Plays of the day from the IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Kolkata

Sirish Raghavan22-May-2016The surprise optionPrior to this match, Kane Williamson had not bowled in the five matches he had played for Sunrisers Hyderabad this season. The last time he bowled in competitive cricket was on March 18, in a World T20 Super 10 match against Australia. On that occasion, he bowled just one over and conceded three. Four overs into Kolkata Knight Riders’ innings, with two left-handers at the crease, David Warner called upon Williamson’s gentle offspin. The part-timer’s rustiness was apparent as he sent down a couple of full tosses, but he still got away with a seven-run over.The consecutive sixesAfter scoring 22 runs in the first two overs, all of which had come off Robin Uthappa’s bat, Knight Riders added just 41 in the next six overs, for the loss of three wickets. The innings was losing its early momentum. Legspinner Karn Sharma, who had bowled a tidy first over for just six runs, was up against Manish Pandey in the ninth over. The first ball was a flighted legbreak around middle and off, and Pandey slog-swept powerfully over midwicket for a big six. The ball that followed was very similar. Pandey attempted the same shot, and though it wasn’t quite as well-timed, he achieved the same result. Two slogs sweeps against the turn had yielded 12 and broke Sunrisers’ stranglehold. It proved to be the opening gambit in a partnership that revived Knight Riders’ innings.Cheek and punishmentWhen Sunil Narine was introduced in the fourth over of Sunrisers’ chase, Warner made it clear that he was not going to let the spinner dictate terms. He attempted a cheeky reverse-sweep off Narine’s first ball, but missed it altogether. Undeterred, he went for a full-blooded slog off the next delivery, launching the ball over wide long-on for six. Off the third ball, Warner feigned an intention to reverse-sweep before returning to his original stance. Seemingly oblivious to these antics, Narine pitched a well-flighted offbreak full and just outside leg. The batsman was beaten by the turn and the ball crashed into his leg stump. One might have said that Narine had the last laugh, except that his reaction after taking the wicket was one of poker-faced nonchalance.The consecutive sixes (II)By the 14th over of the chase, Knight Riders’ spinners were beginning to stifle Sunrisers’ batsmen. Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav, playing just his second match of the season, had settled into a good rhythm. In his third over, he twice beat the bat of an increasingly frustrated Yuvraj Singh. Off the penultimate ball of the over, Yuvraj stepped out to the pitch of the ball and creamed a lofted drive over long-off for six. Kuldeep’s next ball was full and outside off, allowing Yuvraj to stroke a gloriously-timed loft over extra cover for another six. The consecutive sixes took some pressure off Sunrisers, but possibly led to overconfidence on the part of Yuvraj, who holed out three balls later.

Plays of the day from the tri-series match between West Indies and Australia in Barbados

Daniel Brettig22-Jun-2016The spread slipMany have wondered aloud whether Steven Smith, by leading Australia in all formats, is being stretched too far as a leader and a cricketer. The dilemma became a literal one for Smith early in West Indies’ innings when he posted himself at a wide first slip in an attempt to balance attack with defence. When Darren Bravo edged a decent ball from Josh Hazlewood, the edge sailed beyond the reach of Matthew Wade but a distance to the right of Smith. Diving across towards a classical first-slip position, he held the chance in an outstretched hand, which meant he had got things right by a centimetre or two.The diveWhen Marlon Samuels was on 65, he was cramped into edging Mitchell Starc from around the wicket. The edge was thick but not beyond the reach of Wade, who was caught flat footed and lunged for the chance. The ball did not strike the middle of Wade’s glove and the chance went down. Among the commentators in this tournament is Jeff Dujon, who was famed for a wicketkeeping style that featured a lot of diving. However the conventional wisdom of most wicketkeepers is that the best work is done by moving feet first, and the missed opportunity seemed to back that up.The foot on the ropeWhen Kieron Pollard swung for the midwicket fence against Hazlewood, he didn’t get all of it. The ball flew high in the air and carried on a gentle breeze towards the boundary rope – and Glenn Maxwell. Hovering under the chance, Maxwell got his angles exactly right, settling on a position that allowed him to take the catch. However in re-balancing after accepting the catch, his left foot pivoted back and onto the rope. As players and spectators wondered whether it was a fair catch or not, Maxwell sheepishly raised his hands above his head to signal six.The tale of the tapeIt’s 23 years since Dean Jones asked Curtly Ambrose to remove his white wrist bands from his bowling hand during a World Series Cup finals match at the SCG, sparking the fast bowler into spells of renewed ferocity. This time around Smith took issue with the lesser velocity of Pollard and tape he was wearing on his right hand. The query did not appear to result in the tape’s removal, and was perhaps just one episode in a series of snarks between Pollard and the Australians. But it was still an unusual sight, and a reminder of Jones’ fateful decision back in January 1993.

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Aug-2016Asad Shafiq lost his off stump to Stuart Broad for a duck•Getty ImagesMisbah-ul-Haq kept Pakistan steady although got away with this edge past a very close Joe Root at slip•Getty ImagesJames Anderson made the key inroad when he removed Misbah to expose Pakistan’s tail•Getty ImagesJonny Bairstow produced some sharp work to complete the run out of Yasir Shah•Getty ImagesAnderson was removed from the attack late in the innings after again running on the danger area•AFPStuart Broad closed the innings with the wickets of Sohail Khan and Rahat Ali to leave the lead on 103•Getty ImagesIn reply, Alastair Cook continued his fine form with a brisk half-century …•Getty Images… and Alex Hales reached his own fifty from the final ball of the day•Getty Images

