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Maheesh Theekshana pinpoints why India struggled in ODI series

Charbel Coorey
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Maheesh Theekshana pinpoints why India struggled in ODI series

In the aftermath of Sri Lanka’s 2-0 series win over India, Maheesh Theekshana said that the visitors’ struggles against spin comes down to the conditions they play in at home. The spinner believes that the batting-friendly grounds in India contributed to their downfall, with the middle order in particular all at sea against the spinners during the ODI series.

“It’s a confidence-booster. The team was disappointed after the T20s, and we had extra motivation and it’s a huge victory for us and I’m really proud I was part of the XI,” Theekshana said after the match.

“We knew they [India] are used to small grounds and good wickets in India. We knew we could get an advantage with some turn on the wicket, and we have good spinners. Really happy about the victory, and it’s a huge confidence-booster.”

Maheesh Theekshana among the wickets as India struggle

The three ODIs all took a similar pattern. Sri Lanka struck scores in the region of 230-250, before Rohit Sharma got India off to a flyer on each occasion. But, the Indian middle order had no answers.

In the first match, India lost their ten wickets for 155 runs after a 75-run opening stand. Their last seven wickets fell for exactly 100. The second match was worse, with India losing their ten wickets for 111 after a 97-run stand for the first wicket. In the third game, India fell from 53/1 in 7 overs to 138 all-out in 26.1 overs.

“We knew they [India] are used to small grounds and good wickets in India. We knew we could get an advantage with some turn on the wicket, and we have good spinners.”

Maheesh Theekshana

The collapses drew criticism from India fans as to the personnel and approach against spin. Rohit Sharma denied any complacency in the group after the 3-0 T20I series win, but said that India must look at how they play spin.

“I don’t think it’s a concern,” said Rohit of India’s first series defeat against Sri Lanka in 27 years as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “But it’s something we need to look at seriously, into our individual game plans. We were definitely put under pressure throughout the series. We need to look into it, do something differently, need to talk about it and come back with different plans.”

Theekshana was among the wicket-takers in the final game. In total, Sri Lanka took 27 wickets via spin – the most ever in a three-match men’s ODI series. The previous record was 21 by Bangladesh against Pakistan in 2011 and Papua New Guinea against Hong Kong in 2016.

22-year-old Dunith Wellalge finished as player of the series with 108 runs and seven wickets.

SL vs IND 3rd ODI Reactions: Hosts smash India by 118 runs to seal historic series win

Charbel Coorey
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SL vs IND 3rd ODI Reactions: Hosts smash India by 118 runs to seal historic series win

SL vs IND 3rd ODI reactions: Sri Lanka have beaten India in a bilateral ODI series for the first time since August 1997. They sealed a 2-0 win in the third match at the R Premadasa Stadium (RPS) in Colombo courtesy of a strong performance from the top order and dominant display once again from the spinners.

Batting first, Sri Lanka posted 248/7, similar totals to the 230 and 240 they managed in the opening two ODIs. However, this time, they didn’t endure a top order collapse. By the 36th over, the hosts were beautifully placed at 171/1, with player of the match Avishka Fernando (96) nearing a century.

His wicket, LBW to debutant Riyan Parag, sparked a collapse. The Lions lost their next five wickets for 28 runs to give India a foothold in the game. However, the amount of turn and deliveries staying low would have kept India very nervous given what happened in the series previously.

In response, Rohit Sharma again provided a quick start for India. He was hell-bent on knocking off as much of the total as possible while the two new balls were skidding on better. However, his dismissal once again triggered a familiar collapse in this series. India’s middle order, remarkably, looked all at sea against spin – the discipline one would expect these batters to excel in.

India were bundled out for 138 in just 26.1 overs, with player of the series Dunith Wellalage starring with 5/27.

SL vs IND 3rd ODI Reactions: Sri Lankans jubilant, India fans at a loss to describe deficiencies against spin

Sri Lanka were praised for their wonderful display. especially with so many players unavailable. India, on the other hand, came in for criticism. The batters were in the spotlight for how they played spin, while Gautam Ghambir’s tactics as coach, including leaving KL Rahul out, also came for attention.

