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Paul Collingwood believes he has chosen the perfect moment to end his Test career, as England close in on an unprecedented third innings victory of their tour of Australia

Andrew Miller at the SCG06-Jan-2011Paul Collingwood believes he has chosen the perfect moment to end his Test career, as England close in on an unprecedented third innings victory of their tour of Australia, a result that will go a long way towards erasing the bitter memories of the 5-0 whitewash of four years ago, and bring Collingwood’s own career full circle after the role he played on his home Test debut at The Oval in 2005, in the game that ended Australia’s two-decade-long dominance of the Ashes.Speaking on the day he made his impending retirement public, Collingwood described his feat of playing 68 Tests as an “over-achievement”, and modestly stated that England’s ambition of becoming the No. 1 team in the world will be that much more attainable without him blocking up an end in the manner that he has made his trademark in the course of the past five years.”In many ways it’s a sad moment, but I honestly think it’s the right time, and in many ways it’s the perfect moment,” said Collingwood. “This is what I’ve been playing the game of cricket for, to be in a position against Australia in Australia like this. I know I haven’t contributed with the bat in this series, but I’m a very, very happy man.”At the age of 34, Collingwood knew he was on borrowed time at Test level. His last meaningful innings was against Pakistan at Trent Bridge in July when he made 82 alongside Eoin Morgan, the man most likely to take his place in the middle order. Since then, his returns have been disappointing, with 83 runs in the whole Ashes campaign including a final, frenetic innings of 13 on the third day at Sydney.However, the desire to make amends for the whitewash four years ago, when his career-best 206 at Adelaide was not enough to stop the Australian juggernaut, made him determined to extend himself for one last series.”This series has been a special series for me,” he said. “I think 2005, playing at The Oval, was a special game, and a special moment, but although I haven’t scored the runs out here I can barely take the smile off my face. It’s been something that I’ve been waiting for, for a long time. The last time we were here four years ago, I actually managed to score runs and we got beat 5-0. This time I much prefer it this way around, let me tell you!”Collingwood’s fighting qualities have earned him plenty admirers in the course of his Test career, even though he has been written off at the highest level almost as often as he has battled back to produce a career- or match-saving innings. Right at this moment, however, Collingwood believes that the same qualities that helped hold the side together in the difficult years that followed the 2005 triumph are holding them back right now, as their stated goal of becoming the world’s No. 1 Test team draws ever closer.”That’s one of the reasons why I’m moving on, to be honest!” he said. “Honestly, this team can go as far as they want to. As you can see from this series, our batting has gone from strength to strength. They can take a lot of confidence from the way they’ve played out here, but they can still progress and they are very eager to improve all the time. The work ethic that they have is fantastic, and that’s one of the things I’ll miss, but I’m very much looking forward to watch them in the future. They can be a very special side.””Obviously my form hasn’t helped, but I’m very realistic,” he added. “At the same time there are some great young players coming though, but if I wanted to progress and stay in this England cricket team, I was going to have to work very hard on technical things, and whether I’ve got the time and the ability to stay up with this England cricket team, I’m not too sure.”I’m very, very satisfied with the contributions over my Test career,” he said. “It mustn’t be easy to watch for some people at times, but I’ve fought hard, given my all, and as I said, this is the perfect moment. I’ve played the last year just to get into this series, and to be involved in a great England cricket team like it is at the moment, with some special players and some special characters, it’s a very proud place to be. I can safely say I’ve made the right decision at the right time.””A lot of people might find it difficult to believe I’d stay in the team that long. It’s taken a lot of effort, in many ways I’ve over-achieved, averaging 40. In many ways I’ve scrapped it out. I’ve had my ups and downs but I wouldn’t change a thing about how my career has been. Some of the players I’ve played with in that England dressing room have been exceptional, and I can safely say that the environment we’ve got in that dressing room is a very special place. That’s why it’s hard to leave, but it’s definitely the right time.”Collingwood has long had a reputation for putting the team first, and his delight at toppling the Australians was unmistakable, and not remotely dented by his personal shortcomings with the bat. In his opinion, it is the culmination of a mission that began on his first tour of the country in 2002-03, when the challenge was to transform England’s expectations against opponents that at times seemed invincible.”This is what we were trying to build towards,” he said. “At the time there wasn’t the belief we could beat Australia, and it was a culture that we had to turn around. It didn’t work last time around, but I honestly believe we have skilful cricketers in England, and we’ve got a culture that believes we can beat anyone in the world.”I think that part of the game, the mental side, the belief, is a huge part, and creating a culture like that in the dressing room is more important than a lot of the technical work you do in the nets. These guys have worked long and hard for that, but they can get better as well, and go from strength to strength.”Matt Prior, who scored his first Ashes century on the fourth day at Sydney, said that Collingwood would be greatly missed within the England dressing room. “The part of a cricketer you don’t see is the part away from the cricket ground,” he said. “Everyone will know the stats and the important innings he’s played, the great catches he’s taken and the wickets he’s taken. But it’s what a bloke like Colly brings to the dressing room, he’s definitely been one of the catalysts of why this team is where it is right now, and why the team spirit is like it is.”Collingwood admitted his motivation for making his announcement mid-Test was to scotch the whispers that had already begun to circulate, and also because he secretly believed that England might have won with a day to spare. And while he said that he had not intended to make a fuss about his departure, he admitted to feeling goosebumps in the final half-hour of the day, when England were pushing for victory with the Barmy Army in full cry.”I’m a softie really, to be honest,” he said. “I always said I wanted to bow out in England in front of English fans, but that felt like home tonight, with the atmosphere that was out there. It was very special. Someone said to me yesterday, I might not be too bothered about a massive swansong, but a lot of fans might be. When you look around the ground, you deserve to have those lasting memories.”

