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Match facts

Friday, October 2, 2015
Start time 1900 local (1330 GMT)4:33

Agarkar: Would like to see Aravind play SA

Big Picture

We are here, finally. The most anticipated series alongside the Ashes, at least as far as South Africans are concerned, has arrived. It has been a long time coming if you consider that in 2013, India were initially scheduled to visit South Africa for a lengthy period of time but boardroom battles saw the tour cut short. Now, compensation has come.South Africa are on their longest-ever tour of India, which will stretch over 72 days and will include their first four-Test series in five years, since the 2009-10 home series against England. Sensibly, the tour has been structured so that main attraction takes place last, after the teams have both acclimatised and sussed each other out. That’s what these opening rounds are for.The T20s have the added purpose of serving as preparation for next year’s World T20, which will be played in India. For South Africa, it is the ideal way to strategise for the tournament, and will give them an opportunity to see whether they need to make changes in personnel or game plans as they go in search of ICC silverware, yet again. For India, it is a return to a format they have not seen much of in the last year, with ODIs and Test cricket dominating their schedule. They may not need to plan with regard to conditions as much as other teams – the World T20 is taking place in their home after all – but they will want to kickstart a period of consistency in the build-up.For cricket supporters, it barely gets much bigger than this. Rankings aside – India sit at fourth and South Africa have slumped to sixth on the T20 charts – the rivalry between these two sides always makes for riveting viewing. Sit back and enjoy.

Form guide

India LWLLW (last five completed games most recent first)
South Africa LWWWW

In the spotlight

Axar Patel was the second highest wicket-taker in the recent triangular A series between India, South Africa and Australia and the highest wicket-taker in the unofficial Test series. He might be unleashed against the visitors given the perception that the South African middle-order is vulnerable against spin. Axar has played only two T20s, against Zimbabwe, and is the junior-most spinner in the India squad, but could use this opportunity to push for a place in next year’s World T20 plans.With Faf du Plessis fit to resume duties as captain, AB de Villiers will be able to assume his new role at the top of the order. South Africa’s new strategy seeks to give de Villiers as much batting time as possible and the ploy might work in India. De Villiers was the fourth highest run-scorer at this year’s IPL – the top-scorer for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, a team that also included Chris Gayle – with 513 from 14 innings at 46.63 – and seems to relish batting in the shortest format on the subcontinent. He may not have to keep wicket, if Quinton de Kock is given a chance to show whether he his lean run has ended but if Hashim Amla is preferred, de Villiers will have to perform a dual role.

Team news

MS Dhoni did not reveal much about his team combination, saying he would have to look at the conditions – especially the dew factor – on the evening of the game before deciding.India (probable): 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Shikhar Dhawan 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Suresh Raina, 5 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 6 Rohit Sharma, 7 Stuart Binny, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Axar Patel/Harbhajan Singh, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Mohit Sharma/S AravindAB de Villiers will open the batting with either Quinton de Kock or Hashim Amla, who joined the squad late and may need time to settle in. South Africa’s top four are familiar and solid, but David Miller, at No.5, will need to find form to avoid losing his place to the uncapped Khaya Zondo. Chris Morris will take over the allrounder’s role from the injured David Wiese, who had to withdraw from the squad, and will likely be one of four seamers in a young pace pack. There will probably only be room for one specialist spinner, with South Africa likely to give the experienced Imran Tahir a game ahead of Eddie Leie, who may get opportunity later in the series.South Africa (probable): 1 AB de Villiers, 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Faf du Plessis (capt), 4 JP Duminy, 5 David Miller, 6 Farhaan Behardien, 7 Chris Morris, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Kyle Abbott, 10 Marchant de Lange, 11 Imran Tahir

Pitch and conditions

Spin has been the buzzword from South Africa but the surfaces in the limited-overs series may not lend themselves to a significant amount of it. Instead, runs are going to be in abundance on surfaces the bowlers will have to work hard on. At least they will have one of the most picturesque backdrops in world cricket with the Himalayas providing the view. Already, South Africa’s squad have shared several pictures on social media expressing their awe at the environment in which the series opener will be played. The weather is expected to be mild, with temperatures at 25 degrees and cloudless skies, but dew could play a big role.

