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A 4-0 beating by England will not go down well at home but Australia’s ODI fortunes pale in significance when set alongside the Ashes

Daniel Brettig at Old Trafford10-Jul-2012During an era in which the Test team slipped to No. 5 and the Ashes were humiliatingly lost at home, Tim Nielsen spoke with pride of retaining Australia’s No. 1 ODI ranking. Whenever he did so, Nielsen sounded rather like a sea captain happy to reach home port in a lifeboat after his ship had sunk.The final time Nielsen said it, in Sri Lanka last year, he had already paid for the Test team’s decline with his job. Apart from the former Cricket Australia chairman Jack Clarke, few in Australian cricket appeared to derive any satisfaction whatsoever from remaining No. 1 in the one-day format. Of itself, the ranking meant little, particularly when it was no longer validated by retention of the World Cup. Its value, relative to the equivalent perch in Test matches, is minor.Ten months later and the team’s heaviest ever defeat in a bilateral ODI series will cause plenty of ugly headlines and a spell of navel-gazing about how much ground has actually been gained on England since the last Ashes. Yet it is possible to conclude that this tour is less a sign of Australian cricket’s malaise than a side-effect of the national team’s more streamlined priorities. While Nielsen’s successor, Mickey Arthur, has raged against how his “submissive” team have been “bullied” by England and not shown enough “mongrel”, their 4-0 drubbing has taken place at least partly because much of the team’s focus and resources have now been funnelled more directly into the development of the Test XI.The Argus Review made patently clear that greater prominence had to be given to Test cricket, from a “premium” of payments given to Test players to the prioritising of continuity in selections and coaching appointments for Tests over ODI or Twenty20 assignments. In fact, some passages of the review suggested that ODI and T20 matches be used as a proving ground for players of the future, and the squad chosen for these five matches against England had a decidedly developmental slant.The selection panel, led by John Inverarity and including the captain, Michael Clarke, resolved last summer to use the ODI team as a way of testing the abilities of players who may then graduate to the Test team. They were chosen ahead of others who might be better suited to Australia’s ODI XI but with flaws more likely to be exposed at Test level. Earlier in the series, Inverarity stated his intention.”We made a decision six months ago that if through lack of form or retirement or injury there was a place in the team, we don’t want these blokes making their international debuts at Lord’s in a Test match, so we’ve got them going,” he said. “They’ve tasted, they’ve toured, they know the guys, and they’re familiar.”This is why a plodding batsman like Peter Forrest has been given an extended run in limited-overs games, for his deliberate approach may one day prove useful in Tests. George Bailey and the recently recalled Steve Smith are another two to find themselves in the ODI team with an eye on future contests in other formats. Perhaps the most obvious casualty of this new priority is Callum Ferguson, who is likely to be waiting quite some time to add to his 663 ODI runs at 41.43 due to a technique deemed unsuitable for five-day examinations. Cameron White’s card seems similarly marked.

“Returning the Test team to No. 1 in the world and regaining the Ashes sit well in front of the ODI rankings in the national team’s priorities”

Of the more speculative choices on tour, Bailey has fared best by a distance, rounding off his efforts with a sparky 46 from 41 balls to ensure the visitors had something to bowl at in the gloom at Old Trafford. He will follow it up by staying on for Australia A’s matches against the England Lions, and further decent scores there will go a long way to pressing his case for an Ashes tour berth. So too will his continued exhibition of leadership skills befitting the man chosen as Twenty20 captain.In the bowling attack there has been a similar sense of asset management. Three of Australia’s best-performing Test bowlers over the past year have been Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris and Nathan Lyon. Yet none have been considered for too much ODI duty in recent times, preferred as five-day weapons. It is a point of considerable contrast with England. Inverarity said earlier this year that he wanted to let Siddle loose in Tests. “He was lionhearted and wonderful [against India] and we look forward to him returning,” he said. “But he’s not in our short-term ODI plans.”Instead of showcasing Australia’s first-choice attack, limited-overs games are now also being used to re-introduce players to the national squad after injury, as has happened with Mitchell Johnson. While his role in the three formats will become clearer with time, Johnson has reacquainted himself with the team and their support staff on this trip, which will help him to be more settled next time he is chosen, even if his bowling has looked some way short of the level required.The overall standards of Australia’s cricket are now assiduously monitored by the team performance manager, Pat Howard, in concert with the selectors and coaches, and he will not be happy with the displays put on against England over the past two weeks. At times the batting, bowling and fielding has reached similar depths to those explored during the 2010-11 Ashes series, much to the mirth of English spectators in London, Durham and Manchester.Yet the difficulties encountered in England have been faced with future goals in mind, and a wider plan afoot. Returning the Test team to No. 1 in the world and regaining the Ashes sit well in front of the ODI rankings in the national team’s priorities. The next World Cup lies three years away; the next Ashes series begins a year today. Australia’s ODI team has been poor so far in 2012, but if the urn is regained in 2013 it will be considered a worthwhile sacrifice.

While England’s captain restated his authority as a player, his West Indies counterpart endured a difficult day

