All posts by h716a5.icu

In the most dislocated city on the planet, The Whacker is the stuff of legend

Andrew Miller24-Nov-2014Australia’s Wild West is in the midst of its gold rush, with mining incomes soaring at a rate to match the skyscrapers of Perth’s shiny new CBD. But if new money is supplanting Western Australia’s old pioneer spirit, then at least the state’s venerable cricket ground has its eyes focused firmly on the past rather than the future.There are few grounds in the world more evocative than the WACA and none in Australia in quite such a terminal state of disrepair. However, that is not to say it is a bad place to watch a cricket match. Quite the contrary. The ground, by Australian standards, is small and intimate (although in WACA-speak intimate might as well be shorthand for intimidatory). The stands are hotch-potch carbuncles, stacked rather than built, while the grass banks on both sides of the wicket exist as testimony to the ground’s lack of pulling power rather than any deference to aesthetics.But the name itself – “The Whacker” – is reason enough to make the pilgrimage and immerse yourself in the legend of a ground that retains its aura in spite of the speed with which the world around it is being transformed. Take its five sublimely brutalist floodlight towers, each cast from concrete as thick as the walls of a fallout shelter. It is these, rather than the tired old pitch, which has lost much of the pelota ball-bounce of its heyday, that stand as the true totems of the WACA’s past glories.The ground was dredged from a swamp – part of which has formed, since 1929, the neighbourhood’s other major sports venue, Gloucester Park, aka “The Trots” – and it may soon be subsumed by the boom going on around it. But it is, nonetheless, magnificent in its fading might, as splintered and storied as Turner’s Fighting Temeraire, and as relatively short-lived in its pomp too.Prior to the advent of air travel, Perth was off limits as a viable touring destination, too remote even for the rest of Australia to embrace as its own, and the WACA had to wait until 1970-71 to host its first Test. Now it exists more as an artefact than a viable venue. The decaying Lillee-Marsh stand, dominated by a vast, dank bar, where a Long Room might take precedence elsewhere, epitomises the working-class values on which Australia the nation was founded.The WACA: intimidatory but also intimate•Getty ImagesBut Perth is changing fast, as is Western Australia as a whole, and the reasons to visit extend far beyond the fascination of the WACA’s crumbly history. There’s the weather for starters. None of Australia’s Test-hosting venues can guarantee more hours of sunshine than Perth, and the knock-on effects can be experienced throughout the region, from the city’s 19 beaches to the boutique wineries whose reputations have burgeoned in the past few decades, particularly around the Margaret River, a three-and-a-half-hour drive to the south.My personal experiences of Perth have centred, out of necessity, in the city’s twilight zone – the thin strip of hotels and bars running west to east along the parallel thoroughfares of Hay Street and St George’s Terrace. This is a rat run that takes you from the city centre to the WACA’s media entrance, via countless briefings in the Hyatt Regency, England’s regular team hotel, and past the lugubrious duck pond in Queens Gardens. Eventually, depending on deadlines and peer enthusiasm, that same direction of travel can take you all the way across the causeway to the shiny glass pyramid of the Bursewood Casino.But it’s not all two-way traffic. Perth is an increasingly sprawling conurbation but it remains a small enough place for cricket and cricketers to take centre stage whenever a big match is in town. This was proven to me on each of my two Ashes visits when, in the aftermath of Australia’s customary WACA victories, I encountered two key protagonists in improbable circumstances.The first meeting came in December 2006, on the very night that Australia regained the Ashes en route to their 5-0 whitewash. Quite how Brett Lee had escaped the dressing-room celebrations to make it to a lowly backpackers’ dive on Aberdeen Street is anyone’s guess. But there he was, in his cups, guesting on the house band’s bass guitar during a rendition of “Brown-Eyed Girl”, his blurry vision focused as intently as possible on the neck of his instrument as he strummed away with determined rhythm.The “Capuccino Strip” in Fremantle•AFPFour years later, almost to the day, another gig – albeit on a somewhat grander scale – provided the after-party as Australia hauled themselves level in the 2010-11 series. The venue this time was the Subiaco Oval, Perth’s most cavernous stadium, and the band in question was none other than U2, still a few years shy of becoming corporate viral sell-outs. They had breezed into town for their 360 tour, and who should I encounter in the ticket queue but Michael Hussey, fresh from the century that had just drawn Australia level in the 2010-11 Ashes, and visibly bewildered to have earned his team a fighting chance in the series.It’s possible, having put down roots for a week to ten days at a time, to forget that Perth is the most dislocated city on the planet, such is the buzz of industry and income that keeps its wheels grinding. But even once you’ve sampled the delights of the craft breweries in nearby Fremantle or poked your nose into the mysteries of the Pinnacles Desert or Rottnest Island, nothing underlines its splendid isolation quite like the journey eastwards into the Australian interior. The scorched, pockmarked void of the Nullarbor Plain, that vast expanse of wasteland that keeps Western and South Australia as removed from one another as North and South Korea, is an awe-inspiring reminder of Perth’s pinprick status. Whether viewed from an aircraft window or on the ground by train or car, it puts the city’s very existence into stark perspective. No wonder it’s a venue where touring teams have feared to tread.

