All posts by n8rngtd.top

“We don’t have a lot of technically-sound cricketers,” laments Bangladesh captain after thumping loss to West Indies

Mohammad Isam20-Jun-2022Mominul Haque is struggling. He has made nine consecutive single-digit scores in Test cricket, a run of form that has already prompted him to resign as Bangladesh captain, and could very well see him stepping even further back. Following the defeat to West Indies in the first Test in Antigua, Shakib Al Hasan said that if his predecessor needs some time away from cricket to get himself right again, he is more than welcome to do so.”It is tough for me to say, but I speak to him [Mominul] regularly and we will talk again,” Shakib said. “If he thinks he needs a break, it can happen. It is not ideal to take a decision just after a match. We have a break for two days. On our next day of training in St Lucia, we will think about what’s best for the team.”Mominul made 0 and 4 in this game, first edging Jayden Seales to second slip and then falling lbw to Kyle Mayers’ medium pace. What is most concerning is how the left-hander was beaten for pace against both bowlers.Related

• WI pounce on self-defeating Bangladesh's brittle batting

• Bangladesh's fielding is in decline and nobody knows why

Bangladesh have lost their first four wickets for less than 100 runs in all but two of these nine innings. Coupled with Najmul Hossain Shanto’s poor form and Mahmudul Hasan Joy blowing hot and cold, the visitors were blown away by West Indies in Antigua. So should they think about bringing in some new players for the next Test starting Friday?”You cannot guarantee that a lot of changes will be good for the team,” Shakib said. “But if you look at the numbers, we have lost four wickets for less than 100 runs in 12 out of the 16 innings. That is pretty worrying. Only a concerted team effort can get us out of here. I know we can get out of this. We have been here before, so I believe we can come out.”Bangladesh need more runs, especially in the first innings. They began the Antigua Test by losing six wickets in the first session. Bowled out for 103, there was really no way back for them.”We don’t have a lot of technically-sound cricketers,” Shakib, who made fifties in both innings, said. “Everyone has technical problems. But they have to find out ways to score runs, stay at the crease. It has to come from an individual level. But it (coaching) is not my area. It is for the coach to discuss. It will be difficult for me to coach and captain at the same time. It will help me if everyone sticks to their job.”I didn’t have a lot of expectations from this match, but I think we had the ability to do better. We missed that opportunity. We were behind from the first session, which meant we were always recovering in the game.”We couldn’t get our noses in front. That’s the regret. I am happy with the bowlers. We have to improve in our batting and catching. We have to score 100-150 more runs than what we did in the first Test. Most of the batters didn’t make runs in either innings. With our bowling attack, we could have fought harder with some more runs.”

Gambhir, Neesham also echo India captain’s thoughts; Bracewell reckons it wasn’t a bad advertisement for T20s

Deivarayan Muthu30-Jan-20232:57

Jaffer: I don’t think current batters, even Indians, play spin as well as players of my time

India’s stand-in captain Hardik Pandya has described the Lucknow pitch as a “shocker” after his side chased down 100 with just a ball to spare in the second T20I against New Zealand. The Ekana Stadium track offered big turn throughout the game, much like how the Ranchi pitch did in the first T20I on Friday.”To be honest, this was a shocker of a wicket,” Hardik told at the post-match presentation. “Two games… the kind of wickets we played on, I don’t mind difficult wickets. I’m all up for that but these wickets are not made for T20 … Other than that, very happy [with the result].”On Sunday, the spinners bowled 30 out of the 40 overs in a match that produced sixes. It is two more overs than the previous record for most overs bowled by spinners from Full-Member teams in a T20I.Related

• The Hardik Pandya evolution: 'I don't mind coming in and playing the MS Dhoni role'

• Lucknow curator sacked for 'shocker of a pitch' for second India-NZ T20I

• Suryakumar helps India draw level in Lucknow spin-fest

Hardik added that there was so much happening off the surface that the batters had to be quite circumspect. “It wasn’t that it was a slow, turning wicket,” he said. “But actually it was carrying through very well and to be honest, it was a shocker of a wicket. We were just playing the ball and seeing whichever the best opportunity or whichever the best position we can get in and made sure we keep rotating the strike.”

Santner: ‘Was trying to find spinners from everywhere’

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner was surprised by the amount of purchase the spinners got later in the evening. There was so much assistance that he squeezed out four overs from wicketkeeper-turned-part-time offspinner Glenn Phillips. Mark Chapman, also a part-time fingerspinner, pitched in with an over of his own, as New Zealand dragged the game down to the very last over, despite posting just 99 for 8.”It was obviously a great game of cricket,” Santner said, “To get it so close was a pretty good effort from the boys. If we got an extra 10-15 [runs], it could’ve been the difference, but I think the calmness of Hardik and Surya [Suryakumar Yadav] to get them over the line was pretty good. I was trying to find them [spinners] from everywhere. I was asking Lockie [Ferguson] if he could bowl some offspin but yeah I think you don’t often see more than 12 overs of spin out there. I think maybe we bowled 16 or 17, so it’s definitely something different.”

