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Ramnaresh Sarwan and Josh Cobb ended their century droughts as Leicestershire’s batsmen dominated

20-Apr-2012Leicestershire 318 for 7 (Sarwan 105, Cobb 105) v Derbyshire
ScorecardRamnaresh Sarwan and Josh Cobb ended their century droughts as Leicestershire’s batsmen dominated the second day of the County Championship match against Derbyshire at Derby.Sarwan celebrated a first-class hundred for the first time in 26 months while Cobb’s was his first since his maiden century four years ago. Sarwan was out for 105 after sharing a fourth wicket stand of 141 in 33 overs with Cobb who also made 105 as the visitors reached 318 for 7 before bad light ended play seven overs early.Leicestershire had been in trouble in the morning when they lost their second wicket to the 12th ball of the day with only 25 on the board. Tony Palladino claimed his 12th victim of the new season when Jacques Du Toit was caught behind down the leg side for 14 and both Greg Smith and Sarwan had to fight hard to stay in before rain forced an early lunch.Sarwan survived a fierce chance on 24 to Dan Redfern at extra cover three balls before the interval, but he did not give another until he had reached his first century for Leicestershire in his second match for the county.Smith helped him build a solid platform with 33 in three hours before he was bowled trying to cut David Wainwright but the tempo increased with the arrival of Cobb who took the attack to the bowlers. He pulled Wainwright for two sixes on his way to his first Championship fifty since 2010 and Sarwan also came down the pitch to loft Wes Durston over the long on boundary.Cobb pulled Wainwright for a third six after tea before Sarwan reached three figures from 183 balls when he tucked the left-arm spinner behind square for his 16th four. Derbyshire finally got rid of him when he pulled Ross Whiteley low to deep square-leg leaving Cobb to make his way to his first hundred since 2008.The 21-year-old got there when he steered the 155th ball he faced to the vacant third man boundary for his 12th four but he added only three more runs before he missed a big drive at Mark Footitt and was bowled.Derbyshire picked up another wicket when their former player Wayne White was caught behind cutting at Whiteley, but the day still belonged to Leicestershire although with more showers forecast for the weekend, the chances of a positive result in the match look slim.

Intikhab Alam, the PCB’s director of international cricket operations, has said the board’s list of central contracts for 2012 was dated and is open to review

Umar Farooq28-May-2012Intikhab Alam, the PCB’s director of international cricket operations, has said the board’s list of central contracts for 2012 was dated and is open to review. The list of 42 players, which was announced by the PCB on Saturday, was finalised before the squads were selected for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour, he said. Subsequently, Mohammad Sami, Yasir Arafat and Rahat Ali, who have been picked for the tour, are without contracts.Pakistan had extended the pool of contracted players from 28 to 42, and there were several irregularities: apart from the players who missed out, fast-bowler Wahab Riaz, who has been axed from all senior squads following a poor run, was awarded a category C contract. Also, banned Quetta wicketkeeper Bismillah Khan was named under the stipend category. Meanwhile fast bowler Mohammad Talha, who is touted to be a promising prospect but is yet to find a real opportunity in the senior team, missed out despite being contracted in 2011. Talha has played just the one Test, and was last selected the Tests against England earlier this year, but was ruled out due to a back injury.”This is the list that was finalised before selecting the teams for Sri Lanka tour,” Alam said. “Sami, at that time, was nowhere near to national selection, while Talha was unfit and his status was unclear. But now we are open to review [the list] and will definitely look into it.”Bismillah was handed a 12-month ban for fighting in a grade two match at Jinnah Stadium, Gujranwala, on April 21. He had challenged the ban before a judicial commissioner of the PCB, and he will not be excluded from the contracts unless the commissioner rules against him, Alam said. “His contact currently is on hold, we will wait for the outcome of his appeal. The contract will be withdrawn if the commissioner upholds his ban.”As per the 2012 contacts, the players have got a hike of 25% in their retainers, and an increase of 10% in match fees. The contracts also feature a minor addition with regards to disciplinary matters, along with a clause that addresses the issues of players who wish to play in county cricket, foreign leagues, exhibition/charity matches and unauthorised cricket.Some category A players have reportedly shown reservations about signing the contracts, and have sought more time to study them. The cricketers who were playing without contracts since January 2012 (the previous batch of contract expired on December 31, 2011) will be paid once they submit the signed copy of the contract to the PCB.”We have yet to receive any protest or statements of reservation over the contracts from any player, but we are open to address any sort of reservations the players have,” Alam said. “There are no substantial changes in the contracts from the previous ones; we’ve made a few changes regarding playing overseas cricket and the clauses that address disciplinary matters.”

