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A round-up of the Super Smash matches held on 16th December, 2016

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Dec-2016After overcoming nerves to clinch a one-over eliminator against Wellington, Canterbury won their second successive fixture, this time by nine runs, at Basin Reserve on Friday.Sent in to bat, Canterbury posted 199 for 4 on the back of half-centuries from Tom Latham (63) and Henry Nicholls (67 not out), who was earlier in the day left out of New Zealand’s ODI squad for the home series against Bangladesh.Canterbury had lost Chad Bowes in the third over, but Peter Fulton helped get the innings going with a 34-ball 44 in which he struck six fours and a six. Then Latham and Nicholls built on the advantage.Wellington were in control of the chase till the 12th over as they raced to 104 for 1, courtesy Hamish Marshall’s sprightly half-century. But Todd Astle, the legspinner, struck to dismiss Marshall and break a 67-run second-wicket stand to revive Canterbury.Then their bowlers applied the breaks, escalating the asking rate to ensure late cameos from Grant Elliott and Luke Ronchi weren’t enough for Wellington, who succumbed to their third loss in the tournament to remain at the bottom of the points table.Wellington had lost Michael Papps in the fifth over, before Marshall and Stephen Murdoch, who made a 29-ball 38, brought the equation down to 96 off 52 balls, with nine wickets in hand. But their dismissal in the space of 16 deliveries derailed the chase.Astle finished with 2 for 36, while Kyle Jamieson and Ed Nuttall had one wicket apiece.Mahela Jayawardene anchored Central Districts’ innings with 62 before their bowlers took regular wickets to complete a five-run win against Otago in Napier. The win – their second in three games – saw Central Districts move to the top of the Super Smash table.Choosing to bat, Central Districts opener George Walker fell for 15 after putting up a stand of 36 for the first wicket. His partner, Jayawardene, then added 52 runs with Jesse Ryder (25) and another 25 runs with Will Young (18) to take the team to 113 before he was dismissed for 62 off 44 balls as the third wicket, off James Neesham’s bowling. Tom Bruce remained not out on 33 off 19 balls to take Central Districts to 166 for 5, while Neesham finished with 2 for 24.In their chase, Otago lost both openers Anaru Kitchen and Hamish Rutherford within the first three overs, the former being run out for 2. Michael Bracewell was the third to go with the team’s score at 40 before Neil Broom, who was selected for New Zealand’s ODI squad against Bangladesh, scored a 25-ball 28.Broom was the fourth to go with the team at 57 for 4 before part-time spinner Walker struck to get rid of Derek de Boorder. With the team at 61 for 5, Neesham (34) added 52 runs for the sixth wicket with Josh Finnie (27) before they both fell in consecutive overs.With Otago seven down, Brad Wilson hit a 10-ball 21 but his dismissal, at the beginning of the last over, squashed Otago’s hopes of a dramatic win. Five Central Districts bowlers finished with wickets to their name, with Seth Rance and Ben Wheeler taking two each.

Eoin Morgan says he has yet to decide whether he will lead the England one-day side to Bangladesh at the end of this month.Morgan was the first of England’s two captains – Alastair Cook being the other – to speak publicly about the trip since it was confirmed it would go ahead, following a security inspection led by the ECB’s head of security Reg Dickason.It has been reported that Morgan is one of the players with the most significant doubts about undertaking the tour. However he claimed, despite being captain, he does not see his decision as being influential on other players who may be wavering.

‘No issues going’ – Farbrace

Paul Farbrace, England’s assistant coach, has become the first member of the playing or coaching staff to confirm that he is happy to travel to Bangladesh.
Farbrace, who was on the Sri Lanka bus when it was attacked by terrorists in Pakistan in 2009, said that he had been satisfied by the briefing given by the ECB’s head of security, Reg Dickason, last week.
“I heard nothing whatsoever that made me nervous about going to Bangladesh,” Farbrace told the . “We have no reason to doubt Reg Dickason or the board … He is the leading expert after all and I have no issues about going.”