21-Aug-2016The visitors found success in the first over when Kusal Perera was bowled by Mitchell Starc for 1•AFPThe returning Tillakaratne Dilshan flickered briefly before he top-edged a Dilscoop to Steven Smith. Sri Lanka were 45 for 2 in the 12th over•Associated PressA few sparkling drives and flicks from Kusal Mendis, however, perked Sri Lanka back up•Associated PressHe brought up his fourth fifty in his eighth ODI, off 78 balls on a tough pitch for strokeplay•Associated PressMendis added 79 runs for the third wicket with Dinesh Chandimal…•AFP… before James Faulkner got rid of him. He removed Angelo Mathews for a duck soon after, and finished a double-wicket maiden•Associated PressWhen Dhananjaya de Silva became Starc’s 100th ODI wicket, Sri Lanka had slipped to 132 for 5 in the 33rd over•AFPChandimal batted through the innings despite suffering a blow to his ribs, but he couldn’t get the big hits away•AFPEnter Thisara Perera. His 21 off 18 pushed Sri Lanka to 227 for 8•AFPThisara followed his cameo with an early wicket when he had David Warner poking behind for a 17-ball 8•AFPAaron Finch – the other opener – however swiped at anything that was in his range•AFPHe charged to his fifty off 37 balls…•AFP… before being given out caught at slip based on rather inconclusive evidence•AFPMatthew Wade swept his way to a busy 26 before holing out to midwicket. Australia were then 128 for 3 in 25 overs•AFPSteven Smith, although looking uncomfortable against spin, held the chase together with his 13th ODI fifty•Associated PressHe found good company in George Bailey who kept the scorecard ticking over as well•Associated PressThe duo added 62 for the fourth wicket before Smith gave Dilruwan Perera the charge and was caught at short leg•AFPThereafter, Australia lost three wickets for 20 runs to give Sri Lanka a sniff•AFPBut Starc and Faulkner overcame the nerves to seal a three-wicket win in the 47th over•Associated Press

South Africa’s recent history in Australia is excellent, and there is a quiet confidence among the youthful squad that they can continue the trend.

Firdose Moonda in Perth31-Oct-20161:54

Bavuma unafraid of Australia’s quicks

Cricket-loving South Africans of a certain age hark back to matches against Australia with some hesitation. They remember series in the 1990s when Australia owned world cricket. Not Temba Bavuma. His most vivid recollection is one in which his country was successful.”I remember 2008 and watching JP Duminy and the hundred he scored,” Bavuma said. “I remember how he made a name for himself on that tour. That memory sticks out.”Bavuma is part of the generation who have never known losing in Australia, mostly because they have never been here before. Nine of the 16 squad members have not played a Test series in Australia and the other seven have only won. Theirs is a history of heroes and a future filled with hope that the trend can continue.”It’s a special feeling to be part of a group like this,” Bavuma said. “There is quiet confidence about the way we’re going about things.”Although South Africa are not the South Africa of the previous two tours, who arrived in Australia fresh off series wins in England, they are a rejuvenated South Africa. They have stopped talking about being in a transition phase and started considering themselves a continuous work in progress, a team that assimilates experience and youth and that can rely on both for big performances.That much showed in the recent ODI series against Australia. Albeit in a different and perhaps less pressured series format Rilee Rossouw and Andile Phehlukwayo stepped up in the absence of AB de Villiers and despite the presence of Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada. Rossouw was rewarded with a place in the Test squad and if he is included in the XI, there’s a confidence he will be able to step up.”Everybody knows that on any given day, somebody can win the game for the team or put the team in a good position,” Hashim Amla explained. “As a team, it’s nice knowing that everybody can contribute and make the play.”Amla has played down the importance of looking to the past for inspiration, instead choosing to focus on how the newer players in particular will approach the pressures of the present. “We’ve passed on our knowledge and told the guys what they could possibly encounter in terms of the wicket, the field, the crowds, the intensity of playing Test cricket in Australia and they are loving it,” Amla said. “They are very keen. The youngsters are really excited to get the Test series going.”Temba Bavuma: “If they do start using the short ball, I know have a slight advantage over them because they can’t bowl me out that way”•Getty ImagesFor Bavuma, that means “embracing” the expectation that comes with winning the last two series in Australia and taking the fight to the opposition, something stand-in captain Faf du Plessis has endorsed. “I would like to commend Faf on his leadership,” Bavuma said. “He’s been exemplary. He’s led from the front. We’ve spoken about playing a positive, aggressive brand of cricket and he’s shown the way. Other guys have followed in his footsteps. It is a collective effort but it’s mostly guys stepping up when needed.”But the big talk may earn South Africa some bruises when they meet an Australian attack just as eager to make an impression as their own. In Bavuma’s case, the expectation is that he will face a barrage of bouncers because of his (lack of) height. Bavuma’s stature was the subject of much scrutiny when he was introduced to the Australian press on Monday but he told them he is not afraid of being targeted.”If they do start using the short ball, I know have a slight advantage over them because they can’t bowl me out that way,” he said. “Majority of my play is on the back foot so back-foot play does become an area of expertise, as opposed to playing on the front foot.”In fact, Bavuma himself is not expecting too many deliveries aimed at his head. “I don’t actually get a lot of short balls. When we played England last year, they never really targeted me with the short ball when I thought they would. But whatever comes my way, I will be ready for it.”Australia also don’t seem too intent on putting Bavuma at the top of their priority list and are concentrating on the more experienced members of the South African line-up. “In most series, you target the captain, you put a lot of pressure on him and then it does put pressure on other guys,” Australia fast bowler Peter Siddle said. “We will be trying to put the pressure on Faf and Amla, the two senior guys in that top order. You try put pressure on them and then they have to rely on the inexperienced guys a bit more, that puts pressure on the whole side.”And they may be interested to hear that Amla is not fussed about being on their hit-list. “Before every series, there’s always the same questions. We got asked about David Warner and Steve Smith,” Amla said. “There’s always going to be two guys you are going to be asked about in the opposition and you are going to say, yeah yeah we’ve got to get these guys out.”Both teams have got really good batters. We’ve got to get 20 wickets to win the Test match, they’ve got to get 20 wickets to win the Test match so I don’t look to much into it. I know in our batting order we’ve got guys who can make an impact at any stage of the game. That’s a really wonderful thing to have in the team.”South Africa’s real wonder is that they believe they have that, even among their rookies, who they are trusting with building on their legacy in Australia.

