India C made a winning start to their Duleep Trophy campaign as they chased down 233 against India D on the third afternoon in Anantapur. Ruturaj Gaikwad set the tone for his team's victory up front and three others chipped in to ensure India D off-spinner Saransh Jain's efforts (4 for 92) went in vain. The game was poised at an even keel at the close of play on Friday, thanks to Manav Suthar's fifer. He added two more wickets on Saturday morning to finish with exceptional figures of 7 for 49. India D added just 30 runs to their overnight tally of 206/8, setting their opposition a target of 233. Gaikwad made a statement start to the chase by hitting Harshit Rana for two fours off the first couple of deliveries. Boundaries came easily for both Gaikwad and his opening partner Sai Sudharsan against Rana and Arshdeep Singh. The pace duo conceded 45 in just six overs, forcing Shreyas Iyer to turn to his spinners in Axar Patel and Saransh early. The move brought the first breakthrough when Saransh had Sudharsan caught in the 11th over for 22. Gaikwad, who'd raced into his 40s with eight fours to his name, became Saransh's second wicket in the 15th over, departing for 46 off 48 balls. Aryan Juyal and Rajat Patidar then steaded the ship with an 88-run stand as India D just couldn't find success. They settled into a more cautious approach to making runs than the openers, but managed to eat into the target without further damage for long. It was once again Saransh who found a way past a partnership, as he had Patidar stumped by Srikar Bharat for 44. India D harboured hopes of a turnaround as Arshdeep dismissed Juyal in the next over for 47. India C's wobble extended as they went from 171 for 3 to 191 for 6, with Saransh picking his fourth wicket of the innings and Axar taking out Hrithik Shoukeen for a duck. From this juncture, Abishek Porel and Suthar batted their way out to score the remaining 42 runs in the next 11.5 overs. : India C 168 (Baba Indrajith 72; Harshit Rana 4-33) & 233/6 (Aryan Juyal 47, Ruturaj Gaikwad 46, Rajat Patidar 44, Abishek Porel 35*; Saransh Jain 4-92) beat India D 164 & 236 (Devdutt Padikkal 56, Shreyas Iyer 54; Manav Suthar 5-30) by 4 wickets

India A lost their last eight wickets while adding only 98 runs more on the third day to concede a crucial 90-run first innings lead to India B. In the morning session, India B's pacers who had leaked runs the previous evening put on a more disciplined effort that kept the batters watchful. Yash Dayal tested Riyan Parag consistently with his line going across the right-hander before finally having him caught down the legside to earn the first breakthrough of the day. Dayal's sharp early spell was complemented well by Mukesh Kumar who found his rhythm, getting some useful movement off the surface. Navdeep Saini, continuing from where he left off on the previous evening, struck in his first over of the day when he had Dhruv Jurel trapped in front by an incoming delivery. With the onus on senior batter KL Rahul to guide the team along, he played a measured knock, taking as many as 111 balls for his 37. Rahul tried to go after the bowlers only when spin arrived in the form of Washington Sundar but his attempted sweep ended up hitting the leg stump, putting his team under further pressure. India B kept the pressure on in this period of play with Mukesh going on to test Shivam Dube from round the wicket with seam movement being a constant challenge. He eventually had him nicking to the slip cordon and then followed it up by trapping Kuldeep Yadav plumb in front. Even as India A added 74 runs in the first session, it came at the cost of five crucial wickets. Tanush Kotian and Akash Deep resisted briefly lower down the order before R Sai Kishore had the former caught at short leg. This was soon followed by Akash too falling in the midst of a short-ball spree from Mukesh with Musheer Khan taking a second sharp catch at short leg. As Sai Kishore wrapped up the innings with Khaleel swinging and missing, India B's lead of 90 runs seemed massive. That, however, was soon put under the cloud with their top-order faltering in the second innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Musheer Khan were strangled down the legside in successive overs while Abhimanyu Easwaran flayed at a wide one to edge and give Jurel his third catch behind the stumps. At 22/3, the game was in danger of slipping away from the hands of India B. However, Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant launched a counter-attack to even the balance once again. The duo shared a 72-run stand off just 55 balls, matching each other in a boundary spree. Sarfaraz even hit Akash for five successive boundaries in an over, becoming the dominant partner in the stand. Pant, who started off watchfully, still managed to put away some loose offerings that got him going. He had a few nervy moments inbetween when he miscued trying to hit away against Akash, but as the chances did not got to hand, he proceeded to keep attacking with a mix of caution. Sarfaraz, meanwhile, kept upping the ante with the pick being a six driven over cover against Khaleel. However, his attacking intent brought about his downfall when he nicked Avesh Khan to the 'keeper, ending a 36-ball 46. The arrival of Kuldeep Yadav gave Pant an upperhand in another mini-tussle. He cut the spinner twice for boundaries and followed it up by hitting the fuller ones down the ground, with such a six also bringing up his fifty. He eventually fell as India A dried up his scoring options and offspinner Tanush Kotian had him caught at short fine leg off a top-edged sweep. The 47-ball 61 had done enough to further strengthen India B's position in the game. A wicket in the last over of the day - Nitish Reddy nicking behind against Khaleel - helped India A end on a happy note even as India B finished with a lead of 240. India B 321 (Musheer Khan 181; Navdeep Saini 56; Akash Deep 4-60) & 150/6 (Rishabh Pant 61, Sarfaraz Khan 46; Akash Deep 2-36) lead India A 231 (KL Rahul 37; Navdeep Saini 3-60, Mukesh Kumar 3-62) by 240 runs

