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Essex’s hopes in balance after subsiding to below-par total despite Tom Westley half-century

ECB Reporters' Network09-Jul-2021An unbeaten 62 by Ravi Bopara guided Sussex Sharks to a crucial six-wicket win over his former club Essex Eagles in the Vitality Blast at Hove.The 36-year-old, who spent 17 years at Chelmsford before heading to Sussex last year, came in after skipper Luke Wright departed for a first-ball duck and supervised a successful chase of 147 with nine balls to spare. Victory lifted Sussex into second place in the South Group and one win from their two remaining games, away to Hampshire and Kent, will be enough to secure a place in the quarter-finals. Essex will need to win both their games to have a chance of making the last eight.Sussex were in trouble after two of their other experienced players, Travis Head and David Wiese, departed cheaply to leave them 67 for 4 at halfway. But after a skittish start Delray Rawlins gave Bopara impressive support in a stand of 85 in 8.4 overs which took the game away from Essex, despite miserly bowling by spinners Simon Harmer and Aron Nijjar, who had combined figures of 3 for 34 from 7.3 overs.Bopara’s 62 came off 46 balls with eight boundaries while Rawlins produced some fireworks at the end, winning the game with a straight six off Nijjar which took him to a 29-ball fifty, with four sixes and three fours.Earlier, Tom Westley made a half-century on his return after missing Essex’s six previous games but when he was brilliantly caught by Head running in from midwicket in the 16th over the Eagles nosedived, losing six wickets for 22 in 23 balls in a total of 146 for 9.Westley and Michael Pepper had put on 72 from 52 balls for the second wicket after Ollie Robinson had Adam Wheater caught at extra cover with his first ball. Pepper made 38 before he was beaten in the flight by 16-year-old legspinner Archie Lenham and Westley contributed 53 off 45 balls, with a six and four boundaries, but once he went a combination of tight bowling and excellent fielding put Sussex in control.Chris Jordan, back after recovering from a groin injury, took 3 for 30 and showed all his experience while Robinson, who had to self-isolate for ten days after a team-mate tested positive for Covid-19, picked up 2 for 15 in his first game back.Essex could only manage four boundaries and a six in the second half of their innings as well as Harrison Ward and Bopara also took outstanding catches in the deep to back up some accurate bowling.

Brydon Carse requires stitches after being struck on ear in his follow-through

ECB Reporters' Network18-Jul-2021Notts Outlaws celebrated an impressive Vitality Blast group campaign with a crushing 78-run victory over Durham although the game was marred by a nasty injury to Brydon Carse. The pace bowler was hit on his ear by an Alex Hales drive when he slipped in his follow-through in the 4th over and played no further part in the match.”Thankfully, it’s just a couple of stitches and he should be okay. It looked ugly at first,” Durham coach Alan Walker told the BBC. “He was tripping up on his follow-through and couldn’t protect himself.”Ben Duckett, with an unbeaten 74 from 41 balls, and 43 not out off 17 balls by Steven Mullaney propelled the Outlaws to 221 for 4 which was far too much for Durham. They collapsed to 59 for 6 and were bowled out for 143 in 16 overs with Calvin Harrison taking 4 for 36 as the North Group winners claimed a ninth victory.Joe Clarke, awarded his Nottinghamshire cap before the game, and Hales gave the Outlaws early momentum before both fell in Paul van Meekeren’s second over. Clarke skied to point and Hales, missed on 14, failed to clear mid-on as the Outlaws ended the Powerplay on 70 for 2.Although Tom Moores was lbw first ball to Scott Borthwick, Duckett and Samit Patel got the Outlaws back on track by adding 67 in 7 overs. Duckett swept Liam Trevaskis for two fours and a six and made Durham pay for dropping him on 28 when Alex Lees spilled a chance at deep midwicket.Matty Potts held a much harder catch running in from long on to remove Patel for 34 off 26 balls but that only opened the way for Mullaney’s brutal late onslaught. He pulled Graham Clark’s legspin for three sixes in the 15th over which cost 24 and he and Duckett plundered 83 from 37 balls to take the Outlaws to an imposing total.Any chance Durham had of chasing it down vanished when they lost four wickets in the Powerplay with Clark and Alex Lees both failing to score. David Bedingham struck some defiant blows before he skied Dane Paterson and after Cameron Bancroft was yorked by Zak Chappell, Harrison removed Ben Raine and Borthwick in the 9th over.Potts at least went down swinging, heaving Patel for three sixes in the 13th over, but Harrison wrapped up a comprehensive win with four overs to spare.

