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The lawyer of Mohammad Asif grilled the prosecution’s chief witness – former journalist Mazhar Mahmood

Richard Sydenham at Southwark Crown Court12-Oct-2011The lawyer of Mohammad Asif grilled the prosecution’s chief witness – former journalist Mazhar Mahmood – as to whether he knew of any phone-hacking during his undercover investigation in the alleged spot-fixing trial on Wednesday. And he also became the latest to try to discredit agent Mazhar Majeed.It was the most fraught session so far in the six days of the trial, in which Salman Butt and Asif face charges of conspiracy to cheat, and conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, following the Lord’s test in August last year when they allegedly conspired with Majeed, teenage fast bowler Mohammad Amir and other people unknown to bowl pre-determined no-balls. Butt and Asif deny the charges.Alexander Milne QC, the barrister of Pakistan fast bowler Asif, quizzed Mahmood on how he came to begin his covert sting investigation. Mahmood replied that he had received information from a source (whose identity he kept secret), who he had known for a long time. He added there was an agreement that there would be payment to the source on publication of his information.Given the developments in this year’s closure of the , due to illegal phone-hacking methods used to acquire exclusive stories for the newspaper, Milne pressed Mahmood on whether he had any knowledge of hacking and whether the origin of his initial information come from hacked text messages.”Is this not hacked material?” Milne asked. “Downloading texts from a telephone without the knowledge of the person who owns that telephone is illegal.”Milne added: “I’m asking you if there is anybody at the who has hacked evidence that might be of relevance to this case and which would be disclosable?”Mahmood, speaking from behind a screen for the third consecutive day in the witness box and becoming slightly defensive because of the questioning, said: “I had no idea about any phone hacking…prior to doing anything with the information I received, I spoke to the lawyer at the newspaper.”Milne also suggested to Mahmood that he met with Asif after the controversy was published, while posing as a lawyer by the name of Imran Sheikh. Milne also suggested to Mahmood that he was spotted in Lahore between December and January earlier this year by Asif, despite telling the court he had not visited Pakistan in that time. Mahmood vehemently denied both suggestions and agreed to submit his passport to the court for checks.”Not only is he (Asif) a match-fixer, but he is a liar,” was one of Mahmood’s angry responses. “He’s been banged to rights as far as I’m concerned and I have no desire to meet him.”Milne opened his address by first asking Mahmood about his experiences with Majeed, the agent at the centre of the trial, and referred to a number of bizarre claims and boasts by Majeed, which was a similar line of questioning taken by the legal team of former Pakistan captain Salman Butt.In his line of questioning, Milne was implying that Mahmood should have realised Majeed was a fantasist. Milne suggested to Mahmood that “he made as much effort to impress you as you were to impress him, with all the names that were dropped”.Milne added: “He claimed to know everyone at Sky Sports, as well as Roger Federer and Brad Pitt…he had an Aston Martin, a fleet of cars and a big house. He was always ‘bigging’ himself up and told you his house cost £1.8 million.”Mahmood was asked by Milne whether he believed all of his boasts, to which Mahmood answered: “It was of no interest to us. I was only interested in the criminality of the people involved.”The case continues.

Brendon Diamanti, the New Zealand and Central Districts allrounder, has retired from domestic cricket in order to spend more time with his family

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Nov-2010Brendon Diamanti, the New Zealand and Central Districts allrounder, has retired from domestic cricket in order to spend more time with his family. Diamanti, 29, played only one ODI and one Twenty20 international for New Zealand but was a regular for Central Districts in all three formats.”After some months of deliberation I have decided that my priorities in life have changed and I want to spend more time with my family,” Diamanti told NZPA. “I also felt that I had achieved what I wanted as a player at first-class level and that the time was right to step aside and allow someone else the opportunity.”Diamanti, a lower-order batsman and medium-pace bowler, made his debut for Central Districts in 2003 and scored two hundreds in 27 Plunket Shield matches. He averaged 25.72 as a batsman and took 57 wickets at 34.77 apiece. He played 59 List A matches and averaged 28 with both bat and ball.”We are sad to be losing Brendon to retirement as he has been a major contributor both on and off the field,” Central Districts chief executive Hugh Henderson, who was surprised by Diamanti’s decision, said. “Brendon is a complete professional and has always demonstrated the commitment and work ethic required to succeed.”