“Absolutely not. It is a completely individual thing,” he said. “The decision any individual makes within the side is the right one and everybody will stand by whoever wants to go or not, and I think that is very important.”I think when so much information is thrown at you within two months of a terrorist attack, you need to digest everything and be settled within yourself so you can go there and concentrate on cricket.”As with other players who have commented on the tour, Morgan said the on-going one-day series against Pakistan has made it difficult to consider the Bangladesh situation.The one-day squad was due to be announced on September 9, two days after the T20 at Old Trafford, but it has now been pushed back into the following week in order to give the players some breathing space after the international season finishes. Morgan indicated that he expected players’ positions – including his own – to be clear within “a couple of days” of the T20.Conversations continue to go on between the players and Dickason, as well as Andrew Strauss, the director of England cricket, who last week said he believed it was “100% safe” for the tour to go ahead following the ECB delegation’s visit and hoped there would not be any absentees.”I would say in a short space of time it is a difficult one, but we have certainly been given the time by the ECB which helps,” Morgan said. “We have not had a great deal of downtime. I think we will take as much time as we need to make a decision and to feel comfortable and to feel safe.”If we’d had time off or no cricket between the meeting and now, I can’t say I would be any closer to the decision, but I would have had more time to digest everything and let everything settle.”If Morgan did withdraw from the tour, England would need a stand-in captain. Jos Buttler, who captained England against Pakistan in the second T20 in the UAE when Morgan was rested, is the vice-captain of the one-day side and could be in line to lead.There is an expectation that some players who appear across all three formats will be rested for the one-day series. Joe Root, who has played 32 international matches since January 1 this year – the second most in the world – would head that list while Moeen Ali and, despite his truncated season, Ben Stokes are also in line for a break. Stokes will be crucial to England’s chances across the seven Tests against Bangladesh and India.

Johnson Charles’ 94 not out and his unbeaten second-wicket stand of 151 with Shane Watson helped St Lucia Zouks chase down Guyana Amazon Warriors’ 159 for 5 with 23 balls to spare

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jul-2016
ScorecardJohnson Charles added 151 in 13.4 overs with Shane Watson•Getty ImagesAn unbeaten 94 from Johnson Charles at a venue where a stand has been named in his honour helped St Lucia Zouks record their third successive win at home and surge to No. 3 in the CPL 2016 points table.Charles’ unbeaten second-wicket stand of 151 with Shane Watson helped Zouks chase down Guyana Amazon Warriors’ 159 for 5 with 23 balls to spare. Despite a deflating loss, Warriors, currently No. 2 with five wins in eight matches, were well placed to secure a berth in the top four.Jerome Taylor struck in the fourth over to dismiss Nic Maddinson after Darren Sammy, the Zouks captain, had chosen to field. But any semblance of control they may have had over proceedings soon disappeared as Dwayne Smith and Chris Lynn sent them on a leather hunt. The pair brought up a century stand for the second wicket before Sammy dismissed Smith. At that stage, Warriors were 113 for 2 in 15.3 overs, with Smith’s measured 51-ball 56 containing five fours and two sixes.Four of Lynn’s six sixes in his 45-ball 86 came following Smith’s dismissal. But quick strikes at the other end helped Zouks go into the break with momentum on their side. Watson was largely responsible for that, finishing with 2 for 27 in four overs.Sohail Tanvir gave Warriors a near-perfect start with the ball when he clean bowled Andre Fletcher in the third over. But it didn’t seem to have any effect on Watson as he crashed two boundaries off his first three deliveries to kickstart Zouks’ chase. At 33 for 1 in five overs, the match was on an even keel, before Zouks broke away courtesy an 19-run over from Orlando Peters, the medium pacer, with Charles hitting two sixes and a four.Comfortably placed at 91 for 1 at the halfway mark, Zouks needed just 37 more deliveries to complete the victory. Charles sealed the win with a boundary off Adam Zampa, the legspinner, as Zouks recorded their fourth win in seven matches.

