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UAE and Ireland also tasted victories to kick off their campaigns, defeating Canada and Uganda, respectively

Sreshth Shah16-Jan-2022
India’s captain Yash Dhull impressed with his batting and catching to help his side seal a 45-run win over South Africa. However, the game was closer than what the scorecard would suggest, with South Africa capitulating in the final third of the chase. And making most of their collapse was left-arm spinner Vicky Ostwal, who took three lower-order wickets to finish with 5 for 28.In pursuit of 233, South Africa needed 100 to win in the last 15 overs with seven wickets in hand. At that stage, both Dewald Brevis, who top-scored with 65, and captain George Van Heerden were set at the crease. But South Africa went on to lose their next five wickets for only 20 runs, a collapse triggered by Brevis’ dismissal.Nicknamed ‘Baby AB’, No. 3 Brevis showed off his range of shots with six fours and two sixes, but was caught by Dhull while diving forward at mid-off off right-arm seamer Raj Bawa. Bawa, who had conceded 17 runs in his first over, was bowling his second spell when he prised out Brevis’ wicket in the 36th over, and followed it up with Van Heerden’s dismissal, eventually finishing with 4 for 47.However, Bawa was not the standout bowler. India’s bowling effort was controlled by their two left-arm spinners Nishant Sindhu and Ostwal. Although Sindhu went wicketless, he conceded only 22 runs in his quota of ten overs, while Ostwal’s five-wicket haul came at an economy of 2.80.South Africa’s chase had started off with opener Ethan-John Cunningham out lbw to a beautiful length delivery from seamer Rajvardhan Hangargekar. It nipped in and trapped Cunningham while he shouldered arms. Ostwal then removed the dangerous-looking Valentine Kitime for 25 with a ball spinning away that took the right-hander’s outside edge to wicketkeeper Dinesh Bana, and took his second when Gerhardus Maree edged another one behind.Brevis and Van Heerden then began South Africa’s recovery from a score of 83 for 3, but consumed too many dots, scoring just 55 runs in a partnership that lasted 91 deliveries. Most of those overs were bowled by the two left-arm spinners who put in the choke. Yet, with seven wickets standing and the required run rate a manageable 6.67 in the last 15 overs, it was still doable for South Africa.Dewald Brevis’ 65 went in vain for South Africa Under-19•ICC via Getty Images

That is when Bawa got in their way to remove Brevis. Ostwal too returned, rattlling Michael Copeland’s stumps, and going on to dismiss Kadence Sullivan and Matthew Boast as well. Dhull, earlier India’s hero with the bat, took the final catch in the 46th over to complete India’s 45-run victory.But during India’s innings, South Africa’s left-arm seamer Aphiwe Mnyanda had given his side a promising start. He got both openers Harnoor Singh and Angkrish Raghuvanshi lbw early on, taking advantage of the moisture that was around following some pre-match rain.At 11 for 2, Dhull joined his vice-captain Shaik Rasheed, who scored 31, and despite the early jolts, batted positively to keep the scoreboard ticking with a 71-run third-wicket stand.Dhull played exquisite cuts off the back foot, and crunched cover drives through the gaps to balls that had width. And when the No. 5 Sindhu began with a flurry of boundaries, Dhull briefly took the back seat, but the partnership broke when Sindhu was stumped off Copeland for a 25-ball 27.At that stage, India were 126 for 4 in the 27th over, but Dhull was growing in confidence after going past fifty. He struck 11 fours in all and looked set for a century, offering no real chance to the South Africa bowlers. But that changed in the 39th over when he looked for a single that wasn’t there, and while trying to turn back, was out via a direct hit from point.Kaushal Tambe then took over, contributing 35 after a slow start to his innings. However, he was out while trying to cut to point off Boast. Next ball, Boast took his third when Hangargekar fell for a duck with India in danger of not batting the entire 50 overs. And that is what ultimately happened when Ostwal chipped a half-tracker back to legspinner Brevis with India’s score at 232.In the end, though, the 19 deliveries that India did not face did not end up hurting them. Their superior run rate on a two-paced and spinning surface proved too much for South Africa.Ali Naseer hit 73 in just 50 deliveries•ICC via Getty Images

