All posts by h716a5.icu

Last chance for Vince and Stoneman to impress

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

As the selectors look to blood younger players and give them a long lead-in to the next Ashes series, there is pressure on James Vince and Mark Stoneman to step up in Sydney

George Dobell in Sydney02-Jan-20181:57

‘Dreamed of playing in Sydney’ – Stoneman

The Ashes may have gone but, for several England players, the Sydney Test could have career-defining implications.The likes of James Vince (199 runs at 28.42 in the series) and Mark Stoneman (208 at 29.71) have had some decent moments in Australia without producing the performance that would have either cemented their place or changed the direction of a match. And with the squad for the series against New Zealand set to be announced on the morning of January 10 (Australia time) both have one last opportunity to impress.Stoneman is by far the more secure batsman. Despite a top score of only 56 after seven Tests, despite having scored only nine more runs than Vince and despite a record strikingly similar to that of Michael Carberry (who was dropped after he averaged 28.10 in Australia in 2013-14), Stoneman has impressed with his attitude and is an almost certain pick for the New Zealand tour. The fact that few other openers are pushing for his spot might well be a factor, too.But Vince needs a performance in Sydney. While he has, at times, looked a high-class player, he is another who has failed to produce the match-defining total. He has only two half-centuries after 11 Tests, and there is a growing sense of impatience over his contributions. He remains likely to make the squad for the New Zealand tour, but two failures here could change that.Counting against Vince, however, is that many of those players the England management like the look of – Joe Clarke, Liam Livingstone and Dan Lawrence – are vying for a middle-order spot. And as the selectors try to bring younger players into the side with a view to providing them a long lead-in to the next Ashes series, the pressure on the likes of Vince will only grow.Gary Ballance is another possible casualty before the squad for the New Zealand series is announced. Ballance has been given almost no chance to impress in Australia – he has scored 51, 1 and 45 not out in his three innings and has not played a first-class game – but may be squeezed out as the selectors look to the future.It is likely that Ben Stokes will be named in the squad. But that does not mean he is likely to make the tour. His name will appear, as it did in the limited-overs squad, as a legal nicety to ensure that the ECB is not seen to be prejudicing the on-going investigation into his actions outside a Bristol nightclub in September. Realistically it seems most unlikely he will make the tour.Toby Roland-Jones, who will go on the Lions’ tour to the Caribbean, is the likely beneficiary. Mark Wood and Craig Overton, who will not be considered for selection in Sydney as he recovers from a cracked rib, also look likely to make the New Zealand tour, with Jake Ball in danger of missing out. Steven Finn, who underwent surgery on his knee having returned home from the Ashes tour after a few days, is not thought to have regained the fitness required for selection.1:25

Starc’s absence showed in Melbourne – Stoneman

The shape of the England team for the Sydney Test is not yet completely clear. While it still appears likely that Mason Crane will make his Test debut, a first look at the pitch has caused some confusion. It is currently greener than expected and offers a decent covering of grass. That grass will be cut back, though, leaving a pitch that will essentially remain good for batting.As a result, the balance of probability suggests that Moeen Ali may retain his place at the expense of Tom Curran – although there are injury doubts over Chris Woakes who was sent for a scan on his left side on Wednesday morning and if he does not get through training on Wednesday, both Curran and Moeen could be included.Omission after one Test would be cruel luck for Curran who let nobody down with his performance on a horribly slow wicket in Melbourne. But the surface did show up his lack of pace and, as England try to juggle their need for some variation in their attack and some depth to their batting, Moeen may retain his place at No. 7 in the hope that his selection as a second spinner will allow him to relax and regain his best form.There were several new faces at England’s training session at the SCG on Tuesday. Three young county legspinners Matt Parkinson (Lancashire; currently playing Grade cricket for Gordon -the club Crane played for last year), Josh Poysden, (Warwickshire) and Matt Critchley (Derbyshire) were among them, while Stuart MacGill, the former Australian legspinner who had worked with Crane last year, watched on and offered advice.The other notable aspects of training were the long stint Joe Root had – he was dropped from the team for the Sydney Test in 2013-14 and is desperate to end this tour on a high – and a slightly jaded look to a couple of seamers. The huge workload they undertook in Melbourne – Anderson alone bowled 59 overs in the Test – may have taken a toll.”It’s been a pretty frustrating tour on a personal level,” Stoneman, who watched the 2006-07 Ashes Test here from the crowd, said on Tuesday. “Everybody knows the key to Test cricket is getting big scores on the board and if you’re only making 30s then you’re giving the opposition a chance to make inroads. If you give the Australian attack a sniff, they come pretty hard and take wickets in bunches.”On the flip side, as we saw from Alastair Cook the other day, if you’re out there for seven or eight hours, the attack will wilt a little bit. Given the nature of having to bowl 25 or 30 overs, big scores can be put on the board and gives you chance of winning games. It’s been frustrating from a personal point of view, but hopefully I can put that right here.”

