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Eight months after wondering whether or not his career might be over, Ryan Harris is ready to press his Test claims for Australia

Daniel Brettig23-Aug-2011Eight months on from surgery and wondering whether or not his career might be over, Ryan Harris is ready to press his claims as a senior member of Australia’s Test bowling attack in Sri Lanka. Though he had been primarily concerned about the longevity of a battered knee, it was a fractured left ankle that ended Harris’ Ashes summer in the fourth Test at the MCG, following a nine-wicket haul at the WACA that demonstrated his value.Since returning to cricket via the IPL, 31-year-old Harris has been earmarked as a Test match bowler, and was not selected for the Twenty20 or limited-overs legs of the Sri Lanka tour. He has been able to prepare with longer spells in mind, an approach advocated for Australian fast bowlers in the Argus review.”I’ve bowled a fair bit in the nets over the last four to five weeks, probably 40 to 50 overs a week,” Harris said after Australia’s training session at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. “It’s been good to know I was in the mix for selection, so I could prepare for it.”Michael Clarke, Australia’s captain, has a bevy of bowlers he will want to play in the three-day tour match against a Sri Lankan board president’s XI from Thursday, and Harris is in need of some match practice to build up ideal rhythm for the first Test in Galle that begins on August 31.”Personally I haven’t played any longer forms of cricket since I broke my ankle, so if I play [the tour game], I just want to get out there and get a few longer spells under my belt.”I’ve played a lot of Twenty20 cricket in the last three or four months, so I’m just looking at it as a good opportunity to get out and get more fit, and hopefully do enough to secure a spot [in the Test XI]. But I’m not putting a lot of pressure on myself by saying it’s an audition.”The pain of the MCG injury was compounded by the doubts that followed it, as, not for the first time, Harris wondered if his journey from the fringes of the South Australian state team to Test cricket via Queensland had reached an abrupt end.”[It was] very frustrating, doing that in Melbourne and having surgery virtually the next day,” Harris said. “I spent the next few days laid up, thinking about whether or not I’d get back. The negative thoughts go straight to your mind, but I always thought deep down I’d get back. It just took a lot of hard work and patience.”At times, when I felt I was ready the physio just held me back and the bonus is where I am now, rather than rushing it and getting injured again. The first few outings definitely [you worry about an injury relapse]. I probably came in a week early for the IPL – I really wanted to get over there and use it as a launching pad. I went there with a bit of tenderness where the surgery was, not so much the break. I was told by the physios that it would just be a bit of stiffness and scar tissue. I got through that period and the pain went away.”Harris has also been pleasantly surprised about the strength of his problem knee, which has clearly benefited from the rest a broken ankle necessitated. “My knee is surprising me every day – it has not blown up the day after a big session and it’s not sore. How that’s working I’m not sure, but let’s hope it stays that way.”It had a good rest [because of the ankle injury], but I’d rather be resting in four or five years’ time when I’m retired – I don’t want to be missing too much more cricket.”

Pakistan could be forgiven if they slept a little uneasily tonight after Australia battled back at Headingley

The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan22-Jul-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRicky Ponting began compiling another captain’s innings as Australia hauled themselves back•Getty Images

