All posts by csb10.top

After a disappointing season, Derbyshire have today decided not to offer 2002 playing contracts to Trevor Smith and Stephen Titchard, whilst Alex Edwards and Zubair Khan will also be released.Meanwhile, sadly, after a frustrating season with his fitness, Richard Illingworth has decided to retire from the First Class game, following a distinguished career with Worcestershire CCC and England. All at the Club wish Richard well.On a positive note, overseas star Michael Di Venuto is to be retained for 2002 after a solid season of more than 1,000 First Class runs. He is determined to help the Club achieve a reversal of fortune and is viewed by Derbyshire as an important part of a long term, more successful future. He will take on the Vice-captaincy next season, taking over the role from Tim Munton; in what was agreed by all to be a naturally progressive move for the coming years. The Club would wish to thank Tim for his efforts over the last two years, when his experience has proved invaluable to the younger members of the squad.Christopher Bassano has signed a two-year contract and Tom Lungley a one-year contract, whilst Kevin Dean, Stephen Stubbings, Luke Sutton, Rawait Khan and Lian Wharton have all been offered new or extended terms. Steven Selwood will once again be with the squad in 2002, after the completion of his university studies. Paul Aldred, Rob Bailey, Mathew Dowman, Karl Krikken, Tim Munton and James Pyemont all remain on existing contracts until the end of season 2002.In the first move to strengthen the squad, Derbyshire have completed the signing of exciting Free State batsman Andrew Gait (23), who qualifies through his father’s British nationality to play in English County Cricket. A prolific run scorer in South African state and representative cricket, Andrew is an excellent fielder and a quality acquisition for the Club.

Zimbabwe’s national selectors have recalled legspinner Graeme Cremer and wicketkeeper-batsman Regis Chakabva for the upcoming limited-overs matches against Bangladesh. A ZC release confirmed that Elton Chigumbura will lead the 16-member squad for both the three ODIs and the two T20Is, starting November 7.Brian Chari, Kevin Kasuza, Tinotenda Mutombodzi and Christopher Mpofu, who were all part of Zimbabwe’s limited-overs squad which lost at home to Afghanistan, were omitted from the national team, but will join the Zimbabwe A squad for a home series against Bangladesh A.Chakabva was included in the team on the back of a strong performance for the A team against Ireland in Harare, where he scored a century in both innings. Cremer made the squad after recovering from an ankle injury. He last played for Zimbabwe earlier this month, during the home series against Pakistan, taking four wickets from four matches.Mashonaland Eagles’ captain Tinotenda Mutombodzi will lead Zimbabwe A for the three one-dayers, with Matebeleland Tuskers’ captain Godwill Mamhiyo deputising, while the two players will swap roles for the four-day matches.”We have picked a senior national squad that we believe will quickly recover from the disappointing series against Afghanistan and go to Bangladesh to show that we are a competitive nation,” Kenyon Ziehl, the convener of the national selection panel, said.”It’s also exciting to have the A side playing concurrently with the senior team as this will give us a clear picture of our depth. We hope the players included will make the most of this opportunity to play against a Bangladesh A which will be a quality side.”Zimbabwe squad: Elton Chigumbura (captain), Sikandar Raza, Regis Chakabva, Chamu Chibhabha, Tendai Chisoro, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Luke Jongwe, Neville Madziva, Wellington Masakadza, Richmond Mutumbami, Taurai Muzarabani, John Nyumbu, Tinashe Panyangara, Malcolm Waller, Sean WilliamsZimbabwe A one-day squad: Tinotenda Mutombodzi (captain), Ryan Burl, Brian Chari, Trevor Garwe, Kevin Kasuza, Godwill Mamhiyo, Prince Masvaure, Peter Moor, Tapiwa Mufudza, Natsai M’shangwe, Christopher Mpofu, Victor Nyauchi, Kudzai Sauramba, Donald Tiripano, Brian VitoriZimbabwe A four-day squad: Godwill Mamhiyo (captain), Brian Chari, Trevor Garwe, Joylord Gumbie, Roy Kaia, Hamilton Masakadza, Prince Masavaure, Peter Moor, Tapiwa Mufudza, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Natsai M’shangwe, Victor Nyauchi, Vusi Sibanda, Donald Tiripano, Brian Vitori

