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Mitchell Starc has said Australia’s attack would like another chance to bowl at James Taylor in the Old Trafford Test

Brydon Coverdale in Hove28-Jul-2013Mitchell Starc has said Australia’s attack would like another chance to bowl at James Taylor in the Old Trafford Test, despite Taylor’s unbeaten century against them during the tour match in Hove.Taylor finished on 121 not out when the Sussex innings ended on the final day of the game but he was dropped twice along the way, once at slip on 23 and again when he miscued a lofted drive on 90, and he conceded that it wasn’t his most fluent innings. Still, Taylor will head to Old Trafford with some confidence after the innings against an attack made up of Starc, Jackson Bird, James Faulkner, Nathan Lyon and Ashton Agar.”Probably, yes,” Starc said when asked if he would like to bowl at Taylor in Manchester. “He’s a good player. He’s scored a few runs and has played Test cricket before. He’s another player who, if he does get the chance to play, we’ll assess again, but it’s nice to have a look at him and how he’s going at the moment in this game.”I’ve played against him before. He’s someone who likes to cut and pull. He’s only a very small guy so we want to make sure we’ve got him driving. He played well. It’s a good batting wicket, but he did play well.”Starc took 2 for 43 in Sussex’s only innings and although his economy was good, he was occasionally wayward and appeared at times to struggle to control the swing of the ball. Jackson Bird also collected two wickets and was the pick of the bowlers, while Faulkner battled to find the right line to challenge the batsmen. One of the three fast men might be called up for Old Trafford to replace the injured James Pattinson, although a dual spin attack is also a possibility if the pitch is dry.”We certainly weren’t taking it as a bowl-off; it was just to go out there and perform, and take thought of pushing for selection out of the picture and just try to take wickets,” Starc said. “We were actually surprised with how much it did swing here for Birdy and myself, and even for James Faulkner.”It definitely swung more here than the last few times we’ve had the Dukes. It was a little bit tougher to control but once you get a few overs of that under your belts and adjust your lines, you should be hitting that target. It was nice to have that ball swinging for the hundred overs and keeping the ball in nice condition. That’s a positive for us.”Starc said he was pleased with his efforts against Sussex and felt he had bowled well on the whole tour so far, despite being dropped for the Lord’s Test to make room for Ryan Harris. It was the second time in seven months Starc had been left out of a marquee Test, having been rested for the Boxing Day Test against Sri Lanka last summer.”You never want to miss a game at all,” he said. “It’s always a little bit disappointing to miss out on any game of cricket but it was my turn to miss out I guess. I just have to do everything I can to get myself ready.”

Former Kerala captain and junior national selector M Balan Pandit has died in Ernakulam, Kerala on June 5, aged 86

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jun-2013Former Kerala captain and junior national selector M Balan Pandit has died in Ernakulam, Kerala on June 5, aged 86.A wicketkeeper-batsman, Pandit began playing first-class cricket in 1946 and represented Kathiawar, Kerala and Travancore-Cochin. In a career spanning 46 first-class matches, Pandit scored 2,317 runs including five hundreds at an average of 29.70.He was a wicketkeeper for Kathiawar in the match against Maharashtra, in December 1948, when Bhausaheb Nimbalkar scored an unbeaten 443 runs, the highest first-class score by an Indian batsman.In a Ranji Trophy match in 1959 against Andhra, his 14th for Kerala, Pandit scored an unbeaten 262, which was the record individual score for Kerala before Sreekumar Nair hit a triple century against Services in 2007.As a wicketkeeper, he completed 35 catches and three stumpings during his first-class career.As an administrator, Pandit was a member of India’s junior selection committee and was also the chairman of Kerala’s selection committee. He also served as vice-president of Kerala Cricket Association.

