Category Uncategorized

Bracewell became only the third New Zealand man to take a T20I hat-trick after Oram and Southee

Sreshth Shah20-Jul-2022A patient yet effective 55-ball 78* from Dane Cleaver, and a dominating effort from New Zealand’s bowlers handed the visitors a resounding 88-run win over Ireland in the second T20I in Belfast. The victory sealed the three-game series for New Zealand, giving them an unassailable 2-0 lead with one game still to go.For the second game in a row, Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie’s decision to bowl first proved costly, as New Zealand posted 179 for 4 in 20 overs. Cleaver, playing only his second T20I, hit five fours and four sixes, and stayed right till the end after coming in to bat at No. 3 in the fifth over.Then New Zealand’s well-rounded bowling unit did the rest, helped in part by some unnecessary attacking shots or risky runs from the Ireland batters. If it wasn’t for a 37-run stand for the eighth wicket between Mark Adair and Barry McCarthy, Ireland’s total could’ve been far lesser than their eventual score of 91.The spin twins Ish Sodhi and Michael Bracewell were the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand, taking three wickets each. Sodhi’s scalps of Curtis Campher, Lorcan Tucker and George Dockrell broke Ireland’s back in the middle overs, leaving him with figures of 3 for 21 but Bracewell had the widest smile by the end of the game. Bowling his first over in T20Is, the offspinner cleaned up the Ireland tail with three wickets in three balls, thus making him only the third New Zealand bowler after Jacob Oram and Tim Southee to achieve a T20I hat-trick.Spinners headline Irish collapse
Ireland’s chase of 180 began with some potential as Mitchell Santner was walloped by Paul Stirling for a six and a four in the very first over. Then when Lockie Ferguson was dispatched by Stirling for four more through the covers, it seemed like the Ireland opener could be the big-hitter around whom the rest of Ireland’s batters could rally.However, three balls after the Ferguson four, Stirling fell slicing a catch to mid off, and thereafter the floodgates opened. From the other end, Jacob Duffy had Gareth Delany bowled for a first-ball duck in the fourth over with the batter failing to get forward to a fullish ball, and Harry Tector then paid the price of being impatient, run-out to a direct-hit from Glenn Phillips at cover while trying to take the fielder on for a quick single.Having gone from 23 for no loss to 27 for 3 in the space of eight deliveries, it was up to the prodigy Campher and Balbirnie to stick a partnership together, but the latter was the next to go, becoming Duffy’s second scalp. Duffy went full and wide, got the ball to swing away under cloudy conditions, and all Balbirnie’s drive could do was take an outside edge to Cleaver wearing the gloves. After a quiet – and rare wicketless – over, Sodhi got among the wickets too in his first over of the game.Tucker tried to slog sweep the legspinner, only to lose stock of where the mistimed ball went. It had dribbled past him to the wicketkeeper, and as Tucker tried to pinch a single thinking the ball has gone elsewhere, he was stumped. Next ball, Sodhi brought a slip fielder for the new batter and Dockrell edged it to James Neesham in the cordon.With the score at 45 for 6, and ESPNcricinfo’s forecaster giving Ireland less than 1% chance of a win, the pressure was off the Ireland lower order. Mark Adair, in particular, hit a few lusty blows after Campher became Sodhi’s third (and Ireland’s seventh) wicket. Adair went 4, 4, 6 off Sodhi’s third over to ruin his otherwise tidy bowling figures and then drilled Neesham over his head for another boundary. His partner for the eighth-wicket stand, Barry McCarthy, tonked Neesham and Bracewell for a couple of fours too.But Bracewell’s offbreak had Adair caught at deep midwicket for a 22-ball 27, and with the batters crossing, McCarthy too was out next ball, slogging to the same region. On a hat-trick, Bracewell had better luck than Sodhi, taking his third wicket in three balls as the No. 11 Craig Young tried to clear cover, only to slice a catch behind point, and ending Ireland’s innings at 91.Dane Cleaver attempts a reverse sweep during his highest T20I score•Sportsfile/Getty Images