Tasmania successfully defended their 261 as they gained a 28-run first-innings lead and extended their advantage over Western Australia

Cricinfo staff20-Feb-2010Tasmania 261 (Bailey 58, Cowan 57, Doolan 53, Magoffin 6-44) and 1 for 31 lead Western Australia 233 (Davis 67) by 59 runs

ScorecardSteve Magoffin started the day with a six-wicket haul, but his batting team-mates let him down•Getty Images

Tasmania successfully defended their 261 as they gained a 28-run first-innings lead and extended their advantage over Western Australia to 59 after two days. Steve Magoffin started the day on a high for the Warriors with a six-wicket haul, but there was no help from the batsmen as they were dismissed for 233.The opener Liam Davis tried hard to keep the innings together with 67, but the Tasmania bowlers kept chipping away and were rewarded with two points and a jump over their opponents into fourth spot. Western Australia’s chase was going well at 2 for 110, but Michael Swart and Mitchell Marsh went in four overs and they were 7 for 157 after Davis, Luke Ronchi and Nathan Coulter-Nile departed in quick succession.Luke Pomersbach was left to hold on and his 32 was supported by Magoffin’s 20, but they both left with too much work to do, even with Michael Hogan’s late blast of 24 off ten balls, including three sixes. The wickets were shared around, with Adam Griffith, Brendan Drew, Tim Macdonald and Xavier Doherty earning two apiece.Tasmania had to face 18 overs before stumps and lost Rhett Lockyear for 18 on the way to 1 for 31. In the morning the Tigers added seven runs as Magoffin finished with an impressive 6 for 44. Macdonald and Tim Paine (31) were both caught behind in a quick finish to the innings.

