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Having ironed out the technical flaws that had crept into his game, the wicketkeeper-batsman looks to put his head down and score big runs

Madushka Balasuriya 12-Sep-2018Niroshan Dickwella would have considered himself rather unlucky to miss out after Sri Lanka’s Asia Cup squad was announced last week, but poor returns in the domestic T20 tournament last month had somewhat overshadowed an impressive showing at home against South Africa.In that series, Dickwella was among Sri Lanka’s top three performers with the bat, scoring 158 runs at an average of 31.60 – behind only Angelo Mathews and Kusal Perera. With Sri Lanka struggling to find consistent openers over recent years, Dickwella’s omission raised more than a few eyebrows.The man himself though was not surprised following a domestic outing that saw him score just 24 runs in four innings.”I have changed my technique and game plan, it has worked in ODIs and Tests, but I think I’m struggling a little bit in T20s,” Dickwella told ESPNcricinfo. “One of the reasons [for failing in the T20 tournament] is that maybe I was trying to score too quickly. I know I have to plan my game better. I hadn’t played T20s for a while and I was desperate to score some runs.”However, a finger-injury sustained by Dinesh Chandimal in that same tournament has now handed the 25-year-old a lifeline, with him being drafted in as Chandimal’s replacement for the Asia Cup.For Dickwella, it’s an opportunity he knows he’s good enough to take, even though he acknowledges that at times he can be guilty of throwing away his wicket.”I normally get out in silly ways, everyone talks about that. But when I score runs in a similar way, they appreciate it. But I think now I have to calm myself down a bit, and put my head down and bat. Then only I can improve my game and score big runs.”Niroshan Dickwella celebrates his maiden ODI hundred•AFP

Indeed, an ODI career that touts 1232 runs at an average of 32.42 with six fifties and two hundreds in 39 innings screams unfulfilled potential – and that potential is considerable when you look at Dickwella’s international career thus far.Having made his international debut in 2014, it wouldn’t be until late 2016 – when he was included as part of an inexperienced touring party to Zimbabwe – that he would make his mark on the national side; 179 runs at 44.75 in five ODIs in Zimbabwe, followed by 197 at 39.40 in five losing ODIs in South Africa.He added to this in the T20I leg, scoring 133 runs in three games at 44.33 and with a strike rate of 156.47, as Sri Lanka secured their first series win in South Africa.”I have been successful in T20s. In South Africa, I was Man-of-the-Series, and Man-of-the-Match in the final game,” Dickwella said. However, the highest score of 68 – his only half-century in the format – Dickwella’s average stands at 20.75 after 13 T20Is.But while he was suffering in the shortest format, in 50-over cricket he was thriving. A further 121 runs at 40.33 in the 2017 Champions Trophy in England, and 266 runs against Zimbabwe at home at 53.20 – including a career-high of 116 – saw Dickwella end as Sri Lanka’s second-highest run-getter in ODIs for the year 2017, behind Upul Tharanga.This was despite ending the year in a miserable run of form where, following an assured 74-ball 64 against India at home in August 2017, he scored just 243 runs in his next 15 ODIs – a run that would eventually saw him being dropped for the Nidahas Trophy.Fortunately, for Dickwella, this austere spell coincided with the hiring of head coach Chandika Hathurusingha and batting coach Thilan Samaraweera.”Both of them [Hathurusingha and Samaraweera] are always talking to me how I can improve my game in different formats,” he said. “Now it’s good in ODIs and Tests, but I need to have a good game plan and be mentally strong in T20s.”Following constant in-depth conversations with the pair, a rejuvenated Dickwella emerged to star against South Africa. Conversations, he revealed, which helped identify the necessary technical alterations that would see him return to his best.”My front leg was going across, and I have made that adjustment. I made some small changes in terms of my upper body positioning while in my stance, and it’s helping me a lot now. I’m also playing with a split grip now – [earlier] I used to play with a split group but it got changed over time.”It’s important to speak to the coaches and get back to being normal Dickwella.”Indeed in Tests and ODIs Sri Lanka have begun to reap the benefits of “normal Dickwella”. They’ll be hoping he turns up in the shortest format as well and sooner rather than later.

