Cricket News: Beth Mooneyon track for surprise return in Ashes Test | Australia batter Beth Mooney a good chance of playing Test match vs England
Australia star batter Beth Mooney is considered a solid chance of playing the Ashes Test against England starting Thursday. Mooney, who fractured her jaw on the eve of the T20I series, is progressing quicker than expected and is determined to play in the one-off Test against England at Manuka Oval in Canberra.
Mooney went under the knife just a week ago. Coach Matthew Mott confirmed on Sunday that she was recovering well, after Mooney was spotted facing throwdowns in the Adelaide Oval nets on Friday.
Also, the left-hander was running laps in the Adelaide rain on Sunday with the physical conditioning coach.
Beth Mooney has “definitely got her eye on that Test match in Canberra”
Australia vice-captain Rachael Haynes confirmed that Mooney is practicing and having a run without any pain.
“The last couple of days, the swelling around her face has gone down quite substantially,” said Haynes on Sunday.
“Just having a bit of a chat with her and checking in with how she’s been going, she’s feeling really confident.She had a hit today and also a run around and she’s not in any pain.“
“Without a doubt she’s definitely got her eye on that Test match in Canberra.”
All eyes on Canberra forecast after Adelaide rain ruins T20I series
Australia leads the multi-format Ashes series 4-2 after winning the first T20I courtesy of Tahlia McGrath’s all-round brilliance. However, the second and third matches were washed out due to rain, with just 4.2 overs possible across both games.
Now, all eyes are on the Canberra weather for the four-day Test match. Rain is forecast on days three and four in particular, prompting hopes that the forecast changes in the coming days.
England captain Heather Knight was left frustrated at the weather after the Sydney rain ruined their T20 World Cup hopes in 2020.
“The weather gods don’t like us here, do they,” said Knight.
“I think I’ve had more games in my career rained off in Australia than in England.”
Shakib Al Hasan is the torchbearer of the Bangladesh Cricket Team, who sets new records, here you get the facts of this legendary player.
Shakib Al Hasan is undoubtedly the Bangladesh Cricket Team’s solitary rescuer and the oft-forgotten premier champion. This renowned cricketer began his career as a club fast bowler. He began playing cricket at a young age and has set numerous records with both the bat and the ball.
He hasn’t looked back since making his debut against Zimbabwe in 2006. Shakib Al Hasan is the fastest all-rounder in the cricket history of Bangladesh. While hitting most of the records as a Bangladeshi player he has 12,000 runs and 500 wickets. He has a fantastic record of becoming World No. 1 in all three formats of cricket throughout his career.
If you’re a die heart fan of Shakib, you should know these 10 facts about him. Here is the Shakib Al Hasan biography in detail that may help you to know something interesting about him:
10 Shakib Al Hasan facts
1. Birth and Early Years of Cricket
Shakib Al-Hasan, the all-rounder, was born on March 24, 1987, at Magura District in Bangladesh. His father, Khondokar Masroor Reza, was a footballer, and the mother of this legend is Shirin Reza, who is a housewife. He was married to a Bangladeshi American, Umme Ahmed Shishir, and a father of three children.
He did his first training in BKSP, which is a government-run sports institute. The UAE Under-17s were his opponents in his debut Under-17 match in 2003. At the age of 17 in 2004, he started playing for Khulna in the National Domestic League. In the very following year, Shakib started his First-class career.
2. National Cricket League
This amazing player first represented Bangladesh in November 2005 at under-19. It was the Afro-Asian under-19 Cup against Indian Under-19 in which Shakib scored 24 of 23 balls and took 2/26 wickets in 10 overs with 2 maidens. Until his debut, in May 2004 he played 3 matches and scored 129 runs, got 16 wickets.
He played only two matches in 2006-2007 and scored 51 runs with a high score of 23. He bowled for one inning, 4 overs without any wicket during this time. In the National Cricket League, he played 14 matches and scored 933. His high score was 129, and he did three 100s in those innings.
3. English County Cricket
Shakib Al-Hasan was the first Bangladeshi who represented the countryside. Worcestershire elected him into their second division County Championship squad in 2000. For Worcestershire, he played a total of 5 List-A matches and scored 187, including two half-centuries.
Later he joined Leicestershire for the Twenty20 campaign with Australian player Joseph Burns. He played 10 matches and scored 146 runs, but the best bowling was 2/7 in the 10 wickets which they won over Yorkshire.
4. Disciplinary Issues
10 facts about Shakib Al Hasan: Disciplinary issues
For the severe attitude issues, Shakib was banned for 8 months from all forms of cricket in July 2014 by Bangladesh Cricket Board. From 15 September 2014, he was given permission to play for Bangladesh by BCB on 26 august. Next, he argued over the poor umpiring on the 6th T20 match with Sri Lanka. Here he exchanged comments with Sri Lankan commentator Russell Arnold and Shakib was imposed a 25 percent fine.
ICC suspended him again on 29 October 2019 and barred him from playing any form of cricket for two long years. The reason behind this was breaching the ICC-Anti Corruption Code 2.4.4. While playing Dhaka Premier League, Shakib broke the stumps after the umpire declined an LBW appeal. He was fined five lakhs and suspended for three matches following this incident.
5. Test Match Records
On 17 July 2009, he became the captain of the Test matches, and this made him the 6th youngest captain. In his Test records, you’ll see that he scores 1000 runs and 100 wickets. Among them, he breaks the record by scoring 137 runs and 10 wickets in a test match.
Shakib is the second Bangladeshi bowler who takes 10 wickets in a match, and the other one is Enamul Haque Junior. But the best of the best is the scores of 100 and 5 wickets in an innings. Most runs in a day were 212 and 63 wickets in a single ground in the Test matches.
