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ESPNcricinfo previews the first Test between England and Sri Lanka at Cardiff

Preview by Andrew McGlashan25-May-2011

Match Facts

May 26-30, Cardiff
Start time 11.00am (1000GMT)Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower now want their team to secure the top spot in world cricket•AFP

The Big Picture

This series is being billed as the starter before the main course of England’s season. India are the major drawcard of the summer, but Sri Lanka’s visit promises much interest and intrigue. It pits a home side wanting to build on one of their finest triumphs in Australia against a visiting side trying to rebuild under a new captain and coach amid more political rumblings in Sri Lankan cricket.A lot has happened since England celebrated in Sydney and even since Sri Lanka finished second in the World Cup. The hosts now have three captains for starters, but nine of the team that played in Sydney are set to line-up in this Test. Andrew Strauss has been very keen to stress how the Ashes success was just a stepping stone, albeit an historic one, in England’s quest to be No. 1 in the world. That aim could be achieved by the end of the summer if they beat both Sri Lanka and India but it won’t be an easy task.Sri Lanka come here as significant underdogs, largely due to the loss of three match-winning bowlers in Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan and Lasith Malinga. Yet England will underestimate them at their peril. They showed their fighting qualities with an impressive victory against the Lions after being forced to follow-on as Tillakaratne Dilshan, the new captain, led the way with 117 at better than a run-a-ball. Much will rest on the tone Dilshan sets as a captain and batsman.However, with Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene in the ranks runs shouldn’t be in short supply and then it will be down to a new-look bowling attack. The loss of Nuwan Pradeep is a significant blow and they can’t afford Dilhara Fernando to go lame as well. It’s impossible to replace Murali, but in Rangana Herath they have a steady left-arm spinner who will no doubt target Kevin Pietersen.Although Sri Lanka haven’t won a series in England they have surprised the hosts more than once. Most famously there was 1998 at The Oval, but five years ago they also won at Trent Bridge to level the series. A shared contest this time would be a fine achievement for Dilshan and a major let-down for Strauss.

Form guide

(Most recent first)
England WWLWD
Sri Lanka DDDLD

Watch out for…

In the end Eoin Morgan made a case that was too good to ignore. His 193 against the Sri Lankans at Derby secured him a Test place that appeared to have slipped away after six weeks at the IPL. Now he has the chance to make the No. 6 berth his for the foreseeable future. He is the ideal counter-attacking player to have in the middle order; someone who scores at close to a run-a-ball and can shift momentum. However, his biggest challenge will come if (or when) he walks in with England wobbling. Barring his hundred against Pakistan at Trent Bridge last year he was vulnerable against the moving ball. One thing he doesn’t lack, though, is confidence and that can carry you a long way.Tillakaratne Dilshan won’t do anything in half measures. He has shown his attacking mindset already on this tour both with the bat and in the field. Much like Virender Sehwag, one session of Dilshan blazing away can set the tone for a Test match. England’s bowlers won’t be allowed any leeway to find their feet. As a captain he isn’t a long-term option, but is determined to do things his way and that will include thinking ‘outside of the box’. Against the Lions he brought himself on to bowl with the new ball and made a breakthrough. Don’t be surprised to see Herath in action as soon as Pietersen walks to the middle.

Team news

The only decision for the home side is the make-up of their pace attack and it seems likely that Steven Finn will miss out. Stuart Broad is fit again after his winter injuries although he looked a little short of rhythm in the County Championship. Morgan replaces Paul Collingwood in the middle order with Ian Bell set to move to No. 5. Pietersen and Jonathan Trott will be needed for some fill-in overs at various stages.England (probable) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Ian Bell, 6 Eoin Morgan, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Chris Tremlett, 11 James AndersonSri Lanka have been hit with injuries to their pace attack. Pradeep is out and there are concerns over Dilhara Fernando, who is set to share the new ball with Chanaka Welegedara. Dilshan confirmed they’d picked six batsmen and five bowlers, a hint that Farveez Maharoof could play while Rangana Herath is the one spinner in their 12.Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), 2 Tharanga Paranavitana, 3 Kumar Sangakkara, 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Thilan Samaraweera, 6 Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), 7 Farveez Maharoof, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Rangana Herath, 10 Dilhara Fernando, 11 Chanaka Welegedara

Pitch and conditions

Domestic and international pitches are often two very different beasts at Cardiff. Alarms are sometimes raised by the amount of turn for Glamorgan matches, but the groundsman keeps things safe for the internationals. Stuart Law said the pitch “looked a belter” and two years ago Australia piled up 674 for 6. The forecast, however, isn’t too promising with showers forecast for the opening day and further rain over the weekend.

