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Craig Kieswetter has had a fine match, taking everything that came his way behind the stumps and playing an instrumental role with the bat to put Somerset in a position from which they are well placed to win

Les Smith at Chester-le-Street12-Apr-2013
ScorecardCraig Kieswetter steadied Somerset before the rain returned•Getty Images

Craig Kieswetter has had a fine match, taking everything that came his way behind the stumps and playing an instrumental role with the bat to put Somerset in a position from which they are well placed to win.A wicketkeeper is only as good as his bowlers but Somerset’s impressive attack offered Kieswetter eight chances in the match and he snaffled the lot. His batting could also been crucial in a low-scoring match. In Somerset’s first innings, promoted up the order to No. 3 in the absence of Nick Compton and Alviro Petersen, he came in with 12 on the board and steadied the ship for the best part of 20 overs. When he walked to the crease for the second time, his side was in a healthier position but still had a lot to do in pursuit of the 235 set by Durham. By the time bad light brought the day’s play to an end he had 39 to his name. His approach was exactly what Somerset needed, watchful in conditions which still favoured the bowlers, but severe on anything loose, scoring five boundaries.Only 35 overs were bowled in the day and play didn’t get going until 1.40pm. After a gloomy morning, the improvement in the light was barely discernible but nobody, apart perhaps from the fielders on another bitter day, was complaining. Three hours later the light worsened and that was it again.It took Somerset half an hour and eight overs to take the last two Durham wickets. First to go was Phil Mustard who had batted splendidly on the previous evening, but was furious with himself when he was run out attempting a second. The fielding and throw by Jamie Overton were excellent but it was a waste. Overton, who turned 19 two days ago, was Marcus Trescothick’s choice to do the bowling from the River End, and he showed a youthful eagerness to pitch the ball short, especially when he was bowling to Graham Onions. That may not seem such a good idea if Overton finds himself facing Onions on Saturday.Last man Chris Rushworth put bat to ball and had the third highest score of the innings, but he nicked to Kieswetter to give Alfonso Thomas his fourth wicket of the innings.The importance of Marcus Trescothick’s batting to Somerset was clearly demonstrated by the jubilation with which the Durham players reacted to his dismissal for 6 in the first innings. When he went in for the second time he looked much more secure, defending solidly and driving beautifully straight and through the covers. It was a surprise, therefore, that when Ben Stokes replaced Onions he bowled him with his fifth ball. Earlier Onions had trapped Arul Suppiah on his crease with a delivery that nipped in and stayed a little low.Suppiah’s dismissal brought in Kieswetter and, if he can carry on tomorrow as he started this afternoon, Somerset may have the edge.

Chris Gayle has made just 54 runs in the three ODIs so far but that could be bad news for Bangladesh, with the West Indies camp confident that he is just one big innings away from returning to form

Mohammad Isam in Mirpur06-Dec-2012West Indies began reviving their ODI series against Bangladesh with a four-wicket win on Wednesday but they will be aware that, yet again, their main batsman went missing. Chris Gayle has made just 54 runs in the three ODIs so far but that could be bad news for Bangladesh, with the West Indies camp confident that he is just one big innings away from returning to form.”I think at some point in the next few days Gayle will get a big score, I’m sure he will,” West Indies’ assistant coach Toby Radford said. “Chris Gayle has played all around the world, he is a fantastic player. He’ll know his own strengths and weaknesses.”To have their most experienced cricketer go through a lean patch with the bat has been disconcerting for the team. West Indies have so far let Gayle be himself, the opener not practicing on optional training days on tour, but they would require him to score big in the next two days for them to have a better chance of winning the series.For all the optimism in the West Indies camp, the 14 scratchy minutes he spent at the crease on Wednesday evening suggested that it could be a hard road back. The usually domineering Gayle had to play out a maiden in the first over of the game, bowled by Sohag Gazi, the rookie offspinner who has dismissed him three times. He was also tested by Mashrafe Mortaza and, after hitting him for a boundary, was done in by a slower ball. He had, at that time, made only 4 off 12 deliveries faced.The slump in form has also brought down Gayle’s average for the year, from 54.60 in six games before the series began to 40.87 after three games here. He had made 35 and 15 in the first two ODIs in Khulna and looked uncertain against spin. The bowlers have bowled to a plan, tying him down and preventing him from getting into any rhythm. Gayle prefers hitting boundaries to find his touch and, to counter that, Gazi has usually deployed a defensive field, especially ensuring the straight boundaries are always covered.More worrying for West Indies is the fact that Kieron Pollard is also struggling against spin, getting out twice to Abdur Razzak and once to Naeem Islam. Pollard has been out bowled twice, completely misjudging a Razzak arm-ball in the third game. The struggle has restricted his big-hitting abilities, an area he has worked on over the years and has continued doing so in Mirpur – despite the danger posed to those milling around the Academy ground on Thursday morning.”It is a practice we follow all around the world,” Radford said. “Whenever we play one-day cricket we try to get into the middle of the pitch just to get boundary range, practice six-hitting, fours and just knocking the ball down the ground.”For someone who hasn’t spent a huge amount of time in the middle in the last couple of weeks, it’s good to get in the middle. It is one thing practicing in the nets and another when you’ve got a bit of space around you and you can picture the field.”Towards the latter part of the third ODI it seemed even Marlon Samuels’ best efforts might not be enough, until he launched into Rubel Hossain in the 45th over. Gayle’s impact hasn’t yet been felt by Bangladesh and West Indies are waiting for him to impose himself on the series. It would help his team if he batted at just walking pace too – but even for that he would need to make adjustments to his game and gameplan.

