A packed Wanderers had to watch their team lose disappointingly, that too to an Aussie side!

Stacey Naidoo29-Oct-2012Choice of game
I chose the final of the Champions League Twenty20 because I felt a match between the home favourites, the Highveld Lions, and the unbeaten Sydney Sixers would be a fitting end to an exciting tournament.Team supported
Living in Johannesburg, it was almost mandatory to support the home team. In addition, I felt they needed all the support they could get, coming up against an Australian team that had not lost a match in the tournament. We all know how the Aussies hate to lose!Key performer
I thought the bowling unit of the Sixers performed magnificently, but Nathan McCullum was the standout performer. He took Gulam Bodi’s wicket in the first over, and by the time he picked up his third wicket (in the 14th over), he had reduced the roar of the Lions and their supporters to a mere whimper.One thing I’d have changed about the match
In a game that ended up being a bit of a damp squib, I would have liked to see the Lions put a bit of heart into their defence of the paltry 121, to at least give their die-hard fans something to cheer about. I left the game feeling the Lions had not done their best. Dropped catches and wides were the order of the day during the chase.Face-off I relished

There weren’t too many interesting battles to choose from. Seeing McCullum and Thami Tsolekile battle during the first innings was interesting. I felt Tsolekile was looking to increase the run rate and was about to win the battle when McCullum took his wicket.Crowd meter
The stadium was packed with a crowd that was clearly partisan. In the first innings, they cheered every single the Lions got and went into raptures with the odd four or six. The spectators were vocal and involved, slow-clapping to encourage the Lions to get boundaries. When the Lions bowled, the crowd booed the umpire when a wide was called. Halfway through the Sixers innings, people realised that the game was over and started to cheer every great shot. There was a collective sigh of disappointment when Bodi dropped what would have been a wonderful catch, off Aaron Phangiso’s bowling. Now and again, the Mexican Wave would go around the stadium. It kept the fans warm and helped make a lot of noise, so that was great.Entertainment
We were entertained by some lively music and wonderful fireworks for the sixes, and at the end of the game there was a magnificent pyrotechnic display to signify the close of an exciting tournament. Some of the music could definitely be applied to the Lions – “I’m wide awake”. The Lions’ lethargic running while batting and their mistakes while fielding showed they really needed to be wide awake! Of course “Let me entertain you” was extremely appropriate, because the Sixers entertained us during their batting.ODI v Twenty20?
I have always preferred the 50-over game. It gives me time to enjoy the finesse and strategy used and to note the technical expertise of the players. In Twenty20 cricket, one gets used to fours and sixes, and when there are not many, like in this game, the crowd gets bored.Overall
The quality of cricket was excellent, in terms of the Sixers performance. They have a focused and dangerous bowling unit and powerful batsmen and excellent fielders. Because of the one-sidedness of the game, though, I would rate the quality of cricket as 6. The Lions did not show what they were capable of. But in spite of my team losing, it was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday evening. The rain stayed away so it was a beautiful evening to be out on the Highveld. I would rate the overall experience as 8, especially as it was a final of a tournament.

Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah have led by example in the absence of Bangladesh’s most vital player, Shakib Al Hasan

Mohammad Isam09-Dec-2012Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim and his deputy Mahmudullah have taken the long overdue steps from being occasional match-winners to players who can regularly do so. Their performance in the 3-2 victory in the ODI series against West Indies has been the biggest gain for Bangladesh in the last four weeks of international cricket.In the deciding match in Mirpur, Bangladesh had stumbled to 30 for 3 in pursuit of 217, when Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah counterattacked and put on 91 runs. They only made 40s, but their contributions prevented a susceptible line-up from collapsing.What made their contributions in this series stand out was the absence of Shakib Al Hasan, who was injured for the ODIs. Normally, Shakib does it all, and that has been the case in Bangladesh’s few series wins in the last few years. When they beat a second-string West Indies in 2009, Shakib played the lead with Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah in supporting roles. Against New Zealand in 2010, Shakib did it by himself, scoring hundreds, taking wickets and leading the side as Bangladesh won 4-0.Shakib was also a significant contributor to Bangladesh’s Asia Cup victory in March, but over the last two years Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah have also been match-winners, mostly finishing tense chases. They had the leadership roles on paper but hadn’t been performing them on the field. Now Mushfiqur, the more talkative of the two, has asserted himself as a captain by leading from the front in difficult times. Mahmudullah’s reticent nature, however, was taken as reclusive, even soft at times.In the last four weeks he has been anything but soft. After making 62 in the first innings of the Dhaka Test, Mahmudullah had gathered enough confidence to take on Tino Best. He was bruised but remained at the crease for 83 minutes in the second innings, taking hits on the body, fighting bouncers by hooking for six, a rarity for Bangladesh batsmen. He was dismissed by Best in both innings but his career had advanced. Just before West Indies arrived, there had been calls for Mahmudullah to be dropped after he had been in poor form in the World Twenty20s as well as in first-class cricket.”I know that if you’re not performing, you are not worth your place in the team,” Mahmudullah said. “It was an extra responsibility to perform consistently. I was under pressure but all I thought of was to contribute to the team, and perform consistently.”I didn’t have a good time in the last few matches but since I batted at No. 7 my role is of the contributor, not the one who makes the big runs. It doesn’t always catch people’s attention as a result.”Mahmudullah credited Mushfiqur for giving him enough space, a factor that was vital in him regaining confidence. But more importantly it was taking up responsibility that pushed him to do more for the team.”Without Shakib, who is our best player, I felt I had to stand up in the team,” he said. “My role as the vice-captain is to help the team’s leader. Mushfiqur is an intelligent guy and we talk a lot among ourselves about what needs to be done for the team to do better.”Mahmudullah’s promotion to No. 5 was not likely because of the lack of experience in the line-up, but Mushfiqur thought it would be best to give his form player more opportunity to bat. It was a positive move, one that the captain needed time to make, but he did change things around to give the team a positive outlook.Mushfiqur’s captaincy was also heavily tested in this series, and he will be pleased with his progress after taking over from Shakib in controversial circumstances last year. After the early exit from the World Twenty20s and the Test series loss to West Indies, Mushfiqur put himself under immense pressure. He came good with a Man-of-the-Series performance in the ODIs against West Indies, and will have a clearer idea of how fortunes fluctuate in cricket.Bangladesh need more players in their team to take the step up that Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah have, if they are to build on their success in 2013.

