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Tony Greig has appealed to the BCCI to abandon self interest and “embrace the spirit of cricket and govern in the best interests of world cricket

George Dobell26-Jun-2012Tony Greig has appealed to the BCCI to abandon self interest and “embrace the spirit of cricket and govern in the best interests of world cricket, not just for India and its business partners.”Greig, the South Africa-born former England captain, utilised his invitation to deliver the MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture from Lord’s, to call upon India to “accept its responsibility as leader of the cricket world” and ensure that the long-term future of Test cricket and the less powerful Test nations were prioritised above short-term commercialism.At present, Greig said, India’s power was being used to undermine the credibility and worth of the ICC and self-interest was preventing beneficial advancements such as the universal adoption of the Decision Review System (DRS) and a coherent international playing schedule. Greig also criticised “India’s apparent indifference towards Test cricket and… its indifference to the urgency to introduce anti-doping rules and the rumoured corruption hanging over the IPL.”Unfortunately,” Greig said, “India is pre-occupied with money and T20 cricket and sees its IPL and Champions League as more important than a proper international calendar. To compound the problems, India has not only sold part of the game to private interests but some of her administrators are seen to have a conflict of interest, which makes it more difficult for it to act in the spirit of the game.”We can huff and puff as much as we like and have all sorts of external reports,” Greig continued, “but this situation can only be resolved by India accepting that the spirit of cricket is more important than generating billions of dollars; it’s more important than turning out multi-millionaire players; and it’s more important than getting square with Australia and England for their bully-boy tactics towards India over the years. It’s ironic that the world, including India, rightly worships at the Nelson Mandela altar because of his conciliatory attitude but then India eschews his approach by indulging in a little pay back.”The Spirit of Cricket lecture began in 2001 and was named after the late Colin Cowdrey, the former England captain and a past MCC president, who, together with another former president Ted Dexter, were instrumental in including the spirit of cricket as the preamble to the Laws of the game. Last year Kumar Sangakkara gave a widely acclaimed Cowdrey lecture where he talked about controversial issues within Sri Lanka cricket and also about the importance of the sport in his country.Rarely if ever, however, has the Cowdrey Lecture been used to deliver such an obvious rebuke to a specific national board. But Greig, who relinquished the England captaincy in 1977 to play and recruit in Kerry Packer’s rebel World Series Cricket, has never been one to shy away from a battle and pulled no punches in suggesting that India were now too powerful for the good of world cricket.”Much of the game is controlled by the BCCI because it controls enough votes to block any proposal put forward at the ICC board meetings,” Greig said. “The reason for this is some countries would not survive without the financial opportunities India provides. What is just as disturbing is through the Champions League, South Africa and Australia have a partnership with India and are unlikely to risk offending India. The current Champions League 10-year contract generates just under a billion dollars and is 50% owned by India with Australia and South African sharing the rest.The BCCI have continually refused to accept the DRS despite more countries being in favour•Getty Images

“As a result of the dependence on India the process adopted by the ICC is simply not working. The ICC cricket committee for example is made up of a group of top class current and former players and umpires. They go to great lengths to make recommendations that they consider in the best interests of the game. These recommendations are then submitted to the CEO’s committee for approval, which normally happens as a formality. The recommendations are then raised at the ICC board meeting and if India doesn’t like them, they are, at best, modified or thrown out. It’s a sorry state of affairs and very frustrating for those who give so much time to getting things right.”Greig did find some praise for the BCCI, crediting them for their successful commercialism and the decision to utilise profits from the IPL to ensure that past players were cared for. “We must acknowledge and praise India for embracing the spirit of cricket through the financial opportunities it provides, which has enabled a number of Test playing countries to survive, and some to thrive,” Greig said. “World cricket would be in a sorry state if it weren’t for the money shared with other countries from India’s television deals.”If there is proof of the leadership India can provide, it is the recent announcement of a one-time benefit payment of $13 million to former national and domestic players for their services to Indian cricket.”But he insisted that such strength carried with it a responsibility and called for India to wield its power more judiciously. And, on the day when the ICC’s executive board, chaired by BCCI chairman, declined to act on the recommendation of the ICC’s cricket committee or chief executives committee and apply the DRS universally, Grieg’s words on the subject were particularly timely.”It can’t be good for the game when the media devotes so many words and so much ink to bad decisions, which ultimately undermines the integrity of some results,” Greig said. “The DRS is not perfect, but it does err in favour of the umpires’ decisions and according to the ICC, fewer mistakes are made with its use. And furthermore, there is less conflict on the ground.”India has two reasons for opposing it: One, because its superstars had such an embarrassing experience with it in the early days. Two, the BCCI argues that the DRS is too inexact. Ironically, the spirit of cricket is batting on both sides in this one. The cavalier approach says DRS is not in the spirit of cricket, but on the other hand, the Indian superstars should act in the spirit of cricket and accept the majority viewpoint.”Elsewhere in the speech, Greig called for the introduction of lie detector tests to help in the fight against corruption, reasoning that it was no greater an imposition into the private life of athletes than routine drugs tests, and called for the IPL to be expanded into “an Asian League” to include teams from Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Each of those boards, he said, should be given a financial stake in the competition, which would enable them to finance their other cricketing obligations. He also called for Australia to welcome New Zealand teams into the Big Bash and for England to “set up its equivalent of the IPL and include teams from the West Indies and one team from Ireland.”Despite his concerns, Greig, now aged 65, insisted he was optimistic for the future of the game. “Fortunately, I think most of the problems can generally be addressed if India invokes and adheres to the spirit of cricket,” he said. “Mahatma Gandhi said: “A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people. As cricket certainly resides in the hearts and souls of Indian people I am optimistic India will lead cricket by acting in the best interests of all countries rather than just for India.”

