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Chris Silverwood backs Jos Buttler to come good as England regroup at Emirates Old Trafford

Andrew Miller13-Jul-2020Joe Denly looks set to pay the price for England’s four-wicket defeat in the first Test against West Indies, but Jos Buttler can expect to be given “the best chance to succeed” despite his own flat-lining Test form, as the head coach Chris Silverwood prepares to lift his squad ahead of Thursday’s second match at Emirates Old Trafford.With England’s captain Joe Root set to slot back into the side at No. 4 following the birth of his second child, the obvious fall-guy is Denly, 34, who once again failed to capitalise on a pair of solid starts with scores of 18 and 29 at the Ageas Bowl.After 15 Tests in a row dating back to England’s tour of the Caribbean in early 2019, those latest innings epitomise a flatlining career in which Denly’s average has now slipped back below 30. Moreover they contrast increasingly starkly with the efforts of Denly’s Kent team-mate Zak Crawley – 12 years his junior – whose second-innings 76 at the Ageas Bowl completed the fifth consecutive match in which he has posted a Test-best score.”That’s what we are looking for,” Silverwood said. “If we can create an environment where these guys can learn and continually improve then we will end up with some very good cricketers on our hands.”Zak is improving constantly. He certainly showed maturity and the innings he played was very good. We have some young players in that side that seem to have good heads on their shoulders, and he’s one of them. We’d have all loved to have seen him go on and get up to three figures but what we did was very good and helped us get into the position that we did.”After debuting at No. 6 in New Zealand and playing as an opener in South Africa, Crawley’s selection at No. 4 was a sign that he had been the likelier player to make way for Root’s return in that position in Manchester.However, when pressed on Denly’s continued presence in the side, Silverwood struggled to give his player much solace, and confirmed that his place would come under discussion when he and Root sit down with Ed Smith, the national selector, this afternoon to finalise England’s squad for the second Test.”We’re all desperate to see Joe do really well,” he said. “We can see he’s trying hard, he’s training hard. He’s a great bloke hence why we all went to see him do well, but obviously he’s under pressure a little bit, yeah.”POLITE ENQUIRIES: Does Ed Smith wear Jos Buttler pyjamasAnother player who might expect to feel the pinch is Buttler, England’s vice-captain in Root’s absence, whose scores of 35 and 9 at the Ageas Bowl continued a fallow run of form in which he has scored a solitary half-century in his last 21 Test innings, going back to the tour of the Caribbean.With Ben Foakes now confirmed as the Test squad’s wicketkeeping understudy following Jonny Bairstow’s selection in the white-ball squad to face Ireland at the end of the month, Buttler would appear to be running out of opportunities to translate his world-beating one-day form into the Test arena, where he averages 31.46 with one hundred in 42 appearances.Silverwood, however, indicated that the selectors’ patience had not yet run out, and despite the hugely worthy claims of Foakes – who made a hundred on his debut in Sri Lanka and averages 41.50 in five Tests – he backed England’s incumbent to live up to his indisputable talent.”I’m not going to go down that road yet of putting Jos under pressure, because I don’t think it’s going to help him,” he said. “So, first and foremost, we want to give Jos the best opportunity to succeed. But you’re right, we have got a very, very good gloveman in Ben Foakes out there, which we’re lucky to have.”[Jos] looked brilliant coming into this game, in practice and everything. He looked very good in the first innings. He just needs to go and make those big scores now, doesn’t he? Which he knows as well.”From our point of view it’s just making sure that he feels confident in the environment he’s in. We’ll give him the best chance to succeed really. The rest of it is, he has a good day out, gets some runs, hopefully the rest will be history – he’ll go on from there.”England are at least in familiar territory going into the second Test, having lost the opening match of a series for the eighth time in ten campaigns, dating back to the Ashes tour in 2017-18. Most recently in South Africa they bounced back from a heavy defeat in the first Test at Centurion to win the series 3-1, and Silverwood was hopeful that the same spirit would come to the fore now.”It is something that’s been spoken about, and it’s something that we keep managing to do,” he said. “We have to address and it look at how we get out of the blocks a little bit quicker.”We had a good chat in the dressing room afterwards – as you always do, you sit down and you look at areas where you missed opportunities here, you’ve built well there.”I tend to try and find the positives in everything. And South Africa was used as an example of how well we can bounce back. But what I don’t know want to do is take any credit away from the West Indies because I thought they played very, very well.”Another key issue for England will be the management of their bowling resources, with Stuart Broad champing at the bit to get involved after being controversially omitted from the opening Test, a decision that ended his run of 51 consecutive home appearances.Broad voiced his displeasure at that decision in a mid-Test interview, but Silverwood echoed Ben Stokes’ post-match sentiments and welcomed his determination to continue fighting for his place.”I think Stuart handled himself very well during that interview, to be honest,” Silverwood said. “What I did love about it, and subsequently the conversations I’ve had with him, is that passion. That drive is still there and to see that in someone who’s done as much in the game as he has, I find very exciting to be honest. And Stuart still has a big role to play within this team. I’ve made that very clear to him.”With six Tests to be played in the space of seven weeks, attrition among England’s fast-bowling ranks is inevitable, but Silverwood was optimistic of a clean bill of health in the build-up to Old Trafford.”We have one or two stiff bodies this morning as you can imagine,” he said. “I’ve been to see the guys already. But they all seem to have come through well. We will know more after training tomorrow. We will put them through their paces and see where we are at. Nothing is a given in this team as we’ve seen and people will be playing for their spots. Everything will be considered.”

