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Ashar Zaidi’s brutal hitting carried to give Essex their second NatWest T20 Blast win of the season and leapfrog Hampshire at the bottom of the southern division

ECB Reporters Network24-Jun-2016
ScorecardAshar Zaidi hit out in style [file picture]•Getty Images

Ashar Zaidi’s brutal hitting carried to give Essex their second NatWest T20 Blast win of the season and leapfrog Hampshire at the bottom of the southern division.The Pakistan-born all-rounder came in at No 5, higher up the order than he has this season, to post a 32-ball 52, his highest T20 score for Essex. The consistent Zaidi has now scored 157 T20 runs this season in five innings.He finally departed with six runs required when he was caught low down by Tino Best at mid-off after hitting four fours and two sixes.But Ryan ten Doeschate saw Essex across the line for their first win at Chelmsford this summer with seven balls to spare.Hampshire, who chose to bat, trundled along to what always looked a below-par 135 on a slow wicket, Graham Napier taking three for 31 and captain Ravi Bopara restricting the visitors to 15 runs off his three overs, for two wickets.Bopara was later involved in a clear show of dissent when he questioned umpire Neil Bainton’s decision to give him out lbw for nought. The incredulous Essex captain, already at the other end when the umpire’s finger went up, implied that he had got bat on ball.Essex’s response was not without concern and they struggled against the spin of Liam Dawson, who took three for 24 in four tidy overs. But Zaidi and Tom Westley took the game by the scuff of the neck, adding 59 for the fourth wicket in 6.2 overs, and laying the foundation for a successful run chase.Zaidi said of his promotion: “We decided that if the spinners were on, especially the leg spinner, it could be an option for me to go up the order a bit, particularly if it meant we could have a left and right combination. It worked well. It gives variety in T20 games and it can catch the opposition by surprise.”I’ve been scoring some runs in T20, it was just a case of trying to get to fifty-plus and see the game out, which I nearly did. I’m not a stat man to be fair, but I am very happy with my form at the moment.”There was massive pressure before the game because we haven’t won many games. We have to win every game now, there is no other option.”Hampshire coach Dale Benkenstein said: “It is a very tough competition when you’re lost a bit of confidence. The good thing for me is that we have almost got the future of the club playing now. Guys are going to start getting experience in the next few games.”

Alex Hales might have missed out on a maiden century for the third time in the series but he could console himself with the knowledge that he has established himself in England’s top order for the foreseeable future

