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India’s premier first-class competition returns – in two phases, split by the IPL – after a year’s gap, and features Pujara and Rahane on the first day itself

Himanshu Agrawal15-Feb-2022When does the tournament begin? And why is it in two phases?
The 2021-22 Ranji Trophy will be held in two phases, with the IPL in between. The first phase, which consists of league matches and one pre-quarter-final, starts on February 17 and ends on March 15. The IPL is expected to start on March 27. Before the Ranji pre-quarter-final, there will be three rounds of matches held: the first from February 17 to 20, then February 24 to 27, and finally, from March 3 to 6. The second phase, of the knockouts, is likely to begin on May 30 – after the IPL has concluded – and run up to June 26.Related

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• Yash Dhull hits 113 on first-class debut to lead Delhi charge against Tamil Nadu

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• BCCI disburses longstanding Covid compensation

• 'If I get picked for India, can I make a difference?'

Who are the big-ticket players in the mix? And who are missing?
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane will turn out for Saurashtra and Mumbai, respectively. In fact, they will be up against each other on the very first day of the tournament, in Ahmedabad.Also available for their respective sides will be Hanuma Vihari (Hyderabad), Navdeep Saini and Nitish Rana (Delhi), Mayank Agarwal and Prasidh Krishna (Karnataka), Sreesanth (Kerala), Prithvi Shaw (Mumbai), Jaydev Unadkat (Saurashtra), Krunal Pandya (Baroda), Umesh Yadav (Vidarbha) and Vijay Shankar (Tamil Nadu).Among players who are expected to be free and available in that window, Hardik Pandya, Ishant Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha have all opted out. Hardik will be continuing his rehabilitation for a long-standing back injury and focus on his comeback in white-ball cricket, Saha and Ishant have made themselves unavailable.Kerala’s Robin Uthappa and Sanju Samson will also be absent. Uthappa is recovering from a hamstring injury, while Samson is undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.Are any of India’s Under-19 World Cup winners in the Ranji squads?
Yes. Batter Yash Dhull, who led India to their fifth Under-19 world title, is a part of Delhi’s squad. Quick bowler Ravi Kumar has been named in the Bengal side. Batter Harnoor Singh and allrounder Raj Angad Bawa are in the Chandigarh squad. Wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Bana and allrounder Nishant Sindhu have been picked by Haryana. And offspinners Vicky Ostwal and Kaushal Tambe will play for Maharashtra.What happened in the last Ranji Trophy?
The last time the tournament was conducted was during the 2019-20 season, when Saurashtra won the final against Bengal. But the Ranji Trophy had to be shelved during the following season because of pandemic. It was the first time the tournament, India’s premier first-class competition, had not featured in the calendar since its inception in the 1934-35 season.Saurashtra are the defending Ranji Trophy champions•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

How many teams are participating? And what’s the format for the league phase?
A total of 38 teams will be participating this season, and they have been divided into nine groups: eight Elite and one Plate. While the Elite groups have four teams each, the Plate Group has six sides in it.A total of 57 matches will be played in the league phase, as each team plays three matches. While the Elite teams face all other sides in their group once, the Plate teams will play only against three sides in their group. That will be followed by the pre-quarter-final and the knockouts: the quarter-finals, the semi-finals and the final. That’s a total of 65 matches.What is the points structure?
The ranking order of the teams will be decided by points. Should teams be level on points, then the number of outright wins becomes the deciding factor. If it’s still not conclusive, the quotient rule comes into play. This will be determined by dividing the team’s batting average by their bowling average.How will the pre-quarter-final and quarter-finals play out?
Of the eight Elite-Group toppers, the seven with the best numbers qualify directly for the quarter-finals. For the final quarter-finalist, the Elite-group topper with the fewest points gets into a pre-quarter-final with the Plate-group topper. The pre-quarter-final will be played just after the league phase, and will end before the start of the IPL.Where will the Ranji matches be played?
The Elite matches will all be held across eight states, all neutral to the teams in action. Rajkot, Cuttack, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Thumba, Delhi, Rohtak, Gurugram, Sultanpur and Guwahati will be the cities where matches will be played. All the Plate matches will be conducted in Kolkata. The venue for the pre-quarter-final and the knockouts will be decided later.What happens if a player tests positive for Covid-19?
In case a player tests positive for Covid-19 or shows symptoms which prevents his participation in a match as per public health guidance norms, the match referee can allow his team to field a Covid-19 replacement after getting the necessary confirmations. However, the player coming in should only be a like-for-like replacement so as to prevent the side from getting any undue advantage.

