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Pitches like the one in Dhaka maximise Bangladesh’s strengths and enable them to push for WTC points, but what does it do to their fast bowlers?

Mohammad Isam06-Dec-2023After the first day’s play in Dhaka, where spinners took 13 of the 15 wickets that fell, a familiar question hangs in the air: how much home advantage is too much home advantage?The Shere Bangla National Stadium is the home of Bangladesh cricket for a reason. It houses the cricket board, and it is also the venue the senior team banks on for big wins. It is at this stadium that Bangladesh built their reputation of being a highly competitive team, but it is also, perhaps, one reason for Bangladesh not being quite as good when they play on flatter surfaces anywhere else in the world.Related

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The debate rages on: are Bangladesh just maximizing their strengths? The question, though, could be worded differently: do Bangladesh feel that their spinners are their only strength? They may have reason to feel this at present, given that their two best fast bowlers are out with long-term injuries, and also because their batters have endured a difficult year, particularly at the World Cup.At that very World Cup, though, a number of Bangladesh’s players spoke about the need for preparing truer pitches for home games. Some of the difficulties Bangladesh faced in India stemmed from their inability to adjust to good batting pitches. A team that usually play ODIs that produce totals in the 240-260 range can’t really be expected to thrive on pitches where 300-plus totals are par.What Bangladesh did in Dhaka was something of a reversion. Having beaten New Zealand comprehensively on a decent though slow batting surface in Sylhet, they went back to the Dhaka norm: a square turner. Head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe had been dropping hints that this could happen even during the build-up to the series, stressing on Bangladesh’s need for home wins in this World Test Championship cycle. It was a strong direction of the direction they want to take in Test cricket.Bangladesh and Hathurusinghe aren’t alone in this. India coach Rahul Dravid has similarly reasoned that the pressure of needing to maximise WTC points has led teams to prepare more result-oriented pitches.Day one in Dhaka was reminiscent of Hathurusinghe’s 2016 blueprint of raging turners at home. Bangladesh pulled off Test wins against England and Australia in Dhaka that season, but after the team lost to Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and West Indies between 2018 and 2021, the template came under criticism for being too one-dimensional. Russell Domingo, who coached Bangladesh from 2019 to 2022, oversaw a change to more sporting pitches in some series.Hathurusinghe, interestingly, was in charge when Bangladesh beat Afghanistan by 546 runs in June, on a rare fast bowlers’ pitch at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. That pitch, though, was prepared keeping in mind Afghanistan’s perceived weakness against short bowling. It was also a non-WTC game, so they could take that chance.Spinners took 13 of the 15 wickets that fell on day one of the Dhaka Test•AFP via Getty ImagesAfter Wednesday’s play against New Zealand, spin-bowling allrounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz said Bangladesh would have to maximise home advantage especially when WTC points are involved. This pitch, he suggested, wasn’t impossible to bat on, particularly once the ball was more than 30 overs old.”Sylhet had a slow pitch with some help for batters at first, and then for spinners,” Mehidy said. “We are habituated with the Mirpur wicket. Whenever we play abroad, those teams take home advantage. We try to take it in Test cricket. If we can get these points in the WTC, we will be in a better position in the points table.”It is slightly challenging for batters, but if they are committed to their shots, they can play. Batters have to take these responsibilities. The first 30 overs are challenging, but when the ball gets old, it gives the batters an opportunity. The ball doesn’t do much when it gets old on this surface.”Mehidy, who took three wickets to help reduce New Zealand to 55 for 5 after Bangladesh were bowled out for 172, said he had tried to keep things simple. While speaking about the wicket of Kane Williamson, who was caught at short leg off a ball that turned and bounced sharply, Mehidy stressed on the importance of planting doubt in the batter’s mind.”It is important to keep things simple for bowlers,” he said. “I tried to turn the ball in the first few overs. I tried to keep my spot knowing that the pitch will play its part.”I didn’t try anything big, but I just tried to confuse him [Williamson]. A confused batter is bound to make mistakes on this pitch. I wanted him to think which way to play against me. I tried to keep him under pressure. This dilemma often produces a wicket.”Mehidy made a distinction between red- and white-ball cricket when asked whether Bangladesh need to play on better batting surfaces at home.”Players try to adjust to the conditions whether it’s a good wicket or not,” he said. “I think we can take these advantages in Tests, but we probably should play on better wickets in white-ball cricket.”But look, if we can’t bowl them out, it is hard for us to win. We usually bowl sides out after conceding a lot of runs in overseas Tests. I think it will take time for things to change.”Shoriful Islam has been Bangladesh’s lone seamer in both Sylhet and Dhaka•AFP/Getty ImagesWhat this template does to fast bowlers could be a big question going forward. Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson bowled only 9.2 overs between them in Bangladesh’s first innings, but they know it’s a one-off for them. They will mostly play in conditions that aid fast bowling in some form. But for it’s a cause for concern for Shoriful Islam, or Bangladesh’s wider fast-bowling group.Shoriful was Bangladesh’s lone seamer in both Sylhet and Dhaka. He will go to New Zealand from here, where he has to bank on the memory of bowling on helpful conditions. Others like Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman and Tanzim Hasan will go underprepared, without having built up a Test-match workload in the home season. In the past, the adjustment between minimal bowling in home Tests and shouldering a major burden overseas has cost Bangladesh’s fast bowlers.New Zealand hasn’t said anything negative about the nature of the pitch, but that may be because their one press conference in this Test match so far involved a spinner, Mitchell Santner, who was playing his first Test in two-and-a-half years. Santner took 3 for 65 as the New Zealand spinners picked up eight of the ten Bangladesh wickets.”That’s the challenge when we come over to this part of the world,” he said. “It does spin, and that’s cool. It’s good for us to come in and challenge ourselves on these kind of wickets, because when we go back home, we make green ones that can nip around.”We know how good Bangladesh are at home, and they’re very tough to beat in these conditions, and they showed in the first Test the blueprint of how to go about their work on these kind of surfaces.”If the unseasonal rain stays away from Dhaka, the second day could be decisive, and the match could be over on the third day. Either way, the Dhaka Test is unlikely to see a turnaround for batters, with the pitch only expected to get harder to bat on. It could put the venue under the match officials’ radar too. The Shere Bangla National Stadium has incurred demerit points in the past.Ultimately, the merits and demerits of a one-sided pitch are felt by the home side’s decision-makers. If there is an advantage to be had, they will take it. Bangladesh aren’t going to complain about Dhaka pitch – at least not until they see a flat one or a green one somewhere else in the world.

