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RCB coach Katich is open to Australia or SA hosting it, while SLC has proposed Sri Lanka as a venue

Matt Roller16-Apr-2020IPL 2020 has been suspended but already offers have started to come in for hosting it outside India. Simon Katich, the head coach of Royal Challengers Bangalore, isn’t averse to the possibility of it being held in Australia or South Africa, and Sri Lanka have also reached out to the BCCI with a solution.”Whether it would be in Australia [or elsewhere], that’s an interesting topic of conversation,” Katich told . “There would be a few teams – us in particular at RCB, we’d be very happy for it to be played abroad, because a number of our overseas players are Australian and South African, who really would enjoy these conditions in Australia. It would be interesting to see if that would eventuate but obviously it’s one of many scenarios that’s being discussed.”Katich, who was due to fly to India a few days after international travel was severely limited, said that he had “no doubt” the IPL’s organisers would do everything they could to host the 2020 edition of the tournament in some form.”It’s obviously the biggest T20 tournament in the world and the people there love their cricket,” he said. “But I think they’re also realistic to know that they have to sit tight and wait like everyone else in the world, and ride this out however long that takes.”There is a huge economic side to this in terms of what the IPL generates, not only for the Indian economy but also for the franchises as well, and for the BCCI. I guess the thing that has to be weighed up is … there’s probably a little bit of a difference in terms of the IPL.”Because of the amount of eyeballs that are on the IPL in India when it’s on in April and May, it is a scenario where it is potentially still very commercially viable being played with empty stadiums, so that’s something no doubt they’ll be weighing up.”In the past there’s been talk of ratings figures of 80 million people watching games. At the same time, there’s obviously a lot of health regulations that need to be followed to make sure that no-one’s endangered, whether that’s the public or the players and support staff.”Getty Images

An option closer to home could emerge, however, if Sri Lanka is able to avoid the worst of the pandemic. At present, Sri Lanka’s lockdown is even more severe than that in most parts of India, with a curfew has prevailed in the island for almost four weeks. However, the Sri Lanka government has been optimistic about eliminating the virus from the island, and it is likely if this goal is achieved that Sri Lanka becomes a viable option as an IPL venue. Even in the best-case scenario for SLC, though, the tournament is likely to require government clearance.”Apparently it will cost the BCCI and its stakeholders more than $500 million to cancel the IPL,” Shammi Silva, SLC president, told Sinhala daily . “So perhaps they can minimise those losses by hosting the tournament in another country.”If they play it in Sri Lanka, it’s easy for Indian audiences to watch the games on TV. There’s precedent for this because they’ve played the IPL in South Africa before. We’re waiting for the Indian board to respond to our proposal.”If the Indian board does agree to play the tournament here, we’re ready to provide facilities in line with the requirements and recommendations of medical professionals. It would be a substantial source of income for Sri Lankan cricket as well.”Katich bats for new T20 World Cup windowThe other high-profile event increasingly under the scanner is the T20 World Cup, scheduled to begin mid-October in Australia. Katich suggested that it could be pushed back towards the end of the Australian summer if the crisis made it impossible to hold the tournament within the planned window.He said that while Australia seemed “pretty blessed” compared to other parts of the world in terms of the virus’ spread, the tournament is still “a long way off”.”Potentially there’s a chance to host it later in the summer, like the [recent] Women’s T20 World Cup, and whether that’s an opportunity to re-jig things… it’ll be interesting to hear those discussions [which are] probably taking place at the moment and whether that’s logistically possible with the FTP the way it is.”But I’m sure that a T20 World Cup is a priority for all the organisers at the moment, to try and make sure that goes ahead at some point in the Australian summer given that we’re hosting it.”Katich also admitted that it may be sensible for the inaugural season of the Hundred, the ECB’s new 100-ball competition, to be delayed until next year.He is due to coach the Manchester Originals in the tournament from July, but doubts have been cast over whether it will be possible to stage sporting fixtures that soon with the UK’s confirmed death toll recently passing 12,000.”There has been a lot of speculation about the Hundred given that it’s a new tournament, that it probably doesn’t make any sense for it to be played in front of empty stadiums [even] if it was OK in that July window.”So there has been speculation about it potentially being delayed to start until next season, which I’ve got no problem with, and a lot of people would probably think that’s the way to go if things keep tracking the way they are in the UK.”

