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Maruma, Mustard tons set up innings win

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A round-up of the action from the Logan Cup 2011-12 matches

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Nov-2011Phil Mustard began his first-class stint with Mountaineers with a century to help set up an innings win against Southern Rocks in Mutare. Mustard – the Durham wicketkeeper who has played limited-overs matches for England – hit a 115-ball 105 to help his side to a healthy 467 along with his captain Timycen Maruma who made 149, enough to ensure they batted just once. When Rocks were bowled out for 207 on the penultimate day, they were 114 short of making the opposition bat again.Rocks collapsed to 146 on the first day to the Mountaineers seamers, led by Tendai Chatara’s 3 for 50. No.11 Taurai Muzarabani’s 24 was the top score of the innings. Mustard and Tino Mawoyo all but matched Rocks’ first-innings effort, adding 142 upfront. Mawoyo made 53 before he was run-out. Maruma ensured that his side never let go of the initiative. He added 199 with Prosper Utseya, who made 94. Faced with a huge deficit, Rocks only did marginally better than their first-innings effort. Roy Kaia managed 69, but he was the only batsman in his side to muster a fifty. Natsai Mushangwe was the most effective bowler, taking 3 for 65.Some solid batting from both sides ensured the Mid West Rhinos v Matabeleland Tuskers match, in Bulawayo, ended in a draw. The result keeps Tuskers at the top of the Logan Cup points table, while Rhinos are stuck at No. 4 – the second-to-last spot.Rhinos chose to bat and were set-up by a patient 197 from Riki Wessels. This was Wessels’ 10th first-class and highest score. Captain Gary Ballance got 62 to finish as the innings second-highest scorer, and declared with the score on 407 for 9. Glen Querl picked up his third five-for in as many first-class games, to finish with the best figures for Matabeleland.In their first innings, Matabeleland got 320 for 5 before declaring. Their innings was steered by half-centuries from Terry Duffin, Craig Ervine, Adam Wheater and Steven Trenchard. Tuskers, in a bid to force a result, score their second-innings runs at a quick pace – 4.78 runs an over. They looked in a bit of trouble at 49 for 4, but Wessels and Roland Benade both made unbeaten 80s to take them to 220 for four, declared.With a target of 308 in little over 50 overs, Matabeleland were set-back early. They lost Duffin for a duck, and then played out time for the draw.

Buoyant Swann awaits Ashes challenge

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With four days to go until the start of the 2010-11 Ashes Graeme Swann has admitted he is climbing the walls in anticipation of the biggest match of his life

Andrew Miller in Brisbane21-Nov-2010With four days to go until the start of the 2010-11 Ashes Graeme Swann has admitted he is climbing the walls in anticipation of the biggest match of his life, but believes that he and his team-mates will be able to channel all of their nervous energy into the daunting task of bearding the Aussies in their very own lair at the Gabba on Thursday.”When we first got over here I daren’t think of the first Test match, because I was like a kid on December 1, with an Advent calendar. I couldn’t wait for the 25th to come along,” said Swann. “It’s really building now, less than a week to go, and I go back to my room at night and I smile like a lunatic and bounce off the walls. It’s going to be amazing come Thursday – I just can’t wait.”Swann’s chirpy demeanour has been a key feature of his cricket ever since he burst back onto the international scene in 2007, and while his left-field humour and subtle disdain for convention has rubbed people up the wrong way in the past – not least the former England coach Duncan Fletcher – the current regime recognises his unquenchable optimism as an asset to be cherished every bit as much as his match-winning spin bowling.To that end, while Australia’s preparations centre around a spinner of their own – the left-arm debutant, Xavier Doherty, who is set to become their ninth specialist slow bowler since the retirement of Shane Warne four years ago – England’s main man is so comfortable with his form and role in the side that he has been passing the time by promoting a new dance craze that has been spreading through the dressing-room.Known as “the Sprinkler”, the dance involves moving an outstretched arm in the juddering motion of a garden sprinkler, with the other one tucked behind the head. It was first raised as a possible wicket celebration during England’s second warm-up game against South Australia at Adelaide, but it was given its first public airing during Swann’s weekly podcast on ECB TV, with several of the squad – most notably Tim Bresnan – strutting their stuff for the camera.”If someone’s stupid enough to give me a camera and let me have free rein with it, I’m going to do stuff like that,” said Swann, although there is a serious subtext to such frivolity, as he himself noted. “There’s a very good vibe in the camp,” he added. “For me, it did show what a good spirit there was – because it wasn’t hard to get anyone to do it. I know three or four years ago I might have tried that and got a couple of punches or got my head ripped off.”Even the Aussie media are finding it hard to frown on such antics. “Buoyant Poms start victory dance a little too early,” was how the Sun-Herald responded, and while it doubted that England would dare to unveil the dance on the field until the Ashes had been won and lost, it added: “It is refreshing to see a side having fun before such a pressurised series.”England’s current demeanour is a marked contrast both with the anxieties in the Australia camp at present, and perhaps more pertinently, those that dogged England’s own campaign four years ago, when they entered the Brisbane Test with doubts in every department, and were duly put to the sword from the moment that Steve Harmison bowled his infamous first-ball wide to second slip. The team bus, noted England’s then-spinner Ashley Giles, was as quiet as a morgue on that occasion. It’s hard to imagine a similar scenario this time around.Australia’s record in Brisbane is nevertheless formidable, with 16 victories in their last 21 matches dating back to 1988-89, and not a single defeat – a run of results that neatly encapsulates their two-decade march to the summit of world cricket. With that golden era now fading from view, however, England genuinely believe that they are the side who can capture the citadel and confirm the end of an era.”I think the team see Brisbane as a really big challenge and whenever we’ve come across these challenges, like not having won at Lord’s for 70-odd years, the guys really like facing things like that,” said Paul Collingwood. “Brisbane is one of them. It is difficult for teams to win there, Australia have been incredibly strong there, but that just makes it more exciting for us and we’d love to make history.”So far, England have hardly put a foot wrong in their preparation, recording handsome wins in two of their three warm-ups while securing invaluable batting practice at Adelaide. The decision to send Swann and his frontline bowling colleagues for early acclimatisation in Brisbane – where they practised with the academy squad and bonded as a quartet under the tutelage of their Aussie bowling coach David Saker – will be best judged in hindsight, but in their absence, England’s back-up bowlers still administered a ten-wicket defeat over Australia A.”We’ve played some excellent cricket over the last three or four weeks,” said Swann.”The acclimatisation couldn’t have gone better really. I think it just showed the strength and the depth of our squad that we could give Australia A such a good beating the other day.”On Sunday afternoon, however, the squad was reunited at the team hotel in central Brisbane, and from here on in, every man’s focus will shift to Thursday morning, as the crowds begin to gather around the Gabba and Ashes fever takes hold of the city. “It’s inevitable,” said Swann. “The intensity is going to be hyped up – the cameras in your face, the people in the street. Any player would be lying if he said you can’t feel it.”