“To play over there and hopefully play really well is kind of the goal,” Agar, whose last Test had come in 2017, said

Tristan Lavalette10-Nov-2022Eyeing Australia’s tour of India early next year, Ashton Agar has started his preparation towards a potential long-awaited Test recall, confident he can shift between formats “quickly”.Agar was a notable inclusion in the Prime Minister’s XI squad to play West Indies in Canberra in a four-day day-night first-class fixture starting on November 23. Back in Perth after Australia’s T20 World Cup exit, Agar hit the WACA nets in a bid to get reacquainted with the red ball.”I just had a nice long bowl at the WACA, and faced the red ball again,” Agar told reporters on Thursday as part of Youth Focus, a leading provider of youth mental-health services in Western Australia, being announced as charity partner for the Perth Test. “I still have a desire to play red-ball cricket. I would love to be part of the India Test tour.”Related

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The Prime Minister’s XI affair is effectively a warm-up for the visiting West Indies side ahead of the two-Test series which begins in Perth on November 30, but also presents opportunities for Australia’s fringe players.Agar has been a regular member of Australia’s limited-overs squads over the years, and played in their victory over Sri Lanka in Perth at the T20 World Cup, where he was a late replacement for frontline spinner Adam Zampa, who had tested positive for Covid-19.But his busy commitments in the limited-overs formats have caused Agar to be unavailable for Western Australia (WA) in the Sheffield Shield, with his last appearance being in April 2021. He has a middling first-class record overall averaging 41.28 and striking at 80.7 with the ball.Despite his suspect red ball record, Agar remains an intriguing prospect for Australia’s hierarchy who are keen for the left-arm spinner to bowl more in first-class cricket with the tour of India looming.Ashton Agar said he was not perturbed by being pigeonholed as a white-ball specialist•AFP via Getty Images

“I think all the skills are there. I have enough experience to shift formats quickly,” he said while revealing he might play in WA’s Shield match against Queensland starting December 1. “But getting your body right and building your bowling loads up to bowl for a long period of time… it’s just a different battle.”I’ve had a couple of decent side strains recently, which I have to be a little wary of. So just taking that extra care on your body and trying to be as professional as you can is probably the key going forward.”Agar, who famously scored 98 from No.11 on Test debut during the 2013 Ashes, played the last of his four Tests in 2017, although was considered a strong chance to play in the mid-year series in Sri Lanka until he suffered a significant side strain.He won’t be playing in WA’s Shield match against South Australia at the WACA starting on Friday, but has been named in Australia’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against England. And Agar said he was not perturbed by being somewhat pigeonholed as a white-ball specialist.”The important thing is communication with the selectors,” he said. “They’ve been really good with me. The communication has been really open and really clear. If they wanted me to play more red-ball cricket, they would have given me the opportunity. That’s exactly what they are doing now with the Prime Minister XI game, and maybe another Shield game after that.”If he does end up playing in India, it would be a dream come true for Agar, whose only previous Test experience in the subcontinent was in Bangladesh, also the last time he played a Test.”They (matches in India) were my favourite games to watch growing up,” Agar said. “Games happen quickly. The ball spins miles… if you bat well over there, you’ve batted really well. To play over there and hopefully play really well is kind of the goal.”

Tasmania could barely get their scoring rate above two an over then lost late wickets

Tristan Lavalette22-Mar-20241:19

Matthew Wade: ‘I call myself the first genuine allrounder: bat, bowl, field, keep’

Western Australia grabbed control of the Sheffield Shield final against Tasmania after a sustained attack on day two resulted in the late wickets of Jordan Silk and Beau Webster.Tasmania reached stumps at 152 for 6 having struggled to cope with an onslaught from WA’s outstanding attack led by Cameron Gannon, who used his towering frame to devastating effect.Related

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Spinner Corey Rocchiccioli, who is battling a flu, produced a lionhearted performance to continue his outstanding season as he continued his penchant for bowling on the WACA. He claimed the only two wickets of an attritional second session to finish with 2 for 44 from 22 overs.”I think those last couple of wickets might have helped us get ahead of the game. We just need to continue to go out there and get these four wickets,” said debutant Cooper Connolly who scored 90 in WA’s first innings.There’s almost no chance of Tasmania overtaking WA on bonus points, so they will have to win the game to end an 11-year title drought. They suffered a double late blow by Gannon when Silk was superly caught by wicketkeeper Josh Inglis before Aaron Hardie claimed an athletic catch to dismiss Webster.”Obviously not in a great position, but we’re still within touching distance,” Tasmania opener Caleb Jewell said.Aaron Hardie got one through Jake Doran late in the day•Getty Images

