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Just two days after posting the highest total at Harare Sports Club, 350 against Zimbabwe, Australia’s line-up were at it again, against a much stronger pack

The Report by Firdose Moonda27-Aug-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details South Africa needed 91 runs from 77 balls when AB de Villiers, with 91 to his name and cramp slicing through his hamstring, walked across his crease, got down on one knee and scooped James Faulkner over his left-shoulder onto the open stands for six. In that one shot, all the questions about South Africa’s ability to take on the best were answered.De Villiers saw his childhood friend Faf du Plessis record his first ODI century in his 51st game, scored a hundred of his own and was there to scamper the winning single when JP Duminy called for it with 21 balls remaining.The seven-wicket win in a 300-plus chase was as comprehensive as South Africa could have wanted after Australia controlled most of first half. Aaron Finch’s fourth ODI century saw them through the middle-over squeeze and set up for a strong finish. Australia took 93 runs off the last 10 overs to post 327 but South Africa did not need a similarly swift response. De Villiers and du Plessis shared a record 206-run third-wicket stand, the highest at Harare Sports Club and the highest for South Africa against Australia, to break the back of the chase and put bowling issues on the backburner for now.Both teams would be disappointed with their performance in the field, Australia more than South Africa, because they put down two chances as well as bled runs. Mitchell Johnson let de Villiers off the hook in his follow through when he was on 78 and George Bailey put him down at point on 85. Add that to the knowledge that none of their bowlers held an end and Australia will have some scrutinising to do.Johnson was over-reliant on his short ball, which lacked its usual venom on a surface without much in it. Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson and James Faulkner also struggled to find the right length and the absence of a specialist spinner, with Nathan Lyon benched, was shown up especially against Imran Tahir’s returns.Tahir was South Africa’s best performer with the ball and put the brakes on Australia after Finch and Phillip Hughes gave them a start of 62 runs in the first 10 overs. He removed both Hughes and Mitchell Marsh in his first spell which formed part of a ten-over period in which South Africa gave away just 32 runs and one boundary.That proved vital because they lacked control later on as Finch and Bailey combined to threaten a late burst. Finch went from 80 to a century in 11 balls while Bailey tore into Morne Morkel and Ryan McLaren short balls to leave de Villiers without a banker for the death. Wayne Parnell, who conceded 46 runs in six overs thanks largely to a misdirected line down the leg-side, was used in the final over and cost de Villiers 20 runs. But all that was made to seem minimal when South Africa were at the crease.Quinton de Kock and Hashim Ama were merciless on width in the opening passages and wiped away 44 runs in seven overs before Australia grabbed the upper-hand. Amla was well caught by Steven Smith at point and de Kock top-edged a pull to deep square leg to leave South Africa stuttering.But de Villiers and du Plessis played partly with the watchfulness they employed in the Adelaide Test match almost three years ago and partly with aggression to keep South Africa in the hunt. They ran well between the wickets even when de Villiers was in so much discomfort he needed on-field treatment, they punished anything on a length and did not take risks until de Villiers offered his twin chances.The two drops may have been the turning point because as Australia’s confidence waned, South Africa’s swelled. Du Plessis maiden ODI hundred came up off 95 balls with a crack through the covers, de Villiers’ followed two balls later with a loft over mid-off and as they partnership grew to a double-century, South Africa only had victory in sight even though du Plessis was not there at the end to see it. Fittingly, de Villiers was.

