A 3-2 victory and a Man-of-the-Series award concluded a four-day period that couldn’t have gone much better for Cook

Andrew McGlashan at Old Trafford09-Jul-2011If Alastair Cook really meant it when he said he wasn’t motivated “to prove anyone wrong” then he has a strange way of going about things. A 3-2 victory and a Man-of-the-Series award concluded a four-day period that couldn’t have gone much better for Cook.A series defeat against Sri Lanka, the World Cup runners-up, wouldn’t have been calamitous for Cook, especially if he’d made the runs he did, but the pressure would have been increased a few notches. Now, though, he has his second one-day trophy as ODI captain, following the win in Bangladesh last year, and can look forward with confidence to the challenges ahead, after a period back under Andrew Strauss’ leadership in the Test team.While showing that he can translate his Test batting form into the one-day game with 298 runs at a strike-rate of 96.75 in the series, Cook also displayed, during the deciding game at Old Trafford, his tactical acumen in the field. With three frontline quicks and two spinners to rotate while defending 268 there wasn’t much room for a wrong call, particularly after Sri Lanka twice recovered through Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews; but Cook got it all right.That came right down to giving Jade Dernbach, preferred to the struggling Stuart Broad, the 49th over, with 17 needed off 12 balls after Lasith Malinga had launched James Anderson for a six. Dernbach was in just his fifth ODI but pulled out his trademark slower ball which Mathews spooned to short third man, and then gave Malinga a taste of his own medicine with a swinging yorker.”He has bowled really well at the death, and one of the main reasons he’s been brought into that side is because of the skills he has – and you saw it at the end there, a slower ball followed by a yorker,” Cook said. “We need everyone to be able to do that. He’s bowled very well in pressure situations and in Powerplays.”That’s the first time I’ve had a really tight scenario in my eight games as one-day captain, and I thought we handled it well. The way we committed to what ball we wanted to bowl and were very clear in how we want to bowl was very pleasing.”At the start of the 35th over it appeared Cook was about to give Kevin Pietersen an over to give him some leeway later in the innings. But Sri Lanka took the batting Powerplay and Cook opted to return to Tim Bresnan and Dernbach. The visitors made 37 runs and didn’t lose a wicket, but Cook was confident England could hold on with Graeme Swann and Samit Patel having overs left.”Once we got through that Powerplay and they still needed seven-and-a-half an over and we had five overs of spin, I was quite confident. But we needed to get Mathews.”It was also a match which showed how vital it is to use up 50 overs after a collapse because the 15 runs added by Anderson and Dernbach off the final 11 balls of England’s innings proved the difference. “From the position we got ourselves into, 213 for 3, we would have liked 280 or 290,” Cook said. “But we are being critical – because 270 on that wicket was a very good score – and that little partnership at the end got us there.”Even though Cook has insisted there are no personal agendas for him there was more than a hint of satisfaction at what had been achieved, especially in the light of the growing criticism after England’s performance at Lord’s last week.”Everyone was writing us off, and we’ve played well in these past two games in all conditions; on spinning wickets and flat wickets,” he said. “When you pull on an England shirt, people are always going to have their own opinions.”I don’t do it to prove anyone wrong. I do it for the satisfaction that we got in that final half-hour of the game, and you can’t replicate that. That’s why you play the game. I think the most pleasing aspect is the way we fought back from 2-1 down in the series.”

Michael Lumb’s move from Hampshire to Nottinghamshire has been confirmed after the signing of a three-year deal at Trent Bridge

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Aug-2011Michael Lumb’s move from Hampshire to Nottinghamshire has been confirmed after the signing of a three-year deal at Trent Bridge.Lumb, who was part of England’s World Twenty20 winning team, will miss the rest of this season with injury but already has Twenty20 deals lined up with Sydney Sixers in Australia’s Big Bash and the Deccan Chargers at the IPL before joining his new county.”We’re delighted that Michael has agreed to join us and the meetings that we’ve had with him have been very constructive in terms of our respective ambitions and the role he sees himself playing in fulfilling them,” said Mick Newell, Nottinghamshire’s director of cricket. “We have been in the market for a proven batsman and we believe that he has the pedigree and the drive to improve our standing in all formats.”Lumb was recalled to England’s Twenty20 side to face Sri Lanka earlier this season has gained the reputation of a specialist in the shortest format.”I’ve enjoyed five great seasons with Hampshire and it has been a real pleasure to have won two limited-overs trophies,” he said. “However, I feel that now is the right time to make a fresh start at a new club and I’m pleased to be offered the opportunity to play for Nottinghamshire. It’s a challenge and one I’m looking forward to.”

