Geoff Lemon's Blog, page 65
August 8, 2020
England need 277 to win first Test against Pakistan: day four – live!
2.16pm BST
31st over: England 70-1 (Sibley 32, Root 26) Another ball that misbehaves. This could get harder and harder to bat on. Abbas pitches on a length but there’s a puff of dust from the surface and it spits up at Root’s gloves. Which is not allowed under biosecure protocols. He survives, though. Three maidens in a row for Pakistan.
2.14pm BST
30th over: England 70-1 (Sibley 32, Root 26) Yasir Shah comes around the wicket, just as Richie Benaud did at Old Trafford all those years ago to retain the Ashes in 1961. Sibley as a right-hander is happy to kick away most of the first over. This particular contest could be a grind if it continues this way.
2.09pm BST
29th over: England 70-1 (Sibley 32, Root 26) Abbas again, and Root edges short! Oh, so nearly gone. He tries to flick that through the leg side and gets a leading edge. Azhar Ali has even put in two gullies for Root, and somehow it goes square of the closer one, and drops short of the deeper one. That’s a slice of luck for England’s skip. Rattled, he plays out a maiden to the accurate Abbas.
2.06pm BST
28th over: England 70-1 (Sibley 32, Root 26) Width from Yasir again, and Sibley reaches for it and steers it away through backward point for four! He hasn’t been completely one-paced today, a run every three balls is alright for Sibley. Been a very important presence thus far for England.
2.02pm BST
27th over: England 66-1 (Sibley 28, Root 26) The cut shot from Root doesn’t work in this over, a big chop off the under-edge to gully.
David Wynne tells me that there’s a brief article on German cricket in a new online mag called Vox Cricket, here.
1.56pm BST
26th over: England 65-1 (Sibley 27, Root 26) Yasir is still just reaching a little bit, landing wide of off-stump on occasion, full on occasion. He’s really putting some work on the ball, I’ll bet you can hear it humming as it comes down the pitch. The seam is fizzing around. Sibley squeezes a run last ball to midwicket, but it’s almost a leading edge.
The partnership is worth 43, this has been important.
1.54pm BST
25th over: England 64-1 (Sibley 26, Root 26) Another positive shot from Root, cutting through backward point with just a bit of width. Abbas gets buzzed for a no-ball by the third umpire a couple of balls later. It’s good that England and Pakistan took the initiative to get the third umpire onto that job in this series, even though it won’t be brought into other Tests until next year unless those respective boards decide to make it happen.
1.51pm BST
24th over: England 59-1 (Sibley 26, Root 22) Yasir nearly bowls Sibley first of the over, a straighter ball that turns a little but not much. Sibley leaves and it passes his off stump. Next up, a big turner and Sibley is given out. Didn’t look like he hit that, Rizwan’s appeal was more angst about how close it was. Richard Kettleborough has had a funny time lately, usually one of the best going around. He took a really long time to give that out. Rizwan was looking at the sky, Yasir was appealing, and like an afterthought Kettleborough popped his finger skyward. Sibley reviews and it’s missed his edge by a decent amount. To complete the trio, Sibley aims a big cut shot at a shorter ball and misses it completely.
1.47pm BST
23rd over: England 59-1 (Sibley 26, Root 22) Abbas to start after lunch, and he absolutely confounds Root with a beauty. So close to the outside edge. The cordon all appealed but Abbas didn’t think he’d hit it. Root tries to be proactive in response, walking at Abbas and whipping him through midwicket for four. He’s looked good today, Root.
1.17pm BST
And why not a plug from Oliver Smiddy.
“Independent sports shops have obviously been hit very hard by Covid-19. I bought some new cricket spikes from Beckenham Cricket Specialists yesterday - it’s a lovely little shop owned and run by a chap who also does bat repairs and really knows his stuff. If any OBOers in the SE are in need of any new kit, please support shops like this rather than buying from big online chains. They’ve got a sale on, and you can order via their website too. I’m in no way connected to them - I’ve been shopping there since I was a nipper though (my first bat was an SS like Gooch’s i think, and later a Gray Nicholls Scoop) and the service has always been ace.”
1.12pm BST
Cricket in Germany: Tilo has got back to Nathaniel’s question.
“As the exest of pats I cannot comment too well on cricket in Germany, but it is said to be the fastest growing sport apparently, albeit from a small base. Many articles describe how most of it is driven by the intake of refugees, amongst them many from Afghanistan that brought their passion along. I think the national team keeper was an Aussie who went to Germany for love. There were also semi-successful tries to recruit county players with German heritage, like Ollie Rayner. Also a large influx of Indians working in Tech and IT are helping the drive. In women’s cricket it is more driven by the association trying to get homegrown girls interested, so the demographic is quite different, even though a wickie of Indian background played in the recent men’s T10 league, I think. The twitter accounts are good for info.”
1.06pm BST
They’re a full Richie Benaud from victory. Quite the session. Pakistan’s tail came out and crashed 32 more runs in three overs and lost two wickets. They’ve bowled beautifully for the most part, especially Abbas and Naseem with their spells of pace. Shaheen was a little bit off the boil with the new ball, while Yasir is shredding it but bowling too full. England have lost the one wicket but otherwise been able to buckle down and get through it.
“Thanks for keeping us in the picture, Geoff. Riveting,” writes Bill Hargreaves. Glad to be of service. “Would a first test win for Pakistan, as seems customary in these times, make for a better series, or am I being contentious?”
1.01pm BST
22nd over: England 55-1 (Sibley 26, Root 18) Yasir is bowling outside off a fair bit, and they’re happy to push singles through cover, both batsmen. Sibley picks the wrong ‘un when it pitches short, and goes back on his stumps to flick a run square. Root just taps a run a few metres from the bat. Sensible stuff. That’s lunch.
12.58pm BST
21st over: England 51-1 (Sibley 24, Root 16) This is a rarity in modern cricket: two legspinners working in tandem. Shadab Khan comes on for his first over of the innings, after 2 for 13 from very limited bowling in the first. There’ll be more work for him this late in the match. He bowls a lot more googlies than Yasir, and employs a couple to Sibley, but also dishes him up a full toss that the batsman can just clip neatly for three. Root leaves a leg-break that doesn’t turn much and doesn’t miss his off stump by much.
12.54pm BST
20th over: England 47-1 (Sibley 21, Root 15) Lovely flight for Yasir, and drift, still pitching a bit too full to Root, dropping near the blockhole without room for turn. The real error comes second ball though when he bowls a low full toss, and Root loves the sweep shot. Four. Yasir corrects that length for the next couple, but slips again to let Root drive a single to cover. The wrong ‘un doesn’t come out right to Sibley.
12.51pm BST
19th over: England 42-1 (Sibley 21, Root 10) Good shot from Sibley, opens the face and just directs the ball down past gully along the ground for four. Root has been batting pretty nicely with singles whenever possible. Naseem has 0-10 from his first five overs.
“So far so good, but waiting for the inevitable 3 quick wickets is reminiscent of the dentist’s waiting room...”
12.49pm BST
18th over: England 37-1 (Sibley 17, Root 9) Yasir again with big turn when he wants to show off what he can do, then he goes straighter to Root when he wants to test him out, make him play. Bowls a bit full for Root to dig out a single, then there’s a push back past the bowler by Sibley but he can’t score.
12.43pm BST
17th over: England 36-1 (Sibley 17, Root 8) Nicks one, Sibley, but survives! It falls short of Rizwan. The folks on the telly reckon the whole slip cordon is too deep. A proper edge there, just died in front of the keeper. Next ball nearly nails Sibley on the pad but he gets an inside edge. Good over.
12.38pm BST
16th over: England 35-1 (Sibley 17, Root 7) Huuuuuge turn for Yasir once or twice in that over when he gives it a rip. Bowling nice and slow, 50 miles per hour at times. Landing them well. Just a single to cover.
12.35pm BST
15th over: England 34-1 (Sibley 17, Root 6) What a delivery from Naseem! Produces the ball of the day for Sibley, and it nearly takes the shoulder of the bat as it seams off a length and bounds off the pitch through to Rizwan. Sensational, coming from that mini-Lillee action that he has. Sibley breathes deep and bats through a maiden.
12.32pm BST
14th over: England 34-1 (Sibley 17, Root 6) Yasir Shah on for a first roll. Three singles from the over, and Root misses a cut and nearly feathers it behind.
“A send off. At long last some spikiness,” writes Digvijay Yadav of the Burns dismissal. “Think Root gave one to Asad Shafiq after he was run out.”
12.30pm BST
13th over: England 31-1 (Sibley 15, Root 5) Pace from Naseem! Getting up into the high 80s as he warms up, zooms a ball past Root’s bat. Contrary to his last over the ball is flying through to Rizwan. Root mistimes a back-foot push, clunking it into the ground off the bottom edge. Gets a flick away for a boundary though, too straight again.
