Mohammad Hafeez’s resurgence, after three years in international wilderness, symbolises that of his team

Interview by Jo Harman20-May-2013The last time Pakistan were competing for an ICC trophy on these shores they were written off after losing two of their opening three fixtures in the 2009 World Twenty20, before sparking into life and going on to win the thing, with the mercurial Shahid Afridi leading from the front with bat and ball.In the four tumultuous years that have passed since, Pakistan have become a very different beast, but they are no less dangerous. Afridi is a fading force and the team is now characterised by the canny leadership of Misbah-ul-Haq, and his cerebral right-hand man, Mohammad Hafeez. It’s no longer a case of Boom Boom or bust. This new rejuvenated Pakistan is much more street-smart than that.Misbah will lead his country in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy but as he approaches his 39th birthday it won’t be too long before his heir apparent succeeds him. It’s a remarkable rise considering Hafeez spent three years in the international wilderness between 2007 and 2010, and his resurgence symbolises that of his team, who remain unable to play in front of their home fans but have nonetheless emerged from the chaos as a force to be reckoned with.Pakistan have been steady in ODI cricket over the last couple of years, winning eight of their last 12 series. How do you rate your chances in the ICC Champions Trophy? Can you prosper in English conditions?
Some of our players are new to the side but most of the team have already been to England quite often. When we last came to England, in 2010, we had a good ODI series, and we always get good support from the crowd. So yes, there is no doubt that at the moment we have a good balance in the side and we have a really good chance to do well in this tournament. We’ve got a good bowling attack for the conditions.Left-arm quick Junaid Khan has been getting rave reviews, from Wasim Akram no less. Is he a bowler you’re expecting big things from?
With the new ball Junaid Khan and the new sensation Mohammad Irfan – with his great height – are something very special in our side and they are the impact bowlers. The new rule change means that there is a new ball from each end, and we’re really looking forward to them putting in some good performances in England, like they have done in the last two series against India and South Africa.Then we are blessed with some very great spinners in our side, like Saeed Ajmal – one of the very, very best in the world. So we really think we have a very good bowling attack that can give a tough time to any opposition in the world.In the batting department your opening partner Nasir Jamshed looks an exciting prospect. Just how big a talent is he?
He is absolutely fantastic to watch. The key thing about him is that he always tries to play good cricket shots, so I rate him as an opener very well and he is really doing a great job for Pakistan over the last year or so. I think he will have a very good chance to prove himself in English conditions too. I personally feel that he can do well in any condition because he’s a very good technical player and he’s got all the range of shots. I’m looking forward to his big performances in England.Are you confident he can translate his ODI form into Test cricket?
He has definitely got the technique and you can’t judge anyone’s future on one or two opportunities. He didn’t do well in South Africa earlier this year, but I personally feel that he can develop himself and become one of the very best in the world.Pakistan’s match against India at Edgbaston is a standout fixture in the ICC Champions Trophy group stage. Is there always an extra determination to do well against India?
Yeah, it is always special to have India as the opposition. We are looking forward to that match but we will play every match in the tournament with passion. There is no doubt that the crowd against India will be electric. I love that. I can already hear the sound; I can picture the electrifying moments…Having not had the opportunity to play international cricket in Pakistan since 2009, it must be an exciting prospect to play in front of such a partisan and enthusiastic crowd in England…
To be very honest, for the last three and a half years we have been struggling. We are facing this very difficult situation. I always praise my team-mates for the fact that under lots of difficult situations they are performing well around the world. We have not had home territory for three and a half years; we have not been in home conditions, but still the team has been working hard, as a team, as a unit, and the captain, Misbah-ul-Haq, is doing a great job. We really want cricket to come back to Pakistan as soon as possible – the chairman and the board are really working hard on it and the team and the nation know that their mission is to get cricket in Pakistan. I’m sure very soon teams will visit Pakistan again.

“There is no doubt that the crowd against India will be electric. I love that. I can already hear the sound”

