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India’s bowling coach also says they’re tracking the injured Gill’s progress on a “day-to-day” basis

Alagappan Muthu20-Nov-20243:38

Morkel: We’re probably under pressure based on recent results

Keep an eye on Nitish Kumar Reddy this series, says Morne Morkel. India’s bowling coach is hopeful that the bowling attack they have brought over to Australia can cause problems, especially with the conditions in Perth.Morkel has had his work cut out over the past few days, overseeing a set of bowlers who haven’t had a lot of experience playing Test cricket. India’s stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah and his usual new-ball companion Mohammed Siraj had a good workout under the sun at the Optus Stadium nets but their support acts – the uncapped duo of Reddy and Harshit Rana along with two-Tests old Prasidh Krishna – have a stiff challenge, replicating the success they have had at the domestic and India-A levels on a full-fledged Test tour. Morkel has been helping bridge that gap by sharing his own experiences of playing in Australia.”It’s great to have them around in the squad,” Morkel said of Prasidh and the other specialist fast bowler in the squad, Harshit Rana. “I think they add a lot of variation to their attack, especially Harshit, who bowls at a good pace, finds a way to also extract some bounce out of the surface.Related

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• Labuschagne wants to do a Pujara on India

• India's likely XI: Rahul to open, Padikkal No. 3, Jurel in middle order

• Why Australia vs India is Test cricket's premier rivalry

“It’s their first tour, Prasidh had a bit of experience with India A tour where he had a bit of game time, but for Harshit it’s a bit of an unknown. My message to him was just, when I toured my first time here, playing in Australia, an intimidating place, to listen to the stories, take their advice. But for me it’s just staying in your own bubble and finding those experiences, work them out for yourself.”[Reddy] is one of the young guys that we’ve mentioned, he’s got that sort of batting, all-round ability. He’ll be a guy that can sort of hold that one end up first. He hits the bat a little bit harder than you think. So on these sort of conditions where there might be a little bit of seam movement up front, especially the first couple of days. He’ll be a very accurate wicket-to-wicket style of bowler. It’s a lovely opportunity for him to hold that allrounder spot.”Any team in the world always wanted the allrounder to take that load off your fast bowlers, just to give them an extra bit of breathing time. So how we use him, how Jasprit is going to use him, with maybe the spinner, to give himself, whoever’s going to be the other quicks, time to catch their breath a little bit is going to be important. He’s a guy that is a player you can keep your eye on in this series.”0:56

Perth Test: Who is Manjrekar’s pick for the third quick?

India’s batting may also be reliant on some of their newer players coming through, if Devdutt Padikkal makes it at No. 3 and Dhruv Jurel at No. 6.”It’s going to be great learning for these guys,” Morkel said. “It’s young guys that can come up and front up against a quality Test bowling pack. Australia’s not going to bowl you many bad balls, but in saying that, you know, there’s good leadership within the group that can help and settle the nerves for that. So I think as a group we’re all excited for the challenge, we know what’s sort of to come, we know the wicket’s going to be fast, it’s going to be bouncy, and it’s up to the individual now to formulate their game plans, and get themselves in a mental sort of battle state, that for the next 43 days it’s going to be a tough cricket.”

India waiting on Gill’s fitness

Morkel also said that the fitness of batter Shubman Gill, who hurt his left thumb while fielding in the pre-series intra-squad match, is being tracked on a day-to-day basis.”Shubman is improving every day, obviously picked up a nasty blow in the mock game, in the squad game. I think with him it’s going to be a day-to-day sort of process, fingers crossed for that improvement, but I think they’ll wait, [and not] make a call with him up until the morning of the [match].”Gill was present at training on Wednesday but that was the extent of his participation even as the rest of the squad got in a full workout under the sun. He just hung out with Rishabh Pant for a while and then left. The chances of him playing in Perth in two days’ time are still slim. Padikkal, who has been added to the squad now after being asked to stay back in Australia following his work with the India A team, is shaping up as a stop-gap No. 3 batter.

