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The Galle demolition to the Durban miracle – Sri Lanka's recent dominance over South Africa

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They’ve met four times since 2018 – and Sri Lanka have won all four Test matches

Andrew Fidel Fernando24-Dec-2020Galle, 2018. Sri Lanka won by 278 runs
On their previous trip to Sri Lanka in 2014, Dale Steyn had twice scorched his way through the Sri Lanka middle order with the old ball, and delivered his team a series-defining win. This time, he was coming back from injury, and some distance from his best. But it wasn’t really South Africa’s bowlers that failed. Batting first, Sri Lanka made a respectable – but hardly imposing – 287. Opener Dimuth Karunaratne had made 158 of those runs off 222 balls, remaining not out as all of his teammates perished for 26 or fewer runs.South Africa’s response was to collapse, as they took their first step in what became a series-long commitment to zealously and spectacularly sucking against spin. Sri Lanka’s slow bowlers shared seven wickets while South Africa nosedived their way to 126 – Faf du Plessis a figure of lone but insufficient competence with 49. After Sri Lanka got back out and made 190, the visitors plummeted with even more dedication, getting out for 73 inside 29 overs.Karunaratne by himself made 217 through the course of the match; South Africa, 199.Colombo (SSC), 2018, Sri Lanka won by 199 runs
Where Galle has a reputation for taking turn fairly early in the game, there was not a lot wrong with the pitch at the SSC. Sri Lanka made 338 batting first, as South Africa’s quicks had a modest first innings, and Keshav Maharaj was left to pick up 9 for 129. But then, the batting. Dear god, the first-innings batting. Several members of the visiting top order seemed like they would struggle to make contact with a hangar door, let alone a bat. They were all out for 124, and seemed to be heading for a similar score in the second innings, when Theunis de Bruyn and Temba Bavuma came together at 113 for 5 and put on a 123-run partnership – de Bruyn going on to triple figures.Rangana Herath took his customary fourth-inning five-wicket haul, claiming 6 for 98. Some would later comment that despite there only having been two Tests, Sri Lanka basically won 3-0.Sri Lanka’s miracle man: Kusal Perera took Sri Lanka to a one-wicket win•Getty ImagesDurban, 2019, Sri Lanka won by one wicket
The most dramatic and compelling of the matches in this list. Almost two years later, it is still difficult to quite believe what transpired on the fourth day. Although South Africa were in control for much of the game, Sri Lanka vitally scrambled their way back into the match repeatedly. Some half-decent contributions from the lower order enabled the visitors to get within 50 runs of South Africa’s first-innings 235. Then, whenever a South Africa batting pair threatened to bed down for a big partnership, either the left-arm spin of Lasith Embuldeniya, or the left-arm swing of Vishwa Fernando, provided a breakthrough.But even with all that, this was still a crazy chase – Sri Lanka requiring 304 to win. In the 38th over, they were 110 for 5, with Steyn seemingly in scorching touch. But then Kusal Perera produced the greatest Sri Lankan innings, and arguably the best of all time. He quelled Kagiso Rabada, muted Duanne Olivier and, at times, laid into Steyn. When the ninth wicket fell, Sri Lanka still needed 78 and their chances of victory were vanishingly slim. Perera, though, lurched Sri Lanka closer by bludgeoning boundaries at the start of each over, before almost routinely taking the single off the fifth or sixth ball to protect his No. 11 Fernando. The second new ball became due with more than 30 still to get, but Perera squeaked Sri Lanka home sensationally, finishing on 153 not out.Port Elizabeth, 2019, Sri Lanka won by eight wickets
Where the pitches in Sri Lanka suited them, and the Durban match was won on the back of a once-in-a-lifetime innings, this victory perhaps represents Sri Lanka’s best team effort of the lot. Though shaken by the loss at Durban, South Africa were again in control early in this game, taking a 68-run first-innings lead.As had been the case in the first Test, though, Sri Lanka’s bowlers kept picking away at the South Africa batting order insistently, never letting the hosts establish a partnership greater than 60. And in the second innings (which started on the second day), the bowlers imposed themselves on South Africa to devastating effect, dismissing the opposition for 128, to set up a fourth-innings chase of 197.As 19 wickets had fallen on the second day alone (nine of those Sri Lanka’s across the first and second innings, with South Africa’s second dig sandwiched in between), the match seemed like it was headed for a thrilling finish. Sri Lanka needed 137 further runs on the third morning, with eight wickets remaining. Kusal Mendis and Oshada Fernando, however, batted with bracing freedom, and turned a tough chase into a cakewalk. They hit frequent boundaries off each of the home side’s vaunted quicks, and scored those 137 runs off 178 balls without losing a wicket. Mendis finished on 84 not out off 110; Oshada on 75 off 106.

Does Mohammad Ashraful make it to Bangladesh's greatest white-ball XI?

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And who opens with Tamim Iqbal? Our panelists discuss on the latest episode of Dream Team

Sreshth Shah14-Jan-202159:25

Who makes it to our all-time Bangladesh white-ball XI?

It has been nearly 35 years since Bangladesh played their first ODI. They emerged as giant-killers in the 2007 World Cup and reached the quarter-final of the tournament in 2015. Add semi-final appearances at the Champions Trophy and heart-stopping moments in T20Is, and Bangladesh, on the back of an ever-growing fan base, have become an exciting team to watch. And so, in the latest edition of , we look to pick their greatest white-ball XI. The selectors are Mohammad Isam, ESPNcricinfo correspondent, and two Bangladeshi cricket tragics – Zulquarnain Islam and Issa Farooque.5:29

Who slots in as opener with Tamim Iqbal?