Alastair Cook's Oval encore a reminder of what England will miss

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

There was no fairytale hundred, but Alastair Cook still managed to produce a medley of greatest hits on his Test farewell

George Dobell at The Oval07-Sep-20181:08

Thought ‘this is meant to be’ when Cook was dropped – Moeen

You didn’t need to be watching to know what had happened. The groan that went around the ground told the story.Alastair Cook was out. With a tiny kick of frustration, he was gone. He walked off the pitch the way he walked on: a standing ovation accompanying every stride. If there was any doubt about the affection in which he is held by the vast majority of England supporters, it had been dispelled. A great career, an era even, is coming to a close.You could feel The Oval willing him to succeed here. It wasn’t just the guard of honour the India players provided – even the umpires applauded Cook to the middle – and it wasn’t just the presentations made to him before the game. Nice though some moments are, they have become relatively customary.No, you could feel it more in the anxious silence that took hold around the ground as each ball was delivered. You could hear it in the cheers of relief that greeted the first boundary and you could see it in the sustained ovation – standing again – that greeted his half-century.Cook’s relationship with England supporters is interesting. Some players – think David Gower or Ian Bell – owe their popularity largely to the beauty of their play and others – think James Anderson or Ian Botham – to the abundance of their skill. But the love affair with Cook has taken a different course. Sure, he started well and there were times, such as in Australia in 2010-11, when the run-scoring business appeared gloriously simple. Times when he looked infallible.But there were lean times, too. Many of them. Times when every innings became a feat of endurance. Times when it seemed every run had to be hacked out of his soul with a blunt spoon. Times when he looked very, very fallible.In an odd way, perhaps that is why his popularity became so enduring. Because batting was, at times, so hard and because Cook clearly had to dig deep to overcome his limitations. He wasn’t an impossibly talented genius – like Viv or Virat – but an everyman giving his all to sustain his dream. And, in fair weather and foul, he would put himself in the firing line looking for neither hiding places nor excuses. It is a remarkable feat of endurance, persistence and determination that, of all those to have represented England, it is Cook who finishes as the leading run-scorer and centurion. He would be the first to admit he is nowhere near the most naturally talented.

It is a long, long time since Cook has batted better against a good attack in demanding conditions

Everyone watching at The Oval – a fair few of them in chef’s hats – knew what Cook has been through. The desperate, public struggle for runs. The equally public humiliation of losing the ODI captaincy on the eve of the World Cup. The abuse that was heaped on him in the aftermath of the Kevin Pietersen debacle. Many of us didn’t agree with that decision; few can have thought he deserved the level of vitriol directed his way by some. It didn’t help Pietersen, either. Increasing divides and scratching at wounds rarely does.They knew this was Cook’s farewell tour, too, and they were hoping he would show us a medley of the greatest hits. And, for a while, that’s exactly what he did. There was the classic cut-pull combination – successive boundaries off Jasprit Bumrah – which must have accounted for a fair proportion of the 1428 fours in his Test career; as good a cover drive as he can ever have played to bring back memories of the 2010-11 Ashes tour; and, early on, a perfectly timed flick through midwicket off Ishant Sharma that provided an echo of Cook at his very best.That was quite a revealing stroke. Cook can only play it – and the straight drives that punctuated this innings – when at his best. And, since the start of the Southampton Test, his technique has looked in far better order.Instead of going back as the ball is delivered, he had reverted to going back and across to ensure he doesn’t have to reach for deliveries on or around off stump. And, instead of standing square at the crease – as most coaches would suggest batsman should – Cook has reverted to the slightly more open stance recommended by his sometimes coach, Gary Palmer (who had his fingerprints all over this innings), that allows him to maintain his balance when the ball nips back at him and sees his back foot pointing towards mid-off when he drives. It’s anathema to many coaches, but it works for Cook.Perhaps it could work for Joe Root, too. He again fell due to a lack of balance at the crease. And he again squandered a review, as he has no idea where his head is at the moment of impact. Standing perfectly square – as the coaching manual suggests – Root finds his front foot in the way when the ball in angled in and tends to fall away to the off side as he plays around it. A more open stance may well be the solution. It’s not where he bats that is bothering him; it’s how.Might this innings – and bear in mind it was made on a day when only three men passed 11 – give Cook cause to rethink his retirement? It’s possible. He is only 33, after all, and an English winter – a season that overplays its hand like the last guest to leave a party – will drive even the happiest family man to wonder if that tour of the Caribbean was such a trial, after all.Alastair Cook raises his bat to the crowd while walking off•Getty ImagesBut realistically, he was able to play this innings because he knew he was in the home straight. It was his concentration that let him down in Southampton; twice drawn into loose strokes. But those powers of concentration, the focus, are easier to find if you know the requirement is finite. And here, freed from the concerns for his future, freed from concerns about the outcome of the series, freed from consequence, he seemed able to find those reserves once more.It is a long, long time since he has batted better against a good attack in demanding conditions. He’ll miss all this, of course, but there will be relief it’s over, too. If he finds himself in the Caribbean, it is much more likely to be as a member of the media.He had some fortune. Just after lunch – concentration disturbed, perhaps – he was lured into poking at one that flew low to gully. But, underlining how tough life has been for batting this summer, he went on to register the first half-century by an opening batsman on either side in the series. He probably deserved a little fortune. Few would begrudge him a few more hours in the sun.Gradually, confidence in the crowd began to grow. From those nervous ovations at the start, where every run was savoured and rewarded, so thoughts began to turn to the dream scenario. Could he pull off the impossible: a century on debt and farewell performance? They hardly dared give voice to the hope. But, as Kohli’s desperation seduced him into an optimistic review, as the nudges into the leg side for singles came more often, as he started to look more like Cook of old, you could hear the whispers grow. Maybe something special was unfolding.It was not to be. Sport doesn’t offer many fairytale endings and tends to remind us that, if it doesn’t end badly, it doesn’t need to end. There was to be no century. Not in this innings, anyway. Drawn into poking at one that nipped back at him, he was bowled off the inside edge. The Oval groaned and Cook walked back with his head bowed.But all the best performers leave you hungry for a just a bit more, don’t they? And, in providing this encore, Cook provided a reminder of his many qualities. And showed how much he’ll be missed.

