Cricket news round-up – 14 April 2019: IPL laggards get first win of season

Virat Kohli heaved a sigh of relief after Royal Challengers Bangalore got their first win in 7 matches in the season, against Kings XI Punjab. Rajasthan Royals beat Mumbai Indians too, as the bottom two in IPL 2019 got their first wins of the season. Elsewhere, Bismah Maroof will captain Pakistan Women in South Africa.

RCB get first win of season

And at long last, Royal Challengers Bangalore secured their first victory in IPL 2019, in their seventh outing of the season, against Kings XI Punjab. Bangalore won by 8 wickets, with four balls remaining.

Chris Gayle’s 64-ball 99* helped Punjab post 173/4 in Mohali – their first six batsmen featured for RCB before – but that was no match for Bangalore with Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers once again scoring half-centuries.

Kohli scored a 53-ball 67, de Villiers a more dominating 38-ball 59*, and with Marcus Stoinis adding a 16-ball 28*, the chase was a breeze.

The win, however left Bangalore rooted for the bottom spot.

Rajasthan win too in weekend of laggards

Rajasthan Royal finally got their second win of the campaign, against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. Jos Buttler starred with a 43-ball 89 as Rajasthan managed to seal a 4-wicket win with 3 balls remaining.

Mumbai would have and should have posted something in excess of 200 after their top two – Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock – scored a 32-ball 47 and 52-ball 81 respectively. However, a middle order collapse meant they managed 187/5.

That proved little match for Buttler in the mood he was in. He individually scored half of Rajasthan’s target, with Ajinkya Rahane (21-ball 37) and Sanju Samson (26-ball 31) chipping in. A middle-order wobble made things nervous, but Rajasthan eventually squeaked through.

Maroof to captain Pakistan Women in South Africa

Bismah Maroof will captain Pakistan Women in both ODIs and T20Is in South Africa in May – it was the first squad announcement of their newly-formed selection committee, led by Urooj Mumtaz.

There was only one changed to the squad that impressed in the ODIs against West Indies – Saba Nazir went out for Rameen Shamim. Javeria Rauf was also added to the squad, and is in line to play her first ODI since 2014.

“We have rewarded the girls for their outstanding achievements against the Windies girls by maintaining consistency in the ODI squad, while we have made some tweaks in the T20I squad as we look forward to next year’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020,” Mumtaz said. “We have a good bunch of cricketers who have displayed their capabilities and potentials against the Windies girls and previous series.

County Championship Division One round-up

Hampshire responded to Yorkshire’s first-innings 554/7 declared by posting 302 – thanks to Sam Northeast’s 99 – and after being made to follow on, they were reduced to 54/5. Yorkshire’s lead is at a healthy 198, and they need 5 wickets to win.

Nottinghamshire, resuming the day at 25/2, were bundled out for 126 in the second innings as Somerset secured a fine innings-and-14-run victory. Jack Leach (6/36) and Jack Brooks (4/22) shared the wickets between them.

Ryan ten Doeschate scored a 166-ball 130 and Dan Lawrence a 93 as Essex responded to Surrey’s first-innings 395 with 448. Mark Stoneman and Rory Burns both scored 34 as Surrey ended the day with 68 for no loss, a lead of 15.

Dominic Sibley scored a century even as the rest of the Warwickshire crumbled as they posted 346 in their reply to Kent’s 504/9. Following on, Warwickshire were 79/4 when stumps were drawn.

County Championship Division Two round-up

Sussex require another 68 to win – they are 144/3, with Stiaan van Zyl scoring a 101-ball 66*. Durham were bowled out for 189 in their second innings earlier, setting Sussex a target of 212.

Northamptonshire were 522/4 in response to Glamorgan’s first-innings 570/8 declared, with the openers Ricardo Vasconcelos (180) and Rob Newton (105) scoring centuries, and both Josh Cobb (60) and Rob Keough (73*) scoring half-centuries.

Derbyshire were 97/2 after Gloucestershire replied to their first-innings 291 with 350. Leicestershire were made to follow-on against Worcestershire, who made 553/6 declared. The home side are 132/4 in their second outing. And Middlesex are 68/2 after Lancashire responded with a 427 to Middlesex’s first-innings 265.