All posts by csb10.top

Day 3
ScorecardA good all-round batting effort – only one batsman failed to cash in – allowed Sri Lanka A to declare on 290 for 7 and leave West Zone with 467 to win their Duleep Trophy clash at Cuttack. Faced with the large target, Wasim Jaffer (56*) and Amol Muzumdar (46*) overcame two early losses to take West Zone to 125 for two at stumps on the third day.Sri Lanka A began the day with the overnight pair of Michael Vandort and Malinda Warnapura progressing to fifties. Their dismissals in quick succession did little to dent Sri Lanka A’s progress, as Thilan Samaraweera (35), Jehan Mubarak (40 from 34 balls) and Chamara Silva (57) each left a mark. Silva’s wicket, with Sri Lanka A ahead by 466, prompted the declaration.Dammika Prasad and Akalanka Ganegama, the right-arm fast bowling pair, then grabbed a wicket each to jolt West Zone. The experienced hand of Jaffer and Muzumdar then steadied the boat with a 97-run stand.Day 3
ScorecardA comprehensive bowling performance and a confident start to their second innings put North Zone firmly in charge against Central Zone at stumps on the third day at Jamshedpur. Ashish Nehra and Rajesh Sharma, the offspinner, each bagged three wickets to help bowl out Central Zone for 288 before Gautam Gambhir and Akash Chopra added 60 in a solid opening stand.For Central Zone, only Naman Ojha, the wicketkeeper, offered any real resistance with 67, while Murali Kartik hit a quick unbeaten 33 down the order. North Zone lost Chopra, edging Piyush Chawla’s legspin to Ojha for 29, but Gambhir was still around as they accumulated a lead of 227.

The Indian board has confirmed that it will move the ICC’s dispute redressal committee in support of compensation claims made by some state associations in India over loss of revenues that they face by having to stage Champions Trophy matches – an ICC sponsored tournament.”We are with the associations on this issue. We will take the matter to the disputes redressal committee of the ICC,” Niranjan Shah, the board secretary, told the . The Punjab Cricket Association threatened to pull out Mohali from the Champions Trophy claiming that not receiving the television and stadium sponsor revenues meant a huge loss to them. Associations hosting ICC events receive only 70% of the revenue from seats while the rest goes to the ICC.However Shah did not confirm a timeframe for approaching the redressal committee. “It is not that we will take the step today itself,” Shah said. “We will do whatever is necessary at the appropriate time.”Shah also accused the ICC of mishandling the accreditation process of the Champions Trophy. “The ICC has bungled everything by letting Rushman’s handle the accreditation for the officials as well. They are sitting in London and sending cards for people without knowing anything … Gujarat Cricket Association president Narhari Amin was not allowed entry in some areas and then I had to rush to Ahmedabad to get the issue sorted out,” Shah told , a Mumbai-based newspaper. “They are sitting in London and sending cards for people without knowing anything.”We are not saying we would have done it on an independent basis, the ICC could have supervised but we would have done a better job because we know better.”

ScorecardHundreds from Stephen Fleming and Brendon McCullum ensured the New Zealanders’ tour match at Benoni will go into the final day evenly poised. At the close, Rest of South Africa were 132 for 4, a lead of 155.Fleming, 96 not out overnight, completed his hundred in the first over, and made brisk progress along with Peter Fulton, who soon completed his fifty. Although Fulton fell for 73, it was Fleming’s dismissal for 118 which triggered a collapse in which the tourists lost five wickets for 44 runs, Monde Zondeki taking three of those in as many overs.With Shane Bond sidelined with a knee injury, New Zealanders were in deep trouble before McCullum finally found support in Chris Martin, one of the game’s real rabbits, the pair adding 95 for the ninth wicket to steer them to within 23 runs of Rest of South Africa’s total.When Rest of South Africa batted again, James Franklin struck an early blow, removing Alviro Petersen for 5, but Justin Ontong patiently guided them to a strong position before two late wickets gave the visitors renewed hope. Davey Jacobs’ 22 ended when he hit a return catch to Daniel Vettori, and two balls later Jean-Paul Duminy edged Martin to McCullum.