Joe Root’s sparky, unbeaten 92 ensured England remained in complete control at The Oval despite a mid-afternoon fightback from India

Report by David Hopps16-Aug-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIntensity, tension and an ultimate examination of courage and skill: such is the oft-stated attraction of Test cricket. But sometimes a day at the Test is none of those things, but just gambols along pleasantly enough, the result as good as decided from an early hour, with the chance of carelessness at every turn. Saturday at The Oval felt like this – but Joe Root was keenly resistant to the dangers.When India took four England wickets in 11 overs on the second afternoon, transforming England’s supremacy at 191 for 1 – already 43 runs to the good – into a somewhat lax position of authority at 229 for 5, Root glanced meaningfully at a deteriorating scoreboard, a young batsman who was obliged to get his old head on again. When it comes to the business of batting, his old head is never far away.By the close of the second day of the final Investec Test, Root had re-established England’s supremacy, not by withdrawing into himself, but by an innings both shrewd and enterprising: 92 not out from 129 balls. His forces off the back foot – his trademark shot – were crisp and assured. He survived some testing overs with the second new ball from Varun Aaron, a little jumpily at times, before preying upon a tiring attack so successfully in the closing overs that he almost stole in for a century. England scored 139 in 32 overs after tea to lead by 237.His contentment now he has a settled position in the middle order was unmistakeable, his adaptability growing by the month, his desire for runs unabated. Even with the damage of a troubled Ashes series, his Test average is heading towards 50. That one day he will captain England seems inevitable.He loves batting and even in his most defensive mode his mind ticks so obviously that he is eminently watchable. You feel you can hear it ticking loudly enough to keep the entire street awake at night.On this occasion, he was busy from the outset, a perky stand of 80 in 25 overs with Jos Buttler singing of a new England era, runs cascading in the closing overs after Buttler’s dismissal to prey on a tiring Indian attack, not as much playing for the morrow, as taking advantage of today. He destroyed India with a sweet touch.India’s attack had its limitations, although it showed more relish for the fight than the batsmen. Bhuvneshwar Kumar looked spent, the effects of five Tests in six weeks. Ishant Sharma found threatening bounce at times but he was well below the pace that destroyed England at Lord’s. R Ashwin, although not particularly threatening, might have bowled more. As for Stuart Binny, that first Test wicket remains elusive.But even days of unremitting domination there can be casualties. Sam Robson could be one. He made a maiden Test hundred in his second Test of the summer, against Sri Lanka at Headingley, but over seven Tests he has barely averaged 30 and, for all his earnestness, he has struggled to assert himself.Robson fell in the second over of the morning, poking charily at his second ball, from Aaron, steering the next awkwardly through gully for four, and then being bowled by a near yorker. It was another stilted dismissal for a player who has looked somewhat manufactured. He might get a chance to bat again in this Test – the last of the summer – and it will be April before England turn to the five-day game again on a three-Test tour of the West Indies.Aaron was India’s figure of hope. It was a wholehearted spell from Aaron, who bowled his share of gifts, but who regularly found swing at close to 90mph, that shook India into a concerted response after England, 148 for 1 by lunch, had achieved parity, their nine remaining wickets asserting their dominance as plain as a row of pikestaffs.Then four of those pikestaffs toppled over. Alastair Cook was dropped twice at first slip before a third edge to the same position in eight overs was finally held, so ending an innings of 79 that had begun responsibly but which, in its closing stages, had all the stability of a rich curry on an acid stomach.Cook has arrested his decline with three half-centuries in four, getting more bend in his front leg than he did at the start of the summer. India’s bowlers graciously fed him his favourite cut and pull shots that a few weeks ago he must have imagined he would never gorge on again.But it would be misleading to suggest that all his problems are behind him. He was twice reprieved, on 65 and 70. M Vijay spurned a straightforward chance at waist high; it was his catch, but his lack of understanding with his wicketkeeper MS Dhoni is doubtless preying on his mind. Ajinkya Rahane missed a slightly tougher opportunity as Cook tried to force Ashwin off the back foot. Finally, Vijay held one, a good catch low to his right.Gary Ballance was bemused by his own misjudgement on 64 when he pushed rigidly at a nondescript delivery by Ashwin, perhaps benefiting from a touch of extra bounce, and planted the ball into the hands of silly mid-off.Ballance’s start to his Test career remains among the best in England’s history. He is a utilitarian cricketer, a batsman whose worth has become apparent as the summer has progressed. The shot that brought up his half-century summed up his composure: swaying out of the way of a short ball from Bhuvneshwar, calmly reassessed and instead steered it with ease over the slips.In the over after Ballance’s dismissal, India struck again, Ian Bell pushing at a length ball from Ishant that straightened just a tad. Moeen Ali’s reputation for soft dismissals will also be entrenched further after he played on against Ashwin, indecisive over whether to leave the ball. A bowling attack which could have been forgiven for surrendering to despair had instead responded gamely.Buttler made another useful contribution before he clipped an inswinger from Ishant to short midwicket, Chris Woakes fell down the leg side, third ball for nought, but Root and Chris Jordan remained at the close. Stuart Broad, next man in, fingered his broken nose and was probably grateful for at least another 16 hours’ healing.

