All posts by h716a5.icu

Steadiness and stars continue to steer Tasmanian cricket into a bright future

Mike Bingham04-Nov-2014For a place that was founded in 1803 as a penal colony for thousands of British convicts, Hobart has come a long way. The Tasmanian capital is the nation’s second oldest city and is home to 220,000 people.The journey since 1803 has often been a struggle, given its isolation from the Australian mainland and lack of investment, but in recent times the gloom has given way to optimism and pride as Hobart and the entire island benefit from a clean, green image. The city’s small population is increasingly diverse, thanks largely to the century-old University of Tasmania, which is home to thousands of international students, including Chinese, Indians, Malaysians and Thais.The lifestyle is relaxed and the people are welcoming to visitors and have time to talk. No surprise in a city in which peak hour lasts all of 15 minutes. Australia’s smallest capital has a lot to offer, including an amazing and diverse range of restaurants, and a thriving arts scene.The inner city itself has escaped most of the modern development that swept away much of the colonial heritage architecture in places like Sydney and Melbourne. Instead, whole streetscapes retain touches of Georgian grandeur.With Mt Wellington (1271 metres) at its back and the broad Derwent river estuary creating a deep water harbour – rated by many as second only to Sydney – Hobart’s setting is spectacular. Each summer, the port hosts at least 40 cruise-ship visits.The mountain is a marvellous vantage point from which to look over Hobart and its surrounds. It is also a platform offering dramatic views of the vast south-western wilderness. The drive from the CBD takes about 30 minutes, but be prepared for the weather. Snow sometimes falls in summer.Some 45% of the state’s 26,000 square miles is set aside as reserves, national parks and World Heritage areas. The sky is pollution-free; the air is reckoned to be the cleanest and freshest in the world. The first thing most Hobartians do when returning to Hobart airport after travelling interstate or overseas is to take a deep breath and announce how happy they are to be home.

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One of the city’s showpieces is Blundstone Arena, formerly Bellerive Oval. It is the venue for three World Cup games – Zimbabwe v Ireland, Scotland v Sri Lanka, and Australia v Scotland.Less than 30 years ago, it was a dusty suburban ground. Today it is one of the world’s finest boutique stadiums, accommodating 20,000 spectators in a beautiful riverside setting on the city’s eastern shore.Its transformation was triggered by the cricket’s administrators’ decision in 1987-88 to transfer from the TCA (Tasmanian Cricket Association) ground on the Queens Domain, which had been its headquarters for more than 100 years. The ground is on a hill on the outskirts of the CBD and was notorious for chilly winds blasting down from the nearby Mt Wellington. Bails were often blown off and, during one game, a sightscreen was toppled.

Less than 30 years ago, Blundstone Arena was a dusty suburban ground. Today it is one of the world’s finest boutique stadiums, accommodating 20,000 spectators in a beautiful riverside setting on the city’s eastern shore

Cricket has a long and quirky history in Hobart. One of the earliest references to it is contained in the 1813 diary by a colonial clergyman, who mentioned he had seen gentlemen playing the game. It is thought that some early games were played in June and July, thus matching the English seasons. Presumably the players soon woke up to the fact that mid-winter in Hobart was a far cry from a glorious summer day at Lord’s.It was not until 1977 that Tasmania was admitted to the nationwide Sheffield Shield competition. Until then, the state’s first-class cricket options had been a few annual matches against some of the other states, and an occasional game against touring international teams. A bid to gain admission to the Shield competition in 1964 was rejected. The message became clear: cricket in Tasmania had been held back by regional rivalries on the island. At times, representative selections were split between the south (Hobart), north (Launceston) and north-west. Improved administration and a growing realisation of the need for change gradually overcame that obstacle.In 1969, Tasmania was included in the inaugural national one-day competition and, three years later, Lancashire allrounder Jack Simmons was recruited as captain. His tough and inspiring leadership shaped the emergence of Tasmania on the national stage. Between 1974 and 1979, Simmons lifted his players to two semi-finals and two finals, culminating in victory in 1978-79. Along the way, he identified a brilliant young talent in Launceston: David Boon. The emergence of the gritty and gifted opening batsman in the early 1980s put the state on the international map. A statue at Blundstone Arena honours the great man who scored a century against New Zealand at the venue in 1993.Simmons was followed by another experienced English county cricketer, Brian Davison, formerly of Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), who continued to develop the professional approach. In more recent times, Launceston has also produced Ricky Ponting, Australia’s best batsman of the modern era and a fierce competitor. Add to that list George Bailey, the current state captain. The impact of the performances and leadership by those three players cannot be over-estimated.The recruitment of the likes of Dennis Lillee, Richard Hadlee, Shane Watson and Michael Holding added strength to the team and glamour to the game itself. Modern cricket is now established as the premier summer sport on the island.These days, recruiting concentrates on the other Sheffield Shield teams. Opening batsman Ed Cowan, from NSW, was starved of opportunities at home but has blossomed as a Test player in Tasmania. The traffic hasn’t been one-way. Former Tasmania keeper-batsman Matthew Wade is now captain of Victoria, having played second fiddle to Tim Paine.In recent years, Tasmanian cricket has continued to punch well above its weight, having won the Sheffield Shield three times, plus a string of national one-day competitions. And Hobart Hurricanes excelled in the 2014 Champions League, helped by the fact that numerous state players are regulars in the IPL.Australian players have the reputation of being take-no-prisoners competitors, and Tasmanians adopt the same approach. For the administrators, the role of the Sheffield Shield competition is to develop players for the Test team. For the Tasmanian players, it’s a chance to take on the best and win. They say Test matches are tough gigs. Take your place in a stand at Blundstone Arena during a Shield game and you will see where the preparation for that challenge begins.The 2015 World Cup matches in Hobart will provide another huge boost to cricket and carry the beauty of the city to an international audience.