Tim Murtagh, the Middlesex seamer, has been named in Ireland’s squad to face Australia in the one-day international at Stormont on June 23

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jun-2012Tim Murtagh, the Middlesex seamer, has been named in Ireland’s squad to face Australia in the one-day international at Stormont on June 23. Niall O’Brien has also been recalled after missing the World Twenty20 Qualifiers having chosen to play in the Bangladesh Premier League, but has not been guaranteed a starting place by the coach Phil Simmons.Murtagh, who qualified for Ireland in February, was not included for the T20 Qualifiers in the UAE and so is in line for his international debut against Australia. He is enjoying a productive season for Middlesex in the County Championship with 32 wickets at 25.09. His inclusion will help cover for the absence of Boyd Rankin, the Warwickshire pace bowler, who is continuing his recovery from a foot injury. Murtagh is one of the eight county-based players in the 13-man squad.”Although Tim Murtagh hasn’t played for Ireland yet, he’s been bowling superbly for Middlesex so that will soften the blow of losing Boyd,” Simmons said. “Max Sorensen and Trent Johnston were fantastic in the UAE so we have plenty of options in the squad having so many allrounders. I’ve been following the English based players and there have been some fantastic performances from them at various stages this season.”Meanwhile O’Brien, who plays for Northamptonshire, has a chance to restart his international career. In his absence Gary Wilson, who is on the Surrey staff, was the wicketkeeper-batsman and Simmons has said that O’Brien cannot just expect to walk back in the side.”There’s no doubt he’s among the best 14 players that Ireland have, but Gary Wilson did superbly in the UAE, so Niall knows he’s going to have work hard and be at his best to regain the gloves.”Looking ahead to the contest against Australia, Ireland’s latest chance to take on a Full-Member opposition, Simmons recalled the match two years ago when Ireland pushed Australia close.”We had a great opportunity to beat them two years ago and threw it away,” he said. “We’ve learned from that and are two years more experienced now – I’d back us to win that game at this stage given the same chance. These games are the sort of fixtures we’ve been crying out for and hopefully there will be many more of them in the coming years.”The squad will be captained by William Porterfield and also includes Sussex’s Ed Joyce, Somerset’s George Dockrell, who has impressed in the Championship this season, and Kevin O’Brien who has recently signed with Somerset for the Friends Life t20.Squad William Porterfield (capt), Alex Cusack, George Dockrell, Trent Johnston, Ed Joyce, John Mooney, Tim Murtagh, Kevin O’Brien, Niall O’Brien, Max Sorensen, Paul Stirling, Andrew White, Gary Wilson.

On a day that began with Pakistan needing to bat positively to set a competitive target, Sri Lanka surged ahead with a strong chance of winning the series 2-0