After the hammering received on the truncated opening day, Sri Lanka's bowlers responded in style with a significantly improved bowling performance to claw their way back into the game on the second morning of the final Test against England at The Oval. Ollie Pope carried on to get past the 150-plus mark, the quickest by any batter at this venue, but that was arguably the only high point of the morning session for the home side as they failed to consolidate on the platform provided by their skipper and Ben Duckett. The notable feature so far on day two has been the increase in amount of swing generated by Sri Lanka's pacers. Statistically, it was more than two times the degree of swing they got on the first day. It also helped the visitors that the pitch quickened up a touch and that their seamers were far more accurate than they were on day one. However, the initial hour seemed more like a deja vu of the previous day for the Lankans as luck evaded the pacers despite an improved start to the day. Pope and Harry Brook both survived close calls, given out initially only for them to use DRS to reverse the calls. A few inside edges, top-edges also fell short. Luck finally turned for Sri Lanka in the second hour when Brook mistimed one to extra cover to open the floodgates. The breakthrough was essential for the tourists to extend their stranglehold on the session and they continued to build up the pressure with accurate bowling. Jamie Smith scratched around for a bit as Sri Lanka dried the runs down and the wicket-keeper batter eventually fell to the pressure, whipping one straight to mid-wicket. Smith's wicket triggered a brisk collapse that, however, started in unusual fashion. With the ball swinging and seaming, Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva brought himself on from one end. Spin seemed the last feasible option in such conditions but the tactic worked to great effect as de Silva took out Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson, while Vishwa Fernando removed Pope to ensure that England wouldn't be able to perform a lower-order resistance like the previous two Tests. Asitha Fernando and Milan Rathnayake mopped up the last two wickets respectively to complete the formalities as England lost their last seven wickets for just 64 runs. This total of 325 is still a competitive one, given the nature of the surface but Sri Lanka have given themselves a chance of putting up a strong fight in the game. The Lankan openers negotiated the solitary over bowled at them before lunch was taken, to seal what was clearly a morning that belonged to de Silva's troops. England 325 (Ollie Pope 154, Ben Duckett 86; Milan Rathnayake 3-56, Dhananjaya de Silva 2-18, Vishwa Fernando 2-46) lead Sri Lanka 1/0 by 324 runs

All eyes were on Rishabh Pant as he walked in to bat with India B on 22/3. Bengaluru had its biggest turnout thus far for the Duleep Trophy encounter on a Saturday. A festive atmosphere had been craving for some 'star' appeal on show. The game had seen some quality cricket otherwise including on the third day. They were denied that chance earlier when KL Rahul was bowled after trudging along for a 111-ball 37. But as Pant walked in, the second session had been filled with action, mainly on the bowling front. As many as five wickets had fallen. As much as Khaleel Ahmed and Akash Deep threatened with the new ball, the chances taken were equally eye-catching. One of his main competitors for the spot in India's Test team Dhruv Jurel had managed only 2 runs with the bat. He had taken a lone chance in the first innings but that dive to take it in front of first slip had been one of the highlights in that innings, but quickly added to that with five takes in the second. Pant himself had largely flown under the radar as far as wicket-keeping goes although he had been tested by some wayward bowling, forcing a number of dives either side of the stumps. He had also pouched one down the legside but more visibly, his batting in the first innings had been a let-down. In a nervy 10-ball stay he played a shot-a-minute before being dismissed in ungainly fashion trying to reverse the pressure against a disciplined Akash Deep. The innings, viewed by chief India selector Ajit Agarkar at the ground alongside his Shiv Sundar Das, another member of the panel had left a lot to be desired. So as he walked in for the second time late into the second session, he was welcomed with Khaleel and Avesh Khan crowding around him. Even as the two bowlers smiled along with a few words, Pant walked up to the crease without a word. The first 13 deliveries he had faced did not see a shot that could be described as unwarranted. He still managed a couple of boundaries - a dab to third man and a punch through the offside - to get going swiftly. But there was a visible measure to be watchful. He had still got 10 off five balls to walk off unbeaten at Tea. He started off post the break too in a similar mindset being watchful but still picking away a couple of boundaries when the bowler erred. Suddenly, however, soon after Akash Deep went past his defence once, a switch had been flicked. He unleashed a reverse lap that went at catchable height, albeit very quickly, between Jurel and KL Rahul at first slip. While Akash stuck to the same nagging line and length the next ball, Pant went for another slog. As soon as he got the top-edge though, his head had fallen back in dismay. Jurel circled around, called to take the skier but could only manage to circle around it without getting a hand. Soon, another top-edge off a miscued pull flew dangerously over Jurel in the following over. With luck on his side, Pant finally managed to make his first notable impact on return to red-ball cricket. He tackled Kuldeep Yadav's spin with typical flair as he cut and drove to bring up his 20th First Class fifty off just 37 balls. His previous First Class outing before this had been a Test match against Bangladesh in December 2022. A quickfire 93 there had a bearing on the eventual result that went in India's favour. Five days after that game, Pant's life was turned upside down as a result of the car crash. His return to competitive cricket after a lengthy rehab wasn't possible until earlier this year when he was fast-tracked into the Indian team after showcasing his fitness in the Indian Premier League with the Delhi Capitals. While he had three fifties in the tournament, his returns since making an India comeback have been middling with a couple of forties in the T20 World Cup being the stand-out overall. It's in this backdrop that his batting had been under extra scrutiny as India near their selection shortlist for the Bangladesh Tests that begin on September 19. For it is in this format that Pant has had his biggest impact for India. Whilst making an impact with his quick-scoring, Pant had also become a crucial cog in the Indian batting line-up offering a left-handed option at No. 5. In the three years prior to his accident, Pant had as many as four hundreds, only one behind Rohit Sharma's five which was the best in that period for India. Even as Dhruv Jurel, the incumbent wicket-keeper in the Indian Test team, did his chances no harm with sharp glovework, it is Pant's flamboyant return that ought to bring about some welcome headaches for the selection panel.

