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Injury concerns, big calls, wildcard selections. World Cup squads need to be named by April 23 so here’s a rundown of how the teams stand.

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Apr-2019

Afghanistan

(Peter Della Penna)On their World Cup debut in Australia and New Zealand, Afghanistan were still very much a raw Associate outfit. What a difference four years makes. Two of their bowlers are in the top 10 of the ICC’s ODI bowler rankings, including Rashid Khan who is not just the top rated spinner at No. 3 but also sits at No. 1 in the allrounder rankings for ODI cricket. Not only did they sweep a pair of matches against West Indies at the World Cup Qualifier last year, but also beat Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the group stage of the Asia Cup last September in the UAE before ending the Super Fours with a thrilling tie against India. A cinderella run to the semi-finals might be a stretch judging by the number of holes in the batting order exposed recently by Ireland in a 2-2 draw, but they won’t be in England just to make up the numbers.The Big Question How effective will their trio of spinners be in English conditions? Rashid, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi have formed the bowling core since Mujeeb made his ODI debut against Ireland at Sharjah in December 2017. Nabi will remain an automatic starter due to his all-round package which includes explosive batting in the middle-order, but a slow start for Mujeeb might result in an extra seamer for balance in conditions. Mujeeb’s saving grace is his superb economy rate, particularly as a new-ball spinner in the Powerplay.Injury concern Dawlat Zadran has only played two competitive matches since the end of the World Cup Qualifier last year due to recurring shoulder issues. He made his comeback in the recent ODI series against Ireland, taking five wickets across the first and third ODIs in the series to highlight the importance of him maintaining 100% fitness leading into the World Cup.Possible wildcard Shapoor Zadran. The left-arm quick was Afghanistan’s leading wicket-taker at the 2015 World Cup with 10 scalps, but has only played eight ODIs since then. However, the lack of a quality experienced alternative to complement Dawlat in the pace department could see Shapoor on the plane to England.Possible squad Asghar Afghan (capt), Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Hazratullah Zazai, Javed Ahmadi, Rahmat Shah, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Ikram Ali Khil (wk), Hashmatullah Shahidi, Gulbadin Naib, Dawlat Zadran, Shapoor Zadran, Aftab Alam, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.David Warner celebrates his century•BCCI

Australia

(Andrew McGlashan)Their one-day fortunes have taken an upturn with the away series victories against India and Pakistan and prospects for the World Cup defence are looking much better than a few months ago. It has always been known that the Two Big Names would be available again by May, but the recent success of Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb and Ashton Turner has provided some unexpected options and left some mighty tough selection calls.The Big Question How to fit in David Warner and Steven Smith? It’s been assumed they will walk back in and not too long ago it probably wouldn’t have been a tough question but now there will be a couple of players harshly done by.Injury concern Jhye Richardson (shoulder) has joined Mitchell Starc (pec) and Josh Hazlewood (back) on the sidelines. Starc is the most likely of the trio to make the squad.Possible wildcard Any complete bolters now seem unlikely but it would be a rapid rise for Turner if he went to England.Possible squad Aaron Finch (capt), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith, Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Nathan Lyon, Jhye Richardson, Jason BehrendorffMashrafe Mortaza is pumped after getting a wicket•AFP

Bangladesh

(Mohammad Isam)With possibly their best-ever collection of players in years, Bangladesh will go to England with high hopes. There’s belief that stretches as far as the cup in hand, which stems from their strong performances since the 2015 World Cup. But no Bangladesh cricketer in his right mind will say it out aloud. Led by the tireless Mashrafe Mortaza, the side can call upon several match winners these days. Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mashrafe, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah will be leading the side in different areas.The Big Question Can they keep their cool? A good start can lead to great things, but Bangladesh become highly susceptible after a big loss, or a string of losses. Things quickly turn chaotic.Injury concern Injuries to Mushfiqur (wrist and rib), Tamim (groin) and Shakib (finger) have concerned BCB’s decision-makers in recent months, but they will have to be managed carefully during the long tournament.Possible wildcard So excited is everyone around the World Cup that BCB president Nazmul Hassan last week read out the 15-member squad in one of his regular press briefings. Given his power, it is unlikely going to be any different as the two appointed selectors – Minhajul Abedin and Habibul Bashar – have usually listened to his demands. But still, Imrul Kayes, who made 349 runs against Zimbabwe in October last year, could feature in the side as a back-up batsman even though he didn’t tour New Zealand.Possible squad Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah, Sabbir Rahman, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Liton Das, Taskin Ahmed, Imrul KayesJofra Archer reacts in the field•BCCI

