Tag Futebol

A long-standing finger injury that wasn’t attended to adequately has resulted in an infection that has spread to Shakib Al Hasan’s wrist, delaying a surgery by three weeks

Mohammad Isam29-Sep-2018Shakib Al Hasan has undergone an emergency operation on the injured little finger on his left hand, after it had become infected during the Asia Cup. The pus had spread quite badly, going up to his left wrist, which was only spotted when he had gone to a Dhaka hospital on Thursday, hours after arriving from Dubai.Doctors have told him that he will have to wait up to three weeks for the surgery on his injured finger, which will keep him out of competitive cricket for up to three months.”The moment I arrived in the hospital, the doctors told me that I have to get the pus out as soon as possible,” Shakib said to . “Any delay would put me in great danger as the infection spread till my wrist. If I had waited another few days, my wrist would have become disabled.”I feel better after they took out the pus, but the problem is until the infection isn’t gone, there isn’t going to be a surgery on my injured finger. It will take another 2-3 weeks to fix. After surgery I will need eight weeks, which means I am out for three months.”Shakib first noticed a swelling around his injured finger during the Asia Cup. It is understood that the infection started to form around the base of his little finger. Bangladesh physio Tihan Chandramohan sent Shakib’s X-ray and scan reports regularly to doctors in Australia and England, one of whom suggested that there could be an infection.Last Monday, Shakib underwent another scan as his pain had became unbearable, forcing him to withdraw from the Asia Cup. Shakib said that Chandramohan should have detected what was wrong when the swelling had increased around his injured finger.”I have been in this state for the last 14-15 days. The doctor immediately understood what had happened, but our physio couldn’t find out. It is true that the physio couldn’t detect the problem. There was a bit of mistake so he has to take some of the responsibility. But I won’t blame him fully. Nobody knew that it would become infected,” he said.Shakib added that he had decided to play in the Asia Cup after the physio had told him that there may not be any danger in doing so.”The BCB president [Nazmul Hassan] asked if I could play the Asia Cup or I could go for the surgery. He told me to take the decision. When I asked the physio about what damage it may have, he told me it won’t be that dangerous. Then I decided that since the Asia Cup is important for us, I will play 4-5 matches with the pain,” said Shakib.He had been originally injured in January, during the ODI tri-series final in Mirpur. Initially it was a sprain with some tissue damage and he missed the Test and T20I series against Sri Lanka, both of which Bangladesh lost. He then returned to the side, reportedly at the request of Nazmul Hassan during the Nidahas Trophy, which he was slated to miss as he hadn’t recovered sufficiently from the finger injury.After playing the T20I series against Afghanistan and the full West Indies tour from June to August, Shakib said that he needed the finger surgery before the Asia Cup. But hours later, Hassan suggested that he may as well “play and the endure the pain [as he had done for the past six months].”

Tom Curran kept his head in the final over to carry Surrey to a sensational two-run victory in the opening NatWest T20 Blast game of the season at Chelmsford

ECB reporters Network07-Jul-2017
ScorecardFile photo: Tom Curran delivered a matchwinning final over•Getty Images

Tom Curran kept his head in the final over to carry Surrey to a sensational two-run victory in the opening NatWest T20 Blast game of the season at Chelmsford.With Essex requiring 10 off the last six balls, and six wickets in hand, Curran claimed the key wickets of Ravi Bopara and Ashar Zaidi to claim a memorable victory.Bopara’s dismissal off the second ball of the over ended a 46-ball 75, with five sixes, that looked to have put Essex in the driving seat.Earlier Dominic Sibley thumped four sixes in a swashbuckling 61 that enabled Surrey to post a challenging total of 188 after being put in to bat.However, it had looked as though sixes from successive deliveries bowled by Jade Dernbach in the penultimate over by Bopara – one straight, the other over long leg – meant Essex needed less than two runs a ball from the final over.The first ball went for two, but Tom Curran found the extra pace to beat Bopara from the next. With five required off two balls, Curran added the scalp of Ashar Zaidi, bowled to a full-length ball. The boundary required from the final ball as beyond James Foster.Essex had reached 25 in the third over when Varun Chopra left alone a delivery from Tom Curran that pitched outside off-stump and hit middle and leg.

‘Sibley unbelievable’ – Curran

Tom Curran, Surrey: “That knock from Dom was unbelievable. He’s come in not having played a lot of T20 cricket and he’s made a great stake for a permanent place in the T20 side. I thought he batted beautifully.”