2011 discussion surfaces in wake of ex-cricketer’s anti-racism testimony

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Nov-2021Azeem Rafiq has admitted he is “ashamed” of anti-Semitic remarks that he made in a text exchange with a fellow Asian player back in 2011.Rafiq, whose testimony before a parliamentary select committee this week has forced English cricket to confront accusations of institutional racism, added in a statement issued via Twitter that he had “absolutely no excuses” for his actions.The exchange, involving the former Leicestershire cricketer Ateeq Javid, appears to centre around a third Asian player, then playing for Derbyshire, who was reluctant to spend money on a meal.Related

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“Hahaha he is a Jew,” Rafiq joked. “Probs go after my 2nds again ha … Only Jews do tht sort of shit”.In response, Rafiq wrote: “I was sent an image of this exchange from early 2011 today. I have gone back to check my account and it is me. I have absolutely no excuses.”I am ashamed of this exchange and have now deleted it so as not to cause further offence. I was 19 at the time and I hope and believe I am a different person today. I am incredibly angry at myself and I apologise to the Jewish community and everyone who is rightly offended by this.”Rafiq’s admission follows the recent suspension of Yorkshire’s head coach, Andrew Gale, following his own use of the anti-Semitic slur “Y*d” in a Twitter exchange in 2010.Responding to his post, Marie van der Zyl, the president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, told PA: “Azeem Rafiq has suffered terribly at the hands of racists in cricket so he will well understand the hurt this exchange will cause to Jews who have supported him. His apology certainly seems heartfelt and we have no reason to believe he is not completely sincere.”Speaking in the wake of his testimony, Rafiq admitted that he was “not perfect”, but that “nothing excuses racism”.”At no point will I ever try and defend the indefensible,” he later added on Twitter. “For those I have hurt I am sincerely sorry. I will continue to front up & own any more mistakes I have made.”

A Test debut with the Ashes wrapped up could stand the young legspinner in good stead for the challenges ahead

Andrew McGlashan01-Jan-2022Through a variety of factors, ranging from injury to Covid close contact, Australia have been forced to explore the depth of their fast bowling this season, and the results have been very impressive. Now, however, looms perhaps an even trickier decision: whether they can find room to give legspinner Mitchell Swepson a Test debut at the start of a year where he will likely be a key part of their overseas plans on the subcontinent.It is something of an annual tradition to debate the merits of two spinners at the SCG. The last time Australia played a twin attack at the ground was against Pakistan in 2016-17 when Steve O’Keefe joined forces with Nathan Lyon. They had done the same the season before, against West Indies in a rain-ruined encounter.Swepson has been in discussions the last two summers – against New Zealand, where Lyon bagged a 10-wicket match haul, and India when Australia could not secure a win on the final day – before the decision has been taken to stick to the more traditional Australian approach of recent times on home soil with three specialist quicks. The latest weather forecast, which suggests showers throughout the fourth Test, does not help Swepson’s prospects.But one key difference now is the development of Cameron Green’s bowling towards something that would qualify him as a viable third quick in an attack with two spinners. On the previous two occasions when a pair of spinners were unfurled at home, Hilton Cartwright and Mitchell Marsh were the third seamers – Green’s bowling is at a significantly higher level. However, as evidenced by the final day in Adelaide when they were hoping not to bowl him, there remains some caution over his workload, although even as one of three fast men he probably wouldn’t need to bowl 20 overs in a day with Lyon and Swepson together.Related

