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As England threatened to suffer only their fourth wicketless day in Test history, England’s bowling coach, David Saker, must have been tempted by the vacant director of cricket role at Warwickshire

George Dobell in Nagpur15-Dec-2012On wearing days in India like this, with England for a long period looking as if they would spend a day in the field without taking a wicket for just the fourth time in their history, their bowling coach David Saker could be forgiven for contemplating different challenges.Like the chance, for instance, to replace Ashley Giles as Warwickshire’s director of cricket. Saker has not applied for the position, but he has confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that he would be interested in exploring the opportunity if he was approached. Warwickshire are understood to be keen to talk.”In many ways it would be ideal for me,” Saker said. “But I have an amazing job with England that I love and I would hate to leave it before the 2015 World Cup. Maybe it comes a couple of years early, but I would love to have a conversation with them.”The attraction for both parties is obvious. Saker, appointed as England bowling coach in April 2010, is highly regarded in the England set-up, has an excellent relationship with England’s Warwickshire duo of Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott and is keen to broaden his coaching horizons beyond the limits of specialised bowling coaching.He also lives near Birmingham and has a young family that he sees all too infrequently due to the demands of touring – the same sort of personal issues which caused England’s coach, Andy Flower, to negotiate his withdrawal from day-to-day involvement in the limited-overs formats.A straight-talking, good-natured Australian whose ability to mentor and communicate with players is in contrast to some modern, laptop-based coaches, he would appear to be a very good catch.

Bear fight: who will succeed Giles?

Andy Moles aged 51
First-class career: 1986-1997 (230 matches)
A highly experienced coach, Moles was also part of the highly successful Warwickshire team of the mid-90s and came close to being appointed director of cricket after the departure of John Inverarity at the end of 2005. Although he has enjoyed relatively successful spells as an international coach with Kenya, Scotland and New Zealand, all have ended under a cloud. While his experience and passion for the club should be a major advantage, some perceived baggage might – perhaps unfairly – count against him.
Dougie Brown 43
First-class career: 1989-2007 (209 matches)
As an allrounder, Brown played ODIs for England and Scotland and won multiple trophies in a long career with Warwickshire. He coached Namibia in the 2003 World Cup and moved into a coaching role at Edgbaston – as academy and assistant coach – following his retirement as a player in 2007. Hugely popular with players and supporters at the club, he was short-listed for the role of England bowling coach in 2010.
Graeme Welch 40
First-class career: 1994-2006 (171 matches)
Probably the favourite for the role. Welch, a former allrounder with Warwickshire and Derbyshire, has made an excellent impression as bowling coach with Warwickshire and is credited for the development of the club’s coterie of fine fast bowlers. A lack of coaching experience with batsmen may count against him, but Welch is well-liked by Warwickshire’s players and is believed to have been one of two options chosen by Giles, to succeed him.
David Saker 46
First-class career: 1994-2003 (72 matches)
The England bowling coach cites the Warwickshire role as his ideal job. Close to his home and offering the opportunity to broaden his coaching experience beyond the role of being a specialist with bowlers, the role would also enable Saker to limit his touring commitments. His lack of Warwickshire pedigree may be a major impediment, but Saker is close to the club’s England duo Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott and has developed an excellent reputation in his role with England.

