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What looked like a depleted pool of talent for South Africa in the recent past, has paved way for a squad that is always ready with able replacements

Firdose Moonda16-Nov-2016While Australia lurch through a wide range of selection conundrums ranging from resting bowlers to Steven Smith saying there is no-one banging down the door domestically and now the sudden stepping down of Rod Marsh, South Africa are seemingly spoilt for choice in a remarkable change of fortune from last summer’s struggles. Back then, it seemed South Africa were touching the bottom of their talent pool. Now, that bottom has been proven false and they have options in every discipline.Instead of delight in any schadenfreude, convener Linda Zondi remained mindful of the cycles that a selection committee can go through. “One thing I have learned in this position as convener of selectors is that it’s a thankless job. You have to understand the position you hold. Either way, there will be issues. I don’t want to get involved too much in the Australian selection but as long as we are happy where we are, I am comfortable. There will be hard times going forward. I’m happy with the team, the environment, the players and the way they have performed for us. It’s excellent,” he said.Zondi was appointed in July last year, after serving on his predecessor Andrew Hudson’s panel, and his first task was to pick the squad to tour India. On that trip, South Africa lost both Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander to injuries, prompting a revolving door of fast bowlers that were used through the summer. Kagiso Rabada made his first appearance in Mohali, Chris Morris and Hardus Viljoen debuted against England and Kyle Abbott yo yo-ed in and out of the side. At the other end of the team sheet, there was pressure to find an opening batsman when Stiaan van Zyl struggled and it’s not as though everything in between was settled.Quinton de Kock was dropped before the India tour, but his replacement Dane Vilas’ poor form paved the way for de Kock’s return•Getty ImagesDane Vilas was used that time after Quinton de Kock was not included in the India Test squad because of losing form earlier in the year. Like van Zyl, Vilas also battled. Instead of recalling de Kock immediately, the gloves were given to AB de Villiers who responded with complaints about workload. In addition to that, both Faf du Plessis and JP Duminy lost form and were dropped in turns, leaving the middle order lacking muscle.Before Zondi and his panel could begin to find a solution, ahead of the New Zealand series this August, they were hit by another requirement. They needed to meet transformation targets too. The system seemed set to fail but the selectors have come out smiling with targets met and a winning team. How did they achieve that?”The board makes policy, and our role is to implement those policies,” Zondi said. “When we got to the stage where the policies were passed, we were in the position where the best represented South Africa, regardless of any target or colour. All the players deserve to be there and we’ve got young guys that are coming through to add to the senior squad.”Newcomer Kagiso Rabada has impressed too•Getty ImagesThe panel was helped by the return of Steyn – albeit temporarily – and Philander, the second coming of Duminy, the ability of du Plessis to step up and the coming of age of de Kock, Temba Bavuma and Rabada – but they’ve also made some brave calls. Dane Piedt was dropped for the Australia Tests for two rookie spinners and Morne Morkel, battling fitness concerns, has not yet been recalled.Those decisions were not easy but Zondi explained that they were made with the focus on combinations and conditions. “We are looking at conditions and seeing how we feel, and how the players suit a particular role. The combination is important.”Crucially for South Africa they have been able to toggle their combinations because they have enough players in each department. Their attack includes seamers who offer speed, swing and seam movement; they have an offspinner in Duminy, a left-arm spinner in Keshav Maharaj and a wristspinner in Tabraiz Shamsi plus they have attacking batsmen like de Kock and Rilee Rossouw to Bavuma’s more cautious style.That has allowed them to compile as diverse a squad as possible and, having studied the domestic set-up, Zondi believes the trend will continue.”You can only make those decisions when you know you have a good enough back-up in whatever role you are looking at. Domestically, I am happy with what I’ve seen. The stronger the franchise matches are, the better for South Africa A and the Proteas.”We have a lot of guys, who are (final year or school) and performing at franchise level and guys that have been in the system for a while are dominating. Another benefit that I see is that we’ve got good coaches so it’s a good combination of the two. We are in a position where players in every single role is available. It’s just a matter of us taking those guys to that next level and seeing how we move on.”

