All posts by csb10.top

Last year

8th (relegated), CC Div 1; Group stage, FLt20; 6th in Group B, YB40.

2013 in a nutshell

Any season that ends in relegation and the appointment of new coaching staff can only be considered a disappointment. Certainly Derbyshire’s lack of progress in limited-overs cricket was frustrating and it might be tempting to conclude that, for all the talk and all the investment, their brief appearance in Division One was nothing but a blip.But there were some encouraging signs along the way: Derbyshire won three Championship matches – more than Surrey or Nottinghamshire and as many as Somerset – and, in an impressive late-season run of three wins in four games, demonstrated admirable fight and character. It was telling that, central to most of their better performances, the batting of Wayne Madsen – the only man to pass 1,000 Championship runs or average 40 – and the bowling of Tim Groenewald were to the fore.That it all turned out to be in vain was due, largely, to the batting. Only four times did they make 300 in the Championship and only twice did they go on to pass 400. Six times they failed to pass 120 with none of Wes Durston, Jon Clare, Dan Redfern, Ben Slater or Billy Godleman averaging more than 18. Karl Krikken might consider himself particularly unfortunate to pay the price for Derbyshire’s relegation. Having taken the coaching role with the club in chaos and overseen a swift improvement that culminated in promotion, he might have expected a little more time to get things right.Instead he was asked – and declined – to reapply for a rebranded role as “elite cricket performance director”. His qualities – loyalty, commitment that stretched way beyond the norm, knowledge of the club and the players, and a quiet good humour that ensured calm on good days and bad – might not have been as eye-catching as some, but they were valuable nevertheless and will prove hard to replace. County cricket becomes more like football by the moment.

2014 prospects

With a strong seam bowling attack, Derbyshire should be able to challenge for promotion once again. The weakness of the batting remains a concern, though, and far more will be required of Shivnarine Chanderpaul and the likes of Godleman if they are to prosper. It might be a worry, too, that while the club has lost the services of Ross Whiteley and Dan Redfern, two of the more talented young players at the start of 2013, they have attempted to mask it with the recruitment of 33-year-old Stephen Moore whose recent form is hardly overwhelming. Long-term, the club remain reliant on the success of their home-grown players, but there is a doubt whether many are ready to take-up key first-team positions at present. But if the change in the coaching positions such one thing at Derbyshire it is this: after years when mediocrity was accepted as inevitable at Derbyshire, there are now expectations and demands at the club. That has to be a good thing.

Key player

That Madsen, the first man in the country to 1,000 Championship runs in 2013 and the winner of the Championship Player of the Season award, has been at the heart of everything good in Derbyshire cricket over the last few years is obvious. Whether he can continue to mask the deficiencies in the rest of the team is less clear. It is hard to think of another side in the land that are so reliant upon one man for their runs. The club can, at least, take comfort in the knowledge that, in the face of interest from other counties, he signed a long-term deal to keep him with the club until the end of 2016.

Bright young thing

Chesney Hughes has long been admired for his talent and style with the bat. But, aged 23, it is time to start delivering on his promise. It is telling that not far short of half his first-class runs in 2013 (636) came in one innings of 270. Greater consistency is required. Perhaps surgery to his shoulder, successfully carried out during the winter, will help. It will certainly allow him to bowl more often. Tom Poynton, a fine keeper, is worth keeping an eye out for as well.

Captain/coach

Graeme Welch, the new director of cricket, forged a fine reputation as bowling (and then assistant) coach at Warwickshire, but will find himself with more responsibility and fewer resources at Derbyshire. He should be more than capable of leading an improvement at all levels of the club, though he may require more time than was given to his predecessor. Madsen will continue to lead from the front and there is no reason to suspect the pair will not form a fine working relationship. Perhaps the key man at the club remains the chairman, Chris Grant, though. It has been his energy that has been behind the boost in recent times, but it is likely that his long-term patience and persistence will also be tested in due course.

