All posts by n8rngtd.top

A record-equalling run by Steven Croft and Riki Wessels’ form lead ESPNcricinfo’s countdown of the things that mattered in the latest round of the NatWest T20 Blast

Vithushan Ehantharajah23-Jun-20145. Settled Wessels makes a noise
To say Riki Wessels has had an unconventional route into county cricket would be selling you short on a story of a dual-international father, Kolpak re-rulings, entrepreneur visas and an array of loopholes.Okay, so maybe it sounds more clerical than one man’s desperate fight to stay on the domestic treadmill, but now he has put the pen pushing days behind him and concentrated on the six hitting he has had quite a season.After leaving Northants in 2009, he was coaxed back to England by Nottinghamshire as Chris Read’s understudy behind the stumps. He has always struggled to be considered as a quality batsman in his own right because of Notts’ reluctance to allocate a designated batting spot to another wicketkeeper. But over the last two years he has been turning in key performances which have developed into eye-catching ones.After two fifties against Middlesex in the Championship, including a 48-ball 74 as Notts successfully chased down 385 at more than five an over, he scored 66 off 31 against Leicestershire and then battered Derbyshire with 95 off 51. That he could not become the first Notts player to register three figures in the format was a shame, but he didn’t dwell on it. Nor did he have any complaints that team-mate Steven Mullaney starved him of the strike.”I did think about it but, after Steven missed the first two or three balls he faced, I came down the pitch and said, ‘Mate, just try to hit it for four or six. I’m not really worried about getting a hundred myself.'” Given the form Wessels is in, he will get there soon enough.4. Northern derbies delight
The London derbies last year were a highlight of the FLt20 season, with Lord’s in particular boasting a balmy evening sell-out in which Surrey and Middlesex both had to win to keep their title hopes alive. Alas, Surrey’s ruthlessness and Middlesex’s dour form this term means the return fixture next month will be a bit of a damp squib, and that’s without mentioning the one-sided nature of their encounter at The Oval. The waters were then muddied when Middlesex were made to call south London home, winning their first game of the season against Sussex in their rivals’ backyard.But further north, the bitterness is still as strong. Alex Hales was one of a few Notts players who stoked the flames ahead of their away trip to Derbyshire. A victory there was backed up by another win at home last week, which saw Trent Bridge host a crowd of 9,383. Meanwhile, the Roses derby a few weeks ago pulled in a capacity 16,000 and Headingley boasts a sell-out for Friday’s return visit of Lancashire. Not bad considering how many empty seats there were during the Test.

Player focus: Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire)

It may have only been 40 runs across two innings, but the sight of Jonathan Trott back in first-team action for Warwickshire was a welcome one. That he was doing so for the Birmingham Bears, regardless of what you think of the city-woodland animal amalgamation, was also good to see. His outing against Northants was a first domestic T20 appearance in three years. That was his only appearance in 2011 but the year before he had impressed with 306 runs at 30.60. In 2009, before establishing himself as England’s rock, he led the competition’s scoring charts with 525 runs at 65.62. If he can rediscover his touch for the format, he will, to borrow an overused football platitude, be like a new signing.

3. Croft meets Nixon
Lancashire allrounder Steven Croft equalled Paul Nixon’s record of 95 consecutive Twenty20 games when he lined up at Old Trafford to play defending champions Northants. A hard-hitting batsman who dabbles in some right-arm spin, he is an exceptional fielder to boot and was included in England’s provisional 30-man squad for the 2012 World Twenty20. While international honours may be beyond the 29-year-old, he has continually proved his worth for Lancashire; an ever-present in the T20 side since his debut in 2006 against Derbyshire – who will also provide the opposition if he extends the run to 100. He is set to break Nixon’s record against Yorkshire on Friday. No doubt the Western Terrace will acknowledge the milestone accordingly. Perhaps they’ll bake a cake?2. Tredwell keeps his enemies closer
Having signed for Sussex on Championship-only loan, after losing his place in Kent’s four-day side to fellow offspinner Adam Riley, James Tredwell had the unique experience of going from friend to foe in the space of 24 hours. He turned out for Sussex against Yorkshire at Arundel in a four-day game, taking three wickets and scoring 45 in his only innings, then returned to the Kent XI to take 2 for 20 in the T20 against Sussex at Canterbury.Tredwell described the scenario as “a marriage of convenience” while acknowledging he would be subject to “a bit of banter”. Characteristically he has taken the move, and everything in between, with good grace.1. Essex’s Jekyll and Hyde form
Grim returns in the Championship – partly due to injury, partly due to player indifference – have created a degree of unrest among Essex supporters, if Twitter is to be believed (it is, by the way). But after succumbing to a 470-run pasting against Hampshire, Essex returned to Chelmsford-under-lights and produced a gutsy effort with the bat to chase down Middlesex’s 153 with two balls to spare. Speaking after their humbling at the Ageas Bowl, Ravi Bopara felt the schedule was a factor not considered by those outside the team: “T20 takes a lot out of you as well, you know.” Still, it only seems to be affecting their long-haul form as they sit pretty at the top of the South Division, with six hearty wins.

The present Indian bowling line-up will tackle its first five-Test series without the proven guidance of Zaheer Khan, their bowling captain. India had unravelled without him in 2011. Will they do better this time around?

Nagraj Gollapudi08-Jul-2014India will have vivid memories of playing cricket’s 2000th Test match. Zaheer Khan was into his 14th over at Lord’s when he cringed and clutched the back of his leg. The follow-through was aborted and he limped into the dressing room and was never seen on the tour again. India had lost their bowling captain on the first afternoon of a four-Test series.It was not simply a case of a cog gone missing. Zaheer’s injury contributed to the rest of the attack losing focus. They appeared deflated for the remaining 18 days of the series and England took advantage. Only once did Andrew Strauss’ side fail to pass 300, as they trampled India 4-0 to snatch the No. 1 Test ranking.”Test cricket can be a lonely place if things go wrong,” says Allan Donald, South Africa’s bowling coach. “And it is a long period of time when things go wrong. And the challenge is how you pull it back.”His message will ring starkly on MS Dhoni and his side as they prepare to tackle their first five-Test tour, and like 2011 there will be no Zaheer, who is recovering from a side strain.Ishant Sharma is the only bowler remaining from the 2011 debacle and looks Zaheer’s likely successor. Yet he struggled for consistency in line, length and accuracy in both warm-up matches and hardly looked like he had emerged as India’s best bowler in the Tests against New Zealand.”Once again not having a clear leader, someone who has been there before, done it before in those conditions [is the challenge for India],” says Eric Simons, who was India’s bowling coach on the 2011 tour. Zaheer had been the focal point of the bowling plan three years ago, and when he was injured “we knew we were going to struggle.”Praveen Kumar, Zaheer’s new-ball partner, bowled the remaining three balls to complete the over at Lord’s and subsequently took on the mantle of lead seamer. He was India’s best bowler with 15 wickets in three Tests before he too was sidelined, with an ankle injury picked up while playing football.”In 2011 we were left with just three fast bowlers after Zaheer’s injury,” says Praveen. “There was always someone injured which put undue pressure on the rest of the two bowlers. So that was lesson learned, to keep yourself fit to last longer during the series.”India will need to last five Tests, compressed into 42 days, and their first response to this challenge was to pick six specialist fast bowlers along with Stuart Binny, a seam-bowling allrounder. Another notable improvement from the last trip is the freshness of India’s bowlers. In 2011, Praveen and Ishant had come to England after a whole tour in the West Indies.Simons is excited by the pace the current set of bowlers can summon and Praveen has tipped their youth to help them push harder. Both of them believe India’s bowling has the correct “balance” this time.

