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A round-up of the action from the third day of the third round of matches in the Ranji Trophy Plate Division 2011-12

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Nov-2011Kerala thrashed Tripura by an innings and 53 runs at the Nehru Stadium in Kochi. Kerala had taken a first-innings lead on the second day and proceeded to make 316, thanks to Sony Cheruvathur’s 77. Offspinner Udit Patel took 5 for 75 but Tripura were staring at a difficult task trying to stay alive in the game. As it turned out, they were bowled out for 124, worse than their first-innings performance. Kaushal Acharjee top-scored with 47 and the others capitulated; Cheruvathur, Prasanth Parameswaran and Padmanabhan Prasanth grabbed three wickets each to inflict a third straight defeat on Tripura.Himachal Pradesh remained in a strong position against Andhra Pradesh at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Vijaywada. A century from Paras Dogra had helped them go past Andhra’s score on day two, and Varun Sharma held one end up on day three, reaching his own ton. Himachal, however, only managed to add 74 to their overnight score, getting bowled out for 341, a lead of 76. Andhra scored fluently in their second innings, opener G Shankara Rao leading the way with an unbeaten 96, but lost four wickets by the close. Vishal Bhatia grabbed two wickets and Abhinav Bali removed a set Venugopal Rao, who had added 94 with Shankara. At stumps, Andhra led by 100 with six wickets in hand, a tricky situation to be in heading into the final day.A collective batting performance from Hyderabad put them in control against Assam at the Nehru Stadium in Guwahati. Centuries from opener Akshath Reddy and Syed Qadri helped them gain a first-innings lead of 247, with support from T Suman, who made 88, and cameos from Hanuman Vihari and Ibrahim Khaleel. Reddy added 145 for the second wicket with Suman, taking Hyderabad past the Assam score and Qadri built important stands with the rest to take his team to 474 for 6 declared during his unbeaten 107. Assam were dealt an early blow in their second innings, Amit Sinha falling in the first over.Goa extended their advantage over Jammu and Kashmir at the Gandhi Memorial Science College Ground in Jammu. Having gained a lead of 21 in the first innings, they stretched it to 397 at stumps on the third day. Opener Sher Yadav made 118, striking 18 boundaries, and there were half-centuries from Reagan Pinto and wicketkeeper Rahul Keni. Goa were 268 for 7 at one stage and there was still an opening for J&K, but Keni added 51 with Amit Yadav for the eighth wicket and an unbeaten 56 for the last wicket. The two most likely results are a Goa win or a draw, with the visitors taking three points.Maharashtra dominated the third day against Jharkhand at the Anant Kanhere Maidan in Nasik, putting themselves in an excellent position to win the game. In a combined bowling effort, they bowled out Jharkhand for 283 in the first innings, though the tail wagged – the last three wickets added 99. It wasn’t enough to prevent Jharkhand from following on, however, and they slipped to 218 for 6 by stumps, only 44 ahead. Opener Manish Vardhan made a patient 88, adding 73 for the first wicket, but the Maharashtra bowlers struck at frequent intervals, cutting short any threatening partnership. Seamer Domnic Joseph picked up three wickets, including Vardhan and wicketkeeper SP Gautam, who made 39.Vidarbha were in an excellent position to take a first-innings lead against Services at the Harbax Singh Stadium in Delhi. In response to Vidarbha’s 508 for 6 declared, Services were struggling at 238 for 8 at stumps on the third day. Opener Jasvir Singh made 74 and Soumyaranjan Swain made 70 but Shrikant Wagh, Sandeep Singh and Ravi Jangid each grabbed two wickets to peg back Services, and take their team closer to a minimum of three points.