As Wasim Jaffer mentioned in his post, India has just three more ODIs to play before next year’s Champions Trophy (CT). The way they played spin in this series is cause of concern, especially given they could be playing their CT games in Sri Lanka.

Next up for India are two Tests and three T20Is against Bangladesh at home in September and October. Sri Lanka will now travel to England for three Tests, with the first to begin on 21 August in Manchester.

Rangana Herath exclusive interview: Great spinner speaks about 5/3 vs NZ in 2014 T20 World Cup & more

Arvind Kalyana Krishnan
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Rangana Herath exclusive interview: Great spinner speaks about 5/3 vs NZ in 2014 T20 World Cup & more

Terms such as “Underrated” and “Legend” are often used in cricket. However, not every cricket athlete gets associated with both terms at the same time. If there’s one cricketer who fits both categories, it’s undoubtedly Rangana Herath. The former Sri Lankan left-arm orthodox spinner is arguably one of the greatest bowlers to have played the game.

Despite playing a major part of his career during the Muttiah Muralitharan era, Herath went on to become a cult figure in Sri Lanka and did a fantastic job post the retirement of Muralitharan.

The 46-year-old is statistically the most successful left-arm spinner in the history of the game. Thus, it is safe to call Herath a “Silent Assassin”. With over 1,000 first-class wickets, 500 international wickets, and 400 Test wickets, the Sri Lankan had several iconic moments in his career.

During a recent exclusive interview with journalist Arvind Kalyana Krishnan obtained by CricBlog, Herath drew light on some of the illustrious moments of his career that spanned over two decades, and spoke about some of his personal favourite performances. Further on, he was candid about Sri Lankan cricket in general, and what winning the ICC World T20 in 2014 meant to him and the country. As far as the fifth edition of the biggest T20 tournament is concerned, it was Herath’s fifer against New Zealand that enabled the emerald nation to proceed to the knockouts.

As a matter of fact, his spell against New Zealand during the World T20 2014 is considered one of the greatest spells in the shortest format of the game. The fact that a bowler with 434 Test wickets played an instrumental role in winning his side a T20 World Cup speaks volumes of his versatility. In addition, while speaking to Arvind, Herath also gave his opinion on spinners of the current generation and picked some of his favorite spinners from this era.

Rangana Herath interview: Legendary spinners shares insights on his favourite moments and the best spinners currently

Below is the entire interview with Rangana Herath.

1) Throughout your career, you’ve bowled several memorable spells and have won many games for Sri Lanka. Which is your personal favourite spell? Which is your best spell/best performance according to you?

Rangana Herath: Firstly thank you very much for having me. So I’d like to highlight the first game that I played (for Sri Lanka) against Australia way back in 1999 in Galle. That was my debut, and it’s everyone’s dream to represent your country. So I was very happy that day. That was my biggest achievement, playing for the country. It was that whole game, which I still remember. I’ll remember that for my life.

After that, the second one was the Test which we won against South Africa in South Africa, that second Test in Durban. So basically I won the player of the match award and had picked nine wickets, so that was the second one.

Apart from that, winning the World Cup in 2014 and the fifer against New Zealand. I mean I’ve played a lot of games and there are many memorable spells but if I have to pick a few then the Test where I took 14 wickets against Pakistan, which was Mahela Jayawardene’s last Test and the other one is of course the three-Test match series against Australia which we won 3-0.

2) You’ve played many games against Australia and have a very good record against them. Could you draw light on a personal favourite memory/incident while playing against Australia? Is there a specific memory/incident against Australia that you will always remember?

Rangana Herath: Again, the one that was way back in 1999. It was my first game against Australia as well as my debut. So yeah, as I said earlier, that one and the series that we won 3-0 against Australia in 2016. So those two were my best memories while playing against Australia.

3) Are there any spinners from this era that have managed to impress you? Currently, who’s your favourite spinner (or who are your favourite spinners) in international cricket? Who would you rate as the best spinners of the current generation?