Who partners Tamim Iqbal?
Shahriar Nafees was the first man to score three ODI centuries for Bangladesh, Imrul Kayes has enjoyed success and failure in equal measure and in his short international career, Liton Das has impressed people in many quarters with how easy his batting is on the eye. If Tamim Iqbal is the anchor he usually is for Bangladesh, who is to partner him? After plenty of back and forth, the panelists eliminated one of the two contenders to zero in on their final choice.4:33

Who makes a strong case for the No. 4 position in a Bangladesh all-time XI?

The Ashraful dilemma
Before Iqbal, before Shakib Al Hasan, before Mushfiqur Rahim and before Mashrafe Mortaza, the big star was Mohammad Ashraful. From 2001 to 2013, the boy wonder raised the country’s cricket profile, only to let everyone down with his involvement in match-fixing. He is second on the list of quickest Test fifties ever and has the national record for fastest ODI and T20I half-centuries. Can he be ignored?4:47

Is Mashrafe Mortaza the obvious choice for captain?

An ode to Mortaza
Bangladesh have had 14 ODI captains, but the Narail Express stands head and shoulders above the rest. Numbers and win percentages are one metric, but how a captain brings a team together in times of adversity, while also leading by example, often has much greater value. The panelists explain why Mortaza, the captain of this XI, is the greatest leader Bangladesh (and perhaps even Asian cricket) has ever seen.

Blaming Jonny Bairstow for England's defeat would ignore wider context

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Bairstow is only partially culpable for his batting struggles since his recall

George Dobell06-Mar-2021Like taking out your frustrations at the waiting times in A&E upon the receptionist, blaming individual England players for their series loss in India might be understandable, but it’s largely facile.Of course, these results look ugly. And more than the results, the margins of the defeats (317 runs, 10 wickets and an innings and 25 runs respectively) and the paucity of the batting efforts jar: for any team to average 144 over their most recent seven innings is clearly inadequate.Experience suggest that, in such circumstances, there will be casualties. Four of the team that played the Sydney Test of 2014, for example – Michael Carberry, Kevin Pietersen, Scott Borthwick and Boyd Rankin – never played another Test for England.Some will suggest that this defeat should prove a similar watershed moment. And it’s true, a few England players – not least Dom Bess and Jonny Bairstow – may have played their last Test for a while.In such moments, though, it is important to maintain some perspective. Yes, these last three Tests have seen England humbled. And yes, they have exposed faults within the side – and the system – that will take time and effort to remedy. Most pertinently, it will remain desperately tough for England to win in India if they do not learn to bowl and play spin far better.But England had won their previous four series, two of them (in South Africa and Sri Lanka) away from home. They had, until the second Test of this series, won six successive Tests in Asia. Barely a day before the fourth Test ended, it seemed they had earned themselves an unlikely opportunity to level the series. Maybe they simply came up against a better side, in conditions which they rarely encounter. Really, was it realistic to expect them to win?Indeed, there is a strong case to suggest that by winning a Test – a result that proved beyond them on their previous tour of India – England exceeded expectations. In this era, it is hard to think of any XI that England could have put out which would have won this series. England face a significant challenge to retain their impressive home record when India travel to play them later in the year.No doubt, their rest and rotation policy caused some issues. But possibly fewer issues than if there had been no such policy. Who knows how many of this squad might have chosen to miss the tour without it? Or even opt out of Test cricket altogether? It’s unrealistic to expect players to forego opportunities in the IPL or to spend up to five months in a biosecure bubble. Rest and rotation doesn’t just seem responsible; it seems essential.This England team is clearly far from perfect. One or two areas are in urgent need of attention. But if anyone thinks there are loads of obviously better candidates in county cricket they are deluding themselves. The truth is much grimmer than that.Consider this, for example: when was the last time the county game produced a top-three batsman who proved an undisputed success at Test level? You could argue it was Joe Root (who averages 39.16 in the top three) who made his Test debut in 2012. Perhaps it was Jonathan Trott (42.94) who made his debut in 2009, or Alastair Cook (45.17) who made his debut in 2006. But either way, it’s been a long time. There are no quick fixes to the problems facing English cricket.Perhaps that context is most important in evaluating the career of Bairstow. His first-ball dismissal here, flicking one to leg slip, betrayed a mind scrambled by doubt and failure. And you can understand why: it was his third duck in four innings in this series, and meant that, in his most recent nine Test innings against India, he had failed to score on six occasions, with a top score of 28 and an average of 5.77.It’s not just against India that he has struggled. Since May 2018, Bairstow has averaged 23.17 in 22 Tests. For a man who averages 50.74 in first-class cricket for Yorkshire – a benchmark that is likely to prove beyond any of those who may replace him – that is a troubling level of under-achievement. It is entirely possible that he has played his last Test.Bairstow has struggled in Tests since May 2018•Getty ImagesThat date – May 2018 – is relevant, though. For that was when Bairstow was asked to move up the order. It was an intriguing decision: Bairstow had, over the past two-and-a-half years, averaged 47.07 with the bat in Test cricket. In 2016 alone, he had scored 1,470 runs, a record for a Test keeper in a calendar year. He had improved significantly with the gloves, too. His role wasn’t really a weakness that required strengthening.But England wanted to find room for Jos Buttler. And fearing that he might struggle in the top or even middle order – where most specialist batsmen might be expected to play – they picked him as a No. 7.The problem with that was, England already had several players who looked at their best at No. 6 or No. 7. And with Ben Stokes locked in at No. 6 at the time, Bairstow had to be promoted to No. 5.

