All posts by h716a5.icu

Seamer Ravi Rampaul and offspinner Sunil Narine picked up four wickets each to set up Trinidad & Tobago’s five-wicket victory against Leeward Islands at Shaw Park in Scarborough

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Feb-2014
ScorecardSunil Narine finished with 4 for 16•WICBFast bowler Ravi Rampaul and offspinner Sunil Narine picked up four wickets each to set up Trinidad & Tobago’s five-wicket victory against Leeward Islands at Shaw Park in Scarborough.Leeward Islands, choosing to bat, struggled to muster any meaningful partnerships at the top of the order and lost wickets at regular intervals to stumble to 46 for 4 by the 18th over. Devon Thomas and Jahmar Hamilton briefly stopped the slide with a 67-run association for the fifth wicket, but once Thomas fell for 42, the team once again collapsed.From 113 for 4, Leeward Islands were bowled out for just 140, as Rampaul and Narine ran through the remaining batsmen in 43.2 overs. Rampaul ended with 4 for 20, while Narine, the Man of the Match, conceded only 16 runs for his four scalps.Fast bowler Gavin Tonge gave the visitors some hope of snatching an unlikely victory by effecting three dismissals to leave T&T precariously placed at 75 for 4. However, with only a paltry total to defend, those ambitions were quickly quashed as Dwayne Bravo and Denesh Ramdin put up a fifth-wicket stand of 65 to seal T&T’s first win of the season.

Dwayne Bravo has expressed his disappointment at the absence of Kevin Pietersen from the England squad touring the Caribbean, but admitted he could understand the decision taken by the ECB to exclude him

George Dobell in Antigua28-Feb-2014Dwayne Bravo has expressed his disappointment at the absence of Kevin Pietersen from the England squad touring the Caribbean, but admitted he could understand the decision taken by the ECB to exclude him.”I would have loved KP to be here,” Bravo said. “He’s a player that the world loves to see play cricket. Despite his problems, personally I love to see him play and it would have been good for us to actually play against him. It’s good for international cricket to have someone of his calibre to continue playing.”But Bravo, who may well have simply been attempting to appease all parties in an argument that tends to polarise opinions, also claimed he was “not surprised” by the decision to end Pietersen’s international career.”At the end of the day, no player is bigger than the game,” Bravo said. “Regardless of how good you are, there are (team) guidelines and there are rules. Whoever the player, you have to respect that.CPL ‘a shot in the arm’ for the Caribbean

The value of the Caribbean Premier League exceeds US$105 million to the region, according to new research. The Mona School of Business and Management (MSBM) at the University of the West Indies, has concluded that the 2013 tournament generated a combined impact of US$105.6m with more than 250,000 spectators attending matches across Antigua, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and St Lucia.
Coming at a time when several Caribbean countries are struggling to deal with the impact of the global economic downturn, news that the tournament can boost GDP by up to 0.7% only goes to underline the enduring importance of cricket in the region. The impact extended far beyond ticket sales or television rights, with other sectors such as general services, transport and communication, government services, hotels and restaurants, manufacturing, health care and insurance, and financial services all reporting a boost.
In all, the direct and indirect impact was calculated to be $36.4m, with the induced impact worth $69.2m. “With the region still feeling the effects of the global financial crisis, CPL has been a real shot in the arm for the Caribbean,” Professor Densil Williams from the University of the West Indies, said. “The tournament could trigger an even bigger revival, because as it grows and the brand becomes more recognised, we anticipate that the impact on the economies will be much greater.”

“For me personally, I am a Kevin Pietersen fan. And I know the world is too. But that’s England’s issue, and I don’t have to worry about it.”Bravo also has to cope without some of his leading players. Big hitting batsmen such as Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard are both unavailable due to injury, while Kemar Roach is one of several fast bowlers – Shannon Gabriel, Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards are among the others – unavailable, leading Bravo to bemoan the burden carried by Caribbean fast bowlers.”We have a lot of key players missing,” he said. “We play a lot of cricket now and we play a lot on flat wickets in the Caribbean that means fast bowlers have to work a lot more. I’m just waiting for the day when we can have a fully fit squad when can pick our best XI. That day is yet to come.”But the absence of senior players has provide opportuntiy for others and, in 22-year-old Barbadian, Jason Holder, Bravo clearly spots great potential.”Jason Holder is definitely going to be one of our best fast bowlers,” Bravo said. “I wouldn’t want to put too much pressure on him, but I honestly believe he is going to be the closest we shall get to Curtly Ambrose. He still has a lot to learn, but he is definitely one of our best fast bowlers.”