What would winning the ICC Champions Trophy mean to fans back in Pakistan?
Pakistan is a great nation, a great cricketing nation. The people love their cricket. They are looking forward to this tournament and they want Pakistan to do well. We have been trying to do well in the 50-over format in order to go on and win this tournament.It’s been a turbulent few years for Pakistan cricket, on and off the field, but things appear to be more settled now. Is that the feeling in the dressing room? Is there a renewed sense of unity?
As I mentioned earlier, over the last three years we’d had some very difficult situations, on and off the ground. We had to fix our image. Pakistan is a great nation, Pakistan is a great cricketing nation as well. So for the last couple of years we have been working with each other very well. We have been supporting each other very well. From a difficult situation we have gelled very well as a team. We knew that we had to do something very special to bring the right image to Pakistan cricket, and the whole team and the management is working hard on that.How good can this current Pakistan side go on to become?
I think you can see there is experience. We always have some of the very best bowlers and we have a tremendous unit. Wherever we go, we don’t have the home territory, we don’t have the home conditions, but we still get good results for Pakistan. I think this team can emerge into a very good team. There are some newcomers in the side – like Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Nasir Jamshed – and this team can gel very, very well in the future.You’re now ranked the fourth-best ODI bowler in the world, according to the ICC rankings. Do you see yourself as a genuine allrounder, or is your responsibility still primarily as a batsman?
To be very honest I always see my responsibility as a batsman but whenever I’m in the field I always behave like a proper bowler. I never try to do too much with my bowling, I have some limitations and I know that, so I always stick to the basics, and it’s been working for me for the last two or three years. I feel that I’ve found good consistency. I try to stay economical for my team and pick up the odd wicket.What do you mean when you say you have limitations in your bowling?
Saeed Ajmal has his doosra and many different varieties. I don’t have those, to be honest. So I know my limitations, I don’t try to do something special, because I know I’m a very different type of bowler. I use my skills to do the basics right.As an opening batsman, is your role primarily to set a platform or is there an onus on you to make the most of the Powerplays?
There is not too much pressure on me to make the most of the Powerplays. For the last three years I’ve had to give a solid start to my team. It is key as an opener to see off the new ball and my role is to play long innings for my country.In recent times you’ve gone from being a bit-part player who was in and out of the side to becoming one of Pakistan’s most influential cricketers. How have you developed as a player over the last few years?
You never know about your future, but when I was out of the team in 2007 to 2010, those three years were very crucial for me. I had to work hard at domestic level, and I realised that at the top level you require good technique and if you’ve got a good technique then you can survive. So I really worked on my technique in those three years. I’m still working on it but for the last three years since I came back into the side, it’s been working for me.Your team-mates know you as “The Professor”. Where did that nickname come from?
It’s funny. I always stick with logic, I always try to get the details of the thing and I always try to go about my business in a positive way. So this is just the name that’s come from that and I really love that. I’m happy with it!The growth of T20 has led some to say that 50-over cricket is living on borrowed time. Does 50-over cricket still have a role to play in the modern era?
I’m more concerned about Test cricket. T20 has grown quickly and is an exciting format but I think Test cricket should always be looked after really well. In only a couple of countries people come and watch Test cricket, in the rest they don’t, and this is something that must be looked after.Is 50-over cricket a format the players still enjoy?
There is no doubt that the 50-over format allows you to equip yourself with a good technique and take your time, but T20 is all about just getting on with it. So I think 50 overs is a good format for cricket, but too many rule changes is a concern for me. Whatever changes are made, it should be for a certain period of time, not changed every six months. Too many things have been changed, and I think this is the major concern for me in ODIs. Whatever the changes the ICC want to make, they should remain for two years or five years and not quickly be changed.

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.

ESPNcricinfo lists five young faces who will look to impress during the Champions League T20

