A year ago Simon Katich, 33, was unlikely to play another Test,but now he is the present and future of the top of the order

Peter English at the Gabba22-Nov-2008
Simon Katich made his fourth hundred in eight Tests since his comeback © AFP
As one Australian opener hobbles, another stands as firmly as his partnerused to. A year ago Simon Katich, 33, was unlikely to play another Test,but now he is the present and future of the top of the order. It is anunpredictable rise that is becoming complete.While Katich was scoring a record 1506 Pura Cup runs last season, Matthew Hayden and Phil Jaques were the opening pillars. Slowly events and formallowed Katich back into the Test set-up he had left in 2005, seeminglyforever. Hayden’s heel injury created a space during the West Indies tour in May and Katich ended the series with two centuries and a stronger hold than Jaques.When Hayden returned in India last month it was Katich who was his newpartner and as the Australian summer starts it is the New South Walescaptain who has the stronger chance to be on his third Ashes tour in 2009.With four centuries in eight Tests since his comeback, Katich owns a stable position in a team with a growing group of wonky ones.”The West Indies and India I treated as a bonus,” Katich said. “I wasn’tsupposed to play on either of those tours. I’ve been blessed to play thoseseven Tests when I was in form which is great, because there’s nothingbetter than being picked after playing well. Being picked back inAustralia, it’s nice to carry that form on.”Hayden’s touch entering his 100th Test is patchy, Brad Haddin’s gripbecomes looser by the innings and Shane Watson’s search for legitimateallrounder status continues, but Katich is steadying the team during thebest streak of his international life. His unbeaten 131 in the secondinnings made him the first Australian since Mark Taylor in 1998 to carry his bat and pushed his run tally for the year to 809, 11 behind Michael Hussey and 62 adrift of Ricky Ponting.”In the past I’ve batted down the order in Test cricket, but when thisopportunity came I was really comfortable with it,” he said. “As I’vegotten older, it’s better to get out there from the word go than sitaround and use up nervous energy. Before I got dropped last time, duringthe Ashes [in 2005] there were times when you sit around waiting to bat atsix and that probably didn’t help my cause.”There have been two versions of Katich on display since his re-elevation.The defensive model is capable of absorbing and deflecting for hoursbefore the attacking one emerges in an instant. After finishing the secondday on a comfortable and breezy 67, he started cautiously on the thirdmorning until he reached 90.”The way I batted in Nagpur [he scored 102] and the way I batted lastnight were the two best times I’ve hit the ball for Australia,” he said.”I felt really good. Today I was a bit scratchy in the first half an hourand it took me a while to get going.”A crisp straight drive off Tim Southee was followed by a fierce hook nextball that also raced to the rope. Seven balls later he tried a similarshot, didn’t quite get it, but achieved a similar result. As the ballpassed the rope at fine leg he raised his arms for his sixth Test century.Hayden’s touch entering his 100th Test is patchy, Brad Haddin’s grip becomes looser by the innings and Shane Watson’s search for legitimate allrounder status continues, but Katich is steadying the team during the best streak of his international lifeThe conditions had settled from the first two days but Katich’s displaywas the finest of the match. There were two dropped catches, on 70 and 86,and New Zealand needed to take one of the tough chances to stay in thegame. Instead Katich quickly took it further away and when the No. 11Stuart Clark drove to Daniel Vettori the lead was 326. “I was just happyto get a hundred when we needed it,” he said, “and to get a total that wasdefendable.”Katich was able to make up for the drifting performance of some of histeam-mates. Haddin looked comfortable, as he usually does, until making aterminal mistake to Vettori’s second delivery of the day. It is always aworry when a wicketkeeper struggles in the early stages of a spinner’sspell as they spend their life watching bowler’s hands.Haddin missed an arm ball and was bowled, leaving him under furtherscrutiny ahead of the second Test in Adelaide from Thursday. Hayden andHaddin will both be involved, but Watson’s place is likely to go to JasonKrejza following the selectors’ faith in Andrew Symonds for this game, andthe need for a spinner. Following Katich’s sustained excellence theselection debates can swirl around him rather than centre on him, althoughhe is not sure how long the peace will last.”That might not take long, if I nick a few,” he said. “At the end of theday I’m just making sure I play every Test as if it’s my last. I’ve hadthat approach since I came back in. That’s not in a negative way, I’m justgrateful for the opportunity and I’m going to make the most of it.”

