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Richard Pybus, the former Pakistan coach, has also been shortlisted by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) as a candidate to coach the national team

Mohammad Isam10-May-2012Richard Pybus, the former Pakistan coach, has been shortlisted by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) as a candidate to coach the national team and will be interviewed on Friday. The board is also set to interview two other candidates later – Nottinghamshire director of cricket Mick Newell and former New Zealand batsman and coach Mark Greatbatch.Pybus arrived in Dhaka on Thursday night with the interview expected to take place the following day. Newell’s lack of international exposure and Greatbatch’s coaching record might work against them. Pybus hasn’t coached an international side since 2003 but his early arrival is a sign of the BCB’s intentions. ESPNcricinfo understands he has a better chance of getting the job.The selection process is different this time with the BCB deciding to interview foreign candidates, unlike Dav Whatmore, Jamie Siddons and Stuart Law, who were not interviewed.”We have made a shortlist of three to four candidates. We will be calling them shortly for interviews and if we like the coach, we will finalise him,” BCB media committee chairman Jalal Yunus told ESPNcricinfo. “We will only decide after speaking to the coaches.”Pybus, who took up coaching in his mid-twenties, was appointed Pakistan coach for their 1999 World Cup campaign while at Border, before returning to the South African provincial side. He coached Pakistan again until the 2003 World Cup and had stints with Titans and Cape Cobras (South Africa), and Middlesex. He was with Cobras until March 2012 and was also linked to the South Africa job last year.Newell also remained in the picture after emerging as the first candidate last week. It was learned the BCB were still in talks with him.Greatbatch, a former opening batsman who played 41 Tests for New Zealand, has a mixed record as coach after retiring in 1998. He had stints at home (Central Districts) and with Warwickshire, and was also the New Zealand coach when they were beaten 4-0 by Bangladesh in 2010. John Wright replaced him the same year.Edited by Kanishkaa Balachandran

Several international players, including Adrian Barath, Kirk Edwards, Assad Fudadin, Nikita Miller and Nelon Pascal, have been picked in the 13-man West Indies A squad for the one-day series against India A

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jun-2012The West Indies selectors have picked several players with international experience in the 13-man A squad for the three-match one-day series against India A in Grenada. Batsmen Adrian Barath, Kirk Edwards and Assad Fudadin, all of whom played for West Indies in the recent Test series in England, have been selected, and so has left-arm spinner Nikita Miller.Miller, who last played for West Indies in the 2011 World Cup, was preferred over Sulieman Benn, who was Man of the Match in the first of the two Twenty20s against India A last week. Fast bowler Nelon Pascal, another international, was also drafted in.Veerasammy Permaul, who led West Indies A in the Tests against India A, returned to the squad to take over the captaincy from Kieran Powell, who did the duty during the Twenty20s.Wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich was called up as a replacement for Devon Thomas, who was ruled out with a knee injury.West Indies A won the three-match unofficial Test series against India A 2-1, while the Twenty20s were tied 1-1. The first one-dayer will be played on June 27.West Indies A squad: Veerasammy Permaul (capt), Adrian Barath, Nkrumah Bonner, Jonathan Carter, Shane Dowrich (wk), Kirk Edwards, Assad Fudadin, Jason Holder, Delorn Johnson, Nikita Miller, Jason Mohammed, Nelon Pascal, Kieran Powell.

Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford said that the home team will need to “work hard” on the fifth day, as the Test is evenly poised at the end of the fourth