ESPNcricinfo previews the crunch Group 1 match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka with a semi-final place at stake

Andrew Fidel Fernando30-Mar-2014Match factsMonday, March 31, 2014
Start time 7.30pm local (1330 GMT)4:43

Crowe: Malinga captaining gives NZ edge

Big PictureWidely tipped to be the sides to progress from the ”easy” group, Sri Lanka and New Zealand find they must win their final group match or be eliminated. Things have not so far panned out as either had hoped. England are the top-eight team Sri Lanka might have been most comfortable of beating, but they were undone by the best innings of the tournament so far, while New Zealand were victims of one of Twenty20 cricket’s most aggressive final overs, from Dale Steyn. Pitches in Chittagong have not been as slow and low as anticipated, and on occasion, both teams have had their team compositions wrong as well.Both teams now have a clearer grip on their strategy. New Zealand added seam-bowling cover by introducing James Neesham to their XI, and replaced the out-of-sorts Tim Southee with the dependable Trent Boult. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will absurdly have had their XI boosted by their captain’s suspension. Lahiru Thirimanne is most likely to replace Dinesh Chandimal in the middle order.On most occasions, New Zealand’s ability to blunt Sri Lanka’s spinners might shape as a key encounter, but evening games in Chittagong have been unkind to slow bowlers. Sri Lanka rifled through five balls in their last match, as Hales and Eoin Morgan pillaged their way through the middle overs. Sachithra Senanayake has not been a penetrative weapon in any case – though Sri Lanka are likely to leave out Ajantha Mendis for Rangana Herath, whose bowling is less sensitive to the conditions. The forecast suggests dew may indeed materialise on Monday night.New Zealand will be encouraged to have their top order purring after only two full matches in the tournament. Kane Williamson, Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor have all made commanding fifties, and though Sri Lanka’s top four has also been among the runs, they have made them in far less convincing fashion.Form guide (last five matches, most recent first)

Sri Lanka LWWWW
New Zealand WLWWWIn the spotlightLasith Malinga suggested before the match that captaincy should not be too much of a burden, and he might be right. There are three former captains and a current one in the XI. Even when Chandimal was at the helm, many decisions were formed by committee. Where Malinga may feel a little extra pinch is when it comes to taking wickets. Teams have blocked him out safely so far in the tournament, subduing his penetrative potential in return for 10 or so fewer runs from his four overs. He has reclaimed something of his old form in the past two months, but will now hope for a truly matchwinning performance to send his side into the knockouts.New Zealand ask a lot from Kane Williamson, given his relative youth. He has been shoved up the order to open in this tournament, and though he may still feel more comfortable in the middle overs, he has been steady in his new role. Though not conventionally thought of as one of New Zealand’s matchwinners, Williamson is perhaps New Zealand’s best player of spin – particularly in Asia. If Sri Lanka’s slow-bowlers can make an impact in the match, a well-set Williamson may be best-placed to counter it.Pitch and conditionsThe Chittagong square has seemingly dried out during the tournament’s course, but it is yet to match Mirpur for turn. Skies are expected to remain clear for the match, which of course increases the likelihood of dew forming.Teams newsThere is a chance legspinning-allrounder Seekkuge Prasanna may replace Ajantha Mendis instead of Herath, but Sri Lanka are likely to go with Herath – the steadier hand.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Kusal Perera, 3 Mahela Jayawardene, 4 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 5 Lahiru Thirimanne, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Thisara Perera, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Sachithra Senanayake, 10 Lasith Malinga (capt), 11 Rangana HerathNew Zealand have no cause to change their combination following a comfortable win over Netherlands.New Zealand (probable): 1 Kane Williamson, 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Brendon McCullum (capt.), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 James Neesham, 6 Corey Anderson, 7 Luke Ronchi (wk), 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Trent Boult, 10 Kyle Mills, 11 Mitchell McClenaghan
Stats and trivia Sri Lanka’s net run rate is 2.124 higher than South Africa’s which means, Sri Lanka will likely top the group if they win Brendon McCullum became the first man to 2000 T20 runs against Netherlands. The next-highest runscorer, Mahela Jayawardene, sits 600 runs adrift Tillakaratne Dilshan’s strike rate is 112 in 12 innings since the start of 2013Quotes”We are playing night games and that’s the situation in the tournament. We must know to use those conditions we can’t give excuses for our skills. We must know how to play with a wet ball. That’s my feeling as a bowler.”

