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Ilyas, Shoaib and Nadeem score fifties to anchor the chase; UAE still searching for their first win

Abhimanyu Bose21-Jun-2023Oman followed up a disciplined bowling performance with confident batting display to make it two in two in the World Cup Qualifier group stage. Jay Odedra, Bilal Khan and Fayyaz Butt helped restrict UAE to 227 before half-centuries from Aqib Ilyas, Shoaib Khan and Mohammad Nadeem and a nifty knock from Ayaan Khan helped them seal victory with four overs to spare.Ilyas and Shoaib put on a 100-run stand for the third wicket in Oman’s chase, but in a three-over period, Rohan Mustafa cleaned Ilyas up and trapped Zeeshan Maqsood lbw. On top of that, Shoaib, suffering from cramps, had to trudge off.But Ayaan and Mohammad Nadeem made sure UAE never got back in the game with a run-a-ball 76-run partnership that all but put the game to bed, with Shoaib returning to bat to see the game off.Oman got off to the perfect start after winning the toss and choosing to bowl. Bilal trapped UAE captain Muhammad Waseem lbw in the third over and Butt had Mustafa strangled down leg in the next.Vriitya Aravind and Rameez Shahzad then rebuilt for UAE, putting on an 87-run partnership. Aravind started quick, taking on Butt for 11 runs in the sixth over. But he slowed down after that and scored just one more boundary which was squeezed past slip off Maqsood.Shahzad on the other hand started slow, taking ten deliveries to get off the mark. It took till the sixteenth over for him to really get going, pulling Mohammad Nadeem for four through midwicket and following it up with a punch down the ground for another boundary next ball.Shahzad cut Odedra for four behind point in the 25th over and then looked to give him the charge, when the offspinner bowled a length ball that spun in to crash into his stumps.Four overs later, Odedra got one to spin in sharply from outside off to bowl Aravind out one run short of a half-century.Jay Odedra was among the wickets•ICC/Getty Images

Basil Hameed then gave a simple catch at point off Ayaan Khan before Odedra knocked over the dangerous Ali Naseer with another peach that spun past the outside edge from a length.Asif Khan, who looked stuck till then, responded to the fall of wickets by beginning to up the tempo as he took on Odedra for a six over long-on and a four over cover. With Asif there as the enforcer, Aayan Afzal Khan held up one end, scoring just three off 15 in their 20-run stand before Butt had Asif caught at cover in the 40th over.With the score still on 154 and having lost seven wickets, UAE were in threat of being bowled out for under 200. But then, Aayan began his assault on the bowlers. In the 41st, he pulled Bilal for a one-bounce four over midwicket before taking Butt for three back-to-back fours in the next over. He hit Maqsood for consecutive boundaries as well. He brought up his half-century off the first delivery of the final over and finished unbeaten on 58.UAE started well with the ball as well. Junaid Siddique and Ali Naseer started off with maidens and the pressure soon told on the Oman openers in the fifth over.Kashyap Prajapati looked to cut a short and wide delivery from Siddique but only found an edge to Hameed at slip. In the last ball of the over, Jatinder Singh went after another short and wide ball only to cut it to Karthik Meiyappan at point.Ilyas and Shoaib then batted UAE out of the game. They were happy to go after Meiyappan and Aayan and Zahoor Khan didn’t find much luck against them either. They looked in complete control until Mustafa knocked Ilyas over with a length ball that spun in to beat his attempted cut.Shoaib having to go off with cramps and Maqsood getting out in quick succession lifted the UAE camp, but Ayaan and Nadeem snuffed out any hopes they may have had.Ayaan took on the role of aggressor as he raced to 41off 36 balls, while Nadeem stayed solid and kept turning the strike over.By the time Ayaan got out, holing out to midwicket off Aayan, Oman were firmly in the driving seat and Shoaib came back out and went on to bring up a half-century of his own. Nadeem got the winning run, and brought up his fifty, with a single to deep third as UAE slumped to two defeats in two games in their campaign.

If the batting can back up the bowling, the visitors can make this a fabulously exciting series

Danyal Rasool25-Dec-2020

Big picture

This isn’t the Boxing Day Test that’ll fill the most column inches, generate the greatest number of app notifications or create the most viral hashtags on Twitter. Mount Maunganui, sadly, is no match for Melbourne as New Zealand and Pakistan don’t quite stack up against their giant neighbours, Australia and India, who also face each other on the same day. But for those interested in more niche contests, more arcane storylines, and arguably equally absorbing cricket, tuning into this Test instead of that one promises to leave you equally satiated.

