All posts by csb10.top

Nepal 29 for 0 (Bhandari 24*) beat China 26 (Lamichhane 3-4, Regmi 3-5) by ten wickets
ScorecardChina has long been described as a dormant superpower, but where cricket is concerned, it is clearly still in the deepest of slumbers.It took their next-door neighbours Nepal just 1.5 overs to hunt down a miniscule total of 26, as China slumped to their fifth defeat out of five in the ICC’s latest regional qualifier for the next World T20 in 2020.With a population of approximately 1.5 billion people, China has a burgeoning and focussed interest in global sporting prowess – from their hosting of the 2008 Olympics to the recent relaunch of the super-rich China Super League, they aim to create a GBP500 billion dollar sports industry by 2025.But where cricket is concerned, China remains way off the pace – despite the best endeavours of the former Bangladesh captain, Aminul Islam, who described himself as the “Neil Armstrong of Chinese cricket” when he was appointed by the Asian Cricket Council a decade ago oversee the growth of the game in the country.”We are putting extra effort into China, because without China, cricket is not a global sport,” Aminul told ESPNcricinfo back in 2010. On the current evidence, the sport will remain a second-class citizen for some years to come.In today’s non-contest, just one Chinese batsman, Hong Jiang Yan reached double figures – opening the batting he made 11 from 27 balls, having made scores of 1, 0, 1 and 1 in his first four outings of the tournament.Seven of their players made ducks, two of them falling to Nepal’s star of the show, the 18-year-old legspinner, Sandeep Lamichhane, who returned the stunning figures of 3 for 4 in four overs to take his tally for the tournament to 20 wickets in 17 overs at an average of 2.05.In reply, Nepal’s openers galloped to their total in an 11-ball flurry – with Binod Bhandari clobbering 24 of those in eight deliveries, with three fours and a six.Nepal have now won five games out of five, with a top-of-the-table showdown to come against Singapore on Friday. Both sides have already secured their progression to next year’s WT20 Asian finals, with Nepal sealing their berth with their 117-run win over Bhutan on Tuesday.For China, it’s back to the drawing board – although they have one last outing to come against Malaysia on Friday. And given that Malaysia themselves reduced Myanmar to 9 for 8 in another extraordinary contest on Tuesday, the portents are great.On the plus side, China still have time to get their ambitions in order before these beatings take on any official status. The ICC recently announced that all T20Is would be given full international status, but effective only from January 1, 2019.Fortunately, that edict won’t be extended to 50-over contests, in which China’s record is no better. In April 2017, they lost by 390 runs to Saudi Arabia after being bowled out for 28 in a World League Qualifier.

