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Australia’s T20 veteran signs three-year deal, will report to Virender Sehwag

Nagraj Gollapudi13-Dec-2017Kings XI Punjab have appointed Brad Hodge, the former Australia batsman, as their new head coach. Hodge, who held a similar role with Gujarat Lions for the last two seasons, will report to Virender Sehwag, the franchise’s mentor-cum director of cricket.The head coach’s job was informally held by Sehwag after Sanjay Bangar resigned in December 2016. Kings XI had a mixed 2017 season, where they were in the reckoning for the play-offs until they lost to Rising Pune Supergiant, the runners-up, in their final league match.At 42, Hodge continues to feature as an active player and will be playing for Melbourne Renegades in the 2017-18 Big Bash League. A current Twenty20 player with an impressive body of work, Hodge is also known for his tactical nous and has consistently been sought after in domestic T20 tournaments around the world.In his first year as coach at Gujarat Lions, in 2016, Hodge helped the franchise finish with the most number of wins at the end of the group phase. However, Gujarat were knocked out of the Qualifier 2 by eventual champions Sunrisers Hyderabad. Hodge was left frustrated in IPL 2017 as injuries to marquee players like Dwayne Bravo and lack of quality replacements meant Gujarat finished second from bottom.However, a new franchise now presents him with a new challenge with Ness Wadia, one of the co-owners of Kings XI, wanting him to build the team. “We have signed a three-year agreement with Brad, who will be our head coach,” Wadia said. “Viru [Sehwag] will be actively involved, too, as our director of cricket.”Wadia also said the franchise would invest in creating a stable set-up now that the team had started to make operational profits. “We really see that after 10 [the tenth season], now that more money is coming, now that the model is bringing in operational income and profit, we can build a proper franchise. We are hopeful of taking things forward and get the best team possible.”

South Africa outbatted Australia to beat them 5-0 in the ODI series but stand-in captain Faf du Plessis believes they will need to outbowl them if they are to win the Test series next month

Firdose Moonda14-Oct-2016South Africa outbatted Australia to beat them 5-0 in the ODI series but stand-in captain Faf du Plessis believes they will need to outbowl them if they are to win the Test series next month. After South Africa went through most of last summer sans Dale Steyn or Vernon Philander, they will travel to Australia with both bowlers plus three other frontline seamers, and du Plessis hopes that collectively, they can carry the team to victory.”For us to have a successful tour of Australia, Dale Steyn will be the guy to make or break that for us because he is a huge player in that Test team. I am confident he will have a really good series,” du Plessis said. “His shoulder looks okay – that’s going to be the challenge. We need to make sure that he stays fit and he can bowl long periods of time. Test cricket is not just 10 overs, he will need to bowl 18 to 20 overs a day for the next month.”Steyn returned, after a broken shoulder kept him out of the England Test and ODI series in January-February, for the World T20, in which he played only two of South Africa’s four matches. He was left out of the triangular series in the Caribbean, officially rested but by his own admission dropped, and given permission to play in the NatWest T20 Blast instead. He took 11 wickets in five matches for Glamorgan and was then included in South Africa’s Test series against New Zealand, where his eight wickets in Centurion secured a series win.Although he has not looked his best with the white ball – he played four of the five ODIs against Australia for five wickets at 50.80 with an economy rate of 6.99 and received treatment on the shoulder throughout the series – Australia still considered Steyn remained a threat. “You’ve always got to respect Dale. He is a world-class bowler, a great athlete and you never want to upset him,” David Warner said. “He is a guy that can really get on top. He has this spark and this spell in him you’ve got to get through that and negate what he throws at you.”At Test level, du Plessis expects that will be even more difficult for the Australians to do. “Dale in Test cricket is a different breed. In one-day cricket, these things are going to happen. KG [Kagiso Rabada] as well, would be the first to say he didn’t bowl at his best. In Test cricket it’s about consistency. When Dale gets that red ball in his hand, he is just a different bowler. He is still our No.1 bowler in Test cricket.”South Africa will look to rise up the rankings again with hopes of having Morne Morkel back for the Tests•AFP

