John Buchanan, the former Australia coach, believes Duncan Fletcher’s vast coaching experience equips him ideally for the task of coaching India – perhaps even better than his predecessor, Gary Kirsten

Daniel Brettig and Sharda Ugra27-Apr-2011John Buchanan, the former Australia coach, believes Duncan Fletcher’s vast coaching experience equips him ideally for the task of coaching India – perhaps even better than his predecessor, Gary Kirsten.Fletcher and Buchanan sparred often as the rival coaches of England and Australia, and the Zimbabwean’s appointment to replace Kirsten grants him the opportunity to shoot for the kind of sustained spell at the top of the world rankings that he was unable to achieve with the ECB.Speaking to ESPNcricinfo as he prepares to take up his new post as New Zealand’s director of coaching, Buchanan said Fletcher’s similarities to Kirsten, who he coached at Western Province, were allied to a lengthy record of coaching achievement.”He’s obviously got a pretty good track record on the international and county circuits, and he’s got a pretty wide range of coaching experience,” Buchanan said. “He shares some similarities to Gary Kirsten and that obviously is something India would like to maintain, but he also has had greater experience, which should be useful for the phase the Indian team are about to enter into.”This phase includes tours to England and Australia – Fletcher is unlikely to be in place for the West Indies trip that precedes them – and managing the task of regenerating an ageing team.
Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman cannot go on for too much longer, while the pace spearhead Zaheer Khan is also reaching the latter stages of his career.”Ahead of him certainly will be the opportunity to sustain the success the Indian team have had up to and including the World Cup,” Buchanan said. “One of the features of that Australian team from the late 1990s through to 2007 was high performance maintained for a long period of time even as a number of players were turned over, and that will be India’s quest now.”As the England coach, Fletcher was known for seeking every possible advantage over his opponents, whether it was resorting to defensive extremes when trying to curtail a rampant Tendulkar in 2001, or using substitute fielders to keep his pacemen fresh and drive Ricky Ponting to distraction during the 2005 Ashes series. He also made sure he kept his distance from opponents and public alike.”I wouldn’t say Duncan and I were ever very close,” Buchanan said. “He could be a brusque character, he had great competitiveness, which could be seen as keeping to himself at times, you’re in the heat of battle and so the opportunities to get to know each other can be scarce.”The distance between Fletcher and his rivals contrasted with the closeness he exhibited to his team, the privileged few to know the “real” man. “Knowing a a number of people who worked closely with him they really enjoyed his methods and his style and the majority were generally pretty happy in how they worked together,” Buchanan said, who worked with Troy Cooley after he left England to return to Australia in 2006.”In that position if you try to be popular you don’t last too long, you need to establish your way and hope that the players and the staff and administration of that team or country buy into what you bring.”Another man expecting Fletcher to succeed in his India stint was England under-19 coach Tim Boon, who has worked alongside Fletcher between 2001 and 2005 with the England team. Boon says Fletcher will be “at his best” for India. Though Fletcher is 18 years older than India’s outgoing coach Kirsten, Boon said age would not be a factor. “What you need to remember is that Gary Kirsten played under Duncan Fletcher. Duncan’s experience will far outweigh issues of how old he is. He is strong and fit for his age, he will be involved in all the drills on the training ground, he is very a tough character.”Fletcher had spend four years since leaving the England job, working in an independent coaching consultancy in Cape Town and Boon said, “He’s had a rest since his last international job. This gives you enough time to look back and reflect on your work. You are at your best stage as a coach, John Wright is the same with New Zealand now. Duncan will be ready for the job.”Boon said overall Fletcher was “methodical” and an excellent technical coach who did very well working one-on-one with players. “He is very good at identifying talent, which is how an Ashes team was put together in 2005.” Boon said he found Fletcher the “best off the field captain” with whom team leaders could discuss tactics and the problems of various match situations. “It is his experience that Dhoni will tap into and be able to sit and talk through with him.”As for the demands of coaching India, Boon said, “Fletcher is very resourceful and mentally very tough. He has an enormous amount of respect for cricketers in the sub-continent, particularly the Indians. He will look at the India job as a challenge he would want to have a go at, and a fantastic honour, it could be the final chapter in the story of his international coaching career.”

