All posts by n8rngtd.top

Peter Moores has signed a two-year contract with Nottinghamshire to remain as a coaching consultant

George Dobell19-Oct-2015Peter Moores has signed a two-year contract with Nottinghamshire to remain as a coaching consultant.Moores, who was sacked for the second time as England coach last May, joined Nottinghamshire on an initial three-month deal in July 2015. But with the move helping precipitate a dramatic improvement in the team’s results – Nottinghamshire were bottom of the Division One table at the start of July, but finished third after winning 14 and drawing two of their 20 remaining completed matches across all competitions – the decision to retain him is no surprise.The move does not constitute a coaching restructure at Nottinghamshire and Mick Newell will remain as director of cricket.While Moores will be full-time with Notts from the start of March to the end of September, he will only work part-time in January and February. He will be free to accept work elsewhere during the bulk of the winter months and the club would not prevent him coaching in some foreign domestic franchise leagues if the opportunity arises.The development will dampen speculation linking Moores to the England women’s coaching role. While Clare Connor, the head of women’s cricket at the ECB, had suggested the ideal candidate would have experience of coaching in man’s international cricket, Moores could be forgiven for resisting any approach from the organisation who presided over a situation whereby he learned of his sacking from Twitter.Equally, Andrew Strauss, the director of the England team, suggested Moores was tainted by the perception of past failures and sacked him only a few months ago. It would have sent an odd message about the importance of women’s cricket to the ECB if a man not deemed good enough for the men’s team was viewed as ideal for the women’s. Richard Halsall, the former assistant coach of the England men’s team under Andy Flower, would be a strong candidate if he applied.After a traumatic second spell with England, Moores enjoyed getting back to basics at Nottinghamshire. Freed from the demands of long-term planning or media commitments, he was able to spend greater time with individual players in the nets as well as providing a mentoring role to coaches. He has also relished the proximity of Trent Bridge to his family home; barely half-an-hour away.James Taylor, the Nottinghamshire limited-overs captain, credited Moores with the improvement of form that helped him regain an England spot. “It’s brilliant,” Taylor said a few weeks ago of working with him. “I’m desperate for him to stay at Notts.” Alastair Cook also praised the contribution of Moores following England’s Ashes victory, saying: “We need to thanks Peter Moores. We did make strides under him. This is for you Mooresy.””Bringing Peter to the club, alongside the emergence of our young bowlers and Chris Read’s return from injury, helped turn the second half of our season around,” Newell said.”He brought enthusiasm and energy to the role as well as a lot of experience that our players and coaches really benefited from.”It was originally a short-term appointment but, with Peter very much enjoying being a part of things, we had the opportunity to make it more permanent, which is terrific for us.”He’ll continue to work alongside the existing coaches – something that has worked well in 2015 – and hopefully he can help us enjoy a successful next couple of seasons.”Moores was coach of Sussex, in 2003, and Lancashire, in 2011, when they won the County Championship. He was also the ECB Academy director for two years from 2005.”Working as Coaching Consultant at Trent Bridge has been a fantastic fit for me, giving me the freedom to work closely with both the players and coaches on a day to day basis,” Moores said.”The role gives me the opportunity to do specific one-to-one work with the players to support them to be at the top of their game throughout the season.”The goal for all players is to play internationally and it’s great to see so many of the Notts players involved with England squads this winter.”Our performances in the second half of last season showed the potential of the group and if we can build on that next season, we will put ourselves in a position to enjoy some success.”

With just four points from their first two matches, defending champions Karnataka will be boosted by the return of S Aravind and KL Rahul for their clash against Vidarbha