Sa'adi Thawfeeq in Pallekele11-Jul-2012Graham Ford, the Sri Lanka coach, has said that the Pallekele Test is evenly poised and the home team will need to “work hard” on the fifth day. Pakistan finished the day 188 runs ahead with two wickets remaining.”It’s fairly even,” Ford said. “We are slightly ahead on points at this stage but there is a lot of cricket to be played tomorrow.”First, we have to get them out and that’s going to be our No. 1 priority. Our players have a lot of respect for the game and for the quality of the opposition, so they know that they have to work hard tomorrow; nobody is starting to think that the series win is guaranteed. Test cricket is about the hard work and the real challenge, and hopefully our boys will enjoy that challenge tomorrow.”Sri Lanka, who won the first Test in Galle and drew the second at the SSC, are looking for their first Test series win in nine attempts. In Pallekele, where the weather was expected to be a factor, the second day was lost due to rain. However, the pitch, which allowed plenty of seam movement and made batting difficult, has made sure that all results remain possible on the fifth day.”It’s swayed back and forth quite a bit, which is what everybody wants to see. So, from that point of view, it’s been good. The first morning, it [the pitch] certainly had quite a lot in it for the seamers. Even yesterday morning there was a lot in it for the seamers; fortunately we had two batsmen who got in and dug in deep and did a fantastic job neutralising what was going on out there.”In the first innings, batsmen from both teams struggled against the moving ball. However, the Pakistan batsmen scored comfortably in patches on the fourth day and Ford expected that the pitch, which has eased out, should help Sri Lanka’s chances.”Pakistan has got three quality seamers who caused some problems for us in the first innings. The surface, as it is now, makes it easier to face them. Certainly Pakistan found batting a lot easier a second time round, hopefully it will be easier for us second time round as well.”Pakistan started the day at 27 for 1, 84 runs behind Sri Lanka, and Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali scored freely to reduce the deficit. Sri Lanka were fortunate to get Hafeez’s wicket just before lunch, but Ali had looked solid. In the second session, there was a century partnership between Ali and Asad Shafiq that threatened to take the game away from the hosts.”We would have loved to have got into them this morning and get more wickets down by lunch. At tea-time we were quite concerned but you have to give credit to the way they played. They played extremely well and our seamers found it a bit tougher on that surface in the second innings.”In the final session, Sri Lanka managed to claw back after taking four wickets for 24 runs. Ford said that the wickets fell in part due to the lower-order batsmen being on strike.”The lower order [has] less skilful players and the likelihood of them establishing a partnership is less likely. I don’t think it was the conditions, [though] maybe the cloud may have come on a bit in the evening, which might have helped in the swing and movement off the wicket, and also the new ball being available at the time.”

The BCCI has adopted a new digital X-ray based method for the age verification of players

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jul-2012The BCCI has adopted a new digital X-ray based method for the age verification of players. The board believes that this will eliminate the cases of fraud during player selections at various age-group tournaments, the reported. Approximately 900 cricketers below the age of 16 will be tested under the new method, which has been globally accepted as the “most accurate” among various age-determination methods.The new method, knows as the TW3 (Tanner-Whitehouse3) bone maturation process, allows accurate estimation of a player’s age by the analysis of x-rays of the lower end of the forearm of the players.”This is a one-time test and it’ll not be repeated in a player’s entire career. Once he is certified as below 16 years for an under-16 tournament, his age will accordingly be calculated for the higher age-group tournaments like under-19 and under-25,” BCCI consultant and Sport medicine expert Ashok Ahuja said.”The age shown by TW3 method could vary by six months, either more or less. So, for borderline cases, players who are up to four months older than 16 years would be allowed to play in under-16 tournaments, but not older than that.”The TW3 method will replace the currently used Greulich & Pyle (GP) method, which was adopted by the BCCI seven years ago. The GP method age estimations were accurate in the range of two to four years.

Two wickets for Luke Fletcher put Durham in trouble on a curtailed first day at Trent Bridge

Jon Culley at Trent Bridge15-Aug-2012
ScorecardLuke Fletcher enabled Notts to cope without Andre Adams•Getty Images