When the clouds drape over Table Mountain, to form the proverbial cloth, bowlers can come out to feast

Firdose Moonda in Cape Town08-Nov-2011When the clouds drape over Table Mountain, to form the proverbial cloth, bowlers can come out to feast. So says Evan Flint, the Newlands groundsman who has prepared what is looking like a “win the toss and bowl” pitch in cool and rainy Cape Town.”If there are clouds on the mountain, it will nip around quite a bit” Flint told ESPNcricinfo. “So everything really does depend on the mountain.”Some though, will be hoping the mountain, its clouds and north westerly wind, which brings persistent rain, could disappear for the next week. With drizzle, and more, dropping down for most of Tuesday and the forecast predicting it will continue into the first day, both teams plans are likely to be thwarted, along with Flint’s, who started preparing the surface nine days before the match, instead of the usual seven.”We’ve had to keep the pitch under cover through the day so it might be a bit tacky in the morning,” he said. “We haven’t had baking heat, even though there has been some sunshine, but it will probably be slower with less bounce. There won’t be as much for spinners as there is in December or January but a quality spinner will still be able to turn the ball.”South Africa were toying with the idea of playing two spinners on a pitch that is likely to turn the most in the country, but the wet weather might force them to rethink that, unless the wind changes. “Once the south-easter kicks in, it will dry out the surface,” Flint said. A south-easter is only forecast for days four and five of the match, although conditions are expected to clear from Thursday.The weather will fuel what is being talked up as the most anticipated contest of the series, between fast bowlers and batsmen. “It’s been a lot cooler than normal and if it stays cloudy, obviously it will nip around.” Flint said.It remains impossible to predict exactly what to expect because a Test match has not been played in November in Cape Town for ninety years. It is traditionally the home of the New Year’s Test and has occasionally hosted matches in late summer months, such as February or March.Coincidentally, the only two November Tests held in Cape Town have featured the same two teams. In 1921, in a Test that started on November 26, South Africa lost to Australia by 10 wickets. Nineteen years before that, the same result was achieved in a match that started on November 8. It’s little wonder then that Graeme Smith is also unsure about what lies ahead.”Newlands this time of the year is a little bit of an unknown, I haven’t played too many Tests this time of year,” Smith said. “The wicket will be a bit different to what we are used to. So far this season, the wickets haven’t been the easiest to bat on. Through the three one-dayers, you would have seen none of the batsmen has really got a grasp on things and I expect it to be pretty similar. It will be about who can get stuck in and get a grip on things. One big partnership may make the difference in the game.”

Karachi Whites overcame a tough challenge posed by Karachi Blues, clinching a narrow 7-run win in the thrilling first semi-final of the One-day tournament (Associations), played at Karachi’s National Stadium

Mahmood Ahmad10-Dec-2011Karachi Whites overcame a tough challenge posed by Karachi Blues, clinching a narrow 7-run win in the thrilling first semi-final of the One-day tournament (Associations), played at Karachi’s National Stadium.Defending a modest 216, Karachi Whites saw the opposition reaching 135 for 2 in 29 overs, after Tariq Haroon, maintaining his excellent form, had compiled 65 off 92 balls. However, after his departure in the 30th over, Karachi Blues’ innings just collapsed against some fine bowling by Whites’ spinners.Tabish Nawab, bowling gentle off breakd, and Adnan Malik, slow left-arm orthodox, spun their magic as the Karachi Blues’ middle order just crumbled under pressure. Tabish bagged four wickets for 28 (8.1 overs) and Adnan got three for 46, as Blues were all out for 209 in 48.1 overs.Apart from Tariq Haroon, Mansoor Baig also played well for Blues getting 41 off 74 balls. Their last pair, comprising Rajesh Ramesh and Irfanullah, showed some grit by adding 30 runs for the tenth wicket, but they just could not steer past the opposition’s total.Earlier, Karachi Whites were helped by a 113-run second wicket partnership between skipper Shadab Kabir (61 off 78) and Naumanullah (54 off 101), after Shahid Afridi was dismissed for a duck.After reaching 120 for 1 by the 28th over, Whites were expected to post something bigger than what they managed in the end. However, the fate their middle order met was not much different from that of their counterparts.Saeed Bin Nasir (30 off43) was the only other batsman, apart from Shadab and Naumanullah, who could enjoy a comparatively long stay at the crease. Otherwise, their just capitulation in front of some fine bowling by Irfanuddin (3 for 33), Mansoor Khan (2 for 39) and Haaris Ayaz (2 for 43).Karachi Whites now meet Sheikhupura, who beat in Rawalpindi in the second semi-final, in the Final to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on May 13.

