New Zealand wrapped up victory in the second Test by 199 runs with time to spare, levelling the series and extending their unbeaten run

The Report by Alan Gardner02-Jun-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMark Craig picked up three wickets on the final day as New Zealand swept England aside•Getty Images

Hearts and minds are one thing but what New Zealand really wanted to win was this Test. At Headingley, the ground where they first claimed a Test victory in England more than 30 years ago, they had to battle the weather, which took almost a day out of the game, and an England side still swaggering from their heroics at Lord’s last week.They overcame both with time to spare, having scored 804 runs at almost five an over and twice rattled through England with pace, swing and, on the final day, spin. Every member of the side contributed to their victory in the second Investec Test, one which levelled the series and preserved a two-year unbeaten run. In 54 Tests against England in England, it was only New Zealand’s fifth victory and their first of the 21st century.Mark Craig followed some lower-order slugging and immaculate slip catching with three wickets on a wearing surface, finishing England’s resistance by having Jos Buttler lbw without playing a shot. Kane Williamson also picked up three-for with his part-time offspin, after Trent Boult, the joint-leading wicket-taker on either side, had struck twice early on to set New Zealand on their way.That England extended the game into the final session was chiefly down to dogged half-centuries from Buttler and Alastair Cook. Obdurate crease occupation is Cook’s greatest strength and he absorbed 171 balls in making 56, bowing his head over the bat like a monk at prayer. Buttler showed a different side to his game by playing with admirable restraint during his lengthiest Test innings, in terms of balls faced.England had gone to lunch five down, any bravado about attempting to chase 455 scattered to the far corners of the Yorkshire Ridings. Cook was their chief hope of saving the game but he fell shortly after having become the youngest man to record 9000 Test runs – when he failed in an attempt to reverse his lbw decision against Williamson, who struck in the first over of a spell for the second time, Brendon McCullum things were going his way.Buttler made it through to tea, surviving a review for caught down the leg side off Tim Southee and a working over by Matt Henry, who followed a throat ball with one that took the outside edge and fell short of slip; Buttler also required treatment after a length delivery from Henry leapt to strike him a vicious blow on the hand. He was later doubled up by the same bowler, winded by a blow to the stomach. It was an apt representation of England’s pummelling.New Zealand had enjoyed a perfect morning, Boult and Craig taking two wickets apiece in the first hour to help New Zealand once again seize the initiative. Only a scattering of spectators had braved another icy day – despite reduced ticket prices – as the people of Yorkshire wisely decided England were not worth the investment. This was a working Tuesday, after all, and England did not get close to replicating the final-day drama served up against Sri Lanka at Headingley a year ago, never mind their Auckland rescue act against McCullum’s New Zealand in 2013.Still, for the couple of thousand in attendance as well as those watching on television screens around the world, there was much to admire in the way New Zealand went about their business, each wicket celebrated with joyous collective abandon. McCullum’s side have not lost a Test series since their last visit to England and they have won many more admirers besides for the spirit in which they approach a challenge.It made the absence of a deciding Test all the more disappointing, though both sides could take credit from the fact that no two-match series has ever enjoyed such a glut of run-scoring (not to mention 78 wickets as well).If England did intend to play positively and keep the threat of a world-record run chase in the back of Kiwi minds, it was not easy to discern. Five of the first six overs were maidens, one of which included the wicket of Adam Lyth, caught behind after nicking yet another good one from Boult. With Boult making the ball swing under grey skies and McCullum able to do much as he pleased with his fielders, England regressed into the defensive posture that has frequently cost them in recent years.Lyth was always the likelier of England’s openers to press New Zealand back with his strokeplay but his dismissal without adding to his overnight score brought the seemingly ill-at-ease Gary Ballance to the middle. Despite an attempt to counter a perceived weakness against full, swinging deliveries by batting out of his crease (before stepping back in as per his trigger movement), he was undone by the skills of Boult for the second time in the match. Lightning struck twice, this time via a full ball deflecting off the pads and into off stump.The offspinner Craig, who England dealt with brusquely at Lord’s, was able to settle into a rhythm from the Kirkstall Lane End and he gained rich reward halfway through the session, removing Ian Bell and Joe Root within the space of three deliveries.Both fell to excellent leg-side catches, though the decision making – from Bell in particular – was questionable. Having seen McCullum instruct Kane Williamson to go and stand at leg slip, Bell went back into his crease and steered the ball obligingly straight to the fielder, who scooped it off the ground with glee. Root struck his leg glance much more powerfully, only for Tom Latham’s woolly jumper to absorb the impact and his hands to gratefully clutch the ball.Root had declared on the fourth evening that England still had a chance of chasing 455 but a slim chance had become no chance by the time he was the fourth batsman out inside the first hour. England attempted the talk but it was New Zealand who walked it.