AB de Villiers produced an unbeaten 41-ball 89 to pull Royal Challengers Bangalore out of trouble and over the line in their first home game of the season

The Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy04-May-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details7:33

Agarkar: AB, the No. 1 batsman in the world

Royal Challengers Bangalore possess the most power-packed batting line-up in the IPL. They hadn’t fired in the UAE leg of the tournament, but now they were back in their natural habitat at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, home to one of the best batting decks and some of the shortest boundaries in the world. At the toss Virat Kohli said his team knew the venue intimately, and he backed his batsmen to chase any target.On Sunday, against Sunrisers Hyderabad, they had to chase 156. No team chasing 156 or less had ever lost here.Royal Challengers came close to doing that. They lost Parthiv Patel and Virat Kohli in the second over of their innings, and they lost Chris Gayle a little while after. Rilee Rossouw, sent in to bat at 6 for 2 on his IPL debut, was out after scoring 14 off 23. Yuvraj Singh then went for 14 off 16. Royal Challengers needed 61 from 33, and they were sinking.But they still had AB de Villiers. A de Villiers who was getting down on one knee and launching anything remotely full over the straight boundary. When Yuvraj went, de Villiers was on 33 from 19, and had already struck three sixes.Two more sixes and a four came off the next over, bowled by Darren Sammy, but Dale Steyn and Bhuvneshwar Kumar pulled things back by conceding just 12 from the 17th and 18th. On came Steyn again, with figures of 0 for 16 in three overs. Royal Challengers needed 28 from 12, and de Villiers was on strike.The first ball, a slower ball, disappeared over deep square leg. The next went straight over the sightscreen. There are times when a batsman is simply seeing it too well, and there was nothing Steyn could do to stop de Villiers.Two years ago, de Villiers had taken 23 runs off a Steyn over at the same ground. It became 23 for the over once again when de Villiers walked across his crease and scooped the last ball over the fine leg boundary and into the second tier of the stands.Steyn applauded. It was that kind of shot. After de Villiers made the winning hit in the next over, swiping Irfan Pathan to the midwicket boundary, Steyn went up to the batsman and embraced him. It was that kind of innings.Until de Villiers intervened, the match had been short of such typically Bangalorean happenings. After losing two early wickets, Sunrisers took their time to get going, with Shikhar Dhawan and David Warner going at under seven an over during their partnership of 62.Part of this was down to some tight bowling from the home team, with Yuzvendra Chahal proving particularly hard to get away. He slid the ball across the two left-handers, Dhawan and Warner, took care not to drop the ball into their hitting zones, and bowled a lot of googlies.Chahal went for 13 in his last over, with Warner finally managing to get him away, but till then, his spell had asked uncomfortable questions of the theory that legspinners can’t bowl to left-handers in Twenty20 cricket. Karn Sharma did more of the same when Royal Challengers batted, dismissing Gayle, Rossouw and Yuvraj – three left-handers – while going for just 17 in his four overs. Still, Sunrisers were probably right to have left out Amit Mishra, considering the pitch, the opposition, his own form, and the slower pace at which he bowls.When Chahal finished his spell, Sunrisers were 106 for 3 after 15. Despite losing Darren Sammy in the next over, they added 49 in the last five, with Warner profiting from a spate of full-tosses from Ashok Dinda in the 18th. It still seemed like they hadn’t put enough on the board, considering the venue and their opponents, and in the end Royal Challengers simply had one world-class batsman too many.

