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Shakib Al Hasan and Liton Das will miss the tour for personal reasons, while Abu Jayed has been dropped

Mohammad Isam16-Jul-2019Anamul Haque and Taijul Islam have been recalled into Bangladesh’s 14-member squad for the three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka, which begins on July 26. They have come in as replacements for Shakib Al Hasan and Liton Das, who have been granted leave by the BCB.Shakib will reportedly be travelling for the Haj pilgrimage, while Liton is getting married. Abu Jayed, who was part of Bangladesh’s 15-member World Cup squad, has been dropped.Anamul’s last appearance for Bangaladesh came against West Indies 12 months ago, while left-arm spinner Taijul played the last of his four ODIs in September 2016. According to chief selector Minhajul Abedin, they were picked due to their domestic performances.Bangladesh’s squad for the three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Mashrafe Mortaza, who continues to lead despite speculation that he might retire, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah and Mohammad Saifuddin have all been passed fit for the tour, after they picked up various injuries during the World Cup.The Sri Lanka tour is Bangladesh’s first assignment after finishing eighth out of the ten teams at the World Cup. They are without a head coach following the termination of Steve Rhodes’ contract, although the BCB has suggested that board director Khaled Mahmud, the manager during the World Cup, will take over on a temporary basis.

Not necessary for critics to be constructive, says the England World Cup captain of his former team-mate’s analysis

George Dobell10-Jul-2019Eoin Morgan has called comments from Kevin Pietersen “not good for a team environment”.Pietersen suggested that Morgan “looked scared” of Mitchell Starc’s bowling during England’s group match defeat against Australia. Writing on Twitter at the time, Pietersen said he had “not seen a captain show such weakness for a while” and that it was “a horror sign” for England.But, on the eve of England’s first World Cup semi-final in 27 years, Morgan compared his former team-mate’s words to those of Geoffrey Boycott in saying that they “don’t take the best interest of the team or the player” into account and suggested the current England dressing room did not pay much attention to comments of the sort.”When Kevin Pietersen comes out with a comment, it’s very similar to comments I address from Geoffrey Boycott,” Morgan told the . “They are not ones that are considered good for a team environment and don’t take the best interests of the team or the player at heart. Guys are trying their heart out to do well for their country, trying to learn, trying to get better.”Morgan did acknowledge, however, that he had struggled to deal with the short ball in the past. He was memorably forced to retire hurt having been struck by a Starc bouncer in an ODI in Manchester in 2015 – he later said his helmet “probably saved my life” – while he also accepted that it wasn’t necessarily Pietersen’s role to be constructive. In making such comments, Morgan said, the former players were merely doing “their job”.”Possibly four years ago I was challenged in that area,” Morgan said. “Since then I’ve been challenged in different areas and, over the past two years, I’ve managed to counter that.”And you have critics being critics. But they need to do that; that’s their job. So let them be.”

“How you can expect people to transform their game just like that?” asks Kent captain, after 26 wickets fall in a day at Canterbury

ESPNcricinfo staff and ECB Reporters Network22-Aug-2019Sam Billings has labelled the scheduling of a round of County Championship games halfway through the Vitality Blast season “completely brainless” after his Kent side was bowled out for 40 in their defeat against Essex.”It’s shocking, isn’t it really?” he said. “For both sides. It doesn’t help the quality of first-class cricket in England any which way. Twenty20 and first-class cricket are completely different games.”Billings made 0 and 1 in the defeat to Essex, in which 26 wickets fell on the third day after two rain-interrupted days, and said his comments were not intended as an excuse.”It’s the same for both sides and that’s not an excuse at all, but for the good of the county game it’s not right. It’s completely brainless in my opinion. How you can expect people to transform their game just like that? It’s not right. I’ll probably get told off for saying that, but it’s the right thing to say.”Just put the white-ball cricket in a block and it makes it far easier for the players. Every single player you talk to will say the same thing. For the good of spectators coming to Canterbury Cricket Week, that’s the least they could do.”The scheduling of the county game has come in for criticism for many years, but coaches and players have regularly found themselves bemoaning a lack of weekend and bank holiday games this year in particular, as well as the demands of switching between formats.Worcestershire, for example, have had to content with three breaks in their Blast season due to first-class games, with first-team coach Alex Gidman admitting that his team’s recent scheduling had been “very, very tough”.”This year was never going to be straightforward, particularly with the scheduling we’ve had,” he said last week after their win against Durham.”By this time next week we would have played three red-ball games in the campaign since the Blast started whereas everyone, apart from Gloucestershire, would only have played one which makes it very hard. The lads have admittedly struggled to find a playing rhythm.”

