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A preview of the eight teams who will play in the Desert T20 Challenge – dubbed the ‘mini-Associate World Cup’ – which begins from January 14

Peter Della Penna in Abu Dhabi13-Jan-2017Eight of the top Associate teams in world cricket have touched down in the United Arab Emirates this week to compete in – what a few of the participants have dubbed a ‘mini-Associate World Cup’ – the inaugural Desert T20 Challenge. Associate teams are constantly pining for more opportunities to play and, as such, this tournament is a welcome addition to their fixture calendar, one that they hope is not a one-off.Some of the participants are looking at this tournament as a way to make a big statement by potentially knocking off some of their big-named peers, such as Afghanistan. For others, it is an opportunity to blood new talent in a rare Associate event in which promotion, relegation or some other form of ICC tournament qualification or progression isn’t at stake.The format has eight teams split into two groups of four, and playing three round-robin group games. The top two teams from each group then advance to finals day, with a pair of semi-finals played on the morning and afternoon of January 20 before the final that same night. Here’s a look at how each team is shaping up heading into the tournament that begins from January 14 in Abu Dhabi.Group A
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We’ll try to repeat what we did in 2016 – Rashid Khan

AfghanistanThe top-seeded tournament favourites took another big step forward last year by not only reaching the main draw of the World T20, but beating eventual world champions West Indies in a low-scoring thriller in the group stage. In terms of their T20 form, they swept UAE 3-0 in a series held in Dubai last month, giving them more recent game experience in the format than every other team in the tournament.Aside from the usual suspects like Mohammad Shahzad and Dawlat Zadran leading the way with bat and ball, some younger faces have emerged to ensure that Afghanistan remain the top dogs of Associate cricket. Najibullah Zadran was the Man of the Match in the win over West Indies and the impact of that performance gave him a wondrous boost of confidence that carried over through the rest of 2016. In the recent series against UAE, Najibullah scored a total of 104 runs off 45 balls across three innings, without being dismissed in his role as the team’s finisher. Any team hoping looking to disrupt Afghanistan’s path to the final will need to find a way to cool down his red-hot bat.United Arab EmiratesAfter a poor showing at the 2015 World T20 Qualifier, UAE sprang a major surprise by upending Afghanistan, Hong Kong and Oman to reach the main draw of the 2016 Asia Cup, where they very nearly pulled off another upset against Sri Lanka. It was their bad luck that Lasith Malinga decided to suit up to test his bruised knee ahead of the World T20, wrecking UAE with a spell of 4 for 26 in their pursuit of a target of 130. Malinga hasn’t played another match since.Though they were downed by Afghanistan last month in all three T20Is in Dubai, UAE ran them close in the first two encounters. They fell 11 runs short chasing down 161 in the first match before Shaiman Anwar’s half-century in a total of 179 was negated by the brilliance of Najibullah. Shaiman was the leading scorer in the three-match series with 150 runs and he’ll need to produce similar output to give UAE the best chance of reaching the semis.William Porterfield and Ireland have not had much to cheer about in T20 cricket of late•ICC/Getty Images

IrelandIt may seem odd to some that Ireland and Afghanistan were paired in the same group for the round-robin stage, especially when they’ll be facing each other in an extended tour beginning in March. But Ireland was drawn on this side by virtue of having the lowest T20I ranking – 17th – of any team at the tournament. It is the most tangible representation of their struggles in the format. Beginning with a shocking loss to Papua New Guinea in Belfast at the 2015 World T20 Qualifier, they have lost eight of their last 11 completed T20Is.Ireland’s most recent match was a 40-run loss at home to Hong Kong in September in which they brought in five debutants in an attempt to stop the rot. The most promising performance from that group was delivered by Greg Thompson, who top-scored with 44 that day.William Porterfield is the longest tenured captain at the tournament and will be hoping that a return to the site of Ireland’s victorious 2012 and 2013 World T20 Qualifier campaigns may serve as an inspiration to turn around their fortunes.NamibiaThe only team without T20I status in the tournament, Namibia received an invitation after Papua New Guinea declined to participate. In their most recent major T20 tournament action, they ended up a frustrating seventh place at the 2015 World T20 Qualifier after having finished third in the group stages. With two chances to clinch a trip to India, they were soundly beaten by the Netherlands before being stunned by Oman, which not only cost them a spot at the main tournament but a chance at T20I status as well.Namibia had a rocky road against other Associates throughout 2016 as well, losing an Intercontinental Cup match by an innings to Afghanistan before being swept in a pair of WCL Championship matches in Nepal. Their problems were magnified when a full-strength side were delivered a crushing 141-run home defeat in September by Saudi Arabia in preparation for a I-Cup and WCLC tour of Papua New Guinea, which also ended with three losses. Their hopes for reaching the semis may be pinned to the return of Louis van der Westhuizen. The big-hitting left-hander helped Namibia to a 7-0 record in round-robin play at the 2012 World T20 Qualifier in these same venues, including a destructive century against Scotland, but was out of the side for nearly two years before marking his return in November.Group B
Peter Borren will try to shore up Netherlands, who have not played regularly in the lead-up to this tournament•International Cricket Council