Opening stand of 202 with Nick Gubbins sees Leicestershire brushed aside

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay15-Aug-2025Hampshire 253 for 3 (Orr 131, Gubbins 81) beat Leicestershire 252 (Budinger 65, Masood 57, Cox 55, Abbott 3-36) by seven wicketsAli Orr’s first List A century for three years made sure Hampshire got their Metro Bank One-Day revenge on Leicestershire Foxes with a seven-wicket mauling.The Foxes beat Hampshire in the 2023 final, having also beaten them in the Group Stage that year, before knocking them out in the quarter-final last season.Kyle Abbott’s three wickets kept the hosts down to 252, despite fifties for Sol Budinger, Shan Masood, and Ben Cox, before Orr and Nick Gubbins – who now has 325 runs in the competition with 81 here – made light work of the chase. The opening duo put on 202 and raced to the winning line with more than six overs to spare.The only moment of worry came for Orr when he chopped onto his stumps, but didn’t dislodge the bails. Otherwise, it was a steady accumulation through risk-free batting, progressing through 59- and 67-ball fifties – the former for Gubbins going with his 144 not out, 40 and 60 in his other three One-Day Cup innings.Since arriving from Sussex at the start of last year, Orr has been beset by injuries – most notably a broken arm. He was finally able to add to the Rothesay County Championship hundred he scored against Durham in May 2024. His second for his new county coming in 126 balls and celebrated with gusto.Gubbins fell to a great diving catch by Budinger, Orr was lbw for 131 with five to win and Brandon McMullen was bowled for a duck, but the damage had been done.Earlier, Abbott was mesmerically accurate throughout and found the early breakthrough when former team-mate Ian Holland’s push was stunningly caught by Ben Mayes in the first over.The Abbott and Mayes combination also brought the downfall of Lewis Hill – attempting to charge a bouncer. But Budinger aggressively countered, and with Masood built the foundations the Foxes planned for having won the toss.On the back of a century against ex-employers Nottinghamshire Outlaws, Budinger oozed class in his 41-ball fifty but he started a trend of reaching a half-century but not kicking on. He tickled Felix Organ behind to end a 75-run stand, before Peter Handscomb loosely drove to extra cover.Masood watchfully passed his 52nd List A fifty but wastefully ran himself out for 57, with Cox keeping him company for his own 55.But after the pair had put on 63, the visitors struggled to build partnerships and rather tiptoed to 252. Having dismissed Handscomb, Andrew Neal also had Liam Trevaskis slogging to deep midwicket to take an impressive 2 for 43.Brad Wheal chipped in with two wickets on his return from injury, Abbott ended with 3 for 36 and Mayes – for the second time in the competition – four catches with the gloves, as Hampshire ended strongly.They carried that momentum into their batting as Orr and Gubbins clinically ticked the runs off.

Cricket Ireland announce their home fixtures for the men’s and women’s teams, but not all the games are at home

Matt Roller22-Apr-2024Ireland will stage a ‘home’ white-ball series against South Africa in Abu Dhabi later this year, a decision their board’s chief executive Warren Deutrom described as a “creative” way to help overcome “current infrastructure constraints”. They will also host a home men’s Test match for the second time in their history in July, when they play Zimbabwe in Stormont.Ireland gained Full Member status in 2017 and staged their first men’s Test at Malahide, near Dublin, in 2018. But they do not have a permanent home stadium and the high costs of temporary infrastructure have meant that their six subsequent men’s Tests have been overseas, including their maiden victory against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi earlier this year.This summer they will stage a one-off Test against Zimbabwe at the Civil Service ground in Stormont, Belfast from July 25-29. But financial and logistical obstacles mean that the six white-ball games in that tour – three ODIs and three T20Is – are “not proceeding as things stand,” a Cricket Ireland spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo.South Africa were initially due to tour Ireland for three ODIs and three T20Is in July, but will instead play two ODIs and three T20Is in Abu Dhabi from late September. It is the second successive away series against Ireland that South Africa will play on neutral ground, after Cricket Ireland moved two T20Is to Bristol in England in 2022.”This fixture schedule attempts to strike a balance of competitive, high-quality cricket across multiple formats whilst addressing the challenges we face with respect to our current infrastructure constraints,” Deutrom said. “While we work on longer-term solutions for some of these challenges – most notably continuing to advocate to Government for the proposed permanent stadium – we know we’ll have to explore ways to creatively increase our capacity to host an ever-increasing schedule in the short term.”Continually reviewing how best to optimise our hosting arrangements for cricket in Ireland and playing a few of our home matches in neutral venues overseas is something we must continue to explore, as we have done with the South Africa series this year.”Deutrom previously confirmed that Australia’s scheduled tour for three ODIs and one T20I had been postponed indefinitely. Of Ireland’s 20 home men’s internationals in the Future Tours Programme for this summer, only four will actually take place in Ireland – the Zimbabwe Test, and three T20Is against Pakistan next month – while 11 have been either cancelled or postponed.Ireland will also host England’s women for the first time since 1995, marking England’s first tour of the country in the professional era. Laura Delany’s side are currently in the UAE ahead of the global qualifier for the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in October, and will face Sri Lanka in August before they play England in September.”Irish cricket fans are in for a treat in 2024 with more than 40 days of senior international cricket to enjoy between April and October – potentially more if our women can qualify for this year’s T20 World Cup,” Deutrom said. “2024 offers a great array of fixtures for fans of both men’s and women’s cricket. And with the historic nature of the Belfast Test, the possibility of seeing Irish sides in two T20 World Cups, and some of the world’s best sides touring, it should be an unmissable season of Irish cricket.”

