All posts by n8rngtd.top

Virat Kohli has indicated his friendships with Australian players had been irrevocably damaged, following the conclusion of the Test series in Dharamsala

Melinda Farrell in Dharamsala28-Mar-20172:46

Smith disappointed with BCCI, Kohli says ‘friends no more’

A contentious, fractious and ill-tempered Test series has claimed a final victim: Virat Kohli’s relationships with Australian players, the Indian captain said, have been irrevocably damaged. Tensions continued to simmer even after the conclusion in Dharamsala, with Steven Smith apologising for his behavior during the series, but also registering his disappointment at another bit of off-field sparring.Before the four-Test series began, Kohli had spoken warmly about his friendships with all of the Australian players but indicated that would not affect the upcoming series. When asked if he still felt the same way after India won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-1, Kohli was blunt in his reply.”No, it has changed,” he said. “I thought that was the case, but it has changed for sure. As I said, in the heat of the battle you want to be competitive but I’ve been proven wrong. The thing I said before the first Test, that has certainly changed and you won’t hear me say that ever again.”

Kohli’s pre-series comments

“I’m really good friends with all these guys off the field,” Kohli had said before the first Test in Pune. “I know them really well, but I know where to draw the line of friendship. “When you step onto the field, I could be playing against my big brother it wouldn’t matter.”

Smith, meanwhile, admitted his emotions had got the better of him at times during the series and offered an apology for his behaviour. He first apologised on the televised post-match presentation and then reiterated it in the following press conference.”I set myself high standards and I wanted to lead from the front with my performances” Smith said. “I have sort of been very intense in my own little bubble and at times I have let my emotions and actions just falter a little bit throughout this series and I apologise for that.”That’s a big stride for me moving forward and something I can really learn from and continue to grow as an individual and as a leader.”Smith, however, expressed disappointment with the BCCI for airing on-field exchanges between R Jadeja and Matthew Wade through a video clip on its website, in which umpire Ian Gould could be heard trying to intervene.”Yeah, I was a little bit disappointed that the BCCI sieved through the archive to find a conversation out on the field that was happening between Matty and Jadeja,” Smith said. “It’s happened between both sides throughout this series, so the fact they’ve done that to us is a little bit disappointing.”Usually what’s said on the field should stay on the field. It’s been a hard-fought series and guys are going to say things here and there, their emotions are going to be high. And so they should be in such a big series. So I was a little bit disappointed by the fact the BCCI did bring that out.Kohli also fired back at sections of the media who criticised his behaviour and form throughout an unusually lean series: he made only 46 runs in three Tests.”As I’ve said before, it’s not in my control,” said Kohli. “I’ve heard a very wise person tell me that when a person is down, the weak come out and speak about him. It takes courage to speak about someone when they are on top. It’s fine, I was targeted individually and I hadn’t done well in the series. So opportunities galore for everyone to come out and speak about me.”When I’ve done well in the past, people have spoken about me. When I haven’t done well I obviously expect them to come out and say all sorts of things. It’s obviously very easy to sit at home and write a blog or speak behind the mic. I think that’s easier than coming out and competing on the field.”That’s all I have to say about that.”

Home side in trouble after losing 5 for 22 during evening session

ECB Reporters' Network30-Apr-2021Lewis Hill’s second first-class century and four wickets from Chris Wright put Leicestershire firmly in command at Bristol as Gloucestershire closed day two 176 for 6 replying to 421.Hill took his overnight 77 to 121 as Leicestershire ground out 144 overs with Ben Mike also making 54, his third first-class fifty, as the Foxes posted their second-highest total at Bristol.Related

• Michael Hogan five-for trumps Darren Stevens' as Kent tumble to two-day defeat

• Notts near end of three-year drought after batting Derbs to brink

Wright then helped plunge Gloucestershire from 99 for 1 to 121 for 6 in a calamitous half hour for the hosts that puts their unbeaten start to the season in serious jeopardy.All was well with Gloucestershire’s reply as Chris Dent made a fourth fifty of the summer. But he felt for one sent across him from Wright and edged behind for 53 after James Bracey, on 27, played across the line and was lbw to Callum Parkinson.Ian Cockbain couldn’t get his bat down in time to a full straight delivery from Wright and was lbw for a third-ball duck. Tom Lace, only 4, then nudged at Dieter Klein and edged low to third slip before Ryan Higgins was squared up by Wright and lbw for 5 struck on the back pad.It was a wonderful final session to another excellent day for Leicestershire who resumed 264 for 4 and, though they were only able to claim one more batting point, built well through Hill.When Hill made 126 against Surrey in just his second first-class match in 2015 his career was all before him. Since then only the 2017 season – 554 runs at 30 – has been remotely noteworthy. But talent has clearly never deserted him and he arrived with four half-centuries and a 47 in six innings this season and here reached a long-awaited hundred in 176 balls.A flashing cover drive off Josh Shaw, to a delivery that was by no means a half-volley, was the stroke of the match so far but he fell just short of his career-best, driving at one from Higgins angled in that took out his off stump.Mike passed fifty in exactly 100 balls but Leicestershire lost their last four wickets for 28 as Dan Worrall finished with 5 for 79 – an eighth five-for of his career and first for Gloucestershire.

