All posts by n8rngtd.top

New deal to include increase in Blast coverage, and more women’s fixtures than ever before

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jul-2022The ECB and Sky Sports have extended their broadcast partnership by a further four years, until the end of 2028.The new deal, which is set to begin in 2025, includes a commitment to 90 extra hours of cricket each year, and guarantees that the Hundred – the new competition that was a major factor in the last rights cycle for 2020-24 – will continue for at least another five seasons.That hike in live coverage includes a commitment to a 50 percent increase in the number of Vitality Blast fixtures being broadcast, including one game per round being shown free-to-air on Sky Sports’ YouTube channel.The exact details of the new deal’s free-to-air provisions will be confirmed at a later date – the BBC’s current agreement extends until the end of 2024 – although at least two women’s T20 internationals each year will be broadcast on terrestrial TV, as well as eight women’s Hundred matches – an increase of two from the current deal.Sky have also pledged to continue supporting grassroots cricket through the ECB’s Dynamos Cricket programme.Clare Connor, the ECB’s interim chief executive, said: “Sky have been fantastic partners for cricket for over 30 years. Their broadcast coverage is rightly lauded as the best in the world, but more significantly than that we have a shared commitment to growing the sport and investing in more opportunities, not only for people to watch and follow cricket in all its forms, but also to pick up a bat and ball.”Thanks to Sky and the support of other partners, we saw a record 14 million people playing, attending or following cricket in 2021. This year alone, 10,000 children will get the chance to have a free taste of cricket through Sky Dynamos Intros, while many, many more will benefit from facilities and opportunities to play which are only possible because of Sky’s investment. It shows this media rights model is working, and we are very grateful for Sky’s ongoing support.”We have worked closely with the wider game and our First-Class Counties to agree this new deal with Sky, which will see not only more live women’s and men’s cricket on Sky, but also more on free to air TV as well. I would like to place on record our thanks to the First Class County Chairs, to all of the Sky teams involved and to ECB colleagues including Tony Singh and Tom Harrison, who have played the central role in delivering this outstanding result for cricket.”Our shared values and vision with Sky will make cricket accessible to even more people over the coming years and will use the power of sport to inspire the next generation, while safeguarding the wonderful traditions which are such a key part of our game.”Stephen van Rooyen, Sky Sports’ EVP and CEO UK and Europe, added: “This is an exciting time for English cricket and we’re thrilled to be furthering our long and successful partnership with the ECB. Together we will continue to help grow the game while boosting participation in the sport by children from all backgrounds through initiatives like our Dynamos Cricket Intros.”On screen, we will continue to push boundaries in our BAFTA-winning coverage, bringing Sky Sports viewers even more live action from 2025 – including more women’s cricket than ever before – with men’s and women’s England internationals and domestic cricket. Sky’s investment over the last 30 years has contributed to a great deal of success on the pitch, and we hope to be at the forefront of much more to come.”

West Indies allrounder Dwayne Bravo has revealed that his exclusion from the squad for the World Cup did not come as a surprise

Nagraj Gollapudi10-Jun-2015West Indies allrounder Dwayne Bravo has revealed that his exclusion from the squad for the World Cup did not come as a surprise, and he and Kieron Pollard were expecting the axe – which he called a “big joke” – from the West Indies Cricket Board selection panel, headed by Clive Lloyd. He also said the team management was prepared to lose the World Cup before it started and instead build for the next tournament.In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Bravo said the pair “laughed” when Lloyd sat down the pair in Cape Town in January to explain the reasons he felt they were not fit to be part of the World Cup squad. “We actually laughed when he said it to us. To be honest, we knew it was coming. We know the type of people in charge of our cricket are actually mature enough to make sensible decisions and the right decisions for the benefit of cricket,” Bravo said. “If we had got selected we actually would have been surprised. We expected it. There was nothing that shocked us.”The explanation that they gave us was too many allrounders or they want to try young players, whatever the case might be… Kieron Pollard is 27, I am 31. Also as far as our form was concerned, as I said, the last 12 months I had been West Indies’ best player. So to be left out with those explanations, obviously, all we could have done is laugh. It was a big joke.”Bravo has endured a tough time in the last eight months since he led West Indies’ player boycott on their India tour, during which the team abandoned the series mid-way over a contracts dispute involving the WICB and the players. Subsequently, Bravo was axed as ODI captain and dropped from the World Cup squad despite being one of the top performers in the team in the preceding 12 months before the selection. In January, he announced his Test retirement at the age of 31.Citing West Indies’ poor performance at the World Cup as a shame, Bravo said that the management had gone into the tournament prepared to lose, even as a more senior group had worked for the tournament for three years.”Another World Cup come, finish. They (were) happy with their decision. They were prepared not to win this World Cup,” he said. “It is a shame that before the World Cup even started, they were already prepared to lose and look forward to building for the next World Cup, whereas in the last three years we were building for this World Cup. But it is all water under the bridge now. I am not someone to hold on to anything.”The allrounder finished as the highest wicket-taker in IPL 2015 but said that the performance was not meant to prove a point and he still considers himself “one of the better allrounders in the region”. Bravo welcomed West Indies head coach Phil Simmons’ move to keep the Test team’s doors open for IPL returnees, including Pollard, Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons and Andre Russell. Bravo said that he was not currently open to the idea of returning to Test cricket.”No. There is a lot more that needs to be changed in order for me to even think of coming back into Test cricket. At the moment I am happy with my decision and I don’t see it changing anytime soon unless something drastic changes.”