Ireland’s new ‘home’ fixtures:

Men’s:July 25-29 – Test match vs Zimbabwe (Stormont)
September 27, 29 – T20Is vs South Africa (Abu Dhabi)
October 2, 4, 7 – ODIs vs South Africa (Abu Dhabi)Women’s:August 11, 13 – T20Is vs Sri Lanka (Pembroke)
August 16, 18, 20 – ICC Women’s Championship ODIs vs Sri Lanka (Stormont)
September 7, 9, 11 – ICC Women’s Championship ODIs vs England (Stormont)
September 14, 16, 17 – T20Is vs England (Clontarf)

Their season begins on January 11 with a game against Johannesburg Super Kings

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Nov-2022Quinton de Kock has been named the captain of Durban Super Giants for the inaugural edition of the SA20 competition.De Kock, 29, is one of South Africa’s key players. His left-handedness and aggression at the top of the order make him a sought after commodity in the T20 cricket. Alongside his runs – 8497 at an average of 33 and a strike rate of 138 – de Kock also has experience captaining the national side. He has led them in four Tests, eight ODIs and 11 T20Is. De Kock is also on the books of the Lucknow Super Giants, the IPL team that shares the same owners as this Durban team.Related

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In December 2021, de Kock retired from Test cricket, citing the difficulty to play all three formats.De Kock had a highly successful IPL in 2022 – 508 runs at a strike rate of nearly 150 – and followed it up with a good CPL as well – 221 runs at a strike rate of nearly 130. But his returns slipped in the Hundred in England and his most recent assignment – the men’s T20 World Cup – didn’t go according to plan either. South Africa were eliminated at the group stage of the tournament after defeat to the Netherlands.While the Test players are preparing for a tour of Australia in December, de Kock will be free to plot his SA20 campaign. At Durban, he will have Keshav Maharaj, Jason Holder and head coach Lance Klusener to help him take the team forward. Their season begins on January 11 with a game against the franchise that represents de Kock’s birth place, the Johannesburg Super Kings.

de Kock’s opening partner remains far from finalised; captain says a “seaming allrounder will come back into the mix”

