Category Uncategorized

Australia summoned long-dormant reserves of application and patience to force England’s bowlers to slave at a hot, humid Old Trafford

The Report Daniel Brettig01-Aug-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMichael Clarke led Australia into a commanding position•Getty Images

What a difference a day’s batting makes. Clueless, hopeless and helpless at Lord’s, Australia summoned long-dormant reserves of application and patience to force England’s bowlers to slave at a hot, humid Old Trafford. In doing so they breathed belated life into an Ashes series that now seems a fraction less inevitable in outcome than it did 24 hours ago.It was no surprise to see the captain, Michael Clarke, at the centre of it all, marrying grit with glitz in one of his best and most satisfying innings, the first century by an Australia batsman since Clarke himself seven Test matches ago. But there were also critical contributions by the well-travelled Chris Rogers, a sparkling 84 that set exactly the right tone, and by the precocious Steve Smith, helped by a liberal supply of the luck that had previously deserted the tourists in the series.Australia had felt much harder done by in the minutes before lunch, when Usman Khawaja was given caught behind and then had his referral rejected despite ample evidence that he had not touched Graeme Swann’s offbreak. That verdict, reached by Tony Hill and upheld by Kumar Dharmasena, will serve mainly to batter the reputation of the serving umpires and the protocols of the DRS, which place a heavy weighting on the on-field umpire’s initial call.Khawaja’s exit enhanced Australia’s sense of injustice in a series where the wide margin so far has been hurried along by numerous questionable decisions but England were to join their opponents in feeling they had been wronged, as Smith was escaped three times in all, twice for lbw and once on a raucous appeal for a catch at the wicket. James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Swann were all showing signs of fatigue by the end, as Clarke and Smith capitalised on Rogers’ bridgehead.Anderson took the new ball at his home ground, though its reconfiguration in the middle and in the stands made it something of an unknown quantity for players on both sides. Watson collected a single and Rogers a boundary from the first over, a pattern that would be maintained throughout their partnership in conditions quickly revealed to be the most friendly for batsmen all series.Rogers and Watson had trained together in London between Tests rather than travelling down to play against Sussex, and their new approaches reflected plenty of thought. Watson was largely conservative, battling to value his wicket and also to avoid the lbw fate that had befallen him three times in four innings. But Rogers showed far greater intent to score than simply survive and punished all but the most minute errors of line and length.Sequences of boundaries pushed Rogers along in between the deliveries he gave their due respect, a brace off Tim Bresnan through gully and down the ground, then a trio to the fence in a single Anderson over took him to a second Test fifty. All these shots were played with assurance and no great sense of haste, but Rogers’ intent had given Australia an ideal start.At the other end, however, Watson was becalmed, and though he did not fall lbw it was less of a surprise to see Bresnan find a way through, coaxing an edge from a firm defensive blade that flew straight to Alastair Cook at first slip. Watson wandered off having again made only a start, his wicket drawing England back into the morning.Khawaja was greeted by the introduction of Swann, and in his second over an optimistic lbw appeal was followed next ball by a more convincing shout for a catch at the wicket. Khawaja’s bat brushed his pad well before swishing at the turning ball but Hill’s finger was raised. After a brief pause to consult Rogers, Khawaja referred, shaking his head as he did so.Despite replays that offered no evidence whatsoever of an edge, the third umpire Dharmasena upheld Hill’s original call. Khawaja walked off with the air of a man found guilty of a crime he did not commit. Heated discussion of the incident, both at Old Trafford and around the world, extended well beyond the lunch interval. On resumption, Rogers lost some of his earlier fluency and Clarke dealt in edges as often as the middle of his bat. The combination of a looming century and inattentive stewards behind the bowler’s arm did for Rogers, who lost concentration when facing Swann and swished across a straight ball to be lbw.Smith came to the crease in halting form, despite a century at Hove, and gave England hope of another wicket. They thought they had it when Swann spun an offbreak sharply to strike Smith in front of the stumps, only for Hill to decline the appeal and then Hawk-Eye to deny the decision review by a millimetre. Happy to be reprieved, Smith gathered in confidence alongside Clarke, who had shed his earlier uncertainty to purr past 50.As the tea break neared England had another moment of frustrated jubilation, when Smith drove at Anderson and a loud sound accompanied the sight of ball passing bat. Anderson and Matt Prior were utterly convinced, abandoning their usual tact to gesture for a review from Marais Erasmus even before the captain Cook had done so. But in the absence of a Hot Spot or a visible deflection Smith survived, leaving England to enter the final session without any reviews left to call on.It would not be long before this came back to haunt the hosts, Hill declining an lbw appeal by Broad against Smith that struck the batsman in line and would have plucked out middle stump. English exasperation was to be heightened with every subsequent run, as Clarke and Smith established the most productive union between two Australia batsmen all series. Smith’s effort was never quite fluent but showed plenty of gumption, while Clarke rediscovered the confident batting groove he had sat in throughout 2012.At times Clarke could be seen to stretch his back, an ever-more-present handicap for Australia’s captain, but his discomfort was no more evident than that of several Englishmen. Swann resorted to painkilling tablets on more than one occasion, while Broad spent a decent chunk of the final session off the field and receiving treatment for a tight calf. Given the toll taken on Australia’s bowlers by earlier poor batting displays, it was a source of relief to Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris and company to see their opposite numbers starting to struggle.A handful of overs before the second new ball was due, Clarke tucked Swann away to the leg side for his 100th run, and minutes later Smith paddled the same bowler to fine leg for his 50. They were to negotiate the new ball ably, settling in for further occupation tomorrow with a stand unbroken at 174. While Cook’s men remain in charge of the series, Rogers, Clarke and Smith have at least ensured they will have a steep task ahead to seal it in this match.