NetherlandsThe highest seeded team in their half of the draw have shown remarkable resiliency to replenish their available assets over the years to keep themselves in the conversation for top Associates. This has shown through particularly in T20I cricket where once again they demonstrated their capabilities on a global stage at last year’s World T20, running Bangladesh very tight before succumbing by eight runs, before continuing to have Ireland’s number with a win in Dharamsala.Their entire fixture list has been sparse since then. A grand total of four days of cricket since last March – losing inside of two days to Afghanistan in the Intercontinental Cup in July, followed by a WCL Championship split with Nepal in August – may have allowed some rust to build and it was borne out in a five-wicket loss to a UAE Developmental XI on Wednesday. It’s up to captain Peter Borren to coax a good bounce back in their opening encounter against Oman on Sunday.Hong KongThe lone side in this group to play a T20I since the World T20 in March, Hong Kong defeated Ireland by 40 runs in September and have stayed fairly busy since then in all formats with tours to Scotland and Kenya in addition to hosting Papua New Guinea for three ODIs in November. Most recently they had a development tour to Australia with an emphasis on T20 cricket, which included games against Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder.The batting is headlined by captain Babar Hayat, who eclipsed Afghanistan batsman Mohammad Shahzad’s then record score of 118* to produce the highest T20I score by an Associate player when he made 122 in a loss to Oman at the 2016 Asia Cup. Hayat will be tasked with taking a good chunk of the batting burden in the absence of Mark Chapman, who continues to develop playing with Auckland in New Zealand’s domestic competition. The spin arsenal, led by left-armer Nadeem Ahmed, may be a handful in these conditions.Calum MacLeod will be looking to bring the big runs into T20s as well•Peter Della Penna

ScotlandDespite the sudden retirement of former captain Preston Mommsen in November, Scotland enter this event with one of the most settled squads in this tournament. Kyle Coetzer has taken over the leadership once again after relinquishing the job to Mommsen in 2014 and remains an explosive presence at the top of the order. Calum MacLeod produced two centuries in his last three ODI innings for Scotland at home against UAE and Hong Kong and has a great opportunity to continue that form in T20 cricket.On the bowling side, Scotland has a young pace attack that may be tested in desert conditions. However, the glue holding the side together with the ball is Con de Lange. The left-arm spinner was a ripe 34-year-old when making his debut for the national side in June 2015 after migrating from South Africa, and in the 18 months since then has rapidly turned into one of Scotland’s most consistent contributors, marked by his elevation to the vice-captaincy in the wake of Mommsen’s departure. He’ll need good support though, from fellow left-arm spinner Mark Watt, in order to tie down some explosive batting lineups in Group B.OmanThough they are officially the lowest-ranked side in this half of the draw, Oman will not be taken lightly after making waves in the cricket world over the past year and a half by not only qualifying for the World T20 in India, but then defeating Ireland in their tournament debut. Despite not having played any T20Is since leaving Dharamsala, they have actually been one of the busiest Associate sides in world cricket, playing a total of 16 one-dayers as part of their consecutive promotions at World Cricket League Division Five in May and Division Four in November.Coach Duleep Mendis has never been afraid to tinker with the side in the search for winning combinations and as a result a slew of changes have taken place for the squad arriving in the UAE. The biggest ones are the omissions of batsman Jatinder Singh and slingy medium-pacer Munis Ansari, who each paid for sub-par performances at Division Four in Los Angeles, while the side may be galvanized by the return of wicketkeeper-captain Sultan Ahmed. The 39-year-old’s career appeared finished after he was axed following the World T20, but he has been given a surprise recall in a bid to boost Oman’s chances of reaching the semis.

