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Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons has expressed his frustration over the latest injury to fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza that has put him in doubt for the World Cup that will be held in the subcontinent next year

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Dec-2010Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons has expressed his frustration over the latest injury to fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza that has put him in doubt for the World Cup that will be held in the subcontinent next year. Mortaza injured his right knee while batting for his club Abahani in a Dhaka Premier Division League match earlier this week.”A fit and firing Mash [Mashrafe Mortaza] was obviously our first preference for the World Cup and this is a huge disappointment for Mash and the team as well,” Siddons told the Bangladesh newspaper from Australia.The final report of an MRI scan performed on Tuesday confirmed that there had been a near complete tear of the reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament graft on his right knee. Mortaza had surgery on his right knee in August 2009 after he injured it during the first Test against West Indies at St. Vincent in July that year.An ankle problem ruled Mortaza out for most of the recent home one-day series against New Zealand which Bangladesh won 4-0. He came back for the five-match ODI series against Zimbabwe but said after the first two games that he needed more match practice to get his rhythm back. While Siddons was confident that the bowling attack would be able to cope should Mortaza not be fit in time for the World Cup, he said that Mortaza’s experience would be missed.”The inclusion of Rubel (Hossain) or Nazmul (Hossain) would change the dynamics of the opening attack but I believe that though it would be different it would not be weakened significantly,” he said. “The loss of Mash will be seen in his leadership and experience. We cannot cover this aspect of his loss.”This injury is the latest in the long line of injuries for Mortaza. He has undergone six knee reconstructions in the space of eight years, and is currently undergoing a non-surgical treatment for his knee, involving physical therapy and use of a knee brace.

As if Virender Sehwag’s batting strike-rate of 102 over a decade in one-day cricket wasn’t enough to frighten bowlers, he has now set his sights on batting long during the World Cup

Siddarth Ravindran in Bangalore11-Feb-2011As if Virender Sehwag’s batting strike-rate of 102 over a decade in one-day cricket wasn’t enough to frighten bowlers, he has now set his sights on batting long during the World Cup. During his astonishing double-century against Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan in the Galle Test in 2008, Sehwag carried his bat but he is yet to bat out the full quota of overs in one-dayers, something he hopes to achieve.”I think I never played 50 overs in one-day cricket, maximum I faced is 42-44 overs,” a relaxed Sehwag said in Bangalore. “This time I’ll try to bat 50 overs if I can. I have been trying for 10 years, I’m still trying.” Emulating Sachin Tendulkar, who made the first and only double-century so far in the format when he played out 50 overs against South Africa last year, wasn’t a target for Sehwag though. “Sachin has played 50 overs many times, not just once, but he could make 200 only once because it is not easy to make 200 in a one-dayer.”Nearly a third of Sehwag’s innings have been single-digit efforts, a proportion he aims to reduce with a more measured approach early in the innings. “I have Yuvraj [Singh], MS Dhoni, [Suresh] Raina, [Virat] Kohli and Yusuf [Pathan] in the middle order, so I can go after the bowling straight from the first ball, but nowadays I’m a giving a little bit of respect for first 4-5 overs,” he said. “Then I can take on the bowlers to make sure I give a good start so even if I get out the middle order can take their time and then go after the bowling.”This will be the first World Cup since Twenty20 become a big-money phenomenon, and Sehwag says the rise of cricket’s newest format will mean teams batting first will have to set bigger targets to feel safe. “If you get a good batting track, 320 or 300 will be a par score in the World Cup,” he said. “IPL changed a lot of batsmen’s mindsets, because batsmen now think we can chase 10 run an over anytime. Before teams thought you have lost the game if they needed to chase 10 an over, but now with the power-hitters in the team, they will chase it and that will be very exciting to see in the World Cup”Injuries and the team management’s decision to rest him from some recent series has meant Sehwag goes into the World Cup not having played a one-dayer in more than five months. He missed the recent series against South Africa due to a shoulder problem, and though he is satisfied with his recovery, he is yet to start bowling. “I’m taking regular treatment, so hopefully it will be fine when the match comes,” he said. “I don’t want to bowl in the nets and get injured again, so when I feel my shoulder is better I can start bowling.”Shoulder trouble ruled Sehwag out of the past three global ICC tournaments – the Champions Trophy in 2009, and the previous two World Twenty20s – and India have had early exits in each of those, despite entering as title contenders. This World Cup, too, India are one of the front-runners. What lessons has the team learnt from past failures? “The only thing we learnt is that we are not favourites.”

