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Match facts

Wednesday, July 6, Trent Bridge
Start time 2.00pm (1300 GMT)

Big Picture

Stuart Broad is yet to take a wicket this series•Getty Images

If Alastair Cook felt leading England’s one-day ramshackle was a tough ask he’d do well to listen to Kumar Sangakkara’s MCC Spirit of Cricket lecture. Yes, stretching five top-three batsman into a top six is difficult, but far simpler than confronting the kind of political wranglings Sri Lankan captains are subjected to.Despite the numerous unwelcome and conflicting influences on Sri Lanka’s set up, the team still manages to remain remarkably clear-headed in their approach to limited-overs cricket. After cruising to victory in the last two games they can wrap up the series at Trent Bridge. Given that they arrived in England with their two best players still at the IPL, a new captain, no vice-captain and an interim coach – not to mention all the problems Sangakkara discussed – two trophies out of the three on offer would be a fantastic effort. In one-day cricket everyone in the team has a clearly-defined role, backs themselves to stick to it, and the results follow.How Cook and Andy Flower must long for such clarity. In the two 50-over matches this series England have reverted to the kind of muddled ODI outfit that has epitomised their cricket through the last two decades. Batsmen too ponderous, bowlers too monotonous, tactics too obvious. Theories have abounded from all corners on how best to remedy the problems, though, after just three games as full-time captain, Cook might feel he deserves some time to develop his own.It’s a measure of just how strong willed Cook is that, while watching his team lurch to failure at Lord’s, he managed to stick to his own game and deliver his seventh hundred in 16 international innings. Yet, as his muted celebration pointed to, his own game is not quite strong enough to carry his team. In conditions as batsman-friendly as Lord’s was on Sunday, steering the innings with a 143-ball 119 was an antiquated luxury. It is likely Cook will develop a game to better those kind of numbers, but until then he needs his team-mates to help him out.While it’s difficult to deny the class of Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Eoin Morgan and Ian Bell as individuals, collectively they keep underperforming. They talk continuously about ‘fearless cricket’ but only Morgan and Pietersen live up to the words, the rest play consistently in a way that betrays the precise opposite. The comparison between 21-year-old Dinesh Chandimal merrily slapping boundaries and Bell – a batsman in the form of his life – tortuously grinding out singles was instructive.A collective caution has gripped England and something needs to break that. Paul Collingwood managed it in the last Champions Trophy and England’s best period of recent ODI cricket followed. If this combination, in this order, is what the selectors have put their faith in, than the personnel need to follow Collingwood’s example of selflessly adapting to the task asked of them. If they don’t, change has to follow.It’s not just Cook with things on his mind, though. England’s other limited-overs captain, Stuart Broad, is in the midst of the toughest period of his career. Like a legspinner who becomes so enamoured with the googly that the stock-ball goes missing, Broad is stuck in bumper mode. As he showed in an accomplished spell to Chandimal at Lord’s, he does indeed posses a good bouncer but without anything else to offer he is proving completely ineffective. He’s lived his bowling adolescence in the international spotlight, perhaps maturity would be found in county cricket.

Form guide (most recent first)

England LLWLW
Sri Lanka WWLLW

The spotlight

Such is the recent history of England’s one-day wicketkeeping merry-go-round, it won’t take many failures for Craig Kieswetter to find his position under scrutiny. He is meant to be the motor to Cook’s rudder at the top of England’s line-up but in the games they have played together, Cook’s strike-rate of 88.64 is marginally ahead of Kieswetter’s 87.60. At Lord’s, Kieswetter managed 3 from 13 balls, digging a crater that England were unable to lift themselves out of. At Trent Bridge if he can start with a flurry, Cook and the rest of the team will feel much more comfortable.Kumar Sangakkara again demonstrated how deeply impressive a character he is with his MCC lecture. Already the fall-out from that speech has “disturbed a hornets nest” back home, according to the state-run Lankapuvath news agency in Sri Lanka. Having been brave enough to pen and deliver such powerful words, a match-winning innings would be the least he deserves.

Team news

England could as easily make four changes as none at Trent Bridge. Twice Graeme Swann has been England’s best bowler and both times Cook has been unable to back him up with another slow bowler. If they can trust Samit Patel, on his home ground, with eight overs he could replace Stuart Broad – in doing so bolstering England’s late-order hitting – but Broad has been publicly backed by his captain. England’s attack lacked incisiveness on flat decks at Headingley and Lord’s but a day-night game on a pitch that will offer a bit for the quicks could well remedy that.England (probable) 1 Craig Kieswetter (wk), 2 Alastair Cook (capt), 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Ian Bell, 7 Tim Bresnan, 8 Graeme Swann, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 James Anderson, 11 Jade Dernbach.With Dinesh Chandimal proving his ability at Lord’s, Sri Lanka have almost all their places in order and will be reluctant to meddle. Thilina Kandamby remains a curiosity but while results stay good he can float under the radar.Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt) 2 Mahela Jayawardene, 3 Dinesh Chandimal, 4 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 5 Thilina Kandamby, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Jeevan Mendis, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Suranga Lakmal, 10 Suraj Randiv, 11 Lasith Malinga.