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It’s not quite as simple as saying the selectors will give Swepson a game because the Ashes are wrapped up – there are World Test Championship points available, a key stated aim of the Australia side – although it’s tempting to say it may not matter what attack Australia put out against this England batting order. But they also need to weigh up the potential benefits of a debut before the tours of Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 2022, followed by India which is now set to be played in early 2023 with the latter two, especially, likely to demand twin spinners at least in some situations.”If conditions suit, we’d love to give Swepo a crack,” national selector George Bailey said. “One of things that’s been really hard, and I think Michael Neser has been the biggest example of this, is that being on the periphery of some of the teams, given some of the squad sizes, it can make it really hard because you are so close but you aren’t playing as much for your state or even BBL [club].”We’ve got no doubt that whether it’s the SCG or some time in the future that Swepo is ready. We love everything he’s bringing, his cricket is getting better and better, he’s a great young leader, we’d love nothing more for him to get an opportunity but it will probably be conditions dependent.”Due to the T20 World Cup where he was part of the squad without getting a game, and the quarantine period that followed, Swepson has played one first-class game this summer – for Australia A against England Lions where he claimed four wickets – meaning he has not been able to build on last season’s stellar return of 32 wickets at 23.40 in just five games which played a central role in Queensland’s Sheffield Shield title. He became a key second-innings matchwinner, marrying wicket-taking threat with an improved economy.His first-class record at the SCG is less flattering, albeit from just two matches, with four wickets at 67.50. Last season he was punished by India during the Australia A warm-up match. However, it is worth noting that Lyon averages 40.94 in Tests at the SCG, and that includes the 10-wicket match haul against New Zealand two seasons ago.”Once you play one, your next one will be a bit better, and you’ll be more assured of yourself,” Pat Cummins said after the MCG Test. “If Swepson debuted and then suddenly he was off to a subcontinent tour, you’d think that experience is probably a good thing.”The last legspinner to debut for Australia was Steven Smith in 2010. Swepson’s career certainly won’t follow his path, but at some point in 2022 he will play Test cricket. If that comes next week it would add an intriguing element to an Ashes where every player Australia have used has made an impression.

England’s openers survive but batters face a tough task on final day

Alex Malcolm08-Jan-2022Usman Khawaja became the new king of the SCG achieving the stunning feat of twin centuries in an Ashes Test to put Australia in a position to keep the whitewash alive if they can take 10 England wickets on the final day.Khawaja reached rare air in his comeback Test after being left out of the side for two-and-a-half years. His second-innings 101 not out saw him become the third man behind Doug Walters and Ricky Ponting to score twin hundreds at the SCG, the ninth to do it in an Ashes Test and just the 10th player in Test history to score twin centuries in a Test batting at No.5 or lower. Incredibly Khawaja’s match tally of 238 runs moved him past every single England player’s series tally bar Joe Root.Cameron Green made his second-highest Test score of 74 and put on the highest partnership of the series with Khawaja, 179, to take Australia from a wobbly position at 4 for 86, to a declaration where they could set England 388 to win with a day and an hour to play.But England’s maligned opening pair of Zak Crawley and Haseeb Hameed weathered another probing examination from Australia’s quicks to steer the visitors safely to stumps as storm clouds engulfed the SCG. They put on their highest partnership of the series, 30, and survived 11 overs under floodlights to leave England an improbable 358 to win on the final day or 98 overs to survive, weather permitting.Khawaja looked a class above on a surface where most players in the game have struggled. He was patient early as the pitch’s uneven bounce made scoring difficult. He helped guide Green through a nervous period prior to tea as Jack Leach caused some problems with inconsistent spin and bounce.He began after tea on 35 and then unleashed an assault on Leach and Root. Yet again it was a combination of reverse sweeps and slog sweeps that did the damage. Two slog sweeps went 20 rows back while he cut, pulled and drove the quicks with typical elegance. He scored 66 runs off 64 balls after tea and soaked in a standing ovation upon reaching his century.Usman Khawaja brought up his second hundred of the Test•Getty Images

Green was equally destructive in the latter stages of the partnership after fighting through yet another nervous start. His technique has been scrutinised throughout the series having scored 52 runs in four innings. But it was as much his mind as his technique that was tying him in knots.He fought through a stern test of his defence from Leach and the quicks. Consecutive boundaries off James Anderson broke the shackles. Anderson overpitched and he drove him straight, before Anderson overcorrected short and Green unfurled a brutal pull shot. He produced two more cracking pulls off the extra pace of Mark Wood, one to bring up his half-century in fine style. He also thumped a cut forward of square off Wood and launched Leach over long-on into the crowd. He fell unselfishly pushing for more runs prior to the declaration that oddly came three overs after Khawaja reached his century and two overs after the final drinks break.Alex Carey was incredibly sent out to bat after Green fell skying Leach straight up. Carey was out first ball also attempting a sweep. It came off pad onto the back of the bat in his follow-through and was expertly caught by stand-in wicketkeeper Ollie Pope. He was keeping because both Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler were off the field during Australia’s entire innings having had scans on their respective finger injuries.Ben Stokes also didn’t bowl in the innings but fielded for all 68.5 overs. Pope snared four catches, equalling the most by a substitute fielder in a Test and matching Wriddhiman Saha’s efforts for India as a substitute keeper at the SCG last year. Leach finished with four wickets but was denied a chance at a hat-trick when Cummins finally declared.Related