Group A started off with United Arab Emirates riding on the back of seventies from Punya Mehra and Ali Naseer to defeat Canada by 49 runs in Basseterre.Batting first, they put on 70 for the fifth wicket after UAE were 104 for 4 at one stage, and once Mehra was out for 71, Naseer brought out the big shots, including four sixes and five fours, to score 73 in just 50 deliveries. He combined with Nilansh Keswani, who scored 39, in a 69-run sixth-wicket stand as UAE added 92 runs in the last nine-and-a-half overs before Naseer was the last man out in the final over with the total at 284.Canada had three significant batting contributions, with their captain Mihir Patel leading from the front with a 105-ball 96, while opener Anoop Chima made 46 and No. 8 Kairav Sharma scored 43. But with only one other batter crossing double digits, they fell well short, bowled out for 235 in the 47th over.Keswani contributed with the ball too, taking 2 for 32 with his left-arm spin. Legspinner Adithya Shetty grabbed two middle-order wickets, and seam-bowling allrounder Alishan Sharafu dismissed Mihir and Kairav.
In Port of Spain, a century from their captain Emmanuel Bawa and a collective effort from the bowlers helped Zimbabwe crush Papua New Guinea by 228 runs.Batting first, Bawa’s 95-ball 100 – that included ten fours and two sixes – set the tone for others around him to help Zimbabwe post 321. Opener Panashe Taruvinga scored a patient 36, but the rest of the batters went at a much quicker clip. David Bennett scored 58 in 53 balls, Brian Bennett struck a quick-fire 23, Connor Mitchell smacked a run-a-ball 35 and, in the death overs, No. 10 Victor Chirwa cracked a 16-ball 35. Albeit expensive, PNG’s Rasan Kevau took three wickets in ten overs.In response, however, PNG were all out for 93 in 35 overs, their highest partnership reading 23 and their highest individual score being 15. Ngenyasha Zvinoera, Brian Bennett and Chirwa took two wickets each, with one apiece from Tendekai Mataranyika and Mitchell.
In the other Group B match of the day, Ireland’s wicketkeeper-batter Joshua Cox struck an unbeaten 111 to set up a 39-run win over Uganda. Uganda rode on their captain Pascal Murungi’s innings of 63 to stay in contention of the 237-run target, but eventually fell short as a result of four wickets from Ireland’s left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys.Batting first, Ireland had lost four wickets before even crossing 100, but Cox’s 59-run fifth-wicket stand with Philippus le Roux, who got 32, started their recovery. Even though wickets fell around him, Cox at No. 4 stayed undefeated in an innings of eight fours and one six to take Ireland to 236 in the end.In the chase, Humphreys began Uganda’s downfall with two wickets in third over, dismissing both openers cheaply. In the 29th over, he got Pius Olaba to reduce Uganda to 97 for 6. And with Murungi being the lone man standing between Ireland and a win, Humphreys sent him back too in the 42nd over with an lbw. Even though Juna Miyaji hit a 21-ball 38 from No. 9 for Uganda, Ireland seamer Muzamil Sherzad returned in his last spell to clean up the last two wickets to give Ireland the two points.

