The numbers in Nagpur, and South Africa’s overall performance in this tour of India, will do your head in

Andy Zaltzman04-Dec-2015″Mr Zaltzman, do come in.” Dr Schlurpens, five-time sport-watching psychologist of the year, ushered me into his office. I settled into the padded chair, so familiar from my years of visiting a man who has set new standards in helping sports fans come to terms with the demands of following the unceasing deluge of 21st-century sport.”So, Mr Zaltzman,” he said, as day two of the Delhi Test played out on one of the 25 big screens on his special wall. “How has the 2015-16 Test match season been for you so far?””I won’t lie to you, Doc,” I replied, as Hashim Amla continued a pitiful series by adding a snicked cut to his catalogue of disappointing dismissals.”It’s been up and down. But mostly not as good as I was hoping. Australia-New Zealand ended well. The day-night Test was good. But a bit short. And the series had been somewhat spoiled by New Zealand’s bowlers in the first Test being more undercooked than a chicken flying off your plate as you sit down for a Sunday roast, and a Perth pitch that made Lucy, the three-million-year-old skeleton, seem bouncy and full of life.”Pakistan-England was interesting after a dull start. Bangladesh-Australia really did not live up to expectations. On any level. And Sri Lanka v West Indies went largely as you would have expected. But I’m worried, Doc. Worried about Test match cricket. Is there something wrong with me?”As I spoke to him, his eyes were transfixed by the alleged innings of Faf du Plessis. The South African No. 5, player of some of the most cussed innings of recent years, narrowly avoided a golden-duck leg-before dismissal, then consolidated by splurt-shovelling his second ball not very far over his shoulder to one of about ten waiting fielders. “No, Mr Zaltzman. Those concerns are justified.””Doc, it is often said of batsmen who have popped the ball straight up in the air that they were ‘giving catching practice’ to the fielders. Well, if du Plessis had played that shot during catching practice, his team-mates would have said: ‘Faf. Faf. Mate. Come on, make it at least slightly realistic. There is no way a Test batsman is going to play that shot in a match.'””Mr Zaltzman,” said Dr Schlurpens, “I think you’re taking out on one player your frustrations that a series that promised so much has been one-sided, short and somewhat tonally homogenous. Not unlike last summer’s Ashes, but without the added intrigue of different teams winning.””Doc, it’s not the first time this has happened,” I confided. “That was Faf’s third duck of the series in just six innings, the longest of which lasted six balls. And he had a six-ball innings of 1 as well. And when you factor in Amla’s dismal run, reduced from ethereally surgical dismantler of all attacks in all conditions to uncertain pokes and swipes, you do get the general feeling that South Africa’s batting in this series has been like an ignoramus with a recent head injury playing a quiz machine in a pub. Just randomly whacking the buttons and hoping for the best.””Mmm-hhh,” responded Dr Schlurpens, making notes with intense focus. “And when did you last play a quiz machine? They’re all touchscreen now, Mr Zaltzman. It’s not 1995 anymore.”On the screen, Duminy missed a jewel of a ball by Umesh Yadav. Duminy’s off stump, by contrast, absolutely middled it, like a prime-era Jacques Kallis. “Sixty-five for 5,” I exclaimed. “That’s the third time in six innings this series that South Africa have been five down for 65 or fewer – something that had only happened three times in their previous 102 Tests over 11 years.”Dr Schlurpens scribbled earnestly on his notepad as I continued: “With just one chance to redeem themselves, South Africa’s top five partnerships this series are averaging just under 16 runs per wicket, comfortably their lowest in any series since the 1912 Triangular tournament in England.”

“You do get the general feeling that South Africa’s batting in this series has been like an ignoramus with a recent head injury playing a quiz machine in a pub. Just randomly whacking the buttons and hoping for the best”

