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James Allenby produced another fine all-round performance as Glamorgan Dragons celebrated their second consecutive Friends Provident t20 win with a seven-wicket success over Hampshire Royals under floodlights in Cardiff

Cricinfo staff09-Jun-2010
ScorecardJames Allenby produced another fine all-round performance as Glamorgan Dragons celebrated their second consecutive Friends Provident t20 win with a seven-wicket success over Hampshire Royals under floodlights in Cardiff. Following up his 54 and 3 for 23 in the win over Gloucestershire last Friday, Allenby made 52 from 55 balls and recorded figures of 2 for 18.But the platform for Glamorgan’s win was set by the spinners Robert Croft and Jamie Dalrymple, who helped to restrict the visitors to 114 for 9 from their 20 overs. Glamorgan, guided by Allenby, reached their target but with only four balls to spare.Opening with spin at both ends on a used pitch paid dividends for Glamorgan. Croft’s sixth ball bowled England World Twenty20 star Michael Lumb with one that turned. And in the next over Dalrymple nearly had Jimmy Adams caught at mid-on, but although he escaped the catch he was run out looking for a quick single.In the fourth over Croft struck again, having Sean Ervine trapped leg before on the back foot as the Royals crumbled to 18 for 3. And though Hampshire looked as though they were navigating their way out of trouble through Michael Carberry and Neil McKenzie, the latter was bowled via an inside edge.Spin accounted for seven of the first 10 overs as Hampshire were restricted to 54 for 4 at the halfway mark. But there was no let up with fast bowler Shaun Tait’s first two overs going for just eight runs. Dalrymple struck again three overs later as Hampshire new recruit, Dan Christian holed out to deep midwicket to leave Hampshire 65 for 5. Croft finished with figures of 2 for 16.As Hampshire went in pursuit of quick runs at the end, top scorer Carberry (34 from 48 balls) and Abdul Razzaq both holed out to long on from successive Allenby balls. Dominic Cork took his side past 100 with a six and a four before being bowled.In reply, Allenby shared in decent partnerships with Mark Cosgrove, who suffered a dubious leg before dismissal, and Dalrymple, who was brilliantly caught by Christian one-handed at backward point, before he and Gareth Rees saw the Dragons home.

Australia’s opener Simon Katich expects Pakistan’s new captain Shahid Afridi to spark an improvement from his side when the teams meet for two Tests in England this month

Brydon Coverdale01-Jul-2010Australia’s opener Simon Katich expects Pakistan’s new captain Shahid Afridi to spark an improvement from his side when the teams meet for two Tests in England this month. The series comes barely six months after Pakistan’s disastrous tour of Australia, when they lost 3-0 and the board subsequently dished out harsh penalties to a range of players.The leader of that ill-fated trip, Mohammad Yousuf, retired from international cricket in the aftermath and although he might return later in the year, it won’t be for this series. Instead, control of the Test team has been handed to Afridi, who led Pakistan at the end of their 5-0 ODI defeat in January and was banned for two Twenty20s for biting the ball in the final game at the WACA.Last month Ricky Ponting said he was confident the Australians could “sort out” Afridi, who hasn’t played a Test since 2006. However, despite Afridi’s lack of success at the helm in Australia, Katich believes as captain he has the potential to energise Pakistan, who haven’t beaten Australia in a Test since November 1995.”When he took over in the one-day series they had a bit more direction on the field, with him in charge,” Katich told Cricinfo. “They put in some good performances after that, even if they didn’t win the games they were certainly more competitive. He’ll bring an energy and enthusiasm to the job because that’s the sort of player that he is. I think they’ve probably chosen wisely there.”The matches at Lord’s and Headingley will be the first neutral Tests played in England since the triangular tournament of 1912 and it is hard to predict which side will appreciate the conditions more. Katich, who has been adjusting to the English summer during a stint with Lancashire, believes Pakistan’s attack will enjoy the venues more than the harder surfaces in Australia last summer.”Conditions here will probably suit them better than Australian conditions, given that they’ve got a couple of good spinners in Danish Kaneria and Saeed Ajmal,” Katich said. “The wickets here generally this time of year, if the weather stays dry, they will spin. They will prefer the wickets here than in Australia, where the wickets didn’t turn a huge amount. Some of their fast bowlers will as well, given that there’s probably a bit more swing in England.”Katich, who is Australia’s reigning Test Player of the Year, will link up with the squad ahead of next week’s two-day tour match in Derby, where the group will also be joined by Test specialist Marcus North, the returning fast bowler Ben Hilfenhaus and the backup batsman Usman Khawaja. Australia will almost certainly have two debutants at Lord’s, where Tim Paine will keep wicket and Steven Smith is likely to take the No. 1 spin role in the absence of the injured Nathan Hauritz.The series gives the chance for Australia to test their depth ahead of the Ashes later this year, although they can now fine-tune their plans in the recently-announced two-Test tour of India in October. The trip was originally scheduled to include ODIs only, but Katich is pleased the Test players will have another opportunity to warm up before November’s Ashes opener at the Gabba.”I think we’ve got a pretty good balance because there are still a couple of Shield games before the Ashes start,” Katich said. “That will give the guys plenty of time to acclimatise back to Australian conditions and it’s probably good that we’ve got some more Test cricket to make sure we’re in that mode leading in to what’s a very important series.”

