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Even though Mike Hesson avoided talking about Ross Taylor’s position in the T20 team, the New Zealand coach spoke highly of Taylor as an ODI batsman

Andrew McGlashan23-Feb-2017New Zealand coach Mike Hesson is unsure about Ross Taylor’s future as a T20 cricketer, but he has no doubt that the batsman should be considered one of their greats in the 50-over game.Taylor became New Zealand’s leading ODI century-maker with his 17th hundred in Christchurch and completed a unique set of centuries against all Full Member teams. He also became the fourth and quickest New Zealander to score 6000 ODI runs.When asked if Taylor gets the recognition he deserves, Hesson said: “I think he’s always talked about as one of the greats. His record suggests he should be seen in that light. We are all delighted Ross has the record he deserves.”Hesson, however, refused to be drawn into any debate over Taylor’s T20 position and whether the 32-year-old batsman had a point to prove following his omission from the one-off match against South Africa.”I think Ross always wants to put a big score out there, which is why he’s so valuable for us in one-day cricket,” Hesson said. “I’ve suggested all the way along that Ross is one of the first picked in one-day cricket, as he rightly should be. Yesterday was another example of how good he is in this format. In the next 12 months we’ve got loads of one-day cricket and that’s our priority.”Although the major partnership in New Zealand’s 289 for 4 was the 123 added by Taylor and James Neesham for the fifth wicket, Hesson said it was the earlier work that proved crucial after New Zealand were put in to bat. Taylor and Kane Williamson strung a third-wicket partnership of 104 runs – their 11th century stand in ODIs – which led former captain Brendon McCullum to tweet they are the “best 3/4 punch in World cricket!” – a regular comment during his international days.”I thought it was a clinical batting performance from the whole group,” Hesson said. “Having got chucked in, it was quite a soft surface, so in the first hour Dean [Brownlie] and Kane did an excellent job; then Kane and Ross. Ross and James [Neesham] at the end were outstanding.”Next month, Taylor will have the chance to improve on a disappointing Test record against South Africa. He averages 24.22 from seven matches, without a half-century, which is his poorest return against any opposition. Only South Africa and Bangladesh, against whom he made 60 and 77 last month, are missing from his Test century list.”A Test hundred against South Africa is something he’s aware of and would like to get, and we’d certainly like to see that in the next month or so,” Hesson said. “But we’ve also got to celebrate how good he was yesterday.”

The BCCI has sent a list of observations, of objections as well as suggestions, to the ICC regarding the new constitution that will be up for vote at the next round of meetings in April

Nagraj Gollapudi20-Mar-2017The BCCI has sent a list of observations, of objections as well as suggestions, to the ICC regarding the new constitution that will be up for vote at the next round of meetings in April.While the major focus of the BCCI’s response was the ICC’s proposed new financial model, the board also sent its thoughts on a number of governance issues, including membership, the role of the ICC chairman and the composition of the ICC Board.The new constitution was passed in principle at the board meetings in February but each proposal is likely to be put to vote separately in April.Here is a summary of the main points the BCCI makes:Membership Committee
– The ICC Board must have final say on membership issues with power to re-examine all aspects of any recommendation of the Membership Committee.- The Membership Committee should be an independent external agency that is not part of the ICC. If not, then members that sit on the committee should not be ICC directors.- One member from each continent should be part of the committee. “This is because admission of a new member and/or re-classification of an existing member will impact all members and views of at least one member from each continent needs to be taken into account before assessing the comprehensive impact of the same,” the BCCI said.- If any member was to fall foul of any terms and conditions, then it should get at least 90 days to carry out remedial action before the committee examines the respective board.- If a member country is in serious breach of its obligations then unless there is “prima facie view” or “sufficient evidence” the ICC Board should not suspend or terminate its membership.- The Dispute Resolution Committee, which deals with appeals on membership issues, must be independent of the ICC. No member of this committee should be an ICC director or part of any other committee.- To avoid any impact on the FTP, any new admission or re-classification of an existing Full Member should only be done at the end of every revenue cycle.- To retain Full Member status, a country should have played a minimum number of Test matches.ICC Chairman
.- The chairman should not be elected through a secret ballot. A transparent procedure must be laid out in the ICC’s Articles of Association.- If a chairman fails to finish his tenure, the new entrant should be appointed only for the remainder of the term and not for a fresh two-year period.- The chairman, acting or full-time, cannot have a vote at ICC Board meetings because the post is an independent authority and the ICC is a members’ organisation.- The CEO should report to the ICC Board and not the Chairman. The CEO and ICC management should be appraised by an independent external agency considering the senior staff is paid “substantial bonuses” based on their performance.- The chairman cannot have binding powers. Only the CEO, under the ICC Board’s instructions, should hold such a power.- The chairman cannot call a special meeting or choose a venue for the same. Only the ICC Board has the authority.ICC Board of Directors
– There should be only one director, not three, representing the Associates on the ICC Board.- The Independent director should be a non-voting member.- A current or former player should have a seat on the ICC Board, but also with no vote.- A secret ballot cannot be triggered by two or more voting members on the ICC Board, which the present ICC constitution permits.- The rule about having a two-third vote to pass a resolution can only apply if all the voting members are present- ICC committees should be independent and not comprise any of the Board directors. “This will obviate potential situations where the same person is part of the MC which makes a recommendation, sits on the Board of Directors which reviews the recommendation to take a final decision, and is also part of the Dispute Resolution Committee which will decide any appeal on membership issues against a decision of the MC or Board of Directors.”