Here’s an OBO hello to Kamal Mann. “Like you, I am based in Melbourne too (Brunswick). Following your OBO report. Keep up the great work. It’s going to be a thrilling finish.” I love Brunswick, not there right now but it has been home for a lot of my life. The top of Sydney Road, before the slope down to Blyth Street – top of the world.
12.24pm BST
12th over: England 27-1 (Sibley 15, Root 1) A quick start as young Giuseppe Root ticks his first ball wide of mid-on for a run. Abbas bowls too straight to Sibley who immediately flicks him for four! That’s great batting, he’s been tied down all day but as soon as the chance came at a boundary ball, he took it.
“OBO is clearly following the England policy of rotation, which keeps life fresh and interesting. But, having had a brief exchange with Daniel on Thursday about the greatest Bob, I have been polishing my piece about Bob Dylan and cricket, and now Daniel’s buggered off! When will he return?”
12.18pm BST
It was a matter of time! Abbas has been relentless today, constantly nagging away. Wobble seam again from around the wicket, seaming in. It hit him above the pad, but on the back leg which is angled down the way that Burns steps forwards. In front of middle, and the DRS review shows it as umpire’s call at the top of middle stump. Abbas gets the first incision!
12.16pm BST
11th over: England 22-0 (Burns 10, Sibley 11) Naseem Shah arrives, the young quick, and there are tricks in this pitch! One ball almost crawls through the Rizwan. The next takes a big chunk of dirt out of the surface, pops up high, then drops as it nears the keeper. Very erratic. Worrisome for England. A maiden.
12.11pm BST
10th over: England 22-0 (Burns 10, Sibley 11) The only problem with scoring those three runs is that Sibley is back on strike to Abbas, who immediately gets his outside edge just wide of Shadab at gully. Four runs. Three slips. They’ve got an extremely short, straight mid-off now. Not near the non-striker, as is usual, but halfway down the pitch and just to the side of it. Right in his eyeline. Sibley crabs across to squeeze a run to square leg. Goes past Burns in the run chase, the race of the tortoise and the tortoise.
They need 255 more to win.
12.07pm BST
9th over: England 17-0 (Burns 10, Sibley 6) Shaheen continues, though Naseem is warming up. How many Shahs have we got on this ship? They’re like Australia’s Mitchells or India’s Sharmas. Sibley gets forward to drive the last of the over for three, through cover. Positive shot.
Nathaniel Goodden has a request.
12.02pm BST
8th over: England 14-0 (Burns 10, Sibley 3) Abbas remarks his run and comes around the wicket for his first shot at the left-hander. What’s that? There’s even a little smile on his face as he runs in! He’s keen for this. The whole Pakistani cordon goes up in chatter and praise as he lands on one a postage stamp outside Burns’ off stump. A judicious leave, this time. A block the next. Abbas working him across the crease with a third, pulling the batsman wide. Another maiden.
“There’s a steely-eyed determination beneath the rim of Burns’ helmet today, somewhat reminiscent of Lee Van Cleef in those spaghetti westerns. He knows that Clint Eastwood is the star. He knows he’s going to get his comeuppance at some stage. But in the meantime he’s going to do as much damage as he possibly can.”
11.58am BST
7th over: England 14-0 (Burns 10, Sibley 3) Shaheen against Sibley for the first time today, working him both sides of the wicket, harder for the left-armer to get a line against the right-hander sometimes. No run from the over.
“Can I just say as someone over the age of 40 how dispiriting it was to hear that 38 year old Jimmy’s misfields we’re down to age.” I feel you, Nick.
11.53am BST
6th over: England 14-0 (Burns 10, Sibley 3) Mohammad Abbas! He allows himself a groan of frustration finally, like someone opening the ice-cream tub at 3am only to find it empty. He angles in at Sibley and seams away, the ball sailing over the off bail, then the next goes past the edge by a fraction. This is some spell on a surface beginning to look like a digestive biscuit (sans chocolate). A bit too straight from the last ball and Sibley is able to glance a run, changing up the combinations as to who will face who.
“Morning Geoff,” blasts David Horn from the battlements. “I see that YJB is at the crease already for Yorkshire today. What price a century & a recall vs. an awkward 25 from Buttler? Although I don’t know how playing for Yorkshire affects his biosecure availability.”
11.49am BST
5th over: England 13-0 (Burns 10, Sibley 2) Shaheen is mixing up his delivery point, coming wider on the crease sometimes to angle in at Burns. Still getting swing. Another couple of runs as Shan Masood misfields at backward point, Burns getting his runs consistently just by reaching for the ball. He prods a bump ball next on the bounce into the cordon. Some puffs of dust coming up already as the ball lands. Maybe Yasir Shah should be bowling into that already. There has been serious turn on offer.
“I loved Nassem’s gloriously wild agricultural yahoo when he got bowled,” writes in Tom van der Gucht. “It’s the kind of shot I regularly used to play as a lad, inspired by Botham but achieving similar results to what we just saw now, but the sort of shot we rarely see in Test cricket these days where even tail enders are coached a decent defensive technique.”
11.45am BST
4th over: England 11-0 (Burns 8, Sibley 2) Can’t look away from this. I mean, I’d get fired if I did, but I’d be doing this voluntarily. Sibley collects a couple of runs from Abbas touched to midwicket, but Abbas comes back with a couple of pearlers. Into the pads with just a bit of willow saving Sibley from an appeal, no idea where that was. Then the next goes the other way and zips past his edge. Abbas with that perfect length, wobble seam, going either way. What a bowler he is.
11.40am BST
3rd over: England 9-0 (Burns 8, Sibley 0) More swing and bounce for Shaheen, this is exciting already. The gap at cover has been plugged already, only two slips. Not sure what to think about that one. Burns picks the smaller gap between cover and point for another two runs, just pushing the ball. Third umpire picks up a no-ball. Good carry from Shaheen from the replacement delivery, Rizwan taking that gloves-up from a length. Shaheen aims for the pads but he’s a bit short and it doesn’t come back, so Burns can glance a boundary fine. He’s got a habit of scrapping runs when he needs to.
A message to Kim Thonger from Arabella Lyons: “Not the same thing I know but Kim can watch the match on live stream - available when play begins either club’s website!”
11.34am BST
2nd over: England 2-0 (Burns 2, Sibley 0) Abbas versus Sibley, the pairing who in the first innings gave us one of the funniest DRS reviews ever taken. Smashed in front of off stump, hitting halfway up middle, to a player caught on the crease. “What do you think, Joe, should I send that one up?” He survives unscathed for this over as Abbas works tightly on the off stump for the whole set.
Tilo Fobes writes in, one of the foremost German cricket fans in the world (yes, there are some).
11.30am BST
1st over: England 2-0 (Burns 2, Sibley 0) We’re ready to go. And it is sah-wing, bowler bowler bowler. Rory Burns doesn’t move the blade to a wide one but Shaheen Shah Afridi gets serious curl away from him. Left-armer versus left-hander, Burns still getting his front foot way across outside off stump in the way that brought him undone in the first innings. Had a similar one against the Windies too, a couple of ankle-taps in front of middle stump.
He reaches for the second ball to block it, blocks the third on his stumps. Three slips, gully. Cover is open with a point and a mid-off. He picks that gap to punch two runs. Shaheen won’t mind given how far the batsman had to stretch for it. More swing from Shaheen as the ball straightens down the line of off stump and Burns is behind it.
11.26am BST
Speaking of small sample sizes earlier, Tim de Lisle has slipped a note under my quarantine door to point out that England only ever chased once before at Old Trafford against Pakistan. Tresco made a ton, Atherton made 51, but no one else outscored Darren Gough’s 23. They made 261 chasing 370, with Wasim, Waqar, Saqlain, and Abdul Razzak sharing the wickets. Pretty handy attack for Pakistan today, too...
11.23am BST
Three wickets to Broad, aptly matching figs of 2 for 11 for Stokes and Woakes. Archer and Bess one apiece, none for Jimmy who had a catch dropped yesterday.
A couple of interesting points emailed by David Murray.
11.18am BST
46.4 overs: Pakistan 169 all out (Abbas 3 not out) Mohammad Abbas wants to join the party to start this final over. He has a heave so huge at Archer that he almost literally swings himself off his feet. The ball skews over cover for two runs. A much neater shot off the pads gets a single, and that’s smart running, just dropped to midwicket where there was a man stationed but the two Pakistani bowlers were both off and running immediately. A bouncer to Naseem, which he hooks and misses but gets shoulder on it for four leg byes. Archer cleans him up with the next ball.
That’s 32 runs added this morning for Pakistan, they would absolutely have accepted that for an offer. England must chase 277 to win.
