Category Uncategorized

ESPNCricinfo previews the game between Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians

The Preview by Nitin Sundar23-Apr-2011

Match facts

Sunday, April 24, Delhi
Start time 1600 (1030 GMT)Mumbai’s attack is not overly dependent on Lasith Malinga anymore•Associated Press

Big picture

It’s Sachin Tendulkar’s 38th birthday and he returns to the venue where he played the best ODI innings of 2009. That epic 175 against Australia resulted in defeat, a depressing addition to the list of Tendulkar masterclasses that went in vain. That night, the crowd returned home numbed by India’s brain-freeze in the end overs, wondering if they were destined to never see their team winning. The Uppal jinx was finally broken by Deccan Chargers when they beat Bangalore on April 14 – their first home win in four editions. Will their fans want that streak to continue, at the cost of denying India’s biggest icon victory on his birthday?Mumbai are coming off three easy wins, one shock defeat and one hard-fought victory. They have looked the most complete side in the tournament, and their star power has allowed them to carry a couple of passengers in almost every game. Their fielding effort against Chennai Super Kings must rank among the best ever put up by an IPL outfit. Not too many cover-drives can find a way past a cordon that includes Andrew Symonds, Kieron Pollard, Rohit Sharma and R Sathish. The batting has been consistent, and the bowling is shaking off its dependence on Lasith Malinga.After a sluggish start, Deccan have managed two wins in three games, and will go into the game quietly confident of an upset. Their methods have been in complete contrast to Mumbai’s: lesser-knowns like Bharat Chipli and Sunny Sohal have provided the spark, while the bigger signings have remained in the background. They will need to be at their best to put it past Mumbai.

Form guide (most recent first)

Deccan WLWLL (8th in points table)
Mumbai WWLWW (1st in points table)

Team talk

Who will open Mumbai’s innings with Tendulkar? Do they just draw lots before the toss? So far Davy Jacobs, James Franklin and R Sathish have been tried. Given how poor Franklin and Sathish were, Jacobs might fancy his chances of coming back into the XI. Deccan clicked like a cohesive unit against Delhi, and may want to retain that combination.Predict the playing XIs for this match. Play ESPNcricinfo Team selector.

In the spotlight

Some say it was a speed-gun conspiracy, but Ishant Sharma has clocked upwards of 150 kph on a few occasions in this IPL. The last time he managed such pace was in 2008 when he bullied Ricky Ponting with a delightful spell of seam bowling in Perth. Ishant’s faltered, fizzled and settled into a lesser role in recent times, but there is still hope for resurgence.Rohit Sharma played a gem against Chennai. It was the kind of innings that left his critics infuriated, since it once again highlighted the contrast between his international career and his IPL exploits. His feet move better, his shot selection is sharper and he just seems switched on when he’s playing this tournament. Will Rohit have another bounty season? And this time, will he carry on from there to bigger things?

Prime numbers

• Tendulkar is 81 runs away from Suresh Raina, who is the all-time highest IPL run-getter. Rohit is fifth in the list.
• Pragyan Ojha is the second-highest wicket-taker in IPLs. Amit Mishra is fifth

The chatter

“Unbelievable fielding. Brillant catches. Superb ground-fielding. I thought the fielders created opportunities today.”

Australia stormed to a resounding 81-run win as Sri Lanka were steamrolled by extreme pace and sustained pressure, folding for 87

The Bulletin by Liam Brickhill09-May-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Cameron White slammed five sixes, including two in consecutive balls from Chanaka Welegedara, to power Australia’s fightback•Getty Images

