The allrounder was attempting an over-the-shoulder catch when the ball landed flush on his face, dislodging several teeth

Madushka Balasuriya08-Dec-2022Chamika Karunaratne will be available for selection for the rest of the Lanka Premier League despite undergoing an emergency dental surgery following a fielding mishap against Galle Gladiators on Wednesday.”He’s stable and out of danger,” Kandy Falcons’ team manager said. “He is available for selection and will be able to participate in the Kandy leg of the tournament.”The incident occurred in the fourth over of the game, when Karunaratne ran back from cover to take an over-the-shoulder catch off Carlos Brathwaite’s bowling. While Karunaratne held on to the chance, it was not before the ball landed flush on his face, dislodging several teeth.Karunaratne was taken to the hospital immediately following the accident, where he underwent surgery. He is understood to have lost four teeth in his lower frontal jaw, while also sustaining lacerations on his lower lip and gums.The injury comes in the wake of a taxing couple of weeks for the allrounder, which has seen him dropped from Sri Lanka’s national side after a disciplinary panel found him guilty of several breaches of the player agreement during the T20 World Cup in Australia.Ahead of the game against Gladiators, Karunaratne had spoken to the host broadcaster about his ambitions and using his time with Falcons as a platform to return to the national side.”For the last two years I had just one bad month, that was not my 100%,” he said. “New month, new LPL. Last year I did really well, so this year I also want to do well. I was just in Abu Dhabi [for the T10 league] and had a good tournament, so now I just want to get back into my rhythm and get back into the national team.”Falcons’ next match is against Jaffna Kings, a top-of-the-table clash on Saturday when the action moves to Pallekele.

Head coach Jonathan Trott’s contract has been extended until the end of the 2023 ODI World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jan-2023UAE will host Afghanistan for three T20Is in Abu Dhabi starting February 16 as part of the agreement signed by the two cricket boards last November, wherein the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) will be offering the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) logistical and infrastructure support for the next five years, including hosting their “home” matches for the period. As a result, Afghanistan committed to playing UAE in a three-match T20I series annually until the deal expires.”We are honored to be [a] part of this partnership, and are pleased with the results of our recent talks and negotiations with the Emirates Cricket Board,” Naseeb Khan, CEO of the ACB, said. “Playing this T20I series is the first step in our long-term commitment, and we are looking forward to a continued relationship with ECB.”The teams will be meeting across formats for the first time since March 2018. However, this series isn’t a part of the ICC’s FTP during the 2023-27 cycle, where they are slotted to play 21 Tests, 45 ODIs and 57 T20Is. This will also be Afghanistan’s first assignment this year, with another three-match T20I series to be played against Pakistan in March. That series might be held at a neutral venue, with the Afghanistan and Pakistan boards to equally split the revenue.Related

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For the UAE series, Afghanistan have selected a preliminary list of 22 players for a preparation camp in the UAE. Rashid Khan will be leading the visitors, who will be departing for the UAE next week for a conditioning camp in Abu Dhabi before the series. The squad will then be trimmed to 17 members.Meanwhile, the contracts of head coach Jonathan Trott, bowling coach Umar Gul and fielding coach Ryan Maron had come up for extension last month. The ACB has been deliberating on the matter – in which time the team had been in the care of assistant coach Raees Ahmadzai – and green-lit Trott and Maron to stay on till the end of the 2023 ODI World Cup*. Gul’s deal has run out.The timing of the UAE series means several Afghanistan players will be missing the first week of the Pakistan Super League, which starts in Multan from February 13.Given the political situation in Afghanistan, it has remained a no-go zone for international teams. The situation escalated with the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, following which several ACB staff fled the country. Thereafter, even getting visas for Afghanistan players to play abroad became a challenge.The ACB subsequently arranged UAE residency visas for about two dozen players and staff, making UAE as their home away from home. In fact, Australia even cancelled a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan scheduled for March after the Taliban banned university education for girls.Afghanistan’s 22-member squad: Rashid Khan (capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Abdul Rahman Rahmani, Afsar Zazai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Bilal Sami, Farid Ahmad Malik, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Gulbadin Naib, Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Najibullah Zadran, Nangyal Kharoti, Naveen Ul Haq, Nijat Masoud, Noor Ahmad, Rahmat Shah, Sediqullah Atal, Shahidullah Kamal, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Zahir Khan*