As is the way of things, by the time play would have been ending the clouds were high and the sky was clearing nicely to the west, promising an evening as clear and calm as the morning had been. In between, Nottinghamshire endured the frustration of a promising start thwarted as they seek victory in a match they believe they must win to retain realistic prospects of regaining the County Championship they surrendered to Lancashire last year.Only in the morning session was play possible yet it had been a productive one against expectations for Nottinghamshire, who faced a Durham side apparently on the up while having to deal with the worst absenteeism they have faced all summer. Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad do not really count in that regard, but with James Taylor now in the senior England fold and Samit Patel still involved at Lions level, their batting is clearly undermined. To make matters worse, two of their first-choice bowling attack, Harry Gurney and Andre Adams, are injured. Given that he has taken 54 wickets, more than any bowler in the Championship, the loss of Adams, to a hamstring injury suffered at Taunton last week, is a serious blow.Yet, having won the toss and put Durham in on a wicket that was well grassed in the middle at least, their progress was better than they may have anticipated.Luke Fletcher, who has had injuries and fitness issues and had not played in the Championship since April, was recalled, eager to impress. He did so, too, taking two of the four wickets. Fletcher opened the season with seven in a win over Worcestershire at New Road yet took only one more in 61 overs in the three subsequent matches, hastening his return to the Second XI and allowing Gurney and Andy Carter to overtake him in the pecking order.With Gurney nursing a hip injury, it was always likely Fletcher would return and he ran in with a clear sense of purpose. In a soundly economical opening spell, his first reward came with a ball that swung just enough to make Will Smith look foolish for offering no stroke. When he returned in the half-hour before lunch his fourth delivery was good enough to deny Mark Stoneman a half-century, the opening batsman pushing at one that took the edge and offered Chris Read his second catch.The first by Read had seen off Phil Mustard, who was slow to leave the crease after driving a little loosely at a ball from Carter. Perhaps he was unsure there had been contact, or else it was simply disappointment, after a confident start, that his plan to build on back-to-back centuries in 40-over matches had been denied so soon.All this had taken place to the accompaniment of the drone of a police helicopter and the wailing of sirens as a drama was unfolding barely half a mile away, where armed robbers held up a local Post Office. Happily no one was hurt.Such distractions cannot help a batsman’s concentration, although it ought not to have played a part in Smith’s dismissal. Keaton Jennings, the 20-year-old former South Africa Under-19s captain who is playing in his second Championship match, may have had more of an excuse. He was leg before when he missed a ball from Ben Phillips that appeared not to deviate significantly.It is left to Dale Benkenstein and Paul Collingwood to bring their experience to bear regardless of objects in the sky when play resumes. Nottinghamshire, who are 21 points behind Warwickshire and 10 behind second-placed Sussex, may get Swann or Taylor back, in which case either Graeme White or Steven Mullaney will make way, although it is more likely that Durham will benefit from the release at Lord’s of Graham Onions, for whom Mitch Claydon will stand down.

ESPNcricinfo previews the Super Eights game between New Zealand and West Indies in Pallekele

The Preview by Sidharth Monga30-Sep-2012

Match facts

October 1, 2012
Start time 1530 (1000 GMT)Only one out of Ross Taylor and Darren Sammy will be smiling on Monday evening, and there’s a good chance that smile might be wiped off by the end of the night•West Indies Cricket

Big Picture

New Zealand players may have had a gastro problem or three, but surely they and West Indies have received the best of Sri Lankan hospitality? For, on Monday, they’ll hope like hell that the hosts beat England.New Zealand have no points so far, and their only entry point is if they beat West Indies and England lose too, to force a three-way tie at two points. If that happens, New Zealand will stand a good chance of making it to the semi-finals: their net run-rate of -0.268 is already better than West Indies’ -0.621, and not too worse than England’s -0.115. If it all goes to plan for New Zealand, their own net run-rate will improve, and England’s will take a beating, bridging that gap.Theoretically West Indies can be a part of a three-way tie even if they lose, but their poor net run-rate after the thrashing from Sri Lanka means it does them no good. In theory, West Indies too will have two avenues if they beat New Zealand: an England defeat later will give them a clear passage, while it will be a three-way tie with England and Sri Lanka should England win. Again, though, West Indies’ net run-rate is likely to keep them third-best should the hosts lose.So, for both the sides, the endeavour will be to win without worrying too much about the net run-rate and hope Sri Lanka keep up their good form later in the day. However, if only the second match is rained out, it will be bad news for New Zealand and good for West Indies. Neither of them can afford a whole washed-out day. If only the first game is washed out, New Zealand go out, and West Indies will again hope for a Sri Lanka win.

Form guide

New Zealand LLLWW (completed matches, most recent first)
West Indies LWLWW

Watch out for

Ross Taylor finds himself under pressure not just for his lack of runs, but also his tinkering of the batting order. Monday will provide him one last chance of not only redeeming himself in this tournament, but to get a measure of retribution after a highly disappointing tour of the Caribbean earlier this year.Darren Sammy hasn’t exactly endeared himself to the West Indies fans with his selections either. At the heart of West Indies’ problems has been a glut of bits-and-pieces allrounders, and not enough specialist bowlers. That was one of the reasons they lost after making 191 against Australia. It didn’t help that even those three specialist bowlers against Sri Lanka didn’t include Samuel Badree, who helped set up the win against England with four overs for just 20 runs. Sammy’s captaincy, and his place in the side, are under scrutiny at best of times. Only a qualification to the semi-finals will be able to silence those voices, that too temporarily.