ESPNcricinfo presents the Plays of the Day from the first ODI between New Zealand and Pakistan in Wellington

Andrew Fidel Fernando31-Jan-2015The exit tuneThe news of Haris Sohail’s unfortunate run-in with what the batsman believed to be ghosts, in Christchurch, has now traveled around the globe, even making a splash in the USA. True or not, it will now be a tale he will find tough to live down, as the Westpac Stadium DJ proved. Sohail played well for his 23, but when he was dismissed in the 24th over, he walked back to the dressing room to the theme song from the Ghostbusters film.The recallYounis Khan failed to make a significant the two warm-up matches, and when he slashed Kyle Mills in the air to third man in the seventh over, he thought he was out for 1. Younis was on his way back to the dressing room when he heard the umpires asking him to wait. Replays found Mills had not landed his foot behind the line, and a no-ball and a run was awarded, and the wicket reversed. A free-hit was also given, but though Ahmed Shehzad received a knee-high full toss, he chose to just bunt it into the legside.The fraternal telepathyBrendon and Nathan McCullum played countless games of indoor cricket growing up, and in the 25th over, produced a piece of fielding that might have been more at home on a cricket court than a field. Tearing after a ball Haris had hit between mid on and midwicket, Brendon caught up to it just outside the 30-yard circle, and employed a reverse-scoop, as he dove over the ball. Brendon was sending the ball behind him, but his brother, who had been at midwicket, was in the perfect position to catch the ball and return it to the keeper. Most teams would have conceded at least two for that shot, but the McCullums only gave away a single.The insanity by osmosisNever one to suffer a run-rate below four an over, Shahid Afridi came in at 127 for 6 and thumped his first ball over cover for four. He continued to aim big swipes at virtually every ball, and perhaps it was seeing Afridi play with such a cavalier spirit, that inspired Misbah-ul-Haq to do the same. Misbah had been 58 from 86 balls and needed only to turn the strike over to Afridi at the other end, but in the 42nd over, he tried to smash a full Grant Elliott ball over the deep midwicket rope, and picked out the fielder there instead.

Plays of the day from the match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians

Rachna Shetty19-Apr-2015The silent protest
What does a player do after a warning by an umpire to cut down on chatter to the batsman? Pipe down. Unless you’re Kieron Pollard. Asked by the umpire to put a stop to his chattering at the Royal Challengers Bangalore batsmen, Pollard deployed a method more common at protest marches around the world than on a cricket field – he put a duct tape over his mouth. By the time he came on to bowl the last over of the match, the tape had been taken off.The overs that went on, and on, and on…
Dropped catches had plagued Royal Challengers and Mumbai Indians in their previous games. In this game, in addition to the catches, it was the extras conceded. Iqbal Abdulla bowled an eight-ball over during Mumbai Indians’ innings but he was outdone by Mumbai Indians’ bowlers. Mitchell McClenaghan began the side’s defence of 209 with a nine-ball over that included two wides, a no-ball and a dropped catch. Jasprit Bumrah began his spell with a 10-ball over that had four successive wides at the start.The chance that went abegging
The second ball of a 210-run chase. A short of a length ball from McCleanghan sat up and Chris Gayle took a thwack at it. The ball flew straight to Lendl Simmons at cover. Perhaps thrown off by the speed at which it came, Simmons spilled the chance. Rohit Sharma was on his knees in despair, Gayle had a blank look on his face and Simmons could only offer a sheepish smile.Collision, chaos, comedy
With the openers gone after a slow start, Virat Kohli and Dinesh Karthik had some catching up to do. Karthik drove a ball off Hardik Pandya to sweeper cover and the batsmen set off for two. After completing the first single, both of them turned and started running on the same side of the pitch, realised that, then started running diagonally and collided. Fortunately for them, Mumbai Indians missed the run-out chance but Kohli was not amused.

