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A round-up of the Ranji Trophy Group B matches on November 9, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Nov-2015
ScorecardFile photo: Jalaj Saxena ended with match figures of 16 for 154, the second best in Ranji Trophy history•BCCI

Jalaj Saxena produced the second-best figures in Ranji Trophy history, taking 16 for 154 to help Madhya Pradesh rout Railways by nine wickets inside three days. After collecting 8 for 96 in the first innings, Jalaj ran through Railways’ line-up again in the second, picking up 8 for 58 to dismiss the team for 131 in 51.1 overs. Jalaj’s haul matched those taken by former Rajasthan fast bowler Pradeep Sunderam against Vidarbha in 1985. Anil Kumble currently holds the best ever figures in a Ranji Trophy match – 16 for 99 for Karnataka against Kerala in 1995.As was the case in the first innings, a few of Railways’ top-order batsmen made starts, but nobody could cross 26, as Railways folded to set the hosts a simple chase of 112. Madhya Pradesh began the chase positively, with the openers Jalaj and Rajat Patidar adding 72 off 75 balls. The hosts eventually overhauled the target in 19.1 overs, but the wicket of Patidar cost them a bonus point. The defeat left Railways rooted to the bottom of Group B, with just six points from six matches.
ScorecardHeavy rain in Chennai washed out play for the second straight day to all but rule out any chance of an outright result in the clash between Tamil Nadu and Andhra. Tamil Nadu are currently fourth in the table with 15 points, while Andhra are sixth with nine.
ScorecardUttar Pradesh’s top and middle order dug in to help the team make its way to 350 for 5 against Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium. UP, who began at 51 for 0 in reply to Mumbai’s 610 for 9 declared, lost Tanmay Srivastava early in the day, but Himanshu Asnora and Umang Sharma (53) combined for a 92-run partnership. Mumbai clawed their way back with two quick wickets, but Asnora once again led a recovery with another crucial stand – 70 for the fourth wicket with Sarfaraz Khan. Asnora was denied his maiden first-class ton, falling for 92, but Eklavya Dwivedi and Piyush Chawla both struck half-centuries during an unbroken 104-run partnership to keep UP’s slim hopes of first-innings points alive.
ScorecardBaroda were left staring at an innings defeat against Gujarat in Valsad after losing 11 wickets on the penultimate day. Baroda, who began their first innings at 82 for 3, were bowled out for 252. Ambati Rayudu (47) and Irfan Pathan (58) held the innings together with a 58-run partnership, but no batsman was able to really produce a score of meaning. Axar Patel was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 81, while RP Singh, Jesal Karia and Rujul Bhatt took two each. With a massive lead of 253 in hand, Gujarat enforced the follow-on, and made further inroads as Baroda lost four more wickets in their second innings before the close of play. At stumps, the team was tottering at 81 for 4, still needing another 172 runs to make Gujarat bat again.

Kent played out the final day with Brendan Nash continuing his strong early season form with an unbeaten hundred

Andrew McGlashan at Old Trafford27-Apr-2013
ScorecardJames Anderson troubled the Kent batsmen but ended up wicketless•Getty Images

On the evidence of this match, both Lancashire and Kent are going to struggle to take 20 wickets on a regular basis this season. Even if rain had not taken out two sessions a draw would still have been the likely result and Kent played out the final day with Brendan Nash continuing his strong early season form with an unbeaten hundred, although he had to work hard against James Anderson.Kent were on the edge of a wobble when Robert Key was given caught behind off Glen Chapple although the former captain was clearly unhappy with the decision and stomped off the field hitting his pad with his bat. Another quick wicket, with the deficit still more than 100, would have opened a door for Lancashire but it never came despite Anderson’s efforts.Last season, his first for Kent, Nash averaged over 47 – no mean feat in a wet summer – and his hundred in this innings followed three consecutive fifties to start the season. Nash innings rarely stick in the mind and there is more than a hint of Kent’s coach, Jimmy Adams, in the way he plays. There will not be much flamboyance, but he is providing plenty of substance to the top-order.James Tredwell, in his second game as Kent captain, knows his team can improve but he praised their resolve. “We faced a few challenges in this game and have come through them pretty well,” he said. “The first day was probably ideal bowling conditions in the end, having won the toss and had a bat, but we came through that with real fight, then again on this last day. Lancashire have a high-class bowling attack. It was really tough at times on the first day but the resolve was great.”The pitch was on the sluggish side, which did not help attempts to force the pace, but the way Lancashire batted late on the third day and into the final morning showed that brisk run-scoring was possible. Simon Katich, who fell to the first ball he faced today, Steven Croft and Chapple were able to play with freedom because of the platform they were given – so it is difficult to be too critical – but the bowling attack is going to need as much time as possible to force results.However, Gary Yates, Lancashire’s assistant coach, was delighted with the team’s approach. “We are pleased how we are playing, and frustrated that we lost quite a bit of time to the weather,” he said. “Maybe if we had more time we may have been able to force a result. But fair play to Kent, they batted well and we never really got into a position to force a victory.”We would like to have had at least one win, but we have played good disciplined cricket and if we continue to do that we will get rewarded with victories sooner rather than later.”Momentum can be picked up throughout the season and we have played really, really solid cricket. We have set up first-innings leads in both games and without the rain I think we would have set up victory in at least one of those games.”Most of Lancashire’s threat with the ball on the final day came from Anderson, who was outstanding, looking a class above the other bowlers (although Kyle Hogg and Matt Coles were excellent), as an England bowler should when he returns to county cricket. He conceded one run in his first seven overs, had Sam Northeast – a talented young opener – playing and missing at four balls in one over, hammered Michael Powell’s foot with a rapid yorker and had a high-quality contest with Nash yet still ended wicketless.Simon Kerrigan, the left-arm spinner, was Lancashire’s other main hope on the final day after the declaration following a heavy shower, which left 79 overs remaining in the game. He made the first breakthrough, taking Northeast’s off stump with a lovely delivery, but there was not a huge amount of assistance from the pitch and Nash played him excellently.