George Dobell at Lord's12-Jun-2016Alex Hales might have missed out on a maiden century for the third time in the series but he could console himself with the knowledge that he has established himself in England’s top order for the foreseeable future and given his side a decent chance of completing a third successive victory over Sri Lanka.Hales, who followed innings of 86 at Headingley and 83 in Durham with 94 here, admitted he was “frustrated” at failing to convert such scores to three figures. But, having answered many of the questions about his technique that hung over him at the start of the summer, he reasoned that, on balance, he had still enjoyed an encouraging series. He also conceded that he benefited from some significant luck during the course of this innings.Quite apart from being dropped twice, Hales also saw the DRS go his way when Sri Lanka reviewed an lbw shout and survived being clean bowled by Nuwan Pradeep when umpire Rod Tucker incorrectly called a no-ball.”It is frustrating,” he said. “But if someone had offered me nearly 300 runs at an average of 60 at the start of the series [he has scored 292 at 58.40], I’d probably have taken it. To have gone into the final Test 2-0 up and helped get the team off to some good starts, it could hardly have been a better. Well, it could if I had converted some starts, but so far so good.”I’d had my fair share of luck. I was bowled off that close no-ball and there were umpire’s calls and edges, so I guess my luck ran out. It’s disappointing to come so close and miss out again. When you get so close you have to be converting. But it was pretty decent delivery.”Hales was particularly pleased with his increased assurance outside off stump. While his tour to South Africa was dogged by dismissals to edges behind the wicket – he averaged 17.00 in the four-Test series, with a top-score of 60 – here he has dealt with Sri Lanka’s seam attack relatively comfortably and felt that he was also improving against spin bowling.”I had a lot of questions to answer after South Africa,” he said. “The biggest thing I’ve improved is my decision-making outside off stump. Whether it is leaving the ball or attacking the ball.”In South Africa, a few times, I was tentatively hanging my bat in the channel. So I’ve tried to be more positive. Positive in my leaving and positive when I’m looking to attack. It’s still something I’m improving on each game and there are other areas to work on as well, but I feel I’m heading in the right direction.”Maybe in the first couple games this summer, I have tried to go after the spinners more than should have. But this game I have played a lot better and picked my attacking options better against Rangana Herath. I’m learning from my mistakes and looking to build on this later in the summer. I know there are tougher challenges to come.”Hales admitted he had not changed his shot when bowled by the no-ball – it is doubtful whether a batsman has time to do so against a fast bowler at Test level – but suggested that, had a spinner been bowling, there may have been time to change his stroke. For that reason, it remains hard to envisage a scenario where an incorrect on-field no-ball call could be rescinded by TV evidence.”If the spinners are bowling, I guess your eyes could light up if hear the no-ball call,” he said. “But I have a bit of sympathy with Rod Tucker. You think about how fast the game moves and how close he was to the front line and it’s a split decision he has to make at the time. Rod had told him a few times that over he was getting close to the front line.”Perhaps the England declaration was also significant. While the first few years of Alastair Cook’s captaincy were marked by some low-risk, attritional cricket, here he has risked the possibility of losing in the attempt to win the game.The England side of a couple of years ago may well have batted on ensure they could not have lost the match before attempting to bowl out Sri Lanka but, in keeping with the more positive style that has characterised much of their cricket in the last 12 months, England have given Sri Lanka an outside chance of victory. Memories of West Indies’ run chase in 1984 were revived for some, though this pitch – offering a bit of spin and some uneven bounce at one end – looks considerably more demanding.”We could have batted on,” Hales said. “But this is the positive option. There’s still plenty of life in the pitch, so if they chase 350 or whatever it is, they deserve to win.”

Glenn Maxwell has been named in Australia A’s squad for the quadrangular series involving the National Performance Squad, and A teams from India and South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Aug-2016Glenn Maxwell has been named in Australia A’s squad of 15 for the upcoming Quadrangular series involving the National Performance Squad (NPS), and A teams from India and South Africa, in Townsville and Mackay later this month .

Australia A squad

Squad: Chris Lynn (capt), Peter Handscomb, Scott Boland, Cameron Boyce, Jake Lehmann, Glenn Maxwell, Joe Mennie, Kurtis Patterson, Kane Richardson, Alex Ross, Marcus Stoinis, Chris Tremain, Sam Whiteman, Dan Worrall

Maxwell was left out of the national squad for the limited-overs series in Sri Lanka, having averaged 11.80 in six innings in Australia’s last 10 ODIs. He made 0 and 38 in Australia A’s 197-run win over South Africa A in a four-day fixture in Brisbane that concluded on Tuesday.Seven members of the A squad, led by Chris Lynn, have been a part of Australia’s national squad. Peter Handscomb, the Victoria batsman who will captain in the four-day fixtures, has been named vice-captain.”Although we have selected a squad with an eye towards the future, we have also rewarded the most recent domestic cricket performers, and this is a perfect opportunity to showcase their talents against international opposition,” Rod Marsh, the national selection panel chief, said.”Chris has shown in his time with Queensland and the Brisbane Heat that he can lead a team whilst also putting in high-quality performances with the bat and in the field. Peter led wonderfully in Australia A’s victory over South Africa A at Allan Border Field in the longer format and will benefit from having a leadership role in the one-day matches. He shapes as one of this country’s best up-and-coming leaders on the field.”South Australia’s Alex Ross and Kane Richardson, along with Cameron Boyce, Mitchell Swepson and Matthew Renshaw, are all part of the National Performance Squad.NPS open their campaign against South Africa A on August 13 in Townville, while Australia A play India A the following day. Each team plays the other twice, leading up to a third-place playoff and the final on September 3 and 4 respectively.

