Category Uncategorized

The allrounder was pleased to have ended a long wait for a century and said there won’t be recriminations over him trying to win the match with another six

Sidharth Monga at Old Trafford23-Jun-2019Carlos Brathwaite was dropped for West Indies’ last match. There is a good chance he wouldn’t have been playing at Old Trafford had Andre Russell not been unfit. It wouldn’t have been a particularly harsh decision because Brathwaite had scored only five half-centuries in 158 innings since his sensational four sixes to win West Indies a lost World Twenty20 final back in 2016.Yet, with the World Cup dream all but over, Brathwaite reignited West Indies’ hopes with a scarcely believable century to bring them within five runs of New Zealand’s total. He was caught on the boundary trying to clear long-on off the last ball of the 49th over. After the knock, a shattered Brathwaite was honest in saying the knock meant him a lot even if it left him feeling bittersweet.WATCH on Hotstar (India only) – Brathwaite breathes fire with 101“It is a cliché to say that it doesn’t matter if you don’t win, but for me personally, for my confidence, it is a result of all the hard work that I put in,” Brathwaite said of his first international century. “It is finally good that it has come to fruition. I continue to work hard. Obviously heartbreaking to not get over the line but I give thanks for the performance and being able to get the team in the position that I was able to.”Brathwaite came in to bat at 142 for 4, and scored 101 of the remaining 144 runs that West Indies managed. With a stunning 25-run assault against Matt Henry in the 48th over, he brought the equation down to eight runs required off the two overs.”When I lost [Sheldon] Cottrell, then Lockie [Ferguson] had one over to go and [Trent] Boult had one to go,” Brathwaite said. “And the thinking was if we see them off, we can get 30 in three overs.”Now the equation was manageable, but he had only the No. 11 Oshane Thomas, who was yet to score a run, for company. Jimmy Neesham, bowling the 49th over, said they wanted Brathwaite to make more decisions now. The final – as it turned out – decision was whether to look for a single last ball of the 49th over or a six. If he got a single, he would have retained strike with five to get in the final over. If he missed while going for a six – or even if he got four – New Zealand would be able to have a crack at Thomas.As it turned out, Brathwaite went for a six, and was caught a few metres inside the long-on boundary. “I did tell Oshane about it [the possibility of a single],” Brathwaite said. “Told him we remain positive. We are one hit away. Probably memories came back of 2016 when I played a game against Afghanistan [in the 2016 World T20] and patted a full toss for a single instead of hitting it for a six. My thinking was still: watch the ball, still react, and if it is not a ball that I can get a six off, I try to get a single. He was on high alert, but if it came in my area I try and finish the game in that ball, which I did.”Carlos Brathwaite sinks to his knees after getting caught on the boundary•Getty Images

Brathwaite came very close, though. “I thought I had enough bat on it,” he said. “Unfortunately it didn’t. Also it went to probably one of the better fielders in the world as well. So, yeah, it is what is. A game of margins. One or two yards more, we could be victorious.”Brathwaite said it should not be too difficult to move on from the decision he made. “The best dressing rooms create a culture where when you pinpoint any incident, any game, there is [talk around] planning and execution,” Brathwaite said. “The plan was right: obviously stay, reacting to the ball, don’t premeditate, if it is not in your zone, get single; if it is, maximise and get a six. And the execution was off. In the game against Australia as well, I got out to a slow full toss from Starc, kind of haunted me as well. Again it is execution. Back to the drawing board. Probably get some other options to similar ball. I am not going to beat myself up because the ball should have gone for six, and we should have won.”It was “heartbreaking” that it didn’t end West Indies’ way, but there was also personal relief. “I know I can [bat well], I know I should,” Brathwaite said. “I never stopped working, I kept working hard. It’s great to see hard work pay off. At the end of the day it is a century in a losing cause, which is bittersweet.”His captain Jason Holder wasn’t surprised he delivered the runs. “His work ethic is really good,” Holder said of Brathwaite. “He’s not one to shy away from his responsibilities. And he puts in really good effort into his preparation. And that’s one thing that I credit him for. The knock that he played today is not surprising to me.”I guess everybody could sit here and agree that we’d love to see that a little bit more often. But that’s the general feeling within the entire group. I think as a team we just need to be a lot more consistent. But seeing Carlos play the way he did doesn’t really surprise me. Just a matter for us to bring it together more often.”The feeling of awe was on both sides. New Zealand didn’t waste any time in going to congratulate and commiserate with Brathwaite moments after the win was sealed. “New Zealanders are some of the best people in the world to share a dressing room with or to play against,” Brathwaite said. “I obviously socialise with them at franchise tournaments and am good friends with a few of the boys. I guess it didn’t mean much at that point in time because you are just getting over watching Boult take the catch and losing. In hindsight it was good sportsmanship on their behalf. I appreciate the mutual respect the opposition had.”