6. ODI History
Shakib makes 1000 runs and takes 100 wickets in One Day Internationals between 2006 and 2021. He brings 10 wickets and 250 runs in a single ODI series, as well as 100 and four wickets in an innings. From 2006 to 2021, he saved 50 catches too.
He took over as ODI captain on July 26, 2009, and is the ninth-youngest ODI captain in history. He played 215 matches and 203 innings throughout this time. Six thousand six hundred runs were collected at an average of 37.93, with a total of nine 100s and 50 fielding dismissals.
7. T20 Records
In the National Cricket League Twenty20 tournament, Shakib played under the Kings of Khulna, and he was the captain of the team in 2010. He also played Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League in 2009, 2010, 2014, and 2016. In 2021 again he played a season in which he was the captain of the Mohammedan Sporting Club.
He also played in the Bangladesh Premier League, Caribbean Premier League, Big Bash League, Pakistan Super League, Bangabandhu T20 Cup in his career. There are some T20 leagues which he wished to play for, but luck doesn’t support him, like – Sri Lankan Premier League, Global T20 Canada, Lanka Premier League.
8. Captaincy and Vice-Captaincy
10 facts about Shakib Al Hasan: Captaincy
In 2009, in ICC World Twenty20, Shakib was appointed as vice-captain. Later this year, Mashrafe Mortaza was injured in the West Indies tour, so Shakib was elected as a captain for the remaining time. As well as being Bangladesh’s youngest captain, he was also the fifth-youngest in test cricket history.
In ICC rankings 2009, Shakib became the no.1 ODI bowler while he was the captain of the ODI series against Zimbabwe. He was adorned as The Wisden Cricketer’s “Test Player of the Year” in the same year. After giving up the captaincy in July 2010, Shakib focused more on his performance.
Again Shakib took over the position in October 2010 in the ODI with New Zealand when Mortaza was injured. He took the most runs and wickets in this series with 213 runs and 11 wickets. Though Mortaza returned from the injury, Shakib remains the captain of this series. It was announced he would be Bangladesh’s vice-captain for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
9. Journey Man
Shakib Al-Hasan has a variance of playing in over five countries. In his career, till now he has represented – Bangladesh National Cricket Team, Adelaide Strikers, Bangladesh A-Team, Bangladesh Cricket Board XI Team, Barbados Tridents, Dhaka Gladiators, Karachi Kings in PPL, Khulna Division in Bangladesh Premier League, Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL, Worcestershire.
10. Brand Ambassador
Shakib is the Brand Ambassador of Pepsi, Boost as well as Norton Antivirus. This slow left-arm bowler also endorses some sporting groups like Elite Force and Runner Group. He was also announced as the brand ambassador of Yamaha, 7UP, Alesha Card Limited, ISHO, and some other Bangladeshi brands.
Wrapping Up
Shakib is a fantastic stroke player, along with a sharp-witted spinner. Though victory has never come easily to this man, he is the single man who performed so well to win his team a lot of time. But the harsh truth is a single person’s affordance can’t affect the decision. Without a doubt, he is the most renowned cricketer to have come from Bangladesh. Shakib is an essential member of Bangladesh’s lineup because he is a true all-rounder. Over the years, he has been a steady performer for his count
Cricket News: Why are West Indies so bad in ODI cricket? | Looking at why West Indies are so bad in ODIsafter 2-1 home loss to Ireland
The performance of West Indies in ODI cricket is hitting a new low with each passing day, with their most recent embarrassment being a shocking series defeat at home to Ireland. Despite having many dynamic hitters and some really talented bowlers in their lineup, the men in maroon have been mediocre in the 50-over format for quite a while now.
Since the start of 2021, West Indies have lost seven of the 12 ODIs they have played. The recent series loss to Ireland requires serious introspection into their ODI gameplan.
Let’s have a look at the reasons behind this mediocrity and find out how they can improve.
West Indies were bowled out for less than 200 runs in five out of the seven games they have lost since 2021. This clearly indicates that their batting has been their major nemesis in this period. The Windies batters have been poor against spin bowling, which is evident in the numbers below.
Balls faced
Runs scored
Wickets lost
Average
Strike rate
679
350
29
12.09
51.54
In most games, they have lost the plot midway in their innings which has led to their disastrous performance with the bat. So, they need to improve their game against spin in the middle overs.
The West Indies side that took the field against Bangladesh in early 2021 was inexperienced consisting of young players. But, the side that lost to Australia and Ireland at home had some big names as far as the batting unit is concerned and thus it was their first-choice batting lineup.
Unfortunately, their senior players have failed to fire big time, which has resulted in some horrendous defeats. The opening duo of Shai Hope and Evin Lewis has more or less done its job, but the middle order comprising of experienced players like Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard and Jason Holder has not delivered.
Here are the stats of the three mentioned players since the beginning of 2021.
Innings
Runs
Average
Strike rate
Pooran
8
128
21.33
70.32
Pollard
8
210
30
92.10
Holder
8
133
22.16
70
(Performance since 2021)
If we consider the four games West Indies have lost which these three were a part of, their numbers are nothing short of miserable as indicated in the table below.
Runs
Average
Strike rate
Pooran
6
1.5
22.22
Pollard
71
17.75
68.29
Holder
52
13
57.77
(Performance in lost games)
Therefore, it is evident that these three senior players haven’t been at their best since 2021 and they have to step up for the betterment of their team from now onwards.
Apart from the collective batting failure, there have been some questionable selections as well. Jason Mohammed, despite being repeatedly unimpressive, was given a long rope until the recently concluded series against Ireland.