High-scoring thriller comes down to final-ball scramble as Durham seal gripping victory

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Aug-2023Durham ended Warwickshire’s 100 percent record in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup with an exhilarating one-run win from a wonderful, run-soaked game at Edgbaston.The match featured two brilliant centuries. David Bedingham’s 152 (108 balls), supported by Alex Lees’ 66 (77 balls) and Tomas Mackintosh (53, 47 balls) lifted Durham to an imposing 338 for eight. Oliver Hannon-Dalby took three for 54 and now has 23 wickets at 10.43 apiece in this year’s One-Day Cup.Bedingham batted beautifully but his innings was then matched by Ed Barnard who struck his maiden List A century (161, 152 balls) as Warwickshire replied with 337 for eight. Will Rhodes (66, 93) and Ethan Brookes (31, 26) helped Barnard take the Bears close but Durham’s bowlers dug deep, led by Migael Pretorius (four for 50) and Jonathan Bushnell (three for 56) who bowled the last two overs with high composure and skill.Their ice-cool nerve earned Durham’s third win of the group. Warwickshire, meanwhile, already through to the knockout phase, can still book a home semi-final if they beat Sussex at Hove on Tuesday.Put in, Durham lost Michael Jones to the fifth ball when he inside-edged Hannon-Dalby to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess. Lees then gave the innings a solid platform with stands of 55 with Scott Borthwick and 67 with Bedingham.Lees departed furious with himself when, having taken ten from successive balls from Henry Brookes, he lifted the next to mid-off. Bushnell fell first ball, to a fine leg-side catch by Burgess, and when Liam Trevaskis edged Hannon-Dalby to the keeper, Durham were wobbling at 156 for five.Bedingham and Mackintosh played with freedom and verve to add 116 in 92 balls. Mackintosh struck four fours and two sixes in his maiden List A half-century while Bedingham passed his previous best in the format (104) with a six crunched over long on off Hannon-Dalby and then hit overdrive. He crashed 40 from his last ten balls, including three successive sixes off Craig Miles.Warwickshire soon lost Rob Yates when he top-edged Pretorius to mid-off but Barnard and Rhodes added 148 in 23 overs to keep the big home crowd interested.Barnard posted his first List A ton from 106 balls but after Rhodes lifted George Drissell to long off, a cluster of wickets cranked up the pressure. Alex Davies spooned Pretorius to long on and Jake Bethell top-edged a slog at a good-length ball from Bushnell who then had Burgess caught at short third man.Barnard needed help and Ethan Brookes supplied it perfectly with intelligent, skilful batting which no doubt had a few watching home fans wondering why on earth Warwickshire are allowing such a highly talented player leave for Worcestershire at the end of the season.Barnard and Brookes added 85 in 53 balls and the latter departed caught at deep mid-wicket, with his team back in control. Forty needed from six overs came down to 20 from three.When Barnard was caught at extra cover, 15 were needed from 13 balls. Pretorius bowled Jake Lintott in an excellent over which left Warwickshire needing nine from the last. Bushnell bowled a fine last over of full length which denied the Bears the two boundaries they needed and closed out a truly memorable victory

Ireland need better powerplays in both departments to somewhat narrow the gap vs India

Deivarayan Muthu27-Jun-20221:38

Ireland vs India: Three takeaways from the first T20I

Big picture

Despite the absence of a number of frontline players, and Harry Tector’s sprightly 29-ball half-century in a 12-over shootout, India romped to victory in the first T20I on Sunday. Rain is forecast for Tuesday, too, but India will hope that the weather holds up as they look to test out their bench strength once again, in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup in Australia this October.Tearaway Umran Malik had a tepid international debut, spraying the ball around in his only over, which cost 18. Tector drove a half-volley through mid-on for four and then hooked a 145kph bouncer for six. Deepak Hooda, though, seized his chance in his first-ever shift as a T20 opener, hitting an unbeaten 47 off 29 balls. Hooda is among the most dynamic middle-order batters in the IPL, and on Sunday, in place of Ruturaj Gaikwad, he proved that he could slot into the top order as well.Will Malik get another go in the second T20I? Will Rahul Tripathi get his maiden international cap, if his Maharashtra team-mate Gaikwad doesn’t recover sufficiently from a calf niggle?As for Ireland, they need a more stable base than 22 for 3 from their top order. Paul Stirling could be hit or miss in swinging conditions, so the onus is on Andy Balbirnie and Gareth Delany to see off Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s opening spell.Josh Little and Mark Adair were punished for bowling too short with the new ball, and Craig Young admitted that Ireland missed their lengths.”None of us are quite [Bhuvneshwar] Kumar, we haven’t got the skills them boys have but we are lucky that we know Malahide quite well and we know the lengths to bowl, albeit we don’t always hit them straight away,” Young said after the first game. “Again, you can’t go too full because they’ll blast you over your head, you’ve got that small margin. We got the line right a lot of the time, but the length is what let us down.”A better powerplay with both bat and ball for Ireland could somewhat narrow the gap between the two teams.