The Pakistan pacer has suffered another back injury, which comes on the heels of losing his national contract

Umar Farooq in Lahore14-May-2020A back injury to Hasan Ali will potentially keep him out of cricket for a prolonged period, capping off a difficult few months for the pacer who, until 2019, was an essential component of Pakistan’s pace attacks.In part, Ali’s form and injuries resulted him in missing out on a central contract on Wednesday. And now it has emerged that the injury, identified as an intervertebral disc protrusion, could even, in the worst case, lead to surgery.Earlier last season Ali had suffered a back injury during the opening round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in Lahore, following which he underwent a seven-week conservative rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy. He was declared fit for the final round of the tournament, only to suffer a fresh injury – a rib fracture – in November that ruled him out for a further six weeks. He consequently missed Pakistan’s international commitments in the season, but returned after another spell of rehab ahead of the PSL. He didn’t look at his best in the tournament, picking up eight wickets in nine games at an economy rate of 8.59 for Peshawar Zalmi.But continuing pain in his back led to scans which confirmed the problem in the back had flared up again, with symptoms consistent with a lumbar herniated disk. With guidance from the PCB’s medical department, Ali consulted a local neurosurgeon and engaged an Australian physiotherapist for recovery. The PCB had intended to fly the bowler out to Australia, but with globally enforced lockdowns and travel restrictions in place, all consultations are currently being carried out via a video link. Ali, meanwhile, is on medication and is awaiting a decision by his doctors on whether he needs to go for surgery, or whether a more conservative treatment will suffice.The flare-up will lead to questions about whether Ali should have returned to the PSL, though Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan coach and chief selector, insisted that Ali had played only after ticking off all fitness boxes.”He cleared all protocols before playing PSL .. he was declared fit,” Misbah said. “He was fully prepared, bowling 50 overs per week in his rehabilitation and playing practice games as well. Back injuries are always tricky. It can be aggravated at once by even a stumble in the field and in his [Ali’s] case, it didn’t recur (during his fitness tests), which is why he was given the go-ahead. He is being examined and taken care of.”Ali is the latest in a growing list of Pakistani fast bowlers who have seen their careers interrupted – and eventually derailed – by injuries, a trend which is, in private circles, leading to more questions being asked about the capability of the board’s medical department.Injuries aside, however, Ali’s form had dipped considerably even before the injuries, not least at last year’s World Cup where he cut a mere shadow of the figure who was central to Pakistan’s Champions Trophy triumph in the same country in 2017. Misbah, however, still believes in his importance.”We feel for him,” he said. “There is no time limit for this return, but we are determined to bring him back. He is an absolutely great guy, a hard working athlete and fights for the team. This is why we are with him and the Board is giving him full support in every way possible. He was very well taken care of earlier when he got injured and even now we are standing behind him. We will make sure he will get proper treatment, and rehabilitation will be carried out to get him fit as soon as possible.”Over the years, Pakistan have invested significantly in Ali as he became an automatic pick across formats under previous head coach Mickey Arthur. He made a flying start to his international career after making his Test debut in 2017, but suffered a slump in form last year and broke down with injuries. He last played for Pakistan in June 2019 and then missed almost the entire first-class season at home (playing one first-class game only) last year.

He believes Tests will continue to enjoy support in the playing community for longer than is being predicted