In Test cricket, the game is played in the head over five days. Yes, skills have a lot to do with it but mentally you need to be very, very strong. The Indian attack needs to find that beliefAllan Donald, South Africa bowling coach

“The more balls you feed a batsman, the more comfortable you will feel and the more likely you will get his wicket,” says Praveen, tipping Uttar Pradesh team-mate Bhuvneshwar Kumar to do well if he can adjust to the change in conditions. “He just needs to adapt to the lengths: in India you bowl back of length but in England you need to pitch it fuller.”Donald, who has coached Warwickshire, echoed similar sentiments and said the Duke ball will increase the threat posed by Bhuvneshwar. “Where he is going to be significant is not just with the new ball. The Duke ball swings for a long time – not just when there is a cloud cover, but also when the sun is out. And for Bhuvi, who swings it both ways, if he does it consistently he could be a handful.”Zaheer’s absence will be felt. “He will be massively missed,” says Donald. “He swings the ball nicely. He is a clever bowler. In South Africa last year, even if he did not take many wickets, he kept coming against us, he bowled long spells and he was in very good physical shape.”You earn the right to be leader of the group. That is what Zak has done over the years. He has shown he has terrific skills. It is a wonderful feeling knowing you are the leader of the group. You are not talking about Zak the man. You are talking about Zak the bowler. The impact he has on a team in a dressing room, on the training ground, during a Test match and the skills he brings in – that is a huge thing that goes missing.”Ishant is the most experienced bowler India have but Donald asserts that alone does not hand him the responsibility of leading the attack.”In Test cricket, the game is played in the head over five days. Yes, skills have a lot to do with it but mentally you need to be very, very strong. The Indian attack needs to find that belief. How do you build that belief? You can’t depend on a certain individual. The quicker this attack bowls with each other the quicker they will find who the leaders are in that group.”Donald said the process of finding a leader was not straightforward. “Is it in Bhuvi’s make-up to be able to take that role? He is not that type of person. He is a very quiet guy, does what he needs to do. Then you look at Varun Aaron, who is very much brash and very much willing to lead from the front, but the process of how he sets himself up is very important at the moment. It can be very long days on flat wickets in July in England.The other contenders: Varun Aaron and Bhuvneshwar Kumar will need to strike a good rhythm together•AFPThere are some pointers that a bowling coach can pick up on. Donald elaborates: “I look at characters. I looked at Morne Morkel. I looked at Dale Steyn. What do they bring to the team in terms of their character because that has a huge impact in the longer format of the game. When to engage, when to be aggressive, who is willing to take up the leadership role. Minor things like that.”Ishant has played 55 Tests. He has been India’s workhorse for much of his seven-year career but there are aspects of his game that needs amending if he wants to be their go-to bowler.”He needs to think like a Glenn McGrath and Shaun Pollock,” says Simons. “He needs to think about patience, about not trying too much. He has the height, pace and variations. McGrath and Pollock did not try much but they were just patient. You will not get reverse swing in England like in India, so use your natural instincts and be consistent bowler that he should be.”Praveen said Ishant’s confidence is another area that needs improvement. “At times the bowler is not sure if he is doing well. At such times he needs to speak to the right sort of people. Ishant now has a chance to play the senior bowler’s role. He needs to think now that I am the senior and I need to take the responsibility and I need to bowl more aggressively.”He has played a lot of cricket and there are ups and downs in a career. But he should have more confidence in him and inspire himself, and then go and play.”Along with the lack of a defined bowling structure, the visitors will be dented by the retirements of some senior batsmen who could have guided the bowlers on what kind of lengths and lines might trouble the opposition. “One of the things India are going to miss, and this might sound ironic, is the top Indian batsmen,” says Simons. “They play a crucial role in guiding the bowlers on strategy.”One of the things the fast bowlers need to keep in mind in England is to be patient. In England you play a bigger role as a seamer based on the friendly conditions but the key thing is to find and stick to the right line and length. And that is where a Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, would tell a fast bowler, to stay put. They would help the bowler think from the batsman’s point of view.”It was for this reason that Duncan Fletcher and the team management sought Dravid to mentor to the team. “What people don’t understand is that the bowlers think like bowlers. I want Rahul to talk to them and make them think like batsmen,” Fletcher told last week. “That way they will know what areas a batsman likes and doesn’t like, which will help them a great deal in forming their strategies. The problem is that the Indian bowlers don’t bat or practice batting when they’re playing domestic cricket. And so, while they understand their bowling, they don’t understand batting.”It is an inexperienced attack that will bear the responsibility of taking 20 wickets over five Tests. Fletcher said that could work in India’s favour but Donald has a word of caution. “You can’t have a mentally weak guy, or attack, that just waits for one another to make the play. You got to have that courage and guts to be able to do that willingly, and every time the crap hits the fan.”

The weird and wonderful city that makes a hero out of a groundsman

Paul Ford04-Nov-2014As your plane see-saws into Wellington airport from the north, you will see a whopping great sign to your left, above what is known as the Miramar Cutting, a road that scythes through the hill. The sign normally says Wellington – and the T, the O and the N are stylistically being blown away by the capital city’s notorious breeze.The $80,000 sign has been tweaked for various events – including Vellington (to celebrate a quirky local vampire mockumentary) and Wowington (a hat tip to the city’s incredible annual World of Wearable Arts exhibition). Brendon McCullum’s name is nigh on impossible to work into the sign in a similarly tasteful way – Bazington? Wellingdon? – but it should be incorporated the next time he is in town.A Dunedin boy, BB McCullum remains the toast of the capital after he became New Zealand Test cricket’s first triple-centurion in February, plundering 302 from the hapless Indian bowlers at the Basin Reserve. His phenomenal effort flushed out every cricket fan in the city, and was the catalyst for a crackling atmosphere that will never be forgotten by everyone who cancelled meetings and orchestrated their lives to be there to witness it.McCullum’s stupendous recent knock helped the Kiwi capital city fall in love with cricket all over again.It was good that it happened at the Basin, the spiritual home of proper cricket in New Zealand since 1866. It’s a delectable little slice of eccentricity: Nowhere else in the world will you find an iconic Test cricket venue in the middle of a traffic roundabout.However, it will be a lonely place during the World Cup – all the matches in the capital are at the Cake Tin (officially Westpac Stadium) – since the Basin has been ignominiously relegated to being a practice venue for visiting teams.