Team news

New Zealand will be hoping for a return to wellness for Jacob Oram, in whose absence Doug Bracewell played against England, and played little part in the match while the contest was alive. Oram spent whole of Saturday unwell and throwing up throughout the day, and New Zealand are hoping it’s a “24-hour thing”. It’s unlikely New Zealand will look at any other changes.New Zealand (probable) 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Rob Nicol, 3 Brendon McCullum (wk), 4 Ross Taylor (capt), 5 James Franklin, 6 Kane Williamson, 7 Jacob Oram/Doug Bracewell, 8 Daniel Vettori, 9 Nathan McCullum, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Kyle Mills.For West Indies, Badree should come back, not least because New Zealand are not the best players of spin. The question is, will he replace a specialist bowler or one of the many allrounders?West Indies (probable) 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Marlon Samuels, 4 Dwayne Bravo, 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 Darren Sammy (capt), 7 Andre Russell/Fidel Edwards, 8 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Ravi Rampaul, 11 Samuel Badree.

Pitch and conditions

On Saturday, Pallekele finally showed signs of assistance to spin, with a drier track. The rain has stayed away so far, and hopefully it will for one more day.

Stats and trivia

• When Chris Gayle fell for 2 against Sri Lanka, he had scored fewer than 50 for the first time in five efforts. That is a record he shares with Brendon McCullum.
• Kieron Pollard has never won been Man of the Match in his 28 T20Is.
  

  Quotes

  “I’d rather see Brendon McCullum at the top. I don’t think he is quite assured of how he wants to play the game coming in at No. 3, because if New Zealand lose a wicket, he has to play a slightly different game. Perhaps get Ross Taylor in at No. 3, and give him more time to bat.”
  “It’s a must-win for us now. The good thing for us is that we are playing New Zealand. We just played them in the Caribbean, we have a pretty good idea of what this side is made up of.”

The USA Cricket Association is considering its position after suspended executive secretary Kenwyn Williams involves the ICC

Martin Williamson31-Oct-2012The USA Cricket Association has moved to distance itself from suspended executive secretary Kenwyn Williams, with a spokesman telling ESPNcricinfo that Williams “no longer has the rights to represent the association”.Williams’ future will be discussed at the USACA AGM in Florida on November 10 but the spokesman said the board may bring this forward in view of what was described as “ongoing unprofessional and non-compliant behaviour”.Williams has continued to attack individuals on the board, journalists and even the ICC on social media outlets. At the weekend Williams sent a long and rambling letter to the ICC, again on headed paper claiming to act as the board’s executive secretary, outlining his case and making a series of unfounded professional allegations against senior board officials.On Monday USACA’s lawyers replied stressing that Williams “does not and cannot speak” for the board and referred to his posting of “offensive materials [and] disparaging and defamatory letters” and sending out of notices to USACA members without authority.The ICC has confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that this is a matter for USACA to resolve internally.”He is suspended and no longer has a role in US cricket,” the spokesman said, adding that much of what Williams was posting contained “serious factual inaccuracies”. He added Williams’ leaking of private board business contravened agreements on confidentially which binds all board members.”If he continues to do this we will consider all options,” the spokesman concluded.While Williams’ position within USACA long ago became untenable, it now seems he risks being prosecuted by the board if he does not desist from his attacks. It is also believed some of those he has libelled are considering taking private legal action against him, something that could prove embarrassing given Williams works for a major New York law firm as a paralegal where, in his own words, he is “respected for my level of expertise and professionalism”.

Four fast bowlers bowled their hearts out in an intense training session in Perth, but it isn’t yet known how many of them will play in the Test against South Africa on Friday