Confusion surrounds the future of Zimbabwe’s wicketkeeper-batsman Brendan Taylor after reports that he has been playing club cricket abroad despite a ruling by Ozias Bvute, the board’s managing director, that nationally contracted players were forbidden from doing so.Taylor, who is reported to be playing on a three-month contract in the Netherlands, is said to have had a blazing row with Bvute which led to him refusing to play in the Logan Cup, Zimbabwe’s domestic competition.Taylor has been named in the Zimbabwe side to meet India A later this month, but rumours persist that he will not play. “I don’t think he will play for Zimbabwe again,” a source close to the player told Cricinfo, “but thatdepends on Bvute.”Taylor is no stranger to clashes with authority, and unlike many team-mates, he does not rely on income from the game.The return of Tatenda Taibu as wicketkeeper-batsman – assuming he does sort out his own differences with the board – reduces the reliance on Taylor and the board may well seize the opportunity to ditch him and send a clear message to others who are thought to be considering their futures.Were Taibu and Taylor to be unavailable, then the keeping place would probably go to Tafadzwa Mufambisi, another player overlooked because of his attitude.

As was widely predicted, Bangladesh have picked uncapped batsman Mehrab Hossain Jr in their 14-man squad for next month’s ICC Champions Trophy in India. Opener Javed Omar, batsmen Mushfiqur Rahim, Tushar Imran and all-rounder Alok Kapali were omitted from the final squad.Habibul Bashar, who missed six matches against Zimbabwe and Kenya in July and August due to a thumb injury, has been retained as captain, though he is yet to recover fully.Faruque Ahmed, chief selector, told reporters, “Mehrab Hossain Jr had some very good performances over the last two years and we hope he can do something good in the Champions Trophy.”Bashar’s selection had been confirmed by the selectors a few days ago. Ahmed told the Dhaka-based then that “Habib’s progress is satisfactory so he will definitely be included to lead the side in the tournament.”There was uncertainty over Bashar’s participation after he fractured the fifth metacarpel on his left hand during the second one-day match against Zimbabwe in July. He also missed the last Champions Trophy in England in 2004 because of a fracture to his right thumb. Bashar has said recently that his condition will only be confirmed once he starts batting from September 14.Bangladesh will play Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe in the qualifying phase of the Champions Trophy from October 7-14. The top two teams will qualify for the main competition from October 15 to November 5.Squad: Habibul Bashar (captain), Shahriar Nafees (vice-captain), Khaled Mashud, Mohammad Rafique, Mohammad Ashraful, Mashrafe Mortaza, Rajin Saleh, Abdur Razzak, Aftab Ahmed, Syed Rasel, Shahadat Hossain, Farhad Reza, Saqibul Hasan, Mehrab Hossain jnr.

While Brad Hodge’s home ground for next season remains unclear, Tasmania have shown interest in recruiting Shane Harwood, the Victoria fast bowler. Harwood, who missed a contract during the Bushrangers’ initial offers, is being considered by the Tigers for a place alongside Adam Griffith, Damien Wright and Andrew Downton.”We have spoken to Cricket Victoria to say we are interested in talking to him,” David Johnston, the Tasmania Cricket Association chief executive, told The Age. “David Boon is handling that and discussing it with his manager. He didn’t get much of a go last year and we just want to establish whether he is interested.”The Age reported Cricket Victoria hoped to make an announcement on Hodge yesterday, but he is weighing up the choice between a strong offer from New South Wales and staying with his home state. The Bushrangers are desperate to hold on to Hodge, the Test squad member currently playing in Lancashire, after losing Matthew Elliott and Mathew Innes this month, while Ian Harvey’s future is also undecided.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
How they were out

