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Decision keeping in mind life for all-format players in bio-secure bubbles and workloads in a year of non-stop cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Feb-2021Jasprit Bumrah has been released from India’s squad for the fourth and final Test against England in Ahmedabad, starting March 4, because of “personal reasons”, with the BCCI saying that there will be no replacements sent across. This now pegs the squad strength at 17. Bumrah had earlier been left out of the squad for the series of five T20Is and three ODIs that will follow the Tests.ESPNcricinfo understands that Bumrah has been allowed to rest as part of the team’s plan for managing the players as well as their workloads. This is keeping in mind (a) life in the bio-secure bubbles during the Covid-19 pandemic, and (b) the packed schedule for the rest of the year, starting with the white-ball segment of the England series, the IPL, a possible World Test Championship final in June, followed by five Tests in England from July, and then the T20 World Cup in October-November.Coping with life in a bubble was one of the key challenges highlighted by the Indian team management during the recent tour of Australia, where players were forced to stay inside team hotels because of strict regulations imposed on them by the various state governments.Bumrah played in front of his home crowd at Motera for the first time in the recently-concluded third Test that finished on Thursday. India wrapped up the game inside two days to take a 2-1 lead in the series, which strengthened their chances of making the WTC final against New Zealand at Lord’s.This series marked Bumrah’s first appearance in a Test on home soil when he featured in the series opener in Chennai, where he picked up four wickets in India’s 227-run loss. He was then rested for the second Chennai Test. Earlier this week, he didn’t have much of a role in the third game too, bowling just six wicketless overs in England’s first innings in a ten-wicket Indian win scripted by their spinners.After the game, India captain Virat Kohli jokingly told Murali Kartik on the official broadcast: “Bumrah said that ‘I am getting workload management while playing the game’, and Ishi [Ishant Sharma] said ‘it’s my 100th game and I’m not getting to bowl’. I said, ‘you have to blame this guy [Axar Patel, the Player of the Match with 11 wickets] who is just coming in and bowling in areas that is making life so much more difficult for the batters’, and, yeah, the spinners were outstanding in this game and there was just no room for anyone else to do anything; the game was so fast and it all happened so quickly, that it was just not possible to bring anyone into the game.”Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Siraj are the other two pacers India can call upon in Bumrah’s absence. Yadav was added to the squad ahead of the third Test after recovering from a calf injury he sustained on the tour of Australia.If the team management chooses to play an extra spinner or an allrounder, then Kuldeep Yadav or Hardik Pandya could come into the fray.India’s squad for the fourth Test: Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-capt), KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wk), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav

Jimmy Neesham claimed a career-best haul while Matt Henry knocked over the top order with four wickets

Andrew McGlashan25-Mar-2021It doesn’t get much more convincing. Devon Conway’s seamless transition to international cricket continued with a maiden century on his home ground and Daryl Mitchell made a late surge to his first ODI hundred before Bangladesh’s batting did not offer much as they went down a series clean sweep in the third ODI in Wellington.Briefly, when New Zealand were 57 for 3, the visitors had a foothold but they couldn’t sustain it as Conway led the recovery which was capped off by Mitchell. The pair added 159 in 24 overs for the fifth wicket, while New Zealand as a whole got 107 off the last ten.In reply, Matt Henry knocked off the Bangladesh top order – with the aid of a spectacular catch at third man by Trent Boult – and the rest of the batting was insipid with the exception of Mahmudullah, as James Neesham filled his boots with a career-best haul by claiming the last two wickets in four balls.For Conway, this was his fifth fifty-plus score in 12 international innings – including the 99 not out in a T20I against Australia – and he converted into a century from 95 balls with a lofted square cut for this 13th boundary. He got his chance in this series because Kane Williamson is missing, but surely there will be no dislodging him.Mitchell’s century needed a last-ditch sprint off the final ball of the innings and he should have been run out but Mushfiqur Rahim fumbled the return. With eight balls remaining, he had been on 83 before a six off Rubel Hossain followed by three consecutive boundaries at the start of the last over brought the hundred in sight.The early progress had been steady before Henry Nicholls was given a life when Rahim couldn’t hold an edge, but two balls later the left hander nicked to second slip where Liton Das held on to the relief of the often-luckless Taskin Ahmed. Next over, Martin Guptill gave away another start when he toe-ended a pull to mid-on, while Ross Taylor’s return after injury was a brief stay when he edged a cut off Hossain after being dropped on 3.Conway and Tom Latham rebuilt steadily with the innings given impetus in the 19th over when Conway took three consecutive boundaries off Mustafizur Rahman: a controlled guide to third man, a genuine nick and then a perfect on-drive.In conditions offering some assistance for the seamers, Tamim Iqbal turned to the medium pace of Soumya Sarkar and he struck first ball with Latham superbly caught at point by Mehidy Hasan. Sarkar would do a good job for his captain with eight overs for 37. Bangladesh managed to hold the innings for a period after that as Mitchell played himself in and briefly dominated the strike, but the ball after Conway went to fifty from 52 balls, Mitchell launched Mehidy over midwicket for six.Conway did not hit a boundary between the 23rd and 37th overs, but the partnership got built at a good tempo. Having come up fractionally short of a century earlier in the season, he sent Ahmed through point and then cut loose in the closing stages of the innings with four more boundaries in 12 balls before picking out deep-midwicket.Daryl Mitchell reached his maiden ODI hundred off the last ball of the innings•Getty Images