Australia’s Ashes vice-captain Brad Haddin has expressed earnest hope the new coach Darren Lehmann can help provide the rapid fixes the tourists desperately need if they are to seriously challenge England after Mickey Arthur’s “cut throat” removal

Daniel Brettig in Taunton25-Jun-2013Australia’s Ashes vice-captain Brad Haddin has expressed earnest hope the new coach Darren Lehmann can help provide the rapid fixes the tourists desperately need if they are to seriously challenge England after Mickey Arthur’s “cut-throat” removal.As an injury replacement during the shambolic tour of India earlier this year and over the past three weeks as the captain of Australia A, Haddin was a witness first to the decline in the national team’s standards and then to Arthur’s swift exit as a result, across a series of meetings during the team’s match against Gloucestershire in Bristol.Shocking as the initial news had been, Haddin was optimistic that Lehmann’s appointment would provide the supercharge needed for a team short of confidence and balance ahead of the series. This is no more readily apparent than in the team’s batting stocks, where the likes of Phillip Hughes, Shane Watson, Usman Khawaja and the captain Michael Clarke have precious little form behind them.”We’ve got to be accountable as a bowling group and as a batting group,” Haddin said. “All of us as a batting group, there are obviously areas we need to improve in our game, and I’m pretty confident we’ll go in the right direction over the next two weeks. The bottom line is we’ve got to perform and I’m comfortable with where this group’s at. We’ve got the best cricketers in Australia here and I’m comfortable we can move forward with that.”Like his captain Michael Clarke, Haddin accepted the players had to take some responsibility for the fate that has befallen Arthur. But he was swiftly on-message to avoid too much introspection over the events of the past few months. After all, only two weeks out from the toss of the coin at Trent Bridge there is scarcely a second to waste on solid knocks and second thoughts.”It’s not something that we have to deal with every day, the loss of a coach,” Haddin said. “But from our point of view we’ve got to make this a fresh start. We can go over what’s happened as much as we want an analyse what’s gone on but the bottom line is we’ve got to move forward as a cricket team and we’ve got to start performing.”It’s obviously disappointing for Mickey. He’s put a lot of time and effort into this team, but it’s a fresh start and we’ve got to make sure we’re in the right frame come that first Test. We as a group have to be accountable for where we want to take this team, and we’ll see how successful that is. We’re pretty comfortable now with moving forward. It’s not hard to be motivated by this tour.”I don’t think a day like this is needed to remind everyone of how high the stakes are playing for Australia. This is cut-throat, this is the pinnacle of what we all do as coaches, players, support staff, everyone. And one thing with this group I’ve noticed – we’re a very talented squad and as guys we just need to move forward as a cricket team and become better as a team moving forward and I’m very confident that can happen.”Recalled to the Australian team as the kind of senior player so desperately missed since the retirements of Michael Hussey and Ricky Ponting, Haddin can recall his days jousting with Lehmann as opposing captains in domestic matches between South Australia and New South Wales. But over the past three weeks as the captain of Australia A, Haddin has watched Lehmann’s coaching work up close, and liked what he saw.”It was an enjoyable A tour, we got out of it exactly what we needed leading into this series,” Haddin said. “We had a lot of players at different stages in preparation, guys on their first tour, guys getting ready for the Ashes, and Darren and Troy [Cooley] were very positive about the cricket we wanted to play and that we wanted to win three matches. Darren was very aggressive in his approach there. He wanted us to get the game moving forward and win cricket games. That’s what we did.”We’ve sat down as a group and planned what we want to do over the next couple of weeks leading into the first Test. As a group we’re pretty clear on what we want to do, we’re at different stages as players, but we’re all on the same path here trying to get to this first Test. It’s a new start.”