11.16am BST
Straight and full, Naseem tries to launch again and gets nowhere near it. Timber.
11.13am BST
46th over: Pakistan 162-9 (Abbas 0, Naseem 4) One ball to come in the over, nine wickets down, Broad with 500 and however many wickets, and Naseem first ball just shuffles to leg side a bit and smacks a near yorker straight back over Broad’s head for four! The lead is 270!
11.11am BST
More like Yes Sir, Shah, for the first few balls of this over. He’s absolutely smoked the first. Stuart Broad’s first ball for the day, headband tied and length a bit short, and Yasir rocks back and pounds it through wide long-on for four. He tries a similar shot over the off side but only lobs it in front of mid-off. A straighter line for the third ball, so he dumps it over square leg for six!
What is this! He had ten Beroccas this morning, it’s going to be an interesting day for him later but right now he’s bursting with B2 vitamins. He opens his front leg and swings clean through the line of the ball at his pads, getting huge elevation and enough distance to lose the ball in the seating bowl. Once they finally find it and return it to Broad, Yasir defends on off stump.
11.05am BST
45th over: Pakistan 148-8 (Yasir 21, Abbas 0) We’re away this morning, and Yasir Shah is away too! They’re all ready and waiting for the clock to tick over 11 o’clock. Archer has the ball but he’s rusty to start. On the pads for Yasir to work for two, then tries the bouncer and Yasir hooks for four! Top shot, got all of it through midwicket, not a top edge.
Archer tries the bouncer again, and Yasir uppercuts for four! Up periscope, the Adam Gilchrist style over-the-head waft, soaring over the keeper. Gets a ball into his ribcage and dinks the pull shot for a run.
10.59am BST
Some first thoughts in response to Andy: there’s a tendency for people to assume a particular point is being made when stats are mentioned, when that may not be the case. If I get online and post that Virat Kohli’s ODI average against the Netherlands is 12, and JP Duminy’s is 190, I can almost guarantee I’ll get some angry patriots demanding to know how I can justify saying that Duminy is better than Kohli. Where all I would actually be doing is offering some information, whether because it’s funny or interesting or anything else.
Talking about the chases is a bit like that. No one is saying that it’s impossible to chase 300 because the biggest chase is 294. All they’re saying is that it hasn’t happened before, which seems pretty relevant and interesting.
10.43am BST
Alriiiight, here’s some spicy stuff from Andy Cooke. I like this.
“Once again, we’ve been seeing all the ‘only once has any team chased more than this amount to win at Old Trafford’ stuff. A quick check reveals that the fourth innings of Tests at Old Trafford has seen 10 scores of over 250 (out of 46 occasions). Yes, only one of those resulted in a win - but if the target had been 250, all of them would, wouldn’t they?
10.41am BST
If I had to back a trifecta as to who would be the first three OBO correspondents of the morning, it would have read Brian Withington, Kim Thonger, Abhijato Sensarma. That was absolutely correct.
The former is of a mind with me: “I see you shared my amazement at the collective Root/Sibley DRS mind hive in first innings - a review that would have made Kevin Pietersen blush - let’s hope they are not required to repeat the exercise second time round.”
10.27am BST
For anyone feeling irritable while the world is falling apart, Mr Engel is having an award-worthy grump today about a whole range of things. You might sympathise.
Related: Cricket has been infected with a bad decision-making virus this summer | Matthew Engel
10.22am BST
If you’re trying to gauge what Yasir and company can add this morning, I’m going to suggest not many. You can point to the fact that the leggie has a Test century, just as he certainly would do. As someone who was there to watch it at Adelaide, it did come via an awful lot of missed chances, a lot of chancy airborne clouts, and the fact that England’s favourite D. Warner had made a triple century and the Aussies knew they would win eventually.
Mo Abbas can bat a little bit, 13 not outs to 14 dismissals in his career, and four times he’s got into double figures. So, some chance he could hang around for a little while if Yasir can score.
10.07am BST
Lots of moves from the ICC and the various member boards over the last few months, shifting tours and tournaments here, there, and everywhere. This one makes the least sense of all, postponing the Women’s World Cup that was due next February on the grounds that the players won’t have had enough games for preparation, and it’ll be too hard to play the qualifiers to get the three undecided places filled.
Which is, frankly, nonsense if the same boards can get the IPL and the current English summer up and running. The tournament is in New Zealand, where they don’t even need biosecure grounds as long as teams can quarantine on the way in. Roll the quallies in straight before the tournament if you have to, come on. And every team will be coming off the same base. They haven’t forgotten how to play cricket, but they might if you keep cancelling everything in sight.
Related: Women's Cricket World Cup pushed back to 2022 because of Covid-19
8.32am BST
Good morning England, good other times to others. Geoff Lemon here, enjoying a brief dalliance on the OBO for this series. To celebrate putting the last words on my book manuscript today I’ve agreed to write more reams about cricket into the night, as it will be from my current location in Melbourne lockdown. Send me tidings of good cheer if you will, the winter marches on cold and deep!
What a Test match we’ve had so far. It has kept me company through the last few writing nights, much as the West Indies series did before that – an absolute joy to have the sounds of cricket, or some of them at least, coming sotto voce through the speakers on the other side of the room. No crowd noise, of course, but that could as easily happen at Dubai Sport City or a midweek county fixture. What we have had is the pock of bat on ball, the scuff of the spikes, the animation of the players themselves.
Continue reading...
April 11, 2020
Sport in Australia will survive Covid-19 but those currently in charge might not | Geoff Lemon
Whatever happens on the far side, professional sport cannot come back pretending it’s all that matters left now that we’ve seen a world without it
Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageFor a while when the coronavirus first hit Australia, the main concern was apparently for professional sport. Footy might die, was the summation from the suits in charge. Footy could mean any code, take your pick. In a country shut down, the empty streets meant empty grandstands, empty changerooms, empty training fields. Any game that ceased its frantic treadmill would cease to exist. Forget planning for the other side of the crisis, there was no other side to reach.
It’s April now and in the south the weather has started to turn, interspersing an hour of sun on yellow maple leaves or early wattle blossom with the first cold fronts lashing the Victorian coast. My mind and my year should be turning to football, deep enough into the season to start worrying about an early trend, a half-back’s ankle, a road trip coming up.
Related: Coronavirus shutdown has left a hollowness in the life of this AFL fan | Paul Daley
When the administrators say that their sport might die, they really mean their administrations might die
Related: A return to suburban grounds would offer a chance to reawaken the AFL's soul | Adam Collins
Related: NRL Island: recipe for ruin or world-leading game-changer? | Larissa O'Connor
As soon as the lockdown ends, kids who still dream big and creaky adults who already know better will pick up a football and trot from their homes
Continue reading...March 8, 2020
Australia claim fifth Women's World T20 title with crushing win over India
Ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup final on Sunday, various of its participants described it as the “biggest game” that women’s cricket had seen. In literal terms that turned out to be true, with 86,174 spectators filling the Melbourne Cricket Ground to come remarkably close to the all-time crowd record for women’s sport of 90,185. The size of the occasion also decided the result: Australia rose to it, India were overwhelmed by it.
Australian openers Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney lit up the MCG after winning the toss to score at 10 runs per over through a partnership of 115. Australia ended up with 184 at four wickets down, before India lost big-hitting opener Shafali Verma with the second ball of the innings before subsiding to 99 all out.
Related: Huge MCG crowd turns up for World T20 final but anger at 'disgusting' TV decision
Related: Australia beat India by 85 runs to win Women's T20 World Cup final – live!
Continue reading...March 5, 2020
Australia dodge rain and hold nerve to beat South Africa and reach Women's World T20 final
Australia defied the elements and a spirited South African performance at the Sydney Cricket Ground to scrape into the final of the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup with a win by five runs on Thursday night.
Earlier in the evening after India and England had their preceding semi-final washed out, there looked little chance that the second match could get the minimum 10 overs per side to reach a recognised result.
Related: Australia beat South Africa by five runs: Women's World T20 semi-final – live!
Related: Heather Knight hopes for rule change after rain ends World T20 campaign
Continue reading...March 1, 2020
Australia into Women's World T20 semis but joy tempered by Ellyse Perry injury
Opening bat Beth Mooney’s 60 set Australia up, before spinner Ash Gardner defended 20 runs from the final over to land the hosts a Twenty20 World Cup semi-final over New Zealand by four runs in the final pool match for both teams. That was the good news for Australia. The very bad was that star all-rounder Ellyse Perry is likely out of the tournament after leaving the field late in the game with an apparent hamstring strain, after already nursing shoulder and hip complaints.
