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A collective team effort, in which Wahab Riaz scored a crucial 20 off 8 balls, Usman Qadir took four wickets and Babar Azam made 65 off 45, helped Central Punjab to a two-wicket win against Balochistan.Opting to bat first, Balochistan were off to a sluggish start as captain Imam-ul-Haq departed within the third over. Bismillah Khan (21 off 19) and Abdul Bangalzai (19 off 18) put on a steady partnership to keep the scoreboard ticking but Qadir (4 for 25) and Wahab (2 for 19) ripped through the line-up to leave Balochistan reeling for 73 for 5 in 11 overs. Kashif Bhatti (27 off 27) and Umaid Asif (32* off 18) put together some valuable runs to take the total to 142.Central Punjab did not get to a strong start either in the chase as both Kamran Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad walked back cheaply within three overs leaving Babar to do the repair work. Although Babar stabilised the innings, wickets kept falling at the other end in regular intervals. The game nearly slipped through Central Punjab’s hands when he was dismissed by Akif Javed in the 16th over. Hasan Ali chipped in with 19 off 16 balls but the contest eventually came down to Central Punjab needing 20 off the last two overs. But a couple of no-balls from Junaid Khan, along with Wahab’s heroics as he hit two sixes and a four, helped them seal the win in the 19th over.A 49-ball 84 from Khurram Manzoor helped get Sindh off to a winning start, triumphing over Southern Punjab for the first time in four games.In a high-scoring contest in Rawalpindi, Southern Punjab got off to a flyer after being put in to bat, thanks to a blistering cameo from Zeeshan Ashraf. Sindh began to pull things back after the powerplay with regular wickets, Mohammad Hasnain coming back strongly after an errant first over to get rid of Zain Abbas at the top of the innings and a dangerous Aamer Yamin at the end.The middle was controlled by legspinner Zahid Mahmood, who turned in a masterclass to allow just 25 runs in his spell and putting paid to Zeeshan’s innings before it got out of control. Yamin had injected some impetus back into Southern Punjab by smashing 43 off 26 and setting Sindh 176 for victory.Unlike Southern Punjab, Sindh had, in Manzoor, someone who hung around and scored big right through the innings. A poor start from Shan Masood and Sharjeel Khan was quickly forgotten about as Manzoor settled into gear, dominating a 50-run third-wicket partnership with Sarfaraz Ahmed as they got back in control of the asking rate.Southern Punjab’s bowlers were never able to make breakthroughs in the way their Sindh counterparts had, even if Manzoor’s dismissal in the 17th over offered hope. However, Anwar Ali stepped in decisively to quash it, a whirlwind 41-run partnership off 15 balls at the death ensuring Sindh got home with four balls to spare.

Hampshire 163 and 26 for 2 need a further 367 runs to beat Yorkshire 243 and 312 for 6 dec (Ballance 101*, Kohler-Cadmore 89, Hill 55)Yorkshire put themselves in a strong position to wrap up an emphatic victory against an under-manned Hampshire after another LV= County Championship day of dominance at the Ageas Bowl.Starting the day on 37 for 1 – a lead of 114 runs – the visitors batted their dispirited opponents out of the game after declaring on 312 for 6 – setting a mammoth target of 392 for an unlikely victory.Then Tykes then reduced the hosts to 26 for 2 before the close after Ben Coad had dismissed Ian Holland for 3 thanks to a one-handed diving slip catch by Harry Brook before Tom Alsop fell in the penultimate over of the day to Dom Bess to leave Hampshire 367 runs behind and needing to bat 96 overs to save the match.Ground specialist Gary Ballance chalked up his sixth score of 100 or more at the venue and his first century of the season. The left-hander belted seven leg-side sixes on his way to an unbeaten 101 – taking his overall first-class total at Southampton to 1150 in 15 innings.After losing attack leader Kyle Abbott late on day two with a foot injury that will keep him out of next week’s clash with Warwickshire, Hampshire were further rocked by the absence of fellow pace spearhead Brad Wheal before play got underway. Wheal, who has enjoyed a breakout season, didn’t take the field due to a knee problem.Although Holland and Keith Barker were left to carry the load of the seam bowling and the spin of Mason Crane and Liam Dawson took up the rest of the slack, Yorkshire batsmen Tom Kohler-Cadmore and George Hill resisted any early temptation to cut loose with just 67 runs added before lunch in an uneventful session that saw no wickets fall.It was a trend that continued until an hour after lunch when Hill edged Holland behind for 55, bringing Ballance to the crease with obvious orders from the dressing room to up the ante. The former England batter took no time in tucking in against a tired attack, hitting five sixes off Dawson on his way to his half-century.Kohler-Cadmore also broke the shackles, hitting 18 off four Crane deliveries before finding the hands of Dawson at deep extra cover to be dismissed for a fine 89.Ballance continued to tee off after tea, smashing two sixes off the part-time seam of James Vince after the Hampshire skipper had Harry Brook caught for 12 by Nick Gubbins.Jordan Thompson, promoted up the order, put on a quickfire 59 with Ballance, before holing out for an entertaining 33 and Bess departed for a duck before Steve Patterson called his players in.

