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Plays of the Day from the third day of the Chittagong Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan

Nitin Sundar11-Dec-2011The no-ball

Habitual oversteppers, Rubel and Shahadat Hossain, matched each other with six no-balls each on the day. Inevitably, on a day when almost nothing went right for Bangladesh, a wicket fell off one of them. Younis Khan was on 137 when he top-edged a pull off Rubel and was caught by Elias Sunny at deep square leg. Younis went on to make another 63 runs to bring up his third Test double-century and was unbeaten when Pakistan declared. There were also unwelcome no-ball landmarks for both Hossains during the course of the day. Rubel overstepped for the 75th time in just his 12th Test while Shahadat delivered his 100th no-ball in 32 Tests.The bunny
Tamim Iqbal has tried everything against Mohammad Hafeez, first in the ODI series and now in the first Test. He has swept, slogged, driven and defended but he hasn’t managed to decipher him. Today he tried to leave the ball alone, but chose the wrong ball to shoulder arms to. It angled in from wide of the crease and straightened, but not enough to miss off stump. Tamim looked completely befuddled on his way back.The jump
With the century out of the way early, and the bowling offering little by way of challenge, Younis Khan ran the risk of drifting into carelessness. In the third over of the day, he manufactured his own technique to stay alert. Shakib Al Hasan tossed up a ball to Asad Shafiq, who defended it back towards Younis at the non-striker’s end. Younis could have stepped away easily, but waited until the ball was close to him before jumping over it to let it go. Javed Miandad would have approved.The flubbed catch
Fast bowlers have never been renowned for their fielding and Rubel showed why. Asad Shafiq miscued a hook off a rising delivery from Shahadat and Rubel ran forward from fine leg, got under it but made a mess of what should have been a regulation catch. Shahadat wasn’t upset though, and applauded the effort.

Despite improvements in the game’s administration, cricket has not addressed the problem of not showing enough respect to spectators

George Dobell at Edgbaston10-Jun-2012And they wonder why it is such a struggle to fill grounds for Tests. Despite a multi-million pound investment in floodlights, spectators were forced to endure an hour-long hiatus on the fourth-day at Edgbaston as the umpires took the players from the pitch due to bad light.If the decision to come off was perplexing – England’s batsman had scored 45 runs in the previous 43 deliveries and were proceeding with an ease that underlined the suspicion that there was no problem with the light – the decision to remain off was bewildering. With Edgbaston’s floodlights on and the natural light appearing quite adequate, spectators began to heckle and jeer the umpires.Warwickshire had done pretty well to sell in excess of 53,000 tickets for this Test. After all, the series had been decided and the weather had ruined any realistic prospect of a result in the match.Yet the fourth day crowd of around 5,000 – that is 20,000 under capacity – was bitterly disappointing. The ticket price of £43 was surely one factor – in a city built on manufacturing the recession has bitten hard – but, in the longer term, the years of contempt with which spectators have been treated has also had an effect. Years of seeing play lost because the grass on the edge of the square was damp, the light was questionable or simply because the over-rate has been too slow has created a culture where spectators are reluctant to part with large sums of money in case they are not given full value. Put simply, cricket is not treating the customer with the respect it should.The situation has improved markedly in recent years, but days like this – where play is suspended in decent light and floodlights on – set the game back years.Those who were present on Sunday still enjoyed a wonderfully improbable and entertaining day of cricket. But cricket’s propensity to self harm left a sour taste in the mouth which was an unhelpful as it was unnecessary. Cricket is simply not popular enough that it can afford to treat its customers with so little respect. If a player tweeting his views on a commentator is enough to warrant a fine, what action should be taken against umpires who misjudge the situation quite so spectacularly? To compound the error, the day finished in light so much worse than the period when the players had been in the pavilion that if was laughable.The ICC Match Referee, Roshan Mahanama, was asked for his comments but declined to provide them.