ESPNcricinfo verdict

While promotion might prove just out of grasp, a position outside the top four in Division Two would be considered bitterly disappointing. A team full of all-rounders should be able to improve significantly in limited-overs cricket, though a place in the knock-out stages should be deemed a success.

ScorecardJames Fuller led Gloucestershire’s surge late in the day•Getty Images

Kent lost six final-session wickets as they collapsed spectacularly on the first evening of their Division Two match against Gloucestershire. Having dismissed their hosts for 252, Kent failed woefully with the bat to slump to 33 for 6 at the close, still 219 runs behind.Not a single visiting batsman managed double figures, with the top four combined making just one. At one point Kent were 2 for 4. Will Gidman took 2 for 1 and James Fuller 3 for 23 as the Gloucestershire bowlers cashed in.Earlier Gareth Roderick had top-scored with 59 for the hosts, a score Kent’s batsmen could only dream of.Rob Key was the first man to go with the third ball of the innings, caught behind by Roderick off Fuller for a duck. Daniel Bell-Drummond, Sam Northeast and Brendan Nash followed in successive overs as a bad start became a horrendous one.Ben Harmison and Darren Stevens soon followed for 8 apiece, leaving Sam Billings was unbeaten with Adam Riley at the close.Kent had started the day in positive mood after they, too, made early breakthroughs with the ball, Mitchell Claydon with two wickets as they reduced Gloucestershire to 23 for 3.But a fifth-wicket partnership of 75 between Hamish Marshall, who made 44, and Roderick, helped the hosts recover, taking the score from 64 to 139.Marshall was bowled by Riley and Roderick caught by Stevens off Doug Bollinger, but useful contributions from lower down the order took the score past the 250 mark. Gidman made 31 and No. 9 Tom Smith 30 before becoming Riley’s third wicket of the innings.

The third Test between West Indies and New Zealand has been moved out of Guyana due to West Indies Cricket Board’s disagreement on a new bill passed by the government of Guyana. The WICB will announce the alternate venue for the June 26-30 match on June 2.WICB’s decision came in the wake of the passing of the Cricket Administration Bill, which hands over the local cricket administration from an independent body to the Guyana government, and which, in the board’s view, goes against the ICC’s tenets of minimising government interference in running of cricket.The board sought an undertaking from Donald Ramotar, the Guyana President, that the bill not be signed into law, but after not receiving the desired response, the board decided to relocate the Test.New Zealand play the first Test of the three-match series in Kingston from June 8 -12.

