ENGLAND TOUR OF NEW ZEALAND, 2018
Live Cricket Score - New Zealand vs England, 4th ODI, Dunedin
Cricbuzz Staff • Last updated on Wed, 07 Mar, 2018, 11:28 AM
Live Score Updates New Zealand 339/5 (49.3 Ovs) Henry Nicholls 13 (12) England 335/9 Tom Curran 8.3-0-57-2 New Zealand won by 5 wkts Live Scores Full Scorecard
England will hope to end New Zealand's unbeaten run in Dunedin. © Getty
Three needed off the last over!
17 needed in the last three overs ...
Ross Talyor becmes the first player batting outside the top three to score 150+ in an ODI run chase.
Previous highest: 146* by Marcus Stoinis in 2017#NZvENG — Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) March 7, 2018
WICKET
Colin de Grandhomme slaps one straight to Woakes at point. Full toss and Curran gets the wicket. New Zealand need 33 off 26 and de Grandhomme falls for 23 off 12.
150 up for Taylor. He's turned the game on its head. Pressure on England. Latham dismissed for 71 but the visitors need to dismiss Taylor.
10 overs to go. New Zealand need 80 more. This chase is on folks! Tune in if you can!
50 for Latham ... The charge is on
Most 100s in ODIs at each position:
#1: Chris Gayle (18)
#2: Sachin Tendulkar (43)
#3: Ricky Ponting (29)
#4: ROSS TAYLOR (17)
#5: Yuvraj Singh(7)
#6: Two each by seven players
#7: MS Dhoni (2)#NZvENG — Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) March 7, 2018
Fewest inns to reach 19th ODI 100
104 H Amla
124 V Kohli
171 AV deV
189 C Gayle
190 Ross Taylor
201 S Tendulkar
203 S Ganguly#NZvEng — Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) March 7, 2018
ODI century No. 19 for Taylor
Gets there in the 35th over and off 99 balls. He's going to be key in this chase. New Zealand need 141 more from 93 balls. He's pumped and he should be. The trademark tongue out celebration comes out as well.
20 overs to go. 173 more needed. Seven wickets in hand.
Forecast said a chance of an afternoon shower. Very cloudy now in Dunedin and the wind has got up #NZvENG — Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) March 7, 2018
Stokes has been brilliant inside the circle today #NZvENG — Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) March 7, 2018
Ian Smith: We have seen a couple of goobers go down today.
First time I have heard that reference to a drop catch. Seems fitting though. #NZvEng pic.twitter.com/322e6xVquU — Akhil Nair (@akhiln) March 7, 2018
@englandcricket can't relax. It was exactly the similar situation from where they lost the first ODI. Required rate of 8 is doable in modern games. Watch out for Rosco. #NZvENG — Pawan (@itspawanhere) March 7, 2018
50 FOR TAYLOR
He's looked good so far but there's a long way to go. The required rate has already touched 8 per over with 27 more overs to go.
New Zealand 118 for 3 after 23 overs
DROPPED!
Latham survives. Full and on the stumps, Latham gets a leading edge back to the bowler and Moeen Ali drops a dolly. New Zealand 101 for 3
BIG BIG WICKET
Stokes gets Williamson with his first ball. A disappointing dismissal really. SHort and wide down the leg side. Williamson looks to pull but gloves it to the 'keeper. 84-run stand comes to an end.
New Zealand 86 for 3 and England well on top
86 for 2 in 16 overs now ... Stokes into the attack
England struggle to beat teams in Tests.They struggle to beat them in T20Is. And then come up with unbelievable performances and commanding victories over opponents, one after another in ODIs. England is a one format bully for sure! #NZvsENG — Prasenjit Dey (@Prosen02) March 7, 2018
Over to you, Kane #NZvENG — Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) March 7, 2018
Taylor and Williamson are rebuilding the innings. Their stand is now 57 after they lost both their openers for ducks.
New Zealand 60 for 2.
TWO DOWN
Guptill gone now!Woakes gets the wicket. Back of length delivery and played to cover. Stokes takes the catch. New Zealand's middle order has been exposed now. Onus on Williamson and Taylor to guide the innings.
New Zealand 2 for 2.