Bunking classes to watch India-Pakistan? Hell yeah

Fahmim Ferdous19-Mar-2012Choice of game
It was India versus Pakistan, in Dhaka. That kind of a thing happens literally once in 12 years, and my absolute sweetheart of a friend got hold of two of the most sought-after tickets of the year, through her dad’s contacts. I felt the match was more important than my electrical engineering lectures, and to my surprise, I found two of my favourite lecturers from the university in the same gallery as me.Team supported
Pakistan, because their win would allow Bangladesh a slightly easier equation to reach the finals. Though, I would have supported Pakistan regardless.Key performer
Virat Kohli. The man, bursting with confidence from a dream run, was a class apart. To me he resembled a mountaineer – focussed, gritty, and determined to keep going no matter what the circumstance. The strength of his mind outdid his muscles by a fair margin, which was something, given the muscle-power on display. In the end, he did justice to his name, getting too “Virat” (Hindi/Bangla for “big”) for Pakistan.One thing I’d have changed
Wahab Riaz’s lunch menu. Or the DVD he watched the night before. Or maybe the alignment of his bowling shoulder a little bit to the left, so that all those deliveries down the leg side would have been on line. Hard to believe it was the same guy who took a five-for the last time these two sides met.Face-off you relished
Saeed Ajmal v Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin looked like his old self against the seamers, timing everything exquisitely. But against Ajmal he stumbled, more than once, and was eventually outfoxed by his doosra.Wow moment
Suresh Raina pulled off a Paul Collingwood-ish blinder at cover to send a dangerous-looking Younis Khan back. If he loses his touch with the bat, Raina can certainly audition for the position of “Seeker” in any Quidditch team.Close encounter
Praveen Kumar fielded near where we were sitting, and he got heckled for his name, which when translated to Bangla means “elderly bachelor”.Close encounter II
I met the Indian supporter who claims to be Sachin’s biggest fan, and backs it up with his action. His face and torso were painted perfectly in the India colours, and “Sachin” was written on his back. He was blowing a conch shell and wielding a huge Indian tricolour flag. He is such a common sight at India’s games worldwide, and it was good to have him at our gallery.Shot of the day
Tendulkar’s upper-cut off Aizaz Cheema in the fifth over was like a maestro doing a quick encore of one of his oldest, most famous classic sonatas. It was a moment to reminisce on a bad day – that I have seen Tendulkar hit a bowler for six over the keeper’s head will surely cheer me up no matter how low I may be feeling!Crowd meter
Despite it being the first weekday, the stands were packed long before offices closed. The atmosphere was festive, upbeat and dynamic. Pakistan were narrow favourites, especially because a victory for them would pretty much shut India out of the final, and open it up for Bangladesh. The loudest cheers, very predictably, went up for the two most loved characters of the game in this part of the world – Tendulkar and Shahid Afridi.Accessories
With too many restrictions on what we could take into the stadium premises, all we managed was my friend’s little camera, whose lens covered just us and the wide-angle shots of the grounds.Overall
It was a high-scoring encounter, had three centuries, and a stunner of a catch. Not much more to expect from an ODI. The atmosphere in the stands was scintillating and the weather just about perfect. Can’t complain, unless you’re a hardcore Pakistan supporter. Then again, the players have themselves to blame for the defeat.Marks out of 10
The game would get an 8.5 from me, the deductions being for Pakistan’s listless bowling and fielding efforts, and the overall toothless-ness of the Indian bowling attack.

A wretched 2011-12 season has filled New South Wales with resolve to regain the respect of Australian cricket

Daniel Brettig17-Sep-2012In capturing why last summer went so badly wrong for New South Wales, it is not hard to find the emblematic day. Five Test cricketers in the top six, eight Australian representatives in the XI, the Blues were routed for 91 at the WACA ground on February 17.They had been 1 for 60 moments before the lunch break, Phillip Hughes and Usman Khawaja battling along with no hint of the maelstrom to follow. But Khawaja played a horrid stroke, bowled while trying to pull a ball from Michael Hogan, and from that moment the innings, and the match, went to pieces.An innings and 323-run hiding brought many discontents bubbling to the surface, as a decidedly strong team on paper fell apart in the field. The reasons for this were many and varied. A new coach in Anthony Stuart and the new captain Steve O’Keefe floundered for direction after replacing a successful long-term duo.Stuart’s predecessor Matthew Mott had left of his own accord, but the captain Simon Katich was moved on by the chief executive David Gilbert, in what appeared a move made in too much haste. The state cricket manager, David Thompson, was in his second season and saw his old school grade cricket values clash with those of the 21st century game.As the summer progressed as many as seven players found themselves demoted to the NSW team after time playing for Australia, grappling with the disaffection and public scrutiny of being dropped as much as their own techniques. And in the midst of it all, the squad was splintered by the Twenty20 Big Bash League, with one of Sydney’s teams coached by Trevor Bayliss, who had made no secret of his indignation about Gilbert preferring Stuart for the state coaching job after returning from his time with Sri Lanka. That Bayliss’ Sydney Sixers went on to win the competition only heightened the sense among some players that he may have been the better man for the job.Following the BBL, the team reconvened in dribs and drabs, and lost heavily to Tasmania in Hobart before the WACA humiliation. They won only one Sheffield Shield match all season. Looking back now, on the eve of a return bout with the Warriors in Perth, O’Keefe is frank; he has never wallowed through a lower moment in his time wearing the baggy blue cap.”That was the lowest point of my career,” O’Keefe told ESPNcricinfo. “When you get given the mantle as captain and you go over and have the worst loss in 95 years of Sheffield Shield cricket, that resonates personally. And when you look at all the stakeholders involved in such a great side, the fans, the coaches, the staff, it doesn’t hurt only me but it hurts everyone else.”It’s not that I can fault the effort, the guys were turning up and putting in each day, I just think we were in a completely different head space from where we needed to be in that match. When it comes down to it when you’re facing that ball, if you’re not 100% committed to that single moment, if your mind’s even a little bit somewhere else or you’re not thinking about the team as a whole, you’re going to fall into a trap.”If you look at that side, five out of the top six had played Test cricket, but those five guys were in different positions in their careers. A lot were coming back from the Test side, trying to find their own game and improve their own technique, trying to do that on the WACA, which can be a tough ground getting started, we were exposed. Our bowling attack, again I can’t fault the amount of effort guys were putting in, but as a side we weren’t moving together as one, and it couldn’t have been exposed more. If you had to use it as a metaphor for our season in terms of the way we were going, that’s probably the best way to do it.”If the WACA was the lowest moment, the signs of instability were evident far earlier. Thrown together into their pivotal roles at the same time, Stuart and O’Keefe struggled to divide their tasks in an adequate manner. O’Keefe had missed much of the pre-season with injury, then found himself thrown amongst the team as their new captain. Stuart had difficulty with the fact that several members of the NSW squad preferred the counsel of their own private coaches, while others required more direction than he expected. The team had an uneasy first trip away together for the Twenty20 Champions League in India. While the Blues made the semi-finals, it quickly became clear that players and staff represented different eras of the game. It was a gap that would close only marginally across the season.”Personally I didn’t fully understand the responsibilities a captain had on a side,” O’Keefe said. “You look at Simon Katich and you take it for granted how well he leads a team and how well he has done in the past. It seems like it’s effortless the amount of work and the 300 first-class games he’s played, it all seems to come out naturally and flow well. Missing the pre-season and turning up for the second game of the Shield season was tough, I’m noticing the benefits this year of having a pre-season and getting to know the guys a bit better, understanding their games.”Overall I think we had a lot of issues, and a lot we had were probably that we were pointing our finger as a whole group at other people, when we just had to point the fingers at ourselves. What we want to control and what we own is entirely up to us as players, and one thing I was guilty of last year was doing that. I know I’ve got to take accountability for how I want myself to be seen, how I want the team to be perceived, and that’s where the responsibility lies.”If we’re not happy with the standard of training it is up to the players to decide and to push that forward. Last year it wasn’t a really positive vibe, and for a lot of reasons. It’s tough when you’ve got a side with so many talented players that you just expect it to roll on and work. This year we’ve put in place things that are a bit more autonomous in terms of the group buying into what we believe is important. It’s that sort of mental attitude shift that’ll put us in a better position.”Better than 91 all out.