Bangladesh Cricket Board cleared the air on the future of men's national team head coach Chandika Hathurusingha. A board official said that the Sri Lankan will arrive in Bangladesh before the upcoming tour of India and guide the team forward against the Asian neighbours. Since Faruque Ahmed took over as BCB president, there has been speculation regarding Hathurusingha's future. Hathurusingha has a contract that runs until next year's Champions Trophy and just oversaw a historic series win in Pakistan. However, it is no secret that Faruque has been vocal against Hathurusingha in the last two years. He even made it clear that he hasn't changed his stance after taking over the BCB post. Hathurusingha intended to get together for a talk with the BCB hierarchy, but arrived in Bangladesh with the team and left the following day without meeting the new board president. BCB director Nazmul Abedin however, brushed aside all kind of speculation regarding the immediate future of Hathurusingha. "The head coach will come, and he will be here in Bangladesh (and will guide the team against India)," Nazmul said. Hathurusingha is expected to reach Bangladesh on September 12. Onto Shakib Al Hasan's availability, Nazmul stated that he will not be present when Bangladesh begin preparation for the tour at the Sher-e-Bangla National stadium in Dhaka on September 9. Shakib is currently in England playing county cricket for Surrey. "Shakib will come to India from England to play. For now we know this much and we want to keep it that way," he said. "There is no injury problem as far as I know. Hopefully the whole team will be available. Shakib has gone to play County and I am hoping everyone else will be available. From September 9, the whole team is expected to practice in full swing," he added. India and Bangladesh are scheduled to play a two-match Test series and a three-game Twenty20 International series starting from September 19. The first match of the two-Test series will get underway on September 19 in Chennai, while the second Test is set to begin from September 27 in Kanpur. But even before the start of the series, security has become a concern for the Bangladesh team ahead of their much-anticipated tour of India. "These things happen (threat) and it is present while playing in almost all the countries," said Nazmul."I don't think it's a big threat. We will go the way our tour has been fixed," he said. "Naturally we are communicating with the host board and we are pretty confident that they will give us adequate security during the tour and increase it (security) if required," he said. Nazmul also reckoned that India will look at them differently following their success in Pakistan. "India will appreciate Bangladesh more than ever. They will try to play with a little more planning. They (India) may not see Bangladesh the way they used to see before." "I think India are a little stronger compared to Bangladesh. So whether we can play with the mentality we had against Pakistan, whether we can keep that going consistently, will be a challenge for us. The pressure we were able to apply against Pakistan it may not be as easy against India. There we have to be more consistent, and show more patience. But self-confidence is very important," he said. "If we can hold it (the pressure), we have the ability to do good. Especially the power I saw in our bowling. If we can use it, then we have a good chance. We will dominate more than ever," he said. "Of course, they are a good team in any version. It is a little difficult to say about T20Is right now. However, Test cricket is a version that plays a role in improving the game of all formats. I'm sure that confidence will work here too. And as I said, the bowling is getting very good. Bowling power is important for any team and that will surely work in T20," he added.

