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Allrounder steps down from 50-over format but will continue in Tests and T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jun-2021Kevin O’Brien, the Ireland allrounder whose record-breaking hundred stunned England at the 2011 World Cup, has announced his retirement from the 50-over format.O’Brien, 37, will carry on playing at Test and T20I level, but has chosen to bow out of the format in which he made his debut against England as a 22-year-old in 2006, in Ireland’s first full ODI. He went on to make 3618 runs from 153 ODIs, and claim 114 wickets, the most by any Ireland bowler. His 68 outfield catches is another national record, while he played 95 of his matches alongside his elder brother, Niall, who retired in 2018.”After 15 years playing for Ireland, I feel now is the right time to step away and retire from ODI cricket,” O’Brien said. “It has been an honour and a privilege to represent my country 153 times. The memories I take from them will last a lifetime”.Those memories include appearances at three World Cups, including the 2007 event in the Caribbean, the moment when Ireland truly made their mark on international cricket.Their historic victory over Pakistan at Sabina Park sent shockwaves through the sport, and O’Brien played an integral role in Ireland’s tense run-chase, digging in from an unbeaten 16 from 52 balls to guard against a collapse before the captain Trent Johnston struck the winning six to seal a three-wicket win.However, it was four years later at the 2011 event in India that O’Brien played the innings for which he will forever be remembered – a breath-taking knock of 113 from 63 balls in Bangalore, including a century from 50 balls that remains the fastest in World Cup history.Replying to England’s imposing total of 327 for 8, Ireland had slumped to 106 for 4 when he arrived at the crease, which soon became 111 for 5. But he responded to the adversity with an outrageous counterattack, cracking 13 fours and six sixes, before falling in the penultimate over with 11 runs still needed. However, John Mooney kept his cool to seal the chase, with Johnston again unbeaten at the other end.Related

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“That innings alone probably gave many of us the opportunity to become professional cricketers in Ireland,” Andrew Balbirnie, Ireland’s captain, said. “I think everyone within Irish cricket owes a huge amount to Kevin O’Brien for what he’s done for the sport in this country.”We’re losing a big personality in the ODI squad, and a really good friend, but this is not the end of Kevin O’Brien and I look forward to seeing what he can do in the other two formats.”O’Brien featured again for Ireland at the 2015 World Cup, but the team missed out on qualification in 2019, and his form in recent campaigns has slipped away. He made a highest score of 31 in 11 ODIs since the start of 2020, and has decided the time is right to cut back his commitments.”This has not been an easy decision, but after ongoing consideration I don’t feel I can contribute to the ODI team as much as I have in the past,” he said. “The hunger and love for the ODI format is no longer the same as it was and it wouldn’t be fair to continue to play while no longer feeling at 100%.”I’ve had some unbelievable moments with the team since 2006 – the three World Cups, the personal successes and spending time travelling and playing all over the world, but I will now shift my focus and remain fully committed to T20 cricket – with two World Cups in the next 18 months – and hoping to add to my three caps in Test cricket.”The first of those T20 campaigns looks set to take place in the UAE in October and November, while O’Brien also holds out hope of adding to his three Test caps – having become, in May 2018, the first Test centurion for Ireland, after making 118 in the country’s maiden Test against Pakistan at Malahide.Graham Ford, Ireland’s head coach, added: “Kevin has played an enormous role in the development of Irish cricket and has delivered regularly on the world stage – particularly in the ODI format.”It’s been a pleasure to work with him as part of the ODI squad, and he has been a true role model for many teammates over the years.
“I look forward to continuing to work with Kevin in other formats, and while his decision to step away from ODI cricket is sad, he can do so in the knowledge that he leaves an indelible legacy on the ODI game in Ireland and around the world.”

Returning from maternity leave, the captain says their aim at the World Cup is to reach the semi-finals

PTI16-Feb-2022She is well aware of the pressure of playing against arch-rivals India in the Women’s ODI World Cup opener next month but Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof hopes that the marquee match will inspire girls across the border to make a career in the sport.India are set to face Pakistan in their opener of the World Cup on March 6 in Mount Maunganui. The tournament will be held from March 4 to April 3 across six cities in New Zealand.”Pakistan vs India is indeed a great stage for any player to establish her credentials, but at the end of the day, it is a cricket match that has to be won by executing the basics right and keeping thing simple,” Maroof, who is making a comeback after motherhood, told PTI from Queenstown.Related

