The future of the WACA ground may be in doubt, but it is set for a final hurrah

Benjamin Golby04-Nov-2014Perth is a cricket destination renowned for fast bowling. The pitch at Dennis Lillee’s home ground bakes through the city’s long, burning summer to seethe with bounce and pace. From the muggings of the West Indies and Pakistan in the 1980s, to Ryan Harris and Mitchell Johnson’s decimation of England in recent seasons, Perth makes for fast, exciting cricket.All this may soon change. The Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA) ground has been admonished by Cricket Australia for its inadequate facilities and denied a Test match this summer. With a five-tiered stadium being constructed across the river, the future of the WACA is in doubt and international cricket in Perth may well change in character.Whatever the future holds, watching ODI cricket in Perth is a great experience. Following the searing heat of the afternoon, the evenings are a balm, with the lingering warmth of the day tempered by pleasant breezes. Under the bright lights it makes a divine setting for night cricket.The venue
On the outskirts of downtown Perth – nestled by a bend in the Swan river – the WACA is an anachronism in Australian cricket. It has a manned scoreboard, two expansive grassy hills, and visiting players descend to the field through the Members Pavilion. As the only Australian ground not to be used for football in the winter, it has kept a little more of its cricketing soul than its cousins have. It has also retained its discomforts: most noticeably for the spectator, there is pitifully little shade from the blazing Perth summer around the poky concrete stands.The loss of outmoded charm is not the only sad part of the WACA’s probable abandonment. A compact ground, it’s a great place to watch the game, and affords the spectator intimacy. The ground’s old-world character is not that of dignity, such as that of Trent Bridge and Lord’s, but of 1980s Australia. Be sure to take a hat, sunglasses and protective sun cream to the ground, and drink plenty of water. You’ll be enjoying a piece of Australiana.Ground page | FixturesGreat matches
Australia v Zimbabwe, Carlton Series, 2001
The fates of Perth dislike fantasy, stranding Zimbabwe by a solitary run in this match. Batting on an absolute road of a pitch, Damien Martyn made 144 not out in a total of 302. Stuart Carlisle and Grant Flower defied the world with a stand of 187 against Bracken, Fleming, Lee and McGrath, only for Zimbabwe to wrap up on 301.Australia v Sri Lanka, CB Series, 2012
The most exciting ODI of recent times at the WACA was, for the most part, a dull nothing of a game. Sri Lanka were all but out of the contest when, in the final wicket-stand, the match exploded. Angelo Mathews turned berserk and, in a preposterous exhibition, somehow took the side within a six of victory. A drudge of fate saw him caught on the boundary but it could not discount the demonstration that a game of cricket is ever open.Top performers in ODIs
Most runs Dean Jones, 545 at 49.54 | Top score Damien Martyn, 144* v Zimbabwe
Most wickets Wasim Akram, 26 at 14.42 | Best bowling Ravi Shastri, 5 for 15 v AustraliaHome team
Western Australia towered in cricket throughout the 1970s, dominating the Sheffield Shield and producing a swag of international players. In recent years, the state has been variable. Justin Langer has been recruited as coach to dismiss WA’s reputation as talented but volatile scamps. The state has some of the country’s most exciting cricketers in Shaun and Mitchell Marsh, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Ashton Agar, but each is yet to establish himself internationally.Major players
Graham McKenzie | Rod Marsh | Dennis Lillee | Kim Hughes | Terry Alderman | Damien Martyn | Justin Langer | Michael Hussey

Stats highlights from the fourth ODI between New Zealand and Pakistan in Abu Dhabi

