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With four hundreds in his last five List A innings, Heino Kuhn is in the form and frame of mind to deliver victory for Kent in the Royal London Cup final

Paul Edwards28-Jun-2018Heino Kuhn was in tears just before Kent reached the final of the Royal London One-Day Cup. Not, you understand, in anticipation of his team’s wonderful victory over Worcestershire, but because he thought it his fault that his side had not already won the game.A few moments previously, with Kent needing four runs off four balls, Kuhn had holed out to Daryl Mitchell at deepish midwicket off Pat Brown. He had managed to acknowledge the applause as he walked off New Road with 127 runs against his name but the cameras caught the tears welling up even as he crossed the outfield.”I was very emotional,” he said, “We needed four to win and I felt it was my job to get us there. As a senior batter it was my responsibility. I’d got us that far and then I felt I might have just cost us the game. I didn’t watch the last ball. I had my head in my hands and there were tears in my eyes.”As a desolate Kuhn was sitting in the dressing-room, Harry Podmore, Kent’s No.10, cover-drove the boundary which sealed the win with two balls to spare.”As soon as he hit the ball I heard guys shouting: ‘Go, go, go, get over!’ and then it just blew up,” he said. “I looked at the TV and saw it had gone for four. I guess the tears kept on going. I looked at what was happening on the balcony and I think one or two players were close to falling off. So I’m just glad everyone’s safe.”The joyous uproar which followed Kent’s win says a lot about the ethos which head coach Matthew Walker has built at the club. Allan Donald, who, after all, had a half-decent career himself, played a leading role in the mayhem. Kuhn looks back on it all now with the utmost fondness as another justification for his decision to join the county at the start of this season.”There are so many people I’ve played under, like Martin van Jaarsveld and Justin Kemp, who have only good things to say about Kent,” he said “but having Allan here helps a lot, too. It just felt right.”I didn’t have any expectations when I arrived. I just wanted to bring the same winning culture I’ve picked up over the years playing for Titans, my franchise in South Africa. And I’ve seen that happening. Everybody’s playing for each other, everyone’s enjoying each other’s company. It feels like home.”I told the guys when I signed that I was coming to win trophies. I wasn’t here to come fourth or fifth in the table. So far it’s going very well.”Indeed it is. Kent are well placed to win promotion and on Saturday they will take their place in the penultimate domestic final to be played at Lord’s. The team is playing with brio and confidence. Kuhn’s commitment shines through in everything he does. Even his mother keeps in very regular contact with the club through social media.He is also scoring the odd run. To be specific he has scored four List A hundreds in his last five innings. Only Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Alviro Petersen, Dean Jones and Kumar Sangakkara have also managed to do that. Against Hampshire at Lord’s, Kuhn will look to emulate Petersen who managed five in six. Perhaps it is understandable he is a shade reluctant to analyse what sort of nick he is in. There is no need at all to do so.”I’m not sure I’ve ever been in this sort of form,” he said. “I’m not a stats guy but it just feels good. You do feel like you are going to do well. I’m enjoying my cricket and the balls go where you want them to go. You don’t think as much, you just play as you see it and it’s an amazing feeling, the best there is. Everything is going my way and I’m very happy about it. I just hope it continues into the final.”Kuhn knows very well that the runs do not always flow like cream from a jug. In last summer’s Test series he made 113 runs in eight innings against England and was dismissed on six occasions by either James Anderson or Stuart Broad. A gritty, match-shaping 34 at Trent Bridge was overshadowed by failures in the other games. But what can he do about that now?”I’m very happy to have the opportunity to play for South Africa, even though the conditions were tough last summer and we were facing two of the best bowlers in those conditions,” he said. “I didn’t change anything in my batting but it just didn’t work out. So when I signed I said that whatever happened last year was in the past and I wasn’t even going to think about it when I went out to bat. That’s what helps me to prove people wrong by scoring runs wherever I play.”Perhaps it also helps him encourage the younger players at Kent and prepare them for one of the biggest occasions of their careers. One feels that Kuhn would be very good at that sort of thing; that he is a quiet presence in the dressing room, someone to whom everyone listens, someone you would want on your side for a Lord’s final.”What I’ve tried to explain to the younger guys is that if you play cricket, you’ll be fielding for 90% of the time,” he said. “Well, if you don’t like fielding, why are you doing something you don’t like. We try to enjoy our cricket and that’s why we’re doing so well.”A Lord’s final is a very big day and we’re excited for that day to come. We will all do everything to win and I’ll going to try and get that fifth hundred. We have an unbelievable side. We’ll definitely be up for it.”

In his new role as cricket administrator, the former captain aims to rebuild Zimbabwe’s cricket culture and act as a bridge between players and officials

Firdose Moonda22-Jun-2016The popular narrative is that Tatenda Taibu quit international cricket four years ago because he had seen the light, specifically the light of the Lord. Now he is making a comeback to the game, in an administrative capacity, because he is hoping to to turn some lights on, specifically at the Harare Sports Club (HSC).Taibu has accepted a role as Zimbabwe Cricket’s convener of selectors and development officer, a position he will take up next month, and one of his missions is to install floodlights at the country’s premier ground.It may sound like that should be a peripheral priority but Taibu has a compelling reason for putting it near the top of his list. “Most ICC limited-overs events are played under lights and our players don’t get any experience of that at home, so they are not used to it at all,” he said from the UK, where he has been based for the last few years. “They need to be able to compete in those tournaments.”Given where Zimbabwe cricket is at the moment, that is both a reasonable and realistic aim. Zimbabwe were the only Full Member not to qualify for the last two World T20 main draws. They have won only three matches in their last two 50-over World Cups, all of them against Associates. Given their ranking of 11th in ODI cricket, they cannot even dream of qualifying for the Champions Trophy. So while their absence of a Test ranking is worrying but rectifiable if they play enough matches, the need to do something drastic to improve their limited-overs record is pressing.