The virtual quarter-final at Melbourne’s Junction Oval was not quite as close as the scorecard suggests: 155-5 next to 151-7. The Kiwis were out of the chase when they needed 15 runs from the final two deliveries, at which point Katey Martin hit a four and a six that couldn’t change the result. Her closing contribution was 37 from 15 balls.
Related: Australia beat New Zealand by four runs: Women's Twenty20 World Cup – as it happened
Continue reading...February 28, 2020
AFL State of Origin bushfire relief game: Victoria beat All Stars – as it happened
11.41am GMT
It’s all over. And as predicted, it was a hell of a lot of fun. Much less dense and contested than regular-season football, far less time spent hugging the boundary from kick-ins and waiting for throw-ins and ball-ups. Less pointless banging into one another. Fast, open football with attacking skills on display. We could make this a regular thing, couldn’t we? A cheeky little All-Australian squad match before the season each year? Something like that? Hmm?
Here’s hoping you enjoyed the night, and that a lot of money was raised for bushfire relief. If you want to throw a few bucks in the tin yourself, click here.
11.36am GMT
The last few minutes are a bit sloppy, a bit of lairising and a few missed shots at goal, though Trent Cotchin shows how serious he is with a run-down tackle in the forward pocket. But there’s one last mark up forward from a player who has been anything but sloppy tonight, and as the siren sounds, Tom Papley kicks his fifth goal for Victoria.
11.25am GMT
4th quarter, 7 remaining: A chain of handballs the entire length of the ground, or so it seems, lets Toby Greene add his fourth. The Vics add another thereafter. The All Stars haven’t kicked a goal all quarter, have they? It’s hard to remember in the avalanche.
11.18am GMT
4th quarter, 11 remaining: That was the Harlem Globetrotters moment of the night. The ball bouncing out on the half-forward flank, but Dangerfield dives after it fully airborne and punches it 40 metres back into play. Greene slides and picks up and handballs off with a flat piercing pass, Bontompelli collects it running by, snaps on the left and... misses.
11.16am GMT
4th quarter, 12 remaining: What a sequence down the wing! Cotchin in the back pocket getting it out. Papley running away through half-back, handing on to Whitfield, who is nearly tackled by Harris Andrews but manages to tear away from the grasping hands. Kicks it on to Stefan Martin, who gets inboard towards goal and towards Lynch, who picks up the loose ball and kicks a running checkside from close range!
They get forward again from the bounce, for Greene to mark again and kick yet another. A banana from the pocket (or are you just happy to see me?) The V-slide continues.
11.12am GMT
4th quarter, 14 remaining: Vics kicking clear! Sloane and Dangerfield, the Adelaide old firm, get back together with a handball. Dangerfield is slammed in the tackle but gets it loose to Gresham. Handball over the top to Dusty, who looks for an option to give off and finds The Bont in the goal square. Vics lead by 16.
11.09am GMT
4th quarter, 16 remaining: Saad runs and dips and dodges and kicks long. Cameron at half-forward reels in the one-hander. But the All Stars cut it off, Brad Hill runs back down the other wing, then turns it over going forward for his side. Back the other way, and on the lead-out Josh Kelly marks. Seven goals to one in the last little while, as Kelly kicks his fourth!
11.07am GMT
4th quarter: 18 remaining: Victoria in front! More fast movement forward, it’s been an attacking display tonight with players giving each other plenty of space for individual contests. Toby Greene up forward manages to mark under duress, and goes back to kick the goal.
11.06am GMT
4th quarter, 19 remaining: The right start for the Vics! Fast movement forward, Dangerfield leading out manages to knock it back over the top, the fast kick to Papley, running back towards goal who gathers under pressure and gets it! Now things might heat up.
10.57am GMT
Ooof, Tom Lynch. That was premiership marking stuff, stalking across the forward 50 to mark a raking kick forward from Higgins between three defenders. But Lynch’s set shot lets him down, and it’s 9 points the difference with a quarter to play.
10.54am GMT
3rd quarter, 2 remaining: What a string of possesion for the Vics as they go forward! Sicily with the intercept mark, Dusty wrestles off an opponent and ‘handballs’ with one hand to Dangerfield, who snaps a handpass out to Papley running by, who kicks the goal! Fair bit of quality in that string. Back to 16 points the difference.
Back out of the middle, Pendlebury goes the torpedo! Down to the goalsquare. Martin brings it to ground. Boak gets the crumb to Jeremy Cameron, who has barely been sighted tonight, and he snaps truly off the left. 10 points!
10.51am GMT
3rd quarter, 3 min remaining: A goal each way for these teams, the Vics first, then Brad Hill for the All Stars. There’s a good contest between Cripps and Bontompelli for the ball to set up that goal, with Cripps coming out on top and beaming broadly afterwards. It’s been played in a nice spirit. A pack in the forward pocket, Dusty snaps for goal but misses. 22 points the different, All Stars up.
10.44am GMT
3rd quarter, 7 remaining: One back for the Vics, within four. Gaff is the goalkicker, and he has to run around the mark just inside 50 and give it every bit of effort his body can produce towards the goal. He just makes it, sneaking over the defenders.
10.40am GMT
3rd quarter, 10 remaining: Immediately reply for the Stars. Isaac Smith in the centre square, runs off Dusty Martin, collects a possession, streams forward and launches a 60-metre goal!
10.39am GMT
3rd quarter, 10 remaining: One back for the Vics! Papley has been their best when they’ve been down tonight, and he attacks the ball fiercely at half-forward. Pumps it towards goal, and while there are three All Star defenders down there, Lycett clips Dangerfield high and concedes a free kick right in front. Danger runs around the mark and drills it.
10.37am GMT
3rd quarter, 11 remaining: The intensity has definitely dropped out of this game, in the chases and the tackles and the spoils. A few easier possessions for a minute on the forward flank, and eventually the kick inside comes to Cameron, who kicks his third. Back to the centre, forward they go again, and this time Riewoldt marks and goals! The All Stars are dominating now, out by five. What can the Big V do?
10.33am GMT
3rd quarter, 15 remaining: A scratchy start to the third, as the players try to reach game intensity again. Eventually there’s a chain of possession through Isaac Smith around half-forward, and a kick to Riewoldt on the behind line. He kicks back out, short, to Walters dead in front, who kicks the goal. They get another one a minute later, but the feed dropped out so I didn’t see who kicked it. The All Stars are well in front now!
10.29am GMT
Lots of stories from bushfire zones during the half-time break, especially sports clubs that are trying to rebuild so they can be community zones to help people adjust to life as it is now.
If you want to donate, the link is here.
10.04am GMT
Another goal for Kelly, picking up a loose possession after a big tackle on Laird saw the ball spill free. His flying snap is true. Down the other end, Lynch nearly gets one with a mark and snap, but loses it through a free kick to Jeremy Howe, who was flying for that mark when Lynch nudged him out. That’s the half!
9.59am GMT
2nd quarter, 3 remaining: The goals just keep coming here. Some brilliant run through the middle from Sonny Walters to Betts creates one for the All Stars, before Josh Kelly marks and kicks truly for the Vics.
9.56am GMT
2nd quarter, 5 remaining: Some fine work at ground level from two of the biggest men out there. Tom Lynch comes out on the lead, and collects the crumb near 50. Handballs back inside where the big ruckman Goldstein picks up very low. Dodges a tackle, handballs over the top towards goal, and Toby Greene is waiting to receive and cash the cheque. Vics still in it.
9.52am GMT
2nd quarter, 7 remaining: Bontompelli hasn’t been seen much tonight, but pops up with an answering goal for Victoria. Leading out towards 50 with the ball incoming, he loses his man with a bit of body contact, nets the ball, doubles back and thumps it through from near the 50.
9.50am GMT
2nd quarter, 9 remaining: The players are tiring out there, the standard of disposal is starting to slip. Trent Cotchin gives away a 50 for a late challenge on Luke Breust, who misses his first set shot at goal, but gets another chance a minute later and pops one through.
9.43am GMT
2nd quarter, 13 remaining: What a goal from Lachie Neale! That was Roberto Carlos bend! How on earth did that happen? Riewoldt keeps it in play in the forward pocket. Hands back to Neale just outside 50. Neale runs around a touch, then launches from 55. The ball curves from the left pocket with his right foot, towards the behinds on the left of goal. Then halfway through that bend, or even later, it suddenly bends the other way and goes through! What on earth. A half century up for the All Stars.
9.41am GMT
2nd quarter, 14 remaining: Riewoldt can’t get free for a shot at goal after Yeo’s long pass comes in, but the big forward does make sure there’s a ball-up in the All Stars forward line. Charlie Cameron makes best use of it, crumbing to snap a dribbler.
9.37am GMT
2nd quarter, 16 remaining: And the instant reply from the Vics will draw level. This time Jade Gresham lurking back behind play as the quick clearance gets the ball into the Vics forward line. A pass sneaks through to Gresham who runs into an open goal. Scores level.