ScorecardLiam Norwell’s afternoon wickets kept Hampshire in check•Getty Images

Hampshire’s last-wicket pair of James Tomlinson and David Balcombe repaired a middle-order collapse to thwart Gloucestershire on a day of fluctuating fortunes.Hampshire raced to 69 for 1 and then 144 for 2 after being put in, only for Liam Norwell to induce a slide in which Hampshire lost seven wickets for 38 in 12.1 overs.Norwell took four quick wickets with his medium pace before Tomlinson and Balcombe, not renowned as batsmen, came together in an unbroken stand of 69 for the last wicket as Gloucestershire ran out of ideas.At the close, delayed by rain earlier in the day, second-placed Hampshire had made 251 for 9 from 80 overs with Tomlinson 33 not out and Balcombe unbeaten with 38, leaving Gloucestershire a chance to reflect on why they had been unable to finish off their good work on a helpful pitch.The rain wiped out the entire first session, meaning play did not start until 1.10pm after an early lunch. Gloucestershire captain Alex Gidman noted the green tinge to the wicket and the Ageas Bowl’s reputation for aiding the bowlers and chose to field first.Gidman must have starting to regret his decision quickly as Michael Carberry and Jimmy Adams put on 69 in 21.4 overs for the first wicket without alarms. Benny Howell and wicketkeeper Adam Rouse, both former Hampshire players, combined to break the partnership when Carberry was caught by Rouse attempting leave.Hampshire showed no signs of being slowed by the England batsman’s dismissal as Adams and Will Smith took the score to 98 before Will Gidman got Adams to edge to Rouse.At tea, Hampshire were in a dominant position at 106 for 2 with Smith and James Vince well set but the turning point came at 144 in the 50th over when Vince, who had struck five fours in his 25, was leg before to Norwell.The Hampshire batting quickly subsided in his wake as Norwell bowled Smith for 45 and in rapid, unseemly succession Sean Ervine, Joe Gatting, Adam Wheater, Danny Briggs and Kyle Abbott all fell, six wickets going down for 25 in nine tempestuous overs.Ervine gave Iain Cockbain a catch at short leg, Tom Smith deceived Gatting and Wheater edged Norwell to Cockbain at second slip. Briggs went to another slip catch by Chris Dent and Will Gidman returned to dismiss Abbott in identical fashion.At 182 for 9, Hampshire were in disarray and the end looked close as Balcombe was joined at the crease by Tomlinson. Viewed as an old-fashioned No. 11, Tomlinson nevertheless put on 60 with Briggs against Surrey last time out and he and Balcombe defied Gloucestershire despite the many bowling changes made in a frantic last 18 overs of the day by Alex Gidman.Neither batsman looked in any trouble as they complied their face-saving partnership and at the close Tomlinson was nine runs short of a career-best while Balcombe struck Norwell for successive boundaries on the way to his best score of the season.Norwell finished the day with figures of 4 for 87 but they might have been better had it not been for the defiance of the last-wicket pair who plundered runs from him as play drifted beyond 7pm and the attack visibly tired.

ScorecardAlex Blake ensured Kent had a solid total to bowl at•Getty Images

Disappointment can often be a good motivator and in a week when he lost his Test spot, Chris Jordan almost managed to haul Sussex across the line in the T20 Blast. If truth be told, it was a bitty showing from Jordan and embodied a slapdash performance from Sussex as their faint hopes of T20 Blast progression ended.If Jordan had hoped for a competent homecoming on the back of his England omission, Kent were in no mood to bestow him handouts. The name on the back of the shirt counts for little on the county circuit and although his 37 brought Sussex to within a blow of victory, a couple of overzealous overs proved decisive and irreparable.Straying onto the leg side more often or not, he was picked off with ease and when he returned in the 17th over of Kent’s stodgy innings, the subsequent six deliveries changed the dynamic of the game.His additional zip gave Ben Brown, the Sussex wicketkeeper, little chance with a steep bouncer that proved too quick for anyone and then Alex Blake tucked into successive sixes, who scored an unbeaten fifty, one of which came off a no-ball to lift Kent towards a target that had looked improbable when they slouched to 77 for 6; 38 came off Jordan’s three overs.In the end, their 149 for 9 was just enough despite Jordan’s late hitting. Requiring 17 off the final over, a towering blow over long-off kept the Hove crowd on the edge of their seats before he could only pick out the fielder with a couple of deliveries remaining. His, and indeed Sussex’s, race was run.Kent, however, still harbour hopes of progression. Having gone six games without a victory in the South Group, few would have given them a sniff as they toiled on a slow surface. Will Beer, predominately deployed in the shortest-format, wreaked havoc with a competent display of leg spin as the top-order subsided with little fight, Daniel Bell Drummond – who underpinned the Powerplay overs with 34 – apart.Fabian Cowdrey missed a straight one from Beer before Stefan Piolet took all the pace off to outwit Darren Stevens next over. That only provided the platform for Blake. A well-organised left-hander, he batted without any inhibitions on a track that required a clear mind and convincing strokes. He struck five sixes, including the two off Jordan that gave Kent the impetus, to give his bowlers something to defend. Beer, who finished with career best figures of 3 for 18, was unable to put his feet up.Much like Kent’s batting order, the hosts flopped in the face of the battery of slower bowlers Rob Key had little hesitation in deploying. Such are the idiosyncrasies of the loan system that James Tredwell, who was in the home dressing room during the week, played a major part in foiling his part-time team-mates.He nonchalantly had Yasir Arafat caught and bowled, just as the game threatened to swing back in Sussex’s favour, before cold water was poured over Jordan’s fireworks.

