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The Brazilian winger found the net again as Carlo Ancelotti's side eased to a 2-0 win, with the England midfielder incensed at not getting a penalty

Rodrygo bagged his fifth goal in three games and Brahim Diaz pulled the strings as Real Madrid cruised to a home win over Granada. Goals in both halves settled an otherwise chippy contest to hand Los Blancos a comfortable 2-0 victory.

After a quiet 30 minutes, Madrid came alive. A flowing move opened the scoring, Diaz, dropping a pass off to Toni Kroos, who arrowed a ball in behind, perfectly placed for Diaz to finish with a delightful dink from close range.

It was a frustrating night for Jude Bellingham, meanwhile, who was constantly fouled by the visitors and yet Granada were rarely punished. He almost talked himself into two yellows on multiple occasions, and will perhaps be challenged to monitor his mouth going forward.

Still, his protestations mattered little. Rodrygo eventually provided the second after the break, latching onto a rebound and lashing the ball home after Bellingham's initial effort was saved.

Madrid had few chances otherwise as Carlo Ancelotti's side simply saw out the game, turning in a composed performance and not allowing the visitors a single shot. This wasn't a glamorous performance, but it was certainly convincing.

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from the Santiago Bernabeu…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Andriy Lunin (6/10):

Would be better off counting the blades of grass in games like these as he didn't have to make a single save.

Dani Carvajal (7/10):

Scampered up the right side when needed, delivered a few nice crosses. Removed at half-time.

Antonio Rudiger (7/10):

Kept the dangerous Bryan Zaragoza quiet. Part of a fine effort to ensure the visitors didn't get a sniff.

David Alaba (7/10):

Pinged the ball around and kept things tidy, a comfortable evening for him.

Ferland Mendy (7/10):

Went about his defensive work well, and offered more going forward than usual. He's now clearly the first choice ahead of Fran Garcia.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Toni Kroos (8/10):

Played a lovely pass into Diaz to open the scoring. Composed in midfield, and hardly misplaced a pass. Classy.

Federico Valverde (7/10):

Operated as a No.6 for long stretches. Didn't have the opportunity to do much pretty stuff, but was solid throughout.

Brahim Diaz (8/10):

Full of tricks and sharp turns. Took his goal wonderfully, and linked up with Bellingham well.

Jude Bellingham (7/10):

Uncharacteristically loose in the first half. Put a good chance wide, and saw another denied by the goalkeeper. Didn't get any calls all game, and was, quite rightly, frustrated. Almost talked himself into a red on more than occasion. Be careful, Jude.

Getty ImagesAttack

Joselu (5/10):

Failed to convince. Works hard, but doesn't really have the quality needed to succeed all the time.

Rodrygo (8/10):

Broke out the fancy stuff when needed. Scored once again. Now has five in his last three La Liga games. Back to his best.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Lucas Vazquez (6/10):

Brought on for Carvajal at half-time and was as reliable as expected.

Dani Ceballos (6/10):

A tidy 30 minutes. Will likely have some more opportunities given the injury situation.

Gonzalo Garcia (N/A):

Another runout for the youth product.

Nico Paz (N/A):

No time to make an impact.

Carlo Ancelotti (7/10):

Showed faith in Diaz after a string of solid performances and was rewarded. Will be delighted with Rodrygo's form, too. A routine win that keeps Madrid on top of the table.

West Indies and KKR spinner Sunil Narine has been cleared to bowl once again by the BCCI’s Suspect Bowling Action Committee but he has been given a “final warning”

