Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford has told Sri Lanka Cricket he does not wish to renew his contract when it expires in January

Andrew Fidel Fernando12-Sep-2013Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford has told Sri Lanka Cricket he does not wish to renew his contract when it expires in January, an SLC statement has said. Ford came aboard for two years after Geoff Marsh was sacked in January 2012, and unless SLC convince him to stay, Sri Lanka’s tour in the UAE from December will be his last with the team.”Mr. Graham Ford has intimated that he would like to be released from his duties at the end of his contract due to his family commitments,” the release said. “Sri Lanka Cricket intends to discuss this matter with him further and obtain his thoughts and take the process forward.”Ford has been linked to the vacant coaching position at Surrey, which is expected to be filled over the English winter. Ford had said in August that he has already been informally approached by Surrey’s CEO regarding the position, but that he would not consider it until after his contractual obligations to the Sri Lanka team were fulfilled.Ford has strong ties with Kevin Pietersen, who plays for Surrey, and was the man the latter endorsed to take over the England coaching job after Pietersen’s turmoil with Peter Moores ended with Moores’ sacking in 2009. A move to Surrey will also strengthen the county’s South African connection, with Graeme Smith having signed on as captain until 2015.Sri Lanka won their first Test series in almost three years (against Pakistan), and progressed to the final of the World Twenty20 during Ford’s tenure, but were also whitewashed 3-0 in a Test series in Australia.

Adam Voges has said that Australia’s players will be keenly listening to Shane Watson’s tips given the latter’s experience of playing in India

Amol Karhadkar in Mumbai08-Oct-2013If George Bailey’s Australia have to displace India as the No 1 ODI side during their seven-match series, Shane Watson will have to play a big role. Not just with the leather and the willow that he is accustomed to, but more so in mentoring a squad that lacks experience at the highest level.If Australia’s final training session at the Cricket Club of India’s Brabourne Stadium before flying to Rajkot for Thursday’s solitary Twenty20 international was an indication, Watson was ready for the challenge. The allrounder, who joined the squad on Monday evening following Rajasthan Royals’ fruitful Champions League T20 campaign, appeared to be the sought-after senior during Australia’s extensive practice session.Almost everyone returning from his stint in the nets was seen seeking tips from Watson. And it was perfectly understandable since Watson’s wealth of experience of playing in India dates back to Australia’s triumphant Champions Trophy campaign in 2006. Adam Voges, who was among those who sought Watson’s advice, admitted the latter would indeed wear the mentor’s hat along with wicketkeeper Brad Haddin during the series.

Voges ‘fully fit’ after back niggle

Adam Voges, who had returned to Australia during Perth Scorchers’ Champions League T20 campaign, has said his lower back complaint has been taken care of and he is “fully fit” ahead of the ODI series in India.
“Briefly towards the end of the Champions League, made a quick trip home for treatment,” Voges said. “Fully fit now and ready to go. (It was) just a bit of tired back and tired hamstring so just a quick treatment. Back on the plane and ready to go.”
Voges’ return to Australia at the end of last month had raised question marks over his participation in the ODI series. However, he didn’t appear to be in pain at any point during Australia’s rigorous training session and was looking forward to Thursday’s lone T20 in Rajkot. “Every time I play for Australia is a huge opportunity for me. I never look any further than, umm… Thursday night,” he said. “I just love playing for Australia, so any opportunity I get to do that, I really look forward to.”

“Shane is a senior player along with Brad Haddin and these guys bring a wealth of experience, particularly here in India,” Voges said. “Shane has played a lot of cricket here and any tips that he can give to any of our guys, I am sure we all will be listening.”Having been on the road for a fortnight during Royals’ dream run in the CLT20, Watson expectedly took it easy, only doing fielding drills early on. Once he was done with that, the most experienced international cricketer in the Australia squad of 14 switched to the mentoring role for the rest of the session.First, he stood close to the fast bowlers’ nets and was seen constantly passing on tips. He had a prolonged discussion with Mitchell Johnson, the only other squad member besides Watson with more than a 100 ODI caps, who is looking to cement his place in the Australia side. The duo appeared to be discussing gripping the ball and wrist positions.Watson then walked across the outfield and stood behind the batsmen, observing whether his tips had had an impact on Johnson’s bowling. Soon, he was joined by his Royals teammate James Faulkner and the duo was involved in yet another extended chat. After finishing the discussion, Watson sat down on a chair. For the next half hour or so, it became a free-for-all information session for all his team-mates.If they follow Watson’s words of wisdom and he repeats his heroics in the last ODI against England, Australia may well pose a serious threat to India’s top ranking by the end of the series.