The BCCI is set to form a five-member committee, headed by Karnataka State Cricket Association secretary Brijesh Patel, to oversee the cricket affairs of disputed associations, including Lalit Modi’s Rajasthan Cricket Association.Patel, who has also played international cricket for India, is a key south zone ally of the current BCCI administration. The committee will include Baroda Cricket Association president Samarjitsinh Gaekwad, RCA member and a prince of the Udaipur royal family Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar and cricket consultant Amrit Mathur. BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel, joint-secretary Anurag Thakur and treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry will be a part of the committee as ex-officio members.The committee has been briefed about overseeing cricket operations in states or associations where there are disputes, like Bihar and Rajasthan. “As had been decided earlier, even though the associations have been involved in various disputes, we don’t want the cricket and the future of cricketers to suffer in these regions,” Sanjay Patel said. “As a result, the interim BCCI president [Shivlal Yadav] appointed the committee recently and we hope to provide the best of facilities to cricket and cricketers [in disputed regions].”Though the committee members were recently informed of their inclusion and some of them met with the Rajasthan government’s sports ministry officials on Monday, the committee’s formation will be ratified only during the BCCI working committee meeting, expected to be held in Goa next week.It is understood the most immediate priority of the committee would be to pick teams for various age-groups, put together various selection committees, hold selection trials, appoint match officials and support staff, and ensure the basic minimum infrastructure required to hold matches and tournaments is in place. With the domestic season starting in October, the committee needs to ensure things are put in place at least a month ahead of the schedule. The committee is likely to meet next week to finalise a schedule and set deadlines to meet the targets.It is also understood that the formation of the ad-hoc committee will be opposed by the RCA and at least one of the three factions of the Bihar bodies. This could lead to yet another legal tangle between the BCCI and member associations.”RCA does not recognise (the committee) nor the state act allows,” Modi said. “Nor the BCCI constitution provides for it.”RCA vice-president Mehmood Abdi has indicated that the state association may take legal recourse, including criminal prosecution under the Rajasthan Sports Act, to contest the formation of the committee.The RCA had been suspended in May immediately after Modi, the former IPL chairman who was expelled from the BCCI last year, was announced as its elected president. Despite being banned by the BCCI, Modi was allowed to contest the election on the grounds that the RCA, despite being a BCCI affiliate, is governed by the Rajasthan Sports Act. This led to the BCCI suspending the member body.Bihar’s tale is very different. Besides the Bihar Cricket Association, which is a BCCI associate member, two other registered associations have staked a claim to run cricket in the state. One of them, the Cricket Association of Bihar has spearheaded a legal battle against the BCCI and its sidelined president N Srinivasan ever since the IPL corruption scandal broke in 2013. As a result, even though Jharkhand, a state carved out of Bihar by the Indian government, enjoys full member status, Bihar is deprived of a Ranji Trophy team and all the privileges of a full member. It is also alleged that players from Bihar, who fall into Jharkhand jurisdictions according to BCCI regulations, are ignored by the Jharkhand associations.Similarly, players in the Uttarakhand region suffer since there is a lot of ambiguity over whether they should be considered for selection in Uttar Pradesh or Himachal Pradesh. Ever since the state was created in 2000, three bodies have vied for its cricket administration rights – one supported by the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association, one supported by a prominent politician who is involved in the BCCI, while the other is a local outfit.