Firdose Moonda02-Jul-2021South Africa have yet to make a firm decision on who will partner Quinton de Kock or who their sixth bowling option will be for the T20 World Cup later this year. With approximately seven fixtures left (one vs West Indies, three vs Ireland, and three vs Sri Lanka) before the tournament, they have limited time and matches to settle on a strategy.That the team is still in the experimental stage of things is down in part to the disruption to the cricketing calendar and the continued postponement of a T20I series against India which was initially meant to happen last August and now won’t take place at all. While that series would have kicked off South Africa’s preparations for the World Cup, selection calls around the team for the ongoing tour of the West Indies have also raised some questions.Why, for example, have they included four opening batters in their squad? Or two seam-bowling allrounders, neither of whom have played in the West Indies series so far? And how can they ensure they have enough big-hitters in the middle-order as well as enough bowlers to cover for someone who may have an off day? At the moment, they don’t seem to know.”In terms of combinations, we are looking at who can partner Quinny at the top. Reeza (Hendricks) is the guy at the moment and we believe he has done it well. David (Miller) is our seasoned finisher. He has done it for many years but unfortunately at the moment he is battling with form, as are a number of batters,” Temba Bavuma, South Africa’s limited-overs captain, said after their defeat in the fourth T20I.”I’m sure a seaming allrounder will come back into the mix. Where we find ourselves at the moment is that we are looking for someone who can effectively play that sixth bowling role. If you look at a guy like Aiden (Markram), he gives you more than just the bowling option. He is someone we see as versatile in terms of his batting position. He can bat at the top as well as batting in the middle and he has been given that opportunity now, albeit in tough conditions. From a bowling front, that (the sixth-bowler) we haven’t nailed down.”Related

• Finals pressure for South Africa in T20Is decider

What’s clear so far is that South Africa want to play at least three of their five openers: Hendricks, Bavuma and Markram. That means Janneman Malan, who has played 20 fewer T20Is than Markram and whose average is similar, is unlikely to be able to force his way back in at the moment. It also means that Bavuma, who started off his T20 career as an opener, is being used at No.3, where he has not come off yet. With Markram in the middle order, there is no space for either Heinrich Klaasen, Kyle Verreynne or anyone else South Africa may want to be there, except maybe Faf du Plessis. But that would create the same problem of only five bowling options that South Africa had in the first two matches against West Indies, so it will be interesting to see if du Plessis, the former captain, fits back in.Although South Africa can’t say for sure if Markram is a long-term sixth-bowling option, they are intent on finding out and used him to open the bowling in the last match with less than ideal results. Markram conceded 20 runs, which Bavuma identified as putting South Africa under pressure immediately and though it’s an isolated incident, it remains a cause of concern.Reeza Hendricks made 2, 17, 42, 17 partnering Quinton de Kock in the combination in the T20Is against West Indies•AFP/Getty Images

Seemingly, a more secure choice would be to include a proven allrounder in Markram’s spot but South Africa have left both Wiaan Mulder and Andile Phehlukwayo on the bench. Whether they will opt for Dwaine Pretorius, who missed this tour after contracting Covid-19, remains to be seen.Then, there’s the consideration that they already have an allrounder in the team in George Linde, who has earned his place with the ball but has the ability to do it with the bat. It’s possible that South Africa don’t want to appear to have a softer middle order with two allrounders at Nos. 6 and 7, especially as they have no choice but to start the lower order at No. 8.Their three-pronged pace pack of Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi were exceptional in the Tests but have not reproduced that form with the white ball. Bavuma put that down to conditions. “Our bowlers, in terms of aggression and pace, we have always thrived on bowling on quick, bouncy wickets. That’s a skill set that becomes null and void in these type (West Indian) of conditions,” he said. “Maybe we have been found wanting in that department.”While Nortje has bowled some back-of-the-hand slower balls, South Africa overall have not adjusted to the surfaces as well as West Indies and Ngidi, in particular, has been expensive. Apart from Phehlukwayo and Mulder, South Africa have Beuran Hendricks, Lizaad Willams and Sisanda Magala (though he is currently battling an ankle injury) in reserve and have not used any of them yet. Bavuma indicated Williams may come into contention for the series-deciding fifth and final T20I, after an impressive debut earlier in the year. He was their leading bowler against Pakistan in the series in April.The only position not under some scrutiny is Tabrazi Shamsi’s. The world’s leading T20I bowler has operated as both strike bowler and container, and his form means it’s unlikely Imran Tahir, who has not retired from the shortest format, will don a South African shirt again. That, unless Tahir is afforded the opportunity and South Africa opt to field a four-spin attack in the UAE. They have the personnel in Tahir, Shamsi, Linde and Bjorn Fortuin. Imagine that.

