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Saurabh Netravalkar flies the USA flag in North Carolina

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Saurabh Netravalkar flies the USA flag in North Carolina


When the team sheets were submitted on Saturday night at Church Street Park in Morrisville, North Carolina, there was only one player out of the 22 who had actually played for USA. In a first-year T20 franchise league launching in the USA, American players have been noticeably absent in the playing XIs.

Saurabh Netravalkar may have been the American lone ranger for Washington Freedom in the Major League Cricket (MLC), but the left-arm pacer made the league-wide USA contingent hold their heads a little bit higher after a tournament best haul of 6 for 9 in Freedom’s 30-run win over San Francisco Unicorns. Church Street Park has become a de facto USA team home base since the men’s national side’s first visit in September 2018, when Netravalkar made his captaincy debut for the team. His familiarity with the nuances of the venue contributed to his ability to step up with a performance where he rocked Unicorns with three wickets in the powerplay before coming back with three wickets in the final over to wipe out the tail.

“The ground, it was a known thing for me,” Netravalkar said in the post-match press conference. “But the kind of players that are there are world class, and you need to upskill your game. I think playing over these years, the three-year ODI cycle, that really helped us. Especially the World Cup Qualifiers was a huge step up as well, to play against teams like West Indies, Sri Lanka and Ireland. We’ve been working really hard as a unit, and I was really happy that I could execute today.”

Netravalkar was USA’s best pacer at the recent 50-over World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, but a neutral observer would hardly know it just looking at the wickets column. The 31-year-old finished with six wickets in five matches, including 3 for 53 against West Indies. However, he was denied at least a few more by the fielders behind him – USA were one of the most woeful catching units in Harare.
Netravalkar himself was not exactly blameless on that front. And that much showed during his performances in the first week of MLC in Texas, where he had a crucial drop down the stretch against Seattle Orcas in Freedom’s first match, spilling a chance off Shimron Hetmyer on 9 when Anrich Nortje induced a false drive, before Hetmyer cranked a six later in the over and finished with 23 in a narrow win with two balls to spare. But thankfully for Netravalkar, Glenn Phillips provided the fielding standard – which is sorely lacking in the USA lineups – with some sensational fielding.

Defending a total of 133, Phillips made his mark in the third over, running from backward point for a gymnastic twisting catch off Nortje to get Finn Allen. Netravalkar was clocking between 127 and 130 kph for most of his opening spell, which is hardly the type of pace to blow away top-class batters on the franchise scene. But true to his reputation as the most cerebral of USA’s bowlers – his day job is being a senior programmer for Oracle in Silicon Valley – Netravalkar used his favored left-arm around the wicket angle to the right-handers to enhance his natural inward shape, bowling Marcus Stoinis and Shadab Khan in the space of three balls in the fourth over. This was before he came back to team up with Phillips in the sixth as another acrobatic catch was taken running from backward point to remove Matthew Wade.

“I think the pitch wasn’t that easy to hit [on] if you hit the good-length areas,” Netravalkar said. “We observed that it was a little two-paced in the wicket, so we knew that if we had a good powerplay, we always had a chance. We wanted to fight till the end. That was our motto, we never give up, and we try to fight until the last ball. T20 is a funny game. One over can change the game from here to there. So, we just wanted to believe in ourselves and keep trying, and I’m glad it worked out today.”

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“I’m really clear about my role. That’s my strength. I look to swing the ball up front so I back myself to do that.”

Saurabh Netravalkar

Coming back in the final over, Netravalkar continued where he left off in the sixth, getting Chaitanya Bishnoi edging behind while attempting an innovative flick after a shuffle across his stumps. It was fitting though that Phillips took the catch in the deep that completed Netravalkar’s five-wicket haul one ball later off a Haris Rauf slog. Liam Plunkett then edged behind in more orthodox fashion to give Netravalkar his sixth.