****

Cricket at the Cake Tin is different – this is a deliberately oval but soulless cricket ground, an explosion of 31,000 yellow seats at the end of a windswept concrete concourse only a few minutes’ walk from the Wellington CBD and Parliament. It is also smack bang next to the main train station and within a Lance Klusener six of the place where international cruise ships dock.Unlike the Basin, it has no grassy embankment, and there is very little cricket history lurking inside. As the tribute to All Black Tana Umaga in Aisle 13 (his jersey number) attests, this is first and foremost a rugby stadium that needs to pay the bills with things like cricket ODIs, Bon Jovi concerts and A-League football matches. It does work out okay, though. Just prepare for a numb bum, an unforgiving milieu of iron and concrete slabs, and a swirling breeze.There have been some incredible matches played here, and the crowd can cut loose in a good way: none better than the December 2005 ODI between New Zealand and Australia. That evening we witnessed 642 runs, 15 wickets, a blistering ton and a half by Andrew Symonds, a spine-tingling run chase by New Zealand, a Brett Lee beamer, Mick Lewis’ match-winning debut – and the irony of an Australian team whingeing about crowd behaviour. Australia won by two runs after the Kiwis face-planted at the last hurdle, having been 317 for 8 going into the final over needing six to win an extraordinary game.Sparks flew in the post-match media conference too, as Ricky Ponting described the Wellington crowd as among “the most hostile in the world” (but presumably that would make it about the tenth-most hostile in Australasia). Ponting was accused of gamesmanship by eccentric New Zealand coach John Bracewell, who claimed that the Australians were mucking about to disrupt the rising tide of batting momentum created by Brendon McCullum’s belligerent fly swats.I’ll never forget Man of the Match Glenn McGrath ripping into a security guard on the third-man boundary, right in front of us. Bizarrely, but entertainingly, McGrath would collect debris from the field and hand it to the guard. But the man in the high-viz vest drew the line when McGrath handed him a balloon. As the Australian bowler loped in from the fence with his back turned, the guard let the balloon go, and we roared our approval. This happened repeatedly before McGrath realised the guard was not on his side and was responsible for the balloon reappearing. He unloaded his thoughts directly to the guard, and found himself out of position as McCullum sliced another delivery for four through third man. Embarrassed and incensed, McGrath headed in to see Ponting and the match was paused: not because of boorish crowd behaviour but because of boorishly brilliant security guard behaviour.

****

Another moment etched in the Westpac Stadium memory vault was also against Australia, in 2007, when Shane Bond reeled in a one-handed screamer against Australia’s Cameron White. The soundtrack mercilessly echoing around the venue was “Tainted Love”, 1980s synth pop from Soft Cell, drowning out the chattering teeth of the crowd on that bone-chilling day. Bond’s off-balance, diving caught-and-bowled effort was three millimetres above the clay, low to his right, and had umpire Billy Bowden cowering with fear behind the stumps at the bowler’s end. White trudged off, gobsmacked.Bond’s 5 for 23 that day remains the best ODI bowling analysis at the Westpac Stadium ever, doing more than his fair share to inflict a merciless ten-wicket hiding on the men from across the ditch.

****

The Cake Tin might be soulless but the cricket it has hosted has often been heart-stopping•Associated PressOver the past decade, the Wellington public has provided a fickle trickle of support for its local team. It has been a tough few years, and home-grown success stories are few and far between in these parts, with the exception of James Franklin and Jeetan Patel.The mercurial Jesse Ryder (Hastings) was once a common sight in the Wellington black and gold – but that human headline has moved south to Otago. Other prominent local players in recent years have included Grant Elliott (Johannesburg) and Mark Gillespie (Wanganui). Dannevirke-born Luke Ronchi is likely to be the only Wellington player anywhere near the Black Caps during the Cricket World Cup.But turning the clock back, the vaults contain many memories – and many of the Wellington stalwarts are still seen in bulging shirts and sensible pants around the city and at games, including:

• John “Mystery” Morrison (local government politician and rent-a-quote for anything cricket-related);
• Ewen Chatfield (aka “The Naenae Express” and now a cab driver often spotted at the Wellington Airport);
• Raconteur and man of letters Jeremy Coney (now doing thespian work in the UK);
• Bruce “Boots” Edgar (a complete banker, now a NZ selector);
• “Fadeaway” Evan Gray (who now runs the local social cricket team, Wanderers CC);
• Robert Vance (local menswear fashionista);
• Erv McSweeney (who used to run Cricket Wellington a few years back); and
• Gavin Larsen (now a World Cup operations guy).

If you’re in town, keep an eye out – most of them will be happy for you to buy them a drink and reminisce about their days in the sun and the wind at the Basin Reserve.

In Nelson, UAE offered further proof, if it was necessary, that the ICC’s theory of leaving the Associates out of the next World Cup is a load of rubbish