Bangladesh’s inaugural Test victory over Australia in Dhaka last year was belittled by Cricket Australia’s team performance chief Pat Howard as being achieved by players who were not up to Sheffield Shield standard, a new book has revealed.In Australia’s first Test after the fractious 2017 pay dispute, an underprepared team lost narrowly to Bangladesh on a sharply turning pitch and were immediately leapt upon by sections of the media as overpaid prima donnas. In Gideon Haigh’s , an account of the build-up to this year’s ball-tampering scandal, Howard is shown to have harangued senior figures across Australian cricket in an emailed reaction to the defeat.”I am sitting in a cafe in Dhaka hotel at the conclusion of the first Test loss ever to Bangladesh. I am personally embarrassed and take accountability and happy to accept any criticism that comes our way,” Howard wrote. “For some of you sitting here in Dhaka you are fully aware of how poor a result this is and you have a material opportunity to address in the next few days.”Rightly the system is often judged on the outcomes of the national team. As you can imagine there are many questions being asked of us, and I think they are fair. I am reasonably confident that many of the players that have just beaten us would not get a run in any of the state teams.”To the CA Team Performance – When you go home at the end of the day, does what you do actually make a difference? CA spends over $100m on players’ wages and teams, all in the effort of producing great national teams. We have failed, you have failed and I have failed and it is not good enough.”Howard’s unflattering depiction of the Bangladesh side Australia had just lost to was followed by an improved performance and a victory by the tourists in the second Test, but also by the cancellation of Bangladesh’s scheduled visit to Australia for Tests this year. It is part of a wider picture painted by Haigh of arrogance and disconnection in Australian cricket, a sobering tale for the new chief executive, Kevin Roberts.Elsewhere, Haigh depicts the growing problems confronted by Australia’s ODI team, which one player described as being nothing like a team, while another criticised the former coach Darren Lehmann’s lack of detailed information about how to improve performances. “A player summed up the one-day side in a word: ‘Individuals’. There were no basics, no planning. You got together in the morning, went your separate ways at night. It never felt like an Australian ‘team’ in any sense of the word.””Another player felt that Lehmann had fallen into this coaching fashion simply through running short of things to say: ‘I love Boof. He’s got a great heart and he loves the players. But, really, he hardly coached technique at all. ‘You’re struggling? Just whack it.’ ‘You’re going for runs? Just bowl yorkers.’ ‘We’ll smash them.’ He really just had no other answers but to try and build up this arrogance.'”Haigh, one of the world’s foremost cricket writers, authored with David Frith the official history of Cricket Australia in 2007. The picture painted by is of much that has happened since, focusing on the fact that, as an unaccountable monopoly, the governing body has become arrogant, secretive and inconsistent.”Cricket Australia operates as monopoly and monopsony, unregulated, unrestricted and untaxed,” Haigh writes. “If one wishes to work in the sport, there is every incentive to stay the right side of the country’s sole promoter of cricket attractions and employer of cricket talent. Over the last decade, the organisation has also grown increasingly secretive and sensitive – paradoxically, with each year that it has grown richer and more powerful.”Some who’ve raised questions these last few years have been penalised for their trouble. Asked to sum up the culture of Australian cricket, one of my interviewees put it more succinctly than I ever could: ‘Bullies and sycophants.’ Said another, by way of contrast: ‘[Australian rules] Football gives you one in the belly. Cricket gives you one in the back. It is full of good haters.’ Quoting them directly would hardly improve their employment prospects. But these voices do need a hearing.”Crossing The Line

Freya Kemp could yet play a full role in the Women’s Ashes in the new year, according to England’s captain Heather Knight, despite flying home early from their tour of South Africa in order to manage her recovery from a long-term back injury.Kemp, 19, claimed two wickets with her left-arm seam across the three matches of last week’s T20I leg of the multi-format series, and bowled her full allocation of overs in their emphatic nine-wicket win in Centurion on Saturday.Kemp has suffered two stress fractures of her back in recent years, the first of which prevented her from bowling competitively for 14 months, but Knight insisted her withdrawal from the ODI and Test squads in South Africa was due to a surfeit of caution, rather than a recurrence of the injury.”It wasn’t originally part of the plan,” Knight said on the eve of the first ODI in Kimberley. “We were hoping to have her available for all three formats but, obviously, with her history with back injuries, she’s someone that we have to manage quite tightly and really look after.”We’re gutted to lose her,” Knight added. “She’s a great person to have around the group, and obviously a hugely exciting prospect for us. But the right thing for Freya was to go home and have a little look at how her back’s going, and then hopefully build towards those Ashes.Related

