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Chandika Hathurusingha’s appointment as Bangladesh coach has drawn diverse reactions from the country’s cricket fraternity. The new two-year deal will be Hathurusingha’s second stint in this position after he spent three years, from 2014 to 2017, before leaving abruptly for the Sri Lanka role. According to the BCB president Nazmul Hassan, he has now returned as the all-format coach, which all but rules out S Sriram as the T20I coach of the team.The BCB announced Hathurusingha as their new coach on Tuesday, four weeks after Russell Domingo resigned following suggestions from the board that they were looking for a new coach. Hathurusingha was on BCB’s wishlist for a long time even after he had resigned from the post in October 2017.This, despite his successors Steve Rhodes (2018-19) and Domingo (2019-22) having a better win percentage than Hathurusingha. Rhodes had a 51.11 win percentage in 45 matches while Domingo had a 42.34 win percentage in all formats. Both had a much better record in ODIs and T20Is than Hathurusingha, who had a better Test record, having won six out of 21 matches during his reign.Related

• Hathurusingha: Overcoming England's pace-bowling challenge will be Bangladesh's biggest test

• Hathurusingha: 'No tension' between senior Bangladesh players and me

• Hathurusingha set to return as head coach of Bangladesh

• Russell Domingo resigns as Bangladesh head coach

Many felt that the BCB was hasty to dispose off Rhodes after the 2019 World Cup while Domingo resigned after being put in an untenable position due to the board’s criticism of his coaching style. But the timing remained questionable. The criticism followed the team’s 2-1 ODI home series win against India in December.Former captain Mashrafe Mortaza said that the way Hathurusingha left the Bangladesh job in 2017 left a bad taste in the mouth.”Considering our Test-playing nation’s stature, this is certainly not a good example,” Mashrafe told . “Jamie Siddons was also brought back. They are two of the best coaches in terms of technical and tactical aspects that I have seen. Maybe that’s why the board thought it best to bring him back. There’s also a coaching crisis. It is hard to find coaches since there are so many franchise tournaments. BCB took the right decision in that regard.”There wouldn’t have been a problem had he [Hathurusingha] left properly like Siddons, who wanted to stay back as Bangladesh’s batting coach. Hathurusingha left in the middle of his contracted period. He didn’t pick up the phone of our board president, neither did he reply to his SMS. He left suddenly. There’s always the question of respect.”Jalal Yunus, the BCB’s cricket operations chairman, said that Hathurusingha will be familiar with Bangladesh’s team culture and players, and has already committed to the board for two years.”We are happy,” Yunus told ESPNcricinfo. “He has worked here before so he won’t need a lot of time to adjust here. He knows the players and the environment. He is a good coach. He has the quality that’s needed for the players. He has always shown interest in Bangladesh cricket. I hope this time he will stay long and keep the contractual commitment. Judging by what he has told us, we expect him to work dedicatedly for the two years.”Mashrafe Mortaza on Hathurusingha’s return: [Whether it will be good for Bangladesh cricket or not] depends on how much the board can keep him in check•Getty Images

Mashrafe, who captained 69 of the 102 matches during Hathurusingha’s first stint as Bangladesh coach, said that the players’ response to Hathurusingha returning to the dressing room is his main concern. Towards the second half of his time as Bangladesh coach, there were murmurs about how he was treating the players.”A huge question mark remains on how the dressing room will take him,” Mashrafe said. “The most important thing is, how he and the dressing room is comfortable with each other. Apart from two or four new faces, most of the players are the same [from his first stint].”We have to see whether he forgets the past, or he behaves the same as before and how the players react to these things. Hathurusingha is an international coach, so I am sure he will manage everything. The sooner that happens, the better.Yunus said that the criticism was unnecessary as the BCB was looking for a father figure as a coach. “Headmasterly is not a proper term,” he said. “We need a coach who has to act like a guardian. Someone who can explain to the players, and then get the best out of him. He has that quality.”We have an important series coming up against England. It is part of the ICC Super League. Mainly, he is focused on the World Cup later this year. We have eight to nine months in our hands.”Mashrafe said that the two current captains Tamim Iqbal (ODI) and Shakib Al Hasan (Tests and T20Is) know Hathurusingha well enough to work properly with him. But he said that a lot depends on how the BCB handles Hathurusingha. In the past, he has had public run-ins with two BCB cricket operations committee chairpersons and former chief selector Faruque Ahmed.”Shakib and Tamim are going to coordinate well with Hathurusingha,” Mashrafe said. “They generally have good relations with Hathurusingha, although there were one or two incidents with Shakib. At the end of the day, he is the best player of the team. Hathurusingha also knows the Bangladesh culture, so I feel that he will do well from his end.”His influence will depend on the discussion between Papon [Nazmul Hassan] and Hathurusingha. I believe that Hathurusingha will have a more powerful position this time. [Whether it will be good for Bangladesh cricket or not] depends on how much the board can keep him in check.”Two days before Hathurusingha was named the next coach, BCB director Khaled Mahmud said that he felt it was going to be a timely appointment.”It would be good if Hathurusingha comes,” said Mahmud, who had worked as team manager during Hathurusingha’s first stint. “He has worked in Bangladesh before. There were a lot of good performances during his time. He is more mature [now], which is good for the team. I think it is a positive thing that he is coming for a second time. He understands us well, as he is also from the subcontinent.”Ahmed, who was the chief selector before falling out with Hathurusingha and resigning from the post in 2016, was, however, a bit skeptical.”I think the BCB has brought back Chandika Hathurusingha with a lot of great expectations in mind,” Ahmed told on February 1. “But the board probably forgot how he left the job last time. Usually, those who leave in that manner aren’t able to give back anything good. Subconsciously, both parties remember the previous incidents. When the team will not do well, the BCB will feel why did we get him back. The coach will not be able to say anything boldly. He will also have his last exit in the back of his mind. If his exit were a normal one, there wouldn’t be any questions about his return.”I am doubtful how wise a decision this is. The BCB bringing him back after such a departure will make Hathurusingha’s accountability low. He will dictate to us. I think it is important to work together. From what I know of him, Hathurusingha wants to do everything on his own. But still, I hope that he will work together [with everyone].”Hathurusingha is expected to arrive in Dhaka between February 18 and 20, a week before Bangladesh play England in a three-match ODI series from March 1.

