Bangladesh look to equalise in familiar conditions

Match facts

Friday, January 6, 2017
Start time 1500 local (0200 GMT)0:56

Bangladesh aim to stop the rot

Big Picture

New Zealand will have to adjust well to a slow pitch at the Bay Oval for the second T20 in their bid to seal the series. Bangladesh, lurching from one defeat to the next on this tour so far, can look forward to a better batting and bowling day on a surface that could remind them of home.The home side was forced to make a last-minute change in their squad when they brought in George Worker to replace Neil Broom, who was ruled out through a fractured finger which he sustained during the Napier T20. Broom is expected to be out of action for at least a week.According to NZC, Ross Taylor was “not considered as a possible replacement due to a minor side-strain issue”. Worker will open with captain Kane Williamson, who anchored their 142-run chase in the first T20 with an unbeaten 73. Colin de Grandhomme also batted well while Lockie Ferguson starred with the ball with his two early wickets and the late yorker to Mahmudullah, Bangladesh’s best batsman in Napier.But the likes of Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes have to give Bangladesh a better start. They also need Sabbir Rahman to convert his after getting set. Soumya Sarkar will be under heavy scrutiny, having made 1 and 0 so far on tour. Bangladesh’s bowling also have to get their act together, especially Rubel Hossain who is likely to be given another go despite being expensive in the last game.The visitors have their backs to the wall so bouncing back with a win to level the T20 series would be a timely remedy for a tour that is going wrong.

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first)New Zealand WLWWW
Bangladesh LLLLL

In the spotlight

Mahmudullah finally got into runs on the tour in the first T20 with a half-century that was as attractive as it was necessary for him and the team. He can now be expected to score more runs, especially in the last five overs.Lockie Ferguson made a mostly impressive T20 debut in the first game, taking 3 for 32 including wickets off his first two deliveries. But he was also erratic when looking to bowl too many variations. It will be interesting to see how he bowls with fewer nerves.

Team news

George Worker has been called up and is a like-for-like replacement for the injured Neil Broom. New Zealand could bring back Trent Boult from rest to ensure they have enough in their bowling attack to ensure a series win. Ish Sodhi may also be included in the XI due to the slow nature of the Bay Oval pitch.New Zealand (probable) 1 Kane Williamson (capt), 2 George Worker, 3 Colin Munro, 4 Corey Anderson, 5 Tom Bruce, 6 Luke Ronchi (wk), 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Ben Wheeler/Ish Sodhi, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Matt Henry/Trent BoultIsh Sodhi might find a place in the second T20•AFP

Bangladesh might similarly be tempted to pick left-arm spinner Taijul Islam or offspinner Shuvagata Hom. Taskin Ahmed could be picked too if they want to rest Mustafizur Rahman or drop Rubel Hossain.Bangladesh (probable) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Sabbir Rahman, 4 Shakib Al Hasan, 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Soumya Sarkar, 7 Mosaddek Hossain, 8 Nurul Hasan (wk) 9 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 10 Rubel Hossain, 11 Mustafizur Rahman

Pitch and conditions

In the three Super Smash T20s played at the Bay Oval last month, teams batting first (averaging 142 runs) lost on all three occasions. Traditionally, the pitch here is slow and keeps low. The weather forecast is of a bright sunny day in Mount Maunganui.

Stats and trivia

  • Kane Williamson became the fourth New Zealand batsman to cross 1,000 runs in T20 internationals after Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor.
  • Tuesday’s six-wicket loss in Napier was Bangladesh’s fifth consecutive defeat in T20s, equalling their second-longest losing streak (the first one was during the 2014 World T20). Their longest losing streak is 12 T20s in a row from September 2007 to May 2010.

Quotes

“If we can correct the small mistakes we made in the previous matches then we have a good chance to win the match. I think that we are improving as a team but it’s always a tough challenge away from home.”

