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Taylor hails team for 'awesome' win

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Brendan Taylor, the Zimbabwe captain, termed the seven-wicket win against Pakistan in the first ODI as “awesome” and said “he couldn’t be happier”

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Aug-2013Zimbabwe celebrated their 100th ODI at the Harare Sports Club with a seven-wicket victory against Pakistan, a win Brendan Taylor, the Zimbabwe captain, termed as “awesome” and said “he couldn’t be happier”. The success also ended Zimbabwe’s 15-year wait for a win against Pakistan.”To beat the quality team that they’ve got shows we’re doing the right things,” Taylor said. “It just shows that if our top-order batsmen come off, it lays that foundation. Our seam bowlers today were exceptional. There is room for improvement, we dropped some simple chances.”We were badly beaten by India a couple of weeks back, so to come out with that sort of performance shows a lot of character.”Zimbabwe’s bowlers kept up the pressure on the Pakistan batsmen and restricted them to 244, which was about 20 less than what Taylor had expected to chase. Taylor, however, stressed on the need for the team to remain focused as he expected Pakistan to hit back hard.”We have put in the hard work, but this is only one match out of the three. So there is no need for complacency,” he said.Zimbabwe coach Andy Waller also praised the team and said the hard work the group has put in the last two months is starting to show results.”It was a good win. We have put up a huge amount of work in the last two months,” Waller said. “I knew it would come good, I believed in my players. I think the big turning point was the way we played the T20s. Our batters showed they could handle quality bowling. They went into the game with a lot of self-belief and that made all the difference.”We are trying to keep wickets in hand, that’s our gameplan, because we have players like Sean Williams, Elton [Chigumbura] and Malcolm Waller who can get the runs required later.”The Zimbabwe openers put up a century opening stand that set the platform for the chase. Hamilton Masakadza was the top-scorer with 85, while Sibanda also registered a half-century.”I always knew the wicket gets better in the afternoon, so we just thought the longer we would be together, the better it would be for the team,” Masakadza said. “It flattened out after the first ten overs.”Zimbabwe have a chance to complete a series win when they meet Pakistan in Harare on Thursday.”We know how good Pakistan are and we know the quality of their players, we know they are going to come back harder on us,” Waller said. “But we are not going to rest on our laurels. We need to perform better. We are not at our best yet. We got to enjoy the moment, but we have to come back harder in the next game.”

Watson carries Australia to victory again

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Shane Watson has carried Australia in every match of this tournament and has now all but muscled them into the semi-finals with another outstanding all-round performance against South Africa

The Report by Brydon Coverdale30-Sep-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShane Watson powered Australia to another victory•ICC/Getty

Shane Watson has carried Australia in every match of this tournament and has now all but muscled them into the semi-finals with another outstanding all-round performance against South Africa. Watson picked up two wickets to help restrict South Africa and then crunched 70 from 47 balls to set up their successful chase of 147, as the Australians cruised to victory with 14 balls to spare.The South Africans were lacklustre with the bat and sloppy in the field, and while the result has not yet knocked them out of the tournament, they will need other results to fall their way if they are to progress to the semi-finals. For that to happen, Pakistan would need to lose to both India and Australia, and South Africa would need to beat India and then hope their net run-rate was good enough to sneak them ahead of Pakistan and India.By the same token, the win has not technically confirmed Australia’s place in the semi-finals, but their very strong net run-rate meant that for them to miss out, not only would India need to beat both Pakistan and South Africa but Australia would also need a disaster in their last match against Pakistan. The way Watson is playing, such an outcome seems about as likely as Simon Taufel being drafted in to Australia’s XI.For the fourth time from Australia’s four games in this World T20, Watson was Man of the Match. He ended the game on top of the tournament run tally and wicket list. It didn’t all go the way of the Australians early in their innings this time around. David Warner was kept quiet and then on 5 had his middle stump knocked back by Morne Morkel when he backed away and tried to release the pressure. Australia were 10 for 1 in the fourth over, and South Africa had a sniff.But Watson batted precisely as he had to. He picked up the first boundary of the innings in the fifth over when he cut viciously for four off Jacques Kallis’ first ball, and then plundered three boundaries off the next over from Morkel. Watson was away, and it didn’t take long before he was really heaving, lifting Robin Peterson over midwicket for six and pulling Wayne Parnell for six to bring up his half-century.By that stage, South Africa could not afford a single mistake, and they made one when Watson, on 52, skied Peterson and was put down by Parnell running in from long-off. Eventually Watson fell – caught by Parnell at long-off from the bowling of Peterson, oddly enough – but by then he had added another 18 runs and put Australia within sight of victory.Michael Hussey kept the runs coming – a lofted six over wide long-on from the bowling of Parnell was especially impressive – and South Africa couldn’t find a way to pick up the wickets they needed to slow Australia’s run-rate. They could have had one when Hussey advanced to Peterson and the ball skidded through, but AB de Villiers fumbled what should have been a straightforward stumping.