He may play for Canada but he’s drawing favourable comparisons with the big boys of international cricket thanks to his ability to clear the boundary at will

Faraz Sarwat05-Nov-2008

“When I left for the ground this morning, I told my family I would hit Shoaib Akhtar for a six today.” Not many batsmen in the world would begin their day with such a prophecy and then see it fulfilled, but then not many batsmen are Rizwan Cheema.The 30-year-old Cheema has taken Canadian cricket by storm – first by smashing West Indies around during the summer, and then demonstrating his immense hitting prowess against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in the recently concluded T20 Canada tournament.Associate countries are rarely blessed with players who have such an immediate impact on the team, but from the moment Cheema dispatched West Indies’ Jerome Taylor for his first six in a 61-ball 89 in his second ODI for Canada, there has been an air of expectancy around him.Canada has no shortage of cricket fans but the vast majority would struggle to name a single player in the national team. Cheema’s heroics have gone some way in building a following for Canadian cricket, but at the moment it is almost exclusively tied to his fortunes.The buzz he creates is similar to that which greets Shahid Afridi when he steps out to bat. It isn’t the expectation of a knock laced with deft touches, precision cuts or elegant drives; it is primal: the crowd wants Cheema to smash the ball out of the ground, and in his short career he has rarely disappointed.In the recently concluded T20 tournament, which also featured two of history’s greatest hitters, Afridi and Sanath Jayasuriya, it was Cheema who emerged the home-run king, with ten sixes – the most in the tournament. Cries of “Boom-Boom Cheema” were heard whenever he walked out to bat and the player admits to getting a kick out of it, especially with Afridi around.Born and raised in Pakistan, Cheema only ever played cricket at club level, which he sought to continue doing after he moved to Canada six years ago. “I love playing cricket, so I just wanted to find a team in Toronto that I could play for recreationally. I didn’t think that I’d end up playing for Canada”.It took a couple of years for Cheema to make a name for himself as an allrounder in the Toronto and District Cricket Association league, which besides being the best in Canada is also the biggest league in North America. While his medium-pace bowling was certainly useful, it was his tendency to belt the ball into orbit that really caught the eye of observers around the league.Following his exploits in international cricket, there are now a number of people in Toronto’s cricket circles who claim to have discovered Cheema during his earliest days in the league. But it wasn’t until 2005 that he turned in a noteworthy season, scoring 627 runs (with three centuries) in 14 matches at an average just under 50, and taking 24 wickets at 13.12. After a disappointing 2006, Cheema established himself as the league’s most dangerous batsman the following year with two big hundreds: 161 off a scarcely believable 61 balls (eight fours, 15 sixes), and an effort of 145 with 15 fours and nine sixes. It was clear that Toronto’s amateur weekend cricket league would not be enough for Cheema and at this point he certainly was on Cricket Canada’s radar, but eligibility issues stood in the way of an international debut until this summer.

Canadian teams of the recent past were overly dependent on John Davison for runs, a tendency which has continued, with the burden now on Cheema. In the seven international matches he has played for Canada, Cheema has scored three half-centuries, all against Full Member countries. In that period no other Canadian player has passed 50 even once. Since his debut Cheema has only had one real failure with the bat, when he was dismissed for 2 runs in the third-place match against Zimbabwe in the T20 tournament. Predictably Canada collapsed, folding for 75 all out. Cheema however is loath to criticise his team-mates. “The players are all good, in my opinion, but I think they just need to be a little more confident.”When pressed if the pressure to do the bulk of the scoring for the team is an annoyance, his reply is typical. “No, not at all. In fact, I always tell my partner at the other end to just be easy and relax and not worry about the runs, I’ll handle that. By the grace of God I know that I can make ten runs in an over whenever I want.”It may sound cocky, but Cheema does not come across as arrogant, just someone who believes in his own abilities. And it is this confidence that makes him tick, whether he is muscling Shoaib Akhtar away for a low, flat six or charging out of his crease to clobber Ajantha Mendis out of the park.Fearless to a fault, Cheema admits that his targeting of big-name bowlers is deliberate. “Anyone can score a single off Shoaib Akhtar, but not everyone can hit him for a six. I like doing things that not everyone can do.”His 43-ball 68, scored off the likes of Dilhara Fernando and Mendis, was also pleasing: “I feel very good about the innings against Sri Lanka. It was amazing. If the team is good you feel better about the runs that you score. I feel happier after I’ve scored runs off better bowlers.”With Cheema in sparkling form it is unfortunate that personal reasons have kept him out of Canada’s squad for the West Indies Regional Tournament in Guyana later this month. Notwithstanding the bounty of international cricket this season in Toronto, playing for Canada ultimately means that opportunities to take on the world’s better bowlers are few and far between outside of the World Cup. But maybe not in Cheema’s case. There is some talk of IPL interest in him, which is simply astounding for a largely unknown amateur cricketer from an Associate country. If he does make it to India, Rizwan Cheema may not be unknown for much longer.