England began their one-day season with an unspectacular 38-run win in their inaugural match against Ireland at Stormont. Before today, Ireland had played every international side apart from England – and the sell-out crowd were rightly expecting a riotous display from England. That they were made to work so hard – both in their batting and in defending the 302 total – spoke volumes of a team out of form, not to mention a plucky Irish side brimming with determination.Set a sizeable 302 for an unlikely win, they were given a confident start by Jeremy Bray and Andre Botha who put on fifty for the second wicket after Steve Harmison had removed Dominick Joyce for a duck in his first over. Although the early strike boosted England, it was a disappointing opening over from Harmison who twice conceded five wides, and the scattergun approach in his opening over rather set the precedent for an underwhelming 10 overs.Playing in his first international since before Christmas, his smooth approach to the crease and several rip-snorting deliveries gave the impression he was finding his form – but he certainly hadn’t found his radar, which rarely pointed in the same place twice. So Ireland capitalised, with Botha cutting him with ease, and nudging singles without alarm.Indeed, Ireland at this stage were rollicking along at over six runs per over, until Bray – a gritty, impish sort of batsman – fell to Sajid Mahmood who, along with Liam Plunkett, showed the more experienced members of this new-look England side the benefits of bowling straight. Even Lancashire’s ever-dependable Glen Chapple, making his debut for England, lacked spice and rarely threatened the stumps. Threatening the stumps wasn’t something England’s fielders could manage, either, in what was a dreadfully slapdash display. Even Paul Collingwood, so often faultlessly brilliant in the covers, took his eye off the ball as he and his team-mates slipped around Stormont as though they were playing in a tub of margarine.With the loss of Bray, the Ireland innings went into hibernation as Kyle McCallan and Botha nurdled a stabilising partnership of 58 with Botha bringing up a richly-deserved fifty. But their lack of experience told, and Ireland lost four wickets in three overs – two apiece to Harmison and Paul Collingwood – as the home side’s resistance began to fade. Despite some lower-order entertainment, which finally woke up a subdued crowd, Ireland fell to a 38-run loss – but arguably left the field the happier of the two teams.”I thought they played really well, and put us under pressure,” said England’s captain, Andrew Strauss. “But we’re pretty happy with the run out; most of the things we set out to do we did. Full credit to Ireland though who played really well, and showed what they’re capable of.”When Marcus Trescothick was bashing his 11th one-day hundred earlier in the day, it seemed England would waltz past the Irish without resistance. It wasn’t to be. Only Trescothick had the application and power to take advantage of the treats on offer. Strauss, captaining England for the third time in one-dayers, played a fairly forgettable shot when he pulled the impressive Kevin O’Brien straight Botha at backward square. Worse was to come, when Collingwood drove uppishly, and wastefully, and Ed Joyce miscued a bouncer. Only Trescothick – pounding boundaries at will, and looking in wonderful form – could force the pace.Ian Bell, though lacking in any fluency, did at least partner Trescothick in a fine fourth-wicket stand of 142, but both fell in quick succession when the lure of the last ten overs proved too much.England were always likely to win – Ireland threatened briefly in their reply, but their inexperience told – but it was an underwhelming effort from them. They must lift their game, and fast, if they are to combat an energetic Sri Lanka at Lord’s on Saturday.

How they were out

IrelandDominick Joyce b Harmison 0 (10 for 1)
Jeremy Bray c Collingwood b Mahmood 22 (60 for 2)
Kyle McCallan c Jones b Harmison 24 (118 for 3)
Peter Gillespie c Joyce b Collingwood 0 (121 for 4)
Trent Johnston c Collingwood b Harmison 5 (127 for 5)
Andre Botha b Collingwood 52 (135 for 6)
Kevin O’Brien c Plunkett b Bell 35 (209 for 7)
Andrew White c Jones b Bell 40 (210 for 8)
David Langford-Smith st Jones b Dalrymple 12 (235 for 9)
EnglandEd Joyce c O’Brien b Langford Smith 10 (37 for 1)
Andrew Strauss c Botha b O’Brien 4 (60 for 2)
Paul Collingwood c Johnston b Mooney (93 for 3)
Marcus Trescothick c P Mooney b J Mooney 113 (234 for 4)
Ian Bell c Joyce b J Mooney 79 (258 for 5)
Jamie Dalrymple c P Mooney b Langford-Smith 17 (264 for 5)
Glen Chapple c O’Brien b Langford-Smith 14 (285 for 6)

Reports in the weekend newspapers that a group called Keep Cricket Free were going to lobby the government to overturn the ECB’s TV deal with BSkyB have drawn a firm response from Richard Caborn, the sports minister.David Brooks, the former strategy director of Channel 4, set up the group in a bid to get the four-year exclusive contract reviewed, but Caborn made it clear that it was a non starter.”On Friday during the Oval Test this lad stopped me and said he had set up a website for Keep Cricket Free, and would I listen to him,” Caborn told The Daily Telegraph. “I will listen to anyone. But as far as the deal is concerned this is a commercial deal and there is no intention of the Government to intervene.”I am very supportive of cricket and all that the ECB have done. The deal the ECB have done is confidential and we do not know who bid what. But it is clear the terrestrial broadcasters did not bid enough, and the ECB had to do the best deal for cricket.”It was always extremely unlikely that the government would interfere in a private deal which satisfied both the ECB and the broadcaster, and had also been run past media regulator Ofcom before it was completed.

