Category Uncategorized

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 Shafi, Sania’s uncle, said the complaint against Malik would be withdrawn – an application has already been filed with the police – and in turn he would pay Ayesha maintenance under Islamic law.”I am very happy about it”, Ayesha’s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.

Despite boasting five current England internationals, Southern Vipers were skittled for 98

ECB Reporters Network16-Jun-2024Central Sparks defeated Southern Vipers by five wickets in the duel of already-qualified teams in the Charlotte Edwards Cup at New Road, Worcester.With both sides already assured a place in Finals Day at Derby on June 22, Sparks showed their bowling strength in depth as they rested Hannah Baker and Emily Arlott but still bowled the visitors out for just 98 in 17.5 overs.Grace Potts, Katie George, Bethan Ellis and Ria Fackrell took two wickets apiece as no Vipers batter reached 20, Rhianna Southby top-scoring with 19 from number eight.Sparks then eased to 99 for 5 with 31 balls to spare as Davina Perrin launched their reply with an assertive 26 from 17 balls and Amy Jones saw them to the threshold of victory 26 from 29.Put in, Vipers started positively as Maia Bouchier pulled Potts for six as the openers added 19 from 16 balls but from the moment that Danni Wyatt skied a drive at Potts the innings lurched downward.Bouchier’s blow proved the only six of the innings and only six fours were added to it as Sparks’ accurate and disciplined attack struck regularly. Charli Knott charged and missed at George and Bouchier chipped a return catch to Charis Pavely before Georgia Adams fell in slapstick fashion when Freya Kemp embarked on a leg-bye that didn’t exist and both batters ended up at the same end.Kemp soon joined her captain in the pavilion when she lifted Ellis to long off. Nicely flighted deliveries from Fackrell then teased Charlie Dean and Georgia Elwiss into sending up catches.Southby lashed a couple of leg-side fours but when she sought another but instead lifted George to deep square leg, the innings was over at fewer than 100.Ami Campbell launched the Sparks reply with three fours in the first ten balls and though she then lifted Freya Davies to mid off, the opener’s small but feisty contribution had made inroads into the small target.Abi Freeborn was run out, going for a second, by Lauren Bell’s throw but Perrin quickly made further inroads. She stuck three fours and lifted Dean over long off for six but went back to the next ball which struck off stumpGeorge fell lbw, slog-sweeping at Linsey Smith and Smith bowled skilfully to conceded just 13 runs from her four overs, but Vipers’ faltering batters had given their bowlers too much to do. Jones struck Adams gloriously into the Basil D’Oliveira Stand and though the England batter then holed out to long on, Courtney Webb (saw her side comfortably over the line.

Also planned are discussions surrounding the Future Tours Programme, a new revenue distribution model and governance review

Osman Samiuddin and Tristan Lavalette17-Mar-2023Afghanistan, the continuing complexities of India-Pakistan and a new revenue distribution model will all be on the agenda at what is shaping up to be a portentous ICC board meeting this weekend in Dubai.The quarterly meeting, the first of this year, began on Thursday with the women’s cricket committee and the men’s committee on Friday. But all eyes will fall on the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) meeting on Saturday, before the ICC Board and Finance & Commercial Affairs (F&CA) committee meet over Sunday and Monday.It is in and around the sidelines of those meetings that the most pressing topics will be discussed:

Afghanistan’s membership

The ICC’s working group on Afghanistan will present an update to the ICC board on the situation in Afghanistan since the Taliban took power in the country in August 2021. Imran Khwaja, the ICC’s deputy chair and head of the working group, has met with officials from the ACB and Taliban in Doha twice since November. They’ve been provided assurances that the government has not interfered in cricket affairs, but also acknowledge that any women’s cricket while the Taliban are in power is near impossible.Consequently, the working group will argue that the issue of women’s cricket is beyond the control of the ACB and so the board should not be punished. Full membership at the ICC requires the member to have a functioning women’s team but that status is unlikely to be under threat. There is, however, a growing resolve among members to act, or at least for a clear policy statement to be made.Even the ICC management is desperate to act, not least since some Afghan women cricketers reached out to them. There has been informal talk of funding a women’s team outside of Afghanistan and without implicit ACB approval. But the working group will make the board aware that such options could prove counterproductive, even dangerous, for those on the ground in the country. It is a tightrope, in not wanting to punish Afghanistan while also wanting some progress with the women’s game.Related

