Middle-order logjam caused by Harry Brook’s emergence raises questions about Foakes’ long-term future

Vithushan Ehantharajah14-Dec-2022Ollie Pope says there is no animosity between him and Ben Foakes after he usurped his Surrey team-mate as England’s Test wicketkeeper in Pakistan.Foakes came into the tour as the first choice behind the stumps, having played in six of the first seven Tests under captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum. Regarded as one of the finest operators with the gloves in world cricket, he affected 34 dismissals this summer alone, while posting an average of exactly 40 with the bat along with a second career century against South Africa at Emirates Old Trafford.Related

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However, on the morning of the first Test in Rawalpindi, Foakes fell victim to the virus that had taken out more than half the squad the day before which led to doubts over whether the match would start on time. England were eventually able to rouse an XI, but Foakes was ruled out and replaced by Will Jacks. It meant Pope, who had previously kept wicket for England against New Zealand in November 2019 and has also deputised as a stand-in on occasion, took the gloves, scoring a century in the first innings and then taking six catches and a stumping in the match.Even though Foakes was fully fit for the second Test, Pope’s performance meant England felt comfortable picking him as their keeper, meaning they could afford to bring in another bowler – Mark Wood – in Multan. Stokes insisted the decision was “definitely no sign of Ben Foakes’ future going forward” but Pope affected five dismissals, including two decisive catches on the fourth and final day off Wood, as England took the match and the series.Pope is expected to keep his place behind the stumps for the third and final match in Karachi which begins on Saturday. And though Foakes is likely to be dismayed by his misfortune, Pope insists he has received nothing but encouragement from his good friend. In fact, the pair have been working together between games, something for which the man in possession has been grateful.”Not at all,” Pope replied, when asked if there was any awkwardness their relationship at present. “You just do what you’re told. I didn’t expect it but I was happy to do the job. He’s a Surrey team-mate and the No. 1 keeper. It was just a way to get an extra bowler in these conditions.”I definitely didn’t expect to be keeping out here to be honest. It wasn’t on my radar. But with the guys getting ill last week, it gave us another bowling option so I was happy to take it on. I’ve enjoyed the experience. He’s the best in the world and one of my best mates – great to learn from.”Ben Foakes and Ollie Pope are Surrey team-mates•Getty Images for Surrey CCCReflecting on how he has fared, Pope ceded that there is room for improvement in his glove work. There have been a handful of missed opportunities and while nothing has cost England thus far, he enjoyed the rub of the green in Multan when third umpire Joel Wilson gave a marginal decision in his favour when he caught Saud Shakeel down the leg side, tilting the second Test England’s way.Shakeel, on 94, was given out on the field by umpire Marais Erasmus. Replays gave some indication that Pope might have grounded the ball while taking the catch, but Wilson, ultimately, decided that there was insufficient evidence to overrule the on-field decision.”I took my chances,” Pope reflected. “I can still do better. I’m not even going to compare myself to Foakesy as a keeper, but I took my chances in this game. Out there there isn’t the wobble you get in England but there is that low, skiddy bounce. You’re dealing with that, and you have to stand nice and close.”Ultimately, though, Pope’s priority remains his batting. When Stokes took over, Pope called up his new captain and implored him to give him a shot at No. 3 despite no experience at that position for Surrey. Since then, he has averaged 40.18 with two hundreds in 17 innings, compared to 28.66 and one hundred in 40 innings before the start of the 2022 summer.In Multan, after keeping wicket for 62.5 overs in Pakistan’s first innings, he dropped down to No. 6 with Jacks stepping up to assume the role at first drop. It speaks to the fact batting at the top of the order as a wicketkeeper is not viable.As far as Pope is concerned, 32 caps into his international career, his batting has never been in better place. Neither has his status in this team, underlined by the fact he was given the opportunity to captain England in a warm-up against the Lions in Abu Dhabi last month. Ensuring he remains on that upward trajectory is paramount for both himself and the rhythm of this team.Pope has thrived with the bat under Stokes and McCullum•Matthew Lewis/Getty Images”I’d still love to tie down No. 3, make that my own,” he said. “That will be my primary focus. Obviously in different conditions, somewhere like New Zealand, we might go with a more regular team. That’s not for me to decide: my main priority is to keep churning runs at No. 3.”I feel a new player at the minute, personally, to what I felt in the past playing for England. I feel I’ve been a bit more consistent, I’ve stopped fearing getting out. The two guys at the top have helped me grow – not confidence, but the freedom to express myself and how I want to play. It’s been great for me, hopefully I keep that consistency.”Quite what this all means for Foakes remains to be seen. But it is hard not to wonder if his days as first-choice keeper are numbered, despite Stokes’ insistence before the Multan Test that he sees him as “the No. 1 gloveman in England” and even “the best keeper in the world”.The emergence of Harry Brook, the top run-scorer in the series with 357 runs at an average of 89.25, presents a conundrum down the line when Jonny Bairstow returns to fitness. It seems highly unlikely – and counterproductive – that Brook might return to the sidelines; likewise, for Bairstow not to assume the role he filled spectacularly in the English summer.Perhaps the most tempting option would see Bairstow reassume keeping duties for the first time since September 2021, allowing Pope to focus on his batting at No. 3 and Brook to maintain his spot at No. 5. Not to mention it would take an already aggressive batting line-up to the next level.As cruel as that would be for Foakes, who has done everything asked of him, such a positive option is entirely in keeping with how Stokes and McCullum have operated so far.

