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New Zealand's batting problems threaten sour end to the summer

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After being rolled over in Wellington, the final match of the season will go a long way in defining how it is remembered

Andrew McGlashan19-Mar-2017New Zealand will spend two days debriefing and soul-searching as they try to prevent their season ending with a whimper following the three-day thrashing at the Basin Reserve.Five days and a session of toe-to-toe cricket – throughout the Dunedin game and until lunch on the second day in Wellington – unravelled with alarming haste against South Africa. No wonder Kane Williamson looked bemused and not a little careworn, as he tried to explain it away in the bowels of the Basin on Saturday evening.New Zealand – both the players and management – have been reluctant to say that the visit of South Africa would define their season. But if they do not put in a better performance at Seddon Park starting on Saturday the last few weeks will certainly influence how their 2016-17 campaign is judged.They were favourites against Pakistan and Bangladesh, duly completing victories in all series against them, although had to overcome a first-innings total of 595 for 8 to beat Bangladesh in the Wellington Test. They regained the Chappell-Hadlee trophy 2-0 when Australia were missing some key players but the series across the Tasman was a one-sided affair.So far against South Africa, the T20 – albeit a one-off – was a walkover for the visitors, the one-day series was an oscillating affair, but two awful batting displays in Wellington and Auckland cost New Zealand, and now they are 1-0 down in the Tests after collapsing for 171.It should be noted that this was only New Zealand’s fourth Test defeat at home in 22 matches – dating back to South Africa’s previous visit here in 2012 when they won a match in similar fashion in Hamilton courtesy of a New Zealand batting implosion – although two of those losses came last year in the previous marquee series, against Australia.There is no disgrace in losing, but the manner of this defeat will be a concern and no doubt added to angst felt by Williamson and the other New Zealand representatives put up to explain what happened. In place of Mike Hesson, who had not recovered from a stomach bug which forced him to watch the third day from his hotel, it was batting coach Craig McMillan who attempted a mixture of stern but measured assessment.”Yesterday was a terrible day and to lose within three days was unacceptable. The group is hurting and disappointed but it’s something we have to acknowledge,” he said. “It’s important to remember, while yesterday wasn’t good, it’s only just over a week ago that we performed pretty well in that first Test. We need to get back to that standard and bounce back quickly for Hamilton.”In an echo of what Williamson and Hesson said after the batting collapses in the one-day series, the inability to soak up pressure during key phases of the game was at the forefront. Having recovered to be 217 for 5 on the opening day in Wellington, they collapsed to the part-time offspin of JP Duminy; in the middle of the second day – after having South Africa 94 for 6 – Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma added 160 before the last-wicket pair then added 57 to treble the lead and, with the deficit almost wiped out, they handed Keshav Maharaj two wickets in an over.”When those pressure points come up you have to have individuals stand up and grab them,” McMillan said. “Even that last-wicket partnership between Philander and Morkel which pushed the lead from 30 to 80 was quite a telling point – those two guys stood up and that’s what we need our guys to do. “There is unlikely to be much ripping up of the script from New Zealand. Ross Taylor (calf) and Trent Boult (groin) will join up with the squad in Hamilton to have their injuries assessed – the latter appears more likely to be fit – and legspinner Ish Sodhi could be added, when the squad is named on Tuesday, in place of seamer Matt Henry.Tom Latham’s form is an increasing problem – his poor run in one-day cricket now affecting his Test returns which, overall, are very solid – but in reality, there is not a vast amount more the selectors can do. A myriad of names have been bandied around over the last 24 hours – from Dean Brownlie (who is injured) and George Worker, to Colin Munro and Tom Bruce – but there is not a specialist opener demanding inclusion. Only the return of Taylor would really strengthen the middle order.”The selection panel, one of their key traits has been loyalty and I think that’s served us well,” McMillan said. “I’m sure there’ll be plenty of discussions between Mike Hesson and [selector] Gavin Larsen over the next day or so. There are a lot of domestic players going really well around the country but I firmly believe within our group we have the best players to do well.”When you have a performance like that, those sorts of discussions have to be had. We’ve got the best players in New Zealand in the squad and in Dunedin they showed they’re good enough to compete with South Africa.”They did compete in Dunedin, but a lot can change in a few days. Or as Wellington showed, even a few hours.