Bishen Jeswant17-Dec-20141751 Runs for Kane Williamson in 2014, the most by any New Zealand batsman across formats in a calendar year. The previous record was held by Stephen Fleming who had made 1658 runs in 2004.123 Runs made by Williamson in Abu Dhabi. He is the second New Zealand captain, after Fleming, to score an ODI hundred against Pakistan. Fleming had struck an unbeaten 115 in Christchurch in 2004.24 Williamson’s age, making him the youngest New Zealand captain to score a ton in 50-over cricket. Only four players have made an ODI century at a younger age while leading their side – Shakib Al Hasan (22), Sachin Tendulkar (23), Mohammad Ashraful (23) and Graeme Smith (24).37 Younis Khan’s age, making him the oldest Pakistan batsman to score an ODI hundred. He scored 103 during Pakistan’s chase. The previous oldest was Zaheer Abbas, at 35, also against New Zealand, in 1983. Abbas also scored exactly 103 runs.2 Number of New Zealand captains who have made a higher ODI score than Williamson. Glenn Turner made 171 not out against East Africa in the 1975 World Cup while Fleming made 134 against South Africa in 2003.192 Runs scored by Shahid Afridi in the four games so far, the second-most for him in a bilateral ODI series. He only scored more – 211 – during a six-match series against India in 2005. If he had scored one more run in this game, it would have been the first instance of Afridi making three 50-plus scores in any 50-over series.3 Instances that Ahmed Shehzad has been dismissed for a duck in the innings immediately following a century in ODIs. Shehzad has scored six hundreds.5 Wickets lost by New Zealand in this ODI. There has only been one previous instance when they have lost fewer batsmen when setting a 300-plus target against a top-eight team – in 2013 when they set England360 to win.0 Pakistan have never chased down a 300-plus target against New Zealand. There have been five instances of New Zealand setting Pakistan such a challenge, and New Zealand have won every time.0 Instances that a 300-plus target has been successfully achieved in 264 ODIs in the United Arab Emirates.

England’s recent ODI record in Australia leaves little room for optimism but a new team, encouraged to play with freedom, is desperate to perform well on the biggest stage of all

George Dobell in Melbourne12-Feb-20151:08

Shouldn’t strive for a formula that isn’t ours – Morgan

In an era when so much cricket of so little consequence is played, it is significant fixtures like this – Australia and England on the opening day of the World Cup – that separate the sheep from the goats.This is the sort of match that every one of these cricketers will have dreamed of playing in as a boy. It is the sort of match they will have acted out in childhood games with siblings and parents and friends. It is the sort of game that can define careers.To read the local media and listen to the local radio, you would think England are being thrown to the lions on Valentine’s Day. They are seen in these parts, like the villains in wrestling, as tools to be bullied and abused. It’s not whether they lose; it’s how much fun it can be beating them up in the process.You can understand why. England’s recent record here is so ugly – they have lost 13 of the last 15 ODIs here against Australia – that it should be kept away from the old, the ill, the pregnant and those with heart conditions. It provides little room for optimism.But they are a bit better than that. This new England – an England largely unscarred by the massacre of the last Ashes tour here – has been encouraged to play with fearlessness, with freedom and with joy. They have been encouraged to savour this country, to revel in the experience and cherish the moment. They are not dreading this match; they are desperate to perform on the biggest stage of all.That so little is expected of them – adverts around the city show two cricket balls with the slogan ‘Missing: a pair of balls. If seen please return to the England team’ – might well be an advantage. The crowd at the MCG – expected to be around 90,000 – will be hostile to England – unbelievably hostile by the standards of cricket crowds in the UK – but also expectant – demanding, even – of Australia. All the pressure is on the hosts. And the absence of James Faulkner, who has twice in recent games thrashed England’s bowlers around at the death, is probably just as significant as the absence of Michael Clarke.And even here, the result is not all-important. Such is the nature of the qualifying stages of this competition that England do not so much find themselves in the clichéd “group of death,” so much as they find themselves in the group of everlasting life. England can lose both their opening games and still progress to the quarter-finals. Whether their confidence can take such reverses, however, is another thing entirely.They have, at least, a settled side. Over the last few weeks, a familiar XI has evolved with a regular batting order and something of a formula to govern who bowls when. They have become, in a good sense, quite predictable.The one area of debate concerns the selection of Ravi Bopara. His twin roles are to provide cover in the bowling and to fulfil the role of finisher with the bat, but he is struggling to deliver in either department. He has taken one wicket in his last 15 ODIs and bowled only six overs in his last seven. Such figures do not suggest that his bowling is a major factor. Joe Root could, at a push, cover that amount of overs.Bopara v Ballance