Sussex seamer sets sights on New Zealand series after months on fringes of England squad

Valkerie Baynes31-Mar-2021For England’s Test hopefuls the start of the County Championship season offers a simple, if slightly vague, formula for realising their dream: make runs, take wickets, get noticed by the national selectors.Ollie Robinson, the Sussex seam bowler, is among a handful of current players to have progressed considerably further along that path. Having spent the best part of five months over the past year in bio-secure international squad bubbles, he has given those in and around the England set-up a clear idea of what he can do. In turn, they have given him clarity on where he should aim next: to make his debut in the two-Test series against New Zealand in June.And, with the start of the LV= Insurance County Championship just a week away, he feels a maiden Test cap is close.”They’ve said to me, ‘look towards the New Zealand series’,” Robinson says. “That is my aim at the moment – start the season well with Sussex and hopefully I can get in that squad and in the XI.”Related

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When the ECB named a 55-man return-to-training group last May in the first major step towards staging a full international season in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, Robinson was there, a deserving inclusion after a seven-wicket display for England Lions against Australia A and a haul of 137 wickets – the most of any seamer – over the previous two Championship seasons.Robinson earned his maiden call-up to the senior squad ahead of the second Test against West Indies in July as England sought to manage the workloads of James Anderson and Mark Wood. He was among five players released when the side for the third Test was named and, a week later, took eight wickets, including three in 14 balls during a second-innings five-for, as Sussex won their opening match of the Bob Willis Trophy against Hampshire.Just over a week after that, Robinson was back in the England squad ahead of the second Test against Pakistan and he subsequently travelled as a reserve on the recent tours of Sri Lanka and India.”I feel a lot better for the experience,” Robinson says. “India was pretty tough and pretty eye-opening in terms of the conditions out there and what to expect as a Test cricketer so that’s probably going to stand me in better stead moving forward.”I have learned a lot skill-wise and off the field as well. Jimmy [Anderson] is 39 now and is probably the fittest he has ever been. Seeing him work every day is what has stuck with me – how well he trains and how hard he works. Making that a habit and not just an England thing, England have drilled that into me, that they want me to work just as hard for Sussex as I did with them. If I want to have a long international career that’s what I want to do for the rest of my career.”A tall bowler, whose disciplined line and length is relentless, Robinson has achieved some outstanding figures, like his career-best 8 for 34 against Middlesex in 2019, part of a 14-wicket return for the match.Bowling in tandem with Craig Overton – the pair shared eight second-innings wickets evenly between them – Robinson helped lead England Lions to a nine-wicket victory over Australia A at the MCG in February 2020. Combined with his three wickets from the first innings, Robinson signalled that he was on track to take the next step should an opportunity arise as it did for Dan Lawrence, who scored a century in that same match and played the first five Tests of his career on the recently completed tours of Sri Lanka and India.While this English summer is hugely important to his ambitions of earning a place in the Ashes squad at the end of the year, Robinson feels somewhat liberated from putting pressure on himself.”It’s massive,” he says. “Performance-wise maybe not as much as in previous years. I feel England can sort of see and know what I do. They have watched me for a few years in terms of fitness and being around the England group.”I just need to get that breakthrough in a Test match or series to cement my place for the plane to Australia really. That is the most important thing for me this year.”Ollie Robinson played a big role in England Lions’ win over Australia A•Getty Images

If he does secure an Ashes berth, Robinson feels he already has good experience of the conditions, having played two seasons of grade cricket before the Lions tour.”I feel like my experiences Down Under are good enough to perform if called upon, even if I didn’t make my debut this summer,” he says. “I think that Lions tour was a really strong tour for everyone involved. Dan Lawrence was on it as well. We’ve both spoken and said if we are selected we almost know we can do well already.”While the Ashes are a big draw, Robinson is prepared to take his chance, wherever it comes. If that means more time sequestered in bio-secure environments, so be it.”I’m hungry to play any series, any game,” Robinson says. “I feel like if the Ashes is the only thing you’re looking at you’re not in the right mindset. You should want to play for England no matter who you’re playing against or what series it is. Bubble life is tough but there are tougher things – it’s not the hardest thing in the world.”In the meantime, Robinson will spearhead the attack at Sussex, who open their campaign on April 8 against Lancashire at Old Trafford after the fixture was moved north because a plague of bug larvae damaged the Hove outfield.LV= Insurance is the new title partner of the County Championship. The season begins on April 8 with champions Essex taking on Worcestershire. For more information visit lv.com/gi/cricket.