Allrounder bounces back from being dropped after two games for unlikely starring role at No. 3

Matt Roller14-Nov-20213:12

Moody: Credit to Langer and Finch to galvanise this Australian team

Mitchell Marsh stands tall in his stance, collar popped. This is Marsh’s first World Cup final and when the first ball arrives, he is in the midst of a storm: Australia have lost Aaron Finch early on and Adam Milne, New Zealand’s fastest bowler, is ready to test out Marsh’s perceived weakness against hard lengths.Milne bangs his first ball in halfway down at 89mph/144kph, straying on to Marsh’s hips. Glenn Phillips is riding the boundary at deep-backward square-leg and sees Marsh’s pull heading in his direction, then cranes his head to see it fly into the 20th row of the lower tier.Milne’s second ball is quicker and shorter, 92mph/147kph and nipping away off the seam. Marsh rocks on to the back foot, opens the face, and steers it away fine, beating deep third to his left.His third is banged in again, 88mph/141kph and back of a length, and Marsh smears it away on the pull, beating Phillips to his left. In the space of three balls, New Zealand’s early stranglehold has loosened.Related

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Eighty minutes later, Marsh has 77 not out off 50 balls, hitting both of New Zealand’s spinners – once his kryptonite – for towering sixes on his way to the highest score of his T20I career. Glenn Maxwell reverse-sweeps the winning runs and Marsh runs towards him screaming, lifted off his feet in celebration.Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa, his close friends, are the first two Australia players running on and they embrace him like proud parents. “I feel like a lot of people say this but I don’t really have words right now,” Marsh said, on collecting the match award. “What an amazing six weeks with this group of men. I absolutely love ’em to death – and we’re world champs.”Six months ago, Marsh was pulled aside by Australia’s coaching staff at the start of their tour to the Caribbean and told he would be given a chance to bat at No. 3. Even with several senior players missing, it came as a surprise: Marsh had filled the role in the Big Bash but his T20 international opportunities had come as a finisher, with limited success.Cricket on ESPN+

Match highlights of the Men’s T20 World Cup final is available in English, and in Hindi (USA only).