There will no lack of edge when the co-hosts meet in Auckland – but New Zealanders are pretty certain about who started it

Andrew McGlashan26-Feb-20151:34

Lots of hype before the big game between hosts

Melbourne, 1981. Trevor Chappell accedes to the instruction of his brother, Greg, to bowl the final ball of a one-day international against New Zealand under-arm with six needed to win. And one of the biggest controversies in the sport is born. It brings condemnation from many, including the third brother, Ian Chappell, and the Prime Ministers of both Australia and New Zealand.Robert Muldoon, the New Zealand PM, said it was “the most disgusting incident I can recall in the history of cricket … it was an act of true cowardice and I consider it appropriate that the Australian team were wearing yellow”.”In all honesty, I think it’s something that New Zealanders have never really forgotten,” Chris Harris, the former New Zealand allrounder, told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s not nearly as important nowadays, but it’s still talked about. If a New Zealander is getting a hard time from an Australian that situation is very quickly brought up. We play on that a little bit, to say we’d never stoop to those levels.”So it is going too far to say relations between the countries have never been the same – Brian McKechnie, the batsman who blocked the infamous delivery and threw his bat away in anger, said the New Zealand players were joking about it a few hours later – but Trans-Tasman cricket contests do not lack for an edge.The under-arm delivery that New Zealanders felt was below the belt•Associated PressThat won’t be missing when the two sides meet at Eden Park on Saturday, a match surrounded with rare excitement for a country dominated by the oval ball, although even this will pale in comparison should the sides meet again in a semi or the final.New Zealand have home advantage, are three wins from three in the tournament, on the back of thrashing England in Wellington, and have formulated what is widely accepted to be their finest one-day team. In coloured clothes, there is strong evidence to suggest the gap is as narrow as ever; two in-form batting and bowling units, alongside dynamic fielding. This match is a litmus test.For teams so geographically close together, it is surprising that they have only played two ODIs since 2010 – group matches at the 2011 World Cup, won comfortably by Australia, and 2013 Champions Trophy, which was abandoned. The bilateral Chappell-Hadlee series has been shelved, although the prize was played for at the 2011 World Cup and will be up for grabs this time. There are also plans afoot to revive the frequency of matches between the two.The drying up of fixtures has helped fuel the anticipation of this match. The rivalry does not generate the hype – certainly outside of the two countries involved – of the Ashes or India-Pakistan but the fervour that has built leading into the World Cup is peaking with the arrival of the Australians. And 1981 is not the only time tempers have frayed.There are a few contemporary examples of when the environment has become heated. In 2005, Brett Lee sent down a beamer to Brendon McCullum at Eden Park; an apology was made, but not readily accepted. The late Peter Roebuck led his piece in the with: “Brett Lee must be dropped from the Australia side for the rest of this tour of New Zealand.”John Bracewell, the New Zealand coach, fumed: “It’s very hard to pick Brett Lee’s bouncer. It’s even harder to pick his beamer. It is the fourth time this season that he’s beamed one of our guys, and he’s been apologetic every time he’s done it. That’s a lot of apologies.”

“We love to beat them. There is a little bit of admiration but we always love to challenge ourselves against the much bigger neighbour”Former New Zealand allrounder Chris Harris

In 2007, Bracewell was at the centre of controversy over comments regarding the resting of Adam Gilchrist from an ODI, which had followed his refusal to offer support for the legality of Shaun Tait’s action. In 2009, there was much ill-feeling after an incident at the WACA when Brad Haddin’s gloves dislodged the bails when Neil Broom was batting and the batsman was still ruled bowled, which led to accusations of cheating. A year later, at Napier, Scott Styris and Mitchell Johnson clashed, shoulder-to-shoulder, when Styris took the left-arm quick for consecutive boundaries on the way to steering New Zealand to a narrow win.Harris says that the mindset around playing Australia is ingrained from a young age. “If you go back to your backyard days, which most of us still play, generally if there are two teams it’s Australia verses New Zealand so that psyche is always there, that it’s the big one – not that we take any other side lightly, but it matters a little bit more.”It is a popular refrain that New Zealand find a new level of performance when playing the ‘neighbours’ or ‘big brother’. The statistics do not quite paint the same picture: 34 wins from 125 ODIs against Australia, their lowest win/loss ratio against any nation.But that doesn’t mean it has not run the other way, too. Much has been said and written about the 1992 match at Eden Park, which sparked New Zealand’s most famous run of results, when a disbelieving crowd invaded the ground at the winning moment. Then in 1999 they overcame a rusty Australia side in Cardiff to win by five wickets. Those two matches, however, remain New Zealand’s only wins against Australia in global tournaments. They have never had a better chance to add a third.While there is no love lost on the field, Harris, who played four World Cup matches against Australia, taking the final wicket in 1992 and scoring a career-best 130 at Chennai in 1996, suggests the intensity when the sides meet is stoked by grudging respect.”For a very long time, from a New Zealand point of view, you feel Australia have set the benchmark and for us it’s a great challenge in a lot of the sports we play against them, as you are playing against the best.”We love to beat them, but New Zealanders generally respect Australian ability mainly because, in most sports, Australia are top of the world or close to it. There is a little bit of admiration but we always, as a much smaller country, we always love to challenge ourselves against the much bigger neighbour.”New Zealand generally let their actions do the talking the field•Getty ImagesThose neighbours can be rowdy at times. Australia view on-field verbals as part of their make-up, often led by the boisterous David Warner who has already prepared himself for a raucous greeting from the Eden Park crowd. It is likely he will hear more from the fans than he will from the New Zealand players, although it will be interesting to watch how they respond, if pushed, during the heat of the moment. Opposition facing New Zealand of late have not had much ground for sledging, but Australia will be keen to put them in their place.New Zealand’s persona in the middle is created by their fielding rather than their lip. McCullum’s dives can speak a thousand words. Before the tournament, when the crackdown on sledging was one of the regular topics, ICC chief executive David Richardson picked them out as a team that “acquit themselves very respectfully on the field”.Three times – 2004, 2009 and 2010 – they have won the ICC Spirit of Cricket award, while Daniel Vettori claimed the title himself in 2012. The award has sometimes been construed as a sop, the nice-guys-who-don’t-win-much accolade, but their increased on-field success has not yet brought any deterioration in behaviour.”We deal with plenty of sides that provide that and we just tend to go about our work. We don’t get too caught up in that sort of stuff,” Mike Hesson, the New Zealand coach, said. “We’re pretty respectful of our opposition and we’re competitive but we pretty much focus on our own job. We don’t have a rule but, as I said, we’re just respectful of our opposition. We basically focus on what we’re trying to do rather than anything else.”And, if things do become tetchy in the middle, ask a New Zealander who started it and there will only be one answer. Maybe even with a mention of 1981.

