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Watch Mitchell Swepson Cleans Up Daniel Hughes With A Ripper Of A Delivery

Watch: Mitchell Swepson cleans up Daniel Hughes with a ripper of a delivery

Shane Warne is undoubtedly the greatest leg-spinner of all time and for any other leg-spinner to replicate a delivery similar to what he used to do in his heydays is surely a commendable thing. Yes, you heard it right. Mitchell Swepson pulled off a near impersonation of the Spin Wizard during a Sheffield Shield game on Monday, 5 April.

The Queensland tweaker breached through the defence of the left-handed Daniel Hughes with a sensational delivery. Bowled from around the wicket, the cherry pitched halfway on the surface outside the off stump and turned square to take the leg stump and Hughes had no idea about the delivery. He was castled after making 16.

The delivery bowled by Swepson was quite similar to the one Warne bowled to Shivnarine Chanderpaul back in 1996. Back then Shane Warne had castled the West Indies left-hander from around the wicket and the ball turned square on that occasion as well.

Meanwhile, Swepson was in his stride right from the word go and castled Hughes in just his third delivery of his first over. However, during a discussion with cricket.com.au after the day’s play, Swepson said that it didn’t actually feel great when the ball came out of the hand. He said that it felt like more of a half-tracker but the ball turned square to dismantle the timbers.

“Look at the turn! Prodigious turn,” a commentator said. “Almost so wide it hit the footmarks on the edge of the pitch and spun sharply.” The leggie also took the wicket of Kurtis Patterson as the New South Wales Blues finished at 49/2 at the end of the third day’s play. On the back of a century from Marnus Labuschagne, New South Wales posted 381 on the board in the first innings while Queensland replied with 433.

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Lalchand Rajput alleges MCA secretaries of favouritism in selection; calls his removal as CIC chief unethical

The former chief of the Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC) of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), Lalchand Rajput had raised a plethora of allegations on the working of the MCA secretaries. Rajput, 59, has alleged that the Secretaries in MCA Sanjay Naik and Shahalam Sheikh had chosen two players on their own, without any meeting of the selection committee, to represent Mumbai in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021. He went on to the extent of saying that even selectors would back his claim. "The selectors are willing to testify the interference e.g., the inclusion of two players in the 20 selected by senior team selectors for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021 (SMAT) after BCCI allowed 22 players due to Covid, instead of 20," Cricbuzz quoted Rajput via his letter to the Ethics officer of the Mumbai Cricket Association. "The same two players were included in the XI in some matches of the SMAT. Also, a left-arm bowler, who was not in the original 20, who was a No 11 batsman, was made to open the innings in the SMAT (sic). This was a blatant violation on the part of the secretaries to interfere in the working of the CIC," Rajput, the manager of the 2007 T20 World Cup-winning team further mentioned in his letter. Currently, the coach of the Zimbabwe national team, Rajput’s role as CIC chief became a matter of conflict of interest. Citing that the CIC was dismantled by the MCA and the other two members of the CIC, former India cricketers Raju Kulkarni and Sameer Dighe were also relieved of their roles. Challenging that decision, Rajput wrote, "The power and authority, as per the constitution clause No 39 is given to the Ethics Officer.” During his tenure, Rajput also termed appointment of Amol Mazumdar as coach of Mumbai as blatant misuse of power by Secretaries and appointed Romesh Powar as the coach, quashing the previous appointment. As of now, no official response has come from MCA on the allegations.