David Lloyd and in-form Kiran Carlson contribute fifties against Northamptonshire

ECB Reporters Network22-Apr-2021Glamorgan 324 for 7 (Cooke 107* Lloyd 65, Carlson 54) vs NorthamptonshireChris Cooke celebrated his second century of the season as Glamorgan enjoyed a run-filled opening day of their LV= Insurance County Championship clash with Northamptonshire.Cooke, who had scored an unbeaten 102 against Yorkshire in the season opener, serenely reached the close on 107 not out, after a chanceless afternoon and evening batting.David Lloyd and the in-form Kiran Carlson also reached half-centuries as Glamorgan racked up 324 for 7 having been put in by Northants.Lloyd reached a second half-century in as many matches in 69 balls, during a knock filled with crisp and positive striking.David Lloyd drives through the covers•Getty Images

While Lloyd had feasted on driving Ben Sanderson, Nathan Buck and Wayne Parnell, the experienced Gareth Berg was causing problems and taking wickets with his incisive seamers.The former Middlesex and Hampshire man’s eight-over first spell saw him take two for nine. After a 66-run opening partnership, Berg deceived Nick Selman into leaving a ball which angled into his off stump. Andy Balbirnie was rattled on the pads soon after to hand Berg his second wicket in 10 deliveries.Having bossed the session, Lloyd would have felt disappointed in the manner in which he departed to the last ball before lunch, as he tamely flicked Parnell to midwicket for 65.South African Parnell, who has been forced to wait for his Northants bow after his quarantine was extended by the NHS’ track-and-trace system, struck again after the interval to pin Billy Root.Carlson and Cooke then partnered up to put on 106 for the fifth wicket, with 20 boundaries shared between them thanks to a lightning quick outfield and a tiny square boundary on one side.Carlson has begun this season in style with scores of 55, 127 not out and 132 in his innings against Yorkshire and Sussex. He continued that form by bringing up a rapid 64 ball half-century.Captain Cooke followed him to the milestone with the day’s trademark square drive in 18 more balls than his partner.But Carlson and Callum Taylor fell in successive balls to Saif Zaib – yorked for 54 and beaten past the outside edge respectively – although the part-time spinner couldn’t bag a first Northants hat-trick for 11 years as Dan Douthwaite blocked a potential treble.Douthwaite entertainingly accompanied Cooke in a 92-run union before he was castled by Berg for 44 with the second new ball – Berg ending the day with 3 for 52.But it was Cooke, who had totted runs up almost anonymously, who became the first Glamorgan player to convert their fifty – as he reached a hundred for the sixth time in his first-class career in 180 balls with a glorious straight drive.

Lancashire consider options to sign another overseas player after Australia seamer is told to rest

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Apr-2021Jackson Bird has a bulging disk in his neck and has been ordered to rest for a month, ruling him out of his planned County Championship stint with Lancashire.Bird, the Australia seamer who has 414 wickets from 99 first-class matches, was due to arrive in England later this month to play in six Championship matches starting at Kent on April 22 but, following a scan, he has been advised to rest for the next four weeks. He played a week ago in Tasmania’s 175-run victory over Western Australia in their last match of the Sheffield Shield season.Paul Allott, Lancashire’s Director of Cricket, said: “We are disappointed to lose Jackson as he would have been a great addition to our side for six LV= County Championship matches this summer. But of course, we understand that his long-term health and fitness must come first, and we all hope to see him back out on a cricket field soon.”With Richard Gleeson still recovering from the back injury that restricted him to just one first-class appearance last year and James Anderson’s workload expected to be managed carefully by England, it was hoped Bird would add fast-bowling depth to Lancashire’s squad.Lancashire is now considering its options to sign another overseas player alongside South Africa-born captain Dane Vilas. They have already agreed deals with India’s Shreyas Iyer for the One-Day Cup and Finn Allen of New Zealand for the T20 Blast.Lancashire’s opening Championship match with Sussex ended in a draw at Old Trafford on Sunday when heavy show wiped out the final day’s play shortly after the lunch break.