In a bowling unit featuring Nortje and Marco Jansen, few people would have put money on Netravalkar being Freedom’s leading wicket-taker after four matches. But Netravalkar is not only topping the bowling charts for Freedom but sits in first place in the MLC wickets column alongside legspinner Mohammad Mohsin of Texas Super Kings with eight. Netravalkar is quick to give credit, though, to the more heralded South Africans he’s been able to rub shoulders with in the dressing room, who have helped give him strategic tips to achieve the success he’s had so far in the tournament.

“I’m blessed to have a team atmosphere like this,” Netravalkar said. “It’s really positive and the staff and captain, they give us so much clarity in the roles. Even the senior bowlers, we have good productive meetings where we brainstorm ideas and that’s really helping me learn a lot in bowling in different situations. I’m really clear about my role. That’s my strength. I look to swing the ball up front so I back myself to do that, and I’m glad I’m executing it.”

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NC Governor Roy Cooper to give updates on Helene as cleanup underway

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NC Governor Roy Cooper to give updates on Helene as cleanup underway


RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Governor Roy Cooper will share an update Sunday on the impacts of Helene.

It is happening at the Emergency Operations Center on Gold Star Drive in Raleigh. It starts at 12:30 p.m.

This comes as cleanup is underway in The western part of North Carolina. Helene moved through as a tropical storm Friday morning, leaving a trail of damage.

Houses and businesses are flooded, damaged, or destroyed. Debris and mud were all over the roads.

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“This is the most significant natural disaster that any one of us has ever seen in western North Carolina,” Ryan Cole, Buncombe County assistant emergency services director, said.

SEE ALSO | How to help those affected by Helene: volunteering, donations and other resources

Cooper spoke with Eyewitness News Saturday about the state’s effort to help those impacted by the storm.

“This storm has brought catastrophic devastation to western North Carolina, of historic proportions,” he said. “We are engaged in a coordinated effort right now with the priority being to get people out and supplies in.”

WATCH: Gov. Cooper speaks on recovery efforts in western NC

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Cooper said supplies were being airlifted to that part of the state. Buncombe County officials said Interstate 26 between Asheville and South Carolina had reopened, but most other routes into the city were impassible.

He is expected to visit the western part of the state over the next couple of days.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The featured video is from a previous report.

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Helene leaves devastation in western NC, thousands still without power

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Rocky Mount tornado survivor shares terrifying experience: ‘God brought us through’

At least 64 dead after Helene’s deadly march across the Southeast

Copyright © 2024 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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Apocolyic siren blares as Hurricane Helene ravages North Carolina village, video shows

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Apocolyic siren blares as Hurricane Helene ravages North Carolina village, video shows


Terrifying video captured apocalyptic sirens blaring as Hurricane Helene’s violent floodwaters ravaged a North Carolina Village.

The shocking clip begins with a powerful wave of mudwater surging across a yard in Chimney Rock, ripping pieces of a home off and sweeping debris in the tide.

“My car’s gone. Everything’s gone. It’s all gone,” the unidentified filmmaker can be heard saying, as a second person hurriedly reassures them, “it’s ok.”

Raging flood water sweeps past a stranded car in North Carolina during Hurricane Helene. madgfarrier/TikTok

The heavy stream was so strong that it tore apart major roadways and carved new channels for the floodwaters to flow through.

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SUVs were seen floating down the rivers and tossed into trees.

The floods rose high enough that they completely submerged the first floor of some homes.

Many were demolished in its wake. Those left standing were beaten down and swamped with mud.

“Ok guys, just to give you an understanding of the devastation we’re dealing with here: Chimney Rock is gone,” another filmmaker said while panning to the remnants of the village.

The flooding is considered the worst that the western portion of the state has seen in a century. Gov. Roy Cooper described it as “catastrophic” as search and rescue teams from 19 states and the federal government came to help.

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Hundreds of people were left stranded in the village, leading officials to conduct airlifts throughout Saturday.

“As soon as we receive the names of those rescued, we will make every effort to reach out to families and individuals who have inquired about their loved ones,” officials said.