Nitish Rana has credited advice from Gautam Gambhir to tweak his batting technique for his form in the IPL this season

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Apr-2017Nitish Rana has credited advice from Gautam Gambhir to tweak his batting technique – shifting from a low stance to a more upright one and opening up his front shoulder – for his form in the IPL this season. Rana said he decided to change his technique after he discussed Gambhir’s suggestions with Mahela Jayawardene and Sachin Tendulkar in the Mumbai Indians camp. Gambhir, the Kolkata Knight Riders captain, is a senior team-mate of Rana’s at the Delhi Ranji Trophy team.”As my form dipped and I got out early in a couple of one-dayers, Gambhir spoke to me regarding my technique. After coming over here, I spoke to Sachin sir and Mahela sir regarding the same and both said that Gambhir was right and from the first day I started practicing that way,” Rana told the . “I have a low stance and there was a problem with me being side-on. They asked me to be upright and open up my shoulder a bit more to help me get a better look at the ball.”Rana, with 266 runs, is currently the fourth-highest run-getter in this IPL season and one of only two batsmen – Moises Henriques being the other – to score three fifties.Rana said he considers failure as part of the process leading to success.”Frankly speaking, I feel if a person doesn’t fail in life he won’t be able to learn anything,” he said. “I knew something this big was on the cards. I failed a lot, people commented as well, but I ignored it and believed in myself, trusted my game and worked hard. Today, I’m getting the rewards for what I’ve put in.”Rana also said he chose to focus harder after a poor 2016/17 domestic season. “Well, I didn’t have a great Ranji season. So I just kept telling myself that I had a number of things in my control now and if I can keep myself mentally prepared, it wouldn’t be too long before I get a chance to prove myself in the IPL,” he said. “I was just focused. I had a terrible Ranji season and I could have been depressed. Especially if you compare the previous two seasons, the last season was nothing.”

Derbyshire ended a run of three consecutive defeats in the County Championship as their Division Two match against Leicestershire at Derby ended in a tame draw

ECB Reporters Network28-May-2017
ScorecardPaul Horton scored a half-century as Leicestershire batted on•Getty Images