Rangana Herath: It’s got to be Ravichandran Ashwin and Nathan Lyon if you take finger spinners. Another one I like is of course Keshav Maharaj from South Africa. I’m also always very keen on watching Kuldeep Yadav bowl I mean. As for Sri Lanka, of course, Prabath Jayasuriya, so yes, these are some of the names that come across my mind.

4) The World T20 2014 is special for every Sri Lankan fan. Not only did you win it, but you yourself had a memorable tournament. Your fifer against New Zealand is one of the greatest spells of all time. Could you draw light on what that campaign meant to you personally as Sri Lanka had won an ICC trophy after 18 years? What were the scenes in the dressing room after beating India to win the T20 WC in the final?

Rangana Herath: Ok, so I’ll first speak about the game against New Zealand. It was a must-win game for us during the Super 10 and during the first innings of the game, we had only scored 119 and by that time we all knew that we had to win that game otherwise we couldn’t get to the semis.

So if I were to speak about our plan then we all knew that if someone scored well, then it wouldn’t be easy to defend the total and keep the score below 119 so we had to pick all the wickets. So in that case the team and coaching staff had a very brief discussion….Before the game as well as during the game.

New Zealand at that time were struggling against spin. So at that time we had planned that whatever happens, we will bowl spinners during the powerplays. So we did the same thing. So I think I bowled two overs early on. I took the wickets of Brendon Mccullum and Ross Taylor during the powerplay overs. So the plan was to take all the wickets otherwise New Zealand would’ve won the game.

So yeah, the plan went according to the preparations. After that yes, as you mentioned we basically hadn’t won an ICC trophy for several years. We had last won the World Cup in 1996. After that, we came to the finals on numerous occasions but unfortunately we couldn’t be on the winning side. So basically, the T20 WC in 2014 was an opportunity.

So yes, we had a chance after 18 years as we had last won in 1996 and basically it was a big achievement as a cricketer, as a cricket team and as a nation. I mean it’s not an easy thing as we were waiting for this for a very long time for this…..We were waiting for this opportunity and trophy so yeah, it was a remarkable day for Sri Lanka cricket as well as individually and also for the team.

I still remember those memories like it happened today. So yes, I’m still hoping that someday Sri Lanka will get another ICC trophy in the near future. So I would like to wish Sri Lanka well and hope they do well in the future.

At the same time, I’d like to congratulate the Sri Lankan women’s team for winning the Women’s Asia Cup 2024. They made a remarkable achievement recently.

(Regarding the emotions after winning the T20 WC 2014) Obviously, yes, it was an emotional moment for me. Like I said earlier, we won an ICC trophy after 18 years so as a team member and as a team it was very emotional. At the end, we all celebrated that a lot as at the end of the day, winning an ICC trophy is a big thing. So it was a remarkable day for Sri Lanka….I mean for the country, for the team, and as an individual too.

ICC keeping close eye on unrest in Bangladesh ahead of 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup

Charbel Coorey
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ICC keeping close eye on unrest in Bangladesh ahead of 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup

According to a report from The Times of India (TOI), a spokesperson from the International Cricket Council (ICC) said they are closely monitoring the situation in Bangladesh ahead of the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup. Sheikh Hasina has resigned as Prime Minister and fled the country via an army helicopter as anti-government rallies, led by Bangladeshi students, ramped up in recent months.

Hasina’s government implemented a quota system that reserved 30% of the government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s War of Independence in 1971. Also, high unemployment and inflation has led to further unrest, with protests, violence, and deaths on the streets.

The situation in Bangladesh could jeopardise the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place between October 3 and 20 in Dhaka and Sylhet.

“The ICC is closely monitoring developments in coordination with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), their security agencies and our own independent security consultants. Our priority is the safety and well-being of all participants,” the ICC spokesperson told TOI.

Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Indian External Affairs, posted on X that citizens are advised against travelling to Bangladesh.

“In view of ongoing developments, Indian nationals are strongly advised against travelling to Bangladesh till further notice,” the post read.

“All Indian nationals presently in Bangladesh are advised to exercise extreme caution, restrict their movements and remain in contact with the High Commission of India in Dhaka through emergency phone numbers.”