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New Zealand vs Pakistan is available in the US on ESPN+. Subscribe to ESPN+ and tune in to the series

Set aside the financial might of Australia and India, and you’ll find New Zealand vs Pakistan stacks up well against it on cricketing merit. New Zealand, for one, don’t intend to play dark horses to anyone these days, as they look to clinch two further Test wins to complement their 2-0 series win against West Indies and get one foot in the World Test Championship final. Pakistan, though heavy underdogs, will be buoyed by an impressive performance against England despite losing the series 1-0; the scoreline doesn’t quite reflect how close they were to a memorable series win. If they can bring that same fight, and, more importantly, bowling quality, to these two Tests, New Zealand will find these Tests won’t be the cakewalk the ones against Jason Holder’s men ended up being.New Zealand, though, are a fearfully well-oiled machine who relentlessly stack up the series wins at home. Only South Africa and Australia have beaten New Zealand in a Test series at home since January 2011. For much of this time, the core of this side has contained arguably two batsmen and two bowlers who rank among the greatest ever New Zealand cricketers: Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Tim Southee and Trent Boult. The presence of Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls and Neil Wagner ensures the home side is neither unbalanced nor overly reliant on a handful of individuals.Related

• Williamson's wishlist – Christmas at home, Boxing day fanfare

• Babar, Imam ruled out of first NZ Test

• Ajaz Patel left out for Pakistan Tests

Pakistan, meanwhile, have been left reeling by the absence of Babar Azam, who was due to make his debut as Test captain. It not only leaves a big hole in the heart of the batting line-up but also means Mohammad Rizwan needs to take on even greater responsibility – as stand-in captain, batsman and wicketkeeper, while the openers, who didn’t quite manage much against New Zealand A last week, will need to step up. The trio of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Mohammad Abbas with the ball are by far Pakistan’s biggest hopes of discomfiting New Zealand over the next fortnight, with a helping hand from the batsmen carrying the potential to make this a fabulously exciting series.

Form guide

Pakistan DDLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WWWWLHenry Nicholls has fought his way to become one of New Zealand’s first-choice picks•Getty Images

In the spotlight

Henry Nicholls might have been thought of as a utility squad player when he made his Test debut four years ago, and didn’t look up to much when Pakistan last visited in 2016, managing just 69 runs all series. It was a different story in the UAE two years later, where he demonstrated the sort of unflashy grit that has made him a mainstay in the New Zealand middle order. Managing two steely fifties, and a history-making, series-winning hundred in the third Test, he was among the unsung heroes for New Zealand as Williamson swept the awards, and his value to this New Zealand Test side has only increased since. With an average on the right side of 40, and 174 in his last Test innings against West Indies, Nicholls is in the sort of form to set the record straight.Mohammad Abbas‘s eyes might light up at how green the New Zealand surface will invariably look, much as West Indies’ did when they opted to bowl after winning the toss twice. New Zealand first innings scores of 519 and 460, however, suggested the colour of the surface doesn’t mean a whole lot without quality bowlers. Abbas, who butters his bread thanks to his accuracy and seam movement, would do well to remember that. If he manages to keep his focus on what his strengths are: line, length and subtle seam movement, rather than getting greedy and throwing the ball up in search of unrealistic swing movement, he may well be unplayable.

Team news

New Zealand have a full-strength, well-rested squad available to them, with Williamson back, having missed the second Test against West Indies for the birth of his daughter. That could edge out Will Young, with the rest of the line-up likely unchangedNew Zealand (probable): 1 Tom Latham, 2 Tom Blundell, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 BJ Watling (wk), 7 Daryl Mitchell, 8 Kyle Jamieson, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Neil Wagner, 11 Trent BoultBalance is the problem for Pakistan, with the absence of a genuine allrounder in the squad. Shadab Khan might have been tasked with that job, but with him ruled out, Pakistan look set to play potentially a batsman light.Pakistan (probable): 1 Shan Masood, 2 Abid Ali, 3 Azhar Ali, 4 Fawad Alam, 5 Haris Sohail, 6 Mohammad Rizwan (capt & wk), 7 Faheem Ashraf, 8 Yasir Shah/Sohail Khan, 9 Shaheen Afridi, 10 Mohammad Abbas, 11 Naseem Shah

Pitch and conditions

Mount Maunganui has hosted only one Test till date – against England last year. It was something of a turgid surface, albeit one that led to a New Zealand innings victory. The toss, and early wickets with the new ball, will be vital. The weather is fine for four out of five days, with rain expected for much of Sunday.