England

(Andrew Miller)It’s coming home. Well, the tournament is, at least. Twenty years after crashing out of their own party in 1999, England have left nothing to chance as they prepare to host the World Cup for a record fifth time. On their day few sides can hope to keep up with them, though their tendency to malfunction in bowler-friendly conditions remains a concern. It would be astonishing if they failed to reach the semi-finals. Thereafter, it’s a test of nerve…The Big Question … and will those nerves hold? England muffed their dress rehearsal in the Champions Trophy in 2017, outgunned by a resurgent Pakistan in their semi-final at Cardiff, and the fear of another failure may yet surface at an inopportune moment – especially if a sense of expectation is allowed to take hold among their home fans.Injury concern Chris Woakes, who has emerged as England’s white-ball attack leader in recent seasons, has been managing a chronic knee injury and will need careful handling.Possible wildcard Jofra Archer is lurking on the fringes of English selection after completing his residency qualification, and as with Kevin Pietersen ahead of the 2005 Ashes, there’s risk and reward to weigh up for the selectors, who covet his outstanding allround attributes but fear unsettling the tight-knit members of a squad that has come together superbly since their nadir in 2015. The ODIs against Ireland and Pakistan in early May will be a chance to test his 50-over mettle.Possible squad Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (capt), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (wk), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Liam Plunkett, Mark Wood, Alex Hales, Jofra Archer, Liam Dawson, Sam Billings.Vijay Shankar is elated after dismissing Marcus Stoinis•Getty Images

India

(Sidharth Monga)India have never gone to a World Cup as clearer favourites. They were a pretty good side in the Champions Trophy in the same country two years ago; now they have added wicket-taking abilities in the middle overs, which probably cost them the Champions Trophy final. The simple reason for this optimism is their bowling attack, the most varied and potent in the world today.The Big Question They have the best top three in the world, but the middle order is neither exposed nor tested. In the limited chances they get, they have not inspired reasonable confidence. It doesn’t help that domestic cricket and IPL keeps throwing up top-order batsmen, and not specialists in these tricky positions.Injury concern Hardik Pandya’s relapse after a major back injury last year was a matter of concern, but he has pulled up all right in the IPL.Possible wildcard Vijay Shankar has entered the equation only this year, and goes against the MS Dhoni school of World Cup selection of taking players who have played at least 60-70 matches. At nine matches old, Vijay has presented India a temptation, which keeps getting stronger with every strong IPL performance from him.Possible squad Certainties: Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah
Others: Ambati Rayudu, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Vijay Shankar, Dinesh KarthikKane Williamson offers the full face on a drive•Getty Images

New Zealand

(Andrew McGlashan)They don’t quite have the buzz around them they did four years ago on home soil – and the recent defeat to India exposed a few holes – but they remain an excellent one-day side. The transition from Mike Hesson to Gary Stead as head coach does not appear to have disrupted anything and the majority of the squad has been set in stone for a while. Those filling the shoes of Brendon McCullum, Grant Elliott and Daniel Vettori will be vital.The Big Question It appears it will come down to Ish Sodhi v Todd Astle for the second spin-bowling position. Sodhi is the more attacking option with the ball but brings less with the bat and in the field.Injury concern Kane Williamson’s shoulder injury suffered against Bangladesh is not serious, but such is his importance to the team they’ll be some fingers crossed he comes through the IPL unscathed.Possible wildcard It has been reported by that Tom Blundell is now favoured to be in the squad as back-up wicketkeeper after an injury to Tim Seifert.Possible squad Kane Williamson (capt), Martin Guptill, Henry Nicholls, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham, Jimmy Neesham, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Colin Munro, Tom Blundell, Ish SodhiMohammad Hasnain claims the wicket of Aaron Finch•AFP

Pakistan

(Umar Farooq)It might be sensible not to read too much into Pakistan’s 5-0 loss to Australia in the UAE as they rested seven of their key names as part of their pre-World Cup strategy to allow them to recover from minor injuries. They also have plenty of matches ahead of the tournament include five ODIs against England. The core of their batting centres on Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam with a few holes in middle order but the bowling once again remains a force.The Big Question Can Pakistan touch 325 batting first? Do they have an ability to chase down anything over 300? Another riddle is Mohammad Amir’s selection. He is averaging 92.60 in 14 games since he played the Champions Trophy final against India. The spotlight on Amir increased during the series against Australia when he was dropped. Pakistan doesn’t have an experienced bowler like him at their disposal but it is increasingly difficult for selectors to pick him.Injury concern Mohammad Hafeez was an automatic selection until he sustained a hand injury during the PSL and missed the entire season. He underwent two surgeries in London to recover from a fractured thumb and is racing against the clock. He is likely to go through a fitness test on April 14 and he is very much under the radar for the middle order slot.Possible wildcard Mohammad Hasnain has impressed many with his genuine pace. He shot to prominence after a productive PSL season with Quetta Gladiators and was named for series against Australia and played three matches with limited success as he bagged just two wickets. He has already withdrawn from the Pakistan Cup and will be residing at NCA to work on his fitness.Possible squad Fakhar Zaman, Imam ul Haq, Abid Ali, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali/Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Hassan Ali, Mohammad RizwanLungi Ngidi celebrates a wicket•AFP

