All posts by csb10.top

Greg ChappellOn experimenting with new players and the squad for the game
We intend to play all the players over the next three games. We haven’t taken a final decision on the squad yet and haven’t even decided on the 13. We will take a call depending on the conditions tomorrow. We need to give everyone a chance. You need more than 11 or 12 players in your side. It’s also good to keep freshness going and managing your assets well. It keeps everyone going and guards against injury and bad form.On the dew factor tomorrow
Yes, it’s a factor to consider and we will think about it. But I think we’ve done well either way. It should not be too much of a concern.On Harbhajan Singh’s improvement in this series
He has worked very hard. He did well in the Challenger Trophy in Mohali. He’s made technical changes with his flight and bounce and he’s such a good bowler when he’s getting bounce.On Yuvraj Singh’s poor run in the last four games
He’s done well in Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe and saves us a lot of runs on the field. You need everyone to contribute in at least two out of the three aspects of the game and I think we’ve got quite a few allrounders in the side – Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj, Sachin Tendulkar. It would be great for him if he scores runs, but he’s contributing well to the side.On Mahendra Singh Dhoni
He’s a confident individual without any cockiness. He has a good mind as he showed with a power innings one day and a finesse innings on another day. His great form with the bat is rubbing off on his wicketkeeping as well. It’s also rubbing off on the others in the side.On the players talking much more about cricket in the dressing-room
It’s good for all the players. I think we’re talking much more about cricket, discussing scenarios, debriefing after the matches. It’s important to know what different players think of each other’s games. It’s been great with the seniors getting involved. Sometimes, only when someone asks you a question do you become aware that you know something. The best way to learn is to teach someone.Tom MoodyOn the pitch and conditions for tomorrow’s game
It’s another good cricket wicket. Obviously, being a day-night fixture, we’re going to be faced with difference in conditions from afternoon to evening. But both teams have to face it and we need to rise for the challenge.On nothing working for the team during the series
I don’t think it’s quite that blunt. I think India came out in the earlier part of the series punching and their chances came off. They shuffled their batting order and that came off. We performed a lot better in the last two games but have fallen short in a couple of areas.On the lessons from this series
We need to be realistic. We didn’t perform upto our usual level. Playing here is different and playing in Sri Lanka is different. We’re enjoying the challenge. What we have to realise is that one-day cricket is played all over the world in different conditions and we need to adapt to it.Mahela Jayawardene
On the team’s performance
In the last two games, I thought the guys performed really well. We almost won the last game before Raina and Dhoni took it away. We’re lacking that final blow, the killer instinct. But as a team everything is coming together and we hope to win in the last three games.On what Sri Lanka learnt in the last four games
There are a lot of positives to be taken from this series. We came back even after the Indians attacked. We will look at this as a three-match series from now on and push ourselves to the limit. That will help us get some momentum for the Tests.

Darren Lehmann wants the number of overseas players in the IPL to be lifted from four to five per franchise in next year’s competition.Lehmann covered for South Africa’s Graeme Smith in the first two matches for the Rajasthan Royals and would be keen for more overseas representatives to get involved. “The IPL should be played as a boutique tournament for international players,” Lehmann told the Advertiser.He has also added his voice to the growing clamour – mainly from English players – for all countries to be able to take part in the IPL. English cricketers, Dmitri Mascarenhas excepted, are currently looking on enviously as they are prevented from participating in a huge payday owing to a clash with their domestic season.”They could add another overseas player to rosters and open up the window for all international teams including England to play,” Lehmann said. “I feel a bit sorry for the English boys but think we can work around it to help get things across the line.”The ECB are considering setting up a rival Twenty20 league, but that is unlikely to happen until 2010. Another possible solution, from the English point of view, would be to move the IPL to November. The London Telegraph reported on Wednesday such a shift is a strong possibility as the month “is perceived to be a more productive TV advertising window”. David Collier, the ECB’s chairman, had earlier dismissed the idea as “unlikely” owing to a clash with international tournaments such as the Champions Trophy.The BCCI’s Lalit Modi reportedly told Lehmann that, contrary to speculation over the IPL’s financial feasibility, the tournament is a monetary triumph. “I have had good discussions with Lalit Modi and they can’t believe the success of the IPL,” Lehmann said. “It is out-rating all the big TV shows.”