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With the end of the season came recriminations. A review of the Blues’ 2011-12 summer cast blame for the team’s poor showing in all directions, from players, to leaders to management. Stuart and O’Keefe were sent for sessions with Wayne Pearce, the former rugby league international, coach and motivational speaker. Their roles are now more clearly defined, and O’Keefe has been freed up to spend more time concentrating on his own game – it shuddered to a halt amid the team’s difficulties last summer. The team is now encouraged collectively to share views on where things can improve.”Stuey’s been great this year, and I don’t think Stuey was that bad last year,” O’Keefe said. “The issue was as a playing group we had something new, and it is our responsibility to look at ourselves – if we think something isn’t up to a certain standard, it’s up to the players to decide, not necessarily the coach who has to keep pointing the finger and telling us. If we want a group to work together it has to be done by the group and the coach adds his dimension.”What we’re realising now is that having planned a bit better, Stuey’s input’s been as good as any coach I’ve had. He’s jumped on board with looking after the quicks, an area he knows really well. We had those tough conversations last year, where Stuey and I sat down with Wayne Pearce whose helped with the leadership side of things, just to make sure we’re clear on what we expect of each other.”When we turn up to training now it’s not a subconscious ‘five out of the Test top six, someone will get it done’. We point the finger at ourselves, how do I improve this team, I improve it by my own actions, and I get to know my team better, understand what’s making us tick, and really giving the power to each individual. On Fridays we’ve sat down in a meeting, gone through a few trust principles we’ve got, and there’s a free-for-all if guys have got issues about anything, to speak their mind and bring it up, have that tough conversation with everyone in the group. That’s been a fundamental shift for the side.”A trio of departures have also brought a marked shift. Hughes and Khawaja sought greener pastures, in South Australia and Queensland respectively, while Nathan Hauritz, who had given himself a second chance by moving to Sydney in 2006, returned home to Queensland. Khawaja seemed clear about his departure even before season ended, having watched his former teammate Peter Forrest flourish under the tutelage of Darren Lehmann at the Bulls. Hughes was a little more conflicted, and at one point went with O’Keefe to Gilbert to assure him that he would be spending 2012-13 with NSW. Eventually, Hughes could not resist the financial heft of SA’s offer, plus the chance to bat for half a season on Adelaide Oval.In their places will be the likes of Nic Maddinson and Kurtis Patterson, a young duo of batting talent capable of great things. O’Keefe does not want to place undue pressure on his players, and hopes Maddinson and Patterson can show the fearless batting intent that rushed them into the NSW squad in the first place.”Nic had a bit of a muddled year last year where he was in and out, across formats. But if you look at that guy and how he can play, I know he’s going to play for Australia,” O’Keefe said. “Rather than making it confusing, they’re young and uninhibited, so I want to keep that fearless factor for those guys. Kurtis has come out, he’s got no scar tissue [from last season], he’s made 160 on debut, so the less I say to him the better.”I just want him to be comfortable around the group, to feel his opinion is valued, that he’s as much a part of this XI and this NSW team as Brad Haddin. If they’re comfortable in their skin in this side and I know they’ll do well. My goal for Nic is to make him own his position, if that’s opening the batting I want him to own it.Australia’s captain Michael Clarke is leading the Blues at the start of this season•Getty Images”From last season to this one we’ve got guys who were on the fringes who are now right in the mix. They’ve got the talent, and their doing well or not doing well is going to be the way they approach it. If they think of themselves as fringe players, they’re going to play like that, and have that nervous look over their shoulder. If they think of themselves as cricketers who can hold a spot, then that’s the way they’re going to play. The opportunity is there.”Helping to rebuild the Blues will be Australia’s Test captain Michael Clarke and his sometime deputy Haddin. Their presence in the NSW side for the early matches of the season, after Haddin has also taken part in pre-season, seems likely to make a significant difference to the team’s fortunes. O’Keefe is Clarke’s deputy until the senior man goes to Brisbane for Test duty against South Africa in November, and he acknowledges the impact of Haddin in particular.”The biggest thing we’ve got from him is Brad’s not just come along to be a passive part of the team. He’s come along, he’s noticed this team needs to improve and shape up and he’s been more than willing to express his ideas and thoughts around the group,” O’Keefe said. “And that I think is going to lift a lot of us guys who haven’t played as many games.”Someone with that experience to come back and show how much it means to be a Blue-bagger, and do well for this state, to him. That’s inspiring, and he’s trained as hard as anyone else, and he’s prepared to stand in front of the group and say ‘these are areas we can improve at’. The thing with Brad is he’s always going to give it to you straight. He can bring up a point where he thinks you can improve, but he’s never doing it to personally attack, he’s doing it to create a better environment around the team.”O’Keefe knows that 2012-13 will be a chance for NSW to regain a level of respect commensurate with the state’s central place in Australian cricket. He also knows that another year as poor as the last will result in plenty of changes. Stuart’s contract is up at the end of the season, and O’Keefe admits his place as captain will also be under threat if things do not improve.”Respect is something you’ve got to earn, and I’m aware with this group that if it was Michael Clarke walking in there, that bloke automatically demands that respect,” O’Keefe said. “For me I have to develop to earn it. Regardless of whether I’ve played 20 games or 100, respect comes from your ability to produce the goods out on the ground, and also lead the way in developing the culture we want to produce.”Last year was a blip on the radar, this year I’ve been given a second chance to work on it, improve on it and get it right. If that doesn’t work, and I know I’m not doing my job, then it’s pretty clear there has to be a change made.”