South Africa

(Liam Brickhill)They are nothing if not prepared. When Ottis Gibson took up the role of head coach in 2017, World Cup success was a specific piece of his mandate. So seriously has Cricket South Africa taken their preparation for the tournament, they even went as far as giving
their schedule of debuts, auditions, tinkering and fiddling a name: Vision 2019. Their strength will be their bowling, and it will be hard for any opposition to poke holes in an attack formed around Rabada, Steyn, Ngidi and Tahir. The make-up of their top seven doesn’t have quite the same certainty to it. South Africa have worked hard to remove conservatism from their batting efforts over the past year, but they will have to decide whether to pick their batters on form, reputation or potential.The Big Question Can they outrun the ghosts of World Cups past? The psychological weight of their misadventures on cricket’s biggest stage has dogged South Africa’s previous campaigns, but this time just different. Perhaps it is because they will
arrive at this tournament without the Damoclean favourites tag over them. As their forebears have found out, being the best team on paper means nothing if it does not translate to success in must-win games.Injury concern Both Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje are missing out on this year’s IPL after picking up injuries during the home series against Sri Lanka. While neither of the injuries – back and shoulder, respectively – are especially serious, Ngidi had only just returned from a three-month lay-off for knee ligament damage he picked up during South Africa’s trip to Australia late last year.Possible wild card South Africa have offered auditions to every player who might possibly be part of the selection conversation this season, and so it is highly unlikely that there could be a bolter that we haven’t all seen already.Possible squad Faf du Plessis (capt), Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, JP Duminy, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Imran Tahir, Tabraiz ShamsiIsuru Udana en route to the fourth-highest ODI score by a No. 9 batsman•Getty Images

Sri Lanka

(Andrew Fidel Fernando)Sri Lanka sucks at ODI cricket right now. They’ve sucked for quite a while. The last time they won a bilateral series was way back in 2016, against Ireland. They have won a couple of tri-series since then, but did not have to defeat any of the higher ranked sides to achieve this. There is possibly no team going into the World Cup in a greater state of disarray. They have lost each of their eight ODIs so far this year.The Big Question Apart from their ability to claim early wickets (thanks largely to Lasith Malinga), there is no aspect of Sri Lanka’s game that isn’t misfiring at present. Their greatest concern, however, is the batting order, which tends to collapse so dramatically, it seems like multiple batsmen are racing each other back to the dressing room. During the recent five-match ODI series against South Africa, Sri Lanka didn’t last the full 50 overs once. Also, they don’t really know who their World Cup captain is, and the choices seem to be getting worse by the minute.Injury concern Kusal Perera is struggling to make the World Cup after sustaining a bad hamstring tear in South Africa. And although Angelo Mathews should technically have recovered from his latest injury, his own hamstrings seem so fragile that a bump from a pothole on the way to the stadium might be enough to cause a strain.Possible wildcard Every series a new Sri Lanka ODI player produces good performances in losing causes. Most recently, it is slower-ball specialist Isuru Udana who has announced himself, doing a half-decent job with the ball, but really impressing with the bat – his big blows from the lower middle order earning him a reputation as one of Sri Lanka’s cleanest hitters.Possible squad Certainties: Lasith Malinga, Isuru Udana, Thisara Perera, Angelo Mathews and Kusal Perera if fit. (No really. That’s about it.)
Probables: Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Danushka Gunathilaka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Oshada Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay, Akila Dananjaya, Suranga Lakmal, Kasun Rajitha.
Possibles: Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Angelo Perera, Upul Tharanga, Vishwa Fernando, Lakshan Sandakan.Chris Gayle: slower but still as deadly•Getty Images

West Indies

(Andrew McGlashan)They had to go through the qualifiers and only earned their spot thanks to the absence of DRS for a crucial decision against Scotland. But there are signs of a revival in the one-day side: they have pace in the bowling attack and no shortage of big hitters. The full round-robin group stage may help them, allowing for the odd bad day, although the challenge for the batsmen will be if they can’t just hit through the line.Big Question Can Chris Gayle keep doing it in boundaries and does the great opening batsman have one last international hurrah in him? He doesn’t do much running – between the wickets or in the field – but his destructive form against England fired a warning shot.Injury concern West Indies would like to get Andre Russell back in the middle order but it’s a question of whether his knees can withstand 50 overs.Possible wildcard He’s already had a taste of international cricket but Oshane Thomas remains very raw. It comes out quickly, but erratically as figures of 2 for 84 followed by 5 for 21 against England testify.Possible squad Jason Holder (capt), Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Darren Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran, Carlos Brathwaite, Andre Russell, Ashley Nurse, Keemo Paul, Devendra Bishoo, Kemar Roach, Oshane Thomas, Sheldon Cottrell

The Australia captain believes his team needs to learn from the way Eoin Morgan’s men bat without fear