Hampshire continued their winning start to this season’s Natwest T20 Blast campaign thanks to a Man-of-the-Match performance by Michael Carberry

ECB Reporters Network14-Jul-2017
ScorecardMichael Carberry summoned some of the old magic [file picture]•Getty Images

Middlesex were still closed away in the dressing room, refusing requests for interviews, more than a hour after a spectacular collapse against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl consigned them to a 29-run defeat in the NatWest Blast.Even that was something of a release for Middlesex, who found themselves 74 for 7 in the 13th over before Tim Southee hammered five sixes in his 64 off 32 balls to narrow the margin.Hampshire were still comfortable winners, with young leg-spinner Mason Crane taking 3 for 15 off four overs and Reece Topley, Gareth Berg and Kyle Abbott all grabbing a wicket a piece.Crane said: “”Three good performances so far and everyone has contributed in all of them. It hasn’t been the same players in every game and that shows we have a strong team. The crowd were amazing. I’ve never seen it that full for a Hampshire game.”Hampshire continued their winning start thanks to a Man-of-the-Match performance by Michael Carberry, who smashed 77 off 45 balls and followed it up with two catches.The former England opener showed he is still capable of some devastating power hitting at the age of 36, while captain James Vince played some classy shots in his brief 34 to get his side on the front foot from the off.Vince won the toss and opted to bat first in his side’s first home game of the season, backing up his decision with six classy fours and a six in his quickfire 34 off 15, before skying one from Toby Roland-Jones high into the air only to be caught by Southee at square leg.Rilee Roussow and Carberry put on a measured 48-run partnership, ensuring the scoreboard ticked over, but the South African soon followed his captain back to the dressing room after clubbing a flat catch to James Franklin at long-on off the bowling of Nathan Sowter.Carberry followed up his 41 not out against Sussex on Wednesday night with a magnificent batting display in front of the Ageas Bowl crowd, placing a delicate shot through gully to reach his 50 off 32 balls. And the 36-year-old wasted no time in following that up with two sixes straight back down the ground and into jubilant crowd.A tough evening for the Middlesex bowlers showed no sign of easing up, as Aussie George Bailey smacked 28 off 19 balls, with a six and three fours, but Roland-Jones cut his innings short as it began to reach full flow having him caught at long-on by Dawid Malan.Shahid Afridi’s batting struggles continued, the 37-year-old failing to add anything to a tally of five runs in this year’s Blast competition when he was caught in the deep by Malan trying to power Roland-Jones for six.After looking as if they would set Middlesex a score of over 200 to win, the steady fall of wickets, including that of Carberry in the final over, bowled by Franklin, Hampshire managed 189 for 8.Roland-Jones, released by England from the Test squad, ended the pick of Middlesex’s bowlers after taking 4 for 39 off his four overs, while Franklin took three wickets in the last over of the innings to end with 3 for 19 off two overs.Hampshire continued as they started, Abbott sending Paul Stirling packing for just six runs and Topley following up with the wicket of dangerman Brendon McCullum, thanks to a stunning acrobatic catch from Rossouw at midwicket. England captain Eoin Morgan put up some resistance, making 23 off 22, before wicketkeeper John Simpson and New Zealander Southee came together in an eighth-wicket stand of 86 to try and salvage the game.Southee reached a half-century off 28 balls, while Simpson made 37 off 34 as Middlesex fell 29 runs short.

The sun was shining for most of the day in Cardiff as Glamorgan took on Essex but the outlook is very gloomy

Peter Miller at Cardiff22-May-2016
ScorecardIt has not been an easy start for Robert Croft as head coach•Getty Images