Brydon Coverdale in Nelson19-Feb-20151:21

‘Give us a chance and we’ll impress you’ – Tauqir

“The World Cup itself, the premium event, without exception should be played between teams that are evenly matched and competitive.”So said the ICC chief executive David Richardson in the lead-up to this tournament. It was his way of justifying the decision to trim the World Cup from 14 teams back to 10 at the next event in England in 2019. No more Associates, no more one-sided thrashings, no more boring, meaningless pool matches. That was the ICC’s theory.On Thursday in Nelson, UAE offered further proof, if it was necessary, that the ICC’s theory is a load of rubbish. The eighth match of this World Cup was played between a Full Member, Zimbabwe, and an Associate, UAE. And it was the closest contest yet, a tense battle full of momentum changes and uncertainty. By the ICC’s reckoning, it shouldn’t happen.Zimbabwe got away with the win, but only just. One level-headed, mature partnership between Sean Williams and Craig Ervine was the difference. They came together at 167 for 5, with 119 runs still needed from 104 balls. If UAE were not favourites, they must have been mighty close. In the end, experience got Zimbabwe over the line.Experience that UAE simply do not have, and cannot have. It was their first ODI against a Full Member nation in nearly seven years. It was almost their first win against one. A few fielding mistakes crept in, in a few loose balls, just the odd nervy moment. Williams, in his 71st ODI, steered Zimbabwe to victory. UAE, in their 19th as a team, fell short.The UAE batsmen, such as Shaiman Anwar, surprised Zimbabwe with their ability to strike the ball cleanly•ICCThere is such potential beyond the Test world. Everyone knows how good Ireland are, their win at the same ground against West Indies this week was not unexpected. It is a disgrace, an insult to both Ireland and to the cricket public that they may not be part of the next World Cup. Scotland got to within three wickets of upsetting New Zealand this week.Afghanistan are the only Associate to have been roundly beaten so far in the World Cup, but they were far from humiliated. They were the first team in the tournament to keep an opposition – Bangladesh – to sub-300 batting first in Australia. Only one game between Full Members so far has been remotely close – South Africa’s win over Zimbabwe. Evenly matched and competitive, huh?If the ICC thinks the Associates are pushovers, they are living in the past, which would be no great surprise. This is no longer the era of Sultan Zarawani wearing a floppy hat to face Allan Donald, of sides like East Africa and Bermuda making up the numbers but never getting close to competitive.UAE are considered the weakest of the 14 teams at this World Cup, but they batted with skill and boldness, and for the most part fielded sharply and bowled tightly. After the match, Williams was asked if the gap between the Full Members and the Associates had shrunk.”The gap has closed a very, very long way,” Williams said. “I believe that every single team at this World Cup deserves to be at this World Cup.”UAE surprised Zimbabwe with their ability to strike cleanly down the ground. The finest example was the sublime six that brought Shaiman Anwar his half-century from 37 balls when he drove Tinashe Panyangara back over his head. It was the shot of a man who belongs at international level, as were the nine fours that he struck.The 43-year-old star batsman Khurram Khan scored 45 and steadied UAE after they wobbled to 40 for 2 early. Until he was well caught at backward point, Khurram looked so calm and composed that nobody would have guessed this was his World Cup debut. He may well become the cult figure of this tournament, if the #KhurramKhanfacts Twitter hashtag is any indication.Then there were late boundaries struck by Amjad Javed and Mohammad Naveed, the Nos. 8 and 9. Amjad was powerful down the ground, not with wild slogs. There are No. 8s in Full Member sides who offer less with the bat than Javed. As if to prove he was also a force with the ball, he later clocked Sikandar Raza on the helmet with a bouncer.Their bowlers might lack the pace of most sides, but they find ways to contain. Zimbabwe opener Regis Chakabva was so stuck that when he trod on his stumps for 35 off 62 it was actually a blessing for Zimbabwe. In the field, UAE dived and worked hard, letting a few through only as the innings wore on. Their captain, Mohammad Tauqir, seemed almost offended when asked if their fielding let them down.”A couple of runs here and there,” Tauqir said. “We were better than Zimbabwe in fielding.”He was right. Zimbabwe were awfully sloppy in the field. And considering how little UAE have played at the elite level, their performance was admirable. The ICC has spoken of ensuring more exposure for Ireland and Afghanistan to the Full Members in the next few years, to help them qualify for the World Cup. But what of teams like UAE?”If we play only at Associate level, we cannot improve the game,” Tauqir said. “The more we play at the highest level we can improve our cricket.”This was the first time UAE had played Zimbabwe in a one-day international. That in itself is an indictment of cricket’s blinkered approach. The Full Members should play far more often against the Associates and Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, as the lowest-ranked Full Members, should be front and centre in such fixtures.But between the 2011 and 2015 World Cups, Zimbabwe played only one ODI series against an Associate side, drawing 2-2 with Afghanistan last year. Bangladesh played 50 ODIs between the World Cups and only one – yes, one – was against an Associate: Afghanistan in the Asia Cup.Such fixtures must be far more frequent. UAE here in Nelson, and Ireland here earlier this week, and Scotland in Dunedin, and Afghanistan in Canberra, have shown the gap between the haves and have nots has shrunk. The Associates are competitive, and must be respected as such. A 10-team World Cup is short-sighted and short-changes the game.In the end, Zimbabwe got out of jail, but the monopoly held by the ICC’s ten Full Members was brought into question once again. Richardson and the ICC should take note that this match in Nelson was as evenly matched and competitive as this World Cup has been.

The young Bangladesh side, in many ways, represents the transition and growth of cricket and its infrastructure in the country. The World Cup is a chance to test these systems

Mohammad Isam17-Feb-2015Conditions, pitches and bounce. Preparations, expectations and pressure. Bangladesh would have to deal with these demons first and Afghanistan second in Canberra on Wednesday. Each player will have to accept a world outside their comfort zone for Bangladesh to have a successful outing from their first game onwards.Since the 2011 World Cup, Bangladesh have played 36 out of 50 ODIs at home and none in Australia and New Zealand. There was, however, little doubt that this was the best cricket team in Bangladesh and there was little debate about who was left behind when the national selectors announced the squad in January. This match and the World Cup campaign is, essentially, an important test of Bangladesh cricket and the systems it has put in place, both natural and structural.The players’ individual progress, over a decade or the past few months, lends its own context to the transition of Bangladesh cricket over the last 15 years. With so much debate now over their future in international cricket, the World Cup is perhaps the best occasion for Bangladesh to show how each batch of cricketers has contributed to the bigger picture. Two of the players took to the game before Bangladesh gained Test status, while the next group of four players began training together in 2003 as part of BCB’s first major development programme.Most players in the current squad have followed in the footsteps of Mashrafe Mortaza, Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim – rising either through sheer talent, the U19 programmes or building themselves in domestic cricket, sometimes even a combination of the three. They are the sum total of almost every thought-process that has taken shape in Bangladesh cricket: the need for faster bowlers, all-round fielders, proper allrounders and stroke-playing openers.Mashrafe and left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny are from Bangladesh’s last innocent era – the late 1990s. They took to cricket moments after Hasibul Hossain and Khaled Mashud scampered a leg-bye in Kuala Lumpur in 1997. Like many kids across the country, they ran out of their homes to celebrate Bangladesh’s victory over Kenya, having heard the delirious commentators.After 14 years of playing and coping with as many as 11 leg injuries, Mashrafe is now in his third and most important stint as captain. Sunny, on the other hand, had almost given up the game, after he felt he was the “nothing” player of his era. He was only picked in the Bangladesh T20 team last year, 13 years after making his club and first-class debut, thanks to a large bag of wickets in domestic one-day and T20 tournaments.If Mashrafe and Sunny came from the ‘all-or-nothing culture’ of Bangladesh’s early days as a Test nation, the next batch of cricketers was expected to make something out of their own talent with the help of the training they received from a young age – a first for Bangladesh cricket.Mashrafe Mortaza, now in his most important stint as captain, came from the ‘all-or-nothing culture’ of Bangladesh’s early years as a Test nation•AFPThe Bangladesh Cricket Board’s first high-level cricket development programme brought Mushfiqur, Mahmudullah, Shakib and Tamim into international cricket, all within the span of a few years. Among the four, Shakib perhaps is an exception in the amount of international exposure he has garnered by playing in various leagues across the world. He is the only member of the current squad to have played in Australia a month before the World Cup, with a stint in the Big Bash League.Between 2007 and 2010, Tamim, along with Shakib, was seen as one of the path-breakers of Bangladesh cricket, leading the way on the international stage. In that period, he was the highest run-getter for Bangladesh across formats – 4278 in 122 matches – closely followed by Shakib. Since then, however, he has crunched his game down to bare essentials and has lost his position as a batting leader within the team to Mushfiqur, who has flourished over the last two years.The rise, performance and popularity of these four players has brought forth a more forceful genre of cricketers, represented in the side by Rubel Hossain, Nasir Hossain and Sabbir Rahman.Rubel was the first fast bowler after Mashrafe to generate excitement with his pace, while Nasir and Sabbir have evolved into two of the best all-round fielders in the country. Of the three, only Nasir received proper training in his formative years but is now on the periphery of the team due to a slump in form. Rubel’s concentration on pace and a lack of subtlety has made him a one-dimensional bowler, while Sabbir, who made his international debut only last year, is still very new to international cricket.By every estimate Taskin Ahmed, Mominul Haque, Anamul Haque and Soumya Sarkar represent the future of Bangladesh cricket and one of them perhaps could go on to become the Bangladesh captain.Taskin, a fast bowler, was a YouTube sensation as an Under-19 cricketer, growing from his roots in taped tennis-ball cricket, and is seen as a successor to Mashrafe and Rubel. Mominul and Anamul made their international debut in the same match – against West Indies in November 2012 – but have different characters and have had different careers so far. The more flamboyant Anamul has notched up three ODI hundreds but Mominul, with a quieter personality, has put together strong performances in Test cricket.Unlike many Bangladesh international players, who have risen through the ranks of Under-19 cricket, pacer Al-Amin Hossain and left-arm spinner Taijul Islam are almost entirely products of the domestic system, nurtured through the club and divisional leagues. Their wicket-taking abilities won them a place in the senior side last year and they have not disappointed so far.Nine members of the Bangladesh squad are playing their first World Cup and it’s a chance for them to show that cricket in the country is thriving. What they lack in experience they will have to compensate with natural ability and eagerness. For the older hands, the tournament is a chance to prove their status as big-stage players and leaders of Bangladesh cricket, and leave a memorable legacy.