Heath Mills has said New Zealand cricket will soon be “on the cusp” of a player drain unless the board takes measures to improve remuneration

Cricinfo staff13-Dec-2009Heath Mills, the New Zealand Cricket Players Association chief, has said New Zealand cricket will soon be “on the cusp” of a player drain unless the board takes measures to improve remuneration and player contracts in the changing environment, where commercial leagues are competing with international cricket.”The biggest issue for all of us in the game in New Zealand is the ability to attract and retain our best players,” Mills told the . “We’re struggling to retain our best players now; guys are retiring before their time, for whatever reasons, and we may have a situation where our best players may opt to play casually for New Zealand so they can play in the IPL.”Several New Zealand players, including Shane Bond and Daryl Tuffey, opted to join the unofficial ICL in India and they were banned from playing for New Zealand until recently, when their exile ended. And Iain O’Brien retired unexpectedly during the ongoing Test series against Pakistan in order to move to England to be with his wife.The NZCPA and NZC will meet around the New Year to discuss the collective bargaining agreement for the next four years, “the most significant negotiation we’ve had to date given the changing landscape of cricket,” Mills said. He is of the opinion that unless improvements are made, players could refuse central contracts and choose to play for clubs and franchises in competitions around the world instead. “Cricket is changing from having a commercial base solely focused around international cricket to a commercial base built around a combination of international cricket and club or franchise competitions like the Indian Premier League.”If we don’t have a contract system and playing environment that retains our best players then we are at risk. As we start negotiations with NZC we will find out what the numbers look like in the next four year period – hopefully they are good but if things remain the same we will end up like a lot of other sports in New Zealand where the best players end up playing overseas.”

There was enough time for Sri Lanka to strike four times before the weather opened up shortly before lunch

Andrew Fidel Fernando27-Nov-20243:11

Takeaways: Right call by Sri Lanka to bowl first

Under dark Durban skies, Sri Lanka had very nearly their perfect first morning of a first Test, their captain inserting the opposition, before his seamers removed four South Africa batters.But only 20.4 overs were possible on the first day before rain arrived just before scheduled lunch. It stayed put over Kingsmead, until play was called off at around 3pm.Vishwa Fernando and Asitha Fernando had led Sri Lanka’s advances, zipping the ball around on a somewhat moist surface to frequently beat and occasionally collect the outside edges of South African bats.Vishwa, the left-arm quick, was especially disciplined, finding significant inswing in the air from over the wicket, as well as away movement off the deck. He took the wicket of Tony de Zorzi, who was caught by a diving Kamindu Mendis at second slip, soon after Asitha had Aiden Markram held in the cordon – both bowlers striking in their second over of the day.Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs scratched their way through to the drinks break, putting on 32 together, with many of those runs coming off the outside edge through deep third. But Lahiru Kumara, Sri Lanka’s fastest bowler, made amends for a wayward first over by having Stubbs fend one to third slip. Soon after, he nipped a ball through David Bedingham’s defenses to send his off stump cartwheeling – the most dramatic dismissal of a short day’s play.Sri Lanka could have had an even better morning but for two indiscretions. Bavuma, who survived 47 balls and ended the day on 28, should have been held by Dimuth Karunaratne for 1, but he grassed the low chance at second slip. That was off the bowling of Vishwa. Then, shortly before rain arrived to cut the session four minutes short, Bavuma edged a Kumara bouncer he was trying hook, but Kumara was found to have marginally overstepped. Bavuma was on his way to the dressing room when the umpires called him back. He was on 20 at that point.Bavuma, however, was perhaps the most restrained of South Africa’s batters. He covered the line of his stumps nicely as Sri Lanka’s opening bowlers plugged away in the channel, and though he frequently had his outside edge beaten, he did not appear especially eager to feel bat on ball. He had wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreyne for company when the showers came through.Though Kumara claimed two wickets, his four overs cost 35 runs. Asitha and Vishwa both went at less than three an over.The forecast for Thursday is for better weather. Sri Lanka will feel they did justice to the good bowling conditions they got by dint of having won the toss.

