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David Warner can take a lesson from Michael Slater as he aims to find the balance between aggression and care at the top of the order

Daniel Brettig in Hobart13-Dec-2012In October 1996, Mark Taylor and Michael Slater walked to the middle of the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi for the second innings of a one-off Test match against India. They faced a deficit of 179. Within minutes, Slater was making his way back to the ground’s then rickety pavilion, having swung at a ball he could barely reach from the modest medium fast of David Johnson and been acrobatically held at slip by Mohammad Azharuddin.That heedless stroke hastened the tourists’ heavy defeat, cost Slater his Test place – he would not return until 1998 – and remains one of the great cautionary tales for imprudent opening batsmen. At the time, Slater was averaging 48 in Tests, and was only three matches removed from his highest score, 219 against Sri Lanka in Perth. Whether the “lesson” of his dumping was ever truly learned remains a matter for debate, and there was to be collateral damage. Without his regular opening partner, Taylor would slide into the slump that very nearly cost him the captaincy.Australia’s captain Michael Clarke had Slater’s poster on his wall back then, and his admiration for the former opening batsman’s derring-do shone through again in his defence of David Warner. In Perth against South Africa, Warner was out to a stroke almost as inappropriate to the match scenario as Slater, an angled bat swish at Dale Steyn’s first ball of the second morning the catalyst for Australia’s tumble from a strong first-day position to a fourth-day defeat. While Slater paid dearly for his error, Clarke has avoided criticising Warner for his indiscretion, reasoning that hesitance is an even greater enemy of the left-hander than impulsiveness.”The one thing we need to understand with Davey is the same ball he got out on in Perth, we’re all standing and clapping in Adelaide when it went over cover or went over slips for four,” Clarke said. “That’s the way he plays. The only thing I continue to say to Davey is make sure you’ve got that good intent, and by that good intent I mean more in his mind than the actual shot. Because when Davey’s intent’s right, his defence is better, his attacking shots are better. He plays his best when he’s looking to score runs, there’s no doubt about it.”Yes we all have to work on shot selection at certain times in your innings, but I think Davey for the start of his Test career, three hundreds he’s scored now, he’s doing pretty well. Like all of us, we’d love to be more consistent and score runs every time we walk out to bat. Sometimes he doesn’t look great when he gets out, but the other side is he’s got that x-factor. He can take a game away from any team in the first session of a Test match really. Not too many players in the world have that talent. At the moment I’m really happy with how he’s going, he was disappointed with the way he got out. But more than ‘don’t play the shot’, it’s about working in the nets to execute that shot better.”Warner’s development has become all the more critical now that Ricky Ponting has exited Australia’s dressing room. He is an aggressor on the field and a livewire off it, striving to be liked by team-mates even as his motor-mouth and customary brio have preceded him. In the middle, Warner is known to be a far more nervous character than he lets on, muttering incessantly about his technique and the opposition in between deliveries. He seems at his surest when in the act of hitting the ball, something he does with startling power, if imperfect judgement.When Clarke was presented with the view that no batsman can be at liberty to play the same strokes on the pacy WACA ground as he had been on the more docile Adelaide surface, he cited a meritorious century against New Zealand at Bellerive a year ago to outline the balance of aggression and thoughtfulness he expected from Warner’s batting.”That’s what you learn as a young player don’t you,” Clarke said. “The conditions in Perth are different to Adelaide, and what we’re going to see here. I think one of Davey’s greatest innings was the hundred we saw here in really tough batting conditions, but he still had that great intent. On a wicket that was doing a lot he was looking to score runs, but his shot selection was spot on and perfect that innings. In a perfect world you’d love to bottle that and say play like that every time, but there’s got to be a bit of give and take with Davey.”So long as Clarke is captain and selector, there is likely to be more give than take for Warner, as his destructive potential and natural spark are highly valued. But he would not want to charge too hard, too early at the likes of Nuwan Kulasekara in this series, lest he find himself emulating Slater’s harsh lesson.

