Talha, Junaid shine on dull day

For the second successive day, Pakistan's bowlers struggled on a flat pitch. The team, however, could take heart from the success of their pacers, Mohammad Talha and Junaid Khan

Pakistan bowlers may have started the second day optimistic about their chances of ending Sri Lanka's resistance but had little success as the visitors reached an imposing 428 for 9. While Pakistan's bowlers contained the Sri Lanka batsmen well - conceding only 208 runs in the day - they could grab wickets only after the batting side had managed to build themselves into a position of strength. However, there were positives for Pakistan on the second day, specially the bowling of pacers Mohammad Talha and Junaid Khan.

Talha, bowling in only his second Test after a gap of nearly five years, provided the much-needed breakthroughs on both days and finished with figures of 3 for 99 in 32 overs. He is one of the fastest bowlers in Pakistan's domestic cricket circuit, but was pushed back with the emergence of Mohammad Amir and Junaid Khan. Talha remained on the periphery of national selection for a long time and was left out for the squad for the first two Tests, but his performance showed an eagerness to make the best of an opportunity that came out of the blue.

On an unresponsive surface, Talha experimented a tad too much but though he was short of length, his patience was rewarded with the vital scalps of Prasanna Jayawardene (35) and debutant Dilruwan Perera (95). Junaid, at the other end, charged in throughout the day and was tidy, although he did not get too much movement with the ball. Junaid was Pakistan's most successful bowler, taking 3 for 81 at an economy rate of 2.53.

Saeed Ajmal, on the other hand, struggled again. He had picked up two wickets on the first day, but the Sri Lanka batsmen tackled him sensibly on the second and scored more fluently off him. He was wicketless throughout the day and was left cursing a pitch that did not offer much help. He finished the innings with 2 for 120 in 55 overs. Prior to the Sharjah Test, Ajmal had called for more supportive pitches but as Pakistan's strike bowler, he is expected to take wickets irrespective of conditions.

Like the first day, Pakistan also had a few issues surrounding umpiring decisions, as many reviews ended up in Sri Lanka's favour. Had those decisions been in their favour, Pakistan could possibly have restricted Sri Lanka before the tea break. It may not have made an overwhelming difference but it was better than nothing on a day when the team struggled.

"This is what Test cricket is," Junaid said, after an unproductive day. "We tried hard to extract the best out of the day, but it was a flat pitch. The way the batsmen have batted in last two days, there is nothing much for the bowlers."

Given the current match situation, the onus is on Pakistan's batsmen to show composure in their innings and Junaid was optimistic about the team's chances in the match: "The way pitch is acting, our batsmen can push hard tomorrow to make quick runs to turn the pressure back on Sri Lanka. We are hoping the pitch can do a bit later in the match."

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Sri Lanka take comfort from new heroes

Fourteen months on from fielding their oldest ever XI in a Test, Sri Lanka have regenerated at great speed and now brought to the fore, a talented crop of youngsters who are bound to leave the fans very excited for the future

Bowlers bowling well, batsmen batting better, Pakistan toiling, Sri Lanka staying patient, earnest line-and-length, flat pitches and attrition. Day two in Sharjah has mimicked so many others in an abrasive series, but for the visitors, there was something new to cheer for.

If Sri Lanka's strategy in dry pitches such as this could be summed up in a phrase, it is probably- bat first, bat big and let the spinners loose. In Sharjah, they attempted a return to that blueprint. Though two of their old juggernauts remained, it was Sri Lanka's new heroes, wielding an unfamiliar mode of operation, who were best at bolstering the team's position. After the long break in Tests, this tour was perhaps always going to be one of discovery, but few would have expected to unearth so much resilience in so many places.

Angelo Mathews is having the series of his career so far. He arrived in the UAE as a captain-in-training but will depart with unequivocal authority in his station, having orchestrated a furious counterattack, a resourceful fightback, and now, a stalling knock that appears to have fenced Sri Lanka's lead in the series. His batting on day two is perhaps not the kind of Test cricket that inspires fans to pay close attention to every ball, but there was no mistaking Mathews' concentration against good Test bowling, despite the docile surface.

The 164 dot balls in his innings show that Mathews was content to refuse what Pakistan did not give freely. Good judgement of both the bowling and the surface were his biggest assets in his vigil, but having arrived in the Sri Lanka team with a taste for aggression, his self-restraint against Pakistan has been remarkable. Until he perished (perhaps suddenly innervated by the prospect of another trip to triple-figures), Mathews had barely touched anything that was not threatening the stumps, save the balls short enough for him to cut.

Grinding his runs out not only helped frustrate the opposition - an emotion manifested most conspicuously in Saeed Ajmal- but it was also a percentage play on a pitch that has shown signs that its deterioration is imminent. Sri Lanka have bossed the series, and did not need to shake its glacial pace. Pakistan must now attack on day three if they are to reel in Sri Lanka fast enough to level the score. And even if they achieve parity in the first innings, a fourth-innings chase to win the match is only likely on the fifth day, when Sri Lanka's spinners will pose significant menace.

Mathews has also inspired calmness in less-experienced batsmen at the other end in this series - another sign of his burgeoning leadership ability. He had put up vital stands with Shaminda Eranga and Dinesh Chandimal in Abu Dhabi, and in Sharjah, helped guide Dilruwan Perera to the highest ever score by a Sri Lanka debutant away from home.

"The wicket is still a little hard to score on, so Angie told me to stay at the crease and that the two of us should try to extend the team's total," Dilruwan said. "I'm disappointed to miss out on 100, especially because not many Sri Lankans have done it on debut. The pull shot I played to get out was the only time I played that shot to a fast bowler. But at the same time, I'm happy about my 95."

Few would have expected Sri Lanka to have earned such a dominant place in the series without a major contribution from the likes of Kumar Sangakkara and Rangana Herath, but players like Dilruwan, Kaushal Silva and the fast bowlers have made surprising leaps to assure fans the future is not as bleak as once imagined. Sri Lanka played their oldest ever Test XI against New Zealand in 2012, but 14 months hence, they appear to be regenerating at speed.

It helps that Pakistan are an opposition they enjoy playing against. In their 13 most recent encounters, Sri Lanka have only lost once, though only the future challenges may be a better barometer.