'Humble, hardworking, pioneering'

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

It was a memorable win in Abu Dhabi for New Zealand; the team completed their first away Test series triumph over Pakistan since 1969. Former captains were among those celebrating a fantastic performance

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Dec-2018

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Great series against Pakistan, a tough battle all the way. One we will remember for a very long time. Thanks for all the support #testcricket #pakvnz

A post shared by Kane Williamson (@kane_s_w) on Dec 7, 2018 at 9:17am PST

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Great way to finish a long tour. #pakvsnz #howgood #hometime

A post shared by Ross Taylor (@rossltaylor3) on Dec 7, 2018 at 8:22am PST

Onus on Bangladesh batsmen to find remedy for swing, pace, and bounce

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Injuries to key men in the batting unit won’t help the cause of the visitors, who were blanked in the preceding ODI series

Mohammad Isam in Hamilton26-Feb-2019Whether the Hamilton Test starting later this week is competitive or not will depend to a large extent on Bangladesh’s batsmen: can they handle New Zealand’s swing, delivered at pace, and the bounce? Their 3-0 loss in the ODI series has certainly come as a blow, and injuries could well take away more experience from the batting line-up.Shakib Al Hasan is still recovering from his finger injury and it is likely that Mushfiqur Rahim will also be sidelined because of injuries to his ribcage and finger. A batting side that depends largely on four senior batsmen – Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah the others – having the unit halved isn’t ideal, especially in a country where Bangladesh have mostly struggled.So far on this tour, the new ball, which usually grows in potency when Trent Boult and Tim Southee have it in their hands, has tormented the visitors. Boult took six wickets in three consistently good performances in the ODIs, while Southee took a six-wicket haul in the third game, the only one he played. They will lead the Test attack too, with Neil Wagner and Matt Henry around to help.

We do realise that if we want to play well away from home, we need to cope with the ball that bounces and movesSTEVE RHODES

Bangladesh have looked comfortable when the ball has stopped swinging, and reduced Boult’s effectiveness, but the new red ball usually swings for a longer period than the white ball.In any case, Boult has usually made sure that not much of Bangladesh’s batting have stuck around long enough to make a difference. Bangladesh were 42 for four in the ninth over of the first ODI in Napier, and had lost three wickets in the second ODI in Christchurch by the 13th over. It was similar in the third ODI in Dunedin, where they slipped to 40 for four by the tenth over too.Tamim, the top-order mainstay, has had his worst ODI series (minimum three innings) in the last seven years. Within five days of a superb 141 in the Bangladesh Premier League final in Dhaka, Boult had him caught behind with a late away-swinger in Napier before Henry burst one through his forward prod in the second game. His choice of shot in the third game, charging Southee in the second ball of the innings, was a failed, and faulty, approach to disturb the bowler’s length.Liton Das and Soumya Sarkar too didn’t contribute much at the top, and found annoying ways and times to get out. Liton didn’t look out of form but his footwork in the first game wasn’t up to the mark and he didn’t read the situation well in the second game either. Sarkar, meanwhile, was extravagant as he threw away two good starts, especially so in the first game when his continued presence at the crease might have put the home side under some pressure.Mohammad Mithun makes room for a cut•Getty ImagesCoach Steve Rhodes, who at the start of Bangladesh’s home season had stressed on the need for improvement in overseas conditions, pointed to swing as the concern area for the batsmen.”I think in Test cricket, since West Indies [in July 2018], it was obvious some areas in which we need to work on,” Rhodes said. “We have been doing it ever since. We need to play well off both feet – front and back – as well as cope with the ball bouncing. It won’t be different here. There will possibly be a little bit more swing. Those conditions are different to Bangladesh where the wicket is flat, slow and low.”The batsmen have been working on these areas for the last six months, not just for this series, but we do realise that if we want to play well away from home, we need to cope with the ball that bounces and moves.”Bangladesh’s better performers in the ODI series are mostly, unfortunately, absent. Mohammad Mithun, whose half-centuries in the first two games salvaged some pride for the team, is still recovering from a hamstring injury. And Sabbir Rahman, who made his maiden ODI century in the third game, is back home playing domestic cricket.But Mithun and Sabbir, and to some extent Mohammad Saifuddin, showed how runs are there for the taking after the swing goes away. If circumspection is mixed with aggression smartly, it is perhaps possible to bat long periods in these conditions.A great example is Bangladesh’s batting in the Wellington Test in 2017, when Tamim and Mominul Haque did much of the hard work on a blustery opening day. Shakib and Mushfiqur then built on the foundation, hitting 217 and 159 respectively.On a previous occasion in Hamilton, during the 2015 World Cup, Tamim had played out a probing opening spell from Boult and Southee, which laid the platform for Mahmudullah’s century and a big score from Bangladesh.One key difference this time, however, is Bangladesh’s preparedness (or the lack of it). While in 2015 and 2016-17, they adjusted to the unfamiliar conditions in Australia and New Zealand with extended camps in the region before the tours commenced, this time many of the players had not even recovered from the long flight when they played the first ODI.There has not been an official complaint about the scheduling back home, especially about the BPL, which was shifted from November to January, but it is clear that the team wasn’t given the best chance. Lack of runs has eroded confidence too. But memories of good batting days and a healthy respect for the conditions might yet bring Bangladesh some success in Hamilton.