Nottinghamshire were facing a battle to avoid defeat in their Specsavers County Championship match against Hampshire at Trent Bridge

ECB Reporters Network15-Aug-2016
ScorecardTom Alsop made his highest first-class score as Hampshire took charge (file photo)•Getty Images

Nottinghamshire were facing a battle to avoid defeat in their Specsavers County Championship match against Hampshire at Trent Bridge. Left to score a nominal 468 to win, from a minimum of 118 overs, Notts reached stumps on 42 for 2 on the third day.Hampshire, who went into this round of matches four points behind Nottinghamshire at the bottom of the Division One table, had batted until after tea before declaring on 393 for 7. Jimmy Adams scored 99, Tom Alsop hit 93 and there were half-centuries also for Ryan McLaren and Liam Dawson.Andy Carter, the former Notts seamer who took four wickets in the first innings, then struck with his first delivery of the second, having Jake Libby taken at square leg for 9. Hampshire made another inroad in the final over of the day as Will Smith held a juggling slip catch off Mason Crane to send back Riki Wessels for 11.Mick Newell, Notts director of cricket, said: “We need the five points we’d get for securing a draw, so we need to show some application tomorrow. Somebody has got to bat a lot of balls and that is going to be crucial. We felt that they would bat for a long time and they did, so they’ve given us less time to bat. We hoped to survive that session one wicket down but to lose two is disappointing.”Earlier, Adams and Alsop had few alarms in extending their second-wicket partnership to 160 before being separated just before lunch. Adams, whose career-best score of 262 not out came at Trent Bridge in 2006, moved on to 99 but then feathered an attempted pull off Jake Ball through to Chris Read – giving the England seamer his 100th first-class wicket.Dawson led a charmed life as he arrived in the middle. He was bowled by the first ball he faced but was reprieved by a cry of “no-ball”, was then dropped at midwicket and almost chopped on to his stumps, all from the bowling of Imran Tahir.Alsop had brought up his 50 from 122 balls during his stand with Adams and advanced to his career-best score before falling in the first hour of the middle session.Tahir, who has played for both these sides during spells with five different English counties, picked up two wickets in quick succession. Alsop went lbw and then Adam Wheater drilled a caught-and-bowled straight back to the South Africa international.With Dawson and Ryan McLaren then adding 80 for the fifth wicket, Notts were delighted to make a further strike in the final over of the afternoon session. Dawson had brought up his second fifty of the match from 85 balls but was bowled by Samit Patel for 69. The spinner made it two wickets in two balls as Lewis McManus edged his first ball into the hands of Steven Mullaney at slip.Gareth Berg survived the hat-trick delivery and moved on to 17 before nicking Tahir behind. But McLaren launched three enormous sixes over the midwicket ropes and was unbeaten on 71 when the declaration came.A successful run chase would be Nottinghamshire’s highest of all-time, surpassing the 461 they achieved against Worcestershire in 2001. More realistically, with 426 still needed, they will have to bat well to secure a draw and avoid dropping below their opponents at the foot of the table.

Derbyshire have turned to Kim Barnett, one of the most inspirational captains in their history, to shake them out of their torpor

