All posts by n8rngtd.top

Mahmudullah will continue to lead the T20 side in the absence of Shakib, who is yet to recover from the finger injury he sustained during the ODI tri-series in January

Mohammad Isam03-Mar-2018Shakib Al Hasan has been ruled out of Bangladesh’s Nidahas Trophy campaign, as he still hasn’t recovered from his finger injury. Mahmudullah will continue to lead the Bangladesh T20 team in his absence while Liton Das has replaced him in the squad.Shakib injured the little finger on his left hand during the ODI tri-series final on January 27 and missed the Test and T20 series against Sri Lanka last month. He also didn’t play in the Pakistan Super League.Last week the BCB picked a 16-man squad with Mehidy Hasan Miraz as Shakib’s cover as the diagnosis till that point wasn’t encouraging. Shakib also consulted two orthopedists in Bangkok, and it now seems that his recovery will take longer than expected.Liton, meanwhile, has been in good form in the domestic List-A competition. He has scored 386 runs in five innings, including two centuries. In the BPL last year, Liton scored 261 runs in 12 innings at a strike-rate of 124.88. Liton is the third wicketkeeper in the squad, apart from Mushfiqur Rahim and Nurul Hasan.Bangladesh squad: Mahmudullah (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Sabbir Rahman, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Abu Hider, Abu Jayed, Ariful Haque, Nazmul Islam, Nurul Hasan, Mehidy Hasan, Liton Das

Video analyst Sherullah Afghan and physio Dr. Sifatullah Wardak have returned to Afghanistan, and are set to be reemployed by the board

Umar Farooq16-May-2022Two out of four Afghanistan team members from the 2022 Under-19 World Cup touring party returned to the country three months after staying back in England with a view to seeking asylum in the wake of the Taliban takeover of the country. ESPNcricinfo understands both have been accepted back by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and are likely to be reemployed by the board.Afghanistan finished fourth at the Under-19 World Cup in the Caribbean, three places higher than in 2020. While returning from Antigua, the team had a scheduled stopover in London. While the rest of the Afghanistan squad, including the coaching and support staff, boarded their flight from London, four members of the travelling party decided to stay on at Heathrow with a view to seeking asylum.”There were three officials and one player [who stayed on in London], with video analyst Sherullah Afghan and physio Dr. Sifatullah Wardak among them, but those two have decided to return to Kabul,” ACB chief executive Naseeb Khan told ESPNcricinfo. “It was not the first time that people in our country stayed in other countries in various ways or were smuggled out of the country. I am pleased that our technical staff has returned to the ACB, and I warmly welcome them.”Their presence shows that security in Afghanistan is improving day by day and that the ACB has overcome the challenges it faced in the early days of the regime change. I hope those young people who have left the country return, as there are several possibilities for them to serve their country on various occasions. The doors are open for all Afghans.”Both officials met with the ACB’s top brass at the board headquarters in Kabul as the duo admitted that they preferred to return to serve their cricket. “Afghanistan needs manpower in technical aspects, so we decided to return back and work in our very own country because there is peace and prosperity in the country, so the priority must be given to Afghanistan,” Wardak said in a statement.ACB chairman Mirwais Ashraf confirmed that both will be given employment. “The game has spread to all parts of the country,” said Ashraf. “The country is in need of technical staff and capacities, so everyone must strive hard to work for the country.”Immediately after Taliban took over the country last August, hundreds of Afghans including at least one former president, bureaucrats, sportspersons and civilians left. Since the takeover, the cricket board has been reshuffled extensively, and the working structure was revamped. Former allrounder Ashraf was brought in as the new chairman.Despite being a Full Member country, availing visas has become progressively tougher for Afghan cricketers and support staff, especially in the aftermath of the Taliban establishing a government. To alleviate the problem and expedite visas, the ACB has decided to procure UAE residency visas for nearly two dozen players and officials. The residence visas will allow the players and officials to stay in the UAE for longer periods of time while also ensuring they are able to apply for visas without physically needing to be present in Afghanistan.Afghanistan’s next tour is against Ireland in Belfast in August, with the ACB in the process of procuring UK visas.