Kevin Pietersen made 151 as England established a 185-run first-innings lead over Sri Lanka on day three of the second Test

The Report by David Hopps05-Apr-2012
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKevin Pietersen acknowledges his century after the controversy•Getty Images

A century of great bravado, and not a little theatre, by Kevin Pietersen sharpened England’s anticipation of their first Test win of a troubled winter as they took a first-innings lead of 185 runs in the second Test in Colombo.Pietersen brought chaos to Sri Lanka’s ranks with a potent combination of imperious strokeplay and impatient slogs. His 151 came from 165 balls with 16 fours and six sixes and was a flamboyant contradiction of the suspicious, attritional cricket that had gone before. As he struck 88 runs between lunch and tea to transform the game, he batted pretty much as he pleased. “I probably played a bit one-day modish, but I feel as if I’m in very good form so why not,” he said.On a dead pitch that experts galore had agreed made strokeplay almost impossible, Pietersen batted as if such limitations were intended for lesser men, banishing the memories of a demoralising winter. He had been England’s least successful batsman in four Tests in Asia, scoring only 100 runs at 13. To draw supreme confidence from that record was quite something. It does not take much to stir his self-belief.He departed reluctantly, appealing to the DRS for clemency after Sri Lanka’s left-arm spinner Rangana Herath defeated his paddle shot with a flatter delivery. As reviews go, it was based on little more than the fact that he fancied an encore or two, and replays predictably judged him plumb, but he had provided such flamboyant entertainment that he could be forgiven his indulgence.Herath, who had 1 for 102 at one stage, recovered his poise once Pietersen’s storm had blown out and finished with 6 for 133, his third six-for in successive innings, but there was none of the pleasure he had felt during Sri Lanka’s 75-run win in Galle. There is enough treacherous bounce in this pitch to encourage England’s stronger pace attack and Graeme Swann can expect substantial, if slow turn.There was also a controversial element to Pietersen’s innings when the umpires, Asad Rauf and Bruce Oxenford, clamped down on his unconventional switch hit when he was only two runs away from his 20th Test century, issuing a warning on the dubious grounds that he was changing his stance too early. “To bowl before the bowler delivers is unfair,” Rauf said afterwards. “There is no intention to outlaw the stroke,” Oxenford added.

Smart stats

• Kevin Pietersen’s century is his first in nine Test innings. Between his 175 against India at The Oval and this knock, he had scored 100 runs in eight innings at 12.50. It is also his highest score in Sri Lanka, surpassing his previous best of 45.

• Pietersen’s century is his 20th in Tests, which puts him level with Graham Gooch and Ken Barrington among England batsmen with most hundreds. Wally Hammond, Colin Cowdrey and Geoff Boycott are on top of the list with 22.

• This was Pietersen’s ninth 150-plus score in Tests. He is only one behind Hammond and Len Hutton (10 scores) on the list of England batsmen with the most 150-plus scores.

• Pietersen’s century is the highest score by an England batsman in Sri Lanka, surpassing Robin Smith’s 128 in 1993. It is also the third-highest score at the P Sara Oval by a visiting batsman.

• The strike rate of 91.51 during Pietersen’s 151 is the third-highest for a non-subcontinent batsman and the sixth-highest overall for a visiting batsman in Tests in Sri Lanka.

• England’s score is their highest ever in Sri Lanka surpassing their previous best of 387 in Kandy in 2001.

• Rangana Herath picked up his third consecutive five-wicket haul and became the second bowler after Daniel Vettori (in 2004) to pick up six wickets in an innings three consecutive times. Herath’s series haul of 18 wickets makes it his highest ever.

• England have never lost a Test match after taking a first-innings lead of more than 180. Their highest lead in a losing cause is 177, against Australia at Old Trafford in 1961.