Andre Russell, with an entertaining hundred, and Carlos Brathwaite punished Bangladesh A following a middle-order wobble

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Nov-2011
ScorecardDanza Hyatt and Nkruma Bonner steadied West Indies A after their openers failed, before Andre Russell, with an entertaining hundred, and Carlos Brathwaite punished Bangladesh A following a middle-order wobble. Kamrul Rabbi then struck twice towards the end of the day to limit the damage.Medium pacer Rabbi removed Kyle Corbin for a duck and Rajindra Chandrika for 9 to reduce West Indies A to 11 for 2. Hyatt and Bonner then set about rebuilding the innings, with the former the more aggressive of the pair. Hyatt reached his 50 just before lunch, from 66 balls, and together with Bonner took their side to 100 for two at the break. They extended their partnership to 115 before Bonner was caught and bowled by left-arm spinner Suhrawadi Shuvo for 43. Two more quick wickets followed, with Jonathan Carter falling to Shuvo for a duck and Devon Thomas for 2 to Robiul Islam, leaving the visitors tottering at 131 for 5.That brought Russell to the crease and he proceeded to play with his typical freedom, forcing Bangladesh on to the back foot. He added 58 with Hyatt for the sixth wicket before Hyatt was unfortunately run out eight short of a hundred, having struck 11 fours and two sixes in his 157-ball knock. Brathwaite, though, picked up where Hyatt left off as West Indies A continued to punish the Bangladesh A bowlers.Such was Russell’s confidence that on 98 he chose to play a reverse sweep to bring up his hundred. In all he struck 18 fours and four sixes in his 128, adding 155 with Brathwaite, who was not to be left behind,reaching his 50 from 67 balls.Just when it seemed they would take the game away from the hosts, Rabbi struck twice in the last half-hour, first bowling Russell and then trapping Brathwaite lbw for 62 in the final over of the day to leave West Indies A on 352 for 8.”We needed big partnerships and what we did was try to be positive and stay confident,” Russell said. “I back myself because I know I have the strength to get the ball away so when they [the Bangladesh A bowlers] give me the opportunities I made use of them.”

Faf du Plessis given an extended period of rest, Pite van Biljon and Sisanda Magala get maiden call-ups

Firdose Moonda08-Feb-2020Quinton de Kock will captain the South Africa men’s T20I squad, with regular skipper Faf du Plessis given an extended period of rest, for the three-match series against England at home from February 16 to 20. Kagiso Rabada, who is currently on holiday in the United States, will also not feature in the series but Dale Steyn makes a return to the national side after an absence of 11 months.Batsman Pite van Biljon and seam bowler Sisanda Magala have received maiden call-ups, with Magala’s involvement in the series dependent on him passing a fitness test as was the case with the ongoing ODI rubber. Magala, along with Tabraiz Shamsi, Jon-Jon Smuts and Lungi Ngidi, attended a CSA-organised strength and conditioning camp in January which addressed weight, nutrition and skills training. The other three players were successful in completing their fitness assessments ahead of the ODI series, in which they have been playing, and have also been included in the T20I playing group.The T20I squad also includes eight other players who are part of the fifty-over set-up, including Temba Bavuma and left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin, both of whom have only played in two T20Is to date. Allrounder Dwaine Pretorius, who made his debut in the Tests series but did not feature in the ODIs, returns to the T20I squad and wicketkeeper batsman Heinrich Klaasen, who last played for South Africa in a Test in India, has also been recalled. Van Biljon, who finished in the top 15 on the Mzansi Super League (MSL) run charts, has been rewarded for a consistent 24 months and given the opportunity to stake a claim for the T20 World Cup.”With a T20 World Cup not too far away, we have begun the process of identifying several players whom we will be looking at over a period of time and hope that by the time September comes along, we will have the best possible squad of 15 representing South Africa,” Graeme Smith, CSA’s acting director of cricket, said.Du Plessis is set to be part of that group although there is no indication of the outcome of the talks between him and Smith being made public yet. Du Plessis, who remains South Africa’s Test and T20 captain and is available for fifty-over selection, told the media on numerous occasions during the Test series that he is committed to playing for the country until after the T20 World Cup, and Smith said he would have discussions with du Plessis over his future in the break between the England Tests and T20s. South Africa also host Australia for three ODIs and three T20s immediately after England depart and that series may provide more clarity on du Plessis’ future.Steyn’s situation is more transparent. The fast bowler retired from red-ball cricket last year to concentrate on shorter formats but was left out of South Africa’s T20 tour to India despite declaring himself fit. He went on to play in the MSL – where he was the third-highest wicket-taker – and in the Big Bash League, and is part of South Africa’s T20 World Cup plans.So are AB de Villiers, Chris Morris and Imran Tahir but none of the three are in the squad to face England. De Villiers, who retired from all international cricket last year, and Morris, who is no longer contracted to CSA, have also been involved at the Big Bash. It is understood that de Villiers would only be considered for reintegration into the team after the IPL, while Tahir has been stood down so South Africa can explore other spin options. He is currently playing for the Dolphins in the domestic one-day competition and is certain to travel to the T20 World Cup.South Africa Squad: Quinton de Kock (capt & wk), Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Pite van Biljon, Dwaine Pretorius, Andile Phehlukwayo, Jon-Jon Smuts, Beuran Hendricks, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngidi, Sisanda Magala, Bjorn Fortuin, Dale Steyn, Heinrich Klaasen