The players’ body also asked CA to take the contrition shown by the players on their return to Australia into account, and allow them back into domestic cricket sooner

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-2018The Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) has asked Cricket Australia to consider reducing the “disproportionate” sanctions on Steven Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, the three players involved in the plan to tamper with the ball during the Cape Town Test.

‘I’d pick them for sure’ – Mark Waugh

Australia selector Mark Waugh has backed Steven Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft to make returns to the national side after they complete their bans for ball-tampering in Cape Town.
“I would (pick them), for sure,” Waugh told Sky Sports Radio. “My personal contact with these three guys is they’re all good people. Everyone makes mistakes. This is a major one.
“We all hope they bounce back to their best form when the penalties are finished. We should all look at the facts and you’ve got to let them back into the fold again. You’ve got to forgive them.”
Waugh also defended the Australian team against criticism of its culture.
“I don’t see this team as any different as any other team from previous eras,” he said. “Of course there’s the odd individual player who’ll push the boundaries. But to then say because of that there’s a whole toxic culture of Australian cricket, I’m just not seeing that. Most of this team, they’re so quiet on the field.”

Smith and Warner were banned from international and domestic cricket for 12 months, while Bancroft was banned for nine. Warner was also banned from holding leadership positions in Australian cricket for life, while Smith and Bancroft were banned from leadership positions for another 12 months after the end of their bans.”The proposed penalties are disproportionate relative to precedent,” ACA president Greg Dyer said in Sydney on Tuesday. “We ask that consideration be given to recalibrating the proposed sanctions, to consider options such as suspending or reducing part of the sanction. To consider allowing the players to return to domestic cricket earlier, for example, as part of their rehabilitation.”We believe [the bans] are disproportionate. We’ve pointed out the fact that incidents of this similar type have occurred previously, the sanctions are vastly less than what’s been suggested here. There’s a need to reconcile between the two, there’s a need to understand that disproportionality and to move forward. We’re in ongoing conversations with Cricket Australia through this process.”The players have until Thursday to decide whether to appeal the penalties imposed by CA or not.”The ACA is working strongly with the players,” Dyer said. “Their decisions are imminent but I’m not able to share them with you this morning. [It is] a deeply personal decision for the players. We’re supporting them through that process but ultimately [whether to appeal is] for the three players to decide.”Dyer was of the opinion that the administration needed to support the banned players during this time, and allowing them to stay involved with cricket would be beneficial. “The players need to be brought back into the confines of the game to be supported by the game – to be assisted by the game, in the rehabilitation,” Dyer said. “If the sanctions were to prevent that then I think that would be a bad outcome.”The loss of leadership is significant as a sanction … these are very substantial things that have occurred to these men. That needs to be brought into mind. Those [consequences] are over and above the length of the sentence.”Smith, Bancroft and Warner held press conferences after returning to Australia, where they expressed remorse for ball-tampering on the third day of the Newlands Test. All of them were extremely emotional during their press conferences and Dyer said their “extraordinary contrition” should be taken into account by CA.”The contrition shown by these men is extraordinary. We ask for this extraordinary contrition to be taken into account by Cricket Australia just as it would be in any fair or proper process. Their distressed faces have sent a message across the globe as effective as any sanctions could be. Australia cried with Steve Smith last Thursday. I certainly did. We expect this contrition to be taken into account.”

