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Trevor Bayliss, Sri Lanka’s coach, has said the return of fast bowler Lasith Malinga to Test cricket after 30 months has been a big bonus to the team

Sa'adi Thawfeeq in Galle21-Jul-2010Trevor Bayliss, Sri Lanka’s coach, has said the return of fast bowler Lasith Malinga to Test cricket after 30 months has been a big bonus to the team. Malinga broke the back of the Indian batting in the second innings with three wickets for 33 off nine overs to bring his team closer to victory in the first Test. His victims included the wickets of three of the top five Indian batsmen – Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar.”Malinga is our No. 1 fast bowler,” Bayliss said. “Being injured and not fit for Test cricket we had to try and play other bowlers who had done quite well in the last 18 months. It’s good to have him back fit and hungry for more cricket.”Malinga has not only contributed with the ball on his return to Test cricket, but he also made a career-best 64 in the Sri Lanka first innings. “They all work very hard at their batting and Malinga was telling me he should have been batting higher. He had a point to prove.”Comparing this match to the Test series played in India seven months ago where Sri Lanka were beaten 2-0, Bayliss said, “We weren’t too dejected how it went over there because we knew we were fielding a younger team and giving them some experience. Then at home here in conditions which we are used to and obviously a bit different for the Indian players and having Lasith back is a big bonus for us as well.”Although the game weighed heavily in favour of Sri Lanka after four days, Bayliss was wary of India’s batting prowess. “Nothing is easy against the Indian team. We had a good day and we are very happy with the position we are in but we realise there is still some hard work to be done,” he said. “The wicket is still playing reasonably well and obviously we have to take the weather side of it as well. We have been lucky in the last two days hopefully tomorrow is the same.”Bayliss was confident that Muttiah Muralitharan would get his two wickets on Thursday to get to a record 800 Test wickets. “We all love Murali to get those two wickets, but Murali would tell you as long as you get those remaining five wickets that’s what his main aim is. The rest of us would love him to get at least two of those five wickets. It’s going to be tough work because we got two very good batters at the wicket tomorrow morning.”This is the first time I’ve seen him with a bit of emotion after taking five wickets with his arms in the air. I am sure he is very happy the way he’s gone so far in the match. We all hope that he can finish it off tomorrow just as well. He’s practiced as he had in his last 132 Test matches. Coming into his farewell Test he wanted to do well and the results has shown.”

The Bombay High Court has reserved its judgement on the petition filed by suspended IPL chairman Lalit Modi against the BCCI until Thursday

Cricinfo staff14-Jul-2010The Bombay High Court has reserved its judgement on the petition filed by suspended IPL chairman Lalit Modi against the BCCI until Thursday, a day before Modi is supposed to appear before the board’s disciplinary committee. Modi had asked the court to quash the BCCI’s proceedings against him.The court heard arguments from both sides today. According to the , Modi’s lawyer Virag Tulzhapurkar argued that his client cannot expect an “impartial and honest” decision from the disciplinary committee. “[The] decision of this committee is a foregone conclusion,” Tulzhapurkar said.Modi wants the court to appoint a mutually acceptable and independent person, or panel, to judge his case. He has already demanded the removal of interim IPL chairman Chirayu Amin from the committee, claiming Amin holds a grudge against him for revealing that he was part of a failed bid for one of the two new IPL franchises.The other two members of the committee are board vice-presidents Arun Jaitley and Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who replaced Manohar. At the hearing, Tulzhapurkar said Jaitley should not be on the panel either because he had voted to ratify the charges against Modi at the board’s special general body meeting on July 3.Modi moved the High Court against the BCCI last week following the board’s vote to ratify the charges against him and refer them to its disciplinary committee.Modi was suspended immediately following the conclusion of IPL 3 and charged with financial irregularities relating to the bidding process for IPL franchises, the mid-over ad sales and the sale of theatrical rights. He was also charged with colluding to set up a rebel league in England. Modi had repeatedly accused Manohar and Srinivasan of harbouring personal grudges against him, and insisted neither of them should be involved in deciding his case.

According to reports by Corriere Torino (via Sport Witness), Everton are in the picture to sign Juventus star Aaron Ramsey and they even claim that the Italian side are presenting him on a plate to the Toffees.

The Lowdown: Ramsey’s failed move to Italy

Ramsey had an illustrious career at Arsenal, where he quickly became a fan favourite. The Wales international made 371 appearances for the club, in which he scored 65 goals and produced 65 assists.

