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Australia’s vice-captain David Warner is adamant the new No. 1 Test team will not divert from the hard-edged playing style intrinsic to the game down under

Daniel Brettig25-Feb-20165:28

Five talking points from the Christchurch Test

Australia’s vice-captain David Warner is adamant the new No. 1 Test team will not divert from the hard-edged playing style intrinsic to the game down under, though he concedes that with better understanding of the DRS the ugly scenes glimpsed in Christchurch may not have happened at all.The captain Steven Smith and the fast bowler Josh Hazlewood were both fined for an incident where they aggressively questioned a third umpire decision in favour of Kane Williamson on the penultimate day of the series. While Warner did not wish to see Australia’s players retreat into their shells, he admitted the anger could be tracked back to the fact they did not realise how the DRS worked in that moment.Warner also added his opinion that the stump microphones, not meant to be turned on when the ball is dead, had exacerbated the situation. He said an explanation had been sought from the local broadcasters, with “human error” described as the reason for Hazlewood’s words being picked up.”In Steve’s case where they used the [HotSpot] but didn’t use the Snicko that’s where he was arguing the point why they didn’t use it,” Warner said on his return home to Sydney. “But with conclusive evidence for the third umpire saying he hit it, he didn’t need to use it.”When you’re on the field that’s not communicated to you, so that’s why he might have stepped across the line a little bit, and he didn’t know that until he came off the field. If he had his time again and he knew that he wouldn’t have debated that with the umpire.”There has been a bit of talk about the team and the aggressive brand of cricket that we play. Steve spoke about not trying to cross that line. Stump mics were turned up and they said it was so-called ‘human error’ which was convenient at the time.”Criticism of Australia’s aggression has seemed to arrive as if on cue with every major achievement by the team in recent times. There was the “broken f***ing arm” incident at the Gabba during the 2013-14 Ashes series, various hot-tempered scenes in South Africa the following year, and some much decried behaviour during and after the 2015 World Cup final.However the pattern of success means that there is little desire within the Australian side to retreat entirely from a style of play that attempts to make life uncomfortable for opponents with words and body language as well as bat and ball. Warner noted how the likes of Mitchell Johnson had felt increasingly inhibited by match officials about expressing themselves on the field.”We’re about playing the game in the right spirit, but we’ve got a passionate brand where if you look back at the history of Australian cricket we play an aggressive style,” Warner said. “A couple of the fast bowlers who’ve recently retired have stated that you are taking the aggression out for the bowlers a bit.”Back in the day you used to see these battles with the fast bowlers, the batter would play and miss and the bowler would say something. These days it’s taken the spark out of it a little bit – I love getting into a contest with the bowler, if he gets you out he gets the last laugh, but if you get on top of him then you can. But in the end it’s what the ICC has put in place and we need to respect that.”Ironically given New Zealand’s adoption of a higher road under the captaincy of Brendon McCullum, crowds across the Tasman subjected many of Australia’s players to repeated personal abuse. Warner said several times spectators were asked to leave for expressing sentiments he described as “vulgar”.”Doesn’t matter whether you’re home or away, you’re going to cop some form of abuse, but we don’t expect to wake up and be hounded for six or seven hours,” he said. “Some of the stuff was pretty derogatory and vulgar … the upsetting thing was the fact that if my two daughters were in the crowd I wouldn’t want them listening to that kind of stuff.”It’s irrelevant what they said, but just disappointing that was happening every game. A couple of bowlers were down on the boundary, you get your odd banter here and there but when they’re talking about people’s families and stuff it takes it a bit too far. Some of the boys raised the issue, not to express it to anyone, more just to say ‘can you get rid of this bloke’ because it’s just not necessary.”Warner himself played only a peripheral role in the series, making few runs with the bat and keeping himself out of trouble in the field. Asked why he has changed his behaviour, the response may be one for the ICC to keep in mind. “For me it was a 12-month probation,” he said. “That made me keep my mouth shut a little bit.”

