Cricket's Finest

Warner’s leadership ban overturned by Cricket Australia

admin — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 01:12:54 +0000

David Warner‘s lifetime leadership ban has been overturned by Cricket Australia following a review by CA’s Conduct Commission. It means he is now eligible to captain Sydney Thunder in the upcoming BBL having not been allowed to captain any team in Australia after the ban was imposed following the sandpaper incident in Cape Town in 2018.

CA released the findings from the Conduct Commission review on Friday with the three-person panel unanimously deciding that Warner had met the necessary criteria to have ban lifted following changes to the code of conduct in 2022.

“In its decision the panel noted ‘the respectful and contrite tone of his [Warner’s] responses, as well as the content impressed the Review Panel and led it to the unanimous view that he was sincere and genuine in acknowledging responsibility for the conduct and in his statement that he had extreme remorse for his conduct’,” CA’s statement said.

“The panel also considered references citing ‘the contribution that Mr Warner has made, and can make in the future, towards the development of young cricketers in Australia if they were given the opportunity to be led by Mr Warner, his important continuing role in fostering interest in cricket especially with the South Asian community in Australia and generally’.”

Warner had lodged an application to have the leadership ban modified in 2018 after accepting a year-long playing ban for his involvement in the ball tampering scandal. He had previously angrily withdrawn from the an attempt to have his ban overturned in 2022.

It had long been a source of frustration for Warner that he had been banned from leading any team in Australia while Steven Smith, who was also banned from playing for a year for his involvement in the scandal, has since returned to captain both the Australian Test and ODI team and remains the current Test vice-captain.

Warner had been allowed to captain teams around the world since his playing ban, having led Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals in the IPL.

The six-year long process had also frustrated Warner, who had hoped to get the chance to captain Australia’s T20 side late in his international career, before retiring from all formats following the T20 World Cup in June.

CA CEO Nick Hockley said he was please Warner’s ban had been overturned.

“In 2022 we updated the Code of Conduct to ensure there was a fair and rigorous process in place for all players and player support personnel to have long-term sanctions reviewed,” Hockley said.

“I am pleased David has chosen to have his sanction reviewed and that he will be eligible to take up leadership positions in Australian Cricket this summer.”

More to come

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ECB to train teachers as coaches to boost cricket in secondary schools

admin — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 15:29:54 +0000

Secondary-school teachers will be trained to become cricket coaches, under plans unveiled by the ECB to reinvigorate the sport’s participation levels in state-sector education.

The initiative was announced at Lord’s on Wednesday as part of an update to the ECB’s Inspiring Generations strategy, following on from last year’s Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) report.

Although more than 93% of British children are educated in the state sector, the ICEC report found that privately educated pupils were 13 times more likely to play professional cricket, and that 58% of the England men’s team in 2021 had attended fee-paying schools.

After several years spent re-establishing links with primary-school education, principally through the Chance to Shine charity which has introduced more than 7 million children to cricket since it was launched in 2005, the ECB is now aiming to support cricket provision in 500 state secondary schools by 2030, with up to £26 million earmarked for the improvement of state facilities in 16 towns and cities.

The ECB also plans to reinforce that primary-school link by providing free cricket for 3.5 million pupils over the next six years, while further measures include restructuring cricket’s talent pathway to improve the flow of state-school players into county age-group programmes.

There is also a pledge to support 70 players per year at the South Asian Cricket Academy – the initiative set up by Dr Tom Brown in 2021 and which last month saw Jafer Chohan become its first graduate to reach an England senior squad – as well as 21,000 young people over the next three years at the African Caribbean Engagement (ACE) programme.

The strategy document is intended to cover planning up to the end of 2028, which includes the ECB’s hosting of the Women’s World Cup in 2026, as well as men’s and women’s home Ashes series in 2027, and the return of the sport to the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

“Today’s announcements are the roadmap for where we will take cricket over the course of the next four years,” Richard Gould, chief executive of the ECB, said. “The delivery of our strategy and positive change in the sport is the responsibility of all of us, led by the ECB to set out how this change will happen.”