Australia stormed to a resounding 81-run win that all but assured their semi-finals spot as Sri Lanka were steamrolled by extreme pace and sustained pressure, folding for 87. Dirk Nannes and Mitchell Johnson were the main destroyers of the Sri Lankan batting line-up, but the win was made possible by Cameron White’s unstoppable 85 from 49 balls, which rescued his side from a perilous 67 for 5.White was ably aided by Michael Hussey in an unbroken stand of 101 in less than ten overs, and when the Sri Lankan top order was bullied out by a formidable Australian pace attack in quick succession, the rest of the batsmen collapsed in a heap.Australia had been in a similar situation against Bangladesh in the group stage, sinking to 65 for 6 before they were saved by a 74-run partnership between Hussey and Steven Smith. Today, they had White to thank, as he saw off the threatening Suraj Randiv, making the most of a missed chance on 23 to establish his dominance over the rest of the attack, as he passed 50 from 32 balls.Shane Watson and David Warner have given Australia solid starts more often than not in this tournament, but today they were parted with the fifth ball of the innings, as Angelo Mathews snaked one in to rattle Watson’s stumps via an inside edge. In an impressively-controlled opening spell, Mathews then deceived Brad Haddin, sent in ahead of Clarke with Australia one down, with a slower one that took the leading edge and looped up to give Sanath Jayasuriya an easy catch.Australia were then under real pressure when Mahela Jayawardene held a blistering reflex take at slip when Warner nicked a flashing drive to Randiv’s third ball of the match. In a dramatic over, Randiv then set Sri Lankan hearts racing when he beat David Hussey first ball with a flighted delivery that went the other way as the batsman drove on the walk, and Kumar Sangakkara whipped the bails off milliseconds later – not that it mattered, as the ball had also brushed the edge on its way through.The hat-trick evaded him, but he topped off an outstanding spell when Clarke backed away to cut a turning ball and lost his off bail. Australia were 67 for 5 after 11 overs at that stage, and were in real danger of crumbling for an insubstantial total.But Sri Lanka could not carry the intensity from their opening onslaught into the second half of the innings. After racing to his half-century, White led Australia’s charge in the closing overs, lifting Welegedara down the ground with brutal hits from consecutive deliveries to move into the 70s.With that, Hussey, who had nudged his way to 9 from 15 balls, took his cue, walking across his stumps to paddle a knee-high full toss from Lasith Malinga to fine leg. Hussey followed that up with a majestic lofted cover drive, before closing the over with an audacious sweep to a searing yorker. White took Australia past 150 with his fifth and sixth sixes in the penultimate over, and an incredible 91 runs came from the final seven overs.Jayawardene has been Sri Lanka’s linchpin at the top of the order in this tournament, and when he swivelled to pull Nannes handsomely over square leg it appeared that the stage had been set for another excellent knock. But Nannes dug the next one in even shorter, and the ball rose alarmingly to take the splice and balloon up to give Smith an easy catch at long leg.It was pace and aggression that did for Sangakkara, too, as Shaun Tait sent down a brutish bumper that beat the attempted hook for pace, striking the glove on the way through to Haddin. The slide continued as Nannes fired one in at Jayasuriya’s pads in his next over, beating an aimless swish to pin the batsman lbw to reduce Sri Lanka to 26 for 3 in the fifth over.Watson was brought on in the last over of the Powerplay, and his medium-paced seamers proved to be a far more attractive prospect than the 90mph-plus barrage of Nannes and Tait. Dilshan responded with a caressed cover drive and a clean hit high over long on, and Mathews didn’t miss out either, slamming Watson straight back over his head as 15 were taken from the over.But they still had Johnson to contend with from the other end, and he made his intentions clear by banging his first two balls in before rolling his fingers over his third to induce an uppish cut from Dilshan. White at backward point went airborne to pull off a stunning catch inches from the turf, and when Mathews picked out Hussey on the cover boundary four balls later, Sri Lanka’s short-lived counterpunch was nipped in the bud.Sri Lanka were 67 for 5 after 10 overs – almost exactly the position in which Australia had found themselves in the first innings – but their middle order lacks White’s power and Hussey’s class, and from that point on the two sides went in opposite directions, Australia seizing back the game with a supremely confident fightback; Sri Lanka capitulating meekly in the face of sustained pressure. Such was the scale of the win, Australia are now virtually guaranteed a place in the semi-finals.

Victoria received special extension from Cricket Australia on Pucovski’s contract as his playing future is to be decided by a medical panel in coming weeks

Alex Malcolm03-May-2024A decision on Will Pucovski’s playing future has been delayed with Victoria receiving a special exemption from Cricket Australia (CA) on his state contract after his assessment with a medical panel was pushed back due to the fact he had suffered extended symptoms from his latest concussion in March.Cricket Victoria (CV) finally released their contract list on Friday after weeks of delays, which included new signing Josh Brown from Queensland, but Pucovski’s name has an asterisk next to it. The 26-year-old came out of contract last season and his playing future is yet to be determined due to his latest concussion.Victoria has offered Pucovski a contract for 2024-25 but has received an exemption from CA to withhold committing to that contract until after he has been assessed by a joint medical panel which will comprise CV, CA and independent medical experts. The panel is being convened to assess his situation and map out his future due to the alarming number of concussions he has had in his career so far. The assessment with the panel has been delayed because Pucovski was still suffering concussion symptoms six weeks on from his latest hit in March, although those symptoms are understood to have finally eased.Related

