Oz U-19 batsman penalised for deliberate elbow contact with Indian pacer

Potchefstroom, January 30

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Australia U-19 opener Sam Fanning has been penalised with two demerit points for making deliberate elbow contact with Indian pacer Akash Singh during their quarterfinal match in the ICC U-19 World Cup. Fanning has been found guilty of a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct.

India won the match by 74 runs on Tuesday. Fanning admitted to the offence after the game and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Graeme Labrooy. The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Adrian Holdstock and Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, third umpire Wayne Knights as well as fourth umpire Asif Yaqoob.

The incident occurred on the first ball of the 31st over during Australia’s chase when Fanning, batting on 48, stuck his elbow out while completing a run, making contact with Akash. The bowler seemed unimpressed and replays confirmed that Fanning had caused the contact on purpose. Fanning top-scored with 75 in Australia’s chase of India’s 233, with India winning by 74 runs. — PTI

Sporting NZ duo applauded for aiding stricken Windies batsman

Benoni: New Zealand players Jesse Tashkoff and Joey Field proved good Samaritans on Wednesday when they helped ease a double dose of pain suffered by West Indies batsman Kirk McKenzie in their U-19 World Cup quarterfinal match.

McKenzie had the misfortune to have to retire hurt on 99 not out after suffering leg cramps, but he courageously decided to return to face the final 14 deliveries of the innings after West Indies lost their ninth wicket. After struggling to hobble back to the middle, however, he was dismissed on the first ball, one short of his century.

Cue the intervention of the sportsmanlike Kiwi duo, who carried the badly-cramped McKenzie off the field while being applauded back to the pavilion by the fans at Benoni’s Willowmoore Park. McKenzie’s misery was compounded when New Zealand, in a seemingly hopeless position at 153/8, amazingly chased down the target of 239, with Field and Kristian Clarke compiling a ninth-wicket stand of 86 to eke out a two-wicket win. — Reuters

Series sealed, India look for experimentation

Wellington, January 30

An unassailable lead has opened up the window for experimentation but there will be no let-up in India’s intensity when they face a heartbroken New Zealand team in the fourth T20I here tomorrow.

Mohammed Shami and Rohit Sharma combined to pull off a thrilling win via the Super Over in the third game for a 3-0 lead and a maiden T20I series win on New Zealand soil. There is only a short turnaround time for the last two matches, back-to-back in Wellington and Mt. Maunganui on Friday and Sunday. Today the two teams travelled from Hamilton to Wellington, and with a similar tight schedule for the final game of the series as well, there seems to be little chance of nets for either match.

While a five-match T20I series is a rarity, India’s early series-win means both the sides can contemplate various permutations in light of the T20 World Cup later in the year. India wouldn’t need to change too much to retain a near full-strength playing XI. Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant are waiting for opportunities with the former expected to get a look-in. Pant’s call-up would depend on which batsman is left out, and whether KL Rahul will continue to keep wickets. Both Manish Pandey and Shivam Dube need more game time.

In the bowling department, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav and Navdeep Saini are waiting in the wings. All three may not get a look-in immediately. The team management is sure to rotate a spinner and pacer each.

For New Zealand, there is a straightforward change coming up. Colin de Grandhomme is no longer with the squad, giving up his spot for batsman Tom Bruce.

12.30pm

World T20 in mind, India women face England in triangular series opener

Canberra, January 30

India will take on England in the women’s triangular series-opener here tomorrow, hoping to put the finishing touches to their T20 World Cup preparations. Matches against England and hosts Australia, two of the world’s top teams, will be an ideal opportunity for India to plug the gaps as they continue their search for ICC tournament silverware despite boasting a team full of talented players. They came close to winning it in the 2017 ODI World Cup, only to lose by nine runs to England in the title clash. A year later, their campaign ended in the semifinals of the World T20 in the West Indies, going down to England again.

Looking at the reverses in the final stages of ICC events, captain Harmanpreet Kaur recently concluded that India lacked when it came to handling pressure. This is an area India will have to work on if they are to triumph in a big tournament.

Chief coach WV Raman, under whom the team has dished out a fearless brand of cricket over the past one year, feels playing in the tri-series will help his outfit before the T20 World Cup, which will be played in Australia from February 21 to March 8. India are placed alongside the hosts, Bangladesh, New Zealand and Sri Lanka in the group stage. — PTI

8.40am

Gill’s run-a-ball 83 take India A to 216, hosts 105/2 on Day 1

Christchurch, January 30

Shubman Gill’s run-a-ball 83 was the only high point for India A as New Zealand A grabbed the opening day honours in their first unofficial Test. India A were all out for 216 in their first innings and New Zealand A responded strongly, reaching 105/2 at the close of play, reducing the deficit to 111 runs with plenty of wickets in hand.

Sent in to bat by home team captain Hamish Rutherford, India A were in a spot of bother at 34/3 in the 17th over at the Hagley Oval. The 20-year-old Gill found an able ally in skipper Hanuma Vihari (51) and the duo added 119 runs for the fourth wicket to steady the ship.

Off-spinner Cole McConchie (3/33), who was the second-most successful home bowler behind medium-pacer Michael Rae (4/54), dismissed Vihari in a bizarre manner after the batsman had done all the hard work. After Vihari played a sweep shot directly into the shin of Rachin Ravindra at silly mid-on, the ball flew towards the wicketkeeper and Dane Cleaver calmly pouched it. Vihari’s knock was a 79-ball effort, studded with eight hits to the fence. Stumper Kona Bharat seemed to be settling in nicely when the visitors lost the big wicket of Gill off Rae’s bowling. From 183/5, it did not take the New Zealand A attack to wrap up the India A innings.

The home team lost skipper Rutherford for 28 but his opening partner Will Young (26) was there in the middle at stumps. Ravindra made 47 off 67 balls with the help of seven boundaries. — PTI