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The Blues' defence struggled to contain the Barca winger as she followed up her goal at Stamford Bridge with one at Camp Nou

Chelsea battled hard but fell short of reaching the Women's Champions League final after losing 2-1 on aggregate in their semi-final second leg clash with Barcelona.

The Catalans were 1-0 up going into Thursday's second leg after winning at Stamford Bridge on Saturday and the Blues made it difficult for them again, with the deadlock not broken until Caroline Graham Hansen's opener after the hour.

Emma Hayes' side replied almost instantly through Guro Reiten and started to pose more of a threat to Barca from there, but they couldn't nick a goal that would've taken the game to extra-time.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players at Camp Nou…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Ann-Katrin Berger (6/10):

Made a good save to deny Salma Paralluelo in the latter stages but didn't have much to do in the game despite Barca's dominance.

Eve Perisset (7/10):

Solid again, as she was in the first leg. Did well to ensure Barca didn't get much joy down her side.

Jess Carter (6/10):

Made a few mistakes but did well to put pressure on the Barca attack and thwart their efforts.

Maren Mjelde (6/10):

Generally a solid presence at the back, though there were a few more difficult moments for her than last week.

Magdalena Eriksson (5/10):

Had quite a few shaky moments and didn't get a lot of help from her wing-back.

Niamh Charles (5/10):

Needed to help Eriksson more at the back to deal with Graham Hansen. Didn't track enough.

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Erin Cuthbert (7/10):

Looked to be positive when she got the ball and battled well in midfield, as always. Was her tackle that started the attack that led to Chelsea's goal.

Melanie Leupolz (6/10):

Lovely pass to Kerr in the build-up to the goal. Her influence on the game grew as it went on.

Jessie Fleming (7/10):

Added quality on the ball when Chelsea were able to have possession.

Getty ImagesAttack

Guro Reiten (6/10):

Didn't get much service and struggled with her own final ball at times, too, but was on hand to finish the equaliser.

Sam Kerr (6/10):

Great run that led to the equaliser. Struggled with her hold-up play, though, and that meant Chelsea's ability to get forward was limited.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Lauren James (N/A):

Came on with less than 15 minutes to go but couldn't impact the game.

Pernille Harder (N/A):

Came on alongside James and also struggled to have an influence.

Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (N/A):

Was subbed on with less than 10 minutes to go and couldn't get into the game.

Emma Hayes (7/10):

Hayes' decision to start Fleming was a good one, with her adding quality to Chelsea's possession, while the same five at the back system allowed the visitors to frustrate Barca again.

The Spaniard was one of the stars of the show as Real Madrid illustrated their strength in depth up front by routing Celtic 5-1 at the Bernabeu.

Real Madrid cruised past Celtic in a 5-1 thrashing to seal top spot in Champions League Group F.

A bright start in the opening minutes for Celtic was swiftly quashed when Moritz Jenz gave away a penalty for handball after five minutes, allowing Luka Modric to fire Real in front.

It was 2-0 after 21 minutes when Celtic were again punished for a handball inside the box, this time Matthew O'Riley having handled the ball and Rodrygo scoring from the spot.

Celtic didn't lie down despite the circumstances and were given a chance to get themselves back into the game after half an hour when the referee pointed to the spot for a third time.

Josip Juranovic's effort was batted away by Thibaut Courtois a sequence of events that summarised Celtic's evening and overall Champions League campaign rather well.

And as Celtic began to fade, Real upped the ante once again, with Vinicius Junior tapping in a low cross at the front post for 4-0. Ancelotti then ushered in the changes as The Bhoys fell away, with Federico Valverde stealing the show with a magnificent strike for 5-0.

Jota ensured visiting fans left with at least one positive, wrapping an inch-perfect free-kick into the top corner as a late consolation.

After a blip against RB Leipzig last week, this was the perfect response from the defending champions. Don't take them lightly; they've got all the quality and football heritage you could ever need to cruise towards another Champions League crown.