For a team like Pakistan which is going through a transition, nothing could have been better than two relatively young batsmen staging a terrific turnaround

Umar Farooq in Galle20-Jun-2015For a team like Pakistan which is going through a transition, nothing could have been better than two relatively young batsmen staging a terrific turnaround. Pakistan were reeling at 96 for 5 on the fourth day, but Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed partnered to convert a position of worry into a commanding one by the end of the day.Pakistan’s Test team has relied on the experienced hands of Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq, both at the end of their respective careers. The unorthodox 96 by Sarfraz and 131 by Shafiq were therefore a reaffirmation that Pakistan’s transition was headed in the right direction.Azhar Ali, who scored a double-century in April, has already established himself at No. 3 and now the middle order is stepping up as well.Much hype surrounded Sarfraz’s absence and then the batting position during the World Cup but in Tests, he is well settled at No. 7. He demonstrated a vast range of strokes, warming up initially with quick singles before unleashing smart stokes. He became the first Pakistan wicketkeeper to score a World Cup hundred, but missed out in Galle. Still, there is much to admire about his impeccable ability to attack.”He (Sarfraz) and I had been playing together for the last many years,” Shafiq talked about his partnership with Sarfraz. “We play in the same club, department, live nearby and even practice together which actually helped us to play in a good combination. I understand his mind and he understands my style, so it works both ways. I know exactly what he is trying to do and what I should be doing to get the momentum in our combination.”When I came in, the situation was not good, but I had a belief in me that I could do it. What I had to do was to be patient with my innings. The way Sarfaraz played, he actually took away the pressure off me and let me play according to my comfort. He scored quick runs and let me play my own way and if we manage to win this match, this will be my best innings so far.”Over the last one year, Shafiq, thought to be the most technically correct batsman in Pakistan, has played many innings under pressure and has thrived in the situations.  He built his innings with control regardless of the breezy hand being played by Sarafraz from the other end.”With the loss of Younis and Misbah I knew I had to be patient and the biggest responsibility was to hold the tail together and spend as much time as I can as time was the one thing I had no issue,” Shafiq said. “Because after my fifty I knew I can convert my half-century into hundred as well so I stuck with the plan and played my part.”It was hard to find a flaw in his innings as he went on constructing his century with a lot of maturity. The innings that lasted 376 minutes included 65 singles, 17 twos, 4 threes and five fours. Apart from that, his 139-run sixth-wicket stand with Sarfraz, he stretched the Pakistan total by another 182 runs along with the tail, most notable being the 101-run stand with Zulfiqar Babar.”Since our last tour here wasn’t that good, so we had planned many things,” Shafiq said. “Some sessions might have slipped away from us but we want to take the game at the end. We might have lost our top order but idea was to hold the tail as much as I can. I knew our tail can bat out if needed and it worked. We didn’t panic and executed our plan till the end.”After taking lead and removing Kumar Sangakkara in the final hour of the day, Pakistan were in a good position to press for a win. Their bowlers had already created ample opportunities before signing off the day.”It’s still possible to get this game in our way as we are in a very good position,” Shafiq said. “The idea was to take at least two or three wickets today. We will come fresh to take them out the next day. We have already taken Sangakkara which is a huge plus for us and also their in-form batsman Silva, so we are very much in the game. “

Brett Elliot, the Kookaburra managing director, has said that the pink ball is ready for Test cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jun-20153:03

Archive: Iain O’Brien and Ajit Agarkar weigh in on pink balls and day-night Tests

