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For the second time in three matches, Mahmudullah defended six runs in the final over to bowl Khulna Titans to a sensational four-run win against Chittagong Vikings

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Nov-2016
ScorecardMahmudullah made it a no-contest in the last over•BCB

For the second time in three matches, Mahmudullah defended six runs in the final over to bowl Khulna Titans to a sensational four-run win against Chittagong Vikings at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. Chittagong, in pursuit of Khulna’s 127 for 7, began the final over of the chase on 122 for 6, but Mahmudullah took three wickets and conceded just one run to leave Chittagong stranded on 123 for 9. With the win, Khulna rose to second on the table.That one run came off the first ball of the over courtesy Mohammad Nabi. Mahmudullah fired a wide one next ball, and Chaturanga de Silva nicked an attempted cut to the wicketkeeper. Abdur Razzak survived an lbw shout next ball, but fell immediately after when he heaved one to long off. All wasn’t lost for Chittagong, however, as the batsmen had crossed, bringing the set Nabi, on 39 off 21 balls, back on strike. But he failed to connect a cut off the fifth ball to leave them needing five off the final delivery, which he holed out to midwicket. Mahmudullah ended with figures of 3 for 24 in three overs.Before Mahmudullah, Shafiul Islam wrecked Chittagong. After Kevon Cooper sent back the Chittagong openers Tamim Iqbal and Dwayne Smith, Shafiul dismissed Shoaib Malik, Anamul Haque and Zakir Hasan in successive overs. That brought out Nabi, and he kept Chittagong’s fight alive through partnerships of 24 with Jahurul Islam (25) for the sixth wicket and 45 with Chaturanga for the seventh. Cooper was also impressive, finishing with 2 for 17 in his quota of overs.When Khulna batted, they were similarly in the middle of a wobble before being lifted by late contributions. When opener Riki Wessels fell, bowled by Razzak, he had made 28 out of the team’s 42 for 3. That would soon become 77 for 5, before Nicholas Pooran (29) and Ariful Haque (25 not out) shared 48-run stand for the sixth wicket that took them past the 120-mark. Nabi was brilliant with the ball too, taking 3 for 22 in four overs. Taskin Ahmed took 2 for 17 in three overs and Razzak finished with 1 for 23 in four.

An offer for Test teams to continue playing under floodlights, in order to avoid the farcical scenes at the end of Abu Dhabi Test on Saturday, was made by the ICC but rejected across the board by the Test match captains

Andrew McGlashan in Dubai19-Oct-2015An offer for Test teams to continue playing under floodlights, in order to avoid the farcical scenes at the end of Abu Dhabi Test on Saturday, was made by the ICC in the wake of a similar finish at The Oval in 2013 but rejected across the board by the Test match captains, including those of England and Pakistan.England were 25 runs short of victory in the opening Test against Pakistan as they chased 99 in 19 overs, of which only 11 could be bowled before the umpires took the players off despite the floodlights being in use. Two years ago, in the final Ashes Test at The Oval, England were also close to victory when play was aborted despite the presence of lights.Neither England captain Alastair Cook or coach Trevor Bayliss were especially critical of the umpires’ decision, although Cook did question whether there was the element of danger that is required for umpires to suspend play. However, it was a far-from-ideal image for a format that is struggling to retain relevance.David Richardson, the ICC chief executive, said: “We have attempted in the past to say to the players that if we have floodlights and they are good enough to use for Test cricket that we should just bite the bullet, and, even if conditions are not as good as they might be, that we should play, finish the day or finish the match. However, that approach wasn’t accepted by any of the teams as they felt it could lead to unjust finishes.”One of the major sticking points remains the red ball used for Test cricket and how it becomes difficult to pick up under floodlights, which is why the current regulations state that once artificial light takes over from natural that play should stop.The inaugural day/night Test between Australia and New Zealand in Adelaide next month will feature the use of a pink ball. Reservations remain among the players but they have reluctantly accepted that they will be used as guinea pigs as part of the bigger picture.Richardson was reported in the on Monday saying that there was consideration being given to developing a “greeny yellow” ball in Test cricket that would be suitable for normal and day/night hours of play. During an ICC event in Dubai, he confirmed that an alternative Test ball was being considered but said “too much” had been made of his initial comments.Joe Root walks from the field after bad light had left England 25 runs short in the first Test•Getty Images

