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Adelaide and Perth may be able to host larger crowds than Melbourne

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-2020Former Australia captain Mark Taylor has raised the prospect of the Australia-India Boxing Day Test being moved away from the MCG if other venues are able to host larger crowds.Although still six months away, the recent spike in Covid-19 cases in Victoria – 75 were recorded on Monday – has brought into doubt when crowds will be able to return in the state.Adelaide and Perth have been talked of as alternatives for the Boxing Day encounter with both South Australia and Western Australia continuing to ease restrictions. Perth Stadium is set to be able to fill its 60,000 capacity for football matches from the middle of July while Adelaide Oval is able to host crowds of up to 25,000 – 50% of its capacity.”If you look at what’s happening around Australia, by Christmas time the MCG may only be able to host 10,000-20,000 people, which is not going to look great when you’ve got a real iconic Test match,” Taylor told Nine’s Sports on Sunday.”You move that match to Optus Stadium or even the Adelaide Oval, you’re going to get full venues. The Adelaide Oval and Optus Stadium will be working hard to try and get that game because they would look better with full crowds.”While the prospects of the Australia-India series taking place have been promising for some time, there had been a talk of the possibility that it would have to be played behind closed doors – as will be the case when international cricket returns with the England-West Indies series next month – with India potentially using a single venue as a hub.However, as the Covid-19 situation improved in the country so too did the hopes of a traditional schedule although the situation in Victoria is a reminder of how quickly things can change. The current schedule has the series being played in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney with Perth hosting Afghanistan in late November but Cricket Australia had said all fixtures were subject to change. Western Australia though voiced their anger at not being given a lucrative India Test.Speaking last week, Australia captain Tim Paine said he hoped to be playing in front of crowds this season.”Given the current circumstances, I dare say everything is well and truly on the table. We are hopeful that everywhere we play come summer time, we would be able to have crowds,” he said. “How big they are, we don’t know, obviously. But it’s a difficult one for anyone to answer because there is so much changing week to week, day to day. Give it is three or four months, we just don’t know what it is going to look like.”Certainly, from a player’s point of view, we want to be playing in front of big crowds at the best venues and a big day like Boxing Day is something that everyone looks forward to and a big part of that is playing at the MCG.”Fingers crossed things are going well enough that we can do that but, as I said, we are spoilt for choice here in Australia with some world-class stadiums. If something had to change, then, again, we have plenty of options.”

Spinning allrounder played a key role in Perth Scorchers’ recent title wins in the Big Bash

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Mar-2019Ashton Agar, the Australia left-arm spinner, has joined Birmingham Bears for the entirety of this season’s Vitality Blast campaign, including the knockout stages should the team progress.Agar, 25, has played 15 T20Is for Australia, and was a key member of the Perth Scorchers teams that won the Big Bash League in 2014-15 and 2016-17.He is best remembered in England for his remarkable Test debut at Trent Bridge, in the opening match of the 2013 Ashes, when he made 98 from No.11.”I’m thrilled to sign for Birmingham Bears for this year’s Vitality Blast and to make Birmingham my home for July, August and hopefully September!” said Agar.”Whilst they missed out on qualification last year, the Bears have been one of the top teams in the Blast over the last five years and I would love to play a lead role in bringing them back home to Edgbaston for Finals Day this year.”Having played at Edgbaston for Australia in last summer’s IT20 against England, I’ve certainly experienced its atmosphere and know just how passionate the supporters can be. I’m certainly looking forward to having them behind us when we start our Blast campaign in July.”Agar will join up with the Bears squad ahead of their opening Blast fixture on July 19, against local rivals, and reigning champions, Worcestershire Rapids. He will then remain available throughout the campaign as they seek to make a fourth appearance at Finals Day in six seasons.”Ashton has won major T20 trophies and possesses quality international experience,” said Jim Troughton, Birmingham Bears’ first-team coach.”Securing him for the entire Vitality Blast campaign bolsters our bowling attack and gives us an excellent spin pairing with Jeetan Patel. However, Ashton has also proven himself to be a very capable and powerful batsman who can clear the ropes, whilst also being an excellent fielder.”In addition to having excellent cricketers, it’s important that we have the right characters taking to the field for the Bears and, having played alongside Ian Bell during Perth Scorchers victorious Big Bash campaign in 2016-17, we have no doubt that he’ll wear the Bear with pride and be a great addition to the dressing room.”Having now agreed terms with Ashton, as a club we would like to thank New Zealand international Colin de Grandhomme for his attitude and commitment to the Bears in our last two Vitality Blast campaigns and we wish him every success in the game moving forward.”