Form guide

Ireland LLWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India WWWLL

In the spotlight

Ahead of the two-match T20I series, Ireland captain Balbirnie was particularly wary of the threat posed by Yuzvendra Chahal, hoping the conditions wouldn’t be too conductive to spin. The Malahide track offered more swing than turn on Sunday, and Chahal needed three sweaters to deal with the chill, but he still bowled a boundary-less three-over spell. His 1 for 11 was the most economical spell on the evening.Related

• 1st T20I: Hooda, Bhuvneshwar shine in rain-hit contest

• Pandya reveals Gaikwad 'had a niggle in his calf'

When Conor Olphert came into the attack in the seventh over of India’s chase, the game was all but up. Hooda shovelled his first ball in international cricket for six, and he only had a peripheral role on debut. However, his heavy lengths and bounce are a crucial part of new coach Heinrich Malan’s plans for the home summer, which also includes visits by three other Full Members – New Zealand, South Africa and Afghanistan.Chahal will be keen to continue taking wickets while being tidy•AFP/Getty Images

Team news

Though Curtis Campher is a tempting option with his allround skills, Ireland will likely retain the XI that challenged India at some points.Ireland (probable): 1 Paul Stirling, 2 Andy Balbirnie (capt), 3 Gareth Delany, 4 Harry Tector, 5 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 6 George Dockrell, 7 Mark Adair, 8 Andy McBrine, 9 Craig Young, 10 Josh Little, 11 Conor OlphertIf Gaikwad isn’t fit, India could hand a debut to Tripathi or recall Sanju Samson. Harshal Patel will miss out once again, if India give Malik another game or bring in Arshdeep Singh.India (probable): 1 Ishan Kishan, 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad/Rahul Tripathi/Sanju Samson, 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Deepak Hooda, 5 Hardik Pandya (capt), 6 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7 Axar Patel, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Umran Malik/Arshdeep Singh 11 Yuzvendra Chahal

Pitch and conditions

Intermittent showers on Sunday meant the ball didn’t quite come onto the bat as it often does in Malahide. If rain stays away, the pitch might favour the batters.

Stats and trivia

• Ireland have played four T20Is against India and have lost all of them.
• Bhuvneshwar has picked up a record 34 wickets in the powerplay in T20Is. He surpassed Samuel Badree (33) and Tim Southee (33) on Sunday.
• Tuesday’s fixture will be Young’s 50th in T20Is.

Quotes

“He played some fantastic shots, and obviously he’s 22, and I’ve given him a bat as well. So maybe he can score some more sixes and maybe get an IPL contract and I wish him luck.”
“Our lads were good enough. We came up against a very, very good team and went toe-to-toe with them for a good 80-85% of the game. We just need to find that extra bit on Tuesday.”

Zimbabwe also play Afghanistan in three T20Is in the UAE next month, with the tour starting on March 2

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Feb-2021Zimbabwe have named a 15-member squad for their two-Test series against Afghanistan starting on March 2 in Abu Dhabi. The squad, however, is missing the veteran pair of Brendan Taylor and Craig Ervine, who were absent from a Zimbabwe Cricket camp owing to illness, and were thus not considered for the tour. Meanwhile, Tarisai Musakanda – whose solitary Test so far came against Sri Lanka back in 2017 – has returned to the Test party.

Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe

1st Test – March 2
2nd Test – March 10
1st T20I – March 17
2nd T20I – March 19
3rd T20I – March 20

Top-order batsman Musakanda recently slammed consecutive centuries for the Southerns in domestic cricket. He made 111 and 125 against the Northerns in a tournament the team management had seen as preparation for the Afghanistan Tests. Middle-order batsman Ryan Burl – who also bowls useful legspin – has made a comeback to the Test side, having himself played his only Test against South Africa in 2017.Apart from Taylor and Ervine, other notable absentees from the Test squad include Tendai Chatara, Chamu Chibhabha and Peter Moor, who are yet to recover from their right upper-arm, thigh muscle and hamstring injuries.Related

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• Afghanistan, Zimbabwe look to flex Test credentials in maiden meeting

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• When Kyle Jarvis had Covid-19, malaria and tick bite fever

But the Test side retains the experience of captain Sean Williams, wicketkeeper-batsman Regis Chakabva and allrounder Sikandar Raza, while also including the younger duo of pacer Blessing Muzarabani and allrounder Brandon Mavuta. Uncapped Wesley Madhevere, who had impressed with the bat on the limited-overs tour of Pakistan last November, has also earned a Test call.The trio of Milton Shumba, Faraz Akram and Tinashe Kamunhukamwe will be joining the squad later for the three-match T20I series, which is scheduled to begin after the Tests.The first Test starts on March 2, followed by the second from March 10. The series then moves on to the T20Is from March 17 onwards. All five matches will be held in Abu Dhabi.Zimbabwe Test Squad: Sean Williams (capt), Ryan Burl, Sikandar Raza, Regis Chakabva, Kevin Kasuza, Wessly Madhevere, Wellington Masakadza, Prince Masvaure, Brandon Mavuta, Tarisai Musakanda, Richmond Mutumbami, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Donald Tiripano

Two days after they announced they would boycott all cricket activities, they met BCB officials and made some progress

Mohammad Isam23-Oct-2019Bangladesh’s cricketers, who went on strike on Monday, will return to action after officials from the BCB and the players’ association assured them that nearly all their demands would be met. Shakib Al Hasan, the Test and T20I captain who led the cricketers’ movement, however, said that the players would only be satisfied when all they had asked for was addressed.The impasse between the board and the players ended at close to midnight on Wednesday, by which time both parties had been in discussion for nearly two hours.The players agreed to the meeting after holding discussions among themselves in a hotel, in between holding a press conference where they added two more demands: 1. the BCB must share a percentage of their revenue with them, and 2. it should also ensure equal pay for women cricketers.There were reports on Wednesday that BCB chief Nazmul Hassan and director Naimur Rahman had met the country’s prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, who had summoned Mashrafe Mortaza as well to know more about the situation. It is felt that after her intervention, the BCB backed off from their hardline stance and agreed to compromise.Hassan said the board had not been made aware of the two new demands until a few hours ago, but that it will fulfill the original 11. Shakib added that the Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh [CWAB] had also agreed to hold fresh elections, where players are expected to vote for the office bearers.”As Papon [Hassan] said, it was a fruitful discussion,” Shakib said. “He and the rest of the directors assured us that our demands will be met as soon as possible. Based on their assurance, we will start playing the NCL [National Cricket League] and attend the training camp [prior to the tour of India].”We told them that there should be [CWAB] elections swiftly. We want a representative from the current players, so that our problems can be discussed with the board regularly. It will be the best for the players. They have agreed, and the elections will be held when we are all available. We can tell you that we are happy when the demands are implemented, but discussions have been satisfying.”Hassan, who had a completely different tone to his angry press conference on Tuesday, said that the BCB would return to the Dhaka Premier League’s player transfers, as well as ensure a franchise model is in place in next season’s Bangladesh Premier League, as the players had demanded.He also said that the board would quickly increase the domestic players’ remuneration, but asked for time on improving infrastructure across the country.”We thank the players for coming today. They had a number of demands, which I told you yesterday we were mostly agreeable to,” he said. “Among their 11 demands, the first one [CWAB elections] doesn’t have anything to do with the BCB and the last demand [more than two NOCs per year to play overseas franchise tournaments] will be taken case to case.”We have agreed with the rest of the demands, like the DPL transfers and BPL franchise model. We will also significantly improve their allowances in the domestic competitions, and it will be done in the next two or three days. Not in six months or a year. We will also improve infrastructural facilities everywhere, and no longer take it phase by phase. I also heard from many players, and I have asked them to send them their issues in writing in the future.”Hassan said they had offered to cancel the NCL’s third round matches scheduled for October 24, but he was told that wasn’t necessary. “We wanted to leave out the NCL’s third round but the players said that if it is delayed by a day, they will make it to the venues,” Hassan said. “The national players will join the [pre-tour] camp on October 25, as was earlier planned.”Hassan, who had criticised the cricketers on Tuesday for going on strike and was made to wait for four hours before the meeting started on Wednesday, said that even during the discussion, he had started off angry. “I felt that it was a good discussion but I don’t think the players liked it, as I was angry at the start, but later the anger went away.”The strike that began on Monday afternoon with the centrally contracted and first-class cricketers, even attracted players from Dhaka’s first division league on Wednesday.

