All posts by n8rngtd.top

Paul Shaw, the head of England Women’s Performance, will step down from his job under a coaching restructuring following this summer’s Ashes defeat which will see a new head coach appointed early next year

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Sep-2015Paul Shaw, the head of England Women’s Performance, will step down from his job under a coaching restructuring following this summer’s Ashes defeat which will see a new head coach appointed early next year.The ECB has said they ideally want a coach with first-class or international experience, something Shaw does not possess, ahead of a period that includes the World T20 in India next March and the 2017 World Cup which will be hosted in England.Shaw has worked with England’s women’s set-up for seven years and was appointed to the head of performance role in 2013. He oversaw back-to-back Ashes series victories but England have not found success at a global event since winning both the World T20 and World Cup in 2009 although they have reached the last two World T20 finals – losing to Australia both times.Last month, England relinquished the Ashes 10-6 in the multi-point format having lost the one-day series and one-off Test. They won the T20 series 2-1, but a batting collapse at Hove – a theme of the season – when they fell to 87 all out chasing 108 decided the contest.”The important contribution that Paul has made to the development of England women’s cricket over the last seven years is unquestionable,” Clare Conner, the director of England women’s cricket, said. “When Paul was appointed to the new role of Head of England Women’s Performance in 2013, it was at a stage when professionalism of the England women’s team was imminent. His strategic planning, long term vision and relationship management have been instrumental in guiding the programme through this transition.”The women’s game is now fully professional and is in a different place to when Paul was appointed two and a half years ago. The decision to move back to a more traditional coaching structure, led by one overarching head coach, ideally with first-class or international playing or coaching experience, is what we believe is now needed to take the players to the next level in their development as professional cricketers.Shaw said: “I have very much enjoyed the past two and a half years working with the England women’s team. My personal highlights have been the successful back-to-back Women’s Ashes campaigns, both in England and Australia, as well as leading a young England team to the 2014 ICC Women’s World T20 final in Bangladesh.””The England women’s performance programme has evolved into a world class set-up over the past few years. With this in mind, I believe it is now time to step aside and give someone else the opportunity to take the programme and the team onto the next level, as I look to take on my next challenge.”I wish Charlotte and the team every success in what promises to be a very exciting couple of years ahead.”Interviews for the new head coach will begin next month with the ECB aiming to have the position filled before the tour of South Africa next February. Shaw will continue in his position until the end of the year.

NZC has said it will support Brendon McCullum if he should face any sort of difficulty after Chris Cairns was acquitted of perjury in a London court despite the New Zealand captain having testified against the former allrounder

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Dec-2015New Zealand Cricket has said it will support Brendon McCullum if he should face any sort of difficulty after Chris Cairns was acquitted of perjury in a London court. The New Zealand captain had testified against the former allrounder during the trial.”Brendon is an employee of ours, so we’ve got a duty of care around him that makes sure he’s in a safe working environment and free of harassment and all that humiliation stuff,” NZC chairman Stuart Heal told . “I hope it doesn’t come to that, but of course we will support Brendon. As I say, he’s our current captain and an employee of New Zealand Cricket. We need him on the park leading our side and doing what he does best.”McCullum had told the Southwark Crown Court that the first approach from Cairns had come in his hotel bar in Kolkata ahead of the opening match of the 2008 IPL. Cairns, he claimed, followed that up with a subsequent phone call, before contacting McCullum at Worcester in June, when he was on tour with the New Zealand Test team. He added that he turned down the offers each time.The perjury charge against Cairns related to his successful 2012 libel action against former IPL chairman Lalit Modi at the High Court in London, which arose as a result of a tweet sent by Modi in 2010 accusing Cairns of fixing during the now defunct Indian Cricket League.In the course of the libel trial, Cairns stated that he had “never” cheated at cricket, and would never contemplate doing so, a statement that attracted the interests of the Crown Prosecution Service in the wake of leaked testimony given by his former team-mates, Lou Vincent and McCullum, to the ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit (ACSU).Heal said McCullum should not be criticised for delaying the reporting of his conversation with Cairns – it took place in 2008 but McCullum first reported it to the ACU in 2011. “I think it’s really important that we understand [he] came forward for the right reasons,” Heal said. “I think with Brendon, he said – didn’t he – in the trial that he delayed his report on the basis that he was reluctant to incriminate a friend. And I think what was happening in 2008 and now, today – it is a different environment.”The ICC also acknowledged Cairns’ acquittal. “The ICC notes the decision of the jury finding Mr Chris Cairns not guilty and confirms its utmost respect for the process that has been followed,” it said in a statement. “The ICC and its [anti-corruption unit] will continue to work closely with and provide all possible support to players in order that the fight against corruption can be tackled effectively and collectively.”