Pitch and conditions

The last two games have been played in the kind of sunny, benign conditions that England find most hostile. Trent Bridge, however, should suit them much better. Swing, a bit of nibble, and the chill of night cricket in Nottingham could well conspire to help England to victory. Added to that there are a few spots of rain about overnight which may not clear in time for the match.

Stats and trivia

• England have lost three of their last five ODIs at Trent Bridge
• Ian Bell averages 19.75 at a strike rate of 67.52 at No. 6 for England.
• In 48 ODIs between England and Sri Lanka the spoils are shared 24 wins each.
  

  Quotes

  “It only takes someone to get a hundred and guys to bat around them and we are posting 300 and we are a good team again.”
  Graeme Swann knows fortunes can change quickly in one-day cricket.

ScorecardSouth Africa Under-19s looked on course to take a 2-1 lead against England Under-19s in the seven-match youth ODI series, before rain forced a no-result at the Arundel Castle Cricket Club Ground.Choosing to bowl, South Africa restricted the hosts to 198. While several of the England line-up got starts, none were able to build a big innings, the top-score being wicket-keeper Ben Foakes 48. The South Africa bowlers shared the wickets around, left-arm spinner Lesiba Ngoepe producing the best figures – 2 for 34 in a tight spell. South Africa’s openers got the chase off to a spirited start, adding 81 in 71 balls before Sam Wood struck with his first over. The rain came down soon after, with South Africa needing 113 off 37 overs with nine wickets in hand.The fourth game is scheduled for Saturday at the same venue.

Scorecard
Three wickets for Gary Keedy in the final session of the day has leftLancashire the strong favourites to complete a vital victory over Worcestershirein their County Championship match at Blackpool.Needing to score 329 to record their fourth Division One triumph of the season,the visitors will head into the fourth day on 203 for 5 – needing another 126runs to win with half their wickets in hand. However, the best performance of the day was that of Vikram Solanki, whose 175-ball 107 has given his side a slim chance of achieving their fourthChampionship win of the season.The Worcestershire batsman was eventually caught at slip by Paul Horton offKeedy’s bowling near the end of a crucial spell which also saw the departure ofAlexei Kervezee caught by Steven Croft at short leg when the ball rebounded offthe pads of wicketkeeper Gareth Cross.The visitors’ pursuit of what seemed a distant target got off to a poor startwhen Matt Pardoe’s loose drive only edged a Glen Chapple delivery to Tom Smithin the third over of the innings. However, Daryl Mitchell and Solanki ensured that Chapple’s bowlers made no further breakthroughs with the new ball as they put on 62 runs for the secondwicket in just over 20 overs.Mitchell departed when he was plumb lbw to Chapple for 22, the ball keepingrather low, but Solanki and Moeen Ali had added a further 49 runs by tea, whenWorcestershire were 116 for two, Solanki having reached his fifty off 69 balls. Ali went on the counter-attack against Keedy after tea but lost his wicket to the spinner for 47 when Croft dived forward to take a good catch at short leg.In the morning session Lancashire added 81 runs to their overnight total forthe loss of their last seven second-innings wickets. All of Worcestershire’s seamers enjoyed operating on the helpful Stanley Park pitch, Gareth Andrew bagging three more wickets to finish with 5 for 59 and Richard Jones removing Cross, Kyle Hogg and Karl Brown to take 3 for 70.Bowling from the South End, Andrew posed problems for all the batsmen and onlyBrown played him with much comfort. Lancashire’s 23-year-old number three battedcarefully to add 30 runs to his overnight score and had made 85 off 147 ballswhen he skyed Jones to Solanki, who took a good catch running back from slip.Apart from Brown, Croft was the only Lancashire batsman to be dismissed indouble figures today – he was lbw to Andrew immediately after reaching a 91-ballfifty.

