Hampshire Royals made it five wins from five in the Friends Life t20 with a nine-run victory over winless Gloucestershire Gladiators at Archdeacon Meadow

10-Jun-2011
Scorecard
Hampshire Royals made it five wins from five in the Friends Life t20 with a nine-run victory over winless Gloucestershire Gladiators at Archdeacon Meadow.Neil McKenzie led the Royals to 165 for 4 with an unbeaten 89 from 53 balls, while left-arm spinner Ed Young took 2 for 14 in his four overs.Home captain Alex Gidman top scored with 43 not out in the Gladiators’ reply of 156 for 6, and there were useful contributions from Hamish Marshall (33) and Kane Williamson (28), but they still fell short of their target.After being put into bat, the Royals lost the wickets of Michael Lumb, run out by Marshall’s direct hit, and James Vince, bowled by Muttiah Muralitharan, in struggling to 10 for 2 in the third over.
James Adams and McKenzie revived the innings with a partnership of 51 in six overs, which ended when the former, on 22, reverse-swept Young to Ian Saxelby at short third man.Sean Ervine struck Williamson for six over midwicket during a stand of 56 in eight overs with McKenzie. But the Zimbabwean all-rounder departed for 21 in the 17th over when he holed out to Ian Cockbain at long-on to give Young his second wicket.McKenzie’s 33-ball half-century contained seven fours and the South African struck a further four fours and two sixes, both over midwicket, in his impressive innings. Dimitri Mascarenhas weighed in with an unbeaten 17 off 12 deliveries, but Hampshire’s total was no better than average on the small King’s School ground.Ireland World Cup star Kevin O’Brien got the Gladiators’ innings off to a rapid start with 22 from 12 balls before he swung across the line and was bowled by Chris Wood. Marshall cracked 33 from 26 deliveries, including two sixes, but then fell leg before to Royals skipper Dominic Cork in the 10th over with the total on 78.The game started to swing Hampshire’s way in the next five overs as the scoring rate slowed and left-arm spinner Danny Briggs accounted for Cockbain, lbw, and Williamson, who hit a full toss to Vince on the midwicket boundary.Alex Gidman put the outcome back in the balance by striking three fours and a six in the next two overs, which realised 30 runs. His brother, Will, fell lbw to Cork and Young was caught at long-on off Wood in the 19th over. That left the Gladiators needing 17 to win off the last over, but Cork bowled it superbly to concede only seven runs to Gidman and Jon Lewis.

Tim Nielsen, the Australia coach, has said that the selectors’ decision to exclude opener Simon Katich from the list of contracted players is a sign that they are looking to regenerate the entire Test team

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jul-2011Tim Nielsen, the Australia coach, has said the selectors’ decision to exclude opener Simon Katich from the list of contracted players is a sign that they are looking to regenerate the Test team. The move to cut the 35-year-old Katich, and thus effectively end his career, drew strong reactions, with both Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson expressing surprise at the move.Nielsen, though, said this was probably part of a broader plan the selectors have for the team. “You don’t necessarily like players not performing or not retained but it’s the nature of the beast at this level,” he told in Brisbane, where Australia are training in preparation for their tour of Sri Lanka. “It is pretty clear the selectors have made a decision to regenerate this team. We’ve been through a period where our Test performances haven’t been as good as we would have liked. We’ve got some older players and we have got some younger players looking for an opportunity. At some stage the regeneration of this team will take place and I think you have seen the first step in that process.”The lowest point in Australia’s slide was the the 3-1 defeat in the last Ashes, a series in which Nielsen admitted he had been outcoached. “You don’t like being singled out. It is hard at times but when we play like the Ashes you stand up and cop it on the chin just like the players on the field. There was a lot of talk about being outcoached in the Ashes and it is hard to argue with that. If it [criticism] doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger. And we are looking forward to getting better.”The road to improvement though, Nielsen stressed, had to be approached in a measured manner. Australia are now ranked fifth in the ICC Test rankings and Nielsen said the aim was not to reach No. 1 but climb the ladder step by step. “We are not even thinking about No.1. To get to No. 4 then No. 3 (and so on) in the Test rankings and maintain our hold on the No.1 ranking in one-day cricket we need our players to be as consistent as they can be.”Australia’s training camp at the Cricket Australia Centre of Excellence in Brisbane began on July 4. The tour of Sri Lanka begins on August 6 with the first of two Twenty20 internationals in Pallekele, and will include five one-day internationals and three Tests.

