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The England and Rajasthan Royals batter has spent much of the last ten months moving in and out of biosecure environments

Alan Gardner20-Apr-2021Liam Livingstone, the England and Rajasthan Royals batter, has opted to return home early from the IPL, citing “bubble fatigue” after spending much of the last ten months moving in and out of biosecure environments. The Royals said that Livingstone had flown back to the UK on Monday, before India was added to a “red list” of countries from which the arrivals need to undergo a mandatory ten-day quarantine period.Livingstone joined up with the Royals after his involvement in England’s limited-overs series against India in March, which included his ODI debut. However, he had not been selected for any of Royals’ three IPL matches in the ongoing tournament.The 27-year-old was playing at the Pakistan Super League in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic first caused a global shutdown of the cricket calendar. He was named as part of an expanded England training squad in May, as the ECB prepared to stage all of its home matches behind closed doors, and was a reserve squad member for the limited-overs series against Ireland, Pakistan and Australia.He was also an unused back-up on the tour of South Africa in November and December, which was cut short amid concerns that biosecurity protocols had failed, before moving on to the Big Bash League, where he played a key role in getting Perth Scorchers to the final of the competition.Livingstone is not the first player to withdraw from the IPL for such reasons, with Mitchell Marsh telling the Sunrisers Hyderabad he would not be travelling in March. Several England players pulled out of the Big Bash this winter, too, including Tom Banton and Tom Curran, after spending extended time in biosecure environments as cricket boards attempted to fulfil their fixtures while grappling with the pandemic.Livingstone’s return is a positive for his county, Lancashire, who are two matches into the start of their County Championship campaign and will be strengthened in their push for a spot in Division One.

Wicketkeeper set to take over from Faf du Plessis in series against England

Firdose Moonda at the Wanderers22-Jan-2020Quinton de Kock says that he intends to lead South Africa in his own “street-smart” style when he takes over as ODI captain for next month’s series against England. However, he will also take a leaf out of Faf du Plessis’ captaincy, in particular his ability to balance big egos at the highest level of professional sport.De Kock was named as South Africa’s 50-over captain on Tuesday and appears to have been identified as the long-term successor despite independent selector Linda Zondi saying du Plessis has not officially stepped down. He says he will draw from du Plessis’ diplomacy as he begins his own leadership journey.”What I’ve learnt from Faf is the amount of patience he has created and developed over the years with the players,” de Kock said, in his first media appearance since being named captain. “Being captain and dealing with a lot of high-profile players and guys with a lot of opinions, for him to have the patience to deal with that as a captain, it’s grown him as a person. I’ve seen it from the side, standing next to him as ‘keeper and helping him with one or two things on the field and off the field, I have learnt from him.”But that’s as much copy-catting as de Kock would like to do. The rest of his management style will be more fluid than we have become used to from South African cricket, which tends to be methodical but not always easily adaptable.De Kock, who is known for his intuitive batting style, has promised to bring that to his captaincy.”There will be some sort of planning you have to do, some homework,” he said. “You always have Plan A, Plan B and if those two don’t work, I like to come up with things on the field. You have to make decisions on the go, especially in the heat of everything.”Most of the time, I will keep it pretty street-smart – not just me but also the players. I would enjoy if the players become street-smart out there and don’t always have to go just on a certain plan. That’s when guys end up learning from the game, without them planning things. I think that helps grow people and cricketers in general.”Quinton de Kock celebrates after scoring a half-century•AFP

