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Former New Zealand allrounder Grant Elliott has provided resounding approval to the security measures for the World XI series in Lahore, saying “if no one felt safe, no one would be going”. Elliott is the only player from New Zealand in the visiting squad.A team of overseas players, comprising several first-choice picks in Hashim Amla, Tamim Iqbal, Morne Morkel, Samuel Badree, Imran Tahir, and led by Faf du Plessis, will play three T20 internationals on September 12, 13 and 15 as part of an effort to bring international cricket back to Pakistan. To ensure that the series goes on without a hitch, the PCB has promised presidential-level security to the visitors.”We get the reports from all the relevant agencies such as FICA (Federation of International Cricket Associations) and independent security firms,” Elliott told the . “You assess the risks involved and make a decision as a family. Of course the players are getting paid but, if no one felt safe, no one would be going.”These are small steps in returning cricket to Pakistan on a more permanent basis. It’s sad for them that they never play at home. They always talk about it with such passion. I think we can expect enthusiastic crowds. Wherever you go there are risks, and being away from home for long periods is always tough on the family.”The World XI series is being conducted on the back of a successful staging of the Pakistan Super League final at the Gaddafi Stadium in March. Elliott had been part of that tournament – his team Lahore Qalandars did not make it to the final – and he was looking forward to meeting up with some of his colleagues.”I got to know a few people in Pakistani cricket when I performed pretty well in those tournaments,” he said. “I’m also excited about some opportunities which might open up with the Lahore owners. They’ve just bought the Durban Qalandars franchise in South Africa, and I will be their assistant coach in November-December [for the inaugural Global League].”That doesn’t mean my playing days are over. I’m still keen to play, and have another year with the Birmingham Bears. I’ve just finished a successful tournament there.”Elliott retired from international cricket in March 2017, signing a Kolpak deal to play in England’s T20 Blast; he played the tournament final last week. “The shorter format is something I’m still passionate about, so I may as well keep doing it,” he said. “I thrived with the captaincy of the Bears towards the end. I enjoy helping younger guys achieve the pathways they want.”Should Elliot make the playing XI on Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday, he will be the first New Zealander to play cricket in Pakistan since December 2003.World XI squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Samuel Badree, George Bailey, Paul Collingwood, Ben Cutting, Grant Elliott, Tamim Iqbal, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Tim Paine, Thisara Perera, Imran Tahir, Darren Sammy

Geoffrey Boycott, the former England batsman and Test Match Special summariser, has made an “unreserved apology” after suggesting that he’d have a better chance of getting a knighthood if he “blacked up” his face to look like a West Indian cricketer.Boycott, who played 108 Tests for England between 1964 and 1982, including 29 against West Indies, made his remarks during a question-and-answer session at a VIP lunch during the first Test against West Indies at Edgbaston.Knighthoods, he said, were handed out like “confetti” to West Indies greats – he named no names, but a total of 11 former Caribbean greats have been conferred the honour to date, including Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Garfield Sobers and Sir Curtly Ambrose.”Mine’s been turned down twice,” he told the event’s host, Gary Newbon. “I’d better black me face.”Boycott’s remarks were met with an uneasy silence by his audience, a room that included several black guests who had paid close to £300 a head for the occasion.In the wake of a wave of criticism, with one of those present denouncing him as a “dinosaur”, Boycott took to Twitter to apologise.”Speaking at an informal gathering I was asked a question and I realise my answer was unacceptable,” he wrote. “I meant no offence but what I said was clearly wrong and I apologise unreservedly.”I have loved West Indian cricket my whole life and have the utmost respect for its players.”The last England cricketer to receive a knighthood was Sir Ian Botham in 2007, with Sir Alec Bedser earning his a decade earlier in 1997.

Match facts

July 23, 2017
Start time 1030 local (0930 GMT)