An all-round performance from Deandra Dottin, who took three wickets and scored an unbeaten 40, helped West Indies Women beat New Zealand Women by seven wickets in the second T20

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Sep-2014
ScorecardDeandra Dottin scored three fours in her 42-ball 40•WICB Media/Ashley AllenAn all-round performance from Deandra Dottin, who took three wickets and scored an unbeaten 40, helped West Indies Women beat New Zealand Women by seven wickets in the second T20. The win helped them draw level with New Zealand in the three-match T20 series, with the final game on September 27.New Zealand made a solid start to their innings after being put in to bat as captain Suzie Bates and wicketkeeper Rachel Priest added 50 runs for the opening stand in 8.1 overs. From thereon, however, the West Indies bowlers curbed the flow of runs and gave away 51 runs in the next next 11.5 overs. After Bates was run-out for 29 in the ninth over, Dottin struck in successive overs to remove Sophie Devine, Sara McGlashan and Priest. Dottin finished with 3 for 9 in her four overs as New Zealand were restricted to 101 for 5.The West Indies reply suffered a couple of early setbacks when Kycia Knight and Stafanie Taylor were dismissed by the third over. Dottin, who finished with 40 off 42 balls, compiled a 32-run, third-wicket partnership with Britney Cooper. Dottin’s 58-run, fourth-wicket stand with Shemaine Campbelle then took West Indies over the line in the 18th over.

Self-inflicted wounds, including three run-outs, cost Bangladesh as they managed only a 14-run lead after bowling Zimbabwe out for 240

The Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy26-Oct-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMominul Haque was fluent during his half-century on the second morning•AFPSelf-inflicted wounds, including three run-outs, cost Bangladesh as they managed only a 14-run lead after bowling Zimbabwe out for 240. The Zimbabwe openers survived the two overs that remained after Bangladesh were bowled out, leaving the match intriguingly poised going into the third day.Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim made half-centuries, and looked mostly untroubled by Zimbabwe’s bowlers, but none of them carried on to a more substantial score. This meant the lower order was at the crease when Zimbabwe took the second new ball, and Bangladesh duly folded from 213 for 6 to 254 all out. Tinashe Panyangara, who had dismissed the openers, bounced out Mushfiqur and hurtled through the lower order to finish with five wickets.The pitch at the Shere Bangla National Stadium continued to offer turn and unpredictable bounce, but Zimbabwe’s two frontline spinners failed to exploit it, as combined figures of 36-6-116-1 would suggest. They scarcely made a dent in the composure of Mominul, Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur, who batted serenely to combine in partnerships of 63 and 64 for the third and fifth wickets.But Bangladesh kept losing wickets against the run of play. Mahmudullah was lbw with tea looming, trying to lap-sweep the part-time offspinner Sikandar Raza. Before that, in the space of 27 balls either side of lunch, Mominul and Shakib Al Hasan were run out. Mominul was caught short by a direct hit from Raza, but only because he failed to drag his bat over the crease. Shakib fell victim to poor communication from his partner Mahmudullah and to a glorious piece of athleticism from Tendai Chatara, who dived to collect a wayward throw and disturbed the bails with a back-hand flick, all in one swooping motion.At that point, Bangladesh were four down and 126 behind. Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur steered them out of trouble, milking Zimbabwe’s inexperienced spinners and pouncing on the loose balls they served up. Mushfiqur went after the offspinner Nyumbu, who only bowled three overs in the second session, slog-sweeping him for six and square-cutting him when he dragged one short and wide. Mahmudullah drove the legspinner Tafadzwa Kamungozi for successive fours through cover to bring up his half-century.Kamungozi bowled quicker and flatter than his fellow debutant Jubair Hossain had done in Zimbabwe’s innings, and struggled to hit a good length. On a couple of occasions when he did, he spun the ball sharply past the outside edge, but was often too short or too full.Zimbabwe’s best bowlers were their two fast bowlers, Chatara and Panyangara. Bangladesh had added only two runs to their overnight 27 for 1 when Shamsur Rahman spooned Panyangara straight to mid-off, off a delivery that seemed to stop on the batsman. It wasn’t the first time that had happened on this pitch, but the dismissal wasn’t just about that one misbehaving ball. Shamsur had scored only one run off the previous 20 balls he had faced, and the sight, or illusion, of a driveable delivery caused him to snatch too eagerly at his shot.At the other end, Chatara was keeping Mominul just as quiet. He bowled four overs in his first spell of the day, and each of them was a maiden. Mominul faced all 24 balls, nearly all of which were angled across him towards a fourth-stump line, and judged his responses impeccably, showing none of the vulnerability that afflicts most batsmen in that channel.Mahmudullah got going with successive fours off Panyangara, but was otherwise restrained as the two fast men completed their first spells of the morning. When Chatara and Panyangara went off, the pressure on the batsmen eased a little, and scoring opportunities grew more plentiful.Mahmudullah pierced the gap in front of point with a backfoot punch off the medium-pacer Elton Chigumbura, and Mominul square-cut Kamungozi and drove Nyumbu inside out. On the odd occasion when the ball turned and bounced, both batsmen minimised the damage by playing close to the body and with soft hands.The partnership ended when Chatara came back for one final over before the break. Had Mominul grounded his bat properly, or had Raza’s throw missed, he would have scored the first run off Chatara in the morning. He ended with figures of 5-5-0-0 for the first session, and 22-11-27-0 for the innings.

The upcoming series will offer the two bottom-placed ODI teams a chance to improve their record in a format that has yielded mostly poor results in 2014

