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English cricket anticipates Government bail-out in Wednesday's Budget

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Summer sports to be safeguarded by £300 million scheme in wake of Covid disruption

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Mar-2021English cricket looks set to be the major beneficiary of a £300 million government bail-out for summer sport, when Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveils the Budget on Wednesday.The news will come as a major boost to the ECB, which announced losses in excess of £100 million in 2020 after the sport bore the brunt of the first Covid-19 lockdown.”As a huge cricket fan I know there’s nothing that says summer more than watching your favourite team,” Mr Sunak told The Telegraph. “I can’t wait for sports grounds to be filled with fans with atmosphere again – this £300 million cash boost will help make that a reality.”The 2020 county season, which had been due to get underway last April, had to be postponed until August with most clubs choosing to furlough their staff in the interim, while the ECB were forced to make 62 redundancies at the end of the season.The board did manage to mitigate its losses – which had initially be projected to be in excess of £300 million – by ensuring that England’s men fulfilled their complete summer schedule against West Indies, Pakistan, Ireland and Australia.However, all of those matches, as well as the rescheduled county and women’s season, had to take place behind closed doors due to the pandemic, and county chiefs have warned that a repeat of those circumstances in 2021 would be unsustainable for many clubs.The Government funding – which is expected to be shared between tennis, horse racing, rugby league and women’s football – will be allocated by an independent committee, led by Sir Ian Cheshire, the former chairman of Barclays Bank, and run through Sport England.The scheme is effectively an extension of the Sport Winter Survival Package, announced by the Government in November, which was also a £300 million investment, comprising “soft” loans lasting up to 20 years and grants.Lord Ian Botham told The Telegraph: “Everyone in the cricketing world will be delighted. It’s been a tough time for the sport. But this could give us the opportunity to get the fans safely back in the stadiums, which is the next step. Cricket is our summer sport and I’m pleased that it’s being looked after.”Though the money will be targeted at the professional level of the game, the ECB is understood to have warned the Government that, without the trickle-down effect that gate receipts have on the finances of English counties in particular, the knock-on effects for grass-roots cricket and the women’s game would be significant.Kent’s latest financial figures, released on Tuesday, support that concern, with the club reporting a drop in income of almost £2 million from all areas of the business outside of its ECB funding, including membership subscriptions, ticket sales and catering contracts.”We are facing a critical year from a financial viewpoint,” said Kent Cricket’s Honorary Treasurer, Derek Taylor.Related

  • Cautious optimism as government points to return of spectators

  • The Hundred to launch with women's fixture on July 21

  • There was cricket in 2020. Isn't that miracle enough?

Warwickshire’s chief executive, Stuart Cain, has also welcomed the Government’s measures to safeguard the sport’s finances as “positive news”.”Like most sports, cricket has taken a huge hit over the last 12 months and it’s only prudent financial measures and generous support from our Club Members that have seen us through,” Cain said. “The devil is in the detail so we look forward to more information on how to access the emergency funding after the budget.”Limited capacity crowds are due to be allowed back into stadiums by mid-May, according to the Government’s recently announced road-map, although some county venues are hoping to put themselves forward for pilot events from the early weeks of the season.Cain also confirmed that the club has been working with the ECB and Government on measures to permit larger crowds at Edgbaston during the venue’s first major event of the summer, the second Test against New Zealand in June.”Using protocols such as testing, masks and vaccine certificates along with other social distancing measures, we’re confident that we can get a sizable crowd in to the game safely, setting sport up for when full crowds could potentially return after June 21.”The professional game has been played behind closed doors and cricket clubs across the County have struggled with bars closed and restrictions stopping the game being played in the way we love,” Cain added. “Warwickshire Cricket Board have been excellent in the way that they have helped the recreational game through the pandemic.”

