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ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from the fourth day in Mohali

Brydon Coverdale17-Mar-2013Change of the day
The three overs Steven Smith bowled on the third day were hardly an encouraging audition for further bowling but Michael Clarke turned to his part-time legspinner in the final over before lunch, hoping to winkle a wicket with the batsmen cautiously playing for the break. Lo and behold, the first ball Smith delivered was accurate and turned, and caught the inside edge of Sachin Tendulkar’s bat, popping off bat and pad to Ed Cowan at short-leg. It was the first Test wicket Smith had taken since he claimed three on debut in 2010, and it’s fair to say it will remain his most memorable for some time.Rapid promotion of the day
This time last week Brad Haddin was in Australia preparing for a Sheffield Shield match, having not played a Test in more than a year. But on day four in Mohali, he found himself acting captain on field for the Australians in the third Test when Michael Clarke went off on a number of occasions to have treatment for back soreness. Haddin is an experienced leader and in the absence of the regular vice-captain Shane Watson, was the natural man to take charge. But it was certainly a rapid rise given where he was last week.Bat-before-wicket of the day
Any series involving India is bound to involve its share of controversy surrounding the lack of DRS. This time Cheteshwar Pujara was the victim of a decision that could have been overturned had the system been in place. The umpire Aleem Dar was quick to raise his finger when Peter Siddle angled the ball in and appealed for lbw with Pujara on 1 and the batsman stood at the crease for a few seconds before trudging off. It turned out Pujara had reason to be unhappy with the decision – replays confirmed a thick inside edge before the bat struck his pad.Anticlimax of the day
After Shikhar Dhawan’s remarkable first day of Test batting finished with him unbeaten on 185, it seemed like only a formality that he would become the sixth man to score a double-century on Test debut. But he was only able to add two to his overnight score before he pressed forward to Nathan Lyon and nudged a catch to Ed Cowan in close on the off side. Dhawan was out for 187 and any fans hoping for a repeat of Saturday’s heroics were disappointed.

Dwayne Bravo and Chris Gayle believe that the return of the star players in the Caribbean will help develop youngsters, and the game, throughout the islands

Renaldo Matadeen08-Aug-2013Dwayne Bravo and Chris Gayle, believe that the presence of all the region’s mercurial icons, presently back home for the inaugural Caribbean Premier League (CPL), is crucial to the development of West Indian youngsters, and the game as a whole. Bravo is leading the Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel, while Gayle is taking the reins of Jamaica’s Tallawahs.With the likes of Kieron Pollard (captain of Barbados Tridents), Marlon Samuels (captain of Antigua Hawksbills) and Sunil Narine (Guyana Amazon Warrior’s franchise star) all helping fill the stands, Gayle and Bravo acknowledged that a break from international cricket was most welcomed. Both were adamant that the star players, playing back home, were all working together to raise the profile of the region.”It’s good to be back home,” Bravo said. “We get to renew rivalries, and with this new franchise format, players are separated through the draft so that teams are more competitive and stronger. There’s no longer one dominant force and this builds competitiveness, and allows younger players to touch base with a variety of experienced cricketers. The West Indians are certainly glad to be back and split around because we want to share the expertise from our tours abroad.”He deemed the CPL a success thus far, and hoped it would get bigger and better, as it seems the stars of the tournament so far have been the smaller names in West Indies cricket. With the likes of Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Rayad Emrit, Ashley Nurse, Krishmar Santokie and Lendl Simmons all impressing in front of home crowds. Bravo was quick to add Fidel Edwards and Andre Russell as players to watch.”The tournament’s mood has been good because this allows us all to play at home and catch up with past team-mates and new ones too. Being back home as mentors allows players to keep the momentum up. We’ve been playing a lot of cricket abroad,” Gayle added. When quizzed on his recent struggle for form, he replied in an unperturbed manner, “I’m taking it in stride, and it’s a part of life, but I’m firm and positive. After this CPL ends, it’s a couple of months rest to look forward to. But right now, we all want to give back to West Indian fans, and we’re all back here for this CPL. We look forward to playing on the various pitches here, both with and against each other, and also with the younger players. They can learn from us and we’ll strengthen the region moving forward.”Bravo, recently installed as the West Indies’ limited-overs captain, also admitted to recent hiccups in form, but expressed his desire to recoup runs by playing against his team-mates. “We’re here to spread the knowledge across the Caribbean, and it’s important to ensure things remain intense, from ODIs to Tests to T20s. No one team will dominate the T20s as Trinidad did before. All teams will have the strongest lineups, but right now, we want to share our T20 insight with our various franchises, support each other, use the help from foreign players and coaches, and bring crowds out. The fans are why we play this game.”Gayle reiterated that the experienced stars coming back was part of a long-term plan to inspire young cricketers. Both stated that franchise cricket allows U-23 and U-19 players, who may not be breaking into their senior teams, to test their skills while making a good salary. The duo also allayed the skewed concerns of some fans that West Indies cricket was faltering again after mediocre home showings against India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. They referred to experienced players like Denesh Ramdin and Kemar Roach, who would help raise the quality of Caribbean cricket, alongside coaches such as Gordon Greenidge, Viv Richards and Curtly Ambrose, to name a few. CPL organisers reassured that Trinidad and Tobago would be this year’s Champions League participants, but from the next edition on, the CPL tournament winners will represent the Caribbean.When asked what would be his decision when the time came to select franchise or IPL team, Bravo, one of Chennai’s influential stars, ended, “When that time comes, whichever team qualifies, the individual will have to make that decision. But for most players, the IPL team will be the number one.”