In the previous financial year, CSA recorded profits of R350 million after Australia and India visited, resulting in much larger revenues

Liam Brickhill08-Sep-2019Cricket South Africa has declared a loss of Rand 200 million (US$13.5 million approx) for the 2018-19 financial year after their AGM in Johannesburg on Saturday.CSA’s approved financial statements, published in their integrated report for 2019, detailed the losses, which, incidentally, marked an improvement on the budgeted losses of R222 million ($15 million approx). CSA put the improved result down to cost-cutting initiatives, as well as increased investment returns. The board’s total revenue for the year was R929 million ($63 million approx) down from R1.5 billion ($101 million approx) over the previous year.CSA’s financial statements showed that the organisation still has a cash balance of R349 million ($23.5 million approx), as well as reserves of more than R850 million ($57.5 million approx). The chair of CSA’s finance committee, Iqbal Khan, also revealed that plans had been put in place that had reduced the previously projected deficit of R654 million ($44 million approx) over the next four years down to R120 million ($8 million approx).”There are those CSA bashers who peddle the narrative that we are bankrupt, but our only crime is that we were transparent and honest,” CSA president Chris Nenzani said in his address at the AGM. “We did our own sustainability analysis, which showed us that if we did not do anything, there would be a R654 million hole. We said that, we raised the alarm, whatever the populist narrative says.”In the context of the four-year financial cycle on which CSA operates, in the previous financial year, CSA recorded profits of R350 million ($24 million approx). Prior to that, there were losses of R158 million ($11 million approx), while in 2015-16, there were profits of R107 million ($7 million approx).Much depends on the incoming tours: last season, South Africa hosted Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, all three of which were loss-making tours. The previous season, Australia and India visited, resulting in much larger profits. The England and Australia men’s teams will be visiting South Africa in the coming season.Nenzani also broached the subject of the recent restructuring exercises in CSA’s administration. He said that the chief executive, Thabang Moroe, had been given greater responsibility, rather than greater power.”Our board decisions have always been taken unanimously or by consensus and there is also a healthy relationship between the board and the senior management,” Nenzani said. “The board has given the senior management and specifically our chief executive more responsibility, not power, and with that comes an escalated level of responsibility. The CEO remains accountable to the board and we will hold him to that.”Nenzani also focused on South Africa’s performance at the men’s World Cup, calling it “a monumental failure”, and the reason behind the board’s decision to introduce a new team structure.It was also confirmed at the AGM that Nenzani would serve an extra year as CSA’s president. Board vice-president Beresford Williams suggested that the extension was necessary to keep CSA on a stable footing as the organisation restructured.”The board and the members’ council agreed that we would ask Chris to stay on because there are a number of changes about our cricket at the moment, we’re looking at our whole model and making fundamental changes, and we felt we needed him to share his expertise and wisdom,” Williams said. “It was a unanimous decision. We are fully confident in the leadership we have, they have led well and the results and outcomes have been pretty good.”As well as being CSA president, Nenzani is on the ICC’s board of directors and is chairman of the future tours programme and finance committee.

Gunathilaka’s sublime hundred in vain as hosts ace 298 chase in Karachi

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Oct-2019
A rapid half-century to Abid Ali, a measured one to Fakhar Zaman, and a finishing fifty for Haris Sohail, sent Pakistan to their target of 298, with five wickets in hand, and 10 balls remaining. The result handed Pakistan a 2-0 series victory in Karachi.The opening stand between Abid and Fakhar, worth 123 off 117 deliveries, had set up the chase, before a further 58-run partnership between Fakhar and Babar Azam consolidated it. At no stage did Pakistan appear at serious risk of not achieving their target. Sri Lanka’s bowling was doughty, but not penetrative enough to prevent a defeat, even struggling batsmen such as Sarfraz Ahmed making contributions to the Pakistan innings. The hosts needed a little over a run a ball through much of the final 15 overs, but they had so many wickets in hand, ensuring the match was always in their control.Sri Lanka had batted serenely for much of their own innings however, their 297 for 9 set up by a handsome 133 off 134 deliveries by opener Danushka Gunathilaka, before Dasun Shanaka produced a fast finish with 43 off 24 balls. Lahiru Thirimanne and debutant Minod Bhanuka had contributed 30s as well, but the bowlers did not have the firepower to defend what was a competitive total.Nuwan Pradeep took 2 for 53 in his 9.2 overs, but the other frontline fast bowler – Lahiru Kumara – went at 7.85 an over, while left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan had an economy rate of 6.2. With Lasith Malinga now retired from ODIs, and Akila Dananjaya banned for a year over his action, Sri Lanka’s struggles on the bowling front have become especially worrying.Sri Lanka had had hope of pulling off a series-levelling win after their innings, but although the first over of Pakistan’s reply was a maiden, and the second brought only two runs, once Abid Ali got going – with successive boundaries off Nuwan Pradeep in the third over – his rate of advance did not relent until he was well past fifty, and his team were a third of the way to their target. He was outstanding through the leg side in particular, with eight of his ten fours, and 52 of his eventual 74 runs scored in that half of the field. In one sequence, between the seventh and tenth overs, he hit six fours in the space of 12 deliveries faced.While Abid was crashing Pakistan to a flying start, Fakhar was feeling his way to a second half-century in as many matches. He targetted the off side more, hitting 42 runs there, out of his eventual 76 off 91 balls. Abid had produced the impetus for the chase, but Fakhar helped provide some substance. He was out ramping Pradeep straight into the hands of third man, two overs after the same bowler had trapped Babar lbw for 31. Despite the doubtle-strike, Pakistan did not stutter, thanks largely to Haris, who made 56 off 50 balls, batting nicely in partnership with Sarfraz, and then Iftikhar Ahmed. Haris lost concentration and was bowled by Shehan Jayasuriya with 11 runs still to get off 14 deliveries, but this equation proved no challenge for Iftikhar, who hit a six an a four off successive wayward Pradeep deliveries in the 49th over.Danushka Gunathilaka raises his bat after getting to hundred•Getty Images

