Delhi Capitals’ assistant coach Pravin Amre provides injury update after the win against Mumbai Indians

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Apr-20242:02

Moody: ‘Fraser-McGurk’s mind in the right place’

David Warner and Ishant Sharma will need another week to regain full fitness, Delhi Capitals’ assistant coach Pravin Amre said after the team’s ten-run win over Mumbai Indians in Delhi.Warner was hit on the finger while attempting a lap shot against Lucknow Super Giants on April 12. He missed DC’s next match, against Gujarat Titans, but played against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 20, where he was out for 1.Since then, he has missed two more games, including the one against MI. Meanwhile, Ishant is recovering from back spasms.Related

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Monga: Jake Fraser-McGurk, the ideal T20 batter

“I think Warner will take one more week [to be fully fit] and so will Ishant,” Amre said. “Ishant had back spasms, which happened on the field two games ago. Warner had a hand injury, which is yet to heal. He had an MRI, which showed the injury for which he needed rest for two to three weeks. I feel they will be ready for selection when we return to Delhi.”DC’s next match is against Kolkata Knight Riders, in Kolkata, on April 29 before they return home to play against Rajasthan Royals on May 7.Against MI, Prithvi Shaw also sat out with illness. “Prithvi was not feeling well when we reached the ground,” Amre said. “So we decided that if he was not 100% fit, we would go with [Abishek] Porel.”Fraser-McGurk has that X-factor – AmreDC’s win against MI was orchestrated by Jake Fraser-McGurk’s 84 off 27 balls, which propelled them to 257 for 4. Fraser-McGurk was not part of the original squad but once Lungi Ngidi was ruled out of the tournament, DC drafted him in as a replacement player.Jake Fraser-McGurk got to his fifty off just 15 balls•BCCI

“He played three games for Dubai Capitals [in the ILT20] and our scouting team was very keen to have him [for the IPL],” Amre said. “Once we got an opportunity to have a replacement, even though we had a choice between a couple of players, we picked him.”He played just three innings [in the ILT20] before leaving to play for Australia but even in that, he played a couple of match-winning innings. Those knocks were something special. Given he is a young, exciting cricketer, we decided to back him.”Fraser-McGurk didn’t play the first five games of the season for DC, but since then has smashed 247 runs in five innings, with three half-centuries and at a strike rate of 237.50.”Yes, he had to wait for four-five games before getting a chance,” Amre said. “But even when we were watching him in the nets, he had something different, that X-factor. Even today, he just opened up the game and because of his innings we were 92 for no loss after six overs.”He is a natural. If you see his set-up, he believes in a stable base. And he has excellent hand speed. And when you are batting in the powerplay, you have only one fielder on the leg side. So that’s a good area to hit; even a mis-hit can get you a boundary.”But if you see in this game, he played smart cricket. When the bowlers bowled wide, he hit a couple of sixes on the off side also. So he has that ability too, and his shot selection is very good.”

Dreary drew ensues after youngster stars for Warwickshire with career-best 93

ECB Reporters Network29-Apr-2024Nottinghamshire 400 (Duckett 218, Haynes 74, Slater 65, Hannon-Dalby 5-78) and 75 for 1 drew with Warwickshire 361 (Bethell 93, Barnard 69, James 3-65, Pennington 3-74)Another stalemate landed in the ocean of early-season Vitality Championship draws as the match between Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire petered out at Edgbaston.In reply to 400 all out, Warwickshire extended their first innings to 361, Jake Bethell posting a career-best 93 (163 balls), before Nottinghamshire went in again and acquired 75 for one.As soon as Warwickshire reached 251, which they did with some comfort with five wickets down, the match was consigned to a draw, the home side’s fourth in four championship matches and Nottinghamshire’s third in four.It was a dreary conclusion to a match which delivered some excellence – Ben Duckett’s double-century and the seam bowling of Olly Hannon-Dalby and Dillon Pennington – but was ultimately smothered by a docile pitch and the loss of more than a day to rain.After Warwickshire resumed on the final morning on 175 for five, 76 short of the follow-on figure, Nottinghamshire needed to strike quickly but Bethell and Danny Briggs (37, 79) were soon collecting boundaries. Stubborn batting, allied to a pitch which stubbornly refused to deteriorate, drew the sting of a seam attack which bowled with a quality during this match to suggest they will cause batters a lot of problems in more helpful conditions.Bethell and Briggs added 85 in 23 overs to take their side to the requisite 251. Almost immediately, Briggs swatted Calvin Harrison to mid on where Freddie McCann entered the history books as the first former Papplewick & Linby CC player to take a catch as a substitute in first class cricket with the floodlights on at Edgbaston on a Monday.Bethell’s classy and composed innings ended seven short of a deserved maiden century when he edged Olly Stone to give the former Warwickshire player his first wicket back on his old patch. Bowling remained a joyless assignment though and Michael Burgess (43, 63 balls) and Aamer Jamal (40, 46) added 71 in 15 overs before the latter hammered a return catch to Lyndon James.After Hasan Ali chipped James into the covers, Hannon-Dalby settled in with his customary aplomb before running out of partners when Burgess mowed to mid off. James’ analysis had been upgraded from 0 for 57 to three for 63 in 18 balls.Nottinghamshire went into bat again at 2.54pm and filled the rest of a grey afternoon with batting practice. Duckett followed his 264-ball 218 with a six-ball seven when Hannon-Dalby trapped him lbw but Haseeb Hameed (41 not out, 69 balls) and Ben Slater enjoyed an outdoor net for the remaining two hours as the match fizzled out in a manner redolent of Nottinghamshire’s visit to Coventry in 1928 when they amassed 656 for three, four of the top five scoring centuries (only Arthur Carr missed out with a paltry 58) but their victory hopes were thwarted by a benign pitch, weather damage and obdurate batting by Warwickshire legends Tiger Smith and Bob Wyatt.

