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England seamer is not ready to call it quits just yet after landmark achievement

George Dobell28-Jul-2020Of course Stuart Broad had the final word. Of course, at the end of a series he has dominated since his spell with the second new ball on the fourth evening of the second Test, it was his wicket that sealed the series.Some might argue that Broad dominated the series even before he was selected. His omission from the side for the first Test so disappointed him that he made the unusual decision to give an interview midway through a game in which he was not involved to express his frustration. He also suggested he was bowling as well as ever.It’s one thing to talk a good game; it’s quite another to back it with performances. And, over the last couple of weeks, Broad has proved his point more eloquently than his words ever could. The upshot is, a campaign that started with him struggling to get into the side has finished with him being named player of the series. The third Test produced his best innings analysis since 2016 and both his best match analysis and highest innings since 2013.Back to his best? Well, maybe. In truth, he is a slightly different bowler to the man who was winning Tests for England a decade ago. Certainly not worse; just different. For while he was once capable of delivering genuinely quick spells and tended to hit just back of a length, he now pitches a yard or so fuller and nags away on off stump like an unpaid bill. He’s not quite as quick but he has just finished his third series out of four (the Ashes and the South Africa tour were the others) as England’s leading wicket-taker.Where once he was inclined to resort to the bouncer just a bit too quickly, it’s almost as if his slightly diminished pace has forced him to find different ways to defeat batsmen. As a result, he’s become a more sophisticated bowler. It’s hardly surprising he has no intention of calling it a day just yet.”You always hear ex-sportsmen saying they knew when it was time to go,” Broad said. “They say they lost that feeling.”Well, I’ve still got it in abundance. A couple of weeks ago I was in a bit of a thinking place. I couldn’t leave a cricket ground where I’d been left out. I thought ‘where am I going here?'”But I’m glad I stayed strong because I’m very happy two weeks later.”I feel I’m bowling as well as I ever have. I’ve done some technical work and changed my run-up in the last 18 months. I’m challenging the stumps and trying to make the batsmen play as much as possible. That’s a tactical thing that’s really taken me to a really exciting level.Stuart Broad claims his 500th Test wicket•Getty Images

“I felt like my alignment to the stumps was really good in this game. I had a bit of confidence and match practice from the second Test so my tempo and alignment felt like every time I released the ball I could bring off stump into play.”That’s my go-to: I want to make the batsman play. I don’t like to get left too often. When you come on a pitch with a little bit of wear that’s keeping low, that’s sort of my dream pitch. Most fast bowlers like it flying through, catching the edge and going to slip at chest height but if I can bring the stumps into play, it really suits my style.”If Broad required any inspiration for the pursuit of sporting excellence in his mid-30s, he doesn’t have far to look. James Anderson’s hunger to pick up new skills and his dedication to his fitness have carried him to the brink of 600 Test wickets. Broad doesn’t rule out pushing on to the same milestone.”Jimmy is my idol on that,” Broad said. “He turns 38 during this break we have now. He’s someone I have watched very closely and has been a great friend of mine for many years.”Also, the way he has maintained himself and kept upskilling himself to be able to not just compete but get better at this level. You look at both of our records over the last few years, we are actually improving. Compare my last 18 months to my career record, it’s way better. It’s a great sign.ALSO READ: Stuart Broad, England’s spring-heeled superstar“It is easy to get to 34 and start thinking ‘I’ll do what I have done for the last 13 years and be okay’. But I’m looking for the next step that will improve me as a cricketer. That keeps you moving forward as a cricketer.”If you’d asked me four years ago, ‘at 34 do you think you could play another three or four years?’ I’d have said absolutely not. Now I’m 34 and I feel fit. Post-lockdown my fitness testing was the best it’s ever been. I feel excited.”I’m not someone who sets targets. I never said I really want to get to 500 wickets or 600 wickets. But at the moment I feel fresh, I feel fit. I’m bowling how I want to be bowling. If I keep bowling the way I am for the next few years then I wouldn’t rule anything out.”But his greatest attribute, he says, is not his height, his experience or his seam position.”My defining quality? I never give up,” he said. “It probably comes from my Mum. I feel like we can win from any situation. The most recent time when that came through was in Cape Town at tea. I can’t remember how many wickets we needed but we were slogging away for a long period of time.Stuart Broad, England’s man of the series, braves the rain at Old Trafford•Getty Images