The Pakistan bowling consultant was scheduled to leave the squad after the first Test anyway, but has had to change his plans

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Nov-2021Vernon Philander, the former South Africa quick who is a bowling consultant with the Pakistan team currently on tour in Bangladesh, will leave the squad bubble in Chattogram tomorrow, the fourth day of the ongoing first Test, and fly back early on Tuesday because of the “shutdown of flight operations” in his home country following the emergence of a new Covid-19 variant there.Philander was, in any case, scheduled to leave for South Africa at the end of the first of two Tests, but, as a PCB media statement said at the end of the third day’s play on Sunday, he has had to change his plans because of the worsening Covid-19 situation. Concerns around a new variant, called Omicron, has already disrupted the cricket schedule in South Africa, and could impact it further in the coming days.Related

• 'Courageous' Taijul Islam delivers for Bangladesh, again, when most needed

• Women's WC qualifier in Zimbabwe called off

• SA vs Netherlands: Last two ODIs postponed

After South Africa and Netherlands had to split points because of the weather in the first ODI of their series, the second and third games were postponed, and in nearby Zimbabwe, the women’s ODI World Cup qualifying event had to be called off – and subsequently cancelled altogether – following travel restrictions being imposed on large parts of southern Africa. An India A team is currently on tour in South Africa, and that series is going to continue as planned, because India has so far not imposed any restrictions on travel to and from southern Africa.The senior Indian men’s side is also scheduled to travel to South Africa in December for a series of three Tests, three ODIs and four T20Is, and the status of that tour is also, for the moment, unchanged. But if the borders close between now and December 8-9, when the Indians are expected to fly out, the prospect of the tour taking place will be severely diminished.News of the Omicron variant became public on Tuesday, November 23, and cases in the Gauteng province of South Africa, where the Netherlands series was taking place, have increased several-fold since. Although South Africa is reporting around 2000 new cases a day, there are concerns this will rise exponentially and stricter regulations are due to be introduced soon. South Africa is currently on Level 1 of 5 of its restrictions, the most lenient since the pandemic began, and the Netherlands ODI was the first time since March 2020 that cricket was played in front of a limited crowd.

Batter produces brave and chanceless unbeaten ton, supported by Stokes and Wood

Alex Malcolm07-Jan-2022Jonny Bairstow saved England’s blushes and saved his Test career with a stunning SCG century to help his nation avoid the follow-on having slumped to 4 for 36 in the face of an Australian barrage on the third day.Bairstow’s century was both brave and chanceless. He copped a vicious blow on the thumb from Pat Cummins in the afternoon that left him doubled over in pain. But he brushed it off to score his second century in Australia and his seventh in Test cricket. It was his first in three years and 38 Test innings. He roared to the rooms after bringing it up with a flashing cut over backward point in the last over of the day in an emotional moment as the England team and fans stood and applauded a rare show of fight on this tour.He was brilliantly supported by Ben Stokes, who fought through obvious pain to make a vital 66 in a century stand with Bairstow, while Mark Wood made an excellent 39.It was an extraordinary day all up. Two hours were lost to rain and England went 70 balls without scoring and lost three wickets in the process. Australia dropped three catches, Stokes was bowled without the bails coming off and Scott Boland took 2 for 0 before hurting his side in a fall – he went for scans and was later cleared of injury. Australia produced their most ragged four hours of the series as Bairstow picked them apart with excellent footwork and positive intent to leave England 158 runs behind with three first-innings wickets in hand and two days remaining.After his top-order had literally ground to a halt in the morning, he never let Australia settle. He moved fluently onto the front and back foot but didn’t try and overhit the ball on a surface that played all sorts of tricks. He picked the gaps consistently and never missed anything straight. He was particularly savage on Nathan Lyon, with the offspinner conceding 71 from 12 overs. Bairstow struck eight fours and three sixes in his 103 not out from 140 balls.Stokes combined brilliantly with Bairstow as the pair batted through the middle session and put together England’s third-highest partnership of the series. It was also the fifth time in Test cricket an England fifth-wicket pair had scored a century partnership after coming together with the score at 40 runs or fewer. Stokes has been involved in three of themJonny Bairstow celebrates reaching his century•Getty Images

