Durham’s Twenty20 Cup match against Worcestershire at Chester-le-Street was washed out on Sunday without a ball bowled
06-Jun-2010
ScorecardDurham’s Friends Provident t20 match against Worcestershire at Chester-le-Street was washed out on Sunday without a ball bowled. Both teams will resume their North Group campaign on Thursday, when Durham visit Yorkshire with both teams looking for their first win, while Worcestershire take on Nottinghamshire.
It was more gloom and doom than ‘Boom Boom’ for star one-day batsman Shahid Afridi after Pakistan’s enigmatic captain suffered a six-ball duck on the opening day of their second tour game against Kent in Canterbury
Mark Pennell at Canterbury28-Jun-2010
ScorecardUmar Akmal was the mainstay of the Pakistan innings with 153•PA Photos
It was more gloom and doom than ‘Boom Boom’ for star one-day batsman Shahid Afridi after Pakistan’s enigmatic captain suffered a six-ball duck on the opening day of their second tour game against Kent in Canterbury.Instead of watching Afridi dispatch the ball to all parts, Kent and Pakistan supporters had to contend themselves with a workmanlike 153 from Umar Akmal as Pakistan recovered from a sticky start of 53 for 3 to rack up 360 all out in temperatures more akin to Gujranwala than the Garden of England.Having elected to rest the majority of their first choice side for this first-class fixture, Kent gave a county debut to former Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Middlesex leg-spinner Mark Lawson and welcomed back seamers Dewald Nel and Robbie Joseph after long-term injuries. The hosts also included their former Academy all-rounders Matt Coles and Alex Blake in a side led by former Pakistan allrounder Azhar Mahmood.Though understandably batting first in sublime conditions and against a makeshift county attack, Pakistan made a miserable start by losing four wickets for 112 in the opening session of this three-day friendly.
Looking ill at ease against a seaming ball, the tourists lost their first three batsmen all to leg-before decisions. Umar Amin (2) played horribly across the line of a Coles off-cutter then Fawad Alam (20) went in the same manner despite the hint of an inside edge against Nel, who was bowling his first over for the county first team since April.Then, in the next over Mahmood snared Salman Butt (26) to one that darted back in to the left-hander hitting him flush in front and leaden footed at the crease. In the last over before lunch Shoaib Malik (27) was enticed into a rash, wide drive against Lawson to meekly give up his wicket to a comfortable catch at backward point.After lunch the sprightly Blake, bowling again after a host of back problems, took two wickets in consecutive overs, including the prized scalp of Afridi. The 21-year-old had Kamran Akmal (28) spectacularly caught at gully, one-handed by Coles diving away to his right off an edged drive then, without addition to the score, Afridi disappointed his local following once more.In his four one-day starts when playing for Kent back in 2004 Afridi averaged a dismal 13 and faced only 24 deliveries, this time around he lasted barely seven minutes before an impulsive drive over cover sliced off an open face to deep backward point, where Nel took a good catch on the run.While Afridi sloped off to spend half-an-hour in the St Lawrence practice nets, so Pakistan’s seventh-wicket partners Umar Akmal and Abdul Rashid set about posting a sensible partnership worth 111 in 30.1 overs.
Akmal moved to a 73-ball half-century with a six over mid-wicket against Lawson, but generally played well within himself until he had reached three figures. At the other end, Abdul Rehman was content to play second fiddle, batting a shade over two hours for his 30 runs and two boundaries.His stay came to an end after the right-hander over-balanced when attempting a leg-glance against James Goodman only to be stumped by a good piece of work by Kent’s understudy keeper Paul Dixey, who was deputising for the resting Geraint Jones.Once safely to his 150-ball century with 15 fours and a six, the diminutive Umar Akmal opened up his locker of shots with four more sixes, three of which came from lofted-straight drives against debutant Lawson.
