Peter Nevill’s predecessor Brad Haddin has spoken out against a rising tide of opinion that Australia’s Test wicketkeeper should be promoted to No. 6 in the batting order

Daniel Brettig02-Dec-2015Peter Nevill’s predecessor and friend Brad Haddin has spoken out against a rising tide of opinion that Australia’s Test wicketkeeper should be promoted to No. 6 in the batting order ahead of the fledgling allrounder Mitchell Marsh.In the aftermath of the day-night Test in Adelaide, the coach Darren Lehmann revealed that he and captain Steven Smith had been discussing a possible promotion for Nevill, who has looked an increasingly composed batsman over the course of his seven Tests, and played a pivotal role in a low-scoring final encounter against New Zealand.The selection chairman Rod Marsh added further momentum to the push by blithely suggesting that “we hope that he can make more Test hundreds than any other Australian wicketkeeper”, a tall order given Adam Gilchrist’s current mark of 17 centuries. There is also a feeling among the selectors that Mitchell Marsh’s more powerful batting may be better suited to a position where he is less conflicted between attack and defence.However Haddin, who was replaced by Nevill during the Ashes in England, expressed the view that No. 7 was a specialist batting position suited to a wicketkeeper, and that Mitchell Marsh should be persevered with further up the order in the series against West Indies that begins next week in Hobart.”I think the keeper should bat at seven,” Haddin told . “I actually think it’s a skill to bat at seven and be able to bat with the tail. We’ve invested a lot of time into Mitch Marsh, leave him at six and let him develop and he’ll only get better and better. Nev’s been on fire the whole summer, but I’d leave him at seven.”We’ve seen his [Marsh’s] dismissal in the first innings and he was a bit tentative, but in the second innings he went out and played his natural game and looked to score. He’ll develop, he’s one kid that learns a lot quicker than the others, so I’d like to see him stay at six and keep developing.”The selector Mark Waugh, who was also on the panel, countered. “I think Mitch Marsh, if you bat him at seven, he might just free up a little bit, he won’t have that pressure of justifying his spot as a batsman at No. 6 – in the first innings he didn’t know whether to hit it or not. And I think Nevill is good enough to bat at six, his technique is excellent. I don’t think a keeper has to bat at seven, it’s not a rule is it?”Rod Marsh had spoken glowingly of Nevill’s performance in Adelaide, which he equated with a century due to the difficulty of the conditions. He also made the observation that Nevill sold his wicket dearly, a quality the selectors had noticed through difficult circumstances in the Ashes.”He had a terrific game, a fantastic game,” Rod Marsh said of Nevill. “The way I looked at this Test match was normally on Adelaide Oval, 400 is a half-decent first-innings score. It was 200 both sides, so I just doubled everyone’s score … and looked at it that way. I thought that was a fair way of doing it – so Nevill’s 132 was brilliant.”His Shield record would suggest that he can bat. He took a little while to find his feet at Test level against the moving ball under trying conditions in England, but the thing that we all liked about him was the fact that … the opposition had to get him out. It’s a good trait in a batsman, that.”Nevill’s understated manner behind the stumps is in contrast to the more brash ways of Haddin, but he is admired by team-mates as a steady operator in the middle whether the day is going well or poorly. “I haven’t played with a keeper who has moved so well behind the stumps,” Nevill’s New South Wales team-mate Steve O’Keefe said. “He’s just effortless in what he does. And he’s seamless in what he does. He’s a hard worker, I don’t think that gets noticed.”For him it seems natural but he’s had to work extremely hard at it and you combine with his nature around the team, we used to call him the social conscience of the Blues team because he never seemed to rattle any cages, he got on with the job at hand and he was always a bloke we turned to whenever we were in trouble. Doesn’t surprise me that we see that emanate through his keeping and also through his batting – I don’t think we’ve seen the best of it.”He did a great job for NSW when he was playing in any position. He had to open, bat at the top order, also bat in the middle order so also his best is still to come with the bat.”

Ahead of an important tour, Sri Lanka are without their player of the year in Dhammika Prasad, and have been deprived of Kusal Perera

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando09-Dec-2015

Match facts

December 10-14, 2015
Start time 1030 local (2130 GMT)Kane Williamson will be looking to help New Zealand finish 2015 the way they started it, when he struck a career-best 242* in a 193-run win over Sri Lanka at the Basin Reserve•Getty Images