GettyThe Winners

Luka Modric:

The man is the definition of 'ageing like a fine wine', isn't he? Modric never, ever looks stretched in possession, nor does he ever look leggy or uncomfortable. Everything he does, he does with grace and extreme ease. Playing against him must be beautiful and nightmarish in equal proportions. One of the greatest of all time. It's as simple as that.

Marco Asensio:

Redemption season for the Spaniard is well and truly on. After bursting onto the scene in his youth, the water became somewhat murky for Asensio at Real and his exit has been discussed with immense regularity. He's been determined to force his way back into the side in Madrid, though, and proved his quality again here.

Replacing Benzema in the attacking trident is no easy task, and while he doesn't offer anywhere near the same quality and profile as the Frenchman, he brings his own abilities to the table. Taking his chance with a concentrated performance, he deserved a goal. And what a delightful strike it was.

Federico Valverde:

There was a time when Valverde was very much a diamond in the rough. All action, a big bundle of energy that admittedly needed serious refining. And how that refinement is showing now.

Granted, playing within one of the greatest midfield rosters ever certainly helps, but the Uruguayan deserves serious credit for how he's nailed down the vacant spot left behind by Casemiro. He's added a maturity to his game as well as the obvious flair and technical finesse. Superb.

AdvertisementGettyThe Losers

Celtic's penalty luck:

The Bhoys and spot-kicks. Like oil and water. While the second penalty they conceded here was perhaps a little harsh, O'Riley's hand was in an outstretched position and in today's game, you can't dispute it. 'Seen them given' is the term that comes to mind.

But as if their luck couldn't get any worse, they couldn't find the back of the net from a spot-kick of their own, just as they were handed a way back into the game on a silver platter.

The handball rule:

Another week, another bout of confusion over handball. We don't blame you if you've given up in trying to understand it, at this point.

Let's assess. The first penalty awarded against Jenz is understandable: the arm is extended, it's a little clumsy and the shot – albeit a poor one – is on target. Probably has to be given.

But the decision against O'Riley? Well, contentious to say the least. The 21-year-old's arm is tucked close to his body, raised for balance, and he's turning it away from the ball. There is simply nowhere else for it to go with the way he was moving. The shot that struck it was also heading off target.

And to put the icing on the cake – not that the lawmakers deserve one – it was O'Riley who was booked and not Jenz. Make it make sense.

Eden Hazard:

Again, not involved and again, not missed. Hazard to Real Madrid looks like the worst transfer of all time more and more with each passing week.

Before we start, Celtic were poor and have been poor in Europe. This was a game Real should've dominated. But that still doesn't bode well for Hazard, who cannot stay fit or even impact games on the occasion that he is.

Instead, Los Blancos' front line has already moved on from him, prioritising youth and the comeback story of Asensio. What a bleak few years for the Belgian.

Real Madrid ratings: Defence

Thibaut Courtois (6/10): Stood tall when called into action. Would've been very easy to switch off and allow the visitors a cheap goal, but Courtois wasn't having that. Got a hand to Jota's free-kick, but the Celtic man deserves the credit.

Dani Carvajal (7/10): A performance which showed his experience. Well-positioned and gave Celtic very little to work with.

Eder Militao (8/10): Never looked too troubled, but did his job. Made important blocks, provided energy and kept things calm.

David Alaba (7/10): Always comfortable in possession and helped out Mendy where he could.

Ferland Mendy (5/10): Any joy that Celtic did get in possession seemed to come down the left flank. Mendy was often outnumbered, but also didn't enjoy a composed game. Can have no complaints about the penalty he gave away; nowhere near the ball.

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Toni Kroos (6/10): Occupied the deepest role of the midfield three, often dropping between the centre backs to keep control of proceedings.

Luka Modric (8/10): This man is timeless. Weight of pass, range of pass, positioning, technical ability – he ticks all of the boxes. An early goal set the tone for a joyous performance.

Federico Valverde (8/10): While the two experienced heads keep things ticking, Valverde provides the energy. But on top of that, he now also provides a consistent quality on the ball, playing swift passes and bursting beyond the lines of play. Capped it off with a thunderous strike.