Scorecard
Sussex needed little more than an hour to wrap up victory in the County Championship over Nottinghamshire by an innings and five runs as the home side collapsed for the second time in the match.Resuming on 103 for 4 and needing 74 runs at the start of the day to force Sussex to bat again, Nottinghamshire lost their last six wickets for 54 runs in 11.3 overs. Seamer Naved Arif picked up a Championship-best four for 41 and despite some lusty blows from tail-ender Luke Fletcher, who hit three sixes and three fours before he was last out for 39, the game was finished by 11.40.The result meant the two sides switched positions in the Division One table, with Sussex finishing in fifth on 182 points, nine ahead of Nottinghamshire. With a pleasant morning’s sunshine and not a breath of wind, the two teams could not have wished for better conditions for the final day of the season.But the Nottinghamshire’s batsmen were already thinking ahead to their holidays with a succession of feeble shots. Steven Mullaney’s nightmare season came to a close when two bouncers from James Anyon proved too much for the right-hander, who hooked straight to deep square leg for 24.Skipper Chris Read was the first of Arif’s four victims, losing his off-stump after failing to go forward. None of the tail-enders looked likely to keep out Arif’s in-swinging deliveries and it was no surprise to see Graeme White comprehensively cleaned up, with Andre Adams edging to first slip two balls later.Fletcher brought out the long handle to clobber three sixes in six balls, but saw Paul Franks sky Arif to point before he holed out to long-off in the next over from Amjad Khan.

Match Facts

Bangladesh v West Indies, October 15, Mirpur
Start time 1330 (0730 GMT)Bangladesh will need Tamim Iqbal back at his fluent best•Associated Press

Big Picture

In a short series, the opportunities for comebacks are limited, and the pressure’s on Bangladesh to turn things around quickly to give themselves a chance of upsetting West Indies. They could have made a closer contest of the first ODI on an excellent pitch for batting but their batsmen, with the exception of Shakib Al Hasan, struggled to get a move on. In a chase of 299, the hosts finished with 258 for 7, with six of the top seven getting starts. Only one among them threatened to put any pressure on West Indies, undermining what is otherwise a competitive score.Not the usual slow and low fare, the pitch gave the West Indies batsmen an opening to take charge and they did. Bangladesh’s army of spinners were caught by surprise and in conditions that didn’t help them much, they were tamed. At the same venue on Saturday, the hosts need their bowlers to adapt quickly and their batsmen to show more intent to entertain any hopes of matching their opponents.

Form guide

Bangladesh: LWWLL
West Indies: WWWLL

Spotlight

Andre Russell: Russell won many admirers during the World Cup with his all-round skills and is a handy man to have at No.7. Apart from his big-hitting skills, he can be a wily bowler with his changes of pace and has had impressive results thus far. The more limited-overs cricket he plays, the more opportunities he gets to showcase his skills to those hawks at the IPL who’ll have a keen eye on his progress.Tamim Iqbal: He produced an uncharacteristic innings in the previous game when his side needed an attacking opening. One of his team’s best stroke-makers, Tamim will be expected to deliver on a good pitch and bat big, an ability he’s shown in the past in both Tests and ODIs.

Team news

Darren Sammy missed the first ODI due to an upset stomach. He should return, and replace Danza Hyatt. Adrian Barath retired hurt after injuring his hamstring, and it remains to be seen if he’s fit.West Indies (possible): 1 Lendl Simmons, 2 Adrian Barath/Kieran Powell, 3 Marlon Samuels, 4 Darren Bravo, 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 Andre Russell, 7 Darren Sammy (capt), 8 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 9 Devendra Bishoo, 10 Ravi Rampaul, 11 Kemar Roach.Will Bangladesh stick with Mohammad Ashraful? He fell cheaply on a day most batsmen got starts, a result that will only heighten the scrutiny over his place in the side.Bangladesh: 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Mohammad Ashraful/Shahriar Nafees, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (capt and wk), 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Naeem Islam, 7 Alok Kapali, 8 Nasir Hossain, 9 Abdur Razzak, 10 Shafiul Islam, 11 Rubel Hossain.

Stats & Trivia

• Spinners have taken 333 out of the 695 wickets at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur. That’s almost half – no wonder Mushfiqur Rahim was surprised the pitch took no turn.
• Mohammad Ashraful hasn’t scored a half-century in his last 17 innings – his highest in those innings is 31.

Quotes

“I think we are all confident. On Thursday we lost by 40 runs but there’s a lot of positives to take from the game. We were chasing a big score and we always were in with a chance.”