England couldn’t really have hoped for a better start to the series after their massive 354-run victory at Trent Bridge

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan05-Aug-2010

Match facts

August 6, 2010, Edgbaston
Start time 11.00 (1000GMT)No mistakes: England’s catching was a feature of their impressive performance at Trent Bridge•Getty Images

Big picture

England couldn’t really have hoped for a better start to the series after their massive 354-run victory at Trent Bridge, but one thing that Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower have become good at is keeping the players’ feet firmly on the ground. All logic would suggest the gap between the teams is so vast that a turnaround is unthinkable, yet logic tends to go out the window when Pakistan are involved.They have already shown their ability to bounce back from defeat when they levelled the series against Australia and any side with the fast-bowling skills of Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul can never be underestimated. That trio caused England a heap of problems at Trent Bridge, but at crucial times they were let down in the field and were given precious little back-up by Danish Kaneria, who suffered a shocking match.Kaneria has been shipped back to county cricket (although can’t play for Essex until he is re-registered) and the chief villain in the field – wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal – has been replaced by the uncapped Zulqarnain Haider but Pakistan’s major problem is their batting. Despite the insistence of Salman Butt that he would back youth it was only a matter of time before an SOS went out for reinforcements and Mohammad Yousuf has duly been drafted into the squad.After a race against time to reach Birmingham, Yousuf had been considered for a comeback in the second Test but ruled himself out through tiredness, leaving the way open for a recall for Yasir Hameed. It is debatable whether one man who has barely played cricket of late – regardless of his undoubted class – could have revived Pakistan on his own, and it may even have been a backward step for the team, as Yousuf’s return could have revived memories of the terrible Australia tour which began Pakistan’s latest crisis.England are in bullish mood, and rightly so, with little concern over which players they face this week. The bowling was impressive in the opening match – led by James Anderson’s career-best 11 wickets – while Eoin Morgan and Matt Prior delivered fine centuries under pressure. There are concerns over Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen, who both need runs, but they are minor problems compared to Pakistan’s.

Form guide (last five completed matches)

England WWWWW

Pakistan LWLLL

Watch out for…

Most of the talk surrounding England’s batting hasn’t been about the century-makers, but rather Kevin Pietersen’s form. Yet, Alastair Cook shouldn’t escape the spotlight after three disappointing Tests this season. He may have been captain five months ago, but the race for England batting spots is so intense that nobody can afford a barren run. In fairness it was a tough Test for top-order batsmen at Trent Bridge, but the concern was the ease with which Cook was predictably worked over by Asif and Amir. He showed in South Africa that he can combat top-quality pace bowling but he’s at that stage again where he needs a few runs.Mohammad Asif had the ball on a string for most of the first Test until England pulled away in the second innings. His languid, almost lazy run-up, doesn’t hint at the threat he poses once he lets the ball go and even though he rarely exceeds 80mph his late movement can leave batsmen in knots. It is, therefore, soul-destroying to see chances go begging and then watch his own batsmen throw their wickets away. But Asif will keep running in and he, along with Amir, remain Pakistan’s best chance of getting back onto the series