For the second successive match, Rajasthan Royals played on a true surface that did not suit them, and yet again, they were outclassed by a side that was clearly superior in all departments

The Bulletin by Abhishek Purohit11-May-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsS Aravind took three important wickets•AFP

For the second successive match, Rajasthan Royals played on a true surface that did not suit them, and yet again, they were outclassed by a side that was clearly superior in all departments. Their batsmen, used to modest chases on sluggish tracks, were found wanting against a varied Royal Challengers Bangalore attack led by the impressive S Aravind. Their thin bowling resources proved to be expectedly insufficient against the might of Chris Gayle, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Virat Kohli. Their fielders dropped whatever chances they had of even hoping to scratch at the surface of a comeback.The nine-wicket thumping widened the gap between Rajasthan and the top four teams, took Bangalore to within a win of making the play-offs, and left the home side needing a miracle.The story of the match was encapsulated in the approach of each side’s openers. Rahul Dravid and Shane Watson motored to 73 in 57 deliveries before falling in the space of three deliveries to Aravind. Dilshan and Gayle flew to 68 off 40 and it took a sharp take on the deep midwicket boundary by Ross Taylor to prolong the game.The assault by Dilshan and Gayle left the Jaipur crowd so stunned that noise was conspicuous by its absence for the remainder of the chase. Even Gayle seemed to be lulled into periods of relative inactivity, before enough deliveries found the middle of his bat in another big innings that took him to within 27 runs of claiming the orange cap from Virender Sehwag.Bangalore had already galloped to 38 when Shane Warne dropped Gayle at mid-off, and that was as close as Rajasthan came to making a breakthrough. The first four overs all yielded 10 runs or more, Dilshan and Gayle taking turns to dismantle an attack that had already been sold short by its misfiring batsmen.Setting a stiff target was Rajasthan’s only hope on a flat pitch with a short boundary, but Aravind continued his impressive performance in this IPL, coming back from an expensive beginning with three crucial wickets that foiled the home side’s plans of a late charge after a solid, if unspectacular, start.Dravid and Watson had put on 73 when Aravind dismissed both in three deliveries in the 10th over. He then came back to remove Johan Botha in the 17th over as Rajasthan lost whatever little steam they had managed to build up.Rajasthan look much better when they are chasing a modest total on a tough pitch than when they are trying to set a big target on a batting surface. The way Dravid and Watson batted showed just why that is true. On a pitch that could not have been more different from the slow tracks that Jaipur has seen, crisp shots mostly found the fielders.Dravid hit six boundaries and Watson muscled a couple of sixes but there was always the feeling that they could have gone harder, considering the powerful batting line-up they were up against. Despite being in control throughout, Dravid played out 13 dot balls; Watson outdid him with 17.Watson tried to target Aravind, a mis-hit just beat deep midwicket but the next ball was smacked over the sightscreen. It was in Aravind’s third over that Bangalore wrested control. Watson went hard at a full delivery but only found AB de Villiers – Arun Karthik had replaced him behind the stumps today – on the wide long-off boundary. Two deliveries later, Dravid fell to another soft dismissal, hitting one straight back to Aravind.Ajinkya Rahane carried on from his half-century in the previous game, but Johan Botha took off after reverse-sweeping to point and Rahane had to sacrifice his wicket with a needless run-out. Botha could not do much to make up for his error as Aravind found the outside edge with one that moved away for Arun Karthik to take the chance.At 124 for 4 with three overs to go, Rajasthan needed some frenetic hitting from Ross Taylor and Ashok Menaria, but they fell in successive overs.Against Gayle and Dilshan, 146 was not only inadequate, it set up what became a no-a contest despite Shane Warne trying his best with dipping legbreaks and flat sliders in his last IPL match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

Hampshire began the defence of their Friends Life t20 title with a convincing seven-wicket victory over last season’s beaten finalists Somerset at the Rose Bowl

01-Jun-2011
ScorecardMarcus Trescothick scored just two runs as Somerset reached 145 for 7•Getty Images