The message was simple: to impose himself on the game and make the most of the opportunity to face fast bowlers in the powerplay. Marsh had worked hard to improve his range against spin and was still dismissed by West Indies’ spinners four times out of five – but his tally of 219 runs, three fifties and a strike rate of 152.08 made him Australia’s player of the series by a distance.His record in Bangladesh – 156 runs off 158 balls in five innings – hinted at a struggle but he was Australia’s leading scorer again, 99 clear of anyone else. On slow, low pitches he found a way to survive against spin after hours of work in the nets against Australia’s spinners. “He’s the one guy at the moment, facing spin, [who] I’m really comfortable about,” Zampa said.Marsh’s emergence – and the management’s hunch that Australia could survive with allrounders as their “fifth” bowler – was enough for them to rip up a long-standing structure of five frontline bowlers, with Marsh given licence to go hard at No. 3. But after an innings of 11 off 17 in their opening game against South Africa and a Thanks For Coming against Sri Lanka, Justin Langer told him he would be left out against England in Dubai.”I politely said ‘no worries, mate’ and walked back into my room,” Marsh told Fox, “and I screamed into my pillow.” With only six specialist batters, Australia were timid, rendered unable to attack after losing early wickets. They were thrashed, losing with 50 balls to spare, and causing Aaron Finch to bemoan their lack of attacking intent. “He was obviously disappointed, but he knew that it wasn’t a performance thing,” Finch said. “It was only a structural change.”Five days later, Marsh was back in the side with licence to attack, with Finch and Langer emphasising their focus on playing “really aggressive” cricket. The cushion of Matthew Wade at No. 7 meant the value of top-order wickets decreased, which Marsh recognised, taking early risks in order to maximise Australia’s powerplay.Mitchell Marsh runs towards old friends Adam Zampa and Marcus Stoinis to celebrate the win•ICC via Getty ImagesAgainst Bangladesh, he crunched Taskin Ahmed for four then six to seal a crushing win, against West Indies two days later, he hit 53 off 32 balls to confirm qualification. “We were comfortable with being able to fail being aggressive, because we know that’s when we play our best,” Finch said after the final.In the semi-final, Marsh was thrown into the heat of the battle in Shaheen Afridi’s first over, trapped on the pad first ball only for the umpire’s call to save him. After a nervy start, he drove Afridi through extra cover for four, then struck Haris Rauf for six and four in consecutive balls to keep Australia up with the rate.Marsh has never lacked for critics, derided by many as a player whose opportunities have owed as much to his father and his promise as any track record of performance. “Most of Australia hate me,” he laughed two years ago after taking his first Test five-for. “There’s no doubt that I’ve had a lot of opportunity and haven’t quite nailed it, but hopefully they can respect me for the fact I keep coming back… hopefully I’ll win them over one day.””He’s the nicest person you’ll ever meet in your life,” Finch said. “He’s obviously a special player. To be able to put up with the critics for so long when his performances haven’t been bad, by any stretch of the imagination, in any format of the game. For him to keep coming back and keep improving when people keep doubting him shows how much of a quality person he is.”Marsh’s match-winning hand in the final epitomised the tangled process behind Australia’s success: a fortnight ago, he was running the drinks but four games of backing talent, power and aggression to the hilt have seen them lift the trophy. When Australia wakes up on Monday morning, they will have an unlikely new hero.

As he has done so often in his already-impressive MLB career, Shohei Ohtani achieved a feat no other baseball player has accomplished. Ohtani, who made his seventh start of the season on Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals, pitched four innings for the first time in 2025, striking out eight batters while allowing no walks and just one earned run. At the dish, Ohtani belted a two-run homer to give himself some run support in the bottom of the third inning.