Abigail Freeborn’s unbeaten 107 overshadowed in losing cause as Sunrisers secure back-to-back wins

ECB Reporters Network10-Sep-2023Grace Scrivens, Amara Carr and Mady Villiers all hit half-centuries as Sunrisers stunned Central Sparks to register back-to-back wins in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for the first time.Teenager Scrivens, leading the side in place of the injured Dane van Niekerk, scored a gritty 51 and Carr struck 58 before Villiers’ explosive knock of 56 from 46 balls all but wrapped up a four-wicket victory at Chelmsford.Their efforts overshadowed a magnificent maiden hundred by Abigail Freeborn, who batted through all but nine deliveries of Sparks’ innings for an unbeaten 107 from 140 that enabled her side to post 227 for 8.But it was not enough for the visitors, who slip out of the play-off places after Sunrisers – having failed to win a single game in the tournament’s first two editions – chased down the target with five overs to spare.Sparks opted to bat after winning the toss, yet their start was less than ideal as Eva Gray opened up with a maiden and Kate Coppack bowled Bethan Ellis off her pads without a run on the board.Freeborn was soon into her stride, pummelling Coppack’s half-volley to the cover fence and overtaking partner Eve Jones as she clipped Amu Surenkumar for another boundary to raise the visitors’ 50 in the 10th over.Smart running helped to keep the scoreboard ticking over, but spin duo Scrivens and Jodi Grewcock (2 for 36) gained some degree of control and it was the latter who broke the partnership of 99. The legspinner tempted Jones down the track for Carr to take off the bails and that stifled the scoring rate, with shrewd bowling changes earning Sunrisers further success as Gray and Jo Gardner (2 for 21) collected wickets in the space of five deliveries.With Katie George drilling Grewcock straight to cover and Gardner’s flight deceiving Charis Pavely, Sparks slumped to 167 for 6 but Emily Arlott’s pugnacious 22 helped them clamber above 200.Although Freeborn advanced to a deserved century, Scrivens marshalled her attack cleverly and a death-overs charge never materialised, ensuring Sunrisers would chase just above four-and-a-half per over.However, accurate powerplay bowling from Arlott (2 for 33) and Grace Potts meant the home side initially struggled to gain traction, with the ball crossing the rope just once before Arlott had Ariana Dowse taken at gully in the eighth over.Grewcock, having just carved off-spinner Georgia Davis to the point boundary, departed lbw later in the over, but Carr and Scrivens dug in to nudge Sunrisers towards the target with a resolute partnership of 80.The skipper progressed to her third half-century of the tournament before falling leg before to Hannah Baker and, despite that setback, Carr followed suit by clouting an Ellis full toss to the midwicket fence.Villiers eagerly took up the baton after Scrivens’ departure, dispatching Davis (2 for 43) for successive boundaries and dominating the strike, with a single Baker over disappearing for 15 before another leg-side four off Arlott took her to a 40-ball half-century.Sparks sensed a glimmer of hope when they prised out Carr and Villiers in successive overs with 25 still required, but Gardner and Surenkumar saw their side across the line.

Here’s how we captured the record over in our ball-by-ball commentary

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-20222:44

Giles: ‘Broad probably got carried away in the emotion’

83.1: Broad to Bumrah, FOUR runs. Hooked, into the gap! Massive top edge, and I think Crawley might have just got to it… Bounced through and over the rope83.2: Broad to Bumrah, 5 wides. Dug in short, clears Billings! Way above the batter as he began to swing for it again. Wides signalled83.2: Broad to Bumrah, (no ball) SIX runs. Hoicked into the boundary boards, another fat top edge… and it’s a no-ball as well! Bumrah finagling vital runs here. This one went fine of third, but Leach was never getting to it83.2: Broad to Bumrah, FOUR runs. Full toss, bludgeoned through mid-on! Must have been close to another no-ball, on height – but Aleem Dar only signals four. Smoked down the ground by India’s captain83.3: Broad to Bumrah, FOUR runs. Thick-edged to fine leg, four more to Bumrah… and that boundary takes India galloping past 400!83.4: Broad to Bumrah, FOUR runs. Swung off his feet through midwicket! Bumrah ends in a crumpled heap, but he’s middled it nevertheless! Four in front of deep square leg83.5: Broad to Bumrah, SIX runs. Splatted for six more! World record for Bumrah! More short stuff and he whirls it up and away over deep backward square leg. Knee in the air, some Calypso flourish to that one83.6: Broad to Bumrah, 1 run. Tip and run, Broad sweeps up and throws himself into the stumps with Siraj diving for his ground. Just makes it home!