Warwickshire have attracted several other very good candidates. The 2012 county champions have an excellent stadium, a strong squad and, despite a difficult year financially, pay well.Giles, who resigned to become England’s limited-overs coach in the New Year, is known to have favoured an internal appointment – probably the club’s current bowling coach, Graeme Welch or perhaps the club’s academy coach Dougie Brown – but the chief executive, Colin Povey is keen to explore the market in more detail.Povey was reluctant to be drawn on the subject but, when asked about Saker replied: “People have to pick up phones and have conversations.”Saker’s departure would be a blow to England. Not only do the bowlers speak highly of his help in analysing opposition batsmen’s weaknesses, but it was Saker who instigated the successful recall of Chris Tremlett ahead of the Ashes of 2010-11 and Saker who is credited with helping Steven Finn develop from a promising but raw youngster into a world-class fast bowler. England’s record this year is far from unblemished but, with one or two exceptions, it has been the batsmen who have let the bowlers down.His departure to follow that of Flower would be unlikely to destabilise a settled dressing room unduly, but it might serve as a warning to the ECB about the unsustainable burden they are placing on the shoulders of players and coaches in expecting them to fulfil a relentless international schedule.England’s touring programme might also limit the number of potential candidates applying to replace Saker. It just may be that Giles’ relationship with Welch, the former Derbyshire and Warwickshire allrounder who has performed such sterling work developing Warwickshire’s excellent crop of fast bowlers, could effectively engineer a job swap: Saker to Warwickshire and Welch to England.There is little Saker could have told his bowlers that would have made much difference on the third day at Nagpur. England did not bowl badly. They simply came up against admirably determined opposition on a desperately slow wicket. James Anderson and Graeme Swann, in particular, could feel pretty satisfied with their performance, if not the results of it, though concerns remain about Tim Bresnan’s form.

A round-up of the second day’s play from the Ranji Trophy Plate semi-finals

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Dec-2011Vidarbha‘s lower order made use of the satisfactory platform built on the opening day, crafting a formidable first-innings total by keeping Hyderabad on the field for the entire second day in Nagpur. At the end of it, Vidarbha had reached 467 for 8 and were in control of the semi-final. It had not begun well, though. They resumed their innings on 225 for 5 and soon slipped to 267 for 7, losing Sairaj Bahutule and Shrikant Wagh. But Ranjit Paradkar, who has two centuries this season, provided stability and momentum in the first two sessions with a watchful 75.If Hyderabad sensed an opportunity to polish off the tail after Paradkar departed with the team total on 342, they were in for a surprise as the lower order pair Amol Jungade and Akshay Wakhare raised an unbroken 125-run stand for the ninth wicket. Jungade’s 92 was his best first-class score, and Wakhare’s 50 was his second half-century. Hyderabad were left ruing a missed chance – Wakhare was let off when only on four and the total on 364. Barring that one chance the Jungade-Wakhare combine continued to frustrate the visitors’ bowlers unhindered.Maharashtra claimed three vital wickets after posting a strong first-innings total, to take control of their semi-final against Himachal Pradesh in Pune. Resuming the innings on 232 for 4, Ankit Bawne converted his 56 into a century, finishing on 137 off 375 balls. Bawne found able support in his captain Rohit Motwani, who made 59 before his attempt to cut his HP counterpart, Vikramjit Malik, led to his downfall. The fifth-wicket combine of Bawne and Motwani had added crucial 110 runs.Bawne stayed firm, despite the absence of a stable partner at the other end. The left-handed Bawne had batted for more than seven hours as he hit his second century of the season. He was the ninth batsman out, and Maharashtra’s innings ended on 415. When it was Maharashtra’s turn to bowl, Samad Fallah gave them an ideal start by dismissing HP opener Paul Valthaty lbw off the fourth delivery of the first over. Paras Dogra dominated a half-century partnership for the second wicket but he lost his partner, Abhinav Bali, with the score on 62. Dogra was then involved in the run out of S Sriram, who had once represented Maharashtra, in the final over of the day. At 68 for 3, HP have a mountain to climb.