Australia have lost the services of Michael Hussey, one of the best middle-order batsmen in Tests and ODIs

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan06-Jan-2013An unbeaten 27 in his final innings might not have been the perfect farewell for Michael Hussey but it symbolised what he meant to the team in more ways than one. Since he made his Test debut in November 2005, Hussey has been the rock of the Australian middle order in all formats. Despite a terrific record in first-class cricket, he made a late breakthrough into the Australian team because of the extraordinary strength of the squad in the early 2000s. Almost instantly, he made it count by scoring two centuries in his first three Tests against West Indies. However, his best performance came against South Africa in the Boxing Day Test in 2005, when he partnered Glenn McGrath and added 107 runs for the last wicket after Australia had been reduced to 248 for 9. For nearly three years, Hussey maintained an 80-plus average but suffered a dip in form between 2008 and 2010, when it dropped below 50 briefly. In Australia’s dismal home Ashes in 2010-11, Hussey was by far the best batsman. He continued his superb run through the last two years and pushed his average past the 50 mark by scoring eight centuries in his final 25 Tests.Although Hussey scored over 6000 Test runs, he was a more formidable batsman at home. In 45 Tests in Australia, he scored 3794 runs at an average of 61.13 with 14 centuries. His average is the third highest among all Australian batsmen who have scored 3500-plus runs at home. Outside Australia though, Hussey was not as effective. In 34 matches, he scored only five centuries at an average of 41.37. Hussey also proved to be extremely consistent in Test wins; in 48 victories, he averaged 61.20 with 12 hundreds. Hussey had a particularly good run in Hobart and Sydney, where he averaged 101.40 and 94.00 respectively. However, he struggled in Tests at the MCG, averaging just 29.71 in 14 innings.

Between his debut in late 2005 and the end of 2007, Hussey was exceptionally consistent. In 19 matches, he scored nearly 2000 runs at an average of 80.58 with seven centuries. This run included two centuries against West Indies and Sri Lanka and one each against England and South Africa. Although he scored six of his seven centuries in this period at home, he maintained an average of 71.28 in away matches. But after this great start to his Test career, Hussey endured a slump for nearly two years. Between 2008 and the final Ashes Test in 2009, Hussey averaged just 34.10 in 22 Tests (two centuries).He salvaged his career with a century at The Oval before going on to score a fortuitous but vital century at the SCG to upstage Pakistan. In the 2010-11 Ashes, Hussey scored a superb 195 in Brisbane and added another century in the third Test in Perth. He also top scored in the series in Sri Lanka, with 463 runs in the three Tests. Hussey went through another bad patch after the Sri Lanka series, making just 83 runs in eight innings before turning it around with 89 and 150 against India. In six Tests played during the 2012 Australian summer, Hussey scored 527 runs at an average of 65.87 with three centuries.

Throughout his career, Hussey remained a dominant batsman at home. His excellent record in Australia is reflected in his stats against the top teams. Against England, Hussey played ten home Tests and averaged 73.42 (three centuries). However, he struggled in England, averaging just 34.50 in five Tests (one century). His performance against India was more even, although it was still marginally better in home Tests. Surprisingly, he did not enjoy a good run against New Zealand both home and away. In six Tests against New Zealand, Hussey failed to score a single century and averaged just 24.55. Hussey’s pattern of home dominance is reflected in his record against Pakistan and West Indies too. He had a tough time against South Africa, especially in away matches, averaging just 32.07. However, against Sri Lanka, Hussey was terrific home and away. He scored five centuries against them and maintained an exceptional average of 110.44 in eight Tests. His average against Sri Lanka is the fourth-best among all batsmen who have scored at least 750 runs against a particular opposition.Hussey had a higher average in the first innings (55.12) as compared to the second innings (45.87). Fourteen of his 19 centuries came in the first innings. In both the first and second innings of matches, he scored seven centuries each and averaged 50.90 and 60.96 respectively. However, in the third innings, his average dropped to 43.62 (four centuries). Hussey did score one century in the final innings (average 52.41) but it came in defeat at The Oval in 2009.In 64 partnerships Hussey shared with Michael Clarke, the pair aggregated 3372 runs at an average of 55.27 with nine century stands. Four of the nine century stands (three 200-plus stands) were in 2012, with the highest being an unbroken 334 against India in Sydney. Hussey also had a fruitful association with Ricky Ponting, adding over 2000 runs at an average of 53.06 (seven century stands).

