Sports
McCoy and Charles thump South Africa to give West Indies series sweep
West Indies swept the three-T20I series against South Africa to conclude their T20 World Cup preparations in the most commanding way possible. South Africa, on the other hand, have won just two of their last 11 completed T20I matches since the last T20 World Cup, and have lost series to West Indies twice and Australia once, and enter the global competition on the back foot.
If there’s any consolation, it’s that none of South Africa’s powerhouse middle order of Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller and Tristan Stubbs were part of this series, but all will return for the World Cup. Still, there remain concerns over Quinton de Kock, who scored 64 runs in three innings and didn’t have a good time of it at the BBL, the SA20 and the IPL earlier, while also appearing to pick up a back injury on Sunday; and Ryan Rickelton, who managed only 43 runs in three innings.
Equally, Anrich Nortje’s economy rate of 12.16 through the series and the absence of any wickets to his name raises questions over his readiness for international cricket after an almost-nine-month absence following a lower-back stress fracture. But he is part of South Africa’s final squad for the World Cup.
West Indies head to Trinidad to play Australia in a warm-up match before their first World Cup match in Guyana, and they appear as ready as they can be. They have won four out of five series since the last T20 World Cup, and beat South Africa 3-0 for the first time in this one. After defending totals of 175 and 207 to win the series, they were made to chase and hunted down 164 inside 14 overs to ease past South Africa again.
Obed McCoy added to the T20 World Cup squad in place of the injured Jason Holder, was the most successful bowler in the final match with 3 for 39, while stand-in captain Brandon King finished as the series’ leading run-scorer.
It was against South Africa, 15 months ago, that Johnson Charles made the case to reclaim his spot in the T20I squad with 118 off just 46 balls in a T20I in Centurion. But since then, it has been lean going for him. Charles went ten innings without crossing fifty, and questions over his T20 World Cup-squad involvement were more than just whispers.
But he silenced those questions with a knock of complete assurance and authority to bring up his fifth T20I half-century, and set the platform for another West Indies win. Charles’ takedown of South Africa’s fastest, Nortje and Gerald Coetzee, was most impressive. He scored 25 runs off just ten balls from Nortje, and 22 off four from Coetzee, including three successive sixes. Only three of his 69 runs came in singles, and even though he was dismissed in the seventh over, he had already put the result beyond doubt.
After taking three wickets in each of his last three games, left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie seemed set for a similar haul after two exceptional overs. He was brought on immediately after the powerplay, and displayed good changes of pace to have de Kock trapped lbw, as the latter played a reverse sweep too early and was given out.
In Motie’s next over, Matthew Breetzke hit the ball back over the bowler’s head. It looked like a clean strike but wasn’t timed as well as he intended, and Shamar Joseph took a good catch inside the boundary rope to end a disappointing tour for the CSA T20’s top run-scorer for the 2023-24 season.
After two overs, Motie had 2 for 5, but his day didn’t finish as well as he would have hoped. He conceded 11 runs off his final over, as Rassie van der Dussen hit him for two sixes, and he wasn’t used again.
Excluded from South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad but asked to captain them in this series, van der Dussen has not had the easiest few months. But he had a strong last say on this tour. Van der Dussen scored a 30-ball fifty to take South Africa from 50 for 4 to 163 for 7, and demonstrated strong hitting skills straight down the ground. All five of his sixes were scored in the V between long-off and long-on, and his 77-run fifth-wicket stand with Wiaan Mulder was the difference between a South African collapse and a semblance of competitiveness.
Van der Dussen’s knock could have ended on 9 when he dragged a Hayden Walsh Jnr delivery from outside off to long-on, where Kyle Mayers was waiting for the catch. He took it cleanly but misjudged how close his back foot was to the boundary rope and stepped over it with the ball in hand. Van der Dussen was the first to gesture that he had earned six.