Northamptonshire have confirmed that Jack Brooks has been allowed to utilise a get-out clause in his contract to further his international ambitions

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Sep-2012Northamptonshire have confirmed that Jack Brooks, the pace bowler, has been allowed to utilise a get-out clause in his contract to further his international ambitions.Brooks, who made a late start to his professional career having come through Minor County cricket, played for England Lions against the West Indians this season on his home ground. In the Championship he took 23 wickets at 35.69 in a campaign disrupted by injury and overall has 118 first-class wickets at 28.95″I’ve taken this decision to leave Northants because I want to compete at the highest level possible,” Brooks said. “The opportunities being offered to me are too good to turn down, and I owe it to myself to explore all avenues as I continue my quest for international honours.””I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Northants and fully appreciate the support I’ve been given by all at the club. Hopefully, I’ll be remembered for my performances and wholehearted approach to the game.”Head coach David Ripley said: “I am saddened by Jack’s departure, we will miss him both on the field and in the dressing room as he is a real character. He is striving for international honours and domestic trophies, which I believe are both achievable here, but I fully understand and respect his decision to leave. We wish Jack all the best in his future.”David Smith, the chief executive, added that this was a situation clubs are becoming used to these days. “Jack leaving us is a reflection of our more mobile cricket society and of more flexible employment laws that allow players to move between county cricket clubs on a more regular basis than in the past.”The club wants to place on record its appreciation of Jack’s service over the past four years and wish him all the very best for the future. Jack has been a very popular member of our dressing room.”

Impact Player rule in focus: Super Giants could start with three overseas players, while Capitals look to plug allrounder’s hole

Hemant Brar31-Mar-20233:15

Moody: ‘Warner is one of those captains who are an over ahead’

Big picture

After an impressive inaugural season where they made it to the playoffs, Lucknow Super Giants will play at their home ground for the first time, with the IPL returning to the tradition home-and-away format.Last year, Super Giants’ middle order looked brittle at times, so at the auction, they bought Nicholas Pooran. How much they value his batting is clear from the price they paid – INR 16 crore (USD 1.95 million approx.) – for him despite already having two wicketkeeping options in KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock in their first-choice XI.Super Giants’ squad is brimming with allrounders, which is a big advantage. However, left-arm quick Mohsin Khan’s shoulder injury, in head coach Andy Flower’s words, is “a blow” for the team. Moreover, Flower is not expecting him to be available at all this season.Related

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Delhi Capitals are without their regular captain, Rishabh Pant, this year. But in David Warner, they have a leader who has won the IPL previously, in 2016 with Sunrisers Hyderabad. Prithvi Shaw and Mitchell Marsh’s batting form also bode well for them. In fact, Marsh is expected to bowl as well this season.While Capitals still lack a genuine allrounder, their head coach Ricky Ponting is confident the Impact Player rule will help them plug that hole.

Team news

Super Giants will be without de Kock, who will join the squad on April 3, after South Africa’s ODI series against Netherlands is over.Capitals’ South African players – Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi – will miss Saturday’s match too. Mustafizur Rahman, who was rested for the final T20I against Ireland in Chattogram on Friday, tweeted that he was flying to join the squad on Saturday, when Capitals play the evening game in Lucknow.

Toss and Impact Player strategy

Lucknow Super Giants
Super Giants could start with three overseas players, irrespective of whether they bat first or bowl. If they bat first, their three overseas players could be Kyle Mayers, Pooran and Marcus Stoinis. In the second innings, Mark Wood can come in as an Impact Player for a batter, say Ayush Badoni.Probable bat-first XI: 1 KL Rahul (capt & wk), 2 Kyle Mayers, 3 Deepak Hooda, 4 Nicholas Pooran, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Ayush Badoni, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Prerak Mankad, 9 Jaydev Unadkat, 10 Avesh Khan, 11 Ravi BishnoiIf they bowl first, they could start with Mayers, Stoinis and Wood, with Pooran replacing Wood in the chase.Probable bowl-first XI: 1 KL Rahul (capt & wk), 2 Kyle Mayers, 3 Deepak Hooda, 4 Marcus Stoinis, 5 Ayush Badoni, 6 Krunal Pandya, 7 Prerak Mankad, 8 Jaydev Unadkat, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Mark Wood, 11 Ravi BishnoiRavi Bishnoi has dismissed David Warner three times in three meetings•BCCI

