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The BCCI has struck a measured and conciliatory tone on how it is likely to approach the matter of the proposed new ICC constitution in future

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Mar-2017Days after sending a detailed response to the ICC about its concerns on the proposed new constitution, the BCCI has struck a measured and conciliatory tone on how it is likely to approach future discussions on the matter. Speaking to media on Wednesday, the Committee of Administrators (CoA) currently running the Indian board stressed that it wanted to balance its own interests with the need to develop the game globally. In light of the difficult relationship the game’s governing body has had with its most powerful constituent over the last decade, this message amounts to a distinct change in tone from the BCCI.Alongside Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), the Indian board was a notable objector to the draft constitution, passed in principle by seven Full Members at an ICC Board meeting in February. The key disagreement is over a substantial reduction in the BCCI’s revenues from ICC events from the previous financial model, but, as the BCCI’s email earlier this week detailed, there are other areas of concern, including over membership and the role of the ICC chairman.”There’s a fine balance between being democratic, getting enough revenues, what we deserve, and at the same time contributing to world cricket,” Vinod Rai, the CoA chairman, said in Delhi. “We will get what we deserve, but it’s a decision we will take to contribute to help other nations at a lesser level as far as cricket is concerned.”According to Rai, it was the responsibility of bigger member countries like India to contribute to the growth of Associates like Afghanistan and Ireland – the new constitution envisages both countries graduating to play Test cricket and has earmarked a portion of ICC revenues for each. But that will not be done at the expense of divesting the BCCI’s financial interests. “We’ll contribute to upgrading cricket skills in those nations. I’m not getting into specifics. The issues are two-fold. You spoke of democracy and revenues. We have to bring about a balance. You can’t sacrifice your interests to help someone else.”Although the response to the ICC was signed by Rahul Johri, BCCI’s chief executive officer, it had been prepared in consultation with the four-member CoA. The response backed the stance first taken by Vikram Limaye, a member of the CoA, and the BCCI representative at the ICC’s February meeting: Limaye had argued that there was no formula underpinning the ICC revenues set to be earned by the member countries.The CoA had conveyed more or less the same message to Shashank Manohar, the former ICC chairman who stepped down from his position abruptly last week. The day before resigning, Manohar had met Rai, Johri and Limaye in Mumbai. “When we met with Manohar, we tried to understand the logic behind the financial model,” Rai said. “We were new to it. We discussed with people inside BCCI who were privy to these meetings earlier. We tried to understand from him because he has seen from both the BCCI and the ICC point of view. Whatever he could explain to us, we understood. We put forward our position and he was appreciative of it.”The CoA made it clear to Manohar that the board would not step back from its objections, but Rai said this should not be misinterpreted defiance. “We don’t want to be confrontationist. Certainly not. We had a very good [meeting]. We have our reservations on it. We have to put forward our interests. We just explained our concerns.”Stonewalling, confrontation and other pressure tactics have often been used by past BCCI administrations at the ICC. And though the CoA has made clear its approach will be different, Rai did warn that if other Full Members wanted to play politics, the BCCI would not hold back. “Interests of BCCI will be protected totally. We are not interested in playing politics, but if politics needs to be played we won’t be found wanting.”

Fast bowler Duanne Olivier has been released from South Africa’s Test squad ahead of the third Test against New Zealand, which starts on March 25 in Hamilton

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Mar-2017Fast bowler Duanne Olivier has been released from South Africa’s Test squad ahead of the third Test against New Zealand, which starts on March 25 in Hamilton. The move left South Africa with only Wayne Parnell as back-up to the quicks – Kagiso Rabada, Vernon Philander, and Morne Morkel. Chris Morris had been released from the squad midway through the second Test in Wellington.South Africa’s spin department, however, has been bolstered by the addition of offspinner Dane Piedt, who joined the squad last weekend.Olivier, 24, made his Test debut against Sri Lanka in Johannesburg in January this year, claiming match figures of 5 for 57 in South Africa’s innings victory. Olivier will now have to wait until at least July, when South Africa tour England, to add to his maiden Test cap.