Richard Pyrah claimed Yorkshire’s best-ever t20 figures at Scarborough as his side beat Durham by three wickets to keep alive their slender hopes of going through to the Friends Life quarter-finals

10-Jul-2011
ScorecardRichard Pyrah claimed Yorkshire’s best-ever t20 figures at Scarborough as his side beat Durham by three wickets to keep alive their slender hopes of going through to the Friends Life quarter-finals. Man of the match Pyrah topped off a great day’s work by thrashing a six to win the match with three balls remaining.In front of a 6,500 crowd, the medium-pacer took five for 16 off his four overs to help restrict Durham to 144 for eight after they had been put in to bat on a slow pitch which made it difficult for batsmen to time their shots.It was the first time that any bowler had taken five wickets for either side in a Yorkshire t20 match and the first time that it had been achieved against Durham who are still fighting to make it into the quarter-finals themselves.Inspired by Pyrah’s fine effort, Yorkshire responded by charging to 150 for seven to record their fifth win of the season. Coming on as first change, Pyrah soon got rid of both openers after Phil Mustard and Gordon Muchall had got Durham off to a bright start with 28 inside four overs, Mustard giving an easy catch to David Wainwright at mid-wicket and Muchall falling to the same fielder.In between these dismissals, Ian Blackwell hit high to Andrew Gale at extra cover off Ben Sanderson, who was making his seasonal debut, and Durham slumped to 39 for four when Paul Collingwood drove Pyrah hard to Adil Rashid at mid-off.Pyrah later returned to fire out Dale Benkenstein and Gareth Breese with consecutive deliveries and he would almost certainly have claimed a hat-trick if Liam Plunkett had not got a nick on to his pad. By far the best of Durham’s batting came from David Miller who flew into Leeds-Bradford airport earlier in the day on rejoining his county after playing for South Africa A in Zimbabwe.He struck the ball sweetly to make 54 off 41 deliveries with four fours and two sixes and he figured in the biggest stand of the innings with Benkenstein (33), the fifth wicket pair adding 75 in nine overs. Miller hammered a six and two fours off three consecutive balls from Wainwright but after driving a big straight six off Rashid he cut the leg-spinner to Gary Ballance at backward point.Yorkshire also began at a furious pace as Gale and Joe Sayers charged to 42 in five overs, Sayers smacking two sixes and a four in his 20 off 12 deliveries before giving Breese the first of his four catches.Gale had hurried on to 34 from 19 balls with five fours and a six by the time he was dismissed by Plunkett. Ballance batted sensibly while wickets fell around him and he finally departed to Chris Rushworth in the penultimate over for 48 with six boundaries, leaving Pyrah to win the match by blasting Mitch Claydon through the legside for four and then six.

Players argue that if England are to compete in overseas Tests, they must play domestic cricket in similar conditions

