Sri Lanka’s new Test and ODI captain, Angelo Mathews, has said he aims to arrest the team’s slide in the ICC rankings

Andrew Fidel Fernando14-Feb-2013Sri Lanka’s new Test and ODI captain, Angelo Mathews, has said he aims to arrest the team’s slide in the ICC rankings, and hoped to count his side among the best in the world in both formats in the next few yearsMathews succeeded Mahela Jayawardene, who stepped down after the tour of Australia, after spending almost two years as vice captain in all formats. Dinesh Chandimal was named his deputy in Tests and ODIs and captain of the Twenty20 team. Sri Lanka have been the top-ranked Twenty20 side in the world since their run to the World Twenty20 final in September, but slipped down the Test and ODI rankings after having been second on both tables in 2009. They have also failed to win a Test series away from home since 2008, and have won only four Tests since Muttiah Muralitharan retired in 2010.”My main ambition now is to see the Sri Lankan cricket team in the top three in the next few years,” Mathews said. “We’ve dropped down to sixth place in Tests and fifth in ODIs. It won’t be easy, and it will take some time. Myself, Chandimal and the selectors will have to work closely to achieve that.”Mathews had been Sri Lanka’s Twenty20 captain since the end of the World Twenty20 in 2012, but the new selection panel, headed by Sanath Jayasuriya, opted to give that position to Chandimal instead. Chandimal has not showed great promise in the Twenty20 format, but Jayasuriya said the selectors split the captaincy in order to help build a young leadership core, as well as to ease Mathews’ burden.”We thought that it would be too much for Angelo to give him the Twenty20 captaincy as well, as we wanted to allow him to concentrate on the Tests and ODIs,” Jayasuriya said. “We thought the best person for the Twenty20 captaincy was Dinesh Chandimal, who has a long future in the game. He will also get some experience of captaining Sri Lanka in case Angelo gets injured.”Mathews’ first assignment as captain will be the two-Test home series against Bangladesh, for which the selectors named a 20-man preliminary squad. The selectors sought to create a break from the past by selecting a young squad for their new captain, but Mathews was grateful for the presence of some senior players, most notably Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan, who have all captained Sri Lanka in the past.”I think you need both experience and youth in a team, because you can’t have XI new players in a match. I think the selectors had that balance in mind when they chose the team, and they’ve done a good job of that.”Of the older players the selectors omitted, Thilan Samaraweera and Prasanna Jayawardene were the most notable exclusions. Jayasuriya was non-committal on whether there was an avenue back into the side for these players, but focused instead on the opportunity to develop fresh talent. He also said the 20-man squad would be whittled down to 15 in the lead up to the first Test.”We need to start giving the youngsters an opportunity, and a series against Bangladesh is a good one to give one or two new players a place,” he said. “Players like Kithuruwan Vithanage and Ashen Silva have been making runs in domestic cricket, and Jeevan Mendis has also scored well recently.”We want to make sure these young cricketers to experience the atmosphere in the Sri Lankan team, and this is a good opportunity to allow that, because it’s a home Test series. They can work with the Sri Lankan team until about 10 days prior to the Test, when we will name the 15-man squad.Chandimal, 23, was impressive in Tests and ODIs, but failed to make himself a regular in either side throughout much of 2012. He acknowledged the added responsibility more leadership would bring, but suggested that his new roles would be a boon to his development, rather than a hindrance.”There’s pressure every time you play a match, but I think the captaincy is a boost for me personally, and a validation of my past performances,” Chandimal said. “I’ve been a captain in Under-19 at school level as well. I didn’t think I would be captain this early in my career, but that’s a source of pride for me.”

A round-up of matches played in the Faysal Bank One-Day Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Mar-2013