Sarah Taylor retires from international cricket

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England’s wicketkeeper steps down after long-term battle with anxiety issues

Andrew Miller27-Sep-2019Sarah Taylor, one of the most talented wicketkeepers in the history of the game, has announced her retirement from international cricket, having struggled in recent years with a long-term anxiety issue.Taylor, 30, made her England debut as a 17-year-old in 2006, and went on to make 226 appearances all told. Her tally of 6,533 international runs places her second on England Women’s all-time list of run-scorers, behind her long-term captain, Charlotte Edwards.In the course of her career, Taylor played key roles in some of England Women’s most memorable triumphs, including the World Cup and World T20 triumphs in 2009, and the unforgettable home World Cup win in 2017, in which she produced key innings of 54 and 45 in England’s semi-final and final victories over South Africa and India respectively.However, Taylor will undoubtedly be remembered primarily for her work behind the stumps. Her tally of 232 dismissals across formats is a record for women’s internationals, but the style and skill of many of her takes have marked her out as one of the most naturally gifted wicketkeepers of any gender and any era.The speed of her glovework was matched by her instinct for where the ball was going, not least when pulling off leg-side stumpings, a mode of dismissal which became her trademark when standing up to England’s seamers.But in recent years Taylor’s anxiety has affected her ability to enjoy the game, and having taken an extended break after England’s semi-final defeat at the World T20 in India in 2016, her appearances had been carefully managed – with her belated recall for the 2017 World Cup offset by her absence from last year’s World T20 in the Caribbean.”This has been a tough decision but I know it’s the right one,” said Taylor. “For me and for my health moving forward. I can’t thank my team-mates enough, both past and present, and the ECB for being supporters and friends along my journey.ALSO READ: Taylor interview: ‘I couldn’t handle being the best because the only way was down'”Playing for England and getting to wear the shirt for so long has been a dream come true and I have been blessed with so many great moments throughout my career. From making my debut in 2006, to Ashes wins, and of course the World Cup final at Lord’s, to name just a few.”I’ve also been blessed with travelling the world and making lifelong friends along the way.”Taylor’s final international appearance came during this summer’s drawn Ashes Test at Taunton, when she scored 5 in her solitary innings before withdrawing from the T20 leg of the series to manage her anxiety issues.England’s disappointing showing in the Ashes – they lost the points-based series 14-4, with a solitary win in the seven matches – led to the resignation of Mark Robinson, the hugely respected head coach who had been so integral in helping Taylor balance her priorities in overcoming her anxiety.Nevertheless, Taylor’s integral role in helping to grow the profile of women’s cricket, not least through her unique and stylish talents, cannot be understated.”To be right in the thick of women’s cricket as it’s gone from strength to strength – not only in England, but across the world – has been an amazing experience,” she said, “and I can look back on what women’s cricket has achieved with great pride at playing some small part in it.”The England girls are role models on and off the field, and they have undoubtedly inspired – and will continue to inspire – so many young people to take up the game, girls and boys. I can’t wait to see the heights that this team can reach.”I am extremely proud of my career. I leave with my head held high and with excitement for what my future holds and what my next chapter brings.”Clare Connor, ECB Managing Director of Women’s Cricket, said: “Sarah can be immensely proud of everything she has achieved in an England shirt, and of everything she has done for the women’s game.”She is someone that young people can look up to, for her achievements and talent on the pitch – but also for her bravery and resilience off it. She has come through significant adversity and performed on the world stage for her country.”We are very grateful to Sarah for her contributions to English cricket over the last 13 years. She has become a powerful voice within women’s sport and I’m sure she will make a success of the next stage of her professional life. We all wish her the very best.”

Roland-Jones stays positive despite double stress-fracture heartache

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The Middlesex seamer broke down early in the season after returning to action following the injury which ruled him out of the Ashes