EARLY STRIKE: Oh, it hasn't taken long for England to strike. Munro has been trapped in front of the stumps by Wood. Munro, surprisingly, took the review but to no avail. The only factor that could have saved him was whether it had pitched in line but that wasn't to be. Early blow.
TIME FOR ACTION: The players are back on the field. Martin Guptill and Munro have an uphill task on their hands as the hosts look to hunt down a massive total. However, it is a small ground and there is even bounce on offer for the batsmen to play their shots. Can the home side chase down 336?
END OF INNINGS - A thunderous ton from Jonny Bairstow (138) and a well compiled 101-ball 102 from Joe Root gave England bid for a series win a major boost as they posted 335 for 9. However, a late collapse did dent England's chances of posting a much bigger score but the visitors will certainly take the score considering New Zealand's middle-order fragility.
With a green carpet laid at the University Oval, Kane Williamson had no hesitation in inviting England to bat first after the toss. However, Jason Roy (42 off 41) and Bairstow helped England race off the blocks and gave the team the much-needed brisk start to put the pressure back on the hosts. There were streaky boundaries early on with the pitch offering just enough to keep the bowlers interested, England's opening duo, however, laid to rest any thoughts that the track had any real demons.
With the sun out after spells of rain on the eve of the match, the moisture evaporated quickly and the track eased out considerably. Roy and Bairstow scored 77 for the first wickets before the former fell in the 11th over to Ish Sodhi. Joe Root walked in at three and got to business pretty much from the get-go. He got settled quickly and was perhaps also helped by the aggressive approach from Bairstow.
The wicketkeeper-batsman got to his half-century in the 17th over off 38 balls. Root too got to his fifty as the duo collaborated to add 190 runs for the second wicket. New Zealand had the opportunity to cut Bairstow's innings when he was on 74 but Mitchell Santner's run of poor catching continued as he dropped a dolly at cover off Trent Boult.
There was no respite for the hosts as the England opener as he effortlessly marched to his ton off 87 deliveries in the 32nd over. England had 220 on the board by the 34th over and had nine wickets in hand for the last 16 overs. Bairstow had a chance to push past Roy's score of 180 and post the highest individual score for England. The visitors also had a chance to post the highest total on the venue and go past 360 scored by New Zealand against Sri Lanka in 2015.
However, Bairstow fell looking for quick runs and New Zealand staged a remarkable comeback courtesy a dramatic collapse. From 267 for 1, England slipped to 288 for 7 with the middle-order falling like a pack of cards. Ish Sodhi picked up a four-wicket haul and ended with 10-0-58-4 from his quota as Root saw batsmen fail to capitalise from the other end.
Root eventually got to his ton in the 47th over - his 11th in ODIs. The last time he scored a ton in ODIs was in the opening game of the ICC Champions Trophy against Bangladesh last year and had six scores of 50 or more but failed to convert them. Tom Curran scored 22 off 10 to lift the side over the 330-run mark.
We'll be back in about 40 minutes with the chase ...
Root gets out for 102 off 101 ...
CENTURY NO. 11 fOR ROOT
Much needed for him. The last time he scored a ton in ODIs was in the opening game of the ICC Champions Trophy against Bangladesh last year and had six scores of 50 or more but failed to convert them. Gets one here as other batsmen failed to capitalise on the platform set for them.
England 305 for 7 with three overs to go.
77-1 (Jason Roy)
267-2 (Jonny Bairstow)
267-3 (Jos Buttler)
274-4 (Eoin Morgan)
276-5 (Ben Stokes)
280-6 (Moeen Ali)
288-7 (Chris Woakes)
Have you seen a better comeback?#ENGvNZ — Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) March 7, 2018
From 267 for 1, England have now slipped to 280 for 6 as Root watches batsmen come and go from the other end ...
Buttler gone
One brings two. Buttler plays the ball straight back to Sodhi. England 267 for 3
GONE!
Bairstow had a chance to put up England's highest individual score but he wanted quick runs. He falls for 138 for 106. Wanted to tonk the slower ball to the on side but gets a leading edge. Caught at backward point. Munro gets the wicket.
