Fast bowler Kamrul Islam Rabbi will replace Shafiul Islam who has been ruled out of the limited-overs matches against New Zealand
Mohammad Isam07-Dec-2016
Kamrul Islam Rabbi made his Test debut in October•AFP
Fast bowler Kamrul Islam Rabbi has been named as a replacement for Shafiul Islam in Bangladesh’s 22-man preliminary squad that will train in Sydney from December 11 in preparation for the tour to New Zealand.Shafiul was ruled out after he injured his left hamstring while fielding for Khulna Titans in Qualifier 1 of the BPL against Dhaka Dynamites on December 6, just three days before Bangladesh were scheduled to leave Dhaka. Shafiul took 18 wickets in 13 matches during the tournament, and showed rare consistency in form and fitness. But now, he needs at least three weeks to recover from the Grade 2 strain.Shafiul’s injury is the latest blow to Bangladesh, who already lost Mohammad Shahid to a knee injury. However, chief selector Minhajul Abedin said they were still hoping Shafiul would recover in time for the Test series which begins on January 12. “Shafiul is ruled out of the limited-overs matches, but if he recovers early, he will be considered for the Tests,” he said.Rabbi, who made his Test debut against England in October, was picked ahead of pacemen Al-Amin Hossain and Alauddin Babu who are among the standbys. Rabbi was also among the standbys and was not included in the 22-man squad after which he took seven wickets in eight BPL games for Barisal Bulls.Minhajul said that Al-Amin’s disciplinary record also played a part in him not being considered. “We have heard negative things about him from other places, so we didn’t bring him in our discussion,” he said.
Faf du Plessis, South Africa’s stand-in captain, has added the growing chorus calling for Test cricket to become the focal point among administrators and players
Firdose Moonda at Centurion26-Aug-2016
Faf du Plessis has admitted to being concerned that the administrators were not listening to the players’ call for more Tests cricket•Getty Images
Faf du Plessis, South Africa’s stand-in captain, has added to the growing chorus calling for Test cricket to become the focal point among administrators and players. Although du Plessis is among the players who feature in T20 leagues across the world, he maintains Test cricket is his top priority.”Test cricket is the best thing to play,” he said. “That is the challenge you want. You want to sit after a day’s play as a bowler…..your toenails are bleeding and you are extremely tired and you want to, for the guys that drink beer, have a sip at the end and say we gave it everything. You can’t copy the feeling of winning a Test match in any other format, especially in T20s.”Du Plessis was among the first to voice his disappointment after the Durban Test was abandoned because of an unsafe outfield. Du Plessis said he respected the officials’ call but rued the fact that the Centurion Test becomes a winner-takes-all affair.”Two-test series is too short. With the current schedule, a five-Test series will be hard to slot-in going forward. For me a three or four-match series is ideal. When you play two Tests, you just get going, there’s always a great match and then the series is finished. Two is just too short especially now that we’ve had one rained off.”Kane Williamson, the New Zealand captain, also called for more matches to constitute a series. “I don’t know if you have too many lotteries in Test cricket,” he said. “Over five days, the team that plays more consistent cricket over a period of time wins the match but it is a shame that we aren’t able to play two full Tests, perhaps even more.”South Africa, currently placed sixth in the Test rankings, may also be wary of being tripped up by a familiar foe. “Definitely, there is more pressure, especially because we are a team that is very disappointed with where we are lying on the rankings at the moment” du Plessis said. “We’ve got much higher standards. We want to win as many Tests as possible to try and jump up that ladder again.”South Africa will have an opportunity to win Tests as they’re set to play 11 Tests this season, even though it may not be as many as some of the other sides, particularly at home.”We don’t play a lot of Tests at home. If you look at India, this season they have got 15 Tests coming up in their country you want to try and make use of your own conditions and play as many Tests as possible,” Du Plessis aid. “We play a little bit and then there’s a big break. With the space the team is in now, we would like to play as much Test cricket as possible and try and build something. We have a mission as a team and we are trying to get there.”Du Plessis also admitted to being concerned that the administrators were not listening to the players’ call for more Test cricket, but hopes the moves to resurrect the idea of a Test challenge will be one step in that direction.”Yes, I am (concerned that the message is not getting through). When we fill those anonymous forms, the general thing that comes out is to play Test cricket. It’s still the No.1 thing for international players,” he said. “To create a structure for the Test championship, that’s a great step in the right direction but you need to play as many Tests as possible.”
