World of cricket: Smriti Mandhana shines in The Hundred; Dravid joins team after recovering from COVID-19

Rahul Dravid had tested positive for COVID-19 before departing for UAE for the Asia Cup. But he recovered quickly and was able to join the Indian team before its first match — against Pakistan.

Rahul Dravid had a mild bout of COVID-19 and recovered quickly. | Photo Credit: Reuters

Asia Cup: Dravid joins team after recovering from COVID-19

India head coach Rahul Dravid had tested positive for COVID-19 before the team departed for UAE for the Asia Cup. He didn’t take long to recover, however, and after testing negative for COVID-19, travelled to the UAE to join the team ahead of its first match — against Pakistan.

Back home, Gujarat’s Priyank Panchal has been named captain of India A for the three four-day matches against New Zealand A in September. Sarfaraz Khan, after piling on the runs last season, got a call-up. So too did Tilak Varma and Umran Malik, the young stars of IPL 2022.

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Batter Shubman Gill, after his run-making in Zimbabwe, will play for Glamorgan in the County Championship.

England bounces back after innings defeat

England’s unbeaten run under new coach Brendon McCullum came to an end in the first Test against South Africa at Lord’s. Fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje claimed 13 wickets between them as England fell to an innings defeat, folding for 165 and 149 in the two innings.

McCullum, though, felt that the defeat wasn’t the fault of the new approach of the team. If anything, the team ‘could have gone harder’.

Smriti Mandhana has been prolific at the top of the order for Southern Brave. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

England promptly bounced back at Old Trafford, trouncing South Africa by an innings and 85 runs within three days. It was South Africa’s turn to crumble with the bat; the team scored 151 and 179 in the two innings. Ben Stokes led from the front for the home team, scoring a century and picking four wickets.

The Hundred: Smriti Mandhana among the runs

Indian batters have given a good account of themselves thus far (from August 11 to August 27) in The Hundred.

Opener Smriti Mandhana has been prolific at the top of the order for Southern Brave. Her team was unbeaten after five matches in the competition and was perched at the top of the points table (10 points). Smriti’s tally of 178 runs is the highest for her team and the third-highest among all batters. Her scores: 19, 46, 43, 13, and 57 not out.

Compatriot Jemimah Rodrigues also has a half-century under her belt. She scored a total of 53 runs in two matches for Northern Superchargers.

Australia beats Zimbabwe in first ODI

Cameron Green (5 for 33), David Warner (57, 66b), and Steve Smith (48 n.o., 80b) were the chief architects of Australia’s five-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the first of three ODIs in Townsville.

Asked to bat first, Zimbabwe folded for 200 in 47.3 overs, No. 3 Wessly Madhevere top-scoring with 72 (91b). Innocent Kaia, Tadiwanashe Marumani and Regis Chakabva were the only other players with double-digit personal scores. Leg-spinner Adam Zampa was expensive but picked up three wickets.

Thanks in main to Warner and Smith, Australia cruised along in its run chase. Leg-spinner Ryan Burl took three middle-order wickets towards the business end but it was too little, too late.