In this match, Sri Lanka have also benefited from some good fortune via the margin for umpires' call in the DRS system. Three 50-50 decisions went their way on day one, and two more came on Friday as Pakistan exhausted all their reviews. Had an equal share of the contentious decisions fallen Pakistan's way, Sri Lanka might not have managed even 300 in the first innings, particularly if Sangakkara's gloved catch had also not been overlooked and Mathews' return catch on 0 been snaffled.

If Sri Lanka can protect their lead or even go one better, they will leave the UAE satisfied not only with the win, but also with their youngsters who would have all been instrumental in achieving it.

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Loubser stars as South Africa win series

South Africa 95 for 6 (Loubser 25*) beat Pakistan 94 (Ismail 3-25) by four wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Sunette Loubser claimed two wickets and then struck 25 not out to guide South Africa to victory in the tri-series final in Doha. In a low-scoring match, 16 wickets fell for 189 runs but South Africa had enough contributions down the order to get home with 39 balls to spare.

Having only managed to make 94, Pakistan fought hard with the ball, taking regular wickets. Sumaiya Siddiqi and Nida Dar both claimed two wickets in parsimonious spells but South Africa could afford to progress at just two runs an over. At 38 for 4 and with two new batsmen at the crease, there was a window of opportunity but Loubser and Shandre Fritz closed it during a 31-run stand.

Having been put in, Pakistan began steadily and despite a couple of early losses were 56 for 2 after 20 overs. Two balls later, however, Loubser had top-scorer Javeria Khan caught for 30 and the pressure began to increase. Bismah Maroof and Dar were the only other batsmen to make double figures, as seamer Shabnim Ismail claimed figures of 3 for 25.

Pakistan's last six wickets fell for just 18 runs as the group-stage winners, in a tournament that also featured Ireland, lost to South Africa for the second time in three days. The same teams will now contest a T20 tri-series, with the first match on Sunday.

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Big Three could control revamped ICC

The ICC is to consider a comprehensive structural overhaul of world cricket administration that will effectively cede most executive decision-making to the BCCI, Cricket Australia and the ECB. A draft proposal on these lines will be presented to the ICC Executive Board during its quarterly meeting in Dubai on January 28 and 29.

The proposal, drafted by a "working group" of the ICC's Finance & Commercial Affairs (F&CA) committee - in which the BCCI, CA and ECB are key members - recommends wide-ranging changes in the ICC's revenue distribution model, administrative structures and the Future Tours Programme (FTP), questions the relevance of Test rankings and suggests the reinstatement of the Champions Trophy over the World Test Championship.

And almost every recommendation of the "position paper" gives a larger share of control over world cricket to the Australian, English and Indian cricket boards - both in the boardroom and on the field. It also gives them a larger share of revenues, in a ratio that is linked to the ICC's revenue growth.

The ICC says these radical proposals await response from and the approval of member boards. The document does, however, contain an April deadline for the formation of the ICC Business Co (IBC) - a newly formed business arm which will be set up to replace the existing IDI (ICC Development International) - in order to take over the task of issuing tenders for the ICC's next media rights and sponsorship cycle.

The proposal recommends creating a four-member group called the Executive Committee (ExCo) between ICC committees and the Executive Board, which consists of the heads of national boards. The ExCo, the proposal recommends, will include three permanent representatives from CA, ECB and BCCI, who will share an annual rotating chairmanship. A fourth member of the ExCo will be nominated by the ICC's Executive Board and come from the seven other Full Member nations. The ExCo, if created according to the draft, will become "the sole recommendation committee … on all constitutional, personnel, integrity, ethics, development and nominations matters."

When detailing Test match promotion and relegation, the document states that "relegation exceptions" will apply to India, England and Australia. This is "solely in order to protect ICC income due to the importance of those markets and teams to prospective ICC media rights buyers."

This document was made available to the ICC member nations in Dubai on January 9, as part of a special meeting called in addition to the normal ICC Board meetings held every three months. There is a possibility that the proposal could be even be brought to vote as early as the January meeting even though the ICC, which offered no formal statement, indicated that the document was a only working paper that awaited both response and approval from the Board.

There had been a buzz among member nations that these proposals were being worked on between BCCI, CA and the ECB over the past six months but the first that other member nations saw of it was the document on January 9. A representative of a Full Member board outside the BCCI-CA-ECB triad said the proposals were a radical return to the old "veto system" in which England and Australia controlled all decision-making. The newest, richest and, therefore, most influential entrant into this club of power is the BCCI.

"They are attaching the right of a country to rule the cricket world to its economic strength", this official said. The proposal by the BCCI, CA and the ECB to exempt themselves from relegation was, he said, contradictory: "On one side, they say they are following meritocracy. But then they base promotion and relegation on financial strength."

At an administrative level, the recently-created post of ICC chairman, (meant to reduce the powers of the president and be given to the "the best man for the job") will, according to the new proposal, become an annual rotation between "one of the nominees of the ECB, CA or the BCCI." Similarly, the BCCI-CA-ECB will nominate the annual chairman of the Finance & Commercial committee, thus nominating their own candidates in three key ICC positions: the head of the ExCo, the F&CA committee and the chairmanship of the ICC. The ICC chairman will not head other major committees of the ICC, its F&CA committee or the IBC, the commercial arm of the ICC.

The proposal states that the IBC is to be "established immediately" in order to take charge of the next cycle of ICC media and sponsorship rights from 2015-2023. The immediacy being referred to is the ICC Board meeting of April 2014.

The bulk of the "position paper" comprises a section focusing on a 'distribution model' of ICC revenues. The ICC's current funding model distributes surplus revenues equally among Full Members and, in smaller proportions, to its Associate and Affiliate members. This, the proposal says, "does not recognise the contribution of individual members" and provides for a "distorted distribution model that undermines self-sufficiency." The "value contribution" of India is listed as "over 80%" with the other Full Members' contribution ranging between "0.1% to 5%." The proposal says: "If ICC funds were entirely allocated on the basis of where they came from, all Members bar two would suffer a seriously damaging reduction in their funding," a position "not favoured by BCCI, the ECB or CA."

To redress the "distorted distribution model", the new model recommends the creation of a "contribution cost" as recognition for every member's role in "contributing to generating ICC's revenues required to sustain the game." An estimate of the percentage break-up of "contribution costs" to the entire ICC revenue has been "worked on and negotiated by" the BCCI, the ECB and CA; this accords the three boards greater shares of the ICC's revenues as they increase. At the current rights-cycle revenue levels of $1.5 billion, for example, the BCCI's share would be 4.2%; should the new rights cycle gross revenue cross $3.5 billion, the BCCI's share will be 21% - a total of $766 million.

