Suthar's Five-Wicket Haul Gives India C Edge in Duleep Trophy

Suthar’s Five-Wicket Haul Gives India C Edge in Duleep Trophy

Duleep Trophy 2024: India C Fights Back with Suthar’s Five-Wicket Haul

Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar emerged as the star performer for India C on Day Two of the Duleep Trophy first round match against India D. Suthar’s impressive five-wicket haul helped India C restrict their opponents to 206/8, extending their lead to 202 runs at stumps.

Earlier, India D had taken a 14-run first-innings lead thanks to half-centuries from captain Shreyas Iyer (62) and Devdutt Padikkal (57). However, Suthar’s brilliance turned the tide in India C’s favor.

Suthar, who has now claimed four five-wicket hauls in first-class cricket, exploited the rough patches on the pitch to his advantage. He dismissed Iyer, Padikkal, and three other batters to leave India D reeling at 134/6.

India C’s bowlers continued to dominate in the final session, with Suthar adding two more wickets to his tally. India D’s resistance was led by wicketkeeper-batter Kona Bharat, who remained unbeaten on 52.

Despite the setback, India D still holds a slender lead of 202 runs. However, India C will be confident of securing an outright victory on Day Three, especially with Suthar in their ranks.

England Lions Dominate Sri Lanka in Tour Match, Secure Substantial Lead

England Lions Dominate Sri Lanka in Tour Match, Secure Substantial Lead

In their sole warm-up match before the three-Test series against England, Sri Lanka face an uphill battle to salvage the game after conceding a substantial first-innings deficit to an inexperienced England Lions team in Worcester.

Sri Lanka’s batting woes continued as they were dismissed for a paltry 139 in just 43.5 overs, with no batter managing to reach 30. Gloucestershire’s Zaman Akhter wreaked havoc, claiming 5 for 32, his second five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.

The Lions gained a slender six-run lead heading into the second day, losing four wickets on the opening evening, three of them to Prabath Jayasuriya’s left-arm spin. However, by the time rain intervened, the Lions had extended their lead to 185.

Hamza Shaikh, the 18-year-old Warwickshire batter making his first-class debut, impressed with a gritty 91 from No. 4. He forged a crucial 104-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Kasey Aldridge, the Somerset allrounder, who contributed 78.

Jayasuriya emerged as the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers, finishing with 5 for 102 from 31.2 overs. Kasun Rajitha chipped in with 2 for 51, but Lahiru Kumara proved expensive, conceding 92 runs from 18 overs and only dismissing tailender Ajeet Singh Dale.

The Lions fielded a depleted side, featuring two first-class debutants in Shaikh and Farhan Ahmed. The ECB withdrew only one player, Josh Hull, from the Hundred, which has attracted most of England’s top young talent.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have not played a Test since their tour of Bangladesh in April, and most of their squad have not featured in first-class cricket since the domestic four-day tournament concluded in early May. Vishwa Fernando, who is not playing against the Lions, claimed 12 wickets in two appearances for Yorkshire in June.

Sri Lanka’s 18-man squad will travel to Manchester after the tour game for the first of three Tests against England, starting on Wednesday at Emirates Old Trafford. Former England batter Ian Bell will join them as a batting coach, providing local knowledge for the series.

Ishan Kishan to Lead Jharkhand in Buchi Babu Trophy, Eyes Ranji Trophy Return

Ishan Kishan to Lead Jharkhand in Buchi Babu Trophy, Eyes Ranji Trophy Return

Ishan Kishan, the dynamic wicketkeeper-batter, is set to make a significant return to first-class cricket by leading Jharkhand in the upcoming Buchi Babu Trophy, a pre-season red-ball tournament in Tamil Nadu. Kishan’s inclusion in the squad marks a crucial step towards his full-fledged comeback to the Ranji Trophy fold, which is expected during the 2024-25 season.

Kishan’s decision to participate in the Buchi Babu Trophy stems from his desire to return to first-class cricket, which he communicated to the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA). His last domestic first-class game was in December 2022, and his absence from the Ranji Trophy towards the end of the 2023-24 season cost him a place on the BCCI’s central contracts list.

Kishan’s return to red-ball cricket comes at a time when India is embarking on a long Test season, comprising 10 games over the next five months. However, a comeback to the Test team will not be easy. Kishan made his Test debut during India’s tour of the West Indies last year, but his last first-class game remains the second Test of that Caribbean tour in July 2023.