"I wasn't that quick enough, I think it cut off the wicket quite well. I don't think I troubled him to be honest (laughs)," said Rushil Ugarkar quite unassumingly after revealing how he cleaned up Hanuma Vihari at a NCA net session in Bengaluru. Ugarkar, who was 17 back then may not have been as quick as per his liking or wasn't as fiery to constantly bother Vihari or the rest of the Indian batters that day but leapfrogging four years, Ugarkar, now in MI New York colours was out there teasing Jason Roy with some banana swing as well rankling David Miller by cutting him in half off a peach. Sporting a crew cut, Ugarkar cuts a wiry figure standing at 5'9. His countenance and build barely embodies that of a menacing fast bowler. But he can be deceptively quick in the air and off the wicket. He regularly clocked in the early 130s in the two games he featured for MI New York this MLC season despite being down with food poisoning in the lead up to the tournament. Ugarkar was about 8 pounds lighter than his usual self when he made his debut against the LA Knight Riders but he overcame his physical frailty with an incisive spell of 15 runs in his 3 overs. Quite impressed by his first outing, captain Keiron Pollard went on to hail his effort as a 'bloody good spell'. "Pollard asked me to go in the middle of our huddle during the team chant. I yelled MI while the rest of our contingent shouted New York! It boosted my confidence massively. I think one thing I took out of that tournament is, I feel like this level of cricket is very playable. All I have to do is put in the work and just keep getting better and stronger as a player, mentally and physically" said Ugarkar. After being drafted in as their rookie pick, Ugarkar found himself amongst some fast bowling royalty in the MI contingent. Trent Boult, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje formed a fearsome fast bowling trio in the MI ranks complemented by the presence of Lasith Malinga. Ugarkar acknowledged the experience to be a great learning curve. Ugarkar credits Malinga in helping him widen his horizon by shepherding him with strategies and tactics of modern day T20 cricket which he admits he was oblivious to. "Working with Malinga was probably the highlight. Out of all, I think he had taught me so many things which I didn't know much about cricket. We worked with the video analyst as well. There were so many matchups that they had ready. So for someone like Faf, he likes to step out a lot. He kind of goes straight towards you. So I was asked to bowl at the wide line if I saw him step out. So if he slashes it would balloon to the fielder placed there. Or even a slower ball" An alumni of the Ebenezer school in Bengaluru where he was benchmates with American cricket's prodigy Sanjay Krishnamurthy, Ugarkar failed to create a stir in the cricketing circles and hence fell short of playing BCCI age group tournaments unlike Krishnamurthy. Ugarkar followed Krishnamurthy to the states after the pandemic. But his career hit a snag shortly after. Quite puzzlingly, Ugarkar failed to secure a spot in his zonal U19 team at USA's National U19 Championships in 2021. Ugarkar may have been one of the top young fast bowlers in the country at that time but his dubious non selection braced him up for the grind ahead. After mostly warming the bench for a couple of seasons in the minor league, Ugarkar finally hit the mark with the Dallas Mustangs in the 2023 season. His 17 wickets in 29 overs through the course of the tournament played a pivotal role in the Mustangs championship run. He brushed shoulders with the likes of Pakistan internationals Rumman Raees and Ehsan Adil at Mustangs. Ugarkar eclipsed the senior pros in terms of impact as he surpassed their tally of wickets that season quite comfortably. His exploits in the minor league last year were enough for the MI New York to snap him up for a rookie contract at the 2024 MLC player draft. Ugarkar has now moved West to team up with Krishnamurthy once again at the East Bay Blazers for the 2024 season. He kicked things off on a high note for the 2024 Minor League Cricket season with a 3-fer last week against the Silicon Valley Strikers. After a memorable first stint with MI New York, Ugarkar is on the road again bustling in with the same gusto as he did in the MLC but with glitzier wheels. He now hustles in with Trent Boult's bowling shoes, which the Kiwi presented him at the end of the tournament. Something he considers his prized possession. It's quite metaphorical in a way, for a youngster to step into Boult's shoes. But for now it is time for the young Ugarkar to enjoy those hot wheels without worrying about the weight it carries.

Despite facing New Zealand for the first time in Test cricket and the significant gap in experience between the two teams, Rahmat Shah is confident that Afghanistan will present a strong challenge for the opposition. Playing in Noida, on the outskirts of Delhi, where Afghanistan has previously played six T20Is and five ODIs, offers the Asian team a sense of familiarity, said Rahmat, who also said the team will be keen to seize the limited opportunities in the longest format. "This Test is important. We have got only one Test match against them," said Rahmat in a chat with Cricbuzz. "We will try to give them a tough time. They have won the ICC Test Championship and we tried to have the best of preparations and we are looking forward to the challenge that is lying ahead. "Our past experience in India will help us. We had our home ground in Noida and in Lucknow, and we have played a lot of matches here and done a lot of camps here. We are also accustomed with the weather and pitch conditions of India, so we certainly have an edge," he said. Rahmat, the 31-year old No. 3 batter, stands out in Afghanistan's T20-heavy cricket scene. The leading run-scorer for his team in Tests and ODIs, Rahmat avoids reckless shots, focusing on preserving his wicket. Rahmat discussed the technical tweaks he's made to his batting, focusing on better alignment and footwork to stabilise his game. "I just tried to concentrate more and practice more (to make some technical adjustments). Earlier my shoulder used to get open and I tried to make it sideways and tried to straighter my alignment. "When the fast bowler used to come I used to move towards off stump a bit more and as a result I used to fall down. I used to play my shot through my wrist but now I am trying to take my feet and just worked hard to get it (the new technique) into my batting template." The one-off Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Noida begins on September 9.

