An unbroken seventh-wicket partnership of 112 in 13 overs between Matt Wade and Mitchell Marsh was the difference as Australia went 1-0 up in the ODI series

The Report by George Dobell at the Ageas Bowl03-Sep-2015
Scorecard1:42

Australia hold off England at the Ageas Bowl

A seventh-wicket partnership of 112 in 13 overs between Matthew Wade and Mitchell Marsh proved the difference between the sides in the first ODI of the series between England and Australia in Southampton.When the pair came together Australia were precariously placed on 193 for 6 and had just lost three wickets for 15 runs. But Wade, timing the ball as well as anyone, produced his highest ODI score since August 2012 – and his highest ever against a Full Member nation – as Australia added 93 from the final 10 overs.That took Australia’s total above 300 and, while the game has changed up to a point, the fact remains that England have only three times successfully chased a target of that magnitude. Only once have they successfully chased a target higher than the one they were set here.There was talk, at the halfway stage of the game, that the Australia total was little better than par. And it is true that, in the context of the run-drenched ODI series against New Zealand earlier this season, a score of 305 seemed pretty modest.But maybe in time we will come to see that series – played on perfect batting pitches and with playing regulations that favoured batsmen to an extreme extent – as somewhat aberrational. This was the first ODI in England played under the new playing regulations which allow the fielding captain more scope to defend. It is too early to say for sure what the effects will be, but it seems reasonable to presume they will rein in totals just a little.England’s openers set off well enough but eventually, against a disciplined attack, the pressure of sustaining such a run chase began to tell. And, once their innings lost momentum, wickets followed.This was a performance that represented a fine return from Wade. He missed out on World Cup selection after Brad Haddin’s superior keeping and extra experience – and his own failure to nail down a place in the 47 ODIs he had played up to that point – was favoured.Until that point, Wade was averaging in the mid-20s and, after a decent start to his ODI career (he made three half-centuries in his first nine innings), had contributed just one half-century in 22 innings.He didn’t enjoy a good start here, either. Attempting to get off the mark, he pushed a delivery straight to the cover fielder – Ben Stokes of all people – and set off for an almost impossible run that left his partner, the unfortunate Shane Watson, yards short of his ground.But after that moment of madness, he demonstrated a fine range of strokes, a selflessness and an ability to improvise – one sweep off Stokes was especially eye-catching – to suggest that, aged 27, he has the ability, the time and now the maturity to make a success of his second chance in international cricket. He also kept athletically and claimed three catches.Certainly Australia were grateful for his contribution. While David Warner and Joe Burns ensured a bright enough start, Australia lost their way in mid-innings due to the introduction of England’s spinners and some self-inflicted errors. First Burns hit a full toss straight back at the bowler, before Steven Smith slogged another straight to the fielder on the deep midwicket boundary.Adil Rashid was the fortunate bowler on both occasions but, in between times, this was a decent performance from the legspinner. Encouraged to think of himself as a wicket-taking bowler, even in this format of the game, he turned the ball both ways and generally maintained a decent, demanding length. On another day the wicket of Warner, who again looked in fine form but was defeated by a googly and sliced to short third man, might have proved crucial, while Rashid could also take pride in the wicket of George Bailey, beaten by one that skidded on.Moeen Ali, gaining more drift and dip than at any time this summer, also bowled nicely and was the most economical of England’s bowlers. But the seamers claimed only one wicket between them – and that from what might well have been called a leg side wide had Glenn Maxwell not feathered it – which gave Australia the opportunity to launch a counterattack in the final overs.England’s reply started well, too. Jason Roy, timing the ball as well as he ever has done in an England shirt, raced to his maiden international half-century and with Alex Hales posted a first-wicket stand of 70 in 11 overs. It is a partnership of elegant brutality that promises much for the future.But after Hales pulled to midwicket, James Taylor was unable to capitalise on his decent start and became bogged down against the impressively tight bowling of Watson and Maxwell. Roy sliced to point, Taylor played across a straight one and Eoin Morgan’s uncomfortable innings was ended when he gloved an attempted pull down the leg side.That wicket seemed to break the back of England’s resistance. Stokes’ unconvincing innings was ended by a flick to midwicket, Jos Buttler drive to mid-off and, with Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins bowling with impressive pace, the tail were never likely to stay with Moeen long enough to get close.England have now lost 10 of their last 11 ODIs against Australia. The margin was not as large as the last time they met – on the opening day of the World Cup in February – but Australia showed that, even with four changes to the side that lifted that trophy, they remain a tough team to beat in ODI cricket.