The Report by Siddhartha Talya11-Jul-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Pakistan showed how tough a challenge coming from behind in a Test can prove. Even though they erased the deficit of 111 runs with relative ease, their position in the match was never secure. Even in conditions in which the assistance to bowlers had reduced drastically, the Pakistan batsmen struggled to perform collectively. Azhar Ali’s solid, determined century was the glue that held their innings together, but even he, despite having batted over six hours and taken the lead past 150, was not immune against a seemingly harmless delivery that got him out. On a day that began with Pakistan needing to bat positively to set a competitive target, Sri Lanka moved ahead with a good chance of winning the series 2-0, though a test against a strong bowling attack awaits them.Dilhara Fernando, in and out of the side for the past 12 years and currently on his 17th comeback, bowled quick, varied his lengths, slipped in his split-finger slower balls as well as accurate yorkers. But a couple of unlikely candidates for wicket-taking deliveries broke two fluent partnerships that looked good for more. A full and wide delivery prompted Mohammad Hafeez to chase it after adding 94 with Ali, only to land safely in the hands of the slip fielder. A short and wide delivery that kept a little low produced a slash, and a fatal edge, from Ali after a century-stand with Asad Shafiq, removing the biggest obstacle between Sri Lanka and a chaseable target.While Fernando delivered against the flow, en route to his 100th Test wicket, left-arm spinner Rangana Herath accounted for Pakistan’s two most experienced batsmen, forcing the settled Ali to restrain himself and focus on rebuilding and damage control instead of stepping up the scoring in an effort to level the series.

Smart stats

• Azhar Ali’s century is his fourth in Tests and third against Sri Lanka. However, he failed to surpass his highest score of 157 which he has achieved on two occasions against Sri Lanka (SSC in the previous Test) and England in Dubai.

• Azhar now has 17 fifty-plus second-innings scores by Pakistan batsmen against Sri Lanka. Five of the top six scores have come in Tests in Sri Lanka.

• Dilhara Fernando became only the fifth Sri Lankan bowler to pick up 100 wickets in Tests. He now has 100 wickets at 37.75 with three five-fors.

• Rangana Herath became the third Sri Lankan bowler after Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas to pick up 100 wickets in home Tests. Herath now has 102 wickets at 26.74 with eight five-fors.

• Herath also became the second Sri Lankan bowler and the 11th overall to reach the 50-wicket mark against Pakistan. He averages 31.07 and has two five-fors in Tests against Pakistan.

• The 100-run stand between Azhar and Asad Shafiq is the seventh fifth-wicket century partnership for Pakistan against Sri Lanka. Three of these have come in the team second innings.

• Prasanna Jayawardene went past Romesh Kaluwitharana to go second on the list of Sri Lankan wicketkeepers with the most dismissals. Kumar Sangakkara is on top with 144 dismissals.

Herath hardly got any turn until much later in the day, and was often met with batsmen charging out to him, defending, working it around and, in the case of Ali, driving him comfortably through extra cover. Younis Khan tried the same one ball after a 48-run stand with Ali, but failed to get to the pitch of a flat delivery; the ball scraped the thumb and lobbed up before silly point to be taken smartly by an alert Tharanga Paranavitana. Misbah-ul-Haq showed some intent straightaway, attempting a slog-sweep second ball. But when he tried to drive a loopy delivery from Herath, he edged to slip and departed for just 5.Amid all this, Ali showed a lot of maturity and confidence, having taken the responsibility to anchor the innings. Early in the day, with some movement on offer, he was content leaving deliveries outside off when Nuwan Kulasekara got the odd one to nip away, and adept at playing his preferred inswingers through midwicket and square leg. Extra cover was his favourite area, and he cashed in when allowed the room to free his arms. Kulasekara, Fernando, Mathews and Herath were all punished through that region, even with a deep point in place in the case of the seamers. He was strong down the ground as well, driving Fernando and Thisara Perera for boundaries, but in a hardworking knock, the singles were no less significant. He and Hafeez ran 39 out of 92 this morning in singles, and 40 out of 100 with Shafiq.Shafiq was impressive in his first innings’ 75 in more difficult conditions; he followed it up with another important contribution, and remains key to prolonging Pakistan’s innings and stretching their lead on the final day. If Ali’s strength was the off side, Shafiq continued to be dominant square of the wicket. He wasn’t given the width he got in the first innings, but the straight deliveries were whipped and pulled through square leg and midwicket. With a sound technique and footwork, and the potential to bat long, he and Ali are increasingly showing they can be the future mainstays of Pakistan’s middle order. But having lost Ali, and watched Mohammad Sami, Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal trapped in front in a space of seven overs, he was left battling with an injured Adnan Akmal for company.The highlights for Pakistan on the fourth day promised much for their Test future, but the team was still behind at stumps.Their big hope, yet again, remains a Junaid Khan-led retaliation.