Asked whether his elevation to the ODI captaincy could be a precursor to him taking over the Test team, de Kock was unwilling to look that far into the future but admitted he would not say no if it was offered to him.ALSO READ: Ngidi, Bavuma return to South Africa ODI squad“I’m not too sure. There’s a lot of guys that are well prepared to be Test captain. Temba is vice-captain and he has come back and scored a lot of runs so his name is always also going to be there,” de Kock said. “It’s not up to me whether they want me to be Test captain or not, it’s entirely up to the coaches and Graeme and all those guys. I don’t think I will push for it, but if they want me to then I will do it to the best of my ability.”Du Plessis has indicated that The Wanderers Test could be his last at home, with South Africa only due to play two more Tests in West Indies in July, before du Plessis reassesses his career after November’s T20 World Cup. Before that, du Plessis has the task of leading South Africa in a must-win match this week, in an attempt to square the series and avoid losing three rubbers in a row.”What I am trying to do is back Faf,” de Kock said. “There is a bit of pressure, not just on him, a couple of other guys as well. I’m trying to be there, help the guys out, lighten the mood at times. It’s quite difficult when you are a player under so much pressure. When I have an opportunity to make someone feel better, or give them advice or just say, ‘life’s not so bad’ then I add my two cents or do what I can to help the guys.”Some would argue the best thing de Kock could do to help is score runs, and he is already making big strides in that regard. He is South Africa’s leading run-scorer in the series, and 23 runs behind overall leader Ben Stokes. Those statistics suggest it’s perhaps not de Kock, but the rest of the line-up that needs to stand up, but the man himself holds high standards which he knows he has yet to meet.”I’ve gotten out in quite soft ways a couple of times. It’s just about me trying to rectify it,” he said.At St George’s Park, de Kock was one of several batsmen whose shot selection was questionable and working on a combination of technique and mindset has been the focus of their preparation. De Kock would advise them not to overthink things and respond in the moment.”In the situation guys forget that we need to play the situation and not the bowler at the time. A lot of people forget about that,” he said.

The Queensland duo is looking increasingly likely to join Aaron Finch and Travis Head for debuts in the first Test against Pakistan

Daniel Brettig in Dubai05-Oct-2018Australia may field as many as four debutants – Aaron Finch, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne and Michael Neser – at the start of their first Test series since the Newlands ball-tampering scandal, the most in a single match since the World Series Cricket split four decades ago.Two days out from the opening Test against Pakistan in Dubai, Finch and Head are certain to play, while the Queensland pair of Labuschagne and Neser are looking increasingly likely to join them.It would be a particularly swift rise for Labuschagne, once again due to Renshaw’s misadventures. He was only included in the first-class portion of the recent Australia A tour of India when Renshaw strained a hamstring, and a pair of handy scores in the last match before the squad was picked vaulted Labuschagne above the likes of Peter Handscomb and Glenn Maxwell.Last week, Renshaw’s concussion when struck on the helmet at short leg meant Labuschagne batted in his place in Australia’s only warm-up fixture for this series, leaving the opener short of the preparatory batting time in the middle, much valued by the new coach Justin Langer.Labuschagne’s inclusion would necessitate a reshuffle of the batting order, with Finch opening alongside Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh at No. 3, vice-captain Mitchell Marsh at No. 4 and Head followed by Labuschagne at Nos. 5 and 6. This would also create a right-left mix well down towards the tail, with captain Tim Paine and spearhead Mitchell Starc at Nos. 7 and 8.”If we can continue to do what we’ve been doing over the last couple of weeks here with that middle-order group and especially the way we played in the tour match, there’s no reason why we can’t do that in the two Test matches in the next couple of weeks and really put a stamp on it,” Head said. “We’re here to win games of cricket. We’re here to perform. It’s really exciting for the core bunch of guys in that middle order to really step up and do the job.Tim Paine and Justin Langer pose during a portrait session•Getty Images

