Netherlands and Scotland will be playing a one-dayer against Bangladesh in June

Cricinfo staff26-Feb-2010Two further one-day games have been added to Bangladesh’s tour of England, Ireland and Scotland, with Netherlands and Scotland announcing that they will play a one-dayer each against the touring side in June. Scotland will play Bangladesh on July 19 in Glasgow, which will also serve as the neutral venue for the match against Netherlands the following day.Prior to these games, Bangladesh will be in Ireland, where they will play two ODIs at Stormont in Belfast on July 15 and 16.Richard Cox, the Netherlands board chief executive, believed the games would be an important benchmark for the sides. “This is an exciting opportunity to play an ICC Full Member in Scotland at the end of what will have been a long tour for the exciting Bangladesh squad,” he said.”This game will be a big test for our side and they will be relishing the opportunity to play Bangladesh whose footsteps we hope to follow in years to come. The game will come on the back of the ICC World Cricket League to be held in the Netherlands in June and we therefore hope to be well and truly ready for the challenge.”Roddy Smith, Cricket Scotland’s chief executive, said the team would be looking forward to the clash, scheduled after England’s visit on June 19. “These games are always a major test for our players and they will be relishing the opportunity to play Bangladesh on home soil,” he said.Richard Holsworth, the ICC Europe regional development manager, also welcomed the fixtures. “Bangladesh agreeing to play Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands in one-day internationals this summer is great news for Europe and these countries. Now that all three high performance countries have a number of professional contracted players it is a hugely important they have regular competition with the Full Member countries.”

The New Zealand allrounder has been ruled out of action for up to a month with a patella tendon tear

Cricinfo staff04-Mar-2010The New Zealand allrounder Jacob Oram has been ruled out of action for up to a month with a patella tendon tear, meaning he will take no further part in the home ODIs against Australia and that he could miss a sizeable duration of the IPL. The Central Districts medium-pacer Michael Mason has been named as Oram’s replacement in the New Zealand squad.”Jacob Oram suffered a partial tear of the patella tendon,” New Zealand team manager Dave Currie said in a statement. “It is expected that Jacob will recover in three or four weeks, however he will be out for the balance of the Australian series.”Oram, 31, sustained a knee injury during the first match in Napier. Oram’s injury means he will miss a significant amount, if not the entire duration, of the upcoming IPL starting March 12. He represents the Chennai Super Kings in the league on a lucrative contract worth US$675,000 a year.Oram suffered a variety of injuries over the past year and a half. He returned home mid-way through the tour of Bangladesh in 2008 and missed the Test series in Australia because of a back injury. A calf strain kept him out of the home Test series against West Indies and an Achilles injury cut short his participation in the one-day series that followed and the home Tests against India. He announced his retirement from Test cricket last October after the latest in that long list of injuries.Mason, 35, has played 25 ODIs, three Twenty20s and a solitary Test for his country. New Zealand’s selectors have only named a squad for the first two matches. The next match is in Auckland on Saturday.New Zealand are also awaiting a fitness report on their captain Daniel Vettori, who missed the Napier game with a stiff neck. “He’s feeling a bit more comfortable and he’ll hopefully be fine tomorrow,” said Currie. “He’s not 100 per cent certain [to play]. The neck was a bit stiff. We’re certainly hopeful and he’s hopeful, but again we’ll get through today and get more treatment and see how he wakes up in the morning.”

Otago and Central Districts kept up the push for a spot in the finals by squeezing out tight wins in the seventh round

Cricinfo staff07-Mar-2010Otago and Central Districts kept up the push for a spot in the finals by squeezing out tight wins in the seventh round. Both sides are now tied on 26 points, ten behind leaders Northern Districts and six ahead of fourth-placed Canterbury.Central Districts’ wicketkeeper Bevan Griggs starred in their cliffhanger against Canterbury, slamming an unbeaten 51-ball 53 to power them to a one-wicket victory in New Plymouth with just two balls to spare. Adam Milne, the 17-year-old medium-pacer, had a debut to remember, holding his nerve to hit the winnings runs. The match looked to be heading for a draw after Mathew Sinclair fell for 76, leaving CD the big ask of 139 runs off the final 22 overs with six wickets in hand, but Griggs’ enterprising innings steered them to an improbable win.It had already been a topsy-turvy match, with Canterbury fighting back strongly from a first-innings deficit of 191 runs. They seemed to be hurtling to defeat when they slid to 94 for 4 in the second innings but a double-century from Shanan Stewart and 178 for Kruger van Wyk – the pair were involved in an unbroken 379-run sixth-wicket stand- propelled Canterbury to 551 for 5 dec, which ultimately didn’t prove enough to prevent defeat.Left-arm-spinner Nick Beard was Otago’s hero in their 24-run victory over Auckland at the University Oval, picking a career-best 6 for 107 to spark a late collapse – Auckland losing their final five wickets for 39 runs to stumble to defeat from a winning position. A 149-run opening stand between Jeet Raval and Tim McIntosh and a string of 30 from the middle-order took them to 294 for 5, only 66 away from victory, before Beard removed both set batsmen – Aaron Kitchen and Colin de Grandhomme – to snatch an unexpected win with five overs remaining.Otago had been in control for much of the match, after captain Craig Cummings’ 102 and an 86 from Sam Wells guided them to 387 in the first innings. McIntosh was among the runs in the first-innings as well, making 81, with Reece Young cracking an 80 before Auckland declared towards the end of the third day, despite being 149 behind. Otago motored along at nearly six an over in the second innings, Greg Todd’s 47-ball 66 being the highlight, before they declared on 208 to set Auckland a target of 358.

