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The three have replaced the retired Lizelle Lee, Dane van Niekerk and Trisha Chetty in the list

Firdose Moonda20-Mar-2023Anneke Bosch, Delmi Tucker and Nadine de Klerk have replaced the retired trio of Lizelle Lee, Dane van Niekerk and Trisha Chetty in South Africa’s central-contracts list for the 2023-24 season.All of Bosch, Tucker and de Klerk were in the squad for the recent T20 World Cup and have been around South African squads in the recent past. The only player not on the contract list from the T20 World Cup squad is Annerie Dercksen, with Tumi Sekhukhune, who missed the tournament, keeping her spot.Following the retirements of van Niekerk and Chetty last week, there are no surprises in the 15-player list. As ESPNcricinfo reported on Thursday, van Niekerk’s wife Marizanne Kapp has committed to the national team and signed a new deal. So, too, has 34-year-old Shabnim Ismail, who is the oldest player in the group, but remains committed to playing international cricket.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“With the current group of players going from strength to strength, we are pleased to retain the core of the squad for what is set to be another exciting chapter in the Proteas Women story,” Enoch Nkwe, South Africa’s director of cricket, said.South Africa’s next assignment is six months away, when they travel to Pakistan and India for back-to-back tours which form part of the Women’s Championship, and would determine qualification for the 2025 50-over World Cup. The tours are also expected to help with preparation for the 2024 T20 World Cup, which will be held in Bangladesh.Next summer, South Africa will host Bangladesh and Sri Lanka before traveling to Australia for an all-format tour – including a Test match, their second in two years after playing England last June.South Africa’s contracted players: Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Lara Goodall, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Sune Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloé Tryon, Delmi Tucker, Laura Wolvaardt

Travis Head returns to the middle order while the attack is still to be confirmed although signs were promising for Scott Boland

Alex Malcolm13-Jan-2022Marcus Harris has been dropped for the final Ashes Test in Hobart with Usman Khawaja to open alongside David Warner and Travis Head returning to the middle order.Australia’s bowling attack is still to be finalised with captain Pat Cummins confirming Scott Boland would need to pass a fitness test on his rib injury to play in Hobart. The signs were promising with a team spokesperson confirming Boland came through training with “no issues” but would face a final assessment in the morning. Jhye Richardson will likely come into the side if Boland does not come up. Mitchell Starc is set to play after pulling up well having played all four Tests so far.Khawaja had made an irresistible case to be retained in the side for the fifth Test after twin centuries in Sydney. Head was guaranteed to return after missing the SCG Test due to Covid-19 and the selectors made the tough decision to leave Harris out.Related

• Pat Cummins backs Alex Carey's 'class' after difficult SCG outing

• Rest not on Mitchell Starc's mind with more pink-ball wickets in his sights

• Stokes and Bairstow to be assessed on fitness ahead of Hobart

• Joe Root backs Chris Silverwood to continue as England coach despite Ashes disappointment

“I think he knew was it was coming,” Cummins said on Thursday. “The message to Harry is we think he is going really well. It’s really tough on him. It’s not too often someone comes in and hits two hundreds in the same game. But I thought Marcus has been really good I think he’s been growing with each game he was a huge part in how we won that MCG Test with a crucial innings.”So he’s certainly part of the future. We’ll keep investing in him. I think he’s been going really well.”It is the third time Harris has been dropped in his 14-Test career. The selectors were determined to give him a run at the top of the order and he has played in Australia’s last five Test matches after coming in for the final match against India last summer. But he has passed 50 just three times in 26 Test innings and only once in his last five matches, albeit a match-winning 76 in the third Test at the MCG.It has been a tough series for openers on both sides due to the bowler-friendly surfaces and Harris has reached 20 in four consecutive innings but only has one half-century to show for it. His overall Test average of 25.29 left him vulnerable to the selectors’ axe. However, Cummins stressed Harris would not be cast aside as a Test player.Marcus Harris has lost his place in the side for the fifth Test•Getty Images