Ricky Ponting has nominated David Hussey and Steven Smith as the men in danger of being axed from Australia’s side to squeeze Michael Hussey in

Siddarth Ravindran in Bangalore12-Mar-2011

Match Facts

March 13, Bangalore

Start time 2.30pm (0900 GMT)Australia have not yet decided whether to throw Michael Hussey straight into the action after he joined the team as a replacement for Doug Bollinger•Getty Images

The Big Picture

When you have just lost a match to the lightweights Canada, you don’t want the next opponent to be someone who has been undefeated in 32 World Cup matches. A combination of Kenya’s wobbling top order and Australia’s pace battery means the Chinnaswamy Stadium could stage the biggest mismatch of the tournament on Sunday – the odds on one Australian betting site are so long that a 100$ bet on a Kenyan defeat will only win you 50 cents.It will be a relief for Australia to get back to cricket, having played their last full game as long ago as February 25. Things are set to become a lot more hectic for them, with their remaining three league matches coming up over the next week. They haven’t had a tough workout in the tournament yet, and it is unlikely they will in their next two matches as well, against the Associates in the group, Kenya and Canada. Those encounters will be vital for Michael Hussey, who joined the squad after the rained-out match against Sri Lanka. If deemed fit, they will provide him the chance to adjust to subcontinent conditions.Kenya know they have a tough task on their hands, and though chances of a win look remote, they have a couple of targets. First, if their batting, which has gradually improved over the World Cup – their totals read 69, 112, 142 and 198 – betters those scores, it will be an achievement. Secondly, Ricky Ponting has been a vocal supporter of the need for a streamlined World Cup, with lesser number of teams. What better chance to prove him wrong than by turning in a strong performance against the world champions?

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first)

Australia WWWWW

Kenya LLLLW

Watch out for…

Cameron White has grown into a senior player in the Australian setup over the past two years. Leader of the national team in Twenty20s, he has also cemented his place as a big-hitting finisher. It’s been a while since he played a big knock, though, with no half-century in 11 matches. The amiable Kenyan bowling could help him change that.Tanmay Mishra is one of the talented youngsters to emerge from Kenya, and is only one of two batsman from the country to have an average above 30. He showed his maturity in the game against Canada, with a sedate half-century that revived Kenya after a familiar top-order collapse.

Team news

Australia will resist the temptation to rest either of their frequently injured fast bowlers, Brett Lee and Shaun Tait, and will field their best XI. Ponting, though, still needs to decide what that best XI is, and whether to include the recovering Michael Hussey in the match. If they do, Ponting said either David Hussey or Steven Smith will make way.Australia (probable) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Brad Haddin (wk), 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Cameron White, 6 Michael Hussey/David Hussey, 7 Steven Smith, 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Jason Krejza, 11 Shaun TaitSteve Tikolo has been struggling with a stomach bug, and though he is recovering it remains to be seen whether he will be fit for Sunday’s match.Kenya (probable) 1 Maurice Ouma (wk), 2 Seren Waters, 3 Collins Obuya, 4 Steve Tikolo, 5 David Obuya, 6 Tanmay Mishra, 7 Thomas Odoyo, 8 Jimmy Kamande (capt), 9 Nehemiah Odhiambo, 10 James Ngoche, 11 Elijah Otieno.

The match will be played on the same track that was used for the England-Ireland match, which produced more than 650 runs, so Ponting expects an easy surface for the batsmen on Sunday. The weather is also expected to be pleasant; sunny but not too humid.

• Thomas Odoyo has been Kenya’s best allrounder: he’s their leading wicket-taker in one-dayers, and the second highest run-getter as well
• Shaun Tait has a strike-rate of 26.3 in one-dayers, the best among all bowlers who have sent down at least 1000 deliveries
• Kenya have lost all four of their encounters with Australia, and only once have they really tested Australia, in September 2002 when Shane Watson’s unbeaten 77 sealed a last-over win

Quotes

“As we’ve seen in the tournament so far, there is a possibility of upsets happening … we won’t take any game lightly.”