• Proposed ICC revenue model threatens growth of game, say Associate Members

• ICC chairman and CEO to visit Pakistan with World Cup participation as chief agenda

• Mathews says Sri Lanka not getting enough Tests, especially this year

• Afghanistan's status as ICC Full Member unlikely to be affected

• Holder: Every team apart from big three barely playing any Tests

A new revenue distribution model

The F&CA will begin discussions on a new model to divvy up the ICC’s broadcast money (and commercial earnings) over the next rights cycle. It is not going to be a simple discussion – it wasn’t for the current cycle, where the rights were sold in 2014 for eight years as one bundle to one broadcaster, for approximately USD 2.1 billion.This time round, the ICC is selling rights separately in different regional markets, as well as unbundling them into different packages – one for TV only, one for digital only, one for both, over four and eight years – and men’s and women’s events treated separately. That has already brought a much greater value than the last cycle, even accounting for there being more events. Last August, Disney Star* secured the rights to broadcast ICC events in India for four years from 2024 to 2027. That deal is said to be worth just north of USD 3 billion. The ICC has also recently sold rights in the UK market to Sky Sports for eight years, in a deal worth around USD 260 million. On Friday, the ICC announced the US rights going to Willow, leaving the subcontinent rights (excluding India) to go.So, much more money, but also more challenges in distributing it. The F&CA is headed by the BCCI secretary Jay Shah and given that the India market now has a tangible separate value, it will only strengthen the longstanding BCCI belief that they should receive a lion’s share of it. Smaller members are also wanting enhanced shares, especially as they ended up with less than the expected amounts from the last cycle after ICC projections fell slightly short.The battles over the financial model last time round were epic, not least because of the tumult caused by the Big Three takeover and then eventual rollback. The BCCI, ultimately, wasn’t happy with its share. The global calendar is more fractured and complicated now, only adding to the difficulties in navigating this. The discussions will start this weekend but the expectation is to not expect a new model anytime soon.

India-Pakistan

The BCCI says India will not travel to Pakistan to play in the Asia Cup in September. The PCB says if they don’t, then Pakistan might not travel to India for the World Cup in October-November. This has been the status quo between the two members for a while now.”We have complex issues on hand but for me when I go to the ACC (Asian Cricket Council) and ICC meetings I have kept all options open for us and we have to take a clear position now,” said the PCB head Najam Sethi at a press conference earlier this week. That is in line with the PCB belief that the Asia Cup and ICC events are linked: if India refuse to play in Pakistan for the Asia Cup, what is the guarantee they visit for the ICC’s Champions Trophy in 2025?That is the question the PCB will be raising this weekend, though it will do so with the wriggle room that ultimately a decision on whether Pakistan travels to India for a World Cup will be made by the Pakistan government. There were reports in Pakistan earlier this week that the government had refused PCB permission to send a team to India. But state officials indicated to ESPNcricinfo that not only had no such decision had been made but that it was far too early for them to be making it.Holder: ‘Apart from the big three, every team is barely playing any Test cricket’•AFP/Getty Images

The Future-Tours Programme

A working group looking into current and future FTP bilateral planning arrangements will be ratified at the meeting.The group is led by Zimbabwe head Tavengwa Mukuhlani and includes the ECB’s Martin Darlow and New Zealand Cricket’s Martin Snedden and are expected to meet formally for the first time. The group is open for Full Members to address concerns heightened amid international cricket’s shrinking calendar as T20 leagues sprout worldwide.Given the concerns about the dearth of Test matches expressed expressed recently, the group is likely to hear those concerns sooner rather than later. “The way world cricket is going now, apart from the big three, every team is barely playing any Test cricket,” Jason Holder said after their recently concluded Test series in South Africa. He was echoing comments made by Angelo Mathews, playing a two-Test series in New Zealand, as well as the MCC.

