All posts by csb10.top

The players turned up, the crowd turned up, more than 7000 of them, but someone forgot to order a pitch for the New Zealand-Zimbabwe Boxing Day Test at Wellington’s Basin Reserve.Those who made the effort to shake off their post-Christmas Day torpor must have wondered why they bothered when the arrived at the ground for what has now become a New Zealand cricket tradition.For all their efforts what greeted them was a grey-looking, lifeless pitch that was a far cry from the superior pitches that have been prepared in recent years.Predictably, the play was dull with New Zealand crawling to a laborious 190/4 by stumps with Nathan Astle looking for a big score on 56 not out, off 174 balls and in 242 minutes, and Craig McMillan 20 not out.The real test of the effect of such a slow day’s batting will be seen in the number of people who bother to turn up tomorrow.New Zealand coach David Trist, never short of the right word, described the day’s play as being played at a “sonambulistic pace.”It would be a challenging Test match and the game would be played slowly, he said. The pitch would turn and once seeing the covers off the pitch that was why New Zealand decided to play both its slow bowlers, off-spinner Paul Wiseman and leg-spinner Brooke Walker.Zimbabwean coach Carl Rackemann said: “It is drier than what we expected. It is pretty much a dead sort of wicket but it is what both teams have got to deal with.”It is not an easy pitch to bat on, but it is not easy to get people out,” he said.That was reflected in the 60 runs per session during the day at a run rate of 2.11. As a result Rackemann felt the day had been “fantastic” for Zimbabwe.”Another wicket at stumps would have been deluxe for us,” he said.Trist still believes New Zealand has the chance to post a high enough score to allow it to dictate terms.”The game is poised. We have a platform and if we can bat well into the afternoon and have 330-340 that will be competitive. It should be an interesting match for the connoisseurs of cricket,” he said.New Zealand did nothing to help their cause by executing four dismissals of woeful waste.Nathan Astle, enjoying his longest and most productive Test innings since the 86 he scored in Harare earlier this summer, used the occasion well and by the end of play was starting to flow into his shots while his running between the wickets, especially in partnership with Craig McMillan, at last added some urgency to proceedings.”He batted with patience, diligence and made few errors,” Trist said of his performance.Running between the wickets was not always an asset on the day. Captain Stephen Fleming, who looked to be relishing the chance for a good, long innings, was run out just after lunch when called by Richardson, and then sent back. He seemed capable of scoring far more than the 22 achieved.Richardson, who had two lives, on 35 and 73, was sent back to the pavilion a little sooner than he might have wanted when he too was run out, the result of a fine piece of fielding by cover field Henry Olonga.Sensing that Richardson was labouring after being called through by Astle, Olonga changed his mind in mid-stride and threw to the opposite end. It fooled Richardson who was well short of his ground.Despite his 75 runs, Richardson was not happy with his effort.”I came into the match with some goals, to play with more control and composure than in South Africa,” he said.The run out of Fleming had not helped that goal.”There was a bit of head-chatter there for a while. There was a lot of stuff going on up top,” he said of the battle he had to regain his concentration.”I had to get my thoughts back in order. It is not the sort of wicket you can look good on.”My responsibility was to go through and bat the day out. I want to improve on that in the future. As the wicket turns guys will have to have a solid game plan and stick to it,” he said.Matt Horne’s return from injury was short-lived and the method of his dismissal, wafting at a wide ball that was better left alone, was probably just as painful as his original broken hand.Of all the wickets, Mathew Sinclair probably had the least control over his dismissal, sent packing leg before wicket by umpire Steve Dunne with what looked a line call from a ball bowled by Bryan Strang.