Ramsey’s transfer to Turin did not work the way the Welshman would have wanted though, having made just 70 appearances for the Italian outfit, totalling just 98 minutes of playing time in the league this season.

The midfielder’s relationship with Juventus has begun to crumble. In an interview with The Guardian, he took a swipe at the Italian side, blaming his recent injuries on the club. He said that he’s still ‘feeling good, when given the opportunity and managed correctly’.

The Latest: Juventus offer Ramsey on a plate

As per reports in Turin (via Sport Witness), Everton remain in the picture to sign Ramsey. The Toffees join Newcastle United in pursuit of the Welshman’s signature, however it is being said that his wages have become a big problem.

The midfielder’s contract runs until the summer of 2025, so Juventus will need to find a suitor to match his enormous wages for the remaining three and a half years – adding up to a colossal £42m.

It is said that Juventus will therefore do anything to offload the player, and that they are even offering him on a plate to Everton on a free transfer.

The Verdict: Compromise

It is understandable that Ramsey’s wages are proving to be a stumbling block in Everton’s pursuit of the player – £42m is quite frankly a ridiculous sum, and one the club would surely not pay if that were the cost of the initial transfer for example.

However, Ramsey has never been short of enormous praise, so the talent is certainly there if they can find a compromise – former manager Arsene Wenger once even compared him to Premier League legend Frank Lampard. More recently during EURO 2020, Wales teammate Joe Allen hailed the midfielder as ‘world-class’.

Averaging 1.8 shots, 1 key pass and 0.8 dribbles per game for Wales in the summer tournament, the 30 year-old proved he still has what it takes at the top level, and if the Blues can find a reasonable deal with his representatives we feel this would be a fantastic move. That, of course, is a big IF.

Reigning County Champions Durham need another 102 runs with seven wickets in hand to wrap up their second win of the campaign after a fluctuating third day against fellow strugglers Kent that saw 17 wickets fall

19-May-2010
Scorecard
Reigning County Champions Durham need another 102 runs with seven wickets in hand to wrap up their second win of the campaign after a fluctuating third day against fellow strugglers Kent that saw 17 wickets fall.On a Canterbury pitch showing signs of uneven bounce, Durham lost their last four first-innings wickets for 77 before dismissing Kent for 162 inside 50 overs to leave themselves 18 overs plus the entire final day to score 169 for victory.In the 90 minutes before close Durham reached 67 for three after 18 overs as Kent did their best to make amends for a dismal second-innings batting performance. Kyle Coetzer fell for one to a Makhaya Ntini off-cutter that moved through the gate to hit middle stump, while Michael di Venuto (10) needlessly pulled an Azhar Mahmood bumper into the hands of Amjad Khan at deep mid-wicket.Young left-hander Scott Borthwick (14) dragged an attempted pull against Amjad Khan onto his off stump, but experienced duo Ian Blackwell (18) and Dale Benkenstein (24) survived without further alarm to strengthen Durham’s hopes of knocking off the required runs.Kent lost their way in the match by losing six wickets for 114 in the mid-session, having worked hard to muster a first-innings lead of six. Skipper Rob Key (14) drove on the up to short extra-cover to make it 34 for one and, without addition, Joe Denly (20) was unfortunate to be given lbw when pushing outside the line of off stump.Geraint Jones (17) bottom-edged an attempted cover drive onto the base of off stump against Chris Rushworth, before Sam Northeast was dismissed by a Ian Blackwell arm-ball which hit off stump low down.Top-scorer Martin van Jaarsveld (44) drove two feet outside off to edge a full ball from Steve Harmison to second slip and, to the last ball before tea, Azhar Mahmood played outside the line of another Blackwell arm ball to go lbw.Kent’s slide gathered momentum when, six balls after the break, Rob Ferley (one) played across the line of a Scott Borthwick leg-spinner to drag onto off stump and Alex Blake (seven) was bowled through the gate by left-arm spinner Blackwell after one turned out of the foot-holds.Teenager Borthwick picked up a second when he had Simon Cook (five) caught at slip from a ball that grazed the outside edge of the bat and Phil Mustard’s right glove before going to first slip before last man Ntini was caught behind off Steve Harmison.At the start of the day South African Makhaya Ntini had bagged 5 for 84 – his first five-for return for Kent – as Durham were dismissed for 418. Ben Stokes reached a career-best 161 not out but Ntini, bowling down the slope from the Nackington Road End, proved too much of a handful for the Durham tail-enders as Ben Harmison and Mitchell Claydon both edged drives to second slip.Stokes should have gone to a catch at deep mid-wicket on 131 but Joe Denly was unable to hold on, but was left high and dry when Chris Rush sliced to point and Azhar Mahmood had last man Steve Harmison caught behind.