Rabada also played in four matches and took five wickets at 52.80 with an economy rate of 7.33. Both Steyn and Rabada were hurt by the game in Durban, where they conceded 96 and 86 runs respectively. Overall, they were overshadowed by Kyle Abbott and Andile Phehlukwayo, who have come to the fore as part of South Africa’s future. “Our bowling attack needs to be fit if we are to win in Australia,” du Plessis said.The other members of South Africa’s pace pack have also had injury concerns. Philander’s rehabilitation from torn ankle ligaments kept him out of action for almost three months but he also made a comeback against New Zealand while Morne Morkel has been on the sidelines since July with a back problem. Morkel returned to action in club cricket in Pretoria earlier this month and is currently playing for Titans against Warriors in a first-class match as a fitness test ahead of the Australia tour. He bowled 26 overs in the first innings, and picked three wickets, so all indications are that he will travel to Australia.South Africa have won their last two Tests series in Australia, in 2008-09 and 2012-13, although in very different circumstances. Both times, they were coming off series wins in England. This time, they are in the midst of a rebuilding process and recognise that Australia pose a tougher challenge than before. They will hope to carry some of their ODI momentum into the Tests. “Against Australia, any mental edge you can get you will take,” du Plessis said. “It’s the one-percenters that matter.”

In what was almost a dress rehearsal for the semi-finals, Delhi-based Shraddhanand College beat Loughborough Marylebone Cricket Club University England by six wickets in a thrilling chase in their final group-stage encounter at the Abhimanyu Cricket Acade

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Oct-2015In what was almost a dress rehearsal for the semi-finals, Delhi-based Shraddhanand College beat Loughborough Marylebone Cricket Club University England, by six wickets, in a thrilling chase in their final group-stage encounter at the Abhimanyu Cricket Academy on Thursday.The hosts finished top of Group A after winning three-straight matches. They will take on defending champions Assupol TUKS for a place in Saturday’s final.Loughborough MCC will take on Group B leaders, Sri Lanka-based International College of Business and Technology, in the semi-final.England won the toss, in Thursday’s clash, and elected to bat first, with a view to giving practice to their batsmen. But Shraddhanand College’s fast bowler, Abhishek Vats – who has troubled every team during the tournament so far – maintained his match-winning display.Vats struck in the third over of the match and dismissed opener Anish Parel. He then added to his tally by breaching the defence of Irfan Karim in the ninth over.LMCC’s Nitesh Kumar dropped anchor and smashed seven fours and six sixes in his 51-ball 97, which helped his team gain a strong hold in the match. His innings helped LMCC score 179 in his innings.Shraddhanand College set about the chase confidently and their top-four batsmen found runs. Deepak Khatri’s 46-ball 73 and opener Jitesh Saroha’s 40 helped SC win by six wicket, with seven balls to spare.An impressive bowling-display helped University of Technology Sydney register their first win of the tournament; after they narrowly beat European University of Bangladesh by 22 runs.UTS’s batsmen faltered, batting first, and managed just 118 in their innings. However, their bowler’s helped restore some pride.Harry Dalton and Benjamin Wallis picked up two-wickets each, while James Campbell, Daniel Donaldson and William Dempsey picked up one-wicket each to complete the win.Heriot-Watt University Dubai registered their first win of the tournament after they beat Jinnah Degree College Karachi by 19 runs.Both teams had already failed to make the semi-finals, after repeated failures in the Group stages. Jinnah Degree College didn’t register a win in the tournament.

Batsman Mominul Haque has been picked in Bangladesh’s Test squad for the tour of Sri Lanka

