All posts by h716a5.icu

Eoin Morgan made 50 batting at No. 3 for England Lions on a damp opening one of the first unofficial Test against Australia A

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Aug-2012
ScorecardEoin Morgan made 50 in his first match as Lions captain•Getty ImagesEoin Morgan made 50 batting at No. 3 for England Lions before three wickets in the evening session brought Australia A back into the match on a damp opening day of the first unofficial Test.With a slow, turning pitch expected at Old Trafford – 34 wickets fell to spinners in Lancashire’s Championship match against Worcestershire last month – the Lions included Samit Patel, James Tredwell and the local boy Simon Kerrigan, for his first Lions appearance, while Australia A picked only two quicks in their four-man attack.Ravi Bopara, who missed England’s second Test against South Africa for personal reasons, was not included for the Lions after deciding he was not ready for a return to cricket.Morgan, captaining the side, elected to bat despite rainfall during the morning that delayed the start until 2.30pm. In testing conditions, the Lions openers, Joe Root and Nick Compton, scored seven runs from the first seven overs, before Mitchell Johnson had the former caught behind off the glove.That brought in Morgan and he and Compton buckled down for a 79-run partnership. Nathan Lyon removed the Somerset batsman after a typically obdurate innings, his 46 coming off 137 balls, and it was Lyon’s offspin that also accounted for Jonny Bairstow after another painstaking stay at the crease.Morgan had already reached his fifty but Johnson struck in the next over, having the England batsman caught at mid-on, to leave the Lions 114 for 4. However, Patel was joined by Craig Kieswetter to shore up the innings and remain unbeaten the close.

Suspicions and doubts about the priorities of Cricket Australia’s management have filtered steadily out of the Australian dressing room

Daniel Brettig23-Jan-2012Suspicions and doubts about the priorities of Cricket Australia’s management have filtered steadily out of the Australian dressing room in the months since the appointment of Pat Howard as the team performance manager.A year ago the players readily questioned the priorities of CA and its desire to equip the team in the best possible way to win matches, to the point that management and selectors were banned from the dressing room during the ODI series against England. Now there is confidence that Howard and the coaches and selectors underneath him are committed to creating the best environment for success, and will not allow compromising decisions to be made.Causes for most anger in the ranks last summer included the 17-man squad named in advance of the first Ashes Test in Brisbane, and the refusal to release Michael Hussey and Doug Bollinger from the Twenty20 Champions League to prepare for a Test series in India.Such decisions fell within the remit of Michael Brown, the former general manager of cricket operations. Brown has left CA to oversee preparations for football’s 2015 Asian Cup, having been shifted to one side by Howard’s appointment. Paul Marsh, the chief executive of the Australian Cricketers Association, said the new structure had bred trust.”Under the new structure I’m reasonably confident that we won’t see another 17-man home Ashes squad announced just to keep the marketing people happy,” Marsh told ESPNcricinfo. “What the players want more than anything is a support structure that gives them the best possible chance to be successful. I don’t think the previous structure always allowed this but the new structure has an individual in Pat Howard who is accountable solely for team performance.”This has quickly created an environment where the players now feel that they have someone within CA senior management who is completely aligned to the goals of the team. The immediate impact of this is that players are starting to feel that the performance of the Australian cricket team is the high priority it should be for CA, whereas for the past few years this has rightly been questioned by the playing group.”Brown’s former role was unwieldy, covering an enormous amount of ground. It included the team, playing conditions, disciplinary measures, television rights and pay negotiations. He was seldom heard from by the players unless it was a call to inform them of their selection in the national team, or to notify them of a disciplinary breach.By contrast, Howard is a consistent presence around the team in his oversight role, sitting in on selection meetings and working closely with the head coach Mickey Arthur. His background as a former rugby international and coach has also given him a closer appreciation of high performance sport and its demands than Brown was able to call upon.Ultimately accountable for the performance of the team, Howard has said he is less an auditor than an agent of collaboration, between players, coaches, the national team and the states.”I don’t see myself as looking over their shoulder, I see myself as enabling that performance – we’ve all seen there’s a lot of talent there – and making sure that talent gets an opportunity is really important,” Howard said. “And I think most of the Australian public have seen, given a chance there are some guys who are really well and truly up to it or can grow into it.