“I think the message is always pretty simple. You want to go out and perform and win games of cricket for Australia. I know from the one-day team and that’s traditionally how it’s always been for the Australian cricket team. It’s always tough for spots and those guys are unlucky to miss out and have been in really good form, but in the tour match we were 4 for 500 [494]. The guys are in form, it’s always tough to get into the Australian cricket team and the fight for spots is always up.Head, who struggled notably against spin in the past, including against the left-arm spinner Jon Holland in a pair of Sheffield Shield finals, said that a strong defence would enable the tourists to spend enough time at the crease to overcome the radical differences to Australian conditions.”It’s challenging over here. We’ve had a lot of experience now. Obviously IPL, Australia-A tours, the Australian tour just gone in India. The guys played exceptionally well,” Head said. “Watching that, the way guys went in and played to the conditions and took it on, probably seemed a different kind of style to really grind it out. We’ve seen that again in the tour match.”I think we’ve developed over a little bit and we can continue to get better. The same thing personally as well. I’ve really worked hard on my forward defence. I’ve spoken a lot about that over the last couple of months. It’s been really consistent in my game and it has meant that I’ve been able to spend time out in the middle. Once you get a feel for the conditions, especially over here once it starts turning, if you get a feel for that and spend lots of time out in the middle, you need to go on with it and bat long periods of time. I’ll try and continue to do that and so will everyone else.”Neser, meanwhile, impressed in the tour game as a foil for Starc, and is duelling with the well-travelled Peter Siddle for the second pacer’s spot. Siddle, Starc and Nathan Lyon are the only members of the squad who took part in Australia’s last series in the UAE, a 2-0 defeat to Pakistan in 2014.

Batsman accuses Pakistan head coach of being abusive, lashes out at being denied the opportunity to use the facilities at the National Cricket Academy

Umar Farooq16-Aug-20171:46

The ups and downs of Umar Akmal

Middle-order batsman Umar Akmal has been out of favour for a while, but he has stormed back into the headlines with an explosive attack against Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur. In a press conference in Lahore, Akmal accused Arthur of using abusive language against him and barring him from using coaching facilities at the National Cricket Academy, saying he had to “earn that right”.Akmal said he was “insulted” by the head coach and deprived of the opportunity to “improve myself”. The PCB took swift notice of his outburst, issuing a show-cause notice demanding he respond within a fortnight.The latest saga in Akmal’s downward spiral of a career began when he was named in a national high performance camp organised by the NCA. He pulled out, citing a knee injury and according to him, had informed the relevant officials – including head coach Mushtaq Ahmed – and excused himself for five weeks, during which he intended to undergo rehabilitation with his private trainer in England. Despite returning earlier than expected, the camp had already concluded.”I had gone to England for rehabilitation of my knee injury,” said Akmal. “After I recovered, I went to the NCA to start working on my fitness and training. But the coaching staff doesn’t want to work with me at all. When I asked why all those international coaches didn’t want to work with me, they responded that they wanted to prioritise working with players who had central contracts. I said that I too am an international Pakistan cricketer, and if my fitness is lacking – and I admit that along the way my fitness has been found wanting – they should help me.Umar Akmal was dumped from Pakistan’s squad for the Champions Trophy after failing a fitness test•Getty Images

