All posts by h716a5.icu

The flawed reverse-sweep will not stop replaying in Younis Khan’s head for a while. It will haunt

Sidharth Monga at the P Sara Oval14-Jul-2009Eat your heart out KP. Fret not, Misbah, you have company. For years to come, Younis Khan’s reverse-sweep will be discussed, debated, derided, and blamed for the final collapse that cost Pakistan the match and the series. By the time you read this, shot would have played thousands of times on the loop, reminding everyone of what could have been.Consider the circumstance: Pakistan staged a comeback in true original style. After getting bowled out for 90 on the first morning, they bowled incredibly well to keep the deficit down to 150 following which the debutant Fawad Alam, opening for the first time in first-class cricket, scored a big century. Along with Fawad, Younis had added 200 for the second wicket to stretch the lead to 135. The bowling seemed at their mercy, a big target was on the cards, and the momentum was theirs.Then the rush of blood to the head. Perhaps over-confidence against the spinners. It was the first ball of a part-time spinner’s spell, and Younis inverted his stance. Out came a full toss outside leg, which he chased and connected with. On many occasions it would have lobbed behind the wicketkeeper but today it ricocheted off his right shoulder and went straight to the wicketkeeper, much like Kevin Pietersen’s sweep off Nathan Hauritz in Cardiff last week. Pakistan duly collapsed, losing nine wickets for 35.”Yes [it’s replaying in my head]. I am still thinking if I hadn’t played that shot, we would have been in a completely different situation,” Younis said after Pakistan squandered all the hard work over the last two days.It didn’t answer the questions. Was he not thinking when he played the shot? Was he thinking too much? Did he feel he needed to dominate? Did he not know his undercooked team was prone to collapsing? The truth perhaps is that when you are batting in full flow these thoughts don’t cross your mind. This was after all the same shot that he had so effectively employed repeatedly against the same team during his triple-hundred in Karachi earlier this year. Only against a much better spinner – Muttiah Muralitharan.Still, Younis cannot hide. This shot will not stop replaying in his head and, for a while, it will haunt him. It will also probably hide the other factors responsible for the defeat. What, for example, of the rest of the batsmen, experienced campaigners most of them? For the third time in a row, Mohammad Yousuf, Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul-Haq and Kamran Akmal were part of a collapse. That somehow will be forgotten when we look back at this Test two years from now.”I have been saying for the last four-five years that if one person commits a mistake, the others shouldn’t,” Younis said. “If we hadn’t added 200, then what would have happened? I don’t point fingers at anybody – I never blamed Salman Butt [for throwing his wicket away in Galle]. This is a team game.”Or what of Daryl Harper’s umpiring errors, which could make a case for hurrying in the era of umpire review systems? Or, for that matter, carrying reserve umpires on tours to replace a man in poor form. Harper didn’t have a special Test in Galle, and today two of his four lbw calls looked decidedly wrong, and two appeared to have enough doubt.It is also worth noting that the pitch did not have any monsters in it, which would mean that a set batsman didn’t need to take risks and could think of playing out the game. The other argument would be that the pressure had already been lifted and put on the opposition. Logic will also suggest that for once the other batsmen should have fought the momentum swing. Allowance will be made for the way Shoaib Malik got out – many stronger blows to the stumps than this flying kiss have failed to dislodge the bails. In the end, though, we will come back to the shot Younis played.We remember Sachin Tendulkar’s attempt at an inside-out shot off Saqlain Mushtaq at Chennai in 1999, not the last three wickets falling for four runs. Pietersen’s shot is still being talked about in greater length than England’s toothless bowling. It’s a cruel sport, and Younis will be reminded time and again of a task that he started so well but left unfinished because of a cute shot. One shot. No retake.

Mahela Jayawardene’s press conference was a bit like the match itself: done and dusted in less time than he would have needed to strap on his pads. Peter Siddle, however, had more to say

Telford Vice in Centurion20-Sep-2010We came. We blinked. We almost missed the match between the Victoria Bushrangers and Wayamba in Centurion on Monday.This wasn’t so much a game of cricket as it was a reason to be cheerful that it didn’t detain us any longer than was necessary. The brief blip of a match was all over, lock, stock and no smoking barrels, in a mite less than 30 overs.Mahela Jayawardene’s press conference afterwards was also done and dusted in less time than he would have needed to strap on his pads. Asked what had changed since last year’s tournament, when Wayamba beat Victoria by 15 runs, he was as honest as he was brief.”I don’t know,” he said disarmingly. “The line-up of our team hasn’t changed much. We knew they would be very aggressive because they needed a big win, and we needed a total of 150 to 160 to be competitive. But we just weren’t up for it on the night.”And with that he was gone, followed out of the door by his captain, Jehan Mubarak, whose sole contribution was a joke about how he might as well go and make himself “a cup of coffee” while Jayawardene got on with answering the only question put to them.The Sri Lankans took their leave politely and perhaps a little relieved that there was nothing left to say that wasn’t already obvious to all. Part of that has to be that the Victorians have played a positively Germanic brand of cricket. They deserve a place in the semi-finals on the grounds of their ruthlessness and efficiency alone.Not that Peter Siddle, who was understandably granted a longer audience by the media, was ready to accept that bit of praise with good grace. “It’s about time,” he said. “It was disappointing to lose the first one, but since then it’s been good.”That lone loss was suffered against a fired-up Warriors side in Port Elizabeth, the same team Victoria will hope like mad put one over the Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday. A win the other way at St George’s Park would put Chennai, the Warriors and Victoria level on points, and the Aussies’ net run-rate isn’t great.”It’s out of our hands now,” Siddle said. “Most teams wouldn’t have thought they could win three out of their four games and still miss out.”How confident was he that the Warriors would do his team a favour? “They’ve got some good bowlers and some good batsmen up the top of the order. It should be a game worth watching.” In other words, don’t ask me, mate – I’m not nearly dumb enough to stick my neck out on that one.There will be no such dreaming for Wayamba, who were woeful for the third consecutive match. In fact, that win over Victoria last year is the only success they have to show from five CLT20 outings. Thanks for coming, fellas. Better luck next time, and give our regards to Kurunegala.They have one game left, against the already eliminated Central Districts, also in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday. Talk about dead men walking.On Monday, the Sri Lankans were outplayed by opponents who approached their task with what Hemingway would have described as a cold mind. Wayamba wickets weren’t so much taken as scythed off at the roots, and while the Bushrangers’ run chase was more measured than manic, they still got the job done in 13.2 overs.If they make it into the final four, they look headed for a confrontation with South Australia. The Redbacks have ridden rampant through the tournament, reeling off three wins to become the first team to nail down a semi-final spot. For all that, the prospect of taking them on in a knock-out context put a thin, menacing smile on Siddle’s lips and made his eyes narrow until they were slivers of silent aggression.Redbacks, you have been warned.

