SL vs WI | 2nd Test | Day-1: Pathum Nissanka’s fifty highlights the rain-marred opening day

Kolkpak returnee Duanne Olivier looking to make international comeback against India

India’s tour of South Africa might be uncertain with the way the new variant Omicorn is spreading in southern parts of the African continent, but one thing that is getting more certain with each passing game in the current South African First-Class season is that Kolpak returnee Duanne Olivier will be making his international return in the upcoming series against India. The 29-year-old has claimed 28 wickets in four games playing for the Lions in the Four Day Franchise series, the premier South African First-class tournament. He returned back to his home nation after the end of the Kolpak system earlier this year. He used to play for Yorkshire in English domestic cricket as a Kolpak player, not overseas. Asked if he is now willing to play for South Africa once again, Olivier said, "I am open to everything but I am trying to think of the present and not the future at the moment.” “Victor Mpitsang (convener of selectors) phoned me and asked me if I was open to playing for South Africa again and I said of course I am. It's up to the selectors if they want to include me," he added confirming that he is in the scheme of things of the South African system. The Groblersdal made his international debut for South Africa four years ago against Sri Lanka in Johannesburg. He has so far played 10 Tests and taken 48 wickets in them with 6/36 being his best performance in an innings. The right-arm quick has got three five-wicket hauls to his name already in a short career. With Lungi Ngidi being away from active cricket for quite some time, it seems like Olivier will partner Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje as South Africa’s top three strike bowlers against India. The series is scheduled to begin on De ember 17 with the first Test at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.

Pakistan openers a class apart for Bangladesh bowling attack

Pakistan openers Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafique put on strong performances to prime Pakistan for the win in the first Test match at Chattogram, Bangladesh. An unbeaten opening partnership of 109 runs on the fourth day set the visitors up for a big win while chasing 202 runs. Both openers etched their names in the record books en route their respective innings, but above all built a strong foundation with risk-free shot making. The openers, who had made a century stand in the first innings as well, became only the second Pakistani opening duo to achieve the feat in both innings of a Test match. Scoring at a healthy rate throughout their innings, both openers brought up their half centuries before the end of day’s play. While Abid scored 56 off 105 balls, Shafique put up 53 off 93 balls to become the fifth Pakistan batsman to score half centuries in both innings. Earlier in the day, Shaheen Afridi ripped through the Bangladesh batting order to give Pakistan a great chance at the Test match, despite being behind in the first innings. The pacers, who have been in great form throughout the series, bundled Bangladesh in just under 57 overs, for the batter to have a good crack at the total. With one day’s play left, Pakistan need to score just 93 runs with 10 wickets in hand.

LPL 2021: Key players to feature in the competition as teams announce squad

The Lankan Premier League is set to begin on December 5, 2021 with Galle Gladiators taking on Jaffna Kings in Colombo in the opening encounter. There would be five teams, Galle Gladiators, Jaffna Kings, Dambulla Giants, Kandy Warriors and Colombo Stars who would battle it out against each other during the competition. The sides play each other twice during the tournament while the top four will qualify for the playoffs. The top two teams will lock horns in the Qualifier 1 and the winner of this clash will directly make a place in the final. The third and fourth placed teams will play the Eliminator match and the winner of this game will take on the losing side of Qualifier 1 in the second Qualifier. The winner of the second Qualifier will be the second finalist. But before that, here we take a look at the squads of the side. Galle Gladiators Danushka Gunathilaka, Isuru Udana, Angelo Jayasinghe, Mohammad Amir, Sarfraz Ahmed, Tabraiz Shamsi, Anwar Ali, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Ashan Daniel, Mohommed Shamaaz, Nuwan Thushara, Samit Patel, Suminda Lakshan, Pulina Tharanga, Kusal Mendis, Lahiru Madushanka, Dilshan Madushanka, Kevin Koththigoda, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Mohammad Hafeez, Angelo Jayasinghe, Sarfaraz Ahmed/Ben Dunk Jaffna Kings Thisara Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Krishan Arachchige, Suranga Lakmal, Jayden Seales, Ashen Bandara, Upul Tharanga, Wahab Riaz, Chanika Gunasekara, Chaturanga de Silva, Rathnaraja Thanuradan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Shoaib Malik, Usman Shinwari, Maheesh Theekshana, Theivendram Dinoshan, Ashan Randika, Avishka Fernando, Faf du Plessis Kandy Warriors Ayana Siriwardena, Kamil Mishara, Charith Asalanka, Nimesh Vimukthi, Lahiru Kumara, Angelo Perera, Cameron Delport, Ishan Jayaratne, Binura Fernando, Asela Gunaratne, Udara Jayasundara, Kamindu Mendis, Shashika Dulshan, Kalhara Senaratne, Rovman Powell, Milinda Siriwardena, Ahmed Shehzad, Samiullah Shinwari, Mohammad Irfan, Al Amin Hossain, Ahmed Shehzad Colombo Stars Dhananjaya de Silva, Akila Dananjaya, Jehan Daniel, Pathum Nissanka, Lakshan Sandakan, Seekkuge Prasanna, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwanidu Fernando, Ravi Rampaul, Ashan Priyanjan, Himesh Ratnayke, Thikshila de Silva, Shiran Fernando, Tom Banton, Angelo Mathews, Sherfane Rutherford, Kusal Perera, Naveen ul Haq, Haris Sohail, Dinesh Chandilmal Dambulla Giants Chamika Edirisinghe, Janith Liyanage, Josh Little, Nuwan Pradeep, Dilshan Munaweera, Kalana Perera, Chamika Karunaratne, Odean Smith, Rilee Rossouw, Sohaib Maqsood, Madushan Ravichandrakumar, Niroshan Dickwella, Sachitha Jayathilake, Tharindu Ratnayake, Lahiru Udara, Ramesh Mendis, Sacha de Alwis, Muditha Lakshan, Imran Tahir, Dasun Shanaka, Najibullah Zadran.