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum has said he stands by the evidence he gave during Chris Cairns’ perjury trial in London, and said he did not need to give Cairns an explanation as to why he testified

Andrew Fidel Fernando09-Dec-20151:06

‘From my point of view, I was comfortable with the evidence I gave in London’ – McCullum

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum has said he stands by the evidence he gave during Chris Cairns’ perjury trial in London, and said he did not need to give Cairns an explanation as to why he testified.Cairns was acquitted of perjury, and has since publicly questioned why McCullum and Daniel Vettori did not come forward with evidence against him during a previous libel trial in 2011.McCullum was keen to shift focus to the Test series against Sri Lanka, which begins Thursday, but did speak briefly on his role in the trial.”From my point of view, I was comfortable with the evidence I gave in London,” McCullum said. “I stand by that evidence. It was a pretty big deal in New Zealand cricket, and now that it’s over, it’s time to move on.”McCullum felt his professional standing remained undamaged despite the trial’s verdict. “I don’t think my reputation has been on the line during the whole thing. I was one of a number of witnesses who gave evidence in the trial. People are going to have their own opinions on what unfolded. I was comfortable with it, and I think it’s time to move on and focus on cricket.”McCullum would not be drawn on the eventual verdict. “For me it’s not whether someone was guilty or not guilty, my role was to go and give the evidence in the trial and remain pretty unemotional about it, to be honest. “In a column for on Sunday, Cairns had asked: “Why didn’t he [McCullum] come forward to [Lalit] Modi before my 2012 libel trial? McCullum had given a statement to the ICC in February 2011 with Dan Vettori present and both men could have helped Modi out then. So, why now?”It was in response to this that McCullum said: “I don’t think I need to [give Cairns an explanation].”

Dale Steyn has been ruled out of the third Test against England at the Wanderers due to the shoulder injury he sustained during the opening match of the series in Durban