Cleaver follows his cousin’s footsteps
Having made his T20I debut at the age of 30 only two days ago, it was another chance for Cleaver to make the most of the opportunity of batting at No. 3 for New Zealand with senior batters being rested for the T20Is. Coming in at a position favoured by his first-cousin Kane Williamson – after the fall of Finn Allen’s wicket, Cleaver made a sedate start, but kept upping his gears right until the 20th over.Allen’s blitz at the top had allowed New Zealand to race to 40 for no loss after four overs, but he fell for a 20-ball 35 trying to take McCarthy on in the fifth over. With Martin Guptill struggling with his timing, and Cleaver playing but missing the swinging deliveries offered by the Irish seamers, it seemed like the hosts would provide yet another squeeze to the New Zealand top order like the first T20I.But Cleaver grew in confidence, in particular trusting the bounce on offer to play the pull on numerous occasions to finally get off the blocks. Even with Guptill falling for a 17-ball 11 in the ninth over, Cleaver motored along at a strike-rate of under 110 to move into his twenties in Phillips’ company for the third wicket. Together, they added 53 in 5.2 overs, and as Cleaver’s confidence grew, so did his choice of shots. He scooped McCarthy for an ingenious six over the keeper one time, and then played a sliced drive on purpose to beat the fielder at deep point.However, Cleaver did receive a reprieve on 40 when he skipped down the ground to a Dockrell slider, only to miss it. But the wicketkeeper Tucker failed to grab it, and Cleaver offered no further chances. He picked Adair’s two slower balls in the 16th over well enough to smack them for boundaries, then brought up his maiden half-century in 39 balls with a six over deep midwicket. Daryl Mitchell, the No. 5, contributed just 14 runs in his 48-run stand with Cleaver, letting the man in form enjoy most of the strike.Cleaver would go on to thump Young for a pulled six in the 18th, then tonked Josh Little for three fours in four balls in the 19th, and earned his final boundary off the innings’ penultimate ball by slicing a four behind square on the off side. In all, New Zealand made 50 off the last five and Cleaver finished unbeaten on 78 in 55 balls. His performance eventually eked out the Sodhi-Bracewell efforts in the second innings to also earn him the Player of the Match award.

Veterans return to the fray for three-match home series against Sri Lanka

Nagraj Gollapudi26-Feb-2021Chris Gayle has been recalled to play for West Indies for first time in two years, while senior fast bowler Fidel Edwards is back in the national squad after a nine-year hiatus.Both Gayle, who is 41 years old and Edwards, who turned 39 this month, have been named in West Indies’ squad for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, which will be played between March 3-7 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, which will be making its international debut.Gayle arrived in Antigua this week, having played two matches for Quetta Gladiators in this year’s PSL. He last played for West Indies in their home series against India in the wake of the 2019 World Cup, which the former West Indies captain had at one stage said would be his final international appearances.However, during his appearances at the 2020 BPL, Gayle playfully hinted he could even play until 45. The fact that he was serious can be gauged from his performances at the 2020 IPL, in which he made a belated entry in the second half of the tournament but helped Kings XI Punjab string together five successive wins with his measured aggression in the top order.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Gayle was duly included in West Indies’ T20I provisional squad, and on return from the PSL, passed his fitness test to make the final 14. “Chris Gayle has performed very well in recent tournaments and the selection panel thinks that he can still add great value to our team,” Roger Harper, CWI’s lead selector, said in a media release.As for Edwards, Harper stated that his recall was to “give the bowling the potent firepower needed”. Edwards, who played 55 Tests for West Indies, moved to Hampshire in 2015 on a Kolpak deal. However, following the UK’s recent departure from the European Union, Edwards expressed his desire to make an international comeback. Accordingly Edwards spoke to captain Kieron Pollard and head coach Phil Simmons expressing his desire for a recall.Another notable inclusion in the squad is 21-year-old Guyana offspinner Kevin Sinclair, who has received a maiden call-up to both the T20I and ODI squads. The 50-over matches are scheduled to be played between March 10-14 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.Sinclair and Hosein received their call-ups following impressive performances in domestic cricket in the last two years. “Akeal Hosein performed very well in Bangladesh [ODI Series] and had excellent stats in the CPL so this is an opportunity to see how he equips himself in this format,” read the release.”Kevin Sinclair grabbed our attention in the Super50 Cup back in 2019 and has been consistently economical in the last CPL and the current CG Insurance Super50. He will provide an off-spinning option for the team.”Also featuring for the first time in the 14-man T20I squad is left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein, who played in the ODI series recently in Bangladesh.Related

• Shimron Hetmyer, Sheldon Cottrell and Roston Chase back in West Indies' ODI squad

