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Ricky Ponting has said he is enjoying his new batsman-only role after giving up the captaincy following Australia’s disappointing World Cup earlier this year

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Aug-2011Ricky Ponting has said he is enjoying his new batsman-only role after giving up the captaincy following Australia’s disappointing World Cup earlier this year. Ponting handed the leadership to Michael Clarke but decided against retiring, and it’s a move that has allowed him to concentrate solely on his run-scoring.In the last year of his captaincy, Ponting struggled to have an impact with the bat, and averaged 30.23 in one-day internationals and 29 in Test cricket. But half-centuries in his two innings in Sri Lanka over the past week have been encouraging, especially an unbeaten 90 that helped Australia to an eight-wicket win in Hambantota on Sunday, where Ponting earned his first ODI Man-of-the-Match award in 18 months.”It probably has,” Ponting said when asked if relinquishing the leadership had allowed him to focus more on his batting. “The World Cup didn’t go to plan as I would have wanted. The one-day series in Bangladesh that I played when I wasn’t captain, I felt like a played well there and I’ve started this series well.”There’s no doubt that for me to just be able to turn up to training and focus on my batting and my fielding only has been nice. I’ve been able to be just that little bit fresher and I’ve felt in control in the two games I’ve played here so far. Hopefully that continues for the rest of the tour.”By playing on after giving up as skipper, Ponting bucked the trend of recent Australian captains: he was the first since Kim Hughes nearly 30 years ago to play on. At 36, Ponting remains unsure how long he has left in the game, but he said for the time being he was keen to keep making runs at No. 3 and help Clarke in any way required.”I thought long and hard about the decision I made,” Ponting said. “Once I’d come to the conclusion that I wasn’t the captain of the side anymore it was up to me to just be the best batsman that I could be for the side and another pair of ears for Michael if he ever wanted it. As the No. 3 batsman in the side there’s a big responsibility for me to score runs more often than not. So far things have started well.”Australia have hardly been challenged in the opening two ODIs and they could wrap the series up with victory in the third match in Hambantota on Tuesday. So far their batsmen haven’t had too much trouble against the Sri Lankan attack, so much so that the No. 6, David Hussey, has not yet been required to bat.

Former England allrounder and county veteran Dominic Cork will leave Hampshire at the end of the 2011 season

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Sep-2011Former England allrounder and county veteran Dominic Cork will leave Hampshire at the end of the 2011 season. While it would be premature to suggest that his departure will bring an end to a 21-year county career – there has been talk that another second division county may be interested in signing him – what is clear is that Hampshire have decided not to renew his contract for the 2012 campaign.Cork, who turned 40 in August, enjoyed some notable successes during his three-year stay at the Rose Bowl, winning the domestic 50-over competition in 2009 and the Friends Provident Twenty20 in 2010. He admitted he was considering his future in the game after captaining a young Hampshire side to the t20 title, but ultimately took Hampshire up on their offer of a deal for the 2011 season.He had been Hampshire’s captain since midway through the 2010 season, having begun his first-class career in 1990 and had a long stint with Derbyshire, where he was also captain, before joining Lancashire, until the move to Hampshire in 2009.Cork remained a consistent performer throughout his Hampshire stint, taking 94 first-class wickets for them at an average of 27.77, his best being 5 for 14 against Worcestershire in 2009. His presence was particularly felt in limited-overs cricket; both of Hampshire’s trophies during his time with the county having come in the shorter formats, and he contributed 43 wickets at an average of 24.06 in 45 domestic Twenty20 matches.”I don’t want to be picked because of what I’ve done in the past, I want to be picked because I can make that difference, and if I believe I can do that I’ll carry on,” Cork said after Hampshire’s Twenty20 triumph last year. “If I don’t think that then it’s time to let some of the youngsters take the ball and have a good time because it’s been a great career.” Hampshire have taken the decision for him and decided to place their faith in their set of promising young home-grown players.”Dom has made an outstanding contribution to this club over the last three years,” Hampshire manager, Giles White said. “He’s been a very popular figure and has played a huge part in a successful period in the club’s history. Two trophies and leading the club to another Finals Day says it all. We wish him all the best for the future.””Dominic has had a fantastic impact on this Club since his arrival in 2009,” Hampshire Chairman Rod Bransgrove added. “I should like to thank him for his commitment, enthusiasm and contribution over these three seasons and wish him every success in the future.”Hampshire will make an announcement on the long-term captaincy of the club in due course.