England’s unexpected victory against Sri Lanka on Friday has thrown Group B wide open, with all four teams in with a chance of making the semi-finals

S Rajesh26-Sep-2009England
The win against Sri Lanka gives them some breathing space. If England beat South Africa, they will surely get into the last four, regardless of other results. On the other hand, if they lose the last two, they’ll definitely be out. If England lose to South Africa and beat New Zealand, they’ll want New Zealand to beat Sri Lanka. Else, three teams will be tied on four points (while New Zealand will have zero), and net run-rates will come into play.Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka are in a peculiar situation – they might make the semi-finals even if they lose to New Zealand, but on the other hand, they might miss out even if they beat New Zealand. Here’s how: if they lose to New Zealand, and if England win their last two matches, then England will have three wins, while the other three teams will finish with one victory each, bringing in net run rates to decide on the second semi-finalist.If Sri Lanka beat New Zealand, and if England lose to South Africa and beat New Zealand, three teams will again be tied, this time on six points, bringing run rates into play. Sri Lanka’s best bet is to beat New Zealand, and then hope that England either win both their remaining matches, or lose them both.South Africa
Like Sri Lanka, South Africa too depend on other results. If they lose to England, they’ll have to hope New Zealand have beaten Sri Lanka but lose to England, so that England finish with three wins, while three teams battle for the second spot.If South Africa beat England, and if England lose to New Zealand, then the home team will surely be through. However, if South Africa win their last game, and New Zealand lose both their matches, then three teams will be tied on four points.New Zealand
A defeat against Sri Lanka will knock them out of the tournament, regardless of other results in the group. If they beat Sri Lanka, New Zealand can make it even if they lose to England, if South Africa lose their last game against England (three teams on two points; NRR comes into play).If New Zealand win both their matches, they’ll definitely make the cut, along with the winner of the South Africa-England clash. New Zealand and England are thus the two teams who can qualify without depending on other results.

It’s not all wham, bam, thank you ma’am; there’s a science to batting successfully in the shortest format

Aakash Chopra22-Oct-2009We’ve heard it ad nauseam: the Twenty20 format belongs to batsmen. Bowlers are more than bowling machines, serving up balls to be hit to all parts of the ground. If you go by the number of runs being scored in Twenty20, and the economy-rates of bowlers, you’d side with that opinion as well. But let’s look at this game from a batsman’s perspective as well. This is the first part of a mini-series on batting, bowling and team strategy in the shortest format of cricket. I shall be writing about bowling in the next article.Does the quality of the bowling deteriorate in Twenty20?

No, it doesn’t. But good and great bowlers still go for plenty because getting out, which scares the batsmen in other formats, is considered insignificant in Twenty20. In an ODI the top six or seven batsmen are supposed to bat 50 overs, so we see a conservative approach to batting, even in the Powerplay overs, but there’s no such responsibility in Twenty20. In any case one decent partnership is enough to consume the major part of 20 overs, and then the rest of the batsmen can go completely berserk. It’s astonishing to see the kind of shots batsmen – and in some cases even bowlers – pull off when they do not have the fear of getting out.More time than it seems

Let’s look at how batsmen prepare for and look at this format. David Hussey, a successful Twenty20 player, says that there’s more time in a Twenty20 game than one thinks. When a batsman walks in to bat and knows that his team needs nine an over, the natural tendency is to become adventurous from the first ball. But it’s not often that he can hit the first ball for a four or a six. Besides, attempting a big shot before he can see the ball properly would mean a greater risk of getting out and hence putting the team in further trouble. That’s where Hussey’s advice comes handy.You should give yourself at least a couple of balls before exploding. You can always take a couple of singles to rotate strike, and get the blood flowing in the veins. This, in turn, might also ease the pressure and help you assess the situation objectively. There are 120 legal deliveries to be bowled in every game, and if you can reduce the number of dot balls, the pressure that comes from thinking you’ve been holding up the strike and need to hit a big shot is drastically reduced.Balls at a premium
In Test cricket the batsman gets a few overs to get his eye in, in a 50-overs match he gets a few deliveries, but in Twenty20 it is only the matter of a couple of balls. That’s the reason why batsmen in the dugout are always padded up and glued to the game. Information is vital in a Twenty20 game, and hence a batsman, after getting out, informs the remaining players how the track is behaving and what the par score would be. Most batsmen, while waiting for their turn to bat, also make a mental sketch of the areas they would target while facing certain bowlers.