Team news

Barring late injuries England won’t make any changes, especially after such a comprehensive victory. Graeme Swann should expect some more work in this Test, but he has said he won’t mind another Test standing at second slip.England (probable) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Paul Collingwood, 6 Eoin Morgan, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Graeme Swann, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steven FinnYousuf made it to Birmingham in time but thanks to his jet-lag and general lack of match practice, Umar Amin keeps his place, although there may be a temptation to move Shoaib Malik up the order. Kamran Akmal has been dropped, with his deputy Zulqarnain Haider coming in to make his Test debut, while offspinner Saeed Ajmal will replace Kaneria and will have a vital role in easing the workload on the quick bowlers.Pakistan (probable) 1 Salman Butt (capt), 2 Imran Farhat, 3 Azhar Ali, 4 Umar Amin, 5 Umar Akmal, 6 Shoaib Malik, 7 Zulqarnain Haider (wk), 8 Mohammad Amir, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Saeed Ajmal, 11 Mohammad Asif

Pitch and conditions

There has been some rain around Birmingham in the build-up to the Test and the forecast suggests further showers can be expected at various stages during the game. Cloudy skies will keep the swing bowlers happy and Stuart Broad recently showed what was on offer in the surface with 8 for 52 playing for Nottinghamshire against Warwickshire. However, if batsmen get in at Edgbaston runs can also flow quickly. It should be another fast-moving game.

Stats and Trivia

• The first Test provided only the third occasion in history when all the top scores came from No. 6 and below in the order.
• England and Pakistan have met six times at Edgbaston and the visitors have never won here. The last occasion was in 1992 in what became a rain-ruined and bat-dominated draw.
• James Anderson, fresh from his 11-wicket haul, will play his 50th Test.

Quotes

“We all go through it, you’re not human if you don’t go through a poor run of form at some time, but players of the quality of KP always come back and he will.”
“Everybody knows that this is the type of show that has been coming out of Pakistan previously as well as recently. This is something that can change.”

The chairman of a UK commission set up to investigate the threat of gambling-related corruption in sport has told Cricinfo he believes there is insufficient evidence for police to press charges against Mazhar Majeed

Andrew Miller31-Aug-2010The chairman of a UK commission set up to investigate the threat of gambling-related corruption in sport has told Cricinfo he believes there will be insufficient evidence for police to press charges against Mazhar Majeed, the alleged fixer who was caught on camera accepting money from an undercover reporter in a News of the World sting.Rick Parry, the former chief executive of Liverpool Football Club, told Cricinfo’s Switch Hit podcast that, despite a dossier of apparently damning evidence – including video footage of Majeed appearing to correctly predict the timing of three no-balls bowled by Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir during the first two days of the Lord’s Test – the case was likely to flounder unless evidence of illegal betting activity was found to back up the claims.”I don’t think [the case] has any evidence at all,” said Parry. “Unless the News of the World placed a bet – which would be highly unlikely because in so doing they would have carried out a criminal act – then there doesn’t appear to be any betting activity at all associated with these particular allegations. It places the ball, to pardon the pun, squarely back into the hands of the cricket authorities.”Under the provisions of the Gambling Act 2005, which made cheating in sport for financial gain a criminal activity in the UK, it had been hoped that the very fact that these latest allegations had taken place in the country would help to carry them forward into the courts, and lead to a high-profile case that could act as a deterrent to others who might be tempted into similar wrongdoing.However, Parry said that until such time that further evidence was unearthed, the greater onus would have to fall on cricket’s governing bodies to live up to their promise, reiterated by the ICC’s chief executive, Haroon Lorgat, on Monday, to take “prompt and decisive action” against anyone found guilty of match-fixing.”The ICC is very much in the spotlight on this one, and so it can’t afford not to [act],” he said. “When you see the publicity like we’ve had over the last couple of days, there can’t be a single reason not to take the right action, because it’s the reputation of the sport at stake, and nothing can be more important than that. Everyone connected with sport – participants and spectators – have a basic right to believe that sport is clean and that everyone is doing their best, because that goes right to the root of what’s good about sport.”Parry did, however, credit the ICC for taking a lead among sporting governing bodies in attempting to police corruption its own issues, but added that more effort clearly needed to be put into the education of its young players, particularly in light of Amir’s alleged involvement in the Lord’s furore.”I think one of the great sadnesses of all of this, and it’s a widely held view, is that a great young talent like Amir has been implicated in this one,” said Parry. “I think that’s what perhaps separates this from many other cases, because it suggests that the bad guys got to him before the good guys did. One of the fundamental recommendations of our panel, along with disciplinary measures and sanctions, is that it’s absolutely fundamental to have education processes in place, so that players and participants are taught from a very, very young age, first of all what the rules mean, so that there can be no excuses, and secondly that they are vulnerable to outside influences.””To be fair to cricket, at ICC level they have taken very significant steps,” he added. “They were one of the first sports to set up a proper integrity unit, in the wake of previous major issues such as Hansie Cronje scandal, so I don’t think it can be said that the cricket authorities have done nothing. But in terms of educating the players, it could be that they’ve not done enough. It would have to be a shock that a talent that has broken onto the scene so very, very quickly is at the centre of all this.”He’d have been enrolled in a cricket academy from a young age, and from the moment he shot to prominence with the international squad, you’d think that the Pakistan Cricket Board might have recognised a vulnerability and a need to put an arm around him. I can’t imagine it would have been that difficult to do, because when you read of the sums involved in betting in the Far East – with up to $500 million on a single game – the temptation is potentially there for relatively lowly paid cricketers. It’s beholden upon the authorities to step in and provide appropriate support systems.”