Mir, who made her debut in 2005, took 151 wickets in 120 ODIs and 89 wickets in 106 T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Apr-2020Sana Mir, arguably the greatest woman cricketer Pakistan has produced, has announced her retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to a 15-year career. Mir, who made her international debut in 2005, took 151 wickets at an average of 24.27 in 120 ODIs and 89 wickets at 23.42 in 106 T20Is. Apart from that, she also scored 1630 runs in ODIs at 17.91 and 802 in T20Is at 14.07.Last November, Mir had taken a break from international cricket and had missed Pakistan’s tour of England. Subsequently, she was left out of Pakistan’s squad for the 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia following a run of poor form.ALSO READ: ‘A true stalwart of Pakistan cricket, a catalyst for the women’s game’“Last few months have provided me with an opportunity to contemplate,” Mir said in a statement. “I feel it is the right time for me to move on. I believe I have contributed to the best of my ability for my country and the sport.”When I reflect on my debut, it gives me great satisfaction that I have been part of the process that has eventually resulted in a packed-to-capacity Lord’s for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 final, something that was further boosted by a record 87,000 spectators for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. These are great success stories for women’s cricket.”In her statement, Mir thanked her family and mentors and hoped to continue “serving” her departmental team Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL).”I also want to thank my family and mentors who provided unconditional support that allowed me to fulfil my dreams of representing Pakistan at a global stage and would also like to thank my departmental team ZTBL for their support throughout my career. I look forward to continue serving them if department cricket continues.”Mir retires as the leading wicket-taker for Pakistan in ODIs and second-highest behind Nida Dar in T20Is. Her most productive year was 2014, when he took 21 wickets in 11 ODIs at 12.57. In October 2018, she topped the ICC ODI rankings. She has two Asian Games gold medals from 2010 and 2014.She captained 72 times in ODIs, of which Pakistan won 26 and lost 45. In her 65 T20Is as captain, Pakistan won 26 and lost 36. She stepped down from the T20I captaincy after the 2016 Women’s World T20, and lost the ODI captaincy in 2017, when the PCB elevated Bismah Maroof to the role.Wasim Khan, PCB’s CEO, paid tribute to Mir: “On behalf of Pakistan cricket, I congratulate Sana Mir on a highly successful career. She has been the face of Pakistan women’s cricket for many years and the real source of inspiration for the young generation of women cricketers.”Through her determination and passion, Sana broke the glass ceiling for women cricketers in the country. Through her performances, she not only improved the profile of women’s cricket in Pakistan, but also enhanced the image of Pakistan globally. Sana is a true legend of women’s cricket who attracted, inspired and motivated young women athletes. Moving forward, I am sure she will continue to contribute positively to women’s cricket.”

Dhaka Dynamites produced an emphatic performance to sneak into the playoffs on the last day of the league stage

The Report by Peter Della Penna02-Feb-2019
How the game played outControlling their playoff destiny heading into the final match of the regular season, Dhaka Dynamites produced a nerveless and dominant performance to dispose of Khulna Titans – the worst team in BPL 2019 – by six wickets with 31 balls to spare. Rajshahi Kings needed a miracle from the Titans to ensure the Dynamites would not steal the final playoff berth available but Titans did them no such favors.On a good batting pitch, Titans stuttered through the Powerplay to get behind the eight-ball before the middle order shot themselves in the foot with overambitious shot selection in an effort to compensate for the slow start. At 81 for 6 in the 14th, the Titans tail scrapped their way to 123 as David Wiese grinded out a top score of 30 off 27 balls.But the paltry total was never going to be enough and Dynamites soon made a mockery of the chase, more than doubling what Titans had produced in the Powerplay to reach 71 for 2 after six thanks to openers Sunil Narine and Upul Tharanga. Having entered the match with a sizable net run rate advantage over Kings, singles were all that was needed to clinch a playoff berth and Kieron Pollard played a sedate innings alongside Nurul Hasan in a 36-run stand to take Dynamites over the line and into the playoffs.Turning points