Despite being picked in the Test squad for the 2023-24 South Africa tour, Kishan requested to be released citing mental fatigue. He also declined a Test return during the five-Test home series against England earlier this year, informing the selectors that he wasn’t ready.

With Rishabh Pant now back in action and Dhruv Jurel impressing in the recent Test series against England, Kishan faces a tough challenge to regain his place in India’s red-ball setup. However, his participation in the Buchi Babu Trophy and his expressed desire to return to the Ranji Trophy indicate his determination to prove his worth.

De Lange's Six-Wicket Haul Skittles Middlesex for 203

De Lange’s Six-Wicket Haul Skittles Middlesex for 203

Gloucestershire’s Marchant de Lange, a 33-year-old South African fast bowler, made a remarkable comeback on the opening day of the Vitality County Championship Second Division match against Middlesex at Bristol. De Lange claimed six wickets for 49 runs, reaching his 350th first-class wicket milestone in the process.

After Middlesex won the toss and elected to bat, Mark Stoneman and Nathan Fernandes gave them a solid start with a 55-run opening partnership. However, de Lange’s introduction turned the tide as he dismissed Stoneman, Max Holden, and Fernandes in quick succession.

Leus du Plooy and Ryan Higgins attempted to stabilize the Middlesex innings, but Dom Goodman’s delivery induced du Plooy into a false shot, resulting in a catch for wicketkeeper James Bracey. Stephen Eskinazi and Higgins followed suit, leaving Middlesex reeling at 127 for 5.

De Lange continued his dominance, removing Jack Davies and Higgins in quick succession. Tom Helm and Josh de Caires briefly halted the slide with a 58-run partnership, but de Lange returned to dismiss both batsmen, leaving Middlesex all out for 203.

Gloucestershire’s reply began poorly as Chris Dent was dismissed for three. Cameron Bancroft and Ollie Price added 38 runs for the second wicket, but Bancroft fell to Ryan Higgins. Price was caught behind off Tom Helm, leaving Gloucestershire on 82 for 3 at the close of play.

De Lange’s performance was a testament to his recovery from a thigh injury that ended his season last summer. His 16 rapid overs from the Ashley Down Road End proved too much for the Middlesex batting lineup, which struggled to cope with his pace and accuracy.

Ganguly: IPL Career Can Coexist with First-Class Cricket

Ganguly: IPL Career Can Coexist with First-Class Cricket

IPL Career Can Coexist with First-Class Cricket, Says Sourav Ganguly

Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has asserted that players can successfully balance Indian Premier League (IPL) commitments with first-class cricket. This statement comes amidst the controversy surrounding the BCCI’s decision not to offer central contracts to Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan due to their non-participation in domestic cricket.

Ganguly emphasized that numerous top players, including Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and David Warner, have effectively managed both red-ball and white-ball cricket. He recalled that during his playing days, he, Rahul Dravid, and Sachin Tendulkar also played both formats.

“They can play both red-ball and white-ball. IPL career can happen along with stint in first-class cricket. They don’t clash. First-class cricket finishes and then there’s almost a month before the IPL starts. I don’t see any problem,” Ganguly told Times of India.

Ganguly cited examples of players like Mitchell Marsh, Harry Brook, and David Warner who have excelled in both Test cricket and white-ball cricket. He questioned the notion that players cannot play both formats.

“A lot of the top-quality players play Test cricket and white-ball cricket. You look at Kohli, Rohit, Bumrah, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. On the world stage, there’s Mitchell Marsh. He is Australia’s premier red-ball player now. Harry Brook plays red-ball cricket. David Warner played so much Test cricket but he was also one of the best white-ball players. Even in my days, Sachin, Rahul and myself played Test cricket and then played white-ball cricket. There’s no reason to say that you can play one and not the other.”

Ganguly also addressed concerns about the younger generation of players needing better guidance. He suggested that the BCCI should communicate with players like Ishan Kishan to understand their perspectives.

“For someone like Ishan Kishan, BCCI secretary Jay Shah, president Roger Binny and the selectors need to speak to him. All this while he has played Ranji and then played white-ball cricket. Has it made him a poorer player? It hasn’t,” Ganguly said.

Ganguly emphasized that most players selected for the Delhi Capitals have participated in domestic tournaments like the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Ranji Trophy. He acknowledged that there may be a few exceptions who require guidance.

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