Mitchell Starc has confirmed Australia’s top players are not prepared to contemplate the offer of multi-year contracts from Cricket Australia – in exchange for skipping the IPL – until a new pay deal is struck between the board and the Australian Crickete

Daniel Brettig11-May-2017Mitchell Starc has confirmed Australia’s top players are not prepared to contemplate the offer of multi-year contracts from Cricket Australia – in exchange for skipping the IPL – until a new pay deal is struck between the board and the Australian Cricketers’ Association.A report in the on Thursday revealed that CA’s team performance manager Pat Howard had individually approached five of Australia’s most valuable players – Starc, the captain Steven Smith, David Warner, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins – with the offer of three-year contracts in exchange for giving up the prospect of playing in the IPL during the players’ official leave period.In the final stages of his rehabilitation from a foot fracture ahead of next month’s Champions Trophy in England, Starc responded to the question of whether he had been offered a multi-year deal with the words “that’s what it says in the papers” before stating that he was uninterested in further talks until current pay talks are settled.”It wasn’t in the discussions this year when I decided to pull out [of the IPL], going forward it’s between the ACA and CA to come up with an MOU first and foremost, and then we’ll talk about contracts once that’s done,” Starc said.”That’s what the ACA are there for and we’ve got full confidence in them. We have discussions with them from time to time with different stages of the discussions between CA and the ACA. But the ACA definitely have the full support of the male and female groups and that’s where it stands at this stage.”Little more than six weeks remain before the current MOU is due to expire, with both the players and the board remaining very much at odds over the shape of the next agreement. The ACA are adamant in their desire to maintain the fixed revenue percentage model that has been in place over the past two decades, while CA have been equally trenchant in declaring the model has “done its job” and needs to be replaced by an agreement that recasts the players less as partners of CA than employees on fixed wages.Should an agreement not be reached by the deadline, there is the possibility that the current MOU will have to be rolled over for another year. A more extreme scenario is for the players to fall out of contract and deal with CA on a series-by-series basis – they have already indicated their unwillingness to take part in promotional and marketing duties for the home Ashes series in the absence of a fresh MOU. The two parties are due to meet again on Friday.Ahead of the Australian squad’s departure for England, Starc spoke warmly about the prospect of playing alongside his pace counterparts James Pattinson, Hazlewood and Cummins. He also expressed hope that a way might be found for the quartet to play in the same Ashes XI alongside Australia’s No. 1 spin bowler Nathan Lyon, noting that Pattinson in particular had recently bloomed into a highly capable batsman.”I think the fact we can all bat presents a stronger case for that,” Starc said. “You’ve got Nathan Lyon who’s the ‘GOAT’, I can’t see him being left out, you’ve got to pick him, he’s a world-class spinner who’s taken wickets all round the world. Jimmy Pattinson, I think he’s averaging about 80 in his last 10 first-class games, Josh very capable with the bat, Cummins very capable, I know what end of the bat [is up], so it’s a stronger case where we can all bat.”The other way to look at it is if we’ve got four guys fit we can all work off each other and if some guys have high workloads bring the other one in and keep everyone fresh. There’s a couple of options there. Now that I’m pretty much fit to have the four of us ready to go is great. Jimmy’s been bowling really well in England, Patty bowled really well in India in the Test and then the IPL, and Josh is back bowling.”So the four of us are ready to go and it’s exciting. We’ve come through the ranks together but haven’t had the opportunity to be in the same squad together with our injuries over that time. It’s an exciting time for the four of us but for Australian cricket too, to get together and build a strong cartel for the next five or so years.”In physical terms, Starc said his latest period of rehabilitation had been less problematic than the foot and ankle surgeries that sidelined him for a large chunk of 2015-16. “It was only a six- or seven-week layoff from bowling, so much easier to come back from than the last injury, which was more like seven months,” he said. “That’s been positive, hasn’t taken too long to get some rhythm back into the bowling, body’s feeling good, spending some good time in the gym and getting some strength back. It’s been a good period of rehab.”