Pakistan could be forgiven if they slept a little uneasily tonight after Australia battled back at Headingley. It started with Shane Watson taking career-best figures for the second match running, as his 6 for 33 removed Pakistan for 258 to limit the lead to 170, then Ricky Ponting dug deep into his resolve to compile a battling half century during which he passed 12000 Test runs.Ponting and Michael Clarke settled Australia after both openers departed for 55, carrying the total to 136 for 2 when bad light brought an early close with 26 overs remaining in the day. Even though they remained 34 behind there was a growing feeling that the momentum was beginning to tilt Australia’s way as Salman Butt seemed happy to set his field deep. Pakistan’s players will have to be mentally strong to prevent their minds from wandering back to what happened at Sydney at the start of the year where they tossed away an invincible position, but Australia can use it as inspiration.Particularly ominous for Pakistan on this occasion is that Ponting is starting to look as settled at the crease as at any time during this short series. Pakistan will rue that he survived a very close lbw shout first ball when he padded up to an inswinger from Mohammad Aamer. But from that moment he started growing in confidence and when he steered Aamer to third man to reach 40 he became the second batsman to cross 12,000 Test runs and a short while later notched fifty from 73 balls.Clarke formed a solid ally and was quick to use his feet against Danish Kaneria, but was also fortunate to survive a torrid working-over from Mohammad Asif shortly before the light closed in. He was beaten on three occasions by perfect outswingers and the final one brought a huge appeal, but Rudi Koertzen correctly ruled bat had clipped pad, and he might also have been given out padding up to one that came back in.Pakistan’s last five wickets were blown away for 36 after lunch as Watson found himself on a hat-trick, but his success only went to confirm that conditions remained heavily in the bowlers’ favour. It made the 170-run advantage substantial and Pakistan began with high hopes of making inroads. Aamer found immediate movement with the new ball and slanted one behind Simon Katich’s pads to take out leg stump, but Asif couldn’t quite conjure the same threat as the first innings during his first eight overs.However, for the second time in the match, Butt pulled off an inspired change when he threw to ball to Umar Amin and the part-time medium-pacer forced Watson to play into his stumps. Still, it was slightly odd when Butt persisted with Amin after tea and that allowed Ponting and Clarke to ease into their task during the evening session as the pace of the game plateaued after a manic five sessions.Watson’s full swing, delivered at a fairly gentle pace, was too much for a string of batsmen as he produced a performance that had been out of reach for the frontline pacemen and edhis figures from Lord’s. Kamran Akmal, who was dropped on 10 by Mike Hussey in the gully, edged low to first slip where Marcus North took the catch inches off the turf then Aamer was given a taste of his own medicine when he padded up to an inswinger. It looked out on first impressions, but Hawkeye said it was missing off stump.There was no stopping Watson as a full, straight delivery demolished Gul’s stumps and Shoaib Malik, left stranded as wickets tumbled, top-edged a slog to Tim Paine before the innings ended with the slightly comical run out of Kaneria.The day had begun in equally chaotic style with Umar caught off a no-ball from the fourth delivery when he had an almighty mow across the line and skied a catch to cover off Mitchell Johnson. It’s hard to believe he had time to hear the call – which replays suggested was harsh – and it was clear Umar was in no mood for consolidation.Predictably, he didn’t survive long as Johnson located the right line outside off and found the edge, but Australia’s early bowling was again varied. Ben Hilfenhaus strayed onto leg stump which allowed Amin to collect easy runs through the on side while Johnson struggled to maintain a consistent line.Amin had battled hard to lay a foundation which made his dismissal more disappointing when he failed to pull his bat down as he ducked a Hilfenhaus short ball and a catch flew off the toe end to square leg. Maybe it was a sign that Australia’s fortunes had turned in this match and they, more than most sides, know how to pull themselves back from the brink.

Ash Gardner threatened to revive the chase for Sixers but couldn’t get the side home

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2024Key performances from in-form duo Heather Knight and Samantha Bates earned Sydney Thunder the first derby bragging rights of the season over Sydney Sixers with an 18-run win at the SCG.Knight’s fluent 50 off 31 balls, a continuation of the impact she has had this season, led Thunder to a total that appeared around par on a good batting surface and a strong Thunder attack defended it expertly. The result kept Thunder top of the table and strongly placed to push for a home grand final with five games remaining.Sixers fell to 63 for 5 in the 10th over but Ash Gardner was keeping them in the contest with a timely return to form after her previous four innings in the tournament had brought 24 runs. But with 28 needed off 14 balls she was deceived through the air as she advanced at Bates and with her went the home side’s hopes.Bates took her wicket tally to 11 from the last three games and was back at the top of the season charts ahead of Alana King. Shabnim Ismail, despite being wicketless, also played a key role as she conceded just five an over and was also superb in the outfield with four catches on a blustery afternoon.With the bat, Chamari Athapaththu, well supported in the crowd by a strong Sri Lanka presence, helped lay a solid base and the acceleration came in the second half of the innings from Knight and Phoebe Litchfield. The pair took 30 without loss off the two power surge overs and though they couldn’t stay to close things out Thunder had enough.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s Roelof van der Merwe, the joint-leading wicket-taker of the last season, makes himself unavailable