Priya Punia and D Hemalatha were left out in favour of Harleen Deol and Bharati Fulmali

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Feb-2019Smriti Mandhana is in line to make her international captaincy debut when India host England for three T20Is that follow the ongoing series of ICC Women’s Championship ODIs. The elevation came after Harmanpreet Kaur, the designated T20I captain, was ruled out of the series because of the ankle injury that has kept her out of the ODIs as well.

India women’s T20I squad

Smriti Mandhana (captain), Mithali Raj, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Taniya Bhatia (wicketkeeper), Bharti Fulmali, Anuja Patil, Shikha Pandey, Komal Zanzad, Arundhati Reddy, Poonam Yadav, Ekta Bisht, Radha Yadav, Veda Krishnamurty, Harleen Deol

The 22-year-old Mandhana has made 106 appearances for India, including 55 in the shortest format. Her captaincy stints in the domestic circuit include leading her state side Maharashtra, West Zone, and India Blue to the Challenger Trophy title in January 2018. Most recently, she led the Board President’s XI against a full-strength England squad in a warm-up game at Wankhede Stadium.ALSO READ: Pandey and Goswami serve up perfect fast-bowling cocktailVeda Krishnamurthy, the middle-order batsman who missed the tour of New Zealand after poor returns at the World T20, returned to the side in the absence of Harmanpreet. Left-arm fast bowler Komal Zanzad was named in place of Mansi Joshi, while the batting pair of Priya Punia and D Hemalatha were left out in favour of Harleen Deol and Bharati Fulmali.Punia’s ouster came on the back of a poor debut series in New Zealand, where she managed just nine runs in three innings. Hemalatha too had a forgettable tour, making a 32-ball 13 in her only outing with the bat.This is a maiden national call-up for Zanzad, who took 3 for 14 for Board President’s XI against England last week. Zanzad, from Vidarbha, had previously impressed at the Challenger Trophy.Mithali Raj’s presence, meanwhile, adds the much-needed depth to the middle order in Harmanpreet’s absence. Raj’s T20I future has been the subject of much debate in recent times. While she was left out of the first two T20Is in New Zealand, Raj’s cameo in the middle order kept India in line for a last-over win in the final game in Hamilton.Shikha Pandey will lead the pace attack, with Zanzad and Arundhati Reddy for company. As expected, India have gone in with as many as five frontline spinners – Ekta Bisht, Radha Yadav, Poonam Yadav, Anuja Patil and Deepti Sharma.With the T20 World Cup set to be played in Australia in the first half of 2020, the series is yet another opportunity for the new head coach WV Raman to finalise his core group of players. Since losing the last World T20 semi-final to England, India have been blanked 3-0 in the shortest format in New Zealand despite being in winning positions on all three occasions.