Twelve runs an over from the last three might sound extremely difficult, but 36 off 18 scoring opportunities doesn’t sound that ominous. If you can manage six hits to the fence in those 18 deliveries, you need only singles from the remaining balls

Since balls are at a premium, players who can hit boundary shots are valuable. You can only go so far with just rotating strike; ultimately you should be able to clear the fence.Calculated risk

While it is good to consume a couple of balls before going big, there are certain situations that demand a different strategy. For example, if your team is chasing over 160 runs, it’s imperative to go after the bowling in the first six overs. In such cases the strategy of the fielding team is to form a ring and bowl on one side of the wicket, which makes piercing the field along the ground extremely difficult. That’s why players like Brendon McCullum, Matthew Hayden and Virender Sehwag, who aren’t scared of taking the aerial route, are more successful in the Powerplay overs.It’s not easy to take singles when seven fielders are inside the circle; it’s either a boundary or a dot ball. Batsmen who manage to play with the bowler’s mind are also more successful than the rest. Gautam Gambhir does that effectively. He walks down the track regularly to get the bowler thinking, and then waits on the back foot for the short ball.Identifying the weakest and strongest links in the opposition bowling is important. For example, if it can be avoided, you wouldn’t want to go after Muralitharan or Daniel Vettori in subcontinental conditions. And in seamer-friendly conditions you’d like to play it a little safe against quick bowlers while targeting spinners.A stable base, and staying away from the ball
Keeping a stable base is extremely important when hitting a long ball. Kieron Pollard, Andrew Symonds and Rohit Sharma are good examples of keeping a stable base and head while hitting the ball in the air. Most batsmen, including myself, are guilty of losing the shape of the shot when we try to manufacture shots or slog, which eventually end up looking ugly.Since there isn’t much time in Twenty20, batsmen in the dugout are always padded up and glued to the game•Getty ImagesUnlike Test cricket, where the batsman is supposed to use his feet to get close to the ball, the batsman is better placed if he stays away from the ball in Twenty20 cricket. Staying away from the ball allows him to free his arms and also get under the ball to get elevation.Go-to areas
Every batsman must identify his “go-to” areas and shots, at least one each on both sides of the wicket. Once you have mastered these strokes, which could be over covers on the off and over midwicket on the on side, you either wait for the ball that can be hit in those areas or make room or walk inside the line to create that shot. Hussey says that one should back oneself, especially when it comes to hitting balls in his go-to areas. The idea is that if the first ball is bowled in your area you shouldn’t be afraid to go for it.Thinking in balls, not overs
Another thing that batsmen agree on is thinking in terms of the balls remaining, not overs. One must try to break it down even further. For example, 12 runs an over from the last three might sound extremely difficult, but 36 off 18 scoring opportunities doesn’t sound that ominous. If you can manage six hits to the fence in those 18 deliveries, you’ll only need singles from the remaining balls. Putting it that way makes it sound easier, yet we all know it isn’t; but it surely is slightly less difficult than thinking in terms of scoring two runs per ball.Twenty20 has also taught the batsmen to never give up. Even if the asking rate is 15 runs an over in the last five overs, batsmen have started to believe that it can be achieved.There can be a number of theories when it comes to batting in Twenty20 format, but it boils down to how an individual reacts to the situation when he walks in to bat.

Delhi are already in the final four but five other teams are jostling for the remaining three slots. Cricinfo takes a look at what they have to do to qualify

