Ahead of Bangladesh’s 100th match, ESPNcricinfo looks into the history of first-class cricket in the country and its slow road to relevance

Mohammad Isam12-Mar-2017Nafees Iqbal would never forget the day his uncle Akram Khan asked him to play in the National Cricket League in 1999. “I walked across the road from my house to the MA Aziz Stadium with my whites. I went into the dressing-room, felt a little intimidated with so many senior players around. We fielded first, and Saifullah Magsi struck 170-odd. Soon it was our turn to bat, and I made 126. My whole family had come to see the game, and it was such a proud moment.”That was the first round of the NCL’s first season, about a year before Bangladesh played their inaugural Test. There had been two and three-day matches in Bangladesh in the National Cricket Championship, but it was sporadic. The NCL was formed to tick one of the boxes that led to Bangladesh’s Test status, and a few seasons later it was given first-class status. So like Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, Bangladesh would also get their Test status before their domestic long-format tournament got first-class status.At the time, it was expected to be the stage for future Bangladesh Test cricketers to develop the skills, mentality and temperament for a longer period. It was divided into the divisional headquarters, meaning room was left for players from outside the main cities and towns to get a chance. While that has happened in the last two decades, only a few, incredibly, have come through the first-class system.

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Habibul Bashar was facing a senior pace bowler in the nets during the early days of Bangladesh’s first-class season. The bowler ran in, and suddenly rather than heading down his over-the-wicket path, he bowled around the wicket. Bashar was stunned, nearly took the ball on his gloves but it hit the top of his bat-handle.”What was that?” Bashar asked.”You will play a lot of first-class and Test cricket. These things will happen once in a while”, was the response from the other end.Bashar smiled and went back to facing the next bowler.In reality, the senior fast bowler had missed his run-up, so just for the sake of it, he bowled from the other side. He was known for his quirky side, so Bashar didn’t mind.That was a one-off funny incidemt but across the country, cricketers did try to figure out the longer version in those days. Some thought batting with a heavier bat would help them, others felt a lighter bat would give them the advantage. Those in Rajshahi figured it was fitness that would help them during a hot four-day match. Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet banked on their flair and talent, but that didn’t last long.

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The promise of the NCL gave away far too quickly. Within a few seasons, it began to be referred as by players who would simply turn up for the matches and go through the motions. The money involved in the NCL was much less than what they earned in the Dhaka Premier League, the country’s most important competition for decades.The intensity too was vastly underwhelming in the first-class tournament. While the one-day format of the Dhaka Premier League had players facing pressure on a daily basis, there was a deafening silence while playing a first-class game. Those running the divisional teams were unsure what to tell the players even if they did badly. For places like Barisal, the same players continued for many years because there was no local talent being developed. When the talent pool dried up in Chittagong and Sylhet, the administrators hardly bothered.

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It was expected that Bangladesh’s Test team would benefit from the domestic first-class scene but it was the Dhaka Premier League and recently the BCB’s youth programmes that have had the most impact.Bangladesh didn’t have the advantage that Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe had – both countries played long-version cricket for a while before they played their first Tests in 1982 and 1992 respectively.Sri Lanka didn’t actually get official first-class status for their domestic matches until the late 1980s – i.e. long after they had got Test status. The premier tournament, called the Sara Trophy, did not get first-class status until the 1987/88 season. Before that Zimbabwe had three-day matches, played largely among the same teams that became first-class clubs. Additionally, because of its geographic location, Sri Lanka would often get foreign teams to visit and play cricket and those were considered first-class matches, while when a Sri Lankan team went overseas, those matches were also considered first-class.In Zimbabwe, although the Logan Cup has been played since around 1903, it only became a first-class competition after Zimbabwe gained Test status in 1992 (so the first first-class Logan Cup came only after Zimbabwe were a Test nation). Prior to this it was not a first-class competition, but it did feature multi-innings long-form cricket. While the question on when cricket was introduced in Zimbabwe remains a debate, most people seem to think that the first game was played in 1890 when the white colonial settlers arrived in the country. Ever since cricket has been played regularly in various centres.It’s important to note that while the Logan Cup itself wasn’t designated as a first class competition until Zimbabwe were a Test nation, the Zimbabweans had been playing first-class cricket regularly and of a high standard through the 1980s as counties such as Middlesex and Leicestershire visited the country, along with teams such as Pakistan International Airlines, Young West Indies, Young Australia and Sri Lanka in first-class games. Before 1980, Zimbabwe (or Rhodesia as it was then known) took part in South Africa’s Currie Cup, and those games were first-class matches. So when they gained independence the same year, they faced a huge question: whether to stay in South Africa’s domestic first-class cricket competition – and risk apartheid-related isolation along with them – or to go their own way and exit the Currie Cup. They chose the latter.The feeling from the players who made up Zimbabwe’s first Test team is that, while they think the cricket the provinces played in the country was of a decent standard, these first-class games against visiting sides were vital to the development of the national team. Some of the internationals who visited included Dean Jones, Bruce Reid, Courtney Walsh, Jeff Dujon and Malcolm Marshall.

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In the late 2000s, the BCB decided to pick teams instead of asking the divisions to do it themselves, in a bid to even out the strength of the squads. It backfired – the sense of competition within the teams reduced as players were not representing their regions, and hence cared less for the team and more for their own performance.In 2013, the then BCB president AHM Mustafa Kamal inducted all first-class players into a salary scheme and began the Bangladesh Cricket League, a more refined regional first-class competition. Created to spice up the first-class scene, the BCL has provided for a higher quality of cricket than the NCL.Yet, there remains very little trust in players even if they put up a good show in the domestic circuit. A player either has to come with an age-group tag or has to prove himself in the A team, who rarely play.Indeed, Bangladesh’s first-class scene is yet to impart value to cricketers. It is in place, and there is hope that in the next five years the BCL will take over as the most important domestic tournament. But unless it produces one cricketer who transitions serenely into the Test team, the first-class scene will continue to be called picnic cricket.