I think for a while there everyone did get a bit insular, and it was a bit quieter, we were a bit more intense. But I think now the new coach has set in, the new selectors have stepped in, the communication’s been really good, everyone knows where they stand.”Michael Hussey on the new structure

“That’s one of the great stories of the summer. Everyone, be they players or management, want the same thing, they want Australia to win, to perform, and they bring to the table lots of ideas about how we can improve. If we can bring that collaboration to the table then as a consequence we can only improve over the next couple of years.”The strong results seen so far against India have suggested that the team is benefiting from the change, and Hussey said there was an air of refreshment that had come from the knowledge that everyone was working towards the same goal.”Certainly winning breeds fun, but also there’s been so much change around the team, and I think for a while there everyone did get a bit insular, and it was a bit quieter, we were a bit more intense,” Hussey said. “But I think now the new coach has set in, the new selectors have stepped in, the communication’s been really good, everyone knows where they stand, they know what their roles are, and they know where they want to take the team in the future.”I think that gives everyone a lot of heart and a lot of confidence. And then you can really be yourself and really see the characters come through in the team.”

Andrew Strauss, the England Test captain, will be among seven key players heading overseas in December to step up their preparations for the series against Pakistan in UAE early next year

Andrew McGlashan17-Nov-2011Andrew Strauss, the England Test captain, will be among seven key players heading overseas in December to step up their preparations for the series against Pakistan in UAE early next year.Strauss, Matt Prior and Eoin Morgan, who is recovering from the shoulder injury that ruled him out of the end of the English season and one-day tour of India, will travel to Pune and Mumbai. Meanwhile, four fast bowlers – James Anderson, Chris Tremlett, Stuart Broad and Graham Onions, will head to Potchefstroom in South Africa for a training camp. Both trips are part of the England Performance Programme for the winter.Like Morgan, Tremlett and Broad are both aiming to make comebacks after injury. Tremlett hasn’t played since the first Test against India, at Lord’s, after being ruled out of the remainder of the series with a back injury. Broad, England’s Twenty20 captain, suffered a shoulder injury in the home one-day series against India which ruled him out of the return tour in October.Anderson was rested for the tour of India after a heavy workload during the summer and will be expected to lead the attack on flat pitches in the UAE alongside Broad. On Wednesday, Anderson tweeted: “Had my first bowl for two months yesterday, bleep test and fitness testing today. I can’t move and my feet are bleeding.”Tremlett will be aiming to reclaim his Test spot which he had cemented following a successful return to the side during the Ashes series, but in his absence Tim Bresnan has made a convincing case to remain in the team having played a key role against India.Onions is another option for the selectors and they have been very keen to get him back in the set-up following his lengthy lay-off with a serious back injury that threatened his career a year ago. He was drafted into the squad for the final Test against India, at The Oval, when there was doubt over Anderson and was then called into the one-day squad on the subcontinent after Chris Woakes flew home injury although didn’t make an appearance.Meanwhile, Strauss and Prior are Test specialists following Strauss’s retirement from ODIs and Prior’s omission from the limited-overs set-up. Both players returned to their counties at the end of the domestic season, but haven’t had any action since mid-September. Strauss hasn’t hit a Test century since his 110 against Australia, at Brisbane, last November and only has two in his last 26 matches.”These camps will not only see the players working on their cricketing and physical preparations through training but will also involve matches in highly suitable conditions which will provide an invaluable form of practice prior to commencing a Test series in sub-continental conditions,” David Parsons, the England performance director, said.”The players attending these camps didn’t participate in England’s recent ODI tour of India or have been sidelined through injury so this is the ideal opportunity to build up their preparations during an important period leading into January and provides the talented young players on both the EPP and EDP programmes a chance to train alongside and learn from some of the very best.”England’s tour against Pakistan in UAE during January and February includes three Tests, four one-day internationals and three Twenty20s. Their winter is then concluded with a two-Test series in Sri Lanka at the end of March. Although currently ranked No. 1 in Test cricket they could well have lost that position by the time they resume action if South Africa win all their home Test matches against Australia and Sri Lanka.