Stokes did have some luck. He offered a life to Cummins early but Australia’s skipper dropped the sharp return chance. He also survived one of the most bizarre moments of the series. As he shouldered arms to Cameron Green from around the wicket, the ball hit off stump and took a significant deflection but the bails stayed on. Australia appealed thinking it hit the back pad and he was given out lbw by umpire Paul Reiffel. Stokes reviewed and his pad was nowhere near the ball. He laughed with the Australians when replays showed it had rattled off stump without dislodging the bail to deny Green a wicket.Thereafter he was ultra-aggressive moving around the crease to disrupt Australia’s lines and length. He was in obvious pain with every stroke causing a jab in his injured side but he had Australia rattled. He crushed three consecutive boundaries off Mitchell Starc and played an outrageous lofted cover drive for six off Lyon after being beaten in flight. But Lyon got his revenge having been thrashed by Stokes and Bairstow either side of tea. Stokes played back to one that slid on straight and was trapped plumb in front. He walked off without looking at the umpire.Ben Stokes laughs after successfully reviewing a decision against him•Getty Images

Jos Buttler meekly chipped one to cover shortly after but Mark Wood picked up the slack. He was peppered with short balls but cracked 39 off 41 including three towering hooked sixes. The short ball tactic did work eventually for Cummins as Wood was out hooking, getting a tiny edge onto his helmet only for it to balloon to Lyon at point. Wood was initially given not out but it was overturned on review.Earlier, play was delayed by two hours due to a frustrating drizzle before normal service resumed for England in the shortened morning session as they lost 4 for 23 despite Haseeb Hameed and Zak Crawley producing England’s second-best opening stand of the series of 22. But even that wasn’t without luck. Following Crawley’s reprieve off a no-ball late on the second night, he was dropped at short leg by Marcus Harris although it was a very difficult chance high to his right. Hameed was given a life of his own with Alex Carey spilling him off Mitchell Starc diving late to his right in front of David Warner at slip. Having left two similar chances in the previous two Tests he made the late decision to go and spilled the one-handed offering.Both drops didn’t cost anything. Starc cleaned up Hameed snaking one back through a gaping gate to crash into middle and off. Hameed’s promising contributions at the Gabba look a distant memory following five single-figure scores. Crawley played two cracking strokes in his 18, thumping a drive on the up and smashing Starc forward of square on the back foot.But he too left a gaping hole between bat and pad for Boland to breach with some sharp movement back off the seam. It was part of a mesmerizing passage where Boland and Green put a stranglehold on England. They bowled 53 balls in the lead up to lunch without conceding a run. Crawley fell on the 24th ball of the sequence. Joe Root succumbed on the 43rd, wafting another loose square drive off the back foot with an angled bat only to be brilliantly caught by Steven Smith at second slip for a duck. It gave Boland figures of 2 for 0 from four overs and his Test bowling average dipped to 6.11, with a career tally of 9 for 55 following his heroics in Melbourne.Green deserved some reward at the other end and he struck with the 53rd ball of the sequence and the last before lunch. Dawid Malan was caught at a fine leg slip trying to glance a ball that reared at his ribs. The sequence stretched to 70 balls after lunch before Stokes and Bairstow finally broke free.

Bowler played four Tests for England in 1981-82, before moving into TV commentary