Exciting left-arm quick Spencer Johnson took a stunning career-best 7 for 49 while Queensland captain Jimmy Peirson has come to the rescue for the second time in a week as his side recovered to collect a slim 18-run first-innings lead over South Australia at the Gabba.Peirson earned player of the match honours with a century last week against New South Wales, and this time a counter-attacking 90 helped Queensland reach 290 in response to South Australia’s 272. The skipper’s innings was even more impressive in the face of Johnson’s exceptional performance. In just his second first-class outing he scythed through some of his Brisbane Heat BBL team-mates to finish with seven wickets having taking 6 for 87 on Sheffield Shield debut a fortnight ago against Victoria.South Australia survived four tricky overs late in the day to reach 8 for 0.Peirson came to the crease with the Bulls struggling at 99 for 5, but his 150-ball 90 featuring 11 boundaries – along with contributions from Max Byrant and Michael Neser – helped revive the home side despite Johnson taking seven of the final eight wickets for the innings.After a very slow first session, a steady flow of runs saw Queensland earn enough batting bonus points to edge into second on the table in the event both they and Victoria earn victories in this round.South Australia must win in Brisbane to have any chance of reaching the Shield final. South Australia’s attack was without Wes Agar, with the Shield’s leading wicket-taker rested ahead of next week’s One-Day Cup final.

Gujarat Titans stormed to a top-two finish for the second time in a row with a 34-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Ahmedabad on Monday. With 18 points from 13 matches, the defending champions are the first team to seal a playoff berth, en route knocking Sunrisers out of the contention.Shubman Gill’s maiden IPL hundred and Sai Sudharsan’s 47 propelled Titans to 188 for 9 after being put into bat. That set the stage for Mohammed Shami, Yash Dayal and Mohit Sharma to trigger a Sunrisers collapse very early in the chase and that was basically that. Despite Heinrich Klaasen’s fighting fifty, too much was left too late to chase down.It was also a night when pacers called the shots, accounting for 17 of the 18 wickets to fall on the red-soil pitch at Motera Stadium. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was one among them, who shone the brightest by taking a five-wicket haul, however, it wasn’t enough for Sunrisers who now have nothing to play for but their own wounded pride.

Gill and Sudharsan turn it on

Wriddhiman Saha’s stay was short-lived as he nicked an outswinger from Bhuvneshwar to be out for a duck off the third ball of the innings. From there on, it was the Gill-Sudharsan show as the duo put on 149 runs for the second wicket. Barring them, none of the Titans’ batters even touched double-figures.Both Gill and Sudharsan’s innings were filled with fours – 13 to the centurion and six to the almost half-centurion. They hit ten fours in the powerplay with four of them coming back-to-back in the fourth over bowled by left-arm quick Fazalhaq Farooqi. A pull, a short-arm jab, a cover drive, a scoop, you name it, Gill played it.From 65 for 1 after six overs, the total touched 100 in the next four as the Titans kept accelerating. Interestingly, the first six of the innings came only in the 11th over, off Sudharsan’s bat when he scooped left-arm seamer Marco Jansen over fine leg.Having reached his first fifty, with nine fours and no sixes, in 22 balls, Gill slowed down a bit, needing 34 more to bring up his hundred.Sudharsan, who replaced Vijay Shankar to play his first match in almost a month, looked solid in terms of technique, finding gaps and putting away loose balls. He did, however, benefit from two dropped catches.Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked up three wickets in the final over•BCCI

Five-star Bhuvneshwar

It all began in the 15th over bowled by Jansen, who had missed Sunrisers’ last few games. By that time, the left-arm pacer had conceded 32 runs in his three overs and had bowled four wides and two no-balls. Yet Aiden Markram backed him and the bowler repaid that faith. He dismissed Sudharsan with his first delivery of the over when Natarajan ran from backward point and took an excellent catch.In the next over, Bhuvneshwar had Hardik Pandya caught at backward point. Natarajan came on for the 17th over and he picked up the wicket of David Miller. It was then Farooqi’s turn to dismiss the IPL debutant Dasun Shanaka.Then came the final over where Bhuvneshwar went W, W, W, 1, W, 1b to close things out. He scalped three wickets and effected a run-out to finish with an excellent figure of 5 for 30.Three four-wicket hauls in GT vs SRH•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Titans strangle SRH upfront

Sunrisers couldn’t handle the pace of Shami, Dayal and Mohit, who combined to take all nine wickets that fell in the chase. In the first over, Anmolpreet Singh top-edged a back-of-the-length ball and was caught by Rashid Khan, running across from deep third. In the second, Dayal induced an outside edge to send Abhishek Sharma back. Then came steaming hot Shami who was too good for both Rahul Tripathi and Aiden Markram. At that stage, he seemed almost unplayable – three wickets for five runs in 10 balls.Sunrisers’ 29 for 4 became 59 for 7 when Mohit picked up three wickets in his first two overs.

Klaasen, the lone warrior

Losing regular wickets at the other end didn’t stop Klaasen from looking for quick runs. In an otherwise forgettable season for Sunrisers’ batters, the South African was the only one to cross the 300-run mark this season. On Monday, though he started patiently by scoring 23 off his first 18 deliveries, he took the attack against Noor Ahmad, smashing two sixes and a boundary off his bowling to up the ante. He got to his second fifty of the season in 35 balls. The only notable partnership for the visitors was the one for the eighth wicket between Klaasen (64) and Bhuvneshwar (27) as they stitched 68 runs off 47 deliveries.