Stats and trivia

• Stuart Broad is currently sat on 99 Test wickets having collected just two scalps in his two Ashes Tests before injury.
• The performance of Sri Lanka’s bowlers in England since 2000 is better than only Zimbabwe
• Thilan Samaraweera, overall Test average of 54.25, averages just 4.25 in England albeit from just two matches

For a full stats preview click here.

Quotes

“They have some high quality players, some of them we don’t know much about but that does not mean they are not good bowlers, we expect a stern test.”
Andrew Strauss may be looking forward to the Indian challenge later this summer, but that doesn’t mean England will be taking Sri Lanka lightly
“We have a few youngsters who will get a chance and it will be good for their development in international cricket. We are looking forward to a new era for Sri Lankan cricket.”

Ottis Gibson has said the West Indies players backed Chris Gayle’s criticism of Sulieman Benn after the left-arm spinner was ordered off the field for disobeying his captain during the fourth ODI in Dominica

Cricinfo staff02-Jun-2010Ottis Gibson, the West Indies coach, has said the West Indies players backed Chris Gayle’s criticism of Sulieman Benn after the left-arm spinner was ordered off the field for disobeying his captain during the fourth ODI in Dominica. Benn was subsequently fined his entire match fee but was picked in the squad for the final ODI against South Africa on Thursday.”The skipper is his own man and he has spoken out. Normally he is a very quiet person but his frustration is causing him to come out and the players understand this,” Gibson told reporters in Trinidad. “We met and the guys think that probably it is time that things come out and maybe it would lead to betterment. The skipper thought that he was not getting the support he needed from a player who was not giving 100 percent and he spoke out.”Benn was asked to bowl over the wicket by Gayle, but failed to follow the instruction. “He wasn’t up for it and if you’re not up for it, why give that particular bowler the ball,” Gayle had said at a press conference after the game. “I just see it that he [Benn] doesn’t want to take part. It was my call to actually ask him to leave and tell him that he is not needed anymore.”West Indies are 0-4 down in the series and are in dire need of a win ahead of the three-match Test series. Despite the run of losses, Gibson said the team had shown improvement and was training hard for the final game. “We have lost the two T20 matches and four One-Day Internationals and this makes it six losses. In five of these matches we were in a position to win and let it slip. We just can’t seem to get over the final hurdle.”Although the team is not winning, I have seen improvements and the players are working hard. Assistant coach David Williams says that this is the hardest he has seen the players work and we are hoping for better results soon.”When I took this job, I didn’t expect us to start beating people overnight. It is a process and once we put the right things in place, we will be getting there.”

Oman have been competitive against both Namibia and Australia, but are still stuck at the bottom of the group table

Shashank Kishore08-Jun-20243:41

O’Brien: Oman could be Scotland’s toughest game yet

Match details

Oman vs Scotland
North Sound, 1pm local time

Big picture – Scotland must be wondering what they have to do to be noticed at the T20 World Cup.Their terrific win over Namibia on a slow Kensington Oval deck was sandwiched somewhere between USA’s Super Over stunner over Pakistan, Canada trumping Ireland, and Afghanistan steamrolling New Zealand.Two nights prior to that result against Namibia, Scotland had England sweating in the rain. And on Sunday, when most eyes will be on , Scotland will take on fellow Associates Oman in Antigua.Related

• Michael Leask: 'Why can't we top the group at the end?'

• When Ilyas dived, Oman dreamt…then came Stoinis

But, whether in the spotlight or not, they are where they would have liked to be, and could be closer to their target after the Oman game.Before that, though, they will keep a close eye on Saturday’s game between Australia and England. Scotland, No. 1 in the group prior to that match, will know that a win over Oman will help them control their destiny going into their final group fixture against Australia.George Munsey fired against England, taking down pace and spin alike, overcoming the slowness of the surface with ease. In their second game, Richie Berrington and Michael Leask stood up under pressure to give Scotland the win after a potentially tricky chase of 156.Oman, meanwhile, haven’t performed half as badly as the table suggests. Two losses in two games can be a bitter pill to swallow, but they have competed hard in both. They showed admirable pluck in taking the game against Namibia into a Super Over, and then had Australia in a stranglehold for 14 overs, before it fell apart.One complete performance is what Oman will be after to stay alive, even if only mathematically. Scotland will want to prevent that. This could be a cracking contest between two sides that are ambitious, talented, and looking to hit a higher level.George Munsey is the key man in the Scotland top order•Getty Images