On the other hand, players like Sunil Ambris and Shimron Hetmyer, who have pretty decent numbers in ODIs, haven’t got continuous games to prove themselves. Darren Bravo, who scored a century against Sri Lanka, was dropped right after a poor series against Australia. So, it seems like there is an absence of clarity in the thought process regarding the best possible line up they need to form prior to the ODI World Cup to be played next year. The management should prepare a blue print and act accordingly from now onwards if they want to succeed in the mega event.
These are the probable reasons behind the struggle of a decent team like West Indies in ODIs. If they want to be a competitive enough side, they need to address these issues soon before things get really out of hand.
Cricket News: “We will beat India again in Melbourne” – Shoaib Akhtar | Shoaib Akhtar says Pakistan will beat India again in the T20 World Cup
Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has once again reignited an India-Pakistan cricketing discussion, claiming that Pakistan will beat India again in Melbourne in this year’s T20 World Cup.
Pakistan, led by their bowlers and the Rizwan-Babar duo, beat India comprehensively in the 2021 T20 World Cup. This was Pakistan’s first win against their rivals in a World Cup, and Shoaib believes Babar Azam’s team is more well-rounded in the T20 format.
India media puts pressure on the team – Shoaib Akhtar
The draw for the Men’s T20 World Cup was announced last week, with India and Pakistan scheduled to meet at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on 23 October.
It is a clash that is expected to fill up the MCG, with India out to inflict redemption after the 10-wicket defeat in Dubai last year. Once again, it will be the first match each team plays in the tournament, so both sides will be aiming to hit their straps straight away.
Speaking to ANI, Shoaib was very confident that Pakistan could do the job once again. “We will beat India again in Melbourne.Pakistan is a better T20 side than India,” said Shoaib.
“It’s the Indian media that make unnecessary pressure on the team whenever we have the clash of both countries in cricket, it’s normal for India to lose.”
Pakistan and India aim to reclaim title from Australia
Pakistan and India, who won the first two T20 World Cups back in 2007 and 2009 respectively, are still waiting to break their drought. The Australian pitches should suit both sides as they possess strong seam options, with Shaheen Shah Afridi and Jasprit Bumrah sure to be of interest.
WI vs ENG 2nd T20 Dream11 & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report | WI vs ENG 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | West Indies vs England 2nd T20 Key Players | Barbados Pitch Report
Over the past six weeks or so, it was Scott Boland and co. ripping through England. Yesterday, it was Jason Holder. Over the past six weeks or so in Australia, England’s batting surrendered so meekly their fans wondered whether they should bother touring. The same happened yesterday.
It was a different format. In a different country. And a completely different team to the Ashes Test XI. But it was the same old England in recent times.
They are playing lots of cricket, highlighted most by Sam Billings’ dash from the BBL down to Hobart for the fifth Ashes Test, before making the long trip to Barbados in such a short timeframe. However, England aren’t playing cricket very well right now. Of course, they have the talent and depth in white-ball cricket to turn their fortunes around, and they have a shot at doing so less than 24 hours after a dismal showing in the first T20I.
It was the perfect start to the series for West Indies, who put their woeful ODI form aside to set up a 1-0 lead. Holder was outstanding both at the top and backend of the innings, with the spinners chipping in nicely. Also, that Brandon King and Nicholas Pooran were in the runs is cause for encouragement, but the challenge for the Windies will be to produce the goods again against a side chomping at the bit to redeem themselves.
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
West Indies:
What a performance by Jason Holder. He found swing in addition to good bounce, and England couldn’t cope. He now has 23 wickets in as many T20 innings on this ground at an economy rate under seven runs per over.
Following his unbeaten 52 yesterday, Brandon King has now struck 163 runs in three innings at Kensington Oval for just one dismissal. He will be aiming for more of the same today.
It is a big series for Nicholas Pooran, and he made a solid start with a measured 29-ball 27* in the first T20I. He struck 26 and 64 in his previous two T20Is vs Pakistan in late 2021.
Akeal Hosein has gone wicketless just once in his last eight T20Is. He has taken three wickets in two matches vs England in that period since the beginning of the T20 World Cup.
After his two-wicket haul in the first T20I, Sheldon Cottrell now has eight wickets in five T20Is vs England. Also, he loves bowling on this ground, with 24 wickets in just 13 T20s at an average under 14.
England:
James Vince looked the most comfortable of the England top order before giving his wicket away on 14. If he settles in early, he is capable of scoring big.
England need more from Jason Roy. The opener has struck just 32 runs in five T20Is vs West Indies at an average of 6.40 and strike rate of 94.11. Awful numbers he must improve on.
Sam Billings was out cheaply to spin in the first T20I, but he remains a dangerous player. He was in excellent touch in his recent Big Bash stint, where he scored 284 runs in nine innings at an average of 40.57 and strike rate of 153.51.
Billings has a score of 87 in his three T20I innings vs West Indies.
Adil Rashid has the most wickets in England-West Indies T20Is, with 16 scalps in nine matches. This includes a remarkable 4/2 in the T20 World Cup, and he was the only wicket-taker for England yesterday. He will be key on a pitch that could provide turn.
Tymal Mills will be key in the death overs. He had a great 2021 in short-form cricket, taking a total of 38 wickets in 27 matches at an economy rate of just 6.97. Chris Jordan has taken 11 wickets in nine T20Is vs West Indies.
Stats and Facts
West Indies’ win yesterday was their first win in their past five matches against England.
England skipper Eoin Morgan has the most runs of any current England player vs Windies (245, avg. 27.22, SR 116.66).