9.36am GMT
2nd quarter, 17 remaining: And the instant reply from the All Stars. A bounce up forward, Brodie Grundy launches into the contest, taps back beautifully for Coniglio, and the midfielder only has to get boot to ball and tap it through.
9.34am GMT
2nd quarter, 17 remaining: Another one for Dusty. A bit of volleyball in the forward line, then he’s running through at just the right time with the whiff of goals in his nostrils, and pops the ball through. The goal. Not the nostril.
Scores level thanks to accuracy from one side and the opposite from the other.
9.25am GMT
Ok, that was fun. None of the silliness of the cricket fundraising game with the retired players running about. This was proper.
9.23am GMT
1st quarter, 3 min remaining: Jack Riewoldt has a set shot for the All Stars but hits the post. They’ve been stunned in the last few minutes. This game is being played at serious pace, with serious intent. But Jack gets his chance again a few moments later, as Yeo soccers into the pocket, Hawkins slaps the ball back across goal, and Riewoldt grabs the scraps right on the goal line.
9.18am GMT
1st quarter, 5 mins remaining: And another one seconds later! Out of the centre square, a kick into the pocket. Dusty Martin tracks it back into the pocket, gathers off the turf, turns on a dime, shakes his man and goals from a snap across the body. Left forward pocket, left them for dead.
9.16am GMT
1st quarter, 5 min remaining: Three in a row for the Vics, as a long ball forward after a coast-to-coast run somehow sneaks through the pack, and into the arms of Gaff. One of the shorter players out there, but takes the goalsquare mark. He goes back and dobs it.
9.13am GMT
1st quarter, 7 min remaining: Patrick Dangerfield has his first appearance of the night, with a run-down tackle in the centre square, a candy-sell, then a step-around and a driving kick forward. But the kick is cut off inside 50 by the All Stars, who go coast to coast on the rebound until Cripps marks inside 50. His set shot also misses. They have a goal in behinds, the Stars. Victoria surge back the other way, almost coast to coast, but Papley is given too much to do near the boundary line. All Stars clear, Blicavs cuts it off on the wing, dances through about six players, kicks forward, Dangerfield feeds it to Whitfield, and this time the kick lets Papley mark in the opposite pocket. Mirror image, aside from the kicking foot. How does he go? Laces it again!
9.09am GMT
1st quarter, 10 min remaining: Pendlebury gets a flying shot at goal from a pack 40 out, but it’s marked on the line. Papley cuts it off for the Vics as the All Stars try to clear. Papley’s set shot from just inside 50 on the left is... good! Fantastic set shot on that angle. Laced it.
9.07am GMT
1st quarter, 11 min remaining: Johannisen again through the middle, combining with Hill, and getting a good lead from Tex Walker who marks 40 out. But his set shot misses, after Cameron missed another as well. All Stars by 23.
9.06am GMT
1st quarter, 13 min remaining: The All Stars keep dominating. Eddie Betts in the pocket gets a kick forward, Hawkins with a long handball across goal, and Isaac Smith is there for a poacher’s goal. Victoria stunned!
9.03am GMT
1st quarter, 15 min remaining: It’s all All Stars early! Jason Johannisen has a paddock through the middle. Kicks a long half-volley near the toes of Hawkins, who can’t pick up but does fight enough to hold the ball up, and it’s Charlie Cameron passing by who snaps a goal.
8.58am GMT
1st quarter, 17 min remaining: Another Star behind from a long Isaac Smith kick in, but as the ball is cleared there’s a free kick for Stephen Coniglio. He goes back and kicks the first goal of the night from 15 out, with a bright orange football to represent the emergency services.
8.56am GMT
1st quarter, 19 min remaining: Nearly an early goal for Charlie Cameron, roving the pack forward and shooting on the spin, but his kick fades left from 35. All Stars up 1-0.
8.54am GMT
Teammate match-ups? Mark Blicavs at full-back against Tom Hawkins is one, as we await the bounce.
8.52am GMT
Down now for the anthems, with a lot of firefighters and CFA staff out at the centre square on the MCG. Lots in the audience as well, in their high-vis outfits. A lovely extended Welcome to Country by Uncle Colin Hunter.
8.46am GMT
The festivities are beginining, with Eddie McGuire and Bruce McAvaney doing a bit of a network one-two of their own. They’re saying that 50,000 people are expected at this stage. Cam Mooney and Cameron Ling are doing crosses from the Mallacoota Hotel, a town where the fires were terrible over the New Year period. Jonathan Brown is previewing the teams with Gilbert McAdam, who somehow played for four different teams across State of Origin back when it was a more regular but ever-changing concept.
8.33am GMT
Whatever you think of the Origin-ness of this contest, it’s hard to deny that it’s exciting seeing this many of the best players lining up alongside one another. Riewoldt and Hawkins in the forward line together, Danger and Dusty in the midfield. Every AFL club is represented, 27 players per squad. It’s going to be quite a night.
VICTORIA
James Sicily
Mark Blicavs
Adam Saad
Bachar Houli
Darcy Moore
Nick Haynes
Josh Kelly
Dustin Martin
Lachie Whitfield
Shaun Higgins
Jeremy Cameron
Travis Boak
Patrick Dangerfield
Tom Lynch
Toby Greene
Todd Goldstein
Marcus Bontempelli
Trent Cotchin
Rory Sloane
Jackson Macrae
Jake Lloyd
Tom Papley
Jade Gresham
Scott Pendlebury
Steele Sidebottom
Andrew Gaff
Stefan Martin
8.26am GMT
Aloha. This game has been talked about a lot, planned a lot, changed a lot, but now is the time for it to be played a lot. The Bushfire Relief fundraiser, the new State of Origin, with the Big V of Victoria versus the Big A of the All-Stars.
Take the logo, do a little Mr Squiggle upside-down work, and here we are. Play gets underway in about half an hour, and we’ll bring it all to you.
February 27, 2020
Australia ease to big win over Bangladesh at Women's T20 World Cup
The Australian women’s team finally put in a performance befitting their home-favourite status at the Twenty20 World Cup with an 86-run win, although it came at the expense of an under-resourced and overwhelmed Bangladesh team.
The opening bats Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney took control from the outset, piling up an Australian record partnership for the format with 151 runs. Australia finished on 189 for one with Healy the only wicket to fall for 83 from 53 balls, while Mooney batted through the innings for 81 from 58. Bangladesh were never in the hunt, with some late run-outs reducing them to 103 for nine.
Related: Heather Knight's brilliant century propels England to win over Thailand
Continue reading...February 21, 2020
Australia bamboozled by Yadav as India cause upset in T20 World Cup opener
The Women’s Twenty20 World Cup started off with a major upset as Indian leg-spinner Poonam Yadav derailed Australia in Sydney, with the hosts and reigning champions eventually bowled out 17 runs short with a ball to spare.
Yadav was denied a World Cup hat-trick by a dropped catch, and another wicket when the ball bounced twice on its way to the stumps, but she still finished with four wickets for 19 across her four overs, having completely trashed Australia’s chase.
Related: India beat Australia by 17 runs: Women's T20 World Cup opener – as it happened
Continue reading...February 20, 2020
Opportunities abound for women's cricket as T20 World Cup arrives | Geoff Lemon
The women’s side of the ledger can get a huge boost with the tournament in one of the game’s most important economies
Strategically, Cricket Australia has been building up to this home season for five years. The impressive growth of women’s cricket in Australia over that time has not been the result of hitting and hoping. It was calculated, and so far the sums have proved accurate. But in substantial part it has been achieved domestically, not by the input the national women’s team.
Such teams have their moments of ignition. England enjoyed theirs in 2017, when their winning 50-over World Cup campaign saw pool matches packing out smaller grounds, then the triumph of 27,000 people selling out the final at Lord’s. India in the same tournament went from barely noticed to national sensations in their own country, a surge that peaked when current captain Harmanpreet Kaur downed Australia in the semi-final with her outrageous unbeaten 171.
Related: Pressure of Women’s T20 World Cup favouritism looms as Australia's fiercest foe | Melinda Farrell
Related: England in the running to upset Australia in Women’s T20 World Cup
Continue reading...February 11, 2020
Australia beat India in T20 international cricket tri-series final – as it happened
6.12am GMT
And here’s the match report from Junction Oval:
Related: Tri-series final win over India gives Australia pre-T20 World Cup fillip
5.58am GMT
They wanted to be tested today, the Australians, and they were. Batting first, setting a target, then seeing if they could hold their nerve. They did so by exposing India’s weakness: that if the top four don’t get a chase done, there’s not much left. Mandhana played a blinder with a bit of luck, but when she went the rest couldn’t cover the deficit. Otherwise good strikers like Harmanpreet and Deepti chewed up too many dots, and there was no clear plan for how the tail could approach their task.
