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AB de Villiers is “not picking and choosing” the Tests he plays, according to CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jan-2017AB de Villiers will not be able to pick and choose the Tests he wishes to play, according to CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat. And once de Villiers does return to the format, Lorgat said, he will not have the luxury of taking time off when he wanted.On Tuesday, de Villiers said he would not be available for selection for the Test series in New Zealand in March, and that limited-overs cricket was a priority for him in order to play the 2019 World Cup. De Villiers said he was not retiring from Test cricket but was not yet ready to return to the format. Having been out of action since August last year because of an elbow injury, he said he was fit again and going to play the third T20I against Sri Lanka on January 25.”This is a plan that we had six months ago. It’s just a case of when he starts or when he returns,” Lorgat said. “Because once he starts, there’s no stopping and no time off. When you play, you play continuously. So he’s not picking and choosing. These are deliberate discussions that we’re having and which will continue.”ODI cricket is the focus because he’s the captain. Test cricket is different. We’ve got a settled team, we’ve got the resources to go through. If he was not the captain of the ODI team it might have been different. Same with T20s – we’ve got enough talent there and he’s not leading the side. But with respect to ODIs, he will play every ODI because he’s the captain.”Lorgat said de Villiers’ decision to not play the Tests in New Zealand was no surprise because of the discussions they had been having in which the 2019 World Cup was a top priority.Under Faf du Plessis’ leadership and in de Villiers’ absence, South Africa won their two most recent series – first in Australia and then at home against Sri Lanka. That form will also shape the nature of de Villiers’ return.”I’m most satisfied by the kind of conversations we’re having with him,” Lorgat said. “He’s clear about when he’s going to be ready and when he’s not ready. His clarity is important because then selectors are aware and we move on. You’ve seen what’s happened in the last few months. We’ve built the team without AB, and that’s a very big positive. The absence of AB has allowed others to step up, and we’ve developed other players. It’s fantastic from my point of view that we have more than 11 that can take the field and be a winning formula.”Lorgat was confident that de Villiers would be ready to play the Tests in the summer in England, but said that his return would be dependent on the form of the players in the squad at the time. “If the selectors and the team feel that they have a winning team going, AB is fully aware that it’s the selectors that will determine whether he comes back into the team or not.”

Hampshire have preserved their Division One status on the final day of the season after defeating Nottinghamshire by eight wickets at Trent Bridge

ECB/PA24-Sep-2015
ScorecardMichael Carberry saw Hampshire home and kept their Division One hopes alive•Getty Images

Hampshire have preserved their Division One status on the final day of the season after defeating Nottinghamshire by eight wickets at Trent Bridge. They secured the victory needed to keep their hopes alive after chasing down a victory target of 200, and their perseverance was rewarded shortly after 3pm, when news filtered through from Headingley that Sussex had succumbed to the county champions, Yorkshire, by 100 runs.”I’m so happy right now. I don’t know what it feels like lifting a cup, but this probably feels just as good, if not better,” said Fidel Edwards, Hampshire’s former West Indies fast bowler whose match haul of 10 for 145 was instrumental in the victory.”To come here and win was a great effort where we showed our class,” Edwards told BBC Radio Solent. “It’s a great feeling to be staying Division One. It’s been a good team effort and we’re really happy right now. Come next year, it’s going to be hard to beat us.””We’ve played some really good cricket in the last few weeks,” said James Vince, Hampshire’s captain. “I think we’ve got the balance of our side right, and that will stand us in good stead for next season. Fidel Edwards has been outstanding. On a flat pitch like this one having someone like him who can get wickets makes a big difference.”Openers Jimmy Adams and Michael Carberry had laid the foundation for the win by putting on 89 together on the third evening and after a watchful half hour they took their stand into three figures. Adams moved to his 50 from 81 deliveries and Carberry followed shortly afterwards, running Stuart Broad for back-to-back boundaries to the vacant third man area to reach the milestone.The opening stand reached 129, at which point Jake Ball struck with two wickets in as many deliveries. Adams chopped on to his stumps after making 70 and then Lions captain James Vince was cleaned up first ball by his fellow squad member.Carberry’s half-century had arrived in 110 deliveries and he made sure there was no way back into the contest for the hosts as he unleashed a flurry of shots, before scampering a single to mid-on to clinch the contest.Carberry closed on 84 not out and Will Smith was unbeaten on 34 at the end. Nottinghamshire’s defeat, their first loss in eight matches, confirmed their third place finish in the table.