“Zimbabwe cricket needs to be treated with a little bit of love for now. We will have to look at the player base and see if there are players around who can eventually replace the ones who are already there”

Pylons have been up at HSC for years and the lights are also there, having spent months at Harare airport awaiting payment for being released. The only problem is that the lights are not on the pylons. If Taibu can arrange for them to get there, Zimbabwe can start playing day-night cricket, provided ZC has the funds to switch them on. And that would be Taibu’s next concern.A year before he quit the game, Taibu criticised ZC’s structures, which included their financials. He stunned the international press by revealing how players did not have contracts and were not paid match fees on the eve of their Test comeback in 2011. Now he admits he does not know whether there is cash in the coffers but he intends to find out as soon as possible. “I don’t know anything about the current financial status. I am not involved there but I would like to know so I can get a clearer and better picture,” he said. “I’m sure when I get there, I will find out.”That alone should reassure Zimbabwean fans: the knowledge that someone of Taibu’s calibre is committed to their cricket. But why now?Since his international retirement, Taibu has been living in the UK. Contrary to popular belief, he has not become a pastor. “When I said I got a calling from the Lord, people thought I was going to start preaching, but I am not a pastor.”I am just a Christian and I live a Christian life,” Taibu said. “If somebody wants me to pray with them or if there are families who want someone to speak to, if I can get an opportunity like that, I will take it because I believe as a Christian, you must be able to touch people’s lives and give them hope.””I have closed the door on coming back to play”•Getty ImagesHe has also been involved in club cricket a bit as a player-coach-development-officer, for Liverpool second-division side Hightown St Mary’s, who he joined in April. He is also working on his autobiography, which is what made him realise that he would have to return to Zimbabwe.”In writing, I have seen that when I recall an incident from when I was ten years old, for example, then my understanding of the situation is that of a ten-year-old. I need to find people who have a better understanding of those situations,” he said. “For that I have to go back to Zimbabwe and talk to people like [former national coach] Stephen Mangongo and [former Under-19 coach] Walter Chawaguta, as well as some of my teachers from primary school and high school.”While Taibu mulled a return to his homeland, he was also in touch with Peter Chingoka, former chairman and an honorary life president of the board, who has urged him to come back to contribute to the game. In the last month, Taibu decided to take him up, primarily because he believes there is something worth saving in Zimbabwe. “If I didn’t see that there was something there, I wouldn’t go,” Taibu said. “I believe there is something that can be done and I want to do it.”The “something” that needs doing involves rebuilding a cricket culture, which Taibu thinks Zimbabwe has lost, and which he has had experience of creating in Liverpool, where he is also involved in recruitment. “You have to get players involved in the community, get kids from schools to play at clubs, that’s how you develop a system,” he said.

“Everyone I have played with and the administrative people know me as a person who does not beat around the bush. Whether I am liked or disliked, people trust me”

Replicating that in Zimbabwe will be tricky because even though the country is still home to prestigious sporting schools, the club structures have deteriorated and the domestic franchise system is in trouble. That will make Taibu’s task tougher as he aims to deepen the player pool. He intends to take a pragmatic approach to things by analysing what resources are already there, nurturing them and looking for additions.”My own assessment is there is a negative vibe at the moment. It is quite tough in Zimbabwe – not just in cricket, the country as a whole is struggling. Zimbabwe cricket needs to be treated with a little bit of love for now. There are many areas that need fixing but we will have to fix them one thing at a time.”We will have to look at the player base and see if there are players around who can eventually replace the ones who are already there. I want to start working with guys at a slightly lower level so that if those players go up to international level, they are at a certain standard already. Otherwise, as a group, they will be under pressure.”Taibu speaks from experience. He was part of the young crop that succeeded the white-player walkout in 2004 and struggled because of inexperience. That bunch of cricketers was also up against an administration that seemed to constantly thwart their efforts – with regular changes in coaching staff, contract disputes, and infrequent fixtures – and Taibu does not want the current crop to endure those difficulties.He intends to be the bridge between the players and their administrators, and has promised to be upfront with all parties – as he is known to be. “Everyone I have played with and the administrative people who knew me know me as a person who does not beat around the bush. Whether I am liked or disliked, people trust me,” he said. “I am trusted by the white community, the black community, the Asian community. Even if we disagree, it’s like brothers in a family. There will be fights but you hope that they don’t fight in public. They know that’s what Tatenda is like and they want to work with someone like that.”Installing floodlights at the Harare Sports Club is high on Taibu’s agenda as a development officer with Zimbabwe Cricket•Getty ImagesTaibu is confident his suggestions will be taken seriously even if they involve reaching out to people ZC has cut ties with, such as former players. “I would definitely want to involve former players but not just them. I want to reach out to anyone who has dealt with Zimbabwe cricket and has knowledge of it. There are lots of people who have worked in the system who have something to contribute.”For now, ZC have engaged the services of two big names from one of their neighbouring countries, South Africa. Makhaya Ntini is the interim head coach and Lance Klusener the batting consultant. Taibu hopes both will stay with the team in some capacity, if only because of their stature and the impact that can have.”I knew Makhaya very well as a player. During the Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka in 2002, I was in my early years and he was struggling to make the South Africa team, so we used to train together on the beach,” Taibu remembered. “He definitely has energy and that’s something we need in the country. We have to try and create a unique attitude among players so that cricket becomes known for something in Zimbabwe. Something good.”For a while, the good in Zimbabwe cricket was known because of players like Taibu. His dedication and determination provided a boost, and already there is excitement over having that back. There is also an anticipation that, at 33, Taibu may consider a comeback of the playing kind too, especially as Zimbabwe are yet to announce a new Test captain. Those wishing for that will be disappointed. Taibu is adamant that is one light that has been turned off. “That’s really gone,” he said. “I have closed the door on coming back to play.”

