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The occasion of international cricket’s return to Pakistan was made merrier by the opening pair of Mukhtar Ahmed and Ahmed Shehzad as they tore into and broke down Zimbabwe’s challenging 172 for 6, to ensure the side, playing at home after six years, won

The Report by Mohammad Isam22-May-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThe occasion of international cricket’s return to Pakistan was made merrier by the opening pair of Mukhtar Ahmed and Ahmed Shehzad as they tore into and broke down Zimbabwe’s challenging 172 for 6, to ensure the side, playing at home after six years, won by five wickets.Their 142-run stand equalled the opening partnership between Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal against Bangladesh in the 2010 World T20 but the one at the Gaddafi Stadium will be counted as more special. The March 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka team bus, outside this very cricket stadium, had taken international cricket away from them.The full house was fully entertained by the newcomer Mukhtar, who made 83 off 45 balls. His dozen boundaries were hit off a bowling attack which lacked a leader and a strong attacker but Mukhtar did what he had to do. He was severe on everything straight and on his legs, nine of his 12 fours coming through fine-leg, midwicket and long-on. He reached 50 off 34 balls and left the more recognised Shehzad far behind.Shehzad didn’t miss out though, getting to his fifty in the 12th over. He struck some brutal hits down the ground but was generous enough to let Mukhtar do all the hitting. The pair fell in consecutive overs – Shehzad gave a catch to point, while Mukhtar hit straight to long-on – but the crowd was fully entertained for one hour by the pair.After the Mukhtar-Shehzad partnership, Pakistan lost three more wickets before captain Shahid Afridi struck a straight boundary to complete the win with three balls to spare.The start of the evening, too, will remain memorable. The crowd started to enter the stadium more than two hours before the first ball and it was a full house when Shahid Afridi and Elton Chigumbura strode out to the toss, held seven minutes earlier as the Pakistan president Mamnoon Hussain met with both squads. Afridi gave one last pep talk before the hosts raced to the turf.The first ball was a fuller length delivery from Anwar Ali that crashed into Hamilton Masakadza’s pad. The pace bowler didn’t appeal, but an appeal wouldn’t have been out of place given the drama of the occasion. Masakadza then got to work with a string of boundaries but he failed to keep the crowd’s noise down. A gap of six years for an international game kept them animated even as they fanned themselves with the four and six placards.Masakadza got seven fours and a six in his 27-ball 43, cutting, lap-sweeping and forcing fours through point, midwicket, fine-leg and mid-off. His only six was a high pull off Bilawal Bhatti over square-leg in the third over. Vusi Sibanda was nondescript at the other end with 13 off 15 balls.Their 58-run stand ended in the seventh over when Sibanda top-edged Mohammad Sami for 13 and next ball, Pakistan’s comeback man – playing his first international match since July 2012 – got Masakadza to inside-edge on to the stumps. The noise was at a maximum but despite that, and the regular wickets, their fielding errors slightly blotted the occasion. A few outfielders dived over the ball, Sarfraz missed two stumpings, including that of Chigumbura when he was on eight, and Riaz dropping a skier off his own bowling.Charles Coventry, another comeback story of the day, was given caught-behind though TV replays showed the ball appeared to hit his bicep on the way to the wicketkeeper. Chigumbura, meanwhile, kept the pace set by Masakadza with timely boundaries. Zimbabwe’s tally of 58 in the last five overs was mostly his doing.Chigumbura’s late onslaught began with a top-edged four off Bhatti before fours were squeezed past point and inside-edged. He added blasts over point, midwicket and extra cover off Riaz’s third over before flicking Sami’s full-toss to reach his second T20 fifty, making 54 off 35 balls.Sikandar Raza struck a high six over midwicket before falling in the 17th over but he helped Chigumbura add 42 for the fifth wicket in just 4.2 overs.Malik was the most economical bowler with 1 for 12 from three overs while Sami took 3 for 36. Riaz finished with two wickets but he was too wayward for a bowler leading the attack.Zimbabwe’s bowlers too were poor for most of the Pakistan innings, though Cremer looked happy with his two wickets while Williams and Brian Vitori took one wicket apiece.For the fans and the team, it was a joyous occasion, a chance to cherish a match played in their home. International cricket in Pakistan came to a halt in Lahore and it is here that Zimbabwe’s tour got underway, with a win for the home team.

