Yorkshire look all but doomed to relegation after bad light ultimately put paid to their slim hopes of forcing the win against Warwickshire

Jon Culley at Edgbaston03-Sep-2011
Scorecard
Joe Sayers has all but conceded that Yorkshire will be relegation•Getty Images

Yorkshire look all but doomed to relegation after bad light ultimately put paid to their slim hopes of forcing the win against Warwickshire that would have kept them in with a realistic chance of escaping from the bottom two with only one match remaining.After the two camps had hatched an agreement under which Warwickshire, who needed 349 to win from 78 overs when Yorkshire declared at midday, would commit themselves to chasing runs in the final session, umpires Peter Hartley and Jeff Evans had little option but to call a halt just before five o’clock in conditions so gloomy that fielding was becoming a problem, let alone facing quick bowling.Given that they finished only 11 points behind champions Nottinghamshire last year, it is a huge disappointment not least for their stricken captain, Andrew Gale, who has been unable to play any part since breaking an arm almost three weeks ago.Worcestershire’s two-day win over Lancashire at New Road, while ensuring that the race for the title remains intriguingly tight, also opened up a gap between themselves and Yorkshire that now stands at 14 points.With Jacques Rudolph unavailable because of international commitments, Joe Sayers led Yorkshire here and he conceded that the result means that effectively they have one foot in the Second Division already, with survival unlikely even if the match against Somerset at Headingley next week goes their way.”Mathematically it is still possible for us to stay up but it is going to be very difficult now to pull it out of the bag,” Sayers said. “All we can do is apply ourselves against Somerset in the same way we applied ourselves in this match.”It was a sorry end to what had been a good game of four-day cricket in which we had played well, all the more disappointing because if we had played as well for the duration of the summer we would have been in a decent position in the table.”The one positive we can take is that the way we have played in this game establishes a template for the way we want to play cricket in terms of style and attitude.”Sayers said that Yorkshire had no quibble with the umpires’ decision to take the players off, despite the consequences for the county’s future of denying them even the opportunity to secure a potentially vital win.”It was the right decision,” he said. “The light was not good, especially for batting and indeed even for fielding. It was becoming difficult to pick up the ball.”Warwickshire were satisfied ultimately with three points for a draw, despite Durham’s win at Hove, given that they have two matches left in which to overturn a seven-point deficit, while the new leaders have only one.Yet Ashley Giles, the county’s director of cricket, was slightly more outspoken about the circumstances in which the game ended. “The umpires have to go with what the regulations say and today I feel they were right to come off but there are issues that need to be looked at,” he said.”Not using light meters, using the naked eye — this is a professional game and surely there has to be a system that says that the light is too bad, this what the reading is, and you don’t go out again until it improves.”However, regardless of how the contest fizzled out, there was a feeling perhaps that Yorkshire had set Warwickshire a target that was too high anyway on a day when they would have been no worse off losing.The target of 349 meant that Warwickshire were almost certain to be chasing runs at five or six an over for a long period even if it went well for them, while 78 overs on a pitch that had flattened out was not a long span in which to take 10 wickets, especially given that one of them would almost certainly have to be that of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the same Shivnarine Chanderpaul who they had taken seven-and-a-quarter hours to get out at Headingley last week and a further four-and-a-half to see off in the first innings here.Yet even after Gary Ballance had completed a fine maiden Championship century, Yorkshire batted on until noon, adding 66 to their overnight 319 for 5. Ballance eventually chipped a ball from Chris Woakes to mid-on where Jim Troughton took a considerably easier catch than the one he was to bring off shortly afterwards, one-handed on the run on the long-off boundary as Adil Rashid fell after making an attractive and important 82.What followed next was immaterial in the broader scheme and merely denied the bowlers time to get at the Warwickshire batting. In the event, they got through 12 overs to lunch for the loss of only one wicket, when Varun Chopra was caught behind driving at Ajmal Shahzad.In the afternoon, it became increasingly clear that Warwickshire’s first priority was not to lose. They lost Ian Westwood, leg before on the back foot to Rashid, and Will Porterfield, who wasted a chance for a half-century by edging the deserving Steve Patterson to be caught behind. Chanderpaul, never in a particular hurry, should have been out on three, but Adam Lyth missed a sharp chance at slip off Patterson.At tea, Warwickshire were 134 for 3, needing a further 215 for victory from 34 overs, and behind the scenes it emerged that Giles and his opposite number, Martyn Moxon, were cooking up a plan, one which became evident to the paying public when, at 173 for three, Sayers and Anthony McGrath engaged Troughton and Chanderpaul in conversation at the crease, after which Lyth and Joe Root tossed up a succession of easy deliveries, which were despatched with little fuss to bring the target down to 150 from 23 overs.By now, however, the light was fading fast and while the Yorkshire players got together for a team meeting on the field — a game-stopping move that would have demanded the captain called ‘time out’ had it been basketball or American football — the umpires were exchanging opinions on matters of safety.Indeed, it took only a couple of overs from Ryan Sidebottom for them to make up their minds and bring proceedings to an end that, for Yorkshire at any rate, will probably be somewhat momentous.

