All posts by h716a5.icu

Virender Sehwag is the only batsman to adapt to the bowler-friendly conditions in Dambulla, where 230 is worth 300

Siddarth Ravindran in Dambulla25-Aug-2010Paul the Octopus’ spot-on predictions during the football World Cup were a cinch compared to the challenge of foreseeing results during the tri-series in Sri Lanka, where the inability of batsmen to cope with bowler-friendly conditions has led to wild swings in team fortunes. Only one man has adapted in Dambulla, where 230 is worth 300.Virender Sehwag had ground out a watchful – by his standards – match-winning 99 against Sri Lanka last week and on Wednesday, against New Zealand, he made a more traditional Sehwagian century to carry India into the final. On a pitch where most of his team-mates struggled to get bat on ball, Sehwag appeared to be playing on a typical run-filled subcontinental one-day track.This isn’t the first time Sehwag has overshadowed his team-mates in a one-day series. In 2002-03, during the tour of New Zealand, when batsmen from neither side could make runs, Sehwag scored two centuries on his way to 299 runs in the series. The next highest tally for an Indian was 134. This time in Dambulla, the numbers are: Sehwag 240, next highest Indian 73.When asked what would have happened had he not performed today, Sehwag was typically blunt: “[We would be] catching tomorrow’s flight.” Did he play more responsibly since the others were struggling? “Since I was in form, I thought I will score more than the others. If I take more strike, then there is a smaller chance of others getting out.”Sehwag played the first few overs cautiously, and it wasn’t until the fifth that he opened out, smashing three consecutive boundaries off Kyle Mills. After that, he was collecting fours all around even while he was losing partners. When Yuvraj miscued a pull to the wicketkeeper, India were 61 for 3, with Sehwag having raced to 43 off 33.”The wicket was behaving better today than it did in the other matches and I knew in the first couple of overs that if I applied myself and batted cautiously, then it will be a good track to bat on,” he said. “So the first few overs, I was just watching how the wicket was behaving and after that I started playing my shots. I knew once I start playing my shots, the bowlers will be on the back foot and they will give me more loose balls.”Sehwag was tested by the short ball aimed at the body, especially by Tim Southee and Andy McKay, but he dealt with those deliveries by bending backwards to make room and then steered the ball towards third man or backward point. It was riveting stuff, though a bunch of school kids, who had been brought in to ensure the ground wasn’t empty, didn’t think so. They were content to play a game of tennis-ball cricket among themselves while Sehwag was crafting a masterclass.New Zealand’s task of containing Sehwag was made harder by their long injury list. With Jacob Oram and Daryl Tuffey out of action, they were a bowler short. At 69 for 4, with MS Dhoni and Sehwag at the crease, one more wicket would have turned the match completely in their favour. Instead, their fourth bowler was Scott Styris, who was taken for 14 runs in his first over by Sehwag. The Sehwag-Dhoni combination went on to notch up India’s first century partnership of the tournament, and by the time Sehwag got his hundred – with a calm nudge towards cover for a single – India were taking charge.By then, Sehwag’s back started to give him trouble and, after two delicately steered fours of Mills, he holed out to deep midwicket. “I felt a little bit of pain in my back [after the hundred], so I asked the umpire if I can call the physio,” he said. “The umpire asked if I can wait for another over since the drinks break was due. I tried to bat on for another over, but got out.”India were 173 for 5 when a disappointed Sehwag exited. “Had I batted for another 10 overs, we could have easily crossed 250, which would have been a safe target.” He needn’t have worried, though, because New Zealand’s batting faded under lights.Sehwag has troubled New Zealand right through his one-day career. From his brutal maiden century in 2001, which also knocked New Zealand out of a tri-series final in Sri Lanka, to the carnage in Hamilton last year, when he hammered the fastest one-day hundred by an Indian. Today’s solo will rank up there with his one-man efforts in 2002-03 as among his finest efforts against his favourite opposition.

Kieron Pollard’s stunning 94 was the innings which allowed West Indies to take their two points against a spirited Ireland team

S Rajesh11-Mar-2011Kieron Pollard saved West Indies’ blushes after Ireland pushed them all the way with another whole-hearted performance in Mohali. In 31 previous ODI innings, Pollard had a highest score of 62 – which was one of only two half-centuries in this format – and his average stay at the crease was a mere 20 deliveries per innings.From West Indies’ point of view, Pollard could not have chosen a better time to get his highest in ODIs. His 94 from only 55 balls was the difference between the two teams. Leave aside his contribution, and West Indies’ run-rate for the innings was 4.43; Ireland’s innings run-rate was 4.71.For much of the run-chase, Ireland were ahead of West Indies’ total at the same stage. After 35 overs, Ireland were 157 for 3, compared to West Indies’ 142 for 3 – 15 runs to the good, same number of wickets in hand.From there, things took a sudden turn as Pollard turned it up a couple of gears, while Ireland lost a couple of key wickets – including Gary Wilson’s to a shocking umpiring decision by Asoka de Silva – and completely lost their momentum. After the 35th, West Indies had seven overs when they scored ten or more runs; Ireland only had one such over.The way the two teams used the batting Powerplay was also key: West Indies’s sequence from those overs was 12, 12, 10, 12, 9. Ireland, on the other hand, took their Powerplay when they’d already lost nine wickets, and most runs they managed from one of those five overs was nine.