George Dobell at Lord's18-May-2012The leap of joy and roar of satisfaction that Andrew Strauss gave upon reaching his century said it all: this was a drowning man finding land; a starving man finding food. Usually a reserved, modest fellow, Strauss allowed himself a prolonged celebration. It spoke volumes.The Lord’s crowd is invariably generous. But there was real warmth in their lengthy ovation. They knew how important this innings was to England’s captain. They were not just delighted for Strauss. They were relieved.He needed this innings. While he was not in imminent danger of losing his place, the pressure was building. His authority as captain was unquestioned, but he knew his authority as a player was being compromised. It had been 18 months and 26 innings since his last Test century. His average in the last year had been 26. With a tough series anticipated against South Africa, he knew – everyone knew – that he needed to demonstrate that he was still one of the best six batsmen in England.This innings – even though it is the 20th Test century of his nine-year career – will not completely silence the critics. And nor should it. Consistency remains the requirement and Strauss still only has two centuries in his last 51 Test innings. But this innings was a substantial step in the right direction. He has proved to himself that he can still cut it at this level. He has proved to himself that he can still contribute for his team.”Having not scored a hundred for a while, there was a bit of pressure on me to go out there some runs for the lads,” Strauss said afterwards. “The last 15 runs or so was quite hard work mentally as I haven’t been there for a while. It was a great feeling of relief to finally get those three figures. It was a really special moment and a great ovation. It was one of the more special hundreds I’ve scored.”I’m employed to get runs for the team and my output hasn’t been as high as I would have liked in the last 12 months or so. It felt like one of the more special innings. It was quite hard work. I suppose mentally it’s a bit tougher when you are searching for a hundred and you haven’t scored one recently.”It doesn’t change anything. I’ve still got to go out and score runs the next time I bat. I’ve still got to do my job as captain. Nothing changes. The reality of international sport is that you are under the microscope and you have to perform day in, day out.”Strauss has been under pressure before. In March 2008 he went into the final innings of England’s tour of New Zealand knowing that the axe was hovering. Had he failed, his Test career would almost certainly have ended. He denied that this innings was as vital from a personal perspective and also admitted that he had enjoyed some fortune, not least on 95 when he was dropped off a no-ball. “At moments like that you think ‘someone up there is looking after me,'” he smiled.”In Napier I was standing right on the edge of a precipice,” he said. “I needed to get runs in that game or it was P45 time. I didn’t think I was in that situation today. The truth of the matter is I’ve been lucky enough to have 20 good days in about nine years. Every single hundred you score is very special.”It is worth reflecting, too, on the stability that is now taken for granted in England’s selection process. It was not always like this. There was a time when England used four captains in a summer. There was a time when a team-mate’s failure was seen as an opportunity for the individual. The reaction of Kevin Pietersen, the man Strauss replaced as captain of this side and the genuinely ecstatic non-striker when Strauss reached three figures, showed those days are long gone. The team – the land, even – will rejoice in this innings.This was a chastening day for West Indies. Shannon Gabriel’s first ball dismissal meant they had lost their last six wickets for 62 runs and underlined the impression that they have a tail like a diplodocus. More pertinently, in conditions where England’s quicks found seam and swing movement, West Indies’ bowlers gained little purchase and did not quite have the control to maintain pressure throughout. They bowled as many no-balls as maidens.

“Trying to beat the likes of Strauss, Cook and Trott through attrition alone is like trying to erode Everest with a piece of sandpaper”

There were passages of play when they bowled well. Kemar Roach beat the bat several times and, when he struck Pietersen on the arm with a short ball, showed what might be on a quicker wicket. Darren Sammy, too, might have had Trott given out leg-before and should have had him out caught behind if only West Indies had utilised a review. Gabriel looks to be an exciting prospect.But it is almost impossible to balance this attack. With Sammy filling the role of third or fourth seamer, it means there is little room for the spin of Shane Shillingford. West Indies could have done with that variation. True, they could have picked Shillingford ahead of Gabriel, but that would have increased the burden upon Fidel Edwards – whose first three spells were of four, three and then only two overs – who does not look fit enough to cope. Gabriel, too, for all his promise and aggression, did not make a delivery leave the right hander or come back at the left. It is a skill he will need to require if he is to flourish at this level.Without an ability to coax movement from this sluggish surface that resulted in a day of cricket the antithesis of the IPL, West Indies were reliant on a more attritional approach. But while Pakistan showed that England can be undone by flair, trying to beat the likes of Strauss, Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott through attrition alone is like trying to erode Everest with a piece of sandpaper. It does not help that West Indies’ fielding remains unreliable, either.Doubts remain over Sammy’s worth at this level. For all his positivity and obvious leadership qualities, his bowling does not quite have the requisite bite or control to justify his selection as a player. He produced three fine overs immediately after lunch that saw Strauss bogged down for 40 minutes. But Sammy’s next two overs, full of short or wayward deliveries, cost 20 and the pressure was released.If captaincy was all about character Nelson Mandela would have opened the batting for South Africa and Mother Teresa the bowling for India. It is about skill and talent, too. And while one captain proved himself on the second day at Lord’s, another was exposed.

After two days of relaxation, Australia’s young cricketers got back to full-intensity training in a quiet setting ahead of the big final on Sunday against India

