ACS Overseas First-Class Annual 2018

But in any case, were new players really needed for the Test team? In recent years, Afghanistan have won the 2015-17 ICC Intercontinental Cup competition (their comprehensive victories in their last two matches are recorded on pages 640 and 653), and have risen steadily up the ICC rankings in the ODI and T20 International formats. At the time of writing (October 2018) wrist-spinner Rashid Khan heads the individual ranking-lists for T20I bowling and for T20I all-rounders (in which another Afghan, Mohammad Nabi, lies second), and is in second place in the ODI bowling rankings (with team-mate Mujeeb Zadran also in the top ten). Perhaps it was not surprising that, for their Test debut at Bangalore in June 2018, the selectors preferred to rely on the more established players who had taken Afghanistan into the Test ranks and who were performing so well in the shorter formats of the game. Their Test debut, against top-ranking India playing at home, was always going to be a tough one, and sadly they went down to an ignominious defeat inside two days, being bowled out twice in 66.3 overs on the second day. This was a chastening start to life at the top for all concerned. More Test matches against more modest opposition will surely be of greater benefit to Afghanistan’s development as a Test-playing nation than occasional one-off matches against high-ranked teams. For now, notwithstanding the statistical successes of their domestic competitions, and despite the disappointment of their performance at Bangalore, it is far too early to draw any inferences about their longer-term future in the Test arena. As this was the first season of first-class cricket in Afghanistan, the evolution of the principal records – highest scores, best bowling figures and the like – is tracked in the notes beneath the scorecards that follow. These will act as benchmarks for future years. (KSW) Ahmad Shah Abdali 4-day Tournmant 2017/18: Final table P W WLF L LWF DWF DLF ND Pts 20 14 0 6 13 7 10 1 Speen Ghar Region 8 4 0 2 0 1 1 0 100 2 Band-e-Amir Region 8 3 0 0 2 1 2 0 99 3 Mis Ainak Region 8 1 1 1 0 3 2 0 87 4 Amo Region 8 0 2 2 0 1 3 0 62 5 Boost Region 8 1 0 4 1 2 0 0 52 FINAL: Band-e-Amir beat Speen Ghar by 537 runs. Alokozay Ahmad Shah Abdali Four-Day Tournament 2017/18: Final table P W WLF L LWF DWF DLF ND Pts 20 14 0 6 13 7 10 1 Amo Region 10 5 1 2 0 1 1 0 134 2 Band-e-Amir Region 10 4 0 1 1 3 1 0 132 3 Mis Ainak Region 10 2 2 1 1 3 0 1 123 4 Speen Ghar Region 10 2 2 3 0 1 2 0 95 5 Boost Region 10 1 0 3 3 0 2 1 62 6 Kabul Region 10 0 1 4 1 1 3 0 54 FINAL: Band-e-Amir drew with Amo but took the title by virtue of a first innings lead. 12 Afghanistan in 2017/18