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Guyana have missed the WICB’s deadline to submit their squad list for the Caribbean Twenty20 that will be held in January 2013

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2012The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has missed the WICB’s deadline to submit its squad list for the Caribbean Twenty20 that will be held in January 2013. The deadline was November 22, but the West Indies board issued a release stating it would approach the GCB once again and ask it to submit its list of players.”The board has directed the WICB management to again request the GCB to provide a Guyana team to participate in the Caribbean Twenty20 and for WICB Management to set a date by which the Guyana team is to be submitted,” the release said. “The WICB Management will set the date and once finalised will communicate same to the GCB and the public.”The issue is part of an ongoing conflict between the GCB and the Guyana government, which began when the Guyana government dissolved the GCB due to a dispute over its July 2011 elections. The elections were boycotted by some of the board’s constituent members, one of which, the Berbice Cricket Board, took the GCB to court, claiming the new administration was not properly established. The Chief Justice recommended that “there may be immediate need for the minister responsible for sports to impose his executive will in the national interest.”Following that ruling, Guyana’s sports minister Dr Frank Anthony appointed an Interim Management Committee (IMC), headed by ex-West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, to run cricket in Guyana. The WICB, however, refused to acknowledge the IMC, in keeping with the ICC’s stance against government intervention in cricket administration, and said the only authority it would recognise was the GCB.Guyana’s participation in this year’s Caribbean T20 had also been under a cloud due to the problem, but they eventually played.The WICB release also said the board’s directors were very concerned about the lack of a breakthrough in the Guyana impasse, and reiterated their backing of the GCB. “The WICB, at a meeting of the board of directors, on Saturday and Sunday, expressed grave concern at the length of time it is taking for a resolution to be had to the situation in Guyana. The board further implores all parties involved to use their best endeavours to ensure that the situation with regard to cricket in Guyana returns to a level of acceptability in the shortest possible period.”The board reiterates its position that it recognises the Guyana Cricket Board as the sole governing body responsible for the administration, management and development of cricket in Guyana.”

A round-up of the action from the second round of National Cricket League 2011-12 matches

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Oct-2011Any doubts about the playing conditions at the Sylhet Stadium were blown away by Sohag Gazi’s whirlwind first-innings 140 for Barisal Division, but, ultimately, it was Abdur Razzak’s record-breaking first-class figures of 15 for 193 (bettering Elias Sunny’s 13 for 106 against Sylhet Divison in 2008-09) that gave Khulna Division a smooth eight-wicket win.Gazi’s maiden first-class century included 20 fours and three sixes, an innings that rescued Barisal from being shot out for a low total. Khulna replied in kind, with Razzak hitting 69 of 63 to help his side take a 30-run lead. He followed up an eight-for with seven wickets in the second innings that kept Barisal Division to 194, as only Salman Hossain offered some resistance. Khulna Division then chased down 165 in little over 40 overs, with Amit Majumder and Tushar Imran hitting unbeaten half-centuries and sharing a 120-run third-wicket stand.Dhaka Metropolis continued to be in top form in the National Cricket League, beating Dhaka Division by seven wickets, within two days, at the Shahid Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi. The stadium’s pitch was in the spotlight over the weekend, but the low scores were more the batsmen’s fault than that of the surface, which offered some sideways movement.It was Dhaka Division who took a first-innings lead of 24 runs, despite being bowled out for 132, as newcomer Mohammad Shahid bowled a fiery spell late on the opening day. But Dhaka Metropolis bounced back to skittle out the divisional side for just 140 in their second innings, Arafat Salahuddin completing eight wickets in the match with his Ian Austin-like medium pace. Rony Talukder hit 80 out of the total of 140, putting the other batsmen’s early-season form into perspective. Dhaka Metropolis lost two early wickets in the fourth innings before Asif Ahmed and Mohammad Ashraful added 129 for the third wicket, setting up an easy win and 12 points for their side.Rajshahi Division prevailed in the battle of the northern teams, beating Rangpur by 58 runs at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra. It was the first win of the season for the defending champions, who were rolled over by Dhaka Metropolis in the first round.Rangpur Division, however, had the better of the exchanges in the first innings. They took a 24-run first innings lead courtesy half-centuries from Liton Das and captain Tariq Ahmed, and handy cameos by Dhiman Ghosh and Saymon Ahmed. Farhad Hossain’s 84 in Rajshahi Division’s second innings helped them to a modest 186 run lead, which proved to be more than enough. Rangpur Division were bowled out for 128 on the final day. Farhad Hossain contributed with the ball too, picking up four wickets, as did left-arm spinner Saqlain Sajib.Nafees Iqbal’s hit a first-class century for the first time in almost three years to set up Chittagong Division‘s six-wicket win over Sylhet Division at the BKSP No. 2 Ground in Savar.Nafees, the elder brother of Bangladesh batsman Tamim Iqbal, struck eleven boundaries in a seven-hour knock that ensured Chittagong Division crossed Sylhet Division’s first innings score of 270, which was painstakingly piled up in their usual style. The innings took them into the tea break on the second day, forcing a declaration when nine down, after which Chittagong Division took almost the same number of overs to make 425. Sylhet Division were poor in their second innings, as Kazi Kamrul Islam, Noor Hossain and Faisal Hossain took three wickets each. As a result, Chittagong Division had to chase a mere 29 runs on the final day. They made rather heavy weather of the paltry target, losing four wickets before Aftab Ahmed hammered two sixes to seal their second win in a row.

Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Johan Botha restricted Pakistan to 119 before Colin Ingram and JP Duminy revived the chase from a wobbly 26 for 3 with a 66-run partnership to push South Africa to victory

The Bulletin by Sriram Veera26-Oct-2010South Africa 120 for 4 (Ingram 46*, Duminy 41) beat Pakistan 119 (Tsotsobe 3-16, Botha 3-31) by six wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsPakistan struggled to force the pace against Lonwabo Tsotsobe•AFP

Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Johan Botha restricted Pakistan to 119 before Colin Ingram and JP Duminy revived the chase from a wobbly 26 for 3 with a 66-run partnership to push South Africa to victory in the first of the two Twenty20 games in Abu Dhabi. Pakistan fought hard with the bowling but the battle was lost by their batsmen.There was a predictable monotony about the Pakistan batting. The openers didn’t last long, Umar Akmal flattered to deceive, Shahid Afridi unfurled a couple of violent hits to threaten a revival, Misbah-ul-Haq batted slowly and the lower order collapsed.The chase shouldn’t have got so close but South Africa slipped up against Shoaib Akhtar early in the piece. Loots Bosman crashed one straight to cover point and AB de Villiers dragged a pull shot to his stumps as Shoaib picked up two wickets in his second over. And when Graeme Smith was bowled, attempting a cut against Mohammad Hafeez, South Africa were wobbling at 26 for 3 at 5.1 overs. Pakistan brought on Saeed Ajmal and Umar Gul and the duo kept the runs down to maintain the pressure.However, the release of pressure came from unexpected quarters. It was set up perfectly for Afridi to come in and strangle the batsmen with his accuracy but he leaked 23 runs from his two overs: Duminy collected a boundary to fine-leg and Ingram swung one over long-on and heaved another to the square-leg boundary to propel South Africa ahead. Duminy and Ingram batted sensibly to add 66 runs in 10.4 overs to push South Africa close to the winning line. Though Duminy fell, to a good diving catch by Umar Akmal at long-on, David Miller hit a few boundaries to ensure the scoring rate didn’t slacken and Ingram remained unbeaten to take South Africa home.Barring a couple of poor overs from the Morkel brothers at the start – Albie struggled with wides and Morne struggled with no-balls – South Africa did nearly everything right. They kept it tight on good lines and lengths and waited for Pakistan to implode. Tsotsobe removed the openers to set the tone for the innings: Imran Farhat fell to an ugly slog, edging to slip, and Shahzaib Hasan fell to a good tumbling catch from JP Duminy running back from point after scooping an intended big hit.Botha came on after the Powerplay to strangle Pakistan with a triple-strike. Two of them came easily: Mohammad Hafeez carved one straight to sweeper cover and Abdul Razzaq, who struggled in his brief stay, played down the wrong line and lost his off stump. In between those dismissals, Afridi counterattacked in his inimitable style with a breezy 25 off just seven balls. He muscled Botha for three sixes over long-on but fell trying another big hit.Much depended on Akmal at this stage and he even looked in the mood to play a responsible knock. He didn’t try any flashy hits and rotated the strike with singles but he exited just when he appeared to have settled down. It was a slow bouncer from Albie and Akmal connected well with his swat-pull but sent it straight to Botha who swallowed it at midwicket. With Misbah struggling to find his timing, Pakistan were struggling to reach 100. Albie and Rusty Theron slipped in a few full tosses that Misbah utilised to push the score to 119, a score that however proved insufficient.