England 267 for 2 after 38 overs and Buttler is the new man in
Bairstow has time to push Roy's 180 #NZvENG — Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) March 7, 2018
Since claiming a place at top of Englands ODI order during last year's Champions Trophy, Jonny Bairstow currently averages over 60 from 15 matches with three hundreds. #NZvENG — Rob Johnston (@RobJ_Cricket) March 7, 2018
THIRD ODI CENTURY FOR BAIRSTOW
He gets there off86 balls and has set up England for a big flourish. Superbly timed innings in a crucial game. 220 runs already on the board with 16 overs to go and plenty of big hitters to come. Short delivery and swept with disdain. No respect there whatsoever.
ROOT GETS ANOTHER HALF-CENTURY
Just another day in the office for Root. Gets in quickly, settles in nicely and scores another fifty. All too easy. Real test for him, though, starts now. He needs to convert this one.
150 UP
England have cruised past 150 in the 24th over. Bairstow at the forefront of this solid innings. He should have been dismissed. Played to Santner who drops a dolly.
England 151 for 1 after 24 overs.
21 overs done. Just one wicket for the hosts. England cruising at the moment ...
WICKET
New Zealand finally have a wicket and Ist Sodhi gets ride of Roy. On the pads and Roy goes for the sweep. More of a top edge. Good catch from Santner.
England 89 for 1 after 14 overs
Roy played delightfully and has helped England get off to a flier but Sodhi gets him. Think he hit the ball twice there to get out #NZvsENG — Rob Johnston (@RobJ_Cricket) March 6, 2018
Jason Roy vs NZ in 10 ODI innings
(0, 39, 9, 38, 12, 13, 49, 8, 15, 42) - Batting average (22.50)#NZvENGhttps://t.co/Ttqtjbq25R — Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) March 6, 2018
Love hearing the third umpire praising the on field umpire for making the right decision #NZvENG — Becky Miller (@BeckyyMiller) March 6, 2018
Half-century opening stand
So Roy and Bairstow have now stitched a 50-run stand inside eight overs. Roy 35 off 31. Bairstow 18 off 14. New Zealand need wickets!
They've lost a review as well now. Poor really from them. They appeal for lbw against Roy and the ball was pitching outside leg.
35 for no loss after five overs
Extremely positive start here from England on a grassy surface. They've raced off the blocks and have put New Zealand bowlers - that too Southee and Boult - under pressure.
There have been a few streaky runs but there have been some exceptional shots as well.
Alright then folks! New Zealand players are out there. Roy and Bairstow to open for England and we are all set for this cracking contest to begin!
TOSS: New Zealand opt to field; England unchanged
England: Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan(c), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler(w), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Tom Curran, Mark Wood
The toss is in 10 minutes. Bat or bowl? #NZvENG pic.twitter.com/40KYvU4Jgt — England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 6, 2018
TEAM NEWS:
Ross Taylor has been declared fit and will play this contest. He should replace Mark Chapman.
WEATHER UPDATE:
What a day for ODI 4 at University of Otago Oval. #NZvENG #DunnerStunner pic.twitter.com/OjJOYIBkz7 — BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 6, 2018
Hello and welcome to the live blog of the fourth ODI between New Zealand and England. The visitors lead the series 2-1 and will be eyeing a series win. New Zealand couldn't have wished for a better venue for a must-win fixture because their record at University of Otago Oval is formidable. They have never been defeated at the quaint ground in the student town of Dunedin - named after Edinburgh, the Scottish capital - in six matches and they bowled Pakistan out for just 74 there in January with left-arm seamer Trent Boult taking 5 for 17.
They will still feel very much in this series, too. Although they are 2-1 down, their narrow four-run defeat in the last match in Wellington could so easily have been a victory had one more batsman given Kane Williamson some support. As it was, the captain's magnificent unbeaten hundred was in vain and England now have the advantage after losing the opening game in Hamilton.
Although Williamson said he wasn't concerned about the form of his middle order, Henry Nicholls, Tom Latham and Colin de Grandhomme all have questions to answer and New Zealand's three best players, Williamson, Ross Taylor and Martin Guptill, need more support from the rest of the top seven. Collapses like the one in Wellington - they lost five wickets for 23 runs - are becoming worryingly regular.
England will take heart from their victory in the previous match and not just because it has put them ahead in the series. On a difficult pitch, their batsmen intelligently assessed conditions to post a competitive score instead of aiming for 350 and being bundled out cheaply. That has not always been the way of things - the semi-final of the last year's Champions Trophy against Pakistan, for example - which suggests they are becoming a more rounded side.