In ten minutes at the IPL auction, South Africa allrounder Chris Morris went from a franchise cricketer on a decent contract to rich beyond his dreams

Firdose Moonda03-Feb-2013Chris Morris was in the Kimberley dressing room with his Lions team-mates on Sunday morning. Little did he know he was sitting on a diamond mine.Across the Indian Ocean, the IPL auction was taking place. Morris was one of the outsiders, with a base price of just US$20,000. That is the equivalent of R177,000 – which can buy a mid-level new car in South Africa.Interested to see if he would be picked up by any team, Morris and some of his team-mates turned on an iPad and watched the action unfold live on this website. Three franchises bid for Morris – the Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and the Sunrisers Hyderabad.Super Kings’ bid reached US$95,000 and then Mumbai upped to US$100,000. Gordon Parsons, the Lions bowling coach, “grabbed the iPad away from me and saw that it was up to 100,000,” Morris told ESPNcricinfo. “He said, ‘Good going, that’s a fair amount of money.'” But that was not all.Mumbai soon doubled the amount, then Chennai raised, and so the ping-pong went. Morris’ head was spinning. “Neil McKenzie had a little joke with me when it got to 450,000 but nobody could really believe what was happening,” he said.Eventually the hammer was hit when Super Kings put $625,000 on the table. That was more than 31 times the amount Morris was initially up for. In rands, he will now earn R5.5 million which can buy anything from a luxury home to a massive investment. “I have never in my life seen this much money,” he admitted. In the space of ten minutes, Morris went from a franchise cricketer on a decent contract to a multi-millionaire.The first thing his team-mates wanted to know was what he was going to do with his riches. “I honestly don’t know,” he said, before giving it a little more thought. “I suppose one of the things I’d like to do is give my parents anything they should like and spoil them a little bit.”Willie Morris, Chris’ father, is a former Northern Transvaal first-class cricketer, so the sporting genes in the family are strong. It took Morris junior a few years before he was recognised after going through the academy structures. He was only contracted by a franchise two seasons ago, but since then his stocks have risen steadily.

“I suppose one of the things I’d like to do is give my parents anything they should like and spoil them a little bit”

Morris was the leading wicket-taker for the Lions in last summer’s domestic T20 competition and played an important part in getting them to the final. It also opened the door for the team to participate in the Champions League Twenty20, which has become a launch pad for domestic cricketers from Davy Jacobs to Kieron Pollard.It was likewise a showroom for Morris, who played a telling role in the Lions’ run to the final, with his finishing ability and genuine quick bowling. He only picked up 1 for 24 against Super Kings but he caught Stephen Fleming’s eye. “He came and had a chat to me afterwards and said he was impressed with the way I bowled,” Morris said. “So I guess that was a big platform for me.”The wicket Morris claimed that day was that of Faf du Plessis, who is a fairly close acquaintance, and had also been talking to him about the possibility of playing in the IPL. Although Morris said he has no preference about which team bought him, his already existing relationships with players at Super Kings means he is probably at the right place. “Fleming was one of my heroes as a schoolboy, so it will be an honour to be around him. And obviously with Faf and Albie [Morkel] playing there, it’s going to be quite fun.”Morris is also looking forward to going to India for the first time and seeing Chennai, where “I’ve heard it’s pretty hot”. Because the CLT20 was played in South Africa last year, not India, Morris missed out on the chance to see the subcontinent. “But I’ve heard stories from people like Faf about how everyone is cricket-crazy, and I really just want to experience the vibe there.”While the euphoria sinks in, there are also some very real concerns for Morris around injury. A quad niggle kept him out of the domestic one-day cup final and recurred to rule him out of the T20 series against New Zealand. It was believed that in the last IPL, Marchant de Lange, another quick, sustained the stress fracture that kept him out of action for the entire summer.Workload is a trending topic, especially for bowlers, and Morris is aware that he will need to monitor his. “That quad injury was a real eye opener for me,” he said. “I realised how quickly things can change in a career. I’ve been working hard with the physiotherapist on my rehab processes and on getting my body right, and at the moment I am feeling good and ready to play.” Super Kings will hope it stays that way.

Kyle Abbott was originally part of the squad only to gain experience. Then Jacques Kallis got injured, and Abbott ended up taking 7 for 29 on debut