Danushka Gunathilaka inflicted a 65-ball hundred upon England Lions as Sri Lanka A strolled into a 2-0 lead in their five-match series

David Hopps in Dambulla04-Mar-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Danushka Gunathilaka sauntered to a hundred as Sri Lanka A went 2-0 up•Getty Images

For Danushka Gunathilaka, there was the grand satisfaction of a dashing hundred to bring delight to a run-of-the-mill Dambulla day. A day that was not particularly humid, nor particularly hot. The sort of day to which he has awoken without a second thought for most of his 25 years. What intensity there was, was felt only in his strokeplay as he inflicted a 65-ball hundred upon an England Lions side that was ill-equipped to resist.As the Sri Lanka A coach took him to the ground, Kandalama lake was at its best, the mountains and clouds reflected so starkly in the water that it would have been an unimaginative man who had not looked into it and wondered what the future would hold. Gunathilaka, who in January left Sri Lanka’s tour of South Africa early with a back complaint, did his future no harm at all.Gunathilaka ensured a rout, Sri Lanka A threatening to hoover up the Lions’ 217 with all their wickets and around 20 overs to spare. As it was, rain and bad light intervened around 4pm and the winning margin was decided by the weather tables which always takes a little gloss off it.But you felt that, if he could have persuaded anybody to bowl to him in the eventual downpour, he could have done it all again. At 2-0 up with three to play, Sri Lanka will have ambitions to take the series in Kurunegala on Monday. England will have to bat brilliantly to stop it because the evidence of the first two matches is that their bowling resources are limited.When Gunathilaka reached his hundred by flaying Craig Overton for successive off-side boundaries, his leaping punch of the air told of unspent energy levels. His first-wicket stand with Kusal Perera was worth 123 in the opening match on Thursday, but ended in unfortunate fashion when he pulled a wide one down the leg side. This time, Gunathilaka and Kusal as good as saw it home, utterly dominant throughout, the most uncertain moment coming when Gunathilaka was 73, Keaton Jennings forcing a top-edged pull but James Fuller spilling the chance.For Liam Livingstone, whose upbringing has toughened him against the sharp sea air of Barrow on the Cumbrian coast, but left him somewhat exposed to a Sri Lankan climate, the heat was more exhausting, the most pressing question being whether his energy levels would be expended before the Lions’ innings was spent. It was a close run-thing – Livingstone was last out for 94, his ambitions of a third hundred on this ground in little more than a week thwarted by a diving catch at deep midwicket by Kithuruwan Vithunage.Liam Livingstone cools off in the changing rooms after making 94•ECB

Livingstone first fell to his haunches soon after passing fifty and as he entered the 80s he needed treatment for cramp in both legs. At least England’s regular loss of wickets allowed him ample opportunities to take on fluid, the ritual duly enacted under a multi-coloured umbrella brought on by the 12th man, Graeme White, to protect him from the sun, which made him look like a member of an old colonial club. At Old Trafford, where Livingstone plays most of his cricket, they only ever put up umbrellas for rain.Livingstone is a violent strokemaker, not naturally given to energy conservation, although those who witnessed his two hundreds in the four-day match on this ground say that the second, where he pushed the ball around quietly, revealed a capacity to adapt. He favours a one-legged whip through the leg side which is vaguely reminiscent of Kevin Pietersen, a sort of flamingo on steroids. The umpires, kind-hearted souls, agreed that it was pretty hot and it is easy to look on from an air-conditioned media box and list many hotter and more humid days. He looks mightily impressive and the odds are that one day he will not cramp in conditions much more onerous and with more at stake.Livingstone’s plucky innings was one of the few redeeming features of a Lions effort in which Ben Duckett also looked more like his old self in making 59 from 45 balls – their counterattacking stand worth 81 in 10 overs – before he was well caught at deep mid-off during a canny spell from Thisara Perera, who took the pace off the ball to return 2 for 17 in six overs. Tom Alsop was his other victim, an aberration as he inexplicably chipped to long-on with only a single to his name.Joe Clarke, without ever looking fluent was the only other Lions batsman to reach double figures, one of four victims for the left-arm spin of Milinda Siriwardena. The Sri Lanka A captain, a veritable A-team veteran at 31, did not allow himself a bowl in the opening match but he finished with 4 for 40 here, with Livingstone the most satisfying of his victims.Livingstone was unable to take the field for the start of Sri Lanka A’s reply, which immediately undermined the Lions’ decision to omit Toby Roland-Jones and field an extra batsman. That realistically demanded a full spell of offspin from Livingstone, who had been the Lions’ most economical bowler in the opening match, with only Jennings’ medium-pace as a fall back.He emerged five overs late with the heavy-legged gait of a man who had spent all day fell running in the Cumbrian mountains. He came on to bowl the 12th over, the first ball revealed his vulnerability, Gunathilaka unsympathetically despatched his next ball over long-on for six and it was an air of resignation that he took refuge again in the pavilion after painfully completing the over. Jennings subbed himself in and a single over went for 21, Fuller’s drop followed by successive sixes.Gunathilaka, who toured England last summer, ended unbeaten on 121 from 88 balls, clearing the boundary on six occasions. This Lions attack has yet to command respect and when bad light descended it would have been sensible to put them out of their misery with only 17 runs needed from more than 21 overs remaining. Instead the players had to sit around for the inevitable defeat and only found out the match was off when they saw the match referee scurrying to his transport in the pouring rain.

