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Sri Lanka’s top order have lacked runs, while Bangladesh’s bowlers have hunted in a pack

Mohammad Isam27-May-2021

Big Picture

Although they are 2-0 up and have sealed the series, Bangladesh will not allow themselves to relax in the third ODI against Sri Lanka in Dhaka. The home team has just got out of a ten-match winless streak and there remain many areas to still get right, with bigger challenges coming up later in the year. The same, if not more, applies for Sri Lanka. It has so far been a tough few days for the visitors who, after enduring a Covid-19 scare, went down in both ODIs quite easily.Sri Lanka’s biggest headache on this tour has been the lack of runs from their recognised batters. Wanindu Hasaranga is their highest run-getter with 80 runs, including a half-century in the first game. But those runs were made from No. 8, with Sri Lanka’s top seven yet to register a half-century across both matches.But as much as there has been criticism of their selection policy to drop some of their experienced players from the squad, the likes of Kusal Perera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva have been around for long enough to carry a batting line-up. Pathum Nissanka, Ashen Bandara and Dasun Shanaka are relatively new, but they all possess the ability to play spin.What should have heartened the team must be their bowling and fielding in these two matches. Dushmantha Chameera and Lakshan Sandakan have been among the wickets, while Hasaranga has bowled some accurate legspin too. Sri Lanka have had Bangladesh on the ropes a few times, but the home side has fought back from situations like 99 for 4 in the first ODI, and 15 for 2, 74 for 4, and 184 for 7 in the second to eventually post match-winning totals.This is where the experienced Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah have made the difference between the two teams. Whenever they have faced trouble, one of the three has stood up with the bat. While Rahim has made 209 runs in the two matches, equally important have been his partnerships of 109 and 87 with Mahmudullah from difficult positions.The lack of runs from the likes of Liton Das and Afif Hossain could be a worry though. Mohammad Mithun and Mosaddek Hossain have got a match each, but on the whole, there has been an over-reliance on the senior batters, who may not always manage to score at a higher rate in every phase of the innings.Bangladesh’s bowling, though, has really come forth in difficult times. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mustafizur Rahman have been great support acts to Shakib Al Hasan, while youngster Shoriful Islam didn’t look out of place either on his ODI debut in the last game.

Form guide

Bangladesh WWLLL
Sri Lanka LLLLLMehidy Hasan Miraz has picked up seven wickets in the two matches so far•AFP/Getty Images

In the spotlight

Mehidy Hasan Miraz is now the second-best bowler in the ICC ODI bowlers’ rankings, having picked up seven wickets in the two matches. He has taken control of Sri Lanka’s middle overs while using a fine mix of flight, spin and accurate length.Dushmantha Chameera bowled a superb first over in the second ODI, removing both Tamim and Shakib in the space of four balls. And though Sri Lanka couldn’t take advantage of it, Chameera has come off as one of the highlights for the visitors on this tour.

Team news

Mohammad Naim’s inclusion in the squad suggests that the team management must be seriously considering Das’ spot. Soumya Sarkar and Mahedi Hasan are the others who remain unused in the squad so far. A decision on the availability of Mohammad Saifuddin will be taken on match day. The allrounder had suffered a blow to his head during the second ODI, but was cleared of anything serious.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal (capt), 2 Liton Das/Mohammad Naim, 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5
Mosaddek Hossain, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Afif Hossain, 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Shoriful Islam, 11 Mustafizur RahmanNiroshan Dickwella could replace Ashen Bandara to beef up Sri Lanka’s middle order. Although allrounder Ramesh Mendis and Akila Dananjaya are also in the squad as spin-bowling options, it is the team’s batting that needs more attention.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Danushka Gunathilaka, 2 Kusal Perera (capt), 3 Pathum Nissanka, 4 Kusal Mendis, 5 Dhananjaya de Silva, 6 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Isuru Udana, 10 Lakshan Sandakan, 11 Dushmantha Chameera

Pitch and conditions

Bangladesh chose to bat first in both matches as the pitches appeared two-paced, thus hardly encouraging big-hitting. The pitches also seemed to get slower as the game progressed, and it is unlikely to be too different in the third ODI. The weather forecast is mostly for clear conditions in Dhaka.

Stats and trivia

• Shakib needs one wicket to become the highest wicket-taker for Bangladesh in ODIs. But he needs two more to overtake Mashrafe Mortaza as the one with the most wickets from his country in the format, as Mortaza took 269 for Bangladesh and one for Asia XI against Africa XI in 2007.
• When he reached 113 in the second ODI, Rahim became the fourth cricketer to cross 6000 ODI runs as a wicketkeeper. Kumar Sangakkara, MS Dhoni and Adam Gilchrist are those above him.