Dr Schlurpens uncorked a second notebook. “So let’s roll it back a little to Nagpur. How did you find the Indian bafflement at the comments, concerns and complaints about the pitch?””I found it baffling,” I replied.”The complaints?””No, the bafflement. The bafflement was baffling. Of course there were complaints. Of course you want variety in pitches in different parts of the world and different grounds. That pitch was beyond the ‘reasonably tricky’ mark.””Says who?””Says Stats. Between the Kanpur Test between these same teams in April 2008, and the start of the current series, 31 Tests were played in India. Only one of the them did not include at least one century – the Delhi Test against Australia, early in 2013, a game which broke a run of 28 consecutive Tests featuring a hundred, 16 of which contained three or more centuries. Thirty of the 31 Tests had contained at least four 50-plus scores; the other had two centuries and a fifty. The first three Tests of this series brought no centuries; there were only three fifties in the first Test, and none – I repeat, none – in the third, with one in the admittedly truncated second game, when Dhawan was left on 45 not out when the rains sogged the cricket into oblivion). So a match which produced a top score of 40 – the second-lowest top score in a completed Test since 1890 – inevitably attracted scrutiny.”The doctor swivelled his computer screen towards me. ESPNcricinfo’s Statsguru gleamed out like the beacon of universal hope for humanity that it is, the one remaining refuge of verifiable fact in the planet’s storm-lashed ocean of lies. “I want you to look at this stat,” he said, “and tell me what you see.”My eyes widened. “That’s a stat that shows that both Ashwin and Jadeja have taken 20 or more wickets at an average of less than 12, something that had only happened once in a Test series between top-eight teams since Waqar Younis demolished New Zealand late in 1990 (when Dale Steyn took 20 at 9.2 against New Zealand in November 2007). An achievement no spinner has attained since Derek Underwood scuttled the Kiwis in 1969. Sure, that might change if during their second innings the Proteas suddenly start batting as if they have ever seen a ball turn before, but it seems unlikely.””I’ve got to wrap this up, Mr Zaltzman. I’ve got an Indian client coming in two minutes who is struggling to come to terms with new BCCI president Shashank Manohar setting a strong moral lead for the sport. After everything that’s happened, he assumes it must be some kind of trick. He’s very confused.”As he ushered me out of the room, I frantically asked: “Quickly, Doc, tell me straight: am I right to be so worried about the state of the Test-match game?””Well,” replied the shrink, “if South African batsmen keep playing basic defensive shots with their bats swinging a good 20 to 30 degrees away from straight, like Dane Vilas did when missing a straight one from Ishant today, then yes. Otherwise: maybe. Can you leave now, please?””Thanks Doc.””See you next month for our biannual ‘What’s happening to the West Indies’ session.””Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-2016Usman Ghani’s tough stay was ended when he was bowled in the seventh over for 5•Chris WhiteoakGraeme Cremer provided the breakthrough with a skiddy delivery but Zimbabwe did not have much to smile about thereafter•Chris WhiteoakShahzad blitzed the bowling from the other end, and frequently cleared the boundary to bring up his ton•Chris WhiteoakHis 67-ball 118 was the highest individual score from an Associate nation and the fourth overall. Afghanistan compiled a mammoth 215•Chris WhiteoakZimbabwe were never really in the hunt for a series-levelling win after losing early wickets•Chris WhiteoakThey had quickly slumped to 34 for 5 in the sixth over, and the match was virtually decided•Chris WhiteoakHamilton Masakadza provided resistance with a confident 63, but it was a task too far as Zimbabwe folded for 134•Chris WhiteoakAfghanistan completed a 81-run win and also took the series 2-0, their second T20 series win against Zimbabwe in under three months•Chris Whiteoak

Stats highlights from the second day of the Adelaide Test

Shiva Jayaraman28-Nov-2015171.66 Steven Smith’s batting average in first-class matches at the Adelaide Oval. His fifty in this innings was his fifth consecutive fifty-plus score at this venue. He has made 515 runs including two hundreds and five fifties in just seven innings at the Adelaide Oval.66 Runs scored by Peter Nevill in Australia’s first innings – his highest Test score and his second fifty in nine innings. He had made 59 at Edgbaston in the Ashes earlier this year. Nevill has 263 Test runs at 29.22.50 Wickets Josh Hazlewood has taken in 12 Tests including the six in this. Only two other bowlers – R Ashwin and Stuart Broad – have taken more wickets than him since his debut at the Gabba last year.74 Runs added by the stand between Nevill and Nathan Lyon – equaling the most Australia have added for their ninth wicket in Tests against New Zealand. Adam Gilchrist and Michael Kasprowicz had also added 74 in the Auckland Test in 2004-05. This was also the highest ninth-wicket stand at the Adelaide Oval since Michael Hussey and Stuart MacGill’s partnership of 93 against West Indies in 2005-06.86 Runs Australia trailed New Zealand by when they lost their eighth wicket, a deficit which was wiped out by their ninth and tenth-wicket stands. This is the second highest runs scored by a team’s last two wickets to take the first-innings lead after being eight down for fewer than 150 runs. The only instance when a team has added more runs, came at Trent Bridge in the 2013 Ashes when Phillip Hughes combined with Ashton Agar and James Pattinson to score the 99 runs that were required to draw level with England’s total of 215 in their first innings.426 Runs scored by both teams in the first innings of this Test – the fifth lowest first-innings aggregate in any Test at the Adelaide Oval. The last time fewer than 426 runs were scored was in 1992 when the teams totaled 370 runs in the first innings. The lowest first-innings aggregate at this venue came in 1951-52 when only 187 runs were scored in the first innings.25 Wickets that have fallen in this Test so far – the second most in the first two days of a Test at the Adelaide Oval. As many as 30 wickets had fallen in the first two days of the Test between Australia and West Indies in 1950-51. There are only ten other occasions when 25 or more wickets have fallen in the first two days in Australia. The previous instance had also come between these two teams, at the Gabba in 2008-09, when 26 wickets fell in two days.0 Number of instances when an overseas batsman had made 400 or more runs in a Test series in Australia from three or fewer matches. Kane Williamson became the first batsman to do so having made 428 runs at 85.60 in this series. Williamson’s tally is also the most by any New Zealand batsman in any series against Australia. Ross Taylor also completed 400 runs before being dismissed by Hazlewood in this second innings.1976 The last time before this that as many as 13 wickets fell on the second day of a Test at the Adelaide Oval, which happened in a match between Australia and West Indies. Only once have more wickets fallen on the second day of a Test at this venue: 14, in the Ashes Test way back in 1894-95.62 Runs scored by Australia in the first session on the second day – the fewest they have scored in a session for the loss of six or more wickets in a home Test since the Boxing Day Test of the Ashes 2010-11. In that match, they had lost six wickets for just 40 runs in the second session of the first day. This is the lowest they have averaged when they have lost five or more wickets in one session of a Test in Australia since 2010.12.60 Martin Guptill’s average as an opener in Tests against Australia – the second worst for any opener to have played at least ten innings against an opposition. Guptill made scores of 1 and 17 in this Test. Only South Africa’s William Shalders had a worse average against any team: he made 159 runs from 13 innings at an average of 12.23 against England. Guptill’s 82 runs in this series are the fifth lowest by a New Zealand opener to have played at least six innings in any series.

