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Surrey and Warwickshire had been set to allow in fans for return of first-class cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jul-2020Plans for Surrey and Warwickshire to allow a limited number of fans to attend their opening Bob Willis Trophy fixtures have been shelved after the UK government cancelled a number of pilots around allowing crowds at sporting events due to rising coronavirus infection rates.Successful trial events were held at both Kia Oval and Edgbaston last week, with both counties hoping to allow in up to 2500 members to watch the return of first-class cricket. However, in a press conference on Firday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that these would not now go ahead.The news means that the return of fans at county games looks increasingly unlikely this summer. The government had provisionally set a date of October 1 for allowing the return of crowds, but many counties had been optimistic that this could be brought forward.The ECB has been working closely with Public Health England and local health authorities in order to allow the resumption of domestic cricket, after a four-month delay. While games will continue behind closed doors, the possibility of allowing some fans in to watch the T20 Blast in September now seems remote.In a statement, the ECB said: “We understand this is disappointing for supporters who have waited a long time to see their clubs in action and were looking forward to attending pilot events at the Kia Oval and Edgbaston this weekend.A socially distanced crowd watches on in front of the gas holder•Getty Images

“However, we understand the reasons the government has made this decision, and remain ready to work with them to ensure supporters can safely return to stadiums when government advice allows.”We are pleased the Bob Willis Trophy will still begin this weekend behind closed doors, and fans will be able to watch their teams in action through the online streams being provided.”Richard Gould, the chief executive of Surrey, has previously warned that counties would need attendance levels to be “back to normal” by next summer, or it would risk changing the structure of the game “significantly”.”I know this will cause great disappointment for those that were due to come to the Kia Oval on Saturday and Sunday, and I apologise that we are unable to welcome you this weekend,” Gould said. “Club staff and players are also very disappointed. We will continue to work hard and hope to see supporters back into our ground before the end of the summer.”With the bulk of the ECB’s funding coming from its broadcasting deals, the governing body remains hopeful of a number of Blast games – including the quarter-finals and Finals Day – being televised on Sky. England’s international fixtures, already being played behind closed doors in tightly controlled, bio-secure environments, will not be affected.

He made 31 not out from 15 balls after his team lost 4 for 12 in 16 deliveries

Alex Malcolm14-Jan-2021A classy innings from Joe Burns guided Brisbane Heat to a nervy win over the hapless Melbourne Renegades in a crowd-less game in Canberra.The game was moved earlier in the week from Melbourne to Canberra due to the Victorian government’s changing Covid-19 border restrictions on travellers from Brisbane and as a result no tickets were made available for the match.Burns made 31 not out from 15 balls after the Heat had lost 4 for 12 in 16 deliveries to help his side to their fifth win of the season. Both sides did their best to lose the game. The Renegades had earlier dropped Chris Lynn twice and also dismissed him off a no-ball during his 40-ball 50. But Lynn handed back the momentum at a critical moment sparking a mini-collapse before Burns steadied the ship.Joe Burns played a confident knock in chase•Getty Images