Colin Graves, the incoming ECB chairman who has vowed to modernise English cricket, has voiced his approval for four-day Test cricket

David Hopps31-Mar-20155:53

Are four-day Tests feasible ?

Colin Graves, the incoming ECB chairman, has voiced his personal approval for four-day Test cricket in a move that signals nothing is sacred as he prepares his attempts to modernise professional cricket in England.Graves chose to reveal all to one of the bastions of traditionalism – the MCC website – as he proposed the first of what will be several radical proposals which he believes will reinvigorate English cricket, make it more financially viable and put it more in tune with the culture of the times.The suggestion of four-day Tests was floated in a wide-ranging ECB discussion document that was exclusively revealed by ESPNcricinfo last month, but this is the first time that Graves has admitted he personally supports what would be the biggest change to international cricket in modern times.English Test crowds still remain relatively healthy, but increasingly there are disturbing signs that the virus of dwindling Test attendances is beginning to eat into Test attendances outside London.Graves told the MCC website, : “Personally, I think we should look at four-day Test cricket and play 105 overs a day starting at 10.30 in the morning, and finish when you finish as all the grounds now have lights,” he said.”Every Test match would start on a Thursday, with Thursday and Friday being corporate days and then Saturday and Sunday the family days.”From a cost point of view you’d lose that fifth day, which would save a hell of a lot of money from the ground’s point of view and the broadcasters. I would look at that. In reality, there’s not many people who turn up and watch it on the fifth day.”Graves’ ambitions for 105 overs a day would lose only 30 overs on the current five-day minimum of 450 overs, but they sound somewhat idealistic. Although a rate of less than 18 overs an hour in a six-hour day seems just about feasible, even for the modern game, Test matches routinely expand into overtime just to complete 90. An ODI, which pretty much feels as long as cricket can manage, stretches to 100.A preponderance of pace bowlers, lengthy stoppages for tactical discussions, drinks breaks running overtime, donning of protective equipment on the field, and a generally dilatory approach all contribute to a Test over rate that has been around 15 overs an hour now for a generation.The revelation that the ECB was even mooting four-day Tests from Test purists worldwide. But whether such a move would make Tests more profitable, and would receive a favourable reaction from a greater number of spectators, remains relatively unexplored.Cricket would also lose one of its enduring charms: the gradual deterioration of a pitch that only really begins to turn sharply on the final two days.Graves, whose five-year term begins on May 15, will begin to promote his views when he is a guest at the MCC World Cricket Committee, where he has been invited to speak this July.His determination that cricket moves with the times, and does not become isolated from the culture of the nation, is also seen in his driving forward of discussions about a more high-profile Twenty20 tournament in England that would be a real competitor to the IPL and the Big Bash League in Australia.”Let’s look forward, let’s look at what the public wants because we are in the entertainment business and that’s what we’ve got to remember,” he said.It is a message that he will ram home repeatedly in the coming months.Four-day Tests remain likely to be a battle that Graves loses – at least in the short term – but his willingness to think radically, based on an assessment of what the public wants, displays a willingness to embrace change, at 67, that has long been beyond the ken of cricket administrators in England.

With the Three Lions into the last four for the first time in 28 years, Goal compares Gareth Southgate's cubs to Bobby Robson's star-studded side

Getty Images1GK: Shilton vs Pickford

Peter Shilton is an England legend, one of the finest goalkeepers the country has ever produced. However, by Italia '90, he was 40 and no longer at his brilliant best, as underlined by his poor performances in the semi-final loss to West Germany and the third-place play-off with Italy.

By contrast, Jordan Pickford is a young goalkeeper on the rise.

The 24-year-old was considered a potential weak link in the current squad but has instead become one of England's World Cup heroes, after his crucial penalty save from Colombia's Carlos Bacca and man of the match-winning performance against Sweden. 

If we were evaluating their overall ability or respective careers, Shilton would be the obvious choice. But, given this is about their respective form at the World Cups in question…

Winner: Pickford

AdvertisementGetty Images2RWB: Parker vs Trippier

One of the hardest choices on the team.

