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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.

Krunal Pandya looks likely to debut, while India will ponder their bowling combination on an Eden Gardens pitch that has proved pace-friendly in the recent past

The Preview by Saurabh Somani03-Nov-20181:31

Dasgupta: T20Is will be the real competition

Big Picture

The last time India played an international match without either Virat Kohli or MS Dhoni, with neither injured, was during the Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka in March, that ended memorably with Dinesh Karthik’s escape to victory against Bangladesh. Before that, you have to go as far back as the tour of Zimbabwe in July 2015. While it would be too much to say that India haven’t learned to survive without Kohli or Dhoni, their absence will leave an experience void in India, but as they showed in March, it is a void that can be overcome.West Indies, on the other hand, were supposed to have been fortified with the returns of Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard and Darren Bravo, but Russell it turns out, has been a late withdrawal from the squad. Courtney Browne, the chairman of selectors, said Russell was “injured” and his name has been withdrawn from the T20I series. With or without Russell, the 20-overs game has seemed like West Indies’ natural habitat in the past few years, and with several match-winners in the team, they will begin the three-match T20I series on at least equal footing with India. They had promised much in the ODIs before crumbling, and this is their last shot at redemption on tour, having handily lost the Test series too. Another casualty from their ODI series is Ashley Nurse, and the injury he picked up then has ruled him out.

Form guide

India WLWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
West Indies LLWWL

In the spotlight

Rohit Sharma has been in a rich vein of form in the white-ball cricket he has played recently, in the Asia Cup and the five-match ODI series against West Indies. As captain, he has delivered results consistently, whether on a regular basis with Mumbai Indians or in the stray opportunities he has got to lead India. Recently named in India’s Test squad to Australia too, everything is suddenly looking rosy for Rohit, a few short months since he was axed from the Test squad. Moreover, he is returning to his favourite venue, the scene of his Test debut and his world-record 264 against Sri Lanka in an ODI. And this will be the first time he’d leading India at the venue.Kieron Pollard first gained fame via his T20 exploits in the inaugural edition of the Champions League T20, and it’s the T20 format that has heralded his comeback to the team. Once among the most valuable players for any T20 side, Pollard has lost some of his lustre of late. He last played for West Indies more than a year ago, in September 2017. Differences with the West Indies board meant he, along with several others, didn’t play for a long time. A combative character in the middle, Pollard will be keen to show that his return makes a difference to the side.

Team news

For India, the series is a good opportunity to test young blood. They named their 12 on match eve, and indications are that Krunal Pandya is set to make his international debut, slotting in as the allrounder. It looks likely that one of Kuldeep Yadav or Yuzvendra Chahal will sit out, given that the Eden Gardens pitch has helped pacers of late. That means India should go in with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah and Khaleel Ahmed. If both Chahal and Kuldeep play, it could make for a long tail, which makes Krunal’s inclusion more likely. Between the wristspinning twins, if such things hold weight, Kuldeep might have the edge given his familiarity with the ground that is his home venue in the IPL.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 KL Rahul, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Dinesh Karthik, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Kuldeep Yadav/Yuzvendra Chahal, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Khaleel AhmedThe unavailability of Russell will leave West Indies with a hole. One of the best T20 cricketers, Russell’s addition to any team immediately adds depth because it’s almost like having two cricketers rolled into one. Without him, West Indies will need the others to step up. Shimron Hetmyer thrilled watchers with his audacious hitting during the ODIs, and he comes with a reputation as a hard-hitter in T20s too. Importantly, this series will serve as a showcase to IPL talent scouts, and someone who does well could fetch handsome contracts come auction time.West Indies (possible): 1 Rovman Powell, 2 Darren Bravo, 3 Shimron Hetmyer, 4 Sherfane Rutherford, 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 Carlos Brathwaite (capt), 7 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 8 Fabian Allen, 9 Khary Pierre , 10 Oshane Thomas, 11 Obed McCoy

Pitch and conditions

Ever since the Eden Gardens pitch was relaid a couple of seasons ago, it has had good bounce and carry for the pacers. Under lights, the ball tends to move a bit too. As it is in all T20 matches though, the batsmen shouldn’t have too difficult a time.The weather has taken a turn for the more pleasant, and the rain is expected to stay away on Sunday.

Stats and trivia

• 76.06 – Rohit Sharma’s batting average at the Eden Gardens, across formats. In 20 innings here, he has crossed 50 eight times, going on to a century four times – including on Test debut.
• 17.1 – the strike rate for pacers in T20 games at the Eden Gardens. It’s considerably higher than the 19.7 for spinners, giving more weight to the ‘pace at Eden’ theory.