In terms of the outcome, this was more Belfast 2009 then Bangalore 2011 as England edged a match that was interrupted frequently by the weather

Andrew McGlashan in Dublin25-Aug-2011In terms of the outcome, this was more Belfast 2009 then Bangalore 2011 as England edged a match that was interrupted frequently by the weather and, like at Stormont two year ago, Eoin Morgan was central to the victory. On that occasion it was one piece of fielding on the boundary edge which saved England, but here he contributed the most fluent innings of the game and made calm captaincy decisions in the closing stages.It meant he finished his brief stint as captain with a 100% record, although he has no qualms about handing back to Alastair Cook. He said he’d got a “buzz” from the day, especially when it came to watching the younger players, and believed that an inexperienced side will have gained immensely from the tight situations they found themselves in. Although the three debutants – James Taylor, Ben Stokes and Scott Borthwick all had quiet matches – Morgan knows how valuable it will have been to be around the set up.”It was something completely different and something they aren’t used to in county cricket,” he said. “A bit of an indifferent pitch is challenging, where dot ball follows dot ball and you have to calm yourself down and I thought they showed a lot of maturity in the field. It took me 10-12 one-day internationals to get going and for them to be around guys like Jonathan Trott really helps, guys who have been there, done that and be able to learn from them. Experiences like today will really help.”Morgan, himself, also showed some tactical acumen when he had to juggle his bowlers in the final part of the game. Before the rain he’d given Chris Woakes and Steven Finn standard new-ball spells, but after the reduction in overs it meant they’d completed their allocation so the likes of Samit Patel and Ravi Bopara played important roles.Although Morgan took the Man-of-the-Match award for his 59 off 65 balls the match-winning performance for England came from Jade Dernbach, who produced another nerveless display of yorkers, slower balls and bouncers with 3 for 30. He is already being suggested as the best England have had in that ‘death’ role since Darren Gough or Andrew Flintoff and his ball to remove Kevin O’Brien, who was turning the game Ireland’s way with a flurry of boundaries reminiscent of Bangalore, was unplayable.”The wicket really helped his slower ball,” Morgan said. “Going from 85mph to a slower ball is a hell of a skill and is something that’s worked consistently for him since he’s come in. He stepped up in the last series against Sri Lanka, particularly the last game at Old Trafford where he was exceptional. We haven’t had someone like that in a long time and he fits the bill.”The day, though, didn’t quite live up to the hopes and expectations of the locals. Of course the weather and result played a part in that but there remains a lingering thought that England could have done a little more to feel part of the occasion. Sending young players was completely understandable but the team, minus Morgan who is staying on to spend time with friends and family for a few days before the squad meets up in Manchester on Sunday, were flying straight back to Heathrow that evening. Two of them, Taylor and Craig Kieswetter, are involved in Twenty20 Finals Day but it would have been nice to see them linger with the hosts.England’s swift departure also meant there wasn’t the usual extra hour available to compensate for the rain which required overs to be lost earlier than would have otherwise been required. It may not have altered the result, but Ireland captain William Porterfield admitted the final requirement of 90 in 10 overs was “steep” on that surface.However, while Kevin O’Brien was batting for Ireland they were favourites to make it back-to-back victories over England and Porterfield had a wry smile when it was suggested to him that his run out, off the second ball of the final 10 overs, may have been tactical. “I could have got a better dive in but it probably did us a favour,” he said. “When Kevin was in they whipped the spinners off pretty quickly. Another couple of overs of them and it could have been over pretty quickly but seam wasn’t easy to get away on that wicket when you bowled straight.”It’s a sign of the development in Ireland’s cricket that defeats like these really hurt. As the supporters and home players looked back on the day with a few pints of a local tipple in the Clontarf pavilion they, no doubt, reflected on one that got away. England, meanwhile, were already on their way to the airport grateful that they had at least come out on the right side of this result.