Hemant Brar03-Aug-2023The SA20 mini-auction ahead of the 2024 season will take place in Johannesburg on September 27. On the day of the auction, a total of 21 slots are to be filled, six of those reserved for rookie players. A rookie player is someone who is a South African under the age of 22 and has not played in the SA20 previously.Overall, in a squad of 19, each team is required to have a minimum of ten South African players, a maximum of seven overseas players and a rookie player. The teams will have an additional R5.1 million (USD 274,000 approx) added to last time’s purse of R39.1 million (USD 2.1 million approx).Defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape will be without Roelof van der Merwe this time as he has made himself unavailable. Van der Merwe was the joint-highest wicket-taker last season with 20 scalps.Related

• SA20 2024 starts on January 10, will clash with Test series in NZ

• Moeen Ali moves to SA20 as teams announce retentions, fresh signings

• SA20 teams given R39.1 million salary purse to build squads

In another update, Paarl Royals have contracted Kwena Maphaka. At 17, the left-arm seamer from Johannesburg becomes the youngest player to be signed in the league.Most teams have retained their core from the inaugural season. Durban’s Super Giants have the fewest slots to fill, two, and they have R1.675 million for that.Runners-up Pretoria Capitals have to sign the most number of players – five, out of which four could be overseas – and also the biggest purse available (R9.737 million).In addition to 21 picks on the auction day, four teams – Super Giants, Capitals, Royals and Joburg Super Kings – need to pick their wild-card players as well, as they either incorporated their season 1 wild cards into the main squad or, in the case of Super Giants, released them. The last date to do so is December 30. The wild-card players’ salaries are over and above the team purse.Here is how the squads line up before the mini-auction.

Durban’s Super Giants

Squad: Prenelan Subrayen, Quinton de Kock, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Kyle Abbott, Heinrich Klaasen, JJ Smuts, Wiaan Mulder, Matthew Breetzke, Junior Dala, Keemo Paul, Naveen-ul-Haq, Kyle Mayers, Reece Topley, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dilshan MadushankaSquad size: 16 (10 South Africans, 6 overseas)
Slots to be filled: 2
Purse available: R1.675 million (USD 90,000 approx)

Joburg Super Kings

Squad: Gerald Coetzee, Faf du Plessis, Reeza Hendricks, Lizaad Williams, Nandre Burger, Moeen Ali, David Wiese, Zahir Khan, Sam Cook, Leus du Plooy, Donovan Ferreira, Aaron Phangiso, Sibonelo Makhanya, Kyle SimmondsSquad size: 14 (9 South Africans, 5 overseas)
Slots to be filled: 4
Purse available: R6.1 million (USD 327,000 approx)

MI Cape Town

Squad: Dewald Brevis, Kagiso Rabada, Rassie van der Dussen, Delano Potgieter, Ryan Rickelton, George Linde, Beuran Hendricks, Duan Jansen, Grant Roelofsen, Jofra Archer (wild card), Rashid Khan, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Tom Banton, Olly StoneSquad size: 15 (9 South Africans, 6 overseas)
Slots to be filled: 4
Purse available: R5.05 million (USD 271,000 approx)

Paarl Royals

Squad: Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dane Vilas, Bjorn Fortuin, Mitchell Van Buuren, Wihan Lubbe, Ferisco Adams, Codi Yusuf, Evan Jones, Jos Buttler, Obed McCoy, Jason RoySquad size: 15 (12 South Africans, 3 overseas)
Slots to be filled: 3
Purse available: R8.865 million (USD 475,000 approx)

Pretoria Capitals

Squad: Migael Pretorius, Anrich Nortje, Rilee Rossouw, Colin Ingram, Senuran Muthusamy, Wayne Parnell, Theunis de Bruyn, Eathan Bosch, Shane Dadswell, Corbin Bosch, Jimmy Neesham, Adil Rashid, William JacksSquad size: 13 (10 South Africans, 3 overseas)
Slots to be filled: 5
Purse available: R9.737 million (USD 522,000 approx)