Stats and trivia

• Before New Zealand commenced their current unbeaten home run against all sides barring Australia and South Africa, Pakistan were the last side to beat them in a series, 1-0 in 2010-11.
• New Zealand’s fast bowling attack is significantly more seasoned than their Pakistani counterparts. Pakistan’s entire fast bowling contingent in New Zealand – Abbas, Afridi, Shah, Sohail Khan, Ashraf – have a combined 169 Test wickets. Each of Southee (296), Boult (272) and Wagner (215) have more wickets on their own.

Glamorgan allrounder will serve until February 2025, having succeeded Daryl Mitchell in 2021

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Feb-2023James Harris, the Glamorgan allrounder, has been re-elected for a second term as chair of the Professional Cricketers’ Association.Harris, 32, took over from the previous incumbent Daryl Mitchell in 2021, and will remain in the post until February 2025 – the maximum four-year stint permitted by the PCA’s constitution.”Being re-elected is a huge honour,” Harris said. “I’ve really enjoyed the first two years. Having an extra two years will be brilliant and I’m really looking forward to pushing through some meaningful change in my second term.”Harris’ first term coincided with the sport’s recovery from the Covid pandemic, and in addition to representing the organisation in Parliament, at the DCMS Select Committee hearings, he has also overseen the PCA’s increased commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.iAs a Director of the Professional Cricketers’ Trust, he also helped raise funds for the PCA’s charitable arm by cycling over 1,000km to and from Cardiff, via Headingley and Lord’s.”The PCA has a huge role to play in the evolution of the game worldwide, we need to make sure that we’re moving forward with the game, keeping pace with the game, because there’s so many opportunities to play around the world in different tournaments which wasn’t available 10 years ago,” Harris said.”I think with the opportunity for players to travel and improve their game around the world, there really is no better time to be a professional cricketer than right now and I can only see that trending in one direction as we move forward.”PCA Chief Executive, Rob Lynch, said: “I’m really pleased that James has been elected by his peers to take on a second term as Chair of the Association.”A lot has happened in the world of cricket in the last two years and James has been as been at the forefront of the change in England and Wales.”I’m looking forward to continuing our strong working relationship and strategic planning for the next two years is already under way in this crucial point in the history of our game. With key priorities assessed to ensure we continue to champion the interests of professional cricketers in this country, we will be updating our members in the coming weeks through the AGM, Rookie Camp and pre-season meetings with all 26 domestic squads.”

CA is in the process of drawing up guidelines for how training will operate

Andrew McGlashan15-May-2020Over the next week or so, professional cricketers around Australia will dig out their kit bags and embark on a lengthy pre-season, which will likely have a very different feel from the usual as sport adapts to the new normal following the Covid-19 pandemic.The centrally contracted Australia players come off annual leave on Monday, a period where like the majority of the population they have been confined to homes, garages, gardens and the local parks for exercise.State squads are due to start filtering back into training and while the winter football codes – NRL and AFL – are preparing to return to action cricket training, at least to start with, will likely take the form of smaller groups.However, while those with Cricket Australia deals have some certainty over their position, state contracting lists remain to be confirmed.A couple of weeks ago, the Australian Institute of Sport issued a framework for the return of sport – CA’s Dr John Orchard was part of the team that put the document together – which included details such as the ban on using saliva and sweat on the ball at training. Since then, CA, led by head of science and medicine Alex Kountouris, has been working on overall guidelines for the states and national set-up.In normal circumstances, a number of players would have been at the IPL or taking up county contracts in England, while members of the men’s Test squad who were based at home would have been gearing up for a two-Test tour of Bangladesh.All of that, of course, was scuppered as the pandemic swept the world. There remains significant doubt as to when the international game will resume, although there are some positive steps being taken in the UK as England players will shortly return to individual training.While Australia’s men’s ODI and T20I sides may yet play their series against England in September, it is quite possible that there will be no international travel for any of the country’s cricketers this winter.International players are likely to be with their states through the build-up to the 2020-21 season, which is due to start in late September with the Marsh Cup and a women’s series against New Zealand. Given the positive progress against Covid-19 in Australia and across the Tasman, that timeline has a reasonable chance of happening.”We’ve got pre-season starting in a couple of weeks’ time. So fingers crossed, we can get back to that,” Travis Head said. “We’ve been fortunate enough in Adelaide with the restrictions starting to ease over the last couple of days. Hopefully it looks like we’ll be able to train in small groups.”For me and for all of us it’s about coming back as fit as we can. I’ve got some goals that I need to tick off going into pre-season, which will then lead me into having a really good baseline to go into pre-season. I’m excited and a bit nervous about the pre-season. I haven’t done one in a few years.”Looking back at the ones I have done, I’ll be hopefully able to come back very, very fit and ready to go. Hopefully I can excel during the pre-season and that will get me in good stead for the season. Being a leader within South Australia, having the whole squad home, myself, Alex Carey, Kane Richardson, those sort of guys home is going to be a really exciting pre-season and important giving the state of where we’re at.”

