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Superchargers secure lifeline in race for play-off places as Birmingham come unstuck

Charlie Peters, ECB Hundred Rising Reporter19-Aug-2022Northern Superchargers 169 for 6 (Lyth 56, Hose 53, Wiese 34) beat Birmingham Phoenix 137 for 9 (Wiese 3-15) by 32 runsAn exceptional all-round display from David Wiese and a quickfire Adam Lyth half-century helped Northern Superchargers end Birmingham Phoenix Men’s unbeaten home record in front of a packed house at Edgbaston.Wiese wiped 34 off just 14 balls, including four sixes, to propel the visitors to a solid total of 169 for six batting first. The Namibia international then bowled an exceptional spell of three for 15 without conceding a single boundary from his 20 balls as the Phoenix fell 33 runs short.Opener Lyth had earlier set a platform for Wiese’s onslaught by smashing an exhilarating 26-ball half century, while Adam Hose added an unbeaten 53, to get Superchargers off to a flier and silence a bumper crowd of 21,014.Phoenix’s chase faltered with the engine room of Will Smeed, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone and Matthew Wade all falling cheaply inside the first 50 deliveries of their reply.It was likely to be an uphill battle to defend their flawless home streak from that point, and so it proved as the efforts of Wiese and Lyth were enough to see the Superchargers become the first visiting men’s team to win at Edgbaston since the Hundred’s inception.Yorkshireman Lyth wasted little time in getting started. After a quiet opening set bowled by Ali, the former England Test opener opened his shoulders and swung Australia seamer Kane Richardson for three consecutive boundaries.No bowler seemed safe. Livingstone’s first two deliveries were both dispatched for four in identical fashion, while even one of the competition’s form bowlers Benny Howell was hoicked into the Hollies Stand for another six.Things then got a little trickier for the Superchargers.The return of Ali into the attack bought “Super Moeen Ali” chants ringing out wholesale across Edgbaston, and straight away the all-rounder worked his magic to clean bowl Lyth.Dangerman Harry Brook went for just three not long after, thanks to a grab at backward point by Imran Tahir, before David Willey and John Simpson both fell for single figures in quick succession too, leaving Superchargers teetering somewhat at 99 for five.Hose and Wiese rebuilt strongly, however, and put on 47 for the sixth wicket in quick time.The Namibian struck four trademark hammer blows over the rope before falling to the guile of Richardson for a rapid 34 off 13. A late flurry from Hose bought him to a 32-ball half-century in the final set of the Superchargers innings, helping his side set Phoenix 170 to win.In reply, Phoenix opener Smeed and Hammond flew out of the blocks to rack up 44 off 20 balls inside the powerplay.But when the competition’s first-ever centurion holed out to Faf du Plessis for 18, it sparked a collapse. First Livingstone fell for five, then Moeen went for one. Adil Rashid got Wade caught behind shortly after, and from that point on the result felt much like a foregone conclusion.Two Superchargers bowlers – Wiese and Rashid – ended the day with economy rates under one a ball, conceding just two boundaries between them from their 40 deliveries, to suffocate a Phoenix outfit built around clearing the ropes regularly.

Legspinner enjoys successful day after Leicestershire made to follow on

ECB Reporters' Network10-Apr-2021Hampshire took 14 wickets in the day as they closed in on a comprehensive innings victory in their opening LV=Insurance County Championship match against Leicestershire.It took the visitors only 80 minutes to wrap up the Leicestershire first innings after the Foxes resumed on 151 for 4. The rout started with the second ball of the day, when non-striker Colin Ackermann, who had shared a partnership of 68 for the fourth wicket with Harry Swindells, was called through for a quick single and was well short of his ground when James Vince’s throw hit the stumps.Swindells went on to make a career-best 59 but fell to legspinner Mason Crane, who found good turn to pick up 3 for 11 in his spell.”We’d have taken 14 wickets at the start of the day and to be only two wickets away from victory is a nice feeling,” Crane said. “We stuck at it well. Any day you take six wickets is a good one and there was a bit of spin and bounce at times, though it was quite slow – I’d always settle for that in April. We’ve got the new ball now so hopefully we can get the job done.”Leicestershire’s second innings followed a similar pattern, though Harry Dearden hit some fine off-side drives in going to 62 and Lewis Hill battled hard in making 65. But there was controversy in the dismissal of Hassan Azad, the opener being given out stumped off Liam Dawson when wicketkeeper Lewis McManus knocked off the bails with his left hand while the ball was in his right hand, which was raised in the air as he appealed for a catch.Crane was again amongst the wickets, dismissing Dearden, Swindells and Ben Mike, but Leicestershire’s stubborn late resistance ensured play would go into a fourth day.Swindells said: “We tried to battle but 50s and 60s don’t win you games, once you get in you’ve got to go big, like James Vince and Liam Dawson did for Hampshire, and that’s a lesson we have to learn. I feel comfortable batting in the top six, but you’ve got to get big runs to keep justifying that trust. Getting 200 in our first innings on that track was way below par, it’s a 350-400 track.”