Dan Lawrence, who had hit Sam Curran straight for six, followed soon after when he swished inelegantly at the younger Curran and was caught behind for 13.Tom Westley and Ravi Bopara put on 45 for the third wicket in six overs. But Westley was undone by Scott Borthwick’s first ball, which spun in and bowled him for 23. He had earlier edged Ravi Rampaul for six backward of square and then carted Dominic Sibley over cow corner for a second.Bopara hit Jade Dernbach for a straight six, pulled Rampaul for a second and hooked Borthwick for No3 as Essex accelerated. Rampaul went for 16 from one over, Borthwick for 14 the next as Bopara and ten Doeschate made hay.Bopara scrambled a single into the offside to reach a 43-ball fifty, but the partnership was broken by Sam Curran who trapped ten Doeschate lbw on the front foot. Essex still needed 52 from 26 balls, and 25 from the last two overs.Surrey lost Jason Roy to the fourth ball of the game, lbw to one from Mohammad Amir that swung late, and wickets followed in quick succession throughout, bar a sixth-wicket stand of 55 between Dominic Sibley and Sam Curran.Replacing Amir, two of Paul Walter’s first four deliveries were wayward and signalled as wides, but his third legitimate ball arrowed past Mark Stoneman’s bat and took out middle and leg stumps.Finch had already laid into Jamie Porter with a four through midwicket and a six over long leg off successive balls, and was similarly severe on Ashar Zaidi with a four chipped to deep extra cover followed by another six into the second tier of the stand at long leg.But Zaidi had the last word in his first over, tempting Rory Burns into a reverse sweep and bowling him.Finch reached his fifty from 23 balls with his third six, slogged-pulling Zaidi high over midwicket. But four balls later, in trying to work Bopara down to third man, the Australian top-edged behind for 56.Bopara had a second wicket in his third over when Ollie Pope pulled him to the midwicket boundary where Amir leapt to catch. Surrey had lost half their batting for 86 inside 11 overs.The fifty partnership for the sixth wicket came off 28 balls, before Curran on 25 gave himself room against Walter and lost his leg stump. Sibley lost the other Curran, Tom, to an inswinger from ten Doeschate’s first ball.Sibley reached a valiant half-century from 35 balls with his fourth six, but departed for 61 when he was run out off the last ball. Borthwick had his stumps shattered from a free-hit off Walter, but James Foster had a stump out of the ground before Sibley made his ground.

Derbyshire are on course for their first home victory in the Championship since the end of the 2014 season after Worcestershire were routed for 164 and forced to follow-on in the Division Two match at Derby

ECB Reporters Network22-Jun-2016
ScorecardGodleman’s double century set up Derbyshire’s victory chance•Getty Images

Derbyshire are on course for their first home victory in the Championship since the end of the 2014 season after Worcestershire were routed for 164 and forced to follow-on in the Division Two match at Derby.Billy Godleman’s maiden double century and Neil Broom’s 93 carried Derbyshire to 467 for 5 declared before Ben Cotton and Tony Palladino both took four wickets.It looked a different pitch to the one Godleman scored 204 from 328 balls on as Cotton with 4 for 28 and Palladino, 4 for 32, ran through Worcestershire who were 24 for 1 in their second innings, still 279 behind.Cotton saw it thus: “When the lights are on the ball seems to go through a little bit more and I think that’s why we got a little bit more bounce out of the wicket but we don’t scientifically know why.”Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes said: “Today we possibly had one of those days where we didn’t apply ourselves as well as Godleman, Broom and Madsen did in the Derbyshire innings.”Consequently if that happens you lose your wickets but I don’t want to be too critical because they’ve played really well this year and scored plenty of runs and everyone is entitled to a bad day.”They were nice and fresh and had a new ball in their hand and a big score under their belts so you tend to run in with a real zest. When you have fielded for that length of time while you are probably not physically feeling tired you are mentally not as sharp as you could be and I call that batting tired.”Godleman and Broom set the tone for a day of Derbyshire domination by taking their fourth wicket stand to 155 in 36 overs with Godleman setting a county record for the highest score against Worcestershire when he passed Thomas Richardson’s unbeaten 200 at Chesterfield in 1933.Jack Shantry finally broke through to claim his 250th first-class wicket when Godleman top-edged a pull to leg slip and Broom fell for the second time in the nineties on this ground in a month when his attempt to plant Brett D’Oliveira into the new media centre landed in the hands of long-off.Derbyshire’s declaration at lunch came as no surprise but the collapse that followed did, even though the light was poor enough for the floodlights to be switched on.But that was no excuse for Worcestershire’s limp batting as Cotton and Palladino blew away the top order in the opening 10 overs of the afternoon session with five of the first six mustering only eight runs between them.D’Oliveira’s attempt to flick Cotton through midwicket was taken at short leg, Joe Clarke edged to fourth slip and skipper Daryl Mitchell had his off-stump knocked out when he shouldered arms.Alexei Kervezee was bowled off an inside edge and former Derbyshire batsman Ross Whiteley was snapped up at first slip when he aimed a big drive at Palladino.Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Ben Cox put the pitch into perspective by adding 66 in 14 overs but the return of Palladino removed any chance Worcestershire had of reaching the follow-on target of 318.Cox was trapped on the crease and after Will Davis bowled Joe Leach to claim his first Championship victim, Palladino defeated Kohler-Cadmore’s expansive drive.Matt Henry unleashed some defiant blows, including a pulled six off Davis, before he flashed at Cotton and when Ed Barnard drove Chesney Hughes to cover, Worcestershire had been bowled out in 53.1 overs.Mitchell and D’Oliveira walked out for a second time with nine overs to negotiate and Cotton removed Worcestershire’s captain for a second time when he drove loosely to gully four overs before the close.

