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Three days into this series England hold a 261-run lead over a South Africa side riddled with problems, chief of which was another injury to Dale Steyn, after their batting had slumped in the morning session

The Report by Andrew McGlashan28-Dec-2015
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThree days into this series England hold a 261-run lead over a South Africa side riddled with problems, chief of which was another injury to Dale Steyn after their batting had slumped in the morning session. Moeen Ali, who claimed 4 for 69, continued their difficulties against spin to earn a priceless 89-run advantage before England benefited from crucial fielding lapses to increase the lead steadily with Joe Root unbeaten on 60.Any hopes that a return to home soil would ease the ills of the India tour for South Africa have not come to pass early in this series with England’s impressive attack compounding the pressure on a fragile batting order. They lost 6 for 77 in the opening session as their first innings finished on 214 although Dean Elgar fought outstandingly to become the sixth South Africa batsman to carry his bat for 118.Then Steyn pulled up after the second ball of his fourth over with a right shoulder injury and an attempted return was aborted after three deliveries. After play, though, the South Africa camp said the problem was being treated as “shoulder stiffness” after Steyn had been sent for a scan and there was hope he would be able to bowl on the fourth day although it may come too late to change the course of this match.To further compound South Africa’s woes their fielding also let them down. Dane Piedt had removed both openers – Alastair Cook lbw with one that slid on and Alex Hales defeated by drift to be caught at long-on – but in consecutive Morne Morkel overs shortly before tea they had the stuffing knocked out of them.Nick Compton was shelled on 11 when Elgar missed a sitter at second slip and Root was missed on 6 when he gloved a pull which AB de Villiers, whose future was the subject of much speculation during the day, could not gather one-handed above his head.

SA frustrated by ball change

South Africa have said they were unimpressed when the umpires changed the ball in the 26th over of England’s second innings after it had been damaged by one of the advertising screens around the boundary.
The damage, which was classed as “unnatural wear and tear” occurred when Alex Hales hit Dane Piedt for six in the 16th over but the umpires allowed play to continue before deciding the impact had enabled the ball to reverse swing. The change of ball came when Hales was dismissed, caught at long-on against Piedt, while Morne Morkel and Kyle Abbott had been operating from the other end.
“The ball was changed because when it hit the LED screen…a chunk of it came out and because there was unnatural wear and tear, they had a right to change the ball,” Mohammed Moosajee, the South Africa team manager, said. “We were not very impressed but the match officials made the final call.
“When the ball goes to the boundary and it comes back, the umpire has a look. Initially he allowed the match continue and then felt that with the reverse swing, there was unnatural wear and tear.”
Law 5.5 states: “If, during play, the ball cannot be found or recovered or the umpires agree that it has become unfit for play through normal use, the umpires shall replace it with a ball which has had wear comparable with that which the previous ball had received before the need for its replacement. When the ball is replaced the umpire shall inform the batsmen and the fielding captain.”

Morkel put in sterling service in the absence of Steyn but, astonishingly, a third chance was to be missed off his bowling when Compton, on 45, edged a pearler only for de Villiers to grass another. That opportunity, at least, did not prove costly as two balls later Compton glanced Morkel down the leg side and de Villiers made amends. De Villiers puffed out his cheeks; Morkel just about managed a celebration.By then, however, England’s lead was over 200 on a surface offering considerable assistance for the spinners and a hint of uneven bounce. England’s progress was never electric but time was on their side. Root made the most of his life with a 96-ball fifty which kept the scoreboard ticking over. He collected a six with a slog-sweep off Piedt and some of his off-side driving was a delight on a surface where few batsmen have found that sort of strokeplay easy.At the start of the day there was not a consensus as to whether England had their noses in front or it was honours even. By the close there was no doubt after the match had been seized in the morning session.As when Stuart Broad started the innings, it took him just two deliveries to locate the stumps, Temba Bavuma this time defeated by some low bounce outside off and dragging on an inside edge. There was certainly some variation in bounce, but it was also the shot of a batsman who had yet to get his feet moving early in the day.In another shrewd piece of captaincy, Cook did not wait long to introduce Moeen with two left-handers now at the crease, one of whom, JP Duminy, who has had his travails against offspin. And it took Moeen just two balls to find Duminy’s outside edge with a beautiful delivery which turned from middle and off, safely held by Ben Stokes at slip.Kyle Abbott did not stay long, prodding forward at Moeen and getting a thick inside edge into his pad which was well held by James Taylor diving forward at short leg, although it needed the intervention of the third umpire after Rod Tucker had failed to spot the sizeable deflection.The support provided by Steyn to Elgar suggested that he should be at No. 8 ahead of Abbott. Their stand took South Africa to the brink of the second new ball only for Steyn to try and send Moeen down the ground and instead find mid-off where Chris Woakes held the chance with a juggle. His spell ended on 12-3-24-3 and overall it was the first time Moeen had taken more than three wickets in an innings since facing India, at Old Trafford, in August 2014.Steven Finn cleaned up the last two wickets in his first over with the second new ball to leave Elgar undefeated with his fourth Test hundred having brought up three figures from 211 deliveries. In an innings marked by his defensive technique, he continued to prosper on the leg side where two thirds of his runs came.It was his second hundred in a Boxing Day Test, following the 121 he made against West Indies last year, and this was his first 50-plus score in ten innings. When the innings ended he became the first South Africa opener to carry his bat since Gary Kirsten against Pakistan in 1997. He may have to perform a repeat to save his team.