Mohammad Isam24-Feb-2013Left-arm spinner Enamul Haque jnr has returned to the Bangladesh Test squad after more than three years following his selection in the 15-man squad to tour Sri Lanka next month. Seamer Robiul Islam and batsman Jahurul Islam have also been recalled, while Mominul Haque has made it to the Test squad for the first time.The major name that is missing is Shakib Al Hasan, out injured and about to undergo surgery to correct a shin injury. Elias Sunny was not included while Junaid Siddique and Nazimuddin were not in the 25-man preliminary squad, which was announced on February 18.Enamul and Mominul have been taken to replace Shakib, according to chief selector Akram Khan who opted for prior international experience when replacing the allrounder.Enamul has taken 105 first-class wickets in the last two seasons, the highest in the National Cricket League this season. His last Test appearance was in a Bangladesh win, and where he took six wickets. But he made way for a three-man pace attack against India thereafter, though he was in the Test squad, and indifferent ODI form had him excluded for the next three years. This time he was picked ahead of Mosharraf Hossain and Saqlain Sajib, left-arm spinners who have also done well this season.In the case of Mominul, it was his recent ODI experience against West Indies which won him a place for a possible middle-order spot. He pushed aside Marshall Ayub, the season’s most prolific batsman in first-class cricket, Akram saying it was a “50-50 call”.”This was a tough selection, because we had to pick two players to replace Shakib,” Akram said. “Enamul won the left-arm spinner’s position ahead of Mosharraf Hossain and Saqlain Sajib. He is in form and has Test experience. Mominul was also a tough call but we need a left-hander in the middle order, so Marshall Ayub, despite his two double-hundreds, misses out.””I have spoken to Marshall on the phone, told him why he wasn’t taken this time. But the door is still open for him, he should continue to perform as he has been. It is unfortunate that we had to leave him out.”Jahurul returns to the squad after playing three Tests in 2010, but he has played ODI cricket recently. Both he and Robiul have been kept as additional options, although the former has a good chance for a place in the top order, said Akram. “He [Jahurul] could be one of the top three with Tamim [Iqbal] and [Shahriar] Nafees.”Robiul has trained in the National Cricket Academy during the BPL and he has played in the BCL. But we are not sure about Shafiul Islam, and in general we are facing a challenge to form a pace attack,” he said.The two-Test series in Sri Lanka will be Mushfiqur Rahim’s first away Tests as captain after he took over in October, 2011. He will lead the middle order, which will include Naeem Islam, Mahmudullah and Nasir Hossain while it is now likely that Anamul and Jahurul will battle for the position of the other opener with Tamim Iqbal. Shahriar Nafees’ BPL performance saved him a place in the squad after an indifferent showing in the Tests against West Indies.Offspinner Sohag Gazi is also going to be a part of the first overseas Test series, and will be an automatic choice after an impressive start to his career late last year, but the pace attack will have to be assembled in Sri Lanka as only Rubel Hossain looks like a first-choice.Bangladesh will begin the series with a three-day match against Sri Lanka Development Emerging Team at Matara from March 3 to 5, before the Test series, which begins in Galle on March 8. The second Test will be played in Colombo from March 16.Squad: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), Mahmudullah (vice-capt), Tamim Iqbal, Shahriar Nafees, Anamul Haque, Naeem Islam, Nasir Hossain, Sohag Gazi, Abul Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Enamul Haque, Jahurul Islam, Mominul Haque, Shahadat Hossain, Robiul Islam.

Northamptonshire have concluded their search for a left-arm spinner by bringing in Con de Lange, a 31-year-old South African who qualifies as a UK resident from his time living in Scotland

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Feb-2012Northamptonshire have concluded their search for a left-arm spinner by bringing in Con de Lange, a 31-year-old South African who qualifies as a UK resident from his time living in Scotland. de Lange’s signing has been made possible due to the assistance of “external benefactors”, chief executive David Smith said.Northants have been without a left-arm slow bowler for the last two years and recently stated that they were looking to fill that gap before the start of the season. de Lange, who has played all of his cricket in South Africa, has 175 first-class wickets to his name and is a capable lower-order batsman.”I’m very excited to be joining the Northants squad, having noticed how well the team has played over recent seasons,” de Lange said. “I want to be part of a successful squad and help the club gain promotion to Division One of the County Championship. I’m a fighter and I’m determined to always give my best for the team.”The arrival of de Lange will provide competition for offspinner James Middlebrook as the county looks to go one better on last season’s third-place finish in Division Two.David Capel, Northamptonshire’s head coach, said: “We have considered many candidates throughout the past 12 months and I am pleased that we a signed a player of Con’s quality, who will further strengthen the spin bowling department. I’m sure he will prove to be a great addition to the team.”Smith added: “The club has been very fortunate to have had some external benefactors in Northamptonshire assisting us in making this signing possible. At 31 years of age, Con will bring valuable experience to our squad and help us to be competitive in all forms of the game.”