England are prepared to give opportunities to fringe players and tweak their usual plans in this week’s T20I series against Pakistan, which Eoin Morgan has said they are treating as their “last chance” to look at options ahead of October’s T20 World Cup.The ICC requires teams to submit a provisional squad for world events a month before the start of each tournament, which means this is England’s last T20I series before that deadline in mid-September. While they will have the chance to fine-tune in Bangladesh and Pakistan before the World Cup starts in the UAE in October, this is their final opportunity to test fringe players.England are without a handful of first-choice players in the series: Ben Stokes was rushed back from his finger injury to captain the makeshift ODI squad last week and has been given a short break ahead of the India Test series, and while Jofra Archer is due to travel to the Ageas Bowl with the Sussex squad on Friday, he is not expected to make his return from elbow surgery this week as things stand. Reece Topley remains injured, while seven of the group who entered self-isolation after the third Sri Lanka ODI are either recovering from the virus, rested, or not selected.”Not knowing what is ahead of ourselves, we need to look more into a little bit more into strength in depth,” Morgan said. “You’ll see us giving opportunities and going through various little options in the next three games for possible injury replacements for certain players within the group.”100 percent [there will be more rotation]. The priority throughout the series will be to give guys opportunities and treating it as though it is our last chance to look at guys in various positions. I still think the roles will be the same, but there will rotation throughout the squad.”That could mean opportunities for Saqib Mahmood with the new ball, and for Lewis Gregory as a specialist finisher or a seam-bowling allrounder, following their impressive showings in the ODI leg of Pakistan’s tour. Morgan was forced to watch that series on TV while in self-isolation but said that both players had furthered their chances for inclusion in the T20I side, and described England’s approach to the series as a “compliment” to the group that had won the 2019 World Cup.”They’ve done themselves the world of good, to be honest,” Morgan said. “The one thing you look at when guys come in and out is a marked improvement from the time they [first] get the opportunity to the time the next opportunity arrives. The two guys mentioned and [James Vince] were outstanding.Related

• Saqib Mahmood, Lewis Gregory earn T20I call-ups as Eoin Morgan returns as captain