Brydon Coverdale in Perth28-Nov-2012It is not uncommon to see two fast bowlers hard at work in the nets, competing for one spot. At the WACA on Wednesday, Australia took the idea to the extreme. Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, John Hastings and Josh Hazlewood were all running in and doing their darnedest to impress the selectors ahead of Friday’s third Test. None of them knew how many positions would be up for grabs. It could be one, it could be four. It could be anything in between.The first deciding factor is how Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus handle their training runs on Thursday, the end of a short turn-around following their heavy workloads in the Adelaide Test. The other issue is whether Nathan Lyon will be required, or if the selectors will choose a four-man pace attack, as they did with great success against India last summer. Lyon would enjoy the drift provided by the Fremantle doctor, the sea breeze that blows in the mid-afternoon in Perth, but he’s not the only one.Johnson has had success at the WACA, notably against the South Africans in 2008-09, when he took 11 wickets and was unplayable late on the second afternoon. But his fellow left-arm seamer Starc could justifiably expect to have the inside running, having been 12th man in the first two Tests. He used the cross-ground breeze to his advantage in Perth last season, when it helped him curl the ball in towards India’s right-hand batsmen, and one delivery that swung in and trapped Sachin Tendulkar lbw was especially memorable.”I have fond memories from last year,” Starc said. “It’s a nice place to come and bowl, a bit of extra pace and bounce than you get at the SCG where I play. There’s more in it for the bowlers but last year it was a pretty good cricket wicket. Hopefully if I get the chance to come out here again I can bowl similar to what I did last time.”Certainly, one of Starc or Johnson should play. Even if the only position available is as a replacement for the injured James Pattinson, the left-arm variety would ask different questions of South Africa’s batsmen. Graeme Smith, in particular, has been troubled by left-arm seamers in recent years. Not that Hastings and Hazlewood are out of contention.Should an all-pace attack be employed – a distinct possibility given the success the Australians had against India, and the likelihood that the pitch will need to spend time under cover with rain forecast on match eve and the first day of the Test – Hastings and Hazlewood might be battling each other for one spot. Both are tall men who extract impressive bounce, but do not deliver the ball at express speed. Neither has played Test cricket before.Hazlewood, 21, has been viewed as a national prospect since he first played for New South Wales at the age of 17. Nothing in his first-class form this summer – nine Sheffield Shield wickets at 46.33 – suggests he is quite ready for Test cricket, but the selectors have a hunch about him. By his own admission, his height is a key weapon, along with his consistency, but at 196 cm he has no discernible advantage over Hastings, who stands 195cm.Hastings, 27, has the form that Hazlewood lacks. This summer, he has collected 22 Shield wickets at 19.09. Having missed all of last season due to a shoulder reconstruction, Hastings spent countless hours in the gym and has returned better for it. Compared to state team-mates Pattinson and Siddle, Hastings can appear innocuous, but he has lifted his pace this season and has reaped the rewards.”When I wasn’t bowling or batting I spent a lot of time on my fitness, working on my strength and conditioning in the gym with David Bailey, the now Australian strength and conditioning coach,” Hastings told ESPNcricinfo last month of his time on the sidelines. “We worked our butts off to try to get me back. I think a yard of pace has probably helped me get a few more wickets than I normally would have in four-day cricket, and a little more durability as well, so I can continually back up my spells.”Although it is difficult to see Hastings and Hazlewood both playing, there is the outside chance that a full swap of Australia’s attack could take place, should Siddle and Hilfenhaus struggle at training on Thursday. One certainty is that Australia’s batsmen can expect a torrid time in the nets on match eve.”The guys in and around the squad know there’s a few places that might be up for grabs so they’re certainly having a good crack in the nets,” Shane Watson said on Wednesday. “That’s good for the batsmen because we certainly get a competitive, high quality net session, but it’s also great to be able to see how they’re travelling as well.”

India’s captain MS Dhoni identified Monty Panesar, the England left-arm spinner, as the main difference between the sides

