All posts by n8rngtd.top

Kamran vows to make a comeback

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has expressed his disappointment at losing his central contract for the second half of 2011

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Aug-2011Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has expressed his disappointment at losing his central contract for the second half of 2011, but said he is determined to prove his worth in domestic cricket and make a comeback.”I’m extremely disappointed,” Kamran told .” I admit that it was my mistake but I think I deserve another chance. Somehow it’s the board’s decision and I don’t want to say much. I’ve earned the contract for eight years and losing this one is not a big deal.”Kamran was dropped after struggling in the World Cup and was replaced by Mohammad Salman for Pakistan’s tour of West Indies. “The selectors were not satisfied with my performance but I just need to keep on playing domestic cricket and prove my form to them,” Kamran said. “I’m 29 and fit so I feel that there’s at least six years of cricket left in me.”Everyone makes mistakes but the important thing is learning from them. I vow not to make them again. No wicketkeeper loves to drop catches.”Kamran was not the only active player to lose his contract. Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Yousuf and Danish Kaneria, who were not picked for the World Cup, have been ignored. Malik and Kaneria are yet to be cleared by the PCB’s integrity committee and Kaneria has not played for the national team since August 2010. The recently retired pair of Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Akhtar were also left off the list.

Fringe players aim to stake claims

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

ESPNcricinfo previews the first of two late-season Twenty20 matches between England and West Indies

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan22-Sep-2011

Match Facts

September 23, The Oval
Start time: 6.15pm (1715GMT)Graeme Swann discusses some of his ideas with Andy Flower and Steven Finn•Getty Images

The Big Picture

And so the English season continues, at least for another three days. These two matches against West Indies weren’t on the schedule until August when it became clear that TV agreements had to be met, following the collapse of the Stanford deal. So the visitors are making a quick stop in the UK on their way to Dubai and finally Bangladesh.If you look hard enough there is actually some value to the games other than monetary. The World Twenty20 takes place in Sri Lanka a year from now and international fixtures in the shortest format are few and far between. It’s not just spin (well, not all of it anyway) when the players say extra games aren’t a bad thing. Meanwhile, ticket sales for the matches have been good, especially considering the time of the year, which suggests the public want to watch a successful England team, regardless of context.Neither side, however, is at full strength and in West Indies’ case they are barely a second-string side. A combination of contractual disputes and the Champions League means a host of new faces in the squad, although Darren Sammy is there as captain while Fidel Edwards, Marlon Samuels and Devendra Bishoo make the trip.England’s plans for the short series have been hampered by injury with both the captain, Stuart Broad, and vice-captain, Eoin Morgan, ruled out which means Graeme Swann becomes the fifth leader of the season and sixth of the year. It does, though, offer a chance to have a look at a few more new players following the success of Jonny Bairstow in the final ODI against India. Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Alex Hales all have an opportunity to impress in these autumn outings. They might just need to wear a few layers of clothing.

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first)
England WLLWW
West Indies LWLLL

Spotlight

Jonny Bairstow is the man of the moment following his 21-ball 41 on debut at Cardiff which was followed by glowing assessments from Alastair Cook and Andy Flower. Earlier this week he was named the Cricket Writers’ Club Young Player of the Year and is assured of a place on the trip to India next month. It was his calmness, right from the first ball of his innings, that stood out when he strode to the crease against India and he also speaks with maturity. He is adding to the battle for the middle-order slots in the limited-overs teams but his presence will also put pressure on Craig Kieswetter with England well stocked for keeper-batsmen.Among the host of relatively unknown players in West Indies’ squad, Dwayne Smith is a familiar face on these shores following his stints in county cricket. When Smith burst onto the scene with a century on his Test debut against South Africa, at Newlands, an exciting career looked in store but, as with so many West Indian cricketers, he hasn’t been able to make the most of his natural talent. There is no doubting, though, that his explosive batting and whippy bowling are perfectly suited to Twenty20. This could be his final chance.