Paul Parker was a fantastically reliable defender and excelled after being moved to right wing-back following England's World Cup opener against Republic of Ireland. 

However, Kieran Trippier has been a revelation in Russia, proving not only defensively sound but also a real asset going forward.

Indeed, no other defender has created more chances (13) than the Tottenham ace, whose dead-ball deliveries have played a pivotal role in the Three Lions' success.

Winner: Trippier

Getty Images3RCB: Des Walker vs Kyle Walker

The battle of the Walkers!

Des was an excellent defender, whose brain was as quick as his feet. An excellent man-marker (Nottingham Forest fans used to sing, "You'll never beat Des Walker!"), he was immaculate in almost each and every game at the 1990 World Cup.

After proving an excellent addition to Manchester City's title-winning squad last season, namesake Kyle has had a fine tournament in Russia, underlining his versatility and excellent footballing skills by switching seamlessly from right-back to centre-half to facilitate Southgate's use of a three-man defence.

However, Des gets the nod because this was his natural position.

Winner: Des Walker

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Getty Images4CB: Wright vs Stones

Mark Wright didn't play a minute of England's qualifying campaign for the 1990 World Cup yet he proved a key man in Italy, after Bobby Robson's crucial decision to switch to a three-man backline after an uninspired performance against Ireland in their tournament opener.

A tall, elegant defender with a wide range of passing, Wright revelled in the sweeper role and it was also his goal, against Egypt, that saw the Three Lions progress as group winners. 

John Stones is another classy ball-playing defender whose propensity for lapses in concentration has not been seen at all during an almost flawless campaign in Russia that has also featured two goals, against Panama.

However, when it comes to overall influence, there's only one possible victor…

Winner: Wright

Jude Bellingham has been compared to Kaka by Carlo Ancelotti as the manager lauded the midfielder as "humble and hard working".

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Bellingham in sublime form at Real MadridAncelotti compared him to Brazil legend KakaHailed the midfielder's work rateWHAT HAPPENED?

Bellingham, in just 16 games, has scored 15 goals and provided four assists, making him the fastest player to reach this milestone in the white shirt. His exploits in front of goal led the Italian manager to compare the English youngster to that of Kaka during his stint with AC Milan in the early 2000s.

AdvertisementWHAT ANCELOTTI SAID ABOUT BELLINGHAM

When Ancelotti was asked if he found Bellingham similar to Alfredo di Stefano, Zinedine Zidane and Johan Cruyff, the coach replied: "I have never seen Di Stefano play. In the previous press conference I made the comparison with Zidane… and… well, I am surprised by him, I would say the closest thing is like the first time I saw Kaka. I’m not saying that he is similar to him, but he has similarities to Kaka."

Getty ANCELOTTI HAILED BELLINGHAM'S WORK RATE

While most coaches would have been ecstatic with the goalscoring trait of Bellingham, Ancelotti revealed that he is more of an admirer of the midfielder's work rate.

When asked if the former Borussia Dortmund player is their main goalscorer, Ancelotti said: "No, I don’t think we have ever asked Bellingham to score goals. He is doing it because he has this fantastic ability to reach the opponent’s area at the right time. The respect we have for him is for the work he does… not for the goals. He is greatly respected for what he does on the field, which goes far beyond goals. He is a humble and hardworking boy. Entering the Madrid dressing room is easy.”

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(C)GettyImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BELLLINGHAM?

Alarm bells started ringing at Valdebebas when Bellingham was spotted walking out of the training earlier than usual on Friday. It is known that the midfielder is carrying a shoulder injury that will require surgery at some point in the future but Ancelotti dismissed speculations about a potential injury and confirmed that he is available for selection.

"Bellingham is ready to play tomorrow. He has no problem, he is a little tired. He has a slight discomfort in his ankle and we have preferred to avoid contact. He will play tomorrow," he said.

Real Madrid will host Granada in a La Liga fixture on Saturday afternoon at Santiago Bernabeu.

The INEOS chairman has taken on arguably the biggest challenge in football at Old Trafford, and there will be no quick fix

Less than 24 hours after officially taking over football operations at Manchester United, Sir Jim Ratcliffe outlined his lofty ambitions for the future from the boardroom suite of his INEOS headquarters in London. He struck all the right notes, even going so far as to channel legendary former manager Sir Alex Ferguson when vowing to end 11 years of "complete misery" and close the gap on Manchester City and Liverpool.