The New Zealand allrounder is determined to force his way back into the starting XI at the ICC World Twenty20

Cricinfo staff24-Apr-2010Scott Styris, the New Zealand allrounder, is determined to force his way back into the starting XI at the ICC World Twenty20. Styris is not a guaranteed starter despite having been part of the squad for the previous two tournaments, as well as after a successful return to the ODI squad against Australia in March, during which he averaged 49.00 with the bat.”I didn’t make it for the home season, so at no stage have I thought I’m in the playing XI,” he told the . “I have to go out and put good performances on the board, otherwise I’ll find myself sitting watching these games, which is not what I want.”Styris had a successful domestic season, during which his all-round skills proved central in Auckland making the HRV Cup final. He was deemed surplus to New Zealand’s requirements for the home ODIs against Bangladesh, but turned heads with an unbeaten 49 off 34 balls in the first ODI against Australia in Napier. New Zealand lost the series but Styris contributed further scores of 46, 41, 8 and 55. In a side for the World Twenty20 which features rookies and players on the comeback trail from injury, Styris’ experience is highly valuable and he was focused on making a statement.”The selectors, over the last 12 to 18 months, have shown in their view I’m not in the Twenty20 side, so I’ve got to change that, whether I think I should be or not. It’s up to me to go out and try and change their opinion,” he said. “I’ve had a wee bit of a break and now it’s up to me to make sure I hit the ground running.”New Zealand open the tournament on April 30 with a fixture against last year’s finalists Sri Lanka.

Javeria Khan, the Pakistan offspinner, has been reported for a suspect bowling action, during the match against Sri Lanka at St Kitts in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 on Thursday

Cricinfo staff07-May-2010Javeria Khan, the Pakistan offspinner, has been reported for a suspect bowling action, during the match against Sri Lanka at St Kitts in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 on Thursday. She was reported by the on-field umpires Rod Tucker and Marais Erasmus as well as third umpire Shahvir Tarapore.”We believe that Javeria Wadood straightens her arm during her delivery and appears to be more than the allowable 15 degrees,” the umpires stated in their official report. “It is in all deliveries not one specific delivery. We therefore request the necessary action be instituted to deal with this matter.”Javeria will be required to undergo an independent analysis of her action by a member of the ICC panel of human movement specialists, appointed in consultation with the PCB. This analysis and report must take place within seven days of the report being received by the board. If she is reported again during the independent analysis she will then be suspended from bowling until she undertakes remedial action and is reassessed.

James Tomlinson took three wickets as Hampshire seized the upper hand in their County Championship Division One clash with Essex at the Rose Bowl

05-Jun-2010

ScorecardJames Tomlinson took three wickets as Hampshire seized the upper hand in their County Championship Division One clash with Essex at the Rose Bowl. The hosts added only two runs to their overnight 298 for 7 as Maurice Chambers snared the last three wickets, including veteran Dominic Cork for 55, to finish with figures of 5 for 49. But Essex slipped to 209 for 7 in reply as Matt Walker was left to lead the resistance with an unbeaten 60.Cork made the initial breakthroughs, removing Jaik Mickleburgh for 21 with the help of wicketkeeper Nic Pothas to leave the visitors 51 for 1 at lunch. Tom Westley had been Mickleburgh’s partner in an opening stand of 48, but became Cork’s second victim via a sharp return catch at knee height.There followed a stand of 62 between Ravi Bopara and Walker, the latter taking the stand beyond 50 with a six off Danny Briggs. But Tomlinson then stepped up to make an impact, with Bopara cover-driving loosely to provide Pothas with his second routine catch of the innings.The in-form Ryan ten Doeschate quickly followed, trapped lbw for just six to leave his side 135 for 5 by tea. A rash swing by Walker off the bowling of Briggs sent the ball looping just out of Jimmy Adams’ reach, but the miss did not prove costly as Briggs soon got his reward with the wicket of keeper James Foster, clean bowled for a painstaking 14 by a ball that kept low.Mark Pettini lasted just two balls before tamely prodding into the hands of Neil McKenzie to help Briggs towards figures of 2 for 33. Walker reached his half-century from 126 balls but saw David Masters nick a second catch to McKenzie in the slips after making 15, leaving Tomlinson with 3 for 51.Graham Napier took his side to their first batting point with a cover drive for four but otherwise reined in his attacking inclinations to reach an unbeaten nine by the close. With only Chambers and Danish Kaneria to come, much depends on Napier and Walker as Essex look to cut the deficit tomorrow.