In contrast to New Zealand's reliance on a few senior players so far in this series, England have plenty of players contributing including Chris Woakes and Tom Curran who bowled nerveless final overs in the third game and Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali who are combining to good effect as a spinning double-act. Perhaps only the opening batsmen, Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy, could do with some runs.
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INDIA AND BANGLADESH IN SRI LANKA, 2018
Live cricket score - India vs Sri Lanka, Nidahas Trophy, Match 1, Colombo
Cricbuzz Staff • Last updated on Wed, 07 Mar, 2018, 04:32 AM
Live Score Updates Sri Lanka 175/5 (18.3 Ovs) Perera 22 (10) India 174/5 SN Thakur 3.3-0-42-0 Sri Lanka won by 5 wkts Live Scores Full Scorecard
Sri Lanka off to a winning start © AFP
GAME! Sri Lanka win by five wickets!
What a start to the freedom series for Sri Lanka! The two Pereras stand at the helm of a superb five-wicket victory against overwhelming favourites India. Kusal Perera played one of his specials where he gets likened to Sanath Jayasuriya, before Thisara Perera sealed the game with a 10-ball 22!
The win is all the more special because Sri Lanka pulled off the highest successful run chase in Colombo, and also Sri Lanka's highest successful chase against India.
Thisara Perera swings the game in SL's favour!
Excellent batting from the all-rounder. He and Shanaka collect 16 off Jaydev Unadkat in the 18th over! The equation has gone down to a very gettable eight off 12 balls. What a start for the hosts!
Can Sri Lanka pull off a win here?
The equation is now down to 24 off the last 18 balls. But they haven't got a boundary since the 12th over. Runs haven't come easy, but they are still in it.
WICKET - Kusal Perera perishes
Oh is this the turning point? The ball from where India topple the game on its head? Possible! Kusal Perera has been sent packing after a sensational 37-ball 66! He danced down the track to Washington Sundar and missed with his big heave, giving Dinesh Karthik a familiar drill behind the stumps.
WICKET - Chandimal cleaned up
Yuzvendra Chahal gets a big wicket. He's cleaned up Sri Lanka captain with a full ball that drifted in and skid through after pitching.
Kusal Perera leads the way
The left-hander has smashed a 22-ball half-century and is leading Sri Lanka's chase here. What a hand he's playing here. His knock has included five fours and three sixes - meaning 38 runs have come in boundaries.
Kusal Perera has often given glimpses of his hitting ability. Today is more than a glimpse! — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 6, 2018
Chase takes a manic turn...
...courtesy Kusal Perera! He ripped Shardul Thakur to shreds, smashing 27 runs in an over. Sri Lanka have been very clear about the way they're going to go about this chase - hammer and tongs! But Jaydev Unadkat has applied the brakes on the frenzy, dismissing Danushka Gunathilaka.
Sri Lanka have smashed 75 for 2 in the batting powerplay, leaving Rohit Sharma with a lot of decisions to grapple with. He's a bowler short and has had one whacked for 27 in an over. Massive onus on Yuzvendra Chahal now.
Early wicket in chase!
Kusal Mendis is gone in the second over! Washington Sundar has bravely tossed one up after being hit for six runs off the first two balls of his spell and it has worked. Mendis attempted a third big hit of the over and paid the price. Dhawan comes into play early in the second innings after owning the first, takes a good catch running backwards from mid-off. Sri Lanka 12 for 1 in 1.3 overs.
Innings break - India 174 for 5
Despite Shikhar Dhawan's 49-ball 90, India have only managed 174 in 20 overs. Sri Lanka should walk back with a strong belief that their bowlers have set the game up very well on a what is a good batting wicket. Over to India bowlers, now.
WICKET - Dhawan goes
No T20I century for the Indian opener then. Rishabh Pant's failure to get going pushed the pressure onto Dhawan, who tried and failed to clear the long on fielder Thisara Perera. He returned to the dressing room for a 49-ball 90.
Meanwhile in Zimbabwe...
Afghanistan's clash against the hosts is mighty close. Follow here.
WICKET - Manish Pandey goes
The side-arm slinger Jeevan Mendis has a breakthrough. The 94-run third-wicket stand has been broken as Pandey goes. He tried to cut loose, understandably after being tied down at one end while Dhawan blazed away at the other. But this attempt to hit over the top didn't come through, as he hit it straight to deep midwicket. A simple catch to Danushka Gunathilaka leaves India three down.