South Africa start their first Test tour of Bangladesh with a 45-minute flight from Dhaka to Chittagong tomorrow. None of the South Africans have played in Chittagong before, and little is known about the conditions. By all accounts the hotel rates rather fewer than five stars, and the weather predictions aren’t great. It is the rainy season, and completing a Test at all is considered fortunate. The city is a busy port, and is in very mountainous region. Humidity is the biggest enemy of any touring team.But after their solid performances in the last two outings of the TVS Cup against India last week, the South Africans have good reason to feel upbeat about their progress in this part of the world. The bowlers have clearly worked out that on these sluggish pitches, slower balls are not easy to score from. The batsmen, on the other hand, have realised there is no substitute for time spent at the crease. They also now realise that if someone gets in he has to go on and finish the job, as starting an innings is not an easy task.The make-up of South Africa’s team for the first of the two Tests, which starts on Thursday, will be interesting. The pitch is expected to be tailormade for Bangladesh’s spinners, but Eric Simons, the SA coach, has two spinners in his own squad. Simons will have to weigh up whether to play both of them, against a team which would probably prefer that, or to bank on the fact that even on a slow turner the South African pace bowlers will still be a handful. In any case, the two-spinner option would probably mean leaving out one of the batsmen who have been doing well on subcontinental pitches recently.The left-armer Paul Adams is likely to be the first-choice spinner and, since Jacques Rudolph and Graeme Smith can fill in with a few overs themselves, Robin Peterson might well miss out.In the pace department Charl Willoughby was picked specifically for his ability to swing the ball in the air when pitches aren’t conducive to lateral movement. However, the fact that he is a genuine No. 11 won’t help his cause. Andrew Hall and Alan Dawson have stepped up when needed, and their batting ability will make both hard to overlook.The series may be in Bangladesh, but South Africa are still expected to come out on top. Bangladesh, after all, have lost 16 of the 17 Tests they have played so far – and their only draw came when rain washed out the last two days of a match against Zimbabwe. It should add up to a gentle baptism for Smith as a Test captain.

Aaron Finch and Dwayne Bravo helped Gujarat Lions ease into the IPL with a thumping win against Kings XI Punjab in Mohali

The Report by Nikhil Kalro11-Apr-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:08

Agarkar: Kings XI could have a tough season

Aaron Finch and Dwayne Bravo helped Gujarat Lions ease into the IPL with a thumping win against Kings XI Punjab in Mohali. Barring the first over, Lions were in total control in their chase of 162; they won with 14 balls to spare on the back of Finch’s 47-ball 74.Brendon McCullum, who made a whirlwind ton in his final Test in February, was stumped by Wriddhiman Saha, standing up to the stumps to the medium-pacer Sandeep Sharma, in the first over of the chase. Sandeep, who anticipated a forward shimmy, bowled a superb outswinger to leave McCullum stranded. Finch and Suresh Raina then took the attack to the pacers, capitalising on loose deliveries to drive the chase.While Raina holed out to mid-on in the sixth over, Finch peppered the boundary with deft touch and exemplary placement, particularly behind square on the off side. He hit 12 fours.It needed a moment of brilliance from Pardeep Sahu, the legspinner, to dismiss him. Finch was drawn forward, and was beaten in the air and off the pitch as Saha completed his second stumping. The rest of the chase was a mere formality as Dinesh Karthik accrued his runs with sweeps and punchy strokes in front of the wicket to finish 41 not out.Earlier, Kings XI were given an ideal start by their openers M Vijay and Manan Vohra, who saw off the swinging new ball before getting stuck into their work. A blend of crisp drives and flicks earned the pair a half-century stand within the Powerplay. The spread fields after the sixth over did not impede Vohra, as he manufactured boundaries courtesy swift footwork off the spinners.However, the momentum shifted rapidly when Ravindra Jadeja struck twice in consecutive overs to remove the openers. Dwayne Bravo then undid Glenn Maxwell and David Miller in the space of three balls in the 12th over. The ball that got Miller – the slow, dipping yorker – made Bravo the first bowler to pick up 300 T20 wickets.Suddenly, debutant Marcus Stoinis and Wriddhiman Saha were left to rebuild. The pair were forced to use pockets of space in the large Mohali outfield to find their runs, and struggled to score quickly. Much of that was down to the efficiency of the Lions bowlers, who executed their yorkers and slower balls well. Bravo took two more wickets off consecutive slower balls in the last over, and could have had his best T20 bowling figures had Sarabjit Ladda not spilled a skier off the last ball.Only two boundaries and 36 runs were scored off the last five overs as Kings XI mustered 161. Lions then rode their momentum to consign Kings XI to their ninth loss in 10 matches.

England have revealed their new Nike home and away kits to be worn by their national teams from 2024 onwards.

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• Nike drop new England kits
• Retro-inspired white home shirt
• Bold purple away strip

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The home shirt is white, as you might expect, with a subtle collar in dark blue and vertical pattern across it. Drawing inspiration from classic England tracksuits and training gear from down the years, there is detailing on the sleeves and on the trim of the shorts, which will be blue. The socks are white.

  The away kit arrives in a bold purple colourway that is likely to divide opinion in a departure from the traditional red or blue. There are seven different colours in the playful graphic side panels, with gold detailing on the Nike 'swoosh' and Three Lions badge.

