MARSH HOPEFUL OF PLAYING 2ND ODI V SAFRICA

MELBOURNE: Australia batsman Shaun Marsh is hopeful of playing in the second one-day international against South Africa on Friday after having surgery on an abscess on his buttock, teammate Alex Carey said on Wednesday. Marsh missed the six-wicket thrashing by South Africa in the series-opener in Perth on Sunday due to the problem, with Ben Mcdermott brought into the squad as cover. “He is pretty positive that he’ll be right for Friday,” vice-captain Carey told reporters in Adelaide. “Shaun obviously (in the) last series over in England was sensational, he scored two hundreds for us.”

Taylor, Latham lift Black Caps to 266/9 against Pak

ABU DHABI: Ross Taylor and Tom Latham scored fighting half centuries to lift New Zealand to a challenging 266/9 in the first day-night international against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. Taylor scored 80 for his 42nd half century while Latham knocked a 64-ball 68 — including five fours — to lift New Zealand from 78-3 after they won the toss and batted. But once the Taylor-latham fourth wicket stand of 130 was broken, Pakistan’s leg-spinner Shadab Khan derailed the innings with a burst of three wickets in the 42nd over to leave New Zealand at 210/7. Tail-enders Ish Sodhi (24) and Tim Southee (20) added another 42 runs for the eighth wicket to bring some respectability to New Zealand’s total. That helped New Zealand add 50 runs in the last five overs.