Dilshan, Mathews help Sri Lanka draw level

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A near-full house in Nagpur was witness to a fiery match, with Sri Lanka leveling the series with a three-wicket win as runs and wickets flowed in equal measure in good batting conditions

The Bulletin by Jamie Alter18-Dec-2009
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Tillakaratne Dilshan’s aggression set the platform for Sri Lanka’s successful chase•Associated Press

The second humdinger between these two teams this week ran the gamut from wonderful to what-the-heck as runs and wickets flowed in equal measure in good batting conditions. Sri Lanka leveled the series with a three-wicket win in a match defined by two individual innings, contrasting in style and strength, at either end of a collapse that threatened to give India the advantage and a 2-0 lead.With another evening of thrilling batting, Tillakaratne Dilshan proved right every single reason behind Sri Lanka’s decision in January to open the innings with him permanently. Dilshan’s fifth one-day century, and second in a row, was the dominant force in Sri Lanka clinching this win but it so nearly ended up in another lost cause, if not for Angelo Mathews.Dilshan contributed 63 to a 102-run opening stand, playing with the freedom and control fans have grown accustomed to; then, in the period where India followed up a double-strike with 12 boundary-less overs, he collected his century while ensuring the asking rate stayed in control. There was a massive scare as Sri Lanka lost three wickets, and a limping Mathews was called on to douse the flames. That he did, standing one on leg and coolly striking out the threat of a revved-up India. With eight needed from nine balls the match was on a knife’s edge, but Nehra bowled a full toss, Mathews bunted it to mid-on, and Zaheer let it right through his legs for four.While India’s attack had been spread through the line-up, with Virat Kohli, centurion MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina playing dominant roles, Sri Lanka rode on Dilshan’s shoulders. Needing to score at over a run a ball, he got the chase off to a brisk start. And as often happens, India failed to apply pressure from both ends. If Zaheer allowed just a run off his second over, Praveen Kumar leaked three consecutive fours in his, veering between too wide and too full. Ashish Nehra wasn’t allowed to settle, with both openers punching aerial down the ground, and Zaheer’s length was offset by a manipulative Dilshan. Sri Lanka’s fifty came up in 6.3 overs, most of the runs coming down the ground.It was enthralling batting from Dilshan. Zaheer and Nehra tried to push him back but he rode the bounce, and at times his luck – such as when he danced out to Nehra and edged for four. Whenever the ball was pitched up, Dilshan, at times batting out of his crease, plonked his front foot further forward and clunked powerful drives over mid-off and mid-on.After Virender Sehwag Dilshan comes closest in today’s era to being able to make the bowler bowl where wants them to. Dhoni turned to Harbhajan Singh for the eighth over, slip and leg gully in place. Having come out and gone back to pick the gaps in Harbhajan’s first over, Dilshan had the bowler in two minds. At one point, he twice hurried out to thump the ball down the ground, as he’d spotted the extra flight. Then Harbhajan bowled it quicker and wider, hoping Dilshan would come out to that one as well. Instead Dilshan read it perfectly, stayed in position, and cut it past point for four. The batsman had set the bowler up.When Harbhajan purchased some turn, Dilshan used his crease to get over the ball, nudging it off his pads. A streaky but deliberate edge off Harbhajan for four raised a 31-ball fifty.
Harbhajan had some success against Upul Tharanga, who was lured out and then edged a breaking ball to slip where Sehwag snapped a good catch to his left (102 for 1). Dilshan was then responsible for running his captain out, and for the next 55 deliveries India, through Nehra, Praveen and Ravindra Jadeja, pulled Sri Lanka back.Dilshan spent 16 deliveries in the nineties, reached his century, raised his arms, and promptly clubbed Nehra for two dingers that snapped a 12-over barren run of no boundaries. He featured in a 66-run third-wicket stand with Mahela Jayawardene, which ended when Nehra bowled Dilshan with a fine yorker.MS Dhoni ensured that the momentum didn’t fall away after Virat Kohli departed•Associated Press