Team news

There are a variety of options for England to consider and the squad was clearly picked with an eye on Sri Lanka as it contains four spin options. It’s hard to see more than two playing in either match and with Graeme Swann the captain that would mean just one from Samit Patel, Scott Borthwick and Danny Briggs. The openers, Craig Kieswetter and Alex Hales, are likely to get both matches to impress as they try to forge England’s latest top-order combination.England (possible) 1 Craig Kieswetter (wk), 2 Alex Hales, 3 Ravi Bopara, 4 Jonny Bairstow, 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler, 7 Samit Patel, 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Graeme Swann (capt), 10 James Anderson, 11 Jade DernbachThere is a suggestion that Dwayne Smith will open the batting, which will rely heavily on the experience of Marlon Samuels. Garey Mathurin, a late call-up to the squad, could debut on his birthday.West Indies (possible): 1 Dwayne Smith, 2 Miles Bascombe, 3 Marlon Samuels, 4 Danza Hyatt, 5 Nkruma Bonner, 6 Derwin Christian (wk), 7 Darren Sammy (capt), 8 Andre Russell, 9 Garey Mathurin, 10 Devendra Bishoo, 11 Fidel Edwards

Pitch and conditions

Despite being late season, the pitch won’t be a concern at The Oval and the forecast is dry. However, the dew factor will be important and fielding under the lights could be tricky.

Stats and trivia

  • England and West Indies have met five times in Twenty20 internationals with West Indies leading the head-to-head 4-1. Three of those games have been at The Oval, with England’s only win coming in 2007.
  • Jonathan Trott made his international debut during the 2007 series although the two games were his only outings until his first Test against Australia in 2009.

Quotes

“I feel like a grandad to some of these boys. I’ve been around the block a few more times than these lads, but it’s nice to have that bit of experience under your belt.”
“With all due respect to what Stanford did in the Caribbean, I don’t think it could be replaced. The interest that was generated during the Stanford Twenty20 was very good for us. I know he’s under investigation and stuff, but what transpired as a result of his tournaments, I think it’s exposed some players for us.”

West Indies’ captain, Darren Sammy, misses Sir Allen Stanford’s influence in the Caribbean

Sammy intent on completing series sweep

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Darren Sammy, the West Indies captain, has said his side isn’t going to let up in the third ODI on Tuesday, despite having already claimed the one-day series

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Oct-2011Darren Sammy, the West Indies captain, has said his side isn’t going to let up in the third ODI on Tuesday, despite having already claimed the one-day series. West Indies won the second game in Mirpur by eight wickets to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-game series.”We still got a job to do,” Sammy said. “We win the series 3-0 and we get four ranking points so it’s a very important match. It’s not about revenge but going out there putting up a professional display. We win the series 2-1, we get no points. We win it three-love, that’s four points.”One of the team’s stated goals is to make their way up the one-day ranking ladder before the 2015 World Cup, and a sweep here would get them started. West Indies are currently eighth in the ODI rankings, nine points behind New Zealand.Although they won the first two games with ease, Sammy said there was still work to be done. “I thought the lower order batted very well in the last game but we, including myself, dropped a few catches. We had them under 60 for 5, we could have restricted them to under 120.”The seamers have done most of the damage for West Indies, despite the pitches in Bangladesh normally being more conducive to spin, and Sammy said that was testimony to their discipline and perseverance. “Bangladesh normally have spinning wickets. We back our bowlers. When you bowl fast, you do that on every wicket. We control what we can, our line and lengths. We are disciplined.”Bangladesh have won their last four games in Chittagong but West Indies are determined to end that streak. “We prepared well, so it improves our chances to win,” Sammy said. “The team is slowly gelling together.”Lendl Simmons and Marlin Samuels have been the two form batsmen for the visitors. Simmons made a hundred in the first game before narrowly missing out in the second, while Samuels made an aggressive, unbeaten 88 in the second game to see West Indies home. “He’s [Simmons] matured over the years,” Sammy said. “He had a break from international cricket. Playing first-class cricket and Champions League has given him exposure and he’s been consistent.”Samuels, who returned to international cricket earlier this year following a two-year ban, was also singled out for praise. “Before he had a two-year break from international cricket he was playing very well for us. He’s a natural strokemaker. He took a few games to get back into his own. The work he has put in for somebody who has been out from cricket for two years is tremendous.”Batting coach Desmond Haynes was another who received credit for the improved displays from West Indies. “Haynes has done some good work since the Pakistan series,” Sammy said. “It’s good to see that the guys are showing in the middle what they’re practicing in the nets.”So far our fast bowlers have taken the wickets. So far we’ve been batting well and we lost only six wickets in two one-dayers. It hasn’t happened in a long time. Credit to the guys and how the coach has incorporated a professional culture in the team. It’s all well for West Indies cricket.”

