Win not enough as Outlaws miss quarter-finals for first time in seven years despite unexpected lifeline

ECB Reporters Network03-Jul-2022Notts Outlaws missed out on a quarter-final spot in the Vitality Blast for the first time in seven years despite ending the North Group campaign with a five-wicket success over Worcestershire Rapids at New Road.The Outlaws had been an unexpected life-line in their hopes of reaching the last eight after Leicestershire had been deducted two points by the ECB Cricket Discipline Commission.But it would have needed an Outlaws win, dramatic turn-around in run-rate and for Yorkshire Vikings to lose heavily to Leicestershire for them to claim fourth spot. Instead they had to settle for completing 2022 with a fourth successive win with eight balls to spare.Jake Ball bowled superbly, during the powerplay and at the conclusion of the innings, on a slowish pitch to take his wicket tally in the tournament to 18.He was well supported by the spin trio of Sol Budinger, Samit Patel and Calvin Harrison who had combined figures of 3-57 from 10 overs.Nottinghamshire lost early wickets in the madcap chase to try and achieve their target and in the end needed a half-century from Ben Duckett to see them over the finishing lineWorcestershire were left to reflect on a disappointing campaign in which they won only two matches and finished bottom of the North Group.Matthew Wade’s decision to pull out of a contract for the entire summer was a major blow, particularly in T20 cricket, and the unavailability of captain Moeen Ali and Dwayne Bravo for the opening four games, all away from home, left them with a mountain to climb.The Rapids were put in to bat and former Nottinghamshire batter, Jake Libby, soon departed after nicking a delivery from Ball.Colin Munro, in the final innings of his third spell at New Road, looked in good touch and struck Lyndon James for 4-6-4 and also lofted Steven Mullaney over the long on boundary.But Ball returned to strike twice with club captain, Brett D’Oliveira, holing out to mid off and Munro, having made 27 off 14 balls, bowled behind his legs attempting a sweep.Ball had figures of 3 for 5 after his opening two overs as the Rapids reached 41 for 3 by the end of the powerplay.Ali, the subject of reports linking him with a move to Warwickshire, has struggled to produce his accustomed form during his current spell at New Road. He looked in decent touch in adding 49 in partnership with Kashif Ali but on 28 picked out long-on off Budinger to end the Rapids’ campaign with 107 runs from seven knocks.Kashif slapped the same bowler to cover and Gareth Roderick played back to Patel and was bowled.It was left to Ed Barnard to provide some late momentum with 38 off 28 balls. He hit James for two fours and a six in the penultimate over from James before finding Duckett at long on and then Dwayne Bravo became Ball’s fourth victim at deep midwicket.Nottinghamshire had to try and reach their target in the shortest time possible in a bid to improve their run rate but lost three early wickets.Joe Clarke sliced the first delivery from Mitchell Stanley straight into the hands of third man and Budinger, after making 24 off 12 balls, lofted the young pace bowler straight to deep midwicket.Alex Hales smashed successive sixes over the midwicket boundary off Dillon Pennington but then tried to steer him to third man and was caught behind.The Outlaws were 68 for 4 when Steven Mullaney was beaten in the flight and lbw to BravoDuckett and James added 52 before the latter tried to hit D’Oliveira over long on and had to depart thanks to the combined efforts of Libby and Barnard on the boundary.But Duckett played sensibly to complete a 39-ball fifty and ended unbeaten on 62 to finish as the Outlaws’ leading scorer with 396 runs.The Rapids players wore shirts in support of the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust, the Club’s Official Charity Partner for 2022.

Harris and Gardner rescued Australia from the pits of 49 for 5

Shashank Kishore29-Jul-2022Women’s cricket got off to a spectacular start in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, with Australia giving India a reminder that you can never write them off, even in near-impossible situations. Chasing 155, Australia were reduced to 49 for 5 after an incisive burst of 4 for 18 from seamer Renuka Singh, but Ashleigh Gardner and Grace Harris pulled off an incredible rescue act to win with an over to spare.A skyrocketing asking-rate that had Australia needing 89 off the last 10 overs eventually turned into a cruise. Harris, who was batting in a T20I for the first time since 2016, smashed 37 off 20 balls, while Gardner stayed unbeaten on 52 off 35 to give Australia a winning start in pursuit of their maiden gold medal.India’s spinners prove ineffective
Apart from Deepti Sharma, every other India spinner was extremely expensive. Left-armer Radha Yadav, in particular, struggled on a pitch that did not offer the kind of bite that she thrives on. When she pitched short, Harris targeted the square boundaries on both sides of the wicket, and when she went full, Harris stepped out and powered the ball straight down the ground. The other left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad also suffered, going for 24 runs in two overs. Thriving against spin, Harris and Gardner raised their 50-run partnership off 31 balls and put the pressure right back on India.Australia just keep coming
India broke that damaging partnership off the last ball of the 13th over, when Harmanpreet Kaur ran sideways to catch Harris, leaving Australia with 55 to get off 42 balls with only four wickets in hand. The moment should have galvanised India; instead it spurred Australia on. The No. 8 Alana King demonstrated their batting depth, smacking three boundaries in her unbeaten 18 off 16 balls. When Gardner brought up her half-century, Australia were just three away from victory, and King clattered the winning boundary through midwicket off the final ball of the 19th over.Renuka Singh bowled a ripper to dismiss Tahlia McGrath•Getty Images