Cricinfo staff19-May-2009Bangalore’s semi-final hopes depend on whether they beat Delhi•Associated PressTeam: Royal Challengers Bangalore
Points/ Net run-rate: 12/ -0.309
Matches remaining: 2
Opponent: Delhi, Deccan
Today’s game against Delhi is of huge importance for Royal Challengers Bangalore. They have two games to play and are currently sixth with 12 points and a negative net run-rate. A win will take them level with Deccan and Punjab. A defeat will not knock them out entirely but it will leave them needing to win their last match against Deccan and hoping that at least one of Punjab or Rajasthan lose their last games. Then it will come down to net run-rates. If Bangalore win both their matches, their semi-final berth is secure.Team: Rajasthan Royals
Points/ Net run-rate: 13/ -0.360
Matches remaining: 1
Opponent: Kolkata
Rajasthan’s qualification for the semi-finals is dependent on other results. The best they can do is to win their last game, against Kolkata, by a large margin to move up to 15 points and improve their negative net run-rate (NRR). If they do win, then they could possibly finish third or fourth in the league. The result of the Chennai-Punjab and Bangalore-Deccan matches will affect Rajasthan’s chances – it is possible that Rajasthan might not make it even if they beat Kolkata. If Bangalore win their last two matches and Punjab beat Chennai, Rajasthan will be fighting with Chennai for the last spot. If Deccan beat Bangalore and Punjab beat Chennai, both will be on 16 points and Rajasthan will again be fighting with Chennai for that last spot.The best scenario for Rajasthan is for them to beat Kolkata and for Chennai to win on Wednesday. That will ensure a place among the top four, along with Delhi, Chennai, and either Bangalore or Deccan. If Punjab beat Chennai, though, it gets more complicated for Rajasthan: they’ll have to hope Bangalore lose to Delhi but beat Deccan, so that Bangalore and Deccan are both tied on 14 points and lose out, as Delhi, Punjab, Chennai and Rajasthan will qualify.Team: Kings XI Punjab
Points/ Net run-rate: 14/ -0.423
Matches remaining: 1
Opponent: Chennai
By the time Punjab play their last game, against Chennai, Bangalore and Rajasthan would have completed their matches against Delhi and Kolkata respectively. Wins for both will have Bangalore on 14 points while Rajasthan will have 15, and the pressure on Punjab, presently on 14 points, to beat Chennai will be immense. Even if Punjab lose, they can still make the cut if Bangalore lose one or both of their matches, leaving at least two teams tied on 14. A net-run-rate scenario won’t help Punjab, though, since theirs is lower than Deccan and Bangalore, and defeat will further worsen the NRR. Realistically, they need to beat Chennai to qualify.Team: Chennai Super Kings
Points/ Net run-rate: 15/ +0.932
Matches remaining: 1
Opponent: Kings XI Punjab
A victory against Kolkata would have sealed Chennai’s berth in the semi-finals but they couldn’t manage one, making their qualification for the next stage less certain. Chennai, however, are in a better position than most of the other contenders. They are on 15 points, one ahead of Deccan and Punjab and two ahead of Bangalore, and have the best net run-rate as well. However their last game, against Punjab, is of vital importance. A win will take Chennai through. A defeat will push them lower in the table but they would still be likely to qualify third or fourth because of their strong net run-rate.Team: Deccan Chargers
Points/ Net run-rate: 14/ +0.265
Matches remaining: 1
Opponent: Bangalore
Deccan, presently on 14 points, play Bangalore in the last match of the league phase. The worst case scenario for Deccan would be if Punjab beat Chennai, taking them to 16 points, leaving Chennai on 15; if Rajasthan beat Kolkata to move up to 15; and if Bangalore beat Delhi to move to 14. In that case, Deccan will have to beat Bangalore to secure their semi-final berth. If Deccan lose to Bangalore, they could still make the cut, but they’ll need other results to go their way, and their relatively healthy NRR could bail them out.

Stats highlights from the third ODI between Sri Lanka and Pakistan

S Rajesh03-Aug-2009In his 17 previous ODI innings Mahela Jayawardene had scored one half-century, four ducks, and averaged 15.11•AFP The 202-run partnership between Mahela Jayawardene and Upul Tharanga is the third-highest for the first wicket for Sri Lanka in ODIs, and their highest at home. Their highest overall is 286, against England at Leeds in 2006. Of the five 200-plus opening stands for Sri Lanka, Tharanga has been involved in three. It’s also Sri Lanka’s first double-century opening stand without the presence of Sanath Jayasuriya. Jayawardene’s glorious 123 ended a barren run in ODIs: in his 17 previous ODI innings he had an average of 15.11, with one half-century and four ducks. This was also only his second ODI innings as an opener. In his previous effort – against Zimbabwe in Harare in November 2008 – he had failed to get off the mark. Dambulla has traditionally been a difficult venue for batting, but in this game both Pakistan and Sri Lanka scored totals that hadn’t been scored at this ground. In 28 previous ODIs in Dambulla, the highest score had been 282, by Sri Lanka against India in 2004. India chased it bravely, but fell short by 12 runs. Those were the two highest ODI totals here before today. The win also ended a poor run for Sri Lanka in ODI series at home – they had lost their last three, against England and twice against India. (Click here for Sri Lanka’s results in home ODI series.) The pitch was so good for batting that even Muttiah Muralitharan leaked plenty of runs – in ten overs he conceded 64, which is the second-highest number of runs he has conceded in a home ODI. The highest is 66, against India earlier this year. In terms of economy rates, this comes in at third place among his most expensive spells at home. Click here for the full list. It was also a bad game for Shahid Afridi, Pakistan’s most consistent spinner. He leaked 7.50 runs per over, his most expensive spell in almost two years. Against India in Kanpur in November 2007, he had conceded 57 in seven, a rate of 8.14 per over. Since then, in 30 ODIs before this one, only twice did he concede more than six runs per over.