The new tender will not require the bidder to have a net worth of $1 billion and will not demand that they provide an advance guarantee of $100 million

Nagraj Gollapudi07-Mar-2010The IPL’s unveiling of its two new franchises on Sunday ended in an anti-climax with the league pushing back the entire process by two weeks, in the process scrapping the existing tender procedure after bidders objected to stiff financial clauses. The new tenders, which will be floated on March 9 and opened on March 21, will drop a clause requiring the bidder to have a net worth of $1 billion.The new process will also amend two existing clauses: One will be a reduction of the advance deposit from $100 million to a $10 million “performance guarantee”, to be submitted 24 hours in advance of the bid being opened. Another original clause gave the IPL’s governing council the discretion to seek from the winning bidder 100% of the amount with a minimum time-frame; under the new process, the winning bids will be expected to pay 10% of their bid within 48 hours.The minimum bid amount, however, remains the same at $225 million; the existing tenders were not opened at the IPL governing council meeting in Mumbai and were returned to the bidders.”The relaxation [of the clauses] was because we received letters from many, many companies who had expressed interest but said that the $1 billion net worth criterion [was one] which owners of the existing franchises were not asked for earlier,” Lalit Modi, the IPL commissioner, said at a brief press conference. “So they asked why they were asked for the new criteria, which eliminates them from bidding, hence the clause has been amended to give more people the opportunity to bid.”Sources told Cricinfo that the opposition came from within too – senior BCCI officials had objected to the radical revision of clauses from those of two years ago. It was a reversal of Modi’s stand that the high entry fee was a means of keeping away frivolous investors. “We put a high-end clause for entry because we need to get solid companies,” he had told Cricinfo on Saturday. “This business requires a long gestation period and that is the reason we want to secure ourselves. The BCCI always secures itself.”The manner of the announcement – a public event scheduled to launch the next phase of the IPL’s remarkable success story – and the scale of the cutbacks in the clauses represent a departure from the usually sure-footed manner of the league’s workings and suggests that it had overestimated the viability of its terms and conditions for potential franchise owners. It also gave credence to the claim made on Friday by Priyadarshan, a film director, that the $1 billion clause was unviable and had put him off bidding for a franchise.The atmosphere at the Four Seasons hotel in downtown Mumbai was already shorn of the usual bustle associated with any IPL event, given the boycott by the National Broadcasters’ Association (NBA), an umbrella group of Indian TV channels. Not even the surprise entry of Bollywood stars Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor could raise more than a muted reception.Eventually only three bidders evinced interest: a consortium of Khan (son of former India captain MAK Pataudi), Kareena and her sister Karisma, Pune’s Panchshil group of industries and Venugopal Dhoot, owner of electronics manufacturer Videocon, who were bidding from Pune; the Adani Group for Ahmedabad and the Jaypee Group from a undisclosed venue.”The reason given was that they unilaterally cancelled the bids,” Atul Chordia, chairman and chief executive of the Panchshil Group, said. “It is not the question of happiness about the previous terms. Whatever terms and conditions were there we abided by it, whatever the tender form asked for we gave it, we tendered. We gave the 100 million dollar bank guarantee.”Chordia said he and the other investors in his group would be back to bid for the new tender.The cities in the fray were Pune, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Kanpur, Dharamsala, Vizag, Rajkot, Cuttack, Baroda, Kochi, Indore and Gwalior. The base price for the bid is more than four times the value set in January 2008, when the original eight franchises were auctioned. Other terms and conditions were similarly stringent – all bidders had to stump up a returnable deposit of $100 million before the bid, as against the $5 million (approximately) stipulated in 2008.