West Indies’ and Ireland’s innings

First 35 oversLast 15 oversWest Indies score142 for 3133 for 7Ireland score157 for 374 for 7West Indies 4s/ 6s12/ 112/ 5Ireland 4s/ 6s16/ 18/ 0

West Indies and Ireland in the batting Powerplay

Score4s/ 6sDot ballsWest Indies55 for 06/ 27Ireland28 for 24/ 014More stats from the match Pollard’s knock is the second-fastest among innings in this World Cup which have lasted at least 50 balls. Pollard’s strike rate for his innings was 170.90, which is marginally behind Kevin O’Brien’s 179.36 for his 63-ball 113. Devon Smith’s 107 is his maiden ODI hundred, and it continues an impressive recent run: in his last 12 innings, he averages 39.66, with one century and three fifties. His overall ODI average is only 27.59. Two bowlers took four wickets in the game, but Kevin O’Brien’s was a fairly expensive effort – it cost him 71 runs in nine overs. His economy rate of 7.88 is the second-highest for bowlers who’ve taken four wickets in a World Cup game, next only to Chris Mpofu’s 4 for 62 in seven overs against Sri Lanka yesterday. Three of the four most expensive efforts have come in this World Cup. West Indies managed only 28 runs in the first ten overs, which equals the lowest for one of the Full Member teams in this World Cup. Australia had scored 28 after ten overs in their first game against Zimbabwe.

Plays of the Day from the IPL game betwen Deccan Chargers and Pune Warriors in Hyderabad

Siddhartha Talya10-May-2011The roar
It was almost as if the match was being played out at Eden Gardens. At the toss, when Yuvraj Singh let everybody know that Sourav Ganguly was playing, the half-full stadium in Hyderabad let out a thunderous roar, welcoming back one of Indian cricket’s most influential players with much affection even though he was part of the opposing side.The oops moment
The start to the tournament wasn’t a particularly good one for Ganguly, who was the cynosure of all eyes this game. He had stayed out of the limelight on the field for a majority of the Deccan Chargers innings but experienced an embarrassing moment when Bharat Chipli drove one at him in the 16th over. The shot was a firm one and Ganguly failed to get his body behind it at extra cover to concede four runs, much to the crowd’s disappointment. He was to make up for it later with the bat, though.An eventful over
The penultimate over of the Deccan innings, bowled by Mitchell Marsh, was action-packed, to say the least. JP Duminy holed out first ball, Bharat Chipli edged one to the third-man boundary the next, had a return catch dropped immediately after before Sunny Sohal was caught behind by Robin Uthappa, who clasped it one-handed. Amit Mishra fell the next ball, offering a catch to mid-off but the over ended in a bit of an anti-climax, as Dale Steyn rather comfortably survived the hat-trick delivery.The brothers-in-arms moment
Yuvraj Singh and Daniel Christian burst into spontaneous laughter after Christian tripped due to a collision between the two in the 12th over. Yuvraj tried to field a ball off his own bowling and ran into Christian at the non-striker’s end, though it was all in good fun after contact. The oozing camaraderie was put to a stop when Yuvraj trapped him in front in the next over.The dispiriting moment
Deccan had been restricted to a modest score and needed an encouraging start with the ball but what transpired was the opposite. A steaming Dale Steyn was tamed by Jesse Ryder, who punched him through the covers, then smote him next ball for a massive six into the second tier before crunching him for another four to steal 15 in the first over. It set the tone for the chase, which ended in a comfortable win for Pune Warriors.The gift
JP Duminy, in an act of generosity towards the visitors, doled out freebies to Manish Pandey in the eighth over. Three absolute long hops, each treated with disdain. Two pulled over midwicket for four and one sent into the crowd. So much for the hospitable treatment.The trademark shot
Five months of absence but it seemed not much was lost in Ganguly when he made room to Ishant Sharma and slapped him over extra cover for his first boundary. It was fitting that his first forceful shot upon his return was one that defined him during his international career.The intrusion
Watching fans run onto the field to celebrate their cricketers’ success was a common sight once in Indian cricket, but not anymore. However, one fan just couldn’t control his emotions while watching Ganguly bat. Not only did he run onto the field for his 15 seconds of fame (not captured on TV), but fell at his idol’s feet as devotees blinded by faith do. Who wouldn’t want to be a cricketer in India?The recovery
A moment the TV did capture, that of Christian throwing up during the 13th over. Possibly a bad stomach, possibly dehydration but he recovered quickly. Not only did he finish the over, but in the process dismissed Robin Uthappa with a good bouncer, though was fortunate to get that wicket as Uthappa was given caught-behind after being hit on the shoulder. There was more, when he got rid of Yuvraj Singh not long after.

