Capital One Cup - Third Round

Wednesday 26th September 2012
	Fixture                              Timing  Arsenal V Coventry           19:45
	Carlisle V Tottenham           19:45
	Man Utd V Newcastle        19:45
	Norwich V Doncaster         19:45
	QPR V Reading                  19:45
	West Brom V Liverpool       20:00

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Result of Barclays Premier league

Sun 23 Sep 2012 - Premier League

• Liverpool 1 - 2 Man Utd
• Newcastle 1 - 0 Norwich
• Man City 1 - 1 Arsenal
• Tottenham 2 - 1 QPR

Sat 22 Sep 2012 - Premier League

• Swansea 0 - 3 Everton
• Chelsea 1 - 0 Stoke 
• Newcastle P - P Norwich
  Postponed - now being played Sun, Sept 23
• Southampton 4 - 1 Aston Villa
• West Brom 1 - 0 Reading 
• West Ham 1 - 1 Sunderland
• Wigan 1 - 2 Fulham

Mon 17 Sep 2012 - Premier League

• Everton 2 - 2 Newcastle

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Nazir takes Pakistan to Super Eights with super chase

 

Pakistan's celebrated bowling unit's rare off day put a latch on it, but their batsmen smashed through the qualification door by chasing down 176 - their highest successful chase - with eight balls to spare.

To progress in the tournament, Bangladesh needed to not only post their first win over Pakistan in 13 years, but win by at least 36 runs. On a true pitch, Shakib Al Hasan posted the highest score by a Bangladesh batsman to facilitate their second-highest total, but Imran Nazir whacked his way to the fastest fifty in this World T20 to calm down any nerves there might have been after the effort in the field.

It was also a night that will be remembered for shoddy short bowling on a flat track and shoddier catching by both sides. Sohail Tanvir put down one of the simplest catches ever put down in international cricket, Kamran Akmal let through a regulation take, but it was the drop by Abul Hasan, brought in to replace Elias Sunny, that proved decisive in the end. Had he held on, Nazir would have been gone on 1 and Shafiul Islam would have got off to a confident start with a first-ball wicket. Nazir ended up with 72.

It didn't help that the chance had come off a short delivery, which encouraged them to keep bowling short, and Nazir, often good with the horizontal bat, took full toll. In his second over, Shafiul kept bowling short and was carter for four, four and six. Another short ball that went for five wides made it 20 off the over, and Pakistan had had a head start at 43 for 0 after four overs. Clearly they were not going for just the qualification. The win was on their mind.

Smart stats Imran Nazir's strike rate of 200 is the second-highest for a Pakistan batsman for a fifty-plus score. Umar Akmal is on top with a strike rate of 206.45 during his 64 against Australia in 2010. Shakib Al Hasan's strike rate of 155.55 is the fourth-highest for a fifty-plus score by a Bangladesh batsman in Twenty20 internationals. The target chased (176) is the highest for Pakistan in Twenty20 internationals. Their previous highest was 165 against Australia in 2007. The 124-run stand between Nazir and Mohammad Hafeez is the second-highest opening stand for Pakistan in Twenty20 internationals. The highest opening stand for Pakistan (142) also came against Bangladesh. The run-rate in the game (9.12) is the seventh-highest in World Twenty20 matches (minimum 30 overs in the game) and the second-highest in a World Twenty20 game involving Pakistan.

Mohammad Hafeez remained the calm man at other end, chipping and pushing runs as Nazir kept up his power hitting while getting at least one short ball every over. After Shakib put the brakes on with just four in the seventh over, Nazir stepped out of the crease to hit Abdur Razzak over mid-off to break the rhythm. That four took him to 42 off 18, and the fifty came when Shakib provided him with a long hop for six in the 10th over.

That even Shakib was making mistakes was sign enough. Relief arrived for Bangladesh when Nazir and Hafeez fell in one Hasan over, after which came a quiet five-run over, bringing the equation down to 45 needed off five overs. For the first time it seemed Pakistan might be conscious of that qualification mark - now nine runs away - but Nasir Jamshed quashed those thoughts with two of the finest shots, four through point and a flicked six over square leg, off the next two balls.