Daniel Brettig15-Jan-2018Three years ago, England looked to the World Cup finallists Australia and New Zealand for the combination of power and freedom that would take them out of the ODI doldrums. Now Australia’s captain Steven Smith admitted that his side must take heed of the unbridled fury exhibited by Eoin Morgan’s side to return to the top of the 50-over game.Jason Roy’s record England score made the headlines on Sunday night at the MCG, but it was emblematic of a wider approach where most of the top-order batsmen have the licence to attack. The recall of Alex Hales slid Joe Root down to No. 4, if anything a better post from which to act as England’s rudder while other batsmen put three sheets to the wind.Smith, who has seen Australia slip away from the best of the world’s ODI practitioners over the past year amid plenty of changes to the line-up, said that England’s approach needed to be considered by Australia ahead of the 2019 World Cup. “England’s got to be up there as one of the best teams in the world in one-day cricket at the moment,” he said. “It just looks like the way they play is for everyone to go really hard and Joe Root is sort of the rock in the middle. He just plays good cricket and guys bat around him.”That works for them and it’s something that we might have to think about as well. Having guys that are going really hard and having someone, it might be me, who just bats normally and then you see how you go. I guess when you do that, perhaps you’re going to have days where you get bowled out for not many. But you back your players to come off maybe more often than not and get those big totals. That’s what the English players are doing at the moment. They’re playing with such freedom and have pretty good game plans.”Through history, ODI cricket has been dominated either by outstanding teams – think West Indies 1975 to 1983 or Australia 1999 to 2007 – or those prepared to push new boundaries, whether it was Australia setting new fielding and strike-rotation standards in 1987, Pakistan chasing wickets over economy in 1992, or Sri Lanka bossing the early overs in 1996. Morgan has stated bluntly that this is England’s goal, and his attitude to a chase of 305 on Sunday only underlined the fact.”I certainly would have taken it at the start, 300 these days isn’t quite a big total to chase down,” he told . “Certainly in the last couple of years we’ve found ourselves on the right side of it so it wasn’t a huge task. It was surrounded by Jason’s incredible innings, but I’ve no doubt somebody else would’ve put their hand up if needed.”We are going with the mantra that we always need to be on top of our game and testing the opposition the whole time. We have done that a bit with the bat, we will try and continue taking wickets with the ball. This time next year we need to be in a good enough space to be contenders for the World Cup. To be in that space you need to be setting or bucking trends or being able to adapt. We are very open-minded with the way we are going. Also the best way to address it is to be on the front foot.”Both teams lost wickets in clumps on Sunday. The difference however was that Australia’s early struggles against a swift Mark Wood sapped momentum from the early part of the innings, whereas Roy and Jonny Bairstow supercharged England’s chase in such a way that Root was able to play without undue haste in establishing a longer union with Roy. Their stand assumed far larger dimensions than the equivalent partnership between Aaron Finch and Mitchell Marsh.Aaron Finch was in terrific touch from the first ball of his innings•Getty Images

“I think we probably left ourselves a bit short, we had a good opportunity at 3 for 196 with 14 overs to go and then we lost two wickets, the two set batters, pretty quickly,” Smith said. “Stoinis and Painey had to reset and probably did well to get up over 300 at that point in time, but if a couple batters stayed for a little bit longer and gave ourselves that chance to really go hard at the back end we probably could’ve got up around 340, which was probably where we needed to be.”It was pleasing [Finch and Marsh] were able to form a nice partnership. They played some good cricket for that period there. They hit the loose balls, hit the ball to the areas that they wanted to hit it to and rotated the strike really well.”That’s what they needed to do in the middle overs and try and take it a little bit longer. That’s the disappointing part of it. We had our chance to set ourselves up to get a big score, or what I thought was par, around 330. But we just weren’t able to do it.”As for how to handle England’s aggression as a fielding captain, Smith said it was simply a case of taking more wickets. “You try and do whatever you can to take wickets, that’s the key,” he said. “If you’re getting them out then they’re not going to be doing the damage out there, but they’ve been pretty consistent playing that way. Someone comes off more often than not and sets their team up really nicely, and this was Jason Roy’s night.”

Catch all the updates from the ninth and final round of Ranji Trophy matches of the ongoing season where five quarter-final spots are up for grabs

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Dec-2016

South Africa are already Test cricket’s best touring team, having last lost a road series in 2006, and they are fast becoming a force in shorter formats on the road as well

Firdose Moonda25-Oct-20150:50

‘Faf didn’t get enough credit’ – de Villiers

With Dale Steyn leading a strong pace unit complemented by No. 1 ranked ODI bowler Imran Tahir, South Africa have routinely been referred to as the team with the best bowling attack in the world. Now, according to AB de Villiers, they can add best batting line-up and best team spirit to their repertoire as well.”With the bat in hand, with the last 20 or 30 overs, we are definitely the best batting line-up in the world. There’s no doubt about that. We have proven that over quite a few years now,” de Villiers said, after his team posted their fourth total over 400 this year, sixth overall and joint-third highest of all time to win their first-ever bilateral ODI series in India and second trophy of the tour. But he did not attribute the mountain of runs as the only reason for their success away from home.”That comes purely down to team spirit. We have got an incredible culture in the team and respect for each other – it’s driven by some of the senior players, a culture that was started a few years ago. We know who we are playing for and why we play and we really enjoy the simple things about cricket, not only cricket but life too, and getting to know each other. I believe that’s an area where we are better than other teams – our team spirit and the culture that we have. We are very proud of that.”