Renuka’s dream spell
Renuka doesn’t have much pace; she relies on accuracy, swing and subtle variations off the pitch. With her second ball, she had the formidable Alyssa Healy poking to slip. Renuka then had Meg Lanning caught at point for 8; the batter’s indecision between playing a full-blooded cut or a gentle push proving to be her undoing. After Beth Mooney chopped on for 10 and Tahlia McGrath lost her leg stump to one that cut back in, Renuka had taken four wickets in her first 13 balls. At that stage, India were favourites to win, despite not scoring as much as they should have.Smriti shines, briefly
India had made a promising start before their innings unravelled. Let off in the second over by Haynes, Smriti Mandhana stepped out of her crease repeatedly to negate any swing at Edgbaston. She drove through the covers, lofted the spinners, and pulled in front of square to race to 24 off 16 balls, but eventually nicked Darcie Brown to the wicketkeeper in the fourth over.Lucky Shafali tees off
After a small role-reversal, in which she played second fiddle to Mandhana, Shafali Verma displayed her destructive powers by lofting Megan Schutt down the ground, and showed she has a delicate game too by glancing the legspin of King to the boundary. Australia let Shafali off three times – once when Healy broke the stumps with her empty right hand while the ball was in her left glove. The India opener went on to score 48 off 33 balls before she was out to a leg-side strangle against left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen, who finished with figures of 4 for 22.Harmanpreet’s leg-side range
Harmanpreet’s love for the leg side is no secret, but that doesn’t make it easy to stop her. Australia placed multiple fielders on the leg-side boundary, but Harmanpreet still found the gaps to top score for India with 52 off 34 balls. But her momentum was stalled by Jonassen cutting through the middle order at the other end, and India could only score 39 runs in the last five overs of their innings.

Bangladesh bow out of the Asia Cup, ruing mistakes they made on the field

Mohammad Isam01-Sep-20222:51

Maharoof: I would call Asitha Fernando a warrior

The sound of the no-ball siren was sweet music in Sri Lanka’s ears in Dubai. As soon as Asitha Fernando and Maheesh Theekshana ran two off the third ball of the last over, the TV umpire adjudged that offspinner Mahedi Hasan had overstepped, fatally, for the second time in the match. Sri Lanka had beaten Bangladesh by two wickets, to advance to the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup.It sparked huge celebrations in the Sri Lanka dressing room and rounds of laughter as they couldn’t believe their string of luck in this crunch game. Asitha, on T20I debut, struck two fours in what turned out to be the last four balls of the match, before hitting the ball into long-on for the two that sealed the deal.Bangladesh had hope when Mahedi removed Dasun Shanaka in the 18th over after the Sri Lanka captain struck a 33-ball 45 with three fours and two sixes. Then came a seesawing 19th over, bowled by another debutant in Ebadot Hossain, in which Sri Lanka scored 17 runs but also lost the dangerous Chamika Karunaratne, run out by a Shakib Al Hasan direct hit.But it was Sri Lanka’s day, and it seemed fated to be so when Kusal Mendis survived four lives while scoring a 37-ball 60. He struck seven boundaries including three sixes, and Bangladesh were left ruing a dropped catch, a wicket chalked off when Mahedi bowled a no-ball, a missed run-out, and a review not taken.Bangladesh had a good outing with the bat, with Afif Hossain hitting 39 off 22 balls after Mehidy Hasan Miraz, playing his first T20I in four years, rocked Sri Lanka with a brisk start.Asitha Fernando and Maheesh Theekshana celebrate Sri Lanka’s victory•AFP/Getty Images

Mehidy gamble pays off
Bangladesh sent out Sabbir Rahman and Mehidy Hasan Miraz after exhausting six different opening pairs this year. Sabbir was opening for the first time in international cricket, while Mehidy had never opened in T20Is and only once in international cricket, in the Asia Cup final four years ago, when the tournament was an ODI event.With this backdrop, Sabbir scooped the first ball he faced, after three years of absence from the top level, to the fine-leg boundary. Mehidy rode out Sabbir’s dismissal in the third over, hitting two sixes soon after, one down the ground and one ramped behind the wicket while swinging around on his toes. He hit two fours in the first six overs too, and Bangladesh rushed to 55 for 1 in the Powerplay. Mehidy fell soon after, bowled while trying to slog Wanindu Hasaranga. But he had done what he was sent out to do, and a Bangladesh opener had scored at a 140-plus strike rate in an innings spanning more than 25 balls for only the third time this year.Wickets keep SL on track
Bangladesh got off to one of their best starts, but Sri Lanka kept on picking up wickets. Mehidy’s dismissal in the seventh over was followed by Mushfiqur Rahim’s in the next over, as Chamika Karunaratne got one to rear into his face, and his attempted glide towards third-man took the shoulder of the bat and only went as far as wicketkeeper Mendis.Shakib tried to keep the run-rate going at the other end, hitting three fours off Karunaratne in the 10th over. One of them took him to 6,000 T20 runs, making him only the second cricketer to score this many runs and take more than 400 wickets in the format. But Maheesh Theekshana removed him in his last over, the 11th, again cutting down Bangladesh’s momentum just when they looked to be going strong.Afif gives Bangladesh late boost
Mahmudullah and Afif Hossain put on 59 for the fifth wicket, hitting five fours and three sixes between them. Afif struck Hasaranga for a four and a slog-swept six in the 13th over, before Mahmudullah pasted the same bowler in his next over, for another slog-swept six and a hit inside-out, high over extra-cover. Afif hammered Fernando for his second six in the next over, before scooping him for four.The pair fell within four balls of each other, both trying to slog the ball into the deep leg-side field. But Mosaddek Hossain hit two fours immediately after walking in, before adding two more fours in a 17-run last over bowled by Asitha, which also included a scythed six over long-off from Taskin Ahmed.Kusal Mendis goes aerial•AFP/Getty Images