England turned to Mark Ramprakash after the Ashes whitewash but Alastair Cook kept his long-term mentor Graham Gooch close. Now surpassing Gooch would be the perfect way, individually, to prepare to win back those Ashes

David Hopps28-May-20151:56

Cook not thinking about Gooch milestone

Little more than a year ago, it fell to Alastair Cook, as England’s captain, to explain to his cricketing mentor Graham Gooch that he was about to be sacked as England’s batting coach. It can safely be assumed that it was one of the hardest conversations of his life, and a conversation he knew he needed to have. Gooch had guided Cook from his earliest days on the Essex staff and now, the boy long become man, was telling him that he agreed with the judgment that it was time for the parting of the ways.But it was not quite the parting of the ways. Not when the relationship ran so deep.England turned to Mark Ramprakash; Cook sought to refresh his faltering form by seeking advice from a variety of sources. But it was not long before he was again searching out his lifetime mentor with the hangdog moustache and the shambling gait, running the country lanes under his instruction while clinging to a medicine ball, helping to collect the balls for the bowling machine, and hearing once again the no-nonsense Essex falsetto that had bounced across the walls of the Chelmsford indoor school and cleansed his mind since the first time he rocked back and imperiously pulled a county bowler to the boundary.It was heartening to hear Cook confirm that he last spoke to Gooch only a couple of days ago, in the wake of the Lord’s Test that had washed English cricket in bright colours again. Cook’s substantial second-innings hundred, the ballast for England’s victory, had taken him within 32 runs of Gooch’s record as the most prolific England Test runmaker of all time, presenting him with the chance to usurp the batsman he called “The Great Man” in the second Investec Test at Headingley.It was the same old Cook who politely swallowed his thoughts before the second Test at Headingley, rarely finishing one sentence before beginning another. Yet you suspected he was always going to get his accolade to Gooch word perfect. “There will only be one Graham Gooch,” he said. “He is England’s best-ever bat.” It was payback time – perhaps the first of many – to the man whose replacement he accepted was necessary in an attempt to refresh the dressing room. These are the sentences in life that really matter.Alastair Cook has kept Graham Gooch close to him throughout his career•PA PhotosSurpassing Gooch would be the perfect way, individually, to prepare for an Ashes series. That and the return of his old opening batting partner, Andrew Strauss, as director of England cricket, another presence who provides the atmosphere of congeniality, reliability – and, yes, “trust” if you must – in which Cook most prospers.”I wouldn’t put myself anywhere near in Goochie’s class but it would be a great moment,” Cook said. “As always with batting, it is always fraught with danger – you are always one ball away from getting out. However nice it will be to score 32 to pass the Great Man, that won’t be enough for the game. You want to make big hundreds.”Sitting in the changing room, you just don’t believe you are top of the tree when you see the other guys you are statistically ahead of. I wouldn’t be here, or anywhere near, without Goochie’s help. It will be slightly strange to go past his record because without his hard work and dedication to me and my game I wouldn’t have scored half the runs I have.”When they last spoke, they did not talk of Gooch’s 8900 Test runs or whether Cook might finally usurp him at Headingley. It would be a surprise to learn that they ever had. They did not even talk about West Ham United, which Cook lightly indicated was something of a relief. It can be assumed that the new Franco–German accord did not quite make the conversational cut.”We spoke about the things I did at Lord’s and the things I could have done better,” Cook said. There was probably nothing that he has not heard a thousand times. But there would probably be something pertinent, something misleadingly simple; something that Cook could believe would sustain him for the summer. The partnership is growing in faith again, rediscovering its old rhythms.”We have worked together since I started on the Essex staff at 18. We both made a decision that I would try and work with different coaches. While it was really refreshing to work with different guys I think it is important that you have one guy you go back to. He knows your game and you as a person and I think that’s vitally important. When you get scrutinised as much as you do at international level it is easy to get distracted. To have a guy you trust, and you have always worked with, is really important for a batter coming through.”Until Lord’s offered English cricket a brighter future, little had gone right for Cook since Gooch became the first victim of the 2013-14 Ashes whitewash. Many others headed in turn for the exit, Cook himself lost the chance to skipper England in the World Cup, and the more his runs dried up, and the louder and more extreme the references to his impeccable character, the more debilitated he seemed to be.Now all is goodness, and Cook can gaze upon a young England side with renewed hope. It would be an unsalvageable captain indeed who could not look upon a middle-order of Root, Stokes, Buttler and Moeen and feel a spring in his step. They may even eat away at his captaincy conservatism – whether he likes it or not. Scary times.What a difference a week has made. Before the Lord’s Test, you might have imagined that here was an ineffectual captain unlikely to survive a humiliating Ashes summer. Now he receives respectful recognition as the figurehead for a young and energetic England side that has the country in thrall. , a magazine never slow to delight in the media’s sudden shift of opinion, could have fun with that one.The sudden shift of emphasis, this time at least, is forgivable, because Lord’s was the rarest and most wonderful of Tests: a single match that managed entirely to change perceptions. Lord’s did more than deliver England a Test victory, it revelled in the grandest of contests, offering the potential once again for English cricket, as it must, to look forward and not back, green shoots once again pushing to the surface through the manure that has provided such a stench for the past 18 months.