Quotes

“Not just Russell and Pollard, but the rest of their team has also played a lot of T20 cricket, just like our team. They have their own league, and have more experience and it’s a format they enjoy the most. At the same time, they’ve found T20 success as well. We have to play good cricket to beat them, it won’t be that easy.”
“We’d like that to read 8-2 after the T20Is, but India start off as favourites.”

A grand show from bowlers Lea Tahuhu and Leigh Kasperek, followed by a blitz from Rachel Priest, saw New Zealand canter home against West Indies

The Report by Deivarayan Muthu06-Jul-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsLea Tahuhu swung the new ball and removed West Indies’ openers•International Cricket Council

Offspinner Leigh Kasperek and seamer Lea Tahuhu skittled West Indies for 150 and set up New Zealand’s second win in four matches. Kasperek, playing her first ODI since February 2016, found drift, dip, and turn to befuddle the middle order, after Tahuhu had made light work of the openers. Rachel Priest led the pursuit with a ferocious 90 off 55 balls, of which 80 came in boundaries. The eight-wicket victory – achieved with 190 balls to spare – not only boosted New Zealand’s net-run rate and lifted them to fourth place but also suggested West Indies had not recovered from Sunday’s hangover, when they crashed to 48 all out against South Africa. They are now languishing at the bottom of the points table with four losses in four matches.Kasperek, who had been sidelined for the bulk of the last two seasons, with multiple fractures on her left hand, showed no signs of rust and set to work immediately with the new ball. She found exaggerated drift in the air and rapped the pads of Kycia Knight with her first two balls. Then she looped one past the outside edge to claim a maiden. She would claim five more maidens.The early damage, though, was done by Tahuhu. She struck in her second over when she slanted one across Kycia Knight and had her feathering behind. In her next over, she bounced out Hayley Matthews and tore to her right to snaffle a sharp return catch. Enter Kasperek, again. She removed Stafanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin off successive balls, and was on the brink of a hat-trick in the 17th over. New Zealand deployed a Test-match field for the hat-trick ball – two slips, a silly point, a forward short leg, a short cover, and short midwicket – but Merissa Aguilleira, featuring in her 100th ODI, somehow kept it out. At the end of that maiden, Kasperek’s figures, believe it or not, read: 4-3-1-2, and West Indies were 53 for 4. Two balls later, Chedean Nation spooned 16-year-old Amelia Kerr to short midwicket.Aguilleira and Kyshona Knight then mounted some resistance with a 38-run stand for the sixth wicket. They were the only two batsmen to hit boundaries off Kasperek. Aguilleira struck the only six of the innings when she smote the offspinner over the midwicket boundary. But Kasperek held the next one back and drew Aguilleira out of her crease to have her stumped for 20 off 30 balls.Instead of going for the jugular by drafting Tahuhu back, Suzie Bates, the captain, persisted with her change bowlers. Amy Satterthwaite was smacked for back-to-back boundaries, while Sophie Devine was milked for ones and twos. Kyshona Knight was also adventurous against Kerr before Holly Huddleston cleaned her up in the 40th over. The innings lasted only a further three overs as Tahuhu returned and duly applied the finishing touches.Rachel Priest hammered a 29-ball fifty•ICC/Getty Images

In all, West Indies scored 24 boundaries. New Zealand’s openers Priest and Bates alone hit 24 boundaries. Priest pounced on anything that was remotely short and wide, rattling three boundaries off debutant Akeria Peters’ first over. New Zealand raced past fifty in the eighth over when Priest firmly swept Taylor to the square leg boundary. Seven balls later, she raised her own fifty, off 29 balls, with a crunch down the ground. Such was the assault that the game seemed almost over by then. At the other end, Bates was happy to ride in Priest’s slipstream.After unfurling a variety of drives, Priest chipped offspinner Anisa Mohammed to extra cover with her side 31 runs away from victory. Two balls later, Devine exited, but Bates and Katey Martin completed the formalities.West Indies’ batting lacked direction, their bowling was wayward, and their poor fielding did not help their cause either. No fewer than two catches were dropped in just 18.2 overs. All of that puts them all but out of the tournament.”We haven’t really been playing much 50-over cricket,” Taylor said after the match. “A couple of New Zealand girls managed to get acclimatised. If you look at 50-over games, it’s been a while since we last played.”In the past few games, the openers set up a platform but the middle order could not capitalise. It’s all about mindset (about the next game against Sri Lanka). We just have to look to play some positive cricket. We just have to play for some pride.”