Stokes reported pain in his left knee as he completed his second over in Hamilton, will be assessed

George Dobell in Hamilton29-Nov-2019Ben Stokes may not be able to bowl in the rest of the second Test against New Zealand after experiencing a recurrence of a knee problem.Stokes reported pain in his left knee as he completed his second over in Hamilton. While he remained on the field, the England management reported the injury would be assessed before a decision was made over whether he would bowl again in the first innings. There has been no official word of a scan from the England camp, but it would be a surprise if Stokes was not sent for one.Stokes has long had to manage his left knee. He underwent surgery on it in May 2016 after tearing cartilage while bowling against Sri Lanka and, ahead of the first Test of this series, admitted he was managing it. He was used sparingly compared to his seam-bowling colleagues in that match – he bowled 26 overs compared to Jofra Archer’s 42, Sam Curran’s 35 and Stuart Broad’s 33 – and England named an extra seamer in their second Test team partially as cover for Stokes.ALSO READ: Latham century drives NZ before rain hitsIt may be that his relative lack of mobility contributed to his failure to cling on to a chance offered by Tom Latham on 66. It was not by any means an easy chance but Stokes is probably the best catcher in this England side and will have been disappointed not to hold on. Latham went on to finish the day unbeaten on 101.Given Stokes’ importance to the team and the relative unimportance of the Test – it does not form part of the World Test Championship – it would be a surprise if he was asked to bowl for the remainder of this game.It would be premature to speculate on his fitness for the South Africa tour. But with the first Test in that series starting on Boxing Day it does not leave a huge amount of time for recovery if the problem is significant. Stokes is travelling to South Africa a few days after the rest of the squad in order to allow him to attend the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award presentation. Stokes is favourite for the award.

Barbados Tridents slip to fourth straight loss at home and are in danger of missing playoffs for the third year running

The Report by Peter Della Penna01-Sep-2018Barbados Tridents’ home performances make Jamaica Tallawahs’ American nightmare look tame by comparison. The Tridents lost their fourth straight match at Kensington Oval in an eight-wicket trouncing at the hands of Guyana Amazon Warriors courtesy Luke Ronchi’s unbeaten 40-ball 67. This helped Warriors to the top of the table, while Tridents are firmly rooted to the bottom and are on the verge of missing the playoffs for the third year in a row.Prime time performance

It looked like Tridents were going to escape the Powerplay without much damage, but that changed in the sixth over. Rebuilding after the loss of Martin Guptill, Tridents were 39 for 1 when Roshon Primus snared Dwayne Smith thanks to some good fortune mixed with loose strokeplay.Recalled after their loss to Tallawahs two nights earlier, Dwayne Smith looked in excellent touch before holing out to a flick at deep square leg where Shimron Hetmyer was one of only two men outside the ring. When he snared Hashim Amla, who spooned a catch to point as the ball stopped on him, Primus was on a hat-trick.Shai Hope and Steven Smith shared a half-century stand, during the course of which the pair impressed with their sublime wrist work. Primus then made his mark in the field, charging in from square leg with a sharp one-bounce relay to Ronchi to deny a second run for Hope in a needless run-out.Tahir’s brilliant finish

Steven Smith and Nicholas Pooran gave the Tridents hope with a 71-run stand, but three wickets fell in the final eight balls of the innings in another major momentum shift. Steven Smith fell to a brilliant diving catch by Chris Green running in from the rope at long on, his second take of the night, to make it 160 for 5.Pooran had played splendidly to that point, cracking four fours and two sixes in a typically fiery knock, but the Tridents needed a big over to close out the innings. Imran Tahir denied them in masterful fashion. After conceding four runs off the first three balls, Tahir struck with a googly to induce a skied catch to get Pooran at long-off. This was well-taken in swirling wind by Hetmyer. After a dot to Jason Holder, Tahir got him driving a third catch to Green at long-on to close the innings.So close… yet so so far