A five-wicket haul from Derbyshire pace bowler Tony Palladino plunged Gloucestershire into trouble on a rain-interrupted second day at Derby.

03-May-2012
ScorecardA five-wicket haul from Derbyshire pace bowler Tony Palladino plunged Gloucestershire into trouble on a rain-interrupted second day.Palladino, the 28-year-old former Essex seamer who came to wider prominence as the whistleblower in the corruption case against former team-mate Mervyn Westfield, took 5 for 47 as the visitors collapsed to 172 for 9 before rain forced play to be abandoned for the day. Gloucestershire trail by 216 and still need another 67 to avoid the follow-on.It continues a remarkable few months for Palladino. Having gone through the drama of the court case against Westfield, he underwent a hernia operation in pre-season and then suffered a broken jaw on the club’s tour of Barbados. He made a remarkably swift recovery, however, and has now taken his season’s haul to 18 victims. Here he was well supported by Jon Clare’s 3 for 38, which followed a run-a-ball 48 out of Derbyshire’s first-innings 388.Gloucestershire lost Benny Howell to the third ball of their reply but then recovered well to reach 83 for 1 before the Derbyshire seamers put the home side firmly on top. They were backed up by keen fielding which was in marked contrast to Gloucestershire, who dropped two more catches before Derbyshire’s last wicket went down.Clare pulled Paul Muchall through the hands of Kane Williamson at deep midwicket for six and was dropped at long leg by Ian Saxelby off the next ball before he was bowled trying to bring up his fifty.Gloucestershire had to bat a lot better than they bowled to stay in the game and both Chris Dent and Williamson played positively before Clare defeated Williamson’s attempted drive just before lunch. Hamish Marshall had his off stump knocked out when Palladino beat his defensive push and Dent’s fine innings ended disappointingly when he edged to second slip for 55 in Palladino’s next over.When Ian Cockbain edged one that left him late from Tim Groenewald after a short rain break, Gloucestershire had lost 3 for 23 in eight overs and the slide continued with Richard Coughtrie edging Palladino down the leg side. The next ball bowled Ed Young to give him the sixth first-class five-wicket haul of his career and leave the visitors on the ropes at 159 for 7.Any chance of a fightback was ended by Clare, who removed Will Gidman for 21 with a ball that lifted sharply and then bowled James Fuller three balls later. Gloucestershire were spared further punishment by heavy rain, which ended play with 26 overs still to bowl but, even with more showers forecast, they face an uphill task to avoid defeat and deny Derbyshire a third victory of the season.

Bangladesh were left gutted after they lost only their second tournament final by a two-run margin, against Pakistan

The Report by Abhishek Purohit22-Mar-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShakib Al Hasan’s dismissal with Bangladesh needing 58 off 39 balls was one of the game’s turning points•AFP