Anuj Vignesh16-Sep-2013Mohit Sharma – Chennai Super KingsMohit Sharma impressed during the IPL with his ability to strike early•BCCIMohit Sharma heads into his first CLT20 on the back of a number of impressive statistics. After finishing as the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the 2012-13 Ranji season for Haryana, Mohit led Chennai Super Kings’ charge into the IPL final with a series of nerveless bowling displays. He finished the tournament with 20 wickets, and remained economical throughout. He consistently provided vital breakthroughs, and his 15 wickets during Powerplay overs were second only to Mitchell Johnson’s 16.An expected ODI call-up against Zimbabwe materialised, and Mohit capitalised, producing a Man-of-the-Match display on debut to finish with 2 for 26. Mohit’s ability to strike early will be key for Super Kings’ plans in the tournament.Ashton Agar – Perth ScorchersAshton Agar, 18, shot to immediate stardom after scoring a 101-ball 98 in the first Ashes Test at a time when it was least expected. Agar flattered to deceive in the remaining games, picking up just two wickets and scoring 32 runs in the remaining three innings. But Champions League will present yet another world stage to Agar. This time, the world is watching.Asad Ali – Faisalabad WolvesAsad Ali isn’t the fastest of bowlers, but his ability to maintain a persistent line and length, and swing the ball either way, makes him a tricky customer. An impressive T20 domestic season saw Asad top the wicket-taking charts with 23 in 14 innings at an average of 15.82. Asad also shone for Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) in the President’s Cup, once again finishing as the leading wicket-taker with 14, including a four-wicket haul in the final.His performances led to a deserved ODI call-up against Ireland, where Asad bowled four maidens and also picked up a wicket. He followed it up by dismissing Alviro Petersen, AB de Villers and Ryan Mclaren in a Champions Trophy warm-up match to finish with figures of 10-1-30-3.Shannon Gabriel – Trinidad & TobagoBilled as a “young Ian Bishop”, Shannon Gabriel first made headlines with a five-wicket haul for Trinidad & Tobago against Barbados in April 2012. Although Gabriel had an ordinary time at the inaugural Caribbean Premier League, picking up just five wickets from six games, his T20 form for the West Indies A team, as well the seniors, should give T&T fans reasons to be hopeful.Gabriel produced a spell of 3 for 14 against Sri Lanka A in June that helped secure a 67-run win for West Indies A. He followed it up with an impressive showing for the senior team, picking up three wickets against Pakistan in July. Gabriel has an ability to generate pace and often bowls a fuller length.Shehan Jayasuriya – Kandurata MaroonsAn aggressive left-hand opening batsmen, Shehan Jayasuriya boasts of a strike rate of 76.56 in first-class cricket. But Jayasuriya is handy with his offspin as well; he produced a match-winning spell of 3 for 7 for Kandurata Maroons in a Super Fours Twenty20 Tournament game against Banashira Greens.Since then, Jayasuriya has been in sublime touch with the bat, emerging as Sri Lanka Under-23s highest run-scorer in the Emerging Teams Cup in Singapore with 219 from three games, including a match-winning 101 against the UAE.Jayasuriya, 22, also enjoyed a strong Premier League Tournament in 2012-13, once again finishing with the most runs. His eight matches yielded 797 runs at an average of 61.30, which included three centuries and two fifties. Jayasuriya also struck 100 boundaries during the tournament, 15 more than the next-highest batsman. Though he hasn’t completely adapted his batting to the T20 format, his all-round ability has more or less assured him a spot in the Kandurata side.Anuj Vignesh is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo

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.”

Australia’s triumph in the 1989 Ashes is a cautionary tale for those who think England barely need to lift a finger to retain the urn

Rob Smyth26-Jun-2013Arguably England’s greatest triumph of the 2005 Ashes did not come in victory. “Look over there,” said Michael Vaughan at the end of the Old Trafford Test. “Australia are celebrating a draw. Just think what that means.”In a sense, Australia’s 16 years of Ashes hegemony were bookended by the celebration of a draw. When Australia went to lunch on the final day of the first Test in 1989, they were thrilled. “As our meals were being served we were cock-a-hoop,” wrote Ian Healy in his autobiography, “because we knew we couldn’t lose.” Australia may have been cock-a-hoop, but they certainly were not the cock of the walk. “Under the Southern Cross” was sung around once a year, not after every match. “We weren’t used to winning,” said Healy, “or even having a significant advantage in Test matches.”They soon would be. The story of their 4-0 victory in the 1989 Ashes, and how it changed Australian cricket at a stroke, is so well known that it might be on the syllabus. The precedent acts as a cautionary tale for those who think England barely need to dot i’s and cross t’s to retain the Ashes, yet there are probably more differences than similarities in Australia’s build-up to the two series.Despite some on-field struggles before the Test series in 1989, their world was far more stable: no coaches were sacked or players banned in the making of that Ashes triumph. Nobody predicted an England whitewash. But the odds on an Australia win at Trent Bridge in a fortnight are the same as they were for the first Test in 1989: 11-4. They were emphatic outsiders.Allan Border’s team was famously described as “the worst team ever to leave Australia” when they embarked on the Ashes tour. They were not so much written off as never written on in the first place. Australia had lost three of the last four Ashes, and had managed just one series win in the five and a half years since the simultaneous retirements of Greg Chappell, Rodney Marsh, and Dennis Lillee. The World Cup win in 1987 had not changed their Test form. “I would love the day I was part of a side that was really competitive,” said Border, “and I could make captaincy decisions that were really positive.”England’s record was just as bad as Australia’s – they had won only one of the last 19 Tests – yet there was a widespread assumption that everything would be all right on the night. The reasons were threefold: their excellent Ashes record in the 1980s, the planned return of stars like Mike Gatting and Ian Botham, and particularly the feel-good vibes of the new regime of David Gower and Ted Dexter. “We don’t intend to be second to anyone in any department,” said Dexter. England fell in love with Gower all over again. He was the subject of various glossy feature interviews, and even adorned the cover of , wearing a white shirt, black tie, and seductive half-smile.Gower’s face was instantly recognisable; that was not the case with many in the Australian squad, which included only four players who had toured England before. When the team arrived, and Border was asked to introduce them to the press, he told the players to come out one by one. “Do it that way,” he joked, “and hopefully I might recognise you.”