Amol Karhadkar15-Oct-20158:18

‘Give me a reversing ball and I still get excited’ – Zaheer

How tough is it to finally give up on what you say is your life?
It was tougher than I thought, and that is summed up in my press release as well. For any cricketer it is the toughest decision you have to make. You always think that one last push is there. Especially with me, knowing that “Zak is Back” can happen, I thought that I can give that push. Somewhere during the training, as I was preparing for the season, I realised that it is the right time to walk away from international cricket. This is how the whole process happened. What happened post that was discussion with people and letting them know that this is what is going on in my mind.You wrote in your press release that your mother was happy with your journey. Are you satisfied with your career or are there any regrets?
Very, very satisfied. She summed it up very nicely. That kind of consolidated my decision. The decision was very clear post that discussion I had with my family members.Whom did you consult?
The decision was made, and then I went and spoke to everyone. I did go and meet Sachin [Tendulkar] also. I had a good word with Ashish Nehra, Ajit Agarkar. I had a good word with all my coaches. I spoke to Sudhir Naik sir, I spoke to TA Sekhar as well. Pretty much, they were all also happy. Pretty much everyone I have been talking to, they have been talking about the journey, too. That’s the highlight of it.Did anyone urge you to give another try?
Jokingly, my friends keep telling me that. They are pulling my leg till today, asking if I am going to take a U-turn. But, [Javagal] Srinath was the only one who said that I could have played for one more year easily. I told him, being a pace bowler yourself, you shouldn’t be telling me all this. You should relate to me, and not tell me to play another year.Considering that you played 15 years of international cricket, how much did you have to unlearn and learn new things to keep yourself fresh and relevant?
That process goes on throughout, and will continue as I am just watching the game. That thing never stops. As you see, cricket is evolving and batters are adapting new techniques. They are trying different tactics to counter what bowlers are throwing at them.Do you think injuries shortened your career or did they play a role in making you the player that you went on to become?
I have done well with all of it. That’s one thing I feel proud of, that whatever things which have been thrown at me at different situations, I have dealt with it well. That’s why “Zak is Back” is there. That’s one thing I have always looked at as a learning curve. Every experience has made me and changed me as a person in a better way.Have you counted the number of surgeries or injuries you had?
Surgeries I have had only two. That way I was lucky. Yeah, I did have niggles and stuff like that here and there.On his preparations for the 2011 World Cup final: “I was fully zoned out, focused only on the job on hand.”•Santosh Harhare/Getty ImagesFrom a schoolboy cricketer who traveled to play MLA Trophy with tennis-ball matches all over Ahmednagar district to winning a World Cup. Can you recall your journey on a day like this?
Since the time I have made my decision, I have been thinking about all of that. It’s been a special journey. At no point in Shrirampur did I think I would make it to Indian cricket. There are a series of events that happened and if one link was missing, I don’t think I would be sitting here and talking to you guys.
Leading up to international cricket, the journey was very critical. I started way back in 1996 and I came to National [Cricket Club]. Right from Sudhir Naik telling me to take cricket seriously to [Vidya] Paradkar [Naik’s assistant coach at National Cricket Club, Mumbai] spending a lot of time just working on my bowling, going to [MRF] Pace Foundation and working with Dennis [Lillee] and TA Sekhar that time, and also getting exposed to fitness training. Even physios and trainers, all have played their part. From Chennai, I landed up in Baroda to make my Ranji Trophy debut. So, from Shrirampur I have gone to many places to make it to the Indian team. That’s what I really feel proud of.You mastered the art of swing, both with the new and old ball. Was it a self-taught process?
As I was playing more and more, things were falling into place. I would think of approaching certain situations in a certain way, and then it kind of formed a pattern. If it’s 80 overs in a day, how different situations are played. If you are playing in Australia or South Africa, especially with the Kookaburra balls, batters would look to come at you between 60 to 80 overs, because that’s when the ball is not doing much. If it is a really flat wicket, they will start at 50. Initially they will be very watchful. When they are watchful, it’s your time of attacking. You have to force them. When they are attacking, it’s your time to be defensive.
These are the things you learn with experience, and also different balls react differently. [The] Kookaburra ball reacts differently to [the] SG ball. Later on, in Test cricket here in India, you would have seen that I did not bowl longer spells with the new ball, but saved myself for reverse-swing, so that I am fresh and I have enough strength because the wicket is not going to offer you much. Those kind of things happen with experience. That’s what the learning curve is all about. As I was playing more and more games, I started understanding these situations and helping speed up that process of understanding for the youngsters.Chaminda Vaas has said that he learnt reverse-swing by watching Wasim Akram on television, because no one shared the secret with him. How did you master it, especially when there was no tradition in India?
In Indian conditions, the ball would go reverse on most occasions. There is a particular way in which you can release the ball to get the maximum amount [out] of it. If you don’t do that and hide the ball appropriately, you won’t get that.I started hiding the ball and it just happened to me. I cannot really pinpoint any particular moment. I just started bowling it, and I started running in trying to hide the ball with the other hand, and it kind of amplified the effect of reverse-swing.The current crop of fast bowlers is not able to master that. Why is it [reverse-swing] dying?
In one-dayers, it is dying. In Test matches, it is still there.Zaheer Khan stated that his stint with Worcestershire helped him become a more attacking bowler•BCCIYou spoke about experience. Do you think the 2006 county stint with Worcestershire played a role in your transformation as a bowler?
It played a huge role, but I must tell you that leading up to it I had been advised to cut short my run-up. Just that I was just not able to do that because I was playing international cricket regularly, and those are things you just cannot go in the international game and change. So, when I was away from international cricket, I got an opportunity to work on that.Cutting my run-up short gave me more control. With technology and by asking people even you all will know the faults of the batters, but as a bowler you have got to be able to execute that. And to execute that you need control. That process happened in county as I bowled more and more with a short run-up. That kind of helped me become a more attacking bowler, in terms of exploiting a batsman’s weakness.In 2005, when India lost the ODI series to Pakistan 4-2 you were in an important phase of your career. Can you recall what happened in that phase, and the people who came up to you and gave you the idea of playing county cricket?
It just happened. Murali Kartik, who is good friends with Vikram Solanki and had played with him, called me. He said there is a place available and, honestly for me, there was no option. I didn’t think about it and just said that I want to play. I looked at the next six months and playing some kind of cricket. I just wanted to be on the field as it was the off season in India. Then, Vikram called me, and I spoke to Steve Rhodes, the coach, and Mark Newton, the [chief] executive, and that’s how Worcestershire happened. There was no thought process as such. I would just go and train. There was no cricket. I was just training in Mumbai in that phase, completely blank. I was not sure [of] what’s next.More than returning mentally and physically in tune after a county stint, was the idea of constantly picking up wickets more appealing?
The way I approached my bowling was to focus on the right areas and keep asking questions. If I knew a batsman’s weakness, then I would just keep bowling there or go according to the situation. If there is a partnership happening and someone is coming hard at you, then have a plan which is going to restrict him from achieving that. That, itself, is a victory in that particular phase. So, I used to approach that way.You were seen in a different light after returning from England. In the Wanderers Test against South Africa in 2006, Sreesanth took more wickets, but you were a different bowler. Was it because you were secure about your place in the Indian team?
I was just enjoying the game. I would say that’s what Worcestershire taught me. I was just there playing the game of cricket, and enjoying it. I just continued that mindset from thereon. Leading up to that, yes, there were a lot of things happening in India, which kind of put pressure on me. It was all about getting back into the team, doing this and that, or you have to show the wickets. Going to Worcestershire was an enjoyment factor.Very few players have managed to make the second part of their career far more impressive than the first one. What would you attribute your success to?
It all came back to knowing more about the game and understanding how the whole thing is going. If a particular team is doing a media conference in a certain way, then what’s the reason behind that. Those things do happen, right? Later on, I started using it to my advantage.So you secretly enjoyed it when the media started projecting Graeme Smith as your bunny?
Of course, yes. That’s the fun part of it. Aggression is important, but these things are also important. If you saying something as a bowler is going to affect his game, that’s what you want, right?Would you go and grin at Smith between deliveries?
I would say things. Sometimes, I did not say anything and just looked at him because he would not look at me on the field. That itself is enough at times. It was a good battle. I have been a part of many battles. Sometimes you are fielding for long, long days and you come back. That’s what I enjoyed about Test matches. The ability to make things happen is exciting and when your plan succeeds, it’s most satisfying.Zaheer on his rivalry with Graeme Smith: “Sometimes, I did not say anything and just looked at him because he would not look at me on the field.”•AFPHow much did you act up the jelly bean incident during the 2007 Test series in England?
I did act up a bit, and that’s what everyone does. I am happy about that. I didn’t act it up on the field, but post the match I did, because I thought there was an opportunity.What went into the making of your 2011 World Cup performance and did the memories of the 2003 World Cup final linger?
Actually, in a way it was a good learning for me. Obviously, I was disappointed when it happened to me. After the national anthem [in 2003], everyone was so charged up and I was about to bowl. That didn’t help and I was acting out of my character. That was not my natural way of approaching situations. I did go at the batters and in the process I lost control in those two overs. Then, it was hard for me to get back. Australia, of course, was playing good cricket at that time. They had not lost a single game in the World Cup, and had the edge and good players to put the pressure back on us.That experience did help in 2011. As I was standing for the national anthem, I was kind of zoned out and we happened to bowl again this time. The night before, I was saying that I have worked at it, I have got a second opportunity and I know what to do. I looked at it [2003] as an experience which is going to help me do better, and not as the pressure of not doing well.Considering what happened in 2003, did playing the 2011 final at the Wankhede Stadium add more pressure or was it good to have home support?
I was fully zoned out, focused only on the job on hand. It started with winning the Pakistan game (semi-final) in Mohali. We did celebrate our win, but we all were very aware that we will be playing the final in two days’ time. So, that was very clear with everyone, that we will mingle with people but not relax as it was not the end. The talks in the dressing room were like that and it was a great thing. Personally, I was saying that I have come this far and I know what’s going to come next.Were you relieved after that opening spell of five overs in the final?
I remember it was a very, very hot day. It was probably one of the hottest days in Mumbai. The conditions were tough and the first spell was critical, but I was not relaxed after that. I remember walking up to MS [Dhoni] and asking him to give me the final over. He wanted Munaf to bowl that. These are the decisions you take on the field, and I am glad we could win the match so easily.Between these two World Cups, there was the 2007 edition. Was it the worst India dressing-room you have been a part of?
It was tough (laughs). Everyone was planning the next thing, but we had to cut short the trip. It was a tough couple of weeks.Zaheer Khan and Kevin Pietersen exchange words during the 2007 Trent Bridge Test, famous for the jelly bean incident. “I did act up a bit, and that’s what everyone does,” Zaheer said about the incident.•Getty ImagesWhen you walked out of Lord’s in 2011 with 2 for 18 on the first morning, what was running through your mind?
The hamstring has always been a tricky thing with me, and I knew that it might not be an easy thing. With hamstrings, you never really know when it has healed fully. I did play the next practice match, but within three overs I knew I won’t be there for a while.In 2011, when you broke down in England, it came after a heavy international calendar and the IPL. You did not travel to the West Indies for the preceding tour, but do you think your career could have panned out differently if you had taken a break after the World Cup?
Not really. Before I took a decision on any niggles, I consulted enough guys. So, the call was right. It just happened. You don’t have any control over an injury. I was actually waiting for the tour to get over and go for an ankle surgery. That surgery was not mandatory. And, the injury I had was of the hamstring, and had nothing to do with the ankle. But, because I was missing the series, I went for the surgery at that point. Whatever calls you take, you take after discussing with experts.Talking about numbers, there were many four-wicket hauls but you could not convert them into five-fors. Is that a regret?
Not really. If I can create that impact in a spell by taking three-four wickets, then I am happy. I was always looking for the kind of situations where I could have an impact on the game, and I am happy that I have achieved it and changed the course of many games.You have been given a lot of compliments. Sachin Tendulkar said that you out-thought the batsmen. Kapil Dev said that he would have loved to share the new ball with you had you been his contemporary. How do you want to be remembered. What is Zaheer Khan’s legacy?
Someone who just kept trying, never gave up is what I look at. That’s the approach I carried on to the field every time. I think sometimes even when you are defensive, that’s also attacking. You got to know that.Kumar Sangakkara rates you among the toughest bowlers he has faced. Are you happy that some of the top batsmen have rated you the most difficult to play?