Ebadot hits back after brisk opening stand
Sri Lanka’s openers began slowly, scoring just 13 off the first three overs of the chase, before exploding to life in the fourth and fifth overs, highlighted by Mendis slog-sweeping and sweeping Shakib for two sixes and a four off successive balls. Just when Sri Lanka seemed to be running away, though, Ebadot Hossain salvaged Bangladesh’s powerplay, removing Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka in his first over in T20Is. Both were off short balls. Nissanka, who had struck a six and two fours, only managed to lob-pull a catch to midwicket, while Asalanka’s attempt to clear mid-off found the fielder.In his next over, the eighth of the innings, Ebadot removed Danushka Gunathilaka, as Taskin ran hard from the deep fine-leg boundary and dived forward to complete a brilliant catch. Inspired by the catch, Taskin then removed Bhanuka Rajapaksa in the next over, caught at deep third off an attempted ramp gone wrong.Mendis rides his luck
Just how many lives can a batter fit into a T20I innings? Ask Mendis. He got away with four lives in his 37-ball stay. When he was on 2, keeper Mushfiqur dropped him off Taskin. Then, in the seventh over, he was caught behind off Mahedi, only for the no-ball siren to blare around the ground, allowing Mendis to continue his innings at 29. In the next over, he swung at an Ebadot delivery that took a bit of glove. Neither the bowler nor wicketkeeper Mushfiqur were sure of it, and Bangladesh missed out on sending it up for review.Sabbir had another chance when Mendis, on 44, and Shanaka got into a mix-up, but he missed the stumps with Mendis at least a foot short of the crease. Finally, Taskin took a diving catch at third to send Mendis back for 60. Taskin had a fine day, finishing with 2 for 24 from four overs apart from taking those two catches, but his energy didn’t quite rub off on the rest of his team.

These two teams have the advantage of playing last in the group, so they will know exactly what they need to do to make the Super 12s

Mohammad Isam20-Oct-20223:10

Takeaways: Group B headed towards tense finale

Playing the evening game on Friday, both Scotland and Zimbabwe will know exactly what they have to do to get through to the Super 12s. But the equations won’t be available until after the Ireland-West Indies game, and the weather might have a say. For now, though, the two sets of players are mentally preparing for the big day.”I think we have to get the job done,” Zimbabwe allrounder Ryan Burl said on match eve. “It is must-win games for all four teams in the group. We have to put our best foot forward tomorrow. I think it goes without saying, it would be a massive achievement for any team in the group [to progress to the Super 12s]. It is obviously our goal coming into this stage. Do whatever you can to ensure you are among the top two.Related

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“The mood is good in the camp. I think there’s obviously a little bit of nerves around the group now, knowing that we have to win the next game. But the morale is good. The guys are very upbeat. We want to make sure we are in the next stage.”Scotland coach Shane Burger had a similar viewpoint, still buoyed by his team’s big win over West Indies earlier in the week.”We know that without focusing too much on the opposition, if we go out and play our way, we know we can beat any team,” Burger said. “We did so not very long ago against the two-time world champions. So if we execute the way we know, hopefully it will send ripples through that Zimbabwe team. We can put a bit more pressure on them.”Scotland will need to draw on the good vibes they got from beating West Indies, and put the Ireland fightback behind them•ICC via Getty Images

Scotland were downed by a late Irish resurgence in their last match, with Curtis Campher and George Dockrell putting together a match-winning stand when all seemed lost for Ireland. Burger said that Scotland have to learn from that and pick themselves up quickly.”There was obvious disappointment after the game. It wasn’t just one moment but many moments. Hindsight is a great thing. As a Scottish team, we are not used to be in those situations on a daily basis. I am incredibly proud of how the boys have managed themselves on and off the field. We will learn a lot from what happened yesterday.”Burger was particularly impressed with Michael Jones, who made 86 against Ireland; he believes this it is only the start for the young opener. “Michael has fit into the unit very well. He has been part of the unit for a long time, even though many might not recognise the name. He didn’t play a lot of games for Scotland [till now]. We always knew he was going to break through at some point, we always knew his quality.”We certainly saw glimpses of that yesterday. We know that he wants to keep getting better. He is a wonderful cricketer, with superb skills. He had a fantastic game yesterday, but just a shame we couldn’t get over the line and get that victory.”Zimbabwe, meanwhile, will be hoping for one of their several allrounders to come good on Friday. Burl, who has form on his side with a recent ODI five-for against Australia, is itching to be their man.”Playing that role of an allrounder, you try to come to the party in at least one aspect of the game. I haven’t really made an impact yet but a good performance is just around the corner,” Burl said. “Hopefully it is a match-winning one. I think I am due a bit of runs. It will be nice to put Zimbabwe in a winning position.”

Writes of a lack of open communication from CSA’s then director of cricket Graeme Smith as well, in his new autobiography

Firdose Moonda23-Oct-2022Faf du Plessis has said that a breakdown in his relationship with outgoing national men’s head coach Mark Boucher led to his retirement from Test cricket. In his autobiography , du Plessis claimed that Boucher, Graeme Smith, CSA’s former director of cricket, and convener of selectors Victor Mpitsang ghosted him when he made himself available for the T20 team following his Test retirement in February 2021.In the book, du Plessis reflects on a difficult childhood, a career that started in shadow of his best friend AB de Villiers, South Africa’s 2015 and 2019 World Cup heartaches, his elevation to national captain, and his eventual exit from the role, driven by what he terms a lack of soft skills from Cricket South Africa (CSA), particularly in the latter stages of his career.In a chapter titled, “The Ghosts of Insecurity”, du Plessis begins to document his final phases with the national side, which started when Boucher took over for a series against England in December 2019. Du Plessis writes that the series “felt different” to previous ones because he did not feel backed by Boucher when he faced a media barrage.Before the second Test, du Plessis, who was out of form at the time, was asked why Temba Bavuma – that team’s only black African batter – had been dropped and, in his response about Bavuma’s lean run, he remarked that the national side did not see colour. The comment caught fire and du Plessis was severely criticised for not understanding the nuances of South Africa’s segregated past, even as he struggled to score runs. He wrote that he did not feel Smith or Boucher provided him with the support he needed then, which set the tone for the rest of their relationship.”I needed someone to back me up in the media, and Graeme and Mark were best positioned to clear the air and show public support for their national captain who was dealing with head- and tailwinds simultaneously. When Mark attended a press conference while this storm was raging, he didn’t do that,” du Plessis writes.Related