Jeff Thomson put his own spin on the Castlemaine XXXX slogan that was so popular in 1989. “I wouldn’t,” he said, “give you a XXXX for Australia’s chances of regaining the Ashes.” Australia won a Test for every X

The tour did not start auspiciously. After a couple of gentle warm-ups at Dartmouth and Arundel, Australia lost their first significant fixture, a one-day match against Sussex, with Dean Jones breaking his cheekbone. Later that week they were beaten in the first first-class match of the tour. County champions Worcestershire won inside two days on a dreadful wicket at New Road, with the England hopeful Phil Newport taking 11 wickets.To compound Australia’s misery, Botham’s scores of 39 and 42 were decisive in a low-scoring dogfight that Worcester won by three wickets. “BEEFY BASHES THE AUSSIES!” screamed the headline. Worcestershire had been thrashed earlier in the week by the Combined Universities. By playground logic, Australia were worse than a bunch of students.The perception was that they sulked like a bunch of children when they refused to play an impromptu one-day game against Worcestershire the following day. That was a little harsh – Australia cited their unhappiness with a pitch that was not just dodgy but dangerous – and it turned out to be just about the only bad press they got all summer. They are remembered for their granite-nosed attitude on the field, and Border’s distaste for tea parties. Yet they were quite the opposite off the field. “The players are polite, approachable and socially restrained,” wrote Alan Lee in the . “Australia may not be quite good enough to win this series but I believe they will compete to the end. I am also convinced that, win or lose, they will go home a popular side.”The English media were generally very respectful towards Australia before the series. They were certainly not the laughing stock that the current team have become on social media. They were generally recognised as an enthusiastic, slowly improving side. But almost everybody expected them to lose. On the morning of the first Test, the former England wicketkeeper Bob Taylor graded both sides’ 12-man squads for the . His verdict was England 101-96 Australia.The Aussies were perceived as a side that would get runs but not wickets. Henry Blofeld, in the , suggested they would struggle to bowl out England in any of the six Tests. As it transpired, Terry Alderman took enough wickets to win two Tests on his own: he ended with 41 in six games, and “lbw b Alderman” was trending all summer.Steve Waugh on his form going into the 1989 Ashes: “Getting a century wasn’t a target but a barrier”•Ben Radford/Getty ImagesThe two batsmen who would score the most runs for Australia went into the series battling considerable insecurity. Mark Taylor had played just two Tests and suffered a dreadful start to the tour. Healy recalls Taylor telling a few team-mates over a drink: “I don’t think I’m good enough to get runs at this level.” Steve Waugh had played 26 Tests without making a century. “The insecurity and self-doubt I was carrying had accumulated to such an extent,” he wrote in his autobiography, “that getting a century wasn’t a target but a barrier.”Even Lillee and Jeff Thomson backed England, an occurrence that made Halley’s Comet seem everyday by comparison. “It will be a close series but I think England will win it 1-0,” said Lillee. “They are always hard to beat on their own dungheap.” Thomson put his own spin on the Castlemaine XXXX slogan that was so popular in 1989. “I wouldn’t,” he said, “give you a XXXX for Australia’s chances of regaining the Ashes.”Australia won a Test for every X. With hindsight, the remarkable thing is not that they triumphed 4-0, but that it was only 4-0: without rain, it would almost certainly have been 6-0. The only contest that England won was musical chairs: they notoriously picked 29 players to Australia’s 12 in the series.Before that Ashes, Australia had won one series and lost seven under Border. For the rest of his tenure they won eight and lost two. And then they got even better under Mark Taylor. Steve Waugh’s explanation of his own breakthrough in 1989 might also apply to the team. “How did it all turn around?” he wrote. “I don’t really have an answer; perhaps it was just meant to be.”Against that, Healy argues that there was no great mystery: a group of players – Taylor, Boon, Jones, Waugh, Healy, and Hughes – matured into high-class Test cricketers around the same time, and that green-and-golden generation were supported by the brilliance of the returning Alderman. Then there is victory’s happy habit of perpetuating itself, especially in Australian sport. “With hindsight,” says Healy, “the speed of our ascendancy and the extent of our Ashes triumph is not so surprising.”

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.