Many were demolished in its wake. Those left standing were beaten down and swamped with mud. madgfarrier/TikTok
The Rocky Broad River flows into Lake Lure and overflows the town with debris from Chimney Rock, North Carolina on Sept. 28, 2024. Getty Images
Trees and other debris gather on roadways in Chimney Rock, North Carolina. Getty Images

Whether anyone has died in the village is unclear — officials in nearby Asheville have declined to release a death total because communication outages haven’t allowed them to reach relatives of the victims.

At least 64 people have been killed across five states, including 23 people in South Carolina and 11 in Florida.

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NIU loses turnover battle, falls to North Carolina State

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NIU loses turnover battle, falls to North Carolina State


RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — CJ Bailey scored on the ground and through the air as North Carolina State defeated visiting Northern Illinois 24-17 on Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Bailey, a true freshman making his second start for the Wolfpack (3-2), completed 13 of 20 passes for 108 yards. He supported a strong defensive effort from N.C. State that forced NIU (2-2) into four crucial turnovers.

“It was a team win. You know, offensively, obviously, statistics are not good, but we did not turn the football over the whole game,” N.C. State coach Dave Doeren said. “We punted the football really well and we played dominant defense against a really good football team.”

Momentum seemed to swing in the Wolfpack’s favor early in the second quarter, when N.C. State safety DK Kaufman reached NIU quarterback Ethan Hampton on a third-down blitz, knocked the ball out of his throwing hand and recovered the fumble for a 2-yard defensive touchdown.

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N.C. State’s defense provided another boost in the third quarter when Devin Vann forced Hampton into a fumble that Brandon Cleveland recovered and returned to the 1. Bailey took advantage of the superb field position, throwing a short touchdown pass to KC Concepcion that pushed N.C. State ahead by two scores.

Trailing by seven points with four seconds to play, NIU’s attempt at a game-tying score was stifled when Hampton was intercepted in the end zone by Corey Coley.

“You lose the turnover battle four-to-nothing and it’s hard to win,” NIU coach Thomas Hammock said. “They blitzed us early and often. We just didn’t make enough plays.”

Antario Brown paced the Huskies with 114 yards rushing on 28 carries.

The takeaway

NC State: On offense, the Wolfpack played just well enough to complement their stout defense. The Wolfpack didn’t turn the ball over and scored when they reached the red zone. After a demoralizing defeat at Clemson last week, this was a bounce-back victory for N.C. State in its final non-conference game of the season.

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“I know people are upset we didn’t have enough yards, this, that and the other,” Doeren said. “Don’t be mad about winning. That was a hell of a team win.”

NIU: The Huskies haven’t been able to recapture the magic of their Sept. 7 win at Notre Dame. This is NIU’s second consecutive loss and one where the Huskies struggled to capitalize on offense. The Huskies held the Wolfpack to 1-of-11 on third down conversions and to just 175 yards of total offense, but turnovers and stalled drives doomed NIU’s chances at another signature win.

Providing pressure

NIU had been on a six-game streak dating back to last season of not giving up any sacks. The Wolfpack shattered any hope the Huskies had of extending that mark, sacking Hampton four times. In all, N.C. State registered a season-high 12 tackles for loss.

N.C. State had just four sacks combined in its previous four games this season. It’s worth noting that the Wolfpack racked up this many sacks without Red Hibbler, who led N.C. State in the stat last season and is no longer on the team as of this week.

“We started communicating on a higher level. And that started with me. It was my job to do so… being more physical in practice,” said Wolfpack linebacker Caden Fordham, who had a team-high 14 tackles. “And I believe it translated to the field today.”

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Key absences

Quarterback Grayson McCall and running back Hollywood Smothers were not dressed to play for N.C. State. McCall, the former three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year from Coastal Carolina, left the Wolfpack’s Week 3 win over Louisiana Tech with an undisclosed injury and hasn’t played since. Smothers, a transfer from Oklahoma, had 114 rushing yards and touchdown on 22 carries in the Wolfpack’s first four games.

Up next

NC State: The Wolfpack host rival Wake Forest next Saturday.

NIU: UMass visits the Huskies next Saturday.



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