Phil Jaques has said he has no regrets over his decision to have surgery on his back in 2008, a move that effectively ended his international career

Brydon Coverdale01-Feb-2012Phil Jaques has said he has no regrets over his decision to have surgery on his back in 2008, a move that effectively ended his international career. However, Jaques said it was “very disappointing” that his injury prevented him from playing any more than 11 matches in a Test career that brought him three centuries, including one in his final innings.At 32, Jaques has realised his opportunities with New South Wales would continue to dwindle with the rise of young batsmen like Nic Maddinson and Kurtis Patterson. And the potential shrinking of the Cricket Australia contract list could have meant Jaques was no certainty to win another state contract, with the possibility of several fringe Australian players returning to the state list.A two-year deal with Yorkshire was on the table and Jaques, who holds a British passport, chose the security and signed as a local player. It was a decision that will mean the end of his Australian career when this summer finishes, but Jaques will leave the Australian scene pleased with his achievements for New South Wales and in the baggy green.He became a permanent member of the Test side when Justin Langer retired, but carried a serious back injury through his entire international career. It became so severe in late 2008 that he had surgery that kept him out for nearly a year, and he never played for Australia again, stuck on 11 Tests with an average of 47.47.”I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to play more Test cricket at the time,” Jaques told ESPNcricinfo. “It was very disappointing. Ten months out of any career, anyone would be disappointed. But I’m pretty happy and proud of the things I achieved in the game.”I won a few Pura Cups, one-day comps, played for Australia, toured overseas, scored a couple of hundreds – I can’t complain about my career. I was probably just unfortunate I played in the era when I did, when we had guys like Hayden and Langer who did so well.”In the end, Jaques had no choice but to have an operation, such was the seriousness of his injury. His time out of the game allowed Simon Katich to consolidate his place as Test opener, before Phillip Hughes and Shane Watson also moved in at the top of the order. It was hard for Jaques to let his opportunity go, but cricket was secondary in his decision.”I just couldn’t get out of bed, I couldn’t stay in bed, I couldn’t walk around, I couldn’t sit. There was just nothing that I could do that made it comfortable,” he said. “It was starting to affect my sleeping and you can’t live without sleep. It was becoming a real issue and it was something I worked really hard at trying to fix and trying to manage, and I stayed in there for as long as I could. I probably had the back injury the whole time I played for Australia.”I played with it for two or three years, on really high doses of anti-inflammatories, which weren’t good for me. I made the decision to get it operated on based on my health. It got to the point where the drugs didn’t help me anyway. It was about getting my life back ahead of actually playing cricket. It was life first, cricket second. I’ve been blessed that it’s all gone really well and I’ve got my life back first and foremost. Cricket is a bonus.”Unfortunately for Jaques, he hasn’t hit the same batting peaks since his surgery, at least, not consistently enough to attract the attention of Australia’s selectors. He said it took him some time after the operation to get back into the swing of top-flight cricket, particularly learning what he physically could and could not do, but he is confident he has plenty to offer Yorkshire.”I’m feeling really good at the crease again,” he said. “I got a few hundreds last year in the Shield, I got back-to-back hundreds in a game, which I’d never done in my whole career. I hit 170 in a one-day game. So I can still play, it was just a matter of being able to work out what I could and couldn’t do with my training and modify it accordingly.Now the challenge for Jaques, the son of a Yorkshire-born father and a Lancastrian mother, is to find consistency in all three formats in the county game. Technically he could still qualify to play for England, but he knows his Test days are over.”I’m done with international cricket,” Jaques said. “I’m just focused on Yorkshire and playing some good cricket there, playing all three forms of the game hopefully and enjoying my cricket. I want to help them get back up into the first division where they belong.”