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England’s openers played well under the floodlights as the pitch appeared to play fewer tricks in the last hour after the heavy roller had been on it in the innings break. Scott Boland did get one to leap from a length at Crawley and catch the shoulder of the bat, but it ballooned safely over the cordon.It was a far better display of batting in the last hour of the day than what was seen in the first hour of the fourth day when Boland continued his staggering start to his Test career by claiming 4 for 36 as England were bowled out for 294 in their first innings.Boland knocked over Jonny Bairstow for 113 with some extra bounce, feathering a nick through to Carey. That came after Jack Leach holed out with a wild slog sweep to mid-on off Nathan Lyon while Stuart Broad swung lustily for 15 before skying Boland straight up to be caught by Carey. England made their second-highest total of the series, but they still have not breached 300 for the entire tour.Australia reached 1 for 52 in their second innings after the early loss of David Warner, who edged Wood behind. But they lost 3 for 34 in a nervous 10-over period. Marcus Harris again threw away a start, edging a half-volley from Leach on 27 to be well caught by Pope up to the stumps. Harris has four scores of 20-plus in a row and just one half-century to show for it.Marnus Labuschagne fell caught behind to Wood for the third time in three innings. Again he was flashing off the back foot and again he was beaten by Wood’s pace. Wood has bowled 25 balls at Labuschagne in three innings and taken 3 for 12.Steve Smith looked comfortable until Leach skidded one through him as he tried to play too square off the back foot and lost his middle stump. But that was the last wicket England would take for 40 overs as Khawaja and Green put them to the sword.

Team’s remarkable march towards an unlikely title continued as they beat Thunder by six runs

Tristan Lavalette23-Jan-2022Harry Conway bowled a superb final over as Adelaide Strikers’ remarkable late season revival and march towards an unlikely BBL title continued after knocking out Sydney Thunder by six runs in a thriller at the MCG.With Thunder needing 14 runs off the last over, Conway held his nerve and dismissed Alex Ross (56) and Ben Cutting with successive deliveries as Strikers claimed their sixth straight victory.Strikers, who had been bottom two for much of the regular season, play two-time defending champion Sydney Sixers on Wednesday at the SCG with the winner to book a spot in Friday’s final against Perth Scorchers at Marvel Stadium.It was heartbreak for Thunder, who finished third in the regular season and looked on track to chase down Strikers’ 6 for 184 only to fall short.Conway and Siddle star under pressureIn-form Strikers had beaten Hobart Hurricanes in a sudden-death final on Friday but this proved much more difficult against Thunder’s imposing batting order. For the first time since he departed late in the season, star spinner Rashid Khan was desperately missed with his replacement Fawad Ahmed wicketless.Strikers appeared to have no answers to Ross and Jason Sangha (61), who got Thunder within 39 runs before ageless Peter Siddle inspired a comeback in the 17th over. He removed Sangha and then Daniel Sams to thwart Thunder, who hit back thanks to some lusty blows from Cutting.It came down to the final over delivered by Conway, who was under pressure when Ross hit a boundary off the third ball. But Conway proved the hero to conjure a famous Strikers victory as their stunning resurgence continued.Jason Sangha smashes one down the ground during his 43-ball 61•Cricket Australia via Getty Images

