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India have dropped Virender Sehwag for the first three matches of the five-ODI series against England, which begins on January 11 in Rajkot

Amol Karhadkar06-Jan-2013India have dropped Virender Sehwag for the first three matches of the five-ODI series against England, which begins on January 11 in Rajkot. The decision came after Sehwag was left out of the XI that beat Pakistan in an ODI in Delhi earlier in the day. India gave a maiden limited-overs call-up to Cheteshwar Pujara, who scored 203 off 221 balls in a Ranji Trophy match last week.A BCCI source told ESPNcricinfo that this could well be the end of Sehwag’s limited-overs career. Sehwag has been dropped, said the source, because “he doesn’t figure in the plans for the 2015 World Cup”. Pujara has been brought in “to anchor the innings, especially in the wake of new rules”, which now allow a maximum of two bouncers per over and require a minimum of five fielders inside the circle at all times, which encourages more attacking bowling. The selectors have left it to the team management to decide Pujara’s batting position.Pujara’s inclusion was the only change to the squad that lost 1-2 to Pakistan, which meant MS Dhoni, India’s best batsman in the series, kept his captaincy despite calls from former selectors for fresh leadership. The sources said Dhoni’s captaincy didn’t go through much of a debate.Rohit Sharma was retained despite poor returns in ODIs of late. His last six scores were 5, 0, 0, 4, 4 and 4. Since the end of the series against West Indies in 2011, when he was the Man of the Series, Rohit has averaged 13 over 14 matches with one half-century. Rohit escaped the axe primarily because of “lack of alternatives”. He might not have made it had Manoj Tiwary been fit.Since his double-century against West Indies in December 2011, Sehwag has averaged 23 over 11 matches, including a top score of 96. Sehwag is possibly seen as the weaker fielder, which becomes significant keeping in mind the World Cup in Australia.Sehwag’s replacement, Pujara, is quick in the field and has been scoring runs. After his double-century that stunned Madhya Pradesh six days ago, Pujara said he knew his time was not far away. “That [ODI selection] is something that is not in my control,” Pujara had told ESPNcricinfo. “I have always performed in domestic one-dayers. I don’t need to worry about it. My time will come. One way or the other I will get my chance to play in the ODI team. I just need to keep performing.”The bowlers were all retained after they successfully defended 167 against Pakistan on Sunday, India’s fourth-lowest score batting first in an ODI win.Squad: MS Dhoni (capt), Cheteshwar Pujara, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Ashok Dinda, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shami Ahmed, Amit Mishra.

Cornwall the hero once again as West Indies claim their first overseas series win since 2017

Debayan Sen14-Feb-2021A total of 17 wickets fell across two innings, Tamim Iqbal made a stroke-filled 44-ball half-century, and West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite turned out to be one of the unlikely bowling heroes on a day dominated by spinners, as West Indies held on for a 17-run win to seal the series 2-0.However, that West Indies were able to wrest control of a middling 231-run chase for Bangladesh was largely down to the superb exploiting of the turn and bounce on a deteriorating Dhaka pitch by Rahkeem Cornwall, who led the charge as West Indies claimed the Test in an extended final session, wrapping up their first overseas series win since 2017.The win was sealed almost 35 minutes past the scheduled close of play, with Jomel Warrican spinning one sharply from a length outside off as Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who had started a late attack when he was running out of partners, shaped to defend. The edge was travelling low to the right of Cornwall – who else – and the big man dived to his right to pluck out a catch, sparking off big celebrations in the away camp.Iqbal had raised visions of a Bangladesh win with his half-century, hitting eight of the nine boundaries struck in an opening stand that raised 59 off the first 12 overs of the chase. He drove fluently against seam, and chipped down the wicket against Cornwall, and swept Warrican with ease. Sensing the need for a change, Brathwaite brought himself on, and removed Sarkar off his first ball, tempting him into a poke outside off, that took wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva’s pads and fell to Cornwall at slip. Four overs later, the captain tempted Iqbal into a lofted shot towards cover, and on the stroke of tea, Cornwall got one to jump off a length to Najmul Hossain Shanto, taking his glove and then his body before dropping to short leg.After the tea break, the captain Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim briefly appeared to have taken charge of the chase, putting together 23 runs and eschewing risks while facing up to the spin of both Cornwall and Brathwaite. An inspired bowling change came in the shape of Warrican, who got the second ball of his spell to draw Rahim forward, spin across, taking a feather edge through to Da Silva. Bangladesh were left at 115 for 5 when Mohammad Mithun, who had spanked a six by chipping down the wicket, was picked up at leg gully off Cornwall to a ball that turned and bounced across him.Mushfiqur Rahim edged one from Jomel Warrican through to Joshua Da Silva•AFP/Getty Images