Derbyshire responded to the shock resignation of elite performance director Graeme Welch by beating Leicestershire by four wickets in a tense T20 Blast game
ECB Reporters Network03-Jun-2016 ScorecardChesney Hughes dives full-length for a catch to remove Niall O’Brien•Getty Images
Derbyshire responded to the shock resignation of elite performance director Graeme Welch by beating Leicestershire by four wickets in a tense T20 Blast game at Derby.Only hours after Welch’s departure was announced, Derbyshire bowled the Leicestershire out for 119 and then survived a top-order collapse to get home with two overs to spare.New Zealand allrounder Jimmy Neesham, who followed figures of 3 for 26 with an unbeaten 29, and acting skipper Alex Hughes, 27, shared a sixth wicket stand of 49 in eight overs to swing the game in the Falcons favour.Former Leicestershire allrounder Shiv Thakor took 3 for 17, and although Neil Dexter made 34 from 33 balls and then claimed two wickets, it was not enough to deny Derbyshire a second North Group victory.Derbyshire also went into the game without injured skipper Wes Durston but Alex Hughes made an inspired move after winning the toss by opening with Wayne Madsen’s offspin.Madsen struck with his fourth ball, beating Mark Pettini’s attempted sweep, and in the next over, Mark Cosgrove was bowled for 1 driving at Neesham.The Kiwi struck again in his his next over when Kevin O’Brien skied a drive to mid-on and then took a stunning catch at cover to remove Umar Akmal for a duck.When Ben Raine swept Matt Critchley to deep square leg and Niall O’Brien was brilliantly caught on the run by Chesney Hughes at long-on, Leicestershire were in desperate trouble at 53 for 6 after 10 overs.Lewis Hill pulled Andy Carter for 6 and with Neil Dexter, took the score to 84 before Thakor struck twice to put Derbyshire firmly in control.Hill chipped tamely to mid-off and Tom Wells had his middle stump uprooted three runs later before Neesham returned to have Dexter taken at deep midwicket and end Leicestershire’s hopes of a late flourish.Leicestershire had to take early wickets to have any chance of defending a modest total and they were back in the game when Clint McKay and Raine reduced Derbyshire to 14 for 3.Hamish Rutherford edged a drive at Raine to slip and then McKay had Billy Godleman caught behind and Neil Broom taken at slip first ball.Chesney Hughes struck two sixes and with Madsen, put the Falcons back on course before Dexter removed them both in four balls in his first over.Hughes was bowled trying to drive and then Akmal leapt to take a stunning catch at point to send back Madsen for 23 to reduce Derbyshire to 54 for 5.But Neesham and Alex Hughes batted well under pressure before Thakor finished the contest with three fours in four balls.
Chelsea have held talks with Luis Enrique over the managerial vacancy at Stamford Bridge after the Spaniard travelled to London for discussions.
When will Chelsea appoint a manager?
The Blues look ready to see out the remainder of the campaign now with Frank Lampard in the dugout once again after recent developments.
Bruno Salter stepped in as caretaker manager on Tuesday night as the Blues were forced to settle for a point against Liverpool at the Bridge.
However, Chelsea now have their man for the remaining games of the campaign in their former manager and player, Lampard.
But the search for Graham Potter's permanent successor continues and there are a number of potential candidates believed to be on Todd Boehly's list.
One of those being the former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique who is also believed to be on the radar of their London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur.
And speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed there have been talks held in London between the Premier League club and Enrique over the vacancy:
(1:15) "But also recently, Luis Enrique, was in London on Wednesday morning, together with Ivan de la Pena."
"So what's going on? Chelsea had conversations with [Julian] Nagelsmann to discuss about the long-term project and the impact was very good, very positive, but also conversation with Luis Enrique, who prepared something to explain [to] Chelsea his idea for the present and future.
"So both of them had approaches with Chelsea, we know that the race is still open because Chelsea decided to take some time."
"Luis Enrique is there and, from what I understand, Luis Enrique's 100% sure that he wants the job. He wants to go to England and he wants to try an experience in the Premier League. So he would be happy to become the new Chelsea manager. "
Is Enrique the right man for Chelsea?
The 52-year-old certainly has the experience which is likely required to manage this current Chelsea side which is full of big-name players.