After a lean first two Tests, in which he managed just 34 runs in four innings, Joe Burns hopes that he – and his team – can put in an improved performance in Colombo

Daniel Brettig10-Aug-2016Joe Burns’ arms are scarred. The scars come from diving forward onto the abrasive squares of Sri Lankan cricket grounds in pursuit of catches at short leg. Painful as they are, deeper scars have been inflicted on Burns’ confidence as a batsman this tour, in which his struggles have been emblematic of a collective Australian failure not seen in many a long year.Having gone to India with Australia A last year, and again this year with a pre-tour advance party, and then spent two weeks in Colombo before the Tests began, Burns had seemingly been well prepared for the task. But from the moment he was bowled by a Rangana Herath skidder on the first afternoon of the series, Burns has slipped down an Asian wormhole of doubts and second guesses well known to plenty before him.In the second innings at Palekelle he was clean bowled by a Lakshan Sandakan special just when he looked to be getting set. He gifted Vishwa Fernando a first Test wicket in Galle with a hook to square leg, and then picked out cover when he attempted to take the attack to Herath in the second innings. If he has followed a personal mantra not to repeat the same mistakes, that is scant consolation for a return of 34 runs in four innings.”I’m not really one to be in or out of form,” Burns said in Colombo. “For me, every innings is different. I just try to focus on making sure I’m not making those same mistakes over and over. And in a place like the subcontinent, there’s so many things that you can learn from the experience that you don’t really worry about form, it’s about executing different game plans and developing different skills.”As a batter, you want to give yourself a chance to get in; it’s always disappointing to get out early in your innings. Especially in these conditions, you know it’s going to be tough to start. I guess that was the most frustrating thing about the second innings in Kandy – you know, when you do get a start you need to push on and make a game-changing score.”That’s probably been the most frustrating thing for me so far on the tour, having an opportunity there in Kandy to really go on with it, and not take that opportunity. Like I said, we don’t make any excuses, we just try to learn as much as we can. I’ve learned a hell of a lot over the last four innings, and hopefully I’ll take those lessons forward from here.”For a batsman raised on the hard, true Gabba surface, these lessons have been something like a young student’s first forays in Latin or quantum physics. Burns agreed it took courage to go away from what was comfortable and familiar in order to succeed in Asia, but also acknowledged this could not be used as an excuse for poor batting displays.”When you grow up, you learn a game, you play all your domestic cricket in Australia,” Burns said. “Some guys are lucky enough to play in the IPL or in County cricket and you get a taste of different experiences. I guess the courage comes when you’re asked to change your game in the cut-throat environment of the pressure-cooker that is international cricket. It does take courage.”I think all our boys are doing that. The results probably don’t show that so far. That’s why everyone wants to get back out there and prove it to ourselves, prove it to the world, that we are good enough to take the game on and to adapt our game and have success globally. Not only that, but to play well for Australia. We’re two-nil down in a series. It’s very frustrating at the moment. It’s a tough spot to be in. I feel like we’re doing everything we possibly can to turn it around.”Burns: “I guess the courage comes when you’re asked to change your game in the cut-throat environment of international cricket. It does take courage.”•AFP

All that is left for Burns, and for others such as Usman Khawaja and Adam Voges, is to hope they are retained for the dead third Test – Rod Marsh and Darren Lehmann will discuss team selection on Thursday – and then attempt to show evidence of learning. Australia must now be looking upon this match as much for next year’s tour of India as the saving of face in Sri Lanka.”It would mean a hell of a lot,” Burns said of making consolation runs. “The series has gone now, but you’re playing for your country. There’s so much pride to play for in the third Test, not just for the country but as a group. We’ve gone through a little bit of a tough time. But if we can turn it around and put in a good performance, it would be huge. I know all the boys are extremely motivated.”We’re doing absolutely everything we can to turn it around. We just have to trust that putting work into your game will get the results. International cricket is challenging because you play all around the world. To be an international cricketer you want to have success all around the world. That success hasn’t come so far in the first two Tests, with the losses that we’ve had.”But you want to be a part of winning teams as a group but also as an individual to be putting in strong performances around the world. That is what drives us as individuals and as a team. That’s why we’re working so hard and trying to be really open-minded to develop game plans and skills that are going to allow us to have success for a long period of time as a group.”As for fielding at short leg, the scars, bruises and near misses to the helmet have not yet dissuaded Burns from the job – something else for the selectors to keep in mind. “I don’t hate it because I feel like I’m always in the game in the subcontinent,” he said. “I feel like it’s an important position.”At times it is quite painful and scary. You can sometimes hear the ball fizzing past you. You can certainly feel it hit you when it does. Whenever you get scared you kind of just look at the badge on your helmet and it makes it all worthwhile.”

Catch all the updates, chatter, stats and more from the opening game of IPL 2021

Sidharth Monga09-Apr-2021

11.25pmHarshal Patel digs out a near yorker last ball to take RCB to a win in a thrilling finish. Harshal had taken a five-for earlier in the night to restrict Mumbai to 160. It was that once-in-a-generation slow end from Mumbai, and then some genius of AB de Villiers that has sealed the win for RCB. This is the eighth time in a row that Mumbai have lost their first match of the IPL. If this start is anything to go by, we are in for some ride this IPL. Thanks for joining us tonight.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

10.25pm

Why no Bumrah against Maxwell?

Rohit and Mumbai Indians are big on match-ups. And here is a match-up if ever there was one: Japsrit Bumrah has taken Glenn Maxwell out six times in 58 balls in T20 cricket for just 67 runs. Rohit usually brings Bumrah on as soon as Maxwell comes on to bat, but not on this occasion. By the end of the 10th over, Maxwell has faced 15 balls, but none from Bumrah.It is not as though Rohit is not aware of the match-up. Is he saving Bumrah up for AB de Villiers? Or does he think a slightly older ball will provide Bumrah’s slower balls more grip?9.55pm

Introducing Rajat Patidar

Rajat Patidar

Shashank Kishore has been on the ball, and has produced this piece immediately after it was confirmed Patidar was making his IPL debut

“It’s been amazing, the last few months,” Patidar says. “The night of the IPL auction, I received a text from Virat, saying ‘welcome Rajat, wishing you the best, go smash it.’ I didn’t even have his number. Now, getting a chance to bat with him in the nets and maybe even in the matches will be a dream.”