The sun was shining for most of the day in Cardiff as Glamorgan took on Essex but the outlook is very gloomy. The home side sit at the bottom of the County Championship table and are already 50 points off the solitary promotion spot that is available to them. The last time a season started this poorly was Glamorgan’s most recent appearance in Division One of the Championship in 2005 where the side won only once and lost 14 times. But that was in the rarefied air of the top flight, this is in a second division in which there is no real stand out team.Having taken a punt on preparing as green a pitch as you will ever see in County Championship knowing full well that Essex would put them into bat, they started off well enough. At lunch they were 91 for 1 with Mark Wallace and Chris Cooke both looking secure enough. It looked horrible but the surface had pace, carry and even bounce. Then the inevitable Glamorgan collapse happened, something that has become so familiar for this team this year. Their average score when the fifth wicket has fallen this season is just 135. This time they lost six wickets for 73 to find themselves scrambling for late-order runs to rescue their innings.It wasn’t supposed to be this way. The off-season departure of Toby Radford as coach and the ushering in of Robert Croft as a replacement was meant to be the making of this team. There are few people that are as inspiring for Glamorgan supporters as Croft, barring maybe Don Shepherd. If anyone was going to bring Welsh pride to a club that craves just that it was Croft. Quite why Glamorgan seem so short of confidence in 2016 is not clear, but Croft admitted it was a major problem in a supporters Q&A session in the lunch interval today.”Confidence has been low and by our own admission there’s too many of us not performing, junior and senior players, and it’s the role of every player and every coach to try and turn that around,” he said.”Losing the first game here [against Leicestershire] affected confidence and we’ve missed Colin Ingram [who is injured], but I’m not in the business of excuses and our performances from every player and coach is not good enough at the moment and we have to dig deep.”This game against Essex is Glamorgan’s sixth match of the season, they are yet to win and are the only team that have lost more than one match. They suffered their third loss of 2016 at Gloucestershire last week and it was as close to a metaphorical kick in the nuts as cricket is capable of throwing up.Having been in front in the game for three days they needed 269 runs to win on a decent pitch with almost a whole day to get there. They started well, an opening stand between Mark Wallace and Jacques Rudolph taking the team to 87 without loss. From there it was more farce than tragedy as eight wickets fell for 33 runs. Glamorgan eventually lost by 125 runs, in a game they had looked like winning for nearly four days, the whole thing falling apart in less than a session.So much of cricket is about self-belief and as Croft admitted when he spoke to the county’s most loyal of supporters that is missing from this team right now. As they succumbed to yet another middle-order capitulation against Essex it is difficult to know where they will find that much needed confidence boost.There is a huge amount of goodwill towards Croft and that is still evident from the reception that he got from members today. Once he mentioned that he was a proud Welshman just like them, and wanted nothing but success for a county that he has dedicated his entire professional life to, they were as much under his control as a cricket ball during his most brilliant of bowling spells. But history and affection for a favoured son are a currency that only last for so long. Eventually this side need to start winning or the locals will become restless.Croft was keen to point out that things weren’t always rosy for him and the other great players of Glamorgan’s past; that poor runs of form do happen regardless of how good your players are.”I played in some very bad Glamorgan sides as well that had Glamorgan greats in it, and it just didn’t happen at the time. We had some slumps believe you me. I believe in the players we do have and we have to turn it round,” he said.Glamorgan’s director of cricket, Hugh Morris, said that results are analysed and discussed after every game but is backing and his coach and his players to come good.”The margins between success and failure in the Championship are small particularly at this stage in the season. We’re mindful it wasn’t the plan to start the season the way we’ve done and we revaluate our performances after every game and we need to put it right,” he said. “Robert Croft, his coaching team and all the players are working very hard to make sure that happens.”There is no doubting that everyone at the club is aware that this has been a terrible start to the Croft era and that they are redoubling their efforts to turn things around. The issue is that as Glamorgan were bowled out before the close – green pitch or not – and then failed to make significant inroads into the Essex top order there is little evidence that a change is just around the corner.

James Whitaker will have gleaned little that he did not already know from his visit to New Road. Ian Bell made a century, the 50th of his career in first-class cricket, and Worcestershire collapsed miserably to an innings defeat, which is sadly not a rar

Jon Culley at New Road15-Jun-2015
ScorecardBoyd Rankin helped rip through Worcestershire•Getty Images