Lawson finally got his revenge and brought an end to the right-hander’s 268-minute stay to another Dixey stumping, this time after Akmal had advanced down the pitch only to miss with a wild swish to one he had hoped to deposit somewhere over the ropes at long-on.Lawson, assisted by three stumpings by Dixey, duly ran through the tail to finish with 4 for 93 leaving Kent to survive the final over of the day and post two without loss by the close. Night watchman Coles scored their only runs.
There was some irony in the timing of a reunion of three of Warwickshire’s treble-winners. For even as Andy Moles, Paul Smith and Gladstone Small were reminiscing over the glory days of 1994, they were witnessing the current vintage of Warwickshire batsme
George Dobell at Edgbaston 22-Jul-2010
ScorecardStuart Broad finished with eight wickets as Warwickshire were skittled for 100•Getty Images
There was some irony in the timing of a reunion of three of Warwickshire’s treble-winners. For even as Andy Moles, Paul Smith and Gladstone Small were reminiscing over the glory days of 1994, they were witnessing the current vintage of Warwickshire batsmen sink to an embarrassing new nadir.Bowled out in under two hours, Warwickshire slipped to their eighth loss of the Championship campaign in just their 11th game. They have not lost so many times in a season since 1998, the year that Brian Lara was captain. Their total – just 100 – was also their equal lowest of the century and meant they had been dismissed for under 200 in at least one innings in six of their last seven championship games.A glance at the scorecard might convince you that Stuart Broad produced an unplayable spell of fast bowling, but it is not really so. Broad bowled well, certainly, to claim a career-best return of 8 for 52 and record the best figures in the top division of the Championship so far this season. But he will bowl equally well and finish wicketless.The consensus in the Edgbaston press box was that Ryan Sidebottom, who finished empty handed, actually bowled better. As Ashley Giles, England selector and Warwickshire director of coaching, put it: “Broad bowled well, but it wasn’t a fantastic piece of bowling. It was challenging but nothing more.”The truth is that Warwickshire simply lacked the stomach for the fight. Broad’s pace, which is a good deal sharper than most on the county circuit, a little late swing and his demanding line and length, exposed a batting line-up that is low on confidence and, more worryingly, backbone.”It was good, impressive quick bowling,” Notts’ coach Mick Newell said. “He wants to play for Nottinghamshire. Some of the centrally-contracted players don’t want to play for their counties, but I think we’re quite lucky that we’ve got three who desperately want to play. This lot [Warwickshire] are playing poorly at the moment and with an international bowling attack we knew we had a big chance just as soon as we got that lead.””There were a few nice balls in there, but there were a few soft dismissals as well,” Broad admitted. “I really wanted to concentrate on making the batsman play every single ball and that’s created a little doubt in them because they didn’t feel comfortable leaving. Swanny [Graeme Swann] said from second slip that it was the most he’d seen me swing the ball for a couple of years. It did feel like my wrist was in a good position and I was getting a little extra zip and bounce.”It was a good workout before the Test [series against Pakistan, starting at Trent Bridge next Thursday]. I got 20 overs in during the first innings and that hit me quite hard, not having done a full 90 overs in the field since April. But I came back and bowled a 14 over spell today which has given me a good basis knowing I can go into a Test match with overs in my legs.”At one stage it appeared Broad was on course to take all ten wickets. By the time Warwickshire were 33 for 7 he had them all, so could be forgiven for some disappointment when Neil Carter carved Andre Adams directly to the man on the cover boundary.Carter’s shot – an odd one when his team still required two to make Notts bat again – speaks volumes for Warwickshire’s approach. Where as Mark