Cricinfo previews the second Twenty20 between India and Sri Lanka in Mohali

The Preview by Dileep Premachandran11-Dec-2009

Match facts

Saturday, December 12
Start time 17.30 (12:00 GMT)

Big Picture

Dinesh Karthik should easily slot in for an injured Rohit Sharma•AFP

The ICC World Twenty20 win, and the subsequent celebrations that riled Andrew Symonds so, seems like it belonged to another age. Though it set in motion the events that led to the creation of the IPL, India’s form in the international arena has been dire. Wednesday’s thrashing at Nagpur was their fourth loss in succession, and you have to go back nearly a year to their last victory against a major side. The Pathan brothers, Irfan and Yusuf, denied Sri Lanka then, and it will need similar strength of will from the middle and lower order to ensure that the team’s alarming slide in the game’s most abbreviated format is arrested.Sri Lanka snapped a four-game losing streak of their own in the opening game, and would have been delighted with the manner in which they coped despite another Sehwag-Gambhir blitz at the top of the order. Once again, it was an old man, Sanath Jayasuriya, who showed the young ‘uns how it’s done with a miserly spell that choked all life out of India’s charge for victory. Once again, Lasith Malinga and friends will focus on a callow middle order that was embarrassed at the World Twenty20 in England last June. India have shuffled the pack often enough, without finding any real answers.As worrying was the fielding, or lack of it. We can only speculate as to what Mike Young made of it, with catches spilled, run-out opportunities squandered and a generally lackadaisical approach. Sri Lanka were much sharper in the field, and that made the difference in a game where more than 400 runs were scored.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
India – LLLLW

Sri Lanka – WLLLL

Watch out for…

Tillakaratne Dilshan: He contributed significantly in Nagpur, without being as destructive as he can be. On a bouncier pitch, he could well showcase the electrifying shot-making ability that thrilled those at The Oval during the World Twenty20 semi-final. His offspin could also have a part to play.Yuvraj Singh: He will celebrate his birthday in front of his home crowd. With rumours rife that he may not lead the Kings XI Punjab side in the next IPL season, it’s the perfectly chance for one of the game’s biggest hitters to illustrate just why he’s so feared by the opposition, and so loved by the fans.

Team news

Sreesanth missed the Nagpur with a stomach bug and has not recovered. He was admitted to a city hospital last night and is under the doctors’ observation following multiple ailments. Rohit Sharma, who hurt his shoulder while diving in the last match, has also been ruled out. Rohit took part in the practice session at the PCA stadium but MS Dhoni said the team did not want to take a chance since he was not “match fit”. Dinesh Karthik, a handy batsman to have in this format, should replace him. The management will decide on the final XI on the morning of the game. There is an outside shot that R Ashwin could replace Yusuf Pathan, though Pathan’s swing-or-bust style may be persisted with for the moment.India: (possible) 1 Gautam Gambhir, 2 Virender Sehwag, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 MS Dhoni (capt/wk), 6 Dinesh Karthik, 7 Yusuf Pathan, 8 Pragyan Ojha, 9 Ashok Dinda, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Ashish Nehra.”I am tempted to play the same eleven which did a brilliant job in the last game,” was Kumar Sangakkara’s reply when asked about Sri Lanka’s composition. There could, however, be a return to the fold for Ajantha Mendis, whose stock has plummeted since his heroics against India a little over a year ago.Sri Lanka: (possible) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Sanath Jayasuriya, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Chamara Kapugedera, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Muthumudalige Pushpakumara, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Ajantha Mendis, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Dilhara Fernando.

Pitch and conditions

The dew could have a major role to play with a cold wave sweeping across northern India. Despite predictions of good bounce and carry, it looks like a bat-first-and-win match. If the skies are clear, the dew will be a factor by the time the first innings is over. Bowlers will find the ball hard to grip and batsmen could find the ball skidding through after pitching.