The best individual innings of the game, however, had come from Gunathilaka, who struck elegant boundaries against the new ball to move to 28 off 27 balls at the end of the first Powerplay, then collected singles and twos effortlessly once the field spread.His 88-run second-wicket partnership with Lahiru Thirimanne, who made 36, was the best of the innings. But Gunathilaka also forged fifty-run stands with Angelo Perera and debutant wicketkeeper-batsman Bhanuka. Only Bhanuka, who hit 36 off 39 balls before being run out, contributed more to one of those stands than the Gunathilaka did.This was the second century of Gunathilaka’s ODI career, reached off the 100th delivery he faced. But did not lose concentration after reaching the milestone, despite obviously having tired in the Karachi heat. It was not until the 45th over in which he’d be dismissed, making room and missing a Mohammad Amir yorker. He had hit sixteen fours and a majestic six over long-on off Wahab Riaz through the course of his 134-ball stay. Shanaka, who hit five fours and two sixes was Sri Lanka’s next-highest scorer.From out of Pakistan’s bowlers, Mohammad Amir collected the best figures, taking 3 for 50 – Gunathilaka among his victims. Wahab Riaz, meanwhile, was expensive, leaking 81 off his 10 overs. His only wicket (that of Shanaka) came off the last ball of the innings. Usman Shinwari, Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz also took one wicket apiece.

Matt Rawnsley had only re-joined the club in March 2018

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Oct-2019Worcestershire have announced that chief executive Matt Rawnsley has left the club with immediate effect.In a terse statement, the club offered its thanks to Rawnsley and said that the board “wish him every success in the future”.Club chairman Fanos Hira will handle club matters while the position is vacant, while the club’s ‘cricket steering group’ will continue to take control of cricketing affairs.The circumstances of Rawnsley’s departure are unclear, though the club said that further comments would be made “in due course”.Since Rawnsley re-joined the club in March 2018, Worcestershire had won their maiden T20 Blast title in 2018, and again reached the final this season where they suffered a last-ball defeat to Essex.But they only finished eighth in the Championship in 2019 having been tipped by most for a promotion challenge, which represented their worst finish since the introduction of two divisions in 2000.Rawnsley also sat on the board of Birmingham Phoenix – the Edgbaston-based side in the Hundred – and was an advocate of the new competition. It is expected that his successor will replace him in that role too.

Smith, Solway and Hughes ground out patient half-centuries on a slow, dry SCG surface against a disciplined but understrength WA attack

Alex Malcolm11-Nov-2019Steven Smith continued his insatiable thirst for batting with a pain-staking unbeaten half-century on the opening day of the Sheffield Shield clash against Western Australia at the SCG.He batted for two sessions for 59 not out from 217 balls as the home side crawled to 2 for 221 off 96 overs after winning the toss and batting first.Smith, Daniel Solway and Daniel Hughes all produced half-centuries on a day where the run-rate never climbed above 2.5 on an SCG surface that looked very dry.Hughes made 53 out of an opening partnership of 73 with Solway. He found the boundary eight times but fell to a loose shot, wafting at a length ball wide of off stump from Marcus Stoinis with Josh Inglis taking an excellent one-handed catch diving to his left.WA were able to restrict the Blues by bowling straight with straight fields. Solway and Smith shared an 82-run stand but took nearly 42 overs to do so. Solway backed up his debut century against South Australia last week with another patient half-century.He faced 195 balls for his 65, with just five boundaries, before falling to a leading edge, closing the face of the bat trying to work Liam O’Connor’s legspin to the leg side.Smith took 128 balls to hit his first boundary, launching Ashton Agar for six down over long-off. He struck just three fours and two sixes. Moises Henriques was far more fluent cruising to 43 not out late in the day.