Smart stats

  • Shane Watson has won the most match awards in Twenty20 internationals (8). While second-placed Shahid Afridi has won seven awards in 53 matches, Watson has done so in 34 matches.

  • The 99-run stand between Watson and Michael Hussey is the highest partnership for Australia against South Africa. It is only the third 99-run stand in all Twenty20 internationals.

  • Xavier Doherty’s 3 for 20 is his best bowling performance in Twenty20 internationals. It is also the best performance by an Australian spinner in Twenty20 internationals.

  • The win is Australia’s fifth against South Africa in nine matches. This was the first meeting between the two teams in the World Twenty20.

  • Richard Levi, who was out without scoring, has made six single-digit scores in his last seven innings. Overall, Levi averages 25.66 in 11 innings with one century and fifty.

There were no more chances and Cameron White brought up the win with six over midwicket off Johan Botha. It was the fifth six of Australia’s innings; South Africa had managed only two in their disappointing batting display. That they reached 146 for 5 was only through a late flurry from Peterson; they had threatened a much lower score earlier in the innings as the batsmen struggled to find the boundary.The first six of the innings came in the third over when Hashim Amla drove Xavier Doherty over cover and the second – and last – six didn’t arrive until the 19th over when Farhaan Behardien clubbed Pat Cummins over long on. But it was Behardien’s partner Peterson who gave the Australians a slight scare, finding six boundaries during his 32 not out from 19 balls.He was especially creative against Brad Hogg, reverse-sweeping and reverse-pulling for boundaries, and he even produced a reverse off-drive. In fairness, the way the South Africans had batted up until then reversing everything probably wasn’t a bad ploy. Peterson also picked up three boundaries in the final over, including a lap over his shoulder and away to fine leg off Mitchell Starc as 28 runs came from the last two overs.Behardien finished on 31 not out but he was surprisingly unwilling to go for big strokes, given South Africa still had five wickets in hand. Perhaps he was still being over-cautious after South Africa’s poor start.Australia’s decision to include Doherty for his first match of the tournament at the expense of the allrounder Daniel Christian, and then to open the bowling with him, paid off immediately after George Bailey sent South Africa in. Richard Levi was bowled from the third ball of the game when he backed away and tried to force Doherty through the off side and the ball skidded through.Doherty struck again in his second over when he tossed the ball up and found some turn off the pitch and Jacques Kallis (6) edged behind. Amla departed for 17 when he tried to hook Watson and gloved behind, and at 33 for 3 the South Africans were in trouble. JP Duminy and de Villiers steadied somewhat, though without really taking the bowlers on, as they chipped a few runs here and there.But when Bailey brought Doherty back on for another spell he immediately broke the partnership. From the first ball of Doherty’s third over, Duminy (30) advanced down the pitch and Doherty (3 for 20) sent the ball between his legs to allow an easy stumping from Matthew Wade. That was followed by the wicket of de Villiers, who drove to cover off Watson for 21, and again South Africa were in a spot of bother.They were in much more trouble when Watson was batting. And South Africa left the field knowing that by the end of the day they could be knocked out of the tournament. For now, their fate was in the hands of Pakistan and India.

