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AB De Villiers’ 200th ODI for South Africa ended much the same way his 100th Test did; with rain forcing an abandonment, after just one over, at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Sunday

The Report by Firdose Moonda19-Jun-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsA washout in Bridgetown on Sunday meant Australia face a do-or-die clash against West Indies in their final league game•Getty Images

AB de Villiers’ 200th ODI for South Africa went much the same way his 100th Test did, as Sunday’s tri-series fixture was the first to be washed out, with only an over possible.Just as November’s Bangalore Test involved long periods of watching and waiting, the first game of the series in Barbados dragged on for over five hours because of intermittent rain, which denied South Africa an opportunity to qualify for the final. Instead they shared points with Australia, who now face a must-win clash against hosts West Indies in their final league fixture at the same venue on Tuesday.The damp squib ended the possibility of what could have been the first battle of the quicks in this tournament. Both sides bolstered their seam stocks in anticipation of a surface with more pace and bounce. South Africa handed Morne Morkel his first opportunity on tour, at the expense of left-arm wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi, while Australia included Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc in their XI. Australia also dispensed with a specialist spinner in Adam Zampa to bring back Glenn Maxwell.Steven Smith decided to let his attack loose on a fresh surface, perhaps mindful of the impact rain could have on the chase. Starc bowled the first and only over of the match: an affair that included three wides, a half-volley that Quinton de Kock drove for four and two well-directed inswingers. Heavy rain swept through the ground seconds after he finished the over.The downpour lasted three hours and 20 minutes before abating. There was a possibility of play resuming when covers were peeled off at 4.30pm local time. But an inspection, and an hour and 15 minutes later, the match officials felt the outfield and the pitch were too wet for the game to resume. The final call was made at 6.25pm.

Undefeated Sussex just cannot force the vicotries to advance their promotion chances, a failure to bowl out Glamorgan on the final day being the latest example

ECB Reporters Network05-Jul-2016
ScorecardDavid Lloyd’s hundred held off Sussex•Getty Images

David Lloyd led the resistance with an unbeaten hundred as Glamorgan batted through the final day to secure a hard-fought draw against Sussex at Hove.Sussex, who are still undefeated in the Specsavers County Championship second division after eight games, had opportunities to gain what would have been only their second win of the season.Luke Wright, Sussex’s captain, said: “It’s been a tough four days but I was really chuffed with our guys. We wanted to play relentless cricket and I thought’s that what we did. We’ve not scored enough big runs this season so to see three of the guys get big hundreds was exactly what we’re looking for but we knew winning on the last day was always going to be difficult because that pitch seemed to get more lifeless rather than starting to turn and go up and down.”When Will Bragg was run out by Will Beer’s direct hit from mid-wicket two overs before lunch, Glamorgan were 108 for 4 and still trailed by 109.But Lloyd and Aneurin Donald joined forces in the afternoon to add 86 in 25 overs and although Donald eventually lost his off stump to Ajmal Shahzad for 44 playing no shot there was no shifting Lloyd.He offered a chance on 66 but Luke Wright failed to hold on to a thick edge at third slip off Stuart Whittingham, who was the pick of Sussex’s seam attack. Lloyd and Jacques Rudolph saw off the second new ball during a stand of 93 in 24 overs and Lloyd, one of only three Glamorgan batsmen to lodge a Championship century this season, reached his second hundred of the campaign by hitting successive deliveries from Will Beer to the boundary.He finished 102 not out from 168 balls, with 14 fours and a six, with Glamorgan 306 for 6 when the captains shook hands immediately after Lloyd got to three figures.Glamorgan, resuming on 30 for 1, lost Mark Wallace in the third over of the day when Whittingham angled one across him and Ross Taylor held a low catch at slip.There was some slow turn for Sussex’s spinners and Briggs struck in his sixth over when he ended 26 overs of gutsy resistance by night-watchman Owen Morgan by bowling him for 36.But it was hard work for the Sussex attack on a painfully slow pitch and Lloyd got his head down impressively.He hit a straight six off Will Beer and even when Sussex took the second new ball their tiring attack struggled to make much headway. Rudolph was eventually caught behind for 38 off an under-edge as he shaped to cut Briggs but Glamorgan were 70 in front by then and Sussex’s hopes of forcing victory had virtually disappeared. A desperately slow surface defied them in the end as only 20 wickets fell in four days, one of those to a run out.Sussex took 11 points from their seventh draw of the season and Glamorgan nine.