ESPNcricinfo’s preview of the first Twenty20 between India and New Zealand in Visakhapatnam

The Preview by Kanishkaa Balachandran07-Sep-2012

Match facts

Saturday, September 8

Start time 1900 (1330 GMT)*Yuvraj Singh – Return of the Prodigal Son•Associated Press

Big Picture

Yuvraj Singh is no stranger to attention. On Saturday, when he walks down the pavilion steps at Visakhapatnam (provided he is picked), he can expect the kind of standing ovation and cheers normally reserved for Sachin Tendulkar at grounds all over the world. His faster-than-expected return from germ cell cancer is an inspiration to millions and even if his contributions turn out to be underwhelming, his team-mates will savour his return to the dressing room.Yuvraj has had no serious match practice, but those who’ve watched him train remarked that he was hitting the ball as hard as ever. His inclusion in the squad show that the selectors and team management value his presence, even with strings attached. he has just two games before the World Twenty20 later this month to prove that his selection was inspired. The danger, though, is that the hype will overawe the match itself, and India’s captain MS Dhoni made a plea not to let Yuvraj’s return distract the team.India will have had played six Twenty20 games this year before leaving for Sri Lanka. New Zealand on the other hand have been the busiest, having already played seven in 2012. While teams look to stack their calendar with matches in a World T20 year, India’s previous bilateral series, in Sri Lanka, included just one Twenty20 (following a five-ODI series). India, curiously, have never been involved in a bilateral series featuring more than two games. This series will only be their fifth bilateral series, out of 14, involving two games. Fortunately for India, most of the players picked for this series and the World T20 are regulars in the one-day squad, so they understand each other’s game well.Despite packing their international schedule with Twenty20s, New Zealand have slumped, and are coming off four consecutive defeats, against South Africa and a resurgent West Indies. It didn’t help that their most recent games, in Florida, were heavy losses (56 and 61 runs respectively), with injuries hampering their plans. They will be boosted by the return of Daniel Vettori from injury and he will at least be an asset with his containing role, even if he doesn’t pick up wickets. Having run India close in the Bangalore Test, they will begin this series feeling more confident. Now with a fitter squad, they will begin their preparation for the World T20 with games against three tough opponents – India, Australia and South Africa (the last two part of the warm-ups in Sri Lanka).

Form guide (Complete matches, most recent first)

New Zealand LLLLW
India WLWLL

Watch out for

Much column space has been given to Rohit Sharma for all the wrong reasons of late. After scoring just 13 runs in five innings, including two consecutive ducks in the ODIs in Sri Lanka, many have questioned whether he deserves a place in any of the three formats. After being ignored for the New Zealand Tests, he has been given a lifeline in the Twenty20 squad.Jacob Oram is coming off a rewarding stint with Uva Next in the SLPL, where he finished as the joint leading wicket-taker with 11 wickets. It was his astonishing economy rate of 3.82 in 23 overs that played a big part in Uva’s victorious campaign. New Zealand will need him to be just as parsimonious to silence India’s batsmen

Team news

While Yuvraj’s return appears certain, there are no guarantees yet on Harbhajan Singh’s comeback, given the number of part-time spinners in the line-up to fill the fifth bowler’s slot.India (likely): 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Gautam Gambhir, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Suresh Raina, 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 Rohit Sharma, 7 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 8 Irfan Pathan, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Zaheer Khan, 11 Ashok DindaBrendon McCullum returns to the T20 squad after being rested for the two T20s against West Indies in Florida.New Zealand (likey): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Brendon McCullum (wk), 3 Ross Taylor (capt), 4 Kane Williamson, 5 Rob Nicol, 6 Jacob Oram, 7 Daniel Vettori, 8 James Franklin, 9 Doug Bracewell, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Kyle Mills

Pitch and conditions

Heavy rain on Thursday forced the players indoors, cancelling both practice sessions. More rain has been forecast for Saturday, but the officials say that the covers – which can protect most of the outfield – and three super soppers can mop up the ground in case of an interruption. The players by now must be sick of the rain. The Indians, however, managed a nets session on Friday, and a game of soccer.

Stats and trivia

• Visakhapatnam has never hosted a Twenty20 before. India have won all four ODIs played here and they will hope their luck spills over to this format as well
• The ACA-VDCA stadium is among only two venues in India with a run-rate of over 6, among grounds which have hosted four or more ODIs, the other being the Madhavrao Scindia Stadium in Rajkot. It shows that it is a high-scoring venue
• James Franklin is the only New Zealand player in this squad who has played at the venue (during the IPL)
  

  Quotes

  “A few months back I had trouble climbing four steps, now I can’t wait to take the field. It is like starting a new life.”

  “For most of the guys it is a bit of the unknown. Brendon (McCullum) must have played here a couple of times (during the IPL) so it’s a new experience for most of us.”
  * –

Harry Conway says talking to Craig Mcdermott helped him complete the hat-trick against Nepal in the U-19 World Cup group game