The Preview by Mohammad Isam20-Nov-20140:48

Bangladesh eager to build on 3-0 sweep

Match factsNov 21, 2014
Start time 13:30 local (07:30 GMT)Big pictureThe form guide below says it all. Bangladesh have lost their last five ODIs, going back to their series against India and West Indies back in August. Zimbabwe have won just one out of their last five – the famous victory against Australia in the tri-series in Harare.But since then, Bangladesh have whitewashed Zimbabwe 3-0 in the Test series, and the visitors’ confidence has taken a hit. Going into the ODI series on Friday, it will be the year’s least successful ODI team, Bangladesh, who will have the upper-hand for a change. Bangladesh were reeling coming into the Tests, but wins in Dhaka, Khulna and Chittagong – the last two of which were resounding – have given them a huge lift.Bangladesh are currently ninth in the ODI rankings, 11 points ahead of Zimbabwe, and the only scenario in which the visitors can overtake them is if they complete an unlikely 5-0 whitewash in the series.Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah led by example the past few weeks, while Mominul Haque has continued to be consistent. Jubair Hossain showed glimpses of his legspin, which could secure his place in the team.It will also be a new beginning for Mushfiqur Rahim the player, after being sacked as captain for this series. Imrul Kayes is likely to play, which would put the onus on Anamul Haque to score heavily as the opener, or the team management may look to tighten the top-order.Zimbabwe, on the other hand, will be relying heavily on Hamilton Masakadza and Sikandar Raza to shoulder most of the responsibility. The pair cannot afford to throw away good starts, while Brendan Taylor will be expected to hit back with runs after a poor year in this format. Regis Chakabva will also be needed to carry over his good form from the Tests.On the bowling front, Bangladesh look to be the stronger side with Shakib, Arafat Sunny and Jubair forming the spin attack, with Mashrafe leading a four-pronged pace attack. Zimbabwe, in contrast, have a young attack led by Tinashe Panyangara. John Nyumbu had a decent outing in the tri-series with six wickets at 31.50, and Zimbabwe will hope he builds on that. The visitors will certainly miss Prosper Utseya in the ODI series.Form guide
(last five completed games, most recent first)
Bangladesh LLLLL
Zimbabwe LWLLLIn the spotlightMashrafe Mortaza is about to make his third coming as Bangladesh captain after his first two appointments ended in injuries. He will have to look after his team as well as himself, as he has been injured several times in the past. A fine one-day bowler, Mashrafe will be key with the ball if there is dew in the evening.One of Zimbabwe’s few positives on this tour so far has been Sikandar Raza, who made three half-centuries and in the Chittagong Test looked to dominate the Bangladesh attack. He has had an above-average 2014 so far, and Zimbabwe would be banking on him to continue this good form.Team newsThe uncapped and Jubair Hossain is likely to miss out if Bangladesh persist with three seamers. With Shafiul Islam being a late addition, he is more likely to play than Rubel Hossain. Imrul Kayes will possibly bat at No. 3 or Sabbir Rahman will get a berth lower down the order to make his ODI debut.Bangladesh (possible): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Anamul Haque, 3 Imrul Kayes/Sabbir Rahman, 4 Mominul Haque, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 9 Arafat Sunny, 10 Shafiul Islam, 11 Al-Amin HossainZimbabwe will no doubt be making plenty of changes from the last time they played an ODI, in September. Their top four, however, is likely to remain intact. Regis Chakabva’s good form will keep him in the line-up, while Timycen Maruma’s fifty in the practice game could push his case ahead of others.Zimbabwe (possible): 1 Vusi Sibanda, 2 Sikandar Raza, 3 Hamilton Masakadza, 4 Brendan Taylor (wk), 5 Regis Chakabva, 6 Elton Chigumbura (capt), 7 Timycen Maruma, 8 Tafadzwa Kamungozi, 9 Neville Madziva, 10 Shingi Masakadza/Solomon Mire, 11 John NyumbuPitch and conditionsOne-day wickets in Chittagong offer very little early in the day, so teams winning the toss would prefer to bat first. Later in the evening and with winter setting in, dew could become a factor even in November.Stats and trivia Zimbabwe won the last ODI series between the two sides 2-1. Overall, Bangladesh have won 7 out of 13 bilateral ODI series between the two sides. Shakib Al Hasan (3,835) and Tamim Iqbal (3,824) are in a race to reach 4,000 ODI runs. They are 165 and 176 runs away from the milestone. Sean Williams and Elton Chigumbura have played most ODIs for Zimbabwe this year (11), but Williams is not in the ODI squad.Quotes”We will try to prepare the wickets that will help us win games first, and then think about the World Cup as well.””They [Bangladesh] played better than us [in the Test series] so now it is water under the bridge; it’s a new chapter going to the one day series.”

In a last-minute off the cuff meeting that went on for more than two hours, the Bangladesh selection committee was asked by the BCB president Nazmul Hassan and a majority of the board directors to explain the World Cup squad