Quotes

“When I see the guys playing in the net they look really good. They’re playing with freedom. But when I see the guys out in the middle, it’s different – there’s pressure. A lot of the guys are freezing.”

The former South Africa captain will join Darren Sammy in a mentoring capacity for the upcoming season of the PSL

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jan-2020Peshawar Zalmi have roped in Hashim Amla as a batting mentor for the upcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The acquisition was announced on Twitter by the owner of the franchise, Javed Afridi. “His gracious presence in the PSL 5 festivity will not only adorn the Zalmi dugout but also inspire and craft the cricket skills of the emerging players in the squad,” Afridi said. Amla never played in the PSL, but brings vast T20 experience to the Zalmi side. The South African played 44 T20Is for his country, including three T20 World Cups. He has played in several T20 leagues around the world, most notably for the Kings XI Punjab, with whom he enjoyed a particularly prolific season in 2017, smashing two hundreds and finishing as the franchise’s top scorer for the season.Amla joins former West Indies international Darren Sammy in a mentoring capacity, with the former Zalmi captain moving into a mentoring role, starting this season. Head coach Mohammad Akram, manager Arshad Khan and spin-bowling coach Saqlain Mushtaq are also part of the backroom staff for the side. Zalmi, who reached the last three PSL finals, will look to go one better on the runners-up result they managed last season, ultimately falling short to Sarfaraz Ahmed’s Quetta Gladiators.

South Africa could include two debutants, in Pieter Malan and Zubayr Hamza, while Pakistan are mulling whether to play allrounder Faheem Ashraf

The Preview by Liam Brickhill10-Jan-2019

Big Picture

Many a team has arrived in South Africa with historic visions of breaching the fortress, only to end up battered and bruised at the wrong end of a series defeat. Seven in a row have now tried and failed to better South Africa at home, which is a home winning streak as hot as any in the hosts’ history. Although captain Faf du Plessis will have to sit out the third Test, he has spoken of South Africa’s desire to maintain their intensity and complete a clean sweep despite this series already being won.The end goal is the world No. 1 ranking, and while a 3-0 win won’t quite get them there, it will raise South Africa to second and add further context to the Tests against Sri Lanka in February, as well as England’s trip to the Caribbean as the teams behind India in the rankings jostle for position.For Pakistan, the third Test offers one final shot at shoring up some of the problems that have haunted their tour before focus shifts with the change of format in the second half of their trip. Out-bowled by a South African pace group that is quickly becoming legendary, outlasted by batsmen who haven’t flinched despite receiving a battering of their own on two spicy tracks at Centurion and Newlands, Pakistan have multiple issues to confront.Alas, those in the touring party who have been to the Wanderers before will not have any happy red-ball memories of the place, and the challenges confronting a brittle top order are unlikely to get any easier. Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed were all witnesses to Dale Steyn’s devastating 6 for 8 here in 2013, when Pakistan slipped to the nadir of 49 all out.If injury battles have at times dimmed the fire in Steyn’s eyes in the interim, his return to full fitness lends an air of ominous foreboding to Pakistan’s trip to Johannesburg. Now, of course, South Africa also have the world No. 1 Test bowler to call on in Kagiso Rabada, while Vernon Philander will also be a menace at a ground at which he averages just 15.08. It won’t win them the series, but if Pakistan are able to rouse themselves and stand up to the challenge South Africa’s pace attack will once again present, such success would be a timely boon ahead of the ODIs.Dale Steyn claimed a four-wicket haul•AFP

Form guide

South AfricaWWLLW (completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan LLLWL

In the spotlight

As a group, Pakistan’s batting has failed on this tour, but Shan Masood‘s individual performances have provided some light in the gloom. Tall and elegant, Masood’s soft hands and quick reading of South Africa’s lengths have helped him to survive and prosper, going from an accidental starter to Pakistan’s unlikely star. Back in his usual opening slot, the job won’t get any easier for Masood in Jo’burg, but if he is able to replicate his success Pakistan will have a much better chance of giving their bowling attack the cushion of a few more runs.Zubayr Hamza will likely become the 100th Test cap for South Africa since readmission (though he could be the 101st if Pieter Malan slots in for Aiden Markram). Hamza’s ability to absorb pressure and score big – attributes which have been enhanced by the excellent work of his franchise coaches Ashwell Prince and Faiek Davids – has got him this far and he seems an ideal candidate for a middle order always on the look-out for grit. The pressure of a Test debut will be an entirely new feeling for Hamza, but he has an excellent opportunity to stake his claim.