George Binoy in Townsville13-Aug-2012Harry Conway looks more imposing than the average Under-19 cricketer in this World Cup. He’s 6′ 5″, has a muscular body, a shock of neck-length hair, and a considerable beard. He wears zinc like Craig McDermott did. He couldn’t be much else apart from a fast bowler. Conway did not play against England on Friday, but in the absence of Joel Paris and Mark Steketee, he got his chance against Nepal and hit the off-stump three times in a row to celebrate it.”The first one was bowled, the second one was bowled and the third one was bowled as well,” he said and broke into a grin. “The last couple, they hit the top of off, so I was really happy with those two, and the first one I hit off stump as well.”I have taken [a hat-trick before]. I took one last year in a grade game back in Sydney but not in a game as big as this so it was amazing to do it out there.”Conway had to wait between wickets two and three, though. He bowled Pradeep Airee and Naresh Budayair off the last two balls of the fourth over, with full deliveries that angled into the right-handers before straightening to beat the bat. Conway spent Gurinder Sandhu’s second over on the boundary, talking to McDermott, who’s working with Australia’s Under-19 bowlers.”He said that [the] second one was a really good one so if I can do that again then I have every chance of getting another one,” Conway said. He did exactly that, beating the outside edge of Prithu Baskota’s bat with a full ball that shaped away and went off on an expressive celebratory run.Conway, who’s got a rookie contract with New South Wales, said working with McDermott for eight weeks at the Australian Institute of Sport had improved his bowling significantly. “Without Craig’s help, I wouldn’t have been able to bowl the way I did today. I was bowling a lot shorter and a lot wider. He has helped tighten me up, bowl straighter, fuller and on a four-stump line. He has done a few little things with my run-up and my front arm as well. Those things are all helping me bowl a lot straighter and a lot fuller as well. That’s the end goal.”Before Conway jolted Nepal’s top order, Australia’s total of 294 had been set up by their opening batsman Cameron Bancroft, who made 125 off 139 balls. The stand-out feature of his innings was the way he paced it – slow at first, steady through the middle, and quick at the end. He was not tempted into unnecessary attack because of the weaker opposition, nor was he influenced by the approach of his more aggressive partners, Jamie Peirson and Kurtis Patterson.”I didn’t get any runs in the last two knocks that I have had so it was nice to get out there and get a big score,” Bancroft, who also has a rookie contract with Western Australia, said. “Slow start, but it was good to increase the tempo as it went along so it felt good out there.”Bancroft hit only one boundary in his first 110 deliveries but finished with seven fours and two sixes after taking advantage of the fielding restrictions during the batting Powerplay. He said all he had done was “stick to the plan and back yourself.””My role in the team is to bat 50 overs and if I can do that, then I am doing the best job for my team,” he said. “I’ll leave the big hitting to guys like James Peirson and Kurtis Patterson. I’ll just knock them around, that’s my role.”I showed towards the end of the innings that I am able to hit a big ball and score quickly and up the ante. It’s something that I’ve just got to keep progressing in my game and maybe bring out earlier in my innings.”Bancroft said the workout he had against Nepal’s spinners, who bowled 29 overs in all, would help him later in the tournament, when he could face spinners from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka. “Nepal had good spinners out there today. They bowled really well. I haven’t been playing spin well the last few games so that’s something to work on. But what I am able to do is I’m able to not get bogged down, I can still turn the strike over and get singles, so that’s something I’m improving all the time.”Australia have won both their league games and victory against Ireland on Tuesday will assure them top spot in group A.

A round-up of matches from the seventh match-day of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Mar-2012

Group A

USA captain Aditya Mishra led his side to victory with 62, but Scotland still progressed on run-rate•ICC/Ian Jacobs

Nepal‘s romantic run in the tournament is over after they lost to Canada in a match in Sharjah that decided third place in Group A. Nepal looked in with a big chance after they kept Canada to 101 but needed to chase the target in 12.2 overs to lift their net run-rate above Canada’s and seal a berth in the knockouts. At 21 for 0 after three overs in the chase, that looked possible, but two strikes from Junaid Siddiqui changed the course of the game and Nepal, who knew they had to keep playing their shots, ended up being bowled out for 83.Nepal’s openers Anil Mandal and Prithu Baskota were both dismissed attempting heaves over midwicket in the fourth over leaving Nepal in trouble. They still had their leading run-getter in the tournament, Paras Khadka, but when he was bowled trying to loft Zahid Hussain’s left-arm spin in the fifth over, Nepal’s hopes diminished. The batsmen, knowing they had to get to the target in just over 12 overs, kept going for their shots and kept getting out, and Canada completed their fifth win of the group stages.The bowlers had given Nepal a chance, restricting Canada to 101 for 8. Khadka had kept things tight for Nepal in the middle overs, taking 2 for 15 in four overs, after Shakti Gauchan and Chandra Sawad had struck up front.An aggressive half-century from Mohammad Shahzad and three wickets from medium-pacer Aftab Alam ensured Afghanistan beat Bermuda in Dubai and finished the group stage with a perfect record. Afghanistan had already qualified for the knockouts, but have gained a significant advantage by finishing top. They are potentially just one match, a preliminary final against Namibia, the first-placed team in Group B, away from qualifying for the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka this October. It also means that even if they lose that game they will have another chance to get to the final.It was a fairly comfortable victory for Afghanistan, with Shahzad’s unbeaten 64 helping them reach 177 for 5 and Bermuda never really threatening the target apart from a brief but violent cameo from Janeiro Tucker. The required-rate in the chase never dropped below 9, and Bermuda fell 15 runs short.Afghanistan got off to a rollicking start, with Karim Sadiq hitting Kamau Leverock for three fours off the first four balls of the match. They were pegged back when both openers were dismissed in the space of eight balls, but Mohammad Shahzad picked his moments to attack, and rotated the strike the rest of the time, to put Afghanistan on course for a big score. Shahzad preferred clearing the ropes to finding the gaps, and hit five sixes in his 64 off 38 balls. Asghar Stanikzai gave Shahzad support in a 56-run third-wicket stand, before Gulbodin Naib went beserk in the end, hitting three sixes and a four in an eight-ball 26 not out. Afghanistan looted a scarcely believable 72 runs off the last four overs to reach 177.Bermuda’s chase never really got going, with regular wickets preventing them from accelerating. The required-rate was nearing 12 after 12 overs, before Janeiro Tucker slammed four consecutive sixes off Samiullah Shenwari’s legspin in the 13th. Tucker exited for 37 off 16 balls off the last ball of that over, and Bermuda’s challenge faded. The require-rate kept rising, and only a 16-run final over reduced the margin of what was in actuality an easy win for Afghanistan.

