. He bowled his first over with the Thunder 64 for no loss after six overs. He gave up just seven runs and bowled two dots. He conceded a boundary first ball of his second over, but didn’t let his head drop. Getting a bit of extra bounce, he found Khawaja’s top-edge with the batsman trying to reverse sweep, and had him caught at short third man. His wrong ‘un proved a problem for Vince, who charged at it in the 11th over to be stumped by a good five metres. Bowe bowled his four overs for 30 runs and dismissed two quality players. He did get hit for six, however, by Watson, who struggled for fluency early. Watson twice mistimed pull shots to deep square, but Jackson Coleman dropped him both times. The second drop seemed to spur Watson on. He crunched another six and three fours to end the match quickly.

The No. 11 struck a career-best 47 off 41 balls and hauled Queensland from 183 for 9 to 255 before dismissing Tasmania opener Alex Doolan

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Feb-2018
ScorecardGetty Images

Luke Feldman struck a career-best 47 off 41 balls at No. 11 and followed it with the wicket of Tasmania opener Alex Doolan to boost Queensland on day one of their Sheffield Shield match at the Gabba. Feldman hit five fours and a six and added 72 for the last wicket at a run rate of 5.40 with Mitchell Swepson to haul his side from 183 for 9 to 255. Seamers Gabe Bell and Sam Rainbird picked up three wickets each for Tasmania.Tasmania then lost both their openers in 11 overs but captain George Bailey and Jake Doran closed the day without any further damage.After having opted to bat, Queensland had a solid start with Matt Renshaw and debutant opener Lachlan Pfeffer adding 90 for the first wicket. Bell and Rainbird then ran through the middle and lower order with assistance from Simon Milenko and Thomas Rogers. Queensland were in danger of folding for a sub-200 score before Feldman intervened.

The India opener is looking forward to playing at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, his home ground, in the forthcoming IPL season

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Mar-2018M Vijay is “blessed” to return to the Chennai Super Kings fold and is looking forward to playing at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, his home ground, in the forthcoming IPL season. Vijay last played for Super Kings in 2013, and since plied his trade with Delhi Daredevils in 2014 and then Kings XI Punjab during the following two years before pulling out of last year’s IPL with an injury. Vijay, who will turn 34 next month, said representing Super Kings was a dream come true for him.”The brand of cricket CSK was playing before and now, it’s going to be a fantastic opportunity for me to be back with CSK and contribute to the side. I’m blessed,” he said at an event in Chennai. “To represent CSK and put up a show for them is always a pleasure. I’m good enough to do that. Hopefully, I can be consistent and put up a good show. I’m ready to go. I want April 7 to come early. It is a dream-come-true moment for me.”During Vijay’s first stint with Super Kings from 2009 to 2013, he scored 1600 runs from 64 innings, including two hundreds and seven fifties, at a strike rate of 127.89. While he has been out of the national reckoning in the shorter formats, Vijay was a reliable opener for Super Kings. Vijay was one of the team’s permanent fixtures at the top of the order, and along with Michael Hussey, the team’s current assistant coach, he was instrumental in getting Super Kings off to a good start on a number of occasions. For his part, Vijay felt the team created the right environment for players to succeed.”The one good thing about playing for CSK is that we always put the team ahead of individual performances,” he said. “It is very difficult in franchise-based cricket, because outstation players and domestic players need to have the right rapport to help the team play at a competitive level. We did it with ease in the past. That is going to be important to do from the start of the season, and hopefully we can do it with more fun and flair.”It is a proud moment to play for your home state and play in front of home. As [Dwayne] Bravo said, they have created a family atmosphere here for both locals and international players and it is something very difficult to achieve. We will do well this year. I have a lot of memories. The win against Mumbai [Indians] in Mumbai was special. Like that, I have lots of other memories. We are here to create more such memories and hopefully we can do that.”Vijay, however, hasn’t had the best of times in the recent past. After an underwhelming tour of South Africa, where he managed only 102 runs from six innings at an average of 17, Vijay found himself in the middle of a controversy after he was left out of the Tamil Nadu squad midway during the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Vijay, however, felt he could use the time off from international cricket to get fitter.”I always have had a free mind. It’s just about getting opportunities. I’m blessed to have had this time off to get myself fitter and I’m really looking forward to his IPL stint,” he said. “Hopefully, as a team, we can play the brand of cricket that we decide to play and accomplish that. It’s going to be interesting times for us.”On transitioning from Test cricket to the shortest format, Vijay said: “we are professional enough to acclimatise and put up a better show. We will do that hopefully. [The] team is wanting to do well. In South Africa, we did a great job even though unfortunately we ended up on the wrong side. Effort level was fantastic from bowlers. The batsman let down initially and we could capitalise in the last Test match. If it had been a five-Test series, it would have been interesting.”Vijay was asked if he was open to the idea of playing for a county side ahead of the start of the England tour later this year. While he said a county stint involved a number of complex formalities, he also revealed that a number of teams had approached him after he went unsold on the opening day of the IPL auction in February.”It is definitely going to help us ahead,” he said of playing for a county side. “We are all looking for that and hopefully opportunities open up for us to play a few matches before the Test series. There is a procedure for it. You have got to wait. If they need outstation players, then you can get an opportunity to go and play. There is a lot of procedure involved in that and it’s not that easy. Counties have approached me. After seeing the first day’s auction, a lot of teams approached me.”