Derbyshire ended a run of three consecutive defeats in the County Championship as their Division Two match against Leicestershire at Derby ended in a tame draw.Leicestershire batted on in their second innings for 57 overs before declaring on 217 for 3, which included half centuries for openers Paul Horton and Harry Dearden. A target of 304 in 33 overs was never realistic and the inevitable draw was agreed with Derbyshire 42 without loss from 10 overs.There was always a chance the game would end in stalemate on such a lifeless pitch but the day began promisingly for Leicestershire, who took the last two Derbyshire wickets in 11 balls. Clint McKay struck with the third delivery of the day, which moved away just enough to take the edge of Rob Hemmings bat, and Tony Palladino gloved a pull to give Zak Chappell his fourth wicket.A lead of 86 was increased to 183 at lunch by Horton and Dearden, although Horton was given a life on 8 when he was dropped at first slip by Wayne Madsen off Tom Taylor.Horton completed his first fifty of the season before he was caught behind off Taylor and Dearden fell to a stunning piece of fielding by Billy Godleman, who threw the ball up at long-on to avoid taking it over the rope before completing the catch.He took a more straightforward one to dismiss Mark Cosgrove and give Jeevan Mendis his eighth wicket in the game but the Sri Lankan’s match figures of 8 for 283 were the most expensive in Derbyshire’s history.The game almost ground to a halt after Cosgrove’s departure with Colin Ackermann and Ned Eckersley scoring only 43 runs in 13 overs while Derbyshire slowed down the over rate.Leicestershire finally declared three overs after tea leaving Derbyshire to score at more than nine an over to pull off what would have been an astonishing victory and the players shook hands with 23 overs still to bowl.

Major financial institutions and private individuals have shown interest in supporting the players, according to the ACA

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jul-20173:46

What is the pay dispute all about?

Most of Australia’s cricketers are out of contract but they are unlikely to be out of pocket, as various sources of funding emerge to help tide them over during the impasse between Cricket Australia (CA) and the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA).”The ACA is in the process of securing a multimillion-dollar line of credit to support the unemployed players to counter attempts by CA to starve them out,” an ACA spokesman said.”Major international financial institutions have shown strong interests in supporting the players at this difficult time. The ACA is fielding support from private individuals who are also willing to back this move.”With little headway being made in the deadlock – the players want to retain the existing revenue-sharing model, while CA does not – 230 of Australia’s cricketers, including all the top players on central contracts, have been without a contract since July 1. Ordinarily they would have been paid on July 15 but with that agreement now invalid, the also reported the “injection of millions of dollars in ‘loans’ from several wealthy backers” into a hardship fund set up by the ACA that could, according to the report, last “until Christmas.”Currently, only the Australia women’s team is in action, in the ongoing World Cup in England. They came to an agreement to do so with CA, but will be out of contract if the dispute isn’t resolved by the time the tournament ends. The first casualty of the pay dispute was Australia A’s tour of South Africa, which was scheduled to begin on July 12 but has been called off after the Australian players refused to tour.The Australia senior men’s team are scheduled to tour Bangladesh in August, but that series is dependent on the ACA and CA arriving at an agreement. And though the Ashes, to be hosted by Australia later this year, is still some time away, the spectre of it not going ahead looms uneasily.

Dominic Sibley wanted a written assurance that he would bat in thre top three in all three formats – and that was too much for Alec Stewart

David Hopps02-Aug-2017Dominic Sibley has turned down a new three-year contract at Surrey to join Warwickshire after receiving promises that he would bat in the top order in all three forms of the game.Alec Stewart, Surrey’s director of cricket, admitted that Sibley’s decision was “bitterly disappointing” and stressed that he had a philosophical resistance to giving players guarantees in the unpredictable world of professional sport.Stewart said: “Dom was offered a very good three-year contract but has told me the reason he is leaving is that he feels his opportunities at Warwickshire would be greater, given the written assurances he has received that he will be batting in the top three in all forms of the game next year.”In performance sport, this was not something that I was prepared to do – for him or any of our players – as we will always select the best possible XI for each occasion and it would be wrong to give anyone these guarantees.”We’ve had numerous conversations with Dom and his advisors over the last eleven months and I’m comfortable in knowing that we could not have done any more in showing how much we wanted him to be a big part of this club.”We believe we were moving Dom in the right direction and are bitterly disappointed he has chosen to leave us at this stage of his career.”Warwickshire have not commented on the matter of where Sibley will bat but Ashley Giles, the club’s sport director, welcomed the latest addition to an “exciting young squad” at Edgbaston.”At 21-years-old, Dominic is an outstanding cricketer with England potential, having already scored two first-class centuries whilst also being an accomplished white-ball batsman,” Giles said.”He has a big role to play for the club across all forms of the game and we’re delighted that he has chosen to take this great opportunity to become a Bear and be part of this exciting young squad that we are building.”What is apparent is that Warwickshire are rebuilding an ageing squad with young and somewhat unproven players. Sibley follows Will Rhodes, the former Yorkshire allrounder, who never claimed a regular place at Headingley and Somerset batsman Adam Hose, who was in his breakthrough season.Sibley first played for Surrey at Under-9 level and has since come through the Academy system. In 2013, he became the second-youngest English player – behind WG Grace – to score a first-class double-hundred, when he made 242 against Yorkshire. He was first offered a three-year deal at the end of last season, which remained on the table for the entirety of this summer but has now been turned down.This season, he has played seven of Surrey’s eight Specsavers County Championship matches, averaging 33, with no centuries and four fifties. He started four of the ten games played in the Royal London Cup and has so far played every match of the NatWest T20 Blast campaign.