Big picture

The heroes who were toppled in an ICC final a little over a month ago have turned cheerleaders now, as have possibly a billion others. Every Harmanpreet Kaur six or Mithali Raj record has been acknowledged by a Virat Kohli praise, a Yuvraj Singh retweet, a Virender Sehwag comparison, or a Sachin Tendulkar endorsement. It’s proof of the statement that India women have made in this World Cup.Every move of theirs – be it reading a book, grooving to the DJ beats in the dugout, their vivacious celebration, even Harmanpreet’s fury at her young colleague, has attracted unprecedented attention. The BCCI, which is yet to present central contracts six months after it expired, has announced a cash reward of INR 50 lakh for every member of the squad. Having exceeded expectations, India now have a shot at cricket’s biggest prize for the first time in 12 years, in front of what is expected to be a packed house at Lord’s.Players have been flooded with interview requests, their families are being hounded for air time, and management agencies are looking to lap them up – everyone is looking to extract gold from a market that has, for a long time, been untapped in India. Now, it’s as if they’re all rushing to buy gold during Diwali. The interest is real, something that Raj didn’t see coming. After a storied career that has spanned close to 18 years, she now has an opportunity to bow out with the ultimate crowning glory in possibly her final World Cup game.Just the prospect of India being in the final would’ve elicited a snigger, if not outright ridicule, a month ago. Too conservative, they said. They don’t quite have the power game, a few said, while others felt they needed to be better fielders. While none of that is entirely untrue, India have still managed to ride these odds. Harmanpreet’s fierce ball-striking in her unbeaten 171 in the semi-final, and Veda Krishnamurthy’s late onslaught that converted a middling total into a daunting one in their final league fixture against New Zealand, showed their ability to fight back when cornered.England’s journey to reach this final has been equally notable, given the upheaval they underwent a little over a year ago. Mark Robinson, six months after being named coach, made the huge call to end Charlotte Edwards’ magnificent international career. The captaincy was handed to Heather Knight at a time when the side needed to revive themselves, having struggled to initially adapt to the challenges and expectations of professionalism. Sarah Taylor’s return, after she took time away from the game to deal with anxiety, and her form in front and behind the stumps, has been one of the stories of the tournament.With England having conjured a seven-match winning streak after being toppled by India in the tournament opener, it will be as much a battle of nerves and temperament as skill. Natalie Sciver’s ‘Natmeg’ has become a rage. Taylor’s swagger, audacious scoops and paddles, Tammy Beaumont’s belligerence, and Knight’s consistency spell ominous signs for India. This is a side that has come free of the heavy baggage from the last two ICC events – they lost in the final of the World T20 in 2014 and the semifinal of the next edition, in 2016.What could prove decisive, though, is how quickly both sides adapt at a venue that hasn’t hosted a game yet. India won five games in Derby, which Raj equated to ‘home conditions’. The slope at Lord’s could present an altogether different challenge for their swing bowlers. Their spinners may not get the same purchase. England hold the edge in this aspect, especially given the core of their bowling group can bank on familiarity of conditions. But come the big day, these external factors could count for little. It’s the pressure of the occasion and how calm the players are that could dictate the fate of the contest.Natalie Sciver’s ‘Natmeg’ has become an instant hit•Getty Images

Form guide

England WWWWW (completed matches, most recent first)
India WWLLW

In the spotlight

Smriti Mandhana started the tournament with scores of 90 and 106 not out. She’s endured six straight failures since. Her picking of lengths and shot selection have left her vulnerable, perhaps a sign of her confidence at the moment. India’s batting dynamics are such that she’s unlikely to be left out, which gives her another opportunity to make amends.England coach Mark Robinson believes Fran Wilson’s 75-ball 81, albeit in a defeat against India, triggered a surge. She played that game only because Lauren Winfield was injured. Winfield has since returned to the side, but Wilson has held her own through the sheer weight of her performances, none more significant than her 30 in a tense semi-final win over South Africa. Her career numbers so far don’t reflect her significance in the team, but the final is an opportunity to leave an imprint.

Team news

England are likely to remain unchanged.England: 1 Lauren Winfield, 2 Tammy Beaumont, 3 Heather Knight (capt), 4 Sarah Taylor (capt), 5 Natalie Sciver, 6 Fran Wilson, 7 Katherine Brunt, 8 Jenny Gunn, 9 Laura Marsh, 10 Anya Shrubsole, 11 Alex HartleyHarmanpreet Kaur injured her shoulder while batting in the nets and was icing it. However, Raj quashed doubts over her participation and said it was merely a precaution to manage niggles. Poonam Yadav had an off day against Australia. Batsmen had enough time to line themselves up against her loopy legspin. India could consider bringing back Ekta Bisht, who didn’t enjoy a great outing in her previous game, against Australia in the league phase. But she has the experience Raj can bank on.India: 1 Punam Raut, 2 Smriti Mandhana, 3 Mithali Raj (capt), 4 Harmanpreet Kaur, 5 Deepti Sharma, 6 Veda Krishnamurthy, 7 Shikha Pandey, 8 Sushma Verma (wk), 9 Jhulan Goswami, 10 Rajeshwari Gayakwad, 11 Poonam Yadav/Ekta Bisht

Pitch and conditions

It’s set to be the most-watched game in women’s cricket history, with 26,500 fans in attendance, and a few million more expected to tune into their TV sets. The strip is expected to be full of runs. Intermittent showers are on the radar. There’s a reserve day, but it’s unlikely to be needed.