Firdose Moonda in Centurion23-Feb-2013Lance Klusener, Kyle Abbott’s coach at the Dolphins, called him the night before his Test debut. As is Klusener’s habit, he did not do much talking.Instead it was Abbott who was wittering away and Klusener was responding in monosyllables, as he often does. “He was saying, ‘Ok, ok, hmmm, ah, ok,’ and then he ended the conversation with, ‘Just keep it tight,'” Abbott told a packed press-conference at the end of the second day in Centurion. He did so much more and he knew it, which is why he ended the anecdote with a toothy grin to meet his audience’s giggles.As the first Dolphins player to represent the country since Imraan Khan played a solitary match in 2009, Abbott has put Kwa-Zulu Natal back on the cricketing map. He combined an accurate line just outside off stump with the ability to make the ball rear up from a good length to take 7 for 29 and become South Africa’s second-most successful debutant.The only South African to have performed better on his maiden Test appearance was Klusener, who took 8 for 64 against India. The former allrounder may have more to say on the phone tonight, but even if he keeps his comments to a minimum, there is little doubt Klusener will be proud.He was the first person Abbott credited for the spike in his form over the last season, which took him to the top of the first-class wicket charts. “Lance has been unbelievable, I mean, what a guy,” Abbott said. “He is not the kind of person to change too much technically but he has really helped me on the mental side of things and with being slightly more aggressive. He has given me the push I needed.”Abbott was a not a spitting Cobra – few rookies would be – but he showed his intent with the ball through discipline. Apart from his first delivery – a half volley on Azhar Ali’s pads that was dispatched through midwicket – he rarely offered anything loose and only conceded one more four.He was dangerous because he played on Pakistan’s insecurities. Abbott’s ability to extract extra bounce ensured the batsmen were always in two minds. They were obviously anticipating short-pitched bowling and stayed on the back foot. When they realised Abbott was not targeting that length, they could not get forward quickly enough to play him and edged deliveries instead.A performance like that required certain maturity, often gained with time spent on the domestic circuit. Abbott has done that. Since missing out on the chance to represent SA Schools in 2004, because of a knee injury, he hovered around the provincial set-up and got his break four seasons later in 2008-09.A regular at the Dolphins since 2010, Abbott was always thought to have potential. Even though he is not a tearaway quick and the speedgun remains around the 130 kph mark, he is skillful when he bowls, and as Vernon Philander has proved, that can be more than enough.The last five days played out in dreamlike haze for him. Everything, from receiving his call-up to being included in the starting XI, has been a surprise and Abbott is enjoying every moment of it. His eyes lit up when he was asked about how he heard he would be part of the Test squad and words tumbled out.”Andrew Hudson [convenor of selectors] phoned at me at 7 o’clock on Tuesday morning. I didn’t have his number so I couldn’t see who was calling and I was still asleep,” Abbott said. “When I heard the phone ring, I just put it on silent and rolled over and carried on sleeping. When I woke up and listened to the message, I thought I had better call back.”Abbott is the latest on a long list of players, which includes Philander, Rory Kleinveldt, Faf du Plessis and Dean Elgar, who have been new to the squad in the last 14 months. The unit is used to welcoming fresh talent and Graeme Smith said they do all they can to make them feel welcome.Abbott was greeted with the same warmth, although he was made aware he was only around to gain experience. He was comfortable with that. “It was just special being around these guys and seeing how the No. 1 team in the world prepares and does their thing,” he said.On Thursday afternoon, hours before the Centurion Test, Jacques Kallis decided to go for his first optional training session in years. “I was in the nets bowling and Gary came and stopped me and said Kallis has pulled up so I might be in,” Abbott said. “I was thinking ‘no way, he is a stalwart, he will make it fine.’ Kallis went for a scan and I carried on. Then Gary came to me later in the afternoon and said I was in.”Abbot’s mind began racing. The call-up had come much sooner than expected. “It’s always in the back of your mind, playing Test cricket, but I didn’t think it would come like this,” he said. “Friedel de Wet [who played for South Africa against England in 2009-10 when Dale Steyn was injured] told me to always give 100% and expect nothing in return.” That’s what Abbot believed until Thursday afternoon.Everything changed. He was going to play a Test and the thought overwhelmed him. The feeling lasted longer because South Africa chose to bat and Abbott was not needed for the entire first day. “I haven’t got any sleep over the last two days,” he said. “This press conference is the first time my hands aren’t sweating and my stomach is not a knot.”Abbott was nervous about everything he did. When he stood up to bat, he had a mishap similar to Faf du Plessis on debut in Adelaide. Du Plessis’ shoelace had come undone and he almost fell down the stairs. Abbott fell through the gap in the chair as he got up to walk to the crease. “I’ve got a huge graze down my leg,” he said.The impression he gave was of a serious and calm person, who compiled runs sedately. “He didn’t show any nerves with bat in hand,” AB de Villiers said. And he definitely showed none with the ball.Abbott came on in the 18th over, with Pakistan going fairly steadily. Dale Steyn, Philander and Kleinveldt had tied things up and Abbott was required to do what Klusener had instructed him to. Instead, he took wickets. And wickets. And wickets. Until he had collected seven, the same number as Marchant de Lange on debut.”It was all about building pressure the whole day,” Abbott said. “The other seamers bowled just as well. It could have been anyone’s day out there and I was lucky it was me.” That was not mere bashfulness; Abbott had made a point.Steyn and Philander’s role was obvious because of the absence of Morne Morkel and Jacques Kallis, and even Kleinveldt bowled well though his figures did him no justice. In his first spell, Kleinveldt was undoubtedly the standout bowler. Abbott outdid everyone, and Smith managed him as only an experienced leader could do. “Graeme kept asking ‘Are you done?’ and the word ‘no’ just kept coming out of my mouth,” he said. Adrenaline and determination combined as Abbott bowled himself into a small part of history.He has a souvenir to show for it. As Abbott left the field, Steyn presented him with the match ball. “Dale was awesome,” Abbott said, for the first time showing a bit of hero-worship. “He stood next to me for most of that spell and just told me to keep doing it.” If he does, South Africa can be guaranteed another stellar quick in their ranks. For now, Abbott’s performance has created more competition for places, which can only be healthy as South Africa build their legacy.