Forties from Foakes and Hardie see visitors home to move 15 points ahead of Hampshire

David Hopps14-Jul-2022Surrey exacted satisfying revenge for their defeat against Yorkshire in the Vitality Blast quarter-final with another nerve-jangling victory, this time in the Championship, as they completed an immaculately-judged pursuit of 227 in 44 overs by four wickets with three balls to spare at North Marine Road.At 147 for 6 in the 28th over, their chase was faltering badly. But Ben Foakes’ unbeaten 42, astute from the outset, and 40 not out from the Australian all-rounder Aaron Hardie on Championship debut, a committed innings which grew in authority as it progressed, brought them home with an unbroken stand of 81 in 16 overs.Hardie was thrilled at his first experience of Championship cricket. “To come here today and win was a bit of a dream,” he said. “Everything had to go perfectly to plan, and it pretty much did. Our plan was to take it deep because we knew we’d be the ones driving the game. It worked.”Surrey needed this victory to consolidate their position at the top of the Championship after Hampshire had won earlier in the day. If Hardie had departed early, they might have settled for the draw and Foakes, dropped back down to No. 7, would have been charged with organising it. But victory leaves them 15 points ahead of Hampshire with five matches remaining, Lancashire now a distant third, their hopes fading.As for Yorkshire, they had shared in a memorable struggle despite a colossal list of absentees, but their second defeat of the season (made worse by the docking of two points for a slow overrate) sends them to Taunton next week fearing they might yet be dragged into a relegation fight. They have taken every game into the final session but have not won since their opening match against Gloucestershire.A season’s best 6 for 61 for Jamie Overton, two on the previous evening, had set up the chase as Yorkshire were dismissed for 220 in their second innings despite a maiden Championship half-century for Matthew Waite. They now must wait for the ECB to confirm which, if any, players will be released for Blast Finals Day on Saturday. The clash of fixtures between England and the climax to county cricket’s biggest week of the season is unconscionable – either greedy, cynical and deliberate or greedy incompetent and lacking in empathy: take your pick.Dom Bess, after his five wickets in the first innings, bore Yorkshire’s hopes. He struck the first blow on the brink of tea, a loopy, turning delivery which drew Rory Burns down the pitch and beat the outside edge, Johnny Tattersall completing the stumping. Yorkshire entrusted the offspinner with a decisive spell, and he did little wrong, but he never asserted the control he would have wanted and finished with 1 for 105 from 18 overs.Not that they had many options. With the West Indies quick, Shannon Gabriel off the field initially because of a hip injury sustained in the field, his presence was delayed until the 20th over. In that time, Surrey lost Ryan Patel, who paid for a wind-up at Steve Patterson, and Hashim Amla, an uppercut against Jordan Thompson which flew to third man. The catcher was James Wharton, shortly after he had passed a concussion check after being struck on the helmet at short leg by Overton. Standing at short leg when Overton is swinging is nobody’s idea of fun.Related

