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Babar Azam claims Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, Nat Sciver named ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jan-2023Ben Stokes has been named ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year, after leading England’s stunning revival in the format. Babar Azam collected the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy awarded to the ICC’s Men’s Cricketer of the Year, while Nat Sciver won the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy as Women’s Cricketer of the Year.Stokes, who scored 870 Test runs and took 26 wickets in 2022, was also selected as captain of the Test Team of the Year. He led England to nine wins out of ten after taking charge of the team following defeat in the Caribbean in March.”I’d like to thank the ICC, the panel and the fans for voting for me as the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year,” Stokes said. “This is down to the England players and management for what has been such a positive year in Test cricket. We have played some incredible cricket with series wins against New Zealand, South Africa, a significant performance against India and a historic victory in Pakistan.Related

• Nat Sciver resumes England Women's vice-captaincy

• Stokes, Babar and Buttler named captains of ICC teams of 2022

• Suryakumar Yadav named ICC's T20I Cricketer of the Year

“We are enjoying our cricket and love having fun wherever we play. The way in which we approach Test cricket is to excite the fans and making it a spectacle for everyone to get behind and enjoy regardless of the result for England.

Babar Azam wins the double

Babar was also named Men’s ODI Player of the Year, and is the second consecutive Pakistani winner of the Sobers Trophy after Shaheen Shah Afridi took home the award for 2021. Babar was the only batter to pass 2000 international runs across the three formats, averaging 54.12 with eight hundreds, and also led Pakistan to the finals of the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup.”I feel humbled to have been voted as winner of the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy and join the ranks of some of the most iconic and respected names who have previously won the biggest and most prestigious individual award in our great sport,” he said. “I continue to look up to these players as well as champions of the past for inspiration, motivation and improvement.”As cricket is a team sport, this recognition and achievement would not have been possible without the overwhelming support of my family, team, fans and the institution, to all of whom I am greatly indebted and thankful.”

Nat Sciver also bags two awards

Sciver was also a two-time winner, picking up the Women’s ODI Player of the Year award in addition to the Heyhoe Flint Trophy, having scored 1346 runs and taken 22 wickets for England across formats – including an astonishing innings 148 not out from 121 balls in the ODI World Cup final.”It’s lovely to have been awarded the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year, especially as Rachael was such a legend of the women’s game in England and Wales,” Sciver said.”It’s always a privilege to be given individual honours but no personal achievements are possible without the hard work and togetherness of the whole team. Picking up a trophy or a medal is all the more special when you do it alongside your teammates so hopefully that’s what 2023 has in store.”Other award winners included Richard Illingworth as Umpire of the Year, and Nepal wicketkeeper Aasif Sheikh, who claimed the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award for his refusal to run out Ireland’s Andy McBrine after a collision with the bowler. India batter Suryakumar Yadav was unveiled on Wednesday as the ICC’s T20I Cricketer of the Year.

ICC awards winners for 2022

Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy: Babar AzamRachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy: Nat SciverMen’s Test Cricketer of the Year: Ben StokesMen’s ODI Cricketer of the Year: Babar AzamWomen’s ODI Cricketer of the Year: Nat SciverMen’s T20I Cricketer of the Year: Suryakumar YadavWomen’s T20I Cricketer of the Year: Tahlia McGrathMen’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year: Marco JansenWomen’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year: Renuka SinghMen’s Associate Cricketer of the Year: Gerhard ErasmusWomen’s Associate Cricketer of the Year: Esha OzaDavid Shepherd Trophy: Richard IllingworthSpirit of Cricket Award: Aasif Sheikh

Equity of pay across international and domestic cricket by 2030 necessary to address “historic underinvestment” in women’s game

Vithushan Ehantharajah26-Jun-2023The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) has recommended the ECB oversees “a fundamental overhaul” to the pay structure of women’s cricket in England and Wales.As part of the 317-page report published on Tuesday, the ICEC highlighted the disparity in the amounts paid to male and female professionals as an area to address. Its recommendations include equal pay at domestic level by 2029 and international level by 2030, as well as an immediate equalisation of international match fees for men and women.The commission found that in 2021, “England Men received 13 times the amount paid to England Women”. While the report acknowledges this reflects the fact women play less Test cricket, “credible evidence” showed the average salary for England Women was 20.6% the average of their male equivalents for playing limited-overs cricket – although the ECB considers this figure closer to 30%.Related

• Top Men's Hundred salaries to rise by 60 percent in 2025

• England Women get match fees hike to be equal with England Men

• Does English cricket have the will to put its house in order?