Plays of the day from the first T20 between Afghanistan and Zimbabwe in Sharjah

Shashank Kishore08-Jan-2016Unlucky Tiripano
As far as debuts go, this could have been the stuff dreams are made of. Instead, Donald Tiripano was left wondering what could have been. While his extra pace proved a welcome addition to the Zimbabwe squad, luck simply wasn’t on his side. He should have sent back the danger man Mohammad Shahzad off the third ball off of his T20I career. However, what unfolded would have made the romantics eke out a cry of anguish as Shahzad was put down by Chamu Chibhabha at deep midwicket. Adding insult to injury, the ball burst through his hands and went to the boundary.Masakadza’s brain freeze
Pressure can do different things to different people. Ask Hamilton Masakadza, for he would have been replaying an incident that happened in the second over of the match, over and over again. Usman Ghani took off for an absolutely impossible single and was more than halfway down when his partner turned his back on him. Instead of lobbing the ball back to the yelling wicketkeeper, who made all sorts of gestures to get him to throw, Masakadza thought he could do a Jonty Rhodes by running in from point and throwing himself at the stumps. But that leap never came, as he ended up looking embarrassed when the batsman beat him to dive full stretch back into the crease. Masakadza had clearly under-estimated the time it would have taken him to get to the stumps, leaving all his team-mates red-faced.Naib’s Dhoni-like flourish
Watching Gulbadin Naib bat, you couldn’t help but wonder why he was kept on cold storage for nearly a year. He can muscle the ball, run well and field like a tiger on the prowl. On Friday, while he kept peppering the leg-side boundary, he also channelised the improviser in him to hit a helicopter hit, albeit over third man. Seeing him walk across repeatedly, Luke Jongwe fired one full and onto the sixth or seventh stump outside off. Astonishingly, Naib used his height to reach out, get underneath the ball and slice it hard enough to clear third man. The final Dhoni-like flourish towards the end for the cameras suggested how immensely satisfied he was with the outcome of the stroke that didn’t actually look possible a couple of seconds before he executed it.Masakadza’s riposte and Shahzad’s send-off
Three early wickets had Afghanistan fired up. With his confidence sky high, Naib, who is no more than a part-time medium-pacer at best, was given the ball. There was drama immediately. Masakadza hit one back down the pitch, only for Naib to hurl a throw to the wicketkeeper that had Masakadza shaking his head in anger. As if to take it out, the next ball was scooped magnificently over deep backward square leg for a six. It would be the start of a battle within a battle, with Shahzad joining in to give Masakadza an earful every time he was on strike. Five overs later, Masakadza missed a reverse sweep to be bowled, as Shahzad gave him a proper send-off by punching his fists in front of the batsman and giving him a few words. An already upset Masakadza made his displeasure obvious by pointing it out to the umpire, who had to come in the way of the Zimbabwean and the spirited Afghans. Fortunately, the situation was doused by the umpires quickly.Last over drama
Zimbabwe needed 21 off the last over. Dawlat Zadran, bowling with a greasy ball, nearly made a mess of it. He got away with a high full toss without a warning, and then delivered another one over the waist. He could have been taken off the attack had he received a warming, but the umpires felt the first of the no-balls wouldn’t have caused any physical harm to the batsman. Then with six needed off two balls, Zadran flirted with the wide line outside off. The call eventually went in favour of Afghanistan even as a furious Chigumbura kicked the turf in disbelief. That it came right at the end of the nail-biter added to the confusion, with Afghanistan eventually prevailing.