A BCCI umpire doing liaison work for the ICC during the World Cup has been removed from duty following revelations of unprofessional conduct

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Mar-2011Devendra Sharma, a BCCI umpire involved in liaison work for the ICC during the World Cup, has been removed from duty following revelations of unprofessional conduct unearthed by a TV sting operation. Sharma was caught by , an Indian television channel, allegedly supplying information about the pitch and conditions before a game, which is a violation of the ICC’s code of conduct.In a statement sent to the press detailing the sting operation, claimed that Sharma “revealed some vital information about the condition of the pitch” a day before the March 6 game between Canada and Kenya. “He said that it’s a good batting track and it is going to be a high scoring game,” the statement said. “The team after winning the toss will opt for batting first.”Clause 2.3.2 of the code of conduct states that it is a misuse of inside information to disclose it “to any person (with or without reward) before or during any international match or ICC event where the player or player support personnel might reasonably be expected to know that disclosure of such information in such circumstances could be used in relation to betting.”In that game, Kenya won the toss and chose to bat first, with Canada captain Ashish Bagai saying he too would have chosen to bat first. Kenya wound up being bowled out for 198, a total Canada chased down with more than four overs to spare. also claimed to have recorded five BCCI umpires, and a former umpire, who were allegedly willing to violate professional rules and ethics by agreeing to participate in a corporate tournament that was not sanctioned by the BCCI or any of the state associations. The umpires apparently also agreed to favour certain players with their decisions.”Reporters tell the umpires that in the tournament some players could get promotions and bonus in their company if they performed well in this tournament,” the channel said. “For this the players also depended on ‘favours’ from the umpires. All six agree that they will be lenient on decisions like LBW and caught behind. They also inform our undercover reporters that a list of players to be favoured should be given to them before matches.”

The weather continues to disrupt Durham’s bid for a third CountyChampionship title in four years

10-Aug-2011
Scorecard
The weather continues to disrupt Durham’s bid for a third CountyChampionship title in four years.They lost more than a day to rain in last week’s home draw againstNottinghamshire and only 30 overs were bowled on the first day of their matchagainst Division One’s bottom club, Hampshire, at Chester-le-Street.Put in, the visitors reached 77 for 3 but the forecast remains poor for thewhole four days. Play began at 3.45pm and Callum Thorp quickly reduced Hampshire to nine fortwo. But he was rested with figures of 5-3-5-2 and the change bowlers failed totrouble acting captain Jimmy Adams and Neil McKenzie before bad light haltedplay at 5.18pm.The first attempt to resume at 6pm was aborted because of more rain, but theyreturned eight minutes later and after square driving Mitch Claydon’s first ballfor four Adams chopped the third into his stumps to depart for 23.With Steve Harmison still recovering from an ankle injury suffered in apre-match kickabout, Liam Plunkett out of favour and Scott Borthwick on EnglandLions duty, Durham brought in Sunderland seamer Chris Rushworth for his firstchampionship appearance of the season.But McKenzie twice hit him to the square leg boundary in his second over andpicked up a third four from a leg glance off Rushworth. The South African continued to score the bulk of his runs through the leg side, glancing and pulling Graham Onions for two fours in an over on his way to 46 not out.Liam Dawson fell to the fourth ball of the match, when he shaped to drive Thorpand edged low to Michael Di Venuto at second slip. Following his triple century against Yorkshire last week, Michael Carberry made only four before changing his mind about leaving a ball from Thorp, which he edged to Phil Mustard.Adams took over the Hampshire captaincy with Dominic Cork ruled out by a calfstrain, which also allowed Kabir Ali to return following a 10-wicket match haulin a recent second team game.Six points clear of second-placed Lancashire with four games left, Durham arethe only team among the four title contenders in action this week.