Zaheer delivered a further twist in the tale when, with 70 needed from 66, he got Jayawardene to nick for 39. With the rate within grasp thanks to Dilshan, Thilina Kandamby cut out the risks until his first aerial shot, in the first over of the batting Powerplay, was excellently held by a leaping Kohli at mid-on. Two legal deliveries later, a perfect yorker cleaned up Chamara Kapudegera, and the game was India’s to win. But Mathews controlled his eagerness to flat-bat marvelously, nudging and pushing the ball around with the occasional aggressive drive to remain unbeaten on 37. He was outstanding under pressure, and aided by a runner (Kapugedera) picked out the deliveries to put away. Zaheer’s gross error sealed Sri Lanka’s fate.At the halfway mark, the visitors would have considered the target within their reach as the wicket was still good for batting. After deciding to make first use of a pitch virtually devoid of grass, a century stand between Dhoni and Raina, after a shaky start, picked up the tempo for India. Coming together at the fall of Kohli (54), Dhoni and Raina gave India their best phase.Dhoni ensured that the momentum didn’t fall away, working the ball around superbly from the outset, and immediately showing the rich vein of form he is in this year. It wasn’t a pure innings though. Dhoni had edged his first ball for four, was nearly taken at third man when on 11, edged wide of Kumar Sangakkara on 24, and got two more lives in three balls from his counterpart off Ajantha Mendis. Dhoni raised his half-century off 70 balls and thumped a six to celebrate.Dhoni picked the batting Powerplay after 40 overs, just after Raina dumped Chanaka Welegedara for six over long-on. Two more sixes, again hit down the ground with power, pushed Sri Lanka onto the back foot as the pair took on Mendis and Suraj Randiv on in a three-over burst that bled 35 runs. Raina’s fifty came up off 44 balls and that five-over block yielded 50. Looking for his fourth six, Raina picked out deep midwicket, and soon after, Mendis dropped a clanger at cover when Dhoni was on 94. In the same over, Dhoni raised his century, his second in consecutive innings in Nagpur, to a rousing reception.Those cheers were nowhere near as boisterous when Dilshan raised his, but the resonance of the game’s second century was definitely louder.

Kuldeep on Test captain Gill: 'He's fully ready to lead us'

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He also spoke about taking over Rohit’s seat on India’s team bus, and what he’s learning from Jadeja

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jun-2025Kuldeep Yadav has been “spending a lot of time” with fellow spinner Ravindra Jadeja, both on and off the field, picking his brains ahead of India’s five-match Test series in England.Kuldeep has played only one Test in England so far, at Lord’s in 2018. He conceded 44 in nine overs and failed to pick up a wicket in England’s only innings. Since then, however, he has grown into a more rounded bowler, and currently has 56 wickets in 13 Tests at an average of 22.16 and a strike rate of 37.3, which is bettered by no spinner in Test history with a cut-off of 50 wickets.Related