Nerveless bowling from Shahid Afridi kick-started Hampshire’s hopes of a seventh successive Natwest T20 Blast Finals Day

ECB Reporters Network02-Jun-2016
ScorecardShahid Afridi’s spell was key in Hampshire’s victory•Getty Images

Nerveless bowling from Shahid Afridi kick-started Hampshire’s hopes of a seventh successive Natwest T20 Blast Finals Day. Afridi’s of 3 for 33, including the key wicket of Daniel Bell-Drummond, and a rapid 21 helped his new county to a nine-run victory over Kent.After being put in by Kent captain Sam Northeast, Michael Carberry got Hampshire going with a firm cut to the boundary before hooking Matt Coles fine for another four.Skipper James Vince, released by England to play in both this game and against Glamorgan on Friday, beautifully drove former academy pal David Griffiths to the point ropes. But the fast bowler had the last laugh as Vince tamely cut to Blake at cover.Jimmy Adams carted the first Ageas Bowl maximum of the season, pinged way over midwicket. Carberry joined the six hitting party with a huge slog sweep as the hosts reached 47 for 1 at the end of the Powerplay, and Griffiths boasting impressive two over figures of 1 for 5.The end of the fielding restrictions slowed Hampshire up, as Adams was caught on the deep-square leg boundary by Fabian Cowdrey – only 11 more runs coming before the halfway point.After being on the receiving end of a Coles beamer, Adam Wheater was caught at third man – a full 180 degrees from where he aimed the shot. The wicket gave the Ageas Bowl fans their first viewing of Afridi, and he did not disappoint as he carved a four through the off side before skipping down the track to boom one to the fence.The Pakistan allrounder upped the run rate to reignite hopes of setting a defendable score, putting on 40 with Carberry before being bowled by Cowdrey swinging wildly. Carberry had gone about his work quietly reaching a solid fifty from 49 balls – but the glue of the innings departed after firing to the long-on boundary.Sean Ervine scooped behind first ball before Darren Sammy, on his first appearance since captaining the West Indies to the World T20, skewed a six off his legs. Sammy and Liam Dawson accelerated Hampshire to 158 for 8, although both found fielders in the final over.Bell-Drummond rode his luck in the early stages of the chase: firstly Gareth Andrew thought he had him caught behind but the umpire adjust the leg-side ball to have flicked the hip. Then Ervine dropped a chance running in from the rope, before Bell-Drummond survived a close run out chance.But that only encouraged Bell-Drummond as he confidently took himself to a half-century from 43 deliveries – which included a sumptuous straight drive off Tino Best.Around him, Dawson bowled Denly for 31 just before the 10-over point, and then Afridi stood arms and legs stretched as he knocked over Northeast.Sam Billings, on his IPL return, was lbw to Gareth Berg but Darren Stevens entered the fray and slogged Dawson for a six and then a four. Sammy got his first scalp of the campaign having the veteran Stevens leg before, before Alex Blake chipped a slower ball back to him next ball.Bell-Drummond, who had done an identical role to Carberry, was finally stumped by a sharp piece of keeping by Wheater as Afridi came alive; the next ball Coles slogged straight into the hands of Dawson.Andrew had Cowdrey pinned down lbw and Best knocked over James Tredwell’s middle stump. Griffith smashed a six but Berg had the last laugh as he forced an edge and a stunning catch behind the stumps made sure Hampshire were the victors.

Former England batsman Mal Loye has been appointed head coach of the BCB’s High Performance for two years

