All posts by h716a5.icu

The County Championship is set for an 8-10 divisional split after county chief executives refused to ratify the Morgan review at a meeting at Lord’s. The Morgan review recommended a reduction to 14 County Championship matches and retaining the equal split

Alex Winter23-Jan-2012The County Championship is set for an 8-10 divisional split after counties refused to ratify the Morgan review at a meeting at Lord’s. The Morgan review recommended a reduction to 14 County Championship matches and retaining the equal split of counties.While the reduction in four-day matches was accepted, counties favoured an uneven split in the County Championship to maintain a balanced fixture list. Maintaining equal divisions would mean some counties playing some teams in their division twice and others once.The counties also objected to a return to 50-over cricket, as recommended by David Morgan, the former ECB Chairman, to mirror international cricket and to help the England team.The meeting debated the benefits of playing one-day cricket on Sunday afternoons, with a move to Sunday morning starts for 50-over matches seen as less popular with spectators.Counties did accept a switch to 14 matches for the Friends Life T20 – an increase from 10 which will be played in 2012 and two fewer than the 16 played in 2011.Discussions at the meeting were “wide ranging and constructive” and feedback will be reported back to the ECB board at its next meeting in March.The board had accepted the Morgan review in principle and announced the recommendations should be accepted in full or not at all. But given the opposition to some of Morgan’s conclusions, the ECB may have to backtrack on their firm stance to accommodate counties’ objections.

MS Dhoni has said the team will lose out on about 20 runs in the field if all three of Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag are played together

Sidharth Monga at the Gabba19-Feb-2012MS Dhoni has said the team will lose out on about 20 runs in the field if all three of Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag are played together. When asked if, taking today’s XI as base, the addition of Sehwag at the expense of either Suresh Raina or Rohit Sharma was worth 20 runs, Dhoni answered emphatically in affirmative. He said the impact another slow man on the field will make is intangible to eyes outside, but fairly clear to him.”People often talk about that one run, but that one run that you save, it changes the strike, and if the next ball the batsman plays a big shot – a six or a four, it can have a big impact,” Dhoni said. “If you see, the last few games that we played, we got two or three run-outs and that really had a big impact.”Also, it’s not only these three players [Tendulkar, Sehwag and Gambhir] that we are talking about. We also have quite a few other players who are slow on the field. It will just add on to that, and we will be left with just two or three really good fielders. It’s not that these fielders are bad, but for this environment and these conditions and big outfields, they are slightly on the slower side. They will be exploited.””Once the ball goes to them, the Australians or the Sri Lankans will try to exploit the doubles or three runs. It means it will put more pressure on their body because the throwing needs to be good, and the diving needs to be good so they will under constant pressure. So ultimately it will be a pressure game.”Dhoni is not adamant, but it will only be an extreme case when all three play in a game together. “That may happen,” Dhoni said. “It will affect our fielding in a big way, which means there will be more pressure on the batsmen to score those extra 20 runs. But if the middle-order does not perform consistently well, you may have to go with the experienced guys at the top of the order.”Dhoni was asked if the fielding was more important than skill. He replied that it is a misconception to not consider fielding a skill. “In India, there is less emphasis on fielding, that’s why you say skill is cricket and fielding is fielding,” Dhoni said. “When I was young, fielding was considered slogging around, and batting and bowling was always fun.”Dhoni will miss the next game because of the slow-over-rate ban, but when he comes back he has a challenge with the fitness of the side. Today, too, he said he was forced to bowl out Zaheer Khan early – in the 40th over – because the bowler was cramping up, and Vinay Kumar was cramping up too. It left India with Irfan Pathan and Vinay for the last few overs; Australia took 101 off the last ten.”[It slipped in] the last 10 overs,” Dhoni said. “The bowlers felt the heat. Right from the start of the second Powerplay, [in the] 36th over I saw my best fast bowlers battling through cramps, so that was the reason I bowled Zaheer Khan out in that spell.”I didn’t want to lose any overs from him and then kept Vinay Kumar for the last few, but he also felt the cramps. In the last 10 overs they batted really well and our bowlers were not really able to execute the way they could have if they were not battling cramps or the heat. It was hot out there and you are supposed to go through that phase, but I felt they found it slightly difficult to go through.”If despite resting bowlers and managing their workload, India are going through this problem, they have a real issue at hand. “Everybody was hydrated but at times we have seniors. Over here there is no breeze, it becomes very hot. And it is a big outfield, [batsmen] put pressure on the fielders, they have to put a bit more pressure on their body to not let the batsman score doubles from them.”