Governance Review

Discussions over ICC constitutional reforms have been ongoing for years in what has been a thorny subject.It seemed to gain momentum during meetings last year with informal discussions over several proposals, including a single tier of ICC membership and a push for more independents to sit on the governing body’s board.Currently Indra Nooyi, chair Greg Barclay and ICC CEO Geoff Allardice are the only independent directors on the 18-person board. But board directors have been unable to get on the same page and no such proposal was tabled last year. Discussions are set to resume in Dubai.

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.

Brathwaite, Dowrich, Chase show patience and discipline

Nagraj Gollapudi10-Jul-2020Playing late. Kraigg Brathwaite pithily explained it is the best way to succeed in England as a batsman. Brathwaite’s 65 was his first half-century in 21 innings. On the previous tour of England in 2017, along with Shai Hope, Brathwaite was West Indies’ best batsman. But no one remembers what Brathwaite did in the three years since then. Technical errors piled up as the runs turned into drip feed.On Friday, Brathwaite showed West Indies the way. He set the template of how to bat in England. Shane Dowrich and Roston Chase followed Brathwaite’s counsel to put West Indies in a position of control if not complete command of this first Test.The challenge for West Indies was whether their batsmen could bat out the entire day to gain a significant lead. West Indies had done that twice against England in 2019, in two of the three Tests, but that was at home. Overseas, only once since 2017 have West Indies managed to bat out a day (minimum 80 overs) without losing 10 wickets away from home – against India in Hyderabad three years ago.Luckily for the visitors the weather forecast for the last three days of this Test was sunny – the best time to make runs. Brathwaite and Hope ticked the first requirement – see off the first hour. They played out 15 overs, denying James Anderson, Jofra Archer Mark Wood and England captain Ben Stokes the luxury of taking the upper hand they are normally accustomed to.Kraigg Brathwaite bats•Getty Images

It was Brathwaite who looked at ease more than Hope. Brathwaite played the ball as late as possible, in his own words, under his eye line. And as Brian Lara had advised, Brathwaite protected his wicket. Watchful he was, but he was also keeping the scoreboard ticking. Talking with the host broadcaster Sky Sports, Brathwaite said he had made a few technical changes including opening up his stance to counter mainly the incoming delivery, which is prevalent in English conditions.At the other end Hope was stacking up the dots: he had as many as 25 dot balls in his first 30. As he scratched for runs, Archer tested Hope’s patience. In his fourth over Archer attacked Hope on the off stump. Hope had picked a four off his fellow Barbadian, but that was a leading edge which he had attempted originally to respond to by closing the face of the bat.Hope tried that again, attempting to push towards the leg side, to a delivery Archer pitched slightly fuller on the length, just outside off stump. He got rapped on the pads and it looked plumb. Hope asked for the review after brief discussion with Brathwaite. Luckikly for him Archer had bowled a no ball.The relief, if any, was short-lived. In the next over, Hope played with hard hands at a ball that was drifting away from Dom Bess and Stokes picked up an easy catch at slip.ALSO READ: Brathwaite, Dowrich steer WI into commanding positionHis replacement, Shamarh Brooks, did everything that Hope failed to: he played with an assurance and freedom of mind. It transferred the pressure on to the bowler. It also allowed Brathwaite to relax as he picked two fours off Stokes before he was unlucky with the umpire’s call in the same over.If Brooks went on the front foot before lunch, after the break he was pushed to play on the back foot as Anderson pushed the length slightly back and found a hint of movement. Brooks became circumspect and was soon caught behind.Jermaine Blackwood left the Caribbean saying he would “bat as long as possible” in England to erase that fraught assessment pundits had formed of him: as a “ball beater”. Off his third ball, he attempted to loft Anderson over his head, but had to check his drive at the last minute. Anderson would soon deliver him a maiden over. Blackwood was restless. A short time later, when Bess came on, Blackwood indulged in over-confidence: he charged the offspinner to hole out straight to Anderson at wide mid-off. Bess, Stokes and England let out a guffaw as a disgruntled Blackwood rapped his pads.ALSO READ: Blackwood ‘more determined, more focused after being dropped’The visitors were once again learning one of Test cricket’s key lessons: an advantage can slip from the hand like a fistful of sand.Luckily for them, Chase was guarding one end sensibly in the afternoon. For company he had an able hand in Dowrich. Like Brathwaite, Chase played time initially. He was happy to defend or leave out as many deliveries as possible. But it was part of the plan. To blunt the bowler’s plans, to be watchful before scoring freely. In his 142-ball innings, Chase defended nearly half the deliveries (68). He barely scored 20 runs in the second session without once looking impatient.England took the second new ball in the first over after tea. First ball, from Anderson, Chase punched a firm cover drive, a four, his best stroke of the day. When Archer pitched a hit-me ball on his legs, Chase obliged with a flicked four. The new cherry was losing its shine quickly as West Indies bulilt the lead.Chase was comfortable now dealing the testing lines of Anderson – in the channel – and the rib-ticklers form Archer. That is what happens when batsmen talk about the importance of playing time – they get settled in their mind, the impulsive strokes recede, their eyes zoom in on the bowler’s wrist and shine, their feet move according to the delivery. Everything goes like clockwork.Shane Dowrich drives the ball•Getty Images