Cricinfo and Wisden writers select their best and worst moments from 2005

28-Dec-2005

Peter English

Shane Warne reaches 600 Test wickets, but even his immense efforts could not save the Ashes for Australia © Getty Images
Best
Too many Shane Warne moments to pick from – he had 84 wickets for 2005 before the South Africa series – but his England efforts win by the distance of Hampshire’s Rose Bowl from Southampton. He easily out-performed Andrew Flintoff with 40 wickets at 19.92 and 249 runs, but his recognition was diluted by being on the losing side. Didn’t deserve the defeat – or the drop of Kevin Pietersen at The Oval – after his back, knee and shoulder-straining efforts, but there was no sulking, kicking, screaming or, thankfully, retiring when it happened. Kissing the wrist band given to him by his daughter Brooke when taking his 600th wicket at Old Trafford was moving and the huge legspinner to remove and confuse Andrew Strauss was beautifully brutal.Worst
The first two sessions at Lord’s in July. Australia were dominated, the top three batsmen were struck, including Ricky Ponting’s cheek being split by Steve Harmison, and they were all out before tea for 190. Nothing was done about the warning signs. Instead of recognising the problems caused by the brilliant opposition attack and devising strategies to counter them throughout the series, the performance was forgotten with Glenn McGrath’s third-session of brilliance and the 239-run win. Many Australian players and supporters point out the narrowness of the Ashes loss to soften the defeat, but the costly misreading of England’s bowlers was crucial to handing over the urn.

Anil Nair

Shoaib Akhtar’s resurgence was key to Pakistan’s success over England © Getty Images
Best
The born-again Shoaib Akhtar. Such calumny was heaped on him – Shoaib was a showboat, selfish, short of breath and a disruptive presence. But against England he demonstrated his staying power, his determination and, not least, his secret weapon. He turbocharged in over the same 30 yards, there was the usual copybook coiling of the shoulders and the astonishing amount of lean-back but, at the end of it, a 60mph delivery from the world’s fastest bowler. It got into the nervous system of the England batsmen who had no way of knowing what was coming next: the Scud or, the equally cruel, Sidewinder.Worst
The Freudian Id and the man-behind-the-mask are long past their use by date. Still, Greg Chappell’s finger gesture at Kolkata was an abomination, an unguarded moment that exposed a mean streak beneath the suave exterior. His credentials as a player and captain were that of a colossus. And from what we have seen of him so far it ought to be no different as a coach. His stern persona as much as his exhortations on excellence project him as the ultimate rational man, one sure of his authority. Which made it all the more shocking that he should respond in kind to dire provocation.

India’s latest collapse at St George’s Park was the seventh time they were bowled out in 16 matches since the tour of West Indies in May

George Binoy29-Nov-2006

Sachin Tendulkar has scored 38 runs in three innings on the South Africa tour © Getty Images

India’s batsmen are struggling. And it’s been that way for months now. The latest collapse at St George’s Park was the seventh time they have been bowled out in 16 matches since the tour of West Indies in May. In their last eight matches India have been scuttled on five occasions.Scratch the surface and you’ll unearth more dismal facts. On the tour of South Africa so far, India’s tenth wicket has fallen as early as the 30th, 42nd, and 39thover. In the recent tri-series in Malaysia, Australia routed India for 195 after 43.5 overs and West Indies dismissed them for 162 off 39.3 overs . Another debacle was on the cards had rain not intervened after Mitchell Johnson reduced India to 35 for 5 by the eighth over of the first match against Australia in the DLF Cup.Being dismissed in seven out of 16 ODIs is dire but the remaining matches aren’t a pretty picture either. In four out of the other nine matches, India had scores of 245 for 9, 217 for 7, 223 for 9 and 249 for 8 after 50 overs, and in their Champions Trophy match against England, they lost six wickets while chasing a meagre 126.At the moment India don’t have a single batsman in form. They just haven’t been spending enough time at the crease and sizable partnerships have been few and far between. Cricinfo analysed the differences between India’s golden run during the 2005-06 season and their woeful slump since the tour of West Indies up to the Champions Trophy. Their travails in South Africa are merely an extension of the same. The blame lies largely with the batsmen.

