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Head coach calls suspension of Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis and Dickwella ‘a massive blow’ to the team’s chances

Madushka Balasuriya02-Oct-2021The year hasn’t been ideal for Sri Lanka in terms of World Cup preparations. Three of their premier white-ball batters have been handed year-long suspensions, and another is just feeling his way back from injury. But head coach Mickey Arthur believes his side is coming together nicely, even if the batting remains a work in progress.”I think the good thing with squad we’ve got at the moment is that we can be flexible, we can certainly be flexible in terms of how we set our team up,” Arthur, speaking a day ahead of his team’s flight out to Oman for the T20 World Cup first round, said. Sri Lanka have to slug it out with seven other teams to get to the main competition, featuring the top-eight teams and four qualifiers.Related

• T20 World Cup: Sri Lanka add Dananjaya, Kumara, Binura and Nissanka to squad

• Jayawardene to join SL support staff during T20 WC qualifiers

• Sandakan, Nissanka among five additions to SL squad

“I’ve been watching the IPL very intently because we’re going to be playing on the same wickets [during the World Cup]. Looking at the conditions, we’ll probably go two seamers and two spinners, and then our allrounders, and potentially another part time spinner from our top-order batsman. But we are flexible enough – if the wickets dry out considerably – to go with three out-and-out spinners.”Sri Lanka begin their T20 World Cup campaign on October 18 with the first of three qualifying games – against Namibia, Ireland and the Netherlands – but prior to that, they square off in two T20s against Oman on October 7 and 9. The team will also have two warm-up games, against Bangladesh and Papua New Guinea, on October 12 and 14.While the calibre of the competition in these games might not be as high as what Sri Lanka re likely to face if they make it to the World Cup proper, at this point, simply playing some competitive cricket is arguably the most important thing. Especially in terms of getting the batting in gear.”That [the batting] is an area we’ve worked extremely hard on over the past nine days. We’ve had three practice games, we’ve had some skill sessions to prepare players to sweep, we identified where and how we want our players to play. We’ve almost scripted a game,” Arthur said. “I think if our batting clicks it’ll give us a really good chance, because I think our bowling attack is very good and our fielding standards have improved dramatically.”We’ve been very clear in what we want our players to do in terms of our match practice, and then we’ve gone to nets after that, reviewed it and practiced it. So, I’m really comfortable now that we have got better at it. But it’s certainly a work in progress. There’s no magic wand here.”One of key areas being looked at has been Sri Lanka’s running between the wickets. In a team lacking big-hitters, Arthur believes an ability to limit dot balls would be crucial in being able to set and chase imposing totals. “That’s something I’ve been working on for the last nine months with our group,” he said. “It’s easy to stand and try and hit boundaries, but having the ability to deflect a ball into a gap off a good ball is a real art. That’s the real art of batsmanship. So, we’ve done a lot of drills during this phase, and we’ve harped on that.”That said, in Chamika Karunaratne, Sri Lanka do have one player capable of clearing the boundary comfortably – as showcased numerous times in the recent home series against South Africa. In a squad that allows for a lot of flexibility, Karunaratne would likely play a key role in helping up the tempo for the side when necessary.Mickey Arthur gives his final decision during a nets session•PA Images via Getty Images

“He will have a floating role,” Arthur said. “What we’ve done over the last couple of training sessions and practice games is that we’ve given clear identification as to at what stage each player comes to the wicket, and what’s the skill set required for that particular stage of the game.”So he clearly fits in there. We want to get him probably overs 15-20, so that him, Dasun Shanaka and Wanindu Hasaranga sort of fix that berth for us.”However, without the suspended top-order trio of Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis and Niroshan Dickwella, much of the batting responsibility would have to be shouldered by Kusal Perera, himself on his way back from injury.”That [the suspensions] was a massive blow for us. You’re talking about three of your top-five batters in the white-ball format there. That was a bitter pill to swallow for sure. You suddenly got back to square one in terms of your planning again,” Arthur said. “It was really disappointing, but it led us to find the likes of Charith Asalanka, who has come on beautifully, Kamindu Mendis, who’s playing beautifully, Pathum Nissanka probably got another opportunity again. It’s allowed Dinesh Chandimal to come back into the mix. Bhanuka Rajapaksa to come back into the mix. So out of that adversity it’s allowed opportunities to other players.”As for Perera, Arthur confirmed that the former skipper had been taking part in the intra-squad matches over the past few days and shown “absolutely no signs of injury” – though the plan was still to ease him back in to the side. “He has been working unbelievably hard with the physio. He batted today, he went out and setup the innings beautifully with young Pathum Nissanka. He played an exceptional innings and showed absolutely no signs of any injury. We’ll still take it slow with him, because he’s one of our major players.”We’ll have him in tip-top condition come the first game on the 18th. But how do we use him in the coming games? Perhaps he plays two out of four.”

