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His bag of tricks was immense, but Shane Warne often saved his best for the biggest occasions

S Rajesh19-Dec-2010Quite simply he made legspin bowling sexy again. Admittedly, some of his legend revolves around his other exploits, but first and foremost Shane Warne became the superstar he did because of the manner in which he spun the cricket ball and the way he rose to the big occasions almost every time – be it in Ashes series or in World Cups. In an era when spin bowling was dwindling, Warne, more than any other bowler, revived the art.The way he started his international career, though, not many would have anticipated such a glittering future. On his Test debut, against India in Sydney in 1992, Warne returned figures of 1 for 150, his only victim being double-centurion Ravi Shastri, who himself returned figures of 4 for 45 in Australia’s second innings. Warne finished that series with an average of 228, and in his next Test, in Sri Lanka, he had figures of none for 107 in the first innings.In the second innings Warne, with Test match stats of 1 for 335 till that point, showed the world the first glimpses of his special talent. Sri Lanka, requiring just 181 for victory in the fourth innings, were 150 for 7 when Warne came in and wrapped up the tail for the addition of only 14 more runs. The win gave Australia the series, and Warne was on his way. Later that year, in his first Boxing Day Test at his home ground, Melbourne, West Indies got their first taste of Warne magic, when his 7 for 52 fetched him the first of 17 Man-of-the-Match awards. (Incidentally, his last such award was at the same venue, exactly 14 years later.)Warne didn’t do a whole lot more in that series, but from 1993 onwards he was a factor in pretty much every series he played for the next five years. ball to Mike Gatting in the 1993 Ashes started his legend, and it grew with almost every over he bowled. Apart from the sheer number of wickets he took, the other key of his bowling during this period was the stranglehold he maintained over opposition batsmen. Legspin is supposed to be difficult to control, but Warne gave nothing away: in five series between 1993 and 1995, his economy rate was less than two runs per over; in three of those series he averaged less than 20 as well.He averaged nearly five wickets per Test for about five years beginning 1993, but then came a slump between 1998 and 2001, as a combination of a shoulder injury and plenty of matches against India led to a drastic fall in returns. Nine of the 14 Tests he played against India in his entire career came during this period, and in each of those three series he averaged more than 40. Overall, India was the one team he could never conquer – he averaged 47.18 against them, and under 30 against all other teams.He got his mojo back in 2001 against England – who else? – and did very well in his last five and a half years, averaging almost six wickets per Test and winning nine Man-of-the-Match awards. In fact, Warne’s 2005 remains the best year any bowler has had in terms of wickets taken: he nailed 96 victims in 15 matches at an average of 22.02. No other bowler has taken more than 90 in a calendar year.

Shane Warne’s Test career

PeriodTestsWicketsAverageStrike rate5WI/ 10WM199251241.9176.71/ 0Jan 1993 to Feb 19985929123.0661.413/ 4March 1998 to June 2001237338.2777.02/ 0Jul 2001 onwards5833224.0549.021/ 6Career14570825.4157.437/ 10As mentioned earlier, Warne loved the big stage, and it hardly got bigger than when Australia were playing England for the Ashes. In 36 Tests against the old enemy, Warne took 195 wickets at an outstanding average of 23.25. He played in seven series against them (excluding the home one in 1998-99, when he played one Test), and averaged less than 21 in three of them. The only instance it touched 30 was in his last series, at home in 2006-07, when he took 23 wickets at 30.34. His 195 wickets is comfortably the highest by any bowler in Ashes contests, well clear of Dennis Lillee’s 167.In the 2005 Ashes in England, Warne took 40 wickets, which is one of only eight instances of a bowler taking 40 or more wickets in a series. Not surprisingly, six of the eight batsmen he dismissed most often were from England.

Leading wicket-takers in Aus-Eng Tests

BowlerTestsWicketsAverageStrike rate5WI/ 10WMShane Warne3619523.2555.111/ 4Dennis Lillee2916721.0050.911/ 4Glenn McGrath3015720.9246.310/ 0Ian Botham3614827.6557.29/ 2Hugh Trumble3114120.8855.99/ 3Bob Willis3512826.1456.97/ 0Monty Noble3911524.8659.99/ 2Ray Lindwall2911422.4459.06/ 0Apart from the period between 1998 and 2001, when Warne struggled a bit, he was amazingly consistent through the rest of his career. In the 38 series he played of three or more Tests, he averaged less than 30 in 27 of them. His best in terms of series average was against Pakistan at home in 1995-96, when he took 19 wickets in three Tests despite not bowling at all in a match. His average for the series was 10.42. In fact, Pakistan’s batsmen were the most clueless against him – though they would’ve played more spin bowling than batsmen from South Africa and England. In the series against Pakistan in 2002-03, Warne averaged 12.66, taking 27 wickets in three matches. Overall he took 90 wickets from 15 Tests against Pakistan at an average of 20.17. Only Kapil Dev took more wickets against Pakistan than him, but Kapil needed many more matches, and his average was much higher.

Warne in series of three or more Tests

Ave < 25Ave between 25 and 30Ave between 30 and 35Ave > 35No. of series171056Unlike most other spinners, who usually come into play as attacking options in the third and fourth innings of Tests, Warne’s bag of tricks was so vast that he was a force even in the first innings, when pitches are generally at their least conducive to turn. In the first innings of a match, Warne took 156 wickets at an average of less than 28. He averaged only about 2.5 wickets per innings, but that was because the Australian fast bowlers were generally so effective at getting wickets on a fresh pitch. Muttiah Muralitharan took more first-innings wickets but averaged almost the same, while Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh have conceded far more runs per wicket.Warne took six five-fors in the first innings, the best of which was 7 for 56 in Sydney against South Africa in a match Australia ended up losing by five runs.

Spinners with most wickets in first innings of Tests

BowlerInningsWicketsAverageStrike rate5WIMuttiah Muralitharan6923026.4760.018Anil Kumble6916834.5076.210Shane Warne6415627.6358.36Harbhajan Singh5211640.2580.59Abdul Qadir409529.1362.36In the third and fourth innings of Tests, Warne turned lethal, conceding less than 23 runs per wicket. Nineteen of his 37 five-fors came in these innings, including his best figures in Test cricket: against England at the Gabba in 1994, where his 8 for 71 in the fourth innings consigned the visitors to a 184-run defeat.Thanks to Australia’s powerful line-ups during the period in which Warne played, most of his great efforts were in match-winning causes: he is the only bowler to take more than 500 wickets in wins, and is likely to remain the only one for quite a bit longer.