Gambhir, Neesham also critical of Lucknow track

Speaking on , former India batter Gautam Gambhir and New Zealand allrounder James Neesham echoed Hardik’s thoughts on the pitch.”I don’t think the New Zealand batsmen were found wanting,” Neesham said. “I think that was, like GG [Gautam Gambhir] mentioned, a ‘sub-standard’ surface, I don’t think anyone really played the sort of fluent innings through both innings. So, obviously two very high-quality spin-bowling attacks, but when a good number of people turn up at the ground to watch and want to be entertained, it’s a bit of shame but the silver lining was it ended up being a bit of a low-scoring thriller.”1:43

Mhambrey: ‘It looked like a challenging pitch, happy we controlled the game’

Bracewell: ‘A variety of wickets around the world is a positive thing’

Michael Bracewell, who picked up 1 for 13 in his four overs, wasn’t as critical of the Lucknow track, and reckoned that it wasn’t necessarily a bad advertisement for T20 cricket.”No, I think it was cool to play on a different wicket, and as I said earlier, it’s one of those ones where if you play on a wicket like that all the time or if you or if you play on a wicket that’s flat all the time, then you don’t get a true test of your skill,” Bracewell said at his post-match press conference. “So, I think a variety of wickets around the world is a positive thing and India were just too good today on a wicket that probably suited their style of play and obviously growing up playing in those conditions as well. So, it’s one of those ones where you expect different wickets around the world and we can’t complain; it’s exciting to try and figure out a way to play on these wickets.”

Mhambrey: ‘You have to ask curator about behaviour of pitch’

India’s bowling coach Paras Mhambrey also spoke of the challenges posed by the Ekana Stadium surface, and praised his four-man spin attack, which was bolstered by the return of legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal.”Firstly when we saw the wicket, we realised that it was on the drier side,” Mhambrey said at his post-match press conference. “Obviously, there was a little bit of grass covering in the middle, but there was no grass at both the ends. So, when we came yesterday, it looked like it would turn. We realised that it would be a challenging wicket. The reason [why the pitch behaved like that]… you have to ask the curator.”Was it time? or I don’t know and I think he’s the right person to answer that question. But yeah definitely it was challenging. We knew that it would be a big challenge and luckily happy with the way we controlled the game. I think we allowed 100 runs and anything beyond 120-130, I thought it would have been more challenging but we did well to restrict them to 99 and give us a reasonable target to chase.”

Kiran Carlson, Chris Cooke add fifties as Cheltenham sees 432 runs, five wickets in the day

ECB Reporters NetworkBilly Root fell two short of a century as Glamorgan blitzed their way to maximum batting points on the second day of the LV= County Championship match with Gloucestershire at Cheltenham.Kiran Carlson (76), Root (98) and Chris Cooke (86 not out) smacked 41 fours and two sixes between them to help the visitors extend their first innings from an overnight 152 for 2 to 450 for 6 declared on the fast-scoring College Ground.Paul van Meekeren was the pick of a Gloucestershire attack, who found it hard to extract any help from the true batting surface. The Dutch seamer’s figures of 3 for 92 from 21 overs were reward for sustaining impressive pace on his first Championship appearance for the hosts.By the close, Gloucestershire had moved to 134 for 1 in their second innings, Chris Dent leading the way with 61 not out. With bad weather forecast tomorrow, the match already seems to be heading for a high-scoring draw.The day began well for the home side. With only a run added to the Glamorgan total, Colin Ingram edged the fourth ball of van Meekeren’s opening over to first slip where Ben Charlesworth took a waist-high catch.The lively van Meekeren struck again in the seventh over of the morning, squeezing a delivery through Sam Northeast’s defence to bowl him for 28. At 183 for 4, Glamorgan were in danger of undoing their first-day efforts with the bat.But Root had other ideas, getting off the mark with a sumptuous square driven four off van Meekeren. Soon Carlson was square cutting the same bowler for four before bringing the 200 up with a boundary through extra cover off Dom Goodman.It took the pair just 17 overs to complete a century stand, Carlson reaching a run-a-ball fifty with a lofted shot that almost saw him caught at mid-on off Josh Shaw. The partnership was worth 113 when he pulled van Meekeren to square leg where Dent took a smart low catch.Root also reached an entertaining half-century, off 63 balls, before lunch, which was taken at 311 for 5. Glamorgan had added 159 runs a session prolonged by ten minutes to help make up for overs lost to rain on day one.Cooke had also begun to enjoy himself on a pitch offering consistent bounce and a quick outfield providing full value for shots. He and Root put together a 50-stand in 69 balls before the second new ball was taken at 361 for five.On 29, Cooke appeared to survive a chance to Ollie Price at second slip off Tom Price, but it was a rare moment of alarm as he and Root progressed their partnership into three figures with a succession of well-timed strokes.Root had struck 14 fours and a six during a fluent innings when, on the verge of what would have been his eighth first-class ton, he edged left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar to Ollie Price at slip.Cooke had moved imperiously to fifty off 73 balls and was still there when a fifth batting point was secured, having taken his boundary count to 15 fours and a six. The declaration came immediately and by tea Gloucestershire had replied with 15 for no wicket.The final session saw runs continue to flow, this time for the home side. Dent and Charlesworth had put together an opening stand of 39 when the latter was bowled off an inside edge by leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson for 15.It was a first and last success of the day for the Glamorgan bowlers as Dent moved to a comfortable half-century off 113 balls, with seven fours, finding an equally assured partner in Ollie Price, who was unbeaten on 49 at stumps, having hit eight elegant boundaries.A decent sized Festival crowd, including a host of past players from around the counties attending a Professional Cricketers’ Association lunch, had witnessed 432 runs and only five wickets in the extended day’s play.