When I look back, these are the things which make you proud about yourself. Sanga is a top guy. He has his record to speak for itself. Someone like him, praising you, you tell yourself that you deserve a pat on your back. You have done well for yourself.Javagal Srinath told ESPNcricinfo that perhaps you could have managed your body better. Do you agree or do you think you understood your body better in the latter half of your career?
There are ifs and buts in every aspect of life. He told me this, and I told him that every time we used to restrict a team to 220 or 230, he used to say that we could have restricted them to 180. It’s all part and parcel of the whole process. When I look back, I am happy and proud with what I have achieved.Zaheer on his later battles with fitness: “You don’t have any control over an injury.”•Associated PressCan you recall one day or one spell you bowled with complete control?
I can’t pinpoint, but that 2006 phase is where I could just make it happen. Just land up at the ground, and do it right. That was the phase when I managed pretty well. If you guys were travelling, you would have seen that I hardly bowled in the nets. It was a phase where my rhythm was good until I got that plantar fascia injury [in 2007]. Injuries are a stop-gap and you rebuild again.Indian bowlers are unable to find the right combination between pace and swing. Pace bowlers try to go for swing, and swing bowlers go for pace. What is your suggestion?
You need both. If you can adapt your skill level to what the wicket is offering, to a certain extent, then you can create more impact. If you have to bowl on a dampish wicket, hit-the-deck bowlers usually lose that edge. If you can adapt your skill to releasing and kissing the deck, then you are going to get maximum number of wickets.There is a lot of talk that Bhuvneshwar Kumar has lost his swing in order to up his pace. What is your advice?
I don’t relate it to that. Bhuvi has never been an out-and-out pace bowler. I don’t think he is trying to bowling at 145kmph. He is still focussing on his skills and trying to swing the ball. That he is not able to swing it is a different story.What are you going to miss the most?
Going out there and trying to figure out batsmen. Going with the game on the field. I really enjoyed that part. Being outside [the team]and seeing things, you can’t do much really. But, being inside you always had a chance of doing something. That’s what I will miss the most.Are you going to miss mentoring or do you plan to become a bowling coach?
It depends. Yes, it comes naturally to me. So, I am always there if anyone needs any help. How exactly that is going to happen, I have not really given it a thought. I will right now focus on playing maybe play some club cricket just for the fun of it.