Dunk replaces injured Lynn for Sri Lanka series

Chris Lynn will not be part of Australia’s squad for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka starting on February 17. Lynn aggravated his neck injury during training last week, Cricket Australia said, and will be replaced by left-hand batsman Ben Dunk, who finished as the highest-run scorer in the recently concluded Big Bash League.Team physiotherapist Kevin Sims said that Lynn returned to training recently and will be seeing a specialist, following which a timeline for his return could be established.”Chris resumed some light training as part of his rehabilitation but was still unable to function at the level he needs to play international cricket due to his existing neck injury,” Sims said. “He will be seeing a specialist later this week and from there we will have a better understanding of the ongoing management, along with the return to play time frames.”Twenty-nine-year-old Dunk made his Australia debut in the three-match T20I series against South Africa in November 2014 but was subsequently dropped after scores of 2, 23 and 14. Interim national selector Trevor Hohns said Dunk’s selection comes on the back of his consistent performances in the various T20 leagues around the world.”Ben was the highest run-scorer for the Big Bash in the season just gone, amassing a total of 364 runs in just 222 balls faced,” Hohns said. “He has had consistent performances in the BBL, IPL and CPL and also brings international experience to the squad.”The three-match series begins in Melbourne before the teams move to Geelong before concluding in Adelaide on February 22.

India favourites in lopsided tournament

It is an anomaly that the qualifying event for a World Cup in England is being played in Sri Lanka, but that, perhaps, will be the last thing on the minds of the 10 teams fighting to be a part of the biggest event in women’s cricket.In principle, identifying four more contenders to join Australia, England, New Zealand and West Indies for the World Cup in June spells expansion and indicates the drive off the ICC to promote the women’s game. But, there is a serious gulf in the quality of the teams in the Qualifier.Thailand, for example, will be playing their first 50-over game ever on February 8 – and it will be against India, the tournament favourites. Some recent match practice might have helped even the scales, but Thailand, in the last one year, have only played five T20s. The threat posed by Zimbabwe, Papua New Guinea and Scotland seems similarly underwhelming. Expecting a level-playing field in the competition – where three teams from two groups of five will progress to the Super Six stage – would be far-fetched.The Qualifier may well become an opportunity for the bigger sides – India, South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – to get more game time and fine-tune their combinations in preparation for the World Cup. Bangladesh and Ireland, who have been in the fringes of women’s cricket showed sparks of their ability at the World T20 in India last year, would be keen to play the role of a banana skin.The four teams who progress to England will also be a part of the next ICC Women’s Championship table. Considering most of the top-eight nations play a minimum of five ODIs in a series, with three of them counting towards the championship, the new entrants could potentially stand to play a lot more than the 21 games they were guaranteed over a three-year window from 2018 to 2020.Here is a look at all the teams in Qualifier, which begins on February 7, their key players and their chances of making the World Cup.

India

Mithali Raj leads a strong side full of options•International Cricket Council

They are still hurting from a first-round exit in the 2013 World Cup and an inability to make the semi-final of the World T20 in 2016. Mithali Raj and co. could have earned direct entry for the coming World Cup had they beaten Pakistan in a series, but that was a non-starter because of political tensions. India are looking at this tournament as an opportunity to prepare back-ups for the injured opener Smriti Mandhana and their bowling spearhead Jhulan Goswami.Recent form: Won the Asia Cup T20 by beating Pakistan in the final in Bangkok in December with Raj making an unbeaten half-century in the chase. Prior to that, they beat West Indies in the three-match ODI series at home, but lost the T20Is.Chances of making it: A largely spin-based attack will thrive on Sri Lankan pitches. Add a much-improved batting unit, and they have every chance of making the final.

South Africa

Legspinner Sune Luus was the highest ODI wicket-taker in 2016•Getty Images/ICC

At the World Cup in 2013, they were the rank outsiders who made it past the group stages. At the World T20 that followed, they made their first-ever semi-final. Those performances earned them a Test, a direct sign of improvement in women’s cricket, later that year. Having failed to make the semi-finals of the World T20 in 2016, the team has had a change of guard with Dane van Niekerk, who made her debut as a 15-year old, taking over the captaincy across formats from Mignon du Preez. If their warm-up performance, where they shot out a strong Indian batting line-up for 155, is anything go by, they will be more than a handful.Recent form: They gained valuable match-time in subcontinent conditions beating Bangladesh 4-1 last month. In October, they registered their first-ever ODI win over New Zealand, but eventually lost the series 5-2.Chances of making it: Their sheer athleticism in the field, and a largely improved bowling attack that has had vital contributions from spinners recently – Sune Luus finished as the top ODI wicket-taker last year, with 37 in 22 matches at an average of 20.40 – make them a definite threat in conditions that may not be too alien, after all.