Barbados Royals prevailed in a tight finish against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots to make it two out of two with a two-wicket victory at Warner Park in Basseterre, St Kitts. Dunith Wellalage's all-round show served the Royals well in the game as he picked up 3 for 35 before scoring an important 39 off 32. Chasing 154 for victory, a collective batting performance helped the Royals over the line with one ball to spare, with Nyeem Young's 17* off 7 being a crucial contribution in the end as the Patriots endured their fourth successive loss. Rahkeem Cornwall was dismissed for a duck by Kyle Mayers in the first over of the chase, and the all-rounder also ended a promising knock from Quinton de Kock to leave the Royals at 25/2 in the fifth over. Kadeem Alleyne's 18-ball 30 gave the Royals some impetus as the batter struck a four and three sixes - two maximums and the boundary coming in an over off Wanindu Hasaranga - to help them past 50 before the powerplay was completed. Veerasammy Permaul ended Alleyne's stay and the Patriots bowled a few tight overs to keep the Royals in check. Hasaranga also accounted for Shamarh Brooks after being hit for a six to leave the Royals at 72/4 at the halfway stage. Rovman Powell got the Royals going again with a six and a four off Mohammad Mohsin in the 12th over. Mohsin proved expensive as he was hit for three fours in an over by Wellalage, who also struck a couple of boundaries off Ryan John. The Patriots had the Royals at 126/6 after 17 overs after Anrich Nortje conceded only six and picked up the wicket of Powell after Wellalage was run out. Jason Holder hit a six off Mohsin in the 18th over to bring the equation down to 17 off two overs. Nyeem Young then took charge, scoring an important four off Nortje in the 19th over. Holder was dismissed by John in the last over with Royals needing 8. Young got a lucky boundary and then with 3 needed off 2 he finished it off with a six. Earlier, after being asked to bat, the Patriots had a disastrous start as the top three fell without scoring. Evin Lewis was trapped in front by Maheesh Theekshana and had Mayers bowled while Wellalage had Andre Fletcher out lbw. Patriots, though, managed to fight back through a counter-attacking 82-run stand between Hasaranga and Mikyle Louis. Hasaranga struck 5 fours and a six in his 27-ball 40 while Louis hit two sixes and three fours for his 20-ball 30. But Patriots suffered another collapse - from 82/3 they slipped to 84/6 in the 10th over - with Wellalage making key incisions. The second half of the innings was all about recovery and trying to bat out the quota of overs. Josh Clarkson and Mohsin added 20 but took 38 balls for their partnership. There was, however, some urgency in the death overs as John's 14-ball 29, which came in a 49-run partnership off 26 balls with Clarkson, helped Patriots past 150. St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 153/8 in 20 overs (Wanindu Hasaranga 40, Mikyle Louis 30; Dunith Wellalage 3-35, Maheesh Theekshana 2-16) lost to Barbados Royals 157/8 in 19.5 overs (Dunith Wellalage 39, Kadeem Alleyne 30; Kyle Mayers 2-17, Veerasammy Permaul 1-16) by 2 wickets.

Pacer Mark Wood will miss England's tours of Pakistan and New Zealand as he has been ruled out for the remainder of the year due to a bone-stress injury to his right elbow. According to an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) release, the 34-year old "had noticed increasing stiffness and discomfort in his elbow" during the two-match Test series against the West Indies. He also played in the first Test against Sri Lanka in which he suffered a right thigh injury. The ECB stated that Wood is recovering well from the thigh injury which had initially ruled him out of the rest of the summer. In an Instagram post, Wood revealed that he had gone for what he thought was a routine elbow scan when the extent of the injury came to light. "During what I thought was routine check on a previously troublesome elbow, I was shocked to learn I've got some bone stress in my right elbow," Wood said in his post. "After the minor groin injury at Emirates Old Trafford, me and the medical team felt it was a good time to get my elbow looked at as it was a bit irritated. I'd put that down to the normal niggles every fast bowler gets and which I was playing through. "I'm especially surprised because I've been playing Test cricket and kept my speeds up," he said. "I work incredibly hard on my fitness, putting in extra work with coaches and physios making this even more disappointing. However, I guess this is, 'part of being a fast bowler', like Stokesy says." Wood said he is confident of being back in action early next year. "I will miss the rest of the year needing time to rest and build up, fully expecting to be back and firing in early 2025. I have been down this path before and will put in all the hard yards behind the scenes. I am very proud to represent my country and there is no better feeling." Olly Stone featured for England in the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's in Wood's absence while Josh Hull, the 20-year old left-arm seamer, made his debut in The Oval Test. England will tour Pakistan in October for three Tests and will go to New Zealand in December for three more Tests.

Ollie Pope's seventh Test ton and a breezy 79-ball 86 from Ben Duckett led England's dominance on the first day of the third Test against Sri Lanka at The Oval on Friday (September 6). Only 4.1 overs were bowled after Tea with England rattling off 27 runs that included Pope's century milestone before bad light forced the umpires to take the players off for one last time in the day. It was a day that belonged to England's stand-in captain who returned to form in style with a cracking hundred at his home ground. He also became the first batter in the format to have each of his first seven centuries against different opponents. Given the conditions on offer, Sri Lanka would rue their as there were far too many loose balls on offer. England feasted on anything remotely wayward and Duckett's onslaught in the first two sessions scarred Sri Lanka's bowlers. The left-hander played adventurously in the opening hour and soon settled into his aggressive best with authoritative shots square of the wicket on both sides. As he grew in confidence, out came his signature scoop shot that he played with frequent nonchalance although it was the same stroke that eventually brought about his downfall. Sri Lanka then managed to get the in-form Joe Root cheaply after what was an unusually scratchy innings from England's no.4. But Pope kept motoring along at rapid pace to keep England's charge going with a blend of classy and crunchy strokes. Whenever the pacers hit their straps in terms of lines and lengths, there was life in the pitch to trouble the batters but Sri Lanka were far too inconsistent to be a regular threat on the opening day. Unless the visitors pull up their socks and produce a dramatic fightback early on day two, Pope's men might get to a total that would be daunting. Rain and bad light caused significant havoc on the opening day with a combined tally of just 16.1 overs being bowled across the first and third sessions. The forecast for the remainder of the Test isn't encouraging either but England's rapid rate of scoring means that the game will move forward at a quicker pace, especially given the spicy nature of the pitch. : England 221/3 (Ollie Pope 103*, Ben Duckett 89; Lahiru Kumara 2-81) vs Sri Lanka