Neil Wagner’s career-best 6 for 41 dismantled Zimbabwe’s fragile line-up and the hosts were only saved from being dismissed for the lowest first-innings score in Bulawayo by their tail

The Report by Firdose Moonda28-Jul-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details0:53

By The Numbers – Wagner bosses in Bulawayo

Neil Wagner’s career-best 6 for 41 dismantled Zimbabwe’s fragile line-up and the hosts were only saved from being dismissed for the lowest first-innings score in Bulawayo by their tail. Prince Masvaure and Donald Tiripano shared an 85-run ninth-wicket stand to take Zimbabwe from 72 for 8 to a relatively respectable total of 164, but the day belonged to the South African-born New Zealand left-armer.Wagner employed a short-ball strategy his former countrymen are known for and extracted surprising bounce from a usually tame surface to force a Zimbabwean collapse. Twice. In the second hour of play, the hosts tumbled from 35 for 1 to 36 for 4, and then, in the post-lunch session, lost four wickets with the score on 72. Wagner had bowled throughout that period, in a marathon 13-over spell broken by lunch, before New Zealand were frustrated by Zimbabwe’s late fightback.Masvaure, playing his first Test, and Tiripano, in his second, batted for almost three hours and faced 260 balls in the partnership. The rest of Zimbabwe’s line-up only fronted up to 207 deliveries. On a pitch which called for patience and application, and against an opposition who were aggressive with ball in hand and in the field, Zimbabwe’s top-order was found wanting, which may prompt questions about why their captain exposed them so early.With three debutants and plenty of inexperience in his ranks, Graeme Cremer would have been forgiven had he opted to field but he followed conventional wisdom and put his men in the firing line. Brian Chari was first to front up and Tim Southee did not allow him any easing in. The first ball swerved away, took the edge and went for four. The second did exactly the same but landed in the hands of Martin Guptill at second slip.Hamilton Masakadza ushered debutant Chamu Chibhabha through a tricky period against Southee, who found consistent movement, and Trent Boult, who did not. Just as the pair settled, spin was introduced in the 12th over but it was Wagner who began the assault.He banged in a series of short balls to Chibhabha, who eventually pulled uncertainly to mid-wicket. Wagner had the same plan for Sean Williams and hit him on the helmet first up. Williams had barely recovered from a change of grille when Wagner banged in another short ball. The batsman pulled and the ball went off his helmet to midwicket. Williams was given out, even as he pointed to his helmet in explanation. Sandwiched between those dismissals Masakadza gifted Mitchell Santner a return catch, which cost Zimbabwe their most experienced player.Wagner continued to use brute force. He struck Craig Ervine in the rib cage and Sikandar Raza on the thumb but the pair survived to lunch. They enjoyed a small window of productive run-scoring after the break, headlined by Raza’s strength while playing the drive, but it did not last long. Their partnership had reached 36 when Ervine stepped out of his crease to loft Santner over the infield, made no contact and was stumped.That fired Wagner up even more and five balls later, Raza succumbed to yet another short ball. Wagner changed lengths to Regis Chakabva, who was caught behind off a length ball that slanted across him, and then dismissed the Zimbabwean captain for a golden duck in signature style. Cremer inside-edged to short leg to leave Zimbabwe reeling at 72 for 8.Masvaure watched the carnage from the other end before he could face a ball but showed the temperament to suggest he could bat higher up. He and Tiripano kept Wagner out, forced Williamson to bring back both Boult and Southee for spells with the older ball, and even dealt well with legspinner Ish Sodhi in a lesson to the rest of their line-up.They built slowly and cautiously, especially as Williamson continued to test them with close catchers in unusual positions. The pair pushed the score past 100 and then past 150, and sprinkled their circumspection with some stunning hits, mostly off Sodhi. Masvaure’s back-to-back sweeps and Tiripano’s six into the stands were highlights but it was the slow grind of their stand that they will be most proud of, although there would be disappointment at not carrying it further.With the second new ball ten overs away, Williamson brought Southee back for a last burst with the old ball, and he had Masvaure trapped lbw. Michael Chinouya could not hand around long enough to help Tiripano reach his maiden Test fifty. Chinouya was bowled by a Wagner delivery with a hint of reverse-swing that left Tiripano unbeaten on 49, his highest Test score.Having already done the bulk of the day’s work with the bat, Tiripano then had to open the bowling with Chinouya. Zimbabwe did not manage to build any pressure as New Zealand ended the day with all ten wickets intact and their sights on the best batting conditions in the match tomorrow.

Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach, admitted it was very frustrating to see Mohammad Irfan only able to deliver five overs at Headingley before leaving the field with what was said to be cramp

Andrew McGlashan at Headingley02-Sep-2016Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach, admitted it was “very frustrating” to see Mohammad Irfan only able to deliver five overs at Headingley before leaving the field with what was said to be cramp despite having been training as a standby player.Irfan had been drafted into the squad after Mohammad Hafeez was ruled out of the series and was one of four changes Pakistan made after conceding the world record total of 444 for 3 at Trent Bridge.He delivered Pakistan’s fieriest spell of the one-day series to remove Jason Roy and Alex Hales, setting back England’s chase of 248, and nearly claimed Eoin Morgan as well during a hostile over in the ninth. That battle with Morgan ended his first spell when he was then withdrawn from the attack after five overs. He continued fielding for a period which included holding a catch at fine leg to remove Joe Root, then disappeared to the dressing room.He eventually prepared to bowl again for the 42nd over but only managed one delivery, a vast wide off the pitch outside off, before trudging off again with Arthur clearly unimpressed as he watched from the sidelines.Leading into his comeback match, Irfan had bowled just four competitive overs – in a domestic T20 for Islamabad against Lahore on August 26 – although Arthur did reference two “50-over games” as part of his period with the National Cricket Academy (NCA).”It’s very frustrating,” Arthur said. “There were checks and balances in place. He was put on standby when we selected our one-day squad, he went to the NCA and did his training. He played two 50-over games and 20-over game and was resident at the NCA for a period of a week and a half.”Arthur conceded “I’m finding my way with the one-day team” – which was already in a far greater degree of flux than the Test side when he came in as coach – but insisted he has a full say in selection alongside the chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq.”I want to give guys opportunities and then we’ll know by the end of the tour who we can and can’t take forward. Irfan was a player of interest and I wanted to have a look at him go. Inzi and myself have developed a really good relationship. We speak a hell of a lot. I spent probably 40 minutes on the phone to him yesterday just discussing where we were and possible names who could come in in positions I’ve identified. What I am finding out is who can do a job and who can’t.”Arthur, who before the match at Lord’s earlier in this series said that no one’s position was safe in the side, and put his over-30s on particular notice, admitted it had been an “eye-opening” four matches against England.”England are a phenomenal cricket team, power hitters all the way down, we haven’t been able to get quick starts and clear the ropes,” he said. “We just don’t have the players to do that within our group of 15 at the moment. Those are things we need to address and bear in mind for the next series. It also gives me an opportunity to decide who we take forward and how we play our cricket. With every game that becomes clearer and clearer.”One issue he remains adamant on, however, is that players must conform to the off-field standards expected. One particular name in focus continues to be Umar Akmal whose attitude has come in for previous criticism by Arthur. He is still sidelined from the national side, having not been included for the one-off T20 at Old Trafford, and Arthur was again cautious in his assessment of Akmal.”They have to conform. You would like to think, and I’ve never worked with Umar so it’s all hearsay for me, that he’s learnt a lesson,” Arthur said. “I haven’t had any conversations with him yet. He’s a very good finisher. His form in the local T20 competition is very good so he’s putting his hand up and he’s going about his business in a fairly good way. But in terms of other off-field stuff, that will be decided at a later date and we’ll never compromise.”