A strong first-class system is the foundation of a healthy Test nation, and not every country can afford to invest heavily in one for relatively limited returns

Ian Chappell04-Dec-2022As the Test season recommences, the format’s two longest-serving teams are promoting the game in entirely different ways.In Perth the Australian team indulged in the time-worn practice of grinding the opposition down with relentless run-scoring. Meanwhile in Rawalpindi, England sprinted to a mind-bending 506 on the first day of a record-setting run rampage.Related

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This variety of effort came at a time when Test cricket – under siege by popular infatuation with T20 – needs all the help it can muster. The fact that England’s record first-day Test score passed the previous one created by Australia in 1910 should dampen the enthusiasm of those who think helter-skelter run-getting is a recent phenomenon.As England captain, Ben Stokes has done much to not only markedly lift his team’s performance but also raise the profile of Test cricket. Stokes has decreed that England players bat freely, but he also has fans anticipating something akin to a T20 run rate in the five-day format. This massive change of approach has come at a time when Test cricket, like the 50-over game, is suffering at the hands of the junior format. Despite Stokes’ highly commendable approach, the game still requires answers to some difficult queries.There are two big questions that appear to be overlooked by those in charge: How many teams should be playing Tests? And why aren’t administrators working with the players in a partnership to ensure the future of the game?Test cricket is a tough but rewarding game and players deserve the opportunity to participate in the format if that is their choice. However, Tests are also steeped in culture and that requires the countries involved to have a strong first-class infrastructure. Not many teams have or can afford to build such infrastructure, as it costs money rather than bringing a return on investment. T20 leagues, which produce a healthy return, are much more acceptable to administrators.Consequently, it makes no sense to reward Afghanistan and Ireland, two recent recipients of Test status, neither of whom have the grounds or the infrastructure to reasonably expect that status. Sadly, Test status is best confined to the eight nations who have had a long-standing culture of the format.If there is still a desire to spread Test cricket’s reach, some thought could be given to eventually including combination teams composed of interested players who represent non-Test status teams.Teams should still have to fulfil infrastructure and financial requirements to qualify for Test status. This would require a second-tier competition, where teams that perform well could state their case for Test status qualification.The whole cricket structure, especially the schedule, is in need of a thorough but positive inquisition with the game’s future in view.There is also the glaring matter of the lack of partnership between players and administrators. Surely it shouldn’t be – as it is currently – a matter of the administrators deciding the programme without any input from international players. If the international programme evolved as a result of consideration from such a partnership, then it would be much more palatable than the abomination that is the current schedule. T20 leagues are popping up faster than weeds in summer and an already implausible programme is headed for an almighty implosion.T20 leagues now clash with each other and star players are signing longer-term contracts with expanding IPL clubs. These contradictions mean there will be a growing problem of how to produce greater numbers of marketable cricketers. In the current environment some leagues won’t be able to sign the limited number of star players available and this could eventually damage the ability to remain financially viable.These are all matters that need urgent attention but the big one is to ensure the players have a voice in the game’s future.It’s great that Stokes and the England team have raised the Test-match bar at a time when the game requires extensive promotion. However, alongside their sterling efforts, we also require the strong input of a quality partnership between the players and administrators.

Gilchrist comparisons are sacrilege at the best of times, but evocations can’t be helped

Osman Samiuddin07-Jun-20232:01

Haddin likens Head’s style to Gilchrist’s

Travis Head is the kind of player whose Statsguru page is your friend, a launchpad into a world of surprising and wonderful discovery. Unless you’re a committed Australia fan. Or a member of his family. Or, you know, you happen to cover cricket as a profession in which case, of course, you don’t need Statsguru because you already know exactly what his first-class batting average is, when his birthday falls, what he averages against left-arm fast bowlers over the wicket, why he’s so good against spin and how he was the youngest captain of South Australia. Of course, you don’t.Otherwise, he’s the kind of player who might have hitherto existed perhaps at the peripheries of your universe of knowledge. Of course, you know he’s there. Of course, you know he’s in the Australian Test side. Of course, you have a vague sense that he is, or has been of late, quite important to them, though also the equally vague sense that it’s happened in Australia in a timezone far, far away. Of course, you know he wears a moustache, you’re just not sure – a very modern, first-world problem this – whether he’s wearing it ironically, or whether it even matters.It’s not anybody’s fault, least of all his. There’s so much cricket on, in so many different places, with so many different players and leagues and titles to play for, that sure, on any given day you’re missing the emergence of some player you should’ve been paying attention all this while.So, if you do go to Statsguru, perhaps it will be of mild surprise that he’s played as many as 37 Tests since his debut in 2018 (or, given it’s Australia, that he hasn’t played more). That is as many as Virat Kohli in that time for whom you definitely don’t need to go to Statsguru. He’s also already got over 2500 Test runs (yes, more than Kohli in that time). He’s also now been around long enough to have 10,000 first-class runs.Related