Group A

Mohammad Sami picked up three wickets for Karachi Dolphins as his side romped home to a 103-run win over Lahore Eagles. Sami dismissed three key batsmen as Lahore finished at 206 for 9 in response to Karachi’s tall score of 309 for 3.Karachi were sent in to bat and the top four batsmen responded with half-centuries. Sarfraz Ahmed scored 76, while Saeed Bin Nasir scored an unbeaten 74. The openers, Shahzaib Hasan and Khalid Latif, also chipped in, scoring 63 and 64 respectively.An unbeaten 72 from Razeem Alam and fifties by Zeeshan Ashraf and Sohaib Maqsood helped Multan Tigers coast to a seven-wicket win over Bahawalpur Stags. Chasing a target of 265, Multan’s impressive batting took them home with five overs to spare. Ashraf and Maqsood led the way, adding 105 runs for the second wicket before Alam wrapped up the chase.Earlier, Bahawalpur who chose to bat, made 264, thanks largely to half-centuries from Bilal Khilji and captain Kamran Hussain who consolidated the innings after a dismal start. Offspinner Aamer Yamin was the most impressive bowler for Multan, finishing with figures of 5 for 65, his first five-wicket haul.Hyderabad Hawks registered a massive, 150-run win over Quetta Bears, riding on centuries from Azeem Ghumman and Rizwan Ahmed and a five-wicket haul by left-arm spinner Kashif Bhatti.Ghumman and Ahmed shared a stand of 144 for the second wicket, taking their side to 260 for 2. In reply, the Quetta innings folded for a meager 110 in 33.5 overs. Taimur Ali was the only batsman to make more than 30 as the Hyderabad bowling, led by Bhatti, dominated. Bhatti finished with figures of 5 for 30, while Ghulam Yasin and Zahid Mahmood picked up two wickets apiece.

Group B

An all-round performance from captain Khalid Usman helped Abbotabad Falcons beat Peshawar Panthers by 45 runs. Usman took 3 for 31 with his left-arm spin as Peshawar folded for 174 in reply to Abbotabad’s total of 219.Earlier Abbotabad, who chose to bat first, were tottering at 139 for 8 before Usman batted well with the lower order to take the score to 219. He scored 80 off 94 balls, including four fours and two sixes.Karachi Zebras registered an emphatic 92-run win over Lahore Lions. Opener Fakhar Zaman scored a quick century for Karachi and was ably supported by captain Faisal Iqbal as Karachi posted 314 for 6. The pair added 158 for the third wicket to effectively bat Lahore out of the match.In reply, Lahore were dismissed for 222 in the 45th over. The Lahore reply was shaky and although captain Azhar Ali and Fahad-ul-Haq tried to build the innings, the Karachi bowlers struck regularly to restrict them. Fast bowler Rumman Raees picked up three wickets for 21 runs for Karachi.A century from opener Awais Zia and an unbeaten 54 from Yasim Murtaza, who later picked up three wickets, set up a 66-run win for Rawalpindi Rams against Islamabad Leopards. Zia and Murtaza powered their side to a commanding 338 for 7.In reply, Islamabad fell short in spite of a hundred from Babar Azam, and were kept to 272 for 9. The chase began strongly but lost momentum after a cluster of wickets fell towards the end of the innings. Murtaza picked up 3 for 49, while Akhtar Ayub and Hammad Azam took two wickets each.

Australian opener Ed Cowan has said he raised concerns with the coach Mickey Arthur and captain Michael Clarke about the slipping standards within the squad