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Overton clubs sixes even when his bat is barely in the same postcode and Bess suffered more than once, but Thompson befuddled him with a back-of-the-hand slower ball, leaving Surrey 106 short with 20 overs remaining.Gabriel’s contribution caused a tremor, but only a short one: 2 for 18 from three overs. Jacks pulled him for six, but then fell lbw – unfortunately so as the ball struck him outside the line. There was no doubt about Jamie Smith’s dismissal as Gabriel plucked out his off stump. Short-term overseas signings face quite a task to hit the ground running, and injury problems in the second innings and 16 no balls in the match told its own story.Surrey’s assault on Bess with 43 needed from six overs shifted the match their way. Both Hardie and Foakes swept him for six. With 35 overs behind him in the first innings, and the need to pull off several goalkeeping dives off his own bowling, he was a weary, sweat-soiled figure by the time he was withdrawn from the attack with four overs remaining, but days that will hurt in the here and now will bring long-term benefit.Yorkshire had a 71-run lead banked overnight with eight second-innings wickets left. The loss of two wickets in the penultimate over the previous evening had left them vulnerable and a dank morning suggested that an inexperienced batting line-up were even more up against it. For Yorkshire supporters, it was a folded-arms sort of morning as they sat back, demanding the best but fearing the worst. They were proved right – but had to wait til after half-past six to say they’d always known as much.Only 18 overs into the day, they were 123 for 6. Surrey sensed the game was theirs – and some of their supporters wondered if they would even see it before they had to catch the 5.30 back to London. Those first four wickets fell to lbws, to four different bowlers, as Surrey bowled at the stumps, seeking a bit of seam and indifferent bounce. George Hill, dropped at cover, limped off as Overton had him lbw on the boot. There was a brief interruption for bad light but Will Fraine fell to Dan Worrall immediately on the resumption. James Wharton and Will Luxton were then caught on the crease as Tom Lawes and Hardie maintained the approach.Surrey could not be reliant on a second new ball to finish off the Yorkshire innings – by then there would have been fewer than 30 overs and a successful chase would probably have been beyond them. As Waite assembled a stand of 52 with Tattersall, the imperative for a further breakthrough was clear. Jacks had bowled only five overs of offspin in the first 58 – lightly used compared to Bess, his Yorkshire opposite number, but his first ball brought dividends as he turned one to end Tattersall’s vigil. Another lbw, this one bringing grumbles, but it seemed fair enough.Thompson unsuccessfully tried to shift the equation away from Surrey with a quick salvo, but Overton was hitting his straps for the first time in the match and he claimed Thompson and Patterson in successive balls.With the lead 193, some sort of last-wicket resistance was essential for Yorkshire and Gabriel, for all his hulking presence, came to the crease at No. 11 with a first-class average of 5.17 and a top score of 20. Waite attacked in selective fashion. He was put on his backside as he dug out an Overton yorker, but he hooked him resoundingly to reach a maiden Championship 50. They added 32, and were beginning to scent safety, when Overton had Gabriel caught at the wicket for his sixth wicket. Surrey had time – but only just.

Somerset ground out a slight advantage in a tension-ridden battle of the bottom two at Edgbaston where defeat will as good as signal relegation