Since RBI became an official statistic in 1920, Ohtani is the only MLB player to hit a homer, strike out eight-plus hitters, drive in more runs than he allowed and draw more walks than he allowed, according to OptaSTATS. For good measure, Ohtani's third inning homer was also the 1000th hit of his career. In other words, he was quite busy.

The kicker? The Dodgers lost 5-3.

Ohtani, speaking to reporters through his interpreter Will Ireton after the game, expressed his belief that he could have done more to help the Dodgers win, particularly at the plate.

"A really close game throughout," Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. "I think it would have been a huge win for us if we were able to flip the script. I could have done better with the quality of at-bats in the middle part of the game."

It's hard to believe that Ohtani could have done more, given just how much he accomplished on the field. But the mindset is admirable nonetheless. He did go on to acknowledge that it was a big day for him "personally", noting he was pleased to pitch through the fourth inning for the first time this season.

But it's clear that he would have been more pleased had the Dodgers managed to earn a win. And wins are becoming even more paramount for Los Angeles, which holds just a two-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the National League West.

Marcus Rashford may have fired another shot at Manchester United, with the England international claiming that the "environment" that he now forms part of at Barcelona "pushes us to be the best". That could be considered a nod towards those at Old Trafford not providing players with a platform on which they feel comfortable and capable of unlocking full potential.

Fresh start: Rashford tumbled out of favour at Man Utd

Rashford stepped out of the Red Devils’ fabled academy system to become a first-team star while still in his teens. He took in 426 appearances for the Premier League heavyweights, scoring 138 goals.

A personal-best return of 30 efforts in 2022-23 earned Rashford a lucrative new contract, but said deal is unlikely to be honoured. With form fading from that point, the 28-year-old forward was loaned out to Aston Villa last season. He now finds himself on the books of Barcelona.

Rashford has rekindled a professional spark alongside Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski at Camp Nou, with six goals and eight assists being recorded through 21 appearances. He is back in favour with Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALWinning environment: Rashford happy and settled in Catalunya

A man that relies on confidence in order to deliver on expectations believes that he is now in ideal surroundings when it comes to recapturing consistency and playing with a smile on his face. Some of that love for the game was lost when falling out of favour in Manchester under Ruben Amorim.

Rashford has told of embracing a new culture in Catalunya that sees everybody pulling in the same direction: "I've always been, like many people in the world, an admirer of Spanish football.

"To play for the biggest club in Spain is a huge honour. I'm looking forward to playing more games here, just doing my best and try to help the team to win. It's a club that demands this. The environment is always pushing us to be the best players we can be so it's perfect to be in a place like this as a player."

On his bid to silence any doubters, Rashford added – with questions having been asked of his commitment to the cause at Old Trafford: "I don't see anything here as like a pressure. It's just, I'm here to play football. It's been amazing. I feel welcome, I feel at home. I've just been enjoying every step of the way."

Language barrier: Rashford taking Spanish lessons

There has been a language barrier for Rashford to break down, but he is taking lessons in a bid to become bilingual – which will help to make communication with club colleagues easier. He said of being embraced by the Barca family: "All my teammates welcomed me well and I also felt very good in the city. It’s the first time I’ve lived away from Manchester, but I’m already starting to feel at home. I want to learn more Spanish and I’m trying."

Blaugrana boss Hansi Flick has said of helping Rashford to settle in new surroundings, with it important that he feels happy off the field in order for performances to be delivered on it: "I followed him his whole career, I was impressed with his quality, what he’s doing in the box in front of the opponent’s goal. He has shown it in Barcelona. Also for him this change to live in another culture, with fantastic people, nice weather, it’s amazing. We can see now he’s also smiling a lot. If he can enjoy the atmosphere we have it’s also very good."

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Getty Images SportPermanent transfer: How much it will cost Barcelona to sign Rashford

Rashford joined Barca on an initial season-long loan. The reigning La Liga champions have the option of making that move permanent in 2026, with a €35 million (£31m/$41m) transfer fee being agreed.

