Cricket

Birmingham Bears emerged victorious in their Vitality Blast encounter against Yorkshire Vikings, securing a comfortable four-wicket triumph at Edgbaston. The Bears' spin trio proved instrumental in dismantling the Vikings' batting lineup, restricting them to a modest 145 runs.Joe Root and Dawid Malan provided a promising start for Yorkshire, amassing a 62-run partnership. However, the introduction of spin turned the tide in Birmingham's favor. Jake Lintott and Danny Briggs combined to claim seven wickets, with Root falling victim to Briggs' guile.Shan Masood and Donovan Ferreira departed cheaply, while Malan and Jordan Thompson were dismissed by Briggs. Matthew Revis and Jafer Chohan succumbed to Lintott's spin, leaving Yorkshire reeling at 107 for 7. Dom Bess and Conor McKer's dismissals completed the Vikings' collapse.In response, Birmingham Bears chased down the target with relative ease, reaching 151 for 6 with 11 balls to spare. Sam Hain anchored the innings with an unbeaten 53, while Ed Pollock contributed a brisk 41. Jake Bethell's cameo of 32 off 15 balls further boosted the Bears' chase.Yorkshire's bowlers struggled to contain the Bears' batsmen, with Thompson claiming the only multiple wickets. Birmingham's victory marked their fifth win in their last six Blast encounters against Yorkshire.

In a crucial Charlotte Edwards Cup Finals Day clash, defending champions Southern Vipers outplayed Lancashire Thunder at Emirates Old Trafford, securing a dominant seven-wicket victory.Australian allrounder Charli Knott played a pivotal role, first dismantling Thunder's batting lineup with a three-wicket haul, then leading the Vipers' chase with a blistering 45 off 28 balls.Thunder's innings crumbled under the pressure of Vipers' spin attack. Linsey Smith and Knott combined for six wickets, with Smith claiming three in her opening spell. Thunder's total of 85 was their lowest in T20 regional history.Knott's opening partnership with Georgia Adams (22) set the tone for Vipers' chase. Knott's aggressive strokeplay, including nine boundaries, propelled the team to victory with 55 balls remaining.The win marked Vipers' third in six games, solidifying their position in the race for Finals Day. Thunder, on the other hand, suffered their fourth loss, leaving them with a 2-4 record.Vipers' dominance over Thunder in regional cricket continued, extending their unbeaten streak to 10 matches. The victory also earned them a bonus point, giving them the maximum five points available.

In a thrilling encounter at Mullanpur, Gujarat Titans emerged victorious over Punjab Kings by three wickets, securing their fourth win in the 2024 IPL. The match was dominated by the spinners, with R Sai Kishore leading the charge for Gujarat with an impressive 4 for 33 in four overs.Punjab Kings' batting woes continued as they were dismissed for a below-par 142, exposing their vulnerability against spin. Sai Kishore, Rashid Khan (1/15), and Noor Ahmed (2/20) combined to dismantle the Punjab batting lineup. Liam Livingstone provided some resistance with two wickets in the middle overs, but Harpreet Brar's expensive spell of 35 runs in four overs proved costly.Gujarat Titans' chase was anchored by Shubman Gill (35 off 29) and Sai Sudharsan (31 off 33), but it was Rahul Tewatia's late cameo of 36 not out off 16 that sealed the victory. Tewatia's six boundaries in the final overs eased the pressure and guided Gujarat to a comfortable win in 19.1 overs.The victory propelled Gujarat Titans to the sixth spot in the points table, while Punjab Kings remained rooted at the bottom with their sixth loss in eight matches. Kolkata Knight Riders' win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru earlier in the day further solidified their position in second place, while RCB languished at the bottom.Virat Kohli maintained his dominance at the top of the scorers' chart with 379 runs from eight matches, earning him the Orange Cap. Jasprit Bumrah's 13 wickets in seven games secured him the Purple Cap.

India's left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav unleashed a magical delivery reminiscent of the legendary Shane Warne, dismissing England's well-settled Zak Crawley on Day 1 of the 5th Test. Crawley, who had been tormenting the Indian bowlers, was left bamboozled by Kuldeep's chinaman delivery. The ball spun viciously, finding the fine gap between Crawley's bat and pad, and crashed into the stumps, leaving the England batter and spectators alike stunned.Kuldeep's delivery was measured to have spun an astonishing 10.9 degrees, a testament to his exceptional skill and control. Crawley, who was closing in on a century, was left shell-shocked as Kuldeep's "bunny out of the hat" sent him packing back to the pavilion.Kuldeep's five-wicket haul played a pivotal role in reducing England to 194 for eight at tea on Day 1. The Indian spinners, led by Kuldeep, ran through England's batting lineup, taking six wickets for just 94 runs after lunch.Opener Zak Crawley (79 off 108 balls) provided the lone resistance for England, but his efforts were not enough to prevent the collapse. England's middle order failed to provide substantial support, with only Joe Root (26) and Jonny Bairstow (29) managing to reach double figures.The Indian spinners dominated the proceedings, with Ravichandran Ashwin claiming four wickets and Ravindra Jadeja taking one. England's innings eventually ended at 218 in 57.4 overs, with all 10 wickets falling to the spinners.Kuldeep Yadav's remarkable delivery and five-wicket haul have put India in a commanding position in the 5th Test. The Indian spinners have once again proven their mettle, and England will need to find a way to counter their threat if they want to avoid a series defeat.