The WACA pitch has felt like another planet for most of the batsmen on show in this game, but this stretch of soil is Michael Hussey’s home

Peter English at the WACA18-Dec-2010Michael Hussey’s pulling power has dragged Australia to the verge of a series-levelling win and reacquainted him with the mountainous numbers he achieved in his Test youth. Without Hussey’s 116, his fourth Ashes hundred, Australia would have faced a couple of days of nerves, but the hosts need only five more wickets to head to Boxing Day on level terms.The WACA pitch has felt like another planet for most of the batsmen on show in this game, but this stretch of soil is Hussey’s home. He is safe here. Those running into him have been the ones in discomfort, feeling the cracks and slaps of his driving and cross-bat shots. Hooks and pulls often disappear from view in tense times due to the extreme risk of dismissal.Playing like this in Perth creates more physical danger because of the speed and bounce of the wicket. Hussey doesn’t care.He is among the most calculated batsmen in the game so it would seem a contradiction that he relies so heavily on a method with such little room for error. Except it’s not a risk for him, because he’s been hooking and pulling in Western Australia for three decades. He calls the shots instinctive, but they are ingrained, like chewing nails during tense chases, or roaring when an edge flies behind.Hussey couldn’t stop if he spent weeks in hypnosis. Should an opening batsman who has waited a decade for a debut hook when his only Test earning is a single? Should he let his mind convince him to pull when he’s meant to saving the second Ashes Test on an unpredictable Adelaide wicket? To most batsmen the answers are no.Hussey said yes to those times and thousands more because he knows the shot will pay off more often that it sends him bust. It has boosted his account considerably in this series, which started with him playing for his place. Since then he has hooked and pulled his way to heights not reached since the opening three years of his career, when his numbers were as close to Bradman as any mortal can reach.The cross-bat smacks have been pivotal and productive, creating doubts for the bowlers over their length, and showing he will not be a target for overs of short balls. Seven of his 13 boundaries and plenty of singles and twos came from the shots in a masterful home-ground display. In the middle session England tried an at-the-body approach through Chris Tremlett but quickly gave up.”Mike Hussey is probably not a player you want to bowl too short to,” Peter Siddle said. “He showed that again today, same as he did in Brisbane when they attacked him with it.”Hussey is a traditional player and spent most of the first hour of the day adjusting to the conditions. Once he had, not even a long disruption for a jammed sightscreen could distract him. He also wasn’t put off by three men in the deep at times, an attempted pull that caused an under-edge and a bruised hip, or the frightening short-ball treatment directed at his team-mates.His first punched pull came off Tremlett when he moved to 40, the opening blast of a string of aggressive swipes. The most precise cross-bat effort came when he split fine leg and deep backward square with another cracking strike off Tremlett that landed him on 96. It was appropriate that a pull brought up his hundred, from only 136 balls, and as he ran to the stumps at the bowler’s end he leaped and punched the air.A similar celebration occurred four years ago when his 103 on a sweaty day also put his side in sight of a hugely satisfying victory. Back then he was near his peak; this display provided him with more statistical stardom. He is the leading run-scorer in this series with 517 at 103.40, and he has increased his Ashes record to six consecutive innings of scores of 50 or more. A man who spluttered for much of the past two years has achieved unrivalled consistency again.Equally importantly, his innings built on Mitchell Johnson’s day-two demolition and ensured Australia set England a now unreachable target of 391. Hussey was last out and his innings finished with a pull to Graeme Swann at deep forward square leg, but that didn’t worry him. He knows the risks, and the rewards.

ESPNcricinfo presents the Plays of the Day from the IPL game between Mumbai Indians and Deccan Chargers in Mumbai