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-2020Despite the discussion over reducing Test cricket from five days to four, Anil Kumble, former India captain and ICC cricket committee chairman, believes that the longest form of the game will continue to enjoy support in the playing community for lot longer than is being predicted.Kumble was talking about the demands of the T20 age and the shifting of player priorities at an event in Bengaluru to launch former India Test opener and women’s coach WV Raman’s book Talking about leadership on a panel with Raman and TVS executive vice- president P Madhavan, Kumble said he did not believe player priorities had shifted dramatically despite the success of T20 franchise cricket.”I don’t think so. I think everybody wants to play Test cricket, that’s very clear.” The generation of cricketers, Kumble said, “certainly want five-day cricket and that’s something very obvious… there is some challenge in keeping everyone focused and pushed towards playing domestic competition specially Ranji Trophy.” He commended players returning to first-class cricket to find their feet in the game again, a practice he said needed to be encouraged.A marked change in Indian cricket today he said was the palpable separation of the teams between formats, with very few being dead certainties across formats. In India, only captain Virat Kohli and in the recent past, opener Rohit Sharma and bowlers Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah have belonged to that list.”Very few players are common to formats and it’s getting lesser and lesser,” Kumble said. “But I don’t think there is any dearth of people wanting to play the longer format. I think everybody wants to, they realise that’s the biggest challenge and I’m sure that’s going to be the case for a long time.”Kumble’s advice to the Gen Z cricketer was simple: to be aware that they cannot let their guard down at any time. “You just need to be at it. There are a lot more opportunities for you to come back so that’s the one thing that is an advantage. To not look for anyone else to chart their careers out for them.”One thing I would tell any youngster is don’t look at somebody… Selectors are there to actually drop you, not pick you. Because you pick yourself. At the end of it, your performances count and then you certainly pick yourself. The selector or whoever is picking you is there to drop you not really to pick you… that I think one must be aware of.”Asked to name the single quality they look for in youngsters to judge whether they were in for the long haul, Raman said apart from talent itself, “a good indication is the pace at which a young player improves. Everything else is secondary.” To Kumble it was, “I’d like to look at how he bounces back after failure. How he comes back from a bad game, how he comes out of it.”Kumble accepted that the demand on the modern player in India was both in terms of tougher competition and more intense scrutiny. “One failure and heavens come down on you, that’s the part you need to be mature about handling. But you currently also have more opportunities to come back and show case your talent – in IPL or Ranji Trophy or any other format. It’s understanding what roles you play.” As for distractions Kumble said, while each era had its own share, dealing with it was the job of the player.”Yes there is social media now, but even when we were playing you had everyone else who was an expert- of what I should be bowling and how I should be bowling and when I should be bowling, and per se on whether India should bat first or bowl first or which bowlers should bowl at what time, those comments were always there.”Despite the 24X7 visibility of social media he said, the player’s response needed to be identical across generations, “Every generation just has to make sure that you stay away from all that and focus on all that you need to do, on that particular day and what your goal needs to be.”As for the heightened criticism from social media, Raman said players needed to adapt a “convenient memory.” The players’ job was “to try and be better than can, next time around. You don’t sulk or get absolutely overjoyed. It’s a case of having a convenient memory. Don’t moan keep going, that’s what happens in sport.”