Mitchell, who had been promoted above Neesham when New Zealand were four down with more than half the innings remaining, could have been run out on 24 but the fielder from cover couldn’t pick up cleanly and he was also dropped on 63. That would prove costly for Bangladesh who had just about managed to keep a lid on the late overs until Mitchell’s final dip.A big full toss went over deep-square leg before he took advantage of Rahman missing his length – and bowling a no-ball – while Mitchell Santner helped with some desperate scampering. Mitchell lost the strike with two balls remaining, but Santner was able to take three to deep-cover to give him the final delivery. It should have just been a single, but Mitchell was able to walk off with the ovation for a century.Iqbal, one of Bangladesh’s best hopes of making a dent on the chase, departed in the second over when he nicked a gem of a delivery from Henry. In Henry’s next over, Sarkar top-edged to fine leg and there was already a sense the innings would not be much of a contest.A moment for the highlights reel arrived in the seventh over when Das, aiming to the leg side, sent a top edge flying to third man where Boult sprinted to his left, dived and held the catch one-handed while having avoided losing his grip.The excitement levels dipped after that as Bangladesh opted for a largely defensive approach against some testing bowling, having a particular challenge against the bounce of Kyle Jamieson whose first six-over spell cost just 12. Neesham was a beneficiary of the pressure created with a bag of middle-order wickets as various attempts at some counterattacking didn’t come off.Madmudullah, who has previously enjoyed success in New Zealand, fought to a 64-ball half-century and brought some belated aggression to a lost cause but it was merely a footnote.

