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Former South Africa captain hopes to finish his Test career in Cape Town, his “favourite stadium in the world”

Firdose Moonda22-Dec-2023Dean Elgar, South Africa’s former Test captain and stalwart opening batter, will play his last international series against India this summer. Elgar, 36, announced his decision to retire from international cricket after the New Year’s match, which is scheduled to start on January 3 in Cape Town.If in the playing XI for both Tests against India, Elgar will finish on 86 Tests in a career that has spanned 12 years. “Playing the game of cricket has always been a dream of mine but having the opportunity to represent your country is the ultimate! Having had the privilege to do it for 12 years internationally is simply beyond my wildest dreams,” he said in a statement. “It has been an incredible journey that I have been fortunate enough to have.”The Cape Town Test will be my last. My favourite stadium in the world. A place I scored my first Test run against New Zealand and hopefully my last too.”With 5146 runs, Elgar is South Africa’s eighth-highest run-scorer in Test cricket – only eight have gone past 5000 runs – and 352 runs behind Mark Boucher, who is seventh on the list.ESPNcricinfo understands that Elgar was informed that he was not part of red-ball coach Shukri Conrad’s long-term plans. He has been linked with Essex as an overseas player for the 2024 season.Elgar’s decision means he will be unavailable for South Africa’s two-Test series in New Zealand, where they will be forced to send a makeshift side because several frontline players will be involved in the SA20 league. Elgar does not have an SA20 deal and would have been the most experienced player in the squad, and potentially even asked to captain in Temba Bavuma’s absence. Instead, Titans’ batter Neil Brand is expected to lead South Africa and partner Tony de Zorzi at the top of the order. Brand and de Zorzi opened the batting together for South Africa A against West Indies A in a recent three-match series.Asked ten days ago whether Elgar was considering ending his international career, CSA director of cricket Enoch Nkwe told ESPNcricinfo that “nothing has come to my table”, but would be meeting with players and their agents “over the next couple of weeks”. Nkwe has held several discussions in the interim and paid tribute to Elgar’s contributions over the years.”Dean Elgar represents a rare brand of cricketer in an age where everything is about innovation and power-hitting. He is a real old-school cricketer that can dig in, absorb and fight. I have no doubt the game will dearly miss him,” Nkwe said. “He has always given everything for his country and never showed any fear, no matter the opposition. He was always there to take on the challenge, leading as captain when the country needed him most.”Dean Elgar led South Africa in 17 Tests, winning nine of them•AFP/Getty Images

Elgar made his debut in Perth on South Africa’s tour of Australia in 2012, when they were ranked No. 1 in the world, and became the 38th player to record a pair on debut – a list that stands at 45 now – but scored a century in his third match and went on to record 13 hundreds, against all Test opposition other than Pakistan and Zimbabwe. His favourite opponents were Sri Lanka, against whom he scored a match-winning hundred in Galle in 2014, followed by two more centuries in 2017 and 2021.Elgar stood in as captain for Faf du Plessis, who was on paternity leave, for the first Test of South Africa’s 2017 tour of England and again for two Tests against Pakistan in 2019, and was named permanent captain of the Test side in mid-2021. He led South Africa to series wins in the West Indies and against India at home, and drew a series against New Zealand in early 2022, which saw them top the World Test Championship (WTC) table at the time. But away losses to England and Australia in 2022-23 meant South Africa missed out on the WTC final earlier this year. Elgar was replaced as captain when there was a reshuffle of the coaching staff in February but continued to play under Bavuma.It is understood that Elgar was unhappy with the decision to be stood down but accepted a new central contract at the end of March. With South Africa only due to play two Test series in the 2023-2025 WTC cycle, Elgar felt his Test career would be limited by the schedule and sources have confirmed he wanted to finish on a high at home.