Form guide

Scotland WLWLW
Oman LLLWW

In the spotlight

One of the very versatile George Munsey‘s strengths is that he can take down spin, like he showed against England. He can play the reverse-sweeps and switch-hits as comfortably as he can hit through the line on good decks. Oman’s attack is spin-heavy, and Munsey’s approach up top could set the tempo as they chase victory to push for the Super Eight stage.A clean striker in club cricket, Kashyap Prajapati made heads turn three years ago when he struck a 138-ball 146 against a Mumbai squad in India. That knock paved the way for his international debut. Since then, he’s largely been hit and miss as his modest T20 record suggests. With scores of 7 and 0 in his first two games, he needs a big score to justify the faith the team management has shown in him.

Team news

Oman have been three down inside the powerplay in both their games so far, and could make some tweaks to their top order. Will Ayaan Khan get a promotion?Oman (probable XI): 1 Kashyap Prajapati, 2 Pratik Athvale (wk), 3 Aqib Ilyas (capt), 4 Zeeshan Maqsood, 5 Ayaan Khan, 6 Khalid Kail, 7 Shoaib Khan, 8 Mehran Khan, 9 Shakeel Ahmed, 10 Kaleemullah, 11 Bilal KhanScotland have their entire squad to choose from, but don’t seem to have any reason to make changes.Scotland (probable XI): 1 George Munsey, 2 Michael Jones, 3 Brandon McMullen, 4 Richie Berrington (capt), 4 Matthew Cross (wk), 6 Michael Leask, 7 Chris Greaves, 8 Mark Watt, 9 Chris Sole, 10 Brad Wheal, 11 Brad CurrieOman have fought hard but don’t have the points to show•ICC/Getty Images

Pitch and conditions

The caravan rolls into North Sound as Sir Vivian Richards Stadium hosts its first game of the T20 World Cup. There was a good grass cover on the pitch two days out from the game, but much of it has been shaved off, and batters can hope for a happy time.

Stats that matter

• Scotland and Oman have faced off four times in T20Is, including once at a T20 World Cup, in 2021. Scotland have won all four games chasing
• Munsey needs 70 more runs to become the second Scotland player with 2000 T20I runs – his captain Berrington was the first
• Zeeshan Maqsood needs two more wickets to become the second Oman player with 50 T20I wickets after Bilal Khan

Quotes

“it’s not easy to clear these boundaries when the wind is blowing, so we have to decide from which end you have to bring your best bowler, which end you have to charge as a batter, which bowler you have to look to hit with the wind.”

“I chatted to a few of the net bowlers just there where I was bowling spin with them. They all seem to think it’s pretty flat, which is great. I think our captain, Richard Berrington, has reached out to a few of the local boys and asked them how the conditions are and what the score is like at this time of year, because that’s massively important to know the scores at a different time of year.”

Earlier, Babar’s ton helped Zalmi post their highest score of 240

Danyal Rasool08-Mar-2023It all descended into a fog of boundaries, and nothing seemed to make sense. The upshot of 483 runs, 54 fours and 21 sixes was that Quetta Gladiators move one step closer to mounting an astonishing comeback and booking a place in the last four for the first time since 2019. Babar Azam’s eighth T20 century saw Peshawar Zalmi post their highest score, setting Gladiators 241 to win. But Jason Roy set to the task like a man possessed, blitzing an unbeaten 145 off 63 balls to ultimately canter to victory with ten balls to spare. It broke Colin Ingram’s record for the highest individual score in PSL history, and the third-highest T20 chase of all time. More importantly, it keeps Gladiators alive in the PSL this season, one win away from likely qualification.Gladiators looked punch-drunk when the first innings ended after a haphazard bowling and fielding performance, combined with a masterclass from Babar and Saim Ayub looked to have broken their spirits. But they came out having a go on a surface not even the most accomplished power-hitters could have dreamt of preparing, and immediately got off to a flyer. Martin Guptill’s brief cameo – 21 off eight – set the tone, but Roy was only just getting warmed up.Fresh off a stint with his national side in Bangladesh, he picked up in Rawalpindi where he’d left off in Mirpur. A blow-by-blow account of the frenzy wouldn’t quite do justice to the fluid, liquid nature of the innings, one six morphing into the next, one over blending into the other. For Zalmi’s bowlers, it began to look like a fever dream as one big over followed another, and the bowlers took turns to front up and cop a hiding. Each of the first eight overs saw at least two boundaries scored, and by this time, Gladiators had got themselves to 118 for one, having knocked off half the target with 12 overs still to spare.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