Marsh learning to read Mendis from the hand

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Shaun Marsh’s innings of 70 in the fourth ODI, during which he saw off Ajantha Mendis, could have earned him a spot in the Test side

Daniel Brettig in Colombo21-Aug-2011Where two weeks ago there was panic in Shaun Marsh’s eyes, last night there was calm. Facing up to Ajantha Mendis, who had made him look highly foolish in the second Twenty20 international on the way to startling figures of 6 for16 in Pallekele, Marsh demonstrated the fruits of time in the nets, and the value of sharp concentration against a bowler ready to pounce on the merest lapse.Upon wandering down the wicket to be stumped in that T20 match, Marsh completed a two-match sequence of 10 balls and four runs for two dismissals. He looked about as likely to flourish against spin as Andrew Hilditch had been to survive the release of the Argus review. While most observers had Marsh batting at No. 6 in the Test series that follows the limited-over matches, now there had to be some doubt.He was subsequently left out of the team for the first three ODIs, and spent that time with the assistant coach Justin Langer, working on his technique and mental approach. Returning to the international crease in Colombo, with Australia chasing a meagre target, Marsh faced Mendis again, this time armed with the new ball. An innings of 70 played a large part in getting Australia home, and helped Marsh keep himself notionally ahead of Usman Khawaja in the queue for the Australian Test batting order.As the Australia players enjoyed some rest ahead of the final ODI, on August 22, Marsh said he was far calmer in Colombo than he had ever managed to be in Pallekele.”I knew if I could just get through those first few overs I’d feel comfortable,” Marsh said. “I’ve faced all the spinners over on the subcontinent before and done well. I knew if I could just get a bit of confidence in the first few overs I’d play my normal game and back my ability, and it was great to get out there and build some confidence.”It was disappointing in the T20s, [and not selecting me] was the way they went in the first one-day game, but it gave me an opportunity to work really hard against the spinners, and I’ve enjoyed working with Justin Langer. Going into the game last night I felt confident with the work I’ve done over the last couple of weeks.”Mendis was not entirely unfamiliar to Marsh, given a few previous jousts in the Indian Premier League, but it clearly took some time for him to summon the application required. It is a common problem among batsmen fed a diet of flat pitches and orthodox bowlers that the skill of watching the hand and the ball can be mislaid.”That was the main thing, especially after the T20 game where I got stumped. I knew I had to focus on the hand. It is sometimes quite tough, especially early on, but you have to make sure you focus hard and it was good to get through that last night.”He’s a fantastic bowler and he’s quite hard to pick, especially with the new ball when you can’t really pick the seam, but it was good to get out there and face him and gain a little bit of confidence. They’re very challenging bowlers over here on their home soil, so I’ll be looking forward to that challenge again tomorrow.”The innings’ restorative effect on Marsh has been mirrored on a wider level by Australia’s 3-1 series win over the hosts. Led with some panache by the new captain Michael Clarke, Australia have given reason for hope ahead of the Tests, even if the release of the Argus review in Melbourne on Friday reminded all that there are a surfeit of shortcomings to be addressed.”It’s great for the group, it gives us a lot of confidence,” Marsh said of the series win. “We knew it was tough coming over here, leading into this series and the T20 stuff up in Brisbane.”After the two T20 games we really emphasised we wanted to play good, attacking cricket. We’ve come out and done that; we’ve been fantastically led by the bowlers and the batters have done their job as well. We’ve got one one-day game left and we want to win the series 4-1, but we know it’s going to be a really tough Test series and we’re looking forward to that challenge.”The team’s visage on tour was changed by events in Melbourne, not least because of the direct effect the Argus report had on the roles and futures of the coach Tim Nielsen, the selector on duty Greg Chappell and the captain Clarke, who alongside Nielsen now has formal selection responsibilities. Marsh though re-affirmed that the team’s sights were set firmly on results and success.”That’s what it’s all about. We’re just focusing on each game we play and we want to win that for Australia and win that for ourselves. We’re just looking forward to that now and looking forward to playing some good cricket.”After besting Sri Lanka in the ODI series, Marsh and his team-mates can appreciate what that feels like.