England captain Eoin Morgan blamed their semi-final defeat against Pakistan on the batsmen failing to adapt to a Cardiff surface that he said offered no home advantage

Andrew McGlashan in Cardiff14-Jun-2017Eoin Morgan blamed a failure of the England batsmen to adapt to a Cardiff surface, which he said provided no home advantage, on being dumped out of the Champions Trophy by a rampant Pakistan.England laboured to 211 all out in the face of another probing display from the Pakistan attack – this time missing the injured Mohammad Amir – before the target was knocked off with nearly 13 overs to spare. They had been handily placed on 128 for 2 in the 28th over when Joe Root fell to Shadab Khan, but the rest of the batting could barely hit the ball off the square.England had played a group match on the ground against New Zealand. But this surface, being used for the second time in three days, was slower and lower, although England’s more hit-the-deck seamers were easier to score off than the skiddy quicks of Pakistan, who also managed to find a hint of reverse swing.”I don’t think there was any home advantage,” Morgan said. “We knew that we were going to play on a used wicket at some stage in this tournament. Having watched the game against Sri Lanka, we actually didn’t think it was that bad. But certainly today, coming from Edgbaston, it was obviously a big jump in pace and bounce, and too much of an ask for us to adjust to, really.”We left ourselves short adapting to conditions. It’s a big frustration because I think we’ve played some great cricket in this tournament and we weren’t anywhere close to it today. Credit to Pakistan, they played brilliantly.”Pakistan’s captain Sarfraz Ahmed had a different view of the surface which they played on against Sri Lanka in a far more fraught run chase to earn the semi-final spot. “I think the pitch was very good. It was good for both teams. I think we played very well and that’s why we won.”When Morgan was asked why Pakistan had found batting much easier during their chase, where they cantered along at nearly six an over, he said: “I think the explanation is they played two days ago on it.”England’s struggle was highlighted by Ben Stokes’ boundary-less 64-ball stay, but Morgan believed the batsmen had tried everything to put the pressure back on the bowlers.”Every partnership we had struggled to take initiative to the Pakistan bowlers,” he said. “I thought they bowled really well. They adjusted to conditions extremely well, and the wicket was obviously slow and low and hard to get away to start with. Every partnership we had started behind the rate, which put us under the pump a little bit, and none of our batsmen seemed to get away. I felt like we were trying to take a positive option against them, but the conditions didn’t allow us to do that.”If, two years ago, in the aftermath of the woeful World Cup, a semi-final place in this tournament had been offered, it may have been accepted as a decent stepping stone in the rebuilding process. However, England’s advancements have been so significant that it now has to class as a significant opportunity lost to add to a trophy cabinet, whose only ICC silverware is the 2010 World T20.Morgan, though, remained confident that this defeat would not stunt the development of the one-day side ahead of the 2019 World Cup, which will also be held in England. The team’s next ODI cricket will be a series against West Indies at the end of the season, which may see a few new faces blooded, before what could be a tough challenge against Australia after the Ashes.”One of the huge contributing factors towards topping our table and playing very good cricket in the group stages is that we’ve stayed true to what we believe in and what’s worked for us the last couple of years, and I think that’s the continued formula for the future,” Morgan said. “I think it will have to evolve in whatever manner the game does over the next two years in the lead-in to the World Cup, but certainly, I think we’re moving in the right direction.”

Durham are hoping to complete the signing of Imad Wasim as an overseas player in the NatWest T20 Blast

George Dobell14-Jul-2017Durham are hoping to complete the signing of Imad Wasim as an overseas player in the NatWest T20 Blast. Imad, who is currently rated as the best T20 bowler in international cricket, will join for five matches before departing for the Caribbean Premier League.Imad, who was born in Swansea, made his international debut in 2015 and was recently a member of the Pakistan team that won the Champions Trophy, playing in every game at the tournament.He has impressed with his left-arm spin in the Pakistan Super League, as well as during stints at the CPL, and will bring something extra to a thin Durham squad, who have lost two from two in the competition so far. Tom Latham, their main overseas signing, is currently out of action with a foot injury.Imad’s signing is subject to him receiving a work permit.