Kumar Sangakkara rued not being able to give Muttiah Muralitharan the perfect send-off in what was his final international appearance for Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Apr-2011Kumar Sangakkara rued not being able to give Muttiah Muralitharan the perfect send-off in what was his final international appearance for Sri Lanka and admitted the team would “miss him terribly.” Sri Lanka were beaten by six wickets in the World Cup final by India in Mumbai and Murali, on one of his rare off days, went wicketless in eight overs and conceded 39 runs.”It’s one of those rare days when he hasn’t really done the job for us, but it happens maybe once in a 100 games,” Sangakkara said. “We’re going to miss him terribly. Unfortunately we couldn’t give him a great send-off but that’s the way it goes. We were outplayed and we have to accept that.”Sri Lanka had done well after winning the toss, posting 274 thanks to a superlative century from Mahela Jayawardene. They were in command when Lasith Malinga dismissed India’s openers, Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar, early in the chase. But the Indian middle order stepped up with Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni reviving the innings with match-winning half-centuries.Murali was dealt with easily by Gambhir and Dhoni, who hit him repeatedly to the extra-cover boundary. Murali had come into this game with a groin injury, and while it was considered a risk to play him, the game was just too big to leave him out. Sangakkara, however, said fitness didn’t affect Murali’s performance.”He’s our best bowler, even if half-fit,” Sangakkara said. “But he was fine, he was almost at full fitness when he played today. I don’t think it was an issue.”Murali had ended his Test career on a high, picking up a wicket with his final delivery to win Sri Lanka a game against India last year. And while that perfect ending eluded him this World Cup, Sangakkara summed up what he meant for Sri lanka. “Murali is the icon of Sri Lanka,” he said. “As a champion on the field and off the field. As a human being and a cricketer, I don’t think there is anyone to match him.”

Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan middle-order batsman, plans to quit international cricket at the end of next year if the selectors continue to ignore him for the national squad

Cricinfo staff27-Jul-2010Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan middle-order batsman, has plans to quit international cricket at the end of next year if the national selectors continue to ignore him. Misbah was dropped for the ongoing tour of England in favour of rookie players like Azhar Ali and Umar Amin, and his central contract with the PCB expires in December.”I know luck is not favouring me these days and with the youngsters making their way into the squad, I was forced to think again,” Misbah told the . “As a player, I feel sad to make such a decision but one day I had to decide when to call it a day.”I am 36 and feel fit enough for the international arena. I’m seeking an opportunity to play the 2011 World Cup in a bid to end my international cricket on a high note. But if I’m unable to find a place in the national squad, I always have an opportunity in the domestic circuit to do so.”Misbah made his Pakistan debut in 2001 but he wasn’t a regular fixture in the squad till the ICC World Twenty20 in 2007, where he emerged as a dangerous Twenty20 batsman. A loss of form through 2009 led to him being dropped, initially, for the tours of New Zealand and Australia. He was however flown in midway through the New Zealand tour to shore up an inexperienced batting order. In the interim, he struck form in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in Pakistan and that prompted the then captain, Mohammad Yousuf, to push for his recall. He last played for Pakistan in the World Twenty20 in the West Indies before being dropped for the Asia Cup and the England tour, a decision that had upset him.”My performance in the last 12 months hasn’t been up to the mark but my passion for the game remains,” he said. “Therefore, I have planned a time frame to my cricketing career and decided to quit cricket at the end of 2011.”

Prabath Jayasuriya and Kamindu Mendis struck twice each as Bangladesh went seven down heading into the final day

Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Apr-2024Sri Lanka continued their march toward a 2-0 series victory on day four, taking seven Bangladesh wickets, as they encountered only pockets of resistance from the opposition. Mominul Haque crossed fifty as Bangladesh strove to bat out almost five-and-a-half sessions to save the match, or hit the record 511 runs they needed to win. Mehidy Hasan Miraz was unbeaten at stumps, but no one else crossed 40 and their biggest partnership was the 61 Litton Das and Shakib Al Hasan put on for the fifth wicket.Spin became a significant weapon for Sri Lanka for the first time in the series, though the Chattogram surface was not taking massive turn yet. It was also not providing substantial seam movement, or pace, or carry, or reverse swing, which the seamers went looking for late in the day. The key for Sri Lanka, largely, was to stay patient and to continue posing various questions of the Bangladesh batters.With so many runs to defend, Dhananjaya de Silva had no qualms keeping catchers in close, and trying unusual lines of attack. The Bangladesh batters could be relied on to eventually succumb. No one lasted more than 74 balls.Prabath Jayasuriya bowled 20 overs and took 2 for 79. Lahiru Kumara also claimed two, and Vishwa Fernando got the wicket of Zakir Hasan, who hit a fifty in the first dig. The surprise for Sri Lanka was the two wickets taken by Kamindu Mendis, who gleaned more turn – if less artfully – than the more experienced spinners (de Silva also sent down seven overs). Kamindu can also bowl left-arm spin, but stuck to offbreaks on this occasion, claiming Shakib as his first Test victim, before also getting Shahadat Hossain out lbw to finish the day with 2 for 22.Earlier in the day, Angelo Mathews had become the last of Sri Lanka’s batters to cross fifty in this match, with the others in the top seven having done so in the first innings. He was out to a spectacular delivery from Shakib, who did not celebrate with notable vigour despite the “timed out” history between the two. Sri Lanka just batted till their lead had breached 500, and gave Bangladesh the last 40 minutes before lunch to see out, which they did unscathed, though the wickets fell soon after.Mahmudul Hasan Joy was the first to go, second over after the break, when he had his middle stump knocked over by a slider from Jayasuriya. Zakir didn’t last long either, offering an edge off Vishwa to first slip. They continued to flounder. Najmul Hossain Shanto, who has had a woeful series, had the top of his off stump rattled by an excellent Kumara delivery, angled in from wide of the crease. Mominul, who has been Bangladesh’s best batter across the Tests, got to an 18th career fifty off 55 deliveries, but top edged a sweep off Jayasuriya immediately after, and was caught at deep square leg.The Shakib-Litton stand provided a break from the wickets. They gathered singles intelligently, and both began to strike confident boundaries, and saw out short-ball barrages from the quicks on a pitch that had lost its pace. But they fell before really making Sri Lanka sweat. Kamindu had Shakib edging to gully with an offbreak that turned more than the batter expected, and Litton toe-edged a Kumara bouncer to the wicketkeeper, as he tried to fetch it from wide outside off.Bangladesh need 243 runs, but perhaps more realistically, need rain to arrive on day five, to save them from what at present seems an inevitable series conclusion. Their last pair who can bat – Mehidy Hasan, and Taijul Islam – were at the crease at stumps.

The 36-year-old pacer was the leading wicket-taker in the 2019 Vitality Blast

Matt Roller08-Jul-2021Derbyshire have re-signed Ravi Rampaul, who was the leading wicket-taker in the 2019 Vitality Blast, for their final three group games in this year’s competition and the duration of the Royal London Cup.Rampaul, the 36-year-old fast bowler, spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons at Derbyshire as a Kolpak registration, but did not return last summer due to restrictions on international travel and finances caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.Over the winter, he was Trinidad and Tobago’s leading wicket-taker in their run to the Regional Super50 domestic competition title and played for Deccan Gladiators in the Abu Dhabi T10. He has since been recruited by Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL for this season, his first contract in the competition since 2017.Derbyshire are bottom of the Blast’s North Group with three games to spare, and will need to win all three to have a chance of qualifying. They have struggled badly with injuries this season, particularly to their fast bowlers, and have had to recruit Jade Dernbach on a short-term loan from Surrey as cover. Rampaul will be their second overseas player for the run-in alongside Logan van Beek, with Ben McDermott (international duty) and Billy Stanlake (stress fracture) both ruled out before the start of the group stage.They will also be without key three players during the Royal London Cup due to contracts in the Hundred – Matt Critchley, Luis Reece and Leus du Plooy – while Wayne Madsen has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. While Rampaul is unlikely to add cover for their batting ability, he brings experience to a young bowling line-up.Dave Houghton, the club’s director of cricket, said: “It’s a blow for us that we will lose some quality players for the Royal London Cup, but we’re proud of the players who have been selected for the Hundred.”We will get by, and we’ve brought in a top-level bowler to help us out with that. We will put out a competitive side. It’s a great opportunity for some of our players who specialise in white-ball cricket – we have to hope the best will come out of them.”I’ve always felt that we had some unfinished business. Ravi had such a good season in 2019 – he was club player of the year – but we lost him for a year due to the pandemic. Our bowlers have come on leaps and bounds this year, but to have someone of Ravi’s ability and class opening and closing the innings for us, which is something we’ve missed this season, is going to be fantastic.”Rampaul said: “I loved my first spell with Derbyshire and I’m looking forward to getting started again in familiar surroundings. I know most of the players still, and there’s a few new faces who are really exciting young players. If I can help them along in training and in games, I will do that, and hopefully we can get on a roll and challenge for the knockouts.”