Shikhar Dhawan is keeping India going here almost single-handedly. Pandey got 37 but taking 34 balls is expensive. — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 6, 2018
Dhawan, Pandey power on
The pair has added a big stand for the third wicket, and Dhawan is nearing a half-century here. Sri Lanka have picked two wickets but India are cruising along at over seven-an-over. Ominous.
India press on, Sri Lanka lose review:
Dhawan misses a sweep and is struck on the pads by a Jeevan Mendis delivery in the eighth over. The onfield umpire turns down the leg-before appeal and Sri Lanka seek the third umpire's help straightaway. However, replays reveal that the ball pitched outside leg, costing Sri Lanka a review. Meanwhile, Pandey has hit the straps, depositing Mendis over deep mid-wicket for the first six of the innings. India move to 57 for 2 after 8.
Steady partnership:
Shikhar Dhawan and Manish Pandey have steadied the ship with a good partnership. Pandey, though, has struggled with his tempo and timing. But Dhawan has been able to keep the scoreboard ticking with some boundaries. India move to 40 for 2 at the end of powerplay.
SECOND BLOW: Raina falls
Raina misses a full toss.. yes, you read that right. Freebie from Nuwan Pradeep and Raina makes way too much room. The straightforward full-toss crashes into his stumps. Gone for 1.
WICKET - Rohit Sharma goes early!
Blinder from Jeevan Mendis! Rohit Sharma went for a lofted drive and but the ball went up off the bottom of the bat. Mendis ran backwards from mid-off and completed a superb catch. Rohit goes for a four-ball duck. India 2 for 1 in 1 over.
TOSS: Sri Lanka opt to bowl first. India have handed all-rounder Vijay Shankar his T20I debut.
Debut for Vijay Shankar!
A familiar huddle and some new faces. Time to get The Nidahas Trophy underway. In other news - @vijayshankar260 is all set to make his T20I debut #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/yhjYR6YZlj — BCCI (@BCCI) March 6, 2018
Prelude - India begin as favourites
That's like saying water is wet, isn't it? India aren't putting out their strongest sides, and yet the overwhelming amount of talent and skill in that line-up is unmissable. After a wretched 2017, Sri Lanka have made a positive start to 2018, winning a tri-series involving Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in Bangladesh and have also triumphed in Tests and T20Is in Bangladesh. That by no means guarantees them a shot at beating India - their strongest opponent yet this year - straightaway, but surely they can walk into the R Premadasa stadium with their chins up and a head full of hope and optimism.
Emergency situation in Sri Lanka
Just on the day of tri-series opener, news of an emergency being declared in the host nation began to surface. However, it has been assured and reassured that the host city - Colombo - will be unaffected. Here's Shirshendu's report on it.
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AUSTRALIA TOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA, 2018
SA look to Rabada's reverse to swing momentum
Tristan Holme • Last updated on Tue, 06 Mar, 2018, 07:04 PM
"The only weapon we have in the team right now who does (reverse the ball) is Kagiso," du Plessis said of Rabada. © Getty
Four years on from Australia's last tour of South Africa, the parallels with the present are inescapable. In 2014, Australia won the first Test at Centurion on the back of a fearsome left-arm quick, who took the Man of the Match award, and a humbled South African side headed to Port Elizabeth nursing their bruises and wondering how they might respond.
And yet, there are also some crucial distinctions to be made. In 2014, it was the raw brutality of Mitchell Johnson that stood out. His pace and intimidation forced the South African batsmen into a backward step, and when they didn't move quickly enough, they got hurt - Ryan McLaren failed to evade a bouncer and was left bleeding from behind the right ear. Johnson ripped out 12 wickets in all, attaining an aura that was only broken by a moment of humour.
Johnson had spent the summer displaying an impressive handlebar moustache that added to the intimidation factor, so a wave of nervous energy rippled through the South African camp when video analyst Prasanna Agoram emerged for breakfast on the morning after the Centurion Test with replica facial hair. After a moment's pause, Agoram broke the tension. "This," he said, pointing to his new moustache, "is the only thing they had that we didn't. Now we have it." South Africa went on to win the second Test by 231 runs.