Andrew Miller25-Dec-2020
Robin Jackman, the former Surrey and England seamer who went on to become one of the leading broadcasters in South African cricket, has died at the age of 75.Jackman, who made his Test debut in 1981 at the age of 35, claimed 14 wickets at 31.78 in his four England appearances, and also featured in 15 ODIs between 1974 and 1983.However, he was arguably most famous for the match that he did not play, at Guyana on England’s tour of the West Indies in 1980-81, when his connections to Apartheid South Africa – through his wife Yvonne, and through his longstanding cricketing association with the country – led to the cancellation of the second Test of the series.Jackman had earned his place on that winter’s Caribbean tour on the back of a stellar county season for Surrey, who finished second in the County Championship behind their London rivals Middlesex, thanks in no small part to his haul of 121 wickets at 15.40.In the course of a domestic career that began in 1966, Jackman took more than 1400 first-class wickets at 22.80, and scored 5681 runs at 17.69, with 17 half-centuries. His career-best of 8 for 40 came for Rhodesia against Natal in 1972-73.Jackman was born in India in 1945 and grew up in England, but coached and played for Rhodesia and Western Province over 11 seasons, a relationship that led the Guyana government to deny him a visa on that 1980-81 England tour.When the English management chose not to yield to political pressure, the match was abandoned, and the series moved on to Barbados. Jackman was recalled in place of the injured Bob Willis and claimed five wickets in the match, including Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes and Clive Lloyd. However, he was unable to prevent West Indies claiming a 298-run win for an unassailable 2-0 lead.After retirement, Jackman moved into the media, and became a regular commentator for the South African broadcaster Supersport. In 2012, he was diagnosed with throat cancer, having already undergone two operations to remove malignant tumours from his vocal chords.He passed away at 3.30pm South Africa time on Christmas Day, and is survived by his wife Yvonne and two daughters. His death comes just 48 hours after that of his former Surrey team-mate John Edrich, who died aged 83 on December 23.The ICC reacted to the news in a statement: ‘We are saddened to learn about the death of legendary commentator and former England bowler Robin Jackman, who has passed away aged 75. The thoughts of the cricketing world go out to his family and friends during this difficult time.’In a statement on Boxing Day, CSA’s interim board described Jackman as “a household voice for all who loved and followed cricket”, and South Africa will wear black armbands in his memory on the second day of their Test against Sri Lanka.”Always passionate and knowledgeable, he was also known for his big-hearted enjoyment of life. In 2012 he was diagnosed with cancer of the vocal chords. He continued commentating for a while and was also very actively involved in fundraising for the Mercy Ships and Grace Vision.”His passing, a few days after the death of his former Surrey team-mate, John Edrich, leaves a void in the cricketing world but particularly in South African cricketing life. We mourn the loss of a fine man, a lover of life, a cricket aficionado and a commentator who became part of the fabric of South African cricket in so many ways.”

The home side are ranked No. 6 in T20Is but have produced some strong performances this season

Andrew McGlashan21-Feb-2021

Big Picture

It seems strange that for the two teams who played the first ever T20I – in Auckland 16 years ago, complete with some questionable hairstyles – and are a few hours away from each other that this match will be just the 10th time they have met in the format.Over the next two weeks, there is a chance to play a bit of catch up with a five-match series – the first time Australia have played one of such length in T20Is. The visitors will come almost straight out of managed isolation onto the pitch although they have been able to train over the last couple of weeks. For those in good form in the BBL (which is most of the squad) they will hope that hasn’t worn off while captain Aaron Finch, who had a tournament to forget, will hope to emerge refreshed.Devon Conway and Glenn Phillips have produced dynamic innings this season•AFP/Getty Images

New Zealand have already had six T20Is this season against West Indies and Pakistan – in total their summer includes 14 with matches still to come against Bangladesh – although their ranking of No. 6 is their lowest across the three formats as they build towards the World Cup later this year in India. However, the form of Devon Conway, Tim Seifert and Glenn Phillips this season has brought considerable dynamism to their batting.Unless the India-England Test series result goes the way Australia need it to, the vast majority of this year is almost purely T20 focussed following the postponement of the tour of South Africa. It should be a valuable trip for Finch’s team as they assess options for the World Cup: in top-order batting and quick bowling, they are especially well stocked.This opening match of the series in Christchurch will be the first night international staged at the ground which has recently completed the installation of floodlights. The contest comes on the 10th anniversary of the 2011 earthquake which struck the city and the captains and coaches from both teams will lay a wreath at a memorial service during the day.Related

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• Aaron Finch seeks lightness on feet after missing IPL, wary of Martin Guptill resurgence