The allrounder wasn’t a frontunner to play in this series, or in Tests at all; but he made a valuable contribution on the first day

Firdose Moonda in Johannesburg24-Jan-2018Andile Phehlukwayo was considered to have only an outside chance of playing in this Test. As a bowling allrounder whose speeds peak in the mid-130s but who does not move the ball with the same magic as Vernon Philander, and whose long-format batting average has only peeped over 20, Phehlukwayo could easily have been confined to the shorter formats, where his ability to take pace of the ball, his death bowling and hard-hitting have proved to be match-winners.But when the South Africa summer started and the squad had none of Dale Steyn, Lungi Ngidi or Chris Morris available, Phehlukwayo made his debut against Bangladesh. He played both Tests in that series and the one against Zimbabwe; but when India arrived, the big guns were brought out and Phehlukwayo was confined to drinks duty. In the lead-up to the Wanderers match, he only emerged as a contender when it was revealed that Chris Morris would need the week off on paternity leave.Instead of wondering when he his turn would come, Phehlukwayo used the time on the sidelines to get ready for a return by watching his team-mates’ success.”Being on the sidelines, you’ve got to keep yourself motivated. It’s such a good environment that you want to perform. I’ve kept myself motivated by watching the performance of the guys, learning about myself and the game. At a young age, I have been able to learn so much,” Phehlukwayo said.One of the bowlers Phehlukwayo has taken the most from is Philander, who bowls a similar pace as him but makes the ball talk, almost every time. Phehlukwayo was particularly in awe of Philander’s opening spell of eight overs, seven maidens, one run and one wicket, and wants to be able to emulate that. “Vernon showed his class again. Being on the field with him was unbelievable. When I watch him bowl, I get goosebumps,” Phehlukwayo said. “To imagine how consistent he can be on a length: I really look up to the type of bowler like that.”Another player Phehlukwayo admires is Ngidi, who he grew up playing against. Both Phehlukwayo and Ngidi are the children of domestic workers and both have enjoyed enormous success, both on the field and in uplifting their families and inspiring their communities.”When I watch Lungi and his parents at the game, it reminds me a lot of how we grew up. I’m really proud to see him. I am planning on bringing my parents to a few games too,” Phehlukwayo said.Ngidi flew his parents to Johannesburg for this Test and tweeted a photograph of them enjoying their first night in a hotel room on the eve of the match. Ngidi’s parents were in attendance on the first day and were spotted on television several times. Perhaps soon, Phehlukwayo’s parents will join them.

Khulna Titans went to six wins off eight matches as they beat Barisal Bulls by six wickets

Mohammad Isam25-Nov-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMahmudullah’s 36* was his fourth 30-plus score in eight BPL matches•Raton Gomes/BCB

Khulna Titans took sole lead of the BPL after their six-wicket win over Barisal Bulls. Khulna’s bowling returned to its parsimonious ways, rattling Barisal with early wickets and remaining disciplined as they notched up their sixth win in eight games. Junaid Khan, Shafiul Islam and Mosharraf Hossain took a wicket each, and their fielding was mostly tight.Barisal lost their openers by the fifth over before Shahriar Nafees and Mushfiqur Rahim added 42 runs for the third wicket. But once Nafees fell lbw to Mosharraf, Barisal further lost Nadif Chowdhury and Mushfiqur to run-outs, with Nadif falling to a cheeky bit of work by Khulna wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran.It could have been worse had Junaid latched on to an easy chance at long-on, offered by Thisara Perera who, along with Enamul Haque, helped Barisal eke out 38 runs in the last five overs.Khulna’s first chase in the tournament started poorly after they lost two wickets cheaply. Mohammad Hasanuzzaman and Rikki Wessels were both unlucky, having been bowled by deliveries that kept low.Taibur Rahman and Shuvagata Hom got the chase on track with a 33-run third-wicket stand, before Shuvagata and Mahmudullah got them closer to the target with their 57-run fourth-wicket partnership.Shuvagata’s 40 off 34 balls was his highest score in the BPL. His boundaries came mostly on the leg side, pulling fours over mid-on and fine leg, while hammering Monir Hossain for a big six over long-on. Mahmudullah struck a four over cover apart from hitting two beautiful straight sixes. The win was achieved with eight balls to spare.