Michael Clarke has not lost a series since taking over as Australia’s captain after the World Cup, but he is still not a fully satisfied man

Firdose Moonda in Durban29-Oct-2011Michael Clarke has not lost a series since taking over as Australia’s captain after the World Cup, but he is still not a fully satisfied man. Instead of grinning after his 2-1 triumph over South Africa, he frowned and even gave way to a grunt when asked to assess his stint as captain after his third, successive away series victory.”We set out to win every game,” Clarke said. “We didn’t do that in Sri Lanka and we didn’t do that here.” The place they did do it was Bangladesh, just a few weeks after they were unable to defend the World Cup they had held since 1999. That clean sweep was not unexpected but Clarke is not a man of half measures and he wanted to accomplish the same even where doing so would be more challenging.After Australia blitzed through an undercooked South Africa in the first match, it seemed they were on track for all three wins. South Africa, however, wrested back a victory with an equally commanding performance in Port Elizabeth. To bounce back from that comprehensive beating to win the series left Clarke feeling good about his team, even if he wasn’t 100% satisfied. “Tonight’s another indication of how we’ve been working our backsides off to be the best we can be.”Under cloudy skies, with moisture in the air and an unusually slower and lower pitch, both sides had to make adjustments to their approaches with the bat. South Africa struggled through the middle periods, with JP Duminy in particular unable to play shots freely. “The wicket was very dry and there was more grass cut off it,” Clarke said. “I think it was probably ready to play on two days ago and the groundsman did that in preparation for rain.”With only Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis able to adapt, South Africa ended with a below-par total. Clarke said it was not just the surface that inhibited the hosts, but the quality of the bowlers they had to face. “Xavier Doherty bowled really well throughout the series and he probably didn’t get as many wickets as he deserved,” he said. “But he got two big wickets and really slowed the scoring down.”Clarke also singled out 18-year-old Patrick Cummins for coming back after being hit for 16 runs by Hashim Amla, to end with an economy-rate of under five. “To get off to a start like that and pull it back like that showed a lot of character,” Clarke said.Australia’s discipline, exceptional change of pace and tight lines and lengths proved the difference between the two sides, as South Africa’s seamers were unable to tie Australia down in the same fashion. Johan Botha was, by some distance, the best South Africa frontline bowler and was able to dictate the passages of play in which he bowled. His sensational first spell, in which he generously flighted the ball and sent through a good mix of quicker and flatter balls, saw him rewarded with the wicket of Ricky Ponting. He conceded twice as many runs in his second spell but still ended with figures that were worthy of a victory, although he was not on the winning side.Gary Kirsten, South Africa’s coach, also believed the match was decided with the ball. “It boiled down to who bowled better. We were probably just one wicket out,” he said. “If we picked up another wicket and they still needed 70 or 80 runs we would have been in there. All our batsmen felt they really struggled to score freely.”A low-scoring encounter may tell the same tale, but there was evidence that the pitch did not play as poorly as South Africa’s middle order made it look. Shane Watson got Australia’s chase off to a rollicking start and was able to time his shots with ease. After recovering from back spasms, Watson performed with both bat and ball and said his aggression upfront was part of the game plan. “I know my role at the top of the order is to make it easier for the guys coming later on,” he said. “I felt I hit the ball well and I was disappointed not to go and get a bigger score.”It was Michael Hussey who steered Australia home after some wobbles which could have turned into something more serious. Clarke said although there were nerves jangling in the change-room, knowing that “Mr Cricket” was at the crease eased them. “Huss is certainly a freak,” he joked. We’ve seen it a number of times in all forms of the game. He manages to find a way to be there at the end and to get us home.”