Not many Bangladesh captains could have got away with the kind of tactics Mashrafe Mortaza employed but the side’s efficiency in the field showed that he is a prudent leader

Mohammad Isam in Mirpur22-Apr-20152:24

Isam: One of Bangladesh’s best bilateral series

Mashrafe Mortaza is known for his fighting abilities, whether it is saving a single or the harder job of repeatedly resurrecting an injury-ridden career. In his third stint as Bangladesh captain, he appears to be channeling those abilities into clear decision-making.Bangladesh have conceded 300-plus scores on 39 occasions, 38 of which came with the opposition batting first. Pakistan could have gone that way but from the comfort of 203 for 2 in the 39th over, they were bowled out for 250 in 49 overs. Bangladesh took the last eight wickets for just 47 runs – as much a result of the visitors’ muddled thinking and lack of experience, as the street-smart Mashrafe’s tactics and the varied skill shown by his bowlers.The pressure was put together from the first batting Powerplay over when Mashrafe gave away only four runs. Arafat Sunny conceded 12 in the next over but Mashrafe again cut back the runs, this time conceding five. He then brought back Shakib Al Hasan, who picked up the important wicket of Azhar Ali in his new spell, breaking the 98-run third wicket partnership.Haris Sohail and Mohammad Rizwan fell in the next two overs before a great Nasir Hossain catch ended another brief innings from Fawad Alam. Mashrafe accounted for Sohail and Fawad while Rizwan gave Shakib an easy catch. At this point Mashrafe brought back Rubel Hossain who had been expensive in his first four overs.Rubel got rid of Wahab Riaz, Pakistan’s only big hitter down the order, and Saad Nasim, before Umar Gul was run-out and Sunny got the last wicket in his fifth spell. Bangladesh conceded just 39 runs in the last nine overs, picking up six wickets. The last time they bowled that well in the last 10 overs against Pakistan was in Chittagong in 2002.Pakistan had got off to their best start of the series after Azhar and debutant Sami Aslam added 91 runs for the first wicket, batting at slightly better than five runs per over for 18 overs. Aslam impressively picked up seven boundaries, four off Rubel and Nasir. Azhar, meanwhile, kept the run-rate stable with his own thumps through the off side and leg-side glides.Throughout Pakistan’s innings, Mashrafe Mortaza’s use of his bowlers was refreshing•AFPDuring the two big partnerships in the Pakistan innings, Mashrafe did not stop trying out new moves. In the first ten overs, he bowled five from the Media Centre end and used Taskin Ahmed, Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain and Arafat Sunny from the Mirpur Thana end. Taskin’s profligacy had forced a change but he also tried out two different types of spinners to a new opening pair.Throughout the innings, Mashrafe’s use of his bowlers was instructive and refreshing. He used himself and Shakib in two spells. Shakib hardly gave away anything in his last four overs, ending up with figures of 2 for 34 from ten overs. Mashrafe improved on his bowling from the second game, and bowled during two difficult periods in this match. While he can bowl poorly in a second spell, in this game, he finished with 2 for 27 in the last five overs.He rotated the other bowlers rapidly. Not many Bangladesh captains would use bowlers for one, two or three-over spells so often in a game, and still get the most out of them.Nasir was used in three spells and was taken off once despite taking a wicket. Rubel bowled poorly in his first three spells, which totaled four overs, before his fourth spell yielded two wickets in two overs. Rubel wasn’t used after the 40th over in the previous game and but bowled effectively in the last few overs here.Mashrafe’s use of Sunny was also interesting, and effective. Sunny bowled five spells in total, only once bowling three overs on the trot and his last three spells lasted two overs each; he finished with 2 for 43.Not many Bangladesh captains would have tried such things and got away with it. Pakistan were dismissed for 250, but the game also showed Mashrafe garners more respect as an ODI leader compared to his recent predecessors, Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim.Shakib and Mushfiqur led by example. Shakib’s all-round ability ensured he ends up being one of the biggest contributors to the team’s cause. He has won games single-handedly as captain and more often than not, ended up as either the best bowler or batsman, sometimes both, during his captaincy stints. Mushfiqur’s leadership was based on his ability to work harder than everyone else. He made runs regularly during his captaincy too, but his contributions were never as telling as Shakib’s.Both also tended to prefer conservative, defensive, tactics. Both Shakib and Mushfiqur followed norms like using left-arm spinners to right-handers, and orthodox offspinners to left-handers. Shakib sometimes lost confidence in bowlers who had a couple of bad overs; Mushfiqur was said to be too trustful of bowlers. On occasions their faith in these routines worked to the benefit of the opposition.Mashrafe often asks opposing batsmen different questions as a captain, with attacking field placements. Like Mushfiqur and Shakib, however, he doesn’t keep too many slips but attacks with catchers, usually in the batsman’s eyeline. The other connection between Shakib, Mushfiqur and Mashrafe is that their own body language hardly drops, even in difficult situations.Mashrafe never quite backs off. The main complaint about him is that he is reckless. He can dive across the pitch to stop a single or chase hard when there is no need. Often people shout at him to not hurt himself, given his catalogue of injuries. But as a captain, he is careful with how he treats his team-mates on and off the field. He would throw them a reckless challenge but as Bangladesh’s efficiency in the field showed on Wednesday, Mashrafe is hardly reckless as captain

Stats highlight from the fifth day of the first Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan in Khulna

