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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.”

Kumar Sangakkara has called for a more equitable distribution of Tests in the new Future Tours Program that will govern the international calendar post 2012

Cricinfo staff11-Jul-2010Kumar Sangakkara, the Sri Lanka captain, has called for a more equitable distribution of Tests in the new Future Tours Program (FTP) that will govern the international calendar post 2012. Sri Lanka had only two Tests scheduled in 2010 – a home series against West Indies – until a three-Test series was arranged against India a few months ago.”All sides should have an equal opportunity to play Tests,” Sangakkara told . “We are lucky India are touring us, but the opportunity for Sri Lankan players to fulfil their Test dreams are getting more and more limited.”Sri Lanka have not played a Test series outside Asia since the tour of Australia in 2007. They have not been to South Africa for a Test tour since 2002 and the Tests in England in 2011 will be their first there in five years. Sri Lanka’s lack of foreign opportunities is highlighted by the fact that Mahela Jayawardene has played only four Tests in Australia in a 13-year career.”The FTP must be drawn up in a way that some of the best sides tour more than just once in five years,” Sangakkara said. “They should be meaningful tours that also make economic sense.”There have been plenty of requests from players and coaches for an IPL window in the international calendar, something Sangakkara also asked for. “We need a proper FTP to avoid players having to choose between their country and commercial interests. A proper FTP will focus on competitive tours, on nations competing with each other, ultimately making it attractive for consumers.”

Vishwa Fernando and Lahiru Kumara combine as England rolled inside 34 overs

Valkerie Baynes08-Sep-2024In a match as changeable as the weather in south London, Sri Lanka took control of the third and final Test against England on the third day at The Oval.After an abject performance on the opening day when their bowlers failed to capitalise in prime conditions upon winning the toss, Sri Lanka had to watch Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett shine through the overhead gloom.Then, two incisive passages of swing bowling – on a dark second day, then under bright skies on the third – had the tourists back in contention, but not before Jamie Smith had bludgeoned England out of dire trouble. Still, by the time bad light stopped play just before quarter to seven on Sunday evening, the match was Sri Lanka’s to lose.But it is the detail around those key moments that tell the story of where this Test sits heading into the final day.Apart from Pope and Duckett, no England batter passed 20 in their first innings, as they were bowled out for an unremarkable 325. Despite Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis and Pathum Nissanka all passing fifty, no one pressed onto a big score that would have taken Sri Lanka past England, who led by 62 runs on first innings.Jamie Smith pulls over square leg for six•Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images

Then a struggling Dan Lawrence looked like top-scoring for England’s second innings with his series-best 35 before Smith’s brutal 67 off 50 balls made them the only home batters to pass 12 on the third day as Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando – with his devastating inswingers – kept them in check.And so, when bad light brought another early close, Sri Lanka were 94 for 1 and needing 125 more for a consolation win. Chris Woakes’ superb return catch removed Dimuth Karunaratne for just 8, but that was the only wicket to fall in Sri Lanka’s free-scoring fourth innings.Nissanka reached his second half-century of the match from just 42 balls by crunching a Josh Hull delivery to the rope wide of mid-off just before the light intervened, leaving him unbeaten on 53 with Kusal Mendis 30 not out.Sri Lanka’s bowlers, led by Vishwa, were making the ball move in what were by far the brightest conditions of the match so far, despite a couple of short interruptions for what amounted to sun-showers.But then Smith pummelled 52 runs off the last 19 balls he faced, helping himself to 20 runs off one Milan Rathnayake over to lead England’s second-innings recovery from 82 for 7 to 140 for 8.Vishwa Fernando trapped Joe Root lbw in his first over•Andy Kearns/Getty Images

By the time Olly Stone fell to give Kumara his fourth wicket and Asitha Fernando had Shoaib Bashir also caught behind by Nishan Madushka – standing in for the injured Dinesh Chandimal – England had stretched their advantage to 218.Two early strikes had given Sri Lanka hope during a morning session extended because of bad weather over the first two days as Duckett and Pope fell cheaply.Lawrence smashed Asitha for six over long-off and, two balls later, carved deftly through point for four. But, having bettered his previous series best by one run, he was brought undone by a Kumara delivery that moved away late and kissed the edge of the bat before landing in Chandimal’s gloves.Vishwa entered the attack in the 15th over and he struck third ball with a superb inswinging yorker that hit Joe Root on the boot directly in front.Olly Stone had his third when he dismissed Milan Rathnayake•Getty Images