Chris Read has starred in some wonderful Notts rescue acts in a memorable county career but in league with Billy Root he is one day away from an astonishing finale

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Hove27-Sep-20172:06

County Championship Round-up: Final-day drama awaits

Moments after Worcestershire had their sixth first innings wicket against Durham, Northamptonshire were bowled out for 202. It wasn’t quite butterflies flapping wings – it was Worcestershire skipper Joe Leach dismissing Ryan Pringle – but the effects were registered across Division Two, as the boys from New Road sealed promotion. At Hove, there was no announcement, but word soon spread around the ground and to the Nottinghamshire dressing room: the Worcester boys are happy.With one promotion spot to Worcestershire and Northamptonshire flunking their lines, Notts knew they could take what should have been theirs a long time ago. For the first two days, they toiled in the field for five sessions straight in conceding 565 to Sussex, then toiling with the bat for one session more.They crumbled to 65 for 5, before scabbing to 108, which is where we began on day three. Nottinghamshire needed to get to 200 and then avoid to defeat, which was easier said than done on a pitch that was lifting off a length. What followed was a shift so remarkable from a living, breathing and, until tomorrow evening, playing Nottinghamshire legend that it begged the question – “who writes Chris Read’s scripts?”Certainly not the man himself: a far too modest sort who, before today, might have lambasted his own form, with a top score of 88 in a Division Two season that many thought Nottinghamshire had wrapped up in June. But in Read’s final match, when his team needed him most, in what might be his final innings for the county, Read chalked up his 26th first-class hundred from 116 balls, featuring 13 fours a top-edged six that took him to three figures.At the other end was a knock of equal quality: Billy Root, younger brother of Test captain Joe, stamping his own mark on the game with a sharp, impish maiden Championship hundred from 116 balls. (he already had a first class one in the bag for Leeds & Bradford MCCU, versus Sussex as it happens). A skittish start, which saw him wear a blow on the helmet from Jofra Archer last night, made way for some fine shots square of the wicket today, as 100 runs were scored in the opening 78 minutes. Read and Root ran rampant to go well beyond that first batting point, putting on 242 to ensure that Nottinghamshire could start focusing, again, on matters in their control.Chis Read raises his bat for what could be the greatest rescue act of all•Getty Images

