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Craig Kieswetter marked his return to the Somerset side after a potentially career-threatening eye injury with a fluent half-century as Middlesex’s survival hopes took a hit

George Dobell at Taunton15-Sep-2014
ScorecardNick Compton was bowled by Tim Murtagh but Middlesex couldn’t capitalise•Getty ImagesIt might be pushing the truth a little to claim that Craig Kieswetter was blind but now can see, but the Somerset keeper has admitted he feared his career might be over after sustaining a serious eye injury a little over two months ago.Kieswetter sustained a broken nose and fractured orbital socket after he was struck by a short ball from David Willey on July 12. For three weeks it was unclear whether he would regain the level of sight required to pursue a career in cricket. But now, with the double-vision having cleared, Kieswetter regards the whole experience as positive and claims it gave him not only a fuller appreciation of his position as a professional sportsman, but also of the affection in which players are held at a friendly, well-supported club like Somerset.”Once the extent of the injury became clear, I was panicking,” Kieswetter said. “There was a week before the surgery and two weeks after that I was worried that I might not play again.”For the first 90 minutes I was full of adrenalin. But then, as I was passed from surgeon to surgeon and it became clear there was an issue with my optical floor, I was panicking. But my surgeon did a fantastic job and I have been overwhelmed and humbled by the support I have received.”I had double vision in one eye for a couple of weeks after surgery and, even now, it is not 100% when I look directly up. It takes time to get over the injury and the trauma.”Sometimes as players, we can be a bit aloof towards supporters. But the care I had showed what a special club this is to be around. It is a special thing for a player to feel that sense of belonging.”I might be walking down the street or out for dinner and people I didn’t know would come up and ask how I was. Even the reception when I walked out to bat today gave me goose-bumps. It’s important I return the favour. I was delighted to give something back today.”Kieswetter “gave something back” by providing the most fluent batting of a day which ended with Somerset having edged Middlesex a little closer to relegation. Contributing 70 at little less than a run-a-ball, he made light of an unusually green wicket and, when greeted with the inevitable short ball near the start of his innings by Toby Roland-Jones, responded by pulling it for six. No matter that there was something of the top-edge in the stroke, he played it with conviction and was soon timing the ball sweetly through the covers.With Tom Abell and James Hildreth also contributing patient half-centuries, Middlesex, were restricted to one bowling bonus point despite inserting Somerset in overcast conditions.Middlesex have another 14 overs on the second day in order to claim more bonus points – they require a maximum of 13 more points from their final two games to ensure Division One survival – but are now in an uncomfortable position ahead of their final game against the other relegation candidates, Lancashire, next week. After winning four of their first six matches, Middlesex have failed to win any of their last eight, with the last victory coming on May 21.They were a little unfortunate here, though. Ball beat bat regularly in the first session and, with 17 of the first 34 overs maidens, batting became a pretty desperate fight for survival.”We didn’t get out rewards today,” Richard Johnson, the Middlesex bowling coach, said. “We reckon they must have played and missed 50 or 60 times, but it was just one of those days.”But Middlesex also squandered at least two chances. Abell was reprieved on 4, when Eoin Morgan put down a sharp chance at third slip, and 28 – Dawid Malan, at second slip, the guilty man on this occasion. A couple of other chances dropped just short of the cordon on a surface which, despite the grass covering, remains slow and dry.There were moments when it appeared Middlesex might capitalise. Certainly after Marcus Trescothick guided one to gully and Nick Compton was bowled by one that nipped back, and then when Abell was run-out backing-up off Neil Dexter’s boot, it seemed Somerset might subside. But each time they found a player to dig them out of trouble, first Abell, with a 123-ball half-century, and then Hildreth, with a 130-ball half-century.Only Kieswetter looked comfortable, though. After returning to the nets a couple of weeks ago with batting coach, David Houghton, Kiesweeter regained his confidence against tennis balls and has gradually built up the pace and intensity of net sessions. He still retains hopes of winning a late call to the England World Cup squad, but aims to play in the Big Bash if that proves beyond him.”I wouldn’t be playing if I didn’t think I could still play at that level,” he said. “And my personality is such that I always like I should be playing for England. But having had this time to reflect on everything – the injury, being dropped by England and everything else – I realise I am one of those lucky people who earns a living doing something they truly love. It’s the game I fell in love with as a kid.”A lot of players forget that perspective check. I’m not saying I’m perfect, but I have seen the bigger picture. Hopefully the whole experience has made me mature. I hope I’ve improved as a person and as a cricketer.”Another man coming to terms with trauma and disappointment – albeit of a very different characteristic – is Ashley Giles. Giles admits he lost his appetite for coaching for a while after missing out to Peter Moores in the race to be appointed England coach, but is now recovering his enthusiasm for the job.He is expected to visit Taunton at some stage this week with a view to talking to the club about the role of director of cricket. It is worth noting, though, that it took Giles five years to transform Warwickshire from rabble to Championship winners. Whether Somerset, a club impatient for success after years of near-misses, will provide such time remains to be seen.