Otago left-arm spinner Nick Beard has turned to a career in real estate as he takes time off cricket to work on his bowling action

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Dec-2015Otago left-arm spinner Nick Beard has turned to a career in real estate as he takes time off cricket to work on his bowling action. Beard underwent biometric testing in Australia and was subsequently cleared in May. But he was not picked in the final squad for the Georgie Pie Super Smash.He last played for Otago in October, during a first-class match against Canterbury, but was the highest wicket-taker when they won the T20 competition in 2012-13.”It is frustrating, and it has been a fall from grace I suppose,” Beard told . “But it is what is, I accept I am not good enough at the moment to be playing for Otago.”It was really difficult to go through,” he added regarding the scrutiny over his action. “But I look at the positives and getting my real estate papers done was definitely one of those.”It was a massive eye-opener for me. It is really only something that most guys look at once they look at retiring from cricket. I can now see the positives in having something behind me early and it provides a good balance for my life.”Beard had joined the real estate industry in September 2014 and has since made two sales while also juggling his duties as a contracted Otago player.”Cricket comes first. Obviously I am contracted to Otago, so cricket is No, 1. I do everything I can to be the best I can be for cricket. But I guess there is a lot of free time, especially at the moment when I’m not playing in this Twenty20 series. So I just pop up to the office when I have free time and try and juggle both.”Beard, who has taken 46 wickets in 55 T20s, said he wanted to make sure he doesn’t rush back. “I guess even now I’m still not 100 per cent comfortable in my action and I’m still striving to get better at it every day,” he said.”I monitor it myself, I do video work most days to make sure that I am not falling back into old habits. Because I pulled myself out, it is all off my own back – so I look at it myself more than anybody else.”

Rain produced a stop-start afternoon and evening session that Kent ended up handling better, thanks to a 145-run partnership between Darren Stevens and Ben Harmison

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Chelmsford23-May-2013
ScorecardDarren Stevens added to his four wickets with an unbeaten 91•Getty Images