James Whitaker will have gleaned little that he did not already know from his visit to New Road. Ian Bell made a century, the 50th of his career in first-class cricket, and Worcestershire collapsed miserably to an innings defeat, which is sadly not a rarity either.What the national selector wanted to see, you supposed, was a little more of Moeen Ali bowling, given that the purpose of the England offspinner’s return to red-ball county duty was to get in some overs. Yet Moeen’s ration, curiously, in a Warwickshire first innings spanning almost 92 overs was limited to six.This might look like an odd state of affairs, although Daryl Mitchell, the Worcestershire captain, should be cut some slack. He had Saaed Ajmal back for his first Championship match of the season, and having reaped the benefits of the Pakistan offspinner’s 63 wickets in nine matches last year he was hardly likely to ask him to play second fiddle to Moeen.In the event, Ajmal bowled 17 overs and conceded 82 runs without taking a wicket, which raised immediate questions over whether the powers he could summon up before his action was deemed illegal have gone. The remodelled version appeared to hold no mysteries for anyone.Moeen might have been given another chance in the second innings but none was required after Worcestershire were bowled out inside 33 overs for 80, the lowest all out total for the county since the match against Warwickshire in 2012 when they were dismissed for 60 and Warwickshire clinched the title.Bell, who made 111 before he was leg before to Jack Shantry as one of five wickets for the left-arm seamer, looked in good order. To say he has been dropped by England is not really accurate. His omission from the one-day series is more a case of allowing him a break from the treadmill after a relatively lean run of form in the Test side and to suggest he is fighting for a place in the Ashes series is an exaggeration.In any event, this was an impressive statement of his wellbeing. The way this match concluded may give the impression of a one-sided contest but Warwickshire had been 35 for 4 on Sunday evening before Bell had settled in and on the second morning a difficult opening session had to be negotiated.Bell was hit on the hand by one that jumped off a length from Shantry, who had Tim Ambrose caught behind by Ben Cox, standing up, and should have seen off Rikki Clarke by the same method when the allrounder was on 9, only for the wicketkeeper to let the ball slip through his hands. Clarke had a second escape before lunch, dropped at second slip off Charlie Morris. But Bell, a model of concentration and exemplary footwork, completed his hundred from 181 balls with three to midwicket off Ajmal in the fourth over after lunch.The evidence is that returning to county cricket usually brings Bell back into form. In his last nine appearances for Warwickshire, he has not failed to make at least a half-century in one innings and four times gone on to make a hundred, something he acknowledged afterwards.”Yes it has been a tricky few Tests but it is not that long ago that I made my last hundred for England and I hope to be part of that for a while to come,” he said. “I have been through highs and lows with England and you go in and out of form and it is nice sometimes to step away from the spotlight, work hard in the nets and hopefully with a bit of form I can get into the Ashes and hit the ground running.”Bell shared partnerships of 71 with Ambrose and 135 with Clarke, as Worcestershire’s optimism of Sunday evening began to dissolve. After Bell and Clarke had ensured that Warwickshire would have a lead, Keith Barker stretched it to 97 with an unbeaten 50 off 54 balls.It was a good lead on a pitch that you felt was likely to help Jeetan Patel as the sun grew in intensity but Worcestershire must have felt they could make a game of it, at least. Instead, they were abject and most of the damage was done even before the New Zealand offspinner became involved. Chris Wright, later to hold a very good catch from a steepler put up by Shantry, removed Mitchell and Richard Oliver in his second over. Moeen pulled him for six but was the bowled pushing at one from Barker and a sense of impending doom seemed to descend in that moment.Resistance was almost non-existent as Boyd Rankin bowled Tom Fell and then Alex Gidman, gaining a third success when Joe Clarke prodded at one outside off stump that Bell caught at third slip. Barker added a couple more to give him seven in the match and Patel wrapped things up, the match ending in the 33rd over of the innings when Charlie Morris hit Patel tamely to mid-off.Warwickshire, for the moment, climb to second in the table. Worcestershire, who have lost eight times in a row now to their nearest neighbours, have been competitive in several matches so far and have that win over Somerset in the bank. but they will need to shake this out of their system quickly.

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.”



ESPNcricinfo’s Plays of the Day from the second Twenty20 between South Africa and Australia in Johannesburg