Plays of the day from the from the Asia Cup match between Bangladesh and Pakistan in Mirpur

Alagappan Muthu in Mirpur02-Mar-2016Boom, boom, bustNot many will forget Shahid Afridi’s freakish blitz in the previous Asia Cup. The situation wasn’t much different tonight. A win for Bangladesh would’ve put them in the final in 2014, a win today had the potential to do the same. Out walked the Pakistan captain with his team at 98 for 5. The Shere Bangla stadium was silent; anxious even. Al-Amin Hossain felt the nerves as well, lobbing up a full toss. But Afridi only outside edged it, and it didn’t even carry properly to short third man. Al-Amin couldn’t land the next ball on the pitch either, Afridi couldn’t time this one either and, after pocketing a pressure catch at deep midwicket, Sabbir Rahman couldn’t look happier.The rare dismissalMohammad Irfan’s seven-foot frame affords him certain advantages. Some batsmen may be put off by the ball being released from such a high point, most others find the extra bounce he can generate regardless of the pitch uncomfortable. But the one thing they didn’t have to worry about was getting lbw. In fact, out of 101 wickets in international cricket, Irfan had only knocked three batsmen down by trapping them in front. Tamim Iqbal, coming back into the team after the birth of his first child, became lucky number four in Irfan’s first over tonight. Virtues of pitching the ball right up there. The fact that it was 146 kph may have helped a bit too.The comedy of errorsJob 1: Bowl full at the stumps. Mohammad Sami accomplished that just fine. So much that Mashrafe Mortaza had scooped the ball right down Sharjeel Khan’s throat at long-off. But even as the ball was in its descent, umpire Anil Chaudhary’s hand had shot up to signal a no-ball. Mashrafe himself was clued into the fact very late, since he was watching the ball and probably feeling his stomach plummet with along with the chances of victory. Finally he realised he couldn’t be out caught and even squeezed in a second run as Sharjeel’s throw from the deep came as a limp, loopy lob.The team spiritPakistan have always maintained 100% belief in their bowling attack. That’s not always been the case with their fielding. But having posted only 129 on the board, they couldn’t afford to have any more mishaps. Umar Akmal did his best to avoid one as he prevented a Soumya Sarkar reverse sweep from reaching the point boundary. Shahid Afridi, the bowler, clapped his hands in applause, there was a pat on the back from the fine-leg fielder as well. But the strangest sight was Sarfraz Ahmed leaving his wicketkeeping position, running all the way to Akmal and offering his support.The thigh-rub that didn’t workMohammad Hafeez rubbed his thigh as soon as the Mashrafe Mortaza delivery in the fifth over struck him. There was no bat involved but when Hafeez looked up, he saw that umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge had raised his finger. He looked around for a second, before slowly trudging off and when he was doing so, the giant screen on top of the grand-stand showed a replay that made Hafeez smirk in bemusement. The ball had done enough to beat his bat but when it struck his pads, it was high and going down the leg-side too.

Five great World T20 performances by Associate teams (Netherlands mainly)

Peter Della Penna27-Feb-2016Nepal defeat Hong Kong by 80 runs (2014)
Underpinned by a pair of 40s from the captain, Paras Khadka, and vice-captain Gyanendra Malla, Nepal made 149 for 8 after being sent in on a steamy night in Chittagong. In the end, it was Hong Kong’s line-up that wilted in the heat. The talismanic Khadka struck on the first ball of the chase before the left-arm spin tandem of Shakti Gauchan and Basant Regmi shredded the middle order for five wickets in the space of 13 balls to help secure a famous win for cricket-mad Nepal on World T20 debut.Netherlands defeat England by 45 runs (2014)
After putting a major scare into South Africa before falling short by six runs, the Dutch would not be denied a Full Member scalp in their final match of the tournament. After a typically fiery start from Stephan Myburgh and Wesley Barresi, a middle-order stumble resulted in a modest total of 133. England stuttered in reply after Mudassar Bukhari struck twice in the Powerplay, and a suffocating fielding display produced two run-outs, including a fittingly comical mix-up to end the match.Ireland defeat Bangladesh by six wickets (2009)
Niall O’Brien, who led Ireland’s thrilling chase over Pakistan at the 2007 World Cup, took centre stage here in pursuit of Bangladesh’s 137 at Trent Bridge with 40 off 25 balls. After he fell in the tenth over at 61 for 2, little big brother Kevin gave a preview of the career-defining century he would produce against England two years later, smashing an unbeaten 39 off 17 balls, including a pair of big sixes against Abdur Razzak and Shakib Al Hasan, as Ireland cantered across the line with ten balls to spare.Netherlands defeat England by four wickets (2009)
Despite a roaring start, England failed to hit a boundary off the final 17 balls, ending on 162 to leave the door ajar in the tournament curtain-raiser, at Lord’s. Tom de Grooth pried it open further with an adventurous 49 off 30, and in the end, two were needed off the final delivery to win. Stuart Broad had a chance to deny them after a diving stop in his follow-through, but a hurried shy on his knees from eight yards away summed up a sloppy England fielding display, as the final pair scampered the winning run on an overthrow.Netherlands defeat Ireland by six wickets (2014)