In the final leg of this globetrotting adventure, our correspondent and his wife take in more safaris than cricket in South Africa, and are overwhelmed by the World Cup experience

Subash Jayaraman11-Apr-2015Day 136
Get invited to Jamnagar, from where Ranjitsinhji ruled his princely state of Nawanagar. Never imagined Ranji would feature on this trip twice, unplanned, after a visit to his summer castle on the west coast of Ireland. Visit the Summair sports club – Ranji was its founding patron – which houses the stumps and ball from the match in which he passed 3000 runs in the 1899 first-class season for Sussex, the first batsman to do so.Day 139
On a day trip to the various visually stunning forts in and around the city of Jaipur, we come across a poignant message honouring the passing of Phillip Hughes on the wall of the Nahargarh Fort, and are reminded of how tight-knit the cricket community is. There are banners and posters here and there in the city promoting competitions for local kids to be part of the IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals, but generally cricket is at its lowest ebb in November. One can only imagine what it will be like now with the eighth edition of the IPL underway.Day 148
Visit one of the seven wonders of the modern world, Taj Mahal. No photograph ever could do justice to the beauty of this marble edifice. On the ride back to New Delhi, stop to watch a game of gully cricket in the grounds of a temple, next to a Muslim cemetery across from the tomb of Itmad-ud-Daula. Pile of bricks acts as stumps on a dug-up pitch. The batsman, Ahmed, launches everything to leg-side boundary and has to help the fielders identify the lost ball since he knows exactly where he hit it.Day 149
Teach my wife to make a ball to play cricket with using an old cycle tube. She cuts thin rings from the tube, wrapping them around a center core of small stones and newspaper. After 45 minutes of hard work, she has recreated the ball with which I used to play cricket with my cousins. Childhood relived as we have a hit in a friend’s front yard in Delhi.A herd of elephants walks across the road in Kruger Park•Subash JayaramanDay 153
Interview former India opener Madhav Apte at his spacious residence in Mumbai. He gives us a tour of his home. There is a framed signed picture of Sir Don Bradman, a gift from Clarrie Grimmett and framed paper cuttings from his time as a schoolboy taking all ten in an innings. He’s still active at the age of 83, playing badminton and tennis. After nearly two hours of cricket chat, he bowls some legbreaks to my wife to see how much cricket she has picked up on the trip. Not much as it turns out.Day 155
Any trip to South Africa is incomplete without a visit to the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg to understand the troubled past of the Rainbow Nation. A series of well-thought-out exhibits enlightens us on the state-sanctioned discrimination system that disadvantaged a majority of South Africans, and the struggle for liberty and equality led by, amongst others, the great Nelson Mandela. It is a testament to the vile perversion human beings are capable of, and also the indomitable will of the human spirit to overcome the toughest obstacles.Day 157-160
First Test between South Africa and West Indies at the Super Sport Park in Centurion. Take the convenient Gautrain from Jo’burg to the stadium in Pretoria. Incredibly excited to see live for the first time Dale Steyn bowl in a Test. The accreditation has not been sorted but Cricket South Africa makes alternate arrangements and I get to my seat in the outdoor press box just in time for the first delivery. Fans lie on the grass banks, enjoying beers and a variety of foods while keeping an eye on the proceedings in the middle. During the lunch break, fans are allowed on to the field to take part in impromptu games of cricket or to just stroll around.Fantasy cricket: a match at Hobbiton with Richard Hadlee•Subash JayaramanGet to watch two of the greatest modern-day batsmen – Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers – pile on the runs. Steyn has an ordinary first innings but rolls into form in the second, taking a six-for and in the process destroying the overmatched West Indians. The match is over in the first session of day four.Day 162-164