At 6pm on Monday, with less than 10 overs of a compelling Test match remaining, Trent Boult upper cut Stuart Broad towards third man where Moeen Ali took a superbly judged running catch

The Report by Andrew McGlashan 25-May-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsBen Stokes proved England’s talisman on the final afternoon•Getty Images

Shortly before lunch on Saturday, New Zealand were 404 for 3, building a lead, and England’s new era was heading for a difficult start. At 6pm on Monday, with less than 10 overs of a compelling Test match remaining, Trent Boult upper cut Stuart Broad towards third man where Moeen Ali, stationed there by Alastair Cook but not right on the boundary edge, took a superbly judged running catch to earn England a 124-run victory and complete a remarkable turnaround.Less than a year after falling one wicket short of beating Sri Lanka on this ground England were just beginning to get twitchy as Boult and Matt Henry negotiated eight overs with the ball starting to fall short or wide of fielders. But Broad, from round the wicket, dug the ball in and Boult, who had blocked unconventionally, could not resist playing. That it was taken at a position that needed some astute captaincy was the perfect finish for Cook, who had been so central to England’s fightback with his 162.It was a combined effort to bowl New Zealand out for a second time; James Anderson and Stuart Broad firstly reducing them to 12 for 3 before lunch, but it was Ben Stokes who really lit up Lord’s for the second afternoon running in with an electrifying over in which he removed two of New Zealand’s lynchpins, Kane Williamson and Brendon McCullum, in consecutive balls to leave them 61 for 5.

Plunkett in Headingley squad

Liam Plunkett has been added to England’s squad for the second Test, at Headingley, which begins on Friday. Back-to-back Tests means a heavy workload for the fast bowlers and England have chosen to bring in Plunkett, who last played a Test last summer, as another option alongside the 12 selected for Lord’s. Chris Jordan, who is currently playing in a Championship match for Sussex, was the player to miss out in the first Test as Mark Wood made his debut.
England squad: Alastair Cook (capt), Adam Lyth, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (wk), Chris Jordan, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Mark Wood, Liam Plunkett

