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Pakistan’s hopes of qualifying are purely mathematical, with the team needing a victory of at least 316 runs to pip New Zealand to fourth spot

The Preview by Umar Farooq04-Jul-20193:16

Nafees: It was the best World Cup for Bangladesh batsmen

Big Picture

There is realistically no chance of either side making the semi-final, to the extent that this needn’t be a talking point. This match is, for all intents and purposes, a dead rubber. But both sides would want to hold their heads up that little bit higher at the end of their campaign.Pakistan did win four important games against top opponents but a crushing opening defeat against West Indies mean they have an inferior net run rate to New Zealand, for which they will pay the price even if they beat Bangladesh. Pakistan’s performance has been difficult to read throughout. They started with that shocking defeat at the hands of West Indies. Following that, they were hit and miss, but damaging defeats to Australia and India meant they needed assistance from other results much too early in the tournament. That luck ran out with England completing two wins at the end to guarantee their own progress, quashing Pakistan’s flickering hopes in the process.Their only chance to make it into the semi-final is to bat first and win the contest by a margin of at least 316 runs, a feat never before achieved in ODI cricket. If Bangladesh win the toss and bat, Pakistan are out before a ball has been bowled.Bangladesh, meanwhile, have had an excellent World Cup, never quite being blown away by any side, and claiming the scalps of several fancied teams. Eliminated now, the task at hand will be to finish off with a win against Pakistan, which will give them four wins out of eight completed matches, and ensure they finish as the best of the rest – the highest-placed team not to make the semi-finals. Their batting has centred on the brilliance of Shakib Al Hasan’s purple patch. He is the second leading run-scorer so far with 542 runs at 90.33 at a strike rate of 100.30 against pacers and 91.50 versus spinners. He is the only allrounder to get both 1000 runs and over 30 wickets in World Cups. No other Bangladesh player has even completed one of those feats.It is the pacers who have let Bangladesh down in the tournament somewhat. The Bangladesh quicks have picked up only two wickets in the 79 overs they have bowled in the competition inside the first 20 overs. Mustafizur Rahman is the best in the lot taking 15 wickets in the tournament, but none of them have come in the first 15 overs. The batting has helped the side along but, with their World Cup campaign set to end, the question is whether their bowling can complement that effort.

Form guide

Bangladesh LWLWL (Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan WWWLL

In the spotlight

In six out of seven innings at this World Cup, Mohammad Hafeez has been caught out. Several of these dismissals have been soft, cheap ones, and on two occasions he was dismissed by Aaron Finch and Kane Williamson. The 38-year-old batsman started his ODI career in 2003 and has gone on to play play 217 ODIs with a batting average of 32.93. Originally an opener, his batting position has been a matter of debate and scrutiny for many years now and he has found himself dropped down the order. With Shoaib Malik out of the side, Hafeez is the senior-most player, and has been given a long run at the No. 4 spot. He did well there with a match-winning 84 against England, but since that innings he has been dismissed three times under 30. In what could be his swansong, he will look to leave with a favourable impression.Jimmy Neesham grins as Shaheen Afridi, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, and Mohammad Amir look on•Getty Images

The Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza needs to lead his bowling attack from the front. Only one wicket in seven matches is a major concern for a bowler who had taken 265 wickets in 209 matches before the start of 2019 World Cup – the highest wicket-taker and most capped player of his side. In the death overs, his economy is 13.80 and he is one of six bowlers (to have bowled a minimum of 20 overs) who average above 50 and have conceded more than six runs per over this World Cup. Bangladesh need a lift, and in what is probably Mashrafe’s last match at a World Cup, this is the chance to go out on a high note.

Team news

Mushfiqur Rahim got struck on the elbow during a nets session on Thursday, but there is no big threat yet. “I’ve had no chance to see the physio yet. Generally, that sort of area most people are okay,” their coach Steve Rhodes said. “I don’t remember too many people breaking elbows or forearm of the bottom hand. So I’m hoping that he’ll be okay.”Otherwise, Mahmudullah is likely to return after recovering from his calf injury, which means Sabbir Rahman will have to make way despite a run-a-ball 36 against India. Rubel Hossain should play again, which means Mehidy Hasan could be confined to the bench once more.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Liton Das, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Mosaddek Hossain, 8 Rubel Hossain, 9 Mohammad Saifuddin 10 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 11 Mustafizur RahmanWahab Riaz picked up a minor hand injury in a fielding session before the Afghanistan game. He was cleared to play that game, but now with this match set to be a dead rubber, Pakistan may decide to give him a rest. Mohammad Hasnain, who has not featured at all this World Cup, could be allowed a game for an experience that Pakistan will hope will serve them well in the years to come.Pakistan (probable): 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Hafeez, 5 Haris Sohail, 6 Sarfaraz Ahmed (capt & wk), 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Shadab Khan, 9 Mohammad Amir, 10 Wahab Riaz/Mohammad Hasnain, 11 Shaheen Afridi