Later, when Buttler struggled to merit a spot as a specialist batsman (he averaged just 25.10 in 2019), Bairstow relinquished the gloves – more accurately, they had to be torn off his hands – so Buttler’s continued selection could be justified. As a result, Bairstow found himself in the side as a specialist batsman and, at times, obliged to bat as high as No. 3.There’s a reason why Bairstow made his name batting in the middle order for Yorkshire. For all his ability, he is less confident against the Dukes ball when it is at its hardest and most helpful for bowlers. While his propensity to push at the ball is often an asset in limited-overs cricket, where the white ball hardly moves laterally, and in first-class games when the ball is a little softer, it is a potential weakness against higher-quality, quicker bowlers or spinners. At Test level, he averages 42.66 at No. 6 and 42.35 at No. 7, but only 27.74 at No. 5 and 30.76 at No. 3. Only one of his six Test centuries has come above No. 6 in the order.His temperament is relevant, too. Like many allrounders, Bairstow flourishes in the knowledge that, if he is struggling with one discipline of his game, he can still contribute with the other. Until May 2018, Bairstow appeared to feel secure and valued in this side.After that? Well, the statistics tell the story, really. You could argue that any Test player has to learn to play the moving ball and adapt to the needs of the team, and the prioritisation of Buttler has been vindicated by his improvement in the last year. But you would probably also have to accept that Bairstow was going along very nicely until he was destabilised by the latest bit of whimsy from selectors who claim they use data but give every indication of simply manipulating it to justify the prioritisation of their latest favourite.Related

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How else can you explain the selection of Jason Roy as a Test opener? Or the selection of Ollie Pope to bat higher for England than he ever had for Surrey? Or the selection of Somerset’s second-choice spinner who averages 47 with the ball in the Second XI Championship? Bairstow isn’t a No. 3; judging him on his record there is like judging a racehorse on its ability to swim.The job of a team’s management is to provide a settled, calm environment in which a player is given the best chance to fulfil their potential. Bairstow has been shunted out of position, had his role changed and asked to adjust to accommodate other players – and he is hardly alone in having suffered that fate. Yes, he has failed to make that adjustment. But England’s management are at least partially culpable for sowing the seeds of doubt and asking him to fulfil a role for which he was poorly suited and ill-trained.None of this means the England selectors should necessarily retain faith in him. But it does mean that they should be realistic about whoever replaces him, and should provide them with a better chance to fulfil their potential. Playing against this quality of opposition will always be tough; doing it when you are insecure in your role and your position is almost impossible.Blaming the players for the manner of England’s series defeat may be understandable. But if English cricket actually wants to see change, it’s the administration and management that requires attention.

David Willey hopes for dew rewards after England damp-ball practice

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Slippy conditions may encourage seam-dominant attack versus West Indies

Matt Roller21-Oct-2021″I actually think we’ve played really well there, we’ve probably had the wrong side of the toss. The dew, from about the eighth over [of the chase] was extremely challenging. I can’t fault anybody’s efforts.”Eoin Morgan’s reflections after a defeat in the 2020 edition of the IPL went against a fundamental sporting idea: if you play better than the opposition, you tend to win. But in floodlit games in the UAE, particularly in October and November, there is another factor to consider: dew.Generally setting in either side of the innings break in a game starting at 6pm local time, it has the effect of making the ball harder to grip for the defending team’s bowlers and fielders. That bias towards the chasing team has been apparent in the IPL: out of the 25 night games played after its mid-season resumption in the UAE, chasing teams won 17.The challenge of coping with the dew is heightened for teams who rarely have to worry about dew when playing at home, so it comes as no surprise to learn that England have been focusing on how to cope with it in their build-up to the tournament ahead of their first game – under lights – against West Indies on Saturday.Their first warm-up match against India highlighted the issue. Batting first, England had posted 188 against India at the ICC Academy in Dubai, but their attack as a collective struggled for control in the run chase. Chris Jordan bowled the 19th over with 20 runs still required, but a series of attempted yorkers ended up as full tosses after the ball slipped out of his hand; his six balls cost an eye-watering 23.”The amount of dew and sweat is something we’ve had to manage very quickly,” David Willey said on Thursday. “We’ve got to think about how we’re going to keep our hands dry, keep our arms dry, dry the ball, and also be able to bowl with a wet ball.”England’s players have employed some unusual methods in training: “dunking balls in buckets and catching, fielding and bowling with those wet balls,” Willey explained. “We’ll probably get some more towels on the way to change them every over for the lads that are heavy sweaters, and sweatbands and things. It’s never going to be perfect but it’s certainly worth putting things in place to make it manageable.”Related

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Temperatures have been in the mid-30s degrees celsius in the UAE in recent weeks – they will cool down slightly as the tournament wears on, which could mean dew forms earlier and evens conditions up – but the stifling humidity has meant that ‘feels like’ temperatures are above 40. “You start sweating and you just can’t stop,” Willey said. “Just saturated from head to toe.”England’s fixture list for the tournament, which sees them play four group games out of five under lights, exacerbates the importance of managing the dew – and may also justify their decision to pick a single specialist spinner in their squad in Adil Rashid, with Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone generally used as part-timers by Morgan over the last 18 months.While England’s spin stocks are not exactly deep, there was some level of surprise to see Liam Dawson named only as a reserve and Matt Parkinson miss out on the squad entirely while spinners were enjoying success in the IPL, but England may well feel that their seamers will be more effective, particularly if dew is in play in both innings during the knockout stages.”There’s no denying that for spinners, if they’re trying to grip the ball, it’s going to be a challenge if it’s soaking wet,” Willey said, while Rashid added on Wednesday: “You’ve got to find a way, you can’t hide behind it, whether you’re a seamer or a spinner.”Willey himself is unlikely to be bowling at the death for England – though he has been working on a new slower ball – but is instead relishing the opportunity to face West Indies on Saturday. He is not a guaranteed starter but has been successful against them in the past – he took 3 for 20 in the 2016 final, and 4 for 7 in the sides’ most recent T20I – and the make-up of their batting line-up should play in his favour: West Indies may field as many as four left-handers in their top five, and Willey has a better economy rate (7.25 vs 8.09) and strike rate (15.9 vs 22.1) against left-handers than right-handers in all T20s since the last World Cup.”The ball swinging away from the left-handers in all formats can be dangerous, and in the white-ball game, when they’re looking to be aggressive, hopefully that goes in my favour,” he said. “I’ve been told I’ve got a decent record [against left-handers] and that might swing in my favour for getting the nod in that first game.”And having been left out of the 50-over World Cup squad on the eve of the tournament two years ago, Willey suggested that he has learned a lot from the experience. “It’s definitely made me a better person. To be part of it for four years and miss out was obviously disappointing but the personal growth from me thereon… has been massive. I’m playing every game as if it’s my last and really savouring the moment of pulling on that England shirt.”