Playing his first competitive game since March, left-arm spinner Ashton Agar celebrated his comeback by dismissing a man he admired – India Test captain Virat Kohli.Agar, who has only recently recovered from shoulder injury, was in his fourth over when he trapped Kohli lbw for 16 off 42 balls and contributed to bundling India A out for 135 in Chennai.”It was very satisfying to get Virat Kohli out,” he said. “I look up to him as a batsman. He is one of my favourite players to watch bat. So, to get an opportunity to bowl to him was great and then to get him out was even better. I was very pleased with that.”Agar, who took 2 for 23 in 12 overs, credited his team-mates for sticking to their disciplines. The plan had been to attack the stumps to make the most of the occasional up-and-down bounce in the MA Chidambaram pitch. Considering they did not allow anyone to score more than 50, and shot the opposition out in 135 overs, it was a job well done.”I think we bowled extremely well all day,” Agar said. “So, bowling to the stumps, there is variable bounce in the pitch. If one shoots low, there is a chance of lbw or bowled. If one kicks a bit you get a chance for caught behind, caught in the slips or caught in front of the wicket.There had been some resistance, with Karun Nair and Naman Ojha playing out a wicket-less second session but their 56-run fifth-wicket stand came in 197 balls. That meant Australia A felt they were never too far behind.”So, we had a plan and we stuck to that the whole time and though we din’t get any wickets in the middle session, their scoreboard wasn’t really moving,” Agar said. “So, we knew if we got two wickets quickly then they are in a lot of trouble and that’s what happened and we were able to run through the tail in the end. I think our plan went really well.”Agar then got on to grip and turn sharply past Ojha’s defences and seeing that even seamers like Gurinder Sandhu decided to follow suit. Sandhu took 3 for 25.”When the spinners were bowling, there was some turn out there. So we thought we could try our offcutters and legcutters and see what happens. It might turn and grip a little, it might hold when you play and someone tries to get a catch in front of the wicket. We just thought we could give it a go. If you don’t try, you don’t know what’s going to happen. He [Stoinis] tried a little more than I did. It worked for him last game and it worked for him this game. It was just the change up to the normal ball or the cross-seam ball.”