Brett Elliot, the Kookaburra managing director, has said that the pink ball is ready for Test cricket. In 2009, the MCC made a recommendation to experiment with pink balls and since then it has been used by the ECB and CA as well.”The Kookaburra turf pink ball has been extensively tested over the past five years by the MCC, ECB, CA, and I believe the ball is ready for an international Test match,” Elliot told the . “We have also supplied a number of other ICC members like CSA and WICB, and have been equally happy with its performances at domestic level.”After staging a day-night round of Sheffield Shield matches in November, Cricket Australia is looking to provide the setting for the first day-night Test against New Zealand later this year with Adelaide, Brisbane and Hobart the possible venues.Elliot has said that the pink ball is as hard as the red and white balls but an additional dye is added to improve the brightness of the ball, which is believed to promote swing as well.”To ensure the best visibility whilst also preserving the natural wear characteristics of the ball throughout the course of the game, we add additional colour to the pink ball and also the white ball. This enhances the brightness of the ball although some say also encourages early swing,” Elliot said.During the Sheffield trials the pink ball had swung longer than the red ball and had undergone broadcast trials, with Cricket Australia and Channel Nine hoping to attract bigger crowds.The board is expecting a reply from New Zealand Cricket by the end of the month on the use of pink balls and day-night Tests though some New Zealand players aren’t too keen on it, describing the night format as “gimmicky”.

The Bangladesh team is hungry enough to not let their customary end-of-season fatigue get in the way of their improvement in Test cricket, according to Tamim Iqbal

Mohammad Isam28-Jul-2015The Bangladesh team is hungry enough to not let their customary end-of-tour fatigue get in the way of their improvement in Test cricket, according to Tamim Iqbal. Although there is a considerable threat of rain on all five days of the second Test in Mirpur, the pursuit of one last achievement is set to drive the home side.The question comes up whenever Bangladesh are ending a series or a tour. There have been many instances when they have impressed at the start but end with a poor defeat. Against Pakistan earlier this year, they won the ODI series 3-0, the lone T20 and drew the first Test. But they lost the second Test, the last game of the tour, by 328 runs.It happened against India too, when they drew the solitary Test and won the first two ODIs but lost the third one. Against South Africa, Bangladesh lost the T20 series 2-0 but fought back to win a maiden ODI series. Also, having dominated parts of the drawn first Test against South Africa in Chittagong, the team now believes that a better result is possible in Dhaka.Tamim said that the coaching staff has kept everyone interested in training by trying things differently. They have been successful as the Bangladesh players have felt relatively fresh despite playing continuously since the World Cup.”I think it depends on each individual’s mindset,” Tamim said. “It is true that before this year, we haven’t been able to achieve anything big. But we have done that in one-day cricket this year. Every player is hungry. They want to improve in Tests. We have a lot to improve on and if we get tired mentally, it will affect our performance.”The physiotherapist and trainer are working closely with us. They try different types of training every day, so that nobody gets tired. We now enjoy training and team meetings. I think that if we are enjoying what we are learning, it gives you better results.”While they have won more matches in 2006 and 2009, this year has been significantly better than any other in their international cricket history simply for the quality of opponents they have beaten. Since last October, they have won a bilateral series in each of the three formats.While these are genuine signs of improvement, their progress in Tests has not been as rapid this year. They did well against Pakistan in one Test but from selecting a lopsided line-up to batsmen performing below par, they are yet to become a better Test team.Tamim sounded out a warning that despite the confidence from the Chittagong Test, playing at their best is a prerequisite to stay competitive. He said that starting as well as they did in the first Test would be important to have a good game in Mirpur.”2015 has been a good year, especially in ODIs,” he said. “We have a considerable break after this game, we all know that. We also know that the remaining match is against the No. 1 Test team in the world. We have to perform in all departments if we are to have a good result.”We have to play at our best. We have to execute our plans. We cannot leave anything to chance because we are playing against the No. 1 side. Starting well will be important, with the bat and ball.”Tamim will be responsible for one part of that job. Alongside Imrul Kayes, he gave Bangladesh a good start in the first Test but got out to the part-time left-arm spin of Dean Elgar. Tamim was bowled around the legs to a full toss after batting solidly for nearly four hours to score 57 off 129 balls. He, however, said that he would keep playing the shots he prefers even if they have some risk attached to them.”I think I made one mistake in the whole innings, I shouldn’t have played that shot,” he said. “I don’t think I tried to do anything else in the other deliveries I faced. But you need to play one ball poorly to get out.”I will try to play watchfully but at the same time, I have to play my shots. If I get out trying to play my preferred shots, I will not be disappointed.”