A dashing innings from Stephan Myburgh led a big win for Netherlands over Hong Kong in Sharjah that ensured Netherlands finished second in Group A. Myburgh and opening partner Michael Swart smashed 23 runs off the fifth over of the game, and Netherlands never let go of their stranglehold from then on. They pushed on to reach 201 for 5 and kept Hong Kong to 118 in the chase to record the second-largest margin of victory in the tournament so far: 83 runs.The sixth over went for 17 runs, with Myburgh hitting the second off his five sixes, the seventh for 14 runs and the eighth for 15. Swart’s dismissal for 38 off 22 balls did not stall the scoring-rate, as Tom Cooper hit the second and third balls he faced for boundaries. Myburgh scored 68 off 36 balls, and once he departed Cooper kept hitting the big shots, finishing with 42 off 25 balls.Jamie Atkinson’s 64 off 45 balls in the chase had a few flourishes: he hit two fours and six in the sixth over, and two sixes and a four in the seventh. But with no one else contributing Hong Kong were never in the game and slumped to a fifth defeat. Tom Cooper followed up his innings with a spell of 4-1-8-2.

Papua New Guinea managed a 14-run victory over Denmark in Abu Dhabi despite a six-wicket haul from medium-pacer Aftab Ahmed. Late strikes from Aftab, who finished with 6 for 22, kept PNG to 148 after they were 116 for 3 in 14.5 overs. Denmark, though, did not have the batting strength to chase the target, and were restricted to 134 for 8.Aggressive innings from Mahuru Dai and Geraint Jones had given PNG a solid platform but Aftab’s wickets meant they could not launch in the way they would have wanted to and they were bowled out in exactly 20 overs. Denmark slipped to 24 for 2 in the chase but three fours from Freddie Klokker in the sixth over lifted them. In the same over, though, quick Willie Gavera took his third wicket, dismissing Rizwan Mahmood and Denmark were never able to recover.

Group B

Kenya‘s 48-run victory over Uganda in Dubai did not lift their net run-rate enough for them to go above Scotland in the Group B table. Scotland lost to USA later but their net run-rate stayed above Kenya’s by the slimmest of margins, to get them through to the knockout rounds as the third-place team from Group B.After scoring 167 for 3, Kenya ran through Uganda’s line-up, restricting them to 119 for 8. Shem Ngoche struck two early blows and the chase meandered after that. Ngoche picked up another wicket to finish with 3 for 20 and his brother James took 2 for 15 in his four.Kenya had measured their innings well. The strategy from openers Duncan Allan and Alex Obanda was to get a boundary an over to maintain a brisk run-rate. Obanda went on to get 46 off 42 balls, and lent support to his captain Collins Obuya, whose 57 off 35 balls included three sixes. A 19-run final over boosted Kenya’s total to 167, but even a big win was not enough to get them through to the knockouts.

Aditya Mishra’s 62 helped United States of America upset Scotland in a tense finish in Dubai. Mishra’s dismissal in the final over meant USA had to wait till the penultimate ball to finish the match, leaving Scotland’s net run-rate 0.007 ahead of Kenya’s, sealing third place in Group B for them. If USA had finished the match a few balls earlier, which they seemed on course to do when they needed 11 off the last two overs, they would have denied Scotland entry into the next round of the tournament.Nevertheless, USA would be pleased with the way they managed a challenging chase of 162.
Steven Taylor was aggressive early, scoring 40 off 30 balls and allowing Mishra to play second fiddle in the 78-run opening partnership. Mishra paced his innings well, and when USA took 11 runs off the 17th over, to leave them needing 20 to win off three overs, Kenya would have had their hopes up. The 19th over went for just seven runs, though, and Mishra was run out off the first ball of the 20th, leaving Orlando Baker to keep his cool and score the winning runs.Scotland had reached 161 thanks to Jan Stander’s 58 off 31 balls that included five sixes. A steady flow of wickets – they lost eight – meant they fell a few runs short of a winning total. Luckily for them, though, the total was just enough to ensure qualification for the knockouts.

Gerrie Snyman and Raymond van Schoor scored 70s to help make it seven wins out of seven games for Namibia in the group stages, as they beat Italy by 27 runs in Dubai. Namibia finish top of the group and will face Afghanistan in a match whose winner will automatically qualify for the final, and the World Twenty20.van Schoor was the aggressor in the early part of the 144-run opening partnership, but Snyman soon caught up with a string of sixes between the 12th and 15th overs. Snyman was dismissed for 78 off 49 balls but van Schoor stayed till the end, reaching 73 not out and helping Namibia reach 194 for 2.Italy’s openers got the chase off to a swift start, but they lost wickets in the middle overs, and ended up well short. Alessandro Bonora provided some entertainment with a few big hits down the order, but the required-rate was always on the rise.