Siddhartha Talya14-May-2011Welcome, Michael Lumb
He had opened the innings for Rajasthan Royals in the previous season but Lumb, before this game, had yet to make an appearance for his new team. When he did, he took strike against the wrong bowler. Just his second ball this IPL season, Lumb made room while simultaneously stepping out to Lasith Malinga. It turned out to be a full delivery that he failed to make contact with, and out went the stumps. What a return.Dhawal or Malinga?
You couldn’t make out who was who. That’s pushing it a little, but Dhawal Kulkarni would be proud of the yorker he bowled to dislodge Daniel Christian. It was fired in the blockhole on middle and Christian was done in for pace more than the length, failing to get his bat down in time and you know what happened next.Rumble at the Wankhede
Had this game been a Hindi movie, you’d think the country’s seemingly paranoid film censor board would have edited out its most pivotal scene. The verbal exchange between Amit Mishra and Munaf Patel in the final over of the Deccan Chargers innings marked a decisive turn in a game that Mumbai Indians had controlled until then. Mishra went for the pull, got a top edge that landed just short of the fine-leg boundary, something was said by someone and Munaf lost control.It took the umpire to separate the two, and there was more two balls later when Mishra slashed one past third man. This time, there was a collision and another flare-up. More unpublishables. The result: Mishra won the battle. A full toss followed, it was duly dispatched. Last ball, Munaf pitched on a length and out it went over midwicket. Mumbai never recovered completely from there on.The Duminy cameo
This time, with the ball. Kumar Sangakkara revealed later that the ploy to bring Duminy on in the first over was to test out Aiden Blizzard. The signs of it working were there the first ball Blizzard faced Duminy. He came round the wicket, landed it on middle and got it to shoot away just as Blizzard closed the face. Not only did it beat the batsman, but also keeper and slip. The first ball of Duminy’s next over, the bowler had his reward. Blizzard decided to counterattack, slog-sweeping at a length delivery that spun away to knock back off.Rajan’s day out
Anand Rajan was a surprise choice in the XI, and in his first IPL appearance he didn’t disappoint. In just his second over, he got T Suman with a slower ball and then the big one, Sachin Tendulkar trapped lbw trying to improvise.His biggest test, though, came in the final over. He was bestowed with the responsibility to restrain Kieron Pollard. A six first ball, and the nerves kick in. A wide down the leg side, the nerves show. A four over square leg, it’s crisis time prompting a mid-pitch conference. But there’s relief, finally, when Pollard miscues one to third man to decide the game. In the end, figures of 3 for 27 don’t make for bad reading at all.

Plays of the Day from the Champions League T20 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and South Australia

Siddarth Ravindran at the Chinnaswamy Stadium05-Oct-2011The fours
Daniel Harris made it clear from the start that he was a man in a hurry, swinging hard at everything. There was little reward initially and he scored only 6 off 7 balls. Then it fell in place for him, and he unleashed an unstoppable torrent of boundaries. Nine of his next ten deliveries were dispatched for four as he dismantled S Aravind and Dirk Nannes. By the end of the carnage, Harris was 43 off 17.The first six
You’d think a team that scored at nearly 11 runs an over through the 20 overs would have clouted plenty of sixes. South Australia, though, had only five of them in their innings, and the first of those didn’t come until the 16th over. It was Callum Ferguson who struck the blow, hammering the hapless Aravind over wide long-on.The drop
In the 19th over, Dan Christian mowed a length ball towards deep midwicket. The shot didn’t have enough power on it and was headed straight for the man in the deep, Mayank Agarwal. Christian was so certain that he was going to be dismissed that he cursed himself, and stopped trying to complete the single he had started, in preparation for the walk to the pavilion. Agarwal, though, shelled an absolute sitter, and Christian celebrated the reprieve with five boundaries in the next over.The drop -2
South Australia’s fielding standards were generally far superior to those of Royal Challengers Bangalore, Which made it hard to explain Ferguson dropping a straightforward chance from Kohli in the 15th over. Shaun Tait fired in a leg-stump full toss, which Kohli edged towards midwicket – it didn’t go too high, or too far and Ferguson had plenty of time to get under it and he positioned himself perfectly to pouch. Inexplicably, it popped out of his hands, and bounced on his nose on the way to the ground. Ferguson couldn’t put a finger on how he missed it: “Obviously it’s a big wicket to… to … obviously, it was a drop, it was me, which is pretty disappointing,” is all he could offer by way of explanation. Luckily for him and South Australia, Kohli was dismissed later in the over.The collision
When Michael Klinger and Tom Cooper collided attempting a catch, the first thoughts were about the horrific Steve Waugh-Jason Gillespie collision in 1999. The incident took place in the seventh over, when Chris Gayle miscued the ball towards mid-off. Klinger moved across from extra cover while Cooper ran in from long-off and clearly neither heard the call from the other, perhaps because of the buzz in the Chinnaswamy due to Gayle and Tillakaratne Dilshan’s rapidfire start. In any case, Klinger hung on to an overhead catch, before colliding with Cooper, who try to move out at the last moment. Klinger seemed to be hit in the thigh by Cooper’s knee, and he rolled over in pain, and had to be helped off the field by the physio.The yorker
With Tait’s bowling, you never know what to expect. Would he go for plenty as he did in his previous match against the Warriors or would he rip through the line-up with his express pace? It all fell in place for Tait today. He could have removed both Dilshan and Kohli, who were pooh-poohing the South Australian bowling with some sublime strokeplay, in his second over. The highlight of his spell, though, was the yorker to dismiss Dilshan in the penultimate over, with the match in balance. It was a searing delivery that swung in, past Dilshan’s defence to take home in to the bottom of middle stump.

Pathbreaking figures from over a century of Western Province cricket fill the pages of a vital new reference work