Abhinav carries Tamil Nadu into the lead

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A determined innings from Abhinav Mukund and resistance from the lower order helped Tamil Nadu secure a first-innings lead against Delhi at the Feroz Shah Kotla

The Report by Nikita Bastian18-Nov-2011
ScorecardA determined innings from Abhinav Mukund and resistance from the lower order helped Tamil Nadu secure a first-innings lead against Delhi at the Feroz Shah Kotla. Abhinav was struck on the jaw by a Pradeep Sangwan delivery that kicked off a length and forced him to retire hurt on 39, before he returned to carry Tamil Nadu to 281 for 8 at stumps, with a lead of 69.Abhinav had an x-ray done that showed no fracture and told ESPNcricinfo after the day’s play that he was having trouble talking, but was “feeling comfortable enough to bat”.Tamil Nadu would have fallen short of Delhi’s 212 if the hosts had not wasted several chances. M Vijay and Abhinav took Tamil Nadu to 35 before a double-strike from Ashish Nehra opened up the match. Nehra, on first-class return, trapped Vijay lbw as he shouldered arms to a ball that didn’t get up much and struck him on off and middle. Arun Karthik was bowled first ball to leave Nehra on a hat-trick, but Dinesh Karthik denied him.Dinesh offered a simple catch to the slip cordon soon after, off Parvinder Awana, but Yogesh Nagar could not hold on. However, it did not cost Delhi too much, as Dinesh edged behind on 18. Baba Aparajith, too, could not make use of a life – wicketkeeper Puneet Bisht had fumbled a stumping chance off Vikas Mishra, but he fell off the very next ball for just 6, trapped in front by an arm ball. By this point Tamil Nadu had also lost K Vasudevadas for a duck and were struggling at 88 for 5.R Prasanna and Yo Mahesh then began to repair the innings. Prasanna survived on 13, after fending one off Nehra that went between the slips and gully, and again on 20 – dropped at second slip by Milind Kumar off Awana. Mahesh was very cautious to begin with, crawling to 3 off 49 balls, before he began to open up a little. Prasanna got to a fifty as the pair marginally increased the run-rate – the third fifty of the innings came off 85 balls, following 119 and 127-ball fifties.Delhi put down another chance when Mahesh was dropped by the wicketkeeper off Mithun Manhas’ part-time offspin, but the Delhi captain soon struck. He had Prasanna lbw, after the batsman failed to offer a shot, to end the stubborn 86-run stand.Abhinav returned now, with Tamil Nadu still trailing by 38. He kept chipping away at the lead with Mahesh and got to a fifty post tea. Mahesh was finally snagged by Awana for 47, but he had done his job as Tamil Nadu were just five short of taking the lead by then. L Balaji, though he looked uncomfortable, hung around with Abhinav as Tamil Nadu went ahead, and fell just prior to stumps for a hard-fought 16 off 55 balls.

Australia on top after day full of wickets

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Thirteen wickets fell on the first day at the SCG, where James Pattinson and his fast-bowling colleagues, and then Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke with the bat, put Australia on top

The Report by Brydon Coverdale02-Jan-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJames Pattinson picked up the wicket of Gautam Gambhir in the first over of the Test•Getty Images