Pakistan

Pakistan nearly made it to the semi-final of the World T20 last year•IDI/Getty Images

In 2011, the PCB managed to do what even bigger boards like Australia and England did much later: 19 top cricketers were awarded central contracts following their Asian Games gold-medal performance in Guangzhou. At the World T20 last year, improvements surfaced when they came within touching distance of a semi-final. At the World Cup in 2013, they were merely looking at “gaining experience.” Now, they want a lot more.Recent form: They beat Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Thailand en route to the Asia Cup final, which they lost to India. Prior to that, they were whitewashed 5-0 in the ODIs in New Zealand. The improvements from their point of view: they topped 220 in two matches, and then ran the hosts close in the only T20I on tour.Chances of making it: Their opening game against South Africa on February 7 could likely determine the group toppers. Should make it into the Super Six stage, but have to be vary of Bangladesh, who recently beat South Africa to register their first ODI win over a Full Member.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka depent on Chamari Atapattu for most of their batting firepower•IDI/Getty Images

They need to look no further than their 2013 World Cup exploits in India, where they ousted the hosts and beat England to qualify for the second round. Familiarity of conditions will be an advantage, but their batting has regressed. Lack of power hitters and fitness that was rated by their own coach Hemantha Devapriya as “not up to standard” makes them vulnerable to meltdowns.They are over-reliant on Chamari Atapattu, the only Sri Lankan to score two ODI centuries in women’s cricket. Absence of a proper domestic structure has resulted in them having to learn on the job in international cricket.Recent form: Sri Lanka made totals of 168, 173 and 161 in the first three ODIs against England. Against Australia, they passed 150 just once in four ODIs. They lost both series. The defeat to Bangladesh in the Asia Cup T20 further exposed how much ground they have lost.Chances of making it: The lack of wins recently makes it a question of form v confidence. They could face stiff competition from Ireland for the second spot in the group stages.

The other contenders

Ireland, semi-professionals fighting for recognition, will bring into the tournament their experience from the World T20 in India last year. With money being pumped into their development activities and teams visiting their shores ahead of tours of England, players are finally getting good exposure. That some of them have earned contracts with Women’s Big Bash League frachises through ICC’s Associate Rookie Programme – Kim Garth, who featured for Sydney Sixers in the final two weeks ago – is an indication of how far the sport has come.As things stand, Ireland are the best-placed among the sides that don’t yet have international status to make the World Cup. Bangladesh may also be in the hunt for a Super-Six berth, but for Zimbabwe, Thailand, Papua New Guinea and Scotland, this will be an opportunity to understand where they stand on the global stage and what they need to do to bridge the gap.

Annual award named after Heyhoe-Flint

The ICC has announced the annual award for the leading woman cricketer will be named after the former England captain Rachael Heyhoe-Flint who died in January aged 77.Heyhoe-Flint played 22 Tests and 23 ODIs for England and was the first woman to be inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame.She was integral to the launch of the first Women’s World Cup in 1973 – two years ahead of the men’s event – in which she captained England to victory.The announcement came on the day the 2017 Women’s World Cup, which will be staged in England, was launched with confirmation of the fixtures.

