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South Africa squared their Test series against England with a 67-run victory in Paarl on another hard-fought day

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Feb-2013
ScorecardSouth Africa squared their Test series against England with a 67-run victory in Paarl on another hard-fought day. The home side’s spinners played a key role on a wearing surface after England had set a platform for at least a draw on 143 for 1.Victory came deep into the final session after the last four wickets fell for 10 runs. Kagiso Rababa, the quick bowler, wrapped up the innings with two wickets.England had started the day on 31 without loss needing another 287 to take the series and made strong early progress as Jonathan Tattersall and Dominic Sibley took their opening stand to 63. After Sibley fell to Vincent Moore another productive stand of 90 followed between Tattersall and Harry Finch (46).However, when Finch fell to the legspinner Diego Rosier, who bowled 25 overs in the day, the innings began to subside as England slipped to 191 for 6 before tea. Ed Barnard and Miles Hammond slowed South Africa’s momentum by adding 49, but when Michael Fasson had Barnard lbw the final collapse decided the match.David Bedingham, whose hundred set up South Africa’s matchwinning lead, was named Man of the Match and Oli Stone, the England captain, took the Man of the Series award for taking 17 wickets at 9.88.Stone’s match figures of 11 for 79 were the best by an England bowler in a Youth Test surpassing the record of 11 for 213 held Richard Pearson, the former Northamptonshire, Surrey and Essex spinner, set against Australia’s Young Cricketers in 1991.

Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistan’s opening batsman, has fiercely denied being the team’s weak link despite sub-standard performances with the bat

Firdose Moonda in Centurion23-Feb-2013Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistan’s opening batsman, has fiercely denied being the team’s weak link despite sub-standard performances with the bat. Hafeez registered his fourth single-digit score of the series to open Pakistan up for the second time in the match and leave them staring at a whitewash.Despite posting his highest score of the series in the first innings – 18, Hafeez has had a disappointing time overall with just 43 runs from six innings. His record outside the subcontinent and Zimbabwe is similarly dismal with his average sitting at 15.59.Still, he believes he is fit to continue as an opener at Test level. “I am really working hard in the nets, it’s just that I got some good balls in the series,” a defensive Hafeez said at the end of day two. “There is nothing wrong with my technique, it’s just that the runs aren’t coming and I am not performing for the team.”After surviving for more than an hour in Pakistan’s first innings, Hafeez looked set to turn his fortunes around. He was driving well and looked more comfortable at the crease than he has thus far. But he succumbed to a familiar problem that ran through the entire line-up today.As he tried to fend off extra bounce from Kyle Abbott, he popped a chance up to Dean Elgar at gully to spark Pakistan’s collapse. In the second innings, it was the other problem Pakistan’s openers have had that affected Hafeez – the struggle against the new ball with its pace and movement. Dale Steyn was keen to finish the job and steamed in, Hafeez was stuck in his crease and played on.Deliveries like that, not his own inability to deal with them or the conditions, are what Hafeez thinks has hampered him this series. “The bowler did the basics right, especially by pitching the ball in the right areas,” he explained. “And credit must go to them, especially to the debutant Abbott, who bowled really well. There is not too much in the pitch, there is some bounce which we expected.”Hafeez has also been under-utilised with the ball, except at the Wanderers where he made a major impact, but feels the captain “knows how to handle the players,” and does not see that as a way in which he could have contributed more. Instead, he remains symbolic of Pakistan’s malaise, although he also insists their troubles are not as serious as they look.”In Cape Town we had some good moments. We couldn’t put pressure on them but we are trying to fight it out. If we have one good partnership here, we can fight it out. We are very capable of scoring runs on any track. We need things to change. The series will go on and the boys will come out with some good performances,” he said.For that, Pakistan will need a Herculean partnership, even better than the one Younis Khan and Asad Shafiq put on at Newlands, which was the highest by visiting batsmen in South Africa in seven years. Younis is at the crease and Shafiq is yet to come. They also have Imran Farhat, who didn’t come out to bat in the second innings. He was struck on the hand and has since had an x-ray taken, but will be fine to bat on the third day. Pakistan’s chances still appear thin.The South African attack, even without Morne Morkel and Jacques Kallis, remains potent and aggressive. Perhaps more importantly, they are uber-confident, something that was evident in Graeme Smith enforcing the follow-on. “We all thought of not having to bat last but it was a very positive move,” AB de Villiers explained. “Graeme showed confidence in the bowlers. Hopefully in the morning session, it will move around a lot like it did today. I found it played quite well after lunch on day one but it does a bit in the morning.”Pakistan have had to contend with many early bursts in the series and those words will not give them any comfort. In this situation, only small goals are worthwhile, such as getting through the first over, then the first hour and then the first session. If they can achieve some of those, Hafeez may be proved right in some ways. “We lost the series but this game was a little bit different and we have to come up with some good performances,” he said.