Stats preview to the first Test between Australia and Pakistan in Melbourne

S Rajesh24-Dec-2009Pakistan haven’t yet won a Test series in Australia, and have lost the last six in a row, but they’ll feel they have a reasonable chance of arresting that sequence in the three-Test series that gets underway in Melbourne on Boxing Day. Australia have blanked Pakistan 3-0 in their last two series in Australia – their last nine Tests here have all produced results – but Australia have been less dominant of late, and the venues for the matches – Sydney and Hobart are the other two – are expected to suit Pakistan.It’s been 14 years since Pakistan won a Test in Australia – they haven’t won since Sydney in 1995 – but even that was in a dead rubber after Australia had won the first two matches and sealed the series. The last time Pakistan triumphed when a series was still alive was way back in 1979, in Melbourne, in a match made famous for Sarfraz Nawaz’s haul of 9 for 86 in the second innings. During the three-year period between 1979 and 1981 Pakistan won twice at the MCG, but since then they’ve lost two out of three. (Click here for the full list.)

As you’d expect of a team which has been utterly dominant through most of the last two decades, Australia have a superb record at this ground. They’ve won eight out of nine Tests in the 2000s, with their only defeat coming in their most recent outing, against South Africa in the Boxing Day Test last year. Since 1990, Australia have a win-loss ratio of five, which is next only to Brisbane among their five regular Test venues. The other aspect that stands out is the number of decisive results this ground has produced – the last 11 Tests have all had a winner, and the last draw came way back in 1997.

Among the Australian batsmen in the current squad who’ve played more than a Test here, Ricky Ponting has by far the best record, while Michael Hussey has struggled. In 22 innings Ponting has eight innings of 50 or more, including 101 and 99 in his most recent Test here, against South Africa. Hussey, on the other hand, has one 50-plus score in four Tests, and it came in his very first innings here, against South Africa in 2005. Since then, his six innings read 31, 6, 2, 36, 0, 2.

Among the Pakistan players in the current squad, only Mohammad Yousuf has played more than three Tests in Australia. His average in 12 innings is a modest 33, but it includes a majestic 111 at the MCG the last time he played here, in 2004, a match in which he also led the side. Salman Butt impressed on that tour, scoring 225 runs including a hundred and a 70, but Kamran Akmal, who was in such splendid form with the bat in New Zealand, has some catching up to do – in six innings he has managed only 77 runs.Both bowling attacks are fairly inexperienced and haven’t bowled much in Melbourne, but recent stats show that both fast bowlers and spinners have enjoyed the conditions here. Fast bowlers have a better average and strike rate, but spinners have had success too. The two five-fors by spinners belong to legspinners Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill, which suggests conditions might suit Danish Kaneria too.

The team batting first has won four out of nine Tests since 2000, but the captain winning the toss has batted first seven times out of nine. The average runs per wicket in each innings indicates there is little to choose between batting first and putting in the opposition. Whatever the captain opts for, there’s a high likelihood of a result at the end of five days.

England’s latest opener was meant to provide the early momentum, but instead he made his mark with a controlled and measured century