Tamim Iqbal: 'It was just a matter of 30 seconds'

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

A first-hand account of Friday afternoon, when the Bangladesh team found itself yards away from the scene of the worst terrorist attack in New Zealand’s history

As told to Mohammad Isam16-Mar-2019Tamim Iqbal spoke to ESPNcricinfo’s Mohammad Isam about ‪the events of Friday afternoon‬, when the Bangladesh team had a brush with death near one of the two mosques in Christchurch that were the target of terrorist attacks that have claimed at least 49 lives.***Let me tell you what happened before we got on the bus. It will help you understand how those two or three minutes made such a huge difference for us. Normally Mushfiq [Rahim] and Riyad [Mahmudullah] want to be present during the [sermon], which is why we want to reach the prayers early. The bus was scheduled to leave ‪at 1.30 pm‬, but Riyad had gone to the press conference. A bit of time was spent there, and after finishing the press conference, he came to the dressing room.In the dressing room, we got engaged in a game of football. Taijul [Islam] didn’t want to lose, but the others wanted him to lose in that game. Taijul and Mushfiq were having a one-on-one game, which took up a few more minutes. These little things saved us in the end.ALSO READ – Bangladesh team leaves Christchurch and tries to move onWe got on the bus right after that. The plan was to go to the team hotel after prayers, which is why Shree [team analyst Shrinivas Chandrasekaran] and Soumya Sarkar (both non-Muslims) were with us. Since it was optional training, those who weren’t going to practice, they’d stay back at the hotel, and those who had practice, they’d come back to the ground. This was the plan.I always sit on the sixth seat on the left. When we were getting near the mosque, everyone on my right started to see something outside the window. I saw that a body was lying on the floor. Naturally, we thought either he was drunk or had fainted. So then the bus kept going, and stopped near the mosque. But everyone’s attention remained with that man lying on the ground.While that was happening, my attention went to another man, bloodied, and about to fall down. Panic set in at that point.Our bus stopped in front of a car near the mosque. We saw that the bus driver was talking to a lady who was literally shaking and crying. She was saying, ‘There’s some shooting going on, don’t go, don’t go’.Bangladesh players arrive at Christchurch airport to catch their flight to Dhaka•AFPOur bus driver said that these guys are going to the mosque. She replied, ‘No no no, don’t go to the mosque. It is happening in the mosque.’ She started to cry. Everyone heard and saw her, and we started to panic a little more. At that point we were about 20 yards from the mosque. Literally get out of the bus and walk to the mosque. That close. We saw some more bloodied bodies lying around the mosque.When we saw more dead bodies, we couldn’t figure out what to do. Those wearing the cap, they took it off in fear. I mean, we figured out that something was going on. Those wearing punjabi [shalwar kameez] they started to wear a jacket over it. What else to do?We then just lay down on the floor of the bus. It had been about seven or eight minutes at that stage. We still didn’t exactly know what it was but we knew that there was some kind of violence happening.We were panicking big time. Look at me, I can’t even talk properly. We told the bus driver to get us out of there. Do something. But he wasn’t moving. Everyone started to shout at him. I was shouting at him. For those six or seven minutes, there was no police.Then suddenly the police appeared, and the way the special forces stormed the mosque, we just went numb. My whole body went cold. More injured and bloodied people started to come out of the mosque.ALSO READ – ‘There’s shooting here, please save us’That was the time we couldn’t control ourselves. We started screaming, ‘let us go!’ Someone said, ‘What if they shoot us when we get out?’ Someone else said, ‘We are in danger if we are stuck in the bus.’ I also felt that we would have a chance to escape if we got out of the bus. We become a big target in the bus. But where will we go? Both doors are closed.Right at that point, for some reason, the driver took the bus 10 metres ahead. I don’t know why he did this. We were at breaking point at that point. Everyone lost it. We started to bang the middle door. We were kicking and punching that door. He opened the door.When he took the bus forward, I started calling you. You thought I was joking. I was not in a position to tell you, ‘Isam I am being serious.’ You heard me, right? I lost my mind when I saw Mazhar [Uddin, another journalist] calling me. I didn’t know what was happening.It was about eight minutes when we finally got out of the bus. Everyone said let’s run though the park. Someone said that we become easier targets in the park [Hagley Park], what if the shooters just notice us there and start shooting?The Bangladesh team left Christchurch on Saturday•AFPThe next thing that really scared us was how the police may react seeing us running with bags, etc. By that time I saw you three there [Isam and fellow journalists Utpal Shuvro and Mazhar Uddin]. I didn’t realise it then but last night, I realised how big a risk you three took.There will be very few people on earth who will take that risk. I don’t think many close people would have turned up in that situation, like you came. I actually got relieved when I saw you guys. Then we all started to walk. By the time we had gone a fair distance, everyone started to run towards the ground [Hagley Oval].You know, you had seen death with your own eyes. Your body goes cold. It was something we will never forget. And it is such a thing, it is getting worse with every hour we pass. I have spoken to a lot of my team-mates, and everyone is talking about it. The good thing is that everyone still has a little smile on their face. But trust me, inside, everyone is shattered.We returned to the team hotel and went straight to Riyad ‘s room. We started to watch the shooter’s video. The players started to weep, like they were doing in the dressing room.One thing for sure, Isam , it will take a long time to get over. I hope the families help us. We might need counselling. I close my eyes, and I am seeing those scenes. Last night most of the cricketers slept in groups. I slept with [Mehidy Hasan] Miraz and [masseur Mohammad] Sohel . I dreamt that those guys are shooting in a bike.On our way to the airport, we were telling each other that if things had gone wrong by even a little bit, it would have been our dead bodies, not us, going home. It was just a matter of 30 seconds.

