All posts by h716a5.icu

Plays of the Day from the India-Ireland World Cup Group B match in Hamilton

George Binoy and Sharda Ugra in Hamilton10-Mar-2015The throw
India’s heightened fielding skills were on display once again, when John Mooney pushed the ball towards short cover and turned down a single, sending his partner Stuart Thompson scrambling to make his ground. Virat Kohli swooped on the ball and in one smooth motion set the stumps at the bowler’s end alight with a direct hit. Thompson did not wait for the third umpire’s confirmation that he was run out.The rare event
MS Dhoni standing motionless as edges fly within diving distance of him is a recurring theme, but when it comes to a stumping his fast hands are among the best in the business. So it was a rare sight to see him miss a take against Suresh Raina when William Porterfield ran out of his crease and yorked himself. Dhoni could have been unsighted by the batsman and it was a quick delivery; he barely had time to move his gloves into position before the opportunity had passed.The songs
A highlight of the ground experience at the World Cup matches in New Zealand has been the choice of songs the DJ plays during the breaks in play. They range from classics to the top 40 and are almost always easy on the ear. And like his counterparts at other venues, the DJ at Seddon Park was ace at picking out tunes to match the on-field action, however tenuous the connection at times. When Porterfield called for a change of bat and an Ireland substitute obliged, he ran out on the field to the 1960s Batman theme. And when Kumar Dharmasena signaled a wide, in the few seconds before the next ball, the chorus of Creed’s Arms Wide Open was played.The unlikely leader
When Alex Cusack ramped Mohammed Shami straight to third man, the fielder settling under the catch was Umesh Yadav and he took it easily to ensure India had bowled out all five teams they have come up against in the World Cup so far. The grab was Umesh’s seventh of the tournament and it took him past Hashim Amla and Suresh Raina to No. 1 on the list of most catches in this World Cup. Who would have bet on an fast bowler topping that chart?The chance
Ireland would have known their chances at the start were going to be few and far before the artillery went on full charge. The India openers started soberly, sizing up any possible bogeys in the pitch, fiddling for six-odd overs; Mooney put down a hard return catch off Dhawan in the third over, but the real stinger followed three overs later. Dhawan’s eyes lit up when Mooney offered one deliciously wide. He slashed, the catch looping up towards backward point where Porterfield leaped at full stretch, but the ball bobbed in and out of his hands. Twenty runs followed in the next five balls. Game over.

An Indian fan discovers the delights of county cricket in at a dazzling ground

Srinath Sripath17-Jun-2015Choice of game
Among the topmost items on my sports bucket list was to watch a County Championship game, preferably in a bucolic setting, outside of the big stadia. When I made my itinerary for a trip to the United Kingdom, two concurrent fixtures caught my attention – this one and the game at Guildford featuring Surrey. It was a fairly easy choice, with the breathtaking setting at Arundel making it simply irresistible. My only hope, then, was that it would stay rain-free.Team supported
Durham. It is a team that some of my most favourite cricketers have represented over the years – Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Kumar Sangakkara, Javagal Srinath and Paul Collingwood. Despite being the newest county in England, it is astonishing how they have competed so consistently in recent years, and they look on course to being one of the contenders yet again.Key performer(s)
Chris Rushworth’s spell on the first day had earned plenty of mentions in the media, and it was easy to see why, early on the second morning. Teasing lengths, tantalising swing and unerring discipline to sustain it all day, Rushworth can do no wrong this season, it seems. Having said that, Steve Magoffin’s burst in the afternoon, cleaning up the Durham top order, deserves a mention too. For a few minutes, he breathed dragon fire, beating batsmen for pace, with seam movement to go with it. That ripper to send Collingwood’s middle stump cartwheeling was an untameable beast.Wow moment
It took a while to catch my breath, on seeing the ground and the various views it offered. I wandered around all day, trying to pick between them – the Cathedral view from near the beer tents, the botanical garden-esque backdrop from near the Press tent, or the stunning view of the Downs from deep square leg, it took a long while to soak it all in. For someone from India, it was pleasantly surprising to see how they allow any spectator to enter the ground during the lunch and tea breaks. The panorama from pitch side is quite something else.Shot of the day
Early on in the morning, Sussex put up a brief spell of resistance, through Ed Joyce. As he got his eye in, a cover drive off Rushworth came crashing into the advertising boards in front of us. It was the quintessential shot for this setting – head still, right above the ball, off the front foot, with a follow-through that made for the perfect picture postcard.Crowd meter
As the day wore on, the ground was filled to the brim. This would have been a big crowd for a T20 game, leave alone a County Championship fixture. Considering this is the only four-day fixture that Arundel gets every year, it is not at all surprising. The alcohol flowed, predictably, and it was raucous for a brief while in the afternoon, when Magoffin provided some cheer for the home crowd. All the usual debates could be heard at various points in the day – “Is-Stokes-the-next-Botham”,”Should-KP-be-back”, “Is-T20-even-cricket”, and the like. The day would have been incomplete without them.Entertainment
This is cricket in white flannels, in the heart of England. Entertainment, as we know it in today’s game, was absent, for once. PA audio systems hung from treetops, used only for cricket-related announcements – bowling changes, wickets, innings breaks and the like. However, sufficiently inebriated men providing backup appealing to Sussex’s bowlers, in a long afternoon period without a wicket, made for some hilarious entertainment.Cliched moment of the day
An hour and a bit into the morning, Sussex went into the drinks break, with Ben Brown and Ed Joyce seeming to settle in. Paul Coughlin, wicketless hitherto, got one to leave Brown, the ball kissing the edge as it skirted past his prod forward. Michael Richardson, Dave’s son, did the needful behind the stumps. First ball after the drinks break. Somewhere in Bombay, a certain Sunil Gavaskar would have let out a quiet chuckle.Close encounter
In this age of electronic scoreboards and ball-by-ball commentary, the sales of scorecards at English grounds have puzzled me quite a bit on this trip. However, as Paul Collingwood made his way to our area to step into the Corporate Box, I was not one to complain, getting him to autograph the match scorecard for me. Maybe there is a reason to this all. Maybe.Newbie learning curve
Customs at English grounds, like the famous synchronised applause after a good shot or a wicket, have always fascinated me. When I tried to be part of one, my timing went horribly wrong, and I applauded before the batsmen completed their runs. Soon, I could hear my own applause, along with a few raised eyebrows and cold stares. I picked it up by the end of the day, and look forward to following it up over the course of the third day.Away from the action
There was a book sale at the far corner of the ground, where, like the pitch, you needed patience to make the most of it. The titles, for the prices they were on offer, were worth their weight in gold. I picked up Swanton’s , Benaud’s , Roebuck’s , apart from hardback copies of Harry Thompson’s and Basil D’Oliviera’s autobiography, all for a measly 10 pounds. In this e-commerce world, away from all the noise, such sales still thrive in the English count(r)yside.One thing you’d have changed
There is almost no room for any upgrade or improvement to this, but a dream scenario would have been to watch this with the Barmy Army or a singing fan section. It is what club rivalries are characterised by, and with a capacity crowd in, it would have made for a feisty atmosphere.Overall
For any fan of the longest form of cricket, this is it – from the setting, to proximity to the action, there is a perfection to this experience that few around the world can match. Having said that, the action on the field was perfect foil – a slugfest progressing at a frenetic pace, with over 300 runs and 14 wickets yesterday alone. As a package, there aren’t too many experiences that better this, as many in the crowd insisted all day.Marks out of 10
10. Only rain could have brought this score down, but hey, who knows how prettier the Downs and the Cathedral would have looked then? Cricket, lovely cricket.