With the quarter-final line-up now set, Goal breaks down which teams look most likely to contest the final on July 11

The Euro 2020 quarter-finals are on the way, but who will lift the trophy at Wembley Stadium on July 11? 

Goal ranks all eight remaining contenders ahead of Friday and Saturday's games, from least likely to lift the trophy to tournament favourites…

Getty8Switzerland | Last time: 15th

Switzerland may have dumped tournament favourites France out during the last 16, but their path towards the final and potentially winning the whole competition still looks ridiculously daunting.

They must face free-scoring Spain in the quarter-finals without their inspirational captain Granit Xhaka, who is suspended, and even if they see off La Roja, they will then need to beat either Belgium or Italy to reach the final.

Nothing can be ruled out over the final week of Euro 2020 but, right now, Vladimir Petkovic's side are huge underdogs.

AdvertisementGetty7Ukraine | Last time: 13th

Arguably the weakest team left in the competition, Ukraine will have to pick themselves up and dust themselves off after what was a bruising, 120-minute-long victory over Sweden in the last 16.

They now face the prospect of having to break down England in the quarter-finals, and though a potential semi-final against either Denmark or Czech Republic looks easier on paper, they are undoubtedly the team with the least talent left on their side of the draw.

Getty6Czech Republic | Last time: 12th

There is no doubt that Czech Republic are a growing force in European football, and their victory over Netherlands in the last 16 confirmed what many have been saying about their increasing strength heading into the tournament.

A quarter-final meeting with Denmark would have delighted them heading into the tournament, and with Patrik Schick looking like Cristiano Ronaldo's main challenger for the Golden Boot, they will fancy their chances of progressing once more.

They might be unfancied ahead of their clash in Baku, but the Czechs cannot be ruled out.

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Getty Images5Denmark | Last time: 9th

Whether you believe in the power of momentum or not, there is no question that this Denmark side is riding some sort of wave as they continue to lift themselves following the trauma of their opening game of the tournament.

The swatting aside of Wales was arguably the most complete performance of the last 16, and they now find themselves in a position where they are favourites to reach the semi-finals.

In terms of quality, they are lacking compared to the four teams above them in these rankings, but there is no doubting their character and togetherness, and that could still carry them all the way to the final.

Goal looks at the players whose deals are due to end, which of them could leave and who might still be at Old Trafford come 2019-20

Since 1995, the Bosman ruling has revolutionised football transfers, giving players the opportunity to break free of clubs at the end of their contracts, and the pre-contract agreement which has since been brought into the game means that from January 1 players with expiring deals can sign with potential new employers six months ahead of a move.

This January, Manchester United find themselves in the kind of position many clubs have been left in since Jean-Marc Bosman successfully petitioned the courts, with as many as 11 of their players holding contracts which are due to expire at the end of the current season.

The one thing they do have going for them is that eight of the 11 involved have club-option extension clauses written into their deals, which allows the Old Trafford hierarchy the freedom to add 12 months to their contracts if they are unwilling to let them go.