An unbeaten 41 from captain James Foster helped Essex bat out the final day of their Championship Division Two tie with Leicestershire and secure a draw at Chelmsford

Press Association07-May-2014
ScorecardJames Foster took his tally of runs in the match to 123 as Essex batted their way to safety•Getty ImagesAn unbeaten 41 from captain James Foster helped Essex bat out the final day of their Championship Division Two tie with Leicestershire and secure a draw at Chelmsford.The home side resumed their second innings on 101 for 1, still 51 behind the visitors’ first-innings score of 433, but reached 271 for 5 before declaring. That prompted handshakes all round and meant Essex claimed eight points and Leicestershire 11.Jaik Mickleburgh and Greg Smith had led the resistance on day three and carried on where they left off on Wednesday, quickly adding the two runs they needed to complete a hundred partnership. Mickleburgh was the first to reach his half century – from 119 balls – with a boundary off Anthony Ireland, while Smith followed in the next over with his fifty coming from just 95 balls.After a brief delay for rain, Mickleburgh ensured Leicestershire would have to bat again before being bowled on 67 by an inswinger from Nathan Buck with the score on 158.Smith was looking on course for a century before a needless run-out in the last over before lunch, the No. 3 changing his mind after setting off for a run and failing to get back to his ground as Josh Cobb’s throw from mid-off allowed wicketkeeper Ned Eckersley to remove the bails.Smith’s 85 was his highest score of the season but left Essex on 170 for 3 and it was 188 for 4 shortly after lunch when Mark Pettini, who had already survived a chance to midwicket, edged Ireland to first slip having made just 13.Another rain delay cost Leicestershire five overs but the second new ball was taken and brought immediate rewards as Charlie Shreck struck with the very first delivery, tempting Ben Foakes to edge behind. That left Essex just 61 runs in front but Foster knew precisely what was required and settled down to steer his side to safety, although he still managed six fours in his 93-ball innings.Foster, who also made 82 in the first innings, was ably supported by Kishen Velani who made 21 not out from 67 balls, while Shreck ended the day with figures of 2 for 48 from 25 overs.

Cheteshwar Pujara is hoping to make his mark in the one-day format during the series against Bangladesh next month

ESPNcricinfo staff29-May-2014Cheteshwar Pujara, the India batsman, already has six Test centuries but his limited-overs appearances have been limited to a couple of ODIs against Zimbabwe last year. He has been a part of one-day squads in recent series but has been confined to the bench, and he even took to working on his bowling a couple of months ago to try to increase his ODI utility.He is likely to add to those two ODI caps next month after he was included in the squad for three one-dayers against Bangladesh which is missing eight India regulars. “Hopefully, I will get a game this time. It is a good opportunity for all the young players who are part of this tour,” he said. “Playing against Bangladesh in their home conditions won’t be that easy. Bangladesh is a good team. We have a young side so it will be competitive.”The bigger challenge for Pujara in the coming months is the five-Test series in England. India were whitewashed 4-0 in 2011 when they last toured England, and haven’t won a Test away from home since then.Pujara hoped the two warm-up matches ahead of the series will help the team adapt to the English conditions. “We have some time, that is a good thing,” he said. “We have two practice games before the Test matches, so it is a positive thing for us. We have enough time for preparation.”The one-day series against Bangladesh ends on June 19, and the first of the warm-up matches in England begins on June 26.

Ravi Bopara admitted he woke up feeling empty the day after England’s ODI series against Sri Lanka finished.