“I then went to talk to the chief selector (Inzamam), but he referred me to Mickey Arthur. Arthur took me back to Inzi bhai’s room and started scolding me and using bad language in front of Inzi bhai, which I found demeaning and insulting. It’s not even my fault, and I find it painful that anyone should be allowed to swear at me. I accept my fitness isn’t up to the mark, and I am trying to work on it, and I asked to be allowed a trainer to help me. But Mickey said I shouldn’t even have come to the NCA, and should be playing club cricket instead.”Arthur confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that an exchange had taken place with Akmal, in which he informed Akmal that as he was no longer a contracted player, he needed to earn back the right to use the NCA.”I did tell him [Umar Akmal] a few home truths and said he was always looking for excuses instead of looking at himself,” Arthur said. “I also told him that he had to earn the right to use our support staff because he is not a contracted cricketer. He can’t just walk in here and demand what he wants.”Arthur has over the last year made improving Pakistan’s fitness standards a central focus of his coaching tenure. On various occasions, he has been candid, and at times censorious, when airing his views about the fitness of a number of Pakistan players, including Akmal. The PCB has thrown its support behind his fitness campaign, and given him free hand to axe players who did not meet his fitness standards.Akmal was sent back home from England after failing two fitness tests leading up to the start of the Champions Trophy – despite initially being included in the squad. Akmal had previously been dropped from a tour of the West Indies in April for similar reasons. He was excluded from that squad after he was the only player, out of 31, to fail the fitness test during a camp held at the National Cricket Academy in March.”He [Mickey] shouldn’t be swearing at me like that, it is like he’s abusing all of Pakistan,” complained Akmal. “You look at any cricket match, and you’ll see he’s swearing at one player or the other. I want to reveal this to the public and to all my fans. I request the chairman [Najam Sethi] to take this issue very seriously. When the head coach is allowed to swear at someone whenever they wish, that is unacceptable. As a Pakistani, I could not stomach it.”I want to tell them that even when I try to do something good, I am prevented from doing so. When I take pictures with my fans, they, too, tell me to work on my fitness, and I feel they are right. But now I want to rectify this, everything is being snatched away from me. Why do academies exist? They exist to correct our mistakes. Now you should tell me what to do; I am a Pakistan player.”With Arthur’s position stronger than it has arguably been at any point in his stint as Pakistan coach in the wake of the Champions Trophy triumph, Akmal’s outburst is likely to make an already ropey international future more uncertain still.

There was little evidence at Canterbury to support the notion that Kent are vigorous promotion candidates despite their lofty position in the table

David Hopps at Canterbury28-Jun-2016
ScorecardWayne Madsen again enjoyed the Kent bowling attack•Getty Images

There was little evidence at Canterbury to support the notion that Kent are vigorous promotion candidates despite their lofty position in the table. Derbyshire, without a win all season, drank their fill on a benign pitch against a threadbare attack before calling off their first innings with a lead of 195 and the last pair at the crease.Wayne Madsen and Shiv Thakor took hundreds off Kent in the corresponding fixture in Derby in May, and did so again, a feat thought by David Griffin, former Board member, freelance photographer and statistician, to be unique in Derbyshire’s history.They were a watchable combination: Madsen neat and orderly for his 163, Thakor displaying nimble footwork and wristy ambition as he contributed 123. Their stand of 144 in 37 overs dominated the third day.Whether Derbyshire will force victory, though, is highly dubious. Their declaration came with only 15 overs left in the day, hardly enterprising with rain forecast for the final afternoon. Kent’s pace bowler Mitch Claydon, fielding at third man, was heard to ask: “163 overs! I don’t think I’ve ever fielder for 163 overs. Why?” Such are the philosophical questions that concern fast bowlers with 30 overs next to their name.Derbyshire are expected be a bowler light after Will Davis broke down in the first innings with a recurrence of a hip injury. In fading light, Kent saw out the final hour without alarm.Madsen, whose innings ended when he played across one from Matt Hunn, has 22 Derbyshire hundreds now, a number beaten by only four players – Kim Barnett, now the county’s president; the casually talented John Morris; the New Zealander John Wright, a batsman of ungainly defiance; and the dapper South African, Peter Kirsten.Only Kirsten has scored his hundreds at a faster rate than Madsen’s one every 9.2 innings, although four-day cricket has had an influence on that, not forgetting the lack of world-class fast bowlers these days, especially in Division Two. Kent did little to challenge that notion.Thakor’s switch from Leicestershire to Derbyshire at the end of 2014 felt a bit of a sideways move, and his form last season was unspectacular. At 22, he has progressed this summer. This was his fourth Championship century and it was fun to watch, with all manner of little flourishes going on after he has played the shot.Seventy-five of his runs came off the spinners, James Tredwell and Joe Denly, both of them treated as a convenience, his hundred raised when he struck Tredwell for a straight six. He was dropped by Alex Blake at extra cover and long-off, soon after his hundred, in successive overs off Darren Stevens and Tredwell, eventually succumbing when he chipped to mid-on.The absence of one Kent pace bowler has already been remarked upon. Up on the dressing room balcony, as the players came off for tea, Matt Coles offered desultory applause and failed to stifle a sizeable yawn. Under scrutiny because of his drink-fuelled antics in Cardiff last week, he had a ponderous training session over lunch, and later sat on an exercise bike, but it did not endear him to every member. “Look at the size of him,” said one.Coles’ career is at a critical point and it would be regrettable if his issues are not seriously addressed by all parties, beginning with himself, because he is a good and entertaining cricketer.