Shashank Kishore in Indore14-Jan-20172:12

‘Couterattacked after early wickets’ – Parthiv

The Ranji Trophy title is pinnacle of what you have achieved. What has gone into the making of this team?
Basically, it’s because of a good plan back in Gujarat. Before the start of the season, we play a lot of practice matches. When we sit to pick the team, our meeting doesn’t last more than four-five minutes because the players pick themselves on their performances. We play so many matches before the start of the season that we are ready to hit the ground running. The system for junior cricket is very good and those who perform in district cricket get an opportunity to play in the KSCA or Buchi Babu tournament. So by the time the Ranji comes around, no one has any doubt over whether he is in form or not. Whoever performs walks into the team.Do you see an attitude shift within the group as a result of success across formats over the last two-three years?
There has been a big difference, no doubt. Our main aim was to survive in the Elite League when I made my Ranji debut in 2004. It was an honest assessment of where we were. Our best player was Niraj Patel, who averaged around 37, so you can understand how the mood was. Then when I took over, we were relegated in the first season. Players were playing for places. The goal was to survive in the Ranji Trophy, and if they were lucky, maybe the Duleep Trophy, not beyond. Luckily by then, I had some experience of playing for India. I knew what it was to be left out. I was helped by a great bunch of young Under-19 players, who came in and ensured players dream big. In the last three-four years alone, guys like Axar [Patel] and Jasprit [Bumrah] have changed that mindset. Manprit [Juneja] has played for India A. IPL has transformed the mindsets a great deal. If you look at the India Under-19 team over the last four-five years, we have always had at least two players in the team. Even now, when we won the Under-19 Asia Cup, we had one lad in the team. It helps to have so much of talent in your state.Yes, there were a few frustrating years for us when we didn’t qualify, we missed out on quotient or run-rate, but we knew that we have a team that can win the Ranji Trophy and we have always been talking about it amongst us. And we can only talk about it if we believe that we can win it. And we always knew that we can win it, and we have got the results to show for it.How has the mood within the camp changed since the time you have taken over as captain?
It was much different to what it is now. There were differences of opinion, young players didn’t open up easily for whatever reason. Captains, coaches and selectors weren’t on the same page. For example, the batting first scenario in a four-day game was big for us. Every time we looked at the surface, someone would think we should bowl. I thought we should bat. Selectors thought something else, so as captain you didn’t always have the freedom to execute what you thought was best for the side. I couldn’t relate to these conflicting thoughts. It took us a while to change that mindset. It’s something I’m more comfortable with.Can you think of an example of this clarity in decision making?
Take for example the semi-final. It was a green track. Two days before the game, everyone suggested we bowl first. I thought differently. I wanted to bat. My thumb rule is unless the wicket is really very green or wet, always bat and put the runs on the board. I may sometimes do the opposite by gut instinct, but largely these are my thoughts. So I decided to bat. I had the freedom to decide what I felt was best for the team, and all of us responded collectively after that to win despite conceding the lead.Parthiv Patel scored 233 runs in the final against Mumbai•ESPNcricinfo LtdHow do you view this team’s graph? Has it been on the lines of what you expected it to be when you decided to stick to a young group?
Five years ago, we were a mediocre side. Teams used to take us lightly. As a captain I thought I had to build a team. It wasn’t that I will get players who will blast 1000-2000 runs. So we had to be patient. As I said, we were almost there but we couldn’t go through. So performance wise we were clicking. It wasn’t that we were just surviving. And with young side you have to be patient enough. More than that, I personally felt that these guys had talent. They had in them to go through to the next level. I wanted to give them more security as a player so that they can vow there and play their game rather than playing my way or coaches’ way or someone else’s way. So that was something which I have spoken to the coaches, selectors and they knew we were building a side. We had dropped a few experienced players. It wasn’t just a captain’s effort. It was an overall effort from coaches and selectors. There was a time where we felt that we should try and think something else. But then obviously you think of dos and don’ts and then you come out with a solution and we stuck to it and the results are here. At times, we thought we needed some experience, and that’s how we brought in RP Singh as a professional. His role has been great with a young bowling group.What all has RP Singh brought to this side?
RP has the knowledge and experience, so when we brought him, it was always as a mentor who could chip in at vital times for us. He was never going to play eight games, even if he was playing for Uttar Pradesh, at this stage of his career. As it is, the bowlers have it tough these days with the travelling and recovery. A bowler who has had a history of injuries, we knew, would have it tough too. So we wanted to use him in a way where he comes into the picture where wickets are helpful, where he can use experience and skills.We have experience in the batting line-up but there isn’t much experience in bowling. Jasprit is away these days on national duty. Rush Kalaria has been around for the last four years or so, but isn’t still up to that skill where he can lead the pace attack. That is why we thought we should bring him in for the semi-final and he delivered. RP has been the bridge between the captain and coach when it comes to the bowling department.Was it just a mental block because of which you took a while to realise this team’s potential?
We won two T20 championships and a 50-over championship in the last three years. So the talent and ability was there, it was just a question of belief. Luck also played a part. Last year we didn’t have a full game in Tamil Nadu, and a year before I thought we played really well and missed out on quotient. This year too, we lost one full game because of weather, but we didn’t want to make any excuses. We didn’t last year either. What wasn’t there was the kind of belief there is now, especially in long-form cricket, and that only comes with performance. When you see guys hitting 900-1000 runs, taking five-fors in a knockout game, it fires you up as a group. Performing under pressure can’t be taught. It’s just a case of experience being the best teacher.