That was cue enough for Kamran to open up too, and the rest was just a stroll. Had you mentioned the word stroll in the first innings, though, Pakistan's coach Dav Whatmore would have given you a piece of his mind. For the most part, it was a stroll for Shakib, who capitalised on the brisk start provided by Mohammad Ashraful and Tamim Iqbal.

Shakib had the extra responsibility after playing a significant role in Tamim's run-out at 61 for 2 in the sixth over. He had himself raced away to 16 off 11 by then, took it easy for the next three overs, and then resumed the charge with two fours off Saeed Ajmal in the 10th over. When Tanvir dropped a dolly from Mushfiqur Rahim in the 13th over, Shakib had reached 42 off 30. He introduced a second wind to that innings now, hitting short deliveries from Yasir Arafat for four and six to bring up his fifty.

Another period of calm followed when Arafat and Shahid Afridi managed two wickets in five deliveries, but Kamran failed to make it three in eight when he dropped a sitter from Nasir Hossain. At 133 for 4 in the 16th over Shakib remained the main threat. He moved around the crease in the 18th over to pay with Umar Gul's length, scoping, flicking and cover-driving for fours. With 33 coming off the last three overs, Pakistan's travel agent might have had a look at Karachi fares, but Nazir put them back on their way to Colombo.

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Capital One Cup - Third Round

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday 25th September 2012

	Fixture	Kick-off	Status
	Bradford V Burton Albion	19:45	Preview Bradford Vs Burton Albion
	Chelsea V Wolves	19:45	Preview Chelsea Vs Wolves
	Crawley V Swansea	19:45	Preview Crawley Vs Swansea
	Leeds United V Everton	19:45	Preview Leeds United Vs Everton
	Man City V Aston Villa	19:45	Preview Man City Vs Aston Villa
	MK Dons V Sunderland	19:45	Preview MK Dons Vs Sunderland
	Preston V Middlesbrough	19:45	Preview Preston Vs Middlesbrough
	Southampton V Sheff Wed	19:45	Preview Southampton Vs Sheff Wed
	Swindon V Burnley	19:45	Preview Swindon Vs Burnley
	West Ham V Wigan	19:45	Preview West Ham Vs Wigan

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Rain pain for Ireland again

 

West Indies qualified for the Super Eights of the World T20 after rain prevented a second innings in their key Group B game against Ireland in Colombo. It meant Ireland exited on the back of a no-result for the second World T20 running, after they were denied the chance to beat England by the weather in Guyana in 2010.

With both teams having lost their first game in the tournament, this was a must-win encounter. But while Ireland will feel understandably aggrieved at the manner of their elimination, they will also reflect that they produced two under-par displays with the bat and that, had the rain that started to fall heavily straight after their innings stayed away, West Indies would have been strong favourites to overhaul a target of 130 in 19 overs. They qualified through virtue of a superior run-rate to Ireland.

The unsatisfactory manner of Ireland's exit will do nothing to improve the reputation of this event, though. Staging such a high-profile tournament during the monsoon season in Sri Lanka was always likely to prove a high-risk strategy and there was something almost inevitable about rain ruining one of the few games in the event so far where the result actually mattered. Tellingly, spectators once again stayed away from this game in their droves.

The result also underlined the importance of winning the toss in this World T20. With the limitations of the Duckworth-Lewis method becoming increasingly apparent in this format, the opportunity to bat second and benefit from D/L is an obvious advantage. Had the rain relented, West Indies could have been set a target of just 44 in five overs with all of their wickets intact.

Ireland will reflect, however, that they never really found much fluency with the bat. William Porterfield, for the second game in succession, was dismissed by the first ball of the match. Perhaps anticipating a repeat of the bouncer that he hooked down the throat of fine leg against Australia, Porterfield was this time beaten by a fine, inswinging yorker from Fidel Edwards.

Perhaps the rain that interrupted their innings after only five overs was also crucial. Before the delay, Ireland were well placed at 33 for 1, with Ed Joyce having guided his first ball to third man and inside edged another boundary later in the over and Paul Stirling looking increasingly fluent. While Ravi Rampaul's first over cost just two, Stirling top-edged a pull to the boundary off Edwards and then greeted Darren Sammy's introduction into the attack in the fifth over by giving himself a little room and crashing a pair of fours through the covers.