Every, who was in South Africa when the ball-tampering saga unfolded, informed CA of his decision to quit on Friday

Daniel Brettig07-May-2018Ramifications from the Newlands ball-tampering scandal and Cricket Australia’s (CA) response have broadened with the resignation of the experienced corporate leader Bob Every from the CA Board.Every, who spent time in South Africa during the series, informed CA of his decision to quit on Friday, in the same week that the call was made to appoint Justin Langer as national team coach for four years despite the fact there are two reviews into the team and CA as a whole to be undertaken after the events of the Cape Town Test.The commissioning of the Ethics Centre to conduct a review into the overall culture of CA, from the chairman David Peever down, is believed to have been a sore point. ESPNcricinfo revealed last week that the CA director Michelle Tredenick had to step aside from all discussions relating to the review as she is also on the board of the Ethics Centre, which carried out a hotly-debated review of the Australian Olympic Committee last year and was also central to the creation of the “Banking and Finance Oath” in 2012.”Bob has served on the CA Board for more than two and a half years and has made a valuable contribution over that time,” Peever said. “Bob served on the MoU sub-committee for the most recent negotiations with the Australian Cricketers’ Association, CA’s Audit and Risk Committee, and was an active contributor to Board discussions. On behalf of Cricket Australia and Australian cricket, I thank him for his service and wish him well for the future.”Every joined the Board alongside Tredenick in late 2015, after a lengthy corporate career that included roles as non-executive chairman of Wesfarmers, chairman of Boral Limited and Iluka Resources Limited, chief executive of Tubemakers, president of BHP Steel, and managing director and CEO of OneSteel Limited.This experience made him by a distance the most accomplished corporate figure on the CA Board, making his voice one of the most respected among its nine members. Every’s links to cricket were also strong, via his close ties to the Sutherland Cricket Club in Sydney grade competition – having played more than 60 first-grade games, he remains the club’s patron.Mark Taylor, the former Test captain and longtime CA director, was close to Every after the pair had become friends due to past corporate links. Taylor had previously indicated that he was unlikely to serve another term as a CA director after he was reappointed at last year’s AGM for a further three years, but following Channel Nine’s loss of the rights to broadcast cricket in Australia he has been touted as a possible chairman. How Every’s departure affects Taylor’s thinking remains to be seen.Another area for concern about the reviews being conducted is the fact that the facilitator of the teams review, Peter Collins of the Centre for Ethical Leadership, is a longtime paid consultant of CA. Formerly with the management consulting firm McKinsey, Collins has worked closely with Sutherland in particular for many years, in addition to advising CA’s management team more generally. Still more significantly, Collins was also a mentor to Ricky Ponting during his early days as the national captain.”Peter’s leadership consulting projects include work around sexual predatory behaviour in Victoria Police’s response to the Victorian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (VHREOC), in sport (including work with the national cricket and rugby union teams for more than 10 years) and advising boards and leadership teams on cultural issues,” the centre’s website states.”He started his consulting career at McKinsey with a focus on organisational change and leadership, and has also worked in Federal Parliament for two cabinet ministers.”Questions about how seriously and strongly the dual reviews of CA and the national team would investigate the culture of Australian cricket intensified after the chief executive Sutherland unveiled Langer as coach last week, under the premise that the coach needed to have input into the process.Langer will duly serve on the review panel alongside its chairman Rick McCosker, the men’s Test captain Tim Paine, Pat Cummins, last summer’s stand-in women’s international captain Rachael Haynes, the former captain Shane Watson nominated by the Australian Cricketers Association, and the longtime Tasmania captain George Bailey.