Firdose Moonda at the Wanderers16-Oct-2011Welcome of the day
The Johannesburg crowd gave former captain Graeme Smith a particularly unpleasant reception when they booed the announcing of his name on the loudspeaker, but it was Wayne Parnell who received an even nastier hello. Making his return to the international team after a difficult year that was dotted with injury, Parnell was introduced in the sixth over. His extra pace was supposed to the factor that would create a threat on the Wanderers pitch and while he had the gas, he started off without control and as his first ball strayed onto Shaun Marsh’s pads to be sent screaming through midwicket for four. Marsh went one better the next delivery and creamed Parnell over cover for six to give him a rude return to the big stage.Catch of the day
Heino Kuhn had a good game, taking three catches and his athletic effort for the second one would have got him noticed by the selectors. Shaun Marsh got an under edge to a Rusty Theron delivery that went swirling and twirling down towards backward point. Kuhn had scurried over, called for it as the third man came in and was under it in time to pouch it comfortably. Footwork of the day
After three, expensive overs, Parnell redeemed himself, but not with his cricketing skills. Mitchell Marsh attempted to hustle a single after an inside edge of his pads dropped at his feet. Parnell was speedy in his follow through, saw the ball in striking distance, aimed for the stumps and scored. His kick broke the wicket and Cameron White, who was the non-striker, was run out.Anticipation of the day
Smith did not take first guard with Doug Bollinger set to open the bowling so Hashim Amla had to deal with the first six balls from the left-armer. Tension rose as the third over approached, with Smith taking guard. The wait before the first delivery of that over seemed longer than the duration of the match itself and when Bollinger bowled it and Smith got an ugly flick to fine leg for one, a breath could be taken. Later that over, Smith redeemed himself to the Johannesburg crowd with a finely placed shot that went for four. The cheers told him he was being forgiven.Assault of the day
All the big talk around 18-year-old Pat Cummins has turned into big action and the teenager has had some of the best in the world rattled with his skill. In his first over, he beat Smith’s outside edge, got him to pop up a leading edge two balls later and made good use of full, wide deliveries. But it was in his second over that he really got going. First, he removed Colin Ingram off the inside edge, and then persisted with an attacking full line, mixing things up with a slower ball bouncer. The next one was quicker and a confused JP Duminy edged to David Hussey at slip. The result was a double-wicket maiden; good enough at the best of times but exceptional in this format.Firework of the day
Theron and Parnell had pulled South Africa from a required run rate of over 12 to less than a run a ball. They struck five fours and three sixes and took the game away from a stunned Australian attack. Fireworks went up up bigger and higher around the field with every blow, but the most explosive came off Theron’s bat. With six needed to win off the last over, he got down on one knee and mowed Hussey over midwicket to send the Wanderers into a frenzy. The 33,000-strong crowd were on their feet with cries off ‘Ole, Ole’ doing the rounds. Victory had finally come to Johannesburg after the last few internationals here ended in defeat.

Ricky Ponting admitted that his team had been wary of VVS Laxman, fully fit or otherwise, going into day five

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-2010Australia’s bowlers had been wary of VVS Laxman, despite his bad back, going into the fifth day at Mohali, Ricky Ponting has said. Laxman overcame his injury to play another nerveless innings against his favourite opposition and shepherd the tail to victory.”Just having some dinner last night with a few guys I was sitting with, I really felt that [we should beware] the wounded player [Laxman], and batting down the order I felt he would make a big contribution today,” Ponting said. “I was trying to make sure that we weren’t thinking they were going to be a batsman down again in the second innings and get too carried away.”Laxman batted at No. 10 in the first innings and sat out the fourth morning as Australia set India a target. He could not bat at his usual No. 6 position on the fourth evening as India’s chase ran into rough weather. The Indian team said he would bat on the last day if required, and he walked out at the fall of the nightwatchman Zaheer Khan. Laxman stood tall as India lost wickets and guided the tail to victory.”Even with that [bad back] today he showed what sort of class player he is,” Ponting said. “He has been a bit of a thorn in our side there’s no doubt about that, I guess him and Sachin [Tendulkar] would be the two who’ve done the most damage over the years, a couple of guys who’ve played a lot against us and have got good records against us. I hope his back’s pretty sore for next week as well and he can’t play.”Things went against Australia through the fifth day. Doug Bollinger, who had joined the team late after the Champions League, was forced off the field with an abdominal strain in the middle of a very good spell. Then, with India’s last pair requiring six runs to win the game, Pragyan Ojha survived a close lbw shout and Steven Smith missed a direct hit that could have ended the match, but ended up conceding four overthrows.”That’s what we expect from our guys, we expect that when there’s a half chance there that they’ll want to take it. There’s no blame at all towards Smith for having a shot at the stumps, if that was me I would have done exactly the same thing.”It probably doesn’t help,” Ponting said of Bollinger’s hurried preparation for the game after the Champions League. “But he had been bowling, and that was one positive for Doug, that he had been playing competitive cricket. He probably hasn’t been bowling the amount of overs in the Champions Leauge that some of the others have had coming over here, but he has been playing and arrived a couple of days before the game.”I thought his spell today was probably the best he’s bowled during the game, so disappointing for him to go down at the end there. I went to grab his hat off him for the start of his next over and he said he felt some pain in one of his abdominals, and being a fast bowler and having that sort of injury I just sent him off the ground straight away.”The match was marred by some questionable umpiring decisions. Michael Hussey and Gautam Gambhir got rough calls on the fourth day, while Ishant Sharma was sent on his way today with the game in the balance, before the lbw appeal against Ojha. After a match of such close margins, Ponting reaffirmed his faith in the UDRS, the use of which had been refused by India at the start of this series.”I’m a big supporter of the UDRS, I actually queried the ICC before the series started about the reason why we weren’t using the system,” Ponting said. “One thing I know about the system so far is that you definitely get more correct decisions in a game of cricket than you do without it, we understand how difficult a job it is for the umpires out there. There’s no doubt, take this Test match alone, with the use of the system here I think we would’ve have a lot more right decisions in the game.”

