Cricket news round-up – 20 June: New Zealand win a thriller, Netherlands win, India replace Dhawan with Pant

Kane Williamson guided New Zealand to a last-over win in the World Cup match against South Africa at Edgbaston; Netherlands beat Zimbabwe to go up in the series; and India replaced the injured Shikhar Dhawan in their World Cup squad with Rishabh Pant.

New Zealand retain unbeaten streak

New Zealand won their fourth match in as many attempts (one match was washed out) to return to the top of the points table in World Cup 2019. They beat South Africa by 4 wickets with 3 balls in hand at Edgbaston in what was the first tight finish of the tournament.

Asked to bat after a rain burst, South Africa scored 241/6 in 49 overs after Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson produced two peaches to get Quinton de Kock and Faf du Plessis early in the innings. Hashim Amla (55 in 83 balls) shows glimpses of his class, while Rassie van der Dussen slammed 67 not out in 64 balls. Ferguson finished with 3/59.

Kagiso Rabada got Colin Munro early, but Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson brought New Zealand back on track with a 60-run stand. However, South Africa picked up 3 for 8 in 20 balls to come back to the match.

Jimmy Neesham helped Williamson add 57, and Colin de Grandhomme blasted his way to a 47-ball 60. Helped by some poor fielding and dropped chances by the South Africans, Williamson and de Grandhomme added 91 in 89 balls.

Then Lungi Ngidi removed de Grandhomme and brought the target down to 12 from 7 balls. But Williamson (106* in 138) steered Ngidi for four, and slogged the second ball of the last over, bowled by Andile Phehlukwayo, for six over mid-wicket to seal the match.

Netherlands stun Zimbabwe

Netherlands beat Zimbabwe in the first ODI of the 2-match series, at Sportpark Het Schootsveld, Deventer, by 7 wickets. Opting to bat, Zimbabwe were reduced to 44/3, then 127/6. But Brendan Taylor (71 in 85 balls) held the innings together, and with Kyle Jarvis smashing 32 not out off 30, the tourists reached 205/8 in 47.

Netherlands pulled off a clinical chase, with Max O’Dowd (87* in 121) batting through the innings. Zimbabwe were briefly in it at 117/3, but that was about it. Their only bright spot came when left-arm spinner Ainsley Ndlovu got Bas de Leede with the first ball of his ODI career.

India replace Dhawan with Pant

After much deliberation, India have decided to release the injured Shikhar Dhawan from their World Cup squad. Dhawan had sustained a hairline fracture during India’s match against Australia – though that did not prevent him from scoring a hundred in the match.

Rishabh Pant, who had been flown in as cover for Dhawan shortly after the injury came into light, has now been drafted into the squad.

Unbeaten Jersey retain top spot

Jersey beat Italy by 73 runs at St Peter’s Port to cling on to the top spot of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Europe Region Final.

Jersey put up 149/6 largely due to Jonty Jenner’s 54-ball 71 even as Rakibul Hasan had 4-0-23-2. Then Charles Perchard (3.5-0-14-4), Anthony Hawkins-Kay (3-0-9-2), and Dominic Blampied (3-0-13-2) bowled out Italy for 76.

Guernsey restricted Norway to 95/6 in a match reduced to 16 overs at Castel despite Walid Ghauri’s 28-ball 38 and Nazakat Ali’s 16-ball 25. Jordan Martel had 3-0-15-3. Captain Josh Butler (36 in 37) led the response against Raza Iqbal, and Guernsey scampered home with 1 ball to spare.

Later in the day, Ahmed Wardak (4-0-26-3) and Abdul-Shakoor Rahimzei (3-0-10-2) helped Germany restrict Denmark to 109/8. Anique Uddin scored 31 in 29 balls. Craig Meschede (67 in 43) guided Germany to a comfortable 7-wicket win.

County Championship Division 1 roundup

After wrestling a 42-run lead against Nottinghamshire (Chris Nash 67, Samit Patel 52, Matt Milnes 5/68, Wiaan Mulder 3/35), Kent finished Day Three at Tunbridge Wells on 277/3. They lead by 319. Joe Denly (111*) and Daniel Bell-Drummond (79) added 152 for the third wicket.

Steven Patterson (3/33) and David Willey (3/71) helped Yorkshire take a 5-run lead over Warwickshire at York. However, Oliver Hannon-Dalby (3/48) and Jeetan Patel (2/34) reduced Yorkshire to 178/7 by stumps, so a decision is on the cards. A lot will depend on Jack Leaning (47*).

County Championship Division 2 roundup

Middlesex batted out till the end of the match against Glamorgan at Radlett, finishing on 125/4, after Steven Finn took 5/75 and Paul Stirling 2/21 to give them a 122-run lead.

Resuming the day at 19/4, Derbyshire lasted another 22.5 overs against James Anderson (4/29) and Graham Onions (5/38). Their 84 was just about enough to make Lancashire bat again, though Keaton Jennings completed the formalities off the first ball of the innings.

Gloucestershire finished Day Three at Grace Road on 503/6, 16 ahead of Leicestershire. Chris Dent (176) and Ryan Higgins (196*) added 318 for the fifth wicket.

Thanks to Callum Ferguson (56), Riki Wessels (55), and Ben Cox (53*), Worcestershire finished the day at Kidderminster on 262/6, 7 ahead of Sussex.