A round-up of the first day’s play of the second round of Group A games in the Ranji Trophy played on October 8, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Oct-2015
ScorecardFile photo – Harshad Khadiwale hit 10 fours in his 164-ball 74•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Harshad Khadiwale’s 74 and Ankit Bawne’s 60 helped Maharashtra recover from 62 for 3 to 235 for 5 at stumps on the first day of their Group A game against Odisha in Cuttack.After inserting the visitors, medium pacer Suryakant Pradhan dismissed Swapnil Gugale in the fourth over after which Biplab Samantray dismissed Rohit Motwani and Kedar Jadhav to leave Maharashtra on 63 for 3.Bawne and Khadiwale then put on 91 runs for the fourth wicket, taking them past 150. Samantray then dismissed Khadiwale off the first ball of the 58th over while Bawne fell on the last ball of the 70th. Rahul Tripathi and Chirag Khurana were unbeaten on 41 and 18 respectively at stumps. Medium-pacer Basant Mohanty did not get any wickets but delivered nine maiden overs out of the 21 he bowled, giving away 21 runs in all.
ScorecardRajasthan enjoyed a mixed day at the Baraspara Stadium in Guwahati ending up with 147 for 5 at stumps on the first day of their Group A game against Assam.After being put in, Rajasthan lost Pranay Sharma in the fifth over with just 12 runs on the board. A 52-run partnership between Ashok Menaria and Vineet Saxena took them to 64 before Krishna Das went through the defences of Menaria in the 25th over. Saxena then put on 36 runs for the third wicket with Rajesh Bishnoi, but was dismissed when the visitors reached 100, courtesy J Syed Mohammad.Arup Das ran out Puneet Yadav for 10 in the 50th over before Syed Mohammed picked up his second wicket reducing Rajasthan to 127 for 5. Dishant Yagnik and Ajay Singh remained unbeaten on 15 and 9 respectively.Assam captain Gokul Sharma employed seven bowlers with Swarupam Purkayastha and Syed Mohammad bowling the major chunk of them.
ScorecardVidarbha got off to a slippery start in their away game against Delhi at the Feroz Shah Kotla, losing their openers inside seven overs with just 16 runs on the board.Captain S Badrinath and Faiz Fazal pulled Vidarbha out with a 88-run third-wicket partnership, taking them past 100. Left-arm seamer Pradeep Sangwan trapped Badrinath lbw six short of a fifty in the 46th over.Ishant Sharma picked up his second wicket when he got Fazal to edge one to wicketkeeper Mohit Ahlawat in the 55th over but not before the left-hander made 56. Delhi kept picking wickets in regular intervals before Jitesh Sharma and Aditya Shanware’s 69-run stand offered some resistance.Shanware fell in the penultimate over of the day when an Ishant delivery caught the edge of his bat and was held by Ahlawat. Jitesh Sharma stayed unbeaten on 37 in the company of Shrikant Wagh, who is yet to get off the mark.Karnataka hit back after Chatterjee ton

This was an excellent match for Surrey. It illustrated their strengths and suggested they are ready for the tough school that is Division One of the County Championship

Paul Edwards at Old Trafford17-Sep-2015
ScorecardAshwell Prince salutes the crowd after his last innings at Old Trafford•Getty Images