Nottinghamshire spinners Samit Patel and Graeme White shared six wickets on the
second day of their Championship Division One clash with Hampshire at the
Rose Bowl

21-Jul-2011
ScorecardNottinghamshire spinners Samit Patel and Graeme White shared six wickets on the
second day of their Championship Division One clash with Hampshire at the
Rose Bowl.Patel recorded figures of 4 for 43 as Nottinghamshire dismissed their hosts
for 213, Neil McKenzie the mainstay of the innings with an unbeaten 97. Three wickets from Chris Wood, who had earlier made 34, then left the visitors 35 for 3 at the close.After rain washed out the first day, Hampshire won the toss and elected to bat
in overcast conditions, but were soon made to regret their decision as a flurry
of early wickets fell.Liam Dawson was the first man to go, getting stuck on his crease to a delivery
from Charlie Shreck which kept slightly low and trapped him lbw for just six. Fellow opener Jimmy Adams, promoted into the captain’s role because of Dominic Cork’s unexpected absence, was the next wicket to fall, bowled off his pads by former England quick Darren Pattinson for seven to leave Hampshire 13 for 2.Michael Carberry went for four, edging Pattinson behind to give Chris Read a
regulation catch as his side slipped into real trouble at 26 for 3. McKenzie and James Vince temporarily steadied the ship, with Vince the fortunate beneficiary of two dropped catches.But as Hampshire nudged past 50, Vince finally fell, looping a catch to
Pattinson off the bowling of Patel. Sean Ervine was next up, but after battling for 44 balls, the former Zimbabwe Test player was dismissed for 14, edging left-arm spinner White to slip to leave the hosts 86 for 5 at the lunch break.The impressive and resilient McKenzie brought up his 50 and Hampshire’s 100
with a nicely-timed drive after lunch, before combining in a 51-run partnership
with wicket-keeper Michael Bates.But medium-pacer Steven Mullaney struck with the last ball of his first over,
dismissing Bates for 24. A brief shower brought about an early tea before some big hitting from Wood saw him and the McKenzie rack up a half-century partnership.But after two big sixes had advanced the youngster to 34 – just one run short
of matching his highest first-class score – Wood fell to a sharp slip catch by
Adam Voges off the bowling of Patel.McKenzie looked to be moving towards his second Championship century of the
season, but was left stranded on 97 after Danny Briggs and Imran Tahir fell to
Patel in quick succession and David Griffiths was dismissed by White.Nottinghamshire were soon in trouble themselves at the start of their reply,
Wood removing opener Neil Edwards (eight) and dangerman Alex Hales (two) in just
his second over.And he secured Hampshire’s first bowling point with his third wicket in a
devastating opening burst, bowling Rikki Wessels for seven to leave
Nottinghamshire struggling.

Dance anthems blared, Mojito glasses clinked and complimentary KFC was in garishly plentiful supply as Australian cricket grasped for a semblance of edginess at the BBL launch