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Jadeja’s all-round value makes him the frontrunner to be India’s first-choice spinner on this tour, but Kuldeep is likely to come into the picture if conditions allow them to pick a second spinner. Kuldeep’s left-arm wristspin was instrumental in India’s comeback from 1-0 down to beat England 4-1 at home in early 2024 – he picked up 19 wickets in four Tests at an average of 20.15.”Playing alongside Jadeja is such a great honour for me,” Kuldeep said. “Obviously, Jadeja and [R] Ashwin have been brilliant over the last few years. When I made my debut in India, they helped me a lot. And even now, we have been having a lot of chat about how to bowl to certain batters, given the way the England batters are batting at the moment.”I’m actually spending a lot of time with him, not only on the field, but also outside as well. So it has actually helped me a lot in terms of tactics and the field placements, and he has given some tips as well.”In the team bus, Kuldeep has been sitting next to Jadeja, taking over a seat previously occupied by Rohit Sharma, now retired from Test cricket. When asked about it, Kuldeep laughed.”I can never take Rohit ‘s place,” he said. “It’s just that I’m spending a lot of time with Jaddu bhai. It’s obviously very important for me as a spinner, because Ash [Ashwin, also retired] isn’t there, and I’ve learned a lot from Ash , and now that he isn’t there, [I’m looking to learn from] whichever senior player is there.”Kuldeep on Gill: ‘As a leader, he’s very motivated and he’s been playing an active role in lifting the team’•Gareth Copley/Getty

India are currently playing an intra-squad match in Beckenham. Sunday is the third day and, with the sun out, Kuldeep expects the pitch to start taking turn. With England transitioning away from green seamers, over recent years, towards flatter pitches that suit their ultra-aggressive style of batting, there is a chance spin could play a role in the five Tests should the matches last longer.”It seems like there will be good wickets for spinners,” Kuldeep said. “The wicket for the practice match was good for batting. There was some light moisture on the first day, and the seamers got some help, but as the game went on, I felt there was some bounce for the spinners, and while I didn’t get much turn during my first spell on the first day, it’s day three today and I’ll get to know how the wicket is now when I get to bowl, but whatever practice sessions I’ve had so far, the ball has been turning a bit. It’ll be really nice if it remains this way during the [Test] matches too.”If the conditions are warm, as they have been over the last three-four days, and if the wickets are like this, spinners can get help. I don’t worry that much about conditions, but yes, it feels good to bowl if you get a slightly helpful wicket.”When asked what the players looked to achieve from an intra-squad match, Kuldeep said: “We’ve played a lot of T20 in the last four-five months, so volume is very important, and all the bowlers are instructed to bowl as many overs [in practice as they would in a match]: the fast bowlers will bowl at least 15 to 20 overs so they can build up fully for the Test match, and it’s the same for the spinners – the more they bowl, the better it will be.”In the wake of Rohit’s retirement, India have handed the Test captaincy to Shubman Gill. Kuldeep felt Gill was “fully ready to lead” the side.”Shubman knows how to lead a team,” Kuldeep said. “He has worked under the seniors in the last couple of years. In the last one year, you’d have seen him in a lot of discussions with Rohit – not only in Tests but even in ODIs. I’m sure he has learned a lot, but as a leader, from what I have seen so far, he’s very motivated and he’s been playing an active role in lifting the team.”I have seen over the last three-four sessions that Shubman has the same qualities that I’ve seen in our previous leadership groups. He’s fully ready to lead us.”

Jos Buttler: England content with Caribbean lessons despite T20Is defeat

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Captain says his team “found out some really good things” ahead of T20 World Cup defence next year

Cameron Ponsonby22-Dec-2023Jos Buttler has said that despite England’s T20I series defeat to West Indies, he considers the tour to have been a success. “It’s hard to say when you’ve lost, but I think we’ve found out some really good things,” he said after his side were beaten by four wickets in the decider in Trinidad.England had made no secret of this five-match series against the 2016 T20 World Champions being as much a fact-finding mission as it was a pursuit of victory.After falling to two defeats in a row to start the series, England had a team meeting where they pledged a change of approach where they would “fight fire with fire” against a West Indies team who had hit 13 more sixes than them across the opening two fixtures.Two wins followed, both of which were defined by superb centuries by Phil Salt, and despite then letting it slip in the fifth and final game, the turnaround and better understanding of conditions means for Buttler and co it is considered a job well done.Related

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“Yeah I think so,” Buttler said. “You want to win and we all wanted to win the series. It’s hard to say when you’ve lost but I think we’ve found out some good things.”Obviously some players have stood up and done really well. We’ve obviously had five games out here in the Caribbean and had a really good look at what conditions will be like for the World Cup only six months away. So yeah, it’s been a good series.”Nevertheless, it is a concerning trend for an England team that have won just four of their 12 T20s this year and none of the three series they have played. The group is still considered to be exceptionally talented and genuine contenders for the World Cup in June, but the winning habit has deserted them.”Not really, [but] I’ve had some low moments for sure,” Buttler said, reflecting on his own 2023 and whether he had ever considered giving up the captaincy. “It was a huge disappointment in my career that [ODI] World Cup just gone, but after you let the dust settle there’s huge motivation and determination to have another crack and keep going. So that desire still burns strongly.”There is a tangible difference between the public message of positivity and the private sentiment of irritation after this latest defeat. As England gathered for their post-series drink in the hotel, the TV in the corner was showing the highlights of their loss. Then Buttler arrived and turned it off.There have, of course, been positives. Salt has been a revelation, Adil Rashid has further proved his world-class status, Reece Topley was superb on return from injury and Liam Livingstone’s promotion to No. 4 looks a perfect fit.England fell to another defeat in the deciding T20I•Getty Images