Mumbai Indians don’t lack for resources to pull off a second IPL trophy and here are five of them that they would hope to fire at Eden Gardens against Chennai Super Kings

Nagraj Gollapudi in Kolkata23-May-20153:16

Butcher: The force is with Mumbai

The soldier
At training, Lasith Malinga was knocking the base of the stumps at training with his pin-point yorkers. There was no run-up though, just slinging that arm from the crease. Barely about 10 deliveries in, he stopped. That was enough for him. Malinga is ready for the final.In two IPL finals Mumbai have played, he went wicketless, 0-33 in 2010 when they lost, and 2 for 22 in 2013 when they became champions. Despite all the questions posed about his fitness and speed, Malinga has soldiered on with unerring accuracy and a smile.This season Malinga has taken even more responsibility, assisting Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma with the right field placements, and has even been insistent at times considering his experience in working out a batsman’s strengths and weaknesses.Malinga’s presence has motivated his bowling partners. New Zealand seamer Mitchell McCleneghan has been given the freedom to operate in his aggressive fashion and the pair have been one the most dominant new-ball combinations this season.The leader
If Rohit Sharma scores 15 runs in the final, he will become only the second batsmen after Virat Kohli to score 500-plus runs against Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.His battle with R Ashwin is likely to be key to the outcome of the match. In 11 innings, Rohit has been tied down to 51 runs from 70 balls and been dismissed once as well. He will take heart from being back in a venue he likes – the last time Rohit played at Eden Gardens, he missed out on a century by just two runs, against Kolkata Knight Riders in the tournament opener.On the eve of the final, his second as the captain, Rohit sat quietly and observed Ponting administer drills at the training nets about 50 metres away. Despite the distance, Rohit kept a close eye on proceedings. Known to get emotional in tense situations, here he was sitting alone in a corner away from the dugout. His batting has not performed to the desired standards, but it is clear Rohit wants to win.The power hitter(s)
In Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya, Mumbai have the firepower to accelerate in the final six overs.Pollard is the main threat for in addition to his quiver including brute strength, he has added a coating of patience to his bow. He showed he can come in early and bat deep in a must-win game against Knight Riders. He stuck to his captain’s instructions of knuckling down and although 33 not out from 38 balls does not say much on paper, it was one of the major reasons Mumbai finished as winners.Pandya has acknowledged Pollard’s contribution in helping him stay strong and pick the right moment and the right ball and right shot to ease off the pressure. It is too early to predict Pandya’s future, but for the moment he has the support of his seniors including Mumbai coach Ricky Ponting. If the two Mr Ps decide to tango, Super Kings will not have an easy night.The talisman
Eden Gardens is where Harbhajan Singh has scripted historic Test victories for India. He lost his place to Ashwin two years ago but has come back for the one-off Test against Bangladesh. The final will be another opportunity for Harbhajan to prove who the best spinner in the IPL is.He has been impressive, finding drift and delivering at a slower pace which has made him an attacking option this season. A far cry from the defensive lines he resorted to in the past when batsman took him on. His twin dismissals of Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni in a single over in the first Qualifier put Mumbai in the final straightaway. Harbhajan and Mumbai would be happy with an encore.The architect
Mumbai will be waging this battle on behalf of Ricky Ponting, who has never lost a big final in his playing days. Speak to any Mumbai player and he will tell you that their coach has inspired him within a matter of seconds. Ponting’s message has been clear from the outset: put yourself on the line not just for yourself, but for your team-mates also. Successful Australian teams built a strong bond under strong leaders like Ponting and he is at it again in the Mumbai dressing room.MS Dhoni is known for his strategy but Ponting will be alert to the Super Kings captain’s every move. Ponting v Dhoni. Super Sunday at the Eden does not get better.