A strong all-round performance from Warwickshire toppled Nottinghamshire by 108 runs

ECB Reporters Network27-May-2018
ScorecardA strong all-round performance from Warwickshire toppled Nottinghamshire by 108 runs in their Royal London Cup meeting at Trent Bridge.Warwickshire hadn’t beaten Notts in any of their last six one-day meetings and hadn’t won at Trent Bridge since 2008 but had the better of the exchanges after opting to bat first.Warwickshire scored 295 for 9 from their 50 overs, after winning the toss. Sam Hain, following on from centuries in his two previous innings, made 72, with contributions of 56 from Ed Pollock and 51 from Adam Hose. Hain’s runs came from 91 balls, with five fours.Matt Carter, on his one-day debut, returned figures of 4 for 40 for the hosts.Notts were then bowled out for only 187 in 38.5 overs, with Ross Taylor making 56. Aaron Thomason picked up a career-best 4 for 45 for the visitors.In pursuit of a victory target of 296 the Outlaws got off to a poor start, losing both openers with only four runs on the board. Chris Woakes, playing his first domestic match of the season, removed Riki Wessels for a single during an opening six over burst.Tom Moores and Taylor added 63 together for the third wicket before Thomason separated them, having Moores caught in the deep for 33. Taylor reached his 50 from 57 balls but then guided Henry Brookes straight into the hands of third man.The game ran away from Notts quickly during the middle overs, as Thomason picked up three more wickets and Olly Stone closed out the contest by bowling Carter with more than 11 overs still remaining.Earlier, Ed Pollock got Warwickshire off to a flying start, despite losing his opener partner Jonathan Trott to Samit Patel, for an eight-ball duck.The left-handed Pollock blazed his way to a quickfire half century, reaching the landmark from only 22 deliveries faced, four of which were launched over the ropes.Fired on by his aggressive start Pollock failed to reign in his stroke-play and paid the price when a lofted shot failed to clear midwicket, giving Carter the first of his four wickets.Notts rotated their bowlers regularly, using seven different inside the first 18 overs, including 19-year old quick Jack Blatherwick who, like Carter, was on debut.Samit Patel, who took 2 for 48, reduced the visitors to 172 for 3 when he had Hain taken at long-on, after a stand of 89 in 17 overs with Ian Bell.Hain reached his own 50 from 59 balls and advanced to 72 before charging Carter, to provide Tom Moores with a routine stumping.Carter’s third and fourth wickets were repeats of each other, as both Adam Hose and Tim Ambrose found Billy Root in the deep. Hose made 51 from 53 deliveries and Ambrose 38 from 37.Nicely placed on 180 for 3 after 30 overs, Warwickshire lost their way in the final stages of the innings, after appearing well set to reach 350.Woakes was run out for 9, as the holders put the squeeze on with some accurate death bowling during the final overs but the total was already well beyond reach.Warwickshire now move on to five points from four matches, equalling the points total of Notts, who have played a game more.

Ollie Rayner has a chance to discover some form after losing his Middlesex place to Ravi Patel

George Dobell19-Jun-2018Ollie Rayner has joined Hampshire from Middlesex on a short-term loan deal.Hampshire are currently without leg-spinner Mason Crane (who has suffered a recurrence of back pain as he recovers from a stress
fracture), off-spinner Brad Taylor (who has an ankle injury) and will shortly lose left-arm spinner, Liam Dawson, to England Lions duty.Off-spinner Rayner – good enough to claim 50 Championship wickets when Middlesex won the Championship in 2016 and win a place in the Lions side – will therefore provide spin-bowling cover for the upcoming Championship matches against Yorkshire (starting on Wednesday) and Lancashire (starting on Monday).It shows, however, that Rayner has dropped out of the Middlesex first team for the moment. After a trying start to the season – Rayner has
claimed four wickets in five Championship matches for Middlesex this season at an average of 64.50 – he has lost his place to the left-arm
spinner, Ravi Patel.The loan deal lasts a month but Middlesex can recall him at any time if their needs change.”It’s great that Angus Fraser and Middlesex have allowed him to come to us and he’ll play a part in the next couple of Championship games,”
Giles White, the Hamphiire director of cricket, said. “He’s a good bowler and has done well for Middlesex over the years. He bats and
catches well at second slip too so it’s a good fit for us.”Hampshire are currently in seventh position in Division One in need of a victory or two to lift them away from relegation fears. Middlesex
are seventh in Division Two and struggling to sustain the promotion challenge that most anticipated. Both sides have just the one
Championship victory so far this season.”I’m obviously disappointed to not be featuring in the forthcoming round of Championship matches for Middlesex,” Rayner said. “However
when one door closes, another one opens, and I’ve now got a great opportunity to go and play some first eleven cricket with Hampshire.””As with a lot of loan agreements this is a win-win situation for both Middlesex and Ollie,” the club’s Director of Cricket, Angus Fraser,
said. “Having chosen to pick Ravi Patel ahead of Ollie this week, Ollie was extremely keen to play some first-class cricket, and
Hampshire’s predicament has allowed this to happen.”Should Middlesex’s situation change we have the right to recall Ollie to the club.”