A round-up of matches on the opening day of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Mar-2012Group AItaly made short work of Oman to win by nine wickets•ICC/Ian JacobsAfghanistan beat Papua New Guinea by six wickets and with an over to spare at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Set a target of 113, Afghanistan were in early trouble at 35 for 3 and with their opener Noor Ali Zadran retired hurt. But Mohammad Nabi put his team on course with an unbeaten 52 off 49 balls, under pressure, and was aided by captain Nawroz Mangal who made a steady 19 in a recovery stand of 45. Samiullah Shenwari gave Nabi company through to the end and the pair sealed the chase in 19 overs. PNG, after they were put in, were reduced to 55 for 5 at one stage but useful contributions from Christopher Kent, Willie Gavera, Mahuru Dai and Jason Kila helped them reach a respectable score that was eventually inadequate.Italy thrashed Oman by nine wickets at the ICC Global Cricket Academy in Dubai. Offspinner Carl Sandri picked up four wickets for nine runs in his four-over spell to help keep Iman down to 89 for 9. Only one batsman, wicketkeeper Sultan Ahmed, reached double-figures in the Oman innings. For Italy, in their chase, Michael Di Venuto made an unbeaten 42 and was supported in a win-sealing stand of 84 by Peter Petricola (39). The game was won in 14 overs in the chase.Nepal are considered a a good chance of making a mark at these World Twenty20 Qualifiers and laid down an early marker with a 30-run victory against Hong Kong at the Global Cricket Academy. Captain Paras Khadka led the way with 68 off 62 balls to steer Nepal to 130 after they’d been in trouble at 38 for 3 in the ninth. Hong Kong were never in contention during the chase as Chandra Sawad took four of the first five wickets to fall. From 28 for 5 the game was over although Nizakat Khan’s 32 helped Hong Kong survive their 20 overs.A half-century from Freddie Klokker at the top of the order and 47 not out from Rizwan Mahmood helped Denmark to a seven-wicket win over Bermuda with five balls to spare in Sharjah. Chasing 117 to win, Denmark accumulated steadily, keeping wickets in hand, and were well on course for victory by the time Klokker fell in the 18th over, for 50 off 41 balls. Bermuda’s innings was built on a 74-run second-wicket partnership between Dion Stovell, who top-scored with 56, and David Hemp but after Hemp’s departure the momentum could not be sustained – with Michael Pedersen’s 1 for 12 from four overs the pick of the Danish bowling.Group BNamibia clinched a tight win over Ireland at the ICC Global Cricket Academy Ground No.2 in Dubai. Read the full report here.Uganda beat United States of America by four wickets at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. USA chose to bat and posted a modest 123 for 8. Captain Sushil Nadkarni top-scored as opener with 38 off 29 balls. After being reduced to 71 for 5, the middle and lower orders rescued the team but Uganda responded well. Roger Mukasa was economical with his medium-pace, taking 2 for 14 in four overs. In their chase, Uganda were in trouble at 53 for 5 in the 12th over but captain Davis Arinaitwe and Frank Nsubuga added a match-turning 47 for the sixth wicket. Nsubuga made 30 in 19, Arinaitwer was unbeaten on 27 and Jonathan Sebanja swas unbeaten on 11 off 9 balls at the close. The win was sealed with four balls to spare.Scotland overcame Kenya by 14 runs in the highest scoring game of the opening day. Kenya made a positive start to their pursuit of a testing 179, but from 55 without loss in the sixth over lost their way. Gordon Drummond did most to dent the chase with 3 for 20 after Majid Haq had broken the threatening opening stand. Collins Obuya, the Kenya captain, reached 50 but the innings fell away with Richie Berrington claiming three run outs. Earlier, Scotland’s innings was based around a third-wicket stand of 83 in nine overs between Calum MacLeod (55) and Kyle Coetzer (46).Netherlands saw off Canada by 43 runs in Dubai, with three wickets for slow left-armer Pieter Seelaar. Netherlands were unable to put together any substantial partnerships in making 135 for 6, having chosen to bat, but their bowlers were up to defending the total as Canada were dismissed with 3.2 overs to spare. Canada were quickly in trouble, falling to 26 for 5 before Jimmy Hansra and Harvir Baidwan mustered some resistance with a 48-run association – only for the last five wickets to fall for 19. For the Netherlands, Tom Cooper and Alexei Kervezee both made 29 before Mudassar Bukhari lifted the final total with a hard-running 28 off 15 balls that contained just two boundaries.