After posting 158, Faisalabad Wolves had one major aim in the chase – dismissing Shoaib Malik. They got him in time to restrict Sialkot Stallions in the chase and take the title

The Report by Umar Farooq01-Apr-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Faisalabad Wolves celebrate their title win•Pakistan Cricket Board

After posting 158, Faisalabad Wolves had one major aim in the chase – dismissing Shoaib Malik. They got him in time to restrict Sialkot Stallions in the chase and take the title in front of a full house at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The Wolves won their previous national T20 title in 2005.Wolves, by winning the title, have also qualified for the Champions League Twenty20 this year, though that remains subject invitation by the tournament organisers. Teams from Pakistan were ignored for the first three editions of that competition, though the Stallions were invited last year. They failed to qualify for the main round.Wolves were off to a poor start after winning the toss, the openers back in the hut in the space of eight balls. However, they recovered, and recovered well.The defining feature of Wolves’ innings was the swift pace at which runs were scored. The first 50 runs came off 50 balls, second in 49 and the final 50 were knocked off in just 17 balls. Asif Ali was key, smashing 70 off 49 balls with nine boundaries, including three sixes. He first put together a 63-run third wicket stand with Khurram Shehzad (30) after the loss of two early wickets and then added an unbeaten 79 with captain Misbah-ul-Haq.Ali won six awards for his 70: most stylish player, most fours, most sixes, best scorer, and the Player of the Match while Ehsan Adil was named best bowler of the tournament. Misbah, who is currently enjoying the best run in his career, finished being a tournament top-scorer with 206 at a strike-rate of 140.13 and an average of 103, He’s also hit the most sixes this competition, 12. He played another assured hand in Wolves’ innings, smacking three sixes for his brisk 38 off 25 balls.The Stallions were reeling at 10 for 3 in the chase. Shakeel Ansar (4) was the first to go, top-edging a catch wicketkeeper Mohammad Salman.Stallions once again had to rely on Malik. Along with Ayaz Tasawwar (28 off 26), Malik added a steady 63 runs for the fifth wicket but the asking-rate was climbing with each over. The pair resisted Wolves for a while but Adil returned for his final spell to end the fightback. He first dismissed Tasawwar – who was caught at extra cover by Asif – and followed with a double-strike, getting rid of the brothers (Shoaib and Adeel) in quick succession.Malik finished the tournament as second-highest run-getter. His 40 off 39 balls included four fours and a six. After his departure, the rest of the batting couldn’t hold together. Malik failed to turn the tables this time and his side was bowled out for 122 in 19.1 overs.