Ireland completed their Group A programme with a comfortable 44-run win over Oman in the Sheikh Zayeed Stadium. The result meant Oman ended the tournament as the only side without a win. Read the full report here.

The first stage of the knockouts are on March 22, with Ireland playing Canada and Netherlands taking on Scotland. The winners of those two games will play each other on March 23, with the victor taking on the loser of the March 22 game between Afghanistan and Namibia on March 24. The team that wins that match will have to play the final on the same day, against the winner of Afghanistan v Namibia. Both finalists will feature in the World Twenty20 later this year.

Worcestershire will host their championship fixture against Surrey at New Road as originally planned as the flood that struck the ground again last week has receded.

George Dobell08-May-2012Worcestershire will host their championship fixture against Surrey at New Road as originally planned as the flood that struck the ground again last week has receded.The club had decided to switch the match which starts on Wednesday to Kidderminster following flooding at New Road. But a spell of improved weather and the utilisation of improved drainage since the last major flood in 2007 has seen a swift improvement in the state of the outfield and spectator facilities and Worcestershire have made the decision to return to New Road.While some areas of the outfield are likely to remain damp, the pitch for the game is on the far side of the square – near the cathedral – and most of the affected areas are beyond the boundary. The flood waters never reached the pitch that has been allocated for the game.”The outfield is actually bone dry,” Worcestershire’s chief executive David Leatherdale told ESPNcricinfo. “We had half a million litres of water on there at one time, but it has drained completely and we could have played out there on Monday. The forecast still isn’t great, but the rivers are back down to their normal levels and there is no prospect of another flood.”The last week or so has been painful and it has cost us some money. But, with a new pavilion out of the floodwater, with new drainage and with the notification we had before the flooding, we were able to move everything out of the way, The flood in 2007 cost us over a million pounds; this one will have cost us thousands or tens of thousands.”The big difference this time was that the flood water was pretty clean. In 2007 we were left with a layer of silt over everything. This time you could hardly tell there has been any water here.”The game is also notable for the reappearance of Kevin Pietersen on domestic duty. Pietersen, who has been performing in the IPL, will be playing his only first-class match ahead of the Test series against West Indies. Former Worcestershire players Gareth Batty, who was given a hostile reception on his previous return to New Road, and Steven Davies also both return to their former club.George Edwards, a seamer who has been impressing in the 2nd XI, is included in Surrey’s 13-man squad. Jade Dernbach and Stuart Meaker are not available, however, as they are required for the England Lions fixture against West Indies.

Bangladesh have brought back Shakib Al Hasan and medium-pacer Shafiul Islam to their squad for the Twenty20 matches in Ireland and the Netherlands in July

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-2012Bangladesh have brought back allrounder Shakib Al Hasan and medium-pacer Shafiul Islam to their squad for the Twenty20 matches in Ireland and the Netherlands in July. Teenage batsman Anamul Haque and allrounder Farhad Reza are the omissions from the squad that failed to make the final of the Twenty20 tri-series in Zimbabwe. Shakib had been rested for the tri-series.Akram Khan, Bangladesh’s chief selector, said Anamul had been left out so he could focus on the upcoming Under-19 World Cup in Australia this August. “He [Anamul Haque] has a lot of time and I think if he plays in the age-level World Cup, it will bring more maturity to his game,” Akram said. Anamul scored only 16 runs in three matches during the T20s in Harare.Shafiul returned to the side after being sidelined by a shoulder injury he sustained during the Asia Cup in March. “We have always maintained that we are not in favour of major changes in the team,” Akram said. “Shafiul is one of our first-choice pace bowlers so his return will be a boost.”The tour begins with a three-match series against Ireland between July 18 and 21 in Belfast. The second leg is at The Hague, where Bangladesh play Scotland on July 24 and Netherlands on July 25. It will be Bangladesh’s second preparatory tour ahead of the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in September.Squad Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), Mahmudullah, Tamim Iqbal, Mohammad Ashraful, Junaid Siddique, Jahurul Islam, Shakib Al Hasan, Nasir Hossain, Ziaur Rahman, Elias Sunny, Abdur Razzak, Mashrafe Mortaza, Shafiul Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Abul Hasan.

Bell returns from England bubble with 4-36 as Vipers defeat South East Stars, despite Chloe Brewer’s 79