George Bailey has conceded that he struggled with constantly changing formats last summer, which contributed to his least productive Sheffield Shield campaign since his maiden season in 2004-05

Brydon Coverdale01-May-2013George Bailey has conceded that he struggled with constantly changing formats last summer, which contributed to his least productive Sheffield Shield campaign since his maiden season in 2004-05. The international retirements of Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey in the middle of 2012-13 left the selectors looking to Shield form to find batsmen for the Test tour of India and the Ashes, but Bailey managed only 256 runs at 18.28 in Tasmania’s successful campaign.A schedule packed with ODIs, Twenty20 internationals, Ryobi Cup matches, Big Bash League and Sheffield Shield cricket meant that from August last year until the Shield final in March, Bailey had to switch between formats 18 times. That is cricket’s equivalent of constant jet-lag, and even for a mature player like Bailey, that proved too great a challenge. It was his four-day cricket that suffered: he scored only one half-century in his eight Shield matches.”I struggled at different times with switching back through the formats,” Bailey said of his 2012-13 season. “That’s not an excuse, because I think every modern-day cricketer has to make those changes pretty regularly, but I just didn’t adjust to it very well. I certainly felt like I was going into Shield games with a one-day or Twenty20 mentality. It was certainly not a conscious thing, but just not having the awareness and ability to work out how to build your innings.”It was a blow to the Test aspirations of Bailey, who is highly regarded by John Inverarity’s selection panel and was on Wednesday named Michael Clarke’s vice-captain in Australia’s squad for the Champions Trophy. Bailey was appointed captain of Australia’s Twenty20 outfit in January last year and over the past 12 months has been the highest run scorer in the ODI team, but his presence in both the shorter formats for Australia has not helped his Shield form.However, he was far from the only experienced batsman who struggled in the Shield last summer, which has left the selectors scratching around for Test batting options. David Hussey, Adam Voges, Rob Quiney, Michael Klinger and Peter Forrest were among the others who failed to pass the 400-run mark in the Shield and, like Bailey, any of them could have forced their way into Ashes contention with a big summer.As it was, Chris Rogers managed to do so with a solid tally – Ricky Ponting, Mark Cosgrove, Rogers and Alex Doolan were the top four Shield run scorers for the season. The presence of three Tasmanians in that group helped the Tigers to win the Sheffield Shield but Bailey said it also led to him cruising through the campaign without having to hit top gear. Not since his debut season, when he scored 185 at 23.12, had he endured such a lean first-class season.”The way our top order was batting there was probably a little bit of complacency there,” Bailey said. “Batting behind Mark Cosgrove, who had a fantastic season, Alex Doolan, who is in great form, and the season that Ricky Ponting had, I reckon I just took my foot off the pedal a little bit and thought it was going to happen.”Quite often I was going to the crease in quite comfortable situations, where in the past I might have gone in under the pump a little bit and you’ve really got to be switched on. It was a really disappointing individual season, but having said that I probably wouldn’t change it for the world because it was such a great team season.”Although the Ashes opportunity has passed him by for the time being, Bailey has at least given himself a chance of strengthening his case for a mid-series call-up if a batsman is injured. He is in England for a two-month county stint with Hampshire and started with an innings of 93 against Leicestershire – higher than any Shield score he made over the past summer.”One of my fears was coming over here and feeling a bit lethargic or flat, coming straight from the end of one season and such a high to finish the year and straight back into it,” he said. “But it’s a different group of faces and a new challenge and the opportunity to rectify how my four-day cricket had been, with more consistent four-day games.”There are quite a few of them in a two-month period; I think I’m playing six or seven over the eight-week period. As soon as I landed here I was really excited and, touch wood, it has started really well thus far. I’m just really enjoying the challenge of playing in different conditions and getting back to working out how to build your innings and bat for long periods.”

Australia’s ruinous Test results in India have not dissuaded the architect of the plan, Don Argus, to rejuvenate the national team from his view that the world No. 1 ranking can be attained by 2015