Tour games between English first-class teams and New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Pakistan also scrapped

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Apr-2021India A’s tour of England this summer, which would’ve seen them play against both India and England Lions, has been postponed. Instead, the BCCI will send an inflated squad to “prepare for, and use during” India’s five-Test series against England. The change is keeping in mind the prevailing Covid-19 situation, with the ECB saying the focus is on “delivering the safest possible environment for all international cricket matches scheduled to take place over the summer”.”India’s warm-up schedule will now comprise two intra-squad four-day matches, which will replace the two previously planned four-day fixtures between India Men and India A in July,” the ECB said in a press statement, adding that the decision to tweak the schedule was jointly agreed on between the two boards in question.The changes are not limited to the Indian team’s tour. “Following further discussions with the boards of New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Pakistan it has been agreed to cancel their scheduled men’s tour matches against first-class counties,” the statement said. “New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Pakistan’s men’s teams will instead play intra-squad matches to allow them suitable preparation for their international fixtures this summer.”On rescheduling the India A tour, Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive, said, “We look forward to welcoming a men’s India A tour at a later date after this summer and when restrictions have eased. It will provide a valuable opportunity for players from both countries to experience high-quality cricket and to showcase the talent within our England Lions team and first-class counties.”The senior India side is scheduled to leave for England shortly after the completion of the ongoing edition of the IPL and, after playing the World Test Championship final against New Zealand in Southampton, take part in a series of five Tests, with the first slotted for Trent Bridge from August 4.

The vice-captain has been a success opening the innings but would be content in the middle order

Andrew McGlashan06-May-2020Australia Women’s vice-captain Rachael Haynes is willing to take on any role asked of her at next year’s ODI World Cup even it means giving up the opening position where she made her maiden century at the start of the last season.In three matches against Sri Lanka, which were the only ODIs Australia played during their summer as they focused on the T20 World Cup, Haynes scored 56, 118 and 63 while opening alongside Alyssa Healy, having initially returned to the team in 2017 in a middle-order capacity after a four-year absence.But whether she retains that role for the World Cup in New Zealand next year – an event that now has some doubt around it due to the Covid-19 pandemic – remains to be seen after national selector Shawn Flegler said he was not wedded to a particular combination at this stage.ALSO READ: Covid-19 crisis could force Australian players to be more self-reliantHaynes has an impressive record in a variety of roles, averaging 37.92 opening the batting and 33.13 at No. 5 where she has batted 17 times in ODIs.”Since I’ve come back into the team, especially in the ODI set-up, I’ve played different roles – had a role at the top of the order alongside Alyssa Healy and also through the middle as well,” Haynes said. “I don’t have my heart set on one position in particular but I certainly feel as a batter that’s what I bring, flexibility in terms of what Matthew [Mott] and Meg [Lanning] would like the line-up to look like.Rachael Haynes celebrates her maiden ODI century•Getty Images

“We’ve got Ellyse Perry coming back from injury as well and by all accounts she’s tracking really well so that might come into the decision-making as well. From my point of view I’ll certainly fill whatever role Meg and Motty think is best for the team.”Beth Mooney opens alongside Healy in T20Is and added 115 for the first wicket in the T20 World Cup final against India. She averages 35.36 as an ODI opener but 47.89 in the middle-order roles at Nos. 5 and 6. It would appear that Meg Lanning and Perry are locked in for the three and four positions although Perry’s recovery from hamstring surgery may yet leave it tight for the ODI series against New Zealand in September should that go ahead as scheduled.”I don’t think it’s been 100% decided,” Flegler said of the batting order. “Beth Mooney has been unbelievable in domestic cricket and has a great record in T20 internationals for the past few years. Sophie Molineux is another option, we love the left-right combination. I think our No. 3 and No.4 with Meg and Ellyse, depending on when Ellyse comes back we might need to change it up a little.”Most of Australia’s focus last season was on the T20 World Cup, but if the pandemic allows next summer to go ahead as planned, a change of format does not necessarily mean a vast change in thinking.”We’ve had some great success in this format of the game. In terms of a game plan and how we take on that format, it doesn’t change too much,” Haynes said. “We want to make sure we’re nice and attacking and aggressive with bat or ball and take the game on.”That’s been our blueprint over the last couple of years and seen us have an enormous amount of success. So I’d definitely like our team to continue that and push what’s possible in terms of our game, the scores we can put out, and what we can defend as well.”