This was an excellent match for Surrey. It illustrated their strengths and suggested they are ready for the tough school that is Division One of the County Championship. Even though Lancashire’s resilient batting on the final day prevented Gareth Batty’s team from winning the game and with it the Division Two title, there was no doubt which team had bossed the contest.But this was also a very useful match for Lancashire, providing they learn the lessons it proffered and recruit the players they need in the close season. Quite regardless of where the title ends up, and Surrey go into the final round of matches with an eight-point lead over their rivals, these four days at Old Trafford surely showed Ashley Giles the gaps he needs to fill if 2016 is not to be a chastening experience.All this matters because Surrey and Lancashire are in the middle of a project which they hope will see them rise to the top of the English domestic game. They have enjoyed promotions only to suffer three relegations apiece over the past 11 seasons. They have had enough of the switchback between joy and disappointment.Although they might not admit it, both counties probably expected to be promoted this season. Now they aim to establish themselves at the top table of the English domestic game.In John Sturges’ classic 1960 filmThe Magnificent Seven hired guns Chris and Vin are defying the local racists to ensure that a native Indian is given a decent burial at the squalid local cemetery Boot Hill. As they make their way to the graveyard Vin voices his fears: “It’s not getting up there that’s bothers me. It’s staying up there that I mind.”Vin’s words need only a slight tweak to be applicable to both Surrey and Lancashire. Getting up to Division was barely the concern; it was expected. It’s staying up there that bothers them now.The final day of the season brought reasons for Lancashire supporters to be concerned and reasons for them to be cautiously optimistic. The chief concern was surely prompted just after midday when Ashwell Prince, who has been the mainstay of Lancashire’s batting for the past four seasons walked away from the Old Trafford wicket for the final time. He had just been caught by Kumar Sangakkara off Matt Dunn for 11.Although often accused of being at Lancashire under a flag of convenience, Prince is leaving the club wearing a badge of honour. This was shown when he received a standing ovation at a members’ forum at Tuesday evening. Somebody is going to have to score Prince’s runs if Lancashire are to survive, let alone flourish next season.However, the rest of the day at Old Trafford was dominated in part by the batting of Haseeb Hameed, an 18-year-old opener whose excellent technique and calm temperament help to explain why Lancashire feel able to dispense with Paul Horton’s services, although Hameed’s undoubted talent may not entirely justify that decision.Hameed’s 91 in 325 minutes suggested that he has the concentration necessary to succeed at the top level of the county game. However, he faced 234 balls and did not score off 195 of them, suggesting that his ability to keep the scoreboard ticking over needs work. That, though, will come with time, experience and hard work.On the final day of this game Lancashire supporters were simply grateful that Hameed stayed at the crease for over five hours and was only dismissed when caught at leg slip by Tom Curran off his brother Sam a few overs before bad light ended the game nine overs early when Lancashire were 195 for 7 and a tense finish was in prospect.Hameed’s success in resisting Surrey’s talented seamers was not shared by too many of his colleagues. In the first hour or so of play Karl Brown was leg before to Tom Curran and  Dunn had removed both Alviro Petersen and Prince to catches in the slip cordon. That left Lancashire on 71 for 3 and almost grateful that Surrey had left with so little time to bat on the third evening and the absurd target of 492 to chase.Steven Croft kept Hameed company in a 91-run stand for the fourth wicket but his dismissal, caught at the wicket by Ben Foakes off Tom Curran just before tea, was followed just after the resumption by the dismissals of Phil Mustard, Jordan Clark and finally, Hameed.It was, though, an excellent day for Surrey’s seamers. Tom Curran bowled economically and well; his brother, Sam, maintained a constant threat; and Matt Dunn, often overlooked recently took 3 for 46. Gareth Batty’s seamers look ready for Division One; whether some Division One batsmen are ready for them is an intriguing question.

Afghanistan leveled the series against Zimbabwe with a three-wicket win in the fourth one-day international at Queens Sports Club, with Mohammad Shahzad’s 80 setting up their pursuit of Zimbabwe’s 184

The Report by Liam Brickhill in Bulawayo22-Oct-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSikandar Raza struck five fours and a six in a determined 113-ball 86•Zimbabwe Cricket

