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Round-up of the third day of the ninth round of Division Two of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Dec-2010Lahore Ravi‘s opening bowlers – Abdul Ghaffar and Asif Ashfaq – combined to skittle Peshawar out for 118 to give the hosts a 56-run win in a low-scoring affair at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. A day after his 20th birthday, Ghaffar started the rot by removing Israullah and Gauhar Ali with consecutive deliveries, before Ashfaq got in the act by having Mohammad Fayyaz caught for 18 to leave the visitors tottering at 28 for 3. Sajjad Ahmad and Tariq Khan then attempted to get Peshawar’s chase of 175 back on track, but Tariq was run-out for a painstaking 17 and Ashfaq trapped Sajjad in front for 35. Riaz Afridi then fell first ball to Ghaffar to reduce Peshawar to 90 for 6, and effectively end the game as a contest. The pair then ran through the lower order, with Ghaffar ending up with 5 for 46 to give him match figures of 9 for 103, and Ashfaq picking up 4 for 46.Wajid Ali’s unbeaten hundred could not prevent Abbottabad from following-on against Karachi Whites at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium. Resuming on 60 for 4, Riaz Kail took his side past 100 before he was dismissed for 50. The next three batsmen got starts but fell in their twenties as Wajid – who came back at the fall of the fifth wicket after retiring hurt the day before – ran out of partners. Abbottabad were eventually bowled out for 272, Mohammad Sami finishing with 3 for 59. They reached 19 without loss in their second innings but still trail by 292 runs.In a see-saw battle for the first-innings lead, Hyderabad recovered from 166 for 6 to reach 351 for 9 in pursuit of Lahore Shalimar‘s 355 at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. Aqeel Anjum (89) and Lal Kumar (85) led the recovery with a 105-run seventh-wicket stand after Lahore’s new-ball pair of Emmad Ali and Hasan Dar had wreaked havoc upfront. Dar trapped Anjum leg-before with the score on 271, but Kumar carried on after that to bring Hyderabad on the threshold of taking the lead.Umair Khan’s unbeaten 96 extended Pakistan Television‘s advantage against State Bank of Pakistan in Islamabad. Saad Altaf and Zahoor Khan had taken seven wickets between them earlier to restrict SBP to 320 and gain a 106-run lead for their side. Rameez Alam (55) and Afsar Nawaz (48) had resisted in the morning before being caught behind off Altaf and Zahoor. The tail hung around briefly but PTV finished well in front. Mohammad Naved and Rizwan Haider had PTV reeling at 61 for 5, but Umair and Naeem Anjum ensured PTV’s grip on the game didn’t loosen with an unbeaten 111-run partnership that gave them an overall lead of 278 by stumps.

What pleased captain Kumar Sangakkara most about Sri Lanka’s win against West Indies in their warm-up match was that they chased a competitive total of 281 batting under lights

Sa'adi Thawfeeq16-Feb-2011Sri Lanka completed their World Cup preparations on a high note defeating West Indies by four wickets at the R Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday. What pleased captain Kumar Sangakkara most about the win was that they chased a competitive total of 281 batting under lights, and won with 15 balls to spare.”Mentally we are slightly better than a couple of years ago. I always maintained it was hard to chase under lights at one time but sides have done it before,” Sangakkara said.”Sometimes you get too caught up with thinking you can’t do things under lights. It’s more about believing that you can. If it doesn’t work out, try to analyse and see what went wrong and how you can do things better.”Sri Lanka have had nine successful run chases out of 13 under lights in the last two years, but the last three times they had to bat second in a day-night match at the Premadasa, they fell short. Though most teams win the toss and bat first in Sri Lanka, as West Indies did on Tuesday, Sangakkara said he wanted to bat second in the warm-up game to prepare for any situation during the World Cup.”We were anyway going to bat second if we had won the toss. The wicket was much better than we expected. It had good bounce, enough turn and all in all was a good track to bat on even chasing.”Even though Sri Lanka have won both their warm up games, against Netherlands and West Indies, Sangakkara said there was still work to do before the World Cup. “Preparation wise there is still a lot of work to be done and we don’t have much time. The first 15 overs [of the match against West Indies] were not good enough for World Cup cricket. We cannot allow 100 runs off the first 11-12 overs. Chasing, we should have finished the game off with one or two wickets less than what it cost us.”Sangakkara stated that his team was pretty settled with their XI although in the two warm-up games they played all 15 players, with the batters getting a bat and the bowlers a bowl.”The guys need to be able to go out there and play. If a few of the players don’t play any warm-up games sometimes they feel left out. It’s nice to be in a group who’s always playing.”

