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Gary Ballance’s superb century rescued his side and then tipped proceedings firmly in their favour against Worcestershire.

ECB Reporters Network25-Sep-2018
ScorecardGary Ballance has played a significant role in ensuring Yorkshire’s Division One survival in the Specsavers County Championship and a superb century rescued his side and then tipped proceedings firmly in their favour against Worcestershire.The one-time England batsman followed up his hundred in the draw against Nottinghamshire and 85 in the victory over Lancashire by holding together the Tykes innings after Worcestershire had been bowled out for 340 at Blackfinch New Road.Ballance fought a virtual lone hand while completing his third ton of the campaign – and steering Yorkshire past the threat of being asked to follow on – until he was joined by Jack Brooks in a run-laced final session. The pair added a record-breaking 171 in 27 overs for the ninth wicket and shepherded the visitors into a lead that had seemed unlikely when they joined forces at 232 for 8.It surpassed Yorkshire’s previous ninth wicket best against Worcestershire of 150 by Azeem Rafiq and Matthew Hoggard at New Road in 2009.Brooks is certainly signing off in style before joining Somerset on a three-year contract as he followed up his six-wicket haul in Worcestershire’s first innings with 82 before he was dismissed in the penultimate over.It left Ballance unbeaten on a chanceless 189 from 213 deliveries with two sixes and 29 fours as Yorkshire closed on 417 for 9 – a lead of 77. But, as well as Ballance and Brooks played, Worcestershire were left to reflect on another situation in a season of promise that slipped from their grasp when well placed – a major factor in their relegation to Division Two.They seemed powerless to stop the onslaught and were also handicapped by the absence after tea of paceman Josh Tongue with a foot injury as Ballance and Brooks cut loose almost at will.Worcestershire resumed on 319 for 8 and Ben Coad struck with the fourth delivery of the day without addition to the score as he trapped Ben Twohig leg before. Brooks then added to his five-wicket haul by wrapping up the innings as Dillon Pennington was caught behind to leave Tongue unbeaten on 30.When Yorkshire began their reply, Adam Lyth made a quickfire 27 before he fell lbw to Wayne Parnell and Jack Leaning was undone by a fine delivery from Tongue and was comprehensively bowled. Hey Spinner Ben Twohig struck with the final delivery before before lunch as Jeet Raval went to cut and dragged the ball onto his stumps.Former Worcestershire batsman Tom Kohler-Cadmore went leg before to Twohig and Jonathan Tattersall had his off stump knocked out by a Tongue delivery which kept low. Pennington, who had impressed in Worcestershire’s win at Scarborough, had Tim Bresnan pouched at second slipTongue’s third success was also clean bowled in the form of Tykes skipper Steven Patterson and, shortly after tea, debutant James Logan was lbw to Moeen Ali. But then the balance of power shifted dramatically as Ballance and Brooks raced along at more than six an over.The carnage only ended when Brooks, having struck 15 fours in his 99-ball knock, edged Moeen – by now bowling medium pace – through to keeper Ben Cox. A total of 203 runs came from 32 overs after tea.

Allrounders Sophie Molineux and Nicola Carey will be in line for their international debuts as both were picked for ODI and T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-2018Australia captain Meg Lanning will return to international cricket during the upcoming India tour as she will lead the ODI and T20 sides after being out of action for seven months. Allrounders Sophie Molineux and Nicola Carey will be in line for their international debuts as both were picked for both formats.Australia were, however, without two injured players – South Australia allrounder Tahlia McGrath and New South Wales quick Lauren Cheatle. McGrath played a key role in Australia’s Ashes success and was in good form during the WBBL as well but experienced back pain in the final round of the Women’s National Cricket League, as scans showed a recurrence of bone oedema in her lumbar spine. Cheatle had missed the Ashes T20Is with a back injury and has not played since then.Lanning played her last international match in July – the World Cup semi-final against India in Derby where Australia lost by 36 runs. In August, she underwent shoulder surgery and missed the Ashes as well as the WBBL as a result. She was hoping to make a return for Victoria in the final round of the WNCL last weekend but Australia decided to go easy with her return.”Meg’s rehab has been progressing well, she’s back to her old self with the bat and with a few weeks until the first match, we’re confident she’ll be right to play when the times comes,” national selection Shawn Flegler said. “Meg will resume the captaincy and we’re extremely fortunate to have Rach as her deputy after doing a fantastic job as stand-in skipper during the Women’s Ashes. She’ll be a great sounding board for Meg and will continue to drive the standards of the team.”Rachael Haynes was named the vice-captain of the two squads after Alex Blackwell retired from international cricket recently.Molineux and Carey are two promising allrounders picked in the squads. Molineux represented the Melbourne Renegades in the WBBL and was named the Young Gun of the Year during the third season after she scored 318 runs and picked six wickets with an economy rate of 6.38. In the six innings of the WNCL, Molineux scored 170 runs with two half-centuries and collected eight wickets with an economy rate of 3.46. The left-arm bowler was also given the Betty Wilson Young Cricketer of the Year award in January 2017.Getty Images

