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Fernando had begun aggressively, as he often does, but then toned his batting down in the middle overs

Andrew Fidel Fernando24-Jul-20212:12

SL series takeaways – ‘They improved every match’

A minor technical change and a more sophisticated approach through the middle overs helped Avishka Fernando finish as highest run-scorer in the series against India. This is what the Player of the third ODI said, after his 76 off 98 balls helped set up Sri Lanka’s second ODI win of the year, as they achieved a target of 227 with three wickets and eight overs to spare.Fernando had begun aggressively, as he often does, hitting 32 off 30 balls during the powerplay, but then toned his batting down in the middle overs, looking for singles and twos in the outfield instead. Although he batted into the 37th over, only one of his boundaries came after the fielding restrictions had been relaxed.”I can usually get runs in the powerplay so I batted my usual way in those overs, but I needed to figure out how I bat from that point onwards,” Fernando said after the match. “As someone who bats at the top, I needed to be able to play those long innings and I wanted to do that in this series. I was able to do what the team needed.”Fernando was part of a crucial 109-run second-wicket stand with Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who for the most part was the aggressor, hitting 12 fours in his 56-ball 65. With Rajapaksa on the attack, and Sri Lanka scoring at well in excess of the required rate, Fernando moved into accumulation mode.”Bhanuka plays his game his way. At that point we didn’t need me to be scoring quickly as well. So I thought I’d give him the strike, because almost every over he would hit a four or a six. I was able to do that and he was batting well. Because we were able to rotate the strike we put on a good partnership.”This was Fernando’s second half-century of the series, having also hit 50 in the second ODI. His series tally of 159 runs (at an average of 53), was 31 runs more than the next batter – Shikhar Dhawan – scored.”I did change a few little things between the England series and this one,” Fernando said. “I had an issue with my front leg going to the offside too much. So I corrected that in training, and then because of that I was able to get back in the runs.”

The fast bowler also explored the possible reasons behind his effectiveness in the second innings

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jun-2020Mohammed Shami thinks India’s depth of pace resources is unprecedented in ‘history’.”You and everyone else in the world will agree to this – that no team has ever had five fast bowlers together as a package,” Shami told the former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta on , a Hindi talk show on ESPNcricinfo. “Not just now; in the history of cricket, this might be the best fast-bowling unit in the world.”Apart from Shami, India’s core Test-match fast-bowling group also includes Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Who bowls with the new ball, Shami said, is often a difficult choice, especially when the first-choice trio of himself, Ishant and Bumrah play together.”We surround Virat Kohli and ask him to make the decision,” Shami said. “But he normally says, ‘don’t get me involved in all this; you decide among yourselves, I don’t have an issue.’ That is the kind of fun we have in our team meetings. I let the other two start. I have no objection to bowling with a semi-new ball.”Since recovering from a career-threatening knee injury, Shami has featured in 27 out of India’s 30 Tests since July 2017. There have been a number of highlights – a match-winning second-innings five-for in Johannesburg in 2018, 16 wickets at 26.18 during India’s maiden Test series win in Australia in 2018-19, and 36 wickets at 18.63 in the ongoing 2019-21 World Test Championship. He has had a tendency to pick up his wickets in bursts – he attributed this to how he approaches bowling in different situations.”If the batsman is set and we haven’t been able to pick up a lot of wickets, we try to bowl a tight line and length by dropping our pace,” he said. “As soon as we get a wicket, you increase your pace by about 8kph. This difference in speed is pretty visible. If the bowler was bowling at around 140kph earlier, after picking up a wicket he gets his rhythm back, picks up the pace and the same ball is now delivered at 145kph.”My mindset while bowling is that if the batsman is playing well, bowl a tight line and length, dry up the runs, and he will surely make a mistake. Once the set batsman is dismissed, I go for the kill as a bowler. That’s why it seems like I bowl in two different ways. The ‘second-innings Shami’ label – that has been created by you guys (the media).”That label has a lot to do with Shami’s contrasting records in the first – 92 wickets at 32.50 – and second – 88 wickets at 21.98 – innings of Test matches. On the 2017-18 tour of South Africa, for example, 12 of his 15 wickets came in the second innings.”I’m not sure, it just happens,” Shami said, when asked about this. “I use the game very smartly in the second innings. Like in the recent match we played in Vizag [Visakhapatnam Test against South Africa] where I got a five-for, the pitch was pretty dead and wasn’t offering any bounce. It wasn’t turning that much either for our spinners to run through the opposition. But once in a while the ball was staying low. Batsmen find it tough to play when there is uneven bounce, so you need to bowl within the stumps. It is important to understand how the pitch is behaving.”Now that we have played enough cricket in various conditions, we are experienced enough to gauge the conditions. You need to use the available conditions smartly. I am usually pumped up in the second innings when everyone else is tired. Everyone has spent three days on the field. Diesel engines take time to pick up compared to petrol ones. I wait patiently for everyone to tire out. You have five days in a Test match. Once everyone is tired, I step up.”Cricketbaazi