Sunil Narine came into the attack after a rain delay of about an hour, with the game reduced to 19 over per side. He soon showed the value of his spin bowling, beating Joyce's outside edge with his first two deliveries and then bowling him as the batsmen attempted a sweep with his third. At the end of the power-play, Ireland were 35 for 2.

Sammy dismissed Stirling, top-edging an attempted pull, in the seventh over, and almost has Gary Wilson in similar fashion later in the same over. On this occasion, however, Wilson gloved the ball over the keeper's head and capitalised by sweeping Narine for one boundary and cover driving Russell for another. The introduction of Chris Gayle accounted for Wilson, though, when he edged an arm-ball to the keeper to leave on 70 for 4 in the 12th over.

A partnership of 26 between Kevin and Niall O'Brien gave the Ireland innings some impetus. Niall pulled one six off Andre Russell, while Kevin drove another off Edwards, but when Gayle beat Niall O'Brien with a quicker ball and Kevin O'Brien, in moving across his stumps to glance, was bowled by a yorker, Ireland's last recognised batsmen had gone.

Narine, perhaps unsettled by Nigel Jones carting him for six over long-on, donated a free-hit to the Irish cause by over-stepping in the penultimate over and Trent Johnston thrashed one six over long-on off Gayle, but their total of 129 for 6 was still likely to prove some way short of par.

West Indies had made two changes to their side for the game. Russell came in for Dwayne Bravo, who had a groin strain, while Darren Bravo replaced Dwayne Smith.

Ireland were without Boyd Rankin. He had not recovered from the illness that has swept through the Irish camp in recent days, so Max Sorensen was drafted into the side in his place. It means that Rankin, who a few weeks ago announced his decision to retire from international cricket with Ireland in order to concentrate on playing Test cricket for England, has probably played his last match for the country of his birth.

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Ponts Table: World cup T20 2012

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Today Big Match: Pak vs Bang

Pakistan began their World Twenty20 campaign with success, after being made to wait for five days, beating New Zealand by 13 runs. But they looked a better side than the margin suggested; it was narrowed thanks to a late, and failed, onslaught by Ross Taylor.

Their opponents, Bangladesh, who were beaten convincingly by New Zealand in their first game, can only hope to qualify for the Super Eights if they beat Pakistan by a sizeable margin. Bangladesh need to win by more than 36 runs to finish with a higher net run-rate than Pakistan. In the event that they win by exactly 36 runs, thus finishing with the same net run-rate as Pakistan's, they will still go through by the virtue of having won the head-to-head contest. Should Bangladesh be chasing, their net run-rate requirement will depend on the target set. For instance, if they're chasing 150, they'll have to score those runs in 15.4 overs or quicker. On current form, it seems like a struggle for Bangladesh.

Pakistan have the best bowling line-up and their fielding is in good shape with Shoaib Malik and Umar Akmal patrolling the hitting zones. Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez are a threat to Bangladesh's left-handers at the top of the order. Both Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan are good players and will be expected to bounce back strongly. The middle order is a capable one, comprising Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah and Nasir Hossain.

Bangladesh's bowling remains a worry, with Shakib and Tamim having said after the game against New Zealand that spinners would require some help from the conditions. Mushfiqur's captaincy will also be tested in a game in which his team is the underdog, but is expected to produce a much-improved performance.

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Sharma and spinners destroy England

 

The result may not have great significance in this World Twenty20 but India could take heart, confidence and bragging rights after an overwhelming victory over England in their Group A game in Colombo. England's confidence, meanwhile, must have been crushed after a defeat that can only be described as humiliating.

Both teams had already qualified for the Super Eight stage of the tournament and this result made no difference to the opposition they will face in those games. But, by inflicting such a resounding defeat on the reigning champions and No. 1-rated T20I side, India underlined the impression they have the personnel to challenge anyone in this competition.

India, despite resting three members of their first choice side, won by 90 runs with England's enduring fallibility against spin bowling exposed in brutal fashion once again. Bear in mind that these two teams face each other in a four-Test series in India in the coming months and alarm bells will surely be ringing at Lord's.