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Later in the series, Boucher asked du Plessis about his future with the national team and du Plessis committed to all three formats. However, he opted for a break in ODIs and, with the 2023 World Cup more than three years away, to stand-down as ODI captain. Boucher also asked du Plessis if he would give up the T20 captaincy but du Plessis writes he was “not convinced that relinquishing the T20 captaincy was the right decision”. Du Plessis went on to assume Boucher’s idea that he step down as T20 captain was only a “suggestion.” Du Plessis spent the rest of the series “concerned that Mark and I weren’t connecting on a deeper level as a captain and coach”, and felt their relationship was “somewhat cold and distant” and that he “increasingly noticed how close he was with Dean (Elgar) and Quinny (de Kock)”.Later, du Plessis discovered that Smith and Boucher “felt strongly about appointing Quinny (as captain) in both white-ball formats”, which is what subsequently transpired. He finished the England series with a sense that he was “losing that connection with my purpose as a leader in the team”.After the series, du Plessis took the decision that since “Mark and I didn’t click” it would be “better for the team to have a new captain than someone who couldn’t connect with the coach”. He resigned from the Test captaincy on February 17, 2020, but opted to stay on as a player and thought of himself as “leading without a title”.That is the header of his next chapter, where du Plessis looks at the year between stepping down as captain and retiring from Test cricket, which was sandwiched between the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Du Plessis writes that in that time, when South Africa played Test series against Sri Lanka at home and away in Pakistan, his relationship with Boucher had become “purely transactional” and that he benefited from Boucher’s technical expertise. He went on to a career-best 199 against Sri Lanka but struggled in Pakistan, where he discovered “my desire and joy to play Tests for South Africa weren’t what they used to be”.Du Plessis highlights an incident that he said took place during the first Test and underlined his decision to retire. It was on the third day, with South Africa having built up a slim lead in the second innings after having conceded a 158-run first-innings deficit. The day’s play was drawing to a close and Keshav Maharaj was padded up as nightwatch. The South African team had an unsaid rule, du Plessis writes, that they would send a nightwatch in if a wicket fell within 30 minutes or seven overs of play left in the day. But Boucher, he writes, told Maharaj he would not be needed because a nightwatch only goes out 15 minutes ahead of the close. Du Plessis, who says he told Boucher about the 30 minute precedent, had to get ready to bat and go out when Rassie van der Dussen was dismissed 25 minutes before the end of the day. Du Plessis lasted 20 minutes and was dismissed with five minutes left to play.”I was furious when I left the field. We had just lost a main batter because of an avoidable tactical error. I said to myself that I was too emotional to address this with Mark immediately and that I should go to bed, sleep on it, and discuss it with him the following morning,” he writes.South Africa went on to lose the game the next day, having set Pakistan a target of 88. “At our post-match review session, I said I did not agree with the way we had handled the situation. For the past ten years, the batter had had the option of a nightwatchman, and I wanted us to discuss this. I said that I wanted to share my opinion but I was happy to be challenged on my stance. I felt that the nightwatchman was a trump card to be used tactically when required but, if the team felt differently, I’d go with what they wanted,” du Plessis writes. “The vast majority of our batting unit said they preferred having the option of a nightwatchman. Mark tried to push back, saying that in his day the norm was fifteen minutes prior to the end of play, but that’s not how I remember it. I had also played with Graeme, [Jacques] Kallis and AB, and they used to love the option of not having to bat in the dark.”This went on to leave a sour taste in both du Plessis and Boucher’s mouths. “Mark brought this conversation up again a few months later while we were still discussing my involvement in the [2021] T20 World Cup, and he said that he didn’t like the way I had challenged him on the nightwatchman. Personally, I always appreciated it when someone challenged me on something I did or believed in, especially if it came from someone who wasn’t necessarily a friend. But that’s just me,” du Plessis writes.Du Plessis informed Smith of his decision to retire from Test cricket on his return home from that series and sent Boucher a message asking if they could meet to discuss an important matter. “He never responded to my message, nor did he contact me after the announcement had been made… His silence confirmed to me that I had made the right decision to retire from Tests.”At the time, du Plessis was also negotiating a continuing role in the T20 side, with the 2021 and 2022 T20 World Cups in mind. Du Plessis wanted to continue playing T20s for the national side, on a contract deal, and be allowed to compete in T20 leagues outside of his national commitments. In essence, du Plessis was asking CSA to go somewhere it had not gone before: issue a T20I-only contract. Smith assured du Plessis he would look into the possibility. CSA’s board eventually decided it would not award T20I-only contracts but was still exploring the possibility of using du Plessis at the 2021 T20 World Cup, if he played in 65% of the national fixtures.Du Plessis, wary of clashes between leagues and international fixtures, and with an IPL contract that “wasn’t enough to cover all my financial commitments” wanted a “formal offer that would enable me to play in fewer leagues”. He claims Smith never got back to him on this, which led to him accepting more league opportunities. But, du Plessis says, he did not leave it there and on May 11, 2021, “sent Graeme, Mark and Victor Mpitsang an email asking for better two-way communication. I said a breakdown in communication had led to AB not playing in the 2019 World Cup, which became a media mess. I wanted us to prevent a repetition of that. So what did they expect of a player who was not contracted but was in contention for the World Cup?” Du Plessis said he did not get a reply from any of them and that Mpitsang “had not had a single conversation with me since he’d been appointed to replace Linda Zondi in October 2020”.He writes that “dealing with CSA during this time was like being in a relationship with someone who doesn’t value you as much as you value them. That complicated matters, and I had to work much harder than should have been necessary to get them to communicate efficiently. Their actions made it easier for me to accept that going to the World Cup was not meant to be.” Du Plessis did not go to the 2021 or 2022 T20 World Cups but remains in form in league cricket around the world.CSA has yet to see a copy of du Plessis’ book and told ESPNcricinfo it will reserve comment until it has been through it.