ScorecardCalum MacLeod’s hundred made the run chase look simple•Cricket Scotland

In an ideal world, the ball would have flashed off John Mooney’s blade, dissecting the two fielders stationed backward of point. It would have raced across the outfield and over the rope. It would have brought up his maiden ODI century. It would have prompted Malahide to rise in unison. It would have been a soul-stirring moment. But, this is not a perfect world, nor do such fairy tales regularly transpire.As it was, Richie Berrington stooped forward, snaffled a low chance and ended an innings of consummate quality from a player who, less than twenty-four hours previous, had bravely revealed the full extent of his battle with depression.Fittingly, all four corners of the ground rose in appreciation. It did not matter that the score under his name remained four short of a century or that Ireland’s total was significantly under-par because, in the grand scheme of things, such particulars are irrelevant. The sight of Mooney back in the green apparel is enough in itself.In the event, it was an innings that glued Ireland together against a purposeful Scottish side infused with a determination to wrestle a semblance of pride back following two underwhelming performances earlier in the week. Calum MacLeod’s second ODI century ensured the visitors left with some positives to take before their World Cup preliminaries begin in earnest later this month.The same top-order that had looked so helplessly vulnerable against the moving ball hitherto made light work of the target as they chased down 242 with minimal fuss. It was Scotland’s first ODI win on Irish soil and was manufactured by a disciplined bowling performance led by Majid Haq’s first five-wicket haul in the format.It was little surprise that Preston Mommsen asked Ireland to bat first under cloud-laden skies. It was perhaps unfortunate that the outcome of a match was determined so considerably by the toss of a coin but it was another thing to ensure you made best use of such favourable conditions. Certainly, Scotland were resolute not to let the opportunity slip and built the platform for their wounded batsmen to flex their muscles.The absence of Kyle Coetzer and Matt Machan has been felt significantly but in MacLeod they have an opening batsman enjoying the best form of his career; it showed here. A breakthrough season at Durham, particularly against the white ball, has raised genuine hopes that he is a player of the calibre Scotland have so desperately craved in recent years.There was no sign of the hesitation that undermined his failures earlier in the week as he tucked into some charitable bowling from the hosts, who looked weary before wilting in the late afternoon Dublin sun. MacLeod formed a match-defining partnership with Hamish Gardiner, who may be looking over his shoulder nervously with Coetzer and Machan to return to the side.The pair saw off the initial threat of Max Sorensen and Craig Young before taking advantage of easier circumstances as they matched each other blow for blow. That was until Gardiner, eleven short of a first century in Scottish colours, fell attempting to cut the part-time spin of Andrew Balbirnie.Phil Simmons and the selectors will name an 18-man squad for the pre-World Cup tour to Australia and New Zealand on Monday and, while a series win was already assured, this reversal is a timely wake-up call.Graeme McCarter is expected to miss out despite bowling eight economical overs with Young, who moved his tally of wickets for the week to nine with the early dismissal of Matty Cross, now ahead of him in the pecking order. None of the batsmen on the fringes added much weight to their case for inclusion on a morning during which Ireland stuttered and stumbled.While they were able to negate the early advances of Scotland’s new ball bowlers, albeit at a pedestrian pace, Haq’s introduction in the 17th over paid instant dividends. Stuart Thompson feathered the offspinner behind to Cross and four balls later Andrew Poynter missed a straight one that went on with the arm. Mooney, however, added steel to the innings.A towering six down the ground off MacLeod set the wheels in motion as he accelerated through the gears. Kevin O’Brien’s departure, the ball after the second drinks break, halted Ireland’s recovery after they had slipped to 95 for 4 but Mooney wasn’t deterred.It was his first half-century in four years and, in stepping down the pitch to Haq and crunching an expansive drive through cover, he brought up his highest ODI score, overtaking his previous best of 55. The fireworks were to come, though. An audacious reverse sweep which flew over the rope had the crowd purring and when he took Michael Leask for 12 off the 46th over, he moved within touching distance of three figures. It wasn’t to be.