Tim Paine not 100 percent sold on new rule governing player withdrawals

Daniel Brettig in Southampton21-Jul-2019Australia are coached by a former batsman in Justin Langer who had to have a doorway physically blocked by his captain Ricky Ponting in order to prevent him re-entering the field after a serious blow to the head.In a famous episode, Langer was barred from coming out to bat at the end of a thrilling fourth innings chase against South Africa at the Wanderers in 2006, ultimately achieved by Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz with eight wickets down. Langer, despite serious concussion, doggedly put the pads on with 10 runs still to win.”To tell the truth I don’t know what I would have done,” Ponting said at the time. “If we needed two to win and he had to go out and be on strike I was probably going to have to declare or do something like that, which would have been pretty hard. He said to me then he wouldn’t have spoken to me ever again as long as he was alive. If it comes to that again, I am just going to have to knock him out.”He was probably only ever going to go out there if he could stand at the non-striker’s end. We couldn’t risk or afford him having to face any deliveries. Medically over the last couple of days his situation hasn’t changed. It was going to take me and probably a few other blokes to keep him in the dressing room if it had got down to that.”That being the case, it is not so surprising that the captain Tim Paine is less than 100 percent sold on the concept of players being withdrawn and substituted from Test matches due to concussion. Even if Cricket Australia and its sports science division have led the way on pushing for concussion substitutes, ever since the death of Phillip Hughes highlighted the vulnerability of the head in 2014.”I know the rule has come in. I think you’ll be hard-pressed to make guys pull out of a Test match,” Paine said in Southampton. “It’s going to be interesting to see how it works.”We’re all for player safety and improving that space. But it’s new to me as anyone and it’ll be interesting to see how it’s worked and policed. I find it quite fascinating that you can replace a guy halfway through a game. Again, we’ll wait and see how that works.”Approval of concussion substitutes for the Ashes as part of the inaugural world Test Championship was a keynote decision at the ICC annual conference in London following the World Cup.However, it left a few questions open that remain to be answered: will each Test venue have a demonstrably independent doctor on hand to determine concussions at arm’s length from either team? Will decisions be enforceable irrespective of variable symptoms? Will teams either home or touring stock themselves with additional squad members just in case?Whatever the answers, the area will be a source of interest throughout the Ashes, given the batteries of pace assembled on either side. Certainly Jofra Archer and Mark Wood will be eager to match the pace of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins by series end, the better for Australia to prepare by way of a bareknuckle internal trial in Southampton this week.”I think it will be a proper game, Paine said. “Both sides will be looking to win and both sides will have individual players wanting to do really well to press the final case for Ashes selection. We certainly don’t expect it peter out on the second innings or play around with a run chase or anything like that. At the moment it’s a fair dinkum game of cricket and that’s been made really clear.”Over the years the opposition in tour games has, I wouldn’t say it’s got worse but I don’t think opposition cricket boards have helped each other prepare as much as they used to. You’ve had to find different ways in your preparation to make sure everyone is ready to go for Test match intensity. And obviously a series of Ashes magnitude we thought it was a great idea and as close to a Test match as we think we can get it’s a perfect preparation.”Usman Khawaja will be the one name missing from the game, as he recovers from a hamstring strain, although Paine left open the possibility that the Test No. 3 may get a bat towards the end of a self-regulated fixture. There is no question as yet regarding his availability for the first Test in Birmingham.”I don’t think he’s in serious doubt. He’s in a rehab stage so the decision has been made that he won’t at this stage,” Paine said. “There is a possibility, maybe, if something were to happen to someone else he might be right for the back end of the game. But we expect him to be fully fit and available for selection for the first Test.”

Carlos Brathwaite would make way in move to keep ODI squad together ahead of World Cup

George Dobell and Colin Benjamin28-Feb-2019Jason Holder looks set to be named as West Indies’ captain for the forthcoming T20I series against England.While Carlos Brathwaite is the regular West Indies T20 captain, selectors want to ensure the ODI squad spends more time together ahead of the World Cup. This, they feel, will help them fine tune various strategies, including who bowls in Powerplays and at the death.The decision, which would see the entire ODI squad retained for the three-match T20I series against England, is understood to have been agreed by the selectors, Holder, and interim head coach Richard Pybus, but is still subject to board approval. The team management and selectors are adamant it does not threaten Brathwaite’s long-term future as leader of the T20I side.While West Indies head to Ireland in May for a tri-series that also involves Bangladesh, there is some doubt as to how beneficial it will prove for their World Cup preparations, as up to eight members of the ODI squad could be unavailable due to a scheduling clash with the IPL, so the tournament may well see opportunities given to young players or those on the fringes of the first-choice squad.If confirmed, the plan would represent something of a change of policy from the selectors. In November, Courtney Browne, the chief selector, had suggested every T20I series from then would be used as preparation for the T20 World Cup in Australia in late 2020. “With the T20 World Cup two years away, the process of rebuilding a squad to be a competitive unit for the tournament is critical at this stage,” he had said at the time.Khary Pierre, Kieron Pollard, Obed McCoy and, perhaps, Sunil Narine (who said he wasn’t ready to be considered for selection for the ODI squad as he continues to work on his remodelled bowling action) could be among those who miss out as a result of the decision.With the likes of Andre Russell, Darren Bravo and Chris Gayle now back in contention in both limited-overs formats, however, there is a fair amount of crossover between the squads. There is also a growing belief from most involved that West Indies could surprise a few at the World Cup.