Three figure partnerships for the sixth wicket, between Kieran Powell and Shane Dowrich, and the seventh, between Dowrich and Shimron Hetmyer, saved the West Indies from potential embarrassment

ECB Reporters Network02-Sep-2017Shimron Hetmyer enjoyed some time in the middle•Sarah Ansell / Stringer

Three figure partnerships for the sixth wicket, between Kieran Powell and Shane Dowrich, and the seventh, between Dowrich and Shimron Hetmyer, saved the West Indies from potential embarrassment after the tourists had been reduced to 64 for 5 by Leicestershire.The runs were well timed from both a team and personal point of view as both Powell, who made 82, and Dowrich, who made an unbeaten 108, having been among the few West Indies batting failures in their remarkable victory over England in the second Test at Headingley last week.Hetmyer, however, was playing just his third innings of the tour, and in scoring an unbeaten 128, played with freedom and real style against the old ball as Leicestershire’s attack tired in the evening session.The 20-year-old Guyanan hit five sixes and 12 fours in going to a run-a-ball century, and having played three Tests earlier this year, all against Pakistan, may have put himself into the frame for a fourth cap at Lord’s.It was not a flawless innings – Gavin Griffiths failed to hold a very catchable caught and bowled opportunity when Hetmyer was on 39, and he went to 99 with an inside edge of fast bowler Zak Chappell that Harry Swindells touched with his glove diving to his right behind the stumps – but he has certainly given the West Indies selectors something to think about.Dowrich, who made a first innings duck and was not out without facing a ball at Headingley, hit 16 boundaries in his 176 ball innings.Opener Powell, who scored 5 and 23 at Leeds, had scored 82 off 153 balls when he was unluckily caught behind down the leg-side off left-arm seamer Dieter Klein. He rode his luck at times, notably when twice edging Chappell through the slips, but he also hit some fine shots, including hooking Chappell for the six with which he brought up his half-century.In terms of preparation for next week’s final Test, it had been a far from ideal morning for the tourists.Kraigg Brathwaite had made just 2 when he was trapped leg before on the crease by a quick, in-swinging delivery from Klein, and Kyle Hope quickly followed, also leg before, falling over to the off-side as he attempted to defend a well pitched-up ball from Chappell.Shai Hope, scorer of centuries in both innings at Headingly, played several high-class off-side drives as he and Powell added 48 for the third wicket, but having gone to 28 off just 32 balls, Hope played loosely at a straight delivery from Richard Jones and was bowled off the inside edge.Roston Chase became the third leg before victim of the morning when he was dismissed by Gavin Griffiths, and Jermaine Blackwood drove airily at his second delivery to give Rob Sayer a straightforward catch at extra cover off Griffiths.

Adam Milne claimed 5 for 11 as Kent beat Somerset by six wickets at Taunton to keep alive their chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals of the NatWest T20 Blast

ECB Reporters Network12-Aug-2017Adam Milne claimed 5 for 11 as Kent beat Somerset by six wickets at Taunton to keep alive their chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals of the NatWest T20 Blast.Returning his best figures for Kent, the New Zealand paceman registered 15 dot balls in 3.5 overs as the home side were dismissed for 149 in 18.5 overs. Striking the ball cleanly, Sam Billings then posted an unbeaten 56 from 36 balls as the visitors reached their target with nine deliveries to spare, in the process inflicting Somerset’s first home defeat in the competition.Adam Milne picked up sensational figures of 5 for 11•Getty Images