Nathan Lyon’s remarkably incisive contribution was central to England’s sharp decline from 149 for 2 to 238 for 9 on the first day at Chester-le-Street

The Report by Daniel Brettig09-Aug-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsNathan Lyon removed England’s Nos. 3 to 6•Getty Images

As he wheeled away through 38 quite exemplary overs at Old Trafford for the reward of one wicket and the loss of the Ashes, Nathan Lyon must have wondered when fortune would deign to smile on him and Australia. The answer was not long in coming at Chester-le-Street, on a day when Lyon’s remarkably incisive contribution was central to England’s sharp decline from 149 for 2 to 238 for 9.Alastair Cook’s men may have the urn in their keeping but any sense of superiority is steadily eroding. They were guilty of profligacy at some times and paralysis at others, never finding the right gear for a pitch that was slow and nibbly but far from treacherous. Ian Bell in particular will curse his maddening choice of shot in the first over after tea, while Australia’s seamers ensured the blows applied to English confidence in Manchester were followed up in Durham.Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle and Shane Watson all contributed at various times, and Jackson Bird had a notable first day in Ashes matches, nagging away and capturing the prized wicket of Cook after England’s captain had set himself for the kind of stony occupation he trademarked in Australia in 2010-11. But the major plaudits were reserved for Lyon, who won a significant battle with Kevin Pietersen and troubled every batsman with his flight, drop and changes of pace from around the wicket. His omission from the first two Tests of the series increasingly appears an error as grievous as that committed by Bell four balls into the evening session.The early overs had lacked a certain energy, as Harris fought to relocate the rhythm and swing of Old Trafford, while Bird settled into a line and length that encouraged defensive dead bats but did not coax any edges into the Australian slips cordon. There was the merest hint of seam movement but the surface was otherwise slow, as was the outfield. Cook and Joe Root battled to find their timing, England’s captain leaving plenty outside off stump while also coping with the full length Australia have forced him to deal with throughout the series.Clarke again resorted to Watson before Peter Siddle, hoping for some new-ball movement, and after a somewhat wayward start it was the newly demoted allrounder – expected to bat at No. 6 in this match – who struck. Root was somewhat tardy getting forward to a ball sliding away from him, and the sound of the nick was clear to all except the umpire Tony Hill, who was soon crossing himself and raising his finger after Clarke’s referral showed up a noise, a deflection and even a Hot Spot.The wicket brought Trott to the crease, and he immediately showed signs of improved fluency after a poor third Test. His one boundary before the interval was an edge through the slips but there was also a more decisive flick through midwicket and a pair of confident strides out to drive. Clarke did not chance an over from Lyon during the morning, preferring to let his seamers push during a session that yielded them less than they might have hoped for.Trott and Cook were largely unhurried and unfazed in the hour after lunch, and it was a shock to many when England’s No. 3 squeezed a Lyon offbreak to short leg, where Usman Khawaja held a neat catch. Pietersen swung lustily at his very first ball and was fortunate to mistime it into the expanses beyond midwicket, but some better struck boundaries ensued and Lyon was withdrawn.It was not until he returned that England were troubled again, a ball looped teasingly from around the wicket drawing an edge from Pietersen and a fine catch by Brad Haddin up to the stumps. If that wicket had altered proceedings, that of Cook’s changed the complexion of the day completely, Bird finding just the right amount of seam movement to have the captain pinned in front of off stump with his bat never intended for use.Cook had underestimated Bird’s capacity to move the ball, and in the first over after tea Bell would pay for treating Lyon with contempt. Four balls into the evening, he advanced to drive at a flighted delivery, failing to get to the pitch and shelling a catch in the general vicinity of mid-off, where Harris clasped a sharp chance. It was a vainglorious stroke, and consigned Matt Prior and Jonny Bairstow to a major salvage task.They started well enough, working the ball around, but as Clarke and his bowlers tightened up in response both batsmen were rendered near enough to shotless. Only 34 runs had been added in a union nearing 20 overs’ duration when Prior was pinned in front of the stumps by Siddle. Aleem Dar declined the appeal, but Australia’s referral showed the ball to be striking enough of leg stump for the decision to be overturned.Bairstow fought desperately, denying his usual aggressive tendencies, but ultimately the pressure told. He went down on one knee to sweep Lyon from around the wicket and missed, Hill’s finger was raised and Bairstow’s anguished review showing the off break had straightened enough and would have clipped the top of the stumps. Stuart Broad soon followed, spooning Harris ineffectually to cover, and Graeme Swann picked out deep square leg.Tim Bresnan and James Anderson played the day out comfortably, adding 24 from 20 balls. It was a sight that cheered the crowd but had to discomfort England, given their earlier wastefulness.