There were supporting acts from the other end, but Roy demanded attention, and gobbled up all of it. Will Smeed and Mohammad Hafeez were adept in their own right, denying Zalmi breathing room at the other end as the asking rate steadily came down. After a pair of relatively quiet overs around the halfway mark, any hopes Zalmi harboured of making inroads were blown away around the 16th over, when six successive balls straddling two overs went for boundaries, effectively sealing Zalmi’s fate. Mohammed Hafeez, who has battled personal trauma over the last 24 hours, was magnificently composed, his 18-ball 41 one of the finest T20 cameos of this season.But ultimately, it had to be Roy who would have the last laugh. It was a caressed drive over mid-off that went all the way for the final six of a manic game that overwhelmed a dazed Zalmi, meaning their route through to the playoffs suddenly leaves them with no margin for error.All of that will ultimately swallow up what was a phenomenal batting performance from Zalmi themselves, particularly their openers. After Ayub was dropped by Naseem Shah early off Hasnain, the two blasted their way through the powerplay, amassing 67 in six overs. But they carried on as if the fielding restrictions hadn’t been eased, and Gladiators had no response to the onslaught coming their way.By the 10th over, the 100-partnership had been reached, and both players had scored half-centuries. But on the day, Babar wasn’t simply accumulating, he was matching Ayub’s strike rate toe-to-toe. They brought up only the second 150-run stand in PSL history – Babar was involved in the first one, too, with Sharjeel Khan at Karachi Kings – and when Ayub fell for a 34-ball 74, Zalmi had pushed past 160.There was a slight deceleration as Babar approached three figures, but once he got there, he let out a yelp of delight. The shackles were off the innings once more, against a Gladiators side who were dropping catches and committing misfields like they were going out of style. Thirty-three runs came off the last two overs as Zalmi piled on the misery, and by the halfway stage, they looked to have sealed their spot in the last four, as well as Gladiators’ fate.Roy, and a majestic Gladiators, had other ideas.

Thunder inflict their third-heaviest defeat in BBL history as they jump to second on the table

Tristan Lavalette08-Jan-2022Sydney Thunder 7 for 209 (Sams 98*, Hales 63, Richardson 2-39) beat Melbourne Renegades 80 (Seymour 25, Hasnain 3-22, Sandhu 2-8, Sangha 2-12) by 129 runs
Daniel Sams and a rejuvenated Alex Hales destroyed Melbourne Renegades at Marvel Stadium to set up red-hot Sydney Thunder’s fifth-straight BBL victory.An almost flawless Thunder (7-3) stormed to second on the ladder after Sams (98 not out off 44 balls) and Hales (63 off 28) powered them to a massive 7 for 209 after being sent in. Their disciplined bowlers then tore through meek Renegades batting as Thunder cemented their standing as the BBL’s in-form team.The crushing 129-run victory – the third heaviest in BBL history – was made even more impressive for Thunder after stand-in captain Chris Green was a late withdrawal due to being a close contact of a person who tested positive for Covid-19.The Hales-Sams show
Thunder have emerged as a serious title contender even without Hales firing. The English import had a highest score this season of just 35 and also missed a couple of matches due to testing positive to Covid-19.But Hales was always going to emerge from the rut and he did so with trademark pyrotechnics featuring five sixes. The opener needed just 17 balls to surpass his previous best of the season, relishing the short boundaries and launching several slog sweeps into the second tier of the grandstands.He was especially ruthless against Afghanistan’s Zahir Khan, smashing two sixes in his first over, before eventually holing out in the 12th over.There was no respite with Sams, elevated to No.4 after Ashes-bound Sam Billings’ departure, signalling his intention with a second-ball six, and he dominated square of the wicket much like Hales. Sams, who boasts of the highest strike-rate in the tournament, notched his highest BBL score with brute force highlighted by eight sixes.Needing six runs off the final ball, Sams agonisingly fell short of a deserved century with a miscued boundary, but the eye-catching knock of Australia’s T20 World Cup squad member surely may have caught the attention of the national selectors.Zahir struggles amid onslaught
Renegades’ attack was without speedster James Pattinson and allrounder Mohammad Nabi, whose spin was particularly handy in their previous outing. Left-arm seamer Josh Lalor made his season debut but struggled to find his rhythm as Renegades had no answer against Hales and Sams with the pair especially laying into Zahir, who finished with 1 for 49 off three overs.Zahir has had a strong season with 10 wickets at an economy rate of 7.81 but he copped a flogging and his confidence slumped. Spearhead Kane Richardson and the youngster Will Sutherland tried hard to stymie the runs but to no avail.Highly-rated Sutherland has had an underwhelming BBL season but showcased his obvious talent by clean bowling Thunder stand-in captain Jason Sangha. He finished with 1 for 23 off 3 overs in a rare positive for Renegades.Mohammad Hasnain had an excellent outing with the ball•Getty Images