“I knew deep down that if we kept applying pressure, South Africa would crack. That’s the mindset which helped us win that Test match.”I’ve never shied away from intimidating moments. I really enjoy moments when the game need changing. I want to be the person to do it. I want to be the person to get thrown the ball or go into bat when we need to change the momentum of the game.”All of which begs the question: why was Broad left out of the side for the first Test?England’s rotation of their seamers was one of the key differences in the series. With each of them bowling in a maximum of two games, they looked fit and fresh right to the end. West Indies’ trio of fast bowlers, by contrast, played in all three matches and looked close to exhaustion some time ago. It was not especially controversial, really. England’s strength in seam-bowling depth is a huge asset, even if it does make for awkward selection meetings at times.It’s also highly likely the same policy will be used in the series against Pakistan. Which means there may be days when other high-profile players – the likes of Anderson and Jofra Archer, included – will be rotated. And yes, there will be days, particularly in the conditions anticipated this winter, when Broad is left out once again. Sometimes the word ‘dropped’ can be a bit emotive.”Let’s be honest, we have so many fast bowlers if you’re not taking wickets you’re probably not going to play,” Broad said. “It keeps the standard high.”There were echoes of Fred Trueman when Broad was asked whether anyone else could achieve the 500 Test wicket milestone. Trueman, on reaching the 300 landmark, famously quipped that if anyone else achieved it they would be “bloody tired”. Broad’s point was more that modern seam bowlers might not have the opportunity to play enough games.While Nathan Lyon, who currently has 390 wickets, would appear to have a chance, the next highest wicket-taker among current seamers is Ishant Sharma who, at 31 years of age, has 297. It is entirely possible Broad will be the last seamer to reach the figure.”You need a lot of Test matches to get 500 wickets,” Broad said. “I think there’ll be people who have the talent to get the numbers, but whether a seamer will be able to play the amount of Test cricket to get that feat remains to be seen. There is a lot of competition out there between different T20 leagues franchises.”There’s talk of thinning the amount of Tests down. I feel very lucky to have played for England in an era where we’ve played a lot of Test cricket.”England have been lucky to have him, too. And only a fool would suggest there aren’t a few pages in the story left to be told.

Quinton de Kock is the only specialist wicketkeeper in the squad, with David Miller available for back-up should de Kock be injured during a game

Liam Brickhill18-Apr-2019After months of speculation around his form and place in the ODI side, Hashim Amla has been included in South Africa’s 15-person squad for the World Cup in England and Wales. Amla’s inclusion, along with Aiden Markram, means that top-order batsman Reeza Hendricks missed out on selection for the tournament.With South Africa opting for Amla’s experience, and Markram’s imposing domestic form, there were no major surprises when the squad was announced on Thursday afternoon.”We’re looking for players who are prepared to die on the field for their country,” Cricket South Africa president Chris Nenzani said. “We’re looking for quality. We’re looking for integrity. And we’re looking for players who are prepared to entertain the country.”As expected, Faf du Plessis will captain the side that includes only one specialist wicketkeeper in Quinton de Kock, with David Miller available for back-up should de Kock be injured during a game. Miller was trialled in the role during Sri Lanka’s visit earlier this year.”Everyone has been on our case for not having a back-up keeper, but as a panel we felt it was important, when looking at the batting and bowling we have, some of the keepers we’ve been looking at, their performances weren’t quite there in terms of looking at our bowling back up and the batters we currently we have,” National Selection Panel Convener Linda Zondi said. “Hence we went with David Miller. In the Sri Lanka series we gave him the gloves to make sure that if anything happens to Quinton de Kock within the World Cup, Miller can fit in and play that role.”South Africa World Cup squads comparison•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