Sidharth Monga26-Nov-2012MS Dhoni has admitted to being disappointed “to an extent” with his own spinners, but he insisted Monty Panesar was a touch above everyone else, making the big difference. India finally got the square turner they wanted, played three spinners, won the toss, posted a first-innings total that many thought was surplus in these conditions, but squandered it through some ordinary spin bowling.In helpful conditions, Panesar and Graeme Swann took 19 wickets between them in 121.2 overs. India’s three specialist bowlers bowled 113.1 overs for just nine wickets. To say the Indian spinners were outplayed will be an understatement. This is one of the most disappointing performances by an Indian spin unit in favourable home conditions.It can be granted that Panesar’s natural pace is more suited to bowling on such pitches, but Swann adjusted well too, unlike the Indian bowlers. R Ashwin and Harbhajan Singh were especially friendly on a surface where spinners had no business being friendly. Especially disappointing was their tendency to bowl short, not making the batsmen drive, which was where most of the mistakes happened. That is what, according to Dhoni, was the bigger flaw than not being able to adjust to the pace required on the surface.”There is a particular style of bowling,” Dhoni said. “We also tried to bowl fast. We didn’t get the same purchase. It’s the same as two different batsmen. Some conditions suit you, some don’t. I felt the only thing we could have done better is make them drive more than we did. If you bowl short on a wicket that has a bit of bounce, you give them time. Especially the fact that we were getting more purchase when we were bowling a little slow.”However, Dhoni was fulsome in his praise of Panesar. “The way Monty bowled, he was different from other bowlers,” Dhoni said. “All the other bowlers were getting bounce and turn, but Monty bowled at real pace. He bowled at 90-95kph and even above that, and still he got real turn. He had a big impact on the game.”The other spinners got the bounce, but they never looked to trouble the batsmen as much a Monty did. Big credit goes to him. If you get performances like this, margin of defeat can be big. Credit also goes to Pujara from our side, who batted really well. Pietersen and Cook batted really well. They batted off the back foot really well. I wish we were a bit fuller, and made them drive more.”However, Dhoni stood by his demand for exactly the kind of pitch this Test was played on. “I think this was a very good wicket,” he said. “Tests in the subcontinent should be played on such wickets. The toss wasn’t that vital. It started turning from the first day.”Dhoni insisted he would love to get such pitches more often, regardless of the result here. “Of course I will want a similar wicket,” he said. “That’s what our speciality is. What’s the point of playing on a flat track and winning the toss and batting for three or four days over the Test? You want to face challenges in test cricket. These are the kinds of wickets that push you. Definitely all the wickets should be like this.”However, Dhoni’s reasoning for such pitches calls for a much better show from the players in Kolkata. “The best thing about these conditions is, no side is guaranteed a win,” Dhoni said. “You have to play well to win.” If India do get another turner, they will “have to play well to win.”

A wrap of the second day of the ninth round of Ranji Trophy matches in Group C

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Dec-2012
ScorecardAmol Muzumdar scored his 28th Ranji century, third behind Ajay Sharma and Wasim Jaffer•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

In a match that belongs to the Yadavs, Services’ Suraj Yadav took six wickets to counter Jharkhand’s Ajay Yadav’s five. Services, who lead the table but can still be ousted if this round doesn’t go their way, bowled Jharkhand out for 120 to claim a considerable first-innings lead of 65.Jharkhand were going all right at 87 for 3 – one of those wickets was that of Shahbaz Nadeem – but collapsed after that. Saurabh Tiwary retired-hurt when he hurt himslef running between the wickets, and Suraj took the important wickets of Ishank Jaggi and Rameez Nemat. Jharkhand couldn’t fight the momentum, and Tiwary’s comeback didn’t make much difference either.However, Jharkhand, who need an outright win to give themselves a chance of qualifying, kept themselves interested with two Services wickets before stumps, including that of captain Soumik Chatterjee.
ScorecardAmol Muzumdar brought up his 28th Ranji century, now behind only former team-mate Wasim Jaffer and Ajay Sharma, to take Andhra to a solid 329 in Cuddapah. However, heavy rain cut short their attempt to take a first-innings lead. Kerala were 55 for 2 in reply.This was Muzumdar’s fifth century of this Ranji Trophy, also third in his last three matches, and took him to No. 3 on the run-getters list this season, behind wicketkeepers CM Gautam and Parthiv Patel. Crucially, it involved vital runs with the tail. Andhra began the day at 249 for 7, with Muzumdar on 99, but lost their eight on 253.Muzumdar, though, eked out partnerships worth 34 and 42 with Shaik Basha and DP Vijaykumar. Vijaykumar carried the confidence into the bowling, too, and removed Abhishek Hegde and Robert Fernandez before the rain arrived.
ScorecardAssam, placed third in the table, made progress towards three points with the help of the Dases, Arup and Pallavkumar. Goa began the day at 264 for 3, but Arup Das’ second five-wicket haul restricted them to 381. Overnight centurion Amogh Desai fell on 105, and the rest made only middling contributions.In reply, Assam got off to a solid start.Their openers added 113, and the only blemish was that Pallavkumar Das couldn’t convert his innings into a hundred.
ScorecardA combination of rain, bad light and fog has allowed only 23 overs to be bowled in two days in Jammu. Tripura scored 60 runs for the loss of two wickets in that period. Neither of these teams has a realistic chance to make it to the quarters.