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Titans captain says putting together a strong bowling unit made the difference for them in the tournament

Sidharth Monga30-May-20222:16

Hardik – ‘Have always enjoyed responsibility, it gets the best out of me’

Five IPL finals, five titles. One, now, as a captain in his first season with a team making its debut and representing his home state of Gujarat. Player-of-the-Match performance in that final, including the wickets of the big three of the opposition. Yet, Hardik Pandya’s bigger goal in life is to win a World Cup with India. Moments after he collected the winners’ trophy and finished his other obligations, Hardik was asked what his short-term and long-term goals were now that he had completed a successful comeback after injury troubles had taken away his bowling, and consequently his place in the Indian sides.”Absolutely to win the World Cup for India no matter what happens,” Hardik said. “I am going to give it everything I have. Always been that kind of guy, to put the team first. For me the goal will be simple: to make sure my team gets it the most.”Playing for India has always been kind of dream come true no matter how many games I have played. It has always been a pleasure for me to represent the country. The kind of love and support I have got, it is only from the Indian team point of view. Long term, short term, I want to win the World Cup no matter what happens.”Related

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Hardik has come close to winning a world title with India on three occasions, but all three ended in heartbreak. In 2016, his final over against Bangladesh carried India into the semi-final of the T20 World Cup but India lost to West Indies. In the Champions Trophy final against Pakistan next year, he displayed some of his hitting prowess in a scarcely believable innings, but it was too little and too late. In the semi-final of the 2019 World Cup, Hardik and Rishabh Pant carried out a mini rescue after three early wickets, but New Zealand eventually prevailed.In the IPL, though, Hardik has won every time he has got to the playoffs, four times with Mumbai Indians and now with Gujarat Titans. Asked if this was a little extra special, Hardik said yes, but only just.”Obviously, this will be a little special because I have won it as a captain,” he said. “The four that I have won before this are equally special too. Winning IPL is always special. I consider myself very lucky that I have played five finals and have lifted the trophy five times. Obviously this will leave a legacy because we are a new franchise, playing for the first time, and we are champions in the first season. But the four that I have won before this were equally special.”It will also come as personal vindication for him and coach Ashish Nehra, who invested more energy in putting together a strong bowling unit. They went into every match with six frontline options – if you count Hardik the bowler – and Rahul Tewatia as a seventh back-up bowler. Hardik said this was their philosophy from pretty early on.”Specifically, we both [Nehra and he] lean towards the bowlers,” Hardik said. “People say T20 is a batters’ game but I have always maintained that bowlers win you matches. Because if the batters don’t get a par score, if you have a gun bowling line-up, the bowlers can pull things back. We have always given ten runs fewer [than par]. Even when others have conceded 190, we have gone for ten fewer. Those ten runs win or lose you matches in the bigger picture.”For me and Ashu [Nehra], when we were starting, we wanted to create a strong and experienced bowling unit. So that even if there are times when batters don’t click, you can pull back with the bowling.”

Roy makes international comeback too as England stretch player pool to be able to have a squad in place for the Tests in Pakistan

Matt Roller25-Oct-2022James Vince and Sam Billings have won recalls to England’s ODI squad for a three-match series in Australia, which takes place immediately after the men’s T20 World Cup.As revealed by ESPNcricinfo earlier, Jason Roy will make his return to international cricket after a lean English summer led to him losing his spot in the T20I side and his ECB central contract, while there is no place for Alex Hales who is now seen as a T20 specialist.

Fixtures

November 17 – 1st ODI, Adelaide
November 19 – 2nd ODI, Sydney
November 22 – 3rd ODI, Melbourne

Neither Vince nor Billings has played an ODI since July 2021, but both have impressed in their recent 50-over opportunities. Vince’s last ODI innings brought his first England hundred to complete a clean sweep over Pakistan, while Billings has been unfortunate to miss out on recent selection after averaging 56.00 in his eight ODI innings since 2020.Olly Stone also won a recall, having last played an ODI in October 2018, and will fly out to Australia along with Billings, Vince and Roy in the coming weeks. Chris Jordan will stay with the set-up after the World Cup and will come into contention to win his first ODI cap since February 2020.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Luke Wood is the only uncapped player in the squad. He went on the tour to the Netherlands in June but did not play, and is due to travel to Australia this week as a reserve after Tymal Mills replaced Reece Topley in the full squad for the World Cup.Dawid Malan, Wood’s team-mate in the Hundred, has been recalled after being left out of England’s home ODIs this summer. Liam Dawson, a regular feature in England squads because of his versatility, could win only his fourth ODI cap and his first since 2018.The series, which does not form part of the World Cup Super League, will stretch England’s player pool considerably. By November 17, the day of the first ODI in Adelaide, the squad for their Tests in Pakistan in December will be in Abu Dhabi, along with a 15-man Lions training group and three fast bowlers who are recovering from long-term injuries.As a result, several leading white-ball players are not involved in the ODI series. Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone and Mark Wood will travel to the UAE straight after the World Cup – along with Ben Stokes, who has retired from the ODI format – while Ben Duckett, Will Jacks and Joe Root were not considered for selection because of their involvement in the Test squad.

Chris Silverwood has been named as the new head coach of Essex, having stepped up to the role in an interim capacity last season, following the departure of Paul Grayson

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Dec-2015Chris Silverwood has been named as the new head coach of Essex, having stepped up to the role in an interim capacity last season, following the departure of Paul Grayson.The announcement was made at the end of an interview process featuring five short-listed candidates – the former South Africa and Australia coach, Mickey Arthur; the former Kent and Leicestershire wicketkeeper, Paul Nixon; the former Afghanistan coach, Andy Moles, and Stuart Law, the current coach of Bangladesh U19s.Silverwood, the former Yorkshire, Middlesex and England fast bowler, has been working with the England Lions squad in Potchefstroom this winter. He helped Essex to third place in the second division of the County Championship last summer, having taken over at the start of September with the club in sixth place.He was the unanimous choice of a selection panel that included Derek Bowden, the chief executive, and David Acfield, the club treasurer, as well as two former Essex and England captains in Keith Fletcher and Graham Gooch, plus Ronnie Irani, the cricket committee chairman, and Wasim Haq, a recruitment specialist.”I am absolutely over the moon,” Silverwood said. “I made my intentions clear at the end of the summer, and I am delighted to get the opportunity to do the job. I passionately want to see Essex be successful. There were some big names on the panel, and to know I’ve got the support of those guys is immense. There was so much knowledge sat around that table, and to have them pick me out is fantastic.”Essex were consistently one of the most successful limited-overs sides in England under the guidance of Grayson, but they were repeatedly unable to translate that record into trophies.Quarter-final defeats in the NatWest Blast and the Royal London Cup – as well as a more predictable failed promotion challenge caused primarily by a lack of bowling depth – led to Grayson being removed in late season after Irani was installed as chairman of the cricket committee.”We are determined to move the club forward, and move on from last season,” Silverwood added. “This is a fresh start, and that is shown with the changes we have already made to our pre-season programme. We need to change how we have done things previously, and I am already making those changes. It is a great opportunity.”Bowden said: “Chris Silverwood is a tremendous young coach with the vision, passion and dedication that this club deserves. His work with the England Lions this month, alongside his time spent with other ECB development squads over the past few years, demonstrates how highly regarded he is in the game of cricket. We are delighted that Chris will be leading the side into the 2016 season.”Silverwood played 184 first-class matches in a 16-year career for Yorkshire and Middlesex. He took 577 wickets at an average of 27.41, and also played in six Tests and seven ODIs for England. He has been assistant head coach at Essex since January 2014.

Mayank Agarwal hammered 176 off just 133 balls and Manish Pandey galloped to 108 off 85, as India A batted South Africa A out of the game to secure a place in the A-team triangular series final in Chennai

The Report by Alagappan Muthu in Chennai13-Aug-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:39

Agarwal makes third highest List-A score in India

There were two centurions from India A, and only one from South Africa A. Simple math won in the end, and the visitors were knocked out of the A-team tri-series in Chennai. Mayank Agarwal hammered 176 off just 133 balls, Manish Pandey galloped to 108 off 85, and India A batted the opposition out of the game. South Africa A were set a target of 372, and they had to get it in 29 overs to qualify for the final. Quinton de Kock did his best with 113 off 86 balls, but it was too tall a task.Seeking a better chance to get that bonus point, Dane Vilas, the stand-in South Africa A captain, chose to bowl. As iffy as their history is with chasing, the team’s best chance remained with the batsmen making the play. Among the four left-arm seamers, only Lonwabo Tsotsobe has been decent. Their spin reserves have not impressed either. Trusting the bowlers to get them through seemed too big a gamble. On the other hand, they had a sturdier batting order with the return of de Kock, who now has five centuries from six one-day matches against an Indian team.The problem, of course, was South Africa gave away too many runs. The problem was Agarwal, a player known for short and punchy cameos, managing to play a long innings. He helped lay the foundation with a 106-run opening partnership with Unmukt Chand, and then took control of the middle overs with Pandey in a 203-run stand, the scoring rate during which was 8.45 per over.As mammoth as India A’s total was, it did not come helter skelter early on. India A had been 37 for 0 in 10 overs, but with the pitch offering very little challenge, and the opposition bowlers unable to lift themselves, steady acceleration became all out carnage – 195 runs came off the last 20 overs.Mayank Agarwal hit 110 runs in fours and sixes•K Sivaraman

India A’s innings, in fact, mirrored Agarwal’s. The batsman was slow early on – 30 off his first 49 balls – but he could afford to be because Chand was making sure South Africa A were under the pump with 64 off 77 balls. But once Agarwal got himself set, his usual manic tempo resurfaced. He secured his second hundred of the series off 96 balls, and the 150 came a mere 21 balls later. His lack of consistency has been a long-standing complaint, but Agarwal has five fifty-plus scores in seven one-day innings and his current average of 55.1 is the best for an Indian with at least 1000 List A runs.Almost unnoticed at the other end, Pandey was working himself to hitting rhythm. He was 51 off 52 balls when the final 10 overs began but completed a century in the final over of the innings. It was a partnership well-suited to exploit a benign pitch and listless bowling. Agarwal and Pandey have techniques dictated by strong bottom hands, a preference for the front foot and unorthodox shot selection.So when South Africa A bowled back of a length, the batsmen still waded forward and flat-batted them into a wide arc from midwicket to extra cover. The visitors did not help themselves by dropping Agarwal on 29. He ended up making 110 runs in boundaries alone. The other reprieve came from a mistake by umpire Virender Sharma, who failed to spot an outside edge as Pandey nicked off to the wicketkeeper in the 40th over.With chances of progress distant, de Kock indulged in reclaiming his lost form. He had little trouble assessing the pace of the pitch, and nearly every time he planted his front foot down for an almighty swing to the leg side, he succeeded. He got to 50 off 29 balls, produced a hat-trick of boundaries in the 18th over from legspinner Karn Sharma, and cruised to his hundred off 76 balls. He gathered 76 runs from 60 balls of spin, which should help his confidence ahead of an important tour of India in October.Another hopeful to make the South African Test side, Reeza Hendricks, got some batting time with 76 off 109 balls. He looks like an accumulator and does present a good option for the senior team if they are still looking at a Test opener. Khaya Zondo offset that slow pace with 86 off 60 balls, but South Africa A were never in with a chance today.

Daniel Vettori has been roped in to work with the England Performance Programme spinners next month in Dubai

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Oct-2015Daniel Vettori has been roped in to work with the England Performance Programme spinners next month in Dubai. The former New Zealand left-arm spinner and captain will join the EPP batting and spin group, led by Andy Flower, for 10 days in November and work with Surrey allrounder Zafar Ansari, new Sussex signing Danny Briggs, Tom Westley (Essex) and Stephen Parry (Lancashire).The squad has a heavy limited-overs emphasis ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup, reflecting the strong emphasis that Andrew Strauss, the director of England cricket, is placing on the shorter game.Some gesture to Test cricket can perhaps be seen in nthe fact that Ravi Patel (Middlesex), Will Beer (Sussex) and Matt Carter (Nottinghamshire) will also be a part of the squad in a net bowling capacity.Vettori, who retired from international cricket after the World Cup this year, signed a three-year contract with Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League in April. He also coaches Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL.”Daniel has been one of the most successful and respected spinners in world cricket for almost two decades, so we are delighted to add his considerable experience to the England Performance Programme this winter,” Peter Such, the ECB’s lead spin bowling coach, said. “I am sure that the players will benefit from working with him for the 10 days that he is with the EPP in November.”The appointment is the latest example of England bringing in an overseas coach to help plug a specific gap. Mahela Jayawardene, the former Sri Lanka batsman who is acting as a consultant with England’s Test squad in the UAE, said it was important to help young players learn about the game.”Everyone has a different way of thinking and if you can learn from that it will enhance your game,” he said. “Especially the juniors, because that is an investment that you put on to the table. This England group is quite young and I see them having another ten-year span – that’s a good core group of guys you are working with. The more you invest in that, the better it is going to be for English cricket.”In a separate ECB placement scheme, legspinner Scott Borthwick will travel to New Zealand to play club cricket. He will also practice and train with Wellington, where he will be mentored by offspinner Jeetan Patel.Twelve young English spinners will be travelling overseas this winter, either with England’s Under-19s in Sri Lanka or on ECB-led placements to Australia and New Zealand. Warwickshire legspinner Josh Poysden and Glamorgan’s Andrew Salter will play Grade cricket in Sydney, while Somerset’s Jack Leach has been placed in Perth.Such said ECB was looking to provide its spinners with more “match play” overs. “We are looking to expose our spinners to cricket overseas during the off season, for the experience of competing overseas, taking more personal responsibility and also to continue their development by bowling those much needed match play and practice overs,” he said.

Sri Lanka’s spinners made a mark in the ODIs, now can they do the same in the Tests?

Alex Malcolm28-Jun-2022

Big picture

Australia’s tour to Sri Lanka has already had an impact following the special scenes in Colombo of locals dressed in yellow to thank the visitors for touring during a desperate time in their country’s history.Sri Lanka winning the ODI series provided moments of joy for the home supporters, but there is a sense among Australia that the real stuff starts now. There were no ODI Super League points up for grabs and the visitors had injuries galore, although they were thoroughly outplayed by the hosts. But there are vital World Test Championship points at stake in the two Tests in Galle, as is Australia’s Asian reputation. They currently sit top of the WTC table while Sri Lanka occupy fourth with just 12 months remaining before the final. A 2-0 series sweep, either way, would have significant ramifications.Sri Lanka are a side on the rise having beaten Bangladesh away in their most recent series in May under new coach Chris Silverwood and their performance in the ODI series proves that the belief is building. But they were uncompetitive against India away in early March. They won three of the six home Tests in 2021 against West Indies and Bangladesh but lost 2-0 to England in back-to-back Tests at Galle.Related

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Australia proved their subcontinent bona fides in Pakistan with a 1-0 series win. However, it was a different type of challenge with spin being almost a non-factor in all three Tests save for Nathan Lyon’s five-wicket haul on the final day in Lahore. Australia haven’t been tested in true spinning conditions since touring Bangladesh in 2017 and the last time they faced Sri Lanka on their own turf they were humbled 3-0.But Sri Lanka’s spin options for the 2022 series of Lasith Embuldeniya (16 Tests), Praveen Jayawickrama (five Tests) Ramesh Mendis (six Tests) and potentially the uncapped Jeffrey Vandersay are not yet of the same quality as the 2016 destroyers Rangana Herath and Dilruwan Perera. Although Embuldeniya did take 15 wickets in two Tests against England in Galle last year.Steven Smith is the only Australia batter with a Test hundred in Sri Lanka, while Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Cameron Green and Alex Carey have never played there. The series could well hinge on the battle between Sri Lanka’s inexperienced spinners and Australia’s inexperienced middle order. Australia will hope that one of their batters can emulate Joe Root’s sweeping masterclass in Galle last year, while Sri Lanka need Embuldeniya to channel Herath.Sri Lanka’s batting group have great memories of home series against Australia with four of the top six having all scored Test hundreds against them. Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, and Dinesh Chandimal all made centuries in 2016 against an attack close to the one Australia might field. The only difference is Pat Cummins. The captain was the difference in Pakistan. He also took eight wickets in the last three ODIs including 4 for 35 in Pallekele. If the ball was to reverse in Galle, Cummins and Mitchell Starc will play a significant part in shaping the series.What role can Australia’s pace play?•AFP/Getty Images

Form guide

(Last five completed matches; most recent first)

Sri Lanka WDLLW

Australia WDDWD

In the spotlight

Lasith Embuldeniya has a good record in Galle having taken 32 wickets at 26.15 including a 10-wicket haul against England. But he enters this series with the spotlight on him after a disappointing tour of Bangladesh. It might be unfair to compare a 25-year-old who has played 16 Tests to a bowler like Herath who took 433 Test wickets. But Australia’s record against left-arm spin since 2016 is damning as they average just 21.36 as a unit, the worst of all the major nations in that time. Jayawickrama is the other option in the squad, but the responsibility will fall on Embuldeniya’s shoulders to cause some chaos among Australia’s batters.Marnus Labuschagne was the No. 1 Test batter in the world at one stage earlier this year but it came with a large caveat. None of his six Test centuries had been scored away from home and he had played just six of his 23 Tests overseas, prior to the tour of Pakistan. He put pressure on himself in Pakistan to remove that qualifier from his record and nearly did in the first Test in Rawalpindi. But he had a disappointing tour thereafter, although it was Shaheen Shah Afridi more so than spin that brought about his undoing. He did battle against Sri Lanka’s spinners in the ODI series but the pressure of scoring at a rate saw him try to manoeuvre the ball square against the spin far more than ever would in Test cricket. He will be determined to make some significant scores in this series and Australia will need someone to go big if they are to be triumphant.Angelo Mathews will have a big part to play with the bat•AFP

Team news

Sri Lanka appeared to be heading towards a debut for legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay as one of three frontline spinners, leaving the pace bowling to Asitha Fernando. Pathum Nissanka, who impressed in the ODIs, will return at the top of the order after missing the Bangladesh series due to injurySri Lanka (possible): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Angelo Mathews, 5 Dhananjaya de Silva, 6 Dinesh Chandimal, 7 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 8 Ramesh Mendis, 9 Lasith Embuldeniya, 10 Asitha Fernando, 11 Kasun Rajitha/Jeffrey VandersayAustralia look set to pick the same side that won in Pakistan. There was a debate circling around the Australia camp about Mitchell Swepson’s place as the second spinner, with Victoria left-armer Jon Holland being heavily considered despite not playing a Test since 2018 and not being initially selected among six spinners named across Australia’s Test and Australia A squads. But Cummins confirmed on Tuesday that Swepson would play with Holland’s spinning finger not recovering from the A game following a limited preparation. Travis Head will be given time until the toss to prove his hamstring has recovered from the strain he suffered in the ODI series. If he doesn’t come up, Glenn Maxwell will play his first Test since 2017 and his first first-class match since 2019.Australia (possible): 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 David Warner, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head/Glenn Maxwell, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Mitchell Swepson

Pitch and conditions

There will be no surprises in Galle with spin likely to play a huge part. The practice pitches have spun sharply including the ones on the edge of the square. The playing strip has very little grass on it, but the pitches on either side of it have a solid covering of grass which could negate reverse swing if the ball doesn’t get roughed up on the square as quickly as it might do otherwise. It will be hot and humid and it wouldn’t be Sri Lanka in July without some rain around but it’s unlikely there will be many delays over the five days.

Stats and trivia

• In 21 Tests in Galle, teams have chosen to bat first 20 times after winning the toss and only three times have teams lost having won the toss and batted. Sri Lanka suffered two of those losses against England in Galle last year.
• In five Tests in Galle since 2018, the average first innings score has been 273, with batters averaging just 26.98 against spin. Spinners have taken 78% of the wickets and bowled 77% of the overs in those Tests.
• Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne has scored 848 runs at 65.23 from his last 14 innings in Galle, scoring three fifties and three centuries. Angelo Mathews is the only other player with more than 500 runs at Galle in that time.
• Mitchell Starc took 11 for 94 at Galle in 2016. He is the only fast bowler to have taken 10 wickets in a Test match at the venue.

Captain justifies Beaumont omission as England seek to cash in on fielding restrictions

Andrew Miller20-Jul-2022Sophia Dunkley could be rewarded for her explosive form in the ODIs against South Africa with a role as England’s T20I opener, after Heather Knight indicated that “ultra-aggression” in the powerplay was the means by which her team intended to target Gold in the forthcoming Commonwealth Games campaign in Birmingham.Dunkley, 24, thrived after being handed a promotion to No.3 for the ODI series, scoring 180 runs from 170 balls all told, including her maiden international hundred in the second match at Bristol. And, in the wake of the surprise omission of Tammy Beaumont from England’s CWG squad, she may well get the chance to partner the incumbent Danni Wyatt at the top of the T20I order, when the final leg of the multi-format series against South Africa gets underway in Chelmsford on Thursday.”In terms of T20, Sophia is definitely an option to open the batting,” Knight said. “She’s done it a little bit here and there, and been really impressive in how she goes about doing things. She’s naturally a very quick scorer and wants to hit boundaries and take things on, so she’s certainly an option for us at the top end.”Related

• One goal achieved, Sophia Dunkley moves swiftly onto the next

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• Lisa Keightley defends England's youth policy after Tammy Beaumont's shock omission

• Tammy Beaumont banishes pain of Commonwealth Games omission with statement century

It was Knight herself who made way at No. 3 to allow Dunkley to move up the order, and though the captain’s initial returns suffered in the opening two ODIs, an innings of 63 from 49 balls at the death in Leicester was evidence of what she hopes she can achieve as a designated finisher, as England racked up an imposing 371 for 7 – only seven runs shy of the team’s all-time record.”Two areas that we haven’t been as good at in ODI cricket is being super-aggressive in the powerplay and also being able to manage the innings towards the back end,” Knight said. “We felt like Sophia has the strength to be super-aggressive in the way she plays at No.3. And also my strengths are probably managing an innings, so we felt like it was the best move for the team to try and create a really strong, dynamic batting line-up.”Sophia has taken her opportunity massively, I’m really pleased,” Knight added. “I have got a really good relationship with Sophia, and I’ve really loved seeing her develop over the last few years. It’s been a bit strange, I guess, batting at five, getting a little bit of pad rash and waiting for a lot longer to go in, but it’s just something to get used to, I guess.”The mainstay of England’s innings at Leicester, however, was Beaumont, whose 119 from 107 balls was the perfect response to her T20I axing. But while Knight praised her team-mate’s tenacity and insisted the “door was not closed” for a 20-over comeback, she doubled down on the decision-making that had led England to make such a tough call.”Tammy’s ODI form is undisputable,” Knight said. “She’s one of the best players in the world and I knew she was going to get a hundred in one of those three games. Knowing Tammy’s character, she would have wanted to prove a point, and her ODI cricket is absolutely not in doubt.Alice Capsey impressed for Oval Invincibles in the maiden season of the Hundred•Getty Images

“We just felt like we wanted to be more aggressive in that powerplay in T20. And we feel we’ve brought in players that can add that fearlessness and aggressiveness to the squad. I’ve no doubt Tammy will go away and grow, and she’s certainly not out of the frame in the future. But at the moment, we’ve gone down that line of the ultra-aggressive players that can go in there and really take the game on the front end, when there’s only two fielders outside the circle.”To that end, Knight admitted that the team management already had an idea of their first-choice line-up for the T20I leg of the summer – one that could feature as many as eight games in 18 days if England make through to the Commonwealth Games final at Edgbaston on August 7. However, Knight added, the first priority was to ensure a new-look squad had a chance to get to know one another, given the addition of a number of fresh faces, most notably the teenage pairing of Alice Capsey and Freya Kemp.”Obviously we’ve added six players to the squad, and they only arrived yesterday,” Knight said. “But the main thing we want as a batting unit is to be really flexible and adaptable to situations, and to make sure we’re getting the right players in to maximise various stages of the innings. We want the players that come in to be really clear on their roles, and what we want from them.”Knight said that the next opportunity to mesh the squad’s blend of new and old players would come with Wednesday evening’s Women’s Euros clash, with England taking on Spain in a quarter-final in Brighton.”We’re going to have a bit of a team social tonight,” Knight said. “The Lionesses are obviously playing a big match, so we’re going to get everyone together and that’ll be quite nice to bring people together as a group. We’ll obviously be in it together at training today too, but I think just keeping it simple and trying to have those conversations is going to be key.”It’s a really exciting squad, it’s quite a bold squad,” Knight added. “Exciting not just in terms of their cricket skills, but in the way they’ve gone about it. The mentality of those younger players is exactly what we want to add to our squad, and you saw it in the ODI series too, with younger players bringing that rawness and freshness.”Few are fresher than Capsey, who turns 18 in August, but whose talents were felt first-hand by Knight during a remarkable innings of 59 from 41 balls for Oval Invincibles against London Spirit at Lord’s last summer.Tammy Beaumont responded to her T20I axing with a century at Leicester•Getty Images

“I was at the other end bowling and she whacked me over my head, so I certainly know what she can do,” Knight said. “She adds a little bit of all-round ability with the ball as another spin option, and she’s a 360-degree player that can score quite quickly.”The fact that Capsey was able to command such a big stage at the age of 16 is one of the reasons why England have felt able to trust their rookies in this format, to a degree that would not have been possible even two years ago. And while Knight admitted that Beaumont’s omission was bound to be a wake-up call to all the seniors within England’s ranks, she also acknowledged that it was a welcome problem to have to embrace.”It’s a huge positive,” she said. “It’s going to be really good for us as a group to have that competition. If you don’t perform, someone’s going to come in and take your place. That pressure is there for sure, but it will keep everyone on their toes, and enable us to push our standards further.”That’s what’s been very big for Australia,” Knight added. “Over the last three years or so, with young players coming through in the Big Bash, they seem to be able to slip in and perform and that means that their senior players have to perform and warrant their place too.”The Hundred and the professionalisation of the domestic game means those players are a lot more well-known when they do get the call-up. They’ve probably got a bit more experience of dealing with scrutiny, being on telly, playing in front of big crowds. It’s definitely a positive but it’s also something different to manage. So it’s important that we get to know those individuals, know what works for them, and how we can best help them to be at their best when they’re in an England shirt.”

The inference that the three players – Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila – acquitted by a Delhi trial court can now return to professional cricket appears to hold invalid because of the separate lines of inquiry and jurisdiction adopted by the co

Nagraj Gollapudi26-Jul-2015The inference that Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila, now cleared of spot-fixing allegations by a Delhi trial court, can return to professional cricket appears invalid because of the separate lines of inquiry and jurisdiction adopted by the court and the BCCI.According to a BCCI anti-corruption official, the standards of proof required by the board were different from the ones needed by the court to press charges. “There is a difference between what the police does and what we do – it is as different as a departmental enquiry and a judicial criminal trial. There is no law with regards to match-fixing in the Indian Penal Code or any of the local laws,” the official told ESPNcricinfo.The three players were discharged by the court due to insufficient evidence under the MCOCA act, a special law passed by the Maharashtra state government to tackle organised crime syndicates and terrorism. But the BCCI’s investigation in 2013, handled by Ravi Sawani, the former head of ICC’s anti-corruption unit, only needed to focus on the conduct of the players, and not their alleged connections to organised crime syndicates. The BCCI anti-corruption official reaffirmed that difference.”Within that limited requirement of proving whether these players were in touch with the bookies, whether they had done any particular act which amounted to spot-fixing, there was sufficient evidence available to prove the offence of match-fixing or spot-fixing,” the official said.Sawani’s line of enquiry was to ascertain whether any monetary transactions took place, whether any conversations took place between the players and bookies or their agents and even if any specific act to that effect was performed. “Under the anti-corruption code even if an act has not been done, but if you had agreed to do an act, that by itself was an offence,” the official said. “Even if you had agreed and done nothing – that is an offence. Even if you did not receive the money, that is an offence. And even if you have not agreed but somebody had made an approach to you and not reporting that is an offence.”The same evidence that was presented before the Delhi court was made available to Sawani, who acted differently because he noted that the three players were in breach of Article 2.1.1 of BCCI’s anti-corruption code. Article 2.1.1 relates specifically to match-fixing and spot-fixing and reads: “Fixing or contriving in any way or otherwise influencing improperly, or being a party to any effort to fix or contrive in any way or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any Match or Event.”According to the official, Sawani had relied primarily on the same evidence utilised by the Delhi Police in bringing charges against players and alleged bookies, but the big difference was he had signed statements. “The audio recording that Delhi Police had done between players to certain other people and certain other people further to bookies, all those audio recordings and the transcripts were there. When these players were interviewed, they have signed statements.”The evidence gathered was conclusive and established the players’ roles, the official claimed. From that evidence, and from the players’ statement to Sawani himself, it was concluded that there was sufficient evidence to prove the offence of spot-fixing.In his final report submitted to the BCCI in September 2013, Sawani laid several charges against the players for various offences.Sreesanth, Chavan and Chandila were found guilty of match-fixing, seeking or offering a bribe as a reward for match-fixing,  underperforming for a reward, ensuring the occurrence of an event during a match, knowing it is the subject of a bet, receiving payment or gift for the possibility of bringing cricket into disrepute, failing to report an approach by bookmakers to fix a match to the BCCI anti-corruption unit. A separate charge of soliciting other players for match-fixing in the IPL was also laid against Chandila.Subsequently, the BCCI disciplinary panel slapped life bans on Sreesanth and Chavan, having found them guilty. A verdict against Chandila is still pending as he failed to face the panel due to personal reasons.

Shane Watson saved his best until last to enable Australia to end their almost four-month stay in England with silverware as they wrapped up the NatWest Series

The Report by Andrew McGlashan at the Ageas Bowl16-Sep-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShane Watson led Australia’s innings with an 87-ball century•PA Photos

As in the Ashes, Shane Watson saved his best until last to enable Australia to end their almost four-month stay in England with silverware as they wrapped up the NatWest series with a convincing 49-run victory. Watson’s 143 provided nearly half of Australia’s total and his stand of 163 with Michael Clarke, who battled through with his troublesome back, was the defining period of the match and series.England’s chase only ignited when Ravi Bopara and Jos Buttler were adding 92 in 13 overs; perhaps it was the autumnal chill which descended and left spectators huddle up in jacks that prevented an early spark. But by then it was a monumental task, even for Buttler’s nerves of steel. Kevin Pietersen was run out in the third over and any remnants of a chance, however slim, disappeared when Eoin Morgan departed straight after the halfway mark of the innings.Australia were clearly the better team over the three-and-a-bit ODIs that the weather allowed and this trophy, although low down in the priority list when they arrived in late May, will be some solace for Darren Lehmann – who wasn’t even in charge when the Champions Trophy squad landed at Heathrow. Australia really have been here that long.That is not to say there are no benefits England can take, and in this match it was the bowling of Ben Stokes and debutant Chris Jordan – who replaced the injured Steven Finn – as they shared eight wickets. Stokes finished with 5 for 61 having struck early in the innings and then during Australia’s collapse of 7 for 87. Both young pace bowlers were sharp, hitting 90mph, and held their nerve against flashing blades.As in Cardiff, Australia struggled at the top and tail of their innings but this time the central plank provided by Watson and Clarke was so dominant it made a crucial difference. It appeared a rain break in the 10th over might derail their innings when, on resumption, Stokes struck twice in consecutive balls to leave Australia 48 for 3. But England’s inexperienced attack could not keep up the pressure as Clarke and Watson feasted on some wayward bowling during their rapid partnership.Watson reached his eighth one-day hundred from 87 balls in a muscular display of hitting and then latched on to Joe Root’s sixth over, which cost 28, the most expensive by an England bowler in ODIs, including three massive leg-side sixes. He was threatening his best score against England – an unbeaten 161 at the MCG in 2011 – but edged behind to give Stokes his fourth wicket.Stokes claimed his fifth two balls later when Mitchell Johnson lobbed back a return catch and along with Jordan and Boyd Rankin, the latter superbly economical on another good batting pitch, provided a positive glimpse at some of England’s depth. Jordan had managed to open his wicket tally in his second over – after being driven twice by Aaron Finch in his first – when he beat Phillip Hughes for pace and the left-hander top-edged to midwicket.Jordan returned in the batting Powerplay, taken early by Clarke in the 29th over, with Australia at the peak of their scoring rate and removed the Australia captain when he clubbed to mid-off for 74 five balls after Rankin had dropped him in the same position. Clarke had not been convincing at the start of his innings, as England tested out his back with the expected short-pitched attack, but was given early scoring opportunities to get his innings underway and was rarely under a run-a-ball. His straight drive for six off Stokes stood out.The problem for England was that the combined 10 overs of spin from Root and James Tredwell went for 96; Watson immediately aimed Tredwell over midwicket in a four-over spell that proved his only one of the day. If other sides have been taking notes, Tredwell will need to “batten down the hatches”, as he put it the other day, in future series.Overs 21-30 of Australia’s brought 93 runs – a scoring rate considered impressive for the final 10 of an innings – and at 202 for 3 after 30 overs anything seemed possible, but a combination of some laziness from them and resilience from England gave the final 20 overs a very different outcome, to the extent that Australia did not use up their final five deliveries.Australia rued their late collapse in Cardiff, but it never had the feel of a repeat here. The Pietersen-Michael Carberry opening partnership has not hit it off in this series and for the second time it ended through a breakdown in communication. Pietersen was beaten but Matthew Wade could not take the ball cleanly and it bobbled to short fine-leg. Carberry started to make his way up the pitch, but only made a positive call a few seconds later, by when there was not enough time for Pietersen to make his ground.Carberry’s hometown innings – and perhaps, even, his last for England – was ended by the DRS after Rob Bailey had turned down an appeal from James Faulkner. Joe Root, who laboured for his 21, dragged on against the quick and thrifty Johnson when playing without footwork and most shambolically Luke Wright – a last-minute replacement for Jonathan Trott, who suffered a back spasm – was run out when he did not even attempt to ground his bat going for a sharp single.Adam Voges gained an lbw decision against Bopara with his first ball, only for DRS to show it was sliding past leg stump, but he claimed the key wicket of Morgan when the England captain was drawn out of his crease and Wade did not add to his list of errors.For a while, as Buttler and Bopara started picking off boundaries at will, a grandstand finish was not out of the question until Faulkner, from round the wicket, cleaned up Buttler. Seven balls later Bopara rifled a catch to cover off Johnson’s first ball back to give him his 200th ODI wicket. That was that, barring the finishing touches, but for anyone who is feeling misty-eyed at the end of England-Australia contests, don’t worry: it all starts again in 66 days.

Former Australia ODI wicketkeeper-batter is awake after being in an induced coma for several days but remains in intensive care in a UK hospital

AAP and ESPNcricinfo19-Apr-2022Netherlands head coach and former Australia ODI wicketkeeper Ryan Campbell is in intensive care in a hospital in the UK after suffering a heart attack on Saturday.The 50-year-old was at a playground with his children at the weekend, before collapsing. It was reported on on Tuesday morning AWST that he remained in an induced coma although under the care of his doctors he has made some attempts successfully to breathe on his own.On Wednesday morning AWST, his brother Mark Campbell told that he was out of his coma but remained in ICU under observation.”They’ve taken the heavy sedation off, so he’s actually woken up,” Mark Campbell said.”Now they’re just looking at trying to work out what’s wrong with his heart.”He did a few tests and they’re saying there doesn’t appear at this stage to be any brain damage, his brain wasn’t starved of oxygen.”They’re not sure now why his heart is still being arrhythmic. So that’s another issue that they’re now going to look at over there.”He’s been in intensive care since Saturday night.”His wife is there with him and one of his friends from Hong Kong has flown to be there.”The family have been overwhelmed with the messages of support we’ve been getting from all over the world,”He has coached the Netherlands cricket team since April 2017 and led them on the recent limited-overs tour of New Zealand. He had been travelling back to Europe from the tour, and had visited friends and extended family in his home city of Perth just a week earlier.A swashbuckling batter and wicketkeeper who made his name in Western Australia, Campbell played two ODIs for Australia in 2002 when Adam Gilchrist was absent to spend time with his newborn son.During an illustrious 98-game first-class career between 1994 and 2006, Campbell starred for Western Australia with 6009 runs at an average of 36.31.WA cricket CEO Christina Matthews offered her support to Campbell’s family..”WA Cricket is in shock to hear of Ryan’s medical emergency after suffering a major heart attack over the long weekend,” Matthews said in a statement.”On behalf of all WA Cricket staff, players and the wider cricket community, I would like to pass on our heartfelt thoughts to Ryan, his wife Leontina and their family at this time.”We know he is in the best care, and hope he pulls through and is able to make a full and speedy recovery.”He played for Hong Kong during the 2016 Twenty20 World Cup at the age of 44.