Ross Taylor is confident New Zealand will carry on their good form against Pakistan

Abhishek Purohit in Pallekele22-Sep-2012Ross Taylor sat patiently in the back row of seats in the media briefing room at the Pallekele stadium, waiting for Mushfiqur Rahim and Brendon McCullum to finish the post-match press conference of the Bangladesh-New Zealand game. When Taylor’s turn to speak finally came, there were exactly two journalists left waiting to hear from the New Zealand captain ahead of the match against Pakistan, after the others had departed en masse. None of the two was from New Zealand. They aren’t an immensely followed side.That doesn’t stop them from making a mockery of predictions, especially in global events. One of them was that New Zealand would struggle against Bangladesh’s left-arm spinners. A McCullum century later, the focus had shifted to how New Zealand would combat the Pakistan spinners, who bring a lot more variety with them in the form of Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Hafeez.Taylor said New Zealand had the advantage of having already played on the Pallekele pitch, which hadn’t exactly helped spin. “Hafeez and Ajmal have got very good records in the last 12-18 months,” Taylor said. “We have had an insight into the wicket and how it has played at different times. And the confidence from the way we played [against Bangladesh], we’ll hopefully take into that. We prepared really well for the Bangladesh game and I’m sure we’ll do the same against Pakistan.”Taylor was asked whether Pallekele, with its high altitude and largely cloudy climate, was better suited to New Zealand compared to the two subcontinent teams in their group. “I’m not sure,” Taylor said. “It didn’t spin as much as we thought it might. When you play a second time on it, it could probably spin a little bit more. We’ll have to wait and see.”Pakistan will be a much harder side to tackle compared to Bangladesh, according to Taylor. The last time these two sides met was also in Pallekele, during the 2011 World Cup, when Taylor heaved six after six into the grass banks beyond deep midwicket in a counter-attacking century after being let off twice by Kamran Akmal early.”Pakistan are a lot more experienced than Bangladesh. They’ve played very well in the last 12-18 months. They’ve got world-class players throughout their team. There are some areas we still need to work on from this match and hopefully we can improve on them come next match. I think there will be a few changes in a few areas as we are coming up against a different side.”One of those changes could be at the top of the order. While James Franklin was involved in a big partnership with McCullum, he wasn’t able to attack the bowling consistently. Taylor credited Franklin for batting sensibly, but was non-committal over whether the allrounder would open against Pakistan.”When you are sent up the order, I think you can go a bit too hard at times. I think he [Franklin] gave himself time. He is at his best when he gives himself a few balls and punches the loose balls and attack when you’re needed to. On his day, James can be the attacking one as well. You have got to be flexible and know your role in the team. Will he still open in the next game? We are not sure.”

John Inverarity, Australia’s national selector, has admitted the Champions League T20 is hindering preparations for the first Test against South Africa next month

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Oct-2012John Inverarity, Australia’s national selector, has admitted the Champions League T20 is hindering preparations for the first Test against South Africa next month.A large group of key players – Shane Watson, David Warner, Mike Hussey, Ben Hilfenhaus, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Brad Haddin – are taking part in the CLT20 and it means those players will only have one Sheffield Shield match before the first Test.”It is anything but an ideal preparation,” Inverarity told . “You just have to do your best but having the Champions League where it is now is not in the best interests of good preparation for the first Test.”Although Australia’s top six is fairly stable after the tour of West Indies earlier this year, and is unlikely to change for the start of the South Africa series, the selectors are still trying to decide their best combination of fast bowlers. This is where the Champions League is adding to their problems by restricting the amount of red-ball cricket for Starc, Hilfenhaus and Cummins.Cummins is unlikely to feature before the third Test, at Perth, due to his lack of first-class cricket over the last year and worries about him breaking down. “For some time you will not see him play three Tests in a row,” Inverarity added.At this stage Peter Siddle, who is currently playing Shield cricket for Victoria, is the only nailed on member of the bowling attack although is expected to be joined by Hilfenhaus and Nathan Lyon, despite the offspinner’s tough start to the season for South Australia, which leaves Starc and James Pattinson vying for the third fast bowler’s spot.Pattinson took 6 for 32 in the recent Shield match against Queensland but Starc also has strong form behind him after a productive time with Yorkshire during the English season and an impressive World Twenty20 where he claimed 10 wickets at six matches.Inverarity said: “He’s been terrific. There is an advantage if you pick your best left-armer.”The other spot that needs to be decided on is who takes the wicketkeeper’s gloves. Matthew Wade is the man in possession, after playing against West Indies earlier this year after being called up to replace Haddin who had to return home, and hit a maiden Test hundred in the final match of the series in Dominica.However, Haddin started the season with 114 against Tasmania to put his name back in the frame. “We will be talking together on the wicketkeeping next week and that is one of the things we will be discussing,” Inverarity said.