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Head might be the kind of player many might not take into serious consideration until they actually see him play, or, as the opposition, feel the impact of. Again, that’s not on him. It’s just that if you’re working out ways to get rid of David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschange and Steve Smith, then there’s not much bandwidth left to worry about the guy who comes in after them. (As an illustrative aside, coming into this match, Head was the sixth-highest run-getter in this WTC cycle which should stand him out, except that three of the five ahead of him are in his team).And in case there is bandwidth left, best leave that to work out how you’ll play Patrick Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and/or Scott Boland. And you’re in trouble now because there’s nothing left then for the small matter of dealing with the generational allround talents of Cameron Green. In short, Travis Head is the other guy in what might be annointed, by the end of this summer, a golden generation Australia side.However.An unbeaten 146 on the opening day of a world title battle, a first hundred away from home, in front of what the ICC claim are the most eyeballs ever to have tuned in to a Test match – however, this might nudge Head towards a more central position in the collective consciousness.And as he was compiling the first hundred of a WTC final, some of what you might have distantly been aware of about him would have materialised right in front of your eyes. For example, the pace of the innings, well over a run-a-ball early on, and then nearabouts that for the rest of it. You may have come across #Travball, the cute little play on Bazball, except the comparison cheapens it: he’s been striking at 81 in Tests since the end of 2021, when English cricket’s pregnancy of Bazball was at the end of its first trimester. Over the last two years, he’s the only batter with over 1000 runs at a 50+ average and an 80+ strike rate.Or the counterpunching, game-shifting nature of it. India were wrangling a little sense of control when he arrived and then, four boundaries in his first 12 balls and it was slipping sharply. Australia were 76 for 3 when he arrived and he’s not gone yet and Australia are now 327 for no further damage. Here’s the tweet to remind you why you think you’ve come across this one before.

Travis Head changing the game:

Gabba v England: 195 for 5 (85-ball hundred)
Hobart v England: 12 for 3 (112-ball hundred)
Gabba v SA : 27 for 3 (92 off 96 balls)
Oval v India: 76 for 3 (106-ball hundred)#WTC23 #AUSvIND

— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) June 7, 2023

She claimed the first five-wicket haul in the WPL, after being bought by Delhi Capitals at the base price of INR 10 lakh

Peter Della Penna05-Mar-2023The city of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania has a couple of pretty old ties to cricket. John Bart King, a great exponent of swing bowling, topped the English County averages in the summer of 1908 with 87 wickets at 11.01 while touring with the Gentleman of Philadelphia. The CC Morris Library at Haverford College in the city’s suburbs houses the largest collection of cricket books and artifacts in the western hemisphere, including one of Don Bradman’s bats.Now, the city has a brand new link to the game. A century after King’s exploits, a left-arm swing bowler originally from Philadelphia has etched her name in history, taking pride of place in the annals of American cricket.Related

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Tara Norris, a 24-year-old who made her debut for USA in October 2021, was the only Associate player bought in the Women’s Premier League auction at the lowest base price of INR 10 lakh (USD 12,200 approx). And in her first game of the tournament, Norris has more than repaid Delhi Capitals’ investment, by ripping through the RCB batting line-up with the first five-wicket haul of the WPL. With no other team having an Associate player in their squad, only Delhi can make use of the rule that allows five overseas players in an XI, provided one of them is from an Associate country.”I never thought I’d have an opportunity like this in my career, so just to be here has been absolutely amazing,” Norris said after being named Player of the Match for her figures of 5 for 29 in four overs. “The fact that I got a chance to play and have a bowl has been awesome.”ESPNcricinfo LtdNorris’ journey to the WPL in India is atypical for a number of reasons. Her father is from Middlesborough and her mother is of Italian heritage. Both were working in the pharmaceutical industry and were based in Pennsylvania at the time that Norris, the youngest of three girls, was born. However, the Norris family moved to Barcelona in Spain when Tara was still an infant and she grew up playing tennis, soccer and swimming.The Norris family moved to Sussex, England in 2006 and it was there that she first encountered cricket. Her natural athleticism meant she was fast-tracked into the Sussex Women’s age-group teams, making her debut with the Sussex U-13s just a week before her 10th birthday. After getting a maiden Sussex senior team cap as a 15-year-old in 2014, Norris was chosen for an England Academy side later that summer, playing alongside future international players Sophie Ecclestone and Emma Lamb.Norris was given a full-time contract by Southern Vipers in 2020-21 and was part of the original squad for Southern Brave in the first season of The Hundred, playing five matches including the tournament final at Lord’s. However, her progress on the England pathway had stalled. It was over the summer that then USA Women’s head coach and former Australia international Julia Price reached out to see if Norris was interested in representing the country of her birth.After talking with Price, Norris had conversations with Vipers and Brave head coach Charlotte Edwards, who had toured Philadelphia with the MCC in 2016 and a year later came back to Texas for some development coaching. Edwards encouraged Norris to take advantage of the opportunity, and a few days later Norris was in the US Embassy in London getting her American passport renewed.She made an immediate impact on her debut, taking four wickets in five matches with an economy of 1.72, as she helped USA win the 2021 ICC Americas Women’s T20 Qualifier in Mexico City and advance to the T20 World Cup Global Qualifier.Tara Norris has played five T20 internationals for USA•FairBreak GlobalNorris was also included in the Barmy Army squad for the Fairbreak Women’s Invitational in Dubai in early 2022. However, her opportunities began to dwindle in Sussex, both with the Vipers and Southern Brave. She was benched all season during The Hundred in 2022 and was not retained ahead of the draft scheduled for March 23. Norris has also switched domestic teams in the County circuit, moving to Thunder.It all means that Sunday’s five-wicket haul couldn’t have come at a better time for Norris, whose stocks may be significantly higher upon re-entering the Hundred draft later this month. By the end of Delhi’s game against RCB, the scintillating 162-run opening stand between Shafali Verma and Meg Lanning had been overshadowed by Norris’ headline spell.She started by dismissing Ellyse Perry, then took the wickets of Disha Kasat, Richa Ghosh and Kanika Ahuja, and rounded off her five-for with the scalp of England captain Heather Knight, who was also Norris’ captain with Barmy Army Women. The day was made even more special for Norris because Price, the USA head coach when she had made her T20I debut, was doing commentary on television for most of Norris’ spell.”Back home, she struggles to get into the Southern Brave team so it’s really nice to see her play,” Knight said after the game. “I played with her a little bit in the Fairbreak competition last year and played against her a bit. In the last year, I saw the potential that she has and she is a real competitor on the pitch. She really wants to compete and win. Left-arm is super effective in T20 also. As a mate of hers, I am very pleased to see what she has done today but bummed to be on the other side.”