It was all one-way traffic on the opening day in Galle as Sri Lanka’s batsmen, with varying levels of experience, set the platform for a massive score and never allowed the initiative to slip

The Report by Kanishkaa Balachandran 08-Mar-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKumar Sangakkara showed no signs of discomfort after returning from injury•AFP

It was all one-way traffic on the opening day in Galle as Sri Lanka’s batsmen, with varying levels of experience, set the platform for a massive score and never allowed the initiative to slip. Kumar Sangakkara had been out of action since injuring his finger in the Melbourne Test in December. The lack of match practice over the last three months – he was forced to pull out of the tour game in Matara due to the contracts crisis – didn’t matter as he eased back into Test match action with a positive century, getting to the landmark inside two sessions.Tillakaratne Dilshan’s attacking fifty had eased the pressure not just on Sangakkara but also the inexperienced middle order, which was missing two stalwarts ahead of this series. One of the newer players to benefit from the pressure-free scenario was Lahiru Thirimanne, who remained unbeaten on a steady 74.It was a deflating day for the Bangladesh bowlers, with the exception of the offspinner Sohag Gazi, who took all three wickets. He didn’t have adequate support from the other end and from day one, Bangladesh were left to regret the absence of Shakib Al Hasan, missing the series due to injury. Aside from the lack of wickets, what hurt the visitors more was the inability to check the scoring. An innings run-rate of close to four and a half after two sessions was intimidating enough for the bowlers.At the toss, neither captain fancied bowling first. Mathews wanted his new-look batting order to make first use of the pitch before it started to get slower and lower. Dilshan maintained a healthy strike-rate of close to run-a-ball, scoring 36 runs off boundaries alone, but not all came off the middle of the bat. In between a few edgy boundaries were crisply driven fours through cover, a sweep and an effortless drive past mid-on that brought up his fifty.

Smart stats

• Kumar Sangakkara’s century is his 31st in Tests taking him level with Mahela Jayawardene among Sri Lankan batsmen with the most centuries. Sangakkara is joint-eighth on the list of batsmen with the most centuries.

• Sangakkara also became the first batsman to pass the 1000-run mark in Tests against Bangladesh. He has now scored 1018 runs at an average of 78.30 with three centuries and five fifties.

• For only the second time, Sri Lanka had four fifty-plus stands for the first four wickets in an innings against Bangladesh. The previous such occasion was at the SSC in 2001. Overall, they have done so nine times.

• Sri Lanka’s run-rate (4.22) is the second-highest in the first innings of a match in Sri Lanka since 2000 (min 80 overs bowled). The highest is 4.94 for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh at the P Sara Oval in 2005.

• This is the 11th time (since 2005) that three or more of the top four Sri Lankan batsmen have passed fifty in an innings. Overall, it is the second such occurrence for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh since the SSC Test in 2001.

• The 124-run stand between Sangakkara and Lahiru Thirimanne is the fifth-highest third-wicket stand for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh and their fourth-highest third-wicket stand in Galle.