The 68-cap England international has no intention of returning to the infamous ‘bomb squad’ at Old Trafford and will be doing all he can to convince Barcelona of his worth. There have been plenty of reports to suggest that a purchase clause will be triggered at some stage.

Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez has opened up about why he believes England have all the necessary “ingredients” to win the 2026 World Cup. Joining host Adebayo Akinfenwa for the latest episode of GOAL’s Beast Mode On Podcast, the Selecao manager predicts the Three Lions will go far at next summer’s showpiece in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

• Expectations high in England as Kane hails 'world class' Tuchel

  After topping Group K by winning all eight of their qualifying fixtures, expectations are high in England ahead of the World Cup. Thomas Tuchel’s men booked their place in North America following an impressive campaign which saw them score 22 goals and concede none in clashes against Albania, Serbia, Latvia and Andorra.

  And as a result, there is strong belief within the England camp that they can go all the way in their quest to add to their sole World Cup success in 1966, with captain Harry Kane singling out “world class” Tuchel as someone who could make the all-important difference.

  “He's done a really good job,” Kane said in November. “Coming in to being England manager is never easy, especially after Gareth who was one of our most successful managers. He's [Tuchel] tried to stamp his own feel into training, into meetings.

  “He comes with a lot of enthusiasm. Tactically we are really precise going into every game. He's been building different ideas leading up to next summer. Form now until then there will be more he would like to add. Tactically he has been fantastic.

  “He brings a personality, he brings an aura that represents an England manager. Going into a major tournament that is important as well. Other teams know he is one of the best managers in the world and that brings weight as well.”

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  Portugal boss Martinez gives his thoughts on Three Lions' chances

  One man who also believes England have what it takes to lift the World Cup is Portugal boss Martinez, who is well-accustomed to English football having also managed Everton and Wigan Athletic in the Premier League.

  Sitting down for a chat with GOAL’s Beast Mode On presenter Akinfenwa, Martinez agreed with Bayern Munich striker Kane that the very presence of Tuchel means England should be considered as one of the “favourites” to win the competition.

  The 52-year-old said: “You’ve got a manager [Tuchel] that’s got a neutral way, that’s won the Champions League [with Chelsea], he’s managed at the highest level.

  “I always feel that the club competitions prepare the players individually to represent the national teams. 

  “The players England have, they get the benefits of the competitive aspect of the Premier League and what they do in the Champions League, these clubs.

  “The product is there, the ingredients are there. So I do feel that England are part of that ‘favourites’ group.”

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  Ex-Everton and Wigan manager predicts England's World Cup rivals

  Speaking of a ‘favourites group’, Martinez believes there are several countries who could cause England problems at the World Cup, including one national team that are yet to secure their place at the tournament.

  “Argentina, Brazil are two teams that are competitive, they always find a way,” Martinez continued. “Germany, for me in Europe, they are making huge progress under their coach, [Julian] Nagelsmann. 

  “Obviously Italy, they are in the playoffs but if they qualify, they will be a team that can go all the way. They’ve got these extremes, they won the Euros [in 2021], then they don’t qualify in either of the World Cups [in 2018 and 2022], either side of the Euros.

  "And you have to accept that teams like France and probably Spain now, they are number one in the [FIFA] world rankings, they should probably be the favourites out of anybody just because of their historic past, the belief that their national teams have, the players that have won every single tournament at youth level, and they just won the Euros [in 2024] with quite a distinctive superiority.”

  England – alongside Martinez’s Portugal – will find out who they will play at the World Cup when the draw takes place on Friday, 5 December in the United States, with the ceremony starting at 17:00 GMT (12:00 local time).

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• Watch the Beast Mode On Podcast episode, starring guest Martinez

  Check out every episode of GOAL's Beast Mode On Podcast via the official YouTube channel. You can also listen to full episodes via Spotify.