Gujarat, Saurashtra, Baroda, Vidarbha, Maharashtra and Mumbai to keep their voting rights as full members; also provision made for players’ association

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Aug-2018The BCCI has registered its new constitution with the Tamil Nadu Registrar of Societies in Chennai on August 21, following the Supreme Court order on August 9.The new constitution had some key tweaks from the one originally proposed by the Lodha Committee, including setting aside the one-state one-vote policy and allowing states such as Maharashtra and Gujarat to have multiple voting members.In its August 9 order, the apex court had directed the BCCI to register its new constitution within four weeks of the order.

Selection panel increased to five members

Gagan Khoda and Jatin Paranjpe will rejoin the selection panel that had been whittled down to three members after the original Lodha recommendations. The August 9 Supreme Court order restored the strength of the senior selection panel to five, while also setting aside the directive that each of the five had to have played Test cricket for India. The existing members of the selection panel are chairman MSK Prasad, Devang Gandhi and Sarandeep Singh.

The new constitution notes that while every full member shall have voting rights and that no state would have more than one full member, exceptions would be made for Gujarat and Maharashtra, with all six of Gujarat, Saurashtra, Baroda, Vidarbha, Maharashtra and Mumbai to continue to remain full members.Railways, Services and the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) will also have voting rights, though it is explicitly stated that the voting representative for each of these has to be a former cricketer who has played for the association (or in the case of AIU, a first-class cricketer who has represented a university in the All India Inter-University tournament), and not a person nominated by the government or the association.As directed by the Supreme Court in its August 9 order, the cooling-off period terms have been relaxed, with officials now allowed to serve two consecutive three-year terms at either state or BCCI level (or a combination of the two) before a mandatory cooling-off term.Among other important points, the new constitution also makes a provision for a Players’ Association, to be funded by the BCCI, to make provisions for players’ families to accompany them for periods on longer tours in particular, and offering “appropriate remuneration of international standard” to international players. The last makes specific mention of “recalling that national representation has priority over club or franchise.”Vinod Rai and Diana Eduljee, who constitute the Committee of Administrators that is overseeing the board at present, said in a joint statement: “We thank the Honorable Supreme Court for their directions and are pleased to start the process today by the submission of the new constitution of the BCCI with the Tamil Nadu Registrar of Societies at Chennai. We are committed to implement the Supreme Court directive in its entirety.”They also said that the state associations have to conform to the judgement of the Supreme Court and report compliance within 30 days.

Jacques Rudolph scored his first County Championship century for more than two years as Glamorgan turned the Specsavers County Championship clash with Worcestershire on its head at New Road

ECB Reporters Network10-Jun-2017
ScorecardJacques Rudolph has regained form with a century at Worcester•Getty Images