Ravi Bopara
Age: 29
ODIs: 119
Average: 30.62
In Australia/NZ: 16.36
Over eight years in England’s one-day side, Bopara has been shifted around more often than an unloved sitting-room ornament. He has batted everywhere from No. 1 to No. 8, while bob-a-jobbing as the fifth or sixth bowler (he has 38 wickets at 39.26). Currently back in the “finisher” role he occupies uneasily, his form is again being closely scrutinised, just a few months after he was dropped for the India series.
Since January 2014 he has averaged 23.95 with three fifties, only bowling more than five overs on three occasions; if England are not going to use Bopara as an allrounder, then they could almost certainly employ a more productive batsman at No. 6. Neither is a top score of 33 from 12 innings in Australasia encouraging. It was at the 2007 World Cup, against Sri Lanka, that Bopara first came agonisingly close for England, a valiant half-century in defeat setting the template in only his fifth appearance. More than 100 ODIs on, it does not feel like much has changed.
Gary Ballance
Age: 25
ODIs: 12
Average: 26.10
In Australia/NZ: 33.00
England’s coming Yorkshireman (via Zimbabwe) and the ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year, Ballance slipped back into the one-day squad after Alastair Cook lost the captaincy but then suffered a broken finger while batting in the nets ahead of the tri-series with Australia and India. Asked to bat at No. 3 in the Test side last year, Ballance promptly set about hoarding more than 700 runs at an average of 70.40 and many feel he has the range in his game to do a similar job in ODIs – a List A career average of 51.68 does not leave many looking down on him.
A half-century in his first innings in since September, albeit in defeat to Pakistan, has once again raised the prospect of England trying to get him in the XI, most likely at the expense of Bopara, with James Taylor dropping down the order. But with Taylor having made a decent start to life at No. 3 and England keen for stability, the World Cup might have to wait for Ballance.
– Alan Gardner