“It looked interesting, didn’t it? I don’t know. I can’t say much.” It was perhaps the most diplomatic answer Ben Stokes has given in India so far.Coming into this tour, England made a conscious effort not to moan about pitches. Just like any team at home, curating a surface on their own terms was India’s prerogative. Complaining about them does little but make you seem like sore losers and, worse still, create paranoia within your own ranks. The internal messaging was simple: deal with it. The preparation in Abu Dhabi, on raked, sand-laced strips, was done with this in mind.They have largely stuck to that – DRS gripes aside, of course. The pitches at Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam and Rajkot have been excellent throughout, evolving to provide variety and, ultimately, rewarding quality. And, as per the 2-1 scoreline, India have been the better team thus far.Things are set to take a turn at Ranchi, so to speak. The tourists were greeted at the JSCA International Stadium by what they regarded as an odd-looking 22-yard strip. Two days ahead of the Friday start, it was already cracked, with plates that some players expect to shift when under pressure.”I don’t know, I’ve never seen something like that before so I have got no idea,” Stokes said, when asked on how it might play. “I don’t know what could happen.”If you looked down one side of opposite ends it just looked different to what I am used to seeing, especially out in India. It looked green and grassy up in the changing-rooms, but then you go out there, it looked different. Very dark and crumbly and quite a few cracks in it.”England had an inkling these conditions would be the most unusual of the series when it was announced that Jasprit Bumrah would be rested for the fourth Test. Bumrah’s 17 wickets at 13.64 have come in a variety of situations and deliveries, and India won’t mind if there’s more on offer for their spinners in his absence. Particularly with a 2-1 lead.England have to grin and bear it. As vice-captain Ollie Pope observed: “If it does spin from ball one, I guess it’s an even playing field”.The Ranchi groundstaff get to grips with the wicket ahead of the fourth Test•Getty Images

As such, Stokes is considering whether to revert to the spin-heavy attack of the first two Tests, though he will wait for one final look on Thursday before deciding whether to bring off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in for James Anderson. Another option, particularly if England anticipate a short match dominated by the need for fast scoring in turning conditions, could be to reinforce the batting with Dan Lawrence stepping in for Anderson. Though he has yet to play a Test under Stokes, the England management have long rated his positive approach, while his own idiosyncratic offspin has been known to extract sharp turn.The one certainty at this juncture is that Ollie Robinson will replace Mark Wood, who expended plenty of energy during the defeat in the third Test and needs a rest.It has been an intriguing tour for Robinson. He has been almost entirely in the shadows, having spent his last series as one of the main protagonists. His last competitive match was the third Ashes Test at Headingley, where he was limited to just 11.2 overs in the first innings before a back spasm ruled him out of the rest of the series. He had been Australia’s main antagonist up to that point, aggravating plenty off the field while on it having a modest impact, with just nine wickets at an average of 28.40.The six months between the last of those 19 Test caps and the build-up to this tour has been spent wisely. He knocked around 20 seconds off his 2km time in a fitness drive that has him looking leaner and more equipped for the rigours of energy-sapping work India asks of seamers.For a player lambasted publicly for his lack of fitness by former bowling coach Jon Lewis during the 2021/22 Ashes, omitted by Stokes for the first series in the 2022 summer against New Zealand and told by his captain to shape up, then failing to play a full part last summer, this is an important juncture for Robinson. An undulating two years presents a talented cricketer with 76 career dismissals at 22.21 an opportunity to impact a high-profile series. This must-win Test will be the 30-year-old’s first in India.Robinson has not gone through the motions while on the periphery of this series. His partner, Mia Baker, is out for the duration of the tour, and the pair have recorded a few episodes of their podcast, “Chatting Balls”, and played a few rounds of golf during their downtime.Related

• England's young spin trio feel the love on toughest tour

• Can England keep the series alive against Bumrah-less India?

• Jadeja, the batter – mundane but magnificent

• Ollie Robinson in line for recall as England weigh up bowling balance

• How will India replace Jasprit Bumrah in Ranchi?

Most importantly, Robinson has maintained a high level during nets, showcasing skills that worked so well in Pakistan last winter on similar decks not conducive to seam. It has not gone unnoticed.”I think he has worked incredibly hard while he has been out here,” Stokes said. “And it is tough for someone like Ollie, who’s played such a big part in the game over the last two years, where he has not taken part in a game and the stuff he has done away from the game itself has been very good.”I told him today he has been a great example of doing the right things and waiting your turn if it comes. Not playing the first three Tests can be tough and disappointing. But the way he has cracked on and got his fitness stuff in and not let disappointment get in the way of a potential chance that might come in this series.”He’s got unbelievable skills to be a successful bowler anywhere in the world. What we’ve seen in England is he’s very skilful, but we’ve seen more than that in Pakistan. It’s similar but different here, but the skill he possesses, he can find any movement, and his release point is always going to be dangerous.”The skill will always be there. But since that chat [in 2022] he’s worked on everything I thought that would get the best out of him, but also the team. Having Ollie Robinson able to bowl three spells and back it up the next day is going to do any team the world of good.”Stokes would not get drawn on definite statements on selection, not until he gets one last look at the pitch on Thursday afternoon. That included staying coy about his participation as an allrounder.He bowled at Jonny Bairstow for 35 minutes during Wednesday’s training session – the first time he had bowled at a batter following surgery on his left knee in November. A potential breaking of the “pinky promise” made with touring physio Ben Davies that he would not bowl in India should be covered off by a beer. Before that point, Stokes wants to see how he pulls up after his longest bowling stint through this rehabilitation period.Team England congregate with the MS Dhoni Pavilion in the background•Getty Images