Daryl Mitchell reiterates call for new teams to have independent coaching set-ups rather than be run by host counties

Alan Gardner26-Feb-2019Daryl Mitchell, the chairman of the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), has warned that The Hundred, the ECB’s new format slated for introduction next year, needs to be a success or risk having “serious damaging effects for the counties”.Mitchell and David Leatherdale, the PCA chief executive, have also questioned suggestions in recent weeks that the eight new teams – to be based at Lord’s, The Oval, Southampton, Cardiff, Edgbaston, Trent Bridge, Old Trafford and Headingley – could be overseen by coaching staff from their respective host county. “I think as soon as you start controlling two budgets there will be a massive conflict of interest,” Mitchell said.Speaking on the day of the PCA’s AGM at The Oval, where Mitchell was re-elected for a second two-year term as chairman, he described it as “imperative” that everyone in the English game gets behind the new competition, which is “front and centre of everyone’s mind now”. The ECB last week announced near-unanimous agreement from the counties on the playing conditions, and the focus will now turn to settling on the eight team identities, as well as details for the player draft, scheduled to be held in October.However, while it was initially envisaged that squads for The Hundred would be looked after by completely independent coaching structures, it was reported earlier this month that the counties had defeated the ECB on this point. Instead, it could mean that the team based at Lord’s, for example, are in turn managed by Middlesex’s director of cricket, currently Stuart Law, with the potential for significant overlap between county and The Hundred coaching and playing structures.As the head of the players’ union, Mitchell’s first concern is ensuring that all PCA members have a fair chance of winning selection in the draft – rather than county coaches picking their own. But he also suggested that smaller counties agreeing to let the host grounds take control would be equivalent to “signing your own death warrant” due to lost revenue from the ECB’s central pot.”From our point of view, initially it was sold as something completely different and new,” Mitchell said. “If you have a director of cricket in charge of both lists, both sets of players at the same home ground, I think that is inherently not different. I also think as soon as you start controlling two budgets there will be a massive conflict of interest and there will be severe issues.”I’m amazed that the non-host venues that are paired up with these counties would even contemplate letting it happen, to be perfectly honest. I think it’s sort of signing your own death warrant, or making life extra difficult for yourself.”It’s something the PCA and the ECB initially were completely aligned on, I’ve sat on two cricket committee meetings where it’s been passed that it has to be independent, that’s paramount to the integrity of the competition. I sat on the working group, and it was pretty much unanimous there as well, that it needed to be independent people in charge of selecting these teams.”From the players’ point of view, it’s imperative that you have the best 96 players. What you don’t want is to have bias, or even the perception of bias, from people picking their own men, shall we say. This competition, to be a success, needs to have the best 96 players and everyone should have a fair and equal opportunity of being in that, by performances in the T20 Blast or the previous two-three years.”Each of the counties is already guaranteed an extra £1.3m, after agreeing to the ECB’s plans for its new tournament. But with further money set to be allocated depending on the players and staff involved, Mitchell suggested it could lead to a situation where the rich get richer.There are also potential issues with the constitution of the boards to manage each team in The Hundred. While some have multiple representatives – Middlesex, Essex and the MCC will jointly take charge of the Lord’s outfit – the Manchester team currently only has involvement from Lancashire.”The big ground has his director of cricket, I’m sure there’d be a nice little claw-back on his salary,” Mitchell said. “He might employ a coach, he might employ eight or nine of his players, all the percentage of their salaries is going to go back to the big county to spend again, on top of the staging fee that they get. So from a financial point of view, all the big host venues are winning and all the non-host venues are losing severely, I would suggest.”On the possibility of conflicts of interest when managing two supposedly separate squads, Leatherdale referred to the concept of “bundling”, allegedly practised by Perth Scorchers in Australia’s Big Bash League, whereby players could be encouraged to switch counties based on the potential for greater opportunities in The Hundred.”It’s all perception,” Leatherdale said. “You’re trying to create a competition that’s got clear integrity about what you’re trying to do to make it different, and all of a sudden you might have something that … gives the opportunity for someone to say ‘That doesn’t look right’. You’ve got the Andrew Tye situation that happened in Western Australia. He was picked up by Perth Scorchers, didn’t play four-day cricket but had a contract managed by the same people.”That would be the key bit that Daryl said, you want everybody to have the best opportunity to be selected, the best 96, but also that person that’s done very, very well, as opposed to a coach who feels he can pick four or five people that he knows… It’s not a question of integrity, it’s just perception.”In response to Mitchell’s criticisms, an ECB spokesman said: “We have worked closely with the whole game to create a big opportunity for the whole game. The Hundred has already helped cricket in England and Wales to secure powerful partnerships with Sky and BBC, get live cricket on terrestrial TV and attract fresh revenues that will benefit cricket at all levels.”Players are core – it has been important to have the PCA involved, players’ feedback from the pilot days was invaluable and we welcome their ongoing insights. Within the game’s formal governance process, support for the new competition and playing conditions has been overwhelmingly positive and we look forward to developing the competition even further over the next few months.”Tom Harrison, the ECB’s chief executive, has previously described the The Hundred as crucial to the future of the game in England. And while Mitchell, who was encouraged by his involvement in September’s trial events, admitted that “there’s still some to be convinced” among the PCA membership, he said it was now important to get behind the new format.”These decisions have been made. It’s imperative that everyone gets behind it, it needs to be a success – probably for all stakeholders. My concern is the players but from a broadcast point of view, from a supporter’s point of view, it needs to be a success because I think the ramifications if it fails over the next four or five years could be quite serious and have serious damaging effects to the counties.”