Shorna Akter showed some fight for Bangladesh but the target was too big

S Sudarshanan17-Feb-2023After two ducks in the previous two matches, Suzie Bates turned her form around to help New Zealand post the fourth-highest total in Women’s T20 World Cups, and keep their hopes of making the semi-final alive.Bates scored an unbeaten 81 off 61 balls to help New Zealand to 189 for 3 before a strong bowling performance restricted Bangladesh to 118 for 8. In the process, she also became the first player to reach 1000 runs in T20 World Cups.Bates aside, Maddy Green’s 44 not out off 20 balls also propelled New Zealand, who scored 60 in their last five overs.

Bezuidenhout and Bates give New Zealand brisk start

New Zealand were bowled out for 76 and 67 against Australia and South Africa respectively, and Bates had registered first-ball and second-ball blobs in those contests. On Friday, she began watchfully against Bangladesh, with fellow opener Bernadine Bezuidenhout hogging most of the strike in the first three overs.Bezuidenhout, who herself was out on zero in the previous game, hit the first ball of the innings for four before picking up another boundary in the third over. It took a pristinely timed whip through midwicket for Bates to open her boundary count. But it was Bezuidenhout who did the bulk of the scoring as New Zealand finished the powerplay 49 for no loss. More importantly, the pair faced only eight dots in the phase.Bezuidenhout looked primed to score her maiden T20I half-century before she charged down and was stumped off Shorna Akter, bringing an end to the 77-run stand in which she had contributed 44 off 26 balls.

Bates and Green lead final assault

Bates and Amelia Kerr took New Zealand past 100 before legspinner Fahima Khatun dealt a double blow. First, she had Kerr offering a return catch off a full toss and then, on the next delivery, bowled Sophie Devine with a slider.Maddy Green hit some crisp strokes during her unbeaten 44•ICC/Getty Images

But a steady Bates was then joined by a belligerent Green, who found the middle of the bat from the get-go. She used her feet to hit Fahima back over her head before using the depth of the crease and the bowler’s pace to thump seamer Marufa Akter for three fours in an over. She also showed her wares against spin, first reverse-sweeping Salma through short third and then hitting left-arm spinner Nahida Akter down the ground.Bates, meanwhile, passed her seventh fifty-plus score in T20 World Cups and pounced on anything remotely short. She pulled Fahima through midwicket before repeating the drill against Nahida. She also used the reverse sweep to good effect. She was dropped at deep midwicket in the 18th over by Marufa, who parried it for six that brought up Bates’ 1000th run.Bates and Green added 82 in seven overs in an unbroken stand for the fourth wicket, leaving Bangladesh with a mountain to chase.

Shorna sparkles but New Zealand clinical

Shamima Sultana hit Lea Tahuhu for a four and a six in the opening over of the chase to get Bangladesh off to a positive start. But Hannah Rowe trapped her lbw for 14 and then yorked No. 3 Sobhana Mostary for 4, while conceding only three runs from her first two overs.Kerr bowled Nigar Sultana with a googly in the tenth over, but Murshida Khatun and Shorna, who was part of the Under-19 T20 World Cup as well, added 46 for the fourth wicket.Shorna hit Kerr for a couple of fours through the leg side before smashing Rowe for successive fours in the 13th over. Murshida too picked up a couple of boundaries before offspinner Eden Carson had her slicing one to backward point.Once that stand was broken, Bangladesh could manage only 18 in the remaining 32 balls.

