In a bizarre game of fluctuating fortunes at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in which a bowler took a hat-trick and then got hit it for six sixes in an over, the West Indies battled to a four-wicket win against Sri Lanka with 41 balls to spare.
Chasing a modest total of 132, the West Indies, who took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, started strong as Evin Lewis hit three sixes off the first over bowled by Angelo Matthews that yielded 19 runs.
However, in the fourth over with the home side sailing merrily along at 52 without loss, the match evolved into an even more entertaining spectacle.
Lendl Simmons had hit a six and a four off from the first two balls of the third over bowled by Dushmantha Chameera that yielded 14 runs. At the end of the over West Indies were 48-0 but it was the start of the most bizarre period of play in the match.
It all began with Lewis hitting Akila Dananjaya’s first ball of the fourth over for four as the West Indies raced to 52-0.
Lewis was caught in the deep for 28 off Dananjaya’s second ball, Gayle was trapped lbw first ball before Nicholas Pooran’s wicket completed the hat-trick caught behind off a thin edge. In three balls the West Indies had slipped from 52-0 to 52-3.
Lendl Simmons hit a six and a four before Hasangara de Silva trapped him lbw for 26. The West Indies were then 62 for 4.
There was another dramatic twist in over number six, Dananjaya’s third.
With Captain Kieron Pollard and Jason Holder at the crease and the West Indies still needing 70 runs, Pollard went on the offensive hitting the spinner for six consecutive sixes rushing to 38 from 10 balls.
The match would swing again in the seventh when Hasangara trapped Pollard lbw for 38 and then Fabian Allen for a duck with consecutive balls as both players failed to read the spinner.
Dwayne Bravo, who was unbeaten on four at the end, survived the hat-trick ball and together with Holder, who was 29 not out, produced an unbroken stand of 31 after Holder drove Pradeep for six over long-on to seal the victory.
Hasangara ended with 3-12. Dananjaya’s figures that read 3-17 after two overs ended with 3-62.
Pollard had won the toss and put Sri Lanka into bat. The visitors lost their first wicket at 20 when Pollard diving to his right pulled off a spectacular catch at short midwicket to dismiss Danushka Gunathilaka for four and hand debutant Kevin Sinclair his first international wicket.
Niroshan Dickwella (33) and Pathum Nissanka (39) put on 51 for the second wicket but there were no other noteworthy partnerships for the Sri Lankans who crawled to 132 for 9 from their allotment of 20 overs.
Obed McCoy was the best of the West Indies bowlers with 2-25 and there was a wicket each for Jason Holder, Allen, Sinclair, Dwayne Bravo and Fidel Edwards, who bowled tight lines and lengths, hardly giving anything away to the Sri Lankan batsmen.
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Hope, Chase, Shepherd set for maiden stints in ILT20
Shai Hope, Romario Shepherd and Roston Chase led a number of West Indians set for maiden stints in the 2025 edition of the International League T20 (ILT20).
Hope, currently leading the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League in the absence of regular captain Imran Tahir, has been signed by the Dubai Capitals where he will team up with fellow new signing Obed McCoy and Rovman Powell who was retained.
Shepherd, a teammate of Hope with the Amazon Warriors, will join the likes of Kieron Pollard, Akeal Hosein, Andre Fletcher, Dwayne Bravo and Nicholas Pooran with the MI Emirates.
Chase has been signed by the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, led by Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, and will be joined by fellow new signings Gudakesh Motie and Terrance Hinds.
Keemo Paul will also be a participant as he was signed by the Sharjah Warriors.
The 2025 ILT20 season is set to take place from January 11 to February 9 in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.
Head century helps Australia thrash England in first ODI
Travis Head's brilliant unbeaten 154 steered Australia to a dominant seven-wicket victory over England in the first one-day international at Trent Bridge.
The hosts collapsed at the end of their innings, and Head's sensational tally ensured it did not take long for Australia to reach their target, with 36 balls to spare.
Phil Salt (17) may have walked early, but England started well overall, with fellow opener Ben Duckett (95) and Will Jacks (62) pushing them forward.
However, Marnus Labuschagne (3-39) removed Duckett and then Harry Brook, captaining England for the first time, as their slide began.
Jacob Bethell took them over 300 with his 35, but Adam Zampa also took three wickets in his 100th ODI (3-49) as England finished all out for 315.
Head had a nervous moment with just six runs to his name as Brydon Carse dropped what would have been a spectacular one-handed catch, but he did not look back after that.
His knock included 20 fours and five sixes as he brought up his sixth ODI century, and with the help of Labushagne (77), he got the tourists over the line with ease.
Australia have a 1-0 lead in the series, with the next match taking place at Headingley on Saturday.
Data Debrief: England fail to end Australia dominance
England had put themselves in a great position to end Australia's 13-match winning streak in ODIs, but ultimately struggled to defend their target.
That was mainly down to Head's superb performance. Ricky Ponting was the player with the highest score for Australia in ODIs at Trent Bridge with 126 before his impressive knock.
It was also the tourists' highest successful ODI chase in England.
Latham and Williamson lead charge as New Zealand close gap on Sri Lanka
Tom Latham and Kane Williamson led the way as New Zealand moved to within just 50 runs of Sri Lanka on day two of the first Test in Galle.
Latham opened with 70 while Williamson notched 55 on the way to taking the Black Caps to 255-4 at stumps.
Sri Lanka resumed the first Test at 302-7, though just 15 minutes of play were possible during a rain-curtailed morning session. Nevertheless, it was long enough for New Zealand to bowl out their opponents for the loss of just three runs.
Latham led the Black Caps' revival with 70 from 111 balls, as Williamson also passed the half-century mark with his knock of 55 off 104 deliveries.
Dhananjaya de Silva looked to restore Sri Lanka's authority over proceedings when he dismissed Williamson and Rachin Ravindra in the space of two overs.
However, Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell steadied the ship, with their unbeaten stand of 59 off 105 edging New Zealand closer to their opponents' tally.
Data Debrief: Half-century stands galore for resurgent Black Caps
Partnerships were crucial for New Zealand in their chase, with four 50-plus stands during the innings.
Latham and Devon Conway's opening stand of 63 got the ball rolling, while Latham and Williamson notched 73 from just 120 balls.
The Williamson-Ravindra stand of 51 took just 84 deliveries, and it remains to be seen how long Mitchell and Blundell will last when play resumes on Friday.
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