“No, absolutely not,” Cummins said. “I think Uzzy and Davey have really earned that spot to open the batting but the reality is they’re both 35 years old. So whilst that doesn’t mean anything in the short, short term there will be a day where we need to find some other openers. Marcus is still absolutely got a huge future with us. He’ll be around the squad. I think there might even be an Australia A tour go overseas in the off-season. Of course, there’s heaps of Shield cricket and county cricket as well so for sure this is probably more a case of someone demanding a spot as opposed to Marcus losing his spot.”Khawaja averages 96.80 and has made two centuries in seven Test innings as an opener, including 145 in a pink-ball Test against South Africa in Adelaide in 2016. He averages 39.30 opening in first-class cricket across 36 innings with four centuries, although three have come on the subcontinent. But he hasn’t batted higher than No. 4 in his last 22 first-class innings, during which time he has compiled six first-class hundreds and has averaged 65.94.”Really confident with Uzzy opening,” Cummins said. “He’s a class player. He can bat anywhere in the order. Even at the start of the summer when he was part of the squad, from the selectors’ point of view and being his captain I felt like he could bat anywhere from one to six so he’ll slot straight into one, everyone else stays where they are. Trav Head really owned that No. 5 spots the first few games.”Meanwhile, Boland needed to show he had overcome his rib concern with Cummins stating that the selectors would wait until after the final training session to confirm his fitness. He needed pain-killing injections to get through the SCG Test after his heavy fall on his ribs in the first innings but he still bowled beautifully picking up seven wickets.”We think he should be right,” Cummins said. “I don’t think he’ll be getting injections down here. I think he’ll just have a bowl and judge if he feels a bit better than he did a few days ago. He bowled 30-40 overs after he did the injury which gives us a lot of confidence he can get through it. Just speaking to him he says it’s an injury that he’s confident doesn’t get worse with heaps of bowling. It’s just a lot of pain. So hopefully he can manage that. He said he’ll have a bowl. He’s played enough. He’ll be honest.”Boland does have a good pink-ball record in first-class cricket averaging 22.64 overall but he has a poor record at Bellerive Oval in both pink and red-ball games averaging 64.Richardson took seven wickets in his one and only Sheffield Shield red-ball match at Bellerive earlier this season and took five wickets in the fourth innings of the pink-ball Test in Adelaide but missed the MCG and SCG Tests due to shin soreness.

England will wonder what brings out Holder’s best against them – last year’s double ton, now his bowling best

Nagraj Gollapudi09-Jul-2020Without Statsguru-ing, who’s the best one-change fast bowler in Test cricket since 2018?How many of you guessed it was Jason Holder? Pat Cummins, Neil Wagner, Mohammad Shami; any of these would be valid, understandable guesses. All three have over 60 wickets each in that period, compared to Holder’s 39 but it is Holder who has the best average (14.66) among bowlers with more than 20 wickets. He also has the best economy rate (2.66). He has the best strike rate of the three. He has four five-fors in that period, the joint-most with Wagner.ALSO READ: Holder’s career-best haul puts Windies in controlUsually, when we think fast bowling, we think speed. More so when we think Caribbean fast bowling. Holder is the tallest fast bowler in Test cricket. He is strong. Yet he is not quick. And so the perception builds about him, that he’s somehow lesser.Yet fast bowling is not just speed. Control, discipline and, most importantly, skills – it is this package that makes a fast bowler complete and this that has made Holder one of the best fast bowlers in all conditions, on any continent, with any ball in the past few years.Since 2017, in countries where the Dukes is used – England and West Indies – Holder is on par with the master – James Anderson.The England strike bowler has 82 wickets in 19 Tests at 17.10 with an economy of 2.43. Holder has played three fewer matches, but has picked 67 wickets at 17.97 with an economy of 2.49. In the rest of the world, where the Kokaburra and SG Test balls are used, Holder has played just five Tests, taken 14 wickets (one five-for) at a healthy average of 25.92. He’s still not easy to score off, conceding just 2.44 per over.On Thursday, Holder put that complete package on full display to rack up his best Test bowling figures of 6 for 42. Asked to bowl, in the first match of a series away from home, playing their first Test match since last November, the stakes were high. The onus was on his fast bowling attack, which Roddy Estwick, the Windies assistant coach, said in June could better any team in the world.Jason Holder leaves the field with the ball after taking six wickets•AFP