Stats highlights from the third day’s play at Adelaide

Cricinfo staff03-Dec-2006

How Hoggard bowled to left-handers (Click here for a bigger image) © Hawk-Eye
In his four previous Tests in Australia, Matthew Hoggard had managed eight wickets at an exorbitant 64.50 apiece. On the third day at Adelaide, though, Hoggard was instrumental in ensuring that England had something to cheer about despite Ricky Ponting getting his seventh hundred this year and Mike Hussey almost getting one too.The key to Hoggard’s success was his relentless accuracy, and his ability to adjust his line to the right-left combination that Australia had almost throughout the day. He mostly pitched it in line with the stumps when bowling to the left-handers, but against Ponting, Damien Martyn and Michael Clarke, he pitched it almost exclusively outside off, and finally induced errors from Martyn and Ponting.

How Hoggard bowled to right-handers (Click here for a bigger image) © Hawk-Eye
The third graphic shows how Hoggard nailed Matthew Hayden. The ball previous to his dismissal was much closer to off stump and moved in a shade, while he followed it up with one which moved away. Hayden promptly followed the ball, and England had nailed a crucial wicket.Other stats highlights58.37 – Ricky Ponting’s average at the Adelaide Oval. He has now scored four hundreds and an equal number of fifties in 20 innings here.77.41 – Michael Hussey’s Test average. In his last eight innings (including his 91 at Adelaide) he has made six scores of more than 70.

How Hoggard nailed Hayden (Click here for a bigger image) © Hawk-Eye
21.33 – Damien Martyn’s average against Matthew Hoggard. In 193 balls, Martyn has only scored 64 runs for three dismissals, that’s a scoring rate of 1.98 per over83 – The average partnership between Ponting and Hussey. In nine innings they have scored 664 runs, with three century stands192 – The four-wicket partnership between Ponting and Hussey. It’s Australia’s fourth-highest for this wicket at Adelaide – the highest is the 214 between Allan Border and Dean Jones against West Indies in 1989.109.09 – Ponting’s average in Test cricket in 2006. In 14 innings he has scored seven hundreds and three fifties, and his aggregate for the year is exactly 1200.

The BCCI organised the inter-state Twenty20 Cup on an experimental basis this season. But without selling television rights and with the absence of crowds in the stadiums, the tournament didn’t serve the purpose it was designed for – excitement in domesti

Anand Vasu23-Apr-2007

Despite stars like Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh playing for their states in the Twenty20 tournament the crowds stayed away © AFP
Tamil Nadu, who had a tough Ranji season with a young and developing team, walked away with the Mushtaq Ali Trophy for the inaugural domestic Twenty20 championships; aside from them, however, it’s hard to see how anyone else gained much from the tournament.For the Board of Control for Cricket in India it meant plenty of logistics and some expense. For the players it meant playing at the worst time of the year weather-wise. For viewing public, both at the grounds and on television – the people for whom this format was devised – the tournament barely existed.”It was a very good feeling for us as a team,” said Dinesh Karthik, who led a young Tamil Nadu team that did not contain S Badrinath (illness) and Hemang Badani (back injury) to victory. “We stuck together as a unit and played really good cricket throughout. It’s going to be a big boost for us going forward.”WV Raman, the former Indian Test batsman and currently coach of the Tamil Nadu team, was similarly pleased with how things had gone in the last tournament of the domestic calendar. “We had a lot of youngsters come through. There’s a distinct shift in how they approach the game,” he said, looking back at the season positively. “It’s also shown them that once they get their chances they need to keep working at it. When players come to the first-class level after success at the junior level at times they tend to think this game is a bit easy. What is important is graduating quickly, making the transition easily.”But Raman warned against rushing young players into Twenty20 cricket. “If you’re trying to form a young side, get players to improve their skills and aiming for Ranji Trophy success players should not be initiated into Twenty20 initially,” he said. “It’s probably a better idea for players to get a hang of the four-day game and then come to Twenty20. It’s easy for cricketers who are decent at first-class cricket to adapt to shorter games, but not the other way around.”For some of the India stars, though, the tournament was not the greatest. Yuvraj Singh, who was part of a strong Punjab team that lost in the final, said, “You can’t do much in Twenty20. It’s just like 50-over cricket, not too different. Just that you don’t have much time to do anything. It’s good for entertainment, though. I’ve played a couple of games and scored only in one. I’ve found it difficult to settle in. A couple of seasons more and we’ll get better at this.”Surprisingly even a of Twenty20 cricket, like Dinesh Mongia, who has some 25-plus games in this format under his belt, felt that players didn’t need to do much differently. “See, it’s still a game of bat and ball,” he said. “The way I look at it, you still have to play your natural game. I like to go for my shots, so it doesn’t really make that much of a difference to me.”One of the major drawbacks of holding the tournament in late April was the sapping heat. In Ahmedabad where half the teams played, it was 42 degrees centigrade, and probably felt more like 50 out in the middle at Motera. “After reaching 30 I could barely feel my thighs, they were cramping so badly,” one cricketer said. Even Karthik, whose pain had been lifted by the joy of winning, conceded, “It was pretty sapping. You have to keep training hard and make sure you’re at the top of your fitness at all times. When you’re playing, you need to make sure that you don’t flag or lose the energy that you started off with.”All through the tournament the crowds stayed away, and this was a bit surprising given that all of India’s stars were playing, having been knocked out of the World Cup early. That was one aspect that completely took the sheen off the tournament. “You expect a lot more people to come in for games like this,” said Yuvraj. “In future the hype will be much more and I’m sure people will come in larger numbers and that will make a difference.”Mongia, who has played in England with all the crowds and music and supercharged atmosphere, was not so optimistic. “Look, let’s be honest, I don’t really see that happening here. In India people only go to the ground for international matches,” he said. “Of course it would be brilliant if people came and supported their teams like it happens in England. It’s a huge difference playing in that atmosphere. But here, even with international stars playing, whether it is in Ranji Trophy or Duleep, we can’t seem to draw crowds for domestic cricket.”Raman, who conceded that he certainly did not consider himself unlucky that there was no Twenty20 cricket in his time as player, wanted the imbalance between bat and ball redressed. “It’s too much in favour of the batsman at the moment. Anything between 140 and 180 is the norm,” he said. “If you’re no-balled then the next is a free hit. Similarly the bowlers should be rewarded in some way if there is a dot ball. It’s not easy when the batsmen are going bang-bang all the time. The bowlers need to be given some incentive considering they get penalised twice for bowling a no-ball.”For the BCCI, who ran the first edition of the tournament on “an experimental basis” and did not even seek to sell television rights, there’s plenty to think about before they embark on the exercise again next year.