Harry Brook had come under fire for his petulant reaction to Sri Lanka’s successful bid to frustrate him by bowling outside off stump in the first innings. This time, he succumbed to another late inswinger which nailed the front pad with pin-point accuracy on leg stump in Vishwa’s next over.Kumara had Woakes caught behind for a six-ball duck but then Chandimal had to be helped off the field after diving stop a wayward Kumara delivery down the leg side to Gus Atkinson, hurting his lower back in the process. Atkinson was trapped lbw by Rathnayake, having faced 14 balls for his 1 before Smith got stuck in.Earlier, Hull and Stone had preserved England’s advantage after Sri Lanka resumed for the day on 211 for 5, trailing by 114. Hull made amends for dropping Dhananjaya on the second evening when he had the Sri Lanka skipper caught for 69 with his 11th ball of the day, an attempted pull looping off the top edge to deep backward square.That sparked a procession of five wickets for 52 runs in 13.3 overs, Hull, Stone and Woakes sharing four of the five wickets to fall with Atkinson off the field nursing a thigh problem from which he recovered sufficiently to bowl in the fourth innings.

Glamorgan left frustrated, one wicket short of leapfrogging second-placed opponents in table

ECB Reporters Network 28-Jun-2023Sussex’s last pair survived 21.2 overs to save the game, Glamorgan left frustrated as they were one wicket short of leapfrogging their second-placed opponents in the table.Sussex finished on 273 for 9, 85 behind, Oli Carter on 55 not out after being dropped from two difficult chances, and No. 11 Henry Shipley unbeaten on 8.The visitors’ rearguard action kept them second in the table as this game finished in a nail-biting draw, after 15 overs were lost to rain in the morning.Australian legspinner Mitchell Swepson led the way for the hosts with four wickets, Jamie McIlroy and James Harris taking two each, but it was the final wicket that was to prove elusive.Wicketkeeper Carter survived 149 deliveries, Shipley 56, after Nathan McAndrew’s earlier rapid 42 showed brief promise of Sussex chasing down the target, before the wickets started tumbling regularly.Sussex nightwatcher Aristides Karvelas had said his side would go for victory, but he went early and the game slowed down with Tom Clark and Tom Alsop struggling to score runs from Swepson in particular.Alsop was clearly a key wicket for the home side to target as the visitors reached lunch with just two down, but after the break James Harris pinned the skipper lbw from round the wicket.He was replaced by all rounder McAndrew in a clear declaration of intent that Sussex were prepared to have a bit of a dash to try and win the game.Clark survived a big lbw shout from Swepson, but then next ball the same sort of delivery was that little bit closer and he had to depart.The aggression levels went up with McAndrew prepared to take on the bowling and more than happy to take the aerial route to the boundary whenever possible. He hit Swepson out of the attack to see the pace of McIlroy replacing him, but that hurried the Australian into a skied mis-hit off a shorter ball which was comfortably caught at mid on by Glamorgan captain Kiran Carlson.That brought the end of an innings which brought 42 runs off 40 deliveries, the sort of rate which would have made things much more interesting if he had carried on.Sussex continued to take a positive approach with James Coles leading the way, until he was impressively caught behind for 35 by wicket keeper Chris Cooke standing up to seamer McIlroy.One of the concerns for Sussex fans was the relative inexperience of the Sussex middle order and teenager Danial Ibrahim was next to go, sweeping a leg side delivery from Swepson but top edging to Zain-ul-Hassan at backward square leg.However the visitors maintained a positive approach, reaching tea with seven wickets down and still needed 154 to win.Their eighth wicket fell after tea, Harris setting three men back on the hook and then yorking Fynn Hudson-Prentice with the middle stump coming out of the ground.Oli Carter was dropped on 37 by Billy Root at square leg off McIlroy, but Root atoned by making no mistake with Jack Carson off the bowling of Timm van der Gugten to leave Glamorgan needing one more wicket for victory with more than 20 overs remaining.They had one difficult chance, Carter slashing van der Gugten high to the right of Zain-ul-Hassan at first slip. Despite the regular appeals in the closing overs, that proved to be it for home hopes.