Sunrisers Eastern Cape

Squad: Ottniel Baartman, Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs, Sisanda Magala, Simon Harmer, Temba Bavuma, Sarel Erwee, Jordan Hermann, Aya Gqamane, Liam Dawson, Brydon Carse, Dawid Malan, Adam Rossington, Tom Abell, Craig Overton (wild card)Squad size: 16 (10 South Africans, 6 overseas)
Slots to be filled: 3
Purse available: R1.865 million (USD 100,000 approx)

Alex Lees, Keegan Petersen and Ned Eckersley help give Durham solid base

ECB Reporters Network19-May-2022Durham 256 for 5 (Eckersley 57) vs MiddlesexBen Stokes was one of two victims for Luke Hollman on an absorbing opening day of the LV = Insurance County Championship clash between Middlesex and Durham at Lord’s.Two weeks away from leading out England in his first match as Test captain and fresh from hitting 17 sixes against Worcestershire a fortnight ago, Stokes was clearly in the mood to make a statement. But Hollman, who’d been on the receiving of a tousing not once but twice in last week’s draw with Nottinghamshire, took his scalp for just 15 in surely the biggest moment of his young career so far.The legspinner would return figures of 2 for 49 while Toby Roland-Jones took 2 for 40, but Ned Eckersley made an unbeaten 57 against the county of his birth to guide the visitors to 256 for 5 and leave the game delicately poised.For much of the morning Middlesex’s decision to bowl first looked a strange one with the ball barely deviating off gun-barrel straight, meaning Alex Lees, in a dress rehearsal for the first Test, and fellow opener Michael Jones got off to a quick start. Save for one lbw shout and a loose drive that flew wide of second slip Lees looked in good touch in making 44 before, returning for his second spell, Roland-Jones trapped him lbw, though the England man’s reaction suggested he’d hit it.Jones, who’d begun fluently, straight driving Roland-Jones for four and twice sending Ethan Bamber deliveries to the fence, was increasingly becalmed as the home bowlers dried up the runs. Reward came soon after lunch when Jones pushed tentatively at Tim Murtagh and inside edged on to his stumps.Then Hollman took centre-stage, enticing Durham skipper Scott Borthwick to injudiciously cut one too close to him and lose his stumps. That brought Stokes to the crease and he signalled his intent to dominate immediately by reverse sweeping the legspinner to the third man fence.He muscled his way to 15 in the blink of an eye, but Middlesex skipper Peter Handscomb stuck by his bowler and was rewarded for his bravery. Stokes gave Hollman the charge, but the allrounder tossed one a little wider with the result the lofted drive got more height than distance and Roland-Jones gobbled up the catch at deep mid-off.At the other end, South Africa batter Keegan Petersen nudged and deflected his way his way into the 40s almost unnoticed, but two short of 50 his first loose shot saw him slash Roland-Jones into the hands of Josh De Caires at backward point.His departure left Eckersley as the senior batter and the wicketkeeper set about frustrating the hosts. His cover-drive off Roland-Jones just after the second new ball was taken was a candidate for shot of the day and he reached a deserved 50 shortly before stumps. His partner Liam Trevaskis was granted a life on 21 when Sam Robson grassed a difficult chance low to right at second slip, but scare survived he and Eckersley’s sixth-wicket stand had realised 73 by the close.

Visitors lost 5 for 6 in a lower-order collapse, before Bangladesh ended the day with a lead of 218