Enrique enjoyed most of his managerial success as the Barcelona manager where he managed the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar which will put him in good stead to manage this Chelsea dressing room (via Transfermarkt).
And his record as the Barcelona manager is likely to be something which will impress Boehly given he has got his hands on the league title and the Champions League during his time in Spain.
However, that does not necessarily mean he could translate his success into this Chelsea side which is struggling dramatically this season.
Boehly has already seen a number of managers come and go in his brief spell as the Chelsea owner so it does feel as if they need to nail the next appointment.
And it will be interesting to see whether Enrique's latest job may hinder his chances of landing the post at Stamford Bridge over the coming months.
Enrique recently left his job as the manager of Spain's national side following their dismal World Cup display which saw them knocked out by Morocco on penalties in the last 16.
Enrique is undoubtedly a big name in the game, however, no Premier League experience and a poor World Cup performance hanging over his head could well prove an issue for the Blues.
Liverpool's results on the pitch this season have left little to be admired – that's despite remarkable results including the 9-0 demolition of Bournemouth, 7-1 dismantling of Rangers and incredible 7-0 mauling of heated rivals Manchester United – but the rich crop of talent at youth level has been the shining light.
It's impressive that, despite such sensational results, many Reds supporters would probably attribute the season's defining success to the rise of 18-year-old midfielder Stefan Bajcetic.
Candidly, the emphatic and singular moments of rapture masquerade over the woes of the year with a transparent quilt; Liverpool languish in sixth in the Premier League after 27 matches, seven points behind fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur and out of all cup competitions after gleaning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup last term, falling in the Champions League final to Real Madrid.
Manager Jurgen Klopp certainly has his work cut out to get Liverpool back on its pedestal, but with the comfort of a thriving youth academy underlying the exploits of the senior team, dynamic defender Calum Scanlon could be the next to follow in Bajcetic's footsteps.
Who is Calum Scanlon?
Scanlon was signed for Liverpool for £500,000 from Birmingham City in 2021, arriving with high expecations and so far impressing as he pushes for a place in Klopp's reckoning over the next few years.
Signing his first professional contract with the Reds last March, the 'exciting' – as dubbed by the club website – full-back has now forged 26 appearances for the U18 outfit, scoring one goal and providing two assists, also breaking into the U21 team this season and performing against Manchester City in the Premier League 2.
Hailed as "calm and creative" by reporter Caoimhe O'Neill, Scanlon possesses the tools demanded for success as a marauding full-back under Klopp's wing, and while established phenom Andy Robertson will not be uprooted from his position any time soon, Scanlon could serve as the perfect understudy and perhaps even take the place of Kostas Tsimikas, who has been a largely peripheral figure.
Liverpool's Kostas Tsimikas in action.
The Greek Tsimikas signed for Liverpool for roughly £12m in 2020 and has now forged 55 appearances for the Merseyside outfit, supplying an impressive 12 assists and notably winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup last season.
This season, the £50k-per-week full-back has clinched four assists in the Premier League, but only started on six occasions, and he could look to forge a transfer in the coming seasons should play time fail to improve.
Should this occur, Liverpool need not scour the market for a fresh face, rather provide a platform for Scanlon to take his place and serve as Robertson's understudy, with the 'creative' prowess to his game leaving him in good standing to thrive.
West Ham could look at a move for Rafael Benitez to possibly replace David Moyes, according to The Daily Express.
The Lowdown: Moyes chants
The Hammers lost 4-0 at Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, with the travelling supporters chanting ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ and ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ at Moyes in either half.
West Ham continue to flirt with the bottom three following their 14th league defeat and potential replacements for the Scot are being mooted in the media, although Roshane Thomas has stated that Moyes still has support from the board.
The Latest: Benitez claim
Jack McEachen of The Daily Express shared a story on Saturday evening following the 4-0 defeat to Brighton, looking at five possible options to replace Moyes with the pressure mounting.
One of those was Benitez, with the reporter saying that the Spaniard is after a ‘project’ in his next job, something which the Hammers would represent.
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The Verdict: Needed?
A change appears needed at the London Stadium in what has been a hugely frustrating campaign, and Benitez could be the man to turn things around.
He has actually defeated Moyes 11 times during his career and has plenty of experience in England with Liverpool, Newcastle and Everton.