Team news

With du Plessis suspended, and a couple of South Africa’s top order nursing some bruises of their own, there will be a few changes to the hosts’ line-up. There are two possible debutants in the squad in Malan and Hamza, though Malan will play only if Markram fails a fitness test on Thursday. Du Plessis insisted that his pace attack would be fresh and ready to go after an extra couple of days off due to the early finish in Cape Town, and conditions will decide whether South Africa stick with their seamers or adjust the balance with the addition of Keshav Maharaj’s left-arm spin.South Africa: 1 Dean Elgar (capt), 2 Aiden Markram/Pieter Malan, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Theunis de Bruyn, 5 Temba Bavuma, 6 Zubayr Hamza, 7 Quinton de Kock (wk), 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Duanne Olivier/Keshav MaharajPakistan are also likely to ring some changes, and allrounder Faheem Ashraf could get a look-in. If he is included, it may be for Fakhar Zaman, who was shunted down to No. 6 in the second innings of the Newlands Test and hasn’t enjoyed conditions. A fully fit Shadab Khan would also give Pakistan the option of playing a fifth bowler – something that was missing from Newlands. Pakistan may also look to rest Shaheen Shah Afridi, who looked a little tired after back-to-back Tests.Pakistan: 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Shan Masood, 3 Azhar Ali, 4 Asad Shafiq, 5 Babar Azam, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt/wk), 7 Shadab Khan/Yasir Shah, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Mohammad Amir, 10 Mohammad Abbas, 11 Shaheen Shah Afridi/Hasan Ali

Pitch and conditions

The conditions at the Wanderers made headlines for all the wrong reasons during India’s visit last year, and given the potential ramifications for another poor pitch rating, the curator may look to err on the side of caution. The tracks here during the Mzansi Super League were sometimes a little dry, and in the last first-class game played at the Wanderers, first-innings runs were important. At this time of year, afternoon thunderstorms are always a possibility.

Stats and trivia

• Pakistan have never won a Test at the Wanderers, but did draw here in 1998 – though rain washing out the fourth day helped.
• Pakistan’s 49 all out on their last trip is the lowest score in their Test history.
• Masood is the leading run-scorer on either side in this series, with 189 runs at 47.25.
• Philander picked up a career-best 6 for 21 at the last Test played at the Wanderers against Australia last year.

Quotes

“We also have a mission to win not just these three Test matches, but the next two we play against Sri Lanka as well.”
“I think it’s a much better surface than the other two. Yes, this does have grass and a few cracks, but I think they will widen a lot later than Centurion and Cape Town.”

Highlighting the importance of workload management, Lungi Ngidi’s franchise coach said he would not like to see his seamer rushed back to the international stage