Yuvraj diagnosed with dengue fever

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Yuvraj Singh, the Indian batsman, has been diagnosed with dengue and will miss the tri-series match against Sri Lanka in Dambulla on Monday

Cricinfo staff15-Aug-2010Indian middle-order batsman Yuvraj Singh will miss Monday’s tri-series ODI against Sri Lanka after being diagnosed with dengue fever in Dambulla. The development is a setback for Yuvraj, who has been battling poor form and fitness issues in recent months and was making a comeback to the limited-overs side after being dropped for the Asia Cup.”Yuvraj Singh is not available for this game,” MS Dhoni, India’s captain, said on the eve of the game. “He has dengue. But he is out of danger.” Yuvraj has had a disappointing tour of Sri Lanka, where he played only in the first Test. He caught the flu ahead of the second and was kept out of the third by Suresh Raina, who had scored a century on debut.India’s fitness concerns, however, did not end with Yuvraj and new-ball bowler Ashish Nehra is also a doubtful starter against Sri Lanka, while Ishant Sharma is also uncertain to play. “We are monitoring Ashish Nehra,” Dhoni said. “He has got a bit of problem with his gluteus. So we will take the exact decision before the game. Ishant is shaping well. As of now these are the two players who may be missing out. And hopefully by tomorrow there won’t be any addition to the list.”Dhoni said Dinesh Karthik, who had got struck on the hand while batting on an underprepared practice pitch, was fit and likely to play. The sidelining of Yuvraj and Nehra’s possible unavailability are major setbacks to the team, which is already missing first-choice players such as Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan and Gautam Gambhir.India conceded a bonus point during their 200-run defeat in the opening game of the tri-series and are presently bottom of the table.

Gus Atkinson wins Bob Willis Trophy after stunning Test summer

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Shoaib Bashir takes CWC Young Player; Sophie Ecclestone and Ryana MacDonald-Gay also among winners

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Nov-2024Gus Atkinson has been awarded the Bob Willis Trophy for England’s Player of the Year after a debut Test summer in which he collected 34 wickets as well as scoring his maiden hundred.Atkinson collected the award, voted for by members of the Cricket Writers’ Club, at the Kia Oval on Tuesday. The annual awards ceremony also saw Shoaib Bashir named NV Play Young Player of the Year, the latest winner of the CWC award dating back to 1950.Sophie Ecclestone won the JM Finn Women’s Cricket Award, while Ryana MacDonald-Gay was voted Emerging Cricketer. Liam Dawson, last month named the Professional Cricketers’ Association men’s player of the year, claimed the County Championship prize.”I was just hoping to make my England Test debut, and to have the summer that I’ve had, it’s a huge honour and to get this award at the end of it tops it off,” Atkinson said.”My debut, obviously taking 12 wickets was very special, and playing in Jimmy Anderson’s last Test was a big honour. Probably my favourite moment was that century against Sri Lanka.”Bashir has gone from virtual unknown to England’s first-choice spinner in the last 12 months, claiming three Test five-fors – including a match-winning haul in the second Test against West Indies at Trent Bridge. He picked up the prestigious CWC award for players under the age of 21 at the start of the summer.”Two years ago, I didn’t have a county,” Bashir said. “It’s been really special. With a lot of hard work, I’m thankful to be playing for my country. Long may it continue.”It was very special, first time I’d played at Trent Bridge. For me to take that last wicket and seal the deal to make it 2-0 in the series, it was one of the highlights of my season.”Other winners of the CWC awards included England Physical Disability opening batter Brendon Parr, who was presented with the Lord’s Taverners charity’s Disability Cricketer of the Year award.James Anderson and the cast of Tailenders took the Peter Smith Award for outstanding presentation of cricket to the public, and the Derek Hodgson Cricket Book of the year was won by David Kynaston and Harry Ricketts for
.Cricket Writers’ Club chair Dean Wilson said: “Huge congratulations to all our award winners, reflecting another terrific year of cricket for all members of the media to cover.”At a time of unprecedented change in the game on and off the field, there are precious few opportunities to pause and reflect and honour the efforts of those who bring so much joy.”Whether it is the skill and guile of Sophie Ecclestone and Shoaib Bashir, or the excellence of Gus Atkinson or Brendon Parr, there has been much to admire. Long may that continue.”