Parry and Kerrigan leave Surrey in a spin

ScorecardIn days of yore, the sight of two spinners bowling in tandem, scuttling through their overs like squirrels scurrying up a tree, was commonplace on the county circuit. No longer. As surfaces offering prodigious turn have become rarer and ever-more matches shunted to the margins of the season, most counties have come to regard one specialist spinner as ample, and often got by without even that.But on a chilly April afternoon at The Oval, Stephen Parry and Simon Kerrigan provided a throwback to this bygone age. In an age of indolent over rates, bustling though overs can flummox batsmen, as Somerset found out in their title push last summer. Parry and Kerrigan, Lancashire’s two left-arm spinners, combined with a wall of close-in fielders to render Surrey’s batsmen comatose and confused; they conceded just four runs in 14 overs after lunch while two wickets fell.There was no prodigious turn, but the pair bowled an unrelenting line, varied their pace and bounce subtly and obtained just enough spin to provide a persistent menace. It made for beguiling cricket, and the six wickets shared by Parry and Kerrigan in the day put Lancashire in a position from which they could secure an unlikely victory.This was just Parry’s 12th first-class game since making his debut a full decade ago. He has won acclaim for his left-arm darts in limited-overs cricket, which have earned seven England caps and a Big Bash stint, yet has steadfastly rejected the temptation to specialise in T20 cricket.At the start of the summer it had been almost three years since Parry’s last first-class match. Selected ahead of Kerrigan as Lancashire’s frontline spinner at Chelmsford last week, he vindicated the decision by taking 5 for 80 from 48.2 overs in the match, even if he could not quite bowl Lancashire to victory on the final day.No one who saw Parry here, his precision rewarded by Kumar Sangakkara flicking nonchalantly to mid-on, Gareth Batty lofting the ball to mid-off in pursuit of the two Surrey needed to save the follow on, and then Mark Footitt trapped on the crease next delivery, would have marked him out as a white-ball specialist.Kerrigan will not have fond memories of The Oval: it was here, four years ago, that he was eviscerated by Australia, in what remains his only eight overs in Test cricket.Yet he gave a hint of what had led England to select him. Kerrigan would have particularly cherished the wicket of Zafar Ansari. He twice cut Ansari open, the ball spinning through a gap between bat and pad and agonisingly over the unprotected stumps. Soon, these pyrrhic victories translated into something altogether more tangible: Ansari’s leg stump demolished by a ball that turned deliciously between his groping bat and pad while he appeared confused over whether to play forward or back.Kerrigan sunk to his knees in joy: seldom does a left-arm spinner enjoy a moment of such perfection. Earlier, Ben Foakes had been yorked by a quicker delivery.And, just before the close, Kerrigan produced another fine delivery, turning just enough to invite Rory Burns’ edge. It left Lancashire to revel in how they had turned a position of 122 for 6 on the first afternoon into one from which they had enforced the follow on and could yet press for victory on the final day. The pitch is far from malign, but there are small pockets of footmarks against Surrey’s left-handers and two spinners with the confidence to exploit them.Parry and Kerrigan emphatically outbowled Surrey’s own spin twins, both of whom played Test cricket last winter. The wicket of Dominic Sibley, run-out after a funereal 86-ball 10, spoke of how such unrelenting spin bowler can frazzle batsmen’s minds.There had been no hint of what was to come as Burns and Sangakkara marked a bright morning with some sumptuous shot-making. Burns, as is his wont, favoured three shots – the drive, often square of the wicket; the cut; and the leg-side flick – while some of Sangakkara’s extra cover driving was so sweet it deserved to be wrapped inside an Easter egg.All was serene, as the two added 99 at almost four runs an over, until, incongruously, Burns nibbled at a delivery from Kyle Jarvis. His slow trudge off, first looking to the skies and then solemnly at his feet as he climbed the stairs to return to the dressing room, spoke of his huge frustration: Burns had played terrifically for 91, yet his work was unfinished.It was in keeping with an infuriating trend. Burns is respected throughout the circuit, as a first-class average in excess of 40 demands, but if he is to win the international acclaim that Surrey believe he is deserving of, he must dispel his propensity not to convert half-centuries. Since the start of 2016, Burns has passed 50 11 times in Division One Championship cricket but only made two centuries; an outstanding return for most, but not quite persuasive enough for the England selectors. That might change soon, just not tomorrow.

