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England have never played limited-overs cricket of any form with this verve and
conviction

Andrew McGlashan in St Lucia13-May-2010England continue to raise the bar. It was already set pretty high after
three consecutive Super Eight victories, but they produced a clinical
display against Sri Lanka to secure a place in their first global final
since 2004. They bowled with intelligence and skill, fielded with their now
customary athleticism and knocked off the runs with barely an alarm. England
have never played limited-overs cricket of any form with this verve and
conviction.The standard reaction after each victory has been for Paul Collingwood to
target areas for improvement, but this time it’s difficult for even the
harshest critic to pick holes. Tim Bresnan’s last over which contained three
wides and cost 15, and Michael Lumb’s attempt at a catch which then went
for four were about the only errors.”Let’s be honest, there aren’t too many areas we can improve on,”
Collingwood said. “We just need to keep the same mentality – and that’s
going to be the hard thing, going into a big game. But the boys keep
responding; every time we talk about it off the pitch, we analyse the
opposition strengths and weaknesses and we keep executing our plans. The
batsmen at the top of the order keep doing it at well, and we’re not going
to go too far wrong.”The tone for a Twenty20 innings is often set in the first few overs and on
that count England were always ahead of the game. Sri Lanka fell to 47 for 4
in the ninth over and England replied with an opening stand of 68 in eight.
Ryan Sidebottom’s inclusion in this side has sparked plenty of debate with
James Anderson left on the sidelines, but he has justified his selection at
both ends of the innings. On this occasion it was a new-ball wicket as
Sanath Jayasuriya edged limply to second slip to complete a wretched
tournament.The man who was playing in Twenty20 style before the game was invented has
been a shadow of his former self with a top score of 6 in this tournament.
The end must be nigh. He began the tournament batting as low as he ever has
at No. 8, but, with Tillakaratne Dilshan struggling for form, was promoted
back to opening. Sadly it looks like an occasion where an international
career has been dragged out a little too long. A player like
Jayasuriya shouldn’t be remembered for prodding and poking.Jayasuriya is already an MP in Sri Lanka and his appearance at this tournament
caused some controversy. Kumar Sangakkara refused to be drawn on the
opener’s future, but said the team should have been able to cover for
Jayasuriya’s lack of form. “Unfortunately he didn’t have a great run but to
his credit he stuck with the team through a difficult period and the team
stuck with him. He showed a lot of support and we made sure he felt wanted,
unfortunately he didn’t deliver but we still had more than enough quality to
do better than we did today.”England, though, have had too much pain at the hands of Jayasuriya to feel
any sympathy in the middle of a crucial semi-final. Their opening stand of
Lumb and Craig Kieswetter in the run chase was a bit of payback.
Jayasuriya’s onslaught in the 1996 World Cup quarter-final left deep scars
and was one reason why England’s one-day game stood still for many years.
They tried and failed (with the exception of Marcus Trescothick and maybe
Nick Knight) to find someone who could consistently replicate that type of
hitting.Even with the creation of Twenty20 players who cleared the ropes on the
domestic scene, England openers were left flapping when promoted to the international
stage. That has lasted until this tournament when the performances of Lumb and
Kieswetter have given England much-needed impetus. The asking rate in this
chase was never tough, but it pays not to get behind against Sri
Lanka’s spinners and the openers ensured that didn’t happen.”Sometimes there are finishing pieces to a jigsaw. We had some very good
players among other players but what we needed was a spark at the top of the
order,” Collingwood said. “Maybe everyone has seen it as a gamble but we
certainly selected them on potential and we knew what they could do. They
have come and batted fantastically well and really helped the middle order
overcome totals.”Their overall tally of runs won’t set pulses racing but it has been the
intent which is vital. The same was true when Jayasuriya formed his
era-defining partnership with Romesh Kaluwitharana. Often it wasn’t how
many, but how quickly. Sri Lanka had the mindset that it didn’t matter if
they were 70 for 2 after eight overs, the middle order would rebuild.
Translate that to Twenty20 and England are quite happy being 50 for 2 after
five – it’s much better than 25 for 1.It can be dangerous for a batting unit to approach a small target with less
conviction than a tough chase – Lumb and Kieswetter didn’t get close to
falling into the trap. They milked Ajantha Mendis, knowing he was the main
threat and didn’t have enough runs to play with, and went hard at everyone
else. These are long boundaries in St Lucia; the openers hit three sixes
between them whereas Sri Lanka had one all innings. Kevin Pietersen added two
more for good measure, finishing the match in a flourish to show he had no
jetlag. But they could have won this one without him.