Spinners with most wickets in third and fourth innings of Tests

BowlerInningsWicketsAverageStrike rate5WIShane Warne12935922.8553.719Muttiah Muralitharan10034221.0851.228Anil Kumble10828026.6058.017Harbhajan Singh7516525.2257.710Lance Gibbs6914924.3675.911Derek Underwood7014522.0466.910Warne didn’t play as many ODIs as many others of his era – he finished with only 194, compared to 352 for Ricky Ponting, 325 for Steve Waugh and 287 for Adam Gilchrist. In fact, Warne is only tenth on the list of Australians who’ve played most ODIs, but in the 194 games he played he was more than a handful for batsmen. Even in a format that places a premium on economy, Warne was fantastic with his ability to take wickets – he grabbed 293 of them, and at a more-than-acceptable economy rate of 4.25 runs per over.His accuracy and his ability to hunt down wickets was especially crucial for Australia in the big games. He played only two World Cups – missing out on the 2003 edition in unfortunate circumstances – but made a huge impact in both, winning Man-of-the-Match awards in two semi-finals and a final.His semi-final performances were especially memorable: on both occasions Australia were defending below-par scores, and both times Warne’s four-fors made the difference. In 1996, Australia had scored only 207 and West Indies seemed to be coasting towards victory when Glenn McGrath started the slide, and Warne completed it by wrapping up the tail. He finished with 4 for 36 as Australia squeezed out a five-run win.Three years later he was arguably even more immense. With Australia defending only 213, Warne dismissed four of South Africa’s best batsmen – Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Hansie Cronje and Jacques Kallis – as Australia ended up tying the game and making it to the final on the basis of a higher finish in the Super Sixes. Warne took 4 for 29 off 10 overs in a match in which both McGrath (1 for 51 off 10) and Damien Fleming (1 for 40 off 8.4) weren’t at their best. In the final, Warne took four more as Pakistan were bundled out for a meagre 132 in the most one-sided of all title contests. Overall, his average in World Cup games was 19.50, at an excellent economy rate of 3.83, numbers that are remarkably similar to those of Muralitharan.

Best bowling averages in World Cups (Qual: 25 wickets)

BowlerMatchesWicketsAverageEcon rateStrike rateShane Bond163017.263.5029.5Glenn McGrath397118.193.9627.5Brad Hogg213419.234.1227.9Imran Khan283419.263.8629.9Shane Warne173219.503.8330.5Muttiah Muralitharan315319.693.8330.8Warne ticked most boxes in his 15-year international career, but the one mark that eluded him was a Test century. He was always a handy batsman, but the nearest he came to a hundred was against New Zealand in Perth in 2001, when he fell to Daniel Vettori for 99. That, perhaps, only adds to his legend.

Paul Collingwood looks to fight his way back into the limited-overs sides, but isn’t bitter about the decision to sack him as Twenty20 captain

Interview by George Dobell30-Jun-2011Is it fair to describe the last year for you as the best of times and the worst of times?
Oh, no. It’s been a fantastic year, really. We won the World Twenty20 and then we retained the Ashes in Australia. How could that be anything less than fantastic? Sure, I was disappointed to lose the Twenty20 captaincy, but on the whole it was a brilliant year. You have to retire some time. And what better way to go out than after a full ground at Sydney after just winning the Ashes? I wouldn’t describe that as the worst of times at all.Did your own form in any way detract from your memories of the Ashes?
I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a tinge of sadness when I think about that. I am very aware that my primary role is to score runs and I didn’t do that. But hopefully I contributed in other ways, and having experienced an Ashes series where I did well and the team did badly, I know I’d much rather have it the other way round.I made a mistake at the start of the tour. I remember saying to the media that in 2006-07 I’d scored heavily but we’d been beaten, and that this time I’d settle for winning the series but me not scoring a run. And that’s pretty much how it turned out.Was it hard to cope with that loss of form?
It was agony. Yeah, agony. I was thinking about it 24 hours a day. Of course I was. My job was to score runs and I wasn’t doing that. I knew full well that I wasn’t contributing as much as I wanted to the team, and I knew that my livelihood was at stake. That’s a horrible feeling, I can tell you.Were the problems technical or mental?
It’s funny: all international sport is probably 90% mental and 10% technical. But as soon as anything goes wrong, we always go looking in search of something technical, don’t we?Now I look at it, my career has had dips every three years or so. I don’t think it’s been much to do with technique. That’s remained pretty much constant. It’s more to do with time and needing a rest. I think I was a bit jaded and my mind had become a bit cluttered. The international schedule has become very hectic, and sometimes it seems there’s no time to get away from the game and just clear your head. Unless you have a major injury you never get a good break. It wasn’t ideal to have a World Twenty20, the Ashes and the World Cup all within 12 months. I wasn’t as fresh as I could have been.In that way, then, perhaps your recent knee injury might have done you a favour in the long term?
Yes, that’s true. It’s meant I’ve spent more time at home focusing on everyday things, like family life. That really helps you keep things in perspective. I’ve not been working away in the nets and worrying about which way the ball is nipping around, and as a result I’m feeling more refreshed than I have done for… well, years. I’m 100% fit, physically and mentally. I’m probably better than I’ve been in a long time. I’m chuffed to bits to be back playing again. I’m as enthusiastic as I’ve ever been and the way I’m hitting the ball in the nets is… well, it feels amazing. It’s all very positive.The team – and the selectors – really stuck by you during the Ashes, didn’t they?
They did. They really did. I’d actually say the team – and the team management – went through it all with me. It can be difficult if you’re in that position. You sometimes don’t know what to say to someone when they’re struggling. But they backed me 100%. I couldn’t have asked for more.It’s part of the reason why we’re in such a good position as a team. We’ve really learnt lessons about the importance of continuity of selection. I’d hope that people understood what I could bring to the team, too.I actually started the tour pretty well. I didn’t feel 100% but I felt I could do a job. I was always hoping there were runs just around the corner, but I never found any sort of rhythm and it just became a really tough mental battle.Was it a shock to lose the Twenty20 captaincy?
It was a huge shock. I really didn’t have an inkling it was going to happen. Quite the opposite, really. After giving up Test cricket, I was really looking forward to focusing on the shorter formats. I was excited by the prospect of being able to devote all my energy to doing the job.I had a good record as captain. We won the World Twenty20, and since then, had played four Twenty20 internationals and won three of them. We’d broken the record for the most consecutive wins in that format – we made it eight in a row – which was a huge achievement, and I was really looking forward to giving the job all my focus.

“One of my first sketches was of Richard Hadlee appealing. Then, a few years ago, I did one of Dean Jones. I did try and draw Straussy too, but it was rubbish. But I quite like portraiture, so maybe that’s something I’ll look at in the future “