Thunder crash through meek RenegadesThunder’s attack didn’t miss a beat without the services of Green and spearhead Saqib Mahmood, who returned to the UK as part of England’s T20 squad for the Caribbean. Pakistani speedster Mohammad Hasnain and legspinner Tanveer Sangha returned as Thunder’s well-oiled machine never gave Renegades a sniff.Hasnain bowled swiftly from the get go to set the tone and he was well supported by seamer Gurinder Sandhu fresh off claiming his third hat-trick in Australian cricket.In his first over back after being sidelined due to Covid-19, Sangha bowled Aaron Finch with a perfect legspinner as Thunder could do no wrong. Sams’ terrific performance continued when he claimed the wicket of Mackenzie Harvey as Thunder’s irresistible form showed no signs of abating.Reality bites for RenegadesIt might have just been a reality check for Renegades, who had leapfrogged two places off the bottom after victories against Covid-19 decimated opponents Melbourne Stars and Heat.They would have felt confident of giving the daunting total a shake under the closed roof but never threatened after losing three wickets in the four-over powerplay. Veteran Shaun Marsh, who has inserted confidence in the team since his recent return, was run out in the third over and skipper Nic Maddinson fell a few balls later as Renegades crashed.The burden was on Finch, who was dropped at slip in the second over, but he couldn’t conjure heroics as Renegades were embarrassingly bowled out in the 15th over.Renegades will need to return to the drawing board after a confidence denting defeat.

Suffered a heart attack in Mumbai, where he was on IPL commentary duty

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Sep-20202:17

Ian Bishop – ‘Dean, an innovator in ODIs, a human being of great depth’

Dean Jones, who pioneered an energetic style of ODI batting, and the hero of Australia’s tied Test against India in Chennai, died on Thursday after a heart attack in Mumbai. He was 59.Jones, who was in India as a commentator for the IPL, is understood to have suffered a heart attack around noon IST. It is understood that Jones, who was part of the commentary panel for Wednesday’s match, had breakfast this morning and attended a pre-match briefing with his colleagues. He is believed to have returned to his room and taken ill there. Brett Lee administered CPR until the medics arrived but was unable to revive Jones.Remembered for his double-century in the famous tied Test between India and Australia in Chennai, Jones played 52 Tests and 164 ODIs. He was also part of Australia’s 1987 World Cup-winning team. He carved a career in coaching and cricket commentary after his retirement from all forms of cricket in 1997-98.A precocious talent for Victoria, gruffly mentored by his father and Carlton Cricket Club legend Barney, Jones was introduced to the Australian side in the aftermath of Greg Chappell and Dennis Lillee’s retirements at the tail end of the 1983-84 summer, and made a meritorious 48 opposite Allan Border on debut against the fiery West Indies in Trinidad.The selectors were careful with him thereafter, not wanting him to suffer too much at the hands of the same West Indian juggernaut, and it was not until the 1986 tour of India that he gained a solid opportunity to grasp.Dean Jones on his way to making 90 in a one-run win over India in the 1992 World Cup•Getty Images

Informed by Border that he would be thrust into the No. 3 spot in Chennai, Jones responded with the innings of his life – 210 in enervating heat that brought him to the brink of total physical collapse, setting Australia up for a memorable tie.He was more or less a fixture in the Test team from then until 1992, an integral part of its evolution from frequent humiliation to the cusp of global domination, peeling off another double century against Viv Richards’ tourists in Adelaide in 1989, then coshing twin tons against Pakistan at the same venue a year later.At the same time, Jones was a pioneer in limited-overs cricket, as both a batting technician and an entertainer for vast crowds, never more so than at his beloved MCG. Somewhere along the way his Test match returns began to lose consistency, leading the selectors to make a still contentious call to leave him out of the team for the first Test against the West Indies at the Gabba in November 1992, a place he was never to regain.Jones continued to be a vital part of the ODI set-up for another two years, but his enthusiasm for the task waned in direct correlation to the realisation that under no circumstances, not even as a reserve on the 1994 tour of South Africa, would he return to Test cricket. Jones retired, unhappily, from international cricket at the end of the tour, but in his typical jack-in-the-box style had rescinded the call by the time his memoir, , was on shelves the following summer.He continued to dominate domestic ranks for Victoria, pummeling his highest score of 324 against South Australia at the MCG in a day/night Sheffield Shield match, and was in the initial squad for the 1996 World Cup before missing the cut-back to the final group that would lose to Sri Lanka in the final.On their return, Mark Taylor’s side faced a World XI to celebrate 150 years of the Victoria Cricket Association, and Jones was on hand to compile one of his best knocks, a defiant century on a day far more suited to bowlers than batsmen.Before finishing up, Jones also played for Derbyshire, with one of his final acts being to miss a slips catch in an 1997 Ashes tour match that may well have caused Taylor to quit the captaincy amid his extended run of outs.Dean Jones strikes a pose at Durham’s Racecourse ground•Allsport/Getty Images/Hulton Archive