When their gut-wrenching disappointment dies down, Bangladesh will remember that they were just one stroke away from the Asia Cup title. And see it as clinching evidence of their progress. When their sense of relief passes, Pakistan will remember that they were tested to the hilt, but came through somehow. And see it as confirmation of their renowned ability to win the big moments.But for the moment, Bangladesh will be gutted; gutted at what could have been, gutted that it wasn’t to be. They had lost their first tournament final by two wickets to Sri Lanka in 2009. The margin was two runs today.What wouldn’t Shahadat Hossain give to take back the 50th over of Pakistan’s innings bowled by him which went for 19? What wouldn’t Nazimuddin and Nasir Hossain give to take back their innings of 16 off 52 balls and 28 off 63 in the chase?In a game that came down to four runs needed off the last ball, several passages of play could be said to have been decisive. Sarfraz Ahmed’s 46 off 52, which turned 199 for 8 into 236 for 9. Shahid Afridi’s 32 off 22 and 1 for 28 in ten overs with the ball. Shakib Al Hasan’s dismissal with Bangladesh needing 58 off 39.Bangladesh had themselves to blame for allowing a target that had seemed gettable at the start to turn into a daunting one. It was Nazimuddin’s clueless crawl of an innings that invited pressure despite Tamim Iqbal’s fourth consecutive half-century. Tamim’s departure to Younis Khan’s third sharp catch further increased the pressure on the hosts in their first chase in a tournament final.While the plan could have been for Nazimuddin to be the anchor and Tamim to be the aggressor, the former became completely subdued after being beaten four times in five deliveries by Umar Gul in the second over, leaving run-making duties completely to his partner.Tamim responded by hitting Gul out of the attack with four fours in nine deliveries. All shots bore the mark of a man in top form, with the highlight being a punch through point played with his feet off the ground. Nazimuddin continued to dig a deeper hole for himself, treating Mohammad Hafeez with utmost respect and allowing him to get through five overs for only 10 runs.Realisation belatedly dawned on him, but by then, he had got into such a rut that he was mistiming almost everything. Bangladesh were not able to get anywhere close to dominating, which they should have given the way Tamim was batting. In the same Shahid Afridi over in which Tamim brought up his fourth half-century of the tournament, off 48 balls, Younis finally ended Nazimuddin’s misery with a running catch at long-off. By then, Nazimuddin had used up 52 balls for his 16.Sarfraz Ahmed’s 46 off 52 balls gave Pakistan’s bowlers something to defend•AFP

Jahurul Islam did not last long against Ajmal’s doosra and gave Younis his second catch, at slip. With Nasir also struggling to get going, Tamim decided to take on Gul but only found extra cover with a mis-hit pull, Younis diving forward to take another excellent catch.Carrying his nation’s hopes once again, Shakib walked in at 81 for 3 and pulled his first delivery for four. Afridi and Gul responded with consecutive maiden overs. Shakib set about targetting Hammad Azam and Cheema as Bangladesh tried to keep the rate from galloping out of control.It rose above eight. Shakib swung Cheema over midwicket for six. Despite Shakib’s hitting, Nasir’s struggle had begun to hurt Bangladesh. It was similar to the way the innings had cantered and stalled alternatively when Tamim and Nazimuddin were batting.Nasir finally holed out off Gul in the 43rd over. Shakib coolly scooped the last ball of that over past short fine leg. But an attempt to repeat the stroke in the next over off Cheema resulted in his leg stump being rattled.With 47 needed off five overs, Mushfiqur Rahim swung Cheema straight to deep midwicket. This Bangladesh side does not easily roll over though. Mahmudullah and Mashrafe Mortaza smashed Gul for three fours in four balls in the 47th over. It came down to 19 needed off 15. Mortaza then paddled Ajmal into the hands of short fine leg.With Mahmudullah still around and four needed off two, Abdur Razzak turned Cheema onto his stumps, and, in an ironic end, Shahadat, could not get the last ball away for more than a leg-bye.As Misbah-ul-Haq embraced Cheema, there were tears in the Bangladesh dressing room. They had been favourites to crack on their biggest day as a cricketing nation. A fourth consistent performance on the trot was expected to be beyond them. But they gave an extremely creditable account of themselves, especially with the ball.Pakistan are masters of the big moment, though, and somehow find a player who performs. Wicketkeeper Sarfraz, who had a highest ODI score of 24 and a strike-rate of 62.35 before this game, weighed in with a 52-ball 46.Bangladesh’s bowling was tight and their fielding was energetic, as it had been throughout the tournament. Pakistan were not allowed to get away, except in the last over. Bangladesh’s leading ODI wicket-taker Abdur Razzak rose to the occasion, with figures of 10-3-26-2. But Shahadat proved expensive once again in a horror last over which contained two no-balls and went for 19.Bangladesh’s discipline till then had kept Pakistan under relentless pressure. And that pressure had brought wickets. Their openers, Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed – who had a century and a double-century stand earlier in the tournament – failed to clear the infield in their attempts to hit out. Younis and Umar Akmal got rough decisions, Misbah’s hesitation ran him out, and Azam and Afridi threw it away.Afridi was his normal hit-or-depart self, and another promising innings was soon terminated, after a few breathtaking strokes, with a mis-hit to long-off. There was no knowing at that stage that it would turn out to be one of the most important knocks of the game.Gul could not repeat his salvage act from the tournament opener against Bangladesh, and Sarfraz was the unlikely candidate for a mini-recovery. He ensured Pakistan batted the full 50 overs and Bangladesh finally fell apart in the last one. Shahadat served up waist-high full tosses, and short and wide deliveries to be carted for 19, and left Pakistan’s strength, their bowling, with a decent score to defend.A chase in a final was something Bangladesh had never encountered before. It did inhibit the usual freedom of a couple of their batsmen, and that was the difference in the end.Edited by Dustin Silgardo