Which means Bopara is being selected as a batsman. But with no scores over 33 in his last eight ODI innings and a top score of 65 against Full Member nations (he did score a century against Ireland) dating back to July 2012, he is struggling to justify the continuing faith in him. He is the Stansted of limited-overs finishes: he promises London, but delivers you 30 miles short.Gary Ballance, meanwhile, continues to impress. It was not just that he scored a half-century in the match against Pakistan. It was that he had the maturity and confidence to reason that the surface was not conducive to stroke play and concluded that a par score was closer to 250 than 300. He also held on to two tough catches that he made appear far more straightforward than they were in reality.He may have to wait a little longer for his chance, but Ballance is pushing Bopara hard for his place.The only other issues of concern is the form of the captain, Eoin Morgan. While England may find it convenient to interpret his recent form – two runs in his last four innings, five dismissals in his last 19 balls and one score above five in his last seven ODIs – as a blip, there is worrying evidence of a longer-term issue.Yes, he scored an impressive century against Australia only four ODI innings ago. But he has passed 40 only twice in 23 ODI innings – all of which ended in dismissal – dating back to January 2014. Nobody doubts his potential or his work-ethic, but England will require far more consistent returns from their No. 5 if they are going to threaten in this tournament.Morgan played down his form issues ahead of the game – of course he did – but there just a little uncharacteristic irritation in his replies that might suggest some tension. Asked to explain the shot that led to his dismissal in the warm-up game against Pakistan he replied: “I played a shot that I’ve played thousands of times and usually results in the ball going on the legside, but it caught the top-edge and went to slip.”I’m not really that concerned. I’ve had a couple of low scores, but it’s only four or five games since I scored a hundred. I don’t have to look back very far to reconnect what works for me. That was against Australia and this first game is against Australia, so I’ll take a lot of confidence from that.”I find it really easy to reconnect with the past and what I do well when the chips are down. I’ve done that in the past when I’ve had low scores and I’ve come out the other side.”He may find the pitch at the MCG more suited to his style. While England’s warm-up matches were played on a slightly two-paced seamer, this track is likely to be hard, true and offer a bit more pace. It will probably encourage quick bowlers, but it should also encourage batsmen who like the ball coming on to the bat.Most of all, though, Morgan reiterated the message that he wanted his players to perform in the dynamic manner that gained their selection in the first place. He wants them to play as they did in those matches when they were kids. He wants them not to defend and defy, but destroy.”The vibe around the camp is free-spirited and that suits the players,” he said. “It will allow them to go and play in the manner that got them selected.”The change in mentality that we’ve established [in the squad] – and it comes from the personnel involved, as well – is that it comes naturally for guys to play in that [aggressive] manner.”It’s important we focus on what we do best. In the past we’ve strived for a formula that isn’t ours. We’ve learned to adapt with what we do well, rather than what other people do.”Ian Bell is in great form; Moeen Ali scores at more than a run a ball; Joe Root and James Taylor are in form; I’ve had a score… I could run through the whole team. Jimmy Anderson is swinging it both ways and Stuart Broad’s aggression is key. Steve Finn and Chris Woakes have supported well and our fielding has come together.”It’s just about putting it all together and going and expressing ourselves. It’s about reinforcing what works and producing our skill on the day. We’re not worn down, we’re not intimidated. Our time will come.”The time for talking is almost over. Now we’ll see how much progress England have made.

ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from a record-breaking one-day international at the Wanderers

Firdose Moonda18-Jan-2015The pink spot The Wanderers and everyone in it were decked out in the colour but one of them ended up with a slightly more permanent pink mark. Rilee Rossouw’s first delivery came from West Indies captain Jason Holder, who picked up where he left off at the end of the first ODI when he peppered South Africa’s lower-order with short balls. Rossouw tried to work a back-of-a-length delivery to the leg side but did not connect and was hit in the stomach instead. He was in immediate pain and lifted his shirt to rub the area only to reveal a big, pink mark. Michael Holding was not impressed. “That’s like a mosquito bite, a little tickle,” he said.The sound A brass band is among the additions of noise to the Wanderers stadium but it seems not every sound is picked up as it should be. When Rossouw was given out lbw reverse-sweeping against Sulieman Benn, he immediately asked for the review, confident he bottom-edged the ball. Replays showed a clear deflection and change in the ball’s trajectory but Snicko had not picked up much which made it a tricky decision for the third umpire. Sense prevailed and the decision correctly overturned despite Snicko’s relative silence.The six South Africa smashed 18 sixes and AB de Villiers hit 16 on his own so it seems unfair to single out one but let’s try. De Villiers was on 98 from 30 deliveries when Holder presented him with yet another full delivery outside off. He slog swept it over midwicket to break the record for the fastest century in ODIs. His came off 31 balls in 40 minutes and allowed South Africans to relive the 438 game with one more run.The let off West Indies needed a blazing start if they were to have any chance of chasing 440 and Dwayne Smith knew that. He took a boundary off the first ball and looked to do the same off the next legitimate delivery he faced but picked out a fielder. Smith upper cut Morne Morkel straight to Vernon Philander at third man, but Morkel’s front foot was over the line and he had to bowl that ball again.The catch Farhaan Behardien did not get the chance to bat but contributed in other ways by taking the two most important catches in the West Indies’ innings. He judged the chance at deep midwicket to dismiss Chris Gayle which removed the main threat to South Africa and then sealed the deal with his next effort in the field. Behardien was on the edge of the circle at extra cover when Marlon Samuels tried to clear him. Behardien timed his jump perfectly, stuck one arm up and snatched the ball out of the sky to make South Africa’s win only a matter of time.