“Sophie is a really exciting youngster that has shown immense talent as a batter and spin bowler and someone who the selectors have had their eyes on for a while,” Flegler said. “She’s been a standout especially in the Women’s Big Bash and this tour will give her the opportunity to get a taste of the Australian setup in what will be some challenging Indian conditions.”Carey, who represented the Sydney Thunder, scored 149 runs from 10 innings in the WBBL but at an impressive strike rate of 126.27 and struck a 19-ball 47 against the Renegades in Sydney in December. Also a left-hand bat like Molineux, Carey bowls right-arm medium-pace and picked 17 wickets in the WBBL, joint-fourth on the wickets tally.With the 2018 and 2020 World T20s coming up, Australia also saw the inclusions of two youngsters and recent international debutants in the squad – NSW team-mates Belinda Vakarewa and Naomi Stalenberg. Vakarewa made her ODI debut in the World Cup last year and returned to the ODI squad after missing the Ashes. Stalenberg, on the other hand, made her T20I debut two years ago against India and will have chance to add more caps to her name after a few middle-order cameos for the Thunder in the WBBL.Former internationals Shelley Nitschke and Ashley Noffke will travel with the squads as assistant coaches in place of the outgoing coaches Tim Coyle and Joe Dawes.Australia will fly to India on March 3 and will play two warm-up matches in Mumbai on March 6 and 8 before heading to Vadodara for the three ODIs starting March 12. They will then return to Mumbai for the T20 tri-series featuring India and England.ODI squad: Meg Lanning (capt), Rachael Haynes (vice-capt), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Belinda Vakarewa, Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade WellingtonT20 squad: Meg Lanning (capt), Rachael Haynes (vice-capt), Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Naomi Stalenberg, Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington.

As the Big Bash League wallows in praise after another successful year, the financial challenge facing English professional cricket remains as stark as ever as it seeks to increase the capacities of its stadia with an eye to the crowd potential of Twenty2