Quotes

“Hopefully before the next World Cup we would get it right. We will have the third edition of the IPL before that which I think will help. IPL will give us the right preparation.”
“We always have to come up with new ways to improve. Momentum is good as it gives us the confidence, self belief. It gives us the belief that we can repeat all the good things.”

Afternoon and evening sessions belonged to Sri Lanka with their top four producing best collective effort

Andrew Fidel Fernando06-Dec-2024Kyle Verreynne’s manic sprint to a third Test century lit up the second morning and sent South Africa speeding to a total of 358. But the afternoon and evening sessions belonged to Sri Lanka. Their top four produced their best collective effort in the series so far, with Pathum Nissanka hitting 89 off 157 balls, forging a 109-run second wicket stand with Dinesh Chandimal.With Angelo Mathews not out on 40 at stumps, and Kamindu Mendis unbeaten on 30, Sri Lanka have seven wickets in hand, and are well-placed to take a lead in the first innings. They have for the first time in the series, put serious pressure on a South Africa attack that seemed short of options on a flattening Gqeberha deck.Kagiso Rabada was the most menacing of their bowlers, conceding only 40 and taking the wicket of Dimuth Karunaratne for the third time in the series, in his 15 overs. He’d also had Nissanka dropped by David Bedingham at second slip, on 22. Sri Lanka negotiated Marco Jansen with much more confidence than they had in the first Test, in which he’d claimed 11 wickets. By stumps, Jansen had given away 75 off his 18 overs, and was the only frontline bowler without a wicket.Though there were occasional plays and misses against Rabada in particular, Nissanka was largely watchful, scoring only eight runs off his first 50 deliveries. He eventually began to attack the shorter deliveries, and it was the pull shot that he favoured through the remainder of the innings, taking to Jansen’s shorter balls in particular. Most of his run-scoring came square of the wicket, and he raised his batting tempo in Chandimal’s company, settling into accumulation mode against the spin of Keshav Maharaj in particular.That he got out to Maharaj, whom he had early clubbed for six over deep midwicket, will particularly rankle, especially as he was nearing a century. He merely ran at the bowler, attempted a cross-batted shot to a ball that was full, and essentially yorked himself, the ball going on to clatter into leg stump.Pathum Nissanka brought up his ninth 50+ score in Tests•AFP/Getty Images

Still, the stand between him and Chandimal had provided Sri Lanka a platform. Chandimal was looser with his strokeplay than either opener had been, and collected edged fours behind the wicket early on. He nevertheless stuck at it alongside Nissanka, until a tentative prod against Dane Paterson ended with him being snaffled behind the stumps.Mathews was also somewhat tetchy at the beginning of his innings, but found some boundaries down the ground, and settled into a rhythm later. Kamindu Mendis appeared assured from the outset. The two put on 43 runs together before stumps.The morning, however, had been reigned by Verreynne. Having lost Keshav Maharaj without South Africa adding to their overnight score, Verreynne put on 66 with Rabada, as Sri Lanka turned almost solely to bouncers and short deliveries to blast the final two wickets out. Verreynne crashed three boundaries between deep backward square leg and deep midwicket in one Asitha Fernando over to really get his engine roaring, before venturing even bigger hits when Rabada was bowled by Asitha, and he was left with the No. 11 for company.With 19 runs still to get for his hundred, Verreynne yanked the throttle with even more intensity, first smashing Prabath Jayasuriya over cow corner for six, before mowing Asitha into the banks to get within one strike of a 100. He reached triple figures with another mighty pull in that same over, sending the ball sailing over fine leg’s head.The milestone sparked wild celebrations, a bow from Verreynne to the dressing room, and a bear-hug from Paterson. Verreynne himself likely did not anticipate that a century would be on the cards when the morning’s play began, but finished unbeaten on 105 off 133 balls, having reaped 58 off 50 balls on day two.Lahiru Kumara claimed the last South Africa wicket, and ended with 4 for 79. Asitha and Vishwa Fernando shared five wickets between them.