ESPNcricinfo staff07-May-2015West Indies and Kolkata Knight Riders spinner Sunil Narine has been cleared to bowl once again by the BCCI’s Suspect Bowling Action Committee but he has been given a “final warning”. Narine’s name has been taken off the list of bowlers with suspect actions but he was informed that another transgression would result in him being banned for this IPL season.It is understood Narine was delivering the offbreak with a flex in his elbow, which meant he was going back to the old action that had been reported during the 2014 Champions LeagueTwenty20. The review committee wanted him to be consistent with his remodelled action.”In its decision on 28 April 2015 to ban Mr. Narine from bowling off-spinners in the IPL, the BCCI Suspect Bowling Action Committee noted that the player could request a further Official Assessment by the Committee,” the BCCI said in a release. “This request was received and accordingly the player underwent a third biomechanical analysis of his action at the ICC and BCCI accredited Sri Ramachandra Arthroscopy and Sports Sciences Centre (SRASSC) in Chennai – this time for his remodelled action (i.e. the one that had been cleared by the Committee immediately before the IPL season).This analysis has re-confirmed the conclusion of the first Official Assessment by the Committee – namely that the remodelled action for the off-spinner does not contravene Law 24.2 (as read with Law 24.3).”The Committee, however, has drawn Mr. Narine’s attention to paragraph 4.9 of the IPL Suspected Illegal Bowling Action Policy. Any further report for a suspected illegal bowling action during the course of this season will automatically mean that Mr. Narine is banned from bowling for the rest of the season.”After the match between Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 22, the on-field officials reported a number of Narine’s deliveries as suspect. Narine underwent fresh tests immediately and was cleared to bowl all his deliveries expect the offbreak, which was deemed illegal. On April 29, Narine underwent a retest on his offbreak, which was banned by the BCCI, and was cleared on the evening of May 6.

Tim Bresnan struck an unbeaten half-century for the England Performance Programme on the first day of their match against Queensland 2nd XI in Brisbane

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2013
ScorecardFile photo: Tim Bresnan could return to contention for England in Adelaide•Getty ImagesTim Bresnan struck an unbeaten half-century for the England Performance Programme on the first day of their match against Queensland 2nd XI in Brisbane. Bresnan could be in line to return for the second Ashes Test in Adelaide if he can prove his fitness after a stress fracture in his back.England will hope Bresnan has further success with the ball, after he scored 57 not out batting at No. 9. The three-day match is his first competitive appearance since the fourth Test against Australia in August, after which Bresnan missed the rest of the season through injury.The Test squad have headed to Alice Springs for their match against a CA Chairman’s XI on Friday and Saturday but Bresnan remained in Brisbane with the EPP for the game at Allan Border Field.The EPP posted 376 for 9, after being put in to bat, with Middlesex batsman Sam Robson scoring a century in the country of his birth. Robson, whose future had been subject of much conjecture until he committed himself to a prospective England career by joining this tour, retired out for 102.Moeen Ali made 83 in the middle order and wicketkeeper Jos Buttler 54. The EPP have fielded 13 players in the match but only batted with 11.

ESPNcricinfo previews the final game in Group C between Sri Lanka and South Africa