The left-arm fast bowler has undergone surgery to remove blood clots in his shoulder but is yet to resume bowling

Nagraj Gollapudi24-Mar-2023Uncapped Indian fast bowler Mohsin Khan will be a key absentee in the Lucknow Super Giants’ line-up for majority of the 2023 season as he recovers from a left shoulder injury. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Mohsin, who was among the best bowlers last IPL, underwent surgery to remove blood clots in his bowling shoulder last year and is yet to resume bowling.Mohsin is understood to have experienced discomfort late into the 2022 season and has not bowled since last IPL. He travelled to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru and subsequently had the blood clots removed surgically. The left-arm fast bowler from Uttar Pradesh is currently part of the Super Giants’ preparatory camp in Lucknow. It is understood that while Mohsin has been batting in the nets, he is not ready to start bowling again because he is still strengthening his bowling shoulder.Super Giants, who finished third in their maiden IPL season last year, remain optimistic and expect Mohsin to start bowling in the second half of the IPL. While the franchise picked Saurashtra and India left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat as a ready replacement at the IPL auction last December, they kept Mohsin in the squad and is understood to have supported him throughout the rehab phase.Super Giants had entrusted Mohsin with the most challenging task: bowling in the powerplay and death. He had a shaky start to IPL 2022, leaking 18 runs in two wicketless overs against Gujarat Titans in Super Giants’ first IPL game and was subsequently benched for the rest of the first half of the season. But once he returned, he made an impact in virtually each of the eight matches he played, including Eliminator against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Eden Gardens, where his 1 for 25 in four overs was the joint-most economical spell in the game.In terms of impact per match measured by ESPNcricnfo’s Smart Stats, Mohsin even pipped Rajasthan Royals’ Jos Buttler, last season’s leading run-getter, with a score of 58.4. Smart Stats takes into account match context for each ball bowled and it was here that Mohsin made the telling impact. His 4 for 16 against Delhi Capitals and 3 for 20 against Kolkata Knight Riders featured in the list of top-five highest impact points for a bowling performance last IPL.In his last eight matches, Mohsin conceded 12.78 runs per wicket and 5.77 per over. Among the 33 bowlers who bowled at least 20 overs in that period, none had a better average or economy rate. Overall in the 2022 season, no bowler had a better economy in the powerplay than his 5.25 while only four other bowlers did better than his 8.62 at the death (minimum qualification: eight overs for each).

“He’ll just have to wait for some more time as Kyle Mayers is doing really well”

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Apr-2023KL Rahul has admitted he “feels bad” about Quinton de Kock’s continued absence from Lucknow Super Giants’ starting XI in IPL 2023, describing his omission as “very unfortunate”.De Kock was unavailable for Super Giants’ opening two games of the season while on international duty and Kyle Mayers, who filled in at the top of the order, made the most of his opportunity.Ahead of Wednesday night’s game against Rajasthan Royals, Mayers was Super Giants’ leading run-scorer for the season with 168 in five innings, including two half-centuries. He has also maintained a healthy strike rate of 168.00.Super Giants have used Mayers, Nicholas Pooran, Marcus Stoinis and one fast bowler – either Mark Wood, Romario Shepherd or Naveen-ul-Haq – as their four overseas players this season, and have been unwilling to alter that combination to accommodate de Kock despite his previous success for them.”It’s very unfortunate that someone like Quinton has to sit out,” Rahul, Super Giants’ captain, said at the toss ahead of their game in Jaipur. “But unfortunately, there are only four foreign players [per XI] that can play in this competition.”He’ll just have to wait for some more time. Kyle is doing really well. It’s a bit unfortunate. You feel bad. I’ve enjoyed playing and enjoyed opening with Quinton, but for now, he’s still not playing.”De Kock opened the batting alongside Rahul throughout the 2022 season as Super Giants reached the play-offs, scoring 508 runs at an average of 36.28 and a strike rate of 148.97. He was retained on a contract worth INR 6.75 crore ahead of this year, but has found himself running the drinks.”It’s been quite relaxed,” de Kock told Star Sports before Wednesday’s game. “I’m not quite used to being on the side for so long but it’s all good – the team’s doing really well so I guess that’s the most important thing.”It’s been chilled. I’ve made a couple more friends sitting on the side, learned a lot more with the boys and it’s been fun watching the guys.”He added that he has been working hard to keep himself fit and try to force his way into the side. “Put it this way: I don’t think I’ve gymed, run and practised as much as I have in the last two in my whole career,” de Kock said.

