Dhoni stresses importance of part-time bowlers

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MS Dhoni feels India’s batsmen have contributed well as part-time bowlers in the absence of a genuine allrounder in the squad

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Sep-2012MS Dhoni feels India’s batsmen have contributed well as part-time bowlers in the absence of a genuine allrounder in the squad. Dhoni also said conditions in Sri Lanka had changed over the years and there wasn’t much help for spinners during India’s limited-overs tour to the country in July and August.”We are a team who rely strongly on batting. But some of the top batsmen play the role of part-timers,” Dhoni said after arriving in Colombo for the World Twenty20. “In T20 cricket, part-timers are very important. Our part-timers have been doing well.”We also don’t have a genuine all-rounder so we have to rely on part-time bowlers who are specialist batsmen. Yuvraj [Singh] is one and we have Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina. They will chip in an over each and that makes it a lot easier for us.”Dhoni was pleased to have Yuvraj back in the side but refused to comment on his selection soon after recovering from a rare cancer. “It’s a selection matter. But I am happy that he is in the team as he is a champion player and a match-winner. He also brings a balance in the team as in T20 cricket you don’t include a fifth bowler.”India will be based in Colombo during the World Twenty20. Dhoni said playing at one venue would help but also felt that conditions could still change as the tournament progressed. “We won’t be travelling much. We can put in a bit more effort in the net session and skill-oriented session.”I feel the conditions in Sri Lanka have changed a lot in the past years. When we came here in 2005, the wickets were different and when we came here last time [in July 2012], the wickets were different. The spinners did not get much help from the pitches in the five ODIs and one T20 we played here in our last tour.”If a ground is hosting many matches, then it will slow down and the spinners will get help. So we have to see the conditions and plan accordingly.”

Wright's 99 helps England start impressively

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The World Twenty20 continued to conform to expectation – disappointingly so, some will say – as England began the defence of their title with a 116-run hammering of Afghanistan

The Report by Andrew McGlashan21-Sep-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsLuke Wright was the second England batsman to score 99 in a Twenty20 international•Getty Images

The World Twenty20 continued to conform to expectation – disappointingly so, some will say – as England began the defence of their title with a 116-run hammering of Afghanistan. Luke Wright could not quite follow Brendon McCullum’s hundred earlier in the day, but produced a blistering 99 off 55 balls after the holders overcame a slightly tricky start in highly convincing fashion.Wright became the second England batsman to be stranded one short of a Twenty20 hundred following Alex Hales’ innings against West Indies earlier this year. Wright only returned to the line-up at the tail-end of the English season and had not really been earmarked for the No. 3 role until Ravi Bopara’s rapid loss of form but, having made a brace of useful 30s in the warm-ups, provided further evidence of his development over the last year. He powered past his previous best of 71 against Netherlands, at Lord’s, during the 2009 World Twenty20. England, famously, lost that match but there was never a risk of a repeat.Unsurprisingly, Afghanistan came out swinging with predictable results. Mohammad Shahzad picked out mid-off, Shafiqullah skied to cover and the captain Nawroz Mangal was brilliantly held by Stuart Broad off his own bowling. Much has rightly been written and said about the fairytale of Afghanistan’s rise, but this was a harsh of reality check as they slid to 26 for 8. However, they avoided the heaviest defeat in T20 which is Kenya’s 172-run defeat against Sri Lanka in 2007 and Gulbodin Naib, with a gutsy display, ensured they passed Kenya’s lowest T20 total of 67.England, though, did exactly what they needed to. Wright was chiefly responsible for some fierce acceleration as they scored 124 off the second 10 overs of their innings after a slow start against some lively new-ball bowling. He started the final over on 95 and needed three off the last ball to make England’s first T20 hundred but could only club a brace through midwicket.He received solid support from Hales and Eoin Morgan while Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow contributed rapid cameos. There were some costly overs during the innings, most notably 32 off the penultimate from Izatullah Dawlatzai which included two no-balls – the same figure that Wayne Parnell went for at Edgbaston earlier in the month putting it joint second in T20 records. It was also another poor fielding display from Afghanistan – Wright was dropped on 75 – as basic skills let them down as they did against India.

Smart stats

  • The 116-run win is the third-highest margin of victory in the Twenty20 internationals and the highest ever for England. The top three victory margins (in terms of runs) have come in World Twenty20 matches.

  • Afghanistan’s total of 80 is their joint-lowest in Twenty20 internationals. The previous time they scored 80 was against South Africa in the World Twenty20 2010. It is the also third-lowest total in World Twenty20 matches.