The first World Cricket League ODI was abandoned without a ball bowled despite pleasant conditions at Clontarf

Ger Siggins at Clontarf04-Jul-2012Ireland v Afghanistan – Match Abandoned
The first World Cricket League ODI was abandoned without a ball bowled despite pleasant conditions at Clontarf. Ireland and Afghanistan share the points which gives the home side a one point lead over UAE at the top of the table.Despite a balmy day in north Dublin, and a stiff drying breeze, the inundation of the previous week had taken its toll on the outfield. The umpires suggested to the players that they remain in their hotel till noon as the ground remained sodden after heavy rain hit the ground in mid-afternoon on Tuesday.The Irish physio remained buoyant, although he denied that he has been more concerned with trench foot than hamstrings this week.The run-ups at the Killester End were the problem on the original date, and their condition appeared to have worsened on the reserve day. The noon inspection led the umpires to resolve to meet again at 2pm, by which they decided that there was no chance of the run-ups drying sufficiently by 4.40pm to allow a 20-over game.Ireland coach Phil Simmons said: “The run ups were too wet, it was the correct decision by the umpires. It’s a good pouint for us, and it puts the Afghans under pressure. I fancy our chances over 50 overs, a shortened game is more to their advantage.”The doughty Clontarf groundstaff were hopeful that the weather would remain fine in the evening to allow the second World Cup qualifier to take place on Thursday. With most of Ireland’s home fixtures set to move to the new Malahide arena next summer, the Clontarf club is keen to say goodbye to international cricket in something more than a damp whimper.

Zimbabwe have named their squads for the limited-overs tri-series against Australian and South African A sides, and for a two-day warm-up match preceding their four-day games against Australia A

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jun-2011Zimbabwe have named their squads for the limited-overs tri-series against Australian and South African A sides, and for a two-day warm-up match preceding their four-day games against Australia A which will set a benchmark ahead of their Test return.Brendan Taylor, who has just been unveiled as the new national captain, will lead in the one-day games while batsman Vusi Sibanda has been put in charge of a second-string side to play the warm-up at Kwekwe Sports Club, starting on July 11.A 32-man squad had been in camp since early June, and despite a spate of injuries the team’s backroom staff were upbeat ahead of the start of a season in which Zimbabwe’s Test readiness will be tested.”I am pleased with the way the players have responded to the training programme,” said national coach Alan Butcher. “Of course, there was some grumbling here and there at first but with the passage of time they all got used to it. The mood in the camp right now is very good. There has been a very great improvement in their physical fitness and technical awareness.”With a few exceptions, the players are all looking physically fit and strong and are playing lots of cricket among themselves. We have been working hard on both the bowling and batting departments for the last six weeks and it looks good. The guys are bowling a bit quicker in the nets.”But we cannot be able to judge the progress made so far unless we play other opposition. The proof will be in the pudding when we start playing more against other sides. South Africa and Australia have named strong sides and it’s going to be some tough cricket. “But it’s good for us ahead of our first Test match in six years,” said Butcher.Assistant coach Stephen Mangongo echoed Butcher’s sentiments. “The intensity has been excellent and I am happy some of our key players like Hamilton Masakadza and Brendan Taylor are getting it right,” he said.”It’s good that our core players are showing this form and are able to stay at the crease for long periods. We need that form and hopefully our confidence levels will improve too,” added Mangongo. “These guys have been pushing hard and the more they feel the pressure from the new players the higher they feel the need to raise their game.”Everyone knows that you have to be on top of your game to be selected. It’s not about the names and this is the challenge that most of the players have been facing in the last six weeks. Each player has to prove himself.”One player who appears to have done enough to further his case for selection is 21-year-old left-arm seamer Brian Vitori, who has been included in the limited-overs squad. “He has shown great promise and is doing quite well with the new ball,” said Mangongo.Zimbabwe had also been sweating on Keegan Meth’s fitness after he pulled out of a two-day practice game last week after bowling only two overs. His injury was apparently not as serious as previously thought and he has also been included in the squad of 15. Another unexpected name on the team lists is that of allrounder Malcolm Waller. Waller was not part of the original 32-man training squad and was said to have been playing club cricket overseas.Zimbabwe XI limited-overs squad Brendan Taylor (capt), Regis Chakabva, Tendai Chatara, Elton Chigumbura, Craig Ervine, Hamilton Masakadza, Keegan Meth, Christopher Mpofu, Forster Mutizwa, Raymond Price, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Tatenda Taibu, Prosper Utseya, Brian Vitori, Malcolm Waller.Zimbabwe XI two-day warm-up squad Vusimuzi Sibanda (capt), Regis Chakabva, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Kyle Jarvis, Gregory Lamb, Shingirai Masakadza, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Natsai Mushangwe, Forster Mutizwa, Njabulo Ncube, Tinashe Panyangara, Malcolm Waller.