There was no place in the squad for allrounder Chris Morris, who is currently playing for the Delhi Capitals in the IPL, and who is one of several South Africa players taking part in the league, with Kagiso Rabada and Imran Tahir currently topping the wicket charts there.Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje, who would also have been at the IPL were it not for late-season injuries, have been included in the squad. Zondi explained that both were on the mend, and are expected to be fit to join South Africa’s pre-tournament camp on May 12.CSA confirmed that if any of the South Africa players featuring in the IPL should be required to play in the league final on May 12, they will be available and will join the national squad immediately afterwards. “The plan is for guys who make the final to join us on the 13th,” a CSA official said.
Five of the players – du Plessis, Amla, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir and Dale Steyn – made their World Cup debuts at the tournament in the sub-continent in 2011 and will be playing in their third World Cup. De Kock and David Miller made their debuts in the 2015 tournament in Australasia and will be going to the World Cup for the second time.”We feel that Faf’s team is well equipped to handle whatever conditions are presented to them, bearing in mind the weather extremes one can encounter in the British Isles,” Zondi said. “We have also been highly encouraged by the form shown by those of our players who are currently in action in the Indian Premier League and there is no doubt that there is a great sense of anticipation and determination among our players.”When CSA appointed Ottis Gibson, he came with his own philosophy. Part of that was playing confident cricket. For years as South Africa we were playing conservative cricket. It was important for us as a panel to make sure that you can then take a team where everyone from [No.] 1 to 6 is going to play confident and attacking cricket. We’re confident, looking at his philosophy and the kind of players we’ve picked. They are winners in their own right.”I am also very happy to announce that two of our fast bowlers currently on the injured list, Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje, are well on the way to recovery and we expect them to be ready for our pre-tournament camp next month”.Squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), JP Duminy, David Miller, Dale Steyn, Andile Phehlukwayo, Imran Tahir, Kagiso Rabada, Dwaine Pretorius, Quinton de Kock (wk), Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Hashim Amla, Tabraiz Shamsi

An all-round effort from the bowlers restricted Zimbabwe to a below-par score in Sharjah, following which Nabi’s 27-ball blitz ensured Afghanistan chased the target down with more than five overs to spare

The Report by Sreshth Shah05-Feb-2018Mohammad Nabi hits over the top•AFP

Mohammad Nabi’s 27-ball 40 made quick work of the 121 target set by Zimbabwe, helping Afghanistan take a 1-0 lead in the two-match T20I series in Sharjah. Five Afghanistan bowlers were among the wickets, with legspinner Rashid Khan collecting three as Zimbabwe fell away after a rollicking start in the Powerplay to end their 20 overs with a below-par total. Despite the humid conditions, Afghanistan’s batsmen were not made to break a sweat – the chase was completed with 32 balls to spare.Rashid leads from the back
At first, Afghanistan’s decision to field looked like it would come back to bite them. Solomon Mire and Hamilton Masakadza were batting like they’d help Zimbabwe to a big total as 16-year-old Mujeeb Zadran and pacer Sharafuddin Ashraf took some early blows. Yet the captain Asghar Stanikzai held his trump card back.As Zimbabwe’s middle order crumbled in the space of seven balls – falling from 65 for 1 after 8.5 overs to 68 for 4 at the end of the 10th – Stanikzai introduced Rashid in the 12th over. With the lower-middle order exposed, Rashid’s rippers and wrong ‘uns proved too much for Ryan Burl, and then Kyle Jarvis and Tendai Chatara; he eventually finished with 3 for 19.With the other bowlers collecting five wickets among them, Afghanistan’s bowling, after a long time, wasn’t just a one- or two-man show.Mire, Waller save face
If one removes Mire’s 21-ball 34 and Malcolm Waller’s unbeaten 27, then Zimbabwe’s batting paints a sorry picture. From 52 for 0 in 5.4 overs, they finished at 120 for 9 after 20, adding only 68 runs in the final 86 balls.That they even made 120 was courtesy’s Mire’s blitz at the top, which included a 23-run fourth over – that is, three sixes and a four off right-arm pacer Sharafuddin Ashraf. But Mire fell just before the Powerplay ended, and with that Zimbabwe’s flow of runs screeched to a halt.Six wickets and 53 balls later, Waller came to the crease with Zimbabwe reeling at 81 for 7 after 15 overs. He saw the first few balls off by nudging them around for ones and twos, doing enough to ensure the team’s total went past 100. With six balls of Zimbabwe’s innings left, Waller took strike and extracted 17 off the final over – including two fours, and a six muscled over point – to set Afghanistan a target of 121.Afghanistan stumble, but do not crumble
Hard-hitting wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad, who returned after serving a ban for a doping code violation, gave Afghanistan’s chase a flying start after his partner Karim Sadiq perished for five.Shahzad top edged a four and smacked two big sixes in his 11-ball stay of 20 before bottom edging one to the keeper. Stanikzai and Sharafuddin then fell victim to Chatara and Burl respectively as Afghanistan went into the 12th over at 85 for 5, but an unbeaten 36-run sixth-wicket partnership between Mohammad Nabi (40*) and Shafiqullah (14*) ensured Afghanistan chased the target down with more than five overs to spare.Nabi hit four fours and three sixes in his 27-ball innings while Shafiqullah hit one apiece as Afghanistan took a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Martin Guptill’s rapid half-century, and canny bowling from Tim Southee and James Neesham, were vital to New Zealand forcing the series into a decider at Visakhapatnam

