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Will Bragg made his second hundred of the season for Glamorgan has his team built a sizable lead against Essex in Cardiff

ECB Reporters Network24-May-2016
ScorecardWill Bragg gave Glamorgan a chance of pushing for victory•Getty Images

Will Bragg made his second hundred of the season for Glamorgan has his team built a sizable lead against Essex in Cardiff. Glamorgan closed the day on 295 for 3, an advantage of 242 runs, with the game is nicely poised going into the last day with run scoring a struggle on this pitch; the lead Glamorgan have could well be decisive.Having picked up the last Essex wicket after a further 13 runs had been added to their overnight total Glamorgan got off to a poor start with the bat when Jacques Rudolph was dismissed for a 12-ball duck, edging a delivery from David Masters through to the keeper with just two runs on the board.From there it was Glamorgan’s day as Bragg put on 107 for the second wicket with Mark Wallace and 106 for the third wicket with Chris Cooke. Wallace was dismissed for 40 when he attempted to drive Ravi Bopara and only succeeded in edging the ball through to James Foster. Cooke completed his second half-century of the match before he was pinned lbw by a fuller ball from David Masters for 59.Masters was the pick of the Essex bowlers and was the only one who consistently threatened to claim wickets. He gave a particularly torrid time to 19-year-old Aneurin Donald who did well to survive. As it was Donald, the 19-year-old, shared the third significant partnership of the day for Glamorgan with Bragg as the pair put on 80 he was still undefeated at the close on 44.While all of that was happening Bragg remained undefeated and becalmed, finishing the day on 119. With the troubles that Glamorgan have had all season with their top order under-performing this was a vitally important innings that has gone a long way toward putting the home side in a winning position.With self-confessed lack of confidence a problem for Glamorgan how they go about setting up a chase for Essex on the final morning will be interesting. They are unlikely to want to give Essex a sniff of a win and may choose to bat on a while longer than they might otherwise. While scoring has never been straight forward on this surface it doesn’t appear to be deteriorating rapidly. It could be a fascinating finish on the final day.

Batsman Tamim Iqbal has said that Bangladesh’s ongoing lengthy break from international cricket will hamper the team’s chances of performing at its best

Mohammad Isam29-Jun-2016Batsman Tamim Iqbal has said that Bangladesh’s ongoing lengthy break from international cricket will hamper the team’s chances of performing at its best. He also suggested that other international sides should be more willing to play against Bangladesh.”After such a great season, we are not playing for six months,” Tamim told ESPNcricinfo. “It would definitely hamper us. People should be more interested in playing against us but instead we are sitting on the sidelines. We don’t know who we are going to play after six months. There’s no team in the world apart from Zimbabwe who sit out for so long between matches.”Bangladesh’s last international appearance was at the World T20 in India on March 26. Their next assignment is scheduled to be against England at home in October, after their maiden Test in India was pushed back to early next year. A proposed West Indies tour of Bangladesh in September is under discussion but is yet to be confirmed.Tamim said it was all the more frustrating to wait for international cricket after having had a successful 2015. Bangladesh reached the World Cup quarter-finals in early 2015, before going on to beat Pakistan, India, South Africa and Zimbabwe in consecutive ODI series at home. That string of wins secured their place in the 2017 Champions Trophy in England. In light of the team’s improvement, Tamim wondered why other teams were still reluctant to play Bangladesh.”Sitting for six months is not doing justice to anything,” he said. “I could have understood if we played like we did five years ago when our result was predictable, but after performing so well they still don’t want to play us, I don’t know.”Bangladesh have been growing accustomed to such long breaks in international cricket over the last five years. Usually they face a lull in Test cricket but, this time, they are missing out on all formats after busy 2015 and 2015-16 seasons. The BCB said that it was trying to get teams to play against Bangladesh but also felt that players needed a break after non-stop cricket for 15 months.Tamim said any team would suffer after such a prolonged break, and stressed that Bangladesh deserved more cricket at the highest level.”Take any top team and tell them to sit for six months,” Tamim said. “You will see how they perform after sitting for eight months. They won’t play the way they were playing.”