Rain greeted Chelmsford’s early birds and, while it didn’t affect the start time, it did return to produce a stop-start afternoon and evening session that Kent ended up handling better, thanks to a 145-run partnership between Darren Stevens and Ben Harmison. Coming together at 43 for 4, the pair worked patiently to see off the rain delays – 25 overs’ worth – and give Kent a first-innings lead for the first time this season.The arrival of Stevens injected calmness into proceedings, as he kept his concentration to bat throughout the day while also staying alert to any error in line or length from the bowlers. As the sun shone late into the evening session and batting conditions improved he took the attack to the bowlers – Ravi Bopara in particular feeling the brunt of Stevens’ wrath.The 37-year-old seems to relish his encounters with Essex – averaging over 45 with the bat and under 28 with the ball – and after his four wickets on the first day it seemed almost inevitable that he would excel again. Fitting, too, that he would be the one to score the runs to take Kent past Essex.Harmison, a slightly smaller yet fuller version of his brother Steve, went under the radar somewhat, content to play out maidens without even a glance at the scoring rate. He stirred in the forties, crashing two fours of Ryan ten Doeschate in three balls to take him to his half century, before chasing a wide one off the same bowler to depart for 55.The moisture in the air coupled with overhead conditions helped David Masters and Reece Topley in the morning. Masters beat the outside edge of Sam Northeast’s bat on more than one occasion; unfortunately for Masters, when he did find it, first slip was found wanting. But the bowler at the other end had more to smile about thanks to an excellent five-over spell that earned him two wickets for only seven runs.It’s hard not to be excited by Topley; his approach to the crease is smooth, with an action easy on the body, losing none of his 6ft 7in at the crease and, unlike Steven Finn, he might even be taller than his own run-up. His wicket to get rid of Brendon Nash was a thing of beauty – the ball angling into the left-hander, before arching away slightly and nipping off the pitch to just miss the bat and catch off stump, flush. For his next wicket, Topley squared-up the right-handed Mike Powell, who could only edge to Tom Westley at third slip.When Northeast was strangled down the leg side, you would be forgiven for thinking Kent were on for successive disappointments with the bat, after being skittled by Worcestershire and Alan Richardson for 63 last week.But Stevens and Harmison came together and rebuilt the innings in an impressive 48-over stand. If anything, they were aided by the rain delays as Essex’s bowlers struggled to get into any real rhythm or build on their morning success. Leaving the field four times would not have helped that. Even then, Masters thought he had Stevens caught behind until umpire Alex Wharf said otherwise, and then Michael Gough at the other end was asked to adjudicate on a ball from Graham Napier which did not bounce and hit Harmison on the pad. It looked very close but he too turned down the appeal, much to the bowler’s dismay.

Kane Williamson was unbeaten on 89 at the end of another shortened day after Gloucestershire were inserted by Yorkshire

Alex Winter at Bristol10-May-2012
ScorecardNew Zealand batsman Kane Williamson has continued his recent Test form with Gloucestershire•Getty Images

Few would have expected such a scorecard at the end of a day when at the start everything pointed to a feast for the bowlers. Heavy cloud, a brisk wind, intermittent rain and the deluge that was very well soaked up by the Bristol outfield were the factors in Andrew Gale’s decision to bowl first. Had he inspected a little closer under the covers, he might have made a different call.Though even if a reasonable deck were to have been discovered, the horrendous light – which prevented play later in the day – was reason enough to send Gloucestershire in. It was miserable. Benny Howell edged to third slip in Tim Bresnan’s second over and everything was as expected. But then Kane Williamson provided a classy innings.Last season, he looked a good player with a very correct technique. There wasn’t much excitement about him; he didn’t make the eye-catching scores one would hope from an overseas signing; he made one century – on a terribly flat pitch at Leicester. He was getting a good run in the New Zealand team, playing all formats of the game, without too much success. His run had been earned by a century on debut in Ahmedabad and the general perception that he was the future for New Zealand.His subsequent scores didn’t match that glorious debut and observers wondered whether he had been thrust in too soon. One innings changed those doubts. Battling on the final day to save a Test against South Africa at Wellington he made an unbeaten 102. He was dropped, hit on the body, sliced in two, beaten on countless occasions but made an innings of much acclaim against arguably the most fearsome attack in world cricket: Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander. It confirmed his talent in some fashion.”That was a great challenge,” Williamson said. “They came really hard and it was a really nice innings to play against such quality bowlers. It was an interesting period in the winter; I didn’t spend too much time at the crease. We played Zimbabwe and I wasn’t required much of the time.”Arriving back for a second season with Gloucestershire, he made 128 in the second innings at Derby. If he can add another 11 runs tomorrow it will be three consecutive centuries for Williamson and Gloucestershire’s faith that John Bracewell had plucked a star in the making will be restored.He was sublime after making a 90-ball half-century against perhaps the best new-ball partnership he will face all season. Ryan Sidebottom and Bresnan quickly became frustrated at their lack of penetration and especially at Williamson’s ability to play with the most delicate of hands – playing under his nose; guiding runs through gully.He has seemed to gain an ability to score more easily, overcoming a lack of power. His off-side play was a joy to watch. Coming forward with a large stride he drove straight and through cover exactly as the textbook describes. Equally, going back he was quickly into a comfortable position and timed several boundaries to the shorter tennis-court boundary.The chief criticism of his cricket is playing the short ball: a few times he was found out in Australia. Here there was no short bowling to worry about – Bresnan and Sidebottom bowled full but found little enjoyment off a slow surface. The only time Williamson pulled was a long hop from Anthony McGrath – dispatched over square leg.The 146 Williamson and Chris Dent added in 43 overs was the third century stand Williamson has contributed to in the two games he has played for Gloucestershire – highlighting his value to an order that would otherwise have to be led by Dent. He was more patient, taking 123 balls to reach fifty and didn’t play any of the pleasant drives his partner showed. But he cut very well and ground out a score in a challenging situation. He fell to Steven Patterson, lbw playing back, as Yorkshire found something late on a day they expected far more from.