Scorecard

South Australia’s batting held together long enough – but only just – to take a tight five-wicket victory off the last ball against New South Wales under the lights in Adelaide.They needed 20 off the last 30 balls, but Andy Delmont and Graham Manou edged closer to leave themselves needing three off the last over, bowled by Doug Bollinger. Somehow they contrived to take the game to the last delivery, an aerial swish behind point completing the job.Matthew Elliott and Mark Cosgrove eased the Redbacks’ top-order concerns with a 76-run stand for the second wicket, and the side were building towards their 243-run target but they, and their long-suffering fans, have learned to take nothing for granted where their batting is concerned.Indeed, Nathan Bracken prompted a few last-minute jitters by removing Darren Lehmann late on, leaving the batsmen to cling on and make hard work of getting home. “It probably should have been a bit easier than that,” admitted Nathan Adcock afterwards with understatement.Elliott and Cosgrove’s fifties, along with Dan Cullen’s smooth spin spell, finally proved the difference in a close-fought encounter which also featured some poor fielding from both sides.Cullen’s 3 for 47 helped to calm the nerves during a lamentable display of three dropped catches and a howler of a missed run-out. New South Wales capitalised to make 7 for 233 – Dominic Thornely cashing in with 68 after being spilled on 26 – and their total, on a green and lively wicket, had looked challenging.It looked far short, though, as soon as South Australia came in. Elliott and Dan Harris put on a solid opening stand of 60 before Harris holed out to Steve O’Keefe at deep square, then Cosgrove combined with Elliott to up the ante and add an entertaining 76 in quick time.Cosgrove (51) played forcefully off the back foot, putting in another fire-cracking performance reminiscent of his 92 on the Redbacks’ opening night against Victoria, although both he and Elliott had a let-off in the same Mark Cameron over.Cameron had softened up Cosgrove earlier with a blow to the elbow, before O’Keefe fluffed in the leg gully trap on 12, then Elliott fired a hard chance to Nathan Hauritz at mid-off on 42. Cameron, though, didn’t let O’Keefe down when it was his turn to catch, snapping up Cosgrove’s high mis-hit.Elliott played with some class, climbing into the pace bowlers with some sweet shots and sound timing until he flapped at a wide one, Haddin taking the edge tidily. By this stage Nathan Adcock had already come and gone, with Lehmann taking over. He played with his usual authority until holing out at deep square off Bracken in the 46th over.Earlier, South Australia had Cullen to thank for rescuing their errors. But while he snapped up Katich (50) and Cowan (37) soon after they had given chances to patch up some of the fielding damage, Thornely went on to make 68 with some electric driving late on, punishing Lehmann in particular to apply the salt.Cullen ended with 3 for 47, his best figures against the Blues, and he also had Haddin for a duck. Haddin, who arrived on the back of a thumping century, had grounds to feel hard done by after he was deemed to have pressed to Adcock at first slip, though the ball may have come off the pad.Katich used his feet well to reach 50 but should have been run out on 45, when he slipped after cutting Cullen to gully but Delmont threw wide of Manou’s desperate right hand and he scrambled back. He finally fell sending a leading edge to the off-side. Cowan (37) was dropped on 18 – by Lehmann at short midwicket off Jason Gillespie, who had bowled tightly and with good movement – and 23, Elliott putting down a sitter off Cosgrove’s first over.The drops allowed Cowan to put on his first opening stand of fifty with Grant Lambert since the first match of last year, also against the Redbacks, but he was finally stumped off Cullen, deceived in the flight. Lambert then made 41 before driving at one outside off, much to Mark Cleary’s fist-pumping delight.South Australia picked up their fielding late on, Cosgrove standing firm to hold Peter Forrest’s skier off Lehmann for 19 and then Dan Harris’s direct throw removed O’Keefe for a sacrificial 2. But then Thornely took hold, though his efforts weren’t enough.So, the Blues’ blues continue: they have now lost three of four one-dayers, with the other washed out. The Redbacks, meanwhile, return here for the Pura Cup game on Friday on something of a rare high but with some question marks remaining.