Middlesex seamer tears knee cartilage during practice, faces lengthy lay-off

ESPNcricinfo staff06-May-2021Toby Roland-Jones, the Middlesex seamer, faces another lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a knee cartilage tear while training on Tuesday ahead of his side’s LV= County Championship clash with Gloucestershire at Lord’s.Roland-Jones, who has endured a horrific run of misfortune since breaking into the England Test squad in the 2017 home summer, is set to undergo surgery on Thursday, where the full extent of the injury will be ascertained.Peter Waxman, Middlesex’s Head of Science and Medicine, said: “Toby twisted his right knee in warm-ups on Tuesday sustaining a cartilage tear, which is due to be surgically repaired today.”He is having keyhole surgery to ascertain the full extent of the injury and to repair the damage. His precise recovery time will be dictated by the exact nature of the injury and the procedure that is performed. He is expected to be unfit to play for a lengthy period of time.”Related

• TRJ means business again – but don't mention England just yet

• M'sex seamers combine for stunning rout as Surrey lose London pride

• Roland-Jones takes five, Middlesex recover from nightmare first day

It is a grievous set-back for Roland-Jones, 33, who had started the season well for Middlesex, claiming 13 wickets at 18.23 in three fixtures, having fought back from a series of injuries, including a stress fracture of the back that ruled him out of the 2018 season and a shoulder injury that kept him out of last summer’s Bob Willis Trophy.Speaking to ESPNcricinfo prior to the start of the season, Roland-Jones outlined the efforts he had made to get himself back to full fitness for the the 2021 season, with Stuart Law, Middlesex’s head coach, acknowledging that his bowler had been looking “super-fit” having “changed his body shape”.”Given the disappointment of those recent seasons, my focus this year has been on a long-term goal,” Roland-Jones said, “making changes from a physical standpoint as well as a bowling standpoint, to set things up for one, two, three summers, rather than hoping to get through three games back-to-back.””This is horrible news for Toby,” Law added. “He is having no luck with injury at all. It is really unfortunate to lose a player of Toby’s ability and presence both on and off the field. We hope the post-surgery news is positive but his absence does create opportunities for other players to shine. We all wish him a speedy recovery.”

Rain once again on the radar as South Africa and Zimbabwe brace for their Super 12s opener

Firdose Moonda23-Oct-2022

Big picture

It doesn’t have quite the same hype as the Trans-Tasman or subcontinent derbies, but the meeting of two southern African neighbours has all the makings of a classic match-up.There’s an obvious favourite: South Africa, who have never lost a T20I to Zimbabwe and only been defeated by them in two ODIs. One of those was at the 1999 ODI World Cup, where the result had a direct bearing on South Africa’s opponents in the semi-final, and we all know what happened there. So, Zimbabwe have some claim to being noisy neighbours, determined to cause an upset, even if their last decade has been quiet.Related