Neil McGarrell has become a strong candidate to be picked for USA’s squad that will travel to Hong Kong for ICC World Cricket League Division 3 in January

Peter Della Penna28-Nov-2010Neil McGarrell, the former Guyana captain who played four Tests and 17 ODIs for West Indies, has become a strong candidate to be picked for USA’s squad that will travel to Hong Kong for the ICC World Cricket League Division 3 in January. In his first year of playing in USA Cricket Association tournaments McGarrell, a 38-year-old left-arm spinner, captained the Atlantic Region to a second-place finish at the recently concluded USACA Senior Nationals, which was won by the North West Region. He took 6 for 44 in three matches in the tournament to be the third highest wicket-taker and also topped the runs tally with 147 in three innings without getting dismissed.”I thought McGarrell was really outstanding,” USA coach Clayton Lambert said. “His all-round performance was really up to par.” At the USACA Eastern Conference tournament played in Atlanta in September, McGarrell claimed the Best Bowler award after taking 7 for 60 in three matches.”Obviously, Neil McGarrell has been a standout,” USA captain Steve Massiah said. “Over the last two tournaments in Atlanta and here, he was exceptional. I think if he is to become available to the US, that would be the link that we’re missing.”USA’s most pressing need since returning from WCL Division 4 in Italy has been a left-arm spinner. At the previous two World Cricket League tournaments USA participated in, they witnessed the success of Nepal’s array of left-arm spinners including Basanta Regmi, who was the leading wicket-taker at the tournament in Italy, and Rahul Vishvakarma, who took 7 for 15 against USA at the Division 5 final in Nepal.”One thing we have to try to do is include some more spin,” Lambert said. “We are anticipating that the wickets are going to be turners, kind of Asian-style wickets. Instead of overloading on the fast bowling side, we were looking to keep the senior fast bowlers and try to bring in more allrounders and include a few spinners in there.”It appears that the only thing holding McGarrell back from joining the team is his day job. “I wouldn’t have a problem representing the USA, but my job comes first,” McGarrell said. “If I’m getting the time off from my job, I’ll definitely represent the USA.””It would be great to have a person like Neil in the team with the wealth of experience he has. His skill level would definitely lift this team and give us a much needed boost, especially in the fielding department which at times can be complacent,” Massiah said. “Neil is someone who throughout his career has been an outstanding fielder and I guess having him in our squad would do wonders.” Even at 38, McGarrell’s fielding skills inside the circle remain sharp and he was responsible for two run-outs for his Atlantic team in Florida.Lambert, Massiah and vice-captain Sushil Nadkarni were part of a selection meeting at the conclusion of the Senior Nationals in Florida to help decide the initial 18-man list sent to the ICC before the squad is trimmed down to the 14 players that will go to Hong Kong. USA’s three appointed selectors, Sew Shivnarine, Sunny Khan and Abrar Ahmad, did not attend the Senior Nationals. According to multiple USACA officials, they were not asked to come because their observations from USACA tournaments in September were deemed sufficient to make selection decisions. However, Ahmad did not attend any of the USACA tournaments in September either.

In the most unbelievable turnaround Ricky Ponting’s men up-ended Pakistan on a swinging day to wrap up the series at the SCG