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.

Sri Lanka two down chasing 483 after Root becomes fourth man to score twin tons at Lord’s

Alan Gardner31-Aug-2024For the second time in three days at Lord’s, it was all about Joe Root. England’s batting bellwether continued a bumper Test match by producing twin tons for the first time in his storied career, his 34th century in the format setting new records for his country – and setting his team on their way towards what would be a series-sealing win.England began the day in a position of comfort, 256 runs ahead with nine wickets standing, and Root allowed an expectant crowd to drink in the experience of a Lord’s Saturday. If there was data on champagne corks popped, Root would probably set have another benchmark. As it was, his innings of 103 was garlanded by several entries in the record books: his seventh Test hundred the most by an individual at Lord’s, as he surpassed Graham Gooch as the leading run-scorer on the ground. Alastair Cook’s overall England run-scoring records is now less than 100 runs away.This effort, coming from 111 balls, was also his fastest in the format. He reached the mark, in the company of the No. 10, Olly Stone, by swatting Lahiru Kumara’s bouncer in front of deep point, amid a rising crescendo of “Roooooooot!” rolling around the ground. The next-highest score by one of his team-mates was Harry Brook’s 37 off 36 balls.Related

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With Sri Lanka asked to chase a target of 483, Root was at it again in the field – his two catches at first slip to remove Nishan Madushka and Pathum Nissanka making him the fourth man to take 200 in Tests. Rahul Dravid, the record-holder with 210, is very much in his sights.That Sri Lanka finished the day only two down was in part due to an early finish brought about by bad light. A world-record target looked a long way off for a team short on batting confidence, though Dimuth Karunaratne survived being given out lbw to his third ball – a poor decision from Paul Reiffel overturned – to negotiate 90 minutes in the gloom after tea. He walked off in the company of “lightwatcher” Prabath Jayasuriya after England had been instructed to bowl their spinners for a second time, with Ollie Pope preferring to preserve the condition of the ball for Sunday.Madushka was the first wicket to fall, edging Gus Atkinson to slip to continue a difficult first tour of England – having been replaced behind the stumps by Dinesh Chandimal on the third morning, he also dropped two catches in the field (although one still resulted in the dismissal of Ben Duckett, as Angelo Mathews snaffled the rebound). Nissanka survived on 2 when the faintest of under-edges to leg slip off Shoaib Bashir went undetected, only to be dismissed by a snorter in Olly Stone’s first over as the light briefly improved enough to allow a return to pace.Bad light forced an early finish on day 3•AFP/Getty Images

England left the field at just after 5pm, content that there is plenty of time left for them to take the eight wickets required for a 2-0 lead in the series. Kamindu Mendis had held out the hope on the second evening that Sri Lanka could find a way back into the game if they could get England out for “under 150-175” – they gamely chipped out five wickets by that stage but couldn’t prevent a Root march carrying the hosts to 251 and a seemingly impregnable position.Root’s reliability had allowed England to negotiate the morning session with few alarms, and the game continued to revolve around him after the interval. A nudge down the ground off Jayasuriya took him to fifty from 65 balls, and he began to push the tempo with three fours – two hauled through wide long-on, one delicately reverse-swept – in four balls.Sri Lanka kept at it, Jayasuriya removing Jamie Smith lbw despite a review from the batter, before Chris Woakes flat-batted Milan Rathnayake to cover. Atkinson’s dismissal, meanwhile, came in complete contrast to the elegant simplicity that characterised his maiden hundred in the first innings: caught behind the keeper at long-stop when top-edging a reverse-pull at Asitha Fernando. Matt Potts then gloved the same bowler behind but Stone hung in to get Root to his milestone.Getty Images