The race for Finals Day hots up

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The T20 Blast quarter-finals get underway on Tuesday. ESPNcricinfo runs the rule over the eight teams left in the competition

Will Macpherson21-Aug-2017Derbyshire v Hampshire (Tuesday, 6.30pm)
Story so far: Hampshire looked destined for a home quarter until their ruinous last-day defeat to Somerset, so they will have to make do with a trip to Derby. The hosts have been steady in the North Group, and finished with a flourish. They are a diverse side and their imported talent has impressed, particularly on the bowling side, with Matt Henry, Hardus Viljoen and Imran Tahir picking up 45 wickets between them.
In focus: Watch out if Liam Dawson bowls the first over of the innings for Hampshire; in the four games he has done so, that over reads: 5-0, 2-1, 1-1 and 1-1. Canny and parsimonious. Wayne Madsen has regularly done a similar job for Derbyshire. Madsen has had a remarkable season. His 522 runs are the third most in the competition and more than any Derbyshire batsman in one season, ever. He has also 13 wickets, has only failed to take a wicket twice, and has an economy of 7.17.This game should also be a legspin fetishist’s paradise. England have released Mason Crane, whose 11 matches have brought 15 wickets at an economy of just 6.6, and he and Dawson are normally joined in Hampshire’s team by Shahid Afridi, who has 12 and is going at 7.2. For Derbyshire, Tahir has been a revelation. He has 17 wickets, including four for 17 in their last game against Worcestershire.
Key data: Hampshire have the joint-most Finals Day appearances, with six. Derbyshire are the only team among the quarter-finalists never to make it.
Prediction: Hampshire, but not by much

****

Colin Ingram has spearheaded Glamorgan’s forceful batting•Getty ImagesGlamorgan v Leicestershire (Wednesday, 6.30pm)
Story so far: Leicestershire flew out the blocks, starting by winning four from four (all on the road). They then went six games without a win, before four straight wins in a week saw them sneak through. Lovely bread, horrible filling in that sandwich. Glamorgan were the opposite: a consistent force in the South Group, with Welsh rain – four matches have been rained off at Cardiff – their only hindrance. They never lost two on the spin.
In focus: Glamorgan’s excellence has been built on brutal batting in high-scoring games. They scored more than 175 in all but one (their chase of 99 in the rain-affected game against Middlesex on Friday) of their seven wins. Colin Ingram is their man: he hit two tons (both in victories where a batsman scored a century for the opposition) and 25 sixes in 11 innings. Meanwhile, none of their bowlers have gone at an economy under 7.8!The key for Leicestershire has been consistency of selection. Seven men played all their group games, while two players featured in 12 and one, the skipper Clint McKay, 11 (that was enough time for him to chalk up 22 wickets). Luke Ronchi’s fast starts and Mark Cosgrove’s canniness at No. 3 are crucial with the bat (they both have 401 runs), while Mathew Pillans (100 runs down the order and 17 wickets) has been a revelation.
Key data: Glamorgan and Leicestershire have met just once in T20 cricket: at Finals Day in 2004 (the Welsh side’s last appearance on the big day). Leicestershire won by 21 runs and went on to beat Surrey in the final. Just two players from that game – Darren Stevens and Brad Hodge – are still playing.

Prediction: Glamorgan’s batting to prove too strong for Leicestershire’s bowling in a high-scoring thriller.

****

Riki Wessels has been in fine form for Nottinghamshire•Getty ImagesNottinghamshire v Somerset (Thursday, 6.30pm)
Story so far: The loss of Nottinghamshire’s opening two games felt a distant memory as their batsmen, led by Alex Hales (who ended the groups with a strike-rate of 210), went large. They won eight of their next 11 (with two washouts thrown in) to secure a home quarter with time to spare. Somerset, meanwhile, have been altogether more turbulent. They pipped Sussex to this tie thanks to a mighty, massive victory at Hampshire in their final game, and ended with six wins (at no stage did they string more than two together), six losses and plenty of bad blood on social media.
In focus: Hales was Nottinghamshire’s most eye-catching performer, but his opening partner Riki Wessels scored more runs and was the tournament’s most consistent bat, and had a strike-rate touching 150, too. He scored 28 or more nine times (in 13 innings), including eight on the spin, as well as a 54-ball 110 against Derbyshire early on. Somerset should ignore him at their peril.Somerset are the only team in the last eight without a batsman with 300 runs (indeed Gloucestershire were the only others in the whole competition in that boat), and their selection (and batting order) was very inconsistent – they used a total of 18 players. They will rely heavily on their spinners Roelof van der Merwe and Max Waller, their only two bowlers going at under eight an over.
Key data: Tying Notts down will not be easy at Trent Bridge: the lowest first-innings total there this season was 180, and all six non-DLS games there brought 360 runs, with four of them containing more than 400.
Prediction: Notts should be too strong at home.