Firdose Moonda22-Jan-2012The first editorial in the Xhosa newspaper , founded in 1884, was about cricket.When cricket was revived after World War II in Cape Town, the feeder system for club cricket was a community led by an who had been freed from Robben Island.Afro-pop diva Brenda Fassie’s half-brother, Soloman, scored the first century for Langa Cricket Club.Without none of these facts would have come to wider light.Andre Odendaal, the Western Province chief executive; Krish Reddy, the cricket historian; and statistician Andrew Samson spent eight years researching and compiling a holistic history of cricket in the province. The result is 440 pages spanning over a century and recording the details of the 12 provincial boards, including the women’s union, that have existed in the area to date.Each of the boards has a brief introduction followed by a comprehensive list of cricketers who played under that administration and the results of matches. More than 500 players who were largely unknown before the book was written, and 250 matches that were never recorded, are listed, making this the most complete record of cricket in the province.Apart from Kwa-Zulu Natal, Western Province also has the most culturally diverse history of cricket, and the book aims to capture that diversity. Cricket played by people of all colours is documented – which Odendaal said he hopes will erase the notion of “us and them; that the history of cricket in South Africa is the possession of the old establishment”.Although the writing is sparse, it is hugely informative. The most telling is Odendaal’s foreword, “Saying yes to life”, which touches on the legacy of the three people he dedicated the book to: Nathaniel Umhalla, Krom Hendriks and Hasan Howa were leaders of the game among their people, and Odendaal has worked tirelessly for the recognition of the cricketing cultures they were part of.The 1300-word appetiser tantalises with the beginnings of rich, previously untold stories, but the format of the book does not allow for a main course. Instead, overviews of each period, all written by Odendaal, provide bite-sized chunks of a sporting history that could well be a seven-course meal and more.The focus is on facts and stats, two things cricket lovers treasure. They will feast on the numbers here. Western Province’s various bodies have won 123 titles between them in their 121-year existence; and 217 players from there have earned national caps.Lists, many and meticulous, decorate the pages. They contain the names of players who represented the province in any capacity, officially and unofficially. Some will be familiar, such as Hylton Ackerman and Peter Kirsten. Some will ring a bell, like Vincent Barnes and Faiek Davids. And others, like Ben Malamba, regarded as the most talented black African cricketer of his day, will likely never have been heard of outside South Africa.Odendaal confirmed that the lists are incomplete, and that there are players and matches that have not been accounted for, but the book provides a solid foundation for a knowledge base that can be added to in future.The visual element of the book is equally eye-catching. From the gazette notice of the first recorded cricket match in South Africa, played in Cape Town in 1808, to newspaper clippings through the years and photographs of teams from across the racial divide provides the full palette of the history of the game.As a reference book, this one is unmatched in its genre and will serve as the authority on the history of cricket in the Cape.The Blue Book: A History of Western Province Cricket 1890-2011
Andre Odendaal, Krish Reddy and Andrew Samson
Jacana Media

Kumar Sangakkara’s nine-hour innings ended with him being stranded on 199. He was angry then, but cooled off soon enough

Kanishkaa Balachandran in Galle23-Jun-2012Kumar Sangakkara refused to articulate what had gone through his mind as he stormed back to the pavilion. “I don’t think I can tell you,” he said, and burst out laughing. He had had enough time to cool off and gather his thoughts by the time he was asked to relive his 562-minute innings.He wasn’t laughing, though, when he watched Sri Lanka’s No. 11, Nuwan Pradeep, get bowled by Mohammad Hafeez’s offbreak. Sangakkara had become only the second batsman, after Andy Flower, to get stranded on 199 in Tests. Cricket, being such a numbers obsessed game, will probably remember his innings for the one run he didn’t get, rather than the labour behind the 199 achieved in just under two days in sultry Galle.At one stage, the scoreboard had indicated Sangakkara was one big hit away from 200. He obliged with a massive slog off Saeed Ajmal over deep midwicket and celebrated, only to be told he was actually one short. That scoreboard error, which had him on 194 instead of 193, fooled nearly everyone at the ground. Sangakkara’s team-mates in the dressing room gesticulated wildly, suggesting his celebrations were premature, and he needed a few seconds for the embarrassment to settle.Sangakkara had an opportunity to take the single off the last ball of the same over, but ended up pushing too hard to the cover fielder, thus exposing Pradeep in the following over. He admitted his adrenalin levels had dropped.With wickets falling at the other end before tea, Sangakkara had had to farm the strike. The fielders were placed deep, so it was always going to be a slow graft in the energy-sapping heat. He didn’t have much confidence in Rangana Herath and hence had to choose his singles wisely. When push came to shove, Sangakkara punched hard wide of long-off and rushed Herath for the second run. Umar Gul’s throw to the bowler’s end was too quick and accurate for Herath to make his ground. With only Pradeep for company, Sangakkara charged Hafeez but miscued the loft, only to be dropped by the bowler himself.Sangakkara said there was no point beating himself up for what had happened. “I was thinking about getting as close as possible [to 200] so if I’m a shot away, I’ll take that shot on,” he said. “It was a case of trying to farm the strike with the tailenders, with the hope that we could get to a total of 500. I don’t usually count until I’m six or seven short of where I want to be.”The scoreboard showed 194 and so did the screen, so what can you do, that’s life. It [the scorecard error] was an honest mistake. You’ve got to learn to live with disappointments. I’d rather be on 199 than 1 or 2 or 0.”There were references to his heroic 192 against Australia in Hobart, where he was denied a double-century due to an umpiring error, for which Rudi Koertzen apologised later. Sangakkara said experience had taught him to deal with such setbacks.”You need to be on your own for five minutes, take a few deep breaths, calm yourself,” he said. “It’s strange how you change as a player. When you’re young, you’re angry and you throw the bat in the dressing room. Now, when you go back and take a breather, you realise there are bigger things than getting out or not out on 199. As long as you put everything in perspective, you’ll be fine. You just have to stay calm.”It’s also my dad’s birthday today, and he’s been coaching me since I was 14 so I might not have to buy him a gift.”There was plenty to be satisfied about. During his unbeaten 199, Sangakkara became the quickest to 2000 Test runs against a single opponent, reaching the milestone in 26 innings. He was faster than Sunil Gavaskar (28 innings v West Indies), Brian Lara (28 v England) and Don Bradman (29 v England).Sangakkara has been Pakistan’s nemesis from the first time he took guard against them in Lahore, during the Asian Test Championship final in 2002. His 230 set up Sri Lanka’s win. His other massive scores against Pakistan include a 185 in Colombo in 2006 and 211 in Abu Dhabi last year.He rates his Lahore knock his best. “That attack on a greener Lahore pitch was definitely better than this as I played against Shoaib [Akhtar], [Mohammad] Sami, [Abdul] Razzaq and Waqar [Younis]. That always sticks in my memory as my best against Pakistan.”