In barely a fortnight, the England team will be in India, preparing for their return series of five ODIs, but right at this moment, they are down at The Oval

Andrew Miller at The Oval21-Sep-2011The end of a long and successful season is drawing nigh for England, with India’s cricketers having finally made it home, hotly pursued by Leicestershire and Somerset, county cricket’s representatives at the Champions League. In barely a fortnight, the England team will also be in India, preparing for their return series of five ODIs, but right at this moment, they are down at The Oval, dodging autumnal showers and preparing for a pair of Twenty20 fixtures that serve only as a reminder of previous administrative folly.The Allen Stanford Memorial Series (as these matches are not officially known) has come about as a result of the collapse of the Stanford Super Series after a single ill-conceived incarnation in November 2008. The ECB had sold the rights to four years’ worth of such events, a quadrangular tournament at home and a “20/20 for 20″ cash bonanza in Antigua, and then promptly spent all the broadcasting cash they had received from Sky. The upshot has been this fudged bid to fulfil their contractual obligations, an unsatisfactory compromise involving two skeleton international teams, one of which will be led by England’s sixth captain of the calendar year, Graeme Swann.Nevertheless there is, from England’s point of view, an undoubted value to the exercise that is about to take place. In exactly 12 months’ time the squad will be in Sri Lanka launching the defence of their World Twenty20 crown, with India once again lined up as their principal opponent in the group stages. Given how infrequently the format is played at international level, any opportunity to practise competitively between now and then has to be welcomed by the reigning champions.England have a further fixture against India in Kolkata looming on October 29, and then probably no more than four bilateral matches scheduled home and away ahead of the squad selection for the 2012 tournament. Therefore, this double-header could make or break the claims of more than just a handful of contenders, both those playing and those missing out.Although the regular Twenty20 captain Stuart Broad is missing out through injury, the balance of England’s squad is still geared towards the not-so-distant future. The telling decision not to hand the captaincy to the one-day leader, Alastair Cook, confirms the impression that England intend to make the best of a bad situation, and use these fixtures to gauge their Twenty20 development.Alex Hales and Craig Kieswetter can be expected to open in both fixtures with a licence to clear the ropes, closely followed by a middle order that is likely to include three players – Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes – who have not yet celebrated their 22nd birthdays. Even in this new-look outfit, however, the decision to bring Surrey’s Stuart Meaker into the squad as a net bowler provides a reminder that pressure for places is paramount.”Any opportunity I can get to pull an England shirt on, I’m going to grab with both hands, regardless of what time of year it is,” said Jade Dernbach, one of the players who, at this stage, would appear certain of taking part in the title defence. “With the World Twenty20 coming up next year, any games we can get will be vitally important. There are only five or six games before then, so these two games form quite an integral part of the plans and processes for that tournament.”Dernbach’s maiden season of international cricket has been eventful, to say the least. He was called up to the World Cup squad in Sri Lanka back in March, having impressed the selectors on the England Lions tour of the Caribbean. Though he didn’t play in what turned out to be England’s final match of that competition, a ten-wicket elimination in the quarter-finals, he has since featured 10 of their 11 ODIs this summer, as well as two Twenty20s against Sri Lanka at Bristol and India at Old Trafford, where he was named Man of the Match following a matchwinning spell of 4 for 22.”I set myself some goals at the start of the year, but did I know all of this was going to happen? Probably not,” said Dernbach. “You take it as it comes and I’m overjoyed to have played so much cricket for England this summer.”A similar story applies for West Indies, although in their case, the new-look nature of their squad is more through necessity than choice. Many of their key players are absent either through contractual disputes, in the case of Chris Gayle, and or through the demands of the Champions League, in which Kieron Pollard is playing for Mumbai Indians, and in which Trinidad and Tobago have first dibs on several players who might otherwise be featuring here – including Darren Bravo, Ravi Rampaul and Adrian Barath.Either way, Ottis Gibson, West Indies’ coach, was seeking to put the matches in a positive light. “We don’t have a lot of games leading up to the World Cup, so these two come along at a very good time for us,” he said. “We’ve got a newish looking squad, but it gives our guys a good chance to see where they are in terms of international cricket. England are still the world champions don’t forget, so we are taking these games very seriously in our build-up.”England start the series as favourites, partly because of their familiarity with the conditions, but also because of the deep well of confidence that the chosen players have inherited in the course of the summer. As Dernbach explained, the knowledge of what the team has achieved in all formats this summer couldn’t help but rub off on newcomers to the squad – not least Bairstow, who produced a matchwinning 41 not out from 21 balls on debut in Cardiff last week.”I think in one-day cricket you want to be able to go and express yourself and what’s made you successful is what you want to continue to do,” said Dernbach. “People will back you 100% in the decisions you make, and that’s what happened for Jonny. For him to come in and look so at home was an outstanding achievement. That’s a testament to the feeling we have got in the dressing room. We made him feel very welcome, he felt at home, and he was able to produce his best cricket which is what we want.”