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“This match is a great opportunity to inspire millions of girls in Pakistan and India to take up this sport as a profession. It is the biggest rivalry, and attracts innumerable eyeballs.”I hope girls in the two countries will watch this match and will be inspired to take up the game.”She praised the Indian team led by Mithali Raj, but she was very optimistic about Pakistan’s chances against them.”The Indian team is a good unit and has done well recently. They also have had some very good youngsters coming in of late,” she said. “Our aim is to make it to the semi-finals, something which we have never done before. I strongly believe that this side has all the ingredients to achieve that.Being the senior-most player and the captain of the team, Maroof felt it was her duty to lead from from the front.”Being the senior player and the captain of the side you have to inspire your team and lead by example. If you are not doing the right things, you cannot demand them from girls. I have a very clear vision with this team that we need to be in top four.”When asked about the team composition, she said that conditions in New Zealand will determine the playing XI.Maroof has played 108 ODIs and equal number of T20I matches and has scored 2602 and 2225 runs, respectively.Having seen many ups and downs in her journey so far, she had once decided to quit cricket to embrace motherhood.”It has been an incredible journey and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. Being a cricketer has designed my life and played a very important role in the person I am today. There have been ups and downs, which have made me learn,” she said.”I am very excited to be back. It feels like I am making my debut again for Pakistan. I am grateful to my family, especially my husband who has supported me immensely throughout this phase. I also want to mention the support that the Pakistan Cricket Board has provided me through the parental policy.”To make a successful comeback after motherhood is not easy and Maroof has worked very hard to regain that level of form and fitness.”The journey from childbirth to getting here had its fair share of difficulties, as I had to start from scratch to regain my fitness,” she said. “Women don’t often return to sports or continue their professional careers after getting married or childbirth.”I spent a lot of time doing strength and conditioning sessions at the National High Performance Centre in Lahore.”

Georgia Elwiss seals six-wicket win after dominant display from bowlers

ECB Reporters Network01-Jun-2022The Southern Vipers are the first team through to Charlotte Edwards Cup Finals Day – and the final – after beating Thunder by six wickets under lights at Emirates Old Trafford, chasing 95 in 15.3 overs.Vipers have qualified for the Northampton showpiece (June 11) with one Group B game remaining following a superb bowling and fielding display led by England off-spinner Charlie Dean, who returned three for 16 from four overs to limit their hosts to 94 for six.Thunder included England trio Emma Lamb, Kate Cross and Sophie Ecclestone – the latter pair only just back from IPL Challenge commitments in India. But they were unable to break the shackles imposed on them by a team who have now won all five games in the competition named after their head coach.None of the Vipers’ five bowlers conceded more than 20 runs in their four-over spells, with left-arm seamer Freya Kemp also impressing with two for 20 before Georgia Elwiss top-scored in the reply with a measured 38 not out off 35 balls.The Vipers have also qualified direct for the final a week on Saturday as the best of the two group winners courtesy of a five-point, bonus point win here.They sit on 23 points, while Group A leaders Central Sparks have 17 with only five more points to play for.This was a display from the Vipers which had all the hallmarks of a team who reached last year’s Charlotte Edwards semi-final and are back-to-back Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy champions.Thunder, who elected to bat, lost in-form openers Lamb and Georgie Boyce for five and nine as the score slipped to 44 for three after 10 overs.Kemp had Lamb caught at mid-on and bowled Boyce. Sandwiched in between, Cross, promoted to bat at three, fell victim to a combination of England team-mates Dean and Danni Wyatt for 18.Cross hoisted Dean out to deep midwicket, where Wyatt took a fine low catch on the run.Ecclestone was also promoted to No.4 in a side who have struggled for middle-order runs through the competition.She demonstrated her power by pulling her fourth ball for six over backward square-leg off Kemp as the score moved to 41 for two in the 10th over – shortly before opener Boyce’s dismissal.Unfortunately for Thunder, playing in the primetime slot on a T20 double-header day with Lancashire’s men, there was no more acceleration.While Ecclestone made 28 not out off 32 balls, she was unable to find the boundary again and saw canny Dean trap Danielle Collins lbw and get Thunder captain Ellie Threlkeld caught and bowled cheaply.In all, Thunder only hit four fours and that Ecclestone six, while 21-year-old Dean has now taken eight wickets in her first three games of the summer. This was her best haul so far.Determined to complete the chase in 16.1 overs to secure the bonus point win which qualified them direct to the final, visiting openers Wyatt and captain Georgia Adams were busy from the off.Wyatt slog-swept Ecclestone for six over midwicket to advance the score to 22 without loss after three overs.But there was a stumble as both openers fell in the space of four balls as the score slipped to 34 for two in the sixth over. Wyatt was stumped for 13 by Threlkeld sweeping at ex-World Cup-winning spinner Alex Hartley before Cross had Adams caught at cover for 17.Another left-arm spinner, Hannah Jones, had Maia Bouchier caught and bowled before Threlkeld superbly stumped Kemp stood up to Laura Jackson’s seam as the score fell to 75 for four after 13 overs.But the presence of Elwiss ensured they were only minor blips, hitting five fours in her match-clinching innings.