Allrounder Elton Chigumbura, who was left out of Zimbabwe’s Test squad for the ongoing match against Pakistan due to a knee injury, is in Harare to consult with an orthopaedic specialist, according to team physio Amato Machikicho

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Sep-2011Allrounder Elton Chigumbura, who missed the one-off Test against Pakistan due to a knee injury, will require an MRI to help diagnose the extent of the problem, according to Zimbabwe’s physio Amato Machikicho.”An MRI scan request has been made so a definitive diagnosis and [injury] management timeframe may be specified for Elton’s condition,” Machikicho said. “Elton has an appointment with our [Zimbabwe Cricket] medical services providers in Harare this [Thursday] afternoon. Their findings will guide our management of the player here onwards.”Chigumbura missed the game against Pakistan after failing to recover from a bruise he sustained on his left knee during the penultimate ODI against Bangladesh on August 19. He played the final ODI of the series on August 21 with the injury.Fast bowler Keegan Meth, who was hit on flush on the mouth in his follow-through during the final one-dayer against Bangladesh, losing four teeth and suffering lacerated lips, could be facing a three-month wait for the bones in his jaw to heal before undergoing reconstructive surgery. Meth, though, will be looking to make a comeback as quickly as possible for his franchise Matabeleland Tuskers, with the domestic season beginning on September 24. Meth was spotted in the Zimbabwe dressing room during the first day of the Pakistan Test.”Keegan come down to Bulawayo for a weekend visit. He still has stitches on his lower and upper lips,” Machikicho said. “He is now eating solids again [Meth was restricted to ground food since the accident] and is going to resume physical training in the form of aerobics and strength reconditioning. We will find out next week if the orthodontistry will start or not.”Graeme Cremer, the legspinner who had knee surgery five weeks ago, is also on the mend, Machikicho said. “Graeme has been doing some light running for two weeks and is training in Harare and making progress. He will be assessed when the team gets back to Harare after the first ODI against Pakistan.” Cremer had been troubled by his knee since injuring it during last season’s domestic first-class competition, the Logan Cup.

A round-up from the first round of games in Zimbabwe’s Logan Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Sep-2011Matabeleland Tuskers laid down an early marker with a 106-run win over Mountaineers at Mutare Sports Club in their first Logan Cup match of the new season. On a pitch that became harder to bat on as the game wore on, Tuskers’ seamers – led by Man of the Match Chris Mpofu – ensured that the hard work of their batsmen in the first innings did not go to waste, bowling Mountaineers out for just 92 on the fourth day.Tuskers captain Gavin Ewing chose to bat on the first morning and after an early wobble against the new ball it was Ewing himself who helped shore up the innings, sharing partnerships of 133 and 60 for the third and fourth wickets with Craig Ervine (59) and Keith Dabengwa (67 not out). Ewing went on to reach a century – the first of the season – while Mountaineers legspinner Natsai Mushangwe picked up five wickets as Tuskers reached 306.Hamilton Masakadza’s 75 and contributions from former Zimbabwe Under-19 players Kevin Kasuza (46) and Benjamin Katsande (45) propped Mountaineers up but Chris Mpofu’s five-for ensured a 12-run lead for Tuskers. The visiting batsmen struggled the second time round and Tuskers were thankful for Keegan Meth’s unbeaten 41, which helped set a target of 199 for Mountaineers. Their chase never got close, however, Mpofu picking up a further four wickets and Meth finishing the remarkable figures of 3 for 19 in 14 overs as Mountaineers were bundled out for 92.At Masvingo, Forster Mutizwa’s unbeaten century carried Mashonaland Eagles to a remarkable three-wicket win over Southern Rocks. Mark Mbofana’s career-best 5 for 41 in Southern Rocks first innings appeared to have gone to waste when Eagles were bowled out for just 147, conceding a lead of 119.That was extended to 338 despite a robust second-innings effort from the Eagles attack, and when they were reduced to 3 for 2 by Tinashe Panyangara in their chase, all seemed lost. Mutizwa then sparked a remarkable turnaround, however, sharing in a partnership of 124 with Elton Chigumbura, who hit a patient 53. An 80-run stand for the fifth wicket with Trevor Garwe tilted the balance, before Nathan Waller’s swashbuckling 53 – from just 34 deliveries – helped seal the match.