Corey Anderson and BJ Watling made contrasting half-centuries in a free-wheeling 107-run partnership but, with 26 overs remaining, Mark Wood produced a wicked delivery to brush Watling’s glove and three overs later Joe Root trapped Anderson lbw. Stokes was not finished, either, and returned to removed Mark Craig then next ball Moeen took an excellent return catch off Southee. Moeen’s next catch would be even better.There have only been nine higher totals than New Zealand’s 523 in defeat and England had only ever won three times having conceded more. The change in fortunes centred around England’s second-innings 478, anchored by Cook’s marathon innings and ended 11 overs into the final morning to leave New Zealand 345 to win 77 overs.Anderson and Broad gave England the ideal start with the ball as both openers departed for ducks – Martin Guptill edging to slip to become Anderson’s 399th Test wicket and Tom Latham lbw to Broad’s first delivery – then Ross Taylor also fell in single figures, before Williamson and Watling, who was tactically promoted to No. 5, brought a little stability.But life was never easy and then Stokes, from the Nursery End, made his latest indelible mark on the match. After twice beating Williamson with deliveries that nipped away to beat the outside edge he lured him into pushing at a slightly wider ball and Root took a low catch in the gully. Next ball he bent one back into McCullum and the New Zealand captain deflected it down into his stumps.Lord’s, populated by people who had queued around the ground for final-morning tickets on a Bank Holiday, roared its approval of a cricketer who, if he doesn’t already, will soon have hero status. The hat-trick ball to Anderson was greeted by six slips, a short leg, leg gully and short cover. Stokes continued to challenge the batsmen and his duel with fellow allrounder Anderson was absorbing as the New Zealander took a similarly aggressive route to Stokes, which included two crunching fours and a mighty pulled six into the Mound Stand.Anderson also attacked Moeen, who struggled to settle into his spell, and quickly overtook Watling who had a 17-run head start on him. Continuing to play his strokes as tea approached, three consecutive boundaries off Moeen took him to a 44-ball half-century – 46 of the 51 runs coming in boundaries.Watling, who did not kept wicket since lunch on the first day due to a knee injury, has performed some monumental match-saving efforts for New Zealand, and the partnership took the visitors to tea with 36 overs remaining in the day.Runs continued to flow freely at the start of the evening session – although Anderson, for a moment, though he had his 400th wicket when Watling was given caught down the leg side but S Ravi’s decision was quickly overturned – before Wood, who impressed hugely in his debut Test, found a delivery to bounce from short of a length and England had their opening into the lower order. Moeen’s struggles meant Cook turned to Root and his Midas touch continued when he won an lbw verdict that the DRS upheld, with the ball just shaving leg stump.Craig was beaten by a full delivery from Stokes and Southee, certainly more a basher than a blocker, chipped one low to Moeen’s left and the bowler plucked it out. The floodlights came on as the evening became gloomy and the final hour was beginning to advance when the final wicket was extracted.Boult, whose day started much more brightly when he secured a place on the honours board with 5 for 85 as he claimed the final four England wickets, stood forlornly at the striker’s end before being joined by Matt Henry. New Zealand will know a fantastic opportunity escaped them, but they were part of a wonderful match.

Ricky Ponting has announced his retirement from international cricket, on the eve of the third Test against South Africa in Perth