WA’s first innings received a lift with Connolly falling short of being the second youngest Shield final centurion behind Phillip Hughes.WA resumed at 325 for 8, with anticipation high as a number of patrons rocked up early in the hope of seeing something extraordinary from a 20-year-old some observers have compared to Shaun Marsh.Connolly started on 73 after his fireworks late on day one, but didn’t go for broke even after the early wicket of Gannon. He received strong support from No.11 Rocchiccioli, who shed his attacking instincts and defended solidly. Every ball he survived received applause from the fans, who cheered with gusto at each run from Connolly.With the field spread far and wide, Connolly was tasked with playing a game of cat and mouse, but on 86 he unfurled a big stroke that was mistimed and hung in the air only to be dropped at deep backward point by Bradley Hope. It was reminiscent of the epic BBL final when he survived a similar drop from Josh Brown, but Connolly could not cash in as he succumbed shortly later.Connolly’s innings ended tamely on his 115th ball when he was caught in two minds and edged the hardworking Iain Carlisle to slip. Connolly scurried off to a standing ovation from the WACA faithful as Tasmania were soon faced with a thorough examination from WA’s miserly quicks.In his last first-class match, Matthew Wade was trapped lbw just before lunch by a superb inswinger from Gannon and he seemingly accepted his fate as he trudged off the ground not appearing disappointed at the decision.It didn’t take long for Corey Rocchiccioli to have an impact•Getty Images

Gannon and Joel Paris exploited the conditions superbly with Tasmania crawling at barely a run an over. Having survived close calls, Jewell and Charlie Wakim fought hard and combined for a 68-run partnership but eventually WA’s pressure proved too much.After Jarrod Freeman spun the ball sharply on day one, Rocchiccioli loomed as the dangerman and he immediately caused problems. Wakim countered by using his feet and clubbing a six over the long-on boundary, which required Hilton Cartwright to scale the white pickets and find the ball amid the vacant seating.But it was a risky strategy and proved his undoing when he holed out to Cartwright then Rocchiccioli, just before tea, dismissed Jewell caught behind with a sharp delivery that bounced and hit the edge.WA eyed further inroads in the final session where wickets often fall in clumps late in the day at the WACA. On restricted bowling duties, Hardie bowled menacingly from the get go and was rewarded by dismissing Jake Doran with a cracking delivery.But WA were left frustrated with numerous loud appeals turned down with Silk on 28 appearing to edge a rising Gannon delivery outside the off stump.The rowdy fans in the terraces – with a strong crowd of 1852 in attendance – were starting to get agitated until Silk and Webster fell as the shadows crept onto the ground as WA nestled into a strong position.

Australian left-armer defended eight of the final over after Yorkshire were coasting chasing 171