Stats and Trivia

• South Africa have never played a T20 in India
• India have won six of their eight T20 matches against South Africa, giving them a win/loss ratio of 3, way better than their win/loss ratio of 0.54 in Tests, and 0.62 in ODIs
• India have only played two T20s in the last 12 months. They were both against Zimbabwe where they won a game and lost a game
• Faf du Plessis is the leading scorer in T20 cricket this year with 252 runs in four matches at 84, including a century

Quotes

“I always found it most difficult switching from Tests to T20s, I always thought T20 to Test was relatively easy. When you switch from Test format to T20, the game demands you have to hit… so you want to have some kind of flow in your batting, you have to have that big swing, you don’t want to lose shape when hitting the ball.”
“I have learnt the most from India – just from general respect and treating people the way you do. Indian people, as a culture, are the friendliest people around.”

Scans have revealed that Australia T20 captain Aaron Finch suffered a “moderate grade” injury to his left hamstring during the second T20 against India. Cricket Australia’s physio Alex Kountouris said having Finch fit for the World T20, where Australia play their first game on March 18, is the target.Finch had picked up the injury while running between the wickets at the MCG, during a 48-ball 74. Kountouris said: “Aaron had scans on his injured left hamstring that confirmed a moderate grade hamstring injury. This is not a recurrence of the previous hamstring injury that required surgery in April 2015.”Although this current injury doesn’t require surgery there is a period of rehabilitation required before he can resume playing.”We are aiming to have Aaron fit for the ICC World T20 in India but will have better idea about his fitness for that tournament in the coming weeks once we see how he responds to treatment and a rehabilitation program.”Meanwhile, batsman Usman Khawaja has been added to the ODI squad for the series in New Zealand, which begins on February 3, to cover for Finch’s absence.

The referral system did not see a single decision overturned during the English season © Getty Images

The MCC World Cricket Committee has called for an extension of the player referral system used in the Friends Provident Trophy during the English season into Test cricket with more use to be made of the technology available.It recommended a continuation of the current system whereby two appeals against umpiring decisions are allowed per innings by both the fielding and batting sides. However, unlike the ECB experiment where only a ‘clear of obvious mistake’ could be over-ruled by the third umpire the cricket committee wants the TV official to be able to make his own decision with the help of more sophisticated technology.It said that Ultra Motion cameras – the extra-slow replays – should always be available to provide evidence of thin edges and bat-pad catches or lbws.During the Friends Provident Trophy the third umpire could only use standard replays to form his decision, and no decisions were overturned, but the committee wants the introduction of Hawk-Eye into the process, although adds its accuracy would have to be independently verified first. During a recent meeting in Cape Town the cricket committee met with the makers of Hawk-Eye who guaranteed the accuracy of the system to within 5mm.The MCC has offered to assist with the increased costs of the cameras for the trial period, but also concluded that the trials should take place in a Test series, where the highest quality of technological presence is available.The committee felt that the game should make use of Hawk-Eye to assist in the tracking of deliveries for lbw decisions up to the point of impact with the batsman, but that the predictive path technology, currently used on television to predict where the ball might have gone thereafter, should not be used by the third umpire.But they added that other technology, such as Snickometer and Hot-spot, should not be used for initial trials although didn’t rule out an introduction in the future.”The committee feels that the player challenge system could have a positive effect on the spirit of the game,” said a statement. “A batsman who gets an obvious edge on a ball but is given ‘not out’ may be more inclined to walk in the knowledge that he would certainly be given out by the third umpire, if the fielding side made a challenge.”The committee recognised that to dispute an umpire’s decision is contrary to the Spirit of Cricket but felt that the system is nonetheless worth trialling when utilised in tandem with the extended availability of technology to the third umpire. However, the trial must be conducted in such a way as to assist the umpires in every possible way and all challenges to umpiring decisions in the trial must be made in a way which maintains the umpires’ dignity and authority over the game.”The format and success of the World Twenty20 was also praised, but the committee warned of the dangers of increasing the number of matches played and feels the current level set by ICC – three home games in a summer – should remain.However, they reiterated their view that some teams play too much Test and ODI cricket, adding: “Twelve Tests is considered a reasonable limit and the maximum number of games in a one-day international series should be five. The committee is worried that players will increasingly suffer from tiredness and injury as a result of their increased schedules, as well as having no time to play in their own domestic cricket. “