Our correspondent jogs along the Wellington waterfront and takes in views of Auckland as a memorable tour winds down

Abhishek Purohit20-Feb-2014February 1
Flying from Wellington to Auckland to Whangarei for the warm-up match. Second leg is on a Beechcraft that seats 20. Airline lady calls out “Whangarei” to make sure we get on the right plane. She goes to the back, looking out for the remaining passengers. She then climbs on board, welcomes passengers, and gives safety instructions. She then closes the door and fastens it. She then clambers into the co-pilot’s seat, visible to all passengers, as there is no partition. Charlie is quite the allrounder.The flight provides views of the Tasman Sea on the left and the Pacific Ocean on the right. New Zealand is a narrow country, and it really tapers off as you go north on North Island. Soon Charlie jumps out of her seat, welcomes the passengers to Whangarei and opens the door. She is not done yet. She stands by the side, offering to hold disembarking passengers’ cabin luggage while they climb down the somewhat clumsy steps. “Quite the multi-tasker, aren’t you?” I tell her. A grim stare is the answer.February 2
Wait for cab outside hotel. Half an hour passes. No sign. Call them again. Apparently they have only six cabs to service the entire town on a Sunday. Two are not available today. When he turns up, the driver suspects they have gone to the cricket.Cobham Oval is beautiful. Grass bank, picket fence, a pavilion inspired by Lord’s, dark green hills in the background. It didn’t exist a decade ago. The site where the old Cobham Oval stood became a warehouse under a district plan, and a spanking new one came up next to the rugby stadium.The grass banks are tempting but it is . There is a stall where hats are available. Make my way there, then realise I am not carrying cash. By the time I return, the hats have sold out. It is that kind of day. Have to make do with a consolatory cap.February 3
Subway close to motel is supposed to close at 8pm. They have shut half an hour early because “there was nothing happening”. Er, something happens here ordinarily?The night sky is clear. What a magical carpet of stars above. Have seldom seen so many. We in Mumbai usually have a protective covering of pollution over our heads that keeps out UV rays and stars.

The applause for McCullum’s triple-century has a life of its own. Even after the batsman has acknowledged all corners, it continues. It then begins to fade, but revs up again with a loud cheer. And again. It rises and falls and rises again

February 4
Bus from Whangarei to Auckland. Ask driver if I can put a second bag in the luggage hold. “No, that’s my job, mate,” he mutters. Grabs bag and tosses it inside like a ball. The Auckland skyline with the prominent Sky Tower juts out as we cross the Harbour Bridge. Feels a touch overwhelming to approach a big city after the serenity of Whangarei.After the bus, a taxi. Check-in and drop bag at hotel. Taxi. Eden Park. New Zealand’s open media session. Transcribe interviews. Send copy. It’s past midnight. Have dinner and crash. There are long days, and then there are long days.February 5
Motel signboard also adds “Very Quiet”. It is just off a major road, but it does feel quiet. There is a tennis court at the back, from where comes the sound of balls being hit. “Better to listen to that than the sound of traffic,” says the owner, an old lady.February 6
Waitangi Day, when the Maori and the British signed the historic treaty in 1840. National holiday. Turnout at cavernous Eden Park for the first day of the first Test is around 5500. For half that number, Seddon Park or Basin Reserve would have created an atmosphere. The Swami Army, the Indian fan group, does its bit here. “We do what we want, we do what we like, we’re BCCI, we do what we like,” they go. Follow that up with “We’re so rich it’s unbelievable.” No dip in chanting intensity across sessions.February 7
Indian restaurants here prepare curries mild, medium or hot as per order. To the Indian palate, they all taste similar: versions of mild. There is a fourth option, “Indian hot”, at this one place. Go for it. Aah, that familiar burning sensation in the mouth after a meal. Feels too hot actually. Realise I have become used to Indian food prepared “New Zealand hot”.February 8
Test matches are too tight a schedule to soak in Auckland. Morning jog. Taxi to ground. Watch match. Attend press conferences. Write pieces. Taxi to motel. Have a drink and dinner. Sleep. Start over.February 9
Hours after victory has been achieved, the New Zealand team walk out to the pitch at Eden Park. They come together in a huddle, sing their song, say what they have to say, and pour beer on each other. Young Kane Williamson, so calm at the crease and in press conferences and interviews, is the friskiest of the lot.The triple-hundred that no New Zealander had managed before•AFPFebruary 10
Early finish to the Test means some time off. Walk up a track and a winding road up to the summit of Mt Eden, from where you can see how water nearly encircles Auckland. The Harbour Bridge is dull in the distance, the Sky Tower is gleaming along with the rest of the towers, the sky has started to darken in the east but is still orange to the west. There are tens of people up here, taking in the solitude the summit offers and also the beauty of the urban sprawl stretching till it hugs the water. “Eden Park” clearly visible written across the seats of one of the stands in the ground downhill.Dinner at a Thai/Mediterranean restaurant. Monday evening. Just two of us in the sprawling and tastefully decorated place. No one walks in over the couple of hours we are there, till closing time. There are so many fancy restaurants, big and small, in Auckland. Wonder how they survive with such thin walk-ins on weekdays. Guess most bank on the weekends.February 11
Got to love how they make the most of space in cramped Wellington. Hotel has two entrances. Front one, on the ground floor, opens onto Lambton Quay. Back one, on the third floor, opens onto a road simply called The Terrace.Lambton Quay traverses the business district, but it has just a lane each for busy traffic either direction. The footpath is broader than the road in some places. Restaurants, pubs, souvenir shops, clothes outlets, money changers, you name it, they’re there. Like walking in a never-ending shopping arcade. Vibrant. Windy. Wellington.February 12
It will take days to go through the wonders of the Te Papa Museum in detail. A couple of hours are squeezed in to marvel at the stories of early migrants to New Zealand from all over the world. Pacific Islanders, British settlers, Polish children during World War II, refugees. Aotearoa welcomes everyone. There is enough space for all under the long white cloud.February 13
Jog along the waterfront from the Wharf Office Building to Te Papa and back. With the wind is a breeze. Returning into the wind is an effort. A man paddles a small boat furiously deep in the harbour. A motorboat zooms across the water, overtaking the boat in a flash. A helicopter appears and lands on the wharf out of nowhere.February 14
They take their walking seriously at the Basin. Ropes are put up either side of the sightscreen when there’s bowling from that end. A crowd gathers by the time the over ends. When the ropes are downed, the rush of activity makes it look like a busy pedestrian crossing. Start walking. Pause and sit on the wooden benches. Resume. Grab something to eat. Resume. Sit on the grass bank. Resume.February 15
Press box is located right at the top of the main stand at the back. Behind the bowler’s arm, but quite a climb. Final stretch steep too. From there, the radio guys have to walk in front under the roof on a suspended walkway. Reminds you of a similar arrangement at the Cricket Club of India.February 16
At 94 for 5 in the New Zealand second innings, hopes of a three-day finish are being entertained in the press box. New travel plans are being hatched. Kaikoura, Picton, Nelson, Blenheim? Whale-watching, ferry to South Island, vineyard tour? Brendon McCullum has other ideas, of course.February 17
Sunil Gavaskar is in one of his storytelling moods. Hilarious one after hilarious one. Narrates one about Eknath Solkar during lunch. Gets a call, excuses himself, talks, and returns. “Where was I?” he asks, and resumes immediately as soon as he is reminded.February 18
The applause for McCullum’s triple-century has a life of its own. Even after the batsman has acknowledged all corners, it continues. It then begins to fade, but revs up again with a loud cheer. And again. It rises and falls and rises again. McCullum is ready to face the next ball. The clapping won’t stop. New Zealand has waited more than two decades for that one extra run Martin Crowe could not score. They want to let their captain know what this means to them.New Zealand are closeted in the dressing room for several hours after the series is won. The occasion even gets them a visit from the Prime Minister. It has been that kind of summer for McCullum and his men. MS Dhoni and his men have to rush to the Asia Cup. Some will not even be able to visit their homes before leaving for Bangladesh. One tour blends into another. One flight into another. That applause, however, will keep echoing around the Basin forever.