They have not played a bilateral series against each other in any format since 2004, with cricketing relations severed at one point due to political issues

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Aug-2023England will host Zimbabwe in May 2025 for a four-day Test, marking the first Test match between the sides since June 2003. The game will be played from May 28 to 31 but the venue is yet to be confirmed.In all the two have played each other in six Tests, Zimbabwe hosting England in the long format in 1996 and touring the UK in 2000 and 2003 for two games apiece. The teams have not played a bilateral series against each other in any format since 2004, with relations between the two boards severed due to political tensions stemming from issues in Zimbabwe under the Robert Mugabe government.England forfeited points in the 2003 World Cup after refusing to travel to Harare to play Zimbabwe, and the ECB suspended bilateral agreements with Zimbabwe on government advice in 2005. Relations between the two countries have improved in recent years, leading to a resumed dialogue between the two cricket boards.This will be Zimbabwe’s second four-day Test match – they played South Africa in a day-night four-dayer in Gqeberha in December 2017. England have played two four-day Tests, both against Ireland, in 2019 and 2023.ECB chief executive Richard Gould said of the development: “We are delighted to be able to host Zimbabwe for a Men’s Test match for the first time in two decades. Zimbabwe has a proud cricket history and have produced world-class players and coaches who have enriched the game across the world.”We are committed to developing a closer relationship with Zimbabwe Cricket and the announcement of this Test against our England Men’s team is a step in that ambition.”Kevin Pietersen made his England debut in their most recent bilateral series against Zimbabwe, in 2004•Clive Rose/Getty Images

ZC managing director, Givemore Makoni, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be playing bilateral cricket in England for the first time in over two decades after we agreed to play a Test match in May 2025.”The significance and magnitude of this tour cannot be over-emphasised, and I would like to say a huge thank you to the ECB for committing to the resumption of cricketing relations between our countries that date back to the introduction of the game in Zimbabwe in the 1890s.”The experience of playing a Test match against a top team like England is massive for the current generation of our players, coming at a time when our game as a whole is on an upward trajectory.”England were due to be the only one of the 12 ICC full members not to play Zimbabwe in an bilateral series as per the 2022-2027 future tours programme. For the ECB, the move is part of a concerted effort to re-position itself as an ally to full member nations who had previously been overlooked for Test cricket.England also have five home Tests against India scheduled for the 2025 home summer, while Lord’s is due to host the World Test Championship final.

Visitors overcome top-order wobble to beat Netherlands 2-0 in three-match series

Ashish Pant02-Jun-2022West Indies 217 for 5 (King 91*, Carty 43*, de Leede 2-46) beat Netherlands 214 (Edwards 68, O’Dowd 51, Hosein 4-39) by five wicketsBrandon King and Keacy Carty’s career-best efforts of 91 not out and 43 not out, respectively, in an unbeaten 118-run stand for the sixth wicket, rescued West Indies from 99 for 5 and led them to a series win against Netherlands in Amstelveen. King backed up his unbeaten 51-ball 58* from the first ODI with another half-century, and found excellent company in Carty as the duo chased down a target of 215 with five wickets in hand.West Indies would have hoped for a much easier chase after Akeal Hosein’s career-best 4 for 39 helped bring about a Netherlands collapse of 10 for 113. However, fast bowlers Logan van Beek and Bas de Leede fashioned a collapse of their own to threaten an upset in the second ODI.King and Carty, though, resurrected the chase well. While King was more adventurous in his shot-making, Carty, playing just his second ODI, took his time to settle in before opening up his shoulders as the visitors eventually cruised home with 27 balls to spare.Earlier, opting to bat first, Netherlands openers Vikramjit Singh and Max O’Dowd laid a solid platform in a 101-run opening stand. Both batters went toe-to-toe with each other in their run-making. Vikramjit got the boundary counter running for the hosts as he ramped Alzarri Joseph over the slip cordon in the fourth over before driving the same bowler through mid-off. O’Dowd, initially sedate, picked Kyle Mayers through the backward square leg region for a four and then drove him down the ground in his next over. It didn’t help that West Indies dropped both openers thrice inside the first 15 overs as Netherlands kept a steady run-rate going.Netherlands brought up their 100 in the 21st over, but it all went downhill for them thereon. As was the case in the first ODI, the spinners, Hayden Walsh and Hosein, brought about their downfall. Vikramjit was the first to depart when he pushed an innocuous, tossed-up ball straight back at Hosein for 46. While O’Dowd reached his fourth ODI half-century, he was soon undone by a short-of-a-length Hosein delivery that crept very low to bowl him.With both set batters dismissed, Netherlands lost their way. Hosein sent back de Leede for 0 before Nkrumah Bonner claimed Musa Ahmed for 7. Hosein then claimed his fourth wicket, getting rid of Teja Nidamanuru for 4, with Netherlands suddenly finding themselves 159 for 5.Scott Edwards, batting at No. 3, did his best to take his side to a respectable total but did not get much support. He struck 68 off 89 balls and was the last wicket to fall as the hosts failed to bat out their 50 overs. For West Indies, Hosein was the pick of the bowlers, while Joseph picked up two wickets at the end.West Indies’ chase got off on the wrong foot with Shamarh Brooks and Shai Hope falling inside the first ten overs. While van Beek had Brooks caught at first slip for 6, de Leede left Hope’s stumps in a mess with a stunning in-dipper for 18. de Leede then struck again, trapping Bonner for 15, while Nicholas Pooran dragged Aryan Dutt back onto his stumps, having hit him for a six a few deliveries earlier.King and Mayers forged a bit of a fightback for the visitors, but once the latter fell on 22, with the team score on 99, Netherlands would have a sniffed an upset. King, though, made sure he did not lose focus. At no stage did he let the Netherlands bowlers bowl too many dot balls, and even when Carty failed to rotate the strike, King kept the boundaries flowing. Netherlands fluffed a couple of run-out attempts, but apart from that, there was little the two West Indies batters offered in terms of chances.King, who smashed nine fours and three sixes during his knock, was named Player of the Match for his effort.