The Test specialists of the Indian squad will leave early for Australia, even as the ODI team completes its home assignment against West Indies

Sidharth Monga30-Nov-2011

Shivlal Yadav named team manager

Shivlal Yadav, the former Test bowler, has been named India’s team manager for four-Test series in Australia, which begins from December 26.

An offspinner, Yadav played 35 Tests and seven one-dayers between 1979 and 1987, claiming 102 Test wickets at an average of 35.09. After retiring, Yadav became an administrator. He had a stint as a national selector, and is currently a vice president with the BCCI and the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA). A HCA media release confirmed Yadav’s appointment as national team manager.

The Test specialists of the Indian squad will leave early for Australia, even as the ODI team completes its home assignment against West Indies. A board official told ESPNcricinfo that Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Ishant Sharma and Pragyan Ojha are likely to be on an early flight, the exact date for which is yet to be decided. They will leave either on December 8 or after the BCCI awards function on December 10. India’s first tour game begins on December 15, eleven days prior to the Boxing Day Test.Laxman, one of India’s Tests-only players, welcomed the development. “Luckily for us we are going ahead this time, so we will get a lot of time and opportunity to get acclimatised to those conditions,” Laxman told ESPNcricinfo. “I firmly believe that how much ever simulation you do in India, it’s always important to get to Australia and get used to the conditions. The net practices and training sessions will be very critical for us to get used to the conditions as early as possible.”Personally, because of past experiences, you know if you do certain kind of drills it will help you to get used to the bounce. But it is not the same as actually batting there.” Laxman, though, didn’t know when exactly he will be flying and who he will be flying with.Unlike India’s last tour of Australia, when the team left immediately after completing a Test series against Pakistan, this schedule allows the Tests specialists more flexibility in their preparations. The last time, the BCCI attracted flak for arranging only one warm-up game; this time, India will be playing two warm-up games before they face Australia in the first Test in Melbourne.Last year as well, the Test specialists left early for the tour of South Africa, while the ODI side played against New Zealand at home.

A round-up of the action from the Sheffield Shield 2011-12 matches

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Nov-2011Tasmania edged ahead of Victoria, into third place on the points table, with a 93-run win at the MCG. Victoria had resumed on 226 for 4, chasing a mammoth 412. Centurion Chris Rogers could add only 12 runs to his overnight score of 106, and the lower order could not get going. The only contribution down the order came from Clint McKay, who hit a smacked a few boundaries in a knock of 45 to reduce the margin of defeat.Rogers was eventually snapped up by rookie Jackson Bird. He edged behind as the quick, who was in his second first-class game, went on to complete a five-for in the innings and ten-wicket haul in the match. He was named Man of the Match for his efforts.Only 30 overs of play were possible on day one of the South Australia v Queensland match at the Adelaide Oval. The hosts chose to bat and had four of their top-order batsmen knocked over before rain forced an early close. New-ball bowler Matthew Gale caused most of the damage, trapping Daniel Harris lbw, and getting Tom Thornton and Callum Ferguson to edge to the keeper. South Australia finished the day on 4 for 75, as Luke Feldman had Tom Cooper bowled just before play was called off.In another rain-affected match, Western Australia got to 0 for 37 against New South Wales on day one of the game at the SCG. The openers Marcus Harris and Wes Robinson played patient innings, with strike-rates in the 20s, after New South Wales had put them into bat.