9.50pmESPNcricinfo Ltd

There have been only three one-run final overs in the IPL. Harshal Patel joined Praveen Kumar and Dale Steyn, both of whom managed it back in 2008.9.20pm

How did Harshal Patel outdo the Mumbai hitting machinery?

BCCI/IPL

Harshal Patel’s five-for was the first five-wicket haul against Mumbai Indians in all IPL. More important than that, his bowling at the death kept Mumbai to just 25 off the last four overs, their lowest since 2016. Harshal took the wickets of the designated death-overs hitters, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard and Krunal Pandya, to go with Ishan Kishan in his last three overs.Two things happened, which both had to do with the pitch in all likelihood. The ball reversed for him, and it gripped the surface too. It was probably down to a dry track. It was expected the bowlers would go for slower balls into the surface to use both the surface and the dimensions of the ground, but the little bit of tail made Harshal even more dangerous. RCb bowled slower 23 balls in the last five overs, which accounted for four wickets and just 29 runs.Expect Mumbai to do more of the same? 8.25pm

Why is Washington Sundar not bowling?

It’s a slow, low surface, and Washington Sundar is at his home ground. He is at Chepauk where he has played most of his cricket, but he hasn’t been used in the first 11 overs. The most obvious reasons might be all the right-hand batsmen at the top of Mumbai Indians’ batting order. However, there is another trend here.Sundar came to prominence with his superb restrictive performances with the ball in the Powerplay for Rising Pune Supergiant. Then he joined Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2018. So 2017 remains the only year in which he bowled more overs in the Powerplay than the middle overs.Protecting fingerspinners against right-hand batsmen makes sense, but if there is an offspinner you would back against right-hand batsmen, it is Sundar. In all IPL, he has a better average against right-hand batsmen than left (26.4 as against 39.22) and only a slightly worse economy rate (6.9 as against 6.83).Also Glenn Maxwell, who bowled a lot in the Powerplay for Kings XI Punjab last year, hasn’t been used at all. Could RCB have made better use of their spinners on this slow surface?Mumbai Indians 94 for 2 in 11 overs.7.50pm

Early signs of a slow, low pitch

It is evident from the bottom edges in the first four overs. This is a slow pitch with low bounce, and Chris Lynn is struggling to force the pace. Rohit Sharma has been run out after he did create the pace in a couple of shots by advancing down. This might be a very good toss to win because if there is any dew the pitch might quicken up a little later in the night. Mumbai Indians 24 for 1 after four overs7.10pmVirat Kohli has finally won a toss. RCB have decided to field. There is a whole new look to RCB. Glenn Maxwell, Kyle Jamieson, Dan Christian. Devdutt Paddikal has just recovered from Covid-19, and has been advised not to play this game. Rajat Patidar comes in in his place.Mumbai Indians are so settled they have made just the two changes from the last final, and one of them is forced because Quinton de Kock is still in quarantine. Chris Lynn comes in as does Jansen. Two changes is what Rohit Sharma said at the toss. There are three. Seems he forgot the tactical inclusion of Jayant Yadav in the final. I sure forgot. So Rahul Chahar is in too.Royal Challengers Bangalore 1 Virat Kohli (capt.), 2 Rajat Patidar, 3 AB de Villiers (wk), 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Daniel Christian, 6 Washington Sundar, 7 Kyle Jamieson, 8 Shahbaz Ahmed 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Yuzvendra ChahalMumbai Indians 1 Rohit Sharma (capt.), 2 Chris Lynn, 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Ishan Kishan (wk), 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Rahul Chahar, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Jasprit Bumrah6.50pmSurely you have heard Marco Jansen is making his debut? Who is he, did you ask? The young South African beanpole who beat Kohli in the nets, that’s who. Here’s Saurabh Somani’s piece on himKoos Jansen

Brothers in arms•BCCI/IPL

6.30pmWhat if I told you we could put together all the awesome Cricinfo content in one place so you don’t have to go looking. And what if I told you that place is here?Aakash Chopra has declared he will be training his binoculars to focus on a select group of players this IPL, men who can have a big impact on their teams winning the tournament.Among the multitude of people MS Dhoni has influenced is Rishabh Pant. The 23-year-old became the fifth-youngest captain in the IPL after the Delhi Capitals appointed Pant as the interim captain this season after Shreyas Iyer was ruled out due shoulder surgery. At his first toss Pant will walk out with Dhoni, on Saturday, and he has promised to expect something different.Millions mean nothing to Glenn Maxwell, who has said he wants to be a “positive influence” on the group. But former Indian opener and IPL-winning captain Gautam Gambhir reminds Maxwell here that why it is important for him to be consistent, something he was in 2014 IPL when he won the Most Valuable Player award.Talking about impact players, there are few who can match Kieron Pollard, who has been the key backbone for five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians, the team he joined in 2009 IPL. And it was Pollard’s knock in the final of the 2013 edition that helped Mumbai win their first title. Pollard’s 32-ball 60 is among ESPNcricinfo’s Greatest IPL Performances series.There are also a host of expansive interviews to choose from: T Natarajan talks about his fairy tale journey since the last IPL. Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara returns to the IPL after seven years, to a format he believes is a “piece of cake”. T20 specialist Dan Christian returns to the IPL after a forgettable outing last time, and is ready to make a mark even as he will turn 38 during the tournament at the Royal Challengers.Robin Uthappa reveals how he is coming into grips with specialist roles of a topo-order batsman that has evolved rapidly.Also have a listen to the IPL-10 series where Shubman Gill talks about not only scoring the “most runs” but also dominating a bowler, that has been among the best bowlers in the tournament for the past few years. Others in this series include Shakib-Al-Hasan, who is back in the IPL, at Kolkata Knight Riders and wants to score a 100 and take 5-for.Also get ready for some key changes to the IPL playing conditions: no more soft signal, cap on the time for multiple super overs, and third umpire to rule on a short run.Finally, Alan Gardner analyses why 40 is the new 30 in T20 cricket.6.15pmIt is not all normal at Cricinfo. There’s a Covid baby here. Please welcome the newest member of the family, Cricinfo Hindi. This is from a welcome note from our editor Sambit Bal. And here is the first live Hindi scorecard on Cricinfo