The tour is significant as it is the first time a Bangladesh team will travel to New Zealand following the Christchurch attacks

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Sep-2019Ahead of the Under-19 World Cup next year, Bangladesh will have an opportunity to gain match time when they play New Zealand in five Youth ODIs. The tour is significant given this will be the first time a Bangladesh team will travel to New Zealand following the terror attacks in Christchurch in March.Back then, members of Bangladesh’s senior side were “about 50 yards from the mosque” – one of two in Christchurch – where a gunman opened fire. They managed to escape through Hagley Park and the tour was called off shortly after.ALSO READ: ‘There’s shooting here, please save us’All the matches on the U-19 tour will be hosted at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln. The matches are scheduled for September 29, October 2, 6, 9 and 13. This series was slated for April, but New Zealand Cricket cancelled the tour at the time. They had felt sending an age-group side to the country affected by the tragedy at that point would be “insensitive and inappropriate”.Bangladesh U-19s, led by Akbar Ali, have had a busy year so far. This tour comes hot on the heels of the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, where they lost to India by five runs in a low-scoring final.Bangladesh Under-19 squad: Akbar Ali (capt), Tawhid Hridoy, Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain, Shahadat Hossain, Rakibul Hasan, Asadullah Hill Galib, Shoriful Islam, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, Mahmudul Hasan, Tanzim Hasan, Avishek Das, Shamim Hossain, Anik Sarker, Hasan Morad

South African recruit smashes 88 with the bat, takes three wickets against Middlesex

ECB Reporters Network23-Apr-2019Aiden Markram produced a stunning all-round performance as Hampshire made it three wins from three in the Royal London Cup with a 119-run victory over Middlesex.South African opener Markram, who is warming up for this summer’s World Cup, crashed 88 with the bat off 90 balls to help Hampshire to 301 for 9 before his part-time off-spin gathered 3 for 39.Liam Dawson and Kyle Abbott also posted excellent figures of 3 for 37 and 3 for 36 respectively, as Hampshire won with 80 balls to spare.One-day champions Hampshire have defeated Kent, Glamorgan and Middlesex to leap to the top of the South Group.Middlesex had won the toss and elected to field first under grey skies.In response, Markram’s compatriot Abbott broke through twice in the first five overs of the chase as he had Paul Sterling leg before and then Dawid Malan caught at point by James Fuller.John Simpson and Eoin Morgan rebuilt with a free-flowing 65-run stand for the third wicket. But Markram entered fresh from his fifty earlier on to forge a collapse – with Simpson, Morgan and Nick Gubbins all falling within six overs.Simpson was stumped after some fantastic glovework from Tom Alsop. England one-day skipper Morgan was given extra lives when he offered two difficult chances to Rilee Rossouw on the boundary, before picking out Abbott at short fine leg. Gubbins then cut to Sam Northeast and George Scott was castled by Dawson – leaving Middlesex 121 for 6.Left arm spinner Dawson found Tom Helm skying to Gareth Berg in the ring and then Nathan Sowter caught behind.Abbott claimed his third wicket when Steve Eskinazi picked out Northeast at mid-wicket before Mason Crane wrapped up the win when Tim Murtagh was bowled.Middlesex seamer Helm had led the visitors’ attack with a five-wicket haul on a used pitch – which had played slightly slower than against Glamorgan on FridayAlsop went out at a rate of knots, following his 130 not out against Glamorgan, with three sumptuous cut shots to the boundary. But he fell soon after as he chased a wide delivery from Murtagh and was caught behind, before James Vince handed Helm his first with a steepling top edge.Markram scored a stylish run-a-ball half century in a 58-run stand with Northeast. But Markram and Northeast fell within an over of each other, the former frustratingly misjudging a pull to mid-on and the latter lbw to Nathan Sowter – leaving Hampshire looking below par at 145 for 4.Rossouw and Dawson steadied and accelerated with an 81-run partnership for the fifth wicket, the South African collected his 32nd List A fifty – from 49 balls.Dawson was well caught by Murtagh running around to short fine leg off a top edge before Helm returned to cause carnage. The 24-year-old fast bowler ripped through Rossouw and Berg in consecutive balls before completing a stunning four wickets in eight balls with the scalps of Abbott and James Fuller – the latter having smashed a quick-fire 26.Chris Wood took Hampshire past 300 with a sweetly struck six over square-leg to set their opposition 302 to win.