He took two wickets, he didn’t go for too many runs. It wasn’t the most eye-catching performance. But Rubel Hossain has shown the capacity to develop as an all-round bowling option

Mohammad Isam in Mirpur12-Jul-2015A day before the second ODI against South Africa, it was learned that there was one spot in the Bangladesh XI that was still undecided. An open discussion on selection so close to the game could have been demoralising for the players, but it may not have made much of a difference to a man already outside the XI.Rubel Hossain has not played any of the three matches in this South Africa tour. But BCB president Nazmul Hassan said he could return for the second ODI. Such an endorsement must have come as a boost to Rubel. After all, Hassan’s statements, comments and suggestions have often equalled the decisions of the BCB itself, be it policy matters or team selection.At the game, Rubel came on after ten overs and immediately made an impact. His seventh delivery got through Hashim Amla’s defenses. It wasn’t too quick but it appeared to have taken the batsman by surprise. Rubel had nipped the ball back, with that old natural slingy action, and made Amla play across the line.Rubel did not strive for pace today. He bowled well within himself and took 1 for 12 in his first spell of four overs. Meanwhile, South Africa were left at 58 for 2 after 17. When he was brought back, South Africa were in deeper trouble at 115 for 6 in 35 overs. Straight away, he removed Chris Morris with a delivery that slid in and struck the batsman on the knee roll. It was an easy decision and Rubel pumped his fist. He bowled till the end of the 44th over when his figures were slightly disturbed by a six and a four. He finished with 2 for 34 from nine overs, a strong comeback from a man who had become quiet since the World Cup.He had taken eight wickets against India and Pakistan, but had given away 75 runs in the last ODI against India. He was not picked for the two T20s and first ODI against South Africa as the team management sacrificed a bowling spot to play eight batsmen.In the World Cup too, Rubel had taken eight wickets including the match-winning 4 for 53 against England in Adelaide. He had looked an entirely different bowler then. His pace was up, but the lines he maintained were still good.Rubel was always known for hitting lengths properly, but with injuries and tinkering on his bowling action, he lost his old slingy style of bowling. His hand comes down from a more orthodox position now, somewhere over this right ear.There were moments in Sunday’s match when he seemed like he could summon a burst of pace if he wanted, but he chose not to. Also, he looks far more comfortable when setting his fields. This change in attitude and willingness to use the freedom given to him has been attributed to Mashrafe Mortaza’s leadership, which has been far more kind to pace bowlers than previous captains. Maybe it has a lot to do with Mashrafe himself being a pace bowler.But Rubel must also realise that while he is a viable option in ODIs, he has failed to convert his potential in Tests. His bowling average remains quite poor and he was recently dropped from the Fatullah Test against India so that he could remain fresh for the subsequent ODI series.Like many Bangladesh bowlers, Rubel still struggles to maintain composure for the entire five days of a Test. For now, he would be happy to have bowled economically. He would be happy with his two wickets, one of which was the opposition’s best batsman. There are more ways to become a better bowler but for now, a middling haul that contributed to his team’s second only win against South Africa will do.