The progress of South Australia Redbacks and the Warriors to the semi-finals owes as much to inspiring leadership as much as it does to all-round excellence

The Preview by Siddhartha Talya24-Sep-2010

Match facts

Saturday, September 25
Start time 1730 (1530 GMT)Johan Botha’s economical bowling has been a key factor in the Warriors’ success•AFP

Big Picture

The progress of South Australia Redbacks and the Warriors to the semi-finals owes as much to inspiring leadership as much as it does to all-round excellence. Michael Klinger’s solidity at the top of the order, which has earned him three half-centuries, and Davy Jacobs’ explosive openings together with some acrobatic fielding, have influenced the teams. The middle orders have rallied along while the opening seamers have stepped up amid support from the rest of the attack.
Both lack the star value of the IPL teams they’ve encountered in the run-up to the knockout stage but have infused their share of excitement into the Champions League: Warriors, by keeping the local interest alive by reaching this far and South Australia, by pulling off a surprise given the absence of Kieron Pollard and Shahid Afridi, who had revived the team’s domestic season in the Twenty20 tournament after they had been battered in other formats.Little separates the two going into Saturday’s clash but it’ll be interesting to see how the two spin attacks compete on a traditionally batting-friendly Centurion surface. Left-arm spinner Aaron O’Brien and legspinner Cullen Bailey have largely played a supporting role and met with some harsh treatment, unlike Johan Botha, whose accuracy has had a crippling effect on the opposition in the middle overs. A possible source of weakness for South Australia is an area of strength for the Warriors – a potential decider in a seemingly even contest.

Team news

The performance of wicketkeeper-batsman Graham Manou, who’s averaged 9.75 in four games thus far, will be a bit of a worry for South Australia. The middle order had a good crack at Guyana with Callum Ferguson and Cameron Borgas shining through – could that prompt a tweak in the batting order?
South Australia (possible): 1 Michael Klinger (capt), 2 Daniel Harris, 3 Callum Ferguson, 4 Cameron Borgas, 5 Daniel Christian, 6 Graham Manou (wk), 7 Tom Cooper, 8 Aaron O’Brien, 9 Gary Putland, 10 Cullen Bailey, 11 Shaun Tait.The Warriors stuck with the same team in their four league games and it is unlikely, injuries notwithstanding, they’ll make any changes.Warriors (possible): 1 Davy Jacobs (wk), 2 Ashwell Prince, 3 Colin Ingram, 4 Justin Kreusch, 5 Mark Boucher (wk), 6 Craig Thyssen, 7 Johan Botha, 8 Nicky Boje, 9 Rusty Theron, 10 Makhaya Ntini, 11 Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

Watch out for …

Gary Putland: He made his List A debut for South Australia in 2005 but his opportunities have been fairly limited. He has been noticed lesser than his fast-bowling partner Shaun Tait, and has had a mixed tournament so far. His three wickets have come at an economy rate of over eight, and he needs to step up with his left-arm pace upfront. South Australia have been more generous than the Warriors in terms of conceding runs – teams have scored more than 150 against them in each of the four games – and some early pressure from Putland, known for his ability to move the ball around, will help in breaking the trend.
Justin Kreusch: He would remind you of New Zealand’s proud tradition of dibbly-dobbly bowlers and highly capable allrounders. He played a decisive role in his team’s qualification for the semis, choking Chennai with 3 for 19 in four overs and chipping in with 25 to help his side past the qualification target. Ideally suited for the limited-overs format, Kreusch could be a key player, both as a support bowler and in the middle order.