Delhi Capitals
In Pant’s absence, Sarfaraz Khan is likely to keep wicket. He had donned the big gloves in three matches during the latest Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as well.If Mustafizur is not available, it weakens Capitals’ death bowling. To counter that, they may beef up their batting by having four overseas batters in their XI. Ishant Sharma could be the Impact Player and replace Shaw when they bowl.Probable bat-first XI: 1 David Warner (capt), 2 Prithvi Shaw, 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Rilee Rossouw, 5 Sarfaraz Khan (wk), 6 Rovman Powell, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Aman Khan/Kamlesh Nagarkoti, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Chetan Sakariya, 11 Khaleel AhmedIf they are bowling first, Ishant starts, with Shaw replacing him in the chase.Probable bowl-first XI: 1 David Warner (capt), 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Rilee Rossouw, 4 Sarfaraz Khan (wk), 5 Rovman Powell, 6 Axar Patel, 7 Aman Khan/Kamlesh Nagarkoti, 8 Kuldeep Yadav, 9 Chetan Sakariya, 10 Khaleel Ahmed, 11 Ishant SharmaBut if Mustafizur is available, Ishant sits out, and Lalit Yadav replaces Powell. In that scenario, Mustafizur could share the Impact Player role with Shaw. That, though, would also mean three left-arm seamers in the side, to go with two left-arm spinners.

Stats that matter

• Since the start of 2021, Rahul’s powerplay strike rate in the IPL is just 109.73. He picks up as the innings progresses, scoring at 149.09 in the middle phase and 207.14 at the death.
• In the same time period, Rahul hasn’t been able to score freely against left-arm fingerspinners: a strike rate of 111.46 even though he has a healthy average of 35.00. Capitals can use Axar Patel to tie him down. Against Axar, Rahul has managed only 22 runs off 34 balls while getting out twice.
• In contrast, Pooran has smashed Axar for 30 runs off nine balls without any dismissals. Pooran can be equally destructive against pace as well. In fact, he is one of only three batters in IPL history with 200-plus runs at a strike rate of above 150 against both pace and spin. Andre Russell and Virender Sehwag are the other two.
• In T20 cricket, Ravi Bishnoi has dismissed Warner three times in six balls. He has had the better of Powell too: four dismissals in 34 balls for 28 runs.

Pitch and conditions

Lucknow has hosted six T20Is to date – teams batting first have won five of those. The only time a chasing team won, Hardik Pandya called the pitch “a shocker”. In that game, New Zealand scored 99 for 8 batting first, and India chased it down on the penultimate ball of the match. During the 2022-23 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Lucknow had hosted 14 games. Teams struggled to post big totals then as well.

Decider wrapped up in style inside an hour-and-a-half on the fourth morning

Andrew Miller27-Mar-2022West Indies 297 (Da Silva 100*) and 28 for 0 (Brathwaite 20*) beat England 204 and 120 (Mayers 5-18) by ten wicketsThe stadium DJ was playing as the last rites of England’s Caribbean humiliation were being administered by West Indies’ openers, Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell. 4.5 overs was all they needed to pick off the 28 runs needed for victory in the third Test in Grenada, and just 89 minutes of the fourth day’s play all told, as the Botham-Richards Trophy was captured with an elan to match the heyday of that pair’s rivalry.Fittingly, it was Brathwaite who sealed the spoils with a flick through midwicket for two off Chris Woakes, as he finished a series of stunning personal resolve with an unbeaten 20 from 21 balls – a gleeful sprint for the finish at stark odds with the equivalent of eight marathons that he had run in compiling his 673 minutes of resistance in the drawn second Test at Barbados.England, shellshocked by the extent of their shortcomings in the course of this series-deciding Test, had no prayer as their fleeting stint in the field began, although in throwing the new ball to Saqib Mahmood, they did at least acknowledge the one seamer to have truly enhanced his credentials in the course of a miserable campaign. But the closest he came to a breakthrough was a speculative review for lbw, as Brathwaite pinged him for consecutive fours in his second and final over.England had resumed the final day with even a miracle feeling a far-fetched option for salvation. They led by 10 runs overnight with just two wickets standing, although in keeping with the trend of the match, there were few demons for Woakes and Jack Leach to confront against the softer, older ball, which was already 53 overs old when play got underway.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