George Dobell in Hamilton26-Nov-2019Joe Denly has become the latest member of the England squad to call for better batting pitches in the County Championship.Denly, the Kent batsman, was one of the few England players to emerge with any credit after a poor display in the second innings of the first Test in Mount Maunganui. After making 74 in the first innings – his fourth half-century in six Test innings – he fought hard for three-and-a-half hours in the second before he was defeated by one that reared and took his glove.But, having reflected on his first year as a Test batsman and compared it to his long career in the first-class game – 16 years and counting – he has come to the same conclusion reached by Jos Buttler earlier in the week: if England are to compete in overseas Tests, they will have to play domestic cricket that closer replicates the conditions seen in those Tests.”Having played quite a lot of first-class cricket, certainly the last few years it has been very tough as a top-order batter,” Denly said. “Going back to when I first started my career, the benchmark for runs in a season would be 1,200-plus. Some players were scoring 1,500 or 1,600.”You don’t see that any more. I think 1,000 runs is a pretty good season. That’s the kind of standard that batters across the country are setting themselves.”That, I think, is down to the pitches we play on. It’s hard work, very rarely do you come across flat surfaces where you can almost book yourself in for 100, 200 runs. You work hard for every single run. Hopefully, we can start produce batter-friendly wickets. A bit in it for both bowler and batter.”While it has to be pointed out that the county schedule has been cut in recent times – each county plays 14 rather than 16 Championship matches a season – few would deny that Denly has a point. The combination of the Dukes ball, which tends to seam and swing for longer than other brands, and surfaces providing seam bowlers assistance has created an entertaining County Championship but also one that offers little comparison to conditions found in Mount Maunganui in recent days. And with England’s bowlers lacking experience in bowling in such conditions and their batsmen lacking experience in batting in them, England slipped to their fourth innings defeat in 14 away Tests under Joe Root’s leadership. Only one man in Division One of the Championship – Dom Sibley – made 1,000 runs in the 2019 season.”Making big scores becomes a habit,” Denly continued. “It’s all very well saying we need to go on and get these big scores [for England]. But if it is not something you’re used to doing [with your county], then it’s not quite as easy as that. Hopefully, we can help these young batters by producing some better wickets for them to go on and get those big scores.”Although many will agree with Denly, improving county surfaces will not be easy. With limited-overs cricket occupying a window in the prime weeks of summer, the Championship programme has, in recent years, been pushed ever more towards early and late season when groundsmen have little chance of preparing flat batting tracks. Equally, groundstaff are hampered by the amount of tracks they are required to prepare, regulations removing the use of the heavy roller and pressure from coaches who demand result wickets. In the longer term, there is talk of playing the Championship at the same time as The Hundred, which might allow for better surfaces, albeit away from Test grounds, which will be required for The Hundred, and without many of the country’s best players.Meanwhile, Denly confirmed that he was fit – and keen – to bowl in the first Test. Although he suffered an ankle injury that kept him out of the T20I series, he had recovered in time to play a full part in the first Test. He has taken 66 first-class wickets with his part-time leg-spin.”I might have to reiterate to Rooty that I am able to bowl,” he said. “I would have liked to have a bowl in this game. He did tell me to warm up just before Mitchell Santner got out. And then he got out so I didn’t get that chance. I will be able to bowl in Hamilton.”

It was with characteristic understatement that Ashley Giles summed up his Warwickshire side’s performance with the phrase: “a bad day at the office”. In truth, this may well prove to be the defining moment of his side’s season