  • England’s total of 196 is their third-highest score in Twenty20 internationals and their second-highest total in World Twenty20 games.

  • Luke Wright became the 12th batsman to register a score in the nineties in Twenty20 internationals. He is also the second batsman after Alex Hales to make a score of 99.

  • The number of sixes hit by Wright (6) is the highest by an England batsman in a Twenty20 international. Eoin Morgan is second with five sixes against South Africa in 2009.

It had not been easy start for England as Shapoor Zadran, who troubled India’s top order, produced a superb opening over. Craig Kieswetter appeared confused by the two-paced nature of the pitch and played out five dot balls before dragging into his stumps to complete a rare wicket maiden. Hales slashed his first delivery just over slip in a far from assured beginning and after four overs the score was 15 for 1.Then the game started to change. Having gauged the nature of the pitch, Hales and Wright located the boundary as Shapoor’s third over cost 23 although four of those were byes when the wicketkeeper was beaten by the bounce. The final ball of the over was launched into the stands by Wright as England began to take control with the last two overs of the Powerplay bringing 37.Hales was unfortunate to be dismissed when Wright’s straight drive was deflected into the non-striker’s stumps by Karim Sadiq. At 84 for 2 after 12 overs the innings hadn’t escaped Afghanistan, but Wright dented Samiullah Shenwari’s figures with a six over long-on and followed that by fetching another delivery through midwicket.Mohammad Nabi, the offspinner, bowled his first two overs for 10 but finished with 0 for 46. Morgan flicked him over deep midwicket – his one convincing shot – and Wright went four, six, four off three consecutive deliveries. There was more of that to come with Buttler continuing where he left off against South Africa and Bairstow drilling his first ball into the stands.Despite having a vast total on the board it was important England did not slack in the field. The quick bowlers made an early impression, zipping the ball through from back of a length with Kieswetter taking a number of deliveries above his head. There was very little for the batsmen to drive although Steven Finn pushed a few deliveries down the leg side.Broad decided to use his bowlers by the gameplan so Jade Dernbach was given one up front before the captain brought himself on. After a difficult home season of catching and fielding they began well in that department, with Buttler producing a sharp dive and throw from midwicket to run out Sadiq then, next ball, Bairstow held a stunning catch running in from fine leg against a top edged hook from Asghar Stanikzai.Graeme Swann started with two maidens then was taken for 16 by Naib who often declined singles and showed why by picking off two sweet sixes against Dernbach to mean there would be no record low for Afghanistan and to help himself to the highest score by a No. 8 in T20 internationals. Nobody should read too much into the result, but it was a good statement by the defending champions.

Faulkner skittles Redbacks for 112

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James Faulkner demolished South Australia for 112 on a difficult day for the batsmen in Hobart, where Ricky Ponting and Ed Cowan also fell cheaply in the lead-up to the first Test against South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Nov-2012
ScorecardJames Faulkner demolished South Australia for 112 on a difficult day for the batsmen in Hobart, where Ricky Ponting and Ed Cowan also fell cheaply in the lead-up to the first Test against South Africa. At stumps on the first day, Tasmania were 3 for 63, with George Bailey on 24 and Aiden Blizzard on 17, and the Tigers needed another 50 runs to take first-innings points.Cowan played on for 6 off the bowling of Daniel Worrall and Ponting was caught behind off Chadd Sayers for 5, to leave the Tigers at 3 for 28 after Mark Cosgrove had also departed for a duck. Thirteen wickets fell throughout the day, five of them to Faulkner, who finished with the outstanding figures of 5 for 23 from 12 overs.Ben Hilfenhaus, who was bowling in a first-class match for the first time since April, collected 2 for 25 off 13 overs. He accounted for the debutant opener Sam Raphael, who equal top scored with 22 before he was caught at gully, and Callum Ferguson, who was caught at point for 5.Ferguson had come to the crease after the Redbacks lost three wickets for no runs in the space of 10 balls as Faulkner provided some problems for the top order. The wickets kept coming with regularity and it was left to the captain Johan Botha (22) to push South Australia into triple figures, but they had a mountain of work ahead of them by stumps.