The varied architects of a hard-fought West Indies win

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

A young mother, a hard grafter and a flamboyant allrounder all delivered when it mattered

S Sudarshanan18-Mar-2022Afy Fletcher was into her sixth straight over – and West Indies into their 13th since their last wicket, defending 140 – when she got the better of Fargana Hoque. It was not the generous flight by the legspinner which enticed the well-set Hoque into a false shot that grabbed the spotlight, but what played out after that.Fletcher ran towards covers, took out an imaginary phone from her pocket to mock-dial her seven-month-old on a video call to say, “Hi baby!” with a wave and a gleam in her eyes. Irrespective of where your allegiance lay, it was a moment that would have brought a smile to your face.Fletcher returned to international cricket after maternity leave during the home series against South Africa in February, but played just the one match. In the two warm-up matches ahead of the Women’s World Cup, she remained wicketless. It then took West Indies five games to get Fletcher into the playing XI, but now here she was in the thick of the action.”I thought Afy was brilliant (in her) first (World Cup) game back after giving birth,” captain Stafanie Taylor said after the match. “She has been working really hard in the nets. Really pleased she came out on top.”In the over after she dismissed Hoque, Fletcher showed why she is rated highly. First an authentic legbreak got the better of Rumana Ahmed as she was caught behind, before a wrong ‘un left Ritu Moni clueless next ball. Though she couldn’t get the hat-trick, her ten overs – bowled at one go – resulted in three wickets for 29 runs and, more importantly, broke the back of the chase.Hayley Matthews finished with career-best ODI figures•AFP/Getty Images”You look at women in sport nowadays and you see so many changes happening,” Hayley Matthews said later. “It’s been fantastic that she’s been able to go out, become a mother and come back. It speaks for her dedication at her age – being 30-something at this point.”It is becoming more of a regular happenstance that women can leave the game, give birth and come back to it, knowing that they have that support around her. It’s brilliant to have her back, we saw the class that she is and we expect only good things from her going forward as always.”Matthews herself delivered a Player-of-the-Match performance, with career-best ODI figures of four wickets for 15. She is currently the joint-leading wicket-taker at the tournament, with ten scalps, and among the top five run-getters as well.”Over the last year or so, I was able to understand a lot about bowling offspin in certain situations,” she said. “(I have been) working on my technique, getting my hand coming from a bit higher, trying to get as many revs as possible. What’s more important for me is to control where I am pitching the ball. As a tall girl, helps me get a bit more bounce as well.”That Matthews bowled the opening over in West Indies’ defence of 140 speaks about Taylor’s faith in her and she backed it up with a wicket off the fifth ball, trapping Shamima Sultana in front.Shemaine Campbelle gave the bowlers something to defend•ICC via Getty Images”Looking at the wicket, we saw how well their spinners bowled,” Matthews said. “The conditions definitely suited spin. So we figured that if we get a spinner there in as early as possible, it would be really helpful and hopefully pick up some early wickets. I am just the one the team went for and it worked pretty well.”Matthews, Fletcher and Taylor picked up all ten wickets between them, making it the first instance of spinners claiming all ten in a Women’s World Cup match. It perhaps wouldn’t have got to a stage where the trio could put pressure and inflict damage on Bangladesh, had it not been for Shemaine Campbelle’s gritty innings.West Indies were 48 for 3 when the wicketkeeper-batter walked in and soon found themselves 70 for 7. At that time, Campbelle was on 15 off 63 balls, 52 of which were dots. However, she stayed put and scored her second half-century in this competition, in the process helping West Indies get to a total which had looked way beyond their reach at one point.Also read: Cricket’s mothers have it better now than ever (but not all of them)
“At that point we really needed our batters to stand up and she did really well,” Matthews said, heaping praise on Cambelle. “She’s the type of person who can catch up and get the runs towards the end of the innings. She realised what was more important and that was her spending time in the middle, and she did exactly that. Some people will say the strike rate was pretty low but at the same time we were in a bit of a trouble. She just did what we needed her to do.”While West Indies have flexed their bowling muscle well to churn out three wins in five matches and move to the third spot on the points table, they will know it is time for their batting to come good to truly make this World Cup a party.

Women's World Cup 2022 scenarios: England stay in contention for semi-finals, New Zealand almost out

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

A look at what each team needs to do – and need other teams to do – to make the cut