David Warner’s image makeover has been rewarded with his appointment as Steven Smith’s lieutenant after Michael Clarke announced his retirement from international cricket

Daniel Brettig14-Aug-20154:15

Moody: Warner-Smith combination will be good for Australia

David Warner’s image makeover has been rewarded with his appointment as Steven Smith’s lieutenant, after the Cricket Australia board approved the recommendations of the selectors for the leadership team to succeed the retiring captain Michael Clarke.Smith had always been in line to be named as captain following his strong displays as stand-in for the injured Clarke during the home summer, but Warner has needed to do considerable work on his attitude on and off the field in recent times to grow into a role that will be pivotal in support.As the chairman of selectors Rod Marsh acknowledged, the 28-year-old Warner has come a long way since he was suspended on the previous Ashes tour for throwing a punch at Joe Root in a Birmingham bar. Alongside Smith, he has been Australia’s most prolific batsman in recent times, and has also this year toned down his self-appointed role as the team’s on-field “attack dog”, something he discussed with ESPNcricinfo in the West Indies.”We have reached a point in time where we’ve had to look at our leadership positions again with an eye to the future,” Marsh said. “David has matured and developed into an important senior figure in the Australian team. He has come a long way.”He had valuable experience captaining the Sunrisers in the IPL earlier this year and we are confident he will provide strong support to Steve as his deputy. We believe that he will respond well to the added responsibility of leadership.”Other contenders for the role included Mitchell Johnson, who had been appointed vice-captain of the limited-overs team in the past, but the selectors were always likely to settle on Smith and Warner after the latter’s recent work to mature as a cricketer. He will still have some work ahead of him to prove that progress to the rest of the world, who know him as much for his abrasive manner as his explosive batting.Smith has emerged as Australia’s leader over the past 18 months, first becoming an integral member of the team in all formats and then showing his captaincy ability when Clarke was unavailable against India. He has also captained New South Wales to the 2014 Sheffield Shield and the Sydney Sixers to the 2012 Big Bash League title.”We have had a clear succession plan in place for the captaincy with Steve Smith gaining valuable experience leading the Australian Test Team while Michael Clarke was recovering from injury last season,” Marsh said. “When Michael made his decision to retire last week it was a very straightforward decision for us to nominate Steve as his successor.”He has big shoes to fill but everything about him suggests he is the right man for the job. At 26, he is a fine young man with extraordinary talent, excellent leadership qualities and a terrific temperament. He is highly regarded by the selectors and we congratulate him on being appointed to the role on an ongoing basis. He should be incredibly proud.”The CA chairman Wally Edwards said the nine directors had concurred with the selectors’ recommendations after some discussion at their August board meeting in Melbourne. “We have all seen Steve Smith’s clear leadership potential and believe he can perform an excellent job for Australian cricket over many years,” he said.”We supported the recommendation to appoint David Warner as vice-captain, noting his role as a leading batsmen, his development and emergence as a leader within the team. We congratulate both men on their appointments.”Smith and Warner will lead Australia in the limited-overs matches that follow Clarke’s farewell Test at the Oval, before they travel to Bangladesh for their first overseas assignment together.

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.

Victoria ended New South Wales’ unbeaten run in the Matador Cup, showing the Blues are a much diminished side without the presence of their captain Steven Smith, who was out due to knee soreness