ESPNcricinfo presents the Plays of the Day from the second day of the first Test between West Indies and India

Sriram Veera at Sabina Park21-Jun-2011The misfortune of the day
After waiting for long to get a chance to play Test cricket, Praveen Kumar nearly hit the jackpot in his first game. He grabbed three wickets to go through the West Indian middle order and a five-for on debut beckoned when his feet crushed his dream. He ran three times onto the danger area and that was it. No more bowling in the first innings. He stood there, almost dazed by the events. MS Dhoni who walked across to keep from the other end had to wave him away to his fielding spot. It wasn’t long before Praveen disappeared into the dressing room.The fire-and-ice moment of the day
Ishant Sharma was stirred by the sight of Fidel Edwards coming out with the bat. He glared hard, Edwards looked back and at one point Ishant fired across a bouncer. Edwards ducked and by the time he looked up Ishant was staring down at him. The next ball was a full delivery and though it was the oldest set up in the world, Edwards couldn’t hold himself back. He had a wild swing and the ball rushed past the stumps. Ishant held his head in agony.The clanger of the day
Sammy leads West Indies in Jamaica while the island’s biggest draw, Chris Gayle, remains out of the team. Under normal circumstances Sammy would probably not get too many dinner offers at Kingston, and things turned dire when he dropped Rahul Dravid. It came straight at him at second slip but he grassed a sitter. The sparse crowd stomped their feet in anger.The soft dismissal of the day
VVS Laxman failed in the first innings, but today he failed to even open his account. He leaned forward to a seemingly harmless length delivery and hit it straight back to the bowler Sammy, who couldn’t stop smiling. As ever, Laxman stood there for a while before he broke out of his reverie and walked back.

A one-time Australia team manager, who travelled with the side to Sri Lanka, India and South Africa, looks back at the days when board members were in charge of teams on tour

Cam Battersby06-Oct-2011 This is an extract from an article first published in the Queensland Cricket newsletter in 2006Cam “The Ger” Battersby•Getty ImagesOne morning in 1990, with a roomful of waiting patients, I was surprised by a phone call from David Richards, the chief executive of the Australian Cricket Board, offering me the managership of the team going to New Zealand. In those days all teams were managed by a board member, which was very good for relationships with the players, provided that the manager was competent.The manager liaised with the local authorities, spoke at luncheons, handled the press when captain or coach were unavailable or unwilling, arranged player interviews, chaired most team meetings, looked after the finances, paid the players via the local association, organised the transport, and made and handled complaints where necessary – the whole bit. I told David I’d ring him back next day, but 10 minutes later I accepted.At first I was a bit overawed, but I was forced to learn quickly. The team, and especially the captain, Allan Border, had a quirky sense of humour, especially at the expense of a new “Ger”, a bit wet behind the ears. I asked AB what was team dress for internal flights, and was told “jeans and team shirt”. When I arrived at the airport, they were all in blazers and ties! For years afterwards, Peter Taylor would ask me when we met how the crease in my jeans was.It rained torrentially for three days before the Wellington Test, but fined up on the day. The wicket seemed underprepared, but AB won the toss and batted. We were all out in a couple of sessions, and after stumps we were all sitting disconsolately in the room when there was a noise outside the door, something like the baying of wolves. Clearly the press was hungry for comment.Bob Simpson was back in Sydney, as his mother had died, and the captain did not speak to the press during the match. I knew exactly what they would ask, and asked the V-C, next to me, why we had batted. He replied in biological terms that he had no idea, but that I would be most unwise to inquire. So out I went, to mutter some inconsequential comment about batting if you weren’t sure what to do, and tomorrow being another day. I was saved from further embarrassment by Don Cameron, the doyen of Kiwi cricket writers, who was chairing the conference.Simpson transformed Australian cricket in the mid-1980s. He was the power broker in the team. He did a late-night round of the likely spots, so he knew exactly what was happening and who might have had a big night. Such an indiscretion would mean 50 up-and-under catches next morning, all just out of reach. He was tough but usually he was right. Simmo was a great believer in getting the basics right, especially in the field.In 1991, I took an Academy side to Sri Lanka. This included Michael Slater, Stuart MacGill, Greg Blewett and Justin Langer. Damien Martyn had already begun his career with WA, and Shane Warne was in disgrace after an indiscretion on a tour of the Northern Territories. Justin’s work ethic was obvious. He was a crickaholic, but in those days not a good captain because he regarded a team failure as his personal responsibility.Richards told me that I could inform the Sri Lankan authorities that we would support their full membership of the ICC, and would tour there next year – which we did, and I was again manager. I was on radio when we got our first look at Muttiah Muralitharan in Kandy. AB just could not pick him, but his action looked unusual. At the end of the over, my Sri Lankan co-commentator asked me what I thought of their new spinner. I knew exactly where he was coming from, so all I said was, “He turns the ball a lot.” Back in the dressing room Simmo remarked, “You should have said he has a very unusual action”.That was the tour when Dean Jones informed me of the offer of money for comment about the pitch, weather and team. I advised him to have nothing to do with it, though it may be totally innocent, as he would not look good if it came out and he had failed with the bat.I told the coach and the captain of the incident, and later when I returned, Graham Halbish (CEO of the board), but I did not put it in my formal report. For this I was castigated by Rob O’Regan, who led an inquiry into match-fixing and illegal betting activity; he felt revealing details may have nipped matters in the bud. It is easy to be wise after an event, but the bald fact was that we had no inkling of the magnitude the problem would attain.Sri Lanka could have won this series, but seemed initially to lack belief. We were outplayed for four and a half days in the first Test, in Colombo. Sri Lanka had about 180 to get in about 60 overs to win, and were 127 for 2 when Aravinda De Silva played an injudicious shot and was caught by a sprawling Border in the deep. Wickets then fell steadily, but they only had about 30-odd to get, with three wickets in hand, when the skipper brought back Shane Warne, who had been expensive earlier.The dressing room was electric. Nobody moved. Out of the corner of my mouth I said to Simmo: “Courageous”. He did not reply. In 10 balls or so, Warnie took 3 for 0, and the match was ours. In retrospect, Aravinda was probably just impatient. The hosts made some unusual decisions, like dropping their best opener to the tail, and then not trying to give him the strike.In 1994 we went to South Africa, which was a pivotal moment for me because I had worked in Cape Town in 1972 and had returned frequently. It was a tough tour, and nothing was tougher than the first Test, in Johannesburg. I still think the ACB was wrong in coming in over the top of the referee and team management in inflicting further penalties on Warne and Merv Hughes, but I have to admit that our on-field behaviour improved for a while as a result.