The 4-2-3-1 manager also has experience of managing a side in the latter stages of a European competition, and with West Ham still in the Europa Conference League, bringing in Benitez could be a wise move, both in the short and long run, especially with the available 62-year-old seemingly looking for a long-term role.
Tottenham Hotspur have played host to some immeasurable talent over their illustrious history, although a lack of it in recent memory has fed into their frustrating avoidance of silverware.
The Lilywhites have not won a trophy since their EFL Cup triumph in 2008, and despite having some immense players in the years since then, it always felt like those stars appeared at unfortunate times for the club, or under the completely wrong manager.
That's not to suggest that they did not leave their mark, with the likes of Luka Modric, Christian Eriksen, Jan Vertonghen and many more all widely recognised as outstanding players to have graced north London, but left without having won a thing.
Perhaps their most frustrating departure of players of this ilk was Gareth Bale, who had smashed through his ceiling to become one of the Premier League's elite assets. So, when Real Madrid came calling with a world record fee, it was not something to be turned down.
Although they were seemingly powerless at the time, had the club been run with precision and intelligence, perhaps there might have been a squad talented enough to convince the Welshman to stick around in England.
Despite that, he would leave for Spain in an £85m move, where, like many others, the 34-year-old would win a host of trophies to build on the sole cup success earned with Spurs.
What did Gareth Bale achieve?
It almost seems an impossible task to quantify the quality of Bale with mere words given what he offered to the sport, having retired as one of the most decorated British players of all time.
Although the bulk of his silverware was won in the Spanish capital, it could be argued that some of his best days were actually enjoyed in the Premier League, as he worked his way up from a left-back on the verge of leaving the club, to their star right winger.
Boasting a unique physical profile that blended his bulky 6 foot 1 frame with lightning pace, former Saints player David Prutton had always predicted big things for the Southampton youngster: "You could see that he was unfazed, you can see that he was fit, you can see he was a real weapon to have. You could see when he was playing left-back, maybe, just maybe…
“He had the athletic ability to cover ground, at speed, at real volume. I’m not simplifying what our tactics were but a lot of it was down the left-hand side with the ball being rolled out to Gareth who would tear off down the left wing and put a decent ball in or having a crack at goal. He soon became very effective at doing that."
Bursting onto the scene with his European hat trick against a legendary Inter Milan outfit, this would mark the platform for the 111-cap star to shine. After all, the following season he would score ten and assist 14 in the Premier League alone, creeping towards the immeasurable figures that would catch the eye of Los Blancos.
1
Harry Kane
278
2
Jimmy Greaves
162
3
Heung-min Son
148
4
Jermaine Defoe
140
5
Robbie Keane
122
In what was his final year for Spurs, Bale would score 26 and assist 14 across all competitions for an outfit that finished fifth in the league, rightfully winning the PFA Player of the Year award. He was far too good, and everybody knew it. Playing with the elite was only fair.
Clearly unburdened by the financial weight of his price tag, instantly the speedster would translate this form into a new country, recording 28 goal contributions alone in that first year in La Liga. Despite a rocky relationship with his new fanbase, upon departing the Santiago Bernabeu he had amassed three Spanish league titles, a host of domestic honours and five Champions Leagues, two of which he scored decisive goals in the final.
Whilst rumours circled surrounding his retirement in January 2023, which he would later confirm, his agent Jonathan Barnett noted: "When you reach a level that he’s at I think it’s important that you bow out at the right time. He doesn’t need to do anything else, he’s proved everything, he’s got a list of achievements that are quite amazing. I think he’s the best player Britain has ever produced. Why carry on? He couldn’t play at the level he wanted to anymore."
With 236 Spurs appearances to his name, and a trophy cabinet to rival the very best, Bale's is a legacy few will even come close to in their careers.
However, there is one man already at the north London club that has forged a reputation to rival the retired superstar's.
Having signed in 2015, Heung-min Son has quickly grown into one of the Premier League's most dependable and prolific goalscorers from the left flank.
Is Heung-min Son better than Gareth Bale?
Cutting in onto his wicked right foot, although it could be argued his left is just as good, few have been able to quell the threat that Son's pace, directness and lethal touch over his eight years in England have provided.
In fact, across every full league term the 31-year-old has enjoyed with the Lilywhites apart from his debut, the South Korean has hit double figures. Even during his best season for goal contributions, which saw the £40m-rated dynamo notch 32 during the 2021/22 league campaign, surpassed that aforementioned term where Bale scored 21 and assisted eight in the league.
