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Home attack thwarted in battle between Division Two’s form sides

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay 22-Jun-2025A maiden first-class century from young opener Asa Tribe saw Glamorgan lay the foundations for a substantial first-innings score in the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match between Leicestershire and Glamorgan at the UptonSteel County Ground, Grace Road.The 21-year-old Channel Islander, making only his ninth first-class appearance, demonstrated a maturity beyond his years as having got off to a flying start against a much-changed and initially slightly out-of-sorts Foxes attack, he settled down to reach his century off 158 balls, including 14 fours and one maximum.The Leicestershire bowlers improved as the day went on, regaining some control over the scoreboard, but solid contributions from fellow opener Zain-ul-Hassan, Kiran Carlson and latterly Colin Ingram, who ended the day with an unbeaten half-century, ensured the visitors enjoyed much the best of the first day.Given both sides came into the match on the back of a run of victories – four for Leicestershire, three for Glamorgan – the number of changes made to their previous Championship line-ups came as something of a surprise, though injuries played a part. With Ian Holland and Josh Hull unavailable, and Rehan Ahmed nursing a niggle that meant he could not bowl, Leicestershire chose to leave left out regular wicketkeeper Ben Cox – one of their more prolific run-scorers this season – and with Handscomb taking his place behind the stumps, bring in left-arm spinner Liam Trevaskis and right-arm seamer Sam Wood for their first first-class outings of the season. Veteran seamer Chris Wright also came back into the side.Glamorgan too gave a spinner, Mason Crane, his first Championship appearance of the season, with Ingram, Ben Kellaway and Ned Leonard also returning. All will have been pleased to see skipper Sam Northeast win the toss and opt to bat first on one of the relaid pitches at the UptonSteel Ground, and certainly there was not too much to encourage the Leicestershire seamers during a first hour in which they gave Tribe in particular too many loose deliveries, meaning that even with his partner playing in a rather more restrained manner, the pair were still able to score at five an over before Zain somewhat unluckily became the only wicket to fall in the morning session, glancing a delivery from Wright down the leg side only for Handscomb to take a diving catch.Leicestershire’s attack improved in both accuracy and length after the break, and Tribe was fortunate when on 72 he edged Ben Green behind the wicket only for Handscomb, diving to his right, to drop the catch. He also lost Northeast, the captain looking less than impressed to be given out caught behind when hooking at a bouncer from Wood, but a cleanly hit straight six off Trevaskis took him into the 90s and he showed few nerves in going on to three figures before edging a tired drive at Logan van Beek, giving Handscomb a third victim behind the stumps.Carlson and Ingram put on 60 for the fourth wicket before Carlson used his feet once too often at Trevaskis and yorked himself, the ball squeezing on to his leg stump. Ingram, in company with Kellaway, worked his way towards his fifty, and although he lost Kellaway, trapped in front by van Beek delivery which came back, reached the landmark off 101 deliveries shortly before the close.

At one point they needed less than a run a ball with eight wickets in hand. But then they started wobbling. Wobbling badly

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Apr-201916.1 Bumrah to Samson, 1 run, short on the hips, glanced away to long leg16.2 Bumrah to Smith, no run, shortish and outside off, run away to point16.3 Bumrah to Smith, no run, short and skidding into the body of Smith. He pulls, misses, and cops a glancing blow on the mid-riff16.4 Bumrah to Smith, 1 run, dug in short on middle, Smith hastily pulls the ball to deep square leg16.5 Bumrah to Samson, OUT, full and straight at 142.1ks, Samson shuffles a fair away across off, plays across the line, and wears it on the front pad in line with middle and leg. Samson has been given out lbw, he chats to Smith and calls for a review. The tracker returns umpire’s call on leg stump and Samson has to goSV Samson lbw b Bumrah 31 (26b 2×4 1×6) SR: 119.23Tripathi. A slip in place16.6 Bumrah to Tripathi, 1 run, on a length and around off, dabbed to third manJasprit Bumrah delights in dismissing Virat Kohli•BCCI