• Heather Knight unsurprised by ICEC report after experiences of sexism

• ECB issues 'unreserved apology' as ICEC report reveals deep-rooted discrimination within English cricket

Further disparity was unearthed around international match fees. While women receive 25% or less of the men’s fees, only those in the playing XI are paid, as opposed to the full squad as it is with the men. Given injury payments are calculated as a portion of match fees, that inequality becomes compounded.Differences in bonuses were also stark, with the report finding England Women’s fixed bonus pot equates to around 8% of the men’s, whose win bonuses are structured through a matrix considering each match win and then its contribution to a series win. Another area for improvement is ensuring women receive the same benefits as men at international matches. These include overseas tour premiums, hospitality provisions such as tickets, hospitality boxes for family at weekends, and transport for families to and from matches.The commission felt England Women’s average salaries, commercial pay, fees, bonuses and captain’s allowances should be equal to England Men’s in white-ball by 2028. They also advised the ECB to top-up prize money for the women’s ODI and T20I World Cups to mirror the men until the ICC fixes that gap.”There should be overall equal pay at international level by 2030,” the report said. “By this, we mean average pay, because we recognise that there will be different levels of pay within the teams, with the top players (men or women) being paid the most.”The recommendations around domestic cricket include salaries and bonuses in the women’s Hundred to be equal by 2025 and fully professional women’s regional teams by 2025. This includes rookie contracts introduced by the start of the 2024 season and a minimum salary equal to those in effect for first-class county players (circa £27,500).”The women’s game remains the poor relation of its male counterpart in English and Welsh cricket,” the commission said. “Whilst we found good evidence of significant year-on-year improvement, we also found undeniable evidence of inequitable investment and unequal treatment for which we found no reasonable justification. Significant pay disparities persist.”We consider it a matter of both fairness and justice that this is remedied at speed. Women have the right to equal pay for equal work and should not be penalised for having fewer opportunities to play than their male counterparts. Importantly, if the commitment to make cricket in England and Wales equitable is serious, it requires the game to acknowledge and address the historic underinvestment and lack of fair (or indeed any) remuneration that women have faced for decades.”

The board also introduced Mymensingh as the latest first-class team. It will replace Dhaka Metropolis

Mohammad Isam10-Aug-2025The BCB has brought in Alex Marshall, Julian Wood and Tony Hemming as the three new appointments after its meeting in Dhaka on Saturday. Wood will come in as a specialist batting coach for three months. He is a power-hitting specialist who recently worked with Sri Lanka Cricket.Marshall has been appointed as a consultant for the board’s anti-corruption department, for one year. Marshall was the ICC’s anti-corruption unit general manager until September last year. BCB’s media committee chair Iftekhar Rahman said they want Marshall to “enhance” the board’s anti-corruption unit.Rahman also said that the BCB has appointed the ICC’s integrity unit to oversee the BPL’s anti-corruption operations.The BCB’s anti-corruption unit is currently investigating corruption allegations from the BPL and Dhaka Premier League of the 2024-25 season.The BCB has also brought back Hemming, who recently resigned as the PCB’s head curator. Hemming had taken up the Pakistan role after being BCB’s curator from July 2023 to July 2024. Hemming’s appointment brought the question of whether Gamini Silva, the Shere Bangla National Stadium curator, will continue in his role. Rahman said that Gamini was given a one-year extension.”Tony Hemming has been appointed head of turf management for two years,” Rahman said. “All our international venues and curators will be under him. He will also undertake the process of training Bangladeshi curators. All the board directors had a lot of interest in bringing him back.”Hemming is one of the best curators in the world. Maybe he had a good experience with the BCB in the previous occasion, that’s why he agreed to come back. The turf management will run as Hemming will want. Time will tell if Gamini will stay or not. He has been given a 12-month extension.”Meanwhile, the BCB introduced Mymensingh as the latest first-class team. It will replace Dhaka Metropolis, which was introduced in 2011 to make it an even number of teams in the first-class competition.”Mymensingh is one of the country’s newest divisions,” Rahman said. “They will play in the NCL first-class tournament from the coming season. They will replace Dhaka Metropolis. Mymensingh will play all divisional tournaments though we can’t accommodate them in the upcoming NCL T20s as the schedule has been made. Mymensingh will play in the T20 tournament from the next edition.”