This time around, it might not be so simple.
Mitchell Starc's nine wickets in the first Test at Kingsmead came less from a fear factor that South Africa can overcome with a mental shift as with a skill that may only be amplified in Port Elizabeth. "There's a reason why Starc has done that, and he hasn't just done it to South Africa. He reverse swings the ball at pace," Faf du Plessis noted in the wake of Australia's 118-run win. He went on to highlight Starc's skill as the difference between the two sides, particularly when it came to bowling at the tail.
While South Africa lost their last five wickets for 12 runs in the first innings, and 15 runs in the second, Australia's last five wickets added 174 runs in the first innings and 71 in the second. "It shows the learning we can take is to be more ruthless with their tail. Once they got through the first seven or eight batters it was pretty easy to get through the tail," said du Plessis.
Four years ago, reverse swing was on South Africa's side in Port Elizabeth, which is generally one of the drier pitches in the country. Australia's pace attack of Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris were unable to exploit it, but in the second innings Dale Steyn did. Brought back after strikes by Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander, Steyn produced a remarkable burst of lightning-fast reverse to dismiss Michael Clarke, Steve Smith and Brad Haddin in the space of 15 deliveries, effectively deciding the Test with one spell. Although the match finished in four days, South Africa knew that it had to, because the forecast for the fifth day was awful. Steyn made that happen.
Steyn, of course, is still making his way back from his latest injury. The earliest he could be available is the third Test in Cape Town, but that is optimistic given that he still needs to play at least one, and preferably two, domestic first-class games to prove his fitness.
"Dale is very deadly with the reverse-swinging ball, but he's not available right now so we need to find ways with the guys that we have to eliminate the tail a lot quicker. I think a crucial part of the series will be the runs that get scored from 8 to 11," said du Plessis.
The one bowler in the South African camp who du Plessis has faith in when it comes to reversing the ball at pace is Kagiso Rabada. He was the home side's most consistently threatening fast bowler in the first Test, but finished with four wickets to Starc's nine.
Two reasons stood out: one was how quickly Australia got the ball reversing, and the other was how much more dangerous Starc could be thanks to the angle created when he was bowling around the wicket to right-handers. Australia also had their ball changed in each innings, an event that appeared to play a crucial role in the first innings. South Africa were 146 for 5 after 42 overs when the umpires found that the ball was out of shape. The replacement soon accounted for Quinton de Kock, and Starc ran through the lower order to bowl the hosts out for 162.
Starc does have a less striking moustache that Agoram could imitate, but du Plessis knows that South Africa would be better served by mirroring the fast bowler's on-field exploits.
"The only weapon we have in the team right now who does (reverse the ball) is Kagiso," he said. "The tail is going to have to scrap, and the top seven or eight batters will have to take responsibility because it's a little easier for us. When Kagiso gets a sniff with the tail, he needs to run through them in the same way."
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WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
World Cup Qualifiers - Context sets the tone for high-adrenaline action
• Last updated on Wed, 07 Mar, 2018, 06:48 AM Brian Goredema in Bulawayo
Raza put up a fine all-round show and was also involved in a verbal altercation © Getty
A lot has been spoken about giving context to one-day internationals in the age of Twenty20. It doesn't get much more meaningful than Tuesday's World Cup qualifier at Queens Sports Club, where Afghanistan went into the game against Zimbabwe knowing that if they lost, they might as well kiss their World Cup hopes goodbye.
The low-scoring thriller had everything - huge sixes, great fielding, on-field altercations, twists and turns. Context gets the players' adrenaline pumping. Some of them go overboard in trying to win.
When there was a heated altercation on the field of play during Brendan Taylor and Sikandar Raza's fifth-wicket partnership of 98 runs, none had envisaged that the drama was just starting.
It all began when the Afghanistan thought they had Raza lbw plumb in front, and continued appealing even after the umpire had said not out. Umpires Chris Brown and Chettithody Shamsuddin where not impressed. They had a word with Rashid Khan, the captain, and the tempers seemed to cool down but not for long.