Mohammad Isam25-May-2015Former England batsman Mal Loye has been appointed head coach of the BCB’s High Performance (HP) for two years. The first programme for 22 players will begin in June and will run till the end of September of this year.Loye, who played seven ODIs for England in 2007, ended his first-class career in 2011. Having previously coached at the Wellingborough School in Northamptonshire, Loye is likely to arrive in Bangladesh in the next few days. He will work under the National Cricket Academy’s new director of coaching Paul Terry, who was appointed earlier this month by the BCB.The HP chief Mahbubul Anam, also a BCB vice-president, made the announcement during the programme’s launch in Mirpur on Monday. He also announced the 22-member High Performance squad, which includes four international players Sabbir Rahman, Mohammad Mithun, Jubair Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman.The HP was in function between 2003 and 2007 but faded away in the subsequent years due to change of leadership in the BCB. The programme has been touted to be a bridge between the national team and emerging cricketers. The main aim is to ensure the best prepared players in international cricket, which Stuart Karpinnen, the HP’s general manager, said was a realistic goal.Mahbubul said that the board will set aside US$1 million as operational budget for the HP programme and also informed that there will be a number of consultants from home and abroad who will work at the HP in the near future. He added that the HP will coordinate constantly with the national team’s coaching staff.”The HP committee will include the cricket operations committee chairman and game development committee chairman. The programme will go hand in hand with the national team because it will be important for players falling back in the national team and for players who are looking to graduate into the national team,” Mahbubul said.He assured that the uncertain nature of Bangladesh’s domestic cricket will not affect the HP’s main function. “This is unfortunate that we have an unfixed domestic structure. We definitely need to fix it, and that is one of the top priorities of the board, to have a definitive schedule of tournaments so that we can plan everything better.”The HP programme runs in the off-season. It starts from June and ends in September. During these four months, the HP runs uninterrupted,” he said.They have also planned to keep the specialisation programmes flexible in tune with the domestic competitions, he said. “The elite programme for the fast bowlers, which has to run beyond the programme for eight months, is flexible and will be slotted in when there is no domestic cricket.”Knowing that the domestic calendar shifts, the coaches have to discuss with Paul to do short programmes. Eight weeks won’t be at a stretch, so that we utilise those periods when there is no cricket in the cricket season. We have decided to remain flexible taking into account of unscheduled tournaments,” he said.Karpinnen said they hoped that a majority of national players would have worked with the HP programme in 6-12 months while within two years, the programme is likely to prepare at least two cricketers vying for positions in the national team.Apart from the programme for the 22 players in the main HP programme, there will be six other specialist programmes, called elite programmes, for incumbent national players of the three formats and elite programmes for fast bowling, batting, spin bowling, fielding and wicketkeeping. These camps will run throughout the year for a few weeks at a time.Sarwar Imran (fast bowling), Zafrul Ehsan (batting), Wahidul Gani (spin bowling) and Golam Mortuza (wicketkeeping) have been appointed as coaches to work under Terry and Loye. The coaching staff will include Brett Harrop as rehabilitation manager, physiotherapist, strength and condition coordinator and performance analyst.Terry said that the new head coach Loye will be working directly with the players while Terry himself will coordinate with Loye and the rest of the local coaching staff.”I will be working closely with him and all the other coaches to set up the programme,” Terry said. “Mal’s responsibility will be to run that programme. My role will be to assist him and in the planning. I think the local coaches will be the most important here. We need to work closely with them.”High Performance squad: Rony Talukdar, Litton Das, Shadman Islam, Tasamul Haque, Mahmudul Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Mossadek Hossain, Mohammad Mithun, Taibur Rahman, Jubair Hossain, Saqlain Sajib, Nihaduzzaman, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Jayed Chowdhury, Subashis Roy, Mehedi Hasan, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Dewan Sabbir, Nurul Hasan, Jabid Hossain, Irfan Sukkur.

When this series began, there were questions hanging over South Africa’s bowling attack. Few, however, were concerned about their ability to take 20 wickets