Brydon Coverdale in Delhi20-Mar-2013Australian opener Ed Cowan has said he raised concerns with the coach Mickey Arthur and captain Michael Clarke about the slipping standards within the squad in the lead-up to the sacking of four players in Mohali. Arthur, Clarke and the team manager Gavin Dovey collectively took a hard line as a result of the general slide in behaviour and told four players, including the vice-captain Shane Watson, that they would not be considered for the Mohali Test after failing to complete a task set by Arthur.However, the team management has been at pains to explain that the decision was not the result of a one-off lapse and that standards within the wider squad had been unacceptable during the tour. It later emerged that some of the minor infractions that had built up included players being late to meetings or physio appointments, wearing the wrong uniforms and giving back-chat.Arthur has spoken of the way senior players like Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey helped maintain standards by their own work ethic and their retirements had left a gap in experience and example. As a result, Arthur said the developing group needed to be brought into line, and Cowan said he had spoken to Arthur and Clarke about what he felt were “little things” that were not being done.”A few little things had crept in,” Cowan said. “I had a few conversations with the coach and the captain and the manager about those little things and I’m sure a few other guys did as well. It wasn’t just, ‘right, this is the moment’, there had been a build-up and there always comes a time where there is a breaking point and that happened in Mohali. But now it feels there is some solidarity behind the team moving forward and we’re excited by that unity and why it has been created.”Nine days ago, unity was about the last word that would have been used to describe Australia’s squad. Not only had four players been unceremoniously stood down for a Test, one of those players, the vice-captain Shane Watson, flew home for the birth of his first child and voiced his displeasure on the way. That led to a public exchange of words between Watson and Cricket Australia’s general manager of team performance Pat Howard and questions were raised about Watson’s status as a “team player”.However, over the past few days the tensions have eased and Watson rejoined the squad in Delhi for training on Wednesday and could yet captain the side for the fourth Test if Clarke is ruled out due to his back injury. Howard has also appeared in Delhi and the vibe at training on Wednesday was good, all things considered.”We have been unified by what happened in Mohali and there is no doubt the tough decisions needed to be made if we aspire to be the best team in the world, which we do,” Cowan said. “There had to be some tough decisions. It showed immense courage by the leadership group to make those decisions and the group is right behind that. It feels as though we have come together behind that and we feel quite buoyed by the concept of moving forward together.”Moving forward as one has been a key focus for the Australians over the past week, and part of that is senior men needing to show the way in a relatively young group. Although he has played only 16 Tests, Cowan is one of the leaders and if Watson does take charge in Delhi, Cowan would be a natural contender for the vice-captaincy given his mature approach. He said if the opportunity ever arose for him to captain Australia he would jump at the chance.”Everyone in the team would love to given the opportunity,” Cowan said. “My focus is to be a leader around the group, to make sure that Michael has adequate support, to be a leader in terms of how I prepare, how I carry myself on and off the field and how I contribute to bringing guys through and if the opportunity arises because a few people fall over or are injured or whatever then that’s something you would love to do, you would never turn that opportunity down.”For me leadership is much more than having a ‘c’ next to your name. It is about living the values and ideals that the team have put in place and hopefully people migrate to that. It’s not just one or two people, it’s five, six, seven core guys contributing to the team moving forward culturally and on the field.”

Preview for the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals in Bangalore

The Preview by Kanishkaa Balachandran19-Apr-2013

Match facts

April 20, 2013
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)

Big Picture

A joke doing rounds in social media is that Royal Challengers Bangalore fans have no finger nails left. Four of their six games have gone to the final over, including two Super Over finishes. While it’s all fine for the viewers, it’s not the healthiest trend from the team’s point of view. Royal Challengers are a spot behind second-placed Rajasthan Royals, their next opponents, but their journey so far has been a bit too dramatic for their own good. They made heavy weather of their chase of 153 against Delhi Daredevils when they were cruising with 24 needed at a run-a-ball with seven wickets in hand (with no help from Chris Gayle). Though Royal Challengers passed the finish line after the Super Over, captain Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers were humble enough to admit that they needed to learn to close out games better.Royal Challengers are yet to settle on a consistent opening combination. So far, Gayle has opened with Tillakaratne Dilshan, KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal. With Dilshan back in the mix after recovering from injury, they will have to let go of another overseas player, possibly Andrew McDonald, to get him in. Saurabh Tiwary, the left-handed batsman, is also back from injury, to widen their options.Royals on the other hand are fresh from thumping Mumbai Indians, reducing a fancied batting order to 92 in one of the most one-sided games of the tournament so far. After piling on 179, Royals made Mumbai struggle early by getting the spinners on and taking the pace off the ball. At 10 for 2 in the chase, the game was all but over. Rahul Dravid, the Royals captain, said the team’s positive energy made the difference. In Bangalore, they will be up against a team that’s yet to lose a home game this season.

Form guide

Royal Challengers Bangalore WLWWL
Rajasthan Royals WWLWW

Players to watch

Virat Kohli was named the Royal Challengers captain this season and the additional responsibility hasn’t had any negative effects on his batting, as he currently holds the Orange Cap (leading run-scorer) with 321 runs. Just as compelling as his batting is his on-field body language, which has added more spice to the tournament; his verbal face-off with Gautam Gambhir topped it all. Kohli never holds back his emotions, be it swinging his bat at thin air when dismissed, or refusing to take his pads off while sitting at the dugout. Whether it can be deemed as acceptable behaviour from a person of authority is another debate – Kohli gets fans talking, one way or another.Ajinkya Rahane has shown that he can bat in two gears when needed. Against Kings XI Punjab, on a seaming pitch, he took on the responsibility of batting through the innings, remaining unbeaten on 34 off 42 balls in his team’s successful chase of a small target. It was not the most entertaining knock, but given the conditions, it was the best knock of the evening. Against Mumbai, in a relatively pressure-free scenario, he batted through the innings and remained unbeaten on 68 off 54 balls. Two contrasting knocks, both matchwinning ones. Royal Challengers will be reminded of the century he scored against them last year when the teams met at Chinnaswamy.