From being brave in selecting their XI to holding more catches, Bangladesh did several things better in Colombo than in other Test outings this season

Mohammad Isam22-Mar-2017Improved in-the-moment applicationMehedi Hasan made two telling contributions to Bangladesh’s effort in the Colombo Test. His superb offbreak bowling removed Upul Tharanga and gave Bangladesh an important breakthrough on the fourth day. But it was on the fifth day when his presence of mind made an even bigger difference: Dilruwan Perera was becoming a hard proposition. When he had a misunderstanding with Suranga Lakmal, Subashis Roy threw poorly to the bowler’s end, where Mehedi collected the wide throw brilliantly and broke the stumps.It is worth remembering that this is the same Mehedi who couldn’t collect a similarly tricky throw when M Vijay was batting on 35 in the Hyderabad Test a month ago. Kamrul Islam Rabbi had made a fine stop at short square leg and threw towards the bowler Miraz who couldn’t break the stumps in time. Vijay went on to score 108 and India went on to post a massive 600-plus total, but here, Dilruwan’s wicket got them a much-needed breakthrough at a time when the Test was slipping out of Bangladesh’s grasp. Better application during the most recent Test match made all the difference, though.The safer cordon Bangladesh dropped a total of 20 catches during their tour to New Zealand, and there were mistakes in Hyderabad too. So when Soumya Sarkar took four catches at slip in Colombo, it was a big step up for the Bangladesh slip cordon. Soumya has yet to nail down his place in the Test team with his primary skill, but promises much with his fielding abilities. He is safe in the outfield too, as he showed in last year’s World T20, pulling off two stunning catches on the boundary.His slip-catching technique is quite simple. He appears to have plenty of time setting himself up for a catch, never looking hurried. Their coach Chandika Hathurusingha had once said that it was Soumya’s catching that made him stand out, because it suggested he would also have a lot of time playing fast bowling.Similarly, Bangladesh should also be encouraged seeing Liton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim display great anticipation to take catches off Niroshan Dickwella. While it is no secret that Dickwella has a predilection to play the sweep and reverse sweep, these are catches Bangladesh wicketkeepers haven’t often been seen taking previously. Not long ago, Mushfiqur’s missed stumping against Wriddhiman Saha in Hyderabad gave the India wicketkeeper a chance to reach his second Test century. Following that, for the second time in three years, the team management asked Mushfiqur to give up the gloves and hand them over to Liton. After he recovers from a chest injury, Liton is expected to resume duties behind the stumps in Tests.Balance between aggression and pragmatism Bangladesh batsmen have seemed unnecessarily hurried at different times in all five Tests this season. But in phases during this Test, they showed restraint that seemed to have been missing in earlier games. Shakib Al Hasan, in particular, played with great patience on the third day, mixing an attacking game with regular singles to keep up pressure on the opponents. The approach served him well in Colombo, and the allrounder ended up with 116 runs in the Test. He had played a similar innings in Wellington, which fetched him 217 runs. It is an approach worth honing, as attacking too much too soon – like he did in Christchurch – can be an unsustainable Test strategy.Brave selection Bangladesh made four changes to the XI that played in Galle. Liton Das’s injury got Sabbir Rahman into the team but the other three were tactical changes. Imrul Kayes, Taijul Islam and Mosaddek Hossain took the places of Mominul Haque, Taskin Ahmed and Mahmudullah.The replacements didn’t set the world alight but neither were those that were dropped missed. Mahmudullah was in woeful form while Mominul looked to be short of ideas against offspin. Subashis was picked ahead of Taskin, perhaps because the former displayed better control with the ball in Galle. Taijul, who ultimately took the place of Taskin in the XI, provided the bowling attack with his efficiency in cutting down runs, even if he did not pick up as many wickets as Bangladesh might have hoped.Mosaddek replacing Mahmudullah paid off as he struck an important 75 in the first innings, and looked nerveless under pressure in the second innings. Imrul did not contribute the runs he was brought in to score, but picking him meant that Soumya Sarkar would feel the pinch of competition despite scoring three fifties.One must commend those who picked the team too, as they showed courage to drop a senior figure in the Bangladesh dressing room. They also dared to drop Mominul and gave an aggressive batsman like Sabbir the No. 4 spot. Scoring runs is important now in the Bangladesh line-up, and this means every batsman is likely to be on their toes.Adaptation to the unfamiliar The Bangladesh batsmen have often been troubled by bowlers with slightly different actions or someone offering something different – like Lakshan Sandakan’s chinaman action. In the Hyderabad practice match, a similar bowler in Kuldeep Yadav troubled them. In the Galle Test, they reportedly had trouble picking Sandakan out of the hand. This game, they kept picking Sandakan off the pitch. It gave them less time to react to his deliveries, and he had Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim caught down the leg side. But they appeared to understand better how to play the Sri Lankan bowler, and although he took four wickets in the first innings, he was rendered ineffective in the second – Tamim even deposited him for a big six over long-on at one stage.

Current and former Pakistan players were among those who took to Twitter to congratulate Younis Khan on his achievement of 10,000 Test runs

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Apr-2017

Congratulations Younis Khan on your incredible 10K achievement. Hope you have an amazing farewell series, pile on the runs!

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) April 24, 2017

Congratulations to Younis Khan on 10k runs in test cricket and Fantastic player to join the club. Also first Pakistan player #proud

— Mahela Jayawardena (@MahelaJay) April 24, 2017

Congratulations to Younis Khan on his scoring 10000 runs in Test cricket – the first Pakistani to achieve this distinction.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 24, 2017

Congratulation to Younis khan,His family,@TheRealPCB & Younis bhai fans to achieve 10,000 runs in Test cricket, True Legend

— Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22) April 23, 2017

Younis khan is indeed a GREAT example of maximising his talent & achieving more & more with his determination & hard work,10,000 Test runs

— Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22) April 24, 2017

What an incredible achievement Younis khan. So proud of you & happy to be part of your special moment! #10000 Runs pic.twitter.com/MGNq0tXgoG

— Azhar Mahmood (@AzharMahmood11) April 24, 2017

Congratulations Younis Khan on reaching 10,000 test runs, an amazing achievement considering Pakistan's challenges. Pure class in every way.

— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) April 24, 2017

Congratulations to Younis Khan 10k test runs. Phenomenal achievement.