Mahmudullah, who missed the Twenty20 against West Indies on Tuesday with a viral fever, has not been named in Bangladesh’s 15-man squad for the three-match ODI series against West Indies

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Oct-2011Mahmudullah, who missed the Twenty20 against West Indies on Tuesday with a viral fever, has not been named in Bangladesh’s 15-man squad for the three-match ODI series that follows. He will join the squad during the course of the series though, a Bangladesh Cricket Board release stated, if he recovers from his illness.Apart from vice-captain Mahmudullah, the only other omission from the Twenty20 squad is Elias Sunny, an allrounder who had impressed with his left-arm spin in the recent Bangladesh Board Cup. Instead, left-arm spinner Suhrawadi Shuvo, batsman Shahriar Nafees and allrounder Shuvagoto Hom have been brought in. The board had earlier said that fast bowler Shahadat Hossain was being considered for the one-day series, but he did not make the cut.The first ODI of the three-match series is on October 13 in Dhaka.Squad: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mohammad Ashraful, Shakib Al Hasan, Alok Kapali, Naeem Islam, Nasir Hossain, Abdur Razzak, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Suhrawadi Shuvo, Shahriar Nafees, Shuvagoto Hom.

Zimbabwe were bowled out 113 runs adrift in the first innings, but clawed back towards parity with two early blows in the second dig leaving New Zealand effectively 141 for 2, with two days to play

The Report by Nitin Sundar03-Nov-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsVusi Sibanda threw away a ton that was there for the taking•AFP