“The guys are really looking forward to playing the top teams, so far I think we have let the fans down, hopefully tomorrow we come up and help them enjoy the day.”

A round-up of the final round of games from the World Cricket League Divsion 2 tournament in Dubai, where UAE prevailed over Namibia in the tournament final

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Apr-2011Half-centuries from Saqib Ali and captain Khurram Khan helped United Arab Emirates to a five-wicket win over Namibia in the final of the ICC World Cricket League Division Two tournament at the Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium on Friday.Having been set a target by Namibia of 201, the hosts claimed victory after a stand-out performance from Ali who set the side up for victory before captain Khan and Amjad Javed finished proceedings. By virtue of reaching the final UAE and Namibia have now claimed 17th and 18th position in the world rankings.UAE had been undefeated in the group stages of the event and made a strong start in the final after Namibia had won the toss and opted to bat. Both Namibian openers were removed within the first eight overs, but captain Craig Williams’ 58 and contributions from Sarel Burger (42) and Raymond van Schoor helped Namibia reach 200.Under darkening skies, UAE lost both opener Amjad Ali and Naeemuddin Aslam early in their chase to left-arm medium-pacer Kola Burger. Arshad Ali contributed a solid 30, but two wickets in the space of six balls brought Namibia right back into the game as UAE slipped to 73 for 4. Then came Ali and Khan’s match-winning partnership of exactly 100, which took UAE to within striking distance of the Division 2 title.After adding yet another half-century, Williams took his tally of runs for the tournament to 335 and earned the Player of the Tournament title. “I’ve worked really hard particularly since my appointment to captaincy, and I try to set an example,” he said. “We are lucky to have such a well-balanced side, and the long batting line up really does take the pressure off me. As captain I hope the boys get that that they see how hard I work for them.”I think we lost wickets at crucial moments within the game and we’re going to work on it. UAE bowled 40-something overs of spin alone, so we really need to work on our response to such bowlers. In South Africa we play against quick bowlers all the time so it’s something we need to work on.”Namibia are very good competition – they started very well today and we were worried they’d run up a total of 250 or more, which would be very hard to chase particularly on this turf,” added UAE captain Khurram Khan. “But then Saqib Ali came and bowled exceptionally – with his 3-13 and I think that really turned the game around.”There is a lot of pressure on Saqib as we know he is always going to do well and he has performed consistently throughout the tournament. He is also a good batsman and I think we had a very good partnership. Throughout the tournament our key bowlers have always been spinners – and we know that they are very good. In this one-day format we must ensure we restrict the batsmen from scoring and that’s what our spin bowling attack is there for.”On a personal note I am very proud of my team – and I don’t know how much longer I’ll be playing for the UAE now I’m 39. I hope to play in the Intercontinental Cup should the Development Committee select us as I’d like to see my boys through that. It will be time for me to step down soon, but who knows.”In a repeat of the Division Three finals, Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea faced each other once more with PNG romping to a 127-run win at the ICC Global Cricket Academy. The win earned PNG third place and both teams will remain in Division Two.PNG’s win was set up by a solid 55 from Asad Vala and an adventurous, unbeaten 74 from Vani Morea, which took their team to 225 for 6. Hong Kong’s reply never got going, seamer Raymond Haoda providing three early breakthroughs and spinners Andrew McIntosh and Mahuru Dai sealing the result with a volley of quick wickets.After the match 16-year-old Hong Kong batsman Mark Chapman received a reprimand and an official warning after being reported by on-field umpires Theunis van Schalkwyk and Sri Ganesh. Chapman was found to have breached Section 2.1.3 of the ICC Code, which relates to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an international match,” and was consequently charged with a Level 1 offence.”I hope Mr Chapman, as a young and potential player for the future, has learned that there is no place for this type of behaviour in the game and that the spirit of the game should be maintained at all times,” said Match Referee Graeme La Brooy. “I also trust that in future, he will be more courteous and pay others the respect that they deserve.”With both Uganda and Bermuda assured of relegation to Division Three, they had little more than pride – and the positions of 21st and 22nd in the world rankings – in their match at the Global Cricket Academy.Bermuda captain David Hemp held his side’s innings together with 44, but Bermuda could manage only a sub-par 193 as Uganda’s bowlers struck at regular intervals. Uganda lost Roger Mukasa to the very first ball of their chase and slipped to 33 for 3 before opener Arthur Kyobe and Benjamin Musoke launched the recovery with a 96-run stand for the fourth wicket. Kyobe fell to offspinner Delyone Borden to give Bermuda hope, but Musoke and Frank Nsubuga responded with a rapid partnership that sealed a five-wicket win with almost four overs to spare.By virtue of finishing in the top four of the event, UAE, Namibia, PNG and Hong Kong will each receive dedicated ICC High Performance grants while two out of the four will play in the ICC Intercontinental Cup which commences later this year. The two teams that will compete in the Cup will be chosen by the ICC Development Committee at its next meeting.