Darren Sammy has pointed to Michael Hussey’s wicket as the most critical for the hosts as they attempt to secure a share of the Test series

Daniel Brettig in Roseau23-Apr-2012West Indies captain Darren Sammy has pointed to Michael Hussey’s wicket as the most critical for the hosts as they attempt to secure a share of the Test series with Australia in Dominica to match the ledgers of this tour’s ODI and Twenty20 encounters.In a low-scoring series so far defined by the difficulty of scoring rapid runs on slow surfaces, Hussey’s contribution at No. 6 carries far more resonance than the mere numbers, a hard-won 177 runs at 44.25. Sammy said that while he was happy with how his bowlers – Kemar Roach especially – had fulfilled the plans drawn up by the coach Ottis Gibson to restrict Australia’s top order, Hussey’s recurring rearguards had to be stopped if the West Indies are to win at Windsor Park.”Hussey has always come in and played a crucial role, and that is one area we are looking to put a stop to,” Sammy said. “Once we get them five down, he seems to bat well with the lower order, so we’ll be looking to get him out as quickly as possible.”We’ve executed our plans to the top order really well and I know they’re wary of Roach. The first time he played against them they were and now he’s even bowling better. Fidel [Edwards] bowled well without any luck [in Trinidad] and I come in and do my role, [Shane] Shillingford had a good Test, so as a bowling unit I’m quite happy with the way we’ve gone in this series.”Edwards remains a doubtful starter due to a sore back, Sammy and the selectors conscious of the fact that the end of this series is swiftly followed by the tour of England, while Edwards has been ever present in the West Indian Test bowling attack over the past 12 months.”We’re still monitoring him, Fidel is still optimistic that he’s going to play,” Sammy said. “We’ll monitor it, speak to the physio and Fidel and by tomorrow morning we should have a definite on his situation.”The selectors will take into consideration that we’ve got to keep our bowlers fresh, especially Fidel, who had a long two-year break from the game and since he’s been back we’ve been playing a lot of cricket. So we take that into consideration, we have Ravi Rampaul waiting in the wings who was really good for us last year, and I know he’s itching to get another opportunity.”Windsor Park’s pitch has a little more grass coverage than the bare strips witnessed in Barbados and Trinidad, while batsmen on both sides were impressed on match eve by the pace, bounce and trueness of one of the other centre wickets used for training. Sammy said the surface would provide more encouragement to both batsmen and bowlers than either of the previous two pitches.”It has a little more grass, the ball will do something early,” Sammy said. “I played a four-day game against Guyana here and on the third day it was really good for batting. I expect it to be a good wicket, bowlers and batsmen will be happy. Both teams are looking to win so it should be a very exciting game on a good cricket pitch.”Sammy’s desire to build a more robust culture around his team has made great strides, and the incentive offered by a drawn series is significant, not having been achieved by the West Indies against Australia since an endlessly watchable encounter in 1999. It would also match the efforts of the ODI and T20 teams, and send the team to England with ever more optimism.”It would mean everything to us,” Sammy said of securing a 1-1 result. “When Australia came here everybody didn’t give us a chance, but we’ve played a brand of cricket that we want to get used to. That said we’ve still got to get the victories and that’s what we’re looking for. To level a series against Australia would be another stepping stone for us.”It’s a culture we’re trying to build in the team, the belief we can win against higher-ranked opposition. It’s slowly creeping in. In all three series we’ve displayed that type of attitude. Change sometimes it is difficult to accept and now the players are making a conscious effort to think more about their cricket and what it means to the Caribbean people, and we’re looking to display that sort of attitude.”The West Indies players will be reminded strongly of what their performances mean, by what are expected to be packed crowds at the ground, despite the match being played across the working week.Edited by Kanishkaa Balachandran

