All posts by n8rngtd.top

Virat Kohli said India’s players had reached a stage where they could no longer be content with learning from every performance, but needed to start dominating Test matches regularly to become a better team

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Antigua25-Jul-20163:19

‘Probably the perfect finish’ – Kohli

Bat once, bat big, bowl the opposition out twice, and achieve all of this inside four days. In the first innings, the fast bowlers take eight out of ten wickets. In the second, the spinners take eight out of ten. India were expected to win, and keep winning, when they arrived in the West Indies, but they may not have expected to start the series with a win that ticked off every box to make up the perfect Test-match template.Virat Kohli, India’s captain, couldn’t have been more pleased with the manner in which his team went 1-0 up in the four-Test series. He said India’s players had reached a stage where they could no longer be content with learning from every performance, but needed to start dominating Test matches regularly.”If you look at it logically, that’s probably the perfect finish, which every team looks for,” he said. “The seamers usually dominate the first innings when you play away from home. The wicket tires out on day four and five. That’s when the spinners come into play. In the first innings, spinners are taking couple of the breakthrough wickets. In the second innings, fast bowlers are doing this for you and then the spinners will open it up again.”I think it was wonderful partnership bowling by all our bowlers in the two innings. And the batsmen as well. We have spoken about one thing, that we have the skill and ability to declare innings more often than not rather than struggling to get to 350 with our lower order. So that’s the kind of mindset we need to play with.”You know when you start off with five batsmen, obviously you need to take more responsibility. I think they are all good enough to do that. As I’ve said before, we are not at a stage now where we need to come and improve. We should be ready enough in international cricket to start dominating Test matches and win those crucial situations and sessions. That’s how we become a better team.”If you think we are going to keep learning every series, learning every game, we will never get that hunger and that mindset to win games from difficult situations. We need to challenge ourselves a little bit, which this team has been willing to do and which is a wonderful sign. The way we finished the Test, it all panned out pretty nicely.”R Ashwin was the standout Indian bowler on the fourth day, finishing with figures of 7 for 83 as West Indies’ second innings folded half an hour after tea. While Kohli hailed Ashwin’s bowling, he said Amit Mishra had also played an important role at the other end.”It was a very good effort from the bowlers [to spend two days on the field and bowl West Indies out twice],” he said. “The good thing was that we didn’t bowl that much in the first innings, so everyone’s mindset in the second innings was, yes, we can bowl again.”[It] becomes crucial to have bowlers who can get you those one or two wickets at the end. Their role becomes big. If you end up bowling 15-20 extra overs [in the first innings], this doubt comes into your mind whether you can start [bowling again] or not.”I think [the first innings] ended at a perfect time for us last evening, and then we got 13-14 overs and got a wicket again, so it was good to get some rest in the evening, and the bowlers’ attitude was very good, all of them voluntarily said, yes, we’ll bowl, and the spinners took the responsibility.”They knew the fast bowlers had done a lot of bowling in the first innings, so we’ll have to take that responsibility. Ashwin obviously bowled very well, and Mishra also bowled very well but didn’t get wickets. But both kept the pressure on, and we talk about partnership bowling – that was a classic example, that the spinners didn’t have to bowl that much in the first innings, but took the responsibility from the fast bowlers in the second innings, and did the job fully.”Kohli also felt the team needed to avoid losing wickets close to breaks in play and try and bowl the lower order out quicker•AFP