Stokes’ signing has added to their formidable list of allrounders, but death bowling could be a concern

Deivarayan Muthu27-Mar-20233:17

Is death bowling a concern for CSK?

Where CSK finished last seasonNinth, just above bottom-placed Mumbai Indians on net run rate.CSK squad for IPL 2023MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Moeen Ali, Bhagath Varma, Deepak Chahar, Devon Conway (wk), Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ravindra Jadeja, Sisanda Magala, Ajay Mandal, Mukesh Choudhary, Matheesha Pathirana, Dwaine Pretorius, Ajinkya Rahane, Shaik Rasheed, Ambati Rayudu, Mitchell Santner, Subhranshu Senapati, Simarjeet Singh, Nishant Sindhu, Prashant Solanki, Ben Stokes, Maheesh TheekshanaPlayer availability – Theekshana, Pathirana arrive lateMaheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana will only be available to CSK after participating in a six-match white-ball series for Sri Lanka in New Zealand, which will end on April 8. This means they will miss CSK’s first three games. Devon Conway and Mitchell Santner, though, have been released by NZC to be available for the entire IPL season.South Africa fast bowler Sisanda Magala, who has been signed as a replacement for the injured Kyle Jamieson, might also arrive late, if he is picked to play the home ODIs against Netherlands on March 31 and April 2.Left-arm seamer Mukesh Choudhary is a doubtful starter as he is recovering from a back injury at the NCA in Bengaluru.Related

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There is a chance, too, that Super Kings could lose Ben Stokes’ services if they go deep into the tournament. Stokes has said he will play England’s one-off Test against Ireland at Lord’s, which is scheduled to begin four days after the IPL final, and “give [himself] enough time to to get back and play that [Ireland] game”.What’s new with CSK this yearThey forked out INR 16.25 crore (USD 1.9 million approx.) for Stokes, their marquee signing at the auction. Haryana left-arm spin-bowling allrounder Nishant Sindhu and Chhattisgarh left-arm spin-bowling allrounder Ajay Mandal have been picked as back-ups for Ravindra Jadeja. Ajinkya Rahane and former Under-19 World Cup winner Shaik Rasheed are the new reserve batters.The good – CSK return to ChepaukSuper Kings return to Chepauk for their first full season at home since 2019. They have almost every variety of spin – mystery spin, legspin, offspin, left-arm fingerspin – to exploit its slow and low pitches. Head coach Stephen Fleming has already spoken about their plans to recreate their old spin-to-win formula at home. They also have excellent batters who can counter spin like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Conway and Moeen Ali.Having worked his way back from a serious knee injury, Jadeja has won games for India in both red-ball and white-ball cricket. In the two matches he has played at Chepauk over recent weeks, including one in the Ranji Trophy for Saurashtra, Jadeja found grip, turn and bounce. With Dhoni no longer the master finisher he once was, Jadeja will also have to do that job with the bat.CSK have a surfeit of allrounders who lend depth to both batting and bowling, affording Dhoni to occupy the ‘luxury spot’. If Santner starts the season, they could have batting depth all the way down to No.10.Maheesh Theekshana could be a regular death-overs option for Super Kings•BCCIThe not-so-good – Who will bowl at the death?
With both Theekshana, who bowls at the death for Sri Lanka, and Magala, a specialist death bowler for South Africa and Sunrisers Eastern Cape, set to join the squad late, CSK might have to scramble for options at the back end of the innings. Especially when they go away from home.Two of CSK’s first-choice players – Gaikwad and Chahar – are coming back from injury. England will be watching Stokes’ workloads carefully as well, given his knee problems over the winter, and the Ashes coming up in the summer. Robin Uthappa’s retirement leaves a vacancy in their batting line-up but it is unclear who can fill it. Shivam Dube is an option, but he too is on the road back from injury and hasn’t played a competitive game since November 2022. And then there’s Rahane with a T20 strike rate of 119.CSK could potentially have five left-handers in their top seven, which exposes the line-up to offspinners and other bowlers who take the ball away from them. Sunrisers Hyderabad, for example, could target CSK’s left-hander-heavy line-up with Washington Sundar, Aiden Markram and Glenn Phillips.Schedule insightsSuper Kings will play five of their first eight matches away from home before they look to maximise points from their stretch of home games on black-soil pitches at Chepauk. The black-soil track that was used for the series decider between India and Australia offered sharp turn throughout the game.CSK’s afternoon fixture against arch-rivals Mumbai on May 6 at Chepauk will be the 1000th match in the IPL.The big question

Netherlands will look to repeat their Adelaide heroics from last year with inclement weather likely to play spoilsport