Technology makes it possible today to get descriptions from raw data or to create instant translation. But that would never have felt right. Communication is a deeply personal experience: it requires individuality, personality, quirks and human imperfection. Ball-by-ball commentary is the heartbeat of our site, it needs flesh and blood. Over the years, you have related to our commentators, bantered with them, sent them your affection and cursed them too. It’s a ride, and it’s very human.So we now have a team that will bring Hindi commentary to you, with all the flavours that the language merits and you deserve. We have spent the last few weeks discussing tone and temper and words and idioms, and we have been energised by the new flush of enthusiasm in our commentary team. But now we will let their natural impulse and instinct take over. Engage with them, let them know what you like and what you don’t and we will learn together. And, while at it, you can follow ESPNcricinfo Hindi on Facebook and on Twitter.

6pmIt’s been a hard hard year/
Pushing shit uphill/
But shit happens all the time/
And I guess it always willNow the days are getting long/
Summer’s on its way/
I can’t wait for Christmas/
‘Cause the day after Christmas is Boxing DayYou’ll know where to find me/
Ten rows back at the MCG/
Right behind the bowler’s arm/
Right behind the bowler’s armThat is the legendary Paul Kelly’s legendary welcome to the grand occasion of Boxing Day Test in Australia. We are living a dystopian version of this song in India and in the rest of the world. It’s been a – pardon my French – shitty year-and-a-half, and I really don’t know if cricket or any sport can provide a distraction from what is going on. All I know is, any activity going on with any semblance of normalcy is a message that we need to get up and keep living and working no matter what. So here is to a somewhat normal IPL 2021

The duo put on a match-winning unbeaten stand of 94 off just 32 balls to get Deccan Gladiators’ campaign off to a winning start

20-Nov-2021″To bat with someone like him just gives you so much confidence and freedom to just go and try and express yourself.”Those were the words of 25-year-old Tom Moores, the Deccan Gladiators wicketkeeper-batter, after he and Andre Russell put on 94 for the fourth wicket in just 32 deliveries to get their campaign off to a winning start against Chennai Braves in the Abu Dhabi T10.When the pair came together, the Gladiators had been stuttering, having managed just one six in the first five overs. But Moores and Russell bludgeoned nine of them in the remainder of the innings to catapult the Gladiators to a match-winning total of 146. Both faced just 17 balls each.Asked what the conversation was like between the two when they were in the middle, Moores, who plays for Nottinghamshire, replied, “Who could hit the biggest six…? Which, obviously, I knew I was gonna lose. We had a bit of fun, it wasn’t too serious at all, which really helped me just relax and be confident. We were just having a smile and enjoying it. And that’s what we talked about, to have fun, to enjoy our cricket. Every game we play we’re really lucky to be doing it.”Since Russell’s arrival, at No. 5, the pair dictated the pace of the innings, wresting momentum from the Braves, who had started well by removing Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tom Banton and Anwar Ali in the first 4.4 overs. Russell got off the mark with something of an uncharacteristic stroke: a delicate cut played with soft hands past third man. But he needed no invitation to launch one over midwicket when Dasun Shanaka gave him a delivery right in the slot.The next over, the legspin of Samiullah Shinwari got the treatment as Russell hammered him for two consecutive sixes. By the end of the seventh, he had walloped to 31 off 11, while Moores was on a run-a-ball five.Andre Russell sent the ball miles•AFP

Moores was fortunate not to run himself out off the second delivery he faced as Munaf Patel failed to collect the ball at the bowler’s end. He made his luck count, smashing Dhananjaya Lakshan for two huge sixes and bringing up the team hundred with a whack over long-on. Curtis Campher – who took four wickets in four deliveries at this ground for Ireland during the recently concluded T20 World Cup – was also dispatched for 26 as the Gladiators amassed 80 runs between the sixth and ninth overs. Russell was on 42 off 15, while Moores had got himself up to 39 off 13.”To bat some time with Dre who has done that time and time again… he’s the best at doing that, so to watch him and have the best seat in the house was great,” Moores said. “Someone like him has helped me a lot. I knew him a little bit from playing back home for Notts and he’s someone who has done this time and time again. So he was just giving me tips and bits of advice here and there. To be honest, I was just trying to keep up with him.”Moores, in fact, went one better, as he hit another six, off Ravi Bopara, in the final over to go past Russell’s unbeaten 43 off 17 and set the highest team score of the season so far. He finished on an unbeaten 47 off 17 and took home the Player-of-the-Match honour.In the end, despite a valiant effort from the Braves, with Angelo Perera and Bopara both scoring half-centuries, they fell 24 runs short of the target. Their tally of four sixes across their ten overs was dwarfed by the ten that the Gladiators managed, and Moores underscored that six-hitting is even more pivotal in this format of the game.”We did talk about six-hitting ability,” he said. “Those extra two runs do add up. If you compare the two scores, those extra twos can change a game and be the difference. Having someone like Dre in your team, he’s naturally gonna clear the ropes and all the rest of us need to just do our thing and hit as many as we can.”