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Oct-2015
Scorecard1:20

Wade all praise for Victoria’s bowlers

Victoria ended New South Wales’ unbeaten run in the Matador Cup, showing the Blues are a much diminished side without the presence of their captain Steven Smith, who missed the game at North Sydney Oval due to knee soreness.Australia’s selectors will be nervously awaiting further updates on how Smith’s knee responds to rest. He has been managing the niggle since midway through the Ashes tour, but felt more pain than usual during his century for the Blues against Western Australia on Friday.Moises Henriques led NSW in Smith’s absence, and it looked for most of the day as though the hosts would rumble to their sixth consecutive victory in the competition.Victoria were well served by a pair of strong innings from Rob Quiney and Matthew Wade, but Mitchell Starc was ruthless as ever with the Bushrangers’ tail, claiming their last three wickets in the space of two overs and leaving 19 deliveries of the Victorian innings unused.The NSW chase began soundly, but none of Nic Maddinson, Ed Cowan, Shane Watson, Henriques or Peter Nevill could go on from their starts, leaving the Blues’ lower order exposed to a a slowing pitch and a reverse swinging ball.John Hastings bowled incisively to exploit that movement, claiming three wickets in his final spell while Dan Christian chimed in by hitting Watson’s front pad. Remarkably, six out of the top seven Blues batsmen all fell lbw.Nevill and Steve O’Keefe looked momentarily capable of carrying the Blues the rest of the way, but Scott Boland and Christian swiftly closed out the innings after Nevill’s run out, as the last four NSW wickets tallied only four runs.

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.

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.

Jos Buttler is facing a tricky decision over whether to fight for his Test place or join Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL

George Dobell05-Jan-2016Jos Buttler is facing a tricky decision over his future as he decides whether to fight for his Test place or appear in this year’s IPL season.Buttler was dropped from England’s Test team during the tour of the UAE, having averaged 13 with the bat in the seven matches in which he played from the start of the Ashes. While he retained a place in the squad for the tour of South Africa, he has had to watch as his replacement, Jonny Bairstow, scored a maiden Test century in Cape Town to cement his role for the rest of the series.But Buttler’s limited-overs form has remained impressive. He smashed the quickest century in England’s limited-overs history in November – it took just 46 balls – and it is understood by ESPNcricinfo that Kolkata Knight Riders, the club which Trevor Bayliss coached before joining England, are particularly keen to secure his services this year.Initially Buttler was keen to return to Lancashire and attempt to win back his England place by performing well in the County Championship. But with Bairstow now assured of a prolonged run in the side and the ECB keen to see their players gain more experience of playing in overseas T20 tournaments such as the IPL or Big Bash, Buttler is rethinking that view.While it is possible that Buttler and Bairstow could feature in the same Test side – for all his excellence with the bat, Bairstow has yet to totally convince with the gloves and at some stage could be picked as a specialist batsman – it seems unlikely in the short term.The ECB are happy to leave the decision over whether to appear in the IPL to Buttler. Andrew Strauss, the ECB’s director of England cricket, has suggested on several occasions that he believes that England players can benefit from exposure to such events and there are those who believe that Buttler may benefit from pursuing a future as a white-ball specialist.But Butter, aged 25, retains Test ambitions and is reluctant to be typecast so early in his career. He also knows that, if he misses the first two months of the county season, there is no guarantee that he will displace the highly-rated Alex Davies, aged 21, as the Lancashire keeper.It leaves Buttler at a crossroads: he can work on his red-ball batting in the relatively unglamorous world of early-season county cricket in the hope it leads to a Test recall, or take the riches on offer in the IPL. It may seem, at first glance, like a simple decision. But Buttler knows that, once he slips out of the Test reckoning, it may prove hard to work his way back. With the ECB increasingly aware of the benefits of players specialising between red- and white-ball cricket, his decision could define the future direction of his career.The 2016 IPL season starts on April 9, a week after the final of the World Twenty20 in Kolkata, and ends on May 29, with players expected to report – subject to international duty – a week before the start. Players required for Test duty by England will be required to return to the UK by noon on May 6, with most non-Test players required to return by noon on May 17 to ensure their availability in the opening round of T20 Blast matches on May 20. Buttler could well be given special dispensation to remain in India for the entire tournament – as Kolkata Knight Riders are believed to have requested – at the discretion of the ECB.The ECB, who are currently involved in a budget review which has required several employees to reapply for their jobs, no longer operate a system by which they return to players the portion of their salaries forfeited for their release from county or central contracts – as they did up to the 2015 IPL season. However, it is understood they are considering topping up payments should a low reserve price result in England players making a net loss on their involvement. In previous years, players have priced themselves out of the market by demanding a higher reserve price to ensure they did not lose out financially.