• Seren Smale, Ryana MacDonald-Gay called up to South Africa tour

• Wyatt-Hodge, Sciver-Brunt hammer England to series-sealing victory

• Mandla Mashimbyi appointed South Africa Women's head coach

• Dean sets up big win as England complete 3-0 sweep

“We’re really hopeful that she’s going to be fit and available, but it’s a tricky one with stress fractures. You just have to be a little bit careful around loads. She was obviously able to partake in all three games, so that’s a good sign, but the decision was made that she wasn’t going to be in a place to be ready for the one-dayers and the Test.”England’s 3-0 win in the T20Is means they will guarantee themselves at least a share of the multi-format series if they can win the first ODI at Kimberley on Wednesday, with two further 50-over matches to follow in Durban and Potchefstroom, and the one-off Test beginning in Bloemfontein on December 15.With the Ashes looming in January, Tammy Beaumont and Kate Cross – England’s longer-format specialists – are back in contention, as Knight’s team seeks to finetune their 50-over plans after successful summer series against Pakistan and New Zealand. A used track is in prospect at the Diamond Oval, which is expected to offer less pace than was on offer in the final two T20Is.”We haven’t played a huge amount of ODI cricket recently, so it’s a format that I really enjoy playing,” Knight said. “Everyone’s pretty excited to get into the longer format, and have a little bit more time to execute your skills and build plans around one day game.””Obviously with the Ashes, we’re not looking too far ahead,” she added. “Continuing to have success on this tour is, naturally, going to be the way that we’re going to build into the Ashes. The focus very much on South Africa and what they’re going to bring against us tomorrow.”

London Spirit won a low-scoring contest against Welsh Fire by three wickets to secure their first win of The Hundred men’s competition at Lord’s.Liam Dawson and Nathan Ellis claimed three wickets apiece as Fire could manage just 94 for nine, with Dan Worrell’s first 10 balls of the game all dots to set the tone.Matt Henry claimed three quick wickets to give Fire hope, but Dan Lawrence kept a cool head in a nervy chase with an unbeaten 29 which enabled Shimron Hetmyer to freedom muscle an unbeaten 30 and steer the hosts home with 13 balls remaining.Tom Kohler-Cadmore was unable to score off Worrall’s opening 10 balls and departed soon after when Andre Russell held a good catch running backwards off Olly Stone.Worrall got his reward to remove Luke Wells, who hit the only two sixes of the innings, and Dawson bowled Joe Clarke as Jonny Bairstow could only watch on as he faced just two of the first 35 balls.The England man got away a couple of boundaries when he finally got the strike but was bowled swiping against the line to give Ellis his first wicket.From there Ellis and Dawson put on the squeeze, conceding just 26 from their 40 balls combined. World Cup winner Dawson showed all his skill on the two-paced surface, returning three for 10, as Fire limped to a score that was never likely to be enough.The Welsh side needed early wickets and Henry provided them prising out Michael Pepper, Ollie Pope and Adam Rossington to leave Spirit 25 for three.Haris Rauf, who would later be on a hat-trick, had Ravi Bopara caught behind before Lawrence and Hetmyer settled home nerves in a 46-run stand.After doing the heavy lifting Lawrence skied a catch off Rauf, who bowled Russell next ball, and Hetmyer rode his luck after being dropped while Bairstow missed a tough stumping.The West Indian remained and crunched a six to finish the game and get the Spirit’s campaign up and running.Meerkat Match Hero Dawson said: “Tonight was a very big game for us after losing the first two. To get over the line will give us a huge amount of confidence. I have started nicely – it was a nice pitch to bowl on to put the ball in the right area and let the pitch do the work. It got a little bit tight in the end.”Spirit captain Lawrence said: “Hopefully we can get a roll now and keep performing like that. The mistake I made was trying to get the game done as soon as possible. I was just trying to stay in and take calculated risks.”

Ricky Ponting has tipped Australia to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India later this year by a 3-1 margin.He said the hosts will have a “bit of a point to prove” after losing their previous two home Test series to India 2-1 in 2018-19 and 2020-21. Australia have not beaten India in a Test series since 2014-15.”It’s going to be a competitive series and, as I said, I think Australia’s got a bit of a point to prove against India in Australia on the back of what’s happened the last two series here,” Ponting said on the . “We are back to five Tests as well, which is the other really important thing about this series. It’s only been four Tests the last couple of times. Five tests, I think everyone’s really excited by that and I don’t know if there’d be too many drawn games.”I’m obviously going to tip Australia to win and I’m never going to tip against Australia. There will be a draw somewhere and there will be some bad weather somewhere, so I’m going to say 3-1 to Australia.”

