NPR

Russouw 6,4,6,out

Hendricks 68 from 28

2 new batters at the crease now

54 from 34 required

ODI 3 about to start between NZ and Sri Lanka with Sri Lanka batting. It’s a less explosive looking NZ side with Allen and Phillips both away for the IPL.

Two for Matt Henry already who is hitting great areas.

Henry strikes again, getting Nissanka lbw

Or not. Overturned on DRS

Weather is perfect in the Tron - and a quick pitch which is fun if you can get onto the front foot.

So close to 26/4 - and again.

Henry is doing an amazing job. 7 overs and conceding only 11 runs

Henry now has 3-13 from nine overs.

Black Caps lose their second wicket in the second over.

Here's Nicholls, hot off a double ton.

He'll save us.

11 balls and 1 run later - misses a dead straight one.

But he's lucky the ball deviated after pitching.

Nicholls needs to turn down all possible runs off his bat to give Young a shot at a century.

Enzedder wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 6:08 am Here's Nicholls, hot off a double ton.

He'll save us.

11 balls and 1 run later - misses a dead straight one.

But he's lucky the ball deviated after pitching.

He has settled down well.

My MotM is Henry.

Vaughan cleared. Disappointing as we'll get him back on TV now but inevitable given the process was an absolute farce and the evidence against him non-existent. The phrase 'through no fault of Azeem Rafiq' before trashing his testimony or pointing out there are multiple witnesses with a directly contradictory story reaches double figures.

Paddington Bear wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 10:27 am Vaughan cleared. Disappointing as we'll get him back on TV now but inevitable given the process was an absolute farce and the evidence against him non-existent. The phrase 'through no fault of Azeem Rafiq' before trashing his testimony or pointing out there are multiple witnesses with a directly contradictory story reaches double figures.

Oof.

It has been weird from the start. George Dobell, who I think is one of the most trustworthy journos out there, was on Rafiq's side from the outset, and was talking about how Rafiq wasn't looking to pin the blame on anyone or end anyone's careers. But there's been a decent amount of finger pointing regardless and some odd behaviour. Difficult to know what to make of it. I think it's inarguable the entire scene was a shitshow and there's long been stories of Yorkshire's problem with Asian cricketers (and county cricket's in general), I suspect Vaughan was a total dickhead at the time but I'm really not sure how we got to this point. It requires several people to have made several bad calls, not just Rafiq, whose judgment has always looked suspect even if he is a victim of racism.

Sri Lanka's loss means they will be playing in the qualifying tounament in Zimbabwe

Paddington Bear wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 10:27 am Vaughan cleared. Disappointing as we'll get him back on TV now but inevitable given the process was an absolute farce and the evidence against him non-existent. The phrase 'through no fault of Azeem Rafiq' before trashing his testimony or pointing out there are multiple witnesses with a directly contradictory story reaches double figures.

Rafiq came across very untrustworthy. Can and will Vaughan now go after him for libel?

JM2K6 wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 11:13 am

Paddington Bear wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 10:27 am Vaughan cleared. Disappointing as we'll get him back on TV now but inevitable given the process was an absolute farce and the evidence against him non-existent. The phrase 'through no fault of Azeem Rafiq' before trashing his testimony or pointing out there are multiple witnesses with a directly contradictory story reaches double figures.

Oof.

It has been weird from the start. George Dobell, who I think is one of the most trustworthy journos out there, was on Rafiq's side from the outset, and was talking about how Rafiq wasn't looking to pin the blame on anyone or end anyone's careers. But there's been a decent amount of finger pointing regardless and some odd behaviour. Difficult to know what to make of it. I think it's inarguable the entire scene was a shitshow and there's long been stories of Yorkshire's problem with Asian cricketers (and county cricket's in general), I suspect Vaughan was a total dickhead at the time but I'm really not sure how we got to this point. It requires several people to have made several bad calls, not just Rafiq, whose judgment has always looked suspect even if he is a victim of racism.