For the Australians, the late cameo from Rachael Haynes proved vital, while Mooney rode her luck to do the bulk of the scoring. The old firm among the bowlers made the difference when it counted.
5.53am GMT
India get bowled out from the last ball of the match, and Jonassen picks up a five-wicket haul, as Deepti swings and gets a big top edge to backward point.
5.52am GMT
Well, Bhatia did her best, but India’s pair botched their running. First with Deepti Sharma’s drive to long-on they don’t come back for a second run to get Deepti back on strike. Then Bhatia drives into the covers and they don’t go for the single. Both times Bhatia would likely have been run out at the non-striker’s end, but you have to take your chances, hope for misfields and overthrows, and get your better hitter onto strike at all costs.
5.49am GMT
19th over: India 141-8 (Deepti 8, Bhatia 11) Schutt the bowler with 12 balls to go. They can’t get hold of her. Single, single, single. Finally Bhatia backs away and is able to carve a boundary between the two in the ring behind point, nicely timed. Goes again and gets it finer, a top edge as Schutt follows her, and four more.
India need 15 from the last over to win.
5.46am GMT
18th over: India 130-8 (Deepti 6, Bhatia 1) India now need 27 off 12, which is not going to happen on this surface.
5.45am GMT
Another attempted loft, another catch in the ring with Lanning falling backwards at mid-off. Easy enough. This falling away was always on the cards.
5.42am GMT
17th over: India 125-7 (Deepti 4, Yadav 1) Perry and Jonassen, the old firm, have changed the game in a trice after Schutt found the initial breakthrough.
5.41am GMT
India start the over needing 37 from 24 balls, with an all-rounder and a useful bowler at the crease. Perry is the bowler, and Deepti nearly glances her fine for four, but just doesn’t get enough contact and Healy is able to stop it. No run to mid-off, where Mooney is ordered to hold onto the ball rather than throw at the non-striker’s end. Deepti finally gets a single, but the pressure is ratcheting up. Pandey’s turn now, and she wipes it away for four! Trying to go off her pads, instead a leading edge over backward point. But that’s the last of that, with Pandey driving in the air to mid-off where Carey gets a much easier catch.
5.36am GMT
Yup, there it is. The all-rounder Reddy has a panic swing, a big sweep shot that only takes the top edge, swirling 20 metres back but Healy is a terrier down a drainpipe after a rat. Sprints back and leaps on her prey, jaws closing with a snap. Caught. Max Gawn.
16th over: India 119-6 (Deepti 3, Pandey 0)
5.34am GMT
That’s what Jonassen does! A bit of flight, straightening down the line, beating Harmanpreet’s push and hitting her in front of all three. India’s patented collapso is underway, unless the very impressive Deepti can avert the usual.
5.31am GMT
15th over: India 117-4 (Harmanpreet 14, Deepti 1) Well, common sense has prevailed in the Indian camp, and Deepti Sharma has emerged ahead of Taniya Bhatia. A couple of singles are all the Schutt concedes.
39 required off 30.
5.29am GMT
That’s huge! The wicket Australia desperately needed. Nicola Carey has been having a filthy day in the field. She dropped that catch earlier. Then one ball before this dismissal, she made a hash of a simple stop at deep midwicket and let the ball through her legs for four. But that turns out to be Mandhana’s last scoring shot. Next ball is not that short but she goes back to pull in the air when she could go along the ground. Carey has to run around the boundary, then wheel in as the ball dips. She lunges, dives forward, and completes the catch right on the grass. Great take, and that could be all the difference.
5.26am GMT
14th over: India 111-3 (Mandhana 62, Harmanpreet 13) Gardner on now, the off-spinner who could turn the ball away from the left-hander. But Mandhana just drops and runs a single to get off strike. Harmanpreet opens the face and drives nicely but it’s stopped at backward point. She premeditates a sweep, with no one back at fine leg, and makes good contact, deflecting Gardner comfortably for four. Drives well again to cover but again finds the field. Nicely whipped through leg to find one run. Then down leg side, and it’s five wides! That’s significant. Mandhana went after it, trying to glance it but missed. Through the keeper, and no one can chase it down. From the bonus delivery Mandhana pulls a run, keeps the strike, and it’s 11 off the over.
45 from 36, very gettable, but India can lose control of chases quickly when they get four or five wickets down.
5.22am GMT
13th over: India 99-3 (Mandhana 60, Harmanpreet 8) Sutherland to start a new over, and Harmanpreet is into the action! A full toss on her pads that she waits for, then eases fine for four. The next ball is slower, blotted away for a single. Sutherland to Mandhana, and was that a drop? Driven back to the bowler, couldn’t quite tell if that was a bump ball or not, but I think it might have been on the full. Low and hard, and Sutherland can’t hang on. So Mandhana rubs that in by rocking back and pulling her next ball through midwicket for four, then strides forward and absolutely nails a drive back down the ground. That one definitely hit Sutherland’s fingers on the full, but it was up past head height and to her left, and it was more a flinch than an attempted catch. No chance of holding onto that, it was past her in a flash.
Mandhana has five boundaries in the last two overs, and India need 57 from 42.
5.18am GMT
12th over: India 85-3 (Mandhana 51, Harmanpreet 3) Smriti Mandhana with the shot of the day! A dead straight drive, in the air, down the ground, off the fastest bowler of the day. Vlaeminck can only turn and watch. She drops short a couple of times to peg things back, but as soon as she goes fuller again Mandhana launches into it, the lofted drive over midwicket this time and into the gap! Four! What a day she’s having. Last ball of the over... pulled for four! Three boundaries from the over, and a gorgeous knock.
71 required from 48.
5.13am GMT
11th over: India 72-3 (Mandhana 39, Harmanpreet 2) There we are: Harry takes three balls to get off strike, guiding Perry to deep third for a run. Mandhana swipes one off her pads but it’s stopped in the deep. Another run to Harmanpreet, stabbing square of midwicket. Only three from the over!
They need 84 from 54 balls.
5.11am GMT
10th over: India 69-3 (Mandhana 38, Harmanpreet 0) At the halfway mark, the captain Harmanpreet is at the crease. She’s often questioned for getting off to slow starts, but they need 9 an over now. Mandhana helps by finishing off Vlaeminck’s over with a pull for four.
5.08am GMT
Vlaeminck is back on, and the pace is still good. Mandhana doesn’t seem bothered, taking it casually off her hip for a run, but Rodrigues isn’t timing the ball as easily. Eventually hangs out the bat and guides a run to third. Mandhana shovels one through cover. There’s a wide, but that just give the bowler more shots at Rodrigues, who hooks the second-last ball of the over down to Carey at deep fine.
5.03am GMT
9th over: India 62-1 (Mandhana 32, Rodrigues 1) Mandhana has got on strike thanks to the dismissal, and opens the face of her bat to guide Sutherland in the air but safely for four. Right in between the point and short third fielders. Gets a couple of singles to square leg, either side of Jemimah Rodrigues getting off the mark with the same shot.
5.00am GMT
Annabel Sutherland’s first ball today, and it’s her first wicket in international cricket. Ghosh does what she’s up there to do – attack. Walks at Sutherland and pulls the short ball, but just a fat top edge so that short third can run behind the keeper and take the catch. Cue big celebrations for the young bowler.
4.59am GMT
8th over: India 54-1 (Mandhana 26, Ghosh 17) Jess Jonassen on to bowl her left-arm magic: rarely any room, always hitting the stumps, just nipping at batters like a cattle dog. She makes things interesting, keeping them to three singles and nearly having a catch taken at backward point. Just over, again.
4.55am GMT
7th over: India 51-1 (Mandhana 25, Ghosh 15) Oh my Ghosh! (As a million headlines will inevitably read over her career.) That’s the best of the teenager. Nicola Carey’s first ball, and Ghosh says she’s not afraid of this. Advances at Carey, makes it a half-volley, and creams it through cover on the walk. That was so classy. Then Ghosh stays back, leans back, creates the shorter length, and cuts off a thick edge through deep third for four more! She’ll be feeling pretty good now. Gets off strike, runs a couple for Mandhana, then they trade singles. A productive over worth 13 runs. The fifty is up. One third of the way there.
4.50am GMT
6th over: India 38-1 (Mandhana 22, Ghosh 5) Another dot ball puts the pressure on Ghosh, cutting Ash Gardner’s off-break straight to the field. But the batter gets down on one knee and plays the lap shot over her own shoulder, clearing short fine but saved on the rope. Perfectly timed, but only getting one run. Mandhana has another close call, driving wide of mid-on in the air. Sutherland makes good ground, dives, and maybe even fingertips that ball, but Mandhana survives with a run. Then it’s Ghosh with a close call, an outside edge spinning back, landing short of Haynes at backward point. Gardner has had three near things in the over, but she finishes it with a ball that Mandhana can get under, kneeling to sweep hard in the air for four behind square.