Bangladesh turned to spin from both ends from the 13th over, but there wasn’t much purchase for them straightaway. Dilshan was intent on using his feet to disturb their rhythm and Bangladesh to their credit took the first real opportunity that came their way. Gazi tossed it up wider, Dilshan came down the pitch and spooned it to mid-off off the toe of the bat.Sangakkara walked in when Karunaratne was forced to retire after hurting his arm when trying to pull a short ball. It took Sangakkara just one ball to find his rhythm as he slashed a wide delivery past point for four. He was strong against the spinners, rocking back and cutting when they dropped it short and wide, and it was a pattern through his innings. He survived a stumping chance when he was beaten in flight and bounce off Gazi, managing to drag his back foot back just in time. He was luckier to survive a close shout for lbw off Gazi on 38 and replays showed the ball striking him in front of middle stump. In the absence of DRS, Bangladesh had to accept the umpire’s call and move on.Shahadat Hossain attempted the bouncer, but the lack of pace on the pitch enabled Sangakkara and the returning Karunaratne to stay back and pull. Gazi’s drift into the left-handers from round the wicket kept the batsmen in check, but when he dropped short or too wide, he was punished through the off side. Two such cuts past point brought up two milestones for Sangakkara – his fifty and took him past Sunil Gavaskar’s tally of 10,122 runs.There was temporary relief for Bangladesh when Karunaratne was trapped lbw on the back foot to Gazi, who was rewarded for his drift. Sangakkara’s was the wicket they needed, though. Thirimanne had the benefit of a set batsman at the other end, and after a watchful start – he scored only 4 from his first 25 balls – took on the spinners. Sangakkara smacked a six and a four off the part-timer Mohammad Ashraful, and then reached his 31st Test century with a clip wide of midwicket.There was no letting up after tea. If it was tossed up, Sangakkara was down the pitch to loft; if it was banged in short – not recommended on this surface – it was clubbed over midwicket. A sloppy effort by Ashraful at mid-on – he mistimed his jump – gave Sangakkara another life, on 111. Ironically, it was a sound reflex catch at cover that ended his innings. Gazi bowled it wide and Sangakkara tried clearing the off side but Jahurul Islam jumped, fumbled and managed to turn around and take it on the second attempt. The drop cost Bangladesh 31 runs, but the damage had already been done.Thirimanne matched Sangakkara shot for shot particularly through the off side against the spinners. The cover drive in particular stood out for its poise and follow-through. Mathews found his timing against the seamers when the second new ball was taken. None of the seamers managed any movement, despite the persistent cloud cover. The heavens opened with less than five overs left, but Bangladesh, after a draining day in the field, would have been relieved to pack it in early.

Danish Kaneria has said that he is prepared to appear before an integrity committee of the Pakistan board to try to save his cricket career

David Hopps21-Feb-2012Danish Kaneria has said that he is prepared to appear before an integrity committee of the Pakistan board to try to save his cricket career in the wake of the Mervyn Westfield spot-fixing trial.Westfield, the former Essex seam bowler, was jailed for four months at the Old Bailey last week and Kaneria was identified by his defence solicitor, Mark Milliken-Smith QC, as the Essex team-mate who introduced him to the murky world of cricket corruption. Already excluded from the Pakistan side, he faces the possibility of a life ban in all forms of cricket.”Whenever the PCB integrity committee calls me, I will present myself, as I always have,” Kaneria said. “After that whatever happens, I will see about that later.” He refused to answer whether he would return to England if asked to face an ECB disciplinary committee.Kaneria, speaking at the tea interval at the Gaddafi Stadium, where he was captaining Sind in the final of the Pentangular Trophy, waved a letter from the ICC, dated November 2010, that he said stated that the ICC’s anti-corruption unit (ACSU) was not actively investigating him – a letter that has become his main refuge as allegations have stacked up against him.ICC sources have since formally advised the ECB and PCB that their letter in no way exonerated Kaneria but simply stated that the investigation was in the hands of Essex Police, and that any clearance certificate was a matter for the PCB.Essex Police did not charge him because of insufficient evidence as Westfield changed his plea to guilty after Kaneria had returned to Pakistan. Allegations made against Kaneria at the Old Bailey were made not by Westfield himself, who has never given evidence, but by his solicitor.”I have also presented this letter to the PCB’s integrity committee,” Kaneria said. “The letter says clearly the ICC neither issues any clearance nor is any player required to obtain such clearance from the ICC. I have this letter, which also says ‘the ICC ACSU is not conducting any investigation of your client under the ICC anti-corruption law.’ “”I want to clarify these points because the media has [misquoted] me a little by saying I said I have a clearance letter from the ICC. What I have is a letter from the ICC.”Kaneria was asked if he knew the bookmaker, Arun Bhatia, who was named in court as an alleged accomplice. “No,” he said.With inputs from Umar Farooq

Nathan Coulter-Nile put Western Australia on target for victory as South Australia’s top order suffered serious jitters on the third afternoon in Adelaide

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Oct-2011
ScorecardLiam Davis made 93 for the Warriors•Getty Images

Nathan Coulter-Nile put Western Australia on target for victory as South Australia’s top order suffered serious jitters on the third afternoon in Adelaide. Set 353 to win after Liam Davis and Adam Voges led the Warriors in the second innings, the Redbacks stuttered to 3 for 23 at stumps, still 330 short of their goal with a day to play.The captain, Michael Klinger, was still at the crease on 12, but had just lost his partner Tom Cooper, who was run out from the final ball of the day. Cooper drove the first ball he had faced to point and took off for a single, but was caught short by Davis’ throw when sent back by Klinger.Coulter-Nile had already accounted for Daniel Harris, who was caught behind for a duck, and Callum Ferguson, who was sharply snaffled at slip by Voges for 11. It was fitting that Davis and Voges both had an impact in the field, for they were the ones who rescued Western Australia from a shaky start to their second innings, as Gary Putland and Peter George reduced them to 3 for 21.Putland’s fine match continued – he took eight wickets for the game – but a 164-run stand between Davis and Voges ensured that Western Australia, who took first-innings points, extended their advantage significantly. Davis (93) and Voges (89) both fell short of centuries, but the Redbacks will need something special on the final day to prevent the Warriors celebrating victory.