• Sikandar Raza and Zimbabwe bury ghosts of Harare 2018

• How Zimbabwe prospered by practising less, not more

• Temba Bavuma battling a sea of uncontrollables

• Boucher unveiled as new Mumbai Indians head coach

They haven’t appeared at an ICC event in six years and have not made it to what we can call “the main section” of a T20 World Cup since 2012, before a first round was introduced. In that time, they’ve gone through administrative crises that only South Africa can rival. Zimbabwe Cricket was temporarily suspended from the ICC and so could not compete in qualification for the 2021 T20 World Cup.Cricket South Africa have previously been banned by their sports minister from bidding for or hosting major events as punishment for the slow pace of transformation and had a board directive to collectively take a knee imposed on them at last year’s tournament.The T20 World Cup presents an opportunity for both teams to demonstrate a turning of the page, so to speak. For South Africa, it’s their last event under coach Mark Boucher, who will leave to take charge of Mumbai Indians, and therefore a culmination of his work with the squad. Anything less than advancement to the knockouts will not be received well at home.For Zimbabwe, it’s their first major tournament under coach Dave Houghton, who has brought back the element of fun and given the players freedom to play without fearing the consequences of making mistakes. He has tasked them with “doing some damage,” in the Super 12s, while being realistic of their chances of progression to the knockouts. For both teams the journey starts here where South Africa have everything to lose but Zimbabwe, everything to gain.Will Wayne Parnell keep his place in the side?•BCCI

Form guide

(Last five completed matches; most recent first)
South Africa WLLWW
Zimbabwe WLWWL

In the spotlight

There’s no one under more scrutiny in the South Africa XI than their captain Temba Bavuma , who has scored just 11 runs in four international innings since returning from an elbow injury that sidelined him for three months. Bavuma is also coming off an illness that kept him out of South Africa’s last two ODIs in India and the warm-up match against New Zealand, and he has only just returned a clean bill of health. He doesn’t have much time to find his feet with the spotlight firmly on his strike rate and Reeza Hendricks’ recent form breathing down his neck. Bavuma has had a difficult 2022, with only 64 runs in seven T20I innings and will know that has to change if South Africa’s campaign are to have a successful campaign.Sikandar Raza has carried Zimbabwe over the last few months•ICC/Getty Images

Sikandar Raza has emerged as a superstar and now he has an opportunity to do it against some of the best teams in the world. This year, Raza has scored 652 T20I runs at an average of 40.75, including five fifties, and taken 20 wickets at 17.35. He has single-handedly carried Zimbabwe over the line in tough situations and could use the tournament as a shop window for a T20 franchise deal. His coach, Houghton said he hopes, “a lot of people around the world in franchise tournaments are looking because he’s a fantastic T20 cricketer.” IPL, SA20, ILT20 – are you watching?

Team news

Bavuma promised “no surprises” in South Africa’s team, especially in their batting line-up, which means it’s likely they will go in without Hendricks, despite his hot streak earlier in the year, and a top three of Quinton de Kock, Bavuma and Rilee Rossouw. They will have to make a decision over which of Heinrich Klaasen or Tristan Stubbs will be preferred in the middle-order and whether Wayne Parnell will continue to hold the allrounder’s berth or if Marco Jansen gets in ahead of him. The first-choice seamers should all be deployed, with room for only one spinner.South Africa: : (possible) 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Temba Bavuma (capt), 3 Rilee Rossouw 4 Aiden Markram, 5 David Miller, 6 Heinrich Klaasen/Tristan Stubbs 7 Wayne Parnell, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Anrich Nortje 10 Lungi Ngidi, 11 Kagiso Rabada.Regis Chakabva’s form (scores of 0, 13 and 4 from the opening round) could be a concern for Zimbabwe, but his experience is likely to see him keep his place in the Super 12s opener. Zimbabwe have not found room for left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza yet and, with Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams and Ryan Burl at their disposal, he may continue to sit out. Tendai Chatara, Richard Ngarava, Luke Jongwe and Blessing Muzarabani give them a four-pronged pace pack.Zimbabwe: (possible) 1 Regis Chakabva (wk), 2 Craig Ervine (capt), 3 Wessly Madhevere, 4 Sean Williams, 5 Sikandar Raza, 6 Milton Shumba, 7 Ryan Burl, 8 Luke Jongwe, 9 Tendai Chatara, 10 Richard Ngarava, 11 Blessing Muzarabani.

Pitch and conditions

From the first round of matches, teams could tell that it was difficult to score off the new ball at the Bellerive Oval and bowlers benefitted from employing hard lengths upfront. There’s something for the seamers and spinners, and scores of around 160 are fairly competitive at this venue. But that’s only if a full 20 overs are possible. It’s cold and rainy in Hobart for most of this week, which does not bode well for the late match on Monday. The rain forecast of 20% through most of the day increases to 70% by 5pm and 80% by 8pm and the chances of a reduced match are in the offing.

