All posts by n8rngtd.top

Angelo Mathews’ third ODI hundred against India came in defeat, while Lasith Malinga ended his World Cup career conceding 82 runs

The Report by Varun Shetty06-Jul-2019
As it happenedIndia didn’t quite get to test their middle order one last time before the semi-final, but Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul put up India’s fourth century for the opening stand in the tournament, made centuries of their own, and helped India to 15 points at the end of the group stage as they galloped to a seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka.WATCH on Hotstar (India only): Highlights of India’s win over Sri LankaThe openers put on 189 of the 265 India were set, unleashing strokes that ranged from pristine to borderline outrageous. They were able to recreate a pace that resembled that of India’s regular opening pair, and it came about because of Rohit’s uncharacteristic early aggression.Rohit’s century was accurately capsulised in the 17th over of India’s chase. His strike rate had only briefly dipped below run-a-ball when he was on 46, and he sorted that out by launching Dhananjaya de Silva over wide long-off, feet firmly rooted on the pitch. That didn’t seem enough; a ball later, he skipped down the track, and brought out a clean swing from underneath the ball, sending it straight back over the bowler for the longest six of the day.Preceding them were eight fours of all makes – languid pokes through the covers, whips through midwicket, even a one-handed loft over mid-on. Through the course of the stand, Rohit did pretty much anything he wanted. On 99, he pulled a Kasun Rajitha off-stump delivery to the midwicket boundary to bring up the record for most centuries – crossing Kumar Sangakkara’s four – in a World Cup well after he had vaulted to the top of the run-scoring charts.WATCH on Hotstar (USA only): Full match highlightsRahul was more true to his theme in the tournament but managed to play out his plans longer than any previous innings. While still occasionally circumspect outside the off stump, he began with a string of glorious drives through the off side against the new ball. India’s scoring rate at the start was significantly helped as a result, with even Lasith Malinga enduring a difficult time against the two right-hand batsmen. Rahul’s own scoring rate slowed down in the midst of Rohit’s fluency, but he too chose to break the shackles against Dhananjaya. His kickstart also involved getting to fifty against Sri Lanka’s only spinner on the day, and then hitting him straight.Rahul’s century was brought up with more precision than power, though that was understandable: it was his first ODI hundred since his debut ton against Zimbabwe in 2016. Malinga did manage to dismiss though, Rahul gloving behind as he limboed against a short ball that kept tailing back. India needed another 21 to get at that point, and Virat Kohli was there to see them through to the end.Rohit Sharma becomes the first player to hit five centuries in a single World Cup•Getty Images

India’s opening stand outdid the other century partnership on the day, a patient 124-run alliance for the fifth wicket between Angelo Mathews and Lahiru Thirimanne that kept Sri Lanka in the game after they had lost four wickets inside 12 overs. Sri Lanka’s most experienced batsmen had two jobs to do on the day – blunt India’s attack, aggressive fields and all, and try to give their bowlers a total to bowl at. They managed both, starting by playing low-risk shots and staying content scoring just over four an over for the first half of their partnership. Their first three boundaries together came after Kuldeep Yadav’s introduction – and against him – nearly 50 balls into the stand. Mathews was happy slashing the spinner through the off side on a pitch that offered a hint of grip and bounce.It was largely a batting-friendly surface and got easier and easier as the sun burst through in the middle of the day. Thirimanne couldn’t reap the benefits much past his fifty, but Mathews grew more dangerous as Dhananjaya stuck around with him. Mathews reverse-swept Kuldeep twice as he approached three-figures and continued punishing any width, of which there was plenty as India’s bowlers endured tepid second spells. Even the shot to bring up his third ODI century, all of which are against India, was a generous half-tracker that was carved over point.That innings, and that partnership came after India seemed to have sealed Sri Lanka’s fate much earlier in the day. Jasprit Bumrah had begun with two consecutive maidens, one of which contained the wicket of Dimuth Karunaratne, who edged behind on the angle. Bhuvneshwar Kumar didn’t quite hit his straps in overseas conditions though, and his day didn’t get any better when Kuldeep and Hardik Pandya had a moment of miscommunication as they got under a toe-ended loft from Kusal Perera; Hardik didn’t seem to hear the call at mid-on, and Kuldeep, the mid-off fielder who was closer to the line of the ball only mustered a weak flap at the ball with Hardik in his peripheral vision.But onto that vulnerability was Bumrah again, this time using the angle to induce a cut from Kusal, only to get his inside edge, which MS Dhoni grabbed onto. Kusal chose to walk as India contemplated a review, and he would be followed shortly by Kusal Mendis, who ran down at Ravindra Jadeja’s fourth ball of the day to be beaten in flight and stumped. Dhoni added a fourth dismissal – two fewer than Adam Gilchrist’s World Cup record of six – when Avishka Fernando gloved a slower bouncer to him but Sri Lanka’s collapse stopped at 55 for 4. It did prove vital though – 264 on a good batting surface was not going to trouble India. And it was the perfect representation of a disappointing tournament for them.