Heath Streak is considered a favourite to become head coach of Zimbabwe as ZC seek to fill the position before home Tests against Sri Lanka later this month

Firdose Moonda06-Oct-2016Zimbabwe have conducted interviews to fill the position of head coach, left vacant by the sacking of Dav Whatmore in June. Heath Streak, Andy Blignaut and South Africans Peter Kirsten and Justin Summons were interviewed by five ZC board members on Wednesday. An appointment is expected to be made before the Sri Lanka Tests later this month and is likely to be a two-year contract with the mandate to ensure Zimbabwe qualifies for the 2019 World Cup.Of the candidates, Streak is considered the favourite while Summons is the dark horse. Based in Johannesburg, Summons worked with both Prosper Utseya and Brian Vitori to correct illegal bowling actions. Both bowlers have subsequently been cleared to play.Summons will have tough competition from Streak, who was Zimbabwe’s bowling coach under Alan Butcher between 2010 and 2013 and has had stints with Bangladesh and at the IPL since. Streak will likely be able to continue in his role with IPL team Gujarat Lions, which occupies him for only two months a year, even if he gets the Zimbabwe job.Blignaut does not have the same experience as Streak but does share local knowledge. He has been coaching at Peterhouse, one of Zimbabwe’s most prestigious sporting schools, and was being considered for a role with Zimbabwe’s under-19 side earlier this year.Kirsten is also currently involved at a school, Redhill in Johannesburg, while also working as a commentator on SABC Radio. His most recent coaching experiences are all in Africa; he was involved with Uganda, Kenya and Sierra Leone. Kirsten also coached Western Province in the past.Zimbabwe’s South African connection is strong. Their most recent acting head coach was Makhaya Ntini, who took over for ODIs against India and two Tests against New Zealand. With only one victory in eight games, Ntini, who does not have any coaching qualifications apart from the Level II that all former Test players automatically hold, came under pressure and Zimbabwe were forced to seek out another head coach. Ntini is still in Zimbabwe and players have been training under him and batting consultant Lance Klusener in the lead-up to matches against Pakistan A. Ntini and Klusener, who have signed contracts with ZC, are expected to be retained in the roles of bowling coach and batting consultant respectively.Zimbabwe are scheduled to play two Tests against Sri Lanka in Harare starting on October 29, after which they will play an ODI triangular series also involving West Indies.

Kyle Hope’s maiden List A ton and Rovman Powell’s all-round heroics powered West Indies A to a big win over Sri Lanka A and a 2-0 lead in the series

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Oct-2016A maiden List A century from Kyle Hope and a strong all-round effort from Rovman Powell studded West Indies A’s 109-run victory over Sri Lanka A in Kurunegela. The win gave the visitors a 2-0 lead in the three-match series.Hope hit four sixes and ten fours in his 110-ball 107, sharing century stands with Chadwick Walton for the first wicket and Assad Fudadin for the second. Walton scored a 57-ball 70 in an opening stand of 111 in 18.1 overs. Fudadin was slower, with a 70-ball 57, but Hope’s acceleration meant the second-wicket partnership put on 109 in 17.1 overs. That partnership ended with the wicket of Hope, but West Indies A still had a strong platform, with 220 for 2 in the 36th over.Powell made full use of that base, hitting six sixes and two fours en route to 52 off 22 balls. West Indies added 113 runs in the last ten overs to set a target of 348.The Sri Lankan openers, Sandun Weerakkody and Danushka Gunathilaka, fell for 0 and 1 respectively to leave the side at 10 for 2. Shehan Jayasuriya, who had led the bowling effort with 4 for 54, did his best to resurrect the batting with a 113-ball 119. He and Charith Asalanka added 88 for the third wicket, before a run-out ended the partnership. Thereafter, a steady stream of wickets deflated Sri Lanka A’s chase with Powell claiming 3 for 43. Sri Lanka A were ultimately bowled out for 238 in 42.1 overs.The final match between the two sides will be held in Colombo on October 30.