Jon Culley at Derby27-Apr-2013
ScorecardStuart Broad took four of Derbyshire’s final five wickets to hurry the visitors to victory•Getty Images

Early season matches can be one thing or another for an England fast bowler in need of a pipe-opener ahead of the summer international programme and with Stuart Broad you never know quite what to expect at this time of year. In some ways, it is safer to take an open-minded view.He can blow hot and cold at the best of times. But if it was a chill wind that blew across the County Ground as Derbyshire sought to avoid an innings defeat, they found to their cost that Broad was in the mood and rhythm to leave scorch marks, figuratively speaking. Showing every indication that he will begin the New Zealand series in fine fettle, Broad ended almost single-handedly any prospect of an honourable draw for the home side, his burst with the second new ball bringing four wickets in the space of 17 deliveries.It set up a comfortable win for Nottinghamshire that, in reality, only a run of heavy showers was ever likely to deny them.Just as importantly, there was no sign of rust from Broad, whose eight wickets in the match maintained his impressive record for Nottinghamshire.He bowled at a decent pace and with good control of both the short ball, which he used sparingly but effectively, and the yorker, which in the conditions was a much more useful weapon. There was no hint, either, of the heel injury that affected him in India during the first half of England’s winter itinerary, and which he accepts he must manage carefully now. He was smooth and rhythmical and if there was any discomfort he hid it well.His performance was some consolation for Mick Newell after the loss of his leading wicket-taker, Andre Adams, to an injury that will keep him out at least until late May.”Stuart took a bit of time to get going when he came back to us last season but he has not been too long without playing since the last Test in New Zealand and I think that’s important for him,” Newell said.”He has hit the ground running this time and he has another chance to bowl against Durham next week, after which you’d like to think he will go back to England in some nice form before the first Test.”He bowled with pace, too. I know that spell with the new ball today was against lower order batsmen but it was still quick, and it was well controlled and well directed.”Centrally contracted England players inevitably see little action for their counties but Broad seldom gives Nottinghamshire less than full value. Saturday’s wickets took his tally to 65 in 12 Championship matches, with winning contributions in five of them.He ended Derbyshire’s hopes of avoiding a second defeat after their capitulation at Lord’s last week. Behind by 187 on first innings after James Taylor’s measured century, they managed to dig in for a while on the final morning, at least against the old ball. A half-century from Dan Redfern in a stand of 79 with David Wainwright gave them respectability after resuming five down for 143, although they always seemed unlikely to survive unless rain intervened.There was not much in the pitch for the quicker bowlers at that stage and it was left largely to Samit Patel to probe away with his left-arm spin in search of a breakthrough.It all changed after a sharp shower forced the players off the field for 15 minutes, during which time Nottinghamshire decided they would take the new ball. When play restarted, Broad bowled a full first delivery that beat Redfern for pace and pinned him leg before. In his next over, he had Wainwright caught behind off a brutish short ball he could only play in self-protection, before hitting Tom Poynton on the foot, again plumb in front, with the next ball.Some more sustained rain followed, causing a 90-minute stoppage following lunch. But Broad continued as before, striking again with another toe cruncher that sent Tony Palladino limping back to the pavilion, quite literally. Harry Gurney finished things off by bowling Jon Clare, which left Nottinghamshire needing only 43 to win.There was a minor disappointment when Alex Hales, who had batted with such discipline in the first innings, surrendered early but Michael Lumb and Ed Cowan completed the job in short order. Derbyshire lick their wounds and head next for Yorkshire, who dispatched Durham, the next opponents of Nottinghamshire, when they will have Broad and Graeme Swann at their disposal.

Chesney Hughes made a maiden first-class double century as Derbyshire racked up the runs before Yorkshire replied brightly on the second day at Headingley

Les Smith at Headlingley30-Apr-2013
ScorecardChesney Hughes went through to his maiden first-class double hundred•Getty Images