David Hopps28-Jan-2017As the Big Bash League wallows in praise after another successful year, the financial challenge facing English professional cricket remains as stark as ever as it seeks to increase the capacities of its stadia with an eye to the crowd potential of Twenty20 cricket.That challenge is illustrated by Warwickshire’s financial results for 2015-16, which have just been announced.Edgbaston has become the accepted home of Twenty20 Finals Day and a once unimpressive ground has been transformed into an appealing 24,000-capacity stadium but it has not been without financial pain.Warwickshire have reported turnover of £14.3m and an operating profit of £785,761 for 2015-16. That county cricket has the potential to prosper – admittedly thanks to a hefty central contribution from international revenue – is therefore apparent.But once the paying off of debts, interest, tax and depreciation is taken into account – most of them arising from the £32 million redevelopment of Edgbaston, which was completed in 2011 – the situation is more challenging.Factor in a payment of £1.1 million to Birmingham City Council to service a loan and the situation worsens. Add depreciation charges of £1.4 million, tax and other costs and the bottom line loss is £2.26m. Quite a difference.Warwickshire’s story is far from unique. Durham needed an ECB bail-out. Yorkshire are desperate to fund the replacement of a dilapidated main stand at Headingley and already have debts of £23m.The 18 English counties are indebted to a total of £150m-plus and the ECB is sitting on offshore reserves which rose as high as £73m before falling last summer because Test series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan did not attract particularly lucrative TV deals.Those reserves are jealously guarded. The former ECB chief executive, David Collier, justified the stockpiling as a contingency should the death of the Queen, and a resulting 12 days of mourning, cause heavy financial losses.Even more disturbing for English cricket would be a shift of the balance between international and club cricket. Should that occur, the English counties would have to become more self-sufficient and only a lucrative T20 tournament can deliver that.Warwickshire had a relatively successful year in 2016 season. They won the Royal London Cup and attracted more than 80,000 spectators across five days of England’s Test victory over Pakistan.The club also achieved ticket and hospitality sell-outs for its one-day international – England versus Sri Lanka – and NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day.Off the field, Edgbaston increased its share of the West Midlands’ conference and events market by developing year-on-year sales from £2.2 million to a record £2.5 million. Revenue from commercial advertising also increased.Twenty20 cricket, however, has yet to set Birmingham alight – attendances at Birmingham Bears’ home matches in the NatWest Blast are growing but not spectacularly.That makes it no surprise that the club is strongly in favour of a move to a more marketable new T20 competition based upon the biggest grounds in the country. A 25,000-seater stadium needs to be filled not just for international cricket but for T20, too.Craig Flindall, Warwickshire’s chief operating officer, said: “The 2015-16 financial year was always forecast to be the most challenging in our 2016-2019 financial cycle, and the results are in line with our budgets set at the start of the year.”The quality and volume of our major match days remains the primary driver of revenue and profit and a significant fall in both was expected in 2016 because of the comparative demand for the Investec Test match against Pakistan.”However, the transformation in the business since 2010, when England last hosted Pakistan in a Test at Edgbaston, is reflected in the comparison in the results, with turnover and EBITDA [earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation] in 2016 being £6.5m and £2.4m higher than 2010 respectively.”English cricket is pinning hopes over the next few years on a major financial inflow from the Champions Trophy in 2017 and from the 2019 World Cup. If 50-over cricket is conceding ground to T20, the process is slower at international level where T20 international fixtures are deliberately underplayed. The ECB are desperate that this trend persists for a few years yet.Flindall captured that mood. “We expect to see EBITDA and bottom line revenues grow significantly over the next three years as Edgbaston hosts up to 28 days of major match cricket,” he said. “We have an 11-day programme in 2017, which includes five matches in the ICC Champions Trophy, England’s first day/night Investec Test match and NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day.”Beyond the coming season, Edgbaston’s major match allocation includes a Test against India, a T20I and T20 Blast Finals Day in 2018, and an Ashes Test match and five matches in the World Cup in 2019.Financial pressures at Sky TV, however, where Premier League football viewing figures have dropped markedly, will leave the ECB nervous as they conduct negotiations for the next TV rights deal.Measured against the value of those rights is the recognition that cricket’s popularity has waned in the UK as it has disappeared from State schools and free-to-air TV and there has been a shrinking of the amateur game.Filling Edgbaston for a domestic NatWest Blast fixture will remain a challenge unless there is a major jolt to the system.At a time of flux in the broadcasting market, there are new markets to be explored, but until that flux settles, and a new TV rights deal is delivered that can sustain the future of English cricket, disquiet will remain.Warwickshire are an example of that. Most of the 18 first-class counties know the feeling.

After finishing at the bottom of the table in 2015, Kings XI Punjab, with some low-key purchases and a new captain in David Miller, will look to bounce back this season

Deivarayan Muthu07-Apr-20163:50

Jayawardene: Kings XI can build on good starts

2015 form

Kings XI Punjab were left with the wooden spoon, with 11 defeats in 14 matches

Big Picture

Kings XI in 2014 were like a volcano blowing its lid. Nine totals of 170 or more, four of which passed 200, helped them march into the playoffs and beyond. By the time they made their first IPL final, they had re-branded themselves as the most entertaining team in the tournament. The following season, though, it all went bust and Kings XI were the first to be knocked out. Perhaps, the only constant across the two topsy-turvy years was captain George Bailey’s cherubic smile.