Afghanistan leveled the series against Zimbabwe with a three-wicket win in the fourth one-day international at Queens Sports Club, with Mohammad Shahzad’s 80 setting up their pursuit of Zimbabwe’s 184 for 8. Afghanistan appeared to be cruising to the win while Shahzad was at the crease, but in spin-friendly conditions they laboured over the latter stages of their chase, slipping from 119 for 1 to 178 for 7 before 17-year-old legspinner Rashid Khan sealed the match with a six over long-off.They might have been chasing an even lower total had it not been for Sikandar Raza’s gritty 86. Only two other Zimbabwe batsmen crossed 20 as Afghanistan’s disciplined approach with the ball stifled the top order. Zimbabwe had stumbled to 82 for 6 before Raza and Luke Jongwe cobbled together a recovery with their 65-run partnership, which was the highest of the innings. Raza battled cramp and a withering blow to the groin as he hobbled through his knock, boosting Zimbabwe to a total that was never quite defendable.It looked woefully under par when Afghanistan’s openers, Shahzad and Noor Ali Zadran, cruised past fifty without offering the bowlers a chance. The opening stand was only broken at 72, in the 18th over, when Noor Ali cut left-arm spinner Chisoro to Elton Chigumbura. But it was Shahzad who had led the early charge, as he usually does, and he brought up a 60-ball fifty in the 20th over. He had also marched past 1000 ODI runs for Afghanistan in the process, and continued merrily on his way, swiping fours and sixes off Chisoro and Wellington Masakadza, Zimbabwe’s other left-arm spinner.At the other end, Mohammad Nabi got going in a similarly aggressive mode, and his first boundary was a straight six down the ground off legspinner Tino Mutombodzi. Afghanistan raced past 100, with well over half of the innings still to go, and in desperation Chigumbura turned back to opening bowler Luke Jongwe. He duly picked up a wicket with his third ball back into the attack, Nabi top-edging to mid-on, where Masakadza held onto a catch despite colliding with Tinashe Panyangara.When Shahzad skied a catch to Raza, running back from midwicket in the next over, Afghanistan were 119 for 3 and wobbling slightly. Suddenly Zimbabwe buzzed with energy in the field, and reinvigorated bowlers repeatedly beat the outside edge. Chisoro was the pick of the bunch, and relentless pressure from his end eventually resulted in the dismissal of Nawroz Mangal, who gloved a sweep to Craig Ervine at slip.Afghanistan were 133 for 4 then, needing only 52 to win, and Asghar Stanikzai hurried them closer by attacking the leg-side boundary off both the spinners and the quicks. Again, victory appeared a formality but when Samiullah Shenwari and Shafiqullah fell in consecutive overs, nerves began to set in. Zimbabwe scrapped for every run, and with seven needed Stanikzai was bowled by Sean Williams for 32 to reduce the visitors to 178 for 7. Zimbabwe were into the tail, but Afghanistan’s tailenders hit the ball as hard as their top order and Rashid sealed the match with a huge blow off Williams.Shahzad later said that the side took heart from the presence of allrounders in the side to recover from batting collapses. “It’s a part of the game. Sometimes, the middle order collapses and sometimes the top order collapses,” Shahzad said after the match. “We’ve had batting collapses in the last two matches, so it’s no problem because we have a lot of batting allrounders. We never feel like the match is getting out of hand because we know that one more batsman is there in the pavilion.”Had Zimbabwe been able to scrape themselves past 200, they might have been able to apply greater pressure but their top order was scuppered by Afghanistan’s committed effort. Their top four were all back in the pavilion inside the first 15 overs, and there was relentless pressure as Raza and Chigumbura were able to score just 24 off the next ten overs. A ball-watching Chigumbura was then run out for 15, and an over later Mutombodzi’s stumping left Zimbabwe in serious trouble at 82 for 6.Raza and Jongwe carried the side slowly past 100 in the 35th over, and Raza began to open up as he approached his fifty. He reached the mark with a six and a four off Shenwari in the 39th over, but he was already limping by then and the physio had been called out to attend to a problem in his right leg during the drinks break. He lost Jongwe in the 45th over, caught in the deep for 22, and was then left writhing on the ground when he was struck by a quick delivery from Dawlat Zadran in the 48th over. He bravely weathered the blow, and his own fatigue, to run five twos and a three before he was eventually dismissed by the penultimate ball of the innings for 86. Unfortunately for Zimbabwe, his efforts were all in vain.

The much-anticipated meeting between the BCCI and PCB heads took place in Dubai on Sunday afternoon

Nagraj Gollapudi & Umar Farooq22-Nov-2015The much-anticipated meeting between the BCCI and PCB heads took place in Dubai on Sunday afternoon, at the ICC headquarters. BCCI president Shashank Manohar, who is in Dubai in his role as the ICC chairman, met PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan to discuss a way to break the deadlock over the staging of a bilateral series between the two countries. Although there has been no official information on the outcome of the meeting yet, it is understood that one possible solution discussed at the meeting was staging the series in Sri Lanka, comprising five matches: three ODIs and two Twenty20Is.*Though it remains to be confirmed, even a mere discussion around having the series at a neutral venue like Sri Lanka would have to be seen as a positive step, given both the BCCI and PCB have remained defiant about not playing at the other’s home venue. According to the ICC’s FTP, Pakistan are meant to host India in the UAE for a full tour comprising two Tests, five ODIs and two T20Is. However, with India leaving for Australia after the first week of January for an ODI series (which starts on January 12), the Pakistan series should it go ahead will need to be scrunched into a shorter one.None of the officials present at the meeting, including Khan, usually an effusive speaker, revealed any details. Khan only said that ECB president Giles Clarke – who was present at the meeting – is likely to brief the media on Monday.”We had a fruitful meeting,” Khan said. “Giles Clarke was our facilitator and Shashank was also in there. It has been decided that Giles Clarke will give a briefing tomorrow. We have also decided that there will be no further briefing. I am not in a position to say more than this.”Khan was accompanied by Najam Sethi, head of the PCB’s executive committee, at the meeting, while Manohar was the sole representative of the BCCI. Neither Clarke nor Manohar could be reached for a comment at their hotel. Khan and Sethi were scheduled to return to Pakistan by a late-evening flight, while Manohar will be in Dubai for another two days.The presence of Clarke at the meeting was no surprise considering he has been a strong supporter of an India-Pakistan series for a long time. On the eve of the meeting Khan had already said that Clarke was playing the role of a mediator.Clarke is head the ICC task force on Pakistan, which has looked into how the PCB could fulfill its commitments under the Future Tours Programme given the security issues following the Lahore attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in 2009. In his report, Clarke had stressed on the significance of India-Pakistan cricket, saying: “It [the severed bilateral ties] is hurting the sport, particularly in Pakistan and the PTT sees no reason why this great sporting rivalry should not be restored as soon as possible, even if on neutral soil.”Still Clarke would have found it difficult to mediate here, given the rigid stance adopted by both sides going into the meeting. Manohar had earlier made it clear India would not play in the UAE as desired by the PCB, and speaking to the on Saturday, he reiterated that stance once again. “Presently, there is no question [of playing in the UAE]. We gave an option to Pakistan, asking them whether they will come to India. Pakistan was to get back to me, they haven’t got back to me.” Asked whether there were any specific reasons he was opposed to India playing in the UAE, Manohar said there were none.Khan’s response to the offer initially was that the PCB would not send its team to India, keeping in mind two factors: the security situation given some political elements having opening displayed their opposition to Pakistan, and the MoU India had signed in 2014 where it was decided that Pakistan would host the first of the six bilateral series in the UAE. While the BCCI agrees that the MoU had been signed, its officials have always stressed that the series was dependent on the federal government giving it its nod.On Friday Khan had feigned ignorance about the impending meeting, saying he was in the UAE to attend the fourth ODI between Pakistan and England. He said that he had not heard at the time from Manohar but would be open to discuss the matter. On Saturday Khan travelled to Abu Dhabi to meet top UAE government officials, reportedly to seek support for hosting the series in the Gulf state. He said the decision to play India now did not lie with the PCB anymore, but the Pakistan government would take the final decision.*19.00GMT, November 22: This article was updated.