Leicestershire bowled out for 99, Steven Croft anchors simple chase for hosts

ECB Reporters Network25-May-2023Lancashire’s star-studded line-up gave Liam Livingstone the perfect start to his spell as Lightning’s Vitality Blast captain with a landslide eight-wicket win over Leicestershire at Emirates Old Trafford.A team with seven internationals blitzed the Foxes early on thanks to Luke Wood’s pace in the powerplay after the visitors had elected to bat, limiting them to a measly 99 all out inside 19 overs.Livingstone didn’t bat or bowl in this lunchtime fixture, with his England white-ball team-mate Wood setting the tone with two wickets in the third over. He got openers Sol Budinger and Nick Welch caught pulling as the score fell to 17 for 2.Left-armer Wood finished with 3 for 11 from four overs, while another England quick Saqib Mahmood finished with 3 for 17 from 3.5 before the chase was completed inside 12 overs thanks to Steven Croft’s unbeaten 46 off 34 balls.Lancashire have started their bid for what could be a record-breaking 10th Finals Day appearance – Hampshire have also previously qualified for nine – by winning two from two at the start of the North Group.Wood’s fiery new-ball spell seemed to scramble the minds of Leicestershire’s batters, with nine of the 10 wickets falling to catches in their first game of the competition. Wiaan Mulder’s 25 was the only score above 20.When the easier-paced seam of Colin de Grandhomme was introduced in the fourth over, Arron Lilley chipped to midwicket and later Colin Ackermann was bowled aiming a big heave at a slower ball from the former New Zealand allrounder – leaving Leicestershire 35 for 4 after seven.Wickets continued to fall, three in four overs, as Leicestershire slipped deeper into trouble at 74 for 7 in the 14th. Matthew Parkinson struck with his third ball in the 11th when Rishi Patel tried to break the shackles and miscued to Wood at long-on before Mahmood had Mulder caught at deep midwicket pulling in the next.Wood then returned to get Rehan Ahmed caught behind trying to uppercut a short ball in the 14th over, the England allrounder falling for 6.That brought about a battle of the Parkinson twins, Matthew and Callum, the latter attempting to retrieve what already looked a lost cause. Callum survived against his brother, picking up a couple of singles off him on the way to 9. But he then fell caught behind off a top edge against Lancashire’s other New Zealand allrounder Daryl Mitchell.As the Foxes fell to 94 for 8 in the 18th over, Parkinson became the fourth batter out attempting to pull.Mahmood then wrapped up the innings – Leicestershire’s fifth-lowest in Blast history – with two more wickets caught off miscues in the 19th over, Pakistan debutant fast bowler Naseem Shah and Will Davis falling.South African Mulder took the new ball for the Foxes and struck in the second over when Luke Wells followed a number of visiting batters by falling caught on the pull, leaving Lancashire at 8 for 1.Croft and Phil Salt then shared 60 inside six overs for the second wicket, both hitting sixes. Salt was then superbly caught at backward point by a diving Patel off Ahmed’s legspin for 28, but it was nothing more than a consolatory wicket at 68 for 2 in the seventh.Mitchell later hit a six off Davis over backward square-leg to seal victory and finish 25 not out.Such is the strength of the Red Rose county’s team, captain Livingstone’s contribution was limited to captaincy alone upon his return from IPL duty. And England limited-overs skipper Jos Buttler will be added to the mix in time for next Thursday’s Roses clash at Headingley.