Stats and trivia

• Shane Watson needs two more sixes to become the leading six-hitter for Royals. He is currently on 60, behind Yusuf Pathan (now with Kolkata Knight Riders).
• Royal Challengers lead the head-to-head record with five wins, while Royals have four.

Quotes

“I specifically told the management that I wanted Ravi in the side because he can be deadly with the bat too.”
“We don’t have big names in our side, we don’t have guys who can demolish teams in T20 cricket, but we are a unit that is very balanced.”

Laxman Sivaramakrishnan has responded to criticism of his election to the ICC’s cricket committee by pointing to his 33-year association with the game, first as an international cricketer and then as a commentator

ESPNcricinfo staff06-May-2013Laxman Sivaramakrishnan has responded to criticism of his election to the ICC’s cricket committee by pointing to his 33-year association with the game, first as an international cricketer and then as a commentator. Sivaramakrishnan was elected over FICA president Tim May in a hotly contested election that saw hectic lobbying by both sides.”I am sure there are a lot of cricket-related matters that are going to be discussed,” Sivaramakrishnan told . “And I think I have been around for a long time. I’ve been associated with the game for around 33 years and I have a lot of contribution to make.”He was non-committal about the controversial Decision Review System (DRS) issue. The BCCI has been opposing ICC’s attempts to introduce DRS, which was recommended by the cricket committee in 2011.”I don’t know whether it is a part of the agenda. If it is on the agenda, then we will look into the matter. I am not the sole person who controls the committee, I just have an opinion,” he said. “I will say whatever I feel about the DRS in the meeting and it’s the final consensus of the committee whether to take the decision to implement DRS or leave it optional. So, it’s not entirely my call.”He has also responded to charges of proximity to the Chennai Super Kings franchise by saying his association with its parent company, India Cements – owned by BCCI president N Srinivasan – goes back 16 years, well before the franchise was created.”I am not an employee of Chennai Super Kings,” Sivaramakrishnan said. “I have been an employee of India Cements for the last 16 years and India Cements owns Chennai Super Kings. That has happened in the last six years. I have served India Cements as an employee and played cricket for them and I see no attachment with the Super Kings at all. In fact, I have done nothing at all for the Super Kings.”

Andrew Jones, the former Cricket Australia head of strategy, has been named as the new chief executive of Cricket New South Wales

ESPNcricinfo staff24-May-2013Andrew Jones, the former Cricket Australia head of strategy, has been named as the new chief executive of Cricket New South Wales. Jones will take up the role vacated by David Gilbert, who spent 11 years in the position before resigning in January amid instability at the organisation and calls for his sacking from Brett Lee.Jones, 40, is president of the University of New South Wales Cricket Club and a former player for the team, and he joined Cricket Australia in 2010 having consulted for them since 2004. At Cricket Australia he managed the Argus review and the development of the Strategy For Australian Cricket 2011-15 project.”I am excited and humbled in equal measure to be asked to lead Cricket New South Wales,” Jones said. “I was never a first-class cricketer, but I am aiming to provide the first-class leadership the fans, players, past players, volunteers, country colleagues, staff and board in this state expect.”When New South Wales cricket is strong, Australian cricket is strong and it is my aim to return this state to its rightful position as a leader of Australian cricket. To achieve that we will need to harness the great depth of experience and passion we have throughout the state. With everyone working together I am excited about the challenges that lie ahead.”Jones has previously served as a management consultant with McKinsey & Company and Centaurus Partners. John Warn, the Cricket New South wales chairman, said Jones was a good fit for the role.”The board is extremely happy to have found a candidate with the all-round credentials of Andrew Jones,” Warn said. “When we started the process of seeking a new chief executive, the absolute priority was finding the individual who had the right balance of business and cricketing backgrounds.”Andrew is someone who understands business, has consulted to CNSW at various times and has worked closely with the board of Cricket Australia in his previous role. He is also connected at grass-roots level, as the current president of the University of New South Wales Cricket Club, and has a tremendous passion for the game of cricket and a strong sense of the history and traditions of cricket within this state. I am thrilled that he is going to be joining us.”