Six overs later, Mulder mis-hit a McCoy slower ball to long-on, where Mayers was ready to take the catch two-handed, with more than enough space behind him to tumble, hold on and avoid giving away a boundary.
With the bat, Mayers cracked four sixes in an unbeaten knock of 36, helping wrap the chase up after Charles had laid the foundation. But Mayers remains a reserve player in the West Indies T20 World Cup squad.
Brief scores:
West Indies 165/2 in 13.5 overs (Brandon King 44, Johnson Charles 69, Kyle Mayers 36*; Gerald Coetzee 1-37, Nqabayomzi Peter 1-27) beat South Africa 163/7 in 20 overs (Rassie van der Dussen 51, Wiaan Mulder 36; Shamar Joseph 2-26, Obed McCoy 3-39, Gudakesh Motie 2-21) by eight wickets
Much like Afghanistan’s match against England, the political spectre over this clash is hard to put aside. Matches are rare between the countries with Australia – like England – taking a human rights stance and pledging to suspend bilateral ties while the Taliban remain in power.
Cricket Australia publicly demonstrated its commitment to the cause last month by hosting a T20 match featuring an Afghanistan women’s XI in Melbourne, bringing the issue firmly back into the spotlight.
But underlining the complexities of the issue, Australia do play Afghanistan at ICC events – which has led to some criticism – and this intriguing, budding rivalry will resume in Lahore with much at stake.
Given the tournament’s sharp format, it’s basically sudden death, a virtual quarter-final, after Afghanistan once again knocked out England from an ICC event.
But Afghanistan will be eliminated with a loss, while Australia also must win, with a defeat meaning they will have to rely on South Africa being absolutely pummelled by a beleaguered England with nothing to play for. A washout will see Australia through to the semi-final.
Australia and Afghanistan once again find themselves pitted in a high-stakes contest at an ICC event. At the 2022 T20 World Cup, Australia emerged with a slim six run victory in Adelaide that was ultimately not the net-run-rate boost needed as they crashed out early on home soil.
Glenn Maxwell, of course, changed the course of the 2023 World Cup with a remarkable double century that still beggars belief. But Afghanistan had some measure of revenge at last year’s T20 World Cup as they overcame a brief Maxwell onslaught with a 21 run victory that memorably sealed their place in the semi-finals.
And, once again, a semi-final spot is up for grabs. The form line is a little hard to read with both teams having tight wins over a wheezing England. Afghanistan bounced back strongly after a disastrous opening against South Africa while Australia’s momentum came to a halt after their clash against the Proteas was washed out.
Even though they are considerably weakened – against England they fielded their least experienced attack at an ICC ODI event since 1983 – Australia mustered up their big-game pedigree under pressure to make a statement. Their batting line-up still contains plenty of firepower with centurion Josh Inglis emerging as a genuine star batter across formats. It is little wonder that some believe he’s Australia’s next captain.
A back against the wall triumph is in play, but Australia will have to firstly get past rising Afghanistan in a game that feels evenly poised. Afghanistan will lean on their spin-heavy attack, but Australia do have numerous players adept against the turning ball – led by Inglis.
Australia’s depleted pace stocks makes that department more equally matched than previous encounters, while an in-form Ibrahim Zadran – coming off a Champions Trophy-best score of 177 – ensures he can go toe-to-toe with his counterparts.
The prospect of more bad weather in Lahore could also play a factor in a clash that is set to be just as compelling as the recent matches between these teams.
There isn’t much cricket history between the countries, but Glenn Maxwell is probably the first name that springs to mind with this match-up. In the last ODI between the teams, a hobbled Maxwell produced one of the greatest ever innings to rescue Australia from the brink at the 2023 World Cup and crush the hearts of Afghanistan. Maxwell enters this match in great form having put the finishing touches against England after a brilliant end to the BBL season. It will be interesting to see if his presence at the crease spooks Afghanistan, who are adamant they haven’t devoted too much of their plans on him.