A fine all-round performance from Rikki Clarke saw Birmingham through to an impressive victory over Leicestershire at Grace Road

ECB/PA04-Jul-2015
ScorecardRikki Clarke played a key role with bat and ball as Birmingham won a close game•Getty Images

A fine all-round performance from Rikki Clarke saw Birmingham through to an impressive victory over Leicestershire at Grace Road.Having hit 46 from 36 balls after Birmingham batted first, the experienced Clarke then produced the most economical figures of the T20 competition so far this season, bowling his four overs (three of which formed part of the Leicestershire Powerplay) for just ten runs and picking up the wicket of opener Ned Eckersley.Leicestershire captain Mark Cosgrove hit 74 off 56 balls to keep his side in the hunt but he was run out in the final over, from which 19 runs were required. The result leaves Birmingham top of the North Group, while Leicestershire may now need to win their final three games to qualify for the quarter-finals.Earlier, the home side had shown few ill-effects from their long and fruitless trip to Durham the previous evening, from which they did not get back to Leicester until close to 3am.Ben Raine struck with his first ball, Birmingham captain Varun Chopra going leg before wicket playing across a straight delivery, but the wicket Leicestershire craved came in the following over.Clint McKay, clearly relishing bowling on a pitch with a little more pace than some at Grace Road this season, had already discomfited Brendon McCullum with a rising delivery when he pitched one up and the New Zealand skipper, who had scored an English T20 record 158 against Derbyshire at Edgbaston on Friday evening, mistimed an attempted drive straight into the hands of compatriot Grant Elliott at mid-off for just 6.There was no panic from Clarke, however, and in company initially with Tom Lewis and then with Tim Ambrose, he steered Birmingham towards a competitive score before finally holing out off the bowling of Ollie Freckingham.Clarke’s bowling spell kept the Leicestershire chase in check, but with Cosgrove going strongly in company with New Zealand international Grant Elliott, they looked to be favourites at the 15-over point, when they were 111 for 2. At the same stage of their innings, Birmingham were 111 for 5.But Elliott, who had been playing calmly, surprisingly lifted Recordo Gordon high to Lauire Evans at deep midwicket and, not for the first time this season, Gordon’s well-disguised slower balls ensured the required rate kept rising until it was beyond the home team’s reach.”It was a good win,” Clarke said. “It was not a complete performance by any means and we were not at our best but we have come away with two points which is the sign of a good side. We have that winning formula.”We were perhaps 15 or 20 runs shy of what we wanted but we are a good bowling and fielding side and have defended that sort of total before and did so again. I was very pleased with my bowling. I had seen the way the ball nipped around for their guys so just tried to keep it simple, stand the seam up and get it through to Timmy Ambrose.”