Gloucestershire captain Michael Klinger registered his fourth County
Championship century of the summer to set up a potentially thrilling finish on the final day of the Second Division match against Kent at Cheltenham.

12-Jul-2013
ScorecardBen Harmison made a century before a result was set up•Getty Images

Gloucestershire captain Michael Klinger registered his fourth County
Championship century of the summer to set up a potentially thrilling finish on
the final day of the Second Division match against Kent at Cheltenham.Klinger posted an unbeaten 102 as Gloucestershire made 237 for 1 declared in
their second innings. He has now scored more than 1,000
runs in all cricket this season.Bottom-of-the-table Kent will bat tomorrow having been set a target of 411 to
win in a minimum 96 overs. Klinger and Kent skipper James Tredwell struck a deal during the lunch
interval, contriving imaginative declarations in order to arrive at a meaningful
finale.Although only nine wickets had fallen in seven previous sessions, unsuspecting
Festival-goers still looked mystified when Kent declared their first innings on
389 for 5 in the 101st over, forfeiting a fifth batting bonus point in favour
of giving themselves an opportunity to win a four-day game for the first time in
nine attempts this season.Having agreed not to enforce the follow-on, Gloucestershire commenced their
second innings 173 runs ahead with the intention of setting Kent a target to
chase on the final day.Left-hander Chris Dent picked up where he had left off in the first innings,
playing shots all around the wicket and threatening a second successive century,
albeit it against declaration bowling. Even in the circumstances, Dent was doubtless bitterly disappointed to
offer a return catch to occasional spinner Sam Northeast after rushing to 82
from 75 balls and helping himself to 13 fours.Having served as junior partner in an opening stand of 151, Klinger accelerated
during the final hour to raise three figures from 118 balls with nine fours and
a six.Ben Harmison earlier became the fourth batsman to post a hundred on a flat
College Ground pitch, realising the landmark from 141 balls in a
near-faultless innings that included 12 fours and a six. He shared in stands of 103 and 74 with Darren Stevens and Geraint Jones for the
fifth and sixth wickets respectively and helped guide the visitors clear of
danger after they had slipped to 212 for four in the morning session.Brendan Nash was bowled off his pads by slow left armer Tom Smith in the act of
sweeping for 9, while Northeast was brilliantly caught down the leg side by
wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick off the bowling of Craig Miles just six runs short
of a century.But veteran county campaigner Stevens slammed the door shut on
Gloucestershire’s hopes of enforcing the follow-on, crashing 75 runs off 71
balls in a forthright innings that yielded nine fours and two sixes.

Ray Price, the Zimbabwe left-arm spinner, has retired from international cricket

Liam Brickhill at the Harare Sports Club28-Jul-2013Ray Price, the Zimbabwe left-arm spinner, has retired from international cricket. Price, 37, was included in Zimbabwe’s squad for their ongoing one-day series against India but won’t be travelling with the team to Bulawayo, the venue for the last two games.It was widely suspected that this series would be Price’s last for Zimbabwe, but with national contracts expiring after India’s visit, he has decided to call time on his career mid-series. “I was going to wait until my contract expired to call it a day but, yes, I’ve decided to retire from international cricket,” Price told ESPNcricinfo. “I won’t be going with the guys to Bulawayo. I’m retired.”There had been some confusion over Price’s place in the squad before the series because he wasn’t named in the initial list, but coach Andy Waller insisted that he had always been part of the team. Price was ever present during Zimbabwe’s net sessions in the lead-up to the India series, and it had been thought that he would be given a chance to bid farewell with one final match.That was not to be, however, and he will finish with exactly 100 wickets in 102 ODIs, to go with his 80 dismissals in 22 Tests and 13 scalps in 16 Twenty20 internationals.”Pricey’s called it a day,” Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor said. “If he was going to play it was going to be here in Harare. We’re going to miss his experience, but in saying that it does give our young spinners who are coming through a great opportunity.”Price’s career straddled two distinct eras in Zimbabwean cricket. He debuted as a 23-year old in the third Test of the series against Sri Lanka at Harare Sports Club in 1999, but just as he established himself in the national side he threw in his lot with Heath Streak and the rebel cricketers and found himself ostracised. He left Zimbabwe for England and spent three and a half seasons with Worcestershire.His refusal of a new county contract in 2007 surprised many, and in November of that year he came out of exile and returned to Zimbabwe in the series against West Indies. Having left as something of a fringe player – particularly in one-day cricket – Price quickly re-established himself as a canny and economical bowler in ODIs.In 2009, he picked up 44 wickets at 20.61 and ascended to second in the ICC ODI rankings for bowlers. He remained Zimbabwe’s senior bowler for several years, and was their leading performer at the 2011 World Cup in India with nine wickets at 18.77. His last match for Zimbabwe was the Bridgetown Test against West Indies in March this year, in which he took just one wicket as the team suffered a heavy defeat.As important as his bowling was the spirit Price brought to a team struggling to find its way after all the upheavals in Zimbabwean cricket. A fierce adversary, Price bowled left-arm spin with the attitude of a fast bowler, refusing to back down no matter who the opposition and helping instill some backbone in the side.”He’s a hell of a competitor,” Taylor said. “He’s a guy that plays with his heart on his sleeve. He leaves nothing out on the field, he’ll give you everything and he’s a real team man. Unfortunately age is not on his side anymore, and he’s moving on with his family.”We’ll miss him, but I’m sure he’ll still be in the picture with our young spinners coming through and I’m sure he’ll always be contributing somewhere along the line.”Though he will no longer be part of the national side, Price will still be a regular at Harare Sports Club. He runs the sports equipment shop at the ground, and will divide his time between the shop, his family and one of his favourite pursuits: fishing.

