ICC World T20 2014: Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy underline the importance of batting 20 overs

April 2, 2014

ICC_World_T20_2014Apr 2: Darren Sammy and Dwayne Bravo’s brilliant assault against Pakistan’s bowling helped West Indies seal a berth in the semi-final of the ICC World T20 2014. Nishad Pai Vaidya looks back at that partnership and how it promises to blood momentum into the West Indies camp.

To say that Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy’s assault in the slog overs was brutal is an understatement. In many ways, it was reminiscent of their ICC World T20 2012 final against Sri Lanka, where they compensated for a slow start with an unmatched assault at the death. Pakistan bled runs profusely, conceding 59 in the last three overs. Actually, there was that West Indian belief all along that they could put up a good score on the board and defend it. This time around, a semi-final spot was at stake and they found their mojo with some spectacular hitting.

At the post match press conference, Bravo resonated the belief when he stated that it is important to bat the allotted 20 overs and anything is possible. But, they were up against, Saeed Ajmal and Umar Gul, two men who are fine bowlers in Twenty20 (T20) cricket. They had worked in tandem to pull a rabbit out of the hat and beat Australia in a thriller earlier in the tournament. Here, The odds were in Pakistan’s favour with West Indies at 81 for five in the 14th over. What did the West Indies have then? Their belief and self confidence. That is what took them through.

It is great to see Bravo and Sammy come to the party for the West Indies in the last two games. The T20I and the One-Day International (ODI) skipper respectively, stitched a superb partnership at a crucial stage of the innings, exhibiting their craft with the bat. Both have been criticised at various points in the recent past, but in the game against Pakistan, they showed what they are made of. Sammy was perhaps an easy target. However, his hitting ability, backed up by a calm head on his shoulders is working wonders for West Indies now. Against Australia, they faced a stiff challenge in the slog overs and had only one option: attack their way around. But, against Pakistan, it was a different challenge. There was more at stake, plus they had to put up a good score.

Bravo reflected on the partnership during the media interaction and revealed the simple plot, “We had nothing to lose, we were under pressure. I told Sammy not to worry about taking on Ajmal, just stay there, keep your eyes on the ball and be powerful enough to get close to the ball to hit it over the ropes. The idea was to get about 135-140.” With that carefree approach they not only managed to overhaul that 140 mark, but went past 160.

Watching the duo work their way from the press box was an absolute pleasure. The whole crowd had come to watch Chris Gayle, but were given similar entertainment by this duo. Bravo didn’t try too many things at the crease and let his reflexes take over. There was no shuffling about and he did back that plan of staying still at the crease and maintaining his balance. When Gul came onto bowl the 18th over, he smacked a full length delivery, then a shortish one and carted another wide one behind point. He also waited for Ajmal to make a mistake to attack. Sammy went almost unnoticed, while Bravo fashioned that assault, but was equally effective.

Such a victory is bound to give West Indies the momentum and would bring back memories of that crowning glory of 2012. And guess what? It is Sri Lanka they face next, the team they defeated in the final back then. There are many reasons to smile for the West Indies! This time, they are holding back the Gangnam style though!

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News Network
January 6,2020

Sydney, Jan 6: Nathan Lyon captured five for 50 and 10 match wickets as Australia crushed New Zealand by 279 runs on Monday, capping a golden domestic summer as they swept the three-Test series.

The off-spinner led the powerful Australian bowling attack to dismiss the Kiwis for 136 and seal another heavy win over the Black Caps after similar victories in Perth and Melbourne.

Australia have been unbeatable this season, winning all five Tests at home -- two against Pakistan and three against New Zealand -- after retaining the Ashes by drawing the series 2-2 in England.

"It's been a great summer for the Australian Test side," Lyon said.

"It's pretty special to be part of it, we have been impressive, pretty clinical, the batters have done well and given us bowlers plenty of time."

Australia declared their second innings at 217 for two with David Warner scoring an unbeaten century, leaving the Black Caps with a revised 416-run target in the fourth innings on a wearing Sydney Cricket Ground pitch.

But the Kiwis buckled under the pressure of Australia's superior bowling attack with Mitchell Starc taking three for 25 to support the wiles of spinner Lyon.

"They were clinical in all areas and after the first match they put us under pressure session after session," said skipper Kane Williamson, who missed the Test with a virus.

New Zealand were reeling early at 27-4 and never recovered after Starc and Lyon took two wickets each in the middle session to put the skids under the tourists.

Starc removed both openers, Tom Latham and Tom Blundell, in the first five overs. Blundell fell to a stunning catch by a diving Lyon at point for two and stand-in skipper Latham lost a review for leg before wicket.

Jeet Raval was out in a review to the faintest of edges on 'Snicko' in Lyon's first over for 12.

First-innings top-scorer Glenn Phillips went for a duck after technology detected a faint outside edge to wicketkeeper Paine off Lyon.