The pink ball, floodlights and the Gabba’s often lively pitch will make for a high octane contest between two sides well stocked with speed

The Preview by Daniel Brettig14-Dec-2016

Match facts

December 15-19, 2016
Start time 1300 local (0300 GMT)3:31

Coverdale: Pakistan quicks could cause trouble under lights

Big Picture

A day-night Test for Brisbane has been unveiled in order to draw greater crowds to the Gabba, but the combination of the pink ball, floodlights and the ground’s often lively pitch will make for a high octane contest between two sides well stocked with speed. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood have both prospered here in the past, the latter notably putting on a sublime display on debut against India to help deliver a victory in Steven Smith’s first match as Australian captain. Starc, meanwhile, has been shifting up through the gears since he was rushed back from injury against South Africa, and appears to be finding his very best rhythm in time for Brisbane.Pakistan, of course, have a surfeit of pacemen capable of making the ball bend, in Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir a left-arm combination duo capable of reducing any batting order to ruins. Dangerous, too, will be the wristspin of Yasir Shah, on a ground Shane Warne has always professed to love, though Australia’s batsmen have historically attacked visiting spin bowlers with significant success in Brisbane – just ask Graeme Swann. Critical to the visitors’ chances of unseating the Australians at a ground they feel more at home at than any other will be the holding of catches – scores went down during the recent series loss in New Zealand, with the fielding coach Steve Rixon trying to rectify that in Australia.While the hosts have plenty of advantages, not least greater experience against the pink ball, it should not be forgotten that Australia’s confidence is only in the very early stages of restoration, following five consecutive defeats that culminated in the Hobart humiliation. Pakistan, by contrast, were humbled across the Tasman but have a far sturdier record behind them earlier in the year – the share of a series in England to briefly claim the world No. 1 ranking was a remarkable achievement. In what shapes to be one of the captain Misbah-ul-Haq’s final series, a victory in Australia would be the sweetest icing on his cake. To start that quest at the Gabba in conditions that will suit his pacemen but challenge his batsmen will turn to be either a blessing or curse

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)


Australia: WLLLL

Pakistan: LLLWW

In the spotlight

So far this summer, Usman Khawaja has batted with plenty of determination to succeed, cutting down on some of the more flamboyant strokeplay he offered up last season to become a senior member of the Australian top order. His sound judgment of line will be critical in Brisbane, a ground he knows well as captain of Queensland. It will be up to him, Matt Renshaw and David Warner to ward off Pakistan’s considerable new ball threat.Before England, before the no-ball, before the prison sentence and the exile from the game, Mohammad Amir came to Australia as a teenager on Pakistan’s last Test series visit and impressed all with his speed, swing and stamina. Older and wiser, he still has the ability to swing the ball at high pace, and has the potential to cause chaos in the Australian batting order if he gets it right – and if Pakistan are able to hold onto their catches.How the Gabba pitch plays under lights will be a question on the minds of both sides•Melinda Farrell/ESPNcricinfo

Teams news

Australia are set to take an unchanged team into the Gabba Test following their victory, also with the pink ball, over South Africa in Adelaide.Australia (probable) 1 Matt Renshaw, 2 David Warner, 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Peter Handscomb, 6 Nic Maddinson, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Josh Hazlewood, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Jackson BirdMisbah-ul-Haq and Yasir Shah were both missing from Pakistan’s previous Test XI against New Zealand, but both are expected to resume their customary positions in Brisbane.Pakistan (probable) 1 Sami Aslam, 2 Azhar Ali, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 6 Asad Shafiq, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 8 Wahab Riaz, 9 Yasir Shah, 10 Mohammad Amir, 11 Rahat Ali

Pitch and conditions

Kevin Mitchell Jnr, the Gabba curator, is shaving the grass on the pitch down to 2mm – considerably shorter than for the Adelaide day-night Test and a pretty standard level for any Gabba Test. “Pretty well standard, along the same lines as normal,” he said. “We’ve got a reasonable amount of grass cover on the wicket so we think that’s going to play the same as a normal day Test.”The surface will nonetheless be hard and bouncy with some lateral movement on offer for the pacemen early on. The unknown is how it will play at night – the pink ball can be expected to swing. The weather forecast is fine initially with the chance of some rain over the weekend.

Stats and trivia

• Pakistan have never beaten Australia in Brisbane, losing three times and drawing once
• The most recent meeting between the sides was in the first Test of the 1999 series. Australia won by 10 wickets in what was Adam Gilchrist’s debut match
• Pakistan drew series in Australia in 1976-77 and 1978-79 but have lost every series since – seven in all

Quotes

“For us the key is adapting to conditions, and if we can adapt to conditions quick enough we’ll be fine. I constantly remind the players if we can be getting 270, 280, 300, we’re in the game because we’ve got the ability to take 20 wickets.”