A disappointing pitch, a disappointing Zimbabwe team and consequentlya disappointing match. India were highly impressive, though, and afterbowling Zimbabwe out for 133 at Harare Sports Club, they cantered homeby nine wickets in the second match of the Coca Cola Cup on Sunday.The good news for Zimbabwe was that Heath Streak was back at the helm,the basic matters that had prompted him to resign having beenresolved. He and coach Carl Rackemann have now been added to theselection panel and certain other matters are to be attended to. ZCUpresident Peter Chingoka has pledged his support and asked him to stayon as captain. One would have hoped that Zimbabwe would be encouragedby these developments to play better than they had done against WestIndies. Not at all.In the Zimbabwe team, Dirk Viljoen and Bryan Strang replaced BrianMurphy and Mluleki Nkala. Unfortunately the same pitch was used forthis match as the previous day, and it had been watered overnight,leaving some moisture and promising help for the bowlers. Lady Luckhas an inflexible decree that under such circumstances Zimbabwe shouldalways lose the toss, and Sourav Ganguly naturally put Zimbabwe in tobat. The gate takings from this match are to be allocated to EddoBrandes’ benefit fund, and despite the poor Zimbabwean performance thecrowd seemed to enjoy themselves.With the second ball of the match, without a run on the board, AshishNehra bowled a beautiful delivery that moved away and had AlistairCampbell snicking a catch to the keeper. Dion Ebrahim and StuartCarlisle appeared to be handling excellent bowling with skill when thelatter (6) snicked Zaheer Khan to second slip.Grant Flower immediately lashed a four through the covers and seemedintent on hitting the team out of trouble, but then unluckily choppedKhan on to his stumps. Zimbabwe were deep in trouble at 20 for threeand once again the pitch was playing a significant part in decidingthe match. India used the conditions superbly, but Zimbabwe shouldhave batted better than they did.Guy Whittall had a lucky escape when on one, with Laxman failing tohold a low slip chance. Nehra, in a magnificent spell and moving theball predominantly into the batsman, was the unlucky bowler. AjitAgarkar profited, as Whittall when on 7 lashed a catch to third manoff a wide delivery, while Nehra soon picked up Viljoen (1), flashingoutside off stump to be caught in the slips. Zimbabwe were 39 for fivein the 13th over, but Ebrahim was still hanging in there, showing truefighting spirit.Nehra completed his ten overs without a break for 33 runs and twowickets, but aggravated a hamstring strain in his final over whichcost nine runs. A recovery was in progress, with Streak standing firm,but Ebrahim again failed to reap the benefits of his efforts, caughtat slip off another fine delivery from Agarkar for 32. Laxman, thecatcher, damaged a finger in the process.Further disaster struck as an over-enthusiastic attempt at a single,not the first, led to the crucial run-out of Streak for 16, courtesyof a fine throw by substitute Reetinder Singh Sodhi. At 82 for seven,this virtually ended Zimbabwe’s hopes of a competitive total.Blignaut and Travis Friend played quietly, trying to restore thebalance, but as soon as Blignaut tried to take the initiative he skieda catch off Ganguly to be caught at deepish mid-off for 13. In thesame over Friend (7) edged to slip; 104 for nine.Tatenda Taibu, who deserves to bat higher than number ten, twice hitGanguly through the covers for cracking fours and showed considerablematurity for 19 not out before Strang was bowled by Agarkar for 4,giving Zimbabwe the depressing total of 133. Agarkar finished withthree for 24, while Nehra, the best of the bowlers, and Khan took twowickets each.Ganguly’s poor international form continued, as he edged a finedelivery from Streak to wicket-keeper Taibu in the first over for two.Zimbabwe, knowing their minimal chance of victory required them totake all ten wickets, brought all their fielders inside the circle,even to Sachin Tendulkar, to start with. It was not effective whenFriend pitched short to Tendulkar, who hooked him for two boundariesand glanced a third.Zimbabwe had no answer to Tendulkar, as on this sluggish pitch hedrove boundaries on the up with perfect timing, despite Zimbabwe’sattempts to seal his leg-side shots. Several straight drives wereeffortless and magnificent. On the debit side, he twice came close togiving catches through his eagerness to hit to leg. He was partneredby Hemang Badani, promoted in place of the injured Laxman. The smalltarget put them under no pressure and the enthusiastic crowd was ableto enjoy a classic exhibition by the Indian master.Badani, although overshadowed by sheer genius, also contributed somestylish drives and a pull for six off Strang. When the end came, withalmost half the overs in hand, Tendulkar had 70 and Badani 52,reaching his fifty with a pull for four off Strang to win the match.