Chetan Bist’s seventh first-class century the lone bright spark for Nagaland

Himanshu Agrawal15-Mar-2022Wicketkeeper-batter Chetan Bist’s unbeaten century turned out to be the only positive for Nagaland on another day of uninspiring cricket on a flat Eden Gardens pitch. Bist’s 122 took his side to 289, which was still a monumental 591 behind Jharkhand’s 880.Despite that big a lead, Jharkhand surprisingly opted to bat again during the second session of the fourth day’s play, eventually finishing 723 ahead at stumps with eight wickets remaining. Nazim Siddiqui dominated an opening stand of 63, hitting 42 of them. His partner Utkarsh Singh ended on 50*.Siddiqui’s intent of getting quick runs was clear from the second over itself, as he found the boundary thrice off Chopise Hopongkyu: a pull off a short ball was followed by a gentle push to beat the point fielder, while a crunching drive between mid-off and cover finished the over. He eventually fell leg before wicket to Raja Swarnkar, before the Nagaland captain Rongsen Jonathan had Kumar Suraj caught for 31.Earlier, Bist waged a lone battle for Nagaland. Having started the day on 46, he reached his half-century in the sixth over of the day. Bist had stands of 24, 25, 45 and 35 for the last four wickets, enough for him to reach his seventh first-class hundred. He used the sweep shot to good effect against left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem, as he found boundaries as well kept the scoreboard ticking.Bist also rode his luck on his way to the century. When on 85, his sweep off Nadeem landed between fine leg running forward and square leg running back. Then on 88, a top-edged pull just eluded fine leg.Jharkhand are all but through to the quarter-finals of this season’s Ranji Trophy, having already taken a first-innings lead.

He had limped off the field, clutching his hip, in the middle of his last over in the previous match, against Chennai Super Kings

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-2020There is concern over Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s participation in the rest of this IPL after the Sunrisers Hyderabad fast bowler sat out Sunday’s match against Mumbai Indians. He had limped off the field, clutching his hip, in the middle of his last over in the previous match, against the Chennai Super Kings.The Sunrisers have already lost Australian allrounder Mitchell Marsh, who was ruled out in the first week.During the match against the Super Kings on Friday, Kumar left the field at a crucial phase having delivered the first ball of his fourth over – the penultimate over of the chase. Kumar was seen holding his hip and even attempted to continue bowling, but was eventually taken out of the attack with Khaleel Ahmed completing the over.Although he had taken just three wickets in four matches, Kumar is among the most economical bowlers in the season with an economy rate of 6.98, the second-best among fast bowlers so far.In addition to being their most experienced strike bowler, Kumar is also part of the leadership group assisting captain David Warner.

Both men’s and women’s internationals in Australia plus the BBL, WBBL and some domestic cricket will continue to be broadcast on Sky Sport in New Zealand

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-2019New Zealand broadcaster Sky Sport has extended its deal with Cricket Australia to exclusively broadcast all Australian cricket for a further six years until the end of 2024-25.Sky Sport has been CA’s broadcaster in New Zealand for over two decades and the deal comes ahead of a summer where the New Zealand side will play three Tests and three ODIs on Australian shores.New Zealand are set to play their first Boxing Day Test in Australia at the MCG since the famous 1987 draw, before playing the traditional New Year’s Test in Sydney.They will begin their Test tour with a day-night Test in Perth, which intriguingly due to the five-hour time difference, will not finish until the early hours of the morning in New Zealand. The three ODIs will be played in March 2020.In addition to men’s international matches, Sky Sport will also broadcast women’s international matches, the Big Bash League and Women’s Big Bash League matches, some men’s domestic one-day matches, Prime Ministers XI matches, Governor-General’s XI matches and the Sheffield Shield final.Director of Sky Sport Tex Teixeira said he was delighted to continue the long-term partnership with CA.”We are excited to be extending our longstanding relationship with Cricket Australia,” Teixeira said.”With this deal we now have six incredible Australian summers of cricket to look forward to, including the Boxing Day Test which was last played between our two great cricket nations in 1987.”