Rent a car and drive 500km to Kruger National Park, a massive preserve of African veld and wildlife. Spend two days exploring the park at 15kph, astounded and surrounded by giraffe, zebra, rhino, lion, cheetah, hyena, and more, and after 48 hours have still barely scratched the surface. Learn that despite their massive size elephants are quite silent when we are ambushed by an entire herd crossing the road. Easily the highlight of the trip: to be driving around in a car inside a park almost the size of New Jersey, watching nature in full glory.Day 166-170
Port Elizabeth. Rain-affected drawn Test. Gives us time to explore some of the game reserves and parks in the area, and partake in the most traditional of South African outdoor activity – the braai. One of the South African journalists is gracious enough to host us and we tuck into the orgy of grilled meat.Day 172-178
Land in picturesque Cape Town on New Year’s Eve. Another braai. Spend the entire New Year’s day at Newlands waiting to interview Kraigg Brathwaite and Marlon Samuels. Brathwaite keeps the appointment but Marlon skips it. After looking for him for an hour, am told that he has fallen asleep in the dressing room!On the SkyWalk in Auckland•Subash JayaramanAt the conclusion of another South African Test victory, opener Alviro Petersen announces his retirement from the international game. All his team-mates line up in the back of the press conference room in support, and the raw emotions of the occasion hang thick in the air.Day 179-185
After a marathon 22 hours of flying, land in Adelaide. Walk around the CBD and make our way to the beautiful Adelaide Oval. Watch a Big Bash game. Surprised by the turnout of nearly 30,000 on a working day even as rain comes down before the start of the match. Kids everywhere are decked out in Adelaide Strikers colours. The BBL marketing team must be doing something right to attract such a devoted audience.Day 186-194
Melbourne. Watch a weekend club game at the South Yarra Cricket Club’s home ground. Heart longs for such easy access to cricket back in the US. Journalist Gideon Haigh invites us to nets. Spend nearly two hours bowling, and the next two days being sore all over.Watch an India v Australia tri-series ODI. India are outplayed for large parts of the game but their bowlers make it a close game. A sign of things to come in the World Cup. Witness pink ball trials at the MCG before and after the ODI.Kids enjoy an Adelaide Strikers match•Getty ImagesDay 195-201
Overnight bus from Melbourne to Sydney. Head straight to the SCG for the Australia Day match between India and Australia. Is washed out after only a few overs of play.Play as the 11th member on a mate’s club side. Do not get to bowl or bat but the team wins – their first win of the season. Everybody congratulates me for being the lucky charm and buy several beers to celebrate the win. Wish cricket were this easy!Day 202-210
Queensland. After a short stay in Brisbane, where we sneak into the locked Gabba and take pictures of the ground, we head north to the tropical Cairns. The gorgeously deep blue portions of the Great Barrier Reef comes in to view as the plane circles around the mountains on the landing approach. Book a day trip out to Green Island to further explore the reef and spend another day driving in the Kuranda National Park.Drive 400kms to Townsville to meet the couple – Patrick and Sharon – who were the inspiration behind this round-the-world trip. It was a chance meeting at Queen’s Park Oval in 2012 that sowed the seeds for this adventure. Patrick takes me out to his club’s nets and then on to Tony Ireland Stadium to watch a first grade match between his club and Wanderers CC, a club Andrew Symonds and Mitchell Johnson played for. Dozens of people are in the stands to watch this game. Australia truly is a cricket country.Deep blue sea: India fans packed the MCG for their team’s match against South Africa in the World Cup•AFPDay 211-214
Back in Melbourne to await the start of the World Cup. Attend the pre-match pressers of Australia and England. George Bailey as captain addresses the media and that will be his last for the tournament as Michael Clarke returns from injury. James Anderson fronts up for England and that will be the last I see of England since my plan to see them in the quarter-final doesn’t work out.Day 215-220
Drive overnight to Adelaide to watch India-Pakistan and then a two-day drive to Canberra and back to Melbourne. Highway rest area facilities in Australia are spectacular, making the drive very comfortable. With no hotels available, choose to spend a night sleeping in the car under the stars somewhere between Adelaide and Canberra.Day 223
Never seen anything like it. A nearly full MCG, almost all of it blue, barracking for the Indians against South Africa. Melbourne has become Mumbai. Indian bowlers make their presence felt and India get home easily.Interview ICC chief executive Dave Richardson for a few minutes in the press box, enquiring about the reduction of the number of teams in the 2019 World Cup to ten. Wishy-washy responses but I understand his plight as the face of an organisation that serves only the narrow interests of its member boards and not the wider interest of the sport.The end: the weary travellers return home•Subash JayaramanDay 228-245
In New Zealand. Watch some of the closest matches of the tournament. Play a promotional game of cricket at the Hobbiton movie set alongside Sir Richard Hadlee and Stephen Fleming. Take in a tour of the wineries in Waiheke Island off the coast of Auckland. Walk on the outside of the Sky Tower in Auckland, 192m off the ground.The buzz about the World Cup is more palpable in New Zealand than it was in Australia. The local media and fans have embraced the tournament entirely and the nation is completely behind their beloved Black Caps. Brendon McCullum is repaying their faith in spades with an aggressive and risky form of cricket that has their legion of fans thinking about the trophy.Day 260
World Cup final. Australia crush New Zealand quite easily and prove their superior depth and quality in all facets of the game, in familiar surroundings.Spend the entire match replaying the happenings of the last 260 days in my mind – the serendipitous experiences and the incredible kindness of strangers and friends that made the whole trip possible. The unbelievable journey from watching the 2011 final in my apartment in a snow-covered small town in Pennsylvania to witnessing the 2015 final from the press box at the MCG!Day 262
Flight to New York from Melbourne via Los Angeles. We are home!

Plays of the Day from the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad

Andrew Fidel Fernando04-May-2015The near hokey pokey
Tim Southee and Karun Nair have already combined to turn a probable six into a dismissal this season. Eoin Morgan and Hanuma Vihari did their best to pull off a repeat, but didn’t manage to read each other’s movements well enough. Morgan backpedalled and leapt backwards over the boundary to intercept Manish Pandey’s strike over wide long-on. Though he managed to palm it back infield while airborne, he also deflected it to the left of Vihari, who had run in from deep midwicket. Vihari was at least able to prevent the ball from hitting the ropes again, however, and the pair saved four runs.The dual predetermination
Reverse shots, they say, are largely predetermined, and when Johan Botha shaped to hit a successive reverse off Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 18th over, the bowler got him out with what seemed to be a planned move of his own. Expecting Botha to switch his stance again, Bhuvneshwar fired a length ball down the leg side. Having already committed to the shot, Botha tried to shovel the ball away, knowing it would not be called a wide, but only succeeded in deflecting it onto his stumps.The bashful bowler
Brad Hogg had bowled four decent balls to begin his spell, but it would be his woeful fifth delivery that brought a wicket. Shikhar Dhawan ran down the track, and Hogg dragged his googly down a little too much to deliver a half-tracker. Having read the length, and the direction of spin, Dhawan nailed a flat pull shot, only when he looked around, saw that he had put it into Pandey’s lap at square leg. When he glanced back at Hogg, the bowler wore an embarrassed grin, knowing he’d taken a wicket with his worst delivery so far.The race between ball and glove
The best wicketkeepers can collect the ball while their gloves are already en route to the stumps. Robin Uthappa did this so well in the 12th over, it actually proved somewhat counterproductive. Ryan ten Doeschate’s throw from deep midwicket came in close to the stumps, and though batsman Bipul Sharma was caught well short attempting a second run, Uthappa had taken the bails off so quickly, it raised suspicion that he had disturbed the stumps before he was in possession of the ball. The third umpire looked at endless replays of the dismissal, but in the end, Uthappa appears to have played his piece flawlessly. The bail came off split seconds after the ball entered his gloves, and the batsman was deemed out.