George Binoy in Townsville24-Aug-2012The venue for Australia’s last full net session ahead of the final of the Under-19 World Cup was only a five-minute drive from Tony Ireland Stadium, but its setting was far removed from the goldfish bowl they’ll be in on Sunday. The Brothers Cricket Club, nestled in the quiet suburb of Thuringowa, has a huge, lush field bordered by a white picket fence. Stand in its middle and, apart from the birds, the only sounds are from groups of excited Under-19 cricketers, having a net on the centre wickets and practicing their fielding in preparation for the biggest match of their lives.Australia played their semi-final against South Africa on August 21, which means they had four days until the title clash. They didn’t even know who their opponent was until last evening. India, it turned out.Their players had a couple of days off after the semifinal to take their minds off the high-pressure match coming up. William Bosisto, the captain, played some golf, as did Travis Head, the allrounder who bowls offspin.”After the game we did our normal recovery, came to the pool,” Bosisto said. “I had a hit of golf yesterday, so that was quite relaxing, I love my golf. That’s a great way to take your mind off cricket, relax and enjoy life kind of thing. Today we had a net session – that was our big, main session before Sunday. Tomorrow we’ll have an optional session at Tony Ireland, just a short little hit.”Head, who said he was a “pretty relaxed person,” went down to Tony Ireland on Thursday to see bits of the India-New Zealand semi-final too. “I just couldn’t watch, got back to the hotel and the air conditioning, it was a bit hot,” he said. “Just got a bit itchy watching … just wanted to get out there. I think we’re pretty relaxed and the team’s not too nervous. It’s good to know we’re playing India now, we can plan for that and look forward to Sunday.”Gurinder Sandhu, the fast bowler, said there hadn’t been much talk about the final over the last two days, with most of the team unwinding about Townsville.Their coach Stuart Law said the down time was important in such a high-profile tournament. “You can only do so much practice,” he said. “Players in this day and age are probably getting it wrong. They think you can improve at practice, you don’t. You improve in a game; you maintain a practice. You shouldn’t be batting for four hours each day in the nets. It’s not going to do you much good at all.”We had a similar sort of break between our quarter and our semi, so we did basically the same thing as we had done then – two days off, the boys have got family up here, so spent a bit of time with them. They go fishing, they play golf, just keep them relaxed, keep them occupied, among doing gym sessions and whatever. They knew they had to come back today to start the hard work again.”The practice was extensive and the spirits high. Among other things, the national talent manager Greg Chappell had a long chat with Bosisto after a net, watched the offspinner Ashton Turner bowl closely and gave Kurtis Patterson some catching practice. Sandhu was among the most vocal and enthusiastic while catching skiers from Craig McDermott.Greg Chappell oversaw the cricketers during practice•George Binoy”Don’t really have any words to explain it to be honest, the boys are pretty pumped, especially with India,” Sandhu said, when asked about the excitement ahead of the final. “Everyone’s positive, 5-0 at the moment, haven’t lost a game, the momentum is on our side I guess. Just get out there.”The tournament could not have had a more high-profile final. Australia against India is a promoter’s dream, drawing in the local support for both teams, and the television audiences from cricket’s biggest market. The competitors have pedigree too. Australia are undefeated in this World Cup; while India have had the most success among Under-19 sides over the last 12 months, winning two quadrangular tournaments and sharing the Asia Cup. Both those quadrangulars involved Australia and they recognise that having to face India in the finale is a fitting test of which is the best side.”Coming into the World Cup we were expecting India to be a really tough opponent and we thought that there was a fair chance they’d probably end up in the final, so look it’s no surprise to see that they’ve done a great job,” Bosisto said. “They have been successful over the last 12 months. Hopefully we can produce the right game of cricket on Sunday.”Head said: “We’ve got to play the best to win this sort of championship and to play against the best is what we want to do in a final. We’re always expecting to play a really good, strong team in the final if we made it. Obviously we’ve won all our games and we’re coming in confident.”These Australian Under-19 players have not been together as long as India’s have, nor have they played in as many finals, but Law said the role their “grit and determination” will play on Sunday should not be underestimated.Australia’s practice on Saturday will also be in the suburb of Thuringowa, but it won’t be at an obscure little cricket club. They’ll be at Tony Ireland Stadium, on the eve of the biggest match of their cricket careers.

Ajit Agarkar, Mumbai’s new captain, on what leading a team with such a successful history means to him

Interview by Amol Karhadkar03-Nov-2012Ajit Agarkar: “You would want Wasim [Jaffer] to be around all the time. That’s a massive hole to fill. But you’ve got to lead with what you have.”•FotocorpWhat does leading Mumbai mean to you after being around for 16 seasons?
Big honour. An absolute honour. You just have to look at the names who have led Mumbai earlier and you know what it is like. And a great challenge too – to follow in their footsteps.Has it been difficult to motivate yourself to come back and slog it out on the domestic circuit after being an India regular for almost a decade?
It’s not easy, honestly. Motivation is not at all a problem. As long as you love running in with the ball in your hand, you enjoy. It’s a bit difficult to return to where it started from after not being around for almost 10 years. It’s not easy to go through the paces all over again. But if you really enjoy playing the game, all other things take a backseat. You just tend to forget everything else, enjoy yourself and try and help your team as much as you can.Last year, you were in the news for all the wrong reasons. Have all the problems been sorted out with the coach Sulakshan Kulkarni?
Life moves on. You don’t hold anything against anyone in a team sport. Anyway I led [in] the one-dayers and the Twenty20s last year, so that’s not an issue at all now.So would you say that both of you have moved on like two mature individuals?
The team comes first. That’s what we in Mumbai cricket are taught as a kid first up. And that’s why it’s such a wonderful sport. To have 11 or 15 individuals coming together and aiming towards the better of the team makes it special. So what suits the team best is what suits you as a member of it and that’s what we have done.Due to the Champions League Twenty20, you haven’t been able to spend a lot of time with youngsters in the team. Have you managed to do one-on-ones with all of them?
Not really. We’ve just practised (together) for the last four days. Since I was away playing the CLT20 and I was appointed sometime mid-October, I haven’t had sufficient time to do one-on-ones. But I know everyone else well and the last four days were focussed on preparing for the game [against Railways]. I think I am still settling into the new role. Perhaps it will take a game for me to really settle in. You tend to discuss with others while practising and so far everyone has responded very well.Players like Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane, just like last season, are likely to be in and out of the side for most of this one. How do you plan for such chopping and changing during the season from a captain’s perspective?
I will find out now . You do need enough depth in batting. And it’s ideal to settle in to a consistent batting line-up as early as you can. But I think we as a team are used to players joining the Indian team mid-way through a season. And from their perspective, if you are asked to play a Ranji game rather than sitting in the dressing room when you’re not playing a game for India, you are lucky in that sense. But I am still figuring it out. I haven’t got much time to delve over it since I was appointed a little late. It’ll take a game to settle down a little bit. We will have to settle the team down. You need some time for that and I am sure that will happen.Add to that Wasim Jaffer’s absence for the initial phase of the season due to personal reasons. How much will you miss him, not just at the top of the order, but as the leader of the batsmen?
You just have to see his numbers to know what Wasim means to the Mumbai team for the last 15 years. You would want Wasim to be around all the time. That’s a massive hole to fill. But you’ve got to lead with what you have.Luckily, we have Sachin [Tendulkar] available for the first game. And we couldn’t have asked for anything better to start off the season with. The batting looks pretty solid. We’ve generally had decently settled teams. Zak [Zaheer Khan] and Sachin are available for just one game, so that will change a bit. But we just couldn’t have asked for anything better than to have these two around at the start of the season.