The BCCI-CA-ECB have also recommended the formation of a "standing team" of representatives from each of the Boards who have a mandate to look at "every element of each ICC event and event costs" and will regularly report to the F&CA committee.

The ICC's finance and commercial affairs committee, whose working group has put together these proposals, comprises the following: Giles Clarke (chairman, ECB), Alan Isaac (ICC president), Dave Richardson (chief executive), N Srinivasan (BCCI), Neil Speight (Associate and Affiliate member/ Bermuda Cricket Board), Wally Edwards (CA), Dave Cameron (WICB), with Campbell Jamieson (GM, commercial) and Faisal Hasnain (CFO).

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'Bowlers controlled runs well' - Rehman

Pakistan's left-arm spinner, Abdur Rehman said his side would be looking to dismiss Sri Lanka in the first session on the second day after the visitors ended the first day of the Sharjah Test at 220 for 5.

Pakistan lost the toss on a pitch that did not offer much help for bowlers early on, but the spinners were able to strike as the day wore on. While Saeed Ajmal picked up two wickets in 29 overs, Rehman bowled 24 tight overs at an economy rate of 1.87. He also bowled 120 dot balls, playing a vital role in containing Sri Lanka.

According to Rehman, the pitch was also difficult for the batsmen, who needed more time to settle in.

"The pitch is pretty flat and we have to very work hard," Rehman said. "It didn't turn much in the first two sessions but after that, it started to turn and I am hoping to get more turn in the third and fourth innings. Our bowlers were able to control the runs well. Our plan is to get them as soon as possible in first two hours and give them a tough time.

"It's not easy to play strokes, the batsmen need more time to settle in. We are aiming to take a hefty lead to support the bowlers in the third innings."

Rehman also rued the chances Pakistan missed, specially Mohammad Talha's dropped catch off Angelo Mathews, when the batsman was on 0. Mathews and Prasanna Jayawardene put on an unbeaten 54 runs for the sixth wicket, batting until the close of play.

"It was a difficult catch but Talha tried his best," said Rehman. "It has made some difference but we will try to get them out as soon as possible on day two."

Rehman has been a part of many Pakistan squads since his debut in 2007, but has played only 19 Tests so far. When asked about his sporadic Test appearances, the bowler said: "I am used to it. Actually this question - whether I will play or not - never came into my mind and the only aim is to perform on the day I play. I am always positive and do not let myself get disappointed or frustrated. The only thing I know is to show my ability whenever I get a chance."

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Ashraf suspension a 'violation of justice' - High Court

The two-judge bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has released its detailed judgment, citing the removal of Zaka Ashraf from the post of PCB chairman as against the principle of "natural justice". According to the judgment, a copy of which ESPNcricinfo has obtained, Ashraf was removed without being given the chance of a hearing.

Following the High Court ruling on Wednesday, Ashraf has been reinstated as PCB chairman and the cricket board stands restored with effect from May 25, 2013 - the day it was suspended by the IHC. The governing board, which was earlier dissolved, will also be reinstated. During the interim period, the PCB had signed short-term broadcasting deals, awarding the broadcast rights of the South Africa and Sri Lanka series to Ten Sports and Geo Super respectively and also appointed Moin Khan as the team manager. According to the judgement, the above decisions are still valid.

"The respondent Chaudhry Muhammad Zaka Ashraf was removed from the post of the Chairman, PCB in violation of the principle of natural justice," the judgement stated. "As no opportunity of hearing was provided to him as the time of removal, so by setting aside the impugned judgment we order restoration of Zaka Ashraf as chairman PCB."

A single judge bench headed by Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui last year had asked for changes in the structure of the PCB after hearing the writ petition filed by a former Rawalpindi Cricket Association official against the board elections held in May, when Ashraf was elected chairman for a four-year term under the new PCB constitution. The court had suspended Ashraf and questioned the legality of his election, calling the process "dubious" and "polluted".

Both Ashraf and the PCB appealed against the Siddique-judgment and the IHC subsequently formed a two-judge appellate bench, naming Justice Riaz Ahmad Khan and Justice Noor-ul-Haq Qureshi to hear the appeal. Both, after lengthy hearings, released their judgements on Thursday, allowing Ashraf to resume office.

Following Ashraf's suspension, Najam Sethi was appointed the interim chairman of the PCB. The Siddique-judgement, however, had directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to carry out fresh elections for the post of chairman within 90 days. But Sethi failed to hold those elections and instead, just before the deadline on October 15, the prime minister of Pakistan - the new patron of the PCB according to the court - Nawaz Sharif, dissolved the governing board of the PCB, and formed a five-member Interim Management Committee (IMC), headed by Sethi, to administer cricket in the country.

The latest judgement, however, did not overrule any of the decisions made by the IMC. "All decisions taken by PCB or IMC during the interim period would be considered as legal and would stand validated. Since the appointment of the Interim Management Committee was temporary, so with the pronouncement of this judgment, the said committee would stand dissolved. The situation for the PCB would come back to the day when the writ petition was filed."

The judges appellate bench, dismissed the original petition filed by Ahmad Nadeem Sadal, who first contested Ashraf's election. Sadal happens to be a former official of the Army Cricket Club in Rawalpindi, and the judges questioned how his fundamental rights were affected by Ashraf's presence as chairman.

"The petitioner was also required to establish direct or indirect injury to him and substantial interest in the proceedings," the judgement stated. "In the present case, the petitioner had nothing to do with the post of chairman, PCB. By appointment of the said chairman, no loss was caused to the petitioner, no right had been infringed; he was not a contender for the post of chairman, PCB and he has no cause of action or locus standi to file writ petition."

Historically, the PCB has been an autonomous body with the country's president as its Patron. But the Siddiqui-order named the prime minister as the new Patron, taking away all powers from the president. The fresh judgment, however, didn't overturn the order and the prime minister remains the Chief Patron.

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Lions reject claims of board interference

The Lions have rejected claims of undue interference by their board in on-field matters but have not managed to convince South Africa Test opener Alviro Petersen to reconsider his decision to step down as captain. Petersen quit the captaincy on Sunday after what the Lions said "he perceived to be interference by the board and convener of selectors," - something the franchise says they have no evidence of.