Key contests

Opening partnerships: Klinger and Daniel Harris, Jacobs and Ashwell Prince have helped lay the platform for their sides with productive stands right through the tournament. In each, there has been one dominant partner: Klinger, the more assured, has led the way for South Australia while Jacobs, the more belligerent, has done so for the Warriors. There will be pace and movement to contend against Tait while some nagging accuracy and variations from Rusty Theron. Which of the two pairs will emerge more successful?

Quotes

“Four in four, we’re super-confident”

The PCB has expressed its anger at the ICC’s handling of the latest allegations of spot-fixing in the third ODI between England and Pakistan at The Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Sep-2010The PCB has said it is perturbed by the allegations of corruption surrounding the third ODI and expressed its regret at the ICC’s handling of the situation, pointing out that it had not been consulted over the latter’s decision to lauch an investigation and only learnt of it through the media.The ICC decided to investigate Friday’s match at The Oval after being tipped off by a newspaper prior to the start that bookmakers were aware of some of the scoring patterns that eventually occurred during the play. As the story emerged through the day and the ICC announced it’s decision to investigate, it became clear that the Pakistan board had not been informed by the ICC; initially the board chairman Ijaz Butt, the captain Shahid Afridi and team manager Yawar Saeed refused to comment on the story because, they said, they had not been updated on the details. Butt flew to Dubai from Delhi on Saturday, though it is unclear whether he has met with the ICC.”The Pakistan Cricket Board is extremely perturbed by the recent allegations of corruption in the third ODI between England and Pakistan,” the statement read.”The PCB regrets the way these allegations have been handled as, being a full member of the ICC, it only came to know through the media that investigations would be conducted by the ICC. The PCB feels the ICC should repose more confidence in its members… and further condemns sensationalizing of these allegations which are harming cricket in general and Pakistan in particular.”The ECB held a special board meeting earlier in the day after which it decided the tour would go on, as no “substantiative evidence” had been provided to it or the Pakistan board. Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman, wrote to the ICC asking for further evidence and the PCB has followed suit. “The ICC has been requested by PCB through its counsel to furnish more details into these allegations.”This isn’t the first time the PCB has disagreed with the ICC since
the controversy began during the Lord’s Test last month. The ICC’s
decision to suspend Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir – the
three players at the centre of the initial spot-fixing controversy – was
criticised as being hasty with investigations still
underway. At a press conference in Lahore, Butt said both the
board and Scotland Yard felt the police investigations should have been
completed before the ICC began its own inquiry.The two clashed last year when the ICC took the decision to
strip Pakistan of its rights to host the 2011 World Cup in the aftermath
of the Lahore terror attacks and the PCB reacted by sending a legal
notice. The dispute was ultimately resolved.

The rain finally cleared late on the third day to allow Tasmania to add 19 runs and lose a wicket against Queensland at the Gabba

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Oct-2010Tasmania 2 for 52 v Queensland

Scorecard
The rain finally cleared late on the third day to allow Tasmania to add 19 runs and lose a wicket against Queensland at the Gabba. Wet weather has limited the match to 31 overs, with 13.2 wedged in this afternoon as the Tigers reached 2 for 52.When play resumed at 4.30pm Nathan Rimmington finished the over he started on Friday. Tasmania walked back out at 1 for 33 and Rimmington soon had some success when Ed Cowan (19) was the victim of a diving catch from the wicketkeeper Chris Hartley.Bad light ended play with Alex Doolan on 13 and George Bailey on 9. With life in the wicket there is a slim possibility of a first-innings result, but more rain is predicted for Monday morning.

ESPNcricinfo previews the second Test between Sri Lanka and West Indies at Colombo

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan22-Nov-2010

Match facts

November 23-27
Start time 10.00 (04.30 GMT)Chris Gayle’s 333 formed the cornerstone of West Indies’ impressive performance in Galle•AFP