When India came back after sealing the win, Kohli said Anil Kumble, their head coach, made “special mention” to players whose contributions may not have leaped out of the scorecard.”In the first innings, four wickets each to Umesh [Yadav] and [Mohammed] Shami, but the way Ishant [Sharma] bowled and Mishi picking up those two wickets in the end also played an important role,” Kohli said, when asked to elaborate on these contributions. “Otherwise you have to play the guys who have bowled a bulk of the bowling and tire them out more for those final two wickets.”There the guy who takes the wickets at the end finishes off the game and helps the other bowlers stay fresh. Someone like Ishant maintained the pressure, the run-rate did not go beyond two in the first innings. All those things count massively in the course of the game. This morning, Umesh getting one wicket for us, Ishant an important breakthrough last evening. These are the moments that don’t get much attention but they are very important to winning a Test match.”Despite the ease of the win, and the range of contributions, Kohli felt there were still areas India needed to improve in. One of these – which he had mentioned before the Test match as well – was to avoid losing wickets close to breaks in play.”I think [there are] a couple of areas with the bat we can improve on, especially not losing wickets close to the breaks,” he said. “I think we did that three times. [Cheteshwar] Pujara was one, Shikhar [Dhawan] was the other, just before tea [on the first day], and then myself soon after lunch on day two.”See, these are the things, which if we have enough runs on the board and start scoring quickly, you tend to ignore these things. But I have that it in my mind pretty strongly because every team will want to challenge you strongly and will want to dry those runs out. So you have to capitalise [on] those important moments so the team doesn’t lose that momentum and can start scoring runs again.”We’ve lost wickets in those moments previously. That’s one area I still think we need to tighten up a little bit more if we want to be in complete control of things in all the sessions that we play. We’ve done really well in this game, but that’s one area we have addressed before and we certainly want to improve on.”Another area in need of improvement, he said, was to try and bowl the lower order out quicker. West Indies raised their score from 144 for 7 to 243 in the first innings, and from 132 for 8 to 231 in the second.”That’s an area we need to address. It also happens that you take the top-order wickets quickly, so you become a little desperate to keep taking wickets, and forget the things that got you those initial wickets. It becomes very important that the fielders also stay relaxed, don’t get frustrated, and bowlers also don’t get frustrated.”It’s important that we still keep bowling in consistent areas. If you’re getting the pure batsmen out, you don’t need to do anything different to get the tailenders out. That’s one thing we’ll have to play out smartly in the remaining Test matches, so that we save our energy, and don’t end up bowling 8-10 extra overs, and if we get the tail out quickly, that’s a good habit as well, so obviously we’ll plan and see how we can do this. We’ll look to keep playing the same kind of cricket, and if we get the opportunity to win each match, we’ll try to win each match.”

Bangladesh bowlers Arafat Sunny and Taskin Ahmed expressed hope that their bowling actions would be cleared after testing at the ICC-accredited Brisbane National Cricket Centre

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Sep-2016Bangladesh bowlers Arafat Sunny and Taskin Ahmed expressed hope that their bowling actions would be cleared as they departed for Brisbane to undergo testing at the ICC-accredited Brisbane National Cricket Centre. Both bowlers were suspended from bowling in international cricket during the World T20 earlier this year.The duo, who will be accompanied by Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, will have a couple of days to train ahead of their tests on September 8. Taskin is set to appear for the biomechanics test at 10am, while Sunny will undergo his test at 2pm.The results of the tests will be made available within ten to twelve days, giving both bowlers the hope of appearing for Bangladesh in the upcoming series against Afghanistan and England.”We have been toiling hard for the last few months,” Sunny said. “The review committee, our coaching staff and team-mates have all inspired us. Our bowling actions are better. But there will be pressure as it is indeed a matter of an examination. Hopefully, if we can do our work properly, we will come back to international cricket.”Taskin struck a more upbeat note, and hoped the hard work he had put in since April would pay off.”We are going with a positive mindset,” Taskin said. “We are, of course, excited and optimistic that we will come back with positive results. We seek everyone’s blessings so that we can return to international cricket from the next home series. I believe we have put enough effort in the last four to five months.”The coach and local experts have supported us. In the last four months, [Mahbub Ali] Zaki sir worked with me. Our head coach will be there with us. Hopefully it will give additional inspiration. The senior players also supported us mentally. We will breeze through the test if the blessings from all are with us.”Taskin and Sunny were both reported for suspect bowling actions during the World T20, and were suspended following a test at an ICC-accredited centre in Chennai.