17.1 KH Pandya to Tripathi, OUT, tossed outside off, Tripathi holes out to deep midwicket. He drags a slog-sweep against the turn and across the line. Caught Hardik Pandya bowled Krunal Pandya. What’re you doing, Rajasthan Royals?RA Tripathi c HH Pandya b KH Pandya 1 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00Livingstone on IPL debut17.2 KH Pandya to Smith, no run, dropped short and wide, cut off the back foot but can’t get it past point17.3 KH Pandya to Smith, 1 run, flatter and shorter outside off, hauled away to wide long-on off the back foot17.4 KH Pandya to Livingstone, 1 run, chopped from off stump to short third man17.5 KH Pandya to Smith, 1 run, slower and spinning away outside off, chipped down to long-off17.6 KH Pandya to Livingstone, OUT, Oh dear, the Royals continue to tumble. Drifts in on middle, full and straight. Livingstone drops down to one knee. He goes for an almighty slog-sweep like Tripathi had done earlier this over. He can’t touch it. And Krunal rattles the stumps. Six runs and three wickets off the last two oversLS Livingstone b KH Pandya 1 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00Alzarri Joseph gets a hug from Krunal Pandya after taking a wicket•BCCI

18.1 Bumrah to Smith, OUT, Has Smith nicked off? The finger goes up and Smith walks off. Bumrah ventures wide of the crease, angles a length ball into Smith and then gets it to straighten away. Smith has a flat-footed waft and feathers it behind to KishanSPD Smith c Ishan Kishan b Bumrah 12 (15b 1×4 0x6) SR: 80.00Gowtham18.2 Bumrah to Gowtham, 1 leg bye, 141ks yorker from wide of the crease, Gowtham falls over. This yorker is just too good for him. But, this seems to be heading down the leg side. Not given, Rohit challenges the on-field not-out decision.18.3 – Bumrah to Gopal, 2 runs, back of a length and outside off, punched on the up straight of Joseph at mid-off. Joseph chases hard and slides at the edge of the boundary. He jams his right shoulder into the turf and writhes in pain. The Mumbai team doctor is out to tend to Joseph18.4 – Bumrah to Gopal, no run, short and bursts in from wide of the crease, Gopal backs away. Wafts and does not make contact. Was there a tickle on that? Nope18.5 – Bumrah to Gopal, FOUR, 144.8ks short and outside off, the extra pace of Bumrah works against him. Gopal manufactures some swinging room and scythes it away fine of deep third man for a crucial four18.6 Bumrah to Gopal, 1 run, edged and dropped by Kishan to his right.Sharp chance. Gopal makes room again, this is much fuller and swerving away. Draws a healthy outside edge, but Kishan can’t cling onShreyas Gopal kept his calm to take Royals over the line•BCCI

Royals need six off six balls with four wickets in hand. Hardik Pandya to bowl it19.1 – HH Pandya to Gopal, 2 runs, Mid-off runs back, dives, but this skier eludes him. Fuller on off, Gopal swings for the hills, slices it in the end and gets away19.2 HH Pandya to Gopal, no run, banged in short on middle, backs away. Swings again and misses19.3 HH Pandya to Gopal, FOUR, full and outside off, Gopal backs away, manufactures swinging room and scythes it up and over mid-off. He wins it for the Royals.

England captain given reprimand and suspended fine by Cricket Discipline Commission