Peter English at the SCG06-Jan-2010All the Australian team talk was right and the doubters were wrong. In the most unbelievable turnaround Ricky Ponting’s men up-ended Pakistan on a swinging day to wrap up the series at the SCG and earn smug smiles and wild celebrations.Under Ponting the Australians have secured a handful of unthinkable wins, but Ponting rated this at the top, given the self-inflicted circumstances and the huge amount they were behind. There were many reasons why they shouldn’t have won by 36 runs: Ponting shouldn’t have won the toss and batted; Pakistan shouldn’t have given up a 206-run first-innings advantage; Kamran Akmal shouldn’t have dropped Michael Hussey three times; and Australia shouldn’t have been able to escape from eight-down on the final morning with a lead of 80. They don’t matter now.Ponting believes in his team at every position and on days like today everyone can see why. “What we have read over the last couple of days and what we have seen on the news has probably just steeled us all a little bit,” Ponting said. “It’s just made us want to fight the game out as much as we can and prove that we are never out of the contest.”They did this sort of thing in Adelaide in 2006-07, when the second Ashes Test was drifting to a draw before Shane Warne intervened. A year later it was Michael Clarke’s three wickets in the last over that did for India at the SCG, and on the same ground 12 months ago Mitchell Johnson bowled the injured Graeme Smith just before time ran out. In those games Australia were in charge, racing to seal the victory they deserved.This time they stole it from Pakistan by completing an outrageous comeback on a ground the local players now believe they can do anything on. “I think this is the most satisfying one [of the SCG wins] because I don’t think anyone in the world apart from all the blokes inside our dressing room thought we could win,” Ponting said.Australia’s current unit is not jammed full of world-beating talent, but it is crammed with desire, and will suffer for their captain. Nathan Hauritz picked up a bleeding finger and a bruised chest from his caught-and-bowled off Mohammad Yousuf’s stinging straight drive, the key wicket of the final innings, and walked off with his second five-for in two Tests.Peter Siddle carries a sore shoulder from his career-best 38, an innings as important to the victory as Michael Hussey’s 134, which pulled Australia from depression. Shane Watson’s smooth 97 was also invaluable and Mitchell Johnson slid through on his captain’s backing with two wickets in his opening over before tea. That reduced Pakistan to 3 for 51 in their previously comfortable chase of 176, but they were quickly being tortured. Ecstasy was soon the only emotion for the locals who were jigging, jumping and dancing on and off the field.Results like these can change the course of history. In 1992 in Colombo, Australia were faced with a similar situation, surging back from a 291-run first-innings deficit to dismiss Sri Lanka for 164, 17 short of victory. Warne was the hero in the final stages of that game and was soon drenched in match-winning aura as the team shot to the top of the world. In this one Hauritz got in the road of Pakistan to leave with 5 for 53, the best return of his 12 Tests.Ponting was heavily criticised from the first day for his decision to bat on a juicy surface that set up Australia’s fall for 127. By the end his logic was satisfyingly sound. “I backed us at the start of the game to make more runs in the first innings than what I thought Pakistan could make in the last innings,” he said. “As it turns out we got 120-odd and bowled them out for 139 in the last innings of the game.”At one stage during his post-mortem a relaxed Ponting teasingly asked all those in the press conference who had doubted his decision to raise their hands. All the Australian journalists’ arms went up. “I feel better now,” he said. He smiled, knowing that when it comes to Australia’s Test team he knows best. “It comes down to results and we’ve got a great result here,” he said. “So I look like a genius where I didn’t a couple of days ago.”

Managing director believes similarities with Test cricket could mean ODI leadership would make sense

Vithushan Ehantharajah06-Mar-2025Ben Stokes could be one of the candidates to replace Jos Buttler as England’s limited-overs captain, with Rob Key stating it would be “stupid” not to consider the Test skipper as an option to rejuvenate a struggling white-ball set-up.The move, one of many Key is considering as men’s managing director following Buttler’s resignation after a dire Champions Trophy campaign, would see Stokes become ODI captain. In that scenario, the T20I job would likely go to current vice-captain Harry Brook.Stokes has not played ODI cricket since the 2023 World Cup, a tournament that required him to U-turn on his decision to retire from 50-over cricket, during his first summer as Test captain in 2022. He had kept his options open for a potential return for the Champions Trophy, before that decision was taken out of his hands after a second hamstring tear in six months sustained during third Test against New Zealand at the end of last year.Stokes is currently stepping up his recovery in Abu Dhabi with an England Lions training group and is expected to be fully fit to start the summer with Durham. Key was also out in the UAE, and sees no reason why the 33-year-old cannot do as he has done with the Test side and re-energise an ODI team who have lost their way.”I think nothing’s off the table really,” Key said. “You look at every single option and you think, right, what is the best thing to do? How is that going to impact on other things?”Ben Stokes is one of the best captains I’ve ever seen. So it would be stupid not to look at him. It’s just the knock-on effect of what that means.”He’s an unbelievably good tactician, which we’ve seen in Test cricket, but he’s a leader of men. He’s someone who gets the best out of people. He’s someone that, when the pressure is really on, he’s able to throw a blanket around the players and actually say, ‘no, no, this is the way forward. Keep going with it’.”They’re the qualities that you need in leadership. Ben’s, as we know, an outstanding player, an outstanding leader. It’s more about, what would that then mean to him? What would that then mean to his workload?”We don’t want to risk other things as well. But there’s always a way in England, I think, where you start looking at, ‘what if it goes wrong?’ You’ve also got to think, ‘what if it goes right?’. They’re the decisions that I have to make.”Related