• Brendan Taylor made a confident start with 18 off 14 balls before missing a sweep to fall lbw to Shakib in the fourth over to spark the initial top-order slide
• Al-Amin tried to play a reverse hit against Sunil Narine in the 13th but only managed to pull a full toss to point. Nasir Hossain fell in similarly audacious fashion in the next over to Shakib, walking way too far across his stumps to be bowled behind his legs to make it 81 for 6
• Narine slaughtered Titans bowlers in the Powerplay, in particular against Saddam Hossain in the third over by pulling a no-ball for four first ball, then slamming the free hit over midwicket for six, before another six over cover two balls later

Star of the dayNarine produced another splendid all-round effort. After taking a solid 1 for 20 with the ball, he crushed the Titans opening the chase. Narine faced 13 of the first 16 balls. By the time he was out, the score was already at 43 and he had singlehandedly equaled the Titans Powerplay total of 35 after a ruthless assault on Subashis Roy, Junaid Khan and Saddam that mercifully ended when he drove Saddam to cover.The big missAndre Russell showed his deft agility to avoid major injury at the long-on boundary. In the 17th over of the first innings, Taijul Islam drove Narine for four down the ground. Russell tried in vain to cut the ball off before the rope, but his dead sprint took him in the path of one of the TV broadcast cameramen. He swerved left at the last moment before hurdling an advertising board to avoid a freak injury that might have curtailed his participation in the playoff phase.Where the teams standKhulna had sealed the wooden spoon several matches earlier but end the season in last place with just four points, six behind Sylhet Sixers. Dynamites win allowed them to move up to fourth place on 12 points to leapfrog Rajshahi Kings on net run rate into the first playoff eliminator against Chittagong Vikings.

Former captain and World Cup winner Kapil Dev on the impact the late Jagmohan Dalmiya had on Indian cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-2017Kapil Dev admires his likeness at the Delhi launch of a Madame Tussauds museum•AFP

I’m nervous to talk about cricket. But if you tell me to come and speak about Jagmohan Dalmiya, I do not know what to say about him because in my mind he was truly one of the finest heroes we have.There are two types of heroes. One is on the field and one is off the field and I think if I have to say about him, if all of us, we cricketers are enjoying [ourselves, it is] thanks to this man. Without him I think we would have been struggling. Already a lot of things have been said about him, I only want to say in the last 50 years in the world, he was the best administrator in all sports. When India used to struggle, we always looked up to England and Australia, and we used to say ‘Can we get wages like Australia, England?’. That was the thought process. In 20 years, all these countries will say, ‘Can we get wages like India?’ and that is the change he did.Sometimes for players it does not really matter when we are on the field, when we play the game. But it is important to get good money. Jagmohan Dalmiya understood that these cricketers have a career of only 10 to 15 years maximum. Everybody is not Sachin Tendulkar, who can play for 24 years. Eight years and 10 years and you give your prime time and what money does in those 15 years of cricket, if you can make the life the same you have today. That tells a lot and that credit goes to my hero.When I met him first, he did not make that much of an impression on me. As I kept on meeting him, I think I had realised that he was not the best of speakers but there was none better than him to understand word by word, full stop to comma, what is right, what is wrong. Nobody has done better contracts than this man. That was his strength. Let’s say, everybody does not have the art of speaking. Some people can write well. But this man was one of those persons who understood where he could nail down other people.The best part is that he kept everybody happy. We cricketers of that 80s batch, the first time we thought that the cricket board came close to the players [was under Dalmiya]. Otherwise the board was far away from the players and players were far away from the board. The players came close to the board.Before that [it was like] might is right. Whatever the board said, nobody could question the cricket control board of India. But Jagmohan Dalmiya said no to that. He said we needed to have dialogue. I think half of the battle was won for the players. The administration was ready to listen to you. He had given the opportunity.Jagmohan Dalmiya at a BCCI special general meeting in Kolkata•Hindustan Times