“It just came to mind, I was thinking of the tennis ball which they changed to a green-yellow colour. I think too much has been made of the comment [that] we should think of a green-yellow ball. We have trialled pink and orange, and I think green-yellow has also been trialled but has been found wanting.”We are pinning some hope on developing a different coloured ball which we can use for day/night Test cricket and, if it’s good enough quality, long term, that we can use that for all matches which will help solve the problem.”On the broader subject of maintaining the relevance, and primacy, of Test cricket, Richardson said that there remained a chance of a Test Championship being created in the future. However, it would likely be using a league structure based over a period of years and series rather than the semi-final and final concept – based on the current Test rankings – that had been due to be held in 2017. For commercial reasons, that plan was shelved in favour of the rebirth of the Champions Trophy.The revamping of the Future Tours Programme (FTP) – which was taken out of the hands of the ICC during the Big Three carve up – is due to take place, and the context of bilateral series will be high on the agenda.”We are optimistic we can develop something for Test cricket more along the lines of a proper Test Championship, more than just random Test series,” Richardson said. “A Test league, at the end of which you can crown a champion, is something we’d like to consider quite seriously but there’s a long way to go and we need to consult widely.”Currently, the ICC Test mace is presented on a rolling basis to whichever country is top of the rankings on the April 1 cut-off, along with a relatively modest US$500,000 prize.

Kyle Coetzer, the Northamptonshire opener, has been named as Scotland’s new captain

ESPNcricinfo staff14-May-2013Kyle Coetzer, the Northamptonshire opener, has been named as Scotland’s new captain, after Gordon Drummond stepped down last week. His first match in charge will come on Friday, when Scotland take on Pakistan in the first of two ODIs.Coetzer, 29, has represented Scotland since Under-15s level, captained the side at the Under-19 World Cup in 2004 and was their leading run-scorer at the 2009 World Twenty20. Although he has not been in good form for Northants, with 109 runs in eight innings this season, he recorded his maiden ODI century against Afghanistan in March and averages 49.45 in the format.He will lead the side in all formats, with Preston Mommsen appointed vice-captain. Mommsen will take over captaincy duties during the YB40 and whenever Coetzer is retained by Northamptonshire.”This is a massive year for Scottish cricket, and personally a huge honour to captain my country,” Coetzer said. “I will be trying my very best to help Cricket Scotland continue to move forward in world cricket.”Scotland will host Pakistan in two matches in Edinburgh over the weekend, as part of Pakistan’s preparations for the Champions Trophy, which starts next month. Cricket Scotland will announce their squad on Wednesday.

Local Sri Lankan cricket fans who want to watch the full duration of the Test against England in Galle will be asked to fork out up to a month’s wages after it was confirmed there would be no cheaper tickets available for locals

Andrew McGlashan in Galle 25-Mar-2012Local Sri Lankan cricket fans who want to watch the full duration of the Test against England in Galle will be asked to fork out up to a month’s wages after it was confirmed there would be no cheaper tickets available for locals.Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed it had set the ticket prices at 5000 Sri Lankan rupees ($38) and 7500 Sri Lankan rupees ($57) per day, having seen the demand created by the visiting England fans as a chance to boost their struggling finances. That move has angered England supporters who feel they are being exploited for being loyal followers of their team overseas.However, it also prices many locals out of the game, as paying even for four days would equate to 20,000 Sri Lankan rupees, which is around four week’s pay for a large proportion of the population. Recent Tests in Galle have not been heavily attended by Sri Lankan fans – the game against Australia last year was not sold out despite much lower prices – but rather than trying to encourage more supporters through the gates the board has opted to cash in while it can. Yesterday, a Sri Lanka Cricket official said there would be a 1000 rupee ticket available but that has not materialised.”We need to develop the game of cricket in Sri Lanka so whenever there is an opportunity and a demand for tickets it is our policy to put prices up,” Nishantha Ranatunga, the Sri Lanka secretary, said. “You can see people buying tickets for this price. We will get the best deal. Yes, there is a substantial increase from previous tours and the World Cup but we have seen a lot of Sri Lankans buying tickets at this price.”There is talk of a protest by England fans on the opening day of the Test, suggesting they may decamp to the Dutch Fort which overlooks the ground, although many visiting supporters have arrived with pre-paid tickets bought as part of tour packages.Andrew Strauss did not want to comment on the ticket prices, but wanted as many England supporters in the ground as possible. “I don’t know the Sri Lanka Cricket board’s policy on ticket pricing,” he said. “But clearly we want to have as many fans as possible in the ground and we know the Barmy Army always travels and supports us wherever we go in the world. The more of them that are in the ground supporting us and watching some good quality Test cricket the better it is for not just for us but also the game as a whole.”Sri Lanka Cricket has severe financial problems after running up debts of $32.5 million to finance the building of two international stadiums in Hambantota and Pallekele, and to renovate the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, for the World Cup.Payments owed to players, dating back to the World Cup, were only fully settled less than two weeks ago, after the state-owned Bank of Ceylon released 600 Sri Lankan million rupees ($5 million) after discussions with the sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage.Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lanka captain, confirmed they had been paid up to the end of the CB series in Australia. “We got paid last week,” he said. “It’s something we couldn’t control, but the newly elected board made us a promise and they kept to that. We continued playing cricket and the boys were happy with that.”The players might be happier now, but supporters from both sides are unlikely to be having similar feelings.