England's first error was to misread the pitch. While India included two specialist spinners, England dropped Samit Patel to make way for the extra seam option of Tim Bresnan. Their ploy of testing the India batsmen with short deliveries was met with a series of cut and pulls that suggested either that England's bowlers - Steven Finn apart - lack the pace for such a ploy, or that, in these conditions anyway, the reputation of Indian batsmen as flat-track bullies has been greatly exaggerated. The truth probably lies somewhere between the two conclusions.

But the defining feature of this match was England's inability to combat spin bowling. India's two frontline spinners claimed six wickets for 25 runs in eight overs as England collapsed from 39 for 2 to 60 for 9. At that stage, England were in danger of being dismissed for the lowest T20I score - beating the 67 by Kenya against Ireland - before a last-wicket stand of 20 prevented that one indignity. Still, England's final total of 80 was their lowest in T20Is, surpassing the 88 they managed against West Indies at The Oval in 2011. The margin of defeat is also the largest, in terms of runs, England have suffered in T20Is and the largest victory inflicted by India.

England were struggling even before the introduction of spin. Set 171 to win, a total some way above par on a pitch that was just a little slower than anticipated and did not allow England any time to settle in, they lost Alex Hales in the first over, bowled by inswing as he attempted to heave one over the leg side, before Luke Wright fell in the third over, attempting to pull a delivery too full for the stroke.

It was MS Dhoni's decision to introduce the spin of Harbhajan Singh in the Powerplay that precipitated England's decline. Harbhajan, playing his first international game for more than a year, produced a wicket maiden to start - Eoin Morgan was bowled by a quicker arm-ball as he made room to cut - before Bresnan top-edged a sweep, Jos Buttler gave himself room but missed and Graeme Swann skipped down the wicket and missed a doosra. Harbhajan finished with 4 for 12, the best figures by an Indian bowler in T20Is.

Smart stats The 90-run win is India's largest in Twenty20 internationals. Their previous best win (in terms of runs) was the 39-run triumph over Sri Lanka in 2012. The defeat is also England's worst defeat surpassing the 84-run loss to South Africa in 2009. England's total of 80 is their lowest ever in Twenty20 internationals. Their previous lowest was 88 against West Indies in 2011. Harbhajan Singh's 4 for 12 is the best bowling performance by an Indian bowler in Twenty20 internationals surpassing RP Singh's 4 for 13 against South Africa in 2007. Harbhajan's performance is also the fifth-best in the World Twenty20. The economy rate of the Indian spinners (3.11) is the third-lowest in an innings in Twenty20 internationals (minimum 48 balls bowled). Rohit Sharma's 55 is his second-highest score in Twenty20 internationals. It is also his fifth fifty-plus score overall and his first such score against England.

Piyush Chawla also enjoyed England's clueless batting. Jonny Bairstow, reading the googly as if it were in Greek, missed a slog-sweep, while Craig Kieswetter, his foot nowhere near the pitch of the ball, was undone by a legbreak and edged to slip. It was, by any standards, a dreadful performance with the bat.

Earlier Rohit Sharma helped India plunder 51 from the final four overs of the innings after it appeared they had squandered a decent start. Sharma, who has endured some miserable form in recent times, produced a powerful innings of 55 in 33 balls to lead India to 170 for 4 in their 20 overs.

While a partnership of 57 in 7.5 overs between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir had built India a strong platform of 80 for 1 after 10 overs, a tight spell of bowling from Swann arrested their progress. Kohli, in particular, looked in sparkling form. He got off the mark with consecutive boundaries through the covers: the first a gorgeous, front-foot drive off Finn; the second a punch off the back foot off Stuart Broad. Bresnan's attempts to intimidate him with the short ball were met by an upper cut and then a pull for boundaries.

Gambhir lost little by comparison. He took successive boundaries off Jade Dernbach in the second over of the innings, first pulling a long-hop through midwicket before guiding a wider ball to point, while throwing his hands whenever offered any width and crashing boundaries through point off Finn and Broad.

Kohli gave one desperately difficult chance. On 25 he came down the wicket and, with that characteristic flick of the wrist, cracked Broad over midwicket where a leaping Swann could only get his fingertips on the ball as it raced to the boundary.

Swann was the one man to apply some control for England. Coming on after the six Powerplay overs had realised 52 runs for the loss of one wicket, his four overs conceded just 17 runs and produced the key wicket of Kohli who, beaten in the flight, lofted his attempted on-drive to deep midwicket.