On Wednesday, Lions' CEO Greg Fredericks told ESPNcricinfo he had "yet to pinpoint where the interference occurred," but understood Petersen's unhappiness to be centered on a meeting called by the Lions chairman Archie Pretorius. The discussion was held on Saturday and included Petersen, Pretorius, Lions' coach Geoff Toyana and convener of selectors Hussein Manack, who is also a national selector. Manack presented a "role clarification," session, which explained the responsibilities of the coach, captain and selectors.

According to Fredericks, Petersen saw the meeting as "interference from the selectors and offered to step down." He was asked to reconsider but on Sunday, Petersen told the board he was going to quit the captaincy. Thami Tsolekile took over hours before the match against the Knights.

Fredericks and Petersen met today to clear up issues surrounding his resignation and "put to bed" all concerns, as stated in a Lions' press release. "We have put the issue behind us and we want to move forward in the best interests of cricket," Fredericks said.

"Alviro requested me to clarify the perception that was created in the media that the CEO of Lions Cricket stated that he could find no evidence of interference by the selectors," Fredericks said. "In all my interviews with the media I mentioned that I could find no evidence or incidents of interference by the Board other than Alviro's view that the meeting convened by Hussein Manack on the instruction of the Chairperson of the Lions Board, in Bloemfontein on Saturday, 11 January was such."

Despite that, Petersen has opted not to rescind his decision to step down and the Lions have accepted his relinquishing the captaincy. "We respect Alviro's decision to resign as captain," Fredericks said. "All parties have now agreed to close the chapter on this matter and not to comment any further on it."

Petersen will continue playing for the Lions under Tsolekile, as he did in Wednesday's match against the table-topping Cobras. "I wish to finally put this episode behind me, and focus on playing cricket," Petersen said. "I want to congratulate Thami on his appointment as Lions' captain and wish him all the best."

The Lions, who are defending the ongoing Ram Slam T20 competition, are at the bottom of the points table after losing all three of their matches. Their next fixture is against the Titans on Friday in Potchefstroom.

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Karunaratne hopes to build on starts

Just eight Tests old, Dimuth Karunaratne has the skills to become a fine international opener. With more consistency and a better understanding of his own game, he may well be the answer to Sri Lanka's top order as they continue replacing the old guard

When Dimuth Karunaratne fell to Abdur Rehman in the first over after lunch, he pondered his dismissal for a moment but there was nothing to challenge, because he had clearly hit the ball to slip. But he knew that once again, he had earned a start, seen through the nerves, and then fallen away when a substantial score called. The promise of his batting is clear every time he comes to the crease, but he is yet to produce a knock worthy of his ability, nor one that would put his place in the side truly beyond question.

Karunaratne has played 17 Test innings, but only in five of those occasions has he faced fewer than 25 balls. In all but six innings, he has crossed 15. He has appeared insecure outside off stump on certain occasions, particularly when the new ball seams across him, but only few batsmen can say they did not consistently flirt with danger early in their careers. Even when he has struggled, however, he is swift and confident when he does detect a ball in his range - a symptom of the strong, uncluttered mind that breeds resilient openers.

The few times he has breached 20 so effortlessly, it seemed as if he was heading towards a defining innings. His 34 in Sharjah was not among his most convincing innings, but even there, a whipped boundary through midwicket off Saeed Ajmal, and a square drive off Mohammad Talha inspired some confidence. Which is why when he left the field at lunch, the most arduous examinations had seemed to be behind him.

"I'm disappointed that I've not been able to convert my 30s into big scores," Karunaratne said. "No one wants to get out after getting a start, but sometimes I have bad luck. But I do try to convert my 30s into big innings, because I feel like if I get a big one, I will have the confidence to keep doing that."

During Sri Lanka's tour of Australia, Karunaratne consistently got very good balls in the first 15 overs, vindicating his comment about bad fortune. Even in this series, he has faced two fine deliveries from Junaid Khan. But the larger truth of his failures so far has been that he is the architect of his own downfall. Many times, he is a victim of ambition - playing the booming drive or rasping cut at one too many deliveries. His lowest score in this series has been 24, but in five innings, he only has one fifty - which came in a chase of 137.

Yet, aggression is also his strength. He has amassed mammoth scores for the A team, largely by taking risks and earning momentum. More encouragingly, he has been just as good away as he has been at home, as Karunaratne was the top-scorer in the last two away tours for the A team, to South Africa in 2012, and the Caribbean last year.

In Sharjah, he fell attempting to hit a full and wide delivery, and while it is easy to suggest he should have left that ball alone, it would have been just as simple to brand the delivery a poor one if Karunaratne had connected as he wished. The same could be said about the short and wide delivery to which he perished in the first innings in Abu Dhabi.

Karunaratne feels he must play a little more conservatively to find his feet in Tests, but more incisive judgement and a better understanding of his own game would also serve him well. Both of those qualities are largely borne from experience, which is why the selectors must consider him an ongoing investment. After all, there is no doubt he has earned his place.

"The reason I haven't been able to replicate what I've done for the A team is that there's a big difference between the A team level and this one. The best bowlers from each country are here in internationals. Also, when I've played at the top level, I've cut down on my scoring shots and tried to bat for a long time. Usually if I bat through the first hour or first session, I would have hit a fifty - so that's a change at this level. But I feel like if I continue to do what I've been doing, I can turn it into an advantage and succeed."

By a statistical measure, Karunaratne's tour of the UAE has been a moderate success so far. His tally of 190 is the third highest among Sri Lanka's batsmen, even if he has had one more innings than most others.

It is glib to compare him unfavourably alongside the newer Kaushal Silva, because not only is Silva a more seasoned domestic player, his cricket is also characterised by consistency. Karunaratne may suffer more lows in his career, but at his best, he is capable of the ravishing innings that ease the burden on the men batting around him. If Silva, Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne are the anchors of Sri Lanka's future top four, the dynamism and stroke range Karunaratne offers might be the key in placing opposition bowlers in discomfort. His strengths are through the leg side, while the others are better off-side players.

For now, Karunaratne appears to have the raw materials to become a fine international opener. He is just lacking the adhesive that might bring his talents all together.

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All-round Pakistan Women stay unbeaten

Pakistan Women 93 for 3 (Javeria 51*, Tice 3-31) beat Ireland Women 92 (Joyce 36*, Mir 3-11) by seven wickets
Scorecard

Pakistan Women made lighter work of their target of 93 against Ireland Women in Doha, than they had done chasing 126 against South Africa Women on Sunday. While that chase went into the final over and had six Pakistan wickets going down, here Pakistan eased to a seven-wicket win in 26 overs. While Pakistan were missing their anchor from the South Africa game, Bismah Maroof, opener Javeria Khan did the job for them here, finishing 51 not out.