For close to six decades, in various roles, he has been around for some of Pakistan cricket’s most iconic moments

Tim Wigmore26-Aug-2016No one has given more of themselves to help Pakistan achieve the No. 1 ranking in Test cricket than Intikhab Alam. He is a common thread through the last 57 of Pakistan’s 64 years as a Test nation – as a player, captain, selector, a leader of the National Cricket Academy, and as a coach or manager for four stints, including today.The Test victory at The Oval, his home ground for 13 happy years as a player for Surrey, was fit to rank with any of those Intikhab has known on the cricket pitch. “That was one of the best I’ve seen, the way we won that Test match. These players have shown a lot of character, and togetherness, and self-belief.”In the background, as with all of Pakistan’s most memorable triumphs, lay Intikhab. On the field, he led Pakistan to their first ever Test series victory overseas. Off it, Intikhab was the only constant in Pakistan’s two triumphs in ICC events: the 1992 World Cup and the 2009 World T20. His involvement with the national side, stretching back to his debut as a 17-year-old in 1959, has seen off four military rulers, eight civilian governments, and over 20 heads of the Pakistan Cricket Board, according to , the new book from Richard Heller and Peter Oborne.”I think it’s passion and love for the game. Whenever I have accepted any responsibility, I accept it as a great challenge. And I enjoy it, or else I wouldn’t be doing it,” Intikhab explains when we meet during Pakistan’s ODI series in Ireland. A little more rotund than in his playing days, he is proudly wearing his Pakistan blazer and tie: symbols of his unstinting devotion to his country’s cricket.”I think it’s a great honour for anybody, for any era, to play for Pakistan. I don’t see anything better than that,” he says. Administration is “a great responsibility” but the next best thing. “When you have an administration role, then you have to make a lot of sacrifices. You have to discipline yourself, at the same time you’ve got to discipline the boys also. So it’s been a great experience for me in the various capacities that I have been in through these jobs.”

“Kardar called me and said, ‘Are you playing tomorrow for the School XI?’ I said, ‘No sir, I’ve not been selected.’ He said, ‘Oh. Then you will play for us tomorrow, for Pakistan”

And what of all that political instability? “I don’t think it makes much difference, actually, because whoever comes in, naturally they’re all cricket lovers, so it doesn’t really matter, really. All the governments have been very supportive of sports.”

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The story of Intikhab and Pakistan begins in the days after partition, when he was five. The Alam family had lived a comfortable and happy life in Shimla, in the foothills of the Himalayas. Intikhab’s father was an electrical engineer.In the panic and violence that followed Partition, Intikhab’s father feared for the safety of his wife and five children. They believed they were the last Muslim family left in the city.Intikhab and the family fled their home to hide in the house of one of his father’s colleagues. A few nights later, the colleague told Intikhab’s father that a mob was approaching. The Alams fled immediately to a power station.For many years, Intikhab’s father had played cricket for the Maharaja of Patiala, making copious British friends. He called one of them, a Brigadier in the British Army, with the message: “I am in trouble.”A few hours later, an army truck arrived. It took the family to Ludhiana, where they stayed with relatives. Another truck was then organised to take the family to Kalka, where they could catch a train to Lahore. They waited overnight in a tent while mobs fought around them. “You could see the bullets going through your tent,” Intikhab remembers.Intikhab Alam played for Surrey for 13 seasons•Getty ImagesThe train departed in the early hours of the morning. “The first train was a passenger train, which was coming to Pakistan. They used to stop in the jungle, and massacre everybody. It was a wrong signal that said that the first train was a goods train, and the second was the passenger train, so this is how we got through. Very lucky. After that no train came from India. That was the last train.”

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The family were refugees in Lahore for a month and a half. Then Intikhab’s uncle, a superintendent of police in Karachi, arranged for the Alams to move there.In Karachi, Intikhab and his two brothers inherited their father’s love for cricket. “When I was very young I used to go and see my father play – he was a fast bowler. And so it was sort of a family tradition.”Intikhab, the middle child of the five siblings, attended Church Mission School, where he says he benefited from very good sports facilities. “I used to bowl quick in those days, when I was very young, and I used to bowl legbreak as well. So my elder brother told me, ‘Well, if you want to play, there are hardly any legspinners, so why don’t you just concentrate on bowling legspinners?’ I took his advice. This is how I became a captain of my school XI. We won the inter-school tournament.”Intikhab’s brother Aftab, his elder by four years, broke into the Karachi Public Works Department team. Aftab and the side netted with many members of the Pakistan Test side. One evening in 1958, Pakistan’s captain, Abdul Kardar, attended the nets.As was often the case, Intikhab was acting as an auxiliary net bowler. He had played a few first-class matches for the Karachi C side, but had recently suffered the disappointment of not being picked for the Combined School XI to play Pakistan.While Intikhab was bowling in the nets, Kardar started to watch him. When Intikhab dismissed Wazir Mohammad, who had recently made 189 in a Test in the Caribbean, Kardar was impressed.