The participation of Ben Stokes in the one-day series against Australia will depend on whether the Crown Prosecution Service reaches a decision on charges

George Dobell06-Dec-2017Ben Stokes and Alex Hales have both have been named in England’s ODI squad for the five-match series against Australia, but it remains possible that neither will play.The pair missed the final two ODIs against West Indies at the end of the English summer after the ECB announced that neither would be considered for selection until the conclusion of a police investigation following an incident outside a club in Bristol.While Hales has been now been told that he will not face charges and has, as a consequence, been cleared for international selection by the ECB, Stokes is still waiting to hear whether he will be charged and remains unavailable for selection. His inclusion in the squad might, therefore, be considered something of a legalistic nicety.While Hales, too, could still face action from the ECB’s Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) – it has currently suspended judgement awaiting the outcome of the Crown Prosecution Service’s decision over whether to charge Stokes – he is, at the present time, available for selection.

England one-day squad

Eoin Morgan (capt), Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Alex Hales, Joe Root, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, David Willey, Liam Plunkett, Tom Curran, Mark Wood, Jake Ball.

But, after Jason Roy returned to the ODI side in fine style and Jonny Bairstow all but cemented his place as an opening batsman during the series against West Indies, it has left no obvious place available for Hales’ return. Bairstow scored two centuries in the ODI series against West Indies, while Roy replaced Hales for the final two games and made 84 and 96.”We’ve been playing some good one-day cricket and Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy at the top of the order have played well,” the England coach, Trevor Bayliss, said. “I can’t see any changes there personally. The two openers we had did very well and it would be difficult to go against them.”We could bring Hales back in and drop one of those guys down, but then it would upset someone else. We’ve got to take a decision now and I just think the best way to go is with the two guys who have taken over.”England have named a full-strength squad for the series with Mark Wood returning having not been selected for the series against West Indies. While there was discussion about the value of resting players, the England management have instead decided it is important to establish a settled, successful team ahead of the 2019 World Cup. Players will instead be rested from the tri-series T20 event that follows it, which might create opportunities for the likes of Craig Overton, who has clearly made a good impression in Australia.”History will tell you that the winners of the World Cup have come from the top two ranked teams,” Bayliss said. “We want to play well and get ourselves high up that order as we possibly can.”At the same time, we’re still two years away and there might be some younger players, like Craig Overton for example, who comes into the team and does well.”We’ll keep a check on players such as Joe Root and Moeen Ali in this Test series and the one-dayers. Hopefully, if all goes to plan, they’ll play these five Test matches and the five one-dayers as well and then we’ll look at giving them a break.”Meanwhile Bayliss admitted there had been discussion over how to avoid the “media circus” that has bedevilled the squad since Stokes’ arrest came to light.”I’m sure there will be a lot of scrutiny,” Bayliss said. “We won’t know it actually until it comes along. There’s been a fair bit of scrutiny that’s come along with it in the first five or six weeks of this tour as well. But we’ve got to adjust to that at some stage.”Look, we have discussed what will happen when Ben returns, but whenever he comes back that’s going to be a bit of a circus for sure. Whether it’s any more of a circus than we’ve already seen on this tour is hard to say. If it happens, let’s just get on with it and take it on the chin.”The ECB board will meet within 48-hours of any decision of whether to charge Stokes or not and decide whether he should be considered eligible for selection. The ECB’s CDC will also have to decide if he or Hales warrant any sanction.

Russell Domingo has been given the safety of a contract extension until the end of South Africa’s England tour next August