Finlay Bean 135 puts Yorkshire on top despite Adam Finch five-for

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Visitors take two early Worcestershire wickets after posting 407 in first innings

ECB Reporters Network11-Jul-2023Worcestershire 46 for 2 Yorkshire 407 (Bean 135, Lyth 79, Hill 53, Finch 5-100) by 361Opener Finlay Bean hit a career-best 135 to consolidate Yorkshire’s position of strength despite a second five-for of the season for Worcestershire’s Adam Finch on day two of the LV=Insurance County Championship encounter with Worcestershire at New Road.Bean’s third century of the season helped shepherd the Tykes to four batting points on another truncated day’s play in between the showers. The 21-year-old profited from being dropped twice on the opening day and hit two sixes and 17 fours in his 180-ball knock.The partnership of 177 with Adam Lyth was Yorkshire’s best opening stand for seven years.Worcestershire fought back with Finch, who had conceded 48 runs in five overs on the opening day, taking five wickets to finish with 5 for 100. But Matthew Fisher and Ben Coad picked up a wicket apiece to reduce the home side to 46 for 2 from 13 overs by the close to maintain Yorkshire’s grip on proceedings.Bean progressed from the Under-14s through the Yorkshire age groups and represented England Under-19s but opted to move away from cricket and left the Tykes at the end of the 2020 season. He decided to give cricket a second crack and last summer hit 441 for Yorkshire 2nd XI against Nottinghamshire Seconds at Notts Sports Club.It was the highest ever individual score in 2nd XI Championship cricket and earned him a rookie professional contract at Headingley.Bean scored his maiden first-class ton in the opening game of the season against Leicestershire at Headingley and followed it up with another in the last Championship match with Gloucestershire on the same ground.Yorkshire resumed on 154 for 0 but Adam Lyth added only two to his overnight 77 before he was lbw to a delivery angled in from Ben Gibbon.After a lengthy stoppage for rain, Bean completed his century when clipping Finch off his legs for two. It came off 140 balls with 15 fours and Worcestershire were left to rue putting down chances offered by Bean on 28 and 41 on day one.Former Yorkshire allrounder Matthew Waite had been the pick of the Worcestershire bowlers on the opening day and he gained some tangible reward with two wickets in two overs. James Wharton pushed forward to his third ball of the day and was lbw and then South African international Ryan Rickelton survived only 10 balls on his Tykes debut and his 27th birthday.He cut Waite for four but pushed forward to the next delivery and keeper and compatriot Gareth Roderick held a comfortable catch.Bean went onto the offensive against left-arm spinner, Josh Baker, twice slog sweeping him for six. But his fine knock ended when he tried to work Finch to leg and was lbw.The wickets began to tumble after tea with Jonny Tattersall lbw to Finch after aiming a blow through midwicket. George Hill completed a 55 ball half century before being bowled when driving to give spinner Baker his first scalp. There was more joy for Finch when Matthew Fisher was strangled down the leg side.Ben Coad and Matthew Revis batted freely to add 69 in 13 overs and take Yorkshire to within run of a fourth batting point before the former lobbed up a catch to mid-off off Gibbon.A fourth wicket for Finch followed when Mark Steketee was comprehensively bowled and he completed his five-for as Revis holed out to mid-off. It followed on from his maiden five-wicket haul against Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens in May.Worcestershire went into bat with 21 overs remaining and opener Roderick soon fell to Fisher as he nicked a ball that nipped away to Bean at third slip. Wharton then held onto a sharp chance at short leg after Worcestershire captain Jake Libby flicked Coad off his legs.