Sussex scorer Len Chandler (76) has retired after 20 years, in the senior post. He finally hangs up the computer and pen with the cheers of the crowd still ringing in his ears following the counties 2nd XI Championship success.Seen here being presented with a portrait of the County Ground, Hove from opening batsman Richard Montgomerie, Len boasts of continual membership of the club since 1960, and became a life member in 1972. He was asked to take over the scorers roll when the incumbant Geoffrey Saulez decided to move on.Len who spent much of his working life in the building industry, confessed to being only a very club standard player in his youth, but has really enjoyed his term with the county. “We have seen some good times, and some bad,” says Len, “But what a way to go out with the boys promotion and championship.”

The final of the Coca Cola Trophy South Zone (under-25) tournament between Kerala and Tamil Nadu is poised for an interesting finish. At stumps on the second day of their match at the Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar Sports Complex in Bangalore on Sunday, Tamil Nadu were 122 for three in reply to Kerala’s first innings total of 323. The first innings is almost certain to decide the winners of the trophy and Tamil Nadu still need 202 runs but haveseven wickets to pursue glory.Actually, Tamil Nadu’s closing score represents a recovery. For they were in a shaky position at 25 for two. Opener Ravindra John (2) was dismissed at 12 and then one drop S Lakshmi Kumar was out for five at 25.The other opener KN Riaz and N Lokesh initiated the recovery process by adding 61 runs for the third wicket off 17.2 overs. After Riaz was out for 31, compiled off 72 balls with four hits to the ropes, Lokesh and Subash Raj (20) continued the good work by increasing the score by 36 runs off 18.2 overs during an unbroken fourth wicket partnership. Just before close, Lokesh reached a well compiled 50. He has so far faced 113 balls and hit seven fours.Earlier, resuming at 208 for six, Kerala did well to add another 115 runs. Chiefly this was because of a seventh wicket partnership of 77 runs off 23 overs between CM Shyam and R Menon. While the former scored 44 off 156 balls and hit five fours, the more aggressive Menon faced only 74 balls for his 41, hitting six fours in the process. Menon was seventh out at 285 but Shyam played the anchor role and kept the innings going till he was ninth out at 312.He came in to bat midway through the 84th over and was out after batting a trifle over three hours in the 134th over.

Match facts

Sunday, August 23, 2015
Start time 1000 local (0800 GMT)1:49

‘Didn’t play to our potential but got an ugly win’ – Behardien

Big Picture

The awkward reunion is over. Dale Steyn bowled to New Zealand unscathed. Vernon Philander got the better of Grant Elliott and South Africa’s line-up scored more than enough runs against New Zealand. AB de Villiers could confidently say “we are definitely past the World Cup,” after the victory in Centurion and even though this is not quite the same thing, it seems South Africa really are moving on.Even though they were not at their best, South Africa dominated New Zealand far more than the 20-run margin made it seem. They bossed their innings for most of the way but New Zealand were pleased that they pulled back a score that looked headed for 320-plus to just 300. They were also pleased they came close in the chase, but really, there were only a few moments in which South Africa did not look in control and most of those came when trying to take catches.There won’t be any lights to contend with this time so spotting the ball should be easier and AB de Villiers will demand a more energetic showing in the field. Likewise, Kane Williamson will demand a more enthusiastic allround performance.One place where eagerness won’t be missing is in the crowd. The student town of Potchefstroom scarcely sees international cricket – the last ODI played there was more than two years ago – and the locals are looking forward to the occasion. Senwes Park has been sold out for days.

Form guide

(last five completed games most recent first)South Africa WLLWL
New Zealand LWWLL

In the spotlight

After the fuss over Morne van Wyk being overlooked for the tour of Bangladesh despite scoring a T20 century against West Indies in January, the wicketkeeper has underwhelmed on recall. He has scored just 38 runs in three matches and appears to be applying too much aggression too early in his innings. Van Wyk’s time is running out to push for a permanent spot, especially as Quinton de Kock regains form for the A side and this may be his last chance to do that.The short ball seems to be the only one Mitchell McClenaghan is comfortable bowling and so far it has given him mixed results. On the same Centurion surface, McClenaghan found it effective in the T20s but less so in the ODI and it will be interesting to see whether he decides to bang it in again in Potchefstroom. The pitch is one of the less lively ones in South Africa and McClenaghan could be bending his back in vain but he may not have any other approach.