Pretty much. Dobell deserves a lot of credit as no one was going to touch any of this with a bargepole without him. However he’s become pretty credulous when it comes to Rafiq who (taking nothing away from him being a victim of racism) has been at best deeply economical with the truth for much of this process. If he didn’t want to go after individuals he had a funny way of showing it. I can’t get my head around Adil Rashid in all this either - he was pretty blatantly not telling the truth at the enquiry and I can’t work out why.

Let’s be entirely honest, this enquiry was set up to convict Vaughan but descended into a shitshow, I suspect a number of the others will regret forever not mounting a defence.
The ECB can’t even run a show trial!

And of course the serious issues with racism in the sport remain untouched by all this.

Ymx wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 8:48 pm

Paddington Bear wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 10:27 am Vaughan cleared. Disappointing as we'll get him back on TV now but inevitable given the process was an absolute farce and the evidence against him non-existent. The phrase 'through no fault of Azeem Rafiq' before trashing his testimony or pointing out there are multiple witnesses with a directly contradictory story reaches double figures.

Rafiq came across very untrustworthy. Can and will Vaughan now go after him for libel?

Can he - probably
Will he - no. He’s been attempting to be conciliatory which is the smartest route to getting his old gigs back

First hit and giggle between Sri Lanka and the Crappers.

NZ chose to field and got an early wicket but are now leaking boundaries.

34/1 off 2.3 overs - oops, 4 more... oops, 6 more

SL are 167/3 off 16.

Chase will be 200+

A couple of quick wickets and suddenly a sub-200 chase could be a possibility. I will claim some credit after forgetting this was on a turning on in time to see the wickets fall.

Jb1981 wrote: Sun Apr 02, 2023 2:31 am A couple of quick wickets and suddenly a sub-200 chase could be a possibility. I will claim some credit after forgetting this was on a turning on in time to see the wickets fall.

Go and watch the rugby instead of us batting then. 196/5 final

One down already .

I wondered if that may have been heading down on first view. Perhaps not though, it may have been accentuated by the deflection off the boot.

All turning pear shaped for the BCs now. 156 - 6 after the 17th over and the set batsmen out

Ish Sodhi forces a super over with a six off the last ball then struts off the field like

Ish Sodhi says "hold my beer" and smacks the last ball of the innings for a six to tie the match

EDIT: seems there is a super over.

I had given them away.

Embarrassing

8 runs off the over is not a tough target for SL

Markram and Miller blugeoning the Dutch bowlers.

86 off the last 5 overs, still 5 to go and @343/4
Miller 89 from 58
Markram 175 from 125

Must win for SA to qualify to WC

[edit]and farkin jinxed it
they both depart and the runs dry up

Bugger

BREAKING: Kane Williamson, who sustained an injury to his right knee while fielding in Gujarat Titans' #IPL2023 opener against Chennai Super Kings, has been ruled out for the entire season

Sri Lanka all out for 141. Five for Milne.

Jb1981 wrote: Wed Apr 05, 2023 2:35 am Sri Lanka all out for 141. Five for Milne.

That was a stunning final over from Milne

Yep, there’s nothing better than high pace yorkers.

None of our saffas commenting on them qualifying for the World Cup this week?

Biffer wrote: Wed Apr 05, 2023 6:24 am None of our saffas commenting on them qualifying for the World Cup this week?

Not guaranteed yet. If Ireland win all 3 against Bangladesh, then we have to qualify through another round of matches.

Game 3, T20 NZ vs Sri Lanka (the decider and final game of NZ’s domestic season).

Sri Lanka are accelerating and have a good start at 51-0 after six.

It’s not looking like NZ’s day. After plenty of miss hits falling short, a catch goes to Ravindra and he drops it.

Brilliant throw from the deep by Milne nails Perera well short

Fantastic death bowling from Sri Lanka. This had looked very comfortable but suddenly NZ need 10 off the last and are struggling to middle anything.

Edit: struggling to middle anything except for the first ball of the final over which has been pumped for six .