Vithushan Ehantharajah23-Sep-2024England Women’s captain Heather Knight has been reprimanded and handed a £1000 suspended fine by the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) for a photo of her in blackface from 2012, deemed as racist and discriminatory conduct.The photo, taken by a third party at a “sports stars” themed fancy-dress party at a cricket club in Kent in 2012, breached ECB directive 3.3, which stated at the time: “No such person may conduct himself in a manner or do any act or omission which may be prejudicial to the interests of cricket or which may bring the game of cricket or any cricketer or group of cricketers into disrepute.”Knight, who was 21 at the time, promptly accepted the charges, showed remorse and apologised for her conduct. It is accepted that Knight did not post the photo on social media platforms herself, and has no power to delete the photo or control how it has been posted (or might be posted in the future).”I’m truly sorry for the mistake I made in 2012,” Knight said in a statement released via the ECB. “It was wrong, and I have long regretted it. Back then, I simply was not as educated as to the implications and consequences of my actions as I have become since. There was no ill-intent meant.”Whilst I can’t change the past, I am passionate and committed to using my platform to promote inclusivity across the game ensuring underrepresented groups are afforded the same opportunities and fulfilment within the game as I have.”While the CDC accepted there was no racist or discriminatory intent, it reiterated that the photo was “plainly prejudicial to the interests of cricket, brought the game and Ms Knight into disrepute, and undermined the ECB’s strategic objective of eradicating discrimination from the sport”.That Knight has only been fined £1000, which is suspended for two years pending her future conduct, is specific to this case, with the regulator stating it would be unlikely to set a precedent. This is the first time Knight has been involved in any disciplinary proceedings, and her unpaid ambassadorial work around diversity and inclusion was taken into account. She also underwent the Professional Cricketers’ Association’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training in 2021 which, along with her cooperation, lent itself to a lenient punishment.Dave Lewis, interim director of the Cricket Regulator, said: “Cricket is working to become a more inclusive sport and the Cricket Regulator is committed to acting positively and impartially whenever racist behaviour is reported to us.”In this case, Ms Knight’s behaviour was discriminatory and offensive, however the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) accepted there was no racist intent in her conduct. I welcome her acknowledgment of the potential impact of her behaviour, and her unreserved apology.”In determining its sanction, the CDC also considered that the offence happened 12 years ago, that Ms Knight was 21 at the time, and that she had received little education on such matters at the time. There was significant testimony about the positive role model she has been, her voluntary work and the positive influence she has had on players from different ethnicities and backgrounds.I hope this will continue throughout her time in the sport.”

This will be the only international match – men’s or women’s – played in South Africa this summer to not have DRS

Firdose Moonda14-Dec-2024There will be no DRS for the one-off Test between South Africa and England in Bloemfontein, the first women’s Test in South Africa in 22 years. The match will be the only one out of the 21 internationals played by both men and women in South Africa this home summer without DRS.This was the first season where DRS – a technology that costs millions of dollars – was used for women’s bilateral internationals in South Africa. CSA said it has opted to prioritise DRS in white-ball women’s internationals for now.”The inclusion of the DRS for the ongoing inbound tour against England was agreed upon at the planning stage of the tour, noting that it will be the first time it was used for women’s bilateral tours in South Africa in recent history,” Enoch Nkwe, South Africa’s director of national teams and high performance, said in response to a query about the absence of DRS for the Test.”The white-ball formats were prioritised with regards to DRS for this tour as it directly impacted the Proteas Women’s rankings in T20I cricket and the Women’s Championship as well as the overall CSA strategy for the senior women’s national team.”While the development of the red-ball format is important, it is worth noting that resources are currently being directed at the white-ball formats due to the significance of ODI and T20I cricket in the current women’s international cricket landscape.”South Africa had already qualified for the ODI World Cup before the series against England but aimed to finish as high on the Women’s Championship points table. In the ICC rankings, they are currently ranked fourth in ODIs and fifth in T20Is. There was one instance during the ongoing England tour when DRS malfunctioned. In the third over of South Africa’s chase in the first ODI in Kimberley, Tazmin Brits was pinged on the pad by Lauren Bell and was given out lbw. She wanted to review the decision but could not because the technology was down.ESPNcricinfo understands that, in a home summer where India men’s T20I series was the only profit-making visit, the expense of using the technology was deemed too much for this match. This, despite CSA announcing a profit of US$45.6 million from the last financial year and benefiting from two successive years of India visits.The Test match will be produced on a budget with only seven manned cameras (some matches are broadcast with as many as 30) and two run-out cameras on one side of the field (as opposed to the usual four, two on each side). That means that if there is a fielder in the way of a run-out decision on one side, the TV umpire may not be able to make a decision.The two on-field umpires for the match – Kerrin Klaaste and Lauren Agenbag – will be officiating a Test for the first time.DRS has become the norm in international cricket but there are still matches played without it. At this year’s men’s ODI World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe, DRS was only in place from the Super Six stage. There was no DRS at this year’s women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers in the UAE, or in the recently completed Ireland Women’s tour of Bangladesh.