Steven Finn will remain with the England squad and could be set to feature in the third Test against India after coming through unscathed in the England Performance Programme team’s match against Dr DY Patil Sports Academy

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Nov-2012Steven Finn will remain with the England squad and could be set to feature in the third Test against India after coming through unscathed in the England Performance Programme team’s match against Dr DY Patil Sports Academy. Finn will travel to Kolkata with the rest of the Test squad on Friday, meaning Stuart Meaker returns to the EPP party.Although Finn went wicketless from seven overs during the innings victory, he bowled with good pace and reported no discomfort. It had been expected that he would be sent home should any doubts about his fitness remain but he is now in contention to replace Stuart Broad for the Kolkata Test.Finn missed the first two Tests of the series after injuring his thigh during England’s opening warm-up match against India A. He subsequently aggravated the problem and had only bowled four overs on tour before being included in the EPP side. In the first innings he claimed 4 for 50 and his extra pace, carry and bounce could give England’s attack a different dimension on sluggish surfaces.Broad, who remains the fast bowler with the most Test wickets in 2012, has not added to his tally in two appearances against India and suffered from illness in the build-up to the Mumbai Test, which England won by ten wickets to square the four-Test series. Since July, Broad has taken 11 Test wickets at 54.00 and England bowling coach, David Saker, recently admitted that his performance in Mumbai “wasn’t up to scratch”.In the EPP match, Durham legspinner Scott Borthwick took six wickets on the final day, as the hosts were bowled out for just 87. Meaker, who was called up as cover for Finn at the start of November, again impressed by taking 3 for 8 in the innings-and-193-run win.Ian Bell will rejoin the squad in Kolkata, having returned to England on paternity leave, while James Tredwell has been added as cover for the senior spinners, Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann.

Nottinghamshire have told three of their England players – Michael Lumb, Alex Hales and Samit Patel – that they will not be able to pursue interest in taking part in the IPL next year

Andrew McGlashan21-Dec-2012Nottinghamshire have told three of their England players – Michael Lumb, Alex Hales and Samit Patel – that they will not be able to pursue interest in taking part in the IPL next year.The trio, who are all part of England’s current Twenty20 squad in India, had been keen to try and secure deals in the tournament which runs in April and May, therefore clashing with the start of the English domestic season. Of the three only Lumb has previous IPL experience with Rajasthan Royals and Deccan Chargers.It is by no means certain that any of them would have been picked up for the IPL although Hales has consolidated his England place this year with consistent scoring including a 26-ball fifty in the first T20 against India in Pune. On Thursday Hales was bought in the BPL auction, from which Lumb withdrew his name.Mick Newell, Nottinghamshire’s director of cricket, said: “We were very clear that we expected all of our players to be available to us as we would be severely weakened if we were to lose them for that period of time at that stage of the season.”The players asked me to consider releasing them to enable them to take part in the IPL but they are key members of the squad and I explained that we wouldn’t be able to allow them to take part.”Nottinghamshire’s stance continues the uneasy relationship between English cricket and the IPL. Although the county game has not seen an early-season mass exodus to India, it will be interesting to watch whether other counties take a lead from Nottinghamshire to try and protect their own interests instead of losing key players.Players fortunate enough to secure deals are understandably keen to take them up, but they can leave significant holes in the counties for the first six weeks of the season. Essex have previously had to cover for the absence of Owais Shah and Durham for Paul Collingwood.The tournament has also meant weakened international sides arriving for tours and players arriving at the last minute before a Test series. That is likely to happen again next season with New Zealand’s two-Test series clashing with the IPL.Nottinghamshire’s centrally contracted England players, Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad, would have their participation in any IPL deals that were offered decided by the ECB. Current central contracts have clauses allowing players a window to appear at the tournament, although last year that only impacted Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan, subject to any fitness issues.Earlier this week MS Dhoni suggested that as England’s leading players are not available for the entire event it will make it difficult for them to earn deals with franchises.