Combined figures of 5 for 33 from eight overs, bowled by Lasith Malinga and Mitchell McClenaghan, handed Mumbai Indians a place in the IPL playoffs

The Report by Mohammad Isam17-May-2015Lasith Malinga sent Shikhar Dhawan’s off stump flying in the first over•BCCI

Combined figures of 5 for 33 from eight overs, bowled by Lasith Malinga and Mitchell McClenaghan, handed Mumbai Indians a place in the IPL playoffs. Mumbai ended in second place in the points table behind Chennai Super Kings, after a rousing nine-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.Mumbai finished the match with 6.1 overs to spare to complete a great comeback to the season, which began for them with four consecutive defeats. Sunrisers, though, hardly turned up in their own ground despite having a head start when David Warner called correctly at the toss.Warner’s decision to bat first was a straightforward one given the sheen on the pitch, but it all fell apart in seven deliveries. Sunrisers’ best batsmen this season have been Warner and his opening partner Shikhar Dhawan, by a distance.Malinga got the ball to get under Dhawan’s bat in the first over, sending him back for just 1. Next delivery, McClenaghan bounded in and got one to hurry into Warner who was caught nowhere playing the pull. The ball took a leading edge and fountained in the air, only to be gobbled up by Kieron Pollard who was coming in from point.Malinga and McClenaghan gave away just 13 runs in the first four overs they bowled together. Eoin Morgan got a boundary off Vinay Kumar in the fifth over before McClenaghan hurried another to the batsman, this time Morgan top-edging to third man for a simple catch. McClenaghan added the wicket of Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 17th over to finish with 3 for 16 from his four overs.KL Rahul got a couple of fours, but then it was J Suchith’s turn to stutter the home side further. In the 10th over, he first had Moises Henriques stumped for 11, before removing the out-of-form Naman Ojha for a first-ball duck, the batsman chipping to Rohit Sharma at cover. Rahul fell in the 13th over after he dragged a Harbhajan Singh short delivery on to the stumps for 25. From 61 for 6, there was very little hope remaining for the hosts.Ashish Reddy, who was brought into the side in place of Bipul Sharma, struck the first six of the innings when he clouted Harbhajan over midwicket but he too fell the following over, caught at point. Dale Steyn knocked three fours in his 11-ball unbeaten 19 but it was never going to be enough.Lendl Simmons and Parthiv Patel found three fours each in the first six overs of the small chase. Parthiv was the aggressor among the pair, adding fours quite regularly. Parthiv, though, survived a stumping chance on 34 when his opposite number Ojha couldn’t gather Karn Sharma’s googly in two tries, leaving Parthiv with little to do but plonk his bat back in the crease in time.The legspinner Karn gave 22 runs in his second over, with Simmons cracking two consecutive sixes over midwicket after Parthiv had scored two fours off the second and third deliveries. Karn eventually took the wicket of Simmons, but by then, the batsman had made 48 off 44 balls with four fours and the two sixes, and with the score at 106. Parthiv remained unbeaten on 51 off 37 balls with the help of nine fours, and quite aptly, struck the winning runs in the 14th over.Simmons and Parthiv added their second hundred-plus opening partnership of the season as Mumbai cruised to set up a clash with the table-toppers Super Kings for the first qualifier in Mumbai on May 19.