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-2016Dale Steyn has been ruled out of the third Test against England at the Wanderers due to the shoulder injury he sustained during the opening match of the series in Durban.There had been encouraging updates about Steyn’s fitness during the Newlands Test but doubts over his recovery came when he was ruled “50-50″ at the conclusion of that match and required a second opinion from another specialist on the injury. He was not with the South Africa squad in Johannesburg on Monday, instead remaining in Cape Town where he underwent a further scan.”They are doing more scans to try and find something there,” Russell Domingo, South Africa’s coach said. “They are trying to find what the problem is and once they’ve given us that diagnosis we will be able to give you more information.”It continues a significant run of problems for Steyn, who has 406 wickets in 82 Tests, as he misses his fifth Test out of seven. Steyn sat out three of the four Tests in India with a groin injury and will now miss a second successive game against England but Domingo did not believe it pointed to a bleaker long-term future.”I don’t think it’s the end of Dale Steyn’s career at all,” he said. “All players are going to experience some sort of niggles at some stage. He has just had a few of them of late. He is a great athlete, he is as fit as they come and these things happen. He is just going through that phase of his career at the moment and I’m sure he will get through it.”Similarly, South Africa will also have to find a way to cope and Domingo was optimistic about their depth despite his disappointment at losing Steyn. “We know he is a great bowler. He is the best bowler in the world and we haven’t had him since the first Test in India. Not having him has been disappointing but there’s not too much we can do. The game goes on. We’ve got to make do with it. It’s the way it is. There’s nothing we can do about it. It’s an opportunity for somebody else to hopefully make a mark and strive to be as good as Dale Steyn was and is.”That somebody else will have to come out of the other five pacemen South Africa have in their squad. Morne Morkel, a fit-again Kyle Abbott, who has recovered from a hamstring niggle, Kagiso Rabada, Chris Morris and uncapped Hardus Viljoen are competing for places in the pace pack and South Africa will spend the next two days concocting a combination to try and level the series.The first question they will face is whether to include a spinner on what is expected to be a pitch with some life for the quick bowlers. Domingo admitted he would be hesitant to go all-pace even if conditions suggested he should. “I am one of those coaches that likes to have a spinner but the Wanderers is notorious for not having a spinner,” he said. “We need to look at conditions. Once we’ve done that, we will have a discussion with the selectors. It’s not unheard of to go into a Wanderers Test without a spinner. It’s often been done.”If they listen to the groundsman, Bethuel Buthelezi, it should not be done this time. Buthelezi, who is preparing his first Test pitch, has promised bounce, pace, and turn and said if it was up to him, he would play a spinner. That does not automatically mean Dane Piedt, who took three wickets at Newlands, will keep his place. South Africa could also go back to JP Duminy after he responded to being dropped from the Test XI with a career-best unbeaten 260 for Cape Cobras in a domestic first-class game last week although how he would fit into the balance of the side would be a conundrum.”It’s an outstanding performance to go back and get your career best a couple of days after you’ve been left out of a Test match. It speaks volumes about his character and the type of cricketer he is,” Domingo said. “He is in the squad, but the selectors have not decided if he will play. We know he can also offer something with the ball.”Assuming Morkel plays, even though Domingo has mentioned he is in the “red zone” when it comes to workload, that would mean deciding between two out of Rabada, Morris, Abbott and Viljoen and it may come down to who offers more with the bat. Morris stands out after scoring 69 on debut at Newlands.”Chris Morris is definitely somebody we are looking at to fill a role like Shaun Pollock or Lance Klusener used to do for us – a guy who can bowl really well and offer us something with the bat,” Domingo said. “I was pleased with his batting performance and his bowling as well. He is a good package – he also gives something in the field.”For the sake of experience, the remaining place will probably go to one of Abbott or Rabada but Viljoen could edge ahead because of local knowledge. The Lions quick took twenty wickets in two first-class matches at the Wanderers this season which may force him into the XI. “He has got a good chance,” Domingo said. “He has a great record at the Wanderers. He has been on form and there is no substitute for pace. Nobody enjoys facing pace here.”

The fifth BBL final was a tale of two innings, and two collapses. Kevin Pietersen, who is in marvellous form, scored 74, before Usman Khawaja, who is in simply superhuman touch, made 70 which, as wickets tumbled, proved enough to hand Sydney Thunder their

The report by Will Macpherson24-Jan-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:20

