All posts by n8rngtd.top

The second Test was delicately poised after a oscillating day with West Indies taking a lead of 169 before Mark Stoneman and Joe Root led England’s reply

The Report by Andrew McGlashan27-Aug-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsWest Indies remained in a position to push for their first Test victory in England since 2000, in no small measure due to the all-round efforts of their captain Jason Holder, but Joe Root carried his team’s hopes of being able to set a testing chase having been reprieved by West Indies’ fielding for the second time in the match. England closed on 171 for 3, a lead of two, on a surface offering some assistance for the spinners and the occasional sight of uneven bounce.Mark Stoneman’s maiden Test fifty, completed after he suffered a dislocated little finger on 35, was an encouraging innings but, when he was dismissed, England were 94 for 3 and still 75 behind. It could have been better for West Indies had they spotted a thin edge from Dawid Malan when he had 4 and, more importantly, not dropped Root on 10 – this time by Kyle Hope at gully – with the fourth-wicket pair having added 77 by the close.It had taken Root 21 balls to get off the mark against some excellent pace bowling, and it was a rare jittery innings from the captain, but he started to find more fluency after the life. Holder thought he had cut him off on 35 when he was given lbw, but the DRS saved Root – as it did Kraigg Brathwaite twice yesterday – with the ball shown to be missing leg stump. While Holder was excellent with bat and ball, it was odd captaincy that he only gave legspinner Devendra Bishoo two overs on a dry surface, the second of them five minutes before the close.

West Indies’ unbeatable lead

• 133 – Highest first innings lead for West Indies after which they lost a Test, coming against England at Lord’s in 2000. They earned a lead of 169 in this Test. They have gained a first innings lead of 150 or more 117 times and never lost.

• 2009 – The last time England overturned a lead in excess of 150 to win a Test – 179 versus New Zealand at Old Trafford.

• 3 – Five-wicket hauls for James Anderson in the last two Tests at Headingley. He had taken 5-fors in both innings against Sri Lanka last year and took another 5 for 76 in the first innings of this match. In his first seven Tests at Headingley he had picked up only 19 wickets at 41.36 with not even a single four-for. He’s now three short of 500 Test wickets.

• 2014 – Last instance of West Indies scoring a 400-plus total, which came against Bangladesh in Kingstown. Their last away from home was in Dunedin in 2013-14 when following-on.

West Indies’ lead was swelled by a crucial stand of 75 between Holder and Jermaine Blackwood after James Anderson had struck with the first two deliveries of the day to give England hope of swiftly beginning their second innings. However, the stand could have been broken with just four added but Moeen Ali spilled a simple chance at mid-on when Blackwood had 21. They could yet be vital runs.Stoneman and Alastair Cook began solidly after the lunch break, bringing up just England’s second fifty opening stand of the season, before two wickets for Holder in an impressive 12-over spell either side of tea shored up West Indies’ position. Holder found increasing movement during his burst and beat Cook twice in three balls from round the wicket before finding the edge when the former England captain was threatening one of his long-term stays in the middle.Tom Westley’s immediate Test future was then plunged into further doubt when he played a horrid, wild drive at a wide delivery and sent a thin edge to Shane Dowrich. It came the over after there had been a horrendous mix-up between him and Stoneman, which should have left Westley run out. However, there was a poor return from the deep and Bishoo couldn’t complete the opportunity. The shot that followed was of a slightly frazzled mind.The debates around Westley will continue to swirl ahead of the final Test at Lord’s, but Stoneman will be causing the selectors fewer headaches – for a short while, at least – after an accomplished 124-ball stay. He got his innings underway with three boundaries in four balls off Kemar Roach and kept his composure after taking the blow on his left little finger in the first over after tea which required the physio to pop his digit back into place. Given the problems trying to find an opening batsman, the selectors could have felt the position was cursed had they lost their latest candidate to an injury.Stoneman’s half-century came from 107 deliveries but, for the second time in three innings, he was on the receiving end of a gem of a delivery. After Roach took his off stump at Edgbaston, Gabriel did the same here with a wonderful ball which straightened from round the wicket – although Gabriel was mighty close to overstepping on a day where he delivered five no-balls (with others not called). Millimetres, at most, saved him.From there, England held firm to end the day positively – as they had started it. Shai Hope had resumed on 147 but didn’t make it past the first delivery of the morning when he nibbled at one outside off from Anderson and feathered an edge to the keeper. One ball later, England thought they had hauled themselves back into the match when Dowrich edged to second slip, giving Anderson his third five-wicket haul in as many innings at Headingley, where he had previously taken none in seven outings.However, Moeen’s drop knocked the stuffing out of England. Blackwood was always going to play positively, but having reached 10 off 20 deliveries Holder also cut loose with three consecutive boundaries off an agitated Broad with increasing style: a swivel-pull behind square, a back-foot drive through the covers and then the best of the lot – a glorious cover drive which any batsman in the world would be happy to claim.Blackwood didn’t find scoring as easy and found a variety of ways to add to his boundary count. There was a leading edge over Ben Stokes at gully (after his demerit point last night, Stokes needed to keep his thoughts to himself) and then another four to third man when he ducked a bouncer, but left his bat in the air, the ball flying off the toe end.The lead was quickly approaching 150 – the mark that Anderson said last night would make the game very difficult to turn around for England – when both batsmen fell in the 40s. Holder tried to take the aerial route down the ground, a shot he had played well previously, but was well held by Moeen running back from mid-off to give Chris Woakes his first wicket. Blackwood was then run out one short of fifty by a strong throw from Stokes and a good gather at the stumps by Bairstow.

Pakistan fast bowler suffered injury on Gloucestershire debut

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Apr-2022Naseem Shah, the Pakistan fast bowler, has been ruled out for a month of his stint with Gloucestershire through injury.Naseem bowled 11 overs on his Gloucestershire debut against Northamptonshire in the opening round of the season before suffering a shoulder injury which rendered him unavailable for their fixture against Yorkshire last week.Related

• Pakistan County Championship round-up: Shan Masood piles on the runs, Hasan Ali's nine-for routs Gloucestershire

• Pakistan County Championship round-up: Shan Masood, Hasan Ali take top billing

• Karunaratne joins Yorkshire for short-term Championship stint

• Naseem joins Gloucestershire for Championship and Blast

Gloucestershire confirmed on Wednesday that Naseem would miss their next four County Championship fixtures, but said he should be available for selection in their opening T20 Blast game against Middlesex on May 26. He will stay in Bristol for his rehabilitation.”Following discussions between the medical teams of both Gloucestershire and the Pakistan Cricket Board, it has been decided that a period of workload management is in Naseem’s best interest to allow him to get back to full fitness as quickly and safely as possible,” a statement said.Naseem had initially been signed for the first half of the Championship season and the Blast, though his availability may be limited if he is selected for Pakistan’s ODI series against West Indies in June.Gloucestershire have two other overseas players in their squad, Marcus Harris and Zafar Gohar, who will continue to play in the Championship during Naseem’s absence.

The fast bowler was among friends and family to speak at the service at Adelaide Oval

AAP17-Mar-2022Dennis Lillee has recalled the cautious beginnings of his famous partnership with Rod Marsh, admitting at the late wicketkeeper’s funeral service on Thursday he “still can’t believe his good mate isn’t around anymore”.Their combination ensured ‘c Marsh b Lillee’ featured 94 times in Test cricket scorebooks, the pair beginning and ending their careers at the same time and incredibly finishing with then world record 355 dismissals and wickets respectively.Fast bowler Lillee was among the friends and family to speak at the Adelaide Oval service that focused on his love for cricket, golf, travel, family, friends and red wine. But Lillee recalled his own reputation as a non-drinker meant things got off to a rocky start.”I still can’t believe that our mate and mate to many isn’t around anymore,” he said. “It’s taken me days to write my thoughts down on this amazing bloke. But I don’t want to talk about his cricketing ability…it’s the person Rod Marsh that I loved.Related

• Former Australia wicketkeeper Rod Marsh dies aged 74

• Rod Marsh an immense figure on and off the field

“I’ve got to say that it hasn’t always been that way; it was something that grew over time, even after our careers were finished. “[After a day’s play he said] ‘I’ve got to tell you, I don’t trust you…my old man Ken said never trust anyone that doesn’t drink’.”Lillee reflected on a 4WD trip in the bush outside of Perth, when a punctured tyre meant they stopped just after spotting an eight-metre long snake.”I said I’d watch out for the snake while Bacchus [Marsh] got under the car to lower the spare,” he said. “I pinched one of his ankles …. he hit his head on the under-carriage and then shot out from under the car and got back in.”I just couldn’t stop laughing, but it backfired as he refused to get out and I was left to change the tyre with one eye looking out for that bloody reptile.”Marsh, who died on March 3 aged 74, played in 96 Tests, was the first Australian gloveman to make a Test century and played in the first ODI – against England in Melbourne in 1971.He later headed the cricket academies of Australia and England, and was inaugural head of an ICC world coaching academy in Dubai. He also became Australian men’s chairman of selectors.Rod Marsh takes a brilliant catch to remove Tony Greig•PA Photos/Getty Images

There were fond mentions of the family’s annual Big Calf Cup, a golf tournament named in honour of Marsh’s trunk-like lower legs that took them as far as the 2012 Masters.The many Test cricketers in attendance formed a guard of honour following the service, while his golfing mates detailed the incredible skill, competitiveness and confidence still on show in their regular rounds that saw him lead such a full life.Older brother Graham, a retired golf professional boasting a PGA Tour win among 69 career titles, recalled the early days in Western Australia playing cricket with their father.”Rod couldn’t get enough, throwing himself at any ball that came near him, even one directed at me he’d grab right from under my nose,” he said. “I read a wonderful tribute to Rod penned by his great friend Ian Chappell, descriptively recounting he had the same problem at first slip, playing for Australia some 20 years later.”He also told how their mother’s hopes of Marsh, also a talented musician, becoming a concert pianist were dashed, while he also came in swinging when a bully threatened his big brother.”I always wanted to be on his team and he’d do anything to protect his family,” he said. “They say younger brothers often walk in the shadow of their older brothers but baby brother, it’s been an honour to walk in your shadow.”

As if being England’s youngest specialist spinner for 90 years was not demanding enough, Mason Crane underwent the ritual glare from a posse of cricket experts

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jan-2018England supporters had waited all series but finally, in Sydney, Mason Crane became the youngest specialist spinner to play for England for 90 years.England’s record for producing legspinners is an abysmal one as Andrew Miller reflected in his round-up of the Not-so-Famous Five who have plugged a gap or two in the past half-century.So just to see Crane, at 20 years and 320 days, become the youngest England spinner since Ian Peebles played against South Africa in 1928 was something to celebrate.Crane might have followed Tom Curran in claiming Steven Smith as a maiden Test wicket had his edge not fallen short of Joe Root at slip. And twice, inside-edges from Usman Khawaja fell short of short leg and he also edged between wicketkeeper and slip.By the time it was all over, although Crane went wicketless in his 17 overs, a long line of former England and Australia players were queuing up to offer praise.Mason Crane bowls on debut at the SCG•Getty Images

It has become part of a legspinner’s initiation ceremony to undergo an evaluation from Shane Warne, the greatest leggie of them all. “His action is nicely balanced, there is nice momentum and he explodes through the crease,” Warne said before adding: “He’s very aggressive. He is feisty, looks to get into the batsman’s space. He won’t back down from the challenge.”On ESPNcricinfo, Graeme Swann, said: “I think it was a good day, a day that showed a lot of promise. It’s never easy bowling wrist spin, full stop, it was a hot day, a very good batting pitch, but he bowled 16 overs of very solid legspin.”Another former England spinner, Vic Marks, said: “The simple fact is Mason Crane has bowled impressively and with zest. I think he’s done pretty well.Mental strength was picked on by several observers, including the regular ESPNcricinfo contributor, Mark Butcher. Butcher said: “I’m not surprised that he’s settled quickly because one of his great strengths and, for me, one of the things that make him stand out among English spinners of many vintages is that he doesn’t seem to carry a lot of the mental fragility that his predecessors have done.”Mason Crane receives his Test cap from Graeme Swann•Getty Images

Ebony Rainford-Brent, who won the Women’s World Cup as a player, added: “Mason has got a little bit about him. I like energetic actions; I like bowlers who get through the crease. He’s very light on his feet – ballerina-esque.”Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, can be a demanding judge, but he seemed happy enough. “Mason has got the right style of energy and he gets plenty of revolutions on the ball,” he said, before adding a rider: “He’s not the kind of bowler you’d see playing every single Test match but we’ve seen enough today to know that, if England work well with him, there’s things to be worked on over the next few years.”That leaves the most trenchant observer of all – Vaughan’s fellow Yorkshireman Geoffrey Boycott. But, on second thoughts, that’s enough to be going on with. Best to let the toughest critic of all take a look for at least another day.

India captain Virat Kohli has said he is likely to play the fourth and deciding Test against Australia in Dharamsala only if 100% fit

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Dharamsala24-Mar-20172:39

Will play only if I get through fitness tests – Kohli

India captain Virat Kohli has said he will play the fourth and deciding Test against Australia in Dharamsala only if 100% fit. Kohli, who suffered a shoulder injury during the third Test in Ranchi, said he would undergo another fitness test and take a call either on Friday night or on Saturday morning, the first day of the Test.On Thursday, India had called up Mumbai batsman Shreyas Iyer to the squad as cover for Kohli. Iyer arrived at the ground on Friday morning, during India’s warm-ups, and batted in the nets too. Kohli – as on Thursday – did not bat in the nets, restricting himself to facing a few throwdowns.”It’s very different from competition, that’s one thing,” Kohli said, when asked how his shoulder had felt while batting. “Something that I experienced in Ranchi, when you have reactive movements, the magnitude of your injury comes out.”Physio wants to give it a bit more time till I can test myself, and probably we will take a call later tonight or tomorrow before the game. We will have to give it that much time more to make a call with the physiotherapist.”Kohli said the injury hampered his normal range of movement, and that he ran the risk of aggravating it while fielding, though not while batting.”I wouldn’t say it is a normal feeling [in the shoulder],” he said. “It is obviously different from how you play at 100% fitness. As a batsman, you want to prepare a certain way. As a fielder, you want to contribute a certain way.”Certainly, at this stage, the injury has an element of being aggravated in the field. While batting, there is no problem whatsoever of it getting aggravated. I have taken medication after the last game, so I am just hoping that it takes me [only] a bit more time to get back to the normal movements that I have. As I said, I have to give it a few more hours and take that call.”As captain, Kohli said it would be difficult for him to miss the match, but he could do nothing but wait and hope.”Of course you want to push yourself to be fit. But at times, you have to understand where your body stands as well,” he said. “It’s not an injury caused because of lack of fitness. It’s an impact injury and all those things need to be kept in mind. But as a player, as a captain obviously, you want to push yourself to take the field, if you can help the team’s cause.”With the series 1-1 going into the final Test, Dharamsala shapes up to be one of India’s most important matches in recent times, and a difficult one for India to negotiate without their captain. Kohli, however, said they had the resources to cope if he couldn’t play.”Every match is crucial for me. It’s no different, it’s a game of cricket,” he said. “It can be made out to be a certain way, saying it’s the most crucial game of my career or captaincy career, but I won’t put it that way. I don’t see any other game or any other opposition differently.”Everyone’s really proud and motivated to play for the country, and me playing or not playing shouldn’t make so much of a difference to the other ten guys because they have a responsibility to fulfil as well.”I’ve not done anything special so far [in the series], but still the guys have fought it out and that shows why we are the number one team in the world. We have quality players who want to step up given these kinds of opportunities and you know, if that scenario happens, I’m sure everyone’s looking at it as probably the game-changing game of their lives. It’s how you look at a particular situation. So everyone’s looking very optimistic for tomorrow’s game regardless.”Conditions in Dharamsala, given its altitude and weather, are expected to favour the quicker bowlers more than they have done at any of the other three venues during this series. Kohli expected the pitch to bring all facets of the game into play.”I think it is a very good cricket wicket,” he said. “It has always been very good for the batsmen to get in and get value for their shots. And the bowlers as well, there is good bounce for the spinners, there is obviously good pace off the wicket for the quicks as well. If you do any discipline well, you can reap rewards on this kind of wicket. And the ball travels in the air also.”I think it’s an opportunity for bat and ball both to dominate in different situations in the game. It will certainly test the players to the fullest, but as I said it is a very good cricketing wicket and good cricket should be on display on this wicket.”The series is level 1-1 after Australia won the first Test in Pune, India the second in Bangalore, and the third was drawn in Ranchi.

Matter to be discussed when the time is right, says Test captain Pat Cummins after retaining Ashes at MCG

Alex Malcolm28-Dec-2021Despite Australia retaining the Ashes in just 11 days and one session of action, that too only a month-and-a-half after winning the T20 World Cup title, there is no update on head coach Justin Langer’s contract situation, with Test captain Pat Cummins choosing not to use the moment to endorse him for a second term beyond mid-2022.”I think we’ll savour this victory today and continue for the Ashes and I don’t think today’s the day to speculate on that,” Cummins said. “I think we’ll sit down all together after this series or whenever I think his tenure is up or his contract is up for renewal in a few months, I think we’ll visit that then.”Related

• Cricket Australia can't kick the Justin Langer can any further down the road

• Finch expects to be involved in Langer's contract talks along with Cummins

• Langer 'not edgy' about his future as calls to re-sign him grow louder

• 'Who does that? Scott Boland does. Our ancestors stand proud with him'

• Langer on talks with players: 'We got a lot off our chests'

Cummins’ straight bat followed Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley’s answer to the same question on Boxing Day. “We always said we’re going to be really focused on the two upcoming campaigns,” Hockley had said. “That’s the T20 World Cup and the T20 team did fantastically to bring that trophy home and same for the Ashes.”I know JL, I know the team, they are very, very focused on this series and what we have said before the summer, we’ll be sitting down at the end of the season, to review where we go from there.”But England’s capitulation inside 12 days of this Ashes series and Australia’s performance in the T20 World Cup have accelerated a conversation that had been kicked down the road ever since player relations with the coach came to a head following poor tours of Bangladesh and West Indies in the middle of the year.The firestorm that followed, forced Hockley and CA to make a statement confirming that Langer would be the coach for the T20 World Cup and the Ashes and would see out his current deal, which is due to run till June 2022.But since then, the team has performed like a well-oiled machine and Langer has shown an ability to reshape his own coaching style to foster a calmer environment. Langer has made no secret of the fact that he was keen to continue in the role as Australia’s head coach for all three formats, stating as much in the lead-up to the Boxing Day Test.”I’ve never thought differently, to be honest,” he had said. “I’ve been consistent with what I’ve said for the last four years. I love my job. And the boys are playing well. No doubt about it. It’s a great team to be involved in. Nothing’s changed from my point of view.”He has made a significant case to continue given he has done exactly what was asked of him by the playing group, and success has followed. Langer has delegated far more often to his assistants with CA having placed a very experienced team of coaches around him. He has also allowed the players to take control of their own preparations more than ever before. The selection panel, of which he is a key voice, has also performed well, selecting a batting-heavy side with great success at the World Cup in the UAE. And the selections of Marcus Harris, Travis Head and Alex Carey in contentious roles for the Ashes have all paid off while they were also brave enough to make a left-field selection in Scott Boland for the MCG Test, which Cummins was full of praise for.”The three selectors deserve a whole amount of credit,” Cummins said. “They’ve really picked a horses-for-courses-type selection with Scotty.”Australia are now set to play two limited-overs series against New Zealand and Sri Lanka before the end of the home summer. They will then have to split into two squads, which will require two different coaching groups, as the Test team is scheduled to tour Pakistan while a T20 team plays in New Zealand in late February-early March.