South Australia captain says Sheffield Shield final is the priority but he would be keen to play county cricket if an opportunity arose

Alex Malcolm07-Mar-2025Nathan McSweeney would grab the opportunity to play county cricket if a chance arose as he pushes to try and win back a spot in Australia’s side with one of the opening slots still to be locked in for the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s in June.McSweeney, 25, began the summer debuting as Australia’s Test opener at the the start of the Border-Gavaskar series but was dropped after three Tests for Sam Konstas having run aground against Jasprit Bumrah, scoring just 72 runs in six innings.He was taken on the tour of Sri Lanka but ran the drinks as the spare batter ahead of Konstas who was also left out and sent home to play in the Sheffield Shield with Travis Head moving up to open and Josh Inglis sliding into the middle-order.Related

• Green unlikely to play Shield cricket before county stint

• O'Neill, Boland share nine as McSweeney shines in Junction arm wrestle

• Neser's six-wicket burst leaves Queensland in command

Head will move back to No. 5 for the WTC final leaving a vacancy at the top of the order but Cameron Green’s impending return as batter means Australia’s selectors have a challenge in finding room for him while also finding an opener to partner Usman Khawaja.McSweeney made a gritty 60 off 199 balls for South Australia against a Victoria attack featuring Scott Boland, who took four wickets on a green pitch at the Junction Oval on Friday. Speaking at the end of play, McSweeney was asked whether he felt like the opening spot in the WTC final was a way back into the Test team.”I don’t know,” he said. “All I can do is make runs and get back to being a consistent run-scorer which is what got me the opportunity in the first place. So wherever my spot is, if the opportunity comes I’m happy to bat wherever. And I think my game is suited to that. All I can focus on now is trying to punch out some runs. Hopefully that means South Australia in a Shield final,”He will get a second innings in this game before South Australia host Queensland in the final round of the season. That game and a possible final will be his only playing opportunities before the WTC final unless an opportunity in England presented itself.Nathan McSweeney was dropped after three Tests against India•Getty Images

“I’d love to get over and play some county cricket but at this stage I’m just staying in Adelaide,” McSweeney said. “I haven’t looked too much past the next couple of weeks for us. It’s massive for South Australia. So hopefully we can nail the end of this game and the next couple of weeks leading into hopefully a Shield final. But post that I’d love to head overseas and keep working on my game.”McSweeney’s 60 was a welcome return to some run-scoring form. It was just his third first-class innings since being dropped from the Test side in mid-December having scored 20 and 7 in South Australia’s last game against Tasmania. But he had also registered scores of 28, 8 and 7 in South Australia’s final three 50-over games in the Dean Jones Trophy, which they won in emphatic style thanks in part to his role with the ball in the final.”It was nice to spend some time middle,” McSweeney said. “It’s been a little bit of a stop start season for me, I guess, and I haven’t played heaps of cricket. Not the score I would have liked. But it’s nice to spend some time out there and face plenty of balls and hopefully I can get make use of that in the second innings and really come out and hopefully score a bit more freely.”The selectors were pleased with what he showed technically and temperamentally in his first three Test matches but there were concerns over his scoring limitations, which ultimately was the reason why they opted to omit him. His innings at the Junction Oval perfectly incapsulated both the positives and the negatives of his game.He showed outstanding defensive skill and decision-making to withstand Test-quality spells from Boland but struggled to rotate the strike, particularly in the evening session on day one when he was 9 off 52 balls and the morning session on day two. He got busier and more proactive as the innings wore on before nicking a good delivery from Victoria seamer Fergus O’Neill who also probed with unerring accuracy all innings to claim five wickets.McSweeney’s brief taste of Test cricket has shown him that he needs to keep trusting the foundations of his game but add some different scoring options.”A little bit of both,” McSweeney said. “I think I know a method that works in Shield cricket for me, but you’re also trying to keep learning, keep getting better. And from my experiences in Test cricket, there’s definitely some learnings to try and add and scenarios where I can tinker with my game to hopefully be better for it.”I think it’s also important to know what worked for me leading into that and what makes me a good player. So it’s been an enjoyable last couple of months, a challenging one, no doubt, but I definitely like to think I’m better for it.”McSweeney confirmed that in-form wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey would return to South Australia’s line-up for the Shield final if they get there but confirmed that Head would be unavailable due to IPL duties.