Hosts need another seven wickets on final day as they chase promotion

ECB Reporters Network22-Sep-2022New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel claimed his first five-wicket haul for new county Glamorgan to help them close in on victory at home to Derbyshire.The Welsh County need another seven wickets on the final day to maintain the pressure on Middlesex in the race for the second promotion spot in Division Two.It took two sessions for them to take the remaining five wickets of the Derbyshire first innings, Anuj Dal top scoring with 92, Patel taking two catches to add to his five wickets.Not quite up to the Test record-equalling 10 wickets he managed with ball in hand for New Zealand in India, but still a massive contribution for his new county as they enforced the follow on. Derbyshire finished the day on 123 for 3.Glamorgan captain David Lloyd had talked about needing patience on this penultimate day and that was certainly the case through a wicketless morning session.Harry Came and Dal kept the scoreboard moving in reasonable comfort, without ever being able to relax on a wicket which was still offering something to the bowlers – albeit without pace.Glamorgan had to wait until after 1.20 before taking their first wicket, a smart catch by Patel low to his left off the bowling of Timm van der Gugten to ensure Came went for a well-made 64 in a partnership of 145.Alex Thomson fell cheaply to the bowling of Patel before van der Gugten claimed the crucial wicket of Dal, eight short of what would have been a well-deserved century.The all rounder was probably the pick of the Derbyshire bowling as well as their top scorer, taking his total runs scored from No. seven in the batting line-up to more than 900 this season.Derbyshire continued to show stubborn resistance as Patel took the rest of the wickets to claim 5 for 68, well supported by van der Gugten who took 3 for 37.Glamorgan had no hesitation in enforcing the follow on, Derbyshire trailing by 297, but more importantly leaving four sessions to take the 10 wickets needed for victory.Australian Michael Hogan led Glamorgan onto the field after tea for his last innings at the home of Glamorgan cricket after a decade with the club.First-innings half-centurion Luis Reece fell caught behind off James Harris, but captain Billy Godleman led the way following his first-innings duck.Brooke Guest was undone by a beauty from van der Gugten which jagged back between bat and pad to hit the top of off.Godleman had a bit of luck when he was dropped by Lloyd at slip for 38, but it did not cost Glamorgan’s skipper too dear as his opposite number fell for 40, lbw to van der Gugten, when close to his season’s top score of 43. Wayne Madsen and Leus du Plooy saw out the rest of the day.

Stunning innings from young allrounder makes light work of Somerset’s target

David Hopps11-Jun-2021Surrey 188 for 3 (S Curran 72*, Evans 65) beat Somerset 187 for 6 (Abell 69, Hildreth 31)Surrey are strutting – and how. On the back of their immense performance against Middlesex in the London derby, they withstood a six-hour journey to the West Country to dispense with Somerset in equally bullying fashion. Somerset’s 187 for 6 felt a little inadequate, but Surrey wolfed it down, and spat it out, by seven wickets with four overs to spare. Awesome stuff.Surrey had made 223 for 7 at Lord’s, the highest score in 72 domestic T20 matches on the ground, and their mood had not shifted. Will Jacks, who had made the fastest T20 half-century in 11 years at Lord’s, fell cheaply to Josh Davey, but Jason Roy pummelled the Powerplay and then Laurie Evans and Sam Curran produced a stand of 104 in 52 balls for the third wicket that made light of the chase.Evans’ power-hitting is well known, and he looked in prime form against wayward bowling, but Curran’s not so much. He has five T20 half-centuries and many predict that batting will ultimately become the dominant part of his all-round status. But his unbeaten 72 from 36 balls, with six sixes and five fours represented a career-best and, perhaps, a new level.Some of the sixes, to be frank, needed hitting, especially the two from legspinner Max Waller which set him on his way, but by the time he hauled Ben Green over midwicket, with victory nearing, there was a venom in his strokeplay that showed the gulf between the sides. Once the hundred was raised in the eighth over, it was just a matter of time.Somerset, with Jack Leach and Craig Overton on England duty, look a little thin on options. Their home matches are coming thick and fast – they face Kent at Taunton on Tuesday – and although they have only lost their first two in a 14-match league, they need a reversal of fortunes and fast.Two evenings earlier, on the same ground, Somerset had posted 185 for 7 against Essex and been beaten by three wickets with seven balls to spare. At the interval, the balance felt identical – with the added pessimism that Surrey’s batters had gone stratospheric in their defeat of Middlesex.Watch Somerset regularly and, for all their talent, one of the recurring themes is their captain, Tom Abell, resolutely trying to put things right. There are many excellent professionals in county cricket, but very few who give the impression they are so committed to the cause with every breath of their being.Related

