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Yorkshire cricket’s great divide: ‘We’ve got to stop looking over the fence at each other’

It’s five-to-one on a Saturday afternoon, and at Bowling Old Lane Cricket Club in inner city Bradford the second XI are about to play East Bierley. Mo Mistry wants to know if I’ve brought my white coat. Mistry, who has volunteered to stand for the home side at late notice, is a little disappointed when he realises I’m not the visiting umpire he’s been waiting on, but just a journalist. “You’re from the Guardian?” Mistry says. “You should just copy and paste the article your paper did when it came here 25 years ago,” he tells me. “Nothing’s bloody changed.”

Search for Perfect Climax: Pacers and middle-order make India favourites in series decider

In a space of eight days, this Indian team has played four games. It fielded an identical XI, which is in sync with Rahul Dravid's "school of continuity", seen the nadir in the first two games, only to break its own record of highest margin of victories over the Proteas -- by 47 runs in the third game and by 82 runs in the fourth. With Dinesh Karthik doing exactly what is expected of him and Harshal Patel and Avesh Khan also hitting the straps, the Indian fans would want to see Yuzvendra Chahal perform a trick or two at his IPL home ground in a match that matters the most. Therefore, when the teams step out on the M Chinnaswamy Stadium turf, the side that looked jaded and overcooked in the first two games will start as overwhelming favourites as the South Africans have already lost the plot.

India vs South Africa 4th T20I: There was pressure but credit to Rahul Dravid sir for giving chances to everybody, says Avesh Khan

Having conceded 87 runs in 11 overs in the first three games, the 25-year-old quick was under pressure, with many questioning his place in the side, asking him to be replaced by pace merchant Umran Malik or Arshdeep Singh in the XI. However, Avesh shut his critics for the time being with a lethal spell, riding on the extra bounce in the wicket to prise out Dwayne Pretorious (0), Rassie Van der Dussen (20), Marco Jansen (12), whom he ‘softened up’ with a blow to his helmet before knocking him off, and Keshav Maharaj (0).

1st Test, Day 2: Bangladesh stare at defeat inside three days against West Indies

West Indies were eventually dismissed in their first innings for 265 after tea, having started the morning at 95 for two. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite anchored his side's effort with a typically painstaking 400-minute knock of 94, supported by 63 from Jermaine Blackwood, the vice-captain taking a page from his leader's operational manual as the contribution was the slowest of his 16 Test half-centuries.

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Yorkshire cricket’s great divide: ‘We’ve got to stop looking over the fence at each other’

Search for Perfect Climax: Pacers and middle-order make India favourites in series decider

India vs South Africa 4th T20I: There was pressure but credit to Rahul Dravid sir for giving chances to everybody, says Avesh Khan

1st Test, Day 2: Bangladesh stare at defeat inside three days against West Indies

T20 Blast round-up: Birmingham Bears set new record total

International athletes have door opened by Title IX for new opportunities

Cricket-Karthik blitz sets up India's series-levelling win over South Africa

Karthik blitz sets up India's series-levelling win over South Africa