S Rajesh20-Mar-2022England’s nervy one-wicket win against New Zealand means they stay in contention for the semi-finals of Women’s World Cup 2022, while New Zealand are almost out of it. With just nine more games to go in the group stage, only Australia have sealed their semi-final slot, while the rest are still involved in a tense struggle. Here is a look at what each team needs to do – and need other teams to do – to make the cut.New ZealandNew Zealand have lost three matches by extremely close margins: one wicket (against England), two wickets (South Africa) and three runs (West Indies). These three defeats mean the home team is on the brink of elimination. If England win their last two games – against the relatively weaker Bangladesh and Pakistan – then at least three teams will have more than six points, which is the maximum New Zealand can reach.They would then have to hope that West Indies lose their last two matches – against Pakistan and South Africa – and stay on six with a poorer net run rate, and India lose their last two games too – against Bangladesh and South Africa – and stay on four points, as their NRR is currently much better than New Zealand’s. (Even if New Zealand score 300 in their last game and win by 200 runs, their NRR will still only improve to 0.427, which is lower than India’s current rate of 0.456.) In that case New Zealand could qualify as the fourth team, but at the moment they are clutching at straws.EnglandEngland had a disastrous start to the tournament, but with two games to go, they have an excellent chance of making the semi-finals. They have a couple of advantages going into the last week of the group stage: their two remaining opponents are the weaker teams, and their NRR is a relatively healthy 0.327 (which can increase further with convincing wins).England have managed to stay in contention despite a disastrous start•Getty ImagesIf they finish on eight points, they should be in a good position in an NRR battle. (India are currently marginally ahead on 0.456, but one of their remaining games is against South Africa, who haven’t lost a match yet.)For England to lose out even after winning their last two games, West Indies will have to win their last two matches and go up to ten points, and South Africa will have to beat Australia so that they move beyond eight as well. If India win their last two and stay above England on NRR, then England will be eliminated. They will be hoping that the weather stays clear in Christchurch and Wellington, allowing them the opportunity to look for four points and improve their NRR.However, if they lose either of those matches (or if one is rained out), then they could struggle.IndiaIndia are in a similar position as England in terms of points and run rate, but the one major difference is that one of their remaining games is against South Africa. India’s best chance will be if they win their last two, and either South Africa or West Indies don’t progress beyond eight points. That can happen if West Indies lose at least one of their two remaining matches, or if South Africa lose all three. Then, both India and England will qualify with eight points (if England win their last two as well), while West Indies/South Africa will be eliminated because of poorer NRRs.India have a healthy net run rate, thanks to their big win against West Indies•AFP via Getty ImagesConversely, if West Indies win their last two, and if South Africa beat Australia, then three teams will finish on more than eight points. Then, even with wins in their two remaining games, India will be battling for the fourth spot with England (if they finish on eight as well).South AfricaDespite winning all four matches so far, South Africa still have some work to do to confirm a place in the semi-finals. That can happen if they win one more game and lift their points tally to ten.However, their three remaining games are all tough ones. If they lose all three then they could well be eliminated, as West Indies could finish on ten points, and England and India could get eight with better net run rates.West Indies will qualify if they win their two remaining matches•ICC via GettyWest IndiesWest Indies are currently third on the points table, but their NRR of -0.930 is the worst among all teams in contention for the semi-finals. They will qualify if they win their two remaining matches, but if they lose one – and if England beat Pakistan and Bangladesh – then West Indies will have to hope that India lose at least one of their two remaining games and finish on no more than six points. Then West Indies will qualify, along with Australia, South Africa and England.BangladeshBangladesh can theoretically get to eight points, but their remaining matches are against some of the toughest teams in this competition.PakistanPakistan too can qualify theoretically but having lost 18 successive matches in the 50-over World Cup, their immediate aim would be to stop it from extending to 21 by the end of this tournament.

High-flying Kartikeya believes Madhya Pradesh have the ability to 'go all the way'

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“Our target is to go on and win the whole thing, and not be happy with a semi-final appearance alone”

Daya Sagar09-Jun-2022Kumar Kartikeya was 15 when he left home in Kanpur to pursue his cricket dreams. Lured by the possibility of getting more opportunities to further his game, he left for Delhi and hasn’t been home for the past nine years.When he left home, Kartikeya’s father extolled his son to “make something of himself” before he returns. It is that drive that has kept him going for these years. An impressive maiden IPL season has helped, but what will make the homecoming sweeter is playing a starring role in taking Madhya Pradesh to the Ranji Trophy semi-finals. Although Kartikeya believes his team has the ability to go all the way this time.Related

With Pandit in charge, MP players have no time to pause – 'must rectify mistakes before semi-final'

Feature: The sacrifices of Kumar Kartikeya

“It feels great to have taken this team to the semi-finals,” Kartikeya tells ESPNcricinfo after his 6 for 50 in the second innings helped Madhya Pradesh pick up an easy ten-wicket win over Punjab, and make the last four for the first time in six years. “Our target is to go on and win the whole thing, and not be happy with a semi-final appearance alone. We are prepared to do the hard yards for this and I am 100 percent certain, we have the ability to win the next two games.”You don’t win tournaments with marquee names alone…you have to play good cricket to pull it off, and at the moment we are doing exactly that.”While the win in Alur has been satisfactory, it wasn’t without its blemishes, as head coach Chandrakant Pandit also reminded the team. Kartikeya says, “There will always be scope for improvement. Our batting and bowling in this match has been good but we must remember we dropped a few easy catches, especially in the first innings. We had a team meeting right after the match and Chandu sir [Pandit] pointed out the same. When you win, the good things that you have done are visible to everybody, but your mistakes stand out for you alone. These are things we need to quickly work on.”Kumar Kartikeya, on his Mumbai Indians debut, picked 1 for 19•BCCIKartikeya came to the fore in the IPL as a “left-arm everything” bowler, but goes back to orthodox left-arm spin in the red-ball format. He says, “You need variations in T20 cricket, and that’s why I mix up finger spin with wristspin in that format. Over here, I go back to my natural grounding as a left-arm spinner.”Kartikeya gives full credit for his and his team’s performance to guidance from the experienced former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Pandit. He says, “He guided me on what lines and lengths to stick to and what angles to use. The pitch started taking a bit of excess turn in the second innings and that made the batters a touch more defensive and that worked to my advantage. In the second innings, I changed my angle a bit and went around the wicket with straighter balls rather than running in on a diagonal. What was most important was to find a spot and keep hitting it. I was able to do that, and that yielded wickets for me.”

