Ben Stokes capped a supreme allround performance with two wickets in three balls as Bangladesh’s hearts were broken on the fifth and final morning of an epic Test match at Chittagong.

The Report by Andrew Miller24-Oct-2016England 293 and 240 (Stokes 85, Bairstow 47, Shakib 5-85) beat Bangladesh 248 and 263 (Sabbir 64*) by 22 runs

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsBen Stokes capped a supreme allround performance with two wickets in three balls – his fifth and sixth of the match, to go alongside his total of 103 runs – as Bangladesh’s hearts were broken on the fifth and final morning of an epic Test match at Chittagong.Resuming on 253 for 8, with 33 runs still required, Bangladesh had visions of securing only their eighth Test victory in 94 attempts, and their first against England in nine. However, a brace of lbws in the fourth over of the morning – the first reviewed in optimism by England, the second in desperation by the last man, Shafiul Islam – left their hero of the second innings, Sabbir Rahman, high and dry on 64 not out.Facing a dilemma when play resumed, Alastair Cook showed his hand from the outset, handing Stuart Broad the first over of the morning, following on from his marathon nine-over spell on the fourth evening, and partnering him with Stokes, the man whose mastery of reverse swing had proven so illegible to Bangladesh’s tail in the first innings.But Bangladesh began their morning’s work with confidence. Sabbir opened his account with a push through the covers for two, before Taijul Islam – once again trusted to hold his own with the bat – flashed a Stokes short ball over the keeper’s head for four.The new ball was available after two overs but Cook opted to persevere with the old, with the long-sleeved Joe Root once again charged to preserve its precious shine. But the hooping reverse of the first innings remained elusive as Bangladesh chiselled out their singles, every run greeted with ecstasy by a small contingent of Bangladesh fans who made an otherwise echoing stadium sound packed to the rafters.However, Stokes’ determination could not be denied, and after coming round the wicket to Taijul, he persuaded Cook to gamble one of England’s two reviews – which had been topped up at the 80-over mark – as the No. 10 stepped too far across his stumps and was pinned in front of middle and leg.The verdict was greeted with a huge roar from the huddle of England players watching the big screen, and there was an extra sense of expectation as Shafiul shuffled out to face the pumped-up Stokes. Five years ago, on this very ground, he had been Bangladesh’s hero with a brilliant 24 not out in Bangladesh’s two-wicket World Cup win over England. This time, however, he was trapped on the crease second-ball and, though he was struck outside the line of off stump, Kumar Dharmasena felt that he had not quite been playing a shot as he raised his finger for the final time in the game. And this time, it stayed raised, as victory was confirmed via a record 26th DRS decision of the match.Afterwards, Cook was relieved but happy to have overseen such a tense finale to the contest. “It was a really good Test match,” he said during the post-match presentations. “It was such a tight game, so credit to both sides. I’m glad we held our nerve, with the quality we have in our attack, we got it reversing.”Cook admitted that the option of turning to the new ball with his spinners would have been a “gamble”, which was not a ringing endorsement of the trio at his disposal. But ultimately he was grateful to have a competitor of Stokes’ quality in his ranks.”Not just with ball in hand but the way he batted, he balances the side,” he said. “Those cricketers don’t come around very often and he’s got an enormous heart as well. He’s a seriously good cricketer.”Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh’s captain, put a brave face on another near-miss for his team, and credited his players for a hugely spirited performance in their first Test match since August 2015.”Probably it was not in our favour, 33 runs and two wickets, but the boys put in so much effort over the last five days, after 15 months, I’m really proud. Our boys fought it out which is really impressive and hopefully we’ll do the same in the next match.”

They began the morning needing only a further 37 runs to beat the home team Western Australia

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-2016
ScorecardWestern Australia were soundly beaten in their first game of the season, at home•Getty Images

South Australia cruised to a 10-wicket win over Western Australia on the fourth day at the WACA, where they began the morning needing only a further 37 runs for victory. Openers Jake Weatherald (37 not out) and Kelvin Smith (29 not out) carried the Redbacks to their target of 69 without loss, needing only 15.3 overs on the final day to get the job done.South Australia’s Chadd Sayers was named Man of the Match for his match haul of 6 for 108, although much of the focus from the outside was on Shaun Marsh, who secured his Test place with scores of 73 and 110. Callum Ferguson and Tom Cooper also posted centuries for South Australia.