Two key South Australia players, the wicketkeeper-batsman Graham Manou and the opener Matthew Elliott, have come in to the Pura Cup squad for the match against Victoria at Adelaide on Friday. Manou, the vice-captain, played in the Redbacks’ opening Ford Ranger Cup game but sat out the first four-day fixture to allow him extra time to recover from a stress fracture in his right foot.Elliott also appeared in last week’s limited-overs victory against New South Wales, when his 111 helped the Redbacks in their chase, but he missed the Pura Cup draw with the Blues with a rib injury. The opening batsman Nathan Adcock has made way for Elliott, while the left-arm fast-medium bowler Gary Putland has also been omitted.Shaun Tait, who claimed five wickets at the SCG, believes he can turn things up a notch against the Bushrangers. “I reckon I was bowling a lot of balls in the 150kph against New South Wales,” Tait told the . “I believe I have a fair bit left in the tank. I think I will get around the 150s against Victoria this weekend and hopefully around 160 this year.” The points from the match will count towards the David Hookes Memorial Trophy, which South Australia won last year.Pura Cup squad Matthew Elliott, Daniel Harris, Cameron Borgas, Mark Cosgrove, Callum Ferguson, Darren Lehmann (capt), Shane Deitz, Graham Manou (wk), Cullen Bailey, Jason Gillespie, Paul Rofe, Shaun Tait.

At the precise moment Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, was saying sorry for the bizarre ending of the World Cup final the ICC hoarding behind him came unstuck from the wall, and almost hit his head. Sitting alongside Speed as he admitted that the events in Barbados the day before amounted to the biggest farce in the game’s history was the ICC’s general manager, David Richardson.”David and I are here on behalf of ICC, to say to the wider stakeholders of the game that we too are very sorry this incident occurred at the end of what, on any view, had been an outstanding day of cricket,” he said. “We very sincerely apologise for the error that was made.”It was an unnecessary error, a fundamental error. It was made under difficult circumstances at the end of the match, and it’s not a good image for the game. We would have far preferred if news highlights had been some of the great cricket played and some of the great decisions made by the umpires. It was unfortunate, a very sad way to finish the World Cup.”It was, however, left to Richardson, who is in charge of the game’s elite officials, to try to find an explanation for the monumental breakdown in communications that led five senior officials to impose a phantom regulation on a dead contest. Unsurprisingly, he couldn’t.”They are at a loss to try to explain,” Richardson said. “I can only say it’s similar to the situation where you are sitting at home and the answer to a quiz question on TV looks very simple, but you just lose your train of thought when you are in that heated, pressure situation. It only takes one guy to sow a seed of doubt in the other people’s minds.”What worries me, as the guy ultimately responsible for how match officials perform, is that we get ourselves into a pressure situation and we are not able to cope with it. That’s what it’s about, whether you are playing or officiating. Malcolm has said we are not going to over-react, but we are certainly going to take it very seriously and look at how it could have happened.”There will be no sackings or resignations as a result of this fiasco, and Speed said he had not had any reason to reassess his own position as chief executive. But the tone of an otherwise humble press conference changed markedly when the name of Darrell Hair was thrown into the ring.After the ball-tampering row erupted at The Oval last September, Hair was hung out to dry by his employers. He was removed from the elite panel and further humiliated through the release of personal correspondence between himself and Doug Cowie, the ICC’s umpires and referees manager. Though other issues followed, his primary crime had been to stick dogmatically to the [correct] letter of the law. If only Rudi Koertzen and his fellow officials had been as diligent in their reading of the rules.”The Darrell Hair issue is and was quite complicated and will be ultimately resolved in an employment tribunal in London later this year,” Speed said, with a crocodilian stiffening of his sinews. “Darrell Hair is still employed by ICC, his contract is being honoured. To put the two together, I think it’s drawing a long bow and unfair to these five officials who were involved in the incident yesterday.”Inevitably, Speed felt obliged to accentuate the positives of the tournament. “We’ve had cricket on the back pages and, unfortunately, on the front pages for seven weeks,” he said, still believing in the old adage that any publicity is good publicity. “Lots of people who had not been exposed to cricket have seen cricket and been aware this World Cup has been in full swing.”The cricket grounds we now have in the West Indies are outstanding, as good as any in the world. They have been built by the governments of the respective countries and they’ve looked at it as a long-term investment. In places like Guyana and Grenada they are very proud of what they’ve done and they should be proud of what they’ve done because they’re small countries with small populations that wanted to be involved in a world event.”What comes next, however, for these islands? The world event has been and gone, and in most cases the stadia were not remotely full. Admittedly several thousand temporary seats will be removed from most venues, but the burden of constant maintenance and the scrap for future marquee events could stretch the island’s fragile allegiances to breaking point.Speed did not see it like that. “West Indies cricket now has a terrific problem,” he said. “It now has this collection of five-star cricket grounds so when Australia comes here next year they’re going to have an almighty argument about where Australia play their Test matches and one-day internationals.” An almighty argument. Only the ICC could see that sort of a legacy as a positive.