It took five games for a struggling Karnataka to get their first win of the season, but with only 11 points on the board their captain Vinay Kumar is bullish about making the quarter-finals

Kanishkaa Balachandran at the Chinnaswamy Stadium11-Dec-2012It took five games for a struggling Karnataka to get their first win of the season, but with only 11 points on the board their captain Vinay Kumar is bullish about making the quarter-finals, if they can make the most of their three remaining games. Playing in familiar surroundings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, Karnataka picked up six points from their victory over Delhi on Tuesday which meant they were no longer the bottom-placed team in Group B, jumping to sixth. With their next two games also at home (in Mysore and Hubli), Vinay felt two more wins would help them get a foot in the door in the quarter-finals.”It was a good win and there were some positives to take from the game,” Vinay said. “Now we’ve got 11 points. In the next three games, two are home games, one’s away. Hopefully we’ll get another two outright wins and make the quarter-finals.”The pitch had a crucial role to play. Karnataka were desperate for a result to arrest their slide, and a grassy pitch was prepared to encourage a win. It was a sort of pitch suited for the seamers to make a mark on the opening day, but Vinay took the gamble of batting first. You had to ask why a team struggling for runs through the season would throw its batsmen in the deep end at a crucial stage in the tournament.From an armchair critic’s perspective, it was a surprising decision but Karnataka saw things differently. It was a question of seeing off the new ball and waiting for the afternoon session to start piling on the runs. However, the decision was questioned on the opening day when Karnataka were bowled out for 192.Their bowlers did a decent job to not allow Delhi run away with an imposing lead, keeping it to 66. Karnataka’s openers, Robin Uthappa and KL Rahul got their heads together to build a stand of 140. Delhi hit back with quick wickets but the hosts’ middle order ensured a more than handy lead, enough to ensure they couldn’t lose.If given a similar pitch, Vinay said he would still opt to bat. “It was a good wicket to bat on,” he said. “In any wicket, the first one hour will be crucial. We lost three wickets in the first hour. So, if we get the same kind of wicket, we’re definitely going to bat first.”The pitch had eased out for the batsmen on the fourth day, and with the Mithun Manhas-Rajat Bhatia duo standing in the way of Karnataka’s plans of chasing a win, Vinay realised he had to try something different in the field to force mistakes. He continued to attack, and persisted with his seamers from both ends.Manhas’ untimely dismissal, caught off a top edge, gave Karnataka a big opening, but Vinay felt that Bhatia’s wicket, caught brilliantly by Kunal Kapoor at silly point, turned the game.”Till tea, we tried many things, but nothing happened,” he said. “The catch that Kunal took was amazing. That’s where the game turned. The fourth-day wicket was very good to bat on. We knew when the new ball was due, we would have a chance.”While Karnataka can toast their success, there’s still plenty to be done if they are to be contenders for the quarter-finals. They need bigger contributions from their batsmen. So far, the team has only two centuries, both scored in a high-scoring draw in Chennai. In this game, both Uthappa and Stuart Binny were in sight of centuries but fell in the eighties.Their performance against Delhi was a big improvement from their previous game against Odisha, where none of the batsmen passed fifty. Having made 475 in the second innings, Vinay acknowledged the improvement but felt it was time his frontline batsmen started converting their scores. He said the bowling attack had a more settled look, and wasn’t in favour of going with four frontline seamers, given that the lone spinner KP Appanna was underused in this game.”It (playing four seamers) means that one will be underbowled. If it’s the three of us and Stuart (Binny), it’ll be easier for us to rotate the bowlers. Appanna is also there, he got three crucial wickets in this game. So, we don’t think four seamers is a good option.”

A controversy has arisen over a statement made by Vinod Kambli that he “doubted” crucial decisions made during the 1996 World Cup semi-final between India and Sri Lanka in Kolkata