Macpherson: Nice ending for Hussey in Australia

The fifth BBL final was a tale of two innings, and two collapses. Kevin Pietersen, who is in marvellous form, scored 74, before Usman Khawaja, who is in simply superhuman touch, made 70 which, as wickets tumbled, proved enough to hand Sydney Thunder their first title.Thunder had never finished outside the bottom two for the first four seasons and 2015-16 has been a topsy-turvy one too. They lost four consecutive games after winning their first three and only crept into the finals when their fate was beyond their control. Since then, however, Thunder have been clinical.Khawaja had considered quitting the western Sydney (the area he grew up in) franchise, but opted to stay after a chat two years ago with Michael Hussey, whom the club pursued desperately to mastermind a rebuild. Thunder have won only 11 out of 41 matches since the Big Bash’s inception and Hussey has been at the helm of nine of them, including a final on the same day Thunder won the inaugural Women’s BBL too.In his final game on Australian soil, Hussey was given a guard of honour by Stars led by their captain, his brother, David Hussey, as he walked to the crease. He left, 18 runs later, to a standing ovation; fortunately for him, his team-mates finished the job.Pietersen’s was princely innings. The match was barely into the second over when Marcus Stoinis slapped Shane Watson to mid-off, where Andre Russell, who had struck Stoinis’s chest with the match’s first ball – took the catch. Pietersen was initially starved of the strike. He was stuck at the non-strikers’ for ten balls before flicking Clint McKay for a four, then had to wait ten more deliveries for another hit. Perhaps the Pietersen of old would have forced a suicidal single or lost concentration; here he lofted Jacques Kallis over long-on, cut him for four and just kept going.Stars were 50 for 2 in seven overs when the other opener Luke Wright fell, but Pietersen was unperturbed. He swatted Fawad Ahmed’s first delivery for a straight six, picked up a googly and swept it fine to round off the over and in the next one bowled by the legspinner, Pietersen skipped to leg and flicked the ball over the cover boundary quite powerfully.In Peter Handscomb and David Hussey, Pietersen found a pair of willing assistants to run hard and exploit the MCG’s vast expanses. The big ones came along too as Handcomb favoured the cut and whip while Hussey profited from slog-sweeps.But when Kallis bowled Hussey with a magnificent yorker, it sparked a collapse as Stars lost six wickets for 45 runs.Pietersen had drilled the first ball of the 15th over for six, but in the next one, a push to leg back ended up in the bowler Green’s hands. With the stadium silent and the fielders confused, Pietersen simply walked.Rob Quiney was through his shot early and popped a return catch to Russell, but Stars managed to finish on 176 thanks to some late heaves from Evan Gulbis and Adam Zampa. This despite three wickets off the final three balls of the innings – Zampa and Daniel Worrall were run out either side of Gulbis being magnificently caught on the midwicket fence by Green.Khawaja ends the BBL with 345 runs in four innings, three of which were genuinely match-winning. He has been untouchable in the Powerplay, making the finest gaps look like vast craters and his timing takes the ball over the infield easily. Ben Hilfenhaus, in his first over, was driven down the ground twice, once along the deck and once through the air; Worrall was crunched through the covers, flicked over long-off for six and ramped over fine-leg for four. Khawaja was purring along.At the other end, Jacques Kallis was a touch more labored. He managed to cut Michael Beer for a couple of fours but, after suffering cramp, slapped Adam Zampa straight to long-on. Watson came in at No. 3 and chipped Stoinis straight to midwicket.Khawaja had survived two loud lbw shouts either side of lifting Zampa over down the ground for six, but fell to David Hussey, plopping a rank full toss straight to backward point. When Michael Hussey was bowled slog-sweeping by Zampa, and Russell edged Stoinis behind, Thunder were 146 for 5. They had lost five batsmen for 60 runs from being 86 for 0.Aiden Blizzard hoicked Beer for four, then six, only to be run out by a superb direct hit from the left-arm spinner. Needing 14 from 12, Green drilled one over cover for four, survived a skied chance at midwicket and was caught at cover seconds later. The drama was clearly not yet done.The final act read four required from the last over. So Ben Rohrer flicked to leg for two, and drove down the ground for six and under firework-filled skies, the Thunder fairytale was complete.

Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Bangladesh Under-19 captain who led the team to a third-place finish, wants to improve his overall skills before he vies for a place in the senior team