• Pollard backs seniors to get West Indies back into winning habit

• Chris Gayle and Lasith Malinga pull out of LPL

• Fidel Edwards targets West Indies comeback

• Chris Gayle set for West Indies T20I return

West Indies Test captain Jason Holder has also been recalled for the white-ball segment of the Sri Lanka tour after his impactful performances for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2020 IPL, where he played as a replacement player before being retained by the franchise for this season.In a media released issued on Friday by Cricket West Indies, Harper said Holder, who had missed the home series against Ireland last year, as well as the white-ball tours of Sri Lanka and New Zealand, had been brought back to “add depth” to the squad.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Andre Russell “recovering” from Covid-19Holder’s presence will offset the absence of Andre Russell, whom CWI revealed was “still recovering” from Covid-19.In a media release issued alongside the white-ball squads, CWI said Russell was not considered for selection on the advice of its medical panel.CWI said Russell had “contracted” the coronavirus “earlier” in February. “Despite testing negative over a week ago [Russell] was ruled out of the T20Is by the CWI Medical Panel whilst he completes his “return to play” protocols,” the statement read.Fitness has been a key consideration for Simmons and Pollard, as West Indies prepare to defend the T20 World Cup that they won in India when the tournament was last held in 2016. According to the media release, the fast bowling pair of Sheldon Cottrell and Oshane Thomas, as well as key batsman Shimron Hetmyer, and all-rounder Roston Chase have all failed to reach the minimum fitness standard in time for selection consideration.

Currently the Victoria coach, he is expected to be allowed to keep his roles in the Hundred and the IPL

Daniel Brettig30-Oct-2019Victoria coach Andrew McDonald is the new senior assistant for the Australian men’s team coach Justin Langer in a ground-breaking deal, though doubt still surrounds the new man’s starting date amid protracted negotiations.In a first for Cricket Australia, McDonald will be allowed to continue his overseas short-form roles as the coach of Birmingham in England’s new Hundred competition, in addition to being coach of the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. These concessions will allow McDonald the sort of freedom to add to his earning capacity denied to other assistant coaches in the past, one of the major roadblocks to senior figures working alongside the likes of Langer and his predecessors.ALSO READ: McDonald appointed Rajasthan Royals coachNews of McDonald’s appointment with the Australian season already well underway will be an issue for Victoria and also the Melbourne Renegades in the BBL, in some ways mirroring how Langer himself left Australia to join Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers in late 2012, having served as an assistant coach for more than three years.Nonetheless, it will be a major advantage for Langer to gain from McDonald the assistance of one of the best regarded coaches in world cricket, having put together an enviable record with Leicestershire, Victoria and the Renegades in recent years. Equally, McDonald’s temperament and strength as a communicator who has also experienced the crucible of international cricket will aid the balance of the team at home and on tour.”We are excited to have Andrew join the Australian Men’s Team,” the CA national teams manager Ben Oliver said. “As a player, Andrew was an outstanding all-rounder, tactician and competitor and a popular teammate. And as a coach, he has demonstrated great leadership and enjoyed remarkable success in all formats.”We are confident our playing group will grow under Andrew’s mentorship. We are also proud that our world-class domestic system is providing a pathway to international coaching ranks. We were fortunate to have a strong list of candidates to choose from and I would personally like to thank all those who applied for the position of Senior Assistant Coach along with Cricket Victoria for their support of Andrew.”Langer told ESPNcricinfo last week that CA needed to be “creative and agile” to secure the services of the right person for the job, and also added that he would prefer to wait extra time if it meant finishing up with his preferred candidate, and following confirmation of McDonald’s appointment described him as the “perfect” foil for his coaching leadership.”Andrew complements our coaching panel perfectly. I have no doubt his all-round knowledge and man management skills will be a positive addition to our team,” Langer said. “The coaching success Andrew has enjoyed around the world in a relatively short period of time is testament to his skill, dedication and knowledge of the game.”He is also a wonderful competitor, which Australian fans saw first hand throughout his career with the national team, Victoria and South Australia, as well as the Renegades, Strikers and Thunder.”McDonald had been touted as a possible coach of England to replace Trevor Bayliss earlier this year, before Chris Silverwood took the role. Australia’s limited-overs captain Aaron Finch said in June that it was inevitable in his mind that McDonald would eventually take on an international role.”I think he definitely at some point in his career will coach an international team,” Finch said at the time. “The great strength of his – the ability to communicate with every player in a list, thinks through every situation really well, doesn’t make emotional decisions on anything, which I think is a huge plus as a coach, to be able to take that time to reflect and see what’s best for the group in every decision that you make.”He’s tactical – the tactical side of his coaching is second to none, and I think that he’s as well-planned as a coach as I’ve ever seen. I’ve, obviously, known him a lot longer and dealt with him for a huge amount of time, so I’m a little bit biased in my opinions at times, as well, because he is such a great coach when it comes to all facets of the game.”Various coaches and mentors have spent time around the national team over the past 18 months, including David Saker, Brad Haddin, Troy Cooley, Adam Griffith and in recent days Ryan Harris and Michael Hussey. Ricky Ponting was part of the support staff for the World Cup and Steve Waugh for the Ashes, but all understood that these were short-term arrangements.Andrew Ingleton, the Cricket Victoria chief executive, said that while McDonald would be a loss to the state, he went with the association’s blessing. “Naturally we’re sad to see Andrew leave after completing such a great year for Victorian cricket but we understand his desire to challenge himself at the highest level and have no doubt he will be a significant asset to the national coaching unit,” Ingleton said. “It’s testament to Andrew’s achievements with our teams that he has been given this opportunity.”