David Hopps30-Sep-2016Derbyshire have turned to Kim Barnett, one of the most inspirational captains in their history, to shake them out of the torpor which saw them finish bottom of the second division of the Championship without a win to their name and fail to progress in both limited-overs competitions.Barnett has been appointed as director of cricket in a new coaching set-up which leaves the future of John Sadler uncertain. Sadler stepped up as first team coach in June after Graeme Welch resigned from his role after his two-and-a-half years in charge failed to revive the county’s fortunes.Barnett, who will step down immediately from a role as president that he accepted in April, became Derbyshire’s youngest ever captain at 22 and won six Lord’s finals in a 24-year career as well as enjoying brief England recognition. He became known in county circles for strong opinions about how the game should be run and a determination to see those opinions carried out; the largely ceremionial role of president always seemed an unlikely fit.Welch laid much emphasis on developing young players, but Barnett’s appointment seems to have come with a slight shift of approach with the club talking of “targeted recruitment of senior players”.Chris Grant, Derbyshire’s chairman, said that the current coaching structure had been found wanting: “We have been spending over 20% of our overall cricket budget on coaching and this new model will achieve a better balance between our coaching and playing budget.”As well as providing more targeted coaching resources, it will also free up funds from the cricketing budget that can be spent on attracting higher quality players.”We believe Kim is the perfect man to lead this new structure. He has done it all as a player and knows how to win competitions. His experience, knowledge and tactical awareness will be invaluable as we move forward.”Below Barnett, as director of cricket, the club will interview shortly for the positions of 1st XI support coach, Twenty20 specialist coach and development coach. Specialist coaches will also be employed on an occasional basis.Barnett said: “We have some great talent here and some great facilities with a tremendous fitness and medical team supporting the players. However, we have not achieved enough success on the field in recent years. We’re determined to change this.”With a strong captain and players technically sound and tactically clued up, we will be in a great position for next season. If every player at the club proves their worth and takes responsibility for their own performances, the chances of success are greater. Our talented youngsters will come into a dressing room with experienced cricketers that know how to win.”

Afghanistan have picked three uncapped players – Ihsanullah, Karim Janat and Naveen-ul-Haq – in their 17-member squad for the ODI series against Bangladesh

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Sep-2016

Afghanistan squad

Asghar Stanikzai (capt), Mohammad Shahzad, Rahmat Shah, Mirwais Ashraf, Dawlat Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Samiullah Shenwari, Rashid Khan, Hashmatullah Shaidi, Fareed Ahmad, Amir Hamza, Najibullah Zadran, Nawroz Mangal, Naveen-ul-Haq, Karim Janat, Shabir Noori, Ihsanullah

Afghanistan have picked three uncapped players – Ihsanullah, Karim Janat and Naveen-ul-Haq – in their 17-member squad for the ODI series against Bangladesh. Noor Ali Zadran, Javed Ahmadi, Hamid Hassan and Shapoor Zadran were among the exclusions from the ODI squad that toured Scotland and Ireland in July this year.Ihsanullah, the 18-year-old opening batsman, was picked in Afghanistan’s squad for their Intercontinental Cup match against Netherlands earlier this year, amid Afghanistan’s continuing struggles to find a settled opening partner for Mohammad Shahzad. Ihsanullah scored 15 in Afghanistan’s innings win, his only first-class match.Ihsanullah has scored 294 runs in 12 youth ODIs – all in the Under-19 World Cup. He also captained Afghanistan in the 2016 U-19 World Cup in Bangladesh. Nawroz Mangal, Ihsanullah’s older brother, was recalled after being left out of the Scotland and Ireland ODIs.The squad comprises allrounders Janat and 16-year-old Naveen-ul-Haq, who were also part of the U-19 World Cup squad in Bangladesh. Janat finished as the side’s leading run-scorer, and seventh overall, with 273 runs in six matches at an average of 45.50. Batsman Shabir Noori, who last played for Afghanistan in 2012, was also recalled after consistent performances in the 2016 domestic season.Afghanistan and Bangladesh begin their three-match ODI series in Dhaka on September 25.

BCCI president Anurag Thakur has denied that he sought a letter from the ICC stating that adoption of the Lodha Committee’s recommendations was “tantamount” to government interference in the working of the board