Pace bowlers were far more successful against Hussey, accounting for 83 of his 138 dismissals (bowler dismissals only). While he averaged 45.71 against the fast bowlers, Hussey did much better against spinners, averaging 69.65. He struggled more against left-arm quicks (14 dismissals at 28.07). His average is nearly 50 against right-arm fast bowlers and jumps to 76 against right-arm spinners.Given his issues against South Africa, it is no surprise that Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn have dismssed Hussey most often. Against both bowlers, he had very low averages and balls-per-dismissal values. Against Zaheer Khan, who has dismissed Hussey five times, the average (32.60) and balls-per-dismissal (59) are higher. Graeme Swann and James Anderson, who have dismissed Hussey four and three times respectively, have high averages (63.75 and 71.33) and strike rates (118.2 and 141.3).

Right from the beginning of his career, Hussey remained a brilliant performer in ODIs. Among Australian batsmen who have scored 5000-plus ODI runs, he has the second highest average (48.15). Not only did Hussey maintain a high average, he also had an excellent strike rate of 87.16. In contrast to Tests, where he was a better player at home, in ODIs he had a better record outside Australia. In matches played at home, he averaged 47 at a strike rate of 86.04. All three of his centuries came outside Australia. Both his average (48.92) and strike rate (87.89) in away and neutral games were better than the corresponding numbers in home ODIs.Against top teams (all Test teams excluding Bangladesh and Zimbabwe), Hussey averaged 46.71 and scored two of his three centuries. He proved disappointing in global tournaments though; in nine innings in the World Cup, he scored just 156 runs at an average of 19.50 with one half-century. Although he did better in the Champions Trophy, his average of 38 was well below his career figure. Hussey scored over 1000 runs in the Australian tri-series (CB series) at an average just over 40.

With a 45-plus average and 85-plus strike rate, Hussey is part of an elite group in ODIs. Among batsmen with over 5000 runs and a 45-plus average, AB de Villiers has the best strike rate (93.15) followed by Viv Richards (90.20). Hussey, who has the fourth-best strike rate, is also fourth in terms of average behind Michael Bevan, MS Dhoni and de Villiers. In the first innings, Hussey has an average close to 50 and a strike rate of 92.16. In contrast, his second innings average and strike rate drop to 42.75 and 73.12. Michael Clarke and Bevan, the two other Australian players in the group, have done much better than Hussey in chases though Clarke’s average in the first innings (41.38) is signifcantly lower than that of Hussey.*

For a batsman who had quite a successful Test career, it is perhaps ironic that his best-remembered innings is likely to be one played in the Twenty20 format. In the 2010 World Twenty2- semi-final, Hussey produced a stunning assault on the Pakistan bowlers scoring 60 off just 24 balls to snatch a near-impossible win. In a format where it is extremely challenging to maintain both a high average and strike rate, Hussey stands out. Among batsmen with 500-plus runs, Hussey has the highest average (35.94) followed closely by Kevin Pietersen (35.93). Remarkably, Hussey also has the third-best strike rate (136.25) after Chris Gayle and Pietersen.

A young team will have to put the contracts crisis behind it and look to secure Sri Lanka’s future