Hampshire chip away in pursuit of victory after enforcing follow-on

ECB Reporters Network02-Jul-2024Jack Leaning and Ben Compton gave Kent a chance of saving a Vitality County Championship draw against Hampshire.Leaning led the resolve in the first innings by returning from injury to score 118, before Compton bedded in with 71 not out in the second innings.But their determination came with a backdrop of a 162-run first innings deficit, meaning Hampshire forced them to follow-on, and just eight wickets in hand heading into the final day.The duo ended the day with a 84 unbroken partnership with Kent up to 132 for 2, with the deficit down to just 30 runs.After James Vince’s swashbuckling 211 on day one, and a fast-paced day two, the third day never progressed from sedate. Leaning returned on 73, having guided the visitors around an unconvincing evening session which saw them end up six down and trailing by 299 runs.He survived Vince dropping him at first slip on 84 but was otherwise restrained and oozed leadership in his fightback while marshalling the tail.Leaning had missed the last seven weeks with a broken hand, which he suffered during the drawn match with Worcestershire in May.In that innings he had scored an unbeaten 179 and he made it back-to-back hundreds in 207 balls, the 10th of his career, sixth since joining Kent and second in his last three visits at Utilita Bowl.Around Leaning, two wickets fell on either side of the second new ball.Charlie Stobo’s sensible 28 was ended two overs before the new ball was unveiled when James Fuller pinned him leg before. And then four balls into the new cherry, Grant Stewart was rapped on the pads by Mohammed Abbas.But Matt Parkinson took more time out of the game with Leaning, and minimised the deficit with a no-thrills 24. The pair put on 44 to frustrate the hosts.But Leaning’s majestic innings was ended when Kyle Abbott splayed his stumps and Kent were bowled out for 343 when Parkinson fended Keith Barker to first slip – Barker ending with 4 for 85.The last four Kent wickets put on 137 to almost avoid the follow-on, but despite their efforts Vince was able to turn them back around.Feroze Khushi was more restrained than during his thrilling first-innings 53, but fell for a short-ball trap to top edge Barker to long leg.Daniel Bell-Drummond lasted slightly longer before Liam Dawson extracted enough turn to cannon into off-stump. But Compton found company with that man Leaning to take any sting out of the day.Opener Compton reached fifty in 114 balls with a reverse sweep.Leaning was dropped by Vince for the second time in the day but was otherwise solid to all but wipe out the deficit.Hampshire will need eight wickets and likely a bit of a chase on the final day, and might be without Barker – who pulled up during a delivery midway through the evening and didn’t return.

The allrounder and Western Australia captain, slammed an unbeaten 80 to drive his side to a six-wicket win in the final against South Australia in Hobart

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-2017
ScorecardThe victorious Western Australia team with the trophy•Getty Images

Western Australia captain Mitchell Marsh led his state to a comfortable victory over South Australia to lift the domestic limited overs trophy at Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Saturday.South Australia made a swift start after winning the toss, but the loss of regular wickets limited their chances of posting the sort of totals that had allowed them to beat Western Australia in the qualifying rounds and Victoria in the elimination final.Western Australia, who had been unbeaten before the SA loss, were then able to reel them in with 38 balls to spare, largely due to the efforts of Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Bancroft, the sometime-Test opening contender, but now a free-scoring gloveman.While Mitchell Marsh was named Man of the Match, at a time when his recovery from shoulder surgery rules him out of bowling and by extension an Ashes berth, it was his brother Shaun Marsh who was named Man of the Tournament for a string of outstanding displays at the top of the batting order.South Asutralia had started fluently through a first-over boundary from Alex Carey, but the early dismissals of the wicketkeeper and dual tournament centurion Jake Weatherald set a pattern. South Australia scored freely but lost regular wickets, which meant the later acceleration typical of their bigger totals was instead a steady stand between Tom Cooper and Cameron Valente followed by a late rush of wickets.Their new-ball bowling had been another feature of their progress, but after Michael Klinger fell early and Shaun Marsh had not fired from the start, Mitchell Marsh and Bancroft missed scarcely a beat in bringing the target under control. Long touted as a future leader by his coach Justin Langer, Mitchell Marsh has aced his very first exam as state captain.