Arun Venugopal14-Oct-2015It may be early days in the Ranji Trophy, but Karnataka find themselves in unfamiliar territory in the tournament standings. With four points from two matches, they are placed fourth behind Assam, Delhi and Maharashtra. After conceding the first-innings lead in their opening match against Assam, Karnataka invigorated their campaign by stacking up heaps of runs against Bengal in their first home fixture.As they head into the third round, the defending champions are well equipped to push for their first outright win. For starters, they will welcome the return of their two newest internationals – KL Rahul and S Aravind. While Rahul has recovered from a quadriceps injury, Aravind comes back to the domestic fold after his first taste of top-flight cricket.”It’s going to help the team because he is in very good form,” Vinay Kumar, the captain, said at the pre-match press conference. “And for him also, a Test series is coming up and if he performs well he can carry this confidence to the Test game.”Aravind’s role will be no less critical on a surface that is expected to be lively. In fact, it is understood that the pitch has been watered liberally after accounting for the hot afternoons. Vinay suggested he might play four seamers after having a final look at the surface.”[In the] last match maybe the wicket became slower compared to normal. This wicket looks better. Whatever game we play we always go for an outright victory.”But, it is not as if Karnataka are entirely devoid of worries, as they sweat over Shishir
Bhavane’s fitness. Bhavane, who has been Karnataka’s highest scorer thus far with scores of 65, 40 and 119 in his last three innings, has still not completely recovered from the wrist injury he sustained against Bengal. He did not bat in the nets on Wednesday, but was in visible discomfort while facing throwdowns. Should Bhavane not play, Karnataka are likely to bring back Mayank Agarwal.CM Gautam is likely to take over the gloves, in line with Karnataka’s ploy of alternating between him and Robin Uthappa, who kept wickets against Bengal. “They will do alternate games. If Robin is going to open or maybe [play at] No.3, CM will remain [at] No.6,” Vinay said. The ploy of shuffling wicketkeepers was, according to Vinay, necessitated by Uthappa’s decision to keep, as “that may help him come into the Indian side.”Meanwhile, Vidarbha find themselves a spot below Karnataka, with only a point separating them. Their captain S Badrinath refused to talk up their prospects, but said “overall we are a good side.”Like Vinay, he intends to field a seam-heavy side, and said he might play three quicks. “I don’t know if it will really assist seamers or not, but definitely I don’t think there will be much help for spinners,” Badrinath said.Badrinath pinned his hopes on Vidarbha’s batting, which also comprises Ganesh Satish and Wasim Jaffer, a domestic heavyweight. “I think we have a very strong batting unit. That is the body of our side,” Badrinath said. “Hopefully our batting unit will fire and that is what I am banking upon. We have quite experienced batters in the side, who have done well against good opposition.”Vidarbha will want to ensure there is no repeat of their second-innings meltdown against Delhi, where they folded for 98 and lost by 10 wickets.”I think we played good cricket throughout the match, but I think one session is where we faltered with our batting. Overall, I am pretty happy with the way things are going even though some results are not going our way,” Badrinath said.

Cricket’s determination to reassert itself as England’s national summer sport has received a fillip with the release of record attendance figures since the ECB was founded 18 years ago

David Hopps23-Nov-2015Cricket’s determination to reassert itself as England’s national summer sport has received a fillip with the release of record attendance figures since the ECB was founded 18 years ago.Professional cricket in England, at both domestic and international level, attracted 2,328,000 spectators in 2015 – and much of that impetus has come from a rejuvenating county system which has returned record attendances across all three formats since ECB records began.In county cricket more than 1.5 million people attended LV=County Championship, Royal London One-Day Cup and NatWest T20 Blast matches combined and all three competitions recorded increased total attendances year-on-year. For the first time, more spectators watched T20 cricket than England internationals.International attendances were also up – by 75,000 on 2014 – despite all five Investec Ashes Test matches finishing inside four days – in a summer also enhanced by an attractive New Zealand side and sell-out Women’s internationals.

On the up

• More than 560,000 fans watched England in Investec Test matches; 193,000 in Royal London ODIs and 31,000 in NatWest International T20s.

• 513,000 people watched LV =County Championship matches – up from 495,000 last year.

• More than 200,000 people attended the 72 Royal London One-Day Cup matches – an increase of around 500 per match on the previous year.