Jon Culley at Edgbaston05-Sep-20171:37

County Championship Round-up: Somerset nose in front in crunch encounter

To find Warwickshire battling for Division One survival in the first week of September comes as no surprise, but that cannot be said of Somerset, who were denied a maiden County Championship title on the final afternoon of last season after Middlesex’s dramatic win over Yorkshire at Lord’s.Yet their season has been scarcely less awful than Warwickshire’s, prompting director of cricket Matthew Maynard to lament that they looked like a team resigned to relegation as they were beaten by Essex last week.Their outlook need not be quite so bleak. The gap between themselves and the safety of sixth place – 23 points as they enter the final four rounds – is by no means unassailable, particularly if they can nudge their opponents a little closer to the exits by winning here. That would raise the possibility of dragging one of two teams immediately above them into the fight – those two teams ironically being Middlesex and Yorkshire. They meet Middlesex at Taunton in the season’s final round.Warwickshire are a further 12 points adrift, the consequence of a decline that has been set in for some time since the players who won the title in 2012 began to find their powers on the wane. They, too, are not doomed yet but, as captain Jonathan Trott spelled out rather starkly on the eve of this match, they might need to win all four remaining fixtures.”It helps that we know what we have to do,” Trott said, doing his best to find a positive spin. Given that they have won only four of their last 22 Championship matches, however, it does seem to be asking rather a lot.On the subject of spin, it is the slow bowlers who look likely to determine the outcome of this one. Somerset came armed with two in Jack Leach and Dominic Bess and after taking a look at the pitch, which is the same one used for last Saturday’s NatWest Blast final, Warwickshire chose to follow suit, dispensing with the idea of giving England Under-19 seamer Henry Brookes his debut and opting for the slow left arm of Sunny Singh to share the load with Jeetan Patel.It was a wise move. After a start delayed until ten past one, Trott tossed the ball to Patel with the contest just seven overs old and having the New Zealand off-spinner bowling in tandem with Singh after only 18. There was turn for both from the outset. By the close they had bowled 38 of the 56.3 overs possible and taken three of the four wickets.A test for the batsmen, particularly for those at the starting-out end of the experience scale; Eddie Byron, opening with Marcus Trescothick, is just 20, and George Bartlett – Brookes’s England Under-19 colleague – only 19.In the event, Trescothick – a tad more experienced at 41 – was the first to go. The former England opener, another with whom time is catching up now, looked in good order initially on a ground where he has scored five hundreds but, having rapidly scored half a dozen boundaries, fell to the first ball of Patel’s second over. The left back went back to cut, another four in his sights, but made a misjudgement this time to a ball that was perhaps a shade too full and a thin edge had him caught behind.Byrom, in only his fifth first-class match, played very nicely for his 43 – matching his best score so far – but after reverse-sweeping Singh for his sixth boundary attempted – perhaps unwisely – to give the next delivery the same treatment. This time it ended up in the hands of Trott at slip.Singh, a tall 21-year-old born in India but developed in Warwickshire’s academy, looked competent and confidant, tidy until weariness began to creep in towards the end. He claimed his second success when, getting one to turn sharply, he had James Hildreth caught at slip, driving.The Warwickshire seamers were less impressive, although Keith Barker was a little unlucky in his second spell. Ryan Sidebottom – the Australian-born right-handed version – bowled a mix of good and bad balls, graphically illustrated when he bowled Bartlett through the gate with a real jaffa, having offered up a wide long-hop with his previous delivery, duly crashed away for four by the teenager, who had announced himself as audaciously as you might like by getting off the mark with a reverse-sweep for four off Patel.At 131 for 4 with Hildreth’s wicket, it was shaping up as Warwickshire’s day. By the close, though, Steve Davies and Tom Abell had turned things round rather impressively, applying themselves well in a stand that has so far added 72.

India slide after Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli fifties to end up 32 short of 297 target

Saurabh Somani19-Jan-20223:18

Cullinan: South Africa had better ‘all-round’ ODI approach; India lacked fight

A sparkling century from Rassie van der Dussen was complemented by a well-paced one from Temba Bavuma, as South Africa cantered to a 31-run win over India in the first ODI of a three-match series.van der Dussen joined Bavuma when South Africa were 68 for 3 in the 18th over, but they shrugged off that rickety start to eventually drive the team 296 for 4 on a slow Boland Park pitch. India were on track in the first half of their chase, particularly when Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan were batting together in a 92-run stand for the second wicket, but the innings withered after they both fell.Bavuma and van der Dussen had put on 204 runs in just 183 balls, conquering bowlers and conditions. In particular, van der Dussen’s knock took the first innings, and it turned out the match, away from India. In the end, he remained unconquered on an ODI best 129 off just 96 balls. His innings included four hits over the fence and nine to it, with more than half his runs coming via running between the wickets – this on a day when the heat was sapping. In the final over of South Africa’s innings, van der Dussen was often down on his haunches to gather his breath. It was his batting that left those watching breathless though.Related

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He got off the blocks quickly, injecting much-needed momentum into the innings, using sweeps and reverse sweeps to devastating effect against the spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and R Ashwin. The feature of van der Dussen’s innings was how he took the pitch out of the equation. Till his arrival, scoring had been laborious. But his use of the square boundaries, and ability to capitalise on the slightest errors in length, meant the innings found a new gear.Bavuma had a head start on his innings and got to his century first, with a single off Shardul Thakur in the 45th over. At the start of the 48th over, van der Dussen got to his own hundred with a flick to fine leg.The heat in Paarl saw the Indian bowling also wilt after a good start, as van der Dussen continued to go full throttle. Bavuma, who was on 23 off 45 when van der Dussen joined him and later on 28 off 53, gradually picked up his pace too. He made 82 from the last 90 balls he faced, playing an able foil to van der Dussen. By the time he had holed out to become Jasprit Bumrah’s second wicket, he had made 110 off 143.India’s bowling had begun well. Bumrah got Janneman Malan nicking behind, and the returning Ashwin – playing his first ODI since 2017 – castled Quinton de Kock with a quicker one. When Aiden Markram ran himself out via a direct hit from debutant Venkatesh Iyer at mid-off, India seemed well in control.Aiden Markram sent back KL Rahul•Gallo Images