The Renegades had set a defendable total of 6 for 149 on what was a pretty slow pitch. Beau Webster overcame a slow start to finish with 50 not out from 40 balls while Jake Fraser-McGurk made an enterprising 40 from 33. The pair rescued the Renegades after they had slumped to 4 for 59. Matthew Kuhnemann, Mark Steketee, and Morne Morkel bowled 36 dot balls between them and combined for four wickets. Morkel and Steketee were particularly impressive at the death after Kuhnemann had squeezed the Renegades in the middle overs.Finch at FourWhen Aaron Finch batted at No.3 in the Renegades disastrous loss to Perth Scorchers it seemed the experiment of batting the Australia T20I captain and opener out of position might end there. But with Shaun Marsh’s return not only did he not open, he batted outside the top three for the first time in his BBL career and for the first time in 91 T20 innings globally. Since batting at No.4 in an IPL game in 2018 Finch had opened in 85 T20 innings and batted at No. 3 six times. In that period, only Babar Azam has scored more runs as an opener, while no one has scored more than Finch’s five centuries. Of the eight openers who have scored 2000 runs or more in the period, Finch has the highest strike-rate and the third-highest average.Marsh and Mackenzie Harvey opened and when Marsh departed for his first golden duck in BBL cricket, Sam Harper walked out at No.3. Harper and Harvey struck four fours and a six in the powerplay but fell within four balls of each other to leave the Renegades 3 for 36. Finch looked like a fish out of water at No. 4 scoring just 13 off 13 with Kuhnemann tying him down. He was trapped lbw by Jack Wildermuth to a ball nipping back and keeping a touch low to leave the Renegades 4 for 59.Super SubMorkel, with 544 international wickets for South Africa, was called in as the X-factor sub at the 10-over mark for his first game for the Heat and his first game as a local player. As surprising as he was as a sub choice, the move to sub Xavier Bartlett out after he had bowled one over conceding just two runs was equally perplexing. But Bartlett’s struggles at the death in the last game meant the Heat were able to get five overs out of Bartlett and Morkel at a cost of 31. Morkel bowled a Power Surge over and two overs at the death, taking 1 for 29 in his first outing off an ankle injury. Steketee also bowled well in the key overs taking 2 for 24 from four. Oddly, Lewis Gregory did not bowl an over for the innings.The Renegades were able to salvage a defendable total thanks to Fraser-McGurk and Webster. The pair put on 57 with Fraser-McGurk scoring 40 off 33 including a powerful six of Steketee. Webster, who had been the Renegades’ best batsman last season, was struggling at 22 off 30 but he made up for it scoring 28 off his last 10 balls to reach his first half-century of the season off the last ball of the innings.Once, twice, three times a charm for LynnLynn was dropped twice during his half-century against Sydney Sixers and he had even more luck against the Renegades. Lynn and Max Bryant had hardly got away from the Renegades scoring at just over a run-a-ball in the chase. Bryant holed out trying to up the ante. Lynn nearly did the same but Noor Ahmad dropped a skier at deep backward square off Jack Prestwidge. The Heat scraped past the Bash Boost target of 71 off the last ball of the 10th over, having taken 13 from Ahmad’s over. Prestwidge then compounded the error. He had Lynn miscue a catch to mid-off with a well-thought-out piece of bowling from around the wicket. The catch was well held, but replays showed Prestwidge had delivered a rare back foot no-ball, and Lynn survived. The free-hit went for four from Joe Denly’s bat. Two overs later, Lynn was dropped again. This time, Peter Hatzoglou was the offender at backward point off Imad Wasim. Lynn reached his second half-century in a row. But he didn’t make the Renegades pay. He chopped on off Kane Richardson trying to flay him on the up through the offside with the Heat still needing 44 to win from 37 balls.Burns brillianceLynn’s dismissal sparked a mini-collapse. The Heat lost 4 for 12 in 16 balls with a swathe of rash shots as the frugal bowling of Imad and Richardson caused some needless panic. But Burns provided a cool head with some help from the Renegades’ inexperienced spinners. Burns struck two fours and a six in four balls without really taking a risk. Hatzoglou dropped short twice and Ahmad tossed one up in the slot for Burns to slog sweep into the empty stands. Burns finished the job in the 19th over with a glorious check drive and then a fortunate thick edge off Richardson. But fortune favours the brave, and Burns deserved every bit of it.

This will be South Africa’s first assignment since their semi-final appearance at the T20 World Cup in Australia in March last year

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jan-2021Sune Luus will lead an 18-member South Africa Women’s squad in the absence of the injured Dane van Niekerk for the ODIs and T20Is against Pakistan Women. This will be South Africa’s first assignment since their semi-final appearance at the T20 World Cup in Australia in March last year.The squad will also be without allrounder Chloe Tryon and an unnamed Covid-positive player, while Marizanne Kapp, who was hospitalised with an elevated heart rate during the WBBL, has been named in the side after attaining full fitness.South Africa’s home series against Australia as well as their tours to West Indies and England last year were called off due to the Covid-19 pandemic.Luus has the experience of leading South Africa in 10 ODIs and nine T20Is previously. The squad also features several young and inexperienced players, including the likes of Nondumiso Shangase, Nonkululeko Mlaba and Anne Bosch who have played fewer than ten international matches.”I’m excited about this group we have selected, and the players have a great opportunity to continue with the great strides they have made at this level and also opportunities to the young ones,” head coach Hilton Moreeng said.”Many in the squad have international experience including our captain Sune who has lead us with composure in the past and hopefully will do likewise on this tour. There are several talented youngsters who show exciting potential and giving some of them an opening will not only increase the squad’s depth but increase competition for places.”All six matches – three ODIs and three T20Is – will be played at Kingsmead, with the first ODI scheduled to begin on January 20.South Africa squad: Sune Luus (c), Laura Wolvaardt, Trisha Chetty (wk), Mignon du Preez, Shabnim Ismail, Lizelle Lee, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Nadine de Klerk, Tumi Sekhukhune, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Lara Goodall, Nondumiso Shangase, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Faye Tunnicliffe, Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits.