• Pucovski announces retirement from cricket due to concussion

• Australian cricket has a Will Pucovski problem

• Seccombe and McKay join Renegades and Stars as high performance managers

• Josh Brown joins Melbourne Renegades in BBL coup

• Philippe and Maddinson make move to New South Wales

Pucovski was hit in the head in his last Sheffield Shield match on March 3 when he ducked into a bouncer from Riley Meredith in Victoria’s clash with Tasmania in Hobart. That blow ended his Australian domestic season and saw him withdraw from his county championship stint with Leicestershire.It is understood Pucovski’s symptoms have improved in recent weeks but there has been serious concern over how long the symptoms lasted after the blow in March. He could not convene with the panel until his symptoms had fully subsided. That is now likely to happen in the coming weeks and a decision on his future will be made after that.Victoria’s general manager of cricket performance Graham Manou confirmed that Pucovski would be offered a contract but that it was contingent on medical advice.”Understandably there will be a lot of interest in Will Pucovski and what the future holds,” Manou said. “The most important part of this process is Will, and his health and wellbeing. Cricket Victoria is working closely with Cricket Australia and the expert medical panel that is due to meet soon to review Will’s history. We’ll take the advice from that panel on the appropriate way forward this season.”If Pucovski cannot continue playing it is understood there will be significant injury compensation for him and support services available via CV and CA but he will not be formally contracted within Victoria’s domestic salary cap.There were hopes earlier this year that Pucovski might be returning to his best form after scoring a century against New South Wales at the SCG, re-igniting the possibility of adding to his lone Test appearance. There was optimism from Pucovski too that he had a better understanding of how his concussions and mental-health issues were linked.”I sort of link the mental-health stuff back to my first concussion…which was when I was about 15 or 16,” Pucovski had told the in February. “I have a lot of concussion symptoms that over a seven or eight year period, actually never subsided.”You just sort of got used to having them in a way. The brain’s pretty amazing and can find ways to adapt. I would fail concussion tests in the exact same way every single time, regardless of whether I had been hit in the head, and that was over a seven or eight year period.”The mental health has been a much bigger issue for me than even the concussions.”I don’t fear for my long-term health, it’s more the mental-health side that’s been the tougher part.”One day I’ll be ready to tell my whole story and it will probably make a lot more sense. I’ve explained what I’ve been through to my inner circle of people and actually all the responses I’ve got have been like ‘Jesus, I would never have guessed that in a million years, that doesn’t even make sense to me’.”It hasn’t made sense to me for years, either, but I’ve been on this pathway to understand it all.”BBL star Josh Brown has been contracted to play for Victoria in the Marsh Cup•Getty Images

Victoria’s contract list featured some new faces after some recent departures. Nic Maddinson has headed back to NSW for family reasons while Shield-winning captain Travis Dean has not been offered a contract after his place in the side last season. Legspinner Wil Parker has also lost his contract.That has opened the door for Brown to be included after he recently signed with Melbourne Renegades in the BBL. Brown will add some dynamism to Victoria’s Marsh Cup side after making his first appearance in List A cricket for Queensland late last season following his stunning finish to the BBL.Victoria have also added Australia Under-19 World Cup winner Harry Dixon onto the rookie list. Dixon was close to earning a contract last year after his excellent performances at Under-19 level. Fellow left-hander Dylan Brasher has been given a full contract after making 79 not out against Pakistan in a tour match last year and producing strong performances at Second XI level for Victoria and an excellent Premier Cricket season for his club side Footscray.Victoria were frustrated to lose young quick Brody Couch to Western Australia after offering him a contract.Victorian contract list 2024-2025: Liam Blackford, Scott Boland (CA contract), Dylan Brasher, Josh Brown, Ashley Chandrasinghe, Xavier Crone, Sam Elliott, Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Campbell Kellaway, Glenn Maxwell (CA), Cameron McClure, Jono Merlo, Todd Murphy (CA), Fergus O’Neill, Mitch Perry, Will Pucovski (pending medical advice), Tom Rogers, Matt Short, Peter Siddle, Will Sutherland, Douglas Warren

Suryakumar Yadav is “learning the 50-over game a little bit” and the team needs to “be patient with him”, Dravid says

Deivarayan Muthu21-Mar-20233:59

Dravid: ‘Suryakumar is learning the ODI game a little bit’

Rahul Dravid reckons that India have narrowed down “17-18 players” for the forthcoming ODI World Cup at home, regardless of the result in the bilateral series decider against Australia at Chepauk on Wednesday. For India, the third match against Australia is their last ODI until the tour of the Caribbean in August, and they may only have three more in India before the World Cup begins.”I think, to a large extent, we are pretty clear about the squad and players we want,” Dravid said at a press conference. “We have almost sort of narrowed it down to 17-18 players. We have a few guys who are sort of recovering from injuries and might come into the mix, depending on the timeframe of their recoveries and how long it takes for them to come back.Related

• Ponting: 'Suryakumar is the kind of player who can win you a World Cup'

• Will Suryakumar be able to crack the ODI code?

• Can the batters fight back in spin-friendly Chennai?