The loss means Ireland, in order to make the final, will have to beat South Africa, and then hope Pakistan do the same.

After Ireland chose to bat, none of their batsmen could make any contribution of note. Only opener Clare Shillington and No. 5 Isobel Joyce got into double digits - Joyce was left not out on 36 off 104 when Ireland were bowled out in the 49th over. Pakistan captain Sana Mir finished with the best figures of the bowlers, claiming 3 for 11 with her legspin.

In the chase, while some of Pakistan's top order failed to finish the small chase off after getting starts, Javeria's innings made sure the team got home with plenty to spare.

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Rhodes leads England in U-19 World Cup

Will Rhodes of Yorkshire will captain a 15-man England U-19 for the Under-19 World Cup in the UAE next month.

Rhodes, Nottingham born but educated in Hull, played nine limited-overs matches for Yorkshire last season as he was carefully integrated into the side. He has yet to make his Championship debut. He is one of four Yorkshire players in a squad that includes representatives from nine of the 18 first-class counties.

England's U19 side, which has had a thin time of late, will begin with a game against hosts UAE at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on February 14, before playing Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the other group stage matches in Dubai. If they progress further they could then go on to face one of fifteen other countries in the latter stages of the tournament.

David Graveney, head selector of the England Development Programme, said: "This squad contains an exciting mix of young talent which we look forward to seeing perform on the world stage against top class opposition.

Squad: Will Rhodes (Yorkshire, capt), Ed Barnard (Worcestershire), Joe Clark (Worcestershire), Ben Duckett (Northamptonshire), Harry Finch (Sussex), Matthew Fisher (Yorkshire), Miles Hammond (Gloucestershire), Ryan Higgins (Middlesex), Robert Jones (Lancashire), Robert Sayer (Leicestershire), Josh Shaw (Yorkshire), Dominic Sibley (Surrey), Jonathan Tattersall (Yorkshire), Jack Winslade (Surrey), Luke Wood (Nottinghamshire)

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BCB may extend Saqlain's ambit to second-string teams

The Bangladesh Cricket Board could ask it's part-time spin-bowling consultant, Saqlain Mushtaq, to work spinners from across the country, instead of just the national team, this year. With 65 days left on his 100-day contract as Bangladesh's consultant, the board is hoping to get more out of the former Pakistan offspinner.

There is a feeling among many in the BCB that since he is usually asked to join the national team a just few days before a series, he cannot spend enough time with the players. Akram Khan, BCB's new cricket operations committee chairman, said that he would get in touch with Saqlain over the next few days to discuss details of his next visit.

"A player of Saqlain Mushtaq's calibre should be fully utilised," Akram "said. "We have a lot of cricket coming up in the next three months, and I will discuss with him how best to work out the rest of his time with us. He might join us ahead of the Asia Cup."

"We will certainly look to have him with the senior side but at the same time, spread out his knowledge a bit."

Saqlain could be asked to work with the second-string teams like the Bangladesh A team, National Cricket Academy and the age-group sides. At the same time, he could be also be asked to visit different parts of the country to identify more offspinners and legspinners as there is a massive dearth of these two skills in Bangladesh - here, left-arm spinners are rife.

"Usually my agent is in contact with the BCB, so I am waiting to find out the details," Saqlain told ESPNcricinfo. "We can discuss whether I will work with the national team or others. It is not yet clear what I will be doing next with the BCB."

Till now, Saqlain was primarily assigned with the senior team, and worked with the side both at home and away in the 2012-13 season. His last assignment with the team was during the Zimbabwe series in April and May last year. Before that, he was with the team ahead of and during the 2012 World Twenty20s in Sri Lanka and the home series against West Indies.

He didn't join the Bangladesh side for the series against New Zealand last October. The BCB had reportedly said afterwards that Saqlain would join the squad ahead of the home series against Sri Lanka this month.

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Doran, Ben McDermott make U-19 squad

Jake Doran, the 17-year old New South Wales batsman who faced England earlier in the Ashes tour, is part of Australia's squad for the Under-19 World Cup in the UAE.

Doran has been involved in the U-19 set-up throughout the past year and was part of the tour to India last September. He made 17 against an England XI playing for the Chairman's XI in Alice Springs at the end of November. Wicketkeeper Ben McDermott, the son of Australia's Test fast-bowling coach Craig, also makes the squad.

Greg Chappell, Cricket Australia's national talent manager, said: "The balance and flexibility of this squad is pleasing, containing a solid core of Australia's most exciting cricketers.

"Jake Doran and Ben McDermott are skilful stroke-makers, who also provide excellent glove work as wicketkeepers, and join a number of genuine all-rounders selected in the squad who will provide solid depth with bat and ball.

"Alex Gregory and James Bazley can bat up the order and bowl pace, helping make up a strong bowling contingent, including Billy Stanlake, Ben Ashkenazi, Matt Fotia, Cameron Valente and Guy Walker. The depth of Australia's fast bowling stocks is in good health and indicative of the high level of talent that continues to come through our system."

The squad will be coached by Graeme Hick, the former England batsman, who now works as the high performance coach. They will prepare with matches in Sri Lanka before heading to the UAE where their opening pool match is on February 15 against Namibia in Abu Dhabi.

Squad Thomas Andrews (NT), Ben Ashkenazi (VIC), James Bazley (QLD), Jake Doran (NSW), Matthew Fotia (VIC), Alex Gregory (SA), Benjamin McDermott (QLD), Jaron Morgan (WA), Damien Mortimer (NSW), Matthew Short (VIC), Kelvin Smith (SA), Billy Stanlake (QLD), Cameron Valente (SA), Guy Walker (VIC), Sean Willis (TAS)

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Pakistan edge South Africa in low-scorer

Pakistan women 126 for 6 (Maroof 60) beat South Africa women 125 for 8 (Dar 4-15) by four wickets
Scorecard

Offspinner Nida Dar led Pakistan women's bowlers in restricting South Africa women to 125 for 8, before Bismah Maroof anchored a close chase to help the side home by four wickets in the final over. The win was Pakistan's second in as many games in the tri-series, and it ensures them a place in the final with the first South Africa-Ireland game having been washed out.

South Africa chose to bat and, though they lost their first wicket to seamer Qanita Jalil, they were soon carved up by Dar. She picked up three wickets in four overs to have South Africa reeling at 40 for 4 by the 21st. They never recovered. While they batted out their overs, the Pakistan bowlers held a tight rein on the scoring all through.