Ronchi had struck his first two balls of the night for boundaries off Chemar Holder to end the second over, but the Tridents nearly got him twice in the following over.The in-form Mohammad Irfan gave Ronchi the most trouble he’d encounter on the night as a drive on the second ball of the third over fluttered just out of the reach of Ashley Nurse at mid-on and bounced away for four. Ronchi was squared up by Irfan’s next ball and a healthy edge barely evaded slip to go to third man for one.From then on though, Ronchi was in total control, perhaps never more so than in the sixth over from Jason Holder off which he plundered 24 runs. Warriors ended the Powerplay at 70 for 0 with Ronchi on 39 off 15 balls.Ronchi only faced 10 deliveries – scoring 10 singles – across the next five overs, but if the Tridents strategy was to slow down the scoring rate by starving Ronchi of the strike then it wasn’t working.Chadwick Walton provided brilliant support during a 96-run opening stand before Hetmyer hit his fourth, sixth and seventh balls over the rope for a trio of sweetly timed sixes. By the time Ronchi finally brought up his 50 off 26 balls with a single in the 12th over, the required run rate was well under a run a ball and the Warriors strolled home.

In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Vinod Rai, chairman of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators, believes the BCCI is running out of time in its objections to the Lodha reforms

Nagraj Gollapudi18-Jul-2017File photo – Vinod Rai: “I am not frustrated. I am just saying the writ of the court must run.”•Getty Images

A year since the seminal judgment and we are where we started. How do you look at the current situation?
I will speak only from January 30. I (CoA) cannot look into what happened before that. The Supreme Court tried to implement the reforms till January 30. But that did not take place for whatever reasons. Then we were appointed. Our mandate was to implement the recommendations of the Lodha Committee as approved by the Supreme Court on July 18, 2016. How do we ensure that mandate is fulfilled? We can ensure that mandate is fulfilled only by making the BCCI’s special general body meeting (SGM) pass a resolution (to adopt the new constitution and reforms). Isn’t it? If that could have been done by January 30, then we would not have been required.Since the verdict was thrust onto them, they did not agree so I tried to build consensus (among BCCI members). I told them you have said withdraw the order, but the Supreme Court would not withdraw it since it has passed the judgment. I asked the BCCI members to narrow down the parts of the order that were hurting them, but please adopt the new constitution. And then appeal to the court asking to look at the shortlist of recommendations again.I asked them not to defy the court, be obedient to the verdict and if you have some genuine problems bring it to the notice of the court. That is why I held the meeting (with the state associations) before the SGMs (on June 6 and June 25). I was impressing upon them the fact that if you adopt the constitution you get onto the right side of the court. Then you point out X & Y are practical difficulties and hence cannot be implemented.This attempt failed due to the intransigence of a couple of people with vested interests who could sway the others.Since they once again decided to ignore the Supreme Court order in the June 26 SGM, we had no option but to tell the court (through the status report) of all our efforts and all that had transpired.Because I don’t have the power to thrust the constitution on them, I can’t force them to adopt the new constitution. So if anybody says why couldn’t the CoA implement it, how can I implement it when the court itself has not been able to do that? We have now told the court that we have tried, I can’t implement because they are intransigent and because of a few disruptive elements. I just laid it bare.So your patience has been tested?
It is not patience. My consensus-building efforts did not fructify. I am not frustrated. I am just saying the writ of the court must run.Would it help if the court gave you powers or passed a clear judgment at its next hearing?
I have told the court to issue an order under Article 142 of the Constitution of India, and issue direction to the Registrar of the Tamil Nadu government to register the new BCCI constitution.So the sooner the court issues that order, the easier your job would get?
Yes because the court could not succeed in persuading them to pass the constitution. Then the court asked us to do it. We have tried our best to persuade them, build the consensus. Now that they have not agreed, I have sought the direction of the court.Would it be helpful if the court finally takes a hard stance on the issue?
Article 142 says: “Enforcement of the decrees and orders of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court in the exercise of its jurisdiction may pass such decree or make such order as is necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it and make it enforceable throughout the territory of India.”The court need only pass an order enforcing its own decree. No one else can do that.Last week the BCCI trimmed its reservations to three recommendations. What is your view?
As far as I am concerned now it is just too late. Everything is a closed issue. It just too late. Now, I have made my recommendation to the court. The court will examine it on September 5. If it gives me the order on September 5 I will convene the SGM first, adopt the new constitution. And, as per the constitution, convene the AGM to elect the office-bearers and close the CoA’s tenure latest by October 31. I continue to stick by my schedule.