Form guide

(last five completed matches)
New Zealand LWWWW
Australia WLLWL

In the spotlight

There is likely to be a head-to-head between two newly-minted IPL millionaires with Jhye Richardson and Kyle Jamieson expected to line-up for their respective sides. For Richardson it would be his first international appearance in almost a year and just his second since dislocating his shoulder in early 2019. He comes into the series off the back of being the leading wicket-taker in the BBL. Jamieson has only played four T20Is so far but that did not stop Royal Challengers signing him up for INR 15 crore (USD 2 million approx/NZD 2.7 million) in the auction last week.Australia will be coming across Devon Conway for the first time. While there are very few secrets in international cricket, and they will have been able to do their scouting, he’s a batsman in red-hot form. He scored 174 runs in his first four T20I innings against West Indies and Pakistan and heads into this series on the back of 50, 69*, 91* and 93* in the T20 Super Smash. His current T20 average of 43.18 puts him second behind Babar Azam for batsmen to have played at least 50 innings.Jason Behrendorff and Mitchell Marsh could both return•Getty Images and Cricket Australia

Team news

Only quick bowler Lockie Ferguson is missing from what would be New Zealand’s first-choice T20 players having suffered a stress fracture of his back earlier in the season. Martin Guptill has passed a fitness test and been given a vote of confidence form-wise after a lean season.New Zealand (probable) 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Tim Seifert, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Devon Conway, 5 Glenn Phillips, 6 Jimmy Neesham, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Kyle Jamieson, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Ish Sodhi, 11 Trent BoultFinch did not confirm anything the day before the game, although earlier in the tour he said that the uncapped Josh Philippe would come into the top order. The No. 6 spot remains up for grabs and it could be a decision between Mitchell Marsh and Ashton Turner to begin with, although the large squad gives plenty of options. The same goes for the bowling attack although the two Richardsons – Kane and Jhye – would seem the most likely to feature. If left-armer Jason Behrendorff plays it would be his first international since the 2019 World Cup.Australia (probable) 1 Aaron Finch, 2 Josh Philippe, 3 Matthew Wade (wk), 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Mitchell Marsh/Ashton Turner, 7 Ashton Agar, 8 Jhye Richardson, 9 Kane Richardson, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Jason Behrendorff

Pitch and conditions

Hagley Oval has only staged one previous men’s T20I and this will be the first night game at the venue, but it is usually a true surface. The forecast is set fair.

Stats and trivia

• In the last two years, the T20I scoring rate in New Zealand is 9.08 from 16 matches. Of the main cricket nations, only Ireland with 9.67 (from seven matches) is higher.
• In the nine T20Is between the two sides, Australia lead 7-2. New Zealand secured a Super Over victory in Christchurch (at the old stadium) in 2010.
• Australia could have as many as seven changes from the last T20I they played against India.

Quotes

“We know we are up against a very strong opposition, whatever Australian team is put out is strong. They do have the majority of their consistent T20 side there with also the opportunity of bringing in a lot of talented youngsters. We’ve been able to do that in a similar fashion throughout our summer so it should be really exciting.
“Theirs was a squad we were expecting. A lot of experience there, a lot of world-class players, you’ve got Williamson leading the side with Martin Guptill at the top of the order who’s a great white-ball player, then you’ve got the experience of Boult, Southee, Santner, Sodhi, Jimmy Neesham as well. It’s a very settled and experienced side and we’re going to have to be at our best to win.”

Angelo Mathews’ calf tear has ruled him out of the remainder of Australia’s tour, while allrounder Thisara Perera and left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan have been released from the squad for the fifth ODI

Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Sep-2016Angelo Mathews’ calf tear has ruled him out of the remainder of Australia’s tour, while allrounder Thisara Perera and left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan have been released from the Sri Lanka squad for the fifth ODI. In place of these three players, Sri Lanka have drafted in batsmen Upul Tharanga and Niroshan Dickwella, as well as seam-bowling allrounder Dasun Shanaka.Mathews has not undergone a CT scan for the injury he sustained during the fourth ODI, but the team management has already confirmed he will be unavailable for the remaining ODI and two T20Is. Mathews had hobbled off the field during his innings on Wednesday and, though he returned to bat towards the end of the innings, had been substantially hampered by the injury.Perera had played all four ODIs as the primary seamer but, although he claimed 3 for 33 in Sri Lanka’s sole win, at Khettarama, he has since been less effective. Perera had also been dropped for the England tour, following a long stretch of modest returns. He is effectively being replaced by Shanaka, who had some success in that tour of England and Ireland – he claimed three wickets in the first innings of Test at Headingley, and also took a five-wicket haul in an ODI against Ireland, in Dublin.Tharanga had also been somewhat effective in England, making a 53 not out and 40 from the lower middle order. Following Dilshan’s retirement, the selectors may wish to bat him at the top of the order again, though Dickwella is also a candidate for the opening spot. In his last three List A innings, against England Lions and Pakistan A, Dickwella hit 51, 44, and 60.Sri Lanka have already lost the ODI series. The final match is set to be played in Pallekele, on Sunday.