At Bridgetown, a year ago, Kemar Roach had skittled out England for 77. At lunch on Thursday England were struggling at 106 for 5 with Shannon Gabriel snaring three wickets with extreme pace. But Ben Stokes had a reprieve on 14 when Roach dived to pouch a dying ball at deep square leg in response to a perfect short-pitched delivery from Alzarri Joseph. Immediately after the break, Shamarh Brooks dropped a sitter at short cover off Roach.Stokes, along with Jos Buttler, took the charge to Gabriel, who pitched wide and short in contrast to the fuller lengths in the first session. Holder was in the slips watching the drama unfold. He took over from Gabriel straightaway.In the morning, as ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data recorded, Holder hardly bowled a full delivery. But as he built up his rhythm he improved. Post-lunch, Holder bowled only a dozen deliveries short of good length. The best length to bowl on a pitch with variable bounce and conditions that supported seam movement was on a good length. Post the break, Holder capitalised, pitching 20 deliveries on a good length, which fetched him three wickets.Two of those were Stokes and Buttler, men who were threatening to take England swiftly into a commanding territory. From the slips, Holder would have observed Stokes stepping out of the crease to negate any swing and take advantage each time the ball was pitched fuller. Without getting distracted Holder continued to attack the off stump. Off the second delivery in his second over, Stokes attempted to outsmart Holder by charging his counterpart. The ball pitched on length and straightened. Stokes let out a smile.Next ball Stokes was on the march. Holder pitched slightly fuller from wider of the crease. But the ball pitched again on off stump and this time took the outside edge as Stokes attempted to play across. Stokes shook his head in disgust. Holder celebrated.An over later, Holder came closer to the stumps, pitched on a length, drew Buttler forward as the ball once again took the outside edge which Shane Dowrich pouched smartly. Holder had snatched the momentum back.ALSO READ: Taking the knee ‘meant the world to me’ – HolderAs a fast bowler, Holder has plenty of strengths: the height from where he delivers, his wrist is straight, as is the seam most times, and he actually moves the ball in the air and off the pitch most in this Windies bowling line-up. And he uses the crease wisely. These are things he has observed and learned from the likes of Anderson and Glenn McGrath, Holder told Sky Sports.Holder has now seven five-fors, which puts him fourth on the all-time list of captains. In addition to getting the milestone four times at home, Holder has taken at least five wickets in an innings in India (2018) and Sharjah (2016) – with non-Dukes balls – and in two places that pose unique challenges for fast bowling.Jason Holder celebrates with team-mates after dismissing Jofra Archer•Getty Images

In a chat with Ian Bishop after West Indies had won the Wisden Trophy at home last year, Holder had said that his performance in the UAE against Pakistan four years ago was the turning point of his career. Remember he was just one year into his international cricket then. Pakistan were leading the series 2-0 going into the final Test in Sharjah. Holder went wicketless in the first innings. On the third evening he had three wickets. The next day, he grabbed his maiden five-for to set up the victory.During the CPL a few years ago, Mel Jones, the broadcaster, asked Holder if he fights fire with fire. Holder said he fights fire with water. That is Holder’s character: he is naturally aggressive, but does not like to wear it on his sleeve. He knows his job is that of a leader: to motivate, guide, mould West Indies into a successful unit.England will wonder what is it that brings Holder’s best against them. In 2019, it was Holder’s maiden double-century that set the tone for the series win. Holder became the No. 1 allrounder in ICC rankings. A year later Holder now has his best bowling figures against them in Test cricket.He is not like West Indian fast bowlers we are used to. He is an understated personality and he is not spoken about as much. But right now, Jason Holder is one of the best fast bowlers in cricket.

He has been the best death bowler in the IPL this season, and CSK have won most of their matches by being unflappable in that phase. What will happen when the two meet?

The Preview by Alagappan Muthu16-Apr-20198:09

Will Sunrisers break their losing streak against Super Kings?

Big picture

The tables have turned. Chennai Super Kings come into this game as the best bowling side of the IPL with the second-lowest economy rate (7.1) in the Powerplay and the best in both the middle overs (6.5) and at the death (8.3).