The Report by Deivarayan Muthu26-Oct-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details5:44

Agarkar: Burden on Kohli if Rohit doesn’t perform

Martin Guptill’s opening salvo, and canny bowling from Tim Southee and James Neesham, ensured New Zealand forced the ODI series into a decider at Visakhapatnam. Having won their first toss of the tour in their eighth match, New Zealand, led by Guptill’s bruising half-century, tactfully exploited the field restrictions and ultimately finished at 260 for 7 on a track that offered turn and variable – sometimes negligible – bounce. The bowlers then frequently varied their pace and found equally good support from the fielders to throttle India’s chase.Southee was New Zealand’s key figure with the ball, first having Rohit Sharma caught behind with a perfectly-pitched outswinger. He returned with the old ball and produced a double-strike to all but snuff out the chase; a ball after Manish Pandey holed out off him, he had Kedhar Jadhav pinned in front by a slower offcutter for a first-ball duck. Three overs later Hardik Pandya was caught at long-off, Tom Latham running to his left to pocket a smart catch. India were left needing 94 off 84 balls, with three wickets in hand. Axar Patel, who was promoted to No. 5, and Amit Mishra briefly rallied with a 38-run partnership for the eighth wicket, Dhawal Kulkarni and Umesh Yadav then added 34 for the last wicket, but the hosts were dismissed for 241 in 48.4 overs.Neesham had produced a double-strike of his own, before ceding the stage to Southee. He dismissed Ajinkya Rahane for 57 in the 28th over and followed it with the bigger wicket of MS Dhoni in the 30th over. Rahane shuffled across and was trapped lbw by a straight ball while Dhoni was bowled through the gate for 11 off 31 balls.India, however, had started positively in their chase, with Rahane jumping onto any width offered and swatting away short balls with authority. He even uppercut Trent Boult for a six over point. He strung together 79 for the second wicket with Virat Kohli, who played a few trademark whiplash drives and punches during his 45 off 51 balls. Mitchell Santner, meanwhile, held his own and spun a few past the outside edge, with his family watching from the stands. And when he found the outside edge there was nobody at slips to snap it up.The partnership ended in the 20th over when Ish Sodhi found Kohli’s outside edge with a short legbreak and BJ Watling, who was playing his first ODI since February 2013, pouched it. The middle order then faded away, and although Axar showed glimpses of bravado in his cameo – 38 off 40 balls – India are yet to identify a genuine finisher with only four ODIs to go for the Champions Trophy.MS Dhoni was bowled through the gate for 11 at his home ground•Associated Press

New Zealand, on the other hand, ticked many boxes. For starters they read the conditions expertly, picking three spinners and taking the mind back to their success in the World T20. Guptill struck his second fifty of the tour. Latham was solid as usual, and Ross Taylor, under fire from all quarters, spent some time in the middle, although he was edgy throughout his 35 off 58 balls.But the most telling contribution, perhaps, arrived from Guptill. He didn’t always look pretty, but bent India’s attack out of shape in the Powerplay. He gave Kulkarni a cold welcome, hitting three fours off four balls. The first two were skewed drives wide of point and over mid-on. The third was disdainfully scythed through extra cover. He pressed on to unfurl sublime inside-out drives too. The nature of the pitch put in perspective Guptill’s early assault. As the match wore on, the odd ball kept low while several stopped on the batsmen. A couple of grubbers even raised puffs of dust from the surface.India could have had Guptill on 29, but Mishra could not hold on to one after diving to his left from mid-on – a decent effort, but he might have done better if he were a bit quicker to react. Mishra gave him another life later on, misjudging a much simpler catch at long-off when Guptill was on 62.Guptill had reached his half-century off 56 balls at the start of the 17th over, four balls after Axar had Latham top-edging a sweep to short fine leg for 39 off 40 balls. By then Axar and Mishra had settled into an asphyxiating rhythm. Guptill needed 12 balls to score his first run against spin, and was further stifled by Jadhav’s loopy offbreaks and straighter ones. The spinners conceded only 19 runs in the seven overs from the 11th to the 17th. But it was Pandya who eventually removed Guptill, when he had him playing inside the line and feathering behind to leave New Zealand at 139 for 2 in 26 overs.Mishra dragged them back further by removing Kane Williamson and Neesham in successive overs. New Zealand scrounged only 99 runs for five wickets from the last 20 overs of their innings, and only three boundaries in the last ten overs, including one of the final ball of the innings. But it proved enough to square the series.