Should Steven Smith continue to open?

Ponting said the Australian side would “pretty much pick itself” but he wasn’t sure whether Steven Smith should continue to open or not, after the spot was left vacant by David Warner’s retirement at the SCG earlier this year.”Probably the only one question there might be with Australia again, is if Smith’s the right man to be opening the batting. That would be the only query that I can see there. But that was all about obviously bringing Cameron Green back into the side.”So I’ll rephrase it, not whether Smith’s the right man to open the batting but whether he thinks it’s the right spot for him. Because I think if he doesn’t think it’s the right spot then they’ll make a change and get someone else back up there.”In his last Test series, in New Zealand in March, Smith scored just 51 runs in four innings while opening. His promotion to the top after Warner retired was to also accommodate Cameron Green in the XI, which paid dividends when Green was the top scorer on the tour with 238 runs in four innings including a career-best 174 not out in Wellington.Though the sample size is small – eight innings as opener – the numbers aren’t in Smith’s favour. Apart from a high score of 91 against West Indies at the Gabba this year, he has passed 30 only once and averages 28.50.

Pakistan clinched the last semi-final berth at the Under-19 World Cup by beating Bangladesh by five runs in a low-scoring thriller on Saturday. India will now face South Africa in the first semi-final on February 6 while Pakistan will play Australia on February 8, in Benoni.Bangladesh’s dreams of an Under-19 World Cup encore in South Africa – they won the title here in 2020 – came crashing down in the most heartbreaking fashion in Benoni.Pakistan’s hero was Ubaid Shah, the younger brother of pace sensational Naseem Shah. Bowling with fire, intensity and raw pace that hustled Bangladesh’s batting line-up on a hot and dry day, Ubaid finished with figures of 5 for 44 as Pakistan sensationally defended 155 to win by five runs.But until 30 minutes prior to the dramatic ending, Ubaid was left wondering if he’d dropped the cup. With Bangladesh needing 37 with four wickets in hand, Ubaid put down an absolute sitter at fine leg to reprieve Mohammad Shihad James, Bangladesh’s last recognised batter for 24. However, Ubaid bounced back to dismiss him in the very next over with a superb lifter that James nicked to the wicketkeeper to trigger wild celebrations.Rohanat Doullah Borson, who earlier in the day picked up 4 for 24 to restrict Pakistan to a chaseble total, then came up with an impressive unbeaten 21 to take Bangladesh within touching distance, before Mohammad Zeeshan sent Pakistan into delirium with the final wicket of Maruf Mridha.Pakistan had done the unthinkable, clinching a game from the clutches of defeat in a manner reminiscent of their run to a famous title win in the 2006 final against India at the R Premadasa Stadium. That day it was Anwar Ali who swung India’s famed top order out in defense of a modest 109. On Saturday, Ubaid was firmly front and centre of an inspired defence.Their victory in the end may have been dramatic, but Pakistan were lackadaisical for large parts. Five batters got into double figures, but none carried on getting more than Arafat Mihnas’ 34 lower down the order. By then, they had been tottering at 89 for 6 and looked like they’d be bowled out well inside 40 overs. As it turned out, they just about managed to cross that mark.Along with pacer Borson, offspinner Sheikh Paevez Jibon contributed a four-wicket haul in a superb spell of guile and control. As it turned out, these two heroic efforts however were second-best on a heartbreaking evening for Bangladesh.The other two results didn’t have any major significance as far as semi-final qualification goes, but saw compelling performances nonetheless. Ireland upset New Zealand by 41 runs via the DLS method in Bloemfontein to finish the Super Six stage with a solitary win.Tazeem Chaudhary Ali picked up seven wickets against Zimbabwe•ICC/Getty Images