IPL on Rabada’s radar

After displays of pace, persistence and penetration across both the T20s and the ODIs against India, it was inevitable that Kagiso Rabada and the IPL would be mentioned in the same sentence, even if not by the man himself. Asked if he thought a contract was headed his way, Rabada was both bashful and bold about the possibility of playing in the event.
“My mind is not on IPL now. My mind was on winning this series but it will be great to play in the IPL. It’s something I want to do in the future,” he admitted. “I don’t know when it will come but I am not too involved in that.”
For now, the 20-year-old tearaway is focused on the international game with the prospect of a Test debut in the next few weeks. “I am going to keep preparing well and making sure I do the right things to make sure I can even get better. I don’t know what my limit is so I am always pushing myself, by asking questions as well. What I have learnt is that international cricket is great competition, especially when you come to India. The intensity is very high and you really need to be on the button every ball. I’ve enjoyed it a lot. I’ve learnt to have a high intensity at all times.”

South Africa are already Test cricket’s best touring team, having last lost a road series in 2006, and they are fast becoming a force in shorter formats on the road as well. Ironically, it was also in 2006 when South Africa first posted a total of 438, against Australia at the Wanderers. That match was also a decider in a series. South Africa have become increasingly good at winning those and this one was de Villiers’ favourite.”It was a huge game, a final, history on the line. So with that in mind, it was definitely the biggest game and the best game I have captained. It was the complete performance with bat and ball.”The match was only the second in which an innings featured three centurions. South Africa were also responsible for the first time that has happened – when Hashim Amla, Rilee Rossouw and de Villiers produced a trio of triple-figures in January against West Indies – and de Villiers’ ton today means he featured on both occasions. In the process, his three centuries on this tour have taken him to 23 in the format, past Amla and Herschelle Gibbs’ 21 for the most by a South African in ODIs.De Villiers is fast establishing himself as a great, if he has not done that already, not to mention a fan favourite. Few supporters are as passionate or partisan as Indian ones but the cries of “AB! AB!” which rang around every venue were an anthem of appreciation for the South African captain. He knows there can be no better acknowledgment of the magnitude of what his team has achieved.”It is very humbling to hear the crowd cheer for me like that. I can only be thankful and blessed with the opportunities I have had in my life. I will never forget it,” de Villiers said. “It is a great privilege and an honour to be playing front of big crowds in India. I always tell my teammates to enjoy it. It’s not always about the result but really enjoying ourselves and representing our country in the best manner.”What has been particularly pleasing for de Villiers is the manner in which the young players are representing the country because it promises a successful future. In this series, Quinton de Kock has reemerged with the bat while Kagiso Rabada has announced himself with his pace and de Villiers is enjoying being able to watch their progression.”Quinny has been through a tough patch but he has come back and he did it the right way. He went back to South Africa A cricket, did the hard yards, worked on his technique, scored a lot of runs. I have always been behind him and I feel he is going to be a great cricketer one day,” de Villiers said.”And KG is another one that is knocking on the door of greatness in future. He knows he has got hard work ahead and lot of battles to go through, a lot of form changes. There is a lot of talent there, a great mind on his shoulders and easy to work with. It’s an absolute pleasure to be a captain to a guy like that who knows what he wants, pretty clear with his decision making and he wants to be there. You can see he is hungry and he wants to win games for South Africa.”Already, Rabada and co have won two series in India and now they are eyeing their biggest success, in the longest format.”It was an incredible achievement by us to win both series. The Test matches will be a big challenge again,” de Villiers said. “India will want to come back harder and stronger and we know they have the ability to do that but we will be up for it.”We are very hungry for success, we are very hungry to create history, we love traveling abroad, that’s where our team spirit kicks in and really plays a role in us playing better cricket. There’s no reason why we cant win the Test series but we know there is a lot of hard work ahead.”

So worried are Australia’s selectors by the lack of batting quality available for this year’s dual Ashes series that the seasoned duo of Chris Rogers and Adam Voges are being seriously considered for Test squad duty