Shiva Jayaraman02-May-20150 Tests against Pakistan that Bangladesh had managed to draw before this one. Bangladesh had played eight Tests against them and had lost all of them.200 The previous highest scored by a Bangladesh batsman in Tests: Mushfiqur Rahim had hit 200 against Sri Lanka in Galle in 2013. Tamim Iqbal’s 206 is now the highest and only the second double-hundred by a Bangladesh batsman in Tests. Tamim’s 231 runs in this match are also the most scored by a Bangladesh batsman in a Test. Mohammad Ashraful’s 212 runs in the Galle Test were the previous-highest.556 Minutes batted in this Test by Tamim both innings put together – the fourth-longest any Bangladesh batsman has batted in a Test since this information is available. The longest vigil at the crease was by Mohammad Ashraful, who batted for 580 minutes in the Galle Test in 2013.454 Deliveries faced by Tamim and Imrul Kayes during their record stand – the third-highest by an opening pair against Pakistan in a Test innings. This stand was broken only seven short of the 461 balls faced by the partnership between Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag in Lahore in 2006. Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya had faced 686 deliveries against Pakistan in Kandy in 2000 which are the most faced by any opening pair against Pakistan.0 Triple-century stands in the second innings by an opening pair before this match. Tamim and Imrul have broken a record that stood for over 50 years, for the highest second-innings opening partnership in Tests. Colin Cowdrey and Geoff Pullar had added 290 in the second innings against South Africa in 1960.0 Triple-century partnerships in the second innings against Pakistan before the one between Tamim and Imrul in this Test. The highest any pair had added for any wicket against Pakistan before this Test was the unbeaten 277 by Andy Flower and Murray Goodwin for the fifth wicket in Bulawayo in 1999.1960 The last time before this Test that both openers had scored 150-plus in their team’s second innings. Geoff Pullar and Colin Cowdrey had scored 175 and 155 respectively against South Africa in the Oval Test in 1960. Tamim and Imrul are only the second pair to do it.264 The highest first-innings deficit overcome by an opening stand before this Test. England’s opening stand had wiped off the 264-run lead taken by South Africa in the 1960 Oval Test against South Africa. This was bettered by Bangladesh’s first wicket in this Test, which added 16 runs more than the 296-run lead taken by Pakistan.0 Number of times before this Test that openers from both sides had made a double-hundred each in a Test. Mohammad Hafeez’s and Tamim’s double-hundred mean that this is the first such instance in Test history.520 Runs scored by Imrul in four matches since his comeback in the second Test against Sri Lanka last year; In 16 Tests before that he had scored only 549 runs at an average of 17.14, including just one half-century in 32 innings. Since the Test against Sri Lanka though, he has made three centuries and one fifty in eight innings at an average of 65.00. His 150 in Bangladesh’s second innings is his highest Test score.413 Bangladesh’s highest second-innings total before this match, which was against Sri Lanka in the fourth innings of the Dhaka Test in 2008. Bangladesh’s total of 555 for 6 is also the first time any team has scored 500-plus against Pakistan in the second innings. The previous-highest against Pakistan in the second innings was the 483 made by Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi in 2011.822 The most runs Bangladesh had scored in a Test before this one was in the Chittagong Test against Zimbabwe last year. Bangladesh scored 887 runs in this Test and lost 16 wickets. Their average of 55.43 runs per wicket in this Test is the second-highest for them. They had averaged 64.36 against Sri Lanka in the Galle Test in 2013, which is their highest. Bangladesh’s 887 runs in this Test are also the third-most conceded by Pakistan in any Test. They had conceded 910 runs to India in Bangalore in 2007, which are the most conceded by them in a Test.5 Number of times a team that had scored 600 or more in the first innings had ended up with a deficit 200 or more in the second before Pakistan in this Test. The last time this happened, Bangladesh were on the receiving end, against Sri Lanka in Galle in 2013. On that occasion, Bangladesh, who had scored 638 in their first innings, ended up with a deficit of 267 runs by the time the match was called off. The highest such deficit though happened in the Faisalabad Test in 2006 when India conceded a lead of 467 runs after scoring 603 in their first innings.676 Runs scored totally by openers from both the teams in this match, the fifth-highest ever in Tests. In the Edgbaston Test in 2003, England and South Africa openers together scored 811 runs, which is the most in Test history.

New Zealand have already bounced back from their defeat to Zimbabwe and South Africa will hope that with a few flicks of the bat, AB de Villiers will magically make all their blunders from the Bangladesh series disappear

Firdose Moonda11-Aug-2015Much like Christmas in July, cricket in August is a bit of novelty in South Africa. Most of the country is still coming out of winter, except in Durban where they are never really in it to start with, and therefore unplayable. The wet West Coast and chilly central areas are no-go zones for cricket, so it’s up to the thawing Highveld and evergreen Kwa-Zulu Natal to host a New Zealand series that has as much context as a tabloid headline.Duminy ruled out of T20s

JP Duminy has been ruled out of the T20 series as his wife prepares to give birth to the couple’s first child this week. Duminy was originally given paternity leave for the three ODIs but has now been allowed to sit out the whole series. South Africa have not named any replacement for Duminy which means David Wiese and Farhaan Behardien will be left with the allrounder duties.