Group AAustria beat Gibraltar by six runs in Port Soif, on the first day of the European Championship Division One Twenty20. Having been asked to bat, Austria put up n 141 in 19.1 overs, mainly due to handy cameos from the lower order. Gibraltar fell just short of the target, finishing on 135 for 8, despite an unbeaten knock of 66 from 60 balls by Mark Bacarese.Italy chased down 90 in a tight game against Croatia in St Peter Port, winning by one wicket. Choosing to bat, Croatia’s innings lacked momentum, as they limped to 89 despite having four wickets in hand at the end of their 20 overs. Italy were not convincing in the chase, but sneaked home on the back of a knock of 26 not out from middle-order batsman Damian Crowley. Croatia’s fast bowlers John Vujnovich and Vivek Sharma were impressive, claiming three wickets each in tidy spells.Guernsey registered a comprehensive 10-wicket win against Norway at Castel. Choosing to bowl they shot out Norway for 57, before openers Tim Ravenscroft and Ross Kneller chased down the target in 7.1 overs. James Nussbaumer was the pick of their bowlers, knocking over three top-order Norway batsmen and conceding only seven runs in a 3.2-over spell.In their second game of the day Italy turned out an improved performance, easing past Austria by seven wickets in Castel. Batting first, Austria were bowled out for 105 in 19th over, as none of their top order were able to build on double-digit starts. Peter Petricola did most of the damage with the ball, claiming 4 for 20. Steady batting from Italy in the chase saw them through without much drama.Norway recovered well from their one-sided defeat against Guernsey to beat Gibraltar by a comfortable eight-wicket margin in Port Soif. Batting first, Gibraltar managed only 77 for 8 in their 20. Legspinner Muhammad Butt produced the best figures of the game, 3 for 13, before Norway’s batsmen clicked. Driven by an innings of 35 from 20 balls by Zaheer Ashiq, they knocked off the runs 62 balls to spare.Guernsey remained unbeaten on day one, beating Croatia by three wickets with an over to spare in St Peter Port. Chasing 98, the Guernsey top order was shaky and wickets fell at regular intervals, but a steady 34 from Stuart Le Prevost and a couple of timely lower-order cameos saw them home.Group BBelgium beat France by five wickets with two balls to spare in St Clement. Choosing to bat, France’s innings was hampered as both openers were run out. There were no sizeable contributions from the rest of the order, as they folded for 114 in exactly 20 overs. In the chase, four of Belgium’s top five batsmen got into double figures, ensuring their side began with a win.Denmark eased past Israel by eight wickets in St Martin, chasing down a target of 95 with five overs to spare. Denmark’s ploy of bowling first worked, as their bowlers shared the wickets around in tidy spells to restrict Israel to 94 for 9. The chase was steered by a fluent, unbeaten 44 from opener Freddie Klokker.A solid all-round performance helped Jersey beat Germany by six wickets in St Brelade. Choosing to field, Jersey kept Germany to 99 for 7. Only middle-order batsman Imran Chaudhry was able to launch an attack, scoring 36 off 25, before being bowled by Anthony Hawkins-Kay who claimed 3 for 13. Jersey were solid in the chase. Their top order produced steady cameos, which carried them to a win in the 17th over.Belgium won a nail-biter against Denmark by one run when last man Sair Anjum was caught off the bowling of Faisal Khaliq with two to get and three balls remaining in St Clement. Having chosen to bat, Belgium were bowled out for a modest 104. Bobby Chawla was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3 for 13. Denmark got off to horrendous start, losing half their side with only 19 runs on the board. However, a lower-order resurgence saw them fight back to within touching distance of victory, but Belgium, and Khaliq, eventually had the final say to remain unbeaten after two games.Tony Carlyon starred with the ball and Dean Martin with the bat as Jersey routed Israel by eight wickets in St. Martin. Put in to bat by Jersey, Israel crawled to 87 all out from their 20 overs, with Carlyon taking 4 for 9 in four overs. He was ably backed up Anthony Hawkins-Kay, who took 3 for 16. Martin then made sure there would be no jitters chasing the small total with a brutal, unbeaten 64 from 44 balls, laced with three fours and five sixes, to see Jersey home with eight overs to spare.An allround bowling performance helped France beat Germany by 34 runs in St Brelade. Put into bat, France managed 126 for 7, with Usman Khan top scoring with 36. Germany struggled from the start, losing wickets at regular intervals, and were bundled out for 92 in 18.3 overs. Zika Ali picked up 3 for 17, while Usman chipped in with the ball as well, taking 2 for 22.