ESPNcricinfo’s correspondents at the World Cup pick their best moments of the semi-finals

29-Mar-2015Arya Yuyutsu: The heartbreak
“Cause it’s a bittersweet symphony, this life,” sang The Verve back in 1997. It echoed in my head as I walked onto the pitch to interview some players after an exhilarating semi-final. Even as a capacity crowd at Eden Park cheered on their team taking a victory lap, AB de Villiers, vanquished, stood by the post-match presentation area, waiting for the formalities of interviews to be done.He stood staring at the jubilant New Zealand team with a mix of exhaustion and longing. His eyes had glazed over and his expression was blank. It wasn’t sorrow, it wasn’t hurt; it was worse: it was numbness. It hadn’t yet sunk in and, for a few more moments, he didn’t want it to. He had to do an interview in a minute, graciously accepting defeat, shielding himself from pain while his heart began to break into 53 million pieces: one for each South African who felt what he did.Andy Zaltzman: The Dhoni run-out
MS Dhoni, amongst his many achievements, can end a World Cup campaign in spectacular fashion. He ended his 2011 World Cup with one of the most memorable single shots ever struck, a triumphant, symbolic launch into the Mumbai skies. He concluded his 2015 tournament with another unforgettable big-match moment. Memorable (but not as memorable), symbolic (but not as symbolic, and symbolic in a very different way), and 100% less triumphant.In Mumbai four years ago, the final was 99% won, and Dhoni’s six was the moment that confirmed victory. In Sydney on Thursday, the semi-final was, at a conservative estimate, 99.9% lost, and Dhoni’s run-out confirmed the end of his and India’s World Cup reign.With 99 needed from 34 balls, he dinked Mitchell Starc to Glenn Maxwell, fielding at a deep-set midwicket on the edge of the circle. He immediately set off for what looked like it would be a reasonably safe, albeit now completely pointless, single. Maxwell collected the ball and flung it stumpwards. The crowd stood and watched.As, effectively, did Dhoni, who decelerated in the manner of a batsman who knows he is going to be run out by yards, rather than in the manner of a batsman who would almost certainly make his ground if (a) he is as quick as MS Dhoni, and (b) he keeps running, and slides his bat in, and/or dives. Maxwell’s throw hit the one visible stump, and the 0.1% chance had gone.It was a subdued and curiously defeatist conclusion to a subdued and defeatist passage of play, an inappropriate ending to what had been an excellent Indian title defence, right up until Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Johnson snuffed out their early charge at the SCG.Sharda Ugra: Johnson owns Spartacus
Virat Kohli v Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Johnson v Virat Kohli. What’s not to watch? Johnson had handed over the spotlight to Mitchell Starc during the World Cup, until the semi-final, but the SCG had set it up nicely for him to return. As enforcer, against the one man who had taken him on, eye to eye for the better part of the season. Johnson’s nine-ball 27 had taken Australia to a total that felt secure. When he came in to bowl and found Kohli before him, it was a red rag to a bull. Kohli had been dismissed thrice by Johnson in six innings in the summer and it had found its way into Johnson’s muscle memory. He pounded Kohli with short balls, and had one zip across his off stump. Kohli couldn’t resist the pull, top-edged the ball into Brad Haddin’s gloves. Throughout the Test series, Kohli had played something between Spartacus and Errol Flynn against Johnson. As he left Sydney, naturally, it became the moment that the World Cup had begun to slip away from India.”Melbourne, here I come”•Getty ImagesAndrew McGlashan: Elliott takes flight
Grant Elliott was close to not being in New Zealand’s World Cup squad. He had not been part of the pre-tournament recce to the MCG. He doesn’t even have a central contract. But he had plenty of things Brendon McCullum and Mike Hesson wanted: experience, guts and composure. They were all on show in a dramatic, epic finale to the Auckland semi-final. Five were needed off two balls, but four was enough for New Zealand, who only needed to tie to progress. Dale Steyn, limping but still fast, banged his delivery back of a length and Elliott hoisted it over wide long-on to send a nation into raptures. There was the most incredible noise at Eden Park, tension and raw emotion released as the ball sailed high into the stands. A short while later, as his team-mates continued to absorb the moment, Elliott said to his captain: “Does this mean I get to come to Melbourne?”Firdose Moonda: A mixed soup of sentiment
It all came down to two balls. Years of planning was reduced to a minute. Dale Steyn v Grant Elliott. Six to get. Two to bowl. South Africa’s nerves were evident in the fidgety fielding. New Zealand’s in their crowd support. Steyn had just received treatment for what seemed a sore hamstring. Elliott surveyed the field. Most men in. Steyn bowled. Length.Elliott struck. Distance. The ball sailed into a frenzied crowd. Arms went up in joy. Grown men sank to their heels. Smiles, tears and emotion mixed in a soup of sentiment. I’ll never forget it.