Pakistan suffered a couple of hiccups in the chase. First they went from 15 for no loss to 16 for 2, and then from 61 for 2 to 90 for 5. Through much of the jitteriness, Maroof, batting at No. 4, held firm. She made amends for getting out for a duck in the previous match, batting through the innings for her 60. Only when the scores were level, did she fall, run out by Shandre Fritz.

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Knights openers thrash Lions

The Knights openers - Reeza Hendricks and Rilee Rossouw - smashed half-centuries to thrash Lions by nine wickets in Bloemfontein to earn their first win of the tournament. They scored 69* and 72 off 53 balls each in their second successive century stand to chase down 152 with eight balls to spare after Quinton de Kock's 71 led the Lions' charge.

Put in to bat, Lions lost Alviro Petersen in the first over when he was trapped lbw on the first ball by Johan van der Wath. No. 3 Gulam Bodi didn't hit out as much as the other opener, de Kock, but gave him strike regularly and the 21-year-old struck boundaries regularly, six fours and two sixes in all, particularly on the leg side to reach 50 off 39 balls. Bodi top-edged Dean Elgar four overs later in an attempt to slog-sweep him and gave a return catch to fall for 21. Neil McKenzie didn't hit out much either and after a stand of 31, de Kock's middle stump went for a walk when he tried a big heave off Dillon du Preez. The middle order lacked firepower as McKenzie and Azhar Mahmood scored 42 in the last 29 balls to take them to 151.

Hendricks and Rossouw took the Lions bowlers apart from the very first over, scoring at least a boundary in each of the first six overs by when they had reached 61. They were particularly harsh on Chris Morris who conceded 16 in the fourth over and 36 overall. Mahmood was also welcomed with a six in his first over but he was the only economical bowler, conceding 16 in three overs. Spinners Imran Tahir and Aron Phangiso were also shown no mercy as they were hit for 59 runs together in 6.4 overs. Rossouw was dismissed by Morris in the 17th over for 72 but the chase was virtually over by then with 18 runs required from 22 balls.

Hendricks hit consecutive fours in the next over and Elgar finished things off with a four to gain four points, but missed the bonus point even though they needed 36 from three overs at one point with ten wickets intact.

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Loss exposes Pakistan frailties

It is hard to pin-point one single reason for Pakistan's capitulation in Dubai; there were many chinks in their armour

Pakistan entered day five amid prediction of heavy rain in Dubai and although thick clouds prevailed over the stadium all day, the rain never came down. Pakistan may have considered themselves unfortunate, but they were out-batted and out-bowled by an efficient Sri Lankan team that beat them by nine wickets - their biggest win in terms of wickets, against Pakistan. The home team may have walked out with positives after the draw in Abu Dhabi, however, the loss in Dubai, once again, exposed a number of chinks in the Pakistan team.

Top-order conundrum
Pakistan's top order was praised for their contribution in the first Test but their failure in the second means the team will have to take a fresh look at their options. The No. 3 position remains a talking point after Mohammad Hafeez, drafted back into the Test side after a stellar run in the ODIs, couldn't reprise the same form, scoring 21 and 1 in the second Test. Ahmed Shehzad's introduction as an opener didn't work either; the move disturbed the left-right combination of Khurram Manzoor and Shan Masood which had set-up Pakistan's win against South Africa in Abu Dhabi in November.

Middle-order frailties
Pakistan's over-reliance on Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq is no secret and it's high time other batsmen started delivering. The technically sound Asad Shafiq, who scored a century against South Africa at the same venue three months back, has been struggling since. Though he played some elegant back-foot shots on the fourth day, he wasn't able to stay for an extended period; he contributed 6 and 23.

The overworked workhorse
Saeed Ajmal has toiled for 114.2 overs in the two Tests in this series and conceded 248 runs. On top of the workload, he also took a blow on his foot while batting in the second innings. It can be argued that Sri Lanka batsmen played him with caution and neutralised him well, but he did look off-colour with his line and length.

The ineffective seamer
Rahat Ali, who went into the series as the second seamer, failed to make an impact in the two Tests. His inability to pick up wickets was excused by the captain, the coach and the team manager, who suggested the bowler had been unlucky. But for someone who bowled more than 100 overs in the series for just two wickets, it can't be just about luck. It also points to the lack of skill.

The flat tenure
Dav Whatmore's tenure as the coach of Pakistan is soon coming to an end; he is with the team for another nine days. In the two years with Whatmore at the helm, Pakistan didn't show any signs of improvement and failed to win a single Test series. The record will leave a blot on Whatmore's coaching credentials.

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Victorian Finch celebrates MCG milestone

In September, Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh smashed the Australian record for the all-time highest opening partnership in a one-day international. Finch's maiden ODI century was a key factor. Four months later, Finch's second one-day hundred has now put a serious dent in Marsh's hopes of getting back in the side.

Finch's 148 in that match will always occupy a special place for him as his first hundred for his country in the 50-over format. But his 121 in Melbourne on Sunday evening, against sterner opposition, and in front of nearly 40,000 fans, will remain special for Finch for another reason. He became the first Victorian to score an ODI century at the MCG.

"I didn't know that until after the game," Finch said. "It's a very nice feeling. It's a phenomenal place to play cricket, the atmosphere, the ground, everything is ideal for cricket. It's a place that I've loved playing over the years for Victoria and when you get accolades like that it's nice. I thought that Deano [Jones] definitely would have got one before me but he must have missed out a couple of times."

The closest Jones ever came to achieving the feat was his 93 against England in 1986-87, although he was also left not out in the 80s on two other occasions. As a young boy growing up in Colac, in Victoria's south-west, Finch would have seen the back end of Jones' international career while dreaming of emulating, let alone surpassing, his feats.

Finch's 121 against England was far from a chanceless innings - he was dropped on 8 and continued to ride his luck throughout - but it has given him confidence that a place at the top of the ODI order can be his for the long term. The home World Cup is just over a year away and the Finch-David Warner opening combination may well be the one Australia carry in to that tournament.

"Marshy has been in good form in the Big Bash and he was in England before he got injured again," Finch said. "It's always nice to do well early in a series and keep the pressure on and hopefully keep my spot for a couple more games.

"I think [the World Cup] is a little bit on everyone's mind. It's important to start a series really well. As a batsman, it gives you a lot of confidence going through the series and it's not an easy game when you're chasing your tail and chasing runs and trying to grind them out towards the end of the series.