Neil Harvey has remembered his fellow ‘Invincible’, Arthur Morris, as “a great team man” and one of the best players Australia has produced.Morris has died at the age of 93, leaving Harvey as the sole surviving member of Don Bradman’s touring party that went through the 1948 tour of England undefeated and earned the Invincibles nickname. Harvey was 19 at the time and he said it was a great learning curve to watch Morris, a fellow left-hander, dismantle England’s attack in that Ashes series during which he was the leading run-scorer.”I learnt a lot off Arthur over the years,” Harvey told ESPNcricinfo. “I was on four or five tours with him. We got to know each other pretty well. You wouldn’t find a nicer bloke in the world: a great sense of humour, a great team man. Just one of those great fellas that you can spend a lot of time with and enjoy his company. A better bloke you couldn’t find.”He’s been one of the best players this country has produced, a left-hander of great ability. He and Sid Barnes in my opinion formed the best opening pair this country has produced, in my time anyway.”During the 1948 series, Morris was a key part of one of Test cricket’s highest successful run chases, when he scored 182 and Bradman made 173 not out in pursuing a target of 404 in Leeds. The task was made harder by the fact that the pitch was six days old (including the Sunday rest day), it had been rained on early in the match, and was providing plenty of turn for Jim Laker.”That’s probably the best partnership I’ve ever seen, the Bradman-Morris one,” Harvey said. “To go out there on the last day – not even a full day’s play, because we lost the first 15 minutes when England batted on – to get all those runs.”They didn’t really set out to win when play started on the last day. As soon as Hassett got out and Morris and Bradman got in, they pushed the runs along at a pretty fair rate. All of a sudden we guys in the dressing room said ‘we could win this’. And that’s what happened.”Harvey, now 86, also remembered the sacrifice made by Morris while they were batting together against South Africa at the MCG in 1953. Morris was run out for 99 in a mix-up with Harvey, who went on to score his fourth century of the series and finished with 205.”He sacrificed his innings for me,” Harvey said. “We had a bit of a mix-up, we could’ve been both left in the middle of the pitch. He said ‘come on’, he called me through and he went through and got run out. It was another one of his great acts as a gentleman. It was an act I appreciated so much because he didn’t have to do it. And it was my fault. He was just one of those nice guys.”Harvey was present at the SCG during this week when the Arthur Morris Gates were unveiled, although Morris himself was too ill to attend. Also at the opening was Alan Davidson, the fast-bowling allrounder who first met Morris in 1949-50 when Davidson moved to Sydney from the country to try his luck in grade cricket.”I can remember playing against him at St George,” Davidson said. “I arrived late, thank goodness, because he’d scored a hundred before I got to the ground. I got lost on a train and by the time I got to the ground, St George were about 1 for 180, Arthur Morris had made a hundred, and he got out as I was changing into my boots.”You had to see the bloke and his artistry, his ability was phenomenal. It didn’t matter if it was a fast bowler or a spin bowler. He’d go down the wicket to a spinner and pick them off. He was a magnificent back-foot player. His judgement of the length of a ball was incredible.”It was not only on the field that Morris had fine timing. Although he was naturally a quiet man, he had a remarkable sense of wit.”He had a charm about him,” Davidson said. “Everybody was endeared by him. He was not a demonstrative person, he was a quiet sort of person. But he was always good company no matter what the situation. He had incredible wit. He was once asked what did cricket give him, and he said ‘poverty’. He had a tremendous sense of timing.”

Emerging batsman Travis Head will become South Australia’s youngest captain of all time after being handed the position following the resignation of Johan Botha. Head, 21, has been confirmed as the state’s new captain as South Australia look to the future in much the same way Victoria did when a 20-year-old Cameron White was appointed in 2003-04.Wicketkeeper Tim Ludeman, 27, has been named vice-captain in the change of leadership. Botha made the decision to stand aside after two and a half years in charge, having replaced Michael Klinger during the 2012 off-season following a stint with the Adelaide Strikers that impressed state coach Darren Berry.”Johan has been working with the Redbacks to set up succession planning for the leadership of the team,” SACA chief executive Keith Bradshaw said. “After considering the options during the Sheffield Shield break, he approached us to explain his position and propose a change of leadership.”We began a commitment with Johan to strengthen our young squad and develop leadership opportunities; his influence on the playing group on and off the field has been outstanding.”South Australia confirmed that Botha, the Redbacks’ leading Sheffield Shield wicket taker so far this summer with 13 victims, would stay on for the remainder of the season to assist with the transition to the new captain. The second half of the Sheffield Shield campaign begins on Saturday, with South Australia currently sitting in second-last position.Head has impressed the South Australia hierarchy since his debut for the state at the age of 18, and he now has 27 first-class matches to his name. Although he is yet to break through for a maiden first-class century, Head has been close several times, with five scores in the nineties and 12 fifty-plus scores in total.Head showed his leadership potential during the 2012-13 Under-19 National Championships when he led South Australia to the title and was named Player of the Championship. He was quickly identified as a future leader and has been part of the state’s leadership development programme.”Travis’ appointment demonstrates a long-term focus for our young Redbacks team. This is a long term decision with long term success in mind,” Bradshaw said. “Travis has demonstrated an ability to show resilience under pressure on the field in his short time paying for South Australia.”Off-field, Travis is already well respected by the entire cricket community both in South Australia and around the country. We are excited to appoint a young, capable leader who we believe can achieve higher honours in his cricketing career.”Head’s appointment is not the only change for the Redbacks in the second half of this season. Berry has taken leave from the role as coach due to family reasons and assistant coach Jeff Vaughan will take charge of the side in his absence.

