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Interstate moves

Younis Khan will be lining up for South Australia this season © AFP
 

Cricinfo New South Wales
Squad Aaron Bird, Doug Bollinger (Cricket Australia contract), Nathan Bracken (CA), Mark Cameron, Beau Casson (CA), Stuart Clark (CA), Michael Clarke (CA), Burt Cockley, Ed Cowan, Scott Coyte, Peter Forrest, Brad Haddin (CA), Nathan Hauritz, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Phillip Hughes, Phil Jaques (CA), Simon Katich (capt) (CA), Usman Khawaja, Grant Lambert, Brett Lee (CA), Greg Mail, Peter Nevill, Stephen O’Keefe, Ben Rohrer, Daniel Smith, Steven Smith, Dominic Thornely, David Warner.
Rookies Daniel Burns, James Crosthwaite, Scott Henry, Simon Keen, Joshua Lalor, Mitchell Starc.In: Peter Nevill (Victoria).Out: Aaron O’Brien (South Australia), Tom Cooper (South Australia), Craig Simmons (Western Australia), Matthew Nicholson (retired).Queensland
Squad Glen Batticciotto, Andy Bichel, Scott Brant, Ryan Broad, Lee Carseldine, Ben Cutting, Daniel Doran, Ryan Harris, Chris Hartley, Matthew Hayden (CA), James Hopes (CA), Nick Kruger, Ben Laughlin, Martin Love, Greg Moller, Ashley Noffke (CA), Aaron Nye, Clinton Perren, Nathan Reardon, Nathan Rimmington, Chris Simpson (capt), Grant Sullivan, Chris Swan, Andrew Symonds (CA), Shane Watson (CA).
Rookies Cameron Boyce, Michael Johnson, Alister McDermott, Dom O’Brien, Wade Townsend, Scott Walter, Worrin Williams.In: Ryan Harris (South Australia).Out: Mitchell Johnson (Western Australia), Michael Kasprowicz (retired), Jimmy Maher (retired).South Australia
Squad Cullen Bailey, Cameron Borgas, Daniel Christian, Mark Cleary, Tom Cooper, Mark Cosgrove, Dan Cullen, Callum Ferguson, Peter George, Daniel Harris, Michael Klinger, Graham Manou (capt), Aaron O’Brien, Tom Plant, Gary Putland, Paul Rofe, Shaun Tait (CA), Allan Wise, Younis Khan.
Rookies Jake Brown, Andy Delmont, Jason Donnelly, Jake Haberfield, Chadd Sayers, James Smith.In: Younis Khan (Pakistan), Allan Wise (Victoria), Michael Klinger (Victoria), Aaron O’Brien (New South Wales), Tom Cooper (New South Wales).Out: Ryan Harris (Queensland), Shane Deitz (Wellington), Darren Lehmann (retired), Matthew Elliott (retired), Jason Gillespie (retired).Tasmania
Squad Dane Anderson, George Bailey, Travis Birt, Luke Butterworth, David Dawson, Gerard Denton, Michael Dighton, Mark Divin, Xavier Doherty, Alex Doolan, Chris Duval, Brendan Drew, Brett Geeves, Adam Griffith, Ben Hilfenhaus (CA), Jason Krejza, Rhett Lockyear, Tim Macdonald, Daniel Marsh (capt), Tim Paine, Ricky Ponting (CA), Jeremy Smith.
Rookies James Faulkner, Wade Irvine, Brady Jones, John Rogers, Jonathan Wells.In: Gerard Denton (Victoria), John Rogers (ACT).Out: Damien Wright (Victoria), Michael Di Venuto (retired).