The full fixture lists for South Africa’s and West Indies’ tours of England next summer have been confirmed by the ECB, with ten different counties hosting tour matches in the course of the season

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Sep-2016The full fixture lists for South Africa’s and West Indies’ tours of England next summer have been confirmed by the ECB, with ten different counties hosting tour matches in the course of the season, as well as an expanded programme of matches for England Lions in both red- and white-ball cricket.Sussex and Northamptonshire will each host South Africa in one-day warm-up games ahead of the three-match ODI series in May, with Leicestershire scheduled to host a T20 tour match if South Africa fail to reach the final of the Champions Trophy in June.South Africa’s preparations for their four-match Test series will include a three-day game against England Lions at Worcester, while the Lions are also due to take on South Africa A in three one-day games, one at Trent Bridge and two at Northampton, before a four-day unofficial Test at Canterbury.South Africa A’s month-long tour will also include a four-day game at Arundel – a ground with a long tradition of hosting international sides.Later in the season, Essex, Kent and Derbyshire will each stage three-day tour matches against West Indies as part of the tourists’ build-up to their three-match Test series. Leicestershire will also host the tourists in a two-day tour match, if they are not involved in the NatWest Blast T20 Finals’ Day.Tom Harrison, the ECB’s chief executive, said: “We’re very pleased to have agreed such a comprehensive touring programme for 2017 – a schedule which will provide fans with even more opportunities to see two international teams in action at county grounds; and help our Lions players test themselves against high quality opposition in both red and white-ball cricket.”With this country also hosting the ICC Champions Trophy and the ICC Women’s World Cup next season, 2017 promises to be a hugely exciting summer of cricket – and a strong platform to promote our sport to an even wider and more diverse audience.”

Ken Higgs, the former England, Lancashire and Leicestershire seam bowler, has died aged 79

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2016Ken Higgs, the former England, Lancashire and Leicestershire seam bowler, has died aged 79.Remembered for his stamina and angular run-up, Higgs played only 15 Tests for England but claimed 71 wickets at 20.74. For Lancashire, he took more than 1000 first-class wickets and, after retiring in 1969, he was persuaded to return to playing by Leicestershire, for whom his last appearance came at the age of 49.He was renowned for getting out top-order batsmen and his most successful series for England saw him take 24 wickets against West Indies in 1966. Overall, he took 1536 first-class wickets and a further 355 in List A cricket.”We are deeply saddened by the news that Ken has passed away,” Leicestershire chairman, Paul Hayward, said. “I had the great pleasure of playing alongside Ken and he was a truly great bowler who had a wonderful career record. Ken was well-respected by everyone at Leicestershire County Cricket Club and we would like to offer our condolences and best wishes to his family.”Originally from Staffordshire, Higgs made his name at Lancashire, opening the bowling alongside Brian Statham. He took 7 for 36 on his Championship debut and claimed more than 100 wickets in a season on five occasions. He was named one of ‘s Five Cricketers of the Year in 1968.He won his first England cap in 1965, in Statham’s last Test, and took eight wickets against South Africa. Alongside a knack for wicket-taking and a parsimonious economy rate, he produced a memorable contribution with the bat to help England win the final Test at The Oval against West Indies in 1966, putting on 128 – two runs shy of the world record – for the last wicket with John Snow.The flags at Old Trafford were flying at half-mast on Wednesday, ahead of England’s T20 match against Pakistan. A club statement said: “We are very sad to hear of the passing of former Lancashire bowler Ken Higgs. Our thoughts are with his family at this time.”Having left Lancashire in 1969, to be the cricket professional at Rishton and run a boarding house in Blackpool, Higgs was talked out of retirement by Mike Turner and moved to play for Leicestershire from 1972. He took 4 for 10, including a hat-trick, in the 1974 Benson & Hedges Cup final – although Leicestershire lost – and a few years later scored 98 batting a No. 11, during what remains a club record partnership of 228 with Ray Illingworth.Higgs went on to captain and coach the county, as well as making sporadic appearances until he was almost 50. In 1986, his final season, he managed a 50th five-wicket haul.A promising footballer, he was an England Youth international and signed for Port Vale – although he never represented them at senior level. He is survived by two sons, Paul and Terry.