Daniel Brettig03-Apr-2013So worried are Australia’s selectors by the lack of batting quality available to them for this year’s dual Ashes assignments that the seasoned duo of Chris Rogers and Adam Voges are being seriously considered for Test squad duty.The national selector John Inverarity mentioned both Rogers, 35, and Voges, 33, as possible Ashes tourists while speaking at some length about Australia’s widespread batting problems as he announced the list of centrally contracted players for 2013-14. Only six specialist batsmen were granted contracts among the 20 players chosen, leaving Inverarity’s panel plenty of scope to choose batsmen from outside the list when they name an Ashes squad of 17.Rogers and Voges both have the advantage of considerable batting experience in England, the former an especially prolific performer during northern summers. Rogers, who played his only Test match in 2008, has compiled 9,230 first-class runs at an average of 53.97 in England with 28 centuries, the vast majority made at the top of the order against the moving ball.Voges’ record is not quite as imposing, but his 2736 runs at 45.60 with four centuries for Nottinghamshire have added lustre when it is considered that the club’s home ground, Trent Bridge, is where the first Test of the Ashes series will be played. Never chosen in a Test XI, Voges made a composed ODI century at the MCG earlier this year.Inverarity said Rogers “has been and will be in discussions”, and mentioned Voges alongside Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith and Alex Doolan as other batting contenders among the group who did not receive a CA contract. Overall, however, Inverarity maintained a disappointed if not quite bewildered tone at the problems of Australian batting, exposed as they were by a series of horrid displays in India.”We do not have the batting depth in Australian cricket now that we enjoyed 15 years ago. We just don’t. That’s something that cricket in Australia really needs to address and we need to get more batsmen making runs prolifically,” Inverarity said. “We thirst for players who do really well across all formats.”That’s a concern for Australian cricket, as we’ve said consistently in recent times. We are looking for consistent, prolific run-scorers in all forms of cricket. Those players to whom it doesn’t matter whether it’s white ball, red ball, Twenty20, whatever it is, they go out and they churn out the runs.”There has been an absence of that in recent years in club cricket, domestic interstate cricket, and international cricket, and that needs to be a real focus of coaching and development in Australia. It’s just got to be done, it needs to be done. That involves technique but mindset as well. That’s what we need.”Australia’s increasingly jumbled schedule of different formats both at junior and domestic levels has been a major bother for the selectors. Australia’s limited-overs captain George Bailey made only one first-class half-century all summer, a famine largely attributable to a season in which he jumped ceaselessly from first-class to one-day to T20 and back again.Inverarity cited the example of Doolan, who was the dominant domestic batsman in the early part of the season, peaking with an attractive century for Australia A against the South Africans at the SCG, but then spent much of the December-January period as a fringe player for the Melbourne Renegades in the BBL. Perhaps not surprisingly, he struggled to regain his earlier touch when the Sheffield Shield resumed.Khawaja’s case provides further cause for disquiet. His place as a reserve batsman for the national team kept him out of numerous Shield engagements for Queensland including the final. Whether or not Khawaja should have played Tests over that time is a matter for the selectors, but the schedule left them with precious little evidence on which to choose him.”He worked very hard in India and did well, and he will be well prepared,” Inverarity said. “He’s strongly in contention for the Ashes, but it is a concern [the lack of first-class matches]. It’s certainly not an ideal preparation, him not playing more red-ball cricket.”

Marlon Samuels, the Pune Warriors batsman and part-time offspinner, has been reported for a suspect action following his spell against Chennai Super Kings on Saturday

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Apr-2012Marlon Samuels, the Pune Warriors batsman and part-time offspinner, has been reported for a suspect action following his spell against Chennai Super Kings on Saturday, according to a media advisory posted on IPLT20.com, the tournament’s website. Samuels was reported by the on-field umpires, Aleem Dar and Bruce Oxenford, and the third umpire Vineet Kulkarni after the game.As per IPL policy, Samuels will be allowed to bowl for the Warriors but should he be reported again, he “will be suspended from bowling for the remainder of the season.”Samuels has had problems with his action in the past. He was reported for a suspect action after the third Test between West Indies and South Africa in 2008 in Durban, when the on-field umpires raised doubts especially with regards to his “fast” deliveries. He underwent significant remedial work, and an independent test found his action to be legal. In 2011, he was cleared by the ICC for bowling in international cricket.

Chris Grant has been appointed Derbyshire’s Chairman following the Annual General Meeting at The County Ground

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Mar-2011Chris Grant has been appointed Derbyshire’s Chairman following the Annual General Meeting at The County Ground. Phil Kirby was appointed Vice Chairman and Derek Morgan formally announced as the new President.David Griffin and Malcolm Nicholas were the only nominations for the positions of Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer and so were elected unopposed. Don Amott, Chris Grant, Tony Borrington and David Booth will all serve three-year terms on the Committee, while David Skipworth was elected for one year after gaining 254 votes.Trevor Island (199 votes) and Ian Leslie (111 votes) were not elected.

The traditional curtain-raiser to the English domestic season begins on Monday as county champions Durham play MCC

