MARKRAM AND BEHARDIEN SET LIST A RECORD
CAPE TOWN : Aiden Markram and Farhaan Behardien gave a timely reminder of their potential at the World Cup with a List A record 272 run sixth-wicket partnership for South African franchise the Titans against the Cobras on Friday. The pair bludgeoned the bowling to all parts of the Newlands ground in the domestic 50-over fixture, beating the previous sixth-wicket best of 267 set by Grant Elliott and Luke Ronchi for New Zealand against Sri Lanka in 2015. Markram was a surprise omission from the South Africa squad to play Sri Lanka in a five-match ODI series that starts in Johannesburg on Sunday, but was imperious as he smashed 169 from 129 balls before being caught in the final over of the innings. The pair had come together with their side in trouble at 31 for five and after a slow start piled on the runs in the last 15 overs as Behardien finished not out on 111 from 100 balls. The record partnership for any wicket in List A cricket, which includes ODI matches and domestic limited-overs competitions, is 372 by Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels for the West Indies against Zimbabwe at the 2015 World Cup.
IPL is next big step for women’s cricket: Meg
SYDNEY: Australia skipper Meg Lanning feels introduction of Indian Premier League (IPL) would be the “next big step” in women’s cricket. Last year, IPL had staged a one-off exhibition match for women players in Mumbai hinting at possibility of the start of women’s own T20I league. Lanning said that if that turned out to be the reality then it would be an exciting prospect for the female cricketers. “It was a lot of fun. We only, obviously, played the one game last time. I am not too sure what the set up would be this time if there was one but, from the response we got last time, everyone is keen to do it,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Lanning, as saying. “I would certainly love to be involved in something like that. The next big step for women’s cricket is if an IPL could get up it’s certainly an exciting prospect.”