Firdose Moonda in Perth29-Nov-2012When this series began, there were questions hanging over South Africa’s bowling attack. Had they missed a trick by not sending an additional paceman with the touring party? Did they lack a bowler who could hold one end up? Few, however, were concerned about their ability to take 20 wickets.It’s what the South African attack has become known for. In seven of their previous ten Tests before this tour, they bowled teams out twice. They won six of those games with the same attack. Their five-men stronghold comprised Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, Imran Tahir and Jacques Kallis and the variation they offered was thought of as unmatched. Allan Donald called it the strongest attack South Africa had ever fielded.South Africa have not used that combination once on this tour of Australia. Injuries and conditions necessitated changes and the swapping seems to have taken its toll. “That was always going to be a challenge along the way,” Graeme Smith said. “All of us were hoping that it wouldn’t come on one of the toughest Tests away from home.” His biggest concern ahead of the Perth Test is “having the bowlers, the armoury to win a Test.”One way of ensuring the arsenal is sufficient is to throw it all in, and that’s what South Africa are certain to do at the WACA ground. On a pitch that will be seamer-friendly upfront, all four frontline quicks are likely to play, as well as a holding bowler in Robin Peterson, in case the conditions turn out like they did in Brisbane. There too, South Africa bought into the hype about a paceman’s paradise but found themselves in a barren land, with no one to stem the flow of runs.For a while, not having a designated donkey bowler worked for South Africa. Instead of someone in the Paul Harris mould tying up an end, under Gary Kirsten the attack reformed to become one where every bowler was a wicket-taker. When that works, it works well, but when it doesn’t, Brisbane and Adelaide happen.Australia’s scoring-rate in both Tests was high as South Africa searched for wickets but gave away runs instead. “We haven’t been able to string together good performances for long enough. Australia have attacked us at the right times,” Smith said. “We’ve had Australia under pressure and they have countered really well. In every over we’ve bowled a bad ball and when you do that, it doesn’t really allow you to control the game.”Now South Africa need that discipline again, and will look to Peterson to provide it. It does not mean the road for Imran Tahir has closed. He will be looked after by team management so that he can “come back to performing at his best,” according to Smith, but he will have to rebuild his confidence before anything else.However, it isn’t just Tahir who needs to improve. A no-ball problem affected all but Dale Steyn and a lack of imagination seems to have gripped the bowlers. It is as though they had grown accustomed to batsmen not resisting, and when the likes of Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey did, they aren’t quite sure what to do to remove them.What Smith is hoping for is that South Africa will come up with new plans for Perth but that Australia have already given their all and don’t have too many more ideas. “We’re quite confident that Australia have played really well and we haven’t been at our best but we are still here,” he said.But Australia do have something else, even if it has been forced on them by circumstance. They will field a completely new attack after both Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus were left out of the 12 because they were fatigued after Adelaide and didn’t recover quickly enough. It presents a depth South Africa don’t have and a newness to the line-up that Smith is wary of. “How these guys react to their roles so quickly with so many changes, that might be the interesting thing for them,” he said. “How they can string that together as a unit will be interesting to see.”

Former Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson, trainer David Dwyer and legspinner Abdul Qadir will be called as character witnesses in the alleged spot-fixing trial of Salman Butt

Richard Sydenham at Southwark Crown Court19-Oct-2011Former Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson, trainer David Dwyer and legspinner Abdul Qadir will be called as character witnesses in the alleged spot-fixing trial of Salman Butt.Their witness accounts will be read from a statement. Butt was an opening batsman under Lawson’s tenure in 2007-08, while Dwyer worked with Butt for a number of years in his capacity as Pakistan’s strength and conditioning coach. Qadir, who hails from Lahore as Butt does, had a son who allegedly worked for agent Mazhar Majeed. Statements from family members will also be heard.They will be read to the jury once the prosecution has completed its cross examination of Butt, which will resume on Wednesday morning.Butt and Asif are facing charges of conspiracy to cheat, and conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, following the Lord’s Test last year when they allegedly conspired with agent Majeed, fast bowler Mohammad Amir and other people unknown to bowl pre-planned no-balls. Butt and Asif deny the charges.The case continues.

Shahid Afridi has criticised his batsmen, himself included, following Pakistan’s 0-2 defeat in the Twenty20 series against South Africa in Abu Dhabi

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-2010Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan captain, has criticised his batsmen and himself, following Pakistan’s 0-2 defeat in the Twenty20 series against South Africa in Abu Dhabi. Pakistan only managed 119 and 120 in their two innings, scores that were overhauled with little difficulty by South Africa. Afridi made 25 and 3 while the others, with the exception of Misbah-ul-Haq who is making a comeback in international cricket, struggled.”Our batting was a major let down. None of them did well,” Afridi said after the second game, which South Africa won by six wickets. “My performance was crucial for the team and I also failed to deliver.”But I am sure we can do far better in the ODIs, since I believe that we have players who have good temperament and can play the 50 overs comfortably.”There were encouraging signs in the bowling department, with the spinners proving economical. Mohammad Hafeez and Afridi conceded just 32 runs between them in eight overs in the second game while offspinner Saeed Ajmal conceded 18 in his four-over spell in the first. “Our bowlers really bowled well. The conditions suited the batsmen, but despite that, our bowlers stuck to a good line and bowled brilliantly,” Afridi said.Pakistan cricket, in the aftermath of the spot-fixing controversy, is going through troubled times and Afridi admitted there was pressure on players. “Yes the players are under pressure, but we have to put that aside and concentrate and keep ourselves focused,” he said.Johan Botha, South Africa’s Twenty20 captain, was hoping the team would continue its winning run in the ODI series that begins on Friday. “Pakistan is a very good team and they can bounce back in the ODIs. We will keep the momentum going and ensure that we keep working hard and try to win as many as matches possible.”