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England pick Bashir in 12-man squad for Perth
England have deferred their decision on whether to hit Australia with an all-pace attack in the first Ashes Test at Perth’s Optus Stadium after confirming a 12-man squad featuring both Mark Wood and Shoaib Bashir.
Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum still have designs on letting their fast bowlers loose on what is expected to be the fastest pitch of the series. Wood is deemed fit, having recovered from a tight hamstring sustained in the warm-up match with the Lions last week. While he is expected to make the final XI, England are giving themselves time before deciding whether to go all-in with their seamers.
Wood bowled for 40 minutes at the Perth nets during Tuesday’s training session, and sent down just two overs on Wednesday afternoon, before taking part in light fielding drills on the outfield with physical preparation coach Pete Sim. He then had a long look at the pitch with stadium curator Isaac McDonald.
Wood would be one of five players in the XI with previous Test experience in Australia, along with Stokes, Joe Root, Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope. The 35-year old was also the standout quick on the 2021-22 tour, taking 17 wickets at 26.64.
That includes a career best 6 for 37 in the last Test of that tour, a day-nighter in Hobart, when England also opted to field an XI without a specialist spinner. It was the second time they had done so in that series after the second Test in Adelaide (also a pink-ball match), which was acknowledged as an error in hindsight when seamer Ollie Robinson resorted to sending down a few overs of offspin.
You have to go back to Boxing Day 1998 for the last time England fielded an XI for a red-ball match in Australia without a specialist spinner. They also did not field one in their last Test in July, against India at the Kia Oval, with Bashir out with a finger injury and Liam Dawson, his replacement for the fourth Test, dropped.
Bashir’s characteristics – a high release point and knack of overspin – suits Australian pitches, something Stokes and McCullum raved about when bringing him into the set-up at the start of 2024 for the tour of India.
It is worth noting that Nathan Lyon averages 20.86 at this ground, with 29 dismissals from five Tests, though is obviously a far more accomplished and seasoned operator than Bashir, whose 68 dismissals have come at 39.00 in his 19 Tests so far. The 22-year old struggled during the match between England and the Lions, bowling in three of the four innings and returning figures of 2 for 151 from 24 overs.
England squad for Perth Test
Ben Stokes (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Mark Wood
[Cricinfo]
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U – 19 World Cup: Sri Lanka beat Ireland by 106 runs
In Windhoek, Sri Lanka strode to 267 for 5, with Vimath Dinsara hitting 95, and Chamika Heenatigala hitting 51. That pair put on a 100-run partnership for the fifth wicket, but there had also been a solid contribution from Kavija Gamage, who made 49. Ireland seamer Oliver Riley who took 2 for 51, dismissing top-scorer Dinsara and also Viran Chamuditha, who had made 192 in the last match.
But Ireland were timid in response. Behind the required rate from early in the piece, they also lost frequent wickets. They were struggling at 66 for 2 in the 19th over, but were soon 96 for 6 in the 27th over, the match essentially having slipped away. They were eventually dismissed for 161 in the 41st over. The right-arm seamers did the damage for Sri Lanka, Rasith Nimsara taking 3 for 29, and Dulnith Sigera claiming 4 for 19.
This victory puts Sri Lanka at the top of Group A, with a Net Run Rate of 3.090 – the best in the tournament so far.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka Under 19s 267 for 5 in 50 overs (Vimath Dinsara 95, Kavija Gamage 49, Chamika Heenatigala 51*; Oliver Riley 2-51) beat Ireland Under 19s 161 in 40.1 overs (Callum Armstrong 39; Rasith Nimsara 3-29, Dulnith Sigera 4-19) by 106 runs
(Cricinfo)
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U – 19 World Cup: Rowles, Bulbulia star in South Africa’s big win over Tanzania
South Africa monstered the Tanzania side over in Windhoek, Muhammed Bulbulia and Jason Rowles hitting hundreds to get South Africa to 397 for 5, before their bowlers blasted Tanzania out for 68.
Tanzania had begun encouragingly, although South Africa were always scoring quickly. They had taken two South Africa wickets inside the first 14 overs, and had South Africa at 93 for 2 at one stage. But then Bulbulia and Rowles came together, to take the game rapidly away from the opposition, with a 201-run partnership that came off 176 balls.
Rowles was the more aggressive of the pair in the end, clobbering five sixes and ten fours in his 125 not out off 101 deliveries. Bulbulia hit one six and ten fours in his run-a-ball 108. Paul James also produced a rollicking finishing knock, crashing five sixes and two fours in his 46 off 18.
Tanzania could not get off the blocks in the chase. South Africa took their first wicket in the second over, and just did not stop striking, the wickets spread between all five bowlers used.
Rowles added to his outstanding performance by claiming two wickets for 14 with his left-arm spin. Bayanda Majola also took two wickets, for six runs.
Brief scores:
South Africa Under-19s 397 for 5 in 50 overs (Jason Rowles 125, Muhammed Bulbulia 108, Jorich Van Schalkwyk 47, Paul James 46; Simba Mbaki 2-85) beat Tanzania Under-19s 68 in 32.2 overs (Simba Mbaki 17; Bayanda Majola 2-6, Jason Rowles 2-14) by 329 runs
(Cricibfo)
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U – 19 World Cup: Raza, Usman steer Pakistan to victory over Scotland
Pakistan quick Ali Raza rattled Scotland with his pace early on, before left-arm wristspinner Momin Qamar helped take down the middle order. Scotland showed some mettle, particularly during a 68-run seventh-wicket partnership that raised their total to a creditable 187.
But it was clear they were outgunned. Many Scotland batters were uncomfortable against Ali’s pace, and struggled to read Pakistan’s wristspinners. Raza deservedly emerged with the game’s best figures, taking 4 for 37 – two of those wickets having come in a memorable first over. Qamar took 3 for 46. Scotland’s highest scorer was captain Thomas Knight, who ground out a 72-ball 37, before Qamar slipped a beautifully-flighted delivery past his defences.
Despite some gutsy batting from Finlay Jones and Manu Saraswat down the order, Scotland always seemed headed to a sub-par score, even given the seamer-friendly conditions in Harare. When they lost two wickets in the first over – Raza bowling Theo Robinson and Max Chaplin with outstanding deliveries – they were in danger of being skittled quickly. But they battled through until the 49th over.
Pakistan’s chase was mostly straightforward. Scotland’s seamers got some movement with the new ball, and Ollie Jones was able to extract two wickets by the 12th over. But No. 3 batter Usman Khan struck 75, and Ahmed Hussain – who had earlier taken a sublime catch – joined him for a 111-run stand that made the game safe. They got home with six wickets to spare, in the 44th over.
Brief scores:
Pakistan Under-19s 190 for 4 in 43.1 9vers (Usman Khan 75, Ahmed Hussain 47; Ollie Jones 2-41, Manu Saraswat 2-46) beat Scotland Under-19s 187 in 48.1 overs (Thomas Knight 37; Ali Raza 4-37, Momin Qamar 3-46, Abdul Subhan 2-36) by six wickets
(Cricinfo)
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