In 2012 Chesney Hughes scored 28 County Championship runs for Derbyshire. In three innings this season he has totalled 24 batting at No. 6 and No. 7. This afternoon, having been asked to open the innings in potentially difficult conditions yesterday morning, he came within four runs of the best first-class score in Derbyshire’s history.Had the tail managed to be more adhesive, or indeed if Shivnarine Chanderpaul had stuck around on the first day, Hughes would surely have broken a record set in 1896. He was dropped at the wicket on 70, but never at any other point looked anything other than assured, and he carried his bat for 270.So George Davidson, a coal miner’s son from Brimington, retains the Derbyshire record. He was a handy cricketer: 5,546 runs, 621 wickets, and the double in 1895. Those statistics would no doubt be a good deal more impressive had he not died at the age of 32. The record which Hughes wasn’t quite able to grab from him was set against Lancashire at Old Trafford.Hughes’ upbringing could not be further from a mining village in Derbyshire. He was born on Anguilla in the Leeward Islands, and has played for West Indies Under 19. When he was in his teens he moved himself to Fleetwood in Lancashire to play as an amateur, and there he was brought to Derbyshire’s attention. He’s recently qualified for England, and Test Selector James Whittaker was on hand to witness his innings. He’s only recently turned 22, but this was a mature, controlled knock. His defence and judgement of line are very sound, and when he hits the ball, he hits it very hard, although he reached his 200 with an undemonstrative nudge off his hip for a single.Hughes received some support from Tom Poynton and Tony Palladino as he closed in on George Davidson’s record, but when last man Tim Groenewald found himself facing the final ball of an Adil Rashid over before he had scored, there was a sense of inevitability about what would happen, and it did. He was lbw. If Hughes was disappointed, the huge smile on his face as he left the field belied it.He’s an articulate and humble man, and after close of play he paid tribute to the support he has received from Shivnarine Chanderpaul and his fellow Anguillan Cardigan Connor “in cricket and in life”. He had Chanderpaul in the dressing room, and Connor on the end of a phone, whenever he wasn’t actually tormenting Yorkshire in the middle.”I see myself as a middle order batsman”, he said. “But I just want to play and I’m happy to play anywhere.” He also acknowledged the respect he had been shown by the Yorkshire players, every one of whom shook his hand as he left the field. “Batting long is exhausting physically and mentally”, he added. “But I managed to get through it and I’m delighted”.The opening 45 overs of the Yorkshire innings held few alarms for the home side on a flattening pitch, so it came as something of a surprise when Adam Lyth edged Groenewald to second slip. Lyth was in need of a score after a poor run, and he got 69 with eleven boundaries, playing particularly powerfully through the off side on the front foot. In contrast to Lyth, Joe Root has not wanted for runs, and his 75 not out today takes him to over 300 in his last three innings.

N Srinivasan has said that the board would treat the case against his son-in-law and top Chennai Super Kings official Gurunath Meiyappan, “objectively and fairly”

ESPNcricinfo staff25-May-2013BCCI president N Srinivasan has said that the board will treat the case against his son-in-law and top Chennai Super Kings official Gurunath Meiyappan, who was arrested on charges of cheating, forgery and fraud, “objectively and fairly”. Srinivasan also aggressively defended his decision not to resign his post, reiterating that he had no reason to quit as president because he had done nothing wrong.Gurunath, who was produced in a Mumbai court on Saturday afternoon, was charged under 12 sections of three laws – relating to cheating, criminal conspiracy and forgery, among other issues – and returned to police custody till May 29. The laws under which Gurunath was booked include Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, Sections 4 and 5 of the Gambling Act, and Sections 465, 466, 468, 471, 490, 420, 212, 120B and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.*Srinivasan was speaking from Mumbai, having left Madurai earlier in the day. “The law has to take its course. I am sure that he will defend himself adequately but that is not a reason for me to step down,” Srinivasan told NDTV. “I am sorry. I cannot be bulldozed and I will not allow the press or the others to railroad me. I have done nothing wrong.”Again as far as Mr Gurunath is concerned, whatever steps and action has to be taken, which has been taken in case of anybody else, the same would apply to him. There will be no discrimination or change.”The fact is the probe will be carried out. Whatever steps have to be taken, will be taken objectively and fairly. That you need not be worried about. You can be sure that BCCI will act with the same alacrity. You need not be concerned about that.”When asked if he was aware of the alleged activities for which Gurunath had been charged, Srinivasan distanced himself from the issue, saying he barely followed the IPL. “I had no knowledge. Everybody knows I hardly visit, I hardly watch a game. In fact, I do not go to the CSK games, I hardly watch the T20. All I can say is that I had no knowledge of anything, which also people will understand because I never went to the games.”With reports emerging that some officials within the BCCI are moving to oust him, Srinivasan said he still had a lot of support within the board. “A lot of BCCI members have already sent me messages of support and how they are with me.”*15.00GMT, May 25: This article has been updated after the details of the charges against Gurunath Meiyappan arrived