Put into bat, Somerset made a blistering start in front of a sellout crowd, Steven Davies and Lewis Gregory trading almost exclusively in boundaries and matching one another blow for blow in an opening stand of 35. But the momentum shifted dramatically as Somerset then lost three wickets in a Powerplay that ebbed and flowed.Davies was brilliantly caught by an airborne James Neesham at midwicket off the bowling of Milne and Gregory top-edged a quicker delivery from Mitchell Claydon and was snaffled by wicketkeeper Billings on the run. When Jim Allenby edged Claydon behind in the fifth over, the home side were 40 for 3 and firmly on the back foot.Required to rebuild the innings, Johann Myburgh and James Hildreth had little option but to proceed with a degree of caution. More of an accumulator than a dasher, Hildreth adopted a supporting role, while the naturally pugnacious Myburgh opted to hit out, a high-risk strategy that resulted in him chipping a delivery from Imran Qayyum to cover point for 25.Hildreth has proved himself a saviour on more than one occasion for Somerset in the short format this summer, helping his team chase down victory targets in games against Middlesex and Surrey. Charged with the task of stabilising the innings, he successfully rotated the strike with Dean Elgar in a revitalising partnership that was characterised by deft placement and feverish running.Having raised 36 from 30 balls and dominated a stand of 43 for the fifth wicket, Hildreth was looking to accelerate when, in the act of attempting to sweep Milne, he proved fallible and was adjudged lbw with the score on 117 in the 15th over. With a tendency to be hit or miss on these occasions, one-day specialist Roeluf van der Merve was then bowled by a straight ball from Callum Haggett as Somerset’s prospects of posting a challenging total receded.Called upon to play expansively, Elgar perished in pursuit of a six, held by Alex Blake on the long-on boundary off the bowling of Neesham as Kent, supremely athletic in the field, turned the screw further. Tim Groenewald hoisted the final ball of the 18th over to deep midwicket and Craig Overton was bowled by Milne for 12, at which point the home side were 147 for 9 and resigned to falling short.His confidence running high, the impressive Milne then made a mess of Paul van Meekeren’s stumps as the innings was terminated with seven balls unused.Managing to deliver what Somerset could not, Joe Denly and Daniel Bell-Drummond both cleared the boundary rope in an opening stand of 40 that served to stamp Kent’s authority.Any anxiety induced by the dismissals of Bell-Drummond and Sam Northeast, who succumbed in quick succession to Gregory and van Meekeren respectively, was dispelled by the arrival of England international Billings, who scored at better than a run a ball from the outset. But Somerset stuck to their task and the introduction of Groenewald saw Denly hole out to deep midwicket for 33, leaving the visitors needing a further 77 from 60 balls with seven wickets in hand.Veteran Darren Stevens offered a return catch to van der Merve to give Somerset renewed hope, but Billings batted with supreme assurance throughout a measured innings that yielded three fours and three sixes and helped keep the required rate in check. Billings brought up his fifty in grand manner, clearing the rope at Groenewald’s expense as Kent cruised to victory.

Jack Leach and Dom Bess claimed seven of the eight Lancashire wickets to fall as Somerset closed in on a victory that would take them out of the bottom two