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Sep-2015Brad Haddin had words for Grant Elliott during the 2015 World Cup final•Quinn Rooney/Getty Images#ThingsThatMakeHaddinUncomfortable
The hashtag was born after Haddin revealed why he had been so aggressive towards New Zealand in the 2015 World Cup final, sending off several of their batsmen in less-than-polite fashion. It was because New Zealand – the team and country – had been so nice to the Australian team during their group game in Auckland that Haddin could not stand it anymore. “You know what? They deserved it,” Haddin had told the radio station . “They were that nice to us in New Zealand and we were that uncomfortable. I said in the team meeting: ‘I can’t stand for this anymore, we’re going at them as hard as we can … I’m not playing another one-day game, so they can suspend me for as long as they like.””I don’t really understand the hype …”
Before Australia arrived in London for the 2015 Ashes, England had just completed what was considered to be the most significant ODI series they had ever played – a high-octane batting exhibition against New Zealand. And Haddin simply scoffed at it. “I don’t really understand the hype around that one-day series,” Haddin had said. “We’d just come off a World Cup. I don’t understand what the excitement is about, and what this newfound form England found in that format. I’m a bit puzzled by it. We’d come off the World Cup and everyone had played – it was just like they were a couple of months too late.””They break quicker than anyone in the world.”
India were having a torrid time on their 2011-12 tour of Australia, losing the first two Tests by large margins. Ahead of the third match in Perth, Haddin laid into the visitors, attacking their team unity. “We know this side can be as fragile as any team in the world if things aren’t going their way and they can turn on each other and the media turns on them pretty quick,” he had told Sky Sports Radio Australia. “We knew if we could keep them out there and put the numbers like we did on the board we knew we’d get the rewards because they break quicker than anyone in the world.”The Neil Broom incident
The most controversial incident of Haddin’s career occurred when Michael Clarke seemingly bowled New Zealand batsman Neil Broom in an ODI in Perth in February 2009. Replays indicated that not only did Haddin have his gloves in front of the stumps to collect the delivery – which should have led to a call of no-ball from the umpires – but also that he might have dislodged the bails with his hands, and that the ball had passed just over the top of the stumps. Haddin responded angrily to New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori’s criticism of his conduct.”I’m pretty disappointed in Dan that he didn’t have the decency to come and speak to me after the game if he had an issue with it rather than air his thoughts in a press conference,” Haddin told AAP at the time. “I think the polite or the decent thing to do would be to come and ask me. He’s played a lot of cricket now and he knows too well what happens with these situations, so I thought it was a bit low. I think it’s quite poor. After looking at the replay, my hands were in front of the stumps. But the ball, I’m 100% positive, hit the bails first and then came up into my gloves.”Benn banned, Haddin fined
On the second day of the Perth Test between West Indies and Australia in 2009, there occurred an incident that led to Sulieman Benn being suspended for two ODIs, Haddin fined 25% of his match fee and Mitchell Johnson 10%. It began with a run-in between the bowler Benn, who was moving across to field a drive, and the non-striker Johnson, who was taking off for a single. The contact seemed incidental, with neither man at fault, but Haddin appeared to inflame the situation after completing the run, when he pointed his bat at Benn in admonition. “It was an incident which could have been avoided,” the match referee Chris Broad said. “No one likes to see cricketers pointing bats at their opponents or pushing each other away.”Haddin said later that the incident was “something that I’m not proud of.””Mickey was very, very insecure …”
Mickey Arthur was sacked as Australia coach in June 2013, before the Ashes in England. Later that year, Haddin was stinging in his criticism of Arthur’s tenure, and compared him unfavourably with his successor Darren Lehmann. “I don’t think he [Arthur] understood and was secure enough in himself to get us to where we needed to go … That wasn’t the Australian cricket team that I knew when I flew into Mohali … It was uncomfortable, walking into it. Guys jumping at shadows and the insecurity around everything that was being done, so just refreshing to get back here now and enjoy the game for what it is, a great game and been great for all of us.”

The year 2011 started promisingly for Carlos Brathwaite, with an international debut on the horizon, but on the eve of his maiden tour, he received news which completely shook his world