However, the van der Dussen and Bavuma rebuilding plus counterattack left India looking a bit ragged. There were several mis-fields and overthrows too, which eased any pressure that was built up.KL Rahul, captaining India for the first time, didn’t have an outing to remember. He never went to his sixth bowling option Venkatesh, and had used up eight overs each of Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar by the time the innings was 40 overs old. Eventually, 86 runs came off the final ten overs, including a 17-run final over by Shardul Thakur.When Rahul came out to open the innings, he treated Markram’s part-time offspin with exaggerated caution. Markram bowled six overs on the trot after taking the new ball. Rahul had opted to play him out safely rather than attack, but that approach didn’t pay dividends either when he poked Markram behind to de Kock.That led to India’s best phase in the chase, with Dhawan scoring freely and Kohli building busily. During that period, the target looked within reach, with both men looking in control. However, a sharply turning ball from Keshav Maharaj spun into the Dhawan, past the inside half of his bat and onto his stumps as he was shaping to cut, and Kohli top-edged Tabraiz Shamsi to midwicket three overs later. From 138 for 1 in the 26th over, India’s slide was steady. Thakur, coming in at No. 8, belted a maiden ODI fifty and was unbeaten on 50 off 43 balls, but his hits only served to lessen the margin of defeat.

Sri Lanka’s openers put on 229 and hit their maiden ODI hundreds in the same match as they hacked down a 300+ target more than two overs to spare

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando06-Jul-2017
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsDanushka Gunathilaka was named Man of the Match for his maiden ODI hundred•AFP

Mathews fined for slow over rate

Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews has been fined 20% of his match fee, and his team 10%, for being found one over short of their target during the third ODI against Zimbabwe. If Sri Lanka, under Mathews, commit another over-rates breach within the next 12 months, Mathews will face a suspension.
This is Sri Lanka’s second over-rates offence in six matches. Acting captain Upul Tharanga had been suspended for two games after the team was found to be four overs short of their target in a Champions Trophy match last month.
On this occasion, Mathews pleaded guilty to the charge, so no formal hearing was required.

