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England fight back after Gill ton to leave Vizag Test tantalizingly poised
Shubman Gill’s third Test ton propped up India in their second innings and enabled them to set a target of 399 for England. The visitors managed to wipe out 67 from the target by Stumps on Day three leaving the game intriguingly poised.
Earlier in the day, India’s shortcomings with the bat were glossed over by Gill holding one end up, much like Yashasvi Jaiswal’s had in the first innings. Gill himself had overcome a jittery start to produce a fluent innings thereafter. On the third morning, India started with a mission to extend their lead of 171 further. But as they found out, England had other ideas. The 41-year old James Anderson set the tone early, producing one to nip away and beat Rohit Sharma’s defence.
He then had Yashasvi Jaiswal chasing and nicking a delivery angled across to give England a perfect start. Their day could have become better at that point had Gill not managed to survive two close LBW reviews. The first time he was given out but was lucky to be saved by an inside edge against Tom Hartley. On the second occasion, he was saved by some extra bounce against Anderson.
After that, Gill along with Shreyas Iyer put on a fight that saw them raise an 81-run stand with the former bringing up a fifty after being under a lot of pressure. His partner, however, could not convert yet another start. He skewed a big hit against Hartley and was caught by a sharp Ben Stokes, who ran backward from mid off.
Debutant Rajat Patidar too fell soon after getting an under edge that was taken well by Ben Foakes to leave India in a spot of bother having lost four before Lunch.
Gill and Axar managed to play sensible cricket after the break and stitched together an 89-run stand that pushed India’s lead ahead. The under-pressure Gill, got to a deserving ton soon. But just as he was looking to up the ante, he fell gloving a reverse sweep off Shoaib Bashir. India were then pushed further back when Axar was trapped LBW by Hartley as he tried to whip one across. R Ashwin and KS Bharat defended their way through till the break but in the first over after, Bharat pulled a long hop straight to mid on. Ashwin, along with Bumrah, eked out a 25-run stand to push the lead towards 400 but the duo fell in quick succession after Bumrah’s patience ran out with defending, leaving England with a target of 399.
The chase was off to a quick start with Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley putting on another 50-run stand. Just as India were running out of ideas however, Duckett was out caught bat-pad off Ashwin.
Brief Scores:
India 396 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 209; James Anderson 3-47, Rehan Ahmed 3-65) and 255 (Shubman Gill 104, Axar Patel 45; Tom Hartley 4-77, Rehan Ahmed 3-88) lead England 253 (Zak Crawley 76, Ben Stokes 47; Jasprir Bumrah 6-45, Kuldeep Yadav 3-71) and 67/1 by 332 runs
The New York Knicks won the National Basketball Association championship for the first time in over 50 years, sending the city and fans into a frenzy after the long-awaited victory.
The Knicks clinched the title on Saturday night against the San Antonio Spurs, 94-90, in the fifth game of the best-of-seven series.
While the game was in Texas, New Yorkers took to their hometown streets in droves to watch and celebrate the milestone for fans and the city.
Some fans also made their way to Texas where the two teams faced off at the Frost Center, the Spurs’ home arena.
Elizabeth Madigan flew to San Antonio from New York Friday night ahead of Saturday’s game.
“I’ve been waiting for this, honestly most of my life. The last time the Knicks won, I was 6 months old, and so I can’t begin to describe how excited I am. It’s been unbelievable,” she said.
“I definitely had my doubts. But we did pull it off. Knicks forever.”
This season has represented a stunning reversal of fortune for the Knicks after decades as one of the worst teams in the league. The last time they made it all the way to the finals was in 1999, also against the Spurs, who ultimately beat them. Their last finals win was even earlier, in 1973.
They held a 3-1 lead in the series heading into Saturday’s game.
One fan who only gave his first name, Max, said that winning the game away from the Knicks’ home arena in New York, Madison Square Garden, isn’t important.
“I don’t think it matters [that they won in Texas]. New York is going crazy right now and there’s a million Knicks fans here right now, so it doesn’t matter.
US President Donald Trump posted congratulations to the team and Knicks owner Jim Dolan, who invited him to game 3 of the series in New York.
“What a year it has been but, even more so, what incredible playoff wins we have all witnessed, especially the last four – Maybe the greatest in the history of basketball,” the post read.
Fans’ anticipation before the game was like a champagne bottle about to pop.
“This city is electric,” said Jake Minicucci, while waiting with friends at a Manhattan sports bar for the game to start. “I’ve never gotten so many head nods, everybody knowing we are in it for the Knicks together.”
The 50-plus year drought was very much on the minds of some Knicks fans including Daniel Brown who said the evening had the potential “to be one of the best nights in the history of this city.”
“I’ve lived here all my life, I’ve never experienced anything like this,” said the 24-year-old.
Fans celebrated into the early hours Sunday morning with crowds taking over parts of Midtown Manhattan, including several blocks near Times Square. Some subway lines were altered with trains skipping stations due to the large crowds.