Stats highlights from Bangladesh’s historic ODI win against India in Mirpur

Bishen Jeswant21-Jun-20151:37

Insights – Bangladesh complete 10 straight home wins

10 Successive ODI wins for Bangladesh at home – five against Zimbabwe, three against Pakistan, and two against India.5 Number of ODI wins for Bangladesh against India, in 31 games. Among the top ten sides, Bangladesh have won more often against West Indies (seven out of 28) and New Zealand (eight out of 25). (Click here for their ODI record against each opposition.)93 Bangladesh’s current points tally on the ICC rankings table. Even if they lose the next game against India, and all three against South Africa, they will still be on 90 points, which is ahead of West Indies’ 88.11 Wickets taken by Mustafizur Rahman in his first two ODIs, the most by any bowler in ODI history. Mustafizur took 5 for 50 in his first ODI and 6 for 43 in the second. The only other bowler to take two five-wicket hauls in his first two ODIs was Zimbabwe’s Brian Vitori, with 5 for 30 and 5 for 20 against Bangladesh in 2011.6-43 Mustafizur’s figures in the second ODI, the third-best by any Bangladesh bowler in ODIs. The only other Bangladesh bowlers to take six-wicket hauls are Mashrafe Mortaza (6 for 26 against Kenya, 2006) and Rubel Hossain (6 for 26 against New Zealand, 2013).36 Fifity-plus scores for Shakib-Al-Hasan in ODIs, which equals the record for Bangladesh. Tamim Iqbal has 36 such scores as well. Both have played 145 ODI innings.7 Number of 50-plus scores in ODIs for Shakib against India, from 13 innings. The only team against whom he has more 50-plus scores is Zimbabwe – nine from 39 innings.3 Number of times India have been bowled out for 200 or less against Bangladesh, the second-most for a top-eight side. West Indies have suffered this fate four times. Each of India’s three instances have come when batting first, which is the most for any top-eight side.2 Number of times Nasir Hossain has bowled his full quota of 10 overs in an ODI, against New Zealand in 2013 and India in this game. Nasir conceded exactly 33 runs on both occasions, but was wicketless against New Zealand while he picked up two wickets against India.3 Ducks by Indian batsmen in this ODI, the joint-most for them in an ODI against Bangladesh. The only previous instance of three Indian batsmen scoring ducks against Bangladesh was in Port-of-Spain during the 2007 World Cup.

We look back at six encounters between Pakistan and England that became iconic (sometimes for the wrong reasons)