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.

Firdose Moonda24-Dec-20161:52

‘As a left-arm spinner, you want to model yourself on Herath and Vettori’

While most of the South African squad will try to exploit Sri Lanka’s weaknesses in the upcoming three-Test series, at least one of them will be concentrating on the opposition’s biggest strength. Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj is keen to learn as much as he can from his counterpart, Rangana Herath, a man he lists among his heroes.”I have always looked up to him. He is one of the left-arm spinners along with Daniel Vettori that you will try and model yourself on, in terms of variations,” Maharaj, who is yet to meet Herath, said. “I am looking forward to rubbing shoulders with him and hopefully learning from him. I am still new to the international scene and he has been around for a while so hopefully he can impart some of his knowledge and skill onto me.”The two are yet to meet, but Herath has already cast his eye over Maharaj and the early verdict is positive. “I have only seen him play against Australia, but from what I’ve seen, he’s a very accurate bowler,” Herath said. “He’s got all the essentials – with his accuracy, his line and his lengths. If he improves his variations he’ll go far.”For now, Maharaj has been in consultation with another senior, Paul Harris, who he contacted ahead of his maiden series in Australia. Back then, Harris spoke to Maharaj about “dealing with (foreign) conditions”. This time, Harris’ advice is about how to play at home and the primary focus is on patience. I’ve just got to hit my length for as long as I can,” Maharaj said.That kind of strategy suggests South Africa may have gone back to seeing their spinner as being a container rather than a wicket-taker, although conditions at St George’s Park could demand otherwise. It is likely to be the slowest and driest of the three surfaces and may bring Maharaj into the game a little more.He can’t be too sure though, because his only long-form experience at this ground came eight years ago in a provincial three-day match for Kwa-Zulu Natal. Maharaj took thee wickets in each innings in the drawn fixture and admitted that he doesn’t really know what to expect from a surface that will be as foreign to him as the ones in Australia were.In Perth, particularly, he showed he could adapt easily and that there is more to him than just his bowling. Maharaj is a handy batsmen and hopes he can use this series to show his value to the side in other disciplines. “In my earlier days I took my batting for granted. I always knew I could bat but I was just a hit-and-run type of player. I want to become a complete allrounder,” he said. “It helps you get selected a lot easier. I’ve taken my batting quite seriously in the last year or two and I’m looking forward to contributing with some runs.”Maharaj has identified the correct gap to try and take. South Africa are still searching for someone who can play a consistent two-in-one role. Vernon Philander has emerged as one option but South Africa won’t complain about having another. If Maharaj can do that, he may make the spin spot his own.Already, the selectors have showed they are thinking along those lines. Maharaj is the only spinner in the squad for the first two Tests, having edged out Tabraiz Shamsi, who he continues to share a close relationship with. “We are team-mates at the end of the day, whether he plays or I play, we will be supporting each other,” Maharaj said. “We played a lot of cricket together at the Dolphins and we always want each other to do well.”Shamsi will likely come into contention in special circumstances, such as as the day-night Test where he made his debut when South Africa want to include more than one spinner. But Maharaj is a long-term option and this will be his chance to show it. Whatever he learns from Herath will no doubt be a bonus.”I’d like to play a home series first before I know my future in terms of cementing my place,” he said. “I will take it one ball at a time and one game at a time. It’s nice to have that backing from the selectors. I’ve got to grab the opportunity with both hands.”