Such optimistic figures come while debates continue over the restructuring of the county game with the intention of making it more relevant to modern-day needs, financially more stable and able to equip England with a steady supply of international cricketers who can succeed across all three formats.England and Wales will stake the 2017 Champions Trophy and the World Cup two years later and the tournaments are regarded as critical in bringing the sort of lift to the game that was experienced in the 2005 Ashes series.They come, too, with negotiations underway for the next round of TV contracts, with BT expected to be a big player alongside Sky, but with the BBC looking more financially-strapped than ever when it comes to sporty, so reducing options in the free-to-air market.The growth in attendances on England’s professional circuit will also persuade traditionalists to argue for the retention of the 18-county format. Change in county cricket does not come easily – unlike tinkering – and the counties have won assurances that there will be no major changes ahead before the new TV deals come into being.But a deeper analysis of the figures will, perhaps inevitably, reveal winners and losers – suggesting that if revolution is off the agenda, for the moment at least, evolution is quickening. The fact that only 11 of the 18 first-class counties achieved gains in T20 attendances provides further proof that the financial gap between the Haves and the Have Nots may be widening and that England’s professional circuit, by enabling the best to flourish, might eventually deliver a successful elite capable of winning the TV deals that are vital to the game’s financial health.Much of the recent domestic growth is being driven by the increasingly powerful Test match counties – Surrey, for example, in the NatWest Blast, where big crowds at Kia Oval provides the sort of atmosphere that can be marketed worldwide or Yorkshire, where two Championship wins in succession have reawakened loyalties towards first-class cricket’s oldest competition.Hampshire are claiming that they are one of only two counties to record an increase in all three domestic competitions in 2015, Yorkshire being the other.Of the seven countries whose T20 crowds did not increase with the overall trend, three counties – Somerset, Sussex and Essex – have been playing to capacity crowds for some time. Glamorgan suffered by having an inbalance of home fixtures in May. Northants are known to be in financial disarray. One of the big losers was Durham, who are struggling to attract big crowds to Chester-le-Street for internationals and county fixtures.The story was not just about the international grounds, however, with Kent also showing notable signs of stirring after many years ion the doldrums on the back of a vibrant, young T20 side.The commitment to ground improvements over the past decade might have put county finances under strain – collective debts are estimated at £170m – but it has delivered venues, both big and small, more able to meet modern needs.Tom Harrison, ECB’s chief executive, said: “Across the summer attendances grew for each of the county competitions as well as the international games. These figures reflect a big effort by the counties, our international venues and partners to enhance the match-day experience, improve facilities and make our cricket grounds as fan-friendly and accessible as possible.”They are all good signs and there are big opportunities ahead. We know that there’s more that can be done to draw people to watch and play cricket and further improve standards across the game.”

Brendon McCullum has said the “romance” of signing off at home played a major role in his decision to quit international formats at the end of the Test series against Australia

Andrew Fidel Fernando22-Dec-2015New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum has said the “romance” of signing off at home played a major role in his decision to quit all international formats at the end of the forthcoming Test series against Australia, in February. McCullum’s Test retirement has been talked about for some time, but he was expected to travel to the World T20 in India, in March and April.A Dunedin native originally, McCullum’s last international game will be the second Test against Australia in Christchurch – the city in which he and his family now live.”I think there’s something pretty romantic about finishing playing cricket in front of New Zealand crowds and in New Zealand grounds,” McCullum said. “Also we’ll be playing in Christchurch and Wellington – two of the most amazing grounds.”The Basin Reserve has the history and means a lot to New Zealanders. And Christchurch is now my established home. There’s a little bit of romance there. That was certainly the focus for me. I can steel myself for another couple of battles – ones which I look forward to.”McCullum has played through back problems for some time, but suggested the prospect of spending more time with family was a more significant factor in his decision. “My body has been sore for a while, but that’s just international sport. That’s not it. In the end the time has come and you’ve got to move on.”There’s a few things I’ve got on the go – a matter of three kids to deal with. Maybe I’ll put some time and effort back into them after selfishly chasing my dreams for the last decade or so.”New Zealand experienced a substantial resurgence in the years of McCullum’s captaincy, most recently matching their record streak for undefeated home Tests – 13. The team also had its most successful Test year in 2014, when they won five Tests, and reached the final of the World Cup in March.”This is definitely the best team that I’ve been involved in,” McCullum said. “We’ve got some outstanding players. We’ve got some freakish players as well. We’ve had a great home record. If you can be bloody tough to beat at home and you seek success away from home – then you start climbing up the rankings. That’s what we’ve done in the last couple of years.”I guess it’s up to other people to decide what sort of state you’ve left the team in. Hopefully I’ve left it in a better position than when I took it over.”New Zealand have also been known to espouse a team culture of sportsmanship and magnanimity during his years at the helm. McCullum credited the support his team enjoyed during this year’s World Cup partly to their improved public image.”The last 12 months or so, I’ve felt cricket is in a lot stronger place in people’s minds now than what it was a while ago. There’s a real feel-good factor from the fans and a real care about our team in how we go about our work. I think they look throughout the line up and the see not just good cricketers, but good kiwi blokes as well. That’s always nice to see from a fans’ perspective.”The World Cup just captivated New Zealand. The playing numbers and the support we’ve been able to build up because of the way we played in the World Cup should see some great crowds for us this summer. That’s exciting.”McCullum stopped short of endorsing Kane Williamson for the Test captaincy, but spoke effusively about Williamson’s virtues as a batsman. Mike Hesson, the New Zealand coach, said Williamson’s appointment as captain for the World T20 campaign was the “only [captaincy] decision we need to make” at present, but Williamson appears the frontrunner to take the reins in the longer format also, assuming he wants the role.Williamson was occasionally seen setting fields during the recent Test series against Sri Lanka, and had also taken on greater responsibility in facing media, in that series.”Kane’s taken over in the past and he’s done a great job,” McCullum said. “I know he’s looking forward to the challenge of the T20 world cup.”He’s a genius. He’s going to hate me saying that. He’s no. 1 in the world – and there’s a lot of people in the world that pick up a bat and a pair of gloves. He’s right at the top. He’s a consummate professional, a champion feller, and he’s only 25. He’s going to be one of the best players the game’s ever seen in my opinion.”