****

Dominic Sibley returns to his old county after an acrimonious split•Getty ImagesSurrey v Birmingham Bears (Friday, 7pm)
Story so far: Quite how Surrey have a home quarter, no one knows – least of all them. They told the tale of the congested South Group, and were consistently inconsistent: won two, lost two, won two, had two abandoned, then lost three before winning three more. Confused? Us too. Much-changed Birmingham took a while to find their feet but also finished strongly.
In focus: This is the catty clash the neutrals wanted: the Dom Sibley Derby (not words we ever expected to publish). Expect bad blood and south London boos for Sibley after he chose to leave Surrey for Birmingham at the end of the year. Following an inexplicably unpleasant press release (which revealed elements of Sibley’s deal) from Surrey, he left early, with Rikki Clarke returning home a few months ahead of schedule in exchange. Both are available: grab the popcorn.With Ian Bell dropped, Birmingham have a very youthful look alongside their gnarled old Kiwi pros. Sibley, Ed Pollock, Sam Hain and Adam Hose are key batsmen, while Olly Stone is finally fit and Josh Poysden returned well in their final two games. Aaron Thomason is a punchy, talented all-rounder too but the key man remains Jeetan Patel: only McKay has more than his 19 wickets, and his economy of 6.67 is the best of anyone with 16 wickets or more.
Key data: Both Clarke and Sibley have seen a sharp upturn in form since their swaps: Clarke has eight wickets in five games (and economy of 6.47) for Surrey, while Sibley has two fifties in four knocks for Birmingham.
Prediction: Sibley to power Birmingham into a home Finals Day

Herath and his fourth-innings heists

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Sri Lanka have defended scores of less than 250 only four times in their Test history. Every single time, Rangana Herath has been at the centre of it all

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-2017Sri Lanka have defended scores of less than 250 only four times in their Test history. Every single time, Rangana Herath has been at the centre of it all

'Best batsman I had the pleasure to play with' – Vaughan

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The reactions on Twitter to Kevin Pietersen’s retirement

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Mar-2018Kevin Pietersen has called time on a legendary and, at times, controversial career. And, as you would expect, the tributes are coming in on social media

English T20 finally gets legspin fever

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As many as 16 of the 18 counties are expected to turn to a legspin option when the Vitality T20 Blast begins this week

Matt Roller03-Jul-2018Imran Tahir’s stint at Durham in the Vitality Blast will take his collection of England’s 18 first-class counties to seven. It is too much to hope that Tahir, a veteran at 39, will one day manage to collect the whole set, even if he has been a mainstay of domestic T20 cricket in England for the past ten seasons, but it is quite a list.But Tahir’s signing is also a reflection of a growing trend in the county game. One in three teams in this season’s T20 Blast has secured the services of an overseas legspinner and as many as 16 of the 18 teams can be expected to put legspin in their mix. Only Gloucestershire and Leicestershire might miss out.While counties used to use their overseas quota on top-order batsmen or fast-scoring all-rounders, there has been a gradual shift in their approaches to who they should sign. Teams now use data analysts to help with recruitment, and the numbers show that legspinners are the men to go for.There is more to the signings than just their worth on the pitch, of course. Rashid Khan, the teenage sensation from Afghanistan, has won the hearts of fans across the world since shooting to worldwide fame a year or so ago; it is no surprise that ticket sales for his three games at Hove are booming, with Sussex recording sales 68.8% higher for their first home match (vs Surrey on 13th July) compared to last year’s equivalent.

This year, counties appear to have cottoned on. And a study of the wrist-spinners in this year’s competition should provide evidence as to why they are such hot property in 20-over cricket