Firdose Moonda26-Oct-20161:44

Firdose: Domingo gets another crack at an ICC event

From having his position as head coach under scrutiny seven months ago, Russell Domingo has now been given the safety of a contract extension until the end of South Africa’s England tour next August. Domingo, whose contract was due to expire at the end of April 2017, will be in charge for the next 13 Test matches and the Champions Trophy in June 2017. Team manager Mohammed Moosajee has been given the same extension.”As part of the domestic cricket review, we are currently evaluating the entire coaching framework in South Africa and the Board believed the best approach at present was to extend the tenure of Mr Domingo until the end of the England tour in 2017,” Haroon Lorgat, the CSA CEO said.”Naturally the performances of the Proteas was a key factor in the Board’s unanimous decision. The recent 1-0 Sunfoil Test Series win against New Zealand and the impressive 5-0 win in the Momentum ODI Series against world champions Australia, resulting in us being the first nation to achieve a clean sweep against them, were noted. In addition, the excellent Proteas discipline and the positive culture throughout the coaching team, the player leadership group and the rest of the players were viewed as exemplary.”The domestic review is separate from the abandoned but soon-to-be resurrected national team review, which was due to take place after South Africa’s World T20 exit. Former national rugby captain Francois Pienaar was the highest-profile person on the four-man panel that was due to begin work in May. When they failed to agree terms with CSA, the committee disbanded and the review was abandoned. However, another process is now underway, which will review the performances of all national teams, which is unconnected from the domestic review that was concluded earlier in the year.Among the domestic review’s recommendations was the formation of an eight-team T20 premier league to revamp the format in the country but, if that suggestion is implemented, it will only happen in the 2017-18 season. It was not known that Domingo’s position was also part of the domestic review panel’s scope; however, there was a pressing need for certainty over Domingo’s future because of the timing of the Champions Trophy.If Domingo’s contract was not going to be renewed at the end of April, South Africa’s new coach would not have enjoyed any game time with the team ahead of the ICC event in England. South Africa do not have any fixtures scheduled between the end of March, when they tour New Zealand, and the England tour in May. As a result, a decision on Domingo had to be made at the earliest opportunity and after South Africa failed to make the final of the Caribbean triangular tournament in June, it was being speculated his time was up.However, Domingo enjoyed the support of Test and ODI captain AB de Villiers and was given the chance to redeem himself in the home series against New Zealand and Australia. A team culture camp preceded those series in which South Africa plotted what they call a new path.Stand-in captain Faf du Plessis also revealed that the coaching staff had been a major part of the discussions over changing the direction and credited them with South Africa’s turnaround. Although they have only climbed to No. 5 on the Test rankings from slumping to No.7 at the end of last summer, they are up to No. 2 in ODIs and have managed that without de Villiers, who is out injured. Importantly, Domingo has embraced the transformation targets and South Africa have unearthed some depth, which has seen them get back on track and earned Domingo a contract extension.

Inzamam ul-Haq has agreed to continue as head coach of Afghanistan till 2017 following the team’s recent success in Zimbabwe, where they clinched both the ODIs and T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Nov-2015Inzamam ul-Haq, the former Pakistan captain who had originally agreed to coach Afghanistan on a temporary basis, is believed to have agreed to a new two-year deal period following the team’s recent success in Zimbabwe, where they clinched both the ODIs and T20Is – their first series win against a Test playing nation.”I spoke to Inzamam and he has accepted a two-year contract with the Afghanistan team which will do them a lot of good,” Kabir Khan, the former Afghanistan coach, told PTI. “Inzamam is satisfied with what he saw in Zimbabwe and believes that the Afghanistan team has good cricket talent and can move ahead.”Kabir, who is now a national selector in Pakistan, said Inzamam was happy with his first stint with the team, and that his experience and cricketing acumen will help improve the team’s batting standards. “Inzamam is a cricket great and he can do a lot to improve their batting standards,” Kabir said. “And his calibre and stature is such he will remain above any petty politics which have hurt Afghanistan cricket.”Inzamam, who played 120 Tests and 388 ODIs in a career that spanned over a decade and a half, was offered a similar position by the Pakistan Cricket Board in 2013, which he declined.

Tamim Iqbal, the Bangladesh batsman, has said the biggest inspiration for his century was his Test opening partner, Jahurul Islam