• Saqib Mahmood seizes 'fearless' team mindset to make his mark for England

• England's big guns return as chastened Pakistan seek response to ODI rout

“I think everybody within the group was extremely proud to watch them play like they did, simply because it’s the biggest compliment you can pay to anybody who played in the World Cup group, and the way we’ve played in the last five years has had such an impact on the game. Guys recognise that opportunities are few and far between but when they do come, the method that the team plays is starting to resonate with people around the country, which is great.”Over the last six years, with the amount of cricket we play, you don’t get to enjoy the cricket as much as you’d like. But sitting back and watching the guys [and] the way the guys played was hugely satisfying. They played an exciting brand of cricket, they really enjoyed themselves, and the result came with that. It was all-round hugely beneficial.”Morgan highlighted death bowling as an area for improvement last month, after admitting England had not been tested at the end of the innings during their 3-0 clean sweep against Sri Lanka, and that means there will be pressure on both Chris Jordan and Tom Curran to perform, not least after Morgan name-checked Tymal Mills as an alternative option for the World Cup last month.”I think everybody is going to get an opportunity to bowl at the death – probably not the spinners, but certainly the seamers,” Morgan said. “When you look at an area of improvement, you don’t always look at your best guys to do it when you’re trying to plan ahead. Everybody will have a chance… it’s an opportunity in these three games to look at guys under pressure.”As for Stokes, Morgan admitted that his injured finger “hasn’t come along as he and the medical team would have liked” and that he was missing the T20I series as a precaution.”He dug us out of a huge hole coming back early from his injury and I think leading the way he did is a huge compliment to the leader he is within our side, how mature he has been as a leader and now a captain,” he said. “We gave him every chance to be fit. He hasn’t played a lot of cricket and he’s had some R and R [rest and relaxation] at home and feels quite fresh. The finger hasn’t come along as he and the medical team would have liked, so it’s important it’s as good as it can be for the Test matches against India.”

Australia’s intent to fight the Border-Gavaskar series to the finish has been made clear by the calculated gamble of selecting Pat Cummins to replace the injured Mitchell Starc for the last two Tests in India.Most of the focus on Cummins has been about ensuring he is fit to be considered for next summer’s home Ashes series, but a head-turning display for New South Wales on his Sheffield Shield return at the SCG this week has encouraged Trevor Hohns’ selection panel to call-up the fast man ahead of that more conservative schedule. Provided he acclimatises quickly he is every chance of being slotted straight into the team for the third Test in Ranchi.Starc had picked up a stress fracture in his right foot during the second Test in Bengaluru, and his exit has opened a path for Cummins to return to the Test squad for the first time since his memorable debut against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2011.That week Cummins bowled with high pace and precision to earn man of the match honours at the age of 18, also striking the winning runs to help the Australians secure a tense, two-wicket victory over the Proteas to level the series. He has returned older and wiser but once more at a juncture of high significance for the national team.Cummins took eight wickets on his return to Sheffield Shield this week, nearly six years after his last first-class appearance in the 2011 Sheffield Shield final. Figures of 4 for 57 and 4 for 47 in the Blues’ eight-wicket win over South Australia helped convince the newly reappointed selection panel that his ability to make an impact with speed and movement made him the ideal substitute for the explosive Starc.0:51

Quic Facts – Cummins back after missing 64 Tests

“In selecting Pat, we were looking for a strike bowling replacement option,” Hohns said. “Pat has impressed in his return to cricket this summer with consistent performances in his ODI, Twenty20 International and Big Bash matches. He has also had a very good Sheffield Shield return for New South Wales, after six years off, where he made a notable Shield best 4-57 in the first innings, before bettering those figures in the second innings with 4-47 in his man-of-the-match performance.”A raft of foot, side and back injuries in the wake of the 2011 Wanderers Test match caused Cricket Australia to take a longer view of Cummins, holding him out of Sheffield Shield and Test cricket while making use of him in the ODI and Twenty20 teams. His only first-class matches between 2011 and this year were for Australia A.Late last year, Australia’s captain Steven Smith was quizzed on whether it was feasible that he could be working with Cummins during the India Tests. While saying such a scenario was “possible”, Smith reserved judgment by saying “he’s obviously got to play some Shield cricket first and see how he goes”. One Shield match, and an unexpected chance to push India all the way on the current tour, have turned possibility into reality.