Andrew McGlashan10-Oct-2015The Oval 1954An historic moment in Pakistan’s Test history as they overturned England for the first time in a low-scoring encounter. There were just two half-centuries in the match – by Denis Compton and Peter May – but it was Fazal Mahmood, Pakistan’s first great fast bowler, with 12 wickets, who provided the defining performance. It was his second 12-wicket haul in Tests, following the 12 for 94 he claimed against India in Lucknow, which gave Pakistan their maiden Test victory in 1952. Those two hauls remain Pakistan’s best overseas. In this match he earned Pakistan a three-run lead with 6 for 53 in the first innings and then, defending 168 with England seemingly cruising on 109 for 2, claimed 6 for 46 in the second. Pakistan’s lower-order batting was also key: over the two innings the last two wickets added 138 runs. Speaking of the match, Mahmood said: “Even though we were bowled out for 133, I did not think for a second we would lose.”Faisalabad 1987Mike Gatting, Shakoor Rana and Peter Lush, the England manager, after the uneasy truce•Getty ImagesThe scorecard records Match Drawn – that does not even tell the half of it. Mike Gatting’s infamous confrontation with umpire Shakoor Rana led to the third day’s play being lost and almost caused the abandonment of the tour. England, and especially Gatting, were already peeved by the standard of the umpiring and the tension came to a head when Rana claimed that Gatting had been moving a fielder – David Capel – without the knowledge of batsman Saleem Malik. It began one of the most heated exchanges on a cricket pitch – and produced the iconic photo, taken by Graham Morris, of Gatting with his finger jabbing at Rana, who refused to stand again until an official apology was made. “It was not his job at square leg to inform the batsman what I was doing. I did nothing for which I need to apologise,” Gatting said. His hand was eventually forced, but England did not have time to press home a strong position, which had been based on Chris Broad’s hundred and then bowling out Pakistan for 191. “Mike Gatting was packed off to the headmaster’s study without so much as a to stick down the back of his trousers,” wrote Martin Johnson in the . However, in the , Ted Dexter wrote: “Regardless of the provocation, Gatting has made a mess of it and should be disciplined.”Lord’s 1992Wasim Akram celebrates Pakistan’s two-wicket win at Lord’s•Getty ImagesThe two “Ws” won many matches for Pakistan, but this one was with bat in hand – although they did share the small matter of 13 wickets. Chasing 138 against a depleted England attack down to three fit bowlers, after the loss of Phil DeFreitas and Ian Botham (in what proved his last Test), Pakistan slipped to 95 for 8 as debutant Ian Salisbury and Chris Lewis took six wickets between them. However, Lewis and Devon Malcolm ran out of gas and Salisbury could not quite cap a memorable debut as Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis held their nerve deep into the Sunday evening.”What England’s captain needed was an over from Wasim or Waqar,” said. “But they were batting for the other side and, slowly but surely, they took Pakistan to victory. Rarely can a Test crowd have been through so many emotions in a single day’s play.” Earlier in the match, Waqar had been central to sparking a trademark collapse as England fell away from 123 without loss, but in reply, Malcolm went through Pakistan’s middle order. A combination of Akram and Mushtaq Ahmed dismantled England’s second innings, although Alec Stewart carried his bat for an unbeaten 69. Lewis removed Pakistan’s Nos. 2, 3 and 4 for ducks and Salisbury hinted at a legspinning future for England, but both proved false dawns.Karachi 2000Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe celebrate victory in the dark•Getty ImagesA series that had crept along on dead pitches with slow scoring came to life on the final day as England somehow conjured a remarkable victory moments before Karachi would have been enveloped in complete darkness. Even before Graham Thorpe edged past his stumps for the winning runs, Pakistan’s fielders had remonstrated that they could not see the ball, but the protests fell on deaf ears against Steve Bucknor after their previous attempts to slow the game down. England’s astonishing victory push actually started the previous evening when Thorpe took an outstanding catch on the long leg boundary to remove Saeed Anwar, and Ashley Giles ripped a delivery across Inzamam-ul-Haq to clip his off stump. It opened the door a fraction, and on the final morning Giles, Darren Gough and Craig White chipped through the rest of the Pakistan order to leave a tantalising target of 176 in 44 overs and a race against the light. Thorpe led the way, while Michael Atherton – who, the first innings, had made what would become his final Test hundred – Marcus Trescothick and Graeme Hick all chipped in before the denouement in the gloom.Multan 2005Shoaib Akhtar demolishes Ashley Giles’ stumps during Pakistan’s final-day victory push in 2005•AFPFresh from their heady 2005 Ashes glory, England appeared set to continue their surge with victory in the opening Test of this series. They had stayed ahead of Pakistan throughout the first four days, restricting them to 274 on a flat pitch then building a lead of 144 on the back of Trescothick’s 193. Pakistan fought hard in their second innings, led by Salman Butt’s 122, but England’s pace attack – the powerful trio of Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard and Andrew Flintoff – chipped away with stamina and skill to leave a target of 198. At the close of the fourth day England were 24 for 1, losing Trescothick but still strongly placed. When they moved to 64 for 1 on the final morning all seemed in order, but then Danish Kaneria removed Ian Bell and Andrew Strauss in the same over and Pakistan sensed their moment. Paul Collingwood fell next over to make it three wickets in seven balls, and when Kaneria snared Flintoff and Mohammad Sami removed Kevin Pietersen it was all Pakistan at 101 for 6. A Shoaib Akhtar thunderbolt left just one of Giles’ stumps standing, but Geraint Jones and Shaun Udal eked out a stand of 49 to pull England within 32 of victory. However, Kaneria removed Udal and then Shoaib finished the job with another searing yorker to Jones before Harmison fended to gully. England’s 2005 bubble was burst.Lord’s 2010There was only one thing people were talking about on the fourth day at Lord’s•Getty ImagesAs the players left the field after the third day’s play, all the talk was of a world-record eighth-wicket stand of 332 between Jonathan Trott and Stuart Broad, and the implosion of the Pakistan batting, which left them 41 for 4 following on. Yet, a few hours later, the focus dramatically, and permanently, shifted. Shortly after 10pm, the broke the spot-fixing story of no-balls to order involving Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, who had etched his name on the honours broad with 6 for 84 earlier in the match. Overnight few people slept and next morning there were doubts as to whether the Test would resume. It did, but amid a torpid atmosphere where England could barely bring themselves to celebrate wickets as they secured a massive, but forever hollow, innings victory to take the series. The match was over; the real story had only just begun. The three players were found guilty and each handed prison sentences of varying lengths. Five years on, there remains a possibility that England could face Amir at some point in this tour.