Mohammad Isam in Hambantota23-Mar-2013Tamim Iqbal had a long talk with Jahurul Islam on the eve of the first ODI against Sri Lanka. In the discussion between one batsman who hasn’t scored an international hundred for nearly two years and another who is known to possess a perceptive mind, the dominant topic had to be the hundred that wasn’t coming for Tamim.When it finally came in the form of 112 runs that gave Bangladesh a genuine chance to win the first ODI, Tamim was quick to thank his opening partner from the Colombo Test and someone he has known for a long time.”The biggest inspiration for this hundred was Jahurul Islam,” Tamim told ESPNcricinfo. “We stayed up till 11.30 last night and discussed some important points. It really worked for me.”I was talking to myself every ball after reaching 50. I wanted to keep my process in shape but then after I had hit a boundary, a current passed through my body. I gave a catch but it got dropped. Riyad told me to go to the 70s and then think clearly. Nasir helped out too.”Jahurul’s advice wasn’t just from outside the field. When he would walk in with the drinks as one of the substitutes, there were more words of encouragement for Tamim. “He reminded me of what he had talked about last night. He told me to that if I try to bat for 40 overs, I can score a hundred. So I would like to thank him. Jahurul is a big part of this century.”He also said that if a batsman makes 30, he starts thinking of a 50. So when you will reach 70 or 80, you will automatically start thinking of a 100. There was a gap for a long time, but I hope it won’t be a longer gap next time.”Tamim hadn’t scored an international hundred since June 2010, and no ODI hundreds since February 2010. In the meantime, he had scored 18 fifties in all formats, and eleven in ODIs and his batting average during the hundred-less period has actually been better than his career averages.His first three hundreds came in 74 games, but the fourth one has taken him another 45. He has often batted at a high strike-rate, but hasn’t played the long innings often enough. There was no serious criticism of his inability to convert half-centuries into hundreds but it was a concern for him and he had mentioned it a few times over the past year.He took his time on Saturday, moving from 80 to 100 in 41 deliveries and moved from nine to ten boundaries in 45 balls. Before and after however, he was at his best. He brought out some excellent shots, and though he survived an easy drop by Angelo Mathews on 54, he didn’t want to look back or give it away again.”I got a hundred after two and a half years. Someone asked me if I have the passion to be one of the best players in the world. That stuck on my mind and I continued to think about it.”I was sharing with [Jahurul Islam] Omi last night the wrong things I have been doing or what I should do. I was a bit lucky today, I got a life on 54. I think I batted brilliantly after that.”On the day that he ended his century drought, Tamim suffered a hairline fracture while fielding which will sideline him for the next four-six weeks.

Toby Radford, the former Middlesex and Sussex batsman, has been named West Indies assistant coach in place of David Williams

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Mar-2012Toby Radford, the former Middlesex and Sussex batsman, has been named West Indies assistant coach in place of David Williams.Radford has previously been in charge of the High Performance Centre (HPC) in Barbados and will now work with the senior team, which is coached by Ottis Gibson, on a tour-by-tour basis beginning with the home series against Australia which starts this month.After a brief playing career which amounted to 14 first-class matches, Radford was made Middlesex coach in 2007 before moving to the Caribbean in 2010.Williams, the former West Indies wicketkeeper who played 11 Tests and 36 one-day internationals between 1992 and 1998, said he still hoped play a role in the future of Caribbean cricket.”I am disappointed, but these things happen in life and you have to pick up the slack and move on,” Williams told the . “Just a couple of days ago they called me about the position. They wanted a coach to work with the younger batters.”I enjoyed my time. It was really a great experience and I want to thank the West Indies Cricket Board for that experience. It is not the end of the road. I hope the West Indies Cricket Board knows that I still have a lot to offer West Indies cricket.”Edited by Andrew McGlashan

Imran Tahir, South Africa’s Pakistan-born legspinner, has been advised ten days’ rest to deal with a fractured left thumb

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Mar-2011Imran Tahir, South Africa’s Pakistan-born legspinner, will require ten days of rest after sustaining a chip fracture on his left thumb. He remains available for South Africa’s match against India on Saturday and could start his recovery after that.”The selection committee will decide whether that 10-day period will start before or after the game,” Mohammed Moosajee, the team manger said. “He will still be a part of the World Cup going forward.” Moosajee could not confirm when a final call will be taken on Tahir, saying that it may be “on the morning of the game.”Tahir sustained the injury during last Sunday’s six-run defeat to England, when he took a catch off his own bowling to dismiss Stuart Broad. His thumb has been immobilised, is in a splint, and he was X-rayed on Wednesday in Nagpur. The scans were sent back to South Africa, to hand specialist Dr Mike Solomons, who recommended the 10-day rest period.The fracture is not on Tahir’s bowling hand and he was able to bowl in the nets on Thursday, an indication that he may be considered for the match against India. Tahir was part of South Africa’s squad that defeated India 3-2 in January, but did not play a game because he was being preserved as a secret weapon for the World Cup. He has since impressed, with 11 wickets in three matches, and is the leading wicket-taker in the team.
In the ten-day period after the India game, South Africa play Ireland and Bangladesh – a possible opportunity to rest Tahir – before the knockout stage. Johan Botha is in line to replace Tahir when his rest period begins.Tahir is not South Africa’s only injury concern. AB de Villiers has been unable to keep wicket in the last two matches because of a stiff back but was seen practicing specific drills to test his flexibility on Thursday.