Stats and trivia

• Zimbabwe have never beaten South Africa in a T20I. They have played five matches against them, and lost them all, most recently in 2018. These two teams have also never met at a T20 World Cup.
• Luke Jongwe is two away from fifty T20I wickets.

Quotes

“As a South African, I’m obviously happy that a fellow African country has made it through from the qualifiers. They’ve had a few good performances. We are excited and looking forward to the clash against them. They are definitely not a side to be taken lightly.”
“The mood in the camp is very upbeat. Everybody’s very excited for what lies ahead for us. But we know that it is a quick turnaround, and we’ve got South Africa here in Hobart tomorrow, which is going to be a tough start to the Super 12s for us, but everyone is really looking forward to it. I think just looking forward to these new challenges up ahead.”

Sri Lanka two wickets down after being made to follow-on, but Mendis and Mathews steady

Madushka Balasuriya19-Mar-2023New Zealand’s bowlers propelled their side to the brink of a 2-0 series whitewash over Sri Lanka, picking up ten wickets on the third day, forcing a follow-on and leaving the visitors still 303 runs behind with eight wickets and two days of cricket still to go.At the crease for the visitors were Kusal Mendis, unbeaten on 50, and Angelo Mathews on 1 – the pair that had so memorably saved a Test at the same ground back in 2018. Back then they had batted out the entirety of the fourth day before rain intervened on the fifth to help secure the draw, and Sri Lanka will certainly be hoping history repeats itself – with rain forecast over the coming days.But even the help of the weather gods might not be enough if Sri Lanka repeat their poor batting display from the third day.While credit must go to New Zealand’s bowlers for sticking to their plans diligently and maximising the conditions on offer, Sri Lanka’s batters were undoubtedly guilty of far too often failing to put a price on their wickets.While the nightwatcher Prabath Jayasuriya received a delivery he was far too ill-equipped to deal with, one that pitched on a length and seamed away taking his edge in the process, Mathews could have no such excuse, edging a similar – but wider – delivery when fending outside off. This left Sri Lanka four down for 34 with barely an hour played in the morning.But that setback would be followed by a solid period of consolidation between Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal, with the Sri Lakna captain, in particular, looking in good touch. He was patient with deliveries outside off, but not averse to punishing any that were overpitched. Together the pair would put on 80 for the fifth wicket, and the hope heading into lunch was that they could continue to make steady progress having already got in.What followed though was Sri Lanka’s most inexcusable period of the entire series, losing their final six wickets for just 55 runs in the period between lunch and tea.Michael Bracewell picked three wickets in the first innings•Getty Images

It was Chandimal that would trigger the capitulation. Having swept Michael Bracewell, who was finding some extra turn and bounce for his offbreaks, for four, Chandimal would charge him just a delivery later only to have the ball turn through bat and pad and offer Tom Blundell a straightforward stumping. A brain fade at the most ill-advised moment.This was followed by Dhananjaya de Silva coming down the track and chipping an easy catch straight to short midwicket – put in place for precisely such a stroke – shortly after.At 116 for 6, this would see Nishan Madushka, the debutant, enter. He would string together a 40-run stand with Karunaratne at the other end, who was continuing unfazed despite the chaos around him. In this period, Madushka even produced some stellar stroke play, especially when driving through the offside. But eventually he too would fall, courtesy of the extra bounce the pitch was more consistently producing, edging through to second slip.After Kasun Rajitha was run out, Karunaratne’s patience would finally wear thin, uncharacteristically looking to beat the man in the deep, and holing out at long-off for a 188-ball 89. Last man Asitha Fernando would not last much longer either, as Sri Lanka were bowled out 164, with Matt Henry and Bracewell taking three wickets apiece.With a 416-run lead, Tim Southee then had little hesitation in enforcing the follow-on, and back out came Karunaratne for his second essay a little over 10 minutes after he had been dismissed.Sri Lanka’s second effort with the bat definitely fared better, but two wickets lost against the run of play may still come to haunt them.Oshada Fernando, who’s had a tour to forget, ended up flicking one off his hips straight to square leg, but the wicket that will hurt the most is that of Karunaratne’s.Having struck at a rate of 47.34 in the first innings, Karunaratne’s second outing ticked along at 61.44, showing a more proactive streak and an inclination to take on the New Zealand bowlers. Alongside a similarly positive Mendis, the pair frequently took on a splattering of short stuff served up by the seamers on an increasingly bouncy track.It would be the relative comfort with which they handle pulling and cutting however that will likely grate Karunaratne as he looks back on his dismissal this evening, as it was an umpteenth short ball that he wound up top edging to deep midwicket. It having come after reaching his second fifty of the day would only have been salt in the wounds.Mercifully for Sri Lanka, they would lose no further wickets, with Mathews especially happy to shut up shop during his 40-ball knock for just a solitary run, but the visitors will know they’ll need to do much better if they’re to survive the next two sessions, let alone the next two days.