A ball-by-ball description of Chris Gayle’s record-equalling half-century

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jan-2016The 50 from 12 men: How the fastest T20 fifties were scored•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

0.1 West to Gayle, 2 runs, full and straight on middle, tucked to deep midwicket for a couple. Gayle 2 (1)0.2 West to Gayle, no run, full on middle, no swing. Defended. Gayle 2 (2)0.3 West to Gayle, SIX, huge six from Gayle. Slightly short on off, Gayle lays into the pull and sends it whistling deep into the stands over midwicket. What a massive hit that is Gayle 8 (3)0.4 West to Gayle, SIX, second tier now. Even bigger than the previous one. Shortish delivery on middle, Gayle pummels the pull again. Thwack into the stands. Gayle 14 (4)0.5 West to Gayle, SIX, three in three. Poor ball though and all Gayle needed to do was pick it off his hips into the stands over backward square leg. Yikes, what a start this has been Gayle 20 (5)0.6 West to Gayle, SIX, oh my. That is power. That is timing. Low full toss on middle and Gayle just muscles a lofted drive over long-on. Clears the boundary with enviable ease. Gayle 26 (6)1.6 Neser to Gayle, 2 runs, too short, he rocks back and muscles that one towards the long boundary at deep midwicket, didn’t entirely get hold of it, fortunately for Gayle, lands in the big gap between deep square and deep midwicket Gayle 28 (7)2.2 Laughlin to Gayle, (no ball) SIX, full toss outside off, enough room for him to swing freely and deposit that over wide long-off. Height in question, umpire signals free-hit. What carnage here and we’re not even three overs into the chase. Put your helmets on in the crowd, please Gayle 34 (8)2.2 Laughlin to Gayle, SIX, that has been hit into Canberra, I think! Too short again, clears his front leg and pulls that imperiously over deep midwicket. Some 40 rows back. Nearly into the second tier. You can’t drag it short. Doesn’t matter how many men are patrolling the boundary, he’s hitting them way over. Gayle 40 (9)2.3 Laughlin to Gayle, FOUR, low full toss outside off, this one’s been hit flat and hard wide of mid-off. What does the bowler do now? Gayle 44 (10)2.4 Laughlin to Gayle, 1 run, excellent yorker this time, jams his bat down in time to squeeze it towards midwicket Gayle 45 (11)3.1 Head to Gayle, SIX, And he equals Yuvraj’s record for the fastest T20 fifty in some style. Tossed up, his eyes lit up as he saw the flight, swung through the line and cleared the ropes at long-on. Gayle 51 (12)

James Anderson has reiterated his commitment to England on the eve of the third Test in Johannesburg, by confirming that he will not be entering into the IPL auction