Shahid Afridi rescued Pakistan’s innings from despair and built his team a middling total with a half-century. He then proceeded to tenaciously defend his hard work

The Report by George Binoy03-Jun-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShahid Afridi followed up his half-century with a high-impact bowling performance•Associated PressShahid Afridi rescued a limp Pakistan innings from despair and built his team a middling total with an aggressive half-century that was pragmatically constructed. He then proceeded to tenaciously defend his hard work, and by the time he was through with his spell, Sri Lanka had severely depleted resources to complete an arduous task. The upshot was that Pakistan left Hambantota with the series level at 1-1, and Afridi with his seventh Player-of-the-Match award, a Twenty20 record.The second T20 played out in a manner remarkably similar to the first, two days ago, only with roles reversed. On Friday, Sri Lanka had chosen to bat and then collapsed, before a hard-hitting cameo lifted them. Today, it was Pakistan. On Friday, in pursuit of a modest total, Pakistan had been dismissed for less than 100. Today, it was Sri Lanka.Pakistan’s innings was a non-starter until half of it was over, with the Sri Lankan bowlers providing meagre opportunities to score while running through the top order. Nuwan Kulasekara bowled sharp inswingers and struck the first blow; Isuru Udana, playing for his country after nearly three years, started with a maiden; and the legspinner Kaushal Lokuarachchi had success in his first two overs. Sri Lanka, who had rested Mahela Jayawardene and Lasith Malinga, had Pakistan for the taking at 41 for 4 after 10.1 overs.Afridi and Malik started the recovery by rotating strike frequently. When Afridi showed intent by driving the offspinner Sachithra Senanayake to the cover boundary twice, Malik began to play second fiddle, but that did not stop him from taking three consecutive fours off Lokuarachchi in the 15th over. Malik stepped out of his crease to loft the first ball to long-on and drive the second through extra cover. Predicting the bowler would flatten his trajectory, Malik stayed back, and pulled the short ball through midwicket.Their partnership of 68 had a lot of urgent running between the wickets before Afridi began to shift through his gears. He whipped Thisara Perera to the cow-corner boundary, a stroke that had a resemblance to MS Dhoni’s helicopter, and lofted inside out through cover. Afridi was dropped on 42 but Malik was not the very next ball. Afridi ended the 19th over with the innings’ first six, a blow back over the bowler’s – Perera – head. He had begun the over by hitting the ball straight as well, only that went for four. He got to his 50 off 30 balls and dragged Pakistan to 122.Sri Lanka had reached 19 for 0 before Kumar Sangakkara slapped Yasir Arafat, who was playing his first international in two years, to cover point. Kulasekara walked in at No. 3, to the surprise and amusement of Tillakaratne Dilshan waiting in the middle, presumably to pinch-hit. He wasn’t as good against the new ball as he was with it. All Kulasekara did was play three dots before giving Arafat a second wicket in the fourth over, which cost Pakistan only one run. The third over, from the nippy Sohail Tanvir, had cost only one as well.Afridi made his entrance in the eighth over, with Sri Lanka 38 for 2, and what an entrance it was. He had two confident lbw appeals against Chamara Kapugedera and another thunderous shout against Dilshan turned down in his first four balls. All those deliveries were quicker ones going on with the arm. Dilshan tried to cut the fifth. He missed, and Afridi did not need the umpire this time.He and Saeed Ajmal began to squeeze the batsmen; only 25 runs came in the five overs they bowled in tandem. In the last of those overs, the 12th, Kapugedera clubbed Afridi for six over long-on, relieving pressure for Sri Lanka. The next ball was a slider that slid between bat and pad and bowled him. Lahiru Thirimanne once again eased the pressure by taking 10 runs off Mohammad Hafeez’s only over. Afridi heaped it back on by conceding only one run in his last over.Sri Lanka now needed 48 off 36 balls and Afridi could do no more. Tanvir, however, all but shut them out of the game with another miserly over in which he dismissed Dinesh Chandimal. The asking rate was approaching 10 an over and the lower-order batsmen found Mohammad Sami’s pace too quick to score off. Three perished while trying.The game ended when Angelo Mathews, the youngest Sri Lankan captain since Arjuna Ranatunga, mis-hit the ball towards long-off in the final over. The fielder ran in from the boundary and tumbled forward to catch the ball and dismiss the hosts for 99. It was Afridi.