Pakistan captain asks why India don’t have to switch back and forth between venues when all the other teams do

Shashank Kishore18-Sep-2018Sarfraz Ahmed, the Pakistan captain, hasn’t taken the Asia Cup scheduling too kindly, given it will leave his team travelling back and forth from Abu Dhabi to Dubai for the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup. This will also be the case for Afghanistan and Bangladesh, while India have been exempted from the 90-minute trip.As per the rules, the team that finishes second in Group A will play their first Super Four game in Abu Dhabi. However, a late tweak has been made by the organisers to ensure India will continue to be based in Dubai, irrespective of where they finish in the pool.”If you talk about the pool, India remain here even if they lose,” Sarfraz said. “Travelling is an issue. If you travel for one-and-a-half hour during matches, then it’s tough. In this weather, it is tough because after one day you play another game. I think it should be even for all the teams, whether it’s India or Pakistan. If there are matches in Abu Dhabi, then every team has to play there. I don’t know what the Asian Cricket Council has done about it.”Scheduling aside, a focused Sarfraz fielded a variety of questions, from the pressure of an India-Pakistan game to the hype associated with it. His solution to prevent players from feeling the pinch of an India-Pakistan contest is to play every game with that intensity. He has, however, been telling his team one thing – “The Champions Trophy win is history. Don’t look too much into it.””It’s in the past now. Obviously, it was a great win and we have good memories that will be with us forever, but this is a new game, a new event,” he said. “The atmosphere has changed, we have winning momentum [from the game against Hong Kong] which we want to carry forward.”The one thing he has completely distanced himself from is social media and television news. He had a taste of the build-up for the clash back home, but wants to stay away from the hype to remain focused. He hopes his team would be able to do the same. There will be added attention to the match, with Imran Khan, their World Cup-winning captain and now Prime Minister of the country, likely to be in attendance.”We’ll try to take the game as a normal game. I’ve told the players to play the match in the same manner as we do normally,” Sarfraz said. “The fans say that whatever happens you have to win, but as a captain, I have to win against every team. It would be the same for India too. Yes, their [fans’] wishes give us inspiration. In the past, it has happened that whoever performs in the [India-Pakistan] match becomes a hero.”Sarfraz also didn’t make much of India being without Kohli. “As far as India is concerned, Kohli is their captain for the last two years or so, so as a team it [playing under someone else] is different for them,” he said. “I don’t know what Rohit’s thinking as captain is, whether he takes the same strategy. [Kohli] is a world-class player, but they have got some very good players and have done well in the past.”

Essex’s coach, Chris Silverwood, says that Essex might not win the title, but they are out to make their presence felt

Paul Edwards at Chelmsford27-Jun-2017
ScorecardEssex’s season has slipped down a treat for Chris Silverwood•Getty Images