News from around the grounds after the first round of Bob Willis Trophy fixtures

Matt Roller06-Aug-2020When counties first started to make live fixed-camera footage of their Championship matches available on their websites several years ago, few around the grounds expected much would come of it.But demand among fans has been huge over recent years, and when the ECB finalised the terms of its new broadcast deal for 2020-24, several counties were delighted to hear that their wish for the strict restrictions previously imposed on them would be lifted.As a result, multi-camera streams were on offer to the public for eight of the nine first-round Bob Willis Trophy fixtures, with Lancashire keeping theirs for members only. The majority are synced up to BBC radio commentary, though Middlesex will hire separate broadcasters for their feed next week with some advertisements between overs. Surrey’s partnership with Facebook has been beneficial, with the club attracting around 200,000 viewers a day and streaming over 13,000 hours of coverage. A major change this year has been the fact that streams no longer have to appear ‘unlisted’ on YouTube, meaning they are now accessible from club’s profile pages and in search results. Somerset realised how much traffic they were missing out on when a pre-season friendly against Cardiff MCCU (which fell outside the terms of the broadcast deal) attracted thousands of views via search results, with Pakistani fans keen to watch Azhar Ali bat live.”We ticked over 250,000 playbacks over the four days this week,” said Ben Warren, Somerset’s digital executive. “On day three we had 125,000 playbacks and views – we’ve never had that many for a day of red-ball cricket before. We’re still learning on the job – this isn’t quite live broadcasting, but we’ve got the two analyst cams, three fixed cameras around the ground, a slow-mo and a manned camera. It’s a massive jump into a different world.”In particular, Warren is hopeful that if Babar Azam is able to fulfil his T20 Blast contract, the club will see a flood of views similar to the one that forced him to upgrade the server capacity on their website last year. “If he does come, it’s a massive opportunity for us with audiences,” he said.***To lose one Overton may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both would look like carelessness. So after Jamie’s departure to Surrey on a three-year contract was confirmed last week, it was a major boost for Somerset when twin Craig committed his future to the club on Thursday.The pair shared 14 Glamorgan wickets in a convincing win this week, during which Craig had kept his cards close to his chest about his future at the club. “We’re still in negotiations,” he said. “It’s quite a tricky time.” But despite offers from elsewhere, he has signed a three-year deal which will keep him at the club until 2023.Jamie is currently set to stay at Somerset until the end of the season, but admitted he is approaching cricket on a “game-to-game basis” and did not rule out moving to Surrey on loan before his new deal starts.Overton went on loan to Northants in order to get playing time last season•Getty Images

“It’s probably taken me six or seven months to finally decide,” he said. “At times I feel like I’m a little bit down the pecking order here. Going out on loan [to Northants] last year didn’t really help. I want to be playing cricket.”I’m getting to an age where if I don’t play for England in the next three years, then I’m probably not going to, and that’s really what I want to do. I’ve got to be playing week in, week out to prove that I can do it at that level.”***Every team that finished in the bottom five of Division Two last year won their opening game this week, with dramatic run chases pulled off by Derbyshire, who chased 365 against Notts with all of one ball remaining, and Leicestershire, who overhauled their target of 150 in 17 overs with eight balls to spare.Head coach Paul Nixon was understandably delighted, but could not resist a sly dig. “Lancashire didn’t want to come to the Fischer County Ground, and that gave us a little more steel,” he said. “We were disappointed not to play at Grace Road after all the work by so many people put into making our ground ready.”In truth, it was hardly a surprise that Lancashire were reluctant to travel to a city that had been subject to a local lockdown for three weeks – though it will be intriguing to see if they still expect Nottinghamshire to come to Emirates Old Trafford on August 15, after stricter measures were imposed in Greater Manchester last week.***On top of their primary aim, a handful of Ireland players went into their ODI series against England with the prospect of a T20 Blast contract at the back of their minds. As a result of their rise to Test status, Irish players cannot play as locals in county cricket this year, with Paul Stirling already signed up to appear for Northamptonshire in the Blast on an overseas deal.Curtis Campher leaps into his delivery stride•Getty Images