Following their win over Zimbabwe, Ireland’s march into the ten-team main draw seemed assured when they made 189. For Netherlands to qualify ahead of Ireland on net-run-rate tiebreaker, they needed to get to the target in 14.2 overs, an idea so preposterous that Ireland captain William Porterfield wasn’t informed about it until the ambush was nearly complete. Peter Borren promoted himself to open the chase and, along with Stephan Myburgh, initiated a fearless charge, nailing the win with three balls of breathing room.

Two years ago, when these sides last met, Sri Lanka were the buoyant side and England struggling. This time the roles are reversed and it will be a significant surprise if the result isn’t as well

Andrew Fidel Fernando at Headingley17-May-2016In the heady first half of 2014, Sri Lanka floated into England in the afterglow of Asia Cup and World T20 triumphs, won the limited-overs leg, then made James Anderson weep at the end of the Tests.In the doleful first half of 2014, nursing gashes from the tri-format flagellation in Australia, England sought to launch a “new era”. This promptly splintered and ran aground on Angelo Mathews’ rock-of-Gibraltar forward defence.Still, even in England’s bleakest hours, they had their defenders. Not so long after they had lost to Netherlands in the World T20, a noisy ex-player was happy to announce that Sri Lanka’s bowling was merely a “glorified county attack”. This year, it was a former Sri Lankan cricketer who made the wild predictions. The team he selects has the “best attack in the world” Sanath Jayasuriya, said. In two years, even the delusion, it would seem, has switched feet.Since that 2014 series, Anderson has reclaimed his snarl so completely that presently he seems more likely to produce swear words from his tear ducts, than tears. And it is England that came within a Brathwaite bat-breadth of claiming the recent World T20. England who – under the instruction of Trevor Bayliss, Paul Farbrace, and briefly Mahela Jayawardene, all of whom have been in charge of Sri Lanka in some way – have opened with spin, batted with adventure, widened their horizons.While they bristled with purpose, Sri Lanka have moped through some of their grimmest months this decade. The bowling has generally been heartening. The fielding and batting has not. At times, the catching has brought to mind slapstick acts at children’s birthday parties. At others the top order have played like balloon animals. In Tests, good match positions have been routinely traded in for substantial losses. That dynamism that used to make them greater than the sum of their parts has slipped, because occasionally the think-tank seemed to have taken leave of some of their parts – namely, their brains.And so it is that while Mathews’ stony batting and Rangana Herath’s lovable left-arm spin provide substance to this squad, many of their hopes lie with young players yet to fully bloom at the top level. How well will Kusal Mendis, who is so fresh from school the mental check between instinct and flowing cover drive has not yet taken hold, manage war-worn bowlers like Anderson and Stuart Broad? How will Dushmantha Chameera, tall and slim as a coconut tree, fare with Alastair Cook staring him down?There are also the repeat visitors to England. Dinesh Chandimal caught fire on his first trip to England, fizzled in his second, and now has recently rediscovered his spark. Mathews will look to him to liven things up at No. 4 if the top order gets stuck.Opener Dimuth Karunaratne had made flashy starts and got out when substantial innings beckoned in 2014. Now he seems to have the opposite dilemma, in that there are not many innings of note between towering Test scores. His partner Kaushal Silva hit twin fifties at Lord’s last time, but has since gone through a worrying dip in form, and a more worrying blow to the head. His innings usually have more leaves than a Banyan tree, though, so it is hoped he could be the trunk around whom the top order drops its roots in early-summer England.The hosts are smuggling inexperience as well, with batsman James Vince and seamer Jake Ball in contention for Test debuts. But even aside from Cook and Anderson – their most prolific Test batsman and bowler ever – there is a reassuring steadiness to their likely XI. Steven Finn, on a continued redemptive trajectory, is likely to produce the steepling bounce that so often troubles Asian sides in England. Broad’s average against Sri Lanka of 46.16 is his worst against any side, but his thundering spells can decide a series in a session.And then there is quite possibly England’s best player, Joe Root, who is set to begin the series at his home ground, and finish it at Lord’s, where runs stream more lavishly out of him even than abuse. The 2014 Sri Lanka side had absorbed many Root taunts through the series, then spat it all back at him on the decisive final day of that series. In a strange way, it might do Sri Lanka good if Root is mouthy again. They have in the past closed ranks and coaxed the best from themselves when a siege is on against them.The man who played the last shot in 2014, fired the first one this time around. Anderson has suggested his side were in the running for a 3-0 triumph. Sadly, for Sri Lanka, a whitewash does not seem a complete impossibility. That has been their fate in the last two away series.They have said in the past months and years that they are in transition. In this series, it is up to Sri Lanka to prove they are heading for happier times, and not just more months and years of “transition”.