Daniel Brettig29-Nov-2012As emotional as anyone has ever seen him, Ricky Ponting lost his customary composure when telling team-mates of his decision to retire from international cricket on the eve of the third Test against South Africa in Perth.For so long the stony-faced embodiment of Australian cricket, Ponting and other members of the squad wept as they came to terms with the fact a Test career that began at the WACA ground in 1995 would end at the same ground 17 years later. “I tried to tell them a lot, but I didn’t get much out,” Ponting said. “As I said to the boys this morning, they’ve never seen me emotional, but I was this morning.”If the decision drew a previously unseen well of feeling from within Ponting, its reasons were coldly logical and team-oriented. After failing twice with the bat in Adelaide and thrice in this series, having given himself the best possible lead-in via domestic cricket Ponting concluded that he was no longer good enough to perform at the level he preferred. For so long Ponting’s watchword had been consistency – now he spoke ruefully of “consistent failure”.Other considerations included choosing the best circumstances in which to allow his successor in the batting order to get started, a question Ponting had also pondered when handing over the captaincy to Clarke in 2011. As befitted a man whose proudest career achievement is to have played in more Test wins than any other cricketer, Ponting was also keen for the announcement to inspire, not overshadow, Australia’s tilt at the world No. 1 ranking in this match.”It’s a decision I thought long and hard about, put in long consideration about the decision, at the end of the day it was about my results and my output in this series so far,” Ponting said. “It hasn’t been to the level required for batsmen and players in the Australian team. My level of performance hasn’t been good enough.”I want to be a consistent performer, and if you look back over the last 12 or 18 months I haven’t been able to perform consistently. I’ve had moments of really good stuff, and prolonged moments of cricket that’s been below my expectations and below a par level for me, so there hasn’t been one dismissal or one moment, it’s just been in my own eyes reasonably consistent failure. That’s why I believe the time is right now to be making this decision.”Following a poor start to the Test series with low scores in Brisbane and Adelaide, Ponting said he was troubled by the “tentative” manner of his dismissals. In Adelaide he was bowled twice in the same match for only the second time in a career that began in 1995.That double was the catalyst for a typically frank interview with his first Test captain Mark Taylor on Channel Nine on the fourth morning in Adelaide, in which Ponting said he was soon to be discussing his future with the selectors. Discussions about retirement commenced during the Test, though Ponting said he always retained the support of the selectors, and made the call himself.”I believe so, there’s been all sorts of things in the papers the last couple of days and I know certainly with my captain and my coach I couldn’t have had any more support from those guys,” Ponting said. “They’ve been the ones who’ve been most verbal about their support.”This is not a decision that’s been made by the selectors, this a decision that’s been made by me, and I’d like to thank all those guys for the support they’ve given me over the last 12 months. There were probably moments when they thought long and hard about ending my career and I’m glad I’ve got the opportunity to finish this way and on my terms.”The effect of Ponting’s retirement was writ large across the red eyes of the captain, Michael Clarke. In summing up the few days leading up to the announcement, Clarke became so teary that he recalled the welling up of emotion that accompanied Kim Hughes’ exit as captain in 1984. While the reasons were entirely different, the feeling was equally strong – Clarke could not answer another question about his team-mate, friend and predecessor as captain.”I didn’t have a feeling it was coming,” Clarke said. “Ricky spoke to me after the Adelaide Test match and made his decision I guess over the last few days. The boys are obviously hurting at the moment. He’s been an amazing player for a long time. [Deep breath and starts to tear up]… and that’ll do me for today. Sorry, I can’t answer that.”Ponting will play out the domestic season for Tasmania and the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL. He does not yet know what will be ahead of him beyond the summer, but gestured towards his wife Rianna and children when queried about what the future held.”I’ve got a few months of cricket yet, which I am really looking forward to. I really enjoyed the start of this season playing cricket with Tasmania and back with some of my mates – really I place I haven’t spent a lot of time for near on the last 20 years. So I’ll enjoy that for what it is, but this is my new team here,” Ponting said, pointing to his family.As for the question of his contribution to cricket, Ponting had a simple and affecting answer. While delivering it he came close to tears again, those his team-mates had shared a few hours before.”I know I’ve given cricket my all,” Ponting said. “It’s been life for 20 years. Not much more I can give.”

England’s Kevin Pietersen has been officially reprimanded for a Level 1 breach of the ICC code of conduct during the Kolkata Twenty20 game against India on October 29

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2011Kevin Pietersen, the England batsman, has been officially reprimanded for a Level 1 breach of the ICC code of conduct during the Kolkata Twenty20 game against India on October 29. Pietersen was found to have breached Article 2.1.3 of the code which relates to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an international match”.The charge was laid by on-field umpires Sudhir Asnani and S Ravi, third umpire Vineet Kulkarni and fourth umpire K Srinath. The offence occurred following Pietersen’s dismissal, when he was ruled out lbw off Suresh Raina’s bowling. By then, England were cruising towards victory on the back of Pietersen’s brisk half-century.Pietersen pleaded guilty to the charge and, under the provisions of the code, the matter was determined by the match referee Roshan Mahanama and so there was no requirement for a full hearing.”As an experienced cricketer, Kevin should know that when the umpire raises his finger, a player should leave the crease without showing his emotions no matter what he may think of the decision,” Mahanama said. “In this case, Kevin displayed excessive and obvious disappointment at the decision which sent the wrong signals to all those watching the match at the ground and on television, and as such merited some form of action.”

The one-year ban on Rana Naved-ul-Hasan was lifted on Saturday by the PCB, clearing the way for the fast bowler to be considered for national selection once again

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-2010The one-year ban on Rana Naved-ul-Hasan was lifted on Saturday by the PCB, clearing the way for the fast bowler to be considered for national selection once again.Rana was one of seven players banned or fined earlier this year by the board following a disastrous tour to Australia; the other six have already had their punishments lifted or reduced on appeal – Mohammad Yousuf did not appeal but is back in the national fold – and this decision means that each one of the seven has now been pardoned. Rana and Younis Khan apart, the others have all played for Pakistan since.”Rana’s one-year ban has been lifted and his Rs 2 million fine has also been halved,” Taffazul Rizvi, the board’s legal advisor told ESPNcricinfo.The overturn came a day after Pakistan announced their Test squad for the South Africa series but Rana believes he still has a future with the national side. “Obviously this is a great relief for me as it’s been hanging over my career for a few months now,” Rana told ESPNcricinfo. “But I’m confident I can get back into the Pakistan side. I’m fit, I’m bowling well and I believe I can contribute.”Rana is scheduled to take part in the PCB’s Twenty20 domestic tournament for reigning champions Sialkot Stallions from Sunday. If he is not part of Pakistan’s winter plans, which include a tour to New Zealand, he will turn out for Tasmania in the Big Bash as he did last season.