The captain’s two wickets threatened a huge result but West Indies’ depth saw them home

Shashank Kishore03-Jun-2024

John Kariko’s excellent spell put pressure on West Indies•ICC via Getty Images

From being labelled as the nearly men in the cut-throat world of associate cricket, the tide is beginning to turn for Papua New Guinea. They missed the bus in 2014 and 2016 after frittering away a good chance to qualify but are now playing their second T20 World Cup in three years, after breaking through for the first time in the UAE in 2021.Sunday’s T20 World Cup 2024 opener against West Indies was only their eighth against a Full Member and, for a while reputation counted for little as PNG smelt an upset. After having huffed and puffed to 136, they had West Indies on the racks at 97 for 5 in 16 overs. Then their dreams were shattered as Andre Russell and Roston Chase bailed West Indies out.Related

• Chase seals West Indies' jittery victory against spirited PNG

• 'I had to take it home' – Calm Chase eases West Indies' opening-game nerves

Assad Vala, the PNG captain, felt they may have been in a position to challenge West Indies with a “few more runs towards the end” after playing catch up for most parts of their innings. From 34 for 3, PNG recovered courtesy a fine 43-ball 50 by Sese Bau. Then towards the end, Kiplin Doriga injected momentum to make an 18-ball 27.”I think batting as well, I think we didn’t play the crucial moments the way we wanted,” Vala said. “They had batsmen towards the end, which we didn’t. I think we missed out on a few runs towards the end as well. But I think credit to them. They got a lot of experience. So, I think we played really well. We executed our skills really well.”We just couldn’t execute towards the end when we were put under pressure, but really happy with the overall performance of the boys. We didn’t post the target we wanted, but they fought till the end, so really happy with the effort.”Assad Vala’s two wickets had PNG dreaming•ICC via Getty Images

With Tony Ura, PNG’s highest run-getter and arguably their most destructive batter, gone early and Vala out for 21 to a sensational catch at backward point by Chase, PNG needed someone to step up, and Bau’s efforts gave them chance to be in the contest.Fast bowler Ale Nao dismissed Johnson Charles first ball. They should have had Nicholas Pooran first ball, but for a lbw shout PNG chose not to review, with replays confirming the ball had pitched in line and would have hit middle and leg. Pooran eventually got going as he went after Bau to hit him for 18 in his only over, but his dismissal for a run-a-ball 27 in the ninth over had PNG turn the screws as the spinners came storming back.Vala dismissed Brandon King and Sherfane Rutherford, while John Kariko, the 20-year-old left-arm spinner, built on his wicket of Pooran to finish with figures of 4-0-17-1 to count as one of many positives for PNG. All told, PNG were in the contest until the 18h over.”I think Sese Bau batted really well. And John Kariko, the left-arm spinner bowled really well. I think, Alei upfront with the new ball. There was a lot of stuff that we did really well,” Vala said. “I think there are a lot of positives to take out from the game today. I think the overall performance was really good, but just the key moments that we just couldn’t put the nail in the coffin. But I think as I said before the effort was outstanding, we kept fighting against a really good side so happy, really happy.”How crucial did the decision to not review Pooran prove to be? Vala pointed to their inexperience of using technology as the reason for the one that got away.”It’s a bit of a funny story,” Vala said. “It was a bit like in street cricket, we don’t use a lot of DRS, so there was a lot of calls coming from everywhere – take it don’t, take it, take it, don’t take it. I didn’t know who to listen to but it is something we can learn from like I said we need to get the communication right when we [play] in the upcoming games.”