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The outcome of that determination was 69 off 44 balls. Abell has had to work to become a T20 cricketer and, apart from his trademark scoop, which he executed perfectly against Tom Curran to reach his fifty, his game is based on intelligent shot selection.Somerset had a decent Powerplay – 63 for 2 – and, after Tom Banton had left early, reaching at a wide one from Sam Curran to fall at short third man, much of that was down to Will Smeed, who stepped in for the injured Roelof van der Merwe at No. 3, and struck 23 from 13 balls. If van der Merwe was missed, it was with the ball.Smeed is a product of King’s College, Taunton, the alma mater of such luminaries as Jos Buttler, Banton and James Hildreth and, if Somerset’s production line seems, shall we say, somewhat niche, there is no denying its quality. As for Smeed, he was impressive from the outset. In his first two balls, he probably just wanted to get a bat on ball, but found to his delight that he had smoothed Matt Dunn to the cover boundary and stolen a neat single off the next. He was unfortunate to pick out Roy at backward point.Once James Hildreth fell lbw to Gareth Batty (one of a handful of players to have figured in all 18 seasons of the Blast) Somerset faltered. Surrey’s victory owed as much to the post-Powerplay spin squeeze applied by Batty and the slow left-armer Dan Moriarty. By the time Eddie Byrom fell to Tom Curran, cutting, Somerset’s conservatism against some well-drilled overs had become costly. With Marchant de Lange a place too high at No. 8, it was understandable why: without the Overtons (Craig with England, Jamie with Surrey), Somerset are struggling for balance.An 18-run over against Tom Curran, with Abell to the fore, helped to give Somerset a vaguely competitive total, but when Abell fell with 15 balls remaining, mistiming a big leg-side hit against Dunn’s off-cutter, the writing was on the wall.

BCCI president says India have no choice if Test cricket needs to attract crowds

Nagraj Gollapudi25-Oct-2019India are getting closer to playing day-night Test cricket. According to BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, Indian captain Virat Kohli has told him he is “agreeable” to day-night Tests although there is no definitive date as to when it would happen.Ganguly said India had no choice and playing day-night Tests was the “way forward” if Test cricket needed to attract crowds. That is what he told Kohli during their meeting in Mumbai on Thursday at the BCCI headquarters. It was the first meeting between Ganguly and Kohli after the former captain took charge as BCCI president on October 23.”We all are thinking about this. We will do something about this,” Ganguly said on Friday at the Eden Gardens at an event organised by Cricket Association of Bengal to felicitate him on him taking charge at BCCI. “I am a big believer in day-night Tests. Kohli is agreeable to it. I see a lot of reports in newspapers that he is not, but that is not true. The game needs to go forward and that is the way forward. People should finish work and come to watch champions play. I don’t know when that will happen, but it will.”India, No.1 on the ICC’s Test rankings, and Bangladesh are the only teams (outside of newly promoted Ireland and Afghanistan) to never have played a pink ball Test cricket since Australia and New Zealand featured in the first one in 2016.Now, with the World Test Championship under way, the onus is on the host board to organise day-night Tests, but the BCCI had expressed its reluctance, mainly because India wanted to protect its points and Indian players had not played enough first-class cricket under lights.Sourav Ganguly holding his first press conference after being appointed the BCCI president•AFP

Ganguly has been pushing for India to play with the pink ball even when he was head of the BCCI’s technical committee. In the past, he had recommended that the BCCI continue to invest in playing Duleep Trophy under lights, an experiment first used in 2016. This season the board had initially planned for the Duleep final to be a day-night affair only to change its mind at the last minute.When day-night Tests were launched, the ICC had said that it was a way to let fans come back to the ground after work and have a nice time. The first one in Adelaide was packed on all three days.Earlier this week Kohli had suggested BCCI could limit Test cricket to five of the big venues in India, saying one of the advantages of doing that would be attracting large crowds. His comments came after the final two Tests of the South Africa series were played to sparse crowds in Pune and Ranchi. Ganguly thinks day-night Tests could be a good option to sort that problem too.”Cricket needs a change,” he said. “Who had thought that T20 cricket will be such a rage when it was first played? Even we (senior players) were asked to rest when the format was first played. See lifestyles have changed. No one can afford to bunk schools or offices these days to watch cricket. They need to be brought to the ground after day’s work.”India’s upcoming Test calendar includes a two-match series against Bangladesh in November and a three-match series in New Zealand next February and March

Victoria finished higher than New South Wales on the table by a net run rate difference of 0.02 and thus progressed to face Western Australia

Alex Malcolm04-Oct-2018Victoria have progressed to the semi-finals of the JLT Cup after persistent rain in Sydney washed out the qualifying final against New South Wales at Drummoyne Oval.Victoria finished higher than New South Wales on the table by a net run rate difference of 0.02 and thus progress to face Western Australia in Sunday’s semi-final at the Junction Oval in Melbourne.Experienced Victorian batsman Cameron White faces a race to be fit for the semi-final after suffering a low-grade groin strain that would have kept him out of the clash with the Blues had rain not ruined proceedings.The wash-out has also delayed the return of Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood from a back injury. Hazlewood played one game in New South Wales Premier cricket for his grade club St George a fortnight ago where he bowled eight overs in a 50-over match. He was held out of Monday’s JLT Cup clash against Queensland with the aim of playing in the qualifying final against Victoria.New South Wales do not play again until the four-day Sheffield Shield competition begins on October 16.

Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels have been picked in West Indies’ ODI squad for the series in England. Gayle last played an ODI in March 2015, and Samuels in October 2016

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Aug-20170:53

Quick Facts – Gayle makes ODI comeback

Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels are set to play ODI cricket for West Indies after a prolonged absence due to an impasse with the board. Gayle last played an ODI in March 2015, and Samuels in October 2016; both players were selected in West Indies’ squad for the ODI series in England.

The West Indies ODI squad

Sunil Ambris, Devendra Bishoo, Miguel Cummins, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder (capt), Kyle Hope, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse, Rovman Powell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Kesrick Williams
In: Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor
Out: Roston Chase

Gayle’s call-up follows a relaxation in Cricket West Indies’ criteria in order to be eligible for selection. Previously, in order to play a particular international format for West Indies, players needed to be available for the corresponding domestic tournament. CWI climbed down from that policy in July and offered an amnesty to its players.Darren Bravo was suspended in November 2016 and sent home from the tour of Zimbabwe following a Twitter condemnation of board president, Dave Cameron. Subsequently, both parties released statements of apology but he is yet to return for West Indies. Dwayne Bravo has spent all of 2017 till date recovering from a hamstring injury – for which he needed surgery – that he picked up during the Big Bash League in December last year.”With regards to the selection of the ODI squad, the panel welcomes back Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels, who will both add value to our batting and help with the nurturing of the young batsmen in the team,” chairman of selectors Courtney Browne said. “Both Sunil Narine and Darren Bravo have declined to be considered for ODIs in England. Narine has however confirmed his desire to play 50-over cricket again but has asked to play in our Regional Super50 before he is considered and Darren said he was not available for selection. Dwayne Bravo said he is still not 100% fit, but is looking at a possible return to international cricket next year.”Roston Chase was excluded from the squad that played the ODIs against India in June and July – West Indies’ previous 50-over assignment. Fast bowler Jerome Taylor, who last played an ODI in June 2016, was also picked in the squad, having played the one-off T20 international against India.West Indies begin the ODI leg of their tour after the third Test against England at Lord’s from September 7. They play an ODI against Ireland in Stormont on September 13, followed by five matches against England between September 19 and 29.

Rohit Sharma spoke highly of incoming India head coach Anil Kumble, describing the former India captain as an “inspiring” figure from whom he had learnt a lot

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-2016India batsman Rohit Sharma has spoken highly of the side’s new head coach Anil Kumble, describing the former India captain as an “inspiring” figure from whom he had learnt a lot.Rohit played alongside Kumble towards the end of the legspinner’s India career. The two renewed their professional relationship when Kumble served as Mumbai Indians’ team mentor from 2013 to 2015, a period during which the team won two IPL titles and a Champions League T20 title. Kumble’s first assignment as India coach is the four-Test series in the West Indies in July and August.”I have two [three] years of experience [with him] at Mumbai Indians and I know the kind of things we spoke about. I was the captain and he was the coach and mentor of the team. I got to learn a lot from him,” Rohit said at an event in Mumbai. “I was fortunate enough to play with him during the last months before he retired. I remember in 2008, I was part of the Test squad to Sri Lanka and he was the captain. And he always had this attitude of never giving up, which as a young player is so inspiring.”You have to keep fighting no matter what. If the game is slipping away from your hands, don’t give up till the last ball is bowled. That’s how he played his cricket. You get the feeling that he was someone who wouldn’t let go too easily. That’s the kind of message that he wanted to send across. That’s the kind of message we also want as young players. He’s very inspiring.”Rohit was also full of praise for Ravi Shastri, whose 18-month tenure as India team director came to an end after the World T20 earlier this year. Shastri had been appointed to the role in August 2014, after India’s dismal loss in the Test series in England. During Shastri’s tenure, India made it to the semi-finals of successive global events – the 2015 World Cup and the 2016 World T20 – and briefly occupied the No. 1 Test ranking earlier this year. Shastri had applied for the position of head coach in June, but his application was ultimately unsuccessful as Kumble was chosen.”[Shastri] took up the responsibility when we were in a shambles,” Rohit said. “As soon as he came, he created a positive atmosphere around us.”Rohit added that Shastri had been “a big influence on Indian cricket for the past 18 months.”