Thunder fall short amid contentious Khawaja dismissalFor chunks of the season, especially when they peeled off a six-match winning streak, Thunder looked like genuine title contenders so they will be frustrated to fall at this hurdle.Even though they lost Alex Hales in the third over, Thunder remained on course with their hopes largely resting on captain Usman Khawaja and Sangha, who hit three gorgeous boundaries in his first five deliveries.But the match turned in the seventh over when Khawaja sliced to a forward diving Fawad at short third man with the fielder claiming the catch. Replays appeared to show the ball hitting some turf before going into Fawad’s fingers but the third umpire believed there was not enough evidence to overturn the soft signal.A stunned Khawaja trudged back and a shaken Thunder had to regroup quickly. They did exactly that with Sangha and Ross, who found form after two successive ducks, expertly working the ball around the MCG’s vast expanses. But it wasn’t enough.Cockbain overshadows Test starsIt seemed like déjà vu for Strikers who were following their successful formula against Hurricanes after electing to bat. Alex Carey and Matthew Short appeared set to replicate their match-winning century partnership last start as they once again got off to a flier.Carey was in a belligerent mood but his dismissal on 23 halted Strikers as Short departed then so too Travis Head, who has mustered just eight runs across two games since his return from his outstanding Ashes.Strikers were in danger of falling away but No. 3 Ian Cockbain steadied the ship with a superb 38-ball 65 to again prove why the 34-year-old has been the find of this BBL season after recently being plucked out of suburban cricket in Melbourne.He couldn’t quite be there at the death but his innings proved vital and lifted Strikers to a total that was just enough.Sams’ blinder brightens ragged ThunderSams has enjoyed another stellar season but things were unravelling for him early at the MCG. He came on during the four-over powerplay only to be belted for 19 runs and worse was to follow when he dropped big-hitter Short on 15 after misjudging a skier.But a seething Sams made up for all of that with a blinder to dismiss Carey, where he leapt backwards on the midwicket boundary to pull off one of the best catches of the tournament.It sparked Thunder as frontline spinner Tanveer Sangha (4-0-15-2) tied down Strikers in the middle overs with skiddy bowling to change the momentum. But an otherwise ragged Thunder couldn’t finish the job with their seamers struggling and sloppy fielding undoing Sangha’s earlier brilliance.It would eventually prove costly.

The new CA chair has indicated the next head coach will be confirmed next month

Andrew McGlashan23-Feb-20222:06

McDonald: Touring Pakistan after decades an ‘exciting challenge for Australia’

The next head coach of the Australia men’s team is likely to be confirmed during the upcoming tour of Pakistan, but Andrew McDonald, who is taking interim charge for the trip and is the favourite for the long-term position, is confident the process of replacing Justin Langer will not take the focus away from the on-field ambitions.Lachlan Henderson, the new Cricket Australia chair, has said in recent days that the appointment of a new head coach will not be a drawn-out process and is likely to come to a conclusion in March. That raises the prospect of McDonald finding out midway through the tour whether he has the job or not, although he said he has yet to have conversations with CA on the matter.”Very happy with whatever timelines they want to work within. It won’t become a distraction,” McDonald said. “That will just be happening in the background, our focus is firmly on the first Test in Rawalpindi and the preparation here, so we are firmly focused on that as a coaching staff.Related

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“What happens outside of that with the process they run and how that looks is entirely up to the admin base to work through that and I’m sure they won’t be making that a distraction for us at all. The coaching stuff is well and truly in the background for us here.”When Langer resigned earlier this month CA chief executive Nick Hockley indicated the board would look for one replacement rather than splitting the roles between red and white ball, although speaking to ABC Radio, Henderson said it was a topic he would take more soundings on.”I’m open to advice on that [split coaching],’ he said. “I think it is a very time-consuming role for one individual and maybe a more distributed method of coaching is the way of the future. They’re the sort of things that are playing out at the moment. We are going for a single head coach to be installed in the near future.”How it plays out after that will depend a bit on that appointment, their availability and how that works across all forms of the game in what’s going to be a really busy 12 to 18 months. It may be that person is not available for every single tour around the world over the next 18 months.”George Bailey, the national selector, is of the view that the new head coach sitting out some series would not present a major challenge – it was used during the Langer era with McDonald leading limited-overs tours of India and New Zealand, while he was due to oversee the recent Sri Lanka T20Is before Langer’s departure.”Essentially, what you’re after is trying to find the very best person for the role, and you want to keep them in there as long as possible,” he said. “If that means that they don’t do absolutely every tour that’s fine.”I don’t think there’s an easy answer. I don’t think there’s a one-size-fits-all and I don’t necessarily think whichever structure is landed on by Cricket Australia will necessarily be the right one when you next have to make that appointment.”For now, McDonald is enthused by the challenge that lies ahead over the next few weeks in Pakistan as Australia tour the country for the first time in 24 years.”I’ll work through it once we see what the job looks like,” he said. “There’s been some speculation around split roles, whether it’s one coach and all that type of thing, that’ll all come out. The key thing for us is to focus on the cricket. We’ve got a big job in the next three days, then getting the preparation right when we land, so that’s where are our thoughts are firmly focused to give these players the best opportunity to succeed.”You can see the excitement within the group. It’s a little bit of the unknown as well and think that’s always exciting going somewhere people haven’t been before. We’ve got a creative element to what we can do as well on the back of Australian teams not being there for a period of time.”