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Feb-2016Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Bangladesh Under-19 captain who led the team to a third-place finish, wants to improve his overall skills before he vies for a place in the senior team. Miraz, scored 242 runs in six innings and also picked up 12 wickets at 17.66 to earn the Man of the Tournament award.”I just ended my career at the Under-19 level and like every other cricketer, I also dream to play at the highest level for my country,” Miraz said. “But this requires perseverance and hard work, and I want to develop myself as a better cricketer in the time I will get to transform myself.”It is a big achievement for me to win the player-of-the-tournament award; not just for me, but for the whole team and the nation too. Sixteen teams participated in the event and our team came third and among them I got the award. This is actually massive.”Miraz said that the Bangladesh team could have played the final but for an inspired West Indies side who beat them in the semi-final in Mirpur. Now he wants to move forward quickly and could possibly play for South Zone in the Bangladesh Cricket League first-class tournament.”We had a great unit too and deserved to win the trophy,” he said. “But a few mistakes cost us the [semi-final] match. We respected the West Indies but we had the confidence in us. We just couldn’t translate it into action.”I think there were expectations on me because I played well. I will need to hold on to the belief that I can carry myself forward. I am not satisfied with these achievements only. I want to go up the ladder and give some moments of happiness to my nation.”

ICC chief executive David Richardson says he will push for at least two more teams to be added to the first and second round in future World T20 competitions

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-2016ICC chief executive David Richardson said that he believes the current format of the World T20 has proven to be a success, but says he will push for at least two more teams to be added to the first and second round in future competitions. Richardson made the comments ahead of Sunday’s men’s and women’s finals in which he also discussed opportunities for Associate cricket outside of ICC events, including potential inclusion in the Olympics.”I think the format itself works. Whether we promoted those first round matches well enough, that’s a question we need to answer at a later stage and review it,” Richardson told in an interview ahead of Sunday’s finals. “The format has worked in that all the matches, first round and second round, it’s designed to create even contests between the teams and to that extent it’s worked exceptionally well.””Whether we move to perhaps increasing the size of the tournament by adding one or two teams, or one team to each group in that first round, I think if we can do that number one we’ll provide more opportunities to other teams but number two, if you do lose two matches you’ve still got a chance in a group of five whereas in a group of four, you’re dead and buried. That might be useful and then even maybe increasing, instead of having a Super 10 have a Super 12 maybe which will again increase the number of matches but I think it will give more opportunities for the Associate members to participate in the second round of the tournament itself.”Richardson also rejected the assertions made about the first round not being part of the actual tournament – in reference to comments by Associate captains such as Scotland’s Preston Mommsen and Netherlands Peter Borren – and also deflected criticisms about the lack of opportunities for Associate teams in between World Cups, saying the the ICC helps them out by subsidizing competitions like the Intercontinental Cup and World Cricket League.”Don’t forget the first round, although it wasn’t as well attended as we would have liked, is part of the tournament,” Richardson said. “So they qualified for the tournament, they went through it, they had to compete to get into the tournament with other teams and it’s a bit like Wimbledon or any of these major tournaments where you go through pre-qualifying sometimes, you make the tournament itself and unfortunately you lose in the first round and you’re on your way.”So I think on the one hand we want to more opportunities for the Associate members. We want to try and achieve more competitive teams at the highest level, but on the other hand if you’re an Associate member player, you play for Scotland or Holland, the ICC pays for you to go play in the Intercontinental Cup, the World Cricket League Championship, play in ICC events from time to time. It’s not all bad. So I think we must try and avoid a sense of entitlement, whether it’s from the Associate members or the Full Members.”Further to that point, Richardson said that keeping the World T20 to a four-year cycle and sticking to plans for a 10-team World Cup in 2019 is being done to safeguard to the financial health of all formats at ICC events and that all members will benefit financially, regardless of their participation or lack thereof.”The danger of course is that if we keep pushing T20 and keep playing T20 events every two years, it’ll effectively cannibalize the other two,” Richardson said. “We want to make sure that we keep an even and more reasonable balance between the three formats, hence the decision to go with one men’s World T20 in a four-year cycle.”Again, the reason to go to a 10-team [2019 World Cup] tournament was done for a number of reasons some time back. Number one probably it was a format that would generate more competitive cricket and secondly more value. If we’re honest with ourselves, a tournament which involves a guaranteed nine Indian matches is worth substantially more than a tournament with less Indian matches. And of course the money that’s generated from that event is for the benefit of all members including the Associate members.”As for cricket in the Olympics, Richardson said that for it to have a chance of getting in for the 2024 Summer Games, there must be collective support shown by the ICC’s membership base, in particular from the BCCI, in order for there to be a chance of inclusion. However, if there is a risk that an Olympic T20 tournament might devalue the ICC’s own tournaments, then it would discourage the ICC and its members from pursuing the option.”[The IOC is] not interested in beach cricket or six-a-side cricket. They would want the T20 format to be used at the Olympics,” Richardson said. “I think the IOC woud like cricket but they would only take us if all the members were fully committed including India. Now the matter is being discussed again at the April meeting.”Number one, all the member countries have to decide whether they would like to participate and whether there’s enough benefit for them, both individually and collectively, and then secondly we also need to make sure that participation in the Olympics in a T20 event wouldn’t devalue our own World T20 and of course that would be counter-productive.”