Stats and trivia

• Mithali Raj is the first captain (men or women) to lead India to an ODI World Cup final twice – 2005 and 2017.
• Both sides have a 1-1 head-to-head at Lord’s. India beat England by five wickets in the last completed game between the sides in 2012. The ODI in 2014 was abandoned.
• Nineteen-year old Deepti Sharma is the youngest player to score 200 runs and pick up 10 wickets in a Women’s World Cup.
• Three England batsmen have scored 350-plus runs in the tournament – Tammy Beaumont (387), Heather Knight (363), and Sarah Taylor (351). India’s only representative in this club is Raj, who is the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament with 392.

Quotes

“It seems like it’s going back to 2005, and I am just too happy that the girls have given us an opportunity to be a part of World Cup finals again.”
“The plan was to get to Lord’s and get a chance to sing our song there. Everything we have done since the last 18 months has been towards that and now we’re here.”

Trevor Bayliss, the England coach, has challenged the next generation of England players to stake a claim for a spot in the 2019 World Cup squad although he expects most of those who took part in the Champions Trophy to be around for that tournament.Bayliss has often spoken about the four-year plan to build to the 2019 World Cup, with the Champions Trophy seen as a stepping stone, but the manner of England’s one-sided exit against Pakistan will be a dent to the confidence of a team that had surfed a wave of run-scoring.Only two of the current squad are over 30 – Eoin Morgan and Liam Plunkett – and though there will be the natural fluctuations in form – as witnessed by Jason Roy over the last few weeks – and injuries will occur, Bayliss is keen to use the next two years to build experience.The first opportunity for new faces to have a taste of the international scene will be the three-match T20 series against South Africa with the squad including five uncapped players: Dawid Malan, Liam Livingstone, Tom Curran, Mason Crane and Craig Overton. The one-day series against West Indies which finishes England’s busiest ever home season could be another chance to assess the depth on offer.”I think we’d be remiss if we just said these 15 or 16 guys are going to go to the World Cup in two years’ time,” Bayliss said. “We’ve got to be sensible about it and if there is someone else who deserves to be in the team then we’ve got to look for that.”We’ve got the Test guys having a rest here so they’ll be able to play in the county match before the Test match which allows us to play some new guys and you never know, if one or two of them come up with the goods, they could find themselves in the team in two years.”We’ve come a long way in the last two years and, like the fans, we’d like to win every game we play in,” he added. “But the simple fact is we are still an improving side and getting to a state of play that we think we’re capable of, but these guys are mostly 26 or 27 so they should be around for another five or six years.”During the Champions Trophy, England only made two changes to their team. Adil Rashid was surprisingly left out of the opening match against Bangladesh, and then Roy’s lean run become too much to accommodate and he was replaced by Jonny Bairstow for the semi-final. Roy is part of the T20 squad to face South Africa and Bayliss had encouraging words for him.”I think you’ll see Roy at the top of the order a lot more for England. It was one of those situations where you’ve got one guy hoping to score runs and another guy who, when he comes in scores runs and is trying to prove a point, so there was a little bit of the negative-positive thing there. [Bairstow] batted reasonably again there, getting 40-odd.”Joe Root, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Jake Ball and Rashid have been left out of the T20 squad to enable them to play in the pink-ball round of County Championship matches at the end of the month. While Root, Moeen and Stokes are certain to feature in the Test side, it could mean that Ball and Rashid are also in the mix.Jonny Bairstow, the Test wicketkeeper, will miss the final T20 but Jos Buttler, who was part of England’s previous Test side against India in Chennai, is available for all three matches. Bayliss said it did not mean Buttler wasn’t in contention to retain his spot and he will go straight from the final T20 in Cardiff to Lancashire’s Championship match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.”It is just he is so important to the T20 side,” Bayliss said. “We are giving a rest to the guys who are definitely in the Test team, but a lot of the guys will play in that third match and then back it up the next day in the pink-ball game and he is one of those.”England’s squad for the first Test against South Africa at Lord’s is due to be named after that round of Championship matches.