An analysis of individual batting and bowling performances in IPL 2012

ESPNcricinfo staff01-May-2012As IPL 2012 went past its halfway stage in the previous week, the focus was clearly on the form of Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders. Both teams have displayed consistency with both bat and ball. Among the batsmen, Virender Sehwag, who is one of the leading run scorers across the five seasons, has hit a rich vein of form, scoring four consecutive half-centuries, while Gautam Gambhir has provided Knight Riders with the much-needed batting boost given the poor form of Yusuf Pathan. With most teams enjoying a good run with the bat in the last week, few bowlers were able to make a mark. Dale Steyn was spectacular again with a stunning spell of 2 for 10 against Mumbai Indians in a low-scoring encounter. Sunil Narine, who has proved to be extremely difficult to read for most batsmen, was highly economical in the game against Royal Challengers, finishing with impressive figures of 2 for 11 off his four overs. The stand-out performance of the week, however, came from the lesser known KP Appanna (Royal Challengers), who spun out Rajasthan Royals with a remarkable spell of 4 for 19 off his four overs.In the analysis of batting performances in this tournament so far, AB de Villiers takes over the top spot from Ajinkya Rahane for his unbeaten 59 against Royals. de Villiers came in with Royal Challengers in trouble at 67 for 3 in the 12th over. He smashed 59 off just 23 balls at a strike rate of 256.52 and shared a 122-run stand with Tillakaratne Dilshan in just 50 balls to lift Royal Challengers to a winning total of 189. de Villiers’ strike rate was well above the combined strike rate of the rest of the batsmen in the game (146.37). Gambhir’s 93 against Royal Challengers helped Knight Riders post a massive 190 on a sluggish pitch in Kolkata, He scored at a strike rate of 182.35 while the rest of the batsmen managed to score at a strike rate of just 121.69.Sehwag, who became only the fourth player to score four consecutive half-centuries in Twenty20 matches, cracked 87 against Pune Warriors to enable Daredevils to win the return fixture after Warriors had won the first game by 20 runs. In a comfortable eight-wicket win, Sehwag scored his runs off just 48 balls (strike rate 181.25) while the other batsmen scored at a strike rate of only 116.07. Cameron White, who recently lost his place as Australia’s Twenty20 captain, set up Deccan Chargers’ first win with 78 off 46 balls (strike rate 169.56) in a game where the other batsmen scored at a strike rate of 122.68.

Sehwag and Gambhir have both been extremely consistent for their respective teams in this IPL and as a result, they have taken the top two positions on the list of top batsmen in IPL 2012. Gayle, who is one of five batsmen to score over 300 runs so far in this IPL, is ranked third followed by the leading run-getter Rahane. Faf du Plessis, who has excelled as an opener for Chennai Super Kings scoring three half-centuries, is ranked eighth followed by Steve Smith, who has scored over 200 runs for Warriors at a strike rate of 157.

Appanna’s superb display against Royals is the only bowling spell from last week’s matches that features in the top ten IPL 2012 bowling performances. He bowled his four overs for just 19 runs (economy rate of 4.75) in a game where the scoring rate was 8.30. His bowling performance also stood out because all four wickets were those of top-order batsmen. Ravindra Jadeja remains in the top position for his five-wicket haul against Chargers while Narine is third for his 5 for 19 against Kings XI. Steyn, whose 3 for 12 against Mumbai Indians is in fourth position, also has another performance (2 for 10 against Mumbai Indians) in the top 20. The rest of the performances in the top ten remain the same as in last week’s analysis with Siddharth Trivedi’s 4 for 25 against Royal Challengers slotting in at tenth position.

Malinga’s brilliant form in the previous years has extended into this season too. He has 15 wickets at an average of 9.40 and an economy rate just over five runs per over. Steyn, who has bowled with hostility and pace, is second followed by his South African fast-bowling partner Morkel, who is the highest wicket-taker in this year’s tournament. Narine, who is fourth on the list, has picked up 12 wickets and also boasts an excellent economy rate of 5.53. Kevon Cooper, who has been one of Royals’ most valuable players, is sixth. Three of the last four positions in the top ten belong to spinners with Brad Hogg making a remarkably successful comeback.

