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Jonny Bairstow, the England batsman, has admitted “surprise” at touring with the England side just one ODI and two Twenty20 games in to his international career

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Oct-2011Jonny Bairstow, the England batsman, has admitted “surprise” at finding himself touring with England just one ODI and two Twenty20 games in to his international career. Bairstow was Yorkshire’s leading run-getter in the recently-concluded first-class season in England, with 1015 runs in 13 games at 46.13. His Man-of-the-Match performance on ODI debut, scoring a quickfire 41 not out against India in Cardiff, is probably what sealed his spot in the England team for the tour and brought him across the world from Wales to India within a month.”It’s been a good few days,” Bairstow told reporters in Hyderabad, the venue for England’s first warm-up game ahead of the five-match ODI series. “I’ve not been here long but it is definitely an experience. Without a doubt it’s happened more quickly than I thought. It’s a pleasant surprise. It’s a fantastic opportunity, every day and training session. Hopefully I’ll take it with both hands.”Bairstow, 22, has kept wicket for Yorkshire but is yet to do so for England with Craig Kieswetter being the preferred choice. However, Bairstow will keep wicket in England’s first warm-up game in the absence of Kieswetter, who is representing Somerset in the ongoing Champions League Twenty20. “I’d like to think I could be selected for England as a batsman but everyone wants to have a ‘keeper who can bat’,” Bairstow said.He is the son of David Bairstow, who kept wicket for Yorkshire and played four Tests and 21 ODIs for England. David committed suicide in 1998, at the age of 47. “I have some very fond memories of my dad, fond things that people have said,” Bairstow said. “He was a great character and did a lot for the game. It’s a very proud moment for the family and hopefully something that will continue.”Being so young, perhaps it was easier for me, rather than being slightly older and knowing everything that was going on. But my mum wasn’t very well, so it wasn’t easy for the family. It took a lot of hard work and effort to get everything back on track. We’re all pleased with the way things are going. We all pull together and I think that has made us a lot stronger as a family.”Like his father, Bairstow was skilled in multiple sports before choosing to concentrate on cricket. He played schoolboy football with Leeds United as well as Rugby Union at St Peter’s School, York and university hockey. “I was a fly-half and if I hadn’t pushed for my cricket, I think I’d have pushed it for rugby,” he said. “It would have been a lot of hard work in the gym. I think I was better at cricket, but I was preparing for a first’s game, and something changed overnight. It was almost a subconscious decision that it didn’t feel right playing rugby.”England will play two warm-up matches against Hyderabad before the ODI series begins on October 14. Ravi Teja has been named captain of the Hyderabad XI that will face England. The 15-man Hyderabad squad also includes T Suman, who will not be available for the first game since he is part of the Mumbai Indians squad for the Champions League. Also in the Hyderabad squad are Pragyan Ojha, 17-year-old Hanuman Vihari, Akshath Reddy, Ibrahim Khaleel, Arjun Yadav, Amol Shinde, Syed Quadri, Paramveer Singh, Ashish Reddy, Anwar Khan, B Sandeep, Pagadala Naidu and Neeraj Bist. The two games will be the first test for Hyderabad’s new head coach, former India spinner Sunil Joshi.

A round-up of the second day of the seventh round of Division Two in the Quaid-E-Azam Trophy 2011-12