Jacques Rudolph scored his first County Championship century for more than two years as Glamorgan turned the Specsavers County Championship clash with Worcestershire on its head at New Road.Rudolph and Chris Cooke created a new seventh wicket record of 168 in 50 overs for Glamorgan in matches against Worcestershire.Then Andrew Salter and Lukas Carey piled on the misery for the promotion-chasing home side with a 124 partnership for the ninth wicket in 27.1 overs.Their efforts enabled Glamorgan to recover from 58-6 at one stage yesterday evening and total 381 all out in 101.5 overs – a lead of 114.It was in sharp contrast to the problems caused yesterday by Worcestershire paceman Josh Tongue with his five wickets in four overs although he still was able to return career best figures of 6-97 from 25 overs.Worcestershire suffered an early setback in reply when Daryl Mitchell on 18 nicked skipper Michael Hogan to Colin Ingram at first slip as they closed on 34-1 after bad lighted halted play with seven overs remaining.Rudolph reached three figures in the competition for the first time since his hundred against Leicestershire at Grace Road in April 2015.It was a welcome tonic for the 36-year-old after a poor run of form and having recently relinquished the captaincy of the Championship side to Hogan.Rudolph and Cooke batted in confident fashion in surpassing the previous seventh wicket record of 106 by Jonathan Hughes and current head coach Robert Croft at the same venue in 2002.Tongue was the only bowler to cause them any worries in his initial two spells and Rudolph completed his 51st first class hundred – off 158 balls with 13 fours – with a cut for four off Nathan Lyon.Cooke had a let off on 48 when Daryl Mitchell at first slip failed to hold onto a chance off Lyon.The stand was finally broken with Leach dismissing the pair in the same over.Cook, having made 93 off 113 balls with one six and 11 fours, was caught at short mid on and then Rudolph, whose 111 spanned 209 deliveries with 14 boundaries, was bowled after attempting a cut.Glamorgan were still 40 in arrears at that juncture but Salter and Carey earned them a sizeable advantage as they both posted career best scores.
Salter deliberately upper cut Tongue over third man for six to bring up the fourth batting point as the runs flowed against the second new ball.Tongue finally ended the stand when Carey (54) popped a simple catch up to Brett D’Oliveira at point and then Leach removed Hogan (13) to leave Salter unbeaten on 80.

A diligent half-century from Alex Hales, coupled with some home-ground know-how from Jonny Bairstow, helped England to regroup with a 88-run stand for the sixth wicket

The Report by Andrew Miller19-May-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIf Dasun Shanaka was an English seamer, he might well be on the endangered species list. His unassuming line and length, delivered with a high action and at a pace in the mid-to-high 70mphs, is precisely the sort of fare that the ECB – with this season’s new toss and pitches edict for domestic cricket – is looking to phase out of the county game. Such skills don’t cut the mustard at Test level these days, apparently.Ironic, then, that Shanaka’s sensational maiden spell in Test cricket was the stand-out performance on a truncated opening day of the first Test at Headingley – a ground synonymous with medium-pace marvels down the years, most famously, Neil Mallender’s debut against Pakistan in 1992. Three wickets for one run in the space of eight deliveries – including England captains present and future, Alastair Cook and Joe Root – ripped open a contest at a venue where Sri Lanka boast an improbable 100 percent record, following their series-winning victory in 2014.It required a diligent half-century from Alex Hales (another player whose output today belied the pre-conceptions) coupled with some home-ground know-how from Jonny Bairstow, for England to regroup with a 88-run stand for the sixth wicket, after their ambitions had been dramatically dented by the loss of five wickets for 34 runs either side of the lunch break.By tea, when Yorkshire’s dank weather swept in across the Pennines to wipe out the final session, Hales was unbeaten on 71, his second Test half-century in nine innings and his highest yet, beating the 60 he made against South Africa at Cape Town in January. It had been an innings of intense application, studded with 12 fours, as he battled initially to adapt his hard-handed technique to the overcast conditions before growing in confidence as his innings progressed.At the other end was Bairstow, who arrived at the crease with England’s innings in crisis at 83 for 5, but responded with the sort of sparky counter-punching that Matt Prior, in his own pomp, had so often provided from No. 7. With his confidence glowing following scores of 246 and 198 in his two most recent innings for Yorkshire at Headingley, Bairstow’s 54 not out from 67 balls took the attack back to Sri Lanka, who nevertheless remained firmly in the contest at 171 for 5, thanks to Shanaka’s stunning arrival.After being put into bat on a morning when bowling first was a no-brainer for both captains, England’s openers were obliged to rein in the extravagant strokeplay that has coloured so much of their cricket in recent months, and that situation might as well have been tailor-made for Alastair Cook. He began the match needing another 36 runs to reach 10,000 Test runs, and after getting off the mark with a sixth-ball clip for four through midwicket, appeared well set for the long grind until Shanaka tore up the script.Alex Hales stayed firm while others around him fell•Getty Images