21-year-old Robin Das announces himself with 69 off 33 as de Lange injury compounds Gloucestershire’s misery

ECB Reporters Network30-May-2023Essex 196 for 7 (Das 69, Khushi 34, Westley 31*) beat Gloucestershire 195 for 7 (Charlesworth 52, Dent 33) by three wicketsRobin Das continued his incredible breakthrough week with his maiden Vitality Blast half-century as Essex belatedly began their campaign with a six-wicket victory over Gloucestershire.Das, the 21-year-old batter, struck a century on his first-class debut against Ireland on Friday before crashing a stylish 69 to help Essex towards a daunting 196 target.That huge Gloucestershire score was in large part down to Ben Charlesworth’s brutal 19-ball fifty, the quickest for the county in T20s.But Das, together with fellow homegrown batter Feroze Khushi’s 34 off 12 balls and Tom Westley’s street-wise 31 not out guided Essex to victory with five balls to spare.”There is a lot of scope for things to go better but I guess I’ve had worse weeks,” Das said. “I am really happy with how the week has gone and hopefully can keep the ball rolling and keep the momentum going.”It is very pleasing to contribute with Feroze. I have played with him since club cricket at the age of 13 or 14. It is nice to play with those players you grew up with and shows a really strength to our club; players coming through the pathways and into the first team.”Related

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Essex and Gloucestershire hadn’t bowled a ball at each other at the Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford since 2016, following an incredible run of five consecutive washouts. Essex had also delayed the start of their Blast season due to the Ireland clash.Former Eagles Grant Roelofson and Chris Dent got Gloucestershire off to a strong start in the powerplay – 61 for 1 – but the former feathering an edge behind saw them stall.Miles Hammond and Dent fell in the following two overs, with Ollie Price bowled soon after, leaving the visitors on 80 for 4 just past the halfway point. But after an unspectacular start, where he was dropped on 13 and had 20 off his first 13 balls, Charlesworth went into hyperdrive.He took Matt Critchley for two consecutive sixes on the leg side before tearing into Sam Cook. Two fours through mid-on were followed by two maximums over deep square – one on the back foot, the other flicked off the front – to take him to his half-century.Next ball, Cook had the last laugh by finding his edge. James Bracey heaved his first ball for six – which made it 47 runs in 12 balls for Gloucestershire – but next ball he picked out long off, with Jack Taylor coming and going in the same Daniel Sams over.If Essex thought the onslaught had ended with Charlesworth, Marchant de Lange got their necks craning again by helping himself to 18 off the penultimate over – including a run of four, six, six.Danny Lamb, who arrived on a short-term loan from Lancashire before the match, crashed a four and a six off the last over to take Gloucestershire to an imposing 195 for 7.Fast bowler de Lange had Adam Rossington caught at deep midwicket with his third ball but pulled out of his delivery stride before bowling another ball before walking out of proceedings.Khushi had already pinged de Lange back over his head before repeating the trick twice off Tom Smith’s spin. But he fell to a stunning catch at short third as Essex blasted 72 for 2 in the powerplay.

He’s done it again, and again. The Headingley Test saw England’s seam-bowling veteran add to his tally

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jun-2023 • Updated on 06-Jul-2023

2013

3.6 143.1 kph, oh he’s gone! This one was right on target, he pitched it straight on the stumps on length, it seamed back in and Warner’s bat came down late enough for the ball to hit the top of off stump. Broad has got the early breakthrough

2013-14

30.3 135.1 kph, oh, what’s he done! Warner’s slapped a short ball straight to cover. It wasn’t a great delivery, short of a length outside off. Warner driving lazily off the back foot and it was a simple catch.