Big picture

Sri Lanka were grateful for some assistance from the weather in Galle after West Indies produced their finest overseas performance since beating South Africa in Port Elizabeth three years ago. The visitors were inspired by Chris Gayle’s monumental 333, a fantastic innings which began as a destructive opening-day onslaught before he methodically consolidated the team’s position.And if anyone thought Sri Lanka would the pile up 600 themselves that was dashed as Kemar Roach and Shane Shillingford led a committed bowling display which ended with the home side three runs short of saving the follow-on. However, time was already becoming tight and once Sri Lanka edged into the lead they could breathe a little easier. But they have been put on notice: West Indies aren’t here just to make up the numbers.Sri Lanka’s major issue is with their bowling attack, not entirely surprising given they have lost Muttiah Muralitaran’s 800 wickets. Ajantha Mendis collected six in Galle, but most of them came long after Gayle had set up a huge total, while Suraj Randiv wasn’t particularly threatening on a docile surface. Aravinda de Silva, the chairman of the selectors, was exasperated when talking about the problems trying to find pace bowlers with particular mention of Lasith Malinga who is being saved for one-day and Twenty20 action.West Indies, though, have issues of their own after Shillingford, the offspinner, was reported to ICC for a suspect action. He is still allowed to play pending the investigation, and has received the backing of the coach Ottis Gibson, but it is hardly the ideal preparation for a Test match when a bowler knows all eyes will be on his elbow.However, given the travails of West Indies in recent years to be entering the second Test of an away series still on level terms isn’t an achievement to take lightly. If Gayle continues his form and gets the same support from his team-mates as at Galle then this series can remain an unexpectedly tight contest.

Form guide (last five completed matches)

Sri Lanka DLDWL

West Indies DLDLL

Watch out for…

Ajantha Mendis made a belated mark on the opening Test as he ran through West Indies’ lower order. While the late spell didn’t change the course of the innings it was a warning of the impact he can have on new batsmen who have yet to settle and emphasises the importance, as shown by Gayle, of batsmen not throwing their wickets away when set. Mendis’ success rate has slowed since the heady days early in his career when no batsman appeared able to pick him, but following the retirement of Muralitharan it’s time for him to show he can lift his game and become the leader of Sri Lanka’s spin attack.You almost had to rub your eyes watching Darren Bravo bat on his Test debut. The similarities to a certain BC Lara were just uncanny. From his profile, to his stance, then the back lift and the flowing cover drive. There have been players who model themselves on their heroes, but Bravo has taken it to a new level. The key, though, is that Bravo can really play. He has long-since been earmarked for an international career and a debut innings of 58 at No. 3 was a fine way to start. Endless comparisons with Lara won’t help his development, but he looks like a cricketer who can have a major part in West Indies’ future.

Team news

Sri Lanka will have two new quick bowlers as Dammika Prasad and Thilan Thushara were both omitted from the squad. Shaminda Eranga is an uncapped paceman, but the selectors may opt for the experience of Dilhara Fernando.Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Tharanga Paranavitana, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Thilan Samaraweera, 7 Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Suraj Randiv, 10 Ajantha Mendis, 11 Dilhara Fernando.Despite the issues over his action, Shillingford appears set to play and be partnered by Sulieman Benn who is now available following suspension. Andre Russell is the likely man to make way which means the new ball will be in the hands of either Darren Sammy or Dwayne Bravo.West Indies (possible) 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Adrian Barath, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 5 Brendan Nash, 6 Dwayne Bravo, 7 Carlton Baugh (wk), 8 Darren Sammy, 9 Sulieman Benn, 10 Shane Shillingford, 10 Kemar Roach

Pitch and conditions

The pitch is an unknown quantity for everyone having been relaid ahead of the World Cup and this is the first first-class match it will be used for. In the days leading into the Test it was on the damp side, which suggests some early movement for the quicks, but the issue with new surfaces is whether they can last the duration.

Quotes

“We expect to play a lot better from ball one of the game, to make sure we are focused on our game plans and executing them.”
.”Sri Lanka are one of the best teams in the world. We are expecting them to come back strong. I hope they will come hard on us. But we have prepared sufficiently.”
.

ESPNcricinfo previews the first Test between South Africa and India in Centurion

The Preview by George Binoy15-Dec-2010

Match Facts

December 16-20, Centurion

Start time 10:30 (08:30 GMT, 14:00 IST)
Dale Steyn has an outstanding record in Centurion•Getty Images