Kane Williamson scored an unbeaten 78 and led New Zealand’s strong reply with Jeet Raval after South Africa were all out for 308 on the second day

The Report by Andrew McGlashan09-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:29

Moonda: South Africa might be concerned about resources

Kane Williamson led a strong New Zealand first innings on the second day in Dunedin, but they had a significant injury cloud over Ross Taylor who was forced to retire hurt in the final session. Until that point things could barely have gone better for New Zealand after they removed the last six South Africa wickets for 56 before a stand of 102 between Williamson and Jeet Raval set up the reply.New Zealand were still handily placed at the close on 177 for 3, with Williamson unbeaten on 78 alongside nightwatchman Jeetan Patel. However, they also lost Henry Nicholls, brilliantly caught at slip by Hashim Amla, to give left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj his second wicket so South Africa will be aware they can target the middle order on the third morning with Taylor’s future participation in the match uncertain.

NZ’s top second-wicket stand v SA

• 0 Number of second-wicket partnerships for New Zealand in Tests against South Africa higher than the 102-run stand between Jeet Raval and Kane Williamson in this match. Nathan Astle and Matt Horne had added 90 runs in the first innings at the Eden Park in 1998-99.

• 49.09 Trent Boult’s bowling average against South Africa in Tests before this match. He had taken 11 wickets with a best of 3 for 52 which had come in the first innings of the Durban Test in 2016. He took 4 for 64 in South Africa’s first innings.

• 23 Runs by New Zealand openers in six innings in the two-Test series in South Africa last year. Martin Guptill and Tom Latham had managed a highest score of 8 between them. While Tom Latham was out for 10, Raval hit the first fifty by a New Zealand opener against South Africa in five Tests.

• 9 Runs scored by Williamson off 35 balls at a strike-rate of 25.71 from Vernon Philander in this innings. Williamson was cautious against Philander who had dismissed him four times in Tests at 17.50 runs apiece before this match. Off the other bowlers, Williamson made 69 runs at a strike-rate of 62.

Williamson batted outstandingly. He has the highest Test average by a New Zealand captain but, if the record is viewed highly critically, has yet to play a defining innings as leader: his average is boosted by early runs against Zimbabwe and his unbeaten century against Bangladesh in Wellington rubber-stamped a comeback victory rather than set it up. He has the chance now to shape a Test match against a side New Zealand have only beaten once at home – in Auckland in 2004.South Africa had resumed on 229 for 4, but once Dean Elgar fell for 140 the lower order was whittled away. There was an opening session of sustained accuracy by New Zealand which continued their efforts from the first day when even though wickets dried up the scoring did not run away. The value of keeping South Africa’s rate under control came to the fore when Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma, the last recognised batsmen, departed in quick succession.It did not take long for South Africa to respond. Tom Latham was dropped during the one-day series and there was no immediate upturn in fortunes against the red ball when Vernon Philander switched to round the wicket, drawing him into pushing away from his body. In contrast, Raval left the ball well, forcing the bowlers to go straighter and then took them off through the leg side.It was an excellent innings from Raval, who is in his fifth Test, after facing Pakistan and Bangladesh earlier in the season, and he was able to pick off Maharaj as he moved to a third Test fifty from 95 balls. But, as against Pakistan were he twice made 55, he could not go further when he clipped Maharaj to short midwicket.The early contest between Williamson and Philander was absorbing; a classy new-ball bowler making it nibble against one of the game’s leading batsmen. The value of Williamson’s early caution was evident after tea when he started to milk Maharaj then took three boundaries in a row off Kagiso Rabada, including a brace of textbook on-drives, to move him past 50 off 87 balls.In the period around when Taylor was forced to retire hurt with the score on 148 for 2, Morne Morkel, playing his first Test since January 2016, had returned for a second spell and opted for a burst of short deliveries. He struck Taylor on the helmet two balls before a leg injury ended the batsman’s day and also had Williamson ducking, but finished his first foray back into the longer format wicketless form 10 overs.Jeet Raval batted solidly at the top•Getty Images