Who told you?
Geoff Miller told me. I was working in London, doing some IPL commentary for ITV4, and he came to see me. Look, it wasn’t a nice thing to happen to me, but I understand that the England team have to move forward, and that they took a decision – a strong decision – in the best interests of the England team.Did you tell him straight away that you intended to fight for your place as a player?
Ha! No, no. That’s not really how the conversation went. At that time I was hugely shocked, and it’s fair to say I didn’t think about anything other than the captaincy. Nothing else mattered at the time and… well, let’s just say that I was shocked and disappointed. The captaincy was all we talked about.Did you consider retiring from all international cricket?
Everything goes through your head. All the options. But when I retired from Test cricket, I just knew it was the right time. I haven’t felt that way about limited-overs cricket. Okay, I’ve turned 35, so age might not be on my side, but my fitness is good, and I still feel I’ve something to offer the team. I’m hoping I can fight my way back into things in the next few weeks. I have to score heavily. The next few weeks are huge for me.There was a time when you didn’t seem very keen on the captaincy. What changed?
In the first instance, I was sharing the captaincy with Michael Vaughan and Peter Moores was coach. Vaughany was Test captain and I was ODI and Twenty20 captain. I found that very taxing. I was playing all three forms of the game and captaining in two of them. That really took it out of me. It was damaging my form, and I knew I was in danger of losing my place in the Test side.That was massive for me. My ambition had always been to play for England, and that was slipping away from me. I hadn’t ever really had any ambitions about captaincy, but that’s what was soaking up all my energy.But then Andy Flower took over as coach. He explained that he just wanted me to do the job in Twenty20, and I figured that it wouldn’t take too much out of me mentally. I really got my teeth into it. I’d have to say that leading England to the World Twenty20 success was one of the best experiences of my career.There are examples of other players – the likes of Mark Ramprakash – who have performed superbly in county cricket but never won a recall. Is that a concern?
Well, I’m told the door is open for me in one-day and Twenty20 cricket, so no, not really. And it’s not as if they [the selectors] don’t know what I can do. I’ve played for England for 10 years, so they know what I bring to the team and what I have to offer. But look, I don’t feel I have anything to prove to anyone. If I get picked, then great. If not, I’m happy with what I’ve contributed and I’ll walk away with my head held high.If it became clear that there’s no hope of an England recall, would you continue to play county cricket for Durham?
It’s too early to say. It really is. These are a big few weeks for me. My aim is to score heavily and force my way back into the England limited-overs team.All I can say is that so far I’ve really enjoyed being back at Durham. I’ve always felt part of the club – it’s where I grew up and learnt the game, after all – but I haven’t really felt a part of the team for a few years. Since 2005, when I scored quite heavily and forced my way into the England side, I’ve probably only played a game or two a season [Collingwood only played in two games in Durham’s championship-winning campaign of 2008 and didn’t appear at all in 2009, when they retained the title]. So the prospect of being part of a team that could challenge for the county championship is very exciting.Can you envisage taking on the Durham captaincy?
Again, it’s too early to say. There are too many other things to resolve first. All I would say is that I imagine captaining a county side must be very, very tough. To do that for six months… well, it looks very hard.But look, I’m centrally contracted until the end of September, so we’ll get there and then sit down and have a think about what to do next. I just want to see how it goes until then. So far I’ve really enjoyed it. Travelling around with the lads has been great, and I’m looking forward to getting more involved with it.Have you been impressed by Ben Stokes?
Hugely. He’s an incredible talent. He’s already an incredible player. He hits the ball with massive power, but he does it so naturally, and it’s the same with his fielding; he does it brilliantly, but he does it his own way. It’s really great to see a natural athlete play cricket the way he does.What would you like to do after your playing career ends?
I definitely want to remain in the game. I feel I’ve picked up a huge amount of knowledge over the years, and I’d like to send that on to the next generation. I enjoy working with other players, and it’s great when you see someone improve. It seems crazy to work on a skill all your life and then just stop without passing on what you’ve learnt.I have done a little bit of media work too and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Maybe that’s another avenue. But I really don’t have many skills outside cricket. The game is all I’ve known all my working life, so it’s not like I have anything else to fall back on. I’m not about to become a plumber or electrician.This may surprise a few people, but I’m also quite keen on art. I know people think they know you if they’ve seen you on TV or read a few interviews, but not many people would know that I took art as an A Level. I might like to do a little bit more of that: just pencil-on-paper type stuff.”I remember saying to the media that in 2006-07 I’d scored heavily but we’d been beaten, and that this time I’d settle for winning the series but me not scoring a run. And that’s pretty much how it turned out”•Getty ImagesWhat have I sketched? Not cricket grounds, or anything like that, but I have drawn a few players. One of my first sketches was of Richard Hadlee appealing. Then, a few years ago, I did one of Dean Jones. I did try and draw Straussy, too, but it was rubbish. But I quite like portraiture, so maybe that’s something I’ll look at in the future, too.At the recent Wisden dinner, there was a discussion about whether India’s strong influence on the game was a threat to cricket, and Test cricket in particular. What do you think?
I don’t think that’s the case at all. Actually, I think it might be the other way around.Look, when I was a kid, all I wanted to do was play professional football. As it happened, I wasn’t good enough to do that. But if I’d had the choice, I probably would have been a footballer before a cricketer. Why? Well, I looked at the rewards on offer for a life in either sport and football won hands down. There was just far more money on offer in football. And that’s a huge draw, whether people like it or not.The riches on offer in the IPL make it more likely that kids will choose cricket instead of football. The excitement and glamour will drive up the participation numbers, and as far as I’m concerned, Twenty20 cricket has improved skill levels right across the game. I really believe that. The game has improved in the last eight years since Twenty20 was introduced, and I think it will go on improving. I know that I had to become much cleverer as a bowler and a lot more powerful as a batsman. We’ve all had to improve.For me, Test cricket will always remain the ultimate test of a player, but so long as we don’t take anything from the traditions of the game, I can’t see why the Indian influence should be interpreted negatively.If your international career is over, will you feel fulfilled?
Absolutely. To be honest, if you’d told me in 2001, when I made my international debut, that I’d play 300 times for England, then I’d have laughed at you. If I play again, I’ll just consider it a bonus.I’ve been very fortunate to play in the period I have. We’ve improved as a team throughout that time, and I honestly believe the team will go on improving. After winning the Ashes in 2005 and 2009, beating Australia in their own backyard became one of the big goals. To have done that ranks alongside the World Twenty20 win as one of the more memorable achievements of this side. I’ll always be proud of that.I feel privileged to have had the career I’ve had, and I’m very satisfied with it. I’ve been to some great places, met some great people, and I’ve given it my all. What more could I ask? I know I’ve been a very lucky man.

Trent Copeland made an impression in Sri Lanka, attacking even with medium pace, and reaping the rewards. He talks about the importance of getting it up there