In the 2011 IPL mega auction, Rahul Dravid was one of the marquee players, with a base price of USD 400,000. When his name came up for bidding, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (still known as Bangalore at the time), his franchise for the first three years of the IPL, did not raise their paddle. Vijay Mallya, the team's owner, and Anil Kumble, the mentor, remained unmoved as Dravid's name was being called. It seemed for a moment that Dravid would go unsold. Rajasthan Royals, however, secured the services of the India legend with a winning bid or USD 500,00. The price was hardly worthy of Dravid's stature in Indian cricket - his previous price had been more than double, USD 1,035,000 to be precise. However, he was spared the embarrassment of going unsold in an auction taking place in his hometown. While Dravid's class as a batsman was undeniable, the IPL's requirements and auction dynamics were different. Dravid accepted this new reality in Indian cricket, and from that point on, it has been evident that a strong bond developed between him and the Rajasthan Royals management. The iconic character Vito Corleone would famously say that time erodes gratitude more quickly than beauty. But neither the fictional Godfather nor his creator, Mario Puzo, would have met Rahul Dravid. The former India coach, who has reached the pinnacle of his coaching career after India guiding India through two excellent World Cup campaigns in successive years, remains highly sought after in the coaching market, especially on the IPL circuit. Yet, Dravid has remained steadfastly loyal to the Royals, a franchise not necessarily known for great success. He seems to remember the gesture from the 2011 auction so vividly that he has turned down offers from high-profile franchises, even those virtually willing to hand him blank cheques. But then price has never been a priority for Dravid. A popular story in the Chennai cricket circle is that when Dravid was approached by India Cements to play in the local league, he was asked to name his price. Dravid, with a bank balance of INR 80,000 at the time, requested only INR 40,000 so he could purchase a Maruti 800, leaving the rest to the discretion of India Cements management. To this day, his association with the company remains strong, and he continues to be an employee. Loyalty! As captain and then later coach of the Royals, you could tell there was something more to Dravid's strategies than that met the eye. Obviously the Royals were deeply embedded in analytics, where you saw the first signs of player match-ups. This was during the period from 2012 to 2015, well before such strategies became a vogue in the IPL ecosystem. Beyond their title-winning inaugural season, the Rajasthan Royals enjoyed some of their best times under Dravid, both as captain and coach. He played 46 matches for them, captaining 34 of those after Shane Warne retired from the IPL, amassing 1,276 runs at a strike rate of 110 with an average close to 30 - solid numbers for the early days of the IPL. With him as mentor and coach, the Royals won 14 out of 28 games, finishing fifth in 2014 and fourth the following season. Those were the days, when the Royals management, unlike other franchise, would not splurge their entire auction purse, meaning the costliest players usually were in the other teams. Dravid also spent a couple of years at Delhi Daredevils but only because the Royals were handed a two-year ban. But before moving further along on his path to becoming a World Cup-winning coach, he played a seminal role in shaping Sanju Samson into the cricketer he is today in the IPL. In a league where the perception is that only a few captains, like MS Dhoni or Rohit Sharma, can single-handedly influence the outcome of a game through their leadership and captaincy, Samson is now being seen as someone rapidly approaching that level of reputation. If he eventually reaches that stature, he would have owed a lot to Dravid. So when Dravid remarked that he was 'jobless' after India's victory in the T20 World Cup, he didn't mean it quite literally. It was obvious - almost a given - that he would return to Jaipur. The only complication was in the role of Kumar Sangakkara, the Director of Cricket, who has also served as head coach for the last four seasons. Sangakkara is reportedly earning around INR 5 crore and has also been overseeing the Rajasthan Royals' subsidiaries in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and SA20. With Dravid's return, Sangakkara might be asked to focus on those teams, and also potentially a new acquisition in The Hundred, unless he decides to leave the franchise voluntarily. For the time being the Royals management says Dravid and Sangakkara will coexist. With two greats of the game under one umbrella, the Royals players are sure to benefit.

That dress! Not the smart, serious, strappy black number Laura Wolvaardt wore to collect five trophies at CSA's awards ceremony on Thursday. Rather, the flowing, sparkly blue gown that adorned Nonkululeko Mlaba. It was Vincent van Gogh's Starry Night meets Halley's Comet meets Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, and it stole the show as surely as the sight and sound of one of Wolvaardt's arresting cover drives. Never, surely, has someone striding to a podium to accept something so meh as a cricket prize been so spectacularly attired. Mlaba outshone the trophy itself, especially when she completed the picture with her sunrise of a smile. The men who flanked her in the obligatory photograph managed to look simultaneously privileged to be so honoured and painfully aware of their own dowdiness. To the left stood Obakeng Sepeng, CSA's "cricket operations specialist" - a job title that whimpers conformity. Hence his beige suit, though the tan shirt was a nice touch. To the right was Clive Eksteen, his light grey suit and sparsely patterned blue shirt in keeping with someone who cannot be accused of flashiness in anything he has yet done. What did Mlaba win? Does it matter? Awards ceremonies are the sugar-free candy-floss of cricket: perfectly pointless and perfunctory. Their only purpose is to bring together particular parts of a community to wine and dine under the pretext of recognising the achievements of the leading performers in that community. A press release would have the exact same effect, minus the wining and dining. Of course, there was also a press release. It featured the usual fare about awards being "scooped" and people being "crowned". In addition it conjured something called "the power of womanhood". At least that came with context that the release explained, albeit clunkily: "[Masabata] Klaas [a single mother] missed at least three years of cricket, but returned to become not just a revered member of the [South Africa] team, but a mentor to