It might have been better for Swann. Had wicketkeeper Kieswetter been able to gather cleanly, Gambhir might have been stumped on 26 with the score on 80 for 1. The batsman, deceived in the flight, was drawn down the wicket and stranded when Swann beat him but Kieswetter could only deflect the ball and allowed India to steal a bye.

Still, Swann's spell and the wicket of Kohli slowed India's run rate. From the halfway stage of the innings they were able to add only 39 from the next six overs as Broad shuffled his bowlers - England's captain bowled his four overs in four separate spells - to good effect.

The final four overs of the India innings brought 51 runs, however. First Rohit Sharma gave himself some room and dabbed a short ball from Broad over the vacant first slip area to the boundary before, next delivery, he took advantage of the short fine leg to pull another short delivery behind square to the boundary. In all the over cost 13.

It signalled the acceleration from India. Dhoni punished a full toss from Dernbach through the covers, before Sharma hit two more full tosses - one from Bresnan the other from Dernbach - for four and six to third man and point respectively. Sharma brought up his 50 - from just 31 balls - with a sweep off another full toss from Dernbach.

While Dhoni was brilliantly caught in the final over - Buttler, on the boundary, took the catch but, feeling himself falling over the boundary, threw the ball to Hales who completed the dismissal - the damage had been done. England's bowlers, who contributed eight wides and a plethora of full tosses and short balls, might not attract the criticism of their batting colleagues, but they were little more impressive.

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All-round Hafeez downs New Zealand

 

Pakistan's batting line-up is their weak link this tournament but its top order dominated New Zealand's bowling, leaving its own superior attack with a relatively easier task of defending a formidable total - one that was achieved successfully, albeit not without a scare. There was consolation for New Zealand: having brought down the margin of defeat to 13 runs, they ensured they reached a net run-rate high enough to take them through to the Super Eights.

Mohammad Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed cashed in on a below-par performance from New Zealand in the field, putting together an impressive partnership during which their timing and apparent effortlessness in building on an aggressive opening stand stood out. The depth and variety in Pakistan's bowling, Hafeez's miserly spell and New Zealand's questionable tactics in the chase combined to put a target of 178 beyond reach, producing a winning start to Pakistan's tournament.

New Zealand had their chances. Hafeez decided to give his inconsistent batting the first go under sunny skies but in conditions where bowlers had assistance. Kyle Mills found early swing and should have had an initially-tentative Hafeez third ball, but Ross Taylor fluffed a straightforward chance at slip. Having dropped his Pakistan counterpart, the New Zealand captain was left flapping his lips when Hafeez launched Daniel Vettori for a six over long-on the next over.

Imran Nazir looked the more assured of the openers, using the depth of the crease well to dispatch Mills' two short deliveries for boundaries on either side of the ground, and continuing the treatment against Jacob Oram's half-trackers. Nazir fell in the last over of the Powerplay, caught and bowled by Tim Southee, but by then Hafeez had got into his groove with a couple of flowing drives and was about to be joined by a partner who wasted no time in keeping the momentum intact.

Tall, well-built and powerful, Jamshed was nowhere near brutal in his style of play. He didn't have to rely on sheer power to achieve what timing, placement and a sound technique did. Against Nathan McCullum's round-the-wicket line, he drove inside out, lofting the ball in the vacant space behind extra cover and clearing the ropes twice. He was equally wristy, clipping the ball square and through midwicket and slicing Mills over point for four. Mills was again unlucky, as a perfectly-positioned Rob Nicol at deep square leg spilled a chance off Jamshed, making matters worse by palming the ball for six when the batsman was on 42.

As Jamshed attacked at one end, Hafeez was content to rotate the strike, collecting runs down the ground, jabbing, steering and nudging the ball around for singles and even bludgeoning Nathan McCullum for six over midwicket. He was bowled trying to pull James Franklin in his first over but the 76-run stand with Jamshed had set an excellent launching pad.

New Zealand, though, pulled things back, dismissing Kamran Akmal and Jamshed in successive overs that yielded just 10. But Umar Akmal and the rest counterattacked in the last four. Even though Southee conceded just three in the 18th over, with third man and fine leg inside the circle, a generous dose of length, and misdirected, deliveries helped Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik score 42 in the last four.