The former Australia captain is back after a gap of 18 months

AAP06-Oct-2022Tim Paine made 6 and pouched a sharp catch in his cricket return as Queensland owned day one of their Sheffield Shield clash against Tasmania in Brisbane.Sent in by Queensland captain Usman Khawaja in gloomy conditions, Tasmania limped to 5 for 59 to bring the former Test skipper to the crease shortly after lunch on day one.Paine got off the mark with a crisp straight drive for three, but was caught by Matthew Renshaw after edging a cut shot off former team-mate Gurinder Sandhu in a 19-ball stay.Related

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Tasmania fell to 8 for 93 but scraped to 147 thanks to offspinner Jarrod Freeman’s 44 off 65 balls at the redeveloped Allan Border Field.A modest crowd watched as Michael Neser struck with the third ball of the innings, Caleb Jewell’s attempted cover drive finding Matt Renshaw at first slip. Mark Steketee had Tim Ward and Ben McDermott edging behind the wicket on his way to a four-wicket haul.Joe Burns (35) then showed his class to pilot Queensland’s reply, the former Test opener driving and pulling with authority as the hosts finished the day 1 for 70. Marnus Labuschagne was also solid, unbeaten on 26 when bad light stopped play about 10 minutes before stumps was scheduled.Paine looked sharp behind the stumps, diving low to his left for a catch to dismiss Renshaw. He had not played at the top level since April last year following revelations of a 2017 text-message controversy.Mark Steketee claimed four wickets•Getty Images

He took a summer-long break from the sport but has been training with the Tasmania squad and made a successful return in Hobart grade action last Sunday.Paine, who shared a laugh with Labuschagne as they left the field, had earlier received a warm welcome by the hosts when embraced by Queensland assistant and former Test quick Andy Bichel before play.The 22-year-old Freeman was just five when Paine first played for Tasmania in 2005.”It’s pretty surreal, pretty special,” he said of sharing the field with Paine and fellow Test veterans Peter Siddle and Jackson Bird. “With Painey behind the stumps it boosts you 10, 20 per cent and they know what they’re talking about.”He’s one of the best keepers in the world still, would silly not to have him in the side in that aspect. He’s bounced back and showed he’s not done yet, he’s got something to give.”Speaking to media nearby as part of Australia’s T20 squad, fellow former captain Steven Smith said Paine would “absolutely” be welcomed back by players into the national fold.”I’m sure he’s excited,” Smith said. “It’s great to see him back doing what he loves; he’s just down the road so I wish him all the best in this game. Phone’s always on so if he’s around [to catch up], yeah no reason why not.”Spinner Mitchell Swepson wasn’t named to play for Queensland after being called into Australia’s T20 squad to face England on Sunday in Perth.

“I don’t know the schedule exactly – but I’ve enjoyed it, I look forward to being back next year,” he says of the IPL

ESPNcricinfo staff27-May-20243:38

Will Starc quit ODIs to play more franchise cricket?

Mitchell Starc stayed away from the IPL for the best part of his peak years, but after winning the title with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), will consider dropping one format from his life, and that might be ODI cricket.”The last nine years, I’ve prioritised Australian cricket. I have given myself a chance to give my body a break and spend some time away from cricket with my wife as well, so that’s certainly been where my head’s been for the last nine years,” Starc said at a press conference after the IPL 2024 final in Chennai, where KKR steamrolled Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to win their third title, with Starc playing a starring role.”Moving forward… look, I am certainly closer to the end of my career than the start. One format may drop off. There is long time before the next one-day World Cup and whether that format continues for me or not… it may open doors for more franchise cricket.”Related