West Indies resumed with their third-day wrecker, Kyle Mayers, at one end, and the quicker options of Jayden Seales and Alzarri Joseph alternating at the other, but Leach and Woakes watched the ball carefully and played within themselves to add 13 runs in a sedate first 40 minutes.But then, Mayers made way for West Indies’ attack leader, Kemar Roach, and all he required was a solitary delivery to break the deadlock. The ball itself was a rank leg-sided long-hop, but Woakes’ firm flick flew rapidly to Jason Holder’s right at leg gully, who clung onto a one-handed blinder with the ball almost behind his back.Woakes was gone for 19, having added just one run since an earlier moment of alarm, when Joseph tucked him up from back of a length for a looping deflection to short leg. After a successful review, umpire Gregory Brathwaite had to reverse his decision – the 19th overturned decision of the series.At 116 for 9, Leach was joined by England’s last man – and first-innings top-scorer – Mahmood, with the team management hoping against hope that could at least replicate their first-innings stand of 90, without which West Indies would already be celebrating an innings victory.This time, however, their partnership was almost ended after four balls, as Roach bent his back on the short ball, and Leach sliced inches short of point. Mahmood then got in a tangle twice in the same Joseph over, first with an appeal for caught-behind that flicked off his arm-guard, and then with a flapped pull off the eyebrows that looped over gully.The hostility of the short-ball approach was at stark odds to the tame fare that England had served up when hunting the tenth West Indies wicket on the third morning, and with Leach pinned to his crease, Roach fired in the surprise fuller ball, to produce a thin edge through to the tumbling Da Silva. Once again, umpire Joel Wilson was unmoved, but West Indies were already celebrating before their review revealed a thin spike on UltraEdge.Related

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Afterwards, England’s captain, Joe Root, was magnanimous in defeat as he sought out each of West Indies’ players for a handshake, but despite the growing sense that he has taken his team as far as he can carry it, he claims for the moment that he still relishes the challenge of leading the urgently required rebuild.”Throughout this series we’ve played some really good cricket, and shown what we’re capable of as a group,” Root said. “We’ve grown over first two games as a batting group, we’ve shown big strides in that department.”But as Brathwaite and his men held aloft the Richards-Botham Trophy, all such issues were secondary to the glory of a West Indies team that has once again rallied round. Their remarkable home run of success against England has now extended to three series wins and a draw since 2004, and one loss in 11 campaigns since 1968.”We had a camp before the series began, and we said this is one of our best series at home, we’ve got to fight hard,” Brathwaite said. “It’s carried through in every game, someone else raising their hand and doing the job, whether’s it’s in the field, or with the ball or with the ball, spending time. The effort was remarkable.”

Warwickshire spinner could play first match for England since 2014 after Covid reshuffle

George Dobell07-Jul-2021Danny Briggs is promising not to put too much pressure on himself as he makes a return to the England set-up that he admits he thought would never happen.It’s seven-and-a-half years since Briggs last played a T20I for England and almost a decade since his only ODI. But now aged 30, and called up to the hastily-picked squad for the ODI series against Pakistan after the original squad were ruled out due to Covid protocols, he believes he has the experience to cope with whatever the next few weeks throw at him.”I was 21 when I was first picked for England,” Briggs told ESPNcricinfo. “And 23 when I played my last game. It’s very young, isn’t it?”Looking back, I put too much pressure on myself. I don’t think I’d ever experienced any lows in cricket before then and I sort of expected to be successful.”I think I tried too hard, really. I was trying to impress other people. Obviously it’s great to play for your country, but I’m not sure I enjoyed it as much as I should have done, really.”It’s an odd situation now, but it’s an incredible opportunity, too. This time, I’m going to try to take it all in. I’m going to do my best, of course, but I want to try and enjoy every minute of it.”Briggs has been a consistent performer in T20 cricket for years. His tally of 184 wickets in England’s domestic T20 competition is more than anyone else and, of those in the top 39 wicket-takers, only three men (Jeetan Patel, Stephen Parry and Imran Tahir) have lower economy-rates than his 7.16.But while he has always bowled his left-arm spin with impressive control, he now feels he has the experience to optimise his variations. And he hopes his positive experience in the most recent BBL season – only six men who delivered more than 30 overs had a better economy-rate than his 7.41 – bodes well for his return to the top level.Related