Ryan Stevenson and Kyle Abbott frustrate Surrey with fifties before Sam Curran’s cameo at number three

ECB Reporters Network19-Aug-2019Hampshire’s seamers enjoyed themselves with bat and ball as the visitors edged ahead of hosts Surrey on day two at the Oval.Ryan Stevenson scored a maiden first-class 50 adding 114 for the ninth wicket with Kyle Abbott, who top scored with 72.It meant Hampshire rallied from their overnight score of 222 for 7 to total 367 – this despite Rikki Clarke adding two more victims to his first day five-for to finish with 7 for 74.

Sam Curran at three?

It was unexpected to see Sam Curran stride out at number three for Surrey – the only previous time he had done in the Championship was as a nightwatchman in 2015 – and instantly various theories were hatched. Were England pushing him up the order to get him some batting practice? Or even preparing him as a replacement for Jason Roy or Joe Denly? In fact, it was a cunning ploy by Surrey. With Curran set to be replaced by a bowler as he joins up with England’s squad in Leeds, they decided to shove him up the order to get the maximum possible use out of him – not that it mattered much, as he made just 14.

Then, on a day when 22 more overs were lost to the weather, Fidel Edwards took two wickets with the new ball in the final session to leave Surrey 109 for 2, 258 runs behind.Surrey were looking to wrap up Hampshire’s first innings quickly after Clarke’s five-wicket haul on day one.The veteran allrounder should have had a sixth when he found the edge of Lewis McManus’ bat, but Scott Borthwick shelled a regulation catch at second slip.The drop wasn’t costly, however, as in Clarke’s next over, the diminutive wicketkeeper pulled a rank long-hop straight into the hands of Mark Stoneman at midwicket.At 234 for 8, Surrey would have expected to be batting before lunch, but they had reckoned without ninth-wicket pair Abbott and Stevenson.
Aided by some wayward Surrey bowling the pair played positively, hitting England seamer Sam Curran for five fours in two overs with the second new ball.Abbott plundered 10 fours in reaching 50 in just 67 balls, while Stevenson eased beyond his previous first-class carer best of 30.
Twenty minutes were lost to rain which returned five minutes before lunch but by then the pair had added 93.The lunchtime deluge delayed the restart until 3;20, but the duo picked up where they had left off to raise the century stand.
And soon after Stevenson reached a superb maiden first-class 50 from 90 balls complete with seven fours.Clarke returned to trap him lbw for 51, but by the time Abbott was last man out caught in the deep a fourth batting point had been secured.Fidel Edwards might have struck with the second ball of Surrey’s reply had Liam Dawson clung on to Stoneman’s flashing drive which flew over his fingertips at second slip.The former West Indies Test quick soon had a wicket to his name though, striking in his third over with a lifting ball which Ryan Patel edged through to McManus.Curran was promoted to No. 3 because of his impending call-up to the England squad for the third Ashes Test, but he didn’t waste much time in the middle. Edwards, who had by this stage switched to the Pavilion end banged in a short one which Curran hooked straight down the throat of Stevenson at deep square.Stoneman settled down to unleash some sweet cover drives to reach 50 for the fifth time in the Championship this season, sharing an unbroken stand of 69 for the third wicket with Borthwick in the process.But with Dawson already extracting some turn from the surface, Surrey face another testing day tomorrow.

Twenty players will take part in the camp ahead of a season in which most of Pakistan’s international commitments will be in the five-day format