Debayan Sen05-Feb-2021Stumps On the face of it, 231 runs for the loss of 11 wickets on a third day of a Test would indicate relatively attrition-filled cricket on a rapidly deteriorating pitch. The cricket during the first Test between Bangladesh and West Indies in Chattogram itself was anything but that, and the pitch has played better than the numbers suggest. Mehidy Hasan Miraz precipitated a sensational collapse for West Indies, who lost their last five wickets for six runs inside 23 balls to concede a lead of 171 runs, when once they looked likely to last the whole day and eat substantially into Bangladesh’s 430 posted in the first innings.In response, Kraigg Brathwaite asked Rahkeem Cornwall to share the new ball with Kemar Roach, and the burly offspinner responded by trapping Tamim Iqbal in front for no score with a quicker one, and then lured Najmul Hossain Shanto to nick one to Jermaine Blackwood to slip for a second-ball duck. Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque, though, steadied the ship and took the Bangladesh lead past 200, though the former fell to Shannon Gabriel’s short ball, nicking it to Joshua Da Silva down the leg side to leave the hosts at 33 for 3. Cornwall could have had a third for the day when Mushfiqur Rahim gloved one on to his body and was taken at forward short leg, but West Indies lacked conviction in their appeal and also missed a chance to review, with Rahim on five then.In balance, the first two-thirds of the day belonged to West Indies though Taijul Islam dismissed Nkrumah Bonner off the very first ball of the day, nicking to Shanto at first slip. Debutant Kyle Mayers, who got to 40, could have been dismissed in an identical fashion off the third ball he faced, but his edge appeared to take a little deflection off Liton Das’ pads, as Shanto failed to grab on after getting his fingertips to the ball.Mayers settled down and crunched a couple of pleasing boundaries off Mustafizur Rahman’s first over of the morning – an on drive and a cover drive – to settle West Indies’ nerves. Their captain Brathwaite then brought up his 20th Test fifty with a neat flick off his hips against Islam. Brathwaite and Mayers added 55 in just over 11 overs while dominating the first hour of play, especially with their strokeplay square of the wicket. Brathwaite used his feet cleverly against both Islam and Hasan – who replaced Rahman quite early – and his sashays down the pitch forced the spinners to drop short more often.Rahkeem Cornwall got two wickets for West Indies after Bangladesh took a 171-run lead•BCB

Runs were coming at a fair tick for West Indies, though Mayers was lucky when Bangladesh chose not to review a leg before appeal when Hasan bowled one fuller, and the left-hander had the ball hit pad ahead of bat with a forward press. The replays indicated that the ball would have gone on to hit the top of off stump. Hasan wouldn’t have to wait long for his reward, though, with Brathwaite leaving a length ball that pitched outside off and surprised him with the amount of turn back into him, thus clipping the top of off stump.In his first over of the day, drew Mayers forward, and struck him on the pad after straightening from around the wicket, as the debutant walked away after considering a review. The replays, though, indicated that there may have been bat on the ball before it struck the pad, and a review could have kept Mayers on course for his first fifty.Taking the cue from their colleagues, Blackwood and Da Silva – who scored 68 and 42, respectively – then settled down to frustrate the Bangladesh bowlers for virtually the entire afternoon session. If Da Silva was nimble in his footwork – both pressing forward and playing deep inside his crease to negotiate the spinners – Blackwood was clever at how he defended anything close to the stumps, and pounced on even the slightest lapses in length from the spinners. One such full delivery was driven through covers to bring up his 14th Test fifty.The new ball was taken by Bangladesh after Mustafizur Rahman bowled a couple of overs with the older ball with Das standing up to the stumps, but nothing appeared to be working for Haque, especially with the injury-enforced absence of Shakib Al Hasan. Rahman even earned himself two official warnings for running into the danger area in his follow through, but Bangladesh’s luck turned dramatically as Hasan bounded in to bowl the 93rd over of the innings.The third ball kept a bit low and spun enough to take Da Silva’s edge through to Das, aborting the sixth-wicket partnership at 99. Off the next over, Miraz benefitted from a thin edge down leg side from Blackwood to ring in tea. On resumption, Roach slogged his third ball down deep midwicket’s throat, and when Cornwall missed a drive off his bowling, Miraz looked on course to join Shakib and Sohag Gazi as the only Bangladesh players with a century and a five-for in the same Test.But an injudicious slog across the line from Jomel Warrican off Islam put paid to those hopes, as their collapse denied them an opportunity at reversing the pressure on to the home side. As things stand, with six sessions to play, Bangladesh have the opportunity to bat long enough to set West Indies anything in the vicinity of 350 in the fourth innings; and the time remaining means the hosts can also have a shot at victory.