younger players." Having endured too many of these turgid affairs over the years, it wasn't surprising Quinton de Kock didn't turn up to receive his trophy. As he is no longer under contract to CSA, he was under no compunction to be there. Where was there? The somehow apt nowhereness of a conference room next to a highway between Johannesburg and Pretoria. Tabraiz Shamsi was not so lucky. He doesn't drink alcohol, so he couldn't wine away the hours. Neither was he nominated for an award. But, as a contracted player, he had no choice but to be there. That meant travelling 10,912 kilometres from Basseterre, where he played in a CPL game for the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots against the St Lucia Kings on Saturday. Perhaps the arduousness of the journey that lay ahead of him was at the back of his mind during the game - Shamsi went wicketless for 41 in two overs. His Patriots teammate, Anrich Nortje, had Faf du Plessis brilliantly caught by Kyle Mayers at mid-on and cleanbowled Roston Chase with a knuckleball that ducked into the stumps, and limited the damage to 29 runs in four overs. Nortje has declined a CSA contract. Did knowing he didn't have to make Shamsi's long trip keep his head in the game? Never one to not tell us how he feels, Shamsi posted on social media on Wednesday: "Fly for three days to get to Joburg. Awards function in Joburg for a day. Fly for another three days right away to get back to where I came from. Great!" Just like he doesn't drink, Shamsi also doesn't wear dresses. But he does have a flair for putting on a show. Doubtless Mlaba's wearable tribute to Starry Night, Halley's Comet and Kind of Blue struck a chord with him, as it must have with all who saw it; cricket tragics excepted. To get Shamsi through his return trip of 10,912 kilometres, we present a selection of apposite thoughts on the subject. Here's Benjamin Franklin: "Eat to please thyself, but dress to please others." And William Makepeace Thackeray: "Good humour is one of the best articles of dress one can wear in society." And Mike Tyson: "Sometimes I put on a ski mask and dress in old clothes, go out on the streets and beg for quarters." And Yves Saint Laurent: "Over the years I have learnt that what is important in a dress is the woman who is wearing it." And, of course, Virat Kohli: "I like to be myself, and I don't pretend. For instance, I don't dress up for occasions; I am what I am." Good luck Shammo. Hope you dressed comfortably for the flight.

What is a spinner? As with most things in life, it depends on who you ask. For Shane Warne, it's someone who makes batters believe something is happening when it really isn't. For Ravichandran Ashwin, it's like being an engineer, constantly "upgrading the software" to stay ahead. For Virender Sehwag, they're bowlers who are probably better off staying away from him. And if you are playing for New Zealand, a spinner might just be someone warming the bench. Few know that feeling better than Ajaz Patel. Less than three years ago, he felt the "stars had aligned for him" in Mumbai. He had just become only the third spinner in history to pick . And he had done that to India at their home of cricket, in a city that was as much his by birthright and by virtue of spending the first eight years of his life there. Simon Doull hailed the feat as one of the greatest moments in the Kiwi cricket folklore. Anil Kumble couldn't believe what Ajaz had pulled off on the first two days of a Test match. Ravi Shastri felt it was just "too good to be true". Yes, New Zealand went on to lose the Wankhede Test but the defeat lacked the usual despair that accompanies a heavy loss to India on home soil. There was instead a sense of optimism in the air. Had New Zealand finally found their spinner? Had Ajaz Patel come of age after three years of hits and misses? Could we now start counting down to New Zealand's next tour of India already? Unfortunately, the reality has been far removed from that. Since taking the perfect ten in Mumbai, Ajaz has gone on to feature in only 25% of Tests that New Zealand have played. To put it into further context, Michael Bracewell, a spin-bowling all-rounder who's had his fair share of injury timeouts, has earned more Test caps and bowled more overs than Ajaz during this period. "If you ask all New Zealand spinners, it is difficult sometimes you know," Ajaz told reporters in the quaint setting of Greater Noida, the venue for New Zealand's one-off Test against Afghanistan. "Obviously you don't get as many opportunities at home because of the home conditions but also I guess that breeds more hunger when you do come to conditions like this and you know conditions that are spin friendly and you're quite hungry to get out there and play. And, I guess, you put your best foot forward and perform. But it's really important that you prepare accordingly and prepare well. So it's just about, you know, going into these games and really enjoying the conditions and making the most of it." Ajaz might not be a guaranteed pick on every pitch New Zealand play Test cricket on, but right now, he's in Asia, where he is poised to play a key role in the six consecutive Tests in these conditions, including three against India. One of these matches will be in Mumbai, the place where his dreams came true what feels like a long time ago. "It's always special to come back to India, especially after my last game here," Ajaz said. "You don't take the chances you get lightly and it is a great opportunity with obviously so many games in Asia as a spinner. I'm pretty excited and looking forward to it." One thing Ajaz is determined not to do is dwell on the past. Much has happened since his 14-wicket haul in Mumbai. Despite having just one opportunity outside Asia and none at home, or being left out of the central contract only to be later offered one, Ajaz holds no bitterness in his heart. His sole focus is on what's next. His sole focus until now has been how to be at his best when the next opportunity arises. "No," Ajaz replied when asked if it bothered him that he's not the team's leading spinner. "Look, we are in a professional environment and for us it's really important to just go out there and continue to work on our game and keep growing and keep improving. Obviously after the 10 wickets, you're a little bit disappointed because you don't get as many opportunities, but at the same time as a player it's still about growing your game and its opportunities to develop and grow. "I mean since my 10 wickets, I've kind of somewhat remodeled my run-up and looked to grow myself and try and get better. It's always about improving and always about making sure you are ready when that next opportunity comes around and putting your hand up. It's a privilege to play for New Zealand and playing for your country is never easy. To get those opportunities is always quite special." The next few weeks will present Ajaz with a lot of opportunities. While he will be focused on "assessing conditions and coming up with a game plan", he will also have a chance to finish his incomplete story in a New Zealand shirt. After all, what is a spinner if not for some dip and flight.