Many of the ECB’s measures have been accelerated by the criticisms laid out in the ICEC report, which castigated English cricket for its failings on the grounds of racism, classism and sexism. However, Clare Connor, the deputy chair, insisted that the overall aim, of becoming the most inclusive sport in the country, had been in train even before the commission’s findings had laid out the urgency of the work.

“The first iteration of Inspiring Generations [published in 2019] had inclusion at its heart,” Connor said. “We were always on the journey towards closing the gender gap and other equity gaps in the game, but I think the [ICEC] report has turbo-charged that work, and shone a mirror up to the whole game.

“It’s united everyone behind that vision, and it’s been great to be able to reflect on that progress one year on. We’ve delivered on about 60% of the recommendations after one year, and we’re heartened by some of the things that we’ve been able to change really quickly. It hasn’t always been easy or possible, but the ICEC report and the scrutiny across cricket has galvanised the game.”

Although the ECB pushed back on the ICEC’s recommendation that domestic pay should be equalised across the sexes by 2029 in domestic cricket and 2030 at international level, the board did announce equal match fees for men and women’s international matches in September last year, while last month it was confirmed that rookie contracts in domestic cricket from 2025 onwards would be worth £20,000 for both sexes – an initiative that will include the top two tiers of the relaunched women’s county competition.

“Thanks to the new [women’s] structure, there’ll be more opportunities through the talent pathway as well, so it’s about working out how that base can be as broad as possible,” Connor added. “We don’t know how long it will take us to get absolute parity at the top, and it almost certainly won’t be in the years that the ICEC suggested. But we are confident that that level of remuneration makes cricket a very attractive proposition for a sporty girl. Then, it’s about making sure that she can get the opportunity to find a way through to that top echelon.”

The ECB’s plans, however, could face a snag as they wait to see whether they will receive the £35 million investment into the sport’s grassroots that was last year promised by the former prime minister, Rishi Sunak, but is currently subject to the spending review being conducted by the recently elected Labour government.

ECB officials met with the sports minister, Lisa Nandy, in Barnsley next week, and remain hopeful that the prospect of the women’s World Cup in particular will encourage the government to carry through with that investment, which had been targeted at selected charities such as Chance to Shine, Lord’s Taverners and ACE.

“There’s lots that we won’t be able to do to the degree that we would have wanted, if we don’t get the money,” Connor added. “We’re hoping to build as much cricket affinity with the new government, and see where we get to, probably by the spring.”

Andrew Miller is UK editor of ESPNcricinfo. @miller_cricket

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No water, no roof – fans reel from the heat in Pune

admin — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 15:01:20 +0000

No access to water for spectators at the MCA Stadium on a hot and humid day in Pune led to chaos and complaints of sickness among the fans who came to watch the first day of the second Test between India and New Zealand.

During the lunch break, hundreds of spectators queued up near the North Stand for water, which was unavailable at the time. Police intervention was needed to manage that crowd. Around 20 people complained of dehydration and giddiness and needed attention at the first-aid kiosk at the North Stand. With temperatures over 30 degrees celsius, a member of the staff at that kiosk suggested that there were more cases of dehydration in other stands.

The MCA stadium, located in the outskirts of Pune near the expressway to Mumbai, has a capacity of 37,000, and almost 18,000 spectators turned up for the third Test match at the venue and first since 2019. More than half of those spectators had to brave the heat and humidity as only six stands at the MCA stadium have a roof.

The MCA had promised free water during this game, but amid the chaos, a number of fans ended up buying water from vendors at high prices. One fan said he had spent more on water bottles than his ticket for the entire Test match.

Once water was made available to the spectators the MCA secretary Kamlesh Pisal apologised to the fans and said that more water booths would be set up across the stands from Friday.

“We can only apologise to the fans for inconvenience caused,” Pisal told reporters. “But we want to assure them, through MCA, that this won’t be repeated, and everything will be taken care of.