Nic Maddinson hopes that some words of wisdom from his childhood idol Justin Langer can help him star during the Australia A tour of Zimbabwe

Brydon Coverdale23-Jun-2011Nic Maddinson hopes that some words of wisdom from his childhood idol Justin Langer can help him star during the Australia A tour of Zimbabwe. At 19, Maddinson is the youngest member of the squad, which departs on Saturday for a series of one-day and four-day games, but he’s already achieved plenty in his short career.There have been two cricket trips to India and one to New Zealand, where he helped Australia win the Under-19 World Cup, and last summer he became the youngest New South Wales player to make a century on first-class debut. He completed the feat at 18 years and 294 days, and by the end of the season he had a second hundred to his name.His arrival on the scene was reminiscent of Phillip Hughes, who three years ago became the youngest man to make a century in a Sheffield Shield final. But whereas Hughes has an unconventional style, Maddinson plays with a more classical technique, similar to his close friend and housemate Usman Khawaja.Perhaps Maddinson can now add some Langer-style mental toughness to his elegant game – not that he has struggled for concentration at the crease so far in his career. Langer is Australia’s assistant coach and has been working with the Australia A players during their camp in Brisbane, and Maddinson said it was a thrill to pick the brains of one of his heroes.”The partnership that him and Hayden had, as a young left-hander it was something that I looked up to,” Maddinson told ESPNcricinfo. “A few years ago when I got the opportunity to start opening, he was definitely an idol. I’ve had the opportunity the last month to do some work with him up at the Academy. It’s been excellent and something I’ll take in to the tour.”I’ve talked to him about the approach to batting and how he goes about things, a few of his experiences. Talking away from cricket and different tours and what goes on. It was excellent for me to see him because he was my idol. It was great to learn from him about cricket in Australia and how he came through the system and went on in his career.”One characteristic Maddinson shares with Langer is the desire to bat for long periods of time. When he was called into the New South Wales Shield side last season, he jumped at the chance to open with his club team-mate Phil Jaques, and went on to compile 113 during 206 minutes at the crease with Jaques and Khawaja there to support him.”I just love having the ability to bat all day and go at your own pace,” he said. “That was where I got the opportunity to open, which is what I like to do. Having Hughes and Warner and Jaques and Katich and Watson around, when I got the opportunity to open I just wanted to do well and prove that I could do it at that level.”During the past month in Brisbane, Maddinson has also impressed Tim Paine, the Australia A captain. Paine hadn’t met the young opener before, but was immediately struck by Maddinson’s level-headed nature, and what he described as “a quiet, unflappable demeanour”.”He’s your typical left-hander,” Paine said. “He looks pretty elegant when he hits the ball. He hits the ball very late and watches it very closely. I think he’s going to be a pretty handy player to have in our top three. It looks like his position where he’ll be batting on this tour is going to be No.3. He just looks like a quality player already at a young age.”It’s been a rapid rise for Maddinson, who moved to Sydney from Nowra on the south coast of New South Wales, where his father is a plumber and his mother a hairdresser. If he performs well in Zimbabwe, higher honours could await in the near future, but equally he knows that with the glut of openers in New South Wales, simply establishing himself in the state side next summer is enough of a goal.”It was a massive surprise to be picked for Australia A,” he said. “I was really honoured to be named in the 25 and looked around the squad at other guys who have played a lot of state cricket and are doing really well, so I thought I wasn’t going to get the opportunity to play.”My main goal for the year is cementing my spot and contributing and hopefully being able to win the Shield at the end of the year for New South Wales. Simon Katich is going to be back full-time this year. It’s going to be hard work. If I get the opportunity to open I’d love to do that again.”One thing that Maddinson can count on is being given opportunities. And if he grabs them, he’ll be one step closer to following Langer into Test cricket.