George Dobell at Edgbaston20-Aug-2011
Scorecard
It was with characteristic understatement that Ashley Giles summed up his Warwickshire side’s performance with the phrase: “a bad day at the office”. In truth, this may well prove to be the defining moment of his side’s season.A second innings batting performance that saw five of the top six dismissed for ducks only exasperated a wasteful display that saw Warwickshire squander several opportunities to clinch a game that had been theirs for the taking. Whether it was failing to establish a crushing first-innings lead, allowing Hampshire off the hook of being, in effect, three for three in their second innings, or collapsing in their second innings, Warwickshire may well come to rue this display for years to come.Might this be the day that ended Warwickshire’s Championship challenge? They certainly haven’t played like prospective champions over the last couple of days, though it is worth noting that Nottinghamshire were dismissed for just 59 by Yorkshire towards the end of last season. They still won the title. As it is, Warwickshire are now 25 points behind Lancashire, but with a game in hand. That eight-point pitch penalty is also looking more important as the season progresses.There is, however, a fragility about Warwickshire’s top-order batting that was alarming. It’s only the second time Warwickshire have been dismissed for under a 100 in the Championship this century, but it is worth noting that the previous occasion was also this season.On the first instance – against Lancashire at Edgbaston – the batsmen were almost blameless on a pitch that was turning square. This time they were tentative to the point of being pathetic.Perhaps that’s harsh. Perhaps it does little to reflect Hampshire’s excellent fight-back in this game. Perhaps it fails to credit the James Vince’s eye-catching century and James Tomlinson and Chris Wood’s fine new ball bowling. Certainly Hampshire played some skilful, courageous cricket over the second half of this game.The truth is, however, that Warwickshire made life far too easy for them. Whether it was their loose second-innings bowling, their timid second-innings capitulation or their careless first-innings batting, Warwickshire must reflect that they gave this game away.The turning point of this match did not come on the third day. It came on day two. It came when the likes of Jim Troughton and Tim Ambrose surrendered their wickets with the loosest of drives that were utterly inappropriate to the circumstances. It came when Rikki Clarke guided a ball to slip and Chris Woakes ran himself out. It came, largely, due to complacency. Warwickshire had the opportunity to finish off Hampshire; instead they offered them a series of lifelines.This is also a result that just about sustains Hampshire’s hopes of pulling off their ‘great escape.’ Though they remain bottom of the Division One table – adrift by 21 points – they have now won two in a row and have a game in hand on Yorkshire. Results elsewhere – at Scarborough and Blackpool – also did them a few favours, though their stand-in captain, Jimmy Adams admits that next week’s game against Worcestershire remains a “must win” encounter.In Vince they certainly have a talented young batsman. While the 20-year-old’s record is infuriatingly mediocre – this was his first score over 20 in eight Championship innings – he clearly has tremendous talent. His driving off the front foot is wonderful – as good as anyone in the county game – while he’s also very good off his legs. The comparisons with Michael Vaughan are obvious and fair.Vince added 72 for the fifth-wicket with the night-watchman Tomlinson, before the killer blow was administered in an 119-run stand for the sixth-wicket with Sean Ervine. While Vince, in particular, feasted on some poor bowling – Woakes opened with two leg-stump half-volleys and showed more than a few signs of weariness – both batsmen increasingly took the fight to a tired attack. Wood, bludgeoning 32 (with six fours and a six) rubbed salt into the wound with a late cameo that broke the spirit of the hosts. Warwickshire’s final target of 308 was always likely to be too much for them.Spare a thought for Chris Woakes, however. Has anyone ever taken ten-wickets in a match and top scored in both innings only to finish on the losing side before? With Clarke limping out of the attack with a hamstring strain, Woakes’ burden was increased. He claimed the third 10-wicket match haul (10 for 123) of his career here as well as scoring 87 runs. Warwickshire simply ask for too much of him. On this occasion, it showed.His top-order batting colleagues have no such excuses. Some of them have struggled all season and here surrendered their wickets with remarkable ease. Ian Westwood cut a long-hop to point, William Porterfield was drawn into prodding at the very next ball and edged to the keeper, while Jim Troughton suffered his fourth duck of the Championship season when his weak prod resulted in an edge to the keeper. Troughton’s run of form, with just three half-centuries since August 2009, is simply not sustainable for a specialist batsman.Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s deeply unimpressive debut (he loitered around in the field with his hands in his pockets like a truculent teenager and was a noticeable absentee from Warwickshire’s on-field huddle) ended when he reached for a wide one and, inevitably, edged to slip, before Rikki Clarke pulled a short ball directly to the fielder at deep square leg. For a team on 45 for 6, it was a very odd shot.There were some moments of excellence from Hampshire, too. Ambrose received a peach of a delivery from Tomlinson that took his edge, while Michael Bates, who has endured a miserable game with the bat, showed why he’s so highly rated as a keeper by pulling off a superb leg-side stumping. Standing up to Tomlinson’s medium-pace, Bates pounced when Varun Chopra dragged his back foot out of his ground. Woakes and the tail at least averted record-breaking awfulness, but could no noting to prevent Hampshire completing victory by 209 runs.There are, as ever, mitigating factors for Warwickshire. Most pertinently, Hampshire’s opening bowlers utilised the new ball very well and the pitch had worn enough to offer some assistance. But there was nothing untoward in either the bowling or the conditions. The batsmen simply failed.Nor will life become easier. Warwickshire are without William Porterfield, Boyd Rankin, Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell and Chris Woakes on international duty for next week’s match against Yorkshire. Rikki Clarke is also an injury doubt.Looking further ahead, however, it seems more likely by the moment that Gary Keedy will be a Warwickshire player next season. Giles described Keedy as “top of his wish list” for next year, while it seems that Lancashire may decide the time has come to fully back their very impressive younger spinners.In the shorter-term, their top order simply have to stop making excuses and start making runs. It’s the only currency by which batsmen, ultimately, can be judged.

India, the current WTC leaders, have four batsmen and three bowlers in the top tens

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Nov-2019Mohammed Shami and Mayank Agarwal, the standout stars in India’s innings-and-130-run win over Bangladesh in the Indore Test, made massive strides up the ICC Test rankings, getting up to seventh and 11th among bowlers and batsmen respectively in the latest update.Shami returned 3 for 27 and 4 for 31 as Bangladesh were bowled out for 150 and 213, while Agarwal scored 243 – his second double-century in just 12 Test innings – when India put up 493 for 6 declared.His seven-wicket haul meant Shami moved up eight spots in the rankings to a career-high No. 7, three positions below Jasprit Bumrah and three spots above No. 10 R Ashwin. Shami’s current tally of 790 rating points is also the third best for an India quick ever, only behind Kapil Dev (877) and Bumrah (832).ALSO READ: ‘Tell us your secret, we’re tired of only beating the bat’Agarwal, meanwhile, finished just outside the top ten, which includes team-mates Virat Kohli at No. 2, Cheteshwar Pujara at No. 4, Ajinkya Rahane at No. 5 and Rohit Sharma at No. 10. The 28-year-old batsman has had a spectacular start to his Test career, totalling 858 runs in just eight games so far, his runs coming at an average of 71.50, with three centuries and three half-centuries.From Bangladesh’s point of view, it was a disappointing start to the World Test Championship campaign, as they lost the first of two Tests inside three days. Mushfiqur Rahim, though, did well with the bat, scoring 43 and 64, which helped him move up five spots to No. 30, while Abu Jayed, the fast bowler who picked up four wickets in the Indian innings, moved to the 62nd position, a jump of 18 spots.Among the other Indians who did well in Indore, Ravindra Jadeja advanced to be joint-35th among batsmen (with Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne) after scoring an unbeaten 60, while there were one-spot gains for Shami’s fast-bowling mates Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav, up to No. 20 and No. 22 respectively.The Indore win meant that India carried forward their perfect start to the World Test Championship, currently on a maximum of 300 points from six Tests, with New Zealand Sri Lanka, who have both played just two games so far, way behind on 60 points apiece. The second and final Test of the series will be played under lights in Kolkata from November 22.