Interview by Daniel Brettig03-Oct-2011″I was able to be successful just through manipulating my length – hitting the length in between full and short, not allowing the batters to ease onto the front foot or get back”•Associated PressWhat are your reflections on your first Australian tour?
It was one of those tours where I went over there full of excitement. Just the fact that I was going to be in an Australian Test tour carried me the whole way through, I think. Never in my wildest dreams had I thought I’d play three Test matches, but whatever level I’ve been exposed to, I’ve made it my goal to make an impression. Luckily I got the chance to do that in the tour match, and it all stemmed from there. In conditions and on wickets that probably don’t suit my type of bowling too much, I think I played my role in the team quite well. I dried up an end and created chances with the new ball, especially.Looking at the three Tests and the tour as a whole, I was really happy just to get a baggy green and to play that debut game with Nathan Lyon, for him to take five-for. There are so many memories of the trip that’ll last forever. Shaun Marsh – his dad presenting the cap to him – scoring a hundred; singing the song atop the fort at Galle, all those kinds of things. It really was a priceless memory and something I’ll remember forever.What was the most significant lesson you learned from the trip?
That it doesn’t matter what you do, where you come from, as long as you’re focused and willing to work hard. You [don’t] get to that level if you don’t have the skill set to succeed, so just back yourself. There’s a lot of comment about my pace and stuff like that, but I think I’ve gone a long way in proving that, even over there, where the ball doesn’t swing around much, which is one of my strengths back home and hopefully in South Africa, I was still able to be successful just through manipulating my length – between full and short, not allowing the batters to ease onto the front foot or get back, and let it just plonk into the slow wickets.I think that was crucial. A big learning curve for me was that being disciplined around that length was so critical on flat, slow subcontinent wickets when I don’t have the 150kph pace to blast people out. If the batters made a mistake, I was ready to capitalise.As an observer it’s difficult to remember a better recent ensemble effort by a group of Australian bowlers.
I know Ryan Harris is a superb bowler, and when he’s fit he’s one of the best in the world. So bowling at the other end from him, doing my role, I suppose we made each other look good. With him taking wickets, and when I was able to take some early wickets as well, we always had them on the back foot to start with, especially in the first two Tests. Then Pete Siddle came in for the third Test and took his chance with both hands as well. Mitch [Johnson] probably doesn’t get the credit he deserves. He bowled some very fast spells, and I can tell you from facing him in the nets, it’s not good fun. Even Jimmy Pattinson, who didn’t get a game, really worked his arse off over there.The success we had on the tour and the work ethic of the blokes in such hot, humid conditions can only breed success. Lyon couldn’t have done much better on a debut tour against quality opposition who’ve been very good at playing spin, especially in their own conditions. So we’re in good hands for the future, hopefully.You and Nathan Lyon go back a long way together. How did you view his growth over the course of the tour?
Him and I are very similar in the fact that we’re very much country boys and we don’t get ahead of ourselves. It was so good to have him in the team, fielding at mid-off when I was bowling. I could turn to him and say, “I can’t believe I’m bowling to Kumar Sangakkara in a Test match in Sri Lanka”. We could have that real conversation, as opposed to being the only one there, and if you get taken aback by it for a second or you’ve got to pinch yourself, you don’t have anyone to bounce that off. So I think that was a real bonus for both of us. I think he’s always going to be confident in his bowling. He still tosses it up, he still spins it, and I’ve no doubt taking a five-for on debut will have given him that bit of a boost that he knows he can do it.Collectively the quicks bowled a lot fuller than we’ve seen from Australian teams in recent times. A case of planning paying off?
That was a real focus of Craig McDermott’s work with us. Even talking to Michael Clarke in preparation for the tour, and also my stuff with Australia A with Troy Cooley and Jason Gillespie. Sidds was over there with us. We focused on the fact that in subcontinent conditions, if you bowl that back of a length, they’re such good players, they can just sit on it and wait for it. We were of the philosophy that if you pitch it up and it does happen to do something for you, then it doesn’t give them time to adjust, so you can attack the stumps a little more. Even if we were to get driven down the ground a few times, we were willing to take that.A good example of that was [Tillakaratne] Dilshan: he came out, he hit a couple of fours here or there, but we really felt like we were in the game because he just goes after everything. I was lucky enough to get him out a few times as well. And Harris or Siddle or myself, we think if we can hit the seam and get it to move around a little bit… Batsmen just love that feel of bat on ball up the top. You can really capitalise on it. So, good work from the coaching staff. They drilled it into us and made it a real focus for us.

“My pace is down around the low 120s. I would ideally like it to be up in the high 120s-low 130s. There were a couple of balls in a spell in Kandy that were over 130 or just under. That’s the long-term goal, to be there, but to me it’s not a big issue”

Can we expect to see that fuller length more often now, in all conditions?
I’m the type of bowler who pitches it up anyway, so it wasn’t too much of a shock to my system. I think committing blokes to come forward and attack you when the ball is new is crucial to getting those edges and getting the lbw or bowled decisions.McDermott’s philosophy is that we’ve got to pitch it up, no matter where we are in the world, and I think it is a good thing, because it is something I do naturally anyway, and something the rest of the bowling group has spoken about. We were very happy with how it worked in Sri Lanka and created a lot of chances on wickets that were pretty bloody flat. Without giving too much away about our bowling plans and things like that, it is obviously a key focus for us.Troy Cooley, as interim coach for the South Africa tour, has already paralleled you to Andrew McDonald and his role there in 2009. Is that how you see yourself contributing?
I suppose in terms of what Andrew McDonald did, in terms of how fast he bowls and the fact he likes to swing the ball a little bit both ways, there are similarities there. But the fact that I bowl with the new ball and I’m just that little bit taller, I think makes a big difference in what I try to do. I understand the comparisons are there, definitely, and if I can be as successful as McDonald was, and as the team was on that tour, winning matches like that, then I’ll be very happy.How are you going about preparing for South Africa?
Once I got back I was straight into grade cricket. I got in some batting practice, batting at No. 6 for St George, and then got into my bowling workloads. So I used grade cricket as my preparation leading up to the Shield game prior to South Africa. Then hopefully, pending selection, in that first Shield game I can really work on getting that ball to swing the way I want it to. It’s been a strength for me in the last 12-18 months at home. Also, using my bouncer at the right times. Without being an express bowler, I think bowling on good wickets over there to guys like [Jacques] Kallis, [Graeme] Smith, [AB] de Villiers, you need to have that change of length. Aside from that, the NSW boys are away with the Champions League, so there’s no actual fixtures for us here. It’s just about being smart, getting my training in, and doing plenty of fitness work to make sure the body’s good to go.Is it useful in a way that Usman Khawaja and you missed out on the Champions League, so you’re seeing a lot of each other around the SCG?
Usman and I were obviously very disappointed to be left out of the squad, but in hindsight it has worked pretty well for us. We can get in our preparation, especially having four weeks of solid net practice against each other. Uzzy fancies himself as an offie so I’ll get my batting practice in as well. I’m sure Pup will be around too, and we can just keep our focus solely on Test cricket, whereas the guys at the Champions League have got a bit of hit-and-giggle stuff for the next couple of weeks, then home and hard into the Test stuff.You can’t have seen much of Michael Clarke before the tour. How do you view him as a captain and a batsman?
I played one Shield game [as 12th man] with him last year, where he scored a hundred, just prior to the Ashes. The thing that sticks out for me is that in the practice match and in that Shield game, he scored hundreds in both games, and in the Test matches this time around he got one or two low scores, but he really is one of those guys who, when he gets an opportunity, he cashes in on it. Going into that team for the first time, after watching it on TV to how it was, there is a breath of fresh air in the group. Everyone is really pumped. Everyone is really behind Michael. I think he gets that respect from everyone when he talks, and as we saw throughout the series, he made some really clutch decisions and got some serious rewards for putting his neck out there. Bringing on Huss to have a bowl and having three catching midwickets, or actually coming to us with a bowling plan and asking us to execute it, I think it worked really well.Australia had seldom seen a pace bowler in the slips since Terry Alderman. Was it anything to do with your earlier wicketkeeping?
I think so, definitely. When I first got over to the tour, Stumper [Steve Rixon] was around doing some catching stuff and I jumped into the slips practice group. He came over and had a word to me that my movement was really good – moving to both sides and down low and stuff like that. I’ve got no doubt that comes from keeping, and probably playing hockey as a youngster. And doing a lot of practice at it, it’s something I really enjoy doing. It’s a very good challenge, fielding in Kandy to Mitchell Johnson at third slip, and to Shane Watson at first slip, and standing so close because the wickets were so slow. Mitch bowling at 145kph certainly keeps you on your toes. If I can be successful at it, it’s certainly going to make my bowling longevity a lot easier.”It was so good to have Lyon in the team because he was fielding at mid-off when I was bowling. I could turn to him and say, ‘I can’t believe I’m bowling to Kumar Sangakkara in a Test match in Sri Lanka'”•AFP Does it bristle at all that some still question whether you’re quick enough?Not really. The people who think it is an issue really haven’t seen me bowl enough. The people who have been there and watched me do what I do for a long time, understand the things I do, the processes I go through, have been successful at any level. So it’s not a huge issue for me, but bowling a lot of slower balls and bowling a lot of overs, especially in conditions like the last Test in Colombo, does take it out of me.My pace is down around the low 120s. I would ideally like it to be up in the high 120s-low 130s. There were a couple of balls in a spell in Kandy that were over 130 or just under. That’s the long-term goal, to be there, but to me it’s not a big issue. Not something I go home and lose sleep about, or something that’s ever even discussed with me at training. I just go about my business and worry about moving the ball in the air and off the seam.And if batsmen go after you, you’re looking to take advantage.
If blokes see that as an opportunity for them, I’m happy for them to try to take it. It creates more opportunities for me, and guys who don’t respect what I do give me far greater opportunity of getting them out. I’ve noticed in my second year of Shield cricket a lot more blokes trying to leave me and counteract by batting out of their crease to not allow me to just bowl and bowl and bowl. There’ll be different things that come my way and different challenges, and I’ve just got to be ready for that.