Simon Kerrigan spent much of Sunday still trying to soak up the “surreal” experience of being named in an Ashes squad after being handed his first senior call-up for the final Investec Ashes Test at The Oval

Andrew McGlashan18-Aug-2013Simon Kerrigan spent much of Sunday still trying to soak up the “surreal” experience of being named in an Ashes squad after being handed his first senior call-up for the final Investec Ashes Test at The Oval. However, Peter Moores, his county coach, believes he is there by right rather and not because of the difficulties being faced by Monty Panesar.Little more than two weeks ago, Panesar was part of England’s squad for the Old Trafford Test, but shortly after that his season came off the rails during a night out in Brighton, which led to him being fined for drunk and disorderly conduct. The matter is still being investigated by Sussex, but Panesar is on the brink of needing a new county and is seemingly facing a lengthy period away from the international scene.That has led to England needing to reconsider who is their No. 2 spinner to Graeme Swann and there was not really a second option behind Kerrigan despite James Tredwell’s stellar one-day performances this year. Kerrigan, with 47 wickets in the Championship, is far and away the most prolific spinner this season and has been a regular with England Lions. It was a logical progression.It would still be a surprise if he played at The Oval – two spinners, especially in a four-man attack, is rarely seen outside of the subcontinent by England – but even if he does not earn a first cap on Wednesday, he has two days to train in front of Andy Flower and Alastair Cook ahead of their deliberations over the Test squad to Australia later this year.”I found out yesterday when I got a call from Geoff Miller. I’m delighted to be selected, but it was a bit hard to take in when he rang,” Kerrigan told the Lancashire website. “It all felt a bit surreal to be honest. Hopefully I can impress over the next couple of days and be ready if they choose two spinners.”I’ve been inundated with messages of good luck and congratulations. My phone went into a bit of a meltdown this morning, and I’m grateful for all the messages and good wishes.”Moores has overseen the rise of Kerrigan since taking over as Lancashire coach in 2009, during which time Kerrigan had assumed the No. 1 mantle even before Gary Keedy’s departure to Surrey, and he now sees a potential changing of hierarchy in England’s spin options behind Graeme Swann.”Monty’s obviously had an interesting season and also an interesting few weeks and I think the one thing you would say is that Simon has statistically performed much better than Monty has this season, so that’s probably why he’s got his recognition as much as anything else,” Moores told .”The key here is Simon’s earned that right through his own performance and what he does do is get a lot of five-wicket hauls. So when he gets on a roll he seems to really be able to drive that home and make a big difference in a game, and that’s something I think would excite England.””What he does is he spins it hard, not dissimilar to Graeme Swann in that respect. Graeme does give the ball a heck of a rip and gets turn on almost any surface and Simon’s similar, he spins the ball very hard, he’s an aggressive attacking spinner.”