With Zimbabwe’s domestic season set to get underway on September 6, several franchises are finalising new contracts for coaches and players and it seems there will be several new faces when the season gets underway

Cricinfo staff21-Aug-2010With Zimbabwe’s domestic season set to get underway on September 6, several franchises are finalising new contracts for coaches and players and it seems there will be several new faces – and the return of some old ones – when the season gets underway.Midwest Rhinos have a new coach in Jason Gillespie, and are set to sign Nottinghamshire allrounder Paul Franks and Yorkshire’s Zimbabwe-born batsman Gary Ballance. It is hoped that Franks will fill the role vacated by Mike Chinouya, who has left the Kwekwe-based franchise to join the Southern Rocks where he will be joined by Tatenda Taibu and Stuart Matsikenyeri.”Ballance’s experience will provide stability in the team’s batting line-up and raise the quality of opening partnerships in the batting line-up, I was not too happy that we could not win any titles and we are not taking any chances this time around,” said Kenyon Ziehl, Rhino’s chief executive.Ian Nicolson, a former Zimbabwe Under-19 seamer, has also been signed by the franchise, while allrounder Solomon Mire will be returning after spending the off-season playing club cricket in Australia.Mashonaland Eagles have secured the coaching services of former South Africa allrounder and Northamptonshire captain Andrew Hall. Hall replaces Chris Silverwood, who coached Eagles to Logan Cup success in 2009-10 before returning to England to become Essex’s bowling coach, in the role. He will be assisted by Grant Flower, who returns to Zimbabwe after six seasons with Essex and will be taking up a player/coach role at the franchise and the job of batting coach of the senior national side.Eagles have also reportedly signed 6’7″ Nottinghamshire fast bowler Charlie Shreck and South African-born Somerset batsman Nick Compton. “We had some challenges last season with our opening batsmen so we are consolidating that area,” explained Hugo Ribatika, Eagles’ chief executive. “We also saw the need to beef up our bowling and we think Shreck can do us a wonderful job. Those additions could put us in a steady position.”It also appears likely that Sean Ervine will be returning for another season of franchise cricket, while Glen Querl, a former Zimbabwe Under-19 player currently plying his trade with the Unicorns in England, is also set to return.

Kohli and Iyer lifted India to an above-par 326 for 5 and in return South Africa could manage just 83

Deivarayan Muthu05-Nov-20231:29

‘Ridiculous!’ – Anil Kumble marvels at Virat Kohli’s ODI numbers

Virat Kohli gifted himself a record-equalling 49th ODI century and India their eighth successive victory in this World Cup, on his 35th birthday. When Kohli drew level with Sachin Tendulkar, with a punched single in the penultimate over of India’s innings, a crowd of 60,000 at Eden Gardens celebrated with Kohli and made it a memorable birthday bash.Kohli, who walked out to bat in the sixth over after Rohit Sharma had won the toss and challenged India to bat, batted till the end of the innings, lifting India to an above-par 326 for 5. He ended up outscoring South Africa who could manage just 83 in 27.1 overs. Ravindra Jadeja bagged career-best figures of 5 for 33 to wreck South Africa’s chase and consign them to their joint second-lowest total in ODI cricket.Most of Kohli’s centuries in recent times have had an air of inevitability about them. Sunday’s innings was anything but. The conditions in Kolkata were challenging and even Kohli had struggled to get the old ball away. South Africa’s left-arm spinners Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi also challenged Kohli with drift, dip and turn.Related

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In his very first over, Maharaj had knocked Shubman Gill (23) over with a ripper that beat his outside edge to trim the off bail. When Maharaj bowled a similar delivery to Kohli, the ball missed the outside edge. Having run away to a fast start – he was on 17 off 13 balls at one point – Kohli slowed down against spin, but he navigated that passage of play to pick the seamers away. When Lungi Ngidi was brought back into the attack in the 35th over, Kohli jumped out of his crease and shovelled him away for four.Maharaj’s boundary-less spell – 10-0-30-1 – was a throwback to ODIs in the 90s. Even Shreyas Iyer, who is arguably India’s best player of spin, couldn’t throw Maharaj off his lines and lengths. Iyer instead lined up Shamsi for four boundaries and allowed Kohli to bat deep into the innings. After being on 12 off 35 balls, Iyer zoomed to 77 off 87 balls.Quinton de Kock wears a dejected look after being bowled out in the second over of the chase•ICC via Getty Images