Plays of the Day for the third final of the CB Series between Australia and Sri Lanka, in Adelaide

Sidharth Monga at Adelaide Oval08-Mar-2012The interaction
In the 14th over, Farveez Maharoof induced from a rampaging David Warner an outside edge that Kumar Sangakkara held on to his left. Maharoof was so pumped he got a little in Warner’s face, and Warner turned around and returned pleasantries too. Maharoof quietly walked away, Warner too. The umpires, however, made it a point to make their presence felt, and pulled up the only partner-in-crime left out there in the middle. Maharoof reacted by snatching his cap away at the end of the over.The catch
Rangana Herath has now made it a habit of being part of catching drama. In the first final he misjudged one before pulling it off spectacularly. In the second he similarly misjudged one, tried a similar stunner, but couldn’t manage it. Today, though, he judged a low catch at the boundary perfectly, ran in, caught it while diving forward, but it almost popped out on impact with ground. Herath kept it under control all the while, though.The interaction, part II
The batsman who gave Herath that catch, Shane Watson, wasn’t quite sure the take from Herath was clean because the view was obscured as he took the tumble. As Watson deliberated over staying or not staying, Tillakaratne Dilshan, the bowler, didn’t like that his fielder’s word was not being trusted. Twice he waved his finger to let Watson know which way to walk. No umpire involvement this time. Perhaps they just want distance between confronting players.The push
In the 20th over of the Australian innings, Watson seemed to have been done in by a Lasith Malinga slower ball. The ball seemed to loop towards mid-on, everybody shouted “catch it” only to find out that what seemed as a limp push was so well timed it went one-bounce into the boundary.The return
When Brett Lee dismissed Dilshan with one that lifted at him outside off, he brought back from the vault his trademark celebration. The right hand formed into a fist, and he went as if punching someone to death. Welcome back, the chainsaw.Edited by Siddarth Ravindran

Pakistan’s new coach is optimistic about his side climbing the rankings, and making sure the best XI is picked for every format no matter what

Interview by Umar Farooq10-May-2012You were considered the strongest candidate by the Pakistan board. Did you need much convincing or were you always keen?
I had always privately harboured a strong desire to return to international cricket since my last international appointment with Bangladesh [2007]. I went down the path to some degree with the BCCI on two occasions, and once with the PCB, with no joy.I spoke to Wasim Akram, and he played a part to put me through. Thankfully, I was successful on this occasion after discovering a mutual desire from both sides.What attracted you to Pakistan?
It is obviously a high-profile role, being that there are only ten Full Member teams offering the opportunity to coach and manage players over an extended period for 12 months of the year, which is in contrast to the role I was fulfilling at the Kolkata Knight Riders. There is no beginning and ending of the season. It’s a continuous process.I relish the challenge of succeeding in an environment where, perhaps, others have not, and to apply my own particular strengths and style to a very capable set of players.You were in line for a similar role with Pakistan in 2007, but it didn’t work out. How disappointed were you at that time?
Very disappointed. I considered myself the strongest candidate at the time, compared to the other applicants. However, somebody upstairs was definitely looking out for me, as it turned out. That’s the way it’s in life. You can’t always get what you want, and life very often isn’t fair.History shows that that particular period for Pakistan cricket was a fairly troubled one, and in retrospect I am glad that decisions went the way they did. I can honestly say I feel that I am in exactly the right place here today.Was your resignation from the Knight Riders linked to the Pakistan job?
The short answer is yes, and as I mentioned previously, I believe I am exactly where I am supposed to be right now and I am very happy doing what I am doing. In an ideal world I would have started a little sooner, however. Through no fault of my own, I had to endure two months of uncertainty prior to finally signing on March 1.You were born in Sri Lanka, played for Australia, and coached mainly in Asia. Is it that you are more comfortable coaching and living in Asia or are there simply more opportunities to coach in this region?
Yes, you are right, I am very comfortable coaching and living in this region. I am, after all, a product of this region. I was educated in Australia and I played my cricket there, but I still feel a very strong connection to the subcontinent.At one stage there was a possibility that I would be involved with Cricket Australia’s Centre of Excellence, but as it turned out, there was a timing problem and I was unable to have an interview due to the lack of a suitable panel. Ravi Shastri, who was the chairman of the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy at that time, quickly secured my services, and off I went to Bangalore instead.How challenging is it to work in a different culture?
Working in the subcontinent provides its own unique set of challenges to any coach who takes a role within the region. There are a lot of people who are quick to offer advice on virtually any topic, whether they have experience or expertise or not. This is okay when it is merely a comment, but when it proves too big a distraction, it can become detrimental to a team’s performance. That being said, getting more consistency is high on my list of priorities. All the great teams throughout history have excelled in this area, and I firmly believe that without it a team cannot truly achieve the results it is capable of.What do Pakistan need to be No. 1?
Generally speaking, teams that rise to the top of the rankings tend to perform consistently over an extended period and tend to win series by bigger margins. More wins and wider margins are obviously crucial when it comes to rankings.

“To play at this level you have to have a high level of technical ability, that is true. However, I think it’s widely accepted that the real battle at this level is a mental one. Most of these guys know how to play lots of shots but the real test is when to play them, and more importantly, when not to”