Misbah-ul-Haq has hailed Pakistan’s bowlers for the effort they have put in to win matches on the slow and batting-friendly pitches they have often had to play on in the UAE

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Oct-20161:53

West Indies lose eight out of eight in UAE

Misbah-ul-Haq has hailed Pakistan’s bowlers for the effort they have put in to win matches on the slow and batting-friendly pitches they have often had to play on in the UAE. Pakistan’s 133-run win in the second Test against West Indies in Abu Dhabi was their eighth win in their last 11 Tests in their adopted home.

Pakistan name unchanged squad

Pakistan named an unchanged squad for the third Test against West Indies, starting October 30 in Sharjah. Pakistan had named a 14-man squad for the first Test, played under lights in Dubai, before adding Younis Khan for the second Test in Abu Dhabi, after he recovered from a bout of dengue. Pakistan won both Tests and lead the series 2-0.

“Thanks to almighty . It wasn’t easy,” Misbah said, after Pakistan sealed their tenth series win under his captaincy. “I mean, on wickets like that, getting 20 wickets is always a challenge, and I think the bowlers just lived up to the expectations.”They worked really hard, especially Yasir Shah [who had match figures of 10 for 210], and the fast bowlers also contributed well on this pitch, and I think that was a big achievement, getting 20 wickets on this pitch.”Pakistan have developed a reputation for playing dour, attritional cricket under Misbah, and he said it was a necessary template to follow given the conditions the team played most of its matches in.”I believe in, first, you just go there and assess the conditions and then, really, within your resources, [work out] how you’re going to conduct your gameplan,” Misbah said. “If you just stay in your limits and execute your plans according to your strengths, then no matter what the conditions are, you could be successful.”In the UAE especially, you cannot really change much about your planning, because [of the] slow pitches, and it’s really tough to get wickets here, and you have to grind oppositions sometimes. That’s simply the format you have to follow.”But when you’re playing in conditions like we did in England and we’re going to [in] New Zealand and Australia, obviously we need to change that. There the conditions are different. We’re looking forward [to the tours], and obviously we have to play that kind of cricket there to win.”The numbers support Misbah’s contention. Teams that have won Tests in the UAE in the last 10 years have, on average, bowled 186 overs per match. In the rest of the world, they have had to bowl only 156 overs on average. And though West Indies lost both in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, they batted for more than 200 overs in each match. They have only managed this two other times in 17 Tests since the start of 2015.Despite their record on the slow UAE pitches, Misbah said Pakistan would prefer playing on surfaces that offered a little more help for their spinners.Misbah-ul-Haq: “It’s really tough to get wickets [on slow pitches in the UAE], and you have to grind oppositions sometimes”•Getty Images

“Our spinners are our strength and with Yasir being a world-class bowler, we expect to have turning and spinning wickets but this pitch had nothing for the bowlers,” he said. “Today it was fifth day and still was flat and didn’t do much but still our bowlers worked so hard to take 20 wickets and its a big achievement.”Yasir bowled 67.4 overs in the match and got through far more bowling than the left-arm orthodox spinners Zulfiqar Babar (43) and Mohammad Nawaz (14). Misbah said this was because there was little help in the pitch for fingerspinners.”In the first innings fast bowlers had to bowl more because at some stage there was a chance of reverse-swing and that’s why spinners weren’t utilitied much,” he said. “Yasir, being a wristspinner, was helpful but both the left-armers didnt bowl much because of the pitch condition.”Given the workloads the bowlers, Yasir in particular, got through, Misbah said it was natural that he didn’t enforce the follow-on despite having a first-innings lead of 228.”In every innings, you are fielding for over 100 overs, and I think bowling again with tired bodies will be tough,” he said. “You’ve got to give your bowlers some time as it’s tough for fast bowlers in such conditions to bowl and you can’t have Yasir Shah bowling 40 overs straight in two innings.”You might get this but then again for the next match you’ve got to have a complete new XI. So understanding the conditions, weather [is important] and chasing 150 runs in fifth day will be tough, and that is the reason I didn’t enforce the follow-on. Rather than pushing our bowlers, you bat and grind the opponent in full.”