The official, unequivocal Confectionery Stall Ashes prediction looks at ten key factors in the series

Andy Zaltzman10-Jul-2013No one could possibly accuse this summer’s Ashes series of suffering from an insufficiency of previews. The action finally begins this morning, after what has sometimes been portrayed in parts of the cricketing media as essentially two and a half years of warm-up matches for each side, since England and Australia respectively cavorted and sloped away from the SCG at the end of their previous showdown.Since then, England have won five, drawn two and lost two of their nine Test series, whilst the Australians have won four, drawn two and lost two. In that time, both sides have lost to South Africa and comfortably beaten India and Sri Lanka at home. Both have lost four consecutive Tests in Asia, but both have also won a series on the subcontinent. Both have beaten West Indies 2-0, and had a drawn series with New Zealand. England have won two and lost one of their previous three home series, Australia have won two and lost one of their previous three away series.”Statistics, schmatistics,” as my great uncle Jerezekiel Schmyulenstein would have said, probably whilst being carted off for questioning by income tax officials, had he actually existed. England are overwhelming favourites. Unfortunately for the baggy greens, that one away series loss was their most recent Test jaunt, a numbingly inept 4-0 whitewash in India, where, a few months previously, England had triumphed.It should be added that, whilst both of those series were ostensibly played in India, against India, and featured several of the same Indian players, the two Indias in those series might as well have been completely different teams. England faced the smouldering embers of a passing era, Australia encountered the birth of a bubbly if belatedly midwifed new team.However, added to the absolute obliteration Andrew Strauss’ team meted out to the crumbling wreckage of Pontingian Australia in the 2010-11 series – three clumpings by an innings in four Tests, as many innings wins as England had registered in Australia in 17 previous series since the Second World War – the upshot is a level of English public and media confidence seldom seen on these shores. Arguably we are at a record level of national bullishness since before the Romans invaded and failed to be distracted by our crafty trick of painting ourselves blue to make them think it was even colder in Britain than it actually was.For English cricket fans of my generation, such confidence is extremely disconcerting. Through the late 1980s and 1990s, the basic expectation was of failure. That expectation was often met. Often with something to spare. Especially against Australia. So to hear bold predictions of back-to-back whitewashes creates an uneasy feeling, as if we are watching a scene in a -style movie, in which everyone is playing by the seaside in an obviously excessively carefree manner, unaware that, just yards away in the sea, there is a giant wooden shark lurking, containing Warne, McGrath, Gilchrist and the Waugh brothers, ready to burst out in the dead of night and start playing an all-conquering game of beach cricket.In the end, of course, -style movies usually end up with everyone sitting down to a tasty plate of shark sushi, having a good laugh about the look on that guy’s face when his leg was bitten off (I have not seen a -style film since I was nine years old; I may be a bit out of the loop). Similarly, I think England will win this series. But I think, and hope, that it will be much closer than the majority of pundits, and the two series results in India, suggest.Here, then, are ten factors that will decide the ultimate destination of the hypothetical urn:1. Momentum is critically important
England salvaged first-Test draws with second-innings rearguards in Cardiff in 2009 and in Brisbane in 2010-11. They conceded vast leads but escaped with confidence burgeoning and with the series still level. They proceeded to surf the wave of momentum and hammer the Australians in the second Tests of both of those series, paving the way for the series victories.In their era of dominance, Australia would usually saddle up the momentum donkey early in the series, somersault onto it, whack its backside with a whip made from the entwined moustaches of Dennis Lillee, Merv Hughes and Fred “The Demon” Spofforth, and ride that donkey like a Kawasaki 350 until the series was won.2. Momentum is irrelevant
In 2010-11, after England’s crushing Adelaide victory, they went to Perth positively dripping with momentum, and were promptly clouted. The Australians left the WACA proudly clutching a 1-1 scoreline and enough momentum to catapult David Boon into orbit. Then, on the first day in Melbourne, they were bowled out for 98, in one of the most unremittingly incompetent displays of batting in baggy green history.At Headingley in 2009, Australia pounded England into a fine pulp to square the series and leave themselves needing just a draw at The Oval to retain the Ashes. They left out their spinner on a turning pitch, succumbed to a suddenly rampant Stuart Broad, and lost by lots with a long time to spare. “Momentum, schmomentum,” as uncle Jerezekiel would definitely have said, after riding his unicycle into a pond at high velocity, and sinking immediately.Furthermore, whilst Australia might have ridden the momentum donkey in those series from 1989 to 2003, that was because they were, collectively, an outstanding jockey. They thrashed England because they were much better at cricket. Which often creates its own momentum. Unsurprisingly.3. A settled team is vital
England in 2005 used the same XI for the first four Tests. They made one injury-enforced change for the final match. The individuals knew their functions within the team, and their cohesion carried them to arguably the greatest victory in English cricket history.England used 29 players in the 1989 Ashes, and 24 in 1993. They were absolutely heffalumped in both series, by Australian teams that used, respectively, 12 and 13 players. Both sides have indulged in selectorial tinkering in the build-up to this summer’s series. The core of England’s side has remained unchanged for years, however, which could give them a vital advantage.History suggests that the selectors must now be prepared to back their chosen men, and give them the chance to prove themselves.4. New players called up later in the series could have a series-changing impact
Modern Test series are scheduled with little thought for ensuring that bowlers can remain fit and fresh for each match. And by little thought, I of course mean: no thought. The 2010-11 series was level at 1-1 when the unproven Bresnan supplanted the wayward Finn; Broad, who had bowled England to victory in 2009, had already been injured, and replaced by the untested Tremlett. Between them the two replacements took 20 wickets at 23 in England’s victories in Melbourne and Sydney (including the first three wickets in each Test, establishing English control).

Arguably England are at a record level of national bullishness since before the Romans invaded and failed to be distracted by our crafty trick of painting ourselves blue to make them think it was even colder in Britain than it actually was