Victoria have gained Chris Rogers from Western Australia © Getty Images
 

Victoria
Squad Aiden Blizzard, Adam Crosthwaite, Aaron Finch, Shane Harwood, John Hastings, Brad Hodge (CA), David Hussey (CA), Nick Jewell, Lloyd Mash, Andrew McDonald, Bryce McGain, Clinton McKay, Dirk Nannes, Darren Pattinson, James Pattinson, Rob Quiney, Chris Rogers, Peter Siddle, Matthew Wade, Cameron White (capt) (CA), Damien Wright.
Rookies Brett Forsyth, Steve Gilmour, Michael Hill, Jon Holland, Kumar Sarna.In: Chris Rogers (Western Australia), Damien Wright (Tasmania).Out: Michael Klinger (South Australia), Allan Wise (South Australia), Gerard Denton (Tasmania), Peter Nevill (New South Wales), Mick Lewis (retired).Western Australia
Squad David Bandy, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Arron Crawford, Liam Davis, Paul Davis, Brett Dorey, Theo Doropoulos, Ben Edmondson, Aaron Heal, Clint Heron, Michael Hussey (CA), Mitchell Johnson (CA), Matt Johnston, Trent Kelly, Steve Magoffin, Shaun Marsh (CA), Marcus North (capt), Luke Pomersbach, Wes Robinson, Luke Ronchi, Adam Voges (CA).
Rookies Nicholas Death, Michael Johnson, Josh Mangan, Mitchell Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Chris Thompson, Christopher Wood.In: Mitchell Johnson (Queensland), Craig Simmons (New South Wales).Out: Chris Rogers (Victoria), Adam Gilchrist (retired), Justin Langer (retired), Brad Hogg (retired), Darren Wates (retired), Mathew Inness (retired).

Edwards leads England to emphatic win

ScorecardEngland dominated the first of three Twenty20s by thumping South Africa by 54 runs at Northampton on Friday. Charlotte Edwards’ 34-ball 45 helped give England the early momentum and her team-mates joined her in hitting out to boost the home side to 138 for 6. In reply, South Africa struggled from the off to seal the conclusion early on, though they didn’t fold entirely.Claire Taylor missed out with illness but England still cashed in, although Ebony Rainford-Brent registered a duck on debut, coming in for the last few balls of the first innings after Cri-Zelda Brits sent them in.South Africa soon slumped to 28 for 4, as Isa Guha, Katherine Brunt and Holly Colvin troubled them, but Brits and Susan Benade were able to add a respectable unbeaten 56. Brits will be happy with that kind of spirit – the England leg of this tour has been about fighting back.Benade was unbeaten on 34 from 41 balls, having earlier picked up 2 for 21, while Brits was unbeaten on 20. This was only the fourth Twenty20 for Brits’ side and South Africa will barely have time to pause for breath before returning to the County Ground on Saturday for a double-header after Wednesday’s opener was washed out.

England ponder bowling options

Has Steve Harmison done enough for an England recall? © Getty Images
 

The dust has barely settled on the furore surrounding the England selection at Headingley and the focus will again be on what names Geoff Miller comes up with for the third Test at Edgbaston, which starts next Wednesday. The squad, expected to include 13 players, will be announced before the first Twenty20 semi-final at The Rose Bowl on Saturday.After plucking Darren Pattinson out of obscurity the selectors are likely to go the other way this time and bolster the pace attack with a tried (if not always trusted) name. Steve Harmison could be handed a chance to relaunch his international career as England look at how they can bowl South Africa out twice. It took them 176.2 overs to claim 10 wickets at Headingley, following two days of toil for three scalps at Lord’s.”We now know we have to win two games to win the series, and have to create a side which is capable of that at Edgbaston, which as a ground is different to Headingley,” said Miller. “We have discussed all kinds of things: extra pace, whether it will turn more, or whether it is anticipated to swing.”Harmison is in the best position to earn a recall after claiming 41 wickets at 22.82 for Durham this season while reaching 90mph. He had plenty of ground to make up after his poor display in New Zealand, but after Matthew Hoggard was overlooked at Headingley, Harmison is now ahead of him in the pecking order. Simon Jones, the other of England’s Ashes quicks still on the sideline, would be another option but Worcestershire and England are being very careful about his progress.An on-form Harmison would certainly add another dimension to the England attack, especially alongside Andrew Flintoff who got through 40 overs at Headingley. James Anderson has also impressed during the series, but Stuart Broad has looked tired and could be rested despite the runs he brings at No. 8.Ryan Sidebottom, who missed out with a back problem last week opening the selectorial can of worms, is expected to be fit again. He should be a straight swap for Pattinson, who can go back to county cricket and, hopefully, not be adversely affected by his past week.”You always need options. Ryan has been an extremely important member of the squad, and indeed side, since he came back last year,” said Miller. “But it is not just about taking 20 wickets – yes we need to do that – it is about scoring runs as well, and 200 in the first innings [at Headingley] is simply not enough.”The batting, though, is unlikely to be altered despite temptations to strengthen the middle order with a swift recall for Paul Collingwood. Alastair Cook hasn’t scored a century since the third Test against Sri Lanka in December, but the most in-need of runs is captain Michael Vaughan with scores of 0, 2 and 21 in this series.England squad (probable) Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Michael Vaughan (capt), Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Tim Ambrose (wk), Andrew Flintoff, Stuart Broad, Ryan Sidebottom, James Anderson, Monty Panesar, Steve Harmison.