Plays of the day from Sunrisers Hyderabad’s 15-run win against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Hyderabad

Vishal Dikshit30-Apr-2016One tip, no handDavid Warner had not yet started his barrage of boundaries when Virat Kohli brought on Harshal Patel to bowl the last over of the Powerplay. Sunrisers Hyderabad were 33 for 1 and Kohli would have hoped Harshal would keep the run rate under seven. He angled the first ball into Warner who chased it and got a thick edge that flew to the third-man boundary. Kedar Jadhav leapt with his right hand in the air but the ball bounced just over him. Harshal raised his hands to express disappointment with the fielding effort, but then saw he had overstepped. Warner clobbered the free-hit for a straight six and unleashed a four off the third legal ball of the over to frustrate the bowler further. Harshal leaked 16 runs and it gave Sunrisers the impetus they needed.Back to basicsWarner had raced to 86 off 47 balls when he got strike on the third ball of the 16th over. He had already driven, punched, pulled and ramped during his innings. And this time he tried a switch-hit against chinaman bowler Tabraiz Shamsi. He missed and notched up a rare dot ball; his previous dot ball had come in the 11th over, also against Shamsi. On the next ball, Warner went back to his basics and slogged a straighter delivery from Shamsi to the leg side for six. He cleared his front foot to pack some power into the shot and, even though he didn’t middle it, his muscle and bat thickness were enough to send it beyond the boundary.Third time luckyWarner had propelled his side to 194 and Mustafizur Rahman got rid of Kohli in the Powerplay. Much of the groundwork had been done for Sunrisers. But they dented their own chances when AB de Villiers handed a high but simple catch off Barinder Sran straight to fine leg and Ashish Nehra didn’t even get a hand to it. De Villiers didn’t give up. Four overs later, he handed a catch to extra cover where Deepak Hooda moved to his right to attempt a slightly tougher chance but the ball popped out of his hands. Sunrisers finally cashed in the third time, in the 15th over, when de Villiers swung hard but could not send the ball flying past a diving Kane Williamson at long-on.The familiar chantOnly a few days ago, a chant familiar at any international cricket stadium in India was heard again when the Feroz Shah Kotla crowd cheered for Sachin Tendulkar and sang ‘Happy Birthday’ for him. Delhi Daredevils had hosted Mumbai Indians on April 23 and the Delhi crowd wished Tendulkar a day ahead of his 43rd birthday. On Saturday evening in Hyderabad, the chant ‘Sachinnnnn, Sachinnnnnn’ was heard again even though the match was between Sunrisers and Royal Challengers. The Hyderabad crowd was actually cheering for Sachin Baby, the 27-year-old batsman from Kerala, who came out to bat at No. 5 for Royal Challengers. The batsman was new, but the chant was several years old.

On his return from a long injury lay-off, Mohammed Shami has executed plans, induced edges and taken wickets. Ishant Sharma, meanwhile, still grapples with familiar concerns

Karthik Krishnaswamy08-Aug-2016Of the five bowlers India have used in the first two Tests of their West Indies tour, Mohammed Shami is the least experienced. He has also returned only recently from a long lay-off forced by a serious knee injury. But over the course of the series, he has become Virat Kohli’s go-to quick bowler in every situation, be it to execute a specific plan to a specific batsman, such as his accurate and hostile use of the bouncer against Darren Bravo, or to come on and bowl with the new ball or a reverse-swinging old ball, or, simply, as the likeliest man to break a partnership.He has become the leader of India’s pace attack, taking over that mantle from Ishant Sharma, a man who has played 56 Tests more than him.