In a performance that consolidates Qalandars’ credentials as the favourites to retain this title, United were swept aside by 119 runs

Danyal Rasool09-Mar-2023

Fakhar Zaman hits out during his innings•PCB

</bIf Lahore Qalandars' thrashing of Islamabad United the first time these sides met this season read like an aberration, Qalandars gave them another one, just for good measure. In an imperious performance that consolidates their credentials as the favourites to retain this title, United were swept aside with disdain in Rawalpindi by 119 runs. It is the heaviest defeat inflicted on any side in PSL history.Fakhar Zaman's 115 in the first innings set them up for an imposing total – 226 is the Qalandars' second-highest score. But after Quetta Gladiators chased down an even bigger score the previous night, a chase felt very realistic. This is where Qalandars' bowlers shone, running riot through Islamabad's storied batting line-up and skittling them out for 107. In the end, Fakhar's individual score was higher than Islamabad's collected final tally, another PSL first.After 240 hadn't proved enough for Peshawar Zalmi the previous night, Lahore's decision to bat first was intrepid, but showed the faith they place in their bowlers, even on a surface like this. The start was wobbly, though, with Abdullah Shafique squeezed down leg in the first over. Crucially, Asif Ali dropped Fakhar Zaman when he was on one, and even as early as that in the game, it was a sliding doors moment.After a tight couple of overs, Fakhar walloped Fazalhaq Farooqi for three boundaries, before plundering 16 in Faheem Ashraf's first over. Despite Kamran Ghulam struggling for rhythm at the other end, he only needed to keep turning the strike over, and Fakhar was happy to do the damage. By the end of the powerplay, Lahore were up to 65.But they knew they needed a huge score against a batting line-up like United's, and they kept going. Fakhar took apart Shadab Khan in a seminal moment of the contest, while Ghulam came to life against Mubasir Khan. And Fakhar continued the onslaught against the United captain in a passage of play where 49 runs came off 14 balls, and the run rate ballooned.Zaman Khan checks on Rahmanullah Gurbaz•PCB

United nailed the Qalandars down after Mohammad Wasim dismissed Ghulam, and briefly even threatened to keep the target around 200. But once Fakhar survived an extremely narrow lbw call – with HawkEye deeming a delivery crashing into the stumps to have pitched fractionally outside leg – he was rejuvenated once more. Alongside Sam Billings, he smashed Wasim for 20 runs in the 16th over, and thereafter United’s death bowling fell apart. He brought up the hundred in that over, and in a blizzard of boundaries Lahore helped themselves to 72 in the final five.The notion almost seems quaint now, but on a Pindi surface that has helped batters out to the extent it has this week, the game wasn’t over then. After seeing off Shaheen Afridi’s first over respectfully, the United machine began to whirr, taking 27 runs off the two following overs.It was Zaman Khan who broke the game open for the Qalandars with the wicket of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who he’d tormented through the over, before finally putting him out of his misery with a short ball. A full delivery shaping away drew the curtain on Colin Munro’s innings, and from thereon it was the Rashid Khan show.Shadab Khan struck one six off him before the Afghan hit back, a top edge removing the United captain cheaply once more. The wickets were falling in clumps now; David Wiese soon got rid of Alex Hales as he miscued a slice right at the keeper. Islamabad United’s own keeper, and middle order talisman Azam Khan, was unavailable following a finger injury he’d picked up in the first innings. In this kind of form, those are big shoes to fill, with the lower middle order hopelessly ill-equipped for the task against bowling of this quality.That skill was crystallised in a glorious Rashid delivery to Mubasir Khan, drifting in around middle and whooshing past the outside edge to trim the outside of off stump. Faheem Ashraf was trapped dead in front, and by now an Islamabad mauling was inevitable. Rashid made it four wickets by cleaning up Asif Ali, and finishing with 4-21 on a surface every other batter had found to be a paradise.Haris Rauf wrapped up the game with the final two wickets in a chastening evening at home for Islamabad to seal a top-two spot for his side. Both of these sides will go through to the playoffs, but on current evidence, the gap between them is a chasm.

Tim Southee to take up captaincy duties; Mark Chapman called up as replacement

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Nov-2022New Zealand captain Kane Williamson will miss the third T20I against India in Napier because of a pre-arranged medical appointment. He is expected to rejoin the team ahead of the three-ODI series that begins on Friday.Head coach Gary Stead said Tim Southee would lead New Zealand in the third T20I in Williamson’s absence, while Mark Chapman had been called into the squad as cover.Related

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“Kane’s been trying to get this booked in for a while now, but unfortunately it hasn’t been able to fit into our schedule.” Stead said. “The health and well-being of our players and staff is paramount, and we look forward to seeing him in Auckland.”Stead said Williamson’s medical appointment had nothing to do with his elbow, a pre-existing injury the New Zealand captain has been coping with over the last year. He had missed games for New Zealand and in the IPL because of it.Williamson’s form in the T20 format has come under some scrutiny in recent times. While New Zealand made the semi-finals of the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, Williamson scored only 178 runs at a strike rate of 116.33. Last week, he was released by his IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad after he scored only 216 runs at a strike rate of 93.51 in their eighth-place finish in the 2022 season.After the first T20I in Wellington was washed out, India won the second match in Mount Maunganui by 65 runs, on the back of Suryakumar Yadav century. Though Williamson top-scored for New Zealand in the chase with 61 off 52 balls, he was unable to challenge the target of 192The third and final T20I will take place on Tuesday in Napier, before the teams head to Auckland for the first ODI on November 25. The second and third ODIs are in Hamilton and Christchurch on November 27 and 30.