Dowrich, too, assumed the go-steady template after picking two fours in his first three deliveries against Bess, both played on the front foot, both punched with conviction – one a straight drive and the next through covers. Some might have got the early feeling that Dowrich wanted to take Bess out of the attack. Numbers negate that perception: according to ESPNcricinfo’s bbb data, of the 115 deliveries he played today, Dowrich showed aggressive intent only on eight occasions.Similarly, Chase showed aggressive intent only seven times during his 194-minute vigil, same as Brathwaite, who lasted 125 balls. Dowrich, Chase and Brathwaite were the only three batsmen who played out more than 100 deliveries in West Indies’ innings. The bbb data also shows those were the only three batsmen with high in-control numbers: Chase (82), Brathwaite (80) and Dowrich (71).Brathwaite, Dowrich and Chase were the only three batsmen who showed the discipline that West Indies had talked about in the lead up to the series. They failed to convert their starts into big scores, but they showed the likes of Hope, Brook and Blackwood the importance of patience.

The duo’s half-centuries meant Bismah Maroof’s 63 went in vain for Pakistan, leaving the series tied at 1-1

The Report by Liam Brickhill18-May-2019Lizelle Lee and Marizanne Kapp both scored fifties as South Africa chased down Pakistan’s 128 for 5 with one ball to spare in the second Twenty20 International in Pietermaritzburg. Together they added 96 runs for the second wicket to chase down a total that had been built around Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof’s 63 not out. Although Lee fell moments before the match was won, Kapp remained unbeaten after registering her maiden T20I half century, hitting the winning runs.South Africa were well ahead of the asking rate when Kapp joined Lee in the middle in the fifth over, but tight spells from Pakistan’s attack meant that no boundaries were scored between the fifth and 12th overs. A steadily climbing required rate touched 8.55 before
the pair opened up once more and broke the shackles with a flurry of boundaries.Lee was first to her fifty, reaching the mark off the 45th ball she faced in the 17th over. South Africa needed just 12 off the final two overs, but Sana Mir ended her spell with a tight, five-run over to leave Nida Dar with seven to defend. Kapp swatted Dar’s
first ball for four to raise her fifty, and a single off the next ball put Lee back on strike.With two runs still needed and three balls remaining, Lee slogged a full toss out to Iram Javed at deep backward square, but the batting pair crossed while the ball was in the air, leaving Kapp on strike. A fierce straight drive ricocheted off non-striker Chloe Tryon, the ball bouncing into the gap beyond mid off, and a sprinted two brought victory for the hosts.Kapp’s match-winning knock meant that Maroof’s 63 – her second consecutive fifty-plus score – went in vain. She had entered the fray in the seventh over of Pakistan’s innings, after Umaima Sohail and Javeria Rauf had added a steady 36 in their opening stand.Maroof was soon into her groove, ticking into the 30s at better than a run a ball, but her partners at the other end struggled to give her consistent support, with Sohail’s 23 the next best score. Shabnim Ismail gave away a miserly seven runs in her first three overs,
which included a maiden, but elsewhere Maroof found opportunities to score, taking two boundaries off Kapp’s third over and following that up with back-to-back fours off Masabata Klaas.A single off Kapp brought up a 39-ball fifty for Maroof in the 19th over, and she ruined Ismail’s figures a little with two more boundaries to end the innings, but Pakistan’s total was not quite enough to overcome the hosts. After South Africa’s series-levelling win, the teams will meet again at the same venue on Sunday.