And it seems that at least one man has done enough to interest counties, with Leicestershire understood to be considering breakout star Curtis Campher as a possible replacement if Janneman Malan is unable to join for the Blast. Andy Balbirnie’s nerveless hundred in the third ODI may also have earned him a suitor.***There was general bemusement at New Road when Dieter Klein, Leicestershire’s left-arm seamer, decided to throw the ball back at Lancashire’s Rob Jones in his follow-through despite the fact the batsman had not left his crease. Jones was struck on the left boot and hobbled off towards square leg, with the umpires awarding Lancashire five penalty runs for his troubles, judging Klein’s throw to have been in an “inappropriate and dangerous manner”. Klein is likely to escape any major sanction, but will have three points added to his disciplinary record. If he makes two more similar breaches in the next two years, he will incur an automatic suspension.***Flats overlooking county grounds have always been premium real estate for diehard cricket fans, but especially so in the world of behind-closed-doors games. At The Oval, Middlesex’s centurion Nick Gubbins acknowledged the handful of supporters sat on the balcony of an adjacent flat when reaching his landmark, while Somerset tweeted that a fan in the retirement flats at deep midwicket had told the umpires to “get on with it” during a rain delay at Taunton.***England’s white-ball players are set to return to county action this week, with Yorkshire confirming that Jonny Bairstow will take the gloves in their next two games as he looks to push his case for a Test recall.There have been some concerns about bowlers’ fitness to play red-ball cricket after focusing on limited-overs skills for several weeks, with Warwickshire asking Henry Brookes to play for his club Knowle and Dorridge last weekend after his return from the Ageas Bowl bubble. Steven Finn, meanwhile, was deemed surplus to requirements for Middlesex’s first game of the season, instead taking 1 for 31 from his seven overs for Hampstead.

He was also expected to take up a short county stint in England to acclimatise ahead of the World Cup, but he wanted to stay in South Africa to be closer to his ailing father

Liam Brickhill04-Apr-2019Hashim Amla will return to cricket with the Cape Cobras during Cricket South Africa’s upcoming T20 Challenge, coach Ashwell Prince confirmed in Cape Town on Thursday. Prince also revealed that CSA were hoping Amla would be able to take up a short county stint in England to acclimatise ahead of the World Cup, but Amla wanted to stay in South Africa to be closer to his ailing father.”He is available,” Prince said at Newlands. “My understanding is that CSA would have preferred for him to be playing in the UK, but he wanted to be closer to home.”Cape Cobras will play five games in the domestic T20 tournament before South Africa’s World Cup squad is named on 18 April, and their tournament opener against Lions at the Wanderers on Sunday will be Amla’s first participation in competitive cricket since March 1. Amla last played
for South Africa in the two Tests against Sri Lanka in February, and was granted compassionate leave from the one-day squad to be with his critically ill father.The situation has improved a little but Amla, who turned 36 on March 31, is short of form and match practice ahead of the deadline for the announcement of South Africa’s World Cup squad. His place in that squad is not settled, and CSA’s selection convener Linda Zondi
told that the process of deciding upon that squad is giving him “sleepless nights”. Amla started this season in dreadful form, averaging just 10.14 with the bat with two ducks in seven innings for Durban Heat in the Mzansi Super League before turning things around somewhat with vital runs – including a 27th ODI hundred – during Pakistan’s visit. After some time away from the game to be with his family, Amla returned to the nets in Durban this week and will be flying to Cape Town to join the Cobras squad ahead of their first game of the CSA T20 Challenge. Prince believes that the tournament could provide Amla with valuable time in the middle.”I don’t think extending an innings has ever been a problem for Hashim,” Prince said. “It’s about getting in. In the Mzansi Super League, he didn’t manage that, which can happen after a long lay-off.”I still think there is a place for somebody to bat through the innings, and he is well capable of doing that. If he bats through the innings at a 120/130 strike rate, it allows other more natural ball strikers to play their game around him. There is an opportunity for Hashim to bat through the innings and if he does that half the time, then I think he is getting enough batting.”Prince also confirmed that JP Duminy will not be available for the Cobras’ first few games of the tournament as his rehabilitation from a shoulder injury that necessitated surgery and kept him out of action for most of the summer continues with strength and conditioning work as per CSA’s wishes.