Shami on his comeback

Coming back after a long injury layoff: After the operation happened, there was definitely some doubt, but I spent 7-8 months at the National Cricket Academy, and after that all the doubt was gone, because I had worked so hard, put so much load on myself, that there was no tension over the load [workload] to come. It was just a matter of confidence. By the grace of Allah, I have started just the way I had left off, and I hope that this [bowling form] will continue for a long time.
The difficult road back to full fitness: My focus was just that I keep my weight down as much as possible. I was unfit for so long, so I my thinking was, the more I control my diet and my weight, the easier it will be for me going forward. I was in bed for two months, and I had put on 14-15 kilos, so I had to work really hard to lose that weight, and the result is in front of you.
Being part of a five-man bowling attack: As a fast bowler, you get a little more time [between spells], because it’s important to get time to rest after bowling your spell of four or five overs. If you have five bowlers, you get 10-15 overs more to regain your breath, and you come back with better rhythm, and put in more effort. It’s a big plus point for us to have two good spinners and three fast bowlers, and we have a good combination going.
Getting back into rhythm: There’s no secret. As you know, I was working very hard at the NCA. After putting a lot of [work]load, I told the doctors, the trainers, everyone, to put as much [work]load on me as possible, and try whatever they wanted to, because I didn’t want to have any doubt [about my fitness] going forward. After that, the team was also there, and I joined them. Whatever nets I could do, I did.
His use of the short ball: I’ve just tried to read the wicket as quickly as possible, which length is the ball flying from, which length should I bowl on, and which length is making the batsman uncomfortable. That has been the main thing, to keep bowling where the batsman is uncomfortable, and we have used the short ball in that manner.

Shami did not take the new ball in West Indies’ first innings in Antigua. That was understandable. He had not played Test cricket for over a year-and-a-half, and Ishant and Umesh Yadav were the incumbent quicks in the team.But Shami’s status in the attack changed almost as soon as he began his first spell of the series, in which he dismissed Rajendra Chandrika with an awkwardly rising away-seamer in the corridor. From that spell on, he has looked the most dangerous of India’s three seamers every time India have bowled.Of all of India’s bowlers in the series, fast and slow, West Indies’ batsmen have achieved their smallest control percentage – 77.05 – against Shami. While the number doesn’t paint anything like the full picture of a bowler’s effectiveness – West Indies have achieved a better control percentage against R Ashwin (81.25) than against Amit Mishra (79.47), for instance – it does suggest that Shami has kept asking them difficult questions.One interesting number is West Indies’ run rate against Shami when they have been in control. Against him, they have scored at 3.33 runs per over off the balls that have had them in trouble. Against Ishant Sharma, their not-in-control run rate is 2.66, and against Umesh, it is 1.96.This suggests that Shami has tended to find the edge where Ishant and Umesh have beaten it. In West Indies’ second innings at Sabina Park, Shami conceded 11 fours, of which five came off genuine edges and two others off near-edges, from Jermaine Blackwood playing away from his body and slicing the ball wide of gully.On that frustrating fifth day for India’s bowlers, Shami was probably unlucky not to have taken a wicket or two.Unless it’s his injury record that’s being talked about, Shami isn’t generally spoken of as an unlucky bowler. Ishant, on the other hand, has been called that right through his 70-Test career. His unlucky spells, however, are usually characterised by batsmen playing and missing rather than edging and getting away with it.Length has often been spoken of as Ishant’s major issue, and it has been said that he would become a far more threatening bowler if he pitched the ball half a foot fuller. But in many of his spells, his line has also been half a foot too wide of off stump, allowing batsmen easy leaves outside off stump.In this series, Ishant has seemed to bowl wider than ever. He probably isn’t, but it has looked that way because he has often had Shami bowling at the other end and forcing batsmen to play. They have each sent down exactly the same number of overs in the series – 59 – but where batsmen have left 131 balls from Ishant, they have only managed to leave 87 from Shami.Perhaps that is why Shami has eight wickets in the series, at an average of 24.62, and why Ishant only has four, at 45.00. Perhaps that is why Ishant, after 70 Tests, still averages 37.05.