Fakhar Zaman run out: Waqar questions de Kock’s cheeky giggle; Tabraiz Shamsi defends

The South Africa- Pakistan encounter in the Pink Day ODI at the Wanderers on April 4 is making headlines, not only because of the Fakhar Zaman innings of 193 but also because of the mode of his dismissal and Quinton de Kock being accused of cheating and deceiving the batsman. The Pakistani opener got run out after a direct throw from long-0ff had his bails removed as he was walking back slowly to the crease, thinking that the throw was coming at the other end. It was made to believe that South Africa wicket-keeper batsman had tried to deceive Fakhar with his hand gestures that the throw was coming at the bowler’s end that’s why the batsman was confused and slowed down while running back to the batter’s end. Although Fakhar clarified in the post-match interview that he did not blame de Kock for his run out saying, “The fault was mine as I was too busy looking out for Haris Rauf at the other end as I felt he’d started off a little late from his crease, so I thought he was in trouble. The rest is up to the match referee, but I don’t think it’s Quinton’s fault.” However, one tweet from the Pakistan bowling coach Waqar Younis seemed to be taking a dig at de Kock for fake fielding the ball and deceiving the batsman. Younis, however, is not the only person to point that out. Tabraiz Shamsi, the South African spin bowler, who was taken for cleaners in that game, came out to defend his former skipper, saying that de Kock was gesturing to the fielder on the other end to back up. He further said that deducing anything else from that incident was just unfortunate. According to Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC)’s rules, until and unless the batter appeals, the umpires or match referee won’t be discussing the issue of fake fielding or deception. It had now come to the fore that the Pakistan team has lodged an unofficial complaint with match referee Andy Pycroft in connection with the incident.

Bio-bubble was breached & compromised during PSL 2021: PCB

The Pakistan Cricket Board’s independent fact-finding committee has confirmed that there was a bio-bubble breach during the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The final report of Dr Syed Faisal Mahmood and Dr Salma Muhammad Abbas was handed over to PCB chairman Ehsan Mani on March 31. Mani will now study the report and will share the details with the board members. A source though has said that the report from the committee has confirmed that there was a bio-bubble breach. The PSL was earlier put to halt with immediate effects after the rise in COVID-19 cases. "Following a meeting with the team owners and considering the health and wellbeing of all participants is paramount, the Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to postpone the HBL Pakistan Super League 6 with immediate effect. The decision was made after seven cases were reported in the competition, which had started on 20 February," the statement on the PSL official website read. The PCB had earlier faced the heat from the players and former cricketers. All-rounder Shahid Afridi went on to say that it was unfortunate the PCB had failed to have a plan B if something like this comes up. Former skipper Inzamam ul Haq slammed PCB and suggested that the board should have taken care of the players in a better way. “I would request the PCB to properly look after these players because if you don’t, incidents like Hafeez getting himself tested privately will happen,” Inzamam said.

'Legends of Adelaide': CSK celebrate legacy of Faf du Plessis, Cheteshwar Pujara

The Chennai Super Kings have not walked away from the idea of having experienced players in the squad although suffering a rare setback in the last edition of the Indian Premier League. The franchise did not release the old horses such as Dwayne Bravo, Faf du Plessis before the auction for the upcoming edition and instead added more experienced players aged more than 30 years. The CSK bought the services of Cheteshwar Pujara, Moeen Ali and Krishnappa Gowtham in the auction earlier this year. The franchise is not lost on the legacy of their players as they have shared a picture of Faf du Plessis and Cheteshwar Pujara for their heroics in Adelaide. Notably, Faf du Plessis had made his Test debut in Adelaide in 2012 and proved to be a rock at the crease to resurrect South Africa from the brink of a big loss against Australia. He scored his maiden Test ton against the raring Australian bowling line up on the day four and five pitch at the Adelaide Oval. That draw in Adelaide helped South Africa in winning the series 1-0 against the Michael Clarke-led Australia. On the other hand, Cheteshwar Pujara was proved to the only shining light for India in the first Test of the series in 2018. India were reduced to a very shaky position on the first day of the Test before Pujara brought his best game forward and scored a century to lead India’s resurgence. Ultimately, India ended up winning the Test match and Pujara’s innings brought him a lot of plaudits from critics and fans. The win in Adelaide proved to be a stepping stone for India and they clinched the series 2-1. The Super Kings will be hopeful for similar heroic performances from the duo who is likely to bat at the top order for them in the upcoming edition. The franchise will face the Delhi Capitals in their first clash of the tournament on April 10.