Shanaka, who was the last of the five bowlers used by Angelo Mathews, launched his Test career with a maiden before striking with the first ball of his second over. Cook had been leaving the ball with his usual sangfroid for most of his 52 deliveries, but having creamed one cover drive off Nuwan Pradeep, he was drawn into another from the slower, wobblier Shanaka. The full length outside off left him a touch, and Cook scuffed an edge through to Dinesh Chandimal, the keeper. He was gone for 16, and still needs another 20 runs to notch up a landmark that has been on his conscience since the start of the South Africa tour in December.Three balls later, however, such thoughts had been whisked out of England’s minds. Nick Compton, out of form for Middlesex so far this season with 100 runs at 20.00 in four matches to date, had been advised by his captain to “just relax and play” as he attempts to extend his stuttering Test career. However, his anxieties cannot have been aided by his team-mates’ struggles to impose themselves, and when his turn eventually came, it proved to be short and cruel.Compton’s third delivery was on a perfect off-stump line and length, and demanded a shot in response. Attempting the deadest of dead-bat pokes, he squeezed a low edge through to Lahiru Thirimanne at first slip and was gone for a duck as Shanaka became only the third bowler in Test history, and the first since Richard Johnson in 2003, to claim two wickets before conceding his first career run.And, as if that was not enough of an impact on debut, Shanaka then added England’s main man to his tally, as Joe Root – in such golden touch in all formats – was also drawn into a drive that scudded to Kusal Mendis at third slip.It was a dream start for Shanaka, who had been awarded his Test cap by Mahela Jayawardene before the start of play, and a timely boost for a beleaguered Sri Lanka squad too, who began the match knowing that Dhammika Prasad, their matchwinning seamer on this ground two years ago, will miss the whole Test series after flying home to resolve a shoulder injury.But the clatter of wickets at the other end served, perversely, to boost Hales’ confidence, as if validating his watchful outlook. He had opened his account with a well-timed clip through midwicket off Pradeep, then followed that up with a rather streakier edge through the vacant third slip off Shaminda Eranga. An emphatic punch through the covers dented Mathews’ figures after a tight start to his spell, then, having notched his first single of the morning from his 48th delivery, Hales added two more fours in the space of three balls off Mathews, each drilled through the covers off the front and back foot respectively.After the break, however, England’s problems deepened before they could improve. James Vince, on debut, had dug in to lunch, blocking out his first 15 balls, and then a further three after the break, before square-driving Pradeep into the covers to get off the mark in Test cricket. But, despite punching two well-timed fours in three balls off Eranga, Vince was suckered by the bowler’s full length and controlled outswing to become Mendis’ second catch at third slip.Into the fray strode Ben Stokes, never a man to die wondering in a crisis. After a watchful first-ball block, Stokes spanked fours from each of his next three balls, including a loose clip off the pads that flew agonisingly close to the man at short midwicket. That, however, was as good as his innings would get. Seeking to get onto the front foot, both literally and metaphorically, he clipped a tame catch to Mathews at mid-on to deepen England’s gloom.By tea, however, Hales and Bairstow had provided their team with a steadying hand, with Bairstow in particular striking the perfect balance between attack and defence. He survived one moment of genuine alarm, on 40, when he was adjudged lbw to Mathews only for the delivery to be shown on review to be sliding down leg. His response, three balls later, was to gallop down the track to Rangana Herath and deposit him back down the ground for six, and when he opened the face to glide his sixth four through third man off Mathews, he brought up a 60-ball fifty that England will hope is the harbinger of much, much more.