Andrew Strauss wasn’t the best batsman to play 100 Tests, but he was one of the most successful England captains, and a pretty good ODI batsman too

S Rajesh29-Aug-2012Andrew Strauss finished his career with exactly 100 Tests, but the ones in which he made the most impact were the 50 in which he captained. His overall average in the Tests in which he led was almost as much as those in which he didn’t – 40.76 as captain, and 41.04 as non-captain.As captain, though, he achieved some outstanding results, especially in home matches. Not surprisingly, most of the tributes had plenty to say about his leadership and man-management skills. Hugh Morris, England’s managing director, said Strauss’ time at the top would be cherished for his “remarkable leadership and direction”. David Collier, the ECB chief executive, said Strauss will be remembered “for leading the side to two Ashes victories and to the top of the Test rankings. He has shown tremendous integrity, dedication and commitment both on and off the field and under his leadership the side has grown immeasurably. His legacy within the game will be felt for many years to come and we now need to continue to build on the progress we have made under his leadership.”Let’s leave aside the intangibles and focus on the results. In 50 Tests that Strauss led, England won 24 and lost 11, which is a win-loss ratio of 2.18. Among captains who’ve led in at least 40 Tests, only six have a better ratio, including Michael Vaughan, whom Strauss replaced. In fact, the captaincy stats are remarkably similar for the two: Vaughan captained in one more Test, and won two more, for a marginally better win-loss ratio.

Captains with best win-loss ratios (Qual: 40 Tests)

CaptainTestsW/LRatioWin %Steve Waugh5741/ 94.5571.92Viv Richards5027/ 83.3754.00Ricky Ponting7748/ 163.0062.33Clive Lloyd7436/ 123.0048.64Hansie Cronje5327/ 112.4550.94Michael Vaughan5126/112.3650.98Andrew Strauss50#24/ 112.1848.00Mark Taylor5026/ 132.0052.00Peter May4120/ 102.0048.78Imran Khan4814/ 81.7529.16Graeme Smith9444/ 261.6946.80Among England captains, only Michael Atherton and Vaughan led the team in more Tests. Had Strauss led in India, he would have equalled Atherton’s mark of 54 Tests as captain, the record for England. Atherton led 54 times, mostly in the 1990s, but it was a tough period for English cricket – with Australia, South Africa, Pakistan and even West Indies in pretty good shape, England struggled for victories during that period, winning only 13 against 21 defeats.

England captains who led the team in the most Tests

CaptainTestsW/ LDrawW/L ratioMichael Atherton5413/ 21200.61Michael Vaughan5126/ 11142.36Andrew Strauss5024/11152.18Nasser Hussain4517/ 15131.13Peter May4120/ 10112.00The achievement that Strauss will perhaps be remembered for the most is the two series victories against Australia. In ten Tests against them under Strauss’ leadership, England won five and lost two, which is the best win-loss ratio any England captain has had against Australia since Mike Brearley’s 11-4 record in 18 Tests between 1977 and 1981. Since then, most England captains have lost more than they’ve won against Australia, with the only exceptions being Mike Gatting and Vaughan (2-1 records for both). David Gower had a 3-5 record, Graham Gooch was 0-5 down, Atherton 4-9, Nasser Hussain 2-6, and Andrew Flintoff a miserable 0-5 in five Tests.Under Strauss, England had a winning ratio against all teams except South Africa, against whom he had a 1-3 record. The two previous long-term England captains struggled against South Africa too – Hussain had a 1-2 record, while Vaughan was 4-5. The captaincy terms for both of them also ended during or just after a home series against South Africa.

England captains with highest success rate in Tests against Australia (Qual: 10 Tests)

CaptainTestsW/ LDrawRatioLen Hutton104/ 154.00Mike Brearley1811/ 432.75WG Grace138/ 322.67Andrew Strauss105/ 232.50Ray Illingworth114/ 252.00Since Hussain took over captaincy in 1999, England have three captains who’ve led in more than 40 Tests. The table below compares their captaincy numbers both home and away. Strauss’ stats at home stand out – he had a 19-4 win-loss record, which was 19-2 before South Africa came along this summer (and that makes their 2-0 series win even more impressive). However, Strauss’ away results aren’t so emphatic, with series defeats in the West Indies and the UAE against Pakistan, and draws in South Africa and Sri Lanka. The one top-notch result was in Australia.England’s overseas results were better under Vaughan, but then he didn’t lead the team in Australia or in India, two countries which are among the most difficult for touring teams. He did achieve a series win in South Africa, though, and a 3-0 rout in the West Indies. Hussain’s highlights were the series wins in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, feats that neither of the other two captains managed.

Comparing the captaincy records of Hussain, Vaughan and Strauss

OpponentHussain (H)-W/LAway-W/LVaughan (H)-W/LAway-W/LStrauss (H)-W/LAway-W/LAustralia1/ 21/ 42/ 1-2/ 13/ 1Bangladesh–2/ 02/ 02/ 0-India1/ 10/ 10/ 1-4/ 0-New Zealand1/ 21/ 14/ 02/ 1–Pakistan1/ 01/ 0-0/ 16/ 10/ 3South Africa0/ 01/ 22/ 42/ 10/ 21/ 1Sri Lanka2/ 02/ 1-0/ 21/ 01/ 1West Indies2/ 1-7/ 03/ 04/ 00/ 1Zimbabwe3/ 0—–Total11/ 66/ 917/ 69/ 519/ 45/ 7Strauss in ODIsStrauss’ Test career was the more impressive, but he didn’t do badly in ODIs either, especially when compared with other England batsmen. Only four England batsmen scored more ODI runs than he did, while his average (35.63) and strike rate (80.94) were pretty good too.