I asked AB what was team dress for internal flights, and was told “jeans and team shirt”. When I arrived at the airport, they were all in blazers and ties!

Big Merv was particularly unfortunate. You had to be there to understand the circumstances. South African crowds are particularly partisan, as our rugby players had found a couple of years earlier. The players’ path to the field was through an open hill, known aptly as the “Bull Pit”. Late in the afternoon this hill became particularly restless and unruly as the alcohol began to take effect. A thunderstorm was brewing and Merv was trying to save the match, as Fanie de Villiers and Alan Donald thundered in with a new ball. During a temporary break in play, he was coming up the hill when a drunken spectator made a derogatory comment about his mother. He hit the siding near the spectator with his bat, and a Channel 7 cameraman got it on tape. It was played ad nauseam back in Oz, though it attracted little attention in SA. The ACB felt forced to act.I outlined what had happened at a subsequent team meeting. Dean Jones best summed up their reaction. “The Ger and Simmo have done their best. We’ve just got to forget it now and get on with the rest of the tour”. It didn’t quite happen that way, but we did come from well behind to draw both series. Ali Bacher offered to make a public apology for the crowd behaviour but I declined. That would only have exacerbated matters.We asked the groundsman at Kingsmead, in Durban, how he thought the wicket would play. He replied, “I haven’t asked Kepler what he wants yet.” Ask a stupid question…South Africa could have won this Test series, but they seemed disinclined to take any risks at all.In 1996 I went to Sri Lanka again, and there were a few problems because not long before that we had pulled out of the Sri Lanka leg of the World Cup on very specific security advice. I tried to handle the first press conference in Colombo by declining questions on the World Cup, preferring to concentrate on our new captain and coach – Ian Healy and Geoff Marsh. To the credit of the press corps, they accepted this graciously. In fact, they were probably as tired of the topic as we were.On playing days, two buses would wait outside the Oberoi Hotel with shutters drawn. The players would go in one and the gear in the other. Each had a different route to the ground and the routes were changed daily. The security was intense. As Steve Waugh remarked, it was not a good way to start a day at the cricket.We came home for a few weeks, and then returned to India under the captaincy of Mark Taylor. We were underprepared, and failed to win a game on tour. I stood behind Mark at numerous press conferences, trying to give him moral support as he struggled to explain why we were playing so poorly and what we needed to do to improve. There is only so much you can do from a position of weakness.In 1997, Malcolm Speed decided there was a good case for a full-time manager year-round. I argued hard at a board meeting in Hobart that this would sever for all time the close relationship board members could build up with players from states other than their own. Denis Rogers told me later that this was the hardest meeting he ever had to chair. But the deed was done, and Steve Bernard got the job.He did an outstanding and largely unnoticed job, which says something in itself. But my initial reservations remain. The strength of the board-player relationships in that era revolved around the fact that we had been there, done that, and experienced it together. I was sent to India in 1998 as a board “observer”, as Steve had never been to India before. It soon became apparent that he was fully in control of the situation, and I stopped observing.