Hampshire began the defence of their Friends Life t20 title with a convincing seven-wicket victory over last season’s beaten finalists Somerset at the Rose Bowl. Michael Lumb’s half-century, in pursuit of a 145 for 7, ensured the Royals overcame the absence of star signing Shahid Afridi to win the tournament-opener with nine balls to spare.England World Twenty20 winner Lumb set the pace for the successful chase with 53 from 33 balls at the top of the order after returning all-rounder Dimitri Mascarenhas took 3 for 19. Hampshire had been dealt a blow on the eve of the match when they confirmed they would be without the big-hitting talents of Afridi due to his ongoing dispute with the Pakistan Cricket Board.The hosts also began the game on minus two points after they were fined for the state of their pitch in the corresponding fixture last season. The Royals took control of the game almost from the beginning, though, after Mascarenhas, recently returned after a long stint out with an Achilles injury, struck three times inside the first six overs.The 33-year-old claimed the crucial wicket of Somerset skipper Marcus Trescothick with just his third delivery as Neil McKenzie claimed a spectacular chance at the second attempt at slip. Roelof van der Merwe and James Hildreth also quickly followed to the former England man to leave Somerset in early trouble on 37 for 3.But opener Peter Trego assumed control in a 63-run stand with Nick Compton to form the basis of Somerset’s innings. Trego thrashed three sixes and four fours in his 55 from 37 balls before he was well caught by James Vince in the deep off veteran Dominic Cork.Compton remained to add 37 from 39 balls, before he was Cork’s second victim, as Somerset set what looked a competitive total until Lumb’s fireworks.The left-hander took the lead role in a 90-run stand for the first wicket with Jimmy Adams blasting three sixes and six fours. By the time he was caught on the boundary by Arul Suppiah off Trego the hosts were well in advance of the required rate.Adams’ dismissal soon after, for 39 off 33 balls, offered Somerset the merest of incentive which was quickly extinguished by a sensible stand between Vince and McKenzie. The pair needed only operate at a run-a-ball and they took few risks before Vince (31) was bowled by Trego with just a run needed.

22-Jun-2011
Scorecard
Lancashire need a further 205 runs to claim their sixth win of the season heading into the final day of an enthralling County Championship clash with Nottinghamshire.The visitors were set for a smaller run-chase when they had the hosts at 81 for 7 in their second innings, but yet again the Notts tail wagged as Paul Franks and Andre Adams put on 119 for the eighth wicket and pushed the hosts to 216 all out.Franks made 57 from 88 balls – his fifth Championship half-century of the season – while Adams hit 51, including three sixes and five fours. Sajid Mahmood was key to ending the hosts’ resistance, picking up 5 for 74 to complete the second 10-wicket match haul of his career.Having been set 237 to win on a pitch showing uneven bounce, the visitors reached 32 for no loss at the close, with Paul Horton unbeaten on 14 and Stephen Moore 17 not out.The day began with Lancashire on 293 for 8 in their first innings, although Luke Fletcher removed both Mahmood and Kyle Hogg in quick order to wrap things up and claim 5 for 82.The two Lancashire bowlers then set about destroying the Notts top order as the visitors collapsed to 40 for 4 inside the opening 12 overs. Mahmood had Neil Edwards and Samit Patel lbw either side of Hogg removing Alex Hales, brilliantly caught at point by Steven Croft, before former England international Mahmood took the key wicket of David Hussey, beaten for pace as his off-stump was sent cartwheeling.Riki Wessels and Steven Mullaney steadied the ship to reach lunch with Notts on 79 for 4, a lead of 99, but a devastating spell from Hogg after the interval appeared to have swung the match in Lancashire’s favour as the seamer picked up three wickets in seven balls.Mullaney was lbw to the first ball of the session, Wessels was caught behind for 35 playing defensively and Chris Read was also adjudged leg before playing across the line on the back foot.The first of two rain showers then arrived to give Notts a chance to regroup. Adams swung belligerently after play resumed to put the visiting attack off their stride and while Franks was more circumspect, he also seized on any loose deliveries.Mahmood’s return did the trick as Adams gloved a hook shot to wicketkeeper Gareth Cross and Franks was stumped off Gary Keedy, with Fletcher last to go with a sliced drive off Mahmood to cover.