Richard Ellison played a decisive role in 1985 after being called up for the fifth and sixth Tests, Gladstone Small took a pivotal five-for after being selected for the fourth Test in 1986-87. Craig McDermott took 19 wickets in the final two Tests in 1990-91, recalled after a two-year absence. Paul Reiffel took 19 wickets in the last three Tests in 1993, after displacing the ineffective Brendon Julian.Batsmen have also made late but definitive entrances to Ashes series – notably, Jonathan Trott at The Oval four years ago, with an useful and unluckily terminated 41, followed by a fluent, domination-securing 119. Mark Waugh, Greg Blewett, Graham Thorpe and Greg Chappell have all made debut hundreds after being called up during an Ashes series.History suggests that the selectors must be prepared to turn their back on their chosen men, should the need arise, and give others the chance to prove themselves.5. The first Test is massively important
Australian Ashes dominance either side of the turn of the millennium was founded on pummelling England from the first ball. In six of their eight consecutive series wins, they were 2-0 up after two Tests; and they would have been in 1998-99, had rain not rescued England in Brisbane. England know that a first Test win could fatally rupture Australia’s fragile, India-tenderised confidence. Australia know that if they can surprise England at Trent Bridge, as South Africa did in the first Test last summer, they will have a fighting chance.6. The first Test is irrelevant
Only three times in the last eight Ashes series has the ultimate winner of the series won the first Test. England’s three series victories this millennium have all come despite not winning the opening match of the series – they lost the first Test in 2005, and drew in 2009 and 2010-11. In fact, of England’s 13 Ashes series wins since the Second World War, they have won the first Test on only four occasions (with six draws, and three losses).The second Test is far more important. Eleven of the last 12 Ashes series have been won by the team that has won the second Test. The exception was the drawn Lord’s Test in 1997, when rain wiped out almost the whole of the first two days, before McGrath skittled England for 77. After England’s euphoric Edgbaston triumph, Australia’s decade-long psychological stranglehold had been re-established, and the momentum (see above) had irreversibly shifted. Australia won the next three Tests.7. The battle between England’s and Australia’s seam attacks will decide the series
England’s pacers have the experience, the proven track records, and the home advantage. Anderson has been consistently effective this decade, barring England’s Oval disaster last summer, but Broad has been inconsistent, Bresnan has faded, and Finn has made only sporadic progress. They might all be on top form, but they might not. In which case, Australia’s blend of raw potential and hardened pros could match or even surpass them.8. The battle between England’s and Australia’s seam attacks is non-existent
They will be bowling at different times, and at different sets of batsmen. It is quite possible that one side’s bowlers will bowl better than the other’s, and still end up (a) losing and (b) with inferior bowling figures. Besides, if the weather stays hot and dry, Swann, who has been useful rather than decisive in his two previous Ashes, and Lyon, who has a decent Test record, particularly for someone with so little first-class experience, could be the most important bowlers in the series.9. The series could come down to which team can keep its cool under pressure
England’s sensational triumph in the 2005 series was thanks to two nail-devouringly tense wins and a final-afternoon counter-attack in the last Test when the series and the destiny of Vaughan’s England teetered in the balance. When the heat was cranked up, England not only stayed in the kitchen, they managed to whip up a perfect victory soufflé.10. No, it probably won’t
Since that staggering 2005 series, which was a contest as good as sport can produce, there have been two close finishes in 15 Tests – the Cardiff draw four years ago, and England’s fifth-day megachoke in Adelaide in 2006-07. Otherwise, one side has tended to thrash the other – of the 12 positive results, five have been by an innings, five by at least 100 runs, one by ten wickets, and one (that Adelaide match) by six wickets.In the last two series, only once has the first-innings lead or deficit been less than 100 runs – Australia led by 83 on their way to victory in Perth in 2010-11 – and the average first-innings gap has been 253. Most of the matches have been decisively shaped by the first two days. Some by the first over (Adelaide, 2010-11). Some by the first ball (Harmison v the Laws of Physics, Brisbane, 2006-07).OFFICIAL CONFECTIONERY STALL SERIES RESULT PREVIEW: England 2 Australia 1. Unless the results turn out differently.

It was an emotional moment for Sachin Tendulkar as he walked out to bat on the second day, with the Wankhede crowd beckoning the man to one last century

N Hunter15-Nov-2013Every stand was full. People sat along the stairs leading to the seats, they stood along the railings and the walls and whatever they could lean against or stand on. When Cheteshwar Pujara took a single allowing Sachin Tendulkar to face his first ball of the morning, the 40,000-odd fans at the Wankhede Stadium announced to the world who was batting.It was an emotional moment, even for Tendulkar, as he walked in to bat late on Thursday afternoon. On his return, undefeated, as he climbed up the steps towards the Indian dressing room he’d missed a step and lost balance. Wankhede was heaving and chanting “Saacchinn, Saacchinnn.” Before climbing the stairs, Tendulkar had waved the bat to the crowd to acknowledge their support. He had waved the bat towards his family to acknowledge their support – gestures he would never have made unless he had reached a landmark.Sachin Tendulkar was roared off the ground in what may be his final appearance as a Test batsman•BCCIThe fans were back today. In huge numbers. With one common expectation: ‘God, get a hundred’.The atmosphere was similar to that two years ago at the same ground against the same opponent. In the final Test of the 2011-12 home series against West Indies, Tendulkar had walked in on the third morning on an overnight score of 67, in search of his hundredth international century. As he breezed to 94, Wankhede screamed and begged their most beloved son to get to the milestone with a six. Tendulkar, instead, steered into the hands of Darren Sammy at second slip off Ravi Rampaul. A college kid, who had told his mom he was bunking class that day, cried in despair: ” (Why did he play that shot?).” It was as though Tendulkar had deceived him.Today, thousands screamed at Tino Best, who had the temerity to bowl short balls at Tendulkar, who was attempting to guide the ball over slips. He failed on at least four occasions. On one such occasion, Best appealed for a caught behind, rushing towards cover with his arms splayed, dead sure he had his man. Tendulkar did not move. The umpire, Richard Kettleborough, was not interested. West Indies could not believe it. Wankhede booed Best in unison. “Tino sucks. Tino sucks,” went around the ground like a Mexican wave.On 48, Tendulkar tried to once again open the face of the bat against a Best delivery that was pitched short-of-a-length. The ball, however, did not rise as much as Tendulkar expected, and also moved into him. His wife Anjali cupped her mouth in nervousness.Next delivery Tendulkar played the most beautiful straight drive with an open face, beating mid-on and getting to his half-century. Anjali clapped, but did not stand up. The crowd, though, did. Such was the cacophony inside the arena that a friend from Trinidad wrote in, saying: “That crowd’s sounding extra loud even from the TV.”On 58, there was a minor blip once again when Tendulkar decided to attempt a slog-sweep, but fortunately the ball had hit outside the line. ” (What are you doing? We have come to see a hundred) said a man with a grey French beard.The crowd had become Tendulkar’s pulse, yet the man himself remained calm. In what could possibly be his last innings he played every shot in the textbook, barring the hook and pull, to perfection. A crisp back-foot punch that raced past the empty cover region moved him to 60.The youngster with his cheeks painted received a phone call. “God is on 67. 33 minimum (He will get it),” he told the person at the other end in a loud and confident voice. On cue, that trademark on drive, with just enough power, beat Shivnarine Chanderpaul at mid-on.Two balls after drinks, Tendulkar moved swiftly inside the line of the ball to paddle sweep Narsingh Deonarine for two runs, taking advantage of no leg slip or fine leg. Two balls later, trying to play a wristy cut at the very last moment, Tendulkar was caught by Sammy at slip. The crowd were caught off guard. Initially it was met with silence, but a fraction later everyone rose as Tendulkar walked back to the pavilion, probably for the last time. Anjali stood up and clapped finally, eyes hidden by her black shades. His son Arjun Tendulkar, who was one of the ball boys near the boundary rope, stood up to join the rest.Perhaps even Tendulkar understood that fact. The joy ride had come to an end in such a sudden fashion. Two yards before crossing the ropes, helmet on, gloves on, sucking his lips inside, Tendulkar waved around the ground to thank the fans one last time with bat in hand.”End of an era” said a senior journalist in the press box, a man who had covered Tendulkar’s Test debut 24 years ago to the day. North Stand did not empty out. So did none of the others. Tendulkar was yet to leave cricket for good.