What New Zealand did to South Africa in Auckland in March – the last time they met, in the World Cup semi-final – cannot be undone, not because these are two teams playing for something much less important than a place in the World Cup final but because something like that is forever. It just is. It just was.South Africa are still grappling with it, not necessarily the defeat but the waves of aftershock, which included a selection controversy around Vernon Philander that continues to permeate in every XI that takes the field and a first-ever series defeat to Bangladesh. But they are unlikely to have any hard feelings towards New Zealand, who they shared a drink with on the night of the semi-final and whose players they enjoy the company of. Dale Steyn has already invited Kane Williamson to go surfing; someone is bound to ask Grant Elliot to join them for a beer.There is really nothing to prove in the next two weeks for anyone on either side, except for one man: Morne van Wyk. The 36-year-old has the opportunity, perhaps his last opportunity, to complete unfinished business and prove himself worthy of a more permanent position in the South African side. That he should have had one from his last international series, when he struck a T20 century against West Indies, has to water under the bridge if van Wyk is to make this chance count.These two T20s and three ODIs are the only matches he will have to make himself indispensable for the upcoming tours against India and England, and ultimately for next year’s World T20. And he will have to make himself absolutely indispensable because of the man he will have to keep out: Quinton de Kock.De Kock’s woeful form has resulted in him being dropped but already he is making his case for a comeback. He scored a century in South Africa A’s loss to India on Sunday, despite suffering a bout of food poisoning which resulted in 10 members of the side being hospitalised. Jokes about being in the runs aside, if de Kock continues to find himself there, he could be back in the senior side before van Wyk has the chance to stake a claim for the spot.Diplomatically, van Wyk told he does not think de Kock’s revival will happen overnight. “He’s got lots to learn in cricket and also off the field. He’ll pick up some experience and I’m sure he’ll start scoring runs soon. If he gets back in six months or two years, whatever the time frame is, I’m sure he’ll be a lot better and a lot stronger for it.” In that same time, van Wyk may have hung up the gloves, which will suit him just fine.Apart from that, there is not much to play for in the next two weeks. New Zealand have already bounced back from their solitary defeat to Zimbabwe not to be too bothered about avoiding being labeled as being in a slump. South Africa have AB de Villiers back and will hope that with a few flicks of the bat, he will magically make all their blunders from the Bangladesh series disappear. There’s only the novelty of cricket in August before another month in which South Africa will disappear from the international stage with no fixtures scheduled in September, which may be enough to garner some interest.

There have been numerous tough times in the past but England look increasingly comfortable under the captaincy of Alastair Cook

Andrew McGlashan in Sharjah31-Oct-2015The one thing Alastair Cook would probably like to do more than anything in Sharjah is the one thing most out of his control: win the toss. Certainly, the England bowlers reckon it is about time he called correctly.Perhaps it is just cricket karma for winning the toss at Trent Bridge during the Ashes. But, once the luck of the coin is disregarded, Cook has not made many dud moves as captain since he started to emerge from his shell after relinquishing the one-day job and being allowed to purely focus on Test cricket.The runs have started to flow again – 1245 and counting in 2015, putting him in a race with Joe Root (1278) to challenge Michael Vaughan’s England calendar record of 1481 with two Tests to go this year – while he has overseen the Ashes being regained and continued to mould an evolving side in the UAE. Although he could not convert his 65 in the first innings in Dubai he could fairly have expected better from his middle order.There remains a risk of 2-0 being the final scoreline in this series, which would not look great on Cook’s CV, but it would still be an improvement on what Andrew Strauss’ team – a more mature side which had gone to No.1 in the world – achieved in 2012 when they were whitewashed 3-0.The end of the Sharjah Test will also mark two full series in which Cook has worked with Trevor Bayliss, after the Australian began as England coach just two weeks before the Ashes. There was a quick bonding camp in Spain before the tussle began in Cardiff and then, with barely time to blink, it finished at The Oval with Cook holding the urn aloft.Although still in its infancy, Cook is forging a strong relationship with Bayliss – someone he did not know before he became coach – and is enjoying the detached way Bayliss operates, giving him almost complete control of the team unlike previous regimes. Cook came into the captaincy under Andy Flower, did the one-day job under Ashley Giles and then worked alongside Peter Moores, someone Cook has credited with a lot of the development of the young players but has twice been axed only to see the team’s fortunes then improve.”I’ve enjoyed working with every coach, Trevor has been different in terms of not knowing him before he became coach,” Cook said. “He’s a really relaxed guy, lets the captain run the side, that’s probably one of the big differences from the other guys and it allows me to take more responsibility for the leadership than with previous coaches. I think it probably came at the right time for me with my captaincy experience and I’ve enjoyed it.”There have been subtle signs in the shift of Cook’s captaincy. Although he battled back from the one the lowest points of his career against India in 2014, when he considered his position after being 1-0 down before marshalling a 3-1 victory, the switch was really flicked against New Zealand at Lord’s earlier this year when, with Bayliss’ appointment confirmed but Paul Farbrace in temporary charge, England responded to adversity with a thrilling display to secure victory. Cook anchored the second innings with a nine-hour 162 while the carefree Ben Stokes registered the fastest hundred at the ground.Although defeat followed at Headingley, Cook was committed to following through the positive approach instilled by Farbrace and latterly Bayliss in the Ashes. Little moments, such as declaring nine down on the second morning a Trent Bridge to give Australia 10 minutes before lunch, and keeping his slip cordon stacked for longer than he previously would may sound obvious things to have done but they were signs of his learning.Chief among Cook’s critics was Shane Warne and although their differences were patched up 18 months ago by a phone call between the pair, they came almost full circle in Sharjah this week when Warne had a session with Adil Rashid and also spent time chatting with Cook, who has been challenged to think differently with a legspinner under his charge.”He was still fairly critical in the summer as well, as Michael Clarke’s best mate he was always going to do that,” Cook said with a wry smile, suggesting the England-Australia divide will never completely disappear. “Me and Shane Warne’s so-called spat, what I said was taken a little bit out of context – it was probably directed to the whole media, not just him, and people jumped on that.”We had a phone call for an hour, hour-and-a-half and have stayed in contact ever since. We have a better relationship than before the phone call. I don’t know Shane that well, but it was great of him to come down and spend some time with Rash. Me listening to what he was telling Rash was fantastic and we are very grateful to him.”Earlier in his captaincy career, Cook would admit he did not know it all although doubts persisted as to whether his stubborness – one of his great qualities – worked against him. “I’ve learnt, no doubt,” he said. “The more you do the job the better you get at it. You can better cope with everything that goes with it.”No amount of learning, though, will help the coin fall his way on Sunday morning.