The captain insisted there were no distractions despite the recent comments by Justin Langer

Tristan Lavalette29-Nov-20221:16

Usman Khawaja focused on West Indies first

Test captain Pat Cummins has fired back at former coach Justin Langer’s claim that he was undermined by leaks, saying there are “no cowards” in the Australian team.The first Test between Australia and West Indies starting on Wednesday has been overshadowed by Langer’s recent candid interview on the podcast, where he attacked anonymous “cowards” who he said leaked against him and believed some players were not transparent about their feedback.Addressing the issue publicly for the first time, which has magnified with the Australian Test summer launching in Langer’s home of Perth, Cummins strongly defended his dressing room.Related

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“There’s no cowards in an Australian cricket team, not ever,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “I’d probably never disclose private conversations. I think it’s disappointing sometimes the focus gets drawn to off-field issues but it hasn’t really affected our team.”In perhaps a sign of detente, Langer has somewhat attempted to clarify his comments since and said that the players were “like my younger brothers”.”I think there’s no ill will to what he was trying to do and he clarified afterwards,” Cummins said at Optus Stadium with the ‘Justin Langer Stand’ in the backdrop.”I think he had a think about it and clarified it, so thank him for that. But we’re really proud of the last 12 months, how we’ve fronted up, the way we’ve played, the way we’ve conducted ourselves. Players can certainly hold their heads high.”Pat Cummins speaks to the media ahead of the first Test•Getty Images

Cummins said he was “looking forward” to seeing Langer, who will be part of host broadcaster Seven’s commentary team this summer, and wasn’t expecting a frosty reception from parochial locals.”He’ll be in and around here commentating so it’ll be good,” Cummins said. “We love playing here at the stadium. My idol mentor, DK Lillee as well, it’s his home state.”We haven’t felt that at all,” he added when asked if the Australia team was out of favour in Western Australia. “I know there’s been some conjecture but I think it camouflages over a lot of the good stuff that’s been going on and support we’ve been receiving.”There were no surprises as Cummins announced an expected Australia line-up to face West Indies with quick Scott Boland and opener Marcus Harris left out.As part of an unchanged batting order from their last Test in Sri Lanka mid-year, allrounder Cameron Green will make his hometown debut in the first Test match played in Perth since December 2019.”To be honest it is the most stable team I have played in ever,” Cummins said. “You could probably have picked the side 12 months ago, I feel like we are in a good spot.”

South Africa’s batters will need to dig deep as visitors look to bounce back in what are expected to be better batting conditions

Firdose Moonda24-Dec-2022

Big Picture

It’s every cricketer’s Christmas dream: a Test match at the ‘G, with a big crowd in attendance. While Australia’s players experience this annually, for everyone in this South African squad, it is their first time featuring in this iconic occasion.None of them were part of the 2008 squad that stunned Australia and claimed South Africa’s post-readmission series win in the country. But, from what they’ve said in the build-up, almost all of them were awake in the wee hours of the morning, watching in wonder as a team who had not been beaten in 28 home series since 1992 were brought down to earth by JP Duminy and Dale Steyn.Related

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In the years since, Cricket South Africa sought to keep their team at home over the festive period – a reasonable plan considering it is prime summer in South Africa too, but a far less successful one than Australia’s. None of the three venues CSA have tried to host the Boxing Day Test – St George’s Park, Kingsmead and SuperSport Park – are ever as full, or as intimidating, as the MCG.That last thought is something South Africa will have to guard against as they enter what is a must-win Test if they hope to keep the series, and their hopes of extending their winning streak in Australia to four successive series triumphs, alive. For them to stand a chance, they will need significant improvements in the batting line-up that has been dismissed for under 200 in their last six Test innings. They’ve spent the build-up working on both technique and mindset and maintain the mantra that if they can just give their “best in the world” – as Dean Elgar calls them – attack something to defend, they’ll be in the driving seat.Australia’s bowlers won’t take kindly to effectively being called second (or perhaps even third) best and, having already rolled South Africa twice in Brisbane, will back themselves to challenge them again. On paper and experience, their batting is vastly stronger than South Africa’s and even though they relied on one innings – Travis Head’s – to take the opening match, they’ll want to tick off a second success this summer, well before they get to Sydney. Australia have not lost a Test series since December 2021 and have only lost one Test in this WTC cycle.South Africa’s hopes will once again rely on their bowling unit•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

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South Africa LLLWW

In the spotlight

David Warner will be capped for the 100th time at the MCG, an occasion that may have seemed unlikely when he made his debut on the back of his reputation as a white-ball basher in 2011, and unlikelier still after his last series against South Africa, in 2018. He is one of Australia’s boldest players, on and off the field, and heads towards this major milestone without much form. Since scoring his last hundred in January 2020, Warner has played 15 Tests, scored 678 runs, including two nineties and a 50, and averages 26.07. In 2022, he averages just 20.61, and there are questions about how much longer he will keep playing the longest format. The answer may come at the MCG.Given South Africa’s batting woes, it seems cruel to single out one player but Sarel Erwee must be eager to put in another score of significance, especially after fellow openers Tony de Zorzi and Jordan Hermann piled on the runs in the domestic four-day competition back home. Erwee has not gone past 26 in his last six innings but has only scored one hundred and one fifty in his eight Tests. That’s not too bad a return, especially considering the conditions South Africa have played in, but he will know they’ve dropped openers for less.Can Scott Boland rip up the MCG again?•Associated Press