“But all in all, we are pretty much in a good space, we are pretty clear about the kind of team we want to play. Hopefully, we are able to give these guys who we have zeroed in as many playing opportunities as we can. If in India, great, but even if not in India, it’s just [a matter of ensuring that] they get as many opportunities as you can [give them] to build a side.”Dravid, though, suggested that the team management was open to trying out different combinations and adopting a horses-for-courses approach even during the World Cup in October-November. The course in Chennai on Wednesday is likely to be spin-friendly, but India’s spin combination is a bit of a guessing game, with all of Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar in the mix.”Within our 15 or 16 players, there are a couple of different combinations that we’d like to try and see which one’s working,” Dravid said. “It [World Cup] is a big tournament, it’s a long tournament in India, and we are playing in nine different cities and nine different conditions. So you just want to have that flexibility in your squad as well, to be able to play sometimes four fast bowlers, sometimes three spinners. Just you want to have that flexibility. Within the squad we’d like to sort of look at different options, just to ensure that we have covered all our bases for all conditions.1:37

Finch: Suryakumar needs to be sharper in the first few balls

“To a large extent, I think we have got a lot more clarity at the end of these nine games, irrespective of whatever happens tomorrow. I think we will just keep building on that clarity. We are quite clear about the kind of squad we want. For us now, it’s really just about the different playing XI combinations and just ensuring that we play different combinations at times just to ensure that we are able to do that in the World Cup and we are not surprised by anything in the World Cup.”

Dravid ‘not really concerned so much about Suryakumar’

Dravid shrugged off any concerns around the recent form of Suryakumar Yadav, who bagged ducks in the first two ODIs against Australia and only averages 25.47 across 20 innings in ODI cricket. He said that Suryakumar was still adjusting to the tempo of 50-over cricket, and backed him to get better with experience.”Not really concerned so much about Suryakumar,” Dravid said. “He got two first-ballers against two pretty good balls. One of the things about Surya is he is also learning the 50-over game a little bit. The T20 game is slightly different.”Even though he hadn’t played for India for a long time, in T20 cricket, he played nearly ten years of IPL, and a lot of IPL cricket, which is a tournament which is like international cricket. He has played a lot of high-pressure T20 games but in one-day cricket, there’s no equivalent tournament in domestic cricket, you’ll have to play Vijay Hazare [Trophy] and all that. Even though he has played a lot of T20 cricket, I think he has not played a lot of one-day cricket. We just need to give him some time and be patient with him. We certainly see the upside of him doing well, which is very good for the side.”

For the hosts, the Wanderers should be a turning point if their cricket is to move beyond the foundation phase of their rebuild

Firdose Moonda10-Jan-20221:26

Manjrekar’s India XI: Who replaces Siraj, and who makes way for Kohli?

Big picture

After India’s dominance in Centurion to South Africa’s fightback in Johannesburg, this series is now set for a decider in Cape Town. It could not be more perfectly scripted, or perhaps more unexpected.Despite South Africa’s strong record against India at home, they came into this series on the back of two years of turmoil (which started when they last visited India in 2019) and there were predictions of the visitors not only winning a first series in this country but sweeping it 3-0. India still have the opportunity to achieve the former; South African resolve has ensured the latter is off the table.India will still go into this contest as slight favourites, having stormed through fortresses in Australia, England and most recently, at the SuperSport Park. They couldn’t protect their unbeaten record in Johannesburg but may see this as a time for breaking new ground. Newlands is the place for it. India haven’t ever won at this venue but this is a side that thrives on challenging history and have already rewritten some narratives on this tour.Related

• Dean Elgar: Cape Town Test 'the biggest match we've had in years'

• How do you bowl to a batter like Dean Elgar?

• Falling short: Has Bumrah's bouncer lost its bite?

• Ishant or Umesh – who should replace Siraj in Cape Town?

Even with Mohammed Siraj unfit for the third Test, they have plenty in reserve. That means it won’t get any less intense for South Africa’s line-up, which remains very much a work-in-progress. Aiden Markram, especially, is due some runs while the middle order needs to build consistency ahead of two more Test series this season.India’s soft spot is also the middle-order, although they carry bigger reputations. Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane were both under pressure but shared in a 111-run third-wicket stand in the second innings in Johannesburg and each brought up a half-century to dim the spotlight on their performances. South Africa’s attack has demonstrated good plans, especially against Pujara, and know that winning those contests can precipitate a collapse.That responsibility may fall to Kagiso Rabada, who was on the receiving end of stern words from his captain Dean Elgar earlier in the series. Rabada remains South Africa’s highest-profile bowler (and after Quinton de Kock’s Test retirement, their highest-profile player) and he will want to be at his best in what will be his 50th Test.Of course, there’s always the danger that South Africa have already played their final after achieving their highest successful chase in Johannesburg and they will do themselves a disservice if that’s the case. The Wanderers should be a turning point for them, especially if their cricket is to move beyond the foundation phase of its rebuild.Virat Kohli missed the second Test due to back spasm•Associated Press

Form guide

South Africa WLWWL (last five Tests, most recent first)
India LWWDW

In the spotlight

At times an animated figure on the sidelines in Johannesburg, Virat Kohli will be eager to get back to leading the side, especially as they chase history. Though KL Rahul led relatively well in his absence and was even involved in some heated exchanges on the field with Rassie van der Dussen, he lacked Kohli’s killer instinct. How the returning skipper does with the bat also needs to be seen. Kohli last scored a Test hundred 15 Tests ago, in November 2019, and although his overall Test average remains over 50, it has been 26.08 since that hundred.Keshav Maharaj has bowled only 20 overs in the series so far, and only two in the last Test, and his most significant role in the series has been as a nightwatchman in the second innings at Centurion. That has resulted in questions over whether South Africa understand how to pick teams for their own conditions. They could have lengthened the batting line-up or added a fifth seamer in Maharaj’s place but neither is likely to come into contention at the most spinner-friendly of this series’ venues. With the threat of R Ashwin in the opposition camp, Newlands is unlikely to be too dry but this venue historically takes turn as the match goes on. Maharaj isn’t the biggest spinner of the ball but given the right opportunity, he can cash in as he did in the West Indies.