In the panic and violence that followed partition, Intikhab’s father feared for the safety of his wife and five children. They believed they were the last Muslim family left in Shimla

“After the nets were over, Kardar called me and he asked my name and he said, ‘Are you playing tomorrow for the School XI?’,” Intikhab recalls. “I said, ‘No sir, I’ve not been selected.’ He said, ‘Oh. Then you will play for us tomorrow, for Pakistan.’ I couldn’t believe it. I was over the moon.”The next morning I arrived at the Karachi stadium and the school selector was there. He said: ‘What are you doing?’ I said, ‘I’m not playing for you. I’ve come to play for the Pakistan team.’ They were flabbergasted. They couldn’t believe it.”Intikhab got four wickets. Soon after, he was selected for the Commander-in-Chief’s XI against the West Indians in Rawalpindi. A creditable display ensured he was selected for the Pakistan Eaglets tour of England in the summer of 1959. There was just one snag. “If you were selected, you had to pay 5000 rupees for the tour expenses – a lot of money. And I couldn’t ask my father to give me Rs5000.”Intikhab could find no way to raise the money. Eventually, he decided to go to Kardar himself. “I said, ‘I’ve been selected, but I don’t have the money.’ He said, ‘Don’t worry.’ He got me Rs5000 from the Ministry of Education to go on the tour. That was a very successful tour for me.”When he returned home, Intikhab was picked in the President’s XI to play the Australians. He got eight wickets in the match and was then picked to make his debut against Australia in Karachi, a few weeks before turning 18. Intikhab and the team had no coaches, only a solitary team liaison officer. They were paid Rs15 a day. “The money was not the criteria. The only thing was to play for your country.”Intikhab’s debut did not begin well. He was run out for a duck in the first innings. But with his first ball, Intikhab clean-bowled the Australian opener Colin McDonald. Over the next 18 years, he would add another 124 Test wickets in his 47 Tests.For 17 Tests between 1969 and 1975, Intikhab served as captain. “My philosophy was that I needed to be very truthful to my players and explain what I wanted from them. That was very important, and they all responded exceptionally well. We were very sincere to each other, and I think that was the one reason we that we came together.”Intikhab and his Pakistan team-mates arrive in England for their 1971 tour•Getty ImagesIntikhab was also the central character in a seminal landmark in Pakistan cricket: the side’s first ever Test series win abroad. In February 1973, Intikhab took 11 for 130 in Dunedin, the only positive result of the series. It is the performance of which he is proudest.The following year, he led Pakistan in the Test series in England. Though all three Tests were drawn, Pakistan left having emulated Don Bradman’s 1948 Invincibles by not losing a single tour match. “That was a great tour,” he recalls. Intikhab believes that Pakistan were helped by having a large contingent of players in county cricket; he himself served Surrey with distinction.In 1977, Intikhab played his final Test match and retired from international cricket soon afterwards. “I wasn’t enjoying it. I think I wasn’t treated well enough,” he says, though he declines to name anyone responsible. Still, playing cricket was the most fun he’s ever had. The only shame is that he was born rather too early to experience T20 cricket. “I would have loved it.”

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Intikhab thought that his life in cricket might be over, and he might instead devote himself to his family’s knitwear business in Pakistan.A few months after his retirement from Surrey, he received a message from the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, requesting that the two meet. “Like football, his idea was to have a cricket manager, rather than a coach, and give all the power to the cricket manager to look after everything. So I had a long meeting with him and they offered me a job.”

“He had his own vision. He was very straightforward, very disciplined. He used to set an example for everyone. If he said something then he was the first to do it”On Imran Khan

In 1982, Intikhab became Pakistan’s manager, a role that he held for the next decade, albeit not on every tour. “It clicked,” he says. Most important was his relationship with the captain, Imran Khan. Intikhab did not attempt to impinge upon Imran’s power. “There was never any unpleasant moment. That was very very good.”He had his own vision. He was very straightforward, very disciplined. He used to set an example for everyone. If he said something then he was the first to do it. And the players respected that.”One memory of Intikhab and Imran together stands out – from the 1992 World Cup. “I remember before the final, he went out and he bought himself a t-shirt, and then he got a tiger on this – a printed tiger. And when I saw him going for the toss, I looked at him. I didn’t say anything to him, I don’t want to upset him, because I knew exactly what he was going to do. So when he went there, Ian Chappell, who was interviewing, asked, ‘Why are you wearing this t-shirt?’ And he said, ‘I want them to play like a tiger.’ So that paid off.”

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Intikhab left when Imran retired, but he never really went away. He remained Pakistan cricket’s great uncle on speed dial, always willing to answer any call to fill a vacant post. In between his various roles for the PCB, Intikhab even had time to make history in India. He coached Punjab – “it was just like coming home” – for two seasons, becoming the first Pakistani to coach an Indian domestic team.Last year, at the age of 73, Intikhab was enlisted to return to Pakistan again, as manager once more. He is “a survivor so adept,” writes Osman Samiuddin in , that “not only would he survive a nuclear holocaust, he would also emerge as the bomb maker’s administrative director.”Perhaps unsurprisingly, this company man highlights stability as a reason why this Test team has succeeded where others have not in reaching No. 1. “I think to be successful on an international level you need continuity – of coaches, and the management. If you keep on changing it doesn’t help. It takes time for any new coach coming in. You have to give him time to try to understand the players, they to understand the involvement, try to understand the language problem, try to understand the different culture. So you need time, you need to be very, very patient with people. And I think the success for this team is the continuity of management.””Coaching is everywhere now – Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4. I have some reservations”•Getty ImagesThroughout his 57-year involvement with the Pakistan national team, Intikhab believes that it has retained one fundamental characteristic: the tendency to identify talent outside of the system, just like Intikhab himself all those years ago.”I think there was a lot of talent – raw talent – available over the years. They came from nowhere, really. There was no such structure available. The street-smart cricketer, you know. At times, some of them, we just saw them and we got them in. So there was no real drill… It was all self-made cricketers we were, with all the natural, raw talent.”It is different in other countries. They think, ‘Oh, he’s not yet ready. We’ll wait, give him another couple of years.’ But we didn’t believe in that, actually – just throw him in the deep water and see if he can swim.”Yet, Intikhab is concerned that Pakistan cricket is now becoming too structured, and losing a little of its distinctiveness and flair. “Coaching is everywhere now – Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4. I have some reservations.” He says that there is “too much emphasis on coaching” now. “If somebody is good at hitting the ball, if you want to change him, that doesn’t help either.”Now, Intikhab suggests, more of Pakistan’s best talent is coming from outside Lahore and Karachi, the sport’s traditional centres: not just because cricket has expanded its reach, but also because of the paucity of formal coaching in remote outposts. “It’s sort of a natural phenomena that you keep on getting these blokes from nowhere. Still in remote areas, there’s no concept of coaching – they come from very, very humble backgrounds.”