The CAB is adamant Eden Gardens would have been ready in time for the India-England match, but they are expecting a crowd of 35,000 for the game between South Africa and Ireland

Firdose Moonda in Kolkata14-Mar-2011Eden Gardens’ wait is over; the World Cup has arrived in Kolkata. It’s more than two weeks later than was originally scheduled, but it’s finally come.It hasn’t come with the pomp and ceremony it was supposed to bring: a match between India and England would have, no doubt, been played in front of a capacity crowd. It hasn’t come with the local heroes that the people of Kolkata have not seen play live for their country, in the city, since February last year in a Test match. It hasn’t come with a match that, on paper, offers a close contest that may prove decisive in the group stage. But it’s come; and, more importantly, the iconic stadium is ready to receive it.Eden Gardens was stripped of its right to host the India-England clash because the ICC decided that it would not be ready by February 27, when they inspected the venue on January 27. It was a massive blow for the stadium and considered an embarrassment; but instead of cowering away, the Cricket Association of Bengal have come out defiant, insisting that they were always ready on time.Kishore Bhimani, veteran administrator, journalist and now media manager of the venue, was involved at the time and was among those who believed the match should have stayed at Eden Gardens. “I thought we were ready,” he told ESPNCricinfo. “There were some problems with the drainage system, the radio boxes and the sightscreen, but I think the main issue was that there was a mismatch between our promise to them [the ICC] that we would have it all done and their belief in our promise.” The drainage system and media facilities have been spruced up and the sightscreen now covers the entire lower tier, things the administrators say were easy to fix.The CAB is adamant that they could have had those alterations made in time for February 27 and that they were denied their golden moment of the tournament. For them, the loss they have suffered, not just in monetary terms, but purely by not having an India game, cannot be recovered. “It’s like having had diamonds and now being given silver,” Biswarup Dey, the joint secretary of the CAB said. “Everything was fine, it was all ready and nothing major has changed since we were first inspected. But the ICC is the parent body and we can’t say anything more.”Most of the officials had the same attitude, not wanting to hark back to the game they so desperately wanted to host, and are anxious to get on with hosting the matches they do have. Bhimani is even optimistic that the response from the public will be positive. “We are expecting a crowd of around 35,000 for the match between South Africa and Ireland. Of those tickets 7000-8000 were sold, the rest were given to affiliates”It still means that more than half the stadium, which has a capacity of 63,000 (down from 100,000 after the renovations) will be full. That so many people were willing to buy a ticket to see the game is impressive, especially since the cheapest seat is Rs 400 (10US$), and Bhimani thinks the reason may lie with one of the teams that is in town. “South Africa are playing very well so people want to see them but they are also a real favourite in Kolkata.”Eden Gardens was the stadium where it all started for South Africa, in 1991, when they re-entered the international fray. This is where they came after a 22-year exile imposed on them by Apartheid and this is where they re-started as an international cricket team.Bhimani was part of the organising committee for that tour and he remembers the excitement when South Africa was welcomed at Eden Gardens. “There were at least 100,000 people lining the road from the airport to the hotel to see the South African team. At the hotel, there was great curiosity from people to see the team. And they [the team] weren’t worried about security, they were happy to meet people.”On the field, South Africa weren’t quite as suave. They were overawed by having to play in a “stadium with 87,000 seats, each of which was occupied,” as Bhimani said. Most of the players had only performed in front of domestic crowds in South Africa, which never numbered more than a few thousand. Andrew Hudson, who opened the batting then and is convenor of selectors now, admitted to being so nervous that “I was trembling” and was out for a third-ball duck. India won the match that day, but South Africa won hearts.Twenty years later, South Africa have a lot more experience in international cricket and of playing in front of big crowds, and are back in the city for a pit-stop on what they hope will be a road to a title that has evaded them. The memories of their first visit may be what draws Indian crowds to come and watch them here but the team is not dwelling on the past. They are here thinking only of the future that they hope will include a piece of ICC silverware, and are only too happy for Kolkata to be one of the venues where that crown is won.”It’s a special place to play,” Corrie van Zyl, South Africa coach said. “It’s awesome to be back. We were here last year when the stadium was being built and it will be nice to see it now that it’s finished.” The concrete slabs have been replaced by bucket seats with roofs being constructed over them. Not all of the roofs are complete, with two of the stands only sheltered by a skeleton structure on which the covering is yet to be added. Ironically, that covering is being imported from South Africa.