The Kensington Oval has been given an extensive makeover, and has also got back its famous bounce

Sambit Bal in Barbados27-Apr-2007

“In place of what was once an idiosyncratic, charming, informal, but fairly basic and increasingly decrepit stadium stands a beautiful modern structure, comparable to the very best in the world” © Arup Associates & Christian Richters

We are sitting in one of the television commentary booths in the newly constructed media centre of the Kensington Oval and Franklyn Stephenson, described by many as the best West Indian fast bowler never to have played Test cricket, is recounting to me the best over of fast bowling he, perhaps anyone, has ever seen. There is a lilt in his voice and a sparkle in his eyes as he visualises Michael Holding turning at the top of his bowling mark.”I was sitting there,” says Stephenson, who played only eight matches in Barbados before being banned for joining the rebel tour to South Africa, pointing to the right of the Sir Garfield Sobers Pavilion, “and Holding turns, his chest’s puffed out, and he blows in like a breeze, his collar flapping, feet gliding, and the ball goes whoop! I am sure [Geoff] Boycott didn’t see it.”The routine is repeated four more times, Boycott playing, or just waving his bat in the air, and missing, before being put of misery with the last ball. “Wow, the stump goes cartwheeling,” Stephenson says, replaying the movement with his hand, “one, two, three, four … must have gone half way to the fence.””Pace like fire, maan.” The words that became a West Indian leitmotif were born out of the belly of Kensington Oval. If cricket defines Barbados, the Kensington Oval defines West Indian cricket. Or so it did for close to 50 years when it was the most fearsome symbol of West Indian invincibility. Between 1948 and 1994, when they didn’t lose a Test here. Between 1978 and 1993 they won 12 Tests in succession. In this period they beat everyone everywhere, but at the Kensington Oval, they beat them to pulp. Fast bowler after fast bowler ran in to pound the pitch, made out of the hard coral island soil of Barbados, and batsmen were terrorised, crushed, and paralysed out of fear.But when I ask him if that over to Boycott was the fastest he had ever bowled, Holding, who still looks like he can run in the way he did 30 years ago, shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head. “There is a bit of myth about West Indian pitches,” he said. “Kensington was fast, as was Sabina Park, but never as fast as the Australian pitches barring Sydney.” Sanjay Manjrekar, who scored a technically accomplished century here in 1989, concurs. “It had grass, but it was not as fast as it was made out be.”More than the pace off the pitch, though, it was the aura. A relatively small ground, filled by a drum-beating, conch blowing, rum-drinking, infinitely knowledgeable and quick-witted crowd created a coliseum-like atmosphere that added to the intimidation of the opposition batsmen. “We never felt we could lose here,” Holding said, “it had bounce which our bowlers enjoyed, but so did our batsmen who could cut and pull.”A lot has changed since. The fortress was breached most emphatically by England in 1994 and, since then, West Indies have suffered five more losses here against four wins, one of which includes the sensational Brian Lara-inspired one-wicket success against Australia in 1999.The square had aged and slowed down; in 2003, Steve Waugh called it the slowest pitch in the world and even the West Indians agreed. Australia batted first and scored 605, the West Indian spinners bowling nearly half of the 152 overs. The match-winner for Australia was Stuart MacGill with nine wickets, four of them in the first innings.The process to restore the Oval began four years ago when the West Indies won the bid to host the World Cup. The ground has been transformed since. In place of what was once an idiosyncratic (the square boundary on the west side used to be a straight line), charming, informal, but fairly basic and increasingly decrepit stadium stands a beautiful modern structure, comparable to the very best in the world. From the left of the media centre, a five-storey building with all the facilities you could ask for (apart from protection from the afternoon sun), till the end of the 3W’s Pavilion, it resembles Lord’s, but is free of the stuffiness. The pavilion looks inspired from the spaceship design of the Lord’s media box but is in fact far better. The roof protrudes and there is a glass barricade in the front, insulating those watching from the sounds of cricket.What’s the trade-off between modernity and tradition? There are those, like the Trinidad-based journalist and radio broadcaster Fazeer Mohammed, who feel the loss of tradition and intimacy. “It may have been quaint, too dilapidated and therefore too unsafe for the modern era,” he wrote, “but there probably will never be a cricketing atmosphere to match that of a full house for Test cricket at Kensington.”