Stuart Broad produced a bowling performance to rival that of Andrew Flintoff at Lord’s as Australia felt their grip on the Ashes being prised away, finger by finger, on a sensational second day at The Oval

The Bulletin by Andrew Miller at The Oval21-Aug-2009
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsStuart Broad wrecked Australia’s top order with a stunning spell•Getty ImagesStuart Broad produced a bowling performance to rival that of Andrew Flintoff at Lord’s, and Graeme Swann chimed in with four vital wickets on a dry and dusty track, as Australia felt their grip on the Ashes being prised away, finger by finger, on a sensational second day at The Oval. Responding to England’s first-innings 332, the Aussies collapsed from a confident but never comfortable 61 for 0 at lunch to 160 all out shortly after tea, conceding a first-innings deficit of 172 in the process, as well as every ounce of the momentum they had established during their fourth-Test triumph at Headingley.Australia did recover from that nadir to claw back some lost initiative, claiming three key wickets in the closing overs of the day as the frailties of England’s dodgy batting card were exposed once again. Nevertheless, with Andrew Strauss remaining unperturbed on 32, and England’s lead extended to an already imposing 230, the majority of the demons remain with the side facing the prospect of batting last on a dustbowl that has more in common with Kanpur than Kennington. In particular, the manner of Alastair Cook’s dismissal – caught at slip as Australia’s part-timer, Marcus North, ripped an offspinner across his bows – was ample proof of the traumas that lie ahead.It was a stunning and memorable day’s play dredged from the depths of Australia’s worst nightmares, and their desperate afternoon session – in which they lost eight wickets for 72 in 24.4 incredible overs – is shaping up to be the decisive passage of play of the summer. Each of those eight breakthroughs was greeted with riotous acclaim by an absorbed and pumped-up crowd, as England’s bowlers surfed a wave of emotion to exploit once again the peculiar frailties of an Aussie batting order that, for all its myriad successes this summer, has now failed calamitously in three of their five first innings in the series.The star of England’s show was Broad, who was thrown the ball for the second full over after a 50-minute rain delay, and responded with a full and straight 12-over spell that perfectly exploited a pitch showing increasing signs of uneven bounce. He claimed the first four wickets to fall for eight runs in the space of 21 deliveries, and then – after Swann had extracted the obdurate pairing of North and Simon Katich – wrapped up his second five-wicket haul in consecutive innings by yorking Brad Haddin for 1.Fifteen wickets in all fell in the day, including (way back in the mists of time) that of James Anderson, whose first Test duck after six years and 54 innings might have been a portent of the chaos to come. Though Australia somehow reached lunch unscathed after 20.2 overs of hard graft, Shane Watson and Katich had been forced to scrap for every one of the 61 runs in their opening stand. Watson in particular tempted fate with three consecutive lbw appeals in the space of seven deliveries, but after the resumption, he fell to the very first delivery he received from Broad, nailed plumb lbw for 34 to prise open the floodgates.Jonathan Trott took a sharp, low catch to remove Michael Clarke•Getty ImagesRicky Ponting was the next man in, and though he emerged to loud acclaim – the boos of Edgbaston a distant memory – his personal jitters were transparently plain to see. Sensing that the wicket was already a minefield, he got off the mark with an under-edged cut for four off Broad, and then survived a frenzied lbw appeal in the next over as he shouldered arms to Flintoff. But before he could settle, Broad cramped him on the back foot, and he inside-edged a loose drive onto his middle stump for 8.Three Broad deliveries later, and Mike Hussey’s traumatic series had taken another turn for the worse, as he thrust out his front pad and was sent on his way lbw for a duck – the decision looked tight on the replay, but stone-dead to the naked eye. And when Michael Clarke, Australia’s star of the summer, drove fiercely into the covers in a bid to impose some authority, he picked out the debutant Jonathan Trott, who swooped superbly to cling onto a stinging low catch.From 73 for 0, Australia had drifted listlessly to 93 for 4, with only the obdurate Katich providing any sort of sheet-anchor. He opened the face of his bat to steer Broad through the gully to move to 49, but then at the other end, Swann got into the act – in a somewhat fortuitous fashion – as North thrust his bat and pad forward to a non-spinning delivery on middle stump, and was adjudged lbw for 8 despite evidence that the bat had won the race.North grinned wryly as he departed the crease, but there was little he or Australia could do to halt England’s momentum, and in his next over, Swann claimed the vital wicket of Katich, who once again played for non-existent turn on a pitch creating demons in the mind, and popped a facile chance off his bat and pad-flap to Cook at short leg for exactly 50. Nine balls later, and Broad was back on centre stage. Haddin came down late on a stump-splattering yorker, and Australia’s last recognised batsman had joined the procession.Mitchell Johnson did what he could to jump-start a flatlining innings, smacking Swann for two lusty fours in a single over, but with tea looming he became the eighth casualty of the session, stunningly snaffled by Matt Prior behind the stumps, who read the big turn off the pitch, and moved sharply to his left to cling onto an edged drive.Australia limped to tea on 133 for 8, and though Stuart Clark was hugely unfortunate to be adjudged caught at short leg for 6 when his bat was nowhere near the ball, Peter Siddle thrashed a skittish 26 not out as he and Ben Hilfenhaus hung around long enough to haul their side past the 150 mark. But Flintoff claimed his share of the limelight by yorking Hilfenhaus for 6, to complete an incredible and series-transforming two-and-a-half hours of cricket.Still the procession of wickets was not over, however. With a session and three days in which to cement their advantage, England felt no need to rush their reply, but with the score on 27, Cook’s unconvincing series came to an end as North nailed him for 9, before Ian Bell was somewhat unluckily extracted for 4, as he got on top of a short ball from his nemesis Johnson, only for Katich at short leg to hold onto a remarkable reflex catch inches from the turf. One over later, and Katich was back in the action when Johnson found Paul Collingwood’s splice with an effort ball, but Trott provided convincing and confident support for his captain, Strauss, to enable England to finish on a high.