Chris Gayle, the leading run-getter in IPL 2011, has burst into his awesome hitting form after a slow start to this season. He has scored four half-centuries already and his consistent display has kept him on top of the overall list for batsmen. Gayle is closely followed by Shaun Marsh who continues to be Kings XI’s most reliable batsman. Sehwag, with his incredible recent run, slots in at fifth between Shane Watson and Michael Hussey, who have returned to IPL action following Australia’s tour of the West Indies. While Sachin Tendulkar has fallen from from sixth to ninth, Pietersen and Gambhir have risen up the rankings by virtue of their excellent run in the last few games.

Malinga, the leading wicket taker in the IPL, continues to retain top spot after yet another successful week during which he picked up 4 for 16 against Chargers. Amit Mishra has had an ordinary run in the tournament so far and has averaged nearly 34 while going at over eight runs per over. This has resulted in the gap between him and the rest of the bowlers below him in the top five reducing drastically. The South African pace duo of Steyn and Morne Morkel have been top class in this edition and it is no surprise that both feature in the top ten. However, in contrast, both R Ashwin and Doug Bollinger have slipped down the rankings after a below-par run this season. While Bollinger has picked up wickets regularly, he has been very expensive conceding nearly nine runs per over. Ashwin, on the other hand, has been economical (economy rate of 6.44) but has managed only five wickets in ten matches at an average of 43.80.

Stats highlights from the second Test between New Zealand and India, which ended in a high-scoring draw in Napier

S Rajesh30-Mar-2009Gautam Gambhir’s 643-minute innings is the seventh-longest by an Indian batsman•Associated Press

• India batted 180 overs in their second innings, which is the eighth-highest number of deliveries they’ve batted in the second try. The first six of those instances had all been before 1980, which indicates how the nature of the game has changed. The last time they batted more overs was also against New Zealand, in 1999 in Mohali, when they scored 505 for 3 in their second innings after being bundled out for 83 in their first. Surprisingly, seven of the top nine such efforts have happened overseas.
• It’s also the second-highest number of overs they’ve played when following on – the only occasion they batted longer was at Leeds in 1967 against England, when they faced 209.2 overs to score 510 in a match they ultimately lost by six wickets. Of the 30 games when India have been asked to follow on, they’ve saved eight, lost 21 and won one.
• India managed to draw a Test after conceding a lead of over 200 in the first innings for the tenth time. Overall, such a feat has been achieved on 78 occasions.
• For New Zealand, it was the first instance of not winning a Test after enforcing the follow-on at home. Before this match, they had a perfect 7-0 record in games in which the opposition followed on. Overall, of the 14 occasions they’ve asked teams to follow on, New Zealand have won ten and drawn four.
• Gautam Gambhir’s 436-ball 137 was easily the slowest of his 15 fifty-plus scores in Tests. His innings spanned 643 minutes, which is the seventh-longest by an Indian. (Click here for the entire list of longest Test innings in terms of minutes.)
• Gambhir’s knock is the slowest by an Indian, in terms of balls faced, for an innings of less than 150. His strike rate of 31.42 is still better than Sanjay Manjrekar’s strike rate of 24.64, when he scored 104 off 422 balls against Zimbabwe in Harare in 1992.
• There were 12 scores of 50 or more in this Test, which equals the record in New Zealand for most number of 50-plus scores in a match. The only previous occasion when this happened in New Zealand was also in a Test against India, in 1999 in Hamilton.
• This is the ninth drawn game among the last 25 when captains have enforced the follow-on. Eight of those games involved Zimbabwe or Bangladesh, all of which the minnows lost. Exclude them from the equation, and there have been nine draws out of the last 17 Tests which have involved the follow-on.
• VVS Laxman’s unbeaten 124 contained 25 fours, which is the highest by any batsman in an innings of 125 or less. Extend the filter to 150 runs, and still only six batsmen rank above him. Laxman’s century was also his first in New Zealand, and his second against them in six Tests.

The WA captain led from the front but the home side collapsed during the final session to leave the game well balanced

Tristan Lavalette03-Feb-2024Western Australia captain Sam Whiteman compiled a brilliant century on a grassy WACA surface, but New South Wales hit back late on day one as the Sheffield Shield resumed after the mid-season break.After being sent in, Whiteman and Cameron Bancroft overcame the tough conditions with a century partnership as they batted into the second session.Back to his favoured format, Whiteman shrugged off a lean BBL and a first ball duck in Thursday’s Marsh Cup against NSW with 107 off 188 balls. He was particularly fluent driving the ball and ruthless against short-pitched bowling.Related