George Dobell in Johannesburg12-Jan-2016James Anderson has reiterated his commitment to England on the eve of the third Test in Johannesburg. Confirming that he will not be entering into the IPL auction, Anderson made it clear that, whatever overs he has left in his career, they will be bowled for his country in Test cricket. Other players may be lured by domestic T20 leagues, but he will not.”My heart is with playing Test cricket for England,” Anderson, who missed the first Test at Durban with a calf injury, said. “So that is what I’ll concentrate on doing for the foreseeable future.”At the moment, where I am at this stage of my career, I want to make sure I’m in good nick to play Test match cricket for England. A couple of months off won’t be a bad thing. I’ll make sure I come back for Lancashire at the start of the season and get ready for the Test matches at the start of the summer. That’s where my head is at.”At the age of 33, and entering his 14th year of international cricket, Anderson’s importance to England’s Test fortunes is arguably higher than ever. With the team rebuilding both on the field and off it, his experience as the attack leader is second-to-none. And, when we come to reflect on this period for England cricket, and Anderson’s role therein, it may be that July 2014 comes to be seen as a turning point.True, there have been many setbacks since then – the World Cup springs to mind – and there are doubtless more to come. But, from that moment, it is possible to make out a gradual improvement, with a new team taking shape and results starting to improve.July 2014 was the date of the second Investec Test at Lord’s. England, despite every advantage, were well beaten by an Indian side with a poor record away from home. Coming not long after the end of a chastening Ashes whitewash, an embarrassing showing in the World T20 – England were defeated by Holland in their final game – and a home Test series defeat against Sri Lanka, and it seemed there was no end to their pain.To add to the burden, Anderson soon became embroiled in an investigation into his behaviour following an off-field clash with Ravi Jadeja in Nottingham. England, it seemed, were not very good and not very attractive.But following defeat at Lord’s – Ajinkya Rahane punished England for squandering winning the toss on a green pitch, before Ishant Sharma bounced them out in the second innings – the coach at the time, Peter Moores, held meetings with Anderson and Stuart Broad and made it clear that things had to change.England required more from them, Moores said. A young England side, finding its feet in international cricket, required its senior players to lead the way. And a young captain, Alastair Cook, had plenty to occupy his mind without struggling to understand why old friends and colleagues appeared unable to set the tone. Anderson and Broad needed to take responsibility; they needed to lead the way; they needed to be better.The conversation brought almost immediate rewards. Anderson, bowling with greater intensity, was named England’s man of the series for their next two Test series – (against India and West Indies; he had already won the award in the previous series against Sri Lanka, making it three in a row) – while Broad, bowling a fuller, more probing length, was unlucky not to have been named likewise for the Ashes. Arguably, neither has ever bowled so well, so often.It would be understandable if Anderson, knowing he is coming to the end of his playing career, followed the lead of players from numerous other teams and attempted to cash in with appearances in domestic T20 leagues. But he does have the advantage of knowing that ECB central contracts and match payments are worth substantially more than those from most other countries – with the exception of Australia – and he would be far from certain to win a deal in the IPL, anyway.But England supporters will be reassured that, in a year that offers a daunting 17-Test schedule, Anderson is as focused and committed as ever.”There is a slight worry about domestic T20 competitions doing so well,” he said. “But speak to players and there is a still a passion to play Test cricket. It’s a real test of someone’s character and skill. It still excites me. I love it. I prioritise it in my head and my heart.”I’m not the only person who feels like that in the world. Hopefully it’s not just players but fans too, but we need people to keep supporting the [Test] game so that it does flourish. Seventeen Tests in a year is a huge challenge, but I get excited about it and I look forward to it.”Training was optional for England on Tuesday, but they will have been encouraged by the sight of Nick Compton – well on the road to recovery from his stomach bug – timing the ball sweetly in the nets. While neither Cook or Joe Root looked in the best of form, the squad is now deemed to be free of sickness.Moeen Ali was the only one of the bowlers to have a net, but Anderson took the opportunity to peer at the wicket and suggested it should offer bowlers more than the Cape Town surface.”There will be more swing here because of the conditions,” Anderson said. “And hopefully there’ll be a bit more in the pitch as well.”The important thing is to think about the swing and the lengths we’re going to bowl. We know we might get a bit more carry and bounce, so we need to bowl a fuller length even with that bounce.”England will be glad they have Anderson back to exploit any help that might be apparent. Thirty-three he may be and a veteran of 111 Tests, but he remains he remains crucial to their chances of success.

Sri Lanka have sometimes seemed to be physically incapable of winning; habitually trading strong positions for plunging losses. Bangladesh, meanwhile, have taken on an irresistible underdog mien, not dissimilar to Sri Lanka’s class of 1996

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando27-Feb-2016

Match facts

Sunday, February 28, 2016
Start time 1930 local (1330 GMT)2:41

We have good natural talent – Malinga

Big Picture

When Sri Lanka were last in Bangladesh, in 2014, they seemed to be physically incapable of losing. Kumar Sangakkara spent so much time at the crease, the image of his backside is probably burned into wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim’s retinas. Lahiru Thirimanne was plundering runs at the top of the order. Nuwan Kulasekara’s inswing, and Lasith Malinga’s yorkers were humming. Even matches that Sri Lanka should have lost, were somehow turned around – often by outrageous performances, occasionally by umpiring error.2016 sees two very different teams preparing for the contest. Over the past year, Sri Lanka have sometimes seemed to be physically incapable of winning; habitually trading strong positions for plunging losses. Bangladesh, meanwhile, have taken on an irresistible underdog mien, not dissimilar to Sri Lanka’s class of 1996. They are rising. They have unique talents, like Mustafizur Rahman and Soumya Sarkar. And they are led by talisman-warhorse Mashrafe Mortaza.Some more experienced players in this Sri Lanka team have known only Bangla-bashing in their time. But they will know that this time, their buttocks are in danger of feeling the sting of the shoe, which might have switched feet.The visitors will at least be pleased that Bangladesh’s ODI dominance at home hasn’t yet transferred to the shortest format. They will not be pleased that the hosts’ victory over qualifiers UAE was more comprehensive than their own.Bangladesh’s cricket has often been unfavourably compared with Sri Lanka’s, in the witless campaign to deride their Full Member status. On Sunday, we may get some idea as to whether Bangladesh have gained ground on Sri Lanka, at least in their own country, in the shortest format.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh WLLLW
Sri Lanka WLLWL