“Considering the scorching heat, we had decided to provide cold water. In our previous experience, the fans had complained about us providing warm water or boiling water. We, as management, thought we would provide them with cold water, so we had kept cool cages. Once the water in cool cages finished, we tried to refill it with the same cold water, and in that process, it got delayed. We have done a recce of the entire water in stands and will make sure everything is refilled properly tonight to avoid such situations.”

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Mehidy pulls up Bangladesh’s top order after home Test defeat to South Africa

admin — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 12:47:19 +0000

Bangladesh’s batters were under the scanner after South Africa completed a seven-wicket win on the fourth morning of the Dhaka Test. The top four contributed 105 runs in the match, their worst showing this year. Bangladesh’s collapse on the first day of the match haunted them for the rest of it, with only the lower order, led by Mehidy Hasan Miraz, ensuring that there wasn’t an innings defeat.

Mehidy, whose 97 in the second innings forced South Africa to bat again, said that the pitch and the conditions were to their liking and even the toss went their way but the top-order’s failure on the first day took them out of the contest too early and there was no coming back.

“Everything was in our favour as we won the toss and decided to bat first,” Mehidy said. “It is hard to bat on the fourth day on this wicket so we prepared ourselves in that way. We couldn’t score runs, unfortunately. If we could have scored our second innings runs in the first… We were in the back foot in the first innings. We were bowled out before the second session on the first day. 106 all out. First innings runs are very important in Test cricket.”

Mehidy said that Bangladesh’s batters must improve their decision-making out in the middle. Mahmudul Hasan Joy was the only member from the top four to make any kind of contribution (30 and 40). Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto failed in both innings. However, each of those three players still have at least one recent innings of note under their belt. Shadman scored a crucial 93 in the first Test against Pakistan, while Mominul scored a century in Bangladesh’s previous Test in Kanpur. Shanto made 82 in the Chennai Test.

“I think decision-making is an important aspect [of batting],” Mehidy said. “We would do better as a team if the top order starts contributing again. We did it in Pakistan where the top four were contributing to the total. When the openers start well, it makes life easier for the rest of the batters. When the No. 5 and 6 batters are playing against the new ball, life becomes hard. We are working on how to improve the top order. I am hopeful that we will figure out where to improve in the coming matches.

“Batters have to take more responsibility. Lack of runs on the board makes life difficult for the bowlers. We bowled well despite all the pressure. Taijul [Islam] bhai bowled really well. We discussed that not all the batters will score every day. But at least three or four batters should turn their starts into big ones.”

“I always try to enjoy pressure situations,” he said while trying to explain his success. “I see it as an opportunity to become a hero. I am happy to be making use of opportunities. I bat in a difficult position. I know that if I bat well from my position, the team may do well. If I don’t do well, the team won’t get a result. I am mentally trying to prepare myself to score runs. I am always trying to get better. I started with a 1.5 batting average. I have improved quite a bit now.

“I have worked at batting against the new ball because sometimes I have to bat against the second new ball. I have worked on surviving as a batter, how to score runs and then how to dominate the bowlers. I have shared my thoughts with those who are less experienced in the dressing room, just like my seniors shared ideas with me.”

Mehidy, however, isn’t keen on the comparison with Shakib Al Hasan, who was supposed to play his farewell Test in Dhaka. He said that he is trying to get a few years of consistency going before accepting such lofty accolades.

“Everyone says I will take Shakib bhai‘s place. He is a legend who has achieved a lot over 17 years. He batted higher up the order. He has been scoring runs since early in his career. I have started scoring runs consistently in the last one or two years. I bat at No. 7 or 8. Shakib is in his place, I am in my place. I think it’s best not to compare us,” Mehidy said.

Bangladesh have four days’ time to do some soul searching ahead of the Chattogram Test. The batters haven’t contributed much this year, but they have one last opportunity to get a score in familiar conditions before they hit the road for assignments in the UAE and the West Indies in the next couple of months.

Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84

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Gillespie frustrated by lack of clear communication in role as Pakistan coach

admin — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 12:22:27 +0000

Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie has admitted to “frustrations from time to time” over the reduced scope of his job, emphasising the need for clear communication. Gillespie, who, alongside captain Shan Masood, was recently removed from the selection panel, said his current role “wasn’t what he signed up for”, but one he was happy to adapt to.