"It's important to get them early and then you can play on the back of that with confidence and really try and turn it into an outstanding series personally and for the team and really try and cement your spot. I don't [think] there's a hell of a lot of one-day cricket to be played before the World Cup in 2015, so I think it's really important to get runs and stay in the side. It's going to be hard with the quality of players lined up to take your spot, it's exceptional, so to keep them at bay for a little while longer is a good feeling."

For now, Finch is doing just what he needs to - scoring big runs when he gets the chance in the national side. Since the end of the Ashes in England, he has made 780 runs at 55.71 in all formats for Australia. Nobody has a better average than Finch in that time and only George Bailey and Shane Watson, who are also part of the Test side, have scored more runs.

Finch celebrated his hundred in the middle of the MCG with a high five from his captain and batting partner Michael Clarke, as they ran through for a couple of runs, followed by a hug and a lengthy acknowledgement of the crowd's standing ovation. Although Finch fell with 33 runs still required for the victory, his effort was easily sufficient to earn his third Man of the Match award for Australia from 28 one-day and T20 appearances.

"With the hug, it was a very big relief to get the hundred," Finch said. "In front of my home crowd, it was very special. I was pretty keen to get on with the game and continue on, but he [Clarke] made sure I soaked it up and really appreciated the moment. He just said enjoy it, soak it up, keep going, let's keep playing well. Make sure you're not out at the end. So I let the captain down a little bit there."

Finch and James Pattinson, who did not play the first ODI, will now be released from the squad to play for the Melbourne Renegades against the Sydney Thunder on Tuesday, before rejoining the group ahead of the second ODI in Brisbane. Shane Watson will be rested from that Brisbane match on Friday as Australia continue to manage the workload of their Test and ODI players, but Mitchell Johnson will be back after being given the Melbourne match off.

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T20 kings show Test aptitude

Though unsuccessful for long stretches during Pakistan's rearguard, the Sri Lanka attack demonstrated admirable patience and application

As gloom came to rest above the Dubai stadium in the morning, Misbah-ul-Haq began his long, dreary filibuster. For 37 balls the match stalled on his unambitious blade and Sri Lanka's bowlers could do little more than settle into their channels. Though unsuccessful for long stretches, and lacking a team-mate to provide respite with a back-spell of bowling, the attack did not stray until stumps were drawn.

During Sri Lanka's Test-free months in 2013, they had counted their top Twenty20 ranking among their proudest achievements. In that format, variation rules and predictability ends careers. Somehow, while the short-form specialists were doing just enough to safeguard the team's place atop the table, the Test bowlers had developed a taste for attrition. Misbah seemed so set on defence that perhaps not even wayward deliveries would have stirred him from his reverie, but Sri Lanka's bowlers can be satisfied that, nine days into the series, they are yet to produce a truly poor spell between them.

Pakistan will no doubt be more content with their day's returns, having lost only four wickets and having pushed the match into a fifth day, where there is a chance rain will define the outcome. But on a pitch offering little for either seam bowlers or spinners, Sri Lanka's toil was admirable. The bowling coach will find little to fault with his side's pitch maps, and there were spells in which balls routinely passed the edge, having deviated off the surface.

	We needed Misbah's wicket - Herath

Shaminda Eranga's aptitude for reverse swing was evident later in the day, particularly when he tailed one in late to Bilawal Bhatti, who jammed down on the ball, but could not prevent it spilling on to the stumps. Suranga Lakmal was the most menacing bowler with the second new ball, and Nuwan Pradeep showcased a gift for bowling tightly, after he had been the attacking option earlier in the Test.

"Bowling with patience has to happen in any Test match," Rangana Herath said afterwards. "No matter if the opposition scores quickly or slowly, if we can make run-making as difficult as possible, that is the characteristic of a good attack. I think we have that in this attack. There are things to improve, but we have the right attributes. There is a big improvement since the Australia tour at the end of 2012. If we get to play Tests in quick succession in the future, we'll be able to improve further."

Five-wicket hauls from Herath himself have featured in four out of five Sri Lanka wins since Muttiah Muralitharan retired, and it was his inability to strike that was most conspicuous. There has been little of the desert heat or sunshine that dries out this Dubai surface, however, and though Misbah was undone by a ball that ripped from middle stump to beat his forward defence, such deliveries have been rare, even out of the footmarks. Saeed Ajmal's woes in the series help illustrate just how unhelpful pitches have been for slow bowlers.

"To me, it still looks like a good track to bat on," Herath said. "I think I bowled a good delivery, but apart from that I couldn't get much spin from this pitch. I didn't try anything different with that ball. I did the same thing, but there was something extra from the pitch on that occasion, I guess."

It would be glib to glance at the scorecard and suggest Sri Lanka's attack still verges on toothless. If there has been a theme to the series, it has been that bowlers have bowled well, but batsmen batted better - at least beyond the first innings of each match. It would be unfair to expect this Sri Lanka attack to blow away a batting side on a flat surface, given its inexperience and the paucity of supporting personnel. When the umpires ruled Sri Lanka could not continue with fast bowling because of deteriorating light, Kumar Sangakkara was their only choice for a comically inept over.

With rain forecast for large periods of Sunday, Sri Lanka cannot afford to be complacent as they seek to restrict the Pakistan lead to no more than 150. Having dominated the first seven sessions of this Test, a draw would disappoint almost as much as a loss, but in waiting Misbah out, Sri Lanka have shown they do not lack for persistence.

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'Now we know we've got players who can do well anywhere' - Dhoni

MS Dhoni believes that India's young side has transitioned into a stable unit with the help of sustained exposure at home ahead of a number of overseas trips.

According to the Dhoni, the first one, to South Africa, proved that the team had players who could perform in all conditions. As they depart for the second trip, to New Zealand, the India captain said that tackling bounce and generating it were the major challenges facing the batsmen and bowlers respectively.

"The good thing is that though there have been quite a few changes [to the team], before we went for the last tour we got enough time in India," Dhoni said at a press conference in Mumbai, ahead of the team's departure for New Zealand. "Quite a few of them played few Test matches in India and we did well and were confident of their ability. Quite a few people were speculating about how the batsmen will do or how the bowlers will do [in South Africa]. Now we know we have got a set of players who will do well irrespective of where we are playing and that is a big positive.