Lee-Woolvardt set it up with century stand before du Preez and Goodall steer them home; Raut’s century in vain

Shashank Kishore14-Mar-2021India were given a reality check of just how far behind their ODI batting game is that even their best score at home since the 2013 World Cup – 266 for 4 – didn’t prove enough in the fourth ODI against South Africa in Lucknow. Equally worrying would be their thin seam bowling reserves in the absence of Jhulan Goswami, who missed out due to a hand injury, and the rested Shikha Pandey.Monica Patel, the left-arm seamer, was dropped after just one outing, while Mansi Joshi, who replaced her, leaked runs in her opening spell. Taking the attack to her were South Africa’s stand-in captain Laura Wolvaardt and Lizelle Lee, who plundered their second century stand of the series to set up the chase for the calm Mignon du Preez and Lara Goodall to steer them closer. They completed their highest successful run chase in ODIs as they won by seven wickets to seal the series with one match remaining. Incidentally, all four games so far have been won by the side chasing.Where Australia have made 250-plus in ten of the 12 ODIs when batting first since 2018, this was only India’s third score in the same period – which is the least among the top five teams in women’s cricket. And while the 266 was by no means a bad score, India hedged all their bets on spin – employing four regulars and a fifth bowler in Harmanpreet Kaur – to do all the running. But on a surface that didn’t break up as much as India would’ve hoped for, this didn’t pay off.Lee took the attack to Rajeshwari Gayakwad and debutant Radha Yadav in the powerplay, the sweep being the most productive stroke. Where India hit only three boundaries in the first seven overs, South Africa smashed ten. This laid for their middle order to knock off the remaining runs, which du Preez and Laura Goodall did by putting together 103 at close to a run-a-ball. Every time there appeared to be an inkling of pressure, du Preez found ways to pick boundaries and keep the required rate no more than a run-a-ball in the last 12 overs.All of this meant Punam Raut’s third ODI century, a pugnacious knock where she seemed to have overcome issues in turning strike, and Harmanpreet Kaur’s blistering 34-ball 55, her first ODI fifty since 2018, went in vain. Where the century stand between Raut and Mithali Raj, who made 45, to lift India in the middle overs seemed industrious, Lee and Wolvaardt’s century stand had a bruising effect on India.Punam Raut celebrates her century in Deepti Sharma’s company•BCCI/UPCA

Although India hit back to remove Lee and Woolvardt in quick succession, the strong groundwork left du Preez and Goodall enough time to work their way into an innings before launching into the target. Lee was lbw trying to sweep Harmanpreet off a length for a 75-ball 69 in the 23rd over, while Woolvardt was out in the 29th, caught behind to give Joshi a wicket in her comeback over after a poor opening spell. Between Lee’s wicket and the 32nd over, South Africa failed to hit a boundary to briefly allow India’s spinners some leeway. But the stranglehold over the South Africans was far too brief.Along the way, India should’ve had Goodall on 25, but failed to cash in as Sushma Verma first missed a regulation stumping off Deepti Sharma, and then a run-out off the same delivery as du Preez tried to pinch a leg-bye to the striker’s end. Off the next ball, Goodall, as if adding insult to injury, walloped an inside-out drive over extra cover, up the tempo. It was as if the reprieve proved to be a release for her. Goodall went on to remain unbeaten on 59, topping off her knock by reverse-sweeping the spinners and more importantly seeing South Africa home.For much of her knock, Du Preez, meanwhile, was calm, calculative, and used her crease superbly to cut and pull, particularly severe on Poonam Yadav, whose length and flight she disturbed quite effectively by using her feet. When du Preez brought up her fifty, it was her first in India in a career that is now nearing a decade-and-a-half. Such was South Africa’s dominance towards the end that even her wicket, in trying to hit out, with the visitors needing 31 from 34 hardly induced any flutter.Earlier in the day, Raut and Mithali, not for the first time in this series, did the heavy lifting for India after India lost Smriti Mandhana and Priya Punia. The third-wicket pair put on a century stand, their seventh together, before Raut carried on bringing up a magnificent 104 not out. Then, Harmanpreet injected end-overs momentum of the kind not seen in the recent past from India.Their approach in the latter half of the partnership was in sharp contrast to the watchful approach early on – India played as many as 40 dot balls in the first nine overs as Punia, coming in for Jemimah Rodrigues, looked to get her eye in. Mandhana was out nicking to Lee at slip to give Shabnim Ismail her 150th international wicket in the fifth over.They may have ended with much lesser if not for Kaur, who struck five boundaries in her first 10 balls and muscling her way to a half-century. It made you wonder if she should be batting slightly higher. Also, it made you wonder how if India would score a lot more than they normally do if the batting tempo of this kind is sustained right through the innings. They have another game, though, to build on these gains even if they may not have a trophy to take home.

There was late drama at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, as Naeem Islam defied all odds to steer Bangladesh to a narrow one-wicket win

Cricinfo staff05-Nov-2009
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Naeem Islam’s heroics overshadowed what had been a virtuoso batting effort in the morning from Brendan Taylor•Associated Press