Before play, Elgar had spoken about South Africa aiming to bat until tea and make around 380. They fell considerably short on both accounts. Neil Wagner bowled an 11-over spell in which he only faded towards the end; Patel kept his hold over de Kock and Trent Boult followed up Wagner’s unyielding stint. Between them, New Zealand’s two frontline quicks bowled more than 63 overs for seven wickets.The first hour was nip-and-tuck – five runs coming off the first six overs of the day – and Elgar needed some fortune to reach a new career-high when he top-edged a short ball from Wagner over the slips. Wagner’s finally extracted Elgar with another well-directed short ball which the left-handed batsman didn’t know whether to play or leave, glancing a top-edge to BJ Watling – who caught him 104 runs after his leg-side miss the previous day.Bavuma went to a 143-ball half-century, his first in eight innings since Hobart against Australia, and the reward for his watchfulness started to come when he took three boundaries off the last over of Wagner’s spell: a clip, a pull through midwicket and a flat-batted swat straight past mid-on. But he couldn’t fully cash in, feathering Boult down the leg side when he shuffled well across his crease.By then, de Kock, someone who could have lifted the scoring rate, had also departed to the man who has troubled him most on this tour. Patel claimed him in each of the final two ODIs and added his name again here, luring de Kock into reaching for a drive and spooning a catch to backward point where Wagner still had the energy to dive forward.Boult returned to prevent any significant tail-end contributions, ending the innings shortly after lunch when he speared one through Philander to finish with 4 for 64. He and Wagner will have hoped for a long time with their feet up. Their captain could hold the key to that.

George Bailey struck his maiden double-ton in first-class cricket but a strong reply from NSW meant the game in Wollongong looked to head for a draw

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Feb-2017
ScorecardFile photo – George Bailey reached his first double-ton in first-class cricket moments before running out of partners in Tasmania’s 490•Getty Images

Captain George Bailey soared to a double-century in Tasmania’s first innings of 490 against New South Wales but the Blues top order responded in kind to lessen the chance of an outright result on the final day of the Sheffield Shield match in Wollongong.It was the allrounder Simon Milenko (87) who followed up his four wickets on day one with a staunch innings in support of Bailey, their seventh-wicket stand ultimately worth 185 and frustrating the NSW bowlers.Will Somerville was able to maintain his strong displays while Steve O’Keefe and Nathan Lyon are unavailable due to their India exploits, claiming another five-wicket haul on a surface not as supportive of his art as the SCG had been against Queensland.Bailey finished on 200 not out, leaving NSW with 43 overs to face, and when Nick Larkin edged Sam Rainbird through to Tim Paine the Tigers had opened up an end. However Daniel Hughes and Ed Cowan strode comfortably to the close, cutting the visitors’ lead to 96 runs.

Nathan Lyon took four wickets after tea to prevent India from setting up a substantial first-innings lead, as the hosts finished the second day 52 runs behind with four wickets in hand

The Report by Daniel Brettig26-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:09

Chappell: India lacked proactivity against spin

Bounce giveth, and bounce taketh away. Nathan Lyon took his opportunity to use the extra vertical lift available in Dharamsala and work his way through India’s middle order, but a pair of dropped catches from Matt Renshaw at either end of the day prevented Australia from getting full reward from their toil on the second day of the fourth Test.

Five 50s, no 100s

• 5 Scores of 50-plus for KL Rahul in this series – the joint-most by an India batsman without scoring a century. Before this series, Rahul had converted four of his five fifties into centuries.

• 1316 Runs for Cheteshwar Pujara in Tests in the 2016-17 season – the second-most for any batsman in a season. The highest is Ricky Ponting’s 1483 in 2005-06. Pujara’s 12 50-plus scores in the season are also the joint second-most.

• 54 Runs for Karun Nair in four innings – with scores of 26, 0, 23 and 5 – since his unbeaten triple-century against England.

• 63 Wickets for Nathan Lyon against India – the joint second-most for any spinner. He is equalled with Lance Gibbs and trails Muttiah Muralitharan by 42 wickets.

• 10 India players to achieve the double of 1000-plus runs and 100-plus wickets in Tests. Ravindra Jadeja became the 10th to do so. He also completed 500 runs and 50 wickets in the 2016-17 season.