If it’s Hyderabad, it’s biryani first, business later

Amol Karhadkar19-May-2015May 11
The last time I was in Hyderabad was early June 2014. The new state, Telangana, had officially come into existence a day earlier, following a prolonged struggle, and the city was tense. The streets were as empty as they are on an India-Pakistan World Cup match day. This time around, there is no calm. The bustle is back, so is the persistent honking of drivers and riders, and terrible traffic jams. By the time I land at the airport, go down to the hotel, leave my luggage, collect the match ticket and reach the stadium, I am in danger of missing out on the first ball. Since the match isn’t sold out, the queue to get in moves at a rapid pace, and I heave a sigh of relief.May 12
The Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium used to be the home of international cricket in Hyderabad, while the Gymkhana Ground (also known as Parade Ground) was the place to be for all the budding and first-class cricketers. Until the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) constructed a stadium on the outskirts of the city in 2004. Since then – while the HCA administrative office at the gymkhana is still operational – all the office-bearers have moved to huge cabins in the Uppal stadium premises. There to meet some of them, I start laughing after reading a plaque above one of the cabins. “Shivlal Yadav, President BCCI”. It is well over two months since Yadav’s stint as interim president, appointed by the Supreme Court, ended.May 13
Hyderabadis love biryani. Many raised in the city have biryani for breakfast, lunch, dinner and also as an evening snack. Whether you like the dish or not, you cannot leave Hyderabad without paying a visit to Paradise, arguably the most popular biryani joint in the city. Some say it’s delicious, some that it’s overrated. The biryani is good, but the kebabs just blow me away.May 14
John Manoj is the secretary of the HCA. But he relishes the tag of cricket coach more – understandable considering his most famous ward was a certain VVS Laxman. As he narrates how he started coaching at the young age of 27, sitting in the office of St John’s Cricket Academy, which has produced almost 40 first-class cricketers since its inception in 1987, he also takes you through a pictorial history of the academy’s progress over the last three decades, which adorns the walls of his office. While Laxman features in virtually every other picture, three walls proudly display evidence of visits by the who’s who of Indian cricket, including Kapil Dev, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar. In a corner of the fourth wall hangs a photograph of Mohammad Azharuddin advising youngsters. Purely unintentional, but Azhar seems to have been sidelined even here.A roof would be welcome, thank you•AFPMay 15
Wet. Wait. Wet. Wait. The match gets off to a start. Many spectators at the Uppal stadium have no roof above their heads and as a result are drenched even when the curtailed match gets over. Fans are forced to seek shelter, either near a loo or on the staircases or anywhere else, during three rain breaks. The rain does not spare even the chief minister. During the first rain break, as his 20-car motorcade drives into Uppal, the man himself is forced to wait in his car for almost five minutes. Such is the deluge that a huge puddle has formed, preventing him from stepping out of his car. He does so only after a last-minute scupper has ensured a makeshift carpet for him. With no start to the game in sight, he leaves in a while.May 16
I meet a couple of players in the team hotel lobby. To relax ahead of Sunday’s big clash against Mumbai Indians, the Sunrisers Hyderabad players have been given time off, barring two who have to attend a sponsor’s event. You cannot help but feel for the players. No doubt they rake in the moolah but they lead hectic lives for two months. If travelling within hours after the end of a match and playing the next game soon after landing in a new city isn’t enough, they have to oblige fans and sponsors alike with wide grins. “It’s not easy but [you’ve got to do it],” says one of them as gets ready to oblige waiting fans for a selfie.May 17
The IPL is a great spectator driver. More importantly, it is a great educator. I have been to four stadiums in three cities and I have heard this conversation at least once during every match. From a corporate employee to her companion in Pune, a toddler to his father at the Wankhede, a granny to her granddaughter at the CCI, and now a woman to her husband in Hyderabad. “Look at that, they are bowling from the other side now. I didn’t know this.” Take that all you IPL haters. Had it not been for the tournament, how would so many people learn about how the game is played?Before leaving the stadium, I go to the cabin of the “President, BCCI” to take a picture of the plaque. Surprise, surprise, the plate has been removed, apparently on the instructions of a high-profile BCCI employee who saw it just before the game started.May 18
Relief. Not because I’m done with yet another gruelling IPL season – or so I think at the time (I am deputed for the next two games even before getting back to Mumbai). Not because of having to not bear with the dry Hyderabad heat anymore. Relieved purely because I have had my last breakfast at the hotel. I have enjoyed every bit of the hotel: the spacious room, decent room service and a well-maintained gym; but I dreaded the breakfast. As much due to the crammed enclosure as for the thin and inefficient staff. Over the last week, I have seen guests standing and eating, like they do in train stations. For three consecutive days, a woman is made to wait for a masala dosa for 45 minutes, only to be told that they have run out of it. She storms out of the enclosure abandoning her already ruined breakfast. If I ever come to Hyderabad with my wife, I won’t be checking in here, for sure.