CA yet to have conversations on situation in Bangladesh ahead of 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup

In an interview obtained by CricBlog last week, legendary all-rounder Ellyse Perry confirmed she was yet to hear from Cricket Australia (CA) on the situation in Bangladesh.

“No, absolutely not,” she said when asked whether conversations were had with CA on the unrest. “Like every other tour and competition we play on, there’s a huge canvassing of security, and where we’re travelling to, and there’s lots of people that handle that so we have absolute faith in that.”

“I’m sure if we play over there, it’ll be in the safe positions,” she said.

At this stage, there is no news or confirmation of an alternative venue for the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup if Bangladesh is deemed unsafe.

When is the last time Sri Lanka beat India in an ODI series?

Charbel Coorey
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When is the last time Sri Lanka beat India in an ODI series?

Sri Lanka won their first ODI series against India since 1997. They pulled off a 2-0 series win after a thrilling tie at the R Premadasa Stadium (RPS) in Colombo.

In both the first two games, Sri Lanka found themselves in trouble. They lost their first six wickets for 142 and 136 respectively, before their lower order, led especially by the talented Dunith Wellalage, fought back.

Their spinners then put a stronghold on the Indian batting lineup on slow surfaces, with Jeffrey Vandersay, an injury replacement for Wanindu Hasaranga, producing his best performance of his career, taking 6/33 in the second ODI. The efforts of their spinners have been much-needed given they have five frontline fast bowlers unavailable.

Sri Lanka seal first ODI series win over India since August 1997

It is quite remarkable to think that Sri Lanka had not beaten India in an ODI series for 27 years when you consider the great teams they have had. Sri Lanka won the three-match series 3-0 in August 1997, with Aravinda de Silva (212), Mohammad Azharuddin (211) and Sanath Jayasuriya (210) the top three run-scorers.

Abey Kuruvilla (6), Sanath Jayasuriya (5) and Upul Chandana (4) were the top three wicket-takers.

Embed from Getty Images

Since Sri Lanka’s last win, India won 11 bilateral series with two others drawn. The visitors were also strong favourites to win the 2024 series after sweeping the T20Is 3-0 and then welcoming back regulars including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Kuldeep Yadav and KL Rahul.

This win for the Lions is sweet given the troubles they had against India last year. They were rolled for 50 in the Asia Cup Final, soon before they were blown away for 55 in the Cricket World Cup.

“We didn’t play good cricket, that’s why we lost the game,” Rohit Sharma said in the presentation after the second match. “We do understand the nature of this surface and the nature of how the game is going to go as well. It gets really, really tough in the middle overs. So you have to try and capitalize in the powerplay and get as many runs as possible.”

Joginder Sharma reveals interesting thoughts on Gautam Gambhir as India coach

Charbel Coorey
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Joginder Sharma reveals interesting thoughts on Gautam Gambhir as India coach

Joginder Sharma, who memorably took the final wicket in India’s 2007 T20 World Cup triumph, has expressed his thoughts on new coach Gautam Gambhir. Despite Gambhir’s positive start in charge of the team during the ongoing tour of Sri Lanka, Sharma believes he won’t last the entirety of his contract, which expires in 2027.

According to Joginder, Gambhir can make certain decisions that can lead to controversies. He expects there to be conflict of views and beliefs during the stint.

“Gautam Gambhir is the one to manage the team, but I believe that Gautam Gambhir will not be able to stay for a long time. This is because Gautam Gambhir has his own decisions,” Joginder said in Subhankar Mishra’s podcast.

“It might happen that he has a disagreement with a player. I am not talking about Virat Kohli. Many times, Gautam Gambhir’s decisions are such that others do not like them.”

Gautam Gambhir speaks directly and is not someone who will go to anyone – Joginder Sharma

The 40-year-old added that Gambhir is a straight-shooter who will make decisions on his own terms. That being said, Joginder described Gambhir as one who does his work with great honesty, and what you see is what you get.

“Gautam Gambhir speaks directly. He is not someone who will go to anyone. Gautam Gambhir is not a person who flatters. We are the ones who give him credit. He does his work, does it sincerely, and does it with great honesty,” Joginder said.