The pitch offered more bounce to the touring bowlers than at any other time in the series, while Dharamsala’s altitude helped the ball swing more or less all day. Lyon duly adjusted his approach to seek maximum overspin, and in a long spell after tea claimed four wickets to reduce India’s chances of building a substantial lead.It might have been even better for Australia, were it not for Renshaw at first slip failing to react in time to a KL Rahul edge while the ball was still new in the first hour, then making a mess of a more straightforward chance offered up by Wriddhiman Saha in Pat Cummins’ first over with the second new ball. Cummins’ anguished reaction underlined how hard he and Josh Hazlewood had toiled, in defence of a total that has left the game open to either side with three days remaining.Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara played India’s most substantial innings’, while the stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane offered an approach of polar opposites – attacking the pacemen and offering a dead bat to the spinners. Pujara had seemed capable of emulating his Ranchi effort, but fell prey to Lyon’s bounce shortly after tea as Australia’s No. 1 offspinner found lovely rhythm to pose questions to all comers.Hazlewood came exceptionally close to a wicket with his second ball of the day, when M Vijay’s checked drive fell fractionally short of David Warner at mid-off. It was not a moment representative of the rest of the morning, as the ball flew through to Matthew Wade with more venom that at any other time over these four Tests.Amid the occasional verbal barb from bowler to batsman, Vijay edged Hazlewood just short of Wade, before touching another delivery behind that carried rather more comfortably to present Australia with their first wicket. Next over, Renshaw was unable to get more than fingertips to a flying edge from Rahul.Nathan Lyon claimed four wickets after tea•Associated Press

There were more good deliveries to follow and scoring was slow, but Pujara and Rahul were happy to reach the break without further loss. They accelerated notably on resumption, threatening momentarily to take control of the game.Cummins was recalled to the attack to try to make something happen, and he obliged by getting at Rahul with a combination of short balls and verbal rejoinders. Eventually, Rahul was coaxed into trying a hook shot at a bouncer pitched well outside off stump, and the resulting toe-end miscue lobbed gently to an exultant David Warner.Runs became harder to come by after an initial burst from Rahane, as Lyon and Steve O’Keefe concentrated on economy. But only one chance of any sort was generated – an lbw appeal by Lyon against Rahane that was turned down by the umpire Ian Gould and not reviewed. Ball-tracking showed the delivery would have gone on to strike the top of leg stump but remained umpire’s call.Australia did not have long to wait in the evening session, however, as Lyon’s bite drew an inside edge onto pad from Pujara that was well held by Peter Handscomb diving forward from short leg. Karun Nair, never comfortable at the crease this series, fell in similar fashion albeit on the back foot rather than the front.Lyon’s attack on Rahane was fascinating, as he varied quicker, straighter deliveries threatening the outside edge with loopier stuff devised to spin and catch the inside edge. Ultimately, it was one of the former offerings that found the edge and was exceptionally taken by Smith at slip, just as Rahane and R Ashwin had been threatening to build a partnership of value.Ashwin had played his best innings of the series, but then failed to get forward far enough to avoid being given lbw by Gould. A review showed the ball had struck Ashwin marginally in line with the stumps and was going on to strike middle. Lyon’s first ball to Jadeja then turned and kicked, striking Wade in the shoulder.A pair of meaty blows from Jadeja in the thin Himalayan air were enough for Smith to call upon Cummins to take the second new ball, and an exploratory first five deliveries led to a perfectly-pitched sixth that Saha edged. It sailed at comfortable catching height to Renshaw, but bounced out of his hands. A pensive Australian viewing area were left to hope that this would not be a pivotal moment of the match and the series.