Misbah-ul-Haq, who did so much to steer Pakistan away from the 2010 spot-fixing scandal, has spoken of his disappointment at having to face up to another case of corruption in Pakistan cricket. Six years ago, Misbah took over a Test side gutted by the sudden loss of its captain and opener, Salman Butt, as well as its new-ball pair of Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir. This time, he was already captain of the Islamabad United side from which Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif were chargedfor alleged breaches of the PCB’s anti-corruption code.”Nobody wants Pakistan and Pakistani players to be associated with fixing again,” Misbah told ESPNcricinfo. “After six years of hard work such things happening again is a matter of great concern and disappointment. I am really disappointed. But, I think whenever such things happen, you have got to be very strong to face them. Forget about the individuals who are responsible and try to make sure that things are not happening again; move forward, try to perform better, try to be disciplined and improve the reputation around the world.”This latest case, during the ongoing Pakistan Super League, has come as the Lord’s trio stands all but reintegrated into the Pakistan system. Misbah has captained Amir at the international level through the course of 2016, while Butt and Asif are back playing domestic cricket. ESPNcricinfo understands Butt is also in contention to make the national squad for the tour of the West Indies in March. But given what has happened in the PSL, the PCB could be forced to rethink that situation.Frustratingly for the Pakistan board, the latest incident has come after six years of concerted effort to tighten its anti-corruption code and practices. Men’s and women’s teams, at all levels, are given lectures before any tour or series, emphasising the dangers of corruption, as well as the ways in which approaches might occur. Players are given literature in Urdu as well. At the domestic level, apart from the regular programme, Amir, Asif and Butt gave anti-corruption lectures in which they spoke about their experiences.The alleged incidents of corruption in the PSL have come as big blow for the PCB, which had taken great steps to stamp it out of Pakistan cricket•PCB

Both Sharjeel and Latif are Pakistan internationals. Sharjeel, especially, was on the verge of becoming a vital cog in the national side. He has played 25 ODIs and 15 T20Is since his debut in December 2013, and over the last year or so, blossomed into the kind of opener Pakistan needed, especially in limited-overs cricket. He was one of the few bright spots in Pakistan’s chastening tour of Australia recently, from the time he made his Test debut in Sydney to his three fifties in the ODI series. Potentially, under the PCB’s anti-corruption code, he could be facing a life ban.Losing Sharjeel and Latif, along with Andre Russell before the season began for an anti-doping code violation, has hit Islamabad hard as they try to defend their title. At the halfway stage of the PSL, they have two wins and two losses.”It obviously affects you when your match-winners and best players go down, but then, there are other boys on the bench raring to go in, and they are equally good,” Misbah said. “There are tough situations, but it’s about the environment and the winning habit so that it doesn’t matter who comes and goes. The boys take inspiration from every win. They are building up, they are getting the confidence, and with couple of victories, we have a way forward in this PSL. They know their roles, they are always ready to chip in and win us games. Our squad is capable enough to retain the title this year.”Islamabad retained their 17 players this season. The core of their side, however, is an aging one, with several of them over 35 years old. But for Misbah, that is an asset.”Philosophy is just to have players who have better understanding about the game,” he said. “Players who are fit for the game, know their roles, handle pressure very well, and if there are younger players around, then they have good chance in making in our squad as well. It’s not deliberate, but this is actually helping us because we have players from around the world who are mature and experienced in this format. This is actually an advantage for us in many ways as we have players who are mentally strong.”

Match facts

January 19, 2017
Start time 1120 local (0320 GMT)

Big picture

Pakistan find themselves in the unfamiliar position of trying to capitalise on a win down under – their first in any format against Australia in Australia for more than a decade. In Melbourne they won in a fashion that emphasised the strength of their bowling attack, by allowing the batsmen a target within their reach. Perth and the WACA Ground offer the opportunity for a similar result, as the Perth Scorchers have demonstrated in mastering the defensive elements of the Twenty20 format in building an enviable record in the west. The left-armers Mohammad Amir and Junaid Khan should enjoy the pace and bounce on offer, provided they find the right length for the conditions. Equally intriguing will be whether the stand-in captain Mohammad Hafeez can utilise his spin bowlers on a surface not likely to be as sluggish as the MCG was.Australia’s mixed priorities – win this series but also keep an eye on the looming tour of India – mean a changing team for Steven Smith to lead. Peter Handscomb is following up his richly successful early Test matches with an ODI debut in place of Mitchell Marsh, while Mitchell Starc did not even fly west in order to rest up. This means another opportunity for Billy Stanlake, who could manage only three overs on debut in Brisbane.