There are days when cricket slams a door in the face of its most devoted admirers and there are days when that same door is kept ajar, tantalising folk with the possibility of play. And so they gathered in the Felsted School and Tom Pearce stands this Tuesday afternoon and evening, teased by the breaks in the weather and whiling away summer with their friends. In its way, the latter diversion was as important as the possibility of cricket.Play was due to start at two o’clock and then again at 4.25. On each occasion the rain set in a few minutes before the umpires were due to go out and the small crowd lapsed back into the Janus-faced allure of prospects and memories. Flasked and tupperwared, they waited. Even some of the oldsters read their mobile phones. Timings were juggled as people tried to work out when play might be abandoned on a day when cricket could continue until a scheduled latest close of 9.30. The floodlights were turned off around six o’clock and we waited for Messrs Hartley and Millns to decide that hope could be turned off, too.By 6.50 the umpires had had enough and everybody began to think about the shape of a three-day game. Come Wednesday afternoon Essex will resume on 106 for 0 and with a freshly pressing need to get a wriggle on and build the sort of lead which will allow them to pressurise Middlesex on the final day. For Chris Silverwood, Essex’s quietly-spoken and impressive head coach, the dynamics of the game have changed.”I still think the game’s in a good position but we have to bat well tomorrow and we have to get a full day’s cricket in,” he said. “If we can bat once and bat long then who knows, so the first order of the day is to score as many runs as we can, pick up as many bonus points as possible and see where the game goes from there. We’re sitting at the top of the league and it’s for other people to catch us. If we can press the button, we will but Middlesex might bowl well and make life very difficult for us and we have to accept that.”Yet even on this grey June evening as the commuters hurried home down New London Road towards Ingatestone and Margaretting, Silverwood’s thoughts could be turned back towards the development of a side capable of winning promotion in 2016 and then “making their presence felt” this summer.”We’re always watching what other teams are doing but we will continue to approach our cricket in exactly the same way,” he said. “There’s a lot that can happen and I told the team this morning that there is no room for complacency. We have to follow the same process.”That process began for Silverwood and his coaches a year last November when the players reported back for pre-season training and plans for Essex’s resurgence were put into place.”What we’ve done has got us in a great position and it will continue to do so,” he said. “I’m not right fussed who our rivals are. It’s about what we do and how we conduct us selves. There are no bad teams in Division One, even though some are having harder times than others. You have to treat everybody like your rival.”We’ve not changed what we’ve done from last year. We’ve just got better at it. The players believe in the process and believe in themselves. At the start of last year we started playing the type of cricket that we want to play now. We’re not going to say we’re going to win it but we’re here to make our presence felt. And if we do that, who knows?”

Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis have joined the Australian exodus from the IPL, departing early from Kings XI Punjab

ESPNcricinfo staff17-May-20161:40

‘Losing Maxwell is a big blow’ – Bangar

Allrounders Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis have joined the Australian exodus from the IPL, departing early from Kings XI Punjab. While Maxwell left with an apparent side strain, a source within Kings XI put Stoinis’ departure down to “personal unavoidable circumstances”.*Kings XI are out of contention for the IPL playoffs, and Maxwell told Cricket Australia medical staff that he has been feeling increasingly sore over recent matches. CA’s national team physio David Beakley said Maxwell’s fitness would now need to be assessed ahead of Australia’s departure for the limited-overs triangular series in the Caribbean, also featuring West Indies and South Africa, later this month.”Glenn reported increasing soreness in his left abdomen area following last night’s match and as such a decision was made for him to return home for further assessment and treatment ahead of the West Indies tour,” Beakley said. “From the information we have so far, the injury doesn’t appear to be something that will prevent Glenn from participating in this tour, but we are keen to give him the necessary time to recover before departing to the West Indies at the end of this month.”Steven Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh and John Hastings had also departed the competition before its completion. Maxwell’s tournament failed to live up to expectations, featuring a pair of eye-catching half centuries amid a wider trend of insubstantial scores.Stoinis’ contributions were more weighty. He scored 146 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 135.18, including a match-winning 52 against Delhi Daredevils – a game in which he took three top-order wickets as well. He also had a big impact in the match against Mumbai Indians, when he claimed his best figures in T20 cricket – 4 for 15 – in another Kings XI victory.*15.00 GMT, May 17: This article was updated when the news of Marcus Stoinis going home came in.

Martin Guptill showed some fine form to press his claims further for a Test recall while the battle for New Zealand’s third seam still looks tight

George Dobell at New Road16-May-2015
ScorecardRoss Whiteley’s hundred made New Zealand’s bowlers work hard•Getty Images