Kris Srikkanth has attributed India’s climb to the top of the Test rankings to their balance and depth with both bat and ball

Cricinfo staff08-Dec-2009Kris Srikkanth, the chairman of the BCCI’s selection panel, has attributed India’s climb to the top of the Test rankings to their balance and depth with both bat and ball, and their ability to finish off games after gaining the advantage.Srikkanth said India’s batting line-up was the best around, and had displayed a tendency to withstand early setbacks with players down the order stepping up. “This is the best top-seven in the world,” Srikkanth told the . “This line-up has aggressive players such as Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The side also has Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, and VVS Laxman who are very solid.”Srikkanth spoke of India’s resilience in the Napier Test earlier in the year, when, after following on and losing Virender Sehwag early, they batted close to two full days, losing just four wickets, to save the game and preserve India’s lead in the series. “When India began its second innings 314 runs behind New Zealand in the Napier Test last season, the batsmen led by Gambhir and Laxman batted with great resolve to save the Test,” he said.And yet, when the opportunity was there to force a win, like in Chennai against England, where Sehwag set the tone with a blistering 83 and Tendulkar guided India home with a rare fourth-innings century, they took full advantage. “If you had seen the conditions for batting in the fourth innings, it was an incredible chase. The side believes in itself,” Srikkanth said.Srikkanth also lauded M Vijay, the Tamil Nadu opener, who replaced Gautam Gambhir in two Tests, against Australia in Nagpur and Sri Lanka in Mumbai, and impressed with 161 runs, giving Sehwag solid support. “On two occasions in Nagpur against the Australians and here, Vijay has batted really well,” he said.The variety in the bowling attack and the ability to take 20 wickets, even on tracks where assistance was minimal, was another crucial factor in India’s success, Srikkanth said. “Everyone said the pitch was flat against Australia at Mohali last year. But Zaheer and Ishant made inroads into the line-up.”We have variety, right and left-arm bowlers, pace men and spinners in contrasting styles. The pace men have struck telling blows with the new and the old ball. Harbhajan Singh is an experienced campaigner now. Both Pragyan Ojha and Amit Mishra are promising spinners. You got to give them time.”The contribution of former captains Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble, Srikkanth added, was also critical. “The side has been consistent and delivered away from home. We have to acknowledge the contribution of Ganguly, who made the side believe in itself. Someone like Kumble brought great value and commitment to the side.”

Bangladesh earned just two wickets on opening day, both picked up by Taijul Islam

Firdose Moonda29-Oct-2024South Africa 307 for 2 (De Zorzi 141*, Stubbs 106, Bedingham 18*) vs Bangladesh It was a coming of age day for two of South Africa’s top three as Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs both scored their first Test centuries in Chattogram. De Zorzi and Stubbs, with eight and five Test caps to their names respectively, shared South Africa’s third-highest second-wicket stand in Asia of 201 to put South Africa in a strong position to push for a series sweep.They made the most of batter-friendly conditions with little seam movement, swing or steep bounce and only hints of turn to assist the home attack. Bangladesh’s bowlers had little to work with and the best they managed was to keep South Africa quiet in patches. Their tall seamer Nahid Rana was the most impressive of the five-man attack and reached speeds of up to 148kph but went wicketless. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam picked up from where he left off after a five-for in Mirpur and was the only bowler to take wickets, although Hasan Mahmud will feel hard done by. De Zorzi was dropped off him twice, on 6 and 69, on his way to an unbeaten 141.South Africa started the day strongly as stand-in captain Aiden Markram and de Zorzi motored at 4.6 runs an over in the first hour. They hit four fours and a six between them as South Africa reached morning drinks on 60 without loss. The only threat came from Hasan, who took de Zorzi’s edge with the first ball of his fourth over but debutant wicketkeeper Mahidul Islam could not hold on. Bangladesh turned to spin from both ends after that and it brought success for Taijul. Markram advanced down the track to a ball that was not as short as he anticipated and chipped it to Mominul Haque at mid-on.Related

• Sweeping success – Stubbs takes the cue from de Zorzi to put the heat on Bangladesh

• WTC final scenarios – What do SA need to do?