A round-up of the Regional Four-Day Tournament matches that ended on December 14, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Dec-2015
ScorecardFile photo: Tagenarine Chanderpaul struck an important second-innings fifty in Guyana’s victory•WICB Media

Gudakesh Moti, the left-arm spinner who made his first-class debut only a month ago, has taken a fourth five-wicket haul in five matches to entrench Guyana atop the Regional 4-day Tournament points table for 2015-16. He bowled 23.3 overs, allowed a meager 33 runs, and snatched up six wickets to hand Jamaica their second loss of the season, by 117 runs at Sabina Park.Fourth-innings chases are invariably tough, but the hosts’ battling line-up did not do themselves any favours. They had already been bundled out for 146 in their first innings, which was the major reason for their target being 326. In the second innings, as many as six batsmen faced more than fifty balls each, but none of them could reach a score of fifty. That is not to slight the increased determination. Tamar Lambert made 30 off 128, debutant Rovman Powell spent over two hours at the crease for his 23 and Jamaica batted out more than 100 overs in search of the draw, but it wasn’t to be as Motie broke through. The 20-year old dismissed the final six batsmen, including Lambert and Powell to become the top wicket-taker in the competition.That mantle had been with Jamaica’s own left-arm spinner Nikita Miller only a few days ago. He had taken 6 for 46 off 26 overs to restrict Guyana to 189 in their first innings, and claim the top spot. Motie only got one wicket off 11 overs on his first try, but Jamaica didn’t have it much easier as his left-arm team-mate Veerasammy Permaul spun them out with 5 for 25 in 22. 5 overs, an economy rate of 1.09.Guyana claimed a lead of 43, then Tagenarine Chanderpaul became the only batsman with a substantial score in the entire match, a situation his father Shivnarine has come across many a time. Tagenarine made 81 off 249 balls and, with handy contributions down the order, pushed the lead past 300.
ScorecardA string of top-order fifties from Trinidad & Tobago beat a string of lower-order fifties from Windward Islands for the first-innings points in St Lucia.T&T won the toss and their bowlers put on a strong show to reduce Windward Islands to 76 for 5. Then came the rally with Andre Fletcher digging in for 63 off 159 balls and offspinner Shane Shillingford eventually outscoring him with 64 off 161 balls. No. 10 Mervyn Matthew chipped in with 48 runs, including seven fours to drag Windward Islands to 306.T&T had help from the lower order too – No. 10 Marlon Richards whacked 60 off 58 balls with five sixes – but their total of 382 was set up by No. 3 Yannic Cariah’s 70 off 216 balls and middle-order batsman Yannick Ottley’s 99 off 218 balls, with 12 fours. They took a lead of 76 runs, and the subsequent seven points that came with it. Left-arm fast bowler Kevin McClean took 4 for 66.Windward Islands then batted out 81.4 overs and were at 189 for 8 when the match came to a close. It was a slow moving draw, with the run-rate less than three in all three innings Devon Smith made 56 off 186 balls at the top of the line-up and Shillingford again showed his capability to bat by spending 94 balls at the crease for his 34, which included 4 sixes.