Joe Denly, Sam Billings join full training session with Premier League club

George Dobell16-Oct-2019England cricketers Joe Denly and Sam Billings joined in a full training session with Crystal Palace FC last week, as the batsmen prepare to travel to New Zealand with the national side for a T20 series and two Test matches.Palace manager Roy Hodgson and right-back Joel Ward also visited Kent County Cricket Club’s indoor Academy after training, with Ward taking on a bowling machine.Both Denly and Billings play for Kent, whose indoor academy facility in Beckenham borders onto the Palace training ground. Denly, who was an integral part of England’s drawn Ashes Series last summer, and Billings, who is Kent captain and an explosive top-order batsman, both have football pedigree with Billings once offered trials at Spurs’ Academy and Denly playing age-group football for Charlton Athletic as a winger.The duo were invited to take part in the Premier League club’s warm-up game of ‘rondos’, where a player is placed in the middle of a group and tasked with intercepting the ball from the outer ring, who are entitled to one touch of the ball only. The pair did enough to impress and were duly invited to take part in most of the the full session led by Hodgson, where they were largely employed to receive long balls from the Palace goalkeepers, before feeding the central midfield players, before attacking play commenced.”We may have passed that [first] test, but I’m not sure we passed when the keeper was pinging it to me,” said Denly. “It makes you realise – I thought I was a decent footballer coming here today – but I go away thinking rather differently!”We play football in the warm-ups, but this is different level. The speed and pace they play the game is phenomenal, it was great to witness.”Billings said: “I enjoyed the session far more than cricket training! It’s great always to see other sports teams train at the top level, there’s always things you can learn from yourself.”The pair were given rare access to Hodgson’s group huddle with the squad, where he outlined his expectations for the upcoming drill. Billings said the manager’s briefing was “very relaxed”.”It was good,” Billings said. “It was exactly how you think it would be. Straight to the point and the detail of what they need to do and get out of it. The lads just crack on.”That’s the similarity with all sports at the top level, the work ethic. He was saying to us that with some of the guys, you need to take down the intensity if you’ve got a game the next day. When we’re training, you can probably put that into some of us as well. It was really interesting. They’re all seriously talented blokes, the speed – and how they move the ball so quickly was the most impressive thing for me.”Hodgson and Ward then walked over to Kent’s indoor net facility, with Hodgson feeding balls to Denly on the bowling machine at around the 78 miles per hour mark – a good 15mph slower than the Australian attack the opening batsman faced during the summer. Denly had a solid season and was tasked with occupying a number of positions in England’s batting line-up, with an undoubted personal highlight his 94 at The Oval in the final Test, which helped secure a drawn Ashes series for the hosts.Hodgson said: “I’m amazed by the courage these guys take – the incredible technique and concentration that they have. I often use cricket as an example to football players – that degree of concentration that they have is nothing compared to the concentration that we have to show – because so many things go on around and protect us. But a cricketer, if you lose concentration for a second your game can be over for a long period of time.”Hodgson recalled that his last game as a cricketer himself was around 1970-71, for Streatham Cricket Club – a club he shared with Palace legend Steve Kember. “I thought I was a batsman, but I wasn’t,” Hodgson joked.Ward strapped the pads on, as well as Denly’s England helmet, with Billings observing his technique whilst feeding the bowling machine. After a few false starts, with Ward poking nervously outside his off stump, Billings ordered: “Just smash it!”That approach appealed to the defender, who proceeded to middle a series of off drives and straight drives. Ward reflected on Billing’s advice: “Just grip it and rip it! It was easier – the tempo of your swing and position you end up, is far better than being defensive and make contact. It’s one of those things, until you’ve faced it – when you’re facing a ball swinging here, or bouncing there – it’s a completely different ball game. The reactions and the speed they can process the ball is phenomenal.”It’s been a good few years since I picked up a cricket bat, so I needed a bit of time to adjust to the ball and the flight. I think I got it towards the end. It was quick. It was only 70-75mph, which isn’t that quick by their standards, but certainly is when you don’t do it on a regular basis – the ball comes at you a lot quicker than you think.”Billings was suitably impressed: “Once he got the hang of it, I just told him to smack it – and he couldn’t miss it after that.”