Plus: golfing with chavs, the burning to desire to deliver punches to the groin, and other delightful stuff

Alex Bowden04-Sep-2015Beyond the cricket field, few players are held in such high regard as Kumar Sangakkara. People seem incapable of writing about what his future might hold without using the word “statesmanlike”. It was therefore something of a surprise when his post Test career Twitter output followed the lead of that famously dignified ex-cricketer, Ian Botham.Sangakkara says his account was hacked. How many hackings featuring genital photographs do we need before we can start referring to it as a “spate”?Perhaps it’s a lesson that even the greatest among us can be diminished by events beyond our control. Or, as Saqlain Mushtaq cheerily puts it:

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Thanks for the uplifting message, Saqlain.Things have been either squalid or dark thus far. Maybe it’s time to embrace innocence. Sometimes a simple gesture can really make someone’s day.

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You’d think after countless summers in England, Shane Wane would have got to grips with the climate like now.

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Summer in England is no drier than any other time of year. It’s just less cold.Shane should try and be more like Nasir Jamshed and just try and enjoy it.

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What do you mean, sarcasm?Rain or shine, you can always play golf. Alex Hales and Ben Stokes took on Sam Billings and Jason Roy this week in what Hales branded a “chavs v toffs” match.So who won?

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But in this writer’s eyes, Hales was the true winner for this tetchy retort.

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Yorkshire have got a major win under their belt as well.

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Meanwhile, it was Tino Best’s birthday.

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Don’t encourage him. He doesn’t need compliments from other people. He’s perfectly capable of supplying them himself.

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Nor has age mellowed Tino.

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Best’s sometime team-mate, Kemar Roach, learnt that every action has a consequence.

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It may sound pretty self-indulgent, but soon enough that bed becomes a prison cell.

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Get up. Walk to the fridge.Finally, somewhere in the world, there is always a cricketer complaining about some aspect of air travel.

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South Africa went nine years without tasting a Test series defeat on the road, but all the fighting traits which defined them during that run have been missing in India

Firdose Moonda in Delhi04-Dec-20151:59

Manjrekar: Disappointed with Faf and Amla

.Dropping catches at slip The bucket hands of Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis left more than a year ago, but Dean Elgar, AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis have been adequate replacements. Hashim Amla, though, who may see it as his duty as captain to station himself at slips, has not. Amla put down three catches in the India innings and South Africa were made to pay for two of them. When Kyle Abbott induced a thick edge off Rohit Sharma with a reverse-swinging ball, Amla should have taken it with both hands, but he spilled it. Dane Piedt later drew the edge from Ajinkya Rahane with a slider when was on 78, and Amla had to get low down to his left but again, with both hands to grasp the ball, he let it go. Rahane added 49 more runs to his score. Then, Abbott was left down again when Ashwin hung his bat outside offstump and the edged ball died on Amla. Ashwin was on 14 at the time, and went on to make 56. Playing a paddle scoop of the second ball when you’re not AB de Villiers Du Plessis had scored just 11 runs in the series before he spent three hours at the crease in the second innings in Nagpur. He obviously thought he had played himself back into form. He came in at No.5 in Delhi – two lower than usual – with the team in trouble at 56 for 3, and tried to scoop the second ball he faced over fine leg. Ajinkya Rahane saw him coming and moved from slip to leg slip to take the catch. The resultant duck made du Plessis only the second South Africa batsman since Charlie Llewellyn in 1912 to record three ducks in six innings.Losing three of the top seven to quicks in a series dominated by spin South Africa have been so busy concentrating on turn, they seemed to forget that India also have quicks who they should be careful against. Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma got the ball to move, induced an edge from Dean Elgar, and broke through JP Duminy and Dane Vilas’ defenses to leave South Africa looking vulnerable against anyone with a red cherry in hand.Running out of ideas and answers when they need them most Amla has been a creative captain for most of his tenure, but on the second morning, with India still not entirely comfortable with their score, he seemed spent. He took the second new ball but spread the field, allowing Rahane and Ashwin to collect runs fairly freely. He used his best bowler from the first day, Dane Piedt, sparingly when instead he should have been applying pressure. He used Imran Tahir liberally even as he leaked runs. Later, the coach Russell Domingo had no real reasons for South Africa’s struggles other than that things had not gone their way, and that they had been outplayed. That is the decent thing to say, but fans back home will demand more of an explanation.