Melinda Farrell in Sydney04-Jan-20163:10

‘Pink Day very close to my heart’ – Carlos Brathwaite

It was going to be Carlos Brathwaite’s year.That year, 2011, started brilliantly for the 23-year-old allrounder when he made a half-century and took 7 for 90 in his first-class debut playing for the Combined Campuses and Colleges side.It continued superbly with a consistent season that brought a haul of 26 wickets in his first eight matches, and it was set to finish on a high when he was selected in the West Indies squad travelling to Bangladesh in October.Then, on the eve of the tour, his world crumbled.While preparing for the trip at his family’s home, Brathwaite’s mother, Joycelyn, told him she was suffering from severe pain under her arm.”We felt it and it felt like a lump,” said Brathwaite. “Me, personally, I prefer to go to a doctor and hear that nothing is wrong, as opposed to thinking nothing is wrong and then something is wrong.”So I urged her to go to the doctor, and there were two lumps. One was cancerous.”There was little time to absorb the news. Brathwaite was soon in Bangladesh, impressing selectors and earning his ODI and T20I debuts. But it was difficult to celebrate such success with Joycelyn battling breast cancer through bouts of chemotherapy.Instead, Brathwaite shaved his head to show solidarity and sent the photos home to show his support.”She took it better than I did,” Brathwaite says. “I was the one stressing all the time wondering if she was okay, crying at times, and she was always the one with a smile on her face.”By late 2012, Joycelyn was in remission. Brathwaite nevertheless struggled during that period of time – he repeatedly refers to it as “the ordeal” – to juggle supporting his mother and establishing himself as an international cricketer.”Through the ordeal I cried the whole night, slept away from home, because I couldn’t manage to stay with her and watch her going through it,” he said. “But she was really buoyant throughout, always smiling and cracking jokes.”She is a very spiritual person, and she was always saying ‘Just keep faith and God will come through for you’. And her ordeal showed me what God can do, and that is why I have the faith I have.”Brathwaite has not spoken publicly about his family’s experience until now, on the eve of Jane McGrath day at the Sydney Test, a match that now holds deep significance for him.The day before the match, when the West Indies posed for team photos in the iconic baggy pink caps synonymous with this Test, Brathwaite noticed the delegation of nurses and breast cancer sufferers from the McGrath foundation. He immediately walked over and hugged each of them.”That was nice because I have not shared the emotion about breast cancer for a while because we don’t see it as my mum having breast cancer anymore. We just see her as a normal person,” Brathwaite said.”Just to see someone who went through it and people that care for people going through it, I just felt the need to put my arm around them and say, ‘Thanks for the job you are doing.’ And then I went to the lady [with breast cancer] to say, ‘You are a fighter, you are a survivor and just keep going’.Carlos Brathwaite was overwhelmed with emoition on the eve of Jane McGrath day•Cricket Australia/Getty Images”Sometimes people need those encouraging words. It may not be a royal speech but they might just need a word or two to lift the spirits, lift the day and have an impact on their life.”Brathwaite has brought much-needed energy to this West Indies outfit and followed up a half-century on debut in Melbourne with another at the SCG. But this one had much greater significance. Having made 35 on the opening day, the allrounder provided the highlight of a gloomy, rain-sodden day with a swashbuckling 69 runs off 71 balls.”[Mum] messaged me and said the first 50 was for her,” he said. “So overnight she was telling me that I have 35 of her runs, so get the other 15 today and then start over fresh for mine.”While Braithwaite’s father, Chesterfield, had a major influence in his cricket career, his mother was the calming influence whenever things weren’t going well”One is Jekyll and one is Hyde. When they came together it makes the perfect parent,” Brathwaite said with a smile.And it is his mother’s experience that has taught him life skills, which he tries to apply at training and on the field.”Definitely discipline, to see the way she has had to be disciplined throughout the ordeal and then ultimately after the ordeal,” he said. “It is probably something she will have to live with for the rest of her life.”It is something I have been trying to work on for the longest while now, trying to do things that you have to do, not because you want to do it. Also, the faith and the charity that she shows.”You know, we have a lot of battles on the field, some battles even off the field, and the way that she handled her battle, keeping a smile on her face and looking to the father for help, that is something I also cherish and something I try to put in my life as well.”She is always the person that I can defer to. Even if she does not have a response she will have a listening ear, so she has been a very, very important part in my life, not just my career.”Joceylyn now plans to record a video for the McGrath Foundation, offering support and encouragement to breast cancer sufferers. Her son has his own message to families suffering the ordeal.”My family is a very close knit group, we are very supportive, and it is about supporting a person through that time.”It is also about the person having a positive outlook. A lot of doctors told my mum that her process was sped up because of her positive outlook, always smiling and laughing.”Amid all the traditional celebrations that take place before play on Jane McGrath day, and surrounded by pink-clad fans, Brathwaite’s thoughts will undoubtedly turn towards his mother back home.”I do not want to separate the occasion from the actual game itself,” he said. “But it means a lot to see the pink all around the ground and to know what we are playing for.”

Stats highlights from the first day of the Johannesburg Test between South Africa and England

Bharath Seervi14-Jan-20165 Instances of South Africa’s top four batsmen all getting out between 20 and 49 runs, including in this match. Their last such instance was against West Indies in Cape Town in 2007-08. The other three were all before their exile from International cricket in 1971. Three of those have been against England and this is the second such instances in Johannesburg. Incidentally, this was the first time in 37 Test innings that their top four all managed to score at least 20 runs. Their last such instances was also at the Wanderers, against Pakistan in February 2013.16.11 Stiaan van Zyl’s batting average as an opener in Tests – the second-worst among South Africa openers to play eight or more Tests. Only William Shalders averaged lower – 15.05 in ten Tests. Van Zyl has opened in ten innings in eight Tests and has made 145 runs with a highest of 34. Among openers from all teams, he is the only one, not to have scored more than 40 from eight or more Tests. In four innings when he has not opened, he has made scores of 101*, 29, 33 and 36 (batting at No.6 and 7). He averages 66.33 when he bats down the order and just 16.11 when he opens.0 Fifty-plus opening stands in the first innings of Tests at the Wanderers in 11 consecutive Tests, including this match where Dean Elgar and van Zyl added just 44 runs for the first wicket. The last opening stand of 50 or more runs in the first innings of a Test at the Wanderers was between Herschelle Gibbs and Graeme Smith, who added 149 runs against West Indies in December 2003. Overall, there have been only four 50-plus opening partnerships at this venue in 36 matches – the lowest for any of the 24 venues that have hosted 35 or more Tests. The average opening stand per dismissal of 31.30 is the third-lowest among those venues.2012 The last time AB de Villiers had a strike of 90 or more in a Test innings of 25 or more runs; he had made 169 off 184 balls against Australia at the WACA in November 2012. In this innings of 36 runs in 40 balls, he had a strike rate of exactly 90, only the seventh time when he has scored 25 or more runs at a strike rate of 90-plus in Tests.1 Number of England wicketkeepers to dismiss the first four batsmen in an innings before Jonny Bairstow in this match. Jack Russell is the only other player to have done it earlier: he dismissed Australia’s top five batsmen at the MCG in 1990-91.1 Instances of South Africa playing three designated wicketkeepers in a Test series before this one. That instance was also against England in 2004-05, in a five-match series, when Thami Tsolekile kept in the first Test, de Villiers in the next two and Mark Boucher in the final two. In this series, De Villiers kept in the first test, Quinton de Kock in the second and now Dane Vilas in the third.2 Number of England players to play 125 or more Tests including Alastair Cook who is playing his 125th. Alec Stewart, who is the other one to do this, played 133 Tests. Click here for a list of players who have played 125 or more Tests.