“I don’t look at the big names in the opposition, rather I just focus on my process and my plans”Kumar Kartikeya

The left-arm spinner picked up key wickets of Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Mandeep Singh and Gurkeerat Singh Mann in the second innings, all of who are experienced names in the domestic circuit. Kartikeya, though, emphasised that rather than focusing on the names in the opposition, he backs his plans at all times.”I don’t look at the big names in the opposition, rather I just focus on my process and my plans,” he says. “Things tend to fall in place when you bowl with consistency. Besides, not every day is a batter’s day, and today was one such day for me. I intend to carry on with the same process and plans in the next few games.”Unless a minor miracle occurs, Madhya Pradesh will come up against the record-breaking batting lineup of Bengal in the last four. Kartikeya, for one, believes his team has the ability to overcome any opponent as long as they stick to their plans and execute them consistently.And then there’s the added allure of going home as a champion.

Zimbabwe's famous victory stokes belief that their sport has a future

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Raza jubilant as gripping one-run win makes the case for cricket’s marginalised teams

Tristan Lavalette27-Oct-20223:56

Flower heaps praise on Ervine’s captaincy and Evans’ composure

On the eve of his first match at Perth’s Optus Stadium, known as a paradise for quicks, Zimbabwe allrounder Sikandar Raza was pensive.He struggled to get to sleep, as his thoughts wandered towards curbing Pakistan’s menacing pace attack led by speedster Haris Rauf who was seemingly tailormade for the bounce and pace conjured from the ground’s green-tinged pitch.”I made a few notes and I was reading them and I was going over it again and again and again,” Raza said about his restlessness. “This is my first game at Perth, so a lot of my learning and a lot of Zimbabwe’s learning is actually on the day of the game.”We don’t get to play top nations a lot,” he noted. The last of Zimbabwe’s five previous visits to Perth, an ODI against India in 2003-04, had come just months after Matthew Hayden whacked them for a world-record 380 at the WACA.Raza’s apprehension was seemingly justified when he was roughed up during an initiation at the crease by Rauf before being bounced out by a slower ball from Mohammad Wasim, whose inclusion at that stage appeared a masterstroke from a pace-heavy Pakistan.Zimbabwe scrambled to 130 for 8, which they knew was under par but there was quiet confidence within a team which had impressively emerged from the first round in Hobart.”I personally thought…we were 15 or 20 runs short,” Raza said. “But I really truly believe in this group. We knew if we could field well, take all our chances and cut those important twos, we could really win this game.”His confidence was justified when Zimbabwe’s quicks tore through Pakistan’s top order to leave them at 36 for 3 in the eighth over. But Shan Masood and Shadab Khan steadied the ship with a half-century partnership as Pakistan appeared to be cruising to a bounce-back victory after their MCG heartbreak against India.Perth’s 60,000-seat stadium hosted a small crowd of 8,000, but even some of those had started to scurry home as the clock ticked towards 10pm on a working night. But Zimbabwe knew that a single wicket could expose Pakistan’s susceptible middle-lower order after they had left out Asif Ali for Wasim, and perhaps prod at scars still raw from four days ago.Zimbabwe’s players take a victory lap around the ground•ICC via Getty ImagesSo in the 14th over, with Pakistan needing just 51 runs, they turned back to their talisman, albeit that Raza’s previous two overs – 0 for 11 – had been negotiated without incident to help cement the ground’s tough reputation for spinners.Sure enough, his third legal delivery, an overpitched carrom ball, was launched down the ground for six by Shadab, and with 43 now needed from 39 balls with seven wickets in hand, the end of the ball game appeared in sightBut an overconfident Shadab tried to repeat the dose only to hole out one ball later, and Zimbabwe knew they were back with a fighting chance.A pumped-up Raza then immediately trapped Haider Ali plumb lbw, briefly delayed by the batter reviewing in a Hail Mary, and he added another in his next over with the key wicket of Masood, who was brilliantly stumped by keeper Regis Chakabva.”I try to work hard on batting and bowling,” Raza said. “If one department doesn’t fire, it doesn’t really bring me down. It kind of gives me that extra push that I have to make sure my other department fires.”But with his match-turning spell over, the wickets dried up and Pakistan inched closer with Mohammad Nawaz attempting to go from villain to hero. Two overs suddenly remained and Pakistan needed 22 runs off 12 balls with four wickets in hand.Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine wasn’t sure who to turn for the crucial penultimate over – Richard Ngarava, the spearhead who had overcome an ankle injury sustained against South Africa in Hobart’s wet conditions, or Brad Evans, who had been included in the team for just his fifth T20I.

Ervine sought Raza’s advice. “My opinion was we should try and kill the game,” Raza said. “Ngarava had been bowling exceptionally well. If he can leave 15, 16 runs in the last over (for) Brad…the more runs we can leave for the youngster, the better.”But Nawaz appeared destined for redemption when he capitalised on a rare Ngarava misfire with a six in a momentum shift, as Pakistan’s target was down to 11 off the final over.It was left to 25-year-old Evans, but he leaked seven runs off the first two deliveries, and that appeared to be that. But, of course, there had to be a final twist to continue this tournament’s absurdity.With three runs needed off the final two balls, Nawaz attempted to go for glory over mid-off but only hit it straight to Ervine as a crestfallen Wasim went down on his haunches for about 20 seconds. The dreaded realisation was sinking in for Pakistan, who couldn’t quite believe this horror show was repeating.Related

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There was, however, still one ball left. And more mayhem to ensue with Shaheen Afridi driving to long on as the batters scampered for two to try and force the Super Over.But Raza – who else, really – charged in, ready to cut off the two, and his one-bounce throw landed at Chakabva’s feet, who in a moment of panic fumbled before recovering for the run-out to seal one of Zimbabwe’s most famous victories.”I just thought the way he [Evans] bowled…he held his nerve,” Raza said. “Credit to him. Credit to the whole group to be honest.”It triggered scenes of jubilation with Zimbabwe’s players jumping into each other’s arms, while others rolled on the turf in disbelief. Wasim and Shaheen, meanwhile, were on their knees not quite knowing what had transpired.Having once dreamed of being a fighter pilot in the Pakistan Air Force, Raza savoured his team’s finest moment as he repeatedly bearhugged Ervine while captain skipper Babar Azam attempted to put on a brave face during the post-match presentation.For a cricket nation having gone through so much tumult, while being too often shunned by the power countries – a point underlined by Zimbabwe’s lack of fixtures against Australia, India and England in the 2023-27 Future Tours Programme (FTP) – it was quite something for them to celebrate such a triumph on Australian soil.”We have a lot of youngsters now picking up this sport back home,” Raza said. “I personally feel that this group has an added responsibility to make sure cricket grows in Zimbabwe.”We want to make sure that this group can actually encourage and achieve something where… everybody can truly believe that there’s a future in the sport.”After such a famous triumph, an implausible semi-final berth is suddenly within their reach.