New Zealand opened with Kane Williamson, a solid but less-attacking option, and played Vettori, busy, accumulative but not renowned as a big hitter, at No.3. The batting order suggested a strategy that relied heavily on the ammunition in the middle order to lead the surge in the late overs. Though that surge did come, and gave Pakistan plenty of anxious moments, it arrived at a time when the required-rate had reached 14 an over and, in hindsight, a touch too late.

Williamson made 15 in 13 but he had a fluent Rob Nicol at the other end. Nicol showed early intent, charging out to Sohail Tanvir and smacking him over long-on, and going over the top against Yasir Arafat with mid-off inside the circle. Pakistan bowled just one over of spin - from Hafeez, who conceded just 15 in his four-over spell - inside the Powerplay, and their slow bowlers stifled the innings once the field spread out.

Afridi mixed it up well and even found turn but Nicol was dislodged while attempting to cut one that went on straight. Williamson was run out shortly after, and the five overs after the Powerplay produced just 26 runs, with Vettori and Brendon McCullum at the crease. Saeed Ajmal's first over ended the deadlock with Brendon McCullum, who reverse-swept, stepped out and also cut well, picking him for boundaries. But with the asking rate climbing, the wickets came, Ajmal dismissing Vettori for 18 off 16 and Umar Gul yorking Brendon McCullum, who left his team with 70 needed off 29 balls. By then, Hafeez had completed his spell, with his first three overs only going for five runs.

It was too much to get in the end, despite Oram and Franklin's quick cameos and Taylor's assault of three fours in a row against Gul that brought down the equation to 22 off 9 balls. He was run-out brilliantly, courtesy a flat throw to the striker's end from the deep from Umar Akmal next ball, and the biggest threat in Pakistan's way, at that point, was eliminated.

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Today Fixtures Barclays Premier League

Saturday 22nd September 2012

Swansea V Everton              12:45
Chelsea V Stoke                   15:00 
Southampton V Aston Villa    15:00
West Brom  V Reading          15:00
West Ham V Sunderland        15:00

Wigan V Fulham                    15:00

 
 
 
 
 

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Today: Srilanka vs South Africa & Australia vs Westindies

                          Match  7th

at 03:30 Pm Local  Hambantota,

                         Match 8th





                                                                                                                                                                           
at 07:30 Pm Local  Colombo

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Wright's 99 helps England start impressively

The World Twenty20 continued to conform to expectation - disappointingly so, some will say - as England began the defence of their title with a 116-run hammering of Afghanistan. Luke Wright could not quite follow Brendon McCullum's hundred earlier in the day, but produced a blistering 99 off 55 balls after the holders overcame a slightly tricky start in highly convincing fashion.

Wright became the second England batsman to be stranded one short of a Twenty20 hundred following Alex Hales' innings against West Indies earlier this year. Wright only returned to the line-up at the tail-end of the English season and had not really been earmarked for the No. 3 role until Ravi Bopara's rapid loss of form but, having made a brace of useful 30s in the warm-ups, provided further evidence of his development over the last year. He powered past his previous best of 71 against Netherlands, at Lord's, during the 2009 World Twenty20. England, famously, lost that match but there was never a risk of a repeat.

Unsurprisingly, Afghanistan came out swinging with predictable results. Mohammad Shahzad picked out mid-off, Shafiqullah skied to cover and the captain Nawroz Mangal was brilliantly held by Stuart Broad off his own bowling. Much has rightly been written and said about the fairytale of Afghanistan's rise, but this was a harsh of reality check as they slid to 26 for 8. However, they avoided the heaviest defeat in T20 which is Kenya's 172-run defeat against Sri Lanka in 2007 and Gulbodin Naib, with a gutsy display, ensured they passed Kenya's lowest T20 total of 67.

England, though, did exactly what they needed to. Wright was chiefly responsible for some fierce acceleration as they scored 124 off the second 10 overs of their innings after a slow start against some lively new-ball bowling. He started the final over on 95 and needed three off the last ball to make England's first T20 hundred but could only club a brace through midwicket.