• Ben Stokes open to white-ball comeback as McCullum begins new England era

• Ben Stokes ruled out for three months with recurrence of hamstring tear

• Decline and fall: England face up to scale of ODI rebuilding job

• Jos Buttler quits as England's white-ball captain after Champions Trophy exit

• Buttler goes down with the ship as England journey comes full circle

That Stokes has a strong pre-existing relationship with Brendon McCullum, now in charge of England across all-formats, lends extra credence to this plan. McCullum has overseen 10 defeats out of 11 since taking over the white-ball set-up at the start of the year – a stark contrast to his work overturning their red-ball fortunes in cahoots with Stokes. England have won 22 out of their 35 Tests since the pair were brought together by Key at the start of the 2022 season.There is no doubt McCullum would be open to having Stokes on board. He stated last week that he would be open to a different captain for each of the three international formats because of their contrasting strategies. Key, however, sees a synergy between Tests and ODIs that would allow Stokes to succeed with the latter.”When you start looking at it, I believe that Test cricket and 50-over cricket are probably closer than T20s, which is the outlier now. So then that makes different things.”We look at India and the way they play T20 cricket, and they’ve got all these young players coming through, but it’s their Test players that are making the difference in 50-over cricket.”The issue, as Stokes has previously outlined himself, is the schedule. This year sees England face India and Australia in legacy-defining Test series as far as Stokes’ captaincy and the Bazball project are concerned. Should the ODI job be assumed, three-match series against West Indies (May into June), South Africa, Ireland (both in September) and New Zealand (ahead of the Ashes) will be shoe-horned into his itinerary.Brook will have a similar issue, albeit one he already has to contend with as a multi-format batter. Key has no reservations about Brook assuming a leadership role given how he captained against Australia at the end of last summer in Buttler’s absence. And with Stokes on hand to guide him – as well as halve his limited-overs captaincy duties – Key sees no reason why the Yorkshire batter cannot step up another level.”I think Harry Brook would be an outstanding captain actually. I was cautious about Ben Stokes doing it and having too much, and look how that’s gone.”I think he (Stokes) might bring out the best in Harry Brook. Being able to go out there and feel like the extra responsibility sometimes ,for people, is the best thing that can happen for them. Sometimes it’s not. They’re the decisions you have to work out.”

New South Wales are on the brink of a drought-breaking victory after the defending champions slumped to 34 for 6

Andrew McGlashan07-Nov-2023A stylish maiden first-class century from Ollie Davies and a memorable new-ball spell from Chris Tremain put New South Wales on the brink of ending their run of 15 Sheffield Shield matches with a win.After Davies’ superbly-constructed 129 had built a lead of 135, Tremain produced a stunning opening spell of 5 for 12 in nine overs as Western Australia sank to 34 for 6 to briefly threaten their lowest even Shield total of 41.The defending champions saved themselves from that and managed to make it through to the end of the second day through the efforts of Cameron Bancroft and the lower order but will need a miracle to make a game of it.Davies, the 23-year-old who has predominantly been a white-ball player and has reached Australia A level, was overlooked for NSW’s first three Shield games this season but earned a spot at the SCG in place of the injured Jack Edwards.On the first evening Davies had walked in with the home side tottering on 71 for 4 amid fears NSW’s batting woes could rear their head again, but he responded with a 117-ball century, reaching the landmark with a six over long-on.”They brought the field and I said to myself, if this is tossed up, I’m hitting the ball quite nicely and I back myself to get it over,” Davies told ESPNcricinfo. “I’ve been hitting a lot of balls trying to push myself back into the Shield team and was nice to get a hundred first crack back.”I’ve been overlooked at times for the red-ball side so for me I really did want to make a statement and show everyone that I can play red-ball cricket. Thought I did that today and helped put our team in a pretty good position.”When he was last-man out, NSW had built a strong lead and they quickly started to make it count on a pitch that had offered plenty of assistance with the new ball.Chris Tremain tore through the WA top order•Getty Images