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At the end of this year, Intikhab will turn 75 midway through the Boxing Day Test against Australia. But declaring his career can wait. Intikhab will stay for “as long as I enjoy it, as long the board wants me.” There is nothing he would rather do; there is nothing he would rather have devoted his life to. “I don’t regret a minute.”All that remains is to ask how Misbah-ul-Haq ranks compared to Pakistan’s other captains. “There have been some very good experienced former captains, but when we talk about statistics then he’s probably the best,” Intikhab says. He laughs when asked to compare Misbah to Imran. “They are two different personalities. One is laid-back. Imran was very aggressive, and that’s the difference between the two.” That Intikhab was able to work with both is testament to his enduring diplomatic skills.

ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from the final one-day international between England and Pakistan

Alan Gardner in Cardiff04-Sep-2016The revenge
With Pakistan winning the toss, the returning Mohammad Amir was presented with conditions he could hope to exploit. He was unlucky with a rejected lbw appeal against Jason Roy in his first over, then saw Roy chop past his stumps for four, but his luck appeared to be out by the time Alex Hales struck three consecutive fours in Amir’s third over – the last flying in the air through a now-vacant second slip. The bowler’s response was to switch to his to round the wicket and, two balls later, he duped Hales into driving tamely to mid-on with a slower cutter. A possibly salty send-off hinted at Amir’s frustration.The celebration
Without tearing up trees, Hasan Ali has made a bit of an impact for Pakistan on his first tour. He has bowled with skiddy pace and a notable nous at the death – foxing a rampant Jos Buttler during the final over at Trent Bridge to the extent that England nearly missed out on setting a new record total. His celebrations, typically accompanied by a primal roar of delight, have also provided a touch of . Here, after bowling Joe Root off an inside edge attempting an expansive drive, he produced a medley: arms spread, Shoaib Akhtar-style; then a downward fist pump, a la Brett Lee/Dale Steyn; followed by something of his own creation, a high-kick-and-hand-clap that would not have looked out of place in a musical.The wicket
Imad Wasim was not the first Wales-born cricketer to play an international in Cardiff – that honour goes to England women’s Hannah Lloyd – but he became the first to take a wicket when Eoin Morgan chipped a full toss straight back to him. Imad spent the first couple of years of his life growing up in Swansea, so the people of Cardiff might have bridled at calling him one of their own given the rivalry between the two cities, but it was hard to spot the celebratory Welsh flags being waved among the numerous Pakistani ones in the stands.The over
Pakistan had recovered from the early loss of Sharjeel Khan with a smooth fifty stand between Azhar Ali and Babar Azam. Having previously taken one of the new balls for England, Mark Wood was this time held back due to the presence of David Willey in the XI but his introduction quickly changed the dynamic of the chase. His extra pace initially saw Azam top-edging over the slips for four and then, a few overs later, he went straight through Pakistan’s No. 3 after going wide on the crease and firing the ball between bat and pad at 87mph. Two balls later, Azhar was gone as well, wafting at a short ball outside off; Simon Fry did not give it out on field but England reviewed immediately and DRS confirmed a thin edge to send the captain on his way.The no-ball
During the 17th over, Ben Stokes ran in and clipped the non-striker’s stumps as he brought his delivery arm through. While a few years ago – before Steven Finn’s repeated issues led to a change in the laws – that would have simply lead to a call of dead ball, now it was signalled as a no-ball by the umpire, Rob Bailey, which meant a free hit as well, to rub in salt. Stokes’ disgruntlement was registered by standing with his arms on his hips as Bailey returned to his spot; it then went up a notch as Shoaib Malik sliced the follow-up delivery for four to third man. To compound his mood, Root then put down a tough one-handed chance next ball as Malik drove to short extra cover.The aborted run
Stokes was the bowler later in the innings when Malik again drove uppishly into the covers, though in front of the catcher on this occasion. The ball bounced to the left of mid-off but Morgan got to it quickly and, as Malik realised his partner, Sarfraz Ahmed, was not interested in a single, England’s captain fired off a throw at the striker’s end. Malik had by now turned and begun the desperate lunge for the line, only for the ball to hit him and deflect away to safety. England half-heartedly appealed for obstructing the field but there was no sense that Malik had changed his course purely to intercept the throw.The catch
This was a real blinder, but it wasn’t taken by any of the players. Chris Woakes’ return in the 34th over was greeted by Sarfraz hammering a pull high over deep midwicket, where Stokes boundary-rope leap was to no avail. Someone did cling on to it, however, as a fan at the front of the grandstand leaned as far as he possibly could over the advertising boards to hold the catch a foot or two above the ground. Such was his excitement as he was engulfed in celebration by those around that Stokes eventually had to prise the ball from his grip – and it soon became clear why: due to the fact he was wearing a shirt sponsored by a beer company, the prize for his stupendous grab was a flight to Australia.