Abdul Razzaq wants to play a bigger role in Pakistan’s World Cup campaign

Osman Samiuddin in Colombo01-Mar-2011Abdul Razzaq wants to play a bigger role in Pakistan’s World Cup campaign. In two matches so far, Razzaq has been a peripheral figure, having played a total of 10 balls and bowled just five overs in each game.Part of the problem has been his low spot in the batting order, way down at number eight. Pakistan’s middle order has performed well, so Razzaq has not had the opportunity to do anything after coming in. Compensation has come in the form of opening the bowling, but though he improved in the second game against Sri Lanka, he remains wicketless.”It is my wish to bat up the order but that’s up to the team requirement,” Razzaq said after a practice session at the P Sara Oval in Colombo. “It is the team’s unity that everyone is doing what is needed. Whenever I get a chance I will perform. The main aim is to perform for the team. Our batting line-up is looking long just because it is performing well, otherwise it will look short if it doesn’t perform.”The limited role has led to questions about the balance of the side; Pakistan have played with three specialist bowlers and Shahid Afridi in both games, and the combination has not allowed Razzaq to contribute. Neither has it allowed for another specialist bowler to be played. “When you get to bat your confidence goes high but our batting is strong so I am not getting chances,” Razzaq said.”If you look at other teams, number seven and eight are not getting much chances but that is part of the game because the pitches here are slow and help batting. I am keeping myself ready in the nets so whenever the team needs me I will be playing my part.”Razzaq has had some success with the ball in Sri Lanka over the years, picking up 28 wickets in 27 ODIs at 27 each. “My role with the new ball is to do five or six overs and take one or two wickets, if I do that it’s good for the team. You have to be fit to do both batting and bowling and I have kept my fitness and have experience of bowling on such type of wickets.”Pakistan’s next game is on Thursday against Canada and it is expected that there will be changes in the line-up, to account for injuries as well as experimentation. Abdur Rehman, the left-arm spinner, is out and it is likely that Misbah-ul-Haq will be rested, to avoid aggravating a slight hamstring strain.”Some changes might happen for that game,” Afridi, Pakistan’s captain, said after practice. “We want to have such a combination where we give fast bowlers a chance as well. We will sit down and discuss it in a team meeting, but we can experiment with future games in mind. Canada will not be taken lightly and whatever experimentation we do, we’ll still go in with full strength.”

Tendai Chatara and Donald Tiripano ran through Mid West Rhinos’ batting line-up twice in a day as Mountaineers beat them by an innings and 96 runs and cemented top spot

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Feb-2011
ScorecardMountaineers cemented their place at the top of the Castle Logan Cup table with a crushing innings-and-96-run victory over second-placed Mid West Rhinos at the Kwekwe Sports Club. Their new-ball bowlers Tendai Chatara and Donald Tiripano ran through Rhinos’ batting line-up twice on the third day, bowling them out for 61 in the first innings and then 88 in the second. It meant the match was over in two days, since the first one had been almost completely washed out.Most of Mountaineers’ batsmen struggled on the second day, but there were two standout innings: a gutsy 52 by opener Tino Mawoyo and a 108-ball 105 by 19-year-old Gary Chirimuta. Those two scores helped Mountaineers get to 245 in their first innings. Rhinos seamer Justin Lewis picked up six wickets, but it was the Mountaineers’ quicks who did the telling damage. Tiripano struck on the second day itself, leaving Rhinos 14 for 1 at stumps, but it was just a precursor for the carnage the seamers were to unfold on Monday. Tiripano took five in the first innings, while Chatara took three. They then exchanged roles for the second innings, with Chatara taking the five-for and Tiripano chipping in with two scalps. Rhinos batsmen were hapless, with only two getting to double figures in the first innings and three in the second.