ESPNcricinfo presents the Plays of the Day from the one-off Twenty20 between West Indies and India at Port of Spain

Sriram Veera at Port of Spain04-Jun-2011The reaction of the day – I
It went off the bat. It really did. Surely, Shikhar Dhawan felt the impact? It was a short ball from Darren Sammy and Dhawan made a lame attempt at an upper cut. The ball lobbed up to the wicketkeeper, the umpire nodded his head to suggest it was out; perhaps he felt it was so clearly out that he didn’t have to raise the finger, but he had to since Dhawan didn’t budge. And as he trudged off ever so slowly, Dhawan even had a wry grin as though he had been wrongly given out. Strange.The reaction of the day – II
Lendl Simmons couldn’t believe it when he was given out. He was cramped for room by an offbreak from R Ashwin and the ball seemed to go off the thigh and bounce off Parthiv Patel’s helmet. Never mind whether there was an edge or not, since a batsman cannot be given out if the ball touches the external protective gear of a fielder. His partner Andre Fletcher even tried to argue the case, but the umpires did not agree. Perhaps they just didn’t see the impact with the helmet. Simmons had to depart. Shame.The effort of the day
It was a free-hit and S Badrinath lifted it to the left of long-off, but Ashley Nurse was in some mood. He dashed across, flung himself full-length to his left and caught the ball with both hands. It was an outstanding effort but he couldn’t help but touch the ropes before he managed to throw the ball inside the boundary. Pity.The flying turf of the day
It happened off the fifth delivery of the day. When Ravi Rampaul landed the ball on a length, a piece of the pitch flew up. It was the sign of things to come. It proved a slow turning track. If such surfaces persist through the series, things are going to be difficult for West Indies.The distraction of the day
It came from Chris Gayle. Dressed in a white costume, he was seen in the stands sitting with Jerome Taylor. As the game progressed, he tweeted that he planned to move to the Trini Posse stands. As the game neared the end, Gayle was seen there, mixing with the crowd and posing for photographs. Christopher Barnwell then launched a massive six and the cheer-girls, standing in front of Gayle, swayed ever so joyously. Gayle smiled and waved a small white towel that he held in his hands. Later he even tweeted: “WI Fans..Don’t worry about a thing,cause every little things gonna be alright…” (sic). Were the white flag and the tweet that followed signs that he has reached some sort of compromise with the board? Hope floats.

Cricketers have often had to choose between cash and country. For some, like Rod McCurdy, it was a choice that raised many questions about what might have been