A round-up of the Ranji Trophy 2015-16 Group C matches played on November 1, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Nov-2015
ScorecardFile photo – Paras Dogra’s unbeaten 209 came at a brisk pace•PTI

Paras Dogra’s unbeaten 209 helped Himachal Pradesh declare on an imposing 561 for 5 against Tripura in Dharamsala. The visitors ended the day at 88 for 3 and have to score another 188 runs to avoid an innings defeat.Himachal began strongly, with centuries from their openers and Dogra helping them capitalise on their strong overnight score of 259 for 3. Dogra had support from Robin Bist (58) and Nikhil Gangta (55) with whom he added century stands for the fourth and fifth wickets. Dogra’s 209 came off 242 balls and included 23 fours and six sixes.After Himachal declared, offspinner Ankush Bedi made early inroads into Tripura’s batting, picking up three wickets, including that of captain Kaushal Acharjee.
ScorecardFour wickets each from medium-pacers Rohit Sharma and Zahoor Sofi limited Hyderabad to 280 and allowed Jammu & Kashmir to enforce a follow-on in their match in Uppal. The hosts finished the day at 122 for 2, trailing J&K by 58 runs.Despite fifties from Tanmay Agarwal and B Anirudh, Hyderabad were hurt by wickets falling in clumps, especially after substantial partnerships. While Rohit Sharma and Umar Nazir accounted for the top order, Sofi cleaned up the tail, picking three wickets in the last over of the innings, including the dismissal of Chama Milind who added 43 important runs with Anirudh for the eighth wicket.J&K struck early after enforcing the follow-on but Hanuma Vihari and Danny Prince then rebuilt for the side, sharing an unbroken 109-run stand for the third wicket. Prince was unbeaten on 56 off 108 deliveries, while Vihari went in at stumps four runs short of a half-century.
ScorecardCenturies from Yashpal Singh and Rajat Paliwal helped Services build a 301-run lead by close of play on the third day against Saurashtra in Palam. His knock of 103 was Paliwal’s second of the game, while Yashpal’s 115 not out came in the batsman’s 100th first-class match.The pair also shared a 187-run stand that steadied Services after the top order was dismissed by the 21st over. Paliwal, who made 121 in the first innings, was dismissed for 103 off 189 deliveries and Saurashtra then fought back with quick wickets to leave the hosts at 311 for 6 at close of play. Yashpal was unbeaten, having faced 149 deliveries for his 115, which also included 17 fours and a six.
ScorecardJharkhand legspinner Samar Quadri’s 6 for 97 limited Goa to 302 on the third day of their Group C match in Jamshedpur. Goa, however, clawed back with four wickets, leaving the home side at a shaky 159 for 4 in their battle for first-innings points going into the fourth day.Goa lost overnight batsman Swapnil Asnodkar and Snehal Kauthankar early on the third morning before being revived by a 58-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Rituraj Singh and Darshan Misal.The lower order tried to rally once that partnership was broken but Quadri and left-arm spinner and Jharkhand captain Shahbaz Nadeem ran through the rest of the line-up to bring an end to the innings.In response, Sumit Kumar and Shiv Gautam shared a 64-run partnership for the second wicket after opener Prakash Munda was dismissed for only 2. Shadab Jakati, however, struck with three quick wickets to push Jharkhand from 60 for 1 to 106 for 4. Gautam and Kumar Deobrat then steadied the innings, playing out the day with a 53-run partnership.

Umar Gul has been ruled out of upcoming international fixtures against Scotland, Ireland and could also miss the Champions Trophy due to an injured right knee

Umar Farooq18-Apr-2013Umar Gul, the Pakistan fast bowler, has been ruled out of the Champions Trophy due to an injured right knee. He sustained the injury last month after the Centurion ODI against South Africa and has been sidelined since.He will fly to Melbourne for surgery in the first week of May. The injury also means he will miss the fixtures against Ireland and Scotland next month.”Gul complained of right knee pain during the recently concluded one-day series against South Africa,” a PCB spokesman confirmed. “He was rested for the last two one-dayers for imminent damage to his medial meniscus and bone of the right knee. A later MRI scan confirmed a full thickness tear of the posterior horn of medial meniscus with patchy bone bruising on his right knee.”In order to expedite his return to cricket and quick rehabilitation, PCB have contacted Dr Alexander David Young in Australia, who in his initial reports has confirmed damage to his right knee and has given a timeline of 8-12 weeks for his full recovery (after the surgery).”Gul, who missed the final Test against South Africa, played the first two ODIs but missed the rest of the series due to the knee injury. He also missed the ongoing President’s Cup domestic one-day tournament for Habib Hank Limited.