He was head coach of Pakistan Super League franchise Islamabad United from 2015 to 2019. He also served as interim head coach of the Afghanistan national team briefly in 2017.Though much-loved and highly regarded across the commentary world, his broadcast career was not without controversy. In 2006, he referred to Hashim Amla as “the terrorist” on live television – though he was not commentating at the time, his remark was picked up by the microphone. He was immediately sacked from the commentary team and, while waiting for his flight out of Colombo, issued a statement of regret.In a statement Earl Eddings, the Cricket Australia chairman, said: “Dean Jones was a hero to a generation of cricketers and will forever be remembered as a legend of this great game. Anyone who watched cricket in the 1980s and 1990s will fondly recall his cavalier approach at the crease and the incredible energy and passion he brought to every game he played.”Although many remember him for his brilliance in the 50-over game, arguably Jones’ finest moment in the national team came in scorching conditions in Chennai in 1986, where his selfless and courageous innings of 210 helped Australia to a famous tie against India.”Jones remained an immensely popular figure in Australian and Victorian cricket throughout his life and was a much-loved columnist and commentator in every corner of the cricketing world.”This is a truly sad day. Deano’s loss will be felt not just at home in Australia, but across the globe. Our thoughts and best wishes are with his wife Jane and daughters Isabella and Phoebe.”Australia’s current men’s head coach, Justin Langer, said: “What a great player and a great bloke. We are shocked and very sad to hear of his passing.”Deano was a true legend of Australian sport and world cricket, one of the great players and personalities in a golden time for the game. His role in the team’s World Cup win in 1987 and the 1989 Ashes under AB were a huge turning point for Australian cricket. His double century in Madras was one of the greatest and most courageous innings of all time.We can only hope to make Australians as proud of our team as they were of Deano. He will be missed by the game and millions of people around the world. Our love to Jane and the girls.”

Dickwella’s century the only bright spot for visitors in three-day loss

ESPNcricinfo staff27-May-2019India A completed a three-day rout of Sri Lanka A in their first four-day match in Belgavi, courtesy compelling batting performances from captain Priyank Panchal, Abhimanyu Easwaran and Anmolpreet Singh, and Rahul Chahar’s wizardry with the ball.Panchal and Abhimanyu set the tone with a 352-run opening stand on the first day that paved the way for India A’s declaration after scoring a mammoth 622 for 5. Panchal, who made 160 of those runs, carried on his good form from the series against England Lions in February, where he registered scores of 206 and 50 in the two four-day games.Abhimanyu, meanwhile, recorded a career-best 321-ball 233 – his second double-century – to leave his mark and give the selectors another option for the top of the batting order in Test cricket, outside of the current top three – KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and Prithvi Shaw.Anmolpreet registered a fourth first-class century in just his 15th game. His unbeaten 116 took his career average to an impressive 54.95. It’s these batting performances that gave India A the cushion of enforcing the follow-on, which was made possible courtesy legspinner Chahar’s four-wicket haul in the first innings.Despite boasting of a number of international cricketers in their ranks, all Sri Lanka A managed was 232 in 62.4 overs, with Niroshan Dickwella, the Test wicketkeeper, top-scoring with a typically aggressive 113-ball 103. The next best was the 49 made by Ashan Priyanjan, the captain. Chahar’s efforts were backed up by Sandeep Warrier and allrounder Shivam Dube, who picked up two wickets apiece.In the second innings, Sri Lanka A fared worse. Facing a 390-run deficit, they slumped to 4 for 3 courtesy Ankit Rajpoot and Warrier. Priyanjan and Sadeera Samarawickrama led a brief revival, before they fell to Chahar again. The 20-year-old, who enjoyed a breakout IPL season with Mumbai Indians, picked up four more wickets to take his match tally to an impressive 8 for 123. Rajpoot, Warrier and offspinner Jayant Yadav got two wickets each too.The second four-dayer will be played in Hubli from May 31.