In Gambhir’s first assignment as coach, India beat Sri Lanka 3-0 in the T20Is, headlined by a stunning win in the final match where defeat looked all but certain. India have not hesitated in giving part-time bowlers a chance, with Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh, Rohit Sharma and Riyan Parag sending down overs.

The tour then moved to the ODIs, where India lost a series to Sri Lanka for the first time since 1997. Things haven’t got much better, losing a home Test series for the first time since 2012, going down in the first two Tests against New Zealand in October.

England squad updates for Sri Lanka Tests: Crawley, Pennington out

Charbel Coorey
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England squad updates for Sri Lanka Tests: Crawley, Pennington out

The England squad for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka has been confirmed. Zak Crawley is a notable absentee, as he has been ruled out due to a fractured finger. Dan Lawrence will open in his place.

Crawley picked up the injury during England’s ten-wicket win against West Indies in the third Test at Edgbaston. He will miss the rest of the Hundred and is aiming to be ready for England’s tour of Pakistan in October.

The call to play Lawrence as opener is an interesting one. He has had a strong season for Surrey, but he’s played in the middle order. He has struck 584 runs in nine matches at an average of 53.09 and strike rate of 74.68.

Also, pace bowler Dillon Pennington is not in the squad due to a hamstring injury sustained during the Hundred. According to ESPNcricinfo, Pennington is expected to miss the rest of the English season. Olly Stone has been selected in his place.

England Test squad vs Sri Lanka

Uncapped batsman Jordan Cox has been included. Cox has been outstanding for Essex this season, striking 763 runs at an average of 69.36 and strike rate of 66.98.

Ben Stokes (c), Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Matthew Potts, Olly Stone

ENG vs SL Test series schedule:

  • August 21-25 – 1st Test, Manchester
  • August 29-September 2 – 2nd Test, Lord’s
  • September 6-10 – 3rd Test, The Oval

England have won eight of their past nine Tests against Sri Lanka, home and away. Sri Lanka’s last win over England was in 2014 where they won by 100 runs. But, the match is remembered for their remarkable victory with just one ball to spare.

List of top 5 successful run chases in ODIs at R Premadasa Stadium (RPS) Colombo

Charbel Coorey
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List of top 5 successful run chases in ODIs at R Premadasa Stadium (RPS) Colombo

Highest run chases in ODIs at RPS: The R Premadasa Stadium (RPS) has played host to some thrilling One Day Internationals (ODIs) since the first on this ground in 1986. There have been memorable games in the past few years alone including Bangladesh’s six-run win over India in the 2023 Asia Cup and Sri Lanka’s four-run win over Australia in 2022.

There have been 24 scores above 300 on this ground. However, how many successful chases have there been above 300 in ODIs at the RPS? Here’s a look.

Top 5 highest run chases in ODIs at RPS Colombo

ScoreByAgainst
5. 267/4Sri LankaEngland
4. 271/2IndiaEngland
3. 277/7IndiaSri Lanka
2. 288/5IndiaSri Lanka
1. 292/4Sri LankaAustralia

5. Sri Lanka 267/4 vs England, 2014

The great Kumar Sangakkara, soon before hitting four consecutive hundreds in the 2015 World Cup, warmed up nicely against England in December 2014. England, on the back of James Taylor’s 90 and Eoin Morgan’s 62, fought to 265. But, it wasn’t enough.

In response, Sri Lanka had the measure of the total, with Sangakkara’s 86 taking the Lions to 214/4 in 41.1 overs. Angelo Mathews (51*) and Lahiru Thirimanne (19*) saw the hosts home with two deliveries to spare to take a 3-1 lead in the seven-game series.

4. India 271/2 vs England, 2002

It was a Virender Sehwag special in the 2002 Champions Trophy against England. Courtesy of the great opener’s 126 off 104 balls, along with Sourav Ganguly’s 117* off 109 balls, India made light work of England’s seemingly competitive 269/7. The men in blue chased the target in just 39.3 overs, with the openers combining for 192 in 28.4 overs.