Reactions from the cricket world to the death of BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2015

The ICC extends its deepest condolences upon the passing away of BCCI President and former ICC President Jagmohan Dalmiya

— ICC (@ICC) September 20, 2015

Heartfelt condolences on the passing away of Shri Jagmohan Dalmiya #PresidentMukherjee

— President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) September 20, 2015

My thoughts are with the family of Shri Jagmohan Dalmiya in this hour of grief. May Shri Dalmiya's soul rest in peace.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 20, 2015

Heartfelt condolences to the family & friends of Jagmohan Dalmiya. Had met him in June. little did I realise that it would be the last (1/3)

— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) September 20, 2015

Will always cherish his encouragement & support over the years. Worked hard for the game of cricket & excelled as an administrator (2/3)

— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) September 20, 2015

Was touched by his efforts to make my penultimate Test at Eden Gardens very special. RIP Jagmohan Dalmiya. (3/3)

— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) September 20, 2015

The greatest sports administrator of India has passed away,an era ends. A personal loss to me & Indian cricket. @BCCI #RIPDalmiyaJi

— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) September 20, 2015

Saddened by Mr. Dalmiya's death. Immense contribution to Indian and world cricket. A huge loss. Always a players man! Condolences to family!

— Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) September 20, 2015

Dalmiya Ji's contribution 2 Indian cricket was immense.He was an astute administrator&a visionary.His demise is a huge loss 2 Indian cricket

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) September 20, 2015

Respect to Mr Dalmiya for his contribution in Cricket.May his soul Rest in Peace.Strength and warmth to his loved ones !

— Mahendra Singh Dhoni (@msdhoni) September 21, 2015

JDalmiya was shrewd Crkt administrator & by far the best player-BCCI President!His concern fr Indn Crkt was https://t.co/84WYHMItmL Jaggu Da!

— Bishan Bedi (@BishanBedi) September 20, 2015

The first person to realise the real potential of Indian Cricket is no more. RIP Mr. Jagmohan Dalmiya.

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 20, 2015

Really saddened by the news of Jagmohan Dalmiya passing away. An administrator with a cricketing heart, RIP Jagguda.

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) September 20, 2015

The best compliment an administrator can get is for players to say he was a player's man. Jagmohan Dalmiya got that.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 20, 2015

My condolences go out to the family and friends of Mr.Jagmohan Dalmiya.A fine administrator he https://t.co/Co5WqGlBti sir.

— Ashwin Ravichandran (@ashwinravi99) September 20, 2015

#Rip Dalmiya sir. My heartfelt condolences to the family.

— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) September 20, 2015

Very sad to hear about the death of mr jagmohan dalmiya! a true gentleman and a great administrator may his soul rest in peace

— yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) September 20, 2015

Big loss for India cricket. Mr. Dalmiya always showed the way. Rest in Peace sir#RIP

— Suresh Raina (@ImRaina) September 20, 2015

Saddened to hear the news about Dalmiya Ji's demise. Heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) September 21, 2015

Deepest condolences to the Dalmiya Family. Dalmiya Saab's contribution to the Indian Cricket and @BCCI will always be cherished. #RIP

— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) September 20, 2015

Very very sad to hear the news of shri Jagmohan Dalmiya sir.big lose to all of us cricketers & @BCCI!!Salute to you for ur services!RIP sir

— Harbhajan Singh (@harbhajan_singh) September 20, 2015

RIP Jagmohan Dalmiya sir.Your contribution to cricket will always be remembered. Heartfelt condolences .

— ajinkyarahane88 (@ajinkyarahane88) September 21, 2015

Sad to know about demise of Mr Jagmohan Dalmiya…heartfelt condolences to his family and friends

— zaheer khan (@ImZaheer) September 20, 2015

Sad to hear about the passing away of Jagmohan Dalmiya ji. It is his vision that has brought Indian cricket to its glory. May he RIP.

— R P Singh (@RpSingh99) September 20, 2015

Saddened with the news of Dalmiya sir's demise. May your soul rest in peace. My condolences to his family! @BCCI

— Pragyan Ojha (@pragyanojha) September 20, 2015

Saddened with the news of Dalmia Sir's demise. A great loss to Bengal and Indian cricket. May your soul rest in peace.

— Ashoke Dinda (@dindaashoke) September 20, 2015

Extremely saddened to hear about Sh. Jagmohan Dalmiya Ji's passing on. @BCCI has lost one of its administrative greats. #RIPSir

— Anirudh Chaudhry (@AnirudhChaudhry) September 20, 2015

Dalmiya encouraged players to take up administration Had very good time with him in the 90's as part of TNCA Astute administrator

— TA Sekar (@ta_sekar) September 20, 2015

Heartfelt condolences to Dalmiya Ji's family. Dalmiya Sir's contribution to @BCCI will always be remembered.