Daniel Brettig28-Jul-2011Dance anthems blared, Mojito glasses clinked and complimentary KFC was in plentiful supply as Australian cricket grasped for a semblance of edginess at the launch of the Twenty20 Big Bash League.Held at Carriageworks, a venue in Sydney’s inner west that is more synonymous with hip-hop festivals and art exhibitions, the event brought together a vast array of cricketers, sponsors, media and various other hangers-on.Some mixed better than others, as the old world tried to seek relevance and context in the new. Like the competition it launched, the night was an effort to broaden cricket, something achieved in a sartorial sense at least by the stipulation that no ties were to be worn by any of the male guests.Amid the mess, noise and a humdrum DJ set by a minor Australian celebrity, Erin McNaught, there was room for pondering about what it all meant. Cricket Australia are relentlessly hopeful about building the game’s audience and revenue streams, while the newly-anointed captains did their bit by attempting to manufacture on-stage rivalries between teams that are underpinned by market research rather than history.The absence of the Australian Test captain, Michael Clarke, told another story. Clarke has decided that he cannot take part in the BBL if he wants to devote his full attention to international cricket, a view shared by another absentee, Mitchell Johnson. One of Australia’s pace bowling hopes for the forthcoming Test match schedule is Trent Copeland, but he is on an underwhelming salary due to his lack of suitability for the highly limited tactical manoeuvres of T20.One of the wiser voices in the room was that of Marcus North, the former Australian batsman and West Australian captain, who can now add the leadership of the Perth Scorchers to his CV. He expresses no great love for T20 as a batsman, saying “I’m not one of those players who is going to be attracted to playing T20 cricket around the world, that’s probably not my style of the game”. But North is enthusiastic about the chance to attract new followers, and to potentially build club culture in a game whose loyalties have always been international and provincial in nature.”I think you’ll still get your cricket purists, but you get a completely different audience on top of that as well,” North told ESPNcricinfo. “We see families, people who’ve never really come to watch cricket or be interested in cricket, but love to be there and enjoy the occasion, enjoy the atmosphere.”You don’t have to go to a T20 game and have to watch every ball, you’re there with your friends, enjoying the occasion, enjoying the spectacle of being with friends and a great atmosphere with a full stadium. So it really broadens the viewers that watch this format of the game. I think it’s developed over the last few years, we’ve seen how successful it has been in India, and it’s been a bit of a success in Australia already. I think this takes it to a new level and will put T20 on the map in Australian cricket.”The map North speaks of is now dotted with domestic competitions and matches across three formats, seemingly diluting what was once a helpfully uncluttered pathway from grade cricket to Test matches via the Sheffield Shield battles between the states. Thinking over the question of what this will do to twist the ambitions of young players, North cannot be sure that ensuing generations will still find the prospect of a Test cap quite so alluring as that of a fat cheque.”It’s a good question,” North said. “It’s a learning curve, a bit of unknown what we’re dealing with at the moment, it has been quite public that it’s a little controversial the way the contract system has worked this year for domestic players. It has been talked about but it is a learning curve, this is a new competition, it’s influenced the way contracts are dealt with.”I feel if you do go speak to a lot of the cricketers around Australia, playing Test cricket and wearing the baggy green is still very, very high on their list. But it’s a hard one to answer, because I grew up in a different era to what the young guys are growing up in now. It is hard for me to comprehend striving to play for your state and not having that ultimate ambition to represent your country.”Whether that is going to influence players, the way this T20 revolution around the world is, the amount of money that’s being thrown, whether that’s going to influence the way the younger generation are going to look at representing Test cricket being their ultimate priority, is a question to ask the young guys. I certainly hope not, but hopefully there’s a balance, and the tradition and history of representing Australia with the baggy green continues to live strong.”A note of optimism can be found in the story of Dave Warner, whose emergence in 2011 as a batsman of Test match potential has illustrated that international cricket can still provide the most powerful attraction for a cricketer rolling around in T20 cash. It is a point of welcome irony that Warner has been the poster-boy for Mike McKenna, CA’s head of marketing and the BBL project owner, as an exemplar of the sort of player who can use T20 to become a star.Warner has now turned the concept around by allying the attention he gained through T20 with his own drive and ambition to play Test cricket. After belatedly breaking into the New South Wales Shield XI, Warner has been eye-catching for Australia A, helped by one of Greg Chappell’s more astute selection observations. This means McKenna may yet lose his most marketable name to the fuddy duddy old game played by men clad in white, as it competes with the BBL during the December-January holiday period.”He was the first player to go against the grain, but give credit to Dave that he’s had that perception to break, and perception is a hard thing to change, and he’s had to do that over the last couple of years,” North said. “He’s always been quite open and honest about wanting to play first-class cricket for NSW and to play for Australia and wear the baggy green.”It’s taken him a while but he’s starting to put the performances together. We saw how well he did perform in first-class cricket last year for NSW, and he’s been arguably the batter of the tour on the Australia A tour of Zimbabwe, so he’s making the right noises and putting his foot forward. That’s credit to Dave Warner, it isn’t easy to break perception and he’s put the work in that’s needed to adjust his game to make him able to play first-class cricket. So he’s an example of the new generation that’s been pretty focused on T20 but he’s been able to adapt his game.”Warner’s evolution, and the emergence of the spin bowler Nathan Lyon, has shown that T20 can add to the pool of Australian Test cricketers as much as it takes away. This much was cause for optimism, even as the 9pm closure of the Carriageworks bar reminded all present that CA are gambling on the BBL with a dwindling supply of chips.