Allrounder played key part in run to U19 World Cup final in February

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Apr-2022Rehan Ahmed, the legspinning allrounder who played an integral role in England’s run to the final of this year’s Under-19 World Cup, has signed a long-term contract extension that will keep him at Leicestershire until the end of 2026.Ahmed, a product of the Leicestershire academy, made his first appearances for the senior team as a 16-year-old in last summer’s Royal London Cup, when he made his debut against Yorkshire, and went on to average 44.50 with the bat and take five wickets in a seven-game stint.However, Ahmed made his first big impression as an 11-year-old in 2016, when he was invited to bowl in the nets at Lord’s as part of England’s preparations for the Test series against Pakistan, and ended up claiming the wicket of Ben Stokes.His development took a further step in September, with his call-up for England’s Under-19 series against West Indies, after which he was included in their World Cup plans for this winter’s tournament in the Caribbean. He claimed 12 wickets in four innings, including his match-defining spell in the semi-final against Afghanistan, in which he turned the tide of the match with three wickets in an over. England went on to lose the final by four wickets to India.Related

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“I am delighted to extend my contract at the club and can’t wait to represent the Running Foxes again during the summer,” Ahmed said. “The past year has been incredible for me. From making my Leicestershire to debut to playing in a World Cup final, I have learned so much and I am extremely grateful to everyone who has helped me on my journey so far.”Leicestershire CCC Director of Cricket, Claude Henderson, said: “It is exciting to have Rehan onboard to help achieve our long-term ambitions. We want to give him the best opportunity to develop his game and contribute to winning games for Leicestershire. He has shown a first-class attitude, along with the level of skill and hunger we want to be associated with.”Ahmed’s Leicestershire career began at Under-15 level, once producing match-winning 134 not out alongside four wickets in 10 overs against Derbyshire’s U18s. Last summer he also named in the County Select squad which played against India at Chester-le-Street in July.In addition to his contract extension, Ahmed was picked up by the reigning Hundred champions Southern Brave in this year’s draft.

Runs throughout the top-order for Durham as they rack up imposing first-day total

David Hopps05-May-2022Just as people who come to Worcester to watch cricket routinely extol the magnificence of the cathedral, but barely notice the spire of St Andrew’s further along the skyline, so Sean Dickson knew that he would be overshadowed the moment Ben Stokes came to the crease. But Stokes’ first innings since being appointed England captain, and only his third Championship innings for Durham in four years, was put on hold until the second day as Durham piled up 339 for 3 and the plaudits were Dickson’s as he registered his third Championship hundred of the season.Stokes is batting at No.6 here which in many ways sounds a little low but it is eminently logical. It is least disruptive to a very strong Durham top-order – he replaced Ben Raine, who normally comes in around eight – and he will get into the rhythm of batting four-down as he intends to do for England.”He is just nestling in to his England role I think,” Dickson said, “and it is a good opportunity for others to make runs before the man himself comes in. He has such an aura about him. He brings such a great energy into the squad.”It is one of the oddities of cricket that a game can be suspended with a batter on 99 – which is a bit like wandering off for a cup of tea before taking a six-foot putt on the 18th, or attempting to convert a penalty kick. Dickson has been required to do it twice this season and, on both occasions, has survived unscarred.Nobody wants to leave the field, one short of a century, concentration shelved for the next 20 minutes, while the cherished tones of Dave Bradley, on the Worcester PA system, turns attention to the virtues of the Playfair Cricket Annual, on sale now in the club shop, and the array of cakes in the Ladies’ Pavilion.”I think it’s some maturity showing through,” he said. “I think in the past I would have panicked and thought ‘I want to get it before tea’ but there is so much time left in the game. What difference is me going into tea on 99 or 100 in terms of the game? There is no difference. Just go into tea, get my protein shake in, and be more ready for that extra run than I was beforehand.”Back on guard shortly afterwards, the attractions of Playfair presumably overlooked, Joe Leach set him two backward points, offered him an over of balls outside off stump and almost had him caught at cover, the ball falling agonisingly short of Adam Finch. Ed Barnard seemed more accommodating as Dickson lay back to cut him to the boundary in the next over but only for a moment. Barnard then dismissed him for 104, edging a back-of-a-length delivery that left him a shade to first slip.This was Dickson’s third hundred of the season, the previous coming against two of Division Two’s weaker counties, Leicestershire at Chester-le-Street (the scene of his first nervous 99 at tea), and Sussex at Hove. It is fair to say that he will have sterner challenges ahead because this was a benevolent pitch and Worcestershire’s attack has had better days, but he appears to be as settled in this opener’s role as at any time in his red-ball career. The crowd behind the arm gave him out on 57 when they burst into prolonged applause for an imagined catch at the wicket off Leach, but the umpire remained unmoved, and some of them sighed slightly before returning to their conversations.Related