Team news

Faf du Plessis was confirmed as being out of the series on Wednesday, so South Africa will have to stick with the batting line-up they had in Centurion. They will probably also want to allow David Wiese another opportunity to settle at No.7. Kyle Abbott and Aaron Phangiso will likely miss out again.South Africa (probable): 1 Morne van Wyk (wk), 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Rilee Rossouw, 4 AB de Villiers (capt) 5 David Miller, 6 Farhaan Behardien, 7 David Wiese, 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Dale Steyn 11 Imran TahirMartin Guptill could still play a part for New Zealand after injuring his hand in the field in the first ODI. An MRI scan revealed no fracture so he could open the batting. If he is unable to, New Zealand may need Kane Williamson to do the job and could slot in George Worker in the middle order. They may also consider playing only one specialist spinner, instead of two, giving Doug Bracewell or Matt Henry an opportunity in the XI.New Zealand (probable) : 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Tom Latham, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Colin Munro, 5 Grant Elliott, 6 Jimmy Neesham, 7 Luke Ronchi (wk), 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Doug Bracewell, 10 Mitchell McClenagahan, 11 Adam Milne

Pitch and conditions

Unusually warm weather for this time year on the Highveld is going to create a faux summer, which may mean conditions could resemble what they are in season as well. A run-packed road with not much in it for the bowlers is the norm but given the time of year, it may be a little slower than usual. A warm day is forecast with temperatures at 29 degrees, a light breeze and cloudless skies.

Stats and Trivia

• If South Africa win the series, they will go to third on the ODI rankings.
• Expect another high-scoring game. The average total in Potchefstroom is 339 and it there only seems to be a small discrimination in favour of the chasing team. The side batting first has won seven of the 15 matches in which there has been a result, the side fielding first has won eight.

Quotes

“We are definitely past the World Cup, we are looking ahead to 2017 Champions Trophy. This is a nice series to test our skills and get a bit of rhythm going going forward.”
“We’ve put ourselves in this position a couple of times over the last year or so, with going behind in a series and we are well versed in what it takes to make those 1% improvements and come back stronger in the next games.”

Northamptonshire chief executive, Ray Payne, has admitted that the club are talking to the ECB about financial assistance but denied that they are considering selling their ground and moving to a new home.Responding to a report by ESPNcricinfo, Payne told the BBC that Northants were “not the only club talking to the ECB and local partners about how they might survive,” but insisted “the future of the club is firmly at Wantage Road.””We’re certainly not moving grounds,” he said. “I’m not sure where that story came from.”However, ESPNcricinfo understands the club produced a secret report which contains plans for a new ground near junction 15A of the M1 on land currently owned by the council. The ambitious plans included building a roof over the stadium, though its position on a flood plain might counteract such benefits.Progress stalled when it proved difficult to obtain the substantial investment required, though hopes remain that partners – quite possibly from India – might be found for the project.It seems unlikely Payne would be unaware of the plans but, a week ago, the club denied to ESPNcricinfo and the BBC that they had asked the ECB for financial assistance.”Any contributions are welcome,” Payne said. “We’re asking the ECB what financial support may be available. There is some debt, but not as much debt as some other clubs.”It’s not an emergency loan. It’s about longer term cash flow. It’s not do or die for the club. Dire is probably the wrong expression.”Is it half-a-million pounds, a million pounds or a quarter-of-a-million pounds? We don’t know. Is it in the form of a loan, a payment or for capital investment? That’s what we’re trying to establish.”First-class cricket has issues. We are not the only club talking to the ECB and local partners about how they might survive. But there is no panic and no worry at the club.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:08

Murtagh sets-up Ireland win

The third ODI between Ireland and Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club produced another exciting day’s cricket, with Ireland scampering home by just two wickets in a low-scoring thriller. Zimbabwe’s 187 appeared well under par, particularly when Ireland cruised past 100 with just three wickets down in the 28th over. But Zimbabwe kept chipping away, upping the pressure through two fine spells from spinners Wellington Masakadza and Tino Mutombodzi, as well as some astonishingly good fielding. Ireland slipped and stumbled to 160 for 8, but Nos. 9 and 10, Andy McBrine and Tim Murtagh, had just enough gas in the tank to get their team over the line with just over three overs to spare.