Firdose Moonda30-Mar-2023It’s ending as it began. Sort of.On November 6, 2022, South Africans awoke in disbelief to the news that their team had been booted out of the T20 World Cup by Netherlands. No disrespect to Netherlands, but it was not a game many would have expected them to win, especially after South Africa dominated Bangladesh, beat India and were two points away from a semi-final. At a time when South Africa had many lows to choose from, that loss was the lowest.Temba Bavuma, South Africa’s beleaguered and now-former T20 captain, was so dejected by the defeat, he could barely look up at the reporters asking him questions. Mark Boucher, South Africa’s outgoing coach, avoided at least half of that by heading to the United States on holiday and not coming home to address an angst-ridden media and equally annoyed fans. That was Boucher’s last assignment and there was a growing consensus that he had left the team in a mess.In Tests, although South Africa beat India at home, they also lost a series in England. In T20Is, they had failed to make the knockouts in two consecutive tournaments. But it was their ODI record which was the biggest blight on Boucher. He left them in the 11th spot on the World Cup Super League table, out of the automatic qualification zone, and with the third-worst ODI record among South Africa’s 11 coaches.Related

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Of course, South Africa’s string of poor 50-over results cannot be blamed on Boucher alone but listen between the lines and it’s clear something was amiss. After the West Indies Tests, which was Shukri Conrad’s first as red-ball coach, Bavuma spoke about feeling more supported by Conrad than he had at any time since he was coached domestically by Enoch Nkwe. “I definitely feel fully backed. I haven’t had this feeling for a while,” he said.Kagiso Rabada, in an interview with South Africa’s Sunday Times described the last three years as “incredibly tense,” thanks largely to off-field issues like administrative meltdown and the Social Justice and Nation-Building Commission, and said he “got the sense that changed” with the appointment of Nkwe as director of cricket and Conrad and Rob Walter as coaches.It’s for Walter to get the ODI team back on track and he has been given a wide berth. CSA has placed no performance expectations on him for the 2023 World Cup, other than getting there. For that, he needs things to go better than they have in ODIs for most of the last three years when a combination of selection issues, off-field events, and scheduling all conspired against South Africa.Let’s go back to April 2021. For a home ODI series against Pakistan, South Africa’s first-choice players were only partly available because of the IPL. Three months later, in Ireland, their first match was rained out. Then, they played an ODI the day after violent riots swept through South Africa’s Kwa-Zulu Natal province, where many squad members had family and friends, and lost. Later that year, they lost a series in Sri Lanka and had another washout, against Netherlands, before the remainder of the series was postponed as a new variant of Covid-19 was came up. Last winter, it was announced that South Africa would forfeit three games against Australia in order to have their players available for the SA20. In between all that, South Africa swept Australia and India 3-0 in series that did not count towards the World Cup Super League.ESPNcricinfo LtdSo here we are. South Africa are now in a must-win situation against the team they were in a must-win situation against four months ago and lost, and they can still barely explain how that happened. “It was just a really bad day for us as players,” Quinton de Kock said. “It was sad for us as players. We’ve just got to make sure we rock up and not take things for granted.”South Africa cannot afford to incur any penalties with things like the over rate because that will result in points being docked on the Super League table, and they have got a record for running out of time. They lost a point as recently as last month, have lost two points overall and are one of only five teams to fall foul of this rule. “Rob told the boys make sure it doesn’t happen again,” de Kock said. “It’s a controllable thing.”What isn’t controllable are the other results South Africa need to go their way. Even if they beat Netherlands 2-0, they are not guaranteed a spot at the World Cup and still need to hope Ireland don’t win more than one game against Bangladesh when they host them in England. Ireland have chosen the venue to maximise their chances of playing in better weather conditions than they are likely to get at home. Had South Africa thought of that, they may not have chosen Benoni and Johannesburg as the venues to play these two matches. Showers are forecast for both venues on game days, though it’s typical on the Highveld that these are short and sharp and at the Wanderers, at least, the drainage is world class. Getting a full game at Willowmoore Park on Friday could prove more challenging and the chances of an interrupted game are real.Netherlands pulled off a famous win to knock South Africa out of the 2022 T20 World Cup•Getty ImagesThe shorter it gets, the more Netherlands may remind South Africa of November 6 although Scott Edwards was not too bullish about it. “They’re a world-class side with a lot of world-class players,” he said. And Cricket South Africa has done everything in their power to keep it that way.For the first time ever, CSA utilised the contracting clause that allows them to hold players back from overseas leagues to fulfil national duty. Nine players – Rabada, de Kock, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Aiden Markram, Anrich Nortje, Heinrich Klaasen, Marco Jansen, Sisanda Magala – will miss their first IPL games, despite the apparent unhappiness of team-owners as South Africa throw their all at Netherlands, who are depleted.Colin Ackermann, Bas de Leede and Brandon Glover have all been released for the start of the county season while Roelof van der Merwe has withdrawn from the touring party for personal reasons. Netherlands are also without their coach, Ryan Cook, who, ironically, is at the IPL but they have roped in as much reinforcement as they could. Former South Africa Test opener Heino Kuhn has joined them as assistant coach while former South Africa head coach Russell Domingo is part of their backroom staff. Together, they aim to provide some intel on what can be done to inflict a more serious defeat on South Africa than the one they managed at the T20 World Cup. “They’ve brought a lot of knowledge about the players and conditions over here,” Edwards said, but his general demeanour was far from upbeat.While South Africa’s main worry is whether they can avoid a qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe in June – and de Kock said he is going to “try my absolute best not to go to Zim for the qualifiers” – Netherlands are concerned about what comes after that. The World Cup Super League will cease to exist after this edition. For teams such as Netherlands and Ireland, the tournament provided an opportunity for regular cricket against top-tier opposition and there are concerns that without it, their game time will shrink and the gains they have made now will be lost.”It’s been massive for us. If you look back at the squad before the Super League, it was a transition period and since then some of the performances these guys have put in has been massive for Dutch cricket,” Edwards said. “We don’t know exactly what the one-day format is going to hold for us from now.”To an extent, neither do South Africa. In theory and on paper, it’s unthinkable that they won’t be at the World Cup later this year, whether through the direct route or qualification. But the same sentiment hung thick in the air when South Africans went to bed on November 5, 2022. It was unthinkable that they would lose to Netherlands in the T20 World Cup. And that is exactly what happened.De Kock said they’re “pretty much the same” team now, but “maybe slightly better.””We are trying to play an aggressive brand of cricket but we also want to be very clever in the way we go about things and make sure we choose the right options,” he said. It’s a work in progress and we will fail from time to time.”South Africans will hope not this time.