Wagh, in the defining performance of this match, had shown application, patience and technique, Warwickshire thrashed and lunged like drowning men.Westwood and Trott were both drawn into drives outside off stump and edged to gully, Botha mist-timed a flick and spooned a catch to mid-on before, Troughton, who never looks comfortable against pace, was softened up by two short balls and lost his middle stump as he played across a full one angled in from around the stumps. When Clarke fell next delivery, trapped in front by a straight one, Broad had taken 5 for 14 in 26 balls. Maddy, averaging just 16 this season, and Woakes soon followed, edging ambitious drives.The tail showed a little more fight. Carter, top-scoring for the second time in the game and becoming Warwickshire’s top-run scorer of the season despite batting at number nine, dented Broad’s figures with a brief rally, but when Ambrose cut to gully and Rankin engineered his second run out of the match, Notts required just 25 to win. It took them just 18 deliveries. By the end, it was like watching a rabbit fight a tiger.The win maintains Nottinghamshire’s Championship challenge. Though the 23 points hasn’t quite taken them back above Yorkshire, they have two games in hand. They’re likely to see little more of Broad or Swann, but their remarkable strength in depth will ensure they remain tough to beat.So, where do Warwickshire, who have taken just 29 points from their last seven games, go from here? To the second division, probably. And, without serious investment, it’s there they will stay. This current batting unit – sans Trott and Bell – has been tried and found wanting. Recruitment is required.That will not be easy, however. Warwickshire have invested heavily in their ground redevelopment and have nothing extra for new players. Some of the existing ones may have to make way before room can be found for new faces.Giles, for the first time heckled by supporters calling for his resignation, was visibly shaken afterwards. He remained admirably candid, however, and retains the support of the club management. “That wasn’t good enough,” he admitted. “It was embarrassing. We rolled over and, what makes it more disappointing is, it’s not the first time. It’s not acceptable and we – and I include myself – can’t hide behind any excuses. I’m hurt by what I’ve seen.”We need to show more strength of character. We roll over too much. It seems we shy away from the tough challenges. There’s no-one in the seconds knocking on the door, so we need to invest in the future of this side. If we don’t have guys here who can fill the hole left by Trott and Bell, we need to fill those holes. It’s clear now that we need to strengthen this squad.”Indeed it is. At least one season of rebuilding in the second division looms.
The Indian team had a less than ideal training session in Dambulla ahead of their tri-series match against Sri Lanka
Cricinfo staff15-Aug-2010The Indian team had a less than ideal training session in Dambulla ahead of their tri-series match against Sri Lanka: opening batsman Dinesh Karthik was hit painfully on the hand and MS Dhoni was displeased with what he felt were substandard practice pitches.The pitches reportedly hadn’t been mown and were damp, resulting in balls rearing up from a good length, and bowlers’ run-ups weren’t firm as well.”Dhoni was unhappy with the practice pitches,” India’s team manager Ranjib Biswal told the . “He felt the bounce was uneven. We have not lodged a protest but have asked the authorities for better practice wickets. The captain wants pitches with more consistent bounce at the nets.”Biswal said Karthik, who was hit by one of the local net bowlers, did not have an injury concern and would be fit to play on Monday.Sri Lanka Cricket’s national curator Anuruddha Polonowita, however, said there was nothing wrong with the facilities. “I don’t understand what kind of wickets they [India] want,” he said. “The other day, on a beauty of a wicket, they were bowled out for 88. Now, they don’t want to play on the practice wickets.”India lost their opening game of the tournament by 200 runs to New Zealand and are scheduled to take on the hosts on Monday.