Powered by self-belief, Rohit Sharma is now ready to cross the finish line

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

For too long, he gave the impression that he didn’t care – the century against South Africa has given us a glimpse of a new and improved Rohit Sharma

Nagraj Gollapudi at The Oval08-Jun-2019Virat Kohli has admitted more than once that he can only dream of playing the shots Rohit Sharma does, and called the opener’s century against South Africa in Southampton “by far his best ODI innings”. Rohit must feel humbled by all of that. At the same time, he must feel the pressure of expectations, both from within the dressing room as well as what might be building up outside.Once upon a time, Rohit gave the impression that he didn’t care. He is an ODI legend – no one else has three double-centuries in the format; he averages close to 58 as an opener. But in the last few years, he has got one key thing he didn’t have earlier: “self-belief”. Despite all the numbers and the belief, though, a question has hovered over Rohit for a majority of his career: can he maintain that consistency in really big matches, in tournament play? He had never convincingly answered that until June 5, when he played, in his own words, one of his best ODI innings, scoring the match-winning century in India’s World Cup opener.It was not a “typical Rohit Sharma innings”, which usually starts slowly, then builds up steadily, and then climaxes with a gung-ho finish. It is a formula that has helped Rohit construct a series of memorable ODI knocks.Against South Africa, Rohit threw that routine in the bin, replacing it with a method few thought him capable of, characterised by perseverance and patience. Once he had survived – with a little bit of luck – a probing spell of fast bowling from Kagiso Rabada and Chris Morris in the first Powerplay, Rohit figured out it was best to meet the ball on the back foot; years of batting on a seamer-friendly Wankhede Stadium pitch in Mumbai had taught him exactly this – the risk in playing square of the wicket is less than forcing himself to play straight, something he prefers. So he curbed those natural instincts; 87 out of his 122 runs came in front of and behind square.More than the runs, though, the clincher for Rohit was that he was able to finish off the chase, something that comes naturally to his captain. In the past, Rohit had struggled to play till the end despite getting very healthy starts.If you thought, thinking back to the old Rohit, that he doesn’t care or that he do justice to his ability, well, he does care. If not now, then when will he showcase what he has promised all along, for nearly a decade.In January, facing a similar task, Rohit had made 133 in Sydney as India failed to chase down 288. In that chase, Rohit ran out of partners, but he was visibly angry at not taking his team past the line. Asked today if he enjoyed finishing the job, Rohit’s response brought out more than a few laughs among the media corps. “I have played more than 200-odd ODIs [207] now. If I don’t do it now, then when?”Rohit Sharma curbed his natural instincts to finish the job for India•Getty ImagesRohit said the Southampton century had brought him “immense pleasure” because not only did he get a start, he also stitched together partnerships, and accomplished the team goal of having a top-order batsman stay till the end. “You want to make sure that you start the innings and you finish off the innings, as well,” he said. “That gives you immense pleasure. And when I did that in the first game, the satisfaction you get finishing the job is something else, rather than scoring a hundred and not finishing off the game.”On Sunday, Rohit will be aware that Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, who he has not faced in the past several years in ODIs, will test his skills with 150kph bolts. His record at The Oval isn’t great – 142 runs in four matches, with two half-centuries – but his numbers against Australia are phenomenal. Rohit has 1980 runs against them at 61.87, the highest by any batsman against the defending world champions (with a filter of at least 500 runs). In terms of runs, he ranks fourth. On the list of batsmen with the most centuries against Australia, he is placed third with seven.In an interview recently to the , Rohit confessed that “nothing hurt more” than being left out of the 2011 World Cup squad. But, as a youngster, he wasn’t the dependable batsman he now is.One big reason for Rohit’s change in mindset, according to long-time friend and former Mumbai teammate Abhishek Nayar, has been his hugely successful captaincy stint at Mumbai Indians in the IPL. “The way he thinks and the way he approaches his batting has completely changed,” Nayar said. “Even in the last game, it was all about how he could get the team in a position from where India could win. For him it was all about playing those overs.”We have always seen the flamboyance in his cricket. But the maturity has come in terms of how he looks at the game and it is all because of his captaincy in the IPL. We are getting to see that side of Rohit who can be responsible and continue being flamboyant when he gets going.”Another thing that is not often associated with Rohit is discipline. But he has worked hard on that front too. He started opening in ODI cricket from the 2013 Champions Trophy in England. India winning the tournament gave him the confidence that he could play in the top order. He did not succeed consistently enough, he accepts, but experience has taught him to understand his role better.Unlike Kohli, who not only wears intensity but puts it out wherever he steps, Rohit is more casual in his approach, laidback in his demeanour, yet composed. Kohli wants to be a perfectionist and is not shy of showing it. Kohli’s aura is visible. Rohit’s is hidden behind his chest guard. “Self-belief is something that I guess has played a crucial part in these five to six years, because if I wouldn’t have believed that I can open and do well, I probably wouldn’t have been doing it so successfully,” he said. “So that is something that I kept telling myself all the time, whenever I got in a position to bat, that I can get the job done for the team.”Rohit plays shots that instantly enter the mind’s photo album and stays there. Shots that no one in world cricket plays the way he does. His “not typical” Southampton ton is already etched in memory. But can he remain consistent? Can he make this World Cup his, as his numbers suggest he can?