Liam Brickhill28-Mar-2010The traditional curtain-raiser to the English domestic season begins on Monday as county champions Durham play MCC. But while the fixture conjures up genteel images of flannelled gentlemen opening the season under heavy April skies at HQ, the details of the match represent a significant break from convention. The game is to be played well over 3,000 miles away from Lord’s, at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, under floodlights, and with a pink ball.The conditions will be a far cry from those Durham will encounter in their opening Championship game against Essex on April 15, and despite captain Will Smith’s recent assertion that his team are heading for a “golden age” as they chase a hat-trick of Championship titles, the buzz ahead of the game is all due to the innovations being trialled. Never before in the history of English first-class cricket has a game been played at night with a pink ball, although the novelty has been tested in limited-overs games, and in a first-class match in the West Indies.The trialling of this contemporary innovation could have momentous and far-reaching implications, and, with the Lord’s Test of Bangladesh’s tour this summer briefly mooted as a possible day-night affair, Keith Bradshaw, MCC’s chief executive, believes the Abu Dhabi match is an important step in paving the way for day-night Tests in the near future.”The MCC have just done a tour in this region and all the reports that came back on the pink ball were very encouraging,” he told reporters in Abu Dhabi. “But the proof will be in the pudding, which is over the next few days. If the ball stacks up here, performs well, holds its shine and shape and the players have good visibility, then that’s as good a test as any.”We don’t want to create any expectations of a timescale, because if there are some issues with the ball we don’t want to push too hard and find we’ve created expectations we can’t fulfil,” he added. “But I would like to think that if the tests go well and the ball stacks up that we could implement this fairly quickly. I would encourage the ICC and other boards that if the trial goes well, let’s implement it as soon as we can. If it stacks up and we get good reports, then why not?”Despite the landmark nature of the fixture, the changes being tested are unlikely to have a great impact on Test cricket in England, one of the few countries where Tests are still well attended. The fickleness of English weather, even in the summer, also dents the attraction of attending a Test in the evening and as such the evolution of the format could be far more significantly felt in the subcontinent and Australia, where audiences are falling.”On the whole, we’ve not really looked at this specifically for England but further abroad,” explained Bradshaw. “Test match attendances throughout England, and in London in particular, are still very healthy. We’re fortunate in England that we’re not seeing the declining numbers that some other countries are seeing.”We’re not advocating that every Test is a day-night Test, but it can compliment and certainly add some interest in the subcontinent and other countries,” he added. “I know Australia are keen and have been trialling the concept. James Sutherland [chief executive of Cricket Australia] is very keen to push on with the concept and find an appropriate ball.”With cricket as a whole in a state of flux, and uncertainty surrounding the future of both Test and one-day cricket in an increasingly packed international calendar, Smith warned against the danger of cheapening the game with gimmickry for financial gain, although he accepted that the implementation of the concepts could provide a timely boost to cricket’s longer formats.”If it goes well out here in 40 degree heat that’s one thing but it would be hard to fully align that to English conditions,” the Durham captain said. “I think we would need to have a few more steps along the way before we see day-night Test cricket or Championship cricket.”As long as it doesn’t take away from the traditional values and the nuances of the four-day game, which are very important, it must be a good thing. If it can bring more spectators in after work then great, but it can’t just be used as a money-making tool – the game still has to be right.”Jon Lewis, the Gloucestershire opening bowler, Glamorgan left-arm spinner Dean Cosker and Tim Murtagh from Middlesex have been drafted into the MCC squad for the match in order to give Steven Finn and Chris Tremlett a rest, and if MCC field first, Lewis could well have the honour of bowling the first pink ball in English first-class cricket.”I’m really pleased and excited to get this opportunity to play for MCC in Abu Dhabi. It will be extremely useful, high quality match practice ahead of the championship season,” he said. “Playing with the pink ball and under lights is a fascinating prospect and I’m eager to learn more about the pink ball and how it behaves.”Mark Ramprakash, who had been part of the MCC squad, has flown home from Abu Dhabi for personal reasons, meaning that MCC’s playing XI for the fixture is now fixed.MCC Alex Gidman (capt), Scott Newman, David Sales, Dawid Malan, James Taylor, James Foster (wk), James Middlebrook, Tim Murtagh, Steve Kirby, Jon Lewis, Dean CoskerDurham (from) Will Smith (capt), Phil Mustard (wk), Dale Benkenstein, Ben Stokes, Gordon Muchall, Michael Di Venuto, Mark Stoneman, Ben Harmison, Gareth Breese, Kyle Coetzer, Ian Blackwell, Michael Richardson, Will Gidman, Neil Killeen, Mitchell Claydon, Chris Rushworth, Luke Evans, Callum Thorp, Scott Borthwick, Steve Harmison

Batter withdrew from India Test tour and IPL but is focussed on World Cup comeback

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Apr-2024Harry Brook says his performances this summer are dedicated to his late grandmother Pauline, who passed away in March.Pauline Brook was visible throughout her grandson’s career and became a cult hero within English cricket. She often collected awards on Harry’s behalf, of which there have already been many in the player’s short career. She was the figurehead of the Brook family and lived next to Burley-in-Wharfedale Cricket Club, where Harry learned the game.Pauline fell ill in January, while Brook was preparing for England’s Test tour of India in the UAE. The 25-year-old subsequently pulled out of the five-match series, before missing the Indian Premier League with Delhi Capitals after she passed away.Brook has since returned to action with Yorkshire and marked his first match for the county since July 2022 with an emotional 69-ball century against Leicestershire, looking to the sky upon reaching three figures. It was his first competitive appearance since England’s fifth T20I against West Indies in December. A second century – 126 not out – came on Saturday against Derbyshire at Headingley, as Yorkshire posted 450 for 5 declared in their first innings.Speaking publicly for the first time since Pauline’s death, Brook dedicated both his centuries to his grandmother and reflected on a tough time for the family. He was also grateful for the time he had with her at the start of the year before her condition deteriorated.”Both of those hundreds [for Yorkshire this season] and all of the runs I’ve scored so far this year are all dedicated to her,” Brook told the ECB Reporters Network.”When I came home from Abu Dhabi, it was a very tough time, and I’m glad I did come home. Obviously, it was a big decision to make. I hadn’t played hundreds of games for England, so to just turn down a big Test tour like that [India] was a big decision to make.”But she comes before all of that. She would have come out there a couple of years ago, so I had to come back and support her as much as I could. I managed to take her out for a coffee and whatnot in that first week I was back.”I was still training with a mindset of trying to get back out for the last couple of Tests, all being well. It all disintegrated fairly quickly, so that didn’t happen. I just tried to support her as best as I could and everyone around us.”Following the conclusion of Yorkshire’s match with Derbyshire, in which rain washed out the entirety of the scheduled third day’s play on Sunday, Brook will play his final County Championship match of this portion of the season, against Glamorgan next week. He will then join England for their T20I series against Pakistan ahead of the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean.Brook was an ever-present in England’s 2022 T20 World Cup triumph and will be integral to their title defence. Jos Buttler and Matthew Mott announce their provisional squad on Tuesday (April 30) with Brook set to be a pivotal figure in a relatively young group. He will then return to the Test side this summer for series against West Indies and Sri Lanka from July.”I’m looking forward to it, if selected,” Brook said of the World Cup. “We join up at the end of next month. I’m looking forward to being back with the lads and hopefully producing the goods for England again.”