The English domestic season has begun, albeit in the wrong country and with the wrong ball, why England’s win in Bangladesh is like balancing a pencil on your nose, and why Vettori can almost claim to being the greatest No

Andy Zaltzman25-Feb-2013
Tim Murtagh finds out giant antacids cannot be used to bounce out a batsman© PA Photos
Hello again, Confectionery Stallers. Break out your picnic baskets, don your sombreros, and ring work to tell them you’re feeling a bit ill and will be off sick for the next six months − the English domestic season has begun.Admittedly, it began yesterday in what traditionalists would vociferously bark was (a) the wrong month, (b) the wrong country, and (c) the wrong weather. And, most unarguably, (d) with the wrong ball – as Gubby Allen would no doubt have said about the pink curiosity that has been used in the March sunshine in Abu Dhabi: “Never play cricket with something that looks like a prescription drug elephants might take for long-standing digestive problems.”At least the season began with the traditional number of people taking the blindest bit of notice. The county cricket season, like middle age, is something that creeps up on the consciousness gradually, imperceptibly, almost furtively. Some seasons pass by almost completely unnoticed – there is still little concrete proof that the 1998 domestic summer actually happened. The schedule generally splats indecipherably onto the calendar as if it had been typed onto an orange and hurled by an unusually irate chimpanzee.All this before the commemorative highlights DVD of England’s triumphant victory in Bangladesh has even been released, or the avalanche of ghost-written player diaries has hit the shelves. Whether will sell as well as the Freddie Flintoff tomes that flew into Britain’s bookshops at the speed of agitated light in 2005, remains to be seen.Tredwell’s first-Test substitute appearance – a formidable one-handed diving catch seconds after trotting onto the field of play – merits a chapter in itself. Not all subs make such an impact. I once played in a match in which the opposition loaned my team a fielder to cover for a latecomer. The substitute took a fine catch to dismiss his own captain, then hurled the ball in the air, whooped with delight, and started high-fiving us, his temporary, surrogate team-mates. Which suggested that all was not harmonious in the opposition dressing room.England duly completed their almost unavoidable 2-0 series win. On the scale of great human achievements, this ranks some way below Beethoven’s symphonies and the plays of Shakespeare, and some way above balancing a pencil on your head for 15 seconds without it falling off, or making a sandwich. It was fine. Not great, not bad.The pitches were difficult for bowlers and spectators alike, and Bangladesh have the strongest batting line-up in their short and unglamorous history, but England should nevertheless be a little concerned that their seam attack finished with comfortably the worst-ever collective series average (40.70) against Bangladesh.But the Tigers’ bowling “attack” is still, by Test standards, cannon fodder, and England were startlingly cautious at times, as if nervously trying to defuse a loaf of bread. In the second Test, they scored the third slowest team innings of 350 or more against Bangladesh, featuring two of the five slowest ever innings of 50 or more against them (Tim Bresnan’s careful 91 came in a creditable fifth, and Jonathan Trott’s study in passivity was second only to Nasser Hussain’s achingly constipated six-hour 76 in Chittagong in 2003, an innings that had the physio sending out bags of dried apricots to loosen things up.)For the home team, the dream of winning Test matches (without the aid of civil war in West Indian cricket) remains distant, but their batting, and pancake-flat pitches, suggest that the goal of at least emerging with occasional draws is now achievable. In Dhaka, they recorded their highest match aggregate, and saw four players pass 50 in an innings for only the second time.No. 8 was a particularly fruitful position for Bangladesh, with scores of 79, 36, 59 not out and 28. It has been a vintage millennium so far for Test No. 8s, who have averaged close to 23.5, 15% above the figure for the previous millennium (which itself had smashed the preceding millennium’s record).Much of this improvement is due to Daniel Vettori. Now promoted to No. 6, Vettori has completed his transformation from useful tailender (averaging 16 in his first 46 Tests), to fully qualified batsman (averaging 42 in his last 54). His bowling average, interestingly, was 33 in that first period of his career, and has remained 33 ever since, as he has mutated into the Wilfred Rhodes New Zealand cricket had been waiting for ever since, well, ever since Wilfred Rhodes was born in England and failed to emigrate to New Zealand.Vettori can lay an almost legally binding claim to being the greatest No. 8 in Test history. He recently overtook Shane Warne as the highest scorer at that position of all time, with 2072 runs at an average of 42 – higher than the career Test averages of, amongst others, Mark Waugh, Dilip Vengsarkar, Herschelle Gibbs, Andy Zaltzman, Alec Stewart, Lalit Modi (sue me if it’s not true), Chris Gayle, Marilyn Monroe and Monty Panesar. He has also scored three centuries and 13 half-centuries batting at 8, both records. And, to prove that he is not a specialist No. 8, he also holds the record for most runs scored by a No. 9 (1075). The man is a true allrounder.An all-time XI of highest scorers in each position reads as follows: 1. Gavaskar, 2. Hayden, 3. Ponting, 4. Tendulkar, 5. Steve Waugh, 6. Steve Waugh, 7. Gilchrist, 8. Vettori, 9. Vettori, 10. Waqar Younis, 11. Muralitharan.A strong team, certainly, but whether Vettori and Vettori could combine effectively as a spin-bowling partnership is open to doubt, and there may be an awkward personality clash between the two Steve Waughs, particularly when one (the captain) asks the other (the vice-captain) to open the bowling.It seems that the end may be nearing, however, for another Kiwi tail-end stalwart. Chris Martin has served New Zealand nobly with the ball, but he has served humanity heroically with the bat. In an age of increased professionalism and coaching, Martin has clung to his batting ineptitude with the pride and dedication of a true imperfectionist.He has hit 12 fours in a decade-long Test career, amassing 84 runs at an average of 2.15. No Test batsman has failed with such bloody-minded persistence, an inspiration to those of us who can only dream of playing international cricket, but who can secretly (or publicly) reassure ourselves that, if we played 56 Tests, we might not take the 181 wickets Martin has notched on his bedpost, but we would have a fighting chance of scoring at least 85 runs.Meanwhile, in the IPL, well, to be honest, I’m not entirely sure what is going on. I have tried to get into it, readers, but I have failed. Yesterday, I switched my television on, and within five minutes I had seen David Warner reach a hundred and clout some sixes, David Hussey take an extraordinary boundary-defying catch, some pretty women dancing around with almost authentic enthusiasm, and at least 150 different logos. But I still cannot force myself to care genuinely who wins, or why. Possibly because of the logos.