Watch out for

A player who made promising starts, then got himself out, when Sri Lanka last toured, Mahmudullah has now matured into a matchwinner for Bangladesh. In this format, his offspin also adds a little balance to the side. He arrived at No. 6 on Friday, and massaged his team’s total towards competitiveness, holding out until the final over to break into a sprint. His unbeaten 36 and 2 for 5, typified the kind of performance Bangladesh have now come to expect from Mahmudullah.As Kusal Perera is out and his replacements are misfiring, Dinesh Chandimal may be Sri Lanka’s last hope in the opening position. He often takes a little time to settle in, but has been known to clear the infield, on his good days. With Tillakaratne Dilshan often playing the quieter, longer innings as well, Chandimal may well have to hone his knack for hitting over the top during the Powerplay. He made a good start in his new role against UAE, but will face sterner bowling on Sunday.

Teams news

Bangladesh are unlikely to make many changes because they are looking for stability in their batting line-up. Their bowling attack is also doing well, and may also stay unchanged.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Soumya Sarkar, 2 Mohammad Mithun, 3 Sabbir Rahman, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim, 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Nurul Hasan (wk), 8 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 9 Al-Amin Hossain, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Taskin AhmedSimilarly, Sri Lanka are likely to trial their new-look top order again, and will probably back their experienced bowlers once more. However, there is some doubt over Lasith Malinga’s knee which continues to trouble him despite the long break from international cricket. Sri Lanka will make a call on his availability on match day.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Dinesh Chandimal, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Milinda Siriwardana, 4 Dasun Shanaka, 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Chamara Kapugedara, 7 Shehan Jayasuriya, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Rangana Herath, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Lasith Malinga/ Thisara Perera

Pitch and conditions

Mirpur has seen low-scoring games so far in the main draw. The weather is expected to be good for this match.

Stats and trivia

•  Bangladesh have not beaten Sri Lanka in four T20s so far.
• Lasith Malinga’s economy rate of 6.43 against Bangladesh is his best against any Full Member side.
• Shakib Al Hasan needs 87 runs to become the first Bangladesh batsman to score 1000 in T20 internationals.

Quotes

“Our confidence was slightly shaken after losing the first game but the win over UAE will certainly help us get that back. In fact, it will help us that we beat them convincingly, especially ahead of the next game against Sri Lanka.”
“In this tournament it’s very hard to say which team is the best. But we are always looking to maximise our strengths and our abilities.”

Waqar Younis has said his team is ready for the challenge ahead and will make their presence felt in the World T20, despite recent setbacks after the uncertainty of their participation

Umar Farooq11-Mar-2016Pakistan head coach Waqar Younis has said his team is ready for the challenge ahead and will make their presence felt in the World T20, despite recent setbacks after the uncertainty of their participation in India.Pakistan’s departure was delayed by three days after failing to get the required security clearances, which finally came on March 11 after lengthy deliberation between the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Indian government. The decision came after being assured of special security measures for Pakistan’s team while in Kolkata, the venue for their match against India on March 19.”I am happy that things have settled down,” Waqar told ESPNcricinfo. “It could have been a big loss for world cricket if Pakistan was not part of the World T20. Uncertainty obviously isn’t an ideal way to start a campaign but after some hiccups in the last few days, we managed to pull ourselves. We want to think good at this stage, leaving all the negative thoughts aside and right now we are in good spirits and we are ready for such a big tournament.”Such things are not new to us, as we faced worse situation in 1999 and I was myself part of that team and we played well regardless of whatever the situation was. So we all are in a positive frame of mind and such negative things can prove positive for us. It might have caused some distraction but we are going to play cricket. We are going there to represent our country and the good thing is that we are eventually going and we will make our presence felt there with our performance.”Pakistan have had little time to prepare after a poor showing in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh, where they won two out of four games, losing to India and Bangladesh. The failure of the batting line-up led the Pakistan selectors to replace Ahmed Shehzad for Khurram Manzoor for the World T20. Waqar, whose own future is uncertain with his contract set to expire in two months, stressed on the importance of a positive mindset going into a major tournament.”I think the aggression is missing in our batting, they need to come out, play positive cricket and not shy away from taking risks,” Waqar said. “I have been motivating them and even the great Mohammad Ali said, ‘He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life’. So players like [Shahid] Afridi and the entire team should understand their role and go out with a positive frame of mind thinking they have nothing to lose. Most of them know they have to perform because onus is on them now.”We played badly in Bangladesh but now we have to support them and encourage them. We have to motivate them, stand behind them. This is no time to discourage them by showing their stats and what they have done recently. It’s time to look ahead rather then pushing them back. I want the players to think and realise how important the flag on their chest is. It’s not like they haven’t done it in past but they have to believe that they are good and play selflessly. I am optimistic that we will bring a good result this time.”Waqar said the pitches in India would suit their batsmen, and Pakistan would be a force with their potent bowling attack. “I have a strong belief that pitches in India are going to be much better to bat on and if we get the runs on the board, I don’t see why we can’t win. Our bowling, as we all know is the best. Even the other teams and the international media have rated it high. I know we have to come hard and we have to play brave cricket. We can’t sit back, but we have to go out and make things happen and I don’t believe we can’t do that.”