By now, few need a reminder that 20-over cricket was presumed to be the format that would make legspinners, with all their perceived exoticism obsolete. Adam Hollioake, who played four Tests and 35 ODIs for England and who led Surrey to the inaugural Twenty20 Cup in 2003, said: “Straight away, we thought ‘spin bowlers are going to get hit out the ground’. We thought they’d be hopeless.” Instead, it has brought them to the fore; the top T20 franchises around the world pay over the odds to secure the services of Khan, Ish Sodhi, Shadab Khan and Samuel Badree.But England’s counties have been slow to follow this lead, perhaps influenced by a cooler climate, smaller grounds and in-built conservatism. While Tahir, Shahid Afridi and Adil Rashid have been mainstays of the tournament since its formation 15 years ago, last year’s winners, Nottinghamshire, were the first victorious team since Sussex in 2009 to pick a legspinner – Sodhi – in the final.Back in 2009, legspin was still viewed as a gamble. That year, Will Beer took 2 for 29 in their win against Somerset, but he was at the start of his career and was viewed as a risk; Sussex captain Mike Yardy brought his own 65mph left-arm darts into the attack before taking the risk. Now, legspinners are seen not just as attacking options, but as containers; not just wicket-takers, but economical too.This year, counties appear to have cottoned on. And a study of the wrist-spinners in this year’s competition should provide evidence as to why they are such hot property in 20-over cricket; the leg-spinning class of 2018 exude control throughout an innings, and can be relied upon in the Powerplay or at the death.ESPNCricinfo’s Smart Stats, unveiled ahead of the 2018 IPL, help contextualise more rudimentary data, and take the differences between high-scoring and low-scoring matches, and phases of the game into account.ESPNcricinfo LtdAnalysis of legspinners’ Smart Economy Rates – which take into account the rate of other bowlers in a match, and the phase of a game – in their T20 careers since 2015 shows just how effective they are.There are no prizes for guessing that Rashid Khan comes out on top, with a Smart ER of just 4.62 in that period. Other overseas spinners are also miserly: Hampshire’s mystery Afghani spinner Mujeeb ur-Rahman has a Smart ER of 5.23, while Northants’ Seekkuge Prasanna (6.44), Essex’s Adam Zampa (6.52), Tahir (7.16), and Sodhi (7.22) are not far behind.But the stats also show just how successful domestic bowlers have been in the Blast. Lancashire’s exciting prospect, Matt Parkinson, was the highlight of their otherwise-unsuccessful T20 campaign last year, and weighs in with a Smart ER of just 4.8.Parkinson, a 21-year-old from Bolton, has certainly made an impression in his fledgling white-ball career: he impressed the national selectors so much in his inaugural Blast campaign last year that he was given a List A debut on the England Lions tour of the West Indies. If he maintains such statistics it is inevitable that T20 leagues worldwide will take an interest.Just as impressive are the Smart ERs of Adil Rashid (6.8), Brett D’Oliveira (6.93), and Mason Crane (7.18), a trio of diminutive talents who are turning the ball less, and bowling flatter and shorter than when they made their debuts.Rashid, of course, will feel the added pressure of a disenchanted set of Yorkshire fans. His white-ball-only deal was met with displeasure by most of the members and Yorkshire, threatened by relegation in the Championship remain eager to persuade him to change his mind. He will need to impress again in the shortest form to win back favour and to prove the decision was a good one.Strikingly, it is hard to find a legspinner who is a weak links in a county side. In fact, since 2015, the average economy rate across all bowlers in the Blast is 7.94. All of the frontline leggies likely to play in the first round of matches have a Smart ER lower than that figure in the same time period, with Dawid Malan (7.95) and Scott Borthwick (8.12) (who has failed to build on his solitary Test at the end of England’s 2013-14 Ashes disaster) the only wrist-spinners with worse data.Expect legspin to feature not only in the middle overs, but in the Powerplay and at the death, too.
Four years ago, Samuel Badree’s rise to become the number one-ranked T20I bowler was based on bowling two or three overs of skiddy wrist-spin in the Powerplay, barely turning the ball, but relying instead on changes of pace and subtle variations. Similarly, much of this year’s cohort has experience bowling in the Powerplay. Mujeeb and Khan have 19 Powerplay wickets between them since 2015, with Smart ERs of 6.11 and a miserly 4.00 respectively.Domestic spinners can be successful despite fielding restrictions, too: Max Waller opened the bowling four times for Somerset last season, and since 2015 has combined figures of 5 for 37 across his six Powerplay overs – he has only been hit for one boundary in that time.
There’s nothing to say legspinners shouldn’t be used at the death, either. Across all major T20 tournaments since last year’s Blast, spin has proved more economical in the death overs than pace, and yet just 16% of deliveries in overs 16-20 are bowled by spinners, compared to 36% in the innings overall.As can be seen below, there is a trade-off between wrist-spinners who take wickets at the death with a high economy (Critchley) and those who keep things tight without offering so much threat (Waller). Only the best of the bunch – Parkinson, Rashid, Khan, and Zampa – can do both.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe Blast’s set of leggies have impressed in the slog overs on the whole. Of the seven wrist-spinners who have bowled more than ten death overs since 2015, three – Sodhi (8.27), Waller (8.49), and Ingram (10.92) – have Smart ERs that are significantly worse than for the rest of the innings, but Khan, Zampa, Prasanna, and Rashid are all successful there.Rashid is particularly impressive: his Smart ER in overs 16-20 is 3.63, and his 21.4 death overs have yielded 12 wickets and only nine boundaries. Don’t be surprised if Yorkshire use him alongside Tim Bresnan in the latter stages of an innings this year.The next few weeks should give an idea as to whether legspinners will dominate this year’s tournament. If they do, the Blast will be following the global trend. That is not something they have always been able to claim.Legspinners in the Blast
Birmingham: Josh Poysden;
Derbyshire: Matt Critchley;
Durham: Imran Tahir, Graham Clark;
Essex: Adam Zampa;
Glamorgan: Colin Ingram;
Gloucestershire: None;
Hampshire: Mujeeb ur-Rahman;
Kent: Joe Denly;
Lancashire: Matt Parkinson;
Leicestershire: None;
Middlesex: Nathan Sowter;
Northants: Seekkuge Prasanna;
Notts: Ish Sodhi;
Somerset: Max Waller;
Surrey: Scott Borthwick;
Sussex: Rashid Khan;
Worcestershire: Brett D’Oliveira;
Yorkshire: Adil Rashid.