R Ashwin, whose 5 for 62 helped India dismiss West Indies for 196 on the opening day of the second Test at Sabina Park, said he was “pretty surprised” by Jason Holder’s decision to bat first

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Kingston31-Jul-20161:32

‘Ashwin exploited the spin and bounce from the pitch well’ – Manjrekar

R Ashwin, whose 5 for 62 helped India dismiss West Indies for 196 on the opening day of the second Test at Sabina Park, said he was “pretty surprised” by Jason Holder’s decision to bat first. Speaking to the media after India had moved to 126 for 1 in their reply at stumps, Ashwin said the pitch was a “bit sticky” early on, and that it might have suited West Indies’ strengths more to bowl first.”I was pretty surprised that they won the toss and batted first today,” Ashwin said. “Like Virat mentioned at the toss, there was a bit in it, it was a bit sticky. Maybe I would’ve batted as well. But with their strengths, I thought it was a bit surprising.”Despite India ending the day on top, Ashwin cautioned that there was a long way still to go in the match. “I was really taken aback by the counterattack that [Jermaine] Blackwood did,” he said. “It sort of put the game in the balance. And we had to break [through] twice and brought the game back. It’s clearly a game where the experienced side is seizing the more opportune moments. I would put it that way. With a little bit of experience and nailing the right moments, the game could get closer.”This game has a lot of uncertainties. We just saw one when Sri Lanka pulled it off against Australia [in the Pallekele Test]. And they did the same against us in Galle [in 2015], so we can’t be lacklustre with that, we will have to keep doing our process properly.”Ashwin said his variations of pace had been key to picking up five wickets on a damp first-day pitch.”A little bit of bounce and speed variation, that was important, I thought. Most of the dismissals were brought about by difference in speeds rather than much of spin, actually. It was initially damp and there was some turn, but after that it flattened out a bit and started going straight. This ball, once it gets older, it becomes easier to bat. There’s a lot more time. I think it was more about bounce and speed variation that created the problem.”Playing only his 34th Test match, Ashwin has already picked up his 18th five-wicket haul. At this moment, his rate of taking five-fors is even better than that of Muttiah Muralitharan, who picked up 67 in 133 Tests.”Everybody wants to start playing cricket one day to achieve what nobody else could achieve,” Ashwin said. “I am happy to be there, at some stage of my career where I am better than everybody else who has played the game. It feels nice, but the only thing that is constant is trying to improve from wherever you are. I think change is very very important. Keeping on benchmarking yourself is more important. This is good, but tomorrow is a different day and you have to keep improving.”Coming in for the injured M Vijay, KL Rahul got India off to a near-perfect start to their reply, and ended the day batting on 75. Ashwin wasn’t surprised by his performance, and said he had nicknamed him ‘batting machine’ for the amount of batting he does in training.”We all know that he’s a quality cricketer,” Ashwin said. “He’s made a lot of runs in first-class cricket. He has pretty much arrived at this level.”Beforehand, when he made hundreds for us, it has been crucial knocks. He made one in Sri Lanka which is very very memorable. As a matter of fact, the way he played in the IPL, it’s just an extension. Everybody wants Rahul to do well, which is a big tick for him.”I’ve nicknamed him batting machine. He keeps batting all the time and it’s not a surprise that he’s made runs and I’m very happy for him.”

Mark Footitt finished with seven wickets as Surrey waltzed to a 10-wicket win against fast-fading Lancashire at Kia Oval

ECB Reporters Network26-Aug-2016
ScorecardMark Footitt finished with seven wickets for Surrey•PA Photos