Moinul Islam and offspinner Mustafizur Rahman of Gazi Group Cricketers, Abahani’s left-arm spinner Amit Kumar and Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club’s left-arm spinner Rejaul Karim have been reported for a suspect bowling action in the Dhaka Premier Division C

Mohammad Isam23-Apr-2016The bowling actions of four bowlers have been reported for suspect actions after the first day of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League. Left-arm spinner Moinul Islam and offspinner Mustafizur Rahman of Gazi Group Cricketers, Abahani’s left-arm spinner Amit Kumar, and Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club’s left-arm spinner Rejaul Karim were reported.Gazi Group’s head coach Mohammad Salahuddin said he was notified of the report at the end of their shock 106-run win over Prime Bank Cricket Club in Mirpur on Friday. Moinul and Mustafizur had made their List A debuts in the match.”The umpires gave a piece of paper to our manager, which said that [Mustafizur Rahman] Bashar and the left-armer Moinul have been reported. I spoke to the umpires later and they said some of their deliveries were suspect. But they can continue playing until the board tells us anything,” Salahuddin told ESPNcricinfo.It is also understood that Abahani will continue to use Amit until further notification.Apart from informing the teams, the umpires submitted the report to the BCB’s umpires committee, which is supposed to hand it over to the bowlers review group. However, the review group – tasked with handling reported bowlers – has not been formed yet.Rejaul had been reported for a suspect action in 2006-07 too and was cleared to bowl in the subsequent season.

Stuart Broad has said he does not harbour any ill will towards Mohammad Amir, who is set to make a Test return on Pakistan’s tour of England after a five-year ICC ban for spot-fixing

Alan Gardner06-Jun-20161:02

Quick Facts – Mohammad Amir set to play Tests again

As Stuart Broad prepares for his 16th Test match at Lord’s, starting against Sri Lanka on Thursday, he is asked to cast his mind back to his fifth. Over an extraordinary few days in 2010, Broad scored what remains his only Test century, putting on what remains a record stand for the eighth wicket in Tests (332 with Jonathan Trott); but it was the revelations about the activities of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir that left their indelible mark on the game.Amir, the youngest of the trio, was on Sunday named in Pakistan’s Test squad for their upcoming tour of England and is set to return to the scene of the crime – for which he served time in a young offenders institute – next month, although a decision on whether he will be granted a UK visa is still pending.Broad, however, does not harbour any ill will towards Amir, who is yet to play a Test match since completing a five-year ICC ban for spot-fixing. He is also still proud of his place on the honours board, next to a score of 169 – the second-highest tally by a No. 9 and, perhaps more importantly to Broad, eclipsing his dad’s Test best by seven runs.

Broad backing for Finn

Stuart Broad believes that Steven Finn can find his form on his home ground after an indifferent return to the Test side. Finn has taken four wickets in two Tests against Sri Lanka, having recovered from an injury-affected winter, but Broad said the surfaces in the series so far, at Headingley and Chester-le-Street, had not catered to his strengths.
“I think he’s been searching for a bit of rhythm but Lord’s is his home ground, he should find rhythm – he traditionally bowls from the Pavilion End and bowls really well there,” Broad said. “He can use the slope to his advantage, not try and swing it or throw it up there, just do what he does, throw it into the pitch and use the natural variations of that. Questions marks have been over his bowling slightly because he’s not got loads of wickets but, for me and him – particularly him as a real hit-the-deck bowler – those wickets haven’t suited our style of bowling.”