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Mar-2015The first wicket had added 30 runs when Dale Steyn pulled off a stunning catch to dismiss Ahmed Shehzad•AFPJust as Sarfraz threatened to cut loose, David Miller’s brilliant throw from the deep found him short on 49•Getty ImagesMisbah-ul-Haq, with Younis Khan, took Pakistan forward before AB de Villiers broke through in the 27th over•Getty ImagesMisbah, having been 10 off 31, reached his fifty in the 40th over. Pakistan were 196 for 5 and were looking for a strong finish•ICCHowever, rain and Steyn forced another Pakistan collapse – they lost five wickets for 25 runs and imploded to 222 and the target was revised to 232 by Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method•Getty ImagesQuinton de Kock was dismissed off the second ball of the chase to inspire Pakistan•Associated PressHashim Amla, though, continued his fine run of form striking 36 of his 38 runs in boundaries•Getty ImagesSouth Africa’s second wicket added 67 off 55 balls before Rahat Ali got the better of Faf du Plessis•Associated PressPakistan took advantage of that opening and dismissed Rilee Rossow, David Miller and JP Duminy cheaply•Getty ImagesAB de Villiers watched his side slip from 67 for 1 to 102 for 6 and would later label say, “We were shocking with the bat”•Getty ImagesHe was the sole threat for Pakistan and his brilliant 58-ball 77 took South Africa within 32 runs of victory•Getty ImagesBut Sohail Khan removed de Villiers in the 33rd over and swung the match back in Pakistan’s favour•Getty ImagesWahab Riaz claimed the last man Imran Tahir to deliver a win that kept Pakistan firmly in the knockouts race•Getty Images

Scotland were perhaps not expected to be as competitive as Ireland and Afghanistan at the World Cup but their performances were far more encouraging than the end result suggests