Essex overcame a disastrous start to their innings on a day dominated by bowlers to gain the upper hand in their Division Two battle against Derbyshire at Chelmsford

24-Aug-2011
Scorecard
Essex overcame a disastrous start to their innings on a day dominated by bowlers to gain the upper hand in their Division Two battle against Derbyshire at Chelmsford. After the visitors were bowled out for 132, Essex replied with 173 for 7 but not before they had lost both openers for only one run.A horrendous mix-up ended with Tom Westley run out by half the length of the pitch, whilst Billy Godleman was bowled by Tim Groenewald without offering a stroke. When Owais Shah was caught at slip off Tony Palladino with the total on 20, there were doubts about Essex gaining a first-innings lead.But Jaik Mickleburgh and Adam Wheater, with 34 and 31 respectively, were to tip the balance in Essex’s favour with positive strokeplay, while James Foster hit a brisk 25 before he was caught at slip immediately after the visitors’ total had been passed.Before and after Foster’s dismissal, Ryan ten Doeschate rode his luck with several edges to reach a 55-ball half-century, getting to 54 by the close and helping to point the way to a very useful lead despite the loss of Graham Napier, who was bowled for 11 by Palladino with two overs left in the day.Derbyshire were placed firmly on the back foot by David Masters as Foster’s decision to insert his opponents reaped rapid dividends. In an opening spell of eight overs, the country’s leading wicket-taker claimed three victims at a personal cost of 16, while 17-year-old Reece Topley accounted for debutant Matt Lineker for a duck.Masters took full advantage of the swing conditions, starting with the wicket of Martin Guptill when the bowler found the edge to have the opening batsman caught by Ten Doeschate in the slip cordon. Then in his seventh over, Masters struck with successive deliveries to take his season’s Championship tally to 78.Chesney Hughes was trapped lbw while Dan Redfern was undone by a delivery that again found the edge while leaving him late to provide Shah with a comfortable catch. That left the visitors in serious trouble at 28 for 4. Wes Durston and Greg Smith steadied things by carrying the score to 69 before the latter was snapped up by Westley in the slips to give Topley his second success.Durston was by far the pick of the Derbyshire batsmen, catching the eye with several fine drives among his eight boundaries while making 48. He was finally undone when Maurice Chambers found extra lift to have him caught behind and his departure with the total on 104 signalled a swift further decline in the innings.Of those that followed him, only Ross Whiteley reached double figures and he was last out when he hoisted Chambers to long off. Chambers ended with 3 for 34, Masters 3 for 28, Topley 2 for 35 and Napier 2 for 33.

Cecil Marshall, the former Canada allrounder, who represented the side in the 1979 World Cup died on Saturday aged 71

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Sep-2011Cecil Marshall, the former Canada allrounder, who represented the side in the 1979 World Cup died on Saturday aged 71. His performances in the 1979 ICC Trophy helped Canada qualify for the World Cup. His personal highlight in the qualification campaign was against Malaysia, when he top scored with 77 in a match where no one else made a half-century, before taking 3 for 16. After his Canada career, he played cricket and umpired in Ottawa.

The BCCI and ICC have confirmed the DRS will not be in use for the upcoming one-day international series and one-off Twenty20 international between India and England

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Oct-2011

Domestic matches to use new playing conditions

At the June conference, the ICC had also made certain amendments to the playing conditions for international matches, including the use of two new balls for ODIs and the removal of runners, to come into effect from October 1. The BCCI has said that all senior-level domestic matches and tournaments organised by the BCCI will now be played under the amended playing conditions starting with the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy, to be hosted by the Vidarbha Cricket Association from October 10 to October 13.