West Indies’ squad in England will shortly be at full strength after issues preventing the arrival of three absent players were resolved

George Dobell08-May-2012West Indies’ squad in England will shortly be at full strength after issues preventing the arrival of three absent players were resolved.The side went into their first warm-up match against Sussex with only 11 fit men, as Marlon Samuels had not managed to travel from India, where he has been playing for Pune Warriors in the IPL, in time and Guyanese pair Narsingh Deonarine and Assad Fudadin had struggled to obtain the requisite visas required to gain entry into the UK. Fidel Edwards also missed the game with a back injury.Now, however, Samuels has arrived in London – he landed on Tuesday morning and has joined the rest of the squad in Northampton – while Deonarine and Fudadin have secured the visas they required. They hope to arrive in the UK on Wednesday. Both of them scored half-centuries on Sunday in Jamacian club cricket, with Deonarine also claiming 6 for 12 with his offspin.”We have seen some progress,” a West Indies team spokesman confirmed. “Samuels is here and the other two have their visas now – or they are in the process of getting them now – and the aim is still that they arrive ahead of the game against England Lions.”West Indies also reported no new injury concerns. Edwards, who has a history of back trouble, missed the warm-up game at Hove due to on-going “work load management” but is expected to be fit for the first Test, while Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who received treatment for a hand injury at Hove, is also fit.West Indies’ final warm-up game ahead of the Test series is a four-day fixture against England Lions starting in Northampton on Thursday.

The holders Leicestershire fell to their third defeat in a row after Andrew Gale and Phil Jaques powered Yorkshire to a match-winning total

17-Jun-2012
ScorecardAndrew Gale was involved in a record opening stand with Phil Jaques•PA PhotosA record opening stand of 116 between captain Andrew Gale and Phil Jaques set up Yorkshire’s 22-run victory over reigning champions Leicestershire in their Friends Life t20 encounter.The fine start set Yorkshire up for a total of 170 for 4 after winning the toss and the visitors were dismissed for 148 in reply, Australia international Mitchell Starc claiming the last three wickets in the final over. It was Yorkshire’s first win in the competition this season but it left title-holders Leicestershire still trying to break their duck after three consecutive defeats.Yorkshire’s previous best first-wicket partnership in the competition was also against Leicestershire and Gale was involved on that occasion too, when he and Jacques Rudolph put on 104 together at Grace Road in 2009.Gale led the way this time with a belligerent 70 off only 42 balls with six fours and three sixes, while fellow left-hander Jaques contributed 48 from 41 deliveries. Jonny Bairstow, released from the England squad to play in the match, was soon involved in the action – from the other side of the boundary rope. Jaques launched himself into a straight drive off Matthew Hoggard and Bairstow sprang out of the dug-out to catch the ball as it cleared the line.Gale attacked former Yorkshire paceman Hoggard with two fours and a six in one over and consecutive boundaries for Jaques against Wayne White raced the stand to 52 in 35 balls. It became a century stand off 69 deliveries but it was broken by Rob Taylor who had Jaques taken on the midwicket boundary by Jacques du Toit and Gale followed a couple of overs later when he straight drove Hoggard to Josh Cobb.Hoggard’s return to the attack slowed down Yorkshire but David Miller made sure the total was still a competitive one with an unbeaten 30 off 20 balls.The Foxes made a good start themselves as openers Cobb and Greg Smith added 37 in five overs before the latter fell to an athletic catch by Gary Ballance at mid-off to bring Richard Pyrah a wicket with his fifth ball. Pyrah then struck again in his next over by flinging out a right arm to hold on to a reflex catch that sent back du Toit.Cobb had middled the ball well from the start and he had thumped four fours and two sixes in his 46 before he slipped at the bowler’s end when being sent back and could not regain his ground in time as he was run out.Offspinner Azeem Rafiq got the important wicket of Abdul Razzak with a well-flighted ball which hit the stumps and he struck again to have Matt Boyce caught behind. Ryan Sidebottom returned to spread-eagle Taylor’s stumps with his first delivery and then have Ramnaresh Sarwan (45) caught in his next over, leaving Starc to clean up the tail in dramatic fashion.