Firdose Moonda26-Oct-2017Lungi Ngidi’s nine-for for Titans on return from a back injury that sidelined him for four months is as much as cause for celebration as it should be a cautionary tale, highlighting the importance of managing the young quick. Ngidi’s franchise coach, Mark Boucher, told ESPNcricinfo he would not like to see his seamer rushed back to the international stage for at least “a few months”, and hopes his workload is monitored closely as he develops.Ngidi, 21, enjoyed a rapid rise last summer, in which he debuted in List A and first-class cricket and followed it up with an international debut earlier this year. With an ability to clock speeds of 140kph, he had massive expectations placed on him. Boucher believes the workload escalated too quickly and ultimately forced Ngidi out of action.”Lungi came from the Tuks’ team where he was bowling maybe 10 overs a day, and then went to provincial cricket, bowling maybe 15 overs a day, and then franchise cricket, where he had to bowl around 20 overs a day and all of that happened in the space of one season when he also made his international debut and got picked for the South Africa A side to tour England. By the time he went over, he was tired; he had a long season and maybe the selection should have been looked at,” Boucher said. “He needed a proper off-season to rest and recover so maybe his injury was a blessing in disguise.”After playing in three List A matches for South Africa A in the UK, he was forced to return home before the first-class fixtures and was diagnosed with a stress fracture. He was unable to play for South Africa in a triangular 50-overs competition against India A and Afghanistan A, nor could he take part in the four-day matches against India A . Moreover, he could not play in the first four franchise matches of the summer either.Instead, he had to work on his recovery, conditioning and overall well-being and that is where Boucher feels he has made significant strides. “We sat down with him and had a chat about the kind of player he wants to become, the work he needs to do on his bowling and even things like the kind of food he puts into his body, and he really committed to the things we decided,” Boucher said.Two weeks ago, Ngidi played a three-day game for the provincial side Northerns, and on Monday, he returned for the Titans with spectacular results. He took the new ball and delivered an opening spell of five overs, in which he took 4 for 24 and then returned to take two more wickets with the older ball later in the day. Ngidi’s first innings figures of 6 for 37 ensured the Lions were bowled out for 180 and set Titans up for a nine-wicket victory.Though he was bowling on a lively pitch, even the opposition was in awe of Ngidi’s performance. “He was by far the quickest bowler on display,” Geoffrey Toyana, the Lions coach, said. “And he found really good areas.”While observers were impressed with Ngidi’s pace and leaner physique, Boucher was happier to see that Ngidi could operate with the same intensity at the end of the game as he did at the start. “Now you will probably find that after 17 or 18 overs in the legs, he is still running in hard, bowling quickly and causing problems for the batsmen,” Boucher said.All that will come as good news to a South African camp beset with bowling injuries, with six quicks – Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell and Duanne Olivier – all recently sidelined. Boucher, however, does not want to see Ngidi rushed back as a quick-fix. “We understand that there is a lot of anticipation around Lungi and getting him ready but I don’t think it should be rushed,” he said.For now, that call has been heeded. Ngidi did not recover in time to play the T20s against Bangladesh and with the national team out of action until Boxing Day, his most pressing assignment will be the franchise T20 competition which starts on November 10. Then, South Africa play four Tests (one against Zimbabwe, three against India), before limited-overs fixtures begin in February, for which Ngidi may be considered.By then, all the above mentioned bowlers should be back in action, with Boucher expecting Steyn to turn out for Titans in the franchise T20 tournament from the get-go and Morkel and Morris to join them half-way through. Philander has already returned for the Cobras in the ongoing round of first-class fixtures.However, with a busy season ahead – eight Tests, six ODIs and three T20s on top of a franchise competition that all national players are expected to be available for – bowlers’ workloads will continue to be a topic of discussion. South Africa’s franchise coaches will meet with national coach Ottis Gibson and CSA’s medical committee in Johannesburg on Friday to discuss matters relating to fitness, form and player management.

The Supreme Court has put off passing the order concerning the BCCI’s implementation of the Lodha Committee recommendations until its next working day, which is October 17

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Oct-20162:49

Supreme Court wants BCCI president to clarify approach to ICC

The Supreme Court has put off passing a final order concerning the BCCI’s implementation of the Lodha Committee recommendations until its next working day, which is October 17 because the court breaks for holidays for a week.The court had initially given the board one day to provide an undertaking that it would accept the recommendations “unconditionally” by October 7, but the delay was because the entire three-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justices AM Khanvilkar and DY Chandrachud, which had heard the matter on Thursday, was not available after lunch on Friday.The matter had been listed for the “end of board,” which meant the order would be announced after all other cases for the day were heard, but Justice Chandrachud, who was presiding on a different bench on Friday, had left for the day before the other matters in the Chief Justice’s courtroom were concluded.As a result, the court passed an interim order in which it noted that the BCCI had been “non-cooperative in its attitude” based on the status report submitted by the Lodha Committee and also the arguments raised by amicus curiae Gopal Subramanium on Thursday.”The sequence of events that have taken place since 18th July, 2016 and referred to in the status report prima facie give an impression that BCCI has far from lending its fullest cooperation to the Committee adopted an obstructionist and at times a defiant attitude which the Committee has taken note of and described as an impediment undermining not only the Committee but even the dignity of this Court with several statements and actions which according to the Committee are grossly out of order and may even constitute contempt,” the order stated.The court said it would leave a final decision for a future date, but reminded the BCCI about its attitude. “All that we need mention is that in the implementation of the recommendations of the Committee, the BCCI appears to be non-cooperative in its attitude.”Chief Justice Thakur also said in court that BCCI president Anurag Thakur must file a personal affidavit to respond to whether he had approached the ICC asking for a letter that may have aided the board in not implementing the Lodha Committee’s recommendations.The Chief Justice was referencing a story in on September 12 that quoted ICC chief executive David Richardson as saying that Anurag Thakur had asked the ICC to address a letter to the BCCI, asking it to clarify whether the recommendations of the Lodha Committee did not amount to government interference in the board. As per ICC regulations, member boards cannot have government interference in their functioning. ICC chairman Shashank Manohar, Richardson said, had been reluctant to get involved in the matter unless “formally” requested to.The Supreme Court has asked BCCI president Anurag Thakur for a personal affidavit•Hindustan Times via Getty Images