Ireland’s win was fashioned by batter Gavin Roulston, who top-scored with 82 in the team’s 267 for 9. Roulston’s 129-run third-wicket stand with Kian Hilton, who made 72, set Ireland up for a competitive total. Ireland were on track for a bigger score, but an underwhelming last ten overs scuttled their designs. Fast bowler Ewald Schreuder was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4 for 46.New Zealand started slowly and seemed set on consolidation first before trying to make a late push towards victory. But from 92 for 2 in the 24th, they slipped to 131 for 5 in the 33rd. Having allowed the asking rate to spiral, they were under pressure when the rain came. Oliver Riley’s three-for early on was instrumental in ensuring Ireland were well ahead of the DLS as they eventually clinched victory.Legspinner Tazeem Chaudhry Ali picked up a seven-for, the best by an Englishman at an Under-19 World Cup, as they beat Zimbabwe by 146 runs in Potchefstroom.England’s win was a little more straightforward, even though it wasn’t the most convincing of batting performances. From 116 for 5, they had Charlie Allison to thank for a rescue. His 76 lifted them to 237 for 7, with Theo Wiley, the opener, being the other big contributor with 61.Zimbabwe’s chase never got off the blocks as they soon slipped to 51 for 5. From there on, there was no looking back as Chaudhary Ali made merry to record a superb performance to deliver a consolation win.

Sri Lanka stole to their target for the second time this tour, scoring the winning runs off the last ball to deny a tenacious Zimbabwe defence of a modest target. A top-edged four off the bat of No. 9 Dushmantha Chameera and a chip into the legside outfield were the final acts of a chase in which Sri Lanka had struggled to stay afloat.Angelo Mathews, playing his first T20I in almost three years, had produced the most substantial Sri Lankan innings, making 46 off 38 to take the game deep. Dasun Shanaka was not out on 26 off 18, having also struck important boundaries.Their work overtook Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza’s outstanding all-round efforts. Raza had first made 62 off 42 with the bat, then claimed 3 for 13 with the ball – both the most runs, and best figures in the game. But just as they had been pipped at the finish in the second ODI, earlier on tour, Zimbabwe were left visibly dejected again.The final overThe experienced pair of Mathews and Shanaka had come together at the end of the 14th over, with 61 to get off 36 balls, and no recognised batters to come. As such they had batted sagely, picking off boundaries and keeping the requirement manageable, with well-calculated boundaries.When it came to the final over, bowled by Blessing Muzarabani who had been economical thus far, Sri Lanka needed 12. Mathews went deep in his crease and clattered Muzarabani down the ground for a one-bounce four first ball – the bowler punished for missing his yorker. Then, expecting Muzarabani to go short, Mathews stayed on his back foot and played a delectable late cut that bisected the keeper and short third for another four.Sri Lanka only required six off four now, but Muzarabani would bowl a dot ball, and then have Mathews hole out to deep midwicket, trying to hit the game-winning six.Some of what happened next was pure luck. Muzarabani went at Chameera’s body, and the ball took a top edge and sailed over the wicketkeeper as the batter swiped at it. Last ball, a fullish one, Chameera chipped towards deep midwicket, and the batters scampered the last two.Sikandar Raza had a great game with bat and ball•SLC

Raza rocks it with the bat…Raza arrived at the crease just after the powerplay, took a few balls to get settled, then began to open his shoulders. Three fours – all square of the wicket – off Chameera in the ninth over, was his first serious statement. He was then methodical during a 45-run third-wicket stand with Sean Williams while the spinners operated (he was just 31 off 27 balls at one stage), before adopting a more aggressive mode again once Williams departed. He slog-swept Wanindu Hasaranga over the deep midwicket boundary, smoked Nuwan Thushara down the ground to get past 50, and reaped 31 runs off the last 15 balls he faced.…and with the ballWith Richard Ngarava, Wellington Masakadza, and Blessing Muzarabani all having claimed a wicket in the powerplay, Sri Lanka were already reeling when Raza came on to bowl. He then delivered an excellent spell that decked the rest of the top order. He clipped the top of Sadeera Samarawickrama’s off stump with a sharp offbreak first ball, before in his final over, having Charith Asalanka caught off a leading edge, then sending a skidding offbreak into the stumps of Wanindu Hasaranga. He’d conceded only a single boundary in his four overs.Sri Lanka’s spinners keep a lid on Zimbabwe’s scoringThough Zimbabwe lost two powerplay wickets, the Raza-Williams partnership had delivered them to a decent position in the middle overs. Maheesh Theekshana – who had taken those powerplay wickets – conceded only 11 in his last two overs. New captain Wanindu Hasaranga took 2 for 19 himself, and finished with excellent figures of 2 for 19, bowling entirely through the middle.Sri Lanka’s excellent ground fielding also helped rein the scoring in.