Brydon Coverdale22-Nov-2011In 1985, Rod McCurdy had a decision to make. At 25, he was a journeyman fast bowler who had already played for three Australian states. He was married and had a six-year-old son. He needed financial security. The rebel tours of South Africa offered that.On the other hand, he had just made his one-day international debut. A place on the 1985 Ashes tour beckoned. The baggy green was there for the taking. History shows that McCurdy chose the rebel route and settled in South Africa after the tours. More than a quarter of a century later, he still wonders what could have been.”I pulled out of that 1985 Ashes tour,” McCurdy says. “It always bugs me. I was picked on the Ashes tour. Would I have gone there? Yes, I was going there. We would have loved to have gone there, played in the Ashes, and then come out to South Africa afterwards. At least I would have had my opportunity. That’s a disappointment for me.”Some fast bowlers, Terry Alderman and Carl Rackemann, for example, returned home after the rebel tours, served their two-year bans and went on to play Test cricket. But McCurdy was offered a contract to stay on and play with Eastern Cape under the captaincy of Kepler Wessels. Then another contract and another. He never played in Australia again.”A lot of people may not like this, but being a bowler in those days, the money wasn’t great, and also you didn’t know if you were going to get a stress fracture in your back, was your ankle going to get stuck in the footholes,” McCurdy says. “You don’t know. It sounds mercenary but today the guys don’t mind moving around and playing for as many sides as they can, whoever pays them.”I had a young family and at the time it was very enticing. The money was guaranteed and back home it wasn’t guaranteed. A lot of people may not like that comment, but that’s the fact of it. If you look at modern-day sport, there’s no loyalty anymore.”It’s every kid’s dream to have the baggy-green cap. When I was a kid, I was getting Dennis Lillee’s signature on the boundary when I was about 15. Three and a half years later I was playing my first game against him in Perth. That’s the dream. Every kid, when they go to the MCG and see a Boxing Day Test, you just want to have the chance to run out. I had the chance to run out and play one-day internationals, but it would have been great to play a five-day game. But we all make choices in life and you live with them.”Now 51, McCurdy still lives in South Africa with his wife Donna. Their second and third children were born in South Africa and have never visited Australia. For several years McCurdy has run a security business in Port Elizabeth, marketing alarms for homes and small businesses. Not surprisingly it’s a lucrative market in South Africa.He is about to start a new job in Johannesburg, as operations manager of Tellytrack, the racing television station. McCurdy will work both behind the scenes – he shares an office with the former New Zealand captain Ken Rutherford – and on camera, at the racetrack. His love of punting came from his father, a greyhound trainer in Melbourne.McCurdy remembers skipping a Victoria state training session early in his career – “It was pelting with rain,” he says – to go and watch one of his father’s dogs run in the country town of Warragul. It was a lucrative night and McCurdy returned home with a wad of cash, only to be told by his wife that Victoria’s chairman of selectors had been on the phone looking for him.”I was suspended for one game,” he says. “The next day in the the headline was ‘McCurdy Gone to the Dogs’.”Over his career, McCurdy became no stranger to the occasional run-in with authority. During the rebel tour he was fined 1000 rand for allegedly kicking Australia’s team manager, Bruce Francis, in the change rooms. McCurdy had been batting in a match Australia needed to win to level the series; not only were they playing for honour, but for the chance to play a tie-break game for more money.”I was batting and facing Hugh Page, who was bouncing me, and my record shows I wasn’t the greatest batsman in the world,” McCurdy says. “I got out and as I walked up the race, the crowd was giving it to me. We were desperate to win it, not just for Australia but to load our pockets [in] the next game.”I walked inside and Bruce was not even watching the game, he was reading the newspaper with his feet up – and he was our team manager. I just walked straight through him, he fell on the ground and then reported me to Ali Bacher. I got a hearing and a 1000-rand fine. That was big money in those days. There was contact – I walked straight through his legs, but I didn’t kick him. I’d never kick anyone.”McCurdy would have been a nightmare for cricket administrators these days. Not surprisingly, he is pleased that he played in an era in which players could still be themselves.McCurdy now works behind the scenes and in front of the camera at a racing TV station in Johannesburg•ESPNcricinfo Ltd”One day I was playing against David Hookes in Tasmania when I was about 20,” he says. “I threw a mock punch at him on the field, Hookesy ducked for cover. Some of the stuff Hoggy [Rodney Hogg] and Lillee said – it was brilliant stuff. But these days you can’t say a word. You can’t even look at an umpire like you’re disappointed, or you’re fined. They’ve taken all the characters out of the game. People want them but how can you be a character if you’re not allowed to show any emotion?”A barrel-chested fast bowler who compares his style of bowling with that of Peter Siddle, McCurdy was the type of man who could run in all day without dropping his pace. He was good enough to take 305 first-class wickets, plus plenty on the rebel tours, including 6 for 67 in Johannesburg either side of Christmas Day 1986.McCurdy has fond memories of the rebel matches. He recalls breaking Clive Rice’s foot with a yorker in a one-day game, only to watch Rice bat on and win the game for South Africa. “After that I just had so much respect for the guy,” he says. “We had the game won but he turned it around and they won it.”Rice would eventually play three ODIs for South Africa when they were readmitted to international cricket. McCurdy’s official international career never went beyond the 11 ODIs he played in early 1985, before he signed the deal that would change his life.”Would I change it? Probably not, no. Did we ever think we would live in South Africa? No, we didn’t. But we’ve had a good time here. The people are great and the lifestyle is fantastic.”Everyone likes to say, ‘At least I played one Test.’ I suppose we can always live in dreams of what could have been. But it hasn’t happened and I’ve got to live with that. I’ve certainly enjoyed my time here. It’s been great fun.”

Playing in a team whose batsmen have regularly struggled outside Sri Lanka, Kumar Sangakkara has stood out because of his consistency and reliability in away Tests

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan15-Sep-2011Proven performer home and away