— David Warner (@davidwarner31) April 24, 2017

What a historic feat for Younis Khan and Pakistan! Truly honoured my friend. #YK10K #WIvPAK

— Mushtaq Ahmed (@Mushy_online) April 23, 2017

Younus Khan We r all very proud of U. Congrats to U,Ur Family & the entire Nation."10000" Test runs is a breathtaking achievement #LEGEND

— waqar younis (@waqyounis99) April 24, 2017

Younis is a superstar! He has been a great player, a lovely man and someone I always enjoyed playing against. I wish him the best. https://t.co/xAeZdxo6Tb

— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) April 24, 2017

Congratulations to one of the nicest guys around, Younis Khan!!! 1st Pakistani to 10k runs. MA. Great player. Top person. pic.twitter.com/UGQNy6X1uL

— Moeen Ali (@MoeenAli) April 23, 2017

Congrats to Younis Khan for 10k test runs! Outstanding achievement! Thats a lot of warm ups by the way!

— Brendon McCullum (@Bazmccullum) April 24, 2017

Congratulations to younis bhai on reaching 10k runs milestone truely&richly deserved
Proud moment for us all & for whole nation #YounisKhan

— Kamran Akmal (@KamiAkmal23) April 24, 2017

Well done Younis Khan on 10,000 runs in Test Cricket. One of the unsung heroes of the game.

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) April 24, 2017

Massive congratulations to @PeshawarZalmi Mentor Younis Khan on reaching 10000 test runs… well done legend

— Daren Sammy (@darensammy88) April 24, 2017

Congratulations to younis Bhai we are proud of u first Pakistani to achieve 10000 runs in test cricket a true legend and a role model

— Khurram Manzoor Khan (@_khurrammanzoor) April 23, 2017

Huge congrats to Younis Khan on becoming the 13th player and 1st Pakistan player to reach 10k test runs. Hell of a player and great bloke

— dawid malan (@dmalan29) April 23, 2017

Congratulation Younis Khan bhai for 10,000 runs in test cricket. Such a legend. #YK10K #WIvPak

— Mohammad Irfan (@M_IrfanOfficial) April 23, 2017

Congratulations to Younis Bahi, first Pakistani to achieve 10000 runs. Proud moment for all of us. #Cricket

— Fawad Alam (@iamfawadalam25) April 23, 2017

Congrats Younis Khan bhai on achieving this glorious landmark. Lots to learn from your hard work, grit, leadership & smile. #Legend #Yk10k pic.twitter.com/pxyogGHV6Q

— Mohammad Rizwan (@iMRizwanPak) April 23, 2017

Twitter reactions to a blistering century from David Warner

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Apr-2017David Warner scored the first hundred by a Sunrisers Hyderabad batsman•BCCI

Unbelievable stuff David Warner. Century in only the 11th over. #SRHvKKR

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) 30 April 2017

And that is why @davidwarner31 is one of the very very best T20 players in the World!

— Brendon McCullum (@Bazmccullum) 30 April 2017

Wow @davidwarner31 Unbelievable. This is power hitting at its very best

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) 30 April 2017

Well played @davidwarner31 some serious ball striking!

— Steve Smith (@stevesmith49) 30 April 2017

Well played @davidwarner31!! Absolute class above! #orangecap #IPL10

— Glenn Maxwell (@Gmaxi_32) 30 April 2017

@davidwarner31 that is all #ridiculous #IPL2017 #fast

— Mitchell Johnson (@MitchJohnson398) 30 April 2017

A brutal devastating assualt by @davidwarner31. Like a prize fighter punching away in his pomp. Awesome viewing @SunRisers #SRHvKKR #IPL pic.twitter.com/aum4hUEPVA

— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) 30 April 2017

Take a bow @davidwarner31 you are a little dynamite.. @IPL @SunRisers

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) 30 April 2017

What a 1st innings by #SRH. I am trying to catch my breathe and take in all the striking power of @davidwarner31…absolutely amazing #IPL

— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) 30 April 2017

43 ball Ton for @davidwarner31 … Power shots,Reverse sweeps,Pull shots and the odd Punchy drive ….. #IPL2017

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) 30 April 2017

Jarrod Kimber watches India, and Smriti Mandhana in particular, produce a performance worthy of a World Cup opening fixture