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And franchise cricket could mean two months of the IPL, a tournament he had played just twice in the past, for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2014 and 2015, but usually skipped to be fit and fresh for international cricket.In fact, in all these years of playing top-level cricket – he made his international debut in 2009 – Starc has only played 137 T20s.”I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this season,” he said. “It’s been great, it leads into the World Cup, that’s the other side of the benefit of being here against some amazing players in an amazing tournament. It’s a great lead-up to a World Cup.”Next year – I don’t know the schedule exactly – but I’ve enjoyed it, I look forward to being back next year and hopefully be seen in purple and gold [KKR’s colours] again.”Starc, the most expensive IPL auction buy ever when KKR splurged INR 24.75 crore (US$2,982,000 approx.) had a terrible time of it to start with, going wicketless in his eight overs in the first two games while conceding 100 runs. He took time to get it right, picking up a three-for against Lucknow Super Giants and a four-for against Mumbai Indians, but really came into his own in the playoffs, with 3 for 34 and 2 for 14 against SRH in Qualifier 1 and the final.”I’ve played a lot of cricket, so I know how to manage myself,” Starc said. “I haven’t played a lot of T20 cricket in the last few years, so for me, it was trying to find that rhythm of [the] T20 format, and trying to stay ahead of batters.”

The BCCI announced he will sit in as captain on the press conference scheduled for January 18, when the two squads will be named

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jan-20254:39

Refresher course: remember how good Gill and Rahul are at ODI cricket?

Rohit Sharma is set to continue as India’s ODI captain; this was confirmed when the BCCI announced he will sit in as captain on the press conference scheduled for January 18, when the squads for the Champions Trophy and the ODIs against England will be announced. The three ODIs against England will be India’s last in the format before they begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.Rohit’s future came into sharp focus after he had stood down from India’s XI in the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this month. He, however, clarified that the decision shouldn’t be misconstrued as a retirement.Related

• Rohit joins Mumbai training camp in bid to rediscover form

• Rohit says he 'stood down' for SCG Test: 'It is not a retirement decision'

Rohit, 37, has been struggling for form and during the home series against New Zealand, he also admitted to captaincy errors, which contributed to India’s 3-0 whitewash. In six Test innings against New Zealand at home, Rohit managed only 91 runs at an average of 15.16 and then in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, his average slumped further to 6.20 in five innings.In a bid to rediscover his form, Rohit had linked up with the Mumbai squad for training sessions in the lead-up to the start of the second phase of the Ranji Trophy.Having ended his T20I career by winning the T20 World Cup title in Barbados last year, Rohit now has the chance to lead India to an ODI world title at the Champions Trophy. India will play all their three league games in Dubai, which will also stage one of the semi-finals and possibly the final too, if India get there.India have played just six ODIs since November 19, 2023, when they lost to Australia in the World Cup final in Ahmedabad.

“It is too taxing for the boys, asking them to travel to Brisbane and be in the jail for another five days”

Nagraj Gollapudi07-Jan-20211:35

Rahane: ‘Being in quarantine definitely has its own challenges’

The BCCI has told Cricket Australia that India will not be able to travel to Brisbane for the final Test of the ongoing series if they will have to undergo another round of hard quarantine. ESPNcricinfo understands the BCCI mentioned that point in its latest communication sent to CA on Thursday.The Brisbane Test, scheduled between January 15 and 19, will mark the end of India’s long tour of Australia, which started with the white-ball segment last November. A senior BCCI official confirmed an email had been sent to CA, and said that a hard quarantine was “immaterial” when the India squad had already spent the first two weeks upon arrival in Australia isolating.The official pointed out that while normal life in Australia continued without too many restrictions, asking players to be confined to their rooms in team hotels, put down as a condition by the Queensland government, did not add up.Related

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Life in Sydney, the venue for the ongoing third Test, while not completely normal, is less restrictive than the biosecure environment the players have been put in. Parts of Northern Beaches where the latest Covid-19 outbreak occurred remain in lockdown, but people are generally free to move about. However, the players have been kept in stricter restrictions because the border between New South Wales and Queensland, which will host the next Test, has been locked down as Greater Sydney is still a “hotspot”.According to the official, the Indian team management has told the BCCI that the players had cited it was becoming “too stressful” to be restricted to the team hotels.As reported earlier on Thursday, CA had booked the team hotels at both Sydney and Brisbane. Players are allowed to mingle outside their rooms in the communal areas within the hotel. The one difference is that the restrictions in Sydney are CA protocols while those in Brisbane are imposed by the Queensland government as the terms to allow exemptions to be granted.According to the BCCI official, in case the CA was “so particular” about the restrictions they could conduct the final Test also in Sydney, where the third Test is taking place this week. “It is too taxing for the boys, asking them to travel to Brisbane and be in the jail for another five days,” the official said.