Worcestershire’s director of cricket has left the club with immediate effect, in the wake of an internal investigation

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Dec-2017Worcestershire’s director of cricket, Steve Rhodes, has left the club with immediate effect, in the wake of an internal investigation into the circumstances of the arrest of allrounder Alex Hepburn, who was charged with two counts of rape last month.Rhodes, a legend of the club with more than three decades of service as a player and coach, was put on indefinite leave by Worcestershire (and relieved of his duties as head coach of the England Under-19 squad) after it emerged that he had fail to report Hepburn’s arrest in a timely fashion.The club said in a statement: “We thank him for his 33 years as a player, coach and Director of Cricket. We wish him well in the future.”It is alleged that, when Hepburn was first arrested on April 1, he approached Rhodes for assistance. Rhodes agreed not to pass on details of the allegation to the club’s board and, while the investigation continued, Hepburn was selected for the first team (in T20 cricket) and signed a one-year contract extension with the club.Alex Hepburn has been charged with two counts of rape•Getty Images

News that he had subsequently been charged resulted in the matter coming to the attention of the club and the ECB. It is understood they were told on November 9 and 10.Hepburn, who is suspended on full pay, appeared at Worcester Crown Court on December 7, where he was released on unconditional bail until his hearing commences at 9am on January 4.Rhodes, who kept wicket for England in 11 Tests, had been in charge of Worcestershire since 2006, having played for the county from 1985 to 2004.The club will be making no further comment.