Those like the Trinidad-based journalist and radio broadcaster Fazeer Mohammed feel the loss of tradition and intimacy © Arup Associates & Christian Richters

But at what cost, asks Tony Cozier, the foremost West Indian broadcaster, one of three famous media persons after whom the new media centre is named. “Do you want broken wooden seats with nails coming out them? At some point, rebuilding becomes necessary and, while rebuilding, some things get left behind.” Wes Hall, another Barbados legend, also gives his ring of approval. Hall said his decision to play for Queensland was based on the fact that the old Gabba resembled the Kensington Oval. “But they have rebuilt the Gabba, so why not the Oval? I love the new place.”The new Oval, to be honest, bears no resemblance to the new Gabba, which is a bowl-like, enclosed structure. Kensington retains the openness, the stands have individuality and character. “One of the things we wanted to retain,” said Dipesh Patel, the lead architect of Arup Associates, the British architecture firm that designed the stadium, “is its Caribbean character.” So the place has been designed to allow plenty of light and air and retain an atmosphere of openness. There is plenty of fabric used in the roof to make the stands feel bright, and all the stands have space between them.The legends of Barbados – the country has produced 41 Test players, a record perhaps in proportion to its population (266,000 at last count) – have been given pride of place. In addition to the main pavilion, named after Frank Worrell, Everton Weekes and Clyde Walcott, there’s the Sobers pavilion, which serves as a beautiful dressing room for the players, with an open-air dining area. Hall and Charlie Griffith, the nation’s premier fast-bowling pair, have a stand in their name, as do Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes, the nation’s most famous opening pair. And Malcolm Marshall and Joel Garner have got the two bowling ends.The capacity of the stadium has been increased to 28,000 to accommodate the World Cup but the 16,000-capacity eastern stand is a temporary structure and will be removed after the final to create a grassy bank with a pool that is longer than the size of the pitch. “It will provide an echo of the coastal landscape of Barbados,” Patel said.Most importantly, though, the pitch has regained its vigour. The entire square has been relaid under the supervision of Richard Edwards, a former Barbados fast bowler, and the ball, particularly in the first couple of hours, now zips off the pitch. Bowlers such as Corey Collymore and Charl Langeveldt have been able to get it up to the nose. But the pitch has also shown a strange proclivity to slowing down in the second half of the day, so much so that, during England’s Super Eights match against Bangladesh, it was unrecognisable from the morning. But Holding believes it will settle down to be a good Test match pitch after one season.It is difficult to imagine any other cricket ground more qualified to stage a World Cup final. It is the soul of cricket. It has a proud history, a rich heritage and a purity that can only be felt. Now what everyone needs is a contest worthy of the stage.

During an 11-year first-class career, Bhaskar earned a reputation as a hungry man known for his smooth, old-school batting and effortless approach at the crease