Goal takes a look at the most memorable Premier League deals that were finalised on January transfer deadline day over the years

GettyFernando Torres | Chelsea | £50m

Fernando Torres’ £35 million deadline day transfer to Chelsea from Liverpool was a then-British transfer record. ‘El Nino’, a former Kop darling, infamously left the Reds to join Chelsea in 2011 in search for silverware and success amid a period of deep turbulence for the Anfield side.

While he had endeared himself to the Merseyside faithful with 81 goals, forming a prolific partnership with Steven Gerrard and earning a reputation as one of the Premier League’s most feared strikers, he was considered a flop at Stamford Bridge.

He scored his first Chelsea goal against West Ham on April 23, 2011 after a 903-minute goal-less run, though he did lift the Champions League trophy with the Blues in 2012.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesLuis Suarez | Liverpool | £23m

The Uruguayan international’s time at Anfield was marred with controversy, but he will be best remember for his scoring prowess and lethal attacking skill with the Reds. Luis Suarez was initially brought to Liverpool to Ajax in a view to partner Torres in attack, and scored on his debut against Stoke in February 2011.

He scored just four Premier League goals in his first half-season for Liverpool but became his side’s most valuable asset over the next few years, steadily increasing his league tally to 11 goals in 2011-12, 23 goals in 2012-13 and 31 goals in 2013-14.

He played a key role in Liverpool’s 2014 title push under Brendan Rodgers, and left for Barcelona later that summer.

GettyAndy Carroll | Liverpool | £35m

If there’s anybody who embodies the idea of a ‘panic buy’, it’s Andy Carroll. Liverpool acted swiftly to purchase the forward from Newcastle as a replacement for the outgoing Torres in January 2011, with Carroll’s club-record £35m signing confirmed on deadline day.

Carroll endured a challenging time at Liverpool, struggling to fill in for Torres. He managed to score just 11 goals in his two seasons for the Reds before leaving for West Ham in 2012.

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Getty ImagesPierre-Emerick Aubameyang | Arsenal | £56m

The Gunners had their eye on Gabon star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for a while, but his move was only confirmed on deadline day 2018 – as Arsenal, along with Chelsea and Dortmund, were involved in a player merry-go-round. Arsenal wanted Aubameyang, but Dortmund couldn’t sell the player without having a replacement, who they identified in Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi. The Blues, in turn, wanted to bring in Olivier Giroud from the Emirates, which rounded out the transfer triangle stand-off.

All three clubs finally confirmed all three deals on January 31 – Aubameyang to Arsenal, Batshuyai replacing him at Dortmund, and Giroud signing for Chelsea from Arsenal.

Strong concerns have resurfaced about Delhi hosting the first semi-final of the World Twenty20, scheduled for March 30

Nagraj Gollapudi20-Mar-2016Strong concerns have resurfaced about Delhi hosting the first semi-final of the World Twenty20, scheduled for March 30.It is understood that both the ICC and BCCI are worried that the DDCA is being forced to not allow ticket sales to the RP Mehra Block, which was the old club house at the Feroz Shah Kotla, meaning nearly 1800 seats will be empty. There is also the concern that no hoardings are allowed to be displayed in front of the stands. Those restrictions were put in place by the DelhI High Court recently while issuing clearances for the DDCA to host World T20 matches.A final decision is likely to be reached in the next day or two, with the ICC and BCCI also discussing alternate venues to host the game.An official involved in the organisation of the World T20 admitted that there had been “ongoing discussions” over shifting the Delhi semi-final to another venue. The biggest worry, as far as the ICC is concerned, is the prospect of playing the Delhi matches in front of an empty stand.”Because of the order of the court no ticket can be sold. It is embarrassing to have an empty stadium particularly when you are hosting a global tournament and all the world is watching you,” the official said.Another stumbling block for the BCCI and ICC is the fate of the other games in Delhi, should the semi-final be shifted.”Should the matches on 26th (England v Sri Lanka) and 28th (South Africa v Sri Lanka) be moved also? What happens if one of the teams playing in Delhi on March 28 qualifies for the semis?” the official asked.Even if the semi-final is moved after numerous logistical obstacles, it is likely that if a team is already playing in Delhi, they would be against travelling to another venue just a day before such a big game.The ICC is also not helped by the fact that it has not yet gotten the clearance to erect hoardings in front of the Mehra Block. Justice Mukul Mudgal, who was appointed as the DDCA’s man in charge for the World T20, has reportedly refused to allow the ICC to erect any hoardings inside the stadium after the Archaeological Survey of India called one of the buildings housed in the block as illegal.However, a senior DDCA official indicated that Mudgal had not given any directive. According to the official, what made matters worse was the court did not make it clear whether any permission was needed from the south Delhi municipal corporation in order to make the Mehra Block freed for the public.On Friday, as a last resort, the DDCA approached the Supreme Court to intervene. Chief Justice TS Thakur, who is also hearing the Lodha Committee hearing, deferred the Delhi hearing to March 28. “Their question of shifting the matches is being debated at this stage,” the DDCA official said.Even before the tournament began, there had been doubts for months over Delhi’s ability to host matches in the World T20. Eventually, after extending multiple deadlines to get the requisite clearances from both the Delhi government as well as the civic agencies, the BCCI gave DDCA the nod. In the past few years, these agencies had pulled the DDCA into the courts, which granted ad-hoc clearances.Such a scenario has hurt the ICC and BCCI dearly, as they were unable to announce the final tournament schedule well in advance as is the norm. It also did not help global fans as the BCCI delayed the ticketing process till the eve of the tournament.