Ricky Ponting will have to set a good example on the field © Getty Images

James Sutherland, the chief executive of Cricket Australia, is concerened about the increasing number of reports on Australian players for bad on-field behaviour over the last year. He has told Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain, that expectations of how they handle themselves on the field had risen.The most recent offender was Ponting himself when he protested against umpire Asad Rauf’s decision to call a wide during the DLF Cup in Kuala Lumpur. He has been found guilty of dissent twice by the ICC. Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath have also had to appear before the match referee for bad conduct in the recent past.”I know it’s something the players have talked about in recent times, even at the camp to address areas of concern, areas of susceptibility,” Sutherland told the . “I am sure they are making conscious efforts to keep the slate clean and play the game in the right spirit.””If you have a look at a case-by-case scenario, I think they have been relatively minor” added Sutherland. “I am not in any way condoning that behaviour, but they are level one. My strong feeling is that the bar has actually been raised a little bit by the ICC over the last 12 months, 18 months. Mentally we need to continue to keep up with that.”

Sreesanth’s big wicket: Sachin Tendulkar walks back after being trapped in front in the second match of the Challenger Series at Mohali © Getty Images

On December 3, 2001, when he missed college to watch Tinu Yohannan make his Test debut at Mohali, in the process becoming the first Kerala player to play international cricket, little would S Sreesanth have imagined that three years later, he would stake his claim for a place in the Indian team at the same venue. Neither would too many people have imagined that a slightly built pace bowler from Kerala, a state more famous for its athletes and football stars, would end up as the Man of the Series in this season’s Challenger Trophy.If Yohannan put Quilon on the Indian cricket map, then Sreesanth has added Ernakulam to the list. Unlike Yohannan, though, whose physique was tailor-made for fast bowling, the bespectacled, baby-faced Sreesanth comes across like a student of mathematics. When he begins his run-up, the equation slightly changes. With a hustling, rhythmic run-up Sreesanth gathers his momentum, delivers with a side-on action, skids the ball through at disconcerting pace, and most importantly, swings it both ways. If you can hurry Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, you can hurry most. The short delivery was used judiciously, the yorker skillfully. He ended with seven wickets and could have had many more if not for some poor umpiring and bad fortune.Until now Sreesanth was hardly anything more than an answer to a trivia question – who is the only Kerala bowler to have taken a Ranji Trophy hat-trick ? His rise, though, has been rapid, and since he plays for a weak side, unnoticed. Not too many bowlers get selected for the Duleep Trophy in their first season, like Sreesanth did in 2002-03 after snapping up 22 wickets in his first seven games. Playing for Plate B, he cranked up some surging pace and troubled experienced domestic stars like Wasim Jaffer and Hrishikesh Kanitkar.New Zealand arrived in India at the start of his second season and the tour game at Rajkot provided him with a chance to prove his worth. He was overshadowed by Munaf Patel, who bowled with fire, but Sreesanth’s 12.5 overs had a fair share of pace too. The honeymoon period, however, had come to an end. A hamstring injury forced him out on the first day and that turned out to be the start of a disappointing season in which he managed just 11 wickets in five games. Kerala played in the Elite group that season and he would have had to deal with batsmen of superior quality but Sreesanth admitted that getting back in shape was an irritating roadblock.A mystifying story did the rounds when Sreesanth missed five games in the Ranji Trophy that season. It was alleged that he was following an astrologer’s advice to stay away from cricket for a certain period of time, an absence that would help his career in the long run. Sreesanth rubbished this claim but it was indeed surprising to see him travel with the side, train before games and yet sit out. “I wasn’t match fit,” he said, “I was working in the nets to get back in shape.” However, if true, the story not only tells us a bit about the man’s beliefs but also reveals the power of the astrologer. Ever since, Sreesanth – who somehow found a place in that season’s Duleep Trophy squad despite such a lukewarm season – hasn’t looked back.Not only did he make headlines for some strong performances in domestic cricket, but he was being touted as a prospect in coaching circles. “Dennis Lillee and TA Sekhar were vital to my improvement,” Sreesanth told Cricinfo. “Lillee helped me change my action from mixed to more side-on and it was great to work with such a legend.” Greg Chappell spoke about him after watching him at the National Cricket Academy, while a few coaches around the country picked him out as one for the future. “I wasn’t so quick when I started off,” Sreesanth continued, “but I built it up gradually. As long as I can maintain my rhythm, I will get wickets.”Kerala’s finest batsman, Balan Pandit, was a hair’s breadth away from playing for India in 1955-56, while KN Ananthapadmanabhan, their best spinner, toiled away for 17 long years without gaining national recognition. Yohannan managed to break the barrier with pace, and despite lasting just three Tests, his impact on the next generation in Kerala, a state so beautiful that it’s often termed as `God’s own country’, might turn out to be his lasting legacy.