“We have a lot to learn from our noisy neighbour and the other ­neighbour,” Ratcliffe said. "They are the enemy at the end of the day. There is nothing I would like better than to knock both of them off their perch."

The 71-year-old billionaire went on to warn fans there will be no "overnight change", but also insisted United can accomplish their goals by as early as 2027, one year before the club's 150th anniversary. “The fans would run out of patience if it was a 10-year plan,” he added. “But it’s certainly a three-year plan to get there. I think the key thing is our trajectory, so that ­people can see that we’re making progress. Because it’s not easy to turn ­Manchester United into the world’s best football team.”

That last sentence is the understatement of the century. Ratcliffe's arrival has generated a new wave of optimism at Old Trafford, but bringing United back to the top of the game in such a short period of time would be nothing short of a miracle.

Getty ImagesTen Hag's position

Ratcliffe clearly understands the huge task on his hands at Old Trafford, but he is now under pressure to deliver on his promise, and that begins with what happens on the pitch.

United are currently enjoying their best period of the season, with six wins and one draw from their last seven games across all competitions. That run has eased pressure on head coach Erik ten Hag, but it hasn't made up for the damage that was done between August and December. United are still five points adrift of the Premier League's top-four and only have the FA Cup left to play for in terms of silverware after crashing out of the Champions League and Carabao Cup in embarrassing fashion.

Even more concerning is the fact United still don't seem to have a cohesive structure under Ten Hag, with the dressing room reportedly split on whether he is the right man to take the team forward. Results have improved because certain individuals have stepped up to the plate, but the glaring weaknesses across the pitch haven't been fixed, and the reality is United are further behind City and Liverpool than ever before.

Ten Hag's contract is due to expire in 2025, and Ratcliffe has hinted his future is very much in the balance, albeit while pointing out David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer also failed in an environment that has become toxic since Ferguson's exit.

"If you look at the 11 years that have gone since David Gill and Sir Alex stepped down, there has been a whole series of coaches," said Ratcliffe. "Some of them were very good, but none of them has been successful or survived for very long. You can't blame all the coaches. The only conclusion is that the environment in which they were working didn't work. Erik's been in that environment and what we have to do is make sure that environment, the organisation, the people in the structure, are right.

"But we’ve made some quite difficult decisions in our time in business. We’ll just be logical about it, assess the facts and make a fair judgement. We're not a brutal organisation really. But sometimes you do have to make decisions, that may not be popular."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesNot afraid to ruffle feathers

Beyond United's lack of identity and clear style of play, Ten Hag is also responsible for wasting a hefty transfer pot, with the likes of Antony, Casemiro, Andre Onana and Mason Mount all unable to live up to their price tags. Ratcliffe recognises that recruitment has been United's biggest problem over the past decade, and it appears that Ten Hag will no longer be trusted to have the final say on new additions to the squad.

"We need to be as good as anyone else in the game at recruitment and we haven't been," Ratcliffe told the . "FFP [Financial Fair Play] is a new element in football and a really important part of managing a football club well. We will assess how much money we have available and use it well."

It has been reported that United's transfer budget will be significantly squeezed in the summer due to Financial Fair Play restrictions, and an even bigger hit will be taken if they fail to qualify for the Champions League, which means player sales and extensive scouting will be necessary.

To that end, Ratcliffe has already managed to poach City recruitment guru Omar Berrada – who played a key role in Erling Haaland's move to the Etihad Stadium – with his appointment as the club's new CEO described as a move to put "football and performance on the pitch back at the heart of everything we do".

The INEOS chairman has also identified Dan Ashworth as his number one choice to take over as sporting director, and expressed his frustration over Newcastle's attempts to prevent the 52-year-old from taking on a new challenge at Old Trafford. The Magpies have placed Ashworth on gardening leave until their receive a £20m compensation fee, which might mean he will be left twiddling his thumbs at home until the expiration of his contract in 2026.

He said: "I think it’s a bit silly, personally. I won’t get dragged into that. What I do think is completely absurd is suggesting a man who is really good at his job sits in his garden for one-and-a-half years."