Big Picture

What’s Sri Lankan cricket without a little upheaval? Until the team landed in New Zealand, it had almost been a boring year. The usual board v players contract dispute failed to materialise in March. There have been no heated public exchanges involving administrators. Even the annual resignation of the head coach went off remarkably smoothly. Angelo Mathews had seemingly imparted some level-headed sense into the system. But really, is there any use Angelo? Chaos is Sri Lankan cricket’s default setting. To chaos it will always return.Now, ahead of an important tour, Sri Lanka are without their player of the year in Dhammika Prasad, and have been deprived of Kusal Perera, who kept wicket and brought balance to the XI. The repercussions of each absence are far-reaching. Dinesh Chandimal – of whom much was already expected with the bat – will also take up the wicketkeeping responsibilities. And the seam attack lacks a charismatic leader. With Dushmantha Chameera or Vishwa Fernando almost certain to play, the bowling appears nearly as inexperienced as the batting.New Zealand, meanwhile, have returned from Australia defeated but not deflated. There is, of course, a sense that the series could have been drawn if not for umpiring errors, but beyond that, the attack appears to be gathering momentum ahead of the home summer. Trent Boult, Tim Southee and company scythed through Sri Lanka’s top order last year. This time, the visiting opposition is without their greatest ever Test batsman, and is tending young, fragile careers.Maybe Australia did puncture holes in Brendon McCullum’s aggressive manifesto, but are any Sri Lanka batsmen capable of attacking New Zealand in the way that David Warner did? The visitors appear to be focusing on a far more conservative approach, perhaps in light of tougher pitches across the Tasman.Expect a lot of New Zealand slips in this Test, and maybe a few single-figure Sri Lankan scores as well. The series is far from a foregone conclusion though. The thing about chaos is that, sometimes, it can work in manic and miraculous ways.

Form guide

New Zealand: LDLWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)

Sri Lanka: WWLLW

In the spotlight

Having led New Zealand to one of their best-ever Test years in 2014, Brendon McCullum has experienced a relative lull with the bat this year. In 11 Test innings so far, he has crossed fifty only twice. Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor have scored heavily to offset the absence of his runs, but at home now, and with a friendlier attack bowling to him, conditions seem good for a McCullum resurgence.Charged with managing a young side, there is also pressure on Angelo Mathews to ensure his own performances stay vibrant and strong. His team will look to him for stability in the middle order, but with Prasad out of the series, Mathews’ bowling will be required as well. He has hit three hundreds this year – but all have come in losing causes. If Sri Lanka are to spring a surprise in New Zealand, Mathews may have to do even more than he is already doing.In addition to his wicketkeeping responsibilities, Dinesh Chandimal will continue batting at No. 4, according to Angelo Mathews•AFP

Teams news

Kaushal Silva only flies into Dunedin on Wednesday, so he is unlikely to play, according to Mathews. Opener Udara Jayasundera will debut, after hitting a fifty in the warm-up match. Quick Dushmantha Chameera’s four wickets in that game will likely see him enter the XI as well. Dinesh Chandimal will take the gloves in Kusal Perera’s absence, but Mathews said Chandimal would continue batting at no. 4.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Dimuth Karunaratne, 2 Udara Jayasundera, 3 Kithuruwan Vithanage, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 5 Angelo Mathews (capt.), 6 Kusal Mendis, 7 Milinda Siriwardana, 8 Rangana Herath, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Suranga Lakmal, 11 Nuwan PradeepNew Zealand’s batting is settled, but they have one decision to make with their attack. Brendon McCullum said one of either Mark Craig or Neil Wagner would miss out. That decision is unlikely to be made until further assessment of the track, on Thursday morning.New Zealand (probable): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Tom Latham, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Brendon McCullum (capt.), 6 Mitchell Santner, 7 BJ Watling (wk), 8 Doug Bracewell, 9 Mark Craig/ Neil Wagner, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Trent Boult

Pitch and conditions

The pitch has a thick green covering on the eve of the match, and as such, will probably be conducive to seam movement on the first two days. There is rain expected over the weekend, but that forecast is constantly changing. Sri Lanka are unlikely to enjoy the temperature, which is forecast to remain in the high teens and low twenties for the duration of the game.

Stats and trivia

• New Zealand have won five of their last six Tests at home, and are unbeaten in the country since March 2012.
• Four of the six Tests played at University Oval have been draws – most of those rain-affected.
• Rangana Herath requires seven wickets to become the second left-arm spinner to 300 Test scalps, after Daniel Vettori.
• 2015 has been Kane Williamson’s best year yet by a distance. He averages 90.40 after 12 innings so far. Sri Lanka are also his favourite opponent. He has struck 559 runs at 93.16 against them – thanks in large part to the career-high 242* at the Basin Reserve in January.