As England prepared for their World Cup match against Australia, it was suggested – tongue in cheek – that the presence of Jack Shantry at their net sessions was an attempt to ready them for the pace of Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc.Shantry, the Worcestershire seamer who spent the winter playing Grade cricket in Melbourne, does have a few similarities with Johnson and Starc. Like them, he bowls left arm. And, like them, he is a mammal.But there the similarities cease. For while the Australian duo bowl at a furiously fast pace, Shantry bowls at a pace that might be described, in comparison, as slow to stationary. While he has recently taken to calling himself Jack ‘the hurricane’ Shantry, it is with self-deprecating humour: he reasons that the Beaufort scale – used as the measure of wind intensity based on sea conditions – rates that anything over 74mph can be described as hurricane force. And Shantry, on a good day, running downhill, at sea, probably does just about top 74 mph.That is not to decry Shantry’s talents. Blessed with an unusually high action, he combines impressive control with an ability to nip the ball around sharply and actually has a better first-class bowling average than either of the Australians. 189 first-class wickets at under 28 apiece deserves respect. Pace isn’t everything as Terry Alderman, Vernon Philander and Chaminda Vaas proved.What is the point of this, you may well be asking? Well, the point is that Shantry is now preparing New Zealand for their Test series against England. In early season conditions, Shantry and co. are proving the measure by which the tourists must settle on their Test XI.With only five days to go until the Lord’s Test begins, it seems New Zealand have chosen nine of the 11 that will play. With the captain Brendon McCullum – in IPL action today – likely to return at No. 5, Kane Williamson at No. 3 and Tim Southee and Trent Boult certain of sharing the new ball, the only vacancies are at the top of the order – where Tom Latham, Martin Guptill and Hamish Rutherford are battling for two spots – and as third seamer, where Doug Bracewell, Matt Henry and Neil Wagner are competing for a single position.On the evidence of this game, it would appear that Guptill – dismissed by Shantry in the first innings – has earned himself a decent chance of playing at Lord’s. While he was unable to play in the previous match at Taunton due to a side strain sustained while playing for Derbyshire (he scored a double-century in his last game for the county), he looked in imperious touch here, driving with power, pulling with contempt and dealing with Shantry’s movement with confidence.By contrast, Latham fell to a catch at leg slip – Shantry will no doubt claim, with a smile, that it was “leg theory” in action – and has now failed to reach 10 in three of his four innings on tour. While the other was a half-century against Somerset, he may have slipped behind Guptill and Rutherford, who made a patient 75 in the first innings here and 37 in the first innings at Taunton.Rutherford was unable to put the issue beyond doubt in the second innings here, though. Playing back to Moeen Ali’s first delivery, he was aghast to see the ball pitch middle and leg and turn sharply to clip the top of off stump. Had Ross Taylor been taken by Rich Oliver at leg slip when he had 12, as he probably should have been, Moeen would have finished the day with two victims.The day still ended much better for him than it started. He was able to add only three to his overnight total when he flicked a fairly innocuous looking delivery from Wagner to midwicket.Perhaps it was relevant that he looked somewhat unsettled by the short ball that preceded it. Australia have made no secret of their plans to test Moeen with the short delivery and, while he has rarely looked troubled by the delivery at county level and insists it is not an issue now, his ability to deal with it may well define his summer.Wagner was probably the most impressive of the seamers contesting a Test place. While Henry, blessed with a lovely, strong action, was rated the quickest of the attack by Worcestershire’s batsmen, Wagner conceded only 17 from his 14 overs and looked a man well in command of his game. Henry, by contrast, conceded almost four-an-over.Bracewell also looked strong and took the key wicket of Daryl Mitchell – brilliantly caught by Guptill high above his head at second slip as he failed to get on top of a short ball – after grinding for 37 overs in making 22.That New Zealand did not take a first innings lead was largely due to the resistance provided by Ross Whiteley. He has long been seen as a talented player but, due as much to a lack of confidence as any technical issues, has rarely fulfilled that ability in red-ball cricket. This, his first century for Worcestershire in first-team cricket – though it is not a first-class match – was full of powerful strokes and provided a reminder of the potential that remains. If he can take confidence from it – and he really should – he can go on to enjoy a fine career.But in the longer term, it may be Ed Barnard’s career that proves more substantial. While he has yet to make his first-class debut, the 19-year-old made an impressive first-team debut here. The 81 runs he added with Whiteley demonstrated composure and plenty of time for the ball. He looked, in short, a promising young player with the ability to forge a decent career in the game.So what a shame that so few people will hear about it. Sadly – in a worrying reflection of cricket’s decline in the UK – the local newspaper no longer sends a reporter to watch the local side and there is no agency writer at this match. Watching cricket at New Road remains a rare delight, but if the game is to remain relevant, it will have to fight harder for the exposure that is its oxygen.