Simply put, we have to win more games more often, and where we have the opportunities to create wider margins, we need to capitalise on them, not fritter them away. That is nothing more than consistency in performance to occupy No. 1 and 2 – that is what I am aiming for.What is more important when working with Pakistan cricketers – technical aspects or mental ones?
To play at this level you have to have a high level of technical ability, that is true. However, I think it’s widely accepted that the real battle at this level is a mental one. Most of these guys know how to play lots of shots, but the real test is when to play them, and more importantly, when not to.You have to have a good understanding of the game, and being able to think properly and execute properly is very important. Consistency starts with each individual being responsible for their own performance and accepting that they play an integral part in the overall result.Pakistan are currently in a transition period, with a lot of youngsters being tested in every format. Do you feel they are heading in the right direction?
When the team changes at any point, it’s really the selectors who make those decisions. Big debates are currently going on regarding using players suited to each separate format, but I think time will tell which way the selectors finally go.The bottom line is: you need to pick the best XI, no matter what format you are playing. If that happens to contain the same personnel for each format, so be it. But if there are players that excel in a particular format and not in another, it makes sense to pick the strongest team possible.I feel Pakistan has a wide range of very talented cricketers, some are suited to play all three formats, some are suited to only one format. We will have to see how things progress.How will you ensure you get the best out of the team?
Every player understands that to get the results we need consistency. But more importantly that each player has to contribute to the process. Each player has to take responsibility for their own contribution.There will be days where, despite getting good contributions from many players, we still lose. I believe that if a team gets contributions from the majority of the players, be it with the bat, the ball or in the field, that team tends to come out on top. We cannot guarantee that we going to win every game we play, but at the end of the day my job is to help the players achieve as close to their maximum potential as possible. And if we can do this, we will win far more games than we lose.Do you think Misbah-ul-Haq fits in every format of the game?
Ultimately it’s the selectors who will decide whether Misbah is selected for any particular format, but I don’t think anybody can dispute that he brings incredible leadership qualities to the party. The players definitely respond to him in a positive way and that can be seen in recent results.But, as with any selection, it will be about what he contributes to the team. He certainly wants to play all formats of the game. He is fit enough and working extremely hard, but at the end of the day it’s a team game. We need to do what is best for the team and it’s up the selectors to pick the combination. It’s not only Misbah but about every player.Do you agree that Pakistan rely mainly on their bowling, and that it’s only on rare occasions that their batting achieves a victory?
To be honest, I am not sure I agree with that statement. If you ask me, we have strength and ability in all departments. What we need to ensure is that the players are achieving their potential and playing the very best cricket possible. If we do that, we will be successful.Yes, the ability to chase scores has not been so good and we obviously can improve in a range of areas, but there is no doubt in my mind that we have an extremely talented batting line-up. We have to ensure that they all make a contribution.”Consistency starts with each individual being responsible for their own performance and accepting that they play an integral part in the overall result”•AFPCriticism in Pakistan can often be without cricket logic. Does that bother you?
I totally agree. I understand there is a huge interest in cricket in Pakistan, and the country is made up of different states [provinces], each of which will have differing views and interpretations about Pakistan cricket and how it should be played, coached or managed.My philosophy is to control the controllable. I cannot control what people say about the team, the players or me. What I can control is my contribution to each player, the team and the Pakistan nation as a whole. As long as I am doing the very best I can, I sleep well at night and leave the rumour-mongering and whispering to others.You are not part of the selection panel. Is that good or a bad thing?
Yes, I do not have a vote in selection. However, it’s a two-way street and I do give my comments and views to the selectors. I can honestly say I have a great rapport with all the selectors, including the chief selector. They appreciate my input, as they have to know what I am thinking with regard to overall strategy, and I too listen to what they think.The key is definitely communication, and we try to speak on a regular basis to avoid the gap so that we are all on the same page. Moving forward, as long as we are able to pick the best XI for those conditions or format, we will get positive results.

After spending two successful years together, India Under-19 players believe they can part on a high note

George Binoy in Townsville11-Aug-2012Most of the players in the India Under-19 squad have been together for the better part of two years, in which time they’ve played and beaten most of their competition while winning two of the three tournaments they’ve been part of. It’s in those tournaments, when challenged to recover from difficult situations, adjust to foreign conditions, and deal with the pressure of last-ball finishes, that, their coach Bharat Arun says, the group has picked up their confidence and self-belief – and especially the habit of “keeping a cool head to win a hot game”.The team’s build-up to the tournament, extensive and exhaustive, sought to reinforce the bonds. The players gathered at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore for a camp where, apart from honing their skills, they interacted with Yuvraj Singh, an Under-19 World Cup winner in 2000, and Rahul Dravid, who spoke to them on preparation and the mental challenges of playing on a bigger stage. They also were taken on field trips and went rappelling, most of them for the first time. “When you’re coming down a cliff which is 50 feet, you’re a bit scared. But all you need to do under stress is do the basics,” Arun said. “The simple instruction was to keep your knees straight on the rock … and then they know, in a tight situation, the best thing to do is to do the basics right.”The players also went on a “trust walk”, a team-building exercise that involved a leader, who wasn’t allowed to speak, guiding a group of blindfolded people through a forest track in Nagarhole, a jungle reserve in Karnataka. “They were given some time to think how to do it and be innovative, they learnt to trust each other,” Arun said. “They did a great job.”We had a lot of sessions where they formulated strategies – the three most important things to do to win this World Cup. When they come out with such ideas, their ownership is a lot more than when you give it to them.”The competitive journey of this Indian Under-19 side started in Visakhapatnam in September 2011, at a quadrangular tournament involving teams from Australia, West Indies and Sri Lanka. India began by chasing down Australia’s 163 in 12 overs and won every league game after that. They were stretched in the final: chasing 168, Sri Lanka were 102 for 5 before falling five runs short.”Winning [the final] from that situation gave us a lot of belief,” Arun said. “If we can set our minds on the process, the outcome automatically takes care of itself. You can tell them [the players] these things but for them to believe they have to enact it out in the middle.”India Under-19 captain Unmukt Chand’s eyes lit up while talking about the thrashing to Australia, the tense victory in the final, and the crowd that came to watch. “It gave us belief, that was the first time we played together as a team and we didn’t lose a single match,” Unmukt said. “The way we played the finals was amazing. The belief of winning was so strong that we never felt that we’d lose that match.”Their next tournament, however, was in Townsville, where India will play their World Cup matches, and lose they did. Having never played in Australia before, they were beaten in all their league matches by England, New Zealand and the hosts.”First match, we had no idea, no clue of the wickets and all. We just knew they would be bouncy. We had no experience of the conditions there,” Unmukt said. “As a batsman, the balls I’m used to playing here [thigh height], they were bouncing so much that they were going here [chest height]. That’s why we took time to adjust.”A long assessment of their performances followed ahead of the quadrangular semi-final against England. They watched videos of opponents, tried to understand the conditions better, and laid plans. “A lot of the inputs came from them [the players], that to me is not being afraid to accept what their shortcomings are,” Arun said. “That was a great learning curve for us, it was a big test of character. To be able to come back after being down three games, when you do that then you have a lot of self-belief.”

When there is an atmosphere in which each one can express themselves, then trust develops. They can say whatever they want without being afraid of being shunnedBharat Arun, India Under-19 coach

India beat England by 63 runs in the semi-final, and got past Australia by seven wickets and 44 balls to spare to win the trophy. Unmukt credited the culture created by the management for the turnaround. “We all thought … not thought … we all believed that we’ll win this tournament,” he said. “The atmosphere was really cool inside, there was no pressure from anyone.”One of the challenges of coaching teenagers as compared to older professionals is a lower maturity level, on average, and Arun said the management had worked hard to develop a working relationship based on trust. “It’s important that we understand each other well, for them to open up and accept a lot of things you may bring in – areas they need to improve, to understand their strengths.”When there is an atmosphere in which each one can express themselves, then trust develops. They can say whatever they want without being afraid of being shunned.”After the quadrangular in Australia, India Under-19’s next assignment was the Asia Cup in Malaysia, where they played Pakistan Under-19 for the first time. They lost their league match to Pakistan by one run, chasing 287, and tied the final, having been well placed to chase down 282 at one stage. Arun said both the defeat and the tie had been instructive.”Both were high-pressure games. We understood where we went wrong,” he said. “Drawing from these experiences, we said the area we need to work on is the mind, because on the skill front we have really worked hard. There’s little more we can do on the skill front. The mental side is going to be very important because it’s about handling pressure at the World Cup.”This is the beginning of the end for this Under-19 team. After Townsville, the players will go their separate ways, to try and forge first-class careers. Unmukt spoke of the desire within the team.”There’s a very strong feeling that we want to win this World Cup,” he said. “We’ve put in a lot of hard effort for two years … this is the final thing. It’s an emotional thing. We are not thinking of ourselves as individual players.”India Under-19s begin their campaign against West Indies in Townsville on Sunday, August 12.