Kenya’s tour of India, designed to prepare the squad for the forthcoming World Cup, has only served to expose the deficiencies in a side who, barring a major turnaround, seem set for a wretched tournament

Martin Williamson19-Jan-2011Kenya’s tour of India, designed to prepare the squad for the forthcoming World Cup, has only served to expose the deficiencies in a side who, barring a major turnaround, seem set for a wretched tournament.All five matches against youthful Gujarat and Baroda sides were lost, echoing results when the Indian state teams played in Nairobi last year. In only one match did Kenya come remotely close to winning, and even then they were unable to defend a total of 293 for 6, losing to Gujarat by six wickets with more than three overs remaining.The batsmen have coped fairly well with alien conditions. Seren Waters scored the only hundred of the tour, but almost all the other front-line batsmen did enough to suggest they will cope come the World Cup, although doing more than that may be beyond them. However, Alex Obanda and Thomas Odoyo were really out of touch, and more worryingly Steve Tikolo failed to dominate in any game. For so long the lynchpin of the side, there have to be worries that a lack of high-class cricket and age are both taking a toll on his game.Collins Obuya made one good score, but in four other innings managed only 47 runs. If Tikolo is unable to hold together the innings, much will depend on him, and his form is another big concern.The real headache for coach Eldine Baptiste is with the bowling. Peter Ongondo, who has been so vital with the new ball, only played twice but leaked runs, while too many others lacked enough control to really put pressure on what were little more than inexperienced, if talented, young state batsmen. While some of the figures may not appear too bad, they have to be read in the knowledge that Baroda and Gujarat’s batsmen were rarely under pressure to score quick runs and so did not need to be overly attacking.After back-to-back wins, Gurajat completed a 3-0 clean sweep in the final match between the sides. Kenya’s batsmen finally posted a good score, a second-wicket stand of 178 between Waters (103) and Obuya (92) helping them to 293 for 6, but Gujarat’s well-paced reply enabled them to ease home with 19 balls to spare.Kenya then headed to Vadodara for two matches against Baroda. Both followed a similar pattern. In the first, Kenya were put in, most of their batsmen got starts without building a big innings, and their eventual score of 217 was not remotely enough as Baroda ambled to a five-wicket win with 20 balls in hand. In the second, Kenya again batted and scored 182, with Tanmay Mishra’s 63 saving them from a much lower score. Early wickets gave the Kenyans brief hope but Baroda knuckled down and again meandered to a well-paced six-wicket win.Kenya now head to Dubai for conditioning, while Baptiste will be left scratching his head and trying to work out how to avoid the World Cup becoming a nightmare for his side.

Jhulan Goswami, the India captain, has taken the top spot in the ICC Women’s ODI bowling rankings after a successful series against England at home

Cricinfo staff02-Mar-2010Jhulan Goswami, the India captain, has taken the top spot in the ICC Women’s ODI bowling rankings after a successful series against England at home. In India’s 3-2 series win, Goswami bagged 11 wickets at 11.72 and overtook Australia’s Shelly Nitschke and Lisa Sthakelar, who are now placed second and third respectively.England’s pace bowler Katherine Brunt, who finished with 10 wickets at 16, including a five-for, has moved up to fourth place while Rumeli Dhar, India’s medium pacer, climbed to the fifth spot after a series-haul of nine wickets.India batsman and former captain Mithali Raj widened the gap between herself and the rest in the ODI batting rankings after an impressive series where she made 287 runs including four half-centuries. Raj, at No.1, is now 150 points ahead of England batsman Claire Taylor, who didn’t participate in the Indian tour.