The wicketkeeper-batsman neutralised the threat of Rashid Khan to help the Sixers chase down 177

The Report by Vishal Dikshit05-Jan-2020A stunning display of strokeplay from wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Philippe and an impressive fightback from the Sydney Sixers bowlers, led by the returning Josh Hazlewood, earned them their fifth win of the season. Chasing 177 against the Adelaide Strikers at the sell-out Coffs Harbour ground with nearly 10,000 spectators, the Sixers openers Philippe and Justin Avendano put on 72 in under nine overs to set the platform. Avendano fell for a 33-ball 47 but the Strikers’ total wasn’t steep enough on a batsman-friendly pitch as Philippe saw them through for a seven-wicket win.Avendano fires the engine, Philippe puts out Rashid KhanThe 22-year-old Philippe had been called an “excitement machine” by Mike Hesson, who secured him at base price for Royal Challengers Bangalore at the IPL auction last month, and he showed exactly why. While Avendano took on the quicks early on, Philippe proved his worth when Rashid Khan bowled the last over of the powerplay. Off his first ball against Khan, Philippe swept the spinner fine for four and two balls later, he picked the quicker delivery and hammered it for six to make it a 12-run over.Josh Hazlewood was in fine form on his BBL comeback•Getty Images

Avendano showed his intent early against the fast bowlers. The first balls he faced from Michael Neser, Billy Stanlake, Harry Conway and Peter Siddle all went for boundaries; including a six against Siddle. It showed Avendano, who joined the squad on Saturday and came in for regular captain Moises Henriques (missing out to attend the birth of his first child), wasn’t going to let the experienced names dominate in only his fourth T20. He pulled and drove fearlessly, struck the ball cleanly, and took the pressure off Philippe before a leading edge ended his innings in the ninth over.Philippe, on 25 then, steered the Sixers’ chase as the Strikers kept Rashid’s last three overs for later. He returned in the 12th over with the Sixers still needing 86 from 54 and Philippe used the crease well to sweep again and seemed to pick the wrong’uns from the hand by going deep in his crease to collect runs, using the tactic to bring up his 36-ball fifty in the 15th over. Rashid accounted for Daniel Hughes in that over but Philippe and James Vince didn’t allow the legspinner any more success and the England batsman smoked him for a six in his last over as Rashid ended with 1 for 34. Philippe scored 23 of those runs while facing only 12 balls from Rashid.Despite the Sixers being mostly in control of the chase, things got tense towards the end when they needed 32 from 18, and Siddle only conceded seven in his third over to bring the equation to 25 from 12. But Philippe rose to the occasion again and virtually ended the chase with the first three balls of the 19th over against Neser. Expecting yorkers, he stayed deep in the crease and drilled the first two full deliveries for fours before dispatching a short ball over midwicket for his fourth six. The Sixers only needed four off the last over, and Tom Curran sealed victory with a straight six off Siddle.Jonathan Wells fought well for the Strikers•Getty Images

Hazlewood puts the brakes on in BBL returnHazlewood last played in the BBL in 2014 and his last ODI appearance was in November 2018 but it didn’t show at all. He stuck to his Test lines and lengths, didn’t use any slower deliveries or yorkers, and stifled the Strikers with his accuracy. The Strikers had raced to 1 for 67 in seven overs, cashing in on the diet of short balls they were being served, before Hazlewood came back for his second spell. A scratchy-looking Alex Carey’s problems were compounded when Hazlewood kept angling the ball away from him from off stump; the pressure mounted and Carey made room to heave but he missed a straight delivery and lost his leg stump, for 29 off 31.Hazlewood’s heat fired up the other quicks as they collectively brought down the run rate from 9.57 to 7.23 by the end of the 13th over, Hazlewood finishing with 1 for 18. At 5 for 120 after 15 overs, the Strikers were lifted by Jonathan Wells’ timing and clever placement which earned him a useful unbeaten 40 off 28 along with the lower-middle order. The Strikers collected 56 from the last five as Neser and Rashid also chipped in with cameos.Sixers’ fielding helps Strikers but not muchIf the Strikers didn’t help themselves by not promoting Rashid up the order as they have recently done, they were at least aided by the Sixers’ fielding errors. Ben Dwarshuis put down two consecutive chances, despite getting his hands to both, at deep backward square leg in the last over, Rashid the beneficiary both times. Earlier too, there were several misfields: once in the powerplay, then in the 14th and 15th overs, and Lloyd Pope and Daniel Hughes also put down catches in the circle. One misfield also led to Matthew Short’s run-out for a diamond duck but the Sixers can’t take credit for that.Currently placed second on the table, the Sixers will have to up their fielding game to stay near the top.