Upul Tharanga and Mahela Jayawardene made a mockery of the teams’ suspicion of the damp surface and set up a massive win for Sri Lanka

The Report by Sidharth Monga02-Jul-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Mahela Jayawardene and Upul Tharanga put together Sri Lanka’s second-best stand against India•AFP

“Can’t seem to win a toss,” Angelo Mathews said suggesting he can’t catch a break nowadays when Sri Lanka were inserted on a track that has responded to West Indies quicks better than best of butlers. Four hours later, we had the first instance of an innings in a 50-over international ending with just one wicket down. Upul Tharanga and Mahela Jayawardene made a mockery of the teams’ suspicion of the damp surface with their 213-run opening, Sri Lanka’s second-best stand against India. Under the pressure of the mountain of runs, India huffed and puffed past… Upul Tharanga’s score of 174.This was Jayawardene’s first ODI century in two years and 50 innings, but it was Tharanga who claimed an illustrious record en route his highest ODI score. This was the seventh time he was involved in a double-century partnership, joint-highest along with Ricky Ponting. Tharanga’s was the third-highest individual score against India; four out of the best five individual efforts against India have come from Sri Lanka. Both, though, benefitted from some generous Indian fielding and bowling: Jayawardene was dropped on 25, Tharanga was missed on 2 and 91.Generally, too, India – missing the injured MS Dhoni – lacked the edge both with the ball and in the field. Apart from not being able to take wickets, India were pretty loose with the ball. At the death, they kept bowling length, went for at least one boundary in every over since the Powerplay was taken in the 35th over, and conceded 180 in the last 16 overs. Tharanga’s acceleration was stark: from 72 off 105 to the eventual 174 off 159.Captaining India for the first time, Virat Kohli brought in Shami Ahmed ahead of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, a move that will be debated. Bhuvneshwar gave India breakthroughs with the new ball in most of the matches he played, but Shami didn’t pose any threat. Another man coming in, M Vijay, dropped Jayawardene.The Sri Lanka openers gave the pitch the respect the first two low-scoring matches have accorded it, but it was obvious that either the track was much drier or it was the West Indies fast bowlers who exploited the moisture much better. Of the three quicks, only Umesh Yadav extracted some help from the pitch, but he too strayed with his length, allowing Tharanga to play his favourite cut shot often. The innings’ first boundary came through that cut. Ishant Sharma, at third man, made an equal contribution by letting the ball through. By then, Rohit Sharma had missed a half chance when he failed to hit the only stump visible from point. Tharanga was only 2 then.The first five overs brought only 16 runs, but soon the batsmen shed caution. Yadav’s pace was used well when lofted over the infield. And Ishant drew no respect. Jayawardene walked down the wicket to loft him over long-on, and in the same over Yadav misfielded at fine leg to return the favour to the bowler.Ravindra Jadeja was the first to draw a risky approach from Sri Lanka, but Vijay dropped the reverse hit at shortish backward point. Jayawardene rubbed it in when he reversed Jadeja emphatically for a four later, but it was his chips over extra cover off both the spinners that were delightful. Tharanga, meanwhile, was happy to be inconspicuous.It was perplexing that India introduced R Ashwin in the 20th over, and by then Sri Lanka had reached 90 without much trouble. Jayawardene was 49 off 58 then, and Tharanga 36 off 56. The same trend continued as Jayawardene kept hitting the odd boundary in the middle overs and almost on auto-pilot they had strolled to 168 in 34 overs.Sri Lanka now asked for the field to come up, and Tharanga opened up. He went after both Ashwin and Ishant, and by the time Jayawardene fell for 107 he was ready to take control. Just before that, he had been dropped by Yadav at third man, again off Ishant. Almost without taking a risk, Tharanga kept getting inside the line and carting the Indian bowlers.The 49th over, bowled by Yadav, was a complete bowling meltdown. Yadav began with a low full toss, which was sliced for a flat six over point. Then he saw Mathews back away, and bowled five wides. Two fours later, he had conceded 22 to finish with the worst economy rate of the innings. Tharanga was not done yet, and hit another six over extra cover, this time off Shami. Tharanga was so dominant that Mathews scored only 44 off the 135-run stand between them.Mathews was in his element in the field. He surprised India by taking one of the new balls, and began with the first maiden of the match. Rohit was soon caught at short midwicket, and Mathews didn’t allow India any pace to work with. Both the spinners were introduced within the mandatory Powerplay, by the end of which India had only 28 runs. Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli fell to that pressure, and M Vijay followed soon. The rest was merely an official stamp on India’s biggest defeat after putting a side in.