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Nov-2011A controversy has arisen over a statement made by Vinod Kambli, the former India batsman, that he “doubted” crucial decisions made during the 1996 World Cup semi-final between India and Sri Lanka in Kolkata. Several of Kambli’s team-mates in that match, including captain Mohammed Azharuddin, and the team manager Ajit Wadekar, have denied the allegations.Kambli said, in an emotional interview with television channel in India on Thursday, that he “doubted” the semi-final. He said the team had decided at its pre-match meeting to bat first if India won the toss and he had noticed that opener Navjot Sidhu had padded up before the toss, as was his habit, indicating that if India won the toss, he would be batting first.Kambli then said he was surprised when India decided to field first. The semi-final was abandoned following crowd trouble after India, chasing 252, were 120 for 8 – they were 98 for 1 at one stage – with Kambli unbeaten on 10. Kambli said in the interview that he would never forget the match because his career had ended after that game. “This ended my career. I was dropped from the team, I was made the scapegoat,” he said. Kambli was not available for comment following his TV interview.Saba Karim, the former India wicketkeeper who also appeared on the programme, told ESPNcricinfo that he had reminded Kambli that his career did not end then. “I said to him, Vinod, you played for India after that, we played together in Canada.” After the World Cup semi-final on March 13, 1996, Kambli played 35 ODIs for India.Azharuddin, appearing on , sought to dismiss Kambli’s allegations. “Absolutely rubbish. [He] doesn’t know what he is talking about.” Azharuddin said a “team decision” to field first was made at a meeting where, “Everyone was there, including the manager. Kambli must have been sleeping during the team meeting.” He said that after a discussion India had decided to field first. He conceded there were different points of view at the meeting but said the final decision was taken collectively.Azharuddin was handed a life ban by the BCCI in 2000 after a federal inquiry found him guilty of match-fixing. He denied the charges and is awaiting judgement on a suit filed by him.After the Indian sports minister Ajay Maken called for an investigation into Kambli’s claims, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla denied any further action was needed. “The BCCI had decided to ban Azhar on the basis of CBI report and there are no new circumstances to review the decision.”Sharad Pawar, the ICC president, also rejected the claims. “Kambli’s allegations are not logical. If he had concentrated on his game, we might have got another Sachin Tendulkar.”Sanjay Manjrekar, another member of that team, also sought to dismiss the allegation on Twitter. “1996 world cup semi-final – The decision to field first may have turned out to be a wrong decision but it was an honest cricketing decision.”Ajit Wadekar, who also spoke to Kambli on on Thursday night, said the decision to field first had been based on the Sri Lankan team’s excellent record at chasing scores at the World Cup. “The entire team felt that the Sri Lanka players were good chasers. Hence, the team felt that if India fielded first, Sri Lanka could be easily defeated. In the team meeting before the match it was decided that India would field in the event of winning the toss. The decision was taken after consultation with the entire team.”Former national selector Venkatapathy Raju, who also played that match, said that in the meeting Navjot Sidhu was the only person who believed they should have been batting first because the wicket was dry. Raju, speaking to Star News, called it “surprising” that Kambli was claiming this after 15 years.

Mickey Arthur, Mike Hussey’s coach at Western Australia, has backed the under-fire middle-order batsman and is adamant that “Australia would be wrong if they didn’t pick Hussey.”

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Nov-2010Mickey Arthur, Mike Hussey’s coach at Western Australia, has backed the under-fire middle-order batsman and is adamant that “Australia would be wrong if they didn’t pick Hussey.”Hussey battled his way back to some sort of form with a gritty, unbeaten 71 that stitched Australia’s middle order together in the first one-dayer against Sri Lanka at Melbourne. Though it was not the prettiest of knocks, it may help quieten questions over his worth in the Test side ahead of the Ashes.Hussey, 35, has scored just two Test centuries in the past 18 months and, most recently, had two indifferent series against Pakistan in England and India in India. Hoping for some first-class practice ahead of the first Test at Brisbane, he played in WA’s Sheffield Shield match against South Australia last week but was out first ball in the first innings and managed just three runs second time round.But Arthur, formerly South Africa’s coach, believes Hussey’s experience could prove crucial as Australia seek to regain the Ashes. “He has a wealth of experience,” said Arthur. “You need your experienced players in a Test match against England and the first Test match of a series, it’s really important.””I guess you’re always a little bit down if you don’t score any runs but he’s been fine. We did a bit of work and he’s hitting the ball exceptionally well. Technically, there’s nothing wrong with him. Mike will be fine and I expect him to play in that first Test match. He just needs a hit-out somewhere and he’ll get that in the one-dayers and he’ll be fine.”