Quinton de Kock forced himself into the national team with an array of breathtaking innings. Now he knows he must think about his game

Firdose Moonda25-Nov-2013There’s a time during every over when the person batting with Quinton de Kock has a particular task to perform. That person, usually a man much older and more experienced his partner, has to pick his moment – after the first ball has been bowled, midway through the over, when de Kock has had a swish at a ball, has taken a risky run, or has been beaten – to go and say to him: “Take it easy, just take it easy.”De Kock can see the words coming. He can hear the words, laced with the disciplinary tone of a schoolteacher, before the sound hits his eardrum, and his response comes out robotically. “Cool, cool, I’m cool,” he repeats, just like he does in the middle.His boyish face breaks into a wide smile. The three journalists listening to the story stifle a giggle and de Kock uses the opportunity for some playful grandstanding. “Usually I used to say things like ‘Okay, I’ve got this’, now I just say ‘It’s cool’ and I just accept it.”As Russell Domingo put it on the team’s arrival from the UAE, de Kock is still seen as a “wild young thing”, and so he needs the rest of the team to signpost the way towards a more cautious, measured style of play, though he is still allowed to rely on his discretion to bring out his big shots.Aggressive strokeplay is how de Kock made his name. He forced his way into the national selectors’ line of sight, and ultimately the team, with an array of Jackson Pollock-esque performances: they were colourful, they made no sense at first sighting, but they were magnificent to look at.De Kock was the fifth-highest run-scorer in the 20-over competition two seasons ago and the leading man last season. He flayed bowling attacks with disdain. He did not need to be told to calm down.When he was picked for South Africa, at first to play New Zealand at home, he thought he could do things in exactly the same way. In six innings it seemed he could, though his highest score was 31 in an ODI.That same characteristic, on display in the Champions League Twenty20, resulted in a contract with Sunrisers Hyderabad, where his first major learning came. De Kock only played three matches for the IPL franchise and he remembers, with some humility, that he had an average of 2.00. The sample size was small but it seemed he struggled on slower surfaces and against the turning ball – two things not commonly found in South Africa, where he collected runs at will.The same weaknesses were evident on South Africa’s tour of Sri Lanka, and it set the usually carefree de Kock on a path of self-reflection. “I had to go and look at my faults,” he said. “I had to turn a negative into a positive and it really made me go back and look at things differently.”De Kock came from a franchise environment that was built on care. When he told his coach, Geoffrey Toyana, he wanted to practise more, Toyana was only too happy to put the extra hours in with him. When he went to his senior-most team-mate Neil McKenzie and asked for advice, McKenzie not only dispensed it freely but worked with him in the nets to help him get it right.

“It was about having a game plan, because in the past sometimes I didn’t have that. I didn’t change too much – maybe I was a little tighter – but it was more about having plans”

Both Toyana and McKenzie were pleasantly taken aback by the dedication de Kock showed to improving. “Quinny realised what it would take to make it at international level and he was willing to put in the hard yards to get there,” Toyana said. “He really wanted it.”De Kock’s work ethic hovered at average levels before the Sri Lanka series but it soared above what anyone expected when he returned home. The time he spent in the nets threatened to rival even McKenzie’s – who has earned a reputation as the last man to leave the practice ground – and the determination he showed told Toyana that de Kock was serious about playing for South Africa.His efforts paid off as early as the Champions League Twenty20, a month after the Sri Lanka series. De Kock was Lions’ top scorer and their only centurion, and his technique had noticeably improved. “It was about having a game plan, because in the past sometimes I didn’t have that,” he said. “I didn’t change too much – maybe I was a little tighter – but it was more about having plans.”No longer was he swishing at every ball, expecting to connect and land it on the other side of the boundary. He was thinking about the game. He was also thinking about what many of his team-mates, opponents, coaches and media had said, and realised their words rang true.”People have told me I have talent. Guys like Macky and Hashim [Amla] have told me that and sometimes I hate it because I have too many options,” he said. “But they also told me it’s all down to hard work. So I took that advice.”These days de Kock is one of the last people to leave the South African training sessions. He spends as much time as he can hitting balls, talking about strategies, and practicing his glovework. “I’m enjoying the keeping as well. It’s something I am also working on,” he said. “I never used to take this many catches in the past either.”De Kock has been touted as the future of South African cricket – he forms a partnership at the top of the order in limited-overs cricket that Faf du Plessis has called the “right combination of flair and stability”, and his keeping wicket frees up AB de Villiers. He is also honing his longer-form game to be able to push for a place in the Test team in the years to come.And until that happens, he understands that he will just have to take it easy and keep working. And it’s something he is completely comfortable doing.

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.