Brisbane-based Queensland captain said the pull of home was too strong after leaving Sydney Thunder

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-2022Australia Test opener Usman Khawaja has signed a four-year deal with Brisbane Heat and will captain his new club in the upcoming season when available after departing Sydney Thunder for family reasons.Khawaja lives in Brisbane with his family and is Queensland’s Sheffield Shield and Marsh Cup captain but had remained with Thunder in the BBL up until now. The length of the contract means he will stay with Heat until he is at least 39.Khawaja’s move to Heat had long been touted after he announced he was departing Thunder in February. Khawaja noted at the time it was “the toughest call” he had made as a cricketer having been a foundation member of Sydney Thunder since the BBL started in 2011-12. He was a key figure in Thunder’s lone title in 2015-16 scoring 104 not out in the semi-final against Adelaide Strikers and 70 off 40 in the winning final against Melbourne Stars. He also captained Thunder last season.Related

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“I always thought I would finish off as a Thunder player, but it is funny how things change,” Khawaja said. “I’ve said it for a long time, that Brisbane is home, Queensland is home, and to be here, captain of Queensland, and now joining the Heat – it is really exciting.”I know I will be playing in front of my family, and a home crowd, when I am at the Gabba or Metricon Stadium with the Heat. I love the Thunder and the Thunder Nation, but at the same time, this is a change that comes at the right time.”It wasn’t an easy decision, it was a very tough one, but the timing just feels right. I like to say I used to be an honorary Queensland and now I am one.”I have been loosely tied with the Heat through my Queensland roles for several years, and so I am looking forward to the challenge of trying something new by joining them now. I do love playing in the BBL and now I am with the Heat for the coming years, I am very excited.”Khawaja’s move to Heat fills the void left by Chris Lynn after the clubelected not to re-sign the BBL’s all-time leading runscorer following 11 seasons at the club.Khawaja will be Heat’s captain when he is available but he is set to miss the first part of the upcoming BBL season while on Test duty for Australia. He is set to be available following the completion of the Sydney Test against South Africa on January 8 with the BBL season likely to run until the end of that month. Jimmy Peirson, who captained Heat last season, will lead Heat when Khawaja is unavailable.Khawaja is passionate about the BBL and was vocal about the future direction of the competition stating that Cricket Australia needs to consider private investment in the near term.

A minor mishap limited his training but Smith is excited about where his batting is ahead of the Tests

AAP27-Nov-2022Steven Smith says the technical change that unlocked his “ultimate” batting set-up is made for Test cricket, with only a self-inflicted hip injury slowing him down in Perth.Feeling as good as he did during his prime, Smith had limited involvement at an optional training session on Sunday before Wednesday’s first Test against West Indies.The 33-year-old hit a nerve using his pso-rite, a u-shaped device designed for athletes to help loosen the psoas muscles that run from the lumbar spine to the groin.”It was just me being just silly to be honest,” Smith said. “I was hitting myself in the psoas, trying to loosen that up and I got a little low and I hit a little nerve or something. My hip is a little bit grumbly…but all will be fine.”Related