Darren Gough reflects on the 2012 County Championship season

Interview by George Dobell20-Sep-2012Is the Championship a good breeding ground for future England players?
Without doubt. It is better now than it has ever been. I hardly played county cricket for the middle period of my career, but when I came back into it, I really noticed the difference. It was much tougher. Whereas every team used to have four or five tailenders, now they all bat down to 10 or 11. Just look at Derbyshire’s ninth-wicket partnership of 261 between Tom Poynton and Wayne Madsen. There is a depth and an intensity that wasn’t there in the past. The key changes have been the introduction of promotion and relegation and the move to four-day cricket. I know this year hasn’t shown it, but generally the pitches in the top division have been better, too. Now nearly every game matters and that has given teams something to play for the whole way through the season.Which teams have impressed you this year?
Warwickshire have done fantastically well. To some extent that is no surprise – they have a tremendously strong squad. But they were weakened by injuries and England call-ups, so to have won the County Championship showed their strength and depth.It is interesting to look at some of the ingredients of that success. They don’t have any old coaches. In fact, they have a team of relatively young coaches – Ashley Giles, Graeme Welch and Dougie Brown – and I think that instils energy in the club. They are ambitious and demanding and constantly searching for perfection. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if, one day, Ashley Giles and Andy Flower swap jobs: Ashley could take the England job and Andy could go to Warwickshire. Maybe if Somerset had had Vernon Philander for a bit longer, they might have challenged, but Warwickshire were very well deserved champions.I’m a bit biased, of course, but I have been very pleased with Yorkshire, too. They should never be in the bottom division, but at least they have put that right. The new coach, Jason Gillespie, made a huge difference and to go through the entire Championship season unbeaten – the only team to do so – was excellent. Now we’re seeing a crop of very talented players emerge from their academy. Young guys like Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Azeem Rafiq and Adam Lyth aren’t just good players either, they have a strong character that will see them through the tough times. And after years of producing good fast bowlers – guys like me and Matthew Hoggard, Chris Silverwood and Ryan Sidebottom – the academy is at last producing batsmen. There are no superstars in the seam attack, but Steven Patterson, for example, has hit the seam, maintained a good line and length and kept going really well. It’s been a great team performance.Are there any particular players that have impressed you?
Joe Root is the LV= County Championship Breakthrough Player of the Season and you can see why. It’s not that he has had a great season in terms of run-scoring, but he reminds me of Alastair Cook. He looks to have a lot of style when he is batting, but he had that inner steel you need at the top level, too. He’ll be out of his comfort zone in India – he is used to facing seam and he’ll be confronted by lots of spin bowling – but that is all part of his development. I’m glad he is being thrown in at the deep end. I’m sure he will swim. There is a great tradition of top-order batsmen from Yorkshire going on to do well for England and Root is the next to follow in the footsteps of Boycott and Vaughan.Azeem Rafiq is another. I think I gave him his first-team debut in T20 cricket in 2008. He has the brilliant attribute for a spinner of being able to beat the bat on both sides. He has incredibly strong fingers and bowls a type of ‘doosra’ that will take him a lot of wickets. I remember batting in the nets against him when he was about 17 and I just couldn’t lay bat on ball. He is a tough, naturally aggressive batsman, too, and will make a good captain at some stage. He has already had some experience in the role during this season’s T20. Aged just 21, he is the youngest man to have captained Yorkshire.There are several players at Warwickshire who have done well. Varun Chopra has had another fantastic season and was one of only two England-qualified players to score 1,000 runs in the top division. Chris Woakes is a fantastic young cricketer, while Chris Wright and Keith Barker, who weren’t wanted at other counties, have taken nearly 120 Championship wickets between them. Fate has been a bit harsh on Rikki Clarke. He was probably picked for England too early and, as a result, he was judged far too soon in his career. But he is a serious all-round cricketer these days and weighed in with useful runs, catches and wickets.Quite a few bowlers have enjoyed the conditions this year. People like Tim Murtagh and Toby Roland-Jones are never going to give you sleepless nights as a batsman, but they have developed into players who know how to utilise helpful conditions and have proved valuable performers this year. Middlesex were reliant for runs on Joe Denly and Chris Rogers, but their seamers did very well this year. Middlesex probably surprised a few people by coming third.Any disappointments?
I’ve been disappointed with Leicestershire. They will need to gamble a bit if they’re ever to get out of Division Two. As captain, I was always prepared to risk a loss to get a win and I think Leicestershire will have to do that if they are to progress. And Essex have been a bit disappointing. Paul Grayson is a terrific coach but, with Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara on England duty and Owais Shah and Ryan ten Doeschate away at the IPL, the younger batsmen needed to put scores on the board and they couldn’t do it. There are some really good bowlers developing there – Reece Topley and Tymal Mills, for example – but the batsmen don’t seem to be developing as they should.Each month LV= ambassador Darren Gough goes behind the scenes in county cricket with his LV= County Catch-Up. Check out the latest at www.ecb.co.uk

Shakib Al Hasan is being over-bowled every season, and is going into another with a heavy load staring him down as he leads a group of inconsistent fast bowlers and a very inexperienced spin attack

Mohammad Isam in Mirpur12-Nov-2012Shakib Al Hasan is only four away from 100 Test wickets. The all-rounder will become the second Bangladeshi bowler to reach the milestone after Mohammad Rafique, the former left-arm spinner from whom he took over the mantle of the team’s leading bowler four years ago. But the responsibility also means Shakib is being over-bowled every passing season, and is going into another with a heavy load staring him down as he leads a group of inconsistent and yet to be proven fast bowlers and a very inexperienced spin attack.Shakib’s workload is a matter of concern for the team management, especially because his predominant skill is batting. He has been successful managing both but before the World Twenty20 in September, he complained of knee problems and even skipped the Sri Lanka Premier League due to a niggle. He has a surgery planned for later this year, but given his commitments and the domestic season, it could be rescheduled to next year.Ever since Rafique’s retirement in 2008, Shakib has been given the task of not just bowling economical spells but making breakthroughs, separating partnerships and even cutting out the runs by bowling over the wicket, into the rough. He has racked up impressive figures too, picking up nine five-fors in his short career.Interim coach Shane Jurgensen, who was the team’s bowling coach until Richard Pybus’ resignation last month, has been told by Shakib that he enjoys bowling in Tests but Jurgensen wants the all-rounder to put more of his efforts in his preferred suit.”He is very happy he’ll be bowling in a Test rather than just four overs,” Jurgensen told ESPNcricinfo. “His prime objective in Twenty20s has been to contain the batsman so he’s really excited to be bowling in the longer format.”At the same time, we have to consider his workload. He bats for us at No. 5 and given his talent, we want him to score double-hundreds, for instance. He has the potential to score big runs so we have to keep an eye on how much he bowls.”How much has he bowled since Rafique’s retirement? Shakib has delivered a mind-boggling 513.1 more overs than any Bangladesh bowler in all international formats. He brings in the wickets too, 93 in Tests since Rafique left, far ahead of Bangladesh’s next best effort, 26, from Shahadat Hossain.This season Shakib will be hoping the likes of Elias Sunny and Sohag Gazi reduce some of his load, but just like last season when Shakib did the bulk of the work and let Sunny get acquainted with the pressures of Test cricket, it could still be the same situation. The quicks too are unlikely to be asked to bowl a lot unless they find the Mirpur and Khulna wickets friendly enough.Jurgensen, however, was happy to see some of the pace bowlers hit the straps in the first-class competition though Rubel Hossain is still going to need more time before he could be asked for long spells. “I am happy with how much they’ve bowled so far. Shahadat [Hossain] and [Abul Hasan] Raju have been bowling regularly after Eid while Rubel [Hossain] has not, but he’s fit to be bowling.”I am also pleased with the combination we’ve got, but I am sad for Nazmul [Hossain] missing out. We wanted to make sure we have pace in our attack.”Shakib, though, remains Mushfiqur Rahim’s go-to bowler, not because of their friendship since school days or for the mere fact that they have combined the best off Shakib’s bowling. But mainly because it is only Shakib who can offer economy, wickets and safety in a Test match.