Dale Steyn will undergo a fitness test ahead of South Africa’s match against Netherlands in Mohali on Thursday

Firdose Moonda in Mohali02-Mar-2011Dale Steyn was among three South African players to pass fitness Tests ahead of the game against Netherlands on Thursday. JP Duminy and legspinner Imran Tahir were the others.Steyn injured his side after colliding with Graeme Smith during a football match during the team’s warm up in Delhi on Sunday. Duminy had a lower back spasm and Tahir was suffering from a respiratory tract infection which is said to have cleared.With the Mohali pitch likely to offer more for the seamers, there was speculation that South Africa would not go in with three spinners, as they did for the first match against West Indies. Tahir, in particular, was earmarked as the bowler to be rested, especially after falling ill. van Zyl indicated otherwise, saying that Tahir made an effort to adjust his follow through after he was warned for running on the pitch in Delhi. “We worked with him yesterday and we will do a bit more work on it today. It doesn’t seem like it’s a huge thing and it won’t have any great effect on the way he bowls.”Dale Steyn was one of three South African players to undergo fitness tests ahead of the Netherlands fixture•Getty Images

If Tahir plays, it may mean no space for the two left-armers, Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Wayne Parnell, both of whom missed out on South Africa’s first match. van Zyl said he is not allowing himself to be persuaded into leaving out some of his big-name players, irrespective of the fact that South Africa are playing an Associate team. “If you underestimate your opposition it may become tempting to do that,” he said. “They are an opponent like any other and we are approaching them in exactly the same way.”The respect South Africa are treating the Netherlands with is a reflection of van Zyl’s attitude towards the Associate teams. Even though the ICC plans to shut them out of the World Cup in 2015 and cut the tournament down to 10 teams, van Zyl thinks they add value to the global showpiece. “I think they need to be here. It’s important for world cricket.”Left-arm spinner Pieter Seelaar caught the eye of van Zyl who described him as a “very good bowler” and said the attack in general “bowls well wicket to wicket.” However, like many others, he feels their batting is their strength. “They have some really good batsmen. We saw how Ryan ten Doeschate performed against England.”Even though that batting line-up was reduced to 115 against the same West Indian side South Africa put to the sword, van Zyl said a big victory is not on his mind at all, and he wants his men to simply get the job done. “Our goals are not much more than winning the game.”

Daryl Harper has not been chosen to officiate at the World Twenty20 in West Indies