Simon Taufel has referred Phil Hughes’ lbw dismissal in the first Test between Sri Lanka and Australia to the ICC as a serious question mark against the accuracy of Hawk-Eye, the ball tracking technology

Daniel Brettig in Galle02-Sep-2011Simon Taufel, the senior international umpire, has referred Phil Hughes’ second innings lbw dismissal in the first Test between Sri Lanka and Australia to the ICC as a serious question mark against the accuracy of Hawk-Eye, the ball tracking technology. Taufel and the officiating umpires Richard Kettleborough, Aleem Dar and Tony Hill have have also sent the relevant footage of the incident to the ICC’s cricket operations department.Hughes was given out lbw on the second evening when he attempted to sweep Tillakaratne Dilshan. Replays indicated that the delivery had spun appreciably from around middle stump towards off, but the Hawk-Eye predicted path had the ball going straight on with the angle from round the wicket to to strike leg stump.Though he reviewed the decision, Hughes was sent on his way by umpire Kettleborough after consultation with third umpire Hill who is obliged to grant significant weight to the original decision made on the field when he decides whether to reprieve or dismiss a batsman.In Galle to conduct a third umpire accreditation seminar, Taufel has observed the first two days of the Test in part to assess the impact of technology’s inconsistent use and accuracy, having umpired in England’s home series against India under vastly different playing conditions and technological aids.Taufel told ESPNcricinfo that more needed to be done to prove the veracity of devices such as Hawk-Eye, HotSpot and Virtual Eye via independent testing that sits outside the views of broadcasters and suppliers.”Why can’t we tap into technology if the match official is missing a piece of information, and is it right that the match official has to make a decision before technology can be used?” Taufel said. “That’s a fundamental question I think we’re still working through. Under the current system we’re encouraged to make decisions and if a player feels they disagree with that then they’ve got the right to review. But if they get that wrong twice, then we can’t use technology anymore in that innings for that particular team.”They’re the parameters we’re working with and that’s the value we want to promote within the sport – do we just want to get the obvious mistake fixed up or do we want to get as many decisions right as possible? What are the technology tools we have to achieve that, and then how accurate are those tools? Have we really investigated that from an independent perspective, and have we got a categorical answer with that? Is it reliable on the day, rather than just relying on the provider of that technology to say ‘it is x-amount accurate and the result is right’ and we just take that on face value?”The third umpire’s job in particular has become increasingly difficult as each series brings a different set of parameters for reviewing decisions, and the technological means by which they may be reviewed. Taufel said players had also become confused on the field by the transient nature of rules relating to referrals and technology.”From the training perspective we did with the third umpire accreditation module it is very difficult, because there is no consistency of inputs,” Taufel said. “How do I train and develop a third umpire when I don’t know what technology tools are going to be available on the day?”From an umpiring perspective, as a third umpire, it is incredibly challenging here [in Sri Lanka] because the frame rates used by Ten Sports per second will be different to the ones used by Sky in Britain. There’s ultra-motion available in the UK, there’s none of that here. We have Hotspot in the UK, we don’t have Hotspot here. The camera rates used by Hawk-Eye here would be different to the camera rates used there.”Therein lies the challenge of consistency – how can you possibly expect consistent outputs if you’ve got inconsistent inputs? We’ve also noticed the players are somewhat confused as to what they can challenge and what they can’t. In the UK they couldn’t challenge lbws, they could only challenge caught decisions. Here we’ve gone back to a different system where you can challenge both.”Surely that’s got to be difficult for the players and the match officials to keep adjusting from series to series. Our message as umpires was rather strong at the ICC cricket committee meeting where we said, we either want to use everything or nothing at all, let’s try to make it consistently easier for everybody. That’s what we want to work towards.”

Darren Sammy, the West Indies captain, has urged his batsmen to be mentally focussed and do whatever it takes to get West Indies back in the series after their 63-run loss in the opening Test in Kingston