Parry gets Lancashire home with ball to spare

ScorecardStephen Parry helped Lancashire sneak victory [file picture]•Getty Images

Lancashire chased down a revised 18-over target of 161 to beat Derbyshire in a thriller at Blackpool and significantly boost their hopes of qualification for the knockout stage of the Royal London One-Day Cup.Rain affected this North Group clash between two mid-table sides both hoping to seal a top-three berth.Derbyshire, invited to bat, initially posted 132 for 2 from 21.3 overs before their innings was ended by the weather shortly before 3pm.When play resumed at 5.30pm, the Lightning’s task was a stiff one. But Stephen Parry was their hero with 22 not out off nine balls as he helped take 27 off the last two overs, winning by three wickets with a delivery to spare.The Lightning have now won three on the bounce, and two more wins will see them qualify.Alex Davies and Karl Brown got Lancashire’s chase off to a flyer with an opening stand of 42 in 5.1 overs. Davies hit two boundaries in the first over from Ben Cotton before Brown hoisted the same bowler over long-on for six as 39 came off the first four overs.But Shiv Thakor, who had earlier hit a powerful 38 off 33 balls, then made the breakthrough when he had Davies caught at deep midwicket for 21.Liam Livingstone hammered a four and a six, over wide long-on, off the leg-spin of Jeevan Mendis early in the eighth over, but the Sri Lankan got his man as he miscued a catch to the same area.The hosts, who needed 96 off the last 10 overs, lost their third and fourth wickets in the 10th and 11th as the score fell to 81 for four, handing the hosts the definite advantage. Dane Vilas hammered a return catch to Thakor and leg-spinner Matt Critchley bowled Brown for 39.Mendis, who later left the field with a nasty looking hand injury, claimed his second, Jordan Clark stumped, as the score fell to 95 for 5 in the 13th. The target then became 60 off the last five: Derbyshire looked slight favouritesRyan McLaren hit a couple of sixes to take that to 32 off the last three before being bowled by Thakor.Haseeb Hameed was run out two balls later as Lancashire fell to 135 for 7. But Parry and captain Steven Croft, unbeaten on 26, dramatically turned the tide, with Parry hitting three boundaries in three balls off Hardus Viljoen in the penultimate over.Earlier, opener Ben Slater, fresh from scores of 30, 72, 43 and 82 in his last four innings in this competition, added a run-a-ball unbeaten 60 for the Falcons.Lancashire’s bowlers were put under pressure either side of two rain delays before the third came midway through the afternoon.Slater reached 50 in as many balls, but only after he had lost opening partner and captain Billy Godleman caught at long-leg off a short ball from Clark, leaving the score at 59 for 1 in the 12th.Clark later left the field with a suspected side injury, something which did not prevent him from batting.Thakor hit Clark and James Anderson for two huge leg-side sixes out of Stanley Park to really boost the visitors. But he was stumped off the off-spin of Croft in the 22nd over as the score fell to 128 for 2.Only two more balls were bowled in the innings. Derbyshire are now unlikely to qualify with two games remaining, although they are not mathematically out.