Injury sidelines Maharoof again

Farveez Maharoof hasn’t played for Sri Lanka since the CB Series in Australia earlier this year © Getty Images
 

Farveez Maharoof, the Sri Lankan allrounder, has been ruled out of the Asia Cup tournament in Pakistan due to an abdominal strain. He will be replaced by Thilan Thushara, the left-arm medium-fast bowler.Maharoof, 23, suffered the injury while bowling in a practice match at the SSC grounds on Thursday, and although the first scan failed to reveal the injury, a second scan taken on Friday showed that he had strained his left abdominal muscles.Ranjith Nanayakkarawasam, the Sri Lanka team physio, said that Maharoof would be out of action for at least six weeks. “He requires physiotherapy treatment and rest.”Maharoof has had an impressive ODI career, taking 104 wickets in 79 matches at an average of 24, but the last match he played for Sri Lanka was during the CB Series in Australia four months ago. He was forced to miss the tour of the West Indies due to a side strain, though he recovered full fitness to play for Delhi Daredevils in the IPL tournament in India.Thushara, his replacement, made his international debut on the tour to the West Indies earlier this year. He played all three Tests, taking eight wickets, and returned figures of 1 for 12 from 5.2 overs in his only ODI, a washed out game in St Lucia.

Shoaib files petition against ban

Shoaib Akhtar: “I want to play for Pakistan as soon as possible” © AFP
 

Shoaib Akhtar has filed a writ petition in the Lahore High Court seeking to overturn the original five-year ban imposed on him by the Pakistan board that was later reduced to 18 months by an appellate tribunal.Even though Shoaib’s ban was reduced after an appeal, he wasn’t happy with the tribunal’s decision. “I want to play for Pakistan as soon as possible,” Shoaib told PTI. “I was disappointed with the tribunal’s decision on my appeal.””We feel the decision of the PCB in the first place to ban him for five years was illegal and unjustified,” Abid Hasan Minto, Shoaib’s legal counsel, said. “We believe he is being prevented from playing cricket for his country by an illegal decision of the board. The ban itself is very harsh. We are contesting the entire ban.”The court, after hearing the appeal, summoned the Pakistan board to explain the ban. “The court heard the petition and has given an urgent notice to the respondent, the PCB, to appear before it on July 4,” PCB lawyer Taffazul Hussain Rizvi told AFP.Nasim Ashraf, the Pakistan board chairman, had said Shoaib was free to appeal in court. “That is his decision to make,” Ashraf had said. “The tribunal’s verdict has nothing to do with the PCB. I can’t overturn the reduced ban on him. The decision made by Justice Aftab Farrukh is final and it can only be challenged in the court.”Shoaib was banned for five years in April by a disciplinary committee of the PCB for violating the players’ code of conduct after he was charged with publicly criticising the board for offering him a retainership instead of a contract. The ban prevented him from playing in the IPL until it was suspended for one month which facilitated Shoaib’s participation in the Twenty20 tournament.Shoaib appealed against the five-year ban and it was reduced to 18 months along with a fine of Rs 7 million (approximately $105,000) by a PCB-appointed appellate tribunal, headed by Justice (retd) Aftab Farrukh, on June 14.

ICC will decide Zimbabwe's Test future – Mali

ICC president Ray Mali and Zimbabwe cricket chairman Peter Chingoka © Getty Images
 