Joined by Liton Das, Haque was able to bring the target down to double figures, but appeared anxious to increase the scoring rate, going down the wicket and lofting the ball into vacant spaces on the on side on a couple of occasions. Eventually, he fell to a catch at leg gully as well, Warrican claiming two of three wickets for the day. When Das was smartly caught by Da Silva for 22, and Taijul Islam misjudged a quicker one fired in straight at him, both to Cornwall, the end seemed near at 163 for 8.Miraz and Nayeem Hasan, though, put in a dogged effort, with Miraz beginning to show signs of aggression as the 200-mark neared. Brathwaite brought himself on for another spell, and after firing two down the pads for eight runs as byes, he bowled one fuller and straighter, and Hasan played it with the pads and was given out leg before. With No. 11 Abu Jayed for company, Miraz opened up, striking a six over mid-wicket and then a reverse-sweep for four off successive Cornwall deliveries to bring the target down below 20. Unfortunately for him and Bangladesh, he couldn’t get the team over the line.The day began with West Indies still over 150 ahead and the first over from Jayed to Bonner suggested a long toil ahead for Bangladesh, with the seamer erring in both line and length, allowing Bonner to whip him towards deep midwicket and deep-backward square leg, besides driving towards deep cover.Jayed, who was quick to correct his line and length after the wayward opening over, delivered the first wicket of the day when he pinned nightwatchman Warrican in front of the stumps. That brought Kyle Mayers to the crease, and he punched a short ball first up through the gap between mid-on and mid-wicket for an emphatic four. Mayers later played around his pads against Jayed, operating around the wicket, and departed for 6. Jermaine Blackwood showed early intent, casually lofting the third ball he faced from Jayed over long-on for six. However, on 9, he fell to Islam, wheeling away economically from one end. Islam tempted him to stretch forward, spun the ball across his edge, and Das whipped the bails off with the batsman’s back foot still on the line.Da Silva walked in and set about disturbing the length of the spinners by pulling out a sweep against Islam for four to get moving. He appeared at ease through the rest of his stay, with a slog sweep against Nayeem Hasan, and a cover drive against Jayed taking the West Indies lead beyond 200. However, he fell to the ninth ball after lunch, with Islam getting one to spin across his front foot defensive prod, and took the edge through to slip. Alzarri Joseph struck a massive six over mid-wicket, but fell for 9, when a leading edge off Islam took a deflection off silly mid-off and was gratefully accepted at cover by Najmul Hossain Shanto.Hasan then struck twice in what turned out to be the final over of the West Indies innings, getting Bonner to lose his patience in attempting an awkward reverse-swipe, and going through his legs to rattle the stumps.Cornwall was the last man out, holing out to Rahim at deep mid-wicket, completing a remarkable collapse of four wickets in just 21 balls. The 117 posted by West Indies was their second-lowest ever against Bangladesh, but there has been something different about this West Indies team in the Test series, despite them missing a number of more experienced players. There have been crucial batting contributions from almost all of their players, and captain Brathwaite’s bowling changes and field placements have also been spot on. On the day that mattered, though, it was Cornwall and Warrican who came to the party and made the most of the conditions to seal a famous series win.