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Aug-2019Misbah-ul-Haq is set to lead a 17-day training camp for 20 Pakistan cricketers starting next week. The pre-season camp, according to a PCB media release, has been organised with a view to an upcoming year in which most of Pakistan’s international commitments will be in the five-day format, with one eye on the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, which begins on September 12. Fourteen of the 20 Pakistan cricketers called up are centrally contracted players. Two days of fitness testing will be followed by by the conditioning camp, which runs from August 22 to September 7.Misbah, whom the PCB release has termed the “camp commandant”, will “craft the training programme and overlook of the camp until the recruitment process has concluded. During the pre-season camp, the players will undergo fielding drills and net sessions, along with fitness and other cricketing activities.”The camp has been set up to prepare the players for a competitive and challenging domestic and international cricket season, which is expected to begin with the prestigious Quaid-e-Azam Trophy from 12 September.”It is not clear whether much can be read into the PCB giving Misbah the responsibility in the absence of a coaching set-up. When the PCB decided not to renew the contracts of head coach Mickey Arthur and his entire coaching staff, there was some media speculation that Misbah could be given the top job, though it is worth noting he has yet to complete the coaching badges or acquire the necessary experience the PCB is looking for in the next head coach.It is more likely, perhaps, that Misbah’s reputation for high levels of fitness well into his 40s as a Test cricketer have resulted in the PCB hand-picking him as an ideal candidate for the job. In 2016, when Misbah was the Pakistan captain, the side underwent a rigorous training regime with the Pakistan military at an academy in Abbottabad before a tour of England. When Misbah scored a century in the first Test following that course, he famously dropped to his hands and knees and reeled off ten push-ups on the Lord’s turf, in tribute to the people who had put Pakistan through such a gruelling schedule, and as proof of his physical prowess.Azhar Ali will join the camp after concluding his stint with Somerset, while Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim, Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman have been exempted to allow them to complete their time with their respective counties in England.Zakir Khan, Director of International Cricket at the PCB, said: “This conditioning camp is of great significance. The players will undergo strenuous training sessions to prepare for a demanding season, which will see Pakistan spend 30 of their 42 cricket-playing days in Test cricket.”Misbah-ul-Haq, who has been Pakistan’s most successful captain, understands the arduous demands of the format in this day and age. With the advent of the World Test Championship, the PCB wants Pakistan to turn up with their best red-ball game when they face Sri Lanka in the two-match Test series at home.”

Players called up

Centrally contracted: Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah.Non-centrally contracted: Asif Ali, Bilal Asif, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mir Hamza, Rahat Ali and Zafar Gohar.

Sibley follows unbeaten first-innings double-century with 109 as Warwickshire win by eight wickets

ECB Reporters Network19-Sep-2019Warwickshire 488 (Sibley 215*, Hain 76) and 271 for 2 (Sibley 109, Burgess 61*) beat Nottinghamshire 498 (Mullaney 179, Clarke 125) and 260 (Clarke 112, Hannon-Dalby 4-54) by eight wickets
Dominic Sibley followed his unbeaten first-innings double century with another hundred as Warwickshire completed a successful run chase on the final day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.Sibley, who scored an undefeated 215 in the first innings, followed up with 109 as the visitors reached their target of 271 from a minimum of 58 overs with eight wickets to spare. The 24-year old opener Sibley scored his runs from 147 balls, with 10 fours, and shared in an opening stand of 146 with Will Rhodes, who made 65.Having been on the field for virtually the entire match, Sibley was eventually bowled by Paul Coughlin, who took 2 for 85.By that stage the victory was already in sight, with Michael Burgess hitting an unbeaten 61 after coming in at No. 3.Earlier, the day had looked as if it might belong to Joe Clarke, who registered his second hundred of the match.Clarke followed up his first innings score of 125 with 112 as Notts made 260 in their second innings. He was last out, bowled by Oliver Hannon-Dalby, who took 4 for 54, with Jeetan Patel picking up 3 for 52.Clarke’s championship season had begun with scores of 112 and 97 not out against Yorkshire in early April but off-field issues disrupted his campaign and he had failed to reach 50 in any of his 17 Division One innings since then.Dropped for the previous match, he returned to the starting XI as Notts rested players ahead of this weekend’s Vitality Blast Finals Day. His return to form now puts him in contention to figure on Saturday as well.The former Worcestershire batsman reached his sixteenth first-class century from 130 deliveries, having hit 15 fours.”Firstly, Dom Sibley is a man in form and has played unbelievably well,” Clarke said. “As a close mate of mine, hopefully I can see him in England colours this winter.”It was nice for me after missing out last week. I was gutted, so coming back in I worked really hard to show people I don’t want to be left out again.”On the prospect of playing at Finals Day on Saturday, he added: “I felt like I went ok in the T20s and feel confident but the decision is in other people’s hands, not mine. I’ll have a swing and be prepped to go if I get the nod.”Resuming from their overnight score of 105 for 5, a lead of 115, the home side had an early set-back when Coughlin was given out caught behind off Henry Brookes for 16.Ravi Ashwin joined Clarke and kept the scoreboard moving in a partnership of 73, made in only 13 overs.George Garrett broke the stand, gaining a positive lbw verdict against Ashwin, who made 42. The same bowler wasn’t able to build on his success, clutching his thigh as he limped out of the action during his next over.Clarke was on 89 when he lost his next partner, Luke Fletcher, popping Patel into the hands of Sam Hain at short leg.Patel dismissed Zak Chappell for a promising 29 soon after lunch and the innings was completed when Clarke was bowled trying to farm the strike. In his disappointment he knocked out a stump with his bat – apologising immediately to the umpires.Brendan Taylor, who made 114 and 105 not out against Durham in 2016 was the last Nottinghamshire batsman to record two hundreds in the same match.The visitors began well, reaching tea on 82 without loss, with Sibley unbeaten on 48 and Rhodes on 34.Gradual accumulation saw the openers advance the score to 146 before they were separated. Rhodes, who had hit Ashwin for two leg-side sixes in his 80-ball half-century, picked out Chappell in the deep, upper-cutting Coughlin.A tired-looking Sibley then wandered across his stumps but Burgess reached his 50 from 51 balls, leaving Matt Lamb to hit the winning run.The match aggregate of 1,517 runs is the largest in the competition this summer but leaves Notts still without a victory at the foot of the table. They now turn their attention to Finals Day on Saturday, before completing their red-ball season against Surrey at The Kia Oval next week.Warwickshire move up to sixth in the table with their victory and host Yorkshire in their final encounter.