It is not yet clear if he will be available for the West Indies tour that starts later this month

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Nov-2024Mushfiqur Rahim will miss the remainder of the ODI series against Afghanistan in the UAE after picking up a finger injury in the series opener that Bangladesh lost by 92 runs.”Towards the end of Afghanistan’s batting innings, Mushfiqur injured the tip of his left Index finger while keeping wickets,” team physio Delowar Hossain said in a BCB statement. “An X-ray after the match has confirmed a fracture on his left Index near the DIP joint. He is under conservative management and is not available for the second and third ODIs. Further updates on his condition and expected recovery period will be provided in due course.”Related

• Bangladesh lose 8 for 23 as Ghazanfar spins Afghanistan to victory

After picking up the injury, Mushfiqur batted as low as No. 7 as Bangladesh lost their last eight wickets for only 23 runs. He was stumped for 1 off three balls.Bangladesh, trailing 0-1 in the three-match series, have not named a replacement. With no Litton Das (recovering from fever) in the squad either, Jaker Ali is expected to take over wicketkeeping duties.With Bangladesh set to tour the West Indies for a mult-format tour of two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is later this month, Mushfiqur’s finger injury also leaves question marks over his availability for the Tests and ODIs. He retired from T20Is in 2022.After the Afghanistan ODIs end on November 11, Bangladesh are set to fly to the Caribbean for a tour game in Coolidge starting November 15 before the first Test begins in North Sound on November 22. They have not yet named a squad for the West Indies tour.

Batter produces brave and chanceless unbeaten ton, supported by Stokes and Wood

Alex Malcolm07-Jan-2022Jonny Bairstow saved England’s blushes and saved his Test career with a stunning SCG century to help his nation avoid the follow-on having slumped to 4 for 36 in the face of an Australian barrage on the third day.Bairstow’s century was both brave and chanceless. He copped a vicious blow on the thumb from Pat Cummins in the afternoon that left him doubled over in pain. But he brushed it off to score his second century in Australia and his seventh in Test cricket. It was his first in three years and 38 Test innings. He roared to the rooms after bringing it up with a flashing cut over backward point in the last over of the day in an emotional moment as the England team and fans stood and applauded a rare show of fight on this tour.He was brilliantly supported by Ben Stokes, who fought through obvious pain to make a vital 66 in a century stand with Bairstow, while Mark Wood made an excellent 39.It was an extraordinary day all up. Two hours were lost to rain and England went 70 balls without scoring and lost three wickets in the process. Australia dropped three catches, Stokes was bowled without the bails coming off and Scott Boland took 2 for 0 before hurting his side in a fall – he went for scans and was later cleared of injury. Australia produced their most ragged four hours of the series as Bairstow picked them apart with excellent footwork and positive intent to leave England 158 runs behind with three first-innings wickets in hand and two days remaining.After his top-order had literally ground to a halt in the morning, he never let Australia settle. He moved fluently onto the front and back foot but didn’t try and overhit the ball on a surface that played all sorts of tricks. He picked the gaps consistently and never missed anything straight. He was particularly savage on Nathan Lyon, with the offspinner conceding 71 from 12 overs. Bairstow struck eight fours and three sixes in his 103 not out from 140 balls.Stokes combined brilliantly with Bairstow as the pair batted through the middle session and put together England’s third-highest partnership of the series. It was also the fifth time in Test cricket an England fifth-wicket pair had scored a century partnership after coming together with the score at 40 runs or fewer. Stokes has been involved in three of themJonny Bairstow celebrates reaching his century•Getty Images