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“I took a lot of confidence from that Big Bash experience,” he says. “There’s a certain level of expectation that comes with being an overseas player in a high-profile tournament like that; you’re expected to do well.”But I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the responsibility and I enjoyed helping the younger players. I performed pretty well and it felt like a stepping stone on the return to international cricket.”He’s also improved his batting. While he remains something of a blocker, he has made two half-centuries in the Championship season – he had only reached 50 twice previously in a first-class career that stretches back to 2009 – and has developed into a willing nightwatchman and reliable lower-order player. He could probably hold up an end at international level pretty effectively, which is one of several reasons why a Test call-up isn’t entirely out of the question.”I’ve worked hard on my batting,” he says. “Particularly my four-day batting. I’ve upskilled a little, but for me, it’s been about being disciplined. I’ve always enjoyed batting and it makes you more selectable.”He’s had some opportunity, too. He only played four first-class games in 2019 and none at all in 2020. But once Sussex had made it clear they didn’t see much of a future for him, Warwickshire offered him the chance to replace Patel and become a central figure in all formats.”I just felt I had more to offer in first-class cricket,” he says. “I was desperate to play in all formats and Warwickshire were good enough to give me that opportunity.”Coming to Warwickshire has been brilliant. They’ve demonstrated a huge amount of confidence in me. They way they’ve backed me – and the way the bowling coach, Graeme Welch, in particular, has kept saying I shouldn’t have given up on England – has helped me believe in myself much more. I hope I’ve shown I can play four-day cricket now. I’ve loved it.”If I’m honest, there were times I didn’t think I’d win a recall. It’s been a long haul and there have been times when I’ve felt miles away. Yes, I’d told myself it wasn’t going to happen.”And I know this is a very unusual situation. I know there are a few who would be ahead of me in the pecking order. So I’m not looking too far ahead.”But I’ve always worked hard. I’ve always been willing to learn. And yes, of course in the back of my mind, I’ve an eye on both the T20 World Cup and the Ashes. I’d love to be there.”But whatever happens, I feel very lucky. I’ve a great role at a great club and I’m really enjoying my cricket. I’m happy in everything I’m doing and my feet are staying on the ground.”

van der Dussen and Shamsi win men’s ODI player of the year and men’s T20I player of the year awards

ESPNcricinfo staff31-May-2021Quicks Anrich Nortje and Shabnim Ismail were named South Africa’s men’s and women’s cricketer of the year respectively at CSA’s annual awards ceremony, which was held virtually on Monday. Nortje became the 12th player to win the newcomer of the year and men’s cricketer of the year awards in successive years.Both players also bagged other major awards, with Nortje being named the Test cricketer of the year, South Africa fans’ player of the year and South Africa men’s players’ player of the year (sharing a tied vote with Aiden Markram). As for Ismail, she also won the women’s T20I cricketer of the year and South Africa women’s players’ player of the year awards.Having previously scooped up the women’s premier award in 2015, Ismail joined Marizanne Kapp (2013, 2014) and Dane van Niekerk (2016, 2018, 2019) as multiple winners in the professional era.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Batter Rassie van der Dussen was named men’s ODI player of the year while left-arm wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi, who is currently No.1 on the T20I bowling rankings, took the men’s T20I player of the year award. Lizelle Lee, meanwhile, claimed the women’s ODI player of the year award.”Anrich and Shabnim have set the highest standards that we expect from our icon Proteas players,” Pholetsi Moseki, CSA Acting Chief Executive, said in a statement. “Anrich’s international career to date has been remarkable. In the space of a year he has gone from being named our International Newcomer of the Year to our overall Player of the Year – an incredible achievement. The pandemic has restricted him to just 10 Test matches to date in which he has taken 39 wickets, including three five-wicket hauls.”Shabnim is the fastest bowler on the women’s international circuit, and she has been the leader of our Momentum Proteas attack for a long time now. She is the only South African to have taken 100 wickets in the T20 International format and she recently passed the significant landmark of 150 wickets in ODI cricket.”She has played a huge role in enabling our Momentum Proteas to break into the top group of countries with a world ranking of No. 2 in the ODI format.”Allrounder George Linde was adjudged the men’s international newcomer of the year while fellow left-arm fingerspinner Keshav Maharaj won big on the domestic front. He was named the SACA Most Valuable Player (MVP) as well as domestic players’ player of the season.Dolphins’ Ottniel Baartman, who recently earned his maiden call-up to the South Africa Test squad, was the inaugural winner of the Makhaya Ntini Power of Cricket Award. Titans’ Markram was named the 4-day domestic series player of the year for racking up 945 runs in seven matches at an average of 94.50, in the 2020-21 season. Former Dolphins allrounder Robbie Frylinck, who had announced his retirement earlier this year, was awarded the one-day cricketer of the season title while Lions’ Sisanda Magala was recognised as the T20 challenge cricketer of the season.