Yet another of Australia’s bowlers, Moises Henriques, has been hit by injury and will return home early from the tour

Cricinfo staff04-Nov-2009Moises Henriques has become the latest Australian bowler to be hit by injury and take an early flight home. News of Henriques’ injury – a tweaked right hamstring picked up in the field during Monday’s victory in Mohali – came only a day after Peter Siddle was sent home due to stiffness in his left side, also picked up in Monday’s match.They will be replaced by Victoria all-rounder Andrew McDonald and New South Wales fast bowler Burt Cockley, who will join the squad in time for the sixth ODI in Guwahati on Sunday.The squad has already lost Brett Lee (elbow), James Hopes (hamstring) and Tim Paine (finger), and was without first-choice players Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Nathan Bracken and Callum Ferguson when the series began.Henriques himself was a replacement player who joined the group mid-tour when Hopes was ruled out. His departure could mean an ODI debut for either the spinner Jon Holland or the fast bowler Clint McKay, both from Victoria, with Ben Hilfenhaus set to return to the starting line-up for the fifth ODI on Thursday in Hyderabad.”Moises complained of some discomfort after the fourth ODI in Mohali,” team physiotherapist Kevin Sims said. “He had an MRI scan when we arrived in Hyderabad which showed signs of injury to the right hamstring. The medical staff believe the injury will not recover sufficiently for him to participate in the last week of the tour and therefore we have decided he will return to Australia where he will continue his treatment.”McDonald is one of the newcomers in the Australian squad in the last 12 months, having played four Tests. He was very impressive for Victoria in the Champions Twenty20 League in India, taking nine wickets, including a match-winning four-wicket haul against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Cockley is just a season old for New South Wales and in 2008-09, stormed to the top of the state’s Sheffield Shield wicket list.”Andrew played very well for Victoria in the recent Champions League in India, was in very good form in the first Sheffield Shield game, scoring a hundred and bowling impressively on a batsman friendly Adelaide wicket and backing that up with a dominant display in Wednesday night’s Ford Ranger Cup match
,” Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, said. “We are sure that Andrew will grab his opportunity and perform well in the Australian one-day set up.”Burt is someone who the National Selection Panel has identified in the last 12 months as someone who could have an impact at international level. He performed well in the recent Ford Ranger Cup game against Western Australia (taking four wickets) and we think he will be well suited to Indian conditions.”The captain Ricky Ponting said he felt for the injured players. “It’s disappointing to see these guys go down, because you know how much they want to play and be a part of the series and do the best they can to win games and win series,” Ponting told AAP. “So it’s more disappointing for them moreso than anything. I’m sure everyone who’s returned back home would much rather be here with the series as it is at the moment, but we’ve got what we’ve got.”Coach Tim Nielsen applauded the depleted team for performing above expectations. “In the ideal team, we [first] had James Hopes and [then] Moises batting at No. 7 along the line,” Nielsen said. “We don’t have those players now. The bowling also needs to adjust to the conditions and then we would decide the batting line-up. It is not simple or easy. We have to ensure that we have five bowlers, plus a spare bowler, to ensure one guy doesn’t have an off day.”The most difficult (thing), I suppose, is players getting hurt (so frequently) which means there is a change in the team in every game we have played. Having said that I’m pleased with the way the players have fought hard. The young players have come up to take up different roles.”At least the long-term news for some of the key members of Australia’s side is good. The Cricket Australia physio Alex Kountouris said Lee and Clarke were not far away from playing cricket again, while Paine should be able to start training by the end of the month.”Brett has seen a specialist and CA medical staff in Melbourne,” Kountouris said. “He had a scan that confirmed the cause of the pain as being a long-standing bone spur near the elbow joint. It is felt there is no major problem with the joint and we are optimistic that he may be able to resume bowling fairly soon, possibly some time next week.”Tim Paine saw a hand specialist in Melbourne today and Tim doesn’t require surgery to the fractured ring finger of his left hand. He will recommence cricket training in approximately three weeks time. Michael [Clarke] is making good progress and it’s hoped he’ll play for New South Wales before the first Test against the West Indies.”