Form guide

• Sunrisers Hyderabad: lost to Delhi Capitals by 39 runs, lost to Kings XI Punjab by six wickets, lost to Mumbai Indians by 40 runs

• Chennai Super Kings: beat Kolkata Knight Riders by five wickets, beat Rajasthan Royals by four wickets, beat Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets

Sunrisers Hyderabad, meanwhile, have slacked off a bit in the back end. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, for example, has an economy rate of 12.6 from overs 16 to 20 and was seen practicing various versions of the cutter with head coach Tom Moody on the eve of the game. Much of this contest will hinge on how Sunrisers can stop CSK in the back end (and so much of this preview will focus on that)

In the news

• CSK have a couple of injury worries: Harbhajan Singh did not travel to Kolkata for their last game with a stiff neck and while playing that game, MS Dhoni pulled up with back spasms.
• It is reported that Bangladesh will call Sunrisers’ Shakib Al Hasan back from the IPL next week for World Cup preparations.
• Former Sunrisers captain David Warner put down their 8 for 15 collapse in the last game to a lack of experience in the batting order. So based on that, it would seem Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan have a good chance of returning to the XI.

Previous meeting

The 2018 final, which CSK won, chasing down 179 thanks to Shane Watson’s century.

Likely XIs

Sunrisers Hyderabad: 1 David Warner, 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Vijay Shankar, 5 Manish Pandey, 6 Deepak Hooda/Yusuf Pathan, 7 Abhishek Sharma, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Sandeep Sharma, 11 Khaleel AhmedChennai Super Kings: 1 Shane Watson, 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Shardul Thakur, 11 Imran Tahir.Rashid Khan celebrates a wicket•BCCI

Strategy punt

• The Sunrisers middle order is pretty crumbly, especially if Vijay Shankar can be knocked off early. And the best bet to do that seems to be with a spinner. The allrounder has made only 80 runs off 86 balls against them since IPL 2018. Moreover, in that same period, his dot-ball percentage (44%) and balls-per-boundary rate (14.3) are the third-worst of all the batsmen who have faced at least 75 deliveries of spin.
• To sweeten the deal for CSK, Vijay has already been dismissed twice in 12 balls by Mitchell Santner and he’s only ever made 13 runs off 20 balls against Ravindra Jadeja. (PS – he’s never faced Imran Tahir in a T20)
• There’s a similarly large head-to-head bulls-eye on Dhoni. He’s made only 14 off 22 against Rashid Khan and over half those deliveries have ended up being dots. The Super Kings captain is a massive force in the final overs of a T20 game but can he defy data (again) if Sunrisers save a couple of Rashid’s overs specifically for him?

Stats that matter

• Even otherwise, Rashid is Sunrisers’ best death bowler. He may have only taken six wickets in seven matches this season – but four of them have come from overs 16 to 20. His economy rate – 6 – and dot-ball percentage – 50 – are the best out of everyone who has bowled at least five overs in this phase of an innings in IPL 2019.
• Sunrisers would certainly need performances like that because they have a terrible record against CSK: 10 matches, 8 losses.
• There is a very clear vulnerability in the defending champions’ game plan, though. Their line-up is filled with slow starters. Listing this year’s batsmen with the lowest strike-rates in the first 20 balls of their innings, Ambati Rayudu at No. 1 (77), Dhoni at No. 4 (108) and Suresh Raina at No. 5 (110). Each of those batsmen, as is the CSK mantra, backs himself to make it up in the end but if Sunrisers can reprise their death-bowling masterclasses from 2018, we could be in for a great contest.
• Since 2015, the average total in T20Is and IPL matches played in Hyderabad is 158.