Sri Lanka have picked a full-strength squad, with an eye on maximum Test Championship points

The Preview by Danyal Rasool10-Dec-2019

Big Picture

We’re at that point again, and it seems we’ve been here before. Yet another massive hurdle has been jumped over as Pakistan scramble their way back to what nearly every other cricketing nation takes for granted: playing home matches . This time, Test cricket is back in the country, finally, bringing the curtain down on an exile that began when Sri Lanka were targeted by a terror attack midway through a Test match. Ten years and nine months on, Sri Lanka return to finish what had been left uncompleted.Since that terrible day, Sri Lanka have been here, for T20 cricket and for ODIs. But those seemed very much like experimental tours, investments that would pay off in the long term if they went off without incident. On both occasions when they came to Pakistan – in 2017 and 2019 – several players pulled out, but this time Sri Lanka arrive with a full-strength side. And it is for .The talk from them has centred around the sport itself, on selection and strategy. They aren’t here to play a role in a feel-good Pakistan narrative, no matter how noble their part. They’d much rather walk away with the trophy and Test Championship points.On the cricketing front, Pakistan are beset by poor results; they have lost their last seven completed matches across formats, culminating in a wretched 2-0 Test series defeat to Australia, where Pakistan failed to make the hosts bat twice in either Test. It is part of a wider malaise in the longest format which has seen the side lose 17 of their last 24 Test matches, and slip down the rankings from one to eight.More specifically, the opening combination is still up in the air and, Babar Azam aside, the form of the middle order remains far from convincing. And the retirements of Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz, and persistent injuries to Hasan Ali, mean the pace-bowling department is particularly green – though perhaps still exciting.To further complicate matters for Pakistan, Sri Lanka come to Rawalpindi with a solid recent record in Tests away from home. After the UAE became Pakistan’s “home venue” following that 2009 terror attack, Sri Lanka were the first side to beat Pakistan in a Test series there, in 2017. That was followed up by a series win in Bangladesh and, most impressively of all, a 2-0 series win in South Africa earlier this year.

Form guide

Pakistan LLLLL (last five Tests, most recent first)
Sri Lanka LWWWL

In the spotlight

This series may be a career highlight for every participating Pakistan player, but no one has as much of a personal point to prove as Fawad Alam. His continued absence from the international set-up had been something of a curiosity in Pakistani cricket, with several selection committees overlooking him for players with inferior domestic records. No one has scored more runs in first-class cricket in Pakistan than him over the past five years, and demands for his inclusion became something of a cause celebre in Pakistani cricket circles. Called up fresh off the back of a double-hundred in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Fawad is aware this may be the only chance he gets to press his claim for a regular place in the side.Sri Lanka’s backroom staff is as intriguing in the context of this series. Less than six months ago, the Sri Lanka head coach and batting coach occupied those roles in the Pakistan set-up, while the fielding coach is widely credited as having improved the fielding fortunes of the Pakistan side in his two years with the team. Mickey Arthur, Grant Flower and Steve Rixon’s intimate knowledge of Pakistan cricket is unlikely to do any harm to Sri Lanka’s chances.

Team news

Shan Masood and Imam-ul-Haq are set to continue being opening partners, while Usman Shinwari is expected to slot into the pace attack. Pakistan may have a call to make on the middle order, where there appears to be just one slot for Fawad and Haris Sohail to contest.Pakistan (possible): 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Shan Masood, 3 Azhar Ali (capt), 4 Babar Azam, 5 Asad Shafiq, 6 Haris Sohail/Fawad Alam, 7 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 8 Yasir Shah, 9 Usman Shinwari, 10 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 11 Mohammad AbbasSri Lanka were dealt a blow on the day of their departure with Suranga Lakmal ruled out with dengue fever, and young pacer Asitha Fernando taking his place. That leaves them with a few tough decisions on the bowling front. Do they go in with a bright but inexperienced attack featuring left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya, and quicks Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara, or do they put offspinner Dilruwan Perera in there as a chaperone? They may also think about swapping out Kusal Perera – he has been in poor form for the past six months – for Dinesh Chandimal.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), 2 Lahiru Thirimanne, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Kusal Perera/Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva, 7 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 8 Lasith Embuldeniya, 9 Vishwa Fernando, 10 Kasun Rajitha, 11 Lahiru Kumara

Pitch and conditions

Rain is expected for significant parts of days two and three.The pitch was covered on match eve, meaning the strip is a bit of an unknown, though batting first is likely the way to go.

Stats and trivia

• No player from either side has ever played a Test match in Pakistan.
• Sri Lanka have only ever played one Test in Rawalpindi, a thriller the visitors won by two wickets in 2000.
• Pakistan have lost six Test matches in a row in a run stretching back to December 2018.