Raf Nicholson19-Sep-2020Lauren Bell’s return to Southern Vipers from the England training bubble proved a memorable one, as she claimed 4 for 36 to set up a four-wicket victory against South East Stars at The Kia Oval, leaving Vipers undefeated in the group stages of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and headed to next weekend’s final.Stars’ Chloe Brewer, making only her second appearance in the competition, hit an impressive 79 at the top of the order, but Stars squandered their solid start, collapsing from 145 for 3 to 227 all out in 48.3 overs.In what turned into a nail-biting run chase, it was the 72-run sixth-wicket partnership between Carla Rudd, who made 35, and Emily Windsor, with an unbeaten 47, which ultimately proved decisive for Vipers, Windsor hitting the winning runs in the 48th over with 16 balls to spare.Vipers had initially looked to be going steady at 70 for 1 after 15 overs, before back-to-back dismissals in the 16th and 17th gave them a wobble – captain Georgia Adams caught and bowled by Hannah Jones for 41, while Maia Bouchier fell lbw to leg-spinner Danielle Gregory for 10.With their captain and the leading competition run-scorer back in the dugout, Charlie Dean and Paige Scholfield began the necessary rescue work but could not see the job through, as Gregory and Jones struck in tandem again in their consecutive second spells, leaving Vipers five down.But Vipers’ experienced middle order eventually proved their mettle, ensuring they maintained their winning momentum going into the Trophy finalStars’ batting was expected to be buoyed in the last round by the return of England players Bryony Smith and Alice Davidson-Richards, but both fell for single figures – Smith the first wicket to fall, driving straight into the hands of Bouchier at extra cover in the fourth over.Instead it was two teenagers who did the heavy lifting for Stars, with 18-year-old Brewer well supported by 16-year-old Alice Capsey, as the pair shared a 77-run partnership for the third wicket. Coming together in the 12th over after Aylish Cranstone was lbw to Charlotte Taylor attempting a sweep, they remained at the crease until the 30th, moving the total along from 52 for 2 to 129 for 3.Both eventually fell in near-identical fashion, sending the ball up into the safe hands of Bouchier – the 21-year-old snaffling a total of four catches in her signature position at extra cover to leave her with a tally of 10 across the group stages, the highest of anyone in the competition.Bell’s reintroduction in the 33rd over helped further dent the Stars’ innings, with her victims including both top-scorer Brewer and Stars’ captain Tash Farrant, bowled by a brilliant yorker.Grace Gibbs attempted to salvage things with a rapid 19-ball 30 at the back end to take Stars past 200, including two beautifully struck sixes against the off-spin of Adams. However, two smart run-outs from Scholfield at midwicket finished the job, with Stars bowled out in the 49th – nine balls of their innings going unused.

Dwayne Bravo crafted his third hundred in four Tests to lead the way, while Kirk Edwards and Kieran Powell were left to rue missing out centuries

The Report by Siddarth Ravindran23-Nov-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Darren Bravo and Kieran Powell added 160 for the fourth wicket•AFP

Smart stats

• The West Indies innings featured three century partnerships. This is the 12th time since 1990 and the seventh time since 2000 that West Indies have had three century stands in an innings. Two of those occasions have been in matches against India.

• R Ashwin’s tally of 4 for 154 off 51 overs meant that it is the sixth time that an India bowler has conceded more than 150 runs in an innings in Tests played in 2011. The highest is 170 conceded by Amit Mishra at The Oval.

• It is the first time for West Indies and the fifth time overall that the top six batsmen have made fifty-plus scores. The previous two occasions this happened were also against India, in Colombo (SSC) and Centurion.

• West Indies’ total of 575 is seventh on the list of their highest scores against India in matches played in India.

• The 160-run stand between Darren Bravo and Kieran Powell is the fourth-highest fifth-wicket stand for West Indies in Tests in India.

• Darren Bravo’s 166 is the fourth-highest score by a visiting batsman in Tests in Mumbai. Clive Lloyd, Alvin Kallicharran and Graeme Hick are above Bravo on the list.

• MS Dhoni, who equalled Kiran More’s record of five dismissals in an innings against West Indies, went past Syed Kirmani’s tally of 36 dismissals against West Indies.

The talk before the start of the Test had been about West Indies’ line-up having only seven centuries on their resume while India’s boasted 20 times as many, but two days into the match it was the less-decorated batting unit that had put on 575 for 9. Darren Bravo crafted his third hundred in four Tests to lead the way, while Kirk Edwards and Kieran Powell were left to rue missing centuries on a shirtfront at the Wankhede.Marlon Samuels partook in the run-fest after tea, to make it only the fifth time in Test history that each of the top six made half-centuries. Varun Aaron, the debutant fast bowler who was ordinary for much of the innings, showed plenty of tenacity to bowl a quick spell even as West Indies’ total swelled past 500, earning three wickets to spark a late collapse.The tone for the day was set by Bravo, who caressed the first two deliveries of the morning between the bowler, Aaron, and mid-off for four. West Indies plundered 111 runs before lunch, after which India went completely on the defensive, spreading the field, and giving the part-timers, Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar, extended spells. The strategy reduced the boundaries but there was no flagging of the run-rate, as an untroubled West Indies marched towards 500.Like on Tuesday, there was little to encourage India’s fast bowlers. Bravo showed how easy the track was to bat on as he pulled an Aaron bouncer wide of mid-on for four. His partner Edwards continued to showcase his driving skills, and a muscular style that favours the on-side. Edwards was more tentative than Bravo and he eventually fell short of a third Test century when he nicked a short-of-length ball to the keeper, giving Ishant Sharma reward for a long, tight spell.That brought in Powell, who started shakily – getting knocked on the back of his helmet by Ishant off the first delivery he faced. That didn’t faze the 21-year-old Powell, though, and he showed off his footwork against spin, dishing out a boundary an over. Powell initially dominated his partnership with the well-set Bravo, making his intentions clear early on by charging and lofting offspinner R Ashwin over his head, a stroke he repeated several times against the spinners.Bravo was briefly starved of the strike when Powell got going, but he didn’t lose his rhythm. He continued to favour the off side, using the graceful back-foot punch between cover and point heavily. His century came up with a slice past cover for four a few overs before lunch. There was no Lara-like leap in the air to celebrate the milestone this time, just a kiss of the bat and wave of the cap.There were a couple of close calls for the West Indies batsmen after lunch: two overs in, Powell was nearly run out by MS Dhoni, and in the next over Bravo nicked a delivery between the keeper and leg slip. That raised India’s hopes, but the breakthrough remained elusive. One of the few times the paltry crowd found its voice again was when their favourite, Tendulkar, was brought on to bowl.With minimal risk, Powell and Bravo collected the singles, hardly hassled by the spinners, who sent down an astonishing 22 overs in the hour after lunch. A maiden century for Powell seemed inevitable, but he was caught behind for 81 off a quicker delivery from Pragyan Ojha, ending a partnership of 160.Dhoni brought on the fast bowlers to attack the new batsman, Samuels, but though there were a couple of outside edges, Ishant slanted the ball too often into the pads to gift easy runs. Bravo was unflustered as ever, continuing past 150 to have a maiden double-century in his sights. He didn’t get there, though, as his innings ended on 166, giving Dhoni a catch while chasing a slightly wide delivery after tea.That strike sparked a rare period of Indian dominance, with five wickets going down for 48 runs. Aaron and R Ashwin did the damage for India in that spell, during which Samuels unleashed some eye-catching drives to reach his half-century. An awaited declaration didn’t come on the day, and neither could India bowl out West Indies, which meant Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir didn’t have to bat after spending almost two entire days in the field.