Angelo Mathews has paid tribute to Mahela Jayawardene as he is set to become the second Sri Lankan player to appear in 400 ODIs

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jul-2013Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews has paid tribute to Mahela Jayawardene, who is set to make his 400th ODI appearance, against India in the tri-series final. Jayawardene will be only the second Sri Lankan player, after Sanath Jayasuriya, to achieve this milestone, and the third overall.”I am a great fan of Jayawardene. He’s one of the best Sri Lanka has ever produced,” Mathews said. “The amount of fight he shows in the middle; even when he plays a warm-up game he wants to win. He carries that attitude into the game. He wants to be in all the time, and he gets the others going as well. It’s unbelievable to have him in the team.”He’s a living legend, and [has] been part of the Sri Lankan team for more than a decade and a half. He’s been a great servant for Sri Lanka. He’s one of our main batsmen [and has] experience in these conditions. I’m really happy we have him in the team. We want him in the team for as long as possible.”Mathews was also not too dismayed after losing to India just a couple of days before the final. “We are not worried about the last result, but we need to flush that out of our system as soon as possible. When we came into the tournament, we wanted to take it one game at a time and not look too far ahead. We were not thinking of [reaching] the final, we just wanted to play our brand of cricket and do our best.”We are happy with the way we responded, and we would have almost played a four-day game if it had rained out [day before.] The guys were a bit physically and mentally drained. The credit should go to the boys [with] the way they handled the pressure.”Regarding facing India’s batting line-up, Mathews said the team felt the loss of Nuwan Kulasekara, who was ruled out of the final after picking up a hand injury. “On this wicket, Kulasekara would have been unplayable. Looking at the Indian batting order, their top seven are all equally good. We can’t plan for just the first three, we need to plan for all of them. On their day, they can take the game apart, so we need to be cautious.”India captain Virat Kohli was pleased with how India have turned the corner after falling to the bottom of the pack early in the tournament. “I think it’s a very good effort for the team to come back from that (being last placed), to win both games with bonus points and ending on top of the table,” Kohli said.When asked how the wicket would play out in Port-of-Spain, Kohli said: “It’s the sort of wicket you play in phases. Initially the ball does quite a bit when it’s new and hard, and the seam is upright. You have to analyse your game plans while you’re out in the middle.”

The allrounder suffered back spasms last Tuesday and “ran out of time to prove her fitness” for the knockout against West Indies

Annesha Ghosh29-Mar-20222:06

Perry: Chance to include more teams in ODI World Cup in the coming years

Ellyse Perry has been ruled out of Australia’s 2022 ODI World Cup semi-final against West Indies scheduled for Wednesday in Wellington. Meg Lanning, the Australia captain, confirmed Perry’s unavailability and said the allrounder, who suffered back spasms in the league game against South Africa a week ago, “unfortunately, just ran out of time to prove her fitness”.”We’ll go in without her tomorrow and we’ll keep assessing her if we are to progress in the tournament,” Lanning said on match eve. “So, unfortunate for her and the team, obviously, a big blow but we feel like we’ve got some good depth to be able to cover it and we’re going to have to do that tomorrow.”Lanning said Australia were optimistic about Perry recovering in time for the final in Christchurch on April 3, should they advance, but stressed that they were focused on putting their best foot forward in the semi-final with the personnel available at their disposal.Related

• ICC CEO Allardice says discussions on 'to bridge the gap between women and men's prize money'