Earlier in the series, Vernon Philander had had his willingness to work hard on the field questioned by the opposition. On day five in Cape Town, he showed them just how hard he can work, even with bat in hand

Firdose Moonda in Cape Town05-Mar-2014Australia told Vernon Philander he could not bowl. So he showed them he could bat instead.In harsher words than this, David Warner had all but called him a trundler who was not interested in performing on tracks that did not offer anything. The Australian opener suggested Philander opted out of the 2012 Adelaide Test because of the placid pitch. In hindsight, he may have been grateful Philander didn’t play then, now that he has seen what dealing with him, AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis can be like.When Philander’s turn to bat arrived, neither de Villiers nor du Plessis, the two men who had kept Australia at bay in Adelaide and India out at the Wanderers, was still there. JP Duminy, who gave Australia major headaches in Perth and Melbourne in 2008-09 and more recently in Port Elizabeth, was around. There was more than a session left in the day, 36.5 overs, and only three wickets. Australia’s “pack of dogs”, as du Plessis called them, were sniffing blood.Philander gave them nothing at first. His defences were strong but they would already have known that. Philander was the last man standing in Centurion and two of his three other Test half-centuries have come in pressure situations. Australia’s homework would have told them all about his 61 at Lord’s and 59 against India at the Wanderers. They would also have known about his 3,000 first-class runs and that he was initially as a genuine allrounder.They might have laughed at the last of those when 11 balls into his innings he top-edged Mitchell Johnson over Brad Haddin’s head for six. Allrounder or not, he would have to deal with Australia’s spearhead, bowling quickly, bowling nastily and bowling better than most bowling he has had to face before.The very next ball he showed he could. Johnson pitched it up. Philander kept it out. The ball after that, Johnson held it back a touch, Philander pushed it through mid-off and secured his post-tea spot at the crease.Once he occupied it, he received a welcome that would have rattled most batsmen. Ryan Harris served up a ball that jagged back into him. Instinctively, he shouldered arms. It was a good decision but for a split-second it also seemed a brave decision. Harris may have thought he was getting closer but Philander went on to push him further away.He ducked under the short balls, he defended solidly, he pushed the ones he could into gaps, he didn’t panic when he got beaten. Then he got hit. James Pattinson struck him in the ribs. Philander did not want to show pain but it must have a stung and he rubbed the area. Two balls later, another one swung past his inside edge. Pattinson, hands on head, must have thought he was getting closer. Philander tried to push him further away. He got one away through the covers for four. That over had not caused any damage until Pattinson was incorrectly deemed to have overstepped.The extra ball was a beamer and it found Philander’s glove. The bat went one way, his body went the other and the hurt went straight into his right hand. He could not hide the pain. Philander waited for the physiotherapist and grimaced as the magic spray was generously applied.Like his now-former captain Graeme Smith, Philander put the sting to one side and carried on. When he defended the next ball, the few people who’d managed to get to Newlands sounded like a full house. There was still 150 balls to go.Some of those would be against Johnson. One of those Philander would pull through midwicket. He may as well have just said, “I’m not going anywhere.” Or he may as well have told JP Duminy that. Just as South Africa were starting to see safety, Duminy picked the wrong shot and played it to where Clarke had put a fielder in the right position. When he realised he’d been caught at leg-slip, Duminy threw his head back in disappointment. Philander did the same.There was only the tail to go and Philander had to marshall it. In Steyn, he had the man he’d batted with at the Wanderers just three months ago to save a game. Then, they refused runs because they did not want to risk losing. This time they refused them because they did not have to take them. Steyn’s hamstring would have been a consideration as well, and so each of them stayed at their end and held the line.Philander almost let go when beaten by a Johnson delivery that went through everyone, including Haddin. Johnson came closer, Philander pushed him further. Then Johnson came as close as anyone would get to Philander. A snorter which seemed to have hit glove and then shoulder was caught at short leg. Philander got down on his haunches. He was hurt. But he knew he was not out.He called for the review and and many minutes passed. He received more treatment. The replays showed his hand was off the bat when the ball kissed the glove. Decision overturned. Fight. Steyn had words with one of the Australians. Clarke intervened. The umpires got involved. The last hour had begun.On they went. Philander and Steyn. The last half an hour. An lbw shout against Philander that was obviously missing leg was reviewed. The pressure built. Almost into the last 15 minutes. Harris was handed the ball.Steyn knew what he had to do but when the yorker came, he could not do it. The off bail was off. Philander was one team-mate away from defeat.Morne Morkel defended the first ball but could do nothing against the second. Full, fast and beating the inside edge, he was bowled by the man on one leg. Morkel was planted to his end in disbelief. Philander, at the opposite end, had adopted exactly the same position. Only one of them knew there was absolutely no more he could have done to save this game. It was not Morkel.Seconds passed and neither of them moved. They left the swirling to Australia, who galloped about the field, whooping. Their joy. South Africa’s despair. Frozen in that moment.Philander broke the ice. He trudged, helmet and bat in one hand, broken heart in the other. He used that hand to reach out to Morkel and offer a consolatory pat on the arm. They walked off together. It was over.