Taylor's Kiwi record

Ross Taylor became the leading all-time Kiwi batsman, going past Stephen Fleming (7,172) before he was bowled by Pat Cummins for 22 to take his Test aggregate to 7,174.

Big-hitting Colin de Grandhomme smacked Lyon for six to bring up his fifty but went next ball hoicking to Joe Burns at deep mid-wicket for 52.

Todd Astle was out to a superb diving catch by James Pattinson in the outfield for 17.

Starc yorked William Somerville's middle stump for seven and BJ Watling was the last to fall, caught at backward square leg by Pat Cummins for 19.

Earlier, Warner completed his 24th Test century and remained unbeaten when skipper Paine declared upon the dismissal of Marnus Labuschagne.

"You know you're capable of doing so," Warner said, when asked about how he had bounced back from his disastrous Ashes campaign in England last year.

"I was in the nets hitting the ball well and had the skipper backing me. To be able to play with freedom helped me. It's all paying off."

Labuschagne, who was dropped on four in a regulation caught-and-bowled chance by leg-spinner Astle, was caught at long on off Matt Henry for 59 -- his seventh score over 50 in eight innings this domestic summer.

Labuschagne finished the home five-Test season with a stunning aggregate of 896 runs, made up of his 215 in the first innings, three other centuries and three half-centuries in eight innings.

There was drama late in the Australian innings when Warner was given an official warning by umpire Aleem Dar for running down the middle of the pitch in scampering a single.

It resulted in five penalty runs being added to New Zealand's first innings total meaning their target was revised down from 421 to 416.

The Test was played against the backdrop of one of Australia's most devastating bushfire seasons with at least 24 people losing their lives in blazes raging across the country, including on the outskirts of Sydney.

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News Network
June 12,2020

New Delhi, Jun 12: The BCCI on Friday called off Indian cricket team's short tour of Zimbabwe in August due to the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The announcement was on expected lines after Sri Lanka Cricket announced on Thursday that India's limited overs tour in June-July was postponed indefinitely.

"The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday announced that the Indian Cricket Team will not travel to Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe owing to the current threat of COVID-19," BCCI secetary Jay Shah said in a statement.

"Team India was originally scheduled to travel to the island nation from 24th June 2020 for three ODIs and as many T20Is and to Zimbabwe for a series comprising three ODIs starting 22nd August 2020," Shah added.

The Indian team is yet to resume training and the camp is unlikely to take place before July. The players will take around six weeks to be match-ready.

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News Network
February 11,2020

Dubai, Feb 11: Two Indian players-- Akash Singh and Ravi Bishnoi -- and three Bangladeshis have been charged by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for involvement in the quarrel just after the U-19 cricket World Cup summit clash in Potchefstroom, South Africa on Sunday.

Akash and Bishnoi and three Bangladeshi players -- Md. Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain and Rakibul Hasan -- were found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct after a few players from both sides nearly came to blows after Bangladesh beat India by three wickets to win their maiden U-19 World Cup title.

"Five players have been found guilty of a Level 3 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Support Personnel ... (they) were charged with violating Article 2.21 of the code, whilst Bishnoi received a further charge of breaching Article 2.5," the ICC said in a statement.

"All five players have accepted the sanctions proposed by ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup Match Referee Graeme Labrooy," it added.

A near brawl broke out after Bangladesh’s historic win over India in the final. The Bangladesh players were aggressive during the Indian innings with lead pacer Shoriful Islam frequently sledging the Indian batsmen.

As soon as the match ended, Bangladeshi players rushed into the playing area.

"India's Akash accepted the charge of breaching Article 2.21 and has received a sanction of eight suspension points, which equates to six demerit points, which will remain on his record for two years," the ICC said.

Compatriot Bishnoi accepted the charge of breaching Article 2.21 and has received a sanction of five suspension points, which equates to five demerit points.

"Bishnoi also accepted a level 1 charge of breaching Article 2.5 for a separate incident during the match, where he used language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter following the dismissal of Avishek Das in the 23rd over," said the ICC.

"For this he received a further two demerit points meaning seven demerit points will remain on his record for the next two years."

Bangladesh's Towhid Hridoy accepted the charge of breaching Article 2.21 and has received a sanction of ten suspension points, which equates to six demerit points, which will remain on his record for two years.

Shamim Hossain accepted the charge of breaching Article 2.21 and has received a sanction of eight suspension points, which equates to six demerit points, which will remain on his record for two years.

Rakibul Hasan accepted the charge of breaching Article 2.21 and has received a sanction of four suspension points, which equates to five demerit points, which will remain on his record for two years.

All charges were levelled by on-field umpires Sam Nogajski and Adrian Holdstock, third umpire Ravindra Wimalasiri as well as fourth umpire Patrick Bongni Jele. Level 3 breaches carry a minimum penalty of four suspension points and a maximum penalty of 12 suspension points.

The suspension points will be applied to the forthcoming international matches the players are most likely to participate in at either senior or U-19 level. One suspension point equals a player being ineligible for one ODI or T20I, U-19 or A team international match.

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