Playing their first IPL, Gujarat Lions came within one avoided masterclass of making it to the IPL final, but were left doffing their hats to AB de Villiers first in Bangalore and David Warner in Delhi on Friday

Sidharth Monga in Delhi28-May-2016Playing their first IPL, Gujarat Lions came within one avoided masterclass of making it to the IPL final, but were left doffing their hats to AB de Villiers first in Bangalore and David Warner in Delhi on Friday. Warner scored 93 of the 163 runs needed, single-handedly taking Sunrisers Hyderabad into the final. Aaron Finch, who scored a fifty batting in the middle order for Lions, said there wasn’t much that they could have done to prevent Warner’s success on the day.”Tonight, I think that we had a very competitive total, it was around par,” Finch said. “170 would have been nice as it turns out, but two of the best players in the world have both got big scores against us in the last two games. Sometimes you just have to take your hat off and appreciate how good cricketers them two are. And say well played.”It was an amazing knock, wasn’t it, the way that he controlled the innings the whole way through and went right through and got them home was outstanding. We have been at the receiving end of a couple of great knocks in this tournament, and it is just that one batter in every couple of games seems to get us. AB in the last game and Davey tonight. We can hold our head up very high. We played some really great cricket throughout this tournament but unfortunately we just couldn’t get them world-class players out when it counted right at the end there.”Among the positives for Lions is the emergence of left-arm wristspinner Shivil Kaushik, whom Finch picked as the find of the tournament for Lions.”I think we have seen an unusual spinner in this tournament in Shivil,” Finch said. “He has been outstanding for us. Anyone who can bowl with an unusual action like that and who can spin the ball both ways is a huge asset, and he has been outstanding. It was beautiful the way that he bowled tonight, under pressure in a big game, to come back into the team after a few games out, just shows a real lot of character and someone who hasn’t had cricket given to him easily. He has had to work very hard for what he has achieved. He was outstanding, he was great all season and I think he can play a big part going forward.”Kaushik bowled his four oevrs unbroken and took two wickets for just 22 runs to keep Lions in the game. The other spinner, though, wasn’t bowled at all. The more accomplished Ravindra Jadeja was sprightly in the field as usual, but there seemed a lack of confidence in him after he hasn’t had a great season. The presence of left-hand batsmen in the Sunrisers line-up went against him, Finch said.”I think that Raina probably couldn’t get that matchup for him,” Finch said. “They always had at least one left-hander in Warner in and it was a very short side out there on the far side away from the change room. Probably didn’t get the matchup at the time, and Raina happened to bowl a couple of overs there quite nicely. I think Jadeja played a big part for us. He probably played a different role with the bat than what he has in the past years for Chennai and also India. He’s usually been batting 7 and 8, but he has stepped up this year and made some really valuable runs.”Overall, though, Lions bowed out a team satisfied with their showing in their first season. “I think the way that we played throughout the tournament was fantastic from the team’s point of view,” Finch said. “To finish top of the table for a franchise in their first year was fantastic. I think it’s obviously disappointing that we couldn’t get through to the final but the way that we fought and fought…”We had our back up against the wall a couple of times. We started off the tournament fantastic, I think we went six wins, one loss and then we had a bit of a down period but then we hit back hard and beat two outstanding teams in Kolkata and Mumbai coming into the finals. But it goes to show what an amazing competition it was. If we had lost one of them games, we finish out of the four but we won both and we finish top of the table. Same with Bangalore. It was an amazing tournament all around, the way that it unfolded.”