Last year the pitches were too dull at Hove. Now they’re too fruity. The last two four-day games here have only needed three for a result. With 14 wickets falling on the first day this time, be prepared to add this one to the list

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Hove07-Jun-2015
ScorecardJames Vince was one batsman able to defy the difficult conditions•Getty Images

Last year the pitches were too dull at Hove. Now they’re too fruity. The last two four-day games here have only needed three for a result. With 14 wickets falling on the first day this time, be prepared to add this one to the list.The surface was not quite the hell-raiser against Middlesex, or the blood-spiller that stung Warwickshire’s paws. But there was enough to be wary of going forward: the Cromwell Road End was a collection of plates while, by tea, Fidel Edwards’ footmarks had dug a crater that needed filling at the interval.He seemed to want to create imprints in the middle of the pitch with the ball, too – bumper happy throughout a day that suggested if the bowlers found consistency, the pitch would do the rest. That being said, his pursuit for the perfect bouncer contributed to some great entertainment.Perhaps the best indication of how this pitch will unfold – not literally of course, though you can’t be too sure at Hove nowadays – was Ed Joyce’s decision to ensure Sussex would not be batting last on it. And when Edwards dug them in, Luke Wells and Michael Yardy had a go.The opening pair went at more than five an over, swiping effectively around their heads, like rich-blooded tourists in mosquito country. Steaming in from the Sea End, Edwards was even allowed two men on the hook inside the first few overs. To the credit of Wells and Yardy, nothing came close to going to hand, as both committed to each of their shots and timed each swivel and roll of the wrists to make the most of the pace of both Edwards and the outfield. With Jackson Bird proving expensive from the Cromwell Road End, it fell to Gareth Berg to curtail the excitement.Judging a book by its cover just this once, it is not a role you would associate with Berg. His expansive range of tattoos and penchant for a night out in his younger days paint the picture of a character more at ease with introducing a little anarchy than control.Yet, while his fellow pacemen touched and exceeded four runs an over, he was steady at around three. He also attacked; a pre-lunch spell of eight overs accounting for the wickets of Wells lbw, Yardy caught at third slip by Will Smith and Ed Joyce caught by James Vince at second, while only conceding 24 runs. He would go on to take one more, Ollie Robinson, caught by Sean Ervine at first slip, to return figures of 4 for 67 – his best first-class return with the ball since a six-wicket haul against Glamorgan in September 2011.Above the haul, he and Hampshire will be buoyed that he bowled his 22 overs at a consistent pace and getting good lift off the pitch, with no sign of any discomfort. For an avid Batman fan – a tattoo of the caped crusader covers his left forearm – the Ageas Bowl may prove to be his Lazarus Pit.Post-lunch, Luke Wright and Chris Nash made use of some wayward bowling from Bird, and the odd miscalculation from Berg, to thump fifty runs inside the first six overs of the afternoon session. Their fifth-wicket stand reached three figures in 124 balls, with Wright’s hard-handed square game dovetailing nicely with Nash’s touch, to wrestle back the initiative. Wright brought up his half-century in 71 balls but Nash fell short on 48 – his highest score of the season so far.Having taken the score to 202 from 87 for 4, both fell in successive balls to trigger a collapse that led to Sussex’s first innings finishing on 251. First Nash, who had just seen Wright cart Vince into the pavilion balcony for six, was given the chance to do the same with a juicy long-hop. All he could find was Sean Terry on the square leg boundary. A ball later, Danny Briggs got one to spit off the pitch and take the glove of Wright, through to Ervine at first slip.Hampshire’s first innings followed a similar pattern with the loss of their four wickets triggered by an unfortunate run out of skipper Jimmy Adams who was backing up too far when Magoffin got fingertips on a Terry straight drive. Some smart working of his bowlers from Joyce saw Robinson take a wicket from each end, meaning Briggs was sent out as nightwatchman to see the day out.He will start again on the second day with Vince, who closed with his first half-century of the season. It was more of what we have come to expect from Vince; full value from drive balls and elegance through the gaps. His innings has featured nine fours so far and his team-mates would rather he cashed in rather than someone else having to start again tomorrow. Although even with a fifty under the belt that will not be easy. Especially on this pitch.

Ian Cockbain stepped into the starring role after a first failure from Michael Klinger as Gloucestershire returned to winning ways with a 43-run victory over Middlesex in the NatWest T20 Blast at Richmond.