The head coach is confident after Pakistan’s fighting effort in the second ODI even though they lost the match

Umar Farooq06-Apr-2021Pakistan’s fighting performance in the second ODI, even though they lost the match, has given head coach Misbah-ul-Haq the confidence that his team can win the three-match series. If Pakistan manage to do so, Misbah feels, that will be a “remarkable achievement” for the side.Since 2010 and before the ongoing series, Pakistan had a 6-7 win-loss ODI record in South Africa, and in 2013-14 became the *first side from the subcontinent to have won a bilateral ODI series in the country. This time, Pakistan came with a relatively inexperienced squad but managed to keep the series level at 1-1 going into the third match. Now they seem to have the upper hand as five of South Africa’s first-choice players – Quinton de Kock, David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, and Lungi Ngidi – have left for the Indian Premier League.”The way we played the first two games, and won the first ODI, the team is confident,” Misbah said in a video released by the PCB ahead of the third ODI. “This team has now started to believe they can win or reach a winning position out of nowhere and the previous game was one big example. I have always said that it’s a young team and for them, every win is important. Now it is a decider in South Africa’s conditions and if we win, it will be a remarkable achievement not only in the series but in another perspective. It’s really important for the sake of team confidence.”Fakhar Zaman’s 155-ball 193 almost took Pakistan over the line during their 342-run chase in the second ODI. In the opening ODI, Babar Azam’s century set up the win that Pakistan secured dramatically, on the final delivery of the match. Misbah urged the under-firing middle order to take inspiration from those two and capitalise on the starts provided by the top order.”If you look at the Wanderers and Centurion pitches, they are purely South Africa conditions,” Misbah said. “They have bounce and pace and if your batsmen from top order score hundreds and dominate the opponent, it surely going to inspire the other players in the team. They all look up to them as an example and it gives them confidence going forward.”In the top order, Babar contributed and then Fakhar in the second ODI did great but moving down in the middle, we need to improve and capitalise on the good start. Looking at the team performance overall, it’s quite good but in certain areas, we need some improvement.”Pakistan bowlers, Misbah said, are putting in good efforts with fast bowlers – Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain – troubling the South Africa batsmen with pace and bounce. While Pakistan conceded 341 in the second ODI, Misbah backed them to come strongly in the final match.”If you talk about the first game our bowlers bowled really well. In Centurion, the average total is 300 or plus but we restricted them to 270-odd. In fact, we could have stopped them around 225 but one good partnership changed that. Overall, it was a good effort by our bowlers though in the second ODI we gave away a little more because we didn’t get the early breakthrough. The credit should be given to the other team as well. They played well too but I think two big overs were the difference, which actually dented us. This bowling is fine with a blend of match-winners who have done well and you can’t judge them with just one or bad day. They will come hard in the next game.”*April 7, GMT 0237 The story earlier stated, erroneously, that Pakistan were the only subcontinental team to have won an ODI series in South Africa. India have done so as well, in 2018.

Mahela Jayawardene has led Sri Lanka into the fourth major limited-overs final of his career – now all he has to do is win one

David Hopps in Colombo04-Oct-2012Mahela Jayawardene has led Sri Lanka into the fourth major limited-overs final of his career – now all he has to do is win one. He calls himself “blessed,” and he is, but he knows that only victory in Colombo on Sunday will silence complaints that Sri Lanka always fail at the final hurdle.Sri Lanka had to battle for their 16-run win against Pakistan after setting them a target of 140, which was distinctly vulnerable even on a slow, turning pitch at the Premadasa Stadium. The manner in which they did it deepened Jayawardene’s faith that this time their experience in the final will be different.Kumar Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Lasith Malinga have all joined their captain in suffering defeat in three previous finals, the worst of them coming last year when Sri Lanka were routed by India in the 2011 World Cup final in Mumbai, following defeats against Australia in Barbados in the 2007 World Cup, and a World Twenty20 loss against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2009.There was no time for Jayawardene to savour victory against Pakistan before he had to make light of talk of rising tension. “We are all really happy to be part of a very successful group over a period of time,” he said. “We have been blessed with four now – although I know we haven’t won anything. But four finals, it’s amazing. In one’s career you are lucky enough to play in one final.”They have all had to be approached in different ways. One final was in Barbados, one in England, one was in Mumbai. Now we are playing in Premadasa, so we will approach it differently.”I think experience-wise we are much better: Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis were all pretty new when we lost against Pakistan and we have played a lot of Twenty20 since then. We play with a very positive mindset. We spoke at the start of the tournament that we would have to play on three different surfaces in Hambantota, Pallakele and now Colombo. We had to adapt. It is about handling tough situations better.”Jayawardene tonight was a captain who actually captained. There were none of the high jinks that entailed in the final Super Eights game against England in Pallakele he officially handed the captaincy to Sangakkara, so as to protect himself from a potential suspension for a second transgression for slow overrates, but then ran the show unofficially much as he always would.The likelihood is that the authorities – Sri Lanka Cricket, the ICC or most probably a bit of both – let it be known that further mischief would be frowned upon. That is the thing about a good trick – it is best not repeated.Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistan’s captain, felt around 150 was par on this pitch and repeatedly blamed his team’s defeat on a middle-order collapse. Jayawardene, by contrast, felt 140 was around par – “a score where we could challenge.” “The way we started, we probably fell short by about 15 or 20 runs, but Umar Gul bowled well and pulled us back.”Pakistan brought in an extra bowler so we had to adjust ourselves up front. Sohail Tanvir usually picks up wickets for them so we changed our game plan and tried to hold out for six overs and then we knew we could attack their spinners. Today it worked for us. Sometimes you may lose calls and it doesn’t work, but I think our situation has been pretty good in this tournament.”Chasing down runs is always going to be a tough call in a semi-final. Hafeez batted really well and guided them through the first 10 or so overs, but we knew they were a batter short today and we kept pressure on them.”