Australia’s selectors have turned to the former captain Ricky Ponting as the short-term leadership solution to Michael Clarke’s hamstring problem

Daniel Brettig14-Feb-2012Australia’s selectors have turned to the former captain Ricky Ponting as the short-term leadership solution to Michael Clarke’s hamstring problem.Less than a year after he passed the job to Clarke, Ponting will lead his country in Friday’s triangular series ODI against Sri Lanka in Sydney.In naming Ponting as the stand-in captain, the national selector John Inverarity said that David Warner’s leadership potential was being closely monitored, though it was thought best not to thrust him into the captaincy immediately. Warner still has only a modest record in ODI matches, and has made an indifferent start to this series.”After careful consideration the National Selection Panel has asked Ricky Ponting if he would captain the Australian ODI team in Michael Clarke’s absence,” Inverarity said. “David Warner is a young player making his way. He displays considerable leadership potential, but the NSP is of the view that he should not, at this moment, have the added responsibility of captaincy thrust on him.”David has been gaining valuable experience under Michael Clarke’s captaincy and now he will have the opportunity to grow his leadership skills further as vice-captain to Ricky Ponting. In making this decision the NSP reminded itself of the fact that Ricky Ponting led the winning Australian ICC Cricket World Cup teams in 2003 and 2007. The NSP appreciates the fact that Ricky is prepared to accept this responsibility in the wider interests of the team.”

Australia ODI squad

Michael Clarke (capt), Ricky Ponting (capt for Friday’s ODI vs Sri Lanka), David Warner, Dan Christian, Xavier Doherty, Peter Forrest, Ben Hilfenhaus, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Brett Lee, Mitchell Marsh, Clint McKay, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade (wk)

Clarke is expected to be fit in time to return to the team for Sunday’s match against India in Brisbane, the second of the two fixtures for which the 14-man squad was named. Another notable change was the resting of the fast bowler Ryan Harris, after he put in an uncharacteristically loose display with the ball and in the field against India in Adelaide.Inverarity said that Harris was carrying a few “minor niggles” while also appearing to show signs of fatigue after playing in the third and fourth Tests against India then the first three ODIs of the triangular series. In his place are Brett Lee, who has made a swift recovery from a broken bone in his foot, and Ben Hilfenhaus.”Some players are showing signs of fatigue after a demanding summer in which the Australian team has played with great intensity and purpose and performed with distinction,” Inverarity said. ” The NSP has omitted Ryan Harris for this reason and for the fact that he is carrying some minor niggles. The NSP has refreshed the squad with the inclusion of Brett Lee and Ben Hilfenhaus. Brett is making a good recovery from his toe injury and will be given rigorous fitness tests before Friday’s ODI fixture. As expected Michael Hussey returns to the squad.”Shane Watson, meanwhile, has been deemed ready to return to first-class cricket after a grade appearance in Sydney over the weekend. He will turn out alongside the Test wicketkeeper Brad Haddin for New South Wales against Western Australia in Perth, in a Sheffield Shield match starting on Friday.”Shane played a Grade cricket game in Sydney on Saturday,” the team physio Alex Kountouris said. “He batted and bowled in that game without any issue and will be available for consideration for selection for a Bupa Shield game in Perth later this week as he continues his return from injury.”