Cricinfo staff10-Mar-2010Daryl Harper has not been chosen to officiate at the World Twenty20 in West Indies although the ICC insist the decision has nothing to do with his controversial role in the fourth Test between England and South Africa, at the Wanderers in January, and is based on “general performance reasons”.Harper came under the spotlight when he was the third umpire in control of the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) in Johannesburg. He gave Graeme Smith not out under the review procedure when he was unable to hear a clear noise as the ball passed the edge.It was suggested at the time that Harper hadn’t had the volume level turned up when listening to the replay, although there were counter-claims that it was a problem with the original feed from the host broadcaster which they denied.”It will be noted that Daryl Harper…has not been selected for this event,” the ICC said. “This decision was taken by the selection panel for a number of general performance reasons. It must be categorically stated, however, that none of these reasons is related to his role as third umpire in the fourth Test between South Africa and England in Johannesburg earlier this year.”It wasn’t the first time that Harper had been involved in controversy either in the TV umpire’s chair or out in the middle and the ICC’s statement that his omission from the World Twenty20 is for general performance suggests it has been a build-up of errors.Harper isn’t the first umpire to miss a high-profile tournament. In 2007, Aleem Dar, Steve Bucknor, Billy Bowden and Rudi Koertzen were stood down from the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa – along with match referee Jeff Crowe – following their part in the chaotic conclusion to the 2007 World Cup final in Barbados. The game ended in virtual darkness when the umpires didn’t realise enough overs had been completed to register a match.While Harper won’t be in the West Indies, three international panel umpires – Marais Erasmus from South Africa, Australia’s Rod Tucker and Shavir Tarapore from India – will join their elite colleagues.The decision on the umpiring appointments was taken by a four man committee comprising of Dave Richardson, the ICC general manager, Ranjan Madugalle, the ICC chief match referee, David Lloyd the former England coach and now TV commentator and Srinivas Venkataraghavan the former elite umpire from India.Umpires Billy Bowden, Aleem Dar, Steve Davis, Billy Doctrove, Ian Gould, Tony Hill, Rudi Koertzen, Asoka de Silva, Simon Taufel, Asad Rauf (all from the elite panel of ICC umpires), Marais Erasmus, Shavir Tarapore and Rod Tucker (from the international panel of ICC umpires).Match referees Ranjan Madugalle, Alan Hurst and Jeff Crowe

The offspinner will start his season by captaining New South Wales for the first time in what will just be the second occasion he has led in his first-class career

Andrew McGlashan01-Oct-20250:52

What Will Jacks offers the England Ashes squad

Nathan Lyon has endorsed the value of always playing a spinner in Australian conditions amid a growing sense that England may opt to go without a frontline option at stages during the upcoming Ashes.While it falls into the category of unsurprising assessments from Lyon, as he himself remarked, it will nevertheless provide one of the interesting dynamics in the build-up to the first Test next month when England ponder the balance of their side having selected allrounder Will Jacks, who last played Test cricket in 2022, as the back-up to offspinner Shoaib Bashir.”You’re asking the spinner if they want to pick a spinner,” Lyon said with a smile. “For me, yeah, you’re picking a spinner in every side. Variation, it changes the whole tempo of the game. I think spinners can play a very effective role out here if their skill sets suit.”Related

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One of the factors England will be considering is how visiting spinners have so often struggled in Australia: since Lyon’s debut, those from overseas have averaged 62.09 compared to Lyon’s 31.08. However, the last time England were successful down under, in 2010-11, Graeme Swann played a vital role in a four-man attack”I grew up here. I understand and built my craft around playing on wickets that don’t spin,” Lyon said. “So, I’ve had to find a way to firstly survive but also create chances and build pressure along the way, and it’s something that I thoroughly enjoy doing, and I’ll keep doing that.”There is a little twist to Lyon’s current situation, though, in that he was left out of Australia’s most recent Test in Jamaica when they opted for an all-pace attack in the day-night encounter with a pink Dukes ball. They finished the game by skittling West Indies for 27 with Lyon’s replacement, Scott Boland, taking a hat-trick.It is a scenario highly unlikely to play out in Australia, as the selectors have already indicated, and while Lyon acknowledges the end result justified the move, he was adamant he could have played a role.”Disappointed that I wasn’t a part of that, but I understood the reasons behind it and at the end of the day, you look at it now, it’s a pretty good call and brave call,” Lyon said. “But if I’m going to miss a Test for anyone, it’s going to be Scott Boland, that’s for sure. I’m only disappointed because I believe my skill set can play a role in any conditions around the world and I kind of feel like I’ve proven that to be effective.”Nathan Lyon will start his season as New South Wales captain•Getty Images