Andrew McGlashan02-Aug-2018Toby Roland-Jones has refused to feel sorry for himself despite being ruled out for the majority of this season with a recurrence of the back stress fracture which scuppered his hopes of being on the Ashes tour last year.Two matches into the County Championship season, Roland-Jones felt pain in his back against Derbyshire and subsequent scans showed an eight millimetre fracture (compared to the six millimetre one he picked up at the end of the 2017 season) and he has since embarked on a lengthy rehabilitation programme.Currently he remains in the recovery stage with no fixed timescale on a potential return, but he has been adamant not to dwell on the difficult times which have caused his Test career to be stalled after four highly promising outings. In his maiden home summer in 2017, he claimed 17 wickets against South Africa and West Indies, including a five-wicket haul on debut at The Oval.”The mental side that’s toughest is not being able to play, firstly for Middlesex and then not having the chance to regain an England place,” Roland-Jones told ESPNcricinfo while part of the Match Day coverage of the first England-India Test at Edgbaston. “It’s always important to find a positive side to any scenario, even if you feel like the unlikeliest fella in the world or everything is going your way, you always have to try and stay level.”That was my approach when things were going great after a Test match so at the same time, when things are tougher and there are more negative notes, you have to try and bring yourself up.”Roland-Jones’ initial return following last year’s injury came on the England Lions tour of West Indies where he played a warm-up match and two four-day games. Given the spin-friendly conditions, his workload was not excessive and he then started the domestic season with Middlesex before breaking down.”I don’t harbour any regrets, it’s so difficult with stress fractures to know where they are at or how hard to push them,” he said. “I’ve always been someone who would rather attack the game rather than fear my body. I didn’t want to sit back then wonder if I could have played. I felt fine at the time, I don’t know whether it was too soon … it’s hard to know, it would be wrong to regret. I was trying to play for England again.”Despite the repetitive nature of the injuries, Roland-Jones does not believe he will need to make changes to his action when he does return to the field.”Everyone is always looking to make technical tweaks to be at their best, but I’ve bowled for a long time without having any injuries of note so I don’t think it comes down to my action not being able to hold up to certain things. That’s something that can maybe be discussed further down the line, but it’s not been fed back to me that there’s an isolated problem.”It’s unclear as yet when we’ll look to bowl but physically I’m making some good strides. Hopefully it will put me in a good place to come back stronger and fitter than ever, and stand up to the physical strains of bowling again.”

Injured Starc out of Bangladesh Tests, O'Keefe dropped

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Mitchell Starc will miss Australia’s Test tour of Bangladesh in August due to injury, while left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe has been axed despite bowling Australia to victory with a 12-wicket haul against India in Pune earlier this year

Brydon Coverdale16-Jun-2017Mitchell Starc will miss Australia’s Test tour of Bangladesh in August due to injury, while left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe has been axed despite bowling Australia to victory with a 12-wicket haul against India in Pune earlier this year. Ashton Agar has been included as the second spinner alongside Nathan Lyon, with Jon Holland overlooked after piling up 50 Sheffield Shield wickets at 20.78 last summer.Allrounder Hilton Cartwright has been named in the 13-man squad and has the chance to add to the one Test cap he earned during Australia’s home summer, while Usman Khawaja has been included after being overlooked for all four Tests in India. In the absence of Starc, Australia’s pace attack will be made up of Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and James Pattinson, although a fourth fast bowler is set to be added after Australia A’s tour of South Africa.

Australia’s 13-man squad

Steven Smith (capt), David Warner (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Hilton Cartwright, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, James Pattinson, Matt Renshaw
In: Hilton Cartwright, James Pattinson
Out: Steve O’Keefe, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Jackson Bird

“Mitchell was due to go for follow up scans after the Champions Trophy, as part of his recovery plan,” David Beakley, Australia’s team physio, said. “These scans have indicated his previous stress fracture has still not fully healed to the extent we would like.”He will now undertake a period of rest from bowling with the aim to have him return for the one-day series in India in late September as he begins his build up to the Ashes.”The omission of O’Keefe is a rapid fall for the left-arm spinner, who claimed 6 for 35 in each innings in Pune in February, and finished the series as Australia’s equal leading wicket-taker despite his impact diminishing as the tour wore on. Then in April, O’Keefe was fined and suspended by New South Wales for what were described as “highly inappropriate comments” at a Cricket NSW function.”Whilst Steve O’Keefe bowled well in Pune,” national selector Trevor Hohns said, “he did not maintain this level in the remaining matches of the series and we believe the timing is right for Ashton to enter the set-up and test his allrounder ability.”Ashton has continued to impress us with his form and we believe his bowling is at a level where he deserves to be playing on the highest stage. He will work nicely in tandem with Nathan Lyon and also brings a great all-round package to the team.”Hilton averages nearly 60 [52.07] runs in first-class cricket and was the second highest run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield last season with 861 runs. He is a quality player who we believe has a big future for Australia and we are very keen to see him carry on his good form in the sub-continent.”Although the tour schedule had not been officially announced, Cricket Australia said in releasing the squad details that the team would arrive in Bangladesh on August 18 and play a two-day tour game in Fatullah from August 22. The two Tests are set for August 27 in Dhaka and September 4 in Chittagong.Australia were supposed to tour Bangladesh in 2015 but after advice from the Federal Government, Cricket Australia announced the tour had been postponed due to security concerns. Pat Howard, Cricket Australia’s executive general manager of team performance, said CA was currently satisfied with the security arrangements for the trip.”The Bangladesh Cricket Board and the Bangladesh Government have provided satisfactory levels of assurance and security for this tour to proceed at this stage, and we’re very grateful to them for this,” Howard said. “We will continue to work with them to finalise plans but also monitor advice from government agencies and our own security advisors about the security risk.”Our number one priority will always be the safety and security of our players and support staff when travelling to any country. Players selected for this tour will continue to receive regular security status updates prior to travelling.”