ECB Reporters Network21-Jun-2024Australian quick Ben Dwarshuis defended eight off the last over to complete a thrilling come-from-behind Durham victory to beat Yorkshire and leapfrog them into the North Group’s top four places.Yorkshire, chasing 171, were cruising at 113 for 2 in the 12th over before leg-spinner Nathan Sowter bowled buccaneering Will Luxton for 33 and had Jordan Thompson brilliantly caught and bowled on the run towards long-on.Left-armer Dwarshuis then claimed his first wicket for Durham in the last over and defended four off the last ball against George Hill. The Vikings, replying to 170 for 6, finished on 167 for 7, handing Durham a fourth win in eight games – this by three runs. Yorkshire lost their fourth in eight.Dwarshuis was the hero in only his third game. The overseas man had been dropped after the first two games. Opener Graham Clark top-scored with 49 off 35 balls for Durham, while Adam Lyth top-scored for Yorkshire with 54.Visiting left-arm spinner Dan Moriarty impressed with two for 26, a return matched by Durham’s excellent seamer Ben Raine. But Sowter, who also affected a run out, contributed massively to the comeback.Considering Durham, who elected to bat, took 10 off the first over – a boundary piece for Clark and Alex Lees – Yorkshire did well to limit them to 44 for 1 after six overs.Clark struck the ball sweetly, but David Bedingham struggled to get going amidst a run-a-ball 21, ended when he pulled Jafer Chohan’s leg-spin to deep midwicket – 59 for 2 in the ninth over.Clark took back-to-back boundaries off Jordan Thompson to take the score to 88 for two after 12 but fell agonisingly short of a fifty when he dragged Moriarty on in the next, Durham now 91 for 3.And they were struggling to get going.But that impetus did come in the final five overs, with Ollie Robinson, Bas de Leede and Michael Jones all finding or clearing the boundary, the former two contributing useful scores of 33 and 28 before falling to Thompson and Dom Bess.Thompson had Robinson caught behind and bowled Raine, but 64 came off the last five overs.Lyth continued the flow of runs at the start of Yorkshire’s chase with a couple of leg-side sixes before losing opening partner and captain for the night Dawid Malan.He was brilliantly caught at cover by a diving Lees off George Drissell’s off-spin, leaving Yorkshire at 35 for one in the fourth over.Malan, who scored only seven, was leading Yorkshire after Shan Masood was injured in the Roses win 24 hours earlier.That dismissal brought Joe Root to the crease for his last domestic appearance before England Test commitments, and he breezed to 20.But when he was caught behind off Raine’s seam – 60 for 2 in the seventh over – Durham’s hopes were raised.Luxton tried his best to dash them in only his fourth career T20 appearance and his first of 2024.He hit two leg-side sixes and a four down the ground as 19 came off Drissell in the 10th over, taking the Vikings to 100 for 2.It seemed as if they were, by now in an unassailable position. Not so!Sowter bowled him and had Thompson superbly caught and bowled running towards mid-on. Lyth reached 50 off 35 balls but was also lbw to Raine. With those three dismissals, Yorkshire were 130 for 5 in the 16th and the game in the balance again.Sowter brilliantly ran Donovan Ferreira out with a direct hit from deep midwicket before Dwarshuis had Dom Bess caught at long-on in the last, which ended by Hill missing an attempted ramp off the last ball.

Bryce Jackson claimed four wickets as the home side collapsed when they had a chance of reaching the final

AAP23-Feb-2025Queensland crashed out of the One-Day Cup title race in humbling fashion, suffering a six-wicket loss to wooden spooners Western Australia at the Gabba.WA paceman Bryce Jackson snared 4 for 39 in a player-of-the-match performance as Queensland were skittled for 131 in 29.2 overs.In reply, a WA side featuring mostly emerging players reached the victory target in just 26 overs, with Hilton Cartwright, Sam Fanning and Jayden Goodwin all chipping in.Queensland entered their last match of the regular season in third spot and well in the hunt to claim a spot in the March 1 final. They needed to beat WA and for Victoria to beat second-placed NSW to lock away a spot in the decider.Even if NSW beat Victoria, Queensland could have still made the final by posting a bonus-point win over WA. But things went awry for the Bulls from the outset.Star trio Ben McDermott, Jimmy Peirson and Matt Renshaw all fell cheaply as Queensland slumped to 17 for 3 in the fifth over.Lachlan Hearne and Angus Lovell briefly steadied the ship, but those knocks were only a temporary reprieve as WA’s youth-laden attack continued to wreak havoc.Queensland were 102 for 9 before No. 10 Mitchell Swepson whacked 45 off 35 balls to at least give Queensland some sort of chance to pull off a miracle win.Jackson, playing just his fifth List A match, was the star of the show with four wickets, while Brody Couch and Mahli Beardman were also influential.The pace trio have just 15 List A appearances between them, and spinner Corey Rocchiccioli was playing just his second List A match.But despite their youth and inexperience, the WA attack ripped through Queensland’s talented line-up with ease.  Swepson whacked three sixes and three fours in the sole real resistance Queensland were able to put up.WA made light work of the run chase, with teenage paceman Callum Vidler the only Queensland bowler to make any true inroads.The win was only WA’s second of the season, with their hopes of winning four straight titles derailed by injuries and poor form across the campaign.

Three wickets off three successive deliveries in the final over left India needing one off one, before Rinku calmly bludgeoned a six as Sean Abbott bowled a no-ball

Tristan Lavalette23-Nov-2023Josh Inglis smashed his maiden T20I century, but Suryakumar Yadav responded masterfully in his captaincy debut to lift India past Australia in a tense series opener.Just four days after being part of Australia’s World Cup title, Inglis tore apart a new-look India attack in batting friendly conditions in Visakhapatnam with 110 off 50 balls.He dominated a second-wicket partnership of 130 with Steven Smith, who made 52 and was the only other Australia player fronting up from the World Cup final.But Suryakumar also shrugged off World Cup weariness with a belligerent 80 off 42 balls. There was a late twist after Suryakumar’s dismissal with India losing a slew of wickets and they needed one run off the final delivery.But Rinku Singh calmly bludgeoned a six off seamer Sean Abbott, who had delivered a no-ball, as India drew first blood in the five-match series.