Tom Banton scoops young player prize, Sophie Ecclestone retains women’s player gong

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-2019Ben Stokes has capped off a dream season by being named the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) Players’ Player of the Year in recognition of his World Cup and Ashes heroics.Nominated alongside Ryan Higgins, Dominic Sibley and Cricket Writers’ Club Player of the Year Simon Harmer, Stokes received the most votes from his peers to become the sixth player to have achieved the Young Player/Player’s Player double in their career, and the first man to win the trophy for their international performances since Andrew Flintoff in 2005.There were also awards for Tom Banton, who was named Young Player of the Year, and Sophie Ecclestone, who retained her prize as Women’s Player of the Summer.Stokes produced the two innings of the summer, hitting a crucial, unbeaten 84 to take the World Cup final to a super over and smiting 135 not out at Headingley to almost single-handedly drag England over the line in a one-wicket win in the third Ashes Test against Australia to level the series 1-1.ALSO READ: Stokes takes top two spots in poll of cricket’s greatest performances“It’s hard to put it into words,” said Stokes. “I am over the moon that players think I am worthy of winning the NatWest PCA Players’ Player of the Year through performances this summer.”You can take a lot of personal pride when you receive this award because it’s your peers that vote for you. Earning this award is a huge moment and something I am very gracious of and I am sure the previous 49 winners are gracious of too.”While this is an individual award, it is within a team sport so I am only in this position because of what other guys in our squad have achieved as well. What we have done as a team in 2019 is phenomenal, to win the World Cup and draw the Ashes has been a fantastic summer and something I am proud of personally and as a team.”Banton, who turns 21 in November, enjoyed a remarkable breakout summer for Somerset, hitting 454 runs in their victorious One-Day Cup campaign before scoring 549 more in the Vitality Blast, a total bettered only by his opening partner Babar Azam.ALSO READ: Banton lights up the Blast to attract T20 franchise interestHe beat Sibley, James Bracey, and Zak Crawley to the award – his second in two days after scooping the Cricket Writers’ Club prize on Tuesday – and is set to complete a fine week on Thursday when he will be unveiled as a ‘local icon’ player for the Cardiff-based Hundred team, before travelling to New Zealand as part of England’s T20 squad towards the end of the month.”I am very grateful and thankful to those guys who voted for me,” Banton said. “I never expected it to be honest looking at the other nominees.”If someone had told me the year I would’ve had at the start of the season I wouldn’t have believed them. I have altered some technical faults I had at the beginning of the year with Marcus Trescothick and he has helped me a lot this year and has made me believe I can go all the way.”To have my name on the John Arlott Cup is a special feeling. As a youngster I’ve looked up to so many of the previous winners and tried to be like them. Some of these players are my idols so it’s nice to know they have won it before me. Also, these players are some of the very best so you never know what can happen, but if I keep working hard I could follow them.”Ecclestone becomes the first player to retain the Women’s Player of the Summer award, having topped England’s wicket-taking charts in both the white-ball series against West Indies, and in the Ashes.Sophie Ecclestone was England’s most prolific bowler throughout the 2019 summer•Getty Images

“I wish we’d played a bit better during the summer but it’s a really special feeling to be the first player to win it twice,” said Ecclestone.”I feel like I’m a bit more of a presence in the team now than I was last year, and I’ve enjoyed getting my point of view across.”The highlight was definitely when we came back and won the last T20I. It was really nice to end on a high and show that we’re a team to be reckoned with at the T20 World Cup next year. The big goal is to get ready for that World Cup and show everyone what we’re all about.”The awards ceremony at the Roundhouse in Camden also saw Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad named ODI and Test player of the summer respectively.Simon Harmer, Saqib Mahmood, and D’Arcy Short won the player of the tournament awards for the County Championship, One-Day Cup and Vitality Blast respectively, while England’s white-ball captain Eoin Morgan won a ‘special award’.

The uncapped Michael Neser has also been included among 14 names for the two Tests against Pakistan

Andrew McGlashan14-Nov-2019Joe Burns and Travis Head are set to fill the batting vacancies in Australia’s Test line-up after being named in the 14-man squad for the two matches against Pakistan.