Match facts

May 29, 2017
Start time 11am local (1000 GMT)David Miller and Chris Morris contemplate failing to score seven off the final over at the Ageas Bowl•Getty Images

Big picture

After the liveliest of finishes, a dead rubber. England’s resurrection at the Ageas Bowl condemned South Africa to their first defeat in a bilateral ODI series since 2015 but there will still be interest in the third match, at Lord’s, thanks to the imminence of the Champions Trophy, which begins on Thursday.South Africa could look back on Saturday’s two-run defeat and legitimately wonder what went wrong. Having made good use of the overcast conditions after winning the toss, the fact England had been 13 for 1 after five overs of their innings looked like being the key difference between two hefty totals. Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers and David Miller had all weighed in and, with ten balls to go, the chase appeared to be well in hand.Jake Ball and, in particular, Mark Wood ensured that would not be the case. England had to scrap with every fibre to defend 330 – which gives an indication of where their strengths lie – but the fact they managed to pull it off, without their senior ODI bowler in Chris Woakes and with Ben Stokes only delivering three overs, will add to the sense of optimism around the team.Stokes’ importance was illustrated with bat in hand, though South Africa could again reflect on the fact England’s centurion might have been caught off the first two balls he faced. He cashed in his good fortune and left South Africa ruing their luck (as well as their catching). England have now won eight ODIs in a row – two short of their best run – and may feel they are yet to properly click.For both teams, the fine-tuning will continue on Bank Holiday Monday. England will rotate after deciding to rest Stokes, Woakes and Moeen Ali due to minor injuries*, while South Africa still have questions about their preferred XI. De Villiers was indignant at the way the umpires at the Ageas Bowl raised questions about the state of the ball, and he will hope to retrain the focus by getting a win on the board before the Champions Trophy.

Form guide

England WWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa LLWLW

In the spotlight

There may still be question marks over England’s bowling but, with the batsmen regularly throwing up 300-plus scores, they at least have the cushion of big runs to defend. Liam Plunkett has capitalised on this in 2017, with only Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan taking more than his 20 wickets so far. Plunkett’s experience and skill – particularly in delivering the ball cross-seam – has been apparent in both games against South Africa, his dismissal of AB de Villiers on Saturday potentially a match-winner. With Woakes missing, he is effectively the leader of the attack.Although David Miller was not quite able to finish off the chase, his performance in the second ODI demonstrated his increased importance to South Africa. During the last ten overs, he faced just two dot balls, making light of a slow pitch and two old balls – conditions de Villiers felt made England favourites to defend the target after Quinton de Kock fell with 120 still needed. With JP Duminy lacking form and Farhaan Behardien seemingly ill-equipped as a finisher, Miller brings clinical power to the middle order and could allow them to play another allrounder.

Team news

England have called up Steven Finn, Toby Roland-Jones and Liam Dawson* after deciding not to risk Stokes, Woakes and Moeen at Lord’s. The likelihood is that England will give game time to members of their Champions Trophy squad, however, with Jonny Bairstow the next batsman in line and David Willey offering another all-round seam option.England: (probable) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Jonny Bairstow, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Adil Rashid, 8 David Willey, 9 Liam Plunkett, 10 Mark Wood, 11 Jake BallSouth Africa made three changes for the second ODI and could make as many again at Lord’s. De Villiers has previously said Morne Morkel will get a game, while Keshav Maharaj will hope for a second outing after seeing three catches dropped off his bowling on debut. Could Morris or Wayne Parnell provide an alternative to Behardien at No. 6?South Africa: (probable) 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 AB de Villiers (capt), 5 David Miller, 6 Chris Morris, 7 Wayne Parnell, 8 Andile Phehlukwayo, 9 Dwaine Pretorius, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Keshav Maharaj/Imran Tahir

Pitch and conditions

England racked up 328 for 6 against Ireland earlier this month, with Lord’s surfaces tending towards batsmen-friendly. The possibility of showers breaking up the afternoon may encourage whoever wins the toss to chase for a third match running.

Stats and trivia

• South Africa have lost all three of their ODIs at Lord’s, all against England. The most recent was a six-wicket defeat in 2012.
• Hashim Amla needs another 23 runs to reach 7000 in ODIs. He has 11 innings in which to get there ahead of Virat Kohli and continue his record of being fastest to 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000 and 6000 runs.
• Stokes and Moeen Ali both need three more wickets to reach 50 in ODIs.