Paul Edwards at Taunton14-Sep-20171:31

County Championship Round-up: Essex on the brink of glory

When, in due time, one receives that peremptory invitation to attend the Clogpoppers’ Ball, it will be a comfort to recall this day’s cricket at Taunton.Lancastrians will select their side’s resilience and the fifties made by Haseeb Hameed and Liam Livingstone as the most pleasing features of affairs; Somerset followers in the Marcus Trescothick Stand might bemoan the opposition’s scoring rate but salute their own spinners’ persistence and accuracy in taking them to the brink of their second successive victory.And so they should, m’dear. A glorious day ended with Jack Leach and Dom Bess bowling in tandem, just as they had done for most of three sessions. The pair bowled 85 overs to take seven wickets for 164 runs. They wore down Lancashire’s batsmen and at some stage around lunchtime on Friday they should receive their due reward with the sight of a Division One table showing Somerset out of the relegation positions. Lancashire’s chances of the title are with cricket’s undertakers but the survival hopes of Tom Abell’s team live and breathe.Yet there was even more to the day than food for partisans or points for tables. There was a richness to the cricket, an intensity of competition which was only augmented by September’s elegiac sunlight and the possibility that showers might halt our sport. The game unfolded on one of early autumn’s more blustery days when clouds raced across an unsettled sky and barged each other out of the way like shoppers at the January sales. Sunlight and shade flitted over the Blackdowns like skittish girls and there were rumours of heavy rain in Wales. Trains raced through the distant station and the man was a fool who wished himself aboard one of them.The first hour of the day belonged to Lancashire and in particular to their openers, Alex Davies and Hameed. Both batsmen played cautiously, their memories of the second day’s rapid collapse fresh in their minds. Davies was busier and bustled about the crease, as if reminding the bowlers that he knew what their little game was. But he was also the first to be dismissed when he attempted to drive Leach through wide mid-on but only gave a sharp return catch to the bowler off a thickish leading edge. He departed one short of his fifty, smacking his bat and doubtless offering a rich Darwen curse or two.Hameed was as watchful as ever, as if determined to reinforce his critics’ astringent judgements that he “pokes about” too much. Then, as classy players always will, he confounded that view by taking three boundaries off successive Bess overs: a late cut and drives through the covers off front and back foot. In the innocence-light of early morning the wind had tossed the field maples and alders in Vivary Park yet the breeze hardly ruffled Hameed, who on occasions has the air of a man who would rehearse letting the ball go even as the jaws of Armageddon snapped around him. A square drive off Craig Overton’s half-volley left him undefeated on 31 when an early lunch was taken, itself prompted by the morning’s second brief shower.For the first hour of the afternoon session Lancashire’s progress was untroubled. The pitch lost much of the life it had offered Leach and Bess on the previous afternoon and for the first time since lunch on the first day Somerset’s cricket lost a little of its fiery purpose. Hameed cut Tim Groenewald backward of square for four and reached his half-century off 151 balls with a cover-drive for two off Leach. That made it the quickest of his three first-class fifties this year, although rapidity is becoming a relative concept when applied to Hameed.But just when Bolton’s “Great Wall” seemed set on constructing his first century in over a year, Leach dismissed him for 62 when Hameed drove a catch straight to Abell at short cover. Some thought the ball had stopped but Somerset supporters were not about to concern themselves with the “filthily technical” as Mr Pickwick might have put it. What mattered was that Hameed was gone and the joy on Gimblett’s Hill was unbounded, although it may not compare with the euphoria in that sacred area once occupied by the Sydney Hill should Hameed be dismissed at the SCG in a few months’ time.More joy lay in wait for the locals. Steven Croft was leg before on the front foot for 5 when sweeping at Bess and the offspinner then took the even more valuable wicket of Shiv Chanderpaul who broke the habit of a career by letting the ball pass between bat and pad. At tea Lancashire were 175 for 4 and Somerset’s players enjoyed their fruit salad in the knowledge that a new ball was available.Overton made the best use of that ball when he had Dane Vilas caught behind for 14 and that dismissal heralded a fine session for Somerset as they finally broke Lancashire’s batsmen on the twin wheels of the spin and flight. The crucial wicket of Livingstone was taken by Leach, who had the mystified batsman caught behind when wicketkeeper Steve Davies and the close fielders were appealing to Billy Taylor for a stumping. But those dozy folk inclined to stereotype cricketers and place them in the convenient pigeonholes should note that Livingstone had batted two minutes longer for his 62 than Hameed had for his 57. Their scoring rates were almost the same. Livingstone is a very serious cricketer and it is fascinating to ponder what lies ahead for him.Barring one of cricket’s most improbable recoveries, Lancashire’s fate was decided in the last half hour when Ryan McLaren and Stephen Parry fell to close catches off Leach and Bess. That Lancashire had lost seven wickets for 94 runs hardly reflected their stubbornness or their determination to compete until the very end. The mood was buoyant at the County Ground in the evening as the locals savoured a probable victory. But no one should be too downcast if they were at Taunton, for they had seen the county game at something like its very best and the cricketers on their green fields of praise.