Yorkshire had victory snatched from their grasp by Sussex off the last ball in a thrilling finish to the Clydesdale Bank 40 contest at Headingley

19-Aug-2012
ScorecardAmjad Khan was the hero for Sussex with the bat•Getty Images

Yorkshire had victory snatched from their grasp by Sussex off the last ball in a thrilling finish to the Clydesdale Bank 40 contest at Headingley which the visitors won by three wickets under the Duckworth-Lewis system.Defeat for Yorkshire in the 28-over game ended their hopes of making it through to the semi-finals whereas Sussex remain top of the Group C table.The visitors chased down a revised target of 207 after Yorkshire had knocked up 200 for 8 and they still required 16 with three wickets in hand off the last over which was bowled by offspinner Azeem Rafiq.The game swung dramatically their way as Amjad Khan lashed the first delivery for six and the next for four. Two were needed off the final delivery and Khan got them by managing to squeeze the ball through backward point.It was tough luck on Rafiq and fellow spinner, Adil Rashid, who had bowled splendidly together when Sussex were 156 for 4, needing 51 off six overs. The pair conceded only five apiece off the next two overs, Rafiq also bowling Joe Gatting, and he later dismissed Mike Yardy, leaving Sussex wanting 35 from 14 balls, their position improving through a six from Ben Brown.Brown fell to Tim Bresnan to make it 185 for 7 and Yorkshire were still firm favourites until Khan’s late onslaught, Sussex earlier having been well served with half-centuries from Chris Nash and Ed Joyce.Put in to bat, Yorkshire made 14 off the first four overs before rain caused a lengthy delay and on the resumption skipper Andrew Gale and Phil Jaques were eager to make up for lost time. They had advanced the score to 33 by the eighth over when Jaques was bowled making room to try and cut a yorker from Chris Liddle but the tempo increased still further with the arrival of Joe Root.He powered to 13 with three boundaries off the first four balls he faced while Gale launched himself at Monty Panesar with two big sixes over long on. The second wicket pair raced their stand to 50 off 34 balls and it had galloped on to 75 in 10 overs when Gale was caught on the boundary edge off Luke Wright for 43 from 55 deliveries with three fours and two sixes.A return catch to Nash ended Root’s spree on 41 from 26 balls with four fours and a six but Adam Lyth and Bresnan made sure that Yorkshire’s progress was maintained, Lyth making a bright 19 and Bresnan including a front foot cover drive for six off Khan and two consecutive boundaries off Yardy who pinned him lbw for 27 with his next delivery. Sussex employed seven bowlers, the most successful being Liddle with three for 44.

Stephen Peters added another century to keep alive Northamptonshire’s slim hopes of clinching promotion to Division One

Jon Culley at Northampton10-Aug-2012
ScorecardStephen Peters batted all day for an unbeaten 137•Getty Images