Mennie has played one Test and two ODIs for Australia will bolster an attack that lost Kyle Jarvis and Ryan McLaren at the end of the 2017 season

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jan-2018Lancashire have signed Australia pace bowler Joe Mennie as their overseas player for the majority of the 2018 season.Mennie, 29, who has played one Test and two ODIs for Australia, will bolster an attack that lost Kyle Jarvis and Ryan McLaren at the end of the 2017 season and play across all three formats although he won’t be available for the final three Championship matches in September.Mennie’s signature completes Lancashire’s off-season recruitment following the signings of Graham Onions and Keaton Jennings from Durham and Australia allrounder James Faulkner for the T20 Blast.”It was really important that we brought in a high-quality overseas player to the club who has good availability and this is exactly what we’ve got with Joe as he’ll be involved in all three competitions throughout the season,” Lancashire head coach Glen Chapple said.”It was vital that we bolstered our fast bowling ranks within the squad after the departures of Kyle Jarvis and Ryan McLaren at the end of last season. We have now done that with the signing of Joe and Graham who will complement our current group of home-grown fast bowlers.”Joe will add quality to our squad and we believe his bowling style will suit English pitches and conditions. We’ve heard only good things about his character and personality and we’re confident that he will slot straight into the changing room when he arrives.”Mennie’s one-off Test appearance was a tough affair against South Africa at Hobart in November 2016 when Australia were bundled out for 85 on their way to a series defeat. Mennie took one wicket, that of Temba Bavuma, before being one of the players cast aside by the significant changes which followed that heavy loss.However, he has 200 first-class wickets at 26.17 – including 51 at 21.21 in the 2016 season – often operating in the favourable batting conditions of his home ground of the Adelaide Oval.

Umpire Paul Reiffel will not stand for the remainder of the Mumbai Test after suffering concussion because of a blow to the back of the head on the opening day

Sidharth Monga in Mumbai08-Dec-2016Umpire Paul Reiffel will not stand for the remainder of the Mumbai Test after suffering concussion because of a blow to the back of the head on the opening day.Reiffel was helped off the field by England’s medical staff and went to hospital where tests cleared him of serious injury, but he was advised to rest. Marais Erasmus, who was the TV umpire, will continue in the on-field role for the rest of the match.*An ICC statement said: “Paul Reiffel underwent precautionary tests yesterday, which came back all clear. Paul, however, has been advised to rest, which is the normal course prescribed following a concussion. As such, he will not take any further part in the Mumbai Test and has been replaced by Marais Erasmus.”The accident took place in the 49th over of England’s innings, when Keaton Jennings worked R Ashwin past the square leg. From three-fourths of the way to the fence, Bhuvneshwar Kumar lobbed a throw back to Cheteshwar Pujara, who stood between Reiffel and the stumps. The throw didn’t have enough power, and Pujara seemed to warn Reiffel late, leaving him time only to duck. Had Reiffel stood upright the ball might have glanced the top of his head; but now it hit the sensitive area on the back of the head.The other umpire Bruce Oxenford, who wears an arm guard in limited-overs cricket, rushed to provide Reiffel shade with his hat and the England medical team looked after the 50-year-old umpire as he collapsed to the ground. Play was held up for 10 to 12 minutes shortly before the scheduled afternoon drinks break. Erasmus took Reiffel’s place on the field as he walked off for a medical examination.It helped that there was an understudy for the third umpire: C Shamshuddin, who has stood in ODIs, was at the ground as part of a programme to train local umpires on the DRS. Shamshuddin, who was better versed with DRS protocols than fourth umpire Nitin Menon, moved into the TV umpire’s seat.Reiffel is scheduled to be an on-field official during the final Test in Chennai.* December 9, 2.15pm IST: This story was updated with news of Paul Reiffel not returning for the Test

Fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza has been named captain of the BCB XI that will play against the touring Zimbabweans in a one-day game on November 5

Mohammad Isam03-Nov-2015Fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza has been named captain of the BCB XI that will play against the touring Zimbabweans in a one-day game on November 5. Four other members of the current ODI squad – Liton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman and Jubair Hossain – will also play in the warm-up game at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium, two days ahead of the first ODI.This will be Mashrafe’s first competitive game since July 15 after his planned return in the National Cricket League – Bangladesh’s first-class competition – had to be cancelled last month after he was hospitalised with dengue fever. He started training with the squad on October 29 but the team management is carefully managing his recovery from the illness.Das, Mushfiqur, Sabbir and Jubair will feature in the practice game in a move focused on giving them batting and bowling practice ahead of their first international encounter in nearly four months, a period in which these four players have played domestic first-class cricket.The selectors also included Shahriar Nafees after he finished as the highest scorer in this season’s National Cricket League with 715 runs at an average of 79.44 in six matches for Barisal Division. In the last match, he struck 168 and 174 not out.The uncapped members of the 13-member squad are Mehedi Maruf and Sunzamul Islam, and pace bowlers Delwar Hossain and Tawhidul Islam. Maruf, Sunzamul and Tawhidul have been impressive performers in this year’s first-class tournaments but Delwar’s inclusion came as a surprise given that he has only played a single first-class game so far in the 2015-16 season.BCB XI: Imrul Kayes, Anamul Haque, Liton Das, Shahriar Nafees, Mushfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman, Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Mehedi Maruf, Jubair Hossain, Sunzamul Islam, Delwar Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Tawhidul Islam.