Team news

South Africa are unlikely to make any changes to the XI that won at the Wanderers. That will mean there won’t be a debut for top-order batters Sarel Erwee and Ryan Rickelton, while seamers Glenton Stuurman and Sisanda Magala also have to wait their turn.South Africa (probable): 1 Dean Elgar (capt), 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Keegan Petersen, 4 Rassie van der Dussen, 5 Temba Bavuma, 6 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada 10 Duanne Olivier, 11 Lungi NgidiAfter missing the Johannesburg Test because of upper back spasms, Kohli comes back in, with Hanuma Vihari most likely sitting out. Kohli also confirmed that Siraj, who picked up a hamstring concern at the Wanderers, isn’t fit to play. Either Ishant Sharma or Umesh Yadav could take his place.India (probable): 1 KL Rahul, 2 Mayank Agarwal, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Rishabh Pant (wk), 7 R Ashwin, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Mohammed Shami, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Ishant Sharma/Umesh Yadav1:40

‘I still pinch myself to this day’ – Rabada set to play 50th Test

Pitch and conditions

The pandemic has kept Test cricket away from Newlands over the last two years, and in that time much has changed about the ground. An office block has been built on what used to be the smaller grass embankment (you might remember it as Castle Corner) and a new groundsman has taken over. Braam Mong will prepare his first international pitch, which is likely to be less challenging for batters than the Highveld surfaces the teams come from. The average first-innings total in the eight first-class matches played at this ground since its last Test in January 2020 is a healthy 361. In first-innings total terms, Newlands ranks sixth among the 68 grounds that have hosted at least five first-class matches in the last two years.Conversely, wicket-taking is tough. Of the 320 potential wickets which could have fallen since the start of 2020, only 215 have been taken. Seamers have been responsible for 130 of those, at an average of 32.70, while spinners have taken 85 wickets at 34.40.Cape Town had a week of temperatures above 30 degrees to ring in the new year but that cooled off to 22 on the eve of the match. Things will heat up as the Test progresses, with Thursday expected to top 34 degrees.

Stats and trivia

• Rabada will play his 50th Test match. Rabada has taken 226 Test wickets thus far and is South Africa’s seventh-highest wicket-taker of all time, 65 behind Jacques Kallis.
• India have never won a Test at Newlands, with three defeats and two draws from the five matches they’ve played there.
• Kohli needs 146 runs to become the sixth Indian batter to reach 8000 Test runs while Rahane needs 79 runs to reach 5000. Kohli is two catches away from 100 and Rahane is one away.

Quotes

“In the last 10-11 years I’ve been playing three formats and the IPL constantly, and the workload is obviously high when you’re performing consistently, and there are training days when you’re working hard in the gym, travelling days – they all accumulate, and somewhere you take it for granted that you’ll play every match, that there won’t be any fitness issues. It’s a strange feeling [to miss a match with injury], but it shows you the reality. You’re playing a sport, and your body will suffer wear and tear, and you need to accept that you’re also human, and you need to view yourself as a human, and if your perspective around that isn’t clear, it can lead to frustration, and that’s not right, because niggles and injuries are very natural in sport.”
“It’s the best I’ve seen Newlands in quite some time. They’re trying to prepare a good Test wicket. They want it to deteriorate over time, over day four and five. It looks like a relatively good cricket pitch. Newlands has never really been known for massive pace and bounce. They want to get us to play five days of cricket. If we implement the basics, from both teams, we will get there. The fact that they’ve got a new groundsman, he is maybe under pressure to prepare a good wicket. Visually, it looks like it’s going to be a good Test wicket. If you bowl well, you are going to reap rewards but if you apply your basics batting, you are also going to get success.”