As per Calciomercato, it appears that yet another player is now keen to join West Ham United as news emerges on Lille star Jonathan David.

The Lowdown: Targets eye Irons move?

According to numerous claims, it seems that a fair few transfer targets are quite keen on the idea of joining the Hammers and are open to a move to east London.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-updates/” title=”West Ham latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Manchester United’s Jesse Lingard has apparently ‘made it clear’ to West Ham that he wants to join, as per a recent update by reliable club insider ExWHUemployee.

Meanwhile, another reliable source in Evening Standard reporter Jack Rosser revealed earlier this month that Burnley defender James Tarkowski would also be interested.

Eurosport journalist Dean Jones lifted the lid on Manchester City defender Nathan Ake’s stance as well, claiming that the Netherlands international is ‘keen on the prospect’ of joining the Irons if his club will allow it.

As per a claim from Italy, yet another player is open to a London Stadium move.

The Latest: David’s stance is clear…

According to Calciomercato, in-form Lille striker David ‘likes’ the idea of joining either West Ham or Barcelona as the January transfer window looms.

The Canada international has been in fine form, scoring 14 goals in all competitions already this season, including three in the Champions League (Transfermarkt).

The Verdict: Tremendous coup?

David is one of the hottest forward prospects in Europe right now and has also been dazzling on the international stage, with a very impressive 18 goals in 24 caps.

His national team coach, John Herdman, even described the starlet as ‘fearless’ – with the praise hardly ending there.

Writing for The Guardian, French football expert Adam White raved over the 21-year-old’s exploits in a detailed piece and explained how he is transforming into an ‘elite striker’ in Ligue 1, even likening his style to Luis Suarez and Wissam Ben Yedder.

Valued at around £45m by Transfermarkt, his current deal at Lille runs until 2025, putting his club in a strong negotiating stance when it comes to a potential transfer.

For this reason, while David would undoubtedly be a phenomenal signing for West Ham, we believe this could be far too difficult to pull off.

In other news: ‘Yes please’, ‘Buzzing’…These West Ham fans rave as Newman eyes ‘absolute bargain’ for Moyes, find out more here.

The uncapped Hampshire batsman, Michael Lumb, has been named in England’s 15-man squad for the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean next month, while Craig Kieswetter has been named as the sole wicketkeeper in the party