The decision to exclude Sulieman Benn from the West Indies squad was made because of reports from the team management on his behaviour during the World Cup, according to Clyde Butts

ESPNcricinfo staff12-May-2011The decision to exclude Sulieman Benn, the left-arm spinner, from the West Indies squad for the series against Pakistan was made because of unfavourable reports from the team management on his behaviour during the World Cup, according to Clyde Butts, chairman of the West Indies selectors. The reports were, he said, pertaining to “off-field” incidents involving Benn.”He [Benn] did not have a very good report from the World Cup and we felt he needed some time to recuperate from that and all the situations that happened there,” Butts said at a press conference in Providence. “He has been spoken to. We have sat with him, the selectors and the coach, for a long time in Barbados when we had the camp and we actually explained everything to him.”Benn, 29, has had a string of disciplinary problems since debuting for West Indies in 2008: he was suspended for two one-day internationals for an incident involving Brad Haddin during West Indies’ tour of Australia in 2009, and then during South Africa’s visit in 2010 he received another ban for an altercation with Dale Steyn and was also sent off the field in a one-dayer by his captain Chris Gayle for refusing to do what the captain asked.Despite his indiscretions, Benn was awarded a central contract by the WICB for 2010-11 and Butts indicated that his omission might not be long-term. “The Board is actually supposed to reach Benn and decide how we’re going to move forward from there,” he said.In the absence of Benn, Devendra Bishoo, the 25-year-old legspinner, has been selected as the lone spinner in West Indies’ squad for the first Test against Pakistan. Butts said the selectors had considered picking two spinners given the nature of the track in Providence, but decided one would give the team more balance. He also said Bishoo, who was the leading wicket-taker in the ODI series against Pakistan, should be fit for the Test, despite concerns over his fitness after the one-day series, but there was a contingency plan in case he is not able to play.

New signing Steven Mullaney took three quick wickets to rip the heart out of the Hampshire batting and set up a convincing 35-run win for Nottinghamshire in their Clydesdale Bank 40 clash at the Rose Bowl