Preview of the match between Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Jaipur

The Preview by Siddhartha Talya26-Apr-2013

Match facts

Saturday, April 27, 2013
Start time 1600 (1030 GMT)James Faulkner has something to offer with the bat as well•BCCI

Big Picture

As this season’s IPL approaches its half-way stage, the points table will, increasingly, come to dominate the attention of teams and players. Not much separates two team which were widely predicted to struggle, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals – Royals have played one game less and are two points behind – and both look good to remain strong contenders for a place in the top four as the competition for points intensifies. Both played their respective previous games against Chennai Super Kings, and lost in an almost identical fashion with the games decided in the final over of Super Kings’ chase.There was another striking commonality: allrounders who played a crucial role in helping their team post a competitive score slipped up in the final over – Ashish Reddy and Shane Watson. The teams are playing each other for the first time this season, on a Jaipur track on which seamers have had considerable success. Dale Steyn and Ishant Sharma will be aware, so will Shaun Tait – it remains to be seen if he plays – and Sreesanth. Shikhar Dhawan and Watson are fresh from impressive knocks at the top of the order, and there is plenty of spunk in the middle to surge in the death overs. Though Royals may sense a slight edge playing at home, these two teams seem fairly evenly matched with the way things have panned out this season.

Form guide

Rajasthan Royals: LLWWL
Sunrisers Hyderabad: LWWLW

Players to watch

Cameron White has quietened down with the bat after his match-winning innings against Royal Challengers Bangalore more than two weeks ago. He’s batted in the top four over the last three games but hasn’t really got going.James Faulkner has been a valuable addition to the Royals XI, has been picked for the Ashes where he could have to play a greater role with the bat at No.7. His bowling skills have impressed many this IPL; he also has a decent record with the bat in the longer formats.

Stats and trivia

• Unheralded Sunrisers legspinner Karan Sharma has the best economy rate this season – 4.41 (min. 10 overs)
• Faulkner has the best average (9.45), best strike-rate 10.4 and third best economy-rate 5.42 this season (min. 10 overs)

Quotes

“We showed characteristics of a side that can fight till the last minute of the game and I’m very proud of each of the players.”

ESPNcricinfo previews the IPL match between Kings XI Punjab and Delhi Daredevils in Dharamsala

The Preview by Kanishkaa Balachandran18-May-2012

Match facts

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Start time 1600 (1030 GMT)Adam Gilchrist wasted no time in finding his rhythm after an injury layoff•AFP

Big Picture

Kings XI Punjab’s sternest test has been left for last. They came into their final two games needing to win both, first against the defending champions and then this year’s form team, to have any chance of progressing to the playoffs. They duly trampled Chennai Super Kings in Dharamsala to remain in contention, and will need to repeat the performance against Delhi Daredevils on Saturday. Even if they do, they will have to hope for a couple of other results to go their way, to secure their place in the final four.Getting past Daredevils, needless to say, will be a tough proposition. The teams met on Tuesday for the first time, with Daredevils securing an easy five-wicket win. Kings XI did well to pick up four early wickets to give themselves a fighting chance of defending 136, but in the final analysis, their batsmen let them down. They turned it around against Super Kings with a fine bowling effort in seaming conditions. Kings XI’s ground fielding, though, wasn’t impressive.Daredevils fell short by 21 runs in a high-scorer at the Feroz Shah Kotla against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Their bowlers had a tough outing, taking just one wicket and leaking 215. Virender Sehwag sat out due to an illness and Morne Morkel was rested. Their return for the final league match is uncertain. Daredevils can still experiment, considering they’re already through to the playoffs and have made sure they’ll have the added benefit of finishing in the top two. Daredevils’ batting looked vulnerable in spicier bowling conditions in Chennai recently. Dharamsala may not give them much respite.

Form guide

Kings XI Punjab: WLWWL (most recent first, completed games)
Delhi Daredevils: LWLWL

Players to watch

Adam Gilchrist had to sit out nine matches to allow his torn hamstring to heal. The wait was worth it as he hammered an unbeaten 64 against Super Kings to pilot Kings XI’s chase, and there were no signs of rustiness as he brought out his trademark cuts and slogs.It had been a sleepy tournament for Ross Taylor until his aggressive 55 off 26 balls at the Kotla against Royal Challengers. Taylor was the only half-centurion for Daredevils in their chase of 216 and his wicket turned out to be the most prized of the evening. His return to form has strengthened Daredevils’ middle-order, which had seemed in dodgy form after Kevin Pietersen’s departure.

Stats and trivia

• Daredevils have the second-best strike-rate this season: 132.35, behind only Royal Challengers Bangalore
• Kings XI’s current leading run-scorer and wicket-taker are Indian players: Mandeep Singh (432 runs) and Parvinder Awana (17 wickets)
  

  Quotes

  “We are underdogs, and we have still managed to beat all the big teams. We always believed in our game and played hard cricket.

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

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• 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

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“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

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• 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.