Only Sune Luus crosses 20 for South Africa as the hosts fail to chase down 130

Valkerie Baynes10-Feb-2023South Africa’s highly anticipated home Women’s T20 World Cup got underway in the most dramatic fashion with Sri Lanka securing a big upset against the hosts, winning by three runs before a record crowd in Cape Town.This match had it all. A thrilling contest set up by Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu’s half-century before her fellow old guard of Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandika Kumari and Oshadi Ranasinghe kept their cool to run through South Africa’s line-up and secure a memorable victory in front of 8402 spectators, the most for a women’s cricket match in South Africa.Amid a friendly party atmosphere with the grass banks well packed with dancing spectators, the home fans grimaced in the tight moments, and screamed and fist-pumped in the good times, riding each wave with their team. And there were plenty of ebbs and flows too. South Africa’s quicks Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail contained Athapaththu and her opening partner Harshitha Samarawickrama early, before Athapaththu’s knock of 68 off 50 balls, in which she peeled off boundaries in clutches and staged an 86-run stand for the second wicket with 17-year-old Vishmi Gunaratne. Then Kapp took the key wicket of Athapaththu to keep South Africa’s target to an achievable 130. But Sri Lanka never gave up and reaped their reward with Ranaweera removing Laura Wolvaardt, Kapp and captain Sune Luus and, ultimately, dashing the hopes of the home side.

Sri Lanka keep their cool

Tazmin Brits never really got going after being struck on the helmet attempting a pull shot off Achini Kulasooriya and fell slicing Ranasinghe to extra cover. Kapp scored only 12 before she holed out to mid-on and when Ranaweera struck again to remove Wolvaardt with 77 needed off 10.2 overs, South Africa were still ahead of Sri Lanka at the same point but by no means safe.However, with Luus and an in-form Chloe Tryon at the crease, there appeared no reason to panic. But then Tryon and Anneke Bosch fell in the space of three balls, and Luus, who was saved by a wayward throw after a terrible mix-up with Sinalo Jafta, was stumped as Ranaweera claimed her third and put her side within reach of victory. Needing 13 off the last over, Ismail was run out and Sugandika yielded just two runs off the next three balls, meaning that Nonkululeko Mlaba’s four off the last was not enough.Chamari Athapaththu scored 68 off 50 balls to steer Sri Lanka to a competitive total•ICC/Getty Images

Athapaththu to the rescue (again)

Athapaththu lifted Sri Lanka after a slow start and, while it was a script we had read before – she has now scored all three of Sri Lanka’s fifties at Women’s T20 World Cups and seven of their top eight scores at the tournament – it was vital. By the end of the powerplay, they had just 28 runs on the board and at the halfway point of the innings were 45 for 1.The match was almost four overs old before Sri Lanka found the boundary, via Athapaththu’s slash through extra cover off Kapp. She reeled off two more back-to-back with a slog sweep and then a pull as Mlaba bowled first too full, then too short. Nadine de Klerk entered the attack in the seventh over with immediate effect though as Samarawickrama spooned the ball straight to short midwicket.Athapaththu knew she had to get moving and she unleashed three fours in a row off de Klerk, twice through extra cover before pulling a short ball over deep square leg. Gunaratne, Sri Lanka’s Under-19 captain, then piled on three more in a row, dispatching Ismail through deep midwicket, slicing past deep third and clearing wicketkeeper Jafta’s head.