Tests where spinners took the most wickets

Siddarth Ravindran07-Nov-201537 – New Zealand break new groundIndia v New Zealand, Nagpur, 1969
This was one of New Zealand’s only two Test wins in India, and it came on a proper turner when the home side’s spin line-up was Erapalli Prasanna, Bishan Bedi and S Venkataraghavan. New Zealand’s spinners didn’t have as lofty a reputation, but some calculated batting helped the visitors reach 319 and gave the bowlers some runs to play with. Left-arm spinner Hedley Howarth then produced the stand-out performance of his career, part-timer Mark Burgess took four of his career’s six wickets and offspinner Vic Pollard chipped in with five strikes as New Zealand got their first Test win in the subcontinent.35 – No answer to BenaudIndia v Australia, Calcutta, 1956
India have traditionally depended on their slower bowlers, but this Eden Gardens track provided so much help to spinners that their lone medium-pacer Gulbarai Ramchand bowled only four overs across two innings. India’s original spin trio – offie Ghulam Ahmed, left-arm orthodox Vinoo Mankad and leggie Subhash Gupte – bowled out Australia for less than 200 in both innings, but that was still not enough as the great Richie Benaud ran through India’s batting twice to deliver a 94-run victory.35 – Sunny’s last standIndia v Pakistan, Bangalore, 1987
There were three all-time great quick bowlers in the game – Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Kapil Dev – but they could only prise out five wickets on a minefield in Bangalore. In the series decider, the move to bring in offspinner Tauseef Ahmed for an out-of-form Abdul Qadir proved the decisive one. Tauseef took nine, as did Iqbal Qasim, and though Sunil Gavaskar signed off from Test cricket with a masterful fourth-innings 96 (next highest score 26), Pakistan closed out a narrow victory.34 – Jadeja’s back in businessIndia v South Africa, Mohali, 2015
In a match that didn’t even reach stumps on the third day, Ravindra Jadeja made a triumphant comeback to Test cricket, taking eight wickets and scoring an important 38 in the first innings to take the Man-of-the-Match award. He was one of India’s three-pronged spin attack, each of which played a part – R Ashwin continued to be unplayable at home with eight scalps in the match, and Amit Mishra had the world’s most feared batsman, AB de Villiers, bowled twice.33 – Those two little pals of mineEngland v West Indies, Old Trafford, 1950
Test debuts for West Indies’ greatest spin pair – Sonny Ramadhin and Alf Valentine – as Lancashire’s decision to reduce watering the pitch led to a surface that was turning big. Valentine began brilliantly, taking the first eight wickets to fall in the game, but Godrey Evans and Trevor Bailey pushed England past 300. It was another debutant spinner, Bob Berry, whose performance made the difference, as he wrecked West Indies in the first innings to set up England’s only Test win of the summer. The next Test at Lord’s was where Ramdhin and Valentine got their famous nickname, and it also proved to be Berry’s final Test.

Chelsea are interested in signing a “magnificent” ace who could be available for £16.7m, according to a new report.

The Blues are likely going to be busy when the January transfer window opens as Enzo Maresca and co. will have their eyes on areas of the team that they would like to improve amid their bid for a Champions League place.

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It could be a busy month for Chelsea in terms of incomings and outgoings, as they have their eye on a few potential players, while players that are already at the club are being looked at by other teams.

One player that Chelsea are keen on signing is defender Jonathan Tah, but his arrival would only happen in the summer. The defender looks set to leave Bayer Leverkusen when his contract expires at the end of the campaign, and the Blues are looking to beat several interested teams to Tah’s signing by securing an agreement in the new year.

Chelsea could have their eyes on one or two players leaving the club in January, with midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall attracting interest from Aston Villa. The former Leicester City man has struggled since moving to Stamford Bridge, and a move, whether it be a permanent switch or a temporary one, could be on the cards in early 2025.

Villa hold an interest in the midfielder, but it depends on whether Chelsea and Maresca are willing to let Dewsbury-Hall leave for a rival also fighting for a European spot.

But while Chelsea have their eyes on the likes of Tah for next summer, they also have their eye on a player who could arrive in January.

Chelsea plotting £16.7m swoop for Lyon ace

According to a report from Spain, relayed by CaughtOffside, Chelsea are interested in signing Rayan Cherki from Lyon in January – and have even placed a €20m (£16.7m) offer. The Frenchman has been with Lyon since July 2010 and has firmly established himself as a key member of their starting XI in recent years.

Last season, he played 33 times in Ligue 1, scoring one goal and registering six assists. This season, Cherki, who has been dubbed “magnificent” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, has played seven league games and has one goal and one assist to his name.

But given the French club’s financial issues, Cherki could be about to leave them when January arrives. This report states that Chelsea and Liverpool are interested in signing Cherki, who is considered statistically similar to Ousmane Dembele by analysis site FBref.

Metric

Cherki

Dembele

Apps

33

26

Goals

1

3

xG

5.2

4.4

Goals per 90

0.05

0.18

Assists

6

8

xAG

4.2

6.7

Assists per 90

0.31

0.48

Shots (on target)

57 (17)

43 (14)

Shots per 90

2.98

2.57

Progressive carries

93

160

Progressive passes

138

133

Despite the Blues’ offer – which has reportedly been matched by Liverpool – the Ligue 1 side will look to get more than that price as the 21-year-old is contracted to the club until 2026. The cash-strapped club will aim to recoup as much money as possible given their financial issues, which leaves them under threat of relegation from the French top flight.

da doce： Celtic welcome RB Leipzig to Parkhead in the Champions League this evening as they look to win for the first time since matchday one against Slovan.

da poker： The Hoops thumped the Slovakian side 5-1 in Glasgow on their opening night in the League Phase but their two matches since that have not been quite as comfortable.

Brendan Rodgers’ side followed up their win over Slovan with a devastating 7-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in Germany, a game in which they were 5-1 down by half-time.

They then battled hard to secure a 0-0 draw away at Atalanta in their most recent outing in the Champions League, which means that they have four points in their three matches so far.