Extended time away from home ended Test career early, but former opener ready for new role

George Dobell01-Mar-2021
Marcus Trescothick has confirmed he is “ready to jump back” into touring life, but accepts he is still “building up” to the long trips usually undertaken by England players and support staff.Trescothick was named as the ECB’s elite batting coach on Monday. As a result, he is expected to spend time on tour with various England teams as well as working with players throughout the talent pathways during the English summer.But Trescothick, whose international career as a player was curtailed by issues with anxiety and depression that appeared to be exacerbated by periods away from home, admits adapting to the touring lifestyle is part of “an ongoing process”. As a result, he expects to spend no more than five weeks away from home on each individual trip.”It’s an ongoing process for me,” Trescothick said when asked about the issue. “I think I’ve learned to adapt and progress where I’ve gone. I’ve gradually built it from a couple of days in Spain, to then going to Spain for a week. Then I did two weeks in Abu Dhabi.”I’m gradually cutting my teeth on it just to get more confident. Every trip that I do, the more I realise how much I enjoyed the touring life. But that’s not to say I’m ready to jump back in and do six weeks or two months or three months away. That’s not what I’m ready for yet. And we’ve discussed that.”Trescothick’s role is not quite the same as previous batting coaches. While Mark Ramprakash, for example, was with the senior England teams nearly all the time – which could mean three months on tour in a single stretch – Trescothick is also is also expected, at times, to work with players at U19 and Lions level as well, and with those identified for attention in county cricket. The likes of Graham Thorpe and Paul Collingwood will remain regular faces on England tours, with Trescothick utilised for shorter spells as required.”Do I know how much touring I will do? Not exactly,” Trescothick continued. “We have discussed it and I’m ready to jump back on and do bits and pieces.”Do I want to do three months in a row? No, I don’t. I’m building up to that sort of point. The little journeys I’ve done for a couple of weeks here or a month there: that works really well.Related

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• Marcus Trescothick, Jon Lewis, Jeetan Patel named as ECB elite coaches

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“I said I would do three, four, five weeks, I’m open to all that. It’s gradually getting easier for me. My kids are growing up and are less dependent on me and I’ve grown more and more confident to deal with it.”While Trescothick was due to arrive in India last week with the England limited-overs party, he was obliged to pull out due to a family bereavement. But he has dipped his toe in the water of his new role already. He was part of the support staff on the limited-overs tour to South Africa just before Christmas and found that, without the pressures that plagued him as a player, he was much better placed to enjoy the experience. But while the anxieties may be diminished, he says the thrill of representing his country – albeit it in an indirect way these days – remains undimmed.”I’ve loved it,” he said. “I know South Africa is a great place, but I really enjoyed my time doing those tours again. And it reminded me of the good bits that I did.”It felt different because of the stresses and strains of playing the game and the intensity that goes with it [had gone]. As a coach, you work hard but in a different way. And that’s what I’ve really enjoyed. It’s given me the opportunity to be there, enjoy it for the right reasons in comparison to what I did before.”I remember going to South Africa and walking out at the Wanderers with your [England] kit on. It feels so special. You dream of it. You look forward to it all your career. That’s not changed from being a player to being a coach.”I was given an England helmet the other week and I took it home and I was like, ‘Oh, wow’. Just small things like that. The appreciation of what a special environment you are involved in. It’s still no different for me.”