The Big Bash League has established its niche in Australia’s summer through careful planning and aggressive marketing

Will Macpherson21-Jan-2016″Are you coming to the Big Bash tonight?” asked the kid, who could have been no older than seven, of the family friend being picked up at Adelaide Airport on the morning of New Year’s Eve. “You have to come, it’s New Year’s. It’s traditional.”In many ways, he was right. It did feel, on New Year’s Eve in Adelaide, like you did at the Big Bash: 46,389 people – a strikingly diverse bunch – were at Adelaide Oval, and what a spectacle they were party to. “What did we do on New Year’s Eve before the Big Bash?” one Adelaidian joked the following day.How can anything pertaining to the BBL possibly be traditional? Sure, sporting traditions exist all over the place – football is played on Boxing Day across the UK and Australian Rules is played on Anzac Day and the Queen’s Birthday public holidays, for example. But the BBL? You likely own a pair of shoes or a household appliance with a more storied history. Tradition is carved over time, and passed from generation to generation, not created in an instant.Except, in the BBL, tradition has been created both quickly and with success. Many things have stood out about the fifth edition, but more notable than the bumper TV ratings, the youthful, next-gen make-up of the competition’s devotees, and the dramatic, dynamic cricket, has been the sheer volume of people flooding through the gates.New Year in Adelaide felt like a “moment”, but two days later 80,883 turned up at the MCG for the Melbourne derby. Every game has had some sort of record: small, seemingly insignificant ones, such as Etihad Stadium attracting its highest derby and non-derby crowds, or significant ones, like the whoppers at the MCG and Adelaide Oval, or Hobart’s first (and second, and third) BBL sellouts, and the Sydney derby coming close to 40,000. Almost every game has attracted a bigger crowd than last season, and the group-stage average attendance sat at 28,248, almost 5000 up on last year’s average.

In the BBL, tradition has been created both quickly and with success. More notable than the bumper TV ratings, the youthful, next-gen make-up of the competition’s devotees, and the dramatic, dynamic cricket, has been the sheer volume of people flooding through the gates

Listen to a golfer’s post-round press interaction and you’ll hear a regular refrain: “I’ve just got to control the controllables,” they’ll say. The same goes for Cricket Australia’s dealings with the BBL; the only thing that cannot be scripted is what happens on the field. Everything else is planned meticulously. There is no better example of this than the fixture list, and the rewards are reaped in those extraordinary crowds.”We work hard to optimise the schedule for our 32 pool games,” says Anthony Everard, the competition’s boss. It’s a pretty unique competition in this country; for the football codes that run through winter – it doesn’t really matter which Saturday afternoon you play on in May, July or August, it’s still a Saturday afternoon. “But we play in a really concentrated period and within that, what we identified early is that there’s a huge difference between a Saturday afternoon the week before Christmas and the same time slot the week after.”Our focus is very much on families, and the weeks leading into Christmas are very busy times. It’s the end of the school year, and people have loads on, with Christmas shopping and the like. What we have to try to do is make the BBL as accessible as possible, and a big part of that is making the schedule predictable, so families know year on year when the fixtures are going to take place and can plan their other activities around that time.”Thus, a series of flagship games, and dates, were identified, and “icon fixtures” born. The two Sydney derbies were placed on the opening night and the last Saturday of the pool stages, and the two Melbourne derbies on the first two Saturdays of January. Perth Scorchers, due to their favourable time zone in relation to the Boxing Day Test, expressed interest in playing that evening; Adelaide Strikers did the same with New Year’s Eve.All part of the BBL entertainment package: Andrew Flintoff gets involved with the fans at the Spotless Stadium in Sydney•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesThere is more to come; Sydney Sixers are looking at playing on Christmas Eve 2016 (with accompanying carol service, which saw 3000 on the SCG outfield on December 20 this season), and Sydney Thunder are even considering Christmas Day. Hobart Hurricanes got a (since surpassed) record crowd on New Year’s Day this year, and are looking at the possibilities of locking that in, although they are slightly put off by the financial hit of playing on a public holiday, when they have to pay all event staff double time.Of the timings of the Melbourne derbies, Everard explains, “you have Christmas behind you, the most family time you have all year, but people are still on holiday. It makes sense to have our biggest match up in the market where we have the biggest capacity, at the MCG.” There’s a knock-on effect that feeds into the rivalry; Etihad Stadium had its own record crowd a week later, too. “Families now know that the first two Saturdays after New Year, there’s going to be a Melbourne derby.”New Year’s Eve cricket was introduced in 2013, when – following much deliberation – Everard invited expressions of interest from teams. “It was a date we had not traditionally played cricket in Australia,” he says. “There are so many other entertainment options that night. Sydney could never work, there are one million people at the harbour. Melbourne’s proximity to the Boxing Day Test made it tricky.” Enter Adelaide.Bronwyn Klei, Strikers’ general manager, says she could “hear a pin drop,” when she told her staff the team were in the market for a New Year’s game. “I thought it was great!” she says, “but I’m married with two kids and have nothing to do on NYE! The rest were like, ‘What? We have to work?'”CA backed Adelaide’s case for the fixture. There were hurdles; the town’s Lord Mayor does his own fireworks very close by – some Sydney Sixers players confided this was a frustration and distraction during this year’s game – and there were fears the two events would cannibalise one another.