With no batting insurance in the form of Hardik Pandya, who has now been sidelined from the rest of the tournament, Kohli refused to take any undue risks. Suryakumar Yadav (22) and Jadeja (29) took such risks at the other end, ensuring that India passed 300.It was Rohit who had laid the foundation for the 134-run third-wicket partnership between Kohli and Iyer. The India captain dashed out of the blocks in the powerplay, cracking 40 off 24 balls. He dismantled Marco Jansen, the most prolific bowler in the powerplay in this tournament, and Ngidi, South Africa’s enforcer in the absence of Gerald Coetzee.Jansen ended up conceding 94 in 9.4 overs for just one wicket. As for Ngidi, he left the field two balls into the final over of India’s innings with an injury scare.South Africa’s troubles then seeped into their batting. Quinton de Kock chopped Mohammed Siraj on in the second over while Temba Bavuma was bowled by Jadeja, who got the new ball to rag away past the outside edge.Things were only going to get tougher against the older, softer ball. Jadeja and Mohammed Shami overpowered South Africa’s middle order. Jadeja removed Henrich Klaasen and David Miller while Shami bested Aiden Markram with Test-match line and length. After bringing a pair of deliveries back into Markram from over the wicket, Shami had one to leave the batter and kiss the outside edge.At one stage, it appeared like India might not even need Kuldeep Yadav, their premier spinner, with the ball. But Jansen and the tail wagged long enough to prompt the introduction of the left-arm wristspinner. Kuldeep kept them guessing by turning the ball both ways and came away with two wickets. Jadeja claimed his second five-wicket haul in ODI cricket; he also became the second Indian spinner, after Yuvraj Singh, to take a five-for in World Cups.

Sarel Erwee is the favourite to make his debut at No. 3 for the visitors

Firdose Moonda15-Feb-2022

Big picture

The biggest rivalry in global rugby – between All Blacks and Springboks – is not mirrored in world cricket but Dean Elgar and Tim Southee think it could be. Last week, they both spoke of the “great rivalry” that exists between their two cricket sides but you’d be forgiven for thinking they’re simply talking things up.Historically, the cricketing match-up between South Africa and New Zealand has been quite one-sided. South Africa have dominated these encounters – pre- and post-readmission – and won 13 of the 16 series they’ve played against New Zealand, who have not emerged victorious from any. All told, New Zealand have only beaten South Africa four times in 45 Tests but the teams meet so infrequently that perhaps these numbers don’t really matter.They last played against each other five years ago, in 2017, and South Africa could consider themselves fortunate to have got away with a 1-0 series win after the weather saved them in the third Test in Hamilton. Only four members of the current South African squad – Elgar, Temba Bavuma, Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada – played in that series and they have since undergone an overhaul, mainly in administration but also in personnel, and can finally have the foundations of a rebuild.New Zealand may slowly find themselves in a similar position. Ross Taylor has retired, Kane Williamson’s elbow injury has sidelined him, Neil Wagner is in his mid-30s, and Southee and Trent Boult are not far behind. So far, their transition appears to be going smoother than South Africa’s did but that doesn’t mean they can capitalise too much on the schadenfreude.Related

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South Africa have won three of their last four Test series, including a come-from-behind win against India. There is depth in their squad and talent in the provincial pools, and despite head coach Mark Boucher’s disciplinary hearing hanging over the squad, they seem to be getting on with things in a clinical way. There was even little to no complaints about the ten-day quarantine they had to serve in New Zealand, though Rassie van der Dussen expressed hope it would be the last time they had had to travel under such strict restrictions. South Africa were allowed to train, which has given them more time to acclimatise to conditions, not least because both Tests will take place in Christchurch.If they thought batting would be easier than it has been at home, they’re probably wrong. This has been built up as a contest of the quicks with 14 seamers sprinkled across both squads. As was the case during South Africa’s series against India, it may not be about big runs as much as it is about crucial partnerships, strong temperaments and small margins.There are important incentives to do well for both teams though. New Zealand are the current holders of the Test mace and ranked No. 2, so beating them would arguably rank higher for South Africa than their recent success against India at home. It would also strengthen South Africa’s position on the World Test Championship points table. New Zealand, meanwhile, dropped points against Bangladesh and they visit England and Pakistan later this year, so they need to bank all the home points they can.

Form guide

New Zealand WLLDW (last five Tests, most recent first)
South Africa WWLWW

In the spotlight

This is the first time South African born batter Devon Conway will play against his former countrymen. Conway is from Johannesburg and played for teams in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, so he will be familiar to many in the current South Africa squad but should not expect things to be too friendly. Elgar said the team “doesn’t see him as South African anymore” and will treat him like any other member of the opposition. “Once you walk over that white line, it is all business, irrespective if he is your friend or not,” Elgar said. Still, South Africa would have been thinking about Conway and his “purple patch”, as Elgar called it, as they identify key players in the New Zealand side. Conway’s Test career is only five matches old but he has already scored three centuries, including a double-hundred at Lord’s, and averages close to 70.Aiden Markram averages 26.47 in his last 19 Tests•AFP/Getty Images

In six innings against India, Aiden Markram scored only 76 runs at an average of 12.66, which means he now averages 26.47 in his last 19 Tests. South Africa have opted to stick with him on reputation, talent and white-ball form, but Markram must know the pressure is on to perform. Sarel Erwee is in the squad and likely to bat at No. 3 in Keegan Petersen’s absence. A good series for him could force Markram into the margins unless he matches up with runs of his own. While Markram’s ability has never been in doubt, this series could be a decisive one in the immediate future of his Test career.