India women’s bowling strength came to the fore as they beat Pakistan by 17 runs after Mithali Raj’s unbeaten half-century to win the Asia Cup final

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Dec-2016
ScorecardThe victorious Indian team with the Asia Cup trophy•Facebook/Indian Cricket Team

India’s dominance in the women’s Asia Cup extended as they sealed their sixth title in as many editions with a 17-run win over Pakistan in Bangkok. It was the second consecutive time India had beaten Pakistan in an Asia Cup final, having done so in 2012-13 as well. The win also ensured India remained unbeaten in this year’s tournament, which was being played in the T20 format for the second time.It was Mithali Raj who set up the win, scoring an unbeaten 73 after India opted to bat and taking them to 121 for 5. The bowlers then sent down economical spells to choke Pakistan in the chase, restricting them to 104 for 6.Raj dominated almost every partnership she featured in. She started off by putting on 24 for the first wicket with Smriti Mandhana, who contributed just 6. After her dismissal, it was the turn of Sabbhineni Meghana to play second fiddle as she made 9 in a second-wicket stand of 44. Veda Krishnamurthy and Harmanpreet Kaur, the India captain, were also sent back for single-digit scores, before Jhulan Goswami’s late cameo lifted India. Goswami pinged two sixes on her way to a 10-ball 17 before perishing off the penultimate ball of the innings. Raj had struck seven fours and a six in her 65-ball knock.Left-arm spinner Anam Amin topped the wickets column with 2 for 24 in four overs, while Sana Mir and Sadia Yousuf were economical in their respective quotas and took a wicket apiece.Pakistan scored at nearly a run a ball during the first half of the chase, but lost three wickets. Goswami had Ayesha Zafar bowled in the fifth over before Asmavia Iqbal fell in similar fashion in the next over, sent down by Shikha Pandey. Javeria Khan added 28 with captain Bismah Maroof, but could not make her start count as she was snuffed out by Ekta Bisht, the left-arm spinner, and Pakistan became 56 for 3. That third-wicket stand was the highest Pakistan could manage as regular wickets stalled them. Nida Dar and Mir made identical scores of 12 not out in late resistance, but both were kept quiet – neither scored a single boundary – as Pakistan fell short.India’s bowlers shared the wickets around. Bisht, who opened the bowling, took 2 for 22. Anuja Patil, Goswami, Pandey and Preeti Bose took a wicket apiece.

The commentator was taken back to hospital shortly after resuming broadcasting duties on day three

Daniel Brettig in Melbourne28-Dec-2016Mark Nicholas, the Channel Nine commentator and ESPNcricinfo columnist, has been taken to hospital for a second time during the Boxing Day Test, only hours after he resumed his broadcasting duties following a similar episode on day one.Once again in considerable pain, Nicholas was attended to by paramedics before being taken from the broadcast area. “Unfortunately Mark has taken ill again,” a Channel Nine spokesperson said. “He has been transported back to hospital for further tests.”On the first day, Nicholas had complained of severe abdominal pain and been taken to hospital shortly after lunch, and spent most of the evening in hospital. He had rested through the second day before returning to duty on the third morning.However the recurrence of the symptoms, whose origins have not been publicly released, have forced a return to treatment and further examination. It may also mean a longer period of convalescence this time around.Earlier this summer, Nicholas released the book , reflecting on his time as a cricketer, writer and broadcaster on cricket.