Brydon Coverdale14-Mar-2015How their tournament panned out
Three campaigns, 14 matches, 14 losses. Scotland’s record at World Cups does not make for pretty reading. But their efforts in 2015 have been far more encouraging than their results suggest. A team full of fringe county players and modestly-paid Scottish professionals have competed well, and rarely have been embarrassed. There have been individual moments of brilliance and strong campaigns from several players, including batsman Kyle Coetzer, seamer Josh Davey and wicketkeeper Matthew Cross. All that was missing was the ability to put it all together in one match and record that elusive maiden World Cup victory. A comprehensive defeat at the hands of Australia in their final match was not reflective of Scotland’s campaign.The high point
Two on-field efforts stand out. The first was the finest piece of wicketkeeping of the tournament. Standing up to the 125kph offerings of Davey against England in Christchurch, Cross made a snappy take to a half-volley near the wide line outside off stump. That glovework was nifty, but his effort to move back across to the stumps and whip the bails off with James Taylor just out of his ground was outstanding. In a World Cup full of batsmen-wicketkeepers, Cross might just about be the best gloveman. Scotland’s other high point was the 156 struck by Coetzer off 134 balls against Bangladesh in Nelson. It was an innings that showed Scotland’s batsmen can go big.And the low
Scotland have never won a World Cup match and their best chance came against Afghanistan in Dunedin. Chasing 211, Afghanistan were 192 for 9 and needed 19 off 19 balls, but Scotland were unable to get the one wicket they needed and suffered a loss that must have hurt more than any others in the tournament. Perhaps the key moment came when Majid Haq at first slip missed a simple chance when Samiullah Shenwari had 20; he went on to score 96. Majid was also at the centre of Scotland’s off-field low point. After being dropped for the match against Sri Lanka in Hobart, he tweeted: “Always tougher when you’re in the minority! #colour #race”. Although he took the tweet down, he was sent home for disciplinary reasons.Top of the class
Towards the end of the tournament, Davey was briefly the leading wicket taker in the World Cup. That Davey, a bowler from an Associate nation, finished with 15 victims, equal second behind Mitchell Starc, was an achievement that cannot be underestimated. Bowling around the 120-130kph region, Davey just kept nagging away and finding ways to get batsmen out.Matthew Cross, possibly the best wicketkeeper in the tournament?•AFPWhat we learnt about Scotland
Ireland and Afghanistan were expected to be competitive in this World Cup, Scotland and the UAE perhaps not so much. But rarely throughout this campaign were Scotland embarrassed, and several times they were in positions from which, had a couple more things gone their way, victory could have been achieved. They got within three wickets of New Zealand, one of Afghanistan, scored 318 against Bangladesh – in other words, we learnt that Scotland are competitive at this level.What they learnt from the World Cup
Whatever XI they went in with, Scotland always seemed short a quality bowler. Davey was excellent but the depth of their attack was at times shown up. Their batsmen stood up well in the face of some challenging situations, but never did the batting, bowling and fielding really click in one match. Against Afghanistan in particular they learnt that winning from a winning position is not a fait accomplis, and the advantage must be pressed home.

Plays of the Day from the T20 match between Bangladesh and Pakistan in Mirpur

Mohammad Isam and Umar Farooq in Mirpur24-Apr-2015The desperation
Ahmed Shehzad’s struggle to get off the mark reached the third over when he charged at Mustafizur Rahman, the debutant left-arm pace bowler. The flash, however, just took the ball to point from where Sabbir Rahman whipped in a throw while Shehzad dived back at his crease. If the throw had struck the stumps, Shehzad’s misery would have been over.The World Cup encore
But it continued, until Mashrafe Mortaza ended Shehzad’s rusty stay. Shehzad slammed Taskin Ahmed down the ground where Mashrafe intervened with a superb catch at long-off, diving forward. Both bowler and fielder took off with arms spread wide. The rest of the fielders converging on them must have understood what was coming next, as they gave Mashrafe and Taskin space to jump and bump their chest like they did in the World Cup quarter-final against India. The only difference this time was that Mashrafe didn’t fall from the impact. Only Taskin did.The question
Shahid Afridi had promoted himself up to No. 3 to fire up a sloppy start from his team. A booming six over square leg off Mustafizur materialised, but a poor call from the umpire handed Mustafizur his million-dollar first wicket. A length delivery nipped away from Afridi’s bat missed an edge by precisely two inches, but the umpire lifted his finger straight away. Afridi signaled for a review, only to be told that no referrals were available, and eventually walked back with utter disappointment.The surprise attack
Tamim Iqbal struck Mohammad Hafeez for a six in the third ODI, but he had generally been conservative against the Pakistan offspinner. In 14 previous matches, Hafeez had Tamim’s number five times, three of which were in the last bilateral series between the two sides. At the start of the Bangladesh innings, however, Tamim laid into Hafeez. After a six over long-on, Tamim spanked him over mid-off and extra-cover for fours in the same over. The only downer of that productive first over was Soumya Sarkar’s run-out.The slap
Bangladesh needed 67 off the last 10 overs when Sabbir Rahman changed the course of the match for good. He struck Wahab Riaz for two fours – a slap over mid-off and a poke through point. Sabbir then swund around his toes for an up-and-under six over long-on. The slap looked the most authoritative, while the next two shots just came with the flow. There wasn’t much Pakistan could have done afterwards.The fluctuation
It seems like a distant memory now, Wahab Riaz bowling spell in the World Cup against Australia. Wahab struggled throughout the ODI series against Bangladesh, and continued to be in tamed in the T20I today. He kept varying it up throughout the game, and when Mushfiqur Rahim drove him though the covers in the sixth over, Wahab reverted to a length delivery that forced an inside edge and dislodged the batsman’s timber. Wahab was visibly pumped up, but it proved scant consolation in the end, as he conceded 39 runs from his four overs.