Kings XI Punjab squad

David Miller (capt), Kyle Abbott, Anureet Singh, Armaan Jaffer, Farhaan Behardien, KC Cariappa, RishiDhawan, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell,Nikhil Naik, Axar Patel, Wriddhiman Saha, Sandeep Sharma, Pradeep Sahu, Mohit Sharma, Marcus Stoinis, Swapnil Singh, Shardul Thakur, M Vijay, Manan Vohra

It won’t be there in 2016 though. Bailey, who missed his berth in Australia’s World T20 squad, will not be part of the IPL and his successor at Kings XI, David Miller, has very little captaincy experience. He will also have to do the heavy lifting in the batting line-up along with Glenn Maxwell, especially with Virender Sehwag retiring and becoming the team’s mentor.Manan Vohra, who along with Miller were the only players retained by the franchise in 2014, was re-signed ahead of the auction this year, and looks set to open with M Vijay, despite their poor run last year. Kings XI also have the option of Shaun Marsh, who has been part of their set-up since the inception of the league.The side began the rebuilding job by snapping up useful – if a little low profile – allrounders Farhaan Behardien and Marcus Stoinis, seamer Mohit Sharma and left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh.They also recalled an old friend in Kyle Abbott at the auction. It seems Kings XI are largely reliant on their overseas roster though, Axar Patel and Sandeep Sharma have gone on to become India internationals via the IPL.

Burning questions

Like any team in transition, Kings XI have a few of them. Let’s start with the captain himself. Miller has led all of three times in domestic cricket, bagging golden ducks in two of those games. Can he cope with the responsibility of leading a team comprised of players from diverse cultures?Can the Sharmas prove their fitness and deliver? Sandeep had missed the entire Indian domestic season in 2015-16 because of injury, while Mohit sustained one of his own during the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy and was subsequently ruled out of India’s limited-overs tour to Australia, the Asia Cup, and World T20.Does the spin attack have enough bite? There is Axar, who has added flight and turn to his primary mode of operation, flat fizzers. There is Maxwell, who has often been considered a frontline option by Australia. Gurkeerat Singh, Swapnil Singh and KC Cariappa, who was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 2.4 crore in 2015, provide back up. Nagpur has been slotted as Kings XI’s second home and if the pitches there are anything like they were during the World T20, they will need as many options as possible.Mitchell Johnson, who was retained, has not played competitive cricket since his international retirement last November. Does he still have it in him to lead the attack?

The go-to men

Maxwell and Miller had blitzed 139 boundaries between them in 2014, but that count shrunk to less than half last year. Kings XI will rely on them to bring in the X-factor. They’ll also want Vijay to retrofit some of his Test-match stability into the T20 arena.”Everything you see and like about Kings XI starts with Sanjay Bangar,” Bailey had said of the coach, following Kings XI’s surge in 2014. “His ability to draw younger players out of their shells has been phenomenal and he has been fantastic in managing the overseas players”. Bangar now faces the challenge of rebuilding the side from the rubble with an inexperienced captain.

Bargain buy

Swapnil was part of the list of 25 probables for the 2007-08 Under-19 World Cup. He did not make the final cut for Malaysia, but made his first-class debut, for Baroda, at . Swapnil has played just 76 domestic matches over a decade, of which 31 have come in the last two seasons. Swapnil, who claimed the second-best bowling figures in the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament – 6 for 19 – can also bat a bit in the lower order. At INR 10 lakh, Swapnil is a decent acquisition, if he clicks. Swapnil had earlier been part of Mumbai Indians’ squad, but is yet to get a game in the IPL.

Availability

Everyone available

Coaches

Head coach – Sanjay Bangar, bowling coach – Joe Dawes, fielding coach – R Sridhar, physiotherapist – Patrick Farhart, mentor– Virender Sehwag, peak performance coach – Anand Chulani

Quotes

“The IPL is a platform where talent meets opportunity and that excites me. I think that’s the theme of this team. He [Miller] came in as a 20-year old boy, sat on the benches for a season [as] an unknown quantity and today is the captain.”
“My job is to motivate them [the youngsters], tell them about conditions …and share my experience with them. It is important when you want to take a risk. Maybe that’s too early or too late; I can share my experience with them and he can take the risk at the right time.”