Misbah-ul-Haq’s second minor over-rate offence in the last 12 months has resulted in a suspension from the upcoming Hamilton Test against New Zealand

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Nov-2016Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has been given a one-match suspension by the ICC for his side’s slow over rate during the first Test against New Zealand last week, meaning he has to miss the second Test in Hamilton. Misbah, however, was set to miss the Hamilton Test anyway, after returning home on Sunday evening following the death of his father-in-law.While the Pakistan captain was fined 40% of his match fee, the rest of the team was fined 20% after the side was ruled to have been two overs short of its target of 103 overs after time allowances were taken into consideration. Misbah was previously found guilty of a minor over-rate offence during the Oval Test against England in August; this was his second minor over-rate offence in the same format in a period of 12 months, and as per the rules two offences in 12 months equate to fines and a suspension from the immediately subsequent match in the same format.The charge was laid by on-field umpires Ian Gould and S Ravi, third umpire Simon Fry, and fourth official Shaun Haig. He had only briefly taken the field during New Zealand’s chase on the fourth day and was scheduled to leave the country on Sunday evening. He had made scores of 31 and 13 in the Christchurch Test.Misbah had previously missed only one Test since he was appointed captain in 2010: he was unavailable for a 2012 Test in Galle, due to a suspension for slow over-rates.Pakistan are currently trailing 0-1 in the two-Test series after an eight-wicket loss in Christchurch.

New Zealand allrounder Jimmy Neesham has been ruled out of the remainder of the Test series against Australia with a back injury

Brydon Coverdale at the Gabba08-Nov-2015New Zealand allrounder Jimmy Neesham has been ruled out of the remainder of the Test series against Australia with a back injury. Fast bowler Mitchell McClenaghan has been called in and will join the squad ahead of the second Test, which starts in Perth on Friday.Neesham batted for 45 minutes in the second innings of the Test at the Gabba, where the fifth day’s play began with Australia needing seven wickets for victory and wrapped up a win in an extended first session. But Neesham, who missed the tour of England earlier this year with a stress fracture in his back, will fly home after the Brisbane Test for assessment.”Jimmy has worked hard to get back to fitness following his injury earlier this year, but at this stage still experiences discomfort when bowling extended loads,” coach Mike Hesson said. “Jimmy will return to New Zealand for further medical assessment and we’ll continue to monitor his situation. At this stage our number one priority is getting Jimmy fully healthy and ready for the home summer.”Neesham bowled 20 overs in the first Test against Australia and his injury is a further blow to New Zealand, who are already sweating on the fitness of new-ball bowler Tim Southee ahead of the WACA Test. Southee left the field on the second day at the Gabba with an irritated lower disc in his back, and Neil Wagner was called into the squad as cover for him.New Zealand may field a vastly different attack for the Perth Test, with left-arm spinning allrounder Mitchell Santner a strong change to debut in place of Mark Craig, which would allow four fast bowlers to play. Hesson said the uncapped McClenaghan would offer plenty to the group when he joined the squad in Perth.”Mitch has the ability to run in all day, bowl quick spells and has experience on the International stage,” Hesson said. “He’ll bring a lot to the group and is obviously very excited to come and join the squad.”

Nadir Shah, the Bangladesh umpire, has been handed a ten-year ban by the BCB on charges of corruption alleged by a TV sting operation in 2012

Mohammad Isam18-Mar-2013Nadir Shah, the Bangladesh umpire, has been handed a ten-year ban by the BCB on charges of corruption alleged by a TV sting operation in 2012. The decision followed an investigation carried out by the Bangladesh board.Sharfuddoula Saikat, the other umpire who was contacted by reporters posing as agents, was cleared to continue umpiring. Saikat had informed the BCB’s umpires committee at the time of contact with whom he perceived to be agents, but his case had also been kept pending since October last year.”Nadir Shah will not be considered for a BCB retainership for 10 years,” the BCB said in a statement. “During this period he will not be eligible for any assignment under the jurisdiction of the BCB.” He has the right to appeal to the BCB once he is formally informed of the decision.The sting, broadcast by , claimed to have “exposed” several first-class umpires from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan who were allegedly willing to give decisions favouring players for a fee. In the sting, conducted in July and August 2012, the reporters claimed to belong to a sports management company and promised the umpires officiating assignments in events of all kinds around the world, largely domestic Twenty20 leagues.All three national boards announced investigations following the broadcast. The BCB conducted a detailed investigation into the matter, with two committees being formed by subsequent board of directors. A BCB statement said the ICC supported it in the investigation process. The PCB is scheduled to receive the report of its inquiry committee later on Monday, while in Sri Lanka the investigation has not been carried out as yet.ICC chief executive Dave Richardson said the decision reflected the commitment of the ICC and its members to root out corruption from cricket. “This decision also reiterates cricket’s zero-tolerance approach towards corruption and should serve as a reminder to all stakeholders, be they umpires, players, curators or administrators of the risks and challenges the sport faces.”Shah, who officiated in 40 ODIs and three Twenty20 internationals, was the only umpire shown in the sting to have met the undercover reporters in person; the others operated through internet-based video chats. He had said at the time that he went along with the undercover reporters’ plan because he had felt “threatened” by the people, whom he met at a Delhi hotel. He maintained that stand in public though he did admit his mistake to the investigation committee.