South African quick’s blistering new-ball burst set tone for Thunder’s dominance in final

Andrew McGlashan28-Nov-2020Sydney Thunder quick Shabnim Ismail went to bed on Saturday night plotting how she would dismiss Australia captain Meg Lanning in the WBBL final. For a brief moment it looked like it could become a nightmare, but very soon the dream came true.Overall, Ismail produced a blistering four-over spell off the reel to spearhead the Thunder’s title victory, but it was her seven-ball contest with Lanning that was utterly compelling.At the end of her opening over, she had Lanning dropped at point by Tammy Beaumont. “I just dropped it. I should have taken it. Oh well,” was Beaumont’s matter-of-fact response as the player on the TV mic, perhaps a window into the Thunder’s calmness. But revenge came a short while later when, given her fourth and final over by Rachael Haynes, Ismail found Lanning’s outside edge and with put one hand on the trophy.”We said how we wanted to take wickets in the Powerplay and last night I was lying in bed thinking how I would get Meg Lanning out,” she said. “It’s a very key wicket for the Stars and I thought if I come out there and just bowl heat, change a few things, I could take wickets.”You don’t want to be dropping big players like that, they can haunt you, but I thought just stick to my guns and still bowl what I think will keep us in the game.”HIGHLIGHTS: Thunder limit Stars to lowest-ever WBBL final score (US only)In combination with Sammy-Jo Johnson, whose darting away movement was equally impressive as she had Elyse Villani poking at fresh air, they put in one of the most complete Powerplay performances of the tournament.”You could see that we had it under control all the way, when the first three wickets [fell] we had the game in hand,” Ismail said.Johnson, who joined from two-time champions Brisbane Heat in pre-season, has been key to the Thunder’s performances at both ends of the innings – forming a powerful death combination with Hannah Darlington – and was delighted to be able to bowl first. “We were quite surprised they wanted to bat first so we were really happy. The wicket was seaming around a fair bit: myself, Shabs and [Sam] Bates up front we set the tone,” she said. “We spoke about it during the last few games that if we could work in a partnership and put the top batters under pressure that hopefully we’d come out with the result.”Like the Thunder, Ismail saved her best for the competition run-in to finish with 14 wickets at 20.28 and an economy rate of 5.56 which also included 3 for 10 in the final group match against Hobart Hurricanes that booked a spot in the semi-final.”Today we saw Shabhim at her best, some real pace, the areas she was hitting,” Thunder coach Trevor Griffin said. “I think we also need to remember for her it’s been a different year: she’s not played any cricket since the World Cup, so it took time to get back into playing and she’s certainly peaked at the right time.”We’ve been looking at the impact charts and areas the girls have been hitting. We talk about hitting the stumps consistently and when we looked at the detail today, they were [all] hitting those areas consistently and creating chances. That’s certainly some of best bowling I’ve seen us do.”