Team news

Pat Cummins confirmed the XI on Christmas Day with hometown cult hero Scott Boland retaining his place. A tough decision was actually avoided with Josh Hazlewood making his own call that he wasn’t quite ready for a return after his side strain.Australia: 1 David Warner, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Scott BolandSouth Africa had finalised their XI on Christmas Eve, but the only thing they were willing to give away was that any changes would be made in the line-up, not the team composition. That means they will continue with a 6-5 split, allowing all four specialist quicks and the spinner to take the field and have not been drawn into lengthening their under-fire batting line-up. If a switch happens, it’s likely to be in the top three where Rassie van der Dussen, who returned from a broken finger in Brisbane, could make way for Theunis de Bruyn.South Africa (possible): 1 Dean Elgar (capt), 2 Sarel Erwee, 3 Rassie van der Dussen/Theunis de Bruyn 4 Temba Bavuma, 5 Khaya Zondo, 6 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Lungi Ngidi

Pitch and conditions

The Gabba was given a below average rating for extra bounce and occasional excessive seam movement and inconsistent bounce, and the MCG produced a low-scoring Test last year. So, what are the odds on another bowler-friendly surface? Less than you’d think, it seems. The general consensus is that this MCG pitch will do a little less than its 2021 avatar, with both teams hopeful it will produce a good contest between bat and ball. Two days before the Test, South Africa’s speedster Anrich Nortje said he expected good pace and bounce but not as much sideways movement as Brisbane.The Test is set to start in hot and humid conditions. Melbourne is forecast to be 32 and 36 degrees on days one and two, with the possibility of some showers on the opening morning, before a wetter third day will give way to cooler temperatures on the last two days.

Stats and trivia

• Both Warner and Elgar are within sight of milestones after beginning their international careers at the Under-19 World Cup in 2006. Warner is 78 runs away from 8000 Test runs and will become the eighth Australia to reach the landmark, while Elgar needs 24 runs to reach 5000 Test runs. He will be the eighth South African to get there.
• Usman Khawaja needs 34 runs for 4000 in Tests
• South Africa have played 12 Tests at the MCG, and won three. Since readmission, they have played five Tests at the venue and only lost two, with two draws and their famous 2008 victory.

Quotes

“There would have been a part of everyone that would’ve felt a little bit aggrieved if Scott missed out.”
Pat Cummins on Scott Boland“We will try and get a lunch in somewhere but it’s obviously a PG-rated lunch. If the game was on the 28th, it might have been a bit different.”

Mike O’Farrell due to step down in April after eight-year tenure

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Feb-2023Middlesex have reopened their search for a successor to Mike O’Farrell, the club’s outgoing chair, after failing to identity a suitable replacement during the original recruitment process.The situation was discussed at a board meeting this week, with the expectation that an interim chair will be appointed at the club’s forthcoming AGM, with O’Farrell due to step down from the role on April 4.”The nominations committee will begin the recruitment process again, with immediate effect, as the search to find the right chair for the club moving forwards continues,” Middlesex said in a statement.”The importance of ensuring that Mike’s successor is the right person for the role, who understands the unique challenges of everything it presents, is a critical factor in their appointment.”The challenges at Middlesex differ from those at the other first-class counties, in that the club does not own its home ground, Lord’s, and instead has to manage an ongoing relationship with their landlords, MCC.O’Farrell, who took over from Ian Lovett in 2015, attracted criticism last year when – during the DCMS select committee hearings into racism in cricket – he appeared to defend the lack of diversity in Middlesex’s pathway programme by suggesting that Black people prefer football to cricket, and that Asians are more interested in furthering their education.And it was perhaps with that issue in mind that Ed Warner, the former chair of UK Athletics who put himself forward as one of the original seven candidates for the role, recently wrote in about a process that he described as being “at turns fascinating, frustrating, farcical and fun”.”It was clear that questions about equality, diversity and inclusion would be front and centre,” Warner wrote. “But more surprising was the lack of emphasis at interview on sporting success, especially for the men’s elite squad.”Middlesex were promoted back to Division One of the County Championship last summer, having won the title back in 2016. The playing side of the club is a complex arrangement, and currently comprises Richard Johnson as first-team coach, Alan Coleman as director of cricket and Mark Lane as player pathway head coach, all of whom report into Andrew Cornish as chief executive.Cornish could be a candidate to step up as interim chair, with the club adding that the appointment, “should it be required, will be from the club’s board or executive management group”.

Winless NSW struggled to post 203 before second-placed Victoria reached 15 for 1 at stumps in Albury.

AAP02-Mar-2023An injury to run-machine Daniel Hughes added to a tough first day for winless New South Wales in their Sheffield Shield match against Victoria in Albury.NSW were bowled out for just 203 on a challenging Lavington Sports Ground surface on Thursday. At stumps, Victoria had reached 15 for 1 with Marcus Harris and nighwatchman Mitchell Perry both unbeaten on 7.NSW fast bowler Trent Copeland, playing his first Shield match for nearly 12 months, dismissed Travis Dean for 1. Second-placed Victoria are jousting with Queensland for a spot in the Shield final with one further round to be played.Prolific opener Hughes has been a stand-out for NSW in a disappointing season, but he limped off with a calf injury and retired hurt on 22.He went for late afternoon scans and his participation in the remainder of the match, and next week’s last match against South Australia, is in serious doubt. Hughes has easily been NSW’s best performer this summer being the side’s leading Shield run-getter, as well as hitting a record-equalling four one-day centuries.NSW’s day could barely have begun in worse fashion with young opener Blake Nikitaras caught behind without scoring off Perry from the third ball of the day.It was the first of a four-wicket return for the consistent Perry, following on from an eight-wicket haul last week, the 22-year-old ending with 4 for 24 from 14.3 overs.Fellow opening bowler Fergus O’Neill picked up 2 for 50 on a day when all bar one of the wickets to fall was caught in the slips or by wicketkeeper Sam Harper.NSW slipped to 43 for 3 before lunch, and then 119 for 6, with all the recognised batters back in the pavilion. But Chris Green continued his recent lower-order form with the bat, hitting 52 at No.8 to help lift NSW past 200. Moises Henriques was next best with 29, while Ollie Davies made a promising 28 on debut.

Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne among those who will play in the UK while David Warner eyes form in the IPL

Alex Malcolm and Andrew McGlashan28-Mar-2023 • Updated on 04-Apr-2023

IPL 2023

Jason Behrendorff (Mumbai Indians)
The 31-year-old left-armer returns to Mumbai having played his only five IPL games there in 2019 but he spent the last couple of seasons as a squad member at both Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore. He is coming off his best-ever BBL taking 21 wickets in 14 games at an outstanding economy rate of 6.69 in Perth Scorchers’ title. Jhye Richardson’s absence from the IPL for Mumbai due to a hamstring injury and Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness queries, as well as Jofra Archer’s workloads, could present opportunities for Behrendorff.Tim David (Mumbai Indians)
The globetrotting gun-for-hire was underused by Mumbai last year after they paid big money for him prior to even being selected for Australia. The retirement of Kieron Pollard means David becomes a key cog in Mumbai’s middle order and a lot will be expected of him with the other overseas batters in Green, Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs all being relatively inexperienced.Nathan Ellis (Punjab Kings and Hampshire)
He returns for his third season at Punjab. He’s only played five IPL games in his first two seasons. He only played two matches in 2022 with Punjab having a strong group of first-choice overseas players. He has established himself as an international quality T20 bowler having bowled superbly in his limited opportunities for Australia. Ellis will also return to Hampshire for the T20 Blast where he was a key part of their title last year.Cameron Green (Mumbai Indians)
Mumbai splurged $AUD3.15 million on the emerging superstar after he tore India apart in the brief T20I tour last year. His Test century in Ahmedabad will only add to Mumbai’s excitement but Green is still very raw in T20. It is unlikely he will play every game for Mumbai and it may be a development year for him given the squad’s overseas depth. Australia’s selectors will be concerned however about his physical and mental fatigue ahead of the World Test Championship final and the Ashes, given he will have spent four straight months in India and does not travel home or play any red-ball cricket prior to heading to England.Can Josh Hazlewood prove his Test fitness?•Cricket Australia via Getty Images

Josh Hazlewood (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Hazlewood’s class is not in question but his fitness is. He was sent home from the Test tour of India due to Achilles tendonitis that has plagued him for two months. That came after he damaged his side in the first Test of the summer in early December 2022 and missed three Test matches. He has barely played any Test cricket over the last 18 months due to injury but he has hardly missed any T20s and has been outstanding in the last two IPLs. Australia’s selectors will keep a close eye on him with the World Test Championship final starting just a week after the IPL final. His lack of red-ball preparation will be a major issue.Mitchell Marsh (Delhi Capitals)
Marsh will be itching for the IPL to get going so he can continue the rich vein of batting form that he is in on the back of being Player of the Series in the 2-1 ODI victory over India. He is likely to bat at No. 3 although Rilee Rossouw’s presence in the squad makes Capitals’ overseas configuration a little more complicated. Marsh hasn’t bowled since returning from ankle surgery and that would only add to his value at Capitals. He has stated that he would also love to be considered for the Ashes as a back-up for Green but he would need to be bowling in order for that to happen.Glenn Maxwell (Royal Challengers Bangalore and Birmingham)
Maxwell’s fitness remains a concern as he continues to recover from his broken leg. He pushed to play the ODI series against India but was clearly underdone. He is a key figure in RCB’s team with both bat and ball but he hasn’t bowled much during his recovery due to soreness. It will be interesting to see how many games he is able to play for RCB. He has also signed to play the T20 Blast for Birmingham Bears.Daniel Sams (Lucknow Super Giants and Essex)
Sams joins his fourth IPL team in four years having played three games for Delhi Capitals in 2020, two games for RCB in 2021, and 11 games for Mumbai Indians in 2022. He looks set to be a depth player for LSG. He had a good finish to the season with the ball last year for Mumbai but hasn’t shown his full batting capabilities in the IPL. Sams will also return to Essex for the T20 Blast. Matt Short (Punjab Kings)
The BBL Player of the Tournament has earned a late call as Jonny Bairstow’s replacement. It is a great opportunity for Short to further press his claims to be in Australia’s plans for the next T20 World Cup. He was superb for Adelaide Strikers, making 458 runs with a strike-rate 144.47 including a thrilling 59-ball century in a huge chase against Hobart Hurricanes and claimed 11 wickets with his offspin. With Aaron Finch having retired he could be an option to open for Australia.Big chance: Matt Short’s BBL form has been rewarded•Getty Images

Marcus Stoinis (Lucknow Super Giants)
His IPL stock remains high despite some injury issues over the last 12 months. He only played eight games in the recent BBL due to ongoing side problems that have plagued him for years and he hasn’t bowled a lot, although he did bowl well in the ODI series against India. Bowling in back-to-back games remains a challenge for him.Matthew Wade (Gujurat Titans)
Wade returns to the IPL after winning a title with Gujarat last season although he did spend a period of the season out of the team. He has become a global T20 player in the last 12 months, forgoing Sheffield Shield cricket for Tasmania after the BBL season ended to play in the South Africa T20 league for Joburg Super Kings and in the Pakistan Super League for Karachi Kings. He will likely play a flexible for Titans having kept and batted in every spot in the top seven in the last 12 months and played as a batter only in the PSL.David Warner (Delhi Capitals)
Warner will be eager to make a statement in the IPL as he has done in the past after an unusual last few months. He is coming off a fractured elbow having missed the last two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar series and he only made his return to playing in the final ODI of the recent three-match series where he batted at No. 4. He has been named Delhi captain in Rishabh Pant’s absence and will relish the responsibility having captained Sunrisers Hyderabad to an IPL title previously, and having been denied the chance to captain in the BBL. But he won’t get to play any red-ball cricket in the lead-up to the World Test Championship final and the Ashes which will no doubt be a cause for concern for Australia’s selectors.Adam Zampa (Rajasthan Royals)
The abundance of spinners in the IPL has meant that Zampa’s opportunities have been limited despite being one of the world’s best at T20I level for Australia. He joins his third IPL team having played for Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016 and 2017 and RCB in 2020. He is unlikely to play many games for Rajasthan with R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal set to be first-choice spinners.Marcus Harris will be looking for more runs with Gloucestershire•Getty Images