‘Was very happy until Elton was batting’ – Whatmore

Zimbabwe coach Dav Whatmore expressed his disappointment with the way his team’s lower order batted after they were set for a 200-plus score in the third ODI against Ireland. Zimbabwe were 159 for 4 in the 42nd over before their collapse started.
“This match was all about understanding what a good score is and batting accordingly,” he said. “We were doing that until Elton [Chigumbura] got out, upto that point I was very happy but I wasn’t very happy after he got out, [and] the way we played. We didn’t really show we had an idea of how to play as against the total you want which would have made it very difficult for them to get, another 25-30 runs. After Elton got out, that was when we didn’t quite have enough cricket awareness but every game’s a challenge and we’d learn from this as we go along.
“Two-thirty might have been a bit tough to chase. Par score [was] round about that.”

It never looked like getting that close when the first over of Ireland’s chase, bowled by debutant Taurai Muzarabani, was clattered for 18 runs. Ireland captain William Porterfield did much of the early damage, but Ireland’s galloping start was snapped by a superb catch in the covers by Sikandar Raza, leaping high to pluck the ball out of mid air to dismiss the left-handed batsman. Zimbabwe slowly clawed their way back into the game, cutting down Ireland’s scoring options, and they had another opening when the experienced Ed Joyce was caught in the deep attempting to reassert his dominance with a slog sweep.Again Ireland tipped the scales with a 48-run partnership for the third wicket between Paul Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie, their highest stand of the match, and again it was Raza who brought Zimbabwe back into the match. He had only one stump to aim at, having cut off a clip into the leg side at midwicket, but he hit it directly to run Balbirnie out for a watchful 24.With the field spread, Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura put his spinners to work on Ireland’s middle order and a frustrated Niall O’Brien sliced a catch into the covers as Ireland slipped to 102 for 4. Importantly, Stirling remained and he brought up an uncharacteristically patient fifty, from 90 deliveries, as Ireland crept closer to the target.When he fell, surprised by a short ball that he spliced to a diving Richmond Mutumbami behind the stumps, Ireland were 119 for 5 in the 33rd over and suddenly Zimbabwe had their tails up. Close catchers were brought in around the bat, and John Nyumbu showed remarkable forethought as he sprinted from slip to leg slip, having seen Gary Wilson set himself for a sweep, and held a sharp chance above his head. When a becalmed Kevin O’Brien slog-swept Masakadza out to substitute fielder Malcolm Waller in the deep, Ireland were 148 for 7 in the 41st over and it was anyone’s game.With George Dockrell bounced out by a recharged Muzarabani with the score at 160, it was left to Ireland’s tailenders to scrap for the remaining runs. Zimbabwe brought their field in further, and while Andy McBrine opted for caution Murtagh seized the opportunity for quick runs, and played particularly confidently through the leg side. A whip through midwicket for three by Murtagh took Ireland to the brink, and McBrine then sealed the game with an edge that squirted past the diving wicketkeeper and down to the third-man boundary.Murtagh had also played a vital hand earlier in the day with a disciplined display of seam bowling that brought him four wickets, and the Man-of-the-Match award. Murtagh would have been pleased to have been bowling in the morning after Porterfield won his first toss of the series and sent Zimbabwe in to bat, and with Craig Young bowling a brisk, attacking spell from the other end both Zimbabwean openers were removed before the fourth over had been completed.The hosts consolidated through Sean Williams and Brian Chari’s 49-run stand for the third wicket, but the Irish attack never really let the pressure ease and Zimbabwe’s runs were arriving at barely three runs an over. Williams eventually found the room to accelerate, and brought up a fluent fifty in the 26th over, but in the course of his innings he seemed to pick up some sort of knee niggle, and started limping through singles. Perhaps distracted by the pain, he feathered a cut off Stirling’s offspin and Ireland incised further into Zimbabwe’s middle order.The hosts fought back once more, with Chigumbura and Raza building a 71-run partnership for the fifth wicket and Raza, in particular, found the aptitude for a daring counter-attack. Yet he departed heaving across the line for 51 shortly after Chigumbura had perished to a lofted stroke into the deep, and Zimbabwe collapsed in a heap, slipping from 159 for 4 to 187 all out. It appeared Ireland could cruise to a morale-boosting win, but as has happened so often between these two sides, the match went to the final overs once more.