Hardened by tough choices, Anshuman Rath ready for captaincy challenge

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UK visa policy and the ECB’s restrictions on Associate players forced him to give up an economics degree and forego a place in Middlesex’s first XI, but Anshuman Rath, Hong Kong captain at just 20, has still done pretty well for himself

Shashank Kishore in Dubai16-Sep-2018Last month, during a preparatory tour in Malaysia ahead of the Asia Cup Qualifiers, Anshuman Rath heard a knock on his door late at night. It was Babar Hayat, Hong Kong’s batting lynchpin, who said he wanted to give up captaincy. The team needed a new leader, and Hayat wanted to convey the news to his vice-captain.Rath, all of 20, had been long earmarked for a leadership role, and had taken over the vice-captaincy from Aizaz Khan in September 2017. He accepted the challenge immediately, and left his first imprint as captain when he led Hong Kong to a thrilling win over UAE in the final of the Asia Cup Qualifiers to seal a place in the tournament proper.The spontaneity of the decision surprised many in Hong Kong, but for Rath it was a challenge he simply couldn’t let go of, especially since he had shelved an economics degree in the UK after being told he had to choose between studies and cricket because of visa restrictions.”Whenever I make a decision, I weigh the negatives with the positives,” Rath tells ESPNcricinfo. “This [putting his degree on hold] was a big one, as big as moving to England and doing boarding school at 14. Continuing university there when my future was unclear would’ve been a wrong step. I wouldn’t have been able to manage time. I’d have had to pay for the full year at college, would I have been able to attend? I didn’t think so.”Rath moved to the UK for boarding school – the famous Harrow School – as a 14-year-old in 2011 and emerged as one of the most promising pathway cricketers alongside future England players Sam Curran and Ollie Pope. He was a regular in Middlesex’s second XI and consistently made runs for four seasons, doing so well that Angus Fraser, the director of cricket at the county, spoke to to the ECB last year and presented a case for Rath to be considered for the first XI. However, the ECB’s restrictions on players from Associate countries meant the plan didn’t materialise.”I was at university and I’d just finished a second-team game for Middlesex. I’d just hit 140 not out against Kent, and I got called in to the office next day at Lord’s,” Rath remembers. “Throughout the entire winter, I had discussions with Angus Fraser about contracts. They felt I was first XI material and talks were going forward in the summer of 2017. Then I had a busy winter with Hong Kong. While he said there were a few visa discrepancies, they were confident of sorting it out.”Then I get a call the day after the Kent game. I go into the office and I sit down, I’m fairly excited because in my mind I’m thinking ‘This is where I put pen and paper down and everything’s going to be official. I love playing for Middlesex and everything’s going to be good.’ But Gus (Fraser) sat me down and said they can’t sign me for visa reasons. I can’t remember what he said after that, because everything was a blur.”I went back to university and sat still for two hours thinking if it really happened. Then I played club cricket the next day, but again I got a call from Angus Fraser telling me I can’t play club cricket too. It was a tough pill to swallow, but I can’t thank Middlesex enough for the effort they put in to try and fix it. They backed me 100% through all this. They still want to sign me, but unfortunately the way Brexit and the immigration office operate, I don’t think it is likely to happen, but you never know. Maybe the ECB will relax their rules, but for now, I’m just holding my breath.”Rath thought about it for a while, met his professors to tell them he was putting his degree on hold, and returned to England with a sportsperson’s visa to play for the Brondesbury Cricket Club, a deal facilitated by Fraser who wasn’t going to give up. “I spoke to Angus over the winter, and he wanted to me to come over and play club cricket for one of the Middlesex premier league clubs, which meant I had to change my visa status,” Rath says. “Sportsman visa doesn’t entitle me to play county cricket because of the Associate tag, but it enables me to play club cricket, so I gave up my rights as a student.”Giving up those rights wasn’t easy. Rath had to work hard to convince his parents. “There were some heated discussions, I’m not going to lie,” he says. “They acknowledge that when I was younger, academics and cricket was always together. When I started to go on more tours with Hong Kong, and started doing well, academics had to take a back seat.”They realised it wasn’t practical to miss so much university by going on these tours and just write exams, it’s near to impossible. Their mentality of being ‘typical Indian parents’, they didn’t see a reason at first, but came around to it once they saw the real picture. We concluded at the end of the day that if my future is not in the UK, my academics will have to go where my cricket goes. I’ve put a little bookmark on my academics for now, and see where cricket takes me over the next few years and see where I go.”Rath’s decision to concentrate on cricket seemed vindicated when he impressed for Galaxy Gladiators Lantau during the Hong Kong T20 Blitz earlier this year. It was there that he caught the eye of his team-mate Kumar Sangakkara. An endorsement from a legend drove him to become even better. While he wasn’t playing club cricket in the UK, he was training in Hong Kong with the senior team and head coach Simon Cook. In the little window he had to work on his game while matches weren’t on, he went to India to train at the Dav Whatmore Academy in Chennai.It’s these sacrifices Rath hopes will eventually pay off, even though he’s still hopeful of finishing his degree. “I hope that if circumstances have put a hindrance on my degree because of uncertainty where I’m going to end up, once I’m more stable, I’ll get back to university,” he says. “I’ve got a five-year window where I can carry my university credits. Unfortunately the way the immigration system works, I can’t play cricket in the UK and study at the same time. I can’t do both.”For now, his immediate goal is to compete and live the dream at the Asia Cup. As a child, he was fascinated watching India-Pakistan matches in Hong Kong, where his father had to pay big money to subscribe to the cricket channel. Now he has an opportunity to play against the same teams, not just as an international cricketer, but also as captain of his team. And when he steps onto the field to play India, his community in Bhubaneswar’s Gautam Nagar will root for their boy in red.