Ryan Harris conjured a sizzling final over to snatch for Queensland a domestic limited overs final that Victoria seemed to have in their keeping

Daniel Brettig27-Feb-2013
ScorecardRyan Harris delivered victory for Queensland with two wickets in the final over of the match•Getty Images

Ryan Harris conjured a sizzling final over to snatch for Queensland a domestic limited overs final that Victoria seemed to have in their keeping after a night of many fluctuations on a lively MCG surface kept fresh by rain.Needing five runs from 10 balls with three wickets in hand following a pair of sixes swung by Clint McKay, the Bushrangers lost Will Sheridan without addition but still needed only five from Harris’ final over of the match. It was a task he had been saved for while the hosts took advantage of some wayward bowling by Cameron Gannon.After a pair of singles, Harris whizzed down a lifter that McKay did well to edge and Chris Hartley better still to catch, leaping well off the ground to claim the chance. Next ball Fawad Ahmed pushed apprehensively at a delivery of immaculate line and length and Peter Forrest held another sharp chance at second slip, a cue for jubilant Bulls and disconsolate Bushrangers.Under the astute yet uncomplicated helmsmanship of the coach Darren Lehmann and the captain James Hopes, the Bulls now hold both the Sheffield Shield and limited overs titles, while the Brisbane Heat carried off the Big Bash League in January. They have shown a knack for finding something extra in tight moments.In a strong reminder that he will be a more than useful Ashes tourist should his fitness hold up, Harris made a lively start to the innings also, nipping out Aaron Finch while keeping the runs down. Along with James Hopes, Alister McDermott and Gannon, Harris ensured regular wickets always kept the Bulls in the match, until McKay’s sixes had threatened to finish it.Peter Handscomb and Cameron White came closest to establishing a match-winning stand, but the Bushrangers captain succumbed to one of several short balls that leapt threateningly across the evening – symptomatic of a contest in which no batsman passed 50.Queensland had seemed unlikely winners when the match was stopped for rain after 20.1 overs in the afternoon, a scoreline of 4 for 69 relating how their batsmen struggled on a pitch offering movement and bounce to the seamers.The delay reduced the match to 32 overs per side, and for some time after the resumption the Bulls did not look like setting any sort of total for Victoria to chase, slipping to 7 for 97 when Ahmed deceived Peter Forrest in the midst of another teasing spell of leg spin.However Jason Floros summoned his cleanest hitting to capitalise on Victorian errors of length in the closing overs, crashing the first three balls of the final over, bowled by John Hastings, for six, four and six. In all 18 came from that final over, runs that would give Harris just enough room to seal a thrilling victory.

Peter Siddle will be unleashed in the West Indies as a Test match spearhead rather than taking part in Australia’s forthcoming ODI assignments, the national selector John Inverarity has said