A score of over 300 used to be safe in Sri Lanka. Before Friday, chasing sides had attempted to run down scores of over 300 on 32 occasions, and failed every time. Now, in the space of a week, two such scores have been hunted down with ease – Sri Lanka today overhauling Zimbabwe’s 310 for 8 with eight wickets in hand and 16 balls remaining, without ever really appearing to extend themselves.Leading the pursuit today were Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka – two first-time centurions – who, in a searing opening partnership that yielded 229 runs, left Sri Lanka in such an ascendant state that the remaining 82 runs almost seemed a formality.Dickwella, forever slinking around his crease, scored well over half his runs behind the wicket, playing sweeps, cuts, dabs and scoops aplenty. Gunathilaka, meanwhile, stood tall in his crease, and played an array of regal drives and disdainful pulls. Having trailed Dickwella for much of the innings, he would finish with 116 runs off 111 balls. Dickwella made 102 off 116 deliveries. Upul Tharanga and Kusal Mendis saw the chase home with little drama – Tharanga making 44 not out, to go with his two unbeaten fifties previously in the series.That the hosts were chasing so many was thanks to a rollicking fifth ODI century from Hamilton Masakadza, which was followed by a rapid finish from Sikandar Raza and Peter Moor during a Zimbabwe innings in which even Lasith Malinga found himself besieged. Masakadza’s 127-run second-wicket stand with Tarisai Musakanda – playing this match in place of Ryan Burl, who was admitted to hospital after aggravating a food allergy – formed the spine of Zimbabwe’s innings, with Sean Williams also making a handy contribution.Zimbabwe’s own bowlers would soon themselves falter, thanks to the challenges of playing at this venue. Not only did the pitch offer little for seamers, such turn as it afforded spinners was slow and unthreatening, while Hambantota’s lively crosswind complicated their quarry further. It also did not help that Zimbabwe dropped four catches, the costliest of which was the grassing of Dickwella at point, off the bowling of Williams, when the batsman had been on 64.Neither team’s bowlers emerged with much credit. Malcolm Waller was Zimbabwe’s best – his tidy offspin accounting for the partnership-breaking wicket of Dickwella. Asela Gunaratne had earlier returned 2 for 53 from 10 overs, which turned out to be the best figures in the game. Malinga’s figures were blown out by a 17-run final over, and he ended with 1 for 71 off nine overs. Lakshan Sandakan’s 1 for 73 off ten did not make for pretty reading either.Dickwella and Gunathilaka were immediately belligerent. Dickwella slapped the first ball of the innings – delivered by Carl Mumba – behind point for four, before Gunathilaka cracked two fours apiece off Mumba and Chatara in the second and third overs. It was a track on which very little sideways movement could be gleaned, and the bounce could be completely trusted. After five overs, Sri Lanka were flying, at 36 for none. After 10, with 11 fours between the openers, they were 69 for none. After 15 overs, they were 101… and well… you get the idea – the chase was almost velvet-smooth.The only major hiccups were in Williams’ first over. Dickwella reverse-swept a ball straight to point, who dropped it, before Gunathilaka briefly left his crease only for Peter Moor to fumble the ball and miss a very difficult stumping chance. But neither batsman appeared flustered at any stage. Dickwella got to his hundred in the 33rd over, and Gunathilaka in the 36th. They were out within six balls of each other, but the chase would pass to good hands.Earlier, Masakadza had also been domineering from the outset, establishing a strike rate of better than 100 in the Powerplay, and maintaining it throughout. Both he and Musakanda appeared at ease during their big second-wicket stand. Sri Lanka’s bowlers raised a few lbw appeals, but they largely came against the run of play, rather than as a result of sustained pressure. Musakanda did not advance quite as quickly as Masakadza, but still received enough loose deliveries to stroke into a favoured legside. Masakadza, meanwhile, hit his first fifty off 47 balls, then sped up, needing only 36 further deliveries to move into triple figures.Wanidu Hasaranga and Gunaratne struck through the middle overs to keep Zimbabwe in check, but they batted deep enough to prosper in the slog overs nonetheless. Raza and Moor hit twenties to plunder 47 off the last four overs, but even a Zimbabwe innings as good as this could not prevent Sri Lanka from taking a 2-1 lead in the series.

Cricket South Africa is understood to be mulling filling the Boxing-Day slot with a one-off Test against a different opponent