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Nov-2011United Bank Limited‘s bowlers came good with bat and ball to put their team in charge against Multan at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Kashif Bhatti and Rumman Rees, the Nos. 10 and 11, put on a century stand for the final wicket to steer United Bank to 387. Both players registered their highest first-class scores, before Bhatti was snagged nine short of a hundred. Rees remained unbeaten on 42. United Bank’s new-ball pairing of Tahir Mughal and Mohammad Irshad then went on to destroy the Multan top order. The hosts were tottering at 21 for 5 and then 129 for 9, before another solid last-wicket stand – driven by No. 9 Tahir Maqsood’s 79 – took them to 205. Mughal and Irshad finished with four apiece as the follow on was enforced. Multan went to stumps at 1 for 0, one over into their second innings.Peshawar cleaned up Hyderabad‘s remaining batsmen relatively quickly on the second morning, keeping them to 286 at the Niaz Stadium in Sind. Hyderabad had resumed on 217 for 5 and lost the remaining wickets for 69 runs in about 14 overs on the second morning. Afaq Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 4 for 54. In reply, Peshawar was in some trouble at 43 for 3, but an unbroken century stand between Israrullah and captain Akbar Badshah rescued them. They went to stumps at a steady 170 for 3.Strong performances from Zulfiqar Jan and Yasir Ali put Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) in charge of their game against Quetta at the Khan Research Laboratory Ground in Rawalpindi. Jan, the captain and wicketkeeper, registered his highest first-class score – 120 not out – to take his side to an imposing 405. Jan’s century came with him batting at No. 8, and steered KRL into a position of strength from an overnight score of 261 for 7. Quetta’s opening bowler, Arun Lal, took six wickets but did not have much support. Yasir Arafat, Rahat Ali and Yasir Ali then proceeded to rout Quetta for 90, with Yasir Ali claiming his fifth first-class five-for. Following-on, Quetta went to stumps on 18 for no loss.Lahore Ravi‘s overnight batsmen, Usman Salahuddin and Mohammad Saad, went on to complete a century and fifty against Karachi Whites at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. There was no much resistance offered by the lower middle order once the pair was removed though, and Lahore Ravi finished with 280 after resuming on 193 for 4. Tabish Khan claimed four wickets, including that of Saad, bowled for 51. Captain Salahuddin made 120. Karachi Whites’ top order batsmen got starts, but none could push on as their side finished on a shaky 138 for 4.Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), on the back of a patient half-century by opener Naeemuddin, took a 108-run first-innings’ lead against Lahore Shalimar at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. Apart from Naeemuddin – who top scored with 81 – only captian Azhar Shafiq managed to go past fifty, but double digit scores from several batsmen were enough to push SNGPL comfortably past the hosts’ score of 170. Asif Raza did most of the damage with the ball, especially troubling the middle order to finish with 6 for 60. SNGPL’s new-ball bowlers, Asad Ali and Imran Ali, then knocked over three quick wickets to reduce Lahore Shalimar to 40 for 3 and give their side the clear edge going into the third day.

Wasim Jaffer returned to form with a comfortable century, which forced Saurashtra to settle for the draw

Nagraj Gollapudi in Rajkot09-Dec-2011
Scorecard
Wasim Jaffer returned to form with a comfortable century, which became the only element of interest in the match on Friday, which Saurashtra had dominated on the previous three days before having to settle for a draw. They earned three valuable points to keep their chances of making the knockout stage still alive. Despite getting only a solitary point Mumbai are well placed, on 17 points and in second spot behind group leaders Karnataka.The early morning chill on Friday was an encouraging sign for the hosts’ new-ball pair of Jaydev Unadkat and Sandip Maniar, Saurashtra’s first-innings’ hero with a five-for. In the second over, Unadkat duly angled a delivery across a helpless Kaustubh Pawar, who could only edge it back to the wicketkeeper. Pawar had managed only eight runs in the first innings and the second time around he could add only five more.His opening partner Sushant Marathe, who had made an eight-ball duck on Wednesday evening, battled for 100 minutes for just one run. Then he played a cross-batted stroke too far from his body to a delivery that moved away from him. It seemed to take a thin edge on its way to wicketkeeper Sagar Jogiyani, who accepted his second offering of the morning. Marathe remained unimpressed with the umpire’s decision, shaking his head in disapproval throughout his walk back to the dressing room.As the sun came out, Jaffer and Suryakumar Yadav played with more assurance to dominate the bowlers. Yadav, who had hit an aggressive century in the first session on Thursday, was more circumspect and took eighteen deliveries to open his account. Jaffer, who hadn’t made even a fifty so far this season, returned to form, playing elegant strokes and lofting the slow bowlers for his trademark straight sixes.Once the match moved to the second session without the fall of any more wickets, it became of academic interest. So much so that Saurashtra bowled only spin after tea and Jaffer helped himself to his first century in twelve months. His last Ranji hundred came in a winning effort, against Gujarat last December which Mumbai won by an innings and 167 runs.