“Mr. Anurag Thakur, President of the BCCI shall file a personal affidavit whether he had asked the CEO of the ICC to state that the appointment of Justice Lodha Committee was tantamount to Government interference in the working of the BCCI,” the court said in the order.A BCCI official ESPNcricinfo spoke to, however, said the board would continue to stick to its stance that it will not give the undertaking asked by the court to “unconditionally” implement the recommendations of the Lodha Committee. When asked whether the postponement of the hearing to October 17 would give the BCCI time to reach out to the state associations and form a response, the official said the absence of the top brass of the board would be a hurdle.The official said both BCCI president Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke would be in Cape Town to attend ICC board meetings between October 10 and 14. They would return by October 16.On Thursday, the court had given the BCCI one day to return with such an undertaking, but a board official had indicated later that evening that it was not in a position to do so in such a short time frame. The court had set the deadline while hearing the BCCI’s response to the Lodha Committee’s status report, which had been filed in the Supreme Court on September 28 and recommended that the court “supersede” the board’s office bearers with “immediate effect” because they were hindering the implementation of the recommendations.

South Africa captain AB de Villiers thought the 20-run victory over New Zealand in the first ODI could have been even more convincing

Firdose Moonda20-Aug-2015Margins are not always as tight as they seem and the 20-run difference between South Africa and New Zealand in the first ODI is deceiving. It makes the result look a lot closer than it really was – New Zealand were out of the chase in the 30th over of their reply when a double-strike from Vernon Philander took out their two best hopes of winning the game and even the 71-run partnership between James Neesham and Colin Munro did not ever really seem as though it would get them over the line. But AB de Villiers thought the victory could have been even more convincing.”The kind of intensity and the Protea fire that we always talk about was lacking tonight,” he said afterwards. “If we had that kind of energy tonight, it would have been a walkover and it wasn’t. New Zealand were in the game and if you let quality sides in the game, they tend to win.”South Africa’s spark shone brightly through their innings, where Hashim Amla anchored an effort that resulted in an above-par total on an early season pitch, and carried over onto the field. Dale Steyn created three chances in his first over, one with his first ball, but two of them were put down. “That sums up the way we were sort of lackadaisical in the field today,” de Villiers said.Kane Williamson and AB de Villiers praised Imran Tahir for holding the game during the middle overs of the New Zealand chase•AFP

Several other dropped catches followed, most of them from balls that were skied, got lost in the lights and fell into vacant spaces, making the usually slick South African fielding effort appear more comical than clinical. De Villiers, who previously said he would never blame a team-mate for dropping a catch as long as he tried, hoped the execution would come with time as his team goes through its transition.”I was a little but disappointed with our energy in the field as a unit, together. That probably comes with time. There were a couple new faces that need to get used to the way I captain and the way we operate as a team.”The newest of those was David Wiese, who made his debut on his home ground but did not seem as familiar with it as he should have been. Wiese started off bowling too full and was taken out of the attack after conceding 29 from his first three overs, but then returned with a selection of slower balls, which worked well. “David started slowly, it took him a while to get going,” de Villiers admitted.Almost as new is Kagiso Rabada, who debuted in this format in Bangladesh and is already establishing himself as a regular. Rabada was more economical than Steyn, was tasked with bowling at the death and seemed to enjoy the responsibility. “KG bowled well in spells. That potential and talent is definitely there; it just needs a little bit of experience. That’s our responsibility to get that through to him,” de Villiers said.Young players generally bring more energy to a side so South Africa being sapped of it could have come down to the the leaking of Steyn’s bowling plan after it was slipped under the wrong hotel room door the night before the game. Philander revealed it was the team’s analyst, Prasanna Agoram, who “made the mistake,” and said the strategy is not the be-all and end-all on the day.”We play against these guys so much that you go with your instinct. Generally it’s top of off with the odd bouncer, like Jacques Kallis used to say,” Philander said, revealing yet another South African tactic.Kane Williamson also brushed off the information and said New Zealand “didn’t make too much of it,” when they saw it. “It’s always in the moment when you are out there that’s the challenge when you bat. Everyone has got plans. A good area to most batsmen is similar, especially if the ball is doing a little bit and brings in most modes of dismissals.”The person who showed that the most was Imran Tahir, whose plans were not made public, but who controlled large swathes of the middle overs in the match and ensured New Zealand stayed in but never got ahead. “We were right in it all the way but we were never able to get in front of the game. The South African side bowled very well with the new ball and the class of Tahir in the middle was shown today,” Williamson said.De Villiers agreed: “Immi is a master of that. He knows how to turn the momentum around, how to speed things up to slow things down.” And he also knows how to inject energy into a team, should de Villiers feel like they need a little extra.