Sriram Veera at Sabina Park 24-Jun-2011Darren Sammy, the West Indies captain, has urged his batsmen to be mentally focussed and do whatever it takes to get West Indies back in the series after their 63-run loss in the opening Test in Kingston. Asked what this team was missing, Sammy simply replied: “Runs on the board”.”The batting unit know that we have been way behind the eight-ball … I still believe the guys are trying their best,” Sammy said. “It’s about being more mentally focussed when you are out there in the middle and doing whatever it takes to put your team in good position. Like how Dravid played and Harbhajan came and played the situation of the game, taking charge of the situation. We need more guys to take on that responsibility.”It was an interesting post-match press conference. At no point did Sammy look ruffled or angry. At times he evaded straight replies, especially to questions about Chris Gayle. “It’s about us wining the key moments. Having them 80-odd for 6 we should have bowled better. Then we had the chance to bat well but we were behind them by 70-odd runs. There is not much between the teams but it’s a matter of winning the key moments.”Well, we have still to be positive. This is a three-Test series. We have to pick ourselves up … The way the bowlers have bowled If we can put up a good score or chase well we stand a good chance to come back and level the series. The games come down close. The thing for me as a professional is that you get out there and try to do well. For us, as batting unit, most times it has not come off well.”Sammy was asked repeatedly about Gayle but chose to take a detour around the subject until he finally gave an answer that was open to interpretation. The question was direct: Are you missing the firepower of Gayle at the top. “The batting has not been the problem only this series; it has been plaguing us for the last ten years,” he said. “Maybe I could have Sobers, Viv [Richards], Walcott all of them. I think whoever is picked for West Indies, if you are a batsman the onus is on you to make a difference.”Darren Sammy knows that his team can’t win unless their batting improves•Associated PressThe questioner persisted again. But Gayle would have made a difference? “You never know, when he comes back we will see.” The reporter gave up and smiled.The questions moved back to the batting. Does he talk to the batsmen or leave it for the batting consultant Desmond Haynes?”I have my say as well,” Sammy said. “We brought Dessie in as batting coach. So he and the coach [Ottis Gibson] have a say. I as a captain or Dessie as batting coach or Gibson as coach we can only talk but at the end of the day we as players have to get out there and do the best for the team. You can’t score runs in the nets. You have to get out there in the middle and do what is necessary for the team.”There was another question about possible team composition. Should they have played Marlon Samuels? Samuels and Gayle are both from Jamaica and they are bound to be featured in lots of questions in this region. Again, Sammy didn’t offer a straight answer. “The selectors came up with the eleven to represent West Indies and whoever is there should take the responsibility to perform.”Will there be any change for the second Test? “We have 13 people in the squad. There is every possibility that we can have changes.”There were positives to emerge from this team, mainly the effort of the bowlers with ball and bat. “We bowled out India twice,” Sammy said. “So we know we can take 20 wickets. Batting last we got the highest score in the match. If we can correct batting and I don’t drop Dravid we can put ourselves in a better place to win the next test.”He said he will continue to back his team and hoped that they will bounce back in the second Test at Barbados. “Just as the team believes in me, I also believe in them. We try to keep positive atmosphere in the dressing room. Next game is a different day. If we can prepare hard in the nets we can do it. As long as the players take responsibility to put the team first we will be in a better position.”If the batsmen don’t show that responsibility? “Well, when you look at the team, it’s selected by the selectors. At the end of the day people have a job to do, they will analyse us and come up with the best possible solution.”

Leicestershire batsman Greg Smith struck his second century in consecutive County Championship innings on the second day of the match against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road

14-Sep-2010
ScorecardLeicestershire batsman Greg Smith struck his second century in consecutive County Championship innings on the second day of the match against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.Leicestershire captain Matthew Hoggard took his third five-wicket haul of the season, claiming figures of 5 for 48 as Northants added 64 to their overnight score before being bowled out for 250. The 21-year-old Smith then blasted an unbeaten 100 off 164 balls including 16 fours as a partnership of 101 unbroken between him and James Taylor (32 not out) guided the visitors to 159 for 2 at the close.Northants started the day on 186 for 6, with their wicketkeeper David Murphy and David Lucas resuming on five and three respectively. But Murphy was unable to add to his overnight total before he was pinned lbw by Hoggard with the fifth ball of the morning.And Hoggard completed his 25th five-for in first-class cricket when he bowled Jack Brooks (nine) as the visitors looked to quickly finish off the Northants tail. But Lucas and Lee Daggett frustrated their attack by adding 46 for the ninth wicket, with Lucas making a respectable 31 before he strode down the pitch and missed Jigar Naik’s straight delivery with the ball going on to hit his middle stump.Two balls later, Naik ended the innings by trapping Northants debutant David Burton lbw for a second-ball duck, leaving Daggett unbeaten on 22. Leicestershire lost Matthew Boyce (four) cheaply on the final ball before lunch when he tamely struck Lucas to Burton at mid-on.They suffered another soft dismissal in the ninth over of the afternoon when Jacques du Toit (14) was caught and bowled by James Middlebrook. But Smith, who smashed 158 not out in the second innings against Gloucestershire last week, went on to reach 50 off 65 balls with his ninth four.He and fellow youngster Taylor then made the Northants bowlers toil for the rest of the session, comfortably guiding their side to 145 for 2 at tea. Rain then began to fall during the interval, meaning a delay to the start of the evening session and the loss of two overs.In the second over after play restarted, Smith reached his century off 145 balls and he and Taylor were to complete their century partnership before their progress was soon halted by the weather. Torrential rain started to fall just seven overs after the last stoppage, with it soon becoming apparent no more play was possible and the umpires unsurprisingly called a halt to proceedings.