Curtly Ambrose’s autobiography has just the right mix of reflection, forthrightness and lists

Jonhenry Wilson25-Apr-2015Curtly Ambrose’s new autobiography, , is epitomised on this subject.The obligatory rhetoric about Test match cricket’s superiority to any limited-overs format seems unbecoming of the great fast bowler, but it is duly balanced with entreaties for West Indies cricket to invest more resources and finance in domestic first-class competition – and lure former greats back as meaningful mentors.No cricketer’s autobiography would be complete without a recollection of the individual on-field highs, of which there were plenty for Ambrose, who lists 1990’s 8 for 45 against England in Bridgetown, 1992’s 6 for 34 against South Africa at the same venue and 1993’s 7 for 25 against the Aussies in Perth among the best. A Test batting average of 12.40, understandably, didn’t bring many crowning moments – but an irrational need to thrash Andrew Caddick’s bowling doesn’t go unmentioned. The book is concluded with Ambrose’s selection of the 13 best non-West Indian cricketers he watched – or played against. Unsurprisingly five Australians and three Englishman crack the nod. Very intriguingly, a certain New Zealander caps the elite collective.Time to Talk
by Curtly Ambrose and Richard Sydenham
Aurum Press Ltd
Pages 288, £18.99 (hardback)

Stats highlights from the second ODI between Bangladesh and South Africa in Mirpur

Bishen Jeswant12-Jul-20157 Bangladesh’s current position in ICC’s ODI rankings, with Pakistan and West Indies below them. They currently have 94 rating points and have guaranteed their qualification for the 2017 Champions Trophy. If they lose the last ODI of the series, they will drop to 93 rating points, which will still be enough to ensure qualification because there is no scenario in which both Pakistan and West Indies can each achieve 93 rating points (unless more matches are added to the international schedule).162 Runs scored by South Africa, their lowest score in seven matches when batting first against Bangladesh. They scored more than 250 in each of the six previous ODIs when batting first.8 Times in the last two years that South Africa have been bowled out for less than 200 runs. Each of those eight instances have been against Asian teams – three times each against Sri Lanka and Pakistan and once each against India and Bangladesh. Six of these eight times have also been in Asia.2 Number of times South Africa have been bowled out in 16 ODIs against Bangladesh – in this game and during the 2007 World Cup. Bangladesh won both games.17 ODIs that Bangladesh have won at home in bilateral series since 2012, the second-most for any team. The only team to win more is Sri Lanka, with 21 victories.6 Number of consecutive innings for Hashim Amla in ODIs without a 50-plus score, his joint-longest streak. The only other time he went six innings without a 50-plus score was during the first six innings of his ODI career.3 Boundaries scored by South Africa between the 8th and 32nd over. They lost five wickets during this 25-over period and scored only 74 runs at a run-rate of 2.96.6 Single-digit scores for Quinton de Kock in ODIs this year. De Kock has played 11 ODIs in 2015 and scored only 186 runs at an average of 18.6 with just one fifty.