The changes made to the 50-overs game’s fielding-restrictions rules could be the biggest challenge for the bowlers going into the New Zealand-England ODIs, fast bowler Kyle Mills believes

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Feb-2013The changes made to the 50-overs game’s fielding-restrictions rules could be the biggest challenge for the bowlers going into the New Zealand-England ODIs, fast bowler Kyle Mills believes.As per the new rules that took effect from October 30, 2012, only four fielders can be placed beyond the 30-yards circle even outside of the Powerplay overs. This, Mills said, made things particularly difficult for the fielding team at the compact New Zealand grounds.”That [four fielders outside the circle] is pretty hard to bowl to,” Mills told the . “And I imagine even more so on New Zealand grounds. Having only four out at Eden Park [Auckland], Hamilton and even Napier is going to be a real test of bowlers’ skills. It’s going to be a huge challenge for all the bowlers in the series.”New Zealand are coming off a 2-1 defeat to England in the Twenty20 series, but Mills said that will not have a negative impact on the hosts. He pointed to New Zealand’s one-day series victory in South Africa last month, which followed a thrashing in the Tests, as evidence that previous results hold no sway over the team’s mindset. “I guess we didn’t have the battle scars from what happened in the Tests. The nature of international cricket now is, when you’re chopping from series to series, and different formats, you can often put things that happened previously to bed quite quickly.”Captain Brendon McCullum also said he expected his team to recover quickly from the loss. “We expected to win the T20 series coming in to it. So to lose it, we are obviously disappointed about that,” he said. “But I thought we bounced back straightaway in the second T20 [after losing the first] and I expect us to bounce back strongly in the first game of the one-dayers too.”That’s a characteristic of this team at the moment, our ability to bounce back, and we are going to have to do so in that little while because England will obviously be reasonably confident after the T20 performance, albeit with a new squad of theirs coming in.”The one-day format, McCullum said, suited New Zealand best. “Given our recent results, I think it is [our best format]. I think it’s a form that’s not so frenetic as well. You can actually play okay in periods of the game, but you’re never necessarily out of it.”In one-day cricket, because it lasts a fraction longer, you are able to fight your way back in to the game. I think we’ve got a reasonable game plan in one-day cricket as well, especially with our batting.”New Zealand play the first ODI of their three-match series against England on Sunday in Hamilton.

South Africa’s season of outlandish results produced another jaw-dropper as Sri Lanka subsided to 43 all out, their lowest total in one-dayers

The Report by Siddarth Ravindran11-Jan-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Hashim Amla made his ninth ODI century in just 51 innings•Associated Press