Highest run-scorers in ODIs for England

BatsmanODIsRunsAverageStrike rate100s/ 50sPaul Collingwood197509235.3676.985/ 26Alec Stewart170467731.6068.364/ 28Marcus Trescothick123433537.3785.2112/ 21Graham Gooch125429036.9861.888/ 23Andrew Strauss127420535.6380.946/ 27Kevin Pietersen125416642.5186.909/ 23Allan Lamb122401039.3175.544/ 26And if someone were to pop up this trivia question – ‘Who’s the only England batsman to make three 150-plus scores in ODIs’ – the answer to that would be Strauss. In fact, only two other England batsmen – David Gower and Robin Smith – have ever made more than 150 in an ODI, and both have done it just once.Strauss’ sedate batting style would have made him an unlikely candidate to make so many 150-plus scores, but he has managed to convert 50% of his centuries into 150-plus scores. Two of those have been against Bangladesh, but his highest ODI innings came – quite fittingly – in a more memorable and high-profile match: against India in the 2011 World Cup, chasing a mammoth 339 for victory, Strauss scored a stunning 158 as England levelled India’s total.Strauss is in fact a member of a select band of six batsmen who’ve made three of more 150-plus scores. Only two batsmen – Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya – have made more than three, while the others he’s tied with are all legends of ODI cricket: Chris Gayle, Brian Lara and Viv Richards.Strauss’ highest ODI score came in a run-chase, and his overall numbers were much better too when batting second: he scored 2243 runs in chases at 40.78, and a strike rate of 84.35. Among England batsmen, only Marcus Trescothick has scored 2000-plus ODI runs at a higher average.And while his Test stats didn’t change much with captaincy, his ODI batting definitely improved after he became captain: he averaged 39.45 at a strike rate of 86.54 in the 62 matches in which he led; in 65 when he didn’t his average dropped to 31.68, at a strike rate of 74.71. (Click here for Strauss’ career summary in ODIs.) As captain, Strauss’ ODI numbers are better than most England captains: he has scored more runs than anyone else, and at a much better average than Hussain, Vaughan, Atherton and Gooch, the next four in the aggregate list among England captains.# 07:30 GMT, Aug 30: Changed from 49 to 50

Angelo Mathews is the man Sri Lanka turn to when they need a finisher in a chase. He talks about the pressure of the role, his Test form, and captaincy ambitions

Interview by Damith Samarakoon29-Aug-2012You often mentioned at the start of your career that you want to be a genuine allrounder. Now that you are a few years in, do you feel that you are? Do you see yourself as a batsman who bowls or a bowler who bats?
Right now, I see myself as more of a batting allrounder. I’d like to improve my bowling a little bit more. But in the recent past, I think I’ve been bowling pretty well. But that’s certainly an area I need to work on. Overall, I feel like I’m doing all right in both departments. Having said that, I still have a long way to go and there is still a lot to learn.You mentioned you want to improve your bowling, but there is some thought that you should be bowling less, taking into consideration the injury concerns you’ve had in recent times.
Bowlers do tend to get injured more often but that’s part of the game. And just because I’ve been injured a few times I’m not willing to give up my bowling. I want to keep bowling for as long as possible. It’s all about balancing and trying to manage your workload. I’ve been playing in all three formats and it’s very demanding as an allrounder to cope with that pressure and workload. Mahela [Jayawardene], the management and the selectors are very understanding. When you play a long season you tend to get these niggles and wear and tear. They understand that. I usually talk to Mahela regarding the workload but it goes both ways. It’s hard for a captain to reserve your bowlers, but he understands how to use me.As an allrounder are there any players who you admire or have tried model yourself on?
Garry Sobers is someone I’ve always looked at as the pinnacle. He is the best allrounder and someone I would like to emulate. Obviously, no one can match up to Sobers but he is someone I look at as the ideal. Apart from him, Jacques Kallis and Andrew Flintoff are two players I looked up to when I was growing up.You’ve also worked with Chaminda Vaas in the past. What did you learn from him?
When I was in school he used to come around and help out with the players, and I worked with him then. I also played a couple of seasons of club cricket with him and got to learn a few things from him there. Vaasy always wants to see the younger cricketers do well so he loves to help out when he can. Whenever I’ve had any questions or want to learn something he’s been around to help out.Who would you say has had the most impact on your career from a technical and mental point of view since you broke into the national side?
From the mental side of things, my father and my brother have been a great source of strength. They always back me in whatever I do. They watch all my games and are not afraid to tell me when I’ve done something wrong or point out areas which I can improve on.From a cricketing point of view, I talk to Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. They’ve been around for more than a decade now and know what it’s all about. Early in my career, at the Under-19 level, our coach Chandika Hathurusinghe was a great influence on me. And presently, our batting coach Marvan Atappattu and the rest of the coaching staff have been very supportive.Why do you think it took so long for you to get your first Test hundred?
I actually got a 99 in my second series and was unfortunately run out against India. It took me a while to get over that and to reach that landmark. Maybe it shouldn’t have taken that long but Test cricket tests your abilities. I think I’ve learned my game now and know what I need to do to get a hundred. It’s a huge learning curve when playing Test cricket for your country. You can’t just turn up and do well.That innings came under some scrutiny in the media as a “selfish” innings because you batted slowly instead of going for runs to set up the game for the team. What is your reaction to that?
It was a slower innings than how I usually play, but then again it was a Test match and I was batting with the tail. And in the couple of innings before in the series, when the tail was in, they were shot out pretty quickly. I wanted to make sure they didn’t get out quickly and that they played only a limited amount of balls. People are always going to have different opinions and you can’t always play to please everyone. You need to understand that it is a game and the team has its own goals. Whatever anyone has to say, you have to try and ignore and move on.Are you concerned about struggling to put up consistent scores in Tests?
I think I’ve scored a half-century in most of the games I’ve played over the last year. But one thing I do struggle with is with converting those fifties into hundreds. That has to do with the position I bat at, the fact that most of the time I bat with the tail, and the difficult situations I face in those positions. I need to learn how to convert those starts into bigger scores. And that applies to the one-day format as well. Usually, when I go in to bat there are only a few overs left and most of the time I bat in different positions. It’s not an excuse, but the situations are always different and very demanding. It’s not always easy.There is some thought about you moving up the order, especially in Tests. Is that something you want and do you think you are ready for that challenge?
Definitely. I am happy to move up the order because I think I will be able to offer more for the team. I know I can bat according to the situation, but right now the team needs me at No. 6 to finish off an innings and the team always comes first. With an average of 69, it’s fair to say you have struggled with the ball in Tests. What’s going wrong?
As far as Test matches are concerned I’m not considered a strike bowler. I’ve always been a line-and-length bowler, even in one-dayers. My job is to try to keep things tight. If I get a couple of wickets then that is always going to be a bonus. But like I said before, in Test matches you have to learn a lot and it’s still the early stages of my career. But I definitely need to improve on my bowling in that format. Also, I haven’t bowled a lot in Test matches because of some of the injuries I’ve had. I think I’ve only bowled in maybe ten or 15 games out of the 26 I’ve played. I’m working on a few things with our bowling coach Champaka Ramanayeke, but yes, there is a lot of room for improvement.You are now seen as playing the finisher’s role in ODIs. Is that something you set out to be when you started in the team or just sort of stumbled into it?
It started when I was the captain of the U-19 side, batting around No. 4 or 5. I always try to give myself a chance to bat till the end because I know I can catch up later on. I know how to approach the game from that position and go about finishing off an innings.