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• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  England's men will don the strips for the first time in March as they prepare for friendlies against Brazil and Belgium at Wembley, and, of course, these will be their kits at Euro 2024 in Germany in the summer. Meanwhile, the Lionesses will give them their first outing when they begin European Championship qualifying as holders in April when they take on Sweden.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The kits feature Nike's Dri-Fit ADV technology, meaning the fabric is lightweight and breathable with the aim of keeping the players cool and comfortable on the pitch.

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• Nike/England
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?

  The men's version of the kits will be on sale in all men's, women's and children's sizes from Thursday, March 21. Fans can register their interest by visiting the England store online, including in the goalkeeper shirt after the furore involving Mary Earps.

  Get notified ahead of England 2024 kits releaseSign up now

The National Stadium is set to host its highest-profile game in nearly a decade, with both sides managing to retain most of their best overseas players

The Preview by Umar Farooq in Karachi24-Mar-20184:44

‘I still have 3-4 years of cricket left in me’ – Kamran Akmal

Big PicturePakistanis may be divided on various issues within the country, but one thing transcends region, religion, ethnicity, age and political affiliation. That thing is cricket. It’s the most popular sport in the country, with heroes from the game independently going on to inspire generations. It unites the whole nation, and makes you forget about any political differences. That’s the value of cricket to Pakistan.It’s an Eid of cricket in Karachi, a city of over 20 million cricket-mad people that hasn’t played host to a game of this magnitude for over nine years. Peshawar Zalmi are set to take on Islamabad United in a high-voltage PSL final at National Stadium Karachi – a venue set to host its first high-profile game since the Pakistan-Sri Lanka Test in February 2009. The game is billed as a homecoming, what with Pakistan’s biggest city having been deprived of major cricket for almost a decade.The focus of the event has been the extraordinary security in the city, but there’s plenty to focus on as far as the cricket is concerned, too. Both teams have one PSL title to their name, with Peshawar being defending champions, while Islamabad won the inaugural edition in 2016. Both are presently at the top of their game and made their way to the final with some brutal displays with the bat. There seems to be no real weak link in either team, as both are laden with experienced batsmen from top to middle, and boast powerful bowling attacks.The stadium has, over the years, largely been isolated, only hosting domestic cricket, but the infrastructure was put back together a few months before the game. The stadium is still under renovation, but the facility was prepared enough to make sure it was able to get going for the important game.Form GuidePeshawar Zalmi: WWWWL (last five completed games, most recent first)
Islamabad United: WLWWWIn the spotlightThe final is anticipated for its own merits as a contest, of course, but an absorbing mini-contest revolves around the dazzling form of each side’s wicketkeeper-batsman. Kamran Akmal and Luke Ronchi are both 36, have both been opening the batting, and presently sit at No. 1 and No. 3 on the PSL run charts with 424 and 383 runs respectively. Both are major reasons for their respective teams making the final this season. Both have exhibited extraordinary skill in power-hitting, and are brimming with the confidence, and will be at the forefront of their respective opposition bowling attacks leading into the game.Pitch preparations ahead of the PSL final in Karachi•Associated PressTeam newsDespite safety concerns among foreign players overshadowing the games themselves, both teams have managed to retain the services of most of their best overseas players for the marquee game. This was in stark contrast to last year, when all of Quetta Gladiators’ foreign players pulled out while Peshawar Zalmi fielded a full-strength side.Misbah ul Haq missed the Qualifier with a hairline fracture in his wrist. The 43-year-old has been struggling for fitness, and will miss the final. Islamabad are likely to stick to their combination from the Dubai game where they beat Karachi Kings by eight wickets with 45 balls to spare. One enforced change will be the absence of Alex Hales, who pulled out due to security concerns.Islamabad United (likely): 1 Luke Ronchi (wk), 2 Sahibzada Farhan, 3 JP Duminy (capt), 4 Hussain Talat, 5 Samit Patel, 6 Asif Ali, 7 Chadwick Walton/Samuel Badree, 8 Shadab Khan, 9 Faheem Ashraf, 10 Mohammad Sami, 11 Amad ButtKamran Akmal has been playing despite a stiff neck and a hamstring niggle but with three days of rest before the game should have had enough time to regain his fitness. Peshawar are likely to retain their winning combination.Peshawar Zalmi (likely): 1 Kamran Akmal (wk), 2 Andre Fletcher, 3 Mohammad Hafeez, 4 Saad Nasim, 5 Liam Dawson, 6 Darren Sammy (capt), 7 Chris Jordan, 8 Hasan Ali, 9 Wahab Riaz, 10 Umaid Asif, 11 Sameen GulStats and trivia Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi have the two best PSL win-loss ratios across three years. Islamabad have won 18 matches and lost 12, while Peshawar have won 19 and lost 13. Islamabad’s Faheem Ashraf is the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, with 17 wickets at a strike rate of 12.7 and an economy rate of 7.72. Peshawar’s Wahab Riaz is breathing down his neck with 16 wickets at an economy rate of 6.86 and a strike rate of 17.2.Quotes”Its good to see the logistical work done behind the scenes and we’ve been brought here safely .. I am very grateful for hard work being done behind the scenes and we are excited about tomorrow final.”