It is no surprise that the ex-Bayer Leverkusen ace has been lauded too, with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp even claiming: "One of the big mistakes in my life was that I didn’t sign him. Outstanding player. World class player and one of the best strikers in the world. Yeah, you should be proud."
All their figures in front of goal point towards Son actually having already surpassed Bale's tenure at Spurs, with the only difference being that sole trophy that the former Wales international won in 2008.
However, with positivity radiating around the club following Ange Postecoglou's fine start to life as their new leader, and the experienced winger the man tasked with now captaining the side, there is every chance that he could overcome that final hurdle to comfortably surpass the legacy left by Bale, should a trophy or two fall his way.
Rangers were beaten 1-0 at home to Celtic on Sunday afternoon and it has led to an interesting claim emerging over the future of manager Michael Beale, courtesy of journalist Jonny McFarlane.
What went wrong for Rangers against Celtic?
The Gers faced a huge Scottish Premiership clash at Ibrox on Sunday, as they hosted their bitter rivals, going into the match one point behind them after three matches. A win would be a much-needed boost for Beale, following their demoralising 5-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League last Wednesday, but it was clear that a loss would also be a damaging early blow in the SPL title race.
Rangers felt aggrieved when Kemar Roofe's goal was eventually disallowed by VAR in the first half, due to a foul in the lead-up to him finding the net, and from that point on, things only got worse. Kyogo Furuhashi fired home impressively just before half-time to give Celtic the lead, silencing the home fans, and despite pushing hard for an equaliser, Beale's men couldn't find one in the end.
It means that the Gers are now four points adrift of their adversaries, and while it is still clearly early days in the new season, it is already a deficit that is not going to be easy to claw back.
The result has further heaped the pressure on Beale, who appears to be on thin ice currently, not least because of the grim way his side exited the Champions League last week.
Rangers manager Michael Beale.
Is Michael Beale's job under threat?
Taking to Twitter after the defeat to Celtic, McFarlane was critical of the job Beale is doing, claiming he now has "major problems" as he looks to keep his job:
"Michael Beale has major problems. Hard to see the identity. A performance littered with mistakes. Toothless in the top end of the pitch and prone to errors at the back isn’t a great combination."
There is no question that Beale now has to be under huge pressure to stay in the Ibrox hot seat, following a terrible few days for him, both in Europe and domestically.
For too much of the game against Celtic, there was a lack of quality and genuine guile on show, with good chances few and far between, having only three shots on target. Granted, the Hoops' defence was opened up on occasions, but it always felt as though the visitors had more cutting edge in the final third, and they could easily have scored a second goal as the minutes ticked by after the break.
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With the international break now arriving, those high up at Rangers now have a key period in which to make a big decision over Beale's future, with some supporters certainly keen on the idea of him being relieved of his duties, despite only taking charge last November.
There isn't enough patience in the modern game, so sacking Beale could still feel knee-jerk, despite the losses to PSV and Celtic, but if he is retained, performances and results have to improve drastically as soon as Rangers return to action, starting away to St Johnstone on September 16th.
ScorecardAn unbeaten half-century from Daniel Hughes put New South Wales in a strong position at stumps on day three as the Blues pursued a target of 309 against Victoria at the Junction Oval in Melbourne.The Blues made an outstanding start to the run chase with Hughes and Nick Larkin putting on 83 for the first wicket in less than 22 overs before Fawad Ahmed broke through.He had Ed Cowan stumped to put the Blues under pressure but Kurtis Patterson and Hughes built steadily towards stumps.Earlier, Travis Dean made his second hundred in successive matches to help the Bushrangers set a substantial target. He scored 106 from 270 balls and got good lower-order support from Peter Siddle (28) and Dan Christian (22). Trent Copeland picked up Chris Tremain to secure his 15th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.Victoria batsman Will Pucovski, who had been substituted out of the match with concussion, indicated he would return to action once he feels better. The 20-year old was struck on the helmet by a Sean Abbott bouncer on the second day after which he was taken off the ground for medical assistance. “It was unfortunate but that’s cricket,” Pucovski said in a statement. “I’m under the supervision of Cricket Victoria’s medical team and we’ll look at my return to play options once I have fully recovered.”