Afghanistan were cruising in their chase of 197 but then they collapsed, before their last wicket took them within touching distance of victory. But it wasn’t to be.

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Mar-2018
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WATCH – Bulawayo goes wild as Zimbabwe win thriller

A match that swung one way and then the other several times boiled down to an incredibly tense finish in Bulawayo, where Afghanistan’s last wicket slowly whittled away at the target set by Zimbabwe. The Zadrans – Dawlat and Shapoor – had added 17 in 8.1 overs for the final wicket, bringing the equation down to three needed off four balls. But the half hour of unbearable tension finally ended in joy for Zimbabwe, as Brian Vitori drew the edge from Shapoor and wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor took the catch to seal a two-run victory.The result left Zimbabwe well placed to progress from Group B, having won two out of two matches along with Scotland. Afghanistan, on the other hand, suffered their second defeat in as many games, and can afford no slip-ups against Nepal and Hong Kong if they are to make the Super Sixes.
The possibility of a Zimbabwe victory seemed remote after they had been dismissed for 196 in 43 overs. And more so after Rahmat Shah and Mohammad Nabi steered Afghanistan to 156 for 3 in the chase with a 98-run partnership.Blessing Muzarabani gave Zimbabwe a small opening, trapping Shah for 69, and then Sikandar Raza turned the game on its head by striking three times in the 37th over. His dismissals of Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf and Rashid Khan reduced Afghanistan to 169 for 7. And when two more wickets fell cheaply, the visitors had lost 6 for 21 and all seemed lost.Dawlat and Shapoor came together for the tenth wicket with Afghanistan needing 20 off 53 balls. They went about their task slowly, playing out plenty of dots as they eked out run after run, and victory – once so improbable – now was within sight. They stumbled eventually, only three runs from victory. Muzarabani’s four-wicket haul was his career-best performance.Before the Afghanistan collapse, Zimbabwe had been on the back foot for most part of the match. Electing to bat, they were set back immediately, losing their top three for just 17 in seven overs. Brendan Taylor and Raza revived the innings with counter attacking half-centuries and a 98-run stand.Taylor smashed seven fours and three sixes in his 88-ball 89 before being the fifth wicket to fall. Then Rashid, Afghanistan’s stand-in captain, dismissed the in-form Raza – he was coming off a century against Nepal – for a 68-ball 60. That triggered the innings’ second collapse.Barring Graeme Cremer, who stuck around to make an unbeaten 19, the other four lower-order batsmen quickly fell prey to Rashid and mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Both these spinners finished with three wickets apiece. In total, Zimbabwe lost 7 for 118 to spin, while fast bowler Dawlat Zadran took two wickets.As many as four Zimbabwe batsmen, including opener Cephas Zhuwao, who had made a belligerent 23-ball 41 against Nepal, were out without scoring. Their total of 196 seemed inadequate, until Afghanistan suffered a spectacular collapse of their own.

Stafanie Taylor struck 90 off 51 balls to help West Indies chase down 151 with six wickets and five balls to spare against India Women in the first T20I in Vijayawada

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Nov-2016
ScorecardFile photo – Stafanie Taylor dominated a third-wicket stand of 70 with Merissa Aguilleira to help West Indies chase down 151•Getty Images/ICC

Stafanie Taylor dominated West Indies’ chase of 151, slamming 90 off 51 balls to take them to 154 for 4 in 19.1 overs and a six-wicket win in the first T20 international against India Women in Mulapadu. Taylor slapped 12 fours and three sixes and scored over 58 percent of West Indies’ runs. That, after India Women put up 150 for 4, with Harmanpreet Kaur justifying her decision to make first use of the surface with an unbeaten 68, and Veda Krishnamurthy scoring an even 50.Taylor began by playing second fiddle to Hayley Matthews in a brisk opening stand of 31 in four overs. After Matthews’ dismissal for 18, Taylor took charge of proceedings, dominating partnerships of 40 for the second wicket with Britney Cooper (16) and wicketkeeper Merissa Aguilleira, with whom she added 70 for the third wicket. When Aguilleira fell, three balls after Taylor, she had scored just 15. It was Shikha Pandey, the right-arm medium pacer, who dismissed both batsmen, but by then, West Indies were left with just nine to get off 13 balls, and Deandra Dottin and Kycia Knight saw them home with five balls remaining. Pandey finished with 3 for 31 in four overs, while Preeti Bose, the offspinner, took the other wicket, having Cooper stumped.West Indies could have been chasing much lesser after having reduced India to 28 for 2 in the sixth over with their new-ball duo of Shakera Selman and Dottin sending back both the openers. Krishnamurthy and Kaur repaired the damage with a third-wicket partnership of 88 off 69 balls. Krishnamurthy fell for 50 off 46 balls, but Kaur stayed till the end to lift the total. Kaur played a more brisk 68 off 50 balls with the help of six fours and three sixes.Selman and Dottin were both economical and took three wickets between them. Matthews, though wicketless, kept India quiet, giving away just 14 runs in four overs.The second match takes place on Sunday, before the series concludes on Tuesday. Both matches take place at the same venue.