A round-up of the action from the second day of the fifth round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Division One

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Oct-2011Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) were well placed to push for victory against Islamabad at the end of the second day at the Diamond Club Ground. Islamabad had been reduced to 98 for 4 in their second innings, still trailing ZTBL by 148 runs. Their openers had put on 58 for the first wicket, before four batsmen fell for 26 runs. Junaid Nadir took 2 for 42 for ZTBL, while Rehan Riaz and Junaid Zia claimed a scalp each. The bowlers consolidated the advantage ZTBL’s batsmen had secured in the first innings. Though Imran Nazir got out early, having added only three runs to his overnight 105, Faisal Akhtar scored 69 and Haris Sohail 71 to lead ZTBL to 369, taking a lead of 246. Zohaib Ahmed took 4 for 86 for Islamabad.An unbeaten century from Shoaib Khan and 97 from Fahad Iqbal helped Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) take a commanding lead against Abbottabad on the second day at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium. PIA began the morning session on 106 for 3, trailing Abbottabad’s first-innings total by 69. Kamran Sajid added 18 to his overnight score of 51 before he was the first batsman to ball, with PIA on 140 for 4. Fahad then added 177 runs with Shoaib for the fifth wicket, building a substantial lead. Fahad missed his century, falling to Ikramullah Khan, but Shoaib went on to end the day on 130 off 192 balls. PIA were 408 for 8 at stumps, ahead by 233.An eventful second day at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium ended with Rawalpindi battling to stretch their second innings and set Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) a testing target. Play began with WAPDA on 68 for 4 in their first innings, in response to Rawalpindi’s 159. The hosts struck two early blows but a brace of thirties from Naved-ul-Hasan and Sarfraz Ahmed ensured WAPDA edged to 173, a slender lead of 14. Mohammad Ayaz took 5 for 64 for Rawalpindi, while Sadaf Hussain took 4 for 52. Naved-ul-Hasan then began to cut through Rawalpindi’s top order, on his way to figures of 5 for 84. Wickets fell at regular intervals at one end, but at the other, Usman Saeed was steady, scoring at a brisk clip to remain unbeaten on 110 off 160 balls at stumps. He steered Rawalpindi to 223 for 8, leading by 209 overall, and will hope to score as much as he can on the third morning.Centuries from Qaiser Abbas and Kamran Akmal helped National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) amass 481 in the first innings against Sialkot on the second day at the Jinnah Stadium. NBP were 345 for 5 at the start of play and lost Akmal early. He was 131 overnight and was out for 146 off 186 balls. Abbas, who was not out on 162, added 74 with Wasim Khan for the eighth wicket but the rest of the lower-order