Tim Southee bowled seven outswingers in his opening over at the Regional Stadium in Wellington; the extra delivery was because one had been harshly called wide. Ian Bell let six of them go through to the wicketkeeper, and the one he did push at he edged with soft hands well short of the slip cordon. That Southee didn’t make Bell play enough was the only minor fault of that first over. Once he adjusted his line closer to the batsman, he was dynamite.Bell was bowled as he tried to get beside the line to drive through the off side. Southee simply bent it past his outside edge to hit the top of off stump. Moeen Ali was not dismissed by the short ball this time but he was certainly set up by one. He stayed back to the inswinging yorker a couple of deliveries later and was bowled too.Southee then returned with the older ball in the 27th over to break England’s back. This time an outswinging yorker seared past James Taylor’s bat to hit off stump, and then a series of outswingers were simply too good for England’s lower order. The carnage finished with Southee taking 7 for 33, the best ODI figures for a New Zealand bowler, as England were dismissed for 123.Southee had a slightly dazed looked as he was asked about New Zealand’s phenomenal performance. Perhaps the rousing chants of his name by the 30,000-plus crowd reverberating inside the Cake Tin’s silver walls were still ringing his ears.”It was a pretty amazing day when you think back on it. Almost the perfect performance,” he said. “We’ll have a couple of beers in the change room – it will settle in what we have done today. It was a bit of a blur. I think it’s something we’ll all look back on in time and think of how amazing this occasion was. A full house, it an amazing feeling having that many people behind you and I think that’s testament to the brand of cricket we’re playing. It’s getting people through the gates.”I did nothing different. It was just one of those days where you can’t do anything wrong. You just keep going and going. It was a bit of a blur at the time. It will be something I personally look back on in time and probably realise how special it is.”England’s captain Eoin Morgan said he was surprised that the ball had swung right through the innings, and that he wouldn’t have bowled in hindsight. Southee also said that it had been a while since the old white ball moved in New Zealand, and that was the gamechanger.”Myself and Trent [Boult], we do thrive when it does swing and we’ve seen how dangerous we can be when it is swinging,” Southee said. “It hasn’t really swung a hell of a lot in one-day cricket for a while so it was pleasing to swing an old – well not too old [England were dismissed in 33.2 overs] – ball that was past ten overs old. I guess the gift we’ve had is good wrists.”There wasn’t a hell of a lot in the pitch. At the toss it looked a good batting wicket but we managed to get it swinging, and if anyone can get it swinging then it’s a different ball game. We got it in the right areas and we created a lot of pressure throughout the innings.”Right areas is a clichéd term in cricket but the size of that area shrinks when Southee is attacking with several catchers – four slips, a gully and once close either on off or leg side at one point – in place. Err a little in line or length and there are vast empty areas for a batsman to hit the ball through or into.”We went out there – losing the toss – we wanted to be aggressive and I think you saw that in the field Brendon set and to grab those couple of early wickets was important. It kept the pressure on and we kept chipping away as the innings went on.”With attacking fields, if you do stray from your areas you will get hurt. I guess that’s the ability of our bowlers, to have those attacking fields and still deny the batsmen the boundaries and still look to take wickets. It’s a credit to the bowlers.”Southee took the New Zealand ODI record from his bowling coach Shane Bond, whom he credited significantly for the development of the attack. “He takes a lot of pride out of seeing the bowlers do well,” Southee said. “He’s been instrumental in the way the bowlers have performed for a couple of years now. It is going to be sad once he goes, he’s done a great job, we are all better bowlers for his input.”As special as the atmosphere was in Wellington today, the likelihood is that New Zealand will enjoy a larger crowd when they face Australia in Auckland on February 28. It’s an environment that can be daunting for some, but Southee said it was what professional athlete should thrive on.”It’s something you have to embrace,” he said. “It’s a little bit daunting going out there for some people that haven’t played in front of those numbers and the noise, that can get to you. I think you’ve got to enjoy and embrace it. It will go quickly and if you don’t enjoy it, in time you’ll probably kick yourself and look back on something that is so amazing. That atmosphere today is up there with the best we’ve played in front of as a New Zealand team.”Until Australia in Auckland, perhaps, which is shaping up as a clash between the two tournament favourites.