Century on debut powers new team to record-equalling 334 for 5 and 131-run win

ECB Reporters Network22-Apr-2023South East Stars 334 for 5 (Scholfield 111, Davidson-Richards 73, Chathli 48) beat Thunder 203 (Dottin 51, Davies 3-27) by 131 runsA debut century by Paige Scholfield propelled South East Stars to a record-equalling 334 for five in a convincing 131-run victory against Thunder in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy opener at Emirates Old Trafford.Scholfield, playing her first game for the Stars after signing from Southern Vipers, blasted 111 from just 90 balls, hitting five sixes and 11 fours, as she helped add 143 off 115 balls for the fourth wicket with Alice Davidson-Richards who contributed a classy 73.The Stars’ total equalled the highest score made in just over three seasons of regional cricket and the Thunder never threatened to chase down the required runs as they were bowled out for 203 in 42 overs.The first half of the Stars’ innings had been a fairly even contest on a good wicket with wicketkeeper-batter Kira Chathli and Ryana Macdonald-Gay steadily compiling an opening partnership of 52 until the latter was bowled for 18 by a big inswinging delivery from Deandra Dottin, the former West Indies all-rounder who has returned to Thunder for a second season.Chathli perished for 48 after driving left arm spinner Alex Hartley to Kate Cross at mid-on, and when Stars’ skipper Bryony Smith swept leg spinner Liv Thomas into the hands of Fi Morris on the midwicket boundary for a hard-hitting 35 off 31 balls, the game was finely poised with Stars 130 for three in the 27th over.Scholfield injected immediate impetus into the visitors innings hitting three of her first six deliveries to the boundary and she received great support from Davidson-Richards who paced her innings expertly as their alliance blossomed.The pair pounced on anything bowled short or wide to reach a 56-ball fifty partnership while their century stand arrived from only 92 balls with the under-pressure Thunder not helping their cause by dropping Scholfield on 63 and Davidson-Richards on 48 as the runs flowed.Davidson-Richards had struck two sixes and eight fours before eventually departing for 73 to a fine catch at long leg by Thomas off Tara Norris in the 46th over but Schofield went on to reach a fabulous century from 85 balls and was undefeated on 111 when the innings ended.Thunder used eight bowlers in an attempt to stem the flood of runs as the Stars hammered 132 from the final 10 overs, with Cross the pick of the home attack conceding 45 off her 10.Thunder needed a positive start to their challenging run chase but instead lost England opener Emma Lamb caught behind by Chathli off Phoebe Franklin for six and Scholfield then added to her great day by nipping one back to bowl Morris for 18.Not to be outdone, Davidson-Richards produced a seaming delivery of her own to bowl Ellie Threlkeld for 14 to leave Thunder 68 for three in the 19th over.Naomi Dattani made a steady 33 until trapped lbw by Dani Gregory before the afternoon was enlivened by some big hitting from Dottin who reached her maiden Thunder fifty off 37 balls before skying a steepling catch that was well judged by Scholfield – who else? – off Gregory for 51.From 143 for five the Thunder innings fell away quickly from that point with Freya Davies (three for 27) picking up a trio of wickets and MacDonald-Gay two, as the Stars clinched victory with eight overs to spare.

CA are also focused on the changing nature of the global game and working with T20 franchises

Andrew McGlashan27-Oct-20231:59

Where are all the last-over thrillers?