Fifties to Matt Taylor, Chris Dent help frustrate home bowlers at Taunton

ECB Reporters Network16-Apr-2021James Bracey’s sixth first-class century led Gloucestershire to 301 for 8 in reply to Somerset’s 312 on the second day of the LV=County Championship match at the Cooper Associates County Ground.Combining solid technique, sound shot selection and a high degree of concentration, 23-year-old Bracey enhanced his England prospects by contributing 118 in an innings spanning 12 minutes short of six hours.Chris Dent made 50 and Matt Taylor a career-best 53 not out, while Craig Overton (3 for 60) was the pick of the Somerset bowling attack.Gloucestershire began the day on 13 without loss, with Dent and Kraigg Brathwaite in positive mood. They took the score to 41 before the West Indies captain was pinned lbw for 18 by a ball from Overton that nipped back off the seam.Dent struck Lewis Gregory for three successive boundaries, moving to his third half-century in as many innings, off 70 balls. But, without addition, the Gloucestershire captain aimed to work a straight ball from Marchant de Lange towards the short leg-side boundary and edged catch to wicketkeeper Steve Davies.It was de Lange’s first wicket for Somerset. He produced some pacey short balls, but Bracey and Tom Lace took Gloucestershire to 97 for 2 at lunch.The afternoon saw Somerset’s seamers, aided by some tight spin bowling from Jack Leach, exert greater control.Seeking to break loose, Lace reached to drive a wide ball from Overton and lifted a catch to Tom Banton at cover.Bracey pulled a six over fine leg off Overton. But, with the score on 119, Graeme van Buuren edged de Lange to second slip where Gregory held a diving catch.Nothing seemed to perturb Bracey, who looked increasingly assured as he reached a half-century off 115 balls. Ryan Higgins contributed 23 to a stand of 41 before edging Josh Davey to first slip.George Hankins fell lbw on the back foot to de Lange. But Bracey remained rock-like and was unbeaten on 79 at tea, taken with Gloucestershire 189 for 6.George Scott went on the attack at the start of the final session, launching a big straight six off Leach.But after helping Bracey add 26, Scott edged Gregory to second slip where Overton pouched a comfortable catch.Bracey reached a chanceless hundred by glancing Davey to the fine leg boundary. He had faced 208 deliveries and hit 14 fours and a six.Somerset took the second new ball at 217 for 7, but were frustrated as Taylor weighed in with a hugely valuable maiden first class half-century, made off 92 balls, with seven fours and a six.Bracey’s vigil finally ended when he edged Gregory to second slip. Prior to that, his only problem had been a broken bat on 107.

Unbeaten 93 takes Glamorgan to the brink of stiff run-chase at Cardiff

ECB Reporters Network10-Jun-2021Gloucestershire 179 for 6 (Phillips 44, Douthwaite 3-28) beat Glamorgan 175 for 9 (Labuschagne 93*) by four runsMarnus Labuschagne’s superb unbeaten 93 off 56 balls couldn’t stop Gloucestershire from starting their Vitality Blast campaign with a four-run win over GlamorganGlenn Phillips’ 44 and 30 from Benny Howell off 15 balls saw Gloucestershire post 179 for 6 in Cardiff which always looked like being a challenging total. And despite Labuschagne’s fine innings on his Blast debut, Glamorgan fell just short against some tidy Gloucestershire bowling.Glamorgan weren’t helped by batting second and the fact there were no floodlights available at Sophia Gardens as the skies darkened.Gloucestershire won the toss and chose to bat, and Glamorgan opened with spin at both ends. Andrew Salter cleaned up Miles Hammond in his first over. Ian Cockbain then skied to Timm van der Gugten at mid-on off the bowling of Ruaidhri Smith for 16 as Gloucestershire reached 34 for 2 from their first six overs.Gloucestershire struggled in the first powerplay, but Phillips got the scoreboard moving with consecutive sixes and then a four off Salter. But just when Gloucestershire looked like they were getting going, Chris Dent was caught superbly by Kiran Carlson on the cover boundary for 20 from the bowling of Dan Douthwaite.Phillips was the mainstay of the Gloucestershire innings as they went past 100 in the 13th over. But he fell short of 50 to the part-time spin of Labuschagne when Nick Selman took a fine catch on the mid-wicket boundary.Labuschagne followed in Selman’s path with another boundary catch to dismiss Jack Taylor, but Gloucestershire finished with a flourish as Smith’s 18th over went for 16.David Lloyd’s fine form continued as he started Glamorgan’s reply with a quickfire 28 which included two sixes before he was clean bowled by Josh Shaw. Selman soon followed Lloyd back to the pavilion and when Colin Ingram was clean bowled by Shaw for just a single Glamorgan were 46 for 3 from the first powerplay.Labuschagne and Chris Cooke rebuilt the innings to take Glamorgan to 80 for 3 at the halfway stage and Cooke was dropped on the midwicket boundary in the 11th over. But he wasn’t so lucky when he was caught by Hammond from the bowling off Tom Smith for 26, leaving Glamorgan’s chase in the hands of Labuschagne.He did go to the game’s first half-century from 36 balls, but Carlson fell for 14, Douthwaite was lbw first ball and Salter was run out for a duck trying to keep Labuschagne on strike.Labuschagne gave it everything, but he needed 19 from the last over and couldn’t find the boundary enough despite a six from the last ball as Ryan Higgins held his nerve.