The BCCI and ICC have confirmed the DRS will not be in use for the upcoming one-day international series and one-off Twenty20 international between India and England. Warren Brennan, the chief executive of BBG Sports, the company behind Hot Spot, had told ESPNcricinfo on October 5 that they would not be making the technology available for the series. Since Hot Spot was made one of the minimum requirements for the DRS during the ICC’s annual conference in June, the ICC has said there will be no reviews for the India-England series.Brennan admitted BBG Sports was disappointed with Hot Spot’s performance during India’s tour of England and said he believed “it did not have BCCI’s support” for the technology following that series. “Following the comments by Mr Srinivasan on September 20 in relation to Hot Spot and the DRS process, BBG Sports believed it did not have the support of the BCCI and promptly decided not to bring the Hot Spot to India for their upcoming home series,” he said in an email to ESPNcricinfo. Srinivasan, the new BCCI president, had criticised Hot Spot after the board’s annual general meeting in Mumbai.Since the DRS will not be in use, the ICC do not require an umpire from their elite panel to be third umpire. Hence they have said Simon Taufel will not be required to officiate in the matches and Billy Bowden will be the only umpire from the elite panel to stand in the series.

A round-up of the first round of matches in the Ford Trophy 2011-12

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Nov-2011The first round of matches in the Ford Trophy 2011-12, New Zealand’s domestic 50-over competition, saw convincing wins for Otago, Auckland and Canterbury.

Otago beat Northern Districts by 111 runs at the University Oval in Dunedin. Craig Cumming was their star with the bat, scoring 123 off 115 balls to help Otago reach a total of 295 for 6 after choosing to bat. Cumming’s innings was supported by useful contributions from 20-year-old Michael Bracewell, who scored 41, and Nathan McCullum, who got 56. Northern Districts’ Bradley Scott was particularly expensive, going for 71 runs in his 10 overs.Northern Districts’ chase was derailed early by seamer Ian Butler, whose two strikes left Northern Districts 29 for 3. James Marshall attempted a recovery and scored 72, but wickets fell in the middle overs, then the tail collapsed and Northern Districts were bowled out for 184 in 39 overs. Butler finished with 5 for 33 while Nathan McCullum picked up three wickets.

Auckland‘s middle and lower order took them out of trouble before Andre Adams combined with the spinners to bowl Wellington out for 177 and deliver a 72-run victory at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln. Auckland chose to bat but were 53 for 4 after losing three wickets in the space of four balls: two to fast bowler Scott Kuggeleijn and one to James Franklin. Anaru Kitchen and Colin de Grandhomme put on 56 for the fifth wicket but then fell in quick succession. Auckland’s lower order, though, ensured they posted a competitive total. Kyle Mills scored 27, Andre Adams got 33 off 27 balls and Ronnie Hira top-scored with 48 off 39 to take Auckland to 249 all out in 49.4 overs.Wellington’s chase got off to a solid stand thanks to Michael Papps’ half-century but wickets started to tumble once Adams and the spinners came into the attack. Adams finished with 5 for 29, spinners Hira and Bhupinder Singh took two wickets each and Wellington were bowled out for 177.

Four wickets from seamer Matt Henry scuppered Central Districts’ chase and gave Canterbury victory by 66 runs at the Mainpower Oval in Rangiora. Central Districts were in the game at 144 for 2 in the 30th over, chasing 268, and Ben Smith and Mathew Sinclair on half-centuries. Sinclair fell to legspinner Todd Astle and Henry then took two quick wickets to derail the chase. Central Districts ended up being bowled out for 202 and Henry finished with 4 for 25.Canterbury’s total had been built around half-centuries from George Worker, Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls. They elected to bat and lost two wickets within the first three overs before Worker and Latham’s 95-run partnership bailed them out of trouble. Worker was dismissed for 50 but Nicholls came in and formed another important partnership with Latham. Nicholls batted on after Latham was dismissed for 78 and finished with 74 not out.