Windies skipper Kieron Pollard has some shocking numbers vs England, with just 49 runs in seven innings against them at an average of 9.80. But, he has the third-most runs of any player on this ground, with 548 runs in 26 innings at an average of 30.44 and strike rate of 140.87.
Possible Playing 11
West Indies could look to stick with the same winning team.
West Indies: 1. Brandon King, 2. Shai Hope (wk), 3. Nicholas Pooran, 4. Darren Bravo, 5. Kieron Pollard (c), 6. Jason Holder, 7. Fabian Allen, 8. Romario Shepherd, 9. Odean Smith, 10. Akeal Hosein, 11. Sheldon Cottrell
Eoin Morgan isn’t one to panic after a loss. So, England could give the same XI a shot at redemption.
England: 1. Jason Roy, 2. Tom Banton, 3. James Vince, 4. Moeen Ali, 5. Eoin Morgan (c), 6. Sam Billings (wk), 7. Liam Dawson, 8. Chris Jordan, 9. Adil Rashid, 10. Saqib Mahmood, 11. Tymal Mills
Kensington Oval Barbados Pitch Report and Weather
The Barbados track provided bounce for the bowlers, as well as turn for the spinners. Bowling into the wicket will be key, and any score around 140-150 batting first could be a winning one.
Another mostly clear and warm day is forecast in Barbados.
Dream11 Prediction
Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time.
Option 1:
WI vs ENG 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
WI vs ENG 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction
Fan2Play Prediction
Base team:
Wicket-keepers: Nicholas Pooran
Batsmen: Jason Roy, James Vince, Brandon King
All-rounders: Jason Holder, Moeen Ali
Bowlers: Adil Rashid, Sheldon Cottrell
Match Prediction
England are good enough to bounce back and they will put a much improved performance. England to win.
Cricket News: Men’s World Cups on Channel 9, Women’s ODI World Cup behind paywall | Women’s ODI World Cup not on free-to-air
International cricket will return to Channel 9 this year, with the network confirming it will broadcast all matches of the next two Men’s World Cups.
Australia will host this year’s T20 tournament and will aim to defend their crown after a terrific triumph in the UAE last year. The network will also broadcast the 2023 ODI World Cup, which will be held in India.
Channel 9 lost the right to the Australian home summer in April 2018, with Cricket Australia (CA) snapping up a $1.2 billion deal across Channel 7 and Fox Cricket. Brent Williams, Nine’s Director of Sport, is excited for the return of men’s cricket to the network.
“Any cricket World Cup is a premium event on the international calendar and we’re excited to be the free-to-air home of the 2022 (men’s) T20 World Cup in Australia and the 2023 (men’s ODI) World Cup which will be held in India,” Williams said in a release.
“Nine has a long and proud history with cricket and we look forward to that continuing with all Australian and key matches of these prestigious events being broadcast across Nine’s platforms.”
Disappointment as Women’s ODI World Cup behind paywall
However, there is a sense of disappointment as the Women’s ODI World Cup in New Zealand will not be broadcast on Free-to-Air television. Instead, the tournament, which starts on March 4, will be broadcast behind a paywall, with only fans with a Foxtel or Kayo subscription able to access the content.
It is a blow for the women’s game, particularly after the successful T20 World Cup of 2020 that saw nearly 90,000 fans flock the MCG to see Australia win the Final. Also, the recent Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) broke all sorts of records, including crowd and viewership numbers.
Australia wicket-keeper batter Alyssa Healy took to Twitter to express her disappointment and offer Kayo subscriptions to 20 lucky fans.
“In light of this mornings “interesting” news – I’m going to offer up 20x @kayosports Gift Cards for people to be able to watch our World Cup next month…” tweeted Healy with the hashtag #BreakTheBias.
In light of this mornings “interesting” news – I’m going to offer up 20x @kayosports Gift Cards for people to be able to watch our World Cup next month…
Australia, who recently won a world record 26 consecutive ODI matches, will attempt to reclaim the World Cup crown from England who won the title at Lord’s in 2017 vs India.
Meg Lanning’s team will begin their campaign against England on 5 March at Hamilton, before playing South Africa, India and New Zealand in a challenging group.
SCO vs SIX Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report: BBL 2021/22 Qualifier | SCO vs SIX Dream11 Prediction Today | Scorchers vs Sixers Key Players | Docklands Pitch Report
After Adelaide Strikers started the BBL 11 finals in brilliant fashion yesterday, it’s time for the Qualifier. Two of the tournament’s best teams – Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers – do battle in the quest to qualify for next week’s BBL 11 Final.
The Scorchers welcome back pacer Jhye Richardson to further bolster their pace attack. Couple this with the in-form batting lineup led by Mitch Marsh and the men in orange will be tough to beat.
And skipper Ashton Turner has called for a big performance. The captain has the defeats to the Sixers last season at the front of his mind, and he and the Scorchers will be aiming to use their experience at Docklands this season to good use.
It won’t be easy against the Sixers, which makes for a cracking contest. Moises Henriques’ team constantly find ways to win from difficult positions – a trait that has served them well. However, two of their last three victories (vs Thunder and Heat) were convincing thanks to strong totals on the board when batting first. If they get the chance to bat first here, they will be seeking more of the same.
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
Perth Scorchers:
Mitchell Marsh made the perfect return to BBL after the Ashes. He struck 59 off 34 balls on this ground vs Heat, part of 249 runs in seven innings at Docklands at an average of 41.50 and strike rate of 142.29.
Marsh, who didn’t play the Sixers in the BBL 11 regular season due to Ashes duty, has a solid record against the men in magenta. He has scored 230 runs in 10 innings at an average of 32.86 and strike rate of 127.07.