"As of now, both our [ODI and Test] squads look quite settled, which is a good thing because it's very important to back individuals. If you talk about the batsmen, not all of them have played a lot of Test matches outside the subcontinent. So they will take some time.

"But what we have seen is that almost all of them have played ODIs outside India and still they have performed really well, which gives you the confidence of saying that they have the ability to do well outside the subcontinent when it comes to dealing with pace and bounce. Yes, the red ball does slightly more and for slightly longer periods in Test matches and it's different, but if you have the talent to perform in one format, definitely you have the talent to perform in others too."

For India batsmen who are used to unpredictable and low carry at home, leaving balls on the bounce alone in New Zealand is likely to be a challenge. But Dhoni said that his batsmen had shown in South Africa that they could tackle that test quite well.

"We have a slightly bigger challenge in the sense that ... [even] if the fast bowlers bowl back of a length in India more often than not it is very difficult to leave on the bounce, but when you go outside you know you have the liberty of not only leaving on the line, but also if you judge the bounce and if the wicket has good bounce, you can leave on the bounce.

"This is something you learn over a period of time and I think the batsmen did well in South Africa, they handled good fast bowling and at the same time they were quite positive. There were quite a few things that happened in South Africa that gives us the confidence of saying that we have the talent of doing well anywhere in the world."

Dhoni also said there was healthy competition among his bowlers, with more and more recovering from injuries, and that the challenge for his attack was to squeeze more bite out of drier pitches.

"I think there's more competition when it comes to the bowling department. One year back some of our leading fast bowlers had injuries. Back then we didn't have too many options," he said. "But now with all of them becoming fit and being available for selection and doing well on the domestic circuit, they have enough competition amongst themselves, which is a healthy thing to have."

"There's one particular condition we have to improve on, which is on wickets that are on the drier side and just have a bit of bounce on offer and not too much of seam movement. The reason being, most of our bowlers aren't those who hit the surface. Most of them are those who swing the ball and bowl slightly up to the batsman. At times we encounter wickets that are on the drier side and you have to bang in the ball to get bounce and pace."

In the absence of a seam-bowling allrounder, Dhoni also called for India's specialist spinners to show more patience and build pressure in overseas Tests, pointing to Ravindra Jadeja's performance in the Durban Test as an example.

"One thing that the home team would like to do is to ensure that the wickets don't turn at all. The reason being that we don't have an allrounder. We don't play with five specialist bowlers. Over the years we have lost our part-timers who were as good as specialist bowlers.

"If the ball doesn't spin they [the opposition] can take runs off the spinner, rotate the strike and look to score over three runs an over, and that actually puts the pressure on the captain. You don't want them to score over three-and-a-half runs an over when the spinner is bowling. [Then] you're forced to bring back the fast bowlers and they end up exhausted after the first day workout.

"In that respect, Jaddu's performance was good. Also the spinners will have to accept that when they travel abroad and when they're bowling on the first-day wicket, their role is slightly different. They need to have a bit more patience and not give them runs so that you are also building pressure from one end. They get late turn from the third or fourth days and that's the time they need to go in for the kill.

"When they play more and more games outside India, they'll start accepting the fact that in their first 9-10 over spells in India they might get one-two or more wickets, [but] outside they need to be more patient in their first spell, especially if they are bowling on the first day of the Test match. It's a bit tough on them but till the time we find a seaming allrounder, they'll have to bear that."

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Can put SL under pressure if we bat out first hour - Sarfraz

Sarfraz Ahmed, whose unbeaten 70 took the second Test into a fifth day, said Pakistan's lower order could put Sri Lanka under pressure if they survived the first hour.

"If we survive that then definitely we will score," he said. "If we survive two hours we will be around 200 ahead. They [Sri Lanka] will also be under pressure, but we are a bit ahead of them. If we score another 100 runs it will give us a good chance to come back into the match."

Sarfraz said the team management's backing allowed him to play his natural game despite his failure in the first innings. Sarfraz, who replaced the injured Adnan Akmal behind the stumps, was playing his first Test in nearly a year. He had scored 89 runs in his first four Tests, with a highest score of 40.

"I was under pressure because I was in and out of the team for quite some time," he said. "It was a good opportunity because I had been scoring runs in domestic cricket. Definitely I was under pressure after getting out cheaply in the first innings, but the team management backed me, I backed myself and that's the reason I played my natural game."

At stumps, Sarfraz had faced 123 balls and struck seven fours. He put on 67 with Bilawal Bhatti for the seventh wicket, after Pakistan captain Misbah was out for a 248-ball 97, with the team only 22 ahead. Sarfraz said his first-class experience helped him play through the period immediately after Misbah's dismissal.

"When I was batting with Misbah he was telling me a lot how to stay and play," Sarfraz said. "When Misbah bhai got out I tried to take the responsibility because I had batted through these types of situations in first-class departmental cricket. I tried to guide Bilawal and establish a good partnership and thankfully we did put up a decent partnership."

The pitch, Sarfraz said, was still good to bat on. "The pitch is playing well," he said. "You've seen Misbah and Younis [Khan] putting up a good fight. I will also try to keep the fight going on tomorrow and stay at the wicket as long as it is possible. If we stay at the wicket more, they will be more under pressure."

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England bat, Tredwell left out

Toss England chose to bat v Australia
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Alastair Cook enjoyed few wins during the Ashes series but he began the one-day portion of the tour with a small victory, winning the toss and choosing to bat in the first ODI in Melbourne.

Surprisingly, England did not choose a spinner, leaving out James Tredwell, which meant that the part-time offspinner Joe Root was their only slow-bowling option on the drop-in pitch at the MCG. The pace-heavy attack will be made up of Boyd Rankin, Tim Bresnan, Ben Stokes and Chris Jordan, with Stuart Broad having been rested for the opening match of the series.

The inclusion of Gary Ballance for his second ODI gave England a deep batting line-up with Stokes, arguably their best batsman during the Ashes, listed to come in at No.8. Australia named their side on the day before the match and there was no late change, with Shaun Marsh and James Pattinson the two men left out.

Australia 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Shane Watson, 4 Michael Clarke (capt), 5 George Bailey, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 James Faulkner, 9 Nathan Coulter-Nile, 10 Clint McKay, 11 Xavier Doherty.

England 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Ian Bell, 3 Joe Root, 4 Gary Ballance, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Ravi Bopara, 7 Jos Buttler (wk), 8 Ben Stokes, 9 Tim Bresnan, 10 Chris Jordan, 11 Boyd Rankin.

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