Cricinfo staff02-May-2010

ScorecardNew signing Steven Mullaney took three quick wickets to rip the heart out of the Hampshire batting and set up a convincing 35-run win for Nottinghamshire in their Clydesdale Bank 40 clash at the Rose Bowl.Mullaney, signed from Lancashire in the close season, finished with 3 for 24 as Hampshire’s poor start to the season continued. Hampshire have now lost all five matches in both competitions and there was never any doubt they would lose this encounter after overnight rain and persistent drizzle reduced the match to 24 overs each.Home captain Nic Pothas chose to field first and his decision was immediately called into question as second-wicket pairing Hashim Amla and Alex Hales put on 69 in only eight overs.Veteran former England all-rounder Dominic Cork put a break on the scoring by taking three wickets in 10 balls – removing Amla for 33, Hales for 41 and then Mullaney for nine to a catch at the wicket.But Hampshire struggled to build on their successes with Chris Read and Paul Franks putting on 48 for the sixth wicket to build a formidable total of 180 for 8 from their 24 overs. Hampshire gave a debut to Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Ragana Herath but he conceded 21 off his first two overs and 38 from his four, without taking a wicket. Cork finished as Hampshire’s most successful bowler with 3 for 30.The hosts never really looked like reaching their target. Openers Michael Carberry and Jimmy Adams put on 43 in 41 balls for the first wicket with the latter striking two fours and two sixes in his aggressive 29. But Mullaney came on to change the course of the match by dismissing Adams, James Vince and the hard-hitting Sean Ervine on his way to demolishing the Hampshire top order.Mullaney’s first spell was made up of three for five from three overs and, although he became more expensive later, the damage was done. Hampshire were 63 for 5 when Pothas was out, leaving his side still needing 118 from 10 overs.Only then did Hampshire cut loose, with South African Neil McKenzie and Liam Dawson putting on 67 in seven overs, but the cause was already lost. McKenzie fell at 127 and Cork went at 135, leaving Dawson to play for respectability with a top score of 47 from 28 balls which included three fours and two sixes.

Leicestershire rolled aside for 88 in one-sided encounter at Grace Road

ECB Reporters Network26-Jul-2024Warwickshire made it two wins out of two in the Metrobank One Day Cup with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Leicestershire at the UptonSteel County Ground, Grace Road.Bears’ skipper Ed Barnard, who made a big century and took two wickets in his side’s first game against Essex at Chelmsford, continued his outstanding form in the competition by taking four quick wickets, including that of India Test star Ajinkya Rahane, after putting the Foxes in to bat, reducing the home side to 40 for 4.Craig Miles picked up three wickets, and Oliver Hannon-Dalby, Will Rhodes and Jake Lintott one apiece as Leicestershire subsided to 88 all out in just 25.4 overs.Although former Warwickshire player Chris Wright then took two quick wickets when the visitors began their reply, Rhodes and teenager Hamza Shaikh put together an unbeaten partnership of 85 to steer their side home with 32.4 overs in hand.Both sides came into the match having won their opening fixture, Leicestershire against Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire against Essex. While Leicestershire were unchanged, however, Warwickshire gave starts to Kai Smith, the teenage wicketkeeper fit again after six weeks out with a broken hand, and another 18-year-old in spinner Taz Ali. On a fine day Leicestershire’s supporters turned out in good number in anticipation of the second appearance of Rahane, whose 71 off 60 balls against Notts had left many searching for superlatives.Warwickshire supporters made the journey from the West Midlands in the hope of seeing for a third consecutive century from Barnard, who had followed his 143 in the warm-up match against Staffordshire with an unbeaten 173 against Essex. In that respect they were to be disappointed, but it was the only disappointment they were to suffer on what became a near perfect afternoon for their side.Barnard chose to bowl first after winning the toss, but can hardly have anticipated what would follow, on the same pitch on which Leicestershire had scored 369 for 6 against Notts. The first five overs were relatively uneventful, albeit Foxes opener Harry Swindells played and missed at several outswingers, but fellow opener Sol Budinger appeared untroubled, hitting three crisp boundaries. There was movement off the seam though, particularly for Barnard, and soon after bringing one back to bowl the struggling Swindells, found the edge of Budinger’s bat with a fine delivery which left the left-hander.Opposite number Hill was his third victim, edging a lifting delivery to the wicket-keeper, but his fourth wicket, the key one of Rahane, had an element of fortune about it, coming off a low leg side full toss which the batsman tried to help down to long leg only to turn the bat too soon. The ball struck the back of the bat and looped gently back to the grateful if slightly startled bowler.Leicestershire’s second overseas batsman, Peter Handscomb, also went caught and bowled, in his case chipping a full straight delivery straight back to Rhodes for a duck. The procession continued, Liam Trevaskis edging a delivery pushed across him from Hannon-Dalby low to Rhodes at slip, before a stand of 34 between Ben Cox and Ben Mike gave Leicestershire’s disbelieving supporters faint hope of posting some sort of score.The hopes were quickly and decisively extinguished as Cox chipped a simple catch to midwicket, Mike top-edged an ambitious pull for Ali, running back from mid-on, to take a good catch, a catch made to look ordinary when Rhodes took a really fine diving catch at slip off Jake Lintott to see the back of Scriven.Wright was last to go, bowled off the inside edge, but the seamer at least enjoyed some measure of revenge, trimming Barnard’s bails with a beauty and then winning a leg before decision against Theo Wylie to reduce the Bears to 7 for 2. Thereafter however Rhodes and Shaikh played with increasing comfort to see their side over the line in double-quick time.