The dead rubber provided what this series has sorely lacked – a close finish. Naeem Islam was the hero for Bangladesh, conjuring a one-wicket victory with an unbeaten 73 in which he exploited the Powerplays perfectly. Naeem’s heroics overshadowed what had been a virtuoso batting effort in the morning from Brendan Taylor, whose unbeaten 118, with very little support form the rest, was the difference between a familiar Zimbabwean batting failure and a defendable total.Naeem had last man and uber-rabbit Nazmul Hossain for company, with Bangladesh still needing 35 for victory. The many singles that he turned down to remain on strike had the crowd getting restive, but Naeem had them chanting his name in joy with three consecutive sixes off Chamu Chibhabha in the 48th over to give the final twist to a topsy-turvy match. Those three deliveries turned Chibhabha from hero to zero, after he had put Zimbabwe in charge with a double-wicket maiden in the 43rd over.Bangladesh had lost wickets at key junctures of their chase. The openers failed (Tamim Iqbal retired hurt early with a hand injury, and only returned at No. 10) and Mohammad
Ashraful was run out by a brilliant bit of fielding from Stuart Matsikenyeri, who latched onto the ball quickly at short midwicket and threw down the stumps. Raqibul Hasan was extremely scratchy, and lucky to survive after plenty of swings and misses against Chris Mpofu, who was getting the ball to swing away from the right-hander. Matsikenyeri also did his bit with the ball, taking two key wickets – of Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim.The coach Jamie Siddons had talked about how the past few victorious months have taught Bangladesh how to win, and they showed that by refusing to give up in the face of several setbacks. One example of that was when their most dependable batsman, Shakib, was dismissed leaving Bangladesh stuttering at 105 for 5. The home team fought back though with a mature partnership between Naeem and Mahmudullah, the pair adding 69 patient runs with both batsmen abandoning the flashy shots that has cost Bangladesh dear on so many occasions.There would have been no need for the nail-biting and tensions had Taylor been dismissed cheaply in the morning. His maiden international century had bailed Zimbabwe’s fragile batting from yet another embarrassing display, but it all amounted to nothing. Bangladesh’s spinners proved too crafty for most of the visitors’ batsmen again, and Zimbabwe were reduced to 113 for 7 in the 29th over. However, Zimbabwe’s lower order showed more spine than most of their specialist batsmen, and supported Taylor well to lift the total beyond 200.Bangladesh again stuck to their policy of filling the side with spinners, and it again paid off as the slow bowlers took all nine wickets to fall. Abdur Razzak has regularly picked up wickets with the new ball, and today was no different as he left Zimbabwe at 18 for 2 in the eighth over.Elton Chigumbura dominated a stabilising 62-run stand with Taylor, smashing six fours in a run-a-ball 38 before being foxed by a quicker one from offspinner Mahmudullah. Things got worse for Zimbabwe two deliveries later when another quicker one fooled Malcolm Waller.
Taylor could only watch in frustration as three more wickets went down quickly. Later, Shakib bagged two wickets in three balls, of Forster Mutizwa and Chamu Chibhabha, in the 29th over.Taylor had quietly moved along to 65, with only 22 runs in boundaries, but steadily pushed Zimbabwe to 181 for 8 by the end of 45 overs with the help of Ray Price. He launched an assault in the final over, ransacking 19 runs to dent Mahmudullah’s figures.

Veteran allrounder dedicates 190 to late father as he turns on the style

David Hopps21-May-2021Darren Stevens, Kent’s veteran crowd-pleaser, revealed how his Kent team-mates joked about how he had waited for spectators to return before ending a lean run of form to play one of the finest innings of his 25-year county career.Stevens, whose 190 from 149 balls against Glamorgan made him the oldest man, at 45 years and 21 days, to hit a first-class century in England for 35 years, also admitted that the memory of his late father, who died last year of a Covid-related illness, had still affected him during games this season.On a week when limited numbers of spectators have been allowed into county grounds, Stevens said: “It was good just to get bums on seats, it feels like a proper game now, whereas the last year or so, I know they’ve been first class games but it’s not felt the same, it’s felt a little bit like a pre-season game.”The lads said to me ‘Oh, the crowds come in and you show up, don’t you!’ I’ve had six, eight innings where I’ve not really got any runs. To get 190 is just remarkable really and I’m just pleased I’ve got us into a good situation.”Kent were 128 for 8 on a day when gusts of winds touched 50kph but Stevens’ assault took them to 307 and it was enough for their captain, Sam Billings, to make a speech after the day’s play about his impact upon the county’s cricket.”There were a couple of words flying around like ‘freak’,” he said. “It’s nice. ‘Bilbo’ has just done a nice little speech. I’ve played a few knocks like this, there’s a few young faces, newcomers to the side that have not seen me play as well and there were a few rumours flying around about how I do play, so they’re just really pleased to see it and I’m pleased to perform and get us in a great position.”Stevens expanded more about his tactics as he bludgeoned 15 sixes – one below the all-time English first-class record – and 15 fours in a ninth-wicket stand of 166. His batting partner, the West Indian Miguel Cummins, blocked for 1 from 55 balls in that time, but helped himself to a cathartic pulled four after Stevens’ dismissal to finish with 7 from 61.”We were in a tough situation,” Stevens said. “We got into a bit of a routine, a bit of a rhythm, it actually worked quite well for a few overs and I’ve probably got us into quite a good situation. I tried to use the wind as much as I could because it was tough out there. I tried to use it to our advantage.Related

• Peter Siddle six-for scant reward as Chelmsford diehards brave post-Covid ice age

• Darren Stevens scores whirlwind 190 from 149 balls to blow away Glamorgan at Canterbury

• Bristol drizzle provides 1000s of reason to reflect on Gloucestershire spin heritage

“As long as I got it aerial, I thought the wind would take it with it when I was batting at the Pavilion End. When I was at the Nackington Road End it was a little bit different because they were bowling wider. I played one when I tried to flick it leg side and I got dropped at slip, I think, and then I thought about hitting the sight-screen and I thought if I can hit the sight-screen and they come straighter then fine. It was a game of two halves really.”Stevens, although one of the most committed trainers around, accepts that occasional injuries are part and parcel of his career in his mid-40s.”I’ve had a bit of a niggle, it’s been a bit of a pain in my left hamstring so I’ve been struggling to get forward but since the Sussex game I’ve had a good four or five days off when I’ve not done anything and I’ve rested it a little bit, so I felt a little bit better yesterday in the nets.”Stevens’ father died in a care-home last summer, and the memory has stayed with him. “The old man, I’ll tell you, I don’t shy away from stuff like this… like the game up at Northants, I got pretty emotional, I had to pull out a few times.”You know I miss him, we all miss him, having a bench down here and having a coffee with him every morning, but yeah he’s looking down on me and he will be for a long time.”