“I think there’s always frustrations from time to time,” Gillespie said, in an interview with Sky Sports. “For me, when I came on board with Pakistan cricket, I was told there was a long-term plan, and we need to make sure our communication’s spot on. I made that a real focus and so you can get frustrated if those things aren’t done how you would like.

“It wasn’t what I signed up for, I’ll be completely honest. But this is one of those situations in which you just need to go with the flow. As I said, I’m in a different environment and things are done differently. One can agree or disagree with how things are done, but ultimately I’m here to help the Pakistan team do well, help the players get better, improve. So I’ve put all my focus and energy into that.”

Gillespie had long-term ambitions when he took the role earlier this year. In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, he had cautioned against the dangers of “people on one-or two-year contracts” prioritising self-preservation over long-term development. “If everyone has that approach,” he said at the time, “nothing long-term gets done.”

The last fortnight has seen those fears play out with near-forensic accuracy. After a chastening innings defeat in the first Test against England, Pakistan announced a new selection panel that took the number of selectors involved with the side since 2021 past two dozen. Gillespie and Masood were not consulted over the squad for the second Test or the kind of pitch Pakistan prepared; they were formally taken off all selection duties, with Gillespie admitting his role was that of a “match-day strategist”.

“A lot’s changed. Since I’ve been involved, we’re already on our third selection panel. These are the things you just got to take it all in your stride and understand that we’re in a different environment and go with the flow. I ask a lot of questions and ask for clarity, which as head coach I’m well within my rights to ask.

“But I want to make it really clear that everyone in Pakistan wants what’s best and there’s a lot of very passionate people here. That’s driving me to continue to help the players, and it’s been a great experience so far working with them. I really excited about what the future holds and as a coach.”

Gillespie also acknowledged there was a learning curve to his own experiences, and felt it was only natural it would take time for him to settle at the PCB.

“Lots of things change in Pakistan at the drop of a hat. You just sort of take that in your stride and understand that this is the environment you’re in. I’ve got to always remember that I’m a foreigner in Pakistan and I’ve got to respect that and that things are probably done differently to what I’m used to or what I expect in the environment I’ve come from in Australia. So not saying one way is the right way or the wrong way or whatever, it’s just different and you just have to adjust and adapt.”

“He’s had a bit of a lean patch, but I don’t think there’s many great players around that have never had a lean patch. I’m very confident Babar will be back scoring a lot of runs for Pakistan in all formats.”

Gillespie backs Babar to make a strong comeback

Gillespie’s relationship with the players, though, has never really been in question. He praised captain Masood as “the epitome of calm”, and said he viewed taking care of the players as his primary role. It is a note he has struck through his brief tenure, and one he asked former Pakistan players to help him with.

“I’m very protective of players and very protective of staff I work with and just want to make sure that the environment that we’re trying to create is a safe space for everyone and if that gets eroded then that can lead to a bit of frustration.

“A lot of former players have their own space on social media, YouTube, whatever, and they’re paid to have an opinion. One thing that I have noticed here is that the players notice everything and if they get some positive feedback from former players they idolised as kids, that goes a long way when they get some positive reinforcement. But it can have the opposite effect, too if there’s a lot of criticism of by those former players.”

Pakistan are currently in the midst of their busiest Test season this century. The ongoing Test is the fifth of the season, with four more to follow after this. Former captain Babar Azam’s involvement – or lack thereof – remains a point of contention, and though Gillespie pointed out he had no say in whether he would return, he threw his weight behind what he called “one of the best players in the world”.

“What I will say is that Babar is a fine player. He’s had a bit of a lean patch, but I don’t think there’s many great players around that have never had a lean patch. I’m very confident Babar will be back scoring a lot of runs for Pakistan in all formats. He’s just too good a player, works really hard at his game, is very precise with his preparation. I fully expect him to have a huge role going forward in the next little while for Pakistan.”