Tillakaratne Dilshan objected to the switch hit, in which Pietersen changes his hands on the bat to become, in effect, a left-hander, and stopped twice in his run-up as he anticipated a repeat. Rauf intervened on the grounds of timewasting – not against Dilshan but Pietersen – and after a conversation with Oxenford warned Pietersen, informing him England would recieve a five-run penalty if he repeated the tactic.Dilshan’s protest came during an over in when Pietersen thrashed his way from 86 to 104. He had unveiled the switch hit in Dilshan’s previous over to combat a defensive leg-stump line and when he was rewarded by a woeful long hop it was apparent that Dilshan, until then Sri Lanka’s most effective bowler, had lost the psychological game.After being told by the umpires that he risked a timewasting penalty, he bided his time, reverse swept again with Dilshan committed to the delivery, and reached his hundred to roars of approval from England’s sizeable contingent of fans. “No dramas,” he said. “They just told me to get my timing right.”Soon afterwards, Ian Bell fell for 18, mistiming a hook to midwicket as a ball from Dhammika Prasad did not get up. It was symptomatic of an innings in which he had rarely timed the ball and he walked off shaking his head at Pietersen’s audacity. Batting alongside Pietersen has a tendency to make you feel inadequate. If Bell felt its full force, so did Matt Prior when he tried to hit Herath down the ground and paid the consequences.For Pietersen, it was all plain sailing. He had been riddled by doubt against Pakistan’s spinners, Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman, in the Test series in the UAE, but Sri Lanka’s slow bowlers – for all Herath’s recovery – were a grade below that class. When Suraj Randiv attempted an Ajmal-style doosra it pitched halfway down. Pietersen had a life on 82, though, when Prasad deceived him with a slower ball but followed up with an even slower attempt to catch.England produced their most authoritative batting of the winter. They resumed on 154 for 1 and their top three created the platform to enable Pietersen to strut his stuff.Alastair Cook, six runs short of a century, was the only England batsman to fall before lunch. It was Dilshan who did the trick, finding modest turn to have Cook caught by Mahela Jayawardene at slip. Earlier, when Cook had 84 to his name, it was still a surprise to see him dust off a reverse sweep, especially as he had eschewed the conventional variety. The ball deflected off the pad to Jayawardene at leg slip, umpire Rauf showed no interest, and despite innumerable replays the third umpire could discern no sign of a flick of the glove for which Sri Lanka’s captain had appealed.Randiv’s use of DRS for an lbw appeal against Trott, on 42, was even more wasteful. Replays showed an obvious inside edge. Trott communicated this to the umpire with a subtle quizzical look and a peaceful examination of his inside edge, his alibis presented with the tranquillity of his strokeplay. He fell soon after lunch, edging a turning delivery from Herath to slip.Nothing was going right for Sri Lanka. Appeal began to follow appeal, each one of them increasingly absurd. Sri Lanka entered lunch with one more wicket and an urge to study TV replays that would have only brought more disappointment. Pietersen at his most disrespectful was about to inflame them even more.Edited by Alan Gardner

Nottinghamshire clinched the County Championship on a thrilling final day last September but it will be tough work to defend the title

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Apr-2011Comeback trail: Graham Onions hasn’t played for 15 months but is on course for a return during the early stages of the season•Associated Press

Durham

(FLt20: North Group; CB40: Group B)
Captain Phil Mustard Coach Geoff Cook Overseas David Miller (t20)
A hat-trick of Championship challenges was too much to ask, especially when injuries took a severe toll coupled with uncertainty over the captaincy situation when Will Smith stepped down mid-season. Phil Mustard took charge and has the reigns again, which is a tough workload for the keeper. However, the well-run structure that brought trophies to the North East remains in place and the club will feel they can’t have such bad luck with injuries for another summer. Steve Harmison, Liam Plunkett and a potentially fit-again Graham Onions remains the most potent pace attack in the country. They will also have Paul Collingwood available for much more of the season to boost the batting line-up, while Ben Stokes is hugely talented. Andrew McGlashanPlayer to watch Graham Onions: shows the depth of English pace bowling that the national team haven’t missed him. Is a high quality performer if he can fit who’ll want to remind the selectors what he can do.Prospects If their fitness woes are behind them they’ll be in the Championship race but will need runs on the board. Should also push for one-day honours.

Hampshire

( FLt20: South Group; CB40: Group B)
Captain Dominic Cork Coach Giles White Overseas Imran Tahir (SA), Shahid Afridi (Pak- t20)
An ambitious county, whose maiden Test will take place against Sri Lanka in mid-June, Hampshire are desperate for more silverware to add to the t20 Trophy they lifted at the Rose Bowl last season. They haven’t had their mitts on the Championship since 1973, despite boasting such luminaries as Marshall, Smith and Greenidge down the years, so whether the new captain Dominic Cork can outdo those greats is a moot point. Nevertheless, his team’s blend of youth and experience is as promising as that of any county, and when Imran Tahir recovers from his broken thumb, they will once again possess one of the prime sources of wickets in the whole of the county circuit. Andrew MillerPlayer to watch Michael Carberry: one of the forgotten men of English cricket, having toured Bangladesh in March 2010 and made his one and only Test appearance at Chittagong. His open-faced style is arguably a liability at the highest level, but he is good for another four-figured Championship season.Prospects It is the 50th anniversary year of their maiden Championship title in 1961, so what better way to commemorate it? It could be that a retention of the t20 crown is a better bet, however, especially with Johann Myburgh and Shahid Afridi on their books for that competition.

