Cricket news round-up – 29 August: Ajantha Mendis retires

Ajantha Mendis announced retirement from all forms of cricket; Malaysia Women beat Singapore Women in the Saudari Cup opener; Worcestershire Rapids qualified for the quarterfinals of the 2019 Vitality Blast; and Jemimah Rodrigues ended her stint in the Kia Women’s Super League with another blitz.

Mendis quits

Ajantha Mendis, who had taken the world of cricket by storm in 2008, drew curtains on his professional cricket career. He had last played international cricket in 2015-16.

Mendis, the inventor of the carrom ball, gained stardom after demolishing India with 6/13 in the final of the 2008 Asia Cup. He debuted in the Test series that followed – also against India – and claimed 26 wickets in 3 Tests. Unfortunately, his Test career tapered out after that: he finished with 70 wickets in 19 Tests at 34.77.

Shortly afterwards, he became the quickest to 50 ODI wickets, reaching the landmark in just 19 matches. His ODI numbers – 152 wickets at 21.86, economy 4.86 – are more than impressive. He also holds the two best figures in T20Is (6/8 and 6/16), where his numbers read 66 wickets at 14.42 and 6.45 an over.

Malaysia Women go one-up

Malaysia Women started the 3-T20I Saudari Cup with a 22-run win over Singapore Women at the Indian Association Ground, Singapore. Asked to bat, Malaysia were reduced to 12/2 before Mas Elysa (37 in 47 balls) and Ainna Hamizah Hashim (37* in 34) took them to 126/6. Dhavina Sharma had 4-0-30-2, GK Diviya 4-0-10-1, and Smruthi Radhakrishnan 4-1-19-1.

Rapids in top eight

The only match of the day in the Vitality Blast, a North Division clash between Worcestershire Rapids and Nottinghamshire Outlaws, was washed out without a ball being bowled.

However, a solitary point was all Rapids needed to make it to the quarterfinals. They now join Lancashire Lightning and Derbyshire Falcons as well as the Outlaws. Unfortunately, this meant the end of the road for Northamptonshire Steelbacks.

Rodrigues onslaught goes in vain

Jemimah Rodrigues plundered a 27-ball 60 in a 10-over match against table toppers Western Storm in the Kia Super League, at Taunton. Yorkshire Diamonds put up 104/4 despite Ferya Davies’ 2-0-7-3. The Diamonds then reduced Storm to 23/3 before Fran Wilson (45* in 20) and Sophie Luff (31* in 18) took them to 99/3. Unfortunately, the win was not enough to take the Diamonds to the three-team Playoffs.

Rodrigues will not play in Kia Super League 2019 anymore, but he has most runs (401), best average (57.28), second-best strike rate (149.6), most fours (55), and the highest score (112*) of the tournament.

At the Rose Bowl, Loughborough Lightning put up 163/4 against Southern Vipers thanks to a 75-run opening stand between Chamari Atapattu (35 in 27) and Amy Jones (74 in 53) even as Amanda-Jane Wellington had 4-0-22-2. The Vipers were then bowled out for 127 by Atapattu (4-0-18-3) and Kirstie Gordon (4-0-18-2).