Colin Munro has had a good season despite the COVID-19 interruption. The left-hander has struck 377 runs at an average of 47.12 and strike rate of 129.10. He also averages 47.25 in five innings at Docklands, and will be looking to building on his average of 28.60 in five knocks vs Sixers.
Ashton Turner was player of the match the last time these two teams met. The skipper smashed 69 off 41 balls to lead his team to a five-wicket win.
Andrew Tye has the most wickets in Sixers-Scorchers matches with 24 scalps in 15 innings at an average of 16.58 and economy rate of 7.33. He took 3/17 and 0/39 against them in the regular season.
Jhye Richardson is back. The pacer has 13 wickets in 11 matches vs Sixers at an average of 27.23 and economy rate of 8.46. Also, Richardson has enjoyed past success at Docklands, with seven wickets in three games at an average of 9.40.
Jason Behrendorff also has 13 wickets vs Sixers, in 10 matches. He averages 16.54 per wicket against them and concedes runs at just 6.32 runs per over. Also, the left-armer has an impressive 13 wickets in seven matches at Docklands (avg. 10.31).
Sydney Sixers:
Josh Philippe has an excellent record vs Scorchers: 10 inns, 287 runs, avg. 41.00, SR 158.56. He was under-par against them in the league stage with scores of 0 and 32.
Moises Henriques (403) is not far behind Philippe (424) for the most runs of any Sixers player in BBL 11. He is in some decent touch, with scores of 49, 47, 17 and 28 in his last four knocks.
Henriques has scored 364 runs in 15 innings vs Scorchers at an average of 26.00 and strike rate of 126.83. At Docklands, Henriques has 206 runs to his name at an average of 41.20 and strike rate of 131.21.
Dan Christian struck 73 (61) and 35* (20) vs Scorchers in the regular season. He has scored 135 runs in five matches vs Scorchers since the start of 2020 season at an average of 45.00 and strike rate of 133.66.
Sean Abbott has taken just one wicket in his last three games, but he can fire at any moment. He has the most wickets of any Sixers bowler vs Scorchers, with 19 scalps in 15 innings at an average of 24.42 and economy rate of 9.41.
Hayden Kerr has been a brilliant find for the Sixers. He has taken the second-most wickets of any bowler in BBL 11 (22), including 4/32 and 1/30 vs Scorchers.
Ben Dwarshuis has 15 wickets in 13 matches vs Scorchers (avg. 22.27), and a superb tally of 12 wickets in his last five matches.
Stats and Facts
Head-to-head: Matches 22, Scorchers 13, Sixers 9.
Scorchers beat Sixers twice in the BBL 11 league stage.
Mitch Marsh has struck three 50+ scores in six innings in BBL 11 (314 runs, avg. 78.50, SR 148.81).
Ashton Agar has taken just three wickets in nine matches vs Sixers (avg. 84.33). He is in form, though, with 15 wickets in 13 matches this season.
Daniel Hughes has struck two half-centuries in his last three matches.
Steve O’Keefe has taken five wickets in his past two matches. He has a tally of 10 wickets in 16 matches vs Scorchers (avg. 39.30), but the Docklands track could suit him.
Possible Playing 11
Perth Scorchers have named their squad, with Jhye Richardson available.
Josh Inglis has a score of 69 in five innings vs Sixers. Overall, he has scored 142 runs against them at an average of 28.40 and strike rate of 136.54.
Perth Scorchers: 1. Kurtis Patterson, 2. Josh Inglis (wk), 3. Mitchell Marsh, 4. Colin Munro, 5. Ashton Turner (c), 6. Aaron Hardie, 7. Ashton Agar, 8. Andrew Tye, 9. Jhye Richardson, 10. Jason Behrendorff, 11. Peter Hatzoglou
Sydney Sixers have also named their squad for this match. Jordan Silk has been named and is a chance of returning from a hamstring injury.
Sydney Sixers: 1. Josh Philippe (wk), 2. Jack Edwards, 3. Daniel Hughes, 4. Moises Henriques (c), 5. Jordan Silk/Justin Avendano, 6. Dan Christian, 7. Sean Abbott, 8. Hayden Kerr, 9. Ben Dwarshuis, 10. Nathan Lyon, 11. Steve O’Keefe
Docklands Marvel Stadium Pitch Report and Weather
The Docklands surface has shown signs of slowing down this season, but it has remained a pretty good batting pitch. The average first innings score on this ground in BBL 11 is 173.44, with the team batting first winning six out of the nine matches.
It is a warm and sunny day in Melbourne (top of 35 degrees).
Dream11 Prediction
Note: The below teams are not based on final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time.
Option 1:
BBL 2021/22 Qualifier: SCO vs SIX Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
BBL 2021/22 Qualifier: SCO vs SIX Dream11 Prediction
Fan2Play Prediction
Base team:
Wicket-keepers: Josh Philippe
Batsmen: Dan Hughes
All-rounders: Mitch Marsh, Sean Abbott, Dan Christian
Bowlers: Jhye Richardson, Hayden Kerr
Match Prediction
Batting first with a score of 170+ could prove to be a winning position. Scorchers start as favourites given their recent record vs Sixers and experience of Docklands.
AUS-W vs ENG-W Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report: Womens Ashes 2022 2nd T20 | AU-W vs EN-W Dream11 Prediction Today | Australia Women vs England Women Key Players | Adelaide Oval Pitch Report
Stand up and applaud. After England made an excellent start to the Women’s Ashes series with the bat, the magnificent Tahlia McGrath took matters into her own hands to lead Australia to an important first up victory.
On the day where the home side made the big call to leave out the great Ellyse Perry, McGrath produced an all-round performance for the ages, taking 3/26 and scoring 91* off 49 balls to guide her team to an easy nine-wicket win.