From Ewan Day-Collins, UK

Cricinfo25-Feb-2013Sustained success has never been something particularly associated with England. While other more tenacious nations choose the path of pragmatism, seeking longevity in their position of power, England never seem to have consistency in their play. Supporting England has been a trial of patience, the pain occasionally forgotten when victorious moments such as the Ashes victory in 2005 occur. These moments precede a sharp snap back to reality when yet another defeat soon turns up to spoil the joyous celebrations.A sense of optimism is stimulated by just a small sign of possible power, before yet more tribulations soon quash that feeling. It is these inklings of brilliance that keep the fans and the fanatical Barmy Army turning up, judicious beliefs, sometimes seemingly obvious outcomes that are often overtaken and nullified by unrealistic thoughts of prosperity.We lambaste the players, the coach, the ECB, when things go wrong, of course. But the constant flux in results creates rapid forgiveness, before more accusations are thrown at whoever is seen fit to receive them.Being a loyal supporter of England is not difficult, however. Our craving for brilliance, the expectation often being ridiculous, always remains. This sense of false hope is wonderful, occasionally backed up by the players’ achievements. The few moments we enter sporting utopia fuels our desire for more, and more, and even more of the same. We thrive on the sensation of tranquillity, when all goes right for England, though this perfect equilibrium is rarely durable, rocked too often by our own security and complacency.Supporting England is, as they say, a journey – an incredibly changeable one at that. Each series is given a grand branding, which too often it fails to live up to. We reward our players dutifully if they win however, many receiving MBEs, knighthoods and open-top bus parades.If they do not succeed in their quest, we discard them with unwavering ruthlessness. We fling them to the wayside, before anticipating the next, untried batch to be winners, subsequently erasing the memories of past troubles.Each country has their unique culture of cricketing fans. Some are faithful and partisan, some are calm and prudent, and some soon lose patience and vociferously voice just that. England also has its own identity, though it is difficult to clearly define. A team in fluctuation, a cautious board and unrealistic expectations from the fans often ends in a lack of clarity.If a player appeases and wins over the supporters but then – like Andrew Strauss currently – has a lean patch, we will spare him the slaughterhouse, choosing to be faithful and kind. However, if a player we dislike is in a rough place we will respond quite differently, though always with deference and respect for his attempts. This is the English way.As with any country, the emotion of supporting England also changes rapidly. If, as England supporters, we had been experiencing self-pity before the new guard of Flower and Strauss took control of the reigns, we are now firmly in a state of assurance, we trust in guaranteed success, catalysed by the whitewash against India on home soil.We have confidence in the team, though only continuing success will ensure their security as past experiences have detailed. Now we look ahead with the faith that the team will do well, after so many years of poor performances, punctuated with brief moments of greatness. We seek more of this greatness, and hope it is more regularly achieved.As an England supporter, I do not see the future will trepidation now but with hope, a hope this time supported with evidence. I am not ashamed, when in the company of Australians, to declare my nationality, though I am wise enough to maintain a clear sense of reality: the England team must not become ostentatious or pretentious, but must exert its authority as the world’s No. 1 in the Test arena.Perhaps now, speaking as a supporter inspired rather than embarrassed, England will make up for years of austerity. But we must not enter the dangerous land of complacency, otherwise, once more, our expectations will not be duly met.

Matt Prior’s strength is his ability to play in any situation, and according to the needs of his team. His commitment to England’s cause cannot be doubted