Nagraj Gollapudi19-Aug-2017Not only will India not feature in the Boxing Day Test against South Africa later this year, but even the New Year’s Test in Newlands is in danger of being pushed back. The Boxing Day Test is usually the highlight of South Africa’s international season while the iconic venue in Cape Town usually hosts the second Test of the South African summer from January 2.However, it is understood that India will only land in South Africa in the last week of 2017 and will want to acclimatise for at least a week before starting the tour comprising four Tests, five ODIs and two Twenty20 internationals.According to a BCCI official, India cannot reach South Africa for the Boxing Day Test which starts on December 26 only because their home series against Sri Lanka is scheduled to finish on December 24. “We can’t make it make it in time. The Sri Lanka tour ends on December 24. After that we need to give the boys a few days’ rest,” the board official told ESPNcricinfo. “The South Africa tour is a big one, so they need to play two warm-up games, so it will take at least 10 days [before the first Test].The BCCI has already alerted Cricket South Africa on the scheduling difficulties, which both boards expect to sort out by next week. ESPNcricinfo understands CSA has accepted the fact that India will miss the Boxing Day Test, and, hence, have started looking for other options to stage a one-off Test. Pakistan and Afghanistan are reportedly the two possible options, but nothing concrete has emerged yet on that front.Tony Irish, the head of the South African Players Association, said that if the Newlands Test failed to start on January 2 or 3, it would be a “major blow” for CSA only because the match coincides with the holiday season. “I had been aware of the fact that they were unlikely to be there for Boxing Day, but for them not to be here for the New Year’s Day is a major blow to CSA and the fans,” Irish said. “To lose Boxing Day is a big thing, but to lose both of them would be massive hit for the fans.”Irish felt India could play a solitary two- or three-day game ahead of the first Test to facilitate things. But the BCCI official said that the Indian players could not be pushed.There are other repercussions of the India tour starting late. As soon India depart, South Africa are scheduled to host Australia for a four-Test series before the players arrived in India for the IPL. If CSA do manage to find an opponent for the Boxing Day Test, that would mean nine Tests crammed inside a two-month period.Irish felt such an “extremely gruelling” Test schedule combined with the limited-overs matches against India would exacerbate the workload on players. “If the India Test matches start much after January 2 or 3, there will be a lot of concern about the players’ workload,” Irish said. “You really compound the workload issue.” Irish has raised this concern with CSA, which has noted it.

The allrounder is looking forward to picking up where he left off, finishing games for India

PTI and ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jun-2022As he got down to plot his return to the Indian team, Hardik Pandya would hit the bed at 9.30pm and wake up at 5am, dedicating the intervening period to win battles against his “own self”.The 28-year-old allrounder followed this timetable for four months, after which he guided an unfancied Gujarat Titans to a memorable title triumph in only their maiden IPL outing. Soon after that, he made his long-awaited international comeback.Hardik, who has been managing a long-standing back problem, hadn’t played for India since they dropped out in the group stages of the 2021 T20 World Cup in November. But on Thursday, reprising his usual role as finisher, he looked pretty much like his old self, hitting an unbeaten 31 off just 12 balls against South Africa.”I was happy,” Hardik told . “It was more about the battles I won against my own self and a lot of other things as well. Winning the IPL, or even qualifying [for the playoffs] was a big deal for me because a lot of people doubted us,” he said. “A lot of people frowned at us before we started. A lot of people raised a lot of questions. A lot of things were said about me even before I made a comeback.”But it was never about giving them answers. I’m just proud of the process I followed. No one knows what I went through the six months that I was off. I’ve gotten up at 5 in morning to make sure I train. I slept at 9:30 in the night for four months, so [there was] a lot of sacrifice.”It was the battle I fought before the IPL. I have always worked hard in my life, and it has always given me the result I wanted.”Hardik also said the ongoing series against South Africa was the ideal platform for him to get into the groove for the upcoming T20 World Cup, especially since India will look to him to finish an innings, not start one like he did at Titans”Every series or every game you play is as important as your last,” Hardik said. “So, for me, World Cup is the goal, this is the right platform to get into the rhythm and a lot of cricket is going to come back-to-back. Always being in the rhythm is very important.”My role will be changed here, I won’t be captain, I won’t be batting higher up the order and guiding through the innings. This will be back to being the Hardik for which I am known.”