Australia Test squad

David Warner, Joe Burns, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Cameron Bancroft, Tim Paine (capt & wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson, Michael Neser

Cameron Bancroft, who was dropped after two Ashes Tests, has also been called up after his late inclusion to the Australia A side while the uncapped Michael Neser has been included as another seam-bowling option in a squad that covers both a day Test in Brisbane and a day-night Test in Adelaide. It was announced earlier in the day that Will Pucovski had asked not to be considered for selection as he manages his mental health.”We feel [Joe] was unlucky to miss the Ashes squad,” national selector Trevor Hohns said. “Joe’s record speaks for itself, he has Test hundreds on the board and has combined very well with David [Warner] in the past. We also like the feel of a right-hand, left-hand combination at the top of the order.”Travis scored a hundred against a very good New South Wales attack just a few weeks ago and also offers the option of part-time off-spin. Matthew Wade was superb as a specialist batsman through last summer, had a solid Ashes series with two hundreds and strong start to the current domestic season.”We anticipate Matthew and Travis will give us a strong middle order in support of the top four. Cameron Bancroft is someone who has the ingredients of what we believe makes a good Test cricketer and rounds out our batting group in the squad.”Travis Head celebrates his hundred•Getty Images

Despite the unconvincing form of a number of the batsman, and the Australia A side falling to 9 for 57, Test captain Tim Paine remained bullish ahead of the series. “I saw that Pakistan are smelling blood in the water or whatever they said,” he told reporters in Adelaide. “What happened in Perth has got nothing to do with what is going to happen at the Gabba. The same thing happened in England with the Headingley Test – ‘Oh, momentum’ and all these words that don’t matter. Ball one at the Gabba next week is all square and we start again.”Burns’ recall means Marcus Harris, who was the incumbent opener having played the last three Ashes Tests, loses his place while Usman Khawaja has paid the price for a poor start to the domestic season having been dropped in England.Harris managed just 58 runs in six innings after replacing Bancroft during the Ashes. Though his form has been steady at the start of the domestic season with a century, which came on a featherbed at Junction Oval in Melbourne, and two half-centuries, he has been cut.Burns failed twice in the Australia A match against Pakistan in Perth but the selectors, Trevor Hohns and Justin Langer, have opted to return to a player who has four centuries in 16 Tests including 180 in his most recent outing against Sri Lanka in February. A stint with Lancashire was cut short by post-viral fatigue syndrome and though he returned for the Australia A tour of England – and scored a century – he was left out of the Ashes squad.Head, who will also be joint vice-captain with Pat Cummins, was part of Australia A’s collapse, but a century in the previous round of Sheffield Shield has been enough for a swift return.Bancroft has come up on the rails to earn his place after a lean start to the season for Western Australia and not initially being included in the Australia A side until Nic Maddinson withdrew for mental health reasons. However, after Australia A subsided on the second day in Perth, he top-scored with 49 from No. 6 and has the versatility to bat in any position among the top order if required.Neser, who was part of the Ashes squad, has been rewarded for a strong start to the season and will push for the third pace-bowling slot alongside Mitchell Starc, who has been in outstanding form for New South Wales, and James Pattinson although one of the latter two will be favoured to join Cummins and Josh Hazlewood at the Gabba. However, Neser’s impressive performance with the pink ball against Pakistan A in Perth could put him in contention for the day-night Test in Adelaide and he has effectively taken Peter Siddle’s position.”We are blessed to have four of the best fast bowlers in the world challenging each other for spots and most importantly playing as a group,” Hohns said. “Cummins, Starc, Hazelwood and Pattinson are daunting pace prospects for any opposition, particularly at home. Michael Neser adds to that group with his ability move the ball both ways, giving the team another bowling option depending on the conditions.”Mitchell Marsh, who took the No. 6 slot at The Oval in September and claimed a maiden five-wicket haul, was not in contention for this squad having broken his hand punching the dressing room wall at the WACA last month.

India’s outgoing chief selector on controversial selections and creating a solid bench strength during his tenure