Australia will need to manage the workload of their young fast bowler Pat Cummins, according to the captain Michael Clarke

Brydon Coverdale in Johannesburg22-Nov-2011Australia will need to manage the workload of their young fast bowler Pat Cummins, according to the captain Michael Clarke. Cummins was Man of the Match in his first Test thanks to his seven wickets at the Wanderers, where he also struck the winning runs in a display that was more mature than most people expected of an 18-year-old.Fans are excited about seeing Cummins play at home, but with six Tests coming up this summer – two against New Zealand and four against India – it will be a heavy burden on Cummins if he is to play all of Australia’s matches. Apart from the Tests, Australia will play two Twenty20s against India in January, and up to 11 one-day internationals in the tri-series with India and Sri Lanka.Cummins is contracted to Cricket Australia but he could also have state commitments with New South Wales when time permits. This time last year he had not yet played for his state, and Australia will need to ensure they do not ask too much of Cummins in his first year of full-time cricket.”We’ve got to be smart,” Clarke said. “I don’t think it’s possible for Paddy right now to play all forms of the game for Australia. To play every single game I think would be silly. That’s only my opinion. We need to speak to the selectors and we need to make a plan for him, because he’s got a bright future. He’s got the potential to be an amazing cricketer for Australia, and we have to be smart and make sure we look after him.”In Johannebsurg, Cummins was Australia’s best bowler and took 6 for 79 in the second innings, his swing, pace and aggression turning the match in Australia’s favour when South Africa could have shut them out. He was also calm when he came to the crease with Australia needing 18 runs to win with two wickets in hand; he hit 13 of them, including a four off Imran Tahir to seal the result.”He’s an amazing talent,” Clarke said. “He’s shown that in the shorter forms of the game. He’s shown that throughout this Test. The one thing that continues to impress me is not just his bowling. I’ve made it very clear to him that I think he’s a very good batsman, with a lot of talent. He just needs to continue to work hard with that. He’s as good an athlete in the field as we’ve had come into this team for a while.”While Cummins was the standout, his bag of wickets only highlighted the lack of victims claimed by the more senior fast bowlers, Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle. Cummins will surely be the first bowler selected for the opening Test against New Zealand at the Gabba, starting on December 1, but Clarke said it was not a concern that Australia had relied so heavily on a teenage debutant in Johannesburg.”I couldn’t be happier, I don’t care who gets the wickets,” Clarke said. “I said that in Sri Lanka, Michael Hussey can get ten-for, I don’t care who gets the wickets. I just want 20 wickets and I want to get more runs than the opposition. It was Paddy’s day. First Test in Brisbane could be Peter Siddle’s day or Mitchell Johnson’s day.”

The Sri Lanka sports minister, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, has said that the Sri Lanka players would be paid 65% of their dues within the next two weeks

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Dec-2011The Sri Lanka sports minister, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, has said that the Sri Lanka players would be paid 65% of their dues within the next two weeks, while the balance amount would be paid by January 15 next year.”We will be able to complete the full payment by January,” Altuthgamage told the Sri Lankan parliament on Tuesday.Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has not paid their players their salaries since the 2011 World Cup ended in April after running up debts of US$32.5 million to finance the building of two international cricket stadiums in Hambantota and Pallekele, and to renovate the ground in Colombo, for the World Cup.Aluthgamage said that the ICC had agreed to pay US$2 million to SLC and that the coach and players would be paid out of those funds. The Sri Lankan Cricketers’ Association (SLCA) has contacted the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) seeking assistance over the delay in the cricketers’ salaries for series following the World Cup this year.South Africa’s cricketers lent their support to the Sri Lanka players ahead of the upcoming bilateral series between the sides, saying it was a credit to the Sri Lanka team that they had kept going, but the issue needed to be resolved soon.Tillakaratne Dilshan, the Sri Lanka captain, said the board had told him they would try and sort out the payments within the next week. ” We discussed with the Cricket Association last week and they promised it will be sorted out before the Test match, Dilshan told reporters at a press conference in Benoni. “I can’t push more than that. I’m here to play cricket. I have to focus on that.”Dilshan also thanked the South Africa players and FICA for their support. “It [statement by SA cricketers] has definitely helped. Thanks to Graeme Smith and AB [de Villiers] for giving a statement, and to FICA.”Sri Lanka have struggled since the World Cup, losing Test and ODI series to Australia, England and Pakistan. But Dilshan said he didn’t think that the payment saga had affected his team’s performances. “We try to play good cricket. Everyone wants to play cricket. We are not worried about payments. We know it is important but we have come here [South Africa] to play cricket. That’s the main target as a team.”