• Jaker Ali ruled out of second Test with concussion

• Cricket and chaos – Bangladesh are used to it, but Shanto wants out

Markram’s dismissal allowed Bangladesh to pull the scoring rate back. They did not concede a boundary for 21 deliveries as Stubbs played himself in. He found his first four when he reverse-swept Mehidy Hasan Miraz behind point but then Bangladesh reapplied the squeeze. Another 28 balls were bowled for just 14 runs before de Zorzi brought up South Africa’s hundred with a sumptuous cover drive. De Zorzi went to lunch one away from a third Test fifty and got there in the over after the break.The opening exchanges of the afternoon session were difficult for South Africa and they went 91 deliveries between boundaries as they navigated Rana’s pace and small amounts of proper turn from Taijul. Nahid’s lengths were improved from the fuller ones he employed in the morning and he stuck to back-of-a-length balls which proved difficult to get away. But he did not come close to a wicket. Instead it was Mahmud who should have had something to show for his efforts. He drew de Zorzi forward again and took the edge but the chance slipped through the hands of Shadman Islam at first slip, de Zorzi and South Africa survived a period in which they scored only 34 runs in 13 overs after lunch and then things opened up a bit for them.The next eight overs brought 32 runs at a healthier scoring rate and Stubbs brought up his second Test fifty. Stubbs grew in confidence when he hit Mehidy over the sightscreen for six and de Zorzi followed suit by entering the nineties by sending Taijul over long-on. De Zorzi reached his hundred with a sweep shot off Mehidy through square leg and celebrated his achievement to warm applause from the dug out, which included injured captain Temba Bavuma. De Zorzi is only the second black African batter from South Africa to score a Test hundred, after Bavuma.2:12

‘You can’t buy that pace’ – Phil Simmons impressed with Nahid Rana

As de Zorzi struggled with cramps, Stubbs faced 25 of the first 30 deliveries after tea and showed good intent. He was particularly severe on Mehidy, charging him twice for six and reverse-sweeping him for four to near the nineties and knuckle down. De Zorzi struggled to run between the wickets so the pair quietened down and Stubbs spent 39 balls getting from 88 to 100. He did it with a single to deep point and a standing ovation from everyone in the South African camp.Stubbs was bowled in the next over by a ball that kept low from Taijul with about half an hour left of play in the day. South Africa saw that as a license to attack. De Zorzi and David Bedingham played with freedom and scored 34 runs in the six overs that followed as Bangladesh awaited the second new ball. They were also without their captain Najmul Hossain Shanto for that period after he left the field with what seemed like illness. Taijul led in his absence and took the second new ball as soon as it became available. Mehidy bowled one over with it before the players came off for bad light, with the day’s accolades going to de Zorzi.South Africa went into this series with only two specialist batters in their squad with playing experience in the subcontinent and only one, Markram, with a century in Asia. The other, Bavuma, was ruled out of the series with injury, which left them further bereft of experience. A Test and a day into the series they have four batters in the playing XI who have scored centuries in the subcontinent.

Fast bowler set for Surrey and Hundred returns after winter of freak injuries

Andrew Miller24-Jul-2023Reece Topley is expected to make a playing comeback for Surrey in a 50-over contest against Suffolk next week, ahead of a full stint with Northern Superchargers in the Hundred, as he begins his comeback from a cruel run of injuries that derailed his participation in both the T20 World Cup in Australia last year and the IPL.Topley, 29, travelled to Australia in October expecting to play a key new-ball role in what turned out to be a triumphant tournament for England, who went on to become the only men’s white-ball team to hold the 50- and 20-over World Cups concurrently.Instead, he stepped on a boundary marker while warming up ahead of a practice match against Pakistan in Brisbane, and had to fly home from the tournament for ankle surgery. And then, having been signed by Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 1.9 crore (£190,000 approx.) for his maiden IPL stint, Topley bowled just two overs in his opening match against Mumbai Indians before landing heavily in the outfield and suffering a dislocated right shoulder.Related

• Topley on year-round franchise deals: 'Better off having a seat at the table than being left behind'