Lancashire

(FLt20: North Group; CB40: Group C)
Captain Glen Chapple Coach Peter Moores Overseas Farveez Maharoof (SL)
A vital, and potentially club-saving, boost appeared to come a month before the season started when Lancashire won their latest legal battle against Derwent Holdings who were trying to block the White City development plans that incorporate the regeneration of Old Trafford. However, further legal challenges threaten to derail the project and this remains a nervous time for the club as they aim to secure a 2013 Ashes Test. Due to the rising legal costs around the rebuilding plans Peter Moores and Mike Watkinson have had little money to spend so there has been no recruitment over the winter. Farveez Maharoof was late acquisition but it will be down to some of the club’s younger players to develop quickly. Andrew McGlashanPlayer to watch Simon Kerrigan: a left-arm spinner who impressed with 30 Championship wickets in first full season. Forms a strong spin attack alongside Gary Keedy.Prospects Batting looks too weak to mount a Championship challenge and the bowlers will need to fire to avoid a relegation fight. Twenty20 offers a more likely path to silverware.Luke Fletcher will need to make up for the loss of Ryan Sidebotton’s wickets at Trent Bridge•Graham Morris

Nottinghamshire

(FLt20: North Group; CB40: Group C)
Captain Chris Read Coach Mick Newell Overseas David Hussey and Adam Voges (Aus)
After finishing second in the previous two seasons, Nottinghamshire secured the Championship pennant in the dying moments of campaign when they claimed three Lancashire wickets to deny Somerset. A repeat performance will depend largely on how they replace Ryan Sidebottom and how dry the summer is. If the pitches turn, their lack of a frontline spinner (with Graeme Swann away with England) could be a problem. In their favour they have two consistent overseas players, could see more of Stuart Broad early season than expected, and have a solid core of players build around Chris Read. Mick Newell, the coach, is highly regarded and was handed the England Lions role in the winter. Andrew McGlashanPlayer to watch Samit Patel: too unfit for England and seemingly unable to change, but the county – whether rightly, or wrongly – is more forgiving. Can win matches in all formats.Prospects If they can back early-season victories when the seamers dominant they can push to retain the title. Otherwise, a one-day trophy may need to be the route to success.

Somerset

(FLt20: South Group; CB40: Group C)
Captain Marcus Trescothick Coach Andy Hurry Overseas Murali Kartik (Ind), Ajantha Mendis (SL), Kieron Pollard (WI – t20)
The best team of 2010 ended cruelly empty-handed as they finished second to Nottinghamshire on the last day of the Championship season, lost out on a tie to Somerset in the t20 and lost under lights in the CB40 final. The winter has been spent making sure nothing goes amiss this time around. Ajantha Mendis will be dangerous in the FPt20 (never mind Kieron Pollard as well) while Steve Kirby has been signed to bolster the pace attack. They are again the best team in the country, led superbly by Marcus Trescothick, surely this time they’ll reap the rewards? Sahil DuttaPlayer to watch James Hildreth: in the lead-up to every new county season his name crops up as one to keep an eye on. Finally, last year, he converted his undeniable talent into runs. Serious runs: 1440 at 65.45 in the Championship, 627 at 69.66 in the CB40 and 459 at 32.72 in the FPt20. If he can match that again the England selectors will come calling.Prospects Anything less than a Championship title will be a disappointment. No reason why at least one of the limited-overs crowds couldn’t be theirs as well.

Sussex

(FLt20: South Group; CB40: Group A)
Captain Mike Yardy Coach Mark Robinson Overseas Rana Naved (Pak), Wayne Parnell (SA – T20)
Another county that has been busy with redevelopment work during the winter, with the construction of a new 1700-seater stand on the South-West corner of the ground. On the field, the signing of Amjad Khan from Kent will reinforce a seam attack that will miss the steadying influence of Corey Collymore, now of Middlesex, with Wayne Parnell and Rana Naved set to share the overseas duties. International calls will limit the availability of Matt Prior and Luke Wright, while the progress of their captain, Michael Yardy, will be closely monitored following his depression during the World Cup. Andrew MillerPlayer to watch Monty Panesar: had big boots to fill when he moved from Northants last season to replace the legendary Mushtaq Ahmed, but a winter in Mushtaq’s company during the Ashes means that numerous tips for thriving at Hove will have been passed across.Prospects The serial Championship winners of the 2000s may struggle to launch the 2010s in a similar manner, but they are a stronger side than the one that was relegated two seasons ago.Chris Woakes is developing into a fine allrounder and has already shown his nerve on the international stage•Getty Images