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2019MSK Prasad, in all likelihood India’s outgoing chief selector, has hinted that “constitutional changes” within the board might have diminished the travelling selector’s role in a few contentious selection calls in overseas Tests.Prasad was specifically asked if he was involved in the dropping of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara during the tours of South Africa and England respectively. He suggested all they could do was “show faith” in the decisions made by team management.Usually, selectors pick the squad and the team management selects the final XI, but Prasad’s comments suggest there used to be flexibility around it with the travelling selector’s views taken into account.”I don’t want to talk too much about those two things but all I can say is that there were some constitutional changes that were made at that time with regards to selectors playing a role in picking the playing XI on tour,” Prasad told . “But we had to show faith in the decisions that the team management took at that point of time.”Rahane was benched for the Cape Town and Centurion Tests, both of which India lost. In the final Test, in Johannesburg, he made a crucial 48 in a low-scoring game – on a pitch subsequently rated “poor” by the ICC – as India won to keep the series scoreline to 2-1.Pujara was left out for the first Test in England on a dry Edgbaston surface, which India lost by 31 runs. Brought back for the remainder of the series, he scored a second-innings half-century at Trent Bridge and another hundred in Southampton. India eventually lost the series 4-1.Prasad also didn’t think India’s ability to solve their No. 4 conundrum in ODIs – which became the subject of national debates – was the reason for the World Cup semi-final loss. Ambati Rayudu, the man earmarked for the position with a year to go, was dropped just before the event in favour of Vijay Shankar for his “three-dimensional abilities”. Injuries then to Shikhar Dhawan and Vijay Shankar paved way for Rishabh Pant’s belated inclusion.”Tell me, did we have a problem till the semi-final with No. 4?”, he said. “We went into the World Cup with Shikhar Dhawan opening and KL Rahul at No. 4. They did the job until unfortunately Dhawan got injured and that is when we flew in Rishabh Pant. I don’t think we lost because of the No. 4 issue.”PTI

Those two contentions aside, Prasad’s selection committee has often been lauded for creating and maintaining a healthy bench strength and defining a concrete path to India selection through domestic, age-group and A-teams cricket. That is what Prasad wants his committee to be remembered for. “Myself, the India A management and the Indian management sit down and discuss the progress of a player,” he explained of the process. “We look at the requirements of the senior team and groom a player based on that.”Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal are a few examples. They knew which series they may be needed for, which is why they weren’t overawed by the bigger stage. The ease with which Shaw got a ton on debut, ease with which Agarwal made 75 on debut or the ease with which [Hanuma] Vihari batted in England. Barring one or two, whichever youngster has got in has been backed. For example, Shreyas Iyer. He didn’t have the best of A tours, but we kept backing him and now you see the results.”In the spin department, we have [R] Ashwin, [Ravindra] Jadeja and Kuldeep [Yadav]. There’s [Shahbaz] Nadeem waiting outside with lots of wickets, we have Axar and [K] Gowtham too. Similarly, if we want openers, apart from our regulars, we have Shaw. KL has started to do well again. Then there are Priyank Panchal and Abhimanyu Easwaran. So we have about seven openers now.”Terming criticism as an “occupational hazard”, Prasad said his management background helped him tide through times when he was publicly criticised by a number of former players, Yuvraj Singh being the more vocal ones. Incidentally, Yuvraj was the occupant at No. 4 during the start of Prasad’s tenure but lost out after the tour of the West Indies in 2017.”I am a management student and at Andhra Cricket Association (where he was director of cricket), I dealt with much bigger issues than here,” he said. “We built Andhra association from scratch where people were not motivated to work. When Anurag Thakur came to Andhra in 2015, he called it ‘Adarsh Cricket Association’. BCCI is an evolved place, you have mature people. I don’t think I had a tough time here because I had gone through a lot of stress working in Andhra.”During this tenure, I used to take advice from legendary cricketers which helped. My relationship with MSD (MS Dhoni) and [Virat] Kohli is intact. People might write anything but when I speak to them, I know how much they respect me.”

Only 68.1 overs were possible on the day Test cricket finally returned to Pakistan

The Report by Danyal Rasool11-Dec-2019History will record the significance of the day instead of the trivialities contained within it, though that is a shame, as the cricket was really rather good.On a day where the breaks between sessions appeared to herald official changes in momentum, the ebbs and flows never really allowed either side to walk away claiming more than an equitable share of the spoils. Pakistan will be well pleased to have seen the back of half the Sri Lankan side, especially after a wicketless first session, while Sri Lanka may be content to have put 202 on the board, particularly as getting there appeared far from certain when Pakistan’s all-pace attack – Yasir’s omission adding yet another surprise to Misbah’s burgeoning catalogue – prowled in the post-lunch session.Even the bitterly cold morning and overnight rain that saw the ground almost completely submerged in the tarpaulin sheets Rawalpindi Ground hasn’t deemed fit to upgrade since the previous century, wouldn’t douse the spirits; people were queuing outside the ground since well before the start of the day’s play. That they managed to get it to start on time was something of an organisational achievement, but Sri Lanka had a big call to make when they won the toss under overcast skies. Dimuth Karunaratne was brave and opted to bat, with makeshift opener Oshada Fernando walking out with him.Was this young bowling attack caught up in the emotion those first two hours? Either way, the cricket on offer from them was ordinary. Mohammad Abbas was hauled off after three ineffective overs, and the lack of swing on offer would make it easy for the Sri Lankan openers to get settled in while the clouds above cleared. Shaheen Afridi was perhaps guilty of being too greedy, pitching full a shade too often, allowing the left-handers to lean into the drive and keep the scoreboard ticking.Not that there was no warning of what would happen in after lunch was taken. All three quicker bowlers trapped the Sri Lankan openers in front, but that would only generate excited appeals instead of reviews or wickets. Naseem Shah’s nasty bouncer to Karunaratne was perhaps the event of a somewhat subdued session, the rearing bouncer striking the ducking batsman in the neck, necessitating concussion protocols to be activated. But by the time the final over of the session was bowled by Haris Sohail, Karunaratne had brought up his half-century. Fernando would loft him down the ground for the only six of the day in that over. The 100 partnership was nearing, Sri Lanka’s grip on the game tightening, and Yasir’s absence glaring.Dinesh Chandimal is cleaned up by Mohammad Abbas•AFP