Quotes

“Looking back over the last couple of years, the emergence and development of this team is something that we – as leaders within the group – can be pretty proud of. We’re by no means the finished product and we’ll have a few challenges over the next little while. But overall we’re starting to shape into a very good cricket team. The profile of this cricket team has picked up recently too.”
“Our premier fast-bowler in Dhammika, has taken a lot of wickets in the recent past, and we’re going to miss him so bad. Kusal’s news was shocking as well, to be honest.”

Colin Munro’s 14-ball 50 and Martin Guptill’s 25-ball 63 helped New Zealand gun down Sri Lanka’s 142 for 8 in just 10 overs to win the T20 series 2-0

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando10-Jan-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsColin Munro smashed one four and seven sixes in his unbeaten 14-ball 50•Getty Images

An abject Sri Lanka collapse full of witless batting, a clinical performance by New Zealand’s seamers, and a fast start from Martin Guptill, all featured in Sri Lanka’s final heavy defeat of the tour. Their embarrassment was enhanced a little here for having come in front of an Auckland crowd of over 17,000, and by Colin Munro, who bludgeoned the second-fastest half-century in T20s to close out a match that had never really been in doubt for New Zealand. He was unbeaten on 50 from 14 balls, having hit seven sixes and a four. Sri Lanka’s 142 for 8 on a flat track, and on one of the smallest grounds in the world, was gunned down with nine wickets and ten full overs to spare.Seduced by the short boundaries, Sri Lanka’s batsmen aimed slog after slog at the straight fence, and fell predictably, and in quick succession. New Zealand put zippy balls just short of a length – a clear bowling plan, given the ground’s odd dimensions – and the visitors just failed to adapt. Grant Elliott was the most accurate bowler, and took 4 for 22 from his full quota, but so intent did Sri Lanka’s batsmen seem on holing out, almost anyone could have taken those wickets.Angelo Mathews played a familiar lone hand, sporting a familiar look of frustration at his teammates’ incompetence. His 81 not out from 49 balls comprised well over half of Sri Lanka’s score. He was the only batsman to attempt to build an innings, instead of bash one.It’s not often that a batsman hitting 63 from 25 balls in a modest T20 chase will be outshone, but a rapid Guptill was made to look almost pedestrian by Munro. Having arrived at 89 for 1 in the seventh over, Munro blasted his second ball, off Thisara Perera, into the stands beyond wide long on, then savaged the legspin of Vandersay. Kane Williamson gave Munro the strike in the first ball of the eighth over, and he sent the ball hurtling over the deep midwicket boundary three times in four balls. That over cost 27. Having already been at the end of Guptill’s brutality, Vandersay had earlier bowled an over that conceded 20. His two overs went for 41. None of Sri Lanka’s four bowlers had an economy rate of less than 11.Munro wrapped up the victory with a four and two more sixes in Dushmantha Chameera’s third over. He reached fifty and moved New Zealand to their target with his last six, over deep midwicket. His 14-ball half-century is only slower than Yuvraj Singh’s 12-ball fifty against England, in the 2007 World T20.Sri Lanka’s spectacular nosedive began in the second over. Danushka Gunathilaka had earlier made room to scythe Adam Milne through the offside, but aimed an ungainly heave across the line soon after. The ball passed some distance from the bat and splayed his stumps.At the other end, Dilshan was playing his own ugly innings, mistiming and top-edging slogs, and missing attempted scoops over the shoulder. But he survived longer than two incoming batsmen, which is to say, until the 10th over. Before Dilshan was out reverse-sweeping, for 28 from 26 balls, Dinesh Chandimal and Shehan Jayasuriya had both been caught attempting expansive strokes for 2 and 3 respectively.Milinda Siriwardana – who has usually been an intelligent reprieve from Sri Lanka’s batting madness this tour – could not resist a slog himself as he was out first ball. He was caught just outside the circle at long on. With the score at 66 for 5 in the 11th over, Mathews might have expected a little help for rebuilding from Kithuruwan Vithanage and Thisara. They were both caught at the straight boundary for single figure scores, off Elliott’s bowling.Mathews had moved his innings into gear with two straight sixes off the spin of Mitchell Santner, but largely respected the quicks until the back end of the innings. Even then, he picked the hittable deliveries intelligently. He launched Trent Boult down the ground in the 15th over, then when Boult return to close out the innings, Mathews made room and slapped him through the offside twice. By far the largest partnership of the innings was Mathews’ 39-run stand with no. 10 batsman Vandersay.