Getty ImagesMatteo Darmian

The Italian full-back barely gets a look-in at Old Trafford these days and Jose Mourinho admitted in the summer that United were ready to sell if the right offer came in.

"Matteo wants to leave and I think when a player wants to leave, if the right offer arrives you have to try to be human and let the player follow his instinct, but not at any price," the manager said.

“And, until now, the offers we got for Matteo are not even close to being accepted."

The 28-year-old could well move in January if the right bid comes in having not made an appearance since the opening day of the season at a time when Mourinho was stretched due to post-World Cup holidays.

But if a winter move doesn't materialise, United are almost certain to trigger the one-year option on his contract to ensure he doesn't leave for free in the summer. They are still likely to help Darmian find a move though in order to get some return on their 2015 investment.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesDavid de Gea

Mourinho stunned the United fan base last week by claiming he was not confident that De Gea would sign a new deal with the club.

"I am not confident but I am not worried," he told in relation to the No.1 extending his contract. "I cannot find the word in English."

De Gea has played down speculation since then but notably failed to commit. "What matters is the team and all of us being focused on what we need to focus on, which is winning games, rather than contracts or any topics that can be a distraction," said the Spaniard.

With De Gea's contract due to expire in 2019, United do hold a one-year option. However, if there is no sign of a willingness on the player's part to sign a new deal then the club could be backed into a corner as this season draws to a close.

Not yet 28 and considered by many to be the best goalkeeper in the world, De Gea is a hugely valuable asset and the prospect of him running his contract down and leaving on a free is one United will not be keen to risk. They could even consider a sale in the summer to get a fee if they are convinced the former Atletico Madrid man has his heart set on leaving.

Getty ImagesAnder Herrera

The Spanish midfielder has seen his game-time reduced by a great degree over the last 18 months to the point where his only Premier League start so far this season came as an emergency centre-back in the 3-0 loss to Tottenham.

Having already seen the club pick up his one-year option last season, Herrera's commitment to the club could well end this summer although Jose Mourinho is keen for him and Juan Mata to stay at Old Trafford.

"Juan and Ander, even if they are not playing a lot and not starting matches, by the personality point of view and character point of view, by what they represent in the modern society and in football, they are almost unique pieces that I also don't want to lose," said the manager when asked whether he wants to keep the Spanish pair.

His character has won him countless fans since he arrived at United in 2014, but the 29-year-old may consider making a move to gain increased game time elsewhere if he believes his next contract to be his last during his peak playing years.

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Getty ImagesPhil Jones

Like most United contracts, Phil Jones' deal includes a club option to tie him down to Old Trafford until the summer of 2020 and the Red Devils are highly likely to activate the extra year if only to command a fee for the centre-back next summer.

With competition for places at the heart of defence being fierce and Jose Mourinho having publicly discussed the need for more quality in his position, Jones has slipped down the pecking order and is likely to fall further down the ranks as United go forward.

As a result, the club could listen to offers in the summer once they have triggered their option, giving them the opportunity to cash in on the England defender before they are left facing the prospect of gaining no fee for him in 2020.

Marvan Atapattu has been named Sri Lanka’s head coach following the resignation of Paul Farbrace earlier this week

Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Apr-2014Marvan Atapattu has been named Sri Lanka’s interim head coach, following the resignation of Paul Farbrace earlier this week. Ruwan Kalpage, Sri Lanka’s fielding coach and former offspinner, has been appointed his assistant. The appointments were for Sri Lanka’s upcoming tour of the Ireland and England as well as the home series against South Africa to follow, SLC confirmed on Friday.Atapattu had applied for the head coach position when Graham Ford had announced he would vacate the job, and had progressed to the final round of interviews in November, before Farbrace was appointed. Atapattu has been Sri Lanka’s batting coach since for three years, and had been assistant coach since March 2013.He has earned a reputation for his technical acumen – as a coach, as he had been as a player – but he was deemed unready for head coach role late last year. Both Farbrace and Ford, however, have publicly lauded his work ethic.The appointments had been made on the recommendations of a three-man coach selection committee, which consists of chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya, head of coaching Jerome Jayaratne, and cricket committee chairman Ranjit Fernando. In the days following Farbrace’s departure Jayasuriya had issued strong signals Atapattu would be named interim coach, as the fast-approaching tour did not allow SLC enough time to make a more permanent appointment.”We should look to give responsibility to Marvan, because he’s been around for a few years,” Jayasuriya had said. “The bowling and fielding coaches will also have to take a lot of responsibility.”Among the most difficult aspects of Atapattu’s job will be devising an effective strategy against an opponent who now possesses intimate knowledge of Sri Lanka’s strengths, weaknesses and team dynamics, thanks to Farbrace’s appointment as England assistant coach. Sri Lanka have not won a Test in England since 2006, but this tour represents a good opportunity to improve that record, while England themselves seek to rebuild after a disastrous winter.”Farbrace knows inside out about Sri Lanka’s cricketers, and that’s the biggest challenge for us,” Jayasuriya said. “He knows our batsmen and bowlers from top to bottom, and what we have been discussing in the last four or five months. I hope Marvan, Ruwan, the bowling coach can do a lot of work with the senior cricketers and come out of this situation.”The ODIs in the tour are also a vital step en route to the 2015 World Cup, as Sri Lanka do not play outside Asia for six months, following that series. The team leaves the country on May 2, to play two ODIs in Dublin, before moving on to three practice matches in England.Sri Lanka play four Tests, ten ODIs and a T20 international in their two upcoming series. The trip to England is the most important away tour in the year, before their most high-profile home-assignment, against the top-ranked Test team, begins in July.

Jim Allenby, the Australia-born allrounder, has been restored to Glamorgan’s T20 captaincy, a year after losing the position led to him considering his future at the club

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Feb-2014Jim Allenby, the Australia-born allrounder, has been restored to Glamorgan’s T20 captaincy, a year after losing the position led to him considering his future at the club. Allenby was demoted having performed the role in 2012, with Marcus North named captain of both limited-overs teams, but put the disappointment behind him and signed a four-year contract in August.With North no longer contracted as Glamorgan’s overseas player, Allenby has been repaid for his commitment. Last season, he was the team’s outstanding performer in all three formats, helping Glamorgan to their first Lord’s final in more than a decade.Mark Wallace will continue to lead the Championship side, as well as taking the 50-over captaincy, which he stepped up to during the knockout stages of the Yorkshire Bank 40 after North returned to Australia. The announcements are the first since a new management team took charge in Cardiff – with Toby Radford succeeding Mathew Mott as head coach and former England managing director Hugh Morris installed as chief executive – and firm up Glamorgan’s plans for the 2014 season.”I will be delighted to captain Glamorgan in the NatWest T20 Blast this year, it has been my aim to help win trophies and to have the responsibility to contribute to this as captain is very exciting” Allenby said. “I’ve committed to the club by signing a four-year contract and my ambitions, to win trophies and play at the highest level of the game, have not changed.”We showed that we are a good team last year and capable of competing with anyone. The club has invested in the squad, the facilities and we have a new management, so there is plenty to be optimistic about. I want to help to bring success back to this club and look forward to working with the playing squad, head coach Toby Radford and the coaching staff, as well as Hugh Morris.”Allenby has indicated his desire to play for England, who he qualifies for on residency, and pushed his case with a series of strong performances in 2013. He was a key component of the side that lost to Notts in the YB40 final, with bat and ball (454 runs at 41.27, 12 wickets at 36.58), led the Friends Life t20 run-scoring and passed 1000 runs in the Championship for the first time.At 31, he may struggle to convince the England selectors of his value, but Allenby made an impression when appearing for Western Australia against the tourists before the Ashes, scoring a half-century and taking four wickets.Wallace was appointed club captain in 2012, succeeding Alviro Petersen. Glamorgan finished eighth in Division Two of the Championship last year but there were signs of improvement, as young talent such as Mike Reed and Andrew Salter blended with the experience of Michael Hogan, Murray Goodwin and Allenby. Wallace will also guide the team in the new Royal London Cup, which replaces the YB40.Wallace said: “2014 is going to be an exciting season for the club as we compete for promotion to Division One of the County Championship and challenge for honours in the reformatted limited-over competitions. I am delighted to continue as captain of this fantastic county and I am looking forward to working in partnership with Hugh Morris as director of cricket and CEO, new head coach Toby Radford, Jim as T20 captain and the rest of the squad.”We showed last year, particularly in our progress to the Lord’s final, that this team has a lot of talent and that we can compete with the best in the country. We need to perform consistently at the same high level in all formats of the game.”Morris, who stepped down as managing director of England cricket in January, has opted for continuity on his return to Glamorgan, where he spent 16 years as a player. “Mark has led by example after taking the role, not least in returning to lead the team to Lord’s during the knockout phase of the Yorkshire Bank40 competition last year,” he said. “The man is Glamorgan through and through and we are delighted that he will continue his captaincy as we look forward to the exciting challenges that 2014 will bring.”Jim Allenby has shown his quality for several seasons at Glamorgan and he will give valuable support to Mark in the longer formats of the game, whilst his abilities with both bat and ball allow him to lead from the front in this season’s extended NatWest T20 Blast.”