Form guide

Australia: LWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan: WLWWW

In the spotlight

Following his barnstorming century before lunch on the first morning of the SCG Test David Warner  has made a quiet start to the limited-overs portion of the summer, seeming strangely subdued by his naturally aggressive standards. Perth affords the chance for fast-scoring conditions, and the hosts will want a better display from Warner to help underpin a more substantial top-order display after the false starts of Brisbane and Melbourne.Returning to the team at the MCG, Junaid Khan demonstrated his quality to help put Pakistan in a position to win. His intelligence and tightness as a bowler should serve him well in Perth, where consistency and subtle movement can be rewarded. An Australian top-order lacking in certainty after a pair of poor displays will also be a strong reason for Junaid to approach the bowling crease with plenty of intent.Mohammad Amir should enjoy the pace and bounce that may be on offer in Perth•Getty Images

Team news

Mitchell Starc has been rested from the ODI, with Billy Stanlake returning in his place. Peter Handscomb is in for his ODI debut in place of Mitchell Marsh, while Chris Lynn has been ruled out of the remainder of the series with a neck complaint.Australia 1 David Warner, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 Peter Handscomb, 5 Travis Head, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 James Faulkner, 9 Pat Cummins, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Billy Stanlake.Pakistan will consider recalling Wahab Riaz for the WACA Ground, but should otherwise try to preserve the combination that won so well in Melbourne.Pakistan (possible) 1 Mohammad Hafeez (capt), 2 Sharjeel Khan, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Asad Shafiq, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 8 Imad Wasim, 9 Mohammad Amir, 10 Junaid Khan, 11 Hasan Ali/Wahab Riaz.

Pitch and conditions

The WACA Ground surface is not as swift as it used to be, but should afford decent pace and carry to bowlers prepared to bend their backs. The forecast is for a fine and warm, somewhat overcast day.

Stats and trivia

• Pakistan have won four of six ODIs between the two teams in Perth, though Australia’s two victories came in the most recent meetings in 2010
• Peter Handscomb will become Australia’s third ODI debutant of 2017 after Chris Lynn and Billy Stanlake. There were seven – Scott Boland, Joel Paris, Adam Zampa, Travis Head, Daniel Worrall, Joe Mennie and Chris Tremain – in 2016

With an injured Angelo Mathews returning home, Upul Tharanga has been named stand-in captain for the five-match ODI series against South Africa, ahead of Dinesh Chandimal, who will lead the side in the series-deciding third T20I on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka’s ODI squad

Upul Tharanga (capt.), Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Thikshila de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Lahiru Madushanka, Asela Gunaratne, Sandun Weerakkody, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Kusal Mendis, Chaturanga de Silva,Sachith Pathirana, Seekkuge Prasanna, Lakshan Sandakan, Isuru Udana.

Seam-bowling allrounder Lahiru Madushanka and wicketkeeper-batsman Sandun Weerakkody received their maiden call-ups in ODIs and are due to join the squad already in South Africa along with left-arm spinning allrounder Chaturanga de Silva, who has played six ODIs.They will act as cover for fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep and opener Danushka Gunathilaka who have returned home with hand and back problems respectively.In November, when both Mathews and Chandimal were injured, Tharanga became Sri Lanka’s 19th captain in ODIs, and led them to a tri-series win in Zimbabwe. This came after Tharanga was dropped for the home series against Australia, only playing in the fifth ODI after the series was lost.Chaturanga last played for Sri Lanka in 2014, but he has worked his way back into contention with strong performances in first-class cricket. He picked up 35 wickets in six matches at 21.71, including two five-wicket hauls, in addition to 560 runs at 50.90, including six fifties, for Nondescripts Cricket Club in the Premier League tournament.Madushanka hit 346 runs and took 15 wickets in seven matches in the same tournament, while Weerakoddy, opening the batting, scored 530 runs in six matches. He is the third wicketkeeper-batsman in the squad behind Nondescripts Cricket Club team-mates Chandimal and Niroshan Dickwella.The first ODI begins in Port Elizabeth on January 28.