Hazratullah Zazai 162*, Afghanistan 278 – a record-breaking T20I

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Here’s a look at the records that tumbled during the second T20I between Afghanistan and Ireland in Dehradun

Hemant Brar and Bharath Seervi23-Feb-2019278 – The highest-ever total in all T20s. The previous record was 263 for 3 amassed by Australia against Sri Lanka in Pallekele in 2016.162* – Hazratullah’s score, the second-highest individual innings in T20Is. He fell ten short of Aaron Finch’s record of 172, achieved against Zimbabwe in Harare last year. Finch and Zazai are the only two players to score in excess of 150 in T20Is. Apart from his 172, Finch had scored 156 against England in Southampton in 2013.

16 – Sixes hit by Hazratullah during his innings, the most by a batsman in a T20I innings. He went past Finch’s tally of 14 hits over the boundary, during his knock of 156.236 – Runs added by Hazratullah and Usman Ghani (73 off 48) for the first wicket, the most for any wicket in T20s. The previous record was 229 between Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in the 2016 IPL.472- Runs scored in this match, which is the third-highest in a T20I. India and West Indies hold the record when they made 489 in Lauderhill in 2016.6.25- Rashid Khan’s economy rate, the best among all bowlers in the match. He picked four wickets and now has 24 wickets against Ireland in nine matches, the most by a bowler against an opposition in T20Is. He picks a wicket every eight balls against Ireland.91- Paul Stirling’s score – the highest by an Ireland batsman in T20Is. However, his innings came in a losing cause in a big chase. He has six of the top 10 scores for Ireland in T20Is, though Ireland’s highest T20 score against any international opposition is William Porterfield’s 127* against USA at the 2013 T20 World Cup Qualifier in the UAE.126- Stirling and Kevin O’Brien’s opening stand in the chase, the highest for any wicket in T20Is for Ireland. It breaks a record the same duo set just eight days earlier against Scotland in Oman at the T20I Quadrangular.

Shahrukh Khan, and a potential box-office hit

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His flamboyance isn’t on the big screen yet, but the allrounder has been making a name in the Vijay Hazare Trophy