Shane Watson still considers it a miracle that his body no longer falls apart at the merest hint of stress

Daniel Brettig30-Mar-2011Shane Watson still considers it a miracle that his body no longer falls apart at the merest hint of stress. So it is understandable that his ascension to the vice-captaincy of Australia, in all three forms of the game, was a little difficult for him to comprehend. Only a handful of years have passed since Watson was roundly dismissed due to his many injuries, and in 2006 he was lampooned for a phantom heart-attack in India. Now, Watson is a heartbeat away from the Australian captaincy.”It really has been an amazing couple of years, and something I never really thought would be coming my way after my previous part of my career when I really struggled to get on the field,” Watson said in Sydney after he was unveiled alongside new Test and limited overs skipper Michael Clarke. “For things to come together now to mean I’m vice-captain of the Australian cricket team, it’s still hard for me to get my head around. It is hard for me to get my head around that I’ve been able to play for a number of years with the Australian team and be able to contribute the way that I have, it is something I never thought would come about.”I feel like my game’s in a really good place now and my mind’s in a great place to be able to really have the mental space to be able to contribute as much as I possibly can.”The changeable nature of the vice-captaincy is a source of curiosity. Some, such as Clarke or a young Mark Taylor, are chosen with a view towards the future, while others like Ian Healy and Geoff Marsh serve as loyal lieutenants without ever really inching towards the top job. Healy was replaced by Steve Waugh before the 1997 Ashes tour in order to smooth the line of succession if Taylor did not pull out of his form dive.Watson’s role seems likely to marry both, for chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch is aware that Clarke’s Test batting has been decidedly poor for some time. Far more successful with the bat in the past year, Watson, however, is lacking in formal leadership credentials, something Ponting seemed acutely aware of as his reign stuttered towards a sad conclusion.”He hasn’t had a lot of leadership experience,” Hilditch said of Watson. “One of the big reasons we’ve made this appointment now was the reality is that Shane’s such a good player he’s not going to play much domestic cricket. So if he’s going to get his leadership skills up to another level it has to be now and it has to be as vice-captain. So it’ll be a learning curve for Shane but his first role is to support Michael.”Ever honest, Watson baulked at the PR-friendly line that leadership will add vitality to his batting. Instead he reminded all in attendance that his chief task when Australia resumes Test match duty in Sri Lanka later this year will be to turn his promising starts into match-shaping hundreds.”That’s my bigger task, even more than the vice-captaincy is actually turning my 50s into some bigger scores,” he said. “No doubt there’s something I need to continue my development as a player. I think just even over the last year or so being around the group and trying to be a leader in some way or help the younger guys … I feel like it’s something I’ve always wanted to do, to help people out more than anything.”That’s something I’m really excited about, really trying to help the young guys out coming through, because I have been very lucky to come through an era of Australian cricket as great as it really ever has been. I know how lucky I am to have those experiences from a very young age, and I’ll be trying to get the best out of everyone within the team.”

Nottinghamshire wobbled, steadied themselves and wobbled again here, the consequence of which is that Worcestershire may begin their second innings with a lead they probably did not expect

Jon Culley at Trent Bridge27-Apr-2011
ScorecardAlan Richardson made important breakthroughs for Worcestershire to ensure Nottinghamshire couldn’t take control•Getty Images