Mohammad Ashraful shone with both ball and bat to lead his Bangladesh A side to a six-wicket victory against South Africa A at Buffalo Park in East London, in the first of five unofficial ODIs

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Apr-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMohammad Ashraful took three wickets and scored 118 not out in an all-round performance•Getty Images

Mohammad Ashraful shone with both ball and bat to lead his Bangladesh A side to a six-wicket victory against South Africa A at Buffalo Park in East London, in the first of five unofficial ODIs. Only 10 days ago South Africa had been battering Bangladesh in a four-day match, and in their home conditions were firm favourites to dominate the 50-over matches as well. However, the experienced Ashraful, who has alone played more one-day internationals than the entire South Africa A side combined, took 3 for 27 with his part-time spin to restrict South Africa to 226, and then scored an unbeaten century to help his side chase the target in 43.3 overs.Ashraful put South Africa in to bat, and after his frontline bowlers couldn’t get an early wicket, it fell to him to come on in the 10th over and dismiss his opposing captain Jacques Rudolph. Ashraful struck twice more in a seven-over spell, leaving South Africa reeling at 52 for 3. Things got worse for the hosts as Farhaan Behardien was bowled by left-arm spinner Elias Sunny, Vaughn van Jaarsveld was run out, and Heino Kuhn was caught trying to drive 19-year-old offspinner Nasir Hossain. At 73 for 6, South Africa looked like they would struggle to get 150.There was a recovery though; Dean Elgar, fresh from his 169 not out in the rain-affected second four-day game between the two sides, put together a 121-run partnership with allrounder Vernon Philander. The two batted until the 49th over, when Elgar fell for 76. Philander then hit three consecutive sixes off Farhad Reza in the same over, and South Africa took another 11 runs off the 50th to finish with a fighting total of 226 for 8. Philander finished 79 not out.The target started looking steep for Bangladesh when they found themselves 40 for 3 in the 12th over. Ashraful, coming in at No 5, was watchful early on, taking 28 balls before striking his first boundary. He had reached 21 off 44 before he suddenly exploded with Bangladesh at 84 for 3 in the 23rd over. Ashraful hit the next six balls he faced for boundaries, and Bangladesh seized control of the chase. Ashraful continued to attack in bursts, with Junaid Siddique rotating the strike at the other end.The two put together 149 before Siddique fell for 60, but by then the game was Bangladesh’s to lose. Ashraful reached his century soon after Siddique’s dismissal, and then ended the game with two consecutive boundaries in the 44th over, finishing 118 not out off 99 balls. It was a significant performance from a man who was once considered the future of Bangladesh cricket, but has now found himself relegated to the A team.

Shane Warne and Rajasthan Cricket Association secretary Sanjay Dixit are waiting for the BCCI’s judgement on the issue after a hearing in Mumbai