Daniel Brettig06-Mar-2013Australia’s ruinous Test results in India have not dissuaded the architect of the plan to rejuvenate the national team from his view that the world No. 1 ranking can be attained by 2015. Don Argus, the former BHP chairman, authored the review released in August 2011 that overhauled the structure around Michael Clarke’s team, resulting in the appointments of Mickey Arthur as coach, John Inverarity as national selector and Pat Howard as the team performance manager.Those changes wrought promising early returns, but the retirements of Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey left Clarke to lead a gapingly inexperienced side to India where the vagaries of playing on the subcontinent have contributed to a humiliating duo of defeats. Nonetheless, Argus told he was adamant that Australia were still capable of achieving for the sustained success striven for in his review, provided those in charge were not panicked into compromising on its dictums.’I wouldn’t compromise on that at all,” Argus said. “It’s like a five-year plan in a company – if you commit to something, you’ve got to get it, and all these players have committed to it. I don’t believe in blind faith. I believe in a lot of hard work, and it doesn’t come tomorrow. I think there’s a lot of effort going into getting this team to its goals. I’ve got great faith they will get to where they want to get to.”Stay the course, but also recognise the challenges that are there. We tend to fall back into thinking we’ve still got this side with seven champions in it. Maybe that will come again, but that just doesn’t come overnight.”Argus was largely supportive of the path taken by Howard, Arthur and Inverarity in following through on his directives, though he admitted it was “debatable” whether the area of spin bowling weakness was being adequately addressed. He stated that current impatience with the team’s results could not be allowed to change the path that had been committed to.”I think they have been quite bold in implementing a lot of the stuff and going down the recommendation path in the report,” Argus said. ”Everyone wants instant success … and the trouble when you go through a transition or succession phase is that impatience manifests itself into a bit of emotion. Up until this series, the guys have done pretty well in trying to unearth new talent and things like that.

Everyone wants instant success … and the trouble when you go through a transition or succession phase is that impatience manifests itself into a bit of emotionDon Argus

“Everyone is going to have to hold their steel here to get the ultimate outcome, because if you start thrashing around in water then you drown, and up until now I think they’ve held it pretty well. I think India is probably the toughest environment of all to blood new talent and that’s what is happening over there.”I’m not that despondent. I think it’s probably teaching the selectors a lot more about the strengths and weaknesses of the squad. I don’t think they could put together a better squad. They’ve tried a lot of people and you can add a few here and a few there, but they’ve gone about a process quite systematically that will get us there in the end, but it was never going to be a short-term fix.”Addressing questions about whether the selectors had adequately fulfilled his stated goal that performance had to be rewarded more consistently with national team representation, Argus said Inverarity’s panel had done so “by and large”, though Xavier Doherty’s Test recall after a barren home summer was a deviation.”Selectors will sometimes make subjective judgments for whatever reason … I’m sure they can justify their selections,” Argus said. “Up until probably that one [Doherty], they’ve stuck with what they’ve said they were going to do, and I think that has paid off for them.”They’ve won in the West Indies, they’ve comprehensively won two series at home [against India and Sri Lanka, but also lost to No.1 team South Africa], and they go to the toughest environment in the world with an inexperienced side in those conditions, and it’s tough.”Suspicious in the review of the impact that the then nascent Big Bash League may have on international performances and focus, Argus said compromises in the name of commercial gains would result in the team being compromised.”If you deviate from your priorities, if you compromise on your plan … you’ll always get caught out,” he said. “If Test cricket is the No. 1 game, and we say it is, that’s the way it is.”

Chittagong Kings, led by Brendan Taylor’s responsible half-century, achieved an eight-wicket win against Khulna Royal Bengals in Chittagong

The Report by Mohammad Isam01-Feb-2013
ScorecardFile photo: Brendan Taylor played a responsible knock of 69 to steer Chittagong Kings to their second victory this season•Chittagong KingsChittagong Kings gave their boisterous home supporters some joy with an eight-wicket victory against Khulna Royal Bengals. It was their first win at the MA Aziz Stadium, and only their second in the tournament.The packed stadium witnessed a battle of attrition as the Kings overcame a poor start to reach their target of 137. The pitch offered low bounce as the game progressed, and Brendan Taylor worked the ball around the bumpy outfield when it became difficult to loft it. Taylor, who steered the Kings’ chase with a half-century, captained team after Mahmudullah had asked the team management for a break from the role.Taylor hit seven fours and a six in his knock of 69 off 49 deliveries. Ryan ten Doeschate gave Taylor valuable support with a 34-ball 41, and adding 93 runs for the third wicket. Legspinner Samuel Badree and left-arm spinner Sanjamul Islam had taken a wicket each by the seventh over, before the big partnership finished the game and gave the home supporters, who had patiently waited for a win, a result to be happy with.The Royal Bengals suffered their fifth defeat in seven games and have been without a win since they left their home ground last week. Their openers Lou Vincent and Shahriar Nafees got out for 9 each, and they limped to 47 for 3 in the tenth over. Travis Birt and Riki Wessels added 41 for the fourth wicket before Wessels, who top scored 35 off 32 balls, added another 33 with Daniel Harris.The Royal Bengals’ batsmen managed only nine boundaries in 20 overs, as the Kings bowled tighter than they had in their last two matches. Enamul Haque jnr took three wickets after Rubel Hossain and Shaun Tait had given the side a solid base with reasonable spells. The bowling performance also masked the Kings’ fielding errors: Kevon Cooper and Mehrab Hossain jnr dropped a catch each.