Dimitri Mascarenhas: scored 52 from 22 balls as Hampshire won by 30 runs© Getty Images

There weren’t many close finishes in the latest round of Twenty20 Cup matches, as Kent, Leicestershire, Somerset, Derbyshire and Hampshire all collected the points in their matches.At Canterbury, an unbeaten 48 from Matthew Walker and 36 from Rob Key helped Kent to 163 for 6 against Sussex, who then bombed to 116 all out with Ian Butler taking 3 for 19 as Sussex went down by 47 runs. Darren Stevens hit a quick 31 in Leicestershire’s 150 for 7 at Grace Road, which was enough to beat Nottinghamshire. They crashed to 110 all out as Charlie Dagnall came up trumps with 4 for 22.A rapid 51 from only 32 balls by James Hildreth, along with 47 from Keith Dutch, boosted Somerset to 178 for 6 against Worcestershire at Taunton.An unbeaten half-century from David Leatherdale wasn’t good enough for Worcestershire, who were pegged back by Aaron Laraman. He finished with the impressive figures of 4 for 15.At the Rose Bowl, a blistering 52 from 22 balls by Dimitri Mascarenhas and a quick 46 from Michael Clarke helped Hampshire to victory against Middlesex. Hampshire posted a healthy 170 for 7, and Middlesex couldn’t keep up with the rate, despite an unbeaten 35 from Lance Klusener.James Bryant guided Derbyshire to victory against Durham at Chester-le-Street. After Durham struggled to 117 for 9, Bryant made sure the result was never in doubt with a run-a-ball 41 as Derbyshire cruised home with an over and a half to spare.
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Seven members of the Pakistan women’s cricket team who were dismissed from the national training camp have claimed that their removal was down to management bias and not cricket reasons. The camp is being run by the Pakistan Cricket Board ahead of next month’s World Cup qualifying tournament in the Netherlands.The seven called a press conference to express their unhappiness at what they saw as an unfair decision. The initial venue for the conference was the team’s hotel, but it was cancelled after the PCB allegedly put pressure on the hotel manager not to allow it to proceed. The seven instead issued written statements which alleged that they were removed not because of their performance but to allow girls from another region to be included.But an official denied the allegations, explaining that the seven were not good enough to play international cricket. He added that only one girl had been brought in to the squad, and that the overall number at the camp had been trimmed from 44 to 30.