Deepak Hooda, whose 15-ball 30 gave Rajasthan Royals the crucial late-order thrust in their 26-run win against Kings XI Punjab, has said he hit what he thought was in his range. Along with James Faulkner, he put on 51 runs to put Royals back on track after they were 75 for 5.”The only thing we were talking about was that if the ball is in our range then we will hit it,” Hooda told . “If not then we will take ones and twos and keep rotating the strike. So I kept playing my normal game. So what I thought was in my range, I hit it.”When asked about what he would take away from the game, Hooda said, “Positive attitude and now I will not get nervous. When I went in to bat I was nervous a bit. (Mitchell) Johnson was bowling, but then (later on) I was okay.”Hooda, who was picked up by Royals for Rs 40 lakh in 2014, didn’t play a single game last year. He was informed of his debut a day before the match. “Yesterday, after practice I came to know that I would be playing today. Paddy Upton and Rahul (Dravid) sir came and told me that. So I was very excited to play. Last season I was on the bench. So I was also eagerly waiting to play.”

Confident I can work the ball both ways – Anureet

Anureet Singh was the most successful Kings XI Punjab bowlers against Rajasthan Royals, finishing with figures of 3 for 23.Anureet said he was aware Ajinkya Rahane would try to attack him first up. “It is often said about me that I bowl the inswingers well, but I also try to bowl the away going delivery to a right-handed batsman,” Anureet told . “I have practised that and now I am confident that I can work the ball both ways. I had an idea that he (Rahane) would try and attack me a bit because I am playing against him for the first time. So I stuck to my basics and I got him out.”Anureet gave away only four runs in the last over of Royals’ innings and picked up Faulkner’s wicket. “If I am bowling in the death overs then I have practised bowling round the wicket. I don’t try two-three things at the same time. In death overs, try and bowl your best ball, what you have practised. If it is his day, it can so happen that the batsman might hit you even then. But if your basics are strong and if you bowl your best ball, then you are less likely to get hit.”He, however, conceded that it “wasn’t a wicket for 160-odd runs”, and Kings XI should have restricted them for fewer runs.

A packed Rose Bowl will miss out on Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss for Twenty20 Finals Day this Saturday. England’s opening pair were to do battle for Essex and Middlesex respectively, but have been told to rest ahead of the third Test against South Africa on Wednesday week.”It was deemed after two tough Test matches that those players who played in both Tests will not be available,” an England spokesman said.In addition to earning the Twenty20 Cup crown on Saturday, England’s top two Twenty20 sides will participate in the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League against other teams from Australia, India and South Africa. The winners will earn £2.5million.

Former Test cricketer Manzoor Elahi has been named captain of the Lahore City Cricket Association Blues side and Tariq Mahmood of Whites. Both the teams will take part in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade-I, starting from Dec 21.Manzoor, earlier was named as member of the LCCA selection committee, but later he showed his interest for playing as a member of the team. Manzoor is the only Test cricketer representing LCCA in the country’s sole first class tournament.The selection committee headed by LCCA president, Aamir Hayat Khan Rokri, selected 25 players for each side included 20 seniors and five Under-19 after holding three days trials at the Model Town Greens ground from Nov 28 to 30.Blues: Manzoor Elahi (captain), Sohail Idrees, Ali Hussain, Ziaur Rehman, Latif Gohar, Kashif Mehmood, Ashraf Ali, Hafiz Yawar, Ali Raza (wicketkeeper), Shahzad Butt, Mohammad Khalil, Mohammad Afzal, Ahmed Khan, Moeez Siddiqi, Kashif Ejaz, Mustaqeem Ahmed, Faisal Mehmood, Ahmed Dar, Kashif Shafi, Mohammad Shafiq. Under- 19: Amjad Ali, Atif Ejaz, Kashif Mehmood, Khurram Irshad, Salman Qadir.Whites: Tariq Mehmood (captain), Tariq Rasheed, Aamir Sajjad, Khurram Siddique, Rizwan Aslam,Adnan Usman Khan, Muntazir Mehdi, Irfan Munawar, Saleem Shehzad, Faisal Javed, Attiqur Rehman, Ikramullah (wicketkeeper), Imran Butt, Sajid Ali, Khurram Chuhan, Mudassar Mehboob, Hafiz Azam Khan, Mohammad Asif, Salman Khan, Irfan Sohail. Under-19: Shahnawaz Malik, Umer Javed, Fahadul Haq, Adnan Butt, Wahab Riaz.