Habib Bank won their fifth-straight match as they beat Sui Southern by five wickets in the final of the Departmental One-Day Cup 2016-17

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jan-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Ahmed Shehzad finished the tournament with three centuries and three half-centuries in nine matches•Getty Images

Ahmed Shehzad struck a 51-ball 68 in a 105-run partnership with opener Imam-ul-Haq – after Fakhar Zaman retired hurt – to help Habib Bank claim the title in the Departmental One-Day Cup. They recorded a five-wicket win against Sui Southern Gas Corporation in Karachi, their fifth victory in a row in the tournament.Chasing 233, Habib Bank’s first wicket fell only in the 24th over after Mohammad Irfan dismissed No. 3 Shehzad after his innings that included nine fours and one six. The team’s score was 143 for 1 then, and although a mini-collapse did have them slump to 174 for 5 in the 33rd over – Zaman tried to return to bat but had to leave again – an unbeaten sixth-wicket partnership of 61 between Zohaib Khan (29) and Fahim Ashraf (34) took them through with 14 balls to spare.Earlier in the match, Habib Bank’s bowlers kept Sui Southern’s runs in check with regular wickets at the top. By the 17th over, they were 31 for 3 and took about 30 overs to reach 100. Shoaib Malik held up one end with a 92-ball 93 – his innings included nine fours – but with wickets constantly falling at the other end, doubled with the sluggish start, Sui Southern could manage only 232 for 7 in their 50 overs.

Sussex returned to winning ways in the NatWest T20 Blast after an impressive comeback by their bowlers set up a seven-wicket win over Middlesex at Hove

ECB Reporters Network01-Jul-2016
ScorecardPaul Stirling’s 52 wasn’t enough for Middlesex•Getty Images

Sussex returned to winning ways in the NatWest T20 Blast after an impressive comeback by their bowlers set up a seven-wicket win over Middlesex at Hove.Middlesex looked on course for a commanding score when they reached 71 for 1 in the sixth over with Paul Stirling in full flow.Stirling thrashed 52 off just 24 balls but after he departed in the seventh over Middlesex completely lost momentum.
Seven of their batsmen scored between 2 and 6 as they were bowled out for 146 after losing nine wickets for 75 in 12 overs.There were still 14 balls of their innings unused and on a slow but true pitch Sussex had to take few risks as they sauntered to their target with ten balls to spare. Sussex’s fourth victory, which came after they hadn’t won in four, lifted them above Middlesex into third place in the South Group.The control Sussex had at the end was in sharp contrast to the opening overs as Stirling flayed their bowlers, hitting Tymal Mills for two sixes as well as eight fours. He reached his half-century in the fourth over, having put on 33 for the first wicket with skipper Dawid Malan.But Sussex began to drag it back in the sixth over when Nuwan Kulasekara yorked John Simpson (6) and then left-arm spinner Danny Briggs had Stirling caught behind trying to force off the back foot.It was a good night for Sussex’s slow bowlers, who sent down ten overs between them.Briggs and leg-spinner Will Beer had combined figures of 5 for 47 with Briggs also picking up Nick Gubbins (32), when he mis-timed a pull, and Ryan Higgins (4), to a sharp return catch, off successive deliveries.Beer claimed the important wicket of George Bailey, who was making his Middlesex debut, when he bowled the Australian through the gate before removing the dangerous James Franklin (5).Mills was expensive during Stirling’s onslaught ahead of what he hopes will be an England debut in next week’s T20 international against Sri Lanka, but he finished with 2 for 34.Middlesex’s hopes were briefly revived when Harry Podmore had Sussex skipper Luke Wright (23) caught behind off his first ball in the ninth over, Wright having earlier put on 46 with Phil Salt (27) for the second wicket.But Ross Taylor (33 not out) and Matt Machan (41 not out) didn’t need to take any risks and simply ticked over and put away the bad deliveries as they added an undefeated 74 in 62 balls.