Jamie Alter in Mysore04-Dec-2007

KP Bhaskar: “I don’t think I was destined to play for India. Every time I came close to being selected, something happened” © Jamie Alter
KP Bhaskar effortlessly switches between Hindi, Punjabi and Tamil as he handles congratulatory calls on two cell phones, and signs an autograph for a young fan, after Rajasthan’s first draw of the Ranji season, following three consecutive losses. “Crazy man, these calls, but it feels good to have finally gotten points on the table. It’s very important for the boys, and their morale. We need to go forward on this.”Everything appears so simple, the way he handles the local media after his side unexpectedly – again, to the locals, at least – gave Karnataka a run for their money, the way how, at 44, he can kick a mean football and matches step with his young Rajasthan players during post-match cool down, and the way he cracks jokes with his assistants, ground officials, and a photographer clicking a shot of his enthusiastic side.During an 11-year first-class career, Bhaskar earned a reputation as a hungry man known for his smooth, old-school batting and effortless approach at the crease. Having been a former Delhi captain, with more than 5000 runs at an average of 52.84 in 95 matches, and being the Indian Cricketer of the Year in 1989, Bhaskar’s was a name constantly mentioned in hushed tones during the 80s, whenever it came time to announce the Indian squad. So how come he never made the grade?” I don’t think I was destined to play for India,” he says, matter-of-factly. “Every time I came close to being selected, something happened. I just didn’t score when I really needed to make an impression. Call it destiny, external factors, whatever. There were times when I was supposed to be close to selection, ahead of a big game, and something would happen. I’d get ill, or it would rain, a game would get abandoned, something or the other. Or I wouldn’t score runs in a game.”Thus Bhaskar has been grouped into the “what-could-have-been” category of Indian cricket, with the likes of Rajinder Goel and Amarjeet Kaypee. Between 1983 and 1989, Bhaskar averaged close to 70, with 13 centuries. He churned out runs for a Delhi team full of talent. “I developed a reputation for being a crisis man. If Delhi needed me, I’d deliver. It’s something that stuck.” Two innings that stand out are: 135 against Services in 1984, where, after a collapse from 7 for 3 to 55 for 6, Bhaskar bailed Delhi out to 233 in a hard-fought draw and an unbeaten 160 against Karnataka amid another collapse. The list goes on, but the call-up never did come.”You know, there was a myth,” he continues, before pausing and smiling, his eyes fleetingly scanning his wards practising behind us. “Well, I suppose it wasn’t really a myth. But it was said that if I needed to score runs for myself, where national selection was concerned, I wouldn’t deliver. But when Delhi needed runs, if we were in trouble, I’d score.””I came close. I was put on stand-by for India’s tour of Sri Lanka in 1985. And though I didn’t go on that tour, I remained as something of a stand-by until 1991. Constantly I was told ‘you’ll be picked’. I’d score runs, lots of them, but come that game where I needed to score a century, I’d fail. And someone else would score a hundred and go on.”The topic invariably turns to that 1985 Irani Trophy, back when it was a way for fringe players to get a chance to be selected for India. Picked for Rest of India against Bombay in Nagpur, Bhaskar was out for a duck, having walked in at No. 3 with his side at 0 for 1. As fate would have it, the team to Australia was announced during the match and Bhaskar’s unbeaten 103 came a day too late.”Destiny, like I said. That was a big game, with big players but again, I failed when the time came. There’s nothing more to it.”Another example is the warm-up match against a touring New Zealand side in 1988, which was abandoned due to rain. “If I’d scored there, who knows? It was a big opportunity, but see what happened. I really wasn’t supposed to play for India.”But there’s not a trace of bitterness in his voice. “I was so fortunate to play with great players. For years we had such a strong Delhi side. There was Raman Lamba, Ajay Sharma, who was a few seasons junior to me, Jimmy [Mohinder Amarnath], Madan Lal, Kirti Azad, Rajinder Singh, Surinder Khanna, who was a damn fine player, and so many more. We were a solid unit. What I learned from Test greats like I wouldn’t give up for anything.”Momentarily, the topic switches to his current avatar. “That’s what’s lacking with Rajasthan, not having any Test players. This is a young side and you need seniors to guide them. As a former player I try to tell the boys that. There’s so much to learn from playing with Test players, those who’ve played international cricket. Jimmy , Madan Lal, Kirti Azad all passed on so much advice and experience to us back in the Delhi days. It was just something I’ll always cherish.”When we were playing the focus was on three things – talent, attitude, and fitness, in that order. Now it’s completely reversed. You’ve got so many theories and exercises for players, some of which are fine but in the end, what’s happened to the skill? Yes, the game will change but I think not all of what’s happening is good for the youngsters. It may confuse some.”For someone known for his repertoire of shots, did he model himself on anyone? “I always loved Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Vishwanath. What players! They were my heroes, and it was amazing to finally get to play against and with them. It was really memorable. ” I was so fortunate to play with great players. For years we had such a strong Delhi side. There was Raman Lamba, Ajay Sharma, who was a few seasons junior to me, Jimmy , Madan Lal, Kirti Azad, Rajinder Singh, Surinder Khanna. We were a solid unit. What I learned from Test greats, I wouldn’t give up for anything RK Narayan, the famous Indian novelist, studied at the University of Mysore and his , was believed to be a composite of the author’s time spent here. Many of Narayan’s works were rooted in everyday life and seeing and meeting Bhaskar – an everyday man during his playing years whose achievements, like Narayan’s stories, assumed and secured the interest of many – on those same university grounds, was far from formulaic.Bhaskar may not have played for India, but his experience as domestic player, captain, and match referee on the domestic circuit is invaluable to an inexperienced Rajasthan side. “If I can pass on some of what I learnt playing for a fantastic Delhi side, with such great names, then that’s one step towards achieving our goals. I’m glad to be in this role now.”Simple. The ball crosses the boundary-line underneath the sight- screen. Like it would have during a Delhi v Jammu & Kashmir match at the Feroz Shah Kotla, circa 1986.

With the league phase of the IPL finally coming to an end, a look at a few key numbers