Team news

Coach Gary Stead confirmed New Zealand’s top five will see Conway continue to occupy the No. 3 spot and Henry Nicholls move up to No. 4 in place of the now-retired Taylor. That could create room for an allrounder at No. 7. Having gone for a four-pronged specialist pace attack at this venue in the past, Stead confirmed New Zealand will adopt the same strategy and Matt Henry will replace Trent Boult, who is on paternity leave.New Zealand: (probable) 1 Tom Latham (capt), 2 Will Young, 3 Devon Conway, 4 Henry Nicholls, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Kyle Jamieson, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Neil Wagner, 11 Matt HenrySarel Erwee is the favourite to make his debut at No. 3 ahead of Zubayr Hamza or Ryan Rickelton. Though he is an opening batter, he has been travelling with the South African side over the last year and Elgar has thrown his weight behind giving Erwee an opportunity. Though Maharaj didn’t bowl much during the India series, South Africa are usually reluctant to go without a spinner, which could see him keep his place. Should South Africa dispense with Maharaj, they may look to Wiaan Mulder or one of Glenton Stuurman or Lutho Sipamla for an extra seam-bowling option.South Africa: (probable) 1 Dean Elgar (capt), 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Sarel Erwee 4 Rassie van der Dussen, 5 Temba Bavuma, 6 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada 10 Duanne Olivier, 11 Lungi Ngidi

Pitch and conditions

Expect pace and bounce on green tops for this series with very little in it for the spinners. That’s the view of van der Dussen, who called the Hagley Oval surfaces similar to the ones at the Lincoln University, where South Africa have been training. “The wickets look very green and very grassy but the surface underneath is quite hard so it makes it quite consistent in terms of bounce and pace,” he said. New Zealand have assessed the pitch as similar to the one on which they played Bangladesh earlier this year, where New Zealand scored 521 for 6 and bowled Bangladesh out for 126 and 278.After persistent rain in the build-up, the weather mostly cleared in Christchurch. Days will be sunny and mild, with temperatures in the early 20s but there is a 90% chance of rain on the third day.

Stats and trivia

• The last time New Zealand were without both Taylor and Williamson was in January 2008, against Bangladesh. They have played 117 Tests since.
• Markram needs 100 runs to reach 2000 Test runs.

Quotes

“They’re a quality side. They’ve come off beating India in South Africa a couple of weeks ago. They’ve got classy players throughout. While they lack experience, they’re a different team from what we’ve seen in the past, we cannot underestimate them.”
“The teams of the past have been really successful over here. The conditions favour seam bowling, and that might be a reason for that. It’s a proud record to be part of. It’s different in this series. They’ve been really successful over the last two years. They’ve played a lot of cricket at home. They know their conditions well and they are quite suited to it.”

Bangladesh come into the series as the more settled side despite missing a few big names, but they’ve never won an ODI at the Premadasa Stadium

The Preview by Madushka Balasuriya25-Jul-2019

Big picture

While all eyes will rightfully be on Lasith Malinga ahead of his final ODI, the Sri Lanka quick’s swansong also brings into the focus the journey both these sides have been on over the last several years.In 14 ODIs against Bangladesh, Malinga has tasted defeat just three times, and remains probably the last member of the Sri Lanka squad, barring maybe Angelo Mathews, to remember having played Bangladesh when a Sri Lanka victory was considered a mere formality.For the rest of the squad, though, these games have been much feistier affairs, spurred on by disputes over celebratory taunts, shattered dressing-room doors, and coach swaps.The last six completed ODIs between the two sides, meanwhile, have been evenly shared – which is why it was such a shame their game at the World Cup was washed out. As such it’s safe to say that this series is set to be the most competitive bilateral contest, ever, between the two nations.Even so, Sri Lanka come into the game with more problems than the visitors. A chronic inability to pick up wickets in the middle overs has left the team management with their fingers perennially crossed over the return to form of Akila Dananjaya, while the batting order’s instability has long been a point of contention. Malinga’s imminent retirement only deepens their woesBangladesh, on the other hand, despite their underwhelming finish in a World Cup that began with so much promise, have by far the more settled side. Even without stars such as Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza and Liton Das, they have built enough strength in depth to put out arguably the stronger of the two teams, and while captain Tamim Iqbal was keen to avoid the favourites tag in the build-up, the fact that the team will be disappointed with anything other than a win shows how far they’ve come.