Big Picture: Can England stop the wheels falling off?

While some might say the point has already been reached at 3-0 down, there is a sense this tour could descend into chaos for England with the Ashes gone. The build-up to the Boxing Day Test has become dominated by continued fallout from their mid-series trip to Noosa, firstly with director of cricket Rob Key saying claims of too much drinking would be investigated and then, a few hours later, video emerging of Ben Duckett late at night.Captain Ben Stokes looked emotional when speaking to the media on Christmas Eve, saying that he will do everything in his power to protect his players. He insisted there was still the belief that they could take something from this tour, but stopped short of echoing Zak Crawley’s comments that 3-2 wouldn’t be such a bad scoreline.Related

• Australia prepare for life without 'shattered' Nathan Lyon

• A brave keeper, an unhappy bowler, and the genesis of an ingenious plan

• Stokes promises 'complete support' to embattled Duckett

If England can play as they did for the latter half of the Adelaide Test they may stand a chance against an Australia side that won’t be at full strength, although that was also the case in the first two Tests and still, to a lesser extent, last week given Josh Hazlewood hasn’t featured at all. Having not really answered a question about where this Australia side compares to others he’s faced when asked after Adelaide, ahead of the fourth Test, Stokes said: “I hope it doesn’t get lost, but this Australian team is very, very good.”Pat Cummins declared it “job done” after Adelaide with the Ashes retained, but while the major prize is secured, their drive is now for a whitewash and important World Test Championship points. In 2021-22 they were denied the 5-0 when England survived nine down at the SCG while in 2017-18 it was Alastair Cook’s double ton on a featherbed MCG surface that forced the stalemate. This team is looking to emulate 2006-07 and 2013-14 in sending England home with absolutely nothing.However, for Cummins himself, it is mission accomplished: he won’t feature in the remainder of the series with the decision made that there is no value in risking long-term damage to his back, after a remarkable comeback to bowl brilliantly in Adelaide after five months with no cricket.As in Brisbane, Australia will be without three of the big four but this time Nathan Lyon has been sidelined by injury rather than selection. However, they have opted against a like-for-like replacement, leaving out Todd Murphy in what will be an all-pace attack for the second time in the series. It could include Jhye Richardson for the first time in four years and there is a sense of the next generation getting closer to their moment.In terms of the Australia’s side post-Ashes, the most intriguing decision was around Usman Khawaja who scored 82 and 40 in Adelaide after a last-minute recall to replace the ill Steven Smith. That has been enough for him to keep his spot in the middle and his career could now play out on his terms. Australia will make more changes than England, but their adaptability and pragmatism has been a hallmark of this series.

Form guide

Australia WWWWW
England LLLLDJacob Bethell will return to the England side for the Boxing Day Test•Getty Images

In the spotlight: Jake Weatherald and Jacob Bethell

Largely by accident, Australia have stumbled across a new opening pair. Jake Weatherald and Travis Head have had two significant impacts together in the second innings in Perth and first in Brisbane. Weatherald played superbly at the Gabba for his tone-setting 72, but away from that the returns have been a little lean although he would have saved himself with the DRS in the second innings in Adelaide. The selectors will be desperate to stop the revolving door but Weatherald probably needs one more substantial score in this series to avoid months of speculation before Australia play Tests again in August.Is Jacob Bethell, who has yet to score a first-class century, really the next big thing in English batting? After pre-series talk that he may challenge Ollie Pope for the No. 3 spot the change has come with the Ashes gone after Pope’s increasingly underwhelming series to continue a year of diminishing returns. Bethell averages 28.27 in 26 first-class with his high score of 96 coming in a Test against New Zealand. He scored half-centuries in all three second innings of that series in 2024. His left-arm spin will provide another option for Ben Stokes alongside Will Jacks.Todd Murphy bowls in the nets•Getty Images