Stats highlight from Sri Lanka’s win against New Zealand in Chittagong

Shiva Jayaraman31-Mar-2014

• Rangana Herath’s magnificent figures of 5 for 3 are the third best in T20 internationals. The top two also belong to Sri Lanka – Ajantha Mendis took 6 for 8 against Zimbabwe in the last World T20 and 6 for 16 against Australia in 2011. Before this game, Herath had played only six T20Is and taken six wickets at an average of 20.16 and an economy of 6.72.
• Herath’s five wickets cost him only three runs, an average of 0.60 apiece – the fourth best average for a five-wicket haul in international cricket and the best in T20 internationals. Across formats, the best average for a five-wicket haul belongs to Courtney Walsh who gave away just one run against Sri Lanka.
• Kane Williamson was the lone New Zealand batsman standing amid the mayhem, scoring 42 out the total of 60 – his 70% was the highest percentage contribution to a team’s total in a T20I. The record was previously held by David Warner, who scored 90 out of Australia’s 137 – 65.70% – also against Sri Lanka at the SCG in 2013. Charles Bannerman and Viv Richards hold the record for the highest percentage of runs in a completed innings in Tests and ODIs.
• New Zealand’s 60 is their lowest total in T20Is. Their previous lowest was 80 against Pakistan in 2010.
• New Zealand’s 59-run defeat is their third worst by margin of runs. For Sri Lanka, it is their fourth highest margin of victory. They hold the record for the biggest win in terms of runs – 172 against Kenya in the first World T20.
• The 59-run win is the highest margin for a team that set a target of 120 or less. The previous highest margin was Scotland’s 35 runs over Kenya in Aberdeen last year. Scotland had scored 113 and dismissed Kenya for 78 runs.
• Three of New Zealand’s top five batsmen – Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor and Jimmy Neesham – were dismissed for ducks. It was only the eighth time that three or more batsmen in the top five fell without scoring.
• Sri Lanka’s 119 is their third lowest total batting first in T20 internationals. It was also only the fifth time that they were dismissed in the first innings of a T20I.
• Trent Boult’s 3 for 20 are his best bowling figures in T20Is. He was playing only his fifth match. He had taken three wickets for 125 runs at an average of 41.66 in his previous-four matches.
• Lasith Malinga – Sri Lanka’s stand-in captain – and Brendon McCullum were dismissed for a duck, the second time both captains had fallen without scoring in a T20I. The first instance involved Michael Vaughan and Ricky Ponting in the in 2005.
• New Zealand were 23 for 4 at the end of six overs – their third-worst Powerplay score in a T20 international. Their worst was also against Sri Lanka, in Lauderhill in 2010, when they were 17 for 5. New Zealand were on a similar score – 17 for 5 – against Pakistan too, in Christchurch in 2010.