ESPNcricinfo picks out some of Brendon McCullum’s best limited-overs innings

Alagappan Muthu07-Feb-201650* off 25 balls v Australia, December 2005Brendon McCullum’s romance with Christchurch – his home now and soon to be the venue where he will retire as an international cricketer – began when he moved there in 2003. He was on his fifth date with the AMI stadium and Australia were the party poopers. A high-scoring thriller, and the Chappell-Hadlee trophy, had tipped their way once McCullum was dismissed with four runs needed off two balls. Three days later, a 3-0 whitewash was staring in the face – New Zealand were 74 runs adrift, had 42 balls to get them and only two wickets in hand. McCullum began on 1 off 1 but soon enough he was 50 off 25 balls with three fours and four sixes and victory was achieved with an over to spare.86* off 91 balls v Australia, February 2007The series Michael Hussey may well wish was erased from the record books, even if he had become Australia’s 17th captain in one-day cricket. No matter what he did, no matter how much he scored and no matter how well he led, New Zealand kept outdoing him. Case in point were the events at Seddon Park in Hamilton. New Zealand were 116 for 5 chasing 347. Dire. McCullum walked in and promptly strung together a record 165-run partnership with Craig McMillan. Directly out a dream. Until then (and for at least seven more years still) no New Zealand sixth-wicket pair had put on as many runs. But McCullum lost his senior partner in the final stretch and the tail began to crumble. “He will not lie down,” Ian Smith insisted on commentary. Forty-four in five overs became seven off six balls. This was McCullum’s moment and he took it, smacking Nathan Bracken for a six and four to seal the first and only whitewash by New Zealand over Australia in the Chappell-Hadlee series.77 off 43 balls v England, February 2008Having the most fours and sixes in a series has never been much of a feat for McCullum, but against England in 2007-08, he had the most runs – 261 of them in only five innings at an average of a 65.25, which was 2.5 times his career average at the time – 25.55. Of course, that didn’t mean he had stopped shooting first and asking questions later. He cruised to 77 off 43 balls at the top of the order this time in – you guessed it – Christchurch and the carnage was so compelling that no one wanted him to leave. England dropped him thrice, McCullum said thank you by hitting James Anderson for a hat-trick of sixes and his home crowd rose in salute as New Zealand took the trophy 3-1.Bad Baz: McCullum scoops a 150 kph thunderbolt into the delirious crowd at the AMI stadium, in February 2010•Getty Images131 off 129 balls v Pakistan, November 2009″It was really nice to score a century and win the game for New Zealand.” Only four times has McCullum ever had the occasion to say those words. Memorably, this one was after the kind of innings his supporters had been craving. He’d become a bit of a tease, scoring pretty cameos and nothing much of substance. Those too were fading – coming into this game, he had averaged 25.85 from 22 innings. But in Abu Dhabi, staving off the heat and a very good Pakistan attack, he dug in for 46.2 overs to hold his team together. He has never batted so long in a one-day game and crucially it came at a time when New Zealand needed it most. Five of his team-mates had fallen around him for single-figures. Of his own back (the crumbly nature of which must surely be contributing to his retirement at age 34), he took the total to 303 and spearheaded a 64-run victory.77 off 25 balls v England, February 2015It appeared the only plaudits McCullum would take from this game were from the way he captained. The army of slips he placed for his fast bowlers may well be cricket’s moment. “If you build it, he will come,” the voice told Kevin Costner. To McCullum, it must have said, “if you keep ’em, the nicks will come” and Tim Southee made damn sure they did. The target was 124, out came McCullum, bullied the opposition’s fast bowlers and recorded the fastest ever fifty in a World Cup – 18 balls. He would finish with 77 off 25, bowled of a full toss, and then stand his ground. Just in case it had been a no-ball. So much schadenfreude.59 off 26 balls v South Africa, March 2015What a difference a year makes. On March 24, 2014, Dale Steyn defended seven runs in the final over to deny New Zealand in the World T20. McCullum had been dismissed by then. On March 24, 2015, Steyn was bashed for 24 runs in five balls. McCullum was out in the middle then, chewing his gum and doing what he does best – decimate even the fiercest fast bowlers. Back of a length went for six back over Steyn’s head. The bouncer went for six over square leg’s head. And to keep the textbook from throwing a fit, there was a picture perfect cover drive too, singeing ankles. McCullum’s rapid fifty had set the foundation that Elliott built his monument on.McCullum was at his brutal best during the 2015 World Cup, blasting four fifties, and inspired New Zealand to the final with his attacking captaincy•AFP116* off 59 balls v Australia, February 2010″This could be six… It is six!” a newly 53-year old man shrieked. Perhaps Ian Smith had lost a good-natured bet on his birthday and had to sound like a 10-year old girl when describing McCullum, batting on 100, stepping outside off stump, bending the back knee to stare a Shaun Tait 150 kph thunderbolt in the eye and scoop it into the delirious crowd at the AMI stadium in Christchurch. That was the definitive moment that told the world McCullum could do whatever he wanted with pace on the ball. Or maybe it was the other one when he played the same shot to a 155 kph delivery. McCullum hit 103 runs from 47 deliveries of fast bowling that day. Mad Max got nothin’ on Bad Baz.91 off 55 balls v India, September 2012Six balls was all it took for India to bring McCullum to the crease, but for the next 15 overs, they were wondering the wisdom of that decision. New Zealand recovered from their horror start and secured victory thanks to McCullum’s fluency even on a slow Chennai pitch (and later to James Franklin’s slower balls). But this one wasn’t about big hits or trick shots – he maintained a strike-rate of 165.45 by running the 25 singles and two twos. Of course, the 11 fours and three sixes must have lent a hand.123 off 58 balls v Bangladesh, September 2012It was New Zealand’s first game of the World T20 and they were grouped with Pakistan and Bangladesh, who had once beaten them 4-0 in ODIs. One wrong step could have put them on a flight back home before the Super Eight stages began. But McCullum put the peripherals aside to play an innings that was hailed as a template for T20 batting. He made his own pace when the Pallekele surface didn’t offer any by charging down the track and used the short boundary on one side to significant advantage. For example, Shakib Al Hasan and Elias Sunny were caned for 45 runs between deep-extra cover and deep midwicket. Or it was simply a byproduct of wanting to make a statement. “Also the fact that the left-arm spinners have posed us with some problems in the past,” McCullum said after his match-winning innings. “It was nice to put them out to pasture for a while.”