From Anil K, United States So, the squad for the Irani Trophy has been announced; and it excludes the name Sourav Ganguly

Cricinfo25-Feb-2013 Anil K, United States
So, the squad for the Irani Trophy has been announced; and it excludes the name Sourav Ganguly. The Irani Trophy is certainly not the same as a Test series, but in this case it appears just that. One of the selectors is reported to have stated that Ganguly’s future is not necessarily over; and that he may find favour from the new selection panel. That means that he is already out of favour from the existing panel.Ganguly has found himself out of the selectors’ favour before also; but then he had the backing of his age. His contribution to Indian cricket is immense, both in terms of his personal achievements and for his aggressive, deterministic leadership, and no one disputes that. However, everything has an end and so does Ganguly. On one hand, such a decision by the selectors is in the right direction for Indian cricket: someone younger and agile can take his place, and perhaps will contribute more than Ganguly would have. However, on the other hand, there are two troubling aspects of such a decision.First, should not the BCCI think seriously and sincerely on how to engineer a respectful exit for Ganguly, who, statistically so far, is the most successful Test captain of the country? Public pronouncements of his failing to bat and field are factually correct but tactically deplorable. And, this should be not just for Ganguly but also for Dravid and Tendulkar. They are all legends. Every legend begins unceremoniously but deserves a fitting end. Second, the Trinity of Ganguly, Dravid and Tendulkar knows that each one of them has been a genuinely great cricketer, and that a big innings may come anytime. However, they seem not to realize that they are currently not performing well, that they do not have many years to keep playing, and that many young aspirants are already aspiring to get the selectors’ nod.This tendency to keep themselves pushing ahead will earn them a bagful of money and a few hundred runs, which will not be statistically great addition to what they already have gathered. However, this tendency will also tell their own fans that all that the Trinity is displaying is a sheer greed. Sooner than later they will fall in the eye of their fans. But, it is still not too late: they can quit now and remain adored for ever.

From Tim Wigmore, United Kingdom

Cricinfo25-Feb-2013
Bangladesh will be better served with more five-day matches against the likes of Ireland, and lesser against Australia© AFP
Bangladesh’s predictable capitulations appear to help neither them, judging by their lack of improvement, nor their opponents. But the answer is not what many say – revoking their undoubtedly premature Test status. In fact, it is admitting more teams to the Test arena.Imagine two scenarios. In the first, Bangladesh tour England at the start of the season. They play two Tests, so fulfilling commitments of the Future Tours programme, and though they briefly threaten to get a draw in their first, they are ultimately thrashed 2-0. England learn little as a weak side are ruthlessly demolished in alien conditions. And the degree to which Bangladesh benefit is highly dubious. Are their players any better playing the swinging ball at the end of the series than at the start?In the second, Bangladesh tour England at the start of the season. They have a healthy amount of warm-up games to develop in English conditions and are able to put in a respectable performance in the one Test they play. After the series has finished, Bangladesh head to Ireland for three tightly fought Test matches. Both sides benefit much in their development from playing five-day games. Bangladesh are able to hone their technique against the swinging ball to prepare for challenges to come, though Ireland, with Ed Joyce and Eoin Morgan both scoring prolifically, edge the series 2-1.The Tests, though clearly not of the highest quality, offer much more intrigue than minnows being thrashed over a series. Most importantly, they enable both Bangladesh and Ireland to improve as cricket sides.Cricket is a global game. When countries show ambition and tangible progress, they should be rewarded with a chance to play Test cricket. What this does not mean is they should be forced to play two-game series in India or Australia, which help no one. The Test championship should be used to give series greater context – and, ideally, lead to an increase in five-match series.But one-off Tests have a place too. Games between touring sides and counties, states, islands or provinces have long since been devalued. So why not use one-off Tests as warm-ups for bigger series ahead? Ireland touring Australia would be an exercise in futility, but what would be wrong with Australia playing a Test there as a warm-up before an Ashes series? Similarly, teams could play Bangladesh before full Test series in India, Pakistan or Sri Lanka; and Zimbabwe (politics permitting) before ones in South Africa.Established countries would benefit from more competitive clashes than they tend to receive against local sides, while emerging nations would have these to look forward to; if they earned the right, they would play full-length series.Bangladesh have already played seven Tests in 2010. Though they have shown signs of improvement, they ultimately lost all seven comfortably. A structure much more conducive to their development would be for them to have played a few one-off Tests against established Test sides, then a three-game series against, say, Ireland.It is incredible that one of the best limited-overs batsmen in the world comes from a country that doesn’t even play Test cricket. Seeing Morgan help England to victory against Ireland invariably leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.And the case of Joyce – flirted with by England for six months, thereby preventing him playing in the 2007 World Cup for Ireland, then ditched and unable to play for Ireland for another four years – is in many ways even worse. There is obviously a limit to the degree Ireland can improve when their best players are constantly picked to play for England. If Ireland played Tests, Joyce and Morgan would have no incentive to move across the Irish Sea.Carefully managed, there is no reason why not just Bangladesh, but also Ireland, Zimbabwe and even more sides in the future, should not play Tests. Just because they would be unlikely to beat Australia, it would be wrong to limit Tests to eight sides. If they were given sensible programmes conducive to their development – as Bangladesh have not been – then the number of games between minnows and established Test nations would actually decrease. Furthermore, sides are more likely to be able to compete with better teams in solitary Tests than over a series.Effectively, the only difference would be that the established Test nations would play one-off Tests against emerging nations, rather than be compelled to play two-game ones – so their schedules would actually be freed.Those nations that have improved should be given incentive to continue doing so: the example of Kenya, whose cricket has declined alarmingly since reaching the World Cup semi-finals in 2003, proves what can happen without such encouragement. But a carefully worked programme would ultimately lead to more interesting Tests, reducing the percentage that are hopelessly one-sided, showcasing the best Test cricket has to offer and allowing emerging nations a genuine platform to improve. As it is, Bangladesh play the best far too often, while Ireland play them far too little. A happy medium should be established, that gives more countries the chance to play Test cricket. A sport with global pretensions must encourage the expansion of its best format.