Danyal Rasool is ESPNcricinfo’s Pakistan correspondent. @Danny61000

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Markram hopes Mirpur win will end South Africa’s Asia hoodoo

admin — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 11:05:49 +0000

Ten years and six tours is how long South Africa have waited for a Test win in the subcontinent, which is something none of their current squad have experienced until now. Only five members of the playing XI in Mirpur have featured in a Test match in the subcontinent before and though eight of the 15-man squad have toured Asia, no one was part of the South African team that last enjoyed success on the continent, in Galle in 2014.

The long period between victories was marred by massive losses and breaking the drought is what stand-in captain Aiden Markram hopes could be the start of something new. “It’s special. We’re a pretty young, slightly inexperienced group, so to come to the subcontinent and get a win is great for us and the environment,” Markam said at the post-match press conference. “This win does a lot for us and gives us a taste of what playing cricket in the subcontinent is like, and it excites us for the challenges that we possibly face here.”

It also may spark some memories of a time, not that long ago, when South Africa were superior in the subcontinent. Between 2007 and 2014, they played 15 Tests in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and the UAE and lost only three, racking up series wins over everyone except India, against whom they drew twice. In the same period, Australia won just one out of 15 Tests in the subcontinent and England won three out of 16. Apart from India and Sri Lanka, South Africa were, by far, the most successful team in Asia over that period of time.

That ended in 2015, when South Africa were outspun 3-0 in India in a series which started a significant slide. After their win in Galle in 2014, South Africa played 14 more Tests in the subcontinent before this one, and lost ten. Six of those defeats were in India but they were also blanked 2-0 by Sri Lanka in 2018 and Pakistan in 2021.

All those occasions were marked by how poorly South Africa played against all kinds of spin, from the left-arm spin of Noman Ali, Ravindra Jadeja and Rangana Herath to the offspin of R Ashwin and the legspin of Yasir Shah. In Bangladesh too, spin proved the biggest threat as South Africa lost five of their top six to Taijul Islam in the first innings and at 108 for 6, looked like only gaining a marginal advantage. It was thanks to Kyle Verreynne and his second Test hundred that South Africa took a healthy, and ultimately match-winning lead.

Verryenne called the innings the “best” of his Test career, because it came in “the toughest conditions I have played under.” He cited the heat and humidity as one of the challenges and facing “long periods of spin bowling,” as the other.

Of the 144 balls delivered to Verreynne, 115 were from spinners, which amounts to 80%. The work Verreynne has done on the sweep shot was evident as ESPNcricnfo’s ball-by-ball data recorded that he scored almost half his runs, 49, with sweeps – conventional, reverse and slog – and maintained a strong scoring rate too.

Overall, Verreynne struck at 79.16, and against Taijul, he was particularly aggressive with 49 runs off 53 balls.

“Kyle sweeps really well, swept for a lot of his innings and he ended up doing well,” Markram said. “So it’s nice to see the guys backing those sorts of strengths. He’s a good player of spin and for him to score a hundred in his first Test match in the subcontinent is a really special feat.”

While Verreynne traveled with the South African squad to Pakistan in 2021, he only made his debut later that year in West Indies. He competed with Heinrich Klaasen for the role of South Africa’s first-choice wicket-keeper but Klaasen’s Test retirement in January has meant Verreynne has the opportunity to make the spot his own. “He’s had a bit of backing now from the management, and he just looks really comfortable now in the environment,” Markram said.

Having Verreynne’s spot fairly secure ramps up competition with reserve keeper Ryan Rickelton, who has gone six Tests with a top score of 42. If regular captain Temba Bavuma recovers from an elbow niggle in time to play the second Test, one of Rickelton or Matthew Breetzke will have to make way and both could end up sitting out if South Africa opt for a fifth frontline bowler.

They went into the Mirpur game with a four-man attack and there were times in Bangladesh’s second innings when it seemed lacking. Still, they’ll be heartened by the way their champion quick Kagiso Rabada, who combined well with Wiaan Mulder in the first innings and then took a six-for in the second, registered his best figures in the subcontinent.