“It’s not that we didn’t want an outright victory. But when you have eight or nine games to go with very little gap in between, you are tempted to hold yourself back, especially the bowlers. Obviously it’s an interesting rule change and the additional point for an outright win may make not just us but all the teams more aggressive.”Ajit Agarkar

What do you think is your biggest challenge as Mumbai captain?
Firstly, we have not won a trophy in two years, which I don’t think happens too often for Mumbai cricket. So that is a big challenge. The pressures of leading are very different than leading any other domestic team because you are always expected to win the Ranji Trophy. Merely qualifying for the knockouts is never good enough. Another challenge would be to keep the balance of the team intact. Luckily in Mumbai, since there is so much of quality cricket being played all the time, there is no dearth of back-ups in case something goes wrong.Of late, Mumbai have preferred to opt for gaining the first-innings lead and relax rather than going for an outright win. Will the additional point for a victory change the team’s attitude?
It’s not that we didn’t want an outright victory. But when you have eight or nine games to go with very little gap in between, you are tempted to hold yourself back, especially the bowlers. Obviously it’s an interesting rule change and the additional point for an outright win may make not just us but all the teams more aggressive. But it’s very difficult to keep on pressing yourself as a team all the time for maximum points.Would you then say that it would be better to revert to the ’90s style when there used to be decent gap between the Ranji Trophy league and knockouts?
It’s not the gap between the phases but the time between two games that needs to be looked at. When you’re playing eight back-to-back games with three days between the games, including one day of travel, it just wears you down as a player. I don’t know what can be done but if something can be done, it should be about the gap between two games.The last four seasons, as you keep on saying, have been kind of ‘stop and start’ seasons for you due to health and fitness issues. What have you been working on during the build-up to ensure you last the whole season?
More than injuries, I had to pace myself a little bit. Playing six-seven league games and three knockout games – it’s not easy being a bowler. Sometimes you have to hold back if you want to go the distance. Being the captain, it changes drastically now and I cannot afford to not look after my body. Not that I ever have done that, but now it becomes of utmost importance to be at my best always. And I haven’t done anything specifically as much. Just been trying to keep myself as fit as I can.

Stuart Broad’s impressive spell in Wellington capped off a comeback from his heel injury and indifferent form

Andrew McGlashan in Wellington16-Mar-2013Before the opening Test of this series it was widely accepted that Stuart Broad was bowling for his Test place. His cause was helped by Graham Onions’ wayward show in Queenstown, which made it inevitable that Broad would return to the side. However, after a difficult six months, where form subsided and injury struck, he still had much to prove.So far, it could not have gone much better in New Zealand. After encouraging Twenty20 and one-day displays, he showed glimpses in Dunedin that the tough times were behind him, bowling better than his figures suggested. In Wellington, his figures of 6 for 51 did not flatter him. This was the Broad who tore through India during 2011; brisk, accurate, full but with the clever use of a dangerous short ball. It was his most significant performance since taking 11 in the match against West Indies, at Lord’s, last May – his five-wicket haul at Headingley, against South Africa, came too late to influence the direction of the match.Some will cheapen the wickets with comments about the opposition, but this is not the same callow New Zealand order that was dismantled by South Africa and conditions, both the pitch and the weather, remained largely benign. Consistency is the challenge for him – it was of little surprise that he found reward with full deliveries – and this success does not mean it will be plain sailing, but every revival needs a starting point.It could well be that the Basin Reserve has played a key part in Broad’s career for the second time. It was here, in 2008, that he has handed his second Test cap and, for the first time, played alongside James Anderson in a Test after the established duo of Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison were dropped. Broad did not take the new ball on that occasion – Ryan Sidebottom was the senior quick – and neither did he start with it this time. However, by the time the second new ball was taken it was back in the hands of Broad. Promotion inside two Tests is a decent comeback.”I was chatting to Jimmy,” Broad said, “and this was where we made his breakthrough when he was my age so hopefully this is my time to go like he has.”His performances in India, where he ended wicketless in the two Tests he played, capped a slide during the latter half of 2012 but he should never have been playing that series. From the moment he went lame in the warm-up matches his trip never recovered. “I probably should have gone home then,” he admitted. When England bowled out India in the second innings in Mumbai, Broad did not send down a delivery.His heel problem emerged as a long-term concern and a trip to Germany followed to have custom-made boots fitted. Broad has acknowledged the problem will need managing; it is unlikely he will be able to front up for every one of England’s Tests in 2013, although the same can be said for all the quicks in a demanding schedule. By the end of the third day in Wellington the boot was on the other foot with James Anderson battling a back problem, while Broad was savouring a largely pain-free experience.”I’ve managed to get my heel right and it’s nice to attack the crease with confidence knowing that ten times your body weight is going through your heel and it’s able to withstand it. It’s got better and better throughout the tour, I don’t how or why, but it’s getting used to the impact and touch wood I haven’t felt it for about two and a half weeks. I feel I can tear in.”He revealed, too, that he has made some technical changes after noticing that he was delivering from very close to the stumps, which meant he crossed his feet in the action and lost impetus. Before this tour Gemma Broad, his sister who works on England’s backroom staff, compiled clips of Broad’s wickets from when he was previously in form and he immediately noticed the difference. “I got into a bad habit and was pushing the ball. My feet are now straight which means I can get my body through the action,” he explained.In the last few weeks it has become clear how important an in-form Broad is to England’s Test hopes. The reserve options, so long lauded as the best in the world, no longer appear so deep when compared to Australia and South Africa. Onions has struggled through lack of cricket, Tim Bresnan is still recovering from elbow surgery, Chris Woakes does not yet appear a Test-class third seamer and Chris Tremlett needs to prove his body has one more sustained period cricket in it. England, therefore, cannot afford a player who now has 181 Test wickets to be a peripheral figure.As is so often the case the success of one bowler, in this case Broad, relied on the work of others. “It was just my day to get the nicks,” he said. England’s attack hunted as a pack, putting the sort of daylight between them and New Zealand that had been predicted before the contests began. On another day it would have been Anderson with the five-wicket haul. His display with the old ball, against two set batsmen in Brendon McCullum and BJ Watling, was high-class swing bowling.A mention, too, for Monty Panesar’s role. He was not expected to play in this series, but Graeme Swann’s injury has thrust him into the main spinners’ position. No, he does not have a great variance in his pace but, regardless of what Shane Warne might think of it, trying to change the bowler he is will not serve England well.Swann leaves a vast hole in the team – he may well have been a greater wicket-taking threat – but Panesar knew his role and performed it admirably. His long spell, split either side of lunch, of 17-8-28-0 ensured that the fast bowlers would have a crack at New Zealand’s lower order with the a hard ball a few runs to play with. Broad, for one, was hugely grateful for that.