For a few moments, West Indies looked in danger of losing to Papua New Guinea, chasing a target of 201. But their captain Jason Holder took charge to lead the team across the line

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Mar-2018
ScorecardCarlos Brathwaite is beside himself with joy•IDI via Getty Images

For a few moments, West Indies looked in danger of losing to Papua New Guinea, chasing a target of 201.Chris Gayle was not playing. Their other firebrand opener, Evin Lewis, fell in the second over. They slumped to 58 for 4 to spur the possibility of a spectacular upset. But the captain Jason Holder came out and took charge, scoring an unbeaten 99 off 101 deliveries to seal his team’s second win in as many matches.Prior to the start of the Qualifier, West Indies coach Stuart Law had expected low-scoring scraps. “It is not going to be making 300-plus and then bowling teams out. It is going to be working out how to get to 180 to 220 and then deciding how to get the 10 wickets. We have to lower that target just to make sure we are safe to play better cricket or make better decisions out in the middle and get the job done.”Although they were the ones chasing against Papua New Guinea on Thursday, the same principles applied. Shai Hope came in to bat in the second over and played a Test-match innings, scoring 49 off 115 balls while his captain took care of the big-hitting at the other end. Holder began with back-to-back fours. He cruised to his fifty off 65 balls, then leapt from 70 to 93 in the space of two overs and was eyeing a maiden ODI century as the game reached its climax. He was 98 not out. West Indies needed one run to win. Holder was content taking the single and walking off with the win.As a result, PNG were knocked out of the tournament. Their captain Assad Vala had top-scored with 57 off 89 balls, but was one of only four batsmen who managed double-figures. Carlos Brathwaite was the reason for such a state of affairs, picking up his first five-for in ODIs and instigating a collapse which pinned PNG down from 151 for 4 to 169 for 9.

Mohammad Shahid picked up an injury in BPL on Saturday but hopes to recover in time for the Tests against New Zealand in January

Mohammad Isam27-Nov-2016Mohammad Shahid has been ruled out of the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League after injuring his right knee during Dhaka Dynamites’ 32-run win against Comilla Victorians on Saturday. He was hurt trying to field a ball near the boundary where he fell badly.The injury also put him in doubt for Bangladesh’s training camp in Australia in mid-December ahead of their tour to New Zealand, as he has to rest for the next two weeks notwithstanding the full recovery period.According to BCB’s chief physician Dr Debashish Chowdhury, Shahid had a scan but more medical tests would be required to determine the length of his rehabilitation after the rest period.”Shahid had a scan today after getting hurt on Saturday,” Chowdhury said. “We haven’t seen the report but primarily we know it is a partial ACL tear. He has to rest for the next two weeks, during which he will receive treatment. Further tests will tell us what we should be doing in the coming weeks.”A lot of the recovery will depend on the player, but the rest period is pretty much same for everyone. But how the player does after the rest period, will depend on each individual.”Shahid said that he had not given up hopes for the Tests against New Zealand in mid-January. He had missed the two Tests against England due to a side strain.”I will need rest for two weeks and then I will work for four weeks,” he said. “I hope to play the Tests against New Zealand, I am not losing hope. I have enough time. I don’t want to miss the series, having already missed the England series.”Shahid’s replacement has not been named yet.