And yet, the margin of the result does not accurately reflect England’s good moments with the bat. They were on top of the Aussie bowlers for the majority of their innings, courtesy mainly of the impressive Danni Wyatt and Tammy Beaumont. This will give the tourists confidence that they can score well across the entirety of the series, but Australia have a number of players who can step up when needed.
And Meg Lanning’s team will be aiming to produce the goods today. While the skipper and McGrath were superb in a batting masterclass, it is the bowling and fielding that will be an area of focus on today’s day game. Get that right, and England will be facing an even taller task to level this series.
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
Australia:
An all-round performance for the ages. Tahlia McGrath is a must-pick in all fantasy teams and a very good captain choice. She was player of the match in the first T20I with 3/26 and 91*.
Incredibly, McGrath has smashed 177 runs in her three T20I innings without dismissal. Also, she has a strike rate of 156.63.
Meg Lanning has the most runs in Australia-England T20Is, bolstered further by her excellent 44-ball 64* two days ago. She now has 987 runs vs England at an excellent average of 44.86 and strike rate of 128.85.
Lanning has struck 315 runs at the Adelaide Oval at an average of 31.50 and strike rate of 118.42.
Alyssa Healy missed out once again vs England (5). She averages just 16.32 against them, with a top score of 37 in 27 T20I innings. Can she improve on this today?
Alana King was excellent on T20I debut. She put the brakes on the England scoring. The leg-spinner took 1/28, following on from her excellent WBBL campaign where she took 16 wickets in 13 matches at an economy rate of under six per over.
Megan Schutt went wicketless in the first T20I (0/28), but she can never be counted out. She has the second-most wickets of any bowler against England in T20Is, with an impressive 26 scalps in 18 matches at an average of 15.42 and strike rate of 15.
Jess Jonassen had a tough outing in the first T20I (0/23 off two overs), with the England batters targeting her. She has 18 wickets in 23 T20Is vs England (including six in her last six matches), and has the class to bounce back.
England:
Danielle Wyatt has struck a century and two half-centuries in her last four Ashes T20Is in Australia. Her 54-ball 70 set up the innings for England on Thursday, and she will be aiming to build further on her average of 20.44 vs Australia.
Tammy Beaumont also looked good for her 24-ball 30. Her performance was better than her average vs Australia (17.15), so she will be out to improve on this once again.
Nat Sciver scored 26 runs in her final 12 deliveries two days ago. The all-rounder will be key to England’s hopes today after a tough outing with the ball in the first T20I (3-0-31-0).
Sciver has scored 459 runs vs Australia at an average of 24.15. She also has 18 wickets at an average of 23.16 and strike rate of 18.7. Key player.
Skipper Heather Knight went for 17 in her only over in the first match, so how she also bounces back will be key. She averages just 14.95 in 23 innings with the bat in T20Is vs Australia, but she has been terrific in T20Is since the start of 2020: 20 matches, 619 runs, avg. 36.41, SR 127.10.
Sophie Ecclestone was a standout with the ball once again for England. She was their only wicket-taker in the first T20I (1/29), part of 16 wickets in 13 T20Is vs Australia at an average of 20.87 and strike rate of 18.6.
Ecclestone is set to play her 50th T20I at just 22 years of age. She has an impressive 68 wickets to her name at an average of 15.94 and strike rate of 16.
Stats and Facts
Head-to-Head: Matches 38, Australia 19, England 19.
Australia have won seven of the past nine matches between the teams.
Tahlia McGrath is yet to be dismissed in T20Is.
Possible Playing 11
Australia could stick with the same team that won the first T20I. Ashleigh Gardner wasn’t called upon to bowl in the first match, so Australia could look to use her off-spin despite England’s list of right-handers.
It was an absolute belter for batting at the Adelaide Oval two days ago. There were three half-centuries in total, with Australia chasing England’s seemingly competitive total of 169 with an incredible 18 balls and nine wickets to spare.
The chasing team has won the last nine women’s T20s on this ground, dating back to the WBBL.
The weather is iffy in Adelaide for this match, with rain set to engulf the city over the coming week. Expect interruptions, but there is hope of a result with some wind also forecast that could help blow clouds over.
Dream11 Prediction
Note: The below teams are not based on final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time.
Option 1:
Womens Ashes 2022 2nd T20: AU-W vs EN-W Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
Womens Ashes 2022 2nd T20: AU-W vs EN-W Dream11 Prediction
Cricket News: Top 5 Ajinkya Rahane innings in the IPL | Looking at the best 5 innings played by Ajinkya Rahane in the IPL
T20 cricket was initially dubbed to be a misfit to the more classical mould of cricketers. Many believed that they lacked the ingenuity to keep up with the pace of the shortest format of the game.
However, with time, it has come to light that the any teams needs to be made up of players with different attributes and skillsets to eventually succeed in the long run. There is space for most kinds of cricketers in the T20 game and hence the rather rigid stereotypes formed earlier began diminishing gradually.
In that context, the entire Indian cricket fraternity is building up to the Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions that will take place in Bengaluru next month. Several Indian internationals will be in the fray for selection and amongst them will also be former test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, despite his current form struggles.
After a couple of seasons with the Delhi Capitals, the 33-year-old will perhaps be in the radar of multiple sides looking to strengthen their top-order and add more experience and leadership qualities to their setup.
Having represented four different teams in the league, Rahane has played numerous valuable knocks for the sides over the years. In this article, we will be elaborating on five of his most impactful innings in the IPL.