The injury is probably not serious, but there is no update yet about his return

Nagraj Gollapudi05-Apr-2024Kuldeep Yadav has picked up a groin niggle, which had ruled him out of Delhi Capitals’s previous two matches in IPL 2024. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Kuldeep has been advised rest as a precautionary move, but there is no confirmation yet on when he will be ready to play again.The injury is probably not serious, considering Kuldeep has been travelling with the Capitals squad and is currently in Mumbai where they play their next match – against Mumbai Indians on April 7.Kuldeep played Capital’s opening two matches this season – both away games, against Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals – and picked up three wickets. But he missed their next games in Visakhapatnam, their second home venue: against Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders. While the Capitals won against CSK, they sorely missed Kuldeep in their 106-run defeat against KKR, after which their head coach Ricky Ponting said he was “almost embarrassed”.The Indian selectors will be monitoring Kuldeep’s progress closely, given he is a frontrunner to take one of the spin slots in India’s squad for the T20 World Cup, which starts on June 1 in the West Indies and the USA.Kuldeep entered the IPL after a successful five-match Test series against England, where he bowled more than one match-turning spell. Kuldeep played from the second Test onwards and finished with 19 wickets, including a five-for in the final Test in Dharamsala, where he was named the Player of the Match.After Sunday’s game, Capitals’ next match is against Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on April 12.

The Netherlands batter backs the side to move forward and learn from the defeat against Sri Lanka ‘as quickly as possible’

Shashank Kishore21-Oct-20237:49

Maharoof: The new-ball spell of Madushanka and Rajitha set up the win

If this was the Netherlands of 2007, or perhaps even 2011, Sybrand Engelbrecht may have soaked in the satisfaction of notching up an important personal milestone – a maiden ODI half-century – in a World Cup fixture. But the class of 2023 thinks differently.Three nights after stunning South Africa in a sensational defence in Dharamsala, Netherlands appeared to have gone cold early on against Sri Lanka in Lucknow. Feet weren’t moving, wickets kept tumbling, the scoreboard appeared stalled and there was a sense of hopelessness to proceedings at 91 for 6. Teams of the past may have unravelled. This Netherlands team didn’t.Related