Mohsin Khan will continue as interim coach of Pakistan for the series against Bangladesh, which starts later this month. The PCB said the decision to retain Mohsin was taken as a full-time coach had not yet been identified.Mohsin was initially put in charge of the team in early October, ahead of the ongoing series against Sri Lanka, after Waqar Younis stepped down from the post citing health reasons. Pakistan won the Test series 1-0 in the UAE, and started the limited-overs leg of the contest on Friday.The PCB had formed a committee in late August to find Waqar’ successor and though it arrived at a shortlist of five candidates a month later, no full-time coach has yet been appointed. The committee was constituted by the previous PCB chairman Ijaz Butt but the process was delayed as Butt completed his three-year tenure and was replaced by Zaka Ashraf last month.Apart from the head coach, the PCB has also advertised for three other coaching roles – national batting, bowling and fielding coach. The closing date for receiving applications was set as November 18.Pakistan play two Tests, three ODIs and a Twenty20 against Bangladesh in a series that begins on November 29.

There was further consolation for Kenya as they recorded their second-consecutive win over Namibia in the Twenty20 series at the Wanderers Cricket Ground. Nehemiah Odhiambo led Kenya’s chase of 135 with 42, setting up his team’s four-wicket win. Hiren Varaiya, the Kenya left-arm spinner, was the most effective bowler, taking 4 for 21 to keep the hosts to a modest total. Raymond van Schoor was the top-scorer for Namibia with a run-a-ball 54. Three of Varaiya’s victims were out bowled.Namibia enjoyed an unassailable 5-0 lead in the eight-match series until they took their foot off the pedal on Thursday. The final match is set for Sunday.

Rahul Dravid has called on cricketers to give up “a little bit of freedom of movement and privacy” if it helps keep the game free of corruption. Speaking at the Sir Donald Bradman Oration in Canberra, Dravid said players should treat the inconveniences of dope tests, the possible scrutiny of finances, or even lie-detector tests as necessary measures to keep the sport clean.”Cricket’s financial success means it will face threats from outside the game and keep facing them. The last two decades have proved this over and over again,” Dravid said. “The internet and modern technology may just end up being a step ahead of every anti-corruption regulation in place in the game.”As players, the one way we can stay ahead for the game is if we are willing to be monitored and regulated closely. Even if it means giving up a little bit of freedom of movement and privacy. If it means undergoing dope tests, let us never say no.”If it means undergoing lie-detector tests, let us understand the technology, what purpose it serves and accept it. Lie-detectors are by no means perfect but they could actually help the innocent clear their names. Similarly, we should not object to having our finances scrutinised, if that is what is required.”The radical idea of lie-detector tests was first mooted by the MCC to strengthen anti-corruption measures. The proposal was backed by former Australia captain Steve Waugh, who took a lie-detector test himself, and England captain Andrew Strauss also said he would be willing to undergo such an examination. The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA), however, was opposed to the idea and its chief executive Tim May said lie-detector tests were “far from foolproof”.Dravid, the first foreign player to deliver the Bradman oration, said that players needed to sacrifice a bit of personal comfort for the good of the game. His comments came at the end of a year during which three Pakistan players – Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir – were found guilty of spot-fixing during the tour of England in 2010. They were sentenced to jail terms after a trial at Southwark Crown Court.”When the first anti-corruption measures were put into place, we did moan a little bit about being accredited and depositing our cell phones with the manager. But now we must treat it like we do airport security because we know it is for our own good and our own security,” Dravid said. “Players should be ready to give up a little personal space and personal comfort for this game, which has given us so much. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.”

Bangladesh’s players are concerned about the security situation in Pakistan ahead of their scheduled tour to the country in April, the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) president, Naimur Rahman, has said.The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had requested the government to send a team to Pakistan to evaluate the security arrangements, but it is believed the players think the board should talk to them first before making a decision.”We [CWAB] don’t have a stance as such, but we know that the players are worried,” Rahman, who was Bangladesh’s first Test captain, said. “The situation is not normal there and no other team is going to Pakistan. They themselves play their home games in places like Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The BCB are going to send the investigation team and we hope to be a part of it. If not, we will wait for the report.”I personally believe it is not safe. The worried players haven’t approached us formally, but when they do, we will take the matter to the cricket board.”The PCB chairman, Zaka Ashraf, had met with Pakistan’s interior ministry to discuss security arrangements for the Bangladesh team. The Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that ‘box security’, which includes bullet and bomb proof vehicles, would be provided for the series.”Since we have a scheduled tour on the Future Tours Programme, that’s why we promised to send a security team before making any decision,” BCB’s media committee chairman Jalal Yunus told the . “We are more concerned than the players about their security and safety. I think it’s too early to say anything because we are yet to decide anything.”Pakistan have not hosted an international series since the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in 2009. Since then they have hosted their home series at offshore venues like England and the UAE.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsPeter Siddle finished with 5 for 49•Getty Images

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