Craig McMillan says the players should embrace the day-night Test, in the knowledge that it may be a format of the game they are soon playing far more often

Daniel Brettig20-Nov-20153:29

‘Trying not to think about the pink ball too much’ – McMillan

Craig McMillan remembers the inaugural Twenty20 international, played in 2005 between Australia and New Zealand on a warm summer’s evening at Eden Park. He remembers the colour, the crowd and the retro uniforms. He also remembers that the players all thought it was a bit of a joke, and that none could foresee the T20 explosion to follow.This time around as New Zealand’s batting coach, McMillan knows the inaugural day-night Test at Adelaide Oval will be another leap into the unknown. Once again, there will be some level of scepticism among players about the concept. But McMillan is adamant that they should embrace it, in the knowledge that it may be a format of the game they are soon playing far more often.”It was a different feeling, almost a carnival atmosphere,” McMillan said of the T20 game ahead of a pink ball warm-up match against a Western Australia XI at the WACA Ground. “Perhaps it wasn’t taken as seriously as what it should have been. No one had the inkling in eight years time it was going to be the norm and part of the calendar.”That’s why it’s important we prepare properly and we look forward to this, because we just don’t know in three or four years’ time where cricket is going to head. I think it’s important, as a sport, that we’re always looking to encourage different groups, different people to come to the game, and this is certainly a way of doing that.”Ticket sales for the Adelaide Test have been strong, compared to “Ashes levels” by Cricket Australia. McMillan said the prospect of crowds in the region of 50,000 on the first couple of evenings was something the tourists were eager to embrace, even as they took time to adjust to the vagaries of the pink ball and evening air. Then there is the momentum New Zealand built through a highly resilient display in Perth.”I don’t know how the Australians are thinking, all I know is talk of 50,000 on the first day of a Test match, for us, is very exciting,” he said. “We generally don’t play in front of crowds like that in terms of Test cricket. There is a lot of excitement. We’ve heard a lot about the Adelaide Oval, its redevelopment and how it looks. Everyone we’ve talked to says what an amazing stadium it is.”We’re certainly more happy with our performance in the second Test than the first. I think guys have gained a lot of confidence individually and as a group from the performance in Perth. With this being a little bit of an unknown because it’s a different situation – it’s at night, it’s a different ball – there’s an excitement. I think there’s not a lot between the two sides, so it all adds up to an exciting Test match ahead.”One of McMillan’s primary responsibilities right now is to bolster the confidence of the opener Martin Guptill, who is still working to bring the free-flowing elements of his limited-overs batting to the Test arena. To play with freedom is invariably easier said than done, and Guptill must overcome the anxieties associated with spells in and out of the Test team before he can muscle the ball around as he has done so often in ODIs.”Gupps has spent a fair bit of time at the crease and I don’t think he’s too far away,” McMillan said. “Over the last six months coming back into the Test side – he spent some time out – and I don’t think he’s too far away from actually closing that gap between his one-day game and his Test game.”One of the important things I talk to Gupp about is encouraging him to play similar to his one-day game. There’s not a lot of change with the way he should play. He’s still working through it. He’s a quality player at the international level and I don’t think he’s far off producing some of the innings we know he can produce at the top of the order.”New Zealand will try as many options as possible during the two-day fixture, with Trent Boult and Tim Southee both expected to bowl under lights with the pink ball to re-familiarise themselves with it after two daytime Test matches. McMillan has seen predictions of a well-grassed Adelaide surface in order to preserve the condition of the ball.”I’m expecting a bit more grass than what we’ve seen in the last two Test matches,” he said. “Historically Adelaide has generally been pretty flat and at times hasn’t turned. But I wouldn’t be surprised to maybe see more grass and even a hint of green grass on the surface. Certainly more than what we’ve seen in the first two Tests.”To a degree, yes [surprised at flatness of pitches]. I think on previous tours of Australia there’s certainly been a little bit more there for the bowlers at different stages. Certainly the last two Test matches have been taxing on both bowling attacks. So giving everyone a bit of a break over the last couple of days has been really important.”Western Australia XI squad: Ashton Turner (capt), Tom Beaton, Will Bosisto, Ryan Duffield, Marcus Harris, Josh Inglis, David Moody, Liam O’Connor, Joel Paris, Andrew Tye, Jonathan Wells, Sam Whiteman (wk)