“My knee itself was absolutely fine today bowling,” he said. “It was just good to push past that 20-minute barrier, which is what I’ve been working around at the moment. It might be a bit stiff but we’ll wait and see.”As a collective, the last few days have been focused on the emotional recovery from the 434-run battering in Rajkot. The most galling defeat of the Bazball era – and there have only been six, set against 14 wins in 21 Tests – led to a significant backlash against the new-ish movement. Was Stokes surprised by the reaction?”No, it’s sport, innit,” he shrugged. “You get plaudits when it goes well and a bit of s**t when it doesn’t. It’s part of it. I’ve been around long enough to know that, but we crack on.”His immediate reaction to the loss was to get the players together in the away dressing-room and warn them of criticism from outside their circle of trust, as well as the need to shed the defeat as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, he appreciates individuals will have their own reflections on what went so wrong, something he regards as a good thing.”Me, as a person, and I’m sure every player in the dressing-room has reflected in some way on that game. But in terms of the result, no.”I think as long as everyone’s reflecting on a game, whether you perform or don’t perform, and then that’s given you a chanc ien the next game to do something better, I think that’s the best way to look at it, rather than reflecting too much on the result. That’s sort of how I look at wins, defeats, whatever it may be.”You can have a good game and lose, and a bad game and win, so reflecting on your performance as an individual is the most important thing to do, rather than reflecting on the result itself. So many things go into a Test match and focusing solely on the result of the game is not the best type of reflection.”One thing this group has shown is an ability to turn the tide. An opening defeat by an innings at Lord’s in the South Africa series two summers ago was followed by two dominant wins. Similarly, a 2-0 deficit to Australia last summer, with the ethos under immense strain, was flipped in spectacular fashion to square the Ashes two-all. Stokes puts it down to preserving “a pretty level vibe”, which he will carry forward into a match that will either keep the series alive or consign England to a third consecutive winless series.”It’s just what we’re good at, taking every game as it comes,” he said. “That’s what we have done ever since I started as captain and we’ll go out there and try to play to the best of our capabilities.”You will have good days and bad days, good games and bad games. Going out there and sticking to the way that we know allows us to play our best cricket is what we constantly focus on. That’s what we’ll be doing in this game, the next game and other games too.”

Match details

West Indies vs Uganda
June 8, Providence, 7.30pm local

Big picture: Uganda’s players take on their heroes

It’s strange and beautiful that Uganda’s third T20I against a Full-Member nation – they first beat Zimbabwe in Africa Qualifiers to reach the T20 World Cup and then lost to Afghanistan on their World Cup debut – is against West Indies. Irrespective of the result, Saturday will be celebrated and cherished not just in the Ugandan dressing room in Providence but also back home. Some Ugandan players’ role models are West Indians. In batter Simon Ssesazi’s words, some of them “only support West Indies in any format of the game” and it’s a “blessing” to play against them. There is so much love and admiration for the co-hosts of this World Cup – Frank Nsubuga, 43, had named his son Pollard after a certain West Indian legend.West Indies are coming into this game on the back of five successive wins and will be keen to extend that streak. Though they were given a scare by Papua New Guinea (PNG) in their opening match, West Indies eventually got home thanks to Roston Chase’s cameo in the chase.As for Uganda, they are history-makers. They are fighters. Back home, they don’t even have a floodlit facility for practice and so they are not used to playing under lights. Treading in this uncharted territory in their first World Cup appearance, where all of their four Group C matches are played under lights, they suffered a heavy defeat to Afghanistan in their opener. However, Uganda were quick to adjust to the conditions as they overcame PNG in a low-scoring thriller in their next game to secure their first victory in the World Cup.Related

• Nsubuga's bowling, not his age, takes him into the record books

• Uganda's bowlers. Riazat seal their first win in T20 World Cup history

For them, facing co-hosts West Indies will be a much stiffer challenge. If Uganda have played a total of 93 T20Is so far, Nicholas Pooran alone has featured in 89 T20Is. The biggest concern for Uganda going into Saturday’s game will be their batting after they had been bowled out for 58 against Afghanistan and lost seven wickets in a chase of 78 against PNG. Can they challenge the power-packed West Indies at the Providence?

Form guide

West Indies WWWW
Uganda WLWLWMeet 43-year-old Frank Nsubuga, the oldest player in the 2024 T20 World Cup•ICC via Getty Images

In the spotlight – Roston Chase and Riazat Ali Shah

Andre Russell isn’t the only West Indian allrounder Uganda should be wary of. Roston Chase 2.0, has been in exceptional form since being recalled to the T20I side this year. In 2024, he has bowled full quota of four overs in three of the four T20Is, picking up four wickets and conceding less than six runs an over. With the bat, he has scored 37, 32*, 67*, 42* – at a strike rate of 154.78.Riazat Ali Shah, one of Uganda’s most promising talents, made a cautious 33 off 56 to steer a tricky chase after an early collapse against PNG. He has a strike rate of 122.7 in 59 T20Is and will look to find a higher tempo against West Indies.