Bet you didn’t pick the seat
Seven months is a long time out of the game for Trevor Hohns, the former chairman of selectors. Hohns retired from his long-term post in April and has dropped dramatically on the ticket-priority list. Instead of dressing room and all-stadium access, Hohns was a row from the top of the Northern Stand, which almost requires complimentary oxygen masks.Keeping abreast of research
Only the brave or stupid have ever referred to Matthew Hayden as a boob. But by using a pink grip on his bat in the series he’s bringing attention to breast cancer research. Gray-Nicolls, Hayden’s bat sponsor, will donate $20 to the fund for every run he scores over the five Tests. Today he raised $420 before lunch with his 21.Eyes on the skies
War metaphors have been a constant part of the lead-up, so it was fitting that there was a military opening to the series. Two Blackhawk helicopters swooped over the Gabba to signal the engagement was about to begin and a couple of army officers raised the flags during the national anthems. Up in the Nine commentary box they were unveiling infra-red camera technology that is normally issued to track jet-fighters. But the “Hot Spot” isn’t there to alert the masses to any prospective terror threats. It is being shown off in another technological attempt to provide definitive answers on contentious edges.The last post
The Barmy Army trumpeter has been silenced by the Gabba’s anti-instrument policy. Despite entertaining crowds at grounds throughout the world, Bill Cooper was evicted along with the drunk, disorderly and badly behaved. “He tried to bring his trumpet in and was told to stop,” a police spokesman said. “However, the trumpet got in somehow and he was asked to leave.” Queensland Cricket has no plans to relax its regulations. Bring back the music!

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

It was minnow bashing at its best as Sri Lanka, led by Sanath Jayasuriya, pulverized Kenya, beating them by 172 runs at the Wanderers. Jayasuriya’s whirlwind 88 and Jehan Mubarak’s late fireworks lifted Sri Lanka to a record team score of 260 for 6, a target way out of reach for the opposition as Kenya managed just 88.Records tumbled as the victory margin of 172 set the record for the biggest ever in Twenty20 internationals. Mubarak and Mahela Jayawardene – who made 65 – came within striking distance of recording the fastest fifties and the score of 260 foretold the result of the match even before the Kenya openers took guard.Steve Tikolo’s decision to insert the opposition proved costly as Sri Lanka began with the intent of scoring over 200. The openers – Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga, flayed at just about everything in the opening overs. Tharanga was the only one to miss out, owing to a lapse in concentration as he played across the line to a Thomas Odoyo delivery which hit the middle stump. While Odoyo bowled with control in his opening spell, the support bowlers suffered.Jayasuriya batted with characteristic freedom, shuffling across his stumps and disturbing the bowler’s rhythm at the delivery stride. Despite a few hits and misses early in the innings, it didn’t take long for him to find the meat of the bat. He set the ball rolling with the first six of the match, pulling a good length delivery drifting in over square leg and through his innings, he kept the fielders in the arc between square leg and long-leg on their toes.Sangakkara’s brief knock of 30 was characterised by technically correct strokes along the ground and his stand of 75 with Jayasuriya ensured that a record score was on the cards. Wicketkeeper Maurice Ouma stood up to the stumps to curb the batsmen from using their feet but it was to no avail. Jayasuriya unfurled the shot of the match, a short-arm jab across the line off Nehemiah Odhiambo which just landed over the square-leg rope.Sangakkara fell sweeping to Jimmy Kamande and the passage of play following his dismissal was forgettable at best for the Kenyans. Jayawardene announced his arrival with a slog-sweep six and batting never looked easier as swept and scooped while staying rooted to the crease.The carnage played on the minds of the fielders and a series of comical errors in the field followed. Fielders at the deep midwicket region struggled to time their jumps and a collision between Lameck Onyango and Odoyo gave Jayawardene a life as the catch was spilled.Jayawardene fell trying to sweep Jimmy Kamande and that brought Mubarak to the middle. Mubarak took to Onyango, carting three consecutive sixes and then a four over deep extra cover and the over was worth a whopping 29. He fell short of beating Mohammad Ashraful’s record for the fastest fifty but that record hardly mattered as the target seemed unassailable.