Jacob Duffy's five-for leads Kent to first win of Championship season

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Glenn Phillips leads Gloucestershire resistance with 59, but hosts chase down target of 88

ECB Reporters Network15-Jun-2022Kent 564 (Cox 158, Leaning 128, Bell-Drummond 89, Compton 80, T. Price 5-58) and 91 for 2 (Compton 30, Robinson 22) beat Gloucestershire 438 (Phillips 125, Hammond 66, O Price 51) and 213 (Phillips 59, Duffy 5-66) by eight wicketsKent have recorded their first win of the LV= Insurance County Championship season, beating Gloucestershire by eight wickets at Canterbury.Jacob Duffy took 5 for 65 on his Kent debut, while Matt Quinn claimed 2 for 37 and George Linde 2 for 52, as the hosts lifted themselves out of the Division One relegation zone.Glenn Phillips led Gloucestershire’s resistance, batting for over three hours to make 59, but the visitors were all out for 213, setting Kent a target of just 88.The hosts eased to 91 for 2 in 22.4 overs, with Ben Compton making 30 to leave him on 988 runs for the season. Kent take 22 points and basement side Gloucestershire six.Gloucestershire started day four on 37 for 5, still 89 behind the hosts’ first-innings total of 564 but facing a Kent attack minus Matt Milnes, who was being rested as a precaution.Miles Hammond was on nought when he clipped Duffy to Linde in the first over of the day, but the chance went down and for the next 40 minutes Gloucestershire chipped away at Kent’s lead, until Chris Dent tried to drive Duffy and edged the ball to Jordan Cox at second slip. Cox could only parry the chance, but a diving Sam Billings took the rebound, removing Dent for 32.Linde then produced a violently spinning delivery to bowl Hammond for 41, the ball pitching almost a foot outside off before crashing into the stumps.Ryan Higgins took two from Jack Leaning to nudge the visitors into the lead and Linde couldn’t hold a difficult caught and bowled chance from Higgins in the final over before lunch, at which point Gloucestershire were 16 ahead.Higgins had survived half an hour of the afternoon session when he played on to Quinn and was bowled for 30 and Daniel Bell-Drummond then had Ollie Price caught by the sub fielder Will Harby for three at square leg, from just his third delivery.An elegant cover drive saw Phillips past 50, but he eventually fell to a juggling slip catch by Cox off Linde, leaving Zafar Gohar unbeaten on seven and the visitors rueing their decision to send in three nightwatchers at the end of day three, when they lost five wickets in the final session.Ollie Robinson began the run chase as if in Blast mode, cracking 20 from the first three overs, before he fell to a brilliant one-handed catch by Hammond, while attempting to drive Gohar.Compton, who needed 42 to become the first County Championship player to make 1000 runs this season, was initially more measured, taking Kent to within five runs of victory before he was lbw to Phillips.Jack Leaning finished on eight not out after driving Phillips for four to level the scores and then hitting the same bowler to the cover boundary to clinch the win, while Bell-Drummond was unbeaten on 20.

BCCI looking to get players vaccinated, UAE not a back-up option for IPL

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BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal says board confident of hosting IPL 2021 in India

PTI30-Jan-2021The BCCI doesn’t feel the need to look at a back-up overseas venue for hosting the 2021 edition of the IPL, treasurer Arun Singh Dhumal said on Saturday. Dhumal, who is also on the IPL Governing Council, told PTI that the board is confident that it would be able to host the league at home unlike the previous edition, which was held in the UAE due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”We are working on having the IPL in India and we are hopeful that we would be able to organise it. We are not even thinking of a back up at this point in time, we want to do it here. India is probably safer than UAE at this point. Hopefully, the situation remains stable and keep improving and we will have it here,” said Dhumal.The UAE is currently experiencing a spike in Covid-19 cases while there has been a decline in India. The seven-day average caseload in the UAE has inched towards 4000, up from 770 when the IPL 2020 began on September 19. India’s seven-day average was past 90,000 at the time, but is now under 14,000.Related

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  • No crowds for India-England Tests in Chennai