Nagraj Gollapudi17-Oct-2016BCCI president Anurag Thakur has denied that he sought a letter from the ICC stating that adoption of the Lodha Committee’s recommendations was “tantamount” to government interference in the working of the board.While passing an interim order on October 7, the Supreme Court had asked Thakur to file a “personal affidavit” to clarify whether he had asked for ICC’s interventions, as revealed by ICC chief executive David Richardson to an Indian news channel.”At the outset it is denied that any such request was put forth by me to the CEO of the ICC,” Thakur said in the affidavit, submitted to the Supreme Court on Monday by BCCI’s legal counsel Kapil Sibal. Incidentally, Richardson had never said Thakur had asked him for the letter. Thakur, Richardson had said, had “verbally” asked for a letter and ICC chairman Shashank Manohar turned down the request saying the BCCI needed to put it down in writing first.Thakur pointed out in his affidavit that during an ICC governance review committee meeting, called on August 6 and 7 in Dubai, he had checked with Manohar whether he had objected to the appointment of a nominee of the Comptroller and Auditor General’s office, a government organisation, on the proposed Apex Council. The Apex Council and a seat for the CAG official were both part of the Lodha Committee’s recommendations, which were approved by the court in its July 18 order.Thakur asked Manohar, who was the BCCI president between October 2015 and May 2016, if he had suspected the said recommendations could “invoke suspension” from the ICC. “During the meeting with regard to the review of the constitutional provisions of ICC, I pointed out to the Chairman of the ICC, Mr Shashank Manohar that when he was President of BCCI he had taken a view that the recommendations of the Justice Lodha committee appointing the nominee of the CAG on the Apex Council would amount to governmental interference and might invoke an action of suspension from ICC.”I therefor requested him that he being the ICC Chairman can a letter be issued clarifying the position which he had taken as BCCI President,” Thakur said in his affidavit.According to Thakur, Manohar explained to him at the time that the court had not made a decision. Thakur said he was “satisfied” with Manohar’s explanation and the matter “stopped at that”. “In the said judgment, this Hon’ble Court has rejected the submission that the appointment of the nominee of CAG on Apex council would amount to Governmental interference and had also held that the ICC would appreciate the appointment as it would bring transparency in the finances of the Board.”Sibal argued that the conversation between Thakur and Manohar was not “formal” and also stressed that the BCCI president did not “expressly” ask for an ICC letter that said the BCCI stood in danger of being disqualified if the CAG official was part of the Apex Council.Amicus Gopal Subramanium asked the court whether Thakur could be trusted to carry out the court orders which have stated clearly that it was mandatory upon the BCCI and the state associations to implement all the recommendations of the Lodha Committee unconditionally.”This kind of conduct from a man at the helm of affairs is not considered compliant. Can such a man be invested with the trust to implement the judgment?” Subramanium said.Thakur’s original remarks concerning the ICC letter were part of an affidavit filed in the court by the BCCI on October 7 as a response to the status report submitted by the Lodha Committee. That affidavit had been signed by Ratnakar Shetty, BCCI’s administration and game development manager. The court was curious to know as to how Shetty was privy to a conversation between Thakur and Manohar.On Monday, Shetty filed a separate affidavit stating that he had been authorised by BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke in a resolution passed on June 1 this year.

West Indies captain Jason Holder put their one-run loss against Sri Lanka on Wednesday down to the relative greenness of his squad