Yorkshire won comfortably on the final day against Hampshire, despite the resistance of Lewis McManus and Will Smith and further demands from England

Paul Edwards at Headingley13-May-2015
ScorecardAdil Rashid took his match haul to eight wickets as Yorkshire won comfortably on the final day•Getty Images

For most of this match the alders and sycamores in the vicinity of Eden Crescent and Kirkstall Hill have offered a glorious portent of summer. “The trees are coming into leaf/ Like something almost being said,” wrote Philip Larkin, and yes, so they are. But the chaotic threshing of the unresting castles in the brisk westerly wind over the past few days might also be seen as a metaphor for the curious events at the ECB, and this, of course, is something in which Yorkshiremen are taking a sharp interest.Rather like a couple planning their weekly visit to the supermarket – Costcutter perhaps? – ECB officials are regularly shopping at Headingley at the moment. “We have to get an opener and that coach needs replacing,” they might say as they get into their four-door Fiasco and head north with the names of Adam Lyth and Jason Gillespie topping their list.But then suddenly, out of a sky as blue and fleece-fringed as that which domed above Leeds this lovely Wednesday, counties themselves sometimes have the temerity to try and control events. Many people were suggesting that this match wouldn’t last till lunchtime when play resumed on the final morning with Hampshire on 37 for 4 and their victory target of 449 as distant a prospect as the golds of autumn.

ECB still to contact Yorkshire over Gillespie

Yorkshire’s director of cricket, Martyn Moxon, has expressed irritation that Jason Gillespie was named as a candidate for the job of England coach without Yorkshire being informed first.
“It would be nice if you got to know these things first but it’s not easy for Andrew Strauss when he pushed on these matters and I don’t hold it against him,” Moxon said. “We’ve been assured that any if any approach happens, it will be done in the correct manner and we trust the ECB to do that.
“I think the ECB are aware that we want Jason to concentrate on his day job and they’ll respect that. We’ve got a week between our next two T20 matches, so if the ECB want to contact us regarding Jason, there’s potential for them to do that.”
Moxon also defended Yorkshire’s decision not to make Gillespie available for interview after the Hampshire game.
“It’s difficult for Jason to say anything. What we want to avoid is for him to be here saying, ‘No comment…no comment…no comment’. It’s better for him not to say anything until we’ve got something official. If Jason speaks to Andrew Strauss, we’ll then wait and see if it’s the right job for Jason or not.”
Moxon also expressed his views about the way in which the Kevin Pietersen affair had been dealt with. “Quite frankly, I think it’s bit messy,” he said. “I don’t know the ins and outs of Pietersen’s time with England or what’s been said to him but it just seems very messy and sad for the English game that we are now being seen as a bit of a laughing stock.”

When nightwatchman James Tomlinson played inside a ball from Adil Rashid and Sean Ervine nicked a good ball from Tim Bresnan to Jonny Bairstow behind the stumps, these predictions seemed good calls. Hampshire were then 67 for 6 within the first hour of play and it seemed that we were all just waiting for the last knockings. But amid all the understandable furore about Kevin, Jason and England, this game has also been notable for the quietly proficient first-class debut of Hampshire’s wicketkeeper Lewis McManus, who had already kept well and batted decently enough in the first innings.And now McManus made his finest contribution to the game as he resisted Yorkshire’s attack for 100 minutes either side of lunch. In company with Will Smith, McManus added 56 runs in 30 overs although by that stage nobody gave a fig about the runs. As Rashid bowled unchanged from the Football Stand End in the morning session, McManus resisted him with a quiet resolve and tight technique which bodes well for his future career in the game.The 20-year-old was eventually dismissed 20 minutes after lunch when he rather fished at a ball from Will Rhodes and nicked a catch to Bairstow. He had made 28 off 91 balls and given the final day of this game a fascination which few expected it would possess. Certainly his colleagues could not emulate him in the slightest. Gareth Berg and Andre Adams were removed by successive balls from Rashid, the latter well caught at backward square leg by Jack Brooks when sweeping. Then Fidel Edwards swished at Steve Patterson, edged a catch to Alex Lees at first slip and the game was done.Yorkshire move to third place in a Division One table which is assuming an interesting shape and Hampshire return south counting the cost of their avoidable bowling lapses and gifted wickets.Before long the outfield was filled with camera crews wanting to find out about national issues and great controversies. It was, perhaps, always thus. But for a few players, this match has taken on a greater significance. Rashid’s 4 for 48 in the second innings gave him match figures of 8 for 118 and suggested that his omission for the Barbados Test was, indeed, an error. Adam Lyth made 76 runs in two innings and looked in decent nick, albeit that he was roughed up by Fidel Edwards before being dismissed by the same bowler before lunch on Tuesday.Lyth will probably make his Test debut against New Zealand next week and, if he does well, his colleagues may see little more of him this summer. Perhaps, therefore, in addition to the usual songs of triumph, he might have regaled his team mates this afternoon with a chorus or two of that grand old Gracie Fields standard: “Wish Me Luck As You Wave Me Goodbye”. This is, after all, been a week of grace and Gracie in this pleasant corner of Yorkshire and if Lyth is to face Mitchell Johnson and his chums, he may need all the good fortune available to him.