58.4 134.1 kph, plays away from his body, thin edge and gone! A crumb of comfort for England, Broad again the catalyst with his eighth wicket in the match. Having just flayed a six down the ground, this was a slightly neither-nor way to go, just dangled the bat out. But the damage, you feel, is doneESPNcricinfo Ltd

7.6 133.6 kph, got him! Poor stroke, clipped straight to point. Just short of a length and Warner has picked out Carberry square on the off side. He lives and dies by the sword and in trying to be uber-aggressive again, Warner pops up an easy catch with a flicked back-foot drive. The delivery might have just stopped in the wicket a little, and it actually just nipped away a touch, it certainly didn’t come on as Warner was hoping. Important strike for England after leaking a few runs early doors

5.5 136.1 kph, got ‘im! Broad gets rewarded for a full length. Holds its line on Warner whose footworks lets him down this time, and Broad zips it past the outside edge to take off stump. Lovely delivery

2019

3.5 NOW THAT’S OUT!! Full and fast, pinned in front of middle and leg! Warner is gone, no attempt even to review – Broad has burst through in the fourth over of the morning, and Edgbaston is all over this! “Cheerio, cheerio!” they crow, as Warner grits his teeth and heads for the dressing rooms. But hang on, because Hawk-Eye now has its say: and the ball was missing leg!! So a Tale of Two Missed Reviews ends with Warner back in the hutch for spit

2.6 huge appeal from Bairstow and the slips! Broad isn’t so sure, but the cordon is adamant there was a noise as Warner flirted outside off! It’s gone to a review and the crowd like what they’ve seen already! Almost off the back of the bat as Warner tried to leave that uncomfortable kicking back-of-a-length, and that’s 450 wickets for Broad, and a massive one at that!

4.2 bowled ‘im, shaves the leg bail! Big nip-backer from round the wicket and Warner goes cheaply again! Broad the man to get him for the third time in a row this series, slightly rickety defensive shot but that was a sweet cherry – and England have their openingStuart Broad wheels away in celebration after dismissing David Warner during the 2019 series•Getty Images

1.2 big appeal… given! Wilson looked like he shook his head, and then stuck the finger up – utterly bizarre – and Warner sends it upstairs… impact umpire’s call, and smashing into leg stump on with the angle! Warner’s struggles against Broad continue! Wide on the crease again from Broad – you know the drill now when he’s bowling to Warner – and moved in off the seam to thwack him on the pad

0.4 caught behind! Five times for Broad! Warner trying to leave made his decision to late! Got a little outside edge before withdrawing the bat. Easy catch for Bairstow! It was a good length but way wide of off. It didn’t shape away much. The tightness of the previous leave maybe caused doubt for Warner and he was too late to withdraw the bat!

0.6 given lbw! Broad’s done it again! A straighter delivery, good length, spears into the pads and Warner is trapped deep in the crease. A pair for Warner, his first in Tests and three ducks in a row

6.4 gone! Do not adjust your monitors, Stuart Broad has got David Warner again! Again, you know the drill. Round the wicket, on a length, Warner has a nibble at it, and edges it to slip where Burns takes a good catch. Seven times in the series!

2021-22

20.6 edged, gone! Broad gets Warner. A fraction fuller from Broad, and this is the sort of delivery that Warner struggled so much with back in 2019. Angling in from wide on the crease, then nipping away off the seam from a fuller length to take the outside edge. Crawley gobbles up the chance at second slip and England have the breakthrough. That’s the 13th time Broad has dismissed Warner in Tests. Possibly wide enough to leave alone but Warner has struggled to judge the line with that exaggerated angle

0.3 brilliant catch at point! Warner goes for a pair. Short outside off stump, Warner goes for a square drive and Pope dives full length to his right. Warner’s second pair in Tests after Old Trafford 2019Broad claimed the wicket of Warner in both innings at Headingley 2023•Getty Images