A round up of the North Zone matches from the Inter State T20 Tournament played on February 2, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Feb-2017Shikhar Dhawan struck an unbeaten 47-ball 82 to power Delhi to a six-wicket win against Services in Dharamsala. Dhawan hit 11 fours and three sixes as Delhi swept past their target of 132 with 39 balls remaining. Delhi were in a bit of trouble at 43 for 3 before Dhawan and Nitish Rana (22 off 16) calmed them with a fourth-wicket partnership of 74.Having sent Services in, Delhi were firmly in control through most of Services’ innings, striking regularly and reducing them to 96 for 7 in the 17th over. Amit Pachhara, though, ensured Services wouldn’t give in without a fight, scoring an unbeaten 56 off 46 balls, and adding an unbroken 35 for the eighth wicket with Rahul Kanojia. Vikas Tokas (3 for 23) and Manan Sharma (3-0-8-2) were Delhi’s most impressive bowlers.Manan Vohra’s 60 and a 16-ball 34 from Gurkeerat Singh set the foundation of Punjab‘s 23-run win over Himachal Pradesh, leading the team to a score of 162 for 7. Punjab’s bowlers, led by Harbhajan Singh (2-25) and seamer Baltej Singh (3-33), then pinned Himachal to 139 for 9, with five wickets falling in the last five overs. Vohra’s 50-run partnership with Anmolpreet Singh helped Punjab recover from a poor start before Gurkeerat added quick runs at the end, hitting four fours and two sixes. Harbhajan then struck in successive overs to dismiss Himachal’s openers after a good start, after which the side stumbled from 114 for 2 in the 15th over to 130 for 9 in the 19th over. Ankush Bains was the top-scorer for Himachal with a 32-ball 57.A manic penultimate over, in which Haryana lost four wickets, saw them fall four runs short of Jammu & Kashmir‘s total of 156 in Nadaun. Needing 24 off the last two overs with six wickets in hand, Haryana’s chase began to go awry with the run-out of the well-set Rajat Paliwal. Then, Haryana lost wickets off three consecutive deliveries -Harshal Patel was run-out without facing a ball after which Ram Dayal dismissed Rahul Tewatia and Sanjay Pahal. In the final over, Haryana could only hit 14 runs out of the required 18, with Virender Dahiya hitting a six during his three-ball stay. Earlier, Shubham Khajuria’s 68 (57 balls) lifted J&K to 156 for 3 after they opted to bat. He was well-supported by Ian Dev Singh (27) and Mithun Manhas (31 not out).

Matthew Renshaw has been speaking with Matthew Hayden in his pursuit of success on his first tour of India

Daniel Brettig09-Feb-20171:34

Dravid: Hayden had a hunger to learn

When Matthew Hayden was sweeping his way to a career-defining Test series in India, Matt Renshaw was four years old. Sixteen summers later, Renshaw is grooving a similar method to combat R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja on a tour that could secure his future in the Australian side for many years to come.In keeping with the studious method he has employed to emerge as a highly promising Test-match opener, Renshaw spoke with Hayden more than once before his departure. At Australia’s training camp in Dubai, he has been working on making the most of his left-handedness and considerable reach by sweeping the spinners to distraction.”I think the sweep will be a big one for me,” Renshaw said in Dubai. “I will just try to stay low and use my reach. As a tall bloke, I probably have got that advantage over some of the other guys.”I can get to the turning balls faster than short guys without moving my feet too much, so I’ll try to use that as much to my advantage as possible.”This planning began at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane before Renshaw’s departure, as he worked on spinning pitches in the nets alongside Steve O’Keefe and the former England spin bowler Monty Panesar. Hayden had sought out a similar environment in 2001 before flying to India.Hayden’s broadest advice to Renshaw was to soak up as much knowledge from the trip that he could, both for use in the series but also for future assignments beyond.Renshaw has scored 315 runs in four Tests, including a top score of 184, at an average of 63.00•Getty Images