With the tournament scheduled to run from August 18 to September 10, SLC is also attempting to lure second-string India players to participate

Andrew Fidel Fernando07-Apr-2018Russel Arnold, the former Sri Lanka batsman, and commentator, has been appointed tournament director for the Lankan Premier League, to be played in August and September. Having officially signed on several days ago, Arnold’s work begins in earnest in May.”We consider bringing in a person in the caliber of Russel as the Tournament Director of the LPL will help the process of making it a successful tournament, especially considering his experience as a player and also his knowledge in promoting the game,” said Thilanga Sumathipala, the SLC president.Although planning remains in the early stages, Sri Lanka Cricket is also attempting to lure second-string India players to the tournament, with Sumathipala having repeatedly stated that he plans to appeal to the BCCI about the issue. The presence of Indian players – even those of lesser renown – would be a substantial boon, particularly as LPL match times will be ideally suited for Indian viewers. The BCCI has never allowed its players to participate in foreign leagues, although SLC hopes to change that given the recent co-operation between both boards.SLC CEO Ashley de Silva also said that the board would insist that all its players take part in the LPL instead of the Caribbean Premier League, which is set to take place at the same time.SLC has not had a high profile T20 tournament since the SLPL, which had a lukewarm reception on the island in 2012, and was never played again. The LPL is scheduled to run from August 18 to September 10.

Appointed in August 2012, Cook has led the team through more Test matches than any other England captain

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Feb-20172:04

The highs and lows of Cook’s captaincy

Alastair Cook has stepped down from his role after 59 Tests as England captain. His appetite to continue had been questioned during England’s 4-0 defeat to India before Christmas and Cook has now confirmed he will pass on the captaincy, with Joe Root his likely successor.Appointed in August 2012, Cook led the team in more Test matches than any other England captain. His record includes Ashes victories at home in 2013 and 2015, as well as series wins in India and South Africa. With 24 Test wins, he is joint-second as England’s most successful captain but five losses in seven Tests over the winter meant he also eclipsed Michael Atherton’s record for defeats.Cook discussed his decision with Colin Graves, the chairman of the ECB, on Sunday evening and has confirmed his continuing commitment to playing Test cricket to Andrew Strauss, England’s team director, and the selectors. Strauss suggested Cook’s replacement would be named before the ODI tour to the West Indies later this month, with Root favourite to be be named as England’s new captain – the 80th in their Test history – in the coming days.Cook, 32, is England’s most-capped Test player, their most prolific batsman with 11,057 runs in 140 Tests to date, and has scored more Test centuries than any of his countrymen. He also led the one-day side on 69 occasions between 2010 and 2014, another England record.During his five seasons at the helm he was named Cricketer of the Year (2012) and ICC World Test Captain (2013) and his services to the game were recognised with a CBE – collected at Buckingham Palace on Friday – to follow the MBE he was awarded in 2011.”It’s been a huge honour to be England captain and to lead the Test team over the past five years,” Cook said. “Stepping down has been an incredibly hard decision but I know this is the correct decision for me and at the right time for the team. I’ve had time to reflect after the India series and this weekend I spoke to Colin Graves to explain and offer my resignation.”It’s a sad day personally in many ways but I want to thank everyone I’ve captained, all the coaches and support staff and, of course, the England supporters and the Barmy Army who follow us home and away and have given us unwavering support.”Playing for England really is a privilege and I hope to carry on as a Test player, making a full contribution and helping the next England captain and the team however I can.”Alastair Cook was awarded a CBE last week•Getty Images