The Bangladesh Premier League will collapse if its franchises cannot survive, the league’s governing council chairman Gazi Ashraf Hossain has warned

Mohammad Isam16-Aug-2012The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) will collapse if its franchises cannot survive, the league’s governing council chairman Gazi Ashraf Hossain has warned. He also admitted that mistakes were made during the inaugural season and that the league may have been born out of emotional impulses, but promised to correct the errors in the next season.The BPL remains in the headlines six months after it began – for all the wrong reasons. The most talked-about of its troubles has been the unpaid players’ wages, with the franchises missing three deadlines between May and July despite reminders in private by the BCB and publicly by national captain Mushfiqur Rahim during the tournament and by FICA afterwards. The cricket board has now stepped in as guarantor and begun paying players over the past few months, as well as handling tax issues that have been raised regularly by the National Board of Revenue.Ashraf accepts the criticism, terming it a “costly mistake” by the league to rely so heavily for sponsorship on companies that are first-time participants in an event of this scale. The main problems seem to have been a lack of knowledge in selecting players and in drawing up a budget.”There was no time for second thought but the finality of the situation dawned on us when they [the franchises] started to brand their jerseys, and it occurred to us that there could be a problem,” Ashraf told ESPNcricinfo. “It was the first time and people learn from their mistakes, but it was a costly mistake.”We are now considering issues which we should have thought of before the tournament. I won’t deny that we made mistakes, and I think emotions ruled over our actual ability to stage the tournament. In the second edition, we’ll try to create a win-win situation for players and teams. If teams aren’t sustained, the tournament will collapse and along with it will go the cricket standards and players’ futures.”Despite being the guarantor, the BCB doesn’t have a formal contract with the franchises, which partly explains the board’s delay in paying players after the tournament. The first season was based firmly on the verbal assurances, but Ashraf says that is changing.”The agreements are ready, and as far as I know, many of the franchises are ready to sign it. They are our functioning partners so, taking the BCB’s role as guarantor in paying players into account, we will come into an agreement with those who have completed all financial formalities,” he said.The larger problem is the additional burden of the Dhaka Premier League, a very popular domestic one-day tournament in which 50-odd foreigners turn up for the different Dhaka clubs each season. “I have doubts over the ability to pull such a large amount of money for two tournaments in the same season from one market, given that the DPL is also an attractive competition for players,” Ashraf said.Part of BPL’s problem was the haste with which the tournament was put together. The window in the international calendar in February was incentive enough to go with it, but that meant there were major hitches. Game On Sports, the event management company that bought the rights to run the show for $44.3 million, had little time, human resources and experience to deal with the logistics. They depended heavily on the governing council which, according to Ashraf, wasn’t very well prepared to handle such an event.”It took some time to [settle] ourselves. We took a month or two to form committees, so time was short afterwards,” he said. “But one of the main reasons that drove us [to go ahead with the tournament] was the window we got. We wanted to take advantage of it as a lot of international players were available. We also had the 2012 World Twenty20 in mind for our players.”This time round, though, a window – February 2013 – in the Bangladesh domestic calendar has already been allocated to the the BPL, giving the tournament’s governing council more time to take control.