Stokes did have some luck. He offered a life to Cummins early but Australia’s skipper dropped the sharp return chance. He also survived one of the most bizarre moments of the series. As he shouldered arms to Cameron Green from around the wicket, the ball hit off stump and took a significant deflection but the bails stayed on. Australia appealed thinking it hit the back pad and he was given out lbw by umpire Paul Reiffel. Stokes reviewed and his pad was nowhere near the ball. He laughed with the Australians when replays showed it had rattled off stump without dislodging the bail to deny Green a wicket.Thereafter he was ultra-aggressive moving around the crease to disrupt Australia’s lines and length. He was in obvious pain with every stroke causing a jab in his injured side but he had Australia rattled. He crushed three consecutive boundaries off Mitchell Starc and played an outrageous lofted cover drive for six off Lyon after being beaten in flight. But Lyon got his revenge having been thrashed by Stokes and Bairstow either side of tea. Stokes played back to one that slid on straight and was trapped plumb in front. He walked off without looking at the umpire.Ben Stokes laughs after successfully reviewing a decision against him•Getty Images

Jos Buttler meekly chipped one to cover shortly after but Mark Wood picked up the slack. He was peppered with short balls but cracked 39 off 41 including three towering hooked sixes. The short ball tactic did work eventually for Cummins as Wood was out hooking, getting a tiny edge onto his helmet only for it to balloon to Lyon at point. Wood was initially given not out but it was overturned on review.Earlier, play was delayed by two hours due to a frustrating drizzle before normal service resumed for England in the shortened morning session as they lost 4 for 23 despite Haseeb Hameed and Zak Crawley producing England’s second-best opening stand of the series of 22. But even that wasn’t without luck. Following Crawley’s reprieve off a no-ball late on the second night, he was dropped at short leg by Marcus Harris although it was a very difficult chance high to his right. Hameed was given a life of his own with Alex Carey spilling him off Mitchell Starc diving late to his right in front of David Warner at slip. Having left two similar chances in the previous two Tests he made the late decision to go and spilled the one-handed offering.Both drops didn’t cost anything. Starc cleaned up Hameed snaking one back through a gaping gate to crash into middle and off. Hameed’s promising contributions at the Gabba look a distant memory following five single-figure scores. Crawley played two cracking strokes in his 18, thumping a drive on the up and smashing Starc forward of square on the back foot.But he too left a gaping hole between bat and pad for Boland to breach with some sharp movement back off the seam. It was part of a mesmerizing passage where Boland and Green put a stranglehold on England. They bowled 53 balls in the lead up to lunch without conceding a run. Crawley fell on the 24th ball of the sequence. Joe Root succumbed on the 43rd, wafting another loose square drive off the back foot with an angled bat only to be brilliantly caught by Steven Smith at second slip for a duck. It gave Boland figures of 2 for 0 from four overs and his Test bowling average dipped to 6.11, with a career tally of 9 for 55 following his heroics in Melbourne.Green deserved some reward at the other end and he struck with the 53rd ball of the sequence and the last before lunch. Dawid Malan was caught at a fine leg slip trying to glance a ball that reared at his ribs. The sequence stretched to 70 balls after lunch before Stokes and Bairstow finally broke free.

England (88 points) have dropped to their lowest rating in Test cricket since 1995

ESPNcricinfo staff04-May-2022Australia have consolidated their top position in the ICC men’s Test team rankings, while India and New Zealand remain the No.1 teams in the T20I and ODI rankings, respectively.The ICC’s annual update reflects all completed series since May 2019. The series played before May 2021 are now weighted at 50 per cent and subsequent ones at 100 per cent.

Full rankings tables

• Click here for the full team rankings

• Click here for the full player rankings

Australia extended their lead to nine points over second-placed India in the Test rankings, following a 4-0 thrashing of England in the home Ashes series at the turn of the year, and a 1-0 win in Pakistan. They now have 128 points.Pakistan have moved above England to fourth place in the Test rankings•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