Can Pakistan end the five-match ODI series with something positive to take into the T20s, or will a sizzling New Zealand hammer the final nail in the visitors’ coffin?

Umar Farooq18-Jan-2018Big PicturePakistan have gone from being champions to being in shambles within the space of six months. Their winning streak is history and their batting line-up is back to pre-Champions Trophy standards. The bowling is flat, the captaincy frenzied, and the selectors running out of ideas. None of that is good news, least of all when playing a New Zealand team in sensational form and trying to avoid an ODI whitewash.The hosts can’t put a foot wrong. After going with an unchanged XI in the first three games, they brought in Colin de Grandhomme for the fourth. He was returning from Zimbabwe after the death of his father, and could have been forgiven for being less than his usual big-hitting self. But it turned out that he was New Zealand’s star performer, smashing 74 off 40 balls in a Player-of-the-Match display that got them out of a tight spot. Kane Williamson’s men are shaking up their squad for the final game, resting Trent Boult and bringing in Seth Rance. They will view this as an ideal opportunity to blood newer players into international cricket.With the series long since gone, the contest doesn’t nearly have the appeal a decider would, but both teams still have a stake in the outcome of this game. New Zealand will be looking for a clean sweep to extend their winning streak across formats to 12, while Pakistan are desperate for a final shot at redemption going into the T20I series.Form guideNew Zealand WWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan LLLLWIn the spotlightSince his debut in Ireland in 2016, Hasan Ali only missed one of the 31 games Pakistan have played, and until this series, he had been in sizzling form, a fact underlined by the ICC naming him the Emerging player of 2017. However, in New Zealand, things haven’t quite worked for him. Hasan has managed just six wickets at 36.1, conceding 60 runs for no wicket in the last game. It is his first real test in a career that had played out to perfection so far. How he responds in the final ODI might reveal more about the kind of player he is.Trent Boult has grabbed the headlines throughout this series but his absence could give his fast-bowling partner Tim Southee a chance to shine. The 29-year old has taken eight wickets from the four matches this series, just one fewer than Boult, but hasn’t received the same kind of recognition. With the left-armer out of the side, this could be a chance for New Zealand’s most experienced bowler to rubber-stamp his value to the side. And, in a low-pressure game against a dispirited Pakistan, the stars may just align for him.Tim Southee appeals•Getty ImagesTeam newsNew Zealand have rested Boult from the last ODI, and look set to give fast bowler Seth Rance another go in international cricket.New Zealand (probable): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Henry Nicholls, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Todd Astle, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Seth RanceShoaib Malik will miss the final game after being struck in the head during the fourth ODI – batsman Umar Amin has been drafted into the ODI squad in his place. If Imam-ul-Haq does not recovered from the finger injury that has left him sidelined as well, seamer Aamer Yamin or left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz could come in. With the Faheem Ashraf as opener experiment failing last game, Azhar Ali could also return to the top of the order.Pakistan (probable): 1 Azhar Ali/Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Hafeez, 5 Haris Sohail, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt, wk), 7 Faheem Ashraf, 8 Shadab Khan, 9 Mohammad Amir, 10 Hasan Ali, 11 Rumman RaeesPitch and conditionsThe forecast for the game is clear, though rain is expected for much of the preceding day. The Basin Reserve doesn’t host too many ODIs, but this will be the second game played at the venue in this series alone. New Zealand won the previous game, scoring 315.Stats and trivia Defeat for Pakistan in Wellington would be their eleventh in a row against New Zealand. The only time they lost more consecutive games against one opposition was when South Africa beat them 14 times in a row between 1995 and 2000 Babar Azam’s overall ODI average is 53.32 in 40 games. He scored 62 and 83 in his previous outings in New Zealand in 2016, but in four games in this series, he has managed only 21 runs at 5.25.Quotes”I think everyone wants that: the team, the support staff and people around the country want to see us beat Pakistan 5-0. The motivation is definitely there,”