Wasim Khan also says bilateral India-Pakistan series can’t happen in the foreseeable future

PTI19-Oct-2020The Pakistan Cricket Board wants the ICC to assure visas for its players and officials for the T20 World Cup 2021, scheduled in India for October next year. Wasim Khan, the PCB’s chief executive, said his board expects a response by January 2021 at the latest.Khan also confirmed that there was little likelihood of an India-Pakistan bilateral series taking place in the “foreseeable future”, and neither would any such series be part of the fresh Future Tours Programme (FTP) that starts in 2023.Relations between the two neighbours have been tense, which is why the PCB has sought assurance that the visa process of their players and support staff will be dealt with by the ICC.”This is an ICC matter. We have discussed our concerns,” Khan told . “There is a ‘Host Agreement’ that states very clearly that the host nation (India, in this case) will have to provide visas and accommodation for teams that are due to participate in the T20 World Cup, and Pakistan is one of them,.”We have sought assurances from the ICC that our players will receive visas and ICC is now taking this up with the BCCI because that directive and confirmation will clearly need to come from their government.”Khan also said that if there was a problem with getting visas, then the PCB expected the ICC to take that up directly with the Indian government through the BCCI.”We have asked for a deadline till December-January, which we believe is the right thing,” he said. “We expect a response from the ICC on whether our players and officials will receive visas to participate in the tournament.”If it (visa) isn’t (there), then like any nation would expect, we would also expect ICC to take that up directly with India and the Indian government through the BCCI to resolve this matter.”The participation of Pakistani athletes in global events held in India has historically been a contentious matter. Last year, Pakistan’s shooters could not get visas for a World Cup in Delhi. The fraught relations between the two countries has also made bilateral series almost impossible, a fact that Khan acknowledged.”I think we have to be realistic about India and Pakistan bilateral series,” Khan said. “BCCI needs to get permission before they can play Pakistan in any bilateral series, home, away or even on neutral venues.”I think on both sides, there is plenty of cricket to be played against other countries, but sadly for fans and players in both countries, it does not look like that India and Pakistan will be playing bilateral series in the foreseeable future. So there is no current planning that we can factor into the next FTP (2023-31) unless circumstances and viewpoints of the Indian government change.”

Batsman happy “mixing electrolyte drinks” if it means he can help England win series

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Mar-2020Keaton Jennings has insisted that he has plenty to offer England after his recall to their squad for the Test tour to Sri Lanka, regardless of whether he can break into the side.Jennings, picked as the back-up top-order batsman in the absence of the injured Rory Burns, won his place on the tour primarily due to his record on the subcontinent: he averages 44.44 in five Tests in Asia, and his two hundreds for England have come in Mumbai and Galle.And while he hopes that his ability against the turning ball can put pressure on incumbent opening pair Zak Crawley and Dom Sibley, Jennings said that he hopes he can use his own experiences in the spotlight to help them through difficult times if necessary.ALSO READ: The Keaton Jennings recall: has the era of batting specialisation arrived?“We’ve got a few guys competing for top-order places but that’s healthy” Jennings told PA. “It’s almost like the old opening batter’s union – only you know the pressure they are feeling and what they are going through.”They [Sibley and Crawley] are two very good blokes and two guys who are working very hard at their game. Whether I get the chance or not, I’m here to help England win the series. If I play, that’s awesome, if I end up mixing electrolyte drinks then I’ll do that.”You cannot underestimate the level of support everyone offers each other in that dressing room. It becomes a family-type unit. You feel your mate’s hurt when he nicks off early doors – it’s hard to see because you have been in that situation and you can double it when you’re playing for England.”Jennings’ struggles at the top of the order in seam-friendly conditions saw him come in for heavy criticism during his second spell in the Test team, with the nadir coming in England’s series at home to India in 2018 when he averaged 18.11 across nine innings.”I’ve had an absolute battering at times,” Jennings said. “The sport section can be hard reading. But there are going to be times when you see things you don’t want to see or hear things in the street… that’s the life I’ve chosen.”I’ve got to make sure I’m big and strong enough to know where my values are. I don’t want to run away from my failures or my shortcomings. I have no issue being open and honest if it lets me put my head on the pillow at night.”If a youngster reads this, sees that someone who plays for England struggles with this stuff, it might help them learn to cope. Maybe that youngster can go on and become the best player in the country.”Even before arriving in Sri Lanka on Tuesday, Jennings has had a busy winter. He travelled to Mumbai for England’s spin camp at the end of 2019 before returning for a Lancashire commercial event in January, and last month captained England Lions to their first-ever victory against an Australia A side at the MCG.”Any Australia side is up for it and always wants to compete, so to captain and to win there definitely makes me very happy,” he said.”It’s something I’ll look back on with a beer in front of my fireplace and be very proud of. There’s potential for some of the guys to go back there in a little while and recall those experiences. You live between Ashes series, that’s the way English cricket works.”