Ed Smith’s first squad as national selector includes a couple of big calls

George Dobell15-May-20183:44

Buttler selection not a snub to county cricket – Smith

Jos Buttler has earned a surprise recall to England’s Test team at the expense of James Vince, while the Somerset spinner, Dominic Bess, was the beneficiary of his team-mate Jack Leach’s misfortune, as the new national selector, Ed Smith, unveiled his squad for next week’s first Test against Pakistan.Buttler, who has not played red-ball cricket for England since the tour of India in November and December 2016, has found a rich vein of form for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL this month, with a tournament-record five consecutive half-centuries, including unbeaten scores of 95 and 94 in his last two innings.”Jos Buttler is an outstanding talent, who is already a central part of England’s white-ball teams,” Smith said. “The selection panel feels that this is the perfect moment to reintroduce Jos to Test cricket, where he has already enjoyed some success, including a stint playing as a specialist batsman at number seven. Jos is playing with great confidence and flair, and he will bring unique qualities to the Test team.”

England squad for first Test v Pakistan

Joe Root (capt), Jimmy Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

He will return to the middle order, with Jonny Bairstow retaining the wicketkeeper’s role and moving up the order, meaning Vince is fall guy after a winter of false dawns, in spite of a timely Championship double-century for Hampshire against Somerset on Monday. Joe Root will bat at No.3 with Dawid Malan at No. 4.Vince, who was recalled to the Test squad for the Ashes, in spite of a mediocre start to his career against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in 2016, made an attractive 83 in his first Test innings of the winter, at Brisbane in November, and signed off with 76 against New Zealand at Christchurch last month. However, in between whiles, he made just one more score of fifty in nine innings, with a propensity to get himself out when well set costing him dear.Buttler has outperformed the rest of his IPL side in May•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Bess, meanwhile, has leapfrogged to the front of England’s spinning options, in the wake of a cruel injury for Leach in the nets at Taunton next week. A fractured left thumb means he will be out of action for both Pakistan Tests, and so will be unable to back up the promise he showed on Test debut in Christchurch last month. Moeen Ali was dropped for the final Test in New Zealand and has played no red-ball cricket since due to his spell at the IPL.”Dom Bess has made an excellent start to his first-class career,” Smith said. “He has impressed everyone with his performances for Somerset and when he has been given opportunities with England representative teams. With Jack Leach missing out due to injury, the selection panel wanted to invest opportunity in a young spin bowler. Dom’s strong form, character and all-round abilities presented a compelling case for selection.Chris Woakes and Mark Wood, who was recalled in Christchurch, will compete for the final fast-bowling spot while Mark Stoneman has retained his place at the top of the order despite a lean start to the season. He had faced pressure from an in-form Nick Gubbins.Meanwhile, Malan and Tom Curran have been awarded incremental contracts based on their performances in the 2017-18 period. Malan was one of the few successes in the Ashes while Curran became a regular part of the one-day side.

The Supreme Court is likely to appoint a committee of administrators to run the BCCI on Tuesday and amicus curiae Gopal Subramanium wants them to be empowered