• England off the canvas and knockout-ready – Heather Knight

• More Australian dominance, and veterans leave the building

• West Indies out to defy expectations once again

• Injured Perry ruled out of Bangladesh game, expected to be fit for semi-finals

“Look, she hasn’t done a lot [of training] over the past week, to be fair. She batted a little bit in the nets yesterday and felt okay, but she certainly just wasn’t in a position, unfortunately, to be able to perform at the level needed tomorrow,” Lanning said. “So, that was why we’ve made the call on that today.”But, to be honest, we haven’t looked too far ahead. We will keep assessing her as we go if we are to progress but the team and the squad is very focused on tomorrow and making sure that we’re putting out our best game because everything else is is irrelevant, to be honest.”I’m sure there’s work going on in the background to try and get her up to play if we were to get through but from a playing-group perspective and coaching staff, we’re just really focused on tomorrow and the players that are going to be able to go out there and perform.”This is the second World Cup semi-final on the trot Perry will miss, having sat out the 2020 T20 World Cup semi-final and the final on home soil through a hamstring injury sustained in eventual champions Australia’s last league fixture.During the South Africa match in the ongoing World Cup, she appeared to be hurt when tumbling over the boundary rope in a fielding attempt. She went off the field and didn’t bat as Australia romped to a sixth consecutive win in the tournament.Ellyse Perry was the Player of the Match in two league-stage games in the World Cup•Getty Images

Perry said on Monday she had never had back spasms before in her career, but she made clear the injury was “not hugely serious” and that it “definitely has been improving.” She added “there’s a pretty high percentage that I’ll be able to play at some point” in the knockouts.Before being sidelined from Australia’s last league game – against Bangladesh on Friday – Perry contributed with both bat and ball in her side’s undefeated campaign. Having shouldered new-ball responsibilities regularly, she took five wickets in six innings, and also scored 146 runs in five innings while being the Player of the Match in back-to-back fixtures against New Zealand and West Indies.With Perry sidelined, pace-bowling allrounder Annabel Sutherland, who had replaced Perry against Bangladesh in what is her first ODI World Cup, is likely to retain her spot. Sutherland, 20, had picked 1 for 22 and scored 26 vital unbeaten runs in that game.”I thought Annabel played extremely well last game under pressure as well,” Lanning said. “It wasn’t just an easy time to come out and bat for her and for someone so young to be able to do that gives the group a lot of confidence. We’ve spoken a lot about the depth that we’ve got within our squad and I guess now we’re going to be tested with it.”So, I guess, that’s what it comes down to: new players stepping up in different situations and [Australia] not relying on one or two players. So that gives me a lot of confidence; it gives the team a lot of confidence that someone like Annabel could come into the team and make an impact straightaway, so hopefully she can do it again tomorrow.”

Cricket Ireland high-performance director says Ford wanted to put “his mental health, physical health and family first at this time”

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Nov-2021Graham Ford has stepped down as head coach of the Ireland men’s team with immediate effect, with Richard Holdsworth, high-performance director for Cricket Ireland, saying that dealing with the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic “has taken its toll and he [Ford] needs a break from the game”.Ireland are getting ready to tour USA in December and then the West Indies in January next year, and Cricket Ireland said in a statement: “Interim coaching plans will be put in place over the coming weeks, while a longer-term plan is developed, which will take into account any recommendations from the current T20 World Cup Review underway.”Related

• Andy Balbirnie: 'We're a Test member but at the moment it only really feels like a name'

• Campher on emulating Malinga: 'Maybe it will set in a bit later'

• Graham Ford: 'Desperate to go through to the next phase'

• T20 WC exit prompts 'serious questions' of Ireland operations

In the meantime, Ford will be on leave as he observes his contractual notice period that runs until mid-December.”The last four years have been very special for me – I have enjoyed many happy days with a cricket squad made up of very special people,” Ford said. “I have also enjoyed watching club cricket and experiencing the passion and club loyalty of many fine cricketing people.”When compared with the other ICC Full Member nations, Cricket Ireland has faced many handicaps and challenges. Despite this, on several occasions the team has competed impressively with some of the top teams in world cricket and it has been a privilege for me to experience first-hand the character and togetherness of the Irish players.”However, over a period of time these challenges and handicaps have taken their toll on me. After much consideration and discussion with my family, I realise that this is the right time for me to step away from Cricket Ireland. I’d like to end by thanking all the players and the support staff for their impressive attitudes and loyal support during the four years and I look forward to watching them achieve big things in the future.”Ford, a South African national, was appointed Ireland head coach in late 2017, initially on a three-year contract that was extended by three years in 2019. He oversaw a transitional phase with the team, that included their Test debut in 2018 and, more recently, the disappointing run at the T20 World Cup.During Ford’s tenure as head coach, Ireland played 101 international matches – 51 T20Is, 47 ODIs, and three Tests. He had also provided insights for the restructuring of the men’s inter-provincial set-up, and the regional performance coaching hubs.Ireland made their appearance as a Test nation during Ford’s tenure•Getty Images

Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie thanked Ford for his “consistent positivity”. “Graham has been one of the best coaches I have ever worked with, and I feel very fortunate that I got to spend four years working with him, not just for the playing development side of my game, but for his incredible support during my captaincy to date,” Balbirnie said. “We have had our challenges over the last number of years as a squad, but his consistent positivity has been infectious and his determination to improve the skills of everyone in the squad has brought some of our young cricketers on leaps and bounds…”Holdsworth said he respected Ford’s decision to put “his mental health, physical health and family first at this time”.”It is a sad day to see Graham bid farewell to Cricket Ireland – he is a truly world-class coach who has incredible respect within the game, both for his achievements on the field and his work in developing players off the field,” Holdsworth said. “It would be sugar-coating the occasion to not acknowledge the challenges that Graham has faced – in many respects, unprecedented challenges. The physical and mental impact of the pandemic has been much talked about regarding players, but the coaches and support staff are equally impacted by circumstances…Graham has been a stoic coach, mentor and support for a squad of players dealing with extremely demanding circumstances. And, as he admits himself, it has taken its toll and he needs a break from the game.”He has barely taken a day off voluntarily in his four years here, such is his commitment, and probably hasn’t had a sustained break from the game for well over two decades. The pace, relentlessness and increasing pressures of international cricket – compounded by the impact of the pandemic – are such that we fully understand and appreciate Graham’s position.”

Mominul Haque’s men have lost three of their four Tests this year and might be without Tamim Iqbal for this one

Mohammad Isam06-Jul-2021

Big picture

With not much at stake in the one-off Test between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in Harare, there is hardly any pre-match buzz. Zimbabwe are not part of the World Test Championship. Bangladesh are. But the home side has shown that it can provide stiff competition to higher-ranked sides in the longest format at times.The match was expected to mark the comebacks for some key players. But Sean Williams and Craig Ervine have both been forced to self-isolate after coming in contact with Covid-19 positive family members. Brendan Taylor will be the stand-in captain for Zimbabwe.Bangladesh will welcome back allrounder Shakib Al Hasan, who missed most of the West Indies series at home because of a left thigh injury and opted out of the Sri Lanka Tests in April to play in the IPL. Shakib brings the perfect balance to the Bangladesh side with his aggressive batting, accurate left-arm spin, and tremendous experience.Related

• Chatara returns to Zimbabwe Test squad after three years

• Rahim suffers hairline fracture ahead of tour of Zimbabwe

• Domingo: Iqbal doubtful for Zimbabwe Test, Rahim on track

Zimbabwe have much to do in this Test after Pakistan crushed them in both Tests in their last series at home. Tendai Chatara returns to the Test squad, with Blessing Muzarabani very much the leader of the pace attack, while wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva has recent form on his side, having done well against Pakistan. Zimbabwe have also included four uncapped players – opener Takudzwanashe Kaitano, fast bowler Tanaka Chivanga, and batters Joylord Gumbie and Dion Myers – in their 20-member squad. Myers, in particular, has been impressive lately, with two half-centuries against South Africa A last month.The visitors will have nothing but a win on their mind after losing three of their four Tests this year. As for Mominul Haque, he has won just one of his eight Tests as captain. He has often not had the services of all the big guns, and might be without Tamim Iqbal for this one.Haque will also expect the likes of Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Liton Das, who have all been plagued by inconsistency, to contribute. For Bangladesh, the pace attack will be led by Abu Jayed and Taskin Ahmed. However, given the nature of the Harare pitch, the spin duo of Shakib and Mehidy Hasan Miraz might have a big role to play.Bangladesh and Zimbabwe are locked at seven wins apiece over the years, with three of their 17 matches ending in draws.