A strong all-round performance from England Women led them to their second consecutive win in New Zealand, beating the hosts by 48 runs

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Feb-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAnya Shrubsole celebrates bowling Frances Mackay•Getty Images

A strong all-round performance from England Women led them to their second consecutive win in New Zealand, beating the hosts by 48 runs to go up 2-0 in the five-match series.England were sent in at Seddon Park and their openers laid a strong platform, adding 82 in 8.4 overs. Charlotte Edwards made 33 off 26 balls and the innings’ top-scorer, Laura Marsh, scored 48 off 29 with 11 boundaries. Both of those batsmen fell in quick succession but, from 86 for 2, Sarah Taylor held the rest of the innings together by scoring 45. She was dismissed only in the 20th over and England finished with 166 for 7.Lucy Doolan, who replaced Sian Ruck, took 2 for 30 for New Zealand. Ruck had broken her hand during training in the lead-up to the game and was ruled out of the remainder of the series.Anya Shrubsole continued her strong performance on tour, striking early by dismissing New Zealand opener Frances Mackay in the chase. Suzie Bates and Sarah McGlashan rebuilt the innings from 2 for 1 with a 56-run partnership, but New Zealand began to collapse after they fell to Danni Wyatt and Marsh.Amy Satterthwaite and Bates, who made 37, were out with the score on 89, and New Zealand were dismissed for 118. The last eight wickets had fallen for 29 runs. Wyatt was England’s most successful bowler, taking 3 for 24 in four overs.”It’s been a great start to the series and to go two-nil up is fantastic,” the Player of the Match, Laura Marsh, said. “It was a great track to bat on and I enjoyed being able to put runs on the board with Charlotte. The outfield was quick and the pitch was good, so it was important that we bowled to the right areas to defend our total. It was another great team performance today and we’ll be looking to continue this up in Auckland.”

John Hastings is a giant allrounder who is new on the scene and preparing for a bits-and-pieces role in Australia’s World Cup defence

Peter English31-Jan-2011John Hastings is a giant allrounder who is new on the scene and preparing for a bits-and-pieces role in Australia’s World Cup defence. Hastings contributed with the vital wickets of Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell in the series-sealing victory against England on Sunday to continue his steady rise.That is just the sort of effort the Australians want from him, although they are also hoping for some handy runs from No.8. At Victoria Hastings is seen more as an evenly weighted allrounder, but the national set-up likes him for his clever changes of pace, including the slower bouncer that upset Pietersen on Sunday night.Usually at this time in the World Cup cycle the teams are relying on players who have developed on the international stage over the previous couple of years. Hastings has appeared in only five ODIs and one Twenty20, so he will be learning on the job.”I have played a Champions League [Twenty20] over there and made my international debut over there as well, I love playing in India,” Hastings said before the team left for Sydney to prepare for Wednesday’s sixth ODI. “There’s massive crowds, lots of pressure, that’s what I strive to play for. The wickets are lower and slower so you have to mix your pace up a little bit and that’s why I think I have been brought into this team.”Hastings, 25, stands at 1.95m and is an intimidating presence on and off the field. He hasn’t modelled himself on anyone but rates himself similar to Andrew McDonald, his Victoria team-mate. “He’s a medium pacer with a lot of tricks and slower balls, and bats in the top six,” he said. “My batting is probably not there at the moment, but I’ve got to play my role as best I can.”He was a batsman as a junior in New South Wales but has graduated into an accomplished bowler since switching states. “Batting is there in the background so I’ve got to keep working away at that,” he said. “I can come in at No.8 and contribute, I’ve normally got five to 10 overs to bat.”Australia’s World Cup plans have started to come together during the four wins against England and the one loss in Adelaide. Brett Lee is fit and bowling fast, and the opening combination of Shane Watson and Brad Haddin is beginning to settle.Openers have been a major feature of Australia’s three World Cup wins, with Matthew Hayden dominating in 2007, Adam Gilchrist doing well in 2003 and Mark Waugh succeeding in 1999. Michael Clarke, the stand-in captain, said Watson and Haddin were capable of providing a similar partnership to Hayden and Gilchrist.”Watto and Hadds are a wonderful combination,” he said. “They suit each other because on any given day one of them can go off and the other can play that anchor role. Add Ricky Ponting into that top four and I think we’ve got a pretty good batting order. The subcontinent conditions will really suit Watto and Hadds and the first 10 to 15 overs will be crucial to get off to good starts.”