Duncan Fletcher may have coached the England team for eight years but there’s still a “hell of a lot” about them that he “doesn’t know at all”, offspinner Graeme Swann has said

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Apr-2011Duncan Fletcher may have coached the England team for eight years but there’s still a “hell of a lot” about them that he “doesn’t know at all”, offspinner Graeme Swann has said. Fletcher was named India’s new coach, replacing Gary Kirsten, and his first assignment is likely to be the tour of England later in the year.Swann, who was not in Fletcher’s good books when he first played for England in 2000, said any presumptions from the coach about knowing it all about England had the potential to backfire.”Fletcher knows a few of our players better than some other coaches would,” Swann told the . “But there’s a hell of a lot of our team he doesn’t know at all. I think that will work to our advantage, because he might be trying to double guess us a little bit and come a cropper.”Swann made his ODI debut on the tour of South Africa in 2000, when Fletcher was coach, but lost favour with the team due to his off-field behaviour. He played his first Test almost eight years later. “If I was a coach 10 years ago, I don’t think I would have picked me, and I wouldn’t have particularly liked me being on that tour,” Swann said. “If you’re my sort of character, you soon become quite irksome to the people around you if you’re not backing your talk up on the field.”I was just a young upstart tourist, and it was a good job I didn’t play because I wasn’t good enough. I’d probably have been found out and cast aside for good, and never been given my eventual second chance.”There are several players in the current England set-up who’ve either not played under Fletcher or done so only occasionally. Jonathan Trott and Steven Finn made their debuts after Fletcher left, while Stuart Broad, Tim Bresnan and even Swann gained prominence much later.”It’s nice for him to come back to England, because he’s got a fine record with the England team,” Swann said. “Now he will get a chance to pit his wits against this new England side during the summer. Technically, though, I don’t think it helps him much to know a few of our players, because there’s so much footage available that you can work anybody out.”Even James Anderson, who Swann believes could be the key against India, played only 16 of his 57 Tests under Fletcher. “If the ball swings like it did last year and Jimmy bowls as well again, there’s no team in the world that can touch us,” Swann said. “I think we will give India a very good run for their money, if not beat them.”

The allrounder smashed the season’s second-fastest half-century in a century stand with Fletcher to set up big win

The Report by Shashank Kishore13-Sep-2019Chris Gayle and Andre Russell in the opposition, the local side, Jamaica Tallawahs. What were the chances of St Lucia Zouks making a match of this one? As it turned out, Sabina Park had to rise and celebrate Rahkeem Cornwall, who biffed the season’s second-fastest half-century, off 19 balls, and then converted that to a 30-ball 75, as Zouks recorded their first win of the season on Thursday night after a brief wobble.Gayle zero, Phillips fiftyLeft-arm seamer Obed McCoy struggled with no-ball issues, but managed to strike gold early when he had Gayle fending a lifter to the wicketkeeper off the fourth ball of the match to set the tone. But the Zouks were under fire as Glenn Phillips, the New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman, and Rovman Powell set the stage on fire with some exhilarating hitting.Phillips likes to stay leg side and get beside the line, not behind. His stance resembles that of a baseball slogger, the bat moving behind his back in little arcs as he meets the ball with tremendous bat speed. His batting can at times border on the unorthodox, but when they come off, it looks mighty impressive. Like it did on Thursday. His 34-ball 58, courtesy eight fours and a six, and a third-wicket stand of 87 with Powell that took just 43 balls set Tallawahs up for a big total.CPL via Getty Images