batsmen fell cheaply. Prince Abbas and Mohammad Abbas, Sialkot’s new-ball attack, took four wickets each. Sialkot ended the day on 125 for 2, with Mohammad Yasin on 61 and Naved Sarwar on 34, trailing by 356.State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) new-ball bowlers wrested the advantage from Faisalabad on the second day in Sargodha. Saad Altaf, a left-arm fast bowler, took 3 for 50, while left-arm spinner Mohammad Ali picked up 2 for 28 to leave Faisalabad on 90 for 5 at stumps. They had been 20 for 4 at one stage before Naved Latif scored an unbeaten 40. The day had begun with SBP well placed on 223 for 3 in their first innings but three wickets fell for 31 runs and they were 260 for 6. Rizwan Haider scored 62 off 82 balls at No. 8 to lead his team to 356. Medium-pacer Naseer Akram took 5 for 70 for Faisalabad.Habib Bank Limited (HBL) began the second day against Karachi Blues on 329 for 4 but were soon dismissed for only 376 at the National Stadium. Khaqan Asral, who resumed his innings on 48, made 56 before he was out. The rest of the middle and lower-order batsmen crumbled against Tanvir Ahmed and Atif Maqbool, who took 5 for 82 and 5 for 174. Karachi Blues’ chase got off to a shaky start with both openers gone with only 46 on the board. Asif Zakir held up one end with a half-century but no one converted their starts at the other and wickets fell at regular intervals. Karachi Blues ended the day on 220 for 5, trailing by 156 runs. Legspinner Danish Kaneria took 3 for 85 for HBL.

Namibia won a fifth-straight match against Kenya in their ongoing Twenty20 series, beating the tourists by 53 runs at Windhoek High School

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Nov-2011Namibia won a fifth-straight match against Kenya in their ongoing Twenty20 series, beating the tourists by 53 runs at Windhoek High School. Namibia won the toss and managed a huge total of 229 thanks to Louis van der Westhuizen’s scarcely believable innings of 145 off 54 balls. van der Westhuizen has shown promise as a hard-hitting batsman this year but this was his first century in professional cricket. He hit 14 fours and 12 sixes in his innings and though Kenya chipped away at the wickets at the other end, Namibia were able to bat them out of the game.Kenya started well in response, with Irfan Karim scoring 63 off 46 balls and Alex Obanda getting 48 off 33. The two shared a century opening partnership but Kenya were always behind the asking-rate. Wickets fell steadily after the opening stand was broken and they ended up on 176 for 7.

Alviro Petersen made a memorable return to Test cricket, while Jacques Kallis enjoyed his new-found batting freedom as South Africa made a merry mockery of Sri Lanka’s decision to bowl first at Newlands

The Report by Nitin Sundar03-Jan-2012Stumps
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAlviro Petersen and Jacques Kallis made a mockery of Sri Lanka’s decision to bowl•Associated Press