Nagraj Gollapudi23-Jan-2017The Supreme Court is likely to finalise a committee of administrators to run the BCCI on Tuesday, and amicus curiae Gopal Subramanium has asked for this committee to be given the power to run the IPL, appoint the board’s representative to ICC meetings and take over non-compliant state associations.There has been a leadership vacuum in the BCCI since January 2, when the court removed Anurag Thakur and Ajay Shirke as president and secretary. The court said that it would appoint a committee of administrators to oversee the board’s operations until fresh elections are conducted and its constitution amended as per the Lodha Committee’s recommendations.Subramanium filed an intervention application in the court last Wednesday, in which he said it was important and urgent to empower the committee “to allay any misgivings that cricketing activities will be affected due to transition in the administrative structure” of BCCI and the state associations.”The reliefs are emergent and necessary to assist and empower the Committee of Administrators to carry out the mandate of this Hon’ble Court and effectively discharge the onerous responsibility placed on them to ensure that the reforms are implemented in its letter and spirit.”Subramanium asked the court to issue “a direction that the Committee of Administrators shall also be in charge of IPL and may appoint advisors as they deem necessary; an injunction restricting any person, groups of persons, association(s), State Cricket Association(s) from interfering in the functions of the Committee of Administrators; a direction empowering the Committee of Administrators to nominate any member to represent BCCI in the forthcoming ICC Conferences.”Additionally, Subramanium wanted the committee of administrators to take control of all state associations that have not complied with the Lodha Committee’s recommendations. Some of them are still holding out despite the court’s orders in October limiting their financial freedom. Subramanium added more pressure by asking, “upon the office bearers of State Cricket Associations not filing an undertaking in accordance with the orders dated 7.10.2016 and 21.10.2016, the Committee of the Administrators shall be in charge of such State Cricket Association(s) including its properties until freshly elected bodies are in place.”Another significant plea from Subramanium concerned the reinstatement of the Lodha Committee’s authority.In its January 2 order, the court had agreed to a request by the Lodha Committee to limit their purview to “overall policy and direction”. But a week later, the Lodha Committee answered a list of frequently asked questions on who could become a BCCI office bearer. Kapil Sibal, the senior legal counsel who has been representing BCCI and some of the state associations, asked the court on January 20 whether the Lodha Committee was eligible to reply to those FAQs. The court told Sibal it would address the matter in due course.To counter such doubts, Subramanium wanted the court to restore the Lodha Committee’s powers: “…A direction that the mandate of the Justice Lodha Committee to complete oversight, implementation and issuing directions if necessary in terms of the judgement dated 18.7.2016 shall continue in addition to the administration of BCCI and implementation of the reforms by the Committee of Administrators and, liberty be granted to the Committee of Administrators to seek guidance and directions from the Justice Lodha Committee and if necessary to apply to the Hon’ble Supreme Court for directions through the Amicus Curiae.”

A round-up of the Under-19 World Cup matches played on January 27, 2016

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jan-2016Group AA half-century from Nazmul Hossain Shanto steered Bangladesh U19 to a total of 240, which their bowlers defended with ease despite a hundred from the South Africa U19 opener Liam Smith. Smith was sedate at the start of his innings, and South Africa lost wickets at regular intervals, with seamer Mohammad Saifuddin firing in pinpoint yorkers and Bangladesh’s impressive assortment of spinners strangling the run rate expertly. Smith picked up the pace as he approached his hundred, but South Africa’s challenge effectively ended when he was caught brilliantly in the covers by the Bangladesh captain Mehedi Hasan Miraz in the 45th over of the innings. Bangladesh eventually won by 43 runs, with Saifuddin and offspinner Mehedi picking up three wickets each.Having opted to bat first, Bangladesh made steady progress, with Pinak Ghosh and Joyraz Sheikh scoring 40s before the left-handed Nazmul guided them through the middle and late overs with an 82-ball 73. South Africa chipped away at the wickets, with seamer Wiaan Mulder picking up three, but there were useful contributions right through the Bangladesh order, ensuring they reached what proved an amply defendable total.Group CDan Lawrence and Jack Burnham’s centuries led England U19 to a massive win over Fiji U19 in their Group C game in Chittagong. After opting to bat, England piled up 371 for 3 and then bowled out Fiji for 72 to complete a 299-run win.Cakacaka Tikoisuva removed Max Holden early, but Lawrence (174 off 150) and Burnham (148 off 137) combined for a 303-run second-wicket stand in 265 balls. Callum Taylor struck a brisk 21 and the last six overs yielded 89 runs as England raced to 371.Fiji were never in the chase from the start, losing five wickets within the first six overs, with Sam Curran and Saqib Mahmood doing much of the damage. Both picked up three wickets apiece, with Mahmood’s figures reading 5-4-2-3. Peni Vuniwaqa provided brief resistance with a 74-ball 36, but it was nowhere near enough. He was the last man out in the 28th over.