Tremain was already their leading wicket-taker for the season and was soon growing his tally in dramatic fashion. He started by having Sam Whiteman caught down the leg side, then pinned Teague Wyllie and Hilton Cartwright lbw with consecutive deliveries to bring tea.On resumption, the hat-trick ball zipped past Josh Philippe’s edge but he did not last long before nicking into the slips. Tremain’s five-wicket haul arrived in just his seventh over when Ashton Turner shouldered arms and the ball clattered the top of off stump.NSW had resumed on a precarious 78 for 4 but they were soon making brisk inroads towards Western Australia’s total.Davies dominated the scoring in a stand of 116 in 27 overs with Moises Henriques before the captain was bowled by a ripping delivery from Corey Rocchiccioli.Davies batted at an excellent tempo and did not take undue risks, but also kept the bowlers under pressure. On 99 he showed the confidence to dance down the wicket to Rocchiccioli and launch him over long-on to bring up NSW’s first century of the Shield season.”My natural batting is quite aggressive, so I said to myself if I faced 100 balls I’d be close to 100 or 150 I’d be close to 150,” Davies said. “So for me it was just batting as long as I could and I knew scoring opportunities would present themselves along the way. It worked, so pretty stoked.”WA did take the last five wickets for 30, including two for debutant left-arm wrist spinner Hamish McKenzie, whose first scalp came courtesy of a brilliant catch at cover by Rocchiccioli, but any notion of them being back in the game was quickly scotched.

Veteran quick helps secure first-innings lead but two early wickets keep relegation battle alive

ECB Reporters Network13-Sep-2022A superb post-tea burst by veteran Jack Brooks gave Somerset the edge over Warwickshire in an engrossing, high-pressure LV=Insurance County Championship clash at Edgbaston.Defeat for either side from this game would leave them in serious jeopardy of relegation and that pressure has hung heavy on the batters on a slow pitch against some good bowling.After two days it’s advantage Somerset, just, after they rallied from 82 for seven to reach 219 and then bowled the home side out for 196 as 38-year-old Brooks took four for 40 including a spell of four for seven in 27 balls. The visitors closed the second day on 13 for two in their second innings – 36 ahead.Somerset were given something to bowl at by lower-order resistance led by Lewis Gregory (60, 97 balls) and Sajid Khan (53 not out, 64) despite Mohammed Siraj’s debut five-for (five for 82). At 141 for four in reply, Warwickshire were edging towards ascendancy but Brooks stepped up with a blistering spell. His blitz included the vital wicket of Sam Hain who passed 1,000 first class runs for the season on his way to 67 (166 balls). Hain defied valiantly but, as has often been the case this season, lacked support.Somerset resumed on the second morning on 182 for eight and lost Gregory to the fourth ball when he edged Siraj behind but last pair Khan and Brooks added 37 to lift the total beyond 200. Khan completed his fourth first-class half-century before Brooks skied Henry Brookes to point.Somerset then took their momentum into the field and reduced Warwickshire to 22 for three in the 14th over. Josh Davey struck third ball when Rob Yates nicked to wicketkeeper James Rew. The keeper accepted further catches when Alex Davies and Dominic Sibley edged Gregory.Hain and Will Rhodes (38, 99 balls) steadied the innings with a stand of 73 in 29 overs before Rew’s gloves closed on another catch, tickled down the leg side by Rhodes off Kasey Aldridge. While Hain and Jayant Yadav were adding 46 either side of tea, the game remained evenly poised, but both fell in Brooks’ blistering burst. Jadav and Michael Burgess were bowled through gates, Hain was adjudged lbw and Brookes edged to slip.After Danny Briggs and Olly Hannon-Dalby had their furniture rearranged by Aldridge and Davey respectively, Somerset had a lead of 23 with eight overs to bat in the day. Warwickshire needed to hit back…and did, Siraj having Imam-ul-Haq caught at second slip and Yadav turning one into Aldridge’s stumps. Somerset still have their noses in front but where this tense, intriguing, low-scoring, high-stakes contest goes next, who knows?