A round-up of the first day of the first round of the Regional Four Day Competition

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Feb-2011Brandon Bess began his Regional Four Day Competition campaign on a high, grabbing a five-for for Guyana against Jamaica at the Alpart Sports Club in St. Elizabeth. Four Jamaica batsmen, including Marlon Samuels and Brendan Nash, made 20s but failed to push on as Bess, with support from spinners Devendra Bishoo and Veerasammy Permaul, ran through the line-up to bowl it out for 150. In their reply, Guyana lost opener Shemroy Barrington for 13 and ended the day on 32 for 1.Only 48 overs were possible on a rain-affected day at Guarancara Park in Pointe-a-Pierre where Barbados reached 133 for 2 against hosts Trinidad and Tobago. Barbados lost openers Dale Richards and Kraigg Brathwaite but Kirk Edwards finished with an unbeaten 75 to help lay a strong platform for his team.England Lions took control of their contest against Leeward Islands at the Warner Park in Basseterre, courtesy an unbeaten century from captain James Hildreth and his ongoing 186-run stand with James Taylor. Opener Adam Lyth led England’s charge at the top of the order, making a fluent 55 while Ravi Bopara chipped in with a steady 46. Leewards had evened things out when they had England Lions at 134 for 3, but Hildreth, who struck 13 fours, and Lyth, who supported him with 79, put the visitors on top.Windward Islands held a slight edge over Combined Campuses and Colleges on a wicket-filled day at the three Ws Oval in Bridgetown. A collective bowling effort from Windwards, led by the offspin of Liam Sebastien, skittled out CCC for 131. Sebastien grabbed three wickets, and was supported by Keon Peters and Keron Cottoy who picked up two each. Windwards had been shaping up well in their response with Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher and Keddy Lesporis each getting starts. But spin worked the magic again in the day as Ryan Austin and Nkruma Bonner shared four wickets to limit Windwards to 145 for 7 at stumps, a lead of just 14.

A round-up of matches from the ICC World Cricket Leauge Division 5, where USA, Singapore and Bahrain won

Cricinfo staff26-Feb-2010Crowd trouble marred a resounding victory for USA over Nepal at Kirtipur, and controversially ensured that USA and Nepal finished one and two, respectively, in the table, securing them promotion to Division 4. Nepal suffered their first defeat of the tournament and if crowd disturbance had not reduced the USA target to 157 from 46 overs, Nepal would probably have missed out on promotion. With the top three teams all level on eight points, Nepal narrowly stayed ahead of third-placed Singapore only by Net Run Rate (NRR).The USA victory was crafted from a fine bowling effort that choked Nepal’s innings. 37-year-old Kevin Darlington was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3 for 23 from ten overs that included a remarkable four maidens. Nepal had stumbled to 80 for 6 after 31.2 overs but a partnership of 62 between Gyanendra Malla and Mahaboob Alam restored a semblance of fight. After Alam had brought up his 50, both batsmen fell in the 45th over, Alam run out and Malla lbw to Lennox Cush. It was always going to be a tricky total to defend, and despite an early wicket from Alam, Nepal were never really in the contest.The successful USA chase was built around a calm 42 from captain Steve Massiah and a dashing, unbeaten 57, which included four sixes, from Sushil Nadkarni. The Nepali crowds have been such a prominent feature of this tournament, turning up in vast numbers to cheer on the home team, but today their enthusiasm and disappointment with Nepal’s effort overcame them.”It’s a huge relief for us to win promotion,” said an ecstatic Massiah after the game. “Having suffered the way we did when we last played in an ICC development tournament two years ago, crashing out to Jersey, it’s been something I’ve wanted the side to achieve since then. I feel like I’ve got the monkey off my back.”We executed our game plan brilliantly today, especially after suffering such a defeat at the hands of Singapore it was important that we bounced back in the way we did today,” he added. Massiah, 30, is already looking forward to the World Cricket League Division 4, a group that includes Tanzania, Italy, Argentina and the Cayman Islands.”I’m already excited about Division 4 not only because it’s being played in Italy but also because it’s a huge opportunity for us to move forward and get back into Division 1,” he said. “We’ve played Cayman Islands and Argentina before and we’ve won against them every time so I’m feeling fairly good already for August.”Nepal captain Paras Khadka, although unhappy with his side’s weak performance against USA, was relieved that they had done enough to earn promotion from Division 5. “The loss we didn’t expect it to happen – we really thought we could have done better – more than anything else though we wanted to qualify,” he explained.”We’d played exceptional cricket in the last four matches and we’ve lost today but we’ve qualified and for us that is most important thing. We’ve struggled previously in events like this and we need to succeed at them for Nepal cricket structure to continue to grow and for us as a side to progress.”I’m really looking forward to Division 4 in Italy. We’ve never faced any of the teams apart from, of course, the USA. On paper, I would say we’re probably the strongest two teams in that division now so here’s hoping both the USA and Nepal make it to Division 3.”Sushil Nadkarni and Aditya Thyagarajan celebrate USA’s victory over Nepal•International Cricket Council