It seems that the ICC might have finally accepted that all is not well inside Zimbabwe.In an interview with the Zimbabwe Independent, ICC president Ray Mali, a staunch supporter of Zimbabwe and its board, admitted that the political situation was a cause for concern.As the presidential election re-run approaches, the levels of civil unrest and tension have escalated, and Mali said that presented its own issues. “The ICC recognises that the conditions in Zimbabwe present a unique challenge to both Zimbabweans and to those visiting the country,” he told the paper. “The ICC encourages the maintenance of cricketing ties between Zimbabwe and other ICC members as exposure is the only way that the players of Zimbabwe can improve.”However, the ICC cannot control the views of members and, more pertinently, the views of the governments of those members, and ultimately cannot force A sides to visit the country or play against Zimbabwe as A side interaction does not fall under the Future Tours Programme. The ICC will continue to seek to encourage such interaction on an ongoing basis.”Zimbabwe have tried to engage A sides in matches, but with three Full Members – Australia, England and New Zealand – unwilling to play them for political reasons, and West Indies A declining to tour there on safety grounds, their choices are limited. The report states that the ICC wants to see Zimbabwe win 80% of games against A teams before there is any chance of them being readmitted to Test cricket. In six matches against South Africa, India and Sri Lanka A sides they have won only once”The Zimbabwe team is inexperienced and so playing against players who have either played a great deal of high-level cricket already or who are on the cusp of doing so is obviously going to be a challenging assignment,” Mali insisted. “On that basis it would have been unreasonable to expect the Zimbabwe team to sweep all before it.”What the matches have done is to provide the players with experience that will help them to develop so that as and when the chance to return to Test cricket comes then it will not be such an enormous leap. That is exactly why the A team matches are important and the ICC encourages its members to take part in more of these to further aid Zimbabwe cricket.”While Zimbabwe Cricket has done well to keep the domestic competitions running in the last two months, the deteriorating political situation, as well as widespread food and fuel shortages, makes it increasingly unlikely that even those countries who have stood by Zimbabwe will feel inclined to risk a tour in the foreseeable future. India were scheduled to visit for some full ODIs this month but that was postponed indefinitely, ostensibly because of India’s intense itinerary.Mali confirmed that the ICC would leave the issue of Zimbabwe’s return to Test cricket to their own board to recommend, but that the final decision would be with the ICC’s executive.”The ICC is kept informed by Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Peter Chingoka – and Norman Arendse, president of Cricket South Africa, which has offered to support in any way it can – at every ICC board meeting,” he said. “Chingoka has undertaken to report to the board as and when it is felt that Zimbabwe is ready for a return to the Test arena and if he made such a report then the ICC board would consider its merits.”

South Africa to host Sri Lanka and Pakistan men's teams during 2024-25 home summer

South Africa will host Sri Lanka and Pakistan’s men’s teams and England’s women’s team in the 2024-25 summer for a total of 17 international fixtures, including five Tests, between November and January. The men’s Test series form part of the World Test Championship and will be played in Durban and Gqeberha (Sri Lanka), and Centurion and Cape Town (Pakistan), which leaves the country’s biggest venue – the Wanderers in Johannesburg – without a Test for the second summer in succession.The Wanderers did not host either of the two Tests against India in the 2023-24 summer and with South Africa not due to host any Tests in the 2025-26 summer, the earliest the venue can hope for a Test fixture is 2026. Insiders told ESPNcricinfo that officials were given “no explanation” for why the venue has been snubbed, though it retains the annual Pink Day fixture – an ODI match to raise funds for breast cancer treatment.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The women’s Test will be played in Bloemfontein, which last hosted a Test seven years ago, when the men played Bangladesh in October 2017. Kingsmead and St George’s Park also last saw Test action against Bangladesh, in the 2021-22 season, and will be the venues for the Sri Lanka series. It was at these same two grounds that Sri Lanka won their first Test series against South Africa in 2019. The Sri Lanka series is red-ball only.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

That will be followed by a full tour from Pakistan, who will play three T20Is and three ODIs before the festive-season Tests. The Boxing Day Test will be held at SuperSport Park before the New Year’s Test at Newlands, which ends on January 7. The men’s team will then have no further home international assignments, with the SA20 due to start shortly afterwards and run into early February. The exact dates are yet to be confirmed and there is a potential overlap with an ODI tri-series in Pakistan before the Champions Trophy, pencilled in for mid-February.The women’s team will host England for three T20Is, three ODIs, including the Black Day ODI to raise awareness about gender-based violence, and a Test. They have one fixture in each white-ball format at a premier ground: a T20I in Centurion and an ODI in Durban. The Test will be the first women’s Test played in the country in 22 years, since South Africa played India in Paarl in 2002.