Paine train's uncertain final destination

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

For the captain, who was all but retired from the game in 2017, this whole phase of his career feels like a bonus

Daniel Brettig11-Sep-2019It’s nothing new for Australia’s Ashes winning captains to receive garlands from the highest office in the land, and in the wake of Old Trafford, Tim Paine joined the club. “I got a text from the prime minister which was very exciting, a first for me,” he said.”He was pretty pumped. Along the same lines of messages we got from a lot of people back home in Australia – congratulations, everyone’s proud of us, Steve Smith’s a legend and make sure you finish it off this week. All the boys have had a lot of messages from home and a lot of support from back home. You can really feel that through the boys’ social media and stuff that’s coming into Cricket Australia. We’ve been loving the support we’ve been getting back home and we’re really thankful for it.”One thing Scott Morrison and Paine do have genuinely in common is no great degree of certainty about how long their tenure might last. For Paine, who was all but retired from the game in 2017, this whole phase of his career feels like a bonus. Asked whether he could carry Australia’s leadership through to the end of the World Test Championship in mid-2021, by which time he will be 36, he baulked.”I don’t know about that. I haven’t thought about it to be honest,” Paine said. “I haven’t thought much past this Test match, as I’ve said in the last 18 months, I think it’s foolish at my age if you do. I’m just taking each day as it comes, as boring as that is. I’m enjoying what I’m doing and whilst I can continue to contribute in some way I’ll continue to do it. I constantly talk to JL (Justin Langer) and Trevor Hohns about what might happen or how long I might go for, but I think we’re all comfortable and we’re all on the same page so it’s all good.”I’m loving doing what I’m doing and I think while you’ve got a job that you love you’ll try and do it for as long as you can. I did miss a lot in, I suppose, the prime years of my cricket career. The positive of that now is that physically I’m in really good condition for my age, and feel really good after Test matches physically. Mentally, it’s a different story but it only takes a day to recover from that. While I keep enjoying it, I’ll keep doing it.”I wouldn’t say I’m overly fresh, but I’m lucky that I get to concentrate on one format of the game so that certainly helps me. We’ve got guys, and England have got guys that play all three formats going 12 months of the year and that’s bloody difficult. For me to be able to specialise and put all my energy into that, and then be able to use my energy to keep guys like David [Warner] and Steve, and [Josh] Hazlewood and [Pat] Cummins, the guys that are playing all year round, for me to be able to energise them and energise the Test group is something that’s working for us.”

I’ve got full confidence in David Warner that when he does click into gear he’s going to win us a Test match and I think it’s going to be this oneTim Paine

Helping Paine to feel confident about his role is the fact that there is a strong sense of certainty within the team and from senior voices at its periphery that he is a specialist wicketkeeper and captain first, a batsman second. That message was driven home by Langer, Hohns and the former gloveman Ian Healy before Manchester, helping Paine contribute his best game of the series with the bat.”It’s always nice to contribute with the bat. I’ve been given pretty clear instructions from our selectors and our coach on what my role is,” Paine said. “I think it’s probably started to free me up a little bit, and JL has always said to me ‘mate, whatever runs you can get, it’s a bonus – we want you to be the best wicketkeeper in the world and the best captain you can be of this group’. They’re the two most important parts of my job, and obviously they want me contributing with the bat, so to contribute last game was great. I look forward to doing it a few more times.Getty Images”[Healy] just said, and he was probably right, in the Test match at Headingley we got so close to retaining the Ashes that I probably just tried a little bit hard. And traditionally with me, when I try too hard, particularly with batting, it gets worse and worse. His message was to go out and bat like a wicketkeeper, and I think that’s when I play my best – when I’m looking to score, getting in the contest and just watching the ball rather than thinking too much about it technically because it certainly hasn’t worked for me over the journey.”I was just happy to contribute, and we’re lucky in Australian cricket for someone like Ian Healy just to be able to reach out and come and spend an hour with you as we have with Ricky [Ponting], Steve Waugh, Glenn McGrath and some other guys – it’s been great for our group. And after this game I got a text from [Ponting] as well just saying ‘bloody happy for you, and really proud of you’. We’re thrilled as a group that we’ve been able to make people like him and Steve and Glenn proud of the way we’re paying our cricket.”The two main queries around the Australian team for The Oval centre upon Warner, dominated by Stuart Broad this series, and Cummins, who has been the best of Australia’s fast bowlers but the only to play every match. A workload of 48 overs at Old Trafford puts him very close to the “must rest” zone in order to prevent the likelihood of injury. A refreshed Peter Siddle and James Pattinson wait in hope on the substitutes bench.”Pat’s someone we’re looking at what’s the best option for him and the team,” Paine said. “He’s certainly one of those people there’s no doubt about that, he’s had a huge workload, he’s very, very keen to play and we’re keen to have him play. We’ll see how it plays out but like all our fast bowlers, same with James Pattinson, we’ve said we want to keep these guys playing cricket for Australia for as long as we possibly can and we’re lucky at the moment we’ve got five or six really exciting pace bowlers so we can afford to mix and match to the conditions that we get.”There’s always pressure on David Warner, everywhere you go he’s a cricketer that opposition teams want to get out and want to get on top of. He’s a really important part of our team. He hasn’t had the series he would’ve liked but two hits ago he got 60-odd in the toughest conditions at Headingley. I’ve got full confidence in David that when he does click into gear he’s going to win us a Test match and I think it’s going to be this one.”It hasn’t gone away. It’s always been there. He’s tempered it a little bit. But what I love about David is regardless of whether he’s been scoring runs, he’s exactly the same, he’s really consistent around the group. He’s the same competitive person on the field. When we’re in the field he’s not the type of bloke who, if he doesn’t get any runs, he shuts up shop and gives the team nothing. He’s still been putting pressure on opposition teams with the way he is in the field. And we love playing with him when he’s like that. Hopefully he gets a couple of big scores this week.”As for how to ensure there is not a let down after Manchester, Paine returned to a familiar message for the tour. “We don’t have to talk about it because we came here to win the Ashes. We didn’t come here to retain them,” he said. “It’s nice that we have retained them already going into this Test match but one of the reasons we’re waiting on making a call on our team and the best makeup of it and what’s right for the players is because we see this as one of the biggest Test matches we’re going to play.”We want to be here at the end of this Test as a winning team that’s won the Test match, won the series and hold that urn up rather than let it peter out to a draw or a loss. It won’t be the same for us. This Test match is huge. There’s also the Test Championship now which is really important. There’s no such thing as dead rubbers and certainly against England there’s never a dead rubber. We’re up for it. We’re ready to go.”And should Australia win, there may be a return call to the prime minister: “I’ve got his number now… I’m going to save it and I might ring him if we win this one.”

Mixed day for Bumrah on return to international cricket

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

His first match for India after recovering from a stress fracture of the back had a few blips in it

Deivarayan Muthu in Indore08-Jan-20203:25

Iyer’s resolve, Kuldeep’s variations – five reasons why India beat Sri Lanka

In his first training session with the India side in Guwahati, after recovering from a stress fracture in his back, Jasprit Bumrah ran in at full tilt and knocked back the flexible stumps with his very first ball. It was a thrilling sight that top-flight cricket had missed for four months. Rain, and wet patches on the Barsapara pitch, however, forced the abandonment of the T20I series opener against Sri Lanka, and delayed Bumrah’s return to action.The 26-year old’s first ball in international cricket, in Indore, was a wayward inswinger that slipped down the leg side and Rishabh Pant made it look even more wayward by fumbling and conceding an extra run. The next ball was a floaty wide half-volley that was belted on the up through extra-cover by opener Avishka Fernando. Bumrah was showing signs of rust, and was just feeling his way back into professional cricket. After all, this was his first game since the Jamaica Test in September 2019.

