Report
MI survive Fulmali scare to get closer to final, go up 6-0 against Gujarat Giants
MI are just behind Delhi Capitals on the points table and another win will get them a final berth
S Sudarshanan
10-Mar-2025
Mumbai Indians 179 for 6 (Harmanpreet 54, Sciver-Brunt 38, Mishra 1-23, Gardner 1-27) beat Gujarat Giants 170 (Fulmali 61, Kerr 3-34, Matthews 3-38) by nine runs
Mumbai Indians (MI) continued their dominance over Gujarat Giants (GG) and took another step towards making a direct entry into the final of WPL 2025 with a nine-run win in their penultimate league match. The sparse home crowd was treated to a couple of stroke-filled knocks - MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur hit her third half-century in four outings at the Brabourne Stadium while Bharti Fulmali smashed her maiden WPL fifty, off just 22 balls, to give MI a mighty scare.
In the first match in Mumbai this season, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amanjot Kaur played support acts to their captain as MI posted 179 for 6. GG were kept on a tight leash in reply, with the lack of dew doing them no favours. Amelia Kerr and Shabnim Ismail shared five wickets - the latter delivering the key blows of Ashleigh Gardner and Phoebe Litchfield - as GG were all out for 170. It was just the third time in 19 games this season that a team successfully defended a target. It was MI's sixth win in six matches against GG in the WPL.
Full postRohit, Rahul, spinners lead India to third Champions Trophy title
India had just too much quality and depth to end their second straight ICC tournament unbeaten
Sidharth Monga
09-Mar-2025
India 254 for 6 (Rohit 76, Iyer 48, Rahul 34*, Bracewell 2-28, Santner 2-46) beat New Zealand 251 for 7 (Mitchell 63, Bracewell 53, Phillips 34, Kuldeep 2-40, Varun 2-45) by four wickets
New Zealand defended with all their might against heavy favourites India. But, in the end, India had just too much quality and depth for them, and ended their second straight ICC tournament unbeaten. They now hold two of the four ICC trophies, having lost in the final of the other two. In the last three ICC tournaments alone, India have won 22 of their 23 completed matches.
On a tired pitch, run-scoring followed a similar pattern to earlier games. Having won a crucial toss - India have lost their last 15 ODI tosses - New Zealand raced away to 69 for 1 in the powerplay, but the high-quality spin from India dragged them back. On a pitch offering them the least turn of all matches in Dubai this tournament, the four India spinners bowled 38 overs between them to concede just 144 runs and take five wickets. Again, as New Zealand got pace on ball at the death, Michael Bracewell scored 53 off 40 to give himself and his bowling colleagues a target.
Full postKonstas hits fifty in draw as NSW and WA lose ground in push for final
The visitors didn't entertain a target of 282 from 57 overs after Hilton Cartwright's unbeaten 171
Tristan Lavalette
09-Mar-2025
Western Australia 196 (Bird 3-22) and 346 for 4 dec (Cartwright 171*, Bancroft 86, Fanning 59) drew with New South Wales 261(Patterson 86, Morris 5-26) and 130 for 4 (Gilkes 53*, Konstas 50)
New South Wales opener Sam Konstas batted maturely on a tricky WACA surface late on day four to fend off Western Australia's unlikely push for victory as the pivotal Sheffield Shield clash ended in a draw.
It means both teams will have to rely on results going their way in the last round to make the final after Queensland leapfrogged them into second-placed with their earlier victory against Tasmania.
Full postLehmann and Scott lead South Australia to home Shield final
Victoria looked well-placed to push for victory but not for the first time of late they let a strong position slip
Alex Malcolm
09-Mar-2025
South Australia 283 (McSweeney 60, O'Neill 5-51, Boland 4-53) and 300 for 6 (Lehmann 105*, Scott 83, Hunt 66, Boland 3-69) beat Victoria 285 (Kellaway 79, Thornton 4-42, Buckingham 4-70) and 297 (Kellaway 77, Dixon 76, Scott 4-49) by six wickets
An inspirational unbeaten century from Jake Lehmann in combination with a career-best 83 from Liam Scott secured South Australia their first home Sheffield Shield final since 2016 after they chased down 300 with four wickets to spare to defeat Victoria at the Junction Oval.
Lehmann and Scott shared a match-defining 148-run stand to break the back of the chase having come together at 108 for 4. Henry Hunt also made a valuable early contribution of 66 and shared a 54-run stand with Lehmann. The trio withstood some brilliant spells from Scott Boland who took two late wickets to threaten to steal the game but ultimately Victoria could not sustain enough pressure with the ball.
Full postPlimmer's maiden ODI hundred gives NZ series win
Chasing 281, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 182 with Jess Kerr and Fran Jonas taking three wickets each
ESPNcricinfo staff
09-Mar-2025
New Zealand 280 for 6 (Plimmer 112, Bates 53, Kumari 3-70) beat Sri Lanka 182 (Dilhari 45, Silva 45, Kerr 3-22, Jonas 3-40) by 98 runs
Georgia Plimmer's maiden ODI hundred gave New Zealand a 2-0 series win over Sri Lanka as they beat the visitors by 98 runs in the third ODI in Nelson.