The West Indies captain expects Bangladesh to bounce back in the second Test after the innings and 219 runs defeat in the first

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-20180:43

Clive Lloyd: Roach is doing a marvellous job

It was the fast bowlers’ opening bursts – in both innings – that paved way to West Indies beating Bangladesh inside three days, according to captain Jason Holder.In the first innings, Kemar Roach reduced Bangladesh to 18 for 5 on the way to 43 all out, and in the second, Shannon Gabriel had them 50 for 6. In fact, Bangladesh were able to last a mere 354 deliveries in the entire Test as they crashed to an-innings-and-219-run defeat.Roach took 5 for 8 in the first innings and was the Man of the Match, while Gabriel continued the good form he had shown in the series against Sri Lanka with 5 for 77 in the second innings. Holder himself and Miguel Cummins, the fourth pacer in West Indies’ attack, took five wickets each in the match.2:31

What’s the big deal about Shannon Gabriel?

“The opening burst by Shannon Gabriel and Kemar Roach set the tone for us, and I was able to come in and get a few wickets at the end, and obviously Miguel Cummins got three wickets in the first innings as well,” Holder said. “It was a clinical performance in the first hour of play and obviously we set it up quite nicely with the bat, led by Kraigg (Brathwaite). A wonderful hundred, I think it’s his seventh Test match century, and well supported by everybody else who chipped in. I think it was a good opportunity for everybody to get a chance in the middle. Only one of our batsmen missed out, that’s Roston (Chase, who made 2). But hopefully in Jamaica, he comes to the party.”Holder said he was looking forward to the second and final Test of the series, starting in Kingston from July 12, and expected Bangladesh to bounce back. “Happy overall with the performance. I felt we bowled and batted well in this Test match. We also supported our bowlers in the field,” he said. “We’re looking forward to the next Test in Jamaica. I expect Bangladesh to come back and come at us pretty hard. It’s just a matter of us being consistent and maintaining the pressure we set on them.”While the West Indies seamers have all been among the wickets, legspinner Devendra Bishoo has had a lean run. Bishoo has been wicketless in West Indies’ last three Tests – two against Sri Lanka and this one against Bangladesh – and also not been thrown the ball very often. He has bowled only 29 overs combined in those three matches, and only seven overs in the last two Tests.”I think we’ve got a really good balance here. I know Devendra Bishoo hasn’t really come into the fore as much as we probably would have expected but I think he has a part to play,” said Holder while remaining noncommittal about the XI for the next match. “It’s just a matter of seeing how the conditions are in Jamaica and then making a decision.”

Mashrafe Mortaza has said that while Mustafizur Rahman’s early success was extraordinary, it should not be expected of him so regularly

Mohammad Isam25-Apr-2017
Mustafizur Rahman needs to work harder if he wants more success as batsmen have begun reading his bowling better. Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza, who made this observation, also said that Mustafizur’s success early in his career was “extraordinary” and urged that he shouldn’t be put under too much pressure.”What he got in the early stage of his career was extraordinary so what is happening to him now is what is supposed to happen to any bowler,” Mashrafe said before Bangladesh’s departure to England for a preparatory camp ahead of their Champions Trophy campaign. “It is unbelievable that he got so many wickets in the first few games of his international career. Now he has to work hard to take wickets. Batsmen are reading him better. Every team has top-quality computer analysts who find out his strengths and weaknesses.”Injuries have also bothered him, and he has just recovered from the latest injury few months ago. He is only 19 or 20 [21]. So with everything in consideration, he is having a tough time off late. So we also shouldn’t put him under pressure. He has already proved that he is Bangladesh’s future. If we can keep him relaxed by not weighing him down with expectations, he can be a wonderful asset for us in the next ten years.”After coming back from a shoulder surgery late last year, Mustafizur was out of sorts in New Zealand and was dropped for the Hyderabad Test in India to allow him more time to recuperate. He bowled well in patches in Sri Lanka, especially in the Test series, but wasn’t at his best in the two completed ODIs and the first T20I.In the second T20I against Sri Lanka, however, he took 4 for 21 but was expensive in his only appearance for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2017, conceding 34 runs in 2.4 overs. He has been benched since then, which has raised concerns over his form and mental state.Mustafizur was scheduled to join the team on Tuesday but will now do so on May 4. Despite his recent patchy form, he remains an important cog in Bangladesh’s pursuit of a strong result in the Champions Trophy. Mashrafe said that the tournament will be a difficult one for the team, as they are placed in the same group as hosts England, Australia and New Zealand.He said that the preparatory camp in Sussex does not guarantee success but will give the players a better understanding of local pitches and overhead conditions.”Realistically, it is going to be a difficult tour,” Mashrafe said. “The Champions Trophy won’t be easy when you look at our opposition. We have defeated England in that condition. We beat Australia in Cardiff once and, although these are history, I think it is still possible. A lot will depend on how we prepare our mentality.”The camp will give us an inkling about the pitches. Weather conditions change quickly in the early part of the English summer. We had a good World Cup after an early camp in Australia in 2015 but the same didn’t pan out in 2016 when we prepared for the New Zealand tour.”One area Mashrafe is concerned about is the team’s fatigue towards the end of a long tour. Given that the Champions Trophy falls in the latter half of their tour, the team will have to devise ways to avoid falling into that mental hole.”This is not the first time we are on such a long tour,” Mashrafe said. “But we do have that problem of becoming fatigued at the end of such tours. History tells us that we have a really bad session after a good one in the latter part of a tour.”Maybe in Australia [during the World Cup] we didn’t feel too bad as we were always in the hunt. Winning in the early stage could help us fight fatigue, which we can start in Ireland. It is important to keep everyone together, in our group of 17-18 players, especially those who won’t go through a good time in the early stages. Keeping them like a family.”Bangladesh will leave for the Sussex camp on April 26. Their tri-nation series, against Ireland and New Zealand, will be played between May 12 and 24, after which they will return to London for the final part of their tour.