Cricket mourns county stalwart who played 15 Tests and 23 ODIs between 1987 and 1990

Andrew Miller02-Sep-2020David Capel, the former England allrounder and stalwart of Northamptonshire as player, captain and later coach, has died at the age of 57 following a long illness.Capel, who played 270 first-class matches for Northants between 1981 and 1998 as well as 300 List A games, enjoyed an unbroken 32-year association with the club. In 1999, he was appointed the club’s director of excellence in the wake of his retirement, and later succeeded Kepler Wessels as head coach in 2006.In 2018, the same year in which he was diagnosed with a brain tumour, Capel was inducted into the club’s hall of fame – joining such illustrious club names as Frank Tyson, Colin Milburn, Allan Lamb and Bishan Bedi. It was due recognition for a player who, in 1987, became the first Northamptonshire-born cricketer to play for England since George Thompson in 1910.Capel played 15 Tests and 23 ODIs for England in a brief but eventful career, in which time he was saddled – as with several other players of the era – with the burden of stepping into Ian Botham’s shoes as an international allrounder.He did, however, play a part in a success that at the time had eluded even Botham, in England’s astonishing victory over West Indies in the first Test of their 1989-90 tour of the Caribbean – a result that remains one of the most remarkable upsets of all time.Selected as one of four seamers in a new-look England attack under Graham Gooch, Capel claimed 2 for 31 in West Indies’ first-innings 164. He would later be one of England’s not-out batsmen in the final moments of the third Test at Port-of-Spain, where England claim so close to securing a 2-0 series lead, only for rain and some controversial West Indies delaying tactics to deny them their final victory push.While Capel’s eventual Test averages of 15 with the bat and 50 with the ball told their own story, he did have a habit of getting the better of the great Viv Richards, whom he dismissed three times out of his total of 21 scalps.On Test debut against Pakistan at Headingley in 1987, Capel came to the crease with England reeling at 31 for 5, with Imran Khan and Wasim Akram on a roll. He responded with a gutsy half-century, and added a Test-best 98 against the same opponents in Karachi five months later. However, he never again passed 40 in Test cricket.Domestically, however, Capel remained an immense influence at Northants, for whom he scored 10,869 first-class runs and claimed 467 wickets. After joining the county staff as an apprentice in 1980, he made his debut against the touring Sri Lankans at Northampton in 1981 and claimed an illustrious first Championship victim the following summer against Yorkshire when he dismissed Geoffrey Boycott at Middlesborough.In limited-overs cricket Capel scored 6,274 runs and 237 wickets. He was named Man of the Match on five occasions including the NatWest Trophy semi-final against Leicestershire at Grace Road in 1987, in which he made 46 not out and claimed 3 for 43 in an 85-run win. He scored 97 off 110 balls against Yorkshire in the Benson and Hedges Cup final at Lord’s that same year, but finished on the losing side after Yorkshire’s Jim Love blocked the final ball of the match with the scores level, and secured the title on fewest wickets lost. “This is hugely shocking and sad news for the English Cricket family and particularly those connected with Northants CCC,” said Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive. “David was one of the finest allrounders of his era and spent an astonishing 33 years at Wantage Road.”I had the privilege of playing with David, a hugely competitive and determined cricketer who was never beaten – an attitude he took into his battle with his illness. A complex and private man on the surface, a kind and gentle one to those who knew him well. I will miss his friendship.”Following his departure from Northants in 2012, Capel remained actively involved in cricket, taking up a role as assistant coach to England women’s team in 2013. He went on to serve as Bangladesh women’s coach from 2016 to 2018.”Very sad to hear my former team mate passed from a long suffering illness,” wrote Lamb, Capel’s team-mate for Northants and England, on Twitter. “”David Capel all round person and a true gentlemen both on and off the field we are going to miss you buddy . RIP and condolences to your family.”

The Victoria coach said the quick will need to be handled carefully to avoid recurrence of injury and the selectors should pick their moments to unleash him

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Apr-2019Tearaway quick James Pattinson could win Australia two Ashes Tests if he is used wisely and sparingly in the five-match series, according to his Victoria coach Andrew McDonald.Pattinson, 28, has not played a Test match for Australia since February 2016 due to a serious back injury. But after returning from successful surgery he played a pivotal role in Victoria’s Sheffield Shield triumph this season including taking seven wickets in the final with some vicious spells.He will play for Nottinghamshire in the early part of the county season but McDonald believes he could be a key performer in the Ashes if he is used in short bursts.”I think he’s a two-Test player that can win you those two Test matches,” McDonald told . “I think when he plays Australia’s odds increase greatly in terms of winning the Test match but we can’t get over-excited in terms of what his body can cope with.”I think we [Victoria] played him in seven games this year, 151 overs in seven games and really managed him throughout the summer. We had the luxury because we believed his batting could be of allrounder status at first-class level. Can it be of all-rounder level at Test match cricket level? I think the jury is out on that. So two Test matches for mine with a huge focus on when the conditions suit.”Pattinson was used as part of a five-man bowling attack for Victoria which featured four fast bowlers and a specialist spinner. Australia are unlikely to opt for a five-man attack in the Ashes and therefore McDonald said he could only be used on bowler-friendly surfaces where the game could be over in three or four days.”If it was a flatter surface you wanted to pick him on then he’d definitely have to be part of a four-man pace attack,” McDonald said. “I think the surface will dictate what the formation of the line-up will be and [Nathan] Lyon plays every game.”Pick your moments, and he could be a matchwinner in those couple of Test matches. But if he has to bowl heavy overs on flat surfaces I think that will probably accelerate the process of potentially injuring him again.”McDonald believes Pattinson is world class when he’s at his best. “I think Cameron White was on a radio station and said he’s the best in the world. Well if he’s in full flight he’s close to it – pace, swing, and aggression as well. He makes things happen and I think he would be an intimidating factor for the English batsmen to overcome.”Australia’s Ashes squad is set to be named just a matter of days before the series begins on August 1 at Edgbaston.