Stats highlights from the fourth ODI between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Colombo, where the visitors sealed a series win

Shiva Jayaraman22-Jul-20152006 The last time Pakistan won a bilateral series in Sri Lanka before today. They had won a three-match series 2-0 on that occasion, but lost three consecutive series after that.55 Pakistan’s win margin in this match in terms of the number of balls remaining – their fourth-biggest against Sri Lanka in ODIs. Their biggest win against Sri Lanka in terms of balls remaining came in 2012 in Dubai, when they won with 169 deliveries to spare. The 40.5 overs they took to chase down the target in Colombo, though, are the second least they have taken to successfully chase down any target of 250 or more runs in ODIs.90.4 Pakistan’s ODI ratings after this win. They are now two points clear of West Indies who are on 88.4 points. Should they win the final ODI of this series as well, Pakistan will end up with 91.7 points and gain a three-point lead over West Indies. If they lose, Pakistan will be 89.7. Qualification for the Champions Trophy, though, still depends on the outcome from the proposed tri-series in August involving Pakistan, West Indies and Zimbabwe.200 Runs conceded by Sachith Pathirana in his first three ODIs – only one run fewer than the highest conceded by any bowler in his first three ODIs; UAE’s Manjula Guruge conceded 201 runs in his first three matches. For Sri Lanka, Ruchira Perera was the most expensive bowler before Pathriana, having conceded 182 runs in his first three games.9 Fifty-plus stands by Pakistan’s openers in ODIs in 2015 – the most for any team. Pakistan’s first wicket averages 57.26, which is the highest for any team in 2015. Pakistan’s openers have added 1088 runs in 19 innings, including four hundreds and five fifty stands.459 Runs scored by Lahiru Thirimanne against Pakistan in ODIs, the most he has against any team. Thirimanne’s 90 in this match was his fourth fifty-plus score in his last six ODIs against Pakistan.15 Number of innings since the last time Ahmed Shehzad hit a century in ODIs. He has made five fifties since then, including two nineties. Shehzad’s last century came against New Zealand in Sharjah last year.246 Runs conceded by Lasith Malinga in this series – the fourth-highest he has conceded in any bilateral series. The 292 runs he conceded in a five-match bilateral series in 2013-14 in the UAE, also against Pakistan, are his highest. Malinga has taken only four wickets at 61.50 runs apiece in this series.41 Balls Pakistan took to make 50 runs in their innings; this was their second-fastest fifty against Sri Lanka in ODIs since 2001. Their fastest came last year in Hambantota, when they made fifty in 40 deliveries. 9 Times Kusal Perera has been dismissed in the first over of an innings in ODIs – the most by any batsman since Kusal’s debut. Kusal’s duck in this match was his 19th single-digit score in 40 ODIs as an opener. Among those with at least 30 innings since Kusal’s debut, no opener has gotten out in single digits as frequently as him.2006 The last time before this match that Pakistan added 50 or more runs for each of their first two wickets against Sri Lanka in ODIs. Overall, there have been 12 such instances for Pakistan against Sri Lanka.10 Instances before this match where two batsmen from opposing teams both got out in the nineties in an ODI before this match. The last such instance came in the 2015 World Cup match between Ireland and Zimbabwe when Andy Balbirnie and Sean Williams were denied their centuries. There is only one instance in ODI history when three batsmen have got out in the nineties. This, too, was a World Cup game, between Australia and South Africa in 2007, when Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke from Australia, and AB de Villiers from South Africa missed out on their hundreds.

At the launch of his new book on South African batsmen, Ali Bacher paid tribute to one of the best

Firdose Moonda14-Sep-2015It took Ali Bacher just one summer to discover the man he regards as the “most complete all-round batsman I’ve seen” – Barry Richards.”It was the 1966-67 season and Transvaal were playing Natal on Boxing Day. Don Mackay-Coghill was bowling and Barry was facing. On the fourth ball of the over I stopped the game, called Cogs over and said, ‘I want you to bowl on his leg stump and I am putting a leg-side field.”Barry was such a correct player that I felt if he had a left-arm inswing, we might nab him at leg gully. But when I did that, I could see Barry was sniggering. He was laughing at us. Anyway, Cogs ran in to bowl a beautiful ball. Barry hit it to leg gully and was out. So that season we went around the country and we said to people that Barry Richards was easy – just put a leg-side field and out he goes.”Then we went for the return game at Kingsmead. Natal bat first and Cogs was to bowl. Barry was taking strike. I was at leg gully and Cogs wasn’t bowling, so I shouted at him to ask what the problem was, and Cogs said, ‘Look where he is standing’. Barry was standing a foot outside leg stump. I shouted to Cogs to just bowl even though the stumps were open. That day Barry got about 150.”Richards is one of 14 batsmen featured in Bacher’s new book . At its launch in Cape Town, Bacher swapped anecdotes with Richards, Robin Jackman, the former England medium-pacer who played a lot of domestic cricket against Richards, and Gary Kirsten, also in the book.Bacher with Kirsten in Nairobi, 2000•Getty ImagesIn 1966-67, Bacher was the man blocking Richards’ way into the South African Test team that took on Australia. “That greatest achievement as a batsman is that I kept Barry out for a whole season.” But that would not last. Three years later, when the Australians returned, Richards was in the squad and selected for the first Test at Newlands.”I was obviously very nervous, but it was also all very exciting, especially when Ali won the toss and we were going to bat,” Richards said. “I was opening with Trevor Goddard, who I played with at club level, so I thought a few encouraging words would be nice on the way out. Trevor turned to me and asked, ‘Are you nervous?’ and I said, ‘I’m shitting myself,’ and he said, ‘It doesn’t get any better’.”But for Richards it did. He was the second-highest run scorer in the series, only nine behind Graeme Pollock, and the only member of the South African squad who could figure out how to play mystery spinner John Gleeson.”After the first day’s play of the first Test, we had a meeting to try and work out how to play this chap,” Bacher remembered. “Barry had never played him and that night he explained that we had to watch his fingers. ‘When he runs up and you can see a lot of fingers over the ball, that’s legspin, and when he runs up and you can see the thumb, the forefinger and the ball, that’s his offbreak,’ Barry told us. After that all the players, including Graeme Pollock, still played him from the crease. We were nervous, but Barry used to go down the track to him. Gleeson got 19 wickets in that series but he never got Barry out.”Robin Jackman dismissed Richards 16 times in 25 first-class matches, but he says he was made to toil for the wickets•PA PhotosJackman was a bowler who did better against Richards, dismissing him more times than anyone else -16 in 25 first-class matches – but he remains modest about the achievement. “Let me tell you, it went: Richards caught du Preez bowled Jackman, 176, Richards bowled Jackman 125… I could carry on but you can see what it was: I just bowled a lot,” Jackman said.”I played against him more than I played against anybody in the world and I bowled a lot of overs, so there was going to come a time when, with a bit of luck, I would get him out. And most of the time, he had already got a hundred.”At least Jackman was not subjected to what Dennis Lillee and Graham McKenzie went through at the WACA, where Richards scored 325 in a single day for South Australia.”Graham McKenzie bowled me an offspinner at first,” Richards recalled. “I had a little feel and I missed it, and the little fat fellow behind called Rodney Marsh turned to John Inverarity and said, ‘I thought you told me this bloke could play,’. Invers, being a studious man, never said a word until the last ball of the day, which Lillee bowled with the second new ball. I hit it to the sightscreen and as I was walking away, Invers slid up to Rod Marsh and said, ‘I think he can’.”Bacher also spoke warmly of the two batsmen from the current South African side who made it into his book.Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers: Contrasting batting styles but same results•Getty Images”Last December I organised to interview AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla in Johannesburg. We had fantastic interviews and I was so impressed with both of them. When I got home, I sent them SMSes to thank them, adding, ‘Please don’t reply, no need to’. Both replied right away. They are such wonderful people. This country is fortunate to have them, they are such special people.”Bacher said de Villiers is “the most innovative batsman I have ever seen”. “When I interviewed Lance Klusener two years ago for my book on allrounders, we spoke about how, in 1998, when he had a knee injury, he had nothing to do in Durban, so he went and faced millions of balls, aiming to hit sixes. Then when the World Cup came in 1999, he could close his eyes and hit sixes.”So when I interviewed AB this time I told him that story and I asked him, ‘All those shots you play, I assume you practise in the nets?’ He told me he doesn’t. He goes in [to bat in a match], he gets a feel, he looks around, the bloke runs up to bowl and then it’s instinct. He is a genius.”Kirsten confirmed de Villiers’ instinctive approach to the game, contrasting it with Amla’s. “AB is not a big hitter of the ball. He is a supreme talent. He hits a couple of balls in the nets and has a few throws and he is out of there in an hour. It’s a high-quality hour and he practises properly, which I really enjoy watching,” Kirsten said.”But Hashim is the opposite. He will have his pads on for two hours to prepare for a Test if it’s the next day. I love the way he ends the net. He walks around with a bag of golf balls and a stump and he gets one of the coaches to throw the golf balls, of which they are about 30, at full pace from 16 yards. When he feels he is hitting it in the middle of the stump, he finishes his net. It’s amazing to watch how these guys do things differently and have the same amount of success.”Bacher hopes his book will celebrate all those types of success.