Michael Kasprowicz, the former Australian fast bowler, has been chosen by Queensland Cricket to replace Matthew Hayden on the board of Cricket Australia

Daniel Brettig09-Aug-2011Michael Kasprowicz, the former Australian fast bowler, has been chosen by Queensland Cricket to replace Matthew Hayden as one of the state’s representatives on the board of Cricket Australia.Currently the president of the Australian Cricketers Association, 39-year-old Kasprowicz will step down from his position with the players’ union, and will add valuable perspective to the CA board at a time when it is about to consider the findings of the Don Argus-led review into the performance of the Australian team.The review is expected to table its findings at CA’s next board meeting on August 18-19.Hayden was required to leave his position on the boards of QC and CA after returning to playing ranks as a member of the Brisbane Heat’s inaugural Twenty20 Big Bash League squad.His return to the batting crease has opened a door for Kasprowicz, who had ended his playing days as a participant in the ICL T20 competition in 2008, before taking up the ACA presidency in November 2010.An amendment to the QC constitution made last year means that neither of the state’s CA directors are permitted to sit on the state board, in a sign of the game’s future governance direction. A review of the game’s outmoded board structure is also being conducted by the corporate and sporting governance experts David Crawford and Colin Carter.Upon taking the ACA post, Kasprowicz had said managing the introduction of the BBL, set to begin this December, would be one of the key tasks ahead of cricket administrators.”That’s something pretty exciting in Australian cricket,” he said last year. “It’s a great thing that we can take the game further, certainly at domestic level. What [the Big Bash League] provides for all the players is more opportunities to get noticed with eight teams in place. There are so many good outcomes that I think everything is looking forward.”Kasprowicz claimed 113 wickets in 38 Tests for Australia between 1996 and 2006.

County Championship cricket will be played using a pink ball under floodlights for the first time

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Sep-2011County Championship cricket will be played using a pink ball under floodlights for the first time after the ECB approached Kent and Glamorgan with a proposal to stage their final match of the season under trial conditions.Both teams have agreed on the proposal for the match at Canterbury on September 12 and the hours of play will be 2pm until 9pm – the floodlights will be turned on at 5.30pm but can be used earlier if needed – while players will wear white clothing. This particular match has been selected because neither side is in the Division Two promotion race.This is the latest stage in the trials to determine whether Test match cricket could be played in day/night conditions. There have already been various trials, including the annual MCC verses Champion County match which has been staged in Abu Dhabi for the last two seasons and also in Pakistan and West Indian domestic tournaments. They have also been used in county second XI cricket and university matches, while Cricket Australia will trial twilight matches during this season’s Sheffield Shield.Both ICC and MCC, who have led the way in the process, believe floodlit Test cricket can become a reality soon although one of the major sticking points has been the colour of the ball. Tests have suggested pink is the best version but there remain concerns over batting during twilight periods.The other factor that needs to be considered is the impact of dew, with can make the second innings of day/night one-day internationals very difficult, and that was an issue mentioned by Dave Richardson during the ICC’s cricket committee meeting in May.”The venue still needs to have decent lights, somewhere like Lord’s, Sydney or Abu Dhabi. You also need to play it at a venue, and time of year, where dew isn’t going to come in a seven o’clock,” he said. “You can have the best ball in the world but it would be unfair in those conditions.”With the English season drawing to a close in mid-September dew could well be a factor that Glamorgan and Kent have to deal with so it will give an indication of the potential impact.

Tillakaratne Dilshan, the Sri Lanka captain, has said he will not consider changing the way he bats after a pair of impetuous innings contributed to his team’s heavy defeat by Australia in the first Test in Galle