The Kenyans showed no semblance of a fight as half the side was back in the pavilion with the score on 50. Chaminda Vaas demonstrated the right line and length to bowl on the pitch and bagged the first two wickets with his nagging line at the stumps.Tanmay Mishra broke the shackles with a thundering six over long-on against the run of play. However, boundaries were few and far between and at the end of the 10th over, Kenya struggled to push the run-rate up to six an over, let alone match Sri Lanka’s.Lasith Malinga, brought in as the second change bowler, prised out a couple of wickets. Captain Steve Tikolo failed to inspire his side as he was caught in the slips for four while Collins Obuya fell to a tame loft, giving Malinga one of the easier return catches.Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Gayan Wijekoon took a wicket each as the Kenyans struggled to get close to 100. The innings was wrapped up after the fall of the ninth wicket as Odoyo was unfit to bat owing to the collision earlier on.

Graeme Smith said it was the players’ “biggest worry”; Tim May, the Federation of International Cricketers Association, warned of the possibility of a player strike; while Sunil Gavasker was “shocked” at players complaining over their schedules. The topic of player burn-out has elicited extreme reactions but Sachin Tendulkar, expectedly, chose the middle path.”It differs from player to player,” he said while speaking at an Airtel-promotional event in Mumbai. “Some have played a lot of cricket and feel the effect of too much cricket, while others have just started. It is important that the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) strike a balance between too much cricket and too less. It is also important from the spectators point of view – they shouldn’t be deprived of cricket; at the same they shouldn’t get too less.”When probed further on the issue, especially Gavaskar’s view on the topic, Tendulkar chose the diplomatic route. “Everyone is entitled to his opinion. As far as I am concerned, I have been happy with my schedule. It is important to physically and mentally recharge yourself after every series. One must make sure there is a break after matches and series.”Tendulkar was also asked of Ricky Ponting’s fantastic run recently, fast catching up on his record 35 Test hundreds. “I played against Ponting in a few exhibition games in 1991-92 and knew he will be the guy to watch out for. Sunil Gavaskar’s record of 34 Test hundreds stood for 22 years and such benchmarks help the next generation – whether it is Ponting, Lara or myself. That is the best thing about records.”