In the third Test at the SSC, Kumar Sangakkara will become the fifth Sri Lanka player and the 51st cricketer overall to feature in 100 Tests. Ever since his debut in 2000, not only has Sangakkara been one of Sri Lanka’s most successful batsmen in home Tests, but has also shown good consistency in away Tests, something very few Sri Lanka batsmen have managed over the years. Sangakkara, like most top batsmen, has a home average higher than his overall career average, but stands out among Sri Lanka’s players because of his solid performances in conditions outside the subcontinent. He is Sri Lanka’s highest run-getter in Tests played outside Asia and also boasts the highest average among Sri Lanka cricketers who have scored at least 1000 runs in Tests outside the subcontinent (excluding Zimbabwe Tests). Although he has a lower conversion rate of fifties to hundreds (0.36) than Mahela Jayawardene (1.67) and Marvan Atapattu (0.66), he has far fewer low scores and has been dismissed for a duck only once in 48 innings. However, Sangakkara’s average of 41.66 in Tests outside the subcontinent (Zimbabwe Tests not included) is only seventh on the list of averages for top subcontinent batsmen in Tests outside Asia.Between his debut and the end of 2005, Sangakkara scored 3822 runs at an average of 46.60 with eight centuries and 18 fifties. Since then, however, he has had a far more prolific run, scoring 4750 runs at an average of 65.97 with 17 centuries. His finest year was 2007 when he scored 968 runs in seven matches at an average of 138.28. Sangakkara also played as a wicketkeeper in 48 Tests but was less successful as a batsman in those games. While his average is 40.48 in the matches he played as a wicketkeeper, the corresponding number jumps to 70.84 in games where he has played purely as a batsman. Sangakkara also had a very successful time as a batsman in Tests in which he was captain; his average of 69.60 is second only to Don Bradman’s average of 101.51 among captains who have scored at least 1500 runs. During the course of his career, Sangakkara has demonstrated a penchant for big scores. His tally of seven double-centuries is joint-third on the list of batsmen with the most 200-plus scores in Tests.

Till the end of the 1990s, Sri Lanka won and lost 11 Tests in Sri Lanka, and were not quite a force to be reckoned with at home. However, all that has changed since 2000 when they have won 32 Tests and lost just 13. Along with Muttiah Muralitharan’s extraordinary bowling display, the batting exploits of Sangakkara and Jayawardene have proved crucial to their success. While Jayawardene averages 63.04 in home Tests with 20 centuries, Sangakkara is not far behind with an average close to 62 with 16 centuries. They have, by far, been the best batsmen for Sri Lanka in home Tests over the years with only Aravinda de Silva and Sanath Jayasuriya coming close. Away matches have never been Sri Lanka’s forte. They had won five and lost 27 Tests till the end of the 1990s. Since then, they have been more successful winning 13 and losing 21. Sangakkara, who has nine centuries at an average of 48.61 in away Tests, is well ahead of Jayawardene and de Silva, who have away averages of 40.45 and 36.12 respectively.

In a period when Sri Lanka’s win-percentage significantly went up, Sangakkara played a significant role. Overall, in matches won by Sri Lanka, he has averaged 76.46 with 15 centuries. More importantly, perhaps, he has averaged 71.00 in away wins, the best among Sri Lanka’s batsmen. Sangakkara has also been consistent across the four innings with his average ranging from a high of 66.13 in the second innings to 39.00 in the fourth innings.

Unimpressive in England and South Africa
Among home grounds, the SSC, which is the venue for the third Test against Australia, has been Sangakkara’s favourite. He has scored 1864 runs at the SSC with seven centuries in 18 Tests at an average of 74.56. Sangakkara has generally reserved his best performances for matches against Pakistan. He averages 77.29 with five centuries in eight matches against them. He has been highly successful in Pakistan, especially in Lahore and Karachi where he has aggregated 634 runs at an average of 105.66. While he has done very well against India at home (average 74.33 with four centuries), he has not quite been the same force in India where he averages just 36.50. He has had an ordinary time against Australia in home Tests (average 25.60 with just one fifty)
but has been Sri Lanka’s best player in Australia. On the 2007 tour, Sangakkara missed the first match but nearly helped his team pull off a sensational win with a superb 192 in Hobart. However, he has struggled in England and South Africa with only one century in 14 Tests.

Outstanding record as a pure batsman
Doubling up as a wicketkeeper did seem to affect Sangakkara’s batting as he averaged just over 40 in the 48 Tests when he kept wickets. The story is altogether very different in matches when he has not had to keep wickets. He averages 70.84 with 18 centuries and his average is second only to Don Bradman’s among batsmen (non-wicketkeepers) who have scored a minimum of 5000 runs. Ten of his 18 centuries came in wins and he averaged an astounding 86.28 in these matches. However, his average of 40.48 in matches when he played as a keeper is behind only that of Andy Flower (53.70) and Adam Gilchrist (47.60) among wicketkeepers who scored over 3000 runs.

Top-class partnership pairing
Sangakkara and Jayawardene have been the most prolific batting pair for Sri Lanka in Tests. In 87 innings, they average 61.42 and have shared 13 century partnerships including the record 624-run stand against South Africa in 2006. In 47 partnerships in home Tests, they average 72.41 and have shared nine century stands, of which seven have been over 150. Among batting pairs who have aggregated at least 4000 runs, the Sangakkara-Jayawardene pairing’s average is behind only Australia’s Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting (average 67.11).