Match facts

Sunday, October 12, Abu Dhabi
Start time 1500 local (1100 GMT)

Big Picture

An opening stand of 126 in 25 overs is the sort of situation that spawns a strong total from the batting side. In Pakistan’s hands, however, it produced a batting implosion that merely underlined the painful struggles the team’s batting has faced since their Sri Lanka tour.With the team management struggling to explain the collapses, all the batsmen can do is put up a better performance because a win in the final game isn’t merely a question of pride anymore. Given the gap between the ODI series and the Tests, a win here could carry Pakistan into the five-day format in a relatively better frame of mind. They will, however, find themselves without two key players after Wahab Riaz picked up an injury in the second match, and their regular captain Misbah-ul-Haq opted out of the game, as Pakistan look to try a new combination in the dead rubber. Shahdi Afridi is expected to lead in Misbah’s absence.Australia’s success has been built on their quick adaptation to local conditions. Glenn Maxwell’s innings in the last game is another positive for the team and he has also contributed well with the ball. While the spinners have found assistance on the low, slow tracks, Mitchell Johnson has said that the fast bowlers are also working on getting some reverse swing to work for them.

Form guide

(most recent first, completed matches only)
Australia WWLWL
Pakistan LLLLW

In the spotlight

Recalled to the ODI side after more than a year, wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed has capitalised on his chances, extending his form in Tests into the 50-over format. This series is his first stint as an opener in the ODI format and so far he has responded with scores of 34 and 65. The middle order for the third game will be a new line-up, making it imperative for Sarfraz to emulate his partnership with Ahmed Shehzad from the second ODI.As Australia’s lead spinner in the series, Nathan Lyon has enhanced his chances as a World Cup contender with his frugal bowling. A double-wicket maiden in the first ODI helped turn the game in their favour and he has been the side’s most economical bowler in the series at 3.65 runs an over.

Team news

Keeping the absences of Misbah-ul-Haq and Wahab Riaz in mind, Pakistan will have to tweak their line-up and bring in either Sohaib Maqsood or Umar Amin.Pakistan (probable) 1 Ahmed Shehzad, 2 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 3 Asad Shafiq, 4 Umar Amin/Sohaib Maqsood, 5 Umar Akmal, 6 Fawad Alam, 7 Shahid Afridi (capt), 8 Sohail Tanvir, 9 Raza Hasan, 10 Zulfiqur Babar, 11 Mohammad IrfanAustralia may opt to retain the same XI that won the second ODI.Australia (probable) 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Steven Smith, 4 George Bailey (capt), 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 James Faulkner, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Kane Richardson, 10 Xavier Doherty, 11 Nathan Lyon

Pitch and conditions

The last time Pakistan and Australia played an ODI in Abu Dhabi, the visitors struggled to cope with high humidity. It’s unlikely to be comfortable, with temperatures expected to stay near the 37-degree mark along with an increase in humidity in the evening. Dew could become a factor in the second half of the game.

Stats and trivia

• In their last four ODIs, going back to the second ODI against Sri Lanka, Pakistan’s batting collapses have read – 6 for 41, 7 for 55, 5 for 47, 10 for 89
• Mitchell Johnson has 6 for 64 in two games so far. His best performance in a three-match bilateral series is 7 for 144 against Bangladesh in 2011.
• Pakistan’s win-loss ratio against Australia in ODIs is 0.55, their second-worst against a Full Member, after South Africa (0.48)

Quotes

“I am there to be the aggressor and still try and bowl and hit the wicket hard and bowl those bouncers as well.”
* October 11, 2014 19:00 GMT: The preview was updated to reflect the absences of Misbah-ul-Haq and Wahab Riaz

The injured Ahmed Shehzad is the only name missing in an otherwise unchanged Pakistan squad for the remaining two Tests against New Zealand. No replacement has been named.Shehzad suffered a minor skull fracture after being hit on the helmet by a bouncer from Corey Anderson on the second day of the first Test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi. He was sent back home for recovery after a detailed medical assessment on Thursday declared him unfit for the remainder of the series.”The change has been forced on us owing to head injury to opener Ahmed Shehzad. Pakistan is keen and confident of maintaining its winning sequence in the remaining two Tests as well,” Moin Khan, the Pakistan team manager, said.Meanwhile, Shehzad said he was hoping for a quick recovery so that he could be back to cash in on his good form. He was dismissed hit wicket on the ball that caused him injury, after scoring a career-best 176.”It’s a routine thing in cricketer’s life and I am recovering well,” Shehzad told the reporters at the NCA Lahore. “My form will remain intact and I will surely carry it on my return soon.””Cricket is not for a chicken hearted player you have to brave enough for it,” he said. “If you are doing something for your country, these kind of niggles are nothing.”Pakistan won the first Test with a margin of 248 runs in Abu Dhabi to take 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The second Test begins on November 17 in Dubai, and the final in Sharjah, on November 26.