New Year’s Eve cricket was introduced in 2013. “There are so many other entertainment options that night,” Everard says. “Sydney could never work, there are one million people at the harbour. Melbourne’s proximity to the Boxing Day Test made it tricky.” Enter Adelaide

There were far more positives, though. Adelaide Oval is bang in the centre of town and has a famously sociable crowd. The game starts early enough – 6.40 local time – to kick off a night out, with a brief concert afterwards, or provide its entire entertainment for young families. Klei admits she has been “totally blown away” by the event’s success and growth and believes “it is already an Adelaide institution”, while Everard says “that it has shown us that if you get the formula right, it doesn’t take long for something to become an institution.”Everard believes the same is possible in the Christmas period, although he is wary of overkill. “Whether or not there’s an opportunity for the BBL to become part of the Christmas tradition and actually enhance that experience, that would be the aspiration,” he says. “We certainly wouldn’t want to interfere with those traditions that already exist.”The BBL’s traditions do not end at the fixtures. There is a desire for in-stadium experience to be consistent, and Everard cites Melbourne Renegades’ use of the “Crusty Demons” motorbike troupe and Brisbane Heat’s “Rocket Man”, who flies around the Gabba on a jetpack, as successful innovations.The attempts to create in-city rivalries – which saw the BBL look at Manchester and Los Angeles as examples of two-team towns – also appear to be working, as the teams attempt to brand themselves distinctly and appeal to different parts of their city’s make-up. The numbers suggest it is working, with merchandise flying off the shelves (at the MCG on January 2, A$160,000 worth was sold) and impressive crowds, but anecdotally Thunder and Sixers home games feel distinct from each other, as does the experience at the MCG or Etihad Stadium.As the league matures, Everard’s plans seem to be slipping into place. This season’s total attendees will top 1,000,000 during Friday’s semi-final at the MCG, while Adelaide Oval’s semi-final sold out in an hour. Every fixture feels like it has broken some record or another and, amazingly given its brief history, the BBL seems to be cementing its place as an institution in Australia’s sporting calendar. None of this has happened by accident.

Stats highlights from England’s comfortable semi-final win against New Zealand

S Rajesh30-Mar-201620 Runs conceded by England in the last four overs, the fewest they have ever conceded in the last four (when they’ve bowled all 24 balls). The previous lowest was 23, against Netherlands in the 2014 World T20. New Zealand have twice scored fewer runs in the last four, with their lowest being 13, against South Africa in 2012.2 Runs by which New Zealand were ahead of England at the end of the 16th over: New Zealand were 133 for 3 after 16, while England were 131 for 3. From there, New Zealand made 20 for 5 in their last four, while England smashed 28 runs off seven balls at that stage to seal the game with 17 balls to spare.7.74 New Zealand’s run rate in the last ten in this World T20; since the start of the Super 10, the only team with a lower run rate in the last ten is Bangladesh – they scored at 7.40 per over.7/64 New Zealand’s score in the last ten overs – they managed only four fours and a six during this period. After the first ten they were 89 for 1, with 12 fours and two sixes.78 Jason Roy’s score, his first 50-plus score in T20Is; his previous best in 12 innings was 43, against South Africa earlier in this tournament. It also equals the second-highest score in a knockout game in World T20s: the highest is 96 not out, by Tillakaratne Dilshan in the 2009 semi-final against West Indies, while Marlon Samuels also scored 78 in the 2012 final.26 Balls taken by Roy for his half-century, which equals the fifth fastest for England in T20Is, and the second fastest in WT20 matches. The fastest for England in all T20Is is 23 balls, by Ravi Bopara against Australia in 2014, while their quickest in WT20s is 25 balls, by Eoin Morgan.17 Successive innings without a 50-plus opening stand for England, before this game. During this period they topped 40 only twice, with a highest of 48 off just 2.3 overs in that magnificent run-chase against South Africa earlier in this tournament. Their previous 50-plus stand in this format came two years ago, when Alex Hales and Michael Lumb added 98 against West Indies in Barbados in March 2014.9.77 The combined economy rate for Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi in this game – they went for 70 in 7.1 overs. In the previous games in this tournament, they had a combined economy rate of 5.35, conceding only 164 runs in 30.4 overs.