Ireland’s cricketers could be forgiven for feeling a touch over-familiar with their surroundings as they walk through the Long Room at Lord’s for the second ODI

After all, Tim Murtag

Andrew Miller01-May-20173:41

‘If I bowl to him, it’s another wicket’

Ireland may have been waiting a decade for an invite to play England in England, and on the sport’s grandest stage of all, but their cricketers could be forgiven for feeling a touch over-familiar with their surroundings as they walk through the Long Room at Lord’s for the second ODI of an historic maiden series.After all, Tim Murtagh, Ireland’s opening bowler, claimed 43 wickets at 28.53 in Middlesex’s Championship-winning campaign last summer. That haul included five in the title showdown against Yorkshire at Lord’s in September, when he was given special dispensation by Cricket Ireland to arrive late for their tour of South Africa.

Finn has point to prove in Ireland ODIs

Steven Finn says that he will use the two ODIs against Ireland to prove a point to England’s selectors after his omission from England’s squad for the Champions Trophy next month.
“These matches are an opportunity for me to remind England that I am still there and ready to go if they need me at any stage,” Finn said.
“I would rather just be part of an England squad full-time and know that I can focus my attention and energies on that, but at the moment I am in and out and that is something that just happens as you go through your career.
“I was hoping I would make the cut. I knew it would be a marginal call either way but I can’t sulk or be down about it, I just have to make sure that if I do get an opportunity through injury or a chance opens up, I have to make sure I am ready. That is my sole goal.”

In addition, a raft of senior Ireland batsmen have gained vital professional experience on Middlesex’s books. Among them Paul Stirling, Andy Balbirnie, Ed Joyce and, of course, the one who got away – England’s current ODI captain, Eoin Morgan, whose first proper airing on the world stage came during Ireland’s stunning run to the Super Eights at the 2007 World Cup.Whether such prior knowledge of the visitors has played any part in some impressive ticket sales for the Lord’s match in particular is a moot point – but something close to a 22,000 sell-out is anticipated, and there’s no question that the exploits of a formative generation of players has a lot to do with the interest in what may otherwise have been a slightly low-key opening to the English season.”The chance to play England at Lord’s is pretty special,” Murtagh said during a Royal London event in Belgravia. “I hope it will be an unusual Lord’s crowd, quite boisterous and getting behind us. Any time that ground is full, it is pretty special.”The fact that this is two games and not just one is great,” he added. “It’s recognition of Irish cricket, and the ECB have been supportive of Irish cricket over the last few years. They have spoken up for us at ICC board meetings, they are helping us develop, so it’s been a good relationship.”That bonhomie between boards hasn’t always been quite so apparent, however. In fact, the attitude of the previous ECB regime could be politely described as stand-offish. The two sides’ inaugural ODI encounter came more than a decade ago at Stormont in 2006 (when, as if to typify the prevailing attitude towards their international claims, Joyce was selected to make his debut … for England). But back then, and for the subsequent decade, their one-off biennial fixture was never much more than a sop, even after Ireland’s stunning victory in Bangalore during the 2011 World Cup.Tim Murtagh will be on familiar ground when Ireland play England at Lord’s this week•AFP

Times are, however, just threatening to change. Last week’s ICC board meeting in Dubai nudged Ireland one step closer to the holy grail of Test status, and while Warren Deutrom, their chief executive, hailed that prospect as “transformational”, Murtagh knows enough about cricket’s complex politics not to get his hopes up too soon.”All the noises are very positive and encouraging for us in terms of Test cricket,” he said. “But with the ICC you are never quite sure until everything has been finally agreed. They keep saying it will happen and then it gets put back to another meeting, so you are never quite sure. But it is definitely closer than it has ever been before and, if that happens, it will be a great opportunity to play Test cricket and grow the game in Ireland.”This is something we have worked hard towards in terms of setting up a first-class structure. We feel we are ready – obviously it’s going to be tough and results might not be what you would want initially, but that has happened to every Test nation that first comes into the Test arena. We are ready for it and looking forward to it.”The pity for Ireland, for all that this week is undoubtedly a cause for celebration, is that their England invitation has arrived at a time when they may struggle to match the standards that they have worked so hard to raise. The team that transformed the horizons for Irish cricket is beginning to drift apart, and in the wake of a chastening series loss to Afghanistan in March, Murtagh is realistic about the team’s current status.Steven Finn and Tim Murtagh, Middlesex team-mates, will be on opposing sides this week•Royal London