The Preview by Firdose Moonda21-Sep-2012Match facts September 22, 2012
Start time 1530 local (1000 GMT)Morne Morkel and the South African attack will be hoping conditions remain favourable for bowling•AFPBig Picture Both sides have got their bullying out of the way, having beaten Zimbabwe by 82 runs and 10 wickets respectively, and Sri Lanka and South Africa are now ready to do business. That may sound odd considering that both having both already qualified for the Super Eights but neither have been challenged properly yet and will want to test themselves before a tough next round.Sri Lanka will be happy with the form of one of their most important bowlers, Ajantha Mendis. His 6 for 8 are figures unlikely to be repeated but Mendis showed he is back in a big way. He deceived the Zimbabwe batsmen with an assortment of carom balls and googlies and while the South African line-up may not be so easily hoodwinked, some of them are known to have a weakness against spin.South Africa’s middle order remains untested after only Richard Levi and Hashim Amla batted against Zimbabwe and they are yet to face any pressure, a catalyst for some of their worst major tournament showing. Sri Lanka will look to target that area of the opposition’s game because every other part of it seems solid.South Africa’s seamers were effective on the Hambantota pitch and even though their spinners were not called into action too much, they have enough options available to them to be able to afford one bowler having a bad day. The hosts have similar variation in their ranks, with enough allrounders to have all bases covered and with the advantage of their middle order having had a decent run.By all accounts the match-ups between the teams pre-empts a much closer contest than the group has seen so far. Even though it will not be decisive in terms of who the team play in the next round it will be important in determining who has more might for the big duels ahead.Form guide South Africa WLWWW (completed matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka WLLWLWatch out for After captaining Sri Lanka to series defeats in South Africa last summer, Tillakaratne Dilshan may be pleased to see them on his home turf. Relieved of the armband and with a new opening partner, Dilshan seems to be enjoying his freedom and looked ominous against Zimbabwe. He had the full range on display, including the “Dilscoop” and will want to show South Africa some of what he is capable of but did not manage to do earlier in the year.Dale Steyn started the tournament with a delivery that measured 140 kph on the speed gun and does not show any sign of slowing down. Although Steyn called the Hambantota conditions “slippery” he acknowledged that it made a welcome change to play on a subcontinental pitch that has something in it for the seamers and will want to exploit that while it lasts.Team news Sri Lanka have an injury worry with their strike spinner, Ajantha Mendis, picking up a side strain after the Zimbabwe game. His fitness will be assessed on the day of the game. If he sits out, the offspinner Akila Dananjaya could be in line for his international debut.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Dilshan Munaweera, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 4 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 5 Lahiru Thirimanne, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Jeevan Mendis, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Shaminda Eranga, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Ajantha Mendis/Akila DananjayaSouth Africa will also not have many reasons to change a winning XI, unless the stomach bug returns. After giving Zimbabwe a work over in their opening match, South Africa’s bowling attack would seem to need no tinkering. Their middle order remains untested and either Faf du Plessis or Justin Ontong could be brought in but they may want to give the current XI a run against tougher opposition.South Africa (probable): 1 Richard Levi, 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Jacques Kallis, 4 AB de Villiers (capt & wk), 5 JP Duminy, 6 Farhaan Behardien, 7 Albie Morkel 8 Johan Botha 9 Robin Peterson 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Dale SteynPitch and conditions Both batsmen and bowlers have described the Hambantota surface as difficult to get in on but have admitted that there remains something in it for the quicks. Another hot, humid day awaits with temperatures around 28 degrees Celsius and a bit of rain about for the afternoon and evening so the bounce and carry seen so far will likely stay around on the same pitch used for the first match – one that took much more turn than the one used last evening.Stats and trivia Ajantha Mendis’ six wickets against Zimbabwe on Tuesday saw him leapfrog Lasith Malinga as the highest wicket-taker for Sri Lanka in T20s. Mendis’ 46 wickets have come at an average of 9.84.South Africa have the best win-loss record of all teams in T20s. They have played 48 matches, won 31 and lost 16. Mahela Jayawardene needs six more for 1000 runs in T20 internationals.Quotes”South Africa are a good unit, but probably their lower middle order a little inexperienced. What we need to do is focus on our strengths. If we play to our strengths we’re going to give them a very good game rather than falling into their trap.””I don’t think there will be any drop in intensity for the Sri Lanka game. We’re in the beginning stages of a very, very big event, a tournament that we really want to win. You have to play well in every game and improve in every game.”

A round-up of the third and fourth quarter-finals of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2011-12

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Mar-2012Punjab’s new-ball duo of VRV Singh and Manpreet Gony rattled Madhya Pradesh early, and paved the way for their team to qualify for the semi-finals, with a seven-wicket win at the Bandra Kurla Complex. MP chose to bat, but VRV Singh and Gony reduced them to 16 for 6 in 5.2 overs. Rameez Khan and Ankit Sharma gave the score some respectability with their 74-run partnership, but 120 was not enough to challenge Punjab’s batting. VRV Singh finished with 4 for 24, while Gony had remarkable figures of 4-3-5-3. Gurkeerat Singh ensured the chase was comfortable, with 57 off 49 balls. Punjab will play Mumbai in the second semi-final, on Monday.Ambati Rayudu steered Baroda into the semi-finals, scoring 66 in their chase of 112 against Bengal at the Bandra Kurla Complex. Baroda’s bowlers had restricted Bengal to a modest total but their batsmen, apart from Rayudu, struggled. They slipped to 26 for 3 before Rayudu began repairing the innings. Shami Ahmed struck in the second over, and then gave Bengal hope with two more wickets, in the 14th and 17th overs, to finish with figures of 3 for 14. Rayudu, though, held his nerve and stayed at the crease till his team were within three runs of the target. His innings included nine fours and two sixes, while the rest of the Baroda batsmen scored only four boundaries between them. Bengal’s batsmen had also struggled to hit boundaries and the run-rate did not rise much above 5.5 an over. Murtuja Vahora and Ketan Panchal took two wickets each as Bengal could only manage 111 for 7. Baroda will play Delhi in the first semi-final, on Monday.