The Big Picture

On Monday, Cricket South Africa hosted its biggest ever reception for a visiting team, welcoming India with warmth in Johannesburg. India’s happiest cricket memories in the country – and there are only a precious few – were made in Johannesburg. It’s where they won the 2007 World Twenty20, and savoured their maiden Test win in South Africa, before losing the remaining two Tests to give up a 1-0 lead in 2006-07. Kingsmead and Newlands, venues at which South Africa shattered Indian dreams of a series victory on their last visit, are on this tour’s schedule as well. Johannesburg’s Wanderers, where Sreesanth swung and seamed through the home side’s batsmen, isn’t. Instead the battle between Test cricket’s top-ranked teams will begin in Centurion, where South Africa have lost only one Test, where India have never played a Test. Given how cold the eve of the game was, there will be no warmth. And there could be no Zaheer Khan.The sub-plots of this Test between two seemingly evenly matched sides are several. On the periphery there’s Corrie v Gary, two South African coaches who share a liking for the shade, trying to outwit each other. There’s India’s crackerjack opening combination against South Africa’s hostile new-ball attack; an accomplished middle order attempting to perform in the only country it has underperformed in; and a richly talented seam attack, challenged primarily by its own inconsistency, striving to unsettle a batting line-up moored by two batsmen, one serene, the other substantial. And then there’s the pitch – a little green, a little more damp – and the weight of history, both ancient and recent: India have won only one out of 12 Tests in the country since 1992; South Africa have failed to win two of their most recent series at home.For India, the Centurion Test is the first step in the harder leg of a journey that began in October 2008. Since then India have won seven series and drawn two but all of those successes – with the exception of the tour of New Zealand – have been on the subcontinent. Their rise to the No. 1 ranking has been built on victories in familiar conditions. Between now and the end of 2011, India will have toured South Africa, West Indies, England and Australia. A strong showing in these assignments and fewer people will grudge their No. 1 status.South Africa are the team everyone recognizes as being closest to No. 1, without quite getting there. On their previous two visits to India, they went up 1-0 in the series only to leave with a shared prize. A more thorough dismantling of MS Dhoni’s team will strengthen their claim as the team likely to compete best in all conditions against all opponents.

Form guide

(most recent first)
South Africa: DDWDW
India: WDDWW

Watch out for…

Opening exchanges: A chunk of the build-up has centered around the potential damage Virender Sehwag, and his partner Gautam Gambhir, could inflict on South Africa’s campaign. If they bat for a session, India could have 100 before lunch; if they bat for longer, 350 is achievable in a day, which moves the Test forward at rapid speed. Knock Sehwag over and it all slows down, making it easier for India’s opponents to control the pace. South Africa have been tailoring plans to straitjacket Sehwag. They just need to get him in to it.The role of spin has been underplayed in the lead-up to Centurion but the team that has the tighter spinner could win the contest between the bowling attacks. A parsimonious spinner will allow his captain to use him at one end, while fast bowlers rotate at the other. An expensive spinner will mean more shuffling, reduced rest and increased workload for the fast bowlers. Harbhajan Singh is more experienced and an attacker, but he thrives on confidence and needs to find it quick in South Africa, especially if Zaheer is absent. Paul Harris knows his role is to check India’s momentum and replicate his strangulation of India’s middle-order at Cape Town in 2006-07.

Team news

South Africa have no fitness issues and only have to decide between Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Ryan McLaren. Tsotsobe is the favourite because his left-arm skills add variety to those offered by Steyn and Morkel.South Africa: (probable) 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Alviro Petersen, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 AB de Villiers, 6 Ashwell Prince, 7 Mark Boucher (wk), 8 Paul Harris, 9 Morne Morkel, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Lonwabo Tsotsobe.Zaheer has a hamstring injury and his participation is doubtful, which is gut-wrenching news for India. He’s the leader of their attack, their cleverest bowler and their most skilled at the art of reverse-swing. Without him, India’s pace attack comprises Ishant Sharma, Sreesanth – both of whom could be searing hot or awfully cold – and a debutant, either Jaidev Unadkat or Umesh Yadav. India will decide on Zaheer and his replacement on Thursday morning.India (probable): 1 Gautam Gambhir, 2 Virender Sehwag, 3 Rahul Dravid, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 VVS Laxman, 6 Suresh Raina, 7 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Ishant Sharma, 10 Sreesanth, 11 Jaidev Unadkat/Umesh Yadav.

Pitch and conditions

On the eve of the Test, Centurion was wet and cold. It’s been raining in the mornings in the lead-up to the game but the afternoons have been sunny. The pitch, as a result, looks green and damp but MS Dhoni didn’t think there was enough grass on it.”It is a normal Centurion wicket, which means it will assist the fast bowlers,” Dhoni said. “But the greenest track I have seen in South Africa was the Twenty20 game we played against the South Africans in the 2007 World Twenty20 [in Durban]. I don’t think this is anywhere close to the wicket we saw then.”