“It’s certainly not devalued in my mind, I still scored those runs and am still on the honours board,” he said. “I think the result was devalued. We couldn’t celebrate – we didn’t celebrate – it was all a very strange time. But I don’t think any feelings will be dragged into this Test match from that Test match. I think only three or four players are playing in the England team now who were then, and Pakistan have had a huge change over.”I don’t think any ill feeling or negativity from the players will have carried through – the crowd might be a different story. We know that Lord’s is a passionate crowd and they all have their own minds.”Amir made his international comeback with Pakistan’s limited-overs teams at the start of this year and, despite some initial resistance among team-mates, he has made an encouraging start to his second coming. Azhar Ali, Pakistan’s ODI captain, said last week that “toughest phase is over” for Amir and Broad said he had no issues with his inclusion.”I think he’s served his time and the ICC have got their guidelines to what the punishments are for certain crimes and people have their opinion on that,” Broad said. “At the end of the day as an England team to win a Test series like that is a brilliant feeling and you want to play against the best possible team you can and for quality of bowler I don’t think there is much doubt that he is up there with anyone.”I’ve not played him for six years but in 2010 he was a constant threat and he was Man of the Series I think. It swung round corners for him.”While Broad no longer has pretensions to become the genuine allrounder that 2010 innings suggested he might, he has grown in stature as a bowler in the intervening period, recently becoming only the third England bowler to be ranked No. 1 in the world since the 1980s. His rise, following a haul of 6 for 17 in Johannesburg that set up England’s series win over South Africa, was swiftly followed by that of his team-mate James Anderson, who last week emulated Ian Botham, Steve Harmison and Broad in reaching the summit.Despite taking ten wickets at 18.90 in two Tests against Sri Lanka, Broad actually fell to third, behind India’s R Ashwin – who has not played a Test since December, prompting Broad to joke: “So I would have been better off carrying drinks at the IPL.” Not that the famously taciturn Anderson has been moved to an outpouring of emotion. “He hasn’t actually mentioned it. I texted him when the rankings came out saying ‘having a drink for you – congratulations’. I think he is chuffed but you know what Jimmy is like – he’s certainly not given it a smile yet.”Stuart Broad is currently ranked the No. 3 Test bowler in the world•Hardy’s

Broad is, however, already plotting how to regain the mantle and, alongside Joe Root’s presence at No. 2 on the ICC batting list, it seems a comment made by Trevor Bayliss at England’s training camp in Spain on taking over as head coach last summer has lodged in the team’s consciousness.”Getting to the No. 1 ranked team is the main aim but Trevor said to us in Spain when he took over ‘We aren’t going move forward as a team unless some of you players raise your games and get up those rankings – we aren’t going to be the best team in the world if you are sat at eight and you are sat at twelve.’ It’s quite an Australian way of saying it – it’s a sort-yourselves-out type thing.”We’ve put some performances in that have taken us up the rankings – as a team, we are lying fourth but I think we are a bit better than that. We are a really good team at the moment, we have a lot of bases covered.”That there is still room for improvement is something Broad quickly admits, too. First on the list will be rectifying England’s poor recent record of losing dead rubbers – even if the new Super Series concept has theoretically removed them – and securing a first whitewash in a series of three or more Tests since beating India 4-0 in 2011.”That is what all the talk will be about this week for sure,” he said. “I can’t even think about when an England last clean swept a series of three. Five years ago is a long time.”It is actually a bad habit we’ve got into. The performance against Australia at The Oval was awful, at Centurion we missed too many chances and fell away, so it is something we’re aware of and it is not good enough. With more focus on rising up the rankings then we can’t afford to make these mistakes.”Should England wrap up a 3-0 series win over Sri Lanka, it might be another moment of quiet satisfaction for Bayliss, who Broad said has “started to instill a bit more of his beliefs on the team”. The Australian is unlikely to be overflowing with praise, in any case. Asked if a “Well done” from Bayliss meant more, Broad replied: “I don’t think I even got one for my 8 for 15… I’m not sure I’m getting one.” The smile suggested he didn’t too much mind.Stuart Broad was speaking as a Hardys ambassador at 1853 Wine Shop in Weybridge. For exclusive wine offers, visit 1853wineclub.com.