Mohammad Isam04-Jan-2015In a last-minute off the cuff meeting that went on for more than two hours, the Bangladesh selection committee was asked by the BCB president Nazmul Hassan and a majority of the board directors to explain the World Cup squad. According to Hassan, the discussion was about two bowling spots.Chief selector Faruque Ahmed said that it was normal practice to be asked about their choices. “We were called up by the board directors and the president. It is a normal practice to be asked who we selected and why we made the selections. That’s why there was a delay,” he said.Hassan explained that since a lot of the board directors, the coach Chandika Hathurusingha and captain Mashrafe Mortaza were present in Mirpur, it was an opportunity to discuss the squad.”I thought I would just come and announce the team but the problem was that the board directors, the coach and captain were all present today,” Hassan said. “The full selection committee was here, so we spoke to them as well. The major challenge this time is the high number of options available to us. It became hard for us to decide who to pick. Everyone had a different opinion.”We have three spinners who have performed well recently – Taijul Islam, Jubair Hossain and Arafat Sunny. So it was a major decision to pick among them. We had to listen to everyone. Secondly, we had to pick among Al-Amin, Shafiul and Rubel.”Hassan said that the discussion was also about the inclusion of Jubair, the young legspinner who made his Test and ODI debut against Zimbabwe late last year, but who was largely benched by his Premier League side Abahani. Faruque explained that Jubair would be a major risk due to his lack of experience in domestic and international levels.But Hassan later said that Jubair could be one of the two standbys who would be sent to Brisbane along with the squad to help out in the nets. Shafiul Islam was named as the other standby but the second player was not announced.”We discussed two names. We talked to the coach, the captain and cricket operations [committee]. Nobody could be sure who to drop,” Hassan said. “One of them was [Jubair Hossain] Likhon, and the others were Al-Amin [Hossain] and Shafiul [Islam]. We have kept the 15-man squad as it is, but we have put Shafiul as the 16th man and Likhon is in discussion for the 17th place.”To which Faruque added: “We have a two-week camp in Brisbane for which we can’t find many net bowlers. We know that our seam attack is injury-prone so we wanted to get one of the boys quickly adjust to the weather and conditions. We wanted to have two players who are likely to enter the squad [in case of a withdrawal] and adjust to the conditions quickly.”Hassan said that he only spoke to Faruque on Saturday when he had gone to submit the team to the BCB president. Faruque joked that it would have been better had the president given his choice of squad to the media, much like some of the former Bangladesh players had done over the past few weeks. Hassan too had gone on to give his opinion to the media prior to the announcement.”I think the other point of interest was that the president said who should be and should not be in the squad, as I had read in some of the newspapers,” Faruque said. “There is so much interest in the World Cup squad that I think it is a very normal thing for the president to give his opinion about the squad. It would have been better if he had given the 15-member squad in the newspapers but he didn’t give it.”Hassan said that since taking over as the BCB president, he has known that he would take the final decision in team selection. He said that there haven’t been many changes made in the past or even in this squad, but he likes to discuss the squad before approving it.”From what I have seen since coming [to BCB as the president], the selection committee prepares a list and gives it to us,” Hassan said. “The president gives the final decision. It is not that there weren’t changes previously, when Akram [Khan] was chief selector.”We take the decision after a discussion, and it is not that my choice always goes through. You can ask whether we should speak to the directors, coach, captain. But I want to discuss with as many as possible, which makes my decision-making easier.”

The national selector effectively concluded that their leading Test spinner Lyon was not up to the task of bowling with only four run-saving men shielding the boundaries