South Australia’s last pair of Joe Mennie and Chadd Sayers eked out the last eight runs required for the Redbacks to complete a thrilling last-day chase of 317 and beat Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield match at the Adelaide Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Nov-2015
ScorecardFile photo – Travis Head stroked his maiden first-class hundred•Getty Images

South Australia’s last pair of Joe Mennie and Chadd Sayers eked out the last eight runs required for the Redbacks to complete a thrilling last-day chase of 317 and beat Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield match at the Adelaide Oval.The hosts appeared to have the chase well in hand for most of the day, thanks to a long-awaited maiden first-class hundred from their captain Travis Head, after 17 previous scores of 50 or more.Mark Cosgrove had also contributed a sturdy 63 at the top of the order, and at 4 for 269, South Australia looked headed for a more comfortable victory than they could have imagined when the Warriors were 2 for 217 the previous afternoon.But Alex Ross, Head, Tim Ludeman, and Adam Zampa all fell in quick succession to allow WA a glimpse of victory, with Michael Hogan and Simon Mackin both bowling well.It was left to Mennie and Sayers, who had combined well with the ball on day one to roll the Warriors for 211 in their first innings, to scramble the last few runs, something they managed to achieve to the delight of the new captain-coach combination of Head and Jamie Siddons. WA and SA now have one outright win apiece entering round three of the Shield.

Everywhere you look at Edgbaston, there seems to be a picture of Chris Wright and Keith Barker, grinning broadly, one hand each on the LV= Championship trophy, but Varun Chopra had an equal part to play.

Jon Culley at Edgbaston12-Apr-2013
ScorecardVarun Chopra settled back into the old routine with runs for Warwickshire on a dismal day•PA Photos

Everywhere you look at Edgbaston, there seems to be a picture of Chris Wright and Keith Barker, grinning broadly, one hand each on the LV= Championship trophy. And with good reason. With 118 wickets between them, their strike bowling partnership was the key to many a Warwickshire victory.Yet there was another key alliance at the heart of Warwickshire’s success and the scoreboard at the close of day three in this rain-ruined beginning to their title defence might indicate that it remains in fine working order. The Varun Chopra-Ian Westwood partnership at the top of the order developed into one of the most reliable in the competition. Both batsmen ended the season averaging in the forties and five times they gave the Warwickshire innings the perfect platform by scoring more than 100 runs without being parted.It was a contribution not to be underestimated. If the ability to take 20 wickets is key to winning Championship matches, then amassing totals that can be defended comes a solid second. The left-handed Westwood has endured some tough times in the last few years, fulfilling a career ambition by landing the captaincy but giving it up at the end of the 2010 season when he struggled for form. Subsequently, his place in the side was often little more than a stop gap when Ian Bell was on England duty.He started last year slowly but his form picked up in the second half, when the partnership with Chopra was at its most formidable. In one six-innings sequence the pair compiled stands of 100, 175 and 136. Westwood made two centuries in August, 19 days apart.Westwood’s recovery has been to Chopra’s benefit, too. The more at ease Chopra has become in the partnership, the more consistent has his form been. The only other England qualified batsman to pass 1,000 first-class runs in Division One last season was Nick Compton, who earned his elevation to the Test side as a result.Chopra, a 25-year old right-hander, has prospered, like his team-mate, Wright, since moving to Edgbaston from Essex. He made 1,000 runs in 2011 as well. His reward — alongside Wright — was a place in the 17-man England Performance Programme squad in India and a Lions tour to Australia, where he scored centuries in two 50-over matches, the second in the first meeting with Australia A in Hobart. Like Wright, he has been named also in in the provisional squad for the ICC Champions Trophy.Those spectators with the patience to wait for some action at a dank and gloomy Edgbaston yesterday saw Chopra and Westwood finish 10 short of another three-figure partnership, which will offer Warwickshire encouragement from a match destined to end in a draw. After the fragmented action that followed a 3.30 start, about 90 minutes of play was possible, and the conditions, in terms of pitch and atmospheric conditions, and the need to focus and refocus as stoppage followed stoppage, were hardly ideal for batting. Yet Chopra and Westwood set about their business with a familiar efficiency.Derbyshire might consider themselves a little unlucky. Tim Groenewald saw Chopra dropped on 10, albeit off a very hard chance high in the air to Ross Whiteley at point, and edge just short of first slip on 19. But Chopra picked off nine boundaries to illustrate to the newcomers how narrow are the margins for bowling error in First Division cricket as Warwickshire finished the day with a platform for a decent yield of batting points on the last day, if nothing else.

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.