India vice-captain doesn’t want the two newcomers to put too much pressure on themselves

Hemant Brar10-Mar-20216:12

Rohit: Pant is starting to understand game-situations better now

Rohit Sharma feels it’s important for Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan to relax and enjoy being part of the Indian team rather than thinking too much and putting themselves under pressure ahead of the T20I series against England, which kicks off on March 12 in Ahmedabad.For both Yadav and Kishan, it’s their first call-up to the national side. In 2020, under Sharma, the two had played an important role in helping the Mumbai Indians lift their fifth IPL trophy. In 13 innings, Kishan smashed 516 runs at an average of 57.33 and a strike rate of 145.76, while Yadav had 480 runs in 15 innings with an average of 40.00 and a strike rate of 145.01.Sharma was confident the duo will keep their form going when given an opportunity, but he also had a word of caution for them, saying things won’t be that easy at the international level.”I don’t want them to be thinking about anything,” Sharma, India’s white-ball vice-captain, said on Wednesday. “That’s how they bring their best performance out. Having watched them closely for a few years now, I have realised it’s important for them to be part of this wonderful team, a great set-up, which the team has. So I just want them to have fun and understand what this team is all about.”Keeping in mind that this is their first time in the squad, they will be a little nervous, they will be thinking about performance and all. But it’s important for people like me, other senior members and the coaching staff to tell them that it’s just another team that you got to be part of and they just have to enjoy that moment because thinking about performance and what they need to do when they get an opportunity will only put pressure on them.”So [they should] just have fun, relax and be part of this wonderful set-up first and when the opportunity comes… These guys have done really well in the last few years, especially the last year, and it’s just about carrying that form and putting it out there. It’s not going to be that easy here. They will be challenged every now and then but that’s what international cricket is all about. How you respond to those challenges is crucial. So you need to keep telling them about having the right mindset to counter those challenges.”The five-match T20I series will be a preparatory step for India for the 2021 T20 World Cup, for which they are the hosts as well. Till now, India’s approach to T20I cricket hasn’t been very different from their ODI approach, which is to settle down before playing their shots. Sharma, who is the leading century-maker in T20Is with four tons and has a strike rate of 138.78 in the format, said it’s the match situation that dictates how he bats.Rohit Sharma has captained both Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav in the IPL•BCCI

“I have played more than 100 T20Is, so you should know my approach by now, what my approach is, what I do,” he said. “I don’t need to talk about the approach I bring into the game because I have done for many years now but yeah, the situation changes every now and then. So based on the situation of the game, I have to change my game. The approach will always remain the same, which is to have that intent, to have that scoring mindset.”The situation of the game is what I look forward to because that keeps changing every game that you play. So I think it’s very important for me to understand that situation and play accordingly, whether we bat first or bowl first. The situation of the game demands the approach of your batting. So keeping that in mind, I play my game.”In order to have their best possible XI at the World Cup, a big factor will be how much bowling load Hardik Pandya can take. Pandya has hardly bowled after recovering from the back surgery. He was excellent with the bat at the 2020 IPL but didn’t deliver a single ball in the whole tournament. In Australia, he rolled his arm over four overs in the second ODI but then didn’t bowl in the next game, or the following three-match T20I series.Sharma was tight-lipped on whether Pandya will play the first T20I on Friday but said the allrounder was doing “pretty much everything” to be fit and do what the team expected him to.”I cannot reveal who starts and who doesn’t start,” Sharma said. “Of course, he has been with the squad and has been an integral part of the squad. He has been working on his bowling, he has been working on his batting and the particular skillset he has. He has been trying to sharpen those skillsets as well.”It has been a good month-and-a-half that he has been with the team and has done pretty much everything he needed to do to get ready for this limited-overs series. It seems that the time has come for him to get ready and start doing what he does. He has worked hard on his bowling and hard on his batting in the last few weeks. I hope he is ready to do what the team expects him to.”There is a spotlight on Hardik Pandya and on whether he can take on his usual bowling workload•Getty Images

‘Challenge for me in Test cricket is how many balls I play, not how many runs I score’
Sharma has had a successful Test series in Australia and then against England at home, where the spin-friendly pitches made run-scoring difficult. Talking about his form in red-ball cricket, Sharma said he felt the challenge for him is to stay at the pitch for as long as possible, and the confidence he gained from scoring runs while curbing his natural instincts will help him in the shorter formats too.”The benefit [of the red-ball success] is when you have to keep aside your natural and then play, I feel you have already won a battle,” he said. “I feel whenever you have to go against your nature, and have to do those things you are not used to, that’s a small victory for you. If you keep doing such things again and again, it will only boost your confidence.”I feel in Australia and then in India especially, the way I batted, I really liked the way I batted, especially in the last Test. I made only 49 runs but I played 150 balls. So for me, personally, that was a big victory because I had to play against my natural game. They were bowling me well outside off and I felt like playing my shots but I curbed those instincts and batted. Like people say the batsman played a bad shot and got out, I didn’t play that bad shot. I batted with the required disciplined. Unfortunately, I got out on 49, but I was really happy with my effort.”Right now, the challenge for me in Test cricket is how many balls I play, not how many runs I score. The challenge for me is to play 100 balls, 150 balls, 200 balls, and even more. I think in terms of balls, runs will come automatically. The challenge for me is to play as many balls as possible. And that will be beneficial for me as well as the team.”