He received solid support from Hales and Eoin Morgan while Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow contributed rapid cameos. There were some costly overs during the innings, most notably 32 off the penultimate from Izatullah Dawlatzai which included two no-balls - the same figure that Wayne Parnell went for at Edgbaston earlier in the month putting it joint second in T20 records. It was also another poor fielding display from Afghanistan - Wright was dropped on 75 - as basic skills let them down as they did against India

It had not been easy start for England as Shapoor Zadran, who troubled India's top order, produced a superb opening over. Craig Kieswetter appeared confused by the two-paced nature of the pitch and played out five dot balls before dragging into his stumps to complete a rare wicket maiden. Hales slashed his first delivery just over slip in a far from assured beginning and after four overs the score was 15 for 1.

Then the game started to change. Having gauged the nature of the pitch, Hales and Wright located the boundary as Shapoor's third over cost 23 although four of those were byes when the wicketkeeper was beaten by the bounce. The final ball of the over was launched into the stands by Wright as England began to take control with the last two overs of the Powerplay bringing 37.

Hales was unfortunate to be dismissed when Wright's straight drive was deflected into the non-striker's stumps by Karim Sadiq. At 84 for 2 after 12 overs the innings hadn't escaped Afghanistan, but Wright dented Samiullah Shenwari's figures with a six over long-on and followed that by fetching another delivery through midwicket.

Mohammad Nabi, the offspinner, bowled his first two overs for 10 but finished with 0 for 46. Morgan flicked him over deep midwicket - his one convincing shot - and Wright went four, six, four off three consecutive deliveries. There was more of that to come with Buttler continuing where he left off against South Africa and Bairstow drilling his first ball into the stands.

Despite having a vast total on the board it was important England did not slack in the field. The quick bowlers made an early impression, zipping the ball through from back of a length with Kieswetter taking a number of deliveries above his head. There was very little for the batsmen to drive although Steven Finn pushed a few deliveries down the leg side.

Broad decided to use his bowlers by the gameplan so Jade Dernbach was given one up front before the captain brought himself on. After a difficult home season of catching and fielding they began well in that department, with Buttler producing a sharp dive and throw from midwicket to run out Sadiq then, next ball, Bairstow held a stunning catch running in from fine leg against a top edged hook from Asghar Stanikzai.

Graeme Swann started with two maidens then was taken for 16 by Naib who often declined singles and showed why by picking off two sweet sixes against Dernbach to mean there would be no record low for Afghanistan and to help himself to the highest score by a No. 8 in T20 internationals. Nobody should read too much into the result, but it was a good statement by the defending champions.

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Brendon McCullum ton razes Bangladesh

 

Brendan McCullum broke a few Twenty20 international records in New Zealand's 59-run win over Bangladesh in the Group D opener in Pallekele, but his spectacular 123 off just 58 balls more importantly gave his team the breathing space in the tournament's toughest group. McCullum broke the record for the highest score in Twenty20 internationals when he went past Richard Levi's 117 made earlier this year (which, coincidentally, came against New Zaland), and has also become the first batsman to score two hundreds in this format.

The innings was more than enough to ward off any threat from the Bangladesh batsman, who were facing their second-highest chase. Kyle Mills gave them no chance of a quick recovery by removing Tamim Iqbal off the third ball, the left-hand batsman rigid at the crease and caught easily by Martin Guptill. In his next over, Mills took the wicket of Shakib Al Hasan, who continued his poor day by chipping one to Kane Williamson at cover. The same combination removed captain Mushfiqur Rahim, the catch taken at deep midwicket. Tim Southee continued his good form by also picking up three wickets, but it would be Mills' performance that would be most encouraging for New Zealand, after he had crashed into McCullum in their last competitive Twenty20 just ten days ago.

McCullum, too, looked well over the effects of that collision. In an hour and 12 minutes, he produced not only a scintillating display of big-hitting but also showed how to change gears in a 20-over innings without wasting too many deliveries. His knock is the prototype that all modern-day coaches would want batsmen to strive for, though some of McCullum's shots can hardly be imitated without his energy, authority and imagination.