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But WA collapsed to be bowled out for 256 after being well positioned at 164 for 2 with wicketkeeper-batter Josh Philippe left stranded on 52 not out.Bowling tirelessly from the Lillee-Marsh end, veteran seamer Jackson Bird hauled NSW back into the contest to finish with 3 for 37 off 20 overs.Two-time defending champions WA’s only defeat of the season was a 10-wicket thrashing to NSW at the SCG as they sit fractionally behind Tasmania on the table. NSW, who were winless last season, had built momentum before the break to be in striking position of an unexpected final’s tilt.Captain Moises Henriques had no hesitation to bowl on a green-tinged surface and in notably cooler weather than the teams experienced in Thursday’s Marsh Cup, where temperatures hit 43 degrees in Perth.But Whiteman and Bancroft expertly navigated the bowler-friendly conditions with the occasional delivery rearing off the surface. Bancroft was cautious and scored just one off his first 12 balls before he settled with a beautiful cover drive as Whiteman also flourished through the off-side.They judged the length superbly and pounced on stray deliveries from NSW’s quicks, who often bowled too full or short. Chris Tremain and Jack Edwards were unable to consistently bowl in dangerous areas outside off stump with Henriques turning to speedster Liam Hatcher for a spark.He delivered with a vicious spell before lunch and hit speeds of around 140kph, but Bancroft and Whiteman held firm. Offspinner Chris Green was carried away with the surface’s bounce and repeatedly bowled too short as NSW toiled in a barren first session.Batting appeared easier after lunch with Whiteman at ease against Edwards’ rather pedestrian short bowling to rattle past his half-century. Whiteman sped past Bancroft, who edged through slips against the luckless Hatcher.A desperate Henriques turned to Bird, who ended the 107-run partnership by having Bancroft well caught by Edwards at second slip. Bird found a trademark groove as he relentlessly hit a menacing spot outside off-stump to torture Jayden Goodwin.Goodwin, the son of former Zimbabwe Test batter Murray Goodwin, has impressed this season and was preferred at No. 3 over Teague Wyllie, who for much of the past couple of seasons has batted in that position. But Goodwin was all at sea against Bird and nicked off on his 13th delivery for a duck.Once Bird went out of the attack, Whiteman capitalised and charged towards his century on the stroke of tea. He whacked a tiring Hatcher for three consecutive boundaries to move to 97 before guiding him over the slips for six to notch his second Shield ton of the season.But NSW fought back in the final session with WA losing 4 for 8, including Whiteman who was brilliantly run out from a direct throw by Ryan Hackney at square-leg. Whiteman attempted a second run back to the striker’s end, but Hackney charged in from the boundary and left him stunned having just one stump to aim at.NSW were on a roll when Wyllie fell lbw to Edwards for a golden duck, but they rued Green dropping Philippe before he had scored in a sitter at third slip. In a late twist, Matt Kelly and Corey Rocchiccioli were dismissed on the last two balls of the day’s play as WA were bowled out.Having played in the Marsh Cup following an indifferent BBL, left-arm spinner Ashton Agar was overlooked with WA sticking with offspinner Rocchiccioli, who has been a mainstay in their Shield team in recent seasons. Nathan Lyon is not playing for NSW after a hectic Test summer.

Michael Salisbury has been stood down from VAR duty ahead of the biggest game of the Premier League season so far, with Liverpool hosting Arsenal.

PGMOL acknowledge refereeing mistakeFulham wrongly penalised by officialsGuilty VAR taken off Liverpool vs ArsenalFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Three hours before kick-off at Anfield between the reigning champions and last season's runners-up, it was confirmed that Salisbury would be taken off VAR duty for the Liverpool-Arsenal clash. John Brooks was swapped in as the late change to the officiating lineup based at Stockley Park.

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The change by refereeing body PGMOL came after Salisbury's VAR intervention during Saturday's west London derby between Chelsea and Fulham, which saw a goal for the latter disallowed at 0-0 midway through the first half. Chelsea eventually went on to win the game 2-0. Joshua King put the ball in the net for the Cottagers, but Salisbury flagged to on-field referee Robert Jones a potential foul in the build-up. The focus was on inconclusive or minimal contact between Rodrigo Muniz and Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah and the baffling decision was to disallow the goal. The Premier League's official Match Centre account on X labelled it a "careless" challenge from Muniz, standing on the foot of Chalobah, in justification.

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The Daily Mail's Mike Keegan reported that PGMOL "acknowledged" that it was a mistake to disallow the Fulham goal, with chief refereeing officer Howard Webb personally contacting the club about it.

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The Premier League and PGMOL will hope that Sunday's heavyweight clash at Anfield goes down without the focus being on questionable officiating. It could also be a little while before Salisbury, or indeed Jones, land their next high profile games.

Fast bowler focused on hitting the stumps, against Pakistan and in T20 World Cup

Andrew Miller16-May-2024Lauren Bell has vowed to “attack the stumps” as a default approach, both against Pakistan for the remainder of England’s T20I series, and as a means to combat Bangladesh’s slow, low wickets in this winter’s T20 World Cup, after coming through a rusty first spell at Edgbaston on Saturday to help seal her side’s 53-run win with figures of 3 for 22.Bell had not played any competitive cricket since the end of England’s tour of New Zealand in April, and she initially struggled for rhythm, serving up two wides and two boundaries in a 12-run opening over that was more runs than Pakistan had conceded in claiming England’s first four wickets of the match.But she came back strongly at the back end of the powerplay to dismiss Gull Feroza for 17, then struck again in each of her next two one-off overs to help guard against the prospect of a significant upset. Speaking on the eve of Friday’s second T20I in Northampton, Bell acknowledged that England’s performance in that first match had had its flaws, but insisted it was their execution rather than intent that had been to blame.Related