Zimbabwe produced passages of impressive Test-match attrition, but let themselves down with the odd moment of madness, allowing Daniel Vettori to give New Zealand a decisive advantage midway into the evening session. Zimbabwe were bowled out 113 runs adrift in the first innings, but clawed back towards parity with two early blows in the second dig, leaving New Zealand effectively 141 for 2, with two days to play.Zimbabwe could have been in a far better position if they hadn’t gifted away three big wickets on either side of lunch. Two of the culprits – Vusi Sibanda and Brendan Taylor – had looked in control until their respective moments of indiscretion, after seeing off an incisive opening burst from the seamers. Their largesse, however, reduced Zimbabwe to a dodgy 198 for 5, before Malcolm Waller reprised his father Andrew’s feat of scoring a debut fifty in Bulawayo to haul them past 300.Sibanda, out seven short of a maiden ton, was the only man to miss out on what turned out to be a day for milestones. Waller’s was the most unusual feat of the lot, but Vettori’s 350th Test wicket, Chris Martin’s 200th, and Brendan Taylor’s fourth successive score of 50-plus on the tour kept the statisticians working overtime.Martin and Doug Bracewell began the day with tight lines, getting the odd ball to shape in. In the second over of the day, Bracewell sneaked one in sharply enough to disturb Hamilton Masakadza’s off stump as he shouldered arms. Sibanda was more watchful, getting across to cover the line and play as often as possible. The first five overs of the day yielded only two runs, before Sibanda shook off the lethargy with two pleasing drives.Taylor endured a thorough test of his technique, as the seamers preyed on his tendency to defend without getting fully forward. Martin had him inside-edging a sharp inswinger, while Bracewell cut him in half with another one that cut in. Taylor was also troubled by a couple of short balls, before easing into gear with a pull shot for four. That boundary signalled the end of the fast bowlers’ opening spells, and the pressure visibly dissipated.Sibanda welcomed Jeetan Patel by launching him for a straight six, before taking him for boundaries through mid-off and point. Taylor swept Daniel Vettori for four, and smote Patel for two leg-side sixes. After having conceded only 23 off the first 13 overs of the day, New Zealand had leaked 41 off the next five.Zimbabwe’s offensive forced Patel out of the attack, and in the absence of suitable back-up options, New Zealand turned to debutant Dean Brownlie, whose first-class career consisted of 17 wicket-less overs. Sibanda couldn’t have asked for more amiable circumstances to bring up his ton but he needlessly cut a wide trundler straight to gully.Vettori probed away with intent in the lead-up to lunch, and made telling breaches soon after the break. Taylor succumbed attempting to sweep the fourth ball of the middle session, after having survived a straightforward appeal in similar circumstances earlier. Taibu perished in Vettori’s next over, charging mindlessly and holing out to mid-on. With the second new ball around the corner, Zimbabwe found themselves in an avoidable mess.The debutant pair of Waller and Regis Chakabva buckled down admirably against Martin’s inswing, and Bracewell’s tight lines. Only 11 runs came in the 10 overs following Taibu’s exit, before Waller smoked Martin through the covers. Vettori was immediately pressed back into service with a newish ball, and Waller welcomed him with a pleasing straight drive, as Zimbabwe averted the follow-on in the 90th over.Vettori continued to attack, with three men close in on the off side, angling in a raft of well-disguised arm-balls. Waller didn’t pick them, but battled through by reading him off the pitch. Chakabva, too, gradually opened up, drilling Bracewell down the ground before cutting Vettori through point. Once again, Patel’s introduction was met with aggression, as Waller teed off for an extravagant straight six.The advantage veered dramatically towards the visitors after tea, from the moment Chakabva ran himself out attempting a risky second. Ray Price, himself an expert in the art of delivering arm balls, shuffled into one from Vettori to bag a duck. Kyle Jarvis then edged Martin into the slips, before Vettori had Chris Mpofu edging to bat-pad. Waller kept hitting boundaries, but despite his efforts Zimbabwe had lost their last five wickets for 29 when Martin rearranged Njabulo Ncube’s stumps with an inswinger.Stumps were in the firing line again five balls later, when first-innings centurion Martin Guptill played all over a straight ball from Jarvis. Kane Williamson survived a couple of tense moments, but Brendon McCullum was not so lucky, trapped in front by Price’s first ball, an armer as good as the one he had fallen to. The two blows will stall New Zealand’s march towards a declaration, while another early strike or two on the fourth day could leave the game delicately poised.

Sri Lanka’s domestic first-class Premier Tier A and B league matches, which were to begin on Wednesday, have been indefinitely postponed with the clubs and Sri Lanka Cricket offering conflicting reasons

Sa'adi Thawfeeq21-Dec-2011Sri Lanka’s domestic first-class Premier Tier A and B league matches, which were to begin on Wednesday, have been indefinitely postponed. This is the latest twist to the troubles afflicting Sri Lankan cricket, and the clubs and national board have offered conflicting reasons for the postponement.SLC’s head of cricket operations, Ashley de Silva, told ESPNcricinfo that the clubs requested a postponement on the grounds that there would be “too much cricket following the end of the Premier limited-overs tournament”. The tournament, he said, would be rescheduled only after the elections on January 3, when a new tournament committee would be appointed.On the other hand, the clubs handed over a signed statement of their problems and demands to Udaya Seneviratne, the authority appointed by the Minister of Sports to administer the SLC until elections are held. The four services teams were exempted from signing the petition.Club co-ordinator Ranjan Paranavitana said that the clubs were protesting against outstanding payments and the ad hoc manner in which the matches have been scheduled.”We have to play a [three-day] match every three days and this is not feasible,” Paranavitana said. “A lot of players face problems taking leave from work, and the players also risk burnout and injuries with no proper break between matches.”The clubs were paid 30% of their dues for the Premier limited-overs tournament which concluded on Saturday, and have said that unless at least 60% of the balance is paid, they would find it difficult to play the first-class matches.The SLC pays 2.7 million Sri Lankan rupees to each of the 11 Tier A clubs and 2.3 million to each of the 10 Tier B clubs per season. The clubs utilise this money to pay the players, ground fees, fund practice sessions and food, among other things.

Abdul Razzaq has said Pakistan must be cautious in their policy of picking young players and should ensure only those cricketers with real talent are given a chance.