There is also no shame in losing to a West Indies team that has defeated South Africa, India and now England in consecutive series.”I hope so,” Buttler replied when asked whether this series had contained two of the world’s best T20 teams. “Two really good teams and we had a fantastic series.”We don’t play together as a team now [until May] but everyone’s going to be playing lots of T20 cricket in different tournaments around the world so that’s a plus. Hopefully we can come here and look forward to a really good World Cup.”Buttler highlighted death bowling as an area of particular improvement that England will look at, with the potential return of Jofra Archer a major cause for optimism.”It’s been good to be in these conditions and [to] have a look at what might work in those scenarios. I think if you can execute your yorkers they’re still the best ball in T20.”I haven’t spoken to Jof. Obviously I saw him in Barbados, it was good to see him back in training with us and bowling well. I know the medical team and staff have got a good plan for him and I think I speak on behalf of all England cricket fans and cricket fans around the world that we want to see Jof back and back for good. So I think it’s important that he takes his time.”In the final two T20s, Buttler opted against wicketkeeping, with the gloves handed over to Salt. Mott had said he expected Buttler would return behind the stumps for the decider, but the captain remained in the outfield and appears open to the option of staying there for the World Cup.”I’ll probably take a few days to reflect on that. It’s nice sometimes during the over to be closer to the bowler, but when you’re keeping wicket you can always run down and run back. It’s just a sort of stereotypical thing from the outside that it’s slow or it doesn’t look right. So, I don’t know. I like the view as a wicketkeeper behind the stumps, to be able to see exactly what’s happening, but I enjoy fielding as well. So I don’t really have any huge preference either way to be honest at the moment.”

Rajat Patidar relishes 'dream come true' as international debut beckons

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He promised himself he would have an unforgettable year, and now he has earned a national call-up

Shashank Kishore05-Oct-2022Rajat Patidar’s journey from Indore to the Indian team has been swift. In February, he went unsold at the IPL auction. But instead of wallowing in self-pity, he picked himself up and promised to have an unforgettable year. It is this promise he has delivered on, as he finds himself on the cusp of the India cap.Currently part of India’s second-string ODI squad led by Shikhar Dhawan, Patidar is fighting for a middle-order berth. If and when he gets picked in the XI, it’ll be a spot well deserved.”It’s a dream come true for me,” Patidar told BCCI.tv of his call-up. “The IPL was the turning point for me. But I feel I have the ability to play all three formats. I am trying to focus on the processes [of the formats] differently. I want to keep myself in the present, and play to the demands of the team.”Related

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At 29, Patidar understands selection and snub are two faces of the same coin. As much as that boring cliche goes, in Patidar’s mind, it is as simple as being able to control the controllables – and for him, that is to score runs.A week after his IPL snub, Patidar hit twin fifties in a game Madhya Pradesh won against Gujarat. He finished the Ranji Trophy league phase with 335 runs at 83.75, with no score below 53. Those runs translated into a knockout berth for MP.After he helped MP to the Ranji quarter-finals, came a phone call from Mike Hesson in early April, asking of his availability because Royal Challengers Bangalore needed a replacement.Patidar was in the midst of finalising his wedding preparations in May, but it was something he happily postponed to be a part of the IPL.Within 24 hours of the phone call, he was on the plane to Mumbai, and a few weeks down the line, he became the first uncapped Indian to hit a century in a playoff game. That knock at Eden Gardens against Lucknow Super Giants was followed by a half-century in Qualifier-2 against Rajasthan Royals.Patidar finished his second IPL season with 333 runs at a strike rate of 152.75. It marked his coming of age. Having played for nearly seven years in relative anonymity, he was firmly in the national consciousness.Rajat Patidar recently struck two centuries in three first-class games against New Zealand A•Manoj Bookanakere/KSCA

