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The outfield for the ground’s first game of the BBL season came in for significant criticism with the tournament boss saying it was “presented poorly”

AAP24-Dec-2024Cricket Australia will consider avoiding Marvel Stadium until later in the summer in future BBL seasons, as Melbourne Renegades great Aaron Finch called for the club to weigh up abandoning the venue for Geelong.Finch was among those to be scathing of the venue on Tuesday when the Renegades’ Monday-night win over Perth Scorchers was overshadowed by a patchy-looking outfield. The pitch also proved difficult to bat on after the roof was closed for two days due to wet weather, with Scorchers struggling to score early.Related

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The issue came just two days after similar issues at Sydney’s Engie Stadium where large parts of dirt didn’t have any grass covering during the Sydney Smash.Both grounds are multi-purpose venues with Pearl Jam concerts having headlined a raft of events to have fallen between the AFL and BBL seasons. An annual RMIT university graduation was also held at Marvel Stadium last Wednesday, before Monday’s match.”Marvel was shocking last night. I was out on the ground and it was slippery,” former Renegades and Australia white-ball captain Aaron Finch said on ESPN’s . “There has to be questions, are Marvel Stadium serious about hosting cricket.”Because each and every year the first couple of games the same thing happens there. If they’re not interested in hosting cricket, take it somewhere else. Take it to Geelong, they’ll have it.”BBL boss Alistair Dobson also admitted on Tuesday he was “disappointed”, conceding the ground was “presented poorly”.”By and large they present good outfields and good wickets, particularly as we get further into the season,” Dobson said on SEN. “That [multi-purpose aspect] does come with some trade offs, but we don’t expect it to be the size of the trade off we saw last night.”Dobson said his organisation was open to not scheduling BBL games at Marvel Stadium until close to January in the future, if it would ensure a better surface. But in reality that would cause more issues with the MCG also offline in the lead up to and during the Boxing Day Test.”Last night would certainly give us cause to reflect on that and whether we schedule in a different way going forward,” Dobson said. “The trade off on that though is you end up with a lot of games of BBL in a short period. It’s a balance between the best possible preparation and spacing games out to give fans a chance to go.”The other concern for CA is the way the poor outfields showcase the BBL overseas, in a summer where crowds and TV ratings are up by 30 percent domestically.AAP has been told Finch’s proposed full-time Geelong move is unlikely, given officials believe Melbourne needs two teams to service it both on and off the field.Dobson also rejected any suggestion the Renegades should abandon Marvel Stadium and join Melbourne Stars at the MCG.”We have two clubs in Melbourne that have different identities and different fan bases and different history,” Dobson said. “The Melbourne Stars are iconic to the MCG and the Renegades are keen to have a point of difference on that.”

Rohit said India are not going to change their aggressive attitude, irrespective of whether they are ahead in the game or behind

Ashish Pant20-Oct-20244:44

Rohit: ‘Except the first two-three hours, we played very good Test cricket’

Rohit Sharma has said that “three hours of bad cricket” does not define this Indian team and it would be unfair to judge his players on the basis of that.”I am not going to look too much into this Test match honestly because those three hours [when India were bowled out for 46] are not going to dictate what this team is,” Rohit said after India lost the first Test to New Zealand by eight wickets. “Even here, there are a lot of good things that happened as well along with the three-four hours of bad cricket.”I think it’s important to keep a consistent message in the group, which is that whenever we are put under pressure, we try to make a way into the game in whatever possible way – that is what we have been talking about.Related

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“And we really found a way to come back into this game with the bat in the second innings. Of course, we lost a Test match. That’s why it probably won’t make sense what I am talking about. But I honestly feel there have been a lot of good things that happened in this game. So it’s just about keeping a very calm atmosphere, not to send panic messages.”After conceding a lead of 356, India made a sterling comeback in the second innings with Rohit and Yashasvi Jaiswal giving them a good start before Virat Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan’s partnership took them forward. And when Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz joined forces, India started dreaming of the unimaginable – a win.While that didn’t happen, Rohit was proud of India’s fightback.”It was brilliant, especially being behind in the game, it is easy to let the game drift away, but that is not what this team is all about. This team wants to stay in the game as long as possible and not give it to the opposition that easily. After day one [two], obviously nothing went our way. We got bowled out for 46 and then they were 190 [180] for 3 and for us the start of that second [third] day was very important, to not let them get too far ahead.Sarfaraz Khan played the way he knows best•AFP/Getty Images