Debutant Akila Dananjaya ransacked Bangladesh’s lower-middle order in the morning, and Roshen Silva compiled a second high-quality fifty in the match, as Sri Lanka claimed a 312-run lead and took iron-grip of the Test

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando09-Feb-2018Dimuth Karunaratne steers one through the off side•Associated Press

Debutant Akila Dananjaya ransacked Bangladesh’s lower middle order in the morning, and Roshen Silva compiled a second high-quality fifty in the match, as Sri Lanka claimed a 312-run lead and took iron-grip of the Test. That the surface is a spinners’ paradise is plain, but Bangladesh’s meekness in the first innings has put them on the brink of a series loss. In the most dramatic period of play on day two, the hosts lost their last five wickets for five runs. Not even an inspired Mustafizur Rahman spell late in the day could undo the damage sustained before lunch.Also driving Sri Lanka ahead on day two were Dhananjaya de Silva, Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal, none of whom got close to a half-century, but whose innings were vital nonetheless. Bangladesh’s spinners were at times guilty of being too wayward. Though they delivered their share of dangerous deliveries through the day, many errors in length also speckled their spells. The visiting batsmen rarely allowed good scoring opportunities to go unused.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz – the best of the home side’s spinners – took two for 29 from his 14 overs, and regularly raised wicket-taking opportunities. Taijul Islam also took two wickets, and Abdur Razzak finished with one. Their most potent weapon, however, was Mustafizur and his cutters. In a spell also envenomed by reverse swing, he took the wickets of Dilruwan Perera and Dananjaya off successive balls, and was unlucky to finish without at least one more scalp. Having earlier also trapped Danushka Gunathilaka in front of the stumps, he finished the day with 3 for 35.But it was Dananjaya whose late-morning spell that was of most consequence to the match situation. To him also went the most perfect spin-bowling dismissal of the game so far. Tossing the ball up outside off stump, Dananjaya got the ball to drift away, before it dipped and spat back at the batsman. Mahmudullah offered a forward defence, but so sharp was the turn,that the ball whistled between bat and pad to hit the very top of middle stump. It was his maiden Test wicket. Dananjaya was suitably ecstatic.His remaining dismissals were also off-spin classics. Three balls after bowling Mahmudullah, he lured Sabbir Rahman into an off drive, only for the ball to turn more sharply than the batsman expected. The catch, off the inside edge, would be snapped up low to the ground by Dinesh Chandimal at midwicket. Next over, a similar wicket: another turning delivery, another attempted drive, but this time Abdur Razzak’s mis-hit shot went straight back to Dananjaya.With three wickets having fallen in the space of seven Dananjaya deliveries, Sri Lanka were ascendant. As so often happens when their spinners dominate, the fielding also moved to a higher plane. Fielding at short leg, Kusal Mendis snapped up an inside edge off Taijul Islam’s bat, and though the batsman spent no more than two seconds out of his crease, Mendis threw down the stumps in a flash, while Taijul’s bat was still in the air. The final wicket in the collapse went to Dilruwan Perera.If by establishing a 112-run lead, Sri Lanka had achieved a commanding position in the game, Roshen was most responsible for leading his side toward impregnability. Measured, and intelligent, he played within his limits, leaving balls that did not threaten his stumps, and yet hitting out at balls that deserved punishment. His footwark was swift and precise. Rarely did the Bangladesh bowlers dominate him for long stretches, though conditions were stacked heavily in their favour. There was no side of the pitch that he favoured, and his 58 not out – to go with the 56 in the first innings – is already more valuable than many hundreds.While Roshen found a middle ground between attack and defence, the other batsmen were generally more partial to one or the other. De Silva, for example, blazed a trail, cracking Taijul for three boundaries in one over, while constantly going deep in his crease to make possible his late cut. Having sped to 28 off 24, his ambition would prove fatal in the end. Attempting to deflect a Taijul delivery with an open face, he missed it completely and had it clatter into his stumps.Karunaratne went in the opposite direction. As Bangladesh’s spinners largely turned the ball into him, he played for the straighter ball, and adjusted quickly if the delivery was spinning. His 32 came off 95 balls and featured no boundaries. Chandimal’s 30 was compiled in a not dissimilar spirit, though he did score much faster.