The Champions League moves to Cape Town, where Auckland Aces play Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday

The Preview by Kanishkaa Balachandran14-Oct-2012

Match facts

October 15, 2012
Start time 1730 (1530 GMT)Knight Riders were undone by pace against Daredevils•Associated Press

Big Picture

The Champions League moves to Newlands in Cape Town, which will host its first game, between Auckland Aces and Kolkata Knight Riders. The IPL 2012 winners, Knight Riders, got off to a terrible start on Saturday, losing heavily to Delhi Daredevils in Centurion. Chasing 161, Knight Riders were reeling at 3 for 3, undone by pace and movement. It was a puzzling decision by the captain Gautam Gambhir, to chase on a ground that heavily favours the team batting first under lights. Five of their batsmen got hit and Delhi’s four-man pace attack was too imposing to tackle.Knight Riders will be up against a team making its debut in the main round of the Champions League. Auckland arrived in South Africa two weeks before the qualifying round to acclimatise and things have gone smoothly for them, with victories in both their qualifying matches. Kyle Mills has been parsimonious – he had figures of 4-1-6-2 against Sialkot Stallions – and Azhar Mahmood has been among the wickets. Sterner tests lie ahead, when they come up against franchise teams that have the best foreign Twenty20 talent.

Watch out for…

Azhar Mahmood demolished Hampshire with bat and ball, becoming only the sixth player to take five wickets and score a fifty in a Twenty20 match. He may not be an international player anymore but he is enjoying a second coming as a freelance T20 specialist. Gareth Hopkins, the Auckland captain, emphasised the experience Mahmood brings to the unit. His game-changing abilities made him an asset during his on-and-off career for Pakistan and, at 37, his skills haven’t diminished.Brendon McCullum began his World Twenty20 campaign with a blazing 123 against Bangladesh in Pallekele – his second T20 international century. His CLT20 campaign wasn’t so special though, getting out for a second-ball duck. Knight Riders also lost Jacques Kallis to an injury before he could open his account. If Kallis misses out, McCullum’s contributions at the top will be all the more crucial.

Stats and trivia

• Gautam Gambhir’s last five scores in competitive matches, including India games, are 0,8,0,17,45.
• Manvinder Bisla needs another 44 for 1000 runs in Twenty20s.

Quotes

“We played badly and it was an embarrassing batting performance. We have the talent and we will come back.”
“Our guys were a step ahead of the opposition in the fielding department and they adjusted to the pitch conditions and the bounce.”

Andrew White’s unbeaten century led a fighting Ireland to a first-innings lead on the second day against Namibia at Stormont

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAndrew White’s unbeaten century led a fighting Ireland to a first-innings lead on the second day against Namibia at Stormont.The bowlers had dominated the first day with 14 wickets falling and Namibia the happier of the sides but White found the right moment to produce his fifth first-class century. Things didn’t start well for the home side as Kevin O’Brien added just six more to his overnight total before falling. O’Brien is captaining the weakened Ireland side but the responsibilities of leadership clearly didn’t inhibit his aggressive style as he struck four fours and a six in his 38-ball stay.At 85 for 5 Ireland were in something nearing crisis when John Mooney joined White. Mooney was typically combative and the pair began laying the foundations for recovery. They added 69 with Mooney making 44 from 58 balls before driving crisply towards extra cover, where Gerhard Erasmus pulled off an excellent diving catch.When Stuart Poynter was bowled second ball it looked like the recovery was stalling but George Dockrell rode to the rescue. In his short Ireland career he has repeatedly impressed with the ball – collecting his first five-wicket haul on the first day – but this was the first time he’d shown talent with the bat.Dockrell dug in to support White and made his first first-class half century. His 53 came from 96 balls with eight fours and he helped add 100 runs for the eighth wicket with White that took Ireland into the lead. Eventually he fell sweeping but his job was done. White, at the other end, found enough support to register his century and finished unbeaten on 123, having faced 213 balls.In a batting line-up missing a clutch of first-choice players due to county commitments, his innings was vital. It looked as though Ireland would follow their fighting batting with quick wickets when Graeme McCarter jagged one back to a shotless Pikki ya France but Christ Viljoen and Stephanus Ackermann held fort in contrasting styles.Ackermann shut up shop – making 7 from 61 painstaking deliveries – while Viljoen blazed merrily. He made 48 from 49 balls to bring Namibia back ahead before the day was out.