In the 129 years since the SCG hosted its first Test, batsmen’s lives have been made infinitely easier. Pitches are now covered. Boundaries have been shortened by ropes. Helmets have allowed batsmen to hook with impunity, and they do so with heavier bats. It is to the credit of the bowlers that the contest between bat and ball remains gripping. So it was on the first day of this match, as James Pattinson and his Australian colleagues, and then Zaheer Khan for India, dominated proceedings.By stumps on the opening day of the SCG’s hundredth Test, 13 wickets had tumbled – more than the 11 that fell on the first day of Test cricket at the ground back in 1882. India’s captain MS Dhoni chose to bat on a pitch that featured some grass, but his batsmen didn’t back him up. Dhoni was the only man to score a half-century in India’s innings of 191, which ended soon after tea, and it was the wrong way for India to start a Test in which they needed victory to retain a chance of winning the series.Briefly, and surprisingly, their total appeared competitive, for Australia’s inexperienced top order wobbled to 3 for 37 against the swing of Zaheer. But through Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting, Australia wrested back the advantage. At stumps, their partnership had grown to 79, Australia’s score was 3 for 116, and Ponting (44 not out) and Clarke (47 not out) both looked in ominous form.Things could easily have gone badly wrong for Australia after Zaheer’s early strikes. David Warner edged in the first over of the innings, the catch snapped up by Sachin Tendulkar at first slip after it bounced out of the hands of VVS Laxman at second. In Zaheer’s next over, his first ball caught the edge of Shaun Marsh’s bat and was taken by Laxman, placing Zaheer on a hat-trick.It continued a disappointing return to Test cricket for Marsh, whose golden duck followed 0 and 3 in the Melbourne Test. This time he played limply at a ball he should have left alone, returning the favour from earlier the day, when Laxman fell to a similarly poor stroke that was edged to Marsh in the cordon. Both men would be happy with their catches, neither with their choice of shot.Zaheer’s hat-trick ball was negotiated by Ponting, but a few overs later the opener Ed Cowan became Zaheer’s third wicket, trapped lbw for 16 to a ball that struck him just in line with off stump. It was a fine spell of bowling from Zaheer, but the partnership of Clarke and Ponting, both of whom played some fine pulls late in the day, gave Australia a strong chance of a first-innings lead.But as India showed in their first innings, good starts from two men don’t necessarily mean anything. Dhoni finished unbeaten on 57 and Tendulkar, searching for his hundredth international hundred in the SCG’s hundredth Test, made a confident 41 but a distinct lack of support from the rest of the batting order cost India dearly.Again, they were beaten by an excellent bowling performance from Australia’s three fast men, Pattinson, Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle, who between them collected all ten wickets. Watching the strongly-built Pattinson bound in and attack some of the world’s best batsmen, it is easy to forget how inexperienced he is – this was the first time he had played a first-class match at the SCG.

Smart stats

  • This is India’s 16th sub-300 total in their last 12 Tests in Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand and West Indies. They’ve lost six of the previous 11, and won two.

  • India’s average in the first innings of overseas Tests in the last year is 27.29 runs per wicket, which is the lowest among all teams.

  • Of the 24 wickets that James Pattinson has taken in four Tests so far, 17 have been of batsmen in the top five, and four of those 17 have been dismissed for ducks.

  • India’s total is the fourth-lowest in the first innings of a Sydney Test since 1990. However, on two of those three earlier instances, the team which was bundled out went on to win the match.

  • Since the beginning of 2009, Zaheer Khan has taken 46 wickets of left-hand batsmen at an average of 17.52; against right-handers he has taken 40 wickets at 31.27.

  • This is the first time in the last five years that Sachin Tendulkar hasn’t scored a hundred in his first Test innings of the year.