By stumps, a first-innings deficit of just 88 meant Northamptonshire’s 17 without loss in pursuit of a match-winning 197 was of little interest. Nor, too, trying to come back tomorrow and force a victory. “It’s not high on my agenda!” laughed Read, as the covers were reinforced with rain a threat for the late evening. Funnily enough, he doesn’t mind if they stay on for all of day four, too.”We started out this game looking to win,” he said. “As we always do. And we got off to a great start to get them 107 for five and thought we’d be right in the hunt to do that. Obviously, it was desperately disappointing yesterday to let them slip from 107 for five to 565! Then for ourselves to slip so badly to 65 for five. You start realigning your targets to say, actually, what do we need to do?” In a hugely successful 2017 in which Notts lift the Royal London Cup and the NatWest T20 Blast, promotion as the second-placed team will be trophy enough.Not everyone who leaves the game on their own terms does so without regrets. Over an international and domestic career spanning two decades, 349 first-class matches, 333 one-daters and 110 T20s, Read will have picked up a few.Some will stay with him, such as a Test career of 23 innings and just one fifty. In an interview with Spin magazine from 2009, he was as open and frank as ever on his 15 Tests: “I had numerous chances to establish myself in the England team and I have to accept that I didn’t fully take them.”But Read took last season’s relegation with a strong Notts side personally. His words in the aftermath spoke of a player scorned and a man hurt. He saw the club he loved fall from the place he feels it deserves to be: leading English cricket, holding court at the top table. He guided them to a Championship win in 2010. And now, with his last act, has kept his promise to get them back to where they belong.What awaits the 39-year-old is a job in the “real world”. The manner with which he drove down the ground, particularly inside mid on, suggests another year might not have been beyond him. He’d make a fine addition to the Emergency Services given the number of fires he has put out for Nottinghamshire over the years. Instead, a position as Uppingham School’s director of cricket awaits. There will be tears shed tomorrow when he finally waves goodbye, as there were today when he reminded everyone of what they will be missing.As good as Read and Root’s rampage, it was still down to numbers 10 and 11 to take Nottinghamshire past the follow-on target. A crisp four from Harry Gurney off Jofra Archer took the score to 415 for nine, one run needed to ensure Sussex could not ask the visitors to bat again. A single down to third man from Matt Carter drew cheers from the healthy traveling support.Without wishing to be the one over your shoulder, telling you how many calories are in cheesecake – Read was dropped at midwicket on 70, by the way – it cannot go unmentioned just how bad Sussex were with the ball. Despite starting the day with a lead of 457, only two slips were employed for most of the morning, as Luke Wells – stand-in skipper – opted for run-saving rather than wicket-taking positions. He was not backed up by his bowlers, either, who could not shake themselves out of bowling half-volleys and long-hops. Stuart Whittingham was unable to discover any of yesterday’s pace.How else to explain a 10th wicket stand of 73 that saw Gurney, the poster boy for No 11 batsmen, post a new personal best of 42 not out before Carter’s wicket, on 33, closed the innings. It gave the scorecard a peculiar look, with Nottinghamshire’s numbers one to five as the five lowest scorers in the innings. Not long after, a mist descended on Hove and, at 1715 BST, play was called off for the day. Thanks to Read, a mist had also long descended upon every Nottinghamshire cricket lover.

With roads sealed off and huge security convoys, the security arrangements provided to the Sri Lanka team are similar to the protocol followed for a presidential visit

Umar Farooq in Lahore29-Oct-20173:05

‘Would love to drive the Sri Lankan team bus again’ – Khalil

The Sri Lanka T20 squad were surrounded by ‘extraordinary’ security arrangements upon their arrival in Lahore on Sunday morning, for the third T20I at the Gaddafi Stadium. This is the first Sri Lanka team to visit Pakistan since the terror attack targeting Sri Lanka’s team bus in Lahore in 2009.The side, which flew in from Abu Dhabi, was escorted to the team hotel in a bomb-proof bus. The routes from the Allama Iqbal Airport in Lahore were virtually sealed off with thousands of armed police deployed along the 14 km route. The streets leading to Mall Road were also deserted as the team was flanked by a large convoy of police commandos. The arrangements were similar to the security protocol followed for a presidential visit.A Sri Lankan security delegation had visited Lahore over the last two days to oversee the arrangements. A full dress rehearsal of the security arrangements from the airport to the hotel to the stadium – involving the Pakistan army, Pakistan’s paramilitary force, the Rangers, and the Punjab police – was also held.”We are prepared to host Sri Lanka team,” Dr Haider Ashraf, Deputy Inspector General (operations) of Punjab Police, told reporters at Gaddafi Stadium. “Under the umbrella of the Punjab government, and with the help of Pakistan army, rangers and intelligence agencies, we are geared up to make this event successful.”I can assure that the entire administration from Punjab government and police is very much professional and competent to handle such event. A Sri Lanka security delegation was here and nobody has so far objected or expressed any dissatisfaction about any of our arrangements. We have adopted all the best international practices and everyone on board is satisfied. International security consultants are also on board. There are four layers of security check points to enter the stadium and Lahore administration has put a shuttle service in place to take fans from the parking area to the stadium gates. There are four parking points covering all direction of the city.”The team that landed in Sunday does not include any player or coach who was present in 2009. Sri Lanka Cricket had announced a new-look T20I squad after several senior players refused to travel to Lahore. Sri Lanka’s regular T20I captain, Upul Tharanga, had pulled out, along with Lasith Malinga, Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal and Akila Dananjaya. The team is being captained by Thisara Perera. SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala and sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekara have accompanied the side to Lahore.Sri Lanka’s cricketers were driven to the team hotel in a bomb-proof bus•PCB