A round-up of the Sunfoil Series 2016-17 matches that ended on October 23, 2016

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Oct-2016The Titans surged to their first win of the season with a massive innings and 38-run victory over the Dolphins in Centurion, and they did it courtesy two franchise debutants. Aiden Markram and Lungi Ngidi were both making their maiden first-class appearances for the Titans and showed that the young talent in Centurion is blossoming.Ngidi was first to the fore when he took four wickets in an opening spell that reduced the Dolphins to 61 for 4 in the 21st over. Senuran Muthusamy was the only Dolphins batsmen to show some fight and scored 52 but with no half-century stands, the Dolphins struggled to get over 200. They eked over the mark but not before Ngidi had picked up his fifth.Markram was promoted to the franchise team in the absence of Dean Elgar, who has left on Test duty, and he was a perfect fit. He partnered Heino Kuhn in an opening stand of 203 and then put on 120 with Grant Mokoena for the second wicket while scoring 162 of his own. The Titans were well in the lead by the time Markram was dismissed with the Dolphins unable to make many inroads despite the return of Andile Phehlukwayo. Although none of the Titans bottom seven batsmen made more than 32, they batted into the third day and amassed 432, a lead of 225.A worn-out Dolphins line-up up could not muster much resistance and by the time Ngidi bowled again, they were already three down. Khaya Zondo scored 68 but the Titans’ attack proved too strong for the rest. Wickets were shared all round with three each for Rowan Richards and Malusi Siboto while Ngigi added two for a match haul of seven. The Dolphins won their first two fixtures but only picked up 4.14 points in this match to drop off the top of the points table.At the other end of the log, the Cape Cobras remain in last place despite their high-scoring draw against the Warriors at Newlands. On a flat track, both teams racked up totals over 500 with no time for either to get into a second innings.The Warriors’ batsmen made first use of the surface. After Michael Price and Edward Moore put on 113 for the first wicket, new Leicestershire signing Colin Ackermann scored a career-best 146. Yaseen Vallie and Somilar Seyibokwe managed half-centuries each as the bowlers conceded unenviable amounts of runs. Beuran Hendricks gave away 100 runs while Tsepo Moreki and Test discard Dane Piedt had 110 and 155 runs taken off them. Piedt bowled a marathon 43 overs before the Warrriors declared on 525 for 7 on the second day.If they thought they had done enough to intimidate a Cobras side deep in turmoil over the future of coach Paul Adams, they were wrong. Omphile Ramela and Andrew Puttick, both of whom are among the players unhappy with Adams, put their troubles aside and scored 266 for the opening stand. It took Warriors 106.4 overs before they got their first wicket, when Puttick was bowled on 124. Ramela went on to make 170. Jason Smith, fresh off a half-century last weekend, was the other Cobras batsmen to record a milestone. He scored 63.The Warriors’ bowlers also took punishment. Sisanda Magala conceded 101 while another spinner no longer looked at at Test level, Simon Harmer, toiled the hardest. He bowled 69 overs for 176 runs before the teams shook hands on a draw in the third session on the final day.There was also no winner in Kimberley where the Knights and the Lions shared spoils, although the Knights will be the happier of the two sides. Their 8.88 points took them to the top of the table and Duanne Olivier’s nine-wicket match haul means he now leads the wicket charts.After choosing to bat, the Lions were in early trouble at 133 for 4 but Nicky van den Bergh and Dwaine Pretorius took them out of it. They put on 83 runs for the fifth wicket and van den Burgh went on to score a century which was then topped up by Willem Mulder. The schoolboy shared in a 132-run eight-wicket partnership with Bjorn Fortuin and the Lions were dismissed for 483 – their first total over 300 this season.On a docile surface and with their big international name, David Miller, making his first appearance for them, the Knights had a ready response. Michael Erlank and Miller put on 243 for the third wicket and Miller went on to a career-best 177. The Lions’ attack was kept in the field for 142 overs before they bowled the Knights out, with Aya Myoli taking 4 for 145.The Knights made their 89-run first innings lead appear all the more valuable when their attack reduced the Lions to 92 for 5. Pretorius and Dominic Hendricks steadied the second innings with a 109-run sixth-wicket partnership before Olivier got in on the action. He took four wickets on the third afternoon even as the Lions took their lead over 200. Mangalisio Mosehle’s 67 kept the Knights at bay and there was not enough time for them to try and push for a victory.