Herath retires from ODIs, T20Is

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Sri Lanka left-arm spinner Rangana Herath has announced he is retiring from limited-overs cricket in order to focus on the remainder of his Test career

Andrew Fidel Fernando17-Apr-2016Sri Lanka left-arm spinner Rangana Herath has announced his retirement from limited-overs cricket in order to focus on the remainder of his Test career. Herath informed Sri Lanka Cricket of his decision to step away from the shorter formats in the past week, and the board has since accepted his decision.”In the next eight months or so, we’re scheduled to play something like 12 Test matches,” Herath said. “I think retiring from the shorter formats is the right move, because that will allow young players to be groomed for the next World Cup, as well as lowering my workload and letting me concentrate on Tests.”Herath, 38, has played with injuries in both knees over the past few years, and was largely only picked for limited-overs cricket in the approach to, and in major tournaments, in which he has played a significant role.He has 74 wickets from 71 ODIs, but will be remembered more fondly for his impact in T20 internationals. Herath played a key role in Sri Lanka’s victorious 2014 World T20 campaign, delivering the side’s spell of that tournament. His 5 wickets for 3 runs in a virtual quarter-final against New Zealand is arguably the best-ever T20 bowling performance. He was also effective in the semi-final and final of that tournament, and had also been incisive in the 2012 World T20 semi-final, against Pakistan, where he claimed 3 for 25. Overall, he has 18 T20I wickets from 17 matches.”In T20, the two spells I remember fondly are my 5 for 3 against New Zealand, and the 3 for 20-odd against Pakistan at Khettarama,” Herath said. “I haven’t taken any five-wicket hauls in ODIs, but I bowled well in that tri-series final against India, in the Caribbean in 2013. I took 4 for 20 in that game, though we went on to lose. I also have good memories of the 2011 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand (he took 1 for 31).”Most recently, Herath played in every match of Sri Lanka’s recent 2016 World T20 campaign, and his retirement will leave the likes of Jeffrey Vandersay and Sachithra Senanayake vying to become the team’s first-choice short-format spinner. Herath himself will shift focus to the three-Test series in England, in May and June, for which preparation begins on Monday.”Sri Lanka Cricket wishes Mr. Herath nothing but the best as he continues to play cricket in his chosen discipline, and in all future endeavours,” a board release said.

'2015 World Cup critical for New Zealand' – Heal

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Stuart Heal, interim chief of New Zealand Cricket’s board of directors, said that the 2015 World Cup would be crucial to the New Zealand board and could help the organisation set cricket up across levels financially

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Sep-2013Stuart Heal, interim chief of New Zealand Cricket’s board of directors, said that the 2015 World Cup would be crucial to the New Zealand board and could help the organisation set cricket up across levels financially.”It is only 18 months or less away and it is critical from every which way you want to measure it,” Heal told the . “It is critical for us to reconnect with our fans. It is critical to increase our playing numbers and it is critical because it generates us cash. It is a very lumpy revenue line for New Zealand Cricket and if we can get it up to where the current forecasts are, it will set cricket up financially at all levels.”Heal took over as interim chief earlier this week. Former cricketers Richard Hadlee, Geoff Allott and Martin Snedden were elected as directors, along with administrators like Greg Barclay, Neil Craig, Liz Dawson and Don Mackinnon. The eight new directors were voted in by delegates representing all Major Associations and District Associations, a change that was a result of the revamped constitution adopted by the board in July this year. One of the major changes in the constitution adopted this year was the formation of the “appointments panel” to recommend candidates for the eight-member board of directors. The 28 members of the NZC would then vote to endorse – or reject – the candidates.According to Heal, the change has brought balance to the New Zealand board and has also helped bring in former players into administration.”The lobby group that criticised NZC said there were insufficient cricket heads around the table,” Heal said. “We now have Sir Richard Hadlee, Martin Snedden and Geoff Allott. I think that is a fantastic balance in the board and their concerns have been addressed. I think I’ve been appointed as the interim chair to keep some continuity.”On his own position as interim chairman, Heal said the board is likely to finalise the chairman in October and he would decide on putting his name forward next month.Heal also admitted that every decision taken by the board was not likely to be a popular one. “To people who say that New Zealand Cricket is not a business – I completely disagree. It is a $50 million business. About three-quarters of our revenue comes in US dollars,” Heal said. “It is a complex exporting business, to be blunt. If it makes money, then that money filters through to grass-roots cricket.”