New Zealand were the better team in the three-Test series, thanks largely to the performances of their batsmen

S Rajesh27-Mar-2013Over the course of the three-Test series, New Zealand averaged 42.16 runs per wicket. The last time they averaged more than 40 in a series of three or more Tests was against South Africa at home in 2003-04, when they scored 41.54 runs per wicket; the last time they did better than 42.16 was way back in 1991 – at home against Sri Lanka, when they averaged 46.51 per wicket. That, in a nutshell, illustrates just how good this series was for New Zealand.England were clearly lucky to escape with a drawn series – had New Zealand held on to their chances in England’s second innings in Auckland, they could well have lost the Test and slipped to third place in the ICC Test rankings. Both, their batting and their bowling were below par, with only one of their top six batsmen averaging more than 50, and no specialist bowler averaging less than 30. (Click here for England’s player averages for batting and bowling.) Matt Prior’s consistency with the bat bailed them out – he was easily their player of the series with 311 runs at 103.66, with his back-to-the-wall century being the difference between a series defeat and a draw for them. Prior became only the second wicketkeeper, after Adam Gilchrist, to score a fourth-innings Test hundred in a win or a draw.For New Zealand, there were several heroes. Three batsmen averaged more than 50, while Trent Boult and Neil Wagner were consistently at the batsmen. Even Bruce Martin, their unheralded left-arm spinner, outshone England’s Monty Panesar. (Click here for New Zealand’s player averages for batting and bowling.)

Arguably the biggest gain for New Zealand from the series was a prolific opening partnership. In five innings, Hamish Rutherford and Peter Fulton had two partnerships of more than 50, including a best of 158, and averaged 54.40 per stand (which, incidentally, was exactly equal to England’s average for the first wicket). The last time New Zealand’s opening pair averaged more than 50 per partnership in a series (with a cut-off of five innings) was in 2004 in England, when Mark Richardson and Stephen Fleming forged a successful combination and averaged 65.66. In eight series since then and before this one, New Zealand’s average opening stand was less than 21 five times, while their highest average in a series was 31. Compared to those numbers, an average stand of 54.40 is clearly a huge gain.Between them, Rutherford and Fulton scored three hundreds, only the second time New Zealand’s openers have scored three or more centuries in a series. The previous instance was in a five-Test series in the West Indies in 1972, when Glenn Turner and Terry Jarvis scored three hundreds. That series was drawn 0-0 as well.Then there was Kane Williamson at No.3, who ensured that the second-wicket stands were fruitful as well. New Zealand’s average second-wicket partnership in the series was 74.20, again their highest in a series since that 2004 tour to England, when the second wicket averaged 92.50. All those runs from the top three meant Ross Taylor, at No.4, often had to wait for his turn to bat, which he admitted was unfamiliar for him. “As one of the senior batters, it’s nice for others to come in and score some runs. Something I haven’t done very much in a New Zealand team is have to wait a couple of sessions to bat. Hopefully I can start getting used to that trend.”Taylor himself didn’t have a memorable series, averaging 23.50, and neither did Dean Brownlie at No.5, but then Brendon McCullum made a huge difference to New Zealand’s totals, with scores of 74, 69, 38 and 67 not out, in what was his most consistent series. It was his second-most prolific series, and the first time he had three 50-plus scores in a series. It’s also the second-best average ever for the No.6 position for New Zealand in a series (with a minimum of four innings). With the lower order scoring usefully as well, it meant New Zealand’s average partnerships for each of the first eight wickets was more than 32.England’s top three were pretty solid as well, though Alastair Cook wasn’t at his prolific best, but the team’s problem was the middle order. Ian Bell made a vital 75 in Auckland, but that was his only half-century of the series, while Kevin Pietersen and Joe Root aggregated 173 runs in eight innings between them.That showed in England’s partnership stats too: the averages for the top two wickets were as good as New Zealand’s, but the third to fifth wickets collectively averaged 25.40 runs per dismissal over 15 partnerships, with no century stands, and only two exceeding 50.

As a bowling unit, there was little to choose between the pace attacks of the two teams. For New Zealand, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner, the two left-arm seamers, took most of the wickets, while England’s pace wickets were equally distributed among James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Steven Finn. England’s fast bowlers had a better strike rate, but New Zealand’s were more economical.In the battle between the left-arm spinners, though, Martin trumped the more fancied Panesar, who struggled to pick up wickets: his strike rate for the series was 156.4. Martin wasn’t the New Zealand spin card, though: Williamson’s offspin proved effective too, especially on the last day of the Auckland Test, as he picked up career-best figures of 4 for 44. Overall, New Zealand’s spinners averaged 32.20 runs per wicket, which was far better than England’s 76.20.