Cricinfo staff29-May-20081 – Number of wickets that have fallen on the first ball of an innings. No first-ball sixes, but nine fours have been hit.3 – Three-in-threes, or hat-tricks. L Balaji, Amit Mishra and Makhaya Ntini were the three to achieve the feat, two of which came in the final over of a match, and two for the Chennai Super Kings. Chennai also performed a team hat-trick in their final league game against Deccan Chargers.6 – The number of hundreds in the tournament, but none scored by an Indian batsman. Four have been by left-handers – Michael Hussey, Adam Gilchrist, Sanath Jayasuriya and Shaun Marsh – while Brendon McCullum and Andrew Symonds have saved some face for the righties. Also, four Australians.8.02 – The Rajasthan Royals have been the best bowling unit, conceding 8.02 runs per over. Kolkata Knight Riders are next with 8.05, while the Deccan Chargers have been the most profligate, conceding 8.70 runs per over, marginally more the Chennai’s 8.65.9.05 – Kings XI Punjab’s run-rate in the tournament, the best among all teams. Rajashtan are second with a run-rate of 8.72, fractions ahead of Delhi Daredevils’ 8.69. Bangalore Royal Challengers are the worst with 7.43.10 – Sohail Tanvir has toyed around with opposition batsmen during the tournament, taking a wicket every ten deliveries, and his 21 wickets has cost just ten runs each. Tanvir now has the best bowling figures in Twenty20 matches [6 for 14], and the best average, economy-rate [5.97] and strike-rate in the IPL [among bowlers to have delivered at least ten overs].Add 0.12 to the 10, and you arrive at Shahid Afridi’s batting average in the IPL. While fellow Pakistani Tanvir may be the toast of this tournament, the Player of the Tournament at the World Twenty20 last year has had one to forget.11 – Tanvir has taken two hauls of four or more wickets in an innings, out of the 11 in the tournament. Nine other bowlers managed one, while Tanvir, and hat-trick heroes Balaji and Mishra are the only bowlers with five-fors.16– The numbers of maidens bowled in the tournament. Also, the number of wickets that have fallen on the final ball of an innings.19 – Partnerships of a hundred or more, of which Delhi have five, Rajasthan four, three each for Punjab and Deccan, Kolkata two, one apiece for Chennai and Mumbai Indians, and none for Bangalore.20 – The number of sixes conceded by Piyush Chawla, while four other bowlers, including fellow legspinner Shane Warne, have given away 16. However, with 17 wickets each, the two find themselves among the top five wicket-takers.31 – He’s nearly 39, but Sanath Jayasuriya’s wrists and shoulders were still strong enough to clear the boundaries 31 times, the highest for any batsman so far. Inverse 31, and you get the most sixes hit in an innings, 13 by Brendon McCullum in his epic 158.33.88 – Left is right. Left-hand batsmen average a good 11 more runs than their right-hand counterparts, who manage just 22.69. However, that stat is obviously influenced by the fact that quite a few tailenders are right-handers.36.28 – The percentage of dot-balls bowled. Rajasthan have bowled the most number of dot-balls – 647 – while Delhi have played out the least – 451.46.56 – The average score at the end of a Powerplay, given the average run-rate of 7.76. With Shaun Marsh dominating at the top, Punjab have scored 8.79 per over in that period [averaging nearly 50 runs per wicket], marginally ahead of the 8.76 Delhi’s dominant top order have managed and way higher than Bangalore’s 6.50. Mumbai have given away just 7.09 per over in the Powerplay, while Chennai’s 8.25 in the most expensive.47 – The number of free-hits, but batsmen have managed only 93 runs off them. Only four have been hit for six, while eight have been carted for four. Yo Mahesh leads the pack having bowled five free-hits, conceding 17.50 – The runs teams have scored, on an average, in the last five overs. Kolkata have done marginally better, scoring 54, while Delhi manage approximately 46. Deccan have conceded nearly 57 on an average, while the rest of the teams hover near or below 50.74.12 – The average for Shaun Marsh, who tops the batting charts with 593 runs. Among batsmen with over 400 runs, Graeme Smith comes next, averaging 52. Marsh has six fifty-plus scores from ten innings; Gautam Gambhir has five from 13.204.34 – Brendon McCullum’s strike rate in the IPL. He is the only batsman in the tournament [among those with at least 50 runs] to have scored at more than two runs per ball.258 – The number of sixes hit in the V between mid-on and mid-off, compared to 323 fours – a good indication that batsmen have been able to clear the boundaries with ease.447 – The highest match aggregate, scored by Chennai and Punjab in the second game of the tournament.

A statistical rewind of Stephen Fleming’s Test career

Mathew Varghese25-Mar-2008<!–
Stephen Fleming ends his Test career as New Zealand’s leading run-getter © Getty Images
–>Cold numbers will suggest that Stephen Fleming may not have lived up entirely to his potential as a batsman, but he surely has been one of New Zealand’s best of all time, besides being an astute captain and an excellent hand in the slips. Fleming finishes his career with a Nelson of Tests, while the previous match against England also saw him go past the 7000-run mark, making him the first New Zealander to do so.

New Zealand’s leading Test run-getters

Player Matches Innings Runs Average 100/50

Stephen Fleming 111 189 7172 40.06 9/44 Martin Crowe 77 131 5444 45.36 17/18 John Wright 82 148 5334 37.82 12/23 Nathan Astle 81 137 4702 37.02 11/24 Bev Congdon 61 114 3448 32.22 7/19 Fleming had said he wanted to finish his career with an average of more than 40. Though his two fifties in Napier may not help New Zealand avoid defeat in the series, it ensured his average moved up to 40.06 – prior to the Napier Test, his average was 39.81, and he needed to score 113 runs in his final two innings, assuming he was dismissed in both – he managed to score 12 more than that.Most batsmen are more prolific in home conditions, but for Fleming the bigger challenge was to score in New Zealand. He averaged only 33.87 in 54 Tests at home, and 45.92 in 57 away Tests.

Fleming home and away

Venue Matches Innings Runs Average 100/50

Home 54 89 2947 33.87 2/21 Away 57 100 4225 45.92 7/25The away average of 45.92 reflects more favourably on Fleming’s contribution, especially when compared to other New Zealand batsmen.