Ratcliffe is not worried about ruffling a few feathers to assemble his dream team, though. "We have to make sure that the right people end up in the right positions," he added to . "Every person in management has to be world-class."

Getty ImagesThe Greenwood situation

Ratcliffe was also asked whether it is possible Mason Greenwood could still be reintegrated into the first team at Old Trafford. United originally planned to do exactly that after a six-month internal investigation, only to perform a U-turn after a public backlash and send Greenwood out on loan to Getafe in August.

Greenwood saw criminal charges of attempted rape, assault, and coercive control against him dropped in February last year, but he is still facing the court of public opinion. Ratcliffe's answer was a surprising one, as he confirmed that a fresh decision on the 22-year-old's future will be made at the end of the season.

"All I can do is talk about the principle of how we will approach decisions like that. Is he the right type of ­footballer, are we happy with the… is he a good person or not?" said Ratcliffe. "It’s quite clear we have to make a decision. There is no decision that’s been made. The process will be: understand the facts not the hype and then try to come to a fair decision on the basis of values which is ­basically 'is he a good guy or not?' Could he play sincerely for Manchester United – and would we be comfortable with it and would the fans be comfortable with it?"

The last time Greenwood played for United was way back in January 2022, but he has been given a fresh start by Getafe, and has recorded 13 goal contributions in 24 appearances for the club to date. His performances have reportedly attracted the interest of La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, and the expectation was he would complete a permanent transfer away from Manchester in the summer.

Ratcliffe's words suggest Greenwood could yet revive his United career, which is likely to divide opinion. There is no doubt that Greenwood remains a talented player capable of adding extra quality to the squad, but in the eyes of supporters' groups and councillors, bringing him back would set a worrying precedent.

Re-assessing the issue serves as proof that Ratcliffe is covering all bases, but nothing has really changed in the last seven months, and he risks alienating a large section of the fanbase by reversing the club's original stance.

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Getty Rebuilding Old Trafford

United's sub-standard team is currently mirrored by the stadium, which Ratcliffe acknowledges is "tired and in need of refurbishment". Old Trafford has been a home for the Red Devils since 1910, and boasts the largest capacity in the Premier League at 74,310, but plans are being drawn up for a new venue to be built next to the existing ground.

Ratcliffe's preference is to relocate as he feels the option of refurbishing a decaying Old Trafford "won't be perfect". He explained to the : "There is quite a big argument, in my view, for regenerating that whole south side of Manchester. The nucleus of it would be building a new world-class state-of-the-art stadium which could take England games, the FA Cup final, Champions League finals. It could serve the north of England."

United legend Gary Neville, who co-owns the Hotel Football establishment that sits just a hundred yards away from Old Trafford, has been chosen to advise on the feasibility of the project, after years of criticising the Glazer family for failing to invest in the upkeep of Old Trafford. Ratcliffe has suggested the government's Levelling Up scheme as a possible source of funding, while pointing out “people in the north pay their taxes just as people in the south pay their taxes”.

The idea will certainly feel rich to most of the British public given it's coming from a billionaire who is a resident in the tax haven of Monaco. reports that building a new stadium could cost over £2 billion, with only £237m ($300m) coming from the deal that saw Ratcliffe complete a purchase of a minority 27.7 percent stake in the club.

Netherlands finished third in the T20 Quadrangular, after beating South Africa Emerging Players by 42 runs in the third-place playoff on Wednesday

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Apr-2013
ScorecardNetherlands finished third in the T20 Quadrangular, after beating South Africa Emerging Players by 42 runs in the third-place playoff on Wednesday.Batting first, Netherlands scored 206 for 5 in their 20 overs, helped by Wesley Barresi’s 45-ball 70. An 87-run stand between Tom Cooper and Barresi took the side to a strong 129 for 2 in the 13th over before Daan van Bunge and Bukhari hit a few blows to take the side past 200.In reply, South Africa Emerging recovered briefly from a bad start, as opener Cameron Delport added 58 runs for the second wicket with Khayelihle Zondo. However, that was the only substantial partnership in the South Africa innings, as the Netherlands bowlers stated their dominance with regular wickets. Delport top-scored with 65, while the next highest score for South Africa was a 20-ball 37 from Dwaine Pretorious. The Netherlands bowlers shared the wickets, with Michael Swart, Cooper and Bukhari picking up two wickets apiece.