Brendan Taylor returns, Craig Ervine out with injury, four other uncapped players in the mix

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Apr-2021Zimbabwe have named five uncapped players – Luke Jongwe, Richard Ngarava, Roy Kaia, Milton Shumba and Tanaka Chivanga – in their 16-man squad for the series of two Tests against Pakistan, the first of which starts in Harare on April 29.Brendan Taylor, who missed Zimbabwe’s last Test series against Afghanistan in the UAE because of health issues but made a comeback for the second and third T20Is against Pakistan, has made the cut. Craig Ervine continues to miss out because of a calf injury. Tendai Chisoro, who played his only Test match in 2017, has also been recalled.

Zimbabwe’s Test squad

Sean Williams (capt), Regis Chakabva, Tendai Chisoro, Tanaka Chivanga, Luke Jongwe, Roy Kaia, Kevin Kasuza, Wellington Masakadza, Prince Masvaure, Tarisai Musakanda, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Milton Shumba, Brendan Taylor, Donald Tiripano

The players from Zimbabwe’s Test squad against Afghanistan to miss out were Sikandar Raza, who is recovering from a bone marrow infection, Ryan Burl, Wesley Madhevere, Richmond Mutumbami, and Brandon Mavuta.Of their replacements, right-arm medium pacer Jongwe was Zimbabwe’s most successful bowler in the T20Is against Pakistan with nine wickets, while left-arm quick Ngarava took two wickets at an economy rate of 8.36. Kaia, a 29-year-old middle-order batter, was part of the XI on his ODI debut against Pakistan in Lahore in May 2015, but didn’t get a chance to bat or bowl as the game was washed out. Shumba, a 20-year-old left-arm spinner, has played two T20Is, while 27-year-old fast bowler Chivanga has never played internationally.Joylord Gumbie, a wicketkeeper-batter, and Takudzwanashe Kaitano, an offspin-bowling allrounder, have been placed on standby.