Afridi, Pakistan’s most consistent bowler over the past month, was the first to strike, trapping Karunaratne in front from a straighter delivery, and finally getting the decision in his favour. That galvanised the entire pace attack, each of the bowlers tucking in, eager to get their name among the wickets. Naseem was thrust into a lengthy spell that saw him retain both pace and accuracy, with reverse swing beginning to play its part. It was a bit of extra bounce, though, that outfoxed Fernando, who was pushed onto the back foot and could only edge to first slip. Shinwari joined in shortly after, regularly drawing Mendis into the off-drive, before finally taking the edge.But the delivery of the day belonged to Abbas, his accuracy rewarding him with a wicket identical to the one every fast bowler visualises in their head a thousand times. Pitching one on middle and off, he found seam movement to shape it away from Dinesh Chandimal to clatter into the top of off stump, the arc of the delivery meaning it did just enough to miss the outside edge and hit off stump instead. That was Abbas at his best, and in that session, Pakistan were at theirs. Sri Lanka had lost four wickets for 30 runs inside 14 overs, and suddenly, the possibility of the tail being exposed by stumps began to appear very real.But tea, which came at 50 overs – Pakistan’s over rate was far from ideal – would signal an end to that quality of fast bowling once more. From a young attack, that is only expected, and any attack, however experienced, would find it difficult to sustain the sort of brilliance Pakistan managed for a whole session in the middle of the day. It helped Sri Lanka that Angelo Mathews was at the crease, the ideal man to dig in and remove the sting of any bowling attack, and Dhananjaya de Silva was a soothing presence alongside him at the other end.It spoke to their maturity that neither felt under any pressure even as the first three overs after tea produced not a single run. If that gave the impression Pakistan had picked up where they left off, Sri Lanka would spend the next hour swiftly dispelling that. As soon as the lengths wavered, the batsmen began to capitalize, the shackles broken when de Silva found two boundaries off Shaheen as he went short of a length, with the next five overs producing 41 runs.If bad light, which – for those who may have forgotten – inevitably plays a part in Test cricket in Pakistan, had forced the players off at any point around then, Sri Lanka would have walked away being able to claim a successful day. But before that, there would be one final twist, as a wide delivery from Naseem saw Mathews go searching for the drive. He only managed the outside edge, and the catch to slips would provide Pakistan a gift they wouldn’t have expected on the evidence of the comfort with which the pair was batting.Soon after, the 200 was brought up, and as the sun went behind the clouds and the umpires began to get fidgety, Sri Lanka saw their opportunity to walk away and come back tomorrow in less testing conditions. Only 68 overs had been bowled today, but for a crowd that has seen absolutely none for over a decade, even this curtailed day felt like a bonanza.

He will hope his MRI scan reveals nothing serious enough to endanger his tour of New Zealand

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jan-2020An lbw appeal during a Ranji Trophy match could end up having an impact on India’s tour of New Zealand. Ishant Sharma will be hopeful the MRI scan he takes on Monday evening will not reveal a fracture or a tear, after he twisted his ankle and hobbled off the field during Delhi’s match against Vidarbha at Feroz Shah Kotla. ESPNcricinfo understands he was in considerable pain and his ankle was swollen.Ishant is all but out of the last two days of the match. An ankle injury is serious because it leaves an athlete almost immobile during rehabilitation. However, there is cause for optimism in that Ishant’s first match on the tour of New Zealand – the three-day warm-up game before the first Test – starts on February 14, which gives him nearly three weeks to recover. The first Test begins on February 21. It is estimated that such an injury – should there be no tear or break – takes about two weeks to heal.Ishant suffered the injury on the second afternoon, during his third over of the second innings, after Delhi had fallen behind Vidarbha by 16 runs. It appeared that he twisted his ankle as he turned around to appeal. He was attended to by the Delhi support staff before limping off the park on his own steam, which could be a positive sign. Ishant is scheduled to fly to New Zealand in the first week of February. The fourth seamer in the squad for New Zealand will be Ishant’s opposite number in this match, Umesh Yadav, who took two wickets to help bowl Delhi out for 163.This was going to be Ishant’s last match before he went to New Zealand, with India’s team management monitoring workloads closely. Losing him in this match, though, leaves Delhi with little hope of an outright win on a pitch that is slowing down.Four short of the feat of 100 Tests – only one India fast bowler has managed that – Ishant has enjoyed a late revival over the last three years. He credits it to a recent change in his bowling by which he has been able to pitch the ball fuller without losing any pace. His combination with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami has turned India into a feared fast-bowling unit even in away conditions.”Having a bunch of fast bowlers like this, who can just bowl out any opposition anywhere, is a brilliant thing to have in Indian cricket,” India’s captain Virat Kohli recently said. “[It’s] something that we haven’t quite relied on in the past, but I think them taking the attention away from the spinners in India is a huge statement, so I think that’s what makes us feel that when we travel now, we have it in us to win a series, and not just one-odd Test match here and there. So I think it’s been hard work, persistence, learning the game, thinking about the game that’s got them to where they are and they deserve it fully.”