Ten months into his Surrey career and having suffered early-season niggles and lapses in confidence, left-arm seamer Mark Footitt finally announced his arrival at the Kia Oval with a career-best haul of seven for 62 to wrap up Surrey’s 10-wicket win over Lancashire.Footitt mopped up Lancashire’s two remaining wickets within 40 minutes of the fourth and final day to set up his side’s fourth win of the Specsavers County Championship campaign.Home openers Rory Burns (28*) and Dominic Sibley (11*) duly knocked off the 38 runs required within 9.1 overs to secure the comfortable and deserved victory with more than two sessions of the game to spare.By hitting the winning boundary with a reverse sweep Burns also marked his 26th birthday by scoring his 1,000th championship run of the season.Victorious Surrey skipper Gareth Batty said: “We started the game on the front foot and finished the game on the front with the boys knocking the runs off today.I thought it was a pretty complete performance.”The pitch had been slightly damp the day before the game so it was actually a good toss to lose. It didn’t do a lot but the ball carried a fraction more from the green areas with it being slightly damp.”No matter what the conditions though you’ve still got to bowl well to take 20 wickets and I thought the boys bowled magnificently. The Curran brothers held the game in a couple of beautiful spells, Sam ended up with the wickets but they bowled magnificently in a partnership. We’re starting to play as a team where individuals know their roles which is very exciting.”In praise of Footitt’s match-winning return, Batty said: “He bowled brilliantly. People forget he has moved club’s and moving to a big club like Surrey can be hard. He’s bowling on different surfaces too and he’s adapted quite magnificently here. He deserved is even for having bowled well plenty of times already this season without having much luck.”Earlier, Surrey’s attack required only 15 deliveries of the final day to dislodge Lancashire’s ninth man in the shape of Nathan Buck. Prodding off the back foot at another testing delivery from Footitt, the right-hander followed and nicked to second slip where birthday boy Burns took a comfortable catch.Lancashire’s last pairing of Simon Kerrigan and Kyle Jarvis extended their side’s narrow overall lead to 37 before Footitt, the former Derbyshire stalwart, had Kyle Jarvis caught on the drive at mid-off to wrap up the Lancashire innings for 230.While Footitt secured his career-best from the Pavilion End, Batty reeled off 27 overs at the Vauxhall End to finish with excellent figures of two for 67, having virtually locked down the run-scoring from one end.Lancashire travelled home with 4pts while Surrey boosted their late title challenge with a haul of 23 having secured their third win in four championship starts.

Afghanistan Cricket Board chief executive Shafiq Stanikzai has presented an argument in favor of the proposal for two-tier Test cricket, saying the side is deserves the opportunity to play Tests through their solid performances in the ICC’s Intercontinent

Peter Della Penna04-Sep-2016Afghanistan Cricket Board CEO Shafiq Stanikzai has presented an argument in favor of the proposal for two-tier Test cricket, saying the side deserves the opportunity to play Tests through their solid performances in the ICC’s Intercontinental Cup first-class multi-day competition for Associates.”We think that we are ready to play Test cricket and we have proven that,” Stanikzai told ESPNcricinfo in a recent interview. “Since we entered into the Intercontinental Cup arena, we were beaten only once. That was in the [2013] Intercontinental Cup final where we got beaten by Ireland but that’s the only loss we have in a four-day game or multi-day game.”Afghanistan are currently in second place behind Ireland on the 2015-17 Intercontinental Cup table after four rounds, with three wins and a rain-marred draw against Scotland. Afghanistan’s overall record in the first-class competition is outstanding with 14 wins, one loss and four draws. Right from their debut in the competition – a high-scoring draw in which they claimed first-innings points against a Zimbabwe XI in 2009 – they have made an effort to demonstrate their versatility rather than be pigeonholed as a limited-overs specialist outfit.Nowhere was that more evident than in their victory against a then elite Canada outfit in 2010, who at the time were preparing to play their third successive ICC World Cup. Set a target of 494 to win in the fourth innings, Afghanistan recorded the ninth-best successful chase in first-class cricket history spearheaded by Mohammad Shahzad’s unbeaten 214. That win propelled them to a maiden Intercontinental Cup title later that year with a win over Scotland in the final. That victory also broke Ireland’s streak of three successive titles.Overall, Afghanistan have scored 400 or more in an innings six times and batted for more than 100 overs in an innings on 11 occasions in the Intercontinental Cup, showing their versatility. They have also shown adaptability to foreign conditions, notching victories in Scotland, Kenya, Canada, Namibia and twice in the Netherlands.Three of Afghanistan’s last six Intercontinental Cup wins have come by an innings margin, while the other three were by margins of ten wickets, eight wickets and 201 runs. Stanikzai says there is not much more for them to prove against Associate-level competition in multi-day cricket and they are eager for a chance to show their skills in a Test scenario.”We have a real good package for every single format of the game,” he said. “If you have a look at the Afghanistan cricket team, we have almost a different squad for every single format. We have T20 specialists, we have ODI specialists, we have multi-day players, specialists not just in batting but in bowling as well. So we are carrying a different bunch of players in every single format we are playing.”Stanikzai’s point is backed up by the fact that core players from their limited-overs squad – bowlers Hamid Hassan, Shapoor Zadran and Rashid Khan, and batsmen Noor Ali Zadran, Javed Ahmadi, Najibullah Zadran and Gulbadin Naib – were all absent from Afghanistan’s starting XI in their most recent Intercontinental Cup win over Netherlands. Afghanistan also has a domestic four-day competition since 2014, which features teams from five regions, although this has not yet been assigned first-class status.”It means the talent is huge in Afghanistan and things have shaped up quite nicely and we have improved quite rapidly in the cricketing world,” Stanikzai said. “Afghanistan is a team that is ready to play Test cricket. We are just looking forward for this [two-tier] proposal to get passed by the ICC board. My stance and Afghanistan Cricket Board’s stance is quite clear that we need more opportunities.”