Rabada’s wicket-taking ability is second to none, literally, as was documented when he became the only bowler to take 300 Test wickets in under 12,000 deliveries, and doing it in the subcontinent only makes him stand out more. On a surface with good bounce, Rabada’s hard lengths made him difficult to get away and dangerous and Markram hailed him as a “superstar.”

Having Rabada fresh and firing also vindicates CSA’s decision to rest him between August and now, and leave him out of white-ball series in the UAE, and it shows how the two national coaches are working together. Test coach Shukri Conrad and white-ball coach Rob Walter jointly plan selections so that each of them has the best players available when it matters most.

For the next two-and-a-half months Test cricket is the focus and Rabada, and to an extent Markram, who was released from the UAE early, have been allowed to focus on that.

South Africa, despite limited Test matches in the calendar, remain in the running for the World Test Championship final but they cannot afford many (or any) slip-ups. They have five matches left to play – one next week in Chattogram, and four at home. They must win at least four to give themselves a chance to make the final in this cycle and this victory has shown them they can do that.

It has also given them confidence ahead of their return to the subcontinent next year to begin the next cycle with two Tests against each of Pakistan and India, where even tougher challenges await.

“The biggest thing we take from it is the belief and the confidence that we actually can do well here as a team,” Markam said. “I believe that’s where a lot of the game is played, from a confidence and belief and a mental side of things. It will help the team a lot as far as moving forward and seeing if we can put back-to-back performances together goes.”

Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s correspondent for South Africa and women’s cricket

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Smith’s fireworks revive England after Pakistan spinners strike

admin — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 10:23:42 +0000

Tea England 242 for 8 (Rehan 2*, Leach 1*) vs Pakistan

Jamie Smith’s remarkable 89 has given England a firm footing at tea on day one third Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, on 242 for 8.

In tandem with Gus Atkinson (39) for an seventh-wicket stand of 107 that ensured just three wickets fell in the afternoon session, Smith produced a counter-attacking display that had the hosts scrabbling in the field after having things their own way in the morning. His innings featured 11 boundaries, six of them sixes, which is now the joint-most for an English batter in Asia. It was his first half-century away from home having made his debut at the start of the 2024 summer.

England emerged from the lunch break on 110 for 5, thanks largely to Ben Duckett’s 52. While somewhat precarious after Ben Stokes had won the toss, on a scoured surface it was hard to label it outright as a problematic position.

The tourists had begun reasonably enough, bringing up an opening stand of 50 in 12 overs, before Zak Crawley – playing in his 50th Test – fell to Noman Ali. A score of 56 for 0 became 98 for 5 in the space of 12.5 overs, as the left-arm spinner and Sajid Khan combined, bowling all 30 overs of the morning session between them.

The duo made smart use of low bounce, with the trio of Duckett (wearing one on the boot), Joe Root (trapped in front) and Harry Brook (bowled leg stump sweeping) succumbing to deliveries that did not get up as expected. And it was only after 42 overs that Shan Masood made his first bowling change, as Sajid was swapped out of the attack having removed Stokes caught at slip 11 balls into the second session for his fourth wicket. Sajid would eventually return to bring Noman’s opening spell to an end after 23 overs.

At 118 for 6, Atkinson joined Smith and set about an all-Surrey stand, acting as the straight man to the latter’s devastation, even if those roles only truly came to the fore at the end of their century stand. After a watchful start from both – Smith’s fifty took all of 94 deliveries – the final 39 runs to take their partnership to three figures took just 21 deliveries.

It was a charge instigated by Atkinson, striking three fours in the last four balls off the 56th over, against legspinner Zahid who was was now in England’s sights as the bowler to target. That being said, Smith followed with successive boundaries off Sajid, albeit the second – his third six – pierced the hands of Saud Shakeel at long on.

Had Shakeel been set back on the fence rather than a few feet in front, he might have ended the keeper-batter’s innings on 54. Alas, Sajid felt the brunt of that miss, taken for another two more boundaries by Smith in his next over – the first smeared over midwicket for six, the second lofted gloriously down the ground for a one-bounce four.