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jun-2015
ScorecardDavid Payne ensured there was no danger of Middlesex chasing 215•Getty Images

Ian Cockbain stepped into the starring role after a first failure from Michael Klinger as Gloucestershire returned to winning ways with a 43-run victory over Middlesex in the NatWest T20 Blast at Richmond.Captain Klinger contributed just 10 runs to the visitors’ cause, having totalled 403 runs from his previous four innings in this year’s competition without being dismissed. But at least he now has an average – and, much more important, a team success to celebrate after two defeats earlier in the week.With Cockbain scoring 75 from 39 balls, helped by six sixes and five fours, while sharing in a third-wicket stand of 101 with Benny Howell – who supplied a T20 best of 57 – Gloucestershire were able to post a daunting total of 214 for 4 – their highest so far this year and a T20 record for any county at Old Deer Park.Middlesex, who have now lost three consecutive games in the Blast and were looking for a first ever T20 win against Gloucestershire, at the eighth attempt, made a fast start in reply. But with wickets falling regularly, the hosts were always struggling and ended up well short. Only John Simpson, with an unbeaten 74, caused the visitors any real concern but his effort was overshadowed by David Payne, whose figures of 5 for 24 are the best so far in this year’s competition.Middlesex couldn’t say Cockbain had not given them fair warning. He made an unbeaten 91 against them when Gloucestershire won by seven wickets at Bristol in mid-May. This time he took centre stage once Klinger had top-edged an attempted hook against James Harris. All but one of Cockbain’s six sixes were hit straight, two of them coming off a single over from spinner Paul Stirling that cost 20 runs in all. And with Howell enjoying himself just as much, the third wicket pair posted a century stand at the rate of two runs per ball.Cockbain eventually fell to Toby Roland-Jones via thick outside edge to short third man. But, by then, Gloucestershire were all but guaranteed a total in excess of 200 – and Geraint Jones made sure they comfortably achieved that target by hammering 34 runs from just 14 deliveries.Paul Stirling, who has been in brilliant form for Ireland recently and then made a double century for Middlesex 2nds, hit two of his first three balls for six when the reply began. But when he then played on, against Craig Miles, one big hope for the hosts had gone – and wickets kept tumbling with Payne having a field day.”It’s nice to get a win under our belts again after those two defeats,” Cockbain said. “Michael has been batting brilliantly so it was good for the other guys to put their hands up today and post a big score.”

Sri Lanka have selected two uncapped left-arm spinning allrounders – Milinda Siriwardana and Sachith Pathirana – for the ODI series against Pakistan

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2015Uncapped left-arm spinning allrounders Milinda Siriwardana and Sachith Pathirana have been called up to Sri Lanka’s squad for the five-match ODI series against Pakistan. Test spinners Rangana Herath and Tharindu Kaushal have been left out, as have seamers Nuwan Kulasekara and Dhammika Prasad.In addition to the new allrounders, Sachithra Senanayake and legspinner Seekkuge Prasanna serve as the squad’s frontline spin options. Nuwan Pradeep, who has played two ODIs, most recently in 2012, joins Lasith Malinga and Suranga Lakmal to form the quick bowling line-up. Seam bowling allrounder Thisara Perera has also been named.The batting contained few surprises. Kusal Perera is in the squad following his stellar performances against Pakistan A. Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal and Ashan Priyanjan have also been named while captain Angelo Mathews and opener TM Dilshan are almost certain to play. Opener Dimuth Karunaratne, who had been in Sri Lanka’s original World Cup squad, has been left out.Siriwardena, 29, had an outstanding domestic season this year, hitting 1144 runs at an average of 67.29 across 19 first-class innings. He has also been a dependable bowler in domestic cricket. Pathirana, 26, is more of a bowler, and has been chosen on the back of several solid domestic seasons. He has taken 86 List A wickets at 22.58.This series will be Sri Lanka’s first ODI foray since the World Cup. It is also their first series without Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. Other players who featured in the World Cup campaign but have not been chosen include Jeevan Mendis and Dushmantha Chameera. The first match begins on July 11, in Dambulla.Squad: Angelo Mathews (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Milinda Siriwardana, Ashan Priyanjan, Nuwan Pradeep, Thisara Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Sachithra Senanayake, Seekuge Prasanna, Sachith Pathirana

India made up for all the time lost to rain on the first two days by reducing Sri Lanka to 47 for 6, but the hosts negated India’s advantage by adding 154 with their last four wickets and taking India’s first three wickets for seven runs