Ben Duckett (86 off 75) and Ollie Pope (84* off 85) produced counterpunching knocks to lead England's charge during the afternoon session on the first day of the final Test against Sri Lanka at The Oval. Steady drizzle and bad light delayed the start of the post-lunch session by 90 minutes, but the lengthy break didn't change the fortunes for Sri Lanka's bowlers who copped the stick from Duckett and Pope in what was an entertaining stand of 95 that came off just 98 deliveries with the former being the aggressor. The surface did have some life in it for the pacers whenever they hit the right lengths but Sri Lanka's pacers were too inconsistent to trouble the batters. Duckett used his proactive method to disrupt the bowlers' radar and his favourite scoop was once again the headline-grabbing stroke in his innings. Unfortunately for him, it was the shot that also brought about his dismissal - second time in the series that he had fallen to the shot. While Duckett missed out on a deserving ton, his counterattack had given England the impetus on an overcast day under not-so-easy batting conditions. It was also an innings where Pope looked his most fluent in the series and it didn't come as a surprise, given that The Oval is his home ground where his batting stats are extraordinary. England's stand-in captain looked in control from the outset and his shot-making range grew as the innings progressed even as the in-form Joe Root looked ironically streaky at the crease. The leading run-scorer of the series barely looked settled and fell at the stroke of Tea to a short ball from Lahiru Kumara. It was a moment of extreme joy for Sri Lanka, given the pain Root had given them in the series, but on a sporting surface, England are still poised to make a competitive total. Unless Sri Lanka's bowlers can find their mojo in the final session. England 191/3 (Ben Duckett 86, Ollie Pope 84*; Lahiru Kumara 2-70) vs Sri Lanka

Josh Inglis scored a superlative century - his second in T20Is and the fastest by an Australian in the format - to sink Scottish hopes of drawing level in the three-match T20I series against Australia in Edinburgh. Inglis finished on 103 off 49 balls - laced with 7 fours and as many sixes - as Australia posted 196 for 4 in 20 overs. Scotland made a bold start but also lost quick wickets to get derailed multiple times before eventually falling well short in the steep chase. The conditions delayed the toss by half an hour, but when the game began, Scotland started well. They put Australia in and sent Travis Head packing for a first-ball duck in the second over. The left-hander opener, who tormented the hosts just two days ago, was cleaned up by fast bowler Bradley Currie. Jake-Fraser McGurk, who got his first T20I runs with a four, looked to kick-on but Currie dismissed him in the next over when he was caught at long-on. Inglis then began his carnage towards the end of the PowerPlay, hitting Brad Wheal for two sixes and a four in a 19-run over. Inglis and Cameron Green added 92 runs for the third wicket off just 50 balls as the boundaries came at ease even after the PowerPlay. The pair took Australia from 55/2 in 6 overs to 100/2 at the halfway stage, with Inglis bringing up a 20-ball fifty. The only previous time he got to this landmark in the format, he went on to get a 100. He repeated the feat on Friday, even as Currie returned to break the big stand with the wicket of Green. He was brutal against leggie Chris Greaves with two sixes in an over, and hit two more - off successive balls from Currie - to bring up his 43-ball century. He fell in the penultimate over, after which Tim David arrived and set the last over blaze with a seven-ball 17 to push the visitors close to the 200-mark. Much to the delight of the supporters who turned up at Grange Cricket Club, Scotland showed glimpses of a fight. Unfortunately, for them, those glimpses were only fleeting as they crashed and burned their way to a paltry riposte. George Munsey set the tone for the chase with two sixes and a four off Xavier Bartlett in the opening over. Aaron Hardie, who came in for Riley Meredith, struck at the other end to take out Michael Jones in just the second over. Bartlett then knocked the winds out of Scotland's sails by having Munsey caught at mid-off. Brandon McMullen then took it upon himself to keep Scotland afloat and Australia on their toes as he smashed a masterful 42-ball 59. He got his shots away on both sides of the wicket but Marcus Stoinis arrived to put another spanner in the works by dismissing Richie Berrington in the sixth over. McMullen pushed back in the post-PowerPlay period by picking the gaps well but Australia kept denting the hosts at the other end as Adam Zampa took out Charlie Tear in the 10th over. McMullen brought up a 38-ball 50 in the 12th over but fell in the very next, trying to catch up with the rising asking rate. His departure was the starting point of the severe collapse as Scotland lost their last five wickets for just 20 runs. Each of the six Aussie bowlers picked at least a wicket each, with Stonis walking away with figures of 4 for 23 in 3.4 overs. : Australia 196/4 in 20 overs (Josh Inglis 103, Cameron Green 36; Bradley Currie 3-37) beat Scotland 126 in 16.4 overs (Brandon McMullen 59; Marcus Stoinis 4-23) by 70 runs