The Hampshire captain Dimitri Mascarenhas battled the pain of twice tearing tendons in his shoulder to lead the county to the Friends Life t20

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Aug-2012The Hampshire captain Dimitri Mascarenhas battled the pain of twice tearing tendons in his shoulder in recent weeks to lead the county to the Friends Life t20 title with victory against Yorkshire.Mascarenhas needed fitness tests before both the semi-final against Somerset and the final and did not bat in either match even though his clean striking would have been valuable in the closing stages of the innings. When asked before the final how the injury was effecting his bowling he said: “I can’t get much slower.”Mascarenhas played a crucial role with the ball on Finals Day – his nagging medium pace proving difficult to score off on a sluggish pitch – taking a miserly 2 for 11 in the semi-final which he followed with 2 for 20 against Yorkshire to leave Hampshire chasing 151 for victory. Despite an onslaught by David Miller, who struck 72 off 46 balls, Hampshire held their nerve in the closing overs as Danny Briggs and Chris Wood followed the impressive work of their captain.”I’ve torn my lat tendon. I tore it two weeks ago and then I tore it again last week when I tried to play CB40,” Mascarenhas said. “I had a scan and it’s torn so I had to grin and bear it. It was a huge stress to be honest. It’s not one of those where you can have an injection.”We were trying to sort out team selection if I didn’t play and for the team balance. It’s not easy when your captain is looking like he’s not going to be fit. I was lucky enough to get through. I actually felt a bit better in the final – maybe it was the adrenaline. It took me through it. It felt a lot sorer in the semi-final, I felt like I was bowling a bit faster in the final.”It was Hampshire’s second Twenty20 title in three seasons following their victory in 2010 when they won by losing fewer wickets against Somerset. However, they began this year’s Finals Day as the least favoured of the four teams to make an impact.”Personally for me – it’s the best one by far,” he said. “I missed the first win two years ago because I was injured. To win two games today and captain a young and inexperienced side was a great thrill and one I’ll remember for a long time.”There were much different emotions for Andrew Gale, the Yorkshire captain, who had seen his side produce a superb all-round display in the semi-final against Sussex led by Jonny Bairstow’s 68 off 45 balls. However, in both matches Yorkshire’s top order failed to fire and, despite Miller’s fantastic display, they had too much ground to make up in the final.”When we were 40-odd for four I thought someone had to play very well to get us in a position to win and David played out of his skin,” Gale said. “Going into the last over I was backing us. Unfortunately it didn’t go our way but fair play to David for getting us in a position to win that game because we were dead and buried.”If it wasn’t for him we would have been nowhere; we could have been bowled out for 80. It would have been nice for us to spray that champagne around, I’m not going to lie, but when we reflect on this we’ll see we’ve achieved something as a group.”Still, there is consolation for Yorkshire. Both finalists have earned places at the Champions League Twenty20 which will be held in South Africa during October although English teams have to go through the pre-qualifying phase before joining the main tournament.

Dave Richardson, the former South Africa wicketkeeper and ICC general manager – cricket, has been recommended by the ICC board to succeed Haroon Lorgat as chief executive