Alviro Petersen made a memorable return to Test cricket, and Jacques Kallis enjoyed his new-found batting freedom as South Africa made a merry mockery of Sri Lanka’s decision to bowl at Newlands. Kallis had a sense of occasion, converting his 114-ball century into a 150-plus score in his 150th Test. His first ton against Sri Lanka, and his first in a year, was all the more significant since it silenced murmurs of failing form following the first pair of his glittering career, in Durban.Kallis’ century reaffirmed his love affair with Cape Town, a venue where he now has nine Test hundreds and over 2000 runs. But one man who might be happier with his day’s work is Petersen, whose fluency during his second Test ton glossed over the fact that he was returning to the side after a year. The pair’s dominance yielded 205 runs in under 50 overs, and negated any advantage Sri Lanka had gained from Dhammika Prasad’s early breaches.Regardless of the ease with which South Africa progressed, there was merit in Sri Lanka’s call to bowl; their historic win in Durban did not mask their problems against pace and bounce, and was founded upon South Africa’s own abject batting display. Dilshan’s decision shielded his weaker suit, and gave his seamers the mandate to attack South Africa in marginally helpful weather. He was, however, let down by a sketchy plan of action, and conditions that quickly played into the batsmen’s hands. Sri Lanka were too full in the first hour, too short in the second, and all over the place in the afternoon, before tightening their act after tea.

Smart stats

• Jacques Kallis became the sixth player overall and the first South African to feature in 150 Tests. Among South African players, Mark Boucher is next with 144 matches.

• Following his first pair in the Durban Test, Kallis scored his 41st century in his 150th Test. It is also his first century against Sri Lanka. Among batsmen with 10000-plus runs, Kallis has the highest average (56.98).

• In the course of his innings, Kallis passed 2000 runs in Cape Town. He becomes only the third player after Mahela Jayawardene and Graham Gooch to score 2000-plus runs at a particular venue.

• Kallis’ present strike rate of 73.95 is his third-highest for a 100-plus score. The highest is 74.44 during his 201 against India in Centurion in 2010.

• Alviro Petersen, making his comeback, scored his second century in his 10th Test. He has now scored 681 runs at an average of 37.83.

• The 205-run stand between Kallis and Petersen is the third-highest third-wicket stand for South Africa in Cape Town since their readmission. It is also South Africa’s best third-wicket stand against Sri Lanka.

• Rangana Herath was the most economical bowler conceding just 63 runs off his 26 overs. The remaining bowlers conceded 282 runs in 64 overs (economy rate 4.40).

In between-times, though, Prasad managed to hit the in-between lengths. His ability to ramp the pace up to 140 kph – a rare feat in an attack missing Dilhara Fernando – earned him success against Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla. Both batsmen began well, but perished to familiar failings – Smith chopped on while attempting a reckless cut, and Amla was trapped in front as he walked across the stumps. Amla consulted with Petersen, and rightly chose not to review the decision. That wasn’t the only instance of Petersen’s solid judgement in his comeback innings.A couple of early drives down the ground and a nudge through square leg signalled that Petersen had carried his domestic form into the big league. Thereafter, he built steadily, before summoning the spirit to thrash Prasad over square leg for a six. He brought up his fifty with a brace of boundaries against Thisara Perera, before receding into the background.Kallis came out throwing punches in all directions, reminiscent of his half-century against Australia in the recent Johannesburg Test. He nearly pulled his fourth ball straight to fine-leg, where Chanaka Welegedara inexplicably didn’t go for the catch. Another pull off Angelo Mathews spiralled towards midwicket and landed safe. Encouraged, Mathews persisted with the short stuff, and Kallis pounded him into pulp with a raft of murderous pulls in front of square. Sri Lanka had missed their chance to nip him out early, and Kallis proceeded to enjoy himself.Sri Lanka’s discipline faltered dramatically after lunch. The early-morning moisture had evaporated, and with it all traces of sideways movement. Kallis rushed to his fifty off just 42 balls, and went on to expose their lack of pace, and Rangana Herath’s lack of spin on the first-day surface. A 21-over phase without a single maiden suggested Sri Lanka’s afternoon could not get any worse, but it did when they wasted both their reviews in desperation.Petersen’s signature shot was easily the straight drive, a shot he executed with an assured forward step and exemplary timing. Kallis, on the other hand, went on to produce shots of immense beauty in every direction. The punchy pulls gave way to picture-perfect cover drives and sublime straight hits, but the stroke that stood out was an astonishing whipped on-drive from the line of off stump when Thisara Perara was looking to angle one across defensively.That shot came after Petersen’s fall, sucked into an uppish drive by a Welegedara slower ball. The run-rate dropped below four for the first time in the 66th over, with de Villiers struggling to deal with Welegedara’s offcutters. Having batted out of his comfort zone all day, Kallis seamlessly shifted into accumulation mode and chugged past 150. The stand was worth 86 by stumps, leaving Sri Lanka wondering if they had lost the Test even before it had started.