Geoffrey Toyana has been appointed Highveld Lions’ head coach for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 domestic seasons, the Gauteng Cricket Board has confirmed

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jul-2012Geoffrey Toyana has been appointed Highveld Lions’ head coach for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 domestic seasons, the Gauteng Cricket Board has confirmed. Toyana, who was the assistant coach of the Lions since 2011, replaces Dave Nosworthy, who had resigned last month.Toyana, who retired as a domestic player in 2008, had served as the assistant coach for the South Africa Under-19 side and South Africa A, before joining Highveld Lions. His experience put him in line for full-time coach of the Lions, the chairman of the franchise, Archie Pretorius, said. “Geoffrey has certainly done the legwork to reach this level,” he said. “We look forward to this new chapter for the Lions Cricket franchise.”Toyana said he was aware of the tests he would have to face as the head coach. “[This is] obviously the preferred next step in my career as a cricket coach,” he said. “That said, I am well aware of the challenges that the team face and there is obviously the lack of silverware that has plagued the franchise.”My immediate goal is to get the squad ready for the season and the Champions League T20. Our ultimate goal would definitely be to bring home the title of at least one of the competitions in the coming season.”Highveld Lions became the third South African franchise in six months to lose their coach when Nosworthy quit. ESPNcricinfo understands that ideological disputes and a lack of results caused Nosworthy’s departure from the franchise.

Northamptonshire have bought the freehold of their Wantage Road ground

ESPNcricinfo staff22-May-2012Northamptonshire have bought the freehold of their Wantage Road ground as they further their aim to become “one of the best non-Test grounds in the country.”The club, who have leased the ground for more than a century, have paid a six-figure sum for the land which they hope will enable them to pursue further development plans. The funds for the purchase came from a legacy left by their former president, the late Lynn Wilson.In the short term, the club aim to improve their outdoor practise facilities in the hope of attracting more fixtures involving international touring teams. They will also be able to use the ground as collateral with their bankers.”This purchase gives the club a good opportunity to continue developing the ground,” chief executive David Smith said. “And developments such as the outdoor nets facility will enhance our reputation within the game and it should benefit the club in securing future international touring team fixtures, as our improving facilities will be a big attraction to them.””We’re looking to develop the ground further when funds are available and owning the ground gives us security going forward,” Martin Lawrence, the club’s chairman, told the . “In the short term we’ve got to look after our squad and it’s important to get the balance right between the cricket side of things and the ground. I’m looking at maybe a five-year plan and possibly a small hotel or a block of flats but we haven’t made any decisions yet.”It gives us much more freedom to develop it however we wish. To the average spectator it won’t make a lot of difference but to those involved it’s very significant. We all believe it’s an important step for us.”

Moeen Ali battled to keep Worcestershire afloat in a hard-fought second day at New Road. Ali, the England Lions left-hander, made 85 from 179 balls as the home side reached 231 for 7 – still trailing by 84 – after their former seamer Steve Magoffin had sh

17-May-2012
ScorecardMoeen Ali’s 85 enabled Worcestershire to work their way towards Sussex’s total•Getty ImagesMoeen Ali battled to keep Worcestershire afloat in a hard-fought second day at New Road. Ali, the England Lions left-hander, made 85 from 179 balls as the home side reached 231 for 7 – still trailing by 84 – after their former seamer Steve Magoffin had shone with bat and ball for Sussex.Magoffin smashed an unbeaten 41 to secure a third bonus point while leading Sussex to 315 and then removed compatriot Michael Klinger in a faltering start by Worcestershire. Klinger (15) edged to second slip in his last championship match before Phil Hughes takes up Worcestershire’s overseas slot at the end of the month.Jimmy Anyon, who put on 59 for Sussex’s ninth wicket with Magoffin, made the first breakthrough with a full-length delivery cutting back at Daryl Mitchell (17). But it was Magoffin’s brisk pace and unerring line that did most to keep up the pressure. Nine of his first 18 overs were maidens and late in the day he came back with the new ball to remove Gareth Andrew for a full return of 2 for 28.Monty Panesar removed two top-order batsmen. With England usually playing only one spinner in home Tests, he has to be content with understudy role, but as he showed in the series against Pakistan earlier in the year, he has much to offer when paired with Graeme Swann on overseas pitches.Anything he can do for his county will keep him in the selectors’ thoughts – James Whitaker was a spectator at New Road – and straightaway he made an impact after being brought on to curb the attacking instincts of Vikram Solanki and Moeen. The change paid off in his third over. Solanki, having hit five fours in making 34, took up the challenge by venturing down the pitch but effectively yorked himself and the ball squeezed through to take the middle stump.New batsman James Cameron clattered a six onto the roof of the New Road Stand before Panesar took his revenge with a good catch by Chris Nash at short leg.Moeen, after some uncertainty, grew in authority and found an able partner in Matt Pardoe. Having saved Worcestershire from defeat by Surrey last week, Pardoe, a 21-year-old left hander, shared in a partnership of 96. They took the score to 206 for 4before falling to Naved Arif. Moeen was swishing across the line when given out lbw and Pardoe (28) nicked a routine catch behind the wicket.