Cricket Australia’s chief executive James Sutherland has defended the selectors for suddenly ending Ricky Ponting’s one-day international career mid-series

Brydon Coverdale21-Feb-2012Cricket Australia’s chief executive James Sutherland has defended the selectors for abruptly ending Ricky Ponting’s one-day international career mid-series. Ponting was axed from the squad after playing the first five matches of the tri-series and could have been given a home farewell – Australia’s next game is in Hobart on Friday – but instead has made way immediately.Ponting said on Tuesday that despite his poor run of form in one-day cricket he had not seen the decision coming, but that he accepted that the national selector John Inverarity and his panel were looking to the future. Sutherland, however, said that Ponting, at 37, would have known that a long lean patch would leave him at risk of being dropped, and that players were not always able to leave on their own terms.”I don’t know many players that aren’t disappointed when they get dropped,” Sutherland said. “That’s just the facts of the matter. I don’t think you should … have any misunderstanding about where Ricky knew he was up to. I think to a certain extent that’s inevitable at the age and stage he’s at in his career. Players know that. They would know it in their own subconscious mind. But I can assure you he also knew that from [former chairman of selectors] Andrew Hilditch and he also knew that from John Inverarity.”The selectors have to make a decision without fear or favour that is in the best interest of Australian cricket. They’ve made that decision. Not everyone will agree with that but they’ve made that decision and that’s their job to do that.”Ponting’s one-day form might have forced the selectors to make the tough call but his Test form remains strong, and he will play on for Australia in the baggy green. That means Ponting will need to return to state cricket, having played only six Sheffield Shield matches for Tasmania over the past decade, in order to maintain his fitness and touch between Australia’s Test series.The Tigers have two Shield matches remaining this summer and still remain in contention for the final, which could give Ponting three games ahead of the Test tour of the West Indies in April. Ponting’s presence will mean that a younger batsman will miss out on exposure to state cricket but Sutherland said that was outweighed by the benefits Ponting would bring to his less experienced colleagues.”The right players going back to Shield cricket is fantastic for Shield cricket,” Sutherland said. “There is no doubt that Ricky Ponting is the right player to be going back to Shield cricket. The influence he’s had on young Australian players this summer … the example he sets but also the conscious effort he takes to mentor players and talk about his preparation, I think the Tasmanian cricket team is incredibly fortunate to have his presence for the next couple of Shield games and however long it goes from there.”Ponting will end his one-day international career having played 375 matches and scored 13,704 runs, comfortably Australia’s most capped player and most prolific run scorer. Sutherland said his 17-year ODI career, which included triumphs in World Cups and Champions Trophies, as well as captaining more ODI victories than any other player, had been unparalleled.”I think his career is incomparable in one-day cricket: five World Cups, four finals, three championships and two as captain, plus all the runs and special feats in the field,” Sutherland said. “I just can’t think of a player that has made a greater contribution and been a better one-day cricketer, particularly in the big moments.”

A round-up of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2011-12 semi-finals

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Mar-2012Mumbai are in the final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, after they decimated Delhi at the Feroz Shah Kotla. The semi-final was a one-sided affair, with Mumbai’s batting stars firing to take their team to 295 for 5 before Delhi collapsed for 155 in 45 overs. All of Mumbai’s big-name batsmen contributed with the bat: Ajinkya Rahane scored 42 at the top of the order to give the team a steady start, Wasim Jaffer anchored the innings with his 92 off 110, and Abhishek Nayar’s explosive 72, which came off just 41 balls and included eight fours and two sixes, took the total from a competitive one to an imposing one.Delhi were hurt early by medium-pacer Kshemal Waingankar, who finished with remarkable figures of 8-3-15-2. They slipped to 57 for 5 and never recovered. Anup Revandkar took three wickets, and the spinners finished the job, to make it a 140-run trouncing.

An unbeaten 53 from Wriddhiman Saha helped Bengal beat Punjab by three wickets in a low-scoring match at the Model Sports Complex in Delhi, and join Mumbai in the final. Saha’s innings was the key one in a tense, seesawing chase of 206. Bengal looked solid at 86 for 2 but two Rajwinder Singh strikes later they were 98 for 4, which became 111 for 5 when Bipul Sharma dismissed Laxmi Ratan Shukla. Saha forged a 41-run stand with Debabrata Das to swing it back Bengal’s way but Punjab kept fighting and took two more wickets before Saha was joined by Shami Ahmed, who smashed 22 off seven balls to bring the match to a quick end.Punjab had been in big trouble early in their innings when Bengal’s medium-pacers reduced them to 34 for 5. Mandeep Singh and Bipul Sharma scored half-centuries, and shared a 104-run stand, to start the recovery. Harbhajan Singh chipped in with 39 to help take the score past 200, but it was not enough.