Andrew McGlashan in Wellington15-Mar-2013Matt Prior is one injury away from captaining England. Alastair Cook does not miss Tests – he has only been absent for one since his debut, on his first tour in 2006 – so the odds are against it, but a broken finger is only one rearing delivery or awkward catch away. If misfortune did happen to cross Cook, leading England would certainly not be a role above Prior’s station.He has been elevated to vice-captain for this tour, replacing Stuart Broad who had previously been Cook’s deputy, and it is the official stamping of the leadership position he has had within this team since his second coming as a Test cricketer. Whether it be trying to salvage a disintegrating innings, throwing the bat to bring about a declaration, stealing back impetus as he did today, snaffling catches behind the stumps, geeing up fielders during a long day in the dirt, or running from his position to have a word with the bowler, Prior is rarely far away from the crux of a situation.His leadership qualities shone through last year off the field, too, when he took it upon himself to pick up the phone and call Kevin Pietersen after his meltdown following the Headingley Test against South Africa. Prior had no selfish thoughts and just wanted to try and sort out a mess that was engulfing the England team. His chat with Pietersen did not bring immediate rewards, but it was another occasion when all the thought was about the bigger picture.Selfishness is just not something that comes near Prior’s game. You only had to witness his dismissal in Wellington, reverse sweeping to be caught at short third man shortly before tea, when he was within touching distance of a seventh Test hundred, which would have put him just one behind Les Ames among England wicketkeeper-batsmen.”It’s not the way I play, mate. I try to read the situation as best I can, and adapt my game,” Prior said. That’s all that’s important to me – making sure the team’s in the right position at the end of the day.”I’d be lying if I didn’t say you do walk off and [think] ‘Oh, 18 runs away – it would have been lovely to get a Test century’. They don’t come around that often. But if I get it over his head, it’s another boundary, then get to tea and have another little dart after tea. That’s more important.”Prior and the team’s plan had worked out just about right, especially having been put in. Bat until tea on the second day with more than 450 on the board. Yet when Prior walked in at 325 for 5, following loose shots from Ian Bell and Joe Root, the innings was threatening to be neither one thing nor the other. In fact New Zealand were enjoying the better of the day. However, by lunch he was already into gear with 15 off 21 balls, signing off the session two powerful off drives.Shortly after the interval, Pietersen fell trying to clear mid-off against Bruce Martin, and Broad, whose batting continues to slide to such an extent that Steven Finn will expect the No. 8 position soon, feathered a catch to keeper. At 374 for 7, England could have been kept under 400, not a failure by any means but neither the statement they wanted to make.With Finn at the other end, fresh from his nightwatchman heroics in Dunedin, Prior knew he had someone who would not gift his wicket away so there was no need to go into farming mode, but intent was important. England wanted to dictate the nature of the game. While he plundered the off side there was also a delicate touch as he glided the ball through the slips to bring up the 400. Then he took apart Neil Wagner, the feisty left-arm quick, with two straight drives for six as he set his sights on the team’s aim.But when asked about his display, typically he focused on someone else. “It was nice to contribute. But more important for me today was the contribution from Steven Finn. There was a lot said about his innings in the last Test match. It was a slightly different situation today, and again he stepped up. It’s so important, those guys putting in those contributions at the bottom. Even if he’s just batting time, and someone else is able to score at the other end, it’s so vital.”Of the current vintage of wicketkeeper-batsmen, Prior is one of a few in form. MS Dhoni’s has a recent double-hundred against Australia, to follow his 99 against England in Nagpur, although his average does not match Prior, and AB de Villiers is settling into his new position with increasing effectiveness. Kumar Sangakkara was outstanding, and remains so as a batsman, but no longer keeps in Tests.From those three contemporaries, de Villiers and Sangakkara are top-order batsman while Dhoni has recently moved from No. 7 to No. 6. A move one place up the order would allow Prior the chance for more substantial innings, but it is easy to see why England like the current set-up. The only way it will change is if a bowling allrounder, perhaps Chris Woakes, makes a sustained case for No. 7.Regardless of where he bats, though, Prior can lay a claim to being England’s best ever. His average has pushed ahead of Ames, although he remains behind him in terms of hundreds, and is considerably higher than that of Alan Knott, who Prior does not match as a gloveman, although errors in his work are few and far between now. Alec Stewart also needs to be included in any such debate, but Prior makes a strong case although not one he is yet willing to think about.”As far as I’m concerned, those guys are legends of the game – and I’ve got a long way to go before I class myself alongside them,” he said. “You look at these guys – Stewie has been a mentor of mine for many years – and their stats and the games they’ve played, of course. They’re distant goals. I made the mistake of looking too far ahead once before, and I’m not going to do that again.”Fingers crossed, one day I might be able to say ‘Yes, I had a good influence on the team’.” Of that, there is no doubt.

While Ed Cowan has found the answer to what works for him in spinning Indian conditions in this Test series, Phillip Hughes seems to have less and less of an idea of the same with every passing innings

Brydon Coverdale15-Mar-2013The past few weeks in India have been a learning experience for Ed Cowan. For Phillip Hughes they have just been an experience. It is okay for Australian batsmen to struggle on their first tour of India, as long as they show signs of improvement. As long as they prove they are absorbing the lessons as they go. Cowan and Hughes began this tour as novices in India. Cowan has progressed to become Australia’s second-best batsman in the series. Hughes has not only failed to improve, he has gone backwards.It is a startling comparison. Aside from a cheap first-innings lbw to a delivery that pitched outside leg in Hyderabad, Cowan’s scores and balls faced have grown in every innings: 29 off 45, 32 off 97, 44 off 150, 86 off 238. Meanwhile, Hughes has looked worse and worse against spin and his only double-figure score came because fast men were operating. He scored six from 15 balls of spin in his first innings of the series and since then has managed two runs from 67 deliveries of spin. He did his homework during the week but couldn’t put theory into action.Whatever plan Hughes is working to has failed. Perhaps it is a failure of the coaching staff, but then he has looked much better in the nets than in the Tests. After five innings in India he is still as shaky using his feet as a newborn calf. The team’s batting coach Michael di Venuto noted during the week that it’s easier to advance when the ball is spinning in than away as the body can provide a second line of defence. But Hughes remains glued to the crease against left-arm orthodox bowlers. He was also unable to pierce the stacked leg-side field and unwilling to hit against the spin to off, perhaps rightly so.His judgment of length and drift is poor and he struggles to pick the ball out of the hand: he left a carrom ball from R Ashwin on the second day in Mohali that fizzed perilously close to his off stump. Hughes did show patience and eventually nudged a couple of singles but the way he looked, it was only a matter of time until the spinners got him. In the end it was a ball turning down leg that he gloved behind that cost him his wicket, not the most lethal of deliveries but one that, in this form, Hughes was unable to put away.It left Hughes with 27 runs at 5.40 in this series. He would almost certainly have sat out this match but for Shane Watson’s departure and Usman Khawaja’s detention. His lack of improvement makes it impossible to see how he can be picked for the next Test in Delhi, given the likelihood of a raging turner. However, he creates a dilemma for the selectors, because he should be of more use in the Ashes in English conditions. But will he get there or will his replacement thrive – as Steven Smith has done in Mohali – and keep him out?At least the visible improvement from Cowan has relieved the selectors of any doubts about his position, although he is so well-regarded by John Inverarity and Co that they had few anyway. Still, a lean Indian series and an average dipping down into the 20s might have tested their patience.