Virender Sehwag has said R Ashwin had warned Lahiru Thirimanne before running him out for backing up too much before the ball was bowled

Sidharth Monga at the Gabba21-Feb-2012Virender Sehwag has said R Ashwin had warned Lahiru Thirimanne before running him out for backing up too much before the ball was bowled. In the 40th over of the Sri Lanka innings, Ashwin ran the non-striker Thirimanne out, a dismissal that is called – perhaps uncharitably to the former India allrounder – Mankading.The umpires asked India if they wanted to reconsider the appeal and Sehwag, captaining in the absence of MS Dhoni, withdrew the appeal. It was withdrawn, Sehwag said, “because if we appealed and umpire gave him out, then somebody will criticise that, you know, that was not spirit of the game”. Sehwag was asked if it was not soft to let the batsman off even after the warning. “It’s soft, but that’s the way we are,” he said.Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lanka captain, said he was not aware of the warning. When told what Sehwag had to say about Ashwin’s warning in the previous over, Jayawardene said the warning should have been official. “I don’t know,” Jayawardene said. “Then it’s… he should warn him through the umpires. You need to ask the umpires if he was warned.”The warning, to be fair to Jayawardene, was not a conspicuous one. It wasn’t spotted on TV, nor did Ashwin pull out of a delivery before the actual taking off the bails. However, to be fair to Sehwag and Ashwin, this need not be the kind of official warning that umpires make to bowlers for running onto the danger area. So it is possible that Ashwin had indeed warned Thirimanne beforehand, but that was not spotted by those watching.However, this only makes it more curious as to why India withdrew the appeal. “Everybody was discussing it, but the umpires called me and I said, ‘We can give him one more warning but if he does it again we will [run him out] because that’s the ICC rule’,” Sehwag said. “If somebody is taking an early start, then the bowlers have the full right to run him out.”The ICC had become more strict in this ruling last year – allowing bowlers to “Mankad” somebody any time before releasing the ball as opposed to the earlier rule where you had to do it before entering your delivery stride – to keep the batsmen from gaining unfair advantage. It even falls under Law 42, which deals with fair and unfair play. Sehwag, though, had no problem with the umpires consulting between themselves and asking the captain to reconsider the appeal, despite the law being clear on it.”I think he [Paul Reiffel, the umpire] went to Billy Bowden. Billy Bowden is the senior umpire, and he asked him, and they discussed, and they called me, and they said, ‘It’s your call now. If you appeal, we can give him out’. So I took the decision that okay, we can give him one more warning.”There were suggestions that it was Sachin Tendulkar who persuaded Sehwag to withdraw the appeal, but Sehwag said it was his own decision. Either way, Jayawardene said he wouldn’t have even appealed. “I don’t play like that,” he said.However, Jayawardene admitted that Thirimanne was at fault. “The rules have changed, I know, to try to make sure there is no advantage given to the batsman,” Jayawardene said. “I probably felt there was a little bit of fault in our guy as well in trying to do that, to be honest. But I mean, end of the day, spirit of the game was the winner.”Sticking with the popular opinion, Jayawardene said that it was “nice and clean” to not run a batsman out who is technically indulging in unfair play. “I wouldn’t have got the bails off in the first place, to be honest,” he said. “Try and keep it nice and clean, and tell the umpires to try and keep an eye on the guy. But if he still keeps doing it regularly, and if he is taking advantage, yes then, but I think they did the right thing in the middle. The seniors got together. Like I said, let’s move on.”Thirimanne, though, kept backing up too far even after the let-off. He was careful with Ashwin, but with Vinay Kumar and Irfan Pathan, he kept taking the liberty. Why didn’t those bowlers try something similar? “Because they were not aware,” Sehwag said. “You have to be aware. Ashwin was aware, and I was aware when I was bowling. You have to be aware when the non-striker is taking a start.”