Bad light forced the umpires to call off a match shortened by rain to 11 overs a side before a positive result was possible at Grace Road, ruining anticipation of a clash between two Pakistan team-mates – Shahid Afridi and Umar Akmal

ECB/PA12-Jun-2015
ScorecardRain wrecked the clash between Umar Akmal (pictured) and Shahid Afridi•Getty Images

Bad light forced the umpires to call off a match shortened by rain to 11 overs a side before a positive result was possible at Grace Road, ruining anticipation of a clash between two Pakistan team-mates – Shahid Afridi and Umar Akmal.Leicestershire skipper Mark Cosgrove won a delayed toss, but only 1.1 overs were possible before heavy rain caused a further hour’s delay.When play resumed, in drizzle and increasing gloom, umpires Jeff Evans and Nick Cooke decided there was sufficient time for an 11-over match.Richard Levi and Josh Cobb put together an opening partnership of 31 for the Steelbacks, but Foxes’ left-arm fast bowler Atif Sheik dismissed both with successive balls, hitting towards midwicket where Tom Wells took two excellent catches, running across the soaking outfield and sliding to hold the ball on the full.Ben Duckett picked up the pace for the Steelbacks, hitting two straight sixes in going to 39 off 23 balls, with Wells particularly expensive, conceding 28 runs from his two overs. Clint McKay, bowling a series of slower balls of varying lengths, conceded just a single from the final over.With the light worsening rapidly, Leicestershire lost a wicket to the first ball of their innings, Ned Eckersley flashing at a Rory Kleinveldt delivery and edging to Alex Wakely at first slip.Kevin O’Brien was bowled by Mohammad Azharullah, but after just 3.1 overs, the umpires decided the light was too bad to continue.

The 2013 Women’s World Cup trophy replica, brought to Mumbai for a promotional launch of the event, has been detained by the customs officials at the Mumbai airport

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Nov-2012The 2013 Women’s World Cup trophy replica, brought to Mumbai for a promotional launch of the event, has been detained by the customs officials at the Mumbai airport. The tournament will be held in the city early next year. The trophy arrived via baggage from Dubai, and according to customs rules trophies can only be brought into the country through cargo.”The trophy should be brought through cargo. In the past we have notified that it shouldn’t be part of the baggage. Prior permissions are required to bring them as part of baggage. As per the regulation, the authorities will have to pay a duty on it,” Airports customs official PM Saleem told .Saleem also mentioned that he had received a letter from the BCCI requesting for an exemption from taxes. However, without documents signifying the approval of the central government in this regard, the trophy will not be released, it is understood.An ICC spokesperson, however, mentioned that the ICC possessed all the necessary paperwork to avoid this.”Despite having all the appropriate paperwork, Mumbai Customs decided to confiscate the trophy. This is the third time. The first time was when they confiscated the 2011 ICC World Cup marketing trophy, then the World T20 marketing trophy and now the ICC Women’s World Cup marketing trophy. All the trophies are replicas,” he said.In 2011, the trophy awarded to the Indian team after they won the World Cup had been the original trophy that had arrived in the country much earlier: the replica had been taken back to Dubai following a similar customs roadblock.

A round-up of matches from the eighth weekend in Kenya’s East African Cup and East Africa Elite League

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Oct-2011

East Africa Premier League

Rift Valley Rhinos reignited the Twenty20 competition with a surprise five-wicket win over leaders Rwenzori Warriors in Kampala. The result cuts the Warriors lead to four points whereas two rounds ago they were a seemingly unassailable eight points ahead. Warriors never got going after winning the toss and batting, and only Roger Mukasa (32) hung around for any time as they were bowled out for 93. The Rhinos were wobbling on 58 for 5 before Ramesh Mepani (29* off 31 balls) calmly saw them home with two overs in hand.Nile Knights, unbeaten in five T20 games, took the chance to close the gap with a comfortable 33-run victory over Nairobi Buffaloes. The Knights made 140 for 9 – Collins Obuya picked up late wickets to return figures of 4 for 20 – and the Buffaloes lost too many early wickets to mount a serious challenge.Kongonis enjoyed a straightforward five-wicket win against winless Coast Pekee in Mombasa with 23 balls to spare.

East African Cup

All three matches were rained off leaving the table unchanged.