Team news

West Indies couldn’t accommodate fast bowler Shamar Joseph and batter Shimron Hetmyer in the XI against PNG. Instead, they continued to back Romario Shepherd and Sherfane Rutherford. They might stick with the same XI against Uganda.West Indies (probable XI): 1 Johnson Charles, 2 Brandon King, 3 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 4 Roston Chase, 5 Rovman Powell (capt), 6 Sherfane Rutherford, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Romario Shepherd, 9 Akeal Hosein, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Gudakesh MotieUganda made three changes for the second game from the XI that played the opener with Ronak Patel (opener), Henry Ssenyondo (left-arm spinner), and Bilal Hassan (medium pacer) sitting out. They brought in two pace options in Juma Miyagi and Kenneth Waiswa and a spin allrounder in Nsubuga. Both Miyagi and Nsubuga played key roles in Uganda’s win against PNG and are likely to retain their spots.Uganda (probable XI): 1 Roger Mukasa, 2 Simon Ssesazi (wk), 3 Robinson Obuya, 4 Riazat Ali Shah, 5 Dinesh Nakrani, 6 Alpesh Ramjani, 7 Juma Miyagi, 8 Brian Masaba (capt), 9 Kenneth Waiswa, 10 Cosmas Kyewuta, 11 Frank NsubugaRovman Powell’s West Indies will look to click into top gear against Uganda•Getty Images

Stats that matter: Pooran hot on Gayle’s heels

• Nicholas Pooran needs 25 runs to surpass Chris Gayle’s tally of 1899 and become West Indies’ highest run-getter in men’s T20Is.
• Pooran and Russell have hit 786 sixes between them in T20s since 2019.
• Uganda’s Alpesh Ramjani has 13 wickets in in six T20Is this year at an economy rate of 4.3.

Pitch and conditions: Another sluggish surface on the cards

The surface in Providence is expected to be slow, so scoring might not be easy once again. Saturday might be cloudy with temperatures hovering around 23 degrees in the evening but there is no threat of rain or thunderstorms.

Quotes

“My game was always one [where] I could always rotate the strike and turn over the strike in the middle overs. But my game has evolved where I have learned and I’ve been practising to finish the game in the back end in terms of the power-hitting and getting stronger and stuff. So, I think that’s what really helped my game to evolve. So that’s made me a better player, yes.”
“Getting our first win against PNG is a dream come true. We never thought we’d win any game and everyone was like, ‘I think they’re just going to play and just come back and sit’. But putting in that good effort against PNG on the big stage, it has been mind-blowing. Kampala is just booming since the day we won, everyone is just calling us legends. I don’t know if we’re legends but yeah, it’s exciting.”

Sri Lanka ended their 2024 T20 World Cup campaign in a resounding fashion with a dominant 83-run win over Netherlands in Gros Islet. It meant they ended on three points and third place in Group D behind South Africa and Bangladesh, who had confirmed their place in the Super Eight after beating Nepal in Kingstown.Sri Lanka’s victory set up by their batters and finished off clinically by the bowlers. Nuwan Thushara was the pick of the bunch with figures of 3 for 24, but each of Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dasun Shanaka and Matheesha Pathirana also got in on the act as Netherlands were knocked out and bowled out 118 in chase of 202.Charith Asalanka had led the way for Sri Lanka with a blistering 46 off 21, which itself followed solid efforts from Kusal Mendis (46 off 29) and Dhananjaya de Silva (34 off 26). Jet fuel was then poured on proceedings by Angelo Mathews (30 off 15) and Hasaranga (20 off six), as Sri Lanka became just the second team to breach 200 this tournament.Netherlands briefly flirted with an improbable chase when Michael Levitt was going strong in the powerplay, but once the first wicket fell the rest offered up little resistance as Sri Lanka’s varied attack proved too tough to handle.

Sri Lanka keep things ticking

Losing Pathum Nissanka second ball put paid to any notion that Sri Lanka might come out all guns blazing, but a steady rotation of strike in the powerplay mitigated the lack of early boundary striking – the powerplay saw four fours and a solitary six, but they managed to score 45 runs despite losing two wickets.By the end of the tenth over Sri Lanka’s boundary count remained in single digits, but the continued consistent running between the wickets ensured that they maintained a healthy run rate. Between overs seven and ten only two boundaries were struck, but Sri Lanka nevertheless found themselves at a healthy 74 for 2 at the halfway stage of their innings.A shift in gears was however necessary on a ground in which 181 was chased down just a day prior, and this occurred swiftly and suddenly in the 13th over, as Dhananjaya pounded Paul van Meekeren for three consecutive boundaries – using the strong cross breeze to great effect.Nuwan Thushara stepped up with the ball for Sri Lanka•ICC/Getty Images

SL batters arrive…belatedly

Sri Lanka’s batting had been under heavy scrutiny coming into this game, particularly their middle order, which had been guilty of not showing enough intent and purpose. Here though they fired on all cylinders.From the 13th to the 20th over only one of those went without a six being scored, as Sri Lanka plundered 77 runs off the final five overs. Asalanka, Mathews and Hasaranga all had impressive showings, feasting on the Dutch bowlers’ inability to nail their lengths with most deliveries proving either too full or too short.The result was a score that was always likely to be a stretch too far against this Sri Lanka bowling attack.

Leave it to Levitt

He might have had only 12 T20Is to his name, but 20-year-old Michael Levitt had already made quite the impression, having made his debut earlier this year. Leading up to this game, in just 12 T20Is he had already racked up 368 runs at an average of 33.45 and strike rate of 150.20, including two fifties and a century.Regardless of opposition those are impressive numbers, and here against a challenging Sri Lankan attack, he (briefly) lived up to the hype. He took on both Thushara and Theekshana in his 23-ball 31, the highlight of which was a sumptuous back-foot lofted-cover drive off the latter for six.His inexperience showed when he charged and was stumped off Theekshana, but the future certainly does seem to be bright for the youngster.

SL bowlers take over

Levitt ‘s wicket towards the end of the powerplay followed Max O’Dowd’s an over prior. It meant two new batters were at the crease, but the required run-rate remained as steep as ever. What followed was a crash course in intent without execution.Vikramjit Singh fell pulling as Kamindu Mendis completed a very unique bobbling, juggling catch, while Sybrand Engelbrecht – having managed a sweet straight six off Hasaranga – would fall a short while later trying the same off Matheesha Pathirana Pathirana.A double-strike an over later from Hasaranga then suddenly left Netherlands reeling on 71 for 6. Scott Edwards hung around for a stubborn 31 off 24, but wickets kept falling around him as Netherlands were eventually bundled out in the 17th over.