Waqar Younis, the former Pakistan fast bowler and bowling coach, would be open to the prospect of taking on a broader coaching role with the Pakistan side if he were approached

Osman Samiuddin19-Feb-2010Waqar Younis, the former Pakistan fast bowler and bowling coach, would be open to the prospect of taking on a broader coaching role with the Pakistan side if he were approached. Waqar was bowling and fielding coach with Pakistan during the disastrous trip to Australia, but was appointed for that series only. His immediate future options are open for now, but he has said he would love to coach the senior side on a longer-term basis.Though the Pakistan board has not said so openly, it is acknowledged that they are looking for a new coach to replace Intikhab Alam. Nothing will be officially announced until the inquiry committee set up to look into the Australian tour reaches a conclusion and that has been delayed till after Pakistan returns from a short trip to Dubai, where they play England in two Twenty20s.The PCB has already contacted -and been turned down by – Greg Chappell and senior officials have said they are willing to look abroad as well as locally. The Pakistan post is not a particularly attractive one for a foreigner: an unstable administration and security concerns decree as much, so a local option may well have to be the way forward. Ijaz Ahmed is with the senior side in Dubai as a batting and fielding trainer and his name has also come up, after taking the Under-19 team to a World Cup final.”If offered I would love to take on the role of coach,” Waqar told Cricinfo. “Pakistan cricket remains my absolute passion and number one priority. I don’t want to do it on an appointment or short-term basis though. I’d like to have time to work with the boys, to really be able to plan ahead.”Waqar’s first stint as bowling coach was between March 2006 and January 2007 and though it didn’t end well, his role and contribution was widely acknowledged, especially by bowlers such as Umar Gul and Naved-ul-Hasan. “I enjoyed that stint when I was with [Bob] Woolmer, though I worked with limited resources then and in a limited role,” he said. “It would make more sense to have a broader role and greater authority if I do work with the side again.”Even as the inevitable finger-pointing and blame game swiftly followed the whitewash in Australia Waqar has remained silent, instead quietly handing in his own report of the tour to the inquiry committee. Surprisingly, he wasn’t asked to appear before it, though Intikhab, Aaqib Javed [assistant coach] and Abdur Raquib [team manager] have all been summoned by the committee.”I said what I wanted to say in the report and gave it in” Waqar said. “I just want to help make things better and not point fingers at anyone in particular. We lost the series and my report says why I think we lost. I have given some suggestions as well.”Pakistan plays best when they do with passion, like we used to when we were playing, that aggression and that Pakistani-ness. There was a lot of stuff happening off the field as well in those days, but when it came to matters on the field, we always had that hunger to just go out and play as well as we could for Pakistan.”It is believed Waqar met Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, during a short trip to Pakistan though it is unclear whether possible roles have been discussed. Butt refused to confirm whether a meeting had taken place, saying only that he “meet[s] any number of ex-Test players to take their inputs. I don’t want to comment on something that will only be decided once the committee’s work is concluded.”