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Beyond that though, Smith is hopeful of settling in for his most prolific summer in years.His technical shift has been a year in the making, after believing he had got his hands right last summer before working on his feet recently.In last month’s ODIs against England, Smith was notably much stiller with his distinctive back-and-across movement gone.The change came after Smith made a point to return his technique to where it was in 2014-15, when he averaged 128.16 against India.In turn, it has prompted Smith to agree with a Greg Chappell column where the former captain said Smith’s changes could make him better than ever.”The reason for the changes in long-form cricket, I felt as if I was getting a bit too front-on on the back foot,” Smith said. “If you’re too front on you can follow the ball if it nips away from you. Or you’re not getting into positions that are where I wanted to be to leave the ball as well.”Where I’ve got to right now is the ultimate for me. I feel like I don’t have to work as hard to access the offside with my body and my hands. I can just play with a nice flow.”The other marker for Smith is in his pull shot. Chappell had suggested Smith’s issues had come after he was floored by Jofra Archer in the 2019 Ashes, with bowlers such as he and Neil Wagner able to follow Smith’s movements.But with his changes, Smith feels as if he has opened up his options on the back foot and is better placed to handle any bouncer barrage.”I was still quite front on [when hit by Archer] and I was only being able to help [pull shots] on their way behind square,” Smith said. “Whereas using power in front of square is something I’ve probably done a bit better throughout my career.”I think when I hit that first pull shot [against England] in Adelaide through midwicket it was kind of like, ‘wow, I’ve actually got my bottom hand back’. And then being in that position where I’m more side-on with short stuff. I feel like I was able to get out of the way of one that Olly Stone bowled really easily.”

Bess claims four wickets as Madsen, Came resist in vain for Derbyshire

ECB Reporters Network06-Sep-2023A quick-fire burst of four wickets for only three runs in 24 balls during the final 20 minutes of the fourth morning set Yorkshire up for a deserved LV= Insurance County Championship 277-run victory over Derbyshire at sunny Scarborough.Jordan Thompson and Dom Bess struck twice apiece in that spell as Derbyshire, in the face of a 571 target, slipped from health at 198 for two to peril at 201 for six.Thompson trapped opener Harry Came lbw for 58 before Bess did the same to Wayne Madsen, who made a superb 93 off 71 balls. Shortly afterwards, off-spinner Bess also had Derbyshire captain Leus du Plooy lbw for nought, and the visitors failed to recover.They were bowled out for 293 just before 2.20pm and lost for the second time this season to Yorkshire after a defeat at Chesterfield in June. They are the only two matches bottom side Yorkshire have won this season. But they still remain rooted to the foot of Division Two despite gaining 18 points to three for the visitors.Bess finished with four for 79 from 24.2 overs, while Matthew Revis added three afternoon wickets to Thompson’s two. Yorkshire did gain 20 points but were docked two because of a slow over-rate.Derbyshire started the day on 65 for one, and they were facing a home attack minus the services of fringe England Test quick Matthew Fisher due to a mild side strain.Ben Coad had Brooke Guest caught at second slip three overs into the day – 71 for two – but Derbyshire hit back.Such was the aggression shown by Madsen, their 39-year-old legend making his 200th first-class appearance for the county, you did wonder whether they were eyeing up that mountainous target.He hit three leg-side sixes, reached his fifty off 48 balls and hit Bess for 22 in an over shortly before falling for his second 93 of the fixture.He shared 127 inside 21 overs for the third wicket with the more circumspect Came, who started the day on 33 and went on to reach his fifty in 116 balls.Yorkshire being a bowler down in Fisher was a concern at this stage on a pitch offering bounce for the seamers and turn for the spinners – but not the usual North Marine Road pace.They needn’t have worried.Thompson trapped Came lbw with a full ball which he looked to play to leg before Bess also trapped a sweeping Madsen in front in the next over, leaving the score at 198 for four in the 50th.Bess’s previous over was the one which had been taken for 22 by Madsen, including four fours and a six. But revenge came quickly.He also trapped du Plooy lbw in his next over after Madsen’s departure before Thompson had Matt Lamb caught behind off the inside edge in the next, leaving the score at 201 for six in the 53rd over.Yorkshire’s position at the bottom of Division Two owes more to their off-field issues than it does on.Promotion will be a definite aim for captain Shan Masood and company in 2024. So a good final month of the summer, in which three games remain, will set them up perfectly.While Yorkshire won for the second time in 11 games, Derbyshire suffered their fourth defeat.After lunch, Yorkshire’s second-innings centurion Matthew Revis had Alex Thomson caught behind five balls into the session – 211 for seven – before some respite for the visitors.Anuj Dal and Zak Chappell shared 78 in entertaining fashion, the latter clubbing three sixes in 33 which saw Yorkshire employ the short ball tactic.And it worked when he miscued Revis to Bess, who took a smart catch at square-leg tumbling backwards, leaving the score at 289 for eight in the 69th over of the innings.Revis got Sam Conners caught at long-leg with the same tactics in his next over before Dal was stumped by Bess for 33 to wrap up Yorkshire’s large margin of victory by runs in first-class matches for them against Derbyshire.