Innings By no means the perfect innings for Pakistan, but 160 should be enough on this Dubai wicket. A fiery return to form for Mohammad Haris, who scored 66 off 43 deliveries, was the primary contribution that helped Pakistan to that figure.Either side of him, Pakistan struggled. They managed just two boundaries in the first five overs, which produced just 31 runs, with Saim Ayub falling for a golden duck. Sahibzada Farhan, put down early, scratched through his innings for 29 off 29, and it was left to Haris, promoted up the order, to inject impetus into the innings.Sixteen came off the final powerplay over, and that was the start of the onslaught. Until then, Haris had 16 off 18. His next 25 balls would produce 50 as Pakistan raced up close to eight runs per over, but once again, Oman pegged them back. Aamir Kaleem, the left-arm spinner, was the pick of the bunch as he had Haris drag on, before Salman Agha lapped a full toss off his first delivery to deep midwicket.It produced another barren spell for Pakistan and the boundaries dried up again. Fakhar Zaman struggled for timing and Hasan Nawaz, so often a hammer at the death, couldn’t get himself in, and holed out off his 15th ball for nine runs. It wasn’t until Mohammad Nawaz arrived in the 17th over, his cameo ensuring Pakistan got past the 150 mark. On a slow wicket in Dubai, that might just do the job, but Oman’s bowlers have ensured their batters get a sniff.

Newcastle United's midfield general, Sandro Tonali, might return to his former club, AC Milan, in the future. The potential comeback was hinted at by the player and pundits alike before Italy's World Cup qualifier against Norway, which was played at the San Siro, the home of Milan and Inter. Having represented the club for multiple seasons, his return is much anticipated by Rossoneri fans too.

• Tonali an important member at Newcastle and Italy

  Since his move to Newcastle in the summer of 2023, and facing a ban sometime later, Tonali has regained his position in the lineup, and under head coach Eddie Howe, has established himself as a vital cog in the system. Even for Italy, after debuting under Roberto Mancini back in 2019, he is now the go-to man for Gennaro Gattuso, as well as for the former manager Luciano Spalletti. Tonali recently featured in the World Cup qualifier against Moldova, which Italy won thanks to two late goals. After the game, the midfielder reflected on his potential return to the San Siro for the national team.  

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  What did Tonali say?

  After defeating Moldova, Tonali said about returning to San Siro, where he spent three seasons: "Exciting. The last time I was there was almost three years ago. Every time I return there in my career, I will be excited. I can’t say I experience it like the first time, but it will always be like returning for the second time." 

  Post these comments, journalist Carlo Pellegatti revealed Tonali's ambitions on his YouTube channel (via Sport Witness). As per the Italian media, the 25-year-old wants to return to Milan and also captain the side. However, such a move is not expected to develop in the next few years, since he is contracted to Newcastle until 2029, and acquiring his services would demand a hefty transfer fee. 

• Italian media ignites hopes of Tonali's potential return

  Rising to the limelight at Brescia, Tonali caught the attention of Milan, whose recruiters initially signed him on loan in 2020. After bossing their midfield for a season, the 25-year-old was signed on a permanent deal in 2021, and thereby spent two successive seasons commanding the middle third and acting as the defensive shield.  However, in 2023, he was bagged in by Newcastle, with a lucrative transfer fee. As per Pellegatti, he is sure that Tonali would once again return to the club that helped him gain prominence in European football. He said, "I’m quite sure, not next year or the next few years, Milan doesn’t have the money for Tonali’s transfer fee and salary. I’m sure though that he will return to Milan, he wants to return to Milan. I don’t know at what age, but he wants to end his career at Milan, maybe even as captain."

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  What comes next for Tonali?

  After playing the entire game against Moldova on Thursday, Tonali was excluded from the matchday squad for the Norway clash at San Siro. Tonali would now return to the Newcastle camp, with important domestic and continental fixtures lined up for the Italian defensive midfielder. Placed 14th in the Premier League, with 12 points from 11 games, the Magpies need to return to winning ways after the international break. Their last fixture before the break was against Brentford, which they lost 3-1. They will resume action on November 22 against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, and the following week will face Marseille in the Champions League and Everton in the English top flight. While these fixtures will pose an immense challenge to Tonali and his teammates, Howe will hope for a turnaround like no other. 

  The Magpies' position in the continental showpiece is by far the better. They are placed sixth with three wins and one loss in four games. A matchup against 25th-placed Marseille might be the match that Howe will target as the game-changer of the season. Moreover, a win over the French outfit will elevate their status over City and Paris Saint-Germain, in case the duo drop points in that week.

Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma, Matthew Breetzke also made important half-centuries as South Africa thumped Australia by 98 runs

Firdose Moonda19-Aug-2025

Keshav Maharaj claimed his first ODI career five-for as South Africa registered an emphatic, series-opening win over Australia in Cairns.Defending the highest total at the venue, 296, South Africa grabbed the match by the horns when they took 6 for 29 between the eight and 17th overs, as Maharaj delivered a sterling spell in which he found appreciable turn and maintained a consistent line to pick up 5 for 33. The margin finished as Australia heaviest runs defeat at home since 1991.Maharaj was omitted from the T20Is, as all-format coach Shukri Conrad preferred spin-bowling allrounders in the squad, but served up a reminder of his efficacy in shorter formats with his performance in Cairns. Conditions suited him, as they did the other spinners involved. Offspinner Prenelan Subrayen was the other early wicket-taker and finished with 1 for 46 from his 10 overs on ODI debut, while in the first innings Australia relied on part-time offspinner Travis Head, who bowled nine overs with a return of 4 for 57.Related

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As the numbers suggest, the surface was slow and spinner-friendly and with this being just the sixth ODI to be played in Cairns, it was difficult to judge a par-score. South Africa’s proved to be in excess of par and their trio of half-centuries from Aiden Markram, Matthew Breetzke and Temba Bavuma were more valuable than they initially appeared to be.Australia’s only real batting resistance came in the form of their captain Mitchell Marsh, who fell 12 short of a fourth ODI century. He shared in a 71-run seventh-wicket stand with Ben Dwarshuis which gave their innings some heft.That partnership came after Marsh watched his line-up collapse and squander a rollicking start against South Africa seamers. Marsh and Head scored 60 in the first seven overs and the highlight was Head’s take-down of left-arm seamer Nandre Burger, who he hit for five fours in an over. One of those came off the edge but the other four were full-blooded blows down the ground, over midwicket and through the offside as Australia brought up fifty in five overs.Mitchell Marsh tried to hold Australia together•Getty Images

The introduction of spin put a stop to all that. Head charged at Subrayen in his second over and missed which gave Ryan Rickelton plenty of time to complete the stumping. Maharaj was brought on at the other end and struck first ball. He had Marnus Labuschagne lbw, hit on the back pad by a ball that straightened. Labuschagne reviewed but replays showed the ball was hitting the top of middle stump.As if to script, the first ball of Maharaj’s second over also brought a wicket, with the best delivery he bowled. It pitched on middle and straightened to beat Cameron Green’s edge and take off stump. Maharaj had to wait slightly longer for this third but only until the second ball of his third over which Josh Inglis tried to hit off side but was stuck on the back foot and bowled. Alex Carey was then given out lbw sweeping the first ball he faced and Maharaj was on a hat-trick. He didn’t get it but completed his five-for two overs later when Aaron Hardie was bowled in similar fashion to Green.At that stage Maharaj had figures of 5 for 9 and South Africa could have hastened the end of the contest in the next over when Dwarshuis, on 4, drove Subrayen to cover but Maharaj spilled the chance. He wasn’t the only one drifting. South Africa meandered through the next 13 overs, using double-spin until Maharaj was bowled out. In that time, Marsh brought up a 51-ball fifty, when he cut Maharaj through point and South Africa seemed out of wicket-taking ideas. Burger was brought back after 28 overs and had his first success when Dwarshuis, on 33, pulled him to Dewald Brevis at midwicket.How Keshav Maharaj went through Australia•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Still, with Marsh in the middle, Australia would have had hopes of pulling off a heist but Burger’s more disciplined return also ended his knock. Marsh top-edged a pull and Rickelton completed the catch. Tristan Stubbs’ catching nightmare in Australia continued as he put down Adam Zampa at cover in what was his third drop of the tour. Zampa was last out after Lungi Ngidi wrapped things up in the 41st over with two wickets in three balls.South Africa’s innings had earlier started well, albeit somewhat slowly thanks to a 92-run opening partnership between Markram and Rickelton. They were circumspect in the face of a stern examination from Australia’s opening bowlers, Josh Hazlewood and Dwarshuis who found a hint of movement and denied them width. They were 32 without loss after seven overs, with Markram fairly comfortable opening the batting in an ODI for the first time in four years.Rickelton could have been run-out for 8 but a Carey throw missed the stumps, was given lbw to Head out on 25 but reviewed successfully, survived an Australian lbw review on 28 when replays showed Zampa had pitched outside leg and was dropped on 31 when Inglis could not hold on to a tough chance. His troubled stay at the crease ended when he tried to hit Head over mid-off and was caught by a diving Labuschagne.Aiden Markram scored 82 from 81•AFP/Getty Images