Centuries from Aditya Tare and Ajit Agarkar helped Mumbai take a large, confident step towards a sizeable first-innings total in their Ranji Trophy semi-final against Services.

Sharda Ugra in Delhi17-Jan-2013
ScorecardFile photo: Ajit Agarkar scored his first Ranji century in three years•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Centuries from Aditya Tare and Ajit Agarkar helped Mumbai take a large, confident step towards a sizeable first-innings total in their Ranji Trophy semi-final against Services. On a slow, sluggish day of cricket, interrupted by bad light and a spot of rain, Mumbai had reached 380 for 6 when play was suspended as the light worsened.Tare was batting on 108, his second century for Mumbai this season, while Agarkar’s 113 not out was his first Ranji century since the 2009-2010 season against Himachal Pradesh.The unbroken 211-run seventh-wicket partnership between Tare and Agarkar has given Mumbai an iron-fisted control of the semi-final and Services all the grief they would not have wanted after a promising first day. They lost their strike bowler and leading wicket-taker of the season, Suraj Yadav, who had to go off the field due to a twisted ankle after bowling four overs in the morning just shortly after the introduction of the new ball. Off the 65 overs of play that happened today, Mumbai scored 181 runs without losing a wicket.Tare’s was the slower of the two centuries, uncharacteristic when it comes to his batting, but typical of his performances for Mumbai this season. He has opened the batting in five matches, batted at No. 3 and 4, and No. 7 once, before being slotted into the conventional No. 6 slot meant for the wicketkeeper. The value of his contributions, said Agarkar, is what has enabled Mumbai to play five bowlers. Tare is better known for flamboyant shot-making but on Thursday, collected the runs with a quality well-known in the old Mumbai school of batting – accumulate when available, don’t throw your wicket away and don’t get ahead of yourself. Tare showed patience to wear down the bowlers, and did not try to force pace with dazzling but dangerous improvisation.Agarkar thinks Tare’s batting has been exceptional this season, and the performance in Palam, was a sign that he had “adapted to a demanding situation.” In keeping with his better-known side, he pulled out a reverse sweep against left-arm spinner Avishek Sinha to take Mumbai past 300, and got to his century by guiding a yorker-length ball from Nakul Verma to third man for four.At the other end Agarkar moved at a quicker clip, but played without risk, offering occasional entertainment with attractive strokes around the ground. Shadab Nazar was punched off the backfoot through covers, Nishan Singh was driven straight down the ground and the spinner Sinha punished similarly. This was his fourth first-class century and his second Ranji century for Mumbai. His first two first-class centuries have come in unusual surroundings – in Peshawar for India A on a 1997-98 tour and the second at a Lord’s Test for India in 2002 – before he scored two more for Mumbai. He was asked to name his favourite shot of the day among his fourteen boundaries at Palam and Agarkar said, dead-pan, “the single to get to a hundred.”Despite their sturdy performance in the field on day one, Services found the second line in their bowling attack significantly weaker from the discipline of their three medium-pacers. When they began to resort to part-time options as the long second session dragged on, Mumbai accelerated, scoring 23 in the last five overs before tea. In the final 15-over second session curtailed by bad light, Mumbai scored 59. Start of play was delayed by 45 minutes due to bad light, then truncated after 9.5 overs due to the combination of bad light and a light drizzle. The very long second session produced 97 off 40.1 overs.Mumbai now have the collective gleam in their eye: the wicket, Agarkar said, had required the batsmen to grind, slow but holding steady. “We’ve got enough batting to survive on a difficult wicket and surviving today was important. It’s a six day match and we want as many runs as we can get.”The Services camp will be nursing hurting calves and some pride this evening, but said they could only do the one thing they knew best: fight. “We’ve got this chance after so long, we won’t let it go.” While the weather and the wicket promise many a slow session of cricket, a tussle underneath the surface will always be on. It is what Ranji Trophy semi-finals should ideally be about.