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Galle07-Mar-2013When Angelo Mathews accepted the Test and ODI captaincy three weeks ago, he spoke of the joy he felt at his appointment and the exciting possibilities he envisioned for a team attempting regeneration. If there was any naivety in Mathews’ reckoning of what it would be like to captain Sri Lanka then, it will have been slammed out of him by what transpired in the past week. Before he has even had one Test at the helm, he has been put through the fire of a board lock-out, and had his tact and loyalties examined thoroughly.It would be a difficult episode for even the most seasoned leader to see his side through, but for Mathews it is a monumental task. Less than a week after essentially having their status as national cricketers stripped from them and being cornered into signing away a chunk of their earnings, his men now must to gird themselves and begin a full tour.Among several compounding factors for Mathews is the inexperience of his team. A new selection panel has brought a fervent focus on youth, and as a result, Sri Lanka’s top seven will have to field at least four batsmen who have played fewer than ten Tests. Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan may have developed the ability to empty their heads of events even as disruptive as the contracts crisis when they are at the crease, but the younger crop is more likely to be psychologically susceptible. Sri Lanka are lucky it is not one of the more verbal teams in cricket who are touring, because as far as sledging goes, there is plenty of powder to pack into cannons at present. Mathews will miss the wisdom of Mahela Jayawardene too, who is not with the squad, as he navigates his first assignment.There is also less room for error now in this series. For months forces within SLC had worked to portray the players as pampered and indisciplined, and last weekend’s events have only helped to advance those sentiments among many in the public. Lasith Malinga’s impolite interactions with media have not helped endear players to fans either. Mathews must know now that his side is only one loss to Bangladesh away from the scathing criticism from some turning into widespread vitriol. It is not difficult to see that what once shaped as a straightforward series for the hosts has now become a minefield with consequences both in and away from the cricket itself.It is a pity that the pay dispute has overshadowed the build-up to the tour, because in many ways, this series is a new dawn for Sri Lanka. Not only has a new leadership group been identified and appointed, for first time in years the hype does not revolve around the senior players in the side. In the team’s last Test in Sydney, the three batsmen under 25 played excellent innings, and as a result, Dinesh Chandimal, Dimuth Karunaratne and Lahiru Thirimanne are all set for long stints in the top Test XI, as long as they can score heavily enough to justify their places.More talent waits beyond the youngsters who have already tasted international cricket. Kithuruwan Vithanage has given himself a chance of being picked for the Tests with his 168 not out from 165 balls against a full-strength Bangladesh attack in the Matara tour match. Tharindu Kaushal is the latest outrageous spin talent in the country, having reaped six five-wicket hauls in five first-class matches in his debut season so far. The selectors have already suggested that others like middle-order batsman Angelo Perera, who has scored quickly and heavily for several seasons now, may be in line to earn a place during the limited-overs leg.Though uncertainty might define the approach to the series for Mathews, he still has potential trump cards in hand as well. Sangakkara is returning from injury, but after a dismal series against New Zealand and a frustratingly brief one against Australia, he is unlikely to want anything less than thorough success, and if his monstrous home record against Bangladesh is anything to go by, the visitors may be in for wearisome stints in the field. Bangladesh batsmen may have been weaned on left-arm spin at home, but playing Rangana Herath in Galle has been a test few batsmen have convincingly passed in recent years, and even in their current state, Sri Lanka will be distraught if they do not walk out of their favourite venue with a handy win.Before the contracts crisis broke open, Mathews had reiterated in the press that Bangladesh is not an opponent his team can take lightly. There is suddenly much more on the line now, and for a bold, new Sri Lanka, it is a series through which they must assure themselves, and the public, that all is well, and the future is secure.

Stats highlights from Zimbabwe’s 335-run win against Bangladesh in Harare

S Rajesh20-Apr-2013Brendan Taylor scored two centuries in the Harare Test; none of Bangladesh’s batsmen managed even a half-century•Associated Press

• The 335-run margin is Zimbabwe’s biggest Test win in terms of runs. They’ve won ten Tests so far, of which six have been against Bangladesh, and two each against India and Pakistan. Against Bangladesh they have a dominant 6-1 record, and have won five of six Tests at home, including all four in Harare. Given that Harare is also the venue for the second Test, this doesn’t bode well for the visitors.
• Bangladesh’s margin of defeat is their second-largest, in terms of runs, in Tests – against Sri Lanka in Chittagong, they’d lost by 465. This is their third defeat by 300-plus runs: they’d also lost to England by 329 runs at the same venue in 2003.
• Bangladesh’s performance was particularly disappointing because they didn’t even put up a semblance of fight, against an opposition they were fancied to beat. None of their batsmen managed even a half-century – the highest was Jahurul Islam’s 43 in the first innings, followed by Mohammad Ashraful’s 40 and 38. The last time they didn’t notch up a single 50-plus score in a Test was in Bloemfontein in 2008, when they were bundled out for 153 and 159 by South Africa, and lost by an innings and 129 runs. In 21 Tests since that game and before this one in Harare, they had at least one score of more than 50.
• In the first innings, Bangladesh’s last eight batsmen, from No. 4 to No. 11, totalled 18 runs among them, the lowest in Bangladesh’s Test history.
• In the two Tests in Sri Lanka before this tour, Bangladesh’s batsmen had played more than 180 overs in each match. This time, they lost 20 wickets in 103.3 overs, which works out to an average of a wicket every 31 deliveries. Zimbabwe, on the other hand, lost 17 wickets in 216.3 overs, an average of a wicket every 76 balls. In their first innings, Bangladesh lasted 325 balls, only one more than the number of balls Brendan Taylor played for his 171, while in the second innings Bangladesh didn’t even last that long, getting bundled out in 49.2 overs. In the entire match Bangladesh scored 281 runs, Taylor alone had a match aggregate of 273.
• The only player who emerged from the thrashing with his reputation enhanced was Robiul Islam, the right-arm seamer. Robiul took six wickets in Zimbabwe’s second innings and finished with a match haul of nine, becoming only the second seamer from Bangladesh, after Shahadat Hossain, to take nine in a match.
• While Bangladesh had little to cheer, apart from Robiul’s lion-hearted display, Zimbabwe had many heroes. Their bowlers were all among wickets, but the batting star was their captain, Brendan Taylor, with innings of 171 and 102 not out. It was only the 14th instance of a captain scoring hundreds in each innings of a Test, while Taylor became the 12th captain to achieve this feat. (Ricky Ponting did it three times.) Taylor’s match aggregate of 273 is the third-best by a Zimbabwean – only Andy Flower has scored more runs for them in a Test.
• In his last seven Tests, since 2011, Taylor has averaged 59.50, with four hundreds in 14 innings. In ten Tests before that, he had averaged 21.10, with a highest of 78 in 20 innings.