Nagraj Gollapudi10-May-2012Dave Richardson, the ICC’s general manager (cricket) and former South Africa wicketkeeper, has been picked by the ICC board to succeed Haroon Lorgat as chief executive. Richardson, who will become the first former Test cricketer to occupy this position, was an unanimous choice over ECB chief executive David Collier – his closest competitor – because of his experience within the ICC.The ICC board will recommend Richardson’s name at the ICC annual conference in June, when Lorgat’s term ends. The nominations committee had met in Mumbai on Sunday to interview four candidates, including Collier, for the role and on Thursday obtained the ICC board’s support for Richardson.ICC president Sharad Pawar, who headed the nomination panel, said all four candidates were “good enough” but Richardson’s CV swung it in his favour. “What made Richardson the most suitable candidate was his knowledge of the ICC, and that was the most important thing,” Pawar told ESPNcricinfo. The other advantage, he said, was Richardson’s familiarity with the ICC board members, and vice versa.”He was an internal candidate. He is a former Test player and brings a lot of international cricket experience to the table,” Pawar said. “In addition he has been working with the ICC for quite long and is completely aware about the ICC operations and the members. All this only made it an unanimous decision.”Lorgat said he was happy to welcome a fellow South African to occupy the seat he will vacate on June 30. “He is experienced in the ways of the international game, both playing and in administration, which will hold him in good stead. He knows everybody and everyone knows him so he is a very familiar figure and it would provide a lot of comfort to members, to players, to stakeholders.”It is understood that though Richardson’s name was supported by almost all 13 members of the ICC board, things were much closer when the nomination committee discussed the issue after completing the extensive interview process on May 6 in Mumbai.”Things were very tight when it came to the nominations committee. There were only two candidates really as favourites – Richardson and Collier. The thing that swung it for David was his cricketing experience,” an ICC member board official revealed.That meeting was chaired by Pawar and attended by Alan Isaac (ICC vice-president), Julian Hunte (WICB president) and Keith Oliver (Cricket Scotland chairman). However, it was the presence of N Srinivasan and Giles Clarke – heads of the Indian and English boards who, it is understood, had been added to the panel at the last minute – that added intrigue to the selection process.There had been talk in the days leading up to Sunday that the BCCI and the ECB would enter into a deal to name Collier as the chief executive and allow the BCCI to nominate its candidate to the seat of ICC chairman when that post is created in 2014.Pawar, though, laughed off the theory. “What does the issue of the chairman have to do with the selection of the chief executive?” he asked.However, another ICC member board official did not rule out the possibility that there could have been some differences between Srinivasan and Clarke that might have forced the BCCI president to vote against Collier. “It is fair to say probably either Clarke or Srinivasan did not support Collier. If India and England both back the same candidate, do you think they are not going to convince the others at the table?” the official said.The official suggested that any alliance between Srnivasan and Clarke was not a deep one. “They are strong men, who want their way. Their collaboration was one of convenience,” the official said.According to this official, Richardson faced a big challenge in the form of India and England. He felt one possible factor for Lorgat not seeking another term was the increasing influence of Srinivasan and Clarke at the ICC board. “The future is not clear because here are some very different personalities at the ICC board who want increasingly to play the role of executive director in their style,” the official said. “I don’t know what role the chief executive will play. I do not even know what the role of this operational chairman means,” he said.For his part, Richardson called the nomination a “great honour.” “I am delighted with this opportunity and thank the ICC board for their approval. It has been a privilege to serve as ICC general manager, and that work will continue until such time as the ICC annual conference ratifies my nomination.”A qualified lawyer, Richardson has served as ICC general manager (cricket) for ten years and also played 42 Test matches and 122 ODIs for South Africa. After retiring from international cricket in 1998, Richardson was a business director with Octagon SA and a media commentator before becoming the ICC’s first general manager in January 2002.

A round-up of all the games played in Group C on the second day of the 2013-14 Ranji Trophy season