It is this form he has built on. A week after IPL ended, he was part of MP’s march to their maiden Ranji title. He made 323 runs in the knockout stages, including a century in the final; on the way, he had crossed a half-century in every knockout game.Most recently, he struck two centuries in three first-class games against New Zealand A. It was made special even more because it was his first stint with India A. This dream run that started in February culminated with his India call-up last week. Much of this run-scoring spree is down to how he “feels”; and it is not only about technique.”Especially if you talk about batting, but I also don’t judge myself on performance,” he had said after the Ranji final. “I need to get that batting feel – the shots are good, the balance is there, the head is in the right position. Till I don’t get that feel, I don’t feel I’m in good form. Obviously it is every batsman’s job to score runs, but for me, if I feel good about my batting, the runs come automatically.”The feel he speaks about is something he has learnt from watching AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli and Dinesh Karthik from close quarters.”Virat, AB – they were all my idols; experienced international players,” he said. “I felt a little overawed meeting them for the first time. It was a great moment to speak to them for the first time. Watching them all train and bat in the nets, I learnt a lot on how they approach their cricket.”Fast forward to this Monday, when he had his first full training session with the senior national team. He was welcomed in a huddle by stand-in coach VVS Laxman, who underlined why he had gotten this far. Laxman is believed to have appreciated Patidar’s big-match temperament and hunger for runs. Dhawan, the captain, then spoke to Patidar about his potential.”Legendary players, if they welcome you in the huddle, it feels motivating,” Patidar said with a smile, as he reflected on his first day in office. “It felt good, I know a lot of the guys. But this is the first time I’m playing with Shikhar [Dhawan] bhai; in fact, I had a chat with him the first time over here itself.”I thought how it would be when I talk to him, [and] how I can talk to him, but he himself came up to talk to me. It was nice talking to him, he appreciated my performances and wished me well for my future.”

West Indies' Marquino Mindley tests positive for Covid-19

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Jamaica seamer was part of a training camp in St Lucia, ahead of the home season

ESPNcricinfo staff23-May-2021Jamaica seamer Marquino Mindley, who had been picked in West Indies’ 30-man squad for the high-performance training camp in St Lucia, ahead of the home Test series against South Africa, has tested positive for Covid-19. The 26-year old, who is currently asymptomatic, will isolate himself in his hotel room under the supervision of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) medical team until he returns back-to-back negative results.All the other members of the camp, including the coaches, were re-tested and returned negative tests, with training being called off for the weekend. The three-week long camp had gotten underway on May 16 in a bio-secure environment and will now resume on May 24, with the players set to train in smaller groups at the Daren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia.”CWI continues to work with all the regional governments and CARPHA (Caribbean Public Health Agency) to encourage and assist all squad members to get vaccinated, the board said in a statement. “To date, 43 members of West Indies Men’s playing and coaching staff have received vaccination doses.”Related

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Mindley, who made his first-class debut in 2014, has played 35 games matches so far, taking 84 wickets to add to scoring 394 runs. More recently in the 2019-20 first-class season, he was the highest wicket-taker for Jamaica, with 24 strikes in six games at an average of 22.66.West Indies’ bumper home season will kick off with the first Test against South Africa at the Daren Sammy Stadium from June 10.

Melbourne Stars dealt finals blow with Sandeep Lamichhane unavailable

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Legspinner heads to Nepal for an ODI series while they await confirmation of Haris Rauf’s return

Alex Malcolm26-Jan-2020The Melbourne Stars have been dealt another major blow on the eve of the BBL finals with legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane unavailable because of international duty while they also face a nervous wait on Haris Rauf’s availability.Lamichhane was believed to be available for the whole season, but he informed the Stars last week that he would not be around for the finals as he heads home to Nepal for a tri-nations ODI series with Oman and the USA which forms part of the qualification pathway for the 2023 50-over World Cup.Rauf is currently playing for Pakistan in a three-match T20I series against Bangladesh in Pakistan which concludes on Monday and was expected to be back in Australia for the Stars’ BBL qualifier on Friday at the MCG. He has missed the past four games of which the Stars have lost three. However, the Stars believe there is a chance Rauf could be held back in Pakistan to potentially play in the first Test which starts on February 7 in Rawalpindi although he was not named among the probables for that series.The Stars will also be without opener Hilton Cartwright for the finals due to a broken finger. They won 10 of their first 11 matches of the tournament to guarantee a double chance at reaching the final but have lost three in a row including to the Brisbane Heat on Saturday.The Stars were confident on Friday that Rauf would return but coach David Hussey conceded after the loss to the Heat that it is not guaranteed.”He might get picked to play Test cricket [but it’s] not confirmed as yet. We’d like him back,” Hussey told reporters. “We’ll see what happens there. We’re still working behind the scenes.”It’s great that he started off his journey playing for the Melbourne Stars and now he’s representing his country. I’m rapt for him, great person, and hopefully, we do get him back for the qualifier.”Whatever he does, I hope he actually represents Pakistan for 100 Tests and 400 T20s and 150 one-day internationals. He’s brought a different dynamic to our group, he’s tried every game he’s played, he fields his butt off and he’s just fitted in the group perfectly.”Lamichhane’s loss is an even bigger blow to the dynamic of the Stars attack. He took 1 for 16 from four overs against the Heat and the Stars have bowled more spin than any other team in the BBL. The Stars spinners have bowled 25 more overs and taken 20 more wickets than the Melbourne Renegades who are second on that list but Lamichhane’s exit will force a rethink.”I’m always a big believer that spin is going to your friend throughout the tournament,” Hussey said. “It’s a fantastic strategy that we have that we might have to rejig a little bit. I must admit I didn’t deal with it too well when he told me he was leaving because he’s a quality person, a quality player and a big part of our plans to go deep into the tournament.”But when you get called up to international cricket, it should be celebrated. It was a couple of days of kicking cans about losing a great player but I’m pretty happy for him.”The Stars took a punt on unknown Pakistan quick Dilbar Hussain against the Heat and it backfired with the Lahore Qalandars development player conceding 56 runs from his four overs. But Hussey was prepared to stick with him and he will stay on as Lamichhane’s replacement even if Rauf returns.”It’s his first time at the MCG in front of a decent crowd representing a new team, his English is not great, he’s only arrived with the Stars in the last couple of days,” Hussey said.”Foreign conditions. I thought there was a lot to offer – 145kph away swingers, good slower ball, good fast bouncer, good control, good yorker. I think he’s got a pretty good future in the game. I think he’s going to ruffle a few feathers later on in the tournament.”