England’s decline has been the subject of fevered debate. But not for Ian Bell

David Hopps26-Jul-2014Theories surround losing teams like flies gathering on a cow pat. Ian Bell, one of the England senior players who have been under-performing this summer, now finds himself the oldest in the team, never a good look, but that does at least qualify him to consider these theories with a certain amount of wisdom. He doesn’t agree with any of them.There is the theory that England’s senior players have been broken by their Ashes whitewash, a proposition that is likely to be favoured by psychologists with a few hourly sessions still to fill.Then there is the theory that the departure of Andy Flower, a domineering coach, has left a vacuum in the dressing room. This one does not delight defenders of democracy, who prefer to believe that decisions are reached by group discussion, but plays well with video games obsessives who know how things can go wrong if the tyrannical ruler is ever obliterated.How about the suggestion that the pace of change has left senior players unsettled? People who love that one tend to grow roses and run the village fete: always more content in an unchanging world. As for the one that England’s players are spooked by the short ball? That appeals to those who have felt physical pain.And so the theories go on. As far as Bell himself goes, there is the premise that his batting form has deteriorated because he is feeling the pressure of Kevin Pietersen’s enforced departure, which has landed him with the need to play the role of crowd-pleasing star in the middle order. “I’ve never heard that one,” he ventured. These people suspect the shallow age of celebrity and prefer BBC Radio 4.Of those who wonder whether Bell himself would secretly quite like the captaincy, or that the captaincy would scare him to death, there is no hope. These people are politicians and not to be trusted.It was fun to watch Bell dismiss all these theories in turn. It was a beautiful innings: he drove some exquisitely through the covers, cut one or two, and pushed a couple back. He played them in his sleep.As he shook his head graciously, it was possible to imagine Bell time travelling through history, shrugging off the more outlandish theories of the age in inoffensive fashion. On balance, he would have known instinctively that the planet Vulcan did not exist, that the earth was not expanding, that there were not canals on Mars, that people were probably not born with a “blank slate” personality, that cold fusion was not possible, and that it was best to avoid the internet site that claims you can achieve a six-pack in seconds while watching TV. There again, when he was a kid trying to make his way he did own a Bullworker.In denial mood, he would also dismiss a few truthful ones. In this mood, he could be a government information officer.Ten debunked theoriesIndia are bowling differently:
“I think we know that India have probably been bowling in better areas than we have – they have bowled very well – hats off to them. But I don’t think they’ve done anything differently. It is Test cricket – you expect periods where it is going to be hard work. The important thing is taking our opportunities.”The last four games we have actually been in positions to win all four of those and we haven’t taken them. And at this level that hurts you. We need to get back to being ruthless. When those opportunities arise we have to win those key periods. Last summer against Australia, we didn’t necessarily play our best cricket but we did win the key moments and you have to do that against world class sides. “Matt Prior’s departure now leaves Alastair Cook isolated:
“There has been a few of us for Cookie to go to – I have been lucky enough to be VC for a couple of games and I have enjoyed that. I have enjoyed being part of the discussions and making plans.”But we have guys there with 250, 300 Test wickets – they know what they want to do in the field. There is plenty of experience – and a lot of guys with good cricket brains. There are a lot of people out there to help.”England’s side has changed so quickly it has been disturbing:
“How it has changed is surprising and it’s a massive change and whilst we are in a bit of difficult place it’s also an exciting place – there’s a lot of very good young players.”England’s struggling players are suffering the fallout from an Ashes whitewash:
“I don’t really buy that – the senior guys have been on tours before to Australia where we have lost and we have all come out the other side okay. After 2006-07, it was the same result and we went on to have one of the best periods of success in English cricket.”I believe you can learn a lot from bad times – it has had no effect on what’s happening to me now. I just love playing for England.”Bell would love to be captain:
“I’ve not really thought about it – I’m just focusing on my batting. If I am scoring runs it is good for the team.”Bell wouldn’t love to be captain:
[Same answer really]Pietersen’s departure has saddled Bell with the role of entertainer:
“It has been different since KP left – when you have relationships in the middle it becomes instinct and now I am having to learn about batting with Gary Ballance and Sam Robson and others. We are doing this for the first time. We are learning very quickly. These things take a bit of time”I have never really thought about whether I am now the entertainer in the top six. I just want to be myself. Actually, for the last couple of years I’ve gone the other way. I am not bothered about a glorious cover drive, I just want to score runs.”Bell can’t concentrate any more:
“It doesn’t feel like that. Sometimes it happens like that. The series before last year’s Ashes – the NZ series, I was doing the same thing – getting to 30 and then getting out. Sometimes getting to 30 takes a lot of energy out of you and sometimes the game goes nicely for you but there are no excuses.”I have had a couple of leaves which have gone to first slip which is odd for me. Some strange dismissals. At Trent Bridge, I was flying – I was 25 off 30 balls, I felt like everything was going perfectly but I am finding ways to get out.”The departure of Andy Flower has left a vacuum in the dressing room:
“There have been a lot of changes so it’s always going to take a bit of time. It does feel different in the dressing room but not in a bad way. Peter Moores has a different style to Andy Flower. Paul Farbrace has a different style to Richard Halsall.”Andy was a hard-working, tough guy as a player and he was exactly like that as a coach. He was very honest with you, either praising you or bollocking you. But, yeah, he was a tough guy. That is what allowed him to be number one in the world as a batter. That shows he’s a ruthless guy. He brought that to England.”England are spooked by the short ball because of Mitchell Johnson:
“No, I don’t think so. But it isn’t the ideal way for us to be getting out – three guys caught on the hook. They will throw that challenge at us again this week, no doubt, but we have to find a method of either getting out of the way of them or keeping the ball down.”In England, you expect people to pitch the ball up and challenge your forward defence, not so much bounce you. We have spoken about it now and it should never be a shock in Test cricket if someone goes round the wicket to you and tries the short ball on you.”The Bell conclusion? “Stick to your guns, work hard and things will work out.”It is not a theory that will start a revolution. But then revolutions have never really been Ian Bell’s style.Investec, the specialist bank and asset manager, is the title sponsor of Test match cricket in England. Visit investec.co.uk/cricket or follow them on Twitter @InvestecCricket

With his controversial autobiography about to be released, Kevin Pietersen talks about where things went wrong with England and why he needs to defend himself

Interview by George Dobell08-Oct-2014Are you missing it?
The big stuff: definitely. Absolutely.You said in the book that, for a while at least, you hated playing for England?
I did. Some of the stuff that was going on in the dressing room meant I didn’t want to be there. I still produced the results on the field, because I felt incredibly free when I was batting. I loved it; I loved batting.Should we be thinking of you as a former player?
I’m 34 and my knee has had a brilliant rest now. So I’m ready to play again. I’m sure people will refer to me as a former player, but I’m still playing tournaments around the world and I will continue to do so for a good few years. I’m still young and fresh and I still love batting.How is the knee now?
It feels 100%. It feels amazing. I haven’t played a Test on it, of course, but I don’t have any pain on it.If you had really wanted to force your way back into the England team, wouldn’t you have played a bit more county cricket last summer?
Two things: it’s been brilliant for my knee that I’ve had the opportunity to rest. And another thing: if I’d scored 10 million runs for Surrey this summer, would I have been selected?”I need to sit down and discuss what direction my cricket goes in next year … I have to commit to four-day cricket and being around cricket a lot more if I want to be successful”•Getty ImagesNo, but you would have increased the pressure on the ECB.
They’ve been under pressure for a lot of things, but they haven’t buckled. They still might, I suppose. Look, maybe, it’s a fair argument. I can see your point. I do need to sit down and discuss what direction my cricket goes in next year. Because I didn’t play well for Surrey this year. Playing once a week just doesn’t work in T20 cricket. It might if it was Championship cricket, but I’m not going to play T20 just once a week. I have to commit to four-day cricket and being around cricket a lot more if I want to be successful. And I set myself such high standards. I felt I let down Graham Ford, I let down Surrey, I let down the lads in the dressing room, and I was heartbroken about it.Surrey remain first choice?
Absolutely. My mentor is at Surrey. I love the guys in the dressing room. They’re a brilliant club and I have such a great relationship with all the players. If I wasn’t playing this summer, I would pop down there with my little boy. I’d play cricket on the outfield, I’d go and see the lads in the dressing room. It’s such a great environment. I love that place. But I have to discuss what my future holds in the next month or so.If you had your time again, would you leave South Africa?
() Well, I look at it like this: I came to England as an offspinner who didn’t know how to bat and I became England’s greatest ever run scorer. So I live in hope.Look, Kallis retired at 38-39. Now that my knee is okay, I feel I can play well again. I didn’t play well because of my knee. It played on me for months and months and months. I really struggled because of it.Is there any possibility that the knee was a physical symptom of mental exhaustion?
No, it was an issue. You don’t talk about micro-fracture surgery unless you really need it.Have you been the architect of your own downfall to some extent?
Maybe, yes. I’ve made some mistakes. I’ve said some things I shouldn’t have said. And yes, I’ve been too honest. But should I have been sacked for it? Michael Vaughan wrote a good piece, a balanced piece which isn’t just pro-me, about man-management. English cricket wouldn’t be where it is today if it had been managed well in the last five or six years.But that includes England’s most successful periods.
Success papers over a lot of cracks.Surely Andy Flower deserves praise for his role in that?
The Mood Hoover? He had a fantastic team. But he used to walk into the room and it was like “Uhhh”. He would walk into breakfast and it was like “uhhh”.But yes, of course he did good things. He has his numbers and he is very proud of his numbers. And he should be incredibly proud of what he did in Zimbabwe. It takes a brave man to do what he did and nobody should question that. It was fantastic.We all do good things. But this is my side of the story and the guy didn’t like me.He would have to go if you were to have any hope of a recall, wouldn’t he?