The bosses of Cricket Australia believe ODIs can continue to play a key part in the men’s international game but have stressed the importance of having context around bilateral fixtures.There has been heightened debate around the 50-over format amid the ongoing World Cup which has seen some disappointing crowds and a lack of close games, although the tournament has produced a number of eye-catching results with Afghanistan beating England and Pakistan while Netherlands overturned a powerful South Africa.But amid an increasingly packed calendar, now becoming ever-more dominated by T20 franchise leagues, there is a growing suggestion that it is ODI cricket that will be squeezed particularly at bilateral level with discussions set to take place when the ICC meets next month in India.Related

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• Pakistan men's players to get landmark central contracts

The 2027 ODI World Cup is locked in to be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia and 2031 is to be staged by India and Bangladesh, with a returning Champions Trophy due to be held in Pakistan in 2025.Direct qualification for the current World Cup in India was decided by the ODI Super League which meant bilateral series had added importance but that has been disbanded after one cycle.”It’s really important that there’s context for those bilateral series,” CA chief executive Nick Hockley said after the board’s AGM. “We’ve seen with the introduction of the World Test Championship how that works, we’ve seen with the qualification through to this World Cup with major nations [like] West Indies missing out, Netherlands coming through.”So really creating jeopardy in those bilateral series. That’s something we’ll be discussing when we are in India towards the end of the tournament with the ICC.”Bilateral T20I series could be given greater context in the future with Olympic qualification likely to be based on the rankings.Australia have three men’s ODIs in their upcoming summer – crammed into five days against West Indies in early February – which according to the Future Tours Programme (FTP) is the likely figure for most future seasons. They are then not scheduled to play the format again until September when they tour England for a five-match series, with three ODIs against Ireland also marked on the FTP before that.Australia’s men will play three home ODIs this season•AFP/Getty Images

Mike Baird, the CA chair, suggested that performances such as the 40-ball century by Glenn Maxwell against Netherlands show how the T20 game can help keep the one-day format relevant.”We certainly see a role for all three formats,” he said. “To see a T20 century, Glenn Maxwell came in in the 39th over, so the spectacular impact of that in an ODI it adds a whole other dimension than just a T20.”It’s an important format, we certainly think there’s a role. What is important is context, [not] just having matches without connecting them into qualifiers for a World Cup as an example – so those are the things, how do you give more context.”

Central contracts vs franchise cricket

Linked to the changing nature of the men’s international game, particularly around white-ball cricketers, is how players are contracted to their national boards. newspapers reported that CA has put a group of their leading players on multi-year deals and the ECB has recently done the same. also reported this week that there is now a mechanism within contracts where players can be docked a percentage of their earnings if they opt to play in overseas tournaments during the home season.”It is designed so that if a situation does not clearly warrant a player being given a [No Objection Certificate], the answer doesn’t have to be only ‘no, you can’t go and play’. It is ‘let’s have a conversation and see if we can negotiate a mutually satisfactory outcome’,” Todd Greenberg, the Australia Cricketers’ Association CEO, said. “That keeps the relationship strong and the player in our Australian system for longer.”CA acknowledged the rapidly changing landscape and how all sides need to work together.”We are conscious of the increased opportunity for players and to show some level of flexibility to pursue opportunities, certainly in the IPL and some of the other leagues around the world, is something we’ll need to support going forward,” Hockley said.”To go forward into the future, there are changes that are here, there are changes that are coming,” Baird added. “The fundamental thing we need is trust and that relationship with the players and we’ve certainly established that.”

CA makes a loss, but confidence for years to come

Meanwhile, CA reported a loss of nearly AUD$17 million for the last financial year but that was a stronger performance than expectations aided by AUD$42 million coming from hosting the men’s T20 World Cup.The upcoming year, which sees the men’s team host Pakistan and West Indies at home, is expected to also be loss-making before two big-earning seasons with India and England touring for five-match Test series in 2024-25 and 2025-26.”It’s part of the cycle … these [past] 12 months is the difficult period,” Baird said. “But we’re certainly very confident on where we’re going … over the next two or three years, the forecasts are really strong.”

Ecclestone’s 33 off 19 helped UPW tie the scores by smashing 41 runs off the last 17 balls before delivering a stunning Super Over

Shashank Kishore24-Feb-2025
Super Over An extraordinary night of drama delivered a thriller, with UP Warriorz sending a crowd in excess of 28,000 into stunned silence after RCB failed to knock off the nine runs they needed in the Super Over.In a game that seemed to be headed RCB’s way until the last two overs in regulation time, Sophie Ecclestone’s incredible final-over hitting against Renuka Singh, which went for 17, forced the game into a Super Over. But the showstopper for the night was a sensational final over Ecclestone delivered to deny Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh as Warriorz sprung their campaign back to life with a second straight win.Related