Paul Stirling and Mominul Haque helped Sylhet Royals to a competitive score of 175 for 7 before their bowlers put in a spirited effort to secure a 33-run win against Barisal Burners in their first game.

Mohammad Isam18-Jan-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsPaul Stirling’s rapid fifty gave Sylhet Royals the start they needed•BCB

Paul Stirling and Mominul Haque helped Sylhet Royals to a competitive score of 175 for 7 before their bowlers put in a spirited effort to secure a 33-run win against Barisal Burners in their first game. It was an impressive start for the franchise that won just two games in the first edition of BPL.Put in to bat first, Sylhet began at a good pace but lost Hamilton Masakadza in the fourth over when left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam had him trapped lbw for 19. Thereafter, Stirling and Mominul added 51 quickly, using the pace of the ball on most occasions to find boundaries. Stirling cracked eight fours and a six in his 29-ball half-century, backing away whenever he sought a boundary, while Mominul showcased strength in hitting three fours and a six and supported the big-hitters at the other end well.But after the team had reached the hundred-run mark in the tenth over, the Sylhet batsmen lost their way. Kabir Ali and Alok Kapali took two wickets each, as Barisal restricted them to 175 but that total was still going to be a challenge for a team that has lost players like Kamran Akmal and Umar Gul in the mass Pakistani pull-out.Mohammad Nabi, the Afghanistan allrounder who was acquired by Sylhet after they lost two West Indies players (Andre Russell and Tino Best), took two early wickets with his flighty offspin before the rest of the slow bowlers took over. Sohag Gazi didn’t pick up a wicket but created enough pressure for the likes of Elton Chigumbura, Suhrawadi Shuvo and Bishawnath Halder to pick up cheap wickets. Ali was the only man to make some runs, hammering 50 off 21 balls with four huge sixes, before being stumped the off Shuvo. None of the other Barisal batsmen stayed at the crease long enough to have a serious go at the target.