A record crowd at the Gabba for a domestic Twenty20 undoubtedly came to see Shane Warne.

Alex Malcolm20-Dec-2011
ScorecardShane Warne rediscovered his magic, taking 1 for 22 from his fours overs•Getty Images

A record crowd at the Gabba for a domestic T20 undoubtedly came to see Shane Warne. They got their monies-worth as Warne and his team delivered in the most entertaining match of the BBL so far.Melbourne Stars, the side with as much star-power as any in this competition, beat Brisbane Heat by eight runs in a match that featured highlights with bat and ball and a virtuoso performance from Warne in front of 29,241 people.Rob Quiney’s match winning 97 from 60 balls set up an imposing total of 7 for 177 on a pristine Gabba surface, before Clint McKay’s 3 for 22 was statistically the pick of the bowlers in the Stars defensive effort. But in reality, both men were overshadowed by night’s star attraction: Shane Warne.Brisbane were on track at 2 for 70 after seven overs of their run chase. Matthew Hayden clubbed four fours in the second over of the innings from England international Jade Dernbach. Hayden smashed his tenth ball straight to mid off to fall for an entertaining 22 but Brendan McCullum picked up the slack cruising to 26 from 16 balls before Warne entered. McCullum had got off the mark with a six over long on in the first over but he was far more respectful of Warne first up.Two balls at McCullum and four at Peter Forrest in Warne’s first over were all delivered with artistry and precision. He conceded four runs, as well extracting some turn and bounce from a wicket he adores.McCullum attacked Warne in his second over. The New Zealander charged, Warne tossed high and wide, McCullum miscued a spooned drive, high, but safely beyond cover-point. Warne picked him up two balls later, bowling him around his legs as he attempted to sweep.Dan Christian was the only player to get a piece of Warne, clubbing him for six over long on. But Warne’s other 23 balls cost just 16.Outside of Warne and McKay the Stars other three bowlers conceded more than nine-an-over. But they did enough to curtail Brisbane, who simply could not construct a partnership. Their largest was 55 unbroken stand between Michael Neser and Ryan Harris but it came too late as it began in the 15th over with the score at 7 for 114.Earlier the Stars had set-up their total on the back of a 105-run stand between Quiney and David Hussey. Melbourne were 2 for 31 when the pair came together after Nathan Hauritz opened the bowling with great success snaring Matthew Wade and George Bailey early.But Quiney found the pace of the Gabba wicket to his liking as he smashed six sixes and five fours in a 60-ball knock that ended three short of a well-deserved century. Outside of Hauritz, who showed the value of a slow bowler at the Gabba by taking 3 for 18 from four quality overs, Brisbane were exposed for a lack of variety.Quiney’s high grip and Gilchrist-like swinging arc took full toll of all the medium pacers’ length offerings. Hussey was a valuable contributor as well. His 45 from 32 showcased his wonderful skill as a T20 cricketer.Brisbane slumped to their second loss of the tournament, whilst the Stars squared the ledger with a win and a loss.