— Ishant Sharma (@ImIshant) September 21, 2015

“He was a very interesting man. He was extremely resolute, resilient and determined. He was very political and used the power of India to take leadership positions in cricket. While India’s concerns were always first and foremost, he saw the bigger picture of world cricket. He was an early leader in creating and marketing the enormous value of cricket TV rights in India and sought to commercialise them for the benefit of the other countries.”
“I remember today my long innings with Jagmohan Dalmiya from when we worked together to lay the solid foundations of Indian cricket and built it into a global powerhouse. Jaggu’s passion, energy and dedication was instrumental. He was an able cricket administrator and I, along with millions of cricket lovers around the world, salute his commitment and dedication to the game.”
“With the passing away of Jagmohan Dalmiya, Bangladesh cricket has lost a true friend and a genuine well-wisher. We are forever grateful for the assistance and warmth received from Mr Dalmiya in taking cricket forward in Bangladesh. It is also apt to say that Bangladesh’s elevation to Test status in many ways was a result of his farsightedness and whole-hearted support. World cricket will sorely miss his dynamism, leadership and vision.”
“Mr Dalmiya was a highly respected and powerful figure in the international game and played a key role in the BCCI’s growth including India hosting the 1987 and 1996 ICC Cricket World Cups. His tenure also coincided with Australia and India forging closer links on and off the field including the establishment of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy which has since seen highly competitive and memorable Test series between the two countries.
“Mr. Dalmiya will never be forgotten in South African cricket circles for being instrumental in welcoming us back into the international cricket fold and for extending in 1991 that historic invitation to the United Cricket Board to make possible the Proteas first ever tour abroad to India. always felt good around Mr Dalmiya and I will never forget his warm words during my own difficult times. He was a special person and South Africans have much to be grateful to him for the strong relationship he cultivated between the two countries.”
“Mr Dalmiya was widely appreciated for his dedication to the game and the respect with which he always treated the players and his fellow administrators from around the world. It was under his watch as ICC President that the game first took the globalisation seriously with the launch of the ICC Knock-Out tournament (now known as the ICC Champions Trophy), the revenue from which was reinvested into cricket development around the world. On behalf of the ICC, I extend my condolences to all those associated with Mr Dalmiya.”
“I first met him in the early nineties when he and Inderjit Bindra, another veteran cricket administrator, decided to take on the Government of India and defend the BCCI’s right to telecast its own cricket matches and support the game of cricket with the revenues generated by Television Broadcasting rights. Having economically empowered the BCCI with the TV money, Dalmiya realized the power of the ‘eyeballs’. India alone accounted for more than seventy five per cent of the TV audiences. Dalmiya became the President of the ICC and India’s influence in the world of cricket has never looked back. The game of cricket has lost a great administrator who shifted the Home of cricket to India. I have lost a personal friend.”
“I am saddened with the passing of Mr Dalmiya. He was a visionary cricket administrator who dedicated his life to cricket. Cricket flourished in India during his tenures as the BCCI President, while global cricket got stronger when he was the ICC President. Cricket has lost one of its most loyal, committed and dedicated servants.”
“I will miss his ready laugh. It was under Mr. Dalmiya’s leadership that the ICC who then had only a few thousand dollars in their kitty went on to have the millions today which are disbursed to the rest of the cricketing world. His statesmanship also helped ease many a prickly situation in international cricket and Indian cricket in particular. May his soul rest in peace.”
“We have lost a friend, a gentleman and one of cricket’s favorite sons. He was not just a friend of West Indies cricket, but world cricket. He loved the game and gave his all for the good of the sport.Mr. Dalmiya was a visionary and had a huge impact on the game as one of the most respected and admired administrators in its history.”

ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from the second T20 between Pakistan and England

George Dobell27-Nov-2015Milestone of the dayJames Vince, who had hit two sixes and two fours from his last six balls and was beginning to take the game away from Pakistan when Shahid Afridi brought himself into the attack. It was a decision that brought almost immediate rewards when, four balls into the over, Vince top-edged a sweep and was caught in the deep. The wicket – Afridi’s 86th in T20I cricket – took him top of the international wicket-taking column in this format. The bowlers in second and third position – Saeed Ajmal (with 85 wickets) and Umar Gul (with 83 wickets) are also Pakistan players.Overthrow of the dayThere were 20 runs required from the final 10 balls of the innings when, scurrying to complete a quick two, Sarfraz Ahmed slid his bat in front of him to beat the a powerful throw from deep midwicket. Quite unintentionally, the ball struck Sarfraz’s bat, ballooned over the keeper’s head, and slid away to the boundary. Convention dictates that batsmen do not run if the ball hits their bat or body in such circumstances. But if the ball crosses the boundary, that choice is not open to them so Sarfraz was the fortunate recipient of an extra four runs and six in total from the delivery. It was tough luck on the bowler, David Willey, who had produced a perfectly respectable yorker and almost made all the difference to the result.Promotion of the dayWith his soft voice and modest off-field manner, Jos Buttler might, at first glance, appear an unusual choice as captain. But he has earned a reputation as a leader on the pitch and in the dressing room, where he is not afraid to express his views and is utterly committed to the fearless style of cricket this young England side has adopted. He was appointed vice-captain on the recommendation of Eoin Morgan during the World Cup and here, despite playing in the same team as Joe Root, who is seen as England’s next Test captain, he was appointed to lead the international side for the first time.Catch of the dayThere has been some pretty modest fielding from Pakistan in the limited-overs games, but Umar Akmal’s catch to dismiss Sam Billings was spectacular by any standards. Standing a few yards inside the rope at long on, Akmal flung himself into the air to cling on a slightly scuffed heave from Billings off the bowling of Wahab Riaz. As if that was not impressive enough, he then had the presence of mind to realise that his momentum was taking him towards the boundary. Throwing the ball up into the air, he then took one step outside the boundary to stead himself by returning to the field of play and completing a catch that owed as much to his composure as his athleticism.Drop of the dayAkmal’s spectacular catch remained the aberration in another underwhelming fielding display from Pakistan. The mostly costly error came when Sohail Tanvir, on the long-on boundary, parried a chance over the boundary for six. Vince, who had scored 15 at the time, was the reprieved batsman and punished the error by hitting the next three deliveries he faced for six, four and four and finishing as England’s top-scorer with 38.Stat of the dayPerhaps it is a reflection of the standard of modern wicketkeeping, perhaps it is a reflection of modern spin bowling or perhaps it simply reflects that seam bowlers tend to be employed more often in the Powerplay overs but, until now, there had never been a T20I in which both opening batsman on one side had been dismissed stumped. That changed here when first Ahmed Shehzad and Rafatullah Mohmand were beaten as they skipped down the wicket and Buttler made no mistake.Controversy of the dayAkmal looked desperately unfortunate to be given out caught behind for just 3 in the 15th over of Pakistan’s reply. The bowler, Liam Plunkett, hardly seemed to appeal after spearing a ball down the leg side but the umpire mistook the noise of the ball brushing the batsman’s leg for a thin edge and quickly raised his finger. Buttler, diving far to his left down the leg side, clung on to an outstanding catch and Akmal, with no DRS available in T20I cricket, had no choice but to trudge back to the pavilion.