Twin delight for Powell

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Kieran Powell became the first West Indies batsman to hit two hundreds in a Test since Brian Lara in 2001

Mohammad Isam in Mirpur16-Nov-2012On the fourth day of the Dhaka Test, Kieran Powell became the first West Indies batsman to score hundreds in each innings of a Test since Brian Lara achieved the feat against Sri Lanka in Colombo 11 years ago. The only other West Indies opener to hit twin Test centuries is Gordon Greenidge in 1976, but Powell was more concerned about what awaits his team on the fifth day than in history.Powell wasn’t even aware of who he stood a chance of emulating with his 117 and 110, saying he was reminded by a member of the support staff the night before. “Last night I was speaking to my massage therapist and he told me that this is perfect opportunity to do something like this,” Powell said. “I am not too sure how often it happened but I am happy that it happened to me.”After fielding for a day and a half, Powell’s second-innings century has been a reflection of his marked improvement as a batsman in the past year. He has now scored three centuries this year, solidifying his position in the Test side. Even in the space of two innings, Powell has showed the maturity that has escaped many West Indies openers when batting in the subcontinent. He adjusted perfectly to the match situation and the pitch, playing a lot straighter in the second innings while he had played all around the wicket in the first innings.He was however part of the reason West Indies are in a position of weakness as they slipped from 212 for 3 to 244 for 6 at stumps. Powell was the fourth wicket to fall when he misjudged a straighter delivery from Shakib Al Hasan, exposing two new batsmen. That too in the absence of the experienced Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who was ill and resting at the team hotel on the fourth day.West Indies are 215 ahead with four wickets in hand, which Powell felt was a score from which they could push for a win. “I think we are still in a good position. I think once we get to 300 tomorrow we should be in a good position to look for a win or even trying to save the game.”All we need to do tomorrow is to bat through the first session. Once we do that we should be in a safe position and then push forward from there. I think we have enough time considering the [state of the] wicket.”

Jubair bowls Dhaka Metro to victory

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Talha Jubair’s eleven wickets in the match helped Dhaka Metropolis trounce Rangpur Division by nine wickets in Bogra

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Dec-2012
ScorecardTalha Jubair’s eleven wickets in the match helped Dhaka Metropolis trounce Rangpur Division by nine wickets in Bogra. Jubair’s 8 for 35 in the first winnings was the best performance by a seamer in Bangladesh’s first-class cricket, but his chances of a perfect ten were thwarted by a new rule introduced by the Bangladesh Cricket Board.Talha’s outstanding spell was in the first session of the match and it helped dismiss Rangpur for 129. Dhaka Metro took a 124-run lead in the first innings, with Marshall Ayub making 62 in their score of 253 all out.Rangpur’s young opener Litton Das scored 62 but the rest of their batsmen didn’t contribute as they ended their second innings on 266 for 9, because Dhiman Ghosh was hit on his heel while fielding close to the batsman during Dhaka Metro’s innings and did not bat.Shamsur Rahman led the chase of 143 on the third afternoon with his first hundred of the season. He cracked seven sixes and eleven fours in an 87-ball, unbeaten 107 that helped Dhaka Metro reach the target in 25.4 overs.

T&T cruise to 95-run victory

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A round-up of the Caribbean T20 matches played at Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad on January 9

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jan-2013
ScorecardJamaica earned their first victory of the Caribbean T20 by defending a moderate total in a shortened match at Queen’s Park Oval. Having made only 116 for 6 in 17 overs, Jamaica derailed a Windward Island chase that was progressing smoothly at 65 for 2. Tamar Lambert, the sixth bowler Jamaica used, took three wickets in the 11th over to reduce them to 66 for 5. Windward Islands wicketkeeper Lindon James scored an unbeaten 24 off 15 balls but got no support from the lower order and they finished on 104 for 9 in 17 overs.Jamaica’s total had been built around Danza Hyatt’s 44 after they were sent in to bat. Only two other batsmen got into double figures, Lambert making 16 and debutant Andre McCarthy 19. Garey Mathurin took 2 for 18 and there were two more run-outs as Windward Islands kept Jamaica to 116 for 6, but the total proved a few too many.
ScorecardTrinidad & Tobago’s second victory of the Caribbean T20 was a crushing one, their batsmen amassing a formidable total before their bowlers stifled Leewards Islands at Queen’s Park Oval.T&T opener Lendl Simmons made 62 and Darren Bravo contributed 65, both batsmen hitting five sixes in their innings to lead their team to 187 for 4. Pollard’s cameo was vital too; he made 29 off 12 balls. Tonito Willet, who took 2 for 18, was the only Leeward Islands bowler to go at less than six runs an over.No T&T bowler, on the other hand, had an economy rate of more than six runs an over. Legspinner Samuel Badree, who opened the bowling, Yannick Ottley and Kieron Pollard took two wickets each, pegging Leeward Islands back at regular intervals. Badree struck twice in the first over and Leeward Islands never recovered from 4 for 2. Later on, they lost three wickets for four runs to slip to 66 for 7. Chesney Hughes was the top scorer with 20 and only two of his team-mates got into double figures as Leeward Islands were restricted to 92 for 8 in 20 overs.