An extraordinary return of 3 for 5 by Isle of Wight-born spinner Danny Briggs eased Hampshire to an emphatic 45-run Friends Provident t20 win over Kent in Canterbury

02-Jul-2010
ScorecardAn extraordinary return of 3 for 5 by Isle of Wight-born spinner Danny Briggs eased Hampshire to an emphatic 45-run Friends Provident t20 win over Kent in Canterbury.
The 19-year-old slow-left arm spinner ran through the Kent middle order in the space of four overs to secure Hampshire’s sixth win in 11 in the South Group, while inflicting an eighth defeat on the Spitfires, who now look unlikely to qualify for the knockout stages.Batting first in what transpired to be a low-scoring clash on a spin-friendly pitch, Hampshire limped along at seven an over – a sedate pace for t20 – especially against an injury-ravaged Kent attack.Sean Ervine comfortably top-scored for the visitors, clattering 44 from 26 with six fours before he top-edged a catch to the keeper off Malinga Bandara.Otherwise none of the Royals top order moved to 20 as Sri Lankan legspinner Bandara took 3 for 14 and occasional offspinner Martin van Jaarsveld 3 for 25, a haul that included the experienced scalps of Nic Pothas (13) and Dominic Cork for a first-ball duck.Kent lost Joe Denly early in the reply when a crisp pull-shot against Chris Wood, which the right-hander believed might sail for six, simply picked out Jimmy Adams at deep square leg.Spitfires skipper Rob Key (22) and van Jaarsveld coaxed the home score through to 28 before Key, in looking to pull a short one from Wood through the leg side, bottom edged the ball onto his foot only to see it trickle back onto the stumps and remove one bail.Without the experienced duo of Darren Stevens and James Tredwell, both absent on England Lions duty, Kent’s rookie middle order struggled to hit boundaries as Hampshire skipper Cork took pace off the ball through Briggs.The teenage slow left-armer, who said afterwards he “didn’t bowl one bad ball”, had left-hander Alex Blake caught at backward square-leg off a miscued paddle and Matt Coles (one) snaffled at deep cover.Kent’s last hope rested on the shoulders of former Pakistan allrounder Azhar Mahmood, who reached 16 from 17 balls, but when he slogged across the line to be bowled, Kent’s hopes of progressing beyond the knockout stages went with him.Talking after securing the win with 21-balls to spare, Briggs said: “It came out well. I just kept to my plans and have got more confident as the tournament has gone on.”

Ravi Bopara produced a fine all-round performance as Essex cruised to a comprehensive nine wicket victory over Glamorgan

19-Jun-2010

ScorecardRavi Bopara produced a fine all-round performance as Essex Eagles cruised to a comprehensive nine wicket victory over Glamorgan Dragons in their Friends Provident t20 clash at Cardiff.Despite winning the toss Glamorgan could only make 94 for 9 in their 20 overs with Bopara recording figures of 3for 13 in his four overs. It was Glamorgan’s lowest ever Twenty20 score – surpassing their 112 against Somerset last year. And in knocking off the runs in only 13.1 overs Bopara made 42 from 32 balls with Alastair Cook finishing unbeaten on the same score.Having started with a trio of wins in their opening three South Group games Glamorgan have now lost the last three. But there was no sign of an abject batting display as Jim Allenby and Mark Cosgrove put on 47 for the opening wicket.However, on a slow pitch the Dragons suddenly slumped dramatically to 57 for 6 – the first four wickets falling in the space of 17 balls. The damage began when Cosgrove was run out by Grant Flower in a terrible mix-up with Allenby attempting a second run.From there Glamorgan’s batting imploded. Allenby was caught at long on by Cook off Bopara, David Masters claimed two wickets in the space of three balls to dismiss Jamie Dalrymple and Tom Maynard, and Kaneria was on a hat-trick having David Brown stumped and then trapping Mark Wallace leg before.Having lost six wickets for 10 runs Glamorgan lost two more as they slumped to 65 for 8 with Bopara dismissing both Gareth Rees and Dean Cosker. Robert Croft, with 22 from 25 balls, and David Harrison, gave the Glamorgan innings some respectability in a 28-run partnership at the end.In reply Bopara and Cook eased Essex to 50 without loss off the opening six overs with Shaun Tait conceding 25 runs in his opening two overs. The only blemish in Essex’s run chase was when Bopara holed out to long off, but by then his side were well on the way to victory at 73 for 1, which they achieved with a massive 41 balls remaining.