The Somerset Board Eleven set off for Lakenham today for their second round match on Thursday against Norfolk in the 2002 Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy.Before they set off team manager Peter Robinson told me, “It will be a tough game. Norfolk are a strong team and have just won the 38 county competition and beaten Holland, so we will have our work cut out.”The Somerset team that travelled to Norwich is, Kevin Parsons (Captain)Brian Hoyle, Kevin Sedgebeer, Matt Bulbeck, Matt Dimond (all Taunton St Andrew’s), Matt Gitsham (Wembdon), Michael Coles, Steve Davis (both Bridgwater), Gareth Andrew and Rob Travers (both Glastonbury) and Joe Tucker (Keynsham).If the Somerset Board Eleven are successful they will host a first class county in the next round, which will be played next season.Friday is the reserve day for the game should it be unfinished tomorrow.

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Never underestimate enjoyment factor – Gillespie

Drenched in champagne glinting in the Lord’s sunshine, Andrew Gale proudly held aloft the County Championship trophy, a year to the day after the ECB had prevented him from doing so when Yorkshire were victorious last year. This was a triumph belated and deserved.Yet Gale considered it “bittersweet”. Blame Middlesex. They had displayed the temerity to ensure Gale’s celebrations came after an emphatic defeat, something that seemed unimaginable when Ryan Sidebottom consigned them to the wreckage of 0 for 3 one over into the opening day, or when Yorkshire secured a first innings lead of 193.”If you’re slightly off your game in this division that’s what happens,” Gale said. Here was a clarion cry from Middlesex, taking on the role of representative of the 17 counties – or at least the eight in the First Division – who do not sport the White Rose. The message was clear: the gap between Yorkshire and the rest is less insurmountable than a 26-match unbeaten run in Championship cricket, now at an end, suggests.Certainly that is the case when Toby Roland-Jones and James Harris summon performances as powerful as they mustered on the final two days against the champions. After adding 146 for the ninth wicket on the third day, now the two combined to decimate Yorkshire’s batting.Just as the final day of first-class cricket at Lord’s this season threatened to descend into a somnolent wait for Gale to lift the crown, Roland-Jones and Harris located late reverse swing and a lethal line just outside offstump.Devastation ensued. Five wickets fell in 29 balls, testament to the vim with which Roland-Jones and Harris bowled.Roland-Jones was particularly outstanding. Bounding in with pace and bounce, he bowled 21 overs of unerring intensity. He claimed 5 for 27, every wicket caught between keeper and fourth slip. On a pitch that had seemed increasingly pallid, Roland-Jones located a toxic cocktail of reverse swing away from the right-hander and lift outside offstump.”It’s something that’s been coming for a while. I’ve by no means been bowling badly, but just haven’t had that real match-deciding spell which can really define a bowler. It’s nice to feel that’s come at last,” Roland-Jones said. “It was probably the most rhythm I’ve had all year – running in just felt a little bit more effortless. I wasn’t really stretching or straining, and the line I bowled was telling.”Together with his maiden first-class century, the upshot was one of the most satisfying victories of his career and Roland-Jones’ finest individual performance: “I don’t think I’ve done anything that comes close.” On this evidence it would be folly were he not seriously considered for an England Lions recall.Harris was scarcely less impressive, Middlesex’s penultimate match of the season continuing his stirring revival as a cricketer. When he left Glamorgan three years ago, Harris was so in-demand that 11 counties attempted to sign him. He signed for Middlesex because Harris believed it would maximise his chances of playing Test cricket. The England selectors told Harris he needed to locate extra pace, so he went to the national academy in Loughborough in search of it.It did not work. All Harris achieved was to lose the swing that had enticed Middlesex in the first place. His confidence went too, and last year Harris even returned to Glamorgan on loan in an attempt to relocate it.Now he is the second highest wicket-taker in Division One, behind only Chris Rushworth. Harris showed why by swinging the new ball away from Adam Lyth and Gary Ballance just enough to invite the edge and then returning to aid Roland-Jones in the evisceration of Yorkshire’s batting.So crushing was this victory that it was enough to invite the question of how great the gulf between Yorkshire and the rest. “I wouldn’t say there’s a massive gap. We’ve just managed to play some very good cricket. We saw today – we got thumped so it’s hard for me to tell you how big the gap is,” Jason Gillespie said. Middlesex have now beaten Yorkshire at Lord’s in consecutive seasons, and were also tenacious in defeat at Headingley this year.A year ago Middlesex’s summer ended with a display of resolve at Old Trafford to protect their Division One status. In any context 2015 has been a quietly formidable in red ball cricket: 15 games have yielded seven victories and only one defeat. Middlesex have done it all while overcoming significant obstacles. Adam Voges’ late-blooming Test career upset their overseas plans, while the upshot of reinvigorating Steve Finn has been to lose him to England.No wonder there was such an air of contentment as the members lauded Middlesex’s efforts at Lord’s this season. Yorkshire remain county cricket’s outstanding team, but Middlesex, who were the last county to beat them in the Championship, also at Lord’s, now have only to navigate a trip to New Road to prove themselves most-deserving runners-up.