In a contest trimmed to 35-overs per side, Somerset batted for only a little over 25 overs as they were soundly thrashed by Nottinghamshire

Jon Culley at Trent Bridge09-Sep-2013
ScorecardJake Ball ran through Somerset’s lower order to finish with four wickets•PA Photos

The whiff of relegation hangs in the air for both these counties in the Championship, rather strongly for Somerset, who will not have the consolation of a Lord’s final a week on Saturday to take their minds off their troubles. In a contest trimmed to 35-overs per side, they batted for only a little over 25 overs as they were soundly thrashed by Nottinghamshire, who will be favourites to beat Glamorgan on September 21.Jake Ball, a 23-year-old right-arm seamer who has yet to play Championship cricket, took 4 for 25, his best figures in senior cricket, as Somerset were dismissed for their lowest YB40 total of the season – by some distance – and provided a familial link with Nottinghamshire’s last appearance in a Lord’s final, when they beat Essex by three wickets in 1989.That match was famous for Eddie Hemmings hitting the winning boundary off the last ball of the match. At the other end was Bruce French, whose sister, Debbie, became Debbie Ball and would a couple of years later give birth to Jake.Peter Trego hit 40 off 53 balls to offer some substance to Somerset’s cause but once he had been out-thought by Steven Mullaney, who drew an ankle-height return catch from a slower ball, they lost their last six wickets for 28 in an abjectly dispirited display. Mullaney finished with 3 for 35 as Somerset were dismissed in just 25.4 overs, their total of 119 some 103 runs fewer than their previous lowest in this year’s competition, their form in which – until this performance – had been the highlight of a dismal season.Nottinghamshire lost Alex Hales in the second over of their reply but once Michael Lumb had imposed his presence by hitting 46 off 38 balls, including 10 boundaries, before he top-edged Jamie Overton to be caught behind, the result was not in any doubt.With the freedom to let rip, Samit Patel completed the night’s work by smashing an unbeaten 43 off just 26 deliveries – including three fours in one over off Overton, who was released from England’s one-day squad to take part – as Nottinghamshire passed their target in a mere 16.2 overs.Young Ball’s career has not progressed as quickly as it seemed it might when he made his first-class debut against MCC in Abu Dhabi in 2011 but on the basis of this performance is surely worth another look.Unlucky not to strike with his first delivery, which beat Trego all ends up but somehow missed the stumps, he conceded 13 runs and bowled a wide in his second over, at which point he was taken out of the firing line. When he came back, for one over, he took out James Hildreth’s middle stump, before a third spell yielded the wickets of Piyush Chawla, Alfonso Thomas and Jamie Overton, the last-name pair off consecutive balls before Steve Kirby survived the hat-trick attempt.It was a pretty poor effort by Somerset, whose decline this season has been quite startling given that between 2009 and last season they were runners-up twice in both the Championship and the 40-over competition, and three times finished second in the Twenty20.Put in by Nottinghamshire with cloud and rain about – the start was delayed by 50 minutes – but on an essentially good wicket, they lost Marcus Trescothick to the fourth ball of the match when the skipper thin-edged pushing at Harry Gurney, but Trego and Craig Kieswetter made decent progress until the latter, having just launched Ajmal Shahzad over cover, bottom edged an attempted pull and was caught behind. Nonetheless, 41 for 2 was a decent platform at the end of the seven-over Powerplay.But Nick Compton gave his wicket away carelessly, attempting to hit Mullaney out of the ground in an over that had already yielded 10 runs. Without Jos Buttler, away on England duty, they needed Compton or Hildreth to deliver but Trego, who has made more than 1,000 runs in white ball cricket this year, was their only serious contributor, and Craig Meschede tried gamely to add runs in the closing stages, none of his lower-order partners lasted more than six balls.The trip to Lord’s gives Nottinghamshire a chance to add a late shine to a season in which they lost in the quarter-finals of the Twenty20 and have not won a Championship match since May. The quality of their batting line-up, in particular, with six internationals in their top seven, demands a trophy win, which may now come.Director of cricket Mick Newell described the night as “an excellent all-round performance”.”We may have neglected one-day cricket in the last few years as we have concentrated on the four-day game but I identified this competition as one we could do well in as I think we now look a decent one-day side,” he said.”We’ve played well in both white-ball competitions this year and it is nice to have gone one step further and reached the final in this one.”