Reckless Glamorgan no match for leaders

ScorecardLuke Fletcher took four Glamorgan wickets [file picture]•Getty Images

Nottinghamshire assumed total control on day two of their Specsavers’ County Championship game against Glamorgan at the SSE Swalec in Cardiff.Having reached 448 all out with the bat, thanks to half centuries from Chris Read and Brett Hutton, they bowled out Glamorgan for 187 and will choose overnight whether or not to enforce the follow on.The Welsh county have yet to win a four-day game this season and on the evidence of their performance on day two, a change of fortune looks highly unlikely. In fact, if they attempt as many high risk shots in their second innings as they did in the first, they will do well to take the game past tea.Aneurin Donald, Glamorgan’s only batsman to pass 50, said: “I felt pretty good out there, but it was criminal to get out in the way I did and when I did. We bowled well for two sessions on Friday and then we lost our way a bit. Today we stuffed up with the bat and didn’t get the job done.”Although the morning’s play was fragmented due to a couple of heavy rain showers and injuries to both Read and Hutton, Notts arrived at lunch on 389 for 6. Hutton, who was struck on the head by Marchant de Lange was the more aggressive of the two players, whilst Read, who reached his 50 off 71 balls with eight fours and a six, thereafter set off in careful pursuit of a three figures.After an early lunch had been taken due to heavy rain, the seventh wicket pair upped the tempo with Read, who was forced to have a runner after damaging a hip, playing a secondary role to Hutton who passed 50 from 80 balls, with six fours.Read eventually departed, at 427 for 7, caught by Will Bragg off the bowling of Lukas Carey for 88 and thereafter, Glamorgan enjoyed their most productive spell of thye day.Stuart Broad was bowled by Colin Ingram for seven, Hutton top-edged Carey to de Lange at backward point for 61 and Harry Gurney was comprehensively bowled by Timm van der Gutgen for one.Van der Gutgen was the pick of the Glamorgan bowlers, finishing with figures of 5 for 101. Carey helped himself to 3 for 100.Keen to make early inroads, with the ball, Notts took less than eight overs to make the initial breakthrough. Luke Fletcher, bowling from the River End, had Nick Selman caught behind by stand-in wicket keeper Rikki Wessels for 7. Thereafter, Glamorgan lost wickets at regular intervals.Bragg committed cricketing suicide when running himself out for five at 20 for 2 and though the host county were only two wickets down at tea, their plight worsened thereafter.Ingram departed for nine, caught by Steven Mullaney off Hutton at 47 for 3, before captain Jacques Rudolph (25) edged Gurney to Wessels at 51 for 4.David Lloyd and Donald batted with a degree of aggression and application to take the Welsh county past the 100 mark in the 34th over, but after Lloyd was caught at slip by Mullaney off the bowling of Broad, for 34, Chris Cooke had his off stump knocked back by the England seamer to leave Glamorgan on 125 for 6.Any faint hope Glamorgan might have had of avoiding the follow on disappeared when Donald (53) pulled Fletcher to the mid wicket boundary where substitute Luke Wood pulled off a remarkable one handed catch.De Lange followed, caught in a similar position, by Cheteshwar Pujara at 158 for 8 and after van der Gutgen gifted Samit Patel his first wicket, shortly after, Carey was last man out at 187, leaving Notts with a first innings lead of 261.

Sky Sports, BBC secure new ECB broadcasting deal

English cricket will return to the BBC for the first time in more than two decades, with Sky Sports holding off the challenge of BT Sports to extend its coverage of the sport for at least another seven years, after the ECB announced the results of its broadcasting auction for 2020-2024.The new deal, worth £1.1 billion over a five-year period, cements Sky Sports’ position as the home of live cricket broadcasting in England and Wales, a role they have held since becoming the ECB’s exclusive broadcast partner in 2006.However, the return of the BBC to live cricket broadcasting for the first time since 1999 is a recognition of the sport’s need to re-engage with a wider audience.From 2020, they will broadcast two men’s and one women’s T20 internationals per year, as well as ten matches from the ECB’s new domestic T20 competition, and eight from the women’s. They have also extended their radio broadcasting deal, and secured primetime evening highlights and digital clip rights.”This is a great result for cricket,” Tom Harrison, the ECB chairman, said. “ECB has secured the reach, revenue and relevance the game deserves, to help it to grow.”Together, these new deals will deliver the partnership, distribution and investment that will fuel the future of our game, driving recreational, professional and international cricket for years to come.”Right through this process we’ve been excited to witness a fresh approach to the game and what it offers. This has transformed our relationships and our media deals. I want to thank everyone who has talked with us, shown their enthusiasm and added to our vision for the future.”Colin Graves, ECB Chairman, added: “Through these exceptional new partnerships with Sky Sports and BBC we have a unique opportunity to give cricket a very bright future.”It is vital that the game now takes time to plan ahead and invest strategically in all the right places. The ECB Board will lead on this, working closely with all of our stakeholders at every level of the game.”The professional players – the men and women who entertain us, inspire people to play and draw us to the grounds – will rightly be part of these conversations.”