A lot of administrators have seen and had been there with the board. But for him, love of the game and passion of the game brought the cricketers together. I do not think we had the guts or had any board president invited for a cup of tea or coffee. They used to get orders and that is how it used to run. But he changed for the betterment of the game. I do not know the inside stories of this part of the world. But I’m sure he was instrumental in bringing the cricketers together and the people who bring people together, they are leaders. In my mind, he was the leader to get things done.From there Sourav [Ganguly, the CAB president] asked me do not talk too much about Dalmiya, talk about cricket, but also about Indian cricket. I just want to tell the present Indian cricket team, we always respect players from CK Nayadu to Amarnath to Vinoo Mankad, Hazare, Merchant, Polly Umrigar. From time to time cricket has changed, Tiger Pataudi, Bishen Singh Bedi, Prasanna, Chandrasekhar and then another batch came. Sunil Gavaskar, Viswanath, and then another batch came, which was a big change. Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh. During that period I think we got the best cricketers of all time and after that the great Dhoni, Yuvraj and now baton is in your hand, Virat.I think you can take Indian team ahead because you have the responsibility. You are the one people look up to and we look up to you. Take the game to where nobody can imagine. You are a hero and you are like Dalmiya. You can change the things, which you have done this year or last few years is the fitness which I can be proud of. It is required in Indian cricket. Every captain comes out with something new; new thought process, new way of thinking. I think that is more important. We, as cricketers, can say you keep up the good work. We love you all.

India have agreed to use DRS for the Test series against England on “trial basis” to “evaluate the improvements made” in the system

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-20164:33

Agarkar: 95% of cricketers will be in favour of DRS

India have agreed to use DRS for the upcoming Test series against England on a “trial basis” to “evaluate the improvements made” in the system. India had played in the first series with umpire reviews, against Sri Lanka in 2008, but this will be their first bilateral contest since then with all the components of the DRS – including ball-tracking technology – in place.”We are happy to note that Hawk-Eye has institutionalised all the recommendations made by BCCI, and we confirm that this improved version of DRS will be used on a trial basis during the forthcoming series against England,” the BCCI president Anurag Thakur said. “Based on the performance of the system and the feedback that we will receive, further continuation in forthcoming series will be decided.”One of India’s biggest concerns with the DRS, the predicted path of the ball after it hits the pad in the case of lbw decisions, will be addressed by the use of ultra-motion cameras. The manual intervention in determining the point of impact will be minimised by the introduction of Ultra Edge, which according to a BCCI release had been approved by Massachusetts Institute of Technology [MIT]. It will also eliminate the possibility of another touch after the first impact affecting the predicted path or point of impact.”Earlier, there was a possibility that the operator would have missed a delivery and hence an lbw appeal could have been missed,” the BCCI release said. “Now, Hawk-Eye has developed the technology to record and save all images so that in case an operator fails to arm the tracking system, the images can be rewound and replayed.”Since their first experience with the system in its nascent stages, India were the biggest opponents of the DRS. The only times India used it since that 2008 series was in ICC events and in one Test series against England in 2011. In that series, the DRS was not used for lbw decisions.The BCCI’s sustained refusal to use the DRS meant that other countries would not use the system only when playing India. The board rarely articulated its opposition to the system in detail; India’s former Test captain MS Dhoni used to say they would use DRS only when it was 100% accurate.The current India coach Anil Kumble, who is also the head of the ICC cricket committee, had made a visit to MIT before he took over the India job to be apprised of the latest developments in the DRS technology. During the recent series against New Zealand, India’s current Test captain Virat Kohli had said India “definitely wanted to think about DRS”, which was the first significant departure from their previous stance.On October 19, the ICC general manager Geoff Allardice made a presentation in Delhi that was attended by Kumble. Two days later, India confirmed their acceptance of the system albeit on a trial basis.