India and Bangladesh are the only Full Members apart from Afghanistan and Ireland to have not played a day-night Test yet

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Oct-2019The BCB has agreed to the BCCI’s request for the second Test between India and Bangladesh to be a day-night fixture at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.”I’m pleased to announce that our long-term partner BCB has graciously agreed to play a day-night Test match,” BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, who has spoken about day-night affairs as “a way forward” when it comes to bringing people to the stadiums to watch Test cricket, said in a statement released by the BCCI. “This is the beginning of something special in Indian cricket. It is a priority for the newly elected Office Bearers and members of Apex Council to take Indian cricket forward.”For me, as former captain of India and as the current president of BCCI, Test cricket is of utmost priority and we at BCCI will leave no stone unturned to bring this format back to its feet. In this effort of ours, day-night Test cricket is a huge step forward and we believe it will bring back the crowd into stadiums and a whole lot of young children to the sport. I am extremely honoured that the Eden Gardens will host the inaugural day-night Test match and the Cricket Association of Bengal will create a spectacle for everyone to watch.”The development comes less than a week after Ganguly took charge of the BCCI, and the BCB, despite the Bangladesh cricketers having played almost no day-night multi-day cricket – true of the Indians too – played ball.”I thank the Bangladesh Cricket Board President Mr. Nazmul Hassan and his team for accepting our request on such a short notice. I also thank India captain Mr. Virat Kohli for his co-operation,” Ganguly said.ALSO READ – Red ball, not pink – BCCI, domestic cricketers make their preference knownHassan acknowledged the “very long history of support, co-operation and friendship” between the two boards, saying in the same statement, “Ours is a bond of strength and it is very heartening and reassuring for the BCB to have someone like Mr Ganguly as BCCI President who has been an integral part of this journey.”Sourav Ganguly chats with Virat Kohli at an event in Kolkata in 2018•Getty Images

Bangladesh’s decision to go ahead with the pink-ball Test came after discussions between the board and the players.”I am pleased that we have had a frank and constructive discussion with the players and the team management. I have received a positive response about playing the day-night Test in view of the BCB-BCCI relationship,” Hassan said.That the Bangladesh team would play the Kolkata Test as a day-night contest had actually become clear when head coach Russell Domingo addressed a press conference in Mirpur on Tuesday, the same day their Test and T20I captain Shakib Al Hasan was banned by the ICC for two years (one year suspended) for not reporting bookie approaches to the concerned authorities.”As a coach and some players and all the other senior players, we think it’s a great opportunity and I don’t think India have played a pink-ball Test before,” Domingo said. “We haven’t played a pink-ball Test and it’s a great occasion at Eden Gardens and it will be a new experience for both teams. So, we’re excited and it’s going to be a great occasion under lights at Kolkata against probably the best team in the world.”We’re really looking forward to the challenge. We’re not going to have a lot of time to prepare with the pink ball but it’s the same for India.”One of the major concerns for Bangladesh was their lack of match practice with the pink balls that are used in day-night Tests – only one match has been played in the country with them, the first-class Bangladesh Cricket League final in February 2013.Coach Russell Domingo speaks to some of the players during a training session•BCB

While Domingo acknowledged those concerns, he reckoned the “uncertainty” surrounding the pink-ball Test might tilt the scales in Bangladesh’s favour.”We know India are a good Test team, they’re the No. 1 Test team in the world, but the uncertainty of playing a pink-ball Test – both teams don’t quite know what to expect – could work in our advantage,” he said. “The way the game’s going, we need to try new things at certain times and we’re excited by it.”I’ve spoken to the players and for sure there have been some concerns and some guys have said: ‘Oh! We don’t know, two [four] days between the first and second Test’.”Domingo, though, has been part of a day-night Test before, in 2016, when he was the coach of the South Africa team that faced Australia at Adelaide Oval. Domingo hoped that experience would assist him in Kolkata.”In my time at South Africa, we played a pink-ball Test in Adelaide, but we had a warm-up game before that and we had a few sessions with the pink ball leading into the Test match,” Domingo recalled. “I have some experience when it has happened with the pink ball, so hopefully we can share the information and that’s the advantage for us.”Shakib’s ban is a massive blow to a side that is already depleted by the absence of Tamim Iqbal, who has pulled out of the entire tour of India as his wife is expecting their second child later this month.India and Bangladesh are the only Full Members apart from Afghanistan and Ireland to have not played a day-night Test yet.The Eden Gardens Test is scheduled to begin on November 22, with the series of three T20Is (Delhi – November 3, Rajkot – November 7, and Nagpur – November 10) and the first Test, in Indore from November 14, preceding it.