Match facts

Friday, May 8, 2015
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)2:38

O’Brien: Interesting to see who replaces Malinga

Big Picture

Just like last year, Mumbai Indians have found their bearings at the right time after starting slowly. Coming on the back of four successive wins, three of which have been at home, the away game against Chennai Super Kings will provide as stern a test as any.They finally seemed to have found the right combination, and the return of Corey Anderson from a finger injury couldn’t have been more opportune, although his availability for the Super Kings encounter is still unknown. Mumbai will also be without Lasith Malinga as Sri Lankan players are not allowed to play in Chennai.Super Kings, on the other hand, have always been doubly hard to beat at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, and the win against Royal Challengers Bangalore after a couple of losses would only have boosted their confidence.With the tournament reaching its business end, R Ashwin, sidelined with a finger injury, will be crucial to Super Kings’ fortunes. Their team manager, Russell Radhakrishnan told ESPNcricinfo that Ashwin will be assessed at the ground on Friday, before a decision is made on his availability.The weather forecast is for a typically sultry evening, while the pitch is expected to be similar to the one used for the Royal Challengers game.

Form guide

Chennai Super Kings WLLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Mumbai Indians WWWWL

Watch out for…

Faf du Plessis‘ position in the Super Kings batting line-up has been fluid. He has been used as a finisher as well as in the top order, and hasn’t done badly in either role. Scores of 24, 33, 20 and 29* in his last four innings show that du Plessis has played good hands without going on to make bigger scores. He would want to change that soon.Ambati Rayudu has remained unbeaten in his last three innings, two of those after contributing significantly to Mumbai’s wins. His ability to read the situation and adapt accordingly has made him a critical part of the team’s plans. Be it shoring up one end or finishing with a blaze, Rayudu’s services will be called upon against Super Kings.

Stats and trivia

• R Ashwin, with 86 wickets from 90 games, is the leading wicket-taker for Super Kings in IPL
• Kieron Pollard (98) has hit the most number of sixes for Mumbai. Rohit Sharma, with 91 sixes, is second on the list.

Quotes

“I have made runs in the last seven seasons and I am very proud of those performances. But the way I am enjoying my batting this season, I haven’t done in the past.”

“Pressure brings the best out of me. I stay a lot calmer when I have a target it mind and I know how to pace an innings.”