Anderson endures three dropped catches, while Mohammad Rizwan chimes in with fifty

The Report by Matt Roller23-Aug-2020James Anderson’s 29th five-wicket haul in Test cricket enabled England to enforce the follow-on at the Ageas Bowl, despite Azhar Ali holding Pakistan together thanks to his second hundred as captain.Anderson took the first and last wickets of the day after three breakthroughs on the second evening, taking his tally to 598 across his Test career. He removed Asad Shafiq 12 balls into the day, leaving Pakistan reeling at 30 for 4, before eventually dismissing last man Naseem Shah to finish with figures of 5 for 56.That Pakistan’s innings lasted as long as it did owed much to Azhar, whose hundred his was his first away from home since Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan’s joint retirements in 2017. He scored the bulk of his runs behind square, pulling and flicking off the pads when England erred too straight and cutting and steering behind point when they when they went short. With Mohammad Rizwan for support, he guided Pakistan towards the second new ball with a dogged innings, but was eventually left stranded, unbeaten on 141.In a morning session that was again abbreviated by the rain, Anderson added his fourth wicket of the innings, removing Shafiq in his first full over of the day. Shafiq lunged forwardly hopefully at a length ball in the channel, only managing to edge into the slips, and has scored just 46 runs in four innings this series; his run of 72 consecutive Tests might soon come under threat.That gave Fawad Alam an opportunity to bed in after lunch, after nudging Anderson into the off side to score his first Test run in 11 years. He edged Chris Woakes through the slips early on, but started to knuckle down alongside Azhar to lead Pakistan’s recovery. Frustratingly for him, he fell tamely after making a start, offering Jos Buttler a sharp chance behind the stumps after being drawn forward by Dom Bess.Bess quickly found his groove after going unused across the whole of the second Test, settling into a rhythm as Rizwan looked to rebuild alongside Azhar, who survived an England review for caught behind after copping a short ball on the right shoulder. He then ticked past the 6000-run mark in Tests, becoming the fifth Pakistani batsman to reach the landmark as he steered Archer through backward point.Rizwan was busy throughout, despite an early blow on the helmet from Archer, and the pair put on Pakistan’s highest partnership of the series against the old ball. Azhar was particularly strong off his pads, but his off-side game improved as his innings progressed. Archer reverted to short-ball theory with the new ball imminent, but it was Woakes who made the breakthrough thanks to a strangle down the leg side, Buttler again taking a sharp diving catch to remove Rizwan.The timing of the wicket was particularly vital for England, as it meant Pakistan’s bowlers were exposed to the new ball. Broad, who has been brutally effective with the second new ball throughout the summer, struck with it immediately as Root clung onto a sharp chance from a loose push from Yasir Shah.He had a second not long after, as Buttler – who had struggled so much with the gloves throughout the summer before this Test – took a blinding catch off Shaheen Afridi, leaping at full stretch to his right as the tailender looked to fend away a short ball.That left Pakistan clinging on eight wickets down, at which point things became calamitous for Anderson in his attempts to secure a five-for.He had two chances put down in the slips in the 87th over – Azhar dropped by Burns at second slip, Mohammad Abbas shelled at third by Zak Crawley two balls later – and then Broad made a mess of the most straightforward of the lot, Azhar miscuing to him at mid-on. Broad recovered in time to shy at the striker’s end and run Abbas out with a direct hit, but that did little to lift Anderson’s spirits, not least with Azhar sticking around alongside last man Naseem.Anderson barely allowed himself a smile when he eventually broke the partnership, Dom Sibley clinging onto a chance at third slip after he drew an edge from Naseem, taking him to 598.There was never any question as to whether England would enforce the follow-on, but just as things were about to get underway soon after 7pm, the umpires decided that the light was too poor for play to continue. Azhar had moved himself up to open, hoping to carry on from where he had left off, but was denied the opportunity to do so.