Home-grown great gives tournament a night to remember at a packed Kia Oval

Vithushan Ehantharajah26-Aug-2023The thing to know about those who have attended matches through the men’s Hundred is that, while some root for their city, most simply root for the batters. After all, they are the ones who control your evening’s entertainment.In a format like this, T20 with the ends chopped off, bowlers restrict, fielders stop, but batters do. They must. Otherwise, what else is there but dots, saves and unused pyrotechnics?By the end of the Eliminator at the Kia Oval, after 49 boundaries among 397 runs, there was just enough fuel in the pyrotechnic tanks dotted around the boundary for the final few blasts to mark Manchester Originals’ achievement, as Jamie Overton slammed the night’s 23rd and final six over long on.The biggest chase in the Hundred’s history had been achieved, at a ground that had only seen one such success in the previous four matches this season. And at the most important time, to send the Originals into Sunday’s Lord’s final to play Oval Invincibles, at the expense of Southern Brave. They will look to make amends after falling short of the 2022 title against Trent Rockets.It’s not for nothing that the Originals polished off this total with an all-English top five. And that Brave’s score was bolstered by an outstanding 56 off 25 by skipper James Vince. As much as the batters carry the burden, any country’s short-format jewel in their home season – no matter how derided – relies on homegrown talent to thrive. So it was apt that, on Saturday evening, all 19,216 in the stands and those tuning in from home were left more than satisfied by an English talent regarded as one of his generation’s greatest white-ball batters, and, heck, he’s in the conversation for “all-time”, too.To be fair to Jos Buttler, he has held up his end of the entertainment bargain across several evenings this last month. As the tournament’s leading run-scorer – with 380, now the highest-scoring individual in a Hundred season and 140 clear of his nearest challenger, Finn Allen – his consistency has been up there with your favourite restaurant. In a fledgling tournament, constantly having to deal with talk of being wiped out, Buttler’s presence throughout and brilliance from the get-go has been an act of invaluable conservation, as far as the tournament organisers are concerned.The ECB will release figures outlining the unequivocal success of this third edition on Sunday morning, and the late boost from this viral innings by England’s limited-overs captain may well add another thick layer of icing before the double-header final provides the cherry.This 82, Buttler’s highest Hundred score, took just 46 deliveries – his 50 came up from 26 – and featured familiar swipes over wide long-on and down the ground. The only thing missing was a scoop. Barring a flay behind third for four, the other nine of his boundaries – four of them sixes – came in the arc from extra cover to midwicket.Related

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Yet, for all the thrill emanating from Buttler’s bat, including his dismissal – skied so high it disappeared into the night sky before reappearing and burrowing deep into Rehan Ahmed’s hands, who almost got buried into the earth with it – there were moments when others came to the fore. Though Buttler was the main character, the supporting actors played their part and, at the start, even outshone him.It’s funny to think Buttler was 12 off 9 heading into the final two balls of the powerplay; two balls he would end up flicking over square leg and punching through cover for a brace of fours that took Originals to 61 for no loss – the equal-highest 25-ball score of the season. After 30, Originals had 82, double what Brave had managed at that stage, and it was not because of Buttler.Phil Salt was the man who lit the touchpaper on this mighty heist. The first three deliveries of the second innings were all taken for four. The first six of the innings was his, slamming George Garton over midwicket. He then finished Overton’s third set – balls 29 and 30 – with back-to-back sixes.”He certainly comes out with some impetus, that’s for sure!” Buttler said of Salt, who would end up with 47 from just 17 balls, out of the opening stand of 83. “He’s a fearless player, he’s got loads of talent. In that kind of chase, to get off to start like he gave us, it’s fantastic.”Buttler, by no means sluggish with 30 off 15 when Salt was dismissed, admitted his partner’s innings had allowed him to get into his flow.”He certainly takes pressure off you, the way he plays. If he gets going, you can turn over the strike and give it to him. I always want to play fast and score as quick as I can. But sometimes you get away to a flyer, sometimes you don’t.”Similar could be said of Max Holden, whose 31 off 17 in a stand of 63 ensured Buttler was not the sole bearer of the load. When Buttler was finally dismissed by Chris Jordan, Laurie Evans struck the 90th ball of the innings for four to leave 12 needed off the last 10, before waiting on a Tymal Mills slower ball to strike the 92nd high over extra cover for arguably the shot of the match. Overton then finished it with four deliveries to spare, holding his shape to obliterate Jordan down the ground.Overton and Evans embraced, before turning to a dug-out already into their own celebrations, all while Buttler looked a picture of calm. For all the frustration at having conceded so many at the halfway stage, Buttler admitted he had always felt they were in with a shot. He’d computed the short boundary, the slickness of the field affecting the ball, and the bowlers’ ability to keep his team quiet.Perhaps the most satisfying thing for Buttler as captain of this group is, even with his own reliability with the bat, those around him have clearly channelled his approach: the positivity, the ruthlessness, the desire to perform under the harshest lights on the biggest stage.Just as he believed they had a chance to knock off 197, he sees no reason why a first Hundred title will not be in their grasp by Sunday night. As do the rest of the Originals. Then again, it is hard not to believe when you’ve got Jos Buttler in your ranks.