Jarrod Kimber at Derby24-Jun-2017To get into the County Ground at Derby, you have to go around the Pentagon. It’s a roundabout with an impressive name. On the Pentagon is a giant pair of stumps to tell you how close you are to the ground. But there is also a smaller sign on the roundabout, one that one says: “Derby’s done it”.The “it” is to be the co-host of the Women’s World Cup, and to get the opening game. Derby doesn’t get a lot of world events followed by millions of people, so this means something for them. The staff and organisers looked nervous as the day started. The opening ceremony was underwhelming, featuring kids holding bits of coloured material that didn’t really represent the nations they were supposed to (Pakistan was teal, West Indies pink and New Zealand blue). And then the singing of the song was meant to be met with the flags being carried out on the ground, but instead, it was met by one man running manically across the outfield trying to get the attention of the flag holders.And if the game meant a lot to Derby and the organisers, think about what it meant to the women playing in it. This is the only tournament that they get on their own. The World T20 is tacked on to the men’s tournament. Women almost never play Test matches, and while their T20 leagues are growing, none of them has yet caught fire. The Women’s World Cup isn’t just the peak of women’s cricket; it’s the peak, the slope, and the entire mountain of the sport.Not to mention that, as the women’s game becomes professional, the pressure to perform and justify your contract also comes into play. They are no longer earnest amateurs and they are no longer playing for family and friends. The stage is bigger; so is the potential for failure.That extra pressure seemed to play on England and Punam Raut in particular, both of whom started tentatively. Raut amassed dot balls while being dropped early twice; England bowled either too short, or too wide, or both. If Smriti Mandhana was nervous, it was hard to see through the barrage of effortless back-foot square drives and brutal pull shots. If the World Cup wanted an opening ceremony, forget a few unorganised kids holding things, the 20-year-old Mandhana brought her own fireworks.The crowd was loving it. But then, the crowd seemed to love all of it. They lined up for autographs before the game and screamed for the first ball. Fathers explained the scoreboard and fielding ring to their daughters, boys and girls played throwing games out at the racecourse end, middle-aged women were signed up for cricket clinics by volunteers. A husband and wife (he suppported India, she supported England) argued over which team had the upper hand, and a teenage girl walked around the ground holding a 1990s vintage Hawk cricket bat. There was even a technical recreation of Jenny Gunn’s action with a father and son. Not to mention the normal cricket crowd of odd people scoring the match and one guy watching the action in between reading The Turncoat by Alan Murray.Derby’s County Ground doesn’t get to host many global events•Getty ImagesAlan Murray must be some writer to stop you from watching Mandhana slapping 90 from 72 balls. And if Mandhana brought a sledgehammer, Mithali Raj brought in a paintbrush. Wearing her floppy hat, she was stroking the ball like she was painting the scenery and not scoring a run a ball half-century. It was stunning, and not remotely as brutal as the manner in which she had smacked down the journalist who asked who her favourite male cricketer was before the tournament began.The press still hasn’t quite embraced the Women’s World Cup. No full-time cricket writer from an English newspaper turned up at Derby, despite the fact that the England’s men’s team isn’t playing today, let alone the fact that they are in the midst of a T20 series that couldn’t matter less if it were being played by sock puppets.It was only six years ago that John Etheridge, The Sun’s cricket writer, tweeted “Women’s cricket – what is worse? Those who criticise it or those who patronise it?” and followed up with “I’m sorry, but women’s cricket is a joke. The standard is truly appalling”. He went on to add: “I’m afraid that fewer than 10 per cent of cricket pundits (esp TV commentators) think it is any other than rubbish,” and “All the TV comms privately say it is appalling but, of course, they can’t say that on air”.In the last few years, attitudes towards women’s cricket have changed, especially among the press. But there is still a feeling that women’s cricket is such a rare event that it isn’t covered like a proper sport. It was Ellyse Perry, speaking to the BBC, who called for more critical analysis of the women’s game. Had more of the cricket press turned up today, they would have seen how much the women’s game has changed. Harmanpreet Kaur clipping sixes and muscling straight boundaries was a heavy-handed indication of that.England very much pioneered the professionalism in women’s cricket that Kaur’s shots represent. But, as the entire game’s standard and athleticism has risen, England are no longer the powerhouse they once were. This is a good sign for the world game, but England looked like also-rans in the last WT20, and even after dumping the great Charlotte Edwards in a bid to revitalise their cricket, today they didn’t look much better. Their new-look full-time and well-trained outfit managed two wickets in the first 49.5 overs of their bowling, which was a combined effort between bowlers and fielders. And then they batted. They lost early and frequent wickets, slowed down their tempo, rebuilt and came back, only to lose wickets again.They did make history, when Nat Sciver was given not out, and then out, making her the first-ever victim of DRS in women’s cricket history. But mostly they weren’t very memorable.When Heather Knight ran herself out by hitting the ball back to the bowler and taking off, England were pretty much out of the game due to being consistently poor in four parts of the match. But when Katherine Brunt came in to bat with Fran Wilson, they put together the kind of partnership that makes poor days end in wins. They took risks with their shots, and also started pushing their running to dangerous tip-and-run territory, but India couldn’t capitalise. In the final over of the Powerplay they took 17 runs, four of them boundaries, from Shikha Pandey. And suddenly England needed 76 off the final ten to win, just two more than India had scored in their final ten.Katherine Brunt’s dejection epitomises England’s collective display•Getty ImagesThen something amazing happened.Katherine Brunt gave herself room to cut from a full length to point, and took off. The ball travelled towards Deepti Sharma – and at this point, it is important to note that the Indian women’s cricket team received its first-ever fielding coach two weeks ago. It’s important to note it because Sharma ran in, picked up, turned and threw down the non-striker’s stumps like it ain’t no thing. The umpire didn’t even bother going upstairs; Brunt was lying on her back, covered in dirt.England never left the dirt.Ekta Bisht added another run-out, a clever one in her followthrough, that will guarantee that Biju George remains the Indian women’s fielding coach for some time. It wasn’t just any old player, it was Fran Wilson, England’s last hope. Wilson scored her 81 runs at better than a run a ball, and if anyone could have got the tail home, it was her. Instead she became England’s third and second-last run-out of the day. England’s loss was a true team effort.India were magnificent. They dropped some catches, and they got very nervous before Brunt was run out, but their bowlers and batsmen were in charge of match from start to finish.India were embarrassed in the last World Cup; they finished fourth in a four-team group in a World Cup that they hosted. This was a big event for them. They are now professionals; Raj’s comments got them more exposure, and they were opening the tournament against one of women’s cricket’s great sides. India’s women team needs one big moment; they lost embarrassingly to Pakistan women in the WT20 last year, a defeat that contributed to their failure to make the semi-finals of another tournament that they had hosted. They needed something big.The Indian team has not had a lot of big World Cup wins, so beating England in the first game certainly was Something Big. When Veda Krishnamurthy launched herself to complete the catch of Anya Shrubsole, they’d won, they’d done something big. India’s done it.

When Anya Shrubsole was brought back into the attack, India were on course to win the World Cup. Then it all changed.