Mickey Arthur: Sri Lanka's bowling attack is 'almost ideal' for T20 World Cup challenge

Two quicks capable of bowling faster than 145kph, one allrounder who gets up into the high 130s range, a spanking new mystery spinner who is yet to be decoded, and a world No. 2 legspinner with a killer googly. These are Sri Lanka’s frontline bowling stocks for this World Cup. They are so good, says coach Mickey Arthur, they could be “almost the ideal attack”.They were excellent against a Namibia side that Sri Lanka were expected to overpower, with Maheesh Theekshana (the mystery spinner) picking up three wickets, and Lahiru Kumara producing good overs at each stage of the innings. But Ireland, a more formidable outfit, will be a step up.Still, Arthur is excited, particularly by Dushmantha Chameera (who bowled one delivery at 149kph on Monday, and whose bouncers can be truly nasty) bowling in tandem with Kumara, who also comfortably breached 145kph. This may be the lowest-rated Sri Lanka outfit ever to arrive at a T20 World Cup. But they’ve also never had a quicker attack.”For us to have two bowlers of genuine quality bowling at 145kph – that makes a massive difference,” Arthur said. “We know that any team doesn’t like facing them. They’re genuine wicket-takers. Their skills have got better and better over the last couple of months. We’re really happy having them attack for us.Related

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“Dushmantha Chameera has gone to another level. He’s now genuinely world-class. To have those bowlers in our line-up gives us a good balance. Chamika [Karunaratne] brings a little bit of swing. And we’ve got our two spinners. It’s almost the ideal attack, if you like.”They will be tested by an Ireland batting order that seems to be finding its feet, but if they bowl second in Wednesday’s match, they will also have to contend with the dew. Across both World Cup venues so far, sides bowling second have struggled to keep the ball dry. Sri Lanka bowled first against Namibia for this very reason. But they are prepared if the toss goes the other way against Ireland, Arthur said.”We came out the night before the Namibia match and checked the amount of dew, and there was a fair amount. I don’t think it’s impossible to bowl if we have to bowl second. We’ve prepared that way – using wet balls, etc. We’ll be ready. Once the wicket cools down and gets a little bit of moisture on it, it just tends to come on a little bit nicer as well.”Sri Lanka will stick with the same top three, according to Arthur. They did not fire against Namibia, with each of Kusal Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, and Pathum Nissanka all getting out cheaply. While Perera has produced some good T20 performances, Chandimal and Nissanka are not highly rated hitters – their gifts favouring the Test format. Arthur sees no reason to change, though, with Perera dropping back into the top three following his latest injury layoff.”I’m pretty confident with Kusal Perera back at the top of the order now,” Arthur said. “He’s a world-class player, so to have him back there gives us a lot more solidity. I’m pretty sure he’s going to fire for us soon.”Pathum Nissanka is a work in progress. I’ve said numerous times that he’s the one young Sri Lanka batsman that I’ve seen in my time that is going to go on and genuinely become a world-class player for Sri Lanka. We’ll keep going with Pathum because we’re investing in him. That No. 3 position has been an Achilles heel for us, ever since we lost Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka and Niroshan Dickwella, we’ve battled to find the right balance in our top five. I’m comfortable we can find that balance if we can nail down that No. 3 position.”

Keith Barker digs in to swing compelling contest Hampshire's way

A compelling LV=Insurance County Championship contest is unfolding at Edgbaston where Hampshire closed the second day on 260 for 8 in their second innings, 233 ahead of Warwickshire.The home side had Hampshire 208 for eight, just 181 in front, but former Edgbaston favourite Keith Barker dug in with Brad Wheal to add an unbroken 52 up to stumps.After taking a five-for on the first day, Barker continued to impede his former team-mates’ title bid with an unbeaten 49 off 124 balls with power to add. Warwickshire will face an awkward chase in pursuit of a victory which would keep them top of the table.On a hot afternoon, Liam Norwell led the Bears’ bowling manfully with 4 for 64 while Danny Briggs wheeled away skilfully for 36-17-38-2 but their injury-hit attack was exposed as other bowlers, notably home debutant Chemar Holder, struggled for control.After the freak clatter of wickets on the first day, a good pitch was put into proper perspective on the second when wickets had to be much harder-earned. Trailing by 27 on first innings, Hampshire resumed on 41 without loss and took the score to 55 before Norwell made the breakthrough. The big-hearted paceman swung one in to win an lbw appeal against Joe Weatherley.Ian Holland and Tom Alsop added 54 before the Bears struck a double blow just before lunch. Holland edged Norwell to Rob Yates at slip to be out for 44 and then Briggs got one to lift at Nick Gubbins and Will Rhodes took a sharp catch at slip.Briggs bowled with great control after lunch and added the scalp of Alsop, adroitly stumped by Michael Burgess, before Norwell trapped Liam Dawson lbw.James Vince batted diligently for 48 off 67 balls with seven fours and it was a surprise when he perished carelessly, pulling Craig Miles to Matt Lamb at long leg. Four balls later, Miles hit the middle stump of James Fuller but the Bears were held up by the obdurate Felix Organ who went into tea unbeaten on 3 from 72 minutes and made 16 in exactly two hours before falling lbw to Norwell.Barker batted with great composure and Wheal supported him ably in the last hour to tilt this tight and intriguing match Hampshire’s way.