Supergiants are all but out of the race for a playoff spot, and a defeat on Saturday would mean certain elimination

The Preview by Nikhil Kalro13-May-2016

Match facts

Saturday, May 14, 2016
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)4:08

Agarkar: Yusuf has played maturely this season

Big Picture

Kolkata Knight Riders played previously on Sunday and lost to Gujarat Lions by five wickets. Six days later, they head into their match against Rising Pune Supergiants narrowly clinging on to their top-four spot, and with three of their four remaining games at home, a playoffs berth is theirs to lose.Yusuf Pathan’s return to form has bolstered their middle order. Manish Pandey has recovered from chicken pox. Andre Russell is firing with bat and ball. The chinks in Knight Riders’ armour aren’t vulnerable. However, a big loss will affect their net run rate and hurt them, given the cluttered mid-table.At the other end of the scale, Supergiants have been all but wrestled out of contention for a playoffs spot. A loss on Saturday will exterminate any slim chances they currently have.The difference between the two sides has been the bowling attack. Knight Riders have depth and penetration, which Supergiants have lacked. Injuries and crucial losses at the toss have not helped Supergiants either. Ajinkya Rahane’s consistency has helped set up strong platforms for the end overs, but a lack of middle and lower-order firepower has resulted in sub-par totals. At best, Supergiants can improve their net run rate by winning their three remaining games convincingly and hope for a remote mathematical possibility of sneaking through to the final four.

Form guide

Kolkata Knight Riders: LWWLL (last five matches, most recent first)
Rising Pune Supergiants: LLWLL

In the spotlight

Robin Uthappa has been one of Knight Riders’ rocks at the top. Despite not being as consistent this season, his contributions have helped the middle order come into their own. However, his keeping hasn’t been error-free. Sheldon Jackson is the other wicketkeeper in the squad, but making room for him in Knight Riders’ middle order may not be feasible.R Ashwin has not featured in MS Dhoni’s plans against sides that primarily have right-handers in their top order. Knight Riders, however, have two left-handers in Gautam Gambhir and Shakib Al Hasan. How much will Ashwin be required at Eden Gardens’ short boundaries?

Team news

Shakib’s 49-ball 66 in the previous game, against Gujarat Lions, should help him retain his place. Sunil Narine is likely to return after being sidelined with a finger injury.Kolkata Knight Riders (probable) 1 Gautam Gambhir (capt), 2 Robin Uthappa (wk), 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Yusuf Pathan, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Brad Hogg/Sunil Narine, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Umesh YadavDespite their four-run loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad, Supergiants seem to have found their best XI. M Ashwin has been ruled out of the contest. With the pitch expected to turn, will Dhoni opt for an additional spinner?Rising Pune Supergiants (probable) 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Saurabh Tiwary, 4 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 5 Thisara Perera, 6 George Bailey, 7 Rajat Bhatia/Ankit Sharma, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Adam Zampa, 10 Ashok Dinda 11 RP Singh

Pitch and conditions

Lions’ seamers made use of a fresh Eden Gardens pitch in the previous game to reduce Knight Riders to 24 for 4. The batting side, however, recovered to post 158 – a score that was comfortably chased. With short boundaries, expect the captain winning the toss to bowl. The weather is expected to remain dry on Saturday.

Stats and trivia

• With 228 runs in 10 games, Yusuf Pathan averages 114 this season and has struck at 160.56
• MS Dhoni has been dismissed in his previous four innings. Before that, he had remained unbeaten in 12 of his last 16 innings.