James Pattinson, the Australia fast bowler, has described his first Boxing Day Test as “a dream come true” after he won the Man-of-the-Match award in the 122-run victory over India

Brydon Coverdale at the MCG29-Dec-2011James Pattinson, the Australia fast bowler, has described his first Boxing Day Test as “a dream come true” after he won the Man-of-the-Match award in the 122-run victory over India. Pattinson, 21, was born and raised in Melbourne and regularly attended MCG Tests with his family, and he had plenty of support from his hometown crowd as he collected match figures of 6 for 108.In doing so, he compiled an impressive list of victims, including Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and MS Dhoni, although he did not manage to claim the prize wicket of Sachin Tendulkar. Asked if his first Boxing Day Test was everything he expected it to be, Pattinson said “and more”.”For me it’s a dream come true to play cricket for Australia,” Pattinson said. “To be out there on Boxing Day and against India, with the batting line-up … I know Sachin … I wasn’t even born when he started playing cricket. To go out there and bowl against him and have some success against their batsmen is just unbelievable. To get a win is even better.”Pattinson showed plenty of aggression against India, who came in to the match with a line-up boasting 53,560 Test runs, an all-time record for a team’s aggregate. He was no-balled for bowling three bouncers in an over during India’s second innings, and although he didn’t pick up a wicket with a bouncer, it proved an effective way to keep the batsmen guessing.”[It was] not really a conscious effort, it’s just the way I play cricket,” Pattinson said. “It’s the way I’ve been brought up. I like to attack, I like to go out there and do my own stuff. It’s not a conscious effort; it’s just the way I play.”It wasn’t just Pattinson’s wickets that contributed to Australia’s victory. In the first innings, he finished unbeaten on 18 and in the second he was not out on 37, one of only four men to reach double figures. In that knock he played some fine strokes, including a couple of searing drives past mid-off against the bowling of Umesh Yadav.His 43-run partnership with Ben Hilfenhaus for the final wicket was vital, as it took India’s target from less than 250 to a not-so-manageable 292. Only once in his five Test innings has he failed to reach double figures, and he knew that his runs at the end of Australia’s batting performance could have been match-deciding.”Nowadays the way cricket is going, you need to be able to bat towards the end. You’ve seen so many valuable partnerships from the last two in many games of cricket. It’s something that I’ve put a big emphasis on in the nets.”It does help. It does put the game back in our favour and the opening batsmen didn’t want to be stuck out there too much longer, which they were. So it was big for us and it’s just good that I can help out with the bat.”

The pitch for the third Test at the WACA ground was the scene of staff drinks on match eve, in an apparent stretching of ICC regulations surrounding the playing surface

Brydon Coverdale13-Jan-2012The pitch for the third Test at the WACA ground was the scene of staff drinks on match eve, in an apparent stretching of ICC regulations surrounding the playing surface.WACA ground staff and support staff have traditionally enjoyed pre-match drinks under the scoreboard, but the curator Cameron Sutherland sought to make a last check of the surface about 7.30pm local time, and the rest of the party followed him.They were captured on camera by an Indian television network standing and sitting on the Test match strip, beers in hand. Graeme Wood, the WACA chief executive, explained the event and said at no stage was the surface in danger of damage.”It’s a traditional event,” Wood told ESPNcricinfo. “The groundstaff have put an enormous amount of work in at getting the wicket and the ground up to a magnificent state.”Some of the support staff and groundstaff that were still here at the ground at 8 o’clock just ventured out on to the ground to salute Cam and the guys and we’ve done it for the last five years.”Cam was out there supervising. He was there the whole time. He’s one of the most passionate guys I’ve ever known in regards to pitch preparation. I’m sure once the ICC have had a look at it this morning and we hand it over to them we’ll have a magnificent Test wicket.”The ICC’s Standard Test Match Playing Conditions state that “the ground staff shall ensure that during the period prior to the start of play and during intervals, the pitch area shall be roped off so as to prevent unauthorised access. (the pitch area shall include an area at least 2 metres beyond the rectangle made by the crease markings at both ends of the pitch).”In cases of any dispute over the preparation of the surface or access to it, the ICC match referee is empowered to deliberate. The match referee for the Perth Test is the Sri Lankan Ranjan Madugalle.However, Sutherland said on ABC Radio that it was his choice as curator what to do with the pitch prior to the toss.”Up until the toss of the coin we can do anything we want to the wicket,” Sutherland said. “I shouldn’t say it but we could be out there this morning if we wanted to. That’s our prerogative, to get a surface which we think will [produce] good Test cricket.”Sutherland defended his staff and said they had been working on the pitch late into the evening.”I was the one that removed covers, I was out doing the work initially and a couple of my staff came out and joined me,” he said. “We were the ones that were lying on the pitch and that seems to be the issue. Well yeah, we were working on it.”We had a bit of an issue when the Adelaide Strikers warmed up on it [before the] T20 game on Sunday, which they weren’t supposed to. So we were just looking at the aesthetics of it. It’s too hard to do it on the morning of the game or the day before when they are doing all their markings.”

England allrounder Tim Bresnan will fly back to the UAE after on Sunday after passing a fitness tests in the UK. Bresnan will play the one-day warm-up match against England Lions in Abu Dhabi on February 10 as match practice ahead of the one-day series th

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Feb-2012England allrounder Tim Bresnan will fly back to the UAE after on Sunday after passing a fitness tests in the UK. Bresnan will play the one-day warm-up match against England Lions in Abu Dhabi on February 10 as match practice ahead of the one-day series that begins three days later.Bresnan, 26, underwent surgery for an elbow injury in early December, but suffered discomfort when bowling in the nets at the start of England’s tour of the UAE. It was decided to send him home before the Test series against Pakistan began. He underwent a fitness test at Headingley on Thursday.The squad is scheduled to be named towards the end of the third Test between England and Pakistan currently taking place in Dubai. England are scheduled to play four ODIs and three T20Is in the UAE.Bresnan last played in England’s T20 win over India in Calcutta. He has been on the winning side in all 10 Tests he has played.

New Zealand look at the final day of the third Test against South Africa as an opportunity to bat better than they have in the rest of the series and end their summer on a high note

Firdose Moonda in Wellington26-Mar-2012New Zealand look at the final day of the third Test against South Africa as an opportunity. An opportunity to bat better than they have in the rest of the series. An opportunity to give their injured captain Ross Taylor something to feel good about. One to end the summer with pride.Realists will say that already South Africa have enough runs and a good enough attack to bowl New Zealand out. Not one of New Zealand’s batsmen has scored a century in the series, and every time one of them has looked close to it, they gave it away with a rash shot. South Africa’s attack has peppered them with short balls on a pitch that has flattened in Wellington and they have had trouble negotiating them. Even without Jacques Kallis, the frontline spinner Imran Tahir, or the presence of their bowling coach Allan Donald, South Africa are relentless and give very little away.For New Zealand to overcome, it will take a massive effort and their first motivation will be to do it despite Taylor’s absence. “When your captain gets injured and has to come off [the field], it’s devastating for the team and things change with that,” Trent Woodhill, New Zealand’s assistant coach, said. “The team wants to make sure they can look after their captain by putting in a performance tomorrow and make sure that we back Ross up.”Although New Zealand have been over-reliant on Taylor at times, Woodhill believes the signs are there that the rest of the batting has been building towards a big one. “Six of the top seven all made sufficient starts to make sure at least two players went on and got 80 plus and one of them went on to 100 plus. But we didn’t do that,” Woodhill said. “It’s easy to talk up a good bowling attack but the bottom line is guys got in and guys had form and they didn’t carry on, and that’s frustrating.”Individual batting contributions have evaded New Zealand through the series but they seem to have ironed out two of the possible problems in this match. They swapped Rob Nicol for Daniel Flynn at the top of the order and revised their initial strategy of using only five specialist batsmen. The results have shown promise and although they still need a lot of working on, Woodhill said that is part of the development process the side is going through.The wider concerns will be addressed after the series, but the immediate focus will be on getting it right for Tuesday. “It’s a learning thing. We talk through what happened with the dismissals and where the wickets fell in clumps, and make sure we recognise those signs so that it doesn’t happen again,” he said. “But we have to make sure that when two blokes get in tomorrow, they make a big one and not let a big one go.”It may seem harsh to highlight Flynn on Test return but he was one of the batsmen guilty of exactly what Woodhill outlined. Flynn worked hard for his 45 and saw off a frantic few opening overs early on, only to depart in quiet fashion, edging behind to Boucher. His efforts still gave a decent account of his ability and he would like do it even more justice in the second innings. “I wouldn’t say I was satisfied,” Flynn said. “I think the way I started last night, I was happy, but it would have been nicer to kick on this morning and make a bigger total along with Guppy [Martin Guptill]. Tomorrow, getting through the new ball is going to be crucial but there could be an opportunity there.”New Zealand’s approach to the second innings will depend on when South Africa declare and whether the hosts view the target as gettable in the number of overs left. “Well, have to wait and see how they [South Africa] go in the morning but we have to go out there and play some positive cricket, and hopefully guys can kick on and someone can make a big hundred,” Flynn said. “Guys will go out and play their natural games.”So far in the series, New Zealand’s natural game has been to attack rather than defend, so they may feel more comfortable chasing rather than hanging on for a draw. With conditions expected to remain good for batting, Flynn did not rule out achieving even a target of 300 while Vernon Philander, South Africa’s new-ball sensation, said his side would feel comfortable with “350 plus” to defend.