Dale Steyn could spend the rest of the Mohali Test as a spectator after picking up a groin strain in the field on the second day

Firdose Moonda in Mohali06-Nov-2015Dale Steyn could spend the rest of the Mohali Test as a spectator after picking up a groin strain in the field on the second day. Steyn did not bowl at all in India’s second innings as a “precaution,” according to the CSA Twitter feed at the time, but the post-day analysis appears more serious.”I think he’s struggling. I think he has got a groin strain and I can’t see him bowling tomorrow,” Claude Henderson, South Africa’s spin consultant, said.The news will come as a blow to South Africa, who are looking to limit India’s lead, which has already reached 142 by the end of the second day, and may have looked to Steyn to generate reverse swing. They will not lack for an option in out and out pace though, with Kagiso Rabada bowling at around 145 kph plus.Steyn’s absence will leave Vernon Philander to lead the attack, with Morne Morkel missing the match through injury and will force South Africa to rely more heavily on spin. Henderson hopes legspinner Imran Tahir, who has taken three wickets so far but has been used sparingly by Hashim Amla, will have the opportunity to make more of an impact.”Imran Tahir has just come back into Test cricket. He is seen as an attacking bowler by Hashim, so maybe that’s why he is using him in short spells, and Dean Elgar took four wickets in the first innings. But I agree, I would have loved to see him bowl longer today. Maybe that will happen tomorrow,” Henderson said. “The good sign is I’ve seen Imran bowl a few balls in the last session that turned and bounced.”That sign may not be so good for South Africa’s chase, which is already looking tough, and which Henderson said could get tougher as soon as India’s lead pops over the 200-run mark. “We need wickets early to try to create some pressure. Anything above 200 will be challenging,” he said. “But I’ve seen this team do some special things. With our batting line-up I wouldn’t be at ease if I was India because there’s a lot of time left in this game. But you don’t want to go past 300.”

A collective batting performance from the Australia Under-19 top order helped the side beat New Zealand Under-19 by eight wickets, as they took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Apr-2013
ScorecardA collective batting performance from the Australia Under-19 top order helped the side beat New Zealand Under-19 by eight wickets, as they took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.Chasing 241, the Australia openers got off to a strong start, as Matthew Short and captain Damien Mortimer added 109 runs at over six runs per over. Short struck a brisk 73 off 60 balls, which included 12 fours, before being dismissed by Rakith Weerasundara in the 18th over. After Mortimer fell in the 26th over, Sean Willis and Kelvin Smith added 101 runs for the third wicket, hitting well-paced half-centuries, to take their side home with more than five overs to spare.Earlier, Australia pace bowlers Matthew Fotia and Guy Walker took three wickets each to restrict New Zealand to 240 for 8. Walker was particularly effective against the top order, dismissing opener Weerasundara for 36 and then Shawn Hicks and captain Leo Carter in quick succession. A 77-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Henry Collier and Ken McClure revived the New Zealand innings, with Collier scoring a solid 133-ball 86. However, the loss of quick wickets towards the end of the innings meant that Australia were left with a modest total to chase.