Michael Neser doesn't want to be pigeonholed as seaming-pitch specialist

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

The Australia quick is expanding his skillset for flatter surfaces, but says “being consistent and bowling accurately is the key on any wicket”

Tristan Lavalette06-Dec-2022After a strong start to the Sheffield Shield season marked by menacing swing and unwavering accuracy, seamer Michael Neser could be forgiven for looking ahead to the middle of next year.That’s when, of course, Australia will tour the UK as they bid to win an away Ashes series for the first time since the middle of their golden era in 2001. It’s still some time away, with Australia in the early stages of a long Test haul before then, but the Queensland quick is widely tipped to be part of Australia’s touring squad if he can stay fit.Related

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With a strong wrist action, likened to former Australia paceman Ryan Harris, and having studied closely Jimmy Anderson, Neser’s expertise at conjuring movement – with the kookaburra or Dukes – makes him an irresistible option for traditionally bowler-friendly conditions in the UK.A couple of eyecatching seasons with English county Glamorgan have added to his case.”I’m not thinking about the Ashes,” a typically unflappable Neser told ESPNcricinfo ahead of being drafted into Australia’s squad for the second Test against West Indies as injury cover for Pat Cummins. “If I’m taking wickets for Glamorgan at the time then hopefully that will take care of business and I can make the squad, but it’s a long way off right now.”His selection into the Test squad, having recently spearheaded a strong Prime Minister’s XI attack against West Indies in Canberra, is instructive of his place in Australia’s congested pecking order of quicks. Outside their trio of Test frontliners, 32-year-old Neser has been on the fringes in recent years. His sole Test match was almost exactly 12 months ago against England in Adelaide, where he claimed two wickets including a debut scalp of Haseeb Hameed off his second delivery.With Australia’s selectors contemplating managing the Test workload of the quicks amid a brutal schedule, Neser could be given an opportunity although Scott Boland, following his heroics in the Ashes last summer, has moved to next in line. “It was really tough the last couple of years when I was part of extended squads and wasn’t able to play much,” Neser said. “That was the way it was because of Covid and you just had to get on with it. But I’m glad that big squads aren’t required right now.”Neser took the wicket of Haseeb Hameed with his second ball in Test cricket•Getty ImagesAfter a lengthy stint as a reserve following the Adelaide Test, Neser returned to the field lacking match hardness and was promptly ruled out of the tour of Pakistan earlier in the year with a side strain sustained during a Marsh Cup 50-over game.”It was devastating when I got the news and found out I would miss Pakistan,” Neser said. “I wasn’t quite bowling-fit at the time, so it was a tough setback but you just have to move on.”Emerging from the disappointment with the help of Queensland’s physio team, Neser crafted a rehabilitation routine to better help his body recover from the rigours of bowling. It mostly consists of daily stretching – something similar to yoga, he says – and he’s stuck by that ever since amid a gruelling return spanning the English County Championship and then the first half of the Australian domestic season.”I’ve had issues with my back and had some niggles over the years, so I’ve just been trying to be really disciplined with my rehab,” Neser said. “I feel like if I keep sticking to it then the body should hold up. I feel really fit and strong right now.”Burly and rugged, Neser looks like someone who doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty and he’s certainly capable of producing indefatigable spells. Much like Glenn McGrath and Courtney Walsh, Neser is a bowler who prefers being wound up and let go.”The more I bowl, the better I feel,” he said. “I’m a bowler who really needs to play a lot of matches to get into bowling rhythm and feel good.”But Neser hasn’t generally needed to bowl for the long haul during this Sheffield Shield season, where he’s claimed 24 wickets at 14.50 in five matches – figures slightly tarnished by going wicketless in the rain-affected draw last start against Western Australia at the Gabba.Neser’s improved batting has earned him a promotion to No. 7 in the Queensland line-up•Getty ImagesHe’s formed a deadly tandem with fellow quick Mark Steketee, who replaced him on the Pakistan tour and has been on the Test fringes himself for some time. They could be viewed as something like friendly rivals, both vying for higher honours, although Neser said the pair don’t discuss their Test pursuits.”We’re focused on winning matches for Queensland. We complement each other really well and just really love bowling together, ” Neser said of Steketee, who has taken 25 Shield wickets at 15.52. “He’s been really excellent for a while. We learn from each other.”Neser has undoubtedly benefited from spicy pitches at Brisbane’s Allan Border Field and the WACA; he has taken 19 wickets in three matches at the two venues, at the remarkable average of 10.37.But if he’s to emerge from Australia’s reservoir of talented quicks – with WA tearaway Lance Morris becoming the new sensation and joining Neser in Australia’s second-Test squad – Neser will have to add tricks to counter more benign surfaces. He’s been working hard with Queensland bowling coach Andy Bichel on finding ways to stay in the contest when conditions aren’t conducive to his strengths.”Working out when the right time to effectively use bouncers is important, especially on flatter wickets,” Neser said. “Reverse swing is also a weapon for me and means I can be dangerous with the old ball. It is something I’m trying to always get better at.”Ultimately, I think being consistent and bowling accurately is the key on any wicket. I don’t think I’m someone who should be pigeonholed as an English [conditions] specialist just because I have certain strengths.”Reinforced by a brilliant century against New South Wales, combining with opener Matthew Renshaw in a 257-run sixth-wicket partnership, Neser’s improved batting has earned him a promotion to No.7 in Queensland’s batting order. “You’ve just got to keep improving in all aspects of the game and I’ve put in a fair bit of work with my batting,” said South Africa-born Neser, who was a gifted batter through junior ranks before focusing on fast bowling. “The more strengths you have, the better.”But, ultimately, his intoxicating skillset with the ball will determine whether he can crack Australia’s powerful attack. “I had a taste of Test cricket 12 months ago and it was an amazing experience,” he said. “Hopefully the work I’ve put in will help me add another.”