Warwickshire

(FLt20: North Group; CB40: Group B)
Captain Jim Troughton Coach Ashley Giles OverseasTBC
Warwickshire hovered precariously over the trap door in Division One last year before a late surge took them safe and they then delivered a spirit-raising CB40 title. The off-season has brought a new captain in Jim Troughton and the good signing of William Porterfield from Gloucestershire. He will have a key role in shoring up a top-order that is flimsy without its England stars, Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott. Chris Woakes leads a sparky pace line-up alongside Boyd Rankin, which could be a potent mix. Sahil DuttaPlayer to watch Chris Woakes: took 50 wickets last year and impressed with a calm temperament in his brief international outings over the winter.Prospects The Championship title looks beyond reach but a decent challenge is a must. The CB40 is more realistic though they will desperately miss Imran Tahir who back at Hampshire.Worcestershire (FLt20: North Group; CB40: Group A)
Captain Daryl Mitchell Coach Steve Rhodes OverseasSaeed Ajmal (Pak), Damien Wright (Aus), Shakib Al Hasan (Bang)
Confounded expectations by being promoted back to Division One on the last day of the season last year. Avoiding an immediate drop back down would be even more surprising as the county battles dwindling financial resources and a thread-bare pace attack. There is plenty of experience in Alan Richardson, Matt Mason and Damien Wright but not the quality to prise out Division One batsmen on the better Division One pitches. The batting will rely heavily on Vikram Solanki but Shakib Al Hasan will hope to offer runs as well as wickets. Sahil DuttaPlayer to watch Moeen Ali: passed 1000 runs last season and his flashing wrists and style was an icon of a promising season. Will enjoy the better pitches but can he survive the better bowlers a division higher?Prospects Anything but relegation will be a major success in the Championship. A tilt at one-day success is more possible but the lack of an outright wicket-taker makes silverware unlikely.

Yorkshire

(FLt20: North Group; CB40: Group A)
Captain Andrew Gale Coach Martyn Moxon OverseasTBC
They exceeded expectations last year by making a push for the Championship title until the final round of matches, plus a consistent CB40 campaign. Andrew Gale, a very impressive captain, and Martyn Moxon have formed a cohesive squad with a strong balance of youth and experience. They need to cover likely England-based absences for Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad plus maybe Adil Rashid, so the return of Ryan Sidebottom is a significant boost in that regard. Gale and Adam Lyth have both represented England Lions this winter and will lead the batting alongside an evergreen Anthony McGrath. Andrew McGlashanPlayer to watch Adil Rashid: had a terrific all-round 2010 after being sent back to the county game. England will come calling again, but until then he’s a matchwinner for YorkshireProspects If Sidebottom fires they’ll be competitive but they appear a quality batsman short after Jacques Rudolph’s departure.

Left-arm medium-pacer Lal Kumar and legspinner Danish Kaneria demolished the Baluchistan Bears middle-order to hand Sind Dolphins the title

Cricinfo staff29-Apr-2010
Scorecard
Left-arm medium-pacer Lal Kumar and legspinner Danish Kaneria demolished the Baluchistan Bears middle-order to hand Sind Dolphins the title at the National Stadium in Karachi.Their efforts came on the back of a strong batting effort that took the Dolphins to 270 after they chose to bat. Dolphins’ openers, Shahzaib Hussain and Khurram Manzoor, were the highest run-getters in the tournament but neither made a substantial contribution in the final. Each of the next four batsmen made it past 40, though, to set the Bears a stiff target. Hasan Raza was the top scorer, with a brisk, unbeaten 61.The Bears’ chase didn’t get off to too good a start, but they reached a satisfactory 59 for 2 after 12 overs. It was then that the innings unraveled: in the next eight overs, they added only 14 runs losing six wickets, all of which were shared by Kumar and Kaneria. At 73 for 8, the match was effectively over, but half-centuries from Abid Ali and No. 10 Abdur Rauf reduced the margin of defeat.

Australia find themselves in a familiar position: 1-0 up for the fourth home Ashes series in a row

Andrew Miller03-Dec-20252:29

Miller: England must back their approach to win second Test

Big picture: A big day three beckons for the Ashes

From two days of Ashes insanity, to two weeks of Ashes inanity. Rarely has the dead time between Tests felt so rich in promise, yet filled with pointlessness, as in this past fortnight. From that hyperactive 19-wicket opening gambit in Perth and the shock and awe of Travis Head’s romp to victory, we’ve since been pitched headlong into a waffle-filled void, fuelled by an Ashes hype-machine that had been in overdrive from the start of November, but has since been in desperate need of red-hot takes to slake its thirst for narrative.In the absence of actual action, we’ve had talk of beer matches and food mountains from the peeved executives at the Optus; we’ve had pontification about the value of pink-ball practice matches from a cast of ex-Ashes combatants (whom Ben Stokes is now adamant are not “has-beens” after all). And in Brisbane this week, we’ve even had talk of potential fines for England’s scooter-based traffic violations. Thursday’s resumption of hostilities under the Gabba floodlights will surely be sweet release for two sets of players who have heard enough yakking, and will now be ready to get back to some hard yakka.What have we learned in this impatient lull? Not a whole lot, if truth be told. In spite of the speed of their meltdown, England still competed more gamely in Perth than in any Test in Australia since their victorious tour in 2010-11. If they get the better of the conditions in what Stuart Broad has described as a pink-ball “lottery”, they could yet restore the optimism with which they launched this campaign. If they do not, or if they bat as frivolously as they did in that crucial post-lunch passage of play on day two, a third 5-0 whitewash in six tours could already be loading. Choose your path, there’ll be plenty opportunities to retro-fit your narrative come the end of the Sydney Test.Related