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“The fact that we were 11 for 4 and still got to 160 shows the depth in our team,” Bell said. “Neither innings started the way we wanted them to start. But it just shows the depth and character of the team that we could come back and obviously we still ended up winning by 50-odd runs.”That was my first game of the summer, so I was obviously a bit nervous and maybe a little bit rusty,” she added. “I played a lot of cricket this winter, and when I came back from New Zealand, we felt my priority was to have a bit of extra rest. But there’s so much still to play, and I’m really fortunate that I play all three formats, so I can’t play every possible game.”With the squad’s attentions already turning towards the T20 World Cup in October, Bell was adamant that the players would not allow one tricky day to cramp the aggressive approach that their head coach, Jon Lewis, has spent the last two winters instilling in them.”That approach will never change, and I don’t think the messaging will ever change,” she said. “Taking the game on will always be Jon’s message and I don’t think he’ll go away from that. That that’s how we want to play and we are going to fail, probably, sometimes – but we’re not going to go away from the way we want to play.”Under Lewis’ guidance, Bell has grown into the role of England’s attack leader, a process that began in earnest during last summer’s Ashes, in which she claimed 14 wickets across all seven matches of the multi-format series, including vital spells in the series-levelling T20I leg. And even her most chastening moment of that campaign – a 26-run death over at the hands of Georgia Wareham at Southampton – has since been chalked up to experience, thanks to the faith that continues to be placed in her by the team management.”The Ashes was a bit of a blur… obviously I had one game which was a very steep learning experience,” she said. “But when I came out the back of it, I realised that I had a bit more responsibility in all three formats, and Heather [Knight] was handing me the ball in quite important times, so I guess I do take a lot of confidence from it.Bell played a key role in England’s Ashes fightback last summer•Getty Images”When you’re backed by your captain and your coach, it’s the best feeling you can have when you go onto a cricket pitch, knowing that you have the support and the backing of everyone. Jon is really clear on what my role is, it will always be to top and tail the innings. Before he came in, I was obviously in and out of the team a lot, so I feel like it’s really pushing my game forward and giving me a lot of confidence.”Bell was forced to make a tricky decision this winter when she pulled out of her lucrative WPL deal with UP Warriorz to make herself available for the entire tour of New Zealand. But, she says, with so many options opening up for the women’s game, and with the England team in the midst of a generational change, she knows where her priorities belong for the time being.”We have so many seamers coming through, I want to keep leading this bowling attack,” she said. “I feel really fortunate that I have so much cricket on offer to me, but it’s just unrealistic to be able to play it all. I obviously wanted to go to the WPL. But my focus will be international cricket at the moment.”With the Bangladesh World Cup looming, Bell acknowledged there could have been lessons to glean from playing on the WPL’s pitches instead of more seam-friendly wickets in New Zealand, but insisted she had no regrets about foregoing the experience.”Obviously the girls who played in India, they got a chance to play against the best players in the world in subcontinental conditions, but we had a series in India before Christmas, and I went to the WPL the year before, so it’s not going to be completely new to me,” she said. “Even though we’re not there yet, that doesn’t mean that I can’t start prepping for how it’s going to be in Bangladesh, and what I really need to nail on before I get there.”And that, in essence, involves bowling straight and keeping the stumps in play – both when the World Cup begins, and in the coming games against Pakistan’s batting line-up.”The main message is just to look to take wickets, and to be really attacking,” Bell said. “[Lewis] wants our first thought to be ‘how am I going to get this player out?’ In Bangladesh, it’s going to be really important to keep the stumps in play and maybe a lot of pace-off will be the best option. So it’s about nailing our skills and working on a bit of consistency.”Definitely, our plan is to hit the stumps as much as possible,” she added. “We know against this [Pakistan] team, and when we get to Bangladesh, if we can bowl as straight as possible with any sort of lateral movement, I think we’ll be really in the game. I didn’t execute that in the powerplay [on Saturday], but it was my first game of the summer, so moving forward, we know what we need to do.”

MS Dhoni had given feelers to Ruturaj Gaikwad about a possible captaincy switch during IPL 2023 itself. Those feelers came alive on the eve of Chennai Super Kings’ IPL 2024 opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday, when Dhoni officially relinquished his captaincy to Gaikwad.”Last year itself, Mahi bhai had hinted about captaincy at some point of time,” Gaikwad told IPLT20.com. “He just hinted that, ‘be ready, it shouldn’t be a surprise to you’. When we came into the camp, he involved me in some of the match simulation.”Prior to the season, Dhoni stoked fan-sentiment on social media by hinting about a “new role”. At the time, it was believed to be promotional campaign towards a broadcast sponsor. But on Thursday evening, it became evident that may have not been the case entirely.Related

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“I remember him posting about a new role on social media and everybody was pointing towards me and asking me, ‘are you the next captain?’. I was like, ‘maybe it meant something else for social media’. But back of the mind, it was there. He came and said, ‘I’ve decided this and this’, but definitely now that I’m here, I’m looking forward to this.”Gaikwad was first signed at base price [INR 20 lakh] prior to the 2019 season, where he didn’t get a game. In IPL 2020, Gaikwad had a tough initiation as he began with three ducks in a season where he also contracted covid. He returned towards the back end of the season and became the first uncapped Indian to hit three back-to-back half-centuries.Since then, he’s been an integral part of the group. In 2021, he formed a superb opening combination with Faf du Plessis as Super Kings won their fourth title. He ended the tournament with the Orange Cap for most runs [635 in 16 games], with du Plessis second on the list. After that tournament, Gaikwad had glowingly talked about the backing and encouragement he’d received from du Plessis.MS Dhoni with new CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad at a training session•PTI

“I just met Faf at the [captains’] meeting and said, ‘who would’ve thought a few years down the line, you are playing and leading RCB and me sharing the stage with you at the toss’,” Gaikwad said. “A lot to look forward to. It [opening game] is one of the most exciting first-day games to look forward to.”Dhoni had done something similar in 2022, when he handed the captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja prior to the start of the season. The move backfired, and after Super Kings lost six of their first eight games, Dhoni took over the reins again. Super Kings finished ninth that season.The question of succession planning at Super Kings has been a hot topic of debate ever since, which even head coach Stephen Fleming touched upon at his pre-match press conference. This time around, he felt, the change will be a lot “smoother.””It feels great for two reasons,” Gaikwad said of his new role. “To be part of this wonderful franchise right from when my IPL journey started and then to be trusted by MS Dhoni for a leadership role speaks a lot. The challenge lies ahead and I’m looking forward to it.”I’ve got to know how the franchise works throughout the year, got to know their mantra, the reasons behind their success, what kind of things the franchise goes through, what Mahi bhai or the support staff do. I wouldn’t like to change a single bit of it.”He’s a great backbone to have on the field. I also have Ajju [Ajinkya Rahane] and Jaddu as well, a lot of options to look around. I don’t think I’ll need to change anything. Just give the kind of freedom the players want and everything will be fine.”