ESPNcricinfo previews the women’s World Twenty20 final, which brings together two great rivals, Australia and England

The Preview by Alan Gardner06-Oct-2012

Match Facts

October 7, 2012
Start time 2.30pm local (0900 GMT/1000 BST)Will it be Charlotte Edwards or Jodie Fields holding the trophy after the final?•ICC/Getty

The Big Picture

Considering their status in the women’s game and the fact the countries contested the finals of the first four Women’s World Cups, it seems strange that this will be the first meeting between England and Australia in a global final since 1988. But that will be the case on Sunday, when the holders, Australia, attempt to defend their title against England, winners of the inaugural Women’s World Twenty20 in 2009.New Zealand have been the third wheel in recent times, losing to Australia in the Caribbean in 2010 and England at Lord’s a year earlier, but they fell at the semi-final stage at this tournament, denied the shot at an inglorious hat-trick. They became England’s fourth scalp in a row, with Charlotte Edwards’ team having already beaten Australia in their dead-rubber group game.England arrived at the World T20 on the back of their first 20-over defeat in 20 completed matches. The run that began after losing to Australia in January 2011 was ended by West Indies last month but, since then, England’s sense of invincibility has been reinvigorated. Katherine Brunt’s thrifty new-ball spells and England’s four spinners – with 16 wickets between them – have thrived on slow Sri Lankan pitches. Their batting is lead by three of the five leading run-scorers in the tournament in Edwards, Sarah Taylor and Laura Marsh.Australia are not without good form or star players either. Their record of played 14, won 11 in 2012 is second only to England’s (who have won 17 out of 18) and the likes of Lisa Sthalekar, ranked the No. 1 bowler in the world, Julie Hunter, the leading wicket-taker in Sri Lanka, and Ellyse Perry form part of a formidable attack. The batting may not have fired in quite the same way but you can be sure that Jodie Fields’ side will be all stoked up for a clash with the old enemy.Any fixture between these two countries comes with the obligatory Ashes tag, which will add spice to a showpiece that is also a scene setter, ahead of the men’s final between Sri Lanka and West Indies. After a gap of 24 years, this one should offer compelling viewing all on its own.

Form guide

(Most recent first, completed matches)
England WWWWL
Australia WLWWL

Watch out for…

Charlotte Edwards may get fewer headlines these days, thanks to the impish brilliance of Sarah Taylor with bat and gloves, but her presence at the top of the order is still of immeasurable importance for England. The all-time leading run-scorer in the format, she also heads the standings at the 2012 World T20 and her ability to hit down the ground against spin gives her one up on most of England’s male batsmen. Her battle with Ellyse Perry could set the tone.Julie Hunter may have torn up West Indies with a five-for during Australia’s semi-final win but it was Lisa Sthalekar who presented them gift-wrapped and ready for destruction, opening the bowling with her offspin and conceding just six runs from four overs. Australia’s No. 4, she is also a good enough batsman to be ranked in the world’s top ten. At 33, Sthalekar is four months older than Edwards and further proof that T20 isn’t just for the kids.

Team news

After convincing semi-final victories for both sides there would seem little need to change barring injury or illness.Australia (probable) 1 Meg Lanning, 2 Alyssa Healy, 3 Jess Cameron, 4 Lisa Sthalekar, 5 Alex Blackwell, 6 Jodie Fields (capt & wk), 7 Rachael Haynes, 8 Julie Hunter, 9 Ellyse Perry, 10 Jess Jonassen, 11 Erin OsborneEngland (probable) 1 Charlotte Edwards (capt), 2 Laura Marsh, 3 Sarah Taylor (wk), 4 Lydia Greenway, 5 Arran Brindle, 6 Danni Wyatt, 7 Jenny Gunn, 8 Katherine Brunt, 9 Anya Shurbsole, 10 Danielle Hazell, 11 Holly Colvin

Pitch and conditions

The pitch was looking similar to one prepared for the second semi-final, which did hold together better than the surface on Thursday. Spin will still play a key part but don’t rule out Katherine Brunt or Ellyse Perry enjoying some success. They are the outstanding pace bowlers in the women’s game. This semi-final will be played in the scorching heat of the afternoon although both sides are now acclimatised.