Stone was caught at fine leg in the same over, and although England’s approach had seemed to have a declaration in mind, they batted on. Root eventually gave Kumara a third wicket, top-edging a tired heave to deep-backward square leg, with tea taken early at the close of the innings.England’s batting effort was uneven, Root aside, reflective of their strong grip on the game. Three wickets went down during the morning session, including that of Pope, England’s stand-in captain, who made his highest score while deputising for Ben Stokes but again fell in perplexing fashion, slashing an Asitha bouncer straight to deep backward point for 17, shortly after Sri Lanka had put four men back for the ploy.The hosts resumed on 25 for 1, after Dan Lawrence’s dismissal on the second evening, and Ben Duckett was the first to depart, thanks to an accidental piece of choreography between slip and gully. Rathnayake pitched the ball up from round the wicket, tempting the drive – and while Madushka could not hold on diving to his right, he managed to scoop the chance back towards Mathews for a regulation catch.At the other end, Pope was looking to quell some of the noise around his batting. He moved into double-figures for the first time in the series with a clip off his legs, then survived a review for lbw against Rathnayake, with ball-tracking showing the ball would have cleared the stumps. But he did not last much longer, as Asitha targeted him from round the wicket.The first of Root’s four boundaries was a thick outside edge between slip and gully, but he was otherwise serene in progressing towards a third consecutive 50-plus score. Jayasuriya was picked off on the sweep and twice down the ground, though Root was initially happy to tick along at a strike rate in the 70s, allowing Brook and then Smith to play the aggressor.Brook’s intent during a half-century stand seemed to suggest that England were already thinking about the declaration. Brook was badly dropped on 9, Madushka making a mess of a skied slog-sweep at midwicket, then launched Jayasuriya’s next delivery into the Tavern Stand to rub in the pain. Sri Lanka’s spinner bore the brunt of the attack, but he had the satisfaction of removing Brook when another attempt to haul him leg side was safely held by Madushka in front of the rope.

Sri Lanka’s T20 league to be held in its original window for the first time

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Mar-2023The fourth edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) will take place from July 31 to August 22 this year, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has confirmed. If it goes ahead as planned, this will be the first LPL season held in its originally scheduled July-August window.Similar to last year, the five-team tournament will take place at three venues, likely to be Hambantota, Colombo and Kandy, with each squad comprising a maximum of 20 players – 14 local and six overseas players. The Jaffna Kings have won all three editions of the tournament so far.”We have decided to hold the tournament during July and August this year, as conducting the tournament during this period gives us the best possible opportunity to attract top international talent and also suits well with Sri Lanka’s international cricket calendar,” LPL tournament director Samantha Dodanwela said.However, the Major League Cricket tournament in the USA is set to run from July 13 to 30, and the Hundred in England is scheduled between August 1 and 27, and both those tournaments could impact overseas player availability in the LPL.All three previous editions of the LPL had been postponed to November-December, having initially been slated for a July-August window. The inaugural edition in 2020 was impacted by strict Covid-19 restrictions in Sri Lanka at the time; in 2021, an increase in coronavirus cases combined with an unavailability of foreign stars due to scheduling clashes with other franchise leagues saw the tournament pushed to the end of the year; while last year, Sri Lanka was in the midst of a full blown economic crisis.