A fine cocktail of experience and youth delivered Delhi Daredevils their first victory of the season, against Kings XI Punjab at the Feroz Shah Kotla

The Report by Deivarayan Muthu15-Apr-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAmit Mishra claimed figures of 3-0-11-4 on his 100th IPL match•BCCIA fine cocktail of experience and youth delivered Delhi Daredevils their first victory of the season. The old boys – legspinner Amit Mishra, featuring in his 100th IPL match, and captain Zaheer Khan – led the way with the ball, smothering Kings XI Punjab to 111 for 9. Then the youngsters took over as Quinton de Kock and Sanju Samson put on a 91-run partnership to seal Daredevils’ first points of the season.While Zaheer gave his team the early spark after choosing to bowl on what he called a “slow surface,” Mishra pierced through Kings XI’s top and middle order with dip, turn, and sometimes, even a lack of turn. Mishra had Shaun Marsh stumped with his first ball, then dismissed David Miller and Glenn Maxwell in his second over to break the opposition’s spine. Three of Kings XI’s heaviest scoring batsmen were dismissed in the space of 16 balls, leaving the score at 52 for 4 in the ninth over.Mishra was supported by Zaheer, who placed a slip, and at times a short leg, to capitalise on the nervous batsmen. Daredevils built on the double-strike and did not concede a boundary between the ninth and 14th overs. It was during this phase that Mishra rattled Manan Vohra’s leg stump with a wrong’ un to claim his fourth wicket in three overs. Kings XI were reeling at 59 for 5 in the 11th, but Zaheer did not call on Mishra to bowl any further.Kings XI’s struggles were not restricted to spin though. Zaheer, who had conceded he had “tried too much” in the first match against Kolkata Knight Riders, found swing right away. His first delivery moved back in and had the extra bounce to rap M Vijay on the thigh pad. That meant the balls that went on with the angle across the right-hander became more effective. Zaheer teased the outside edge regularly in his first spell but he had to wait till his second for a reward. In the 18th over, bowling a mix of slower balls, Zaheer had Mohit Sharma caught at mid-off.Chris Morris did his part as well, bowling yorkers in the slog overs and hustling the opposition with his pace. Offspinner Jayant Yadav strung four quiet overs together, benefitting by the Kings XI lower order not knowing whether to attack or defend.Kings XI made life easier for Daredevils in the chase. De Kock was reprieved twice – Vijay dropped him at deep square leg on 7 before Wriddhiman Saha botched a stumping chance on 22. De Kock, who was rather subdued in the Powerplay, hit rhythm when he cracked three fours off Axar Patel in the eighth over.Samson came out at No. 3, after Shreyas Iyer was adjudged caught behind despite Snicko picking up nothing, and took nine balls to get off the mark, via a risky pick-up shot off seamer Sandeep Sharma. He was 9 off 18 balls when he charged out to Pardeep Sahu’s legspin and launched a full toss over the long-on boundary. Samson then welcomed Maxwell with successive fours, while de Kock raised his half-century off 38 balls. Axar bowled Samson for 33 in the 13th over, but de Kock and Pawan Negi took Daredevils home comfortably.