“But that partnership between Rachin [Ravindra] and [Tim] Southee actually just went a little ahead than what we thought. But again, in the second innings with the bat to come out and play like that, it felt like we were ahead in the game at one stage. We didn’t feel like we were 350 [356] behind and that is something that I am really proud of.”When the guys are showing that kind of attitude on the field with the bat, it shows that the mindset is very clear, and the guys want to go out there and play with freedom and try and see how we can put the pressure back on the opposition. All in all, I thought, except that first couple of hours, three hours, I thought we played a very good Test cricket.”It was not just the amount runs India scored in their second innings but also how they went about it, scoring at close to four runs an over throughout their innings. When Sarfaraz and Pant were together, they added 177 runs for the fourth wicket off 211 balls. Sarfaraz struck 18 fours and three sixes in his 150, and Pant smashed nine fours and five sixes during his 99.Rohit said India are not going to change their aggressive attitude, irrespective of whether they are ahead in the game or behind.”When we are behind the game, that is where you want to press your pedal even more, and try to make an impact, try to not let the opposition know that we are under pressure or we are behind the game. When you are actually behind, you want to try and do extraordinary things and play without any fear. It’s one thing to talk about it, but actually we went out there and played some fearless cricket.”Some of the shots some of the guys played in the middle knowing that we were 350 behind shows what we have been talking about and what they want to do out there. And that is how it’s going to stay here.Rachin Ravindra took the attack to the India spinners•AFP/Getty Images

“Even if we find ourselves ahead in the game, we are not going to change our attitude. And on the other side as well, even when we are behind the game, we are going to try to see how we can put the pressure on the opposition. Some of the Test matches we played recently show what I am talking about and that’s how it’s going to be.”We are not going to fear losing a Test match by changing our mindset. We want to have that consistent mindset of trying to find a way to win Test matches. Even though you are behind in the game, you have to find a way whether it is putting the bowler under pressure or putting the batters under pressure by doing different things.”India went in with three spinners – R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja – for this Test but the move backfired with the trio not being as penetrative as usual. A key reason behind that was Ravindra, who scored 130 of his 173 runs across two innings against spin at a strike rate of 100. Rohit accepted he was the difference between the two sides.”In the first innings, I thought whatever we could extract from the pitch, our spinners tried and did everything possible. But some of the shots Rachin played were really, really good and he played very good cricket. He played well against the spinners, they challenged him but you got to give credit to him.”He understood what our spinners were trying to do and didn’t back off from playing his natural game, which is what gave him the result against our quality spinners. Sometimes it happens where… not sometimes actually, there will be times when some of the batters who come to India will play well against our spinners.”We saw in the England series, in the first Test match, a couple of their batters got hundreds and even here, Rachin, [Devon] Conway, they played well, put our bowlers under pressure, spinners under pressure by playing different shots which can happen, which we are expecting as well from their batters.”Anyone who is coming to India now, they are trying to put the pressure on the bowlers by doing different things, different methods but we know exactly what we are supposed to do when a situation like that arises.”

Left-arm quick Josh Little, who is currently with LA Knight Riders in the MLC, is a notable absentee from the Test squad

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jul-2024Uncapped legspinner Gavin Hoey has received his maiden call-up to the Ireland squad for the upcoming one-off Test against Zimbabwe, which begins on July 25 in Belfast. He will bolster a spin attack that includes left-arm fingerspinner Matthew Humphreys and offspinner Andy McBrine.Theo van Woerkom and George Dockrell made way for Humphreys and Hoey who have just one Test cap between them. Seamer Matthew Foster, who was part of the Ireland squad that had toppled Afghanistan for their first Test win in March earlier this year, also didn’t find a place in this squad.Humphreys had a tough initiation into Test cricket, conceding 67 runs in ten overs on debut against Sri Lanka in Galle last year. His recent form, however, is more encouraging: he bagged 15 wickets in two first-class games for Ireland Emerging side against West Indies Academy at an average of 12.60, including two five-wicket hauls, last month.Related

