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Lord’s has hosted many memorable encounters over the years, but Wednesday’s meeting between the counties and the ECB executive promises to rival the best of them for ferocity and, in its way, significance

George Dobell13-Sep-2016Lord’s has hosted many memorable encounters over the years, but Wednesday’s meeting between the counties and the ECB executive promises to rival the best of them for ferocity and, in its way, significance.The chairmen and chief executives of all 18 counties and the MCC are meeting to discuss their options for the future shape of the domestic T20 competition in England and Wales. It is no exaggeration to state that the conclusions reached could amount to the most significant changes to the face of England cricket since the introduction of limited-overs cricket in 1963 or the birth of professional T20 cricket in 2003.On one side you have those who insist a new T20 tournament featuring eight city-based teams is essential if cricket is to recapture the interest of the general public. On the other, you have those who warn that such a move will marginalise several first-class counties and further decrease the visibility of the game in the market towns and small cities where it is still relevant.The issue of free-to-air broadcasting and the value of potential broadcast deals will also be relevant. Some counties are incredulous at the difference in value placed on the options by the ECB’s ‘independent’ broadcast analysts. Some insist that free-to-air is essential if the game is to return to relevance in the public consciousness.It seems unlikely the consensus the ECB executive seeks will be reached today. They were hoping to agree one of the five options they set before the counties a few weeks ago with a view taking it to the ECB board for approval in October. But, with counties still asking for more information about the details and several insistent that their members have to be consulted, not enough seem ready to commit.Indeed, as they consider the implications of a city-based tournament – and as their members learn of those implications – it seems support for a two division tournament featuring all 18 teams has grown once more. This was the original recommendation of the ECB working party charged with looking into options a year or two ago, but it was subsequently shelved after concerns that it might limit the opportunity for lucrative local derbies.But a suggestion made by Glamorgan could offer a solution. ESPNcricinfo understands that they have put forward a plan whereby the T20 season would start with a weekend of local derbies – double-headers if necessary – that do not have any connection with the competition. While it is not a perfect solution – the issue of who would host such games is one problem – it may be enough to convince the waverers.One of the primary concerns is the implication to all other cricket by trying to create a July window for the new T20 tournament. The counties are worried that either the Championship will be diluted by the absence of around 100 of the best players, or that it will not be played at all for a month.ESPNcricinfo understands a suggestion has been made about cutting the Championship season to as few as 10 games – featuring three divisions of six teams – to make space for the new T20 competition while even Mike Fordham, the man hired by the ECB to launch the new competition (he fulfilled a similar role with the IPL and the CPL) has warned against comparisons with the BBL. Research has shown a tournament based in eight Test-hosting cities in England and Wales would cover only 25% of the population compared to 65% in Australia cover by the six BBL-hosting cities.While NatWest Blast attendances have risen by more than 60% since the introduction of a predictable schedule (generally on Friday nights) three years ago, it is ironic that many of the potential hosts of the eight-team tournament have seen ticket sales stall in recent times.Hampshire’s have grown by just 1% in that time (and dropped in 2016) while Lancashire’s have grown by 3% and again shrunk in 2016. Yorkshire’s and Durham’s attendance figures also fell in 2016. It may well grate on those counties where attendances have increased sharply – Northants, Gloucestershire, Essex and Worcestershire, for example – to forgo their place in the premier T20 competition to those who have failed to seize the format’s potential as well.If the ECB executive force a vote – and it seems unlikely they will take such a chance – it is far from certain they will win. And if they lose, it may well be that the resignation of the ECB chief executive and, perhaps, its chairman are requested.

Angelo Mathews scored his sixth Test century and dominated a wicketless first session but Sri Lanka lost their way thereafter, losing their last seven wickets for 65 runs as India ran to a dominant position at the end of day three

The Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy22-Aug-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsLahiru Thirimanne and Angelo Mathews added 127 for the fourth wicket•AFP

Angelo Mathews scored his sixth Test century and dominated a wicketless first session but Sri Lanka lost their way thereafter, losing their last seven wickets for 65 runs as India ran to a dominant position at the end of day three. Mathews and Lahiru Thirimanne resisted the steady drip of pressure exerted by India’s bowlers, adding 127 for the fourth wicket, but the rest of Sri Lanka’s batting couldn’t cope with it. Having secured a first-innings lead of 87, India extended it to 157 for the loss of just one wicket.

Thirimanne fined for dissent

Sri Lanka batsman Lahiru Thirimanne has been fined 30% of his match fee after he was found to have breached Article 2.1.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an International Match”.
The incident in question occurred in the 85th over of Sri Lanka’s innings, when Thirimanne stood his ground after being adjudged caught behind, and eventually left the field shaking his head.
The charge was laid by on-field umpires Bruce Oxenford and Rod Tucker, and third umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge.
Thirimanne admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees, meaning there was no need for a formal hearing.

India lost KL Rahul in the first over of their second innings, bowled off the inside edge by a Dhammika Prasad inducker, before Vijay and Rahane saw them through to stumps. They did this without too many alarms, though Rangana Herath troubled both batsmen with his straighter one, having two strong lbw appeals turned down. Rod Tucker made the right decision each time, with one striking the inside edge and two seeming to be missing leg.Just as they had done on day two, India’s bowlers probed away with discipline on a pitch offering them just enough to keep asking questions, but Mathews and Thirimanne were more than equal to the task. In all, it was riveting Test cricket, with Mathews using his nous and Thirimanne showing impressive patience to strengthen Sri Lanka’s position and leave them the happier of the two sides at lunch.India seemed to be letting the initiative slide even further when, in the second over after lunch, Ishant Sharma went around the wicket to try and bombard Mathews with bouncers. He had long leg and deep square leg in place, but the deliveries he sent down were so lacking in venom that Mathews still managed to pull and glance him for three successive fours. Wisely, India shelved the short-ball tactic.The round-the-wicket angle, however, brought Ishant reward in his next over, though it was Thirimanne who succumbed, nicking behind while trying to drive one that straightened from a fullish length. He looked displeased with the umpire’s decision, but replays were inconclusive.A short rain interruption followed, after which Ishant struck again to remove Dinesh Chandimal, who pressed forward and pushed away from his body at one that seamed away. During his spell, Ishant’s use of the bouncer became less predictable and harder to play, and he struck Chandimal’s helmet and Jehan Mubarak’s glove while they ducked with their eyes off the ball.Mathews moved to his hundred – his sixth in Tests – with the most audacious shot of his innings, reverse-sweeping R Ashwin against the turn, off a ball that straightened from middle stump, and finding the gap to the left of point. But he was gone three balls later, poking at a good-length ball outside off – a shot he may not have played had he not been batting on three figures – to give Stuart Binny his first Test wicket. The frenetic action continued in the next over, when Mishra bowled a legbreak laden with overspin and bounce to force Dhammika Prasad to pop a simple catch to slip.Ishant Sharma exults after taking the wicket of Lahiru Thirimanne•AFP

Five overs into the post-tea session, Sri Lanka were all out. Mishra picked up two of the last three wickets, and bowled the ball of the day to ensnare Mubarak. The left-hander pressed forward to defend, not realising that late drift away from him had subtly changed the line of the ball; it pitched on off stump, rather than off and middle, and straightened past his outside edge to clip off stump. It had taken India only 22.1 overs to pick up the last seven wickets. Sri Lanka’s situation had been utterly transformed from the calmness of the first session.There was a sense of opportunism about the way Mathews batted, using the angles to create run-scoring opportunities, particularly through the leg side. In the sixth over of the morning, Mathews flicked Umesh Yadav square of midwicket, from an off-stump line, to pick up a boundary. The last ball of the over wasn’t quite as full, and he delayed the moment when he closed the bat face to work it wide of mid-on for a single. First ball of the next over, he repeated the same shot against Ishant Sharma. Three fairly good balls, six runs scored.But above all, the innings showcased Mathews’ ability to make his game work for him. His technique isn’t flawless – his front-foot stride isn’t the longest, and his bottom hand often dominates – but while the odd ball leaves him looking uncomfortable, he finds ways to minimise any damage it may cause.Late on day two, Umesh had opened him up three times with his outswinger. But he made sure he didn’t edge any of them, refusing to follow the ball with his hands. It happened again when Umesh was re-introduced to the attack ten minutes before lunch on day three. Again, Mathews played with bat close to body, happy for the ball to beat his edge by a fair distance. In between, Amit Mishra frequently puzzled him with his flight and dip, but he adjusted and played the second line, with soft hands.Thirimanne, usually easy on the eye but prone to errors, followed Mathews’ example beautifully. There was an early period of discomfort against Ishant, who angled it across the left-hander from a tight, off-stump line and found bounce and occasional seam movement, but he grew increasingly solid as the day progressed.Thirimanne was happy enough to defend ball after ball, and waited for the delivery he could cut: that shot brought him all three of his fours in a morning session that saw him advance his score by 29 runs, off 74 balls. In the process, he showed a glimpse of what he could offer Sri Lanka if he marries grit to his natural ability on a more frequent basis.

Shane Warne has proposed an alternate reality for Australian cricket. It is one in which Mark Taylor is the generalissimo, Stephen Fleming the coach, and Ian Chappell the Godfatherly consultant for all players to lean on

Daniel Brettig30-Jan-2013Shane Warne has proposed an alternate reality for Australian cricket. It is one in which Mark Taylor is the generalissimo, Stephen Fleming the coach, and Ian Chappell the Godfatherly consultant for all players to lean on. Rotation does not exist following a players’ mutiny, captains are never chosen in advance of the team they lead, and sleep is a preferable form of recovery to the use of technology.Having drummed up a wave of hype for his suggestions about how to lift Australian cricket from the state of disarray in which he says it has fallen into, Warne delivered an excoriation of the post-Argus review network around the national team and suggested replacements for all of Cricket Australia’s major team performance roles.Warne had previously suggested on Twitter that the captain Michael Clarke needed better support than he was currently getting, and proposed that a new hierarchy be established that was comprised entirely of former international players. Taylor was nominated to replace the former rugby international, Pat Howard, as the team performance chief. The selection panel would be comprised of Rod Marsh as chairman, plus Mark Waugh, Damien Martyn and Glenn McGrath.Stephen Fleming, the ex-New Zealand captain, was Warne’s coach of choice instead of Mickey Arthur, with Darren Lehmann to be his assistant. Warne argued that the coach should not be a selector. The recently retired Michael Hussey and Michael Bevan were put forward as potential batting coaches, while Merv Hughes and Bruce Reid were posited as the men to mentor the bowlers. Chappell, meanwhile, would oversee it all as a consultant, on call as a source of advice and philosophy on the game.”All the above people are cricket people, not rugby, tennis or from any other sporting code,” Warne wrote on his website. “They all understand the game of cricket, they have lived and breathed the game for a long time and most importantly have the best interests of Australian cricket at heart, along with being super passionate and above all, they just love the game.”Cricket is a simple game; sure it has room and a place for scientific research and current technology, which can help [you] learn about an opponent, but not instead of using your cricket brain – they can work hand in hand. Technology can help in recovery, but so can sleep and a common sense approach to recovery.”As for the thinking behind selection, Warne said the most important element in his view was the fostering of a united team via the playing and winning of matches together. Critical for some time of the concept of rotation, Warne argued that the changing of teams for reasons other than the simplest of injury and form concerns bred mistrust, and he encouraged the current team to revolt against the concept.”A simple criteria is pick your best team and stick with it in all forms, then the players get used playing together and being with one another on tour, you get to know the person,” Warne wrote. “Too much chopping and changing leads to insecurity, players then start to look out for themselves and over their shoulder, this breeds selfishness.”It’s also why rotation and resting players will never work. I believe the players should be united, take ownership of this, it’s a very powerful and strong message to send to CA if the players’ message is ‘I do not want to be rested or rotated; I want to play every game, if I don’t perform drop me’. If this decision comes from the players then CA have to respect that and follow suit on selection accordingly, this will then mean someone is accountable.”We have the best batsmen/captain in world cricket at the moment in Michael Clarke and the spine of a good team with [David] Warner, [Shane] Watson, [Matthew] Wade, [Peter] Siddle and [Nathan] Lyon, the rest of the spots are up for grabs in my opinion. Opportunities for players now are there for the taking.”Warne said he planned to discuss his ideas with the CA chief executive James Sutherland, who had previously offered the former Test legspinner the chance for a meeting to air grievances that were aggravated by his own disciplinary problems during the Big Bash League and the Melbourne Stars’ exit from the tournament.

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.”

Karnataka appeared to have been dealt a blow when captain Vinay Kumar did not bowl a single delivery during a three-hour plus morning practice session

Abhishek Purohit in Vadodara02-Jan-2011After finding out belatedly that they were playing at the Reliance Stadium – and not at the usual first-class venue, the Moti Bagh Stadium – in their semi-final against Baroda, Karnataka appeared to have been dealt a blow when captain Vinay Kumar did not bowl a single delivery during a three-hour plus morning practice session. Vinay was having a fever and a cold, but his team expected him to be available for the game starting tomorrow.”The good thing about Vinay is that mentally, he is very strong. You can always back him to pick himself up and perform when it is required, and I am more than confident that he will play tomorrow,” Sanath Kumar, the Karnataka coach, said.While Vinay’s fitness is a slight worry on the eve of the match, what has bothered Karnataka throughout the season is the tendency of their talented batsmen to fritter away starts. Amit Verma, currently fourth in the list of top run-getters for the tournament, is a case in point, having scored seven half-centuries and only one century. Sanath was optimistic that the time spent in nets would translate into big runs in the middle. “We have had issues with the batting throughout the season. But we have worked very hard recently on overcoming them, and hopefully should be able to do well.”The opening combination has been steady at best, has struggled to provide substantial starts, and averages under 30 in the crucial first innings. However, since Robin Uthappa moved to the top of the order, the returns have improved. “Robin is now opening regularly, and will continue to do that,” Sanath said.The form of middle-order batsman Ganesh Satish, though, has been a concern. He averages 27.36 in seven games, which includes an unbeaten 100, and also a pair in the quarter-final against Madhya Pradesh. Sanath hinted Satish might be replaced. “We are considering an additional spin option, either in Udit Patel or Sunil Raju.” Both are offspinners who can bat, but Sanath didn’t think this would weaken the batting line-up.Sanath also did not think that the absence of Yusuf Pathan and Munaf Patel in the Baroda camp makes much of a difference. Both players are part of India’s limited-overs squad, and will miss the game as they have to leave for South Africa. “See, we cannot be concerned about who is or is not playing for the opposition. And in the semi-finals, you have to play well against whatever opposition you come up with. If Yusuf and Munaf had played, would we have had any choice but to go out and give our best? It remains the same in their absence.”Karnataka bear a more settled look, both in batting and in bowling, and Sanath was confident that his attack of Vinay, Abhimanyu Mithun, S Aravind and Sunil Joshi could do the trick on a surface expected to favour the batsmen. “It looks to be a dry wicket. We have confidence in our bowling attack; it has worked for us throughout the season.”The side had a prolonged nets session, which continued well after Baroda had finished practice. All the batsmen got decent stints, and Manish Pandey even sent a couple of reporters – including this one – scurrying for cover as he lofted the spinners out of the nets, over the low-lying spectators’ stand, and into the playing arena.

MS Dhoni has credited Zaheer Khan and the other bowlers for the thumping ten-wicket victory over Bangladesh that secured a clean sweep

Cricinfo staff27-Jan-2010MS Dhoni has credited Zaheer Khan and the other bowlers for the thumping ten-wicket victory over Bangladesh that secured a clean sweep.Bangladesh had frustrated India by moving along to 290 for 3 soon after the drinks break in the morning session, and were even looking good to pose a stiff challenge for the injury-riddled Indian batting line-up in the fourth innings.However, they imploded spectacularly – losing their final seven wickets for 22 runs – to be bowled out for 312, and setting India a target of just two runs. The collapse was sparked by the spinners before the pace and movement of Zaheer wrapped up the innings three deliveries after lunch.”It was a difficult task to get wickets in this track, both for spinners and pacers,” Dhoni said after collecting the series trophy. “But all credit goes to the bowlers. They really put their best to get those 20 wickets, especially Zaheer’s spell.”The ball was getting old and the wicket was getting slower and slower,” he said. “This is a reason we decided to bowl first in this wicket. If you bat first you need to score 600 plus or else you have to again come and bat. So it was tough but I think the bowlers did a terrific job.”Zaheer picked up a career-best 7 for 87 in the second innings, and his first ten-wicket haul to be named Man of the Match, and also bagged the Man-of-the-Series award. He was out of action for several months last year after a major shoulder operation in July, and only returned during the home series against Sri Lanka two months ago.He said the incisive spell with the old ball has boosted his confidence but warned that he was still short of his best. “I am happy the way my spell went today and it has boosted my morale,” he said. “I still need to work on my fitness. My shoulder needs to be monitored and I have to do the rehab exercises.”The win also improves Dhoni’s captaincy record to eight wins in 11, and completed India’s fifth consecutive series victory, increasing their lead at the top of the Test rankings by a point. “We always can do better. For the last 12 months we have done well in both ODIs and Tests,” he said. “There is always scope for improvement but the result is very satisfactory.”The one source of concern for Dhoni is injuries to three of his middle-order batsmen – VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh. Laxman missed the second Test in Mirpur with stitches to his hand, Dravid has a jaw fracture and Yuvraj has a torn ligament in his left wrist and there’s still a question mark over their availability for the series against South Africa next month. “The series was full of injuries so I am a bit worried. But with the amount of cricket that we play these days, it is okay. I hope the players (VVS Laxman and Yuvraj Singh) are fit before the South Africa series.”

South Africa allrounder had declared the innings when he was on 367 not out, 33 short of Lara’s world record

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jul-2025

Zimbabwe Cricket

South Africa allrounder Wiaan Mulder has said Brian Lara told him that he should have attempted to break the record for the highest individual score in Test cricket during the second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.Mulder, South Africa’s stand-in captain for the match, was batting on 367 at lunch on the second day when he declared the innings. He finished 33 short of Lara’s record of 400 not out against England in Antigua in 2004.”Brian Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be,” Mulder had said after declaring the innings. But he later revealed that Lara had different views.Related

• Gayle on Mulder's 367* declaration: He 'panicked and blundered'

• Mulder: 'Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be'

“Now that things have settled a little bit, I’ve chatted a little bit to Brian Lara,” Mulder told . “He said to me I’m creating my own legacy and I should have gone for it. He said records are there to be broken and he wishes if I’m ever in that position again, I actually go and score more than what he had.”That was an interesting point of view from his side, but I still believe I did the right thing and respecting the game is the most important part for me.”Mulder’s 367 not out is the highest individual score for South Africa, and the fifth highest overall. He said that South Africa’s head coach Shukri Conrad had told him, “Listen, let the legends keep the really big scores.” South Africa went on to win the Test inside three days, by an innings and 236 runs.Earlier this week, Chris Gayle, who has two Test triples to his name, told that Mulder had “maybe panicked” and made an “error” by not chasing the “once in a lifetime opportunity”.”If I could get the chance to get 400, I would get 400,” Gayle said. “That doesn’t happen often. You don’t know when you’re going to get to a triple century again. Any time you get a chance like that, you try and make the best out of it. If you want to be a legend… how are you going to become a legend? Records come with being a legend.”

The England batter explains why Ashwin is such a challenging bowler to face in Test cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Mar-2024Why is batting against R Ashwin such a challenge? There are few people better qualified to answer that question than Joe Root, an accomplished player of spin. He’s faced 693 balls from Ashwin in Test cricket and, despite scoring 418 runs at an average of 59, he admits he’s not always comfortable against the offspinner. Root’s been dismissed seven times – twice in the ongoing series – by Ashwin, who is gearing up to play his 100th Test against England in Dharamsala.”I’d say with Ashwin, (it) is making sure that you don’t play the previous ball,” Root said on the Sky Cricket vodcast hosted by former England captains Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain, when he was asked about the difference between facing Ashwin and Australia’s Nathan Lyon. “He’s (Ashwin) very good at trying to drag you across the crease, get your head one side of it, try and beat both edges quite frequently.”With Lyon, it’s all about overspin, especially in the first half of the Test match. (He) is (trying) to get really over the top of the ball, get bounce or bowling between your knee-roll and hip, and, try and bring short leg and leg slip in the game as much as he can. And then just slowly get slower with his pace and drift wider into those footholds that Mitchell Starc has so kindly done for him for such a long period of time.”Ashwin is, probably, slightly more trying to find ways of getting you out, rather than trying to weigh you down like Lyon will over long periods of time.”Related

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• R Ashwin: 'I had to literally rewire and make a mental switch'

• Stats – Who has the best numbers after 100 Test caps?

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Root was both witness and victim of Ashwin’s innovative ways in the second innings of the fourth Test in Ranchi, on a pitch that had variable bounce but little turn. On the third day, Ashwin volunteered to bowl with the new ball and dismissed Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope off successive deliveries in the fifth over of England’s second innings.Root was his third and most crucial wicket. Bowling wide of the crease from around the wicket, Ashwin drifted the ball across the right-hander, drawing Root forward and across with his drift, nearly making him stumble, before spinning the ball back past the inside edge to hit the pad. Given not out on the field, and overturned after DRS showed three reds on review.After taking his first five-wicket haul of the series in Ranchi, Ashwin said he had to “rewire” his bowling to adjust to the lack of bounce and turn, relying on side-spin with the new ball and on over-spin later on.In a tribute to Ashwin in the lead-up to his 100th Test, his team-mate Cheteshwar Pujara wrote that Ashwin tests batters by pitching on an “in-between length”. Root agreed.”It is the way it (ball) gathers pace off the wicket because of his seam position and how cleverly he can move it around,” Root said. “Obviously it is the shiny side that has that extra bit of skid. So you have got to make sure that your footwork’s sharp and you are in position that little bit quicker. You are not lazy with your feet because that’s when he comes really into his own, is when you are still on the move and the ball’s in that sort of danger area that you want to avoid playing it from. If you have got a nice firm seam and then skidding it on, you have got both edges in play for long periods of time and the fact that he can get really tight in and drift the ball away from straight, can bring slip in as well as those fielders tight in on the leg side too.”Root said Ashwin posed a unique challenge because of his singular skillset. “Clearly anyone that can take that many wickets regardless of how many of them are in home conditions, to be able to be that skillful, and to offer a very different skillset to a lot of offspinners as well. He uses the crease very differently to how your traditional offspinner might. He bowls over-spin, side-spin, can get really tight into the stumps, can use the crease (and) get wider, has got carrom balls and lots of different tricks. So you have just got to be really wary of all the different threats that he poses and make sure you have got really good skills to combat that and try and get on top of him.”When asked by Hussain whether he could pick Ashwin’s seam position, Root reckoned he could, even if it was half in jest. “Yeah, I’d like to say so. I’d like to think so, but he’s probably going to get me out twice in the game now this week! You are trying to look for as many cues as you can to give yourself the best chance as early as possible. You have to look to try and play off the wicket as well, but you want to be in a position where, if you can smother the ball or you can give yourself as much time as possible to get right back and see what it does off the surface, then you are going to give yourself the best chance to succeed.”

It will be far from straightforward for the visitors though, with India’s second-string side having already pushed them all the way in Lucknow

Karthik Krishnaswamy08-Oct-20224:06

What changes should India and South Africa make?

Big picture

A narrow win in Lucknow gave South Africa ten points and lifted their World Cup Super League tally to 59, but they are still 11th, and a long way behind eighth-placed West Indies, who have 88 points.Given that they have forfeited 30 points by pulling out of the scheduled three-match series in Australia early next year, South Africa’s chances of direct qualification for the 2023 ODI World Cup hinge on picking up maximum points from a small number of games.After the two remaining matches of this India series, they have just two more Super League assignments – against Netherlands and England at home next year. They will want to go into that home summer with 79 points in their bag, which means winning in Ranchi and then Delhi.Related

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The Lucknow ODI showed it will be a far-from-straightforward task, with a second-string India side pushing South Africa all the way despite seeming to be out of the contest two-thirds of the way in. India are without most of their first-choice players, but the group that is playing this ODI series is both hugely talented and extremely hungry, knowing how much competition there is for every slot in every format.Even Shikhar Dhawan, who is captaining the side and is arguably an all-time great in ODIs, can’t take his place for granted come the 2023 World Cup. South Africa can expect another dogfight, therefore, when they get on the field on Sunday.Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan will hope they can make a better impression•BCCI

Form guide

India LWWWW (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)

South Africa WLWLW

In the spotlight

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan spent approximately an hour each at the crease in the first ODI, and scored 19 off 42 balls and 20 off 37, respectively, as South Africa’s quicks extracted prodigious seam movement with the new and newish ball. Conditions in Ranchi are unlikely to be as difficult for top-order batters, and Gaikwad and Kishan will hope they can make a better impression against high-quality fast bowling.Since his debut in 2017, Aiden Markram has the second-worst average of 23.26 against spin among all top-four batters from Full-Member teams to have faced at least 200 balls from spinners in ODIs (West Indies’ Brandon King, who averages an astonishingly poor 11.09 against spin, heads that list). Markram endured a brutal working-over at Kuldeep Yadav’s hands in Lucknow, and he will have to prepare to face a lot more of the left-arm wristspinner through the rest of the series.

Team news

Washington Sundar has come into India’s squad as a replacement for Deepak Chahar, who is out with a back issue. With Chahar absent, it is unlikely India will make changes to their pace attack from the first ODI. But they could look at a swap in the spin department, with the allrounder Shahbaz Ahmed potentially coming in for Ravi Bishnoi, who endured a difficult ODI debut in Lucknow.India (possible): 1 Shikhar Dhawan (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 4 Ishan Kishan, 5 Shreyas Iyer, 6 Sanju Samson (wk), 7 Shardul Thakur, 8 Ravi Bishnoi/Shahbaz Ahmed, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Mohammed SirajMarco Jansen (left) might come into South Africa’s XI•Sydney Seshibedi/Getty Images

Dwaine Pretorius is out of this series and the upcoming T20 World Cup with a broken thumb, and while South Africa have named Marco Jansen as his replacement for this series, they are yet to pick one for the World Cup. Jansen and Andile Phehlukwayo are the two main contenders, and it is possible South Africa may bring either or both into their side to give them game time. With India targeting Tabraiz Shamsi mercilessly through both the T20I and ODI legs of this series, South Africa may pick just the one spinner.South Africa (possible): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Janneman Malan, 3 Temba Bavuma (capt), 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Wayne Parnell/Andile Phehlukwayo, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Tabraiz Shamsi/Marco Jansen/Anrich Nortje, 11 Lungi Ngidi

Pitch and conditions

Rain reduced the Lucknow ODI to a 40-overs-a-side contest, and the forecast for Sunday suggests there is a 20% chance of rain in Ranchi as well.The pitch at the JSCA Stadium usually has runs in it, with three of the five ODIs at the venue producing 280-plus first-innings scores. Neither style of bowling has enjoyed a marked advantage over the other in those five matches, with fast bowlers averaging 33.69 and conceding 5.36 runs to the over, and spinners returning corresponding figures of 36.80 and 5.35.

Stats and trivia

• Quinton de Kock and Dhawan are among a select group of five batters to have scored 5000-plus ODI runs at a 45-plus average and a 90-plus strike rate. The others in that group are widely acknowledged to be among the greatest ODI batters of all time: Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Viv Richards.
• Wayne Parnell is four wickets short of becoming the 13th South Africa bowler to 100 wickets in ODIs.
• Of the 28 South Africa batters to have scored at least 1000 ODI runs, only Shaun Pollock and Nicky Boje – both bowling allrounders – have worse averages than Markram’s 27.77.

Quotes

“I wouldn’t say it’s a second-string Indian side. India is blessed with so much talent that they could probably field four to five proper international sides. A lot of the guys in the Indian team have IPL and international experience. Shikhar Dhawan has played numerous ODIs; Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson – the talent that’s in the Indian team, I wouldn’t look at it as weakened. They are still world-class performers out there.”