Ashleigh Gardner took flight with the bat before Sarah Aley ushered a staggering collapse with the ball as Sydney Sixers set up a final clash with Perth Scorchers again
The Report by Daniel Brettig02-Feb-2018Ashleigh Gardner goes on her toes during her vital half-century•Getty Images
Ashleigh Gardner took flight with the bat before Sarah Aley ushered a staggering collapse with the ball as Sydney Sixers advanced to their third consecutive Women’s Big Bash League final with a 17-run win over Adelaide Strikers. The defending champions’ win gained them the chance to vie for a second title in three editions of the tournament.While the Strikers began tightly with the ball and were kept in the contest until late by Tammy Beaumont, Gardner’s 45-ball 72 and then Aley’s burst of 4 for 1, amid the Strikers’ loss of six wickets for a mere three runs, were obstacles too great for the home side to overcome. The leading team of the qualifying rounds has thus made the final, and will take on Perth Scorchers after they dumped Sydney Thunder from the tournament on Thursday.The Schutt shieldAs befits her consistent place taking the new ball for Australia, Megan Schutt made life difficult for the Sixers after Ellyse Perry chose to bat on a sunny Adelaide afternoon. Across the tournament, Schutt had bowled her overs at a cost of a mere 5.85 runs per over until the semi-final, and she raised her game to more miserly levels this time around.At the other end, Sophie Devine was also effective, and gained the first wicket of the match in the form of the Sixers and Australia wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy. After four overs, the Sixers were a decidedly wobbly 1 for 9, with the clamps seeming to have been placed well and truly on their innings by Schutt in particular. The Sixers needed a way to supercharge the innings – fortunately they had just the power player for the task.Gardner goes bangEarly in the season, Gardner had played a pivotal role in securing a nervy chase for Australia in the opening Ashes ODI at Allan Border Field with a vital burst of hitting opposite Alex Blackwell. In Adelaide, she had the task of batting for longer and setting up the Sixers’ tally after their early struggles, and did so in a fashion that remained true to her heavy-hitting ways. While Perry played a sensible supporting hand, rotating the strike and finding gaps, Gardner set about clumping the Sixers’ scoring rate into healthy territory.Schutt, Devine, Suzie Bates and Amanda-Jade Wellington were all hoisted for at least one Gardner six, several of which carried the men’s boundary as well as the women’s. The most intriguing battle was between Gardner and Wellington, who spun her legbreaks teasingly, and came close to ending Gardner’s innings on 46 when a high ball swirled over Bridget Patterson on the midwicket boundary but burst through her hands while carrying for the six that took Gardner over 50. Wellington would eventually deceive and dismiss Gardner, stumped off a wide, but by then the allrounder had carved out 72 and ensured a decent Sixers total.Aley’s avalancheSliding the ball on with enough pace to punish any misjudgements, Aley has long been one of the more challenging customers in the WBBL. She does not generally need the help she got when coming on to bowl in the fourth over of the Strikers’ chase, with Devine and Bates seemingly traveling well in pursuit. Aley’s first ball was a little short, and hurried onto Bates just enough to have the New Zealand captain pulling straight into the hands of midwicket. Very next ball, Tahlia McGrath sized up another delivery that dropped short and also wide of the stumps. Her attempt to cut was airborne, and straight at Sarah Coyte, who celebrated enthusiastically with her team-mates at putting Aley onto a hat-trick.While the rest of the over was safely negotiated by Beaumont, the collapse would be maintained in Aley’s next over, when she snared a couple of wickets in more typical fashion – Wellington and Tabitha Saville both pinned lbw by balls delivered stump to stump. Patterson and Devine fell in the same period at the other end, meaning the Strikers lost 6 for 3, of which Aley’s haul was a remarkable, and decisive, 4 for 1.Making them work for itAt 6 for 23, the Strikers were every chance of folding in the manner of the Scorchers’ men’s team on Thursday night, but Beaumont was able to stem the bleeding for a time with ardent help from Schutt. Though they let the required run rate balloon into two-runs-a-ball territory, the pair importantly guided the Strikers past 70, and so when Schutt fell lbw to Erin Burns, the game was not quite done for.Beaumont made it to a meritorious 50 and cut the equation to 44 from 22 balls. But she was to be dismissed the next ball after reaching her milestone, lbw trying to reverse sweep Coyte, and from there the match petered out, albeit rather later than it had earlier seemed likely to. The Strikers’ streak is over, ended by a pair of explosive passages of play from the most consistent force in the league.