The India captain’s high-risk batting has made sure there is no jeopardy as the chase enters the middle overs

Sidharth Monga08-Nov-20231:20

Kumble: Rohit and Kohli key to India’s World Cup success

Rohit Sharma has scored more powerplay runs, quicker, at a higher average, hitting more fours and more sixes than anyone at this World Cup. It is a staggering statistic. For a batter who built his game on watchful starts. For a team that is built on conservative starts and big runs from star batters. For a captain to take that high-risk role on and not delegate it to a younger batter.At least for the last ten years, India have consistently been among the best two or three sides in limited-overs cricket. However, that has been down to the sheer quality of players. Nobody can accuse them of being the most modern or tactically the sharpest side despite always having been among the best.Ever since Rohit has taken over the reins, though, he and coach Rahul Dravid have looked to push themselves out of their comfort zones. One of the areas India could push themselves in was putting a slightly lesser price on their wickets in the early and middle overs and being more enterprising. Rohit knew he had to lead by example if he wanted other batters to follow suit.Related

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Rohit has been trying to hit a boundary to 30% of the balls inside the powerplay. Only Travis Head has been more enterprising, but not with as much success. Rohit has been in control of 77% of those boundary attempts, which is incredible efficiency. As a result, India are behind only Australia in scoring quickly in the powerplay. Australia have played more higher-scoring games than India, and both their openers are going for it as opposed to one for India.While India have generally been looking to be proactive in the powerplay, the extent Rohit has taken it to has perhaps surprised even the management. “It is his idea, he is taking the initiative,” the batting coach Vikram Rathour said. “There are no set strategies at a World Cup. We are looking to maximise, looking to score as many runs as we can. And if the surface is good, and if he feels he can go for it, he does.”It has perhaps helped that the ball has not swung much when India have batted. Possibly the plan was to watch a couple of overs with each ball and then cash in on the second half of the powerplay. It seems Rohit has seen the lack of swing, and started going much earlier.The pressure it has put the opposition bowlers under was apparent in how many unforced errors South Africa made with the new ball in what was being seen as the final before the final. It was a tricky pitch on which the spinners were not going to be easy to face. The headstart that Rohit gave India allowed Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer to take their time and take no risks against the dangerous Keshav Maharaj. That is a luxury India need with Nos. 8 to 11 not offering much with the bat.Not that Kohli can’t deal with the demand of scoring quicker than his team-mates, but these starts from Rohit take away the pressure of scoring quickly. And when Kohli needs to score at only five an over, he is pretty much invincible. He is able to make sure he bats deep into the innings so that India don’t miss the batting depth.Vikram Rathour on Rohit Sharma: “He is playing the way he wants the team to play”•ICC via Getty ImagesIn a tournament where chasing has not been easy, Rohit’s starts have made sure there is no jeopardy as the chase enters the middle overs. The presence of Kohli perhaps gives him the confidence to play the high-risk game as was seen in the first match against Australia.Rathour was asked if the coaches asked Rohit to bat that way. “He feels he is batting well, and if he feels the wicket is good and he can go for his shots, he is going for them,” Rathour said. “That has been working out really well for the team.”The most impressive aspect of the way Rohit has been batting is that it didn’t come off at first. Now, batters are known to be extremely particular with what brings them success. It would have been easy for Rohit to say he gave it a shot, but it didn’t work out, and it is best for him and the team that he goes back to his tried and trusted methods. Rohit, though, kept at it.”It takes a lot of conviction,” Rathour said. “That is why he is a great batsman. He always has the conviction. He is one guy who is leading with his actions. He is playing himself the way he wants the team to play.”There is no guarantee India will finally take those final two steps after dominating the league stage once again, but for once, thanks to almost revolutionary batting from Rohit, you can’t accuse them of not being with the times.

A list of scarcely-believable innings feat. Viv Richards, Saeed Anwar, Sachin Tendulkar, and more

Sreshth Shah08-Nov-2023Viv Richards – 189* off 170 balls, vs England 1984
Still the record-holder for the highest percentage of runs by a single batter in a completed ODI innings, Richards walked in at 11 for 2 and West Indies were soon 166 for 9. But he added 106 runs with the No. 11 Michael Holding, and in doing so, finished with 189 to his name, then the individual record in ODIs. The other ten batters contributed only 73.Related