The second took the value of the seventh wicket to 103 from just 159 deliveries. And though it would only reach 107 as Noman returned to take a catch off his own bowling as Atkinson bunted back a delivery that stuck in the pitch, Smith kept going, blasting two sixes down the ground off Zahid as he rounded on his second Test century. A third six at the end of the over was avoided thanks to exemplary work from Sajid, who took a boundary catch twice, but had to hurl the ball back in play for a second time to prevent the boundary.

Alas, Smith would fall nine short, Zahid the beneficiary of a top-edged heave that was taken to end a remarkable knock and polish the legspinner’s figures, which currently read 1 for 44 from 10 overs. It was Pakistan’s first wicket in 28 for a bowler other than Sajid and Noman, who combined for all 20 in second Test in Multan.

Jack Leach and Rehan Ahmed, recalled to the side for his first international appearance since February, will resume after the break.

Vithushan Ehantharajah is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo

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Washington’s strikes push New Zealand back on stroke of tea

admin — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 09:17:17 +0000

Tea New Zealand 201 for 5 (Mitchell 16*, Ashwin 3-48, Washington 2-34) vs India

India called up a second offspinner from outside the squad ostensibly to lengthen their batting without compromising on taking the ball away from left-hand batters; the said offspinner combined with the existing offspinner to drag New Zealand back even though two left-hand batters scored half-centuries to pull ahead.

After losing what turned out to be a good toss to lose in Bengaluru, New Zealand won an important toss on what pundits believe will become a turner in due course. Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra then made good use of the conditions while they were still good to bat in.

R Ashwin, India’s lead offspinner, took three wickets, but it was the big wicket of Ravindra to Washington Sundar 10 minutes before tea that brought India right back into the contest. He then followed it up by bowling Tom Blundell through the gate with what proved to be the last ball before tea. Ashwin’s three wickets took him past Nathan Lyon’s 530, in 25 fewer Tests. The two could be involved in a showdown later in the year, in Australia, but right now India were in a fight to defend their 18-series winning streak at home.

On a pitch with much less bounce, batters could commit forward against the quicks, who anyway didn’t find any movement off the surface. Ashwin’s introduction brought India immediate success, but India didn’t really create chances from both ends for long enough to take quick wickets. Every now and then, though, the ball turned from the good length, just like Washington did to go past Ravindra, which suggested batting last was not going to be easy.

Nothing is ever easy in Test cricket, but this was one of the easier starts to an innings with the openers racing to 30 in seven overs without any trouble. It took Ashwin just five balls to drift one in and then turn it past the outside edge to trap Tom Latham lbw.

This ball turned from the straight, but the turn wasn’t yet consistent or threatening. Conway managed to sweep well, and also picked runs off the back foot as Ashwin and Washington Sundar bowled with in-out fields. Twenty of his 76 runs came through sweeps and reverse-sweeps.

The partnership between Conway and Will Young looked threatening, but a sharp review demanded by short leg Sarfaraz Khan returned a faint touch of the glove to send Young back. Now Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja kept troubling the batters: in the 11 overs they bowled in tandem, they drew 24 false shots and conceded just 30 runs.

Post-lunch, when India started with Jasprit Bumrah and Washington, runs came freely: 35 off the eight overs. Ashwin then brought control first and then the wicket of Conway. Again the ball turned, but this time it was the drift and dip that put Conway out of position, and the turn made him look like pushing at a ball he didn’t need to play.

Ravindra, Player of the Match in Bengaluru, brought New Zealand much-needed solidity because Daryl Mitchell was extremely uncertain at the start of his innings. He survived an lbw on umpire’s call, played risky sweeps of both kinds, and only looked comfortable after 20 balls or so.

Ravindra, though, gave the bowlers nothing. Akash Deep got close to getting him with at short midwicket but the hit was too ferocious to catch for a fielder so close. An outside edge after two bouncers managed to beat slip and brought up his fifty.

Given a third spell just before tea, Washignton found turn from middle and off to take the top of off. Things began to happen now, and Washington, perhaps guilty of being too quick at times, slowed it down to drag Blundell wide and turn the ball in for the classic offspinner’s dismissal.