Pakistan’s hopes slip further after a heartbreaking loss while Bangladesh and Netherlands aim to keep their tournament alive

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Oct-20231:24

Pujara: South Africa seem to lack a clear game plan while chasing

—Fixtures | Squads | Points table | Tournament Index

Top Story: South Africa rise to the top by the barest of margins in thriller

As Keshav Maharaj exploded into celebration, having swung Mohammad Nawaz to the fine-leg boundary for the winning runs with the No. 11 for company, waves of relief washed over his team-mates watching from the dressing room. South Africa had thrown off the yoke of the choke by the barest of margins against Pakistan in Chennai to chase successfully for the first time in their World Cup 2023 campaign.The one-wicket win took them level with India on ten points at the top of the table, but ahead on net run rate, though they have played an extra game.The victory was set up by their bowlers – Tabraiz Shamsi and Marco Jansen in particular – who dismissed Pakistan for 270 in 46.4 overs despite them having been well placed at 225 for 5 in the 40th. And when Aiden Markram – who overtook Virat Kohli to become the second-highest run scorer of this World Cup during his innings of 91 – and David Miller were putting together their 70-run stand for the fifth wicket, a South African win looked comfortable. All that changed when Miller edged Shaheen Shah Afridi behind in the 34th over, with the target still 65 runs away.Click here to read the full report

Match reaction: Maharaj caps unlikely World Cup comeback with cathartic winning role

South Africa’s last pair – Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj – rejoices after sealing a one-wicket win•AFP/Getty Images

Keshav Maharaj was just having dinner around the time when Pakistan’s concussion substitute Usama Mir pinned Rassie van der Dussen lbw for 21. South Africa were 121 for 3 at that point, needing a further 150 runs off almost 30 overs. Given South Africa’s gun middle-order – Aiden Markram at No.4, Heinrich Klaasen No.5 and David Miller at No.6 – Maharaj might have felt like he could just put his feet up during the chase, having put in a shift with the ball in Chennai’s oppressive heat.But it eventually came down to him scoring the winning runs for South Africa with No.11 Tabraiz Shamsi at the other end, lifting the lid on what had become a cauldron of immense tension at Chepauk.Read the full piece from Deivarayan Muthu in Chennai

Must Watch: Urooj Mumtaz on Mohammad Rizwan

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Urooj: Rizwan was a massive letdown

News headlines

• Pakistan brought in Usama Mir as a concussion substitute for Shadab Khan during their World Cup match against South Africa in Chennai on Friday
• Pat Cummins has insisted there are no issues with Steven Smith batting at No. 4 despite the batter reiterating his preference for No. 3

Match previews

Australia vs New Zealand, Kolkata (10.30am IST; 6.00am GMT; 4.00pm AEDT)6:06

Bond: Top-order partnerships will prove critical for both NZ and Australia

Attention in New Zealand might currently be focused on another World Cup, with their beloved All Blacks on the cusp of regaining the Webb Ellis Cup. But the cricketers have started this tournament particularly strongly with only another Virat Kohli chasing masterclass denting their unbeaten campaign.Despite that, New Zealand can almost lock in a semi-final berth – defying predictions of many pundits – with a victory over Australia in another intriguing Trans-Tasman contest. But it won’t be easy with a rejuvenated Australia finally looking like the serious title contender expected of them after a shaky start to the tournament.Team newsAustralia (probable) 1 David Warner, 2 Travis Head, 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Steve Smith, 5 Josh Inglis (wk), 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Marcus Stoinis/Cameron Green, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh HazlewoodNew Zealand (probable) 1 Devon Conway, 2 Will Young, 3 Rachin Ravindra, 4 Tom Latham (capt & wk), 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Glenn Phillips, 7 Mark Chapman, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Matt Henry, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Trent BoultBangladesh vs Netherlands, Kolkata (2pm IST; 8.30am GMT; 7.30pm AEDT)The World Cup has arrived in Kolkata, where Bangladesh can expect a fair bit of support at Eden Gardens when they take on Netherlands. There are supposed to be at least 2000 fans on their way from Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh for this match, with the cultural connection with Kolkata and good travel options between the two making it a popular destination for Bangladeshis.Bangladesh come to Kolkata following a 149-run defeat against South Africa in Mumbai. Moreover, Netherlands’ inspiring performances issue a warning.Click here for the full previewTeam newsBangladesh (probable) 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Litton Das, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Nasum Ahmed/Towhid Hridoy, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Shoriful Islam, 11 Mustafizur RahmanNetherlands (probable) 1 Vikramjit Singh, 2 Max O’Dowd, 3 Colin Ackermann, 4 Sybrand Engelbrecht, 5 Bas de Leede, 6 Scott Edwards (capt & wk), 7 Teja Nidamanuru, 8 Logan van Beek, 9 Roelof van der Merwe, 10 Aryan Dutt, 11 Paul van Meekeren