Tom Banton and Tom Abell rescued Somerset from potential embarrassment on the second day of the Vitality County Championship Division One match with Warwickshire at Taunton.The pair came together with the home side 57 for three in their first innings, trailing by 355 runs, and produced a patient stand of 139, Banton making 77 and Abell 61 not out before three late wickets saw Somerset stumble to stumps on 208 for six, Oliver Hannon-Dalby claiming four for 45.Earlier, Warwickshire had extended their score from an overnight 373 for eight to 412 all out, Michael Burgess falling for 147. Migael Pretorius added the wicket of Michael Booth to his four first day victims for figures of five for 104 from 27 overs.Only one over was bowled at the start of play before a heavy shower wiped out play for the session to the consternation of more than 700 schoolchildren granted free admission for the day. An early lunch was taken at 12.30pm, with play resuming at 1.10pm.Somerset’s frustrations of the previous evening continued and an edged four by Booth off Pretorius took the visitors to a fourth batting point at 402 for eight, having been 40 for four at one stage.Booth then took two to third man to bring up a half-century stand with Burgess in 74 balls before Pretorius parted them, Booth edging to Abell at first slip to depart for 31.Burgess had faced 208 balls, hitting 17 fours and three sixes when last man out, skying a catch to Jack Leach at mid-on to give Kasey Aldridge his only wicket.Needing 263 to avoid the prospect of being asked to follow on, Somerset minds might have been on cautiously negotiating the new ball. Instead, Andy Umeed smacked the second delivery of the second over back over Hannon-Dalby’s head for six and then fell to the fourth, edging a low catch to Jacob Bethell at fourth slip.Tom Kohler-Cadmore also looked to attack at every opportunity and had moved to 22 off 35 balls when caught behind pushing half forward to a good length ball from Booth. At the other end, Chris Woakes completed a seven-over opening spell costing just 15 runs.When Tom Lammonby, on 23, edged another catch to wicketkeeper Burgess, playing down the wrong line to Ed Barnard, Somerset were 57 for three and under pressure. Banton clubbed Booth over a short extra cover boundary for six as he and Abell saw them to 80 for three at tea.An extended final session of 43 overs began with Banton playing some delightful shots and bringing up the fifty partnership from 88 balls with a sweetly-timed back-foot shot through the covers for four off Hannon-Dalby.Abell was largely content to play a supporting role as the stand blossomed. Banton reached a 77-ball half-century with a single of left-arm spinner Bethell, having hit 5 fours and a six, only looking vulnerable when chasing wide deliveries.The pair settled for accumulating steadily as the ball became softer and Warwickshire’s bowlers shared the frustrations of their Somerset counterparts over a pitch offering negligible seam movement or turn.Abell survived a scare on 43 when a delivery from Barnard appeared to miss his off stump by a coat of varnish, but by then the partnership with Banton had passed the century mark and early worries in the home dressing room had eased.A late cut off Barnard for his third four took Abell to fifty off 110 balls. Bethell produced a tidy ten-over spell for 23 runs on the unhelpful surface, but neither Abell nor Banton looked seriously troubled in the early evening sunshine.That was until Hannon-Dalby found the outside edge of Banton’s bat for the only slip, Rob Yates to pouch a low chance with five overs remaining in the day. The crestfallen Somerset player dragged himself off, having faced 143 balls, knowing a great chance of a third first class century had escaped him.Hannon-Dalby then struck two more quick blows to remove nightwatchmen Josh Davey lbw and Jack Leach caught behind next ball, as Warwickshire ended the day on an unexpected high.

Matt Walker will leave Kent at the end of the season after seven years as men’s head coach.Walker, who had a 16-year playing career with the county, was promoted in 2017 to replace Jimmy Adams, having been assistant coach at the club, a position he had held since 2014.During his time in charge, the 50-year-old enjoyed limited-overs success in the form of the 2021 Vitality Blast and the One-Day Cup in 2022. Kent also earned promotion to Division One of the County Championship in 2018.However, they look set for a return for Division Two this summer, languishing bottom having won just one of 11 matches so far. They also propped up the South Group in this season’s T20 Blast and won just three of eight in the Metro Bank, finishing seventh in Group A.Related

• Hannon-Dalby's half-dozen secures Warwickshire's first win

• Mott joins Sydney Sixers as assistant coach following England exit

“It’s been an incredible honour to be the head coach of my home county for eight years,” Walker said in a statement released by Kent on Friday.”Now is the time for new ideas and new personnel to come in and make their own mark on men’s cricket at Kent, something that I have really enjoyed doing in my time here. The promotion to Division One and trophy successes have been fantastic to be a part of but most of all working with the players and the coaches here has always been the most rewarding.”Winning the Vitality Blast in 2021 will always be up there for me as one of the best days of coaching this great club. The players brought us that success on the field but the knock-on effect that had for everyone, including the staff and of course our loyal members and supporters, was a feeling that people rarely experience.”I’d like to thank everyone involved with Kent Cricket for making this one of the best jobs in the world, and I wish the club, and everyone connected to it, the very best for the future.”Kent’s director of cricket Simon Cook said: “Matt has been an outstanding servant to the club not only as a player but as a coach, too.”He is one of a handful of people to have won trophies as both a player and a coach, and his name will forever be associated with recent successes at Kent Cricket.”On behalf of all of the coaches, players, and staff behind the scenes, I’d like to thank Matt for his extremely hard work as men’s head coach, and we all wish him the very best for the future.”It is understood Walker’s successor will be sourced externally, with Matthew Mott under consideration after stepping down as England’s white-ball coach earlier this summer.Mott has experience in county cricket, having worked at Glamorgan between 2011 and 2013 as head coach before becoming the county’s head of elite performance. He still has residence in Cardiff, but is due to return to Australia next week, having agreed a contract to work as an assistant coach at Sydney Sixers.He also came close to taking over at Kent ahead of Walker’s appointment, before deciding to stay on as Australia Women’s head coach. In 2007, he spent the summer at Canterbury as part of a coaching exchange with New South Wales.