Alastair Cook’s innings – the third longest in Test history – was a stunning feat of endurance, but nothing should deflect from the recognition that this pitch is bad for the game

Andrew McGlashan16-Oct-2015There has been some discussion this year whether four-day Tests are the way of the future. One benefit of that would be that this exercise in Abu Dhabi would have ended today. Even making this a timeless Test may not have guaranteed a result as happened in 1939 in Durban, the only difference being it would have been a plane England had to catch rather than a boat.In theory there could still be, just about, a Karachi 2000-type conclusion if England finish batting early on the final morning. A third innings with nothing but survival to play for, the situation Pakistan will find themselves in, can do strange things for a team. England will forever be associated with the final-day collapse of Adelaide 2006-07 and three of this side, including the man of the moment Alastair Cook, played in that match. But it would be one of most stunning denouements to a Test. And it still would not make the first four days good for cricket.Cook’s innings – 263, spanning 528 balls and 836 minutes, the third longest in Test history – was a stunning feat of concentration and accumulation. He continues to set a host of England records. But sport should never be purely a statistical exercise; it should be a contest.That is not to take anything away from Cook or Shoaib Malik, who led the way in Pakistan’s first innings. While bowling is clearly the most unforgiving task on this 22 yards – there was good reason why it was suggested Wahab Riaz should be Man of the Match – to display the stamina and concentration that those two batsmen have shown is a herculean effort. Yet it was mostly a test of patience, not of pure batting skill. To fight off boredom was to their credit.

Game can turn on its head – Root

Joe Root believes England can still force victory on the final day in Abu Dhabi after Alastair Cook’s 263, and 85 from Root himself, helped earn them a lead of 46 with two wickets remaining.
Just 16 wickets have fallen across four days, and it took more than 1000 deliveries for a spinner to find success, but while Root conceded it would take a “hell of an effort” to claim 10 in less than three sessions he knows England are the only side with any chance of winning.
“You’ve seen over the last session or so how it has started to spin a bit more off the straight and reverse swing has started to play a part towards the back end of our innings,” he said. “That spell from Wahab was exceptional and it can take a little period of play like that to turn a game on its head.
“When you have that scoreboard pressure of some sort of a lead on the final, you never know. You’ve seen over the summer how quickly Test cricket can change and it could be a really exciting finish.”

“They do cover your bad days,” Ian Bell said of the need to cash in when the chance arises. That is all well and good, but there comes a point when you have to question the value of runs. Of course, this is not the first time this has happened in Test cricket, and won’t be the last. Perhaps the most memorable (if that’s the right term) was in 1997 when Sri Lanka piled up 952 for 6, the highest total in Test cricket, in reply to India’s paltry 537 for 8 dec. At least this match will see a third innings.In that run-fest the left-arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarni struck with his first ball in Test cricket to have Marvan Atapattu caught behind: it was his last wicket in 69.5 overs. Zulfiqar Babar will have his sympathy, having ended his toil for a wicket after 68.5 overs, while Adil Rashid’s wait now looks positively short. Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama added 576 for the second wicket – at the time the highest partnership in Test history and now the second. Eye-watering numbers that stand out in history, but for what worth?Sometimes hasty judgements are made about pitches but, a miraculous final day notwithstanding, there has been enough evidence, with sides batting for 151 and 196 respectively, that this one has offered nothing. And it’s not only bowlers who would like something more, extra pace would allow batsmen to play their shots more freely.The PCB are in charge of pitch preparations for Tests in the UAE – as their home away from home – and have previously shipped over their own groundsmen. This time the surface has been left to the Sheikh Zayed Stadium staff – with, no doubt, a few pointers on what to produce – but it is a pitch straight out of the worst Faisalabad or Lahore could ever had offered.It would be harsh to single out Abu Dhabi. It is one pitch for one game; neither are they the only ground to have ever had a flat one. Mushtaq Ahmed, Pakistan’s bowling coach, rightly pointed out how the surfaces against Australia and New Zealand began flat but brought the spinners into the game later. He also made a valid point that, with the heat that had preceded the match, the groundsmen may have been concerned about too much cracking so left some (dead) grass on which has held the surface together too well.But Test cricket is on a precipice. For a region that is trying to make the most of its cricketing population – and it does exist, just see the corporate and league matches going on around the stadium on Friday, full of passion and joy – and at a time when, outside England and Australia, five-day crowds continue to dwindle it was particularly unfortunate timing.A spectator finds the going tough in Abu Dhabi•Associated PressThere are more practical reasons, like the heat and the need to work, which play a part in the generally small crowds in the UAE, but that does not invalidate the belief that this has been a horrifically flat pitch. However, it is a broader concern for the game rather than an issue with a single ground.At one point, a TV camera at the stadium panned to one of the amateur games going on outside – it was the first day of their season – and happened to come across a run out. “Stay on that game,” came the predictable response on social media. There is a serious point here.While the billions keep rolling in from the broadcasters, those in positions of power can largely ignore the issues of bland pitches. That would be very dangerous. All it needs is for one of the TV companies to turn around and say, ‘we’ve looked at the figures, and the viewers have cottoned onto the fact it is not worth watching. We’d just like to pay half the amount, please’.In 2014, Trent Bridge was given a ‘poor’ rating for a dead pitch. For the good of the game the match referee, Andy Pycroft, has to come down hard on this surface. It is a strip of baked mud that would be more suitable as part of the highway that runs to Dubai the one that both teams will be glad to travel on when this game finally comes to an end sometime on Saturday afternoon. It must be hoped that this has not set the trend for the series.