India have gained a point to move to 119, and, with England’s 4-1 series win over India in 2018 now dropped from the rankings, they are at 88 points, their lowest since 1995. England’s home series against India, which began in 2021, will be included in the rankings post the completion of the fifth and final Test scheduled for July.India remained second following their home series wins against New Zealand, West Indies, and Sri Lanka, with tight competition for third between New Zealand (111) and South Africa (110). Pakistan (93) are fifth ahead of England.The gap between the top two ODI teams is down to just one point•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Meanwhile, in the ODI rankings, England have done well to close their gap from three points to one below leaders New Zealand (125 points) after overcoming Sri Lanka 2-0 and Pakistan 3-0 – both series at home – in the World Cup Super League, collecting 55 points.This has widened the gap between England and third-placed Australia (107) from seven to 17 points after the latter dropped five points. Though Australia produced two wins in three matches against West Indies, they dropped two matches on their tour of Pakistan. It also meant Pakistan (105) jumped one spot to fifth, replacing South Africa and reducing their gap from India (102) to three points.New Zealand have slipped two places to No. 6 in the T20I rankings•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

In T20Is, India have extended their lead over second-placed England from one to five points. Pakistan occupy the third spot. South Africa and Australia have jumped one spot each to fourth and fifth, respectively. New Zealand lost two places to drop to No.6 while West Indies remained in seventh.Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have both gained one position to be placed eighth and ninth, respectively. Afghanistan, who lost two places, occupy the tenth spot.Overall, the number of ranked teams has come down to 72 from 91, with each team being required to play a minimum of six rated matches since May 2019. Fiji, Costa Rica, Japan, South Korea, St Helena, China, Indonesia, and Myanmar have not played since May 2019 and have lost their rating.

Australia are expected to hand a T20I cap to Tim David, while Pant has something to prove for India

Sruthi Ravindranath19-Sep-20223:48

Jaffer backs Karthik over Pant in the India XI

Big Picture

Post the 2021 T20 World Cup, India have played a total of 29 T20Is heading into this series. Australia, meanwhile, have played just nine. Irrespective of their prep, Australia might turn up in their usual confident manner at the T20 World Cup – but this time they’ll have to defend the title in their backyard. And they have quite a bit to figure out compared to their better-prepped opponents.In the age of packed cricket calendars and schedules, it does seem quite surprising that these two teams haven’t played each other in a T20I since December 2020. India won that away series 2-1, while Australia won the last T20I series they played in India, in February 2019. Also, how can we forget match in Mohali, when Virat Kohli left Australia speechless? Irrespective of the format, the meetings between these two countries have always been high-octane and largely competitive, and this series should be no different, provided Australia can overcome a few selection questions.Related

• Tim David's long-awaited Australia debut is finally on

• Fit-again Harshal adds more strings to T20 bow

• Smith to bat at No. 3 in India T20Is in Mitch Marsh's absence

• Rahul: 'No one is perfect; strike rate is something I am working at'

Their captain Aaron Finch’s recent form seems to be among the biggest of concerns. Steven Smith’s middling strike rate has also raised questions around his place in the XI. And, Australia are without the injured trio of Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis for this series, while David Warner has been rested. The team playing this series looks quite different from Australia’s first-choice World Cup side. But it does give Australia the space to experiment with the back-ups but they will also want to build a winning momentum. They have five more matches after this series – a two-match series against West Indies and three T20Is against England at home – before the T20 World Cup.It’ll be interesting to see how Tim David, who will be in Australia colours for the first time, fits into the international set-up. Australia are also likely to experiment with Josh Inglis, making him open alongside Finch. Finch said there will be a lot of “mixing and matching” ahead of the World Cup.India, meanwhile, have had some time to figure out what has worked for them and, more importantly, what hasn’t. They’re back home after some travelling, having won bilateral T20I series in Ireland, England and the Caribbean. But it was their most recent prep – at the Asia Cup – that left them with key takeaways.After the Asia Cup Super 4s exit, captain Rohit Sharma said India were “90-95% settled” ahead of the T20 World Cup. Their aggressive approach has largely worked out well. Kohli finally hit form, so his place in the XI is – at least for now – no longer a debate. They are entering the series with the strongest available squad and will be looking to mainly focus on making roles clearer.4:48

Hodge: Australia shouldn’t look back from this point when it comes to Tim David

The return of Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel means Hardik Pandya no longer has to be the third seamer in the side. India will also want to see how they can use the likes of allrounders Axar Patel and Deepak Hooda better. Rohit was clear KL Rahul has his backing as the opener. As for Pant, India will be hoping he comes good in the series. India still have a home series against South Africa to go before the T20 World Cup to further firm up their plans.