Daniel Brettig03-Sep-2011Tillakaratne Dilshan, the Sri Lanka captain, has said he will not consider changing the way he bats after a pair of impetuous innings contributed to his team’s heavy defeat by Australia in the first Test in Galle.Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews added 142 before being parted on the fourth day, showing what might have been achieved by Sri Lanka with a little more application on the most difficult of Galle pitches. Dilshan admitted his side’s first innings surrender for 105 had been the key to their downfall, but has no intention of reining in his own game.”We can’t expect to get out for 105 in the first innings [and win],” Dilshan said. “That is why we lost this match. We can’t give a 150-run lead, especially on this kind of wicket. We planned to get 220-230 runs [in the fourth innings] but unfortunately we had to get 400 runs.”[But] I’m not going to change my batting, I’ve batted aggressively over the last three or four years and I want to play my shots. I play my natural game. Especially on a wicket that it is not easy to survive on, you have to play some shots and overcome that [challenge] with something special.”On the second morning Dilshan drove Trent Copeland’s first ball for four then attempted to repeat the shot from the second and was pouched at short cover by Ricky Ponting. In the second innings he played a succession of questionable strokes before being bowled by Ryan Harris, helping open up the innings and the match for Australia.Sri Lanka have now gone nine matches since last registering a Test victory, the sort of streak that puts Australia’s struggles around the Ashes series into some perspective. The hosts are yet to win a Test since the retirement of Muttiah Muralitharan, who seems to have left the same sort of hole Richard Hadlee did for New Zealand when he retired in 1990.”We have to find a way to win matches,” Dilshan said. “After Murali retired, it is very difficult to win matches, but we’ve got new spinners. I look forward to winning upcoming matches.The omission of Ajantha Mendis had been a talking point through the match, especially in the second innings when Suraj Randiv did not trouble Australia as much as a spin bowler might have expected to on a dastardly pitch. Dilshan defended the selectors’ call.”In the last few matches Randiv and [Rangana] Herath clearly did well for our team. Mendis played in the last Test series, but these two have been better overall. That is why we picked them. I feel they were a good choice for this wicket.”Sri Lanka’s primary consolation came from Jayawardene and Mathews, who showed tremendous courage and skill to hold up Australia’s attack. Dilshan said he had nurtured slims hopes for victory while Jayawardene was at the crease.”Their fightback was great. After being 68 for five, I felt they put us in a winning position at one stage,” he said. “Mahela batted really well, he showed his character and experience.”He’s batted in these kinds of situations a lot over the last six or seven years for Sri Lanka. When the team is struggling, he puts his hand up and puts runs on the board. Today he did the same thing. Unfortunately he got out to the new ball, but I’m really happy with the way these two batted.”

ESPNcricinfo previews the semi-finals of the the Faysal Bank T20 in Karachi

The Preview by Umar Farooq01-Oct-2011

Match facts

Lahore Eagles v Sialkot Stallions, October 1, 1st semi-final, Karachi

Start time 1600 (1100 GMT)
Peshawar Panthers v Rawalpindi Rams, October 1, 2nd semi-final, Karachi

Start time 2000 (1500 GMT)
Peshawar’s Umar Gul has a point to prove to win back his place in the national side•Associated Press

Big Picture

The 2011 Faysal Bank T20 Cup has thrown up a few surprises in the group stage of the competition, with pre-tournament favourites, Karachi Dolphins, and defending champions, Lahore Lions, both falling by the wayside before the semi-finals.The draw had seemed to favour Karachi, who were in the same group as depleted teams such as Islamabad Leopards and Peshawar Panthers, but Twenty20 is the most fickle form of the game. Sialkot Stallions, the five-time-champions, are finally back in the spotlight after thumping Lahore Lions and Quetta Bears, while Rawalpindi Rams beat Faisalabad Wolves to extend their winning streak and ease into the semi-finals.Most of the games have been played in front of just a few thousand spectators at the National Stadium in Karachi, but a couple of contests that involved the home team, led by Shahid Afridi, had close to overflowing stands. Karachi, though, did not make the semi-finals, and it remains to be seen how many fans turn up to watch the final few matches.

Watch out for …

Sialkot’s 18-year-old Raza Hasan, a left-arm spinner who last appeared for Rawalpindi, has consistently been called up for the national side but has never been handed the opportunity to kick-start his international career. A good showing here could help his chances.Out of favour Pakistan fast bowler Umar Gul, who is captaining Peshawar, also has a point to prove to win back his place in the national side.

Team news

In the absence of seasoned campaigners Naved-ul-Hasan and Abdul Rehman, Sialkot lost their way in 2010, but the pair are back this year and the team, led by Shoaib Malik, have set their sights on re-establishing their dominance in the format. “We were missing several key players for the last couple of events, but particularly with Rana [Naved-ul-Hasan] making his way back into the squad, and Raza [Hasan, who has shifted to Sialkot from Rawalpindi], we have good additions to our squad this year,” captain Shoaib Malik told ESPNcricinfo. “We definitely have our sights on regaining our lost glory as former champions, but [right now] our focus is currently on the semi-final.”Rawalpindi are the defending champions and have responded well to the pressure of trying to retain their title, winning all three of their league games. Though they are a young side, they have not been overawed by the occasion and their strength in depth makes them a definite threat to repeat.