After the boards of both countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during last year’s IPL, the UAE was considered a back-up option to host this season too, alongside being an option for the India-England series that begins in Chennai next week.The BCCI recently scrapped the Ranji Trophy from this season’s cricket for the first time in the tournament’s history, deciding instead to close the truncated season off with the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and 50-overs competitions for women and U-19 cricketers.”We took feedback from the players, selection committee, state associations. It was felt that 2020 is already gone and rather than having two Ranji events in the same calendar year, it is better to go for white-ball cricket. That way, we could have something for junior cricket and women considering the importance of of Women’s World Cup and U-19 World Cup next year. Rather than having one tournament, we thought of having events in different categories,” said Dhumal, adding that players will be duly compensated for not getting to play the Ranji Trophy this season.The resumption of domestic cricket happened with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, with the final to be played in Ahmedabad on Sunday. With domestic cricket also being played in bio-secure bubbles, Dhumal said it is tough on the organisers as well as players, but that’s the requirement until the cricketers are vaccinated.”It is tough but at least this way we are getting to play. We are working on getting our players vaccinated. The government’s directive is that frontline workers and the most vulnerable will be the first to get vaccinated, but we are in touch with the government to get our players vaccinated.”On the possibility of having crowds for the upcoming India-England contest, the first international series in the country amid the pandemic, he said: “We are reviewing the situation on a regular basis. We want the roar to be back in the stadiums but we have to work in tandem with the state and cental government. We are very keen to have the crowds back. Surely, it won’t be 100 percent capacity given the challenges, but we are looking at anywhere between 25-50 percent.”However, the first two Tests of the England series will be played behind closed doors.The BCCI had approached its counterparts in Sri Lanka and South Africa for a bilateral series next month to resume international cricket for the women’s team but Dhumal claimed the pandemic situations in those countries were not viable. The women last played an international event in March 2020.”We are keen that women’s cricket flourishes. We were wanting to conduct some bilateral series but it fizzled out because the Covid situation is not safe in those countries. At the first available opportunity, we will conduct it.”

Amol Muzumdar appointed South Africa batting coach for India series

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He has over 11,000 first-class runs and CSA hope that experience will help them combat the spin-friendly conditions in India