A wet beginning in Port of Spain

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The Caribbean T20 had an anti-climatic start as rain prevented a result in the opening fixture between Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago at Queen’s Park Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jan-2013The Caribbean T20 had an anti-climatic start as rain prevented a result in the opening fixture between Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago at Queen’s Park Oval. After T&T played their entire innings, Jamaica batted only 1.2 overs before the players had to go off. The teams earned two points each.T&T had found batting tough after they won the toss. They lost early wickets, were 39 for 3 and reached 50 only in 8.5 overs. Dwayne Bravo, who made 30, was the only batsman to score more than 20. T&T had progressed to 87 for 3 but then lost Denesh Ramdin and Bravo in the space of two runs, after which they slumped to 128 for 9 in 20 overs. Krishmar Santokie and David Bernard took two wickets each for Jamaica.Jamaica were 4 for 0 in their chase before the game was washed out.

World Cup exit overshadows India's consolation win

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The contrasting moods of the India and Pakistan captains at the end of the seventh place play-off at the Barabati Stadium would have left anyone confused about the result

Amol Karhadkar in Cuttack07-Feb-2013The contrasting moods of the India and Pakistan captains at the end of the seventh place play-off at the Barabati Stadium would have left anyone confused about the result. While the Pakistan captain Sana Mir was all smiles after a “tough tour”, her India counterpart Mithali Raj wore a blank face.It didn’t really matter to Raj that her fourth ODI century had helped India chase 193 against arch rivals Pakistan with ease. It came a little too late since India’s primary objective – that of staying alive for having a shot at the title – had slipped out of their hands even before they arrived in Cuttack. The hosts were eliminated before the second stage of the tournament.”Well, the win has not made us happy because we know that being such a good team, the way we started our first game against West Indies, we thought we had a good chance of making it to the Super Sixes. To exit the tournament here, the girls are very disappointed. Yes it was a must-win game because we didn’t want to lose again and finish last,” Raj said.”We had to literally pull ourselves up this morning for the game but as professional cricketers we know that these things happen. We have to bounce back, so that way the team has coped really well.”Raj has captained India in three of her four World Cup campaigns. While India made a sensational run to the final in 2005 in South Africa, they finished a respectable third in 2009 in Australia. The 2013 edition has been far from ideal, since the team has finished a lowly seventh. Does she see herself taking part in India’s mission four years down the line?”I don’t know about 2017. I plan series by series, in four years a lot of things happen, so I’m not sure about that,” Raj, 30, said. “There will be changes from World Cup to World Cup. There is always a transition in every team. Some of the seniors remain while there will be some youngsters coming in. It is important to see how the youngsters turn into experienced players by the time the next World Cup comes around.”Raj, though, admitted that the young Indian team wilted under the pressure of a big tournament. “The World Cup is a tournament where every player feels the pressure, irrespective of whether she is a debutant or the most experienced player. Yes, as a captain I had a good season in 2005, we finished No. 3 in 2009. We beat Australia in Australia and then this exit. It has been a mixed bag for me as captain,” Raj said.”I think with this team, once we falter, we keep faltering. It is not a team which can make a comeback, like an England side. They lost to Sri Lanka but came back strong and have made an impact. That is lacking. In terms of skill, we have extremely talented youngsters in the side, good medium pacers, but the spinners maybe were off colour. I think this time really has to work, especially when the guard is down. We need to work on our consistency in all games.”Despite stressing the “hurt” India’s unexpected exit has caused to every player, Raj signed off hoping for the players to bounce back from the failure. “Individually, it doesn’t feel great. As a player it feels terrible, but you need to move on and see to it that you don’t repeat it and be positive in the coming series. As a senior player, you need to set an example for the youngsters. Most of them depend on me to give them the positive vibe. It is a very young side, very talented side, we need to be together to keep performing,” Raj said.”Every player is hurt, for us the World Cup is over today, but when we get back home maybe we will be sad for a few days but [then] it will be back to domestic cricket. I am sure they will start training once again and prepare.”