Rajasthan, who sealed their second consecutive Ranji Trophy title, led the way with both bat and ball this season

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan23-Jan-2012Vineet Saxena’s double-century is the 21st overall and the second by a Rajasthan batsman in Ranji Trophy finals•K Sivaraman

• 3: The number of times a team has posted 600-plus against Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy final. Karnataka and Mumbai are the two other teams to achieve the feat in 1995-96 and 2003-04 respectively. Rajasthan’s 621 is also their highest total in the 2011-12 season and is the second instance of a team posting over 500 against Tamil Nadu this season.
• 21: The number of double-centuries scored in Ranji Trophy finals. Vineet Saxena became the second Rajasthan player after Hanumant Singh (1966-67) to score a double-century in a final. Of the 21 double-centuries, seven have been scored by Mumbai batsmen. Gul Mohammad has the highest score in a Ranji final (319) while Vijay Hazare is the only batsman to score two double-centuries in finals. Denis Compton is the only non-Indian batsman to score a double-century in a Ranji final, when he played for Holkar in 1945-46.
• 236: The opening partnership between Aakash Chopra and Vineet Saxena in the final. It is the third 200-plus opening stand in a Ranji final after the 279-run stand between Sunil Gavaskar and Ashok Mankad in 1969-70 and the 243-run partnership between Vinayak Mane and Wasim Jaffer in 2003-04. The Rajasthan innings witnessed three century stands for the first three wickets making it the first ever instance of three century stands for first three wickets in Ranji finals.
• 28: The number of 500-plus totals scored this season. The highest score (698) was made by Tamil Nadu against Gujarat in Ahmedabad. Karnataka and Rajasthan made over 500 on four occasions each, the most by any team. However, only on four of those occasions did teams go on to win the match outright (the others were decided on first-innings lead).
• 19: The number of double-century scores in the 2011-12 season. Saxena’s 257 in the final was the second double-century for Rajasthan in the season and only the second one scored for the team in a Ranji final. While Abhinav Mukund is the only player to score two double-centuries in the 2011-12 season, Manprit Juneja of Gujarat is the only one to score a double-century on debut (against Tamil Nadu).
• 16: The most century stands for a team this season. Not surprisingly, Rajasthan, the champions, are on top of this list. Karnataka and Mumbai are joint second, with 14 century partnerships. The most century stands in a match (6) occurred in the Rajasthan-Uttar Pradesh game in Jaipur and in the game between Gujarat and Tamil Nadu in Ahmedabad.
• 85: The most overs bowled by a bowler in an innings this season, by Aushik Srinivas of Tamil Nadu against Rajasthan in the final. Overall, in the season, there were eight instances of bowlers bowling more than 50 overs in an innings. Pankaj Singh (Rajasthan) and Aushik bowled the most overs in the season (368.0 and 357.4 respectively).
• 5: The most centuries scored in the season, by Dheeraj Jadhav of Assam. Jadhav, in a stunning performance, scored five centuries in five matches in the season and aggregated 704 runs at an average of 176.00. Robin Bist (Rajasthan) and Akshath Reddy (Hyderabad) scored four centuries each. Karnataka, Mumbai and Rajasthan are on top with the most centuries scored (12 each) followed by Hyderabad and Tamil Nadu (10). Rajasthan also conceded the most centuries (12) followed by Uttar Pradesh (10).
• 156: The number of centuries scored this season, in 88 matches. In the same number of matches in the 2010-11 season, 130 centuries were scored. In the 2009-10 season, five fewer matches were played (83) and 127 centuries were scored.
• 8.53: The difference in average between pace bowlers (30.83) and spinners (39.36) this season. The difference was 6.55 in the 2010-11 season when spinners averaged 36.76 and pace bowlers 30.21 and even lower (4.57) in the 2009-10 season when pace bowlers averaged 30.05 and spinners 34.62.
• 33.79: The runs per wicket in the 2011-12 season. This is higher than the corresponding number in the 2010-11 (32.76) and 2009-10 (31.89) seasons.