Ajinkya Rahane: Top 5 innings in IPL cricket
105* vs Delhi Capitals, 2019
The Delhi Capitals had gradually embarked on their turnaround journey from 2019 onwards and were quite a force to reckoned with that year. Ishant Sharma kept things neat for them with the ball at start whereas the duo of Kagiso Rabada and Chris Morris provided the explosive pace at all stages of the innings.
However, Rahane, relieved of his captaincy duties, played an absolute stunner in Jaipur in April 2019 against a high-quality Delhi bowling unit. He maximized the powerplay overs by threading the gaps with perfection before taking on the charge against the spinners in the middle-overs.
The sheer ease with which he cleared the long boundary ropes of the Sawai Mansingh Stadium was testament to the pace that he scores runs with when in fine touch. With 11 boundaries and three sixes, Rahane brought up his century and stayed unbeaten at 105 at an exemplary strike rate of 166.67.
Certainly, it was one of his best nights for the Rajasthan Royals (RR) before parting ways with the franchise in the following season.
60 vs Mumbai Indians, 2017
Top-class batsmen step up to the occasions against difficult bowling attacks.
They look to counter-attack, preventing the opposition from piling up pressure on them. Across different formats, Rahane has been at his best whenever he has taken the attack to the opposition.
Playing for the now defunct Pune franchise in 2017, he put up a brilliant display of timing and fluent stroke-play against a Mumbai attack spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah.
Rahane scored six boundaries and three sixes in his innings of 60 runs in 34 balls as he took on the Kiwi duo of Tim Southee and Mitchell McClenaghan without any inhibitions right from the beginning.
Pune was chasing a steep total of 185 runs and Rahane’s terrific knock at a strike rate of 176.47 helped the team trounce the eventual champions of that season.
91 vs Delhi Capitals, 2015
Rahane has had a formidable record against the Delhi Capitals, averaging 65.33 and having scored six half-centuries and a century across the seasons against his former team.
Back in 2015, he was going through a purple patch of sorts with a string of commendable performances in a season he finished as the second-highest run-scorer in the league.
In addition to his two centuries in the league, there have been two instances where he has gotten to the 90s as well. This was one of those games against Delhi when everything seemed to click well for Rahane.
Playing at the Brabourne Stadium, Rajasthan were put to bat and the Indian batsman began stamping his authority on the proceedings right from the beginning.
Stitching a good partnership with Karun Nair, Rahane played throughout the length of the 20 overs to set up a brilliant total of 189 runs on the board. He bagged nine boundaries along with three sixes but also worked the ball around well for singles and doubles to sustain the momentum of the innings.
Donning the responsibility of a senior batsman well, the former RR skipper demonstrated his unique skillsets brilliantly in that game.
103* vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2012
In one of his earliest sublime knocks in the league, Rahane scored his inaugural century in the league against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in 2012.
Indian cricket was going through a phase of transition back then, with the selectors on the lookout for fresh talents especially in white-ball game.
Rahane had already debuted for India until then but this was arguably the first time that he made the world sit back and take notice of his undoubted cricketing prowess.
The RCB attack comprised of two fine, world-class spinners in Muttiah Muralitharan and Daniel Vettori but Rahane showed no mercy as he shredded their attack to bits with 12 boundaries in five sixes!
Over 75 per cent of his runs came from boundaries as he shouldered the responsibility for a rather fragile batting lineup and propelled RR to put up 195 runs on the board and eventually win the match fairly convincingly as well.
60 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2020
Rahane has fared best as an opener in the white-ball game but team dynamics required him to bat at number three for some part of IPL 2020. In one of the games, RCB were defending 153 runs against Delhi on a tricky surface in Abu Dhabi and the Capitals lost their opener Prithvi Shaw very early on to Mohammed Siraj.
RCB had a quality bowling unit with the likes of Morris, Mohammed Siraj, Isuru Udana and Yuzvendra Chahal at their disposal.
They were naturally looking to capitalize on the opening that emerged from Shaw’s dismissal but Rahane set his foot down and anchored the chase to absolute perfection.
Batting alongside Shikhar Dhawan, the 33-year-old kept the scoreboard ticking and always kept up with the required run rate through timely boundaries. He made a rather challenging chase look easy to the eye with some sensible level-headedness, game awareness and seamless batting.
He stayed on the crease right until the very end, securing Delhi an important victory at a crucial stage of the season. With a dynamic batting approach, Rahane has shown the ability to adapt to different roles over the years and that is prevalent from the several impactful innings that he has played in the IPL.
STR vs HUR Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report: BBL 2021/22 Eliminator | STR vs HUR Dream11 Prediction Today | Strikers vs Hurricanes Key Players | MCG Pitch Report
After 56 matches of the BBL regular season, attention finally moves to the finals. A few weeks ago, it may have been unthinkable to even believe that Adelaide Strikers would reach this stage. They had only won two of their first nine matches, but all those Bash Boost points and five wins from their last six matches has set them up perfectly.
Even better, they welcome back Alex Carey and Travis Head from a successful Ashes campaign. Head was player of the series, with another Test century setting up a resounding win for the Aussies in Hobart.
After struggling throughout the season, the Strikers all of a sudden are a team to watch. So, Hobart Hurricanes, who were on the wrong end of a record-breaking evening at the MCG two nights ago, will have to be on their game. Matthew Wade’s team conceded a world record T20 franchise score in the process, but they will field a much different attack tonight after resting key players for the Stars match.
A month ago, the Hurricanes would have been backed to win this kind of match easily. Now, they need their batsmen to step up as a unit. They confirmed their passage to the finals with a shaky win against last-placed Renegades earlier this week, so will the Eliminator be the fuse that lights the Hurricanes’ flame?