He betrayed no nerves and struck in the first over of the Test: his third ball pitched on leg and nipped away from Gautam Gambhir, who edged to first slip for a duck that continued his slump. It was tough going early on for India’s batsmen and Rahul Dravid departed for 5 off 33 deliveries when he inside-edged onto his leg off Siddle and was taken by Cowan at short leg.That brought Tendulkar to the crease to a standing ovation, as is the case in every innings he plays these days, and he played some wonderful cover-drives as Siddle bowled full, seeking an edge. But while Tendulkar was calm and classy, his partner Virender Sehwag never looked completely settled.There were a few typical Sehwag flashes and he was lucky not to be caught at second slip on 23 when he edged Hilfenhaus and Ponting put down a simple chance, and a Siddle offcutter beat the bat and sailed over the stumps. Sehwag’s luck ran out on 30 when he got a regulation edge behind off the outswing of Pattinson, who had returned for another spell and bowled full and fast to test the batsmen.It was precisely that sort of delivery that Pattinson used to get rid of Laxman (2), a man who has tormented Australia over the years, especially at the SCG, where his Test average before today was 96.20. Laxman didn’t move his feet and wafted at a drive before he was well set – but it was Pattinson’s outswing that ensured the edge behind.That left India at 4 for 72 at lunch, and although Tendulkar and Virat Kohli steadied and batted solidly in the half hour after the break, the wickets again started to fall. Kohli was done in by Siddle’s aggression – two bouncers were followed by a fuller outswinger and the batsman didn’t move his feet well enough, edging behind for 23.Soon afterwards, Pattinson picked up the huge wicket of Tendulkar, who had looked good in his 41 but played on when he tried to drive a fullish ball wide of off stump. A ton of tons would have to wait. R Ashwin and Dhoni steadied the innings with a 54-run stand but in the last over before tea, Ashwin (20) edged to slip and off the next ball Zaheer fended a catch to short leg to put Hilfenhaus on a hat-trick.After tea, Ishant Sharma survived the hat-trick ball but few more – he also gloved a well-directed Hilfenhaus bouncer to short leg. Siddle finished the innings by having Umesh Yadav caught behind for a duck off a full outswinger – India’s last three batsmen all made ducks. Australia’s lower order showed in Melbourne how important late runs can be; India may rue their tail’s inability to stick around and support Dhoni, who ran out of partners.His decision to bat was sound, but much of India’s batting was not. Their chances might now rest with the bowlers.

South Africa-Sri Lanka Tests get sponsor

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Cricket South Africa hope to secure a sponsor for the one-day series against Sri Lanka by next week, after confirming Sunfoil will continue to back the Test series.

Firdose Moonda09-Dec-2011Cricket South Africa hopes to secure a sponsor for the one-day series against Sri Lanka by next week, after confirming that sunflower cooking oil manufacturer Sunfoil will continue to back the Test series. Cricket has, so far, endured a troubled summer, in which the ongoing bonus scandal, rather than on-field activities, have dominated the sport’s headlines.The issue, centred on money paid out in bonuses to 40 staff after the hosting of the 2009 IPL and Champions Trophy, is currently the subject of a ministerial commission of inquiry. The saga has dragged on since July last year and spilled from the boardroom to the pitch when corporates began turning their backs on cricket.The T20 and ODI series against Australia took place without a sponsor, with the title rights for the two Twenty20 matches being given away to the Make a Difference charity, at no cost. At the last moment, Sunfoil stepped in to sponsor the Test series, saving CSA from a situation in which the only sponsor they had was Castle Lager, who have continued to back the Test team, while also extending their funding to cover the ODI team.An insider told ESPNcricinfo that Sunfoil was given “a very attractive deal” and that the nature of the company, which is “a family-owned business with close ties to cricket,” is likely the chief reason for them agreeing to sponsor cricket when no-one else would. Sunfoil also sponsor the Dolphins franchise and both the Dolphins and Lions development programmes. They have extended their deal to include the three-Test series against Sri Lanka, but the five ODIs which follow are still financial orphans.”Negotiations are ongoing,” CSA acting president AK Khan said in Johannesburg. “Some companies have requested time until next week but we hope to have some confirmation by December 15.”CSA had previously claimed that they had contracted sponsors prior to the season starting and were waiting for the bonus saga to end before announcing them. Now, it seems some of those firms may have backed out completely and the search had to begin again. “There are new companies that have approached us,” Khan said.One of those who backpedalled might have been the prospective domestic one-day cup sponsors. The entire competition was completed without a sponsor, the first the time the tournament has been without a backer. CSA will want to avoid a similar situation with their twenty-over tournament.The competition is scheduled for February and has already seen some big names sign up. Chris Gayle and Shaun Tait have both been contracted to the Dolphins franchise while Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq will turn out for the Lions. Each franchise has been allowed to contract two foreign players. An additional, seventh franchise has been added to the tournament. This team will be comprised of the best semi-professional players in the country and will be allowed to contract four foreign players.The international element of the competition makes it CSA’s hottest property and companies are expected to be lining up to sponsor it. However, there may be a delay. While the ministerial committee has heard all the testimony, Judge Chris Nicholson is only expected to make his recommendations towards the end of February, which could leave the domestic T20 without a sponsor as well.