Titans will be be counting on the experience of AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel to guide them in the Champions League T20, after a trophy-less domestic season

Firdose Moonda20-Sep-2013Overview

The most successful South African franchise had a lean summer in 2012-13 and did not collect a single trophy. They finished last in the first-class competition they were defending, fared slightly better in the fifty-over tournament and were beaten in the final of the Twenty20 competition.But the defeat that stung them most was their semi-final loss to the Sydney Sixers in last year’s CLT20. The match was snatched away from them off the last ball and then-captain Martin van Jaarsveld was obviously stunned at the media engagement afterwards. Titans are seldom used to coming off second-best, and to succumb to defeat at home in a tournament where they fared well, hurt them.They have a second chance, having qualified to play in the CLT20 again albeit in vastly different conditions to their own, and they will fancy their chances of bettering their showing because they are an almost entirely different unit. For a change, they will have some big-name internationals, who usually are unavailable for them, in their line-up and they will also be lead by a new coach.Van Jaarsveld, who has retired, will not be around to lead them. Instead, Henry Davids, who has already captained them in the longer format, takes over in all competitions. Davids is an experienced domestic player who has learned to manage his charges well but will also hope his leadership skills get noticed by those in decision-making positions at national level and maybe even an IPL franchise.He’s not the only player who will want to use this shop window as a way to showcase himself. Fit-again Marchant de Lange, who has recovered from a stress fracture which kept him out of the game for most of last summer and a rib niggle which bothered him in pre-season, is another. Charging in to bowl at 150kph plus, de Lange will be looking to make a case for a national recall. Opening batsman Davids and allrounder Roelof van der Merwe are also players to watch out for.Most importantly, Titans will use this event to begin a new era. After a difficult last season, and following the departure of the much-loved Matthew Maynard, they seemed to have lost some direction. But a changing of the guard may have breathed fresh verve into them. The CLT20 could be the place to show that off first.Key players

Although Titans have lost Albie Morkel and Faf du Plessis to Chennai Super Kings, who are incidentally in their group, they have the good fortune of having two other key national players in their squad. AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel would have played for Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Daredevils respectively, but neither team qualified.International and T20 commitments mean they rarely turn out for Titans even though both of are products of the franchise. It presents the conundrum of who to leave out to make room for these must-have players, but it a problem any franchise would be happy to have.De Villiers, who gives them a third wicket-keeping option after Heino Kuhn and Mangaliso Mosehle, can bat anywhere in the order, while Morkel will spearhead their pace attack. Both players have had ample experience having toured India, and could be ideal mentors for some of the younger crop.Weaknesses

A change in leadership can be a positive, but it could also trip Titans up, especially as it will be their first assignment with new personnel in charge. Rob Walter, formerly South Africa’s fitness and fielding coach, has taken over from Maynard and may have a baptism of fire in one of cricket’s biggest club tournaments.Walter has not had any competitive experience with his squad, although they have played a few warm-up games, so he has not had time to allow his style to sink in. Add to that that Titans do not often have the national players at their disposal and Walter’s management just became tougher. Without having had the time to come up with patterns of play, Walter’s credentials will be tested on the toughest stage.Surprise package

In a squad packed with international players, Titans sometimes don’t have room for an under-the-radar type, but Ethy Mbhalati is one of their longest-serving. Mbhalati leads the attack in all their domestic games, and is known for his accuracy. Although he does not have the pace of de Lange or Morkel, his discipline should serve him well on the slower tracks of the subcontinent.

Northamptonshire have decided not to renew Chaminda Vaas’ contract for 2013, citing the 38-year-old’s troubles with fitness last season

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Sep-2012Northamptonshire have decided not to renew Chaminda Vaas’ contract for 2013, citing the 38-year-old’s troubles with fitness last season. A variety of injuries saw the former Sri Lanka seam bowler play in only six of Northants’ 16 Division Two Championship matches and he also missed much of the Clydesdale Bank 40.Vaas had been a key player in his first two seasons with Northants but it was felt his fitness was not worth gambling on for another year. “I have felt for Chaminda as he has strived for fitness but has just not been able to beat the injuries this year,” Northants coach David Ripley said. “A real gentleman of cricket, we wish him all the very best in his future.””He has contributed a great deal to Northants cricket during his time here, but I would also pay tribute to his standing in the international list of greats.”Vaas was named the Most Valuable Player in the Friends Life t20 competition in 2010, his first season with the county, and was Northamptonshire’s highest wicket-taker in 2011, with 70 Championship scalps at 21.11. He has also played for Middlesex, Hampshire and Worcestershire in county cricket.Vaas is Sri Lanka’s most successful seam bowler, having taken 355 wickets in Tests, and 399 in ODIs.