Graeme Labrooy, Sri Lanka’s chief selector, said the panel “didn’t want to throw Kusal Mendis to the deep end or take him to India and leave him on the bench”

Andrew Fidel Fernando07-Nov-20175:29

Break for Mendis might be best way forward – Arnold

Sri Lanka’s selectors dropped Kusal Mendis from the Test squad for the India tour in order to protect him from a further potential loss of form and confidence in India.Mendis endured a modest Test series against Pakistan, in which his contributions were 10, 18, 1 and 29. Although he made an excellent century against India in August, he had only crossed fifty in two of his last 14 innings.Mendis’ omission from the squad has caused some consternation, especially as he has been repeatedly talked up by coaches and management as the batsman on whom the top order might hinge in coming years. Earlier in the year, against Bangladesh, Mendis’ 194 also turned out to be a match-winning innings.However, according to chief selector Graeme Labrooy, it is precisely because the selectors are mindful of Mendis’ potential, that they left him out of the squad.”We don’t want a situation where he plays two more innings, gets two low scores and then drop him and destroy his confidence further,” he told . “He has got age on his side and we want him to go on to become one of the greats of the game. We want him to play for another ten years.”Not only were Sri Lanka comfortably whitewashed by India in the three-Test series in July and August, they have also struggled in India historically, having never won a Test there. The tour is likely to challenge even the most experienced Sri Lanka batsmen, with India’s bowlers in outstanding form at home.”We didn’t want to throw him to the deep end or take him to India and leave him on the bench,” Labrooy said. “What we tried to do was to let him play some domestic cricket, work on his game and regain his confidence. He is a confidence player. For him confidence is everything, and he has got everything in his armoury.”That Lahiru Thirimanne was preferred to Mendis has been a particular bone of contention, given Thirimanne’s very modest Test record. He averages 23.1 across 52 Test innings, and has crossed fifty only five times in his career.However, while Thirimanne has been picked in the squad, his place in the top order is not completely assured. Dhananjaya de Silva, who has returned to form with scores of 104, 73 and 64 for Sri Lanka A on the West Indies tour, could enter the top order. Though de Silva had made a successful entry into Test cricket from the lower middle order, it is as an opener that he regularly plays for his domestic club side, Tamil Union.”The No.3 position is a toss up between Thirimanne and Dhananjaya,” Labrooy said. “We are glad that Dhananjaya made some runs for Sri Lanka A in the Caribbean. He will be considered as an opener or No. 3 batsman in the future and we don’t want to drop him to the middle order.”With Kaushal Silva – who opened unsuccessfully for Sri Lanka in the UAE – left out of the squad to India, de Silva and 22-year-old batsman Sadeera Samarawickrama become the primary candidates to open the innings alongside Dimuth Karunaratne. Samarawickrama is often a middle-order batsman and wicketkeeper in first-class cricket, but does open the innings in limited-overs cricket for his club side.He had showcased substantial attacking flair in his maiden Test innings in Abu Dhabi, and it is the style and rate of his run-making that appears to have struck the selectors.”Sadeera is a player for the future. This is the correct time that we should bring him in. Now is the time for him to bite the bullet and take up that challenge against world’s number one ranked team. He will put pressure back on the bowlers by putting the loose balls away. We are very impressed with his game.”

Joe Burns continued his good form in the Sheffield Shield with a career-best score as Queensland pushed for a result with a declaration

Brydon Coverdale05-Dec-2017
Scorecard
Eyes on the ball: Joe Burns launches one straight•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Joe Burns scored the first double-century of his first-class career as Queensland fought back into their match against South Australia on the third day in Cairns. Queensland declared 96 behind, on 5 for 389, hoping to set up a result on the final day, and at stumps South Australia were 2 for 59 in their second innings, with Callum Ferguson on 25 and Travis Head on 21.Queensland had resumed on 4 for 123 in reply to South Australia’s 485, but Burns and Jack Wildermuth began the rebuild with a 104-run stand before Wildermuth was bowled by Adam Zampa. Burns found another ally when the young Queensland captain Jimmy Peirson joined him for 186-run partnership that pushed them up to 5 for 389 before Peirson declared.Peirson had denied himself the opportunity for a maiden first-class hundred, finishing on 82 not out, but he ensured Burns had time to reach his double-century. Burns, who was in Australia’s Test side last summer, is in fine form at the moment, having added 202 not out to his previous two Shield innings of 81 and 103. Aspiring Test bowler Chadd Sayers picked up 1 for 59.