The Bombay High Court has reserved its judgement on the petition filed by suspended IPL chairman Lalit Modi against the BCCI until Thursday

Cricinfo staff14-Jul-2010The Bombay High Court has reserved its judgement on the petition filed by suspended IPL chairman Lalit Modi against the BCCI until Thursday, a day before Modi is supposed to appear before the board’s disciplinary committee. Modi had asked the court to quash the BCCI’s proceedings against him.The court heard arguments from both sides today. According to the , Modi’s lawyer Virag Tulzhapurkar argued that his client cannot expect an “impartial and honest” decision from the disciplinary committee. “[The] decision of this committee is a foregone conclusion,” Tulzhapurkar said.Modi wants the court to appoint a mutually acceptable and independent person, or panel, to judge his case. He has already demanded the removal of interim IPL chairman Chirayu Amin from the committee, claiming Amin holds a grudge against him for revealing that he was part of a failed bid for one of the two new IPL franchises.The other two members of the committee are board vice-presidents Arun Jaitley and Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who replaced Manohar. At the hearing, Tulzhapurkar said Jaitley should not be on the panel either because he had voted to ratify the charges against Modi at the board’s special general body meeting on July 3.Modi moved the High Court against the BCCI last week following the board’s vote to ratify the charges against him and refer them to its disciplinary committee.Modi was suspended immediately following the conclusion of IPL 3 and charged with financial irregularities relating to the bidding process for IPL franchises, the mid-over ad sales and the sale of theatrical rights. He was also charged with colluding to set up a rebel league in England. Modi had repeatedly accused Manohar and Srinivasan of harbouring personal grudges against him, and insisted neither of them should be involved in deciding his case.

The spoils were shared between Australia, England and South Africa while Pakistan, led by Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, were not too far behind

Siddhartha Talya24-Aug-2010Australia and South Africa have the best bowling attacks in world cricket today, with Pakistan, led by Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, and England not too far behind, according to Ian Chappell, Allan Donald and Sanjay Manjrekar. Speaking on the latest episode of , they also agreed that India and Sri Lanka didn’t measure up to the rest.Among the parameters used to rate the line-ups was their effectiveness in all conditions. The ability of Australia and South Africa’s bowlers to challenge batsmen on placid surfaces gave them an edge over the others, said Manjrekar. “When you look at bowling attacks from around the world Australia will still perhaps be No.1, because you can imagine that attack being pretty good on Indian conditions, in Sri Lanka as well,” he said.”Getting everything in the air, trying to beat batsmen in pace and not using the surface at all by bowling the ball full – that’s where Australia are good. They have got Mitchell Johnson who uses the length well. Doug Bollinger is also quite happy pitching the ball up. Australia and South Africa to me are the attacks that can perhaps make an impression in all sorts of conditions.”England, with a strong pace attack and a successful spinner in Graeme Swann, Donald said, were formidable in home conditions. But he felt they would be tested in Australia later in the year. “It’ll be very interesting for them to go to Australia during the Ashes and bowl on those flat pitches,” Donald said. “With the new ball, they’re pretty good. James Anderson is the bowler for me who really stands out in that regard. Stuart Broad is pretty much a line bowler, he’s quite aggressive. But in conditions with the Kookaburra ball, they’re going to need something off the deck as well. So they’re going to be tested during the Ashes.”

The success of the Pakistan seamers in England would have earned them more points among the experts had it not been for some poor catching and a “horrible” slip cordon. “You never know what you are going to get from Kamran Akmal, some days he has got bricks in his gloves. So that makes it very hard for the bowlers, when sometimes you have to get the guy out three times,” Chappell said.Donald rated Dale Steyn as the best fast bowler in the world, though Chappell had his doubts. “There was a classic example when Phil Hughes got his hundred in Durban. Steyn did not go after him, after Hughes at all until he got the hundred. I was starting to wonder when you had a handicap in Test cricket where they let you get a hundred before they get after you. So that’s my query with Steyn. When he is good, he is very good; but he is a little bit moody.”The uncertainty with Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh’s lack of form in the recent past meant India were among the bottom-placed teams while Sri Lanka had much to thank Lasith Malinga for. “These are the sides that will struggle bowling people out,” Donald said.