Chris Gayle provided the substance, yet again, Dwayne Bravo provided the late blast, and Sunil Narine ended New Zealand’s chase before it could even begin

The Report by Abhishek Purohit01-Jul-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsDwayne Bravo smashed four sixes in 11 balls•AFP

Chris Gayle provided the substance, yet again, Dwayne Bravo provided the late blast, and Sunil Narine ended New Zealand’s chase before it could even begin. West Indies completed their second big win over New Zealand to take the Florida and Twenty20 leg of the series 2-0. Already weakened by injuries to key players, including captain Ross Taylor, New Zealand had no answer to West Indies’ combination of power, explosiveness and intrigue.Gayle threatened to cause as much damage as he had on Saturday before Nathan McCullum restricted him to 53, but Bravo’s burst ensured West Indies had another substantial total to defend. Narine, who had gone for some runs on Saturday, made a return to his miserly and productive ways from the IPL, picking up 4 for 12.New Zealand were much more disciplined with the ball today than they had been in the first T20, but Doug Bracewell proved the weak link once again. In the absence of Kieron Pollard – rested after hurting his shoulder in the field on Saturday – it was Gayle who delivered again, after another slow start.Gayle didn’t face his first delivery till the third over, and when he did, he went on to play out a maiden to Kyle Mills. With Gayle intent on taking his time, Dwayne Smith falling early and Johnson Charles easing off, West Indies went through a period of only one boundary in 24 balls.Even that four was a thick edge off Gayle’s bat to the third man rope. Bracewell had removed Smith with his first delivery, but West Indies were to regain momentum in his second over, the eighth of the innings. Charles swatted a full delivery over long-on, Gayle pulled a slow bouncer over deep square leg and turned one for four past short fine leg.New Zealand managed to pull things back again, conceding only 26 in the next four overs and dismissing Charles. But Bracewell came back into the attack, and Gayle took toll again, powering consecutive sixes over long-on and reaching his fifty with a slice over extra cover for four.The momentum was to change sides once again. McCullum bowled Gayle after a missed heave and had Lendl Simmons caught at deep square leg to leave West Indies on 124 for 4 after 16 overs. Enter Bravo, after Darren Sammy and before Marlon Samuels. Bravo swung his first ball, from Tim Southee, over wide long-off for six, and hit three more in the next three overs as West Indies took 53 off the last four overs.In hindsight, Bravo needn’t have bothered, given the way New Zealand crumbled against Narine. Struggling to pick him in the face of a tall asking-rate, Martin Guptill skied Narine to extra cover in his first over. Next ball, Rob Nicol walked past a flighted carrom ball to be stumped.New Zealand continued to dig a deeper hole for themselves. Kane Williamson, leading the side in place of Taylor, managed to run himself out in the next over. Southee, promoted to No. 3, holed out off his fifth ball to give Samuel Badree his maiden international wicket.Narine signed off his first spell of three overs with his third wicket, bowling Dean Brownlie after the batsmen backed away and missed. New Zealand had limped to 43 for 5 after nine overs, and the game was as good as over.

Rob Newton and David Sales both scored centuries as Northamptonshire’s batsmen dominated against Glamorgan

15-Jul-2012
ScorecardRob Newton and David Sales both scored centuries as Northamptonshire’s batsmen dominated the second day of their LV= County Championship match against Glamorgan at Northampton.After being made to bat, Northamptonshire closed on 336 for 5 with Newton smashing a career-best 117 off only 113 balls – his sensational knock including 14 fours and three sixes. Sales’ innings was not quite as spectacular, but brilliant nonetheless as he made an unbeaten 129 off 277 deliveries with 16 fours.After the first day was washed out without a ball being bowled, Glamorgan won the toss and chose to field as the second day began on time. And they took the wicket of Stephen Peters with the final ball of the first over when he edged James Harris to Jim Allenby at second slip after facing six deliveries without scoring.John Glover was brought into the attack in the 12th over and with his second ball he took out Kyle Coetzer’s leg stump after the Scotland international had made 22. Sales and Alex Wakely then batted out the rest of the morning session as Northamptonshire reached lunch on 78 for 2.Wakely had moved on to 30 in the afternoon before he was taken by Stewart Walters at first slip to give Glover his second wicket. Sales, however, hung around to complete a patient half-century off 129 balls with a four through mid-wicket off Harris.Newton had since joined him at the crease and he was to reach 50 at a quicker pace, off 66 deliveries, including two huge sixes over mid-wicket, as the hosts moved on to 190 for three at tea. The fourth-wicket pair took their partnership beyond 100 in the evening session with Newton the first to complete his century, the third of his career, off only 104 balls.Sales then followed suit in the very next over to complete his 26th first-class ton and his second in this season’s County Championship off a more pedestrian 229 deliveries.Newton eventually holed out when he hammered Will Bragg to substitute fielder Aneurin Norman at deep midwicket to end a magnificent stand of 187. That beat the previous best fourth-wicket partnership for Northamptonshire against Glamorgan, beating the 183 made between Sales and Rob White at Swansea in 2008.Northamptonshire captain Andrew Hall made just 8 before he nudged Huw Waters to his opposite number – Glamorgan wicketkeeper Mark Wallace. James Middlebrook then survived the last nine overs alongside Sales and will resume tomorrow on 17.