Taylor hit Mujeeb Rahman for 16 runs in one over and that didn't go down well with the bowler. In his next over, Mujeeb bowled a dot ball and threw the ball back to the wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad but the ball almost took Taylor's chin on its way to the 'keeper. Taylor left his crease and confronted the bowler. The other Afghanistan players joined the altercation. The umpires had to separate the players. Raza was livid and continued to speak his mind. Play stopped for about two minutes - something that may interest the match referee, David Jukes. Eventually the play continued and a few overs later Taylor departed for 89.
Speaking to Cricbuzz after the match about the incident, Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer had no kind words for the opposition and believed that it was within Zimbabwe's right to question the spirit of the opponents, given that they had been forewarned.
"It was spoken about before the tournament by the ICC that there is no need to throw the ball at the batsman if the he is not attempting to take a run," said Cremer. "Obviously Brendan lost his cool there and words were exchanged. It's wrong, why would you throw the ball at the batsman if the bowler is not attempting to take a run?"
Zimbabwe fans resigned to their fate after their team had put up a below-par total where reminded of how high the stakes were when there was another altercation while Afghanistan were batting. Taylor was convinced he had Mohammad Nabi caught behind off the bowling of Cremer. The whole Zimbabwe team went up in unison but the umpire shook his head. Rahmat Shah at the non-striker's end seemed to say something to Cremer and Taylor advanced again to Shah. The Umpires had to intervene for the third time in the match.
Cremer wasn't impressed by the way the Afghanis conducted themselves, not only in this game but in many others before. "A lot of Afghanis love to put pressure on the batsman and it's getting frustrating, because sometimes stuff is not going our way. It was irritating for us because they were trying to put so much pressure on the umpire that's what led to more words being exchanged," added Cremer.
If a Hollywood movie about Raza is made nobody should play Raza but Raza himself. He knows how to get the crowd going and be on his side. He took the three wickets in one over and the celebration after each one was better than the last, sending the partisan crowd into a delirium.
After a flurry of wickets, with Zimbabwe needing one wicket and the crowd singing "one more, one more", Afghanistan's last pair made Zimbabwe wait to the point where the crowd went silent, not knowing what would follow next.
There were a lot of ooooohs and aaaaahs each time Dawlat Zadran and Mujeeb Zadran played and missed but the ball still failed to disturb the furniture. As the runs required for victory ticked down, the crowd went into their shell, wondering what the Zimbabwe bowlers needed to do to get the last wicket and record a famous victory over their nemesis.
Each over that passed without a wicket falling, the tension in the ground increased. There was no movement on the Zimbabwe balcony, everything had stopped. Right next to them, on the Afghanistan balcony, there were half-hearted claps each time the two saw out a delivery. The 12th man would run to field with a pair of new gloves, to relay a message. The game had reached a crescendo; it was not for the fainthearted.
It looked like the former captain Taylor had taken over the captaincy, directing the fielding placements and the chatting to the bowler before the over. Many mini conferences were held; Zimbabwe could smell blood, the Afghan tail-enders still believed.
The raucous Queens Sports Club supporters would get agitated and annoyed each time Tendai Chatara bowled short. They wanted him to pitch it up to the tail ender and they made their feelings known. It was all happening.
Doubt was starting creeping into the supporters' minds. Brian Vitori on his home ground believed and continued to run in hard, bowling the fuller length the whole of Zimbabwe wanted on a dry surface. The supporters all of sudden didn't know when to clap. Normally you clap when the bowler is running in to bowl but they were now clapping when he was still setting his field and stop when he was running in to bowl.
In the final over, Zimbabwe still needed one wicket to win, while Afghanistan needed three to draw the match and four to win. Shahpur and Dawlat had huffed and puffed but they couldn't deny the hosts a famous victory when it mattered most. The fans went ballistic when the umpire's finger went up after Taylor had appealed for a catch. The security details stationed at the strategic points to stop the supporters from invading the pitch couldn't prevent the pitch invasion, the force and joy of victory for Zimbabwe fans was just too much. They managed to get to their heroes, mobbing them and it was hugs all around.
After all the drama, there was no one with a wider smile than Cremer. "The games in Sharjah were so disappointing, but we knew it was just one game and we had to turn up today. We didn't get as many as we wanted with the bat, and still can't believe that we bowled them out at the end. It's absoulutely amazing to be honest," he said.
"We had a score on the board and we knew that these guys can panic if we get wickets. We just held the game nicely in the middle period and we knew that we were always in the game."
© Cricbuzz
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