Bangladesh have chased down India and Sri Lanka in the space of a few days, proving that they are an evolving team

Mohammad Isam in Mirpur21-Mar-2012There is a lot of love in Bangladesh right now. From the Shere Bangla National Stadium, the scene of Tuesday’s historic victory over Sri Lanka, to the smaller towns spread across the country, people are smiling, shaking hands, hugging complete strangers and jumping in joy. The whole country has come together to share happiness. It doesn’t happen all the time, as many of us know; this unity comes and goes. When it comes to cricket, however, Bangladesh sits together in front of a television set and watches its favourite sons.As Bangladesh crept towards the revised target of 212 runs on Tuesday, neighbourhood boys were found huddling over their televisions; girls at home made sure no one changed the channel as they watched the “boys” play. From every Dhaka by-lane one could sense the final preparations of a rally, also known as , as Nasir Hossain and Mahmudullah Riyad closed in on Sri Lanka’s total. It has happened a few times in the past: after they beat New Zealand 4-0, during the 2011 World Cup; it will happen again when they beat a top side on a big day, maybe on Thursday.The celebrations haven’t changed, the expression of pure ecstasy felt by the people of the country remains as it was in those heady days of April 1997 when Akram Khan and Gordon Greenidge led Bangladesh into the big, bad world of international cricket. They were given a rousing reception in Manik Mia Avenue, the widest boulevard in Dhaka, with almost half-a-million people showering flower-petals on what was also the first day of the Bengali year.The fans haven’t changed since then. Everyone loves the Bangladesh cricket team, despite the constant heartache it provides in Test cricket and the occasional flutter in the limited-overs game. Almost the entire country is still in thrall with the country’s cricketing fortunes.But the cricketers of Bangladesh have been an evolving breed, rapidly so in the case of the past week. They came close against Pakistan, then chased down India and Sri Lanka. In the space of five days, Bangladesh have finally put together a string of performances where the entire team has had its say, not just one player.Over the last three years, Bangladesh have improved from having one match-winner to two regular big-match players, but this Asia Cup has thrown up something entirely different. As it was evident in the game against Sri Lanka, there is life after Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal.Shakib and Tamim still set the tone though, with their performances and attitude. During a passage of play when Shakib hit three consecutive boundaries off Suranga Lakmal, he showed how much he has learned. After hammering the fourth ball of the over through the covers, Shakib saw Lakmal putting a sweeper-cover in place. So the next delivery he closed the face of the bat to take the ball away from the deep fielder while still playing it wide of the fielder inside the circle. Lakmal was out of ideas and when he bowled it short and wide, Shakib’s whiplash cut had the ball speeding to the third-man boundary.After Shakib’s departure, Nasir and Riyad batted like they were not leaving Mirpur without a win. As Shakib said later, Riyad was due for runs and this small but vital contribution will make him more comfortable in the dressing-room. Nasir on the other hand has bettered himself in every game of this tournament and is now a reliable cog.As the hours tick by towards the biggest day in Bangladesh cricket, the scale of this moment is evident by comparing it to how Bangladesh have done in Asia Cups over the past 26 years. Their best contribution before this year’s tournament was the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s ability to fit in the 2000 Asia Cup during the early monsoon season.Bangladesh are going to play Pakistan in the Asia Cup final on Thursday. The statement itself gives one goosebumps.

They’d rather be playing Test cricket, but Edwards and Co have plenty of T20 to look forward to over the next few months

Tim Wigmore30-Jun-2012Anyone who berates the standard of women’s cricket should watch Lydia Greenway field. With her athleticism, catching ability and cricketing awareness she brings the same intoxicating thrill to any match as Jonty Rhodes used to do.In England’s two Twenty20 victories against India, Greenway took four outstanding catches, both at backward point and at deep midwicket, a position she patrols with vivacity. And she can do much more than just catch, as shown by her awareness to throw the ball back into play after she was about to carry it over the rope after a boundary catch. No wonder the captain, Charlotte Edwards, said the side is “completely in awe” of her fielding ability. Overall, England’s fielding oozed professionalism, and the contrast between theirs and India’s was perhaps the most obvious difference between the sides.But there is much more to admire in England’s team: they are simply a very fine cricket side. Their second win over India was their 13th consecutive victory in T20 internationals. Add to this their record of seven consecutive one-day international wins and their status as the best women’s international side is indisputable.Katherine Brunt’s new-ball bowling, with a steady action, pace in the mid-70s, consistent nip off the seam and a dangerous yorker, is formidable. Edwards is a model of calm – never flustered, and with a knack for canny bowling changes, as well as being a superb batsman in her own right. She has the most international one-day caps of any female cricketer. And then there is Sarah Taylor.The batting of her namesake Claire, most notably a wonderfully paced 76 not out against Australia in the World T20 semi-final in 2009, earned her the accolade of one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year. Yet Sarah, no relation, increasingly looks an even better player.Taylor’s real strength lies in her exemplary technique. She is imperious driving down the ground, cuts with authority and skilfully uses her feet against spin; few would say there is a better female batsman in the world today. Taylor hit two serene 60s in England’s two T20 wins over India – earning the Player-of-the-Match award in both games – as well as 109 not out in England’s last ODI, against New Zealand. As if that wasn’t enough, she’s also a brilliant wicketkeeper whose poise and quick hands contributed to the five Indian run-outs England affected in Chelmsford.But those who want to see much of Taylor better have a stomach for T20 cricket: ten of England’s 15 internationals this summer are T20s. As Edwards says, “The game is so marketable in the T20 format.”One key reason for this is that it is perfect to be played before men’s games – as was the case for both T20s against India, which were hosted at Canterbury and Chelmsford and preceded domestic men’s T20s. Given the attractive proposition of free entry to the women’s international before the Essex-Hampshire T20, well over 1000 supporters were in place for the start of the women’s game. And many were attending out of more than curiosity, with England having an outstanding record there in recent years. As Taylor says, “Chelmsford’s perfect for us – the crowd keep wanting to see us play, which keeps bringing us back.”Taylor is an enthusiastic champion of the double-header format: “It’s definitely a bit more exciting when we play before the men.” Edwards emphasises: “The girls react really well to the TV and the crowds; it’s a huge boost for us.”Yet England’s women also play in some rather more obscure locations. Truro in deepest Cornwall, which has a population of 17,000, will host an England-India ODI on July 8. But Edwards is enthused about the prospect, saying, “We love playing at the outgrounds”, and is confident that after a concerted marketing campaign, the game could be watched by as many as 1500 people.While limited-overs games, especially T20, may attract the crowds, the great frustration for England’s women is that they seldom have the opportunity to showcase their skills in the longest form of the game. Indeed, their last Test was in Sydney in January 2011, when they failed to defend the Ashes. The lack of Tests does not owe to any absence of desire on behalf of the players. Edwards says it is frustrating: “We would love to play more Test cricket but we understand that’s not where the game’s going at the moment.”Still, there is much else to be occupied with. After five ODIs against India, the preparations continue for the World T20 in Sri Lanka in September and October, when England will aim to regain the title they lost in the Caribbean in 2010. Far from being worried about playing in different conditions, Taylor is confident the side will be able to adapt. “Out there it doesn’t really do much in terms of movement, so that’ll suit my game down to a tee if I’m hitting straight. A lot of our girls hit very well straight, so hopefully we’ll come good.”After the World T20 there is not long to wait until the next big challenge: the 50-over World Cup in India in March. While Edwards accepts that T20 is “probably” the priority of most players now, she thinks differently. “For me the 50-over cricket is what women’s cricket is judged on and the World Cup is the ultimate prize in the women’s game.”It is undeniably a great shame that England’s women play so little Test cricket. But happily they are not lacking for stages on which to show off their considerable talents.