Abdul Razzaq and Kamran Akmal have been axed from Pakistan’s combined ODI and Twenty20 squad for the upcoming tour of West Indies

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Apr-2011Abdul Razzaq and Kamran Akmal have been axed from Pakistan’s combined ODI and Twenty20 squad for the upcoming tour of West Indies, while senior players Umar Gul and Younis Khan have been rested. Shahid Afridi remains in charge of a team that will feature a new wicketkeeper, Mohammad Salman.The Test squad will be named at a later date and it is expected that Gul and Younis – the former had asked selectors for a rest from the limited overs portion of the tour – will return.Kamran’s wicketkeeping has been a source of concern for some time now, though various selectors have persisted with him in the belief that his batting provides the side with flexibility. But a poor World Cup campaign, with bat and gloves – the low hit in the game against New Zealand where he dropped centurion Ross Taylor three times, including twice early on, as well as fluffs in games against Sri Lanka and the semi-final with India – have finally proved too much. Coach Waqar Younis had hinted that it was time for a new wicketkeeper to be blooded, and Salman got the nod.With 103 first-class games to his name, the Karachi-born Salman, 29, has been on the fringes of selection for a while. A few years ago he was thought by many to be the best wicketkeeper in the land though in recent times, he had been overlooked behind Sarfraz Ahmed, Zulqarnain Haider and Adnan Akmal.”He is the best of the lot,” Rashid Latif, former Pakistan captain and wicketkeeper, told ESPNcricinfo. Salman was Latif’s deputy at Allied Bank Limited (ABL) in 2000 and worked with him later as well. “He came into ABL as my deputy wicket keeper and I worked with him then. After that we both joined Port Qasim Authority team in 2006, me as coach and Salman as a main wicketkeeper. He is an athletic man and a good batsman too for all formats.”Though the Test squad has not yet been announced, it is likely Kamran’s younger brother Adnan will retain his spot in the side as the wicketkeeper.Pakistan have also embarked on a search for a new allrounder, with the highly-rated Hammad Azam drafted in to replace Razzaq. The veteran Razzaq had a strange World Cup, playing all matches but almost as a spare part in the XI, taking only five wickets and making 104 runs.He did not complete his quota of 10 overs even once, and managed only a single half-century, though he usually batted as low as number eight. He was often given the new ball, but taken off after short opening spells to make way for Gul and the spinners. After the first couple of games, he had expressed a desire to play a larger part in Pakistan’s World Cup campaign, but continued to play a peripheral role.Azam was a central figure in Pakistan’s last U-19 World Cup campaign and was selected in the squad for the World T20 in the Caribbean last year, but he did not feature in a single game.”At the moment there’s no place for Abdul Razzaq and Kamran Akmal in the team,”
chief selector Mohsin Khan told reporters. “We want to try out few youngsters and that’s why we have picked those players who have performed outstandingly in the domestic circuit.”Left-hand opening batsman Taufeeq Umar, who recently worked his way back into the Test side, is another surprise inclusion for the shorter formats. Aizaz Cheema, the 31-year-old seamer who plays for Punjab, has also received a call-up to replace Gul. Cheema has 221 wickets from 62 first-class matches, and will tussle for the new ball with Wahab Riaz, Tanvir Ahmed and Junaid Khan. Usman Salahuddin, another youngster who made an impression at the Under-19 level, also got the selector’s nod for the tour. Salahuddin scored 927 runs in the Quaid-e-Azam trophy last year and will fight for a middle-order spot.The tour kicks off with a warm-up game from April 18, while the only Twenty20 will be played on April 21 in St Lucia. The five-match ODI series will begin on April 23, and the Test leg of the tour will commence on May 12.Squad: Shahid Afridi (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Taufeeq Umar, Usman Salahuddin, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Abdur Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Tanvir Ahmed, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Hammad Azam, Aizaz Cheema and Mohammad Salman (wk)Reserves: Rameez Raja (jnr), Sadaf Hussain, Asif Zakir, Sohail Khan, Zulifqar Babar