Saurabh Tiwary has been one of Jharkhand’s top performers in the past few seasons, but he only wants to keep improving

Akshay Gopalakrishnan31-Dec-2016Of all the India Under-19 teams that have come and gone over the years, the class of 2008 stands out. Two from that batch – Virat Kohli, who led them to the World Cup title, and Ravindra Jadeja are a part of the veritable who’s who of Indian cricket today. Another’s – Manish Pandey – international debut took a while coming, but his temperament has been highly spoken of since he made a match-winning century in a 300-plus chase against Australia earlier this year.But, for every star that has emerged, there are others who have fallen off the radar. Saurabh Tiwary, who was a part of Kohli’s winning team in 2008, immediately comes to mind. From being spoken of as one to watch out for by MS Dhoni, Tiwary, who has played all of three ODIs, continues to fight and live his dream far from the selection radar.Now, seven years since his last international appearance, 27-year-old Tiwary has an opportunity to show he is far from a spent force. Having led Jharkhand admirably in the absence of designated captain Varun Aaron, Tiwary’s next goal is to pass the Gujarat test and take his side into their first ever Ranji Trophy final.In the last five Ranji seasons, Tiwary, who has scored over 5000 runs in the tournament, has topped Jharkhand’s batting charts three times. In the 2013-14 and 2015-16 seasons, his tally was almost twice that of the team’s second-highest scorer. And, while he may have played the supporting act to Ishan Kishan and Ishank Jaggi this season, he has chipped in at vital times.Tiwary is a quiet person, and the hurt of not having lived up to his early billing is evident when he speaks. He admits to having had thoughts of quitting the game. “It’s hard to explain how one comes out of that negativity. It takes time,” he tells ESPNcricinfo.”But, it’s like what they say about a dropped catch – if you can get him out once, you can get him out again. Likewise, if I have come into the team once, I can make a comeback as well. In India, there have been so many such players that have done well and have been out of the team. But it’s not as though all their cricket careers have finished.”In just his second international match, against New Zealand, Tiwary partnered Yusuf Pathan in a match-winning partnership that helped India chase down a steep target of 316. Though Tiwary’s contribution was dwarfed by Yusuf’s belligerence, it was important as he was the last of the big-hitters in the line-up and saw his team through. In his next game, he did not get to bat as New Zealand were steamrolled in a low-scoring match, and the India spot has since deserted him.Back in the day: Saurabh Tiwary batted with Yusuf Pathan to steer India to victory in a steep chase•Associated PressWhen the negativity did creep in, Tiwary dealt with it by shutting himself inside a room, closing his eyes and thinking of that one crowning moment that he had always yearned for. “The biggest thing for me, from my childhood, was seeing Sachin [Tendulkar] sir. Just playing with him in the IPL with Mumbai Indians was the biggest thing for me, so I think of the times I got to bat with him.”That his father Sunil Kumar Tiwary – a former India volleyball player – was a sportsperson helped, as he had experience to tap into when it came to overcoming challenges.It was after his exploits with Mumbai, in the 2010 IPL, that Tiwary shot to prominence. Long-haired and brawny, he enraptured onlookers with his bold strokeplay. It led to him getting signed up for a hefty 1.6 million-dollar sum by Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2011. Expectations were plenty, but opportunities were scant, as Tiwary mostly batted lower down and couldn’t quite live up to the billing. Having seen the big bucks fairly early, Tiwary didn’t have to worry about money. But his passion was overriding, and it made sure he stayed the course.”Even before joining school, I joined a cricket academy, so cricket is something that I cannot live without,” he says. “I cannot leave this and go anywhere else, irrespective of whether there is money or not. When I was playing the Ranji Trophy in 2006-07, I remember I used to get 8000 rupees as match fees. I had the same passion back then that I have today.”Post his Royal Challengers days, Tiwary had a lacklustre stint with Delhi Daredevils. More recently, his 2016 season with the debuting Rising Pune Supergiants was overshadowed by fitness issues as a visibly bulkier Tiwary struggled to keep up with the pace of T20 cricket. He never stopped trying, but the weight gain, which he admits was a result of poor food habits, led to changed perceptions.”As a sportsperson, there is always room for improvement in something. I am the kind of person who, until the day he retires, wouldn’t say that he is the best at something. Fitness is definitely something I need to get better at,” he says.Tiwary still harbours dreams of making a comeback into the national side, but he is careful not to lose focus of the present. “The target will always be to make a comeback to the Indian team. But at the end of the day, I need to feel a certain happiness when I complete a season,” he says. “When I stand in front of the mirror, I need to know that whatever I have done over the course of the season, I have done it with honesty.”In cricket, you learn something from every match you play, whether you win or lose, whether you score 100 or zero. It is said that for a batsman, his peak is from 26 to 30. Right now, I am at that age. I have been batting well throughout this season; it’s just that I have been unable to convert the starts into big scores. It’s not as though I am playing a poor shot; I have been getting out to good balls. Hopefully, a match will come along where I can make a big one.”The time to get that big score is now as Tiwary has the chance to carry his team into the final. If he succeeds in doing so, the “happiness” he seeks to feel from within won’t be too far away.