UP surge to 481 with Kuldeep, Saurabh tons

Maiden first-class centuries from Kuldeep Yadav and Saurabh Kumar lifted Uttar Pradesh to 481 against Baroda in Nasik. UP had been reduced to 207 for 7 on the opening day before an unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 153 between Kuldeep and Saurabh took them to 360 for 7 at stumps. That partnership extended to 192 after play resumed, although the duo fell short of the record eighth-wicket stand for UP – 204 between Anand Shukla and Sagir Ahmed against Rajasthan in 1961-62.Sagar Mangalorkar, the right-arm pacer, broke through for Baroda, having Saurabh caught for 105. A run-out ended Kuldeep’s stay, after he had added 43 more for the ninth wicket with Imtiaz Ahmed. Kuldeep had made 117. Imtiaz further shored up UP by dominating a last-wicket partnership of 39 with Ankit Rajpoot and staying not out on 41. Managalorkar and Babashafi Pathan took three wickets each.Baroda lost five wickets in their reply, but Kedar Devdhar struck an unbeaten 120 to take them to 242 for 5. Devdhar and Aditya Waghmode put on 82 for the first wicket before Baroda lost wickets in a cluster. It took an unbroken 91-run sixth-wicket stand between Devdhar and Irfan Pathan (51*) to put the innings back on track. Medium-pacer Imtiaz Ahmed inflicted the bulk of the damage with three wickets. Baroda trail by 239 runs.At the Palam Ground in Delhi, Shreevats Goswami’s maiden double-century propelled Bengal to 475 for 9 before they declared against Madhya Pradesh.After Bengal were reduced to 88 for 4, Goswami and Abhimanyu Easwaran had put on 97 for the fifth wicket to take Bengal to 185 for 4 at stumps on a truncated first day.The duo could only add 17 more to that before Easwaran was trapped lbw by Chandrakant Sakure for 80. Goswami batted on and was helped by contributions from Pragyan Ojha (32), Veer Pratap Singh (24) and Sayan Ghosh (20*) as he stayed unbeaten on 225. Sakure finished with 3 for 105 and Puneet Datey took 4 for 105. MP lost Aditya Shrivastava for a first-ball duck before ending the day on 19 for 1, trailing by 456.Mayank Sidhana struck 115 while captain Gurkeerat Singh fell seven short of a century as Punjab put up 468 against Mumbai at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. Mumbai lost early wickets in reply, and were reduced to 8 for 2 at stumps.The day had begun with Punjab on 216 for 4, with Gitansh Khera on 4 and Sidhana on 11. Khera fell for a patient 16 that came off 64 balls after which Sidhana and Gurkeerat came together for a sixth-wicket partnership of 178 that pushed the score past 400. But Punjab collapsed to lose their last five wickets for 34 runs.The slide began with Gurkeerat’s dismissal for 93, caught behind off Tushar Deshpande. Sidhana fell to the same bowler in his next over, and though Manpreet Gony scored 31, the lower order was dismissed quickly. Suryakumar Yadav took a career-best 4 for 47.Punjab used four bowlers for the 7.2 bowlers they sent down. Shreyas Iyer was dismissed for a second-ball duck and Armaan Jaffer was trapped lbw by right-arm medium-pacer Kamal Passi. Mumbai were behind by 460 runs with eight wickets in hand.Tamil Nadu captain Abhinav Mukund led a strong reply to Gujarat’s 307, but fell one run short of a century as TN ended the second day on 154 for 2 in Belgavi.Abhinav and Kaushik Gandhi offset the early loss of Laxmesha Suryaprakash, who was caught behind off Rush Kalaria for 6, with a second-wicket stand of 141. Kalaria struck for a second time, bowling Abhinav on 99 shortly before stumps. Gandhi remained not out on 43.Earlier, Gujarat had resumed their first innings on 267 for 7 with Axar Patel on 28 and Chintan Gaja on 2. Axar was the eighth man dismissed, for 44, before the innings ended with Gaja’s dismissal for 20. Left-arm medium-pacer T Natarajan took 3 for 86 for TN.

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