“There is a slight transitional phase for Irish cricket,” he said. “We lost some big players in the dressing room. Trent Johnson, who captained for a long time, was a very under-rated cricketer and a real driving force behind Irish cricket, and we’ve also lost John Mooney and Alex Cusack in the last few years.”We have some good younger guys – Craig Young, Peter Chase, up-and-coming young bowlers – but they are quite raw at the moment, so it is going to take them a bit of time to get up to speed. There’s definitely some exciting young players in Irish cricket, but the results in the last couple of years haven’t been as good as they were in the few years previously to that.”Nevertheless, the chance to take on England in a full series – not to mention New Zealand and Bangladesh in the forthcoming tri-series on home soil – is one that Ireland’s cricketers will gladly grasp, as they embark on yet another small step along the road to recognition.Steven Finn and Tim Murtagh were speaking on behalf of Royal London, proud sponsors of one-day cricket, ahead of the upcoming ODI matches against Ireland.

Mitchell Starc has said the Australian men’s team has not changed its position on the current MoU standoff, and will continue to back the Australian Cricketers’ Association to represent the players in negotiations with Cricket Australia

Melinda Farrell28-May-2017Mitchell Starc has said the Australian men’s team has not changed its position on the current MoU standoff, and will continue to back the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) to represent the players in negotiations with Cricket Australia (CA).The Australian team was briefed on the current situation by ACA chief executive Alistair Nicholson in Birmingham on Sunday, ahead of their final warm-up match, against Pakistan, before the Champions Trophy. The tournament is the final competition the men’s team will play before the current MoU runs out at the end of June, and negotiations are at a stalemate with CA refusing the ACA’s request for independent mediation.Instead, CA High Performance General Manager Pat Howard has, for the second time, sent direct emails to several senior Australian players, including Mitchell Starc, captain Steven Smith and David Warner, in an attempt to circumvent the players’ union and deal directly with the players.But Starc confirmed that, following the meeting with Nicholson, the players remain united in backing the ACA. “Our stance hasn’t changed,” Starc said. “Our full support is still behind the ACA to get the outcome that the players are after, it’s all about getting a fair share, we’re not asking for more.”The men and the women are on the same page, we’re sticking strong together and that was pretty much the conversation we had today.”Starc suggested Howard’s efforts to deal directly with senior players would continue to be unsuccessful in the remaining weeks before the June 30 deadline. “They’ve got four weeks to go on the MoU,” he said. “The players are leaving it all to the ACA from our side of things and it’s up to Cricket Australia to sort that out with the ACA at the moment.”Starc and his team-mates must now attempt to put the dispute to one side as they concentrate on their Champions Trophy campaign, which begins with a highly anticipated match at Edgbaston against New Zealand, the team they defeated to win the 2015 World Cup.Australia won their first warm-up match against Sri Lanka at The Oval and will face a Pakistan side that conjured a remarkable victory over Bangladesh at Edgbaston on Saturday.For Starc, the final warm-up match marks his return to the side since suffering a stress fracture to his right foot during Australia’s Test tour of India and gives him a chance to “blow the cobwebs out” and become reacquainted with English conditions before the tournament begins. “It has all been in the nets for me in the last few weeks,” he said. “I’ve been over here for a week in the nets, being in Brisbane in the lead up to getting over to England, so coming off the foot injury I’m just looking forward to playing a game of cricket out in the middle again.”There’s only so much you can get out of nets sessions and centre-wicket sessions. It’s all about match fitness for me and getting some time in the legs.”I guess I know my role pretty comfortably in this set-up. It’s about bowling with the new ball, trying to swing it – more than likely bowling at the death – and then a few overs in the middle, so just getting out there and performing my role again. Obviously it’s a great chance to do that in a warm-up game, where there’s a little bit less pressure. We still want to win these warm-up games, but come Friday it’s when we hit crunch time.”