He became the second-oldest man to reach 300 Test wickets – and possibly the least fit – but Rangana Herath’s story is the best of what sport has to offer

Andrew Fidel Fernando at Chester-le-Street28-May-2016Just after lunch, when Moeen Ali was gunning for a double-ton, he made a waddling dartboard out of Rangana Herath. Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka’s brick wall on the last tour, had begun to captain like one. Herath was one of seven fielders on the boundary, but it was him that Moeen picked on repeatedly. Moeen thumped the ball to Herath’s left and ran an easy two. He sent it skidding to Herath’s right and took another couple. At times it felt like Herath would be quicker if he rolled horizontally towards the ball. Just after lunch, when Moeen was gunning for a double-ton, Herath was a liability.

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There was a time when cricket was a liability to Herath. In the decade since his Test debut, his nation was besotted with mystery spin. For Muttiah Muralitharan, this was island love that ran deep, long and true. For Ajantha Mendis and his delicate fingers, Sri Lanka fizzed at first, then let infatuation slowly fizzle.Through all this, Herath found himself perpetually on the fringes. He was in some ways the modern progenitor of the carrom ball, but easily the least subtle proponent of it. The extended pinky finger when he delivers it might as well have an unfurling banner attached.So he subsisted on irregular A team tours, domestic matches in one of the most archaic first-class tournaments in the world, and on payment that was more like pocket money than a living wage. There was the job at a bank that he still holds dear; the brief stint in an English league that he still fondly remembers.In the decade since his Test debut, Rangana Herath was line-and-length black-and-white in a technicolour age. He was a slow-bowling nation’s surplus spin.

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One of Herath’s great strengths has been the ignorance batsmen have shown towards his craft. He is a disciple of flight and dip, yet when the ball meets the pitch, the deviation is modest and such bite as he gets is slow, not leaping and fizzing. Murali left top orders broken, of course. But even bowlers such as Graeme Swann or Saeed Ajmal have inspired more fear and reverence from opposition, who labelled them “world-class spinners” or “genuine matchwinners”. Herath has more wickets, with less fast-bowling support than both, but is more often awarded only second-rate appreciations. He is a “tough customer” and a “wily operator” they say, and though he is “always at you”, he might not quite be “incredibly difficult to play”.And Herath guards his secrets like a magician, even if he is not everyone’s version of a spin-wizard. “Just tried to put the ball in the right spot,” is all the explanation he ever gives. But if he doesn’t get extravagant turn, it is the batsmen he manoeuvres around the crease. They draw forward to the round-arm ball that drifts. They jam bats down on the dart at off stump. They play back to the lazy slider on the pads. They dance to Herath’s beat, though mostly they don’t know it, and hypnotically they are lured into traps, over cliffs.The selectors have not always understood this either. When long, wicketless spells come, they begin to doubt. Even after he became Sri Lanka’s most-consistent matchwinner since Murali, they have been quick drop him. In July last year, Sri Lanka left Herath out and failed to defend 377 in the fourth innings, against Pakistan. Upon his return in the next Test, he claimed 7 for 48 in an unbroken spell, and defended 176 from India.In a 17-year career in which only 68 Tests have been played, Herath has had several downfalls. Among them has been his own selectors’ seeming ignorance of his craft.