What began as a daunting year for Pat Cummins and Australia has ended in ultimate glory, the kind of year that might sit alongside some of the best years any Australian side has had this century. It started with an honourable Test series defeat in India, and it ended with a spectacular World Cup triumph, also in India. Along the way they became, not inconsiderably, Test world champions and retained the Ashes in England.Cummins was in no doubt though that a sixth World Cup triumph, with the odds very much stacked against them in the final against hosts and arch-rivals India, represented the “pinnacle” of their achievements.”That’s huge, I think that’s the pinnacle of international cricket, winning a one-day World Cup,” Cummins reflected, an hour or so after Glenn Maxwell hit the winning runs to seal an emphatic six-wicket triumph in Ahmedabad.Related

• Australia's irrepressible trio of quicks cement their legacy

• Advance Australia, inevitably

• How Australia silenced 90,000 voices

• Cummins pleased Australia 'saved the best for last'

• Head's magnificent 137 leads Australia to sixth World Cup title

“Especially over here in India, in front of a crowd like this. Yeah, that’s huge. Yeah, it’s been a big year for everyone, but our cricket team has been here in India, Ashes, World Test Championship, and to top it off with this is just huge. These are the moments that you’ll remember for the rest of your life.”You only get a shot at it every four years. Even if you have a ten-year career, you might only get two chances at it. And yeah, it’s just the whole cricket world stops with this World Cup. So it doesn’t get any better.”Cummins had spoken before the match about silencing a big crowd and his side did just that throughout the day. The bowlers first put an end to the flurry of powerplay boundaries India hit, and then restricted them to a record low of just four across the last 40 overs of the innings. And when they batted, Travis Head alone hit three more boundaries than the entire Indian batting order, each one stifling the noise of over 90,000, the vast majority of whom were Indian fans.Cummins was, by his own admission, nervous as he waited for the game to start, clocking the sea of blue on his way to the ground as his team made their own way there. But he was nerveless when the game began, first in deciding to bowl first against the tournament’s most fearsome batting line-up, and then, with the ball himself.He’s had an indifferent tournament with the ball, only to save his best for when it mattered the most. In dismissing Virat Kohli in the 29th over, he produced the moment that did more than most to stun the crowd into silence.”Yeah, we did take a second in the huddle just to acknowledge the silence that was going around the crowd,” he said. “It just felt like it was one of those days where it was all made for him to score another hundred like he normally does, so yeah, that was satisfying.”He had a good day as captain, never allowing India to settle as he rotated his bowlers, quite often after one-over spells. By the 30-over mark of India’s innings, he had made 14 bowling changes, the joint most by any side in this World Cup. No leadership decisions will feel as vindicated as those to keep Head in the squad despite his broken hand not allowing him to play in their first five games, and to persist with Marnus Labuschagne in the XI. Head hit a match-winning 137 in the final and Labuschagne an unbeaten 58, together in a partnership of 192. Labuschagne played through the tournament, despite concerns about the impact it had on Australia’s scoring rate through the middle.Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne put together a 192-run stand to put Australia on the doorstep of victory•ICC/Getty Images