Shane Warne has been fined US$50,000 by the BCCI but was spared a ban for his public spat with Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) secretary Sanjay Dixit

ESPNcricinfo staff18-May-2011Shane Warne has been fined US$50,000 by the BCCI but was spared a ban for his public spat with Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) secretary Sanjay Dixit over changing of pitches in Jaipur during the IPL. On Tuesday the pair faced an IPL commission, comprising Ravi Shastri and league chairman Chirayu Amin, which ruled Warne to be in “serious breach of his IPL playing contract” for criticising Dixit.The RCA had complained to the BCCI and IPL that Warne reportedly abused Dixit after his team’s loss to Bangalore in Jaipur last week. The pitch used for that game, and the previous one against Chennai Super Kings, was different from the one Warne’s team had enjoyed a strong home advantage on.In taking its decision the commission took into account Warne’s apology to Dixit and his status as one of the all-time greats of the game. “It (the Commission) regards the public criticism of Mr. Dixit as being a serious breach by Mr. Warne of his IPL playing contract,” a BCCI release said.”However, at the same time, the Commission also recognises that Mr. Warne has apologised to Mr. Dixit, and that the incident occurred just after the match. In addition, the Commission is cognisant of the contribution to the game of cricket in general, and to the Indian Premier League, which has been made by Mr. Warne.”The Commission also said that further breaches could result in a fine, a match ban or points deduction for the player’s team, or a combination of the three.Since the pitch was changed on May 9, Warne and Dixit have engaged in a war of words that has been fought in public, private and through the media. The hearing in Mumbai followed RCA’s rejection of an apology offered by the Rajasthan franchise, with the state board also threatening further action if the matter was not resolved to its satisfaction.

Leicestershire continue to feel the effects of a tumultuous 2010 and have announced a loss of £404,862 for the year to September 30

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jan-2011Leicestershire continue to feel the effects of a tumultuous 2010 and have announced a loss of £404,862 for the year to September 30. The county was beset with problems last summer, with the resignations of chief executive David Smith, senior coach Tim Boon and chairman Neil Davidson.”The results are bad but we have known for some time that costs have not been controlled and income from membership and Twenty20 was way down on budget,” said recently appointed chief executive Mike Siddall.”In almost every area costs are either over budget or income targets have not been achieved. The club needs rebuilding from the bottom and although we have a tough job on our hands it is far from an impossible task.”So far we have replaced our kit supplier, caterer, legal adviser and physiotherapy services provider and desperately need to upgrade our IT and financial systems.”The losses have had a detrimental effect on the club’s cash flow and Siddall added: “The position is serious and in order to guarantee the bank overdraft, the club needs to increase its commercial income significantly. We are continuing our discussions with Leicester City Council to see what can be done in order to relax the covenant the council has over the Grace Road ground. I am optimistic that a solution can be found to enable us to offer sufficient security to cover the facilities we require.””The board has been completely revamped and we have appointed a new company secretary,” added chairman Paul Haywood, who took over when Neil Davidson resigned in October. “Expertise has been brought in to help increase sponsorship and membership income. Costs are now under control and we have set a budget which should return the club to profit.”I am very optimistic for the future. Sponsors, including main club sponsor The Oval Group, are backing the club and sales of attractively priced membership packages have been good. We finished last season on a very positive note and skipper Matthew Hoggard and the team are really looking forward to the new season.”