Strategy punts

• Pakistan must look to add Asif Ali for the final game. He might have struggled in England, averaging 26, but his strike rate is still the best among Pakistan players – 126.80 in seven games he has played. He was dropped after two games but with him in the playing XI, Pakistan can score big. It is, faint though it might be, the only chance they have of inflicting a big defeat against Bangladesh that can push up their net run rate.
• Bangladesh should bowl Shakib intensively in the first 20 overs, where he has taken four wickets in 28 overs while his team-mates have managed only three wickets put together. During the first 20 overs in this World Cup, Bangladesh have taken the fewest wickets (seven), at the worst average and economy rate – 106.7 and 5.30 respectively. They have picked just 13% of their wickets inside the first 20 overs, the lowest for a team this edition, and there’s no time they need Shakib more.

Pitch and conditions

The pitch to be played on for this game was used for the Pakistan-South Africa clash, which was more than 10 days ago. That should give the track, which had a strong green tinge, some freshness. Weather is not expected to play spoilsport, although it’s likely to be hot and sunny, like it has been in London this week.

Stats and trivia

• Mustafizur Rahman needs two more for 100 wickets in ODIs.

• Imam-ul-Haq has gone eight innings without an ODI hundred. Should he fail to reach three figures at Lord’s on Friday, it would be the longest he has ever gone without a century.
  
• Bangladesh have taken 46% of their wickets at the death, the most by a team in this edition. However, those wickets have come at a cost. From overs 41-50, Bangladesh have the second worst economy rate (8.50) and the worst balls-per-boundary ratio (6.3) in this World Cup.

Quotes

“A few of the [Bangladesh players] went straight out onto the dressing room balcony and looked at the marvellous scene in front of them with a beautiful carpet of grass and big stands everywhere, and they were taking it all in.”
“Pakistan did lose the last four matches [against Bangladesh], but it is a World Cup match. So both teams look stronger, so hopefully we will do well as a team.”

India are the last team to start their World Cup 2019 campaign, opening against South Africa on Wednesday, with every other team having played at least one game in the past week. Captain Virat Kohli felt starting late gave his side an advantage in sussing out conditions and strategies. Speaking on the eve of the match, he also welcomed the expectations people had of him, and how he has learned to go along with them.On being the last team to start their World Cup campaign
It is a bit of an advantage, I have to say, in terms of understanding how the games have gone, what the conditions have to offer, what the overcast conditions bring into play when the sun is out. It’s a totally different ball game altogether, what the conditions are at 10.30 in the morning compared to the afternoon. I think from that point of view, we have a lot to absorb. We have a lot to learn from looking at how the other teams play.From that point of view, we would say that we have a lot of positives that we can take out of starting after everyone else.On Kedar Jadhav’s fitness
Kedar is doing well, he is back to full fitness. Kedar is batting in the nets now, he is hitting the ball well, so it is always nice to have him back in the mix because of the variety he brings into the side.On whether there is pressure of scoring a century in the opening match, having done so in 2011 and 2015
When you perform for a long time, expectations are always there. I understand how to go along with the expectations rather than saying I’m not. You don’t go out there to prove anything to anyone, which is a fact, but you have to accept that expectations are going to be there.When I walk out to bat, come down the stairs, people will say “we need a hundred” and all those kind of things will happen. So, for me, that’s just a part of the process. It’s not something that I don’t want to hear, or something that I think people should not tell me because when you do well, people obviously want to see you do well again and again because they want to see the team win.So my focus is if I’m in a position to be able to do that again, but more importantly, make the team win. And if it takes a hundred runs, 150, 50, 60, 70, 40, whatever it is, I’m ready to do that and that’s the frame of mind I’m going to be in.On the 10.30am start time, and how it affects team combinations
If the conditions offer you a lot in terms of the pitch.. we know it’s a different situation in England when there is a cloud cover and when there is sun out. With two new balls, if the pitch has something to offer, then an extra seamer comes into play big time.But even on a good pitch, on a batting-friendly pitch with two new balls, I foresee the first 10 overs to be challenging if there is cloud cover. Because we are playing in England and the ball does a bit more than any other place in the world.From bowling point of view, even if you play with two spinners, two seamers or three seamers, they are going to be in the game in the first half if you start at 10.30. The dynamics will change from morning to afternoon big time, and the bowlers will have to adapt very quickly.On Kuldeep Yadav’s weak IPL 2019 form
I have had great IPL seasons and I have entered playing for the country and I have felt like, “I feel like I’m going to dominate this tournament so much” – and you can’t put bat to ball.So every tournament, every game that you play has no connection to what you have done in the past. You can only take out the positives and the learnings and take it to the next tournament or game that you play. Whether you have done well in the IPL or you haven’t, you still have to work hard. And to me, IPL has no connection to the World Cup.He’s a guy who has done so well in the last two years. I don’t think three or four games of a T20 tournament will do anything to harm his confidence.We know when he pitches the ball in the right areas the batsman has to make better decisions or you are walking out. And he’s back to bowling at his best. In the nets he is bowling well, attacking the stumps, his variations are spot on, he is pitching the ball in the right area. So I see batsmen having to take better decisions against Kuldeep rather than the other way around.