Half-centuries from captain Paul Stirling and Harry Tector, and an all-round bowling effort helped Ireland to a consolation win in the third ODI against South Africa. This was just Ireland’s second win over South Africa in the format.Winning the toss for the first time in the series, Ireland put on their best batting display before their bowlers made the most of friendly conditions under lightsJason Smith, playing his second ODI, made a fighting 91 but it was an effort in vain after Ireland had run through South Africa’s top five inside 20 overs.In the last two ODIs, Ireland bore the brunt of having to bat under the lights and suffered collapses. But on Monday, South Africa found out just how different a proposition it has been to bat second in Abu Dhabi.With the new ball swinging appreciably more under lights than in the last two games (broadcast showed average swing of 2.1 degrees on Monday compared to 1.1 over the previous two games), Ireland’s quicks made early inroads after their batters got them to a competitive total. Mark Adair had Ryan Rickelton edging to the slips cordon in the first over and trapped Rassie van der Dussen in front three overs later.Reeza Hendricks, flown in from South Africa due to the injury to Temba Bavuma, lasted just seven balls as he edged Graham Hume to Andy Balbirnie at second slip.Kyle Verreynne counter-attacked with six boundaries, but was trapped lbw for 38 by Craig Young as he missed his flick after going across the stumps. Smith and Tristan Stubbs tried to rebuild but Young had the latter nicking off with a harmless length ball in the 20th over.There was another stand of resistance between Smith and Andile Phehlukwayo, but the latter scuffed a pull to fine leg to give Fionn Hand a first ODI wicket on debut.Jason Smith scored his first international fifty but in vain•Cricket Ireland

Smith then took charge of the scoring, driving with authority on the off side, but lost partners at the other end. Bjorn Fortuin hung around before being bowled by left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys. Young then had Williams edging it to the keeper as he tried to ramp a short ball.Smith also launched Young and Adair over the leg side for a couple of sixes after bringing up his maiden international half-century. He moved into the eighties with a powerful flick wide of long-on off Adair in the 43rd over, before flicking him through midwicket for another boundary. He finished that over by swatting the fast bowler over wide long-on as he quickly moved into the nineties.But Adair had the last laugh when he caught Smith at deep point to end his resistance as the batter sliced a wide yorker from Hume. He hit nine fours and four sixes in his 93-ball knock, which followed a duck on ODI debut. Hume wrapped up the win when he had Lungi Ngidi edging behind with 23 balls to go.Ireland built their score on the back of Stirling and Andy Balbirnie’s first 100-plus partnership in ODIs. They made the most of good conditions on a fresh pitch, with Stirling starting off with a powerful cover drive off Ngidi in the first over. There were some edges that either went in the gaps or didn’t carry as Ireland’s openers saw out the powerplay.Stirling even took on South Africa’s best bowler in the series, Lizaad Williams, hooking him for six. Balbirnie was slower to start, taking his time to settle in. It was in the 13th over that he really got going, flicking Ngidi through midwicket for a boundary. In Ngidi’s next over, Balbirnie hit him for six before getting a couple of boundaries off Fortuin.There were a couple of quiet overs that followed during which Stirling got to his half-century, but Balbirnie holed out as he miscued a pull off Williams. The 101-run stand between Stirling and Balbirnie was Ireland’s second-highest in ODIs against South Africa.Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie put up a solid opening partnership•Cricket Ireland

Stirling immediately tried to put the pressure back on South Africa as he drove Williams through cover before hitting Fortuin wide of long-on. Curtis Campher started quickly, picking two boundaries off a Williams over before clubbing Fortuin over wide long-on for six. Stirling and Campher added 58 runs for the second wicket before Campher tried to paddle Baartman only to see the ball crash into the stumps.Stirling went on to drive Ngidi over long-off for another six before crashing Baartman behind point for a boundary, but was then cleaned up by an in-ducker for the second straight game, falling 12 short of a century.Lorcan Tucker, fit again and back in the side, kept Ireland ticking alongside Harry Tector, picking up regular boundaries as they added 54 runs to Ireland’s score. The stand was broken when Tucker tried to scoop Phehlukwayo only to sky it behind, with Ryan Rickelton taking a good catch running back.Phehlukwayo struck again in his next over, as George Dockrell cut him straight to point.Tector lofted Ngidi over long-on before cutting him behind through point for four to reach his half-century in the 48th over. Williams, who was not having his best game of the series until this point, finally made his mark in the penultimate over. He left the middle stump broken as Adair went across the stumps to try and scoop him. He then trapped Hand in front next ball and yorked Hume off the final ball to finish the series with 11 wickets.Tector finished on 60 off 48 as he was run out in the final over trying to run a second to keep strike.