Rangpur Riders swept to a crushing nine-wicket win, with 12 overs to spare, after getting Khulna Titans 44 all out

Mohammad Isam10-Nov-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShahid Afridi’s 4 for 12 was instrumental in Rangpur Riders’ decimation of Khulna Titans•Raton Gomes/BCB

Shahid Afridi and Arafat Sunny took 7 for 12 between them as Rangpur Riders demolished Khulna Titians for 44, before breezing to the target in eight overs, with nine wickets in hand. In their second dominating performance in as many days, Rangpur swept to the biggest win in BPL in terms of balls remaining.Khulna’s score of 44 surpassed Barisal Bulls’ 58 as the lowest team total in BPL history. They also became the ninth team in T20 history to be bowled out for below 50. Afridi took his fifth four-wicket haul while Sunny, bowling his left-arm spin with a revamped action, had dream bowling figures of 3 for 0 in 2.4 overs.Rangpur took just two balls to seize the initiative. Nicholas Pooran was bowled behind his legs for the second game in a row, this time to Sohag Gazi. Gazi then threw down the stumps at the non-striker’s end, where Abdul Mazid was lazily short of his ground, to make it 10 for 2..Mahmudullah fell leg before to Richard Gleeson in the next over before Afridi and Sunny waded into the Khulna innings.With his first ball, Afridi bowled Rikki Wessels with one that kept low before trapping Alok Kapali leg before with the second ball. Shuvagata Hom struck two fours at the other end but, in Afridi’s next over, made the mistake of going back to his full ball, to be bowled for 12, the only Khulna batsman with a double-figure score.There were two more fours in the Khulna innings before Arafat Sunny tore up the tail with three wickets in his 2.4 overs. Ariful Haque was trapped leg before before Junaid Khan was caught at midwicket in the same over. Afridi then took his fourth wicket – Nur Alam – and Sunny added his third, bowling out Khulna in just 10.4 overs.As if to show that the pitch had no demons, Mohammad Shahzad came out to slam three fours off Junaid Khan. However, he chipped one back at the same bowler in the third over to depart for 13. Soumya Sarkar and Mohammad Mithun closed out the chase to complete a thrashing that took less than 19 overs, all told.

Mike McKenna has poached CA’s long-serving head of events Chris Loftus-Hills to help oversee Perth’s new stadium, which is set to host an Ashes Test next summer

Daniel Brettig12-Dec-2016Mike McKenna’s departure as operations chief at Cricket Australia has led to another exit, with the long-serving head of events, Chris Loftus-Hills, also quitting to help McKenna oversee Perth’s new stadium.In more than a decade at CA, Loftus-Hills pulled together events at a moment’s notice, and managed such intricate functions as ticket sales and the back-end production of international matches, among other things.He joins the Perth Stadium team having already worked in collaboration with the Western Australia government and builders to prepare cricket facilities at the stadium, including the drop-in pitches to be used at the multi-purpose venue. It is set to host Perth’s Ashes Test next summer.”I am excited to be joining Mike McKenna and the team that will bring to life the new Perth Stadium and deliverworld-class sport and entertainment events,” Loftus-Hills said. “My time at Cricket Australia has been a wonderful journey filled with incredible experiences. I would like to thank both Mike McKenna and James Sutherland who have given me such unique opportunities and supported me faultlessly during this time.”It has been a pleasure to build programs and develop an outstanding team that delivers events for a sport that I am deeply passionate about and that is so important to so many Australians. I am very fortunate to be able to take with me a decade of special memories. I am very much looking forward to working with all the major sporting codes and other hirers to deliver a premium fan experience in a world-class facility that the people of Perth are going to be immensely proud of.”The departure of Loftus-Hills contributes further to a significant drain of talent from the governing body, which in the past 12 months has lost a broad selection of staff from a wide variety of roles at its Jolimont headquarters. These include:Executive general manager (EGM) of business and advisory services
EGM of operations
Head of HR
Head of communications
Two women’s team communications managers
Legal counsel
Two managers of schools and junior participation programs
Community relations manager
Hospitality manager
Internal communications manager
Big Bash League commercial manager
There are believed to have been a range of difficulties faced by staff beneath senior executive levels for some time, contributing to the high turnover. Roles at cricket’s governing body have always been in high demand, ensuring a steady flow of fresh candidates eager to take the places of those who walk away.Some issues raised have included a lack of time off in lieu for staff, and cramped working conditions at the Jolimont office, which has served as CA’s Melbourne home since 2001, albeit with expansions to its upper floors. One minor concession to staff this season has been an internal memo stating that the wearing of ties in the office is no longer mandatory.A CA spokesperson declined to comment on Loftus-Hills’ exit.