ScorecardJoe Clarke top scored before he was bowled•Getty Images

England Lions completed a clean sweep of their one-day series against the United Arab Emirates in Dubai thanks to the depth of their batting and the quality of their bowling and fielding.The Lions top order failed to fire for the second game in succession after they were put in on a tricky pitch, with only Joe Clarke of the top five passing 30. But they still posted a decent total of 223 for 8, the highest of a low-scoring series, thanks to handy contributions lower down the order, led by 40 for the Surrey allrounder Sam Curran, who later impressed with the ball, alongside Craig Overton and Ollie Rayner, who both took three wickets.The UAE threatened to pull off an unlikely win led by Adnan Mufti, a 31-year-old left-hander from Rawalpindi, on his debut, but Mufti was run out by Liam Livingstone’s powerful throw from the long-on boundary with the UAE still 16 runs short.”I think it was quite good for us to be in a tight game at the end there,” said Rayner. “Their left-hander played really well and we had to work hard to get the win. Through the series we’ve had lots of different guys taking wickets with Stuart Meaker in the first game and Tom Curran in the second, and a few of us shared them out a bit today.”Overton is on his fourth Lions tour even though he is still only 22, and aiming to make up for lost time after suffering injuries in each of the last two winters. “It’s been frustrating with the injuries the last two years, but I had a good season with Somerset and so far things have been going well,” he said.Curran, returned to the team with his older brother Tom rested following his five wickets as the Lions clinched the series on Saturday, made the first breakthrough courtesy of a low one-handed catch by Clarke, who was keeping for the first time on the tour.Ben Foakes, who had worn the gloves in the previous two matches, then showed his ability in the outfield with a sharp catch at midwicket to give James Fuller his first success.Rohan Mustafa, the opener who has been UAE’s best batsman all series, was leading the charge again until he launched Rayner straight down the ground and Overton intercepted just inside the boundary. With the first ball of his next over, Rayner had Mohammed Usman, another left-hander, lbw sweeping, and when Overton claimed a deserved wicket in a probing opening burst of 4-2-2-1, UAE had slumped from 71 for 2 to 81 for 5.Rayner claimed a sharp return catch for his third wicket, and Tom Alsop snapped up Saqlain Haider at point to give Fuller his second. Then Overton returned to collect a couple more, although the Lions were relieved when Livingstone ended the last-wicket resistance.Livingstone had also made an impression with the bat, hitting two sixes in a fourth-wicket stand of 65 in 14 overs with Clarke. But they fell in quick succession to leave the Lions on 115 for 5, and they were indebted to Curran, the youngest member of the squad, for showing maturity as well as ability in partnerships of 45 with Foakes and 34 with Fuller.The Lions must now switch quickly to red-ball mode, with practice at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday before a four-day match against Afghanistan.

ScorecardFile photo – Holly Huddleston paved the way for New Zealand’s entry into the Women’s World Cup with 4 for 20•Getty Images