George Dobell26-Jun-2014Ravi Bopara admitted he woke up feeling empty the day after England’s ODI series against Sri Lanka finished.While Bopara still cherishes playing for Essex, he has tasted life on the bigger stage and knows that little else compares to the thrill of representing England. Waking in his hotel room the day after the ODI series ended knowing that he wouldn’t be required for the Investec Test series against Sri Lanka was, he says, “a huge anti-climax”.”A lot of the other lads were going off to prepare for the Test series,” Bopara told ESPNcricinfo. “They were excited. They were talking about it. They still had a buzz. And I wasn’t involved. I woke up feeling this hole inside me knowing that England was over for me for a bit and I was going back to county cricket. It’s really hard to accept.”Look, I love playing for Essex. I really do. But there’s nothing like playing for England. It’s the ultimate. And once you’ve experienced it, it’s very hard to accept anything less.”But Bopara accepts that his Test form has not been adequate to warrant his continued selection. While there were, as he puts it, “glimpses” of what he can do, an average of 31.94 after 13 Tests is modest for one so talented.”I feel frustrated,” he says. “I’ve not been able to show my full potential to a wider audience. I was doing OK, but then the Ashes of 2009 didn’t go well for me and I haven’t got back in for any length of time.”I’ve shown glimpses. But I know I haven’t done myself justice and I really want to do it. I mean, I really want it. I want to play innings people remember. I know I can do that and I would love another opportunity. But there’s no point hoping or moaning. I’ve got to make sure I do it by scoring heavily in county cricket and making it impossible for them not to pick me.”Such passion may seem at odds with the image of Bopara as laid-back to the point of being comatose. But whatever he used to be like, he feels the experience of spending time with successful people from outside the world of cricket has given him greater perspective and better tools for coping with the stresses and strains of life.”I’ve been disorganised in the past,” he says. “That’s true. But it is the past. I’m working harder than ever now. I did feel, for a while, as if I lost all my energy. But I’ve rediscovered that. I’m honestly more determined and focused than ever.”I was very lucky to spend some time with some successful people outside cricket,” he says. “I don’t want to say who they were, but I’m talking about business people. It wasn’t organised by Essex or the ECB. It just happened, really, and it’s lucky that it did.”They showed me the habits and characteristics successful people need to have. They showed me how organised you have to be and how calm they were under pressure. They were so determined and so positive and the whole experience made me a better cricketer and a better, more honourable man. Why? Because now, if I say I’m going to do something, I do it. I’ve learned a lot.”

“The experience made me a better cricketer and a better, more honourable man. Now, if I say I’m going to do something, I do it.”

Bopara’s last experience with the Test team ended after the first Test of the series against South Africa in 2012 when, for personal reasons, he felt a need to take a break from cricket.”Being a cricketer is not like a normal job,” he says. “If you work in an office you might leave home early in the morning and be back late at night, I know. But we go away for months at a time and that can cause a lot of problems. The schedule isn’t conducive to normal family life. If there’s something going on that needs sorting at home, well you’ve got to go and sort it.”But no-one should mistake Bopara’s decision as a demonstration of any lack of commitment. “It’s not exactly that I put cricket before anything else, it’s just that it is who I am,” he says. “Cricket makes me who I am. It’s more than what I do; it’s what I am. So it is number one for me. Family is more important, of course, but I wouldn’t be me if I wasn’t a cricketer. It’s a non-negotiable part of my life. I have to put it first.”As one of the few men in the England set-up who developed as a player solely in the UK and without the help of the private school system, Bopara might also have a role in inspiring the next generation of young players into the game.”There is so much talent out there,” he says at a Chance to Shine event in Birmingham. “And there is so much love for the game. I was lucky in that my mum and dad played a massive part in my development. They took me to games, they encouraged me to train. They did whatever needed doing and I wouldn’t have made it without them. Parents are the key.”But role-models have a huge part to play, too. There has been a bit of a shortage of players from West Indian circles in the English game in recent years, so it’s great to see Chris Jordan coming through. He is going to be a big star and hopefully he can encourage a lot more kids to play the game.”Can I do that, too? I’d like to. I really would. I’m seeing a lot more kids from ethnic backgrounds in the grounds and if I can inspire one or two to take up the game, well, that would be brilliant.”