Also, declining the follow-on, most away hundreds, and stumped twice in a Test

Steven Lynch02-Aug-2016Have England – or anyone else – ever had a bigger lead than the 391 they had against Pakistan, and not enforced the follow-on?! asked Jared Kingsford from Australia
England have declined to enforce the follow-on on two occasions with a bigger lead than the 391 they had at Old Trafford last week. In Kingston in 1929-30 they led West Indies by 563, but still didn’t make them bat again, instead setting a target of 836. This was a timeless Test, so there was some logic behind the England captain Freddie Calthorpe’s apparently inhumane decision – although he still didn’t win, as West Indies had reached 408 for 5 when the match was left drawn after nine days as the England team had to catch the boat home. In another timeless Test, in Brisbane in 1928-29, England batted again despite a lead of 399 – and went on to win by a record 675 runs. The other two instances of a team not enforcing the follow-on despite a lead higher than 391 were both by Australia against England in recent years: in Brisbane in 2006-07 they led by 445 but batted again, while in Adelaide in 2013-14 they went in again despite being 398 in front on first innings. Australia won both Tests comfortably.Is R Ashwin the first Indian to score a hundred and take seven wickets in an innings in a Test? asked Sunitha Shetty from Bangladesh
With 113 and 7 for 83 against West Indies in Antigua last week, R Ashwin was indeed the first Indian – and only the third man from any country – to ally a seven-for to a century in the same Test. Ian Botham actually did it twice: he made 108 and took 8 for 34 against Pakistan at Lord’s in 1978, then in the Golden Jubilee Test against India in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1979-80 he claimed 7 for 48 (and 6 for 58) to add to an innings of 114. The only other instance was by the old Australian allrounder Jack Gregory, with 100 and 7 for 69 against England in Melbourne in 1920-21. There have been several further instances of a bowler scoring a century and taking five wickets in an innings: Ashwin had done this before, against West Indies in Mumbai in 2011-12, and followed Vinoo Mankad (against England at Lord’s in 1952) and Polly Umrigar (v West Indies in Port-of-Spain in 1961-62) in achieving the feat for India.All ten Pakistan wickets in the first innings at Old Trafford were out caught. How often has this happened in Tests? asked Chris Goodwin from Italy
This isn’t terribly rare: as this list shows, there had been 68 previous occasions when all ten batsmen in a Test innings were caught. The first time it happened was in Australia’s second innings against England in Melbourne in 1903-04. The record number of catches in a single Test (both sides) is 33, by Australia (18) and India (15) in Perth in 1991-92.Sachin Tendulkar has scored 29 Test centuries away from home•Getty ImagesHas anyone been stumped in both innings of a Test? asked James Bourne from England
There have now been 19 instances of a batsman being stumped in both innings of a Test match. The most recent case was Kemar Roach of West Indies, stumped twice by Kusal Perera off Rangana Herath in Galle in October 2015. The one before that saw Zimbabwe’s Chris Mpofu collect a pair, also against Sri Lanka, in Harare in 2005. Those last two were at least tailenders: rather surprisingly, there have been two opening batsmen who were stumped in both innings as well! They were England’s Tom Hayward (against South Africa at Headingley in 1907) and Bert Sutcliffe of New Zealand (against West Indies in Christchurch in 1955-56).Who has scored the most centuries in Tests away from home? asked Mubbashir Hassan from Pakistan
Not surprisingly perhaps, the leader here is Test cricket’s overall leading run (and century) scorer, Sachin Tendulkar, who made 29 of his 51 Test hundreds outside India. Next come Rahul Dravid with 21, Jacques Kallis with 20, and Sunil Gavaskar with 18. Of current players Alastair Cook has scored 15 hundreds away from home, and Younis Khan 14 (this counts the UAE as home territory for Pakistan). Don Bradman made 11 centuries in just 19 overseas Tests, all of them in England, putting him ahead on percentage (just to compare, Tendulkar played 106 overseas Tests and Dravid 94). Given a qualification of 20 innings, Bradman averaged 102.84 in away Tests; Ken Barrington comes next with 69.18, then Wally Hammond with 66.32. After the first Test in Sri Lanka, Steve Smith averaged 59.78.Yasir Shah conceded 266 runs in the second Test at Old Trafford. Was this any kind of record? asked Stewart Allan from England
Yasir Shah comes in well down this particular table, the 266 runs he conceded at Old Trafford putting him equal 24th overall on a list headed by another legspinner, the West Indian Tommy Scott, who finished with match figures of 9 for 374 (5 for 266 and 4 for 108) against England in a timeless Test in Kingston in 1929-30. Only two Pakistanis have conceded more runs than Yasir’s 266 – Saqlain Mushtaq took 5 for 286 against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 1996-97, while Haseeb Ahsan, another offspinner, claimed 3 for 275 against West Indies in Georgetown in 1957-58. Only two bowlers have conceded more runs while taking only one wicket: slow left-armer Chuck Fleetwood-Smith took 1 for 298 (the record for one innings) as England ran up 903 for 7 against Australia at The Oval in 1938, while India’s Rajesh Chauhan finished with 1 for 276 in Colombo in 1997-98, as Sri Lanka broke that 1938 Test record by scoring 952 for 6.Send in your questions using our feedback form.