While Afghanistan’s slew of quality spinners deservedly attracts plenty of attention, seam bowling allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai stole the show against England with his maiden five-wicket haul of his professional career. He was particularly superb at the death with three wickets when the game was on a knife’s edge. Omarzai’s emergence has helped Afghanistan better balance their attack and they are no longer merely reliant on their spinners for success. He’ll need to back up that performance against a formidable Australia batting-order and his canny, skiddy bowling will need to be on point against big-hitting openers Travis Head and Matthew Short. If he can strike early breakthroughs then Afghanistan will be right in the hunt.
Due to the inclement conditions, team lists weren’t even announced for the Australia-South Africa clash. It makes predicting Australia’s line-up somewhat difficult. The team is mostly settled, but they might be tempted to tweak their bowling attack that leaked 351 runs against England. Left-arm quick Spencer Johnson might be in the selection gun after he was overlooked for the death overs against England. But his pace and bounce could be a weapon against Afghanistan’s top order. Australia, who trained indoors on match eve, will also consider bowling allrounder Sean Abbott, who offers a point of difference and strengthens the batting, and legspinner Tanveer Sangha given Marnus Labuschagne’s part-time legspin played a role against England.
After such a momentous victory, Afghanistan are likely to go unchanged for the third straight game and back their spin strength in subcontinental conditions. The trio of Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Noor Ahmad will present considerable challenges for the Australians.
Australia (possible): Matthew Short, Travis Head, Steven Smith (capt), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Sean Abbott/Spencer Johnson, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa
Afghanistan (possible): Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
[Cricinfo]
A close finish was in the offing. Gujarat Giants were stifled early in a small chase. Then came an expensive ninth over that went for three fours and a six as Ashleigh Gardner took on rookie Prema Rawat. It turned the scales the Giants way emphatically, as a tricky chase turned into a cruise.
It left RCB winless at home in three games so far this season. It also meant three sides – RCB, Giants and UP Warriorz – are now tied on four points. This lights up the prospect of a tight finish to the group stages next week in Lucknow and Mumbai.
She came into the tournament under a hip injury cloud, but her batting form didn’t seem to suggest any problem. Coming in on the back of 90*, 81, 7 and 57, Ellyse Perry was out for her first duck in her WPL career when she mistimed Gardner to Tanuja Kanwar at square leg off her fourth ball. That wicket coming on the back of Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s lbw in the first over to Deandra Dottin left RCB 16 for 2 in two overs.
It was an uneasy stay at the crease for Smriti Mandhana, repeatedly squared up and beaten on the outside edge by 21-year-old Kashvee Gautam, one of the brightest Indian fast-bowling prospects in WPL 2025. Mandhana struggled against late movement as Gautam’s first two overs went for just four. All that pressure led to a wicket at the other end when Mandhana was predictably out to spin yet again when she slog-swept Kanwar to Harleen Deol at deep midwicket for 10 off 20 balls.
During the season spent away at rehabilitation from a back injury last year, Kanila Ahunja set herself clear goals. She didn’t want to be known as a “five-ball batter” in the WPL anymore. She worked hard on her power game, shades of which were on display on Thursday as she laid into Priya Mishra, the legspinner.
She read the googly off the hand and her manner of stepping out to imperiously loft her twice in the over, including the first six of the innings, spoke volumes of her growth as a batter. Ahuja would repeat that two overs later when she stepped out to launch Gardner. Her 33 off 27 before falling to Kanwar led to another RCB slip-up. Georgia Wareham’s cameo of 20 then helped them to 125 for 7, their joint lowest total in the WPL.
Giants went with a third opening combination in five games. Dayalan Hemalatha, the latest to join the roulette, did little to repay the faith despite the backing following scores of 9, 0 and 4 in her precious three innings. Having been reprieved early when Wyatt-Hodge misjudged a catch at mid-off, she was out stumped looking to heave Renuka Singh for 11. Mandhana’s decision to bowl Renuka out up top paid dividends when Beth Mooney holed out to deep midwicket as Giants were reduced to 32 for 2 in the seventh.