Lyon, who sits on 562 Test wickets, one short of equaling Glenn McGrath’s haul as the second-most for Australia, will begin his Ashes preparations by captaining New South Wales for the first time against Western Australia in Perth having been named as Jack Edwards’ understudy while the allrounder is with Australia A in India. It is one of three Shield appearances Lyon expects to make before the first Test.It will be just the second first-class match Lyon has ever captained in, having previously done it once in the Sheffield Shield for South Australia in 2012, while he also captained a Prime Minister’s XI against England in 2018.”It’s a massive honour to captain the state that you were born in and obviously dreamt of playing cricket for,” he said. “So to get that call the other day was pretty humbling. I’ve never had any ambitions to captain any teams, especially professional teams. But Greg Mail [NSW chief performance officer] has come up to me and asked me whether I’d do it, and that he wanted me to do it… so it’s a short stint but I’m pretty happy with that.”Alongside Edwards, New South Wales are missing six other potential Shield players between Australia’s T20I side in New Zealand and the A team in India, but the side to face Western Australia will include Sam Konstas as he heads into a vital month in his bid to retain a place in the Test side.Konstas enters the season having scored 188 runs in the two four-day Australia A matches, including a century, but the selectors have long stated that it will be the first three Shield matches that prove key to their decisions.When Lyon was asked what he expected of Konstas over the next few weeks, he said “runs”, but also stressed that he was a player still developing his game.”Obviously he had a pretty successful tour over there [in India], but it’s great to have him back on the Shield side,” Lyon said. “He’s learning the craft, as we’re all learning. Some of us are a lot further on in our journey as professional cricketers, but they’re learning their craft. Not just him, but everyone around Australia. They’ve got to learn their style and be brave enough to back that and have faith in it.”

Cox and Critchley pile on the runs as Kent are made to suffer on opening day

Andrew Miller12-Apr-2024Essex 421 for 6 (Elgar 120, Critchley 103*, Cox 67) vs KentNothing changes with any great speed at Chelmsford. Plans are currently afoot for a grand renovation of the pavilion and its surrounding concourse – the only corner of this postage-stamp ground with any wriggle-room for expansion – though rather like this week’s announcement that the ground’s Hayes Close and River Ends have been renamed in honour of its most storied Test performers, Graham Gooch and Sir Alastair Cook, there’s been no pretence of an upgrade in signage in the interim. Indeed, the interactive “Graham Napier Sixes Trail”, with its 16 plaques to commemorate each of Napier’s swings for the bleachers in his famous T20 onslaught against Sussex in 2008, remains Chelmsford’s most visible tribute to any former player, Graham or otherwise.Until, that is, Dean Elgar rocked up with a note-perfect tribute to Cook, whose studiously anonymous retirement last summer had precluded any official attempts to send him off in style. As if to make amends, Elgar filled his boots – in every sense – with no fuss and little flourish. Just 176 balls of nuggetty application across the best part of two sessions, as Essex’s latest left-handed ex-Test opener shifted through his gears with the same unshowy elitism that his English forebear had habitually brought to bear.And, just as had been the case in Essex’s opening-week victory at Trent Bridge, Elgar’s sidekick throughout an innings-defining third-wicket stand of 159 was an up-and-coming England prospect with the same weight and range of stroke as the recently departed Dan Lawrence. Between them, Elgar and Jordan Cox set about convincing an impressive first-day crowd of 2,226 that nothing whatsoever has changed about Essex’s red-ball batting prowess. A scoreline of 421 for 6, capped by an unbeaten century from Matt Critchley, amply backed up that pretence.It wasn’t all plain sailing for Essex after Tom Westley had won a handy toss on the first genuinely shirt-sleeves day of the season. In keeping with the uneven challenge that this month’s two-round experiment with the Kookaburra ball has created, Kent’s seamers caused havoc for precisely 21 balls. In that time, Westley himself was caught behind for 5 off George Garrett, after Feroz Khushi – whose use of an improperly sized bat at Trent Bridge still threatens his side’s top-of-the-table status – chose not to use it at all this week in being bowled by Wes Agar while shouldering arms first-ball.That double-whammy brought Cox out to face his former team-mates at an awkward 10 for 2 – and given his pointed pre-season remarks about Kent’s lack of red-ball ambition, the stage was set for him to be served a large dollop of schadenfreude. Instead, Cox’s opening gambit was a volley of extraordinarily poised drives down the ground – three fours and a three as Garrett strained for swing – and as he marched to 15 from his first six balls, it was as if all threat off the pitch or through the air had been dragged away with him.Jordan Cox made a free-flowing fifty against his former team-mates•Andrew Miller/ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Cox’s confidence on the front foot was ample excuse for Elgar to step up his own intent with a series of compact drives of his own, but it was the introduction of Matt Parkinson’s legspin that kicked Essex’s innings into overdrive. Cox greeted his first-ball full-toss with a dismissive slap through the covers – the first of three fours in a 13-run first over – and he was scarcely allowed to settle thereafter in leaking 25 runs in his first three.Having romped to his fifty from 61 balls, a chance came and went for Cox when Agar at fine leg fumbled a top-edged pull off Nathan Gilchrist, but he had added only seven more runs when Garrett pushed a touch fuller to pin him on the knee-roll for 67. It was hardly the harbinger of a Kent fightback, however. Critchley emerged with a platform of 169 for 3 but just as importantly the Kookaburra entering its dead-zone in the 39th over, and Essex duly punched along at a rate of 4.5 an over, with scarcely a need to over-reach themselves.Elgar’s departure came as something of a surprise when, on 120, he popped a tame catch to short midwicket off Parkinson and dropped his bat in frustration at his own missed opportunity, but that merely unleashed the long levers of “Tall” Paul Walter, who bombed the long-off boundary with a four and two increasingly weighty sixes before scuffing a third attempt to give Parkinson his second wicket.Michael Pepper, too, peppered the boundary, including with a full-faced lift for six over the cover rope, only to pick out deep third with an attempted ramp, one short of his fifty. Critchley, however, made no such error in carrying Essex past the second new ball and through to the close, with the promise of plenty more where these first-day offerings had come from.The only truly duff note for Essex had come before play, when Sam Cook – their Kookaburra-proofed seamer whose ten-wicket haul had routed Nottinghamshire in the first round – was ruled out of contention. Not, it should be said, in protest at the wrong Cook getting the honour of an End named after him, but as a precaution after feeling a thigh strain.