A week after registering his first century of a season that has seen him short of runs, Stephen Peters added another to keep alive Northamptonshire’s slim hopes of clinching promotion to Division One.Time is running out and Derbyshire, the leaders, look out of reach but a victory in this match combined with a couple more in the final quarter of the season might yet put them in contention for second place. After the psychological damage left by last season, when they appeared to have the prize in their grasp only to let a big lead evaporate, they should need little motivation.There is a new man providing it now – or rather newish. David Ripley, who joined the club as a player in 1984 and has never left, has been on the coaching staff for more than a decade, took charge of the first team temporarily last month after the sacking of David Capel, another long servant, and was told the job was his permanently earlier this week.There had been suggestions that a fresh voice might be needed to bring renewed vigour to the dressing room but the move has been a popular one among the players. Oddly enough, Peters offered his personal support for the appointment on the eve of this match. If form reflects contentment, then this innings was a further endorsement.He rarely put a foot wrong, sharing an opening stand of 126 with Niall O’Brien, who was back in the side after his latest tour of duty with Ireland, and one of 139 with Andrew Hall that re-established Northamptonshire’s grip after an afternoon session in which Leicestershire had mounted a fightback.Now 33, Peters has become a solidly dependable opening batsman, blessed with superlative powers of concentration. Yet in full flow he is an attractive strokemaker who can easily switch to attacking mode. His unbeaten 137 would have looked better still, though, had Hall not been out to what became the last ball of the day, driving loosely at a ball from Nathan Buck that provided a catch for wicketkeeper Ned Eckersley. Nonetheless, with a third batting point in the bank and some capable batting to come, Ripley will feel it has been a satisfactory opening day.Leicestershire are bottom of the table, which has become a sadly familiar position for them. However, they are not so far behind that what remains of the season is meaningless. Indeed, the gap between themselves and Northamptonshire at the start of this match was only 20 points.Yet for the most part they were disappointing. Josh Cobb, taking charge of his second Championship game after Matthew Hoggard left himself out in favour of Robbie Joseph, chose to bowl first on a grassy wicket on winning the toss but was probably regretting the decision fairly quickly.None of his bowlers seemed capable of finding anything in it to help their cause and the Northamptonshire openers made the most of a rare opportunity to bat in sustained warm sunshine, finishing the morning session 95 to the good.The afternoon was much more productive for Leicestershire, albeit within the space of 11 overs. The seamers bowled what you might refer to politely as a mixed bag. There were a few too many easy boundaries, and a bit too much work for Eckersley to do on the leg side of the wicket, yet from time to time there would be a ball that flew past the edge or had the batsman in two minds. Wickets went begging a couple of times for want of an extra slip fielder.Wayne White, in particular, offered a threat. He has some pace and hostility in his armoury and took two wickets in two balls towards the end of his second spell, breaking the opening partnership when O’Brien, a little flat-footed, edged a drive. The Irishman had looked impressive in reaching 70. Two balls later, David Sales, struggling for runs, edged low to first slip. He did not walk immediately, but after a consultation between the umpires had to accept that the ball had been taken cleanly.When Shiv Thakor, the 18-year-old allrounder for whom Leicestershire have great hopes, then removed Alex Wakely and Rob Newton within the space of four deliveries, across two overs, Northamptonshire were 161 for 4.White’s third spell deserved more success but Hall and Peters steadily reasserted themselves. Peters reached his century by cutting Claude Henderson, the left-arm spinner, for his 12th boundary and followed it immediately with another. He had increased his tally to 16 by the close.Whatever else happens in Northamptonshire’s season, it will not involve Chaminda Vaas. The 38-year-old former Sri Lanka fast bowler, who was the county’s player of the year in 2011, has been released from what remains of his contract after a season dogged by injury problems.

Virat Kohli, the India batsman, has been named the ODI Cricketer of the Year at the ICC awards function in Colombo

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Sep-2012Virat Kohli, the India batsman, has been named the ODI Cricketer of the Year at the ICC awards function in Colombo. He was picked ahead of MS Dhoni, Lasith Malinga and Kumar Sangakkara.During the period under consideration, Kohli played 31 ODIs and scored 1733 runs at an average of 66.65, including eight hundreds and six half-centuries. His highest score was 183, against Pakistan in the Asia Cup.”I think I have tried to keep things as simple as possible and it’s worked for me on the field,” Kohli said. “This year has been a learning curve along the way from the seniors in the team. It’s been an all-round effort and I’m very happy to have won this award.”It’s always nice to be recognised by the ICC, it’s a great feeling, and it’s the first time I’ve won one of these awards.”In a year in which Kohli was named India’s one-day vice-captain, following a solid tour to Australia, his best innings came in must-win games for India. In Hobart, with India needing to chase down Sri Lanka’s target of 321 in 40 overs to stay alive in the Commonwealth Bank Series, Kohli delivered with 133 not out of 86 balls. His unbroken 120-run stand with Suresh Raina came at 13.09 runs an over, and got India home in 36.4 overs. Three matches later, he put in a similar performance during his 183 in the Asia Cup against Pakistan – there India were chasing 330, and his knock came off 148 balls as India won with over two overs to spare. In that period, Kohli scored four centuries and one fifty in five innings.

Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings were expected to go further than the first round of the Champions League, but they struggled to adjust to the conditions

Firdose Moonda21-Oct-2012The Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings squads were sitting in a hospitality suite in the top tier of the Wanderers Stadium on Saturday afternoon. It is one of the best places to watch cricket in the ground but it may not have been that pleasant for them that day.As they looked down on Lions’ Jean Symes mowing the ball through mid-on for four, both sides knew that no matter what they did, the rest of their time in South Africa would be inconsequential. With that one shot, Symes took Lions into the semi-finals and knocked out three other teams, including both IPL representatives in the group.Without much time for their elimination to sink in, Mumbai and Chennai took the field in what seemed like a daze. Faf du Plessis looked like he had been given a licence to go wild, then Lasith Malinga reined it all in. Chennai retained control though, until Dinesh Kartik began pulling away. He tugged and tugged and eventually the rope snapped and Mumbai were left holding the short end.The contest was one of the best of the tournament. The advantage shifted throughout, audacious shots were played, extraordinary catches taken and a healthy crowd had remained in the ground to see it. But it was difficult to get excited about any of that, as it will be when Chennai play Yorkshire and Mumbai take on the Syndey Sixers in their final acts of the event.Three of the four IPL teams will not participate in the knockouts, a surprise considering how loaded the format was in their favour. Their failure can be put down to an inability to adjust to early season South African pitches, bad weather (Mumbai and Kolkata had a rained-out encounter each) or as, Karthik said, simply being worked out by better opposition.”We should put it down to the fact that we haven’t played good cricket and that other teams have played better than us,” he said. “It’s been hard because we were looking pretty good in terms of batting in the one game [against Yorkshire] and then it was washed out. That’s how this tournament goes. We had a great start against the Lions but it was a game we could have played better.”Karthik denied there was any other explanation for their performances, and he thought there had been enough preparation time. “All the teams were here a week before and we acclimatised,” he said. “These days international cricketers travel around the world and it’s the domestic cricketers who don’t know a place like South Africa. The pitches are a little different to those in India but we even played practice games. They have been good wickets, and good teams could play well on them. One whole IPL was held here.”Ben Hilfenhaus, the Chennai Super Kings fast bowler, shared that sentiment. “With so many good players and so many good competitions around the world, when you get the best teams together, you’ve got to expect some good cricket. It doesn’t matter where those teams come from,” he said. “I don’t think there’s any extra pressure on IPL teams. It is 20-over cricket, and results don’t necessarily go to the favourite team.”As defending champions and the most successful franchise in the IPL, Mumbai and Chennai were two of the fancied bunch. Now, they have nothing but self-respect to salvage, and that kept them motivated when they played each other. “Both teams have a rich tradition. We’ve played each 12 times and it was six wins each, so there’s a bit of history there,” Karthik said. “Both the teams played with a lot of spirit and a lot of energy. We didn’t play thinking that it was okay if somebody loses. Both our teams came hard at it.”Whether they will have that same enthusiasm against non-IPL opposition in their final matches is doubtful. “The feeling was probably a little flat during the warm-ups,” Hilfenhaus admitted after the game against Mumbai, hinting that Chennai may have some feet on the plane already.For Karthik and Mumbai, the hope is that only remaining IPL representatives, Delhi Daredevils, can restore all of their reputations. “They are a team well suited to these conditions, and being an Indian team I would love to see them win,” Karthik, who was once a Delhi Daredevil, said. “If Delhi goes on to qualify, it will be a great thing for the CLT20 because you will definitely get a lot of viewers from India watching them pretty keenly, and I will be one of them. It will be great to see Delhi do well.”