He was arrested for drink driving in Colombo on Sunday morning after he was involved in an accident that put the driver of a three-wheeler in hospital

Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Apr-2019

Dimuth Karunaratne has described his own behaviour as “utterly unbecoming of a Sri Lankan national cricketer” on the day he had his driving licence suspended for suspected drink driving.ALSO READ: Karunaratne arrested over drink driving after injuring a motoristHaving been involved an accident in the Borella neighbourhood of Colombo early on Sunday morning, Karunaratne was arrested and subsequently bailed, while a driver of a three-wheeler was admitted to hospital with minor injuries.The injured driver has since been discharged, but Karunaratne has assured officials and fans that he will fulfil his “moral obligation” to the injured person in an apology made on his facebook page, on Monday. Hours earlier, he had had his driving licence suspended at the Fort Magistrate in Colombo.His apology, in full:Dear Friends / Fellow SL Team members / Cricket Fans World Over / All those at Sri Lanka Cricket and each and every Sri Lankan:You may be aware of some disturbing news which occurred last morning! The vehicle I was driving back home unfortunately met with a minor accident in Colombo.I firstly need to apologize to the owner of the other vehicle who had a few very minor injuries and was absolutely decent in his manner to very amicably sort out the matter directly with me.As I type i am very pleased to note and would like to inform all of you that he has been discharged from hospital where he was under precautionary observation and is now resting at home.Rest assured that my moral obligation towards his betterment and well been will be well looked after and that’s guaranteed.This morning I produced my self in court and did follow the due Legal process of Sri Lanka and did abide by all formalities therein required . I shall continue to assist / follow with what ever Legal obligations are necessary from my end.I am very much aware that perhaps my actions were utterly unbecoming of a Sri Lankan National Cricketer and I do apologize to all of you for this incident.Thank you for your understanding on this matter during this tough time I am currently going through.Sincerely Yours
Dimuth KarunaratneBeyond whatever legal consequences Karunaratne faces, Sri Lanka Cricket may also impose their own punishments, perhaps after the legal process has concluded.Karunaratne had not only led Sri Lanka to their historic Test series win against South Africa in February, he was also being talked about by the national selectors as a prospective World Cup captain. Whether the fallout from this incident will do his World Cup chances ill remains to be seen.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Sadeera Samarawickrama is also back in the squad, while Kaushal Silva has missed out

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Nov-2018

Batsman Lahiru Thirimanne has been recalled into Sri Lanka’s Test squad, with wicketkeeper-batsman Sadeera Samarawickrama also picked in the 17-strong outfit heading to New Zealand for two Tests in December.Dinesh Chandimal, who missed the last two Tests of the recent series against England with a groin strain, is back to lead the side. His deputy is the opener Dimuth Karunaratne, who has been elevated to vice-captaincy ahead of fast bowler Suranga Lakmal, who led Sri Lanka in Chandimal’s absence against England.The only major omission is that of offspinner Akila Dananjaya, who is awaiting the results of his biomechanics test, having been reported for a suspect action. Also failing to find a place in the squad is opener Kaushal Silva, who produced four modest innings in the recent series against England. Danushka Gunathilaka, who also had a poor Test at the SSC, and has been in various disciplinary scrapes over the past 18 months, has been selected, however.The composition of the five-member seam-bowling contingent is largely as expected. Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara, who had both impressed in the West Indies, are in the squad. Dushmantha Chameera, who had a good tour of New Zealand in 2015, has been chosen as well. Senior seamers Lakmal and Nuwan Pradeep are in the squad as well. Pradeep has not played a Test for over a year, but that has largely been down to injury concerns rather than form reasons.Thirimanne, who had had an extended poor stretch before being dropped in 2017, makes his way back into the squad via runs for Sri Lanka A. He had been the highest scorer in the A team tour to Bangladesh in July, having scored 347 runs at an average of 173.5, across four innings. The 23-year-old Samarawickrama, meanwhile, has not been in particularly prolific form in the high-profile domestic competitions this year, but has been picked largely on potential. He had played four Tests toward the end of 2017 and made a high score of 38.Sri Lanka Test squad: Dinesh Chandimal (capt), Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews, Roshen Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Danushka Gunathilaka, Lahiru Thirimanne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Dushmantha Chameera

Pakistan have never beaten New Zealand in a bilateral ODI series in UAE, and they’ve got their backs to the wall again

The Preview by Akshay Gopalakrishnan08-Nov-2018

Big PicturePakistan have problems when they switch between the two limited-over formats. Give them 20 overs to play, and they are unstoppable. They can defend low scores, chase tricky targets, go ballistic at the top, and inflict collapses. Ask them to go a little longer, for 50 overs, and all of a sudden, their batsmen are scratching around. Straightforward targets seem like insurmountable mountains. And the batting is more susceptible to collapses than blocks in a game of Jenga. It’s almost as if they forget all the elements that enable them to succeed in the shortest format.How else does one explain this paradox, really? Pakistan are the No. 1 T20I side. They are unbeaten over their last nine matches in the format. Just as recently as last week, they blanked New Zealand 3-0 in the T20Is. And then, the ODIs came around. And it took Trent Boult three balls to rip through them and seal their fate.Returning after the birth of his child, Boult exposed Pakistan’s familiar frailties: loose play outside off, flashing away from the body, and playing across the line when the ball swings. Each of these factors would presumably play a decisive role in the World Cup in the swing-friendly environs of England next year. With about seven months left for that, Pakistan need to act on these issues with urgency.The flip side of Boult’s performance, however, was that it tapered over some of New Zealand’s own issues. They fell back on Ross Taylor to bail them out with the bat. Apart from Taylor, Kane Williamson is the only reassuring presence they have. George Worker is still finding his feet, which puts the onus on Colin Munro, his opening partner, to take additional responsibility. Munro has the flair and confidence, but New Zealand need more runs from him.As if their existing issues weren’t enough, it seems Pakistan, once again, have to deal with increased scrutiny around Mohammad Hafeez’s action. That did not deter Sarfraz Ahmed from bowling him for six overs, however, and, in any case, Pakistan have enough cushion when it comes to the bowling. It’s with the bat that they need to find a way to sustain the effectiveness they’ve shown in T20Is over longer periods. New Zealand have never lost a bilateral ODI series to Pakistan in the Emirates, and, barring a quick remedy to their batting, Pakistan risk suffering the same fate again.Form guidePakistan LLLWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)New Zealand WLWLLIn the spotlightMohammad Hafeez’s action coming under the scanner is an unwelcome headache for Pakistan, but one they need to deal with nevertheless. While it would be an overstatement to say that Taylor’s act has soured the series, it certainly drew the ire of the Pakistan captain. Hafeez’s action was cleared only as recently as May this year. But he remained in focus, calling out the ICC’s procedure for identifying suspect actions and subsequently escaping punishment for his comments. Hafeez has endured a tumultuous year, spending it in and out of the side. His international career appeared to be winding down after months of being overlooked, before he was thrown a lifeline when he was named in the Test squad for the Australia series. He was then called back to the ODI squad as well, after being left out of the Asia Cup earlier this year. Now, with the fuss around his action, every move of his will be magnified.Colin Munro has undoubted potential and he has shown that in flashes. But the big hundred has eluded the opening batsman after 37 innings in the format. A big innings from him would reinforce the power New Zealand possess at the top of the order, give the newcomer Worker some time to settle in, and make Williamson and Taylor’s job of building the innings through the middle overs more effective by giving them a solid platform to launch from.Team newsHasan Ali is going through a rough patch, and it seems increasingly likely that Pakistan may soon turn to a replacement. Faheem Ashraf wouldn’t be a bad choice if they do choose to do so. And with the circumstances surrounding Hafeez, Faheem gives Pakistan that extra all-round option.Pakistan (probable XI): 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Hafeez, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt, wk), 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Imad Wasim, 9 Hasan Ali/Faheem Ashraf, 10 Shaheen Afridi, 11 Junaid KhanLegspinner Todd Astle has returned home without playing a single game on the tour to have his right knee examined. Astle’s absence, however, shouldn’t have much of an effect on a New Zealand team that won’t likely be swayed into making any changes.New Zealand (probable XI): 1 George Worker, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Henry Nicholls, 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Tim Southee, 9 Ish Sodhi, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Trent BoultPitch and conditionsFive out of the six ODIs in Abu Dhabi this year have been won by the team batting first. Pakistan barely scraped through in a chase of 258 in the other game. And besides, with the prickly afternoon weather, most teams would prefer being on the field after the night sets in. Surfaces in the UAE have shown a tendency recently to not favour extremely high scores, so a total of 250 or thereabouts should prove competitive.Stats and trivia Sarfraz Ahmed needs 120 more to complete 2000 career runs, and four more catches to complete a 100 of them in ODIs. Fakhar Zaman has a dismal record in home ODIs. In 11 innings, he has 205 runs, is yet to cross fifty, and has an average of 18.63, which pales in comparison to his career average of 56.10.