“Make the payments bit more even across Test cricket to attract players from different countries”

PTI19-May-2023Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting feels the International Cricket Council (ICC) has a role to play in ensuring that players from smaller Test-playing nations are paid well in Test cricket.Ponting cited the example of West Indies players who tend to choose franchise cricket over international duty for financial reasons.In an event organised by the ICC ahead of the World Test Championship final between India and Australia at the Oval from June 7, Ponting was asked about youngsters wanting to play the five-day game in an era of T20 leagues. “That question has a different answer in different countries,” Ponting said. “It has becoming increasingly difficult to groom the youngsters in the Caribbean for instance who want to chase the dream of playing Test cricket.”Their payment system in the Caribbean compared to some of the franchise leagues, it doesn’t match up and Sri Lanka will be the same and Bangladesh will be the same.”Ponting said talks are on within the ICC to address the issue. “It is not the case in India, England and Australia. You are paid well to play Test cricket for your country and most aspire to play the Test match game. There is a role to play for the ICC here.”…make the payments bit more even across international Test cricket to attract players from these different countries who want to play for their country.””It is something that has been spoken about at a very high level at the ICC to help that but in India the feeling I get is that most of these youngsters aspire to wear the baggy blue cap and the same in in Australia.”

Allrounder will begin 16th season in 2020 after signing contract extension

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Nov-2019Steven Croft, Lancashire’s long-serving allrounder, has signed a new two-year contract that will keep him at the club until the eve of his 37th birthday.Croft’s extension was secured after a productive 2019 season in which he was the second-highest run-scorer in the Royal London One-Day Cup, with 516 runs at 73.71, and helped Lancashire secure promotion back to Specsavers County Championship Division One.In 2011, he had the honour of hitting the winning runs in Lancashire’s County Championship win and he also led the side to a maiden T20 title as captain back in 2015.He was awarded a testimonial in 2018, and was a fixture in the 2019 Vitality Blast, equalling his career-best in scoring 94 against Worcestershire Rapids at New Road.Croft will begin his 16th season at Lancashire in 2020, having made his first-class debut as a 20-year-old against Oxford University in 2005. He joined the club’s Academy in 2003 and was among the first players to graduate through to professional cricket.In all, he has amassed 168 first-class, 145 List A and 168 T20 appearances for Lancashire, and is their all-time leading appearance-maker in T20 cricket since debuting in 2006.He is also a Level 4 coach, and will continue to work with the Lancashire Academy and age-group sides in a coaching role.”I am over the moon to have signed another contract with Lancashire,” said Croft. “It is an incredibly special place for me and I can’t wait for the new season to come round, my 16th as a professional.”It means everything to represent the Red Rose. I still get a huge sense of pride whenever I play and I know I have plenty left to give on the field. The desire to perform for this Club remains as strong as ever.”At this stage of my career, whilst I feel like I’ve still got a lot to offer as a player, to have the chance to further my coaching experience by working with the Club’s Academy and age-group sides, is something that is very important to me.”Lancashire Director of Cricket, Paul Allott, said: “We are thrilled to have Steven on board for another two years. His performances last season more than merited another contract and he was a central part of our squad in all formats. He is an extremely versatile player and responded well last year when called upon in different roles within the team.””There is no one more passionate about the Red Rose, and his extensive experience will help to guide the younger lads in the changing room as well as working with our Academy and age-group players, as he continues to gain further coaching experience.”