The game will continue at 6pm local time, resuming from Rangpur Riders’ current score of 55 for 1 after seven overs

The Report by Mohammad Isam10-Dec-2017Two spectators take cover in Mirpur after rain stopped play•Raton Gomes

The BPL’s second Qualifier between Comilla Victorians and Rangpur Riders will now continue on Monday, after chaos – stemming from a rain delay of almost two hours – nearly produced an organisational disaster in Mirpur. The final decision, of playing the game on the following day, came after Comilla captain Tamim Iqbal and Rangpur captain Mashrafe Mortaza agreed to the BPL governing council’s suggestion “in the interest of the tournament and the crowd.”Rain interrupted the match when Rangpur were 55 for 1 after seven overs and did not cease for a long time, bringing the playing conditions into play. Had it been a washout, Comilla would have gone through because they finished the league stage on top. However, lack of clarity about the playing conditions within the BPL governing council started the confusion before they suggested extending the cut-off time by another two hours from the original 9.15pm and deciding the match with a Super Over. Tamim, however, did not agree with the Super Over proposition, saying the game wasn’t tied at all. Eventually, the two captains agreed to continue the match on Monday evening at 6pm from where it was interrupted on Sunday.A public service announcement at the ground ended nearly an hour-long drama that was witnessed by a half-full Shere Bangla National Stadium. Confusion prevailed as the BPL governing council members led by Ismail Haider Mallick, its member secretary, and several other BCB directors were engaged in several conversations with Tamim and their team owners and officials; there was the odd heated conversation too. Rangpur, however, chose not to be too involved in the chatter.Mashrafe was clearly the happier of the two captains, since Rangpur would have been eliminated if the game had no result.”You know, no team should be going out because it’s a washout, especially in a semi-final,” Mashrafe said. “It’s not a thing about the [disagreements within the] board and so on, it’s just the best news for cricket. Playing conditions are important, since we don’t want to get injured ahead of Bangladesh’s tri-series tour. Many thanks to Tamim for honouring this decision and for the sake of BPL, we will play tomorrow.”Tamim, on the other hand, looked at the bright side, and discussed strategy for the rest of the game.”If any other team would’ve been in our shoes [of being ensured qualification in case of a washout] even they would’ve done the same as us,” he said. “For the sake of the BPL, we will have a game tomorrow, so it’s all good. For tomorrow, we can plan better now. Only 12 overs to bowl for us. Whoever starts well, will do better.”In the 35 minutes of cricket that happened on Sunday, Rangpur sped to 55 for 1 with Johnson Charles unbeaten on 46 off 26 balls with four fours and as many sixes. He entertained the crowd as the main attraction, Chris Gayle, holed out to long-off with a leading edge in the fifth over.In the third over, Gayle had stepped on the ball while running for a single and he rolled his ankle to tumble awkwardly. He was tended to by the physio but was constantly limping, having a difficult time to even take singles before he was dismissed for 3 off 10 balls.

Cristiano Ronaldo and his Al-Nassr team-mates are reportedly set to be given 15 days off by manager Luis Castro after a gruelling run of games.

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Al-Nassr second in Saudi Pro LeagueRonaldo and Co had busy fixture listSet to be given 15 days off by managerGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

According to a member of the Saudi Sports Media Federation, Al-Nassr's players, including Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, and more, are going to be given just over a fortnight off in January. The Saudi Pro League outfit have played six games this month and still have to face Al-Taawoun on December 30. Now, manager Castro has reportedly given his players some time off after their efforts on the pitch.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Ronaldo's Al-Nassr have plenty to play for this season. They are second in the league and are still in the King Cup of Champions and the AFC Champions League. So, a gesture such as this Castro could go down very well with the team, and potentially spur them onto success this term.

Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

Ronaldo has scored more goals than any other player in 2023 with 53. That is one better than Bayern Munich's Harry Kane and Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe, while Manchester City's Erling Haaland is back on 50 for the calendar year.

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WHAT NEXT?

Al-Nassr round off their year away to fourth-placed Al-Taawoun, looking to cut the gap to league leaders Al-Hilal to four points. After that, they will not play again until February due to a break in play from Saudi top-flight football.