Playing South Africa for the first time, and playing at the new Namibia Cricket Ground for the first time, the hosts won a last-ball thriller

Firdose Moonda11-Oct-2025Namibia made history in more ways than one in the one-off T20I as they inaugurated the new Namibia Cricket ground, played their neighbours South Africa for the first time in any international format, and then beat them in a thriller for good measure.The upset came against a patchwork South Africa side, with most of the first-choice T20I players currently in Pakistan, where they will play a Test starting tomorrow. But Namibia won’t care what kind of South Africa team they earned their first win against. They celebrated in front of a 4000-capacity crowd at the NCG (you read that right), complete with a lap of honour. South Africa are the fourth Full Member to be defeated by Namibia, after Zimbabwe, Ireland and Sri Lanka.On a slow surface and sluggish outfield, batting was tricky for both sides and Namibia had South Africa in trouble at 82 for 6 in the 13th over thanks largely to good catching. South Africa left it late to string partnerships together and their most profitable stand was 37 off 35 balls for the seventh wicket between Jason Smith and Bjorn Fortuin. Smith was the highest scorer with 31.Similarly, Namibia’s innings started badly and they were 84 for 5 in the 13th over. In what was close to an exact mirroring of South Africa’s batting, their seventh-wicket pair put on 37 but off just 21 balls. Zane Green’s unbeaten 30 off 23 balls on his birthday sealed the win.

De Kock’s short-lived comeback

The stage was set for one of the most highly anticipated returns in the global game when Donovan Ferreira won the toss and chose to bat with Quinton de Kock carded at No. 1. But his return was short lived. Namibia’s captain Gerhard Erasmus opened the bowling and de Kock brought out the pull first up. He got a single to midwicket, then missed one that went down leg, and then tried to smash it over square leg but miscued to Ruben Trumpelmann, who took a simple catch to end de Kock’s stay at the crease in the opening over. De Kock also returned behind the stumps and took the only chance he had, but it was off a no-ball in the first over of the Namibian chase.Jason Smith top-scored for South Africa with 31•Cricket Namibia

Namibia hold on to everything… until they don’t

Trumpelmann’s catch didn’t require much more than being in the right place, but he created more difficult opportunities that his team-mates took. In his first over, Reeza Hendricks tried to hit him over deep square but Malan Kruger sprinted in from the rope to take a tumbling catch and remove Hendricks for 7. By his second over, Rubin Hermann, who looked in good touch for his 23, was rushed by extra bounce as he tried to hit Trumpelmann over deep midwicket. Ben Shikongo claimed a good low catch to give Trumpelmann a second.Debutant Max Heingo had Lhuan-dre Pretorius caught behind off the glove and Ferreira at midwicket before Shikongo was rewarded by smart bowling and smarter hands. He followed Andile Simelane as he backed away to clear mid-off and sent the ball high. Erasmus got the skates on again and took a stunning catch to his left to leave South Africa 82 for 6.Smith and Fortuin steadied things but with only one boundary in 30 balls between the 13th and 18th overs, had to try and force things. Smith tried to hit Heingo over long-on and should have been caught by Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton but he put it down. In the next over, Smith tried to clear him at long-off but again, didn’t have the distance, and JJ Smit took a simple catch.Later in the over, Fortuin offered Smit a similar chance but he shelled it. Namibia finished things off with another catch as Gerald Coetzee tried to go big but found Louren Steenkamp at deep third.

Coetzee’s nightmare over ends in injury

Coetzee was brought on first change and made an early impact. He started off too straight and was flicked for four but quickly adjusted his length to Lourens Steenkamp and even surprised him with a bouncer before bowling him. Namibia were 28 for 2 after three overs.But then things started to go wrong for Coetzee. He started his second over with a wide down leg, then got hit for four by Erasmus, and then bowled three more wides. He had his hands on his hips in frustration and the next ball whizzed past Erasmus but avoided the edge.Whatever extra effort Coetzee put into that ball seemed to do some damage and he left the field with three balls remaining in the over. Ferreira completed it and in the end it cost 12 runs. A CSA update said the injury was likely of the pectoral muscle.

A fitting finale

Namibia stayed in the hunt with contributions from Erasmus (a run-a-ball 21) and Kruger (18 off 21 balls) but South Africa’s attack didn’t let any of them get too far away to set up the perfect finish.Namibia needed 32 runs off the last three overs with four wickets in hand. They took nine runs off the 18th over, with Trumpelmann getting four off an inside edge, and 12 runs off the 19th, as Green started with a lofted cover drive and then ran hard with three twos in the over.That left 11 to get off the final over and Simelane was tasked with defending it. His first ball was short, Green got underneath it and sent it over fine leg for six and then took a single. Trumpelmann ran hard for two and then drew scores level. Green sent the last ball – a low full toss – over midwicket for four to complete the win.