Deivarayan Muthu09-Oct-2019If you were in Chennai growing up in the 2000s, you might be familiar with a certain Shahrukh Khan, whose name cropped up quite regularly in the sports pages of the local newspapers. No, we’re not talking about the Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner, but Tamil Nadu’s batting allrounder M Shahrukh Khan, who had set age-group cricket in Chennai on fire and was later named MVP of the inaugural edition of the Junior Chennai Super Kings tournament in 2012.Fun fact #1: his mother’s cousins, big fans of the film star, forced his parents to name him after the actor. And he sheepishly admits that his name has invited some nasty sledges, particularly during age-group cricket.Fun fact #2: It’s not everyone who can say their Whatsapp display picture features Shahrukh and Rajinikanth – but his does. He is a massive fan of .He is now Tamil Nadu’s finisher in the ongoing 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, where they have set the early pace with six wins in six games. He was initially slated to play just a cameo – included as cover for M Vijay, who was away with Somerset in county cricket – but has now turned it into a starring role, especially after scores of 48* and 69* against Rajasthan and Bengal on seam-friendly tracks in Jaipur.Vijay is back, as is Washington Sundar, who had picked up a niggle during the third T20I against South Africa in Bengaluru, but Shahrukh seems to have nailed down his spot in the side.After hitting an unbeaten 48 off 39 balls in a century partnership with Dinesh Karthik against a Deepak Chahar-led Rajasthan attack, Shahrukh teamed up with his captain again, against Bengal, this time in a bigger stand, which came at a more rapid rate. Shahrukh joined Karthik when Tamil Nadu were tottering at 123 for 5, but they thumped 153 off 75 balls to turn the tables on Bengal.”There was some swing and seam early on in Jaipur and Bengal had a good attack with Ishan Porel and Ashok Dinda,” Shahrukh told ESPNcricinfo. “We lost four [five] early wickets, but our target was to build the innings, take it to the 40th over, and then go after the bowlers. Batting with Dinesh Karthik you feel no pressure at all. With Dinesh at the other end, I know he will find the boundaries and will take the pressure off me. Plus as a captain he’s always there to guide me.”M Shahrukh Khan and Dinesh Karthik run between the wickets•PTI It was Karthik who had handed Shahrukh his maiden Ranji cap in December last year. Shahrukh had entered at No. 7 after a similar top-order collapse on an atypical Chepauk pitch that was providing appreciable seam movement to Kerala’s Sandeep Warrier and Basil Thampi.However, Shahrukh played some audacious front-foot drives and back-foot pulls – largely in the company of the tail – to prop up Tamil Nadu from 81 for 5 to 268. He ran out of partners, but his unbeaten 92 off 155 balls was central to Tamil Nadu snatching a 116-run first-innings lead and eventually victory.”Actually, I came to know that was going to make my debut only on the morning of the match,” Shahrukh recalled. “I was initially nervous for the first three-four balls, but settled in and just didn’t think about anything. I was in a good frame of mind and just played my shots like I normally do. That innings against a good Kerala attack gave me a sense of belonging. It told me that I belong to the Ranji level.”The success was sweeter for Shahrukh, considering he had to wait for a long time to break into top-fight cricket. By the time he turned 13, he was playing league cricket, rubbing shoulders with the big boys, and even had former state captain and selector S Sharath earmarking him as an exciting talent. After winning the Junior Chennai Super Kings tournament, Shahrukh sparkled both with the bat and the ball in the Cooch Behar Trophy in the lead-up to the 2014 Under-19 World Cup in the UAE.ALSO READ – TCM: Chennai rulesHaving racked up 624 runs in eight innings and taken 18 wickets, Shahrukh was eagerly awaiting a call-up to the India Under-19 squad for the World Cup. However, it never came and the snub “shocked” Shahrukh.”That phase really affected me; not getting picked was a shock for me,” Shahrukh said. “It was a World Cup year, and I was in good form. I think the Under-19 team was on the lookout for a batting allrounder and coincidentally I was scoring runs and taking wickets. I expected to play, but I was shocked to see I did not get the call.”Shahrukh’s father Masood and younger brother Akram, who have both played league cricket in Chennai, and his personal trainer Azhariah Prabhakar, who has worked with Tamil Nadu and Assam in the past, helped him break out of the funk and regain his focus.”I then understood such things happen. If you know batting, you have to keep working on it. If you know bowling, you have to keep working on it. You have to come out of setbacks, it was tough, but the support from my family and trainer was great. They have always backed me throughout my career. I share everything with Azhariah Prabhakar. More than a trainer, he is like a father to me who understands me and keeps motivating me. (We have gelled well) and I don’t see myself training with anybody else.”

“I was in good form. I think the Under-19 team was on the look out for a batting allrounder and I was scoring runs and taking wickets. I expected to play, but I was shocked to see I did not get the call.”Shahrukh Khan on missing out for the 2014 U-19 World Cup

In 2014-15, Shahrukh made it to Tamil Nadu’s Ranji squad, but it wasn’t until 2018 that he made his debut. During his time on the sidelines, Shahrukh’s mind was still scrambled with negative thoughts.”I had a lot of doubts and didn’t know what to do,” he said. “Because I kept scoring runs in age-group cricket, but then did well in TNPL (Tamil Nadu Premier League) and people started noticing me. I used to wonder where I could get a chance to bat in this strong TN side and then the innings against Kerala helped me figure out that I will get a chance in the lower-middle order only.”Shahrukh has overcome all those doubts and has now fitted into a vibrant Tamil Nadu team that is gunning for its sixth 50-over domestic title.”I’m not thinking too much and looking too much into the future,” Shahrukh said. “This team is like a family and we had a good pre-season camp in Tirupur. We have mingled nicely together as a group. Four-five years back, we had a camp at Wayanad and reached the Ranji final that season. It’s always good to go out of the comfort zone in Chennai and prepare. We have gelled well as a group and hope to keep the momentum going.”After TNPL 2018, where Shahrukh was among the top six-hitters, he attended a couple of IPL trials, including at Mumbai Indians, but found no takers at the auction. Now, if he keeps finishing games in this Vijay Hazare Trophy and in the upcoming 20-over Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, how about Knight Riders, owned by Shahrukh Khan, buying Shahrukh Khan in the IPL 2020 auction in December? That would be something.