Ireland prevailed over Zimbabwe in a tense win on St Patrick’s Day, after a middle-order stutter left them needing two off the last two balls

The Report by Firdose Moonda17-Mar-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsPaul Stirling struck four successive boundaries off Tinashe Panyangara’s first over•ICCSome say the phrase “The luck of the Irish” refers to the good fortune enjoyed by the citizens of that country when they took up mining, with much success, in the United States. Others say it was coined in irony, to reflect on the potato famine and wars that affected the country so badly. After their last-ball win against Zimbabwe on St Patrick’s Day, Ireland’s cricketers will be inclined to believe the former.They restricted their Full Member opposition to what was considered a below-par score on a ground hosting its first international match. In response, they seemed to be having their own St Patrick’s Day parade, coasting towards a win at 61 without loss after the Powerplay and 99 for 1 at the halfway stage. Then, they started to stutter.Tinashe Panyangara, who went for 18 runs in his first over, changed ends and delivered a double-wicket maiden in the 15th over to drag Zimbabwe back into the game. Brendan Taylor made the bowler change ends again for his third over and Kevin O’Brien took 15 runs off Panyangara before falling on his sword in the 18th over. Still, Ireland needed only seven runs off the last two overs. Zimbabwe needed a miracle.Tendai Chatara had bowled intelligently to that point with 17 off three overs and a wicket. He understood the conditions called for a change of pace. With a slew of slower balls, he gave away only three in the penultimate over. Ireland needed four off the last six.Panyangara stepped up for the final over. The hallmark of his game is death-bowling and he showed it with his third ball – a perfect yorker to dismiss Ed Joyce. The next ball was almost as good but Max Sorensen dug it out and set off for a risky single only to be run out by Sean Williams at mid-off.Ireland needed two runs. Zimbabwe still needed a miracle. The penultimate ball was a low full toss which Stuart Thompson outside-edged to third man. Ireland were one run away from a win, even as Zimbabwe thought they could pull off a miracle.Panyangara fired a yorker-length ball, Alex Cusack missed but ran anyway. Taylor was not standing up to the stumps but threw under-arm from his position. Had he hit, Cusack would have been run-out and the match would have gone into a Super Over. He missed and Ireland scrambled the bye for a win.After the match, a gutted Taylor had no explanation for his decision to not stand closer. “I backed myself to hit the stumps,” he said. “But anyway, these things happen. I think we were still 20 runs short.”It turned out Zimbabwe were only two runs short, but Taylor held the batsmen responsible for not capitalising on starts. He was the only one who did, top-scoring with 59. The rest were frustrated by Ireland’s spinners and the sluggish surface.Between them, Paul Stirling, George Dockrell and Andy McBrine gave away only 68 runs in 12 overs and took four wickets. They pegged Zimbabwe back from the outset – Stirling opened the innings with an over that cost just four and then McBrine and Dockrell punctured the Zimbabwe innings. Hamilton Masakadza was caught at short midwicket trying to clear McBrine. Taylor was caught at the extra-cover boundary off Dockrell, looking to break the shackles after Sibanda lost his wicket to the pull shot.After the Powerplay, Zimbabwe were well positioned at 56 for 1 and looked set for a total of 180-plus. But, at 131 for 5 after 17 overs, even 155 looked out of reach. Elton Chigumbura showed off his finishing skills, scoring 16 off the last over, including two sixes, but Taylor thought even 163 was not enough.The way Ireland openers William Porterfield and Stirling started seemed to rubber-stamp the Zimbabwe captain’s opinion. They raced to 61 without loss in the Powerplay, rendering Zimbabwe’s early attack ineffective. Even after they were both dismissed, Ireland marched on.It was only when Panyangara was brought back from a different end that Zimbabwe came alive again, inspired by his double strike. Prosper Utseya kept O’Brien and Joyce quiet, so did Sean Williams, and Zimbabwe built pressure.O’Brien was not going to be stopped for too long, though, and when he tore into Panyangara, it seemed Zimbabwe’s comeback was short-lived. The bowler, however, made up for his mistakes and delivered a final over that could have seen Zimbabwe win. But it was St Patrick’s Day and the Irish have that luck.