It is more than likely that Virender Sehwag has played his last innings on the England tour

Nagraj Gollapudi21-Aug-2011It is more than likely that Virender Sehwag has played his last innings on the England tour. It is understood that Sehwag has not completely recovered from the shoulder surgery he underwent immediately after the IPL in May. Sehwag, who struggled to make any impact in the two Tests matches he played, had a quiet word with the two on-tour national selectors – Narendra Hirwani and Surendra Bhave – and the team management, and the decision was then conveyed to the BCCI top brass. In the end Sehwag got the permission.”The shoulder injury has not completely healed. He will return after the Test series,” a BCCI source told ESPNcricinfo. In addition to the shoulder injury, Sehwag has also been suffering from hearing problems in his left ear, after being exposed to a loud sound on July 24, according to the note sent by the National Cricket Academy physiotherapist Nitin Patel to the tour physio Ashish Kaushik when the opener joined the squad for the tour match in Northampton. “Sehwag has some visual and balancing problems, which persist,” the source added.Interestingly, after the first day’s play at The Oval, Anirudh Chaudhary, Indian manager for the Test leg, categorically denied the rumours that Sehwag had asked the team management if he could head back home.It would be difficult to surmise if the injury played a role in Sehwag’s poor tour which began with a king pair at Edgbaston. He followed that up by lasting just five deliveries in the first innings of the final Test before being bowled through the gate by a Graeme Swann offbreak in the second innings. He made 41 runs in four innings.Embarrassingly for the BCCI, this is the second case of a half-fit Indian player being rushed in for this important tour. Earlier Zaheer Khan, India’s strike bowler, was ruled out of the series at the halfway stage, due to a “recurring hamstring injury and right-ankle impingement” according to the statement issued on August 7 by the team manager. Zaheer had originally picked up the ankle injury during the IPL and, both he and Sehwag had been rested for the subsequent Caribbean tour.When the selectors named the squad for the Test leg of the England tour in early July, they announced a 17-member party, stating that Sehwag would join the tour a fortnight later as he was been given extra time to recover completely from the shoulder surgery. Unfortunately for the BCCI, Sehwag did not recover as expected and someone would have to answer some tough questions.Meanwhile the selectors have not yet name Sehwag’s replacement and are likely to make the announcement early next week.

The date has been set for the hearing that will decide Old Trafford’s future as a Test match ground

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jun-2011The date has been set for the hearing that will decide Old Trafford’s future as a Test match ground. The Court of Appeal will hear the case against Lancashire’s planned ground redevelopment on July 4, a day that the chief executive Jim Cumbes has called “a day of destiny”.”The future prospects for the club will rest on the decision, make no mistake,” said Cumbes. “We are confident of winning and bringing to an end a protracted legal process which has been draining the club financially and preventing us from transforming our ageing ground and facilities.”The club’s long-running legal battle with Derwent Holdings, the rival company trying to block the development plans for the area around Lancashire’s home ground, had appeared to be at an end in March when the High Court ruled in Lancashire’s favour and refused Derwent leave to appeal but the company, owned by billionaire Albert Gubay, made it clear they would seek to take the case further.Tesco, the supermarket chain, are backing Lancashire’s plans and building a store in nearby White City while contributing £21million to the cost. Their joint planning application was approved in March last year, and at the same planning meeting Derwent, who own the White City retail park, had a scheme to build a Sainsbury’s at the site refused. Derwent argued that Trafford Council applied double standards in refusing its plans.Derwent’s repeated legal challenges created great uncertainty for Lancashire’s plans, but the first part of the redevelopment was completed last year with the opening of the The Point, a large red complex to the side of the pavilion, and continued over the winter with the turning of the square 90 degrees to prevent problems caused by the setting sun in autumn.New floodlights are being installed and Cumbes said the four 53metre-high pylons would be in place in time for England’s Twenty20 match against India in August. If Lancashire are successful on July 4, the club is hopeful that all the renovations will be completed in time to host an Ashes Test in 2013.