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The high-octane end

Forty-two needed off 18, with two wickets in hand. Ecclestone had pottered to 3 off eight balls, and had no option but to go for broke, especially with Chinelle Henry, seemingly the last hope for Warriorz, gone.Ecclestone got stuck into Georgia Wareham by muscling two sixes in a 13-run over. But when Saima Thakor was run out a ball after swinging one out of the ground in the 19th over, it was all on Ecclestone to knock off much of the 18 runs they needed off the last six.She hit 17 in an extraordinary sequence of 6, 6, 4, 1, taking Renuka to the cleaners as she repeatedly missed her lengths. But Ecclestone’s single off the fifth ball that left Warriorz needing one off the last ball, brought rookie Kranti Goud on strike.When Goud missed and the batters ran, Richa Ghosh did an MS Dhoni, choosing to sprint to the stumps and knock the bails off rather than risk an underarm throw. And just like that, the WPL had its first Super Over.Sophie Ecclestone’s sixes took the game into a Super Over•BCCI

Ecclestone’s dream night continues

When Kim Garth bowled Henry, who had muscled an incredible eight sixes in her 23-ball 62 against Delhi Capitals, with a slower delivery with Warriorz needing 47 off 22, she wouldn’t have envisaged having to bowl the Super Over.Yet, when she did, and conceded just 8 while dismissing Henry again, she wouldn’t have imagined finishing on the wrong side of the result. But, five minutes later, she watched in agony as Mandhana and Ghosh failed to find their hitting range on the face of some nerveless bowling from Ecclestone.It was a performance straight out of fantasy for the world’s No. 1 T20I and ODI bowler, who had also quite extraordinarily just conceded six runs off the final over in RCB’s innings. Three of those deliveries were pinpoint yorkers that denied Ellyse Perry a final charge towards what would have been an extraordinary century.

Perry, Wyatt-Hodge set RCB up

Perry offset Mandhana’s early loss – against offspin for the 11th time in the WPL – by welcoming Ecclestone with back-to-back fours, her step-out to bisect cover and mid-off being the standout. Perry’s intent-laden approach brought her a first six when she launched Thakor down the ground. At 42 for 1 at the end of the powerplay, RCB had a base.All through her innings, Perry was bubbling with flair. She became the first player to hit the 200-run mark in each of the first three WPLs. She also overtook Meg Lanning to become the highest run-getter in the tournament’s short history, during the course of a 94-run second-wicket stand with Danni Wyatt-Hodge.The five-over period between seven and 11 brought RCB just 33, but the pair was able to flick the switch. Goud, who hustled Wyatt-Hodge with an excellent bumper early on, was picked away for three back-to-back fours in the 13th.In doing so, Wyatt-Hodge exhibited her range of shots – a cut when offered width, a swat back past the bowler when it was dug in short, and a pummel over extra cover when the bowler went full. Wyatt-Hodge brought up her maiden WPL half-century off 36 balls against the side that had traded her out. But her dismissal brought Warriorz two more wickets – of Ghosh and Kanika Ahuja.Ellyse Perry brought out her glorious drives from the start•BCCI

But Perry didn’t pass up an opportunity to go all out in the death overs. She took a liking for Deepti Sharma’s predictable lengths and bowling into the surface by picking her for a sequence of 4, 6, 4, 2 in the penultimate over – hitting the ball to different areas, from deep cover to long-on to deep midwicket.Perry’s use of angles to try and get inside the line and sweep the bowlers off their lengths was particularly noteworthy. She finished unbeaten on 90 off 56, with RCB hitting 105 off the last nine overs.

Navgire sparks life into chase

With Chamari Athapaththu again on the bench, Warriorz needed some firepower up top, and when Kiran Navgire smashed a 27-ball 51 four nights ago against Capitals, it seemed like they had found an answer.Navgire tantalised yet again, her uncomplicated stand-and-deliver mantra bringing her 24 off just 12 balls, as she swung at anything remotely in her zone before she was bowled attempting to hoick Renuka. Vrinda Dinesh’s run of low scores stretched into a fourth game as she picked out mid-off for 14 as Warriorz lost two early.

Warriorz rise after slide

An injury to Shreyanka Patil opened up a spot for Sneh Rana as a replacement, and she inflicted more agony for Warriorz when she struck twice in two overs. This put Warriorz in freefall mode, even though Shweta Sehrawat sparked life into the innings with a sprightly 31. But at 125 for 7 in 15, only a freak Henry innings would have silenced the crowd. But when she chopped on to Garth in the 17th, Warriorz needed a miracle, and Ecclestone scripted one.