Form guide

Bangladesh: LLWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka: LWLWL

In the spotlight

Shakib Al Hasan was unarguably Bangladesh’s star performer of the World Cup, but with him ruled out, Mohammad Mithun has a golden opportunity to stake his claim for a spot in an otherwise settled batting line-up. Likely to take up the coveted No. 3 role, Mithun could give Sri Lanka’s bowlers a tough time if he carries on the form he showed in the warm-up match.Lasith Malinga picked up 13 wickets at the World Cup, more than twice as many as any other Sri Lankan bowler. In his final game, expect him to push his ageing frame to the limit, and attempt to give himself a fairytale farewell.Mohammad Mithun gets creative•Getty Images

Team news

Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), 2 Kusal Perera (wk), 3 Avishka Fernando, 4 Kusal Mendis, 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Dhananjaya De Silva, 7 Thisara Perera, 8 Isuru Udana, 9 Nuwan Pradeep, 10 Akila Dhananjaya, 11 Lasith MalingaBangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal (capt), 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Mohammad Mithun, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Sabbir Rahman, 7 Mossadek Hossain 8 Mehidy Hasan, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Rubel Hossain

Pitch and conditions

The pitch at the Khettarama has the reputation of being high-scoring with ball coming on to bat, with teams putting up an average first-innings total of 313 in the last five matches here, of which four have been won by the team batting first. However, there’s an 80% chance of rain in the afternoon and evening, something the team winning the toss will have to take into consideration.

Stats and trivia

• Tamim Iqbal is 129 runs away from becoming the first Bangladesh cricketer to score 7000 ODI runs.
• No player taking part in this series from either side has scored a century at the R Premadasa Stadium. The highest score remains Angelo Mathews’ 97 not out.
• In eight attempts, Bangladesh are yet to win an ODI at the R Premadasa stadium.

Quotes

“Not too long ago we were in a similar situation and Sri Lanka came to our country and played a beautiful series. In cricket we’re like a family, and we need to help each other when these sort of things happen. Nobody in our team thought about not coming. We’re feeling very comfortable, and we’re only thinking about our cricket.”
“To be very honest I just heard from him just now, that’s the truth. So I haven’t even thought about it yet.”

The board, however, is yet to enter into talks with the South African Cricketers’ Association, despite the current MoU expiring at the end of April

Firdose Moonda04-Mar-2018Cricket South Africa has committed to maintaining a revenue-share model with its players as it enters negotiations over a new memorandum of understanding with the South African Cricketers’ Association.The current MoU, which has been in place since 2014, expires at the end of April and is redrafted every four years and has always included a revenue-share model But, in December last year, acting CEO Thabang Moroe and president Chris Nenzani told journalists they might consider rethinking the structure of their player contracts.At the time, Moroe made several suggestions of how CSA could shake up contracts including awarding them across different formats and mentioned that the revenue-sharing model would be re-examined. However, at a board meeting on Saturday, CSA backtracked from that and resolved to keep the financial model, which will go some way to easing player concerns over their financial futures.”We remain committed to the revenue share model,” CSA president Nenzani said. “We are a big employer with many constituencies and have sought over the past few months to engage with them with a view to preparing for the negotiations with SACA. The collective agreement ends in April this year. We will be ready to commence negotiations in advance of that date.”However, that does not mean the situation between CSA and the players has been completely resolved. ESPNcricinfo understands that CSA have yet to hold an official meeting with SACA over the status of the MoU and have delayed talks by at least a month. Usually, meetings between CSA and SACA take place in the first week of February but, to date, there has been no sit-down between parties.A concern for SACA is that the window for contracting franchise players opened on March 1 and will close at the end of April and a delay in talks could hamper the process of completing these contracts. Franchise players were believed to be so unhappy with the lack of clarity over the MoU that they were considering boycotting some parts of the first-class competition, which is in its final three rounds, unless some progress was made.CSA has appointed a four-man task team to deal with the negotiations for the MoU. Franchise CEOs Jacques Faul (Titans), Nabeal Dean (Cobras), Greg Fredericks (Lions) and provincial CEO Thando Booi (Border) will look into how a collective agreement with SACA can be reached.