CPL 2021 | SLK vs SNKP: Du Plessis returns to form as Kings hand Patriots their first defeat

Saint Lucia Kings skipper Faf du Plessis, who hadn't had a great run in the ongoing Caribbean Premier League so far, was back in form with a scintillating century against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots on Saturday, 4 September.

Batting first, the Kings were off to a flying start after Andre Fletcher and du Plessis compiled a stand of 76 runs in 7.2 overs for the first wicket before Fletcher departed for 23 off 19.

But Fletcher’s dismissal didn’t really have any impact on du Plessis' scoring rate as he went to score an unbeaten 120 off 60 deliveries that included five maximums and 13 fours during the course.

While the South African notched up a ton, Roston Chase, who came in at number four also chipped in with an important 64* off 31. Chase hit three sixes and seven fours during the course of the innings as Saint Lucia posted 224/2 in 20 overs.

In reply, Patriots lost a couple of early wickets during the chase and were reduced to 22/2 with Chris Gayle back in the hut. But Evin Lewis tried to steady the ship for the side after he stitched a partnership of 60 runs with Ravi Bopara.

But Bopara’s departure broke the shackles and the Patriots lost wickets in quick succession only to get bundled out for 124. Lewis though scored a half-century but his efforts went in vain as the Patriots lost the match by 100 runs.

Alzarri Joseph and Keemo Paul picked up three wickets apiece while Wahab Riaz, Chase and Kesrick Williams had one scalp each to their names.

The Patriots suffered their first defeat in six games in the competition but are still sitting at the helm of the points table.

Fletcher lauded Faf’s knock after the match and said that it was a brilliant innings. “It was a brilliant innings. He was under pressure from the start of the tournament and he did well. We don't have great power at the back end,” he said.

The two teams will now face each other on Sunday at the same venue.

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ENG vs IND | Rohit Sharma hits first overseas Test ton at Oval

Finally, after a lot of wasted starts in the series against England and earlier in Australia, Rohit Sharma scored his first century in an overseas Test. he smashed Moeen Ali over long-on in the afternoon session of the third day to reach the marquee landmark. He has been the best Indian batsman so far in the series against England and it was only fitting that his century is setting up the game for the tourists. He smashed 12 fours and one six to reach the three-figure mark. India were trailing behind by 99 runs and he led the riposte with the opening partnership with Rahul and then carried on with a 100-run partnership with Cheteshwar Pujara to take India’s lead closer to 100. He had scored 83 in the second Test at Lord’s but was undone by James Anderson’s jaffa and the right-hander was more than eager to get the monkey of not having an away ton off his back. He has amassed more than 300 runs across the four Tests of the series so far and with Rahul has formed a nearly impermeable wall for the England bowlers. Earlier in the day, he also went past the 3000-run mark in Tests on the back of eight hundred and 14 half-centuries.

Puducherry rope in Shaun Tait as bowling coach

The Cricket Association of Pondicherry has roped in former Australia fast bowler Shaun Tait as the bowling coach of the team. Tait will be joining the coaching staff that comprises head coach Dishant Yagnik and manager and strength and conditioning coach Kalpendra Jha. “Tait has expressed his willingness to join the Puducherry team later this month. However, if he gets a call from Afghanistan he may join them and stay with the team before rejoining Puducherry for his duties,” the CAP sources said. The right-arm bowler has featured in three Tests, 35 ODIs and 21 T20Is at the highest level. In the three Tests that Tait played, he picked up five wickets while had 62 scalps to his name in the ODIs and 28 in T20Is respectively and has also played for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League 2021. Puducherry team will be led by D Rohit in the upcoming domestic season where the side play in the Elite category in the Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy tournaments. Earlier, the BCCI announced that the domestic season 2021-22 will begin on September 21, 2021, with Women’s Under-19 One-Day and Vinoo Mankad Trophy (Men’s Under-19) from September 20 to October 19. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy will commence on October 27 while the Ranji Trophy begins January 5.

3rd T20I Preview: Bangladesh eye another series win, NZ in pursuit of resurgence

New Zealand certainly got something to cheer about when they finally got some runs under their belt on this tour of Bangladesh in the second T20I in Dhaka. Though, this wasn’t really enough to help them equalise the five-match bilateral tie. The visitors missed out on what could have been a satisfactory win by just 4 runs in this second clash. Batting first, Bangladesh were off to a steady start after the openers Naim and Liton Das who had failed in the first game got back among runs and stitched a stand of 59 runs for the first wicket. The New Zealand bowlers though got themselves back into the hunt and picked up some wickets at regular intervals to reduce the side to 109/5. But Mahmudullah and Nurul Hasan made sure that the hosts reached a defendable total. Bangladesh eventually managed to put 141/6 in the allotted 20 overs. On some other day and on a different track, this target would have been an easy task but not on this pitch and especially the way the Kiwis had fared with the bat in the last clash. In fact, they didn’t really have a great start to the proceedings in the second match as well after once again spinners did the trick for them and scalped some early wickets during the course. While Latham held the fort from one end, he didn’t really find much support from the other and the Blackcaps lost the second match of the series on the trot. But the visitors did have some positives to take away from their last outing and that was not surrendering on a strip that didn’t really have anything on offer for the batting unit. Match Details Match: BAN vs NZ, 3rd T20I, New Zealand tour of Bangladesh, 2021 Date: Sunday, September 05, 2021 Time: 3:30 PM Venue: Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka Telecast: FanCode App Pitch Report The pitch in Dhaka is expected to have something on offer for the bowlers, especially spinners. This was evident in the first game while the spinners did dominate in the second as well. So, if you win the toss, elect to bat. Team News Bangladesh: The Bangladesh openers who failed to leave a mark in the first match gave a solid start to the team in the second. The spinners have been in good form for the hosts while Mustafizur Rahman went for some runs in the second match but is still an integral part of this setup. The left-arm bowler’s ability to bowl slow, back of the hand deliveries have become a highlight in the recent past and he has been getting wickets as well. New Zealand: Finn Allen and Matt Henry will be available for selection in this match. Henry had come into the side as Allen’s replacement initially. Allen had tested positive for Covid-19 upon his arrival in Dhaka earlier which subsequently forced the management to call Henry. But the right-handed batsman later returned two negative tests. The visitors are likely to tweak the final XI for this game. Probable XI Bangladesh: Mohammad Naim, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah (capt), Nurul Hasan (wk), Afif Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed New Zealand: Rachin Ravindra, Finn Allen, Tom Latham (capt & wk), Colin de Grandhomme, Will Young, Henry Nicholls, Cole McConchie, Doug Bracewell, Ajaz Patel, Hamish Bennett, Matt Henry Fantasy XI Nurul-Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tom Latham, Liton Das, Will Young, Mahedi Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan (C), Rachin Ravindra (VC), Cole McConchi, Mustafizur Rahman, Ajaz Patel

4th Test, Day 3 Highlights: India ahead but England not out of it yet

Leading India’s reply to the big lead of 99 runs, India were off to a brilliant start as the openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul stitched yet another 50-run partnership early on the third day of the Test. England started the day with James Anderson and Chris Woakes in tandem and the openers were watchful in the first few overs of the day. The duo has halved the deficit under 50 runs and India would be hoping that the duo will continue batting with discipline and periodic brilliant shots.