Andrew Miller in Chittagong05-Mar-2010It was rather like turning up to the cinema expecting a showing of Lethal Weapon III, only to be presented with a slow-burn epic. Craig Kieswetter’s first blockbusting performance for England ended up wowing the critics on levels that few had expected him to reach, as the direction of his maiden award-winning performance rather deviated from the pre-series script.Kieswetter’s arrival in England colours had been of the all-action variety. On his first full day after completing his four-year residency qualification, he produced a rough-and-tumble 81 to carry the England Lions to victory over their senior counterparts in Abu Dhabi, and he responded to his subsequent call-up to the England squad with a blazing 143 from 123 balls in the first warm-up match at Fatullah.Here, it was presumed, was the answer to England’s Powerplay prayers – a player with the skill and strength to muscle the ball to the boundary at will, and provide the side with a platform not seen since his Somerset colleague, Marcus Trescothick, took his leave of England duty in the summer of 2006.What Kieswetter actually produced was a performance that tapped into intense mental reserves, as he became, at 22 years and 97 days, the second-youngest England batsman (after David Gower and just before his current captain, Alastair Cook) to rack up an ODI century. That he did so in conditions entirely alien to his hometown of Taunton, in a style entirely at odds with his gung-ho expectations, and having failed rather frenetically in his opening two internationals, was an added testament to his resolve.”For me it was about being able to adapt mentality,” said Kieswetter. “In the first two games I wasn’t quite aware tactically of how I was going to pace my innings, [in terms of] helping the team win the game. Today I tried to pace myself a bit more, and try to get myself in more before playing big shots. It is nice to get a hundred under my belt early in my career, and it’s one I’m going to cherish, but the fact that we won the game and won the series also means a lot to me.””He played totally differently to the way he has been playing,” said Cook. “But to play the situation is probably what international cricket is all about, being able to adapt like he’s done there. It shows that he’s bright, and that he’s got a massive future in international cricket.”If Kieswetter’s call-up had been with the World Twenty20 in mind – and prior to the series, England’s coach, Andy Flower, implied that it had been – then it might come as a mild source of embarrassment to the selectors that the only player to have been omitted from their provisional squad of 30, Cook, outpaced his partner in each and every one of their three opening partnerships.For the third match running, Kieswetter started out like a dozing hare to Cook’s tortoise, as the captain’s graft and accumulation allowed him to amble into the 20s before his anxious partner had escaped single figures. Following on from his jittery 19 on debut in Mirpur, and his flashy 4 in the second match two days later, the signs for England’s newest recruit weren’t entirely encouraging.

I played second fiddle, and I kind of enjoyed that challenge, of trying to expand my game and let someone else play aggressively. It’s been an eye-opener out here, but whenever you go to different countries and different continents, you have to adapt your game

At least, that’s how it appeared from the sidelines. Out in the middle, Kieswetter was busy re-evaluating his strategies, and enjoying the experience of slip-streaming his fast-paced colleague. His maiden ODI half-century came from a stately 80 balls (which was still good enough to win a US$1000 “fastest fifty” award as no one else passed fifty in the match), but he rushed to his hundred from a further 40, as the benefits of bedding in came flooding out in the final 15 overs, and out came the shots with which he’s forged his young reputation.”Cooky took over my role,” said Kieswetter. “He was bashing them around while I played second fiddle, and I kind of enjoyed that challenge, of trying to expand my game and let someone else play aggressively. It’s been an eye-opener out here, but whenever you go to different countries and different continents, you have to adapt your game. Instead of rapid pace, you face some twirlers who are spinning it quite a lot. It was a mental change for me, but I’m happy with how it turned out.”As if Kieswetter didn’t have enough on his plate, having been teased by Bangladesh’s left-arm spinners to an extent matched only by the struggling Kevin Pietersen, he had to withstand another wave of unwelcome criticism of his credentials, following Michael Vaughan’s comments to the press about South African imports. As it happens, Vaughan is also a member of Kieswetter’s management team, ISM, which can’t have gone down well at headquarters, but fortunately Chittagong is a far enough corner of a foreign field to allow such furores to pass without much comment.”It’s something that I’m going to have to put up with for my whole career,” said Kieswetter – not for the first, and surely not for the last time in his career. “I was born with a British passport, I’ve done my four years, I am British, and I don’t see it as an issue. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but for me it’s about putting performances in on the park and helping England win.” And he certainly did that second part in style.Nevertheless, his success has created a significant headache for England’s selectors – as well as the man who was sat next to him in the press conference. For the return series in May, Andrew Strauss is due to resume his role at the top of the order, and three into two most certainly will not go, especially now that Kieswetter has demonstrated durability at the crease, as well as combustibility.Until Morgan’s matchwinning 110 at Dhaka on Tuesday, Strauss was one of only two England batsmen to make an ODI hundred in the past 12 months, so his place in the pecking order presumably has to be secure. Which can only leave Cook on the fringes once again, and braced for another abrupt omission from England’s limited-overs plans.”We can only score runs and put pressure on the selectors to make a decision,” said Cook. “I’d have liked to score a hundred, but I’m really pleased with my contribution to the top of the order. Selection is out of my hands, as it always tends to be, so I’ll just have to wait my turn, but Straussy is the captain of England, and he has to come straight back in.”