Graeme Smith wrote himself another place in the history books with a century in his 100th Test and Hashim Amla batted throughout the third day

The Report by Andrew McGlashan21-Jul-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsGraeme Smith became the seventh batsman to score a hundred in his 100th Test•Getty ImagesGraeme Smith wrote himself another place in the history books with a century in his 100th Test and Hashim Amla batted throughout the third day to finish unbeaten on 183 as England were subjected to 98 overs of toil at The Oval.Smith and Amla added 259, a South Africa record for the second wicket against England, before Jacques Kallis consolidated their work to leave him within sight of being the third century-marker in the top four. South Africa finished on 403 for 2, a lead of 18, and this has turned into a match-saving scenario for the home side.Amla’s hundred was a beautiful innings – his elegance in stark contrast to the cussedness and grit of Smith. He placed the ball into gaps with his subtle wrist work, driving England to distraction with his ability to manipulate the field. His century arrived from 199 balls with a glide to third man, followed by a calmer, slightly less emotional, celebration than his captain.He has come a long way from the callow batsman England first encountered on the 2004-05 tour of South Africa, who became a regular target of short deliveries. That was a tactic only occasionally used on this occasion, partly because the pitch was so slow as to negate the effectiveness of the bouncer. There was barely a false shot in Amla’s innings – a play-and-miss became a notable moment – as he moved past 150, by far his highest score against England.Amla played particularly impressively against Swann, who had been expected to be England’s key weapon on a dry surface. He was often happy to sit on the back foot and pick him off through the leg side, but occasionally unfurled a glorious cover drive to show his all-round game. He will have visions of passing his career best of 253; a triple hundred is not beyond the realms.Smith had became the seventh batsman to have raised three figures in appearances and with the bat on the same occasion, joining a list that read Colin Cowdrey, Javed Miandad, Gordon Greenidge, Alec Stewart, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Ricky Ponting. Smith reached his landmark when he struck consecutive boundaries off Tim Bresnan in the last over before lunch to reach his 25th hundred and his seventh against England. South Africa have never lost when Smith has scored a century.It was a masterclass in how to battle through tough periods after registering his slowest fifty in Test cricket, which took 160 balls – the next fifty runs needed just a further 41. He was finally dislodged by Bresnan, who squeezed a ball through his defences, but it would prove their only success of the day.Smart stats

Graeme Smith continued his excellent run in England by scoring his fifth century there. He had scored two each in the previous two series in England in 2003 and 2008. He also became the seventh player to score a century in his 100th Test.

Hashim Amla’s 183 is the highest score by a South African No.3 batsman in Tests against England. Amla’s 183 is also eighth on the list of top scores by visiting No.3 batsmen at The Oval.

The 259-run stand between Smith and Amla is the highest second-wicket stand for South Africa against England. Smith has been involved in three of the top five stands.

The 259-run stand is also the highest for any team for the second wicket after the first wicket fell on a score less than two runs.

Jacques Kallis’ 82 is only his fifth fifty-plus score in Tests in England. He has now scored 668 runs in 21 innings at 33.40.

The unbeaten 143-run stand between Kallis and Amla is the fourth-highest third-wicket stand for South Africa in England.

It is only the ninth time that South Africa have had century stands for the second and third wickets in the same innings. The previous time was against New Zealand in Auckland in 2004.