Unlikely finalists battle for maiden SLPL title

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ESPNcricinfo’s preview of the SLPL final between Nagenahira Nagas and Uva Next

The Preview by Andrew Fernando30-Aug-2012

Match facts

August 31, R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)
Uva’s Jacob Oram has been the SLPL’s most miserly bowler with an economy rate of 3.94•Shaun Roy/SPORTZPICS/SLPL

Big Picture

Before the tournament, few would have imagined either Nagenahira Nagas or Uva Next would reach the final, let alone both at once. On paper, Ruhuna Royals boasted bigger overseas stars, Basnahira Cricket Dundee the better local talent, and Wayamba United the X-factor players. Yet, the finalists have each performed at crucial moments to earn their passage.Both sides have ridden their fortune too. Nagenahira were lucky that a washout in the semi-final against Kandurata Warriors granted them automatic qualification, but were luckier still that the resurgent Kandurata were unable to play Uva Next in their round robin match on Saturday, robbing Kandurata of the chance to leap above them on the points table and go through to the final instead. For Uva, Jacob Oram’s all-round brilliance happily coincided with an off-colour Wayamba show on Tuesday, in the heist of the tournament.Nagenahira will have the psychological advantage of having beaten Uva comfortably on Monday, and are slight favourites. They may lack for a few star names, but they have relied on a few key players to lift the side. Imran Nazir’s blazing starts and Angelo Mathews’ calculated finishes have provided formidable bookends to their innings, while the attack has taken its cues from Shaminda Eranga and Ajantha Mendis.Bowling, meanwhile has been Uva’s forte. Following his three-wicket haul in the semi-final, Oram is now not only the league’s most miserly bowler with an economy rate of 3.94, he is also only one scalp short of being among the tournament’s top wicket-takers. Umar Gul may not have been picked for Pakistan’s ODIs against Australia, but his yorkers remain fearsome at the death, while Sachithra Senanayake and Seekuge Prasanna provide both variety and penetration with spin. If the Uva attack can topple Nazir early and silence Mathews towards the end, they will be favourites to win the trophy after qualifying fourth for the semi-finals.

Path to final

Nagenahira Nagas – Four wins and two losses in the round robin, qualified for the semi-finals at second place. Through to final on points after Wednesday’s semi-final was abandoned due to rain.Uva Next – Three wins, two losses and one draw (match abandoned due to rain) in the round robin, qualified for the semi-finals in fourth place. Through to the final after defeating top-placed Wayamba by 20 runs.

Watch out for

Ajantha Mendis (Nagenahira) has reclaimed a spot in Sri Lanka’s World Twenty20 side through a strong SLPL performance and seems to have rediscovered the accuracy that saw him demolish international sides at the beginning of his career. He has added more flight to his deliveries as well, and his mystery remains largely intact in a domestic tournament that lacks the video analysis resources available at the top level.Dilhara Fernando (Uva) is tipped to return for the final, after missing all but three matches through injury, and will augment an already impressive seam battery. Fernando has the only five-wicket haul in the SLPL, and his split-finger slower ball still deceives batsmen who have played him for years. Overs from him at the beginning of the innings will allow the captain Thilina Kandamby to reserve more of Gul’s yorkers for later.