Yes. Though he isn’t actually coach now.But he works for the ECB. Doesn’t he still pull the strings?
Yes! One of my questions to Paul Downton is: if I seemed disinterested, why did I?Downton complained about me fielding on the boundary. Do you think I enjoyed fielding on the boundary in Australia? Where people abuse you all the time? Ridiculous. My surgeon had told the ECB doctor that if they wanted me to play all ten Tests there was no way I could field at gully all series. He has to be on the boundary so he is not squatting every delivery.So I did the hard yards for England. I took the shit from the crowds. My knee wouldn’t allow me to field at gully. Downton really should have known that.Pietersen’s knee continued to give him pain in Australia•AFPI heard you say on the radio that you had a great relationship with the current team. Define “great”?
No, no. I said I a great relationship with them. I did. I had a great relationship with Alastair Cook. We were open and honest with each other and I had no issues. We had a discussion before the Sydney Test and I said, “Cooky, you know that I’m here to help you. But I’ve played over 100 Tests and I’m allowed an opinion.” And he said “Absolutely”.So when did you fall out?
I’d love to ask him that. I’ve messages on my phone from him saying we’ll hook up when he got back from Australia. But it never happened. The next time I saw him was in that meeting where he was staring at his feet.I don’t blame him. He’s not in the position he wants to be in. He is not a confrontational person.Has it been difficult to deal with the prospect of never playing international cricket again?
It’s been hugely difficult to deal with. I’ve trained my brain to accept that everything happens for a reason. I was probably in mourning for a while, but I’m pretty much at peace now. I still play, I still travel and have fun. I drop off my kid at school.What was the motivation behind the book?
This was not a life-changing sum of money for me, it wasn’t about that. I deserved a chance to give my side of the story. My character has been assassinated for years and I have never defended myself. Under Andy Flower’s regime, if you did anything that wasn’t the way he liked it, he came down on you hard. I wasn’t allowed to defend myself.Do you think he ever forgave you for your part in Peter Moores’ sacking?
Never. It was never okay. Not even on that first tour. I really did try. But I always knew he had it in for me.How would you have captained you?
Well, I did captain guys like me in the IPL. Free spirits. My theory is, you set out the guidelines of the team and you find out how individuals like to run. And there are certain individuals that need to be treated differently to others. Some need to play warm-up games and spend time in the nets. Some need to be put under pressure; some need to be taken away from pressure because of the amount of pressure that is thrust upon them in the international environment. You have to understand those players and manage them carefully and to your advantage. Don’t use them against you.So, to me, I would have said: I know how hard you train. Continue to work. I know you will make mistakes when you bat, but you will come off next time. Keep doing it! Ask Duncan Fletcher or Matt Maynard or Michael Vaughan: they will tell you how hard I trained. And if I screwed up, they backed me to come off next time. And I kept on delivering for them. I was riding the crest of a wave, but then it was all taken away from me by a guy who had it in for me.Do you think of yourself as a thick-skinned person?
You have to be. After the level of abuse I’ve had, you have to be. I have a close circle of friends. I have my family. I’ve been bombarded for about five years and now I am totally cool about it.Let’s clarify the captaincy issue: there was no ultimatum against Peter Moores?
No, there wasn’t. The ECB gave me a letter with questions on it about my thoughts about the team. I spent a long time drawing up answers. We were due to have a board meeting, but it was leaked and I was sacked. I thought I had the majority with me: Strauss and Collingwood were in my corner. But what I said – that I couldn’t take the team further with him as coach – didn’t go down very well. And that’s where the spiral started.What comes after playing for you?
The most exciting thing I have going on at present is my foundation and academy in Dubai. I have a really exciting programme for the kids: it will be the best cricket academy in the world. I will be hands-on. I’ll be there at least four times a year and I’ll be giving masterclasses. I have friends such as Chris Gayle and Yuvraj Singh coming to give masterclasses too.Look, I’m probably never going to be director of cricket at Derbyshire, but I love coaching. I love helping youngsters. I helped out the bowlers with their batting on the last Ashes tour. They said they were just abused when the coaches threw balls at them. I gave them a technique that I thought would help them defend themselves. I said to Jimmy Anderson at T20 Finals Day: “Hey, what about your batting this summer?” But nobody leaked that, did they? It didn’t suit the agenda of the ECB to leak news that might have been positive about me. It never suited the ECB to say that I was trying to help my team-mates. Draw your own conclusions.KP: The Autobiography, published by Sphere, is out on October 9

Perhaps it is the death of Phillip Hughes, perhaps it is the heat, perhaps it is the absence of Ryan Harris, but Mitchell Johnson is not as scary as he used to be