Bangladesh lacked the authority because they were not the ones in command while fielding. Mushfiqur would be disappointed with his fielders letting him down. The number of fumbles and misfields from the beginning showed how stiff they were and it also meant that a costly overthrow (by Mashrafe Mortaza in the seventh over) or a dropped catch of McCullum (by Mashrafe in the 19th) was only a matter of time.

But Mushfiqur too was at fault by only sticking to Plan

A, which was to rotate the left-arm spinners according to the phases of the Twenty20 innings. He didn't actually rotate his bowlers according to who was at the crease or the acceleration of the batsmen. When McCullum was new at the crease and had trouble getting after Abdur Razzak, Mushfiqur Rahim took off the senior left-arm spinner so that his two overs could be used later. It was becoming quite obvious who would bowl when and, as a result, the batsmen could easily read what the bowler was about to dish out - after Razzak had bowled two good overs at the top, it was quite obvious that Mushfiqur would ask him to bowl the final over.

Sometimes, though, a batting performance like McCullum's doesn't leave the captain with much choice. From the classic backfoot punch through the covers to finishing off the New Zealand innings with two pulled sixes, McCullum was the firestarter, anchor and finisher of the innings.

He freed his arms for the first time when he slapped Shafiul Islam dutifully through the covers. In the next over came his first six, a typical smash over the covers, and he followed it up with his second an over later. More than those two sixes though it was how he deflated Bangladesh's energy by going after their best bowler. With Shakib conceding 20 off his first two overs, including two big sixes, Bangladesh started to look less inspired as their best player was made to look pedestrian.

McCullum unfurled three boundaries in the next two overs off Elias Sunny and Ziaur Rahman as he spread his range to almost all corners of the large field in Pallekele. He reached his fifty off 29 balls but remained wary of what was at stake as he went quiet in Razzak's third over. That should've been Mushfiqur Rahim's cue to give him another over to keep the run-rate down, but the next five overs went for 62 runs, which included McCullum pounding a flat-bat strike for six off a Mashrafe bouncer. He also rode out Franklin's fall, and with captain Ross Taylor feeding him the strike at every opportunity, a century looked right around the corner.

The next burst was against Shafiul, who was hit for fifteen in the 17th over; the next three overs went for 15, 17 and 16 as Bangladesh fell apart. McCullum, in the meantime, reached his century with a routine pull to the midwicket boundary off the 51st delivery he faced, racing from 50 to the century in just 22 balls.

McCullum fell off the last ball of the innings to give Razzak his second wicket but he had damaged Bangladesh badly enough. Apart from having the highest individual innings score and being the highest run-getter in T20Is, McCullum also holds the record now for the most boundaries (150) and sixes (64) in this format.

With Bangladesh struggling at 37 for four in the seventh over, Nasir Hossain took the opportunity to score his second Twenty20 international fifty, but was dismissed just one ball after he had reached the milestone. He gave a good account of his skills, crashing six boundaries and a six, but he is still far away from the sort of batsman who can create panic or change the course of the game.

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Today: Ban vs Nz and Afg vs Eng

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UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE - GROUP C

Thursday 20th September 2012

	UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE - GROUP C
Show last 5 matches and coverage	Fixture	Kick-off	Status
	AEL LimassolvBorussia M'gladbach	18:00
	BordeauxvClub Bruges	18:00
	DniprovPSV Eind'ven	18:00
	FC CopenhagenvMolde	18:00
	FenerbahcevMarseille	18:00
	Hapoel Tel-AvivvAtl Madrid	18:00
	MaritimovNewcastle	18:00
	NapolivAIK Solna	18:00
	PlzenvAcademica	18:00
	UdinesevAnzhi Makhachkala	18:00
	VfB StuttgartvSteaua Buch't	18:00
	Young BoysvLiverpool	18:00
	Athletic BilbaovHapoel Kiryat Shmona	20:05
	B LeverkusenvMet'st Kharkiv	20:05
	FC TwentevHannover 96	20:05
	GenkvVideo Fehervar	20:05
	Inter MilanvRubin Kazan	20:05
	LevantevHelsingborgs	20:05
	LyonvSparta Prague	20:05
	NK MariborvPanathinaikos	20:05
	Partizan BelgradevNeftchi	20:05
	Rapid ViennavRosenborg	20:05
	SportingvFC Basel	20:05
	TottenhamvLazio	20:05

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