Bavalan Pathmanathan, 24, died after being hit in the chest while batting in division three of the British Tamil League at Long Ditton recreation grounds in Surrey

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2015A club cricketer in England has died after being struck on the chest while batting. Bavalan Pathmanathan, 24, was hit while playing in division three of the British Tamil League at Long Ditton recreation grounds in Surrey on Sunday. He had received CPR at the scene and ambulances were called to the ground, including an air ambulance, but he died in hospital.”We were called to Windmill Lane, Long Ditton, to reports that a man in his 20s had been injured by a cricket ball striking his chest,” said a spokesman from South East Coast Ambulance Service. “We sent an ambulance and two cars to the scene along with an ambulance from the London Ambulance Service and the air ambulance also. The man was treated at the scene and then taken to Kingston hospital in a life-threatening condition.”Pathmanathan played for Manipay Parish Sports Club, who expressed “total shock by his death at this young age.”Surrey chief executive Richard Gould said: “Everyone at the club has been deeply saddened to learn of Bavalan’s death and would like to extend their sympathies to his family, friends and everyone who knew him from within the community of cricket.”According to British Tamil Cricket League’s website, Pathmanabhan was an old student of Hartley College in Jaffna in Sri Lanka.The issue of player safety was brought to the forefront last year with the death of Phillip Hughes when he was struck by a bouncer. A few days later, an Israeli umpire was killed when he was struck by the ball during a league game.

England’s determination to play a more adventurous brand of cricket in one-day cricket encourages captain Eoin Morgan to suggest they are finally on the right track

George Dobell08-Jun-2015As England’s World Cup campaign came to its premature end, the team sat in the dressing room in Sydney and held what they term as “an honesty meeting”.After an initial – and by most accounts somewhat awkward – silence, one of the players started to talk. And while versions differ a little, the general consensus is that Ravi Bopara then delivered some home truths that cut to the heart of England’s problems.Despite all the brave talk of how aggressively England were going to play at the World Cup, Bopara said, they still played the same timid cricket that had failed in the past. And, if they were going to improve their record – they have a wretched World Cup history since reaching the final in 1992 – things had to change.Bopara’s words did not please all his colleagues. But there was a great deal of truth in them and they were largely echoed by Eoin Morgan on Monday as he looked ahead the Royal London ODI series against New Zealand.”For a long time now, we’ve been behind the 8-ball in one-day cricket,” Morgan said. “We’ve fallen behind by a long way and it’s time for a catch-up.”After the World Cup we’ve come back and said we need to change the way we play and the proof in that is the selections that we have made. We’ve selected guys who play a different brand of cricket and we don’t want that to change once they put the England shirt on.”The guys we have brought in do something different and we want that to continue. If they play as well as they have done in county cricket then it will be very exciting.”It was the senior players who disappointed most at the World Cup. Morgan struggled for runs, Ian Bell struggled to bat the tempo required and failed in the key games, while both James Anderson and Stuart Broad were unable to bowl the full length required to utilise the new ball. The last three, and Bopara, have all been dropped and may struggle to win a recall.Morgan hails Reeve insights

Eoin Morgan has hailed the contribution of Dermot Reeve, the former England all-rounder, who spent a day with England’s limited-overs squad in an advisory capacity.
The news of Reeve’s involvement with the squad – revealed by ESPNcricinfo on Sunday – surprised some, but Morgan countered that Reeve’s experience as a hugely successful and innovative limited-overs players rendered him an ideal voice in the dressing room.
Morgan also explained that Reeve’s perspective on the role of the game in players’ lives, could also prove beneficial to young men who the management hope will relax and enjoy the experience.
“We are trying to connect as much as we can with past players and to have someone like Dermot around is very good,” Morgan said. “He is a very knowledgeable character. It’s important – particularly for the younger guys coming into the squad – to recognise that there is a lot more to playing for England than just pulling on the jersey and he emphasised that. Simple points coming from him to younger guys who have looked up to him as kids hold a lot of weight.”