Form guide

India WLLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia LWWWL

In the spotlight

All eyes will be on Tim David, who will be looking to showcase his power-hitting skills, this time in Australia colours. The Singapore-born batter has impressed in various T20 competitions, most recently in the IPL as well, and he’ll be looking to replicate his success on the international stage. His big-hitting skills aside, his ability to take on spinners and quicks alike makes him a must-have in a T20 side. He averages 32.48 with a strike rate of 164.12 in T20s. He is likely to take up the middle-order spot in Stoinis’ absence in this series. But Australia will not be able to accommodate him if both Stoinis and Marsh are fit when the World Cup begins. It’s Smith’s position that appears a bit vulnerable as of now – but he too has the reputation of being the anchor in the XI – so it remains to be seen how Australia fit David into their XI at the World Cup.Rishabh Pant is yet to find his mojo in T20Is•Associated Press

Rishabh Pant has not quite been able to live up to the expectations in the T20 format. In T20Is since 2020, he has averaged just 27.63 and has struck at 129.95 in 32 innings. At the Asia Cup, Pant had to be brought into the XI in place of Dinesh Karthik following an injury to Ravindra Jadeja as India wanted a left-hand batter in the middle. But he could only make scores of 17 and 14 against Sri Lanka and Pakistan respectively in the Super 4s. While having Pant and Karthik in the squad offers them flexibility, it looks like India can currently accommodate only one of the two in the XI. Pant will have to make use of his time in the middle in the upcoming T20Is to get back into form before the T20 World Cup.

Team news

Umesh Yadav, who was originally meant to undergo rehab for a quad injury in Bengaluru, has been called into the squad after Mohammed Shami tested positive for Covid-19. But with the return of Bumrah and Harshal, India are unlikely to play Umesh in the XI.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 KL Rahul, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Rishabh Pant/ Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7 Axar Patel, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar/ Deepak Chahar, 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Jasprit BumrahWith Marsh absent, Smith will bat at No. 3 against India. David looks set to make his Australia debut in the middle order. Australia are also likely to play Inglis – who has so far played at No. 3 and in the middle order in T20Is – as an opener and push Matthew Wade down the order. Cameron Green, who has been impressive with the ball and the bat, has been brought back into the T20I squad – having played a solitary match in April this year – and is also likely to find a place in the XI.Australia (probable): 1 Aaron Finch (capt), 2 Josh Inglis, 3 Steven Smith, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Matthew Wade (wk), 6 Tim David, 7 Cameron Green, 8 Adam Zampa, 9 Pat Cummins, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Sean Abbott/ Daniel Sams

Pitch and conditions

It is expected to be partly cloudy and humid in Mohali tomorrow, with a 25% chance of precipitation in the evening. In T20s since 2018, the chasing team has won seven out of 11 matches at the ground. On the eve of the match, Finch said the wicket had “a bit of grass on it”.

Stats and trivia

• Kohli’s 718 runs against Australia are the most by any player against an opposition in men’s T20Is
• Australia have won each of their last three T20Is in India
• Jasprit Bumrah has dismissed Glenn Maxwell seven times in 15 meetings in T20s

Quotes

“… Only we know what role is expected of each person. Everyone is trying to give their best, and not every time will a player succeed. And that is the kind of environment we have created, that players are not afraid to play, or players are not afraid to make mistakes.”
“The last thing you want to do is have an injury derail your whole campaign because you’re pigeon-holed into playing one style of cricket or one structure of team.”

Australia’s stand-in captain wants batters to take their time to avoid falling into the Indian spinners’ trap

Andrew McGlashan28-Feb-2023Steven Smith has admitted he had rarely felt the anger that he did at being dismissed sweeping against R Ashwin in Delhi during Australia’s match-losing collapse. The emotion was exacerbated by the fact that he believed India were “on the ropes” after the visitors had made a rapid start to their second innings and he addressed the challenge of not allowing India’s spinners to dictate terms.The sweep is a shot that Smith rarely plays but he was one of six Australians to fall that way in the dramatic collapse and the personal recriminations started as soon as he was walking off the Kotla and then watched as the rest of his team-mates fell in a heap to leave India with an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the series.”I’ve played 95 [94] Test matches…and I don’t think there’s been too many times I’ve walked off the field and I’ve gone, ‘what the hell am I doing?’ I was pretty angry,” Smith said ahead of taking over the captaincy in Indore for the absent Pat Cummins. “There hasn’t been too many times in my career where I’ve actually come off and just been bedazzled by what I’ve done. It wasn’t my finest moment.Related