Inglis equals Finch’s record

The tight scheduling of this series has been widely mocked and underscored by both teams fielding second-string teams. But with the T20 World Cup just over six months away, there was plenty at stake for a number of players.Smith and Inglis had points to prove. Smith has openly stated his desire to bat at the top having auditioned for the role late in last season’s BBL and peeling off consecutive centuries.Opening a T20I for the first time, Smith relished a grassless surface and quick outfield with three boundaries through the off-side in his first eight deliveries.But he was completely overtaken by a rampaging Inglis, who came in at No.3 after the wicket of opener Matthew Short in the fifth over. Playing as a specialist batter, with skipper Matthew Wade taking the gloves, Inglis hit a boundary off his first ball and didn’t slow down from there.He toyed with the quicks and spinners by unleashing his full range of strokes around the wicket. Inglis’ superb knock was highlighted by pinpoint placement, while he showcased a liking to get deep into his crease and hit over extra cover.Having reached his century off 47 balls, Inglis equalled Aaron Finch’s record that had been set a decade ago.Josh Inglis hit a century off just 47 balls•Getty Images

Tough captaincy start for Suryakumar

After a remarkable lapped reverse to the boundary from Inglis, all Suryakumar could do was grin. It was a tough initiation for Suryakumar, who was captaining India for the first time having been in charge of Mumbai 36 times across formats in domestic cricket.He was proactive and rotated his bowlers in the powerplay, getting spinners Axar Patel and Ravi Bishnoi into the attack. But nothing worked amid Inglis’ onslaught as Suyakumar resorted to giving his team a pep talk during the drinks break.Things could have been more grim had it not been for seamer Mukesh Kumar, who bowled superbly at the death.

But Suryakumar stands up with bat

Suryakumar did not enjoy batting on a slow Ahmedabad surface in the World Cup final. He was unable to do much against Australia’s clever tactics of bowling slower bouncers.Suryakumar much preferred this harder surface, while facing up to a second-string Australia attack. He hit two sixes off his first six balls to get India back on track after the early wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was run out without facing a delivery.On such a flat surface, Australia didn’t revert often to their slower ball bouncer tactic, but Suryakumar almost holed out on one such delivery bowled by left-arm quick Jason Behrendorff.He was well supported by wicket-keeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who only played in two early games at the World Cup. They slammed a 112-run partnership with Suryakumar taking over after the wicket of Kishan with a trademark assault to all corners of the ground. He also overcame cramps in what proved to be a memorable captaincy debut.

Sangha impresses under pressure

With Adam Zampa resting, legspinner Tanveer Sangha had his opportunity after not being used during the World Cup.It loomed as a baptism of fire with Sangha copping a thumping from Kishan in the ninth over. Wade boldly reintroduced Sangha four overs later with Kishan and Suryakumar well set.But Kishan could only hit straight to deep extra cover after Sangha changed his line and Wade decided to stick with him for the 15th over. Sangha repaid the faith by removing Tilak Varma with a googly to finish with 2 for 47 from 4 overs.However, Suryakumar kept the required rate under control, taking India to 194 in the 18th over before being dismissed by Behrendorff, with Aaron Hardie taking a great catch at mid on.With just seven needed off the final over, Rinku seemed to have all but sealed the win when he flashed the first ball over point for four. India were left with just three to get off five deliveries, but Abbott had Axar Patel caught off his own bowling in the third ball. Ravi Bishnoi and Arshdeep Singh were both run out off the next two deliveries, leaving a nervous India needing one run off the last ball.Rinku, though, showed no nerves, lofting Abbott down the ground for maximum; replays, however, confirmed that the bowler had overstepped, meaning the win had been sealed with the no-ball.

Their success in the two Tests against Ireland has pushed Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis up in the bowlers’ rankings

ESPNcricinfo staff03-May-2023Pakistan have a one-two at the top of the ICC ODI batting rankings, with opener Fakhar Zaman moving eight places up to achieve a career-best second spot, only behind his captain Babar Azam. Fakhar has scored back-to-back centuries in Rawalpindi in the ongoing five-match series against New Zealand, while Babar has hit 49 and 65 in the two matches.Fakhar made 117 in the chase of 289 in the first ODI and followed it up with 180 not out in the second as Pakistan chased down 337, taking them 2-0 up in the five-series. His previous best ranking in the format was No. 7, which he reached in April 2021.With Fakhar moving up, South Africa’s Rassie van der Dussen has slipped one place down to No. 3, while India’s Shubman Gill is at No. 4.