Key numbers from the Pakistan-Bangladesh T20I where Shahid Afridi’s 19-ball 49 powered his team to a massive win

Bharath Seervi16-Mar-20163:28

Chappell: Afridi looked relaxed

201 Pakistan’s total, their second-highest in T20Is and their highest in the World T20. The score was Pakistan’s second total of 200 or more and both have come against Bangladesh. They had scored 203 for 5 in Karachi in 2007-08. Four of Pakistan’s top five T20I totals have come against Bangladesh (three) and Zimbabwe (one).55 Pakistan’s margin of victory, their second-highest in the World T20. Their only bigger victory, in terms of runs, was against Netherlands at Lord’s in 2009, by 82 runs. Overall, it was their sixth-biggest win in T20Is when batting first.95 Runs added by Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez for the second wicket, the highest for Pakistan in the World T20 and sixth-highest for any wicket in the tournament. The partnership was also the third-highest stand for any wicket in T20Is between Bangladesh and Pakistan.11 Man-of-the-Match awards for Shahid Afridi in T20Is, which is already the most by a player. Afridi is also the only player to have got 10 or more such awards. This was his fourth such award in the World T20, the joint second-most by a player. Afridi scored a 19-ball 49 and then took 2 for 2. With his second wicket, Afridi became the second-highest wicket-taker in World T20 history.257.89 Afridi’s strike rate during his explosive innings of 49 off 19, which is the eighth-highest in T20Is by a batsman who has faced 15 or more balls. However, for innings of 19 or more balls, Afridi’s strike-rate is the second highest. He missed scoring the fastest T20I fifty for Pakistan, which is held by Umar Akmal, but became the second Pakistan batsman to aggregate 500 runs in World T20 matches, after Kamran Akmal. His strike rate of 155.86 is the highest for any batsman who has faced 200 or more balls in the World T20.40 Number of sixes for Afridi in International matches in India, the most by a visiting batsman here. He went past AB de Villiers, who had hit 39 sixes. Both Afridi and de Villiers have played the same number of innings (37). With the whole World T20 to be played in India, the record may change hands often.55 Runs scored by Pakistan in the Powerplay, which is their most in eight T20Is this year and the second-highest in 21 T20Is since the last World T20. They had made 71 against Zimbabwe in Lahore in May 2015.2 Half-centuries for Mohammad Hafeez in T20Is this year. He had made 61 against New Zealand in Auckland in Pakistan’s first T20I this year before making 64 in this match. Incidentally, he had not scored any fifty in the last two calendar years – 2014 and 2015. He had averaged only 13 in 14 innings in those two years compared to his 22.12 in eight innings in 2016.2 Scores of fifty or more for Shehzad in World T20 matches against Bangladesh. He had made an unbeaten 111 in the last World T20, in Dhaka, and scored 52 in this match. Chris Gayle is the only other player to have made more such scores against one particular team in the World T20: four against Australia in five innings. However, Shehzad’s average of 163 is the highest for a batsman against a team in the World T20.2 Number of players who have completed the double of 1000 or more runs and 50 or more wickets in T20Is. Shakib Al Hasan became the second to do so in this match, after completing 1000 runs. Shakib scored an unbeaten 50, his sixth half-century in T20Is and his fourth in a losing cause.

Plays of the day from Gujarat Lions’ thrilling win over Delhi Daredevils and Gujarat Lions at Feroz Shah Kotla

Alagappan Muthu27-Apr-2016The funky field IZaheer Khan induced a regulation edge as Dwayne Smith pushed at a delivery that slanted across him. Fortunately for Delhi Daredevils, there was a slip in place. Unfortunately for them it was a wide slip. JP Duminy and Quinton de Kock, the wicketkeeper, watched in disbelief as the ball flew between them and a genuine wicket-taking opportunity was lost. The first over yielded 18 runs – Daredevils’ worst in all IPLs held in India.The funky field IIIt’s the advantage of being captain, perhaps, that Zaheer continued putting his men at unusual places. He was bowling back-of-a-length in the third over to Brendon McCullum, so having a man for the pull made sense. The only other fielder who could be placed in the deep was at cover. Daredevils had hoped to exploit Smith’s problem with the swinging ball; now they wanted to turn one of McCullum’s strengths into a weakness. Both plans had merit. Both sucked the batsman into a mistake – McCullum did not keep his cut down and the ball zeroed in on deep cover. Neither came to fruition. Sanju Samson had run in, misjudging the power of the shot, dropped the catch and conceded a six.The funky field IIIMid-on was almost right behind Chris Morris as he ran in to Suresh Raina. Fielding teams employ that tactic when they expect the batsman to top-edge a short ball. Raina knows how quick bowlers like to bounce him out and retaliates by hopping outside the line to flick or pull, but Daredevils had a plan for that too. Even if it was the 12th over, with the opposition at 117 for 2, they had Karun Nair at leg gully knowing wickets were their only way back into the contest. And they got one as Raina helpfully nudged a short ball off his hip straight to Nair.The limp throwAnd it came from Ravindra Jadeja, who possesses one of the strongest arms in Indian cricket. That was why he was placed on the straight boundary for the final over when Daredevils needed 14 to win. Morris swung the fourth ball to long-on and began trotting across for a single, which may have lulled Jadeja into looping his throw to the wicketkeeper. Sensing the opportunity for a second before the ball arrived to Dinesh Karthik, Morris and Pawan Negi sprinted through. The next one was drilled to Jadeja again, and this time he sent a rocket throw, only it came on the half-volley to Karthik who could not collect it cleanly. Two run-out chances to dismiss the set batsman were missed to give Morris strike for the last ball with Daredevils needing four. Luckily Bravo nailed the yorker and Lions sneaked through.