Stats and trivia

• Hashim Amla averages 85 at SuperSport Park, Ashwell Prince 67 and Jacques Kallis 60. Dale Steyn averages 19 per wicket here, Morkel 22 and Paul Harris 23. Click here for a comprehensive stats analysis on the series and Centurion.

Quotes

“It is a blow, but at the same time we have to see the longer picture. We have to think about the World Cup also. We are so close to the World Cup. Until we are 100% sure about his fitness and injury, we won’t risk playing him.”

England’s coach, Andy Flower, has praised the ruthlessness of his Ashes-winning cricketers, but warned that their 3-1 series win must not be seen as an end in itself

Andrew Miller08-Jan-2011England’s coach, Andy Flower, has praised the ruthlessness of his Ashes-winning cricketers, but warned that their 3-1 series win must not be seen as an end in itself, as the squad prepares to embark on a tough ODI campaign against Australia that will test their readiness for the World Cup in the subcontinent later this year.Speaking on the morning after England’s innings-and-83-run victory in Sydney, Flower said that, while the successful defence of the Ashes in Australia was a special achievement, it would be disrespectful to the challenge posed by other countries to single it out as a crowning glory.”Our celebrations were good, and well deserved by the players,” said Flower. “We had a good time and I think the guys are reflecting on a job well done and a job that they are very proud of. But our ultimate goal is to be No. 1 in the world, and in no way would I demean the Ashes series in saying that. Any series against any international nation is important in its own right, and any Test win is a very proud moment for me and our players. I think it would be disrespectful to view it any differently.”England’s itinerary has left them little time to sit on their laurels. Much as was the case in 2009, when the team departed for Belfast shortly after wrapping up victory at The Oval, the squad set off for Canberra on Saturday to prepare for the two Twenty20 internationals that precede the seven-match ODI series. “There’s not much rest time,” said Flower. “The guys won’t be able to bask long in the sunshine. They have to get their training boots on, and get back to work soon.”One man who will not be joining them on that trip, however, is Alastair Cook. England’s Test vice-captain is not a member of the one-day set-up, and so he is set to fly back to England on Saturday evening, to reflect on his phenomenal achievement in racking up 766 runs in the five Tests, a tally that has only ever been exceeded by one Englishman in Australia – Wally Hammond, who made 905 runs in 1928-29.”Cook had a particularly outstanding series,” said Flower. “He’s a very strong young man, he’s displayed that strength in a number of ways through his career, and he’s overcome most challenges that have been put in front of him, which is testament to that strength of character. Our players are picked to play international cricket because we believe they are good enough, and crucially they believe they are good enough.”Cook’s turnaround in form has been stunning, after he struggled to 100 runs in the first four Tests of the English season before saving his short-term place in the side with a gutsy second-innings century against Pakistan at The Oval.”Considering that people were calling for his head not so long ago, it is an outstanding riposte,” said Flower. “Although that’s not why he did it. It was because of the pride he has in his own performance and because he is very proud to play for England. I am very happy for him personally, and we’re all thankful that he made those contributions to the team for us.”The team ethic was the defining feature of England’s Test campaign, and of their rise and rise in the past 12 months, in which they have not lost a single series or tournament in any form of the game for 15 series and counting. The knock-on effect of such confidence is that the less-experienced members of the team, such as Tim Bresnan and Chris Tremlett, have been able to slot into the set-up without missing a beat.”Bresnan and Tremlett stepped into the breach very skillfully I thought, and held themselves well under pressure,” said Flower. “It’s not easy to do when you don’t play a lot of cricket at the start of the series, and you’re asked to take over because of injury or form, but they did it very well. It’s down to a combination of things. It’s a testament to their character and the way they handle pressure, but also a testament to the unity in the side, and the fact that they felt comfortable coming in and didn’t feel like outsiders.”The fact that England have forged a squad of international-standard players, rather than just a first eleven as was the case in 2005, augurs well for the challenges that lie ahead, with Flower hinting that changes of position and personnel may come into play when the team reaches the subcontinent in February for the World Cup. But all the while, that aim of No. 1 remains the ultimate focus.”It’s realistic, it’s achievable,” said Flower. “I don’t know if we’ll get there or not, but it’s certainly what we are aiming for. This result will give the players a lot of confidence, and some of the results they are achieving are building that confidence all the time. Winning the Twenty20 World Cup, playing well in South Africa, and winning two of the last Ashes series are all things that will build the confidence of the side.”