An all-star batting effort from the New Zealand middle-order helps them pull off the second-highest successful chase in women’s ODIs

S Sudarshanan17-Feb-2022Lauren Down’s unbeaten 64, and her 76-run partnership with Katey Martin for the seventh wicket, and Frances Mackay’s cameo down the order helped New Zealand beat India by three wickets in the third ODI and seal the five-match series with two matches to spare in Queenstown on Friday.When Lea Tahuhu, who went off the field towards the end of the Indian innings because of a hamstring strain, holed out at deep midwicket in the 35th over, New Zealand looked down for the count at 171 for 6, chasing 280. However, Down, who replaced Brooke Halliday in the XI, and Martin kept New Zealand on course with their alliance and tilt the balance.When the win was sealed, Down hitting Deepti Sharma for a six over the bowler’s head first ball of the final over, it became the second-highest successful chase in all women’s ODI cricket. It also extended India’s losing streak in ODIs while batting first to ten, the last win having come in November 2019.New Zealand were rocked early in their chase by Jhulan Goswami, who returned to the XI after missing the previous match. She first trapped Sophie Devine in front of the stumps in the first over, before cleaning up her opening partner Suzie Bates in her next.But Amy Satterthwaite then got going with Amelia Kerr to bring New Zealand back on track. The two found the ropes regularly as New Zealand got to 58 for 2 after the powerplay. They were also helped by a couple of dropped chances – Deepti and S Meghana spilt chances off Satterthwaite, while Deepti also let go of a tough chance from Kerr and wore it on her foot.The introduction of spin led to Satterthwaite employing the sweep, often playing the shot to deliveries well outside off. She brought up her 26th ODI fifty in some style and looked unstoppable, until she gave Mithali Raj catching practice at mid-on off Goswami’s bowling. That ended the 103-run stand between Satterthwaite and Kerr.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Kerr, who had scored an unbeaten century in the second match, took over after that with her sweeps and cuts. There was hardly a dot ball as Kerr and Maddy Green moved quickly, and Kerr brought up her third ODI fifty soon after.However, with the required rate creeping up, Kerr looked to take on birthday girl Sneh Rana and holed out at long-on when on 67. And then, debutant Renuka Singh Thakur, one of five changes India made on the day, knocked Green’s stumps back for her maiden wicket in ODIs.India had a chance at that stage, but Down, Martin and Mackay ensured the result went New Zealand’s way.Earlier, India, again without Smriti Mandhana – she has finished her quarantine but “MIQ rules,” coach Ramesh Powar said, kept her out – were asked to bat first and were given a fast start by openers Meghana and Shafali Verma. The pair added 100 for the opening wicket in just 13 overs.Meghana brought up her maiden international half-century, while Verma got to her second in the format. New Zealand’s butter-fingered fielding helped them along.Meghana was unafraid to play over the infield and hit the first six of the match off Hannah Rowe, who was taken for 16 runs in the fourth over of the game. Verma, on the other hand, played second fiddle but not without some big hits of her own. She was happy to cash in on any width provided either by Tahuhu or Rowe, and was patient in ducking and leaving balls that caused her discomfort.But Rosemary Mair bounced Meghana out and then did the same to Yastika Bhatia.Soon, Verma was dismissed by Kerr for a well-made 51. When Harmanpreet Kaur and Raj also fell with India yet to reach 190, the visitors’ hopes of a tall score faded.But Deepti chipped in with an attacking 69. She peppered the on-side boundary at will, using Rowe and Mair’s angle into her from around the stumps to explore the arc between midwicket and fine leg. She also used the sweep to good effect against Mackay and Satterthwaite, as India made 279, their highest ODI score in the last four years and second-best since the Women’s World Cup, back in 2017.

“If it looked like there was a lack of respect there, that certainly wasn’t the intention of our team”