“I had a couple of conversations with him [Hayden] over the phone and he’s really good,” Renshaw said. “He has just told me to embrace it over there and get as much experience as I can. I’m 20 years old and going over to play in one of the hardest places in the world. So I will just try to embrace it and enjoy the challenge. You hear certain things from certain players but you never know until you get over there. So looking forward to the challenge.”Other voices in Renshaw’s impressionable ears have included Australia’s batting coach Graeme Hick, who himself made a step forward in his own international career by making his first Test century in India in Mumbai in February 1993, amid an otherwise wretched tour for Graham Gooch’s Englishmen.”Hicky has been really good just trying to get me to stay low and work on different things and keeping it as simple as possible. That’s a big one for me in any cricket really, just keep it simple,” Renshaw said. “It has been really good just trying to work on different plans, just trying to replicate what will happen over there with different plans and different tactics.”As with Hayden and Hick, this will be Renshaw’s first experience of Test cricket in India. While there is some conjecture over whether Renshaw will make way for Shaun Marsh at the top of the order, the younger man is preparing to play – and that includes sparing a few thoughts for the threat of seam and swing in addition to spin.”I love going over to different places and challenging myself and trying to learn different things,” he said. “I watched a bit of the England series and trying to work out what they were trying to do. But we seem to forget they’ve got quick bowlers as well and reverse swing will come into it as well.”Australia play the first of the four Tests against India in Pune on February 23.

A round-up of the Group A matches of the Vijay Hazare trophy held on February 26, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Feb-2017At the Feroz Shah Kotla, Amit Verma and Arun Karthik starred with half-centuries in Assam’s successful chase of 244 against Punjab. Pallavkumar Das dominated the early part of Assam’s chase with 48 off 49 balls, before they went from 75 for 1 to 90 for 3. Karthik, the captain, and Verma shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 92 off 107 balls. Sandeep Sharma ended the association with the wicket of Karthik for 63. He later had Verma caught for 65 with Assam one run away from the target, which they completed off the next ball. Sandeep Sharma took 3 for 52 for Punjab.When Punjab batted, Shubman Gill scored nearly half their runs – 121 out of 243 – to raise his maiden century in his second List A game. Gill’s fourth-wicket partnership of 141 with Gurkeerat Singh Mann (58) lifted them from 19 for 3 and formed the bulwark of Punjab’s total. Assam’s new-ball pair of Pritam Das and Arup Das took three wickets each.At the Palam Grounds, debutant Hitesh Kadam scythed through Haryana’s lower middle order to bowl Railways to a 71-run win. Haryana were reeling at 86 for 5 in pursuit of 253, before a half-century stand between Rahul Dagar (57) and Rahul Tewatia (33) had revived them when Kadam made his first strike. Soon, Haryana went from 138 for 5 to 142 for 8. Kadam took out Dagar for 57, before bowling Mohit Sharma to close out the game.Earlier, when Railways elected to bat, they were driven by a third-wicket stand of 102 between Pratham Singh (51) and Arindam Ghosh, who top-scored with 76. Railways were also helped by contributions from Mahesh Rawat (31), and Amit Mishra, whose seven-ball unbeaten 17, lifted them to 252 for 7.At the Karnail Singh Stadium, Vidarbha mounted a late fightback after electing to bat against Baroda, before successfully defending their total by 22 runs in a shortened game. Apoorv Wankhade (62*) and Akshay Karnewar (54*) struck half-centuries and stitched together an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 98 that took Vidarbha from 153 for 5 in the 36th over to finish on 251 in 45 overs. Wankhade’s knock came off 46 balls and included two fours and three sixes, while Karnewar struck at 180, with one four and five sixes. Before the duo got together, Faiz Fazal, the Vidarbha captain and their opening batsman, held the innings together with 58, although he used up 104 balls.Baroda’s chase was driven by a second-wicket stand of 66 between Aditya Waghmode (79) and Krunal Pandya (43). But the rest of the order failed to make an impression, and though Pinal Shah biffed 36 off 32 balls at No. 8, they fell well short of the target. Yash Thakur, playing his second List A game, took 3 for 64.