Swann will bowl worse than this and take wickets. He had an absorbing contest with Smith, particularly in the first session as South Africa set their stall out for the long haul. Swann came close on more than one occasion, twice sliding deliveries through to beat Smith on the back foot, and also turning others past his outside edge with the aid of the footmarks. Now, however, it is England set to bat last in this match so a wearing pitch will concern them not South Africa.Smith resisted the early pressure and when he connected with a strong sweep two balls after passing fifty it freed him up and indicated the increase in run-rate as South Africa earned the advantage of the early hard work. The first ball after the morning drinks break was an indication of where the balance of power was shifting as he drove Stuart Broad through the covers.Broad was not at the top of his game although he did watch one leg-side flick from Smith fly past Kevin Pietersen who had been stationed at a close square-leg position. Ravi Bopara was given a bowl ahead of Bresnan as Andrew Strauss went through his options and hoped that the ball would start to reverse swing. It moved a little but when the bowlers start trying to force a ball change, as they did before lunch, it is a sign that things are not going well.England went into a holding pattern as they waited for the second new ball; Swann was left as there only real wicket-taking threat as the seamers generally bowled wide. In a sign of desperation they used up a review against Smith when Bresnan had an lbw appeal that always appeared to have pitched outside leg, but which Hot Spot showed had taken a thin edge to boot.Having placed all their eggs in the new-ball basket it became the crunch moment for England but bowling against two batsmen with hundreds under their belts is a very different proposition to two on nought. Anderson did not find his usual hooping swing – although he did not bowl badly – and Broad’s difficult innings continued when he was taken for three consecutive boundaries by Smith.Although Bresnan dislodged Smith’s bail in his first over back, that only resulted in the formidable figure of Kallis walking to the crease. He showed aggressive intent against Swann, launching him over midwicket, but barely broke sweat during a fifty that had felt inevitable from very early on despite his indifferent record in England. He brought up the team’s 400 with his tenth boundary, an effortless cover drive, and by the close his stand with Amla was worth 143. South Africa have plenty of power to add, too.

A round-up of games held on August 12 during the Under-19 World Cup 2012

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Aug-2012Bangladesh started the tournament with a win on Saturday but could not back it up on Sunday, beaten comprehensively by South Africa at Allan Border Field in Brisbane. Quinton de Kock showed why he has already made a name for himself at first-class level for Gauteng, striking 95 at better than a run a ball after the South Africans were sent in by Bangladesh. Theunis de Bruyn also made a valuable contribution of 63 and by the time their partnership was broken, South Africa were 170 for 3. The rest of the South Africans chipped in and took the total on to 294 for 8, despite three wickets each for the spinners Noor Hossain and Nasum Ahmed.The chase began poorly for Bangladesh as Corné Dry removed both openers within the first four overs. Only three batsmen passed 20 in the Bangladesh innings and after a 58-run third-wicket stand between Nurul Hasan (27) and the captain Anamal Haque (39), both of whom fell to Vincent Moore, there was little else for Bangladesh to celebrate. Al-Amin made 33 but wickets kept falling and Bangladesh were dismissed for 161 in the 35th over, leaving them on the wrong end of a 133-run defeat.There was more bad news for Bangladesh when the batsman Asif Ahmed was reprimanded for showing dissent at the umpire’s decision.England sealed a comfortable seven-wicket win over Ireland at Endeavour Park after bowling out the opposition for just 109. Left-arm seamer Reece Topley was among the wickets again, picking up three for 14 in a nine-over spell that included four maidens. Ireland, after being put in, began slowly and slowed down further as they lost wickets regularly. Only three of their batsmen managed to reach double-figures, with a highest of 28 from Tyrone Kane. Andy McBrine made 16 and captain George Dockrell contributed 26. Each of England’s six bowlers was economical and five among them bagged at least a wicket each.England lost their openers early in the chase but were steadied by a 32-run stand between Ben Foakes and Craig Overton. Foakes fell with the score on 54, but Overton, joined by Aneesh Kapil who made an unbeaten 32, helped see his team through as the game was sealed in the 37th over. The win was England’s first in this competition, having been beaten by Australia on the opening day.New Zealand began their World Cup campaign with a win over Scotland at the John Blanck Oval, set up by a century from Will Young and a collective bowling effort. Asked to bat, New Zealand were given a solid platform thanks to an 88-run third-wicket stand between Young (115) and Robert O’Donnell who made a half-century. Young scored better than run a ball and smashed five fours and three sixes in his knock. New Zealand were 179 for 3 at one stage but slipped to 247 for 9. Ruaidhri Smith picked up three wickets.Scotland punched above their weight in the chase and were in a good position at 86 for 2 in the 19th over. They were then reduced to 110 for 5 but a half-century from Freddie Coleman and his 57-run stand with Henry Edwards gave his team some hope. But both were dismissed in the same over by medium-pacer Connor Neynens, who finished with 3 for 24 in ten overs. Legspinner Ish Sodhi also picked up three wickets and Scotland were bowled out for 208.