West Zone turned in an allround effort that totally outclassed Central Zone in an exceedingly one-sided 216-run victory , at the Moti Bagh Stadium in Vadodara

Cricinfo staff08-Mar-2010
Scorecard
West Zone turned in an all-round effort that totally outclassed Central Zone in an exceedingly one-sided 216-run victory, at the Moti Bagh Stadium.Central won the toss and little else, on a day when they were dominated almost from the outset. Chirag Pathak’s early dismissal gave them a handy start after they decided to field first, but Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara weighed in with classy knocks that easily nullified the early loss. Rahane dropped anchor and kept one end up while Pujara unleashed an attractive array of strokes. Both batsmen hit a couple of sixes each and a handful of boundaries, but were unable to go on to three figures. Pankaj Singh stalled West’s progress, picking three quick wickets after the 154-run partnership, to finish with creditable figures of 4 for 38. However, Yusuf Pathan and Ravindra Jadeja changed the complexion of the game completely in the last ten overs, off which West plundered 126 runs. Both the India allrounders took a liking to the length-offerings from Sudeep Tyagi and RP Singh, as well as Suresh Raina’s part-time offspin. Yusuf raced to a 24-ball 59, while Jadeja was unbeaten on 42 off 18 balls.The stuffing had been knocked out of Central and their token effort at chasing the mammoth 336 never took off. Despite early drops from Rohit Sharma and Dhawal Kulkarni, the top-order could not capitalize, and wickets fell at regular intervals. Munaf Patel was unlucky not to be rewarded in his tight spell, but Dhawal Kulkarni and Jayesh Odedra chipped in with two scalps apiece. Central were in deep trouble when the in-form Mohammad Kaif fell to a leading edge after closing the face of his bat too soon against Kulkarni. When Suresh Raina dragged his foot out of the crease, in front of an alert Parthiv Patel, the chase was practically over. Jadeja hastened the end with his incisive brand of left-arm spin, as West marched into the final to be played tomorrow, where they will face North Zone, at the same venue.

Both players were off the field for large portions of the second innings against Sri Lanka

Shashank Kishore26-Sep-20252:05

Is captaincy affecting SKY’s form?

Morne Morkel, India’s bowling coach, has allayed concerns around the fitness of Hardik Pandya and Abhishek Sharma leading into Sunday’s Asia Cup final against Pakistan in Dubai.Hardik held his left hamstring and walked off the field after bowling the first over of Sri Lanka’s innings on Friday, in which he dismissed Kusal Mendis for a first-ball duck. Hardik didn’t return to take the field for the remainder of the innings.”Hardik had cramps, he will be assessed tonight and tomorrow morning, we’ll then take a call on that,” Morkel said at the post-match press conference. India’s bowling coach was merely reiterating what India captain Suryakumar Yadav said at the post-match presentation.Meanwhile, Abhishek too spent the entire second half of Sri Lanka’s innings off the field. Abhishek showed signs of discomfort in the ninth over, when he clutched onto his right thigh while running. He eventually left the field in the 10th over, just before a Pathum Nissanka six was signalled dead ball because he hadn’t left the field before Varun Chakravarthy began to run in to bowl.Like Hardik, Abhishek too spent the rest of the innings being iced and treated with pickle juice to ease cramps. Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube and Jitesh Sharma came on as substitute fielders at different points. At one point, even Tilak Varma was briefly off the field, but he soon returned after a hydration break.With the Sri Lanka game stretching way beyond its scheduled close due to the Super Over finish, India are left with an even shorter turnaround time before they take the field on Sunday. Morkel stressed on the need for the players to recover, and stay away from training on Saturday.”The key for the boys is to rest,” he said. “They’re in an ice bath already. The recovery started straight after the match. The best way to recover is sleep and stay off your feet. Hopefully they can get a good night’s sleep.”There will be individual pool sessions for the guys organised. Then some massages before they get mentally ready for the big battle on Sunday. It’s a quick turnaround, and playing smart is going to be the key. There will certainly be no training.”

‘Arshdeep, Harshit are X-factors’

Morkel also touched upon the challenges players like Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana face when being called upon to deliver at a crucial stage in the competition. On Friday against Sri Lanka, the pair returned combined figures of 2 for 100 of eight overs in India’s defence of 202, before a nerveless Arshdeep delivered in the Super Over to seal victory.”In our environment we want to move away from an excuse culture,” he said. “The effort they put in at training, we expect them to go out there and deliver. Yes, sometimes lack of game time is a factor. You can bowl as many overs as you like in the nets, but nothing beats game time.”The quality of work we put in, we expect the guys to deliver. At the moment, things aren’t happening for them but the team is winning, they’re all X-factor players and real match winners.”