It may not have been pretty, it may not have been assured and it may have owed rather more to fortune than they would have liked, but England’s last pair somehow clung on to seal a draw on the final day of the Test series against New Zealand in Auckland

The Report by George Dobell25-Mar-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThe last-wicket pair of Matt Prior and Monty Panesar safely negotiated the 19 balls they needed to•Getty Images

It may not have been pretty, it may not have been assured and it may have owed rather more to fortune than they would have liked, but England’s last pair somehow clung on to seal a draw on the final day of the Test series against New Zealand in Auckland. In a thrilling advert for virtues of Test cricket, Matt Prior and Monty Panesar played out the final 19 balls of the game to frustrate a deserving New Zealand.There were several occasions on a wonderfully absorbing final day when it appeared New Zealand’s victory was inevitable. When England lost Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow either side of lunch and when they lost Ian Bell the over before tea, it seemed New Zealand were on the brink of just their second home series victory over England – the first was in 1983-84 – and their first Test series victory over any top eight opposition since they defeated West Indies in 2006.But for all England’s faults – and there have been times in this series when they have looked a very modest outfit – they possess an admirable resilience. They have been outplayed for long tracts of this campaign but remain, as Leonard Cohen put it, as stubborn as those garbage bags that time cannot decay. Surviving for 143 overs might be considered not only a Dunkirk moment for England cricket, but as admirable in its own way as coming from behind to defeat India in India.There were several heroes for England. Stuart Broad, who tempered his attacking instincts so completely that it took him 62 deliveries to get off the mark, produced his longest Test innings since the Lord’s Test against India in July 2011, while Ian Bell resisted for just short of six hours in seeing England to the brink of the tea interval. But most of all there was Matt Prior who may have produced the definitive innings of his career to thwart an excellent New Zealand
seam attack that that threw everything they had at him on a pitch that remained true for batting to the end.Prior’s innings was, in many ways, odd. While his colleagues clung to the crease with the desperation of a climber sliding down a rockface, Prior played with a freedom that seemed to belie the match situation. Despite the fact that runs were irrelevant throughout the last day, he
rarely declined an opportunity to punish the loose delivery and reached his century – his seventh in Tests – from only 148 deliveries with his 18th four. The logic was simple: he reasoned it was better to play his natural, positive game than attempt something unfamiliar. His innings may be remembered alongside Mike Atherton’s unbeaten 185 in Johannesburg, in 1995, and Dennis Amiss’ 262 against West Indies in Kingston, in 1973-74, as one of England’s greatest match-saving contributions.But he, and England, enjoyed much fortune and many nervous moments on the road to safety. Most pertinently, Prior somehow saw the bails remain unmoved after the ball thumped into the stumps when he had scored 28. Struggling to deal with a brute of a bouncer from the wholehearted Neil Wagner, Prior saw the ball bounce, via the bat handle and his neck, onto the stumps but fail to dislodge a bail.Prior was also adjudged leg before to Tim Southee by umpire Rod Tucker when he had 16 – the Decision Review System showed a thick inside edge onto the pads – and on 20 he survived a loose top-edged pull off the same bowler. Neil Wagner, running back from midwicket, was unable to cling on to a desperately tough chance.Perhaps New Zealand may rue some missed chances, too. Both Bell and Jonny Bairstow were dropped in the over before lunch as Trent Boult, swinging the new ball back into the right-hander, brought tentative edges to the slip cordon from deliveries angled across the batsmen.