Division One

Michael Lumb and Sean Ervine hit rapid half-centuries as Hampshire gained a thrilling two-run win against Essex in a match reduced to 25 overs per side at The Rose Bowl. Lumb ensured Hampshire gained a flyer to their innings, taking 40 balls over his 62, and Ervine built on his work with a 38-ball 57. The hard hitting continued all the way down the order and when Essex lost three early wickets against James Bruce and Daren Powell the task became enough tougher. But James Foster (61) and Grant Flower (54) managed to keep up with an escalating run rate and strong striking from Ryan ten Doeschate and Andy Bichel kept the game alive. However, Powell came back to grab two vital wickets and Shaun Udal kept Essex down in the final over.Worcestershire gave their suffering supporters something to smile about with a seven-wicket win against Sussex in their relocated match at Edgbaston. Vikram Solanki hit a 51-ball 55 then Ben Smith and Graeme Hick calmly completed the chase with a stand of 110 and four overs to spare. Sussex had wasted a strong platform after Richard Montgomerie (65) and Murray Goodwin (52) added 106 for the second wicket as Ray Price and Gareth Batty shared six wickets. Sussex’s spin pair of Mushtaq Ahmed and Saqlain Mushtaq couldn’t produce a repeat.Gloucestershire held their nerve to secure a three-run win against Warwickshire in a tight encounter at Bristol. Darren Maddy (71) and Kumar Sangakkara (55), only recently back from Sri Lanka, gave Warwickshire a chance and Tim Ambrose kept them in touch. But Ben Edmondson pulled out a fine last over and removed Tim Groenewald with six still needed. Gloucestershire had Alex Gidman’s 88 off 74 balls to thank for their total of 212, after a delayed started reduced the match to 35 overs per side.

Division Two

Jacques Rudolph’s powerful 127 was key to Yorkshire’s nine-run win against Somerset at Scarborough, under the Duckworth-Lewis calculations, but it was nearly snatched away by Ian Blackwell’s brilliant 97. Rudolph faced 114 balls against an attack missing the rested Andy Caddick and Charl Willoughby. He added 72 with Craig White for the first wicket and a key 111 with Andrew Gale for the fifth. Gale and Tim Bresnan finished with a flurry of boundaries and when Somerset floundered to 98 for 6 the game appeared over. However, Blackwell cut loose and launched seven sixes while adding 115 with Craig Kieswetter. Richard Pyrah eventually had Blackwell stumped after 73 balls and Yorkshire held on at the death. Read John Ward’s full report here.Robert Key led from the front with 104 as Kent continued their impressive one-day form with a 10-run win against Derbyshire at Derby. Key took 96 balls to reach his hundred, adding 111 with Joe Denly who made 52 off 44 balls. Martin van Jaarsveld added 62 as the second wicket added 110. Derbyshire chased hard with Greg Smith hitting 88 off 68 deliveries, but Kent collected wickets at regular intervals and had breathing space at the end.Shivnarine Chanderpaul began his Durham stint in match-winning style as he stroked an unbeaten 80 in their seven-wicket win against Surrey at Guildford. Chanderpaul added 120 with Kyle Coetzer (76) and Chanderpaul remained to see the job home alongside captain Dale Benkenstein. Phil Mustard provided another view of his tremendous hitting power with a 42-ball 63 to make major inroads into the target. Chris Schofield was taken to the cleaners, his three overs costing 40. Surrey’s 247, under par on a small ground, was based around 84 from Scott Newman and well-paced 59 from Ali Brown.Middlesex’s seamers brushed aside Glamorgan in a 21-over game at Ebbw Vale. Chaminda Vaas and Chad Keegan took the first five wickets for 18 runs and Glamorgan were out of the game before Murali Kartik chipped in with three. Middlesex’s 183 was based around stylish half-centuries from Owais Shah and Ed Joyce. Shah took 34 balls over 59 and Joyce’s 55 needed just 33 deliveries as he hammered four sixes. Ed Smith provided early momentum, adding 101 for the second wicket with Shah.

Division One

Points TableDavid Hussey struck 157, his third for Nottinghamshire this season, as his side reached 336 on the first day of their match against Gloucestershire at Nottingham. Choosing to field first, Gloucestershire picked up three quick wickets: Jason Gallian, run out for nought, Darren Bicknell and Younis Khan. Tottering on 43 for 3, Hussey was joined by Russell Warren (60) and the pair put on 136 for the fourth wicket to stabalise the innings. Warren fell to Jon Lewis, who then bowled Chris Read first ball as Gloucestershire struck back. Graeme Swann swung freely at the end, striking five fours and a six in his brief knock of 38, but the home side were bowled out in the 82nd over. Lewis ended the day with 4 for 80 from 19 overs.