Confident Pakistan well-placed for first series win against NZ in seven years

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Aside from a Trent Boult spell and an indifferent slog-overs bowling performance in the first ODI, Pakistan have been on top of the visitors through the series

The Preview by Danyal Rasool10-Nov-2018

Big picture

With Pakistan finally showing how difficult they can be to play when they extend their T20 quality over the length of an ODI, we have a delicious series decider to savour. Pakistan applied the squeeze against New Zealand for the best part of 30 overs on Friday, something they have struggled to do in the middle overs against quality opposition. The visitors never found any momentum, and when they attempted to launch in the final overs, it was too little, too late.The levity with which they approached yesterday’s chase suggests most of the problems Pakistan have had in that department might be mental. While New Zealand didn’t bowl as well up front as they had during the first ODI, Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq’s shot selection was judicious, measured and sensible. They made the bowlers ineffective when the wickets needed early on didn’t materialise. With the sting taken out of the attack, the pair, and then Babar Azam, calmly maneuvered the innings, extending the opening partnership to the point where Pakistan never felt an pressure whatsoever.New Zealand, good as they have been recently, haven’t played great cricket this series, and Pakistan must feel they are there for the taking Sunday. The top order shows no signs of firing yet; George Worker struggled for timing while Munro has been unable to get out of T20 mode so far. That has reduced Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor to rebuilding jobs when they could be lethal if they arrived at the crease with their side in a comfortable position. Indeed, at the moment, the visitors have much to thank Taylor’s grit for, but they will need assistance from the top order if a strokemaker like him is to completely loosen up.Pakistan, meanwhile, must feel they have been on top of New Zealand almost all series. It is one explosive burst by Trent Boult and an indifferent death-overs performance that permitted New Zealand to go into the last game 1-0 up. Shaheen Afridi has been their best bowler and looks like taking the next step in what is still the gestation phase of his cricketing evolution. Shadab Khan has been almost regimental in his middle-overs discipline, with Mohammad Hafeez a more than capable sidekick. Hasan Ali’s form is a bit of a concern, as is the potential fitness of Imam-ul-Haq after a blow to the helmet on Friday, but most of the side is fit and firing, and should feel confident of mounting a stern challenge for the trophy.

Form guide

(last five matches, most recent first)Pakistan WLLLW
New Zealand LWLWL

In the spotlight

Hasan Ali was arguably the best limited-overs bowler in the world last year, and the Player of the Tournament in Pakistan’s run to the Champions Trophy title. Across formats, he took 63 wickets in 29 matches at 18.85, with an ODI economy rate of 5.03. For a bowler that was often on during the death overs, this was almost superhuman. This year, though, his ODI numbers are far more sobering. With 19 wickets in 14 matches, his ODI average is a hardly eye-catching 34, with his economy rate up at 5.70. Three ODIs against Zimbabwe still flatter those figures – without them, the economy rate goes up above six and the average over 40 – and thus the general trend is that of a disappointing year. Pakistan will hope it’s a temporary blip for one of the country’s most popular cricketers. A performance on Sunday would be a fantastic way to close up an indifferent limited-overs season with fond memories.These are the sorts of matches that Kane Williamson should thrive upon. On track to becoming New Zealand’s greatest ever batsman, his team increasingly looks up to him for a talismanic role in big games. After a couple of quiet games for the visiting skipper, the stage is set to dust off the off-season cobwebs and get a busy season going with a big score. He was majestic in an ultimately losing cause in the final T20I last week, but hasn’t replicated that performance in the 50-over format yet this series. The right-hander has a fantastic ODI record against Pakistan, with an average 10 runs higher than his career average of 46.28. With Taylor in some of the best form of his career, a leading role from Williamson would go a long way towards ensuring New Zealand’s grip on Pakistan extends to yet another series.