Feature: Sitting down with Trent Boult and Tim Southee

2:01

Trent Boult and Tim Southee: ‘We hope that kids want to pick up a ball one day and bowl fast’

New Zealand’s old fast-bowling firm of Southee and Boult amble down memory lane, with the occasional pause to poke each other in the ribs”I remember hitting him for a six when we were about… how old were we then?” Boult has his head down. He’s probably just thinking but it looks like he wants to forget. “That would’ve been 15-16.”Read the full interview from Cricket Monthly

He expects to bat in the top four at the Hurricanes and also provides a wicketkeeping option

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Sep-2020Peter Handscomb has completed a move to the Hobart Hurricanes for the BBL, after he was not offered a new deal with the Melbourne Stars following nine seasons with the club, in what could be one of the higher profile moves ahead of the new season.In 51 matches for the Stars, who he has played for since the BBL launched, Handscomb scored 834 runs at 27.80 with a best of 103 not out – his career-best T20 score – against the Perth Scorchers in 2015.Handscomb has signed a two-year deal and will join a strong Hurricanes batting line-up which includes D’Arcy Short, Matthew Wade and Ben McDermott but has lost George Bailey from the middle order following his retirement and he expects to bat in the top four. He would also provide another wicketkeeping option if needed.ALSO READ: Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy and Dawid Malan in talks for BBL deals“I had a good chat with some of the boys I’d played with before, so I’m keen to get down there and play with those guys,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to potentially bat in the top four on a beautiful wicket at a nice ground, it’s exciting to be able to come to Hobart and show what I can do.”He has drifted out of the Australia set-up since a strong lead-up to the 2019 World Cup which he was then unfortunate to miss out on due to the returns of David Warner and Steven Smith. He was called into the squad as a late injury replacement and played in the semi-final against England. He then lost his CA contract earlier this year.”Pete has been a fantastic contributor and leader around the group for so many years,” the Stars head coach, David Hussey, said. “I’m lucky enough to have been able to both play alongside him and coach him and he’ll always be part of the broader group.”Scott Barnes, the Hurricanes general manager, said: “We’re thrilled to have Pete join the Hurricanes. There will be a number of first-time Hurricanes this season and we’re confident that the mix of youth and experience will see us through to the finals for another season.””His experience and tenacity at the crease is well known, and for him to be in purple this season provides another level of confidence to our batting line-up and overall team leadership.”England opener Jonny Bairstow is a target for the Stars to fill one of their overseas slots.

The two will also train at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane and be part of Queensland Bulls’ pre-season preparations

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jul-2022Chetan Sakariya and Mukesh Choudhary will headline the overseas presence at the KFC T20 Max series in Queensland next month. They will also train at Cricket Australia’s National Cricket Centre in Brisbane and be involved in Queensland Bulls’ pre-season preparations, as part of the old exchange programme with the Chennai-based MRF Pace Foundation, which had been paused because of Covid-19.Sakariya, 24, made a name for himself during IPL 2021, playing for Rajasthan Royals, and has turned out in an ODI and two T20Is so far while also playing for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2022, while Choudhary was impressive in his debut IPL season, this year, for Chennai Super Kings, picking up 16 wickets in 13 games. The two will be joined by three Papua New Guinea internationals: Norman Vanua, Chad Soper and Charles Amini.Related

• How 'systematic', 'quiet' Choudhary made it from Bhilwara to CSK

• Meet Sakariya – who overcame personal tragedy to make it to the IPL

Sakariya will play for Sunshine Coast, while Wynnum-Manly will have the services of Choudhary. Sandgate-Redcliffe have all the three PNG players – regulars with their national side, which finished third at the recent World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe – in their ranks. Vanua and Soper are medium pacers, while Amini is a legspinning allrounder.There will also be a strong list of current or recent BBL players, some of them internationals, in the mix too: Jordan Silk, Beau Webster, Cameron Boyce, Ben Cutting, Liam Guthrie, Nick Larkin, Clint Hinchliffe, Josh Lalor, Nick Hobson, Jake Lehmann, Arjun Nair, Chris Sabburg, Nick Bertus, Ryan Gibson, Spencer Johnson and Nathan McSweeney.In a note on its website, Queensland Cricket said, “Due to the popularity of the concept and a surge in the number of players expressing interest, Queensland Cricket today updated the competition rules to allow each Premier club to sign an additional interstate or international recruit, moving from three players per club to four.”Several regionally based players have already brokered arrangements with teams, while contracted Queensland Bulls and Brisbane Heat players will be available for selection as part of their pre-season preparations.”The tournament will be played over three weeks, from August 18 to September 4, at the club grounds as well as at the refurbished Allan Border Field, under lights.Exchanges between the MRF Pace Foundation, founded in 1987, and Australia began in 1992, when the academy opened its doors to players from beyond India’s shores.Among the first to come and train under Dennis Lillee, then the director at MRF, was Glenn McGrath, who later took up the directorship once Lillee retired after a 25-year stint in 2012. Fast bowlers from many other countries, including Mohammad Asif (Pakistan), Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka), Heath Streak (Zimbabwe), and premier quicks from Australia like Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson, have all trained at the academy over the years. Similarly, young Indian quicks have been given the opportunity to spend time in Brisbane as part of the programme. The last of these, in 2019, were Prasidh Krishna, who has since played ten ODIs for India, and Mukhtar Hussain, the 23-year-old right-arm quick from Assam.