Team news: Australia delve into their depth, Pope dropped

For the second time this summer, and third occasion in the last five Tests, Australia will go all-pace with no place for Todd Murphy, although Steven Smith said he was a very good chance for Sydney. The final decision will come down to two out of Michael Neser, Brendan Doggett and Jhye Richardson. If the latter gets the nod it will be his first Test since the 2021-22 Ashes. For Neser, it would be his first red-ball Test. Meanwhile, Cameron Green has been demoted to No. 7 in the order amid a lean time with the bat. Khawaja will bat No.5 and the in-form Alex Carey continuing at No. 6.Australia (possible): 1 Jake Weatherald, 2 Travis Head, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Usman Khawaja, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Cameron Green, 8 Michael Neser, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Brendan Doggett/Jhye Richardson, 11 Scott BolandEngland have backed Ben Duckett amid the controversy of the last 24 hours but Ollie Pope has finally paid the price for his underwhelming returns with Jacob Bethell recalled to bat at No. 3. Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the tour with a side strain so Gus Atkinson returns to the pace attack. There remains no space for specialist spinner Shoaib Bashir.England 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Jacob Bethell, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Will Jacks, 9 Gus Atkinson, 10 Brydon Carse, 11 Josh Tongue2:46

Is this the end of Nathan Lyon’s Australia Test career?

Pitch and conditions: Hoping for the perfect balance

Matt Page, the MCG curator, said he was hoping to replicate the surface which produced the gripping Test against India last season that finished deep on day five. On that occasion he left 7mm of grass with the surface offering something for everyone following a few years of it being very bowler-dominated but Steven Smith said there was still 10mm on as of Christmas Day and he expected plenty of assistance for the quicks. There will be a range of temperatures during the game: Boxing Day is set to be cool with things warming up to the low 30s later in the match. There is a chance of a shower on the first and last days.

Stats and trivia

• Harry Brook needs seven runs for 3000 in Tests. If he did it in his next innings, he would equal Denis Compton (57 innings) as the second-fastest for England. Ben Duckett needs 31 to reach 3000 runs.
• Only Adam Gilchrist, on four occasions, has scored more runs in a year as an Australia Test wicketkeeper than Alex Carey.
• Travis Head’s strike-rate of 90.63 is the highest for an opener in an Ashes series (minimum 100 runs)

Quotes

“Pumped to be back at the ‘G. I think, for me, getting towards the back end of my career, anytime I can play at the ‘G, and play the home Test is pretty special. So I’m really looking forward to the next week.”
“We still have a hell of a lot to play for. I’m very determined to leave Australia with something positive to look back on.”

The Eagles have refused to allow Johan van der Wath, the allrounder, to play in the Standard Bank Pro20 semi-final against the Dolphins at Kingsmead due to his links to the Indian Cricket League (ICL).van der Wath played for the Mumbai Champs and the ICL World XI in the recently-concluded second season of the ICL. Though Cricket South Africa (CSA) has refused to recognise the ICL, Norman Arendse, the CSA president, had earlier said it was up to the franchises, rather than the board, to decide whether their ICL players could play for them. It is understood that the Eagles wanted to pay him on a match-by-match basis instead of handing a contract, to avoid legal problems.Boetta Dippenaar, the Eagles captain, said he was disappointed at the decision to leave out van der Wath. “We applied for permission at the beginning of this week and didn’t hear anything,” Dippenaar told . “We enquired again on Thursday and were told that permission had been denied. It’s very disappointing.”Cassim Docrat, the president of the KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union, the home base of the Dolphins franchise, said they would have protested to the South African board if van der Wath had been allowed to play as two of their players, Dale Benkenstein and Lance Klusener, have been left out after having played in the ICL.”Our information is that no ICL players are allowed to play domestic cricket,” Docrat said. “We have two rebel players, Dale Benkenstein and Lance Klusener, who would have made a big difference to our team, so it would have been unfair if the Eagles had been allowed to play van der Wath.”The Dolphins have made one change to the line-up, dropping the opening batsman Doug Watson for Hashim Amla.