Jason Holder completed Bangladesh’s devastation with career-best match figures of 11 for 103, as West Indies cantered to their first series win at home since 2014

The Report by Mohammad Isam14-Jul-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAFP

Jason Holder completed Bangladesh’s devastation with career-best match figures of 11 for 103, as West Indies cantered to a 2-0 series win, their first at home since 2014. Holder, who took 5 for 44 in the first innings, followed up with 6 for 59 as Bangladesh folded for 168 in the second innings. That was also their highest score in four innings this series.Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh captain, was the lone shining light from his side, top-scoring with 54. That came on the back of a six-wicket haul earlier in the day that triggered a West Indies collapse as they were bundled out for 129 – the lowest score against any visiting Bangladeshi side – giving Bangladesh a slight opening in the Test. Shakib’s 6 for 33 are the best bowling figures by a Bangladeshi in an away Test.Chasing 335, Bangladesh needed to come up with their best batting performance of the series. They began that pursuit by losing Tamim Iqbal early. Undeterred, Liton Das counterattacked, punching Holder for four fours in one over. Liton stayed put with his aggressive approach, which fetched him 33 runs in quick time, before Keemo Paul put an end to it when he held onto a catch at gully. Mominul Haque managed his best contribution of the series – 15 – which ended just before the tea interval, when Roston Chase had him lbw. Mominul ended his series with a solitary run from his three other innings.Mahmudullah, who also endured a wretched Test series, perished meekly when he tried to loft Chase over midwicket, but Shai Hope intercepted the shot with a well-timed jump. Shakib and Mushfiqur then added 54 runs for the fifth wicket, with both batsmen hitting boundaries quite freely.Shakib took a liking to Paul, collecting his first four boundaries off him, flicking and driving through the covers, before cutting him twice past point in the 20th over. Shannon Gabriel, too, felt the brunt, going for three fours in the 29th over: two straight drives and a square-cut.Mushfiqur’s first four came via a reverse sweep against Chase, before he unleashed cuts, glides and straight drives against Miguel Cummins. Holder, however, went through the gate, created by a large bat-pad gap, to bowl him in similar fashion to Gabriel in the second innings in Antigua.With his next ball, Holder gave Nurul Hasan a pair, the batsman falling lbw in almost identical fashion to the first innings, although this one was more adjacent. Mehidy Hasan survived the hat-trick ball, but soon became Gabriel’s first victim, Devon Smith taking the catch diving to his left at second slip.Shakib struck three more fours to reach his fifty, before Holder struck again. Rabbi and Abu Jayed followed suit. It was the completion of West Indies’ recovery after enduring a torrid time during first half of the day.Like with the bat, Shakib played an important role with the ball, but he also found help from the younger bowlers, with Mehidy Hasan, Abu Jayed and Taijul Islam sharing the other four wickets. But it was he who paved the way for the fightback, snaring the first three wickets in the morning, taking out Devon Smith, Keemo Paul and Kieran Powell. Smith and Paul were stumped, while Powell was adjudged leg-before going back to a length ball. Taijul and Jayed struck next, dismissing Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmeyer, and soon after the lunch break, Mehidy bowled Chase, who top scored with 32.The innings also saw wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan complete a Bangladesh record of three stumpings when Holder ran past a Mehidy delivery in the next over. Shakib then bowled Cummins and Gabriel in the same over to end the West Indies innings nine overs after lunch.