Ben Sawyer has joined the national set-up as full-time pace-bowling coach

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-2021Matthew Mott, head coach of the Australia women’s team, has signed a two-year contract extension which means he will remain in charge until after the defence of the T20 World Cup title in 2023.The next two years includes a host of major series and global events for Australia beginning with the visit of India in September before the Ashes early next year. That is followed by the ODI World Cup in New Zealand during February and March then the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham from late July 2022. Currently the next T20 World Cup is scheduled to take place in South Africa in February 2023 with another Ashes series to follow in mid-2023.Australia are also currently on a world-record unbeaten run of 24 ODI victories following their 3-0 win over New Zealand in April.”As a team there’s a lot of stuff in front of us to be excited about and I’m looking forward to being a part of it,” Mott said. “Obviously we play India to start off the summer and the Ashes is a massive series for us, but the one-day World Cup in March has been a key driver of the team over the past few years after a disappointing result at the 2017 event in England.”There’s a lot to look forward to over the next few years, including our first Commonwealth Games appearance, so it’s a really exciting time to be involved.”Ben Oliver, Cricket Australia’s head of national teams and high performance, said: “On field his record speaks for itself, with the team claiming two T20 World Cup titles since his appointment in 2015. The team also regained the Ashes just months after his appointment in 2015 and has held into them ever since, as well as setting a new world record for most consecutive ODI wins.”Matthew is a highly respected international coach, with terrific people skills, a track record of getting the best out of his players and a real passion for the game and his role. We believe he’s the best person to take this incredibly successful team to yet another level.”There has also been a new full-time appointment to Mott’s support staff with Ben Sawyer joining as fast-bowling. It is a role he has previously held in a part-time capacity but now Sawyer will leave Cricket New South Wales and Sydney Sixers for a permanent position with the national side. Ryan Harris had been brought on as bowling coach for the tour of New Zealand earlier this year.”We had some incredibly strong candidates apply for the role and it was a tough decision, but Ben thoroughly deserves the opportunity having already had such a positive impact in his previous stint with the side,” Oliver said.”He’s played a key role in developing what is a world-class bowling group and with over a decade of high-level coaching experience, Ben is a great addition who will complement Matthew, Shelley [Nitschke] and the support staff.”Australia are due to return to international action on September 19 with the first of three ODIs against India before a day-night Test at the WACA starting on September 30.

Liam Plunkett has emerged as a doubt ahead of the final ODI of the series between West Indies and England

George Dobell in Barbados08-Mar-2017Liam Plunkett has emerged as a doubt ahead of the final ODI of the series between West Indies and England.Plunkett, the top wicket-taker in the series, was unable to train on Wednesday with what was described as “an upset stomach.”While the England camp hope he will recover in time to take his place in the side – he has, after all, taken seven wickets in the two matches to date at a cost of 10.28 apiece – his absence could open the door for a return for Jake Ball or a debut for Tom Curran.Curran, who was called up to join the rest of the squad after Ball sustained a knee injury during the warm-up games in St Kitts, would appear the more like-for-like replacement with some batting skill to complement his seam bowling. But Ball was probably a first choice player going into the series and looked in good rhythm in the nets on Wednesday.It says much for the gentle nature of this Caribbean tour that the most uncomfortable moment to date came in a press conference ahead of the final game when Jason Roy was confronted by the suggestion that England’s decision to take the day-off on Tuesday was a sign of their lack of respect for their opponents.It’s not, of course. It’s a sign of England’s never-ending schedule and the fact that they currently find themselves staying in an island that bears a pretty strong comparison to paradise. If young men are going to be expected to travel and work together for the best part of 300 days a year, they require down time as much as they require training.Training on Wednesday was cut short by showers, though. And while the series is settled, England are keen to sustain the winning habit with only six ODIs to play before their Champions Trophy begins.There is personal pride at stake, too. Jos Buttler has endured a quiet couple of months, while Alex Hales will want to repay the faith shown in him with a confidence-boosting performance. Roy, meanwhile, is keen to convert more of his starts (he has made two half-centuries in three innings on this tour without reaching 80) into the sort of commanding performances that win games.Paul Collingwood, England’s team and fielding coach on this tour and captain of the side that won the World T20 in here in 2010 described Roy’s strength as “ridiculous” and “frightening”.”Personally I want to be known as a guy who is going to win matches and score big hundreds,” Roy, said. “I want to be that solid guy at the top of the order. Yes, you can make quick 50s and 60s every now and then but big hundreds are at the forefront of my mind to be honest.”As far as we’re concerned it is a big game in Barbados. We want to make it 3-0. We don’t aim for medicroity. We want the best.”