Fast bowlers give Tuskers innings win

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Matabeleland Tuskers’ fast bowlers blew away Mashonaland Eagles for 70 in the second innings to give their side an innings-and-30-run win in Bulawayo

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Feb-2012Matabeleland Tuskers‘ fast bowlers blew away Mashonaland Eagles for 70 in the second innings to give their side an innings-and-30 run win in Bulawayo. There were only two scores of over 50 in the match, and both of them were made by the Tuskers’ openers, Paul Horton and Terry Duffin. Glen Querl and Richard Jones struck thrice each after Tuskers chose to field and dismissed Eagles for 181. The top order managed starts but could not carry on, and the rest of the line-up fell apart. Horton (65) and Duffin (104) responded with an opening stand of 147. Tuskers went past 181 with only one wicket down. At 217 for 1, they were eyeing a huge total, but Innocent Chinyoka and Tinotenda Mutombodzi triggered a collapse and Tuskers were bowled out for 281. Querl and Jones took seven wickets between them to ensure that Eagles were not able to even make Tuskers bat again. Only two Eagles batsmen managed double-digit scores as they were shot out for 70.Daryl Mitchell, Vusi Sibanda and Gary Ballance made centuries in the drawn game between Mountaineers and Mid West Rhinos at the Mutare Sports Club. Tendai Chatara grabbed five wickets to dismiss Rhinos for 253 with only Steve Marillier and Roland Benade making decent contributions. Mitchell (178) and Mark Pettini (68) put on 183 for the third wicket to boost Mountaineers to 243 for 2 but the innings unravelled after that to end on 313. Neville Madziva picked up four wickets while Simon Mugava took three. Rhinos piled on the runs in the second innings with Sibanda (162) and Ballance (116) adding 232 for the second wicket. They declared on 421 for 6 after which the game ended with Mountaineers on 85 for 2.

West Indies aim for greater discipline

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ESPNcricinfo previews the second West Indies-Australia ODI, in Kingstown

The Preview by Brydon Coverdale18-Mar-2012

Match facts

Xavier Doherty picked up four wickets in the first game•AFP

March 18, Arnos Vale
Start time 0930 (1330 GMT)

Big Picture

The first match on Friday revealed what a slow surface St Vincent had to offer. Australia’s batsmen struggled to get in properly and even when they were well settled, trying to adjust the scoring rate up was nearly always fatal. Fortunately, they had just enough men who made starts to allow them to pass 200. Against a West Indian batting group that lacked discipline, that was enough. Apart from one promising partnership between Dwayne Bravo and Marlon Samuels, and then a few late blows from Darren Sammy, the batting display from West Indies was disheartening. Their batsmen need to put a higher price on their wickets and ensure 50 overs are batted out.”We played irresponsibly,” the captain Sammy said after the game. “We lost a few early wickets and then we had a partnership but then once that partnership was broken we just lost our way in the middle. It is something we really have to work on and work on it very fast because come Sunday, we have to do battle again.”West Indies should know how to play at Arnos Vale, for they have won 17 of the 21 one-day internationals they have played at the venue. But they have now lost 13 consecutive ODIs to Australia, leaving aside one wash-out, and they need to quickly find a way to end that streak. Things might be different if West Indies bat first, for chasing on such a sluggish surface cannot be easy. The Australians have a second spinner, Nathan Lyon, in their squad and given the pitch and the fact that Xavier Doherty took four wickets in the opening game, there will be a temptation to bring Lyon in alongside Doherty.