Nottinghamshire wobbled, steadied themselves and wobbled again here, the consequence of which is that Worcestershire may begin their second innings with a lead they probably did not expect after Samit Patel had appeared to be heading for a score with the kind of substance he needs to register repeatedly to keep England interested in his personal battle of the bulge.As the 26-year-old knows only too well, England coach Andy Flower is concerned with more than simply weight of runs in assessing where Patel sits now among potential candidates for a middle-order position. Only when he can guarantee his stamina until the last over in the field on a steamy day in the sub-continent will Patel end the doubts over his fitness for international cricket, and his failure to make the cut for England’s World Cup squad confirmed that he has not yet reached that point.After learning how to resist fast food and crisps more frequently than before, Patel claims now to be in measurably better shape to add to the 11 one-day international appearances he made in 2008. Nobody at Trent Bridge is saying how much better, in terms of tape measures and scales, but if he can supplement the century he made in Nottinghamshire’s opening match against Hampshire with a few more before the summer begins in earnest, Flower is likely to ask for evidence.Patel should have had a hundred here after playing almost without error for three and a half hours here, sensibly overcoming his often calamitous habit of trying to force the pace too early and settling into an innings rich in attractive strokeplay that was notable for shot selection as well as shot quality. He dutifully left alone most of the good balls that came his way but did not waste many opportunities to score.Given that Nottinghamshire had been three down for 64 before he got off the mark, and with a new partner at the other end, it was precisely what his team needed to avert an all-too-familiar top-order collapse, which made it all the more frustrating that he could not push it through to the conclusion it deserved.On 81, with 15 boundaries scored, he had the measure of all of the bowlers – with the exception, perhaps, of Daryl Mitchell, who bowled his medium pace on a tricky length and managed to hit him on the elbow – and clearly fancied his chances when Mitchell belatedly turned to the off spin of Moeen Ali. Yet it was Ali who had the last laugh when Patel advanced down the pitch, eyes wide, with the deep midwicket boundary in his sights. A moment later, the ball was safely in the hands of the midwicket fielder instead.In this way an innings notable for fulsome driving and wristy leg-side play ended rather tamely, with an error that might have drawn more sympathy for a batsman missing out had it not come immediately after two wickets in two balls from the medium pace of Gareth Andrew.Trapping Steven Mullany in front of the stumps and then drawing Chris Read into an edge to the wicketkeeper, Andrew had seriously undermined a strong Nottinghamshire recovery, putting the onus on Patel to take stock a moment and ensure that a good position was not wasted.Patel had shared a 102-run partnership with Adam Voges and another of 93 with Steven Mullaney but the departure of Andre Adams for a typically breezy 10 called time on the day with Worcestershire still 24 in front.Earlier, recovered from the groin injury that limited his participation against Yorkshire last week, Adams had completed his third five-wicket haul in as many innings at Trent Bridge so far this season, bowling last man Matt Mason off an inside edge.But Worcestershire’s innings had been carried forward by Matt Pardoe and Damien Wright, the former furthering the impression of a composed young batsman with a bright future by stretching his second half-century in only three matches to 74 before a mistimed clip to midwicket allowed Alex Hales to atone for his dropped catches on day one. Wright hit 10 fours in his 65 before Patel beat him in the flight.Nottinghamshire reverted to Neil Edwards at the top of their batting order, returning Paul Franks to No. 8. In tandem with Mark Wagh, Edwards contributed nicely to a 60-run partnership but after he was caught behind off Alan Richardson. Nottinghamshire quickly lost Mark Wagh, bowled by Mason with his eyes still watering from a painful blow below the belt, and Hales perished first ball to a fine late awayswinger from Richardson, who would later end a bright innings from Voges when the Australian failed to get forward to one that swung in.

Hundreds of Australian cricketers will be chasing lucrative Twenty20 contracts over the next month as the Big Bash League teams begin to sign up players