• Root unperturbed by Starc pink-ball challenge

• Pink-ball Tests still an Australian speciality after a decade

• Stokes primed for most important assignment as England captain

• Boland buoyed by Perth spell: 'I'm good enough to compete with anyone'

• Switch Hit podcast: Pink ball, Bazball, Gabba gamble

For the time being, it’s a chastened (if not reformed) England that has regrouped at the Gabba. This Ashes tour has been front and centre of their planning for three-and-a-half years, right from the inception of the so-called Bazball project, and they’ll know – notwithstanding their fightback from 2-0 down in 2023 – that they cannot afford another false start. There was nervous energy in spades in Perth, and while that translated wonderfully well into a kinetic frenzy with the ball in the first innings, even the most pigheaded advocate of England’s no-consequences mindset would acknowledge that the loss of 20 wickets in less than 70 overs was a dereliction of batting duty.As for Australia, they were scarcely any less shocked by what they witnessed in Perth – although the sight of Head launching Jofra Archer for a back-foot six over long-on might have been a key contributor to that. Amid the chaos caused by Usman Khawaja’s back spasm, and the unsatisfactory compromise that forced Marnus Labuschagne to open in the first innings, Head’s subsequent promotion proved a masterstroke. It met England’s go-getting attack head-on, and challenged them in the same manner that Yashasvi Jaiswal had done in his own six-laden onslaughts in India two years ago. If Bazball is all in the mind, then Head was in England’s heads by the end of that innings, rather than vice versa.England’s chosen route back to parity has already taken an interesting turn. Mark Wood reported soreness in his knee after a wicketless display in Perth and is out of the reckoning – who knows for how long, although his fitness for flatter decks to come (particularly in Adelaide) could yet be as much of a priority as the here-and-now. But into his place comes not another seamer, nor the primary spinner Shoaib Bashir (who had been England’s designated 12th man in the first Test), but the each-way-bet option of Will Jacks, a selection that smacks, ever so slightly, of a team second-guessing themselves.Travis Head hit 123 off 83 in the second innings of the first Test•Getty Images

It’s an interesting predicament that leans into the vacuousness of the discourse since Perth. So much of England’s mindset-led approach has been about blocking out the noise and doubling down on positive reaffirmation from within the dressing-room walls – the logic being that, if you believe that the team has your back no matter what, then you already own your half of the mental battle.But never before has this England team encountered noise quite like this – a 24/7 media bombardment that will surely have seeped into their subconscious decision-making, even if they are overtly still as bold as brass. Batting more sensibly at key moments, for instance, may be a pre-requisite for this Ashes fightback, but if that comes at the expense of bravery, then what will that do for their over-arching ethos? Scott Boland’s decisive burst in the second innings at Perth was arguably a case in point, after he’d been taken at more than six an over in the first, while Stokes has already admitted his captaincy was found wanting when Head started teeing off in the run-chase. It’s hard to imagine, for instance, that he’ll dare to declare after 60 overs to get bowling in the twilight, as was the case when England won their most recent pink-ball Test in Mount Maunganui two years ago.Australia, meanwhile, are in a happy and familiar position in this series: 1-0 up, for the fourth home Ashes in a row, and heading into a format in which their record is unparalleled, both in terms of volume of matches and victories secured. But, thanks in no small part to England tripping over their own feet when well set, they know they were spared a deeply uncomfortable denouement in that first Test. The onus is on the visitors to finish the inquisition they started, before it’s too late for beg for third chances.

Form guide

Australia: WWWWL
England: LLDWL

In the spotlight: Mitchell Starc and Joe Root

The story hasn’t changed for Mitchell Starc, but the expectations have been ramped up an extra notch. At Perth, he was the last man standing of the greatest pace trio of the modern era, and he responded supremely, with a career-best 7 for 58 and ten wickets in the match. Now, he’s been asked to do so again, in a form of the game in which he is simply without equal. His 81 wickets in day-night Tests include a startling haul of 6 for 9 in his most recent outing, as West Indies were routed for 27 in Kingston in July. If he makes the pink ball talk as loudly as it can do under the Gabba floodlights, there’ll be plenty more where that came from. Starc has a chance to put the Ashes beyond realistic reach, before Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have even bowled a ball in anger.Mitchell Starc dismissed Joe Root in both innings in Perth•Getty Images

There’s no ducking the issue for Joe Root any more. If his team are to turn their fortunes around in this series, then England’s greatest run-scorer desperately needs to come to the party. Notwithstanding Zak Crawley’s pair, Root’s performance in Perth was arguably the most culpable among many failures in that first Test, in particular his skittish second-innings drive that capped England’s post-lunch collapse. His scores of 0 and 8 did little to dial down the pre-series chat about his modest record in Australia, and were perhaps an indication of the very real nerves he felt coming into a legacy-defining campaign. Now, however, he needs his vast experience to steer his team’s agenda. Of all the ways that England might have envisaged losing in Australia, Root going missing was not among them.