Graeme Swann is a jovial character at the best of times, but he will go into the first Test against South Africa with a spring in his step after bagging a six-wicket haul against the Invitational XI at Buffalo Park

Andrew McGlashan in East London10-Dec-2009
ScorecardGraeme Swann will hope for similar success when the first Test gets under way•Getty Images

Graeme Swann is a jovial character at the best of times, but he will go into the first Test against South Africa with a spring in his step after bagging a six-wicket haul against the Invitational XI at Buffalo Park. His collection included three wickets in four balls although some of the shot selection from the home side provided Swann with the sort of freebies that won’t be on offer at Centurion next week.It was a good day all-round for Swann who hit a sprightly 39 off 31 balls as England declared mid-way through the afternoon on 328 for 8 with Ian Bell (48) and Matt Prior (44) also adding 83 for the sixth wicket before the pair retired. Swann then struck with his second ball before running through the line-up during the final session as he tossed the ball up against batsmen happy to swing from the hip. The most impressive of them was Sammy-Joe Avontuur who made an attractive 68 before missing a wild swipe at Swann. David Wiese edged an ambitious drive to slip and Swann was within a whisker of a hat-trick when the ball just missed the stumps.The quick bowlers enjoyed less success as they tried to shake off the rust. Graham Onions made the opening breakthrough but Stuart Broad’s first spell cost 42 runs as he dropped too short on a surface that remained slow. He ended with 11 overs in the tank although looked as though he needs another run-out in the second match, when James Anderson and Ryan Sidebottom are both set to play after resting their respective knee and side injuries.Sidebottom has been given the all-clear while Anderson had an outdoor net to test out his right knee that has had three injections for a mystery problem. England’s bowling plans revolve around Anderson so all eyes will be on him over the next two days. As far as this game goes, the visitors will be pleased they managed to get as much action as they did.The fact that any play was possible at all on the second day was miraculous after further heavy rain fell the previous day and left the outfield underwater. However, hard work by the ground staff and impressive keenness from the home side to continue the game meant play started on time despite large mud patches on the outfield covered in heaps of sawdust.Alastair Cook began the day on 66 and lost his overnight partner, Paul Collingwood, in the second over when he chipped a soft catch to midwicket. Cook again had to dig in for his runs and the reworked technique benefited him with another well-timed straight drive, however, he too was undone by the sluggish surface when he chipped a low catch to mid-on. Although a hundred would have been a satisfying landmark for him, he has had more time than most in the middle lately and his dismissal benefited the middle order.Whatever Bell does over the next few days it may not be enough to force the selectors’ hands if they decide to go with five frontline batsmen alongside Prior for the first Test. However, he made batting look comfortable and, like Cook, showed the value of his spell with the Performance Squad in Pretoria. Prior only had a single innings during the one-day series but was soon reacquainting himself with bat on ball. Ironically, it is Prior’s ability to bat at No. 6 that is likely to leave Bell on the sidelines.The sixth-wicket pair retired during lunch so Broad and Swann emerged from the pavilion for the afternoon session. Broad, who may yet bat at No. 7 next week, inside-edged an attempted drive into his stumps but Swann struck the ball cleanly before the declaration.Andrea Agathagelou could have gone lbw a couple of times during his brief innings before finally being trapped as he shuffled across his crease against Onions. van Wyk dispatched Broad for consecutive boundaries before planting his front foot across the crease against Swann and Temba Bavuma was undone by some extra bounce as he gloved to short leg.Mark Davies, the Durham quick called up as cover for Anderson and Sidebottom, bustled in when handed his chance for ten tight overs. He is due to be released back to the Performance Squad when the team arrives in Johannesburg on Monday barring any further injury problems. England will be keeping their fingers crossed that he isn’t needed again.