Pink ball to make Bangladesh debut

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The pink ball will make its Bangladesh Cricket League debut for the first time in Wednesday’s final

Mohammad Isam21-Feb-2013The pink ball will make its Bangladeshi debut when the Bangladesh Cricket League final begins on Friday. The BCB’s decision to experiment with the ball will be, quite literally, under the spotlight, as the first-class match between Central Zone and North Zone is a day-night fixture – another first for the country – at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.Both teams, however, have been given very little time to get acquainted with the ball, as they were each given a set of three pink balls to train with on the eve of the match.The initial report after the centre-wicket net session from both teams has been cautiously encouraging. Central Zone’s Marshall Ayub, who is the tournament’s leading run-scorer, was wary of how much the ball would swing, but said he had no trouble sighting the ball.”The ball moved sideways, so I think how much it swings tomorrow will be in the back of everyone’s mind,” Marshall said. “Everyone is talking about the pink ball in the dressing room, but I have done some catching and fielding. It seemed visible enough under artificial lights.”North Zone batsman Farhad Hossain found it quite easy to deal with the new pink ball, though he believed what happens in a competitive match will be far more important. “We played with a new ball mostly, so wear and tear wasn’t an issue,” Farhad said. “I think we have to find out what happens tomorrow when the ball gets old. So far I think it has been okay sighting the ball. I also found it easy catching the ball, even though one of the light towers wasn’t used.”It is a very different experience for us, but we want to see how it goes tomorrow. The only issue [is] it becoming discoloured [as it gets older], [which may] trouble the batsman because the ball will [need to] be changed. A newer ball under lights can swing around.”The BCB have set aside 30 balls for the five-day match as a precautionary measure, after concerns about its longevity had been raised. A domestic match in South Africa held in September last year was the last occasion when a pink ball was used in a competitive match. But concerns over its ability to hold colour, especially given how easily the sheen goes away, remained. It had to be changed roughly every 25 overs during the match The other hurdle for many of the players will be to switch between the formats in such a short space of time. The BPL final was on February 19, ending four weeks of continuous Twenty20 cricket, and three days later it is a first-class final. But Marshall said it is hardly an issue. “I think we will manage between the formats quite well.”

Hyderabad set to debut in new avatar

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The preview of the third IPL match, between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Pune Warriors on April 5, 2013

The Preview by Vishal Dikshit04-Apr-2013

Match facts

Friday, April 5, 2013
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)

Big Picture

After the top two teams of last year’s points table kicked-off the carnival on Wednesday, the bottom two will meet in Hyderabad on Friday. While the host city has a new team – Sunrisers Hyderabad – led by the same captain Kumar Sangakkara, Pune Warriors have a new captain – Angelo Mathews – after Michael Clarke was ruled out of the entire season.Sunrisers will feel the absence of an in-from Shikhar Dhawan, who was Deccan Chargers’ leading run-scorer last season. After retaining 20 players from the Chargers, Sunrisers revamped their leadership, bringing together Tom Moody and Sangakkara, who had worked together as coach and captain for Sri Lanka. They also have overseas pace options in Dale Steyn and Clint McKay, and allrounders Darren Sammy and Thisara Perera, but only Steyn picks himself.Warriors had an unsettled team last year and the addition Ajantha Mendis, Ross Taylor, Abhishek Nayar, and the return of Yuvraj Singh, will bolster their prospects. Steve Smith is more a batsman than allrounder these days and Warriors will be tempted to include Clarke’s replacement, Aaron Finch, who scored two fifties and a hundred against England Lions recently. With Marlon Samuels, Luke Wright, Wayne Parnell also in the squad, a right balance might not be easy to find.

Players to watch

Kumar Sangakkara scored 48, 63, 139, 55, 142, 105 and 58 in the recent ODIs and Tests against Bangladesh. He will now have to score in the shortest format against compatriots Ajantha Mendis and Mathews, among others. His captaincy will also be under the spotlight, because he led Chargers to only four wins last season.Yuvraj Singh scored consecutive fifties in the Deodhar Trophy and took 3 for 39 and 3 for 19 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, so his recent form has been promising. With captaincy off his shoulders, and having missed all of 2012, he will want to score more than the two fifties he scored in 2011.

Stats and trivia

  • Warriors won only four out of their 16 matches last season
  • Warriors did not have a single bowler in the top-20 wicket-takers last season. Ashish Nehra, now with Delhi Daredevils, took 11 wickets for them and was in 26th place. Their leading run-scorer, Robin Uthappa, was 12th with 405 runs.

Quotes

“I am not looking far ahead. I am not looking at the semi-finals or anything like that. I just want to concentrate on every game, and on what we do in every game.”
“We have got replacements who are probably good enough to do the job and we are excited to give that opportunity to a younger guy.”