4.47am GMT
5th over: India 31-1 (Mandhana 17, Ghosh 3) Richa Ghosh is trying to line up Megan Schutt, but it’s hard to line up a bowler who can shift the ball through the air. Twice in a row Ghosh aims a big drive and misses on the inside half, nicking into her thigh pad. Third up, she advances to try to cut down the swing, getting a bit more bat on it but dragging it straight to the field. Stands up tall to force a shorter ball to cover, but again to the field. She tries a heave at the last ball in desperation, and gets a top edge that nearly carries for a catch at deep square. One run. Top over from Schutt.
4.43am GMT
4th over: India 30-1 (Mandhana 17, Ghosh 2) Lovely cricket: the short ball from Tayla Vlaeminck snorts up, real lift out of the surface, and then Mandhana gets up on her toes, rides the bounce and cuts it perfectly while barely moving the bat. Finally there’s a good stop at backward point that denies a run. Mandhana gets a boundary next ball, off the pads through midwicket, then gets off strike with a leg-side nudge.
Ghosh isn’t cowed, playing a pull shot first ball that finds midwicket, then getting another one fine for a single. Mandhana plays the same shot, squarer though, and picks up another four!
4.39am GMT
3rd over: India 20-1 (Mandhana 8, Ghosh 1) The debutant is off the mark, working Megan Schutt square for one. Mandhana, left-handed, aims a big smear in the same direction, taking advantage of a gap in the field to find the rope. Goes the other way through cover for two more, then clears her front leg to drive high over long-on and dropped! Dropped on the rope by Carey! An excellent outfielder but running at full tilt, getting her hands out in front of her, she loses the catch as she goes to ground. Just hits more of her wrist than palm and bounces out. That’s a gift for India. Mandhana really struck that well, just didn’t place it right.
4.35am GMT
2nd over: India 11-1 (Mandhana 1, Ghosh 0) Coming out at first drop is Richa Ghosh, on debut. Rodrigues has batted her previously in the series, but here’s a chance for a 16-year-old replacing another in Verma.
4.33am GMT
Tayla Vlaeminck bowling is fire with fire. The fastest Australian versus the hardest-swinging Indian. Too fast first ball! Verma misses with a baseball pummel. Backs away from the second but can’t lay bat on the pull. Hits the third short one, but not well. Waaaay up in the air, soaring, and it comes down in Jess Jonassen’s hands!
4.30am GMT
1st over: India 10-0 (Verma 10, Mandhana 0) A couple of days ago Ellyse Perry was bowling to Sachin Tendulkar at this ground while he was wearing Australian colours. Now she’s bowling to Shafali Verma in Indian colours. Perry is toying with bowling short to Verma, and nearly gets her! The pull shot just clears midwicket, where Jonassen leapt but the ball was too fast. Absolutely nailed but too close to the catcher for comfort. Shafali Verma is annoyed with herself despite the boundary. Perry sends square and fine leg deep so she can go short again, but bluffs and bowls fuller. Verma clouts in down the ground for six! Not entirely nailed, it hangs in the air a long time, but there’s enough on it to carry the rope.
4.13am GMT
The Australians started out saying they wanted 140 on this pitch, so 155 will be very welcome. Apparently it’s slowing up, and the bounce is not consistent. So it’s hard to tee off, as we saw with most of the Australians today. Mooney battled for most of the innings, Gardner couldn’t get going reliably, Lanning looked mint but was still undone by one that perhaps stopped in the wicket, Perry wasn’t comfortable at all. But this is T20, and quick burst like the one from Haynes can change everything. Mooney got going by the end, and now the home team have a decent platform to defend.
Which India will show up today?
4.11am GMT
20th over: Australia 155-5 (Mooney 71, Carey 0) Gayakward to close out the innings, contrasting styles of left-arm orthodox spinners. Short to start with, and Mooney was hoping to drive, but ends up slapping the ball on the up over cover for four. Tries to repeat the dose but miscues it just in front of long-off, running in.
To Haynes now. Gayakwad is trying to bowl very wide of off stump, to protect the leg side, but it doesn’t work. Haynes, advancing, drags four runs between the outrides on that side. Advancing again, lifts longer and higher over wide long-on for six!
4.04am GMT
19th over: Australia 136-5 (Mooney 62, Haynes 8) Gorgeous from Mooney. She’s got the left-armer Yadav coming around the wicket. Mooney would know that the bowler won’t want to get too leg-side, to avoid the left-handers hitting with the spin to midwicket. So Mooney shuffles across to leg, opening up even more room as the bowler lands on the line of the stumps. Inside out from Mooney, her pet shot, over cover for four.
Haynes comes down the wicket and drives one, just wanting to get Mooney back on strike. Mooney drops to one knee and slog-sweeps, but there’s an outrider behind square leg. One run. Haynes, high backlift, advances but can only drive to long-off. Mooney does the same.
4.01am GMT
18th over: Australia 127-5 (Mooney 55, Haynes 6) Two lefties together now, with vice-captain Rachael Haynes at the crease. Struggling for runs this summer, both in the Big Bash and the internationals. She gets a gift first up, outside leg stump for her to sweep fine for four. Then pick up two more in the same direction.
3.59am GMT
Deepti Sharma back with her off-breaks. There’s a long-off, so when Mooney mistimes a drive it lands safely, but only nets her one run. It gets Sutherland on strike though, who advances and straight-drives four! Good shot, lofted but dead straight, and beats the dive on the rope. Sutherland goes square next time, taking her front leg almost to square leg for the dragged heave, picking the gap well enough to belt back for a second run. But the show comes to an end when Sutherland tries to go over cover, stepping out. Deepti Sharma almost yorks her, getting it in at her toes, and the keeper does really well to gather cleanly before Sutherland can get back.
3.56am GMT
17th over: Australia 114-4 (Mooney 54, Sutherland 1) Mooney is indeed trying to go. Clears her front leg to Reddy, trying to smear across the line, but can’t get it cleanly enough. Drives nicely to deep cover but only for a single. Sutherland gets off the mark with a run. Mooney tries another slog-sweep but it’s mostly top edge and lands safely for a single to deep midwicket. Sutherland has a concrete-feet hoick and misses outside off! Five runs from that over. The python sssssqueeze continues.
3.52am GMT
16th over: Australia 109-4 (Mooney 50, Sutherland 0) After crossing for Perry’s catch, Mooney tucks a single for her fifty. She’s held the innings together but had her dodgy moments, and will need to pick up the pace as well. Sutherland has been promoted to have a dip, but can’t score from her first ball. One run from the over! A triumph for India.
3.50am GMT
The late-innings pressure tells! Three dot balls from Gayakward to Perry, who knows that she has to motor and so tries a big lofted on-drive. Doesn’t get enough of it, and Deepti Sharma on the rope takes the catch.
3.49am GMT
15th over: Australia 108-3 (Mooney 49, Perry 1) And nearly Ellyse Perry first ball! She comes down to Yadav, beaten by the turn, gets a touch on it into the ground and the ball rolls just wide of Bhatia behind the stumps to avoid a stumping. Second ball, Perry chips over midwicket for a single, another dicey shot.
3.47am GMT
Talk about against the run of play! Radha Yadav bowling her third over, and Lanning had just laced a sweep shot to deep square leg to raise a 50 partnership from 34 balls. But two balls later Lanning is out, sweeping again but toe-ending it for a simple catch to backward square leg inside the circle.
3.42am GMT
14th over: Australia 104-2 (Mooney 47, Lanning 25) Reddy’s bowling, a good tight line that doesn’t give Lanning much to work with. She takes off for a single to mid-off, and... should have been run out! Oh dear, what on earth has happened! That’s very unlucky for the Indians. Pandey at mid-off collects, has time to settle, three stumps to aim at, and throws perfectly on line. Bouncing a few inches in front of the stumps on the way to hitting them. Lanning is well short of her ground, she’s about to be out... but instead of hitting turf the ball hits the plastic cover that protects the electrical leads for the microphones and stump cam. There’s a small square plastic cover, and on impact it tilts into the hole beneath, meaning it deflects the ball almost at right angles, away from the stumps towards midwicket. Lanning sees that the stumps aren’t down and jumps up to take a second run. Well, that seems very unfair for India, there’s no way to factor in foreign objects on the field. The throw was perfect, had it hit grass.