Team news

Nagenahira will be without Mushfiqur Rahim, who left the country on the eve of the final to join the Bangladesh tour to the West Indies, extending the trend of overseas players leaving for national duty just as the tournament reaches its climax. TM Sampath is likely to take over the gloves instead.Nagenahira Nagas (probable) : 1 Imran Nazir, 2 Udara Jayasundera, 3 Travis Birt, 4 Colin de Grandhomme, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt), 6 Angelo Perera, 7 TM Sampath (wk), 8 Suraj Randiv, 9 Shaminda Eranga, 10 Ben Laughlin/ Kanishka Alvitigala, 11 Ajantha MendisGul and Fernando having recovered from their niggles, Uva have a fully fit squad to choose from. None of their major players have left the tournament either.Uva Next (probable): 1 Dilshan Munaweera, 2 Upul Tharanga (wk), 3 Thilina Kandamby (capt), 4 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 5 Chinthaka Jayasinghe, 6 Andrew McDonald, 7 Jacob Oram, 8 Sachithra Senanayake, 9 Seekkuge Prasanna, 10 Umar Gul, 11 Charith Jayampathi

Stats and trivia

  • Shaminda Eranga and Ajantha Mendis have taken 11 and 10 wickets respectively. The remaining Nagenahira bowlers have 14 between them
  • Jacob Oram’s most expensive figures, 1 for 22 from three overs, came against Nagenahira
  • Dilshan Munaweera is the only batsman from either team among the tournament’s five top runscorers, with 168 runs and a strike-rate of 135.

    Pitch and conditions

    Three days of heavy rain in the lead-up does not bode well for the final, particularly as scattered thunderstorms are forecast for Friday evening. A shortened final may well be on the cards. The Premadasa pitch may also be more conducive to swing, having had precious little sunshine to dry it out over the past week.

    Quotes

    “I don’t think Jacob [Oram] gets the new ball much when he plays for New Zealand. We’ve given him the new ball here and he has become a totally different bowler.”
    “I always try to give myself a chance to bat till the end because I know I can catch up later on. I know how to approach the game from that position and go about finishing off an innings.”
    .

Durham hit back to take victory

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Durham snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in today’s Clydesdale Bank 40 match against Leicestershire at Chester-le-Street

14-Aug-2011
Durham snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in today’s Clydesdale Bank 40 match against Leicestershire at Chester-le-Street.After a week in which they lost to Hampshire in the Friends Life t20 quarter-finals and in the County Championship, Durham were bowled out for 192 by Leicestershire and then saw their opponents romp to 72 without loss in reply.But spinners Ian Blackwell and Gareth Breese then picked up six wickets between them as the visitors were dismissed for 155 to hand Durham a 37-run victory. Leicestershire batted a man short because Australian allrounder Andrew McDonald suffered a knee injury after bowling five overs for 18 runs.With James Taylor, like Durham pair Ben Stokes and Scott Borthwick, on England Lions duty, Leicestershire were short of batting.Durham kept alive their hopes of a semi-final place despite a below-par batting performance. They were all out with 17 balls unused and were indebted to left-handed opener Mark Stoneman making 73 in his first one-day appearance of the season.On his comeback from injury, Leicestershire captain Matthew Hoggard took 2 for 26. He persuaded Paul Collingwood to sky a catch to mid-off after making seven, while Blackwell miscued to cover after hitting three sixes in making 43 off 40 balls. Going in at 66 for 4, Blackwell gave the innings impetus with two sixes over mid-wicket in an over from offspinner Jigar Naik.In reply, Leicestershire looked like coasting to victory until their opening stand of 72 ended in the 13th over when Josh Cobb sliced Callum Thorp to backward point to depart for 37. It was the first of four catches for Collingwood, who held the other three at slip off the spinners.Even at 117 for 2 the visitors were clear favourites, but two wickets fell on that total as Blackwell and Breese both bowled wicket maidens. It was left-armer Blackwell who ended Jacques du Toit’s innings of 56 off 65 balls to finish with 2 for 15 in his eight overs.Breese’s second wicket came when Wayne White, having hit 12 runs off the first five balls of an over, reverse swept the last one straight to backward point. Breese also took the last two wickets to finish with 4 for 21.