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Like his action, Herath’s appeals are generally gentle. He turns on his heels, holds out his arms like wings on a biplane, and backpedals towards the batsman. Other spinners have demanded wickets of umpires. On the hunt, Murali’s eyes used to implore. Herath has rarely yelled at teammates, and perhaps has never asked the question when he has felt it shouldn’t be out.When batting, he has been no different. In 2014 at Lord’s, he even famously walked when the match was there to save, and he wasn’t even out. Team-mates will say that though he is quiet, he is among the most generous in the dressing room. When he speaks about them in public, Herath bears this out. Like his action, so the man is gentle, keen and honest. Such virtues don’t always help sportsmen out.

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Rangana Herath finally notched his 300th Test wicket•Getty ImagesWhen the ball took the top edge of Steven Finn’s bat and Herath took the catch, he became the 30th man to 300 wickets. He became the second-oldest to the milestone, and possibly the least fit to it as well. But why mire ourselves in such pathetic details?If on some level sport is about the triumph of spirit over odds, if it is at all about life’s trials playing out in microcosm, then who better than this kegful of a Kurunegala man to lavish with admiration? His are 300 wickets are wrung from dry circumstances, and wrenched from a mean-spirited system. They are prised from cricket’s closed fist.Let Herath waddle in the outfield as long as he likes, I say. Let batsmen take the twos. To watch him bowl is to see the best of what sport has to offer. And who knows when we will see his like again?

The Australian bowlers did not do a whole lot wrong. But the truth of the matter is that they should have been defending a far bigger lead, if they were even bowling at all on day three

Daniel Brettig in Pallekele28-Jul-20161:32

‘We missed our half-chances’ – Lyon

“Kill the other guy before he kills you” was a line beloved of Jack Dempsey, the world heavyweight boxing champion of the early 1920s. Dempsey’s phrase is known to plenty of sportsmen, and Allan Border once used it to describe how Australia squandered the advantage of hosting the 1992 World Cup. Border is present in Kandy to watch this match, and was unimpressed by the visitors’ batting effort on day two, which happened also to be his 61st birthday.No-one knows better than Border that Test cricket can often require a similar level of ruthlessness to that espoused by Dempsey: the ability to slam the door shut on the opposition before they can take the chance to regroup and respond later on in a match. Having rolled Sri Lanka cheaply on the first day, Australia’s batsmen had the chance to do the slamming, a role they have generally enjoyed. Through some poor shot selection and diligent Sri Lankan bowling, they did not, and the consequence was to watch Kusal Mendis charge into the resultant breach.It was a somewhat ironic turn of events, given that over the past 33 years it has invariably been the Sri Lankans squandering strong positions over Australia. Border led his 1992 touring team to a most unlikely victory in Colombo after surrendering a first-innings advantage of 291. A more confident and accomplished Australian side thrice bailed out Ricky Ponting on his first tour as captain in 2004, when in each Test the tourists surrendered a first innings lead. Most dramatic of the turnarounds came in Kandy, where Australia were bowled out for 120 on day one, but managed to limit Sri Lanka to a first innings lead of 91.Those figures were oddly reminiscent of proceedings at Pallekele the past few days: the rush of wickets on day one, the failure to take advantage on day two, the strong riposte on day three. The major difference of course was the reversal of roles, and the dominant innings being played not by a promoted Adam Gilchrist but the ebullient Mendis. At length he showcased an arsenal of strokes to be widely admired, and a level of determination to put some of the Australians’ less savoury day two shots to considerable shame.His combination of positivity and organisation contrasted with Steven Smith’s stumping, even if there was some good fortune along the way. For most of the morning Steve O’Keefe looked a decent chance to get Mendis lbw with a ball sliding into the stumps from around the wicket, and the left-arm spinner’s withdrawal from the attack due to a hamstring complaint was a grievous blow to Smith. O’Keefe’s eagerness to chase lbw verdicts also had the impact of costing Australia their two DRS referrals before lunch arrived, an eventuality that, like their first innings batting, would sting later.Otherwise the Australian bowlers did not do a whole lot wrong: Mitchell Starc got the new ball swinging for a couple of early wickets, Josh Hazlewood retained a disciplined line without the same seam movement he had found on day one, and Nathan Lyon delivered spells that were never less than presentable and often dangerous. But the truth of the matter is that they should have been defending a far bigger lead, if they were even bowling at all on day three.Batting conditions in this match have been somewhat tricky, but never impossible. Greater application was required when Australia had the chance, for they will now be facing a testy fourth innings chase and the prospect of facing up to Rangana Herath and Lakshan Sandakan with scoreboard pressure on their side. Most troubling for the coach Darren Lehmann will be the fact that Australia’s mediocre first innings took place without the worry of a mighty first innings total hanging over his batsmen: the impediment widely attributed to their failures in the UAE in 2014.Instead, they were simply confounded by the muddle of their own minds and techniques, with failings gleefully exploited by the aforementioned spin duo. That will be maddening for each batsman to ruminate upon, as evidenced by the sullen faces and gestures of frustration that cropped up increasingly across day three. When Smith offered a Border-style teapot pose it wasn’t hard to recall his stumping; when Mitchell Marsh kicked the dust in mid-pitch after another stout Sri Lankan forward defensive, it was as much about the Sandakan googly he missed as the ball that had just been hit.Even the momentous occasion of Lyon’s 200th Test wicket was reduced to something of a sidelight by the match scenario. Five years ago Lyon had made his debut with a five-for against Sri Lanka in Galle, his first-ball victim Kumar Sangakkara. The smiles and celebrations were more reserved, even fatigued this time around, after Dhananjaya de Silva bunted a catch to mid-off. More runs in the bank and Lyon may not only have been chasing wicket 200 but the buzz of an innings victory.Mentally speaking, the Australians now have a sizeable hurdle to get over, just as Sri Lanka have done over the years. But where Sri Lanka’s issue often seemed to be about overcoming Australia in a Test match, Australia’s issue is with finding a way to win in Asian conditions. In recent times they have been able to console themselves with the thought that encounters with India and Pakistan were won by the more accomplished team in the conditions. But an unfancied Sri Lankan side with an abominable recent record is another matter entirely.The coaching staff and team psychologist Michael Lloyd will have a power of work ahead of them should a defeat unfold here. A sub-par result in Sri Lanka would likely require a substantial rethink abut the way some of Australia’s set-up has operated under Lehmann, with the emphasis on providing plenty of net bowling and throw-down volume for batsmen while leaving them free to find their own methods to succeed. Lehmann is fond of saying mistakes are fine so long as they are not repeated: he must now hope for plenty of remedial work in the fourth innings.There have been times leading into this match when it was easy to wonder where Sri Lanka’s runs would come from, given the retirement of the “big three” and the repeated failure of their replacements in subsequent Tests. A sturdy Australian first innings and this sequence may well have continued, under the weight of runs and the crush of pressure. Smith’s team contrived to leave the game open, however, and now find themselves staggering towards the latter rounds of this contest behind on points.