The Report by Sidharth Monga30-Aug-2015
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIshant Sharma claimed his seventh Test five-for•AFP

India made up for all the time lost to rain on the first two days by reducing Sri Lanka to 47 for 6 and injuring Dhammika Prasad, Sri Lanka’s strike bowler on this pitch, but the hosts negated India’s advantage by adding 154 with their last four wickets and taking India’s first three wickets for seven runs. With India effectively 132 for 3 and the last pair of specialist batsmen already at the wicket, this was anybody’s game now.Fifteen wickets fell for 242 runs in 65.1 overs on a frenetic day where fortunes swung wildly. Yet again Prasad produced a wicket in the first over of the innings, and Cheteshwar Pujara, who carried his bat through in the first dig, became the only man to follow such a feat with a duck in the same Test. At lunch Sri Lanka would have drawn heart from the drizzle that didn’t cost the Test any time, but the heavy downpour at 4.40pm would have brought India relief, who yet again ran the risk of collapsing meekly after having watched runs from the Sri Lankan lower order.It might not result in a win, but if anything, this turnaround from Sri Lanka was even more remarkable than in Galle. Back then they had umpiring decisions and all the luck going their way; here they copped three rough decisions when batting. Upul Tharanga was given out off a no-ball even though the TV umpire had a look at the replays, Dinesh Chandimal – counterattacking his way to 23 off 27 – was given out lbw to a ball that hit him bail high and was on its way up, and Tharindu Kaushal was given out lbw off an inside edge.Debutant Kusal Perera, who ironically benefited from sloppy slip fielding from India, and Rangana Herath batted smartly in adding 79, the third-highest seventh-wicket partnership in Tests from under a score of 50. Against calculated risks from the lower order, tiring bowlers missed their rhythm. Coming back to bat with an injured hand, Prasad played around with the mind of Ishant Sharma, who had earlier starred with a rare five-for, and scored 27 off 23 to take Sri Lanka past 200.Not being able to bowl tails out and slips catching have been India’s twin tormentors in Test cricket of late, and they could do worse than to look at how they bowled in the first session of the day. The pitch didn’t allow crazy seam movement or variable bounce. India just put the ball in areas when uncertain batsmen edge it. Sri Lanka’s top order was uncertain.A certain degree of uncertainty could be expected of a rejigged batting order in the first Test since Kumar Sangakkara’s retirement. Tharanga came out to open on his comeback, Dimuth Karunaratane moved down, Chandimal moved up, and Perera batted at No. 7. This raw batting line-up could have done with some luck, which it turned out they didn’t have, but it didn’t seem like that in the first over after they had taken India’s last two wickets for an addition of 20 to their overnight total.Ishant Sharma, who had played dangerously with the crease when he batted for three balls in the morning, continued to do so. He might have been hitting out under team instructions, but more importantly, Ishant failed to stay in the crease with the first two balls he bowled. It looked like one of those bad days when everything goes against you when he produced Tharanga’s edge in the first over, but saw KL Rahul drop it diving in front of first slip. Rahul and slips would go on to gain more and telling mentions.Redemption nearly did not come for Ishant and Rahul. Tharanga, prone to offering these opportunities outside off, did so soon enough, and Rahul took a good low catch, but Ishant was asked to wait before he celebrated. Replays didn’t show any part of his foot behind the line, but mysteriously Tharanga was asked to keep walking. Umesh Yadav soon got rid of Kaushal Silva with the short ball again. Chandimal attacked attractively, but he fell to Stuart Binny, who on the second day had fallen to an outswinger that pitched and seamed back in to hit him on the back thigh. Binny repeated the dose to Chandimal, but replays showed the ball was likely to sail over the stumps.Ishant came back to deal Sri Lanka telling blows either side of the lunch break. With his first ball back, he had Angelo Mathews poking at one that held its line outside off. With his second ball after the break, Ishant asked a similar question of Lahiru Thirimanne, and the batsman responded with another edge. In between the two dismissals, Karunaratne played a loose drive to a wide half-volley from Binny.Having taken both those catches, Rahul – like Ishant – was on his way to turning his day around. But with Perera on 9, Sri Lanka 63 for 6 and Prasad retired hurt, Rahul dropped a simple offering off the bowling of Yadav. This wasn’t going to be Rahul’s last mistake.With Sanath Jayasuriya watching, the man he resembles at the wicket, Perera, went on to launch a calculated assault. In Herath, Perera found a determined ally. Perera hit nine fours in his 56-ball 55, Herath was more sedate, but the two had taken the sting out of India’s bowling by the time Perera fell top-edging a trademark Jayasuriya pull to cow corner. There was resistance from Kaushal, who scored 16 but stayed in the middle for 11 overs, but after benefiting from dodgy lbws in the first innings of the first Test, he was at the receiving end this time.One short of what could have been his second Test fifty, Herath was snapped up by Ishant just after tea with a ball just outside off and holding its line. Still, when Prasad began to run away from the stumps, India began to follow him and let Sri Lanka add more. With ball in right hand and heavy bandage on left, Prasad didn’t follow anybody. He produced the perfect ball to get rid of a man who had played 290 balls without getting dismissed. It pitched short of a length, on middle, squared the batsman up, and hit off.Rahul couldn’t draw any such comfort from having been done in by an unplayable delivery. For the second time in the Test he premeditated a leave without covering his stumps, and had the top of off pinged. Only this time the bowler was Nuwan Pradeep, who went on to repeat the Ajinkya Rahane dismissal with a ball moving in after pitching.