India’s chairman of selectors has said that Wriddhiman Saha “has got better hands and that’s where he scores a little more points than Parthiv Patel”

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jan-20170:50

Quick Facts – First wicketkeeper with an Irani Cup double-century

MSK Prasad, India’s chairman of selectors, has said Wriddhiman’s Saha’s glovework puts him above Parthiv Patel as the first-choice wicketkeeper in Tests.Saha had a breakout tour of the Carribean last year, scoring 205 runs in four innings, including a maiden Test hundred. He backed it up with a pair of half-centuries against New Zealand at his home ground in Kolkata, where India secured the No. 1 ranking. A thigh strain in November forced him out of the team and his replacement, Parthiv Patel, impressed India’s captain Virat Kohli with a gutsy performance as an opener in Mohali and later captained Gujarat to their maiden Ranji Trophy championship.A fit-again Saha and Parthiv then met in what was possibly an audition for the Test wicketkeeper spot in the Irani Cup at Brabourne Stadium. Prasad was in attendance to watch them both.While Parthiv managed only 43 runs in the match, having been wrongly given out in the second innings, Saha recovered from a first-innings duck and to hit a career-best 203 not out to lead Rest of India to the title.”Wriddiman Saha was out of the team because of injury and not because he was out of form,” Prasad told . “He was the Man of the Match in the Kolkata Test against New Zealand and got a hundred in West Indies. I am happy how Parthiv [Patel] has responded to the call-up.”He is a fighter to the core. He single-handedly brought Gujarat from nowhere to being the Ranji champion. He is among our scheme of things. There is just a minor difference between the two. When it comes to Test cricket, it is always the man who keeps better gets the nod.”Parthiv’s glovework has definitely improved. But Saha has got better hands and that’s where he scores little more points than Parthiv. With today’s batting, Saha showed why he is the No. 1 keeper-batsman in the country. When he came out to bat yesterday, the team was struggling at 63 for 4 and to take the game away from Gujarat is phenomenal. So it’s a healthy competition between the two.”Wriddhiman Saha made 205 runs in four innings, including a maiden Test century, in the Caribbean last year•AFP

Prasad was also pleased with the progress made by the Indian one-day team in addressing a weakness: “All said and done, we were a bit worried about the middle order during the New Zealand ODI series.”But against England, Yuvraj Singh, who spent three years out of the ODI side, marked his return with a career-best 150 at the No. 4 spot. MS Dhoni hit a century in partnership with him from No. 5 whereas Kedar Jadhav at No. 6 showed his range and mettle with a hundred in India’s come-from-behind win in Pune and followed it with a thrilling 90 at Eden Gardens.”[Recalling] Yuvraj was definitely not a gamble,” Prasad said. “The five selectors earlier and three now had seen him do exceptionally well in the domestic circuit. Someone who can get a 260 and a 180 in Ranji Trophy shows the ability and the hunger he has.”Kedar Jadhav is a little dynamite. I saw him play a Ranji game at Lahli, Andhra versus Maharashtra (2014-15 quarter-final). It was a seaming track and they were some for 40 for 6 and this guy scored some 80-odd and won the game for Maharashtra.”Somehow like Virat enjoys chasing, this guy enjoys finisher’s role. During one of the recent India A tour to Australia he played that role. Even in Zimbabwe he did well and I’m happy for him.”The major concern for India ahead of the Champions Trophy appears to be their openers. Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane do not have the weight of runs behind them, but Prasad chose to play that down.”As far as the opening slots are concerned, we all know that Rohit Sharma is injured and it’s just a matter of time before he comes back,” he said. “I know it would have helped the rest to get some runs under the belt but I am not overtly worried because we have domestic limited-overs cricket and then the big event like IPL coming all the boys will have minimum 15-16 matches before they head to the Champions Trophy.”