ESPNcricinfo staff17-May-2011Shane Warne and Rajasthan Cricket Association secretary Sanjay Dixit, the protagonists of an argument over the changing of pitches in Jaipur during the IPL, are waiting for the BCCI’s judgement on the issue after a hearing in Mumbai. They appeared before a panel comprising IPL chairman Chirayu Amin, Ravi Shastri and IMG’s legal counsel John Loffhagen, and gave their versions of the incident, which took place after Rajasthan Royals lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.”We had a long meeting and the judgement is awaited,” Dixit said. “Our views have been heard by the panel and the hearing was conducted in a very good atmosphere. The proceedings of the hearing are confidential. I am not at liberty to reveal the proceedings.”Dixit said the hearing was only about the complaint he lodged with the IPL regarding Warne’s alleged misbehaviour. When asked if the RCA was considering filing a criminal complaint against Warne, Dixit said he would wait for the judgement before making a decision. Warne attended the hearing with Sean Morris, Rajasthan’s chief executive, and they left immediately after without speaking to the media.The RCA had complained to the BCCI and IPL that Warne reportedly abused Dixit after his team’s loss to Bangalore in Jaipur. The pitch used for that game, and the previous one against Chennai Super Kings, was different from the one Warne’s team had enjoyed a strong home advantage on. The reported that RCA venue director Narendra Joshi had written to IPL’s chief operating officer Sundar Raman, alleging that Warne had publicly abused Dixit by calling him “a liar and egoistic,” and demanded action against Warne.Since the pitch was changed on May 9, Warne and Dixit have engaged in a war of words that has been fought in public, private and through the media. The hearing in Mumbai followed RCA’s rejection of an apology offered by the Rajasthan franchise, with the state board also threatening further action if the matter was not resolved to its satisfaction.

New Zealand captain Aimee Watkins, will retire from international cricket after her team’s quadrangular series in England this summer

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jun-2011New Zealand captain Aimee Watkins will retire from international cricket after her team’s quadrangular series in England this summer. Watkins, whose next assignment is the three-match Rose Bowl series against Australia, said the decision was influenced by her chronic knee injury as well as a desire to do things outside of cricket.”I’ve been playing internationals for ten years, so I’ve had a pretty good run and there are other things I want to do, including getting a full-time job,” Watkins, who has led New Zealand since 2009, told . “So I’m looking forward to finishing up and getting on with the next stage.”The knee [which has troubled Watkins over the past two years] has definitely slowed me down a bit, and I do most of my training on the bike now while trying to prolong my career. I had minor surgery on it a while ago, which didn’t help a lot.”An allrounder who bowls offspin, Watkins debuted for New Zealand in 2002. She has played two Tests, 98 ODIs and 32 Twenty20 internationals since. Watkins took over the captaincy after Haidee Tiffen’s retirement in 2009, and has led New Zealand to the finals of both the women’s World Twenty20s till date – in England in 2009 and in the Caribbean the following year.Coach Gary Stead said that a succession plan was in place but, since New Zealand do not have any other series lined up until February next year after the completion of the England tour, there was “plenty of time to sort things out.” Batsman Amy Satterthwaite has been named vice-captain for the upcoming tour, while allrounder Suzie Bates has also served as deputy in the past.Watkins is on the cusp of making 100 ODI appearances, which she is expected to do during the Rose Bowl series. The tournament’s one-day leg was called off mid-way in February this year following the Christchurch earthquake, which rocked the New Zealand team hotel. It will reconvene with three ODIs in Brisbane from June 12. The series currently stands tied at 2-2 after the four T20s that were played in December last year.

VVS Laxman, who rescued India with a sublime 85, threw his support behind Virat Kohli and the openers who haven’t done well so far in the series

Sriram Veera at the Kensington Oval29-Jun-2011VVS Laxman, who rescued India with a sublime 85 to help them reach 201, backed Virat Kohli and the openers, M Vijay and Abhinav Mukund, who haven’t done well so far in the series, and said playing county cricket will help young batsmen adapt to different conditions and hone their skills.Twice in three innings Kohli has fallen to the short ball. However, Laxman believed Kohli would be the batsman to watch out for. “Today, it was unfortunate,” he said. “Considering the bounce of the wicket, he expected that ball to rise more. It was an unfortunate dismissal. He is a fabulous cricketer and has improved as a batsman in the last two years. He has played well in various tough situations in ODIs. It shows he is improving with every match. He will be a great player to watch out for, a match-winner for the country.”The openers haven’t scored much either. Vijay, who failed in the first Test, fought hard for nearly two hours before he fell, strangled down the leg side. Mukund fell early, unable to cope with extra bounce off a delivery that jumped from short of a length. However, Laxman didn’t see any cause for concern. “We’ve got talented openers. Abhinav had an excellent domestic season and Vijay has always grabbed his opportunities. It’s tough playing in the West Indies, especially on wickets that are usually damp in the first couple of hours on the first day. They are potential match-winners.”Virat Kohli hasn’t got going in his debut Test series•Associated Press