The left-arm spinner, through inspiring power of will, overcame a hit on the box to single-handedly whittle down a potential three-figure lead for Australia

Andrew Fidel Fernando at SSC15-Aug-2016There was a hole at the SSC.This is not the foot-hole in the bowling crease, which Australia bowlers had reported to be so deep, that by now, Mitchell Starc should able to travel through it to Rio, to watch brother Brandon compete in the high-jump.This hole was merely figurative. (Though, again, this is not a jibe at Sri Lanka Cricket administrators’ travel-and-expenses account.)No, this was the kind of hole that Sri Lanka have routinely found themselves in Tests over the past year; the kind of hole from which they have not often lately recovered. The kind of hole from which, on this occasion, only their best player could haul them out.Australia were skipping along gaily, at 267 for 1, only 88 runs behind. Soon they had lost a wicket, but were nevertheless still skipping – a triple-figure first-innings lead in their sight.Then along came Rangana Herath. Think of him here as a fireman – probably in an oversized kit and a hat that falls off – sending a rope ladder down to teammates wallowing in the pit. With six for 81 in this innings, the rescue was almost single-handed. With the last four wickets falling for 26 runs, the salvage operation took surprisingly little time.This 25th five-for of Herath’s career is all the more remarkable, for his having been hit on the box on day two. This is the kind of injury that Sri Lankan men of his age would take several weeks off work for. It is the kind of complaint that would see them sullenly recovering in front of the TV, a drink in hand and ice-pack at the crotch; making whimpering grunts when rising from the settee; forming pathetic, pained faces when wives came in with bowls of soup.Herath though – a hobble now added to his usual waddle – was seen warming up again in the outfield only an hour after the blow had been received. He was bowling at Steven Smith and Shaun Marsh before day’s end.In the morning, on day three, he was pivoting very gingerly at the crease, but got through his overs cheaply, even if his balls did not quite have their usual shape. By the evening though, when perhaps the pain had eased a little, the flight and subtlety returned, as did the dip and bite. All through this innings, Herath’s willpower triumphed over his groin, and as folks as diverse as Tiger Woods and Bill Clinton may reflect, there is no more heroic victory for a man than that.”Rangana’s got some pain in the groin as a result of the blow, and it’s quite a challenge for the physio at the moment,” coach Graham Ford said after play. “But I can’t say enough about the bloke. I was joking in the dressing room and saying he’s my all-time sporting hero. He’s gone ahead of Roger Federer.”This may seem like hyperbole, but let us consider the facts. Federer may have had to do battle with Rafael Nadal for his titles, and lately Novak Djokovic. But has Federer ever had to contend with Sri Lanka’s selectors, whose first response to any uncertainty, for a while, was to drop Herath from the team? Usain Bolt may be part of the reigning Olympic relay team, but has he ever had to race with teammates as useless at holding batons, as Herath’s teammates often are with catches?”He’s injured and he’s bowling on one leg,” Ford said. “He’s just got so much guts and fight. For an older guy to do that it – ignites the fight within the younger group. After his nasty incident batting, he makes some brilliant diving stops in the dirt off his own bowling. If you’ve got the old man throwing himself around like that, the youngsters have no excuse.”Australia finished only 24 runs ahead in the first innings, and Sri Lanka now find themselves only two runs behind. They will set themselves up nicely for a whitewash with 250 more. But if the top order fails again, Herath may find himself needing to rescue Sri Lanka from another hole, with bat and ball.It is possible Josh Hazlewood feels guilty for Herath’s injury, but he shouldn’t bother. It is Herath’s teammates that kick the old man in the gonads most of all.