Vipers reach KSL final after helping hand

Mignon du Preez took Vipers to a defendable total•ICC/Getty Images

Reigning champions Southern Vipers are through to the final of this year’s competition after an unexpected end to the group stages of the Kia Super League.Vipers did their bit by ending Yorkshire Diamonds’ hopes of joining them at Finals Day when they won by 30 runs at Arundel.Meanwhile, Surrey Stars’ unexpected defeat to Loughborough Lightning meant Vipers overtook Surrey to finish top of the group. They will play the winners of Surrey’s clash with Western Storm at Finals Day at Hove next Friday.Vipers made 138 for 6 after they were put in on a slow pitch. Diamonds began their reply promisingly but from 31 for 0 in the third over they collapsed horribly, losing five wickets for just four runs in 18 balls. Katherine Brunt top scored with 42 but they were bowled out for 108 in the 19th over.For once Vipers’ batting fired without the prolific Suzie Bates. The New Zealander was brilliantly caught at long on for 12 in the fourth over by Sune Luus but her fellow overseas players made up for her rare failure.Opening partner Hayley Matthews scored 40 off 38 balls with three fours and two sixes, both struck cleanly down the ground, before Mignon du Preez went to her first half-century in the tournament from 35 just deliveries. The South African hit six fours as Vipers accelerated towards the end, scoring 37 in the final four overs.Katie Levick picked up two wickets in the last over to finish with 3 for 21 but a target of 139 on a slow pitch was always going to test Yorkshire, even though Linsey Smith’s absence, after she suffered an asthma attack before the start, left them a specialist bowler short.They began well with Sri Lankan Chamari Atapattu hitting two fours and two sixes in the first four overs. But when Lauren Winfield was smartly stumped by Carla Rudd off Arran Brindle the innings went into steep decline. Luus was run out two balls later then Bates claimed the key wicket of Atapattu (21), who was leg before swinging across the line. Sophie Devine fell in similar fashion and Yorkshire were 35 for 5 when Jenny Gunn was bowled round her legs by Tara Norris.Brunt hit eight fours to keep Diamonds in with a chance but when she was run out backing up too far by Bates’ deflection onto the stumps in the 17th over Yorkshire’s race was run.

Lyon, Warner power series-saving Australia victory

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Isam: Lyon’s spell one of the best in Bangladesh

History beckoned for Bangladesh this week, but it was the indefatigable Nathan Lyon who chose Chittagong to make plenty of his own and thus earn Australia a share of the series on a dramatic fourth day. Asian Test matches often move slowly before reaching a quick conclusion, and the visitors showed how much their knowledge of the game in this part of the world has grown by seizing the moment to pressure Bangladesh and emerge victorious with no little flourish.A sensational collapse from the hosts left Australia a target of 86 to level the series•AFP

Peter Handscomb and Glenn Maxwell took charge of a small target in fading light, after Lyon had made the sprint finish possible by scooping his third six-wicket haul in succession and scooping up a hatful of records in the process. Not least of these was the best haul by an Australian bowler in a two match series, a terrific 22 wickets, surpassing spin luminaries such as Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill.

ICC Test team rankings

1. India (125 points)
2. South Africa (110)
3. England (105)
4. New Zealand (97)
5. Australia (97)
6. Pakistan (93)
7. Sri Lanka (90)
8. West Indies (75)
9. Bangladesh (74)
10. Zimbabwe (0)