Laxman agreed when asked whether the youngsters would benefit from the experience of playing county cricket but wondered if the tight international calendar would allow them that opportunity. “It will be a great experience for a batsman to play county cricket. I enjoyed my time with Lancashire. But given the amount of time the cricketers are already playing, it doesn’t give much opportunity. It will be great for a batsman because you get so many opportunities to play on different pitches, in different weather conditions and against different bowlers.”Laxman also praised Suresh Raina, with whom he was involved in a 117-run partnership to lift India from the depths of 38 for 4. “Raina has practiced a lot playing the short deliveries. You could see that in Jamaica and here. He has played two important knocks. He played positively when the chips were down. It was great to see the way he approached the innings.”The two batsmen didn’t talk much at lunch, Laxman said. “That’s the beauty of this Indian team. Irrespective of the situation, it’s very relaxed. Someone puts his hand up.”Laxman reached 8000 Test runs during his innings, but rued the fact that he couldn’t carry on to reach a century and take India to a more competitive total. “Had we batted on, we could have got around 250 to 300, which would have been a very good score.”It was yet another innings of substance in crisis from Laxman, who said such situations bring out the best in him. “It gets the best out of me, especially when we are in a terrible situation. The track was challenging and so was the situation. But I always regret not converting the hard work done into big hundreds. Still, I got into better rhythm especially after Jamaica.”Laxman felt the pitch had some venom in the morning session but eased out once the sun came out in the afternoon. “It was a difficult wicket before lunch because it was slightly damp. They were getting bounce. After lunch, the wicket eased out a bit and it was nice for strokeplay. Raina came out positively and changed the momentum of the innings. That partnership was important but I think we threw away the hard work done after lunch. “While Laxman appreciated the 8000-run landmark, he said he could only savour it after retirement. “So many runs seem great once you retire. At the moment I am not elated. I was just disappointed not getting a hundred. Personally, it would have been satisfying had I got the hundred as those additional 15 to 20 runs would have got us to 250. The bowlers did well to get us right back in to the game. It is an evenly poised situation.”

Ramnaresh Sarwan has said that he considered quitting the international game “as recently as eight months ago” but is now focussed on fighting for his place in the West Indian team

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Aug-2011Ramnaresh Sarwan, the West Indies batsman, has said that he considered quitting the international game “as recently as eight months ago” but is now focussed on fighting for his place. Sarwan’s contract was not renewed by the WICB in August 2010 and he has been in and out of the side since. He was most recently left out of the team for the third Test against India in Dominica in July.”I did actually [consider quitting],” Sarwan told the , “probably as recently as eight months ago, because everything was getting frustrating. You’re in a situation where you’re not sure what’s happening, whether it was for a good reason or a bad reason. I always felt I was walking a very thin line [with the board], and obviously … I mean, it’s just a matter of how bad I want it now.”When the WICB cut Sarwan from its list of contracted players, the board had said it was “concerned about Sarwan’s extremely indifferent attitude and sporadic approach towards fitness, particularly in recent years”. He was dropped for the rain-marred tour of Sri Lanka in 2010 and for the first three ODIs against Pakistan in April this year. He then scored only 29 runs in the first two Tests against India before he was dropped for the third.”The past two-and-a-half years, it’s been disappointing,” Sarwan said. “Obviously I’ve had my problems with the board in terms of my fitness issue and stuff like that; then I have been out of form. I have been in and out of the team, but I think it’s just a test of my character. I think I have a lot more cricket in me and I’m determined to gain back my position, and do whatever is necessary cricket-wise to get back there.”Everything else is behind me, what happened in the past has stayed in the past, there’s nothing that will get in my way from here on in. I will put everything aside and show myself, and continue to be the old Ramnaresh Sarwan, who first started his career in 2000.”Sarwan said he planned to begin his comeback by performing in domestic tournaments. “I’ve got another two months before the regional tournament starts, it’s a tournament I’m looking forward to. I want to show myself in the regional tournament and get myself back into the West Indies team.”I think once you perform you’ll play, and if you don’t you’ll suffer the consequences. The easiest part is to get there, the hardest part is to stay, I’ve got some work to do.”