Northern Districts were able to hold on for a nine-run victory over Otago to seal their first victory of the tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Nov-2013
ScorecardFile photo: Aaron Redmond tried in vain to get Otago close to the target•Getty ImagesA pair of fifties from the two Daniels – Flynn and Harris – ensured Northern Districts had enough runs to keep Otago at bay, as they opened their HRV Cup campaign with a nine-run victory in Dunedin. Northern Districts batted first, with the openers Brad Wilson and Flynn putting on 49.After Wilson was removed for 27, Flynn was joined by Harris, and the pair had a 69-run partnership. Flynn finally fell for 57 off 48 balls, which included three sixes and fours. Scott Styris chipped in with 14, but the rest of the lower order failed to add anything significant. Harris finished on 68 when he was run out by Neil Broom off the penultimate ball of the innings. Northern Districts reached 183 for 6.Otago, playing their first HRV Cup match since winning the tournament last year, got off to a belter as Broom and Jesse Ryder put on 65. Both openers fell by the 10th over, as Otago looked to build a strong platform to mount a chase of a competitive score. Aaron Redmond, coming in at No. 3, played an integral innings of 50 not out off 31 balls, as he and Ryan ten Doeschate combined for 76 runs for the third wicket.When ten Doeschate departed with the score on 147 for 3, Otago still required 37 runs off the final nine balls. Some inspired hitting from Redmond was not enough to close the gap, and Otago fell short by just nine runs.The match between Canterbury and Otago in Dunedin on November 8 was abandoned without a ball bowled on account of heavy rain on the morning of the match.

Preston Mommsen has been preferred to Kyle Coetzer as Scotland’s captain for the World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Dec-2014Preston Mommsen has been preferred to Kyle Coetzer as Scotland’s captain for the World Cup. Coetzer, who was relieved of the job in September ahead of the acclimatisation tour of Australia and New Zealand in September, will be Mommsen’s vice-captain.Grant Bradburn, the Scotland coach, took the decision to allow Coetzer to focus on his batting earlier this year after a difficult season for Northamptonshire. The move paid dividends as Coetzer was Scotland’s leading batsman on their pre-World Cup trip with 333 runs at 55.50 including the only hundred of the tour.Although Mommsen’s tour was less impressive, with 182 runs at 26.00 from seven matches, he has had a productive year including being Player of the Tournament at the World Cup Qualifiers in New Zealand in January and he was named ICC Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year.”It’s a huge honour to be leading the Scotland team into the 2015 Cricket World Cup,” Mommsen said. “This group of players have been together for a couple of years now, and this has always been the dream.”The preparation over the past couple of months has been hugely productive, with the squad fully focused and committed to delivering on the World Stage. It’s an exciting time for everyone involved in Scottish Cricket and hopefully our performances in Australia and New Zealand will help promote the game, and inspire the next generation in Scotland.”Bradburn said: “We have a strong squad line up and excellent leaders in Preston and Kyle, as we prepare to play some international cricketing giants on the world stage next February in New Zealand. We don’t underestimate the challenge but we have been training hard and will be bringing our absolute best to this hugely important global event.”