Full rankings tables

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Pakistan also have Fakhar’s opening partner Imam-ul-Haq rounding off the top five after scores of 60 and 25 in the two ODIs.In the men’s Test rankings, a number of Sri Lanka players have made moved up after their a 2-0 series win over Ireland in Galle.Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, who picked up 17 wickets across the two Tests, including a ten-wicket match haul in the first Test, is up six places to No. 13 in the bowling rankings, while offspinner Ramesh Mendis is up ten places to 22nd after taking 11 wickets in the series.Angelo Mathews has also moved one place up to No. 22 in the batting rankings after scoring 100 not out in the second Test, where Sri Lanka put up 704 for 3 declared on their way to an innings win, while Kusal Mendis is up three places to 39th after making his career-best score of 245 in the same game.

Moment of ‘pure joy’ for Knight, Cross as England stay in the series in epic fashion

Andrew Miller12-Jul-2023Alyssa Healy, Australia’s captain, has challenged her side to throw out the excuses and galvanise for a response, after conceding that England’s third consecutive victory in the white-ball leg of the Women’s Ashes has left the series “on the line now, proper”.After slipping to a 6-0 deficit following defeat in the one-off Test in Trent Bridge and the first T20I at Edgbaston, England have now roared back to contention, squaring the rubber at six points all with a nailbiting two-wicket win in Bristol, with two final ODIs to come at Southampton and Taunton.And while Australia need only to take victory in either match to retain the trophy that they have held since 2015, the fearlessness of England’s fightback – led on this occasion by Heather Knight’s superb captain’s innings of 75 not out but epitomised by an astonishing penultimate-over ramp for four from Kate Cross – has put real belief into their team’s challenge.Fittingly, it was left to Knight to seal the chase with an emphatic slap for four through point off Jess Jonassen, after which she flung away her bat and let her emotions pour out as she leapt into Cross’s arms and soaked up the acclaim of another packed house, with 5,731 fans in Bristol’s County Ground.”It was just pure relief and ecstasy,” Knight said at the post-match presentation. “I thought it was slipping away there when we were eight-down, we kept losing wickets at regular intervals and kept making it hard for ourselves, but I was just trying to stay in my little bubble and keep really calm.”At 235 for 8, England still needed 29 to save the series, with only Lauren Bell to come, but Cross settled quickly into her work with back-to-back fours off Jonassen, before Knight climbed into the spin of Ashleigh Gardner with a huge six over cow corner. And then, with the requirement into single figures, Cross unfurled the stroke that telegraphed the extent of England’s resolve.”Kate Cross, what a hero,” Knight said. “She was quite nervous when she came in, but we just broke it down, trying to get it in tens. And when fine leg came up, I just had a chat with her, ‘paddle’s on, I back you to do it’. I thought she might go pace off, but Crossy executed it brilliantly, and took all the pressure off.”Cross finished unbeaten on 19 from 20 balls from No.10, a priceless contribution that showcased all of her experience, and more than made up for a tricky day with the ball, with her six overs in Australia’s innings going for 42. What’s more, after being laid low by a tropical disease in March that disrupted Cross’s preparation for this series, it was further proof of the fighting qualities that had got her back to full fitness for this campaign.”I kept saying to her, ‘Lauren Bell’s in next, so keep going, keep getting it down,” Knight joked. “Poor Lauren was a bit nervous, but I’m really pleased for Kate. She’s probably not had the best day but she’s one of the most resilient people that I know, so to see her do that was outstanding.”Heather Knight gets low to reverse-sweep during her matchwinning knock•PA Images/Getty

For Healy and Australia, however, it was a deeply chastening loss. Last week, their 2-1 defeat in the T20Is was their first loss in any series since 2017-18; now they have lost their first ODI in 16 attempts – and only their third in 46 – and have lost three matches in a row for the first time since February 2017.”I mean, the Ashes is on the line now proper, isn’t it?” Healy said. “So if that doesn’t galvanise the group, I don’t know what it does. We obviously haven’t been in this position a lot. And you know, we either see it as an opportunity to learn and grow, or we see it as an opportunity to throw excuses out there. So it’s up to us to turn it around for the next two games, [because] that Ashes trophy is well and truly on the line.”Defending 264, Australia were rattled early on by a brilliant Powerplay onslaught from Tammy Beaumont and Alice Capsey, whose fast-paced 40s helped lift England to 84 for 1, their highest 10-over score in ODI history. And though their spinners in particular helped to stem the tide, the run-rate remained below five an over for the bulk of the remaining chase.And despite a scruffy display that contained 23 extras, the multiple World Champions refused to give up without a fight – a trait that gave Healy some comfort as she prepared for what will doubtless be a difficult post-match debrief.”It ended up going right down to the wire,” she said. “Look, we just got outplayed a little bit at the end but thought we fought really well to keep ourselves in the fixture. It was a good game of cricket all round.Related