Daniel Brettig11-Jan-2015One fielder was the difference between Xavier Doherty and Nathan Lyon – the extra boundary rider removed from the shot locker of international captains in October 2012 – in the World Cup deliberations of Australia’s selectors.The national selector Rod Marsh and his colleagues Darren Lehmann, Trevor Hohns and Mark Waugh, effectively concluded that their leading Test spinner Lyon was not up to the task of bowling with only four run-saving men shielding the boundaries. In the same breath they decided that Doherty was capable of doing so, in concert with his state captain George Bailey.Marsh also offered up the old argument that spinners need contrasts. The allrounder Glenn Maxwell’s place in the squad has often precluded Lyon from greater opportunity in limited-overs matches, and as a left-arm spinner it is thought that Doherty will pose different questions for the batsmen.”Xavier is a proven one-day bowler,” Marsh said. “We know exactly what we’re going to get with Xavier, we’ve got one guy in the squad who spins the ball into the right handers and we need a guy who is going to take the ball away from the right handers.”That’s where Michael [Clarke] comes in as well because he’s another option there as is Steven Smith. But having said that it’s a little bit different these days because there’s only four men outside the circle and it makes it a little bit more difficult I think for some spinners and I’ll leave it at that.”Lyon’s only chance to apply for a World Cup berth arrived in Zimbabwe and the UAE last year. Marsh said the selectors had “fiddled around” with various options, also including the legspinner Fawad Ahmed, on the way to deciding that Doherty was their man.”We had to find what we thought was the best option and we fiddled around a bit and I think we had to do that to prove to ourselves what we wanted really and in the end it boiled down to the fact we thought Xavier was the right man,” he said. “We did fiddle and we make no excuses for that. We had to find out what we wanted to find out.”Regardless of the fiddling, Lyon was not given the chance to play even a single ODI in Australian conditions after the fielding restrictions were changed from five to four. “No he hasn’t,” Marsh said, “and it’s hard to dispute that fact because it’s a fact.” Lyon’s lone appearance in Australian colours on home soil was as far back as February 2012.Some had raised the possibility of a more left-field selection choice for the Cup – namely Cameron Boyce or Adam Zampa, who have impressed in the Big Bash League. Boyce was also notably effective in his Twenty20 international appearances against Pakistan and South Africa at the start of the season.But in explaining their omission, Marsh returned to the theme of the missing extra fielder. “Both good young bowlers but we didn’t think either was ready for this tournament, to be honest,” he said. “The fact that there are only four men out counted against them.”But we hope they develop because there’s nothing more exciting in any form of the game – apart from raw pace – than maybe leg-spin bowling. If we had Shane Warne we may have picked him…”So it is that Doherty gets his chance to bowl for Australia at a World Cup, four years after injury kept him out of the 2011 tournament in the subcontinent. He can thank the ICC’s amended playing conditions for his chance, just as Lyon can curse them for his omission.

Former West Indies allrounder Richard Austin has died in hospital, aged 60

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Feb-2015Former West Indies allrounder Richard Austin has died in hospital, aged 60. Austin won three caps for his country but was ostracised after participating in the 1982-83 rebel tour to South Africa, which led to him becoming homeless and developing a drug problem.Austin, who was also a talented table-tennis player and good enough at football to represent Jamaica, was picked for two West Indies Tests against Australia in 1978, having made his ODI debut earlier on the same tour. He was dropped over signing for Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket, prompting a walkout by West Indies’ players.Although his form remained good, he was never recalled and a few years later was tempted to go to South Africa, despite the country’s isolation due to the apartheid regime – a tour which had far-reaching effects for those on it.A batsman who could bowl medium-pace or offspin, Austin was for a time known as the “right-handed Sobers”. But his career was ended at the age of 29 by playing in South Africa and he was reduced to living off the streets in Kingston, addicted to cocaine, known to local children as “Danny Germs”.”He was a tremendous talent – a terrific cricketer and a very good footballer … a wonderful team man,” Clive Lloyd, who captained Austin, told CMC Sports. “While he was in the team, he did really well and made a very good contribution. He was also a fantastic footballer and played other sports as well. I first met him when he played for Jamaica and you could see his immense talent. He was very stylish and you could tell he would go on to play at the highest level. He played Test cricket and World Series cricket and he opened the batting and also batted in the middle, as well as bowled a bit of offspin and was a very good fielder. He was a great utility man.”