The Indian team should be grateful to No. 8 Harmeet Singh and No. 11 Sandeep Sharma. Most of the India top-order batsmen should be watching videos of the duo’s approach. They owe them big time

George Binoy in Townsville20-Aug-2012On the eve of the quarterfinal against Pakistan, India’s coach Bharat Arun had said having left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh, who had been ill for the last two group games, available for selection again was “a big boost and advantage.” He was talking about Harmeet the bowler of course. Arun could not have imagined that Harmeet the batsman would be mobbed by euphoric team-mates after completing a one-wicket victory, with No. 11 Sandeep Sharma for company, in a sensationally tense finish.”When I hit it [the winning shot], I knew it was two runs,” said Harmeet, still trembling with exhilaration half an hour after he had sent the spirited group of Indian fans at the Tony Ireland Stadium into raptures. “When I ran the first run, I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t cry, I couldn’t laugh. It was something in between. The emotion was tremendous.”One moment, Harmeet was sitting in the dugout with his pads on, watching the fluent Baba Aparajith steer India to within 17 runs of a spot in the semifinals. The next, he was walking past Aparajith, who had been caught at cover. India still had four wickets in hand, with the wicketkeeper Smit Patel batting, and Kamal Passi, who had blitzed 24 off five balls against Zimbabwe, to come.”I didn’t think I’d have to bat,” Harmeet said later. As it transpired, not only did Harmeet have to bat, he also had to play the lead. Smit tried to cut but edged one that bounced a bit more, and fast bowler Azizullah had Passi lbw and Ravikant Singh bowled for ducks. India had lost 3 for 4 in ten balls.The coterie of Indian fans that had out-waved, out-sung and out-shouted the smaller group of Pakistanis, ever since Sandeep had taken two wickets in the first over of the day, were winded as he walked out to join Harmeet. India needed 10 runs; Pakistan only one wicket. Nine overs remained.”No. Just 137 runs, our batting is strong, I thought they will score easily,” Sandeep said when asked if he’d imagined he’d be needed to bat. “When I went in there was lots of pressure. I was just thinking, I just have to play; Harmeet will score.”With all that had gone before, the manner in which 19 batsmen had been dismissed, it seemed a matter of time before either Sandeep or Harmeet would fall to a good ball, or while attempting a big shot. Or they might have a go and get lucky, and the 10 India needed would come off an edge or a slog. What came to pass was anything but.”I backed myself and I knew Sandy [Sandeep] could play. The ones who had got out, they could also play,” Harmeet said. “It was just about pressure, the balls they got out to were not that great. So it was just pressure that we got under.”Two balls after Sandeep came to the crease, Harmeet played the left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar on the leg side for a single. Nine to get. There were shouts from the dismissed Indian batsmen on the sidelines. Perhaps they were cheering the run, perhaps they were imploring Harmeet to farm strike. Sandeep, striding forward and defending, kept out the remaining four balls of the 42nd over,.In the tensest of situations, Harmeet was astute enough to read the game, and know that Azizullah, who had taken two wickets in his previous over, had only one left – the 43rd. “I decided that I’ll play that over,” Harmeet said. “After that there were only spinners, and there wasn’t much spin [in the pitch]. So that’s what I did, I just played that over and nudged around.”Off the fourth ball of that Azizullah over, with only nine to get, Harmeet refused a single to long-off. “That fast bowler took two wickets in his last over. I didn’t take a chance there and after that I knew Sandy could play all the spinners. I had confidence in Sandy. I knew he could stay there and not play a shot for maybe the whole day. I played with him in the Cooch Behar [Indian domestic Under-19 tournament]. He has got patience, that’s why I backed him and took singles again after the fast bowler had finished.”Harmeet’s faith was not misplaced. Despite every fielder coming in to the 30-yard circle to keep Sandeep on strike, he did not try and hit the ball over the top. He defended the whole of the 44th over from the other left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz.”I was just concentrating on the ball,” Sandeep said. “Harmeet was playing really well, he was telling me to ‘just play with a straight bat, the ball is doing nothing, so just play with a straight bat.’ I was just focussing on saving my wicket.”With so few runs to defend, and majority of the fielders saving the single, only a tremendously confident and mature spinner will slow down his pace and flight the ball to tempt the batsman into indiscretion. Gohar and Nawaz bowled defensively – quicker and flatter – and Harmeet, being a left-arm spinner, realised they were no threat if handled sensibly.India were in no hurry whatsoever. Harmeet took two off the first ball of the 45th over – seven needed – and blocked the rest. The Indian fans, who had fallen silent, found voices again, most of them hoarse by now. Sandeep had defended 12 balls with a calmness that would have reassured thumping hearts in the Indian camp before driving Nawaz to long-off for a single. He would finish on 2 off 22 deliveries.Drip by drip India crawled closer. With two runs needed, Harmeet decided the time was right and played his first airborne shot, chipping Nawaz over square leg to bring an end to the ordeal. The partnership was worth a match-winning 10; it had taken seven overs.The release of emotion after the winning hit was palpable, from the fans and from the players and support staff rushing to greet their saviours. And despite the hugs, the high-fives and the back-slaps, the over-riding feeling among those who watched from the bench should be one of gratitude.Sandeep and Harmeet had taken 3 for 24 and 1 for 20 to help dismiss Pakistan for 136. And yet their top-order batsmen, who have disappointed as a unit throughout the group stages, left the job undone once again.Harmeet, however, said he had made it a point to try and enjoy himself. “It’s great to be back like this,” he said. “For us, it’s been a bit of a struggle, but we’re still there. That’s what matters for us.”Most of the top-order batsmen should be watching videos of Harmeet and Sandeep’s approach. They owe them big time.