Sean Abbott helped give New South Wales hope of victory on the third day in Hobart, where they finished the day on 0 for 43 chasing 255 to beat Tasmania

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Dec-2013
ScorecardMark Cosgrove was the dominant batsman for Tasmania (file photo)•Getty ImagesSean Abbott helped give New South Wales hope of victory on the third day in Hobart, where they finished the day on 0 for 43 chasing 255 to beat Tasmania. Abbott picked up 4 for 36 as the Tigers, with the notable exception of Mark Cosgrove, struggled to post a big second-innings score and finished all out for 164.Cosgrove was the only Tasmania batsman to pass 20, and he struck 12 boundaries in his 81 from 106 balls before he was caught behind off the bowling of Abbott. Doug Bollinger, Gurinder Sandhu and Steve O’Keefe each collected two wickets as Cosgrove’s colleagues failed to follow his lead, after the Blues had earlier added 64 to their overnight total.New South Wales began the day on 5 for 200 but the overnight half-centurions, Trent Copeland (58) and Kurtis Patterson (54) added little in the morning. Abbott chipped in with 33, including three fours and two sixes, as New South Wales reached 264 in their first innings. At stumps, they were 212 runs from their target, with Ryan Carters on 26 and Nic Maddinson on 17.

The first two matches of the one-day tri-series in January will swap in order, as a result of the rescheduling of the Australia-India Test series that was announced late on Monday

Brydon Coverdale02-Dec-2014Revised tri-series schedule

Friday, Jan 16, Aus v Eng, SCG
Sunday, Jan 18, Aus v Ind, MCG
Tuesday, Jan 20, Eng v Ind, Gabba
Friday, Jan 23, Aus v Eng, Blundstone Arena
Monday, Jan 26, Aus v Ind, SCG
Friday, Jan 30, Ind v Eng, WACA
Sunday, Feb 1, final, WACA

The first two matches of the one-day tri-series in January will swap in order, as a result of the rescheduling of the Australia-India Test series that was announced late on Monday.The series was to begin at the MCG on January 16 with a clash between Australia and India, before Australia played England at the SCG on January 18. However, those two matches have now traded places in the schedule, with Australia-England in Sydney to begin the series on January 16, followed by Australia-India in Melbourne on January 18.Cricket Australia said in a press release that the change was required “to provide the Indian players appropriate recovery time after the tour match which follows the Sydney Test”. India will play a one-day tour game with date and venue yet to be confirmed, instead of the warm-up game they were to play against England at Drummoyne Oval in Sydney on January 12.England’s lead-in to the one-day series will now involve a game against an ACT XI at Manuka Oval on January 12, followed by the Prime Minister’s XI match, which remains unchanged on January 14. The changes were necessitated by the decision to push back the Sydney Test by three days to run from January 6 to 10, which was intended to give the Test players a reasonable rest in a four-Test series.Consideration had been given to playing the Gabba Test in January, after the New Year’s Test in Sydney, but England and India were keen to avoid too much disruption to the one-day series given that it begins less than a month before the World Cup. Instead, Cricket Australia confirmed the Brisbane Test would become the second Test of the Australia-India series.”In light of recent scheduling changes, we have attempted to minimise the impact on the Carlton Mid ODI Tri Series,” James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia CEO, said. “We appreciate the patience of our fans as we continue to work through the impacts of these changes.”At the same time, we look forward to an exciting Carlton Mid ODI Tri Series with England and India, which will be a fitting lead-in to the ICC Cricket World Cup commencing in February. We thank the BCCI and ECB for their support and understanding throughout this difficult time.”Cricket Australia said that pre-purchased tickets for the first two ODIs would be honoured, and full refunds would also be available. There will also be some changes to the Big Bash League schedule as a flow-on effect from the revised international fixtures, with further details to be provided this week.