The BCCI has opened the tender process for the next cycle of IPL television and digital rights beginning in 2018, and will accept bids until October 25

Arun Venugopal18-Sep-20163:23

Thakur: Bidding process very detailed and very transparent

The BCCI has opened the tender process for the next cycle of IPL television and digital rights beginning in 2018, and will accept bids until October 25. The television rights are currently held by Sony Pictures Network India (SPNI) and expire after the 2017 IPL season. Star India are in possession of the digital rights and the overseas media rights, except in the UK and the US, all of which also expire after IPL 2017.Interested parties will vie for television rights for the IPL in the Indian subcontinent until 2027, digital rights in the same region until 2022 and media rights for the rest of the world until 2022 as well. “Bidders may bid for any combination from the above,” a BCCI press release said.The open-tender process, BCCI president Anurag Thakur said, would ensure there was transparency: “We don’t want anything where anyone can point a finger at us.”Speaking at a press conference in Delhi, Thakur said the process did not contravene the Lodha Committee’s recommendations on transacting official business. “Where does this action say it defies the court order? I haven’t seen that.This is routine process, routine working of BCCI. I think the AGM on 21st is not far away; you will have to wait for three days to understand what business we can adopt and what actions will be taken during that time.”One of the eligibility criteria for the bidders is to have “no litigation with BCCI”. Thakur said the board has lost a lot of money in legal battles in the past did not want a repeat of that. In 2015, the BCCI was directed to pay INR 12 crore ($1.8 million) to Nimbus communications for wrongful termination.”We have been into litigation in the past where certain broadcasters have bid. In the first few years the rate is less, in the last few years the rate is more,” he said. “There is more litigation with them and BCCI has lost a lot of money in litigation as well as money which was supposed to be used for promotion of game. Broadcasting rights money is the major source of income for the cricket board.”The existing contract, with SPNI, allows them the first right of refusal as well as the right to match a counter-offer. Their reaction to the IPL rights going up for bidding remains to be seen, although inside sources suggested they felt the BCCI was not honouring the original agreement.Thakur said he had invited SPNI to the bidding process. “We have made it very clear that anyone who wants to participate, they have to come and participate. We believe in transparency, accountability as well as professionalism. Sony has been asked to participate in this. We were supposed to offer – this is our offer to them. Our offer is to come and participate in the bidding process.”As far as IPL is concerned, we are very happy with Sony,” Thakur said. “They have been a good partner and have also put in a lot of effort to make the IPL the world’s most popular cricket league. In a way, we don’t want any litigation and we don’t want to deal with anyone who is already into litigation with the BCCI.”BCCI chief executive Rahul Johri said the board was under no obligation to accept the highest financial bid. “Two people can put similar amount of money but the value could be different,” he said.”Sometimes we get very similar bids but when the financial advisors look at what is the value of it, how it is spread over 10 years, the final definition of the best offer for the BCCI has to be left to the financial advisors.”Johri said the financial due diligence of the process would be handled by Deloitte, and the legal due diligence would be handled by Amarchand Mangaldas.Asked why the television rights for the Indian subcontinent were awarded for ten years, Johri said the BCCI wanted to replicate the current cycle, which gave SPNI the rights from 2008 to 2017. “In our country television is very well established,” he said. “If you look at most cricket tenders, eight years-ten years have been the norm. That’s why we went for 10 years. The area where trends are changing very fast is digital, that’s why we have reduced digital to five years.”The Invitation To Tender document will be available from Monday. While the last day for purchase has been set for October 18, parties interested in the bid could seek clarifications from the BCCI on the tender process till October 4.