New Zealand women’s bowling prowess came to the fore with right-arm medium pacer Holly Huddleston taking 4 for 20 before half-centuries from Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine studded their seven-wicket win over Pakistan Women in the fourth ODI in Nelson.That meant New Zealand extended their dominance in the series to go 4-0 up with one match remaining, and more importantly, become the third team after Australia and England to seal a spot in next year’s Women’s World Cup, leaving just one direct entry to be filled up.Pakistan, asked to make first use of a new surface at the Saxton Oval, stuttered to 158 in 48.1 overs, before New Zealand chased the total down with 165 balls remaining, having struck at well over seven an over.Bates dedicated the performance to victims of the earthquake that shook New Zealand on Monday. The match was preceded by a minute’s silence and players of both teams wore black armbands. “We wanted to pay our respects after a challenging and tragic week for New Zealand,” she said. “It’s been a tough week for some of the players who are based in Christchurch too, along with everyone else, and we wanted to go out and play some cricket to take our minds off that and honour those people who are really struggling at the moment.”Early signs did not point to such a one-sided contest, however, as Pakistan had got themselves into a strong position, scoring 107 in the 28th over for the loss of just Nahida Khan for 16 in the 13th over. But Ayesha Zafar’s dismissal, caught and bowled off Amy Satterthwaite’s right-arm medium pace, for 52 – her maiden ODI fifty – triggered a collapse with Pakistan losing their last nine wickets for 51 runs.Satterthwaite dismissed Bismah Maroof for a first-ball duck, but Javeira Khan denied her the hat-trick. Captain Sana Mir tried to keep the fight going with 31, but ran out of partners rapidly, and was the last batsman dismissed. Huddleston finished with 4 for 20 in 7.1 overs. Lea Tahuhu and Satterthwaite took two wickets each and were both economical, while Bates and Ameila Kerr took one each.New Zealand got off to a flier with Bates and Rachel Priest putting on 38 in 3.4 overs. Bates flayed Sadia Yousuf for five consecutive fours in the second over of the chase. Although Mir dismissed Priest with her fourth ball, it hardly slowed New Zealand down. Bates kept the carnage going in the company of Devine, promoted to No. 3, adding 94 in 14 overs.Bates biffed 66 off 52 balls and Devine struck 54 at just over a run a ball. Bates fell in the 18th over and Devine became Javeira Khan’s only victim less than three overs later, but with New Zealand needing just 17 and almost 30 full overs to play, it was too little too late for Pakistan.

Test matches in Australia will be in need of a new naming rights sponsor from mid-2017 after it was revealed that Commonwealth Bank’s new $15 million deal to support diversity in the game over the next three years is in fact a reduction of the bank’s investment in cricket by more than a third.The previous deal between the bank and Cricket Australia, announced in May 2013, was set to last four years to a value of no less than about $50 million. It included name sponsorship rights to the Australian Test team playing at home and home Test series. But ESPNcricinfo has been told this will not be renewed beyond July next year.”Commonwealth Bank remains a proud partner of Cricket Australia and is excited to rebalance its sponsorship to help even up the gender and diversity scales in professional sport,” a Commonwealth Bank spokesperson said. “On top of the initiatives announced yesterday, we will continue to support the Test series until July 2017 and throughout the upcoming summer series.”At the time it was a significant expansion of the bank’s role in support of Australian cricket, for its previous deal had covered the Southern Stars women’s team and grassroots competitions for a far less significant sum. It arrived at a febrile time for the game down under also, with Mickey Arthur about to be sacked as coach and replaced by Darren Lehmann ahead of back-to-back Ashes series.”Over the last 26 years we have been involved with Australia’s favourite sport from grassroots to grandstands,” the Commonwealth Bank chief executive Ian Narev said at the time. “Test Cricket is the pinnacle of Australian cricket, so we are proud to strengthen our commitment to the game by becoming the new sponsor of the Australian Test team and Test series.”The bank was duly the beneficiary when a team clad in their logos not only won the Ashes 5-0 at home but also went on to win 2-1 in South Africa. Qantas subsequently took up sponsorship of Australian touring teams. Vodafone had previously been the naming rights sponsor for home Tests, a deal that began in 2010.The “rebalance” of the bank’s sponsorship will now be directed at women’s cricket, indigenous players, players with a disability and local clubs. However the downgrade in financial investment will also leave a shortfall for CA’s commercial and financial divisions to have to work through unless the next Test match naming rights sponsor can match or improve on the 2013 deal.”We have taken this opportunity to review our sponsorship structure, and have decided to separate Naming Rights Sponsorship for the men’s international team and the series itself,” a CA spokesman said. “This means that, from summer 2017-18, the men’s team will have one naming rights sponsor, and the Test series will have another. Next year will be an Ashes series, which presents a very attractive proposition for any of our existing or potential partners.”We have already tested this proposition with the market, where we have received a very enthusiastic response. An association with the Australian men’s cricket team is clearly a highly attractive proposition for corporate Australia and we anticipate that this rebalancing of the portfolio will lead to significant revenue growth in corporate sponsorship. We have full confidence that we will have new commercial partners in due course.”