Kohli lends support to Williamson; lauds his ability to bring the team together

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jan-20203:41

‘Australia tour was a humbling experience’ – Williamson

Kane Williamson is open to the possibility of playing under another captain if it results in the betterment of New Zealand cricket. However, he also said he has been enjoying the captaincy across formats.”For me it’s always been about what’s best for the team,” Williamson said. “If those discussions [about captaincy changes] are to eventuate and collectively there’s a thought that it would be best for the team, then my stance is whatever is right and fits the group.”Williamson took over as captain across formats in 2016, and has had to deal with scrutiny after New Zealand’s 3-0 Test series whitewash in Australia. His poor returns with the bat was even linked to his workload.Ahead of a full home series against India, Williamson responded to the captaincy concerns. For starters, he understands the criticism and scrutiny that come with the role.”I’m always open to whatever is going to help move the team in those directions,” he said. “Without a doubt, there are a number of challenges that come throughout that period that you’ve been in the job.”I’ve been in it for some time now and you are forever dealing with those challenges and that’ll always be a bit different. It’s part and parcel of the job, but for me the focus is very much trying to help the team to grow and move in the right direction. That’s been the focus from day one”His leadership was openly criticised by Brendon McCullum during the Australia series. The former New Zealand captain felt Williamson was being a “reluctant leader at times” and that he wasn’t perhaps enjoying captaincy as much.For Williamson, captaincy is simply an extension of being part of a core leadership group, even before he formally assumed the role.”Even prior to captaincy I was fortunate to somehow be in the leadership role. I do feel fortunate to be leading such a great group of guys that share a similar passion, which is to keep moving this team forward,” Williamson said. “I’m not the only one that is trying to lead that.”There are a number of other guys, senior players and some younger guys who also obviously share the passion. The leadership thing is a collective approach. It is enjoyable and you do learn so much about yourself and about the team.”ALSO READ: India T20Is a chance to test New Zealand’s depth – TaylorEarlier, Williamson’s team-mate and senior batsman Ross Taylor had jumped to his defence, suggesting that taking breaks instead of giving up the role altogether could help him better. On Thursday, Williamson received support from his Indian counterpart Virat Kohli.”I don’t think leadership can always be determined by the results,” Kohli said at his arrival press conference in Auckland. “It’s also about how you get the team together and get the guys functioning under you as well, which Kane has done wonderfully well. I think he has the respect of his team-mates and he has the trust of his team-mates, that is what I can see.”And he is obviously a very, very smart cricketer. But if a team outplays you, you have to accept it as a collective failure, and not necessarily a lack of leadership or captaincy. I don’t think it’s fair to pressurise him.”It’s only fair that he is given space to sort of figure out himself whether he wants to continue or he wants someone fresh to take over, because I’m sure he is thinking in the best interest of New Zealand cricket and the team as well.”He has taken the team to the finals and as much as I know him, he reads the game very well. I think it should be left up to the guy who is most responsible for the team to take that decision and I’m sure that his heart and mind is in the right place.”

Setting aside the ongoing negotiations, the PCB CFO asked the teams to fulfil their outstanding financial obligations, failing which they stand to lose their bank guarantees

Umar Farooq29-Nov-2018PSL franchises have been asked by the PCB to clear all outstanding dues by next week, despite ongoing negotiations between them to re-look at the financial model underpinning the league.The PCB’s chief finance officer Badar Manzoor Khan has asked in an email seen by ESPNcricinfo that all the teams pay up by December 3, failing which the board reserves the right to encash the franchises’ bank guarantees.The move has angered franchises who, in their recent meeting with the PCB in Islamabad, had formed a three-member committee to revisit the revenue-share model on which the PSL was founded, including an effort to gain tax breaks from the government. The email asking for payment has come even as the committee works towards a resolution.One of the primary bones of contention is the franchise fee they pay every year, mainly because those payments are required to be made in US dollars. The value of the rupee, fairly stable against the dollar over the first three years of the PSL at around PKR 105 per dollar, has gone to PKR 134 now.Though all the teams signed a ten-year contract in November 2015, according to which they were liable to pay in US dollars, the franchises want to peg the rate to 2015 standards or pay in Pakistani rupees at the same rate when the contracts were signed. None of the franchises have broken even so far, crippled they feel, by the exchange rate as well as the taxes they are having to pay.The first set of commercial and sponsorship rights deals the PSL signed when it launched have now ended, and with enhanced deals now being inked in, as well as the scare caused by Multan Sultans’ financial meltdown, the remaining five have sensed this is the time to push for a greater slice of the revenue pool. The current financial model adopted by the PCB in 2016 offers equal shares from a central revenue pool to all franchises, despite the difference in franchise fees.After Multan Sultans’ ouster, the PCB is yet to invite a tender to bring in an owner for the sixth side, but various investors in Pakistan including Ali Tareen – the son of Jahangir Khan Tareen, a key figure in the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party – and Aqeel Karim Dhedhi, a prominent businessman, are among those to have shown their interest. The sixth team is presently being regulated by the PCB on its own and with the tender, the board will transfer the ownership to the buyers, allowing them to choose the name of the city.