Big picture – SA have a shot at WTC final

Test cricket’s context was cracked open over the last week as South Africa won a first match in the subcontinent in a decade, and New Zealand won their first series in India to prove (some parts of) Asia can be conquered. All that means that the World Test championship (WTC) is alive. Both South Africa and New Zealand remain in contention for the final, with virtually every remaining match a must-win. For South Africa, that starts in Chattogram, where they will play their last away Test of the 2023-25 cycle.After beating Bangladesh in Mirpur, South Africa will be confident of their chances of a clean sweep – especially as their opposition continues to operate in disarray. Bangladesh replaced their head coach on the eve of the series, which they expected to start with a farewell for Shakib Al Hasan. But he had to make himself unavailable as he was not able to travel to Dhaka. Now, their current captain Najmul Hossain Shanto wants to step away from the leadership after being in charge for less than a year.Related

• Jaker Ali ruled out of second Test against SA with concussion

• Shanto wants to step down as Bangladesh captain after SA Tests

• Temba Bavuma to miss second Test against Bangladesh

Shanto’s legacy includes an away Test series win over Pakistan, and a drawn series against New Zealand at home. If this is his last game in charge, he will doubtless want to add South Africa to his list of achievements.To get that right, Bangladesh will have to acquit themselves better in the first innings, which is where they lost the opening Test. Conditions in Chattogram are expected to be less hostile, but they will also need some of their big names to step up. Mominul Haque and Litton Das, neither of whom got into double-figures last week, are two players on whose shoulders much responsibility rests, as they seek to blunt a South African attack buoyed by a fast-bowling great.Kagiso Rabada picked up his 300th wicket and his first five-for in Asia in the first Test, and after sitting out white-ball series in recent months, is showing the value of workload management. How he performs on what is expected to be an unhelpful surface in the second Test could define the outcome of the series.The same might be said of the two spin contingents. Taijul Islam exposed familiar problems in some South Africa batters’ reading of turn, and Bangladesh may want to provide him with someone who can offer more support than Nayeem Hasan did. South Africa, too, might seek an extra bowler to add an option to the four frontline bowlers they used in Mirpur, especially as the result has important consequences for them.South Africa more or less need to win at least four of their five remaining Tests to qualify for the WTC final, and while Bangladesh are out of contention, they will want to do well at home after a major setback.Mahmudul Hasan Joy hasn’t scored a half-century in his last eight Test innings•AFP/Getty Images

Form guide

Bangladesh: LLLWW
South Africa: WWDLL

In the spotlight – Mahmudul Hasan Joy and David Bedingham

With scores of 30 and 40 in the first Test, Mahmudul Hasan Joy was the only Bangladesh batter to get starts in both innings. He will know that a lot depends on him if his side is to bat better. Mahmudul already has a Test century against the same opposition, with his only hundred so far having come in South Africa in 2022, against an attack that included Keshav Maharaj and Wiaan Mulder. Since that hundred, Mahmudul has scored three half-centuries in 21 innings, and none in his last eight. As recently as August, he scored 65 for Bangladesh A against Pakistan A, and will want to re-find form in this most important of matches.Just seven Tests into his career, David Bedingham will be keen to build on the hundred he scored with an under-strength South Africa team in New Zealand earlier in the year, by showing what he can do in a first-choice team. Since that match, Bedingham has not crossed 40 in six innings, and was dismissed for 11 and 12 in Mirpur. With a first-class average of 51.66, Bedingham is, by a distance, one of South Africa’s best batting talents, and will be given a long run in a Test side searching for stability. He’ll also know that he carries a reputation as a run-scorer, and is expected to deliver on that soon.

Team News – Jaker Ali ruled out

Batter Jaker Ali has been ruled out of the second Test after suffering from concussion during practice on Sunday. Bangladesh have handed a maiden call up to Mahidul Islam Ankon in his place. But they could yet replace Jaker with a bowler in seamer Nahid Rana, who has four Test caps to his name. Bangladesh might also consider handing a debut to left-arm spinner Hasan Murad in place of offspinner Nayeem, who went wicketless last week.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Mahmudul Hasan Joy, 2 Shadman Islam, 3 Mominul Haque, 4 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Litton Das (wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Mahidul Islam Ankon/Nahid Rana, 9 Nayeem Hasan/Hasan Murad, 10 Taijul Islam, 11 Hasan MahmudSouth Africa could field an additional seamer in either Lungi Ngidi or Dane Paterson•Alex Davidson/ICC/Getty Images

Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of this match as he continues to recover from an elbow injury, which will leave Aiden Markram with the leadership role again. Though four bowlers proved enough for South Africa in the first Test, they may want to bulk up their resources at a more batter-friendly venue in Chattogram. That would likely mean benching Matthew Breetzke, and including one of spin-bowling allrounder Senuran Muthusamy or a seamer in either Lungi Ngidi or Dane Paterson.South Africa (probable): 1 Aiden Markram (capt), 2 Tony de Zorzi, 3 Tristan Stubbs, 4 David Bedingham, 5 Ryan Rickelton, 6 Matthew Breetzke/Senuran Muthumsamy, 7 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 8 Wiaan Mulder, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Dane Piedt, 11 Kagiso Rabada

Pitch and Conditions – Chattogram likely to be batting friendly

After the bounce and turn of Mirpur, which was particularly prevalent on the opening day, Chattogram is expected to be better for batters upfront. It is reputed to be the flattest of all Bangladesh’s pitches, with ten totals of over 500 in 24 matches played at this venue. That might make taking 20 wickets a challenge.The weather is set to be fair for all five days, with no rain forecast, and temperatures in the early 30°C. Humidity is high at over 70%, and South Africa were asked how they were preparing for it. “From a weather point of view, there’s not too much we can do besides hydrate well,” Markram said.During the first Test, Kyle Verreynne joined Aiden Markram in getting a Test century in Asia•AFP/Getty Images

Stats and Trivia

• Bangladesh have only won two of the 24 Tests they have played at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram, and the last one was almost six years ago. They beat West Indies in 2018, and previously also won a match against Zimbabwe in 2014.
• Before the Mirpur Test, Markram was South Africa’s only top-seven batter to have played a Test in the subcontinent, and consequently, the only one to have scored a century in Asia. He has since been joined in the latter category by Kyle Verreynne.

Quotes

“You have asked a very deep question. I don’t have an answer to it. This depends a lot on the individual. Some can move on, while others may be affected by [off-field activities]. I personally try to keep away from these things, and stick to my job.”
“It’s not much that we pay attention to, to be honest. It’s completely outside of our camp, outside of our team… Whatever the Bangladesh team is going through, unfortunately, has got nothing to do with us.”