The inquiry into James Anderson’s alleged involvement in the incident with Ravindra Jadeja will be held on July 22

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jul-2014The inquiry into England fast bowler James Anderson’s alleged involvement in the incident with India allrounder Ravindra Jadeja will begin on July 22, a day after the scheduled conclusion of the ongoing second Investec Test at Lord’s.The ICC appointed Gordon Lewis, Australia’s representative on the ICC Code of Conduct Commission, as the Judicial Commissioner to preside over the hearing. He will also hear the charge against Jadeja. Lewis was also the commissioner for David Warner’s hearing into the Joe Root incident.The preliminary hearing will take place via a conference call to address any issues that need to be resolved prior to setting the hearing date and will also explain the procedure that will be followed at the hearing.The incident is reported to have taken place as the players left the field for lunch on the second day of the Trent Bridge Test. India alleged that Anderson abused and pushed Jadeja, while England alleged that Jadeja turned and approached Anderson in a threatening manner.Anderson was charged under a Level 3 offence, and if guilty he faces a ban between two and four Tests, or four and eight ODIs, whichever games are first. Jadeja was charged with a Level two offence, and if guilty he could be fined between 50-100% of the match fee and/or get up to two suspension points. Two suspension points equates to a ban of one Test, or two ODIs.

India have risen to No. 1 in the ODI rankings, while Australia toppled to fourth place after their defeat to Zimbabwe on Sunday

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Sep-2014ICC ODI rankings

1. India – 114 points

2. South Africa – 113

3. Sri Lanka – 111

4. Australia – 111

5. England – 106

6. Pakistan – 100

7. New Zealand – 98

8. West Indies – 96

9. Bangladesh – 69

10. Zimbabwe – 58

India have risen to No. 1 in the ODI rankings, while Australia toppled to fourth place after their defeat to Zimbabwe on Sunday.Elton Chigumbura lifting his No. 10-ranked team to only their second success against Australia – the first in 31 years – has meant South Africa and Sri Lanka have leapfrogged the free-falling Australia, who were joint-No. 1 with India ahead of that match. India had equalled Australia’s points tally following their victory at Trent Bridge, in the third ODI against England on August 30.However, the situation at the top remains quite fluid. India will retain their place at No. 1 if they beat England in the remaining two matches of the Royal London ODI series and Australia beat South Africa at least once over the coming week – either on Tuesday or, if they make the final, on Saturday. South Africa will move to the top if they win their two remaining league games and the subsequent final, even if India win the fourth and fifth ODIs.Australia, too, have a chance at reclaiming No. 1 if they beat South Africa in their remaining league stage game and again in the final. Concurrently, though, India would have to lose at least one of their two ODIs to England.India had been the No. 1 side when they visited New Zealand in January, but lost the top rank after failing to win a match there.

After getting a green signal from the BCB, Shakib Al Hasan has signed for Gazi Tank Cricketers for the 2014-15 Dhaka Premier League season

Mohammad Isam28-Aug-2014Shakib Al Hasan signed for Gazi Tank Cricketers on Thursday, the second and final day of the 2014-15 Dhaka Premier League players’ transfer window. After some deliberation within the BCB, he was given the green signal to sign for his club of choice like the rest of the players.The resolution brings to an end the three-day debate over whether Shakib would be considered a national pool player in the transfers. As in previous seasons, the BCB had set aside a group of players who had played international cricket this year. Earlier this month, the Dhaka Premier League clubs chose up to three players each from this “national pool” but Shakib at the time was suspended so could not take part in the transfers.On Wednesday, the opening day of the normal transfer window, the tournament’s organising committee, the CCDM, was unsure whether to add Shakib to the pool and had asked the BCB to take a call on the matter. There was talk of having a special lottery to sell Shakib’s services at a price of Tk 40 lakh among clubs who had not selected a national pool player for the season. But it is understood that when Gazi Tank confirmed to the board their advance payment to Shakib months ago, it smoothened the process overnight.”The CEO [Nizamuddin Chowdhury] called me today to say that I can do my transfer like all the other cricketers,” Shakib later told reporters. “This is completely the board’s decision and they would never want something bad for a player. It was a normal decision. Since I was suspended, I wasn’t in the national pool so it created complications. I think it was resolved through discussions.”Apart from Shakib, 133 other cricketers completed transfers during the two-day window. The 2014-15 Dhaka Premier League is scheduled to begin in October.