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2011Hundreds of Australian cricketers will be chasing lucrative Twenty20 contracts over the next month as the Big Bash League teams begin to sign up players. While the Don Argus-led performance review tries to get to the bottom of Australia’s Ashes debacle and slump to fifth on the ICC Test rankings, Cricket Australia’s planning for the expanded Twenty20 tournament is in full swing.The six states are this week finalising their contract lists for first-class and 50-over cricket for next summer, but only 14 to 18 players per state will be given a full contract, down from last year’s number. Meanwhile, the eight city-based teams must each sign up 18 men, a process that will start this Thursday when the contract window begins.The expansion of Twenty20 contracts and the decline in Australia’s Test performance is a combination that has some coaches concerned. The Western Australia coach Mickey Arthur believes the bigger salary cap for Twenty20 sides compared to the state teams is the wrong way around for a country trying to climb the Test rankings, while Michael Clarke’s mentor, Neil D’Costa, is worried that the focus on Twenty20 at junior levels could kill Test cricket in Australia.Each of the eight teams must sign at least 14 players during the first Big Bash League contract window, which runs from June 30 to July 22. By December 9 – a week before the first match – they must have finalised a full roster of 18 players, meaning that 144 Twenty20 contracts will be sealed over the coming months.The scrapping of the traditional state teams for the Twenty20 competition means that every player in the country is up for grabs, although the likelihood is that most players will remain in their home states. Sydney and Melbourne each have two teams that must be filled with talent, and every side can sign two international players, with scope to replace those men if their international commitments clash with the Big Bash League.Cricket Australia has also announced that KFC will be the naming-rights sponsor for the tournament after signing a three-year deal.

Keaton Jennings has been retained as captain for South Africa Under-19’s tour of England in July 2011

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jun-2011Keaton Jennings has been retained as captain for South Africa Under-19’s tour of England in July 2011. Jennings is part of a 15-man squad that will play seven youth ODIs, starting at Edgbaston on July 16 and travelling on to Northampton, Arundel Castle in West Sussex, Taunton and Canterbury.The touring group also includes Quinton de Kock, who was Man of the Series award during Zimbabwe Under-19’s tour of South Africa in January this year, Malcolm Nofal, who has displayed plenty of all-round potential for the Gauteng Strikers, and several players with first-class experience. Ray Jennings, Keaton’s father and the former coach of the national side, will be head coach on the tour, while Shaheed Alexander and Geoffrey Toyana are his assistants.The tour will form an important part of the team’s preparation for the Under-19 World Cup, which will take place in Australia next year. Eleven players in this squad are eligible to play.”This tour is a very important component of the CSA [Cricket South Africa] Pipeline process,” said CSA Schools Cricket manager Niels Momberg. “This group were all identified some years ago and put through various levels of coaching and playing levels.”SA Under-19 squad Keaton Jennings (capt), Gihahn Cloete, Quinton de Kock (wk), Corne Dry, Rabian Engelbrecht, Malcolm Nofal, Lesiba Ngoepe, Duanne Olivier, Shaylin Pillay, James Price, Diego Rosier, Calvin Savage, Prenelan Subrayen, Regardt Verster, Lizaad Williams.

After six and a half years away from Test cricket, Zimbabwe soak in their triumphant return after beating Bangladesh