John Simpson, Joe Cracknell set up victory with 91-run stand in low-scoring affair

ECB Reporters Network19-Jun-2022Middlesex 143 for 3 (Simpson 46, Cracknell 43*) beat Kent 141 for 9 (Green 2-18) by seven wicketsJoe Cracknell and John Simpson put together a shrewd partnership of 91 as Middlesex snapped their six-match Vitality Blast losing streak, defeating South Group stragglers Kent Spitfires by seven wickets.Cracknell, with an unbeaten 43 from 37 balls, and Simpson (46 from 35) shared the only sizeable stand of a low-scoring game to set up Middlesex’s triumph with 15 deliveries to spare.Defending champions Kent, who languish at the foot of the table, limped to 141 for 9 after opting to bat, stifled during the middle overs by Middlesex’s spin trio of Chris Green, Thilan Walallawita and Luke Hollman.Although the Spitfires gained a glimmer of hope with two wickets in quick succession, the third-wicket pair batted sensibly to extinguish that and keep Middlesex’s faint hopes of qualification alive.Joe Denly, whose century had underpinned the Spitfires’ first success of the tournament when the sides met at Canterbury, lasted only 10 deliveries before he was caught behind swishing at Tom Helm.Opening partner Zak Crawley – returning to the side in between his England Test duties – soon followed, attempting to hook Martin Andersson and Simpson judged the skier perfectly.Questionable shot selection, combined with tidy bowling by the Middlesex spinners, meant wickets continued to fall regularly, although for a while it seemed Sam Billings might steer Kent out of trouble.The skipper survived a series of close calls – including two catches that fell fractionally short of the fielder and Andersson’s shy at the stumps as he changed his mind over an audacious single – to make 29.However, Billings perished reverse-sweeping Hollman into the hands of point and it wasn’t until the 17th over that Kent registered the only six of their innings as Jack Leaning clipped Jason Behrendorff into the Mound Stand.Despite Leaning’s effort of 20 from 14, the visitors’ total looked unlikely to be enough and Middlesex made a steady start in reply, with Stephen Eskinazi and Max Holden putting on 42 from 28.Eskinazi had just swung Fred Klaassen for his second six when he attempted to repeat the shot and top-edged to deep midwicket, but the captain’s departure appeared to reduce the flow of runs to a trickle.Spin duo George Linde and Qais Ahmad rattled through six consecutive post-powerplay overs, all of them without conceding a boundary as Cracknell and Simpson concentrated on avoiding risks and collecting singles.Once the seamers returned, Cracknell cast off the shackles, pulling Klaassen over the fence and then cutting him square for four more as Middlesex began to accelerate towards the target.Simpson swatted Klaassen for six to bring his side within four but, although the seamer took his revenge by trapping him leg before, Jack Davies squirted his first ball to the rope, sealing a rare victory.

“You are not playing that much cricket to be injured again and again. You can’t play four matches on the trot”

Nagraj Gollapudi12-Apr-20237:14

Shastri: ‘Make sure you get fit and come once and for all’

Ravi Shastri feels the frequent and recurring injuries to senior Indian bowlers is “unreal”, “ridiculous” and “frustrating”.Shastri’s comments came while discussing the latest injury to Deepak Chahar, who bowled just one over before pulling out of Chennai Super Kings’ IPL match against Mumbai Indians after picking up a left hamstring injury.”Let’s put it this way: there are quite a few in the last three or four years who are permanent residents of the NCA,” Shastri said on ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time:Out show ahead of Super Kings’s home match against Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday. “Soon, they’ll get a resident permit there to walk in any time they want, which is not a good thing at all. It’s unreal.”Related

• MS Dhoni on injury list with CSK 'operating on pretty thin resources'

• Deepak Chahar to undergo scans to determine extent of hamstring injury

• Deepak Chahar on returning from big injuries: 'Mentally it's very tough'

• Bumrah undergoes back surgery in New Zealand

This was the second time in the last five months Chahar has had to leave a game without finishing his four overs because of hamstring problems. In the second ODI against Bangladesh in Mirpur last December, Chahar pulled out after bowling three overs. He then returned to the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, his base for the majority of 2022 after he suffered a Grade 3 quadricep tear last February.A stiff back, which was diagnosed as a stress fracture, then delayed his comeback, frustrating both Chahar and the Indian team management, leading to Rohit Sharma saying that the team “can’t afford guys coming in here half-fit and representing the country”.Chahar is not the only Indian quick to have been sidelined for long periods because of recurring injuries: Jasprit Bumrah, Navdeep Saini, Kuldip Sen, Mohsin Khan and Yash Dayal have all been out of action for varying stretches of late. Bumrah, in fact, attempted a comeback more than once after his back injury before eventually undergoing surgery recently.Shastri said that what bothered him the most was that most of these players’ workloads were not too big and despite being declared fit by the NCA medical team, they were still picking up injuries.”Make sure you get fit and come once and for all, because it’s damn frustrating”•BCCI