IND vs NZ | 1st Test: Indian spinners denied by light as gritty Kiwis eke out hard-earned draw

There was drama aplenty as Indian spinners tried their level best to get the last New Zealand wicket and go 1-0 up in the two-match Test series at home against the reigning World Test Championship. But the light meter, handled carefully by the on field-umpires Nitin Menon and Virender Sharma kept getting out of their pockets and being used regularly to break the flow of the game for the last half an hour. The Indian spinners were not only fighting against the batters but also the fading light and time which was running out. Having gotten nine wickets with nine overs remaining, it was sure that India would be winning from thereon. But credit must also be given to Ajaz Patel on how well he accompanied Rachin Ravindra, who was the main reason why this heard-earned draw happened. Ravindra-Ajaz rescue act With six close-in fielders waiting for even the slightest of chances and having seen not just one but three batters getting out to a ball that goes straight instead of turning, it would have not been easy for Ravindra, who was making his Test debut in this game, to bat out the overs he did. For Ajaz, it would have been doubly difficult, but the focus in the eyes of the two batters was evident, they always played on the front foot, not making a mistake of being on the backfoot that their predecessors made. There were was a solid defence initially, a few lucky escapes and also a sharp chance going down in the penultimate over of the day, but all that cannot take away the gentleman-ship shown by the New Zealand team and their batters at the crease. Not even once there was even a try from the dressing room to throw in a towel or gloves or drinks to try and delay the game. Nor did the batsmen at the crease try anything fancy like asking for gloves or untying shoelaces, it was pure determination that got them to the draw. Comeback from the Indian spinners However, before this rescue act, there was a superb comeback from the Indian spinners as they took five wickets in the last session and got players like Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor to commit mistakes in situations they could have avoided. At 118-2 with Tom Latham and Williamson all settled at the crease, a draw was looking like the only possibility until Ravichandran Ashwin a loppy outside off delivery to break the concentration of Latham. He chanced on to it and was played down just after completing his second fifty in the game. That dismissal opened the doors for the Indian spinners and they hurried through, soon Taylor was out as well before Tea. Now India were to get six wickets in the last session and they started off well with Akshar Patel getting the wicket of Henry Nicholls. Williamson followed suit after a very low-keeping Jadeja delivery crashed into his pads. Tom Blundell tried hard to deliver as vice-captain and get the draw. He got a partnership going with Ravindra, but a very stranger dismissal in which ball after being pushed by him, hit the rough patch in the wicket and collided with the bails, saw him out of the park. Kyle Jamieson and Tim Southee were removed in an identical manner by Jadeja, but the two also derailed India’s victory and every ball played by every batter in the end counted. The willpower of Will Somerville If every ball played counted as a criterion to be judged, then William Somerville the nightwatchman who was sent last evening to protect Tom Latham from getting out after the unfortunate dismissal of Will Young should be given the winner’s award. He not only played out the last evening but with his dogged approach made sure that Kiwis didn’t lose even a single wicket in the morning session. Had it not been for an attacking approach pots Lunch, where he tried to pull Umesh Yadav and was caught in the deep by Shubman Gill, no one knows how long he would have tired down the Indian spinners. In total, the 37-year-old played 110 balls for his 36 runs and gave belief to the batters sitting in the dugout that it was possible to get this match drawn. With this win, the Kiwis added four crucial points to their World Test Championship 2021-23 Points Table. The caravan of the series would now move to Mumbai where it will culminate with the last Tets on red soil wicket which wouldn’t be the toughest play to play at for the Kiwis who like pace and bounce.