Franciszek Smuda admits his Poland side struggled to deal with the pressure of hosting the opening game of Euro 2012 but is hoping to build on their draw with a win over Group A leaders Russia.

Poland began the tournament on home soil with an enthralling 1-1 draw with Greece that saw both sides have a man sent off and head coach Smuda acknowledges his players were overawed by the occasion.

“The pressure for the opening game was really huge because we thought we had to win. We didn’t want to fail. We want to win but we don’t want to lose.” He said in his pre-match press conference.

“We know we have one point and because of this we will have a chance until the very end.

After watching the Russians trample over the Czech Republic, Smuda emphasised the need for his players to remain focused on the task in hand and ignore the other game in Group A.

We have to play our way but we have to be more organised in the event that we lose possession.

“We cannot worry about this (the other game). We can only think about our fixture. Any result is acceptable for us in this match – except a defeat.”

Russia boss Dick Advocaat is hoping his side can build on their comprehensive 4-1 triumph over the Czech’s on Friday and book an early spot in the quarter finals.

He’s likely to start with Aleksandr Kerzhakov in attack on Tuesday despite the striker setting a new European Championship record after wasting seven opportunities in their opening game.

The 29-year-old Zenit St Petersburg forward dismissed rumours that he would be dropped in favour of Roman Pavlyuchenko and challenged his teammates to provide that all important second win that will keep them in pole position.

“If we keep on winning, I don’t care how many goals I score, or if I even score at all. It will be a tough encounter because Poland will be at home,” Kerzhakov said.

“They drew their opening match against Greece and I am sure they were after a better result, so in order to qualify for the knockout stages, they need to win and will be doing everything to do that.”

Team News

Wojciech Szczesny is banned after being sent off against Greece but apart from that Smuda has a fully fit squad to choose from with Przemyslaw Tyton likely to start after saving the penalty conceded by his teammate.

Aleksandr Anyukov should be fit to take his place in the starting lineup after coming through training unscathed.

Key Players

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Robert Lewandowski

All eyes were on the Borussia Dortmund striker after an impressive season in Germany and he didn’t disappoint scoring the first goal of the tournament with a superb header. His approach play and unselfish work as the lone striker gives Poland a real threat in attack but he’ll need to be at his best to get the better of a stern Russian rearguard.

Alan Dzagoev

Tipped as one of Europe’s up and coming young stars the 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder was terrific against the Czech Republic scoring twice and running the show from midfield. His clever passing and driving runs from midfield provide a real goal threat and Russia will be expecting him to build on a superb first game.

Prediction: 1-2

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