Firdose Moonda at Lord's23-Jul-2017Anya Shrubsole was 10 years old when her father, Ian played in a club final at Lord’s. That day she told him she would like to play at the ground too. For England. In a World Cup final. She left out the part about winning. England almost left that part out too.Despite boasting four of the top 10 run-scorers in the tournament, they posted a below-par score in the final. Only three totals lower than their 228 had been successfully defended in the competition, twice against a team that did not win a match. India’s 169 and Sri Lanka’s 221 were both enough against Pakistan. England themselves had turned 220 into enough against West Indies but this was India.India, who had beaten Australia, who were the defending champions. India, whose captain Mithali Raj was five runs away from overtaking Tammy Beaumont as the leading run-scorer before this match and whose No.4 Harmanpreet Kaur had played the most dominant innings in women’s ODI history just three days ago. India, who were in the process of revolutionising the women’s game. And India, who until the 43rd over, were on track and in luck.The things England usually do right, they did wrong. Heather Knight dropped a catch, Sarah Taylor missed a stumping, Katherine Brunt misfielded. The occasion, the rare occasion in which women’s teams could play at Lord’s, rarer still because it was in front of a full house, seemed to be getting to the hosts. Aerial shots were falling safe, gaps were being pierced and Punam Raut was overcoming cramp to play what was shaping as a tournament-winning knock.With Laura Marsh bowled out, Heather Knight brought Shrubsole back in the 43rd over even as she got the sense “things were slipping away.” After the first two balls, they only seemed to slip further. Veda Krishnamurthy struck back-to-back boundaries, India were 191 for 3 and needed 38 off 44 balls. Even a wicket at that stage would only be consolation, right? Maybe not.Shrubsole slid one in from wide of the crease that struck Raut on the knee roll. She was given out. By the time Raut wanted to review, it was too late so she had to go. The review would have been wasted anyway. The ball was going on to hit the stumps.Watching on Raj still wore her pads, as though she was hopeful she may get to bat again. She said afterwards that was not when the butterflies stirred. Neither was it in the next over when Sushma Verma tried to sweep and gloved the ball onto her stumps. India had lost two wickets in five balls but Krishnamurthy was still there. Between those dismissals, she’d executed a gorgeous inside-out cover-drive off Alex Hartley. As far as Raj was concerned, India still had. As far as Shrubsole was concerned, they didn’t.Anya Shrubsole takes the wicket to win the World Cup•Getty ImagesShrubsole was sure England had created enough pressure to cause doubt in their opposition’s minds. With the level of noise, even though it was evenly split in favour of both sides, and the significance of the game, she thought that the two wickets they’d already taken could bring a few more. She was almost proved right the very next ball. India were feeling the heat and Deepti Sharma wanted to be anywhere but on strike. She dabbed the ball into the offside and set off even though Krishnamurthy was not interested. She had to turn back and was saved by a dive but it was obvious there was some kind of panic.At the end of that over, Krishnamurthy decided she would have to do it on her own. Two balls into the next over, she aimed for the stands and slogged but toe-ended it to midwicket. The next time she tried that, Shrubsole took pace off the ball and Nat Sciver settled under a simple catch. Shrubsole ended the over by castling Jhulan Goswami and by then, she was certain all the “key wickets” wickets had been taken. But Raj, still believed.Sharma and Shikha Pandey, in particular, was “the last person I felt could pull the match through”, Raj said. So when Sharma survived a stumping off Shrubsole’s next over, an over she only bowled because she had taken wickets in the previous one after she got wind that Knight was going to take her off, Raj was relieved but Shrubsole may have started to stress. Especially because at that exact moment, a powder-puff drizzle pattered onto the ground.Shrubsole was sent to point for Jenny Gunn to bowl the 48th over. India still needed 14 runs off 18 balls, England needed three wickets. The first ball was steered to third man, the second pushed to Shrubsole and the third wide down leg. 11 runs. 15 balls. Three wickets. Gunn had to bowl the third ball again and Pandey hit it to point again, harder than the first time and ran anyway. Shrubsole collected it and threw awkwardly, Taylor had to try and find her feet while whipping off the bails, Pandey was nowhere near her crease. Raj knew, Shrubsole knew, it seemed everyone knew at that moment where the trophy was going.But those 11 runs were still gettable by the time Shrubsole took the ball at the start of the penultimate over and she had to make sure she did not give them away, especially after their seemed a final twist. Two balls after Sharma had been foxed into skying one to midwicket, Gunn dropped a gift at mid-off. Shrubsole was so sure she would catch it, she was about to charge up to her in celebration and then “had to hold myself back.” She showed very little emotion, and certainly no anger or disappointment or frustration as England had before. She was already sure it was over.”As a batter down the order myself, if you get a full, straight ball, it’s going to be hard to hit,” she said. So that’s what she delivered to Rajeshwari Gayakwad and that’s what secured England’s fourth World Cup. “Pure elation,” is what Shrubsole said she felt afterwards. “Because we were out of the game but came back.”England did exactly the same thing earlier in the week, against South Africa in the semi-final and it was Shrubsole who showed the steel then, too. She hit the winning runs and strutted around like she was born to do it. “We call her ‘Hoof’ because she sometimes walks like a show pony with her feet,” Gunn said. “She was proper serious and I was like ‘we’ve got this.’ She just charged and smashed it through the covers for four which no-one has managed to do all day, but she timed it for four and then jumped at me.”It’s moments like that Shrubsole lives for. “Enjoying the pressure,” is why she plays this game. At least one person was enjoying it with her.Ian has been Anya and England’s biggest fan through this tournament. He has also become what Anya called a “new media super-star” who has “never had this much popularity on Twitter” born through his support of the team. From congratulations to Fran Wilson and Nat Sciver to an interview on , dad Shrubsole has enjoyed this tournament as much his daughter.”Proud parent,” he posted, captioning a photograph of Anya celebrating the win against South Africa in the semi-final. “Super proud parent,” he wrote in the same post, about the adjacent image of her consoling a distraught Dane van Niekerk.This time he might have to find some new words.