Daniel Brettig22-Feb-2012Peter Siddle will be unleashed in the West Indies as a Test match spearhead rather than taking part in Australia’s forthcoming ODI assignments, the national selector John Inverarity has said.In a sign that the selectors are shaping Siddle into Michael Clarke’s equivalent of the kind of role Merv Hughes performed for Allan Border in the 1990s, Inverarity said the panel wanted Siddle to maintain the “lionhearted” standards he set against New Zealand and India, rather than adjusting his plans for the demands of ODIs.In a similar fashion, Hughes played few limited-overs matches for Australia, as the panel then chaired by Laurie Sawle preferred the Victorian fast man to give his all in Test matches, where he commonly took the critical wickets in sharp spells. Siddle now appears to be treading a path similar to the one that took Hughes to 212 Test wickets.”His bowling during the Test matches was outstanding, and we really look forward to letting him loose in the West Indies,” Inverarity told ESPNcricinfo. “He was lionhearted and wonderful [against India] and we look forward to him returning there. But just at the moment he’s not in our short-term ODI plans.”Under Clarke, Siddle has commonly been used in shorter, more incisive Test match spells than those he delivered under Ricky Ponting, also benefiting from the fuller length and discipline advocated by the bowling coach Craig McDermott – Hughes’ former pace partner. Against India he repeatedly broke key partnerships before Ben Hilfenhaus and others cleaned up in his wake, until Siddle had his reward with a Man-of-the-Match haul in the final Test in Adelaide.In his absence, the Australian limited-overs squad is re-assembling in Hobart for Friday’s ODI against Sri Lanka.
Xavier Doherty, the Tasmanian left-arm spinner, will play his first international on his home ground, and said there would be a decidedly different feel to the dressing room in Ponting’s absence after he was dropped from the one-day side.”It’s going to be very different,” Doherty said. “Having Ricky around for the last 15-16 years, he’s the guy who’s got all the energy in the group so that role’s probably going to have to shift to someone else now. So it’s going to be a very different feel and probably different for the public to come to watch.”Like Ricky said, if you don’t put the runs on or take the wickets then you leave yourself up for this sort of outcome. It is unfortunate that this is the way it’s gone, but in professional sport that is the way things go.”Doherty has bowled reliably across the series, often entrusted with later overs in the innings, where his variations in pace, accuracy and occasional spin have prospered.”Early on in the tournament I probably took wickets, which is the credit for some of the other guys doing the hard work,” Doherty said. “In the last couple of games it’s probably me doing some of the hard work and they’ve been the ones to get the rewards, so I feel pretty comfortable in the team now, it’s taken a little while to settle in, but I feel like I can do whatever’s asked of me.”As a limited-overs spinner, Doherty said he had been aided by his experiences in Twenty20 matches, which placed greater emphasis on him to be precise every time he delivered the ball.”There’s no doubt that T20 cricket is having an impact on the other forms,” he said. “You have a look at Dave Warner’s progression, Malinga, it’s cut-throat stuff in T20, whereas in 50-over cricket you do get a little bit more leeway so the skills of T20 are definitely rubbing off on some of the other forms. A lot of people have negative things to say about T20 but I think from my point of view it’s all positive.”

Auckland, propelled by a 152-ball 153 by Lou Vincent, defeated Canterbury in the final of the New Zealand Cricket One Day Competition by six runs, in a high-scoring nail-biter in Christchurch

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Feb-2011
ScorecardAuckland captain Gareth Hopkins poses with the trophy•Getty Images

A 152-ball 153 from Lou Vincent propelled Auckland to a six-run victory against Canterbury in a high-scoring final of the NZC one-day competition. The game saw 664 runs scored and included a spirited century in a losing cause by Canterbury’s Rob Nicol.Winning the toss and batting, Auckland got off to a solid start, with openers Vincent and Jeet Raval putting on 92 for the first wicket within 15 overs. Canterbury followed up fast bowler Andrew Ellis’ dismissal of Raval with two quick wickets, but a 136-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Vincent and Greg Todd asserted Auckland’s dominance in the match.By the time Canterbury knocked over Vincent in the 47th over, he had pummelled their bowlers for 16 fours and a six. A hard-hitting cameo by Colin de Grandhomme in the death overs gave Auckland the finish they wanted, and they finished with 335 for 6. Richard Sherlock was the only bowler to take more than one wicket, but bled 9.37 runs per over.Canterbury’s chase did not begin ideally, as they moved along to 52 for 2 in the 11th over. But a 136-run third wicket partnership between Nicol and Dean Brownlie (60 off 66 balls) got the innings back on track. After the two fell, Shanan Stewart’s 60 off 47 balls combined with the lower order to almost take Canterbury home, but they fell just short.Nicol’s century made him the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 648 runs in nine matches at 72.00, ahead of Lou Vincent, who finished with 642 in 11 matches.