Marcus North hit a brilliant 137 not out as Glamorgan made it two wins from two matches in this season’s Yorkshire Bank 40 by overpowering a below-par Middlesex by 26 runs at Lord’s.

06-May-2013
ScorecardMarcus North, seen here for Perth, made his ninth List A hundred•Getty Images

Marcus North hit a brilliant 137 not out as Glamorgan made it two wins from two matches in this season’s Yorkshire Bank 40 by overpowering a below-par Middlesex by 26 runs at Lord’s.Glamorgan skipper and former Australia batsman North led from the front. He hit 16 fours and three sixes in his 98-ball innings and featured in an unbroken stand of 156 in just 16.3 overs with Jim Allenby, who scored 69 not out from 50 balls.Opener Will Bragg also contributed a 72-ball 62, riding some early luck against the new ball after Middlesex had decided to bowl first on an excellent surface.Bragg’s partnership of 86 in 16 overs with North got the Glamorgan innings going again after they slid to 38 for 2 when Mark Wallace was caught at first slip and Chris Cooke, later in the same over, was run out by Joe Denly’s direct hit from cover.Dawid Malan, Chris Rogers and Paul Stirling all briefly threatened to do something spectacular at the top of the Middlesex batting order but Will Owen took three wickets in 18 balls from the Pavilion End, after Allenby had initially removed Rogers.And, with slow left-arm spinner Dean Cosker also putting in a tight spell, it was only a matter of time from 110 for 4 – despite Berg’s late hitting – before Glamorgan’s victory was confirmed. Berg made a brave 75 from 57 balls but it only served to reduce the margin of victory.It was a fine effort by Glamorgan, who had totalled 285 for 7 from their 40 overs in the previous day’s 28-run win against Yorkshire at Colwyn Bay but then had to endure a near five-hour journey to London from north Wales before waking up to prepare for this match.Rogers, fresh from his match-saving County Championship double hundred against Surrey, produced some eye-catching strokes in his 22 before being caught off a leading edge at cover, but Malan had already survived a stumping chance on 35 when he fell at the same score, lifting a catch to point off Owen.Denly went for 11, caught at the wicket driving loosely at a wider ball from Owen, who then struck a crucial blow for his team by bowling the hard-hitting Stirling for 36 through an ugly legside heave.Neil Dexter drove one six over long on against Michael Hogan in his 24, but Hogan soon had him caught at deep cover and Berg was then left with only the tail for company. He hit Owen for two defiant sixes but saw wickets continue to tumble as John Simpson was caught at deep mid-off, Josh Davey was held at deep midwicket and Toby Roland-Jones also hit a catch into the deep. Berg was finally ninth out, bowled by Hogan after hitting six fours besides his two sixes.The North-Allenby partnership was far too much for Middlesex. Hardly anything got past the bat, once they both got their eye in, as they took full advantage of a superb batting pitch and Middlesex’s attack was beginning to look very ragged by the time the overs ran out.The last five overs of the innings brought 60 runs and, in all, 180 runs were plundered from the last 20.3 overs only for the loss of Bragg, who was athletically held by a diving Tom Smith at backward point off Davey.North’s first six was swung over midwicket off a Dexter full toss, just before Glamorgan’s 200 arrived in the 34th over, and he later added a powerful hit into the grandstand off Roland-Jones’s penultimate ball of the innings.Allenby, too, produced some meaty blows as he went past 50 from 39 balls, including a full-blooded club over wide long on from a couple of steps down the pitch against an astonished Corey Collymore.