Nagraj Gollapudi09-Sep-2019Cricket South Africa (CSA) has appointed former Mumbai batsman Amol Muzumdar as batting coach for South Africa’s three-match Test series against India, which starts on October 2 in Visakhapatnam.The 44-year-old last played at the first-class level for Andhra in 2013 and has since held several coaching positions, besides being a TV commentator. Muzumdar’s specialist role for this tour mirrors the one former Sri Lanka batsman Thilan Samaraweera played for New Zealand during their Test series in Sri Lanka last month.Muzumdar will join team director Enoch Nkwe’s coaching staff, which comprises Vincent Barnes (assistant bowling coach) and Justin Ontong (assistant fielding coach).ALSO READ: Rabada ‘not too worried’ with Archer, Bumrah snatching spotlightMuzumdar got the offer last week from CSA acting director of cricket Corrie van Zyl, and accepted the interim role readily, looking at it as an opportunity to work with an international team.Asked whether it would be a challenge for him to coach at the highest level despite having never played international cricket, Muzumdar told ESPNcricinfo, “This is a myth that people carry in India and I would like to break it. I don’t think experience of playing at international level matters if you know the subject very well. I am dealing with batting at all levels, which is a subject for me. And if you know your subject thoroughly then the experience and all doesn’t matter.”Muzumdar’s 20-year career as one of the most prolific run-scorers in Indian domestic cricket – he made 11,167 runs at 48.13 – is expected to help on that front.”Amol is a perfect fit for us,” van Zyl said. “He brings an intimate knowledge of Indian playing conditions and the challenges our batsmen are likely to face. He also assisted us at the spin bowling camp we held recently in India and thus has already built up a good working relationship with Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma and Zubayr Hamza.”South Africa last toured India in 2015-16 and found it particularly difficult to tackle India’s spinners, going past 200 in only one of the seven innings they batted in. A full encapsulation of their struggle against spin came in the last innings of the fourth Test, when they made an all-out commitment to defence, batting 143.1 overs as they were eventually bowled out for 143 chasing 481.Muzumdar agreed that the challenge for the South African batsmen this time would be even greater, because the Indian bowling attack has grown to become ruthless in the last two years both at home and overseas. “That is exactly why I will not stress on spin. Because, at the moment, India have a potent bowling attack. Their entire bowling attack is a good one and it will be a challenge and we will have to come up with the plans.”As for the personal challenge of settling down quickly in the South African dressing room, Muzumdar was more confident. “Having played first-class cricket for 21 and years and a major part of it for a champion team (Mumbai), I know what a team environment requires and how champion teams operate. It won’t be easy, but I will accept the challenge.”Despite ending his career as the second-highest run-getter in the Ranji Trophy, Muzumdar never played for India. A contemporary of Sachin Tendulkar [both of them were coached by the late Ramakant Achrekar], Muzumdar won the Ranji title eight times with Mumbai including once as captain, in 2006-07.Muzumdar holds high-performance coaching certificates from the BCCI, Cricket Australia as well as in the UK through both Lancashire and Yorkshire, also was the batting consultant with Cricket Netherlands between 2013-15. He has been batting coach for Rajasthan Royals at the IPL, coached India’s Under-19 and Under-23 sides at the National Cricket Academy, and was briefly a batting consultant for the Netherlands men’s team. He had applied to be India’s batting coach earlier this year but couldn’t make the shortlist.Muzumdar now joins a select group of Indians who have worked with other international teams in recent years, such as Sridharan Sriram (currently with Australia men’s team), Sunil Joshi (spin consultant with Bangladesh men’s team till recently), Wasim Jaffer (part of the coaching staff at the Bangladesh High Performance Centre) and Lalchand Rajput (worked as head coach of Zimbabwe and Afghanistan men’s teams).

Younis Khan quits UBL after franchise pulls out of domestic circuit

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The Pakistani batsman gave up on the fight to save the United Bank Limited team from being disbanded, and announced his resignation as both captain and player

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jul-2018Former Pakistan batsman Younis Khan has never been afraid to say what he feels, with that trait showing so sign of abating even as he stands retired from international cricket. Angered – and seemingly hurt – by his domestic franchise United Bank Limited’s decision to disband the cricket team, Younis announced his resignation as both captain and player, and that 11 July 2018 was “his last day”.Younis, who signed for UBL in 2015, had continued to play for the side since retiring from international cricket. However, he has struggled for form this season, crossing double figures just twice in six innings. Even so, he was one of the most vocal opponents of shutting down the side. His letter, and notice of resignation today, appeared to be an official indication that that battle had been lost.
Younis posted the letter on Twitter, saying that he had met UBL’s president Sima Khalil, and was unable to change her mind on the decision. He apologised, saying he had “tried my best, but I let you all down”.UBL’s decision to do away with their cricket team had been in the offing for a few weeks. Financial considerations are believed to have been the main reason, with the bank re-evaluating the extent to which they were willing to continue investing in sports. This also means UBL will lose their representation at the PCB’s governing body.It won’t be the first time the organisation has cut its ties with cricket. They left domestic cricket in 1997, and were absent for 14 years until their comeback in 2011. Upon return, UBL re-established itself as one of the most prolific departments on Pakistan’s domestic circuit, finishing runners-up in the Quaid-e-Azam trophy in 2015-16. Earlier this year, they had romped to the Departmental One Day Cup title, winning all nine matches they played.Since being established in 1975, UBL have won the QEA four times, the Pentangular Cup three times, and the Patron’s Trophy once, in addition to several limited-overs titles. UBL have invested significantly in its cricket department, contributing around PKR 50,000,000 (USD 432,000 approx) each season towards the domestic franchise across all formats in the country. They were also the title sponsors of the T20I World XI series in Lahore last September.Addressing the fans, Younis said: “I will always be grateful to you and the entire UBL team. Many thanks for your understanding.”