Firdose Moonda in Harare08-Aug-2011Brendan Taylor, Kyle Jarvis and Alan Butcher, the Zimbabwe coach, were soaked in pink champagne and beer as they walked into their post match press conference after Zimbabwe’s historic win over Bangladesh. “Now I know what it means when they say you smell like a brewery,” Butcher said.What it really meant is that Butcher and his men had just sipped from the cup of victory, something Zimbabwe had not even had the chance to experience in the Test format in almost six years. To announce their return to the premier format of the game with authority was better than just a sip, it was gulp after gulp of satisfaction.”The good win might have silenced a few critics,” Taylor said. “Zimbabwe cricket invested in us and were patient with us encouraged us and we are really glad to replay that favour.”The new Test team represents a coming of age for some of the older players, who were once a group of young, inexperienced men thrown into the international scene out of need, not merit. After the player walkout in 2004, Zimbabwe had no choice but to field the best they had, even though many of them were not ready for the pressures of playing at the highest-level. Seven years have passed since then and their poise and self assurance has grown, their maturity is evident, and, finally, they appear ready. “It’s nice to see a lot us have stuck together,” Taylor said. “We’re a side that’s always worked really hard to try and improve.”The match had special significance for Taylor, who scored his maiden Test century in the second innings, at a time when the match was on the verge of tilting in Bangladesh’s favour. Zimbabwe resumed day four on 92 for 4, a lead of 175, but in a position that needed consolidation. “At the end of day three, we certainly felt a bit of pressure,” Taylor said. “I must commend Tatenda [Taibu] and Craig Ervine for the supporting role they played to get us back into a wining position.”Taibu scored 59 and Ervine, who was at the other end when Taylor reached his landmark, an unbeaten 35. “Getting the hundred was special but winning the match was more important,” Taylor said, taking the spotlight off himself and shining it on the collective effort. “The guys showed good courage and had smart heads on their shoulders.”Such a composed performance may seem somewhat extraordinary, given the length of time Zimbabwe has spent away from Test cricket, but it’s a testament to their domestic four-day tournament, which has become more competitive with the introduction of the franchise system two season ago, and the A team tours, such as the recent one against Australia A. “We prepared the best we could possibly prepare,” Taylor said, while Butcher added that even though the side lost to Australia A it showed them that could compete against big name players.One such big name player is Tamim Iqbal, who was named Test Player of the Year by the Wisden Cricketer magazine in 2010. The Bangladesh opening batsman was confident his side would chase down the target against an “ordinary” bowing attack. Instead, they crumbled, giving Taylor a reason to get his own back. “His [Tamim’s] performance was pretty ordinary too,” he said. “He is a quality player and his team were looking for him to get a big total and he got out pretty carelessly. He should let the performances do the talking and not concentrate too much with the mouth.”In particular, Tamim was made to eat his words about Jarvis, the bowler he called “just ok”, when Jarvis claimed the last two Bangladesh wickets after lunch to end with five for the match. Jarvis’ new-ball partner, Brian Vitori, also bagged five wickets and together they provided a big reason to be optimistic about Zimbabwe’s future. “They were outstanding,” Butcher said. “Every time they picked the ball up they looked a threat and made the Bangladeshis look uncomfortable.”With such an exciting side under his guidance, Butcher couldn’t hold back his smiles as he entered a new era with a Zimbabwe side that has gone from fractured to fertile under his tenure. “When I first took on the job, I felt that what the team needed was some love,” he said. “It seemed to me that any time that they did something wrong there were lots of people ready to jump down their throats. I have tried to instil a more positive outlook and culture and I think people have responded to that.”

Australia’s captain Michael Clarke pointed to the failure of his top order batsmen to set a platform as the primary reason for a heavy loss to Sri Lanka in the third limited overs match

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Aug-2011Australia captain Michael Clarke pointed to the failure of his top-order batsmen to set a platform as the primary reason for a heavy loss to Sri Lanka in the third ODI match in Hambantota.The tourists fell 78 runs short of Sri Lanka’s 286 for 9 and the slinging paceman Lasith Malinga took much of the credit after claiming 5 for 28.But also significant was the contribution of the debutant Shaminda Eranga, who nipped out Brad Haddin and Ricky Ponting in his opening spell to leave the Australians at 52 for 3 in the chase. Clarke clearly needed, and expected, a better start from his top three batsmen.”We didn’t perform well enough at the top of the order,” Clarke said. “We have no excuses. We didn’t perform as well as we would like and we know that.”We have some work to do over the next few days because, as I said from the start, playing Sri Lanka, especially in their home conditions, you have to be at your best to beat them.”Haddin’s dismissal was perhaps the most noteworthy, as Australia’s wicketkeeper once again left a yawning gap between bat and pad to be bowled by a delivery that seamed back at him.It is a manner of dimissal that had already happened once on this tour – against Ajantha Mendis in the first Twenty20 – and the Sri Lankans will continue to pursue that line through the remainder of the ODIs and then the Tests.Australia have not selected a reserve keeper for this tour, which may become a sore point if Haddin’s run-scoring continues to dip.The Sri Lankans, meanwhile, felt restored after recovering from a pair of hidings in the first two matches. The relief of their captain, Tillakaratne Dilshan, was obvious.”The first 10 overs were crucial, and we did well to see them off,” Dilshan said. “All the batsmen that followed did well. We believed 260 was good to defend, and we proved it. [Shaminda] Eranga bowled really well, and Malinga was good as usual.”