Best away averages for New Zealand batsmen (min 1000 runs)

Player Matches Innings Runs Averages 100/50

Stephen Fleming 57 100 4225 45.92 7/25 Glenn Turner 21 38 1536 43.88 4/6 Mark Richardson 22 38 1582 42.75 2/11 Martin Crowe 45 79 3043 42.26 9/11 Bert Sutcliffe 29 53 1934 42.04 4/11 Fleming fared poorly against trans-Tasman rivals Australia – definitely the best team of his time – and the only countries against whom he averages over 50 – often a requisite benchmark for great batsmen – are Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Fleming averages over 100 in both the countries; his average of more than 100 in Sri Lanka – where he scored his best of 274 not out, besides an unbeaten 174 – is only matched by Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara among players having played more than one Test in the country. Fleming’s overall record in the subcontinent – he averages 35.70 and 50 against India and Pakistan – is surely something to be proud of. In fact, he is one of the leading run-getters in the subcontinent among players from outside the region, and in the company of quite a few distinguished fellow left-handers. (For Fleming’s career batting summary, click here.)

Leading visiting batsmen in the subcontinent

Player Matches Innings Runs Average 100/50

Allan Border 22 39 1799 54.51 6/8 Clive Lloyd 20 31 1629 62.65 4/7 Andy Flower 21 38 1614 53.80 5/9 Stephen Fleming 18 29 1571 65.45 3/8 Brian Lara 14 26 1530 58.84 5/4 Fleming also holds the unique distinction of being the only batsman in the 7000-plus club not to have scored at least ten Test hundreds. His nine centuries leaves him six short of the next-lowest tally of 15 hundreds by Stewart. Perhaps the slow start did Fleming in: his first century came in his 23rd Test. For a player who struggles to score centuries, he has done remarkably well after going past three figures – five of his nine hundreds have extended beyond 150.

Scores break-up for Fleming Score range Innings Percentage of total innings

0-19 81 43.32 20-49 53 28.34 50-89 38 20.32 90-99 6 3.21 100-1494 2.14 150+ 52.67 Fleming’s poor conversion rate from fifties to hundreds – 46 fifties to nine hundreds – is even worse in lost causes: he’s made only one hundred in the 41 losses during his career, in which he averages 28.93. He fares better in wins and draws, averaging 51.07 and 47.71. Five of his nine hundreds have come in drawn matches, and his conversion rate is best in those.

Fleming’s record by type of result

Match result Matches Innings Runs Average 100/50

Won 33 48 2145 51.07 3/15 Lost 41 82 2373 28.93 1/16 Drawn 36 57 2529 47.71 5/13He performs best in the first innings of a match, with an average of over 50. Eight of Fleming’s nine Test hundreds have come in the first innings of a match. However, his average drops to less than 40 in the second, and to 28.36 in the fourth innings. In the third innings of a match, Fleming has one hundred to show along with 11 fifties, while he has suffered from a century jinx in the second and fourth innings, with no hundreds despite scoring 22 fifties.

Fleming’s record by match innings

Match innings Innings Runs Average 100/50

1st 58 2980 53.21 8/13 2nd 50 1881 38.38 0/16 3rd 52 1602 32.69 1/11 4th 29 709 28.36 0/6Fleming has batted for most of his career between positions 3 and 5; however, it’s surprising that a majority of his innings are at the No. 4 spot, despite the fact that his average at No. 3 – 47.25 – is over ten more than what he has managed at either No. 4 or No. 5. Fleming has scored 26 fifties at No. 4, but only two centuries, while at No. 3 he’s managed only 12 fifties, but six scores of over 100.

Position-wise averages for Fleming Position in batting order Innings Runs Average 50/100

2 11 333 33.30 1/1 3 69 2977 47.25 6/12 4 82 2902 36.27 2/26 5 17 70233.42 0/4 6 1 8888.00 0/1 7 4 17042.50 0/2 Over 70% of the Tests played by Fleming have been as captain, with his 80 Tests in charge second only to the record of 93 by Allan Border. The 80 included 28 wins, 27 losses and 25 draws – only Geoff Howarth has a higher win percentage among New Zealand captains who have led in at least ten Tests. Fleming’s first Test as captain came when he was only 23, which still remains a New Zealand record. Captaincy, though, doesn’t seem to have impacted his batting. In fact, eight of his nine hundreds were scored when he was in charge.

Captaincy and Fleming’s batting

Role Matches Innings Runs Average 100/50

Captain 80 135 5156 40.59 8/31 Non-captain 31 54 2016 38.76 1/15Fleming also bows out as one of the leading catchers in the game; his 171 catches is only second to Mark Waugh’s 181 among non-wicketkeepers. Had Fleming not retired before turning 35, he could have perhaps wrested the record from Waugh. However, he would have in all probability been surpassed by Rahul Dravid, with Ricky Ponting and Mahela Jayawardene also catching up.Trivia:
1. Fleming has played 111 Tests without bowling a ball in Test cricket; he’s played the most number of matches having not bowled throughout his Test career among those who have not kept wicket. England’s Peter May previously held the mark with 66 Tests. If we include wicketkeepers, Fleming finishes second, bookended by two Australian wicketkeepers he’s played against – Ian Healy and Adam Gilchrist.2. Fleming is the only player to fall in the nervous nineties during his Test and ODI debuts. Ricky Ponting managed nineties on his Test and Twenty20 international debuts – he was not out on 98 in the latter.