Kevin O’Brien, the Ireland allrounder, has said the upcoming ODIs against Pakistan are a welcome chance for his team to match skills with a Full Member side

ESPNcricinfo staff21-May-2013Kevin O’Brien, the Ireland allrounder, has said the upcoming ODIs against Pakistan are a welcome chance for his team to match skills with a Full Member side. Ireland, who last played a top team during the 2012 World T20, are set to play Pakistan in two one-dayers in Dublin on May 23 and 26.”It’ll be a great chance for me personally and for the team to show what we can do again,” O’Brien told . “It has been a while since we’ve played a Full Member.”Following their famous victory against Pakistan in the 2007 World Cup, Ireland lost their next two encounters when Pakistan visited the country in 2011. O’Brien said the he would not be overawed by having to face Saeed Ajmal, the No. 1 ranked ODI bowler. “We played against him two years ago and we know that he’s obviously a tricky customer,” he said. “[But] there are no specific plans for him, just go out and enjoy facing a great spinner. We’ll have to give him the respect he deserves and try to score off as many balls as we can.”The question of giving Ireland Test status is one that has been floating around for a while. According to O’Brien, the team still has some way to go before they can make the step up. “We’re still a few years away from being a Test team. Bangladesh, when they were given full status, were probably dominating Associated cricket for 10 to 12 years. We’ve only been doing it for six or seven years,” he said. “We don’t have as big a pool of players as Bangladesh either.”Cricket Ireland needs to put a few things in place in terms of first-class cricket and multi-day cricket in Ireland, and I think they’re certainly going towards that. In the future, possibly in three of four more years, Ireland could be playing a Test match against Bangladesh.”He empathised with scheduling issues facing the Full Member countries when it comes to accommodating Associates. “Bigger teams need to concentrate on Test series and one-day series that are already in place, and to add an extra two or three games on the tour to play us is really difficult. England have come over two or three times in the last couple of years and Pakistan had also come here in 2011. We’re getting more and more opportunities.”We’d obviously like more but we can’t be too greedy. We just have to bide our time and when we do get a chance, perform well and get a few victories.”O’Brien was also pleased about “definite” progress made by Associate nations over the last five or six years. “Afghanistan are a good side, as are Holland who are improving all the time. Then you have the likes of Scotland who are getting better and better with their young team. It’s definitely getting more and more competitive at the Associate level and it’s great to see.”The two one-day internationals will be streamed live on YouTube – via the Cricket Ireland channel – after the board struck a deal with Google and Quipu TV to broadcast the game online. The matches were not going to be shown on television. However, the deal is unlikely to help fans in Pakistan were YouTube is banned.

Warwickshire will welcome back Jeetan Patel, the New Zealand offspinner who took 51 wickets in their Championship-winning campaign last season, as their overseas player for 2013

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Nov-2012Warwickshire will welcome back Jeetan Patel, the New Zealand offspinner who took 51 wickets in their Championship-winning campaign last season, as their overseas player for 2013. Patel’s form was a key part of Warwickshire’s title success and also helped win him a recall with New Zealand.Patel has played for Warwickshire in three of the last four seasons, taking 74 first-class wickets at 25.72. New Zealand play two Tests in England in May 2013 but Daniel Vettori’s expected return to fitness may mean Patel is not required.”Winning the County Championship with Warwickshire is one of the highlights of my career and with such a strong squad available, I see no reason why we can’t push harder for success in all formats next season,” Patel said. “The new facilities at Edgbaston have made it one of the best grounds in the world and Birmingham has certainly become my adopted home. I’m looking forward to returning in 2013 and hopefully playing a major part in more success for Warwickshire.”Warwickshire will being their title defence against Division Two champions Derbyshire on April 10, with Patel available for the start of the season. One person who won’t be there to welcome the offspinner back is director of cricket, Ashley Giles, who will take charge of England’s limited-overs teams in January.”Jeets is a world-class spinner who’s produced many outstanding performances, and is a great role model to the younger players in the squad,” the outgoing Giles said. “Whilst I’m moving on to my role with the England team, I’m delighted that the club has been able to secure him as the overseas player for the 2013 season before I depart. His 51 wickets were crucial to winning the County Championship last season, and I know that everyone is looking forward to his return.”