Liam Brickhill in Bulawayo23-Nov-2016The Queens Sports Club has witnessed a tie, and a one-run defeat, but still no cigar for West Indies. For the second time in two matches, they went into the final over of a chase with a chance to win. But yet again, they fell just short. Captain Jason Holder put their shortcoming against Sri Lanka on Wednesday down to the relative greenness of this squad.”I think it’s inexperience,” Holder said. “There’s obviously situations that we’re not accustomed to being in. We’re still a relatively young side. Everybody’s trying to make their mark. And I think it boils down to inexperience, and having that know-how at the end to get us across the line. We had set up the game nicely, and Evin Lewis played an exceptional knock to put us in the situation that we were in.”Lewis, playing in just his fourth ODI, brought up a maiden fifty in the 12th over, and then reached a 91-ball century, with 12 fours and a six, to leave West Indies well placed at 177 for 3. This was the first time he had opened on the tour, and it seemed to have paid off.”He’s one of those guys that likes the ball coming on, so we just felt that with 330 on the board we needed to get off well in the Powerplay and make use of that first up,” Holder explained. “Him and Johnson Charles did a great job there and put the Sri Lankan bowlers under pressure, capitalising on every bad ball that was bowled.”He wasn’t done there, opening up to smite three more sixes as wickets fell around him, and he reached 148 (second only to Chris Gayle’s 153 not out for the highest ODI score by a West Indian in Zimbabwe), battling cramps in the latter stages of his innings. “He was there out in the field for 50 overs fielding, and then came back to bat through most of the overs,” Holder said. “It was a bit of cramp, and I don’t think it was anything too serious.”Lewis was eventually run-out after a horrible mix-up with his captain. It was the third run-out of the innings, and left West Indies needing 69 off 57. In the company of Carlos Brathwaite, Holder took the game into the last three overs with his side still within touching distance of the asking rate. With 10 needed from the final over, Holder could only manage a single off the first ball to put No. 10 Sulieman Benn on strike. Holder would not see the strike again until the final ball, when three were needed but a pinpoint, 144kph yorker from Nuwan Pradeep secured Sri Lanka’s win.”I was just trying to get on strike, but credit must also be given to the Sri Lankan bowlers,” Holder said. “I thought they hit their yorkers really well, and the ball was also tailing in to the right-hander. Benn did a tremendous job to hit the six that he did, to bring the game back closer, but unfortunately he got out afterwards. The last ball was a very good ball.”The defeat means West Indies face a must-win game against Zimbabwe on Friday if they are to reach the final. They may have to play that game without their opening bowler, after discomfort in his hamstring meant Shannon Gabriel could only bowl five overs today.”We’re managing some niggles, and Shannon wasn’t able to finish his overs today, so we’re waiting to see if he’s good to go for the next game,” Holder said. “We’ll see in the next few days.”

Firdose Moonda09-Jan-20170:40

Quick Facts – Farhaan Behardien

Farhaan Behardien will captain a new-look South African T20 outfit in their series against Sri Lanka later this month, which includes six new caps. The 13-man squad for the first two matches has only four members – Behardien, David Miller, Imran Tahir, Aaron Phangiso – who were part of South Africa’s last T20 matches at the World T20 in March 2016.Kyle Abbott, Rilee Rossouw and David Wiese were not considered because both have recently signed Kolpak deals to play in county cricket, thereby ending their international careers.The radical changes to the South Africa squad – including resting regular skipper Faf du Plessis and several senior players such as Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Quinton de Kock and Kagiso Rabada – come as a result of a packed fixture list which has seen scant breaks since last November. South Africa had three weeks between their Tests in Australia to the home series against Sri Lanka and will only have four days between the end of that and their trip to New Zealand. They have identified the shortest format, which does not have a major tournament coming up until at least 2018, as the area they can afford to experiment in.

All change for SA T20

IN: Theunis de Bruyn, Reeza Hendricks, Heino Kuhn, Mangaliso Mosehle, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Jon-Jon Smuts, Wayne Parnell
OUT: Faf du Plessis, Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Chris Morris, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn, David Wiese