There may be a temptation to return to them in time, though. The next two global ODI tournaments (the 2017 Champions Trophy and the 2019 World Cup) are both to be staged in relatively early season in England when a case could be made to select batsmen with a tight defensive technique and bowlers with experience. And, with such an aggressive batting line-up, there will surely be times when this young England side come unstuck.But Morgan, who will have a voice in the selection of both limited-overs squads while he remains as captain, is adamant that this squad is more than a reaction to the World Cup debacle and instead represents a brave new era.”It’s very important to recognise that it won’t come off all the time,” Morgan said. “But the intention of playing in the right manner is key and has to be key for a long period of time. Otherwise, if you ditch it after a few games, it won’t work.”In the new-look side, there will be more opportunity given to the likes of Ben Stokes, who is expected to bat at No. 4, and Jos Buttler, anticipated at No. 6, which could well mean no place for James Taylor.Morgan, who has scored only 491 runs in his last 29 ODIs (including nearly 25% of them in one innings) at an average of just 18.88, needs a decent series, or Taylor could be pushing for his place in the side and as captain.Jason Roy and Alex Hales will open the batting, which could threaten the long-term position of Moeen Ali, who was omitted from the squad to gain some red ball bowling time ahead of the Ashes, with Joe Root expected to bat at No. 3. Buttler remains vice-captain.Morgan insists that he feels “a lot more comfortable” with the bat than he did during the World Cup and credits his spell at the IPL for the improvement. That led him to suggest, not for the first time, that English domestic competitions had to be improved if more young players were going to graduate to the international teams prepared for the standard of cricket.”For some reason I always go to the IPL and come back a better player,” he said. “That has been the case this year. I feel a lot more comfortable with where I’m at.”In the ideal world we would have our own world-renowned domestic tournament that everybody wants to play in and you would see our younger guys flourish in what would be a very high standard of cricket. They would be put under pressure the majority of times they go out to bat, bowl or field. And that’s what we want.”We have heard much of this before, of course. But this time, as the ECB look at rescheduling the domestic season, it looks almost inevitable that the County Championship will be reduced to 12 games each per county with more emphasis given on limited-overs formats. Andrew Strauss, the director of England cricket, favours 10 gamesBut Morgan, at least, feels that, in partnership with Trevor Bayliss and Strauss, there is a common accord which can bring an improvement in England’s one-day performances.”Speaking with Strauss, he feels there is to be a difference between Tests and one dayers and a bigger priority on white ball cricket,” Morgan said. “That is the change that made me think, ‘hold on, we are actually going to make some progress here.’ I think there are plans being put in place to prioritise tournaments in the future instead of making overloading with Tests the priority.”Trevor’s strategy revolves around having athletes in your side – gun fielders – and then a couple of specifics: guys being able to turn the ball both ways and having your quicks looking constantly to take wickets and being aggressive with the bat. My experience with him has been brilliant.”We’re all on the same page as over the direction that we want to take this team and the brand of cricket we want to play. It might still take a bit of time but I’ll certainly be involved in selection, so I’ve got the squad I wanted.”

Tamil Nadu took another big step towards clinching a spot in the Ranji Trophy semi-finals, as half-centuries from Dinesh Karthik and Vijay Shankar helped the team build a huge lead on the penultimate day against Vidarbha in Jaipur