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-2013
ScorecardFile photo – Paras Dogra batted through the second day•K SivaramanHimachal Pradesh were hell bent on recovering the time lost – two sessions, due to a government intervention – on the first day, as Paras Dogra’s double century powered them to 543 for 5 by close of play – 407 of those scored on the second day in Dharamsala.Dogra’s form from the last season – five centuries, joint highest with Andhra’s Amol Muzumdar in 2012 – went a long way in pummelling the life out of Goa’s attack. He batted through the day, to claim his third double century in first-class cricket, which included 26 fours and a six and led two century stands today alone.Abhinav Bali was playing his first match after serving out a one-year ban for bringing the game into disrepute through “loose talk and unsubstantiated bragging” after a Television sting operation revealed his involvement in alleged corruption in domestic cricket.He announced his return with a confident half-century but was the first to fall, on 73 to left-arm spinner Shadab Jakati. But it was only a momentary stumble. Rishi Dhawan, the Himachal Pradesh captain, had begun his Ranji campaign last year with a typically aggressive century, but though he kept up the pace, the landmark eluded him as he was dismissed for 89 of 92 balls. However, he was bettered by new import, Bipul Sharma, who was unbeaten on a 74-ball 86, which included eight fours and four sixes as three of Goa’s bowlers leaked over 100 runs.
ScorecardMaharashtra-born Yogesh Takawale could not replicate his stubbornness of yesterday as Tripura were dismissed for 304. Tripura’s bowlers, though, mimicked the ineffective start by their batsmen as Maharashtra ended the day at a comfortable 133 for 1.Seamer Sachin Chaudhari ended Takawale’s resistance on 125, and made short work of the tail to finish with 4 for 44. Shrikant Mundhe was next best, though he only added one wicket to his overnight tally.Opener Harshad Khadiwale steered Maharashtra to their position of solidity with a well-compiled half-century. Vijay Zol, playing his first Ranji Trophy match, was just as collected. With Zol, 18, having scored a century on his first-class debut against New Zealand A in August, Tripura must look to break through early on the third day.
ScorecardSeamers Syed Sahabuddin and D Shivkumar knocked off seven of Hyderabad’s batsmen as they were bundled out for 221 in their first innings against Andhra at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Hanuma Vihari was responsible for one-third of Hyderabad’s total and Amol Shinde contributed with a half-century as well.Shivkumar broke through both the set batsmen, as Shinde nicked off to the keeper and Vihari holed out to C Stephen. With the lower order exposed, offspinner Shaik Basha claimed two wickets in the same over to wind up Hyderabad’s innings.Openers Srikar Bharat and Prasanth Kumar gave Andhra a good start, but Ashish Reddy broke through for Hyderabad in the 12th over. Andhra trail by 136, but have nine wickets in hand and the sedate Prasanth still at the crease.
ScorecardKerala lost a couple of wickets late on the second day after a solid start to their innings against Assam, but with Sanju Samson holding one end together, the match in Guwahati was still in the balance. Samson added 64 runs for the second wicket with Nikhilesh Surendran, and was unbeaten on 46, with Kerala still trailing by 204 runs.Assam, five wickets down overnight, stretched their innings for almost 50 overs on the second morning. Syed Mohammad scored a useful 40 in a century stand for the sixth wicket with Niraj Patel, who scored 82. Kerala would have thought of dismissing the team for below 300, but a half-century stand for the last wicket between Arlen Konwar and Arup Das thwarted the bowling. Vinoop Manoharan and Chovvakkaran Shahid shared three wickets each.

Sussex haven’t won at The Oval since 1994 but have a chance to break that run after building up a good lead and asking Surrey to bat out the final day for a draw

Alex Winter at The Oval26-Apr-2013
ScorecardLuke Wells made his highest first-class score•Getty ImagesSussex haven’t won at The Oval since 1994 but have a chance to break that run after building up a good lead and asking Surrey to bat out the final day for a draw.Graeme Smith, Surrey’s captain, led an excellent riposte as his side faced 17 overs before the close with an unbeaten 43 in 46 balls. He will be relieved after failing in his first two innings for his new club but will know tomorrow’s biggest challenge may well be against Monty Panesar on a wearing wicket.Panesar may be the only hope for a positive result on a surface that appears to be getting slower and lower. Sussex would have liked more than their solitary success by the close, Steve Magoffin swinging a full ball into Rory Burns who drove and edged behind, but the reality is the wicket is not competitive enough.Panesar’s initial burst on the third evening did not suggest he can win the match on day four. Smith biffed his first over for 14, putting a full toss past mid-off, a half-volley past mid-on and a short ball through square leg. Smith has already negated a much-vaunted English spinner on this ground in the past 12 months – Graeme Swann finding no joy in the Test match last July – and Smith will undoubtedly seek to unsettle Panesar tomorrow en route to a morale-boosting draw.His side have been on the back foot for the past two days, having failed to take advantage of being 247 for 3 in their first innings. They crumbled to the second new ball, whereas Sussex thrived against it on the third morning and picked up the scoring rate.Luke Wells predicted a fresh ball would be easier to score against and so it proved as he and Ed Joyce extended their partnership to exactly 200 before Joyce, like he did in the season opener at Headingley, failed to move through the 90s and was bowled by a Gareth Batty slider. It was the high point in Batty’s day. He recorded an undesirable career record, with the most expensive innings figures he has sent down in the Championship.Matt Prior played around with him in a typically jaunty half-century in 36 balls. Batty tossed it up just outside off stump and went over extra-cover; he bowled straighter and went past fine leg; he bowled flatter and went past backward point. Prior was a breath of fresh air that broke up what was an uninspiring day as the contest between bat and ball that thrived on the second afternoon was totally lost.Luke Well was the beneficiary, going through to a career-best 208. The way he plays suggests that he is not one to waste opportunities. He took full advantage to become only the fourth Sussex batsman, after CB Fry, Murray Goodwin and Ranjitsinhji to make a double century against Surrey. It was also the highest individual score by anyone in a first-class match involving these two teams and the first Sussex double-hundred at The Oval since 1903.His century was completed off Vikram Solanki on Thursday and it was the same bowler that allowed Wells to flick to deep point to bring up his double hundred as he emulated his father, Alan – whose sole Test cap came at The Oval – and uncle, Colin, in scoring double centuries in the County Championship.”Luke was brilliant,” Sussex captain Ed Joyce said, “200 from a young man is an incredible achievement. It’s great that he’s got runs because he failed in the first game and didn’t look in great nick but it’s good to know that everyone’s now got a few.”He loves batting. When he got his hundred he was talking straight away about getting 150 and then 200. He just keeps going and it’s great to see because even if he’s in bad form, if he does get that score he’ll make it a big one. He’s got a bright future for sure.”