A statistical analysis on Sunil Narine’s performance in ODIs, home and away, and how he has become West Indies’ leading ODI bowler

Shiva Jayaraman27-Jun-2013West Indies’ improved performances at home in ODIs, in the last year or so, has coincided with the emergence of Sunil Narine as their leading spinner in International cricket. By 2000, when the last of their feared breed of fast bowlers retired, and for much of the time since then, spinners were only in the West Indian squads to carry out the perfunctory role of the fifth bowler. Narine has changed all that. With 52 wickets from 31 matches, he has been their leading wicket-taker in ODIs since his debut in December 2011.Narine has won three Man-of-the-Match awards since then, with two against New Zealand, and one against Australia. He also won the Man-of-the-Series award for his bowling performance against New Zealand in the aforementioned series – the first ODI Man-of-the-Series award by a specialist West Indian spinner since Lance Gibbs won in the Prudential Trophy in England in 1973. Narine earned the award by taking 13 wickets against New Zealand. This is the most a West Indian spinner has ever taken in a bilateral ODI series.

In home matches, Narine has provided the West Indies attack with much needed penetration. With Narine applying pressure at one end, the West Indian bowlers have been far more effective. In 13 ODI matches at home, their average, strike rate and economy have all improved significantly, as the table shows below.

Narine’s performances against New Zealand in the bilateral ODI series at home was clearly his best. He captured 13 wickets at an average of 11.23 from five games against them. This included a five-wicket haul in the last game of the series at Basseterre. The first such haul by a West Indian spinner in almost ten years, and the best bowling returns by a West Indian spinner in ODIs.Narine’s contribution in the series against Australia was telling. West Indies managed to draw an ODI series at home against Australia for the first time since 1999. Narine’s four-wicket haul in the second game of the series helped his team beat Australia for the first time in eight matches at home.

Statistically, Narine has clearly been the best spinner West Indies has produced. His average of 22.09 and economy of 3.96 are the best among West Indian spinners who have bowled at least 50 overs in ODIs. In home games, he is clearly ahead of the next best West Indian spinner in terms of bowling average. His average of 14.79 is much better than Jimmy Adams’ 20.15, which is the second best.Sunil Narine has also been the best spin bowler in ODIs, among all teams, in the West Indies. He has taken 29 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 14.79. His economy of 3.35 and strike rate of 26.4 are also the best among spinners who have played at least ten matches in the West Indies.However, Narine loses some of his incisiveness in alien conditions. His average and strike rate come down to 31.30 (14.79 at home) and 42.2 (26.4 at home), respectively. His record against Australia – who are the only team he has played both home and away – shows that his effectiveness as an attacking bowler is greatly reduced in away matches. His strike rate doubles when he plays Australia in Australia, while his average goes up to 34.4, as opposed to a brilliant 14.5 when playing at home. He has managed to keep the Australian batsmen in check, though, with an economy of 4.0.

That he has been less lethal bowling in Australia than at home, can be seen by his performance against Australian batsmen who have played him both home and away. Matthew Wade has found Narine difficult irrespective of the conditions, while Shane Watson and George Bailey have negotiated him better in Australia.

The West Indies tri-series will be the first time Narine bowls to Sri Lankan batsmen in ODIs, while his record against Indian batsmen, who are also featuring in the series, should give him confidence. He has taken five wickets against these Indian batsmen at an average of 17.4 and a strike rate of 26.8. Both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been dismissed by Narine twice in three matches.

During this series, Narine will be bowling against some of the better players of spin bowling. Some notable performances will only enhance his reputation as a leading spinner in the ODIs, for the subcontinent batsmen will not be discouraged by the local pitches, which are similar to home. To Narine’s advantage, he will be playing in conditions he has produced his best in.

The successful 300-plus chase against New Zealand was the latest proof of Nasir Hossain’s strength to bat according to his team’s needs

Mohammad Isam in Fatullah05-Nov-2013The first time Nasir Hossain was picked for Bangladesh, the then chief selector Akram Khan made an ambitious comment about a newcomer. He said that Nasir’s strength was to bat to his team’s needs. Hardly anyone believed him, but Akram has been proved right so far over two years of Nasir’s career.The latest example was in the third and final ODI against New Zealand when Nasir was in charge of finishing his hardest job till date. He had helped chase 290 against India last year but the 308-run target was the highest he would have to reach.”The target was 300-plus but my target was 80-odd in 12 to 13 overs,” Nasir said. “So I didn’t think about the bigger target. I was focused on the 80 runs I needed to get. I really enjoy these situations.”After they scored 307 I told Raj [Abdur Razzaq], ‘I will have to score around 40 in the end to finish this game’. And it actually happened. When you score in these situations, your team will benefit with every run.”Nasir, like most finishers in one-day cricket, has devised his own way of doing things in the end overs. He doesn’t look at the bigger picture, some of his shots are inimitable and due to the nature of his batting position, he can adjust to situations very quickly.The figures so far back his approach although he hasn’t played a lot of international matches. He averages 117 in six matches won batting second at a strike-rate of 88.30. He has been not out on four of those occasions, chaperoning the chase right till the winning runs are scored.Nasir has always been known as a finisher, right from his school days for BKSP, the sports institute. When batting first, Nasir would sometimes get more time in the middle but it was always the hustle and bustle of the chase that earned him the big bucks. At a very young age, he became a player of high demand in Dhaka’s club cricket after helping BKSP to the Dhaka Premier League. His strength, to bowl ten tight overs and score quickly at the end, was valued by Abahani for a few years and now Gazi Tank Cricketers. He has grown up following Michael Hussey, particularly in one-day cricket where the former Australia batsman first made his name.”I have been batting in these positions since my Under-13 and Under-15 days. Someone else wouldn’t be as comfortable as I am in this position. For instance, I can’t do what Tamim (Iqbal) does as an opener, and vice versa.”I like to bat my own way without imitating someone else. But I really liked to see Michael Hussey bat. I followed how he built his innings, started and finished it.”Coming in to bat so low down the order also has its disadvantages. Nasir often has very few overs to make a start and end up with a substantial contribution. He is aware of the growing competition for places in the team, a new phenomenon in the country’s cricket.”The Bangladesh team isn’t the same anymore. There are a lot more performers and there’s competition for places. A player now cannot be in the team if he plays badly. There are very good cricketers in the squad, and outside it too. The performers are quite matured. Some players are making heads turn in the Under-19s, academy and Bangladesh A teams.”For now, Nasir is happy at No 7. But the thought of scoring big comes to him just like any other batsman. “It does occur to me from time to time that a century wouldn’t be a bad thing. When I bat with the tail, I feel if I could bat a little higher up the order I could push for a bigger score.”I will score a century if it is in my fate. I don’t spend too much time thinking about it. I want to do my job properly. I want to provide the team with a good score when we bat first and win the game when we chase. That’s all.”