Former England assistant coach takes over from Ian Salisbury at Hove

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Dec-2022Paul Farbrace has been named as the new head coach of Sussex, having recently stepped down from his three-year role as sporting director at Warwickshire.Farbrace, who was an integral influence as England’s assistant coach under Trevor Bayliss from 2015 to 2019, was also Sri Lanka’s head coach when they won the World T20 in 2014.”I’m delighted to be joining Sussex and I’m really looking forward to helping everyone at the club to achieve their ambitions,” Farbrace said.”It is a fantastic club that has produced many fantastic players for both Sussex and England. I am really looking forward to the opportunity of working with the players and coaches to drive the performance of the team forward.”We should be very focused on developing our own players, as well as developing players to play for England at all levels, but also winning trophies for the members and the club.”His appointment comes as something of a surprise, however, with Farbrace recently expressing an interest in taking time away from county cricket to pursue new opportunities on the T20 circuit, including with the Hundred.He will be replacing Sussex’s outgoing head coach, Ian Salisbury, who left his position earlier this year after an internal dispute, and will take over a team in transition, having lost a number of its senior players in recent years, among them the England players Chris Jordan and Phil Salt. One senior player still on Sussex’s books, however, is his step-son, the England Test bowler, Ollie Robinson.Speaking on the appointment, Rob Andrew, Sussex’s CEO, said: “We are all delighted Paul has agreed to join the club. His all-round experience is exactly what we have been looking for when we made the decision to return to one Head Coach across all formats and I am confident he will enable our team to fulfil its full potential.”He shares the club’s ambitions to produce our own players, develop players for England and win trophies for Sussex. We have a very exciting few years ahead as we see the young talented players develop further in Sussex colours.”