Form guide

Zimbabwe LLLWL
Bangladesh LDLLW
Brendan Taylor has scored five of his six Test centuries against Bangladesh•AFP

In the spotlight

Against Bangladesh, Brendan Taylor often brings out something special. On two occasions in the last seven years, he has scored hundreds in each innings of a Test against Bangladesh. Taylor also has five of his six Test centuries against the opponents and will once again be a vital cog in the Zimbabwe line-up.Taskin Ahmed has worked hard on his fitness and skills in the rebuilding phase of his international career. He is not a newbie anymore in the Bangladesh attack and can bowl consistently for long periods. In conditions where patience will be key, Ahmed could play a crucial role for Bangladesh.

Team news

With Williams and Ervine in self-isolation, Milton Shumba could continue in the middle order, while newcomers Joylord Gumbie and Dion Myers may also be considered. Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Kevin Kasuza, 2 Takudzwanashe Kaitano, 3 Regis Chakabva (wk), 4 Brendan Taylor (capt), 5 Milton Shumba, 6 Joylord Gumbie/Dion Myers, 7 Donald Tiripano, 8 Roy Kaia, 9 Richard Ngarava, 10 Tendai Chatara, 11 Blessing MuzarabaniShakib’s return will give Bangladesh the balance they missed in Sri Lanka in April. Iqbal remains an injury concern although Mushfiqur Rahim, who suffered a hairline fracture on his left index finger ahead of the tour of Zimbabwe, could be fit to play.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Saif Hassan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mominul Haque (capt), 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Mushfiqur Rahim, 7 Liton Das (wk), 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Abu Jayed, 11 Shoriful Islam

Pitch and conditions

Spinners might play a bigger role as the Test progresses at Harare Sports Club, where pitches tend to be on the slower side. Conditions are likely to be dry.

Stats that matter

• Shakib needs 70 more runs to complete the double of 4000 runs and 200 wickets in Test cricket. The other members of this elite group are Garry Sobers, Kapil Dev, Ian Botham, Daniel Vettori and Jacques Kallis.
• This is the third one-off Test between the two sides, with both having won one each in 2011 (Zimbabwe) and 2020 (Bangladesh).

Quotes

“They have improved massively in the last 18 months in their understanding of fast bowling, skillset and endurance. I don’t think that day is too far away when a fast bowler wins Bangladesh a Test match in tough conditions.”
“It is going to be a lot more competitive especially in our home conditions. We know our conditions quite well. It is always a big challenge playing in their backyard. Hopefully we have tailored the conditions to suit us. We have a young vibrant team, and we are excited to get going.”

Ireland have named an unchanged 14-man squad to take on Pakistan in two ODIs at the end of the month

ESPNcricinfo staff14-May-2013

Ireland squad to play Pakistan

William Porterfield (captain), Alex Cusack, George Dockrell, Trent Johnston, Ed Joyce, John Mooney*, Tim Murtagh, Kevin O’Brien, Niall O’Brien, James Shannon, Max Sorensen, Paul Stirling, Andrew White, Gary Wilson.
*Mooney is suspended for the first match on May 23.

Ireland have named an unchanged 14-man squad to take on Pakistan in two ODIs at the end of the month. John Mooney is included, despite being unavailable for the first match after being suspended over a tweet about the death of Baroness Thatcher.William Porterfield will lead the side, who beat UAE in both their World Cup qualifiers in March, and Ireland’s coach, Phil Simmons, is eyeing an upset against Pakistan, who are touring in preparation for the Champions Trophy in England.”We’ve always got a chance in our conditions,” Simmons said. “We’ve turned in some strong performances in recent years especially against England and Australia and lost matches we should have won. We’re getting stronger all the time and we’ll be well prepared and try to put them under pressure from the start.”There’s a great atmosphere at Clontarf with the Irish fans behind us, and with a full house expected for both games, I’m hoping they can get us over the line against Pakistan. It’s certain to be a great carnival of cricket over the two days. We know how important it is to keep the momentum going with Irish cricket and we’ll be looking for headline victories in our marquee games this year.”Both ODIs, which will take place on May 23 and 26, are close to being sold out. Ireland have been keen to play more cricket against Full Members and Simmons said his players were looking forward to another opportunity to cause a surprise against the nation they memorably beat at the 2007 World Cup.”There’s no doubt we’re going to be up against it in both games, but that’s what we want,” Simmons said. “We’re crying out for this type of challenge and it’s fantastic that we’ve got these two ODI’s against one of the games superpowers.”