Cricinfo staff31-Mar-2010The uncapped Hampshire batsman, Michael Lumb, has been named in England’s 15-man squad for the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean next month, while Craig Kieswetter has been named as the sole wicketkeeper in the party, ahead of the current Test and ODI incumbent, Matt Prior.There is also a recall for Ravi Bopara, who has not featured for England since last summer’s Ashes but has been starring for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, as well as the Sussex and former England Lions captain, Michael Yardy, whose slow-left arm spin and innovative middle-order batting could well find a role on the sluggish Caribbean surfaces.”We believe we’ve picked a balanced squad that can meet the needs of the Twenty20 format,” said England’s national selector, Geoff Miller. “Aggressive batting with variation, and strength in depth and various bowling options that accommodate the conditions and surfaces in the West Indies. Our fielding, which is such a vital aspect of limited-overs cricket, has improved markedly and there’s no reason we can’t perform well in what will be a challenging global tournament.”Kieswetter’s inclusion in the squad was telegraphed by his hasty inclusion for England’s recent tour of Bangladesh, on the strength of a matchwinning half-century for England Lions against the senior side in Abu Dhabi back in February. He went on score a maiden ODI hundred in his third appearance for England at Chittagong.”On the recent tour of Bangladesh, Craig Kieswetter showed what he is capable of in international limited-overs cricket and as a wicketkeeper at the top of the order he gives us options down the order,” said Miller. “Craig has improved over time and his selection indicates real competition for places which is only healthy for the England team. Despite missing selection for this format of the game Matt Prior very much remains in the England set-up and a part of our plans.Lumb, meanwhile, has been gaining valuable experience of Twenty20 cricket with Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, and he could well challenge Bopara as Kieswetter’s likely opening partner. “Lumb has consistently performed well in limited-overs cricket for Hampshire and has also impressed during his time in the IPL and with the England Lions,” said Miller. “As a powerful left-hander, Michael adds aggression to our batting and has the ability to complement the rest of the line-up.”On Yardy’s return to the England set-up, Miller commented: “Yardy has also performed at a consistently high level for his county, Sussex, in limited-overs cricket and knows his game inside and out. Both Michael and Ravi Bopara have earned recalls to the England squad after going away and working hard on their cricket with excellent results.”England’s seam attack will be led by the fit-again James Anderson and Stuart Broad, with Tim Bresnan a probable inclusion in the starting XI following an impressive winter. Ajmal Shahzad and Ryan Sidebottom complete the pace department, with Sidebottom’s inclusion something of a surprise following an injury-ravaged winter.Jonathan Trott and Joe Denly, who opened the batting for England in their last Twenty20 international, against Pakistan in Dubai last month, have both been omitted. England are drawn in Group D alongside West Indies and Ireland, and their first match against the hosts will be in Guyana on May 3.Squad Paul Collingwood (capt), James Anderson, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Craig Kieswetter, Michael Lumb, Eoin Morgan, Kevin Pietersen, Ajmal Shahzad, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Luke Wright, Michael Yardy.

New Zealand will visit Sri Lanka for a series of two Tests, five one-day internationals and one Twenty20 in October and November

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Sep-2012New Zealand will visit Sri Lanka for a series of two Tests, five one-day internationals and one Twenty20 in October and November. Sri Lanka Cricket has confirmed the schedule for the tour, which begins with a one-off T20 in Pallekele on October before the teams move on to the one-day international portion of the trip.The ODIs begin on November 1 in Pallekele and continue at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on November 4 and 6 before finishing with a pair of matches in Hambantota on November 10 and 12. They are followed by the first Test, which starts in Galle on November 17, and the second Test in Pallekele beginning on November 25.Last time New Zealand visited Sri Lanka for Tests was in 2009, when Sri Lanka won 2-0 on the back of a brilliant series from Thilan Samaraweera. New Zealand have not won a Test in Sri Lanka since May 1998, in what was Daniel Vettori’s 12th Test, when they prevailed by 167 runs in Colombo thanks to twin hundreds from Stephen Fleming and Craig McMillan.