North Zone

File photo: Manish Pandey continued his fine form, slamming 101 off 74 balls against Tamil Nadu•BCCI

A five-wicket haul from the medium-pacer Shadab Nazar helped bundle Haryana out for 75, and set up a crushing eight-wicket win for Services in Bilaspur. Haryana, having been inserted, were jolted right from the off, as Nazar (5 for 27) and Suraj Yadav (2 for 24) wrecked the team’s top order, before Narender Singh wiped out their tail. Sunny Singh was Haryana’s top scorer with 19, and their only player to reach double digits, with none of the other batsmen contributing more than 9.Services lost two wickets during the chase, but were never really going to miss out on such a paltry target. Their opener Pratik Desai’s unbeaten 45, which featured eight fours, guided the team home in 16.5 overs for their second win of the tournament.An all-round effort from Raghav Dhawan was the cornerstone behind Himachal Pradesh‘s 13-run win against Delhi in Dharamsala. Raghav first slammed 89 to lift Himachal to 244 for 6, and later picked up 3 for 47, including a wicket in the last over, to seal the team’s second win of the tournament.After being inserted, Raghav put up big stands for the first two wickets with Prashant Chopra and Ankit Kalsi to lay a solid foundation. He hit nine fours and two-sixes during his 120-ball knock, and though Raghav was eventually dismissed in the 42nd over, Rishi Dhawan and Bipul Sharma added 73 off just 48 deliveries to produce a late surge.With the likes of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir failing to fire yet again, Delhi were struggling at 112 for 5 in their chase before Milind Kumar (69) and Rajat Bhatia led a recovery with a 61-run partnership. However, the team lacked the desired acceleration, and with the required rate escalating with each over, they lost their last five wickets inside nine overs. Apart from Raghav’s blows, Vikramjeet Malik, Pankaj Jaiswal and Rishi Dhawan each chipped in with two scalps.Mandeep Singh’s unbeaten century helped Punjab gun down 228 against Jammu & Kashmir with seven wickets to spare at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Cricket Stadium. Mandeep blasted 10 fours and a six during his 103 not out, and added 116 for the second wicket with Manan Vohra, who made 52, as Punjab won in 43 overs.Earlier, a three-wicket haul from Navdeep Sidhu wrecked J&K’s top order, pegging them back early in the innings. Adil Reshi’s 67 led a recovery, but he was dismissed in the 33rd over, and no other batsman was able to produce a big enough score that would really trouble Punjab. Amitoze Singh, Deepak Bansal and Gurkeerat Singh Mann all struck at regular intervals, ensuring that J&K were bowled out for a below-par 227 in 49.3 overs.