“We have decided to rest some of our key senior players for this series,” Linda Zondi, convener of selector said. “This is the last chance we have to do this as the ODI series that follows is an important part of our build-up to the Champions Trophy tournament in England in the middle of the year.”Those senior players who are involved in the Indian Premier League will be playing non-stop from now until the end of August with the tours coming up to New Zealand and England in addition to the ICC event.”There are two veterans who may return for the final fixture, though. AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel, neither of whom have played since the CPL in June because of elbow and back injuries respectively, are both due to play a List A game for Northerns on January 22, three days before the final T20 in Cape Town. Should they come through that match unscathed, they will be considered for the last match and South Africa’s tour to New Zealand.Some of the new inclusions will also be eyeing that trip. Although South Africa play just one T20 in Auckland, they will know there are places up for grabs in the ODI squad, especially with the new ball. Andile Phehlukwayo, who was South Africa’s highest wicket-taker in the recent ODI series against Australia and is likely to make his T20 debut against Sri Lanka, could be in contention for that role.Dane Paterson, the Cobras quick, will also fancy his chances. Paterson took just six wickets from nine matches at 39.00 in this season’s T20 competition but was in the top ten in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 editions. Titans bowler Lungi Ngidi, 20, who played a pivotal role in their victory in the domestic T20 final with 2 for 27 in four overs, is the other new face in the bowling department.Among the batsmen, some established players have been rewarded for seasons of consistency. Jon-Jon Smuts from the Warriors, who topped the T20 competition run charts with 371 runs at 41.22, is among them. Heino Kuhn was seventh on the list and has the chance to add to his five T20 caps while Reeza Hendricks, who has played the same number of T20 internationals but did not perform particularly well for the Lions, was also included. Theunis de Bruyn, who is the reserve batsmen in the Test squad and only played half this season’s T20 matches but scored 195 runs at 48.75, has also been included.In the absence of de Kock and de Villiers, Mangaliso Mosehle is set to take the wicketkeeping gloves. Mosehle is also a handy middle-order batsman and finished eighth on the run list in the T20 tournament.Among those overlooked were Rassie van der Dussen, who was fourth on the batting charts, Andrew Birch, who finished as the second highest wicket-taker, and Sisanda Magala, who was third. Chris Morris could not be considered because he has yet to make a comeback from a knee injury that has sidelined him for the last three months. Morris was due to play for the Titans in a first-class match last week but the fixture was rained out.South Africa T20 squad: Farhaan Behardien (capt), Theunis de Bruyn, Reeza Hendricks, Imran Tahir, Heino Kuhn, David Miller, Mangaliso Mosehle, Lungi Ngidi, Wayne Parnell, Dane Paterson, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Jon-Jon Smuts

A round-up of the WICB Regional Super50 matches that took place on January 30, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jan-2017Barbados secured a one-wicket win in a low-scoring Group B clash against Jamaica at the Kensington Oval, to keep their unbeaten streak intact in the competition so far.After Jamaica were bowled out for 190, Barbados lost half their side for 83, before recovering through late contributions and eventually limping past the finish line with two overs to spare. They rode on a vital 40 from Shane Dowrich who came out with the score on 62 for 4; by the time he fell, caught behind in the 38th over, Barbados were eight down and still needed 48. The ninth-wicket partnership between Ashley Nurse and Kemar Roach knocked off 42 of those runs, with Nurse calmly seeing the side to the win and finishing on 21 not out. Jamaica’s new-ball duo of Jerome Taylor and Reynard Leveridge took five wickets between them, while Nikita Miller impressed with 1 for 22 in 10 overs.When Jamaica batted, after winning the toss, they were in an early wobble at 27 for 3. Jermaine Blackwood held up his end for 40, but his wicket left the side at 97 for 6. They recovered through a seventh-wicket partnership of 77 between Rovman Powell, who top-scored with 74, and Damion Jacobs, who struck 31. Powell’s knock, which came at a strike rate of 93.67, included three fours and six sixes. He was the eighth man to be dismissed, seven balls before Jamaica were all out. Barbados’ new-ball duo did the bulk of the damage with Roach and Jason Holder snaring three wickets each.ICC Americas continued to languish at the bottom of Group B after conceding a five-run win via the Duckworth-Lewis method against Guyana, their third defeat is as many matches. In a match reduced to 45 overs a side at the start, ICC Americas rode on contributions from the middle order to put up 220 for 7. In reply, Guyana were 212 for 4 with nine to get off as many balls when bad light forced the match to be called off. Guyana were found to be four runs ahead of the target at that stage and picked up their second win.ICC Americas got into a solid position of 120 for 2 in the 31st over after being invited to bat, before Alex Amsterdam and captain Nitish Kumar, who top-scored with 66, fell in quick succession. Timroy Allen (37) and Srimantha Wijeratne (27) got off to starts at No. 5 and 6 but the side could not finish strongly. bowler Ronsford Beaton took 4 for 28 in nine overs for Guyana.Guyana were reduced to 29 for 2 by the 11th over of the chase but they got back on track through a third-wicket stand of 131 between opener Assad Fudadin (54) and captain Leon Johnson (78). The batsmen fell in successive overs, but Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Chris Barnwell struck unbeaten 20s to see their team through.