Singapore missed out on promotion on NNR, despite storming past Jersey to record their fourth win of the tournament at Bhaktapur. Singapore’s NRR was 0.004 behind Nepal’s and if USA had beaten Nepal two balls quicker than they did, it would have been Singapore celebrating. Buddika Mendis’s sterling allround performance was almost carried Singapore to promotion. After Jersey chose to bat first, Matt Hague’s fifty, with contributions from Ryan Driver, Samuel de la Haye and Peter Gough set them up for a decent total before a lower-order collapse saw the side dismissed for 192 in the 49th over, with Mendis taking three wickets.He continued the good work when Singapore batted, his unbeaten 85 powering their run chase as they eased past Jersey’s total in 26 overs. He added 63 in under nine overs with Chetan Suryawanshi, who hit three fours and three sixes in a 22-ball 40 before giving Ben Stevens the first of his three wickets. Pramodh Raja and Mulewa Dharmichand came and went in quick succession, both falling to Stevens, but Munish Arora partnered Mendis in an unbroken 96-run partnership for the fourth wicket as Singapore cantered to a seven-wicket win, which should have been enough to win them promotion. For Jersey the defeat dumped them to fifth place and means they will be relegated to Division 6 next year.Jersey coach Craig Hogan did not hide his disappointment after the side’s poor showing at the tournament. “We absolutely got what we deserved,” he fumed. “We didn’t do anything together for 50 overs during the tournament.”We couldn’t bat well for 50 overs and you can’t continuously lose your last six wickets for 20 or 30 runs and you can’t go for 50, 60 or 70 runs in the power play. There are fundamental basic things that we haven’t done and we have got what we deserved. We have to work a bit harder and value our wickets a bit. When things don’t go your way you just have to scrounge and fight and we didn’t do that.”Bahrain waltzed to their second successive victory and ensured their survival in Division 5, by crushing stragglers Fiji by 95 runs in their bottom-of-the-table match at Lalitpur. A colossal allround effort from Tahir Dar underpinned the crucial victory, with him first injecting momentum into a solid batting effort with a 30-ball 54 before taking 4 for 19 to seal the result. Choosing to bat first after winning the toss Bahrain slipped to 21 for 2, including losing Abdul Majeed for a duck, before steady contributions from the middle and lower order laid the foundations for Dar’s late charge.Chasing 276 looked beyond Fiji from the start as they lost three wickets in the first two overs, with Adil Hanif taking two in his first over. A handy 72-run partnership between Peni Rika (29) and Sakaria Lomani (40) brought some respectability to the Fiji total before Dar’s strangling left-arm spin claimed the final four wickets and secured the match. Fiji have struggled to compete throughout the tournament, and after five straight defeats, they have been relegated to Division 6.

That will open up fresh possibilities for Sri Lankan cricket with day-night Tests becoming more viable in the country

Andrew Fidel Fernando26-Nov-2025The Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground in Colombo will get floodlights and other upgrades in preparation for the Men’s T20 World Cup, which Sri Lanka co-hosts with India in February and March next year. Although the SSC has occasionally hosted daytime limited-overs internationals – especially women’s games – Colombo’s day-night games have all been played at Khettarama (R Premadasa Stadium), which in any case is the highest-capacity stadium in the country.SSC’s first match that will require lights will be the T20 World Cup Group B game between Oman and Zimbabwe, scheduled to start at 3pm local time on February 9. It is one of five matches the SSC is due to host at this World Cup. The first of those – between Netherlands and Pakistan on February 7 – will begin at 11am local time whereas the third fixture – between Pakistan and USA on February 10 – is the only match there to start at 7pm local time. Khettarama is set to host at least eight matches, and possibly the first semi-final and the final if Pakistan make it that far. Pallekele, the only Sri Lanka World Cup venue not in Colombo, will host seven games.Building floodlights at the SSC will open up fresh possibilities for Sri Lankan cricket with day-night Tests becoming more viable in the country. Although Khettarama is the preferred limited-overs venue in Colombo, the SSC and the P Sara Oval are still preferred for Tests, owing partly to their reputation for being boutique Test venues.Related

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Sri Lanka has never hosted a day-night Test, but Sri Lanka’s Test captains have also asked their board to arrange such a fixture, over the years.SLC confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that floodlights construction were already under way at the SSC.The ICC announced the schedule for the T20 World Cup on Tuesday, with the tournament set to run from February 7 to March 8 across five venues in India and three in Sri Lanka.