Iain O’Brien, the former New Zealand bowler, has retired due to a chronic back injury. He hoped to resurrect his career in Wellington but decided his injury was too serious

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jan-2012Iain O’Brien, the former New Zealand seamer, has retired due to a chronic back injury. He hoped to resurrect his career in Wellington but decided his injury was too serious.O’Brien, 35, made his international debut against Australia at Christchurch in March 2005 but after that series didn’t play another Test for two seasons. He returned in November 2007 against South Africa at Johannesburg and went on to play 22 Tests in all, taking 73 wickets at 33.27.Having been recommended to retire in 2003 after being told he had the back of a 60 year-old, O’Brien continued to play international cricket before retiring in 2009 after the World T20 in England. He wanted to settle in the UK and continue his career with Middlesex but employment problems prevented him from becoming a British-qualified player.O’Brien announced the news that his cricket “ride” was over in an emotional blog. “I’ve cried in changing rooms and hotels all around the world but how could I walk away,” he said of his experiences in coping with the injury. “I’ve got more out of my body than I should have. Time’s up.”He returned to Wellington and began rehabilitation with the hope of returning to international cricket. “I was doing everything I could to get back out for Wellington and if good enough, back into the New Zealand team,” O’Brien said. “That was the dream. That was the motivation.”I now know I’ll never play for New Zealand again. The motivation to keep going has dwindled. So, on that note I know it’s time to walk away.”

A day after Australia lost their second ODI in a row Mickey Arthur, their coach, has said that fighting fatigue will be one of the bigger factors in the rest of the triangular series

Sidharth Monga18-Feb-2012A day after Australia lost their second ODI in a row – an “unacceptable” performance – Mickey Arthur, their coach, has said that fighting fatigue will be one of the bigger factors in the rest of the triangular series. Arthur said Ricky Ponting, standing in as captain in Michael Clarke’s injury-induced absence, was a bit jaded, too, after a long summer. Ponting has followed his double-century in Adelaide with ODI scores of 2, 1, 6 and 2, but Australia haven’t even been able to think about resting him because of Clarke’s injury.”It [fatigue] is going to be a factor, there’s no doubt about it,” Arthur said. “We’ve pushed the guys incredibly hard in terms of our intensity, and our expectation around them. Some guys are feeling the effects of that, but we know what the schedule is, we have to make sure we manage the boys correctly, and that we’ve got the guys up and firing come tomorrow.”Australia play the second part of their double-header on Sunday in Brisbane, with a portion of the middle day spent travelling from Sydney to Brisbane. The heat is on Ponting now, and Arthur admitted he faced a challenge. “If I have to be totally honest Ricky is a little bit jaded, like a couple of our Test players that have played all summer,” Arthur said, “but that is the treadmill of international cricket, and they have to find a way to make their performances count and have an impact on the team.”Why not, then, ask the vice-captain, David Warner, to lead the side? “We saw some huge potential in Dave, we want to grow him as a leader, he definitely has that potential,” Arthur said. “He’s not ready yet, and he knows that, and we’ve communicated that to him.”We brought Dave into the vice-captaincy position to be part of our leadership group, and to learn from Michael and I when we strategise our position. In terms of taking guys on the field right now, he’s not ready for that yet, and he understands that. I reckon he could be a great leader in a few years to come. You talk about succession planning, we need to find a leader, and he’s one of those guys on our radar.”Arthur expects Ponting to make the kind of comeback he did in Tests easlier in the summer. “Ricky is a class act, there is no way you can write off a champion like Ricky Ponting,” he said. “He faced those same issues around the first couple of Test matches, and he came through the Test series, had a great series against India, and I hope he turns it around tomorrow.”When asked if Ponting should quit, Arthur didn’t commit either way. “I’d like to see Ricky Ponting in our team all the time, but as I’ve said through the summer, every cricketer’s currency is performance, that’s what gets you into the Australian team,” he said. “A character like Ricky Ponting is someone you want around the team all the time because he’s so inspirational, he’s still our fittest player and hardest trainer, and he trains with the most intensity. He’s a fantastic example to every guy who comes into this team.”

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