Brendon McCullum will lead a 13-man New Zealand squad for the home ODI series against Australia beginning February 3 in Auckland

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jan-20161:18

‘Important McCullum plays if fit’ – Hesson

Brendon McCullum will lead a 13-man New Zealand squad for the home ODI series against Australia beginning February 3 in Auckland. McCullum has been out with a back injury since the second ODI against Sri Lanka on December 28 but is set to return to the side for the third ODI against Pakistan on Sunday. The series against Australia will be McCullum’s last in limited-overs internationals.If McCullum isn’t ready by the start of the three-match ODI series, Tom Latham has been named as cover for the New Zealand captain. Coach Mike Hesson is counting on New Zealand’s depth to come through in their bid to retain the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy as they continue without the services of Ross Taylor, Tim Southee and Mitchell McClenaghan due to injury.Southee is expected to recover from his foot in time for the Tests, and has begun training with the New Zealand team. He may also play a Plunket Shield match against Central Stags, from February 5-8. Taylor’s recovery is more difficult to predict, Hesson said.”Ross is making progress. It’s a little bit hard to put a time-frame on it. He’s still seeing a specialist and making some good progress. We’re hopeful for the first Test, but it’s certainly not guaranteed at this stage.”New Zealand have had several players affected by injury over the past three weeks, but have won four out of five completed ODIs in their home summer so far. The tour against Australia represents the climax of their season.”This is a pinnacle event for us and we’ll look to get our best side out on the park each time we play,” said Hesson. “We’ve been lucky enough to use a big squad over the summer and although we’re missing a few key players, we have guys who can step in and we know are up to the task. The Chappell Hadlee Trophy is something we want to hold on to. The rivalry between these two sides is huge and it’s going to be three intense games in front of some big crowds.”New Zealand ODI squad: Brendon McCullum (capt), Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Henry Nicholls, Grant Elliott, Corey Anderson, Colin Munro, Luke Ronchi (wk), Mitchell Santner, Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Adam Milne, Matt Henry

At least three Full Member boards have written to the ICC expressing concern over current players asking for no objection certificates to participate in the Masters Champions League

Nagraj Gollapudi and Umar Farooq21-Jan-2016At least three Full Member boards have written to the ICC expressing concern over their current players asking for no objection certificates to participate in the Masters Champions League (MCL), which was approved as a Twenty20 event meant strictly for retired players. The ICC has warned that “actions of those involved with the MCL in seeking current player participation” is “unacceptable”.It is understood that the three aggrieved members are the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Cricket South Africa (CSA), and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).In an e-mail sent to all the member boards, ICC senior operations manager Clive Hitchcock asked them to contact him immediately if they received a request from a current or non-retired player for an NOC to play in the MCL. According to Hitchcock, the ICC had granted an approval to the MCL last November, and notified all the board members.”Our decision not to issue a Disapproved Notice was based on the application from MCL which clearly stated that it was an event for retired players only,” Hitchcock wrote in the e-mail, which is in possession of ESPNcricinfo. “Emirates Cricket Board, who sanctioned the event, did so on the basis of their negotiations with MCL for a retired players event. Consequently, the actions of those involved with the MCL in seeking current player participation in the event is unacceptable to us.”Hitchcock pointed out that affected boards have highlighted to the ICC that the MCL has been signing up players who are yet to retire, thereby weakening their domestic cricket. “Within the past week we have received notification from two Full Members that its current players have just been approached to play in the event, by requesting those players to seek NOCs from their respective Board,” Hitchcock said.Haroon Lorgat, the CSA chief executive, said he had to take notice once his board received a “couple of queries” for NOCs from current South African domestic players. “I am concerned because on the back of what was meant to be [a tournament] for retired players they are now inviting or approaching who are currently playing in our domestic set-up,” Lorgat said.Lorgat did not disclose the names of the players, but said CSA had approached the ICC asking for intervention.”You can’t have domestic competitions affected,” Lorgat said. “This is the prime part of our season. And they are not retired players. They are contracted to our domestic franchises.”The MCL’s squads feature a number of South African players who haven’t yet announced their retirement, including a few who have featured in the current domestic season, such as Ryan McLaren, Richard Levi and Robin Peterson.WICB chief executive Michael Muirhead said his board had written to the ICC seeking clarity, although he added no West Indies player had yet asked for an NOC. West Indian players in the MCL roster include Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Fidel Edwards, who are yet to announce their retirements.For the PCB, the challenge is of a different kind. Last week the PCB had made it clear that the Pakistan players who wanted to play in the MCL would need to submit in writing that they had “announced and confirmed their irrevocable resignation and retirement from international cricket on behalf of Pakistan”.The main issue for the PCB is the ten-day clash between the Pakistan Super League and the MCL, both of which are being staged in the UAE. The MCL is scheduled be held from January 28 to February 13, while the PSL is to be held from February 4 to 23. “MCL was earlier meant to end a few days before we started our league [PSL] in the UAE, but later the MCL and ECB made a some changes in their fixtures,” Najam Sethi, the PCB’s executive committee head, said. “Later we got a three-way agreement with MCL, PCB and ECB, but still it’s overlapping, which isn’t ideal, but we have agreed to it and we didn’t have any other choice.”According to Sethi the PCB, despite the clash with the MCL, had stayed quiet when the ICC board was deliberating over whether to grant an approval to the MCL. “Had we opposed it, they could have been in trouble earlier,” Sethi said.According to an official privy to the negotiations, the MCL is signing up players who are not being selected for their national teams but are still playing domestic cricket, and forcing them to retire by asking them to get the NOCs. That, he says, is against the spirit of the original agreement. “It was about players who had stopped playing all cricket,” the official said. “How does it matter if a player has not played for the country for a decade, he is still available for selection. But by signing up for MCL that option is being ruled out.”Hitchcock said the ICC was in touch with the MCL to resolve the issue. “In the meantime,” he wrote in his email, “if you receive a request from one of your current/non-retired players to participate in the event would you please let me know immediately.”Zafar Shah, the head of the MCL, acknowledged that the ICC was in touch, and said the league was not forcing players to retire. “This is the perfect time for players who have never announced their retirement to do it now,” Zafar told . “For example, Mohammad Yousuf never retired, he just found himself out and then not picked, he’s not even playing domestically.”The board [member] is saying they have to come out and say they have retired and I agree with them. Our format is very clear – retirement is a must. Otherwise we will not entertain anybody. But we don’t have influence with players to tell them to go and retire.”It’s a teething issue because clarity is not there between players and their boards. It has never been done before. We are now setting this platform. Everybody will understand what to do from now.”