A round-up of the Women’s World Cup warm-up matches played on January 29

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jan-2013Australia Women secured their second win in two days as they chased down the 223-run target set by India Women with five wicket in hands at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.Australia were 117 for 4 at one stage, but captain Jodie Fields scored a quick half-century and put up 39 with Lisa Sthalekar and 41 with Alyssa Healy to keep India’s bowlers at bay. Fields retired when 26 were needed off 15 overs and Healy scored quick runs to complete the chase. Amita Sharma got the wickets of the openers, but the rest of the bowling attack was taken for runs.India chose to bat and made a strong start getting to 100 for 1 in the 21st over. But they lost three wickets within the space of six balls – two to Sthalekar – to lose momentum. Important lower-order contributions by Reema Malhotra (35 off 63 balls) and Nagarajan Niranjana (35 off 26) helped India cross 200.In Cuttack, half-centuries by Nain Abidi and Bismah Maroof and stifling spells by the bowlers helped Pakistan Women annihilate Odisha XI by 95 runs. Pakistan were in a spot of bother at 7 for 2 after choosing to bat, but a 148-run stand between Abidi and Maroof lifted the team. Javeria Khan (33) and Qanita Jalil (25) were the other two main contributors, while the rest were out for single-digit scores. Sujata Mallik and Gangotra Behera shared three wickets each.Opener Madhusmita Behera responded with a slow half-century to take Odisha to 84 for 1 in the 31st over. But once Sana Mir struck twice in the same over, the rest of Odisha batting crumbled. Asmavia Iqbal returned with figures of 3 for 20 from her 10 overs as Odisha limped to 145 for 8 in their 50 overs.In a tight contest at the MIG ground in Mumbai, Sri Lanka Women edged out South Africa Women by two wickets in a low-scoring match. Chasing 165, Sri Lanka had collapsed to 66 for 6. But No. 8 Sripali Weerakkody, who scored an unbeaten fifty, first partnered Eshani Kaushalya (22) in a 40-run stand, then put up 41 with Chamani Seneviratna and finally shared an unbeaten 20-run stand for the ninth wicket to help Sri Lanka clinch a win.South Africa’s innings had followed a similar pattern earlier. Kaushalya struck thrice in the early overs as South Africa were reduced to 59 for 6. But a half-century by captain Mignon du Preez and her 72-run partnership with Dane van Niekerk (46) revived the team. Once du Preez was out in the 35th over, the rest folded and the team was all out for 164 in the 46th over.Danielle Hazell’s five-wicket haul went in vain as England Women lost to New Zealand Women by 13 runs in Mumbai.New Zealand, after being asked to bat, were in a position to put much more than the 223 they eventually got. They were 209 for 5 with five overs to come. But Hazell first removed the well-set Sara McGlashan (88 off 90 balls) and then ran through the tail as only 14 came off last five overs. McGlashan had helped revive the team from 117 for 5 with a 92-run stand with Nicola Browne (40).England stumbled at the start of their chase as they lost the openers with 25 on the board. But Sarah Taylor (32) and Lydia Greenway (51) did the repair job and took England past 100. Loss of regular wickets, though, pushed them to the brink on 152 for 7. A 48-run eighth-wicket stand between Jenny Gunn (35) and Tammy Beaumont (22) threatened for a while, but New Zealand removed the last three wickets quickly to complete the win.

Afghanistan began their series against Scotland with a comfortable win in the first of two Twenty20 internationals in Sharjah

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Mar-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAfghanistan began their series against Scotland with a comfortable win in the first of two Twenty20 internationals in Sharjah. Mohammad Shahzad hit a fifty to lead Afghanistan to 132 and their bowlers tied Scotland down in the chase.Afghanistan were in trouble at 5 for 2 after new captain Mohammad Nabi chose to bat. The man he replaced, Nawroz Mangal, departed fourth ball of the game to one of the four debutants for Scotland, Iain Wardlaw, while Karim Sadiq was dismissed by another debutant Neil Carter in the second over.Afghanistan could have been bogged down just as Scotland were later, but Shahzad made sure that did not happen. He put on 79 with Asghar Stanikzai at over a run a ball. Shahzad hit seven boundaries during his 55 off 46 deliveries while Stanikzai provided valuable support with his 30 off 37. Yet another Scotland debutant, Matt Machan, restricted Afghanistan with a haul of 3 for 23, which included the wicket of Shahzad.Scotland began their chase poorly, with Calum MacLeod being caught short of his crease by Afghanistan’s lone debutant Hamza Hotak in the first over. Carter fell to Sadiq’s second delivery in the third and Scotland could never get going. Machan’s unbeaten 42 off 38 was the sole innings of note for his side. Kyle Coetzer and Preston Mommsen got slow starts, but that only served to increase the asking-rate, with Scotland falling short by 27 runs when the overs ran out.