For Showman Gill, it's all about pushing the boundaries

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

When Gill walked off to a standing ovation after a 60-ball 129, it felt like another chapter had been written in his T20 transformation

Shashank Kishore26-May-20231:24

Manjrekar: Gill a once-in-a-generation player

Showmen like the big stage. They are at their best when the arclights are firmly on them. They embrace pressure and meet it with the sort of confidence that says, ‘I’m ready’.On Friday night, Shubman Gill had the stage, and was at his best.When a thunderstorm sent everyone scurrying for cover before the toss, Gill was pacing up and down the long stairway at the stadium. Perhaps it was the keenness to finish a job he couldn’t quite in Chennai. Or maybe it was simply his way of warming up.He exuded the confidence of a man at the peak of his game, ready with answers to anything Mumbai Indians were going to throw at him. When he walked off to a standing ovation after a 60-ball 129, you sensed another chapter had been written in Gill’s T20 transformation.Related

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From an accumulator who tried to bat long to make up for middling starts, to someone who goes for quick runs without trying to bash every ball – such a game can’t be without risks, but to have the belief that such risks are worth taking takes quite some doing.Gill’s batting is a train of simple batting mechanics; one frame segues into another. A stable base, still head, minimal and unexaggerated back lift, and nimble feet movement – quick but unhurried. It’s all proper coaching manual. But beyond everything, more than anything, there’s the calmness – he can send the ball where he wants.This can only come with clarity, not just in his game but also in the way he trains.When Rahul Dravid was India Under-19 coach, he had a theory about judging a player’s maturity. One part of it was to gauge how quickly they could develop a routine, even if it was something as simple – or, perhaps, ridiculous – as not batting in the nets prior to a big game, instead of simply following a set of instructions that players can get used to.1:54

Manjrekar: Gill took his T20 game to the next level in 2022

Last week, prior to the game against Royal Challengers Bangalore at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Gill exhibited a deep understanding of his own routines. He didn’t bat for long in the nets, but the kind of work he put in within that time underlined this maturity Dravid has spoken of.Gill batted for all of 15 minutes, not longer. The aim seemed to be to train specifically on his set-up against the short ball when it’s aimed at the body from wicked angles. It involved a quick trigger movement from middle to off, and the opening up of the leg side to try and use as much pace from the bowler as he could and pick them behind square. Not in front, mind you, but behind.The one in front of square is a shot Gill plays as well as anyone. So this was mostly to try and work towards strengthening another aspect of an already robust leg-side game. Twenty balls – same boring routine, of setting up, shuffling and manoeuvring deliveries bowled into his ribcage at different speeds and angles – and he walked out with the satisfaction of knowing his preparation was done.The IPL is a beast, not least because of the travel and the stream of matches that come and go thick and fast, but because it can be difficult to get in quality training sessions within that whirl. It can leave you on a high when the runs are coming, but when they are not, it can be your biggest bugbear. Which is why Gill’s training method and the sharp nature of it is intriguing.The game that followed the session was a display of fearless six-hitting that sent RCB packing and, far away, Mumbai Indians soaring. A week on in Ahmedabad, it was the sequel of sorts. It was pure, unhurried and beautiful. And it sent Mumbai Indians packing.You couldn’t help but will him to keep batting. The home crowd certainly felt that way. Maybe everyone did, except Tim David, who grassed a tough opportunity to reprieve Gill. He was on 30 then. You would never know what could have been had that catch been taken. And that’s the beauty of sport – it’s unscripted and leaves you guessing what’s coming next.Gill has certainly left everyone in wonder, having peeled off layer after layer to a robust game. Just when you wondered how much more he could unlock, he came up with something you didn’t expect, but have now accepted as perfectly normal.Shubman Gill got to his third century of the season in just 49 balls•BCCILike that six off Cameron Green in the 15th over, when you wondered for a split second how he would create something out of a 140kph short ball angled to cramp him. And, next moment, he made you go “wow”. As he moved sideways and out of the crease, the bat changed position and was held almost vertically, like one would hold one of those battery-operated mosquito-killing bats.Then it was a swat more than a shot. And he had hit it for six over cow corner. The bat speed to meet the ball, the wrist work, the forearm power and precision, all boss level.There was more of this in store.Like when Chris Jordan thought he had slipped in a perfect wide yorker, only to see Gill convert it into a low full toss by meeting the ball early and then deliberately opening the bat face to send it to the left of sweeper cover. Or when he hit that no-look pick-up shot for six over long leg and sauntered down the pitch to fist bump his partner – a bit of Sir Viv’s gum-chewing swagger.There was a visual from the dugout soon after Gill got to his hundred. Of Hardik Pandya smiling away looking at the screen that was replaying some of the shots from the innings, his expression almost one of disbelief, even as the rest of the dugout applauded. It was, after all, a knock where Gill pushed the boundaries of his own game.He had exhibited a full-blown sequel to his Bengaluru epic. Will there be a trilogy in the final?

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