South Africa’s season of outlandish results produced another jaw-dropper as Sri Lanka subsided to 43 all out, their lowest total in one-dayers. The shorter format was widely expected to make the one-day series a more even contest than the Tests, but Sri Lanka’s 258-run defeat in Paarl was the third largest in ODI history, giving AB de Villiers the perfect start to his captaincy.South Africa’s batsmen had earlier enjoyed themselves despite the scorching heat as they ran up 301 after winning the toss. Hashim Amla highlighted why he’s the world’s top-ranked ODI batsman with his ninth century, and was supported by the two other big guns of the batting – Jacques Kallis provided the early impetus before de Villiers produced the most fluent innings of the match to power South Africa on a pitch where both seam and spin proved elusive in the afternoon.Lasith Malinga underscored his value to Sri Lanka, with a five-for that reined in South Africa towards the end of the innings, but his sterling efforts proved moot as Sri Lanka lost five wickets in five overs to effectively end the contest.Two South African bowlers with points to prove were given the new balls and they snuffed out the resistance even before the main man Dale Steyn was called on. Morne Morkel, coming off an indifferent Test summer, started the collapse in the first over as Upul Tharanga attempted a leaden-footed slap which ended as a low catch at backward point. In the next over Lonwabo Tsotsobe, having lost his place as third seamer to Vernon Philander in the Tests, showed how potent he can be by getting the ball to jag in and rear at the batsman. That proved too much for Tillakaratne Dilshan, who also bagged a duck by gloving to the keeper.The alarm bells were truly ringing when Dinesh Chandimal struggled to get bat on ball, inside-edging an accurate Tsotsobe three times before nicking a loose drive onto the stumps. Morkel then virtually killed off the game in the fifth over: Kumar Sangakkara’s attempted upper cut gave de Villiers his second catch, and two balls later Angelo Mathews’ awkward fend at a short ball popped to midwicket.Mahela Jayawardene then made an unforced error in the eighth over, stabbing a wide ball to point as Sri Lanka slid to 13 for 6. The match was long gone, and the immediate concern was over avoiding the ignominy of the lowest score in one-day history.In that manic Test at Cape Town in November, Australia’s last pair had averted the lowest Test total, and this time Sri Lanka’s tail did the job. Not that it offered much consolation for Dilshan, who looked shell-shocked in the dressing-room as his team disintegrated. While the pitch certainly provided a bit more help to the bowlers under lights, it was nowhere near as dramatic as the scoreline suggested.When South Africa batted there had few of the troubles Sri Lanka faced. Malinga extended Graeme Smith’s poor run in one-dayers, but till the 40th over, the likeliest cause of a South African wicket was a run-out.Amla wasn’t at his assured best early on, outside-edging a few drives and mistiming some pulls. Kallis, though, batted like a man coming off a double century a week ago, routinely releasing the pressure after Sri Lanka’s bowlers put together a few disciplined overs – most strikingly when he thumped Malinga over long-on for an imperious six, ending a run that yielded only 2 runs in 15 deliveries.Both batsmen used the steer to third man and the clip to square leg efficiently to keep the singles coming. They had sauntered to 69 for 1 in 15 overs before opening up in the bowling Powerplay, off which they took 37 runs. With both batsmen looking good, South Africa opted for the batting Powerplay as early as the 27th over, but the 144-run stand was finally broken as Kallis was run out by a direct hit from Jayawardene at cover.If there were fears that would slow down South Africa, de Villiers brushed them away as he played another of those innings where he seemed instantly at ease on a track where most others take time to settle down. He had a streak of 19 successive singles with Amla before becoming more enterprising, unleashing a series of boundaries through cover and extra cover to get to his half-century in 36 balls. Amla, meanwhile, calmly moved on to his hundred, celebrating the achievement with a gentle wave of the bat and helmet.At 241 for 2 after 40 overs, South Africa seemed headed for at least 320. A Kulasekara yorker, though, removed the rampant de Villiers, before Malinga worked his magic to rip through the lower middle order.The South African batting and Malinga’s five-for were both completely overshadowed by what followed, in a one-dayer that is destined to be remembered as the ’43 all out’ game.

Rajasthan’s bowlers plugged away relentlessly at Baroda’s batsmen, and despite three half-centuries, the hosts were still trailing by 70 at stumps

The Bulletin by Abhishek Purohit at Moti Bagh13-Jan-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsLegspinner Vivek Yadav was the pick of the bowlers for Rajasthan•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Rajasthan’s bowlers plugged away relentlessly at Baroda’s batsmen, creating pressure through tight lines, and despite three half-centuries, the hosts were still trailing by 70 at stumps on the third day on a Moti Bagh wicket that played better than it did on Wednesday.Vivek Yadav persisted around off stump with his legbreaks, and though he did not get the sharp turn that the Baroda spinners had generated, his accuracy forced the inexperienced batsmen into mistakes. Jaykishan Kolsawala and Kedar Devdhar had begun positively, but Yadav came on in the eighth over of the day and the runs dried up. He bowled seven overs by the first drinks break, conceding just nine runs, and removed Kolsawala and Devdhar. They were harmless deliveries, but considering how the batsmen had been tied down, it was inevitable in a way that they succumbed to them. Kolsawala fished way outside off to a ball that was angled across him, and Devdhar looked to cut a half-tracker without much feet movement, and the inside edge rattled the stumps. Baroda had slipped from 110 for 1 to 113 for 3, and the onus was now on their big signing, Ambati Rayudu, to deliver.Rayudu was looking alright, and showed his class with two elegant cover-drives when the spinners pitched marginally fuller. But Deepak Chahar – who has been wearing a strap around his right arm throughout this game – came on six overs before lunch, and trapped Rayudu leg-before with his third delivery, which straightened after angling in on middle. It looked a marginal call, as Rayudu was struck on the thigh pad, but the fact that he was caught on the back foot, and was hit on the back leg, would have played on the umpire’s mind. Rayudu had been the beneficiary of a marginal decision a couple of overs ago, when Yadav hit the non-striker’s stumps from mid-on with the batsman struggling to make his ground. One replay showed his bat was just on the crease, while one from another angle showed Rayudu had just made his ground. The third umpire had then ruled in favour of Rayudu, but his eventual dismissal meant captain Pinal Shah was left alone to guide the remaining batsmen.Pinal fought back admirably in the company of Aditya Waghmode, who was playing his second first-class innings. Both didn’t make the mistake that Kolsawala and Devdhar had, and used their feet against the spinners to regularly pick up the singles. Waghmode was especially quick to put the loose deliveries away, flicking and slog-sweeping the spinners for boundaries. At the other end, Pinal was stepping out and lifting them over midwicket and long-on. The momentum seemed to be shifting as the pair added 90 runs at just under four an over, but Waghmode’s impatience after reaching his half-century brought about his downfall. He looked to whack Yadav through extra cover but was superbly snapped up by Hrishikesh Kanitkar, who dived to take a low catch.Rajasthan took the new ball, and the lower order needed to support Pinal, who was now looking to score off almost every delivery. But Swapnil Singh went for an injudicious pull off Pankaj Singh to be caught brilliantly by Vineet Saxena at extra-cover, who held on despite colliding with Yadav, running in from mid-off. Chahar was striving for impact from the other end, and getting some movement with the new ball. He soon removed Abhijit Karambelkar, and then got the big wicket of Pinal who walked across, looking to play the ball square, but was caught plumb in front.Murtuja Vahora and Sankalp Vohra showed the track did not hold much danger, with an unbeaten 36-run ninth-wicket stand, but Rajasthan need only two good deliveries tomorrow to take the lead, which could well prove decisive.