“We wanted to be pretty brave this World Cup, we didn’t want to kind of limp into the semi-finals, we wanted to be the team that could score 400 and you saw that the way we kind of shaped up with Trav, [David] Warner and then having [Mitchell] Marshy at No. 3,” Cummins said. “We wanted to be really aggressive and then a couple of our allrounders are obviously aggressive to finish up the innings so we would rather fail that way. But then Marnus just showed his class and in South Africa, you had to pick him – he was fantastic, and he was playing a different style to probably what he did for the first start of his ODI career. It was paying off and we know he’s a gun, so you had to try and find room for him.”And then the Trav Head one was, we thought his World Cup was over. It wasn’t until about the next night afterwards [the injury] where Ronnie [coach Andrew McDonald] came up to me. He’s like, ‘I haven’t slept all night, I think we’re going to keep him, we’re going to take the risk. He might be right for the Netherlands and then if we’re going to make the finals and we want to win the World Cup I think he needs to be there for the finals.'”Cummins had only played two ODIs since November 2022 (and eight since November 2020) when the World Cup began. But he said he had rediscovered the joys of the format during the World Cup, calling for more games that matter. The future of ODIs is likely to be discussed at the ICC Board meetings this week in Ahmedabad, though no concrete decision is expected.”Maybe because we won, but I did fall in love with ODI [cricket] again this World Cup,” he said. “I think the scenario where every game really matters, it does mean a bit different to just a bilateral. So yeah, I don’t know. I mean, the World Cup’s got such a rich history, I’m sure it’s going to be around for a long time. There’s so many wonderful games, so many wonderful stories within this last couple of months. So, I think there’s definitely a place.”

Brendon McCullum, England men’s Test head coach, will face no action from his employers at the ECB after questions were raised about his advertising arrangements with a bookmaker.The board said last week that it was “exploring” McCullum’s relationship with Cyprus-based betting company 22Bet India after appearances in YouTube adverts and posts on social media came under scrutiny in his home country, New Zealand.New Zealand’s Problem Gambling Foundation had filed an official complaint to the country’s Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), with the DIA confirming that 22Bet’s adverts are misleading because “they are not a registered New Zealand sports bookmaker, nor are they licensed or regulated in New Zealand by the DIA”.The ECB said it had looked at the matter from a “regulatory and employer perspective” and concluded that McCullum had done nothing wrong. It is understood that the anti-corruption code signed up to by players and coaches does not prohibit such brand ambassador roles.However, McCullum is reportedly set to end his association with the bookmaker.An ECB spokesperson said: “Discussions have been ongoing with Brendon over the last few days, and the matter has been considered from an employer and regulator perspective. We can confirm that no further action will be taken.”

Big picture: Pakistan out to keep series alive, last hit-out for several of Australia’s Test stars

After falling short of an incredible heist in game one at the MCG, Pakistan will need to regroup and conjure a rare victory at the picturesque Adelaide Oval on Friday to keep the series alive.Pakistan’s quicks gamely attempted to defend a modest score of 203, with fiery bowling from Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah on a fast and bouncy surface almost leading to a dream start for new ODI captain Mohammad Rizwan.Related

• Starc's early-season form is getting people talking

• Rauf rues 'untidy mistakes' as MCG ghosts continue to haunt Pakistan

• Short: Pakistan may have to change tactics in Adelaide

The short-pitched tactics worked well and rattled Australia’s batters, but Pakistan will likely need to change their approach on a ground with much shorter dimensions square of the wicket compared to the MCG. They will be wise to focus on bowling a disciplined line and length against an explosive Australia batting-order determined to stick with an ultra-aggressive method.To keep the series alive heading into Sunday’s decider in Perth, Pakistan will also need to defy a poor record against Australia having only won twice in the last 14 ODIs between the two sides.Australia weren’t overly convincing in game one, but can wrap up the series in what will be the final hit-out for skipper Pat Cummins, Steven Smith, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Marnus Labuschagne before the first Test against India.Starc has been in sizzling early season form, while Cummins was clutch with ball and bat at the MCG. Smith’s crisp 44 allayed fears over his form but Labuschagne is in the midst of a lean patch and scored just 16 in the first ODI before being hustled by the extra bounce of Rauf.