The Russell blow that tilted the scalesAt the halfway mark, Tallawahs were superbly placed at 108 for 2. Zouks looked out of depth until the quick wickets of Powell and Phillips got them back into the game. Credit for that should go to Australian legspinner Fawad Ahmed, who cleverly varied his lengths and used his gentle drift to build pressure with dot balls that led to both of them falling to big strokes.It also helped that the catching was top notch. Powell was out to a screamer when Colin de Grandhomme stuck his right hand upwards to get his hands on the ball at long-off and then lobbed it up as momentum took him beyond the ropes. Then he regained composure to nonchalantly come back into the field of play to complete the catch.When they made 242 two nights ago against Patriots, Tallawahs raised their hundred in just 12 overs. Here, they got there in the tenth over. The stage was set for the Russell show, but it looked like Zouks had a plan, and that was to target him with short balls at the body, a tactic many IPL sides have tried with a fair degree of success. Hardus Viljoen bowled a heavy ball – back of length and into the body – as Russell looked to hook. In doing so, he took his eyes off and was hit just below the right ear. A dazed Russell took a while to stand up and was stretchered off the field to hospital for scans, which later cleared him of serious injury.That robbed the Tallawahs of momentum, and George Worker and Shamar Springer only managed a run-a-ball 33. They only managed 38 off the last six overs to give the Zouks the momentum at the halfway mark.Tallawahs’ fielding shockerThe hosts didn’t cover themselves in glory on the field. In the space of three deliveries, they dropped Cornwall and Andre Fletcher. First, Springer dropped a steepler running back from square leg to reprieve Cornwall on 18 after he mishit a Jerome Taylor slower delivery. Two balls later, in the fourth over, Oshane Thomas made a royal mess of a straightforward catch at third man with Fletcher on 15. In the next over, Chadwick Walton dropped a sitter at backward point to reprieve Cornwall for a second time, and then watched Fletcher club ten off his next two deliveries in the over as the strike turned. By then, Zouks had raced to 64 in five overs.Cornwall’s game isn’t conventional by any means. But it also isn’t true that his game is only about wild slogging. Amid the occasional backing away to smash the ball, there’s plenty of cricket sense and an air of disdain about his batting. The leg-side boundary was his favoured area as he cleared the ropes quite comfortably playing the pull shot. Up early against late swing, he struggled a touch, but Taylor erred in length by trying to bowl into his body, only to see Cornwall back away and flick or pull. Against Worker’s left-arm spin, Cornwall used his reach to hit straight and clear the ground, a sequence of 6,6,1 getting him to his third CPL fifty.At the other end, Fletcher was in the mood for destruction. The flicks for six over deep square off Taylor having an air of disdain – looking straight on, head down and simply allowing his hand-eye coordination to twirl his wrists and pick the ball for six. He started like a bullet train, but quickly slipped into the role of second fiddle as Cornwall unleashed himself in the 111-run opening stand off just 8.4 overs.Zouks collapse but Fletcher sees them homeThomas returned after his shocker in the field to pick up three quick wickets after a blazing start – Zouks slipped from 146 for 2 to 157 for 5, but the early damage that skyrocketed their run rate meant there was little trouble in getting home despite the wobble. Fletcher remained unbeaten on 47 when Thisara Perera muscled a six and four in his five-ball 11 to hit the winning runs and give them their first win.

England’s new head coach might just have all tools he needs to make low-key success of highest profile role