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Durham, who expected to be pushing hard for promotion, have had a slow start to the season, but they could be in business here. Two weeks ago, Worcestershire racked up 491 against Sussex and went on to win by an innings. The moisture content of this pitch is reportedly identical, as is the grass cut. And heavy cloud cover is forecast for late on the second afternoon, about the time Worcestershire can expect to be batting. They have had some tough bowling days and will probably feel they are due a bit of swing.Dickson, like St Andrew’s Spire, was worthy of attention. The church itself was demolished in the 1940s, to be replaced by a shopping centre which has become the modern religion, although perhaps not for much longer to judge by the day’s economic forecasts.Dickson’s county career hit an uncertain phase when he joined Durham on loan from Kent (with a full contract promised) and only made one Championship half-century in his first eight matches, but he has always possessed a limited-overs threat and he is embedded in the Championship opening spot this season.His century had been backed up from all parts by the close. Keegan Petersen bagged a stylish half-century before becoming a first victim for the debutant Ben Gibbon, a sturdy left-arm seamer from Cheshire who showed up well, and Scott Borthwick and David Bedingham had forced home Durham’s advantage by the close.Stokes sat, pads on, until the close, but the grand entrance of the man Dickson referred to as “the king” never happened. As gentle evening sunshine flooded upon this most pastoral of setting, and the cathedral changed to an inviting hue of Ecclestical Bronze (a Farrow & Ball colour if ever there was one) he might have felt that this was his final relaxation before the fray begins.

Former Australia spinner joins after serving coaching apprenticeship with Brisbane Heat and Queensland Fire

ESPNcricinfo staff20-May-2022Ireland have announced the appointment Nathan Hauritz, the former Australia spinner, as their spin bowling coach.Hauritz, 40, took 128 wickets for Australia, playing all three formats in a nine-year international career. He retired from the game in 2016, and has been coaching with Brisbane Heat in the BBL and women’s team Queensland Fire since 2020.He is due to join up with Ireland in August, subject to a work permit being issued. As part of the role, he will work with the senior men’s and women’s squads, as well as players in the pathway system.”The opportunity was too good to not even think about,” Hauritz said. “I love discussing spin bowling from all facets, and to be able to do that in an international environment while travelling the world, how could you not want to do it.”My particular interest as a coach is the tactical and mental side of spin bowling. When you play at the top level of cricket your game is generally in a pretty sound space, but more often than not it comes down to how you perform on the day that needs the most work. I believe my career and experience will help me communicate with, and support the development of, our current groups of spinners. It’s an incredibly exciting time to be part of cricket in Ireland.”Hauritz was one of a number of spinners picked to try and fill the void left by Shane Warne in the Australia Test team, featuring in the 2009 Ashes and taking his maiden five-for against Pakistan later that year. He had a longer run in the ODI team, for whom he played against Ireland in 2010.”I fondly remember playing a tour game for Australia against Ireland at Clontarf back in 2010,” Hauritz said. “We were actually in a spot of bother in that game – we were under the pump early from the Irish openers. I was lucky enough to take a couple wickets and we won the game. But the main thing that sticks in my mind was that it was an amazing atmosphere.”Hauritz represented both Queensland and New South Wales in first-class and List A cricket, as well as featuring for Brisbane Heat, Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash.Richard Holdsworth, Cricket Ireland’s high performance director, said: “We’re delighted that Nathan will be joining the high performance staff and look forward to getting him over here to start working with our spin groups. Filling this role now completes our elite coaching restructure and provides what we believe is a great coaching and support team around our performance squads.”Not only will Nathan’s skills and experience be invaluable to our spinners in both the men’s and women’s squads, but he will also be looking at the next generation coming through the pathway system.”