Mohinder Amarnath, widely predicted to be the next chairman of selectors, has been dropped for the selection committee altogether. Sandeep Patil is the new chairman

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Sep-2012Other key decisions and announcements

BCCI gross incomes peaks to Rs 849 crore ($160m) against 581 crore last year

Former India captain and current president of Karnataka State Cricket Association president Anil Kumble to replace Sourav Ganguly as chairman of the technical committee

Ranjib Biswal, the Orissa Cricket Association president, takes over from MP Pandove as chairman of the National Cricket Academy

Former Indian wicketkeeper and ex-Mumbai captain and coach Chandrakant Pandit, who was appointed as director of cricket by Rajasthan Cricket Association will have to leave that post as he has been named chairman of the national Junior Selection Committee. Aman Kumar (North Zone), Jayaram (South Zone), Arup Bhattacharya (East Zone)and Pritam Gandhe (Central Zone) will be Pandit’s co-panel members. Anurag Thakur, BCCI joint secretary, is the convenor

The Women’s selection committee will be led by by Gargi Banerji (East Zone). Gulshan Sharma (North Zone), Sudha Shah (South Zone), Amrita Shinde (West Zone) and Rita Dey (Central Zone) are the other members on the panel.

Mohinder Amarnath, widely predicted to be the next chairman of selectors, has been dropped from the selection committee following its reconstitution on Thursday. Sandeep Patil, Amarnath’s World Cup-winning team-mate, is the new chairman of selectors, and Vikram Rathour is his replacement from North Zone. Roger Binny from South Zone, Saba Karim from East Zone, and Rajinder Hans from Central Zone make up the rest of the committee.The decision was taken at the BCCI’s 83rd AGM in Mumbai.Ever since Amarnath joined the committee last year, it was widely assumed that he would take over from outgoing chairman Kris Srikkanth, but there had been murmurs of a falling-out between Amarnath and the board.One of the reasons believed to be behind Amarnath’s ouster is his being a resident of Mumbai; state associations from North Zone were reported to be unhappy because it prevented him from spending enough time watching young cricketers in the North Zone.The board chief, N Srinivasan, though, refused to divulge reasons for Amarnath’s exclusion. He said that the contract of selectors is reviewed annually, and by no means was Amarnath assured a four-year term. “The term of the selector is maximum of four years, to be elected annually,” Srinivasan said. “This is BCCI’s decision, and that is not a subject of public discussion. The fact is, the BCCI possibly wanted a new-look selection committee, which is what they have [now].”Patil’s name was a bit of a surprise because former India quick Abey Kuruvilla was considered a certainty from the West Zone. Srinivasan said the board felt a need for a big name as the chairman. “We wanted a person of sufficient stature, a tall man. I think he fits that need.” Patil played 29 Tests and 45 ODIs for India in the 1980s, and was a middle-order stalwart for Mumbai. He has also coached India, Kenya and Oman, and was most recently chairman of India’s National Cricket Academy.Srinivasan said Patil’s name was not picked out of a hat overnight. “There is a process of consultation,” he said. “We went through that consultation. It is not as if the process went on this morning only. The process has been on for some time. There has been extensive consultation among board members for some time.”For Patil this is a transfer from Bangalore, where he was the chairman of the National Cricket Academy. Also from Bangalore comes Binny, a medium-pace bowling allrounder, who was part of the 1983 World Cup-winning side. Karim kept wicket for India and Bihar. Punjab opener Rathour made it to the India side in the 1996-97 season. Hans is the only one on the committee without international experience. He bowled left-arm spin for Uttar Pradesh, and also coached them to a Ranji title.