BK Garudachar, India’s oldest first-class cricketer, who represented Mysore (as Karnataka was called till 1974), United Province and Bombay, died in Bangalore on Friday aged 99

Arun Venugopal26-Feb-2016BK Garudachar, India’s oldest living first-class cricketer, who represented Mysore (as Karnataka was called till 1974), United Province and Bombay, died in Bangalore on Friday aged 99.A right-hand batsman and a leg-break bowler, Garudachar scored 1126 runs at an average of 29.63 from 27 matches in first-class cricket between 1935 and 1946. Born on January 13, 1917 in Chikamagalur, Karnataka, Garudachar graduated in engineering from the Benares University, and started playing for Mysore before turning out for United Province and Bombay in the 1940s.As a bowler, Garudachar finished his career with exactly 100 wickets, which included seven five-fors and three ten-wicket match hauls. His solitary century came against the Holkar team in the 1946 Ranji Trophy semi-final. That 164 held a pride of place for Garudachar, who captained Mysore against a side led by CK Nayudu. That match against Holkar also turned out to be Garudachar’s farewell to
first-class cricket.”We never knew the kind of leather hunt we were in for. Holkar played for two-and-a-half days and destroyed our attack to score 912 for 8
declared,” Garudachar told journalist ES Ramachandran in the 1980s, during an interview. “Six of the first eight Holkar batsmen scored centuries with Mushtaq Ali who rarely ever failed, being caught and bowled for 2!”I felt, if we had run all the way to Bangalore we would have reached earlier than the time we took running around the field fetching the ball
from the boundary.”Former India and Karnataka batsman GR Viswanath called Garudachar’s death a sad day for Karnataka cricket. “[It is] very unfortunate that he couldn’t complete his century there and I could make out that he wanted to live a 100 years,” Viswanath told ESPNcricinfo.”I have never watched him play, but whenever I met former cricketers they used to mention his name. He was a very versatile cricketer and everyone felt he should have played for the country. I have met him quite a few times and listening to him you could make out his knowledge about the game.”Viswanath said he always made it a point to listen to the anecdotes that Garudachar would recount: “He himself would tell: ‘Vishu, I used to bowl fast-ish offspinners but in between I used to bowl the googly and the batsman would think it was a leg break. They used to play for a leg break and it used to go in. I got quite a few wickets like that.’ It used to amaze me because you always hear about googly bowlers being legspinners but it was strange to see an offspinner bowling a googly.”Whenever I have met him he was very jovial. I used to go and sit next to him because I wanted to hear stories of cricket from his era. He used to say how my batting style was similar to [former Mysore batsman] CJ Ramdev. When people of that stature say such things it will be with you throughout.”Former India offspinner Erapalli Prasanna felt Garudachar’s contributions did not receive enough credit. “He has done a lot of yeoman service for the Mysore State Cricket Association when he was playing,” Prasanna told ESPNcricinfo. “In spite of his achievements and his contributions, he was very simple and straightforward. The only time I have met him was in one of the KSCA functions when he was given some award. At that point of time I congratulated him even though the appreciation was not in direct proportion to the contribution that he had done for the state.”

A round-up of all the Ranji Trophy quarter-final matches on February 5, 2016

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Feb-2016
ScorecardJaydev Unadkat’s nine-wicket haul helped Saurashtra wrap up a one-sided contest inside three days in Valsad•Getty Images

Saurashtra thrashed Vidarbha by an innings and 85 runs to book their place in the Ranji Trophy semifinal for the first time in three seasons. Jaydev Unadkat, the left-arm seamer, picked up four wickets in the second innings to take his match tally to 9 for 116 as Vidarbha were bowled out for 139 shortly after tea on Day 3. Deepak Punia, the medium pacer, took three wickets in the second innings.Vidarbha, who resumed on 17 without loss after Saurashtra took a 224-run lead, lost wickets in clumps, with the highest partnership of the innings being the 44-run fifth-wicket stand between Ravi Jangid and Wasim Jaffer, who top scored with 48. Umesh Yadav, who picked up five wickets in the first innings, was absent hurt after injuring his ankle on the field on Thursday.
ScorecardAssam collapsed to 101 in their second innings but seamer Arup Das’ 6 for 82 took them closer to a semi-final spot, wrecking Punjab’s chase of 288 on the third day in Valsad. Punjab had reached 224 for 8 by close of play, and need another 64 runs with two wickets in hand.Arup cut through Punjab’s top order, sending back the openers and No. 3 batsman Uday Kaul by the 10th over to leave the side at 26 for 3. Gurkeerat Singh and Mandeep Singh resisted briefly with a 70-run partnership for the fourth wicket but both batsmen fell to pacer Dheeraj Goswami. Gurkeerat fell after compiling a brisk 64 off 55 deliveries with 12 fours and two sixes. Arup then returned to prise out the lower order, getting rid of Mayank Sidhana, Harbhajan Singh and Siddarth Kaul.Punjab might have fancied their chances of a semi-final spot after they had bowled Assam out for 101. The batting side, who had a first-innings lead of 186, had resumed the third day at a shaky 23 for 4 and were soon tottering at 53 for 8. Arup had a handy contribution with the bat, too, scoring a rapid 31 off 18 deliveries with three fours and two sixes. His innings nudged Assam past the 100-run mark, eventually setting Punjab a target of 288. Assam lost all their wickets to pacers – Barinder Sran took 5 for 43, Siddarth Kaul had returns of 4 for 25, his second four-for in the game, and left-arm pacer Deepak Bansal chipped in with one wicket.
ScorecardJharkhand were faced with an uphill climb, with Mumbai holding the aces in their quarterfinal fixture in Mysore. After deciding against enforcing a follow-on, Mumbai, who took a 244-run lead, pressed forward courtesy Shreyas Iyer. The 20-year old struck nine fours and two sixes in his 106-ball 81. In doing so, he became the third youngest Mumbai batsman after Rusi Modi and Ajinkya Rahane to score 1000 runs in a Ranji Trophy season. Abhishek Nayar, the stand-in captain, built on the ground work laid by Iyer with a sprightly 43 even as Samar Qadri, the legspinner, took 5 for 62 to bring an end to Mumbai’s innings on 245.Set 490 to win, Jharkhand, who were bowled out for 173 in the first innings, lost Anand Singh early as Iqbal Abdulla, the left-arm spinner, had him caught by Iyer. Shiv Gautam and Virat Singh saw off a nervous 20-minute passage through to stumps as Jharkhand ended the day on 28 for 1.

BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur has said that Ravi Shastri’s contract as India’s team director has ended, but can be renewed if the Cricket Advisory Committee deem fit

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Apr-2016BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur has said that Ravi Shastri’s contract as India’s team director has ended, but can be renewed if the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), comprising Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly, deem fit. Shastri, whose contract expired after India’s exit from the World T20, can only be reinstated as full-time coach as Thakur has stated there will be no position of team director.The CAC, which was formed in June 2015 for all major cricket-related decisions, has been tasked with picking a coach and the committee is likely to meet after the World T20.”Ravi Shastri’s contract has ended. We are looking at a full-time coach and the decision will be taken by the Cricket Advisory Committee. There won’t be a Team Director and a full-time coach. It will be only one post and even Ravi’s contract can come up for renewal,” Thakur told . “It will be the post of a full-time coach. CAC has been asked to shortlist the names of the possible candidates for the post. The meeting of the CAC is expected to happen post April 3. It can happen before the start of the IPL also. We will have to decide on the date.”Under Shastri, who had taken over as director in 2014, India made it to successive semi-finals of global events – the 2015 World Cup and the 2016 World T20, and also climbed to No. 1 on the Test rankings for a period of eight weeks until Australia took over in February 2016. In this period, India also won their first limited-overs bilateral series in Australia, after beating the hosts 3-0 in a three-match T20 series.

Two faltering sides, Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab, desperately need a win to get their campaigns back on track

The Preview by Nikhil Kalro24-Apr-2016

Match facts

Monday, April 25, 2016
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)

Big picture

Mumbai Indians have managed only two wins in six games this season. A loss against Kings XI Punjab will leave them in danger of falling behind in the race for the playoffs. Mumbai, however, have the experience of recovering from slow starts. Mumbai won only one of their first six games in 2014 and 2015, but they pressed on and qualified for the playoffs during both seasons. They will be hoping for a similar turnaround this IPL too.Save Rohit Sharma, Mumbai’s scratchy batting form has been responsible for their failures. Krunal Pandya’s addition has bolstered the lower-middle order, but not much can be achieved if the top order continues to misfire.Kings XI’s poor run has continued from the last season, where they had won only three matches. David Miller, the captain, has made only 46 runs in five matches with a highest score of 15. Glenn Maxwell has fared worse, managing only 39 runs in five matches. Kings XI’s problems extend to their bowling attack as well. A lack of penetration has meant Kings XI have suffered four losses while defending.However, Kings XI’s top three – M Vijay, Manan Vohra and Shaun Marsh – have been in good touch. The hosts desperately need a win to drag themselves off the bottom of the table and they will bank on the top order to deliver.

Form guide

Kings XI Punjab: LLWLL (most recent matches first)
Mumbai Indians: LWLLW

In the spotlight

David Miller and Glenn Maxwell‘s form has been directly proportional to Kings XI’s. They have been dismissed in the same over in three matches. Miller and Maxwell will have to hit form quickly, or Kings XI could be forced to leave one (or both) of them out.Jos Buttler has not yet lived up to the big expectations after he was bought for INR 3.8 crore at the auction. His average of 16.33 in his first IPL season has not helped a shaky middle order.