Andrew Miller10-Oct-2019Chris Silverwood’s first reaction on hearing that he was England’s new head coach was a one-word exclamation: “Wow”. He was sitting in his lounge as Ashley Giles’ name flashed up on his phone, and recalls falling rather silent as the enormity of his new role washed over him. It was left to his wife Victoria to do the handstands on his behalf, after a silent fist-pump had conveyed everything she needed to know about the conversation – in the short term at least.”I was immensely proud, and very humbled to be given the opportunity, and very grateful that I will get to live the dream again in a coaching capacity,” said Silverwood. “But equally I am very, very, very excited about what can be achieved with two teams that can be very successful. For me to be able to play a part in that, and help guide that, is fantastic.”There is clearly a huge amount to like about Silverwood the man, let alone Silverwood the coach. As Giles pointed out in introducing him, he took an Essex team that had previously been a “rabble” and delivered not only promotion and the Championship in consecutive seasons in 2016 and 2017, but the framework for this season’s double as well.From stalwarts such as Alastair Cook to Ravi Bopara, to the young guns, Aaron Beard and Dan Lawrence, on whom the club’s future success will hinge, no-one at Essex has a bad word to say about “Spoons”, and the same is clearly true of an England camp that has just come through the most stringent acid test in recent memory. “He couldn’t have worked in a more pressurised environment this summer,” noted Giles, “whether as head coach or one of the assistant coaches.”All of which is hugely laudable. And yet, it’s not being unfair to suggest that the public reaction to Silverwood’s appointment has been somewhat underwhelming – more “meh” than “wow”, you might say, although, as any student of global politics would recognise in these troubled times, there is actually a blessed relief to be found in genuine, unequivocal indifference.Also read: Ashes win is top priority for SilverwoodSilverwood can therefore expect to be judged, for the time being, by what he is not. He is not a glamorous overseas appointment, with a proven international track record and a wealth of impressive contacts on speed-dial. He is not a man in high demand on the T20 franchise circuit and therefore constrained by availability (and affordability). He is, instead, a thoroughly good egg who can join a few dots between an England team which, as Giles admitted, has had a tendency to exist as an “island” in recent years, and the county system in which his career has been invested and upon whom England’s Test team will rely if it is to get back to the levels to which it aspires.”People are the centre of my coaching philosophy,” said Silverwood. “Seeing them do well with their dreams, and what they’re trying to do, makes me smile. That’s why I do it. I want to create self-thinking, self-sufficient cricketers that will be successful, and if we can do that, you know what, it’ll make me smile.”By any stretch of the imagination, Silverwood’s actual unveiling was an undeniably low-key event. For starters, it took place three days after the announcement itself, and in being staged in a cosy back-room at Lord’s, rather than the pavilion or one of the ground’s grander suites, it conveyed a sense of continuity rather than change. A desire to slip the new man into his role with as little splash as possible.Perhaps that’s understandable. After all, it’s not as if the structures that Trevor Bayliss put in place in his four-year tenure require purging – quite the opposite in fact. He delivered on his most fundamental promise in winning this summer’s World Cup and, in walking away with his stock as high as he could have hoped it to be, he is arguably the first England coach since the very first – Micky Stewart in 1992 – to leave the role on his own terms and at a time of his own choosing.But as Giles, England’s director of cricket, intimated in the final weeks of the interview process, there will be a necessary focus on Test cricket in the coming four-year cycle. For that is the format that suffered the most while England’s white-ball boy-racers were throwing caution to the wind in pursuit of their ultimate goal.And, now that an Ashes summer has ended, for the first time in 18 years, without the urn being retained or recaptured on home soil, that is the format that is going to matter above all others in the build-up to England’s return series in Australia in 2021-22. Therefore, in trusting the CV of a man with a brief, if proven, track record in first-class team-building, Giles is adamant he’s found his man for the moment, irrespective of whether the field of genuine contenders was restricted by the job’s specifications.New England Head Coach Chris Silverwood at Lord’s•Getty Images

There are obvious advantages to having a single head coach to oversee all three formats – ones that Giles himself knows only too well from his short and frustrating stint as one-day coach in 2012-14 – but as Bayliss demonstrated with his lackadaisical approach to the rigours of the Test role, the pitfalls are also plain.On that note, however, Silverwood will begin his active role in just over a week’s time when England set off for New Zealand for the T20 leg of their winter, with few expectations. He will, however, travel with an abundance of goodwill, and with a captain, Eoin Morgan, whose desire to carry on after nailing his ultimate achievement was influenced, in no small part, by his recognition of the need for continuity.He can expect, therefore, to have his hand held for the early weeks of his reign – which is no bad thing, given the apparent desire to use Silverwood’s insider status, both within the England squad and the wider England game, to foster links within the system.Tellingly, Giles suggested that “winning” was not even the most important aspect of his appointment. Of far greater importance, and in keeping with the tone of the ECB’s recent strategy document, “Inspiring Generations” was the need to create “the most respected team in the world”.What does that even look like? Silverwood had a stab at an answer: “Ultimately, you want to be successful, but it’s how you are successful as well,” he said. “So it’s winning in the right spirit of the game. Winning with a little bit of class, and respecting your opposition as well.”Respect is a big word. It’s very easy to talk about, but we’re going to make sure that we respect everything around us, everybody around us, and the game, and make sure that we carry that through with us.”It’s a huge task. And it’s a daunting one, not least given the fate of the last Englishman to coach England across all formats. Peter Moores, like Silverwood, was declared to be the “outstanding candidate” when he was pitched into the role (on the first occasion) in 2007 at the end of Duncan Fletcher’s historic but over-long tenure.The significant difference, however, was one of expectation. Moores was, to all intents and purposes, the only man for the job on that occasion, as the ECB felt obliged to reward the star graduate of their own fledgling academy. With Silverwood it is reassuringly different. He is a perfectly good candidate, without being held up as some sort of messiah. That in-built wriggle room, not to mention his existing relationships, may be exactly what he requires to make a low-key success of the highest profile role.