Head-to-head contests
There were only three instances of a bowler dismissing a batsman three times in a series, and Anderson was the bowler in two of those instances: he dismissed Peter Fulton and Dean Brownlie thrice. Tim Southee was the other bowler to achieve this, against Nick Compton.The best batsmen for each were dominant against the opposition pace attacks. McCullum scored at more than a run a ball against the combination of Anderson, Broad and Finn, while Prior scored 230 runs and was dismissed just once by Wagner, Boult and Southee.

Batting and bowling alongside Chris Martin was a lesson in temperament

Iain O'Brien05-Jul-2013I remember Tommy telling me over a coffee in a Dunedin café in January 2008 that this was his chance to get double figures. That series, against Bangladesh, was, in his mind, the best chance for a career best with the bat. Talk about lumping pressure on me, as more than likely I would be batting with him at some stage.So, in my fifth Test, batting at 10, I found myself batting for the guy behind me. I faced 22 balls for my 5, more balls than I had faced in any other innings for New Zealand. I blocked and left balls that when you bat with Chris Martin you’d typically have a “dip” at.Tommy’s previous high score, on his Test debut, was 7. In his 50th batting innings, he slashed his way to 12 from 20 balls before I nicked one behind to curtail him in his pomp. I felt obliged to apologise to him as we jogged off to get our bowing boots on – well, me to put mine on, Tommy batted in his. He only had one pair of boots; there was no need for him to have anything lighter to bat in – he usually wasn’t out there long enough.He took his batting seriously. It was just something that Tommy couldn’t do, and disliked. “Inept,” he called himself. He netted every opportunity he got. By the time, he got to have a hit, though, he was often left with the net bowlers, who were either knackered from a long session or not very good. Not the best training but you take out of it what you can. And the net bowlers did – they took a few wickets.I did leave Chris with some work to do as a No. 11 that was pretty average on my part.March 2009 v India, ESPNcricinfo’s commentary:

77.1 Harbhajan Singh to O’Brien, OUT, not the smartest thing to do with your partner on 98, he suddenly decides to give the bowler the charge and Harbhajan drops the ball short, he then hangs his bat out to defend but the ball beats him and Dhoni does the rest, O’Brien will probably hide in a dark room somewhere…why? Because the next man in is Chris Martin. Can’t wait to hear Iain’s description of this wicket! Blog on….

And yes, I did hide, head in hands. I hid until I heard five cheers, the five balls that Tommy had to face to finish the Harbhajan over.

77.2 Harbhajan Singh to Martin, no run, loud cheers as Martin pushes out a yorker ball towards gully
77.3 Harbhajan Singh to Martin, no run, oooh and almost! Beats the outside edge, Ryder’s having a chuckle
77.4 Harbhajan Singh to Martin, no run, brings it closer to middle and off and the cheers continue as Martin defends close to his pads
77.5 Harbhajan Singh to Martin, no run, and another one beats him on the forward prod
77.6 Harbhajan Singh to Martin, no run, martin smiles as he faces up this last delivery, he works it close to his pads and there’s an appeal at the fielder at silly point catches it, Gould shakes his head

The crowd’s roar in celebration of Jesse Ryder’s maiden hundred still makes me tingle for many reasons.

He has a serenity around him that was calming to me. He knew who he was, which I was very jealous of

I gave Tommy a rather large manly hug when he came back in after Jesse was dismissed. The relief on my face, and his, was readable by all in that changing room.And on that point, Chris had the temperament that I always wanted. He was always calm, even when under fire from the biggest and the best. He was always approachable in the changing room, even when things were not going well for him.Some of the fondest memories of my career are of sitting in cafés around the world with Chris. Not a lot of conversation, just hanging out. I was watching him, how he went about things. I wanted his personality to slowly infect mine.He has a serenity around him that was calming to me. He knew who he was, which I was very jealous of. Whatever the situation, whatever the scenario, he was calm. He responded, he never reacted. He got the best out of himself, a real professional. Chris trained hard, his gym work, his rest time, his diet (apart from smoking), was always at the highest level. He never needed anyone to train with in the gym; he’d just go and get it done.He celebrated wins as they should be: until late and with lots of liquids. He would then rock up in the morning, hungover but never late, and always looking like he was just off to a café for an espresso.Looking back over the cricket I played with Chris and the matches I’ve watched him perform in, one stands out more than any other for me. His five in Ahmedabad in November 2010 – knocking over the Indian top order and having India 15 for 5 and then picking up his fifth wicket at 65. Gambhir, Dravid, Tendulkar, Raina, Dhoni. I was sitting on my couch, wrapped up in a blanket, on a cold English winter morning. I was up and down, punching the air in celebration for a man who deserved every plaudit he ever got.Of my 22 Tests, I played just four without Chris Martin. It felt strange to not have him on the park for those. It was like going on a holiday without a big brother you looked up to and who always treated you with care and respect without being overly friendly. I missed him in the changing room in those Tests. We all missed him.And he will be missed. Maybe not now as a bowler, since stocks in New Zealand are looking healthy, but as a competitor, as a mentor, and maybe more importantly, as a bloke, because there will not be another quite like him.