Phillip Hughes scored six from 15 balls of spin in his first innings of the series and since then has managed two runs from 67 deliveries of spin. He did his homework during the week but couldn’t put theory into action

Cowan has altered his plans since the start of the series, eschewing the aggressive approach that he used in the first innings in Chennai and instead placing a million-dollar price on his wicket. It was a conscious shift. Cowan’s response to the coach Mickey Arthur’s now infamous homework task was to explain that he wanted to be accountable for batting a long period of time. The team has enough stroke-makers. A crease-occupier, which is a role that comes more naturally to Cowan, provides important balance.By surviving for 238 deliveries in the first innings in Mohali, Cowan lived up to his words. He has now faced 543 balls in the series, more than any other batsman from either team, including his captain Michael Clarke, who has faced 515. Some critics will argue that Cowan’s slow tempo did not suit a match Australia must win to keep the series alive. But that ignores the basic tenet of playing your own game. The rest of Australia’s order is filled with faster scorers. Cowan has done his job if he gives them a stable partner.Certainly he had his share of luck in this innings, although he was due it. A couple of edges evaded first slip and Cheteshwar Pujara at silly point couldn’t hang on to another chance. But at least those chances came from Cowan playing his natural style, not trying to be something he is not. That brought him undone in the first innings of the series, when he lofted Harbhajan Singh for six down the ground and then was stumped dancing down the pitch to attempt another.”My plans have almost come full circle,” Cowan said after play. “Coming over here I had it in my mind that I needed to put pressure on the spinners by attacking them … my game plan has changed from putting pressure on them to putting pressure on them by not letting them get me out. I’m not saying that attacking the spinners wouldn’t have worked but I don’t think that’s my job. I’m at peace with the fact that I’ve got to grind them out over here.”Cowan guards his stumps carefully. He doesn’t mind if dots build up, but when loose balls arrive he dispatches them. He contributes to his own luck by challenging India’s fielders to stay alert for long periods. When Hughes is in, they are on guard every delivery, confident that a wicket is imminent. Hughes tries to be patient but cannot get the bad balls away.In other words, Cowan has discovered what works in the challenging Indian conditions, and the answer is his natural game. Hughes appears not to have a natural game against spin. He cannot regress any further. The question is, will he ever learn?

A look at the season-wise comparisons, team-wise stats, and the best batsmen and bowlers in the Powerplay, middle, and slog overs

S Rajesh27-May-2013IPL 2013 started slowly in terms of run-scoring, but by the end it picked up sufficiently so that the overall numbers are pretty similar to what was achieved in the last few years. The run-rate picked up and ended at 7.67, only about two percent lower than last season’s rate, while the number of 50-plus scores was only one short of last season’s aggregate. The sixes count went down from 731 to 674 – a fall of 57 – but there were 140 more fours this time than last year. There were only four 200-plus scores this time, though, the least in an IPL season in India. This was also a season of minimal weather interruptions: only one match was played with a reduced number of overs, while none was washed out, unlike what had happened in the last two seasons.It was noticeable that teams didn’t bank so heavily on the Powerplay overs this time, choosing instead to wait for the last few overs to make their move. That’s reflected in the run rates as well: for the first time in six IPL seasons, the average Powerplay run rate dropped to less than seven runs per over – it was 6.93, compared to 7.22 last year. The scoring rate in the middle overs wasn’t too high either, but in the last five the rate increased to 9.57, which is the rate achieved in 2010, when the overall tournament run rate was 8.12. For teams batting first, the scoring rate in the last five was 10.16, well clear of last year’s 9.68 and 2011’s 9.36.The bowling was a mixed bag in 2013, and while there were some stand-out fast-bowling performances by Dale Steyn, Mitchell Johnson, James Faulkner and Lasith Malinga, among several others, overall spinners did better: they were more economical while averaging around the same. However, they bowled fewer overs than they had in the previous two seasons: compared to 1039.2 overs in 2011 and 1019.4 overs in 2012, spinners bowled only 856 overs in 2013.The main difference in the contribution from spinners was in the Powerplay overs. In the 2011 IPL, following on the success of spin with the new ball in the World Cup, they 1199 deliveries during the Powerplays, and next year it went up to 1266; this time, though, it came down to 902 balls.

Team-wise statsWhen a tournament has such a long league stage with each team playing 16 games, it isn’t necessary that the title winners are actually the side with the most wins over the entire tournament. However, this year Mumbai Indians, the champions, had a better win-loss ratio over the entire tournament than any other side. Coming into the final, they had a poorer win-loss ratio – 12 wins, 6 defeats – than their opponents in the final, Chennai Super Kings, who had a 12-5 record. However, the result in the final meant Mumbai Indians finished with a 13-6 record, while Super kings dropped to 12-6. Super Kings, though, had the better numbers than Mumbai Indians in each of the four key stats – batting average, run rate, bowling average and economy rate.Rajasthan Royals, who finished third, also had the third-best win-loss ratio, while Sunrisers Hyderabad, the fourth team to make the play-offs, were the only side among the top six with a poorer run-rate than economy rate.

The Powerplay starsSuper Kings had a solid top-order star in Michael Hussey throughout the tournament, and he was a huge factor in the team getting off to fine starts in most of their matches. Hussey’s consistency was outstanding: in only four out of 17 innings did he score less than 20, though one of them was unfortunately in the final. Hussey scored six fifties in the tournament, and all of them were in wins. In the 12 matches that Super Kings won, Hussey averaged 71.55 at a strike rate of 137; in the five games he played in which Super Kings lost, he averaged just 17.80, at a strike rate of 93.Hussey was the leading run-scorer in the Powerplay overs, while his scoring rate was a steady seven per over. Among the others in this list are Chris Gayle, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, and both the regular openers from Pune Warriors, Aaron Finch and Robin Uthappa. Dravid had a high average, but he also played out plenty of dots during the Powerplay overs.Among the bowlers, Mitchell Johnson and Mohit Sharma were the stand-out names in the Powerplay overs. Both took 15 or more wickets at excellent economy rates. James Faulkner, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Praveen Kumar all had superb economy rates as well.