“Come on, you’re not playing that much cricket to be injured again and again,” Shastri said. “I mean, you can’t play four matches on the trot. What are you going to the NCA for? If you are going to come back and then three matches [later] you’re back there. So make sure you get fit and come once and for all because it’s damn frustrating. Not just for the team, the players, the BCCI, the captains of the various [IPL] franchises. It’s annoying, to say the least.”I can understand a serious injury, but every four games when someone touches his hamstring or someone touches his groin, you start thinking what are these guys… what are they training, what’s going on. And some of them don’t play any other cricket in the year. It’s just four overs [in the IPL], man, three hours. The game is over.”A day after the Mumbai Indians match, Super Kings said in a media statement that Chahar would undergo further scans before a call is taken on his participation in the remainder of the IPL.Chahar himself had said recently that it was never easy to come back from a major injury. In February, in a chat with PTI, he had declared himself “fully fit” and ready for the IPL. “I had two big injures. One was a stress fracture and one was a quad grade 3 tear. They are both very big injuries. You are out for months,” he had said. “Anyone who comes back after the injury, it takes time, especially for the fast bowlers.”

Late Porter wicket cements another forceful display from table-toppers

ECB Reporters Network20-Apr-2024Tom Westley kick-started his season with an innings that helped underpin Essex’s commanding position against Lancashire in the Vitality County Championship at Chelmsford.The Essex captain chalked up 1,130 runs last season but had contributed just 56 in four innings this time around. However, his fluent 81 from 138 balls signalled a personal return to form and helped Essex construct a 231 first-innings lead against ailing Lancashire. By close of play Lancashire had lost captain Keaton Jennings while crawling to 10-1 in 10 evening overs as they battled to avoid an innings defeat.In a throwback to earlier times, there was a Cook scoring runs near the top of the Essex order, though this was the unlikely figures of Sam rather than Sir Alastair. The nightwatchman hung around for nearly two and a half hours and 126 balls for a highest first-class score that marooned him one run short of a maiden fifty.Essex had overhauled Lancashire’s first-innings total inside 36 overs for the loss of the overnight wicket of Feroze Khushi, who had laid the foundations with a half-century at a strike-rate of 160. Elgar and Cook were more circumspect, though their impact was just as demoralising for the flagging fielding side as they put on 120 in 36 overs.Cook pulled George Balderson for one consummate boundary while Elgar also pulled Balderson to the ropes and followed next ball with an angled glide to third man for another of his 10 fours.Lancashire did not help themselves when just after he had brought up the century partnership in 187 balls, Cook was dropped at third slip by George Bell on 44. He went to lunch on 49 and was back in the pavilion promptly afterwards, caught first ball at slip misdriving outside off-stump against Balderson.Elgar passed 17,000 first-class career runs during his three-and-three-quarter-hour stay, but was eventually out caught behind when wafting at Will Williams on 79, his third 50-plus score in five innings for his new county.There was no let-up with Elgar’s departure. Westley and Jordan Cox settled into a steady rhythm, Westley characteristically strong off his legs and Cox helping on its way to the boundary a Lyon ball that drifted down legside.Their partnership was worth 57 when Cox dragged Jack Blatherwick tamely to short midwicket. Matt Critchley, centurion against Kent last week, came and went quickly, Lyon finding one to turn sharply and catch the angled bat on its way into slip’s hands.The introduction of Luke Wells’s spin just before tea resulted in a flurry of scoring, his only over in the spell conceding 17 runs. Westley whipped a delivery through the covers to reach his fifty and then Michael Pepper twice lofted over long-on for a combined total of 10 runs.Pepper treated Bailey and the new ball with similar distain, hooking a six to fine leg and then driving through midwicket along the ground. But he played down the wrong line to Williams in the next over and was caught in the slips for 30 from 31 balls.Noah Thain played attractively on his first-class debut for 24 from 50 balls before being undone by one that kept low from Balderson and disturbed his middle and off stumps. Four overs later, Westley was also the victim of another low delivery from Lyon that beat his mistimed swish and hit his protruding front pad.The innings was wrapped up in the space of eight balls when Wells trapped both Shane Snater and Simon Harmer.Lancashire’s reply faltered when Jennings, a century-maker against Hampshire last week, went for his second single-figure score in the match, lbw misjudging a delivery from Jamie Porter. Nightwatchman Williams might have gone first ball but Harmer put down a routine chance at second slip.