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England add Jordan Cox and Rehan Ahmed to Caribbean tour

admin — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 08:24:27 +0000

England have added Jordan Cox and Rehan Ahmed to their white-ball squads for their upcoming Caribbean tour, which starts next Thursday.

Both players are with England’s Test team in Pakistan, with Cox due to fly home after the first day of the series decider in Rawalpindi ahead of the white-ball squad’s departure for Antigua on Monday. Rehan, who has been named in England’s XI for the third Test, will arrive late in the Caribbean and is unlikely to feature in Thursday’s first ODI against West Indies.

Cox, the Essex wicketkeeper-batter, is set to make his Test debut at some stage on England’s tour to New Zealand which closely follows the West Indies tour and may leave the Caribbean early. He is likely to miss the five-match T20I series, and will arrive in New Zealand in time for England’s warm-up match in Queenstown on the weekend of November 23, ahead of the first Test on November 27.

Cox made his international debut in England’s T20I series against Australia last month, and is likely to win his first ODI cap in the Caribbean with Jos Buttler ruled out of the 50-over leg of the tour due to a recent setback in his rehabilitation from a calf injury. He will also deputise as England’s keeper at some stage in the New Zealand series, with Jamie Smith set to miss at least one Test – and potentially all three – on paternity leave.

Rehan’s involvement in the third Test in Pakistan is likely to rule him out of at least the first ODI, and he may not be considered until the T20Is. He is one of three wristspinners in England’s squads along with Adil Rashid, the mainstay of their white-ball sides, and the uncapped Yorkshire leggie Jafer Chohan.

England said when they announced their squads that two Test players would be added and always planned to take Cox and Rehan to the Caribbean. They announced this week that Liam Livingstone will captain them in their three ODIs in the Caribbean, with Buttler missing that leg of the tour, and also added Essex’s Michael Pepper to their squads as cover.

West Indies are 2-0 down in an ODI series in Sri Lanka ahead of the final match on Saturday, having lost the T20Is 2-1, and are yet to announce their squads for the series. The first ODI takes place in Antigua on October 31, with the tour running until the fifth T20I in St Lucia on November 18.

England ODI and T20I squads: Jos Buttler (captain, T20Is only), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Jafer Chohan, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone (ODI captain), Saqib Mahmood, Dan Mousley, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, John Turner.

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Mandhana-led India bat, debuts for Hasabnis, Thakor

admin — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 08:11:26 +0000

Toss India chose to bat vs New Zealand

India missed their captain Harmanpreet Kaur due to a niggle, and in her absence Smriti Mandhana won the toss and opted to bat in the opening women’s ODI against New Zealand. This is the first women’s ODI in Motera, Ahmedabad since April 2013.

India handed ODI caps to middle-order Maharashtra batter Tejal Hasabnis and Mumbai’s seam bowling-allrounder Saima Thakor, who played for UP Warriorz in WPL 2024. Arundhati Reddy and Renuka Singh were the other fast bowling options at India’s disposal while Deepti Sharma and Radha Yadav the spin options. D Hemalatha was carded in at No. 4 in the absence of Harmanpreet while Yastila Bhatia took the gloves and was slotted in at one-down.

New Zealand lined up similar to the way they had in their successful T20 World Cup campaign. Lauren Down, who made a comeback from maternity break earlier this year, was part of the lower middle order while tall fast bowler Molly Penfold also got a go. Fast bowler Lea Tahuhu, part of the experienced troika that includes captain Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, was rested.

This series is important for New Zealand, who are in search of crucial ICC Women’s Championship points.

India: 1 Smriti Mandhana (capt), 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Yastika Bhatia (wk), 4 D Hemalatha, 5 Jemimah Rodrigues, 6 Tejal Hasabnis, 7 Deepti Sharma, 8 Radha Yadav, 9 Arundhati Reddy, 10 Saima Thakor, 11 Renuka Singh

New Zealand: 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine (capt), 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Lauren Down, 8 Isabella Gaze (wk), 9 Jess Kerr, 10 Molly Penfold, 11 Eden Carson

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