Team news: Jacks in, Khawaja out

Usman Khawaja’s failure to recover from a back spasm has arguably spared Australia an awkward decision, seeing as his inability to open at Perth was what enabled Travis Head to stride up to the top of the order and turn the first Test on its head. Head now seems likely to retain his role alongside Jake Weatherald, with Josh Inglis looking set to slot into the gap in the middle order: his prowess against short-pitched bowling might be the clincher, with Beau Webster again unlucky to miss out. There’s still no absolute clarity on Pat Cummins, who remains with Australia’s squad and even batted in the nets on Tuesday, but he is not officially part of their squad for this Test as he continues his return from a back injury.Australia (probable): 1 Jake Weatherald, 2 Travis Head, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Josh Inglis, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Nathan Lyon, 10 Scott Boland, 11 Brendan Doggett.Will Jacks is back in England’s Test team after three years away•AFP/Getty Images

With Wood ruled out due to a knee issue, Jacks is the surprise inclusion in England’s XI. He comes into the side as England’s frontline spin option, ahead of Bashir, whose consistent selection over the past two years had seemingly been with a view to him playing a central role in this Ashes campaign. Instead, England have opted for the insurance that Jacks’ significantly better batting provides at No. 8, while hoping that his offspin can front up for England as it did on debut at Rawalpindi, three years ago to the week, when his six first-innings wickets proved crucial to a famous win over Pakistan. In part, it is a reflection of the “lottery” of the pink-ball Test – and given Jacks’ ongoing rebirth as a No. 7 in the ODI team, he could yet play some hybrid “finisher” role in a typically fast-paced innings – but it is a rare case of England hedging their bets in the Bazball era, rather than going all-in on a preferred strategy.England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Will Jacks, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Gus Atkinson, 11 Jofra Archer.

Pitch and conditions

Curator Dave Sandurski said on Tuesday that he would leave 3mm of grass on the pitch, and the familiar green tinge may fade away under the Queensland sun. Despite some spicy practice pitches in the Gabba nets, there is a suggestion this track could be on the slow side, and with the current batch of Kookaburra balls reportedly going soft quickly, that could spell hard times for fielding sides if either team can keep wickets in hand heading into 50-60 overs. That said, England couldn’t bat beyond 35 on either occasion at Perth. New-ball swing, under the floodlights, is sure to be a feature at some stage of the contest.

Stats and trivia

• Australia have won 13 and lost one of their 14 pink-ball Tests to date.
• All but one of these (their most recent, against West Indies in July) came on home soil, including each of their three wins against England in the Ashes, at Adelaide (in 2017-18 and 2021-22) and Hobart (2021-22).
• However, their solitary defeat in a day/night Test came at the Gabba, against West Indies in January 2024.
• England, by contrast, have lost five of their seven pink-ball Tests to date, although they did win their most recent, against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui in February 2023.
• Starc, with 81 wickets at 17.08 in 14 Tests, has almost twice as many pink-ball wickets as the next most prolific bowlers, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon (both 43 at 17.34 and 25.62 respectively), and nine times as many as the most experienced bowlers in England’s squad, Mark Wood and Joe Root (nine each).
• Starc needs three more wickets to overtake Wasim Akram as the most prolific left-arm fast bowler in Test history.

Quotes

“They’ve said for a while they’re not going to really change the way they go about their business. I don’t expect too much different.”
“Many teams have gone to the Gabba and lost to Australia, but this is a brand new outfit. Lots of guys are on their first Ashes tours, so this is going to be a new experience for them… It doesn’t hold too much fear.”

Several leagues ran simultaneously at the start of 2024, and the ICC Champions Trophy is expected to further complicate the picture in February 2025

Matt Roller08-May-2024The Caribbean Premier League (CPL)’s chief executive has described overlaps between franchise leagues as “a nonsense”, and has called for regular meetings among their owners and administrators in an attempt to solve cricket’s global scheduling crisis. The CPL has overlapped with the Hundred in recent years but will avoid a clash this season after holding talks with the ECB earlier this year.And Pete Russell, one of CPL’s co-founders and the league’s CEO since 2021, believes that such collaboration should be commonplace to minimise the frequent clashes between the T20 leagues.”[The ECB] have a defined window that they have to play in, and it happened that we could move everything out to ensure that we didn’t clash [with the Hundred],” Russell told ESPNcricinfo. “It makes absolutely zero sense if you’ve got [Sunil] Narine and [Andre] Russell having to fly back the day before the final of the Hundred. That’s in no one’s interests, and certainly not the Hundred’s.Related

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“I hope that [collaboration] continues. It’s not rocket science; it’s what should happen with all leagues. It’s just a nonsense that we’ve got all this overlap when it just needs to be worked through. Scheduling is a challenge, I know, but it can’t be that you have two leagues going at each other at the same time. To my mind, it doesn’t make any sense.”There is a precedent for leagues negotiating to manage potential clashes as shown by the PSL and ILT20.Several different leagues ran simultaneously at the start of 2024. Australia’s BBL and New Zealand’s Super Smash finished in mid-January; South Africa’s SA20 and the UAE’s ILT20 started in January and ran into February; the Bangladesh Premier League started in January and finished in March; and the Pakistan Super League ran from mid-February to mid-March.The ICC Champions Trophy is expected to further complicate the picture when it returns in February 2025. The ILT20 is expected to confirm its dates for 2025 in the coming days following recent discussions with franchises, while the PCB has stated its intention to stage the PSL alongside the IPL in April-May 2025.There is broad support among players worldwide for global scheduling windows for franchise leagues and international cricket, thus minimising overlap between the two. The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) player survey will be published soon, and as confirmed to ESPNcricinfo by Tom Moffat, FICA’s CEO, will show that 84% of the 330 respondents support introducing windows.The MLC this year is set for a six-day clash with the Hundred•Sportzpics