Team news

Kings XI may not want to panic just yet, but wholesale changes aren’t too far away. Will Farhaan Behardien or Gurkeerat Singh get a game?Kings XI Punjab (probable): 1 M Vijay, 2 Manan Vohra, 3 Shaun Marsh, 4 David Miller (capt), 5 Glenn Maxwell/Farhaan Behardien, 6 Nikhil Naik (wk), 7 Axar Patel, 8 Rishi Dhawan, 9 Mohit Sharma, 10 Kyle Abbott/Mitchell Johnson, 11 Sandeep SharmaKieron Pollard and Parthiv Patel have only managed a combined tally of 134 runs in five matches. Mumbai may look to bring in Martin Guptill and Unmukt Chand on Monday.Mumbai Indians (probable) 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Parthiv Patel/Unmukt Chand, 3 Ambati Rayudu, 4 Jos Buttler, 5 Kieron Pollard/Martin Guptill, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Mitchell McClenaghan, 11 Jasprit Bumrah

Pitch and conditions

The Mohali surface has traditionally provided good carry to the bowlers. In three games this season, the highest score has been Gujarat Lions’ 162 that came in a chase. The weather is expected to be good for the duration of the match.

Stats and trivia

• In 16 matches against each other, Kings XI and Mumbai have won eight each.
• In 16 IPL matches since 2015, Maxwell has made 184 runs at an average of 12.26, with a highest score of 43

Shiv Thakor and Tom Taylor achieved personal milestones to put Derbyshire in a strong position on a rain-shortened second day of the Division Two match with Kent at Derby

ECB Reporters Network23-May-2016
ScorecardShiv Thakor’s century lifted Derbyshire (file photo)•Getty Images

Shiv Thakor and Tom Taylor achieved personal milestones to put Derbyshire in a strong position on a rain-shortened second day of the Division Two match with Kent at Derby.Thakor’s 130 was his first century for Derbyshire and his highest score in the Championship while Taylor made a career-best 80 as the pair added 150 in 31 overs to set a new club record for the seventh wicket against Kent.Matt Coles was the pick of the Kent bowlers, finishing with 5 for 116 from 34.5 overs and, in reply to Derbyshire’s 492, the visitors were 79 for 1 when a downpour wiped out most of the final session.Kent’s hopes of quickly polishing off the Derbyshire innings soon faded as Thakor and Taylor continued to play with freedom on a pitch which offered little encouragement for the bowlers.Thakor survived a confident appeal for a catch behind down the leg-side off Calum Haggett on 92 but there were few alarms as the pair batted through the first 20 overs of the morning. Taylor again looked the part with the bat, cutting Haggett for four to reach his maiden first-class 50 and take Derbyshire to maximum bonus batting points for the first time this season.But all the attention was on Thakor, who this season has started to show the quality that marked him out as such an exciting prospect at Leicestershire, and his celebrations when he square cut Haggett for the four to go to three figures showed just how much it meant to him.It was his second Championship century against Kent and he was only four short of his highest first-class score when he gave James Tredwell the charge and was stumped by Adam Rouse.”It was nice to get that hundred but more importantly a very good first innings total,” Thakor said. “We’ve got 19 wickets to take now and that’s the most important thing. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a lovely feeling but it will mean a lot more if we get those wickets over the next two days and get a win.”Taylor had gone five overs earlier, chipping Adam Ball to cover, but their partnership had swung the game in Derbyshire’s favour and left Kent with a lot of batting ahead of them to stay in the game.Although the pitch had flattened out, the new ball was always going to be a test for the Kent openers and Derbyshire were rewarded for sustained accuracy when Ben Cotton removed Daniel Bell-Drummond in the 10th over. He was squared up by a ball that bounced and left him but it still needed brilliant reactions and agility from Tom Poynton who changed direction to take the catch diving across in front of first slip.Another wicket then would have left Kent on the ropes but Sean Dickson and Joe Denly showed sound judgement and application to bat through the rest of the afternoon. Dickson pulled a loose ball from legspinner Matt Critchley for six but Derbyshire’s bowling was disciplined and the second wicket pair scored only 61 in 24 overs and when the rain arrived shortly after tea, Kent were still 412 runs adrift.Tredwell said: “They played really well, perhaps we didn’t bowl as well as we would have liked, and they started pretty well and made it hard for us to score so the morning session becomes crucial tomorrow. If we can get through that first hour and then start to build a good score then we’ll see how the game pans out after that.”