• 'Quality player' Green one part of the jigsaw puzzle Australia have been missing

• Rohit hints India could request green pitch in Ahmedabad

• Cameron Green '100% ready to go' for the Indore Test

• Points to ponder – what Australia need to do to revive a flagging campaign

• Why you can't counter good spin bowling by just sweeping

“It wasn’t the way I wanted to play, particularly when I had the field set, for all of us actually, they had the field out. We probably just rushed things a little bit and it’s something we’ll talk about when we meet [on Wednesday]. When we’ve got them on the ropes, we can slow things down. We don’t have to play at such a high tempo and risky tempo. Because we had them where we wanted them, we had men out and the ability to get off strike. We just rushed it.”Australia have had time to take stock in the longer gap until the third Test and are determined to learn from their mistakes of Nagpur and Delhi, particularly the way their batting was engulfed in both second innings when they were unable to find a way to stem the collapse.That is not a problem only for Australia with many sides having been dismantled as Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja sense the opposition’s panic and hurtle through their overs before batters have time to realise what is happening. One of the themes of the last few days has been now to take the sting out of the situation to avoid one or two wickets becoming a defining collapse, such as the 8 for 28 on the third morning in Delhi.”It’s not easy,” Smith said. “That’s the way they go. They know when they are on top of you, they’ll try and rush you and play on their terms. For us, when we’re under pressure it’s about slowing it down as much as we can; maybe making them wait a little bit, walk away and regain your thoughts rather than just coming back and back. Certain things like that. And it will be different for everyone, the way they handle those moments. Think it’s [about] finding that in our game and hopefully that applies a bit more pressure on them.”One of the problems is that batters are so vulnerable in their first 10 or 20 balls, particularly when Ashwin and Jadeja have their tails up, while Australia’s lower order has been blown away in comparison to India’s which has performed exceptionally in both Tests.”I think starting your innings is as tough as anywhere in the world here in India,” Smith said. “We know if you get in, you’ve got to make it count. There’ll be odd times when you get a very good ball and get dismissed. I don’t like the term, ‘have one with your name on it’ so much, you’ve got to try and take that out of your mind.Steven Smith will lead Australia in Indore in Pat Cummins’ absence•Getty Images

“I got 30 in the first Test, Marnus [Labuschagne] has got a few starts, guys haven’t been able to go on and make a big total and two guys together getting that one partnership can make a difference. I think Pete [Handscomb] has been outstanding in both first innings and he’s been left stranded. If he had someone to bat with, and we make the most of those first innings a little bit more as well, things could certainly be different.”For the third time since Cummins became captain, Smith is slipping into the role and there is every chance he will be doing so again in Ahmedabad next week. He is battling a flare up of a back problem caused by a degenerative disc he has had since 2010 but is confident of being able to manage the situation. The only thing it prevents him from doing is bowling and he did not believe it played a part in his dropped catches at slip during the series.Smith’s batting record does not need any qualifiers, but he averages 67.73 as captain compared to 55.33 without the leadership. That is comfortably the highest figure of anyone who has led their side at least 30 times.”It normally brings the best out of me,” he said. “I’m excited about leading this week in Pat’s absence. I know these conditions well. It’s kind of like my second home playing over here, I’ve played a lot in India, I understand the intricacies of the game and what the wickets are likely to do. I’m looking forward to it.”But as has been evident in the last few weeks, knowing what is coming and playing it are proving to be two very different things.