Albie Morkel injured his left ankle during the Ram Slam T20 final and which could force him to miss a portion of the IPL

Firdose Moonda07-Apr-2013Albie Morkel left the field after bowling 2.3 overs in the Ram Slam T20 final with an ankle injury. However, he dispelled concerns over his participation in the IPL by *tweeting the next morning that he will be leaving for India on Monday after undergoing a scan. Scan went well. Will be on my way to India today,” he said.While sending down his 15th delivery of the innings, Morkel turned on his left ankle and fell onto the pitch, where he lay for several seconds before turning over with a grimace. He was treated on field and had to be helped off.Morkel returned to bat later in the match although he appeared in some discomfort. He limped through his runs put batted for 29 minutes before becoming the last man out.”We don’t know how bad it is yet. He will have to get it checked out,” Titans captain Henry Davids said after the game. “He turned over his ankle, which can be quite serious. But it was good that he could come out and bat again, he is a very destructive player.”This is not the first time Morkel has been troubled by ankle problems. He picked up a similar injury on South Africa’s tour of England last July. On that occasion, Morkel required only 10 days to recover.CSK’s other big South African signing, Faf du Plessis, will miss the first four weeks of the IPL with a lower-back problem which will leave them without two key players. They will, however, have the services of Chris Morris in their squad.
*The story has been updated after Morkel’s tweet confirmed he was leaving for India

Lancashire’s inability to post a competitive first-innings total has allowed Essex to take command at Old Trafford

Myles Hodgson at Old Trafford08-May-2013Essex 226 and 120 for 2 (Cook 57*) lead Lancashire 177 (Cross 45, Phillips 3-20) by 169 runs
ScorecardKarl Brown’s two-ball duck was typical of another poor Lancashire batting display•Getty Images

It may only be their third home match of the summer but already there are worrying signs that Lancashire’s fragile batting may undermine their hopes of an immediate return to Division One. Having strengthened their top-order during the winter, their inability to post a competitive first-innings total has allowed Essex to take command at Old Trafford.Their relegation summer last year was plagued with disappointing batting performances, with Lancashire dismissed for under 300 on 15 occasions. They were bowled out for fewer than 200 in eight matches. That record prompted Lancashire to secure the return of Ashwell Prince and persuade Simon Katich, the former Australia Test batsman, to help improve their batting options.They also signed Wayne White, Leicestershire’s promising allrounder, and provided with slow wickets on their opening two home matches, against Worcestershire and Kent, the recruitment policy appeared to work after they recorded first-innings totals of 448 and 395. Given a wicket with more pace and bounce, however, and the familiar failings returned.Resuming 219 runs adrift, Lancashire were always facing a tough start to the day against Reece Topley and David Masters with the new ball and failed the test by slipping to 22 for 4. Once conditions eased, however, they were little better and were dismissed for 177 in 58.3 overs.The consequences of another first-innings failure were laid bare by Alastair Cook battling through the new-ball spell to reach an unbeaten 57, with sights set on securing an emphatic Essex win on his final appearance before resuming England captaincy duties in next week’s opening Test against New Zealand.”It is a very disappointing day for us,” Lancashire coach Peter Moores said. “We’re not out of it yet but we certainly haven’t helped our cause. Essex used the new ball well and put balls in the right areas and there were a couple of shots where the lads would think they could have done better.”It’s frustrating for us because the goal was to see off the new ball and build a decent platform to get up with them and then go on and get a decent first innings lead. We didn’t do that and we’re going to have to play very well second innings, but there is work to be done first in bowling them out.”None of Lancashire’s batsmen showed the application demonstrated by Cook, or Graham Napier during his opening day century, and paid a heavy price as a consequence. Katich contributed an aggressive 23 off 26 balls but from the moment he fell lbw shuffling across his stumps to earn Sajid Mahmood his first Championship wicket for Essex, their hopes of reaching parity seemed remote.Mahmood enjoyed the extra bounce generated from the Pavilion End on his Old Trafford return, but it was Tim Phillips, Essex’s left-arm spinner, that secured their useful 49-run first innings lead. Gareth Cross showed signs of playing with a resolve required and added a promising 44 for their eighth wicket with White.In sight of his first half-century of the season, however, Cross fell lbw five runs short attempting to sweep. That gave Phillips the first of three wickets and, with Cook’s experience, Essex finished the day firmly in control.