Best in the middle oversHussey was a prominent name in the middle overs too, scoring the second-highest number of runs, and he was often joined during this period by Suresh Raina, who has excellent stats too. These two have the lowest dot-ball percentage among the eight batsmen in the list below, and more often than not ensured that Super Kings had a fine launching pad for the final overs. Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle did a similar job for Royal Challengers, scoring plenty of runs and scoring them quickly. Mumbai Indians have a couple of names in the list too, but Dinesh Karthik got out plenty of times in the middle overs, and Rohit Sharma’s scoring rate during this period was relatively low. David Miller had outstanding stats too for Kings XI Punjab.Harbhajan Singh was by far the leading wicket-taker during this period, with 19 at an economy rate of 6.01, while Amit Mishra had a fantastic economy rate of 5.53. The top two wicket-takers in the middle overs were both spinners from Mumbai Indians – Harbhajan and Pragyan Ojha – and their combination was one of the huge strengths of the team throughout the tournament.Not surprisingly, this period of the game was dominated by spin, with Siddharth Trivedi the only medium-pacer in the list.

Slog-over specialistsMS Dhoni was undoubtedly the batting king of the final overs, scoring 286 runs at more than 12 per over, but also take a look at Raina’s numbers below: in five innings when he batted in the last five overs, he scored 193 runs from 86 balls without being dismissed even once, giving him a scoring rate of 13.46 runs per over. His dot-ball percentage during this period was an incredibly low 7%. Most of the top batsmen had scoring rates of more than ten per over during this period, but the best of the lot was AB de Villiers’ rate of 14.30 runs per over: he scored 186 runs from 78 balls.The highest wicket-taker during the last five was Dwayne Bravo, whose slower balls and clever variations fetched him 24 wickets at a rate of 7.78 per over. In terms of economy rates, though, the two best bowlers were Dale Steyn and Sunil Narine – both conceded less than seven runs per over, and took a fair number of wickets too.

Graeme Swann remains England’s first-choice spinner but the stock of his deputy James Tredwell is rising

Andrew McGlashan11-Jun-2013First it was Graeme Swann’s elbow, now it is his back giving English cricket some sleepless nights. His performance in the second Test against New Zealand, at Headingley, highlighted, if any such reminder was needed, how he remains way ahead in England’s Test pecking order. However, the same may not apply to the one-day side.In the dead-rubber against New Zealand at Trent Bridge Swann was rested and then at Edgbaston – which was anything but a dead-rubber – he was ruled out shortly before the team sheets were exchanged, so late in the fray that he was listed to play. On both occasions his replacement played a crucial hand in victory; the first one a consolation, the next vital at the start of England’s Champions Trophy campaign.Step forward James Tredwell; the willing tourist, the expert drinks carrier, the hardworking net bowler. But he is far more than that, and now he is getting the chance to show it. The ball to remove Martin Guptill at Trent Bridge, through the gate, was a beauty (inside a Powerplay, too, it is worth remembering) and he then had Australia’s top-order tied in knots. The four overs he bowled for eight runs tightened the tourniquet applied with the new ball and went a long way to securing victory. When he returned he was more expensive but Australia were so far behind.Guptill a poor player of spin and Australia a poor top-order? Yes to both, but Tredwell also deserves more credit than that. He does not look out of place next to many of the other spinners on show at the Champions Trophy.Having said that, if Swann is passed fit for England’s second group match against Sri Lanka he will, in all likelihood, slot straight back into the team. But there is an argument to say, at the very least, it should not be an automatic decision. What? Drop Swann? It often feels like sacrilege to even suggest the idea.Well, just digest these numbers: since January 2012, Swann has taken 13 wickets in 14 ODIs at 42.23, while Tredwell has bagged 22 scalps in 11 matches at 19.95. As bare figures they make a compelling case for Tredwell. If someone suffered selective amnesia and was the told to pick an offspinner, you wouldn’t blame them for not choosing Swann.But let’s move away from making it a contest between the two and appreciate Tredwell. He has never been picked in a squad as first choice, always a reserve, yet he has rarely let England down when called in – sometimes, like at Edgbaston, with just a moment’s notice. That’s the value of experience built up over years on the domestic scene. Sometimes the demand for youth is not balanced with the need of the moment. Tredwell is the perfect understudy for England right now.Neither are many of his outings just token appearances with nothing riding on them. Before the January 2012 cut-off for the previous statistic, he produced a match-winning spell of 4 for 48 at the 2011 World Cup against West Indies in just his fourth ODI. Against South Africa last year he took five wickets in three matches and then in India he claimed 11 at 18.18 (as a comparison, R Ashwin took seven wickets at 35.71) before Swann was immediately recalled for the one-dayers in New Zealand.It is true that Tredwell’s first-class figures this year are not flattering. In fact, he hasn’t taken a red-ball wicket. In 102 overs, spread over five games. Not even a No. 11 slogging to long-on. Tredwell is not the dynamic longer-form bowler that Swann is and he will not have a long and fruitful Test career.However if, in a worst case scenario, Swann is incapacitated at some point during the next 10 Tests matches, spread over two Ashes series, there is a strengthening case for Tredwell ahead of Monty Panesar. A few overs to Australia’s left-handers and it’s unlikely his season’s wicket tally would stay at zero.Again, while making comparisons across different formats is not entirely fair, the calmness and control of Tredwell, when thrust into a central role as he was at Edgbaston, is in marked contrast to how Panesar reacts when he is on his own, as opposed to in tandem with Swann.The presence of Tredwell could also help Swann extend his Test career. Naturally, Swann wants to play at the 2015 World Cup – perhaps it will the finale to his career, if he makes it – but he does not have to play the vast number of ODIs between now then. There have already been signs over the last six months that Swann will be carefully handled through one-day cricket, much as Dale Steyn is for South Africa; a different style of player, obviously, but an equally valuable commodity to his team.And the more Tredwell performs in his England shirt the more it is clear they have a perfectly able deputy.