A 19-run over off Rawat in the ninth turned the tide for the Giants as Gardner fed off Rawat’s inexperience, expertly using the depth of the crease to pull, while also showing her imperious driving abilities when the ball was tossed up. The surge in momentum was such that even Deol’s brain fade in trying to hit out against Wareham didn’t lead to any panic.
This didn’t affect her tempo or her propensity to be adventurous, which also greatly helped Gardner, who hit Wareham for back-to-back sixes en route to her third half-century of the season, this time off 28 balls. Gardner and Litchfield’s 51-run stand off just 36 ensured the match was won with 21 balls to spare, greatly helping Giants boost their net run rate even though they would stay fifth.
Brief scores:
Gujarat Giants Women 126 for 4 in 16.3 overs (Beth Mooney 17, Dayalan Hemalatha 11, Ashleigh Gardner 58, Phoebe Litchfield 30*; Renuka Singh 2-24, Georgia Wareham 2-26) beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women 125 for 7 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 10, Kanika Ahuja 33, Raghvi Bist 22, Georgia Wareham 20, Kim Garth 14; Deandra Dottin 2-31, Ashleigh Gardner 1-22, Kashvee Gautam 1-17, Tanuja Kanwar 2-16) by six wickets
[Cricinfo]
by Reemus Fernando
Deserving finalists of the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ tournament, St. Sebastian’s College will enter the landmark Battle of the Golds Big Match as favourites. The historic encounter against arch rivals Prince of Wales will commence at the De Soysa Stadium, Moratuwa today as a three-day encounter.
The Sebs captained by Ryan Dissanayake recorded outright victories against Royal, Maris Stella and Maliyadewa in the tournament proper to reach the knockout stage where they beat St. Anthony’s Katugastota by four wickets and St. Joseph’s on first innings to book final berth. St. Sebastian’s have also registered an outright victory against St. Sylvester’s as well in a traditional encounter.
The Sebs are armed with the tournament’s highest wicket taker Malintha Silva in the spin department. Dissanayake has many bowling options in his armoury with Adesh Almeida, Shenas Hashen and Koshendra Fernando adding variety.
St. Sebastian’s College Team Seated from left: Kelum Perera (Physical trainer), Pasan Wanasinghe (Head Coach), Ryan Dissanayake (Captain), Rev.Fr. Daya Dharshana (Rector), Adesh Almeida (V. Capt.), Rev. Fr. Dilusha Chamara (Prefect of the Games), Kanishka Perera (Master in Charge), Sandaru Perera (Master in Charge), Mohamed Azhar (Asst. Coach). Standing from left: Sendinu Peiris, Ushen Silva, Navod Fernando, Adeesha Lakshan, Kaveesha Perera, Koshendra Fernando, Risinu Prabesh, Shenan De Silva, Akash Dissanayake, Shefan Fernando, Lashen Fernando, Malintha Silva, Meshone Ferdinando, Shenas Hashein.
Their strong batting lineup includes Ushen Silva, Kaveesha Perera, Dissanayake, Almeida, Lashen Fernando, Navod Fernando and Koshendra Fernando.
Cambrians skippered by Rivith Jayasuriya are a strong team though they have not celebrated much during the tournament proper.
They are likely to open their attack with Prasanna Lakmina and Naveen Fernando. In the spin department skipper Jayasuriya, Rusandu Silva, Prince Fernando and Nethul Anuhas will share most of the duties.
The Cambrians will rely on Jayasuriya and Palingu Perera to provide them with a strong start in the batting department. Suwahas Fernando, Nethul Anuhas and wicketkeeper batsman Deneth Sithumina have given them runs in the top order. Jayasooriya and Suwahas contributed with centuries during the league tournament.
With two strong team meeting, the 75th edition is set to produce a thrilling contest.
St. Sebastian’s who won their fourth Big Match last year trail 4-6.
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