Seamer suggests ‘communication disappeared’ when Ed Smith was national selector

George Dobell17-May-2021Stuart Broad has suggested the “communication disappeared” when Ed Smith was national selector but insisted he would “understand” if he is left out of England’s Test side at any stage this summer.Broad took to Sky Sports to register his anger and disappointment after he was left out of England’s side for the first Test of last summer. He made his point even more eloquently on the pitch, being named England’s player of the series just a few weeks later.While Broad is adamant he would like to play all seven Tests in the English summer, he accepts it is not “realistic” to play every game and says he would “absolutely” understand if the team management decided to leave him out to “build experience into different players”.”Last year I was disgruntled because the selectors had said the first Test team of the summer will be our best team,” Broad said. “For someone who had been through the Ashes successfully, been through South Africa successfully and stayed fit, I felt it was my shirt. I felt I was in the best team. So to be told I suddenly wasn’t in the best team with my record in England, that’s what upset me.”Is it realistic I’m going to play every Test? No. But if the communication is done well then you understand the reasons for it. You understand why you might miss certain games to be fit for other games. That along with building experience into different players.”If I had a choice I’d want to play all seven Tests. Part of the reason I don’t play white ball cricket any more is so I’m fit and available for Test cricket and fresh when I’m needed. But if Chris Silverwood decides he needs to get experience into some players and have a look at a different line-up and it’s explained in a good way… absolutely, I would understand.”I pride myself on being available and ready. I’m bowling well, taking wickets for Notts and helping win games. I don’t think many could argue against Jimmy and I being in the best bowling attack in England, but if you need to get experience and overs into bowlers that is what it is.”It’s when the communication disappears; that’s when players can’t see reasons or see through it.”That complaint about communication would appear to be directed firmly towards Smith. While Broad rates Smith’s overall as “a success”, he admits their own relationship was strained.Related

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“You can say [Smith’s period as National Selector] was a success in the sense that the team won games and a World Cup,” Broad said. “And he brought some fine players through.”But from my point of view we struggled a bit on the communication side and probably saw the game of cricket slightly differently. A lot of people have bosses who don’t rate them as much as other people and I think he was mine. He probably didn’t rate me as much as other players. That’s fine but I kept trying to prove some selection decisions wrong.”I really disagreed with getting left out in Barbados [at the start of 2019]. It’s one of the best places to bowl as a tall fast bowler. And there are a few occasions where I have felt a bit disgruntled and didn’t have the clarity of communication that I would have liked. That Test I missed at the Ageas Bowl is the only English Test I’ve missed in what, 10 years? And that was through selection.”I am very open to being told things. You have a discussion face to face and then have a beer and move on. That’s how I like to do things. Maybe Ed and I didn’t have that sort of relationship. But he did a lot for bringing through some young cricketers and giving them exposure to the international scene. But he didn’t rate me overly highly and I just had to keep proving that view wrong.”Broad, now aged 34, is at what he terms “the sexy phase” of his career.”In Ryan Giggs’ last few years at Manchester United he wouldn’t play every game but he’d have a big impact at certain times,” Broad said. “I’m sure it was made very clear what his role was in the side. If that means that Jimmy Anderson and I get rested at certain times then that’s much easier to take.”I still want to be around to help and guide bowlers through the Test match. We’re all part of a unit wanting to get the team better and better. But if I had a choice I’d want to play all seven.Stuart Broad was coaching schoolchildren at Hague Primary School•Aron Klein

“It’s nice to be able to share my experience. Peter Moores calls it the sexy stage of your career: you know what you’re doing, you don’t have too many bad days because if you bowl a bad ball you know why you’ve bowled a bad ball. You’re also sharing all your information on how to be competitive, how to grab momentum, how to take a stride forward in a game.”I look at Jimmy aged 38. Three years ago I’d have thought no chance I’d get anywhere near that. Now I can sit here and think why not play and enjoy it? The ECB have looked after Jimmy really well in the last few years. Whenever he’s had a niggle or an injury they’ve rehabbed him back and given him the chance to play more cricket. Why wouldn’t I want the same opportunity? Keep enjoying it, keep learning and keep winning games for Notts and England.”But there’s a difference between being rested and dropped. I feel as though I’ve had a career of being dropped and others have had a career of being rested. If I can finish my career with the games I miss being through being rested rather than dropped then I’ll be a bit happier.”Lifebuoy are proud to partner with Chance to Shine, as part of their ambition to double the rate of handwashing in the UK. Stuart Broad was coaching schoolchildren at Hague Primary School, as a representative of the England Cricket team, of which Lifebuoy are also a partner.