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“Humphreys made his Test debut in Sri Lanka and found the going difficult against good players of spin out in the subcontinent,” Andrew White, the national selector, said in a statement. “He’d admit himself that he went through a period of a loss of form and maybe a loss of confidence, but he’s worked extremely hard to come back into the reckoning and his performances for Ireland Wolves have been exactly what we were looking for. Obviously in the West Indies last year for Emerging Ireland, then in Nepal, and has now backed it up in the recent series for the Emerging Ireland side against West Indies Academy, where he took 10 wickets. But it’s the consistency he has shown over the last period which has been really pleasing and he very much deserves his call-up.”White also talked up Hoey as an attacking option. “Hoey is a talented legspinner, and his ability to spin the ball both ways gives us a strong wicket-taking option,” he said. “Again, he’s a player that’s been on the radar for a while and can play across all three formats. But this is an opportunity for him to come into the Test squad and get used to the environment.”Left-arm quick Josh Little, who is currently with LA Knight Riders in the USA for the MLC, is a notable absentee from the Test squad. Little has prioritised white-ball cricket, including franchise opportunities, but is passionate about playing Test cricket in the future. While Little is now a regular in T20 leagues around the world, he is yet to make his Test debut.”I sort of blocked off this [next] two years as pretty busy franchise-wise, and then after that I’ll be putting an eye on Test cricket,” Little told . “It’s definitely something I want to do, something I’m passionate about doing. I can guarantee I will play Test cricket at some stage.”I love playing for Ireland, but equally franchise opportunities may not come around forever. It’s tough at times. Cricket Ireland have been nothing but accommodating. Sometimes it is a balancing act.”The one-off Test against Zimbabwe will be PJ Moor’s first international game against his country of birth. Moor had qualified to play for Ireland in October 2022 and was more recently part of the Ireland side, which earned their first Test win, in Abu Dhabi.

Ireland Test squad

Andrew Balbirnie (capt), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gavin Hoey, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, James McCollum, PJ Moor, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig YoungIn: Gavin Hoey, Matthew Humphreys
Out: George Dockrell, Matthew Foster, Theo van Woerkom

India did not take part in 2010 and 2014, the two previous times cricket featured at the Games

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2023India’s men’s and women’s cricket teams are set to compete in the Asian Games for the first time, with the BCCI’s apex council approving their participation in the upcoming Games in Hangzhou in September-October. Cricket has featured twice in the Asian Games before – in 2010 and 2014 – but India didn’t take part either time.As in the 2010 and 2014 editions, T20 will be the format of the cricket event in Hangzhou.”We are going to participate in the Asian Games,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirmed on Friday. “The Apex Council has approved the participation of our men’s and women’s teams.”With the Men’s ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to begin on October 5, two days before the end of the Asian Games cricket competition, the BCCI is expected to send a second-string men’s team to the Games, and a full-strength women’s team.Bangladesh (2010) and Sri Lanka (2014) won the men’s gold medals in the previous editions of the Games, while Pakistan won the women’s gold both times.Related

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BCCI mulls policy to prevent early retirements

Among the other matters discussed by the apex committee was the issue of players retiring from international and domestic cricket in order to participate in overseas leagues. The most recent case of this is Ambati Rayudu, who retired after the final of IPL 2023, following which he signed up with Texas Super Kings for the upcoming inaugural edition of Major League Cricket.As things stand, Indian cricketers can only feature in overseas leagues if they are no longer involved in international cricket or in BCCI-run tournaments including the IPL. While only a handful of Indian players have so far gone on to play in overseas leagues after their retirements, the mushrooming of leagues around the world has raised the concern that players could retire early to play in these new tournaments.”We’ll come out with a policy to prevent the trend of pre-determined retirement,” Shah said. “The office-bearers will make a policy and send it back for approval.”