Quotes

“It’s unbelievable really. I don’t know how to explain it. To have won it without taking wickets is an unbelievable effort.”
“There’s a lot still to play for at Lord’s and I think if we play a similar hand there, that’s all we want. A win will be great.”
AB de Villiers targets another good performance – and a better result*6pm BST – This story was updated with news of changes to the England squad

ScorecardTwo days into Gary Ballance’s reign as Yorkshire captain and a sense of bonhomie has pervaded Headingley. Optimism abounds in every conversation. The sun shone so brightly on the second day that from the top of the pavilion you could almost imagine you could see Lancashire. Not that anyone would want to do that.And yet Yorkshire have not entirely killed this game thanks primarily to a sterling contribution from Hampshire’s new South African recruit Kyle Abbott. Abbott took the first five wickets as Yorkshire struggled to make good an advantage of 132 runs on first innings, and had 7 for 41 when their innings closed 319 ahead. If the pitch goes flat, so could Yorkshire. Five absent frontline pace bowlers could be more keenly felt second time around.Abbott, powerful and stately, has a presence in the field that is peculiar to fast bowlers of repute. For him, fast bowling is serious toil. Hampshire know how important he is to their season. You get the impression that they would not merely polish the ball for him, they would polish his shoes. At the end of each over, more energy expended, he walked back into the outfield with the authority of a man who should not be trifled with.Yorkshire supporters showed such respect more reluctantly, unimpressed by the fact that Hampshire have taken the Kolpak route to strengthening their squad. Indeed, when Ben Coad, with five wickets overnight, added Abbott to finish with 6 for 37 in his first Championship appearance at Headingley, he became a perfect example of the advantage of producing your own. Thanks to Abbott, he will be asked to restate his potential a second time.Abbott, who is one of a rush of Kolpak entrants into the county game this season, was not remotely abashed by his new county status. After a brief foray at the Rugby Stand end, he switched downhill to find the edge of Adam Lyth and Peter Handscomb in the same over. Alex Lees, lbw soon afterwards, did so much checking of heights and angles that it would have been no surprise had he pulled a protractor from his back pocket.When Jack Leaning left protesting he had got wood on his own lbw and Bresnan drove to midwicket, Hampshire began to chirrup in the field. Bresnan, who played one of the most herculean innings in Yorkshire’s history on the final day of last season – an unbeaten 142 against Middlesex – in a valiant, if unrewarded, search for a third successive title, has begun the season with a pair.

‘We’re back in the game’ – Abbott

“I’d like to think we’re back in the game,” said Kyle Abbott after his seven wickets at Headingley6. “History shows it shouldn’t deteriorate too badly, and scoring’s been pretty quick. There’s no reason why we can’t knock those off.
“If it’s not in the right spot and you’re slightly off, it’s pretty easy to bat on and is quite nicely paced. But, if you get it right as a bowler, there’s still something there.
“It’s coming out nicely for me, but it’s still not exactly where I want to be if I’m critical. I’d like to keep the run-rate a bit tighter.”

With half the side out for 115, and the lead 238, Yorkshire’s underperforming top order had begun this season much as they passed through the last. Andrew Hodd’s unbeaten 54 from 53 balls was an enterprising retort in a match where Ballance’s authority has not been matched by his team-mates. Hodd began with six flashing boundaries and brought up his 50 by lofting Liam Dawson’s left-arm slows for six. There is a little turn to be had on this surface as well.Abbott, though, had not been silenced. With successive deliveries, he had Steve Patterson lbw and bowled Josh Shaw, doing his utmost to turn the game on its head.Life had been going so much more swimmingly for Yorkshire in mid-afternoon. In the Trueman Stand, Ballance was observed warmly as he added a confident half-century to the hundred he made on the opening day. A crowd that a generation ago would still admonish anyone who cut before the end of June even applauded a meaty reverse sweep against Dawson that got his innings into gear. Coats and sweaters were flung aside in turn. One woman sat on a throne of discarded garments. Another passed around sweets.With a summer ahead, there were important matters to sort out. Not only were the blackbirds building their nests. So, too, were Yorkshire cricket supporters, equally enlivened by a shot of early sunshine.”Steward, a word. Can I report two broken seats please: numbers 481 and 488. That’s very kind of you.”As the steward departed to do their bidding, the conversation briefly crackled.”Did you see how courteous I were?””It’ll be done by next season.””He’ll have forgotten already.””That’ll teach him to come here looking for a job.”There is a job still to do at Headingley on Sunday. Both sides will still believe they can do it and, if it turns out to be Hampshire, the chat may take on a darker tone.