Both new franchises had an easy start to the IPL lives but one team will suffer its first loss as Gujarat Lions face off against Rising Pune Supergiants in Rajkot

The Preview by Nikhil Kalro13-Apr-20163:42

Cullinan: Favour Supergiants’ bowling attack over Lions

Match facts

Thursday, April 14, 2016
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)

Big picture

Both new franchises had an easy start to their IPL lives but one team will suffer its first loss as Gujarat Lions face off against Rising Pune Supergiants in Rajkot.On Monday, Aaron Finch and Dwayne Bravo used their wealth of T20 experience to consign Kings XI Punjab to their ninth loss in ten games. But it was Lions who lost the first phase of that game, conceding 87 runs in the first 10 overs before the bowlers pulled it back. Considering Supergiants’ powerful middle order, Suresh Raina and his men may not be able to stave off defeat if they get off to a similar start with the ball. Thursday’s match will Rajkot’s first in the IPL, and Lions’ first at home, which could be a decisive factor against an equally-matched opponent.Supergiants seamers exploited an uncommonly helpful Wankhede pitch to effectively finish Mumbai Indians off by the midway stage. A potentially spin-friendly Rajkot pitch could provide an entirely different script, but Supergiants have assembled a team suited to slow and low conditions. Their nine-wicket win on Saturday meant the middle order did not get to bat, but in Steven Smith and MS Dhoni there is enough experience to help the team acclimatise quickly.

In the spotlight

Tomorrow may only be Ravindra Jadeja‘s second T20 at SCA stadium in Rajkot, but it is his home ground and that feel-good factor cannot be ignored. Overall, he has played 14 matches across formats at this venue, scored 1084 runs at an average of 83.38 and taken 48 wickets. On Monday, he elicited Kings XI’s slide with wickets in consecutive overs. His all-round ability, along with those of Bravo and James Faulkner, improves the balance of the Lions outfit.Despite having bowled five overs in his last three T20 matches, R Ashwin may be depended on to bail Dhoni out of another situation. With three left-handers in Lions’ top six, including captain Raina, Ashwin could be deployed in the middle to stall their progress. Besides, the Rajkot pitch could be best suited to his style of bowling.

Team news

In a horses-for-courses approach, Lions could bring in legspinner Pravin Tambe or chinaman bowler Shivil Kaushik for Pradeep Sangwan.Gujarat Lions (probable): 1 Brendon McCullum , 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Suresh Raina (capt), 4 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Ishan Kishan, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 James Faulkner, 9 Praveen Kumar, 10 Sarabjit Ladda, 11 Pravin TambeWith Dhoni’s insistence on playing the same team, Supergiants are unlikely to tinker with their winning combination.Rising Pune Supergiants (probable) 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 Kevin Pietersen, 4 Steven Smith, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Rajat Bhatia, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Ishant Sharma, 10 RP Singh, 11 M Ashwin

Pitch and conditions

With a crop of players from different backgrounds, both sides have the ability to be flexible. In Rajkot, they may have to adjust to sluggish conditions. Plenty of cutters and slower balls could be used. There is no chance of rain.

Stats and trivia

• Since November 2015, Kevin Pietersen has scored 960 T20 runs at an average of 45.71, including seven fifties and two centuries.
• Dhoni has been dismissed just once in his last 13 T20 innings.

Quotes

“I really appreciate the love from the fans, throughout India. Wherever I go, there is a big fan following. (We) play cricket to entertain the fans and perform for them.”