Lyon’s mastery of flight, change of pace, spin and bounce were a delight to watch, and also a reminder of how the art of spin bowling is most often learned gradually over a period of years. Six years after claiming the wicket of Kumar Sangakkara with his very first ball in Test cricket on a crusty surface in Galle, Lyon is very much the finished article, with only and Lance Gibbs ahead of him among the most prolific classical offspinners in history. (Muttiah Muralitharan was, really, more of the unorthodox variety)Much credit was also due to Pat Cummins, who used his pace and fire to great effect in a pair of impactful spells as Australia’s only selected quick. The wickets of Soumya Sarkar and the captain Mushfiqur Rahim were reward, too, for how bravely he had toiled on the first day, when the Australians gained a foothold in the match by restricting Bangladesh on a pitch that offered precious little before growing friendlier to bowlers of all types as the match went on.Bangladesh needed only a draw to claim their first ever series win over Australia and only the fourth in their 17 years as a Test match nation, but ultimately lost control of proceedings when the Australians pressed. Victory for Smith’s side prevented the visitors from sinking to sixth in the ICC world rankings ahead of a home Ashes series.For all their prickly on-field posturing, Bangladesh had entered the Test with a strategy of conservatism aimed at securing that draw, perhaps with an eye on an unpromising weather forecast that ultimately only robbed the contest of one full session throughout. They dawdled at times with the bat on day one, and then did little to pressure a noticeably fatigued Handscomb on the second evening when, as was later proven, the Australian middle order beyond him was still highly vulnerable.All that will be a lesson to Mushfiqur’s team, while at the same time the standard of the two-match contest suggested Bangladesh will in future merit a third Test and also a more comprehensive preparation for Australia. Lyon had been quickly dismissed when play resumed half an hour early due to Wednesday’s showers, Lyon snicking Mustafizur Rahman with plenty of carry through to the slips. Cummins was likewise able to get plenty of vertical assistance when he took the new ball, while Lyon started up his spell from the other end.Soumya Sarkar did not last long before edging a well-directed Cummins delivery from around the wicket, the ball sailing comfortably through to Matt Renshaw at first slip. Tamim Iqbal seemed intent on taking the attack to Lyon, but misjudged his opponent’s flight, dip and spin to find himself stranded down the wicket as the ball turned past him. Matthew Wade still had plenty to do as the ball bounced high, but gloved it cleanly and completed an excellent stumping.Only five more runs had been added when Imrul Kayes was confounded by a Lyon delivery that turned, bounced and also held in the pitch, resulting in an ineffectual forcing stroke that spooned gently to Glenn Maxwell at cover. Australian celebrations grew still more triumphant when Shakib Al Hasan was unable to cover Lyon’s overspin and bounce, the ball flying from the shoulder of the bat into the hands of a helmeted David Warner at second slip.At the other end Nasir Hossain seemed intent on driving anything Steve O’Keefe tossed up – despite plenty of turn – before a straighter delivery also jumped and flew off an edge high on the bat to Smith at slip. O’Keefe had clearly not forgotten Hossain’s mimic of Nigel Llong’s raised finger to dismiss Cummins the night before, offering the “shhh” gesture to the vanquished batsman.At that point Bangladesh were 43 for five and still 29 runs in deficit. But Mushfiqur and Sabbir were able to staunch some of the bleeding, helped by a successful appeal against a Llong lbw verdict from O’Keefe’s bowling due to an inside edge, then next ball a decidedly optimistic review of another lbw appeal that was found to be well outside the line. Tensions were high between both sides, leading the umpire Ian Gould to counsel Mushfiqur to cool down in the final over of a hectic morning.The Bangladeshi pair continued to live dangerously when play resumed, as a series of reverse-sweep attempts failed to make contact and left the ball to spin agonisingly close to the stumps before going for byes. This was no fault of Wade, who maintained a very strong Test match behind the stumps by staying low to complete another stumping when Sabbir left his crease to Lyon and was beaten by a lack of bounce.Mushfiqur’s second long innings of the match gave Bangladesh the merest glimmer of a defendable lead, but the return of Cummins brought another sharply bouncing delivery and a thin edge through to Wade. Cummins’ spell was fast and hostile, causing further pain for Mehidy Hasan when a short ball struck his thumb and then went on to clatter the grill of his helmet – the contact so firm that it knocked the neck guard off his helmet.While Mehidy endured bravely, Mominul Haque top edged a sweep at Lyon, leaving Cummins to run in from backward square leg and claim a terrific catch a few centimetres above the ground as he dived forward. The innings did not last long after tea, as Lyon slid a quicker ball through the defences of Taijul Islam, his 13th wicket of the match, before a similar offering from O’Keefe defeated the last man Mustafizur.Left with a minimum 20 overs plus an extra half hour to chase the runs, the Australians wasted little time, though wickets fell at a rate that suggested a target of around 150 would have been extremely challenging. David Warner, whose hundreds in successive innings showed his own process of Asian adaptation, was bounced out for the second time in the match, before Smith and Matt Renshaw edged the spinning ball behind.However Handscomb and Maxwell were in no mood to let the match drag on into the final day, using their feet and picking gaps. Maxwell ended it with a mighty six, ensuring that Lyon’s brilliance was not wasted in a losing cause.The drawn series, though, meant Australia dropped to fifth on the ICC Test team rankings, falling behind New Zealand on decimal points, while Bangladesh remained ninth.

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