Netherlands’ total swept aside by unbroken stand worth 163 in 20.1 overs with Jos Buttler

Matt Roller22-Jun-2022England blazed down a target of 245 in 30.1 overs to seal a 3-0 clean sweep against Netherlands in Amstelveen and go top of the World Cup Super League in the process.Jason Roy and Jos Buttler put on an unbroken 163 for the third wicket in just 20.1 overs, with Roy reaching an 86-ball hundred – his first ODI century since the 2019 World Cup – off the final ball of the 30th over, driving Bas de Leede through mid-off for four; Buttler crunched the next ball, off Tim Pringle, over the media tent for six to seal the win.Netherlands were well-placed at 203 for 3 with a ball left in the 40th over after being asked to bat first by Buttler, deputising for the injured Eoin Morgan, but lost their last seven wickets for 41 runs and were bowled out with four deliveries unused.David Willey was the pick of the England attack with 4 for 36, returning to mop up the lower order after dismissing Vikramjit Singh for the third time in the series, and Netherlands were clearly some way short of par on a fresh, dry pitch on another beautiful day in Amsterdam’s suburbs.Scott Edwards, who has replaced the retired Pieter Seelaar as Netherlands’ captain, made his third half-century of the series while de Leede and Max O’Dowd also reached 50, but none could press on and convert their starts into something substantial.Roy was dropped twice, on 51 by Edwards off Aryan Dutt and inexplicably on 75 when Fred Klaassen, playing his first game of the series after county commitments with Kent, induced a leading edge with a slower ball but put down a straightforward caught-and-bowled chance.Paul van Meekeren, who had recovered from an ankle injury he suffered while playing for Gloucestershire, struck twice at the end of the powerplay after England had set off at a relentless pace: Phil Salt was bowled by a nip-backer for 49 off 30 balls, and Dawid Malan set up on off stump only to be bowled around his legs without scoring.But Roy and Buttler – bizarrely, batting together in an ODI for only the third time – continued to attack and flogged each of the six bowlers that the Netherlands used. Buttler took 26 from a van Meekeren over, including a merciless slog over square leg as a back-of-the-hand slower ball went wrong, but there was still time for Roy to complete his hundred.Buttler was again promoted to No. 4, a role which he seems increasingly likely to fill in the 2023 World Cup as England look to make the most of his talent, and shuffled his bowlers well in Morgan’s absence, confirming his status as the out-of-form captain’s heir apparent.After Willey had removed Singh, plinking a pull to short midwicket, David Payne, making his England debut at the age of 31, was unfortunate not to pick up an early wicket as he found some nip off the seam with the new ball. With the final ball of his third over, he induced a top-edged pull from Tom Cooper, but Liam Livingstone lost the ball in the sun and pulled out of the catch, letting it drop a few metres away from his feet.David Willey finished with 4 for 36•Getty Images

After a sedate start, the Netherlands upped the tempo to reach 47 for 1 at the end of the powerplay with Cooper, who looked increasingly fluent as his comeback series has worn on, stroking Willey for three boundaries in an over.Brydon Carse, auditioning for the Liam Plunkett role as England’s enforcer, was thrown the ball in the middle overs and stuck to his guns, continuing to bang the ball in despite being pulled for four twice in his second over. He had Cooper caught at deep backward square leg on the hook, Livingstone managing to pick the ball up through the sun thanks to a flatter trajectory.Buttler turned to spin after drinks and it was Livingstone who removed the set O’Dowd for exactly 50, the ball after he had brought up a 68-ball half-century. O’Dowd’s fifty was his second of the series and his fourth in his last five ODI innings, but he had to drag himself off after a thin edge behind while looking to rotate the strike.Edwards and de Leede had to rebuild after the loss of two set batters and the Netherlands went more than 10 overs without a boundary in the middle overs, though both batters rotated well. Edwards was dropped at fine leg by Dawid Malan when top-edging a pull off Carse, shortly after de Leede – the coming man of Dutch cricket – had brought up his maiden ODI half-century.He fell soon after, top-edging a pull off Carse to Adil Rashid who ran round from midwicket to square leg, and as the Netherlands looked for a grandstand finish, their innings unravelled: Teja Nidamanuru was sharply stumped by Buttler off Rashid, Logan van Beek chipped Willey to mid-off, and Pringle was run out after a mix-up with Edwards. Willey also removed Dutt and van Meekeren to finish the job, with Payne picking up his maiden ODI wicket when Edwards failed to pick his slower ball and miscued to mid-on.