Sehwag, seamers lead India into final

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A combination of belligerent hitting by Virender Sehwag and potent seam bowling helped India storm to the final of the tri-series

The Bulletin by Kanishkaa Balachandran25-Aug-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIt appeared as though Virender Sehwag was batting on a different pitch•AFP

A combination of belligerent hitting by Virender Sehwag and potent seam bowling helped India storm into the final of the tri-series against Sri Lanka with a comprehensive thrashing of New Zealand in the last league game. On a day when a majority of the specialist batsmen on both sides batted with two left feet in bowler-friendly conditions, Sehwag found a way to carve out an aggressive century, scoring more than what all 11 New Zealanders managed between them. The target of 224 was soon out of New Zealand’s reach after their top order crumbled against a four-pronged seam attack, a bowling combination you wouldn’t associate with Indian sides, especially in the subcontinent.By the end of the night, you could imagine batsmen queuing up outside Sehwag’s door for the inside story on how he managed to dominate everything thrown at him. It was as though he was batting on another surface. Sehwag was unfazed by the early movement and nip off the wicket, which made the seamers potent. He played in a style known only to him and, with the final in three days’ time, his innings today will undoubtedly be analysed in detail.MS Dhoni took the gamble of batting on a fresh pitch, despite India having collapsed for 103 after batting first in their previous match against Sri Lanka. New Zealand’s seamers nipped out four wickets by the end of the 13th over with a combination of swing, cut and bounce, which strikes took the sheen off an entertaining start from Sehwag.Not known for exaggerated foot movements, Sehwag used the crease to loft the seamers over the off side. He barely moved across the stumps but such was his confidence that he stretched to scoop and slash powerfully over backward point. He backed away and slapped the slower bowlers past the infield as well. A more conventional punch through cover brought up his 1000th ODI four, one that was part of a sequence of three consecutive fours off Tim Southee.India were lucky to have Dhoni at the other end, for he rotated the strike and built a solid partnership with Sehwag. Their stand produced 107, but India needed more from their last capable pair, having only Ravindra Jadeja, who is still trying to find his feet in ODIs, and a long tail to follow. Sehwag, however, didn’t alter his approach. He continued to charge the spinners, lifting Kane Williamson inside out over extra cover for boundaries, and also cleverly picked the gaps at fine leg off the seamers. He played an upper cut over the vacant slip cordon shortly after getting to his century, but the fun ended for India when Sehwag found deep midwicket when on 110. His dismissal was against the run of play.Dhoni, who had batted carefully, had to try to reclaim the advantage for India, but New Zealand took control. Having grafted to 38 off 75 balls, Dhoni edged a Nathan McCullum delivery while trying to drive. The dismissals of Sehwag and Dhoni in quick succession meant a premature end to the innings was inevitable. Soon after New Zealand picked up the final wicket, though, their control over the game came to a grinding halt.They had no-one with Sehwag’s calibre and temperament to take the initiative, irrespective of the damage being done at the other end. They were exposed against the moving ball and even seasoned performers struggled. Praveen Kumar started the slide in conditions tailored to his variety of bowling, trapping Martin Guptill leg before in first over.There was no respite from the other end as Ashish Nehra, with his extra pace when compared to Praveen, got the ball to nip in sharply to the right-handers, slicing them in half. A lot depended on the experienced Ross Taylor, but he was just as circumspect as the rest. He expected the ball to move in, but it went the other way and took a thick outside edge, giving Praveen his second wicket.New Zealand’s chase was irreparably damaged when their senior-most batsman, Scott Styris, chopped one on to his stumps without moving his feet. Grant Elliott knew that the best way to counter the swing was to cover the line and smother the movement. He regularly shuffled across the stumps, committing to the movement even before delivery, but his method didn’t yield runs as almost every defensive push found fielders. Williamson, who finally scored an international run in his third innings, was dismissed by an Ishant Sharma delivery which cut in and took the edge onto the stumps. Munaf, who was miserly to begin with, bagged two lbws with with his probing line.Kyle Mills’ blitz only succeeded in saving New Zealand the embarrassment of being bowled out for less than 100.