Harry Gurney’s hat-trick and runs for James Taylor and Ed Cowan put Notts in a position to press for victory on day four at Hove

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Hove02-Jun-2013
ScorecardHarry Gurney took his maiden hat-trick in first-class cricket•Getty Images

If there is a formula for the perfect pitch, then there’s a good chance that Hove’s head groundsman, Andy Mackay, has found it. Regardless of how this game ends up – and it could well be a draw, with Nottinghamshire taking a lead of 354 into the final day – the surface on which both sides have battled for the first three days has given them the opportunity and incentive to play some high quality, attacking cricket. Perhaps the best part of it is at the Sea End.Harry Gurney was first to reap rewards bowling into it, as he took a maiden first-class hat-trick to bring the Sussex innings to a close, before Chris Jordan bent his pack to produce a blistering spell of short bowling that snared James Taylor, Samit Patel and Steven Mullaney. Chris Nash then got one to shake, rattle and roll out of the foot marks.But Ed Cowan and Taylor’s 151 partnership for the third wicket, and an unbeaten run-a-ball 56 from Paul Franks – which included two lavish extra-cover drives off Magoffin coming in from the Cromwell Road End – showed that runs can still be scored.Sussex’s early progress towards Nottinghamshire’s total was nipped in the bud, first by the ungainly run out of Jordan, and then by Gurney, who hacked off the tail in three blows. He tempted Ben Brown into a flamboyant waft with a short and wide delivery, before bringing his length forward, tightening his line and getting enough away movement to find the outside edge of James Anyon and then Monty Panesar.It was the first hat-trick for a Nottinghamshire bowler since Charlie Shreck performed the feat against Middlesex in 2006 and gave Gurney four wickets in the match, and saw them take a lead of 50 into their second innings.But when Alex Hales departed for a golden duck to Magoffin, who then tied down Michael Lumb before getting him to push at one that slid across him – the catch taken by a diving Brown – Sussex sensed there was an opening for them to exploit.The way the game had been progressing, it looked like only a major gaffe could separate the two sides. But Ed Cowan and James Taylor made sure this was not it, as they guided their side into lunch without any further damage.In the afternoon session they began extending the lead with the sort of calculated determination you would associate with both these players. Both Taylor and Cowan can be filed under “gritty”, but it’s their intelligence that turns that grittiness into runs and, together, they blunted the Sussex attack. Once their partnership had moved into three figures they manoeuvred the field well and tested the resolve of the fielders, who had to constantly readjust after each single, as the pair exploited their left-right combination.Taylor was quick to pounce on even the smallest shortening of length from Jordan – shifting his weight onto the back foot and whipping his hands through the shot. It would end up bringing about his demise after tea, on 97 – the second time he has fallen on this score this season – as Jordan produced a delivery with a bit of extra zip. But he could be forgiven for going for the stroke given the number he had played successfully in that general direction, one of which included a maximum off the same bowler.Cowan, still searching for his first Championship hundred of the campaign, came as close as he has done so far, reaching 81 before under-edging Nash’s gentle offspin onto his stumps. He cut a forlorn figure as he traipsed off but he has played a vital role in setting up this game for his side. One mistimed hook aside – even that went for six – his shots carried little to no risk and, when it looked like he was perhaps being too respectful, he made James Anyon’s ninth over his own with a trio of cracking fours.Franks’ end of day theatrics has put the game in Nottinghamshire’s hands, but with just one wicket remaining and the forecast set to allow a full day’s play, it would be foolish to rule out a home win. All thanks to you, Mr Mackay.

A round-up of the Vijay Hazare Trophy matches on February 20, 2013

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Feb-2013

West Zone

File photo: Yusuf Pathan scored 86 off 55 balls to give Baroda their second win in the competition•Fotocorp