Team news

Imam is in doubt after his helmet blow against a Lockie Ferguson bouncer. With competition for places in the fast bowling ranks fierce, Hasan Ali could pay the price for his recent dip, which could bring Usman Khan into play.Pakistan (possible): 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Shoaib Malik, 5, Mohammad Hafeez 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt. & wk), 7 Faheem Ashraf, 8 Imad Wasim, 9 Shadab Khan, 10 Hasan Ali/Usman Khan, 11 Shaheen AfridiGeorge Worker may be under pressure for his place after an indifferent first two games. Latham would be the option at the top of the order in that case, but without a solid replacement in the middle, Williamson may decide to go with an unchanged side.New Zealand (possible): 1 Colin Munro 2 George Worker 3 Kane Williamson (capt.) 4 Ross Taylor 5 Tom Latham (wk) 6 Henry Nicholls 7 Colin de Grandhomme 8 Tim Southee 9 Trent Boult 10 Lockie Ferguson 11 Ish Sodhi

Pitch and conditions

It continues to remain hot in Dubai this time of year. Both sides have been vocal up to now of their desire to bat first, and that is likely to remain unchanged.

Stats and trivia

  • Williamson had three ducks to his name after his first 5 ODI innings. In 118 innings that have followed, he has been dismissed without scoring on only two occasions
  • Pakistan’s record in bilateral series deciders since 2003 has been quite poor. In 15 series-deciding final matches, they have lost 12 and won just 3 – two against Zimbabwe and one against West Indies

'Patient' Warner masters unfamiliar grind

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David Warner scored the slowest hundred of his career in an uncharacteristic manner and says it gave him the confidence to score more runs in Asia

Brydon Coverdale06-Sep-2017If you were told that one of Australia’s openers had spent six hours at the crease for 123 runs, painstakingly accumulated from 234 balls, with only seven boundaries, you would have complete confidence in declaring that the man in question would be Matt Renshaw. But you would be wrong. This was David Warner posting most un-Warner-like numbers in the first innings in Chittagong, where he put Australia into a strong position with two days to play.This was Warner’s 20th Test century – more than were made by Mark Taylor, or Michael Hussey, or Doug Walters, or Bill Lawry, or Ian Chappell, or Michael Slater, or Adam Gilchrist, all of whom played more Tests than Warner’s current tally of 66. It was also the slowest hundred of his Test career, completed from his 209th delivery, and in extreme heat. And his patience has brought Australia back into the series.”You pretty much felt in from ball one with the fields that they set, they didn’t really have any attacking men around the bat compared to last game,” Warner said after the day’s play. “It allowed me just to rotate the strike and not really have any need to leave your crease all the time.”At the end of the day, they try and shut down the scoreboard. They try and cut your boundaries out and play that way, try and get you caught around the crease and obviously look for that lbw dismissal or bowled through the gate. If you can negate that and you can manipulate the field, you’re going to be facing a lot of balls and you’ve got to be prepared to bat long periods of time.”It was also Warner’s second consecutive century, after his fourth-innings 112 in Mirpur last week, which he described at the time as his best innings. But for sheer single-mindedness and adaptability from his usual verve, this hundred must also be up there. “I think from a patience point of view, definitely,” Warner said. “I always talk about trying to bat long periods for time in these conditions and by far that’s the hottest I’ve ever played in. It was quite challenging to be out there. Coming off yesterday, it was every minute that I was out there.”We were out there for 100 overs the day before. A lot of credit has to go to the two fast bowlers as well. The amount of work that they’ve put in, I think they’ve both bowled 20 overs apiece in this heat. It takes someone with some good fitness to bowl through that, definitely.”Warner’s productive tour has boosted his record in Asia – he arrived for this series with only one century from 26 previous Test innings on the continent. Now, Warner believes that he might finally have found a method that can bring him success in Asia more generally.”It’s a tough environment to come out and try to play your shots and play your natural game,” he said. “You have to find a way and for me it’s taken almost 16, 17 Tests in these conditions to work out what my game plan is and stick to it. As I said before, they play on your ego a little bit, they shut down your runs, they shut down your boundary options, and you’ve got to milk the ones.”You’ve got to be prepared to bat time and you’ve got to have the fitness edge as well to do that. That’s probably the thing that’s going to keep motivating me more now to show to myself that I’ve done that, and now moving forward I can achieve the same success that I’ve had so far over here moving down the line.”Warner’s innings helped Australia gain a 72-run lead by stumps on the third day, though with only one wicket in hand they will aim to bump that advantage up a little further on the fourth morning. There remains plenty of work if Australia are to achieve the victory needed to level the series 1-1, but the batting work led by Warner has at least given them hope.”It’s crucial that we try and put as many runs on the board as possible,” he said. “I wouldn’t say the wicket is deteriorating, there’s a little bit of rough out there created from the bowlers. The middle of the wicket is still nice and true. But as the spinners do, they’ll work out what they need to do and hit those rough areas.”