Amla said the visitors need are a ‘couple of good partnerships’ in the fourth innings to offset Sri Lanka’s eventual target

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Galle13-Jul-2018Get your defence in order, but when the ball is there to hit, make sure you score. That’s Hashim Amla’s advice to himself and his team-mates after an abysmal second day, in which they found themselves 51 for 6 at one stage, before eventually crashing to 126 all out. As is often the case in Galle, the spinners have ruled, and the ball is pouncing off the dusty surface.The conditions are difficult, but as Dimuth Karunaratne has proved with 218 runs in the match, the surface is not quite unplayable. Amla wants to emulate Karunaratne a little, as South Africa contemplate a mammoth task in the second innings. They are already 272 runs in arrears, and Sri Lanka still have six second-innings wickets left.”If a couple of us have a good partnership and one of us plays like Karunaratne played, that would get us close to that score,” Amla said. “You’ve got to have a decent defence to keep out the good ball, and you’ve got to look to score. You’ve got to marry the two as best as possible, with an element of fortune here and there, to get good results.”Although South Africa were bowled out in less than 55 overs, there was no shortage of application from South Africa’s batsmen, Amla said. The scoreline, for him, was largely a result of the conditions. South Africa had faced similar spin challenges in India, in 2015, and had lost that series 3-0. But even having been through that experience, Amla did not fault the batsmen’s approach.”The way that everybody played, I think they applied themselves as best as they can,” Amla said. “Batters from both teams found it difficult to bat, barring one or two batters – Karunaratne batted exceptionally well, which basically got them to their score in the first innings. Into the second innings, you’ve got to keep playing with good intent and learning. We’ve played in conditions like this before, and they are low scoring games. You don’t get scores of 350, 400 or 550. These are scores of 250, 200 – that type of thing. You do take some learning from the first innings, but you’ve got to play the way the pitch allows you to play.”Amla, though stopped short of suggesting that the Galle surface favoured spin unfairly. When Sri Lanka had last toured South Africa, captain Faf du Plessis had spoken publicly about producing surfaces that neutralised Rangana Herath. The conditions in Galle were roughly what South Africa had expected, Amla said.”When you play in South Africa, you get the balls that beat the bat from the seamers – the ball nips around. Here you get the ball that turns and bounces and gets the edge, and you miss as well. It’s always going to be home ground advantage. Sri Lanka has more quality spinners. That’s how it is.”

Bhuvneshwar Kumar and MS Dhoni added an unbroken 100, an Indian record for the eighth wicket, to turn the tables on Sri Lanka and lead India to a three-wicket win

The Report by Alagappan Muthu24-Aug-20171:59

Agarkar: India had two guys with the right temperament

His name is Akila Dananjaya. He is supposed to be an offspinner but his nimble fingers can do what they want to the ball. One minute in 2012, he was bowling in the nets, the next he was fast-tracked into the Sri Lanka team by no less a spotter of talent than Mahela Jayawardene, in a World T20 to boot. If that isn’t enough drama, on debut, he struck in his first over, and then got hit in the face by a cricket ball. If his career had ended then, he would still have felt it was a roller-coaster.Then came August 24, 2017. And even if it ended with victory for India by three wickets, he would never forget this rain-hit night.Twenty-three-years-old now, a day after getting married, Dananjaya took 6 for 54 and had one of the world’s mightiest batting line-ups looking at him like he was a ghost. Virat Kohli was bowled for 4, deceived in the manner he might once have been while playing backyard cricket while still a child. He cast a dumbstruck look at the pitch as he walked off but the demon wasn’t there. He was 22 yards away, smiling and whooping and dancing with a bunch of men who had put only 236 runs on the board, but felt they were on their way to defending it.MS Dhoni watched all of the revelry, typically expressionless. He had more important work to do, like reviving India’s chase, yet again.From 131 for 7, through sheer force of will and fiendish common sense, he marshalled India towards their target. He had advice for those who would listen, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, in the course of a record-breaking eighth-wicket partnership of 100, certainly did. Don’t get stuck on the back foot, said the master to his protégé. Stick with him, pleaded all of India as they turned to a familiar hero.Akila Dananjaya celebrates with his team-mates after snaring his sixth victim•Associated Press