Ian Bell produced his third Ashes hundred in succession to try to guard against an England calamity on the first day of the second Investec Test

The Report by David Hopps18-Jul-2013

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIan Bell became the fourth Englishman to make centuries in three consecutive Ashes Tests•Getty Images

It was a sweltering summer’s day with the prospect that Lord’s would stage one of the hottest Tests – perhaps hottest – in its history. And in this scorching atmosphere, so warm, by Gad, that a spectator was spied wearing a knotted handkerchief in the pavilion, Ian Bell produced his third Ashes hundred in succession to try to guard against an England calamity on the first day of the second Investec Test.But on hot days like these, strange things happen. Birds fly backwards, trees talk to each other and derided legspinners rediscover their ability to pitch it – or normally pitch it – and take joy in a skill reborn. Steve Smith, armed with noticeable spin and what was now a misleadingly cherubic style, took 3 for 12 in 22 balls as the day took an unexpected turn.If the day was dominated by Bell, it ultimately belonged to Australia, who bookended it in style. They even have the luxury of beginning the second day with the bowlers fresh and a new ball only two overs old.This was meant to be Bell’s story. At the SCG, Trent Bridge and now Lord’s, he has secured his reputation. He came to the crease at 28 for 3, with England collapsing in front of the Queen – and, for that matter, Ryan Harris – but followed Jack Hobbs (twice), Wally Hammond and Chris Broad in making hundreds in three successive Ashes Tests.The Big Easy is variously an American movie, a Chelsea restaurant and the nickname for New Orleans. But at Lord’s the Little Easy was a freckled son of Coventry securing his cricketing reputation. If Trent Bridge, a strikingly slow, dead surface, had been a test of his acumen, Lord’s increasingly became a pleasure. His exquisite cover drives studded most of the day.On drowsy days like these, the serenest batsman can seek to make a big Test score without causing the merest rustle of a leaf; to amass run after run with the most slumbering members, mouths agog at the heat rather than the cricket, barely taking notice; to make a major contribution without leaving the slightest indentation. Bell is that type of player: understated quality in an age of overstatement.England needed Bell’s input because Harris, a stout man bowling with aggression and intent, barging through the heat haze like a combine harvester powering through a cornfield, had three for 28 in 13 overs by tea. Like the best harvester, Harris maintained an immaculate line.England recovered, first through Jonathan Trott’s consummate half-century, then with a stand of 144 in 43 overs for the fifth wicket between Bell and Jonny Bairstow to stabilise the England innings.Then Smith took a hand. His sixth ball turned sharply, to have Bell easily caught at first slip; Bairstow knocked back a low full toss as he was deceived in the flight; and Matt Prior misread the length of one delivered out of the front of the hand and was caught at the wicket. For Australia’s captain, Michael Clarke, it was a reward for his willingness to experiment rather than just await the second new ball. He not only brought him on, with the new ball due he kept him on.Bairstow, who hit 67, had used up his fortune earlier. His fallibility, whipping across a full-length ball, was again evident when Peter Siddle bowled him on 21, only to be reprieved when the umpire called for a TV replay and Siddle was shown to have overstepped. It took a magnified image to prove it.The UK heat wave was designed to remind Australia of home – and they have an excellent record on this ground too, with 16 victories and six defeats in 36 Tests. As the crowd queued down from St John’s Wood tube station, few expected them to make a start like they did. England, who must have sensed a bountiful batting day after winning the toss, began gingerly: Alastair Cook, Joe Root and Kevin Pietersen all departing.The Queen was presented to both sides before play began. She does not normally linger at the cricket – horse racing is her true passion – and once somebody had tried to explain the Decision Review System, she doubtless made her excuses and left.But she would not have had to linger overlong to be aware of the fall of England