West Indies batsman Darren Bravo has been ruled out of the 2015 World Cup due to a low-grade tear to his left hamstring

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Feb-2015West Indies batsman Darren Bravo has been ruled out of the World Cup due to a low-grade tear to his left hamstring.*Johnson Charles, the opening batsman who last played international cricket in March 2014, has been approved by the ICC as his replacement. He averages 28.96 with two centuries and two fifties in his 30 ODIs, but recently smashed 177 off 124 balls against Barbados in the Nagico Super50 and 151 against the same opponents in the Regional four-day tournament.Bravo suffered the injury while completing a quick single during West Indies’ win over Pakistan in Christchurch last week. The injury had ruled him out of the side’s matches against Zimbabwe and South Africa, but he was expected to make a comeback against India in Sydney on March 6. A team source, however, revealed on Thursday that the batsman was still unable to run and was taking longer than expected to recover.After missing the South Africa tour because of personal issues, Bravo returned for the World Cup with mixed results. He scored two ducks in four innings, including one in a warm-up game, and was on 49 when he retired hurt in the match against Pakistan.*This story has been updated with the news of Johnson Charles replacing Darren Bravo on February 28

Sussex batsman Luke Wright fell four runs short of three figures on an even first day of the season against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl.

Press Association12-Apr-2015
ScorecardLuke Wright fell four short of an opening day ton•Getty ImagesSussex batsman Luke Wright fell four runs short of three figures on an even first day of the season against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl. Playing in his 100th first-class match, he fell for a magnificent 96 as Sussex battled from 22 for 3 to end the day on 300 for 6.Ben Brown also scored a well-made and unbeaten 85 after Hampshire’s winter recruit Gareth Berg took a wicket with his first delivery for his new county.The visitors won the toss and elected to bat on a clear south-coast morning but soon found themselves struggling on 22 for 3. Opening bowler James Tomlinson – who nabbed 46 wickets last season – found an early breakthrough in the seventh over, as he clipped the top of Luke Well’s off-stump for a 12-ball duck.Hampshire fast bowler Berg proved the man of the morning as he ended the session with figures of 2 for 6. Berg, on his first Championship match since facing Nottinghamshire for Middlesex exactly a year ago, struck with his first delivery since making the switch from the capital, as he bowled Chris Nash for 11 in the 11th over. The South African born seamer stuck again exactly an over later, when he found the edge of Michael Yardy’s bat, caught behind for 6 – as the visitors languished.Ed Joyce and Craig Cachopa steadied the slide with a timely 70-run partnership for the fourth wicket, before the former fell victim to Danny Briggs, after a fluent 42 from 99 balls. Spinner Briggs managed to find some exaggerated bounce to find the edge of the Irishman’s bat – Sean Ervine plucked it at gully. The next ball, Briggs thought he had bagged Wright for a golden duck, when he rapped the England international on the pads, but the umpire turned down his loud appeal.Left-armer Chris Wood snared his first wicket of the season in the 48th over, when Cachopa pushed at a ball coming across him – as he departed for a well-worked 41 from 107 ballsWright brought up an excellent 69-ball fifty, three overs before tea with a pushed single behind square – the 24th of his first-class career. Brown arrived at the same milestone off 73 balls, in a knock including six boundaries, an over before the pair celebrated their 100-run partnership.The duo looked at ease slicing the ball around the expansive Ageas Bowl outfield and offered little chances in the early evening. But Tomlinson managed to find the outside edge of a driving Wright to finally see off the batsman for 96, four overs into the second new ball.Despite their early dominance, Hampshire were made to toil as the shadows descended on the outfield and they picked up a third bonus point in the 94th over. Brown will have an agonising wait overnight as he sits 15 runs short of a sixth first-class century.Speaking after the play, Berg said: “I couldn’t ask for a better start. I’ve battled with Nashy a couple of times over the years and it was nice to get him again. I think it was a fair day, a couple of decision could have gone our way but the bowlers toiled pretty well out there for the first day of a season. We aren’t too disappointed.Sussex’s Wright added: “If I had been offered 96 before I went out to bat I would have snapped your hand off for it but is disappointing to get so close. I was trying to take it to the bowlers and I nicked one but that’s part of the game.”I didn’t want to just hang around there, it was nipping around and they were bowling well so I wanted to put it back on them. It was difficult against the new ball, I feel bad for the lads, but I got away quickly and able to settle.”