Michael Clarke will play in the first final against Sri Lanka, according to Australia’s stand-in captain Shane Watson

Brydon Coverdale at the MCG02-Mar-2012Michael Clarke will play in the first final against Sri Lanka, according to Australia’s stand-in captain Shane Watson. Australia lost to Sri Lanka by nine runs at the MCG in the absence of Clarke, who has had a back injury, but there were plenty of positives for the side as they enter a best-of-three finals campaign that starts at the Gabba on Sunday.One of those plusses was the form of Watson, who enjoyed some valuable time in the middle and made 65 in his second match back after three months on the sidelines. Watson has captained Australia in the past two matches, for one win and one loss, but he said he was happy to be handing control back to Clarke for the business end of the tournament.”Michael will be fit, which is great for a number of reasons,” Watson said. “To have our captain back and also for me to hand the reins back is great. I’ve enjoyed it [captaining] but it’s nice to be able to have him back.”Where Clarke will bat and who he will replace remains unclear, but what does seem likely is that Watson will stay at No.3 after David Warner and Matthew Wade were reunited as an opening combination at the MCG. Watson has been a long-term opener for Australia in the 50-over format but he said his move to first-drop could become permanent.”At the moment that’s the way things are being planned out, for me to bat at three, which I enjoy,” he said. “It gives me a slightly different role compared to what I’m used to. I feel I’ve got the experience to be able to do a really good job there. It gives our openers that little bit more of a licence to be able to take the bowlers on with a bit more depth in our batting order. That’s the way things are looking at the moment.”Watson’s form was one of several encouraging signs for Australia in Friday’s match. James Pattinson picked up four wickets in his first game back in the national side since the Sydney Test against India, and allrounder Daniel Christian claimed a hat-trick and took his first five-wicket haul for Australia. Christian has made a compelling case not to be the one to make way for the returning Clarke after a solid debut series.”Throughout the whole series so far he’s done some great things with both bat and ball,” Watson said of Christian. “Up at the Gabba against India [his batting] was pretty special to watch, and then tonight, to get five wickets in a one-day international is a pretty hard task, only being able to bowl ten overs. He only bowled nine. I think that will give him a hell of a lot of confidence to know that he’s certainly good enough to be able to be a high-quality allrounder in world cricket.”Another man who won’t be in danger of losing his spot is David Hussey, whose run-a-ball 74 almost snatched victory from Sri Lanka’s grasp. Hussey batted with power and poise, and is the leading run-scorer in the series with 412 at 82.40. At 34, this tournament loomed as his last chance to establish himself in the ODI side, and Hussey has grabbed that opportunity in impressive fashion.”Dave has been absolutely brilliant throughout this whole summer,” Watson said. “To be able to see how cleanly he hits the ball, I’ve seen it so much in domestic cricket, to see him put that consistently onto the international stage, is great for us. We just needed one guy to stick with him for that little bit longer [in Friday’s match], because for him to even give us a chance like he did to win the game showed the quality of his innings.”Edited by Nikita Bastian