Somerset’s last-wicket pair of Jack Leach and Tim Groenewald eked out the 31 runs required to secure a dramatic victory over Surrey

Daniel Brettig in Taunton30-May-2016
ScorecardChris Rogers saw his side pick up their first win of the season•Getty Images

Summers turn on days like this, when events unfold quickly and heroes emerge without much recent evidence they will. So it was for Somerset on a bewitching day in Taunton, as Nos. 10 and 11, Jack Leach and Tim Groenewald, eked out the 31 runs they required for an outright victory that felt close to impossible 24 hours ago.Groenwald cover drove the winning runs after he and Leach had nervelessly played out 11 dot balls with just one required – the composure as memorable as the celebrations that followed the final stroke. A previously turgid season marked by six draws was momentarily forgotten, even if the team’s failings over the previous two days are some way from being remedied.

‘Definite turning point of the season’

Somerset’s captain Chris Rogers admitted he had given up hope of victory when the hosts lost their eighth wicket and still had 64 runs to get.
“Once we were eight down I think I gave up, so I stopped being nervous and just sat down,” Rogers said. “But when we got to seven or eight runs to go I got confident because Jack and Tim looked so good. I started to think ‘we can do this’ and fortunately we did.”
Starting up a new project with Somerset after a successful stint with Middlesex, Rogers predicted the result would have a big impact on the club. “It’s definitely a turning point of the season,” he said. “If we’d lost this game I think we’d have been bottom two or three and now we’ve won it we’re up to fourth almost.
“So that’s how easily it can turn around and it gives you belief. More than anything it makes you think you can win from any position. I’m so proud of the guys at the end who were under so much pressure. That would have been about as hard as it gets for them in their whole career. To step up and win us the game, that says volumes about their character.”

Nonetheless, the new captain Chris Rogers now has something to hang his hat on, just as the likes of Jamie Overton, Peter Trego, Jim Allenby and not least Leach and Groenewald can look ahead to the rest of the season with new-found confidence in their ability to find a way to win. Rogers had previously helped take Middlesex on a journey from mediocrity to confidence, and this result will help Somerset no end.The fine margin was epitomised by where this leaves bottom-of-the-table Surrey, under pressure and cursing their misfortune. Rory Burns will wonder many a long year about how he came to drop Leach at slip off Batty when the score stood at 276 for 9. The coach Michael Di Venuto left a successful environment as Australia’s batting coach to mentor Surrey. He now finds himself having to find a way to pick 11 jaws up from the dressing room floor.A hectic second day at Taunton had seen the hosts shot out for 102 by Gareth Batty, the beneficiary of a handful of harebrained shots but also a pitch that was well grassed while also spin friendly on a good length – clearly there had been little appetite here for a seventh stalemate of the season.Despite Batty’s 9.2 overs of havoc, Somerset had fought their way back into it with regular second-innings wickets, and the diligent left-arm spin of Leach was rewarded third ball of the morning with a front edge from Ben Foakes that lobbed gently to Rogers at cover.Batty and Zafar Ansari frustrated for a time, before Rogers called on Overton for the kind of zippy spell he can occasionally conjure. A fast full toss was through Batty before his bat came down, and Mathew Pillans was yorked by something even swifter three balls later. Ansari helped scrape another 21 for the last wicket before Overton found his edge, leaving a target close enough to tantalise if Somerset could forget the events of day two.Initially they did so grandly, as the senior pros Marcus Trescothick and Rogers cruised into the afternoon, the latter offering a half chance through the slips when Stuart Meaker got one to climb. He appeared to be having trouble finding the cut strip in the 24th over of the innings, but a pair of wides were followed by a delivery closer to off stump that Trescothick touched behind. Then James Hildreth’s late-blooming England ambitions were momentarily scotched by a sharp delivery that drew his edge for a second-ball duck, and suddenly the game had swung.Never totally at ease, Rogers was adjudged to have been struck in front of the off stump by Tom Curran, and at 127 for 4 Surrey were in the ascendant. However Batty was not gaining the turn of day two, and a previously out-of-touch Allenby found his feet in the company of the muscle-bound Trego. Together they brought the target down steadily, and were so comfortable that it was a surprise when Batty found a way through Trego’s forward stroke to win an lbw verdict.From there it appeared as though Surrey were just a fraction too far ahead for a nervy lower order, as Craig Overton, Allenby, Ryan Davies and Jamie Overton all fell. Jamie Overton’s exit came through a stunning catch from Foakes, beautifully balanced behind the stumps to dive for an inside edge that would have been four most other days.That left Leach and Groenwald with quite a few still to get in the pristine early evening but, despite a few moments of nerves, they moved forward sensibly against bowlers and fielders showing the strain of the scoreboard if not outright fatigue. Somerset needed three to win when Batty went up raucously for an lbw appeal against Leach, but its denial was Surrey’s last chink of light.