wickets. Three were dispensed with in the little matter of six overs as Australia, 1-0 down in the series, made the start they had barely dared imagine.Clarke gave the controlled pace of Shane Watson an airing after only four overs and it worked like a charm. Cook forever fights against the tendency to get his head too far over to the off side and a gentle inswing bowler, bringing the ball back down the slope, could potentially expose that. It took two balls; Cook trapped in front. The umpire, Marais Erasmus, spared the onerous TV duties he had to shoulder at Trent Bridge, considered at length before giving Cook out. Watson’s spell lasted a single over.England’s refashioned opening partnership of Cook and Root, assembled after the dropping of Nick Compton, has yet to reach fifty in three attempts. This was definitely a chance wasted.Root’s decision to review Harris’ lbw decision in the next over was appropriate because he could not be entirely sure if the ball had struck bat before pad. But replays suggested that Root had squeezed it – with the pad fractionally first – and Tony Hill, the third umpire, rightly found no reason to overturn umpire Kumar Dharmasena’s on-field decision.Pietersen lasted only four balls, his two runs courtesy of a thick edge against Harris backward of square. Harris had him caught at the wicket, targeting the stumps and maintaining an attacking length as one of Australia’s finest, Glenn McGrath, did on his appearances at Lord’s.TV cameras showed the Long Room for the first time and revealed Pietersen giving a gentle tap to a stanchion as he passed through it, just polite enough to escape too much of a ticking-off, but inviting the question whether the stanchion was protecting KP from the members or the other way round.Trott and Bell began as passively as possible, leaving as much as they could until the game settled. James Pattinson sampled both ends at Lord’s by lunch without entirely settling to either. Siddle soon reddened in the heat. But a fourth wicket at 120 kept the initiative with Australia as Harris led Trott into an uncontrolled pull and Usman Khawaja held the catch at deep square.Bell did not hit a single boundary down the ground in his hundred at Trent Bridge. He again prospered square of the wicket here. But when he did go down the ground, handsomely so, against Siddle, it illustrated that this Lord’s pitch was far more amenable to good cricket than its predecessor. “It will turn, too,” the experts said. And then, by Gad, Steven Smith proved it.

Amit Mishra, the India legspinner, said a significant variation in pace was one of the factors for his success on the recent tour to Zimbabwe

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Aug-2013Amit Mishra, the India legspinner, said a significant variation in pace had brought him success on the recent tour to Zimbabwe.Mishra, who last played an ODI in 2011 before being picked for the playing XI in Zimbabwe, finished as the highest wicket-taker in the series, with 18 wickets in five matches at an average of 11.80, equalling Javagal Srinath’s record for most wickets in an ODI bilateral series. His performances in the series included a career-best 6 for 48 in the fifth ODI.”The significant change was the variation of pace,” Mishra told . “Earlier, my deliveries used to come at a slower pace, which allowed the batsman to adjust. Now I am trying to bowl at a pace and still extract spin.”Mishra revealed that the changes were a result of better fitness and tips from former India bowlers Narendra Hirwani and Anil Kumble.”I was injured for a while last year and I was in NCA for recovery,” Mishra said. “That’s the time I worked with the likes of Anil Kumble, Narendra Hirwani and the other coaches at the academy who helped me become a better bowler. He [Kumble] told me about the importance of variation in pace and also told me how to out-think a batsman. I worked on my googly with him and that’s also paying dividends.”In spite of an ODI debut in 2003, Mishra has played just 20 one-dayers and 13 Tests for India since his debut in 2008. He hopes that his performances against Zimbabwe will better his chances of playing more Tests for India against stronger teams.”I know the challenges will be greater, but that’s where I have to show that I have become a better bowler. And for that to happen, I have to be selected first in the Test team. My job is to keep performing.”