Alex Hales made 99 and Jos Buttler an unbeaten 48 from 28 balls as England took a 2-0 lead in their five-match ODI series against South Africa

The Report by David Hopps06-Feb-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSt George’s Park, the oldest of South Africa’s international venues, stayed true to its nature by overseeing a one-day international with an old-fashioned flavour on an inhibiting surface. A keenly-fought affair, in which both innings seemed locked together throughout, had the makings of a last-over nail-biter. Instead, thanks to Jos Buttler’s sudden lift of tempo, it fell England’s way by five wickets with 20 balls to spare.Inhibitions? Not when you have just won your first IPL contract and are nearly £400,000 richer. Buttler gave the impression he would have played just as freely on the cobbled streets of his native Somerset as he logged an unbeaten 48 from 28 balls.Three successive fours off Kyle Abbott, the first of them streaky (where was South Africa’s slip?) then three sixes in a row off Imran Tahir in the following over sent England scooting to victory. South Africa’s pace bowling had gone up a notch since their defeat in Bloemfontein but they now trail 2-0 in the five-match series.It was Alex Hales’ 99 from 124 balls that placed England for victory, although there was work to be done when he was fifth out with 59 needed from 52 balls – caught down the leg side pulling at Abbott with visions of a hundred. Front-foot pushes and crafted singles had supplanted what has become the common avalanche of sixes but the incoming Buttler recognised only a day of dreamy blue skies.Hales has played more exciting innings, he has played fine innings in more draining conditions, but this was one of his most judicious ODI affairs. The Test series did not advertise the emergence of a rounder game, but his selectivity did here. With the exception of AB de Villiers, whose 73 from 91 balls was a notable return to form, he managed the conditions better than anybody.Abbott, fit again after hamstring trouble, put in a combative shift, a bowler of great physicality, nipping one through to gate to bowl Jason Roy for 14 – Norton anti-virus would insist on a patch to stem that weakness. Root was at his most conservative, labouring 64 balls over 38 before he tried to advance to Abbott and deflected a rising ball into his stumps.Eoin Morgan came in at No 4 – shrewdly, no promotion for Buttler on this occasion with grafting to be done – and kept England in touch with the rate with judicious sixes against Imran Tahir and Farhaan Behardien before Morkel defeated his blow-down-the-ground shot with a wide cutter.Stokes’ fate was an eventful duck. Tahir nearly had him twice in an over, sweep and reverse sweep both failing in turn with a review needed to spare him on the second occasion. In the next over he deflected Morkel into his stumps. The pressure was on England, but not, it became evident, on Buttler.Financially, Chris Morris was even better served than Buttler by the IPL auction – he was sitting on a cool million dollars after a bidding frenzy that eventually saw him move to Delhi Daredevils. No matter: he had to watch from the outer. South Africa, seemingly of different persuasion, dropped both him and his Bloemfontein new-ball partner Marchant de Lange.The match did not turn solely on Buttler’s late merrymaking – Chris Jordan also played a crucial part in South Africa’s innings. De Villiers came into the match with three successive ducks to end the Test series and 8 in the opening ODI, but he did the hard yards, his form flooded back and he signalled his intentions as South Africa reached the last 10 overs by lashing Jordan over midwicket for six.But Jordan is a multi-faceted cricketer, dangerous with the bat, outperformed by few at slip and in the deep, and when de Villiers failed to middle another mighty hit over the leg side off Ben Stokes in the following over, Jordan was equal to the challenge.It was a hugely difficult catch, a white ball falling out of a blue sky, a swirling breeze strong enough to fleck the sea and shake the branches of the trees outside the ground holding the ball just within range: Jordan’s range anyway as he dashed back full tilt to take the ball over his shoulder at mid-on with remarkable poise.De Villiers had built his own stage in the early part of South Africa’s innings but the final onslaught which could have carried the game away from England never materialised. Only 64 came from the last 10 – respectable but not a game changer.By the 20th over, South Africa had been three down for 98, Hashim Amla bowled when Reece Topley’s semblance of inswing developed into something straighter, Quinton de Kock’s bountiful run of form ended when Stokes had him lbw with a fullish delivery, and du Plessis’ confident innings fell just short of a half-century when Adil Rashid found drift and turn to have him caught at slip.Rashid and Moeen Ali throttled the mid-innings, both stints completed by the 37th over. That left a lot of onus on Jordan, and he could have done without Buttler spilling a very acceptable catch, one-handed to his left, when JP Duminy tried to run him to third man on 37. Five overs for 33 did not flatter him, but the catch released him from his troubles and Topley, maintaining a full length, squeezed South Africa to a chaseable total.A slow pitch was to get slower still. The breeze was lifting. The match was in the balance. Hales got a break on 17 when he scrunched a full toss from Tahir into no-man’s land and played with great responsibility. Then came Buttler, the liveliest breeze of all.