The two eliminated teams produced similar performances in a dead rubber that ultimately ended in a tame finish in Mohali

The Report by George Binoy20-Sep-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMisbah-ul-Haq scored 195 runs during Faisalabad’s CLT20 campaign; his team-mates scored 190 in all•BCCIThe two eliminated teams produced similar performances in a dead rubber that ultimately ended in a tame finish in Mohali: poor top-order contributions, shoddy catching, inconsistent ground fielding, and one solid effort with the bat. The primary reason Faisalabad Wolves won, and Kandurata Maroons did not, was that Misbah-ul-Haq batted the distance for his team, while Kumar Sangakkara could not.The result ended the run of victories for the chasing team at the PCA Stadium, and ensured Faisalabad had something to show for their trip to India, which had seemed uncertain due to confusion over visas. Kandurata Warriors, the hastily formed Sri Lankan T20 champions, ended their campaign with no wins from their three games.The opening over of the game, bowled by Nuwan Kulasekara, was error strewn and set the tone for a tepid game. Ammar Mahmood mis-hit the first ball, but just cleared the leaping fielder at mid-on, treading on the right side of the thin line between failure and four. Mahmood mis-hit the second too, this time offering a catch to mid-off, where Thilina Kandamby dropped a waist-high sitter. Off the fourth, he survived an lbw appeal and ran a leg bye. While Mahmood lived through three mistakes, his partner Ali Waqas departed after his first, edging an outswinger behind to Sangakkara.Amid strong gusts of wind in Mohali, Kulasekara returned in the fourth over and induced another edge, this time from Asif Ali, leaving Faisalabad on 20 for 2, needing to be rescued once again by their captain and Man of the Match, Misbah.It nearly didn’t happen. Faisalabad were 27 for 3 and Misbah was on 1 when he lofted Milinda Siriwardana to long-off, where the fielder misjudged the catch and parried it for the innings’ first six. In Siriwardene’s next over, Misbah carted him again, this time clear over the sightscreen.After ten overs, Faisalabad were only 58 for 4 but Misbah finally had a steady partner in Mohammad Salman. The acceleration came against Suraj Randiv, with Misbah cutting and sweeping the spinner for consecutive fours before hitting a clean straight six in the 16th over, which cost Kandurata 19 runs. Another big over followed – 16 runs off Kulasekara – and the partnership was worth 74 in 8.4 overs before Salman fell for 21, via a one-handed catch from Lahiru Jayaratne, leaping backwards at deep midwicket.A six off the first ball off the final over and a brace of doubles took Misbah into the nineties but Kulasekara finished strongly, limiting Faisalabad to 146, of which Misbah had made 93. He had made 195 runs in three qualifying matches; the rest of the Faisalabad batsmen had only 190.Totals of this size had been chased comfortably in the previous games, and Kandurata got going with three consecutive fours from Upul Tharanga in the second over of the innings. However, a couple of mis-timed lofts and slow scoring reduced the Sri Lankan side to virtually the same position Faisalabad had been at the end of ten overs – 57 for 3.Faisalabad did not help their cause, dropping Sangakkara on 17, and Silva on 2. However, Sangakkara did not find a partner like Misbah had, and with the burden of scoring falling squarely on him, he eventually holed out to deep midwicket for 44.The asking rate rose steadily after that, to beyond ten an over, and the contest was killed off by Ali Asad in the 19th over. With 25 runs to defend, he conceded only 2, ensuring Misbah’s rescue act with the bat was not in vain.