Dickie Bird, the former international umpire, and ECB chairman Giles Clarke have been given honours in the New Year’s Honours List

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Dec-2011Dickie Bird, the former international umpire, ECB chairman Giles Clarke and the captain of England’s deaf cricket team, Umesh Valjee, have been given honours in the New Year’s Honours List.Bird, who umpired his final Test between England and India at Lord’s in 1996, has been awarded an OBE for services and charity, having previously been given an MBE. Overall Bird officiated in 66 Tests and stood in three World Cup finals during a 28-year career as a first-class umpire. Meanwhile Clarke, chairman of the ECB since 2007, gets a CBE for services to cricket.Valjee captained England’s deaf team to victory in a Twenty20 triangular series in Australia earlier this year and has been awarded an MBE.”This has been a marvellous year for cricket at all levels with the England team becoming the world’s No.1 ranked Test side, a memorable finish to our county season and a 5% growth in participation at grass-roots level in our national network of ECB focus clubs,” Clarke said.”The entire game will be pleased to see that the excellent work which is being done to promote disability cricket has been acknowledged and, of course, that one of our most popular and best-loved umpires has received further national recognition. These awards are a tremendous accolade for cricket in this country and will provide a real boost for all those who work tirelessly to promote our national summer sport.”

Mumbai eased into another Ranji Trophy semi-final on the basis of a massive first-innings lead after their quarter-final against Madhya Pradesh ended in a draw

Abhishek Purohit at the Holkar Cricket Stadium05-Jan-2012
ScorecardMumbai eased into another Ranji Trophy semi-final on the basis of a massive first-innings lead after their quarter-final against Madhya Pradesh ended in a draw on the fourth day in Indore.On the final day, Mohnish Mishra led a dominating batting performance from MP and, with his captain Devendra Bundela, smashed the friendly Mumbai attack for 224 runs in just over a session. MP declared on 474 for 3 but Mumbai, with the security of first-innings points, were never going to go for the target of 233 in a minimum of 49 overs. The match ended at the start of the mandatory overs, by which time Kaustubh Pawar and Praful Waghela had scored fifties to lead Mumbai to 113 for 1.The only source of interest at the start of the final day was whether MP
would go for quick runs and set a target for Mumbai. They did not disappoint. Mishra and Bundela plundered at will on the flat pitch and Wasim Jaffer had nine fielders on the boundary for the major part of the first session. The batsmen still kept hitting the odd boundary, and Mishra smashed five sixes as well. Some of them were flat and clean strikes against the medium-pacers that cleared
long-on.With Dhawal Kulkarni resting ahead of the semi-final against Tamil Nadu because of a shin niggle, the Mumbai spinners did the bulk of the bowling. Ankeet Chavan bowled 40 overs for a return of 1 for 171. Mumbai were not thinking about taking wickets; their only consideration was to bat for as few overs as possible. MP helped them by batting on for a few more overs after lunch so that Bundela could get to his century. When the declaration finally came, Mishra was unbeaten on 174.Pawar, who had rescued Mumbai in the first innings with a defiant 161, punched powerfully off the back foot for boundaries to sign off with a half-century in the second. The pitch looked good to last another four days; it was their indecisive batting on the first morning, when the surface was at its freshest, that ended MP’s tournament.

Australia’s stand-in captain Ricky Ponting has said he is still worth his place in the ODI team despite a run of four consecutive single-digit scores to begin the triangular series

Daniel Brettig at the SCG17-Feb-2012Australia’s stand-in captain Ricky Ponting has said he is still worth his place in the ODI team despite a run of four consecutive single-digit scores to begin the triangular series. Following an outstanding Test series against India, Ponting has struggled for touch in the limited-overs matches, and is now saddled with the extra responsibility of captaincy while Michael Clarke recovers from a hamstring strain.Despite his poor run and horrid night for the hosts against Sri Lanka at the SCG, Ponting said he was still an important component of the team as one of the senior players from whom a transitional squad must learn.”I think I am, but you’d better ask the selectors what they think about that,” Ponting said. “My last four games have not been what they would have liked, but I guess if the selectors were thinking that way already then they probably wouldn’t have picked me for the start of the series.”There are still a few senior players around the side and they made it clear to the younger guys at the start of the summer that it was vital they gain a little bit of experience around them. But saying that, it’s not just reputation that going to get you picked. You have to score runs, that’s what it’s all about. I know that as well as anyone.”When asked whether or not he was entering another extended difficult patch, having waited 33 Test innings between centuries prior to the New Year’s match against India in Sydney, a look of exasperation flashed across Ponting’s face as he considered the possibility.”Hopefully I’m not starting again with that,” he said. “I can’t run away from what’s happened. It’s been four single-figure scores in four games. If I look at the way I’ve trained in the last few weeks, yesterday is the best session I’ve had in a long time.”I felt as sharp as I have all summer, but I’ve got to find a way to get some runs. If I’m out cheaply we’re 2 for 20-odd and we’ve been that in just about every game we’ve played.”Ponting’s team rounded off a poor night by confirming that Clarke would not be fit in time for Sunday’s match against India in Brisbane. The Tasmania captain, George Bailey, has been pulled out of a Sheffield Shield fixture against Queensland in Hobart in order to join the squad as batting cover.Mickey Arthur, the coach and selector, said Bailey’s inclusion was necessary after Mitchell Marsh was forced out of the squad by back stress fractures, and to ensure Clarke was given adequate time to recover.”While it is not ideal having to take George away from the Sheffield Shield match currently underway in Hobart, we feel it is important we have sufficient batting cover in our squad,” Arthur said. “This selection is reward for George’s excellent form with Tasmania this season and recognition that the National Selection Panel consider him the next batsman in line for Australian one-day selection.”The Victoria left-arm spinner Jon Holland is being kept with the squad alongside Xavier Doherty, following the latter’s struggle with back spasms leading into the Sydney ODI.