2023

10.1 chopped on! Broad gets Warner again. Edgbaston erupts! Wide tempter, not quite a half volley, Warner throws his hands at a full blooded drive with no footwork and drags a thick inside edge back onto the stumps. Warner throws his head back in disbelief.
0.5 edged and taken at second slip! Broad gets Warner again! Sweet 16. Good length, fifth stump line, no need to play, he pushes at it firmly, gets a thick edge and it flies rib high to Crawley’s left and he opens his body nicely to pouch it. Crowd erupts.
2.2 and of course it is Broad who dismisses Warner. Like clockwork. Warner with a wry smile as he makes his way back. Length ball angling into Warner, the batter tries to fend it low, but the ball takes an edge and Crawley dives at slip to gobble it up. That’s No. 17 for Broad in this battle against Warner*July 6 and 7 – This article was twice updated

Hosts recover from 41 for 5 to post 301 before nipping out two late wickets

ECB Reporters Network11-Jun-2023A stellar century by Jordan Cox rescued Kent on day one of their LV= Insurance County Championship match with Surrey at Canterbury. The hosts recovered from 41 for 5 to 301 all out, after losing five top order wickets for seven runs in the space of 31 balls.Cox led the fight back with 133, exactly 100 of which came after he was dropped by Ben Foakes. He was also part of two crucial partnerships, putting on 121 for the sixth wicket with Joey Evison, who made 58, then exactly 100 for the ninth with Wes Agar, who made 51.Surrey’s Sean Abbott took 4 for 52, but the visitors were 18 for two at stumps, trailing by 283 after Wes Agar claimed two late wickets.The big news before the start of play was Kent’s decision to omit Sam Billings after what was described as “mutual discussions around form.” The captain had averaged 9.19 so far this season so this wasn’t a bombshell, but even this ritual sacrifice did little to improve the mood of a festival crowd during a torrid morning session.”I think most of the boys knew before,” Cox said of Billings’ decision. “We’ve all been struggling for runs, I’m not going to lie, so it was all about scoring runs and I think, for the best interests of the team he was like ‘I’m going to step down for this game.'”He might come in for the next game, but he was like, ‘for me, this is what I want to do, this is what I need to do’ and that’s proper from a captain. A lot of captains would just go ‘no, I’m the captain of the team, I need to play,’ but he was like ‘I want this for the team, I’ve not been playing well, I understand that. I know I’m captain of the club but it still means I can get dropped’ so he’s done that and it’s shown to the boys that we have to score runs and anyone can get dropped, even Joe Denly, who’s played 170 games.”Kent won the toss, chose to bat in front of a good festival crowd and eased through 11 overs, only to lose four wickets for a single run in 13 balls. Both openers fell to slip catches off Abbott in the 12th, Ben Compton for 9, edging the first delivery to Will Jacks at third and Tawanda Muyeye for 21, nudging the final ball to Dom Sibley at first.The next three batters made ducks. Daniel Bell-Drummond was lbw to Jordan Clark and at the start of the 14th Abbott bowled Joe Denly with a ball that nipped back. Cox survived the hat-trick ball but when Clark had stand-in skipper Jack Leaning caught behind soon afterwards the natives were getting restless.On the boundary a member greeted another with the polite enquiry: “Good morning, all right?” The reply was blunt: “Yes. Only I’m not all right, and it’s not a good morning.”Evision’s arrival prompted a more defiant yell of: “Come on Joey, they don’t like it up ’em,” and he at least prevented further damage before lunch, at which point Kent were 80 for 5. It nearly got worse for Kent when Cox edged Abbott, but Foakes dropped a simple chance.Evison completed his half-century by hooking the same bowler to the boundary and looked well set until he edged Dan Moriarty to Foakes. Surrey’s keeper then took a smart catch off Gus Atkinson to get rid of Hamid Qadri for 5, flinging himself to the leg side, before Atkinson sent Quinn’s leg stump flying for 10, but Kent were on 211 for 8 at tea, with Agar showing signs he could have been higher up the order.The runs started to flow in the evening session. Cox reached three figures with an elegant reverse-swept four off Moriarty and although Will Jacks nearly had him caught on the boundary when he was on 123, Sibley had to step over the rope before completing the catch.The new ball eventually did for Cox, who hit Abbott to Clark at mid-on but the bowler was denied a five-wicket haul when Arshdeep Singh skied the next ball and Burns couldn’t cling on.That drop was less costly as Worrall had Agar caught by Sibley at first slip in the next over, but it left Surrey with 11 overs to navigate before stumps.Arshdeep’s first three overs in county cricket were all maidens but it was Agar who made the breakthrough, drawing Burns into a hook that was caught by Quinn at short fine leg for 15. Nightwatcher Atkinson then fell in almost identical fashion to the final ball of the day, leaving even Kent’s most pessimistic fans beaming.