Jimmy Adams evoked his own schooldays, spent at Twyford, near his home, and then at Sherborne, when contrasting Hampshire’s authority in the one day game with their poor standing in the County Championship.

Ivo Tennant06-Sep-2013Jimmy Adams evoked his own schooldays, spent at Twyford, near his home, and then at Sherborne, when contrasting Hampshire’s authority in the one day game with their poor standing in the County Championship.Hampshire, the most successful one-day side in the country, were ranked as strong favourites ahead of their Yorkshire Bank 40 semi-final against Glamorgan at the Ageas Bowl yet their Championship form has been woeful as they have slipped to third bottom of the Second Division following relegation last season.Adams, speaking after scoring 218 in the drawn match against Northamptonshire, recalled the passion he had for a certain sport or academic subject and how that would affect his own performance.”One-day cricket is like being at school in that one is pulled towards it,” Adams said. “If another format is a bit tougher, there is not the same love for it. I am keen to re-ignite a passion for four-day cricket. We have found a format for one-day cricket.”If the players turned up for the second day of a Championship match and were told this was being turned into a one-day match, it would be different. The financial rewards in the limited overs game do not come into it – that has not been a part of what Giles White, our coach, and I talk about.”I think one difference this season has been that our one-day side is very settled. We have a nice batch of very good young players and experienced older ones. They understand what is expected. On four-day pitches we struggle to bowl sides out, but eight years ago [when there was more lateral movement on the newly laid square] people would have been all over these pitches in their praise.As a batter, I am not complaining, but it has been tougher to bowl opponents out through the heavy roller taking the sap out. I have also heard the argument that drainage systems installed all over the country has made the pitches flatter, but am not sure about that.”Adams cited the fact that Dimitri Mascarenhas, who will play at the Ageas Bowl for the last time against Glamorgan before retiring at the end of the season, has played little four-day cricket of late. The same is true of James Tomlinson, another key one-day bowler.”Tommo has not played a great deal and will gain in experience in due course. We lack a spearhead bowler, someone who can get us 50-plus wickets in the Championship. We would love to have that, but these players are like gold dust.”The schooldays analogy was pertinent in that Adams was watched during his double century by Bob Stephenson, his coach when at Twyford School near Winchester and a member of the 1973 Championship winning side celebrating beyond the boundary. Stephenson regards him as the pick of the boys he tutored. What he might have spotted on Thursday was that his prodigy was moving around the crease less than on occasions this season when he has scored fewer runs.”I move around a lot while batting and some people told me I was doing less of this during this match,” Adams said. “I lost all my trigger movements seven years ago when I was having a really tough season.” He will be 33 at the end of this month, so can be said to have reached his peak, but will continue playing for as long as possible. “If only you had asked me that question two weeks ago when I couldn’t buy a run. But I have been lucky with injuries and still enjoy the fielding. I shall have to be booted out.”Whether or not Hampshire reach the YB40 final at Lord’s on September 21, one of Adams’s immediate tasks will be to assess how much cricket Michael Bates, who took six catches in Northamptonshire’s first innings and made 71, can be given in the future. “His wicketkeeping is as good as anyone’s in the country and I feel strongly that the club should stick with players who come through the system. Michael has not had the chances he would have liked, but then Adam Wheater has done very well. We have a decent record in promoting our own youngsters but professional sport is tough.”He himself is undecided whether to continue as captain for a third season next year. “There’s a part of it that I find great and days when one scores a double century make it a lot better, but other parts that are tough. I ride a rollercoaster about people’s futures and selections and trying to help them. I’ll think about it in the winter.”