Round-up for the week ending 18th March: Delray Rawlins & Laurie Evans put North to the sword in Barbados

Although they’re missing out on the squad’s tour to Cape Town, don’t feel too sorry for Laurie Evans and Delray Rawlins as they are still getting a dose of pre-season vitamin D as part of the South side taking on the North in Barbados.

The first match of the three-match one-day series took place at the Kensington Oval on Sunday. Both Delray and Laurie contributed with the bat as the southerners recorded a 63-run victory. Coming in at number four and with the score on 186-2, Laurie was expected to maintain the impetus of the South’s innings, which he did by scoring 28 at around a run-a-ball. He and Delray put on 24 for the fourth wicket before Laurie was caught off the bowling of Keaton Jennings. Delray powered on thereafter, plundering 53 off just 41 balls and helping the South to an imposing total of 347 all out.

Delray – whose family had made the trip from Bermuda to watch him – was then the most economical of the South’s bowlers, conceding just 27 runs from his six overs of left-arm spin. He had a mixed time in the field, dropping two catches in the slips, but making partial amends when he caught Adam Hose off the bowling of Essex’s Paul Walter. The North-South series continues on Wednesday.

Over the border from the pre-season tour, Stuart Whittingham and Rashid Khan are in Zimbabwe looking to book their respective national sides a place in next year’s World Cup. Stuart didn’t play in Scotland’s matches last week, but the side are well-placed in the Super Sixes stage of the qualifying tournament. A win against the West Indies in their final match this week will most likely see them through the main event next summer.

After a tricky group stage, Afghanistan kept their qualification hopes alive with a three-wicket victory against West Indies on Thursday. Rashid was economical with the ball, conceding 31 runs from his ten overs and picking up the wicket of Rovman Powell as the Windies were restricted to 197-8 from their 50 overs. Rashid was then unbeaten on 13 with the bat as the Afghan’s got home with nine balls to spare.

Although not with the tour party, Stiaan van Zyl is in South Africa playing domestic cricket. In a high-scoring draw against Titans last week, Stiaan batted once for Cape Cobras, making 17. He sent down 16 overs in the Titans’ first innings, taking 1-39.

Finally for this edition of Winter Watch, we head to the Middle East to catch up the Pakistan Super League. Tymal Mills was the only Sussex player in action in the tournament last week, playing two matches for Karachi Kings. In the first against Islamabad United on Friday, he took 1-26 from his four overs. His wicket was that of Islamabad’s top-scorer Asif Ali who was clean bowled for 34. That helped dismiss Islamabad for 124, a total that Karachi overcame with seven wickets and three overs to spare.

That win confirmed the Kings’ spot in the qualifier, with Islamabad their opponents once again in the match on Sunday. Sadly for Tymal, the result was a reversal of Friday’, with Islamabad winning by eight wickets to book their spot in the final. Tymal took the wicket of Islamabad opener, Sahibzada Farhan, with his two overs costing 32 runs. Karachi will have another opportunity to progress to the final on Wednesday when they play in the eliminator.