Cricinfo previews the first ODI between India and South Africa in Jaipur

The Preview by Sriram Veera20-Feb-2010

Match facts

February 21, 2010
Start time 14:30 local (09.00 GMT)A few young India hopefuls have an opportunity to shine•AFP

The Big Picture

The Test series wasn’t closely fought – both teams won by an innings- in the conventional sense but the matches were intense and dramatic contests. It has, thus, left everybody hoping that the ODIs will be as interesting. Some key players are missing from both India and South Africa but, as Australia proved on their last trip here, the absence of personnel can be overcome.For India, who were beaten by a severely-depleted Australian team, this is a chance to raise their limited-overs game to a level they are capable of. Their last ODI outing was a tri-series in Bangladesh, where they lost in the final to Sri Lanka, who reopened some old wounds. The pitch had something for the seamers and the Indian batting line-up folded cheaply. South Africa might not get the pitches necessary to exploit India’s vulnerability but it’s bound to be an interesting battle.This three-match series will offer a greater Test for South Africa. They will miss Graeme Smith and without him the top order, even with the inclusion of the in-form Hashim Amla, doesn’t have the same strength. Much will depend on AB de Villiers, who had a quiet Test series, if they are to put up totals around 300.The first game is huge for India ahead of the 2011 World Cup as Jaipur has faced some terror threats and the cricket world will be watching how the security issue is handled. It’s been reported that there will be unprecedented levels of security: the Indian Air Force will be manning the skies and the police have divided the city into five centers – the airport, the route leading to the hotel and stadium, the team hotel, and one each inside and outside the stadium.

Form guide (last five completed games, most recent first)

India LWWWL
South Africa LWLWW

Watch out for…

Yusuf Pathan: Will he finally prove what he is capable of in the international arena? Yusuf has done well in the IPL and a few Twenty20s but hasn’t showcased his big-hitting prowess in ODIs. The flat pitches should suit him but South Africa are bound to test him with short, lifting deliveries which have troubled him in the past. He is in great form, though, having made a stunning double-hundred in the Duleep Trophy final and a 40-ball hundred – the third fastest in List A games – in a Vijay Hazare Trophy match.AB de Villiers: He had an ordinary Test series but the ODIs might bring out his best. De Villiers is one of the best in the art of building an ODI innings and the Indian audience might get to see the best of him.

Team news

Both teams have been hit hard by injuries: South Africa will miss Smith while India don’t have Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan. India’s injuries present more opportunities to the likes of Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina to cement their places in the side. Kohli had a superb outing in the tri-series in Bangladesh and the pressure is on Raina, whose stock slipped after a poor ICC World Twenty20.South Africa: (probable) 1 Herschelle Gibbs, 2 Hashim Amla, 3 AB de Villiers, 4 Jacques Kallis (capt), 5 Loots Bosman, 6 Mark Boucher (wk), 7 Albie Morkel, 8 Morne Morkel, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Johan Botha, 11 Charl Langeveldt.India (probable) 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 5 Suresh Raina, 6 Dinesh Karthik, 7 Yusuf Pathan, 8 Praveen Kumar, 9 Amit Mishra/R Ashwin, 10 Ashish Nehra, 11 Sreesanth.

Pitch and conditions

“We’ve prepared a batting wicket. It is a 270 wicket,” curator Taposh Chatterjee said. In the last game played here, India nearly chased Pakistan’s 306 and one can expect another run-fest. However, dew is expected to play a role and the teams batting second might have an advantage.

Stats and trivia