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“We were probably 20 runs short with a bat, and then we bowled 20-odd extras so I mean, that’s 40 runs in the game, so it’s probably what’s done us at the end of the day.”We’ve been showing it in patches,” she added. “The way we took it as deep as what we did, shows it’s still there. We’ve just got to be better, got to be sharper in different certain areas to get ourselves over the line. And that’s what we’re going to have to find over the next few days.”England, however, also have room for improvement even after this thrilling win, in particular their own fielding display which was marked by six dropped catches and a missed stumping. Knight, however, credited the Bristol crowd for playing their part in keeping the team’s spirits high throughout, and carrying them over the line.”We can be a lot better as well,” Knight said. “It was definitely not our best day. But the fight in the side is remarkable and we showed that again today.””I found it a really tricky wicket, I don’t think I middled one until I was on about 30,” Knight added. “It was quite hard to feel fluent and to rotate the ball around but the crowd kept us in it.”We know Australia are a brilliant team and we’re going to have to go again in Southampton, but the support from the crowd was unreal. I had to not get too high when everyone was singing Hey Jude at the end, and try not to sing along in my head, but it’s been awesome.”The support’s really made the difference for us and hopefully that will continue over the next few games. It’s been an awesome series. I wouldn’t mind a few less nail-biters, to be sure, but it was just pure joy at the end.”

Rabada and Ngidi are fit and should make the playing XI, while India have the Ashwin vs Thakur question to answer

Hemant Brar25-Dec-20233:26

Dravid: South Africa is not an impossible place to play in

Big picture: India chase history

The final frontier. That’s what South Africa has proven to be for India. Since South Africa’s readmission to international cricket, India have made eight Test tours to the country. The closest they came to winning was in 2010-11 when the three-match series ended 1-1.Two years ago, players and experts alike felt that it was India’s “best opportunity” to win a Test series in South Africa. They won the first match but lost the next two to squander the chance.This time it’s a shorter series, just two Tests – in Centurion and Cape Town. Whichever team wins the first will have an unassailable lead. With the disappointment of the ODI World Cup still lingering and the planning for the T20 World Cup in mind, can India squeeze a piece of history in between?Related

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But as they experienced last time, it’s easier said than done. Temba Bavuma and his men will be motivated to keep their unbeaten home record against India intact. They will also be geared up to give Dean Elgar, their former captain who will retire at the end of this series, a fitting farewell.The challenge for South Africa will be to get into the Test groove as quickly as possible – they last played red-ball cricket in March. This is also their first assignment in the current World Test Championship cycle. India started theirs in the West Indies, where they won the first Test before rain forced a draw in the second.And the rain threat looms large in Centurion as well, with the weather not looking good for the first two days of the Test.

Form guide

South Africa WWDLL
India DWLDL

In the spotlight: Aiden Markram and KL Rahul

Aiden Markram is finally becoming the batter he was destined to be. Earlier this year, he completed the transformation in white-ball cricket, where he found success in the middle order. To revive his red-ball career, he tried the same in Test cricket as well. In 2022, he relinquished the opening slot and moved down the order but could manage only 109 runs in seven innings, at an average of 15.57. At the start of 2023, he moved back to the top of the order and scored 115, 47, 96 and 18 in two Tests against West Indies. He will be keen to build on that to become South Africa’s premier batter in all three formats.Opening the innings, Aiden Markram scored 276 runs in two Tests against West Indies earlier this year•AFP/Getty Images

KL Rahul is going through a transformation of his own. In his latest avatar, he will bat in the middle order and don the wicketkeeping gloves. He has been successful at No. 4 and No. 5 in ODIs, but South Africa is not an easy place to bat in. Rahul averages 25.60 in ten innings here. However, in nine of those innings, he opened the batting; a middle-order role may make things slightly more comfortable. He will also have the happy memory of scoring a hundred in Centurion when India played here two years ago.His bigger challenge, perhaps, will be behind the stumps. While he has been keeping regularly in white-ball cricket, he has done so only once in first-class cricket, in a tour game in England in 2021.