3. India 277/7 vs Sri lanka, 2021

One of the more extraordinary run chases in ODIs at the RPS. India looked gone at 193/7 chasing 278 against Sri Lanka in the second match of their 2021 duel, with the Lions set to level the series 1-1.

However, Deepak Chahar had other ideas. He played an incredible knock of 69* off 82 balls to get the Indians over the line with three wickets and five balls to spare, leaving Sri Lanka scratching their heads as to how they let that one slip.

Chahar’s score was the highest by an Indian number eight in ODIs. Also, it was his first international fifty.

2. India 288/5 vs Sri Lanka, 2012

India again. This time it was in 2012, with the great Suresh Raina at the heart of the chase. The left-hander’s 65* off 45 balls got India home with just two balls to spare in pursuit of Sri Lanka’s strong total of 286/5.

Earlier, Gautam Gambhir hit a fine 102 off 101 balls. But, Virat Kohli (38 off 65 balls) and MS Dhoni (31 off 49 balls) found the going tough in the middle against Sri Lanka’s good attack. But, Raina’s masterlass which included six fours and a six saw the visitors home to hand India a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

1. Sri Lanka 292/4 vs Australia, 2022

The highest run chase in ODIs on this ground was Sri Lanka’s excellent effort against Australia in 2022. With the five-match series locked 1-1, the visitors posted a strong 291/6 courtesy of contributions right the way down the lineup.

But, Pathum Nissanka owned the game. The opener played one of his finest knocks to date, striking a classy 137 off 147 balls to provide the backbone of the chase. Kusal Mendis (87 off 85 balls) was also outstanding, before retiring hurt. Mendis’s injury ended a 170-run-stand between he and Nissanka.

Sri Lanka ended up winning the series 3-2, sending home fans into raptures.

SL vs IND 3rd T20 2024 Reactions: Sri Lanka bottle 9 off 12 against Rinku Singh & Suryakumar Yadav

Charbel Coorey
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SL vs IND 3rd T20 2024 Reactions: Sri Lanka bottle 9 off 12 against Rinku Singh & Suryakumar Yadav

SL vs IND 3rd T20 2024 Reactions: India have handed Sri Lanka another humiliation, this time defending nine off the final 12 balls courtesy of overs from Rinku Singh and Suryakumar Yadav to take the game into a Super Over. From there, Sri Lanka managed just two and India chased the Super Over target in one ball to seal a 3-0 sweep.

While India should be praised for their never-say-die attitude, the defeat was inexplicable from a Sri Lankan perspective. They were 110/1 at one point, needing just 28 off 28 to win with two set batsmen at the crease. However, they collapsed for the third-straight time in the series, with the legendary Andrew Fidel Fernando then describing Sri Lanka’s view of Rinku as “Shane Warne plus Muttiah Muralitharan plus Anil Kumble plus Jim Laker plus Darth Vader.”

Fidel continued, “Sri Lanka are an ice-cream truck with a busted freezer. They are giving the goods away for free right now.”

Earlier, India fell to 30/4 within the powerplay. Shubman Gill fought hard for 39 off 37 balls, but it was Washington Sundar (25 off 18) who gave the innings some impetus towards the backend. Sundar then went on to win player of the match thanks to his 2/23 off four overs and then 2/2 in the Super Over.

SL vs IND 3rd T20 2024 Reactions: Sri Lanka humbled in unloseable game

Sri Lanka have now lost 10 straight games across formats against India. They were bundled for 50 in the 2023 Asia Cup Final and then 55 soon after in the ODI World Cup. This is another very disappointing episode.

Attention now moves to the ODI series where Sri Lanka are aiming to break their losing streak against India. All three matches will be played in Colombo, with the first game to take place on Friday August 2.

Ellyse Perry interview: Star talks Hundred, Meg Lanning and more

Charbel Coorey
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Ellyse Perry interview: Star talks Hundred, Meg Lanning and more

CricBlog has gained access to an interview with cricket legend Ellyse Perry after her Hundred match for Birmingham Phoenix against London Spirit at Lord’s. Perry scored 65 off 48 balls after fellow Australian and player of the match Meg Lanning struck 53 off 41 balls.