The ECB has declined a request from the BCB to include a reserve day for the third ODI in Chittagong, a spokesman confirmed to ESPNcricinfo

Mohammad Isam11-Oct-20161:09

‘Very un-cricketing weather in Chittagong’

The ECB has declined a request from the BCB to include a reserve day for the third ODI in Chittagong, a spokesman confirmed to ESPNcricinfo. The offer was made due to the inclement weather conditions which are threatening a washout of the series decider.On Monday, 30mm of rain was recorded in the port city which is experiencing unseasonal rain. Tuesday also saw plenty of rain, and the drizzle continued in the evening. Both teams were forced indoor for training while the ground was mostly under covers. The forecast for Wednesday isn’t encouraging but there is chance of rain abating after 4pm which could offer a shortened game.The ECB said that they did consider the request but the nature of the tour didn’t allow them the last-minute change. The trip has been subject to unprecedented levels of security planning following the July terror attacks – with multiple agencies working together to create a bubble around the teams – while the schedule is also very condensed with England’s Test warm-up matches starting on Friday.”The ECB were asked today whether it would be possible to schedule a rain day – we did consider the request. At this late stage, and on a compact tour, it is sadly not possible,” said the ECB spokesman. “The majority of our one-day players return to the UK on Thursday and the Test players are already preparing for upcoming Tests next week. We would clearly love to conclude the series and hope to get the game in tomorrow.”The BCB’s cricket operations committee chairman Akram Khan said that they put forward the offer because of the weather. “We asked if they would want to have the reserve day but they said no,” said Akram.

Australia have named uncapped allrounder Hilton Cartwright in their squad for next month’s ODI series against New Zealand

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Nov-20161:45

Awesome to get chance to experience Australian set-up – Cartwright

Hilton Cartwright, the Western Australia allrounder, is in line for his ODI debut after being named in Australia’s 14-man squad for next month’s Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series. Cartwright is the only uncapped member of the group, which also includes fast bowler Pat Cummins, who has not played for Australia since September last year, and recalled allrounder Glenn Maxwell.The three-match series against New Zealand slots in between Australia’s two Test campaigns this summer and will take place in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne on December 4, 6 and 9. Interim chairman of selectors, Trevor Hohns, said the panel had been interested in the progress of Cartwright, a 24-year-old who was born in Zimbabwe, for some time.”Hilton bowls useful aggressive medium-pace and is a very good striker of the ball,” Hohns said. “He is an exciting young prospect for Australian cricket and we have been watching him at the pathway level for some time now.”Cummins missed the 2015-16 season due to a stress fracture of the back, but performed strongly during the Matador Cup in October, when he collected 15 wickets at 18.60. He was the equal leading wicket taker in the tournament.”It is fantastic to see Pat back in Australian colours again,” Hohns said. “It has been a frustrating period for him but we are certainly excited to have him fit and firing ahead of this series.”Maxwell has been named in the squad having been dropped from the ODI side during Australia’s tour of the West Indies earlier this year, and then left out entirely from the ODI squad that toured Sri Lanka.Australia ODI squad David Warner, Aaron Finch, Steven Smith (capt), George Bailey, Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Hilton Cartwright, Matthew Wade (wk), James Faulkner, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa.