Stats and trivia

• Rawalpindi Rams and Lahore Eagles are the only teams with two batsmen aggregating over 100 runs so far in the tournament
• Sialkot Stallions’ Sarfraz Ahmed’s 4 for 13 against Hyderabad Hawks is the best bowling figures in the tournament

Quotes

“It’s all about the right combination. The Twenty20 format is a unique form of game that requires being on your toes all the way while batting or fielding and [the right] combination means a lot. You can’t afford to be complacent with even a single ball.”
“We weren’t one of the fancied teams going into this tournament, but we have shown that we are a match for any team in this competition.”

ESPNcricinfo previews the one-off Twenty20 international between Bangladesh and West Indies in Mirpur

The Preview by Dustin Silgardo10-Oct-2011

Match Facts

Bangladesh v West Indies, October 11, Mirpur
Start time 1700 (1100GMT)Marlon Samuels smashed a century in the warm-up Twenty20•Associated Press

Big Picture

It’s been a tough year for Bangladesh. After convincing home one-day series wins against New Zealand and Zimbabwe last year, which helped them go above West Indies in the ICC one-day international rankings, many expected 2011 to be the year Bangladesh would permanently shed the “minnow” tag. Instead, they failed to make it past the group stages of the World Cup, were thrashed at home by Australia and then lost both the one-off Test and ODI series in Zimbabwe. Their captain and vice-captain were sacked after that tour and it is under Mushfiqur Rahim that they attempt a climb back up the rankings.In coming up against West Indies, they revisit the moment when it all started going wrong – when they were bowled out for 58 by the same opponents in a crunch World Cup game in Mirpur, a performance that caused their angry fans to aim stones at the team bus, only to hit the visitors’ bus instead.Bangladesh’s strength at home is based on the effectiveness of their spinners on slow, turning tracks. West Indies, though, might not find the conditions as alien as sides like New Zealand and Zimbabwe. The pitches in the Caribbean of late have often resembled subcontinent ones, and four of West Indies’ batsmen will come to Bangladesh straight from having played for Trinidad & Tobago in the Champions League Twenty20 in India.West Indies do not have Sunil Narine or Samuel Badree, who were so successful for T&T in Indian conditions, in their squad, but the presence of Devendra Bishoo and Andre Russell, who bowls a good slower ball, means they have an attack that can adapt to the conditions. They established their status as favourites by winning both their practice matches against a strong BCB XI outfit, one through a strong bowling performance and the other through a century from Marlon Samuels.For Bangladesh, a Twenty20 international is the last way they would want to start a comeback. They have only played 16 in their history and their last T20 win came way back in 2007. For West Indies, Twenty20 represents everything that is right and wrong with their cricket. A shock win in England, and T&T’s eye-catching performance in the CLT20 suggest this might actually be the format in which West Indies see most success in the near future.

Spotlight

Mushfiqur Rahim is stepping into the shoes of a man who led from the front. Mushfiqur is as not as outstanding an individual performer as Shakib. He is safe behind the stumps and handy with the bat, but has not won Bangladesh as many games as Shakib has – he has just one hundred in limited-overs internationals. Having been handed the captaincy he will want to contribute more than just cameos down the order and may promote himself.Marlon Samuels’ comeback to international cricket has not really taken off. But in the warm-up Twenty20, he blazed his way to 102 off 56 balls. In the absence of Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Dwayne Bravo, Samuels is the most experienced player in the West Indies limited-overs squad. This series is an opportunity for him to show he still has the capability to become the world-class batsman he was expected to be when he first arrived on the international scene, way back in 2000.

Team news

Bangladesh have picked the uncapped Elias Sunny in their squad and may want to give him a chance before the one-day series starts. That may mean resting one of Mahmudullah or Nasir Hossain. Alok Kapali and Mohammad Ashraful are the experienced hands in the squad but there may only be place for one in the batting line-up.Bangldesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal 2 Imrul Kayes 3 Naeem Islam 4 Shakib Al Hasan 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk) 6 Alok Kapali 7 Mahmudullah 8 Abdur Razzak 9 Shafiul Islam 10 Elias Sunny/ Nazmul Hossain 11 Rubel HossainWith several senior players returning, the West Indies side will have a completely different look to the one that upset England at The Oval. They used just one specialist spinner in their XIs for both the practice matches but considering the conditions may play both Devendra Bishoo and Anthony Martin, meaning Kemar Roach could be left out. Kieron Pollard is not eligible to play in T20Is since he did not play the Caribbean T20, so Danza Hyatt will probably occupy a slot in the middle order.West Indies (probable): 1 Adrian Barath 2 Lendl Simmons 3 Darren Bravo 4 Marlon Samuels 5 Danza Hyatt 6 Denesh Ramdin (wk) 7 Andre Russell 8 Darren Sammy (capt) 9 Ravi Rampaul 10 Devendra Bishoo 11 Anthony Martin/ Kemar Roach