Experience at IPL has helped allrounder push his case in white-ball formats

Andrew Miller02-Jul-2021Graham Thorpe says that Sam Curran’s composure in pressurised situations is the trait that has propelled him to the heart of England’s white-ball plans, following his series-sealing five-wicket haul in the second ODI against Sri Lanka at The Kia Oval.Curran, who has played ten ODIs in his young career compared to 21 Tests since his debut in 2018, claimed three wickets in his first nine balls, en route to figures of 5 for 48, his best in List A cricket. England eased to an eight-wicket victory with 42 balls to spare, and head to Bristol for Sunday’s third match with options aplenty given the dominance they’ve shown against a sub-par opposition.Curran’s display, however, will have confirmed to England’s management that they have a rising star in their ranks. At the age of 23, he is already a pivotal figure with bat and ball for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, as they seek to rebuild their team around a younger core of players, and with the next T20 World Cup due to follow on from the IPL’s resumption in the UAE this winter, Thorpe recognises that his experience at that tournament could be invaluable.”I think it’s helped him enormously,” Thorpe said of the IPL. “Every environment Sam has gone into, he’s shown that ability to compete and an ability to find a way of putting performances in. From that perspective, playing in the IPL has put him in high-pressured situations and pushed him.Related

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• Curran stands tall for home crowd in England's merciless display

“His hitting ability with the bat was always there. I think that’s progressed to a really good level. He’s bowling at important times in the IPL, so he’s put under pressure and challenged. At 23, he’s getting some really good experiences.”Curran has had to bide his time in England’s ranks, with just three appearances across all formats in the 2020 home summer – a Test apiece against West Indies and Pakistan, and a solitary ODI against Australia. However, he has not looked back since his maiden campaign for CSK in November, and has been a first-choice pick in each of England’s subsequent white-ball fixtures in South Africa, India and now on home soil.”When he comes back and plays with England, he’s having to challenge for a place so he’s being put under pressure there too,” Thorpe said. “That’s not a bad thing. One of his great personality traits is that he’s a real competitor. We have seen that ever since he was a young lad, and his skill level is going up. For a 23-year-old it’s a good place to be. We want him to keep getting better and better.”Curran’s first England five-for came only two matches after he capped their ODI tour of India with a remarkable unbeaten 95 from No. 8 in Pune, but Thorpe – who is standing in for Chris Silverwood as England’s head coach for the Sri Lanka series – warned against expecting too much, too soon from a player whose stamina, as well as his skills, are bound to be tested by the intensity of England’s workload.”Given where he’s at, the amount of experience he’s got as a 23-year-old in terms of international cricket and franchise cricket as well, makes us believe he’s just starting out,” Thorpe said.”Of course, he’s still got to work really hard. His T20 cricket has progressed really well, but I think establishing himself as a 50-over player as well is a really important part of it. He’s got to try and be in the mix as well for Test cricket.”It sounds like quite a lot of cricket. As you know, with someone like Ben Stokes, the amount of work and fitness levels that are required for that is huge. So the challenge for Sam to be a multi-format cricketer is delivering that consistency as well for England time and time again.”That’ll be one of the bigger challenges for Sam going forward. But that very much lies on his shoulders to do that. We know we’ve got a very exciting cricketer with us, and we just have to keep encouraging him to improve and keep getting better as a player all the time.”Sam Curran leaps in celebration•AFP/Getty Images

With a 2-0 lead in the ODI series, and having eased to a 3-0 clean sweep in the recent T20Is, Thorpe hinted that England would take the opportunity to test some new faces in Sunday’s match – with Sussex’s left-arm quick George Garton potentially in line for a debut.”We know he’s got a bit of pace on him,” Thorpe said of Garton, a player who has been on England’s radar since he was called up as cover during the Ashes tour in 2017-18. “But he’s also got some good tricks up his sleeve. It’s one thing seeing it at a county level, but it’s another thing stepping up and doing it in international matches as well. There’ll be interesting discussions about whether we can get him into the side down at Bristol.”However, Curran’s recent performances have also reiterated the importance of seizing those chances when they arise, given the competition for places that is hotting up in England’s white-ball ranks.”I think the players know that as well,” Thorpe said. “Having good healthy competition keeps players on the edge. All the players are aware that every time they put a shirt on in the white-ball format, and in our red-ball team, that it’s an opportunity for them to establish their place and be in a position where they’re picked for squads, and to perform at a high level in tournaments for us.”Asked if England had been disappointed by the quality of Sri Lanka’s cricket during the white-ball series, Thorpe admitted that the Pakistan series, which gets underway later this month, was likely to prove more challenging.”Potentially the Pakistan series could push us further,” he said. “The Sri Lankan bowling attack has been decent, but they’ve been weakened more on their batting side. I think Pakistan will be a team that’s further ahead in terms of experience and how they’ll be able to challenge as well. It’ll probably be a tougher contest.”