• Sybrand Engelbrecht, the World Cup debutant who had walked away from cricket

• Teja Nidamanuru hopes World Cup success paves way for more bilaterals

• Sri Lanka overcome Engelbrecht-led resistance to finally open their account

• Sri Lanka find new lionhearts in sloppy-to-sublime performance

Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek hit sprightly half-centuries in a 130-run stand that brought them back into the game and gave their bowlers a score to defend. It wasn’t to be, though, despite the best efforts of their spinners who had combined figures of 4 for 125 off 28.1 overs in a defence of 263; Aryan Dutt was particularly impressive with his offspin that brought him 3 for 44.”I must admit it’s still a bitter pill to swallow,” Engelbrecht said after Netherlands’ six-wicket loss to Sri Lanka in which he made 79. “Getting 260-odd after that start we thought it was a very competitive score. Maybe the pitch got a little bit better, but I thought they controlled the innings really well. And we just didn’t quite pitch up today with the ball, unfortunately. So, yeah, not the ideal result for us, but we’ll move forward and we’ll try and be better and learn from this as quickly as possible.”Engelbrecht was particularly effusive in his praise for van Beek, who struck his maiden half-century (59) on Saturday. His enterprise during their partnership helped take the pressure off Engelbrecht, who was the more industrious of the two.”I think a lot of credit needs to go to Logan, I thought he batted brilliantly, and we just tried take it as deep as possible,” he said. “We just told ourselves, if we can get to the last ten overs with six down, we’re giving ourselves a good chance.”So, for us, it really wasn’t necessarily about trying to accumulate runs. It was just about making sure that we got into positive positions and pick up the runs when we could. But to try and lay a bit of a foundation for us to start scoring a little bit more freely to the back end, which we managed to do. So, happy with the partnership.”Would they have taken 262 after all that?”At the halfway stage we thought we had a decent score,” Engelbrecht said. “I don’t think we would have taken it necessarily. I think, you know, the pitch definitely got better as the day went on, but I mean, I spoke to Max [O’Dowd] about it as well, and there was still consistently something in the pitch if we bowled the right areas. And I just thought we didn’t string enough good balls together for long enough to put the Sri Lanka team under pressure.”In recent times, Sri Lanka have been a bit of a bogey team for the Netherlands. Twice at the World Cup Qualifiers in June, they fell short, including in the final. In both games, Netherlands were more than in with a shout at the halfway mark but collapsed at the first sign of spin. Which is why their revival on Saturday feels like a vindication of the work they’ve put in behind the scenes, including a long pre-World Cup camp in Bengaluru to acclimatise to different surfaces and conditions.Sybrand Engelbrecht brought up his first ODI half-century•AFP/Getty Images

“We were very confident in the growth that we’ve shown as a team over the last 6-12 months,” Engelbrecht said. “We’re a better team now than we were when we played them at the Qualifier and we thought that if we stick to our processes, if we implement our plans and execute well for long enough, we stood a really good chance. And I think there were periods in the game that you could definitely see that. So, credit goes to them. They played well. Unfortunately, we just couldn’t string it together for long enough.”At a personal level, Engelbrecht has had to grapple with challenges, like several others in the team, of working a day job and balancing cricket on the sidelines. In the highest level of club cricket back in Netherlands, Engelbrecht has been a heavy scorer for Voorburg Cricket Club, who he helped steer to three straight finals.Engelbrecht said he hadn’t made too many adjustments to his game coming into the World Cup. It’s understandable too, considering he didn’t think he even stood a chance of playing in the tournament and only came into the system after the Qualifiers in June-July.”I haven’t made a lot of adjustments,” he said. “I’ve tried to keep it as simple as possible. I think when you do make the step up from club cricket in the Netherlands, you could maybe sometimes think, ‘oh wow, I need to do so much more, you know, things differently.'”But the reality is, in our changing room we’ve got really good cricketers and we just need to back ourselves and our processes and stick to our plans. So, nothing really changed, it’s just trying to be as clear as possible and to watch the ball as closely as possible. So, I’m happy that it came off for me personally today, but as I said, we’ve got really, really good cricketers in our changing room and it will show as we go along.”

The decision comes after Zimbabwe had failed to qualify for the 2024 T20 World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Mar-2024Hamilton Masakadza has resigned as Zimbabwe Cricket’s director of cricket after the team failed to qualify for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and the Caribbean. Masakadza had been appointed to the post in October 2019 after he retired from international cricket.Masakadza’s resignation comes three months after Dave Houghton had stepped down as head coach.Related

• Dave Houghton resigns as Zimbabwe head coach

• Zimbabwe appoint Hamilton Masakadza as director of cricket

“This decision has come about after careful consideration of the successes and failures of our cricket and my responsibilities,” Masakadza said in his resignation letter. “As much as there has been a lot of progress in my tenure, the fact remains that we are the only Full Member nation not participating at the next T20 World Cup after our shock loss to Uganda.”This was indeed one of the lowest points of my career and I take full responsibility as Director of Cricket.”Under Masakadza’s tenure, though, Zimbabwe had qualified for the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, where they progressed to the Super 12s. Masakadza also oversaw the successful staging of the Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2022 and the Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023 in Zimbabwe. Masakadza is now open to working in a different capacity for Zimbabwe Cricket.”This decision was a very difficult one to make and I remain fully committed to Zimbabwe Cricket and would very much be interested in serving in a different capacity as the organisation looks forward to hosting the Men’s Under-19 World Cup in 2026 and the Men’s 50-over World Cup in 2027,” Masakadza said.