Lionel Mendis, 80, popularly known as the father figure of cricket coaching in Sri Lanka, died on Friday after a long illness

Sa'adi Thawfeeq10-Oct-2015Lionel Mendis, popularly known as the father figure of cricket coaching in Sri Lanka, died on Friday, at the age of 80, after a long illness.It was on September 15 that Mendis, who was being treated for throat cancer at a private hospital in Colombo, celebrated his 80th birthday. The same month he had retired from coaching, bringing to an end a distinguished 29-year stint at Nondescripts CC where he ran his coaching school.Mendis was a key figure in the Sri Lanka cricket coaching arena and coached several former Sri Lanka cricketers, notably the country’s World Cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga and Mahela Jayawardene.
The hallmark of Mendis’ coaching was the discipline he brought to ensure that each of his products ended up as a complete cricketer not only on the field but off it as well. At a recent felicitation ceremony given by former cricketers, Ranatunga said that Mendis had introduced a new sporting culture with his brand of coaching. “The specialty in him is his attitude to build a complete cricketer,” Ranatunga said. “He taught us how to dress, eat and how to behave in the ground. He respects the tradition and culture of our country and expects his students to follow good manners.”He never thought of earning money but spent his money on poor students. Every time he gave his students very important tips not just on cricket but also on life.”The ICC rewarded Mendis for his outstanding services to Sri Lanka cricket with an award during its centenary in 2009. Mendis’ brother Nelson Mendis is also a renowned cricket coach and at one time they were rival coaches of the two leading Buddhist schools in the country, Ananda College and Nalanda College.

Kent inflicted upon Glamorgan their second heaviest post-war defeat in the championship – a woeful display by the home side that will surely bring an inquest

ECB/PA12-Sep-2015
ScorecardMatt Coles helped to inflict one of Glamorgan’s heaviest defeats [file picture]•Getty Images

Kent inflicted upon Glamorgan their second heaviest post-war defeat, by a runs margin, in the championship.They wasted little time taking the remaining eight Glamorgan wickets, unaffected by showers that removed more than half the morning session on the final day.The 316-run defeat was a reflection of Kent’s superiority in all departments, and there will surely be an inquest on Glamorgan’s woeful performance over the four days.Although captain Jacques Rudolph was absent on paternity leave, they should certainly have scored more than the 444 runs they managed in both innings ,and apart from Colin Ingram and James Kettleborough in the second innings, there was little or no application from the others .One could sympathise with the young opening batsman Jeremy Lawlor, who recorded a pair on his championship debut, especially as he had to open the batting even though he has batted at No.4 for the second eleven for most of the summer.The club might also argue that they only have 15 full time professionals on the staff, and there has been a heavy workload on the quicker bowlers, but they need to sign some players if they not to become perennial under-achievers in Division Two.Kent meanwhile, produced a thoroughly professional performance that belied their position in the division, with none performing better than their two veterans Rob Key and Darren Stevens.It was Stevens who began the collapse in Glamorgan’s second innings when he produced a spell of 4 for 10 in 17 deliveries.Kettleborough was his first victim when he was bowled for 56 – his best score for Glamorgan – before Chris Cooke, Aneurin Donald and Gramam Wagg were dismissed in quick succession.Stevens also claimed his 60th victim of the season, his best return in the championship, and with his 699 championship runs, continues to be an integral part of the Kent team.Key, since returning to opening the batting from No 3, has scored over 500 runs at an average of 75.00 and here he played two faultless innings and compiled an aggregate of 252 runs.Ingram’s first century in the championship came from 174 balls to supplement the three centuries and a fifty he scored in the Royal London Cup. He was given useful support by Andrew Salter at the end of the innings, but when it all ended Glamorgan had gone down to their fourth championship defeat of the season.