The decks have been cleared for Delhi to host matches during the World T20 after the city’s municipal authority agreed to grant an occupancy certificate to the DDCA subject to the fulfillment of certain norms within 20 days

Arun Venugopal09-Feb-2016The decks have been cleared for Delhi to host matches during the World T20 after the city’s municipal authority agreed to grant an occupancy certificate to the DDCA subject to the fulfillment of certain norms within 20 days. The DDCA subsequently withdrew its plea to the Delhi High Court seeking an occupancy certificate for the Feroz Shah Kotla from the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Monday.”We have withdrawn the plea for provisional certificate from the High Court since the SDMC has passed a resolution saying they would give us permanent clearance after we satisfy certain conditions,” DDCA treasurer Ravinder Manchanda told ESPNcricinfo. “We have deposited the security amount of Rs 50 lakh. A conditional NOC will be issued by them tomorrow which will then give us a further time of 10 to 12 days – about a week out of the [stipulated] 20 days has already elapsed – to complete the rest of the work [on the stadium’s maintenance and refurbishment]. There is only minor work pending. We should be able to complete it soon. We have mailed the BCCI to communicate this.”A senior BCCI official said there would be no more hurdles for Delhi to host matches in the World T20 should they produce the requisite clearances. “They have got the NOC now. If they have got the NOC then what stops them [from hosting the World T20]?” the official told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s after all our national capital. They will have to produce the NOC and also give it in writing that they will be able to host the matches. In 20 days they will anyway finish the arrangements. We will communicate this [development] to the ICC by tomorrow.”According to , the Delhi High Court bench had made it clear that if the pending work wasn’t completed no matches would be allowed. “After 20 days, you (DDCA) should not come and say they (SDMC) are illegally withholding the occupancy certificate or say you need any modification in the earlier order. It should not happen,” the bench said. It also said no match could he held under “unsafe circumstances.” The DDCA counsel assured the bench that the work would be completed within 20 days.It is understood that the ICC has been concerned about the lack of clarity on Delhi’s ability to host the World T20 games – the Feroz Shah Kotla has been allotted four men’s and six women’s matches, including two semi-finals. The sale of tickets, too, hasn’t commenced despite BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur’s announcement that it would be launched on February 9. The BCCI official, however, said they would be put for sale from “February 13 or 14”.The BCCI had earlier given DDCA a deadline of January 31 before it was extended to February 8. Thakur was quoted by on Monday as saying “we would wait” when asked if the BCCI would stick to the deadline given to the DDCA.The DDCA has been plagued by several administrative problems, and had recently conveyed its inability to host the second T20 between India and Sri Lanka despite deadlines being extended. There was similar uncertainty surrounding the fourth Test between India and South Africa in December, before the Delhi High Court stepped in to provide interim relief by asking the SDMC to provide provisional clearance to the DDCA.