ESPNcricinfo previews the second West Indies-Australia Test, in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad

The Preview by Brydon Coverdale15-Apr-2012

Match facts

April 15-19, Queen’s Park Oval
Start time 1000 (1400 GMT)If Shivnarine Chanderpaul finds a partner who is willing and able to stay at the crease with him, Australia could face another lengthy stay in the field•AFP

Big Picture

The teams have moved on to Trinidad and the big question for Darren Sammy’s West Indies side is how they can recover from the disappointment of losing a Test that was there for them to win. For the first three days at Kensington Oval, West Indies were on top. When they dismissed Michael Hussey early on the fourth morning and held a 200-run lead with only four more Australia wickets to take in the first innings, West Indies were in a position from which they simply should not have lost the match. But Australia’s fighting qualities, Michael Clarke’s aggressive declaration and the home side’s fragility combined to create a memorable finale to the Test, as Australia bowled West Indies out cheaply a second time and then chased down 192 with the light fading late on the fifth afternoon.Sammy and the coach Ottis Gibson must find a way to instil belief in West Indies players whose confidence was shot by those last two days in Barbados. The spin-friendly conditions in Trinidad might help them, for Devendra Bishoo bowled well in the first Test without reaping significant rewards. It could boost Nathan Lyon too, who did not have his finest Test and needs to regain his self-confidence. Most importantly, West Indies have to find a way to play out five days of a Test at high quality. In 2008, they matched Australia for a few days of each Test but were always let down by a trough at some point in the game. It happened again in Barbados last week.Australia can take a lot from the way they fought back from a losing position. Theirs is a side with a mixture of experience and youth, and they have now won five Tests in a row, not losing since New Zealand surprised them in Hobart in early December. Clarke’s captaincy credentials were already high and have been boosted further by his declaration when still behind in Bridgetown, in an effort to force a result. His confidence appears to be rubbing off on his men. If they win in Trinidad they will retain the Frank Worrell Trophy and will win the series, so West Indies cannot afford to be slow out of the blocks in this match.

Form guide

West Indies LDLLW (Most recent first)
Australia WWWWW

In the spotlight

How do you solve a problem like Shivnarine Chanderpaul? Eventually Australia managed to do so in the second innings in Bridgetown, when he was squared up by Ryan Harris, but he had already made an unbeaten first-innings century. It was the fifth hundred Chanderpaul had made in the seven home Tests he has played against Australia. His last nine home innings against them read 104, 118, 11, 107 not out, 77 not out, 79 not out, 50, 103 not out, 12. If Chanderpaul finds a partner who is willing and able to stick with him, Australia could face a long, long time in the field.Ricky Ponting is the only member of this Australia squad who has played a Test in Trinidad, and it was one of his very best. Back in 2003, Ponting scored 206 and 45 at Queen’s Park Oval, and it was his first Test double-century. Last week in Barbados he was the unfortunate victim of a Shane Watson-scripted run-out and in the second innings was bowled when a ball stayed very low. However, he is coming off one of his finest Test series, against India, and will be keen for a long stay in the middle.

Team news

West Indies have included the offspinner Shane Shillingford in a 14-man squad and given the nature of the pitch they will consider a two-man spin attack in Shillingford and Devendra Bishoo, with Narsingh Deonarine as a backup. Should they include Shillingford, Fidel Edwards might be the man to miss out, for Kemar Roach was more of a threat in Barbados.West Indies (possible) 1 Adrian Barath, 2 Kraigg Brathwaite, 3 Kirk Edwards, 4 Darren Bravo, 5 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 6 Narsingh Deonarine, 7 Carlton Baugh (wk), 8 Darren Sammy (capt), 9 Shane Shillingford, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Devendra Bishoo.Australia will consider two spinners as well, but including Michael Beer at the expense of one of three in-form fast bowlers would be a big call. Were they to make that decision, Ben Hilfenhaus might be the unlucky one to miss out, given that the pitch will also help fast men who attack the stumps, but the more likely scenario is that no change will be made from the side that won at Kensington Oval.Australia (possible) 1 Ed Cowan, 2 David Warner, 3 Shane Watson, 4 Ricky Ponting, 5 Michael Clarke (capt), 6 Michael Hussey, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Peter Siddle, 9 Ryan Harris, 10 Ben Hilfenhaus, 11 Nathan Lyon.

Pitch and conditions

The Trinidad pitch was very dry on the day before the Test and is expected to provide significant assistance to the spinners, so much so that it even drew comparisons to Kanpur from Australia coach Mickey Arthur. Rain is expected to affect every day of the Test.