“He’s the heartbeat of this franchise and having him back is going to make this team a lot stronger,” says Ponting

Nagraj Gollapudi22-Mar-2024Four-hundred-and-fifty-three days since he last played a competitive match, India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is “jittery” to resume playing cricket on Saturday afternoon when he will lead Delhi Capitals in their IPL opener against hosts Punjab Kings. The hiatus was forced on Pant after a life-threatening car crash on December 30, 2022, from which he successfully recovered after extensive rehab.”Jittery, nervous, excited – all of it,” Pant described his emotional state on the eve of his first IPL match in two years, having sat out the 2023 season. “But at the same time, just happy being able to come back to professional cricket. I’m just looking forward to playing my first game tomorrow.”As soon as the BCCI’s medical team had declared Pant fit, both as a wicketkeeper and batter, Pant flew to join the franchise’s preparatory camp in Visakhapatnam, where Capitals will play home matches in the schedule announced so far. Like a kid who had been kept away from doing his favourite thing, Pant batted obsessively in the nets, according to Capitals’ head coach Ricky Ponting.Related

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Pant felt he did that because he wanted to practise as much as possible and give himself “the best chance to become a better cricketer”.Ponting described Pant as the “heartbeat” of the team. “There’s no doubt last year we missed our captain, we missed one of the best players in the world,” he said. “Just his attitude, his smile, the way he goes about his cricket, he’s a winner. He wants to win games.”He wants to do the best he can for the team all the time. And when you have that attitude coming back into a team, that’s infectious. Everyone wants to be like Rishabh and play the way that he plays his cricket. He’s our leader. He’s the heartbeat of this franchise and having him back is going to make this team a lot better and a lot stronger.”Ponting the coach is usually a positive and smiling person, but Pant’s return has got him super excited for the new season as Capitals attempt to win the IPL for the first time. “The fact that he is back smiling puts a smile on my face as well. Knowing that I’ve got my captain back, knowing that I’ve got one of the best players in the world in all three formats back in my team, I’m smiling, his team-mates are all smiling.”

Governing body also announces measures to promote change in wake of damning racism report

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Nov-2022Cricket Scotland has announced that it will offer paid contracts to players in its international women’s team for the first time.Scotland sit 14th in the ICC’s T20I rankings and missed out on qualification for February’s T20 World Cup in South Africa but will move towards professionalism as part of the board’s bid to make cricket a “fully inclusive” sport in the country.”This builds on the move to pay equal match fees to the men’s and women’s players introduced in 2021 and will enable a number of players to devote more time to training and practice and is a start to putting the women’s game onto a fully professional footing,” Cricket Scotland said in a statement.Scottish cricket was plunged into crisis earlier this year after the publication of a damning report into institutional racism within the sport, and revealed a number of measures on Thursday which the board hopes “will underpin long-term success for the international teams and deliver a more sustainable governing body in the years ahead”.Cricket Scotland will recruit a new head of communications, an EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion) manager and a conduct in sport manager, and will not renew contracts of seven staff within the strength and conditioning, physiotherapy and support services provision.”The changes are required to refocus the governing body’s priorities and to establish a strong financial base from which to launch an ambitious new strategy for the sport in the coming months,” the statement said.Gordon Arthur, the board’s interim chief executive, will stay in post until November 2023 on a fixed-term contract “to ensure stability and continuity during this period of substantial restructuring”.Arthur said: “We need to reset and rebuild to ensure that we are in the strongest possible position to deliver real and meaningful change across Scottish cricket. This won’t be without challenges but we have a great opportunity to take the sport confidently forward in the years ahead.”Anjan Luthra, who was appointed as chair last month, said: “This a watershed moment for the sport of cricket in Scotland. The investment announced today into the women’s game is an important building block in our desire to make cricket in Scotland a fully inclusive sport where there is no place for racism, discrimination or inequalities.”We have an opportunity to create a bold new vision for our Scottish cricket and we are committed to doing so by driving positive change at every level within our sport.”At the same time, we are rebuilding capacity within the governing body and addressing the weaknesses and failings identified through the Changing the Boundaries report so that we build a first-class governing body for Scottish cricket.”