India are not going to wait for the Board President’s XI game before selecting the squad for the first Test of the two-match series against Australia, beginning on October 1 in Mohali
ESPNcricinfo staff19-Sep-2010India are not going to wait for the Board President’s XI game before selecting the squad for the first Test of the two-match series against Australia, beginning on October 1 in Mohali. The selectors will meet on Monday, 11 days before the first Test, and five days before the BP XI game.The tour game against the Australians features Sreesanth and Cheteshwar Pujara, who would like to press claims for their selection, and Gautam Gambhir, who will be playing his first first-class game since a knee injury ended his Sri Lanka tour after the first Test, in July. The squad also includes Abhimanyu Mithun, who impressed the team management in Sri Lanka in the absence of Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth. Legspinner Piyush Chawla, too, would believe he is not too far from being in the frame, after Amit Mishra’s dismal show in Sri Lanka. However, anything these players do in this game is going to influence selection only for the second Test.The Test squad itself shouldn’t pose too many problems. Yuvraj Singh, who lost his No. 6 slot to Suresh Raina during the Sri Lanka tour, should keep his place in the squad. Before his illness made way for Raina in the second Test, Yuvraj had done decently with a hundred in the tour game and a fifty in the first Test. M Vjay should be the other back-up batsman apart from the main six.Zaheer Khan, fit now, should replace Munaf Patel from the squad that travelled to Sri Lanka. Harbhajan Singh should come back too after missing the third Test in Sri Lanka with fitness issues. If the selectors feel the need for a back-up wicketkeeper, Wriddhiman Saha, who was part of the touring party to Sri Lanka, should retain his place.Likely India squad: MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, M Vijay, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, Abhimanyu Mithun and Amit Mishra
A 135-run fifth-wicket stand between Malcolm Waller and Friday Kasteni and a surprise four-wicket haul by Brendan Taylor helped Mid West Rhinos prevail over Southern Rocks by 18 runs in Masvingo
ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2010
ScorecardA 135-run fifth-wicket stand between Malcolm Waller and Friday Kasteni and a surprise four-wicket haul by Brendan Taylor helped Mid West Rhinos prevail over Southern Rocks by 18 runs in Masvingo.Rhinos, put into bat, were reduced to 67 for 4 before Waller and Kasteni added 135 in 21 overs to lift their side to a competitive 239 for 8. Malcolm – son of the former Zimbabwe player Andy Waller – made his highest List A score of 94 off 82 deliveries before falling to Blessing Mahwire, who took 3 for 40. Kasteni, who made 52, got stuck after reaching his half-century and fell to Steve Tikolo.Rocks were in control of the chase as Tatenda Taibu and Craig Ervine took them to 107 for 2 in the 19th over. But once Taibu fell after making 56 off 64 deliveries, Rhinos captain Taylor – who had until then taken only 15 wickets in 147 List A games – struck telling blows with his offbreaks to dismiss Rocks for 221.
The IPL governing council will meet on Wednesday in Nagpur to decide the fate of the Kochi franchise
ESPNcricinfo staff25-Oct-2010The IPL governing council will meet on Wednesday in Nagpur to decide the fate of the Kochi franchise. “The only point on the agenda is Kochi,” one of the BCCI officials said on the content of the short notice sent to the five-member panel.Last week the two warring factions in the Kochi consortium had, through their solicitors, submitted individual replies to the BCCI showcause notice (on October 12) asking them to register a company and settle their internal dispute. Though both the groups – Rendezvous Sports and rival group led by Anchor’s Mehul Shah – tried hard to come to a settlement through numerous meetings, the exercise proved futile as neither group was willing to come down from its original demand. Still, reportedly, both asked for a 10-day extension from the board in a last-ditch attempt to save the franchise from getting terminated.Shashank Manohar, BCCI president, said that his legal team was studying the replies closely and would come to a decision at some point this week. Manohar also clarified that the Kochi case was completely different to Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab, the two franchises terminated on October 10. “Kochi have not breached any agreement, our issues with them are different,” Manohar said. He stressed that the the main problem with Kochi was the “huge differences” between the five-partner consortium which bid $333.33 million earlier this March to become the tenth franchise in the league.Despite the Kochi dispute taking longer than intended to get resolved, Manohar was confident that it would have no impact on the player auctions.