Mohammad Mujtaba knew cricket would be his ticket to fame, and ensured he would be ready when the world’s media came calling. Just as well, because his consistent batting has made him a post-match staple

Kanishkaa Balachandran in Abu Dhabi19-Feb-2014Mohammad Mujtaba saw it coming and he had prepared for it. The Afghanistan Under-19 opening batsman knew, as a teenager, that cricket would be his ticket to fame. He knew that one of the attendant demands of an international cricketer would be to face the media not just from his country but from overseas too. This was why Mujtaba made a conscious effort to learn English, not just to communicate better but also to leave a lasting impression that goes beyond his cricket skills.The hours of practice were proving fruitful for the 18-year-old, who had already had the spotlight on him for two matches in a row. His knocks of 75 and 50, against Australia and Namibia respectively, won him Man of the Match awards, and its recipient, as is usually the protocol, fronts up to the media after the game. The confidence which his batting radiated bounced off in the way he articulated himself in a language that’s alien to many in his country.”I was always learning English because I knew that one day I will play for Afghanistan and I will have to give interviews,” Mujtaba said. “At home, I would talk in English with my brothers and sisters, and with anyone who could speak the language, in order to improve my English. I even took private lessons.”Private coaching was more important than school itself, for he dropped out at 15 to focus on his cricket. His parents wanted him to balance cricket with studies, but he was “adamant” about his preferred career choice. Therefore, he moved from his hometown of Lashkar Gah, in southern Afghanistan, to the capital Kabul, to further his cricket.Mujataba stands out from the pack in his family as none of them are into sports. His parents gradually accepted that his stubbornness would lead to something rewarding.”Cricket was in my blood when I was in school. I wanted to play professional cricket from childhood,” Mujataba said. “I started with the tennis ball. When I got permission from my parents I went on to play professional cricket.”Being media savvy is something many sportsmen can take for granted. There are several examples of shy, tongue-tied cricketers who overcame the language barrier over time, some gaining enough confidence to do commentary stints after retirement. A high-profile recent example is Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Chandimal, who sat out last year’s IPL to work on his batting and media training by working on his English. Chandimal, who hails from a humble background, was made the T20 captain and knew that speeches in presentations and press conference were inevitable.Mujtaba’s bigger impact has been with the bat. His 75 against Australia set up a stunning 36-run win which gave Afghanistan the belief they could make it to the quarter-finals after all, following their sorry showing against Bangladesh. The next opposition, Namibia, may have been easier, but a challenge was thrown open to Afghanistan. Having restricted Namibia to 192, they needed to chase it within 34.4 overs to ensure qualification as it would help them edge ahead of Bangladesh’s net run rate.Mujtaba smashed 50 off 30 balls, 44 of his runs coming in boundaries, and though he couldn’t stay till the end, he set the platform for the rest to build on. Afghanistan needed just 25.3 overs to storm into the quarter-finals for the first time in the U-19 World Cup and give Bangladesh a few headaches just a shouting distance away at the Zayed Stadium.”The coach gave me the message straightaway that this is the target and these are the overs you have to chase it,” Mujtaba said. “Whatever it is, if we win the match in 35 to 40 overs we will be out of the tournament so we had to chase it in 31 overs, and just play our shots.”The plan was to get them (Namibia) out below 150 but their captain (Gerhard) Erasmus played a magnificent innings of 84.”Mujtaba said the relief was palpable that the juniors had done some justice to their ability by making it to the next round. The senior team recently qualified for the 2015 World Cup.”It feels great because this is the third time we have qualified for the World Cup and we couldn’t go past the second stage earlier,” Mujtaba said. “This is the first time it is happening so we’re feeling good. We are ready for the challenges. The conditions are in our favour. We are competing with every overseas team.”The team recently lost a three-match series in Pakistan in the lead-up to the World Cup and Mujtaba said complacency was to blame in their opening defeat to Bangladesh, against whom they failed to pick up a wicket. He said his side failed to play its natural game.As the team started winding up at the Nursery Oval pavilion, a few of his team-mates teased Mujtaba while they walked past him during the interview. So long as he continues winning awards, he will remain the team’s unofficial spokesperson.