Plays of the day from Bangladesh v England, 2nd Test, Dhaka, 5th day

Andrew Miller in Dhaka24-Mar-2010Innings of the day
Shakib Al Hasan was 22 not out overnight, with a nightwatchman for company, four second-innings wickets still intact, and a slender lead of 94 on which to build. He knew full well that, after a series in which his batting had fallen a touch short of his recent high standards, today was the day to make his presence known to the opposition. And how superbly he responded to the match situation, first in partnership with Shafiul Islam, and then as a soloist while the tail loitered alongside him. A second Test century was the only just reward, but alas on 96, his adrenalin got the better of him.Anticlimax of the day
Shakib’s rush through the nineties was exhilarating to watch, as he took on James Tredwell with a series of slamming sweeps. With a horizontal bat and perfect power and timing, he picked off two fours and a two in the space of five balls, to move to 96 for the third time in his career. But then, from the final ball of the same over, Tredwell tossed it up, and Shakib – fatally – opted for a straight-bladed charge. Instead of dragging the ball through midwicket, he tried to seal the century in style with a six over long-off, but Matt Prior gathered and whipped off the bails. As had been the case with Tim Bresnan on the fourth day, a rush of blood ended a fine performance.Fielder of the day
After dropping the easiest catch of his life on Tuesday, Jonathan Trott came within an elbow of making spectacular amends during Bangladesh’s spirited morning performance. On 54, Shakib climbed into a pull off Stuart Broad, and sent the shot spinning down towards deep square leg where Trott, sprinting round from midwicket, dived and grabbed with his outstretched left hand. For a split-second he had it, but the impact on the turf jolted the ball loose from his grasp. One over later, however, he finally got it right, as Shafiul Islam top-edged a sweep, and Trott this time swallowed the chance on the edge of the rope. It was the hardest easy catch he will ever take, and his face was a picture of fear and relief as he tugged at his England badge to indicate his heart palpitations.Decision of the day
Trott could hardly stay out of the limelight as the match built towards its climax. After his excitement in the field, he was called upon to launch the run-chase, which he did with a decent turn of speed as he moved along to 19 from 30 balls. But then, however, Alastair Cook pushed a single into the covers, where Jahurul Islam slid and threw with impressive speed. A run-out appeal was referred to the TV umpire, Nadir Shah, who had only one angle from which to work. In one frame, Trott was out of his crease with the bails yet to drop, in the next he was home and the stumps were broken. Ordinarily, the benefit of the doubt would have gone to the batsman, but given the events of the past few days, Bangladesh deserved a break.Last word of the day
Alastair Cook has had a match that he’ll want to forget, particularly that horrible second morning when Bangladesh’s tail made a mockery of his field placings. But as he prepares to hand the captaincy back to Andrew Strauss, at least he can say that he took it upon himself to sort out his own mess. A fluent and focussed 109 not out was his final contribution of the tour. It was his second century of the series and, while the pressure evaporated once the result became inevitable, it nevertheless confirmed the strength of his character. Lesser players would have let the pressures of the past few days undermine their natural game. Cook just compartmentalised, and gone on with the business of run-scoring.

The former international captains join the team ahead of the SA20 auction on September 9

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Aug-2025Sourav Ganguly is going to be the new head coach of Pretoria Capitals for the fourth season of SA20, starting on December 26. He will be joined by former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock, who was named the franchise’s assistant coach on Monday.*Ganguly replaces Jonathan Trott in the role, having already acted as the director of cricket for JSW Sports – the parent company of Pretoria Capitals – since last year. Pollock will take over a coaching role after a while, having been a part of the Mumbai Indians coaching staff in the IPL in the early years of the tournament. He also worked with the South Africa team as a consultant briefly.Pretoria Capitals have had an uneven time in the tournament so far: they finished the first season at the top of the table in the group stage, before losing to Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the final. In the two seasons since then – in 2023-24 and 2024-25 – they have faced more middling results, finishing in fifth position both times and failing to qualify for the playoffs.Pretoria Capitals will be hoping that their luck turns around with the new appointments. Their first point of focus will be the player auction on September 9, where Capitals will be looking to refresh their squad.This will be Ganguly’s first time as a head coach. For four years, between 2015 and 2019, he was the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal. He joined Delhi Capitals as a mentor for the 2019 season, but left the franchise soon after to become the president of the BCCI.In the time since then, his appointment as JSW’s director of cricket last year moved him closer to a coaching role at the helm of one of their franchises, which also include Delhi Capitals in co-ownership with GMR in the IPL and WPL.* 0900 hrs: The story was updated after SA20 issued a release about Pollock’s appointment