Sri Lanka Cricket special advisor and former ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat has said he is encouraged by the measures SLC have taken in the wake of a financial crisis

Andrew Fernando29-Aug-2012Sri Lanka Cricket special advisor and former ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat has said he is encouraged by the measures SLC have taken in the wake of a financial crisis, and believes the board has since “got a handle” on their financial situation. Lorgat is presently in the country conducting a wide-ranging review of the state of the game in Sri Lanka, and is expected to produce a report of his findings and recommendations later in the year.Lorgat said he had not yet pinned down areas of priority for his review, but suggested the SLC’s financial management would be given special attention. “I think it’s fair to say that the financial situation is something that needs to be looked at and is already being tackled by SLC,” he said. “I know for a fact because I was with the ICC at the time, that there were serious challenges with finances. But it’s good and it’s positive for me to say that at least there is a handle on it now and there’s progress being made. But there’s still a long way to go.”The SLC has been mired in debt approaching $70 million since the 2011 World Cup after constructing two new international cricket stadiums and ordering extensive renovations on a third. After struggling to make player payments over the last 18 months, the SLC has cut its number of contracted players from 100 to 60 as well as made layoffs elsewhere in order to trim spending.”Sri Lanka Cricket has taken up and understood what the issues are,” Lorgat said. “It’s working out its cashflows and its projections, its expenses, its revenue cycles and so on. It’s probably got a better management system for its finances now, from what I’ve seen.”The board ended eight months of delay in player payments after the state owned Bank of Ceylon released $5 million to the SLC in February. It has also had to lean on a $2.5 million disbursement from the ICC, to prepare for hosting the World Twenty20, which begins on September 18. Of that sum, $500,000 is string-free grant, $1 million an advance on ticket sales, and $1 million a loan which must be repaid in 2015.Lorgat commended the SLC for commissioning an examination of its finances, governance and structure, and said he would continue in the role until he can complete a thorough review.”In terms of length I will stay and do as much as is required to complete a piece of work. I wouldn’t want to be constrained by time. I have agreed to work until the end of October, but I will do whatever is necessary to complete the piece of work. “Research for Lorgat’s review began a week ago, and he said he is speaking to a variety of stakeholders in Sri Lanka in order to better understand the state of cricket in the country. “The section of people that I’m speaking to have come from the media, the national team, board members, ex-captains, staff, to get an idea of what happens within the office. There are people in club setups that I will speak to… everybody who will help me form a picture of Sri Lanka cricket.””I’ve been encouraged by the conversations I’ve already had. It’s quite positive, people have been forthcoming. That’s part of the value of being independent. People will share with you what they believe is good, what they believe is not good, what needs to be done and so on.”

Steve Rixon, Australia’s fielding coach, has said he has been impressed with Michael Clarke’s leadership in Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Aug-2011Michael Clarke’s leadership in Sri Lanka has impressed Australia’s fielding coach Steve Rixon. Clarke, Rixon said, had developed the right rapport with the team.”I’ve seen Pup [Clarke] from a young cricketer, when he was first with New South Wales, so I know his personality and he’s in a position now where he’s carving his own way,” Rixon told . “I like his enthusiasm, I like the way he’s relaxed around the players. He knows the line between being captain and being one of the boys and that’s come from a lot of years of experience, seeing the likes of Punter [Ricky Ponting] and Steve Waugh and how they ran the show.”Clarke has won five of six one-day games as captain – three against Bangladesh and two in the ongoing series against Sri Lanka – since taking over from Ponting after the 2011 World Cup. Rixon said the big challenge would come when Australia play their first Test under Clarke, against Sri Lanka in Galle, later this month.”I reckon he’ll do a very good job, because he’ll come in with fresh ideas and I think that’s healthy. There are a lot of things that don’t need fixing, but at the same time Pup’s got to make his own impression on it. He’s got to make a statement: ‘this is the way I would like to see things done, I’ve learnt from very good captains before, and this is my little slant on it’.”Rixon said last summer’s unsuccessful Ashes campaign was the wake-up call Australian cricket needed and that things were likely to improve, especially with the hard work in recent times and the structure reforms in the offing. “We were always going to come back to earth and the Ashes were probably the real kick in the belly.”I see that [reclaiming the top billing] as an exciting challenge. To get these guys up and believing in their own abilities. Get them to trust their preparation, which has been spot-on, being honest. What I’m seeing here is there’s no shortage of hard workers, there’s no shortage of planning and now we’re getting a bit more honesty coming out in everyone’s view on things. If you bottle it up, it goes nowhere. But if you go and talk about things, it’s going to be healthy.”