Pitch and conditions

Scores at the Shere Bangla Stadium have seen some strange fluctuations this year. This is the same ground where Bangladesh were bowled out for 58 against West Indies and 78 against South Africa during the World Cup. But there have also been scores of 370, by India in the World Cup opener, and 361, by Australia. The low scores were more due to poor batting, though, so the pitch can be expected to provide plenty of runs if the batsmen do not make careless errors.

Stats & Trivia

• This will be the first Twenty20 international to be played in Bangladesh since 2006. It is the first T20I at the Shere Bangla Stadium
• Though they have won a Test and one-day series in the West Indies, Bangladesh have never won an international match against West Indies at home

Quotes

“I believe we can win the series. West Indies are a good outfit. We have to play well to beat them.”
“Their attack is full of spinners and we have a good mix of pace and spin. It will be the spin of Bangladesh versus the pace of West Indies.”

Brad Haddin says he will continue playing his natural game but will try to assess situations better than he did at Newlands

Brydon Coverdale in Johannesburg14-Nov-2011Of all the shots played by Australia batsmen during their capitulation for 47 in Cape Town, Brad Haddin’s stood out as the most reckless. And of all the players in the team, few could afford such a blemish less than Haddin.As this week’s Johannesburg Test approaches, with a new selection panel ready to choose a squad to play New Zealand during the next fortnight, three men in Australia’s side are under pressure. Ricky Ponting is 36 and in a trough, Mitchell Johnson’s inconsistency continues to frustrate, and Haddin’s slump has become worrying.Haddin is 34, an age at which lean patches are dangerous, especially if a younger replacement is ready. Ian Healy was axed at 35. Haddin’s understudy, Tim Paine, has a broken finger and is out indefinitely, but Victoria’s keeper Matthew Wade is in fine touch and would not be out of place at Test level.Although Haddin was one of Australia’s better performers during the Ashes debacle, he now has a top score of 35 from his past five Tests. And the image that is freshest in the minds of those who watched the Newlands Test was of Haddin, with Australia at 18 for 5, slashing irresponsibly outside off and edging behind at a time when discretion was required.He had fallen to a similar rush of blood in the first innings, when Australia were 163 for 5. This week’s Test, which starts at the Wanderers on Thursday, is an important opportunity for Haddin, and the other struggling members of the side, with John Inverarity’s new selection panel watching on with interest.”It wasn’t my proudest moment the other day but the thing about this game is the way you fight back,” Haddin said. “It’s where your mental strength comes from, where you turn back up after the disappointment of the other day, not only individually but as a team. It shows what mental strength you have as a player moving forward.”Mental strength was one of the things Australia lacked in Cape Town. The assistant coach Justin Langer referred to the players’ lack of game awareness on the second day, when wickets fell at an alarming rate.Better shot selection, Langer said, was the key, although he also said it was important for the batsmen to retain their positive intent. Haddin doesn’t intend to go into his shell, but he does concede that he failed to assess things correctly at Newlands.”It’s important for everyone to play their natural game. There are moments in the game when you have to assess situations and that’s something I didn’t do great the other day. But the bottom line is you have to be true to yourself and your team-mates and play the way that’s got you here.”Haddin worked hard in the nets at Newlands on Sunday, on what was supposed to be the fifth day of the Test, and he will do so at the Wanderers when Australia train there on Tuesday for the first time. He is understandably keen to play as long as possible at international level, after he spent the best part of a decade in the queue behind Adam Gilchrist.Now it is Paine, 26, and Wade, 24, who are waiting in line. If Haddin has his way, they’ll be there a bit longer yet.”I’ve never looked at age or anything like that. For me it was always about being the best cricketer I could possibly be. If I get to the point where I think I’ve got no further part in the game then I won’t play the game anymore but at this stage I feel like I’ve got a lot of improvement in me and I’ll be kicking until then.”