A selection of the 2017 season’s best performers

Mohammad Isam13-Dec-2017Chris Gayle celebrates yet another T20 hundred•Raton GomesChris Gayle (11 matches, 485 runs, 176.36 strike-rate)
He started the playoffs at No 15 in the list of run-getters, but the next three innings brought him 275 runs and put him on top of the list, almost touching Ahmed Shehzad’s record of most runs – 486 – in a BPL season. Gayle’s unbeaten 126 in the eliminator against Khulna Titans and the unbeaten 146 in the final against Dhaka Dynamites not only zoomed him to the top, it handed Rangpur Riders their maiden BPL title.Evin Lewis (12 matches, 396 runs, 159.03 strike-rate)
After Tuesday’s final, Gayle was asked if there was a batsman who could touch his T20 heights. “Evin Lewis, watch out for him,” was his answer. Certainly, Lewis wasn’t just mini-Gayle in this tournament, but a very important member of the Dhaka side. He struck three fifties, including a 31-ball 75 chasing a big total against Chittagong Vikings. He missed out on a big one in the final, though.Mohammad Mithun (15 matches, 329 runs, 117.50 strike-rate), wicketkeeper
Mithun kept Rangpur going when Gayle, Brendon McCullum and Johnson Charles were not making runs during the league stage. He came in often after an early wicket and was a solid presence, particularly in tricky chases. He is one of only two Bangladeshi batsman among the top five run-getters. His wicketkeeping too was useful.Sikandar Raza (11 matches, 278 runs, 153.59 strike-rate)
Having started the tournament without much of a reputation in T20s, Raza ended the BPL campaign with his first real success in the format. He struck the ball cleanly, the highlight of which was his 45-ball 95 against the Sylhet Sixers. Apart from being an excellent outfielder, Raza’s offspin produced one four-wicket haul.Mahmudullah (12 matches, 312 runs, 130.00 strike-rate)
Mahmudullah was one of the better local batsmen in this year’s tournament, striking the ball well in the middle-overs. He struck two fifties but would have liked to finish the tournament better. Mahmudullah led Khulna’s young side quite well and, as usual, his bowling and fielding came in handy on many occasions.Mahmudullah brings out the pull shot•Raton GomesCarlos Brathwaite (12 matches, 250 runs, 185.18 strike-rate)
He was easily the best finisher in the tournament. Brathwaite coming into bat meant an extra 30 runs for Khulna in the slog overs. His stand-and-deliver approach put fear in the bowlers; some of his shots were attractive too. Brathwaite may have liked to have had a better tournament as a bowler, but he remains one of the best T20 allrounders going around at the moment.Shakib Al Hasan (13 matches, 211 runs, 22 wickets, 6.49 economy)
Shakib had yet another fantastic BPL. He was one of Dhaka’s better batsmen among the crowd of overseas big-hitters, and ended as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker. He also equalled Kevon Cooper’s 22 wickets, the most taken in a single BPL campaign. He also did a good job as captain of a side packed with superstars and with the highest expectations given their ownership and influence.Sunil Narine (12 matches, 200 runs, 11 wickets, 4.95 economy rate)
From the first game, teams planned not to go after Narine. It meant he finished with only 11 wickets, but a superb economy rate. Invariably, Dhaka could rely on his four overs to go for less than 20 runs. He was also effective with the bat, ending with 200 runs with a batting strike-rate of 147.05.Mashrafe Mortaza (14 matches, 15 wickets, 6.74 economy rate), captain
As someone counted as a T20 has-been by the Bangladesh team management in March this year, Mashrafe cleaned up well in the BPL. This is his fourth title, and he is now equal with Imran Nazir and Rohit Sharma in the list of most T20 title wins for a captain. Only MS Dhoni and Shoaib Malik are ahead. Mashrafe bowled effectively, batted up the order whenever required and fielded like a 20-year old.Mashrafe Mortaza celebrates Rangpur’s win with head coach Tom Moody•Raton Gomes/BCBHasan Ali (9 matches, 16 wickets, 7.03 economy rate)
On pitches that only helped the spinners, Hasan was the most feared fast bowler in the tournament. His five-wicket haul against Dhaka was a good example of how accuracy in T20s is a non-negotiable. Comilla Victorians’ charge in the league stage was mainly led by him and…Rashid Khan (7 matches, 6 wickets, 4.46 economy rate)
Like Narine, teams decided to play out his four overs conservatively. He finished with an economy of 4.46, which showed that he hardly gave anything away. He was most effective in the middle to late overs, pinging in his fast leg-breaks and mixing them up with his subtle turning googlies. Comilla badly missed Rashid in the playoffs.12th man: Luke RonchiCoach: Tom Moody

The batsman leaves Dubai with the relief of having returned to form, the heartbreak of seeing another heroic innings go in vain, and the frustration of needing to wait seven months to play his next Test match

Osman Samiuddin11-Oct-2017There are two ways of looking at Asad Shafiq’s 11th Test hundred in Dubai. One, that it was a good thing, given his 10th had come almost a year ago, and he’d not even reached fifty in his last 11 innings. The other way to look at it is that this was another hundred in a lost cause, of which he now has five.And he has them in all shades: a difficult first-innings hundred in South Africa that should’ve won Pakistan a Test; two pointless last-innings hundreds in innings defeats; and now two heroic fourth-innings hundreds that fell just short in taking Pakistan home in big chases.This one, and the last at the Gabba, are the ones that have stung the most. As he walked away from the post-Test press conference on Tuesday, he couldn’t help but refer to the Gabba and this, and wonder. It has stung.Still, a return to runs is a return to runs, especially for a player who has been through such a lean run. And it is runs rather than form – at least through this series, and even the Tests in the West Indies, Shafiq did not look like he was doing something glaringly wrong.Since the beginning of this slump, after a 50 in the first innings at the MCG on Boxing Day last year, only twice did his stay at the crease last less than half an hour. In this series his shortest stay was for 52 minutes. So he has looked more or less okay, just that he has been getting out.Coach and captain – sitting next to him at the press conference – have been nothing less than unequivocal in their backing. Every new dismissal under 50 has brought out the same support – he is fine, he just needs one innings to break through.Perhaps it was the situation of the game when he arrived (turgid start, in trouble at 49 for 3, chasing 317), or his own run, or likely a combination of both, but it was his most assertive start in some time.”It’s true that my last 4-5 innings were not up to the mark,” Shafiq said. “But I was positive. I was always thinking positive. And when I came to bat in this innings especially, I was thinking about attacking the ball.”In conditions like this if you play maiden overs from this quality of bowlers, they will not give you easy runs. So that’s all that was on my mind, that I have to play positive cricket.”Tom Dulat/StringerThe innings, confusingly for Pakistan, came from No. 5, his first hundred in that position. Nine have come from No. 6 and one from No. 4: the latter is where Pakistan want him to thrive and where he has played this series, the former where he has scored all of his runs. No. 5 was meant to be for this innings alone, because Pakistan wanted a left-hander – Haris Sohail – to be at the crease at the time. Was it no big deal that Shafiq looked as comfortable as he did, a little lower down? It has left Mickey Arthur, by his own admission, confused about where Shafiq should bat.The player himself is in little doubt. He wants No. 4, even though he averages 32 in five Tests now at that position. “I’ve said this before to the team management, and I told them I want to play four. When my career began I used to play opener or one-down and when I first got into the Pakistan team I did come down [the order]. But I was very comfortable at four. Unfortunately I couldn’t perform but that is where I am comfortable.”Having belatedly come back into runs, Shafiq now has to, metaphorically, twiddle his thumbs till next May. Pakistan don’t play a Test until they go to England for a two-Test tour (and possibly a Test before that against Ireland) next summer and as he has become all but a Test specialist, he will have only first-class cricket at home to play. That too will not be a full season.In fact, between the last Test of the West Indies tour this May and the first in England next May, Shafiq will have played just two Tests in a year, the kind of schedule that makes life as a batsman that much more difficult. This series began so early, he didn’t even have a chance to play four-day first-class cricket in Pakistan because the Quaid-e-Azam trophy had yet to begin.”As a professional you can’t make this excuse that you haven’t played for so long, or that you are playing after such a long gap,” he said. “But it is right that there was a huge gap in between. And because of that I didn’t have that preparation that I thought would’ve been good.”The domestic season has just started so if I had played 2-4 matches, it could’ve helped preparation. But as a professional, we know that even if we don’t get practice matches in that format, our practice should be of that quality that whenever we come to play, we should be ready.”