He was initially slated to prove his fitness and form in the Ranji Trophy for his state team Gujarat before returning to the India set-up. However, Bumrah was pulled out at the last moment as the team management reportedly opted against putting him through the four-day grind.On Tuesday in Indore, Bumrah had a lighter workout, bowling four spells of one over each without showing any apparent signs of discomfort. And although he became India’s joint-highest T20I wicket-taker, his bowling lacked the bite we are so used to these days. Sure, it was a flat pitch and a small ground, but Bumrah wound up conceding six fours – of which three came in the last over of the innings. It was also the first time in 34 T20 innings that he had conceded more than two boundaries in the last over.Jasprit Bumrah made a quiet comeback to international cricket after an injury lay-off•BCCIIn the lead-up to the T20I series, Sri Lanka captain Lasith Malinga, who has mentored Bumrah at Mumbai Indians in the IPL, reckoned that his protégé might be rusty on his comeback and that the visitors will look to use that to their advantage. Allrounder Wanindu Hasaranga certainly used that to his advantage in the final over of Sri Lanka’s innings, going 4, 4, 4 to haul Sri Lanka past 140.With third man up in the circle, Bumrah ventured a slower offcutter, but went too short and wide. Hasaranga anticipated the variation, opened the face of his bat, and dinked it between short third man and backward point for four. Bumrah then went for the yorker, which is perhaps the most difficult ball to execute. Overpitch it, it’s a full-toss. Under-pitch it, it’s a half-volley. Bumrah, though, has mastered it so much that we rarely see him miss his length. But, devoid of enough match practice, he under-pitched it, and Hasaranga lined him up and cracked it through extra-cover.After the attempted yorker went awry, Bumrah slipped in a bouncer, but a fortunate top edge fetched Hasaranga another four. Bumrah finished with 1 for 32 in his four overs, which in isolation is impressive on an easy-paced, hit-through-the-line track. However, it paled in comparison to the figures of Navdeep Saini (2 for 18) and Shardul Thakur (3 for 23) and the steep benchmark Bumrah has set for himself.He did, however, produce some sparks of brilliance to briefly entertain a packed Indore crowd. After a shaky start, Bumrah reminded the world of his exaggerated incoming angle to the right-hander from wide of the crease and zipped one past the inside edge of Avishka. Then, Bumrah hit speeds upwards of 140kph and opened up Danushka Gunathilaka, when he beat his outside edge.Bumrah then opened up the big-hitting Dasun Shanka with a 114kph offcutter that hit the top of middle and threw the bails beside Pant’s feet. He had his arms spread wide before clapping his hands and wheeling away in celebration. The Indore crowd roared in approval while Mahela Jayawardene, his Mumbai Indians coach, who was on TV commentary summed it up, saying, “smart bowling from Bumrah.”Now that Bumrah has crossed the first hurdle on his comeback, India will be looking forward to the old magic from their premier paceman in Pune and later in New Zealand.

Liverpool ready to sign "powerful" ace who has been compared to Adriano

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Liverpool are on the march towards their second title of the Premier League era and Arne Slot is now willing to sweep aside rivals to secure the signature of an elite young talent at Anfield, per reports.

Liverpool aim for exciting summer with league title in sight

Despite a battling display from Everton in midweek, Liverpool prevailed against their rivals in a must-win clash to tick off another important milestone on their journey to becoming champions.

Arsenal may be lingering in the distance, but it would take a monumental collapse for the Reds to avoid taking the crown off a Manchester City side that is beginning a major transition under Pep Guardiola.

Liverpool's Arne Slot and Luis Diaz

Arne Slot won’t want to pass up the opportunity of tempting high-calibre individuals to join him at Anfield, so it doesn’t come as a surprise to hear that Liverpool are keen to bring in Atalanta’s Ederson this summer for a fee in the region of £51 million.

Furthermore, the Reds are set to intensify talks regarding Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo to strengthen their backline, which appears to be a key point of contention amid Virgil van Dijk’s ongoing contract wrangle.

Mohamed Salah hasn’t signed a new deal, while heavy rumours linking Trent Alexander-Arnold with a Real Madrid switch have left a slightly bitter taste as Liverpool cross their final hurdles of the season.

Kane & Alvarez hybrid: Liverpool open talks to sign "world-class" striker

Liverpool are looking to replace Darwin Nunez in the transfer market this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 4, 2025

Planning in advance appears to be the modus operandi at Liverpool. The Premier League elite will be desperate to position themselves with a chance of claiming the league crown next season, and Slot needs to be on his guard to forego any sign of complacency.

Now, Liverpool have set their sights on a potential star of the future who is also attracting interest from several other clubs ahead of the summer window.

Liverpool position themselves for Vasco Da Gama talent Rayan Vitor

According to TBR, Liverpool are in the hunt for Vasco Da Gama star Rayan Vitor, who is also attracting interest from Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Becoming a long-term target, the 18-year-old has been on the radar at Anfield since he was 16 and was labelled a similar player to former Brazil star Adriano by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig.

Shots

3

Shots on target

2

Pass accuracy

69.2%

Duels won

6

Possession won in final third

3

Heralded for his “powerful” nature by ex-Vasco Da Gama coach Rafael Paiva, Rayan has registered five goals and one assist in 47 appearances for Vasco Da Gama’s senior side and is also a current Brazil Under-20 international.

Unlikely to immediately become a first-team fixture at Liverpool, the winger is deemed likely to move on this summer and would be afforded grace as a slow burner while he continues to develop physically and tactically.

Nevertheless, bringing the versatile talent to Anfield would be a statement of intent as Slot aims to build a dynasty on Merseyside over the next few years.

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