Cricinfo previews the second Test between South Africa and England in Durban

The Preview by Andrew Miller25-Dec-2009Match factsDecember 26-30, 2009
Start time 10.00 am (0800 GMT)Big PictureFor South Africa, Christmas so nearly came early in Centurion last week, when England’s lower order crumbled in the face of an inspired new-ball spell from Friedel de Wet, and it was left to Graham Onions’ improbably broad bat to salvage a shred of dignity in a contest that, as late as tea on the final day, had seemed dead-set for the draw.At Cardiff at the start of England’s Ashes summer, a similar scenario had felt like a victory, given the extent to which England had been outplayed throughout that contest. This time, however, there was no way that England could claim to have emerged from Centurion with momentum. As Andrew Strauss admitted at the end of the game, it was pretty embarrassing to have got themselves into such a predicament in the first place.Nevertheless, the drama of that last hour has confirmed just how competitive this series is set to be, and as the teams reconvene in Durban for the Boxing Day Test, Graeme Smith and his men will believe that, having come so close in such an unlikely fashion, they will be even better placed to apply sustained pressure over the coming five days, especially if Jacques Kallis’ return to bowling fitness is supplemented by the comeback of their world No.1-ranked bowler, Dale Steyn.England will still, however, believe they have the wherewithal to put South Africa under equal amounts of pressure. For proof of that possibility, they need only cast their minds back to their previous tour of the country in 2004-05, when – having themselves been thwarted two wickets from victory in a gripping Boxing Day Test – they headed off to Cape Town for New Year and found themselves on the wrong end of a 196-run hiding.Strauss will know that there is considerable room for English improvement in Durban, both in terms of onfield performance, but also luck. In hindsight, winning the toss on a misleadingly green wicket was no advantage whatsoever, and England will surely use their umpiring review opportunities much wisely than they did in Centurion. Either way, both teams have reason to believe that the series is still very much theirs for the taking.Form guide (last 5 Tests, most recent first)South Africa DWLLL
England DWLDW
Watch out forIan Bell was the understandable focus of England’s first-Test failings, given that he had been a last-minute pick to shore up the batting, yet mustered seven runs in two innings, including a hideous first-innings leave to Paul Harris. Nevertheless, all the focus on Bell has detracted from another under-achiever higher up the order. Alastair Cook’s match was scarcely any better – he managed scores of 15 and 12, and would have fallen for a first-ball duck to Makhaya Ntini had it not been for AB de Villiers’ rare blemish at slip. Despite extensive remedial work on his technique with Graham Gooch, he’s managed just two centuries in the past 24 months, and having turned 25 on the eve of the match, a return to the precocious form of his first year in international cricket is overdue.Leading into this tour, England still had their doubts about Hashim Amla. He made an important century at Lord’s in 2008 to save the Test that turned that particular series, but a weakness against the short ball ensured that he remained a target in the top-order, just as he had been on his home Test debut, on this very ground in 2004-05, when he was tormented by Steve Harmison and managed one run in two innings. At Centurion last week, however, he came of age in the eyes of his previously sceptical opponents, producing a century of exceptional skill and diligence to stave off the prospect of an England heist. He now belongs in South Africa’s middle-order entirely on merit.Team newsDe Wet’s demolition job in Centurion set a cat among the selectorial pigeons, and in any ordinary circumstances, he would surely expect a follow-up Test appearance as reward for the match-turning efforts he produced on debut. However, with Steyn set to return to the fold after his hamstring injury, the only other candidate to make way is the venerable Makhaya Ntini, and that – for innumerable different reasons – just isn’t going to happen. At least with Kallis expected to play a more rounded all-round role, South Africa will be armed with an extra bowling option.South Africa: (probable) 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Ashwell Prince, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 AB de Villiers, 6 JP Duminy, 7 Mark Boucher (wk), 8 Paul Harris, 9 Morne Morkel, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Makhaya Ntini.Bell and Cook are under the cosh, but England like to avoid panic measures wherever possible, and with doubts still existing about Luke Wright’s readiness for Test cricket, the likelihood is of an unchanged starting XI, and a chance for the players who mucked up in Centurion to atone for their errors. A similar policy has paid dividends in the past, but England’s lack of genuine batting alternatives is probably the single biggest reason for the mass reprieve.England: (probable) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Paul Collingwood, 6 Ian Bell, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Graham Onions.Pitch and conditionsDurban is hot, hot, hot, and Kingsmead is one of the muggiest venues in the international game. It promises to be a strength-sapping contest for fielders on both sides, but equally, it could be one of opportunity if the pitch turns out to be a traditional “green mamba”. Five years ago, Smith won the toss and rightly fielded first, whereupon Shaun Pollock, Steyn and Ntini routed England for 139 in their first innings inside two sessions. Strauss will surely be wary of taking such a route given what happened in Centurion, but he’d be unwise to dismiss such a notion out of hand.Stats and Trivia Durban was famously the venue of the Timeless Test in 1938, but even since readmission, it has retained a certain reputation for staging stalemates. England have never yet lost in three attempts since 1995-96, while South Africa have drawn six of their 17 Tests there since 1992. Jacques Kallis is certainly a fan of Kingsmead. He has amassed a formidable 1046 runs in 20 Test innings, at a mighty average of 58.11. His four centuries include the 162 he made on England’s last visit. For a full statistical preview, Click hereQuotes”My life has turned around in a big, big way from running around here as a kid to where I am now. I love it; I would never ever change anything.”
“I’m not sure he’s taken part in any of our meetings.”