Can the bottom two teams from last season make a push for the title?

Alex Malcolm08-Oct-20191:01

Six young guns to watch out for this Shield season

Tasmania

Last season Fifth (League stage: 3 wins, 5 defeats, 2 draws)
Captain Matthew Wade
Coach Adam Griffith
2018-19 statsOverviewGeorge Bailey stepping away from the captaincy early last season and the shoulder injury he sustained during the BBL certainly disrupted Tasmania’s attempt to try and go one better than 2017-18. They started the season with a superb win in Queensland but were very inconsistent thereafter. There was a heavy reliance on Matthew Wade in the middle order. He had an extraordinary season scoring over 1000 runs and moved from No. 6 to No. 4 midway through the year to firstly try and arrest Tasmania’s batting issues but also push his Test case. He did the latter but could do nothing about the former and his potential absence during the Tests this summer will severely challenge Tasmania’s young players. Jordan Silk and Alex Doolan battled manfully at the top of the order on a difficult new-ball pitch at Bellerive. Charlie Wakim announced himself at No.3 last year but they need the likes of Jake Doran and Ben McDermott to take the next step in the middle order. One of those two is likely to keep wicket when Tim Paine and Wade are unavailable while Silk is set to captain. The attack will be strong again. Jackson Bird and Gabe Bell are a formidable new-ball duo in the heavy Hobart air and Riley Meredith adds speed at first change. Tasmania opted to go without a specialist spinner quite often last year, particularly at home, but young offspinner Jarrod Freeman could well get further opportunities after debuting last season.Player to watchJordan Silk made a century in Tasmania’s last Sheffield Shield final triumph back in 2012-13. He was the youngest of the six players that season to make multiple Shield centuries at just 20, and he achieved it in just three games. He was selected to play for Australia A on a tour of England in 2013, but after 50 first-class games, and 97 innings, he’s only managed to score four more centuries. Bellerive Oval has been a very difficult place to open the batting and so his overall average of 31.67 is better than it appears. At 27, he is stepping into the captaincy when Wade is absent and Tasmania would love for that added responsibility to help him thrive with the bat.Young gunThere is a lot of hype around Riley Meredith in white-ball cricket but Tasmania are excited about his development in all three forms. At 23, he is still arguably a little while away from becoming a fully-fledged international prospect but he has shown a lot of promise. He had a good Shield season last year as the first change option behind the new ball pairing of Bird and Bell as he took 27 wickets at an average of 28.96, without a five-wicket haul. Tasmania have some solid bowling all-rounders which allows Meredith to be used in shorter bursts to maximise his pace. His development will be interesting to follow.Alex Carey cuts the ball watched by wicketkeeper Peter Nevill•Getty Images

South Australia

Last season Sixth (League stage: 0 wins, 6 defeats, 4 draws)
Captain Travis Head
Coach Jamie Siddons
2018-19 statsOverviewSouth Australia are desperate to improve this season after two disastrous years. They failed to win a game last season after winning just two the year before. There were some injury issues with 2016-17 Player of the Year Chadd Sayers missing half the season due to a knee injury, Ashes hopeful Daniel Worrell played just four games due to back and hamstring problems and Alex Carey missed eight games due to national duty. But coach Jamie Siddons is desperate to see his established players like Callum Ferguson, Tom Cooper, Jake Weatherald and Jake Lehmann step up. Captain Travis Head will also be eager for big runs to regain his Test place after failing to post a century last year despite reaching 50 five times in 13 Shield innings. The batsmen are still coming to terms with the new drop in surface at Adelaide Oval, which has become a seamer’s playground after previously being a batsman’s paradise. The bowling depth will be tested again. Sayers is still working back to full fitness, Worrall will miss the first part of the season and Joe Mennie, who took 37 wickets at 19.72 last season, is also sidelined. Young legspinner Lloyd Pope got a taste last year and may well play a little bit more this season depending on Adam Zampa’s availability depending on T20I selection.Player to watchAlex Carey only played two matches last season and it remains to be seen how much he plays this season but at this stage, he is guaranteed to play three of the first four matches and looks set to be available for five of the first six. He broke the record for the most dismissals in a season in 2016-17 and is all but inked in as Paine’s successor in the Australia’s Test team, but the selectors will want more runs from him. He made a Shield century last season but he only has two first-class hundreds in 55 innings. He is a better player than that and some continuity in playing a string of first-class games should give him the chance to prove it.Young gunLloyd Pope has developed a cult following after bursting onto the scene in the Under-19 World Cup, but he found his first experience in Shield cricket difficult, as many young legspinners do. Western Australia’s Shaun Marsh took a liking to him in a fourth-innings run chase last season and Pope learned some valuable lessons from the experience. He is expected to continue to develop over the coming seasons but patience will be required from all involved.

Woakes marked his England Test recall with 57 off 23 balls to revive a stuttering Birmingham innings

ECB Reporters Network05-Aug-2018
ScorecardChris Woakes celebrated his call-up to the England squad for the second Test against India by making a match-winning career-best 57 from 23 balls for Birmingham Bears as they beat Northamptonshire by 17 runs at Wantage Road.After winning the toss, the Bears’ innings stuttered along until Woakes struck six fours and four sixes in a cameo that steered the visitors to 187 for 7. Josh Cobb made a career-best 103 from 62 balls in reply but found no support as Northants slumped to their ninth defeat in ten matches.The Bears innings was initially hard work as only 38 came from the Powerplay for the loss of Ed Pollock and Adam Hose before Ian Bell continued his excellent form. He flicked the day’s first boundary through midwicket, swatted four more past mid-on and lifted Richard Gleeson elegantly over cover.Hose, having edged a boundary from Nathan Buck over the wicketkeeper’s head, tried to scoop the same bowler over short-fine leg and was caught at the wicket. Pollock fell for just 1, skying a pull stroke to mid-on where Seekkuge Prasanna took a solid catch.Bell swung Ben Sanderson over mid-off and gracefully went in-to-out to lift Prasanna wide of extra-cover but he and Sam Hain, who added 64 for the third wicket, fell within three balls. Bell drove Buck straight to extra-cover for 43 after Hain, who lifted a low-full toss from Sanderson over long-off for the innings’ first six, holed out to long-on off Prasanna.At 128 for 5 after 16 overs, the innings was listing but Woakes ensured the Bears had plenty to defend. He survived a tough dropped chance on 12 as Gleeson couldn’t hold on running around from long-off and the miss proved costly.He pulled the Gleeson for four through cover point and midwicket before top-edging a six as 16 came from the 17th over. Prasanna was swung over long-on for six more and Woakes found two more sixes in the final over that brought 17 as the Bears finished with a flourish, scoring 59 runs in 24 balls.Northants also found the going tough in the Powerplay as Ben Duckett was superbly yorked by Olly Stone for 2 and with only 45 runs scored, the required rate was quickly into double figures.Cobb was struck a blow to the head by a Stone bumper but warmed to his work with a punch off Woakes past mid-off and then through midwicket before driving Aaron Thomason down the ground for four and pulling a slower ball out of the ground over deep-square leg. He put a ball through a similar region for his second six and flicked Thomason wide of short-fine leg for four, passing fifty in 35 balls.But it was a lone chase as Ricardo Vasconcelos made 18 before driving Grant Elliott to long-off where Thomason took an excellent catch running to his right, Alex Wakely holed out to deep square for 3 and Steven Crook, Charlie Thurston and Prasanna only made single-figure scores.Cobb was left to chase the target himself and he went down on one knee to put another ball out of the ground and swung Woakes over long-on for six more.With 64 needed from 24 balls Cobb heaved Thomason out of the ground over midwicket and past short-third man for four to leave 42 required from 18. He drove Stone for four and charged back for a second off Woakes to reach his first T20 hundred in 58 balls and become the fourth T20 centurion for Northants.But Stone’s final over only cost seven and with 27 needed from the last over, Cobb ran himself out coming back for a second run and a wonderful innings was consigned to a losing cause.