Outgoing ICC chair Barclay blames members' 'self-interest' for congested cricket calendar

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Greg Barclay hopes Jay Shah brings “India into the international fold even more” but without making cricket “under the yoke of India”

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Dec-2024Greg Barclay, the outgoing chair of the ICC, has acknowledged the game he governed for four years is “a mess” and has warned of more challenging times ahead as he gives way to Jay Shah. In an interview with the , Barclay, who had two two-year terms at the helm from 2020, also cautioned Shah against taking the game “under the yoke of India”.Barclay stepped down on December 1, in the midst of an ongoing crisis over the Champions Trophy venues, and he admitted there was so much cricket being played that he had lost track of who was playing whom. In his tenure, three more major franchise-based T20 leagues cropped up, in the USA, the UAE and South Africa, further cramming an already packed calendar. He blamed the members’ self-interest for the situation.”I reckon, gee, I’m at the apex of the game and I can’t tell you who’s playing around the world. In fact, I didn’t realise that Sri Lanka were in South Africa until I read about Marco Jansen’s seven wickets this morning,” Barclay said. “So we’ve lost perspective. It’s not great for the game at all. It’s a mess. The calendar is incredibly congested and self-interest is such that it’s almost impossible to untangle all of that, because no one’s going to give up their content.”Related

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Barclay said he hoped Shah would be able to leverage India’s stature take the game out of the mess it was in. “I think he’s got a great opportunity to use what he’s got in his background to help India take the game to another level, but without making it sort of under the yoke of India as well,” Barclay said. “We’re really lucky to have India, they’re a massive contributor to the game across all the measures, but one country having that amount of power and influence does distort a whole lot of other outcomes, which is not necessarily helpful in terms of that global growth.”Jay has the ability to bring India into the international fold even more. There are a number of things that India could do to help unite and grow the game, including commercially helping to pool off-shore rights, using their teams to give opportunity to smaller Full Members and emerging countries, using their clout to open new territories and markets, collaborating closely with the ICC to help benefit members, as examples.”Barclay also warned of an impending financial readjustment the game might be forced to make, in the shape of its next media and commercial rights deal. The current rights deal is the most lucrative the ICC has signed, worth over US$3 billion. The bulk of that value has come from the Indian market where Disney-Star* hold the rights to broadcast ICC events until 2027. That has resulted in revenue distributions to Full Members of a size they have never seen before, and it has become particularly important for members such as the PCB, NZC, CWI, SLC and CSA for whom annual ICC revenue makes up a significant chunk of their total earnings.Barclay said the deals were ultimately “way in excess” of the actual value and that there will be, in time, a correction.”At some point, it is going to correct,” he said. “It’s a market. Is it going to be a sharp, severe correction? Or is it going to be a long, slow one? Or maybe there’s going to be an alternative broadcaster that comes to the market? But people have been saying that for 10 years now. New Zealand cricket had a deal with Amazon, but it didn’t work, so I don’t think they’re going to be the white knight that everybody is anticipating. I just think what we’ve got in front of us is what we’ve got.”I know that when we did our current deal it was way in excess of what the valuations we got before we went to market. We got £2.4 billion just out of India. The next biggest one is UK Sky. They did an eight-year deal, which was £237 million, so that’s 10% of the India deal for double the length of time. So if we go back to what the original projection was of £800 million it more than halves ICC revenue. It could even be less than that. There’s no discernible replacement for that at the moment.”One of the prominent issues that marked Barclay’s time was the Afghanistan Cricket Board not being allowed by the country’s Taliban government to field a women’s team. Fielding a women’s team and programme is a central tenet of Full Membership and despite calls to suspend membership, Barclay said the ICC had been right in not sanctioning Afghanistan’s membership status.Greg Barclay cautioned Jay Shah against taking the game “under the yoke of India”•Associated Press

“It is not the Afghanistan board’s fault. They used to have women’s cricket. I think our approach has been right,” he said. “It would be easy to kick Afghanistan out, but their board haven’t done anything wrong. They’re just working under a decree and a series of laws that says this is what you have to do. I don’t think it would make a jot of difference to the ruling party there to kick them out.”Maybe I’m a little naïve, but I think cricket is such a force for good there, and it brings a lot of joy to a lot of people. It is better to leave it there and hope that it can foster a bit of a change.”Instead, Barclay did point to the double standards of boards – such as Cricket Australia – that have cancelled multiple bilateral series with the Afghanistan men’s team as a sanction, but has played them at ICC events. “If you really want to make a political statement, don’t play them in a World Cup. Sure, it might cost you a semi-final place, but principles are principles. It’s not about having half a principle.”*