Team news: Will Prasidh make his debut?

Kagiso Rabada (bruised heel) and Lungi Ngidi (ankle sprain) have recovered from their respective injuries and should feature in the playing XI. Keegan Petersen was the Player of the Series when India last toured South Africa, but his stocks have plummeted since then and he will compete with uncapped David Bedingham for a place.South Africa (probable): 1 Dean Elgar, 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Tony de Zorzi, 4 Temba Bavuma (capt), 5 David Bedingham/Keegan Petersen, 6 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Gerald Coetzee, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Lungi NgidiWith rain on the horizon, India are likely to pick Shardul Thakur over R Ashwin. Between Prasidh Krishna and Mukesh Kumar, they could lean towards Prasidh, a hit-the-deck bowler they missed in 2021-22.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Shubman Gill, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 KL Rahul (wk), 6 Shreyas Iyer, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Jasprit Bumrah, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Mohammed SirajVirat Kohli averages 51.35 in Tests in South Africa•PTI

Pitch and conditions: It’s South Africa’s fortress

The pitch at SuperSport Park is one of the fastest in South Africa, and the rain and overcast conditions could make it even spicier. Though Centurion has been South Africa’s fortress, with 22 wins in 28 Tests, India beat them by 113 runs here on their last tour.

Stats and trivia: Kohli stands tall

• Ashwin is 11 wickets away from becoming the ninth bowler to take 500 Test wickets.
• Virat Kohli (51.35) is the only India batter (minimum five innings) to average more than 50 in Tests in South Africa. Sachin Tendulkar is second on the list with 46.44.
• Keshav Maharaj needs 13 wickets to go past Hugh Tayfield’s tally of 170 and become South Africa’s most prolific spinner in Test cricket.
• Bavuma needs three more runs to complete 3000 in Test cricket.
• Shubman Gill is 34 short of 1000 Test runs.

Quotes

“It’s very important two Test matches in terms of where we stand as a team. We have never won a series here so that’s a big opportunity in itself for us to do well here in trying to achieve what nobody [from India] has ever achieved in this part of the world.”
“Playing against India comes with a lot more eyes and a lot more scrutiny in terms of everything we do. So it is accepting that. They are a determined team as well, who want to be able to say they have won a Test series here in South Africa. So with [India having] that extra bit of drive and motivation, we really need to be at our best.”

He was also effusive in praise for left-arm spinner Kuhnemann

Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Feb-20252:48

Steven Smith: ‘A near-flawless performance’

It was the length Australian spinners bowled that helped them take 20 Sri Lanka wickets so easily. This is what the stand-in captain Steven Smith felt after his team inflicted a record innings-and-242-run victory on Sri Lanka in the first Test.The Sri Lanka batters struggled substantially against the spinners, losing 17 wickets to them in Galle. Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann took 9 for 149 in the match, to top the wicket-chart for the series so far.”I just think he bowls nice balls consistently,” Smith said of Kuhnemann. “Left-arm spinners to right-hand batters – it just works in the subcontinent.Related

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“He did a wonderful job when he bowled in India [where he took nine wickets across five innings in early 2023], and he bowled beautifully again in this game. It’s a pretty good effort.”Australia, unusually, played only one frontline seam bowler. Mitchell Starc has an outstanding record in Sri Lanka, but spin nevertheless claimed a bulk of the Sri Lanka wickets to fall in this Test, leaving just three for Starc.”I thought all the spinners worked really well together, and that’s the beauty of having three frontline spin bowlers,” Smith said. “You can sort of chop and change them, and as soon as one’s not looking quite as effective, and the batter gets a bit of a read on them or they get a little bit tired, you put the next one on and wait to see what’s happening.”But, while Australia’s spinners took 17 wickets in the Test, Sri Lanka’s spinners managed only the six.”For me, for [the] spinners it’s more length than pace,” Smith said. “If you can consistently hit a good length, then regardless of what’s going on, you’re going to be in play. If you can get the ball to skid or one to rag – the length where they’re lunging forward and can’t get back to it or they can’t drive at that length. If you’re hitting that consistently, your pace is kind of irrelevant, I think.”Australia scored 654 for 6 declared in the first innings. This is generally a position from which teams tend not to lose, and Australia felt especially confident, considering how quickly the pitch was deteriorating.”I think they lost 7 for 17 [7 for 15] across the day today at one point. It was one of those where it was really tough to start on, and as soon as we got a breakthrough, we always felt we could get another one quickly.”