ESPNcricinfo presents the Plays of the Day from the first day of the second Test between West Indies and New Zealand in Jamaica

Subash Jayaraman in Jamaica03-Aug-2012Near no-ball of the day
Kemar Roach took a wicket off a no-ball in Antigua and he came mighty close to another one in his first spell of the day. On a pitch that had pace and bounce, Roach had BJ Watling poking one to Chris Gayle at first slip. As is the wont these days, umpire Erasmus asked for a second look to make sure Roach hadn’t overstepped. All and sundry believed that Roach had no part of his front foot behind the crease – except for the man upstairs, Richard Kettleborough, who matters. The call stood.Actual no-ball of the day
It looked like the no-ball problem wasn’t Roach’s alone. Sunil Narine bowled five of them in his 26 overs. It was as if Roach had passed it on during the break between the Tests. When West Indies appealed for a bat-pad catch off Doug Bracewell, umpire Paul Reiffel quickly acknowledged and the batsman was equally quick in asking for the review. The fact that Reiffel had made an egregious error became secondary when third umpire Kettleborough deemed Narine to have overstepped, even though the evidence did not appear conclusive. In DRS, all’s well that ends well?Watchful partner of the day
As Bracewell called for the review of the bat-pad catch decision, TV cameras also showed Kruger van Wyk paying attention to Narine’s front foot and asking for the review, even though he was the non-striker. Even if Bracewell hadn’t gone for it, the watchful eyes of van Wyk might have convinced him anyway.Best of the day
Tino Best was said to be “chomping at the bit” when he was warming the bench during the first Test. When an injury to Ravi Rampaul made room for his selection, the ever-excitable Best gave expression to his pent up feelings. His first ball of the day to Martin Guptill was a snorter and he regularly clocked in excess of 144kph and gained disconcerting bounce. Best had his hands in dismissals of three of New Zealand’s key men: he claimed the wickets of Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor and completed a clean pick-up and direct hit to get rid of Guptill, who looked set for a century. It was fitting that Best would feature in the final New Zealand wicket to fall, as he took a top-edged steepler from Neil Wagner.Uncomfortable moment of the day
The fast bowlers’ union is long dead. The tail-enders get as good as they give. When Neil Wagner hit a boundary off Roach on the second ball of the 81st over, West Indies promptly took the new red cherry that was available to them. Roach clearly let Wagner know what he thought of his adventure from the previous delivery. He served up an 85.5mph delivery aimed for Wagner’s midriff, and an ungainly swat ballooned to fall short of the fine-leg fielder.Non-nightwatchman of the day
In Antigua, sent in as night-watchman in both the innings, Neil Wagner was dictated by the situation to play dour innings. Here in Jamaica, coming in at No.9, Wagner had the license to throw his bat around at anything he could reach, and so he did. As the eighth and ninth wickets fell, and with only Trent Boult for company, Wagner kicked up a notch. In the next four overs, Wagner hit five boundaries off Narine, Roach and Best, the most memorable one being a pull off Roach in the 83rd over. Four balls later, he fell trying to repeat the shot and gave Roach his four-for.