Dwayne Bravo, the West Indies allrounder, has picked up an ankle injury and will miss West Indies A’s two four-day matches against Bangladesh A this month

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Nov-2011Dwayne Bravo, the West Indies allrounder, has injured his ankle and will miss West Indies A’s two four-day matches against Bangladesh A this month. Bravo, who was named captain of the A side for the series, picked up the injury during the team’s warm-up session the day before the first four-day game, which is scheduled to start in Antigua on November 5, and has travelled back to Trinidad & Tobago. Veerasammy Permaul will take over the captaincy of the West Indies A team, while a replacement player has not yet been named.Bravo’s career has been blighted by injury in the past few years, since he suffered a serious ankle injury in 2008 which kept him out of the game for eight months. He suffered a big blow this year when his World Cup ended due to a knee injury he sustained in West Indies’ first game of the tournament. He returned for the home one-day series against Pakistan but asked for a break after the first two ODIs against India in June to work on his game.Since then Bravo has turned out for Chennai Super Kings in the Champions League T20 and for Trinidad & Tobago in the Regional Super50 tournament. The matches against Bangladesh A were to be his first first-class matches since the Tests in Sri Lanka last year but his return to the longer format has now been delayed further.

AB de Villiers’ bright start as South Africa’s limited-overs captain has hit a speed bump and it did so in embarrassing fashion

Firdose Moonda in Kimberley21-Jan-2012AB de Villiers’ bright start as South Africa’s limited-overs captain has hit a speed bump and it did so in embarrassing fashion for a man who prides himself on professionalism, athleticism and commitment to the cause.South Africa put on a barely believable and sometimes-comical fielding display, mixing terrific catches like Alviro Petersen’s leap on the boundary to dismiss Kumar Sangakkara with horrible gaffes such as Morne Morkel’s drop of Angelo Mathews. “We weren’t great in the field today,” de Villiers said. “We created a few chances that we didn’t take.”Usually energetic and committed in the field, South Africa appeared frantic and pressured as Sri Lanka built confidently during their chase of 300. Dinesh Chandimal and Thisara Perera attacked bad balls and ran well between the wickets, although they had one mix-up that could have had either of them dismissed. de Villiers said being under that sort of pressure had tested his ability to use his bowlers, and he felt he could have done it better.”I needed to take a few chances because we needed wickets and I thought the bowlers did really well on a good pitch. But I made a few tactical errors and used the wrong bowlers at the wrong time.”The decision to keep the spinners on against a fluent Perera was one such strategic mistake. “I thought the spinner could get us one,” he said. “We tried to bounce him but the ball wouldn’t come up. It was one of those pitches where it was not very easy to take wickets. We tried slower balls. I tried every single bowler in the team.”Wickets were always going to be hard to come by on a flat pitch, and de Villiers admitted South Africa had actually lost the game with the bat. After a speedy start, they were well placed to score over 300, but had to settle for 299 for 7. They lost four wickets for 47 runs and their lower-middle order was unable to score as freely as de Villiers had against a regrouped Sri Lankan attack that bowled with discipline.de Villiers accepted full responsibility for South Africa’s slowdown towards the end of their innings. “We should have got to 330 but I got out at a very bad stage. We needed a partnership there.”de Villiers was bowled for 96 by a Perera slower ball in the 41st over with South Africa on 250 for 5. Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson and Vernon Philander are capable of big hitting but were forced to play a more watchful game. South Africa scored only 49 runs off the last 9.1 overs.”We put the lower order under huge pressure so they couldn’t play the game they would normally play,” de Villiers said. “But with the ball, they [Parnell and Philander] showed variation and skill, and then we let them down in the field.”Despite the stumble towards the end of the innings, South Africa can take heart from the pressure they created at the start and the return to form of Graeme Smith. With talk over the former captain facing the axe, Smith announced his intention to continue playing the 50-over format of the game brutally. “Hopefully he makes it happen now and maximises this,” de Villiers said. “I am expecting more runs from him in Jo’burg.”The final match of the series will be South Africa’s last home appearance of the summer before they head to New Zealand and England. de Villiers said they want end this series in as strong a position as possible. “We spoke about ruthlessness before this game but we weren’t that ruthless. We’ll have to do that better. We wanted a whitewash but we didn’t do that. We want to make it 4-1 now.”