Andrew Strauss has warned that England “can’t afford any passengers” as they aim for a successful defence of the Ashes

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2010Andrew Strauss has warned that England “can’t afford any passengers” as they aim for a successful defence of the Ashes and their first series win on Australian soil for more than 20 years. Strauss, who addressed a press conference within an hour and a half of reaching the England team’s Perth hotel, stressed that in order to win in Australia “you need all 11 to be performing and standing up at the right time”.”It’s that balance, and being able to adapt to different circumstances in the game, that is more crucial than one or two players having a great series,” he added. “You’ve got to be fit, strong, mentally very stable and, ultimately, you’ve got to grind Australia down.”Our greatest strength is maybe intangible in that we’re a pretty tight unit. We don’t rely on one or two players. All 11 guys have been putting their hands up, certainly in those crucial periods to make sure we get through them and win tight games. That is a great strength to have. But it will be tested over the course of the next three months. We need to remain resolute.”England arrived in Australia after a successful 18 months, during which they regained the Ashes on home soil, drew in South Africa and most recently beat Pakistan to cap six consecutive series victories, across all formats, at home this summer. But despite England’s recent successes, and Australia’s dip in form, Strauss suggested that his team’s 5-0 thrashing four years ago under Andrew Flintoff’s captaincy had not been forgotten.”We’ve all learned lessons – certainly the guys who were on the tour here last time – about the style of cricket you need to play if you want to be successful out here,” he said. “We’re in a nice, stable place at the moment. But we’re not arrogant enough to think everything’s going to be hunky-dory for all three months of the trip.”After weeks of pre-Ashes hype in the build-up to England’s departure, Strauss insisted that his side’s arrival in Australia had sharpened their focus on the task that awaits them. “Now we’ve touched down on Australian soil, everything is that bit more at the forefront of our minds – what lies ahead of us, what massive opportunities there are, and how determined we are to play well here. We want to acclimatise quickly, but also we have to factor in that it’s going to be a long tour, and you don’t want to burn out in the first week.”Strauss also dismissed the notion that England would underestimate an Australian side that has recently slipped to fifth in the world rankings and has been defeated in its last three Tests. “If there are any question marks that are preoccupying Australia at the moment, that’s good for us,” said Strauss. “But my past experience is that if you say too much about opposition players it can come back and haunt you.”The Australian side now doesn’t have those very experienced, legendary players it once had. But they’ve got some very good players, and certainly at home they’re going to be a very strong side. For us to expect Australia to be in any way less competitive than they have been would be a bad way of playing things. We’re expecting them to be very strong, very determined and clearly massively motivated to win back the Ashes.”Adam Gilchrist, who was part of all-conquering Australian teams under Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting, believes the series will be a keenly-contested one. “Either team could win it and I think everyone is anticipating another tight series,” he told . “In 2009 you didn’t know what the match situation was going to be at the end of each day. It will be a hard-fought, closely contested series.”Gilchrist suggested that home conditions would favour Australia, but that the hosts’ weakness might lie in their unsettled bowling attack.”Australia play the conditions well and Ricky Ponting plays particularly well in home conditions. There is going to be a lot of weight on his shoulders if they’re to be successful and I suspect he’ll be up for it too. But there is uncertainty about what their best 11 is when everyone is fully fit. The bowling has suffered a great deal of disruption and that makes it difficult. The spin bowling position has always been under question since Shane Warne left.”The team have taken a blow in confidence with a series of negative results and I think we are realising we don’t like losing and took for granted that we were winning so often.”