• Topley out of IPL 2023 with shoulder injury, Parnell named replacement

• Roy agrees termination of ECB incremental contract to play in MLC

• Maxwell, Marsh pulled out of the Hundred by Cricket Australia

• Saqib Mahmood suffers recurrence of back stress fracture

“I knew I was going home,” Topley said, recalling the incident at the Chinnaswamy in early April. “When I was sat in Bangalore with my humerus bone in front of my pec, I was just like, ‘wow, how quickly can I get home to have surgery?’ It wasn’t like I was going to hang around or whatever. It was just, like, let’s just get out of here.”Now, however, he’s on the comeback trail, and given his extraordinary physical attributes – a 6’7” frame capable of generating pace, swing and bounce from an awkward left-arm angle – his recovery is sure to be monitored closely by the England selectors, as their attentions switch from the ongoing Ashes to the white-ball series against Ireland and New Zealand in September, ahead of this winter’s defence of the 50-over World Cup in India.Reece Topley dislocated his right shoulder after diving awkwardly on his IPL debut•BCCI

“The Hundred is almost like end-stage rehab, I guess,” Topley said at the launch of the KP Snacks community cricket pitches initiative in Tottenham. “Obviously I’ll look to put in some good performances and I’ll want to do well for Superchargers because we’ve got a great squad that wants to go all the way.”But then, obviously, you got New Zealand and Ireland,” he added. “Those games will be quite pivotal in the lead-up to the World Cup. I know that the conditions are slightly different, but 50 overs is something we don’t play a lot of anymore, so that game-time in an ODI will be massively important. So I’ll look to hopefully play those, and get up to speed as soon as possible.”Almost exactly 12 months ago, Topley was at the very top of his game – most notably with a remarkable haul of 6 for 24 against India at Lord’s, the best figures ever recorded by an England bowler in a men’s ODI. He blew away India’s top-order once again in the next match at Old Trafford, and though England could not close out that particular contest, the performance ensured that he was in high demand at the subsequent IPL auction in December, where he attracted bids almost of three times his base price.The fact that Topley is suddenly in such high demand – especially after an injury-plagued career that encompassed four stress fractures between 2016 and 2020, and the genuine belief that he might never play again – has helped him to compartmentalise the frustrations of his freak setbacks this year, and double down on the rehab to make sure he’s ready for whatever opportunities come his way.”It has gone really well,” he said. “Obviously it’s never nice to get injured, but then I suppose the nature of the two injuries I had this year, you can spend a lot of time soul-searching and asking questions why, but I think you’ve just got to get on the front foot and deal with it, and almost take a typical British attitude, stiff upper lip and crack on.”I suppose you flip it [on its head] and ask yourself what’s going to be achieved if you don’t get on with things? I’m really excited to get back out there. I’ve bowled really well when I’ve played, so the fact that I’m playing again and getting out there fills me with so much excitement.”When you are out there, you do have a big sense of gratification, you love the fact that you’re playing cricket, rather in any sense turning up and thinking it’s just another game. So let’s hope it’s the start of a relatively successful end of the summer and winter, obviously with the World Cup on the horizon.”Assuming he’s able to prove his fitness for the rest of this summer, Topley will be returning to India for his second World Cup campaign, having played a part in the squad that reached the final of the World T20 in Kolkata in 2016, where Carlos Brathwaite famously cracked four sixes in a row off Ben Stokes to swipe the trophy from England’s grasp.”I suppose it’s nice that you’ve got people that have experienced that sort of heartbreak, especially out in quite an emotional place which is India,” Topley said.”When you’re playing, everyone’s emotions seem to be running high, whether you’re one side of the boundary rope or the other. But, equally, there’ll be some new faces in that squad. There’s a few stalwarts and ever-presents, but even those new faces have got IPL experience. So I don’t think there’s anything that’s going to throw up any surprises to anyone.”I’m really excited. There’s a lot of debate about 50-over cricket, but when there’s a World Cup on the horizon, there’s few other things that you can say you’re going to prioritise ahead of 50-over cricket.”It’s a nice run-in with the Hundred, but those ODI series against Ireland and New Zealand will be about people trying to get in the XI for October.”From a personal perspective, I’ve had some success and it’s really about emulating that, but I wouldn’t say I’ve stayed still,” he added. “I’ve got injured, but it’s been a time to work on my own game and learn some new things, because people say that, if you’re standing still, you’re going to get overtaken, so it’s about adding more strings to my bow.”KP Snacks are funding 100 new community cricket pitches over the next three years. To find out more and search for a pitch visit: https://www.everyonein.co.uk/pitchfinder