Stats and trivia

• Lisa Sthalekar four-over spell for six runs in the semi-final was the second most economical by an Australian in Twenty20 behind Sarah Coyte’s 4 for 5 from four overs against India at Billericay in 2011.
• The head-to-head between the two teams in T20s stands at 8-4 in England’s favour, although it is strictly 8-5 because Australia won the one tied game between the sides in a Super Over, which came in the previous World Twenty20.
• When these sides last met in a global final, at the 1988 World Cup, England made 127 in 60 overs batting first. That’s the sort of score whoever bats first in this final will like to reach in 20.

Quotes

“It’s never an easy feat to come through semi-finals, we had to play West Indies who have improved immensely. It was a really good team performance. So we are really excited to get another chance to play England.”
Lisa Sthalekar“Two years ago, it was a really disappointing tournament for us. I’m really proud of the way the girls have come back. We’re peaking at the right time.”

Promotion-chasing Surrey need five final-day wickets to claim a win over Essex
to further boost their bid to return to the top flight of the County
Championship. After leaving Essex a victory target of 349, Surrey reduced their opponents to
142 for 5 by t

09-Sep-2011
ScorecardPromotion-chasing Surrey need five final-day wickets to claim a win over Essex
to further boost their bid to return to the top flight of the County
Championship. After leaving Essex a victory target of 349, Surrey reduced their opponents to
142 for 5 by the close.In front of a sizeable Chelmsford crowd, their position of strength owed much
to century maker Zander de Bruyn, and another fine knock from Chris Jordan, who
between them scored over half of Surrey’s second innings total of 286.The pair’s seventh wicket stand produced 119 and arrived amid another
magnificent display of pace bowling from David Masters who finished with six for
93. Yet things did not start too encouragingly for the visitors after they had
resumed, both Jason Roy and Gareth Batty departing for the addition of 24 to the
overnight 104 for 4.The game was evenly poised at that point, before De Bruyn and Jordan seized
control with disciplined aggression allied to shrewd shot selection. Whenever the wayward delivery arrived, they did not waste the opportunity to drive and pull powerfully to progress at a rate of around five and over.The muscular De Bruyn scored exactly 100 with the help of a dozen fours and two
sixes before, fittingly, his 125-ball innings was brought to an end by Masters. He did so with a delivery that sent two stumps out of the ground, a dismissal that signalled Masters’ eighth haul of five or more wickets in an inning this summer. He was later to leave the field to a standing ovation and with 93 Championship wickets to his credit – more than any other bowler in the country.But his season’s final effort did not include the impressive Jordan among his
victims. For the second time in the match, he posted a career-best following up his 71
in the first innings with an unbeaten 79 that included eight fours and a six and
arrived from 106 balls.As he did in the first innings, Tim Linley was soon making an impact when Essex
embarked upon their formidable task. Tom Westley’s promising start was cut short when he was bowled without offering a stroke with 16 against his name, whilst Owais Shah had his defences breached shortly afterwards with the total on 42.Pragyan Ojha, the left-arm spinner, was to turn the screw when he tempted Jaik
Mickleburgh to drive into the hands of mid-off before trapping Adam Wheater
lbw. The return of Linley ended the dogged resistance of Billy Godleman who was
caught behind after making 38 of the 96 on the board.But James Foster and Ryan ten Doeschate lived to fight on the final day
although the former was lucky to survive when he was dropped by De Bruyn at
second slip with only a single against his name. Foster will resume on 35 and Ten Doeschate on 30, their stand so far having
yielded 46 runs.

Maurice Ouma has resigned as Kenya’s captain in the wake of the side’s 167-run loss to Afghanistan in the Intercontinental Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-2010Maurice Ouma has resigned as Kenya’s captain in the wake of the side’s 167-run loss to Afghanistan in the Intercontinental Cup. Vice-captain Jimmy Kamande will take over with immediate effect and will lead the team in the ODI series which starts on Thursday.”We respect Morris’s decision to stand down after what has been a difficult period and would like to thank him for his efforts,” Cricket Kenya chief executive Tom Sears said. “We are confident that in Jimmy Kamande we have a captain who can take the squad forward and start producing the results we know our players are capable of.”Ouma took over from Steve Tikolo in June 2009 but had been unable to arrest the continuing slide in Kenya’s fortunes. Earlier this year he was at the forefront of a player strike which embarrassed the board and led to losses of more than $60,000 because of the resulting cancellation of a tour of England. At the time there were calls for him to stand down.”I feel this is the right decision for myself as a player but more importantly for the squad,” Ouma said. “I have given the role everything and have been very proud to captain my country but the time is now right for someone else to take on the challenge and lead us to the success we know we can achieve.”