Most of the Dhoni innings that stick in the mind feature brutish strokes and calculated carnage. But with a small target defended by a set of bowlers that were on an almighty roll, a different type of innings was required. One that would fetch 45 runs off 68 deliveries at a strike-rate of 66.17 with only one boundary. He had denied Muttiah Muralitharan in 2011. He did the same to Dananjaya on Thursday.For one brief moment though, Sri Lanka thought they had glory. In the 35th over, with India 59 runs away, Vishwa Fernando produced a false shot from Dhoni and the ball trickled between his legs to hit the stumps. But the zing bails – heavier than the normal ones – wouldn’t fall. And neither would Dhoni. He and Bhuvneshwar brought the target down below 50, with a slog sweep for six. To 30, with back-to-back fours. Under 10, as both the sky and Sri Lanka’s hopes faded to black.It was so that Pallekele, which had gasped and swooned and howled and cried, had to go back home knowing their country had lost playing its 800th ODI. But there might well be a smile on their faces once the wound stops feeling so fresh. At long last, their prayers had been answered. They had found someone who could actually land the ball where an Indian batsman didn’t want it.There had been 329 runs and 44.2 overs between a Sri Lankan bowler taking a wicket on this tour. In the space of 15 balls, Dananjaya had four. By his fifth over, he had a five-for. Where was he all this time? Why hasn’t he been playing every match for his country? Why would anyone hide a bowler who, on one of his days, rouses thousands of people up and make them forget woes which had seemed all-consuming only last weekend?Bhuvneshwar Kumar posted his maiden ODI half-century and led India’s chase•Associated Press

But to do that, Dananjaya had to become a villain to a few people. Like Rohit Sharma, who had, until the 16th over, batted with such ease that he was playing any shot that popped into his mind, like a scoop against the express pace of Dushmantha Chameera. In the blink of an eye, he had scored one-sixth of the 37 runs he had made over his last 10 ODIs on the island. Then he had to face an offspinner. He saw a good length ball pitching on middle and leg and thought it ripe to sweep. After all, it would be turning further down leg. Except, it didn’t. It couldn’t. It was a legbreak. It spun the other way and pinned the man who dared to make 264 against Sri Lanka right in front. India were 109 for 1 in the 16th over.Up the order came Kedar Jadhav. He was previously earmarked to be a finisher, but India wanted to experiment in this series. Only Frankenstein would not find the monster he was looking for this night. Dananjaya got back to his mark. He changed his grip; instead of the front two fingers gripping the ball, all of them wrapped around it. And after he trotted up to the crease, he released it from the back of his hand. Jadhav did not see it. But he sure as heck heard it crashing into middle stump.Proper legspiners would not have the control Dananjaya does. Nor would they have his ripping googly. He got four of his wickets with it – three of them bowled, all of them in the same over. Hardik Pandya handed him his third five-wicket haul in all representative cricket, blindly charging out of his crease to be stumped off an ugly shot.But such a special spell still ended up on the wrong side of a scorecard because Sri Lanka’s batsmen had let him down. Five of the top six faced at least 20 deliveries, and even Upul Tharanga, the man who missed out, got two scintillating boundaries. The pitch held no threat, the bowling wasn’t anything more than efficient, a more experienced team might have got through the tough stages to post a monumental total.Sri Lanka were certainly heading that way after being put in. They were coasting at 70 for 1 in the 14th over, but lurched to 121 for 5 in the 29th, and if it wasn’t for Milinda Siriwardana finally unveiling the composure and shot selection expected of an international batsman, who knows what the score might have been? The allrounder made a timely half-century – his third in the format – and lifted Sri Lanka to a total that came within three wickets of being enough.It wasn’t because of two India players who had the gumption to stay at the crease for longer than any of member of their opposition. And one of them was a No. 9, scoring his maiden fifty in ODIs.