Jesse Ryder and Doug Bracewell will not be considered for selection for New Zealand’s third ODI against South Africa because they broke team protocol after the defeat in Napier

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Mar-2012Jesse Ryder and Doug Bracewell have been dropped for New Zealand’s third ODI against South Africa after they were found to have broken team protocol following the defeat in Napier. Ryder and Bracewell went out to a hotel after the match and became involved in an argument with a patron.In a statement NZC said the players had “compromised their preparation” for the third one-dayer by their actions. “Team protocols dictate that players who are rehabilitating from injury should not consume alcohol and unfortunately both players went to a Napier hotel following the conclusion of the match,” the board said in a release. “Also, while at the hotel both players verbally reacted to taunts from a member for the public.”Bracewell was being treated for a tight hamstring, while Ryder split the webbing of his hand during the Napier match. Ryder had only just returned to the New Zealand squad after recovering from a calf injury, which had kept him out of the team since the tour of Australia in December. He made 52 in the third Twenty20 against South Africa, and 0 and 6 in the first two ODIs.”Further to the issue of breaking team protocols related to their preparation, we are disappointed they [Ryder and Bracewell] become involved in a verbal argument with a patron,” New Zealand team manager Mike Sandle said. “Despite the fact that the players were goaded, and they didn’t allow the situation to escalate past a short exchange of words, we expect players to walk away.”Both players have apologised for their actions and said they fully understood the consequences. They know they have let down fans and team mates alike.”While this is Bracewell’s first such indiscretion on the international circuit, that is not the case for Ryder. In August 2010, Ryder was fined for “intoxicated and rowdy” behaviour at a hotel during an indoor cricket tournament and he said he had feared for his career while NZC were investigating the incident. The most serious of Ryder’s indiscretions was in 2008, when he put his right hand through a glass window during a late-night session at a Christchurch bar. In January 2009, NZC said Ryder had given up alcohol after another incident, which resulted in him missing an ODI against West Indies. Edited by George Binoy

Saeed Ajmal, the driving force behind Pakistan’s Test series victory against England, is to pull out of his deal to be one of Worcestershire’s overseas players in this year’s Friends Life t20 competition.

Umar Farooq06-Apr-2012Saeed Ajmal, the driving force behind Pakistan’s Test series victory against England, is to pull out of his deal to be one of Worcestershire’s overseas players in this year’s Friends Life t20 competition.Ajmal will cite a need to manage his workload ahead of additional international commitments for Pakistan, who are confident of announcing a series against Sri Lanka shortly.Ajmal’s wife has also recently given birth to the couple’s third child, a son, who predictably has already been nicknamed Teesra – the ‘third one’ – after his latest mystery delivery.It will be a major disappointment for Worcestershire, who had signed one of the most appealing cricketers in the game. Ajmal was also their best bowler in last year’s T20 competition. He claimed 16 wickets in eight games, conceding fewer than six runs an over and averaging 11.37 per wicket.Worcestershire have yet to hear official confirmation of Ajaml’s withdrawal, though they were aware of plans for the Sri Lanka series which have been mooted for a few weeks. They have yet to make contingency plans.The PCB has also yet to decide whether to allow Junaid Khan to play for Lancashire. The left-arm fast bowler has recently recovered from knee injury and, while he has applied for a No Objection Certificate, the PCB have yet to grant it.