England’s fixtures for the 2017 home season have today been confirmed, with South Africa and West Indies lined up for full tours in a busy summer that will also feature the ECB’s hosting of the Champions Trophy in early to mid-June

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jul-2016England’s home season in 2017 has been confirmed as the longest in their international history, after the ECB announced a glut of fixtures spanning 148 days and featuring both the earliest start date, May 5, and the latest finish, September 29.South Africa and West Indies are lined up for full tours in an unprecedented summer that will also feature the ECB’s hosting of the Champions Trophy in early to mid-June, and the women’s World Cup between June 26 and July 23..The previous earliest start to an English summer was May 6, when England and West Indies embarked on that summer’s first Test at Lord’s. The latest finish also involved West Indies, when they beat England in the final of the Champions Trophy on September 25, 2004.England men’s summer will be launched by a two-match ODI series against Ireland, at Bristol and Lord’s on May 5 and 7, before the arrival of South Africa’s ODI squad for three matches – at Headingley, Ageas Bowl and Lord’s – on May 24, 27 and 29, which will serve as warm-up fixtures for the Champions Trophy, which opens with England’s match against Bangladesh at the Kia Oval on June 1.

England’s 2017 schedule

• May 5, 1st ODI v Ireland, Bristol
  May 7, 2nd ODI v Ireland, Lord’s
  May 24, 1st ODI v SA, Headingley
  May 27, 2nd ODI v SA, Ageas Bowl
  May 29, 3rd ODI v SA, Lord’s
  Jun 1-18, Champions Trophy
  Jun 21 v SA, 1st T20, Ageas Bowl
  Jun 23 v SA, 2nd T20, Taunton
  Jun 25, 3rd T20 v SA, Cardiff
  Jul 6-10, 1st Test v SA, Lord’s
  Jul 14-18, 2nd Test v SA, Trent Bridge
  Jul 27-31, 3rd Test v SA, The Oval
  Aug 4-8, 4th Test v SA, Old Trafford
  Aug 17-21, 1st Test v WI, Edgbaston
  Aug 25-29, 2nd Test v WI, Headingley
  Sep 7-11, 3rd Test v WI, Lord’s
  Sep 16, Only T20 v WI, Durham
  Sep 19, 1st ODI v WI, Old Trafford
  Sep 21, 2nd ODI v WI, Trent Bridge
  Sep 24, 3rd ODI v WI, Bristol
  Sep 27, 4th ODI v WI, The Oval
  Sep 29, 5th ODI v WI, Ageas Bowl
  

After the tournament, which concludes with a final at The Oval on June 18, England and South Africa play three T20Is – including their first international fixture at Taunton since 1983 – before attention switches to seven Test matches in the space of 67 days.South Africa are lined up for four matches, starting at Lord’s on July 6 then proceeding to Trent Bridge, The Oval and Old Trafford, before West Indies commence a three-Test series on August 17.That opening fixture, at Edgbaston, has been mooted as England’s first home day/night fixture, although the ECB as yet has not clarified its status. Further matches are scheduled for Headingley and Lord’s, before a one-off T20I followed by five ODIs, with the home summer set to finish at the Ageas Bowl on September 29.”With three different international teams coming here next summer and this country playing host to two major ICC global events – the ICC Champions Trophy and the ICC Women’s World Cup – there will be a feast of international cricket to excite us in England and Wales,” said Tom Harrison, the ECB’s chief executive.”Both the international and the domestic schedule will have a different shape to previous years. And the early season block for the Royal London One-Day Cup – with a new mid-season date for its Lord’s final – will support both England’s ICC Champions Trophy preparations and our longer term planning for the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019. It will also allow players to focus skills on the white ball game and help more people to understand the structure of the season.”It promises to be a memorable summer of cricket for all our international grounds and a particularly special one for Somerset CCC which will host its first England men’s fixture for more than thirty years; a great opportunity for the county to further capitalise on its strong support for England women’s cricket in recent years.”Edgbaston will once again host NatWest T20 Blast Finals day while the Royal London One-Day Cup Final has been brought forward from its traditional mid-September date to a new mid-summer slot in early July.

Boyd Rankin produced a spell of sustained aggression which claimed 3 for 8 in 29 balls to give his side the better of a rain-reduced opening day

George Dobell at Edgbaston26-Jun-2016
ScorecardBoyd Rankin gave a reminder of his qualities•Getty Images