3.37am GMT
13th over: Australia 96-2 (Mooney 46, Lanning 18) Mooney’s streaky run continues, a thick outside edge against the left-arm ortho spin of Radha Yadav that clears backward point. She’s taking the right approach, they have so much batting left. Gets a couple, then drives a single. Lanning gets strike, dips, and sweeps hard for four! Then shuffles and drives to long-off. Mooney gets cramped up and can’t score, but then runs really well to get back for a second from the last ball of the over, just tucking it past the bowler into an empty patch of ground towards midwicket, and taking advantage of the slow roll that leaves the boundary rider a long way to come in. They’re up towards 7.5 an over.
3.32am GMT
12th over: Australia 86-2 (Mooney 41, Lanning 13) Quality shot from Mooney. Pandey comes back and floats one up outside off, but quite a half-volley but close enough. Mooney cocks her back knee and gets under the drive, lifting it easily over mid-on for four. Follows up with a brace, then a single. Pandey lands the ball better to the right-hander, Lanning digging out a yorker for one run.
3.26am GMT
11th over: Australia 77-2 (Mooney 33, Lanning 12) Look, life’s hard enough if you’re bowling well to Meg Lanning. But you can’t bowl badly to Meg Lanning. She is the most ruthless disposer of bad balls in the game. Reddy is the one to suffer, bowling an absolute horror full toss at the thigh pad. Lanning just waits, clips, and sends it high over square leg onto the grass banks for six.
3.24am GMT
10th over: Australia 65-2 (Mooney 31, Lanning 2) Another close one for Mooney! Backing away from the left-arm spinner Gayakward and throwing the kitchen sink at one, slicing it in the air through cover! Nearly caught at cover and at point, but the ball whistles through for four. Lanning, by contrast, just nudges a couple of singles.
3.22am GMT
9th over: Australia 58-2 (Mooney 26, Lanning 0) The biggest name is now up on the screens. Meg Lanning reaches the middle. The batters crossed, so Mooney has strike and works a couple of runs to midwicket.
3.19am GMT
Gardner’s gone! Out of nowhere really. It’s a quiet over of mediums from Arundhati Reddy, who also throws in a bouncer at very modest pace. Fourth ball of the over, it’s fuller and Gardner aims a big off-side drive, but doesn’t have much shape as she swings at that ball. It goes high to cover, where Gayakward can’t stop being chased by the ball, but this time she takes the catch and can try to put her early wobbles behind her.
3.14am GMT
8th over: Australia 52-1 (Mooney 22, Gardner 25) Gayakwad will get her chance to do something with the ball now. It hasn’t gone so well in the field. She’s happy to come around the wicket to the right-handed Gardner, over to Mooney. Tight lines, making Gardner scramble a single that was nearly a run-out, then she’s bowling a nice line that Mooney edges and is missed! Not a drop, that was nicked past the keeper, a bit too high and fast for Bhatia to get gloves near it. But another false shot for Mooney, though it nets her two runs with a good save on the rope.
3.11am GMT
7th over: Australia 47-1 (Mooney 18, Gardner 24) Radha Yadav now, left-arm twirler, really gives the ball air. She’s second ranked in the world in this format at the moment. Over the wicket, and Mooney laces a drive through cover for four. But nearly runs herself out next ball, tapping to cover for a single, and Harmanpreet’s throw is too hot for Radha to gather in time at the bowler’s end. Just yanked that throw and dragged it a bit wide. Gardner then nearly outhinks herself as Radha bowls outside leg stump. Gardner nearly plays, decides to leave it to score the wide, then realises she’s walked out of her crease. Has to scramble to get back. Radha Yadav ends the over with a couple of loopy full tosses, and Gardner only gets two from the first but sweeps the second even harder, and it hits Gayakwad on the fence hard enough to spill through.
3.06am GMT
6th over: Australia 35-1 (Mooney 13, Gardner 18) Pandey to the left-hander now, and stays on the leg-stump line preferred by the spinner, thundering one into Mooney’s pad. Goes wider outside off and Mooney is dropped! Oh, that’s a shocker. A simple catch as Mooney advances, swings, looping outside edge to backward point, and Rajeshwari Gayakwad has shelled it. Only had to move a few steps, nice gentle angle, and yet it lands in her cupped hands and her cup runneth over. Pandey groans. They take a single. A few more dots to Gardner, then one more boundary lifted over long-off. That makes 24 dot balls and one wicket in the Powerplay.
3.01am GMT
5th over: Australia 29-1 (Mooney 12, Gardner 13) Harmanpreet persisting with Deepti Sharma for a third over in the Powerplay. Interesting call in T20 cricket where so many captains ring the changes every over. But Deepti is managing this beautifully. She’s stayed over the wicket to the left-hander, who is taking guard well outside leg stump to try and open up cover. Well, Deepti is alive to that, and is spearing the ball in at Mooney’s pads, nowhere near the stumps. Four times in a row, Mooney tries to play with a fairly straight bat and can’t get any purchase on that line near her stumps. Finally, frustrated, she gallops down and slaps a shot just over mid-off! Nearly caught, but gets four. Last ball of the over, Deepti drops a bit too short and Mooney is able to unleash her sweep shot cleanly over short fine for four more!
2.57am GMT
4th over: Australia 21-1 (Mooney 4, Gardner 13) Pandey to Gardner once more, and working the batter perfectly by holding the ball back of a length, outside off. Gardner swishes but misses. Fuller next, but Gardner mistimes a clunky drive hard into the ground for nothing. Fuller still with the third, and Gardner lofts it clean down the ground for four! One bounce over mid-on, nice and easy. So Pandey addresses that, shifting wider again, better length and curling away! Gardner misses completely. Fifth ball, Pandey tucks her up on off stump, leaving Gardner trying to sprint a single after dropping to point, but there’s no run with the left-handed Radha Yadav at point. Last ball of the over, Pandey is all over Gardner now! Fuller, but just pulled back enough to get a bit of swing! Gardner swings hard aiming over long off but misses completely. Like the last over, five dots and a boundary. This is good work from India’s bowlers.
2.53am GMT
3rd over: Australia 17-1 (Mooney 4, Gardner 9) It’s taken until the third over but Mooney finally gets a chance to get off the mark. She’d only faced one ball before this. Deepti bowls to her, over the wicket, landing a dipping off-break well enough but Mooney is briskly down the wicket, to the pitch, and waiting to drive it inside-out over cover. Four runs with the fielding restrictions still in place. That’s Mooney’s strength: she doesn’t bother hitting sixes because she can find the fence so often. Deepti tightens right up thereafter though, hitting a good in-between length that leaves Mooney unsure whether to move forward or back, and darting in some faster ones to discourage the advance. Five dot balls in a row! What a recovery from the all-rounder.
2.50am GMT
2nd over: Australia 13-1 (Mooney o, Gardner 9) Shikha Pandey to bowl next, outswing seamer to contrast with Deepti’s swing. And she sets up a proper seamer’s battle with Gardner. First ball, overpitched and driven through the covers for four. Third ball, perfect length and swinging, beating the outside edge of a drive! Fourth ball, sucking Gardner into the drive again, getting a chunk of it and scoring four but that skewed in the air over cover point and was so nearly caught! Just luck took it far enough into the gap. Final ball of the over, Gardner is tentatively prodding at an outswinger pitched further back, missing again as she was neither here nor there with her shot. Great tussle.
2.46am GMT
1st over: Australia 5-1 (Mooney o, Gardner 1) So Ash Gardner reaches the crease early in the day once again, as she has done a lot lately with Healy’s recent run of low scores. Gardner enjoyed it last time, battering 90-odd against India, although they tracked down Australia’s total in the end.
2.45am GMT
And we’re away with a wicket! Healy gets a good start by tugging Deepti Sharma’s off-break square of the wicket for four, but when the line switches to wide outside off Healy aims a big cut shot and only gets the edge. Should have smashed that really, but maybe a bit of extra bounce? “How was that, how was that!” yells Bhatia, who took it well after moving across outside the off stump. It’s outski.
2.43am GMT
You’re not listening to me, Australia!
Or perhaps given that defending has been a recent weakness, the Aussies would like a chance to try that again and do it better.
2.29am GMT
Hello, cricket types. We’ve had the first round. We’ve had the second round. We’ve had England miss out on net run rate. The English women just finished demolishing the CA XI in a final hit-out for them, and now Australia will take on India in the tri-series final.
The Indians have been a bit all over the place in this series. They’ve made two big scores (150 and 177) to win games while chasing, but have struggled to top six runs an over when batting first. If you win the toss, pop them in. But their exciting top order can mow down any target if they get going. Verma, Mandhana, Rodrigues, the three young guns, with the flint-hard Harmanpreet to come in behind them. Not to mention Deepti Sharma down the order.
Continue reading...Geoff Lemon's Blog
- Geoff Lemon's profile
- 12 followers