Attempts have been made to develop youth cricket in the country, but corruption remains a huge challenge

Tim Wigmore18-Nov-2016Steve Tikolo still remembers it well. After Kenya’s defeat in the semi-final of the 2003 World Cup, “Michael Holding told me that the ICC had earmarked Kenya to be the next Test-playing country,” he said recently. It would have been a glorious reward for Kenya’s golden generation, a side that announced themselves to the world when they bundled out West Indies for 93 in the 1996 World Cup, and beat India in two ODIs before the glories of 2003.It never happened. Instead, Kenya were doomed to be the Icarus of Associate cricket, flying closer than anyone else to the sun and then falling to oblivion.Just when they needed help most, they were shunned by the myopia of the Full Members: Kenya played only five ODIs against Test nations from the 2003 World Cup to the end of 2005. Yet theirs was a self-imposed demise too.”Our cricket management let us down big time,” Tikolo reflected, calling corruption “an open secret”. The malaise extended to the team: Maurice Odumbe was banned for five years after being found guilty of associating with a known bookmaker.With a tiny playing base, and a poorly run team, Kenya collapsed. They made little impact at the 2007 and 2011 World Cups, and by 2013 they were forced to summon Tikolo, their one-time batting titan, out of retirement at the age of 42. Damningly, he was still among Kenya’s best players when they lost ODI status in early 2014. Failure to qualify for the current edition of the Intercontinental Cup, the ICC’s first-class competition for the top eight Associates, soon followed. Years of High Performance Programme seemed to have left no legacy at all – either on the team or the infrastructure in Kenya.Now, though, there is a little hope. On Friday the Nairobi Gymkhana ground hosts Kenya’s opening match against Hong Kong in the World Cricket League Championship. It will be Kenya’s first home game in an ICC-run tournament for four years and, it is hoped, a seminal point in the nation’s cricketing recovery.”There is palpable excitement with cricket returning,” says Rakep Patel, the skipper. He sees the matches as an opportunity to change the narrative around Kenyan cricket. “It’s been all doom and gloom in recent times with stories that Kenya cricket is dead.”Much has been said about how Pakistan have been impeded by not being able to play a home Test since 2009, but consider the magnitude of Kenya’s challenge: trying to grow a niche sport in the country without being able to play at home. That is why Cricket Kenya has worked with the government and security forces to bring international cricket back to the country. Perhaps the government’s commitment represents renewed interest in helping what was once the nation’s most successful sports team.

“Ten years ago their focus was very much on the national team, whereas now there’s a very strong focus on the whole cricket system”Andy Hobbs, the ICC’s acting Head of Global Development

The return home comes at a time when there are tentative signs of the team improving too. “They are definitely a team and country on the up,” says Andy Hobbs, the ICC’s acting Head of Global Development.Kenya performed respectably in the World T20 qualifiers last year, winning three of their five completed games. In the World Cricket League Championship, they have won three of their six games, including beating Namibia away twice last year. No one would pretend these results are remotely spectacular, but at least there is the sense that Kenya have halted their descent. And these results have been achieved with a team far younger than the one that lost ODI status two years ago.Irfan Karim, the team’s leading batsman, who had a successful stint for Leicestershire 2nd XI last year, says that the team must improve their mental strength and game awareness.There are glimpses that youth development has improved, as Cricket Kenya has piloted programmes to grow the sport beyond its heartlands in Mombasa and Nairobi. The board is working on improving the education of coaches. In December, a new Under-19 tournament will launch, putting the most talented youngsters into three teams. According to the ICC census, there are now 3495 junior players in the country, up from 1100 in 2009.But, as ever with ICC census figures, some are sceptical. “Three thousand five hundred youngsters? It’s a joke,” says Aasif Karim. “If we had 5% of those figures, I would be happy. Those figures are totally fabricated.”His son Irfan is rather more diplomatic. “Better facilities, academies and higher-qualified coaches need to be put in place for there to be progress,” he says. “Increasing participation levels is not as easy as it sounds. Poverty is a problem in Kenya and some families are more focused on where their next meal is coming from. Without the basic needs fulfilled, cricket or sport becomes a non-existent thought. This is where the government needs to intervene and provide support in whatever way possible.”Cricket Kenya also urgently needs to improve the domestic structure. Kenya’s golden team learned the game playing alongside the likes of Sanjay Manjrekar, Kiran More, Sandeep Patil and Mark Ramprakash for clubs in Nairobi. Now, “club cricket standards are very low,” laments Aasif Karim. “There may be only five quality matches a year.” At times, club teams even fail to raise 11 players.On the bright side, Cricket Kenya is now run far better than in the years after 2003. “Ten years ago their focus was very much on the national team, whereas now there’s a very strong focus on the whole cricket system – on education, domestic leagues, grassroots, development and women’s cricket,” Hobbs reflects. “They’ve got some really good people in there, and there’s not been the underlying challenges there have been in the past.”Jackie Janmohamed, the chairperson of Cricket Kenya and an eminent lawyer, has helped to improve governance of the game, yet her work remains unfinished.Irfan Karim (wicketkeeper): “Increasing participation levels is not as easy as it sounds. Poverty is a problem in Kenya. This is where the government needs to intervene and provide support “•ICC”The system is corrupt. It needs a complete jolt,” says Aasif Karim. “The foundations are non-existent. It’s time Kenyan cricket must accept that we are really down. We keep on denying it.” Karim rues how Tom Tikolo, who resigned as Cricket Kenya chief executive in 2009 after $10,000 in cash was left unaccounted for, has returned to the game, as Chairman of Nairobi Provincial Association.At least administrators are now organising far more matches outside the ICC structure, even if the opposition are a salutary reminder of how far Kenya have fallen. They won a quadrangular series in September, albeit against Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Uganda, and the A side is about to embark on a quadrangular series in Uganda.Kenya have also benefited from Cricket South Africa taking a more active role developing the game in the continent. The national side performed reasonably in both their appearances in the Africa T20 Cup, winning one of their three games in 2015 and 2016.At a time when Afghanistan and Ireland can glimpse a tantalising future, Kenyan ambitions are altogether more modest. “They’re a country of huge potential, as they showed in 2003,” says Hobbs. “If they continue to remain stable off the pitch I see no reason why they couldn’t be regularly in the top echelons of Associate cricket, in the top four.”After the halycon age of 1996 to 2003, becoming a leading Associate side in ODIs once again, and regularly qualifying for the World T20, hardly sounds like a lofty aspiration. But after all that Kenyan cricket has been through since, it would be a triumph. Perhaps Associate cricket’s Icarus might yet come back to life.