He will call curtains on a legendary career at the ground where it all began for him 21 years ago

Vithushan Ehantharajah11-May-202411:21

James Anderson ‘England’s greatest ever bowler’

James Anderson has announced he will retire from international cricket after England’s first Test of the summer at Lord’s, against West Indies, bringing the curtain down on a legendary career where it all began 21 years ago.Anderson, who turns 42 in July, made his Test debut at Lord’s in 2003 against Zimbabwe. He has gone on to take 700 wickets – the most by any pace bowler in Test history. His eventual tally of 188 caps will be the second most in Test history, with just Sachin Tendulkar ahead of him on 200.In a personal statement released on Instagram, Anderson confirmed he would represent England one last time, although speaking later to the BBC’s Tailenders podcast, he did not rule out the possibility of extending his playing career with Lancashire.”Hi everyone. Just a note to say that the first Test of the summer at Lord’s will be my last Test,” Anderson wrote on Instagram.”It’s been an incredible 20 years representing my country, playing the game I’ve loved since I was a kid. I’m going to miss walking out for England so much. But I know the time is right to step aside and let others realise their dreams just like I got to, because there is no greater feeling.””I couldn’t have done it without the love and support of Daniella, Lola, Ruby and my parents. A huge thank you to them. Also, thank you to the players and coaches who have made this the best job in the world.”I’m excited for the new challenges that lie ahead, as well as filling my days with even more golf.”Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years, it’s always meant a lot, even if my face often doesn’t show it.”See you at the Test,”Go well”Jimmy x”Anderson had previously harboured ambitions to play England’s six Tests this summer against West Indies and Sri Lanka and even refused to rule out being around for the 2025-26 Ashes, by which point he would be 43. However, following a face-to-face meeting on the golf course with Test head coach Brendon McCullum in April, and further conversations involving managing director Rob Key, Anderson was informed the team needed to look beyond him this summer with a view to building to that tour of Australia.The news of that meeting, initially reported in on Friday, ultimately brought confirmation from Anderson 24 hours later. He was due to feature as part of the BBC’s live coverage of England Women’s first match of the summer against Pakistan at Edgbaston on Saturday but has subsequently pulled out.James Anderson is set to finish his career with 188 Tests to his name•Getty Images

Speaking to Tailenders, Anderson confirmed that his discussions with McCullum had come up as part of his annual appraisal, at the six-month mark of his one-year contract.”I feel like I have talked about it for ten years with every coach I have had, asking ‘how long you going to play for’,” Anderson said. “Looking ahead, could a 43-year-old me make the Ashes in 18 months time? I sort of came to the decision ‘probably not’. From my point of view it feels like a stretch at this point in my career, and from their point of view there are 15 or so Tests before the Ashes so it gives them time to get other guys Tests and experience before that Ashes series.”I feel good about it, I have had an amazing career. Stuff about retirement has been hanging around for years now, ever since I turned 30 and grown even more since I turned 40. I just feel really lucky that I have managed to get to this stage, still playing at this very high level.”Anderson reached the 700 Test-wicket mark earlier this year in the fifth and final Test of England’s tour of India. Though he has long been the lynchpin of the English attack, he bowled just 110 overs in seven innings in that series after a tough Ashes campaign last summer in which he took just five wickets at 85.40 in four Tests. Anderson is currently on a one-year central contract which expires at the end of the summer.Regarding his county career, however, Anderson admitted he was “not 100% set” on hanging up his boots, and could yet feature in the latter half of Lancashire’s Championship campaign.”There are games at the end of the season that I’m not ruling out at this moment,” he said. “That’s a conversation I’ve got to have with Lancashire and see what they want to do.”It is part of the thought process. I’m not 100% set on what I’m going to do next. That will be a conversation further down the line with Lancashire and see what they want to do, see if I’ve actually got the desire and willingness to do that as well. Again, that will be later in the year.”In a statement released by the ECB alongside Anderson’s, chair Richard Thompson said:”I don’t think we’ll ever see a bowler to match Jimmy again. It has been an honour as an England fan to watch him, and to marvel at his skill with the ball.”To still be bowling at the top of his game at 41 is remarkable, and he is a true inspiration and role model for peers and younger generations alike.”His final Test promises to be an emotional one, and having been there for his first Test in 2003, it will be an honour to watch his final one at Lord’s in July.”English cricket owes Jimmy Anderson a send-off like no other.”