Back-to-back centurion describes change in attitude under McCullum and Stokes as “massive”

Matt Roller24-Jun-2022Jonny Bairstow says England are trying to play in a style that is “different to the norm” and has described Test cricket as “a simple game that we complicate” after hitting a 95-ball hundred to rescue England from 55 for 6 at Headingley.Bairstow walked out to bat with England 17 for 3 in the seventh over after a stunning new-ball burst from Trent Boult and had only faced one ball when Joe Root edged Tim Southee behind to leave them 21 for 4. That brought in Ben Stokes, with whom Bairstow had added 179 in 20.1 overs during England’s remarkable run chase in Nottingham in the second Test.”‘Fancy doing another Trent Bridge?’ was the first thing that we said,” Bairstow told Sky Sports. “That was it: ‘OK, let’s crack on’. Sometimes it’s a simple game that we complicate. That’s all we’re trying to do: strip that complicated nature of it back, allow people to go out and express themselves in a way that will bring the best out of them as individuals and also as personalities.”There is sometimes a lot of rubbish spoken about a lot of different things. Sometimes it gets into your mind and clutters it; sometimes you have to just flick it. You have to listen to the people that matter to you and right now I am doing that.”The most important thing is me being me. Literally all Brendon [McCullum] has said is ‘go and impose yourself on the game’. It’s an exciting game and the way I’ve always played my cricket. I’ve gone back to young Jonny, where you’re just watching the ball and seeing the ball.”McCullum, who has quickly instilled an ultra-attacking philosophy since his appointment as England’s Test coach, gave a team talk that Ben Foakes told ESPNcricinfo was “like William Wallace” on the final day of the Trent Bridge Test, but Bairstow said that the message had been stripped back to its core principles in Leeds.Related

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“Literally, there wasn’t anything said,” Bairstow said, “just ‘good luck and enjoy’.” Asked if the simplicity felt new to him, he replied: “Or is that the way that people are so used to it happening? I don’t know. I’m asking you the question. Is that the way that we’re so used to it happening? Or is it just ‘we trust you guys to go and play the way in which you see fit’?”He described the change in attitude under McCullum and Stokes as “massive”, adding: “It’s a buy-in from everyone, from the head coach right down to the guys making their debuts and coming into the squad. Whether you’ve played 170 Tests like Jimmy [Anderson] or making your debut like Jamie Overton, everybody’s buying into a certain way that we believe we’re capable of doing – but also a way of Test cricket that is different to potentially the norm.”It’s a case of putting pressure back on other people. If you sit there, sit there, sit there, there’s a good ball in there for you. Rather than being a sitting duck and saying ‘look, alright, you can bowl at me’ it’s ‘OK, you can’t bowl at me, so let’s go’.”Bairstow hit the sixth and seventh balls he faced for boundaries, both off Boult, and said that he had felt as though he needed to “transfer the momentum” after England’s disastrous start. He continued to attack even after Stokes had chipped Neil Wagner to mid-off for 18 off 13 balls and Foakes had been trapped lbw, leaving England six wickets down early, adding an unbroken 209 with Overton in 37.1 overs to cut the deficit to 65 runs overnight.”There’s different ways of looking at it,” Bairstow said. “You can either go into your shell and bat the way people have done for years and years and years – try to survive against bowlers like Trent Boult and Tim Southee when they’re bowling so well. But you need to transfer the momentum, take them off their lengths. They were hitting their straps, conditions were in their favour.”We’re only a few games into it but we’re definitely looking at it in a different way, going out and expressing ourselves, taking the game forward and hopefully playing in ways that can change games. You need people to stand up and change games. That’s how you win games of cricket, whether it’s a bowler taking five, six or seven-for or batters scoring hundreds.”Bairstow’s hundred was his second at his home ground, and his first since 2016. “You know how much this place means to me,” he said. “Being a Yorkshire lad scoring a Test hundred at home, it’s pretty special. All my family and my mates are here.”Every time you score a Test hundred it’s emotional. It means so much to me to play Test cricket for England and that’s the kind of guy I am: I wear my heart on my sleeve. Sometimes it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but I love representing this team, and I am really excited about the journey we are embarking on.”