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
Adelaide Strikers:
Alex Carey is back on deck for the Strikers, and he comes into this match with an excellent record vs Hurricanes. In seven matches against them, he has struck 296 runs at an average of 42.29 and strike rate of 145.81. This includes a century.
Travis Head has very similar numbers vs Hurricanes to Carey. The left-hander has 279 runs to his name in seven innings at an average of 45.33 and strike rate of 142.21.
Ian Cockbain has made a superb impact for the Strikers. He has struck 123 runs in his three matches for just the one dismissal, including a match-winning 72* off 41 balls vs Sydney Sixers four days ago.
Matt Short was player of the match in the Strikers’ last match vs Hurricanes (72* off 44 balls and 1/25). Jono Wells has scored the fifth-most runs of any player in BBL 11 (409, avg. 34.08, SR 127.01), but averages just 22 overall vs Hurricanes.
Peter Siddle decimated the Hurricanes batting lineup on January 5. The veteran seamer took 5/23, part of 17 wickets in nine matches vs Hurricanes. Also, Siddle finished the league stage with the most wickets of any bowler (23).
Fawad Ahmed has been outstanding in recent matches. He has played a key role in the Strikers’ revival. The leg-spinner has taken eight wickets in his last four matches (1/34, 3/30, 1/33, 3/16).
Hobart Hurricanes:
Ben McDermott smashed a century vs Strikers earlier this season (110* off 60 balls). The keeper-batsman hit the most runs of any player in the league stage, with 571 runs at a superb average of 51.90 and strike rate of 153.49.
McDermott has struck 292 runs in nine innings vs Strikers at an average of 41.71 and strike rate of 146.00, and is coming off a 33-ball 55 vs Stars on this ground two nights ago.
D’Arcy Short has compiled a good tally of 388 runs this season at an average of 35.27, but the strike rate of 108.37 is an issue. He was seen with Ricky Ponting after the Stars match two nights ago, so it will be interesting to see if that has an impact on his game.
Short has the most runs in Strikers-Hurricanes matches. He has smashed 570 runs at an average of 51.82 and strike rate of 138.69, including scores of 37 (32) and 32 (32) this season.
Matthew Wade scored just 6 and 1 vs Strikers in the league stage. The Hurricanes need their skipper to fire here at a ground he enjoys batting at (19 inns, 544 runs, avg. 38.86, SR 137.72).
Wade has a superb record vs Strikers since the start of 2018, despite the low scores this season. He has struck 334 runs in eight innings in this period at an average of 66.80 and strike rate of 173.06.
Tom Rogers took the most wickets among Hurricanes bowlers this season (18 in 12 matches, avg. 19.38, econ. 7.75). He took 1/30 and 0/29 vs Strikers in the league stage.
Riley Meredith has taken four wickets in his last two matches, and took 3/37 vs Strikers earlier in the season. Scott Boland is set to play after a memorable Ashes series, and has five wickets in four matches vs Strikers (avg. 24.20).
Both sides won a game against each other in the BBL 11 league stage. Strikers won the most recent meeting by seven wickets after rolling the Hurricanes for 126.
Will Strikers play Jake Weatherald? He has struggled this season (avg. 17.75) but has the most runs for any Strikers player vs Hurricanes (424, avg. 38.55).
Possible Playing 11
Travis Head and Alex Carey are available in a huge boost for the Strikers. They have been named in their matchday squad.
It remains to be seen how the Strikers organise their batting lineup with Carey and Head back. There may be room for only one of Jake Weatherald or Matt Renshaw, but Renshaw is in some terrific form at the top of the order. To cater for that, the Strikers may look to push Matt Short down the order as a finisher even though he has opened all season.
Adelaide Strikers: 1. Matt Short, 2. Alex Carey (wk), 3. Travis Head, 4. Ian Cockbain, 5. Jono Wells, 6. Matt Renshaw, 7. Daniel Worrall/Thomas Kelly, 8. Peter Siddle (c), 9. Henry Thornton, 10. Harry Conway, 11. Fawad Ahmed
Hobart Hurricanes have also named their squad. Scott Boland, Riley Meredith and Tom Rogers should all play after being rested two nights ago vs Stars.
Sandeep Lamichhane has completed his BBL 11 stint, returning to Nepal to prepare for the ICC T20 World Cup Qualifiers.
Hobart Hurricanes: 1. Ben McDermott (wk), 2. Caleb Jewell, 3. Matthew Wade (c), 4. D’Arcy Short, 5. Tim David, 6. Peter Handscomb, 7. Jordan Thompson, 8. Tom Rogers, 9. Riley Meredith, 10. Scott Boland, 11. Wil Parker/Josh Kann
MCG Pitch Report and Weather
Melbourne Stars belted a record 273/2 on this ground two nights ago. The surface was good for batting, but experienced bowlers – particularly spinners – can get help from the surface. In fact, Cameron Boyce took five wickets – including a double-hattrick – vs Thunder in the game before Glenn Maxwell’s 154*.
It is a hot and clear day in Melbourne today with a top of about 31 degrees.
Dream11 Prediction
Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. Keep an eye out for the final batting orders. We may not be able to update the below teams in time.
Option 1:
BBL 2021/22 Eliminator: STR vs HUR Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
BBL 2021/22 Eliminator: STR vs HUR Dream11 Prediction
Fan2Play Prediction
Base team:
Wicket-keepers: Ben McDermott
Batsmen: Ian Cockbain, Caleb Jewell
All-rounders: Matt Short, Travis Head, D’Arcy Short
Bowlers: Peter Siddle, Riley Meredith
Match Prediction
Strikers are the in-form team in the league. And now, they have Head and Carey on board. They will be tough to beat.