Adam Lyth’s career-best bowling display in vain as Yorkshire fall two wickets short of first win of the season

ECB Reporters Network27-May-2024Ricardo Vasconcelos hit a valiant 129 not out as he attempted to power Northamptonshire to an unlikely victory over Yorkshire in this Vitality County Championship match which ended in high drama on a see-saw final evening at Wantage Road.Yorkshire had set up a tantalising run chase of challenging 326 to win in a little over two sessions, and when Vasconcelos warmed up for the T20 Blast game with 17 boundaries all around the ground, a home win looked a possibility.But a dramatic clatter of wickets as Yorkshire’s attack staged a late fightback set nerves jangling in the home dressing room, Vasconcelos had to switch gears to ensure his side held out for the draw, eight wickets down, in an innings full of character and maturity.At 165 for 2 in the 33rd over, with Vasconcelos sharing a quickfire stand of 63 in 55 balls with Karun Nair (36), Northamptonshire were set for an enthralling white ball style finish. But a persistent Yorkshire bowling attack fought back hard taking three wickets for 13, and the last six for 54, as first innings centurion Adam Lyth concluded a memorable 200th Championship match with career-best bowling figures of 4 for 56.In an innings full of character and maturity Vasconcelos held his nerve as Northamptonshire saw out the draw.Earlier Yorkshire captain Shan Masood (131 not out) declared his side’s innings on 264 for 6 just before lunch, dangling the carrot of a chase which would have been the tenth highest to beat Yorkshire by any team in its history.Ultimately, though, the loss of 17 overs during two stoppages for rain took too much time out of the game, and the captains shook hands shortly after 6.20pm. The draw leaves both sides winless after seven games, Yorkshire taking 14 points and Northamptonshire 13.

The 19-year-old opener was the centre of attention in his first two Tests and is now about to embark on his first tour

AAP14-Jan-20251:52

Smith: Konstas can bat conventionally too, he’s got ‘all the tools’

Sam Konstas has conceded his emotions got the better of him during his first Test series but the batting prodigy will keep backing himself on the tour of Sri Lanka.Konstas has not yet heard from selectors about their top-order plans for the two-Test series that begins on January 29, with Travis Head a chance to open after a fruitful shift to the top during Australia’s last subcontinent tour in 2023.Related

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Usman Khawaja’s track record against spin and gutsy 41 runs in the series-deciding run chase against India are likely to factor into plans, as would the chance to give teenager Konstas his first taste of Test cricket abroad.”It’s obviously a huge honour representing my country and touring to Sri Lanka. They’ve welcomed me with open arms and I’m keen to learn and get better,” Konstas said. “Obviously we’ve got a strong squad. If I do get the opportunity [to open], hopefully I’ll take it with both hands.”Konstas won hearts and minds with his creative shot selection during his first two opportunities, opening alongside Khawaja in Test victories against India at the MCG and SCG. But his ongoing battle with seasoned Indian foes captured just as much attention.En route to a half-century in his first innings, Konstas found himself at the centre of drama after Virat Kohli barged into him between overs at the MCG.Sam Konstas made a crucial half-century in tricky conditions against Perth Scorchers•Getty Images

His decision to chirp at Jasprit Bumrah backfired late on day one in Sydney, with a posse of Indian players swarming him at the non-strikers end when Bumrah dismissed Khawaja despite Konstas’ attempts at time-wasting. Konstas expected it would be easier to remain level-headed in Sri Lanka.”It’s going to be completely different with the crowds, obviously,” he said. “It was the first time playing with big crowds and maybe the emotions got to me a bit, reflecting on it. But obviously Sri Lanka are going to be tough to beat in their home conditions. I’m looking forward to that.”There has been no shortage of punditry questioning Konstas’ high-risk approach to Test cricket, especially after the teenager slogged straight to a fielder in the all-important final chase at the SCG.But he will remain his confident self if given a chance in Sri Lanka, where he has previously travelled for a 10-day skills camp.”I feel like I’ll just keep backing myself. Obviously I’m going to adapt with my different methods. I can’t wait for that to happen,” he said.Konstas will have one last hit-out for Sydney Thunder against Sydney Sixers this Friday before flying out to Australia’s training camp in the UAEThe 19-year-old has made two half-centuries in his first four BBL knocks, including 53 runs in the defeat of Perth Scorchers that sealed Thunder’s spot in the finals on Monday night.He was not selected in Australia’s squad for the Champions Trophy, having played only one List A game, but is keen to become a fixture in international white-ball cricket as well as Tests.”That’s a dream come true hopefully but they [selectors] haven’t said anything,” he said. “I’m just focusing on tonight. We had a good win and we’re off to the Sixers. I’m just being in the present moment and trying to score some runs.”