A Dominic Cork-inspired Hampshire very nearly hustled their way to their second successive Twenty20 final, but Somerset held their nerve in the second Super Over of what has already been a remarkable day to secure their passage to a showdown with Leiceste

The Report by Liam Brickhill at Edgbaston 27-Aug-2011
One-over Eliminator
Scorecard Jos Buttler’s stunning assault carried Somerset to the brink•Getty Images

A Dominic Cork-inspired Hampshire very nearly hustled their way to their second successive Twenty20 final, but Somerset held their nerve in the second Super Over of what has already been a remarkable day to secure their passage to a showdown with Leicestershire and a trip to India for the Champions League in a month’s time. Chasing a Duckworth/Lewis altered 95 in 10 overs, Somerset slipped to 50 for 3 as Hampshire’s spinners threatened to take hold on a helpful surface.Jos Buttler then entered to turn the game on its head, celebrating his call-up to England’s Twenty20 squad by thrashing three crisp sixes in a 16-ball 32 that took Somerset to the very brink of victory. With just five needed from six balls Cork grabbed centre stage for himself, demonstrating both his enviable calmness under extreme pressure and streetwise tactical nous – breaking the batsman’s rhythm with an extended team conference that lead to the positioning of a man at short leg – in a nerveless final over during which Hampshire, somehow, secured a tie when Somerset were in a seemingly impregnable position.Ultimately, however, it was to be Somerset’s day. Buttler and Craig Kieswetter calmly accumulated 16 from their Super Over, after which Alfonso Thomas’s intelligent changes of length got the better of Shahid Afridi to keep Hampshire to just 5.All of which rather drew the attention away from Afridi’s earlier efforts, Hampshire’s star overseas import slamming a 42-ball 80 to boost his team to a more-than-competitive 138 for 4 in the second rain-shortened match of the day.
Afridi has had a disappointing run with the bat in this competition, having been used, more often than not, as an opener by Hampshire. He is a player who relishes the big stage, however, and today he soaked in the atmosphere and shrugged off two rain delays before four overs had been completed to steadily build Hampshire’s momentum and boost them to what could well have been a match-winning total.Summer showers repeatedly scudded across the ground and both early delays were mercifully short but it was still an unusually becalmed start from a batsman not known for taking his time at the crease. Murali Kartik and George Dockrell, Somerset’s wily pair of left-arm spinners, were both treated with circumspection on first viewing and it was not until Afridi scythed medium-pacer Craig Meschede one-handed over cover for his first six that he really began to go through the gears.Kartik was brought back in the seventh over and immediately dumped over the long-off boundary, Afridi’s power ensuring the ball went the distance despite coming off the toe-end. Next to suffer was Arul Suppiah, his first over dispatched for 14 and his second bringing a 28-ball fifty for Afridi courtesy of a drilled cover drive – his fourth four.A rapidly deflating Somerset were grateful for the wickets of James Vince (22) and Neil McKenzie (4) but while Afridi remained the boundary was always in danger. He took Hampshire’s run rate above nine with two sixes in an over off Kieron Pollard – the first a monstrous blow that soared into the second tier of the stands behind long on, the second a disdainful flick with barely any backlift – and it looked as though Afridi could reach a century before he swiped at a Thomas in-ducker to be bowled in the 14th over.Sean Ervine and Liam Dawson flailed with gusto but couldn’t ping the boundary in the closing overs before the third and final rain interruption came, much to the chagrin of a crowd that was close to capacity. With just one delivery to be bowled, Duckworth/Lewis stepped in to readjust Hampshire’s total.Needing more than nine an over from the start, and with precious little time to settle at the crease, Marcus Trescothick launched Somerset’s chase by shovelling the first ball, from Dimitri Mascarenhas, through extra cover for four. His rustic, stand-and-deliver approach blended well with Kieswetter’s more light-footed swiping as Somerset stormed to 40 in the first three overs.The introduction of spin in the form of left-arm spinner Danny Briggs brought an immediate change of fortunes, Kieswetter chipping straight to long-off, and when an exuberant Imran Tahir got the better of Pollard and Trescothick with consecutive deliveries Somerset were in some serious strife.This was just the sort of situation that made Buttler’s name, however, and he took on the spinners in sublime fashion, planting both Briggs and Tahir over long-on to revive his team before Cork’s last gasp intervention brought a dramatic finale.