The Scottish giants had to dig in deep to land a draw in Bergamo, as the home side dominated the match – with 66% possession – and racked up 2.38 xG worth of chances without scoring.

Leipzig are currently second in the Bundesliga, with six wins and five goals conceded in nine games, and Celtic could face a similar test at Parkhead this evening, which means that they will have to contain the German side’s biggest threats.

RB Leipzig's biggest threats

They typically line up in a 4-4-2 or 4-2-2-2 system and this means that they often have two centre-forwards to occupy the defence and cause problems in the final third.

Those two strikers have, for the majority of this season, been Lois Openda and Benjamin Sesko, who both offer different kinds of attributes at the top end of the pitch.

Openda is a fleet-footed, mobile, marksman who likes to make runs off the last line and has showcased his goalscoring quality this term, with five goals in eight Bundesliga starts, although he is yet to score in Europe.

Leipzig’s biggest threat in the Champions League so far, though, has been Sesko, who has scored three goals in three games in the competition – with two strikes against Juventus and one against Dortmund.

Benjamin Sesko

24/25 Bundesliga

24/25 Champions League

Appearances

9

3

xG

2.40

2.42

Goals

3

3

Aerial duels won per game

2.3

2.3

Aerial duel success rate

64%

70%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Slovenia international has scored six goals from just 4.82 xG across the Bundesliga and the Champions League this term.

The 6 foot 5 titan has also won the majority of his aerial battles, winning 2.3 per game on average, and scored two headers across both competitions, which illustrates how much of a challenge it will be to keep him quiet tonight.

Sesko is a centre-forward who offers quality in front of goal, as shown by his xG overperformance, as well as a physical presence for the centre-backs to deal with, which is why Rodgers must brutally ditch Auston Trusty from his starting XI.

Why Auston Trusty should be dropped

The USA international, who was signed from Sheffield United on a permanent deal in the summer transfer window, was selected to start alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers in the 6-0 win over Aberdeen in the League Cup at Hampden Park on Saturday.

His performance was rewarded with a player rating of 8/10 from The Scotsman, who wrote that the centre-back was rarely troubled by the Dons and kept things neat and tidy in possession.

Despite a strong showing, and a clean sheet, against Aberdeen, Rodgers must take the former Arsenal man out of the starting line-up as Sesko could take advantage of his struggles with aerial duels.

In the Premier League last term, Trusty barely won the majority of his battles in the air, winning 55% overall, as the Blades were relegated and conceded a staggering 104 times in 38 outings.

24/25 Champions League

Auston Trusty

Appearances

3

Sofascore rating

6.60

Goals conceded

7

Aerial duels won per game

0.7

Aerial duel success rate

25%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the central defender has struggled badly in the air in the Champions League this season, losing a whopping 75% of his contests.

These statistics suggest that Sesko, given his aerial dominance, could take advantage of the summer signing in those situations to cause Celtic huge problems, which is why Rodgers must take Trusty out of the team to avoid that issue. T

The Celtic titan who should replace Auston Trusty

The Hoops head coach must unleash Liam Scales in his place in order to give the Scottish giants the best possible chance of silencing the former RB Salzburg sensation.

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Unlike Trusty, the Republic of Ireland international is a towering central defender who has the presence and physicality to consistently dominate opposition forwards in the air, in the Premiership and in the Champions League.

In the 0-0 draw with Atalanta last time out in Europe, the former Aberdeen loanee won five of his seven aerial contests and made nine clearances to help his side keep a clean sheet.

Meanwhile, Trusty got away with losing five of his six aerial duels in that game because Mario Pasalic failed to score from any of his six headed attempts, which generated an xG of 1.0.

Sesko’s form for Leipzig this season, particularly aerially, suggests that he would not be as forgiving as the Atalanta midfielder was in front of goal, which is why the Hoops cannot afford to have a centre-back who is a liability in those situations tonight.

Liam Scales

24/25 Premiership

24/25 Champions League

Appearances

10

3

Sofascore rating

7.61

7.07

Headed goals

1

1

Aerial duels won per game

5.7

4.7

Aerial duel success rate

76%

74%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Scales has dominated players in the Premiership and in the Champions League in aerial contests this season.

The left-footed brute, who was lauded as “fantastic” for the team by Rodgers, has proven that he has the physical and defensive qualities that will be needed to keep a player of Sesko’s quality quiet this evening.

That is why the manager must bring him back into the starting XI to play on the left side of the defence, with Cameron Carter-Vickers on the right.

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Pair drafted in for new white-ball coach Matthew Mott’s first engagement

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jun-2022England have added Mark Alleyne and Neil Killeen to their coaching staff for the ODI tour of the Netherlands. The pair will form part of the team supporting new white-ball coach Matthew Mott in his first engagement since being appointed in May.Alleyne, the former Gloucestershire allrounder who played 10 ODIs for England, is assistant director of sport at Marlborough College and an ECB scout. He was recently also appointed men’s assistant coach at Welsh Fire.Alleyne worked previously with England’s T20I players in the Caribbean earlier this year, and is understood to have interviewed for the white-ball job that went to Mott.Related

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Killeen is currently the assistant and lead bowling coach at Durham. He has also been involved with England’s white-ball players in the recent past, working with the ODI squad during the 2020 series against Ireland.Alleyne will take charge of batting duties, while Killeen will look after the pace bowlers, joining a coaching team that includes Richard Dawson and Carl Hopkinson.With World Cup Super League points at stake, England have named a strong squad for the three-match series, despite the absence of their multi-format players involved in the concurrent Test series against New Zealand. The party will depart on Tuesday, ahead of the first ODI at Amstelveen on Friday.