When you watch Pakistan play South Africa

Nitish Verma29-Sep-2012Choice of game
In my point of view, Super Eights are the star of this tournament. Pakistan v South Africa is always a good match to catch since they have a history of classic matches on the world stage: the 1999 World Cup and the 2009 World Twenty20 semi-final come to the mind. This one can be added to the list since it was a nail-biter.Key performer
Everyone was wondering whether Umar Gul would get to bowl since the spinners had South Africa in trouble. He came in the 18th over, got smacked for a six and dismissed AB de Villiers off his second ball. Then he came in to bat when Pakistan were 76 for 7. With Umar Akmal, he brought momentum to the innings and hit some of the biggest sixes of the day. His two back-to-back sixes showed he is confident while batting. The crowd went wild, to say the least.Security
Bags were checked twice and there were many cops around the ground. Despite the crowd dancing and singing, the security was enough tight enough to keep proceedings enjoyable and safe.Weather
Since my arrival in Colombo, I’ve heard thunderstorms being predicted daily. However, to everyone’s delight, conditions here were perfect for some T20 cricket.Crowd meter
The stadium was half full, and support for Pakistan overwhelmed the cheers for the South Africans. There were many neutrals who supported both teams. Sixes or wickets, the crowd was very involved in the game.Marks out of 10
9. A low-scoring game that went down to the wire. South Africa fought back from 28 for 3 to post a respectable score. Pakistan had begun their chase brightly when the South African bowlers struck, after which the two brave Umars brought Pakistan back into the match when all hope was gone. The tournament needed a match like this.

Plays of the Day from the third ODI between Bangladesh and West Indies in Mirpur

Mohammad Isam in Mirpur05-Dec-2012The awareness
Umpire Enamul Haque looked a little out of place in the 15th over, momentarily forgetting the free-hit rule. The batsman, Anamul Haque, however, was fully aware. Off the previous delivery, Anamul had given extra-cover a catch but the third umpire overturned the dismissal as Sunil Narine had overstepped. But the umpire didn’t signal the free-hit. Anamul, though, knew that he couldn’t be out stumped and charged Narine only to miss the ball that went through slip and the wicketkeeper for four byes.The non-awareness
Mashrafe Mortaza bowled one down the leg side. Marlon Samuels tried to tap it away but missed. The wicketkeeper missed it too. It got to the boundary. The result? Not five wides but a dead ball, courtesy umpire Ranmore Marinesz. Strange call, that.The missed landmark
It wasn’t a dropped catch that cost Kieron Pollard a match tally of four catches, but the Narine no-ball in the 15th over; it deprived him from becoming the first West Indies player in 17 years to claim such a tally. Pollard had earlier taken the simple catch that Naeem Islam offered, followed by the catches of Nasir Hossain and Mominul Haque to make it a personal record.The landmark
Mahmudullah took over from Khaled Mashud as the highest scorer at No. 7 in ODIs for Bangladesh when he reached 22 runs in the 30th over. It took him to 1074 runs and he then extended his tally to 1104, which is currently 74.4% of his career runs. Not surprising, as Mahmudullah has played 52 of his 70 ODI innings at No. 7.The stand-in
If you replace Shakib Al Hasan in the team, you must know how to bowl left-arm spin. Mominul Haque, might have only two first-class wickets but yes, he bowls his own brand of round-arm, left-arm spin, and was given a bowl in the 42nd over. On cue, he drew an edge from Samuels off his fourth delivery, but the chance was put down by Mashrafe at slip.

ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from the third day in Nagpur

George Dobell in Nagpur15-Dec-2012Milestone of the day
Virat Kohli richly deserved his third Test century. The deathly slow pitch and some tight bowling forced him to work hard for his runs but he retained his concentration and discipline to help his side retain their hopes of levelling the series. His previous Test centuries had taken 199 balls (against Australia) and 187 balls (against New Zealand), but here he was forced to work for 289 balls before reaching three figures.His top score in the series before this innings was 20 as England worked on his impatience, tied him down and waited. While Kohli might have succumbed to temptation in the other games, here he demonstrated his growing maturity to play just the sort of innings his side required.Near miss of the day
Can a player ever have missed out on a Test century by a smaller margin than MS Dhoni? Having been stuck in the 90s for 17 overs having lost most of the strike – he faced only 30 deliveries in that period – Dhoni finally pushed the ball to mid-off and embarked on a very tight single. A direct hit from Alastair Cook and Dhoni’s failure to fully run his bat in meant that he was run-out by the narrowest margin: it took TV replays from three different angles before there was conclusive evidence that Dhoni was a centimetre or so out of his ground. While missing out on the personal milestone would have been a disappointment, Dhoni need not have worried.His stand with Kohli – worth 198 – had brought India right back into the game and renewed their hopes of squaring this series. Such issues are far more important that personal milestones. But bearing in mind the pressure that Dhoni and his team were under at the start of play, it is just possible that this might prove to be a career-saving performance.Damning stat of the day
Tim Bresnan has now bowled 448 deliveries since his last Test wicket. It was August 2 when Graeme Smith turned a leg stump half volley to square leg and since then Bresnan has gone wicketless in four innings to take his bowling average in 2012 to 55.43. Nor can he claim his batting is justifying selection: in eight Tests this year he has contributed 120 runs with a highest score of 39 not out and an average of 17.14.Chance of the day
It says much for the discipline of the batsmen and the lack of threat in the bowling that ball barely beat bat throughout the day. The closest England came to a wicket in the first two sessions was when Dhoni was on 72. Twice Bresnan was convinced he had trapped his man lbw with deliveries that nipped back, though replays suggested the umpire, Rod Tucker, was quite right to conclude they were slipping down the leg side. But Dhoni did survive a mishit on the same score when he pushed the ball back to Bresnan but the bowler was unable to cling on to a desperately difficult, low chance.Ominous sign of the day?
For large parts of the third day, England’s bowlers found nothing in this slow surface. Despite signs that it was beginning to turn on the second evening, the pitch seemed to have grown even slower on the third day and offered little to batsmen or bowlers. But, from the final delivery, Graeme Swann drew Piyush Chawla forward and turned one just enough to beat the outside edge and strike off stump. It would be wrong to read too much into the dismissal of a lower-order batsman but was a wicket that may just have caused the spinners of both sides to sit up and take notice with two days still to play.