“Unless the game can come together to find a system in which the domestic leagues and international cricket can co-exist, we will end up with two separate calendars running in parallel,” Moffat told ESPNcricinfo.”That will split the player employment-market, given most of the leagues rely on the inclusion of international players to be successful commercially. We currently don’t think that’s the right thing for the whole sport given it – and most professional players’ employment – is still largely funded by international cricket.”While representatives of national governing bodies meet regularly at ICC level – most of whom control their own leagues – there is no specific forum for the owners and administrators of franchise leagues to discuss scheduling.”It’s the logical way to go – because we’re all maturing, and we’re all getting to a point where we are sustainable,” Russell said. “They are generally regarded now as being part of the domestic calendar, wherever they are played. I think it is a case of, ‘OK, let’s have that group of people and say how do you figure out the schedule to the benefit of everyone?'”I think it’s workable. Others might think it’s not, but I just think the conversations at least need to take place, just to make sure [there’s no clash].”Moffat said: “With the exception of CPL and a couple of others, the controlling stake in most of the major leagues is generally owned by the same national governing bodies who schedule international cricket. That means co-ordinating scheduling between the leagues and international cricket to avoid scheduling overlap is possible – if there is a will to come together and do that.”Russell used the recent release of Major League Cricket (MLC)’s 2024 fixture list – two months before the tournament starts – as evidence of a shortage of “joined-up thinking” among administrators. MLC begins on July 5, and is thus set for a six-day clash with the Hundred.”They’ve only just come out with their schedule,” he said. “Why does it take leagues so long to put a schedule together? We have all year to figure it out.”Russell also encouraged administrators to find a solution to the perverse incentives that emerged for players earlier this year.”It can’t be right: I saw the other day that where leagues were overlapping, a player who got knocked out before the semi-finals or finals could actually make more money by going to another league. That shouldn’t be a thing.”

India spun out New Zealand, before England edged out Australia in a nail-biter

S Sudarshanan27-Jan-2023It was heartbreak and ecstasy in equal measures in Potchefstroom as India and England made the final of the inaugural Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup to be played on Sunday. While India comfortably beat New Zealand in the first semi-final, tensions swayed one way and then the other before England edged Australia out by three runs in a low-scoring thriller.Defending 99, England fast bowlers Ellie Anderson and Alexa Stonehouse struck early before legspinner Hannah Baker’s triple-strike crippled Australia. She varied her flight and length to bowl Ella Hayward and then got enough purchase from the surface to have Australia captain Rhys McKenna caught at mid-off and trapped wicketkeeper Paris Hall three balls later to have them at 59 for 7.Ella Wilson and Milly Illingworth, batting at No. 9 and No. 10, managed to hit a four apiece towards the end to get the equation down to Australia needing four with two wickets and just shy of three overs in hand. But the latter was run out via a direct hit from Ryana MacDonald-Gay from mid-off before Grace Scrivens trapped No. 11 Maggie Clark lbw with her offspin to spark off wild celebrations.Milly Illingworth was run out off a direct-hit•ICC/Getty Images

The scene was far removed from the halfway stage when Clark, Hayward and Sianna Ginger walked back with three-fors. The script went awry for England after opting to bat, as they lost wickets at regular intervals to be placed at 29 for 4 at the end of the powerplay.The pace of Illingworth and the nagging lengths of Clark had seen the back of Liberty Heap – who has forged a successful alliance at the top with captain Scrivens – and No. 3 Niamh Holland. Offspinner Hayward inflicted further misery by breaking the back of the middle order.But Scrivens – second at present in the tournament’s list of run-scorers – held one end up even as she saw England slide to 37 for 5 in the ninth over. However, a full length ball from seamer Ginger was hard to resist for her and she holed out to Claire Moore at long-off for 20. It was only because of a 46-run eighth-wicket partnership between Stonehouse (25) and Josie Groves (15) that England had managed to get close to hundred.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

India spin out New Zealand

Earlier in the day, India’s spinners wove a web around New Zealand and kept them to 107 for 9 before a masterclass from opener Shweta Sehrawat helped them cruise to an eight-wicket win. Sehrawat scored an unbeaten 61 off just 45 balls with ten fours and was involved in a second-wicket partnership of 62 with Soumya Tiwari (26). It was her third half-century in the competition, by virtue of which she found herself atop the batting charts.This was after legspinner Parshavi Chopra, who shone with a Player-of-the-Match performance against Sri Lanka, starred with three for 20 to leave New Zealand short of par. She broke the 37-run second-wicket partnership between Georgia Plimmer and Isabella Gaