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Young batsman turns maiden first-class hundred into a daddy as Warwickshire pile up 517

Jon Culley at Edgbaston11-Sep-2019
Essex have not conceded so many runs since Hampshire piled up 525 for 8 in the first innings at Southampton in the opening match of the season, when they lost by an innings and 87 runs. Having gone unbeaten since, chalking up eight victories and eyeing up a second County Championship in three years, this would not be a timely moment to become reacquainted with defeat.Such an eventuality is some way off. Unless Jeetan Patel can coax a greater response from a slow pitch than Simon Harmer achieved in 60 overs of trying, the likeliest result is a draw. Nonetheless, with leaders Somerset building a considerable advantage against Yorkshire at Taunton, this could be a critical moment in the race for the title.For Warwickshire’s part, a draw and a handful of bonus points would do very nicely, almost certainly banishing any lingering anxiety about relegation with Nottinghamshire heading for yet another defeat.At the heart of Warwickshire’s rare prosperity was a magnificent innings from 23-year-old Matthew Lamb, who turned his maiden first-class century into a seven-hour marathon that eventually saw him out for 173, which is, after Dom Sibley’s double-hundred at Canterbury in June, the highest score by a Warwickshire batsman this year.Lamb’s potential has long been waiting to blossom. Warwickshire identified his talent when he was only 11 and he made his Birmingham League debut at 13. His first-class debut for the county came in 2016 but although he made a couple of half-centuries the following year he has not been able yet to nail down a place. Although he made a good impression in T20, his first six first-class innings this year yielded just 29 runs in total and he would not be involved in this match but for four batsmen being injured.There is a fair chance he will be picked for the next one, having batted with a solid technique and considerable maturity in the face of an Essex attack not helped much by a slow pitch but who nonetheless offer one of the bigger tests he will have faced thus far. Jamie Porter and Sam Cook had bowled well without much luck on the opening day and Simon Harmer, as he has demonstrated time after time in taking 200-plus wickets in three seasons with Essex, tests a batsman’s skill in any conditions.Lamb had some moments of fortune, although not before he had recovered from the setback of losing Sam Hain’s company in the seventh over of the day and held his nerve to complete a 211-ball hundred with his 15th boundary. He was caught at slip off a Ravi Bopara no-ball on 104, survived a huge appeal for caught behind off Porter on 106 and was dropped on 110 in an incident that also saw Essex appeal for a run-out, which was upheld and then rescinded.Alastair Cook, moving to his left at first slip, spilled the chance when Porter found the edge. Harmer, standing next to him at second slip, retrieved the ball and threw down the stumps. Lamb was well out of his ground but, after the umpires conferred, was invited to continue his innings, the apparent conclusion being that he had deserted his crease only under the misapprehension that he was out caught, in which circumstances under a recent tweak to the Laws, a batsman can be deemed to be not out.Harmer said later that he had been happy to withdraw the appeal and Lamb confirmed that the Essex fielders had made it clear to him that, as far they were concerned, he should not be out.How he made the most of that let-off, adding a further 10 boundaries and, having helped Hain add 150 in 49 overs for the fourth wicket, enjoying the benefit of another resilient partner in Henry Brookes, with whom he shared a 105-run partnership for the seventh wicket that was the key passage of the day in securing such a strong position for their side.Immediately before they came together, three wickets had fallen for seven runs in the space of 22 balls. Michael Burgess had followed Hain in edging into the slip cordon, Harmer grabbing a superb catch low to his left at second slip, before the debutant Ethan Brookes – Henry’s younger brother – popped a ball from Harmer into the hands of leg slip.Brookes the elder proved to be the perfect partner, although Lamb ultimately repaid him by calling for a risky single to leg and running him out four runs short of what would have been his fourth career half-century. “I owe him an apology for that,” Lamb said after Harmer had gathered and scored a direct hit with his throw. “It was my fault completely.”Patel further turned the screw with a half-century of his own before Harmer, who had only once bowled 50 overs in an innings for Essex and never 60, dismissed Olly Hannon-Dalby and George Garrett to finish with 6 for 143.”It was a pretty frustrating day for us,” Harmer said. “There is not much in the pitch. If we can bat well then you would expect the match to end in a draw but you never know what could happen when we get to day four.”The Essex reply, though, did not get the start they wanted in the 15 overs they had to negotiate before the close, Patel striking an early blow when Cook edged him to second slip.

Where Jason Holder’s team are counting on its aggression, Australia are hoping to induce errors by creating pressure with their bowling and fielding

The Preview by Daniel Brettig05-Jun-20192:29

Hodge: Australia attack’s versatility might get them over the line

Big Picture

A lot about the meeting between Australia and West Indies at Trent Bridge will be determined by a single question: which West Indies side will turn up?If it is the one that razed Pakistan in their tournament opener, also at Trent Bridge, or the one that clouted New Zealand into submission in the warm-up match, then Australia may well be in for a very difficult time of it, having stuttered their way through an opening victory over Afghanistan in Bristol. However, Aaron Finch’s men have already beaten West Indies once on this tour, and comfortably at that, in their own warm-up match on a postage stamp of a ground in Hampshire. And prior to that, the Caribbean side were near enough bullied into losing a triangular series final to an increasingly confident and capable Bangladesh at picturesque Malahide in Ireland.Australia’s coach Justin Langer certainly gave some indication as to the capriciousness of West Indies cricket – in contrast to the awe-inspiring consistency – allied to flair, that he saw as a child in Perth when watching the teams of Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards. “One thing we know about West Indies, particularly with Andre Russell and Chris Gayle, it’s going to be exciting cricket,” Langer said. “When I was growing up it was calypso cricket and I think we’re seeing plenty of signs of calypso cricket, the way they’re running in, bowling fast, they’re not necessarily going to be bowling the same spot every ball like Curtly Ambrose, but it’s going to be exciting to watch and they all try to hit sixes most balls. Darren Bravo’s a little more orthodox but [it’s] always exciting playing West Indies. When I was growing up, they were my heroes and they’re not my heroes today because I hope we beat them on Thursday.”While Jason Holder’s team have sought to be aggressive in everything they do, Langer and Finch have resolved to play a tighter game. They will be hoping to use the pressure of their bowling and fielding, in addition to the resourcefulness of a batting line-up being kept as deep as possible by the preference of Nathan Coulter-Nile over others, to corner West Indies into errors. Chief among their methods will be liberal use of the short ball, something the Caribbean side also used to good effect against Pakistan. The likelihood of a dry surface at Trent Bridge, as seen in the game between England and Pakistan, will also encourage balls banged in with a cross-seam for another reason – extracting old-ball movement.IDI via Getty Images

Form guide (last five completed matches)

Australia WWWWW
West Indies WLLWL

In the spotlight

It’s a little over six years since Mitchell Starc laid waste to West Indies on a memorable afternoon at the WACA Ground, finding extremes of swing and pace that remain in the mind’s eye of all who witnessed it. He produced a similarly destructive afternoon in 2015 at Eden Park, taking Australia within a wicket of a World Cup pool-game victory their batting scarcely deserved. This time around, he comes to Trent Bridge having looked to be revving into strong form against Afghanistan. While short balls will be a focus of the Australian attack, Starc’s most dangerous deliveries are undoubtedly full, fast and swinging down the line of the stumps. Mixed-up footwork created by liberal use of the short ball can often allow for the full ball to be even more dangerous, as Gayle, Bravo and Holder will remember from that day in Perth.If it was his batting that turned so many heads in the IPL, Andre Russell proved against Pakistan he is also more than capable of being a match-winner with the ball. Against Australia, Russell has provided plenty of evidence of his skills in the BBL, but he last played them in ODIs in 2013, meaning that first-hand experience among his opponents will be relatively slight. In the warm-up game in Hampshire, Russell faced only four deliveries, bowled by Adam Zampa, and delivered three overs for 17. If West Indies are to win, they will need much more out of Russell, and both sides know it.

Team news

Australia have flagged an unchanged line-up, resisting the possibility of recalling Nathan Lyon as a second spinner in place of Nathan Coulter-Nile.Australia (probable) 1 Aaron Finch (capt), 2 David Warner, 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Nathan Coulter-Nile, 10 Mitchell Starc, 11 Adam ZampaKemar Roach is waiting in the wings should West Indies want to alter the balance of their pace-bowling attack after its undemanding outing against Pakistan. Gayle and Russell were both at training on the eve of the game. “Chris was at practice for the last couple days, so Chris for me is all well and ready to go. Andre will be obviously assessed today, and we’re very, very hopeful that he’ll be fit tomorrow.” Holder said, adding that the team will go by what the two men have to say about their fitness.West Indies (possible): 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Shai Hope (wk), 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Nicholas Pooran, 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Andre Russell, 7 Jason Holder (capt), 8 Carlos Brathwaite, 9 Ashley Nurse, 10 Sheldon Cottrell, 11 Oshane Thomas

Pitch and conditions

Trent Bridge, known for high-scoring, did not disappoint in Pakistan’s unexpected victory over England. It will be the 481 pitch, by the way, but the pitch and square can be expected to be dry, with the hunt for reverse swing – by legal means, of course – likely to be some sort of a factor.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Strategy punts