Woakes marked his England Test recall with 57 off 23 balls to revive a stuttering Birmingham innings

ECB Reporters Network05-Aug-2018

ScorecardChris Woakes celebrated his call-up to the England squad for the second Test against India by making a match-winning career-best 57 from 23 balls for Birmingham Bears as they beat Northamptonshire by 17 runs at Wantage Road.After winning the toss, the Bears’ innings stuttered along until Woakes struck six fours and four sixes in a cameo that steered the visitors to 187 for 7. Josh Cobb made a career-best 103 from 62 balls in reply but found no support as Northants slumped to their ninth defeat in ten matches.The Bears innings was initially hard work as only 38 came from the Powerplay for the loss of Ed Pollock and Adam Hose before Ian Bell continued his excellent form. He flicked the day’s first boundary through midwicket, swatted four more past mid-on and lifted Richard Gleeson elegantly over cover.Hose, having edged a boundary from Nathan Buck over the wicketkeeper’s head, tried to scoop the same bowler over short-fine leg and was caught at the wicket. Pollock fell for just 1, skying a pull stroke to mid-on where Seekkuge Prasanna took a solid catch.Bell swung Ben Sanderson over mid-off and gracefully went in-to-out to lift Prasanna wide of extra-cover but he and Sam Hain, who added 64 for the third wicket, fell within three balls. Bell drove Buck straight to extra-cover for 43 after Hain, who lifted a low-full toss from Sanderson over long-off for the innings’ first six, holed out to long-on off Prasanna.At 128 for 5 after 16 overs, the innings was listing but Woakes ensured the Bears had plenty to defend. He survived a tough dropped chance on 12 as Gleeson couldn’t hold on running around from long-off and the miss proved costly.He pulled the Gleeson for four through cover point and midwicket before top-edging a six as 16 came from the 17th over. Prasanna was swung over long-on for six more and Woakes found two more sixes in the final over that brought 17 as the Bears finished with a flourish, scoring 59 runs in 24 balls.Northants also found the going tough in the Powerplay as Ben Duckett was superbly yorked by Olly Stone for 2 and with only 45 runs scored, the required rate was quickly into double figures.Cobb was struck a blow to the head by a Stone bumper but warmed to his work with a punch off Woakes past mid-off and then through midwicket before driving Aaron Thomason down the ground for four and pulling a slower ball out of the ground over deep-square leg. He put a ball through a similar region for his second six and flicked Thomason wide of short-fine leg for four, passing fifty in 35 balls.But it was a lone chase as Ricardo Vasconcelos made 18 before driving Grant Elliott to long-off where Thomason took an excellent catch running to his right, Alex Wakely holed out to deep square for 3 and Steven Crook, Charlie Thurston and Prasanna only made single-figure scores.Cobb was left to chase the target himself and he went down on one knee to put another ball out of the ground and swung Woakes over long-on for six more.With 64 needed from 24 balls Cobb heaved Thomason out of the ground over midwicket and past short-third man for four to leave 42 required from 18. He drove Stone for four and charged back for a second off Woakes to reach his first T20 hundred in 58 balls and become the fourth T20 centurion for Northants.But Stone’s final over only cost seven and with 27 needed from the last over, Cobb ran himself out coming back for a second run and a wonderful innings was consigned to a losing cause.