“As far as Test matches are concerned I’m not considered a strike bowler. I’ve always been a line-and-length bowler, even in one-dayers. My job is to try to keep things tight. If I get a couple of wickets then that is always going to be a bonus”

You’ve played some amazing innings for Sri Lanka in that role in the past but there are some critics who think you don’t take the side home enough times or that you’ve not been able to help set up games batting first.
I think that is a little unfair, because as far as my role is concerned it’s always about assessing different opposition and situations when I go out to bat. And having to do that it in a very short amount of time is not always easy. I reckon that Nos. 5, 6 and 7 have the hardest job in the team, because finishing off a game or setting up a game from that position is difficult. But now we have guys like Jeewan Mendis and Thisara Perera stepping up, so it’s great to be able to play with them to share some of that responsibility.Do you feel added pressure when you come out to bat because of the expectations?
Not really, because whatever the fans expect or the team expects, I try to give myself the best chance. At the end of the day, this is a sport and you can get out. But most of the time I back myself and I know I can do well if I stay till the end. I don’t try to think a lot when I am out there batting. I just try to be myself, be positive and take things to the end.At the MCG in 2010, at 107 for 8, chasing 240, had you given up?
We never thought we’d win from that stage on. But we took the Powerplay and wanted to see how it would go and have a bit of fun. When we got to around 190-200, that’s when we actually thought we could do it. [Lasith] Malinga at the other end was hitting the ball awesomely. But, until we got to around 190, I never thought we could win. But we didn’t give up hope.In situations like that and Perth in 2012, how do you approach your batting and handle that pressure?
At the start I usually like to get the feel of the wicket and the situation. I don’t mind playing out a few dot balls because I back myself to catch up later on. And I try to target specific bowlers as well because you can’t go after all of them. You need to be calculated in who you target and when you attack. You also need to try to get the best out of your batting partner. I do get a bit nervous at the start but you always try to keep calm because you know what you can do. It’s all about self-belief, I guess.Tell us about your experiences captaining some of the youth sides of Sri Lanka.
I’ve been captain of the U-15, U-17 and U-19 sides, and it was a great experience for me. It was in those age levels I learned the importance of batting till the end of an innings, particularly being captain of the side. It was a fun and exciting time. It was, of course, a lot of responsibility. I learned how to manage players and how to get the best out of your team-mates.You are often touted as the next Sri Lankan captain. If Mahela Jayawardene steps down after a year as he said he would, do you think you are ready to take on the job?
I’ve captained the Sri Lankan side recently in a one-day match and also in a T20 match and I’m also leading the Nagenahira side in the SLPL so I do have a bit of experience in leading major sides. But the team had a rough patch at the end of last year for about six months, and Mahela was to take over for a while to just steady the ship. Which, of course, worked well, because he knows what he is doing and knows how to get things done. He is a great captain. I think if he can continue, not just for a year, even five years, then he should be the guy to do that. Being his deputy is another great experience for me. It’s a case of waiting and seeing how things go, but I’m really not expecting anything to change in the immediate future.What would Mathews the captain bring to the table?
I have my own way of doing things but the team is also very professional so I don’t think it will be a very difficult job. It’s all about trying to get the best out of the players. They handle themselves very professionally, so hopefully that will make my task a lot easier whenever the time comes.You started your career under Sangakkara, then Dilshan and now under Mahela. What have you learnt from each of them?
They are different in their approach to the game and their thinking but they were all good captains. Each of them knew how to get things done from the players and motivate them. I learned a lot about how they strategise, how they handle the players and their decision-making processes. All three have done great service to the country, so I took it as an opportunity to look up to them and learn as much as possible.What impact has Twenty20 cricket had on you as a player?
I guess the main thing has been the pace it has added to cricket – not just in Twenty20 cricket, but also in the ODI and Test formats. You now see a lot of very high scores in ODIs as well. I think that is because batsmen are more open to taking chances throughout an innings. Maybe before T20, batsmen might have been thinking twice before going for a big shot but now they aren’t afraid to do that. So cricket is improving and it’s becoming faster. Teams and players are thinking in advance and tend to anticipate things more. Cricket has gotten more exciting because of it.Sri Lanka are coming off a very long season. You’ve been a part of the IPL, you are now a part of the SLPL. How do you find the motivation?
It all comes down to the passion I have for the game, which is immense. Of course, it is demanding and we’ve had a very hectic schedule for the past one and half years and will for the next year or two as well. And that’s when the team management and management of your workload come into play. Especially, when you play as an allrounder you need to be a lot fitter than the others. I spend a lot of time in the gym so I don’t have a problem with all the cricket that is being played, but getting adequate rest is also important. It’s about finding the right balance.What it’s like to lead a group of individuals who come from all sorts of backgrounds, as captain of the Nagenahira Nagas?
It’s not easy because we all come from different cultures and backgrounds, but the boys have been nice and are looking to have a bit of fun. The team has played with a lot of freedom and the results speak for themselves. We’ve won all the matches we’ve played so far. All the guys are playing to their potential. We don’t have many big names in the side as the other teams but the team has gelled together well. The unity is pretty good and we are all enjoying each other’s company.How do you view the SLPL benefiting Sri Lanka?
I think the SLPL is a great opportunity for the future of Sri Lankan cricket, especially for the local players who are now getting a lot of experience and exposure. They get to share a dressing room with the cream of the intentional players as well the country’s national players. Facing up to international bowlers, bowling to international batsmen, it’s an experience they otherwise wouldn’t have gotten. We’ve never had a domestic structure at a provincial level so it’s great to see this tournament being put together to make a provincial cricket structure come true.”Mahela is a great captain. I think if he can continue, not just for a year, even five years, then he should be the guy to do that”•AFPIt’s been a difficult time since the World Cup off the field – issues with pay, board politics. Was that a big distraction for you as a player?
It can be, but we are all professional players and we know that cricket is our where our earnings come from. Everything has been sorted now. The cricket board went through some difficulties but the players were very supportive of that. There were never any thoughts of striking or anything like that. As players we love our country and we love the sport so we are always ready to make the sacrifice when needed to keep things moving forward.What was it like to miss the World Cup final through injury?
I can safely say that was the worst day of my life. When I got injured in the semi-final I immediately knew that it was pretty bad. I tried to do the best I could to get back in to fitness with the help of Dr Young, but to be honest, with only a couple of days to go there was no chance of a tear like that healing in time. It was very disappointing. It was one of my dreams to play in a World Cup final and win it for my country, but unfortunately that just didn’t work out. Sitting on the sidelines you feel helpless because you want to do something to help your team. We got a pretty good score on that day and we got a couple of wickets early as well, but the wicket was very good to bat on. The guys played brilliantly and did their best. I can’t say that if I had played that I could have made a difference because the rest of the team did incredibly well. It was just a matter of India being better on the day.