The final will be played on March 12, at the Kotla.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has said it will lodge a complaint with the Asian Cricket Council about an incident in the final over of Bangladesh’s chase in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Mar-2012The Bangladesh Cricket Board has said it will complain to the Asian Cricket Council about an incident in the final over of Bangladesh’s chase in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan. The incident, during the first ball of the 50th over, involved a collision between the bowler Aizaz Cheema and Mahmudullah as the latter tried to come back for a second run – something the BCB claims the Pakistan bowler did deliberately.”We have seen video footage of the incident repeatedly. It is clear that Cheema blocked Mahmudullah deliberately,” Enayet Hossain Siraj, the chairman of the BCB cricket operations committee, told reporters in Dhaka. “We will lodge a written appeal with the ACC very soon and will also give a copy to the ICC.”The rules of cricket (Law 42.5) sanction a strict penalty for the fielding team if a fielder is found by the umpire to deliberately obstruct a batsman while attempting a run. Neither batsman can be dismissed (if a run-out has taken place), five penalty runs are awarded to the batting side, the delivery will not count as one in the over, the run will count even if the batsmen haven’t crossed and the batsmen can choose which of them faces the next delivery. Whether or not there was intent behind the collision is for the umpire to determine; in this case, after the players had collided, the umpire Steve Davis was seen having a word with both players. The delivery yielded a single.”It is clearly written in the playing conditions that it will be a dead ball if the batsman faces an obstacle while running by a bowler or fielder. The batting side will get a five-run penalty,” Siraj was also quoted as saying in the . “In that case, we would have required only four runs off six balls. We have footage which clearly shows that the bowler in question created an obstacle to [Mahmudullah] Riyad.”Intikhab Alam, the PCB director, said it was “sad and disappointing” to hear Siraj’s statement. “It was a thrilling final and everyone praised Bangladesh for their fight. Their decision to appeal is just an afterthought after the result,” Alam said. “The fact of the matter is that no match umpire or referee complained about this to Pakistan management and Bangladesh’s complaint will spoil a wonderful final which everyone enjoyed.”Bangladesh needed nine to win at the start of the 50th over; they lost by two runs. Had Pakistan been penalised, Bangladesh’s task of chasing down 237 for a win would have been made significantly easier.

Stuart Broad has been ruled out of action for the next three weeks as he continues his rehabilitation from a calf strain sustained during England’s recent tour of Sri Lanka

George Dobell10-Apr-2012Stuart Broad has been ruled out of this season’s IPL in order to continue his rehabilitation from injury. Broad, who is contracted to Kings XI Punjab, sustained an injury to his right calf during England’s recent tour of Sri Lanka. Broad also missed the 2011 IPL season after sustaining a rib injury.Arvinder Singh, chief operating officer of Kings XI Punjab, said the franchise were “sorely disappointed over Broad’s absence but will soon finalise a suitable replacement”.Broad’s aim now is to return to cricket with Nottinghamshire in early May. He will train at Trent Bridge and receive regular assessments from the ECB’s medical staff. It is, at present, anticipated that he will return to duty in the County Championship against Middlesex at Trent Bridge May 9. Broad is also contracted to Kings XI Punjab for the 2013 season, subject to England commitments.Under the terms of Broad’s central contract with the ECB, he had originally been due to return to from IPL duty on May 5. Any England centrally contracted player appearing in the IPL – including Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan – is monitored by the ECB’s medical staff who keep in touch with the franchises to oversee the treatment of niggles and adherence to any predefined programmes.The workload of Broad is beginning to concern the England team management. Broad, 25, is a member of the England squad in all three formats of the game and has suffered a series of injuries over the last 18 months. A stomach muscle strain ruled him out of three Ashes Tests in Australia before a rib injury curtailed his World Cup campaign. Towards the end of the English season he then damaged his shoulder and missed the end of the India home series and Twenty20 matches against West Indies, plus the return contest in India during October which meant Graeme Swann was required as a stand-in T20 captain.The ECB have also announced the availability of the rest of the squad that toured Sri Lanka. While some players, such as Monty Panesar, Ravi Bopara, Steve Davies and James Tredwell will be available for this week’s round of championship games, others – such as James Anderson, Graeme Swann and Alastair Cook – will be rested until the start of May.