Allrounder stars with 2 for 46 and 56 off 35 balls in rain-ravaged fixture

ECB Reporters Network15-Jul-2023A Katie George-inspired Central Sparks chased down a 164 target in 19 overs at Headingley to maintain their excellent recent form and pile more misery on defending Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy champions Northern Diamonds, winning by five wickets.A rain-ravaged fixture was completed with two balls remaining following showers all day. Former England all-rounder George starred with 2 for 46 from seven overs of left-arm seam and then 56 off 35 balls.The Diamonds were in a healthy position on 223 for 4 from 34 of 37 scheduled overs, with rain taking the players from the field at 3.20pm after a delayed start.When play resumed at 4.45pm, the Sparks were set their target, which they reached amidst an entertaining finale thanks to George’s best 50-over score this summer – her first campaign with the Midlanders.The second-placed Sparks have now won the last four matches they’ve played – they were rained off at home to Western Storm last week, while the Diamonds have lost their last three to dent their title defence and drop out of the top three qualifying places.Diamonds captain Hollie Armitage accelerated into a fine 66 off 56 balls, while Bess Heath crashed an unbeaten 49 off 31. They shared 66 inside seven overs for the fourth wicket from 131 for 3 in the 26th over.Play finally started at 12.40pm, with the game reduced to 39 overs per side. Another brief shower following the start forced a 37 -overs contest.The Diamonds got off to a fluent but not blistering start as Lauren Winfield-Hill and Sterre Kalis shared 60 inside 12 overs.Winfield-Hill made 28, while Kalis made 36 less than 24 hours after representing the Netherlands in a T20 international against Thailand in Utrecht.Such was the tight turnaround that Kalis’s kit was stuck on a flight, and she was forced to use an old bat of hers and some borrowed kit from team-mates. But she played confidently as the Sparks erred in line and length.England fast bowler Issy Wong was the main culprit, regularly bowling full tosses which were despatched to the fence.The innings slowed up after the off-spin of Georgia Davis bowled Winfield-Hill and Kalis was caught behind off George’s left-arm seam to make it 83 for 2 after 15 overs.Emma Marlow later fell to a smart diving catch by Bethan Ellis at cover off George, leaving the score at 131 for 3 in the 26th over and paving the way for Armitage and Heath to really open up. Both hit sixes over long-on.Forty four runs came in three overs from 153 for 3 after 29, though Armitage, having reached her fifty in 51 balls, fell to a stunning diving catch by Erin Burns on the run from long-on off Davis. Only two more overs were possible in the Diamonds’ innings before rain.When play resumed, the Sparks started their chase well, reaching 40 without loss in the fifth over and helped by two lots of five wides.Australian Burns, promoted to open, was first to go when caught at mid-on off Jess Woolston’s seam.Katie Levick bowled a sweeping Abbey Freeborn shortly afterwards before George hit the leg-spinner for three fours in the 10th over – two wide of long-on – to take the score to 84 for 2.Eve Jones, for 26, then scooped Grace Hall’s slingy seam to short fine-leg in the next over, leaving the score at 89 for 3.But George, helped by former Diamond Ami Campbell, maintained the momentum to ensure the Sparks won for the fifth time in nine games.George reached 50 off 30 balls and took the target to nine off the last two overs. She shared 72 with fourth-wicket partner Campbell, who added 27.Both were bowled by Levick at the start of the last over to heighten nerves, but it was too little, too late. Charis Pavely hit the winning runs.