Australia’s joint vice-captain knows that he will need to be patient and show a more measured approach to have success in English conditions

Daniel Brettig at Edgbaston30-Jul-2019Wielding his bat like a cutlass and swinging it with enough gusto to twice be caught at third man against India last summer, Travis Head would not, at first glance, look like an Australian player ideally suited to the subtleties required to bat successfully in England.There have been numerous similarly swashbuckling Australian talents who never quite cracked it in England, not least Doug Walters and David Hookes, when confronted by slower surfaces and the moving ball. Adding to the difficulty for Head is another matter of more recent history – he is too young to remember Australia winning a series in England, having been seven years old when a team led by Steve Waugh rushed to a 3-0 lead and ultimately a 4-1 final margin in 2001.”2001, very early days, I probably didn’t watch much of it. I was probably asleep most of the time,” Head said with a laugh. “Yeah, probably ’05 [was first memory]. Obviously the last one, coming to Trent Bridge, I only watched the first couple of sessions.”I was over here when Ash [Agar] got 98 [in 2013]. I think I was watching it with a mate in the Greek islands. I went to The Oval and watched Smudge [Steven Smith] get a hundred. So I’ve watched a bit of cricket here. I loved watching India here last year as well. It’s a place where you get exciting cricket. So looking forward to get involved with it.”ALSO READ: James Anderson the key as Glenn McGrath ‘sits on fence’ in Ashes predictionBack in November, Head was discarded from Australia’s ODI team at an inopportune time for anyone wanting to go to England for the World Cup – something Head clearly wanted. However, it also provided useful clarity in terms of what his goals should be, something added to when he acquitted himself more than adequately against Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka in his first three Test series – those edges to third man aside.After the SCG Test, Head was left with some regrets about not finishing off the series well, something he atoned for while striding to a century against Sri Lanka in Canberra in Australia’s last Test before the Ashes. Given that two other centurions for that match, Kurtis Patterson and Joe Burns, did not make the final Ashes squad, Head had to have done more work in the interim.”I think for a long part of my career, I was a bit, not reckless but I took the game on,” he said. “But as I’ve matured a little bit and played a lot more cricket, I’ve got more of an understanding of how I want to play on different wickets, especially in the last 12 months. Being able to adapt to wickets throughout the country in Australia and over here, and how I adapt my game it has been probably a more mature approach.”I’ve taken more time and tried to give myself a chance a bit more than I did when I was younger. As I’ve played more cricket and got more experience, I’ve been able to do that, and I found that the other week batting with Wadey [Matthew Wade, for Australia A against England Lions]. It was nice to spend time in the middle, and I’ve played a bit of cricket over here so I know what to expect. It’s about making sure I let them bowl to me, but also making sure that I’m still positive and don’t change my natural instincts.Travis Head celebrates a century•Getty Images”So when there’s a chance to score, score, because we’re there to get runs and it can be quite difficult to get runs over here. So when they’re on offer we have to make sure we take it, but also making sure we do it for a long period of time.”The battles against India, Jasprit Bumrah in particular, have stuck in Head’s memory bank ahead of likely duels with the similarly precise James Anderson, among others. “Looking back at the way I batted in Adelaide and knowing the conditions and not trying to drive the ball, just let the ball come,” he said. “I think I did a really good job in Adelaide and Perth of doing that, then got a little bit greedy in Melbourne and Sydney when the wickets were better and I wasn’t able to do it for long enough.”So it was nice to get through to the back end of the summer against Sri Lanka and be able to go out there and do it for a long period of time, to get a big score on a wicket on day one where it still did a bit. I was able to let the ball come, and do all the things I was able to do throughout the summer. It’s going to be a real key focus. I understand the England bowlers will put me under pressure and test that patience, I guess. For me, it’s about making sure I continue being as positive as I can be and moving the game, but also giving myself the best chance to get big hundreds and to be putting us into great positions.”Alongside Pat Cummins, Head was anointed co-deputy to Tim Paine during the Sri Lanka series, after the roles were passed on from Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Marsh. Anyone thinking this premature, needed only look at how Head had been made South Australia’s captain in 2015, aged 21, and followed by building his batting record and consistency while helping the state to a pair of Sheffield Shield finals. He will, in England, be looking for advice from Smith and David Warner, both still barred from formal leadership roles.”I think I just look back on the captains that I’ve had – Michael Klinger, Johan [Botha],” Head said. “Just taking little bits out of everyone. I obviously had Steve for a lot of my one-day career, Painey’s been fantastic and it was nice to field next to him at first slip in the A tour because I got a great understanding of the way he thought about the game. I think in my first few years, I was trying to find that and probably looked at the job higher than what it was.”But I think in the last few years I’ve really taken a good focus, just making sure that my role is no bigger than anyone else’s, and just ticking off all the boxes for the boys, and just being there and creating a really good environment. Being really calm and consistent in the way I go about things, and trying to make it as good an environment as I possibly can. That’s been my focus and I see that as my role here, making sure that I’m on hand for Painey, that I’m a connection between the group and Painey.”Making sure we keep a really good environment, and a consistent environment throughout whatever we get throughout the next little period of time. And if games are getting a little bit out of hand, we can make sure that we’re calm and in control. So hopefully, I can bring that really levelled environment and level head out in the middle, and try and be a helping hand.”Walters toured England four times without success, and was left out of the 1981 tour. Hookes had only one chance in 1977, and never returned for a Test series. Head, his method so grooved on hard Australian surfaces, will make for a fascinating study on this tour.