Representing India at the Under-19 World Cup, there was already enough on the minds of Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw. And then, the IPL auction came along

Shashank Kishore in Christchurch28-Jan-2018What do you do when your name is up for bidding at an IPL auction?Keeping a close eye on the TV screen or the internet perhaps seems the most logical thing, right? For Rajasthan’s Kamlesh Nagarkoti, who is now an India Under-19 sensation currently working up speed guns in New Zealand at the World Cup, the anxiety levels had hit the roof.On one hand, his phone was buzzing with messages. On the other, his room-mate’s inquisitiveness was making him anxious.” (I was a little nervous from within),” Nagarkoti says as he traces the events leading into his eventual bid of INR 3.2 crore (USD 500,000 approx) by Kolkata Knight Riders. “My friends kept calling non-stop, but I didn’t pick up the phone. I didn’t watch my bidding.”When my room partner Pankaj Yadav turned on the live stream, I couldn’t take it. I said ‘ (mate, I’m off). I went and sat inside the washroom even as my bidding kept going on.”He came out once the hammer went down and reached out to his phone to speak to his parents, who were equally overwhelmed with emotion. They, along with his childhood coach Surendra Singh Rathod, had received multiple requests for interviews from the local news channels, which they were patiently obliging.It was, in a way, a coming together of a trio – along with Nagarkoti’s older brother – who decided to invest their savings on his cricket. Nagarkoti’s father, a subedar in the Indian army, bought a one-bedroom apartment in Jaipur from his retirement corpus so that his son could play cricket.”TV channels were home to interview them, so I couldn’t talk for long, but they were happy,” Nagarkoti says. “Later, someone tagged them being interviewed on Facebook. They were very happy. I’d only ever watched one IPL match at the stadium before this. To be playing now is a great feeling. I was watching Chris Lynn batting in the BBL on TV. Now I’ll get a chance to bowl to him in the nets. It’s quite unbelievable.”Nagarkoti, who was a “big fan of Rajasthan Royals” because of the franchise being from his state, went to sleep soon after, but remembers waking up at 4am and being unable to sleep since.Half an hour prior to his frenetic bidding, though, Nagarkoti and Abhishek Sharma were having fun at Shubman Gill’s expense, even as his name came up for bidding. Gill’s was the first among members of the India Under-19 team at the auction table. Even as the marquee set of players were up for grabs, Gill’s phone kept constantly buzzing: he knew why.It was well past 11pm in Christchurch, the time they’ve all generally been going to bed every day. But this was different. Gill finally gave in and switched on the live stream.”When I finally saw online, my bid was at INR 1.2 crore,” Gill says with a sheepish smile. His first reaction was: “I’m in the IPL.” The price didn’t matter, so he switched it off. Ten minutes after the hammer went down, Gill received a call from his mother. He had just been sold for INR 1.8 crore (USD 281,000 approx).”I haven’t yet thought about who I will get to play with or who all I can learn from,” Gill says. “It feels very good to get a chance, but it’s important to live in the present and focus on the India-Pakistan semi-final. [Rahul] Dravid sir had a meeting with us. He said IPL auction will keep happening every year so we shouldn’t worry about being picked or not and to just focus on the Under-19 World Cup because we won’t have this opportunity again in our lives.”Gill, the more reserved of the two, remembered the sacrifices his father made early in his career. The family had agricultural lands in Fazilka in Punjab, where Gill’s father deployed helpers at his farm to throw balls at him and keep him engaged. They would bowl tirelessly for hours, unable to satisfy Gill’s thirst for more.When his father was convinced of his talent, he moved from Fazilka to Mohali, where they rented a house in the vicinity of the PCA Stadium, not because Gill would get a chance to train there yet but because he would be able to visualise himself training at the academy there and perhaps one day play on the centre pitch.” (dad has already given them a party last night),” Gill laughs, when asked if his father’s staff deserved a sham share of the Knight Riders contract. “When I moved to Mohali, there was an India-Pakistan Test around then. I wanted to go and train there as a kid. I knew if I play well, I’ll get a chance.”Gill and Nagarkoti come from the smaller towns, the unbridled joy and innocence shining through as they remembered how things transpired. For Prithvi Shaw, who grew up in Mumbai and was touted a child prodigy at 14, living with high expectations on his shoulder isn’t quite new.”I was expecting a question at the press conference [on the auction] the other day itself. The wry smile was about that,” Shaw says when asked about his INR 1.2 crore (USD 187,000 approx) contract with Delhi Daredevils.”I’m happy, but really it doesn’t matter which team I’m part of. Being in that environment will help my game. But for now, the focus is here and to be in the present. If we keep thinking about the auction, mentally we will be in that zone.”That’s three happy people with different responses, some instinctive, some thought out. But they all share some common themes: a passion and love for the game, wanting to live in the present, and a focus on winning the Under-19 World Cup.