A round-up of the second day’s play from the quarter-finals of the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Dec-2016
ScorecardS Badrinath and Tanmay Agarwal frustred Mumbai in the middle session•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Tanmay Agarwal and S Badrinath, the captain, struck half-centuries as Hyderabad were 128 adrift of Mumbai’s 290 with seven wickets in hand at stumps on day two in Raipur. Agarwal and Badrinath added 105 for the third wicket to steady the innings after Mumbai, who lost five wickets for 40 this morning, reduced Hyderabad to 30 for 2 courtesy Abhishek Nayar’s twin strikes.B Sandeep then blunted the bowling for 64 deliveries to remain unbeaten on 10, along with Agarwal, as Hyderabad ended an attritional day on 166 for 3. Mumbai’s Siddesh Lad, unbeaten on 101 overnight, added nine, while Nayar added 13 before being dismissed for 59. CV Milind, the left-arm pacer, finished with 5 for 80, his second successive five-wicket haul, while Mohammad Siraj took four wickets.
ScorecardIshank Jaggi’s rich vein of form continued•K Sivaraman

Jharkhand were in sight of the first-innings lead against Haryana courtesy half-centuries from Virat Singh and Ishank Jaggi at the Moti Bagh Stadium in Vadodara. Haryana, resuming on 251 for 7, lasted just 33 deliveries in which they added seven runs. Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem added two wickets to his overnight tally to finish with 7 for 79. Jharkhand responded with 228 for 3 in 82 overs, with Virat and Jaggi having added 146 for the fourth wicket.
ScorecardBumrah’s four-wickets came as Odisha lost six batsmen in the space of 16 overs•Getty Images

Odisha went from 83 for 1 to 101 for 7, courtesy Jasprit Bumrah’s four wickets for Gujarat, before Deepak Behera and Suryakant Pradhan added 72 runs for the eighth wicket to finish the day on 184 for 8 at Jaipur’s Sawai Man Singh Stadium.Basant Mohanty started the day off by completing his 16th five-wicket haul in first-class matches as Gujarat were all out before lunch. Rush Kalaria fell for 73, thereby bringing an end to his 154-run partnership with Chirag Gandhi, who fell soon after with the team’s score at 238 for 8 before a late knock of 28 by Mehul Patel ensured Gujarat’s 263.After opener Ranjit Singh’s early exit, his partner Sandeep Pattnaik scored 43 runs in an 82-run partnership for the second wicket with Subhranshu Senapati, who scored 30. After Pattnaik fell with the score at 83 for 2, Odisha languished their advantage as they lost another five wickets for only 18 runs, with Bumrah triggering a slide. His scalps included those of captain Govinda Poddar and Odisha’s top-performer Biplab Samantray, whom he removed for ducks. Behera and Pradhan then hit 72 runs before the latter’s 27-ball knock ended. Mohanty (4) joined Behera (30) to see off play till stumps, trailing by 79 with two wickets in hand.

A round-up of the Georgie Pie Super Smash matches played on November 12, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Nov-2015Anton Devcich and Ish Sodhi were the chief architects of Northern Districts‘ 112-run thumping of Wellington in their Georgie Pie Super Smash clash in Hamilton. The margin of victory indicates one-way traffic and it was with Northern Districts posting 184 for 4 and then bowling Wellington out for 72 in 13.1 overs to register their first win in the competition.Northern Districts, who were sent in to bat, were driven by Devcich, who made a 57-ball 66 at the top of the order. Kevin O’Brien, the Ireland allrounder, hit two fours and four sixes in his 21-ball 42 as a formidable launchpad was built. Devcich and O’Brien carved 70 runs off 40 balls and took Northern Districts to an imposing total. Amid the carnage, offspinner Jeetan Patel was the most economical bowler, finishing with 1 for 16 off his four overs.Wellington’s chase was punctured inside four overs; there was no coming back from a score of 13 for 4. Devcich opened the bowling as well and took 2 for 17. Scott Kuggeleijn, who shared the new ball, treated himself to a spell of 3.1-1-8-1 while legspinner Sodhi ran through the tail to take 3 for 12. Matt Taylor, who top-scored with 28, was only one of two batsmen who could reach double-figures and Wellington’s 72 was the lowest total by any side against Northern Districts, breaking the previous record of 85 by Otago in 2006-07.Jacob Duffy’s career best 5 for 18 and Michael Bracewell’s unbeaten 80 set up Otago‘s nine-wicket drubbing of Canterbury in Christchurch.After electing to bat, Canterbury were reduced to 28 for 5 by the fifth over of their innings. Henry Nicholls then took control of the innings, with a 41-ball 51 and received a good hand from Todd Astle, with whom he put on 73 runs for the fifth wicket. Duffy accounted for Nicholls in the 17th over and cleaned up Canterbury’s lower-order, eventually bowling them out for 134 in 20 overs.In response, Otago lost Anaru Kitchen in their first over, but Bracewell ensured the chase went off without a hitch, smacking an unbeaten 80 off 49 balls that included ten fours and two sixes. He had Neil Broom’s (42*) company during a 133-run partnership that sealed the game and put their team on top of the points table.