Slip of the day
And to think England’s progress in the first hour was positively serene. While Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss were compiling their half-century opening stand, on a track offering no extravagant bounce or sideways movement, South Africa’s fielders were braced for a long hard slog of a day. But then, facing up to the irrepressible Andre Nel, Strauss hopped back into his crease to clip a single into the leg-side, and his back heel crashed into the base of middle stump. It was a freakish dismissal, but from that moment on, England’s insouciance vanished, and wasn’t to be seen again all day.Untimely failure of the day
Did he feather an edge or didn’t he? Nel – unsurprisingly – was in no doubt, even if the catcher, Mark Boucher, was less convinced. But no matter. The scoreboard declares that England’s embattled captain, Michael Vaughan, has made a first-ball duck to take his series tally to 23 runs from four innings. Vaughan is so used to trudging off in a slough of despond that it is hard to gauge his current emotions, though it’s fair to say he was unimpressed by this latest decision. The ball was angled in from wide of the crease, Vaughan prodded defensively with the air of a man still locating his off stump, and Aleem Dar did the rest.Bemused reaction of the day
Kevin Pietersen is not a man who accepts defeat readily, and today he was so unconvinced he’d been dismissed, he had to be given out twice before finally trudging from the crease. Jacques Kallis’s well-directed inswinger rapped the pad just outside the line of off stump before missing the inside-edge of Pietersen’s blade as he swished loosely through midwicket. The appeal went up for lbw, then moments later a second wave of excitement swept through the South African ranks as Ashwell Prince swooped at point to catch a ballooning deflection off the pad-flap. Pietersen by now had turned his back, and so missed the moment in which umpire Steve Davis raised his finger and gestured that he’d given the decision for the catch. Most cricketers might have got the message, but not KP.Send-off of the day
When asked on Monday what he made of Nel (and more specifically, his alter-ego, “Gunther”), Cook’s answer was pretty candid: “He’s an idiot,” he replied, and having studied both sides of Nel’s character during their time together at Essex, he was fairly well placed to provide an opinion. Sadly for Cook, his words came back to haunt him today. Despite top-scoring for England with a battling 76, the idiot had the last laugh with a rising delivery on off stump that held its line from round the wicket and was well caught by Kallis at second slip. Gunther’s reaction was apoplectically triumphant, as he dropped to one knee in front of his victim, punched the air and roared in red-faced delight. Such antics might attract the interest of the match referee, but it is unlikely to stop him from doing it over and over again in the future.Struggle of the day
Paul Collingwood’s return to international action was a torturous affair, and predictably unfulfilling. Creaking visibly as South Africa teased his loosely hanging outside edge, he needed 16 balls and 33 minutes to get off the mark, and though he escaped his duck with a sweetly struck drive, that was as good as his day got. Six balls later, Kallis bent a tight outswinger around the closed face of his bat, and while Collingwood was looking hopefully through midwicket, Graeme Smith was celebrating the simplest of catches at first slip. Collingwood wore the look of a man who knows the end is nigh as he traipsed back to the dressing-room. In ten first-class innings this season, he has accumulated a meagre 96 runs.Village performance of the day
The 77th and last over of England’s innings had it all. A slogged six, a near-decapitation, and two comically inept run-outs that might as well have been transplanted from the Crossbatters’ collapse against Bude Under-15s on their tour of Devon last summer. At the heart of it all was England’s favourite village blacksmith, Andrew Flintoff, who decided the time was nigh to hoick some quick runs. He duly belted Makhaya Ntini over midwicket then down the ground for 10 from two balls, whereupon Ntini decided to go around the wicket. The ploy did the trick, Flintoff found himself cramped for room and in the ensuing scramble, both his remaining partners were run out from consecutive balls.English crumb of comfort of the day
Flintoff’s face as he stalked off the pitch at the end of England’s innings was thunderous, so it was only a matter of time before Vaughan tossed him the ball with orders to tear onto the offensive. Sure enough, the moment came in the eighth over of South Africa’s reply. With Smith on strike, Flintoff’s first ball burst past his outside edge and through to the keeper, and the second took the edge and flew low to Strauss at second slip. Flintoff responded with a defiant roar as he arched his back so violently that he overbalanced and ended up on his backside. It rather ruined the moment, but symbolically it seemed apt for the day’s efforts.

Zee Network are set to get the Indian television rights for the next four years. Jagmohan Dalmiya, the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, announced in Chennai that the BCCI intended to award the contract to Zee subject to certain conditions. If Zee Network met the conditions laid out by the marketing committee of the board, ESPN-Star Sports, would lose out.”The president [Dalmiya] has announced that the BCCI intend to award the contract to Zee subject to them fulfilling certain criteria,” Professor Ratnakar Shetty, Joint Secretary of the board, told Wisden Cricinfo from Chennai. “They have to pay the board US$20million by Wednesay, September 8 and also furnish a bank gurantee for a further US$75million by September 15. The president has said the BCCI intended to award the rights to Zee Network if they can fulfil these, and certain other criteria.”The marketing committee of the BCCI was in negotiations with senior officials of both television companies in Chennai, and in the end decided to go with Zee, who had bid US$260million for the rights. Zee had also pledged a further US$20million towards coverage of domestic matches. ESPN-Star Sports, the other contender, had bid US$230million.It is also learnt that Zee, who upped their bid to US$308million in the last round of negotiations, are set to launch their own sports channel on October 2. Rediff quoted a Zee official who said: “We will invest Rs100 to 150 crores [US$22million approx] for the sports channel to be launched on October 2 and the cricket matches will be shown on it.” The uplinking will be done from Delhi and the official also added that the launch will coincide with the 12th anniversary of the group.One of the points of contention was that Zee Networks did not havein-house production facilities. Industry sources indicate that TENSports, who are an existing player in the cricket broadcastingbusiness, are frontrunners to produce the live cricket programming forZee Networks.When the tender opened for bids in the middle of August, Zee emerged as a surprise front-runner in the tussle to win telecast rights. Zee tabled a bid worth approximately US$262million, about $14million more than the ESPN-Star Sports offer. Prasar Bharati, the national broadcaster, were willing to cough up $153million. Sony Entertainment Television ($148million) and the Dubai-based Ten Sports ($141million) were the rank outsiders.