County Championship and T20 Blast

Sean Abbott (Surrey)
Abbott is one of those players who could end up very unfortunate not to have a stab at Test cricket, although this county stint puts him in the right place should injuries hit during the Ashes. He had previously joined Surrey in 2021 before his season was cut short by a hamstring injury.Cameron Bancroft (Somerset)
Far and away the leading run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield with almost three hundred more than the next best. Bancroft has made a very strong claim for a place in the Ashes squad having briefly returned to the Test fold after his ban in the 2019 series. Has signed for a short four-match stint with Somerset although the selectors have probably already made their minds up either way.Peter Handscomb (Leicestershire)
Handscomb has a considerable amount at stake as he looks to secure a spot in the Ashes squad. Had an encouraging return to Test cricket in India where he impressed on the tough surfaces. However, his record in England across various county spell is modest with an average of 30.14 and just one hundred from 30 matches. His ability to be a back-up wicketkeeper adds value.Marcus Harris (Gloucestershire)
Like Handscomb, Harris is pushing for a back-up spot in the Test squad and will still have ambitions of being David Warner’s long-term replacement when the vacancy arrives. Was picked apart by England’s quicks during the 2019 Ashes and has failed to build on glimpses of promise at Test level although was unlucky to lose his spot during the 2021-22 series.Matt Kuhnemann (Durham)
The rapid rise of left-arm spinner Kuhnemann continues. A few months ago he was not first-choice for Queensland then he earned an Australia Test call-up and claimed a five-wicket in Indore. Now Durham have secured him in place of Todd Murphy who became unavailable for the first part of the season as CA watch his workload. Quite how conducive home conditions in April and May will be for Kuhnemann remains to be seen.Marnus Labuschagne (Glamorgan)
Labuschagne has a long association with Glamorgan and his 2019 stint became a key part of his narrative after being parachuted into that summer’s Ashes as Steven Smith’s concussion substitute at Lord’s. He made three Test centuries in four innings during 2022 (including a double against West Indies) and continues to be a run machine.Michael Neser is ideal for English conditions•Getty Images

Chris Lynn (Northamptonshire – T20 Blast)
Lynn had a superb T20 campaign for Northamptonshire last year with 516 runs at a strike-rate of 159.25. After plenty of behind-the-scenes dealings he negotiated a deal to play the majority of the BBL being taking up an ILT20 contract.Nathan McAndrew (Sussex)
A developing allrounder, McAndrew had a very good season for South Australia where he claimed 28 wickets at 30.46 and scored 289 runs at 48.16. In 2022 he played for Warwickshire, taking 20 wickets at 37.85 and scoring 278 runs at 34.75, including two fifties.Ben McDermott (Hampshire – T20 Blast)
Has drifted down the pecking order for Australia’s white-ball sides after a strong ODI series in Pakistan last year when a number of first-choice players are missing. A poor BBL with Hobart Hurricanes where he averaged just 16.33 has left him with a lot of catching up to do to be in the frame for next year’s T20 World Cup.Lance Morris (Northamptonshire)
Once of the quickest bowlers in Australia, Morris has a good chance of being part of the Ashes squad having been around the Australia team over the last six months including throughout the India tour without yet earning a Test debut.Michael Neser (Glamorgan)
Will be very much in the frame for the WTC final and Ashes squads given a skillset that is ideal for English conditions. However, it could be that the selectors feel he’s better off playing regular cricket and calling him up if required. He is coming off the back of a career-best Shield season for Queensland where he claimed 40 wickets at 16.67 although did pick up an injury late in the campaign.Kane Richardson (Kent – T20 Blast)
Remains a very effective T20 bowler but it feels as though he is slipping down the Australia hierarchy and faces a challenge to be in the plans for the 2024 T20 World Cup.Peter Siddle (Somerset)
Still going at 38, Siddle returns to Somerset for another season. Last year, he claimed 27 first-class wickets at an average 23.92. Had a solid Shield campaign for Tasmania with 24 wickets at 25.58. Is returning to Victoria next summer.Steven Smith’s short deal raised some eyebrows•Cricket Australia via Getty Images

Steven Smith (Sussex)
Smith flies in for a three-match stint during May in what has proved the most controversial of the pre-Ashes signings, but it is a fantastic opportunity for Sussex’s young batters to learn off the best. Spare a thought for the Sussex net bowlers and those giving throwdowns. He will come up against Labuschagne when Sussex face Glamorgan on May 18.Will Sutherland (Essex – withdrawn)
Was unlikely to be in Ashes contention barring a huge spate of injuries, but Sutherland is one of the emerging players in the Australian game. Has enjoyed an excellent all-round season for Victoria and took on their Sheffield Shield captaincy, guiding them to the final. However, his hopes of a season with Essex have been ended by a stress fracture of his back revealed after the Shield final.Chris Tremain (Northamptonshire)
The chance of a baggy green has likely passed Tremain by, but he remains a very consistent domestic performer. He has signed a short three-match stint with NorthantsAJ Tye (Northamptonshire – T20 Blast)
His international days are likely behind him but Tye remains a fine T20 bowler who has put on, or rediscovered, some pace. Had an outstanding season for Perth Scorchers where he took 26 wickets.Sam Whiteman (Northamptonshire)
A solid left hander, Whiteman could be an outside chance of pushing for higher honours if he can put together a strong county season then back it up at home. In this year’s Shield, he responded to an early-season pair with a career-best 193 against South Australia but wasn’t quite able to build on that.