Batting first, New Zealand posted a formidable 280 for 6, for which the foundation was set by a 108-run stand between Plimmer and Suzie Bates at the top of the order. Bates fell for 53 but Plimmer carried on. After Emma McLeod fell cheaply, Plimmer added 60 for the third wicket with Brooke Halliday and 51 for the fourth wicket Maddy Green.
Full postQueensland revive final hopes with thumping victory
The visitors eased to their target on the final morning after a dominant display over the game
AAP
09-Mar-2025
Queensland 425 for 9 dec (Khawaja 127, Hearne 74) and 82 for 1 beat Tasmania 161 (Weatherald 55, Neser 6-37) and 345 (Weatherald 71, Webster 64*, Ward 52, Silk 50) by nine wickets
Queensland revived their Sheffield Shield hopes with a thumping nine-wicket win against Tasmania.
Set just 81 runs to win, they cruised to 82 for 1 on the final day at Bellerive Oval in Hobart. Test stalwart Usman Khawaja (33 not out) and Jack Clayton (34no) were untroubled in peeling off the last 56 runs to win on Sunday.
Full postVoll's 99* sets up dramatic win as UP Warriorz survive late Rana scare
Both Warriorz and RCB are now out of the tournament, with Gujarat Giants joining DC and MI in the playoffs
Shashank Kishore
08-Mar-2025
UP Warriorz 225 for 5 (Voll 99*, Navgire 46, Harris 39, Wareham 2-43) beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru 213 (Ghosh 69, Perry 28, Meghana 27, Rana 26, Ecclestone 3-25, Deepti 3-50) by 12 runs
UP Warriorz went out of WPL 2025 in the most thrilling manner, and they took defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru along with them. This means Gujarat Giants will now make their maiden playoffs appearance, joining Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians. The fight for the top spot, though, is still wide open.
Warriorz belted the tournament's highest total yet, courtesy Georgia Voll's unbeaten 99, another record for the WPL's joint-highest individual score. And that nearly didn't prove enough because Richa Ghosh and Sneh Rana threatened a jailbreak.
Full postCartwright and Bancroft put WA in a position to dictate terms
Victory for either side would be a significant step towards the Shield final but NSW could only manage two wickets on the third day
Tristan Lavalette
08-Mar-2025
Western Australia 196 and 209 for 2 (Cartwright 108*, Bancroft 85*) lead New South Wales 261 (Patterson 86, Morris 5-26) by 144 runs
Hilton Cartwright and Cameron Bancroft batted through two sessions on day three in an unbroken partnership of 181 to set up an intriguing finish in the pivotal Sheffield Shield match between Western Australia and New South Wales.
Batting had proven difficult across the first seven sessions on a tricky WACA surface, but the veteran WA batters dug in to turn the match on its head. Cartwright finished 108 not out and Bancroft, playing his 100th Shield match, was unbeaten on 85 from 260 balls as WA reached stumps at 209 for 2 in their second innings and a lead of 144 runs.
Full postQueensland on brink of victory despite Webster's runs
A win will keep them in contention for the Shield final and their bowlers performed as a unit on the third day
AAP
08-Mar-2025
Queensland 425 for 9 dec and 26 for 1 need 56 more runs to beat Tasmania 161 and 345 (Weatherald 71, Webster 64*, Ward 52, Silk 50, Steketee 3-87)
Queensland are on the verge of a crucial Sheffield Shield win after their bowlers quelled Tasmania's fightback on day three at Bellerive.
All seven batters at the top of the Tasmania order made starts in their second innings, but no one could replicate the day one century from Queensland and Test opener Usman Khawaja that set the tone for the game.
Full postDixon, Kellaway fifties, Scott four-for sets up thrilling final day chase
Sheffield Shield leaders South Australia will need a further 253 runs on the final of a tightly-fought contest
Alex Malcolm
08-Mar-2025
South Australia 283 and 47 for 1 (Hunt 31*, McSweeney 13*) need 253 more runs to beat Victoria 285 and 297 (Kellaway 77, Dixon 76, Scott 4-49)
Contrasting but equally vital half-centuries from Victoria youngsters Campbell Kellaway and Harry Dixon alongside four wickets to Liam Scott set up a tantilising final day run chase for South Australia at Junction Oval in Melbourne.
Kellaway made 77 and Dixon plundered 76 as Victoria were bowled out for 297 on the third day. Scott took 4 for 49 while Henry Thornton bagged 3 for 44 to leave South Australia needing exactly 300 to win. They finished the day 47 for 1 with Henry Hunt and Nathan McSweeney, who had earlier left the field after bowling one ball, negotiating a challenging final hour.
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