Witnessing Boyd Rankin bowling like this must be like having seen the Loch Ness monster, Big Foot or an alien landing: the more you tell people about, the more they doubt you and question your sanity.Rankin, you see, didn’t do himself justice on the biggest stage. So when most people think of him, they do not think of the fearsome fast bowler obtaining life on docile pitches that spectators at Ireland and Warwickshire value, but a diffident fast-medium seamer who appeared uncomfortable in the spotlight and looked somewhat below the requisite standard.It is, to some extent, an understandable view. Rankin’s single Test appearance in the final match of England’s miserable Ashes drubbing in 2013-14 was a nightmare: injured in the days immediately prior to the Test – he tore the cartilage in his shoulder in a notoriously brutal fitness session a couple of days before the game – and suffering a back spasm during it. The result was a performance lacking any of the pace and bite England required. Such was his disillusionment afterwards, he considered retiring.But, in an environment where he is valued and comfortable – he was on an unfortunate England tour from that perspective – he remains an unusually hostile bowler. And here, on a pitch offering little pace and no great movement and on which both sides wanted to bat first, he produced a spell of sustained aggression which claimed 3 for 8 in 29 balls to give his side the better of a rain-reduced opening day.The ball that dismissed Riki Wessles was a brute of a delivery. Climbing sharply from just back of a length, it also left the batsman and took the edge with such pace that Tim Ambrose, the Warwickshire wicketkeeper, took the ball above his head and had to parry it up before making sure of the chance.Samit Patel and Jake Libby, both understandably cautious about propping on to the front foot against such missiles, were dismissed in similar style: their uncertainty exploited by good-length balls on off stump that demanded a stroke, Rankin gained just enough bounce and just enough movement in the air to take the edge. It was, by any standards, fine bowling but, on a relatively slow wicket, it was outstanding.Quite why or how it is that Rankin suddenly clicks into this sort of rhythm is hard to say. If he could harness it with any sort of regularity, he would have enjoyed a far more successful Test career.He may yet, though. As things stand, there is an opportunity for one of the Associate nations to qualify through a play-off in 2019 and, bearing in mind Ireland’s fine record in the Intercontinental Cup, they are well-placed to win that opportunity.But there is also a growing chance that the ICC will look to increase the number of nations playing Test cricket with the matter due to be discussed at their annual conference in the coming week. Rankin admitted that he is keenly anticipating the results of that meeting.”Hopefully I won’t just be remembered as a one-Test wonder,” Rankin said. “I didn’t do myself justice in Sydney. I wasn’t fit, but I felt I had to play and it didn’t go as I would have liked.”I’ve probably been bowling at my best in the last two or three years. Since I stopped playing for England, really. I know my role better and I know the lads better at Warwickshire. I suppose I’m more relaxed. With England you’re always under pressure to perform.”The possibility of playing Test cricket is a huge carrot for Ireland. We feel we merit it. We’re confident we could do well against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and West Indies at the moment. I just hope we get the opportunity to show what we can do. I’ll have one eye on the ICC conference next week, for sure.”We’re playing a couple of ODIs in England next year, too, and playing at Lord’s especially will be really special.”Rankin benefited from excellent support here. So disciplined were the Warwickshire attack that Nottinghamshire only managed 12 boundaries in the 61 overs possible and several of those were off the edge and one through the legs of a fielder. Steven Mullaney was punished for playing back when he should have been forward and Michael Lumb was beaten by a quicker one from Jeetan Patel.Mark Adair, a 20-year-old seamer from Northern Ireland preferred to Oliver Hannon-Dalby for this match, did not manage a wicket but took the edge a couple of times by gaining movement both ways at a decent pace. It is far from impossible that he may one day share the bowling in a Test with Rankin.That Nottinghamshire did not capitulate entirely was largely due to Libby. Standing not unlike a right-handed Eoin Morgan – his body bent so low, his eyes are only a foot or so above off stump – he was patient, compact and disciplined in compiling a half-century from 155 balls. That fifty contained four boundaries, two of which – a clip off his legs and a steer to third man – were deliberate and two of which were edges. None were in front of square.That is not a criticism. Had Nottinghamshire been at full strength, he almost certainly would not have played. But here he produced the innings his side required and the bowling demanded and, while Brendan Taylor squandered his wicket with a flick that went straight to Jeetan Patel on the square-leg boundary, it took another fine ball to take Libby’s outside edge. Nobody else in the top six managed more than 14.These are worrying times for Nottinghamshire. Having won their first Championship match this season, they have lost four out of seven since and find themselves looking more towards the bottom of the table than the top. They have been here before – they were bottom after eight games last year, with exactly the same win-loss ratio and points tally as they have now – but they no longer have James Taylor to bail them out; he scored a double-century in a crucial game at Horsham that went a long way to sentencing Sussex to the drop instead of them.Reinforcements are on their way, though. In next weeks’ Championship game, against top-of-the-table Lancashire, they expect to have Stuart Broad, Imran Tahir and Chris Read (who netted at Edgbaston on Sunday) available. They are plenty good enough to avoid relegation and they will rarely come up against an attack bowling as well as this.