The absence of India’s captain will give Pakistan the edge in the Asia Cup, the fast bowler has said

Umar Farooq06-Sep-20181:57

Kohli’s absence gives Pakistan the edge – Hasan Ali

In just under two weeks’ time, Pakistan will face India for the first time since last year’s Champions Trophy final. Hasan Ali picked up three wickets in Pakistan’s 180-run win in that match, but he didn’t get to bowl to Virat Kohli, who fell early to Mohammad Amir. Hasan won’t get to bowl to Kohli during the Asia Cup either, with India resting their regular captain for the tournament. Hasan is a little disappointed that Kohli won’t be lining up against him on September 19.”Virat Kohli is a very good player. Everybody knows that he is a match-winner,” Hasan said, speaking to the media during Pakistan’s pre-tournament camp at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. “Despite his absence from the squad, India still have a very good team. They have many more players. The advantage to us is that the way Virat Kohli can handle the pressure, someone else who comes in his place might not be able to.”As a youngster, everybody wants to take Virat Kohli’s wicket but unfortunately he isn’t coming. The next time we compete, I will definitely try to take his wicket.”Like Kohli, Hasan is growing a reputation for his fitness standards. His recent fitness test made headlines back home, when he achieved a score of 19.8 in the yo-yo test, well above the benchmark of 17.4 that Pakistan’s team management has set for players to be eligible for selection.Getty Images

Hasan said he was working hard on his fitness with a view to performing consistently in all three formats.”As a youngster, you want to keep yourself fit and look after yourself,” he said. “I have played all three formats and playing all three formats is a burden on the body. On top of that, you need to perform as well.”Looking at all three formats, you need to increase the level of your fitness which is why I have focused more on my fitness. There is no need for comparison with Virat Kohli. He is my senior. He is a legend. He himself is fit. I focus on my fitness because that brings me consistency.”Pakistan will face India at least twice in the Asia Cup, and three times if both reach the final. Hasan believes India will be under more pressure because of their defeat in the Champions Trophy final, and that playing in the UAE will give Pakistan ‘home’ advantage. He also said he wanted “all ten wickets” to give his fans the pleasure of watching his trademark celebration multiple times.”We are on top right now. They [India] are under pressure from the previous defeat,” Hassan said. “In UAE, these are our conditions, we have the home advantage as we have been playing here for long, and are aware of how to use the conditions. India are a good side and I wish to take all ten wickets rather than a five-for, and make my fans across the world happy with my celebration style. There is definitely pressure but I feel good when pressure mounts on me because that is where I try to perform and help my side win.”

Opening batsman Aiden Markram will remain with South Africa’s Test squad in the UK and not return home for the A series against India

Firdose Moonda10-Jul-2017Opening batsman Aiden Markram will remain with South Africa’s Test squad in the UK. His availability for the Test series will be determined on a match-by-match basis as he may yet return home for the A series against India*.With Australia A cancelling their tour to South Africa because of the ongoing pay dispute, the selectors have decided to keep Markram with the senior side to gain experience and provide an extra batting option. South Africa are in the process of confirming a replacement for Australia A later this week.Markram was initially included in the squad as cover for Faf du Plessis, who missed the first Test because of the birth of his child, and was due to head home on du Plessis’ return. Markram did not play in the warm-up match in Worcester or at Lord’s because Theunis de Bruyn was preferred and will likely still have to wait his turn for a Test debut. But with South Africa’s line-up struggling and pressure on the top four, Markram may yet be called upon.The Under-19 World Cup winner enjoyed a breakthrough season at franchise level where he finished 10th on the first-class run-charts with 565 runs at 51.36 from seven matches. He captained the South Africa A side in England and scored a century in their match against Hampshire and 71 against the Lions.He did make an appearance as a substitute fielder in the first Test, but he was unable to get hand on a chance from Joe Root early in the England’s captain’s first-innings 190, having moved in from the boundary at long leg.*July 11, 10.45amBST: this story was updated to reflect further detail of Markram’s availability