Jarrod Kimber at the Gabba18-Dec-2014Last time he was here a No. 8 was feeding time for Monster Johnson.This time R Ashwin was playing him as if he was just another bowler. A full and straight ball slipped down the leg side. There was no menace. No fear. No explosion. Just a leg bye.Mitch was mid-pitch, shrugging, looking at his hands, wondering where the magic went.At the top of his mark, he was sweating so much in his first spell of the day, he had to throw the ball to someone else to shine it.The next delivery is a half volley, MS Dhoni cover drives it for three. The last ball of his morning spell is pushed through the covers by India’s stylish No. 8, without fear of injury or loss of wicket. Mitch just stares down the pitch for a while, before eventually turning to see where the ball has gone.Mitch wanders off to fine leg. Warner runs over to tell him where Ashwin is standing in the crease, oblivious to the fact Mitch is going to be taken off. Mitch stands at fine leg, by this point last year, he was winning an Ashes and destroying an era of English cricket.Now he is sweating uncontrollably, no one is screaming his name, he’s wicketless and fiddling with a bandage around his finger. Around him there are many empty seats.The Gabba has blue seats, but scattered among them are gold and maroon chairs. It seems like a ploy to trick the mind into thinking there are more people in the ground than there actually are. It also does the opposite. When the Brisbane heat kicks in fully, the ground goes quieter. Vocal chords melt. People disappear to local bars.Today, they just never seemed to turn up at all. The Gabba can’t intimidate with coloured seats. Seats don’t scream.Last year as Mitchell Johnson bounced out Trott and KP, it felt like an angry, drunken, rockin’ coliseum from hell. For M Vijay’s boundaries, it was more an amateur Lawn Bowls over-70s event.There are many differences from this time to last year, but nothing is more noticeable than Mitchell Johnson’s bowling. After one innings. After three. It’s different. This time it is 0 for 81. Last time it was 4 for 61. The time it is 4 for 228. Last time it was 16 for 143. This time it is okay. Last time it was terrifying.This was the start of Mitchell Johnson’s run of eight Tests for 59 wickets at 15 apiece. Hellfire. Brimstone. Armageddon. Cook. KP. Trott. Smith. Amla. It was one of those amazing stretches of bowling in Test cricket history. It was Syd Barnes’ wickets with Thommo’s pace.There was no way Johnson could keep that up, especially as not all wickets are Australian and South African. In the UAE, he was okay – six wickets at 29. He was not a fire-breathing dragon from space, just a fast bowler on unresponsive wickets.Then he came home. Back into the bosom of fast tracks and good times. Adelaide might be known as a bowling graveyard, but not for Mitch. He bowls as well there as anywhere. It might not bounce and have as much movement as the Gabba, bounce as the WACA, or as much of either as the G, but he always finds what he needs there.Not this time.Like in the UAE, Mitch was not hopeless, he was just okay. His working over of a well-set Vijay was beautiful. But that was the only time he was that good. That awesome. That monster.There have been glimpses of aggression from Mitchell Johnson in this series, but it has not been sustained for any period of time•Getty ImagesThis Test he is also without Ryan Harris, as he was in both UAE games. Mitch Johnson does miss Ryan Harris. It’s hard not to, he has gravitational pull. Harris is fast, accurate, cunning and relentless. He’s essentially the human version of the truck from . Bowling at the other end to him must be a dream. Having him at mid-on or off would be like having an on-field bowling coach. In three of Mitch’s last four Tests, there has been no Harris.In Brisbane, when it got hot and quiet, what would have been better than Harris standing next to Mitch?A scientific study of Mitch’s bowling speeds show he is down on pace. As scientific as ball speeds can be. Not to a career low, but to a new era Monster Johnson low. Two kilometres lower on average. That’s not a yard of pace, that’s a handful of inches. Maybe those inches of lost pace are that nip people are always talking about. But is 88 mph so different to 89.5?It would seem like regardless of a fraction of a nip, or Ryan Harris’ injury, there is something else. Last time there was also the build up. It was the Ashes. And the last one hadn’t healed yet. Words were said in the media. The started newspaper bodyline. Mitch was raring to make a comeback. He’d missed a whole Ashes. The Test was all anyone in Brisbane wanted to talk about. He started by smashing runs in it to save Australia. The crowd was practically foaming at the mouth before Trott was out. They were whipped into a carnivorous frenzy.This time there was a funeral.It’s been said that deep in the bubble of the Australian Cricket Team no one took the news harder. Then to compound it was the bouncer that struck Virat Kohli on the crest. And maybe it’s too easy to say that it was that that changed Mitch, but no one else in that Test looked as shaken as he did on that walk down to Virat.When Umesh Yadav was facing Johnson, there was no feeling of impending doom. Like every time a South African or England tailender faced him. In one full over, Mitch bowled one bouncer. Yadav twirled away from it for survival. It wasn’t followed up. There were no leg gullies. No one walked up from slip. The crowd wasn’t getting worked up. Mitch just bowled the last two balls full. One of which Yadav played from near square leg as he assumed he was going to be under attack. He wasn’t.In this series Mitch has bowled bouncers. But there has been no sustained fire-breathing. The quickest ball in the match was from Umesh Yadav, not to him.When the new ball was taken yesterday, Mitch took it. He bowled wide down the leg side. Then got his line right. Then got his line wrong, four. Then got his line right. Then got his line wrong, two. Then got his line wrong. Full and wide. The speed gun said 90 mph. Rahane played it like a kid had flicked down a lollipop. It was a long wide half-volley, one of a huge number.Johnson then turned and walked very slowly back to fine leg. Warner came up to him and gave him a rub on the shoulders. Johnson didn’t even seem to notice. His hips looked sore. He was hot, or cooked.When he got to fine leg, he had to tape up his own injured fingers. There he stood, wicketless. This time Mitch was the one putting on bandages. Last time it was the others.

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Feb-2015Bangladesh opted to bat, but Mirwais Ashraf kept the runs down and dismissed Tamim Iqbal for 19 off 42 balls•Getty ImagesShapoor Zadran dented Bangladesh further when he had Soumya Sarkar trapped lbw and Mahmudullah caught behind•Getty ImagesShakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim steadied the innings with a 114-run fifth-wicket stand•Getty ImagesBangladesh’s lower order didn’t last long as their last five wickets could only add 34 runs. They were all out for 267•Getty ImagesBut Bangladesh’s pacers floored Afghanistan, who were reduced them to 3 for 3 in the third over•Getty ImagesMashrafe Mortaza picked up three wickets and kept the Afghanistan middle order from settling into a rhythm•Getty ImagesAfghanistan managed to make a slow recovery with a 62-run fourth-wicket stand which ended with Samiullah Shenwari’s run out•Getty ImagesBangladesh pressed that advantage further and beat Afghanistan by 105 runs, their biggest win in the World Cups•AFP