Umar Farooq12-Dec-2011Abdul Razzaq, the Pakistan allrounder, has said Pakistan must be cautious in their policy of picking young players and should ensure only those cricketers with real talent are given a chance. In the last two years, Pakistan have handed 11 different players Test debuts, while another five players have earned their first ODI cap. Razzaq said that rebuilding was necessary, but the selectors should be sure the players they back can be successful at international level.”Bringing in young players is a good move and that is an ongoing process,” Razzaq told ESPNcricinfo. “But only talented players, who are tough and have superb class, should be called up.”Pakistan experimented on their recent tour of Zimbabwe and have a couple of young, untested fast bowlers – Mohammad Talha and Mohammad Khalil – in their squad for the Tests in Bangladesh. Razzaq, though, said players should not only be tried against low-profile opposition. “I remember when I debuted in 1996 my seniors gave me a benchmark, and said I had to prove my ability by performing against teams like Australia, South Africa and England. All the newcomers should be tough enough to face that kind of opposition in order to be prosperous and play at least ten years of cricket.”Razzaq, who is set to depart for Australia to play for the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League, said his next aim in international cricket was to play in the 2012 World Twenty20.He said he would concentrate on the shorter formats of the game. “I still have some cricket left in me and the upcoming World Twenty20 is what I am focussing on. Test cricket is behind me; it’s too late for a comeback. I want to make a final call on that but it’s a decision that needs to be taken with the PCB in the loop.”

Bangladesh’s players are concerned about the security situation in Pakistan ahead of their scheduled tour to the country in April

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jan-2012Bangladesh’s players are concerned about the security situation in Pakistan ahead of their scheduled tour to the country in April, the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) president, Naimur Rahman, has said.The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had requested the government to send a team to Pakistan to evaluate the security arrangements, but it is believed the players think the board should talk to them first before making a decision.”We [CWAB] don’t have a stance as such, but we know that the players are worried,” Rahman, who was Bangladesh’s first Test captain, said. “The situation is not normal there and no other team is going to Pakistan. They themselves play their home games in places like Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The BCB are going to send the investigation team and we hope to be a part of it. If not, we will wait for the report.”I personally believe it is not safe. The worried players haven’t approached us formally, but when they do, we will take the matter to the cricket board.”The PCB chairman, Zaka Ashraf, had met with Pakistan’s interior ministry to discuss security arrangements for the Bangladesh team. The Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that ‘box security’, which includes bullet and bomb proof vehicles, would be provided for the series.”Since we have a scheduled tour on the Future Tours Programme, that’s why we promised to send a security team before making any decision,” BCB’s media committee chairman Jalal Yunus told the . “We are more concerned than the players about their security and safety. I think it’s too early to say anything because we are yet to decide anything.”Pakistan have not hosted an international series since the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in 2009. Since then they have hosted their home series at offshore venues like England and the UAE.

In a clash between two teams who were yet to get off the mark in the Bangladesh Premier League, Duronto Rajshahi beat Sylhet Royals by 16 runs in Mirpur

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Feb-2012
ScorecardMarlon Samuels managed a quick 72 from No. 3•BPL T20

In a clash between two teams who were yet to get off the mark in the Bangladesh Premier League, Duronto Rajshahi beat Sylhet Royals by 16 runs in Mirpur.Rajshahi, who chose to bat, were off to a shaky start: they lost both their openers within the first five overs to be 25 for 2. However, Marlon Samuels managed a quick 72 from No. 3 to dig them out of trouble. The West Indies batsman was well supported by the captain, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Pakistan’s Abdul Razzaq. Samuels built half-century stands with Rahim and Razzaq, to carry the side to 171 for 8. Sylhet’s icon player, Alok Kapali, picked up three wickets – including that of Samuels – in two overs with his legspin but was very expensive.Sylhet’s top order all contributed in the chase, but just could not score quick enough to take the game. Kamran Akmal, the keeper from Pakistan, anchored the chase with 56, while the rest of the top order got into double digits. But the Rajshahi bowlers, barring five expensive overs from Syed Rasel and Qaiser Abbas, kept a tight hold on things to help their team register first points in the league. Samuels backed up his fine performance with the bat with four overs for 22 runs and the wicket of Imrul Kayes, to secure the Man of the Match award.