Megan Schutt, Australia’s Player of the Match against Ireland in Delhi, has welcomed the prospect of a probable semi-final showdown with England at the same venue on Wednesday

Andrew Miller in Delhi26-Mar-2016Megan Schutt, Australia’s Player of the Match against Ireland in Delhi, has welcomed the prospect of a possible semi-final showdown with England at the same venue on Wednesday, after helping put her team’s quest for a fourth consecutive World T20 title back on track with figures of 3 for 29 in a comfortable seven-wicket victory.Australia’s victory, which was wrapped up with 40 balls to spare, has drawn them back level with New Zealand on six points in Group A and their spot in the semi-finals was sealed after New Zealand beat South Africa Women.Assuming there are no further upsets in the women’s draw, England will finish top of Group B if they can overcome Pakistan in Chennai on Sunday, which means that the only two teams ever to have won the women’s World T20 are on course to tussle for a solitary place in the final. England won the inaugural event at Lord’s in 2009, but Australia have claimed each of the last three titles, in 2010, 2012 and 2014.”It’s always a good match-up whenever we play England,” Schutt said. “I don’t think there’s ever been a match when either of us has blown the other out of the park. No matter what the conditions are, we will both have to adapt, but I think it will be a cracking game.”Schutt admitted that her team’s prior knowledge of the conditions at the Feroze Shah Kotla could prove to be handy on Wednesday, and backed her team’s spinners, Jess Jonassen and Kirsten Beams, to put the squeeze on a slow surface. Alongside the medium pace of Rene Farrell, who took 2 for 11, the trio conceded just 39 runs in their 12 mid-innings overs.”Obviously it’s a bit of an advantage to see the ground before the opposition,” Schutt said. “I think here in the subcontinent it is very effective having the spinners, getting though overs quick, bowling back to back while tying down the runs. Hopefully we can keep up that strategy going forward.”On Australia’s overall campaign, Schutt insisted they were back in control of their destiny following their “hiccup” against New Zealand.
The speed of today’s victory was also a boon to Australia’s net run-rate, which Schutt admitted had been at the back of the team’s thoughts.”We were all thinking about it,” she said. “Obviously we have to win the game first and that was what we went out there to do today. The batters did really well to chase it down as quickly as they could and it’s in the hands of the other game now.”Obviously we had a bit of a hiccup against New Zealand but I’d rather get that out of the way in the group stages than the semi-finals. Obviously there’s lots of improvement to go, we still haven’t put out that perfect game, but hopefully we can produce that if results go our way and we get to the semi.”England haven’t been at their best throughout the tournament either. Twice they have taken apparently comfortable run-chases down to the wire, including an inordinately tight finish against West Indies in Dharmasala on Thursday, and Schutt was hopeful of preying on their anxieties if they do end up meeting in Delhi next week.”I was watching their run chase the other night,” she said. “It came down to the last ball and the last wicket, so hopefully we can get them juggling those wickets as well.”