Kevin Pietersen has signed a one-year deal with Surrey having had a loan spell with the club at the end of the last season after being dropped by England
ESPNcricinfo staff22-Nov-2010Kevin Pietersen has signed a one-year deal with Surrey having had a loan spell with the club at the end of the last season after being dropped by England.Speculation about Pietersen’s county future had been rife after he parted ways with Hampshire in the middle of last summer, having not played a first-class game at the Rose Bowl since breaking into the England Test team in 2005. He declared his intention to leave in the middle of 2010, saying he wanted to play for a team closer to his London home.Having struggled for form during the summer Pietersen was told by England coach Andy Flower that he must be part of a county set-up to play international cricket so the deal with Surrey will put those concerns to bed.Pietersen played two Championship games for Surrey at the end of the 2010 season without much success, making 41 runs in three innings although hit a hundred in the CB40, but insists he enjoyed the experience and is looking forward to playing with them next year.”I’m delighted to be playing for Surrey next season, as I really enjoyed my time with them at the end of this year,” said Pietersen. “I hope I can get some games in over the summer and spend time at this great club, meeting more of the staff and supporters. I look forward to catching up with the guys when I get back from the Ashes.”It is a major boost for Surrey, who struggled with the bat last season and recently lost Mark Ramprakash’s services for the early season to injury. Paul Sheldon, the Surrey chief executive, hopes Pietersen’s role can extend beyond the field to helping the younger players develop.”It is a real privilege for Surrey to have signed one of England’s greatest players,” he said. “When Kevin played for us last season, he was a strong positive influence in the dressing room, especially with our younger players.”Although there is a packed schedule of International cricket in 2011, I know that whatever contribution he can make to the club will be of immense value.”
India have named a full-strength squad for the ODI and Twenty20 series in South Africa, which is their last international limited-overs assignment before the 2011 World Cup begins in February
ESPNcricinfo staff21-Dec-2010India have named a full-strength squad for the ODI and Twenty20 series in South Africa, which is their last international limited-overs assignment before the 2011 World Cup begins in February. Piyush Chawla, the legspinner, is the only new name in the 16-man list, having played an ODI last in 2008. Ravindra Jadeja has been left out of the team while Yusuf Pathan, who impressed during the home series against New Zealand, has been retained.The squad comprises six batsmen, wicketkeeper MS Dhoni, allrounder Yusuf and eight bowlers – five quicks and three spinners, including R Ashwin, who’s followed up his success in the IPL and the Champions League with strong performances in ODIs. Ishant Sharma, who hasn’t played ODIs since the trip to Sri Lanka in August, was also left out of the mix.Sachin Tendulkar, who has opted out of one-day matches since his 200 against South Africa in Gwalior this February, will return to the format and partner Virender Sehwag at the top in order to get match practice in the lead-up to the World Cup.The other players who’ve featured in ODIs for India in the recent past but haven’t been picked, following the return of the big names, are batsmen Rohit Sharma and Saurabh Tiwary.Squad: MS Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, R Ashwin, Yusuf Pathan, Piyush Chawla, S Sreesanth.
A division bench of the Bombay High Court has rejected the BCCI’s appeal challenging the order staying the board’s disciplinary proceedings against Lalit Modi
ESPNcricinfo staff27-Dec-2010A division bench of the Bombay High Court has rejected the BCCI’s appeal challenging the order staying the board’s disciplinary proceedings against former IPL chairman Lalit Modi until January 10, 2011. The board’s lawyers argued that the next round of hearings scheduled for December 27 and 28 should be allowed to continue, but the bench comprising Justice Abhay Oka and Justice UD Salvi disagreed, according to a statement sent to ESPNcricinfo by Modi’s attorney, Mehmood Abdi.Modi had filed a case claiming that the committee, which is made up of BCCI vice-president Arun Jaitley, current IPL chairman Chirayu Amin and Jyotiraditya Scindia, was improperly appointed, and asked for the Court to stay the hearings. On December 25, Justice Kathawala held that prima facie there was an argument for halting the proceedings, and issued the stay order.Modi has repeatedly challenged the composition of the committee, particularly objecting to the presence of Amin and Jaitley on the grounds of bias against him. His case was rejected by the Bombay High Court but the Supreme Court told the board and Modi in October to come to a compromise on the issue. However, the two sides have failed to do so and the case is still pending.