“HISTORY,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani wrote on social media.
A ticker-tape parade and ceremony at City Hall to celebrate the team’s victory is scheduled for Thursday.
Ahead of the game, Mamdani said in a post that the city was working with the Knicks to host watch parties at the Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Wollman Rink.
“As we celebrate, be responsible, look out for one another, stay safe, be smart, and make this a night that reflects the very best of our city,” the mayor said.
His call for safety came after a few instances of violence in New York against Spurs fans, including one assault that landed a fan in the hospital and another in which a fast food worker wearing a Spurs jersey was attacked, according to local reports.
Madigan said that in San Antonio, even as a Knicks fan, she felt welcome.
“Honestly, the San Antonians have been so loving and welcoming despite the obvious competition,” she said.
Ahead of Saturday’s Game 5, fans travelling to San Antonio from New York for the game were furious about possibly getting locked out of the arena.
In a note on its website for the game, Ticketmaster said purchases by those living farther than 150mi (241km) from the San Antonio arena would be cancelled and refunded without notice.
Later Ticketmaster assured fans that no tickets purchased on its platform “have or will be canceled”.
(BBC)
Dasun Shanaka produced the batting ballistics, Kamil Mishara held the innings together, and Sri Lanka’s spinners dominated the middle overs, comfortably defending their 194 for 6. This 37 run victory brings Sri Lanka level 1-1 in the series against West Indies, with one match to play on Sunday night.
Sri Lanka had been struggling at 88 for 4 in the 13th over when Shanaka joined Mishara at the crease. The pair then blasted 103 off 42 balls together to propel Sri Lanka to a commanding score of 194 for 6, hitting seven sixes and nine fours between them
Although Sri Lanka struck twice with the new ball, West Indies had still looked confident in pursuit at 89 for 2, until Sri Lanka’s spinners went to work. A run out would spark a collapse that cost West Indies six wickets for 32 runs. They struggled to recover from 122 for 8 after 15 overs. Dushmantha Chameera, who had struck early in the innings and was effective in the other phases as well, closed out the match in the 19th over, taking three wickets for 9 runs. West Indies were 157 all out, despite Rovman Powell and Shimron Hetmyer having put on 81 off 47 for the third wicket.
Although he arrived at the crease with Sri Lanka in some trouble, Shanaka was almost immediately aggressive, blasting Roston Chase’s offspin onto the roof of the Sabina Park stadium fourth ball, before crashing him for a four and thumping another six next ball. All three of these boundaries came through deep midwicket. He also struck a huge six down the ground, and hooked a ball over fine leg as well, as he stormed to a 19-ball fifty. This equalled his own record for fastest Sri Lanka men’s half century in T20Is. There were also five fours in his 58 off 24, the most memorable of which was a four over extra cover, also off the bowling of Springer.
Having come to the crease in the fifth over, Mishara remained unbeaten until the close. He took a while to get going as wickets fell around him. He only found his first boundary off the 16th ball he faced. But having sauntered to 22 off 23 after 15 overs, he took cues from Shanaka and unleashed some big hitting of his own at the death. He took a particular liking to the bowling of Matthew Forde, whom he walloped twice down the ground in the 17th over. He finished with 61 not out off 40.
Sri Lanka struck twice in the first 10 balls to have West Indies at 9 for 2, but Hetmyer and Powell soon revived the chase, striking judicious boundaries through the powerplay before looking to up the scoring rate in the middle overs. They looked like they were putting the hosts on track for a series win when they reaped 18 runs off the eighth over, bowled by Maheesh Theekshana, then 11 off the next one bowled by Wanindu Hasaranga. But on a track taking a little spin, they had some close calls, particularly Hetmyer who was bowled by Theekshana in the ninth over. However, that delivery turned out to be a no-ball.
It took a run out from Pavan Rathnayake to break the Hetmyer-Powell stand, but the spinners soon took the chase by the collar. Theekshana had Powell caught off the leading edge in the 10th over, then Hasaranga struck twice in two balls to remove Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd in the 13th over, his googly proving dangerous again. Dunith Wellalage and Chameera – who had both struck with the new ball – continued to strike. By the time West Indies arrived at the 16th over, they were already eight down, with a required rate approaching 15. Hasaranga and Chameera closed the innings out, finishing with three wickets apiece.
SCORES:
Sri Lanka 194 for 6 in 20 overs (Kusal Mendis 31, Kamil Mishara 61*, Kamindu Mendis 24, Dasun Shanaka 58; Matthew Forde 2-38, Shamar Joseph 3-32, Shamar Springer 1-40) beat West Indies 157 in 18.5 overs (Shimron Hetmyer 36, Rovman Powell 43, Sherfane Rutherford 13, Roston Chase 17, Akeal Hosein 14, Shamar Joseph 11*; Dunith Wellalage 2-28, Dushmaantha Chameera 3-09, Maheesh Theekshana 1-34, Wanidu Hasaranga 3-38) by 37 runs
(Cricinfo)
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