Afghanistan’s first bilateral series against West Indies will include three T20Is and three ODIs, beginning in the first week of June. The series will be played concurrently with the Champions Trophy, which begins on June 1 in England. West Indies, who haven’t won a bilateral ODI series since 2014, beating Bangladesh at home, failed to qualify for the Champions Trophy.

WI v Afghanistan schedule

June 2 – First T20I
June 3 – Second T20I
June 5 – Third T20I
June 9 – First ODI
June 11 – Second ODI
June 14 – Third ODI

All three T20s will be played at Warner Park in St Kitts, beginning from June 2. The ODIs, all of which will be played at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia, will begin a week later, on June 9.The tour’s original schedule included five ODIs and three T20Is. This series will also be Afghanistan’s first full series against a Full Member other than Zimbabwe.”It will also be an important series for our side,” Roland Holder, WICB Manager of Cricket Operations, said, “as they look to move up in the ICC World Rankings in the two formats, and continue their quest to qualify for the 2019 ICC World Cup in England and Wales.”West Indies are currently placed ninth in the ODI rankings, followed by Afghanistan. West Indies will be hoping to climb up the rankings as only the top eight teams as of September end this year will gain automatic qualification for the 2019 World Cup. They lost their last ODI series 3-0 to England earlier this month and have three more coming up against Pakistan in April.West Indies and Afghanistan have never played an ODI against each other and the last time they squared up in a T20I, Afghanistan won by six runs, in a league match in the World T20 last year.The upcoming three T20Is will start at 7pm and the day-night ODIs will start at 2.30 pm.

ScorecardJon Holland picked up 7 for 82, including the wicket of Travis Head•Getty Images

A career-best seven-wicket haul from Jon Holland ensured Victoria remained in control of the Sheffield Shield final on the third day against South Australia in Alice Springs. It was the second consecutive season that Holland has delivered a big bag of wickets in the decider – last year he claimed five in the second innings and eight for the match in Victoria’s win over the Redbacks in Adelaide.After dismissing South Australia for 287 and thus earning a lead of exactly 200, the Bushrangers not surprisingly decided againt enforcing the follow-on, hoping instead to build their advantage to unbeatable proportions. A couple of late wickets gave South Australia a faint sniff, but with Victoria at 2 for 38, with Travis Dean on 12 and nightwatchman Chris Tremain on 3, the lead was still a hefty 238.The day had started with South Australia on 1 for 19 and although Callum Ferguson and Jake Weatherald rebuilt with a 76-run second-wicket stand, they were unable to turn it into a match-changing partnership. Ferguson edged to slip for 26 to give Holland his first wicket and in his next over Holland turned one sharply from outside off to have Travis Head lbw for an 11-ball duck.Jake Lehmann was well snapped at short leg by Rob Quiney, whose fine reflexes gave Holland a third wicket, and James Pattinson then chipped in by bowling Tom Cooper for 6. Weatherald, who had compiled a fighting half-century, fell for 60 when he played back and was bowled trying to cut Holland, and at 6 for 121 South Australia were threatening to collapse completely.However, there remained some fight in the lower order. Joe Mennie and wicketkeeper Alex Carey produced a 68-run partnership that ended when Mennie’s attempted sweep on 36 was top-edged to the wicketkeeper to provide a five-for for Holland. Carey brought up his half-century before he was caught at midwicket sweeping Holland on 57 to end a fine counter-attacking effort.It continued an outstanding season for Carey, who during the innings passed the 500-run mark this Shield summer to add to his 58 wicketkeeping dismissals so far. He became just the fourth player to complete the double of 500 runs and 50 dismissals in a Shield campaign: the recently-retired Chris Hartley did so three times, and Matthew Wade and Adam Gilchrist once each.Adam Zampa fell to Daniel Christian for 31 and Holland wrapped up the innings with Daniel Worrall caught at slip for 17 to leave Chadd Sayers unbeaten on 23 as the Redbacks were dismissed for 287. Holland’s 7 for 82 took his season tally to 49 Shield wickets, second only to Sayers in the competition and the highest season tally by a spinner since Stuart MacGill claimed 54 wickets in 2004-05.Sayers added one more to his tally by having first-innings centurion Marcus Harris caught for 21 late in the day and Daniel Worrall followed up with the wicket of Quiney, but South Australia will need to instigate a significant collapse upon Victoria on the fourth day and then bat flawlessly to pull off the victory they need to end their two-decade drought without a Shield title.