James Tredwell on captaining England, bowling alongside Graeme Swann, and walking like a penguin

Interview by Jack Wilson11-Nov-2013Whatever happens between now and the end of your career, you’re James Tredwell, England captain. How does that sound?
It’s something that can’t be taken away. At least I tossed the coin – but I even got that bit wrong! I’m not sure Michael Lumb was too happy with having to have a bat because he nicked the second one. It’s more than a great honour to be selected to captain my country. It’s just a shame I didn’t get more of a crack at it.What is the highlight of your career so far?
It has to be playing for my country. Every time I pull on that shirt it’s a massive honour. As a kid you always dream of playing Test cricket, so that game – and being awarded that cap – is the pinnacle.You have played one Test, did well, and never got another chance. Is that something that eats away at you?
In my mind, it’s a pretty good achievement that I’ve done that. Once you’ve had a taste of it you want more, of course. Thankfully I’ll get a bit more of a go, who knows?Much of that time you’ve spent as understudy to Graeme Swann. Just how good is he?
He’s excellent, one of best fingerspinners there has ever been, I imagine. His record has been fantastic. Having the opportunity to be alongside him is fantastic. I can learn a lot off him even if we are different types of bowlers.Who is the greatest offspinner that has ever lived?
Swanny has to be up there. Other names that come into my mind are the likes of Tim May and Ashley Mallett. John Emburey had a pretty good career as an offspinner but it’s difficult to beat Swanny.In the days of T20, with big bats and small boundaries, what’s the secret to surviving as a spinner?
The realisation that you’re going to get hit now and again. If you think you can go through every game and you’re not going to get hit around the park, you’re a bit silly. The challenge is to make it as difficult as possible not to get smacked. The threat of going for a few as a spinner is a large one, though.You are celebrating a big win for England. Who’s the last player to buy a round?
I’m not one for going out massively so I don’t see the conclusion of the night.And who is the messiest in the dressing room?
I’m not the tidiest myself. The odd batter throws a bit of kit around and often a helmet goes bouncing around the room but most of the lads are pretty good. A few are very particular with lining up all their gear.Like who?
Trotty [Jonathan Trott] is one, and Matthew Prior is very tidy.The nickname Pingu. Where has that come from?
I tended to waddle when I walk, a bit like a penguin. Mark Ealham and Matt Walker came up with that one. I’ve got a big nose as well.Which batsman from history would you love to have bowled at?
You always like to test yourself against the best, so it’s hard to single one out. Mark Waugh really stood out and I’d have liked to watch him face to face and see exactly how good he was.Who has been the toughest batsman you have bowled at?
Virat Kohli is one that really stands out. Carl Hooper was a fantastic player of spin too – and he hit a massive ball. He seemed to do with absolute ease and was such a languid player. In county cricket, Stuart Law was a fantastic player for Lancashire.Who has been the biggest influence on your career?
Early on it was probably my dad. He got me through my first few years, ferried me everywhere and was not a bad club cricketer himself. I was playing when he was playing and picked up a lot of things from him. Then you get into a stage in your teens when you don’t want to listen to your dad. When I was involved with the Kent stuff, in the next phase of my career, Chris Stone was second-team coach and he was pretty formative.Who is the best T20 player on the planet?
Chris Gayle.If you were not a cricketer, what would you be?
I’ve no idea whatsoever. I used to enjoy design and technology at school so maybe something with that.Give us one young cricketer who is destined for a big future.
Daniel Bell-Drummond. He’s got an impressive temperament and goes about his business in the right way.If you had to choose someone to play you in a film, who would it be?
He’d have to be bald. I’ll go with Bruce Willis.What is the worst thing about being a professional cricketer?
The time away from home takes its toll, especially with a young family like I have.

A day out at the cricket with mates from England can be nice even if your team’s four-down in the series

Stuart Lowe04-Jan-2014Choice of game
I live in Sydney, and one of my mates came out from England for the Ashes, so I got us and another friend tickets for days 1 and 2, half expecting that England would have wrapped up the series by this point!Team supported
After losing the first four Tests, I was hoping for a strong finish to the series from England. I was excited to see Scott Borthwick, Gary Ballance, and Boyd Rankin selected, with half an eye on the upcoming series against Sri Lanka and India.Key performer
It looks like Ben Stokes has cemented his place as an allrounder in the England side with six wickets today. For Australia, Brad Haddin once again saved the day after coming in when his team was 97 for 5.One thing I’d change about the day
It was really disappointing that Rankin got injured today. He must have been absolutely gutted. If he had been able to bowl more overs, the other pace men would have been fresher and England would have been less reliant on the inconsistent spin of Borthwick.Filling the gaps
During lunch, we had a walk around the ground. Outside Gate E, they were displaying the World Cup trophy, which was nice to see. At tea, I enjoyed the Bash for Cash, where a spectator gets to pitch an over to a batsman attempting to hit a target for a cash prize. Unfortunately the target proved elusive today! Trivia was also a feature of the day, with quiz questions even printed on the coffee cups!Champagne moments
Stuart Broad bowled an excellent delivery to dismiss David Warner early on, which really set the tone for the entire first session. This was closely followed by James Anderson demonstrating his keep-up skills with the cricket ball later on.Shot of the day
Steve Smith’s six to bring up his century was a big moment, and it was probably the low point for Borthwick on a disappointing debut.Crowd meter
The crowd was pretty large today and vocal for the Australians, particularly Smith and Haddin. Things really started to heat up late in the day when Mitchell Johnson opened the bowling.Fancy-dress index
The best outfits were of a guy in a bull costume accompanied by two matadors!Tests v limited-overs
For me, Test cricket is the most engaging format, followed by T20s, then ODIs. Test cricket is all about getting absorbed in the rhythm of the game, and each day’s play has a context provided by the days preceding and following it. T20 is just great fun to watch as a spectator, with so much colour, sound and action. If Test cricket is like a good novel with twists and turns and sub-plots, then T20 is like a cartoon strip. Both are entertaining in different ways. It’s been interesting that the Big Bash league has been run in parallel with the Ashes. It’s almost too much cricket.Accessories
I took a pair of binoculars with me for watching bowling actions and spotting friends from across the ground.Pie-o-meter
The meat pies were excellent – eight out of ten. It seemed like a trip to the food stall was the most effective way of causing a wicket to fall.Overall
This was one of England’s better days but there were positives from both sides. There was a six-wicket haul and a century, so the quality of cricket was pretty high. The view of the pitch was great and the stadium had a friendly atmosphere. The bar and food queues were very short too.Marks out of ten
8.