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Sea Blindness — пиксельный 2D-хоррор об исследователе морских глубин, который оказался втянутым в таинственный инцидент, а затем обнаружил, что попал в игру. Вместе с Джимми герой должен спасти своих товарищей и восстановить равновесие в игровом мире. Страница в Steam.

Forgetmenots — скроллинговое приключение с головоломками. Игроки должны исследовать театр, чтобы восстановить воспоминания в правильном порядке. Страница в Steam.

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The Flayed Man — короткий хоррор-квест с двухмерной пиксельной графикой и разными концовками, где нужно исследовать мрачный особняк. Проект получил 96% рейтинга. Страница в Steam.

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🫡 Один из трёх ключевых производителей ОЗУ Micron прекращает выпускать память для «простых потребителей»

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Who's ready for some afternoon baseball on Thursday?

Nine teams are in action in Major League Baseball today, starting at 1:05 p.m. EST with the Arizona Diamondbacks taking on the Washington Nationals.

As we do every day here at SI Betting, we're going to pick every MLB game today, with a short breakdown as to why we're leaning in that direction.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Washington Nationals Prediction and Pick

Shockingly enough, the Washington Nationals have a better record than the Arizona Diamondbacks entering Thursday's matinee matchup.

I'm rolling with Washington with MacKenzie Gore on the bump, as he's allowed two or fewer earned runs in seven of his last eight starts and has a 2.92 Fielding Independent Pitching on the season. Arizona's Ryne Nelson hasn't fared nearly as well, posting a 5.49 ERA and 4.30 FIP in 2024.

Tampa Bay Rays vs. Minnesota Twins Prediction and Pick

Minnesota is one of the best home teams in baseball (23-15) this season, and Simeon Woods Richardson has pitched extremely well in 11 starts. He's posted a 3.29 ERA this season, leading the Twins to an 8-3 record in his starts.

The Rays should have a chance with Zack Littell on the bump — he's posted a 3.62 FIP — but they've gone just 6-8 record in his starts.

Seattle Mariners vs. Cleveland Guardians Prediction and Pick

I getting Luis Castillo as an underdog in this matchup, as Logan Allen (5.30 ERA) is on the mound for the Guardians.

Castillo has a 3.32 ERA this season, and since April 14 he's allowed two or fewer runs in all but one start. I think he's a must-bet at these odds on Thursday.

Houston Astros vs. Chicago White Sox Prediction and Pick

One of the easiest bets to make in baseball this season?

The other team when the Chicago White Sox are starting Chris Flexen.

Flexen hasn't been good at all in 2024, posting a 5.35 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP, but the worst part is that he's led the Sox to a 2-13 record in 15 outings. I have to take the Astros — who are a much better team — to win outright in this one.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Colorado Rockies Prediction and Pick

Gavin Stone (3.01 ERA) has been great for the Dodgers this season, leading them to a 10-3 record in his 13 starts and holding all but two teams to three earned runs or less. He also has five innings of shutout ball against these Rockies under his belt already in 2024.

I love the Dodgers' offense to tee off on Ty Blach, who has a 4.65 ERA and a dreadful 1.41 WHIP in 2024.

Kansas City Royals vs. Oakland Athletics Prediction and Pick

Seth Lugo has been one of the most consistent starters in baseball, posting a 2.40 ERA and leading his Royals to a 10-5 record in his 15 starts.

The A's have won two in a row to snap an eight-game skid, but I'm not sold on them beating one of the American League's best arms so far this season.

Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Yankees Prediction and Pick

I'm all about Luis Gil, who pitched 6.1 innings of two-hit ball against the O's earlier this season, to get a win on Thursday.

The Yankees are 12-2 in Gil's starts, and I think they're well equipped to beat lefty Cole Irving (3.03 ERA, 3.41 FIP) in this game. Irvin has been solid in 2024, but his ERA has risen from 2.84 to 3.03 in three starts this month.

San Francisco Giants vs. St. Louis Cardinals Prediction and Pick

The Giants have struggled on the road in 2024, going 16-22 straight up, and I'm not sold on them picking up a win on Thursday with Keaton Winn (6.66 ERA) on the mound.

San Fran is just 3-8 in Winn's outings, and while the Cardinals are 3-10 in Andre Pallante's appearances, they're 2-2 in his four starts and he's lowered his ERA nearly two runs over his last two outings.