Bangladesh ended the second day of the Test 101 runs behind with seven wickets left in their second innings

Himanshu Agrawal22-Oct-2024Stumps Seven balls after bringing the light meter out for the first time on day two, the umpires pulled the plug on the day’s play because of bad light. If that was somewhat abrupt, a third-umpire decision that took its time coming added drama to what turned out to be the last delivery of the day.Mahmudul Hasan Joy, on 38, decided to skip out of the crease to Dane Piedt, and missed the ball with his wild swing. The ball bounced a fair bit, and wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne collected it in front of his right shoulder and whipped the bails off. The TV umpire saw multiple replays and concluded Mahmudul was not out – the bat was behind the line but in the air, but it seemed to have lifted after being grounded once. Verreynne’s expression showed how tight it was.Related

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The day belonged to Verreynne, who hit his second Test century in the afternoon session. That, combined with Wiaan Mulder’s maiden half-century and Piedt’s resistance from No. 10, took South Africa to 308 despite them being 108 for 6 at one stage. And with a cushion of a 202-run first-innings lead, Kagiso Rabada struck twice early in the second innings to have Bangladesh at 4 for 2, before a fightback from Mahmudul, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim.Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque fell for single-digit scores within the first four overs for the second time in as many days, as Rabada extracted plenty of pace and bounce with the new ball. His wickets came off back-of-a-length deliveries. In the third over, he got one to nip into Shadman, who inside-edged to short leg, where Tony de Zorzi took a sharp catch to his left. Three balls later, Mominul went defending but got an outside edge to third slip, where Mulder went low to grab a dipping ball.Mahmudul and Shanto added 55 to rebuild briefly, before Keshav Maharaj trapped Shanto in front. Maharaj got a full delivery to turn in from outside off, and Shanto, who had opened his stance up in looking to defend, was struck on his back leg, which was dragging towards off.Mushfiqur then hit an entertaining 31 off 26 deliveries in an unbroken stand of 42 with Mahmudul to ensure there was no further damage, although Bangladesh still ended the day 101 runs behind South Africa.Hasan Mahmud took two wickets in the first session•BCB

The advantage South Africa enjoyed was down to Verreynne. He swept every other ball that came his way, and when he finally missed one, he was stumped by Litton Das. That ended South Africa’s innings at 308 but by then, Verreynne had raced to his hundred. He took just 144 balls to score 114, becoming only the third wicketkeeper-batter from his country to get a Test hundred in Asia. Fittingly, the landmark came off a paddle sweep off Taijul Islam in the 86th over.Both Verreynne’s sixes were pumped once he was past the three-figure mark: one a slog-sweep off the wicketless Nayeem Hasan, and the other a pull off Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Just before that, Mehidy had broken a frustrating ninth-wicket stand of 66. Piedt, who batted solidly, nudged and pushed his way to 32 before he was trapped in front off the 87th delivery he had faced. It turned in and he was given out on field. Piedt reviewed, and it returned an umpire’s call. And immediately after Verreynne’s second six, Mehidy slowed the ball down to have him stumped.Earlier, the overnight pair of Verreynne and Mulder took their seventh-wicket to 119. The pitch seemed to have settled nicely for batting on the second morning, with no apparent turn available for Taijul. Verreynne particularly looked assured against Hasan Mahmud, who had started the day alongside Taijul, nudging the pacer past mid-on for three, and clipping and driving him for boundaries.Wiaan Mulder made 54, his highest Test score•AFP/Getty Images

Taijul then had Mulder poking, only for the outside edge to fall short of slip. That had as much to do with Mulder playing with soft hands as the slowness of the surface. Mulder and Verreynne adjusted to the pitch, and calmly did the job against the spin of Taijul and Nayeem.Both batters used the sweep and the reverse sweep to great effect despite Nayeem turning the ball in appreciably on occasion. That was down to them taking a good stride forward to get to the pitch of the deliveries, and playing their shots with confidence. They played 38 sweeps – or reverse sweeps – against spin on the second morning, and got 59 runs off them, including seven boundaries and a six.Bangladesh posted a man close in at square leg to prevent the batters from earning easy runs from the sweep, and yet Verreynne got to his half-century when he drilled one to the man there. Mulder then got to his half-century at the start of the 64th over, when he cut Nayeem for four behind point.Shanto had brought Mahmud back into the attack, and he struck back-to-back blows. First, he pitched on a back-of-a-length outside off, the ball holding its line. Mulder went for the punch, but edged to wide slip. Next ball, Mahmud went much fuller, reversing the ball into Maharaj and beating his defence to uproot off stump.But Piedt, who was in next, not only denied Mahmud a hat-trick, but also annoyed Bangladesh no end.