South Africa are still looking for someone to bowl the overs Jacques Kallis used to so well for them, and the intermittent absence of Dale Steyn of late has only amplified that issue

Firdose Moonda in Cape Town01-Mar-2014The first law of cricket stipulates that it is an 11-a-side sport, so you’d forgive Graeme Smith for wondering why he has had to play this series with just 10. For the third time in the three-match rubber, South Africa are a man down, and for the second time it has been one of their most important men: Dale Steyn.As South Africa saw when Steyn was off the field for significant periods of the first Test with an upset stomach, and as they have seen when he has been off the boil in the past, their attack without him is what the backdrop to Newlands would look like without Table Mountain. It lacks it’s most striking feature, which only serves to heighten the pressure on the rest of the pack.Morne Morkel has started to show he is capable of responding to that. He did it in Port Elizabeth, when he bowled the spell that Steyn said inspired the second-innings collapse and he almost did it here. After Steyn had left the field, Morkel set to work on Michael Clarke. But his encounter with the Australian captain resulted in bruises, not breakthroughs. More importantly, he lacked back-up.South Africa’s attack without Dale Steyn is what the backdrop to Newlands would look like without Table Mountain•Getty Images

Morkel’s spell ‘worth 2-3 wickets’ – Donald

Despite South Africa’s toils, their bowling coach Allan Donald praised Morne Morkel’s hostile bowling to Michael Clarke. Donald said it encapsulated the idea of “a series of pace and pain”.
“If you lose your gun bowler, and that’s Dale Steyn, the rest are going to have to step up. Morne Morkel was absolutely outstanding in what he was trying to create and the intensity that he bowled. That sort of spell is worth two to three wickets. He was very aggressive with lots of deliberate intent. He has taken that responsibility on himself. Michael Clarke showed a lot of guts. He fronted up today as the leader of this team and took a lot of blows.”
Asked why Morkel changed his angle for a brief period, Donald explained it was part of the experimentation. “When you do have a gut feel and you’ve attacked for a considerable amount of time from around the wicket, you want him to think about something else,” Donald said. “Morne deserved better. It was a great piece of theatre to see how he was roughing up the Australian captain.”

On a belter of a pitch perhaps no-one could expect a different outcome from the first day, but that doesn’t mean an examination of the efforts isn’t warranted. In particular, an examination of the fringe elements of the attack has to take place, because it is in the area of the fourth seamer and the spin department that South Africa have lacked in this series.In the three matches, they’ve tried three different people to bowl what used to be called the Jacques Kallis overs. They’re a balance between overs which keep the run-rate under control while allowing the three front-liners a breather and overs which are sent down when none of them can break through. Ryan McLaren looks the likeliest to fill that role, but he has not been given an extended opportunity.After concussion kept him out of the second Test, he may have fancied himself for a recall with Wayne Parnell being injured for this one, but South Africa decided to play what some would consider a stronger hand. Kyle Abbott is a swing bowler who has had success on the domestic circuit over the last two seasons. One of the problems was that, particularly in the morning session, there was not much swing to be found.Similarly, there wasn’t much in the way of seam movement and that frustrated Philander, who found himself under attack on his own turf. David Warner has already made known how little he thinks of Vernon Philander. He questioned the man Steyn calls the King of Newlands’ ability to bowl on pitches were there is little assistance after Philander pulled out of the Adelaide Test in November 2012 with a bad back and was bowling in the nets a couple of days later. Warner showed his disdain for him again today.While Philander was guilty of bowling too full, Warner went after him before any of the South Africans could get around to telling the opening what they thought of his accusation about their swing tactics in Port Elizabeth. The start Warner got off to is typical of his aggressive style of play, and it’s impact was obvious.Smith had to bring on spin, in the form of JP Duminy, who Shane Warne reminded the press is only a “part-time spinner”, in the 10th over. It wasn’t long after that that he had to spread the field and defend rather than concentrate on taking wickets. For the second half of Warner’s century, he was scoring at almost a run a ball in singles because of the space he was afforded.Donald said it became like bowling to Brian Lara because the South Africans knew any slight error in line or length would be punished and even the acceptable deliveries would be milked. They were soon on the receiving end of both. Their lengths remained too full, except for Morkel who did not offer a single pitched up ball in the spell he bowled to Clarke. Their two spinners were unable to contain and, perhaps as a result, unable to force an error.Between them, Duminy and Elgar conceded exactly 100 runs in the 24 overs they bowled. They allowed Australia to proceed at a comfortable rate of over four runs to the over and did not threaten a touch, apart from one ball when Elgar should have had Clarke caught at slip. They showed that South Africa probably need to rethink whether they will use a specialist spinner in future. Even though the pickings are slim, someone like Simon Harmer should be kept in mind because it seems South Africa cannot go without for too much longer.For now, their concern is responding immediately and Donald knows that can only be done with a change in mindset. “We have to come out with a brand new attitude tomorrow,” he said. “We have to have a lot of attitude and discipline and skill.”If they don’t, they will end up with more days like today and more reasons to question why they haven’t started planning for life without Steyn sooner. This is not a suggestion Steyn, who admitted to only having “three or four Newlands Tests left”, is close to the end. It is a reminder that all things end at some stage and that Steyn has not had an easy last few months. He picked up a rib injury during the India series earlier in the summer and had to take an extended break to facilitate a full recovery. He did not feature in the domestic 20-overs competition as a result.He started this series unwell in Centurion and looks likely to end it injured in Cape Town. Sandwiched between that he produced one of it’s most memorable spells in Port Elizabeth. What South Africa have to learn from all of that is they cannot continue to rely so heavily on one man alone because when they do, the biggest disservice they do is to themselves.