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Feb-2015
ScorecardFile photo: Dinesh Karthik hit 64 and shared an 89-run stand with Vijay Shankar to steer Tamil Nadu into a commanding position•Sivaraman KittaTamil Nadu took another big step towards clinching a spot in the Ranji Trophy semi-finals, as half-centuries from Dinesh Karthik and Vijay Shankar helped the team build a huge lead on the penultimate day against Vidarbha in Jaipur.Vidarbha, who began the day at 206 for 6 staring at an innings deficit, lasted less than 15 overs, as R Malolan (3 for 42), L Balaji and Prasanth Parameswaran quickly wiped out the tail, earning the team a lead of 144. Tamil Nadu, though, were jolted early in their second dig as three quick strikes from the medium-pacer Swapnil Bandiwar had them reeling at 26 for 3.However, Karthik and Shankar counterattacked, combining for a fourth-wicket association which yielded 89 runs. Karthik was eventually caught behind for 64, but Shankar carried on, adding a further 65 runs for the fifth wicket with R Prasanna to guide Tamil Nadu close to the 200-run mark. Shankar was run out for 82 – his second 50-plus score of the match – towards the end of the day, but with Tamil Nadu stretching their lead to 337, Vidarbha will need to quickly wrap up the tail on the final morning and then bat out of their skins if they are to achieve an unlikely outright win and reach the semis.

A round-up of IPL news on April 19, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Apr-2015Dale Steyn, who had to sit out the first three games for Sunrisers Hyderabad in favour of Trent Boult, said the move made sense as the New Zealander had had an outstanding World Cup.”Trent has just come out of a fantastic World Cup where he had 20-odd wickets,” Steyn told . “He offers something different to the team being a left-arm swing bowler and we have got a bunch of right-arm bowlers in the side. So it is nice to have that difference. I have got no problems losing out on a place to Trent. He was the in-form bowler coming out of the World Cup and it would have been silly if he was the guy on the bench at the start of the IPL.”Steyn said that sharing the new ball with Boult in the IPL would be “amazing”. “I think bowling alongside Trent would be amazing especially after the kind of World Cup that he has had. You kind of just feed off that energy. I am a player who enjoys playing with players that have got good energy about them. David Warner is another kind of guy who has just won the World Cup. It is great to play alongside him because you can just feel all the passion and the energy that he has especially after winning that World Cup.”Bipul Sharma replaces ill Laxmi ShuklaSunrisers Hyderabad allrounder Laxmi Shukla has been ruled out of IPL 2015 with an illness. Bipul Sharma, the former Kings XI Punjab left-arm spinner, has been drafted in as his replacement. Bipul played 15 IPL games for Kings XI from 2010 to 2013 and took eight wickets at an economy-rate of 8.07. Overall, he has taken 44 wickets from 55 T20 matches at an economy-rate of 6.35.

A round-up of the Ranji Trophy Group A matches on January 23, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jan-2015
ScorecardTamil Nadu celebrate after crushing Mumbai by an innings•Sivaraman KittaTamil Nadu spun out Mumbai to only their fourth innings defeat ever in the Ranji Trophy, and the first since 1951 against Gujarat. Mumbai resumed their second innings on 12 for 1 and were bowled out for 232 in 102.5 overs, still 44 short of making the hosts bat again. The only batsmen to reach double figures were opener Aditya Tare (36), Shreyas Iyer (52), captain Suryakumar Yadav (65) and Siddhesh Lad (42). Wasim Jaffer departed early in the day for 3 but Tare and Iyer put on 84 for the third wicket. Mumbai were 97 for 2 and then 175 for 4 as Yadav and Lad added 75 but fell apart once more against spin.Left-arm spinner Aushik Srinivas led with three wickets, including that of the Mumbai captain. Rahil Shah, whose left-arm spin had brought him 7 for 34 in the first innings, added two more to his tally. Even M Vijay’s part-time offbreaks fetched him two strikes, those of Tare and Iyer.
ScorecardOnly 54 overs were possible in Delhi after a washed-out second day, and Railways moved from 50 for 1 to 213 for 4. Rohan Bhosale fell soon after completing his half-century while opener Nitin Bhille fell five short of the mark. Arnab Nandi (33) departed in the next over after Bhosale’s fall as Railways slipped to 138 for 4. Arindam Ghosh (31 not out) and captain Mahesh Rawat (44 not out) put on 75 for the fifth wicket to guide the side past 200.
ScorecardNo play was possible for the second day running in Ghaziabad, where the umpires decided to call it stumps due to a wet outfield after an inspection at 3 pm.Karnataka v Baroda – Baroda stumble after curbing Karnataka