Also: the most Test wickets taken in a calendar year, and the highest score by a captain in an ODI

Steven Lynch13-Feb-2017Australia won 16 successive international matches – in all three formats – at home in 2006-07. Was this the record? asked Mike Herman from Australia

That Australian run started in India in October 2006, and extended to the end of January 2007: they won five Tests (all against England), ten one-day internationals (against India, England and New Zealand) and a T20 international (also against England) in that time. The record is indeed held by Australia – but it wasn’t that particular run: early in 2003 they won 20 successive international matches, the first 17 of them one-day games, culminating in an unbeaten record in the World Cup in southern Africa. They rounded off the 20-match streak with three Test wins in the West Indies. Australia also won 16 successive international matches in 2000-01, a sequence ended by India’s famous Test victory after following on in Kolkata. The non-Australian record is 14 successive international wins, which Pakistan have managed twice – in 1990 and 2011-12.R Ashwin took 72 Test wickets in 2016. Was this a record? asked Mohan Ahluwalia from India

Ravichandran Ashwin led the way last year with 72 Test wickets – next came Rangana Herath with 57 and Mitchell Starc with 50 – but that was some way short of the overall record for a calendar year, Shane Warne’s 96 in 2005. Next come Muttiah Muralitharan (90 in 2006) and Dennis Lillee (85 in 1981). Ashwin lies 13th equal on that particular list, with two other Indians ahead of him: Kapil Dev took 75 wickets in 1983, and Anil Kumble 74 in 2004. Murali leads the way for international wickets in all three formats: he claimed 136 wickets in 2001, and 128 in 2006. The leading Indian is Harbhajan Singh, with 102 wickets in 2002, just ahead of Kapil Dev’s round 100 in 1983.Who has scored the most runs and taken the most wickets against one particular country in Tests? asked Jeremy Fingleton from England

The leader by a country mile is Don Bradman, who scored 5028 Test runs against England at an average of 89.78. Next comes Jack Hobbs, with 3636 runs in Ashes matches; he’s just ahead of Sachin Tendulkar, who made 3630 against Australia. Then it’s back to the Ashes: Allan Border scored 3548 runs against England, and David Gower 3269 v Australia. Garry Sobers hit 3214 runs for West Indies v England, and Steve Waugh 3200 for Australia. For the bowlers, it’s still the Ashes to the fore: Shane Warne amassed 195 wickets against England, and Dennis Lillee 167. Curtly Ambrose claimed 164 against England, at just 18.79 apiece, while Glenn McGrath took 157 for Australia in the Ashes. Ian Botham grabbed 148 for England v Australia, and Courtney Walsh snared 145 English victims. Rather longer ago, the Australian offspinner Hugh Trumble took 141 wickets against England between 1890 and 1903-04.Virender Sehwag’s 219 v West Indies in 2011 is the biggest ODI score by a captain•AFPWas Faf du Plessis’ 185 the other day the highest score by a captain in an ODI? asked Kyle Callender from Namibia

That innings of 185 by Faf du Plessis, against Sri Lanka in Cape Town last week, would have been a new record for a South African skipper in one-day internationals… except he wasn’t captain that day, as AB de Villiers was playing. In any case, there have been three higher ODI scores by captains: Virender Sehwag was in charge when he smashed 219 for India against West Indies in Indore in 2011-12, Sanath Jayasuriya hit 189 for Sri Lanka v India in Sharjah in 2000-01, and Sachin Tendulkar made 186 not out for India against New Zealand in Hyderabad in 1999-2000. Du Plessis just missed out on the highest individual score for South Africa, which remains Gary Kirsten’s 188 not out against the United Arab Emirates in Rawalpindi during the 1996 World Cup.Niall O’Brien is in sight of his 2000th run in ODIs for Ireland. Has anyone got there already? asked James McCague from Ireland

The feisty Irish wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien has so far scored 1964 runs in one-day internationals. If he can add a further 36 he will be the fourth Ireland player to get there: his brother Kevin tops the pile at the moment, with 2629 runs from 103 such matches, one ahead of his skipper William Porterfield (2628). Paul Stirling comes next, with 2240. Ed Joyce has scored 2110 runs in all in ODIs, but 471 of them (and one of his five centuries) were for England. Of Eoin Morgan’s 5193 ODI runs, 744 were for Ireland.Who has taken the most Test and ODI wickets in a single country? asked Harish Kapadia from India

Not surprisingly, perhaps, Test cricket’s overall leading wicket-taker, Muttiah Muralitharan is well clear at the top of this particular list: he took 493 wickets at home in Sri Lanka. Anil Kumble took 350 in India, and Shane Warne 319 in Australia. James Anderson might soon join this exclusive 300 club: he has so far taken 296 Test wickets in England. The only man to take 100 wickets in a country not his own is Warne, with 129 in England (Dennis Lillee comes next, with 96 in England). The leading bowler in one-day internationals came as a slight surprise: it’s Shaun Pollock, who took 193 wickets in South Africa. Brett Lee took 169 ODI wickets in Australia, and Glenn McGrath 160; Muralitharan claimed 154 in Sri Lanka. Coming up on the rails is Shakib Al Hasan, who currently has 137 ODI wickets at home in Bangladesh.Post your questions in the comments below