After the establishment of the Wankhede Stadium, the Brabourne sort of faded in the background, but not in my mind

Cricinfo25-Feb-2013

On Wednesday morning I saw on TV, MS Dhoni and Kumar Sangakkara walk out for the toss at the Brabourne Stadium at the third Test and my mind was transported back to 1956!It was in 1956 that I was first introduced to Test cricket. I was barely 12 years old and had no clue whatsoever as to what Test cricket really was about. Although, like all Mumbaikar children, I too played cricket, mostly with a tennis ball or even a ball made out of rags, I had never seen a Ranji Trophy match, let alone a Test.In 1956, the Australians had come to India, under the captaincy of Ian Johnson, on their way back home from England. My cousin had got three tickets for the match – for himself, his wife and his younger brother. As the younger brother was taken ill, I got the chance to go for the Test.When we got to the ground, I was completely dumbfounded. I had never imagined so many people could congregate in the same place and at the same time. The noise was unbelievable. Our seats were in the East Stand, in those days, comparable to SCG’s The Hill! We had to barge our way through the crowds to find three empty seats (no reserved seats in the East Stand then). By the time we sat down, the match had already started.We were so far away from the middle that it was difficult to make out who was fielding and who was batting. My knowledge of cricket was marginally better than that of my cousin, in the sense that I knew that in cricket they score runs and not points! Every player was in resplendent white clothing, though I had no idea who was who. I remember seeing these two tall fellows, running towards the stumps, waving their arms and finally bowling the ball, which I swear, I never saw, until it was being passed from hand to hand, back to the bowler. I learned later that those two tall fellows were Ray Lindwall and Pat Crawford.As my cousin’s younger brother recovered from his illness, the next day, the first day of that Test match was all I could see. But that was enough to convert me into a total cricket addict. After that I had a chance to Tests against West Indies, Pakistan and finally an inter-collegiate final between Ruia (my college) & Siddhartha College. The rivalry between these two Mumbai colleges was no less fervent than that between England & Australia.After the establishment of the Wankhede Stadium, the Brabourne sort of faded in the background, but not in my mind. Even today, some memories of those matches are as fresh in my mind as if they happened yesterday. Some memories do stand out among a host of others. The fearsome West Indian duo of Wes Hall and Roy Gilchrist running in to bowl and then ending up within hand-shaking distance of the batsman.In one of the matches, Garry Sobers was batting, hitting the ball to all corners of the ground. Polly Umrigar, the Indian captain went up to Ghulam Guard, the bowler and had a word with him. A couple of balls later Guard sent down a bouncer at Sobers. Before anybody realized what was happening, the ball was sailing into the middle of the crowd in the East Stand. That was the first time I saw a hook played off the front foot!Then there was the sensational announcement in the press that an Indian actress, Anju Mahendru, relatively unknown at that time, had got engaged to Sobers. As a publicity stunt, I don’t think, it has been bettered, yet!Then, in a Test against Pakistan, at the fall of the first wicket, as the No. 3 batsman was walking up to the wicket, a gentleman in front of me, stood up and started clapping enthusiastically, welcoming Hanif Mohamed to the crease. Only Hanif was not even playing in the match!Oh, memories, memories! To add to all those, Thursday I collected another treasure. That was the sight of Virender Sehwag, marching towards his third triple century. The only difference this time was, though Sehwag was on the hallowed and my beloved turf of the Brabourne Stadium, I was thousands of miles away in London. May be, my body was in front of the TV, in the sitting room. But my spirit was most definitely behind the bowlers arm in the North Stand. An unforgettable experience, indeed!