Plays of the day from the first day of the first Test between India and Australia in Mohali

Sidharth Monga in Mohali01-Oct-2010The reprieve(s)
You don’t expect to be so lucky on second ball of the day after the opposition has won the toss. Perhaps Virender Sehwag wasn’t expecting to when he dropped a simplish overhead catch from Shane Watson at gully. MS Dhoni, too, did Watson a favour, when on 37, dropping a thin edge off Pragyan Ojha. The beneficiary is yet to get out.The sixth sense
When Simon Katich shuffled too far across, and was hit in front by a Zaheer Khan delivery that swung in towards middle, Katich must have known he was adjacent. For, he didn’t even look up at the umpire. He just looked down, moved a bit towards leg, heard the happy noise from the small crowd, and walked off.The plan that almost worked
In the 10th over, Dhoni moved Sachin Tendulkar to a three-fourths deep square leg presumably for the Ricky Ponting pull. In the same over, Ponting fell over while clipping one off the pads, and ended up hitting the ball squarer and in the air. Tendulkar could have risked a boundary going for it, but he chose to play it safe. Silence all around. Not a single angry or questioning look from any of the team-mates.The Sami tribute over
Mohammad Sami, the holder of the record for the longest over in international cricket, would have watched in hope when Ishant Sharma started the 13th over of the day with two no-balls, and didn’t quite seem to be able to get around the problem. Later in the same over, to rub it in, Ricky Ponting nicked one of those no-balls down the leg side. If that wasn’t slat enough already, Watson hit him for back-to-back boundaries. Sadly, though, for Sami the over finished with 10 deliveries, seven short of his record. Better luck next time.The misjudgement
On a pitch with low bounce, and with the ball reversing madly, you need to be very brave to leave alone a delivery, no matter how wide or how short. Marcus North tempted fate when he did so in the 85th over, and almost lived to tell the tale. The ball swung back viciously, but managed to stealthily kiss the top of off on its way to Dhoni. The touch was so soft the ball hardly deviated, and accordingly Zaheer had hands on his head… until Dhoni pointed to the bail that belatedly came out of its groove. Joy to the reverse-swing bowlers.

ESPNcricinfo brings you the plays of the first day of the third Test between South Africa and India at Newlands

Firdose Moonda at Newlands02-Jan-2011The toss
After losing 13 of his last 14 tosses, it was becoming more important for MS Dhoni to practice making the right calls at the toss, than to fine-tune his batting. Indian fans had begun to ask for the captain to send out a representative in his place as he was going through such a lean run of form with the toss. Then, as though by a miracle, he called correctly under cloudy skies. Having been inserted in similar conditions in the first two Tests, he had no second thoughts about asking South Africa to bat.The fear factor
Graeme Smith showed just how nervous facing Zaheer Khan made him when he opted not to take first strike and let Alviro Petersen see off his first two overs. When Smith faced Zaheer, in his third over, he could hardly wait to get off strike. Off the fourth delivery of the over, Smith worked the ball through midwicket and ran one, with a second run comfortably on offer. Harbhajan Singh, who saw Smith waiting at the non-strikers end ambled to the ball, backpedalled a little, stood around and offered the extra run. Smith didn’t budge, leaving Petersen to face the last two balls of that over.The act of caution
Jacques Kallis is not one to see if lightning can strike twice. When Hashim Amla drove a delivery straight back to Zaheer Khan at the Wynberg End, Kallis rushed back to his crease anxiously, fearing a repeat of his Durban dilemma. Then, Kallis was run out at the non-strikers end by Ishant Sharma in the first innings at Kingsmead and his extra backing up today was a sign that he has learnt his lesson.The glee
Sreesanth did not have much to celebrate in his first nine overs, having gone for 47 runs. Hashim Amla had taken a particular liking to him in the post-lunch session, having hit him for two glorious cover drives and an emphatic pull shot for six. His fourth boundary off Sreesanth was an outside edge that evaded VVS Laxman at second slip and the break-dancer’s blood was starting to boil. Two balls later, it was all over. Amla top-edged a bouncer and was caught at deep midwicket, an act that unleashed Sree’s glee. He charged around like an unrestrained border collie and it was up to Hrabhajan to rein him in before he ran right out of the ground.The light
It got too dark to play in the morning and afternoon sessions but Cape Town was saving the best for last. The Mother City revealed her best side as early evening approached. The clouds climbed their way up Table Mountain with blue skies finally unveiled. Bright sunshine soaked the ground and a day that could have been truncated by poor overhead conditions, and had eight minutes short of two hours lost to the elements, ended up having 74 overs of play. There are some benefits to the city technically being in the wrong time zone, it seems.