He has been named Australia’s T20I captain for South Africa tour, and could also be in the running for the ODI job full time

Andrew McGlashan09-Aug-20232:25

George Bailey: Ideal world would have two captains, not three

Mitchell Marsh, Australia captain. It’s a phrase that would have appeared very unlikely a couple of years ago, but now the allrounder is preparing to lead the team in the T20I series in South Africa. He might also be a frontrunner for the role permanently heading into next year’s T20 World Cup, and perhaps for both white-ball jobs before long.Marsh is the first to admit that he made mistakes earlier in his career, but has reflected on his pride at not giving up in his ambitions of making a sustained success of international cricket, which last month included a remarkable return to the Test side with a century at Headingley.He could now start the home summer as the favourite for the No. 6 role ahead of his close friend Cameron Green, but the more immediate focus for him will be a first crack at international captaincy, and then playing a key role in the ODI World Cup in India. Marsh may also stand-in for Pat Cummins during the ODIs in South Africa, with the regular captain recovering from a fractured wrist.Related

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“It’s pretty crazy how it all works out,” Marsh told SEN radio after being confirmed as Aaron Finch’s replacement as T20I captain. “Very proud moment. Probably not something I’d ever thought I would do, but really looking forward to the opportunity of going to South Africa.”Marsh, who was an Australia Under-19 captain, previously relinquished the role at Perth Scorchers when he felt he couldn’t give it his full focus as he tried to return to national colours, and last year largely ruled himself out of the ODI job after Finch’s retirement – although national selector George Bailey believed that was Marsh not wanting the headlines – but nearly 12 months on, he is now much more secure of his standing.”Guess I’m very proud that I’ve stuck at it, and been through a little bit of adversity through my career – through my own fault, mind you – but [it’s] nice to be recognised in our group as a leader,” he added. “Think anyone who works hard and is driven to succeed in whatever field they are in, and they come up short, it can be bloody hard to be honest with you, and I’m really proud of the fact I’ve never really given up.Mitchell Marsh made a remarkable return to the Test side with a century at Headingley•Getty Images

“I’ve also [been] through those lessons learnt to enjoy every part of my life – the ups and downs – and try to take a lot of learnings from my failures, and understand that whatever you do in life – whether it’s cricket, sport, [or] business – you are going to fail, and it’s [about] how you deal with those failures. Hopefully that will help me with my leadership, and [in] trying to win a few games for Australia.”Marsh believes T20 cricket is the toughest format to captain, given the game can swing on very small margins, but he is looking forward to the challenge in South Africa. Although his appointment is only for that tour, he is now strongly placed to take the job full time and will a leading candidate to add the ODI format as well after this year’s World Cup, with Bailey saying a single white-ball captain would be the preference.”It’s certainly the hardest [format],” Marsh said. “I’ve gave up captaining the Scorchers… that was mainly around [when] I was really striving to play for Australia, and I didn’t feel like I could give it everything. It’s really hard to balance that. You’ve got to put a lot of time into getting things right tactically, but I’m really looking forward to the challenge and will have plenty of good people around me to help. I’ll lean on others, which has been a really important learning for me as a leader.”Staying fit for extended periods has previously been one of Marsh’s challenges. He opted to undergo ankle surgery last year which ruled him out of the BBL, and that is an issue which will need to be continually managed. But getting through three consecutive Ashes Tests was a big tick for him, albeit he did pull up sore at Old Trafford.”I’ll have to keep looking after myself and keep working with the great staff at Cricket Australia and the WACA, and make sure I can stay on the park as much as I can,” he said.Reflecting on how his Test career was revived in England, when he replaced the injured Green at Headingley, he added: “I probably spent a fair chunk of my red-ball career trying to bat like Steven Smith, Marnus [Labuschagne], Usman Khawaja – those guys that can bat for six hours – but ultimately that’s not who I am; that’s not me as a cricketer.”I don’t have the best defence, but I know when I’m in a really good frame of mind mentally and in an attacking frame of mind, that I can defend well and keep good balls out. Outside of that, I really want to play the way I want to play.”