Seven points to ponder – what Russell Domingo must remember in Bangladesh

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

History mandates that the seventh Bangladesh head coach in eight years should err on the side of caution for his own good and that of the team

Mohammad Isam19-Aug-2019Some clarity, please
BCB president Nazmul Hassan called Steve Rhodes “a nice man who was relaxed about winning and losing”. When they handed Rhodes the job a year ago, the board was pleased with his agreeable persona. Many of the officials were even of the opinion that he wasn’t as rude as his predecessor, Chandika Hathurusingha, was.The BCB’s falling out with Hathurusingha, which many believe began during the 2016 World T20, was to a great extent down to his conduct in the dressing room and at the nets, as much as it was about his relationship with Hassan. Rhodes, meanwhile, in his first international coaching job, was seen as the polar opposite. But, as history lends testimony, not all can be well for long in the BCB’s corridors of power. Within two months of his appointment, Rhodes had reportedly done enough to drive Hassan up the wall. A semblance of clarity, therefore, from the BCB about what exactly it expects of the head coach may ease the process for everyone.No Mashrafe, no Tamim
As far the immediate present goes, Domingo is not likely to have the services of the full crop of experienced cricketers who have been at the forefront of making Bangladesh the competitive unit they have become over the past five years. Mashrafe Mortaza, whose retirement talks are on hold, doesn’t get involved in the field until March next year, while Tamim Iqbal has opted for a short break.Domingo may thus have to learn to rely on Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah. More so, because the rest of the playing group hasn’t attained the game awareness and experience as the three have.Onus on the second rung
Domingo will have the challenge of shaking the likes of Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman and Mustafizur Rahman out of their comfort zone and making them as good as they can be. They have all hit a point in their careers where they run the risk of stagnating, or lapsing into mediocrity. The head coach will be constantly reminded of how talented these cricketers are, but he will realise that channeling them in the desired direction is a challenge in itself.ALSO READ: ‘Everything in place for Bangladesh to be a powerhouse,’ says coach Russell DomingoAmong this younger crop, only Mehidy Hasan has shown a marked improvement in all aspects of his game, after having burst on to the scene with his 19-wicket haul against England three years ago. Mehidy’s accuracy as a bowler in limited-overs cricket has gone up, not to mention his evolution into reliable fielder and lower-order batsman.Hitting the right pitch
Domingo will have to figure out what kind of pitches he wants to play on at home. Since mid-2016, Bangladesh have been heavily reliant on slow, turning tracks at home, which aids their enviable spin-bowling contingent, but, at the same time, has become a nightmare for their batsmen and pace bowlers. In the 2018-19 home season, the pace bowlers took only three out of 77 wickets, at a strike rate of 208. The recent showing of the pacers in home conditions may have also gone a long way in Bangladesh opting against picking a frontline seamer in their last home Test.When the same group played in New Zealand a couple of months later, they looked visibly inadequate not only in terms of adjusting to the conditions, but also stringing together long spells. The batsmen, too, have often complained of the slowness of the pitches, which, they say, have made scoring so hard that, as with the pace bowlers, they, too, now need more time adapt to relatively favourable conditions abroad.Much of Bangladesh’s position on the World Test Championship’s points table might, therefore, depend on the pitches at home, and how they help (or not) the players prepare for overseas games.The shambles on the domestic frontDomingo’s interest in trying to integrate all levels of cricket in Bangladesh is laudable, but to what extent he is allowed to help pull that off remains a guess. The major part of the domestic structure is made up of limited-overs matches in the four-tiered Dhaka league structure, which itself is in a pitiable state. Allegations of biased and poor umpiring is so common that clubs have started to lose interest in investing money.Then there is the first-class cricket, which isn’t as competitive. Every season, the BCB promises to improve the pitches but the surfaces hardly ever assist fast bowling or unhindered strokeplay. Domingo may have to, therefore, rely majorly on the BPL to chart the growth of the promising domestic cricketers and see how they adapt to playing in front of large crowds and under various coaches and scenarios.Who is the boss?BCB chief Hassan has a major say in almost decision, which Domingo is likely to have noticed already. The new coach gave his first interview on the job at Hassan’s centre-of-town office, and will in due course notice the latter influence squad selection, too. Domingo shouldn’t be surprised if the make up of the playing XI, on-field strategies, the future of players and remainder of the backroom staff and even the colours and designs of the jerseys are also decided by Hassan.Besides, Domingo will have to get used to Hassan’s propensity for publicly criticising and complimenting players – and quite regularly at that – given that it has been a pronounced – and controversial – feature of Hassan’s tenure as the BCB boss.The big prize
The BCB now expects their men’s team to win consistently at home and with a touch more regularity abroad. But the strongest craving, among the fans, the media and the board alike, is for a major trophy. The T20 World Cup is just over 12 months away, but the format is not Bangladesh’s strongest suit. They have to first go through a make-or-break first round, after which the competition only gets stiffer. Seeking trophies in all three formats is going to be hard anyway, and the World Test Championship will be ongoing while the team also works out a plan to renew its ODI approach. Domingo has his work cut out.

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