Gujarat were able to chase Saurashtra’s 269 through a collective batting performance from their top-order. Saurashtra were put in to bat and their wicketkeeper opener Sheldon Jackson scored 109. Contributions from Rahul Dave (36), Chirag Jani (31) and Kuldeep Raval’s quick fire 30 off 18 balls, helped them put up a sizable score, as they finished 269 for 6.Gujarat started assuredly, with openers Priyank Panchal and wicketkeeper captain Parthiv Patel putting up 136 runs for the first wicket. From there a platform was set and Manprit Juneja chipped in with a vital 66. Abdulahad Malik and Juneja steered the team within a few runs of the target before Juneja fell to Saurya Sanandiya. Gujarat won the match with six wickets in hand, in the 47th over.A belligerent 86 not out by Yusuf Pathan, with a combined effort by the bowlers, helped Baroda to a four-wicket win against Maharashtra at the Poona Club Ground. Chasing 178, Baroda were in trouble at 34 for 3 in the 11th over, when Pathan came in to bat. Within the next 61 balls, Baroda added 70 runs via Pathan and Ambati Rayudu, who scored 40. Pathan stuck till the end, hitting six sixes in his 55-ball knock, to see his side home in the 29th over.Maharashtra’s innings was based on short but significant knocks by their middle-order batsmen. After being put in to bat, they lost wickets regularly to struggle to 113 for 7 in the 36th over, before Shrikant Mundhe and Akshay Darekar rescued them by adding 58 runs. But this contribution wasn’t enough as they were bundled out for 177.

South Zone

Half-centuries from Rohan Prem and Sanju Samson helped Kerala to a six-wicket victory against Goa in Porvorim. Kerala were comfortable in their chase of 223, through a strong top-order batting performance. After opener VA Jagadeesh fell in the seventh over, Karimuttathu Rakesh and Prem added 54 runs, before Samson and Prem put on a century stand that virtually sealed the contest.Goa steadily lost wickets after choosing to bat. Their captain and opener Sagun Kamat attempted to anchor the innings, but departed after scoring 71. Towards the latter stages of the innings, Robin d’Souza scored 50 off 42 deliveries to push them beyond 200.Karnataka squeezed home by one wicket against Andhra, with only two balls remaining in the match. After Andhra were put into bat, AG Pradeep (55), Amol Muzumdar (39) and B Sumanth (39) led them to 228 before they were dismissed in 48 overs. Vinay Kumar was the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 38.Robin Uthappa continued his good form with another fifty, with fellow opener Lokesh Rahul contributing 75. Despite the rest of the Karnataka middle order getting starts, no one was able to push on, with Bodavarapu Sudhakar taking some vital wickets to temper the chase. Ultimately Raju Bhatkal and KP Appanna held their nerve, taking Karnataka to yet another win as they continued their unbeaten streak in the competition.A responsible knock from Dinesh Karthik helped Tamil Nadu beat Hyderabad by 26 runs. Karthik scored a run-a-ball 119, as he put on 108 runs for the third wicket with B Aparajith, who scored 51. Tamil Nadu looked set for a big total before Chama Milind struck twice to help stop the run flow towards the end of the innings. Tamil Nadu ended up with 262 for 9 after fifty overs.Hyderabad started their chase strongly before opener Kolla Sumanth was run out, to leave them at 82 for 1. This was the first of three run-outs in the innings, which hampered Hyderabad’s chase. Dwaraka Ravi Teja (43), Bavanaka Sandeep (42) and Sundeep Rajan (52) all got starts, but couldn’t continue on to take their team home. P Amarnath took three wickets at the end to help dismiss Hyderabad for 236.

Central Zone

An attacking century from opener Puneet Yadav propelled Rajasthan to a commanding victory over Railways, by seven wickets, in Indore. Yadav, with a 117-ball 123 – his highest List A score – put on 112 runs with fellow opener Siddharth Saraf, and 98 runs with captain Robin Bist, to help them reach their target of 232 in the 44th over.Railways’ top order was also productive, but at 215 for 6, they couldn’t accelerate towards the end of the innings, as their last six wickets fell for just 18 runs added. Mahesh Rawat, their captain, top-scored with 81. Seamer Raman Chahar and spinner Madhur Khatri took three wickets each.A five-wicket haul from Jatin Saxena gave Madhya Pradesh a 68-run victory against Vidarbha. After MP chose to bat, seamer Shrikant Wagh, who finished with six wickets, struck early to dismiss both their openers with just 37 on the board. Saxena (61) and Naman Ojha then put together a 136-run partnership for the third wicket to help stabilise the innings. Ojha would finish on 83, with Harpreet Singh contributing an aggressive 39. Wagh returned to pick off three more wickets near the end to leave MP on 263 for 8.In Vidarbha’s chase, legspinner Saxena was instrumental in keeping Vidarbha’s chase under control. Akshay Kolhar (45), Shalabh Shrivastava (33) and Akshay Wadkar (35) were unable to build on their respective starts as Vidarbha were ultimately dismissed for 195 in 47.1 overs.The win gave them top spot in the points table.