Markram’s 13th ODI fifty came off 54 balls, and was laced with well-timed drives and cuts and would have gone a long way to easing concerns about his form. He moved through the gears quickly and was on 82 off 81 balls, set for his first century in 20 innings, but loosely edged behind against Dwarshuis.Bavuma, in a new position at No.3 and batting for the first time since the World Test Championship final, was underway with a signature pull over midwicket but found it difficult to keep going. Breetzke proved a complementary partner who took on more of an aggressor role. He hit Dwarshuis over midwicket for the innings’ first six in the 28th over and took on Australia’s third spinner Labuschagne when he swept him for back-to-back fours but did not last into the last ten overs for a big finish. Breetzke top-edged a slog-sweep in 39th over to leave it to the power-hitters to finish off.Stubbs and Brevis both holed out to long-on in the space of four balls as Head removed South Africa’s two most destructive middle-order hitters. Bavuma brought up his fourth successive half-century with a paddle sweep but inside-edged onto his stumps and could not close the innings out.Instead, Wiaan Mulder’s 31 off 26 balls added the finishing touches. He ended the innings with South Africa’s third six, hit high over long-on off Dwarshuis. South Africa scored 73 runs in the last 10 overs, but lost five wickets in that time.

Josh Tongue says that there has been no mention of the word “draw” in the home dressing-room at Headingley, a state of affairs that KL Rahul believes will play into India’s hands as England seek to hunt down a target of 371 on the final day of the first Test.England have drawn only once in their 36 Tests since Ben Stokes took over as captain, when rain washed away the prospect of a result at Old Trafford in the 2023 Ashes. There is a chance that the weather will play a role on the final day in Leeds, too, but the equation otherwise stands at 350 more runs – or ten wickets – required in 90 overs for a positive result.Tongue said that there was no situation in which England would consider a draw to be a good result, saying, “[We will] just go for the win. That’s the clear message in the changing room. It’s just [about] being as positive as we can. They’re going to bowl well at times tomorrow. It’s just crucial we soak up that bit of pressure and reapply it. I don’t see why we can’t chase that down.”Related

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Rahul, who top-scored with 137 in the third innings, echoed Tongue’s sentiments, and said that England’s attacking approach would suit India’s bowlers. “There’s definitely going to be a result,” he said. “That’s what England have said very openly, and their style of cricket suggests that as well. It gives us a good opportunity to pick up ten wickets. We know how they’re going to come out and bat on day five.”The wicket today was a very tricky wicket: I spent a lot of time batting there and I didn’t feel set at all at any given stage. The wicket’s taken a beating, and tomorrow might break even more… We know their style of cricket, so [we’ll] try to keep that in the back of our heads and try to see what lines and lengths we can bowl and how we can get them out.”Rahul also revealed that India had fallen short of the target they were hoping to set, after collapsing from 333 for 4 to 364 all out. “There was a little bit of discussion about how many runs we need on the board or… maybe giving them a few overs to bat in the evening today and see if we can pick up a wicket or two,” Rahul said. “Ideally, from the position we were in, we would have wanted at least 40 or 50 runs more.”Tongue said England were “really confident” after seeing out the final six overs of the day. “If you look at our batting line-up, it’s very strong. We play a positive brand of cricket. Chasing 371 is going to be a good thing for us to do tomorrow. Getting through that first 30-45 minutes tomorrow is going to be crucial, and then hopefully [we will] get the winning runs.”