It wasn’t enough for the Phoenix as they fell short by 20 runs. Below is the audio of Perry’s interview as well as the full transcript.

Ellyse Perry interview at The Hundred: Phoenix are not too far away, believes the great all-rounder

Obviously, from a personal point of view, fantastic innings but disappointed with the result?

Ellyse Perry: Yes, yeah, definitely a little bit of a bummer there… I just thought, you know, we probably had a slightly slower start to our innings and then just lost the momentum at the back end there particularly that second last set of ten.

Gibson in particular bowled really well, so yeah, I mean, I thought, really good effort from our girls, but just… probably chasing a touch too many today.

You and Sophie Devine seemed to be batting really well together there and it was neck and neck for a really long time… that penultimate set of five took it away from you really?

Ellyse Perry: Yeah, I think so. I mean, you can always kind of look back in retrospect, is different parts of the game. We probably, again, just bowled a couple of loose overs that cost us… and then, that penultimate set of ten we kind of lined up for the short boundary, and trying to get as many as we can off that to give us a chance in the final overs…

I thought Gibson in particular bowled really well, but Soph and I just lost the momentum.

But in terms of your innings, you must have been pleased with how you were hitting it out there

Ellyse Perry: I think it’s hard to be too pleased when you don’t get the results for the team. I certainly enjoyed the opportunity to bat at Lord’s I think, yeah, feel incredibly fortunate to be playing this competition as this great group of girls to play with as well.

So for me, the biggest thing is to try get that win.

You couldn’t quite get bragging rights with that LBW decision that went against you with Meg Lanning… Is that going to be sort of a bragging rights after the game when you meet up?

Ellyse Perry: Definitely not, I think Meg and I are too old and jaded to care too much about that stuff! But, yeah, she batted superb, Megs. It’s a bit of a testament to Megs because she hasn’t played a lot of cricket in the last little bit… She just comes out and times the ball, and looks like a million bucks… So it was nice to play against her and good to see her playing this well.

Great knock, but you must still be looking for that win though for the Phoenix after last season and now this season

Ellyse Perry: I think it’s really crucial not to worry about last season, it’s an entirely different competition. It’s 12 months ago, but for us, I think we played reasonably well today. I thought we played very positively… there’s lots of good things in there, but just some finesse around a couple of our overs, and then losing that momentum at the backend of the chase just cost us, but London played really well too.

And once you get the win you can still get on a roll and get in the Eliminator… You can top the group with six wins can’t you?

Ellyse Perry: Yeah that’s certainly franchise cricket and short format cricket… It doesn’t take a lot to shift the tide. So I think we’re really enjoying our cricket and there’s been lots of positivity out there and the brand that we’re playing is great as I said, and we’re just missing a couple of crucial moments of execution that’s costing us.

What does it compare playing in the WBBL and the Hundred?

Ellyse Perry: They’re both different competitions. They’re both really great fun, and I think they’re both so important in the landscape of English cricket in the summer here and also back home in our summer, they have been great comps to continue to grow the great game and just grateful to be a part of it.

It’s great to see all these Aussies over here?

Ellyse Perry: Yeah there is a lot of Aussies in the women’s comp this year. I think the other day with Superchargers and Trent, there was six Aussies on the field, so the schedule’s worked out really well for us this season. There’s a lot of excitement back home when we’re training in the winter to get over here. Beautiful day today, makes it even better.

[On the weather]… I haven’t had too many bad days here since I’ve been here so I’m not complaining one bit.

Just one last question… it’s actually to do with the World Cup. Apparently there’s quite a lot of unrest in Bangladesh at the moment; some sort of security concerns. I don’t know if you’ve had any conversations with Cricket Australia at all around that?

Ellyse Perry: No, absolutely not. Look to be honest, I’ve probably watched way too much Netflix in the last sort of bit and haven’t kept abreast of world politics but like every other tour and competition we play on, there’s a huge canvassing of security, and where we’re travelling to, and there’s lots of people that handle that so we have absolute faith in that. I’m sure if we play over there, it’ll be in the safe positions.

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