Form guide

AustraliaWWLLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
PakistanLLWWL

In the spotlight: Matt Short and Babar Azam

While the Test ‘bat off’ continues during the second Australia A match at the MCG, Australia also have David Warner’s shoes to fill in ODI cricket. With regular opener Travis Head on paternity leave, Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk are trying to make compelling cases ahead of the Champions Trophy but both fell cheaply in the opening game. Short has been viewed as having the inside running after performing well against England in the UK recently but made just one run in the series-opener after top-edging Shaheen Shah Afridi to third man. He should relish returning to the Adelaide Oval, where he has made a heap of runs in the BBL over the years for Strikers. Short has a golden opportunity in front of him in conditions he knows very well.Babar Azam looked in good touch before being beaten by Adam Zampa in Melbourne•AFP

Pakistan’s batters were exposed in challenging MCG conditions after being sent in. The exception was Babar Azam, who was a class above his team-mates with an elegant 37 off 44. He got through Australia’s quicks until he stumbled trying to accelerate the run rate against legspinner Adam Zampa. Babar’s recent struggles have been well documented and led to his controversial axing during the England Test series. But he seemed well at home back in ODI cricket, his favored format where he averages 56.52 – the fourth highest all-time – and is one century away from equalling Saeed Anwar’s Pakistan record of 20. He’ll have fond memories of playing at the Adelaide Oval having scored an even century against Australia in January 2017 – the last time the teams clashed in an ODI at the ground.

Team news: Hazlewood returns; Naseem expected to be fit

Hazlewood is likely to replace Sean Abbott in the XI and play his sole international match before the first Test. After a month’s break following the UK tour, Hazlewood made his return for New South Wales against Queensland in a Sheffield Shield fixture at Cricket Central that finished earlier in the week. He went wicketless from 24 overs in Queensland’s only innings of the drawn match.Australia (possible): 1 Matt Short, 2 Jake Fraser-McGurk, 3 Steven Smith, 4 Josh Inglis (wk), 5 Marnus Labuschagne, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Aaron Hardie, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh HazlewoodNaseem was forced to leave the field in the first ODI due to cramps but is expected to be available. Pakistan may need to consider playing a frontline spinner in Adelaide.Pakistan (possible): 1 Saim Ayub, 2 Abdullah Shafique, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 5 Kamran Ghulam, 6 Salman Ali Agha, 7 Irfan Khan, 8 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Mohammad Hasnain

Pitch and conditions

Despite its reputation as a batting paradise, Adelaide Oval has been tough to bat on as underlined in a low-scoring Sheffield Shield match between South Australia and Victoria that finished earlier in the week although that was designed to assist the home side’s spinners. The surface is usually considerably flatter for white-ball cricket with the short square dimensions leading to rapid scoring. There has been rain in the lead-up to the match and a shower is forecast on Friday morning. But play should be unaffected with sunny conditions expected throughout the afternoon.

Stats and trivia

• Mitchell Starc is six wickets away from becoming the fourth Australian to take 250 ODI wickets. He has the best strike-rate by an Australian in ODI cricket (minimum 50 wickets).
• Glenn Maxwell needs 66 runs to reach 4000 in ODIs.
• Shaheen Shah Afridi (25.99) and Haris Rauf (26.23) sit seventh and eighth respectively for bowling strike-rates in ODI history (minimum 1000 balls).
• Pakistan have beaten Australia just once from eight ODIs at the Adelaide Oval. Their only win was by 12 runs in December 1996.
  

  Quotes

  “The game is changing and we want to take the game on in the first 10 overs. Instead of scrapping to 240-250, which aren’t winnable scores out here, getting towards the high 300 mark is more of a winning total we think.”