Strauss, the man from whom Cook inherited the Test captaincy in 2012, paid tribute to his former opening partner and explained the next steps in appointing a successor.”I want to thank Alastair, on behalf of the ECB and from a personal perspective, for the fantastic contribution that he’s made to the England Test team since taking over as captain in 2012,” Strauss said.”His country owes him a great debt of gratitude; he’s led the team with determination, conviction and a huge amount of pride over the last five years and his record stands for itself. With more matches leading the team than anyone, including two Ashes wins, he deserves to be seen as one of our country’s great captains.”Off the field as well as on, he has shown his strengths, developing the team and its culture, managing a fundamental transition and helping us to build for the future. As with all leaders, there have been times where circumstances have tested him but his resilience and temperament have helped him to prevail and to prosper.”He has always served with the best interests of the team in the front of his mind and stays true to that as he steps down from the role. Alastair will be missed in his capacity as captain but I hope that he has a number of years left to add to his record-breaking feats as an opening batsman and look forward to his continued success.”We now move on with the process of appointing the right successor. There are a number of established players who are playing formal or informal leadership roles and whilst we’ve rightly not spoken to anyone in relation to the Test captaincy so far, we can now talk fully and openly within the team. We expect to be able to make an announcement before the team head to the West Indies on February 22.”Cook first captained England in Bangladesh in 2010, deputising for the rested Strauss. After taking over permanently in 2012, Cook led from the front with three centuries as England came from behind to win their first Test series in India in 28 years. England retained the Ashes with a 3-0 win the following summer but cracks were beginning to show and Australia took swift revenge a few months later.The 5-0 whitewash left England needing to rebuild, and the decision to do so without the involvement of Kevin Pietersen was one of the most controversial of Cook’s reign. Beaten at home by Sri Lanka at the start of the 2014 summer, England then lost the second Test to India at Lord’s, prompting Cook to consider resigning. He chose to continue but his hopes of leading England at the 2015 World Cup were dashed when the ECB sacked him less than two months before the tournament.He subsequently oversaw the regeneration of the Test side, as players such as Root, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow helped England to regain the Ashes in 2015 and then secure a memorable win in South Africa the following winter.Although England’s progress was recently checked by two difficult tours of the subcontinent – drawing 1-1 with Bangladesh before being outclassed by India – Cook had retained the support of his players and the coaching staff. His decision to step down comes during a seven-month gap between Test commitments and gives his successor time to prepare for home series against South Africa and West Indies, before the challenge of another Ashes tour to Australia.

The Big Bash League enjoyed a landmark day in both Melbourne and Perth on Saturday, as a crowd of 80,883 – a competition record by nigh on 30,000 – packed into the MCG for the Melbourne derby

Will Macpherson in Melbourne02-Jan-2016The Big Bash League enjoyed a landmark day in both Melbourne and Perth on Saturday, as a crowd of 80,883 – a competition record by nigh on 30,000 – packed into the MCG for the Melbourne derby, and the WACA Ground sold out once more for Perth Scorchers’ fixture with Sydney Sixers.Furthermore, 12,901 were at the MCG by the conclusion of the Women’s Big Bash League Melbourne derby fixture, a record for a women’s domestic game, and a larger crowd than any Women’s World T20 final.In Melbourne, however, the BBL’s routine notching of milestones did not come without difficulty. Ahead of the WBBL fixture, as many as 2,000 fans were left outside the MCG as only one general admission gate was opened at the beginning of the match. The crowd more than doubled during the second innings.For the men’s fixture, many thousands were caught out by the stadium’s stringent security measures. To illustrate, the crowd at the start of the game stood at about 55,000, and the 80,833 figure was only reached at the innings break as frustrated fans were finally able to enter the stadium. For the Renegades’ innings, a queue had snaked all around Yarra Park.A Cricket Australia statement read: “The Melbourne Cricket Ground has been highly proactive in their security measures for major cricket events this summer. The match tonight experienced an unprecedented record crowd for domestic cricket.”We thank fans for their patience and apologise for the delays experienced entering the ground tonight. The safety and security of our fans, players and officials is always our number one priority and rest assured we’ll continue to work with the MCG to ensure everyone has a fantastic experience at any cricket event this summer.”Despite the difficulties – which reportedly also saw many of the venue’s food vendors run dry shortly after the innings break – there was a sense of triumphalism around a fine day for the competition.”It’s been a great day for cricket,” said CA’s Mike McKenna. “We were absolutely delighted to see crowds across the country come out in force, with record attendances at our men’s and women’s Big Bash League matches.”To have more than 80,000 people at the MCG for the local Melbourne derby, then to witness a sell out in Perth for a re-match of last year’s final, all on the same day, was a genuine milestone in the short history of the league.”Englishman Luke Wright, who upstaged more celebrated overseas players Kevin Pietersen, Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo to score a match-winning century for the Stars, said the crowd sent a message about the competition’s pulling power.”It was one of those moments where until it finishes you can’t really enjoy it,” Wright said. “I’ve been lucky enough to play internationally and in the IPL so I know about big crowds. Tonight rather than people abusing you and spitting at you, it was great to have the crowd behind. It just sends a message about how big this competition is.”You look around and you pinch yourself, we had a feeling it would be big tonight, but obviously not that good. How special was that? To get a win, it’s up there with the best cricketing moments of my life.”