Stats and trivia

• Shivnarine Chanderpaul needs 176 runs to become the second West Indies player to reach 10,000 in Tests. Given that he averages 81.40 per innings in home Tests against Australia, it is not out of the question he could reach the milestone in this match
• Of the five home venues at which West Indies have played the most Tests, their record is the worst at Queen’s Park Oval, where they have won only 18 of 57 Tests

Quotes

“We spoke about it, we just need to be mentally prepared to bat in two innings of a Test match.”
“I think in [sharply spinning] conditions you just have to have a plan and stick with it through thick and thin, and that’s probably been my attitude towards spin bowling my whole career. I do get out to spin bowling but I do find I have a plan against spin bowling and I’m going to back that.”

Given the deep pockets of their respective IPL franchises, and the compelling talent at their disposal, it is surprising that neither Mumbai nor Delhi have managed to win the IPL yet

The Preview by Nitin Sundar09-Apr-2011

Match facts

These two men are now team-mates. It happens only in the IPL!•Getty Images

Sunday, April 10
Start time 1600 (1030 GMT)

Big picture

It’s the clash between the two biggest cities in India, and arguably the biggest cricketing centres in the country. Given the deep pockets of their respective IPL franchises, and the compelling talent at their disposal, it is surprising that neither side has managed to win the IPL yet. Mumbai endured a forgettable first two seasons before sparking into life last year. Yet, they were pipped at the final hurdle by a Chennai side with better big-match temperament. Delhi muscled their way to the semi-finals in 2008 and 2009 before choking in the knockouts. Last year was even worse, as they stuttered at the end of the league stage and missed out on the semi-finals.If anything, Delhi will find the going even tougher this year. The addition of two new franchises and the churn at the auctions have resulted in a massive drain of talent from their side. AB de Villiers, Daniel Vettori, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dirk Nannes and Paul Collingwood have all moved away – names big enough to form a new IPL team, may be the Delhi Exodus Eleven?Yet, Delhi have managed to retain their biggest player. Virender Sehwag plays Test cricket at one-day pace and ODIs at Twenty20 pace. It leaves him in a quandary while playing the shortest form of the game – there’s no higher gear left for him to find in Twenty20s, and he succumbs attempting outrageous shots. This year, he will want to temper his aggression, given that he has David Warner and Aaron Finch in his side, two of the most exciting Australian Twenty20 talents. Morne Morkel is an impressive addition to the bowling attack, but unless Irfan Pathan steps up, Delhi will struggle to contain good batting line-ups.Mumbai once again look great on paper. They lost Zaheer Khan and Saurabh Tiwary in the auction, but have held on to their remaining game-breakers. In addition, they have pulled in Rohit Sharma, who walks on water every IPL season before inexplicably slipping into laziness for the rest of the year. Sachin Tendulkar, as always, holds the key, but all eyes will be on old buddies Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds. On the international stage, they could barely stand each other’s presence, but the beauty of franchise cricket is that it has managed to bring them together and might even spark off an interesting friendship. Mumbai will hope Munaf Patel can plug at least a part of the Zaheer-shaped void in the side.

Team talk

Kieron Pollard and Lasith Malinga are automatic overseas picks for Mumbai, barring injury worries. Davy Jacobs and Dilhara Fernando will hope to take the other two spots, unless Mumbai choose to go the Kolkata way and go in with fewer than four foreign players. Aditya Tare is a specialist wicketkeeper, but Ambati Rayudu was preferred last year. Jacobs is also capable of doing the job behind the stumps.Delhi’s fate will hinge on how quickly Irfan Pathan can rediscover his swing. And on whether Ajit Agarkar can, at long last, find a way to bowl economically. Given the absence of big names, this could be their season for team efforts. Warner is expected to open, while Andrew McDonald and Morkel are shoo-ins for the starting XI. Naman Ojha may be pushed down the order, though he is likely to keep wicket if he plays.

In the spotlight

Davy Jacobs took over leadership of the floundering Warriors franchise, and turned things around with his inspiring presence, guiding them to the final of the 2010 Champions League. Though Mumbai did not play Warriors in that tournament, Tendulkar would have noted Jacobs’ exploits at the top. Jacobs’ batting technique is founded upon an ability to jump back deep in the crease and plunder anything marginally outside off stump, with a powerful uncocking of the wrists. Will Tendulkar nominate Jacobs as his opening partner?The portly, bespectacled, gum-popping Aaron Finch was the other batting hero of the Champions League. He has the ability to pace an innings perfectly, and murder spinners when they err in length. R Ashwin found this out the hard way when Chennai lost to Victoria in a group game in the Champions League. Will Harbhajan Singh have better plans in place?