Form guide

(Most recent first)
West Indies LLLWL
Australia WWLWL

In the spotlight

Australian fans have heard on the grape-vine about the promising Darren Bravo, but Friday’s ODI was the first time he had played against the Australians. He was run out for 4, which didn’t reveal much about what he will offer in this series. But should Bravo play a composed innings at No.4, it will go a long way to West Indies being more competitive than they were in the first game.Xavier Doherty experienced the best and the worst of international cricket on Friday. Marlon Samuels welcomed him by launching three sixes down the ground in his first over but he fought back to take four wickets. Doherty can turn the ball sharply at times but it’s his subtle changes that can make him a tricky proposition in the shorter formats, and he will again me a key man on Sunday given the slow surface.

Team news

Tino Best and the spinner Devendra Bishoo are the extra members of the West Indies squad. Given how Australia struggled against the spin of Sunil Narine and Marlon Samuels, it will be tempting for the selectors to bring in Bishoo, perhaps at the expense of Andre Russell.West Indies (possible) 1 Kieran Powell, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Marlon Samuels, 4 Darren Bravo, 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Carlton Baugh (wk), 8 Darren Sammy (capt), 9 Devendra Bishoo, 10 Sunil Narine, 11 Kemar Roach.The difficulty for the selectors is that they would like to bring in the second spinner but would also be keen to retain their longer batting line-up given the tricky nature of the pitch. As a batsman who struggled in the first game and does not offer a bowling option, Peter Forrest could be vulnerable, but it is equally possible Australia will take in an unchanged side.Australia (possible) 1 David Warner, 2 Shane Watson (capt), 3 Matthew Wade (wk), 4 Michael Hussey, 5 David Hussey, 6 George Bailey, 7 Daniel Christian, 8 Brett Lee, 9 Clint McKay, 10 Xavier Doherty, 11 Nathan Lyon.

Pitch and conditions

Two pitches have been prepared at Arnos Vale but it is unlikely the second one will be much different. That means a lack of pace, and batsmen will need to show patience and wait for short balls to put away. Going hard at fuller deliveries carries the risk of mistiming the ball and lobbing catches.

Stats and trivia

  • George Bailey was Man of the Match on Friday, the seventh Australian to achieve the feat on his ODI debut and the second this year, after Matthew Wade
  • Marlon Samuels reached 3000 ODI runs on Friday, the 11th West Indian to pass the milestone
  • Australia and Pakistan are the only visiting sides to have won ODIs at Arnos Vale, although all the ICC’s full members have played there

Quotes

“We’ve seen what the Australians have, nothing extraordinary but we just have to go out there and be more responsible in our approach.”

“When you come to a foreign country you want to make a statement early. We knew it was important to hit the ground running.”

Trott knock leaves Sussex on the rocks

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Jonathan Trott and Varun Chopra both hit hundreds as Division One leaders Warwickshire had the better of day one at Sussex

David Hopps at Hove26-Apr-2012
ScorecardJonathan Trott made an unbeaten hundred on his first appearance for Warwickshire this season•Getty Images