Coach wants England to “call on good experiences” in bid to reclaim the urn from Australia

Vithushan Ehantharajah21-Dec-2022Brendon McCullum admits next summer’s Ashes series is “a big carrot” for his new and improved England men’s Test side, as thoughts turn to next year’s challenges after a remarkable end to the 2022 campaign.On Tuesday in Karachi, England closed out a convincing 3-0 win over Pakistan to give McCullum a third series victory as head coach. Since taking over at the start of the summer, he and captain Ben Stokes have overseen nine victories in 10 matches.The scale of the red-ball resurgence over the last seven months is such that the scars of a horrendous run of one win in 17 before McCullum and Stokes took over seem to have disappeared. That stretch included a demoralising 4-0 defeat in Australia last winter which led to plenty of introspection in the domestic game – not least the publication of Sir Andrew Strauss’ High Performance Review.Now, however, there is a belief among the England team they are more than a match for all comers in all conditions. Thus, the prospect of beating Australia for the first time since 2015 is a tantalising one.McCullum has been reticent to look far ahead and has not been afraid to express his frustration at England’s Ashes obsession: “You guys do this all the time, eh?” he said when asked about facing Australia on the Karachi outfield. Nevertheless, with just two Tests against New Zealand in February and then a single home Test against Ireland before the five-match series starts at Edgbaston on June 16, he admits the challenge Australia will pose has entered the management’s thoughts.Related

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McCullum believes efforts to reclaim the urn next season will rely on the experiences banked in Pakistan, which England will need to call on against a fierce adversary. “From our point of view, we will have loose plans about that stuff,” he said, when asked about the Ashes. “It is a big carrot down the line.”At the same time, I want the guys to enjoy what we have been able to achieve here. Just like the summer the message is not look too far ahead. Let’s live in the here and now of what we have achieved. Let that sink it. It will take some time to sink in.”I think it is the same with the success this team has had. We have to allow that to sink in because there will be tough challenges in time. And if you have not banked those good experiences, what have you got to call on?”Since England began making headlines with their aggressive approach while talking up how they are looking to change Test cricket, there have been a few back-and-forths with their rivals Down Under. The ‘Bazball’ moniker for the style of play they have adopted has been a source of amusement in the Australian dressing room, with the team putting up a ‘Ronball’ sign in their dressing room during their recent Test match against West Indies [their head coach Andrew MacDonald is nicknamed ‘Ron’, after Ronald McDonald].On Tuesday, Australia’s assistant coach Daniel Vettori credited his friend and former teammate McCullum for the turnaround he has instigated: “That’s Brendon’s nature,” he said. “There is positivity in everything he does.” He also anticipates an intriguing contest between a heavy-hitting batting line-up and a strong Australian bowling attack, who could provide Stokes’ charges with their toughest challenge yet.Vettori expects England to “give it a go” when he faces his friend McCullum in the Ashes•BCCI

“They are going to give it a go, it looks like,” Vettori said. “I think that is what everyone is excited about: that aggressive nature versus an exceptional bowling attack.”Many sceptics are waiting for England’s Test bubble to burst, and predictions of coming unstuck in Pakistan were categorically trumped. However, an Australia bowling line-up with all bases covered could do just that, especially given the manner in which a strong South African pace attack inflicted England’s only defeat under McCullum and Stokes at Lord’s in July.But Mark Wood, the fast bowler who was crucial to securing victory in the second Test in Multan, believes England will relish the opportunity to continue to prove their doubters wrong.”It’s more the fact people keep doubting us,” Wood said, when asked about the anticipation for England trying out their new brand of cricket against Australia. “You can’t go to Pakistan and do that. You’ll never be able to do that against India. Or against New Zealand.”So it’s about [trying to] keep breaking records, keep trying to prove people wrong, play this way and show that, hopefully, other teams will take notice and think they have to be on their ‘A’ game to take on this England team.”