Sunday’s match is yet another attempt by the Pakistan Cricket Board to show the country’s will and capacity to host international cricket, which had stopped for many years following the 2009 terror attack. In March 2009, the Sri Lanka team bus was attacked en route to the Gaddafi Stadium for the third day of the second Test, at the Liberty Roundabout situated 1.5 kilometres from the stadium. Eight people were killed in the attack and a few Sri Lanka players were injured. With teams refusing to tour Pakistan in the aftermath of the attack, the board had to adopt the UAE as its home venue for international cricket.The landscape of the city, however, has changed drastically over the last eight years. The flow of traffic around the Liberty Roundabout has been altered, and the Nishtar Park complex, which houses the Gaddafi Stadium, is now well protected with huge metal gates.In 2015, Zimbabwe became the first Test-playing nation to tour Pakistan since the attack, with a limited-overs series held in Lahore. Despite extensive security measures, a bomb blast occurred 800m away from the Gaddafi Stadium during the second ODI, killing two people. Zimbabwe stayed on and finished the series two days later, but the tour did not lead to a change in the perceptions about security in Pakistan.The next high-profile match in Lahore was the Pakistan Super League final in March 2017. This was followed by a successful tour of the World XI for three T20Is in September, which saw a number of high-profile cricketers turn out. The World XI side was coached by Andy Flower and included five players from South Africa – including Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla – three from Australia, two from West Indies and one player each from England, Bangladesh, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. The series was officially backed by the ICC, who also hired independent experts to oversee security arrangements. Players were offered US $100,000 to play the series, which spanned five days. It was a key step for the PCB in its efforts to convince teams that Pakistan is ready to host top-flight international cricket.The PCB is now in talks with Cricket West Indies for three T20I matches in November, but the West Indies board has not yet confirmed the series.

Despite folding to 219 all out in Bulawayo, the tourists are confident they can make the most of spin-friendly conditions to fight back

Liam Brickhill in Bulawayo21-Oct-2017Shai Hope’s last five Test innings have brought two centuries, a fifty, and now an unbeaten 90 against Zimbabwe in the first Test at Queens Sports Club. He is the rock of the West Indies batting line-up, but it was not so long ago that he was in a struggle to keep his place. After all, he had made only one half-century in his first 11 Tests.So what is the secret behind his recently-found success? “Simplicity,” Hope said. “Keep it as simple as possible. Try not to complicate your game and put too many things in your head. Rotate the strike.”I just try to simplify it as much as I can, playing the ball late. Pick the gaps and keep the score rotating as much as possible. You don’t really want them [spinners] to settle on one batsman, because that makes it much easier. They know where to bowl consistently. In the end they’ll get you out.”West Indies had done well, at least initially, to avoid such a predicament in Bulawayo. Hope and the opener Kieran Powell, who reached a half-century of his own, had shared in a 75-run stand for the third wicket to help lay the foundation for a big total.”I would say we were ahead of the game at that stage,” Hope said. “I can see his [Powell’s] confidence is good, he’s playing a lot better. He’s adapting to the conditions well as well.”But then came the collapse, from 175 for 3 to 219 all out. While Hope himself flourished, drawing from a familiarity with the conditions having played here during last year’s tri-series against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, his team-mates were caught unaware by the amount of turn that was available.”It’s always an advantage to be playing at a ground you’ve played on before,” Hope said. “Last year it spun quite a bit, so it wasn’t as much of a surprise, despite it being a first-day pitch. We might not have expected it to spin quite as much though.”Hope was ultimately left stranded 10 runs short of what would have been his third Test century, but having been in the middle for 201 balls, he knows first hand how difficult it is to score runs on this pitch and that meant West Indies were not out of the contest yet.”Honestly, it was a very slow outfield,” Hope said. “So that 219 could easily have been closer to 300. When I was batting, I hit quite a few balls through the gap, but scoring was never easy. It’s under par, it’s under what we were expecting, but I still think we have a chance.”