Prime numbers

Plays of the Day from the IPL fixture between Delhi Daredevils and Rajasthan Royals in Delhi

Jamie Alter at the Feroz Shah Kotla31-Mar-2010
Shaun Tait had an utterly forgettable day•Kanishkaa Balachandran/ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Nervy start
Early signs were that Rajasthan Royals were on going to have their task cut out. Shane Warne again opted to start the innings with Yusuf Pathan’s offspin, and Virender Sehwag thumped a six and four to get the crowd going. In the second over, bowled by Sumit Narwal, the previous game’s centurion David Warner was dropped on 1 by Siddharth Trivedi at mid-on. Warne then gave the ball to Adam Voges for some left-arm spin and Sehwag smacked two boundaries.How quickly the tables turn
A high-octane fourth over snapped Delhi’s momentum. Narwal had his revenge first ball of the next over when beat Warner’s bat with a lovely yorker. Immediately, he set off in wild and understandably animated celebrations, sort of like what Monty Panesar used to do in his days playing for England, only minus the goofy leap and inability to connect palms with the nearest fielder. Two balls later the bowler was again buzzing all over the place after Sehwag top-edged a skier to deep square leg.Ojha to the rescue
During the aforementioned double-wicket over, the Rajasthan wicketkeeper Naman Ojha’s alertness saved his side five runs. Gautam Gambhir charged Narwal and got an inside edge. The ball beat Ojha and was headed at the helmet placed a few yards behind him, but he turned and sprinted after it, then dived forward to stop it hitting the helmet. Talk about a speedy recovery.Colly’s gotta go
Start as you mean to go on, goes the old adage. That’s just what Paul Collingwood tried to do after Delhi were jolted by the loss of their dynamic openers. He made excellent contact to the first ball faced, pulling Shaun Tait for six, and followed up with two boundaries. With a strike-rate of 200, Collingwood was run out by some excellent fielding. Gambhir struck the ball to Voges’ right at point, but Collingwood was hesitant initially and a late reaction sent him packing. After a blazing start, Collingwood had problems switching gears and was out for 16 from eight balls.A much-needed over
Delhi’s innings had been deprived of momentum from the start, and just when an excellent stand was shaping to explode, Gambhir was dismissed to leave the hosts at 148 for 6 after 17 overs. Enter Shaun Tait, who Warne said at the toss had been eager to really flatten Delhi with his pace. Who was left deflated was evident after the over, which cost 20. Tait began with a beamer that flew away for five runs, and a well-set Dinesh Karthik carted the last three deliveries for boundaries.All hot air
Tait’s evening finished with him becoming the proud owner of the most expensive spell in this IPL. Andrew McDonald hit the first ball for four, and Karthik dumped the fifth for six. But off the ball before, Karthik had refused a single to cover. It transpired that Tait had said something to Karthik, and clearly the batsman had something to respond with. Tait did pick up a wicket with the final ball of the innings, but with figures of 1 for 53, out of which Karthik scored 27, it was evident who had bragging rights.Good arm
Delhi’s assistant coach Eric Simons rates Sarabjit Ladda, the legspinner drafted into the squad this season, as a real talent. Ladda hasn’t returned that praise with a bag of wickets so far, but he used his right arm to good affect. Voges clipped a slower ball past midwicket but some hesitancy saw him shoo back Abhishek Jhunjhunwala after he was a ways down for the second. Ladda, having sprinted across in the deep, returned a sharp and flat throw to Karthik who broke the sticks with Jhunjhunwala well short of his crease.Time-out or time waste?
Just what was the point in taking the two-and-a-half-minute strategic break after 16 overs of Rajasthan’s woeful chase? At the juncture the game was done and dusted with the visitors on 111 for 8 and needing 78 runs from 24 balls. There was nothing strategic happening in the middle during the time-out, apart from a few swigs of coolant, a dab of the towel here and there, and a punch of the gloves.What possibly could Tait have been told – to try and make up some of the 53 runs he’d bled with the ball? Two balls after the interval and Ladda had Paras Dogra stumped. Chalk that down to a good ole’-fashioned swing-and-miss rather than the result of any strategy. The IPL needs to reconsider this policy in one-sided matches such as this.