ESPNcricinfo previews the second Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Colombo

The Preview by Andrew Fernando23-Nov-2012

Match facts

November 25-29, 2012
Start time 1000 local (0430 GMT)Doug Bracewell might find the bouncier P Sara pitch more suited to his kind of bowling•Associated Press

Big Picture

The second Test at the P Sara Oval finds the two teams heading in seemingly opposite directions. Sri Lanka had not won a Test series in three years until they defeated Pakistan at home in July, and if a manful recovery with the bat and ruthlessness with the ball in the Galle Test are any indication, they are a side who have reclaimed the fight they had misplaced following the 2011 World Cup and have begun to make winning a habit again.Sri Lanka’s pace bowlers were effective on a dry surface, landing heavy blows on New Zealand’s top order before Rangana Herath arrived to deliver the coup de grace. Herath himself continues to progress, having become the top wicket-taker in 2012 with his 11 wickets in Galle. Sri Lanka may also have uncovered a fast bowler with enough command of pace, seam and reverse swing to become a potential long-term spearhead in Shaminda Eranga. Their batting also seems less prone to the sporadic collapses that plagued them in the 12 months before the Pakistan series.New Zealand meanwhile, have slid to their worst losing streak since 1955. Their batsmen have been working on their technique against spin in the nets since their three-day loss, but even the two extra days may not be enough to rebound from a performance as woeful as their 118 all out in their second innings in Galle. Though they are short on time to vastly improve their techniques, they must acquire the psychological steel to survive at the crease for long periods against fine bowling. Their plight may not be as hopeless as it seems, as the bouncier P Sara pitch will assist their seam bowlers in the same way it assisted England’s in March, when they squared their two-match series with Sri Lanka, after also losing the first match in Galle.For Sri Lanka, this Test shapes as a doubly crucial fixture, as it may be their only real test before their first Test against Australia in Hobart. The considerable talent in New Zealand’s fast bowling unit was evident in Galle, and with the Canberra pitch on which Sri Lanka are scheduled to play their only warm-up match having a reputation for being on the slow side, the bouncy Colombo venue might serve as an opportunity for the team to pre-tune their techniques before they land in Australia. It may also give the hosts the opportunity to settle on a first-choice seam-bowling unit for the Tests to come, or at least, a chance to gauge how effective Nuwan Kulasekara’s new ball partnership with Eranga might be Down Under.

Form guide

Sri Lanka: WDDWL (Most recent first)
New Zealand: LLLLL

Player to watch

Doug Bracewell has been one of New Zealand’s most consistent performers since making his debut just over a year ago, but he was unable to find the right length in Galle and went wicketless while his teammates prospered. But unlike Galle, the P Sara pitch often rewards hit-the-deck bowling and Bracewell’s back-of-a-length seamers may be more effective this time round.Suraj Randiv was put under some pressure by chief selector Ashantha de Mel, who said his place in the XI might be under threat if he does not have a good first Test. He too was less successful than his teammates in the first Test, despite bowling some tight spells, but the selectors seem to have backed him in the end, naming him in the squad to Australia as the second spinner. Sri Lanka are unlikely to leave him out in Colombo unless the pitch is uncharacteristically green, and a bagful of wickets there will do his confidence some good.