He anchored the chase after the Bangladesh bowlers restricted New Zealand with regular wickets

The Report by Sreshth Shah in Potchefstroom06-Feb-2020Mahmudul Hasan Joy ended his run of poor scores with his fourth Youth ODI century to secure Bangladesh’s maiden World Cup final – across levels and genders – for the Under-19 tournament against India on February 9. Joy’s hundred helped Bangladesh chase down 212 with six wickets in hand and nearly six overs to spare, after the bowlers restricted New Zealand to 211 for 8 in Potchefstroom.Joy had a best score of 38* in his last eight innings and the early departure of Bangladesh’s openers on Thursday didn’t make things any easier for him. He still anchored the chase by striking 13 fours in his 127-ball innings of 100 and was assisted by No. 4 Towhid Hridoy, who made a brisk 47-ball 40, and the No. 5 Shahadat Hossain, who stayed unbeaten on 40. Captain Akbar Ali scored the winning runs with a drive past mid-on in front of a sizeable Bangladesh-supporting crowd that had come from cities near and far.That Bangladesh chased a total under 250 was courtesy of their all-round bowling performance that continuously pegged New Zealand’s scoring rate. Asked to bat, New Zealand struggled with their tempo and if it wasn’t for Beckham Wheeler-Greenall’s 83-ball 75, they would have finished with a much smaller total, having been reduced to 142 for 6 at one point. Left-arm seamer Shoriful Islam took 3 for 45, right-arm quick Shamim Hossain ended with 2 for 31 and left-arm orthodox spinner Hasan Murad finished with 2 for 34 under overcast conditions in the morning.The sun then baked the Senwes Park deck as the chase began, making batting much easier. Joy and Hridoy added 68 for the third wicket to take Bangladesh to 100. Once Hridoy was stumped off Adithya Ashok, Joy dominated a 101-run stand with Shahadat to take Bangladesh past 200. He reached his hundred by sweeping Jesse Tashkoff for four in the 43rd over but fell on the very next delivery by handing a return catch to the bowler.Only 11 runs were left for Bangladesh then, and Ali finished the chase to send the crowd into a frenzy. Ali pumped his fist after hitting the winning runs while his team-mates from the dugout ran onto the field with the green-and-red Bangladesh flag to spark the celebrations off.Bangladesh began their choke of New Zealand’s batting right from the first over when Shoriful began the day with a maiden. The following over from Shamim yielded the wicket of opener Rhys Mariu, who edged a drive to slip. Rakibul Hasan then removed the other opener, Ollie White, who edged a drive to the wicketkeeper in the 12th over.While the third-wicket partnership lasted nine overs, New Zealand added only 28 runs in that period, after which Fergus Lellman and Tashkoff fell in quick succession, leaving them at 74 for 4 in the 26th over. Wheeler-Greenall then turned aggressive after a sedate start to push New Zealand towards a respectable total, but wickets around him forced him to rein his stroke-play on some occasions. He reached his second fifty of the tournament – by hitting two fours off Murad in the 44th over, and helped New Zealand collect 19 in the last over to stretch the score past 200. Wheeler-Greenall was a class apart on the day. He scored his 75 runs at a strike rate of 90.36, while the other nine batsmen scored their 122 runs at a strike rate of 56.”The toss played a big role today,” New Zealand coach Paul Wiseman said after the game. “Bangladesh had a good start with the seamers. The spinners got the ball to grip, and after that, we were always scrambling.”When we were 75 for 4, we would’ve probably taken 210-220. But obviously fantastic effort from the Bangladesh batsmen. [A] very mature innings by the centurion; he played us with ease. That took the game away from us.”New Zealand now face Pakistan in the third-place playoff on February 8.