Milwaukee Brewers vs. San Diego Padres Prediction and Pick

The Milwaukee Brewers haven't gotten the best stuff from Bryse Wilson as of late, with his ERA rising from 2.40 to 3.84 since the start of May. However, I still think he has the advantage over youngster Adam Mazur, who has a 7.82 ERA in three outings in 2024.

The Padres ar 0-3 with Mazur on the mound, and I don't love backing them as favorites in that spot on Thursday.

South Africa will have tougher tests to come, but they wanted to learn more about their support pace bowling and Duanne Olivier took his chance well

Firdose Moonda08-Oct-2017Duanne Olivier had one job: to do the same thing he did last summer.Except that he did it against an international batting line-up not a local one, with one of the most promising young bowlers on the global circuit at the other end, Kagiso Rabada, not his franchise partner Marchant de Lange, in front of a small but vociferous crowd, not an empty ground. So even though this one job was the same job as the one Olivier had always done, it had become a much harder job because it had been added to by expectation.Olivier was last season’s leading wicket-taker in first-class cricket with 52 scalps, some distance ahead of his nearest competitors, who had 34. It was widely understood that he was a wicket-taker but because the competition is not televised, very few people had actually seen what kind of a wicket-taker he was. Word around the game was that he had a decent short ball but also that he had the stamina to return for spell after spell and the ability to be effective with the older ball.But all of this was just talk. None of it had been seen at international level because Olivier had not had that much opportunity to show it.He debuted against a mentally shot Sri Lankan side that made for easy-pickings, was inconsistent in England in a series South Africa want to forget and was unspectacular in Potchefstroom last week when Morne Morkel set the tone. Here on his home turf, with all but one big name – Rabada – unavailable, he had his chance to prove what he is capable of and Faf du Plessis was particularly pleased with the outcome.”That’s what you want to see from young bowlers. You want to see improvement, that they can learn quickly at the highest level, because the guys that can learn, you can stick with them,” du Plessis said. “The way he bowled today was a fantastic effort. To bowl 10 overs on the trot of short-ball work takes incredible effort, so I have to take my hat off to him. He was our best bowler today.”Olivier’s spell started on the second evening when Bangladesh followed-on but he really got into his work on the third morning when, for the first time, he appeared to be bowling to a plan. South Africa had a short-leg in place and Olivier was told to pitch it short. His sixth ball climbed on Soumya Sarkar and carried to Aiden Markram under the helmet but he could not hold on. Later in the over, Olivier bounced Sarkar and then aimed at his ribs. In the next over, Sarkar prodded at one from Rabada and was caught at second slip.Then, Olivier turned it up. Men were sent out on the leg side waiting for the hook and Olivier ramped up the pace and the effort. Imrul Kayes almost gloved one as it sailed past his hips and Mominul Haque had one hurtle towards his face. Olivier set them up so Rabada could take them down. Mominul holed out to deep square leg off Rabada in the ninth over.Bangladesh’s captain Mushfiqur Rahim bore the brunt of Olivier’s aggression and there were many hearts in mouths when he was hit on the helmet and required treatment. Olivier, not shirking from his plan, delivered a short ball as soon as Mushfiqur was ready to go again.For all the work he put in, Olivier’s only reward was the strangling of Kayes down the leg side but in his 10-over spell he showed all the ingredients South Africans like to see in their quicks. He was fast and he was fiery and though there is still work to be done for him to challenge the currently-injured elites for a more regular place in the Test XI, du Plessis is now confident Olivier could get to that level.”You can’t compare any of our bowlers to KG’s skill, but what we needed from a bowling attack today, we needed to be ruthless and aggressive and try and make it uncomfortable for Bangladesh, and he led from that aspect. I’m very proud that he can make those improvements,” du Plessis said.”There is a difference in our top four seamers, they are world class, best-in-the-world kind of bowlers. So if you judge guys according to them, there would be a gap. For me it is important to see how we can make those guys get better for the time when they need to step up into the team. These guys that played the last two Test matches will be looked at for the future so it’s important for them to see that there is some work to do, but they have the quality.”That q-word (not quota, though there is that one too) is something of a talking point in South African cricket because there are serious concerns about their depth. To have learnt that they still have a lot of quality was an important goal in this series and du Plessis can now look forward to the rest of the summer with optimism.”We had really good targets leading into this series of what we wanted to achieve as a team and we achieved those goals hands down, so we’ll take confidence as we move into two big series,” he said. “We appreciate that India and Australia are going to be a lot tougher. Bangladesh didn’t have the firepower we thought they would have in these conditions. We won’t get too far ahead of ourselves in thinking we are the finished article.”