On the seafront, the English channel was grey and turbulent, angry enough to bring to mind the despairing vision of Brighton Rock. It was the sort of murky spring day attuned to a vision of hopelessness and Sussex’s bowlers found an ultimate horror of their own: Jonathan Trott and Varun Chopra, tooled up and in the mood for batting.Both made assured hundreds and if Chopra did not make it to the close, falling lbw for 105 to Luke Wells’ occasional offspin to give the bowler only his third first-class wicket, Trott saw out the day for 132 not out. After undergoing routine England fitness and medical tests at Loughborough earlier this week, this was his first appearance of the season for Warwickshire and he has returned with his England reputation now firmly established. There was a certainty about him, perhaps even a new status.With a hint of the understated menace that pervaded Graham Greene’s Brighton, Trott and Chopra gradually dismantled the hopes of the Sussex attack. Not quite gangsters, admittedly, but after all this was not Brighton but Hove. They were quite disturbing enough for Hove, letting it be known that Warwickshire this season are not a team to underestimate. Today, they got two hundreds in the top four; last week Darren Maddy and Rikki Clarke both hit centuries in a draining eighth-wicket stand. They are not easily subdued.Warwickshire lead Division One by a point, with a game in hand on their closest rivals, already 40 points ahead of Lancashire. With bad weather about, they are thinking in terms of winning in three days, even though Sussex pegged them back slightly with two late wickets. “Hopefully we can have three days of good weather and push for a result,” Trott said. “After being put in we’ve had a pretty good day.”William Porterfield and Ian Bell were early casualties. Porterfield caught off Steve Magoffin at second slip, but only after Ed Joyce had tidied up Wells’ fumble. Bell, still to escape his slump in form, fell without scoring, pushing confidently at James Anyon and beaten by one that came back. He is a class act, and will prove it again, but in his present state Greene would have felt obliged to have him killed by the end of the first chapter. “He’ll be all right,” Trott said of his England colleague.Trott and Chopra then reclaimed Warwickshire’s authority. From 13 for 2, they added 219 in 64 overs, scooting to a hundred stand in only 22 overs before searching for something more durable as the day progressed. There is enough in this pitch to encourage Warwickshire that they are in a powerful position; Sussex’s quicks, worn down by the certainty of the batsmens’ strokeplay, did not have the best of days. They bowled too short, Amjad Khan in particular.Chopra seems to relish the early season, when bowlers pitch the ball up in search of swing or seam. He drives well and judiciously and, partly thanks to a short boundary on the pavilion side, he soon forced a fielding position that had almost become extinct this April: the cover sweeper. He often gets runs when it is difficult, which is not a bad habit to have.As for Trott, place any situation before him these days and he proceeds with a sense of preparedness. He reached his hundred with a blissful straight drive off Anyon, but the shot that struck in the memory was a workaday deflection to third man; the first time he played it, there was the suspicion of a thick edge, but by the third time he seemed so in control of the situation that it was clearly misguided to question his intentions. “The gap was too big not to try to hit it there,” Trott, ever an explorer of percentages, said.”There are always things you can improve on as a batter,” he added. “It’s a very fickle game. You can’t say that because you have had a good Test series you will come into first-class cricket and do really well. Belly and myself are working just as hard as each other. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn’t.”

The Oval to host Jamaica celebration

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

As part of the celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence, an Old England side will take on an Old Jamaica XI at The Oval

David Lloyd19-Apr-2012
ScorecardOnly groundsmen had anything to do at The Oval•PA Photos

Wet days at cricket and trips down Memory Lane go hand in hand. While rain prevented so much as a ball being bowled today, Surrey gave those few hardy souls who were present every opportunity to reminisce by announcing details of a special match to be played here on Sunday July 8.As part of the celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence, an Old England side will take on an Old Jamaica XI at a ground which, over the years, became like a second home to visiting West Indies teams.The line-ups are to be finalised but it is hoped that Ron Headley, Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding will be among those turning out for Jamaica. But whether or not, at 58, he plays on July 8 – or pursues his second, gentler career of commentating – Holding has already had a big input by recommending The Oval as the ideal venue for a Jamaican party.It is no wonder, really. Back in the 1970s, especially, this part of south London rocked to a Caribbean beat when West Indies took on England with the ground heavily populated by dancing, singing and music-making supporters of the visitors. They seldom had anything less than a victory to cheer – and one of their favourite sons, Holding, chose this venue to produce a performance awesome by even his sky-high standards.In 1976, the Jamaican with the silent run-up and thoroughbred action returned match figures of 14 for 149 as West Indies won by 231 runs, even though England managed 435 in their first innings. As an exhibition of fast bowling it was just about impossible to beat and those who saw it live still purr with delight whenever Holding and The Oval are mentioned in the same breath.Mind, another fast bowler born in Jamaica produced an even more starting performance, in terms of destruction, at The Oval. And Devon Malcolm, who is scheduled to represent Old England in July, did it for the hosts.Whether or not Malcolm actually said “you guys are history” after he was hit between the eyes by a bouncer while batting against South Africa in 1994 is neither here nor there. What we know for certain is that Big Dev responded to the indignity of being felled by producing perhaps the most hostile spell of his career to take nine for 57.Great memories. And no doubt there will be plenty more doing the rounds come July at what should be a joyful occasion.As for the present, there was little to cheer at The Oval today. It did stay dry long enough, though, for Worcestershire to win what could be a vital toss. They have neither Holding nor Malcolm to call on but will still fancy their chances of doing damage with the ball.