The Mumbai stadium’s maiden Twenty20 international was an affair to remember

Mihir Gosalia23-Dec-2012Choice of game
The Wankhede Stadium was hosting its first Twenty20 international which was also the first India match I was watching live at a ground.The series was set up nicely by India’s emphatic win in Pune the day before. If India were to win this match and the next two against Pakistan, they would have become the No. 1 T20 team. My prediction was an India victory since the team had been playing well in the shorter formats.Team supported
India.Key performer
England captain Eoin Morgan has already built a reputation for himself as a dangerous player in the limited-overs formats. He plays the sort of finishing role for England that Michael Bevan used to play for Australia, and now Michael Hussey.One thing I’d have changed
I wanted Eoin Morgan’s wicket – bowled, caught, run out – off the last ball of match, rather than have to watch him hit it for a six out of the ground. I would have also liked to have seen more of Virat Kohli, given the aggressiveness in his batting and the kind of boundary shots he played. It was a delight to watch him bat in full flow. I could see the attacking intent in his batting from his stance. He certainly looked determined to turn on the heat against England but the innings was unfortunately cut short.Face-off I relished
Since several stars were being rested, it was a chance for players like Ashok Dinda, Parwinder Awana and even Yuvraj Singh, who was dropped from the Test side, to cement their places in the side.Wow moment
Apart from Morgan’s last-ball six hit, Yuvraj’s three wickets were impressive in the match. When the English openers got going and India couldn’t break the stand, the crowd asked for Yuvraj to be given a chance. When he was finally given a bowl, he dismissed Michael Lumb off his second ball. The expectations increased when he came to bowl his second over, and once again he obliged by trapping Luke Wright plumb in front of the wicket. In his final over, he managed to get rid of the dangerous Alex Hales.Close encounter
Since my seat was in the North Stand near the sight screen, there was always a fielder present near the boundary rope. We got a close look at Tim Bresnan, Jade Dernbach, Wright, Stuart Meaker, Awana, Dinda, Ajinkya Rahane, R Ashwin and Rohit Sharma. Indian fans never miss a chance to call or heckle any fielder who comes to the boundary, and it was sporting of Dernbach and Wright to acknowledge the crowd with smiles. Ashwin gave us a thumbs-up after being welcomed him with “Vanakkam!” which is “hello” in Tamil. The crowd also told Awana that they’d forgive him for dropping a catch if he took a wicket.Shot of the day
The last-ball six hit by Morgan, which reminded me of the famous Javed Miandad hit in Sharjah in 1986, was the shot of the day. The entire stadium was standing, hoping for a win for India. My colleague was waiting to record the moment on his phone but all he captured was the six out of the park. Last-ball sixes have become a regular feature in cricket since the introduction of T20s. Who can forget Dwayne Smith hitting Ben Hilfenhaus for three sixes in the last over to seal a win for Mumbai Indians against Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede earlier this year?Crowd meter
As the match progressed, the stadium slowly filled up. The only empty stands I saw were near the Vijay Merchant Pavilion side. There were three-to-four-year-old kids dressed in Indian jerseys with faces painted in the Indian tricolor. Their parents hoisted them up on their shoulders and made them cheer for the Indian team. The Mexican wave started early, from the second over the match, and gained momentum as the Indian innings progressed, particularly when Dhoni and Raina were batting in full flow.Fancy-dress index
There were the usual colourful Lasith Malinga wigs around, but the best one was from a spectator on the second level of the North Stand who wore the mask of a grumpy old man but was dancing and rejoicing when India were batting. He was cheered by the crowd in his stand and also caught the attention of those in other stands.Entertainment
Surprisingly there was no music or mid-innings entertainment, nor were there any cheerleaders, who could have boosted the spirits of the Indian bowlers. We got to see Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Navjot Sidhu, and Sourav Ganguly when they were walking back to their commentary box positions. They got cheers and duly acknowledged them.ODIs or Twenty20s
I prefer T20s because the fast-paced action and thrilling moments are packed into three hours like a Hollywood movie. There are enough ups and downs during the three hours to make the experience enjoyable, and like a movie, the match is conveniently played in the evenings.Banner of the day
“Unleash the Helicopter Shot”, “If Dhoni plays well, India sleeps well” and “England, here’s the way to the Airport”.Practice makes you perfect
I reached the stadium almost an hour and a half early, and saw England practising on the field. India came out after some time. I wish they had come out to practise earlier or at the same time as England. I saw a few Indian bowlers practise hitting one stump and wondered whether they could have hit that stump had Alastair Cook been standing in front of it with a bat.Marks out of ten
10 for the close finish. The better team won.