South Africa captain says lack of match awareness and match fitness also played a role coming into the series

Firdose Moonda30-Dec-20212:29

Cullinan: SA ‘not following the basic principles of Test cricket’

Lack of runs in their first innings rather than leaking runs in India’s first cost South Africa the opening Test against India, according to captain Dean Elgar. After conceding 272 for 3 on the first day, thanks largely to a wayward morning with the ball, South Africa went on to take 7 for 49 on the third to bowl India out for 327. They were then dismissed for 197, where Elgar said the match was lost.”You need runs to compete and it’s safe to say we didn’t get that in our first innings,” Elgar said. “They bowled well with the new ball and the nature of Test cricket is that you’ve got to compete against the new ball. The way they started was something we struggled against. We know what it’s like scoring 250-plus runs here.”Just last year, South Africa piled on 621 runs on this ground, albeit against an under-strength Sri Lankan attack, and in four of their last five Tests here, they scored over 250 in the first innings. That they went on to win all those matches makes clear the importance of first innings runs, but for that you need a strong and somewhat reliable line-up, which can only be achieved with regular competitive game time against quality opposition.South Africa have only played six Tests this year, the last one six months ago. There have only been four rounds of domestic first-class cricket and of this squad only Duanne Olivier and Keegan Petersen played in all four.There is an obvious lack of match time, which both vice-captain Temba Bavuma and Elgar recognise as a weakness.”Playing four or five-day cricket is something you can’t replace but the schedule doesn’t allow for our players to play a lot of first-class cricket,” Elgar said. “So there’s a little bit of (a lack of) match awareness and match fitness. It’s by no means an excuse. We knew that coming into the series. There’s a lot of learning for us that the basics of the game still applies. I don’t think we had that with regards to the batting.”You may immediately ask why Petersen, the only one who played in this Test who has sufficient match practice to his name, was not more successful but there’s a reason for that too. South Africa’s opening stand has been particularly poor and has not crossed double figures in the three Tests Petersen has played.”KP has come in and played in three Tests matches and the three batting conditions that he has experienced have been relatively tough,” Elgar said. “He has had a bit of a rough start and it doesn’t reflect on him as a player. He is an extremely talented player – one of our better players in the first-class system. The stats don’t reflect his ability. I feel for him. I know he wants to make a play and is maybe a little bit anxious. We need to, as a leadership group, try and give him a better opportunity to try and contribute.”Dean Elgar: “In Test cricket facing the new ball and opening is not easy”•AFP via Getty Images

In order for that to happen, Elgar and Aiden Markram have to start better, which they know but can’t guarantee. “In Test cricket facing the new ball and opening is not easy. You get a good ball and you go and sit and watch the rest of the game. That’s the nature of the beast,” Elgar said. “Aiden and I have had the rough of the green but we are very mindful that we need to start well.”Another option is to swap Petersen with the (slightly more) experienced Rassie van der Dussen. “It is something that will be a conversation,” Elgar said.So will changes to the lower order. Olivier should be available for selection and should be an automatic pick at the Wanderers. Ordinarily, that would mean leaving out his replacement Marco Jansen. But the 21-year-old acquitted himself so well in his first Test that the discussion will turn to whether Wiaan Mulder, playing as an allrounder but not really contributing with the bat, should be benched to give Jansen the chance to stake a claim in that position.”Wiaan had a pretty good game with the ball. He is not living up to his standards with the bat which is something we will chat to him about,” Elgar said. “In this environment you have to have those open conversations in order for this environment to grow and for individuals to grow. Marco had a brilliant debut. He was our player of the game. And he came into a really tough situation. He didn’t shy away from his responsibilities within the side.”And Elgar is not hiding from his – as captain of a team that has to turn the corner soon and is feeling more and more sure that they can in three days’ time. “I don’t think we’ll lack any confidence heading into Johannesburg but it’s never nice losing a game especially when we know where we went wrong,” Elgar said. “It’s difficult to correct those wrongs during a game, but building into the second Test, we’ll have some time to reflect around what has happened.”