New Zealand’s captain Brendon McCullum is unsure how much the ongoing perjury trial of Chris Cairns will distract him as he sets about leading his country in what shapes as their best chance to unseat Australia at home in 30 years

Daniel Brettig in Canberra22-Oct-20152:47

‘Good to be back with the boys’ – McCullum

New Zealand’s captain Brendon McCullum is unsure how much the ongoing perjury trial of Chris Cairns will distract him as he sets about leading his country in what shapes as their best chance to unseat Australia at home in 30 years.McCullum missed the New Zealand players’ only chance for a first-class fixture at home before reaching Australia as he was called as a prosecution witness at Southwark Crown Court in London and gave evidence of Cairns’ alleged spot-fixing approaches to him in 2008 – conversations that he did not report to the ICC for some years.As part of a modified preparation as a result of his travel schedule, McCullum will not take part in the tour opening fixture against the Prime Minister’s XI on Friday, but will instead wait until the two-day practice match starting on Saturday to play his first cricket since the court appearance. He is hopeful that the case and its wide ramifications for the game will not cloud his thinking against Australia.”I hope so,” McCullum said when asked whether the case could be put to the back of his mind. “I had a job to do over there, but now I’m back here and very much focused on this series, three Tests is going to be a huge opportunity for us and a massive challenge as well.”It’s just nice to be around the boys again. I missed that first-class game back home so it’s good to get back into the nets. To a degree it has [been a distraction], but it had to be done and now I’m very much just focused on this tour, it’s a huge challenge for us as a team and a new stage in Australian cricket as well. It should be a cracking series.”In a departure from recent norms, the PM’sXI match will be less a festival match than a legitimate proving ground, both for the New Zealand side freshly landed in Australia and a host of locals eager to press their cases for Test selection next month. McCullum said New Zealand would benefit from an early sight of the likes of Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Joe Burns, Adam Voges and Peter Siddle before the Tests as they formulated plans to try to win a Test series down under for the first time since 1985.”It’s going to be good, and for those guys as well they probably haven’t had the volume of cricket they would have wanted,” McCullum said. “So it’s probably a smart move from the Australian selectors as well to include them in this game and it’s going to be good for us as well to have another competitive hit-out leading into the series.”It’s going to give us a good preparation. Obviously I’m not playing tomorrow and Timmy [Southee] will have the stripes and I’m sure he’ll do an excellent job. So we’ll probably be able to get a little bit more information as well about some of these guys that we haven’t seen as much of as some of the other guys in the team.”Unlike most meetings between the two teams over the past decade – of which there have been precious few since 2010 – it will be New Zealand that have the more settled team going into the Tests. While acknowledging that as a strength, McCullum said he also knew that change could have positive effect on a team, as highly motivated individuals entered the dressing room.”It can make a team more dangerous as well because change can often galvanise a unit,” McCullum said. “We’re very much aware of that and we’ve got to make sure we execute what works for us and if we can maybe create some opportunities to go on and win the series that would be great. But we know it’s not going to be easy.”We’ve got a good team, we’ve played well over the last seven or eight Test series but Australia in Australia are a very difficult team to play against. Yes they’ve got some changes and they’ve got some new personnel, but they’re also a very, very proud sporting nation and their cricket team has been successful for over two decades now so for us to come here and succeed we’re going to have to play extremely well.”