A one-over eliminator was needed the separate the two teams after the match finished in a tie

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Dec-2016
Canterbury won the one-over eliminator

ScorecardLuke Ronchi’s unbeaten 31-ball 58 was not enough to take Wellington across the line•Getty Images

Canterbury pipped Wellington in the one-over eliminator at Hagley Park after both teams finished their respective innings on 166, thanks in part to a late surge by Wellington’s Luke Ronchi and Luke Woodcock, who added 29 runs in the match’s last nine balls.With Wellington needing 20 off the final over, Ronchi and Woodcock managed 19. Then, in the one-over eliminator, Wellington finished on 5 for 2, losing both Woodcock and Ronchi to run-outs. Wellington’s Jeetan Patel struck first ball for them in their defence but followed that up with five consecutive wides. Tom Latham struck a four off the next legal delivery to give Canterbury the match and four points in an anticlimactic ending.Chasing 167, Wellington were reduced to 95 for 5 in the 14th over – courtesy Todd Astle’s double strike – but they clawed back by adding 71 runs in their last 40 balls. Woodcock, who came in to bat at No. 9 in the 19th over, smacked 17 in his six-ball innings, complementing Ronchi’s 31-ball 58, which included four fours and three sixes.In Canterbury’s innings, Henry Nicholls hit an unbeaten 66 off 40 deliveries. He came into bat two-down, and stitched together partnerships with Cam Fletcher (46 for the fifth wicket) and Tim Johnston (31* for the sixth wicket). Nicholls struck seven fours and two sixes, and with Johnston, added 16 runs off the last over to take Canterbury to 166 for 5.

Having signed off his Big Bash League campaign with a match-winning last-ball six, Eoin Morgan looks forward to taking his form to India, where he will lead England’s limited-overs sides

Will Macpherson in Sydney04-Jan-2017As he leaves for India to captain England in three ODIs and three T20Is, Eoin Morgan could hardly have signed off his five-match spell with the Sydney Thunder in sweeter style. By smoking a straight six off Ben Hilfenhaus, he provided the Thunder with their first win of the defence of their maiden title.Given Morgan missed England’s tour to Bangladesh due to security concerns, the BBL was his first cricket since the English summer and he feels it has set him up well for the tour of India, especially since the pitch at the Spotless Stadium for his final game was slow and low, favouring spin.”I feel in pretty good touch,” Morgan said. “We played on a slow wicket tonight which prepares you well for subcontinental conditions. It hasn’t been too flat, so my preparation has been really good out here.”Morgan, having been 15 off 28, ended unbeaten on 71 off 50, his second half-century of a tournament in which he scored 159 runs at 39.75 to sign off as his team’s top-scorer. He explained that, as he bided his time building his innings, he was waiting to attack the Stars’ seamers.”Predominantly I was looking at the seamers. I thought [Adam] Zampa bowled really well. After watching Fawad Ahmed bowl, I thought pace off would be difficult. That was in the back of our minds. Zampa did pick up a wicket but it we were grateful it was towards the back end of his spell.”It’s an extraordinary feeling when you get one out of the middle like that. It’s a bit like standing on the tee and smashing one straight down the middle. When you hit it, you’re the only person who knows how well you’ve hit it. A very special feeling.”Morgan said he was sad to leave Sydney and reflected on his BBL experience as a whole.”We’ve always known it was happening [leaving early],” he said. “I would have loved to have stayed for the whole tournament, coming over for such a short space of time you never know how much impact you’re going to have. It’s a credit to [Thunder General Manager] Nick Cummins and [Head Coach] Paddy Upton who brought me in and trusted me with their confidence, so it’s unfortunate to go, but England beckons.”This is an unbelievable competition. I haven’t played for two years, and then played the three years before that. If I was to compare it to the first year I was here, it’s just completely different. It has grown three or four times. The fan base, the popularity, the public’s reaction to the tournament as a whole, it’s exceptional. There are people coming up who don’t necessarily watch cricket, and they’re engaging the whole time. That’s a huge strong point. I would love to come back.”