South Zone

Manish Pandey continued his fine form in the competition, stroking a rapid century to guide Karnataka to a 104-run victory against Tamil Nadu in Secunderabad. Manish’s unbeaten 74-ball 101, his third 50-plus score in the tournament, included 10 fours and three sixes, and powered Karnataka to a mammoth 313 for 6. Karnataka’s innings had early been given an impetus by Robin Uthappa and KL Rahul’s (67) 50-run opening stand, before Manish added 77 for the fifth wicket with Shishir Bhavane to provide a late surge.Tamil Nadu were pegged back early in their chase, as Abhimanyu Mithun collected 4 for 38 to wipe out their top order. The team was precariously placed at 83 for 5 before Dinesh Karthik (63) and Yo Mahesh (55) counterattacked with a 121-run partnership. However, both batsmen were dismissed in successive deliveries from HS Sharath, and Tamil Nadu slipped from 204 for 5 to 209 all out.A 185-run partnership between Kerala‘s KB Pawan and Rohan Prem sent Hyderabad spiraling towards their third consecutive defeat of the tournament. Opting to bat, Kerala lost Vishnu Vinod early, but KB Pawan struck nine fours and three sixes to make a run-a-ball 106 for his second century on the trot. He received ample support at the other end from Prem, whose 96 included six fours and four sixes. Though both batsmen were removed by the 40th over, Sachin Baby’s 26-ball 42 and Raiphi Gomez’s 16-ball 26 lifted the total to 321 for 9.Hyderabad responded with a centurion of their own, but Ashish Reddy’s unbeaten 119 was the team’s only noteworthy score, with none of his team-mates hitting more than 27. Eight batsmen were dismissed for single-digit scores, as Hyderabad were bowled out for 188 and lost by 133 runs. Vinod Kumar, Basil Thampi and Fabid Ahmed each snared two wickets apiece for Kerala.A 138-run partnership between Rohit Asnodkar and Saurabh Bandekar helped Goa recover from a shaky start and post a 45-run win against Andhra in Secunderabad. An early burst from Paidikalva Vijaykumar (4 for 25) dragged Goa down to 45 for 5, but Asnodkar and Bandekar’s stand helped the team counterattack and compile a respectable 217. Asnodkar hit 10 fours to score 71, while Bandekar thumped 11 fours and five sixes on his way to 101, his maiden List-A ton.Andhra’s reply was blighted by the loss of wickets at regular intervals, which prevented them from forging a threatening partnership. Prasanth Kumar top-scored with 51, but with the other batsmen failing to convert their starts, the team was dismissed for 172 in 46.1 overs. Darshan Misal was the pick of Goa’s bowlers, taking 5 for 31 from his nine overs.

Central Zone

A half-century from Asad Pathan, as well as other handy knocks from Railways‘ top and middle order sealed the team’s third consecutive win, against Madhya Pradesh in Nagpur. Chasing 242, Asad provided Railways the ideal start by blasting 63 off 36 balls, with 10 fours and a six. He added 98 for the first wicket with Abhishek Kaushik, and though both batsmen were dismissed in quick succession, Arindam Ghosh (38) and Rongsen Jonathan (26) kept the score ticking with a 57-run partnership. Railways suffered another mini-blip, losing three wickets in the space of seven overs, but Ashish Yadav and Karn Sharma’s unbroken 58-run association guided the team home in 47.4 overs.Earlier, the in-form Naman Ojha had celebrated his call-up to to India’s Test squad for the upcoming tour of Australia with a fifty. Ojha (61) and Jalaj Saxena (58) both raised half-centuries during a 118-run opening partnership, and despite suffering a mid-innings stutter, Anand Bais’ 24-ball 32 took the team close to 250, though it ultimately wasn’t enough. Karn was the pick of Railways’ bowlers, taking 3 for 47.Mukul Dagar’s maiden List-A hundred paved the way for Uttar Pradesh‘s 75-run defeat of Rajasthan in Nagpur. Dagar muscled 13 fours during his 122-ball 106, and was in the heart of two big partnerships which propelled Uttar Pradesh to 283 for 8. Dagar first added 74 for the third wicket with Umang Sharma, before combining with Parvinder Singh (60) for a fourth-wicket association which yielded 104 runs. Pankaj Singh was Rajasthan’s best bowler, and he ended with figures of 10-1-52-4.Puneet Yadav (50) and Dishant Yagnik (53*) both struck half-centuries during Rajasthan’s chase, but the rest of the batsmen’s inability to make good on their starts meant that they were restricted to 208 for 8 from their 50 overs. RP Singh took 3 for 33 and Ankit Rajpoot, 2 for 36.