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Kapil Dev – 175* off 138 balls, vs Zimbabwe 1983
In March 1983, Dev had shown signs of his brilliance with a 38-ball 82 against West Indies in their backyard, but it was this particular innings that entered cricketing lore. Story goes that Dev was in the shower to prep for his middle-order batting role when India slipped to 6 for 3. Soon after, they were 9 for 4, and Dev’s shower had to be cut short as he was in next. Soon enough, India were 17 for 5, 78 for 7 and 140 for 8. But Dev motored along, getting to his fifty in 70-odd balls (nobody knows the exact count), then smacked his next fifty in about 30 balls, and ransacked 75 runs from his last 37 or 38 balls. It was the first ODI hundred by an Indian, the highest ODI individual score at the time and a total outlier in terms of domination, as he finished with a strike-rate of almost 127.Saeed Anwar – 194 off 146 balls, vs India 1997Fondly remembered by Pakistan fans for his hat-trick of sixes off Anil Kumble in the innings, opener Anwar smacked the then-highest individual ODI score as Pakistan pumped 327 in Chennai during the Independence Cup. With a crowd cheering India on, and no other Pakistan batter crossing 39, Anwar made full use of the rules that allowed a runner, to display “controlled aggression” by thumping 22 fours and five sixes. He was well on his way to becoming the first man to score an ODI double-century, but top-edged a sweep in the 47th over.Martin Guptill – 237* off 163 balls, vs West Indies 2015
Marlon Samuels offered Guptill a life in the first over, and he never looked back, smashing the (still) highest ODI score at a men’s World Cup in a quarter-final match in front of a home crowd. Guptill was in such sublime form that the other New Zealand batters simply handed the strike to him and let him to do his thing. Together, the other batters hit 146 runs in all, while Guptill plundered 162 runs only in fours and sixes. The second-highest score of the innings was Kane Williamson’s 42.Rohit Sharma’s 264 remains the highest ever ODI score•BCCIRohit Sharma – 264 off 173 balls, vs Sri Lanka 2014
The pitch was flat and Sri Lanka looked like a flat outfit too. But a score as high as 264 has happened only once in nearly 4700 games of ODI cricket. In as a replacement in the XI for a rested Shikhar Dhawan, and fresh from a shoulder and finger injury, the first over Rohit faced was a maiden. In fact, he scored only four in his first 18 balls. But then he got to 50 off 72, 100 off 100, 150 off 125, 200 off 151 and 250 off 166 balls. It was a performance that confirmed Rohit would bat nowhere else but as an opener and India finished on a mighty 404.Fakhar Zaman – 193 off 155 balls, vs South Africa 2021
No Pakistan batter apart from Fakhar crossed 31, leaving the opener to do the bulk of the lifting in the team’s pursuit of 342. With regular wickets tumbling, Pakistan were left stranded at 120 for 5, but Fakhar smashed 18 fours and 10 sixes in his 155-ball stay to keep Pakistan single-handedly in the game. By the time the final over came along, Fakhar needed 30 to get in six balls for a remarkable victory, but was run-out on 193. Nonetheless, it remains the highest score in unsuccessful ODI chases and won ESPNcricinfo’s award for the best ODI batting innings of 2021.Sachin Tendulkar – 175 off 141 balls, vs Australia 2009
India’s start wasn’t ideal with three of the top four failing to impress. But with 351 the target, there was no space for a slowdown and so Tendulkar attacked. He pulled Shane Watson for six and hammered Nathan Hauritz for big shots down the ground, and along with MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina, guided India well in the chase. Tendulkar reached his 45th ODI ton in 81 balls, got a life on 135, and soon reached his 150 in 122 deliveries. But when only 19 runs were needed in three overs, Tendulkar tried to scoop debutant Clint McKay over fine leg, and that undid him. He fell for 175, the chase spiraled out of control, and a great Tendulkar innings was on the losing side.Sanath Jayasuriya – 189 off 161 balls, vs India 2000
A bullying like no other, Jayasuriya pummeled India’s morale in such a vicious manner at the 2000 Coca-Cola Champions Trophy final that at the time, it helped Sri Lanka seal the biggest win in ODI history. On a surface where nobody else looked settled (14 of the other 17 batters made single digits, and only three crossed ten), Jayasuriya mauled the India bowlers, especially Venkatesh Prasad, to finish on an imposing 189. His century came in only 118 balls but his acceleration thereafter was spectacular, pumping a further 89 in 43. For him, too, a double-century was on the cards but he was stumped in the 49th over. India were so tormented that they swiftly folded for 54.Marcus Stoinis nearly pulled off a miracle against New Zealand in 2017•Getty ImagesMarcus Stoinis – 146* off 117 balls, vs New Zealand 2017
A serious contender for the greatest ODI innings to come in a defeat, the audacity of this Stoinis innings was that he dared to dream. Playing only his second ODI, Stoinis walked in with little hope of victory. Australia were reeling at 54 for 5, soon to be 67 for 6, and chasing 287. However, Stoinis took charge, and muscled the second-highest ODI score from No. 6 or below. When the ninth wicket fell, Australia needed a further 60, and Stoinis very nearly got there in Josh Hazlewood’s company, where the No. 11 contributed zero in their 54-run stand. But with Australia needing five to win, Hazlewood was run out by Williamson at short mid-on and Stoinis lay on his haunches after failing to pull off an incredible heist.Thisara Perera – 140 off 74 balls, vs New Zealand 2019
The target was 320 and Danushka Gunathilaka had given Sri Lanka a stunning start with a half-century. But then came a collapse and Perera walked in at 121 for 5. Soon, it was 128 for 7 and Sri Lanka were staring at defeat. But Perera raced past his previous best of 80, reached his century in 57 balls, and looked set to do the impossible with a breathless hour of hitting that dragged Sri Lanka to needing only 50 in six overs. Four sixes (out of 13) at the death off Tim Southee made the equation almost a run-a-ball, but when Perera tried to do it once again off Matt Henry, he holed out and the last-gasp effort was 21 runs short.