Shahid Afridi has urged authorities to resolve the allegations surrounding the team because the uncertainty was “damaging for the players”

Cricinfo staff21-May-2010Shahid Afridi, Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain, has urged the authorities to resolve the allegations surrounding the team as soon as possible because the uncertainty was “damaging for the players and the team” as they prepare for future assignments, especially the 2011 World Cup.”The thing is that there is too much uncertainty because of all those allegations,” Afridi told the . “It’s really damaging for the players and the team and I’m really concerned because it comes at a time when we are looking forward to a very busy calendar filled with major assignments, including the all-important World Cup.”I think that for our team to move on, we need to quickly resolve all such controversies. You can’t expect the players to give their best when there are so many allegations thrown at them.”The ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) said on Thursday that it was investigating Pakistan’s tour of Australia in 2009-10 to establish whether Pakistan’s on-field failure was the result of what it called a “dysfunctional” team or “something more serious”.The PCB has been conducting its own investigations into the Australia tour and a leaked video recording of the committee’s hearings revealed the level of in-fighting and disunity within the Pakistan side. Senior members of Pakistan’s team management on the tour raised concerns about a run-out wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal fluffed during the second Test in Sydney, hinting that it may have been more than just a cricketing error.When Afridi was asked at the inquiry if the losses to Australia were deliberate, he said: “I have heard from others that such things [deliberately losing] exist but I do not know of any such player myself.”Pakistan’s next assignment is the Asia Cup in June and Afridi said it “would be great if the team goes to Sri Lanka with this issue resolved so that everybody can focus on playing cricket.” Pakistan have not yet announced an ODI captain but it is widely expected that the responsibility will be given to Afridi.

On the day that Vettori marked his 100th Test he was once again the star for New Zealand

Brydon Coverdale in Hamilton27-Mar-2010Daniel Vettori’s wife calls him the Captain of Everything, which goes back to when he was appointed skipper in all three formats and plans for split leadership with Stephen Fleming were shelved. It could also refer to his role as the team’s best bowler, most consistent batsman and their general in the field. New Zealand have relied so heavily on Vettori so often that despite being in his 100th Test he has celebrated fewer wins (31) than Michael Hussey (33), who is playing his 50th.On the day that Vettori marked his milestone he was once again the star with four wickets, a direct-hit run-out and some well-thought-out field placements. But this time, he had support. From the moment New Zealand strode on to Seddon Park to the time when Vettori led them off to a standing ovation, his men looked sharp. Catches were held, pressure was maintained and Australia were skittled for their lowest total in New Zealand in a decade.Nothing would please New Zealand fans more than seeing Vettori finally enjoy a Test win over Australia. The same intensity will need to be shown over the coming days but Vettori gave his men a good start. They rushed to their captain to congratulate him when his throw from mid-off ended the innings of Ricky Ponting, who has sung the team song after beating New Zealand in nine Tests during his 12-year rivalry with Vettori.It was a big wicket. Tim Southee had picked up Shane Watson early but Ponting and Simon Katich had looked comfortable and the run-out sparked something from the New Zealanders. Southee, who said the team wanted to lift for their captain, went on to collect four wickets and it is only when the fast men back Vettori that New Zealand look at their best.Then there was the plot conceived by Vettori to place a man at deep mid-on, hoping Michael Clarke would try to clear the field off Jeetan Patel. The trap worked. Southee held a good catch – none were spilled during the innings – and although some of the wickets fell to batsman error the bowlers stuck to their plans with diligence.That the pressure built on Australia was yet another tribute to Vettori. He bowled tight, giving the Australians no freedom to attack, and Marcus North and Brad Haddin fell at the other end to Southee when they sought to find runs off him instead. Vettori won his personal rewards at the finish, with three lower-order wickets to finish the innings with 4 for 36 in his 20th over.”It was a good day,” Vettori said. “To turn round from where we were at the Basin, by only being able to take five wickets, and to step up today on a pretty good wicket was impressive. I couldn’t really have asked for too much more from the day’s play. Losing that last wicket right at the end put a little bit of a tarnish on it but I think our track record suggests it has to be five good days as opposed to one.”The first day of his 100th Test could hardly have gone any better. The previous night his father Renzo, who was born in a small village in the Dolomites of Italy, had been invited to present Vettori with the cap for his milestone game.Across the road from Seddon Park, a supermarket was stocking kiwi-fruit imported from the world’s biggest producer of the item. It wasn’t a deliberate tribute to Vettori’s heritage but the abundance of Italian kiwis was especially fitting this week.