Both sides make just one change with a flatter pitch expected at the SCG and some wet weather forecast

Alex Malcolm04-Jan-2022

Big Picture

It feels like an eternity since the end of the Boxing Day Test with the early finish on the morning of day three plus a later start to the New Year’s Test in Sydney only adding to the wait.But there is not much to wait for as the SCG prepares to host yet another Ashes dead rubber. Sydney cricket fans have not seen an Ashes Test where the urn is still to be decided since 1994-95, although the 1998-99 and 2010-11 series could still have been drawn there.Australia are in a luxurious position having secured the Ashes inside 12 days. They have lost Travis Head due to Covid-19 but there is a ready replacement in Usman Khawaja with 44 Tests experience and eight Test match centuries including one in the last Ashes Test played at the SCG four years ago. They have a bevy of fast bowlers to choose from and can now afford to look forward to their Asian tours mid-year although they have resisted the urge to give legspinner Mitchell Swepson a debut with the future in mind.England’s tour has gone from bad to worse with nine members of the support staff contracting Covid-19, including coach Chris Silverwood. As a result, their preparation in Sydney has been disjointed and challenging. Pressure remains on both Silverwood and captain Joe Root in terms of their leadership futures beyond this series while the ECB has taken fire from all quarters over the state of England’s red-ball cricket.Unlike some of the random Sydney selections England have made on the previous two tours, they are set to make one change with Stuart Broad returning to the side in place of Ollie Robinson while the batters get another chance to atone for a horror showing in Melbourne.

Form guide

(most recent first)
Australia WWWLD
England LLLLWPat Cummins relaxes ahead of a team photo at the SCG•Getty Images

In the spotlight

Usman Khawaja has not played Test cricket since he was dropped during the 2019 Ashes series. On that occasion he was squeezed out due to Marnus Labuschagne’s form and again in this series he was on the wrong end of a tight selection call at the Gabba. Now with a first-team player out with Covid-19, Khawaja has an opportunity, not unlike Labuschange’s in 2019. He can create a real headache for Australia’s selectors with a big score in Sydney and make a case to return to the side permanently.Jonny Bairstow has played one Test fewer than Steven Smith and is on his third Ashes tour of Australia. Although he was rushed in without any red-ball match preparation for the MCG Test, on the most challenging surface of the tour to-date, he showed he has the class and skill to counter Australia’s pacemen with 35 in the first innings. He then fell the wrong side of a 50-50 lbw call in the second. At 32, he still has a lot of time to add to his six Test hundreds and improve his overall Test record. England need him desperately to do so and a good batting pitch in Sydney is the perfect place to start.Related

• Steven Smith's search for rhythm one of Australia's good problems

• Scott Boland retains spot with Josh Hazlewood not ready to return

• Root hopes for SCG turnaround despite 'disjointed and challenging' situation in England camp

• Travis Head tests positive for Covid-19 as Australia scramble for replacements

Team news

Australia have made just the one forced change from the side that won by an innings in Melbourne with Khawaja replacing Head at No.5. Josh Hazlewood is not ready to return from his side strain and Jhye Richardson has also been held back due to his shin. Scott Boland retains his place after it was remarkably under threat despite his 6 for 7 in Melbourne.Australia: 1 David Warner, 2 Marcus Harris, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Usman Khawaja, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Scott BolandOlly Robinson is out and Stuart Broad is in•Getty Images

Robinson has been left out after labouring a touch in Melbourne and Broad is his replacement having played just one Test in the series so far. England’s batting remains the major issue but no changes have been made despite only two players reaching 30 across two innings in Melbourne.England: 1 Haseeb Hameed, 2 Zak Crawley, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Joe Root, 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jonny Bairstow, 7 Jos Buttler, 8 Mark Wood, 9 Jack Leach, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James Anderson

Pitch and conditions

The SCG now has the mantle of the flattest pitch in Australia after the MCG’s rejuvenation in recent years. The pitch had plenty of grass on it a day out from the match but it is expected that curator Adam Lewis will shave some of it off prior to the first ball. The lone Sheffield Shield game played there this season produced a decent contest between bat and ball. The weather could well play a factor with showers forecast throughout the game.

Stats and trivia

• England’s record at the SCG is better than any other venue in Australia. They have won 22 times in 56 Tests and it is the site of their last Test victory in Australia in 2011.
• Khawaja has been in and out of Australia’s Test team several times since his debut in the fifth Ashes Test in 2010-11. But this is his longest stretch between Test appearances having last played in August 2019. His previous longest was two years and three months between August 2013 and November 2015.
• Nathan Lyon averages 40.94 with the ball at the SCG, his least effective ground in Australia where he has played multiple Tests. Mitchell Starc averages 42.30 at the SCG, his worst ground in Australia by some margin.
• England’s average of 18.75 runs per dismissal is their worst average in any Ashes series of three or more matches played in Australia. England averaged 20.20 in 1882 but won that series 2-1.

Quotes

“We are very privileged to get the opportunity to represent our country and we’ve got two games here to show how much we care about that, and to make sure that we put in better performances than we have done so far in this tour. Those guys in that dressing room really care about it and we’ve got to sort of find a way of showing that now in the field.”
“Traditionally here over the last 10 years, it’s been pretty hard work for the bowlers. I don’t see a lot that’s going to be different this week. There’s a bit of grass, there’s going to be a bit of weather. I don’t think we’re going to see it break up and turn or have that traditional kind of dusty spinning wicket from maybe 10-plus years ago. We’ll wait and see but it looks really even at the moment.”