Daniel Brettig15-Sep-2020Australia’s coach Justin Langer has admitted that the national team did not commit enough time to understanding and learning about the Black Lives Matter issue before choosing not to take a knee prior to their first game since the movement entered the cricket world in a big way earlier this year.Following blunt criticism from Michael Holding, Langer said that as Cricket Australia went through its own extensive process of reflection about how inclusive it has been for people of colour, the team should have found more time to contemplate taking a knee before the opening match of the T20I series in Southampton.”In terms of the taking a knee, to be completely honest we could’ve talked more about it perhaps leading up to that first game; there was so much going on leading up to us getting here, maybe we should’ve thought and talked a bit more about it,” Langer said. “What we do talk about in the team is we want to have a response that is sustained and powerful and it can go, not just in one action, but sustained periods, not just throughout this series, throughout our summer, but throughout time.ALSO READ: Holding ‘doesn’t know anything that’s going on’ – Archer“We’re looking at ways, I know there’s a lot of talk going on within our group about how we can, I know there’s a lot of talking going on about the Australian women’s team as well, about how we can have a sustained and powerful response to Black Lives Matter. It’s incredibly important, and I just hope and certainly from Mikey’s point of view I hope if it looked like there was a lack of respect there, that certainly wasn’t the intention of our team.”We’re very aware of it, and when Mikey says what he says, then it’s certainly worth listening to and we’ll be doing that.”Prior to the game, Australia captain Aaron Finch had explained that “education around it is more important than the protest”, in reference to the symbolic gesture made by a succession of sporting teams around the world in recent months.Holding had bridled at this attitude. “Now Australia come here and I see another lame statement from the Australia captain who is saying that he and the England captain have spoken and they decided not to take a knee,” Holding had said on “I would hope that anyone who gets involved in something like this [does it] because they want to get involved.”So I would hope that people who are joining in, and are still willing to accept that things need to change and need to send a signal, will voluntarily do what they think is right.”Langer, who has overseen a reinvention of the Australian team’s image since the Newlands ball-tampering scandal in 2018, conceded he and others had been stopped in their tracks by Holding’s words.”Michael Holding is one of the great people of world sport, and certainly our game,” Langer said. “He’s a person who I personally have great admiration, great respect, great love for, and we all watched his presentation, his heartfelt thoughts at the start of the summer. When someone like Michael says something like that, it is certainly important we all listen to it.”It was a powerful statement by Mikey, as it has been consistently from him and from others throughout the summer, and because of that, it was a powerful message.”

Taylor claims career-best figures after middle two days lost to weather

ECB Reporters Network30-May-2019Matt Taylor claimed career-best figures of 5 for 57 as Gloucestershire’s County Championship Division Two match against Lancashire at Cheltenham ended in a draw, after days two and three were lost to a wet outfield.Gloucestershire had reached 68 for 2 by 4.50pm local time, when the sides shook hands after an eventful match which will be remembered for the freak storm on the first night.Gloucestershire’s opening pair – Miles Hammond and Chris Dent, who reached 8,000 first-class runs during his innings – had put on 55 in 25 overs on the first day as the home side reached 205 in their first innings. Dent and Jack Taylor added 83 for the fifth wicket.England Lions seamer Saqib Mahmood was the stand-out bowler on day one, picking up 4 for 48, with Hammond scoring 82.Lancashire had lost Haseeb Hameed and Jake Lehmann, with David Payne conceding just four runs in an eight-over spell, meaning they resumed the final day on 47 for 2. They set out with a flurry before being reduced to 149 for 5 at lunch.Rob Jones dealt in boundaries, striking a four from the first delivery of the day, as he and Keaton Jennings doubled their side’s score within the first hour. Jones brought up his half-century from 70 deliveries, with nine fours. But they fell in successive Matt Taylor overs, as Jones was caught behind, before Jennings was caught at slip for 52, having just reached his half-century from 141 balls.Dane Vilas gave Gareth Roderick a second catch and Taylor a third wicket, as the visitors went from 105 for 2 to 126 for 5 in just six overs.After losing Liam Livingston five balls into the afternoon, Steven Croft and Tom Bailey led the visitors’ recovery as they gained a first batting point before bringing up their fifty partnership.Taylor claimed his fifth wicket when he had Mahmood caught behind. Croft then drove at David Payne at mid-off from Ryan Higgins, who almost picked up a second wicket in two balls when a Jimmy Anderson edge fell just short of the slip cordon. Anderson survived a similar delivery in the following over before sending Taylor over the Chapel End boundary for the first and only maximum of the match.Payne rounded off the Lancashire innings, when he had Richard Gleeson caught at slip, with an early tea taken.Gloucestershire began their second innings 39 runs adrift, and lost Hammond in the tenth over when he was caught at slip off Bailey. James Bracey, glancing down the legside, was caught behind off Richard Gleeson in the 18th over, by which time the home side were marginally ahead.