With his return, Australia for the first time in the series can at least look to balance the side however they wish

Andrew McGlashan28-Feb-20232:26

What improvements can we expect from Australia?

The last time Cameron Green picked up a bat in India it helped him become the second-most expensive player in IPL history.His value to Australia’s Test side has been made abundantly clear during the first two Tests of this series where the selectors have had to make concessions each way in his absence. Now the allrounder is back and Australia can for the first time, even in the absence of some senior players, at least look to balance the side however they wish in Indore.Related

• Kuhnemann follows Jadeja blueprint to inspire Australia's comeback

• Cameron Green '100% ready to go' for the Indore Test

• What Australia need to do to revive a flagging campaign

• Australia bank on Smith and Labuschagne to flip the script in Indore

• Smith wants Australia to 'slow things down' under pressure

Whether or not Steven Smith keeping every option open on the eve of the match was a bit of pre-game bluster, it highlighted the flexibility that a cricketer such as Green brings. That ranged from playing an extra batter – so Green being part of a four-strong attack – to three quicks or retaining the three spinners used in Delhi, but this time having two pace bowlers alongside them.There remains a small question mark over Todd Murphy after the side soreness he reported during the second Test, although he had an extensive bowl on Tuesday.”In terms of playing an extra batter, that’s on the cards as well,” Smith said. “Three spinners is on the cards, someone with a bit more airspeed is on the cards. We’ve got some options there, we’ll wait and see.”The extra batter route would mean a reprieve for Matt Renshaw who has made just four runs in three innings so far after being parachuted in as David Warner’s concussion sub in Delhi. The reference to airspeed could put Lance Morris in with a chance of a Test debut, although Scott Boland’s wicket-to-wicket skills may also bring value. Australia’s quicks have had precious little impact so far.Cameron Green has not played competitive cricket in two months•Getty Images

They also need to work out how to get through India’s deep batting order and Smith hinted at some new plans. “Particularly with Green and [Mitchell] Starc, two fast bowlers now, and five out-and-out bowlers potentially, it gives us a few different ways to go about things,” he said. “Whether we want to bowl some quick stuff at the tail to try and unsettle them or whether it’s spinning, [we] just have to play what’s in front of us.”The Indore pitch was only getting drier by the hour. The ends were already bare and now much of the grass has been shaved off. It was kept under covers for most of the day, occasionally being revealed by the groundstaff when players and staff from either side wandered over for a look.At one point, there was a brief summit between Australia coach Andrew McDonald and tour selector Tony Dodemaide. A while later Green, along with a few team-mates, asked to have a look themselves with Green kneeling down to have a feel of the wicket’s firmness.Whatever way the selection cards fall, Green will likely need to recall his performance against Sri Lanka in Galle last year when he made 77 on the most spin-friendly pitch he had yet to encounter.”He’s a quality young player and just his all-round ability helps us in terms of the way we want to go about things with our XI,” Smith said. “We saw him play exceptionally well in Galle. He did things a bit differently to how he’s done things in the past. He brought the sweep out, he used his feet, he got deep in the crease. He did all the things that you need to do really well when the conditions were extreme.”Green’s numbers are certainly the right way round for an emerging allrounder: the batting average sits at 35.04 and the bowling dipped to 29.78 when he claimed his maiden five-wicket in Melbourne, the day before the broken finger he is now returning from.But expectations also need to be tempered. It is two months since his last competitive outing and there’s only so much nets can do to bring a player up to speed for the type of Test cricket taking place in this series. Still, it’s one part of the jigsaw puzzle Australia have been missing. And for Green, his India adventure really starts now.