Teams news

Tillakaratne Dilshan has been passed fit and Dimuth Karunaratne will make way for him. Karunaratne’s second innings 60 in Galle has put some pressure on Tharanga Paranavitana though and Paranavitana will be keen to embed himself in that second opener’s spot, which is the only position in the Sri Lanka batting order that isn’t nailed down at present.Kulasekara and Eranga are the likely new-ball pair, and Chanaka Welegedara will only play if a third seamer is deemed necessary.Sri Lanka (probable): 1. Tillakaratne Dilshan/Dimuth Karunaratne, 2. Tharanga Paranavitana, 3. Kumar Sangakkara, 4. Mahela Jayawardene (c), 5. Thilan Samaraweera, 6. Angelo Mathews, 7. Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), 8. Nuwan Kulasekara, 9. Suraj Randiv, 10. Rangana Herath, 11. Shaminda Eranga.Tim Southee, whose terrific second-day spell breathed life into the first Test, is also doubtful for the second. New Zealand have two more seam bowlers in their ranks, but have said legspinner Todd Astle might get a debut – particularly if Southee cannot play.James Franklin had a woeful first Test with the bat, as epitomised by his 44-ball 3 in the first innings, and New Zealand may consider dropping him to play five bowlers.New Zealand (probable): 1. Martin Guptill, 2. Brendon McCullum, 3. Kane Williamson, 4. Ross Taylor, 5. Daniel Flynn, 6. James Franklin/ Todd Astle, 7. Kruger van Wyk, 8. Doug Bracewell, 9. Tim Southee/Todd Astle, 10. Jeetan Patel, 11. Trent Boult

Pitch and conditions

The Colombo weather has largely held over the past week or so, and the only showers have been in the evening. A little more rain is forecast for the coming week, but if it follows the recent pattern, it may not have a major effect on the cricket. However, being November, there is always the chance of a front moving in and bedding down.

Stats and trivia

• The victory in Galle was Sri Lanka’s fourth Test win since Muttiah Muralitharan retired in July 2010
• Before the Mumbai Test between England and India began, Rangana Herath was leading Graeme Swann by one wicket in 2012, with 46 victims. Herath had played four fewer Tests
• Tim Southee’s has an average of 26.23 for 2012, while his career average is 37.85. He has more wickets (17) and a better economy rate (3.16) this year than in any preceding calendar year
• The P Sara Oval has had only one draw since 1993, but New Zealand were involved in that occasion in 2003, when Stephen Fleming hit an unbeaten 274.

Quotes

“We’re not thinking we can’t compete with them. We think we can win this Test match and that’s what we’re going out to do. Everyone needs to step up, learn from what happened in Galle and move forward.”


” We will definitely look to keeping the Kiwis under pressure as they have the firepower with both bat and ball so there’s no room for any complacency.”



Steven Finn has been ruled out of the first Test against India in Ahmedabad due to the thigh strain that limited his warm-up participation to four overs in the first match in Mumbai

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Nov-2012Steven Finn has been ruled out of the first Test against India in Ahmedabad due to the thigh strain that limited his warm-up participation to four overs in the first match in Mumbai.England captain Alastair Cook confirmed that Finn would not be considered for the opening match of the series as it would be a significant risk. England are still likely to field one fast bowler under an injury cloud with Stuart Broad set to play after recovering from the bruised heel that meant he has bowled just 10 warm-up overs on tour.While Finn and Broad bowled with impressive pace at practice on Sunday, it was always unlikely that the England management would two risk two bowlers in the same Test. Finn barely participated in fielding practice and did not bowl a single delivery in the nets. While he is not thought to have suffered any injury setback, it seems the England management are keen not to risk his recovery; particularly in a Test that will be played in hot, arduous conditions.The problem for Finn now is that there are no further matches on the tour outside of the Tests so he will have to regain form and fitness in the nets.The most likely replacement for Finn appears to be Tim Bresnan who bowled well in the second innings of the final warm-up match against Haryana where he found useful reverse swing. Graham Onions, Stuart Meaker or a second frontline spinner in Monty Panesar are the other options and Cook is happy with the depth available.”I wouldn’t call them back-up bowlers, they’re all vying for a place to play in this XI, to be lucky enough to play for England,” Cook said. “They’ve all worked hard to get used to these conditions and as selectors we’ve got a tough decision to make.”