Khulna posted the season’s highest total courtesy fifties from Afif and Pooran, after which Abu Jayed and Shafiul ran through the Rajshahi batting

The Report by Mohammad Isam27-Nov-2017
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAfif Hossain brought up his maiden T20 fifty with a six•Raton Gomes/BCB

Khulna Titans overtook Dhaka Dynamites to go clear on top of the BPL, after crushing Rajshahi Kings by 68 runs. Shafiul Islam’s maiden five-for in T20s helped shut down Rajshahi despite having to tackle Chittagong’s heavy evening dew.Khulna’s 213 for 5 – the season’s highest score – was built around contributions from Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Afif Hossain, Nicholas Pooran and Carlos Brathwaite, who ensured their run-rate never went down. Afif and Pooran got fifties as they very nearly toppled the BPL’s all-time highest team score, which is still held by Dhaka Gladiators’ 217 for 4 since 2013.Shanto punishes lacklustre RajshahiZakir Hasan gave Rajshahi a good start with his direct hit that got rid of Rilee Rossouw in the fourth over but soon afterwards, Shanto hit couple of sixes off Mehidy Hasan Miraz, both high over long-off. Shanto and Afif added 45 for the second wicket, during which the latter struck two sixes off Kesrick Williams and Mustafizur Rahman.Pooran’s big bashThe wickets of Shanto and Mahmudullah came in quick succession but Afif and Pooran transitioned very well, adding 88 runs for the fourth wicket.Pooran hammered James Franklin for two successive sixes over long off in the 14th over before adding a third in the 16th, also off Franklin, over long-on. Pooran ended up as Franklin’s third wicket, but it was after he made 57 off 26 balls with six fours and three sixes. This was his first fifty in the BPL, in his 14th game.Afif earns his rewardWhile Shanto and Pooran had been attacking, Afif remained the backbone. He picked up singles quite easily and also got three more sixes, the last of which brought up his maiden BPL fifty.Afif also fed the strike to Carlos Brathwaite, who hammered three sixes and as many fours in his 14-ball 34, but couldn’t quite add any more sixes in the last over in which Mohammad Sami conceded just five runs.Shafiul strikes earlyMominul Haque got a four off the first ball but he didn’t last too long, getting bowled by Shafiul Islam in the third over. Luke Wright was Shafiul’s second wicket later in the over, when his hit towards long-on was intercepted by Jofra Archer, who stretched fully to complete the catch.Jayed breaks Rajshahi’s resistanceRony Talukdar and Zakir Hasan raised their game in their 55-run third wicket stand. Rony struck five fours and a six in his 36 off 23 balls. His only six came when he pulled Jayed over midwicket. Zakir also got into the groove by hitting Shafiul for three successive fours in the seventh over – twice through point and once past mid-off.But Jayed struck back, removing Rony and Zakir off consecutive deliveries in the ninth over, both caught in the deep. Zakir had made 19 off 12 balls.Shafiul removes two danger menBrought back into the attack in the 11th over, Shafiul cramped Darren Sammy for room as he tried to swing him to the leg-side. Mahmudullah took the simple catch at mid-on before Mushfiqur Rahim fell next ball, cleaned up by a full ball. At 81 for 6, Rajshahi were running out of time.Mehidy and Franklin added 40 runs in 4.2 overs for the seventh wicket but the required run-rate went over and beyond as Khulna ambled towards a comfortable win. Shafiul took the last wicket to fall, finishing with 5 for 26 from his four overs.