• Spin bowling was a strong suit for Australia in their warm-up against West Indies, as Zampa, Glenn Maxwell and Steven Smith bowled a combined 14 overs for returns of 3 for 67. The ground dimensions that day were small, but there has been no inclination from Langer at least to add to the repertoire by calling in Lyon. “That is because of their left-handers. That said we probably won’t bowl two spinners here against West Indies. There’s always thoughts about Nathan Lyon, every game there’s thoughts about playing Nathan Lyon, but Adam Zampa’s doing a really good job for us. There is thinking about him because of their left-handers but Adam Zampa has a very good wrong’un, good top spinner, Glenn Maxwell’s bowling well, so hopefully we’ll get some balance there. Some of the other grounds we might look to play two spinners or the match-ups for the offspinner will be more appropriate but probably not here.” Either way, Holder’s men will need to find a way to deal more effectively with Zampa and Maxwell in particular, mixing strike-rotation with judicious attack.
• West Indies have made a clear decision to give the new ball to bowlers who will gain swing and seam, reserving the “bang it in” merchants until after some of the Kookaburra’s shine has worn off. They will be the latest group of pacemen to try to exploit Finch’s well-documented flaw when facing deliveries moving back into him from outside the off stump, as classically illustrated by Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Pradeep during a warm-up game that otherwise went swimmingly for the Australians at Southampton. Finch, having made an aggressive 66 against Afghanistan, appears to have found the freedom to launch in the fashion of his best days, while his partner Warner tries to find his best as an international opener after a year’s suspension. The combination of an open, aggressive Finch and probing new ball work from the West Indies has great risk/reward potential for both sides.

Stats and Trivia

• Australia have won only three of eight ODI appearances at Trent Bridge, and their most recent match here was a 242-run hiding by England last year. By contrast, West Indies have only lost once in eight games at the venue, and that was as far back as 1984.
• Of all Australia and West Indies bowlers to have competed against one another, only Len Pascoe’s 21 wickets at 13.52 from eight matches have come at a cheaper rate than Mitchell Starc’s 16 at 13.87 in six.

Quotes

“We expect some fireworks from the West Indies. There’s going to be times where the boys are going to have to take a deep breath and keep smiling and bowling their best ball. But that comes with experience and that’s what great teams and great players do.”

“You’ve got two short balls per over; you might as well use them”

Young bowler is ready, but treat him carefully, says Warwickshire director of cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Sep-2018Ashley Giles, Warwickshire’s director of cricket, has warned the England management to treat Olly Stone like a Ferrari among fast bowlers rather than an everyday run-around, after the injury-prone quick was named in his first England squad for next month’s ODI series in Sri Lanka.Stone has been arguably the quickest bowler on the county circuit throughout the 2018 season, but had to battle back from a horrific knee injury, suffering while celebrating a wicket in June 2016, as well as a succession of lesser niggles that have disrupted his progress since he first came to prominence for the England Under-19s in 2013.But, speaking at Hove after Stone’s England call-up had been confirmed, Giles had no doubt that his young player was prepared for the step-up to international level.”He’s ready,” Giles said. “We’ve really tried to manage his route back into cricket and it’s been quite tough at times with him in and out of the side after he’s picked up little niggles.”But the bloke bowls at 90mph and he gets the ball back in at the stumps and he gets people bowled a lot. We can only keep him under wraps for so long but after the way we’ve managed it in consultation with England, who have listened to us, he’s now ready to go.”Stone’s most notable performances to date have come in red-ball cricket – including 8 for 80 in his maiden home Championship appearance at Edgbaston in April. But Giles is convinced that he can translate that prowess to the limited-overs game, where his ability to break partnerships remains paramount.”His strike rate in red ball is phenomenal. Because of his extreme pace he’s going to get wickets and I think he can play in all forms but I think that, in 50-over cricket, it’s crucial to have someone who can come on and get wickets.”He’s certainly capable of that and it’s going to be very different in Sri Lanka than over here but I think Olly should be very excited that in the run-up to a World Cup he has been included in a squad. He thought he might not play cricket at all a year ago and now he has a chance of playing in a World Cup. He gets it coming back in and I think that’s a difficult angle for batters.”However, with England’s selectors sorely tempted to include Stone for the Test leg of their Sri Lanka tour, especially given how their absence of express pace in last winter’s Ashes campaign proved so costly, Giles warned them not to overwork their new young asset.”They’ve timed it right but they still need to manage him really carefully,” he said. “You have to manage him with kid gloves. I think if you’re expecting Olly to play every day and be at it, he’ll break down. He’s a Ferrari.”With many bowlers – your BMWs or your Audis – you just get in and go but if you have someone who bowls at pace and has had his history of injury you have to treat them very carefully.”As for Stone’s overall aptitude for international cricket, Giles was confident that he would settle into his new environment quickly.”Who knows until it happens? It’s a really tough environment but he’s pretty relaxed. He’s a good bloke, he’s very calm and he doesn’t seem to over complicate things so I think he’ll be fine.”

Hashim Amla has called on South Africa’s top six to take responsibility for run-scoring and not leave it up to the lower order to finish games in the ongoing ODI tri-series in the Caribbean

Firdose Moonda14-Jun-20162:02

‘Need to operate better as a team’ – de Villiers

Hashim Amla has called on South Africa’s top six to take the responsibility for run-scoring and not leave it up to the lower order to finish games in the ongoing ODI tri-series in the Caribbean. South Africa are carrying a longer tail than usual in the tournament, and the lower order has failed to contribute in the three matches so far, but Amla said it was not up to the tail-end batsmen to get the team over the line.”As a team we have always backed ourselves for somebody in the top six to take it through and bat as deep as possible,” Amla said, ahead of South Africa’s match against West Indies on June 15. “Obviously we are very disappointed after our last game. We got ourselves into a very good position to win it and we didn’t quite take it through. We lost some wickets at crucial times and that cost us. Hopefully we don’t make the same mistake in the next game.”In their loss against Australia last Saturday, South Africa collapsed from 210 for 4 to 252 all out, losing 6 for 42. They had previously lost 7 for 28 in the opening defeat against West Indies and 6 for 91 in the victory against Australia. In the three matches so far, there were only two instances of a batsman in the bottom six getting into double figures: Farhaan Behardien’s 62 and Kagiso Rabada’s 15 in the game South Africa won.Effectively, that means South Africa’s tail begins when JP Duminy, who has not scored an ODI half-century in nine innings, is dismissed. Although Behardien has shown an ability to contribute, he has not done so consistently and Wayne Parnell has been unable to replicate the domestic form that led to his recall to the national side. The bowlers follow Parnell in the line-up, which leaves South Africa with no option but for the top six to pile on the runs, especially as they don’t have much in the way of reserves.The only additional batsman in the squad is Dean Elgar, who was brought in to replace the injured Rilee Rossouw, but including him in the XI is tricky. If Elgar were to come in, South Africa would have to leave themselves short in the bowling department. Another option is to lengthen the batting by including Chris Morris, possibly at Parnell’s expense. Morris has recovered from a hamstring niggle and is available for selection but, as a lower-order allrounder, the responsibility cannot be left to him alone.”It’s the responsibility of the batsmen. That’s what we enjoy doing and that’s what we would like to do,” Amla said. “We didn’t manage to do it in this game and I guess that does happen occasionally where you are not going to get it right, but we want to get it right as often as we can.”At least South Africa know conditions in Basseterre will assist them in their quest for more runs, although Amla warned not to expect some of the towering totals that have come to define one-day cricket recently.”It is a good wicket. It’s a higher-scoring ground than in Guyana, where 200 was a good total. Here 260 seems like a good score,” he said. “In this day and age, where we’ve seen scores of 350 in one-day cricket, it’s sobering to see 250 being a difficult score to get.”Australia managed 288 in their win against South Africa on Saturday, but their 265 was inadequate against West Indies on Monday. Amla believed if South Africa could get somewhere close to the 260-run mark, they would give themselves a chance. “The key is to try and get the team to score around 250 or 260. It’s a good enough wicket that you can to chase it down if you bat well.”If South Africa are faced with a higher chase, Amla said he expected the lower order to come into play. “In many games even chasing scores like 280, you end up needing your No.7, 8 and 9 to contribute a little bit,” he said. “It’s not a matter of batters or bowlers, it’s a collective effort to turn it around in the field as well as with the bat.”All the talk about the need for a better showing is because halfway through the round-robin stage, South Africa are at the bottom of the table. They have won only one match, though they have played one less than Australia. South Africa will now take on a buoyant West Indies, who are fresh off a victory over Australia, on Wednesday. With a maximum of 15 points still up for grabs, South Africa are by no means out of contention but, having failed to score as many runs as they would have liked, they know they are up against it. “We are all extremely hungry to turn it around and get back to winning ways but it’s still early in the competition,” Amla said.

A computer programme will help select North and South teams to take part in a new county one-day competition to be staged in the UAE next spring.

George Dobell09-May-2016A year to the day since he was unveiled as the new managing director of England cricket, Andrew Strauss has announced a new competition aimed at making England more competitive at the next World Cup.The most eye-catching aspect of the competition is the use of the Professional Cricketers’ Association ranking system – effectively a computerised formula – to help select two sides (the North and the South) which will contest a three-match series in the UAE next spring.A maximum of five England-qualified players for each side – the top four players from each division and the top spinner if not one of those four – will be chosen using the PCA’s Most Valuable player rankings from this year’s Royal London Cup, the domestic 50-over competition, with the rest chosen by the England selectors. The spinner will only qualify through their bowling exploits, so batting allrounders who bowl a little spin are unlikely to qualify.The three-match series will take place in Abu Dhabi next March and is currently viewed as a three-year plan aimed at improving England’s chances in the 2019 World Cup.Had the rules been in place in 2015 the players to qualify from the South would have been Steven Davies, Benny Howell, Liam Dawson, Ravi Bopara and, as the spinner, Jack Taylor. From the North, Wes Durston, Samit Patel, Scott Borthwick and Alex Hales would have qualified. Riki Wessels finished ahead of Hales but was not, at the time, England qualified. Stephen Parry would have qualified as the spinner.Twenty-six players will be chosen for the two squads in total, with no age limits applied. Nobody who has retired from ODI cricket will be selected, ruling out the likes of Marcus Trescothick, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood or Jonathan Trott, while it is also unlikely that members of England’s ODI squad – who will have just finished a series in the Caribbean in March – will be considered for selection.No sponsorship or broadcast arrangements have yet been made for the games, though there is plenty of time to resolve both issues.There is no obvious downside to the idea. While it might, potentially, encourage selfish cricket for players on the brink of the top four – and it does raise the vaguely amusing but highly improbable prospect of Kevin Pietersen qualifying in the unlikely event he decided to return to county cricket – the tournament might be considered another small step towards giving England the best chance in 2019.Might it have been played in England? Ideally, of course. But the schedule, for 2016 at least, precludes that. Not only is there limited space, but the 50-over final does not take place until the brink of autumn. Possibly in 2017, when most 50-over cricket is played in a block and the final is scheduled for mid-summer, that could change, but the UAE – with its excellent facilities and reliable climate – remains the more likely host for now. “Nothing is off the table,” Strauss said.But perhaps the most relevant point is that Strauss has chosen to use this idea to promote ODI cricket. He might have used it to improve the T20 or Test sides, but he came into the job after England had endured another wretched World Cup campaign and promising to give new impetus to List A cricket – the format that seems to have slipped down the pecking order at domestic level – and has stuck to that commitment. The ECB see the 2019 World Cup, which they host, as a once in a generation opportunity to inspire new interest in the game and know how important a part a successful England team could play in that.This North v South series is not the full answer to England’s ODI issues. But anything that encourages greater relevance and intensity in the domestic game is to be encouraged and if this scheme “accelerates the progress of one or two players” as Strauss puts it, then all well and good. And, taken in conjunction with other alterations – the move to something approaching a block format in 2017, the emphasis on improved pitches – it should help.The MVP rankings were launched in 2007 and the PCA has worked with the ECB’s high performance centre at Loughborough to enhance them for this new venture. The system moves beyond basic averages, with batsmen gaining points for strike-rate and a percentage of the team’s score while bowlers are rewarded higher for which batsmen they dismiss. The quality of opposition is taken into account as well as overall conditions.”This is a good opportunity for England, domestic players and the game,” Strauss said. “Finding the best players outside the current England set-up, playing them against each other in overseas conditions and placing them in an England environment will help us see if they’re ready for international cricket.”As a player you always like to see how you rank – it gives you recognition and here it comes with the added bonus of getting further into the England reckoning as we look ahead to the World Cup here in 2019.”And for fans it also gives an added element to the Royal London Cup, putting the spotlight on the players to follow in the 50-over game. This is a shot in the arm for the domestic game.”

West Indies need a win to save the series, while a strong victory would partially absolve the hosts of the disappointment of two defeats at the hands of India and Pakistan

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando21-Oct-2015

Match facts

October 22-26, 2015
Start time 1000 local (0430 GMT)1:09

Holder upbeat about West Indies’ chances

Big Picture

The only predictable thing about Sri Lanka’s weather is that the meteorological department’s forecasts will be wrong. They expect daily afternoon thunderstorms in Colombo all through the Test. Going by their track record from Galle, this is an excellent sign the cricket will not be interrupted over the next few days, even if plenty of rain has fallen on the city recently.Both teams will be pleased a result looks likely. West Indies need a victory to save the series, and to inspire a new captain and his young team ahead of a difficult tour of Australia. Meanwhile, a strong series win would partially absolve the hosts of the disappointment of two mid-year humblings at the hands of India and Pakistan.Sri Lanka arrive full of confidence following the innings victory in the first Test, of course, but their batting may still be vulnerable. Milinda Siriwardene and Kusal Perera are playing their second and third Tests respectively, opener Kaushal Silva has gone some time without a big score, and the no. 3 position has been so problematic Sri Lanka are likely to give 20-year-old Kusal Mendis an opportunity there. West Indies conceded 484 in Galle, but that had been more a reflection of poor catching, than toothless bowling. The extra pace and carry often available on the P Sara pitch will raise the visiting attack’s chance of scripting an upset (much like Tim Southee and Trent Boult had done at the venue in 2012), so long as chances are held.The hosts will be happy with the state of their own fielding, however. Dinesh Chandimal claimed a stunner at short midwicket in the first innings at Galle, but Sri Lanka were sharp in the field generally, where they had been almost abysmal for much of the past year. The board is still hunting for a head coach, but several players have already spoken positively of interim coach Jerome Jayaratne’s work so far.

Form guide

(last five matches, most recent first)Sri Lanka: WLLWLWWest Indies: LLLWL

In the spotlight

Dinesh Chandimal was virtually unselectable for large portions of 2014, but he has suddenly begun to bat with freedom and watched the runs flow. He averages 51.69 in 2015, and provides the positivity and dynamism Sri Lanka have often had from their long-term no. 4 batsmen. Having often enjoyed batting on quicker, bouncier tracks, he is better-suited than most in the side to make runs at the P Sara.Devendra Bishoo was not quite at his best in Galle, yet he created the most chances from the West Indies attack, and finished with the most wickets as well. Though the P Sara suits the quicks, it has also been kind to visiting spinners this year – Yasir Shah, R Ashwin and Amit Mishra prospered at the venue. If West Indies’ batsmen can keep their side in the match for the first three days, Bishoo may have a key role to play in the second innings.

Teams news

Kusal Mendis appears almost a certainty to debut in place of Lahiru Thirimanne, who has suffered a poor stretch of Test form in the past three months. Rangana Herath will likely take up Thirimanne’s vice captaincy. Offspinner Tharindu Kaushal is also likely to be replaced by Dilruwan Perera, following Kaushal’s modest outing in the first Test.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Kaushal Silva, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal , 5 Angelo Mathews (capt.), 6 Milinda Siriwardana, 7 Kusal Perera (wk), 8 Dhammika Prasad, 9 Dilruwan Perera, 10 Rangana Herath, 11 Nuwan PradeepShai Hope’s twin failures in Galle may allow Rajendra Chandrika to reclaim a position at the top of the order. The rest of West Indies’ XI is likely to remain unchanged.West Indies (probable): 1 Kragg Braithwaite, 2 Rajendra Chandrika/Shai Hope, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Marlon Samuels, 5 Jemaine Blackwood, 6 Denesh Ramdin, 7 Jason Holder (capt.), 8 Devendra Bishoo, 9 Jerome Taylor, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Shannon Gabriel

Pitch and conditions

Rain clouds have generally gathered over Colombo in the afternoons this past week, and usually drop their payload after dusk. The pitch is understood to be a little dry beneath the top layer, which will bring the spinners into the match.

Stats and trivia

• Angelo Mathews needs 151 runs to reach 4000 for his career. If he does it in the first innings, he will be the equal second-fastest Sri Lankan to that milestone (in terms of innings played) alongside Kumar Sangakkara and Thilan Samaraweera. Mathews has, however, batted largely at no. 6.
• Jermaine Blackwood has 548 runs at an average of 45.66 this year.
• Each of the 10 most recent Tests at the P Sara Oval have had a result. Each of the nine most recent Tests in Sri Lanka have also ended in a result

Quotes

“This wicket has more bounce and pace than Galle and our fast bowlers have been bowling really well even though they haven’t got too many wickets. Dhammika Prasad has been brilliant over the past few games been taking three to four wickets all the time. Nuwan Pradeep’s bowling has been equally good.””I can tell you for sure the guys are upbeat for the second Test match. The guys know the situation of the series. The batsmen need to give us a chance to get 20 wickets. In the last game we only got one opportunity with the ball and we only got 10 wickets. Hopefully we can put some runs on the board in the second Test.”

Graeme Smith, South Africa’s injured Test captain, is aiming for a return to action in the team’s next Test series, against Pakistan in October

Firdose Moonda14-Jul-2013Graeme Smith, South Africa’s injured Test captain, is aiming for a return to action in the team’s next Test series, against Pakistan in October. Smith suffered a recurrence of an ankle injury that has plagued him throughout his career in May and was ruled out of cricket for at least five months.At the time, Smith was playing for Surrey and had to return home for surgery. He missed the Champions Trophy and will sit out of the upcoming limited-overs tour to Sri Lanka in order to make a full recovery. As matters stand, that looks set to be earlier than initial estimates with the trip to the UAE a definite possibility for Smith to make his return.Smith has made “steady progress” according to South Africa’s team manager and doctor Mohammed Moosajee and the management team are “aiming to have him for the Pakistan series”. His cast came off two-and-half-weeks ago and he has been walking on crutches since the last week of June. He is expected to use them until the first week in August, when he should be able to walk on his own.Smith’s wife, Morgan, is due to give birth to the couple’s second child this week. She wrote on a blog for magazine that Smith has “just started rehab on his ankle so he is going to be mobile again pretty soon, which will be perfect timing for when the new baby arrives”.Although Smith is not captain in the shorter formats, his absence has been noticeable. South Africa have struggled to find a suitable partner for Hashim Amla in the 50-overs format and will head to Sri Lanka with that as one of their major concerns.Their options are between Smith’s Test opening partner Alviro Petersen, who was drafted into the Champions Trophy squad but did not play a game, and young wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock. Colin Ingram, who filled the role during the Champions Trophy, is not expected to continue in it.While South Africa would value Smith’s presence in the one-day team, it is far more important to them to have him for Test matches. Not only has he been the leader of the Test side for a decade but he led them to No. 1 in the world last year and has spoken about his ambitions to keep them there.South Africa have not played a Test since defeating Pakistan 3-0 in a series at home in March and will make a return to the format after eight months in October. They play two Tests in the UAE, which will be new coach Russell Domingo’s first longer-format assignment and Smith’s presence would be a huge boost.Moosajee confirmed the support staff are working toward that. “He has three months to go and we will have to take a call closer to the time but we are hopeful he will be able to play in that series,” he said. “He is doing well so far and we will continue to monitor him.”

Australia cannot expect Shane Warne’s advice to magically solve Nathan Hauritz’s recent bowling problems, according to the coach Tim Nielsen

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Oct-2010Australia cannot expect Shane Warne’s advice to magically solve Nathan Hauritz’s recent bowling problems, according to the coach Tim Nielsen. Hauritz is likely to remain Australia’s No. 1 spinner for the Ashes but after taking six wickets at 65 in the recent Tests against India, he has some work to do.That could include sessions with Warne, who has offered his services to Hauritz ahead of Australia’s first home Ashes series since Warne’s retirement. Nielsen said while such tutoring could be useful, it was more important that Hauritz take on the responsibility of working out what he should change in order to trouble England’s batsmen.”He’s had some discussions with Warney in the past,” Nielsen told the Sydney Morning Herald. “If Warney is available and Haury would like to speak to him I can’t see any reason they wouldn’t have a chat. In the end, that’s a great little resource to utilise, but it’s more important that Haury identifies the things he needs to improve and we identify as a team the things we need to improve, and go about fixing them.”We can’t expect someone to come in and fix the ills of the game for us. It’s about us saying ‘yes, I need to get better at this’, and working our backsides off at training and preparation to make sure we’ve nailed those skills. It’d be great to have people like Warne offering advice but in the end it comes back to us.”The main competition for Hauritz in the immediate future is set to come from the legspinning allrounder Steven Smith, who made a promising start to his Test career against Pakistan this year. The former spinners Ashley Mallett and Ray Bright would like to see Smith in the Test side, although alongside Hauritz rather than in his place.Smith’s batting makes him an attractive all-round option and although Ricky Ponting is not keen on the idea yet, one possible role could be for Smith to bat at No. 6 and become the second spinner. But Smith, who was in the Test squad in India and remains there for the ODI series, believes his Test hopes for the time being will rest on his bowling.”I’d like to become a genuine allrounder down the track so scoring runs whenever I can is going to be good for me to get my best foot forward,” Smith told reporters in India. “Something I want to do is bat in the top six at some point. But at the moment it’s probably going to be my spin that’ll give me a game.”

Cricinfo previews the deciding ODI between England and Bangladesh at Edgbaston

The Preview by Sahil Dutta11-Jul-2010

Match facts

July 12, 2010, Edgbaston
Start time 10.45am (9.45GMT)Can Bangladesh do it again?•Getty Images

Big picture

Bangladesh lit up their English summer and breathed life into the series with their shock triumph in the second game at Bristol. Having gone 15 ODI matches and 247 days without victory they turned their fortunes around with a display of remarkable hunger and spirit.England were outplayed but Andrew Strauss would accept his team were a touch casual. Fielding lapses, ill-disciplined bowling and some loose shots betrayed a side not operating at full intensity. Defeat to set up a series decider at Edgbaston should stir them.While it was Bangladesh who were parachuting in replacements for Saturday’s game, it’s England now who have the concerns. Ravi Bopara has had to come into the squad after Ian Bell fractured his left foot and there must be some worry over the form of James Anderson.Since being left out of England’s triumphant World Twenty20 side Anderson has cut a forlorn figure and his returns this summer – seven wickets in five matches against Australia and three expensive scalps in this series – have been poor. Tamim Iqbal’s flashing blade is enough to unsettle even the steeliest of bowlers but, in the crunch game, Anderson must prove he can rise to the mantle expected of England’s most experienced bowler.Really though, there is only one story. Bangladesh are chasing a dream series win that just two games ago looked completely unthinkable. They won’t start favourites, they rarely do, but they could finish on top of the world.

Form guide (last five completed matches)

England LWLLW

Bangladesh WLLLL

Watch out for…

Andrew Strauss has been in sublime touch this series and has, by some distance, looked England’s best batsman. Curiously for a man with 18 Test hundreds, Strauss’s conversion rate in one-day cricket is poor. England have talked for a long time about making more centuries and given his form at the top of the order, the captain could set the example at Edgbaston by scoring his fourth. Rubel Hossain turned the game at Bristol on its head when his pacey slingers removed England’s openers. Missing from the first match he gave the Bangladesh attack some much-needed fire to accompany the wily spin duo of Abdur Razzak and Shakib Al Hasan. He will need to provide the same incision if Bangladesh are going to have a chance.

Team news

For the England selectors there is the familiar problem of balance. Six batsmen would mean Ravi Bopara gets his first chance since September 2009 but force James Tredwell out again and leave the attack looking a touch one-paced.Five batsmen may nudge Ajmal Shahzad, who impressed with three wickets at Bristol, aside because of Tim Bresnan’s more robust lower-order batting. But new-ball wickets have been a problem for England for a while so they’ll be reluctant to let Shahzad go.England (probable) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Craig Kieswetter (wk), 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Paul Collingwood, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Michael Yardy, 7 Luke Wright, 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 James Tredwell, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James Anderson.Having secured a historic victory Bangladesh won’t be in a rush to meddle with the side. Expect an unchanged line up at Edgbaston.Bangladesh (possible) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Junaid Siddique, 4 Jahurul Islam (wk), 5 Mohammad Ashraful, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Rubel Hossain, 9 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 10 Abdur Razzak, 11 Shafiul Islam

Pitch and conditions

Fortress Edgbaston has been a happy hunting ground for England over the last few years. Most recently though, the Barmy Army was replaced by an equally vociferous Pakistani crowd for the two Twenty20 games Pakistan played against Australia. It made for a thrilling atmosphere and both teams will hope for similar capacity-crowds for the series decider. Edgbaston has been a high-scoring ground in limited-overs cricket this season and will suit the free-flowing batsmen in both teams.

Stats and Trivia

• Bangladesh have only one memory of Edgbaston, and it’s not a happy one. In 2004 they were bowled out for 93 in their Champions Trophy game against South Africa. Only one member of their side from that day survives – Mohammad Ashraful.
• Apart from a depleted West Indies team ravaged by contract disputes, Bangladesh have never beaten a major Test-playing nation in a one-day series.

Quotes

“I’ve said before there were a few chinks in the armour of this England team and I guess them leaving a few players out of their side weakened them a bit.”
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“Ruthlessness is a skill in itself and it’s something we need to keep improving on.”
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The controversy surrounding Shoaib Malik appears to have moved a step closer to resolution with the announcement that he had filed for divorce from Ayesha Siddiqui

Cricinfo staff07-Apr-2010The controversy surrounding Shoaib Malik, the former Pakistan captain, appears to have moved a step closer to resolution on Wednesday with the announcement that he had filed for divorce from Ayesha Siddiqui, whom he had married seven years ago, and her family saying they would withdraw a police complaint filed against him.This paves the way for Malik to go ahead with his marriage to Sania Mirza, the Indian tennis player, in Hyderabad next week.The announcement – which followed five days of negotiations – was made at a press conference at Ayesha’s house and attended by representatives of the Mirza and Siddiqui families, though the three principals were absent. Shafi, Sania’s uncle, said the complaint against Malik would be withdrawn – an application has already been filed with the police – and in turn he would pay Ayesha maintenance under Islamic law.”I am very happy about it”, Ayesha’s mother said. “All community leaders have come to him (Shoaib) to do the settlement and he has done it. Finally justice has been done to my daughter.”On Monday, Hyderabad police said they had registered a complaint of cheating, harassment and intimidation filed by Ayesha against Malik.Malik admitted, at a public appearance the same day, that he had married Ayesha but claimed it was done on the phone, he had never met his wife and that the photographs sent to him did not match the person who later claimed to be his wife.