Bell, feeling for one angled across him that he could have left, was grateful to see Dean Brownlie, at fourth slip, put down a relatively straightforward chance, before, two balls later, Bairstow pushed hard at one some way from him and was fortunate to see Kane Williamson, in the gully, put down a sharp chance.Batting had appeared relatively straightforward for the first 100 minutes or so of the day. With no hope of scoring the further 391 runs they required to win the game when play resumed in the morning, Bell and Joe Root instead concentrated on occupation of the crease. The pair batted without much trouble for 28 overs, settling in as New Zealand used the seamers sparingly ahead of the second new ball.But everything changed once it was taken. New Zealand claimed the second new ball the moment it was available and, with its first delivery, Boult produced a beauty that swung back and struck a half forward Root on the pad in front of the stumps. Root and Bell discussed the worth of utilising a review under the Decision Review System, but decided, quite rightly, that the on-field umpire had made no mistake.Bairstow, with only two first-class innings behind him since August, was fortunate to survive his second delivery. Boult, with an inswinging yorker, appeared to strike Bairstow on the boot before it hit the bat in front of the stumps, but New Zealand did not appeal. Replays suggested that if they had, Bairstow would have been in some trouble.But he did not last long after lunch. Southee, bowling from wide of the crease, managed to make one bounce and straighten from just back of a good length to take Bairstow’s edge on its way to slip.Prior and Bell took England to the brink of tea. Bell, in particular, looked admirably solid and drew the sting out of the attack when they were armed with the new ball but, the over before the interval, he was drawn into feeling for one outside off stump from the wonderfully persistent Wagner and edged to third slip.If New Zealand’s seamers were impressive, their frontline spinner was not. Bruce Martin, perhaps feeling the pressure of expectation, struggled with his length and rarely found the turn that might have been anticipated. For much of the day he was out-bowled by the part-time offspinner, Kane Williamson.With only four overs to go and England seemingly safe, McCullum surprisingly brought Williamson back into the attack, perhaps with an eye to the trio of left-handers at the bottom of the order. It proved a masterstroke: Broad’s worthy defiance was ended when he prodded half forward and edged to slip before, two balls later, James Anderson fell in the same manner.While Panesar endured some nervous moments – he was perilously close to playing-on first ball and, comically, almost ran himself out when diving well short of his ground in attempting a sharp single to get off strike – Prior proved a calming influence, took control and saw his side to safety.A draw is, in many ways, a harsh reflection of New Zealand’s superiority in two of the three matches in the series. Their bowlers found swing, seam and spin that England’s did not and their batsmen displayed a balance between discipline and aggression that England could never manage. While McCullum was inventive and positive as captain, Alastair Cook was increasingly reactive and passive. Few would deny that New Zealand looked the better side.Perhaps McCullum should have declared earlier. But New Zealand can take heart from this performance. Their pursuit of victory may have been frustrated, but they showed themselves at least the equal of the No. 2 rated Test team and showed that, under McCullum’s leadership, they have the materials to rise in the rankings in the months and years ahead.

KwaZulu-Natal batsman Chad Bowes will lead an experienced 15-man South Africa squad at the upcoming Under-19 World Cup in Australia

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jul-2012KwaZulu-Natal batsman Chad Bowes will lead an experienced 15-man South Africa squad at the upcoming Under-19 World Cup in Australia. The team, which has toured England and Zimbabwe and hosted Pakistan and Sri Lanka, has undergone extensive training at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria under a team of coaches, including former South Africa senior-team coach Ray Jennings.

South Africa Under-19 squad for the World Cup

Chad Bowes (capt), Quinton De Kock (wk), David Rhoda, Solo Nqweni, Shaylin Pillay, Diego Rosier, Calvin Savage, Prenelan Subrayen, Lizaad Williams, Jan Frylinck, Rabian Engelbrecht, Corné Dry, Theunis de Bruyn, Murray Coetzee, Gihahn Cloete