Moises Henriques is seeking to build on a rapid start to 2012-13, having been named the Australian Cricketers Association’s Player of the Month for October

Brydon Coverdale29-Nov-2012Moises Henriques hopes his maiden first-class century won’t be the high point of his season, setting his sights on a full summer without injury and delivering more victories for New South Wales along the way.Henriques has been named the Australian Cricketers Association’s Player of the Month for October, after starting the summer with 78 against Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield match in Perth, followed by an unbeaten 161 against Tasmania.The hundred had been a long time coming for Henriques, who was considered a future Test prospect when he made his first-class debut at the age of 19 in 2006-07. Along the way, Henriques has delivered some fine performances for his state and earned a call-up to Australia’s Twenty20 and one-day international squads in 2009, but a first-class century could become the breakout moment for Henriques, who is now 25.”I always felt it wasn’t far away,” Henriques told ESPNcricinfo of his hundred. “It was good just to get that one under the belt and be able to relax a little bit more now when I sleep at night instead of wondering when that first big one is coming. I always knew it wasn’t going to be far away but it’s very good to get it over and done with early in the season. It is just the start of the season and it’s important to continue on for the full duration now.”The main thing Henriques hopes to achieve this summer is to stay fit. Henriques is in his seventh season of Shield cricket but this week was playing only his 28th Shield match. As Shane Watson has known for a decade and Mitchell Marsh is rapidly discovering, one of the greatest challenges faced by the allrounder is managing the demands on the body.”Last season I tore my side twice, and before the season I had both my groins operated on,” Henriques said. “I’ve had hamstring problems in the past. It’s been a combination of things. So far this season it’s been good and I haven’t missed a game yet. Fingers crossed, that’s the way it keeps coming.”The more cricket you play, I’m hoping that the more your full-grown body gets used to it and starts accepting what you’re doing. That’s what I’m hoping for. All I can do is keep preparing as well as I can for every game. If anything happens during the game with injuries it’s almost out of my control. All I can control is how I prepare and recover.”All the same, the tendency of allrounders to suffer injuries could also work in Henriques’ favour. Watson missed the first two Tests against South Africa with a calf injury having also sat out of the entire home Test summer, Marsh is out for the season with a serious hamstring tear, and Andrew McDonald is also unlikely to play again this summer due to a hamstring injury.Should Henriques find himself fit and in form at the right time, Test cricket could become a realistic possibility. But to realise that goal, he knows he’ll need more than one or two eye-catching performances.”That’s everyone’s dream is to play Test cricket for Australia,” he said. “My first and short-term goals are to win games for New South Wales and to hopefully stay on the park for a full season and win a couple of tournaments. After that, by showing as an individual that you can win games for your team and help your team have a successful season, that’s how I see myself getting selected.”As an allrounder, those strong performances could come with either bat or ball. During a stint with Glamorgan this year, Henriques found life difficult with the bat – his best score in four first-class games was 16 – but the upside was that the conditions helped his bowling, and he picked up 13 wickets at 22.23.”That’s the beauty of being an allrounder – if it’s not suiting your batting it’s more than likely going to be suiting your bowling,” Henriques said. “I concentrate on both just as much as each other. I did bowl a lot in the pre-season because I have had a few injuries in the past and I wanted to build a bit of resilience into the body and make sure I kept bowling and bowling. I do give equal time and effort to both.”During the Player of the Month voting period, Henriques made 289 Shield runs and was dismissed only once, and he also collected seven wickets at15.29, as well as making 78 in his only Ryobi Cup appearance. He finished with 31% of the votes, ahead of Ricky Ponting on 29.3% and Phillip Hughes on 17.2%.