Kapp takes back control

Gunaratne added 35 off 34 balls before a direct hit from Brits ended her stand with Athapaththu after she had nudged Kapp towards short cover for a quick single. But then Kapp made the major breakthrough, as Athapaththu picked out de Klerk at deep-backward square leg.After a tearful start to the match when wife Dane van Niekerk, who was left out of the squad for failing a 2km running test, helped her mark out her run-up before heading to the commentary box, Kapp ended the evening as South Africa’s best bowler, her four overs costing just 15 runs after she and Ismail had smothered Sri Lanka early. Ismail chimed in at the end with the wicket of Nilakshi de Silva and let out a roar. But it would turn to more tears, this time for Luus, who has taken over the captaincy from van Niekerk and whose task of taking her side to the knockout stage just became infinitely harder.

Only one wicket fell while 349 runs were scored on the second day at Karen Rolton Oval

Andrew McGlashan11-Oct-2020It wasn’t a day to be a bowler at Karen Rolton Oval as 349 runs were scored with just one wicket falling. Ashton Agar and Josh Inglis both registered unbeaten centuries, in a Western Australia record sixth-wicket stand of 266, before Jake Weatherald led South Australia’s strong reply with his seventh first-class hundred.Western Australia resumed on 5 for 310 and after an early period of consolidation rattled along through Agar and Inglis who paced each other to their centuries which came in the space of three balls: for Inglis it was his maiden first-class hundred and for Agar his third.Inglis brought out some of the strokeplay that has lit up the BBL for the Perth Scorchers and the latter part of the innings was distinctly T20 in its manner. Agar, who took a nasty blow on the helmet from Nick Winter shortly after reaching his century, was content to let his team-mate do most of the damage, including taking 20 off an over from Lloyd Pope which brought the declaration.Agar’s innings was a big start to the season for him after being given the allrounder’s role in the absence of the injured Mitchell Marsh. With the debate currently ongoing about who might be Australia’s second Test spinner behind Nathan Lyon, Agar’s all-round package could be attractive as a way of balancing the side if he can build on this century, although like most bowlers on the day he found life tougher in the field.After declaring midway through the afternoon, Western Australia toiled for their first breakthrough as Weatherald and Henry Hunt added an opening stand of 125. However, they should have removed Weatherald on 46 when he edged debutant Lance Morris to second slip where Ashton Turner spilled a regulation chance.New signing Cameron Gannon eventually became the lone wicket-taker for the day when he had Hunt neatly caught a short mid-on, but there was no shifting Weatherald although Western Australia were confident they had him down the leg side off Agar on 66.He slowed up a touch through the 90s and the clock was ticking down to the close of play when he worked Morris off his pads to fine leg to reach three figures from 155 balls.

BCCI president-elect says the question should be posed to the prime ministers of both countries

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Oct-2019Sourav Ganguly, who will take charge as BCCI’s next president on October 23, has said that resumption of bilateral cricket with Pakistan is subject to the permission of the Indian government. Ganguly said that the decision could only be taken by the prime ministers of the two countries: Narendra Modi and Imran Khan, who also happens to be the patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).”You have to ask that question to Modi and the Pakistan Prime Minister,” Ganguly said at a media briefing in Kolkata on Tuesday. “Of course we have (to take permission), because international exposure (tours) is all through governments. So we don’t have an answer to that question.”Ganguly had led India on the historic tour of Pakistan in 2004, the first bilateral series since the Kargil war in 1999 and India’s first visit to Pakistan since 1989.The last time both neighbours featured in a bilateral series was in late 2012, when India hosted Pakistan for a limited-overs series comprising two T20Is and three ODIs.In February, the BCCI asked the ICC in an e-mail letter “to sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates”. That letter was sent at the behest of the three-member Committee of Administrators (CoA), which was appointed as the supervisory authority of the board till fresh elections were held. The previous day the CoA had mulled over asking the ICC to boycott Pakistan from the World Cup.At the time the BCCI and CoA were reacting to the terror strikes in Pulwama in the northern Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir in which more than 40 paramilitary troops were killed.

Pakistan have never lost at St George’s Park in three matches, but they’ll have to be wary of David Miller, who returns to his favourite ground in South Africa

The Preview by Liam Brickhill18-Jan-2019

Big Picture

After South Africa’s domination of the Test series, a switch to the white ball should bring these two teams closer. The pitches will be flatter, the bouncers fewer, and a home side preoccupied with finding the combinations they will use at the World Cup is unlikely to have things all their way.That’s not to say that Pakistan did not have their moments during the Tests, and there were times when the visitors bossed sessions or passages of play. Such sparks weren’t enough to swing entire Test matches, but similar performances, in a format in which Pakistan are probably a little more comfortable currently, could be enough to upset the hosts.While Pakistan are banking on the return of a couple of very experienced old heads in Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez (as well as the added potency of players such as Fakhar Zaman in this format), South Africa have gone in the other direction, including the uncapped pair of Rassie van der Dussen and Duanne Olivier in their squad. Hafeez’s relief at the absence of the name ‘Dale Steyn’ in the squad for the first two ODIs may be tempered somewhat by a glance at Olivier’s stats during the Tests, but South Africa’s current predilection for tinkering could also expose them.Pakistan and South Africa have traded blows in their last two one-day series on these shores, with South Africa winning 3-2 in 2012-13 and Pakistan triumphing 2-1 the following season. Indeed, Pakistan sealed that last series with a one-run win in Port Elizabeth, though Hafeez is the only member of the current squad to have played a part in that victory.Pakistan were perhaps lacking in self belief during their Asia Cup campaign, and sharing the spoils with New Zealand may have provided little succour. After the battering they received in the Tests, a little bit of belief in their white-ball skills could go a long way. Confidence won’t be a problem for South Africa after they showed that they could beat Australia in Australia late last year even with some of their big names missing, and the hosts start as clear favourites.ALSO READ: The rise of the Bloemfontein Bone Collector

Form guide

South AfricaWLWWW (completed matches, most recent
first)
Pakistan WLLLW

In the spotlight

Rassie van der Dussen was the leading run-scorer at the Mzansi Super League with 469 runs at a strike-rate of 138.75, and after almost a full year of plying his trade mostly as a T20 cricketer, he now has the opportunity to make a well-timed entrance into the Proteas one-day side ahead of the World Cup. St George’s Park is a ground that already holds special memories for van der Dussen: it was here that he made his T20 debut for North West back in 2013.ALSO READ: All-format specialist van der Dussen ready for the step upThe last man standing from the 1990s, Shoaib Malik is experience personified. Fourteen of his 274 ODIs have been played in South Africa, and he has an excellent record with the bat here, averaging 48.88 with a century and a fifty to his name. Pakistan will look to Malik for the middle-order ballast that was lacking from their efforts in the Test series.

Team news

South Africa coach Ottis Gibson reckons that one of van der Dussen’s strengths is that he can slot into virtually any position in the top six, and there is likely to be an experimental look to the hosts’ playing XI, making a starting line-up hard to predict. South Africa have two wristspinners in their squad, in Imran Tahir and Tabraiz Shamsi, though conditions will probably dictate that they only play one.South Africa: 1 Hashim Amla, 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Faf du Plessis (capt), 5 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 David Miller, 7 Dwaine Pretorius, 8 Andile Phehlukwayo, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Duanne Olivier, 11 Imran TahirShan Masood’s form in the Test series means he could be in line for an ODI debut, although that could complicate things for Pakistan at the top of the order. The visitors should be buoyed by the experience in the middle-order engine room, while the bowling attack’s key ingredient is variety.Pakistan: 1 Shan Masood, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Hafeez, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt, wk), 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Imad Wasim, 9 Faheem Ashraf, 10 Hasan Ali, 11 Shaheen Shah AfridiALSO READ: Steyn, de Kock rested for ODIs against Pakistan

Pitch and conditions

The St George’s Park strip has a reputation for being kind to batsmen, and the outfield for being quick, so there should be runs to be had. That being said, there have been occasions where this track has played a little slower and lower than a stroke-maker would like, and spin can be a factor at the back-end of a match. There could be a little rain around in the morning before the game, but the afternoon should be mostly sunny and the evening mild.

Stats and trivia

• Pakistan have never lost against South Africa at St George’s Park, winning two of the three ODIs at this ground, with one game rained off.
• Pakistan hold the record for the highest total scored at this ground: their 335 for 6 back in 2002.
• David Miller usually finds conditions at St. George’s Park to his liking. He averages 113.50 from four innings at this ground, with a fifty and an unbeaten hundred to his name, and strikes at 94.97 here.

Quotes

“This field is one of the best in the country. The outfield and the wicket always have a nice pace
to them. It is a ground that has good memories for me, I made my T20 debut here a few years ago. I am quite excited.”

Australia and England pulling away from the pack, as “pervading culture of insecurity” undermines positive strides

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Oct-2018The rapid growth in the profile of women’s international cricket is being undermined by continuing “amateurish” standards, particularly at domestic level, according to the findings of a global survey conducted by FICA, the players’ association.The FICA Women’s Global Employment Market Report and Survey 2018 is the first study of its kind since female players were formally brought under the auspices of FICA in 2016. In a 60-page document released this week, it outlines 20 key findings into the health of the game, as determined from interviews with players from the ICC’s 12 Full Member nations.The overwhelming conclusion of the report is that the game is “moving forward in a positive way”, with 89% of the 124 players surveyed, including 76 current internationals, stating that they were optimistic about the future of women’s cricket.However, the report also found that gender inequity was the biggest barrier to the game’s long-term future, with opportunities for participation still limited in many countries, as well as a continuing inequality of pay when compared to their male counterparts.”There has been a dynamic shift in the world, where businesses and sports are increasingly seeing the importance of equality,” Lisa Sthalekar, the former Australia allrounder and current FICA Board Member, states in the report. “Cricket is no different, with a watershed moment occurring in July 2017, when the ICC Women’s World Cup final was sold out at Lord’s.”That tournament, won by England in a thrilling final against India, transformed the profile of the sport and propelled many of its biggest names into a limelight that had never previously fallen on women’s cricket. However, the challenge of bridging that gap between the game’s possibilities and its current realities remains significant.The report states that the sport’s growth is currently being hampered by “the pervading culture of insecurity” that exists within the women’s game, and calls for minimum standards to be enforced in terms of playing opportunities and pathways, employment contracts, travel and accommodation.FICA’s research found that the global number of fully professional female players is currently “no more than 120”, adding that at present only Australia, with the Women’s Big Bash League, and increasingly England, through the advent of the Kia Super League, are in a position to offer professional cricket as a genuine career choice for women. As a consequence, the report states that “these two are pulling away from the rest of the countries”.Furthermore, four of the ICC’s 12 Full Member nations – Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan – were unable to provide sufficient information to offer a “realistic and balanced assessment” of the health of the women’s game in their countries.”Whilst the report recognises the great strides of the women’s game both on and off the field, there is still plenty of work to be done,” Sthalekar said. “Complacency is not an option if the game is to realise its potential and recalibrate the scales of equality in cricket.”

Markram and Nortje have been picked for all three matches while Qeshile has been selected for the last two games

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Mar-2019South Africa have named top-order batsman Aiden Markram, fast bowler Anrich Nortje and wicketkeeper-batsman Sinethemba Qeshile in the T20I squad for the three-match series against Sri Lanka, starting March 19. Markram and Nortje have been picked for all three matches while the uncapped Qeshile has been selected only for the last two.JP Duminy, meanwhile, has been named captain for the second and the third T20Is as designated captain Faf du Plessis will be rested for those games along with Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi.

SA v SL T20I series fixtures

• March 19, Cape Town (D/N)

• March 22, Centurion (D/N)

• March 24, Johannesburg (Day)

Markram has played 17 Tests and 18 ODIs for South Africa since his international debut in October 2017, and Nortje got his national cap in the recent ODI series against Sri Lanka. Qeshile, 20, meanwhile, only has 13 first-class and 12 List A appearances – for Warriors – against his name.”The first match forms part of our Vision 2019 to continue exploring our options for the ICC Men’s World Cup,” Cricket South Africa’s national selection panel convener Linda Zondi said, “and the squad for that match consists largely of the squads that have been doing duty in the Momentum ODI Series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. We would have liked to include Hashim Amla but unfortunately he remains unavailable because of his family situation.””Sinethemba Qeshile has had an outstanding rookie season of franchise cricket and is certainly one of the form batsmen in franchise cricket at the moment. He looks a really exciting prospect. JP Duminy will take over the captaincy for the last two matches while we give a short break to Faf du Plessis, Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi who are involved across all three formats for the Proteas.”We have used our T20 International matches in the past as the first port of call to widen the pool of talent. This has resulted in Rassie van der Dussen, Gihahn Cloete, Janneman Malan and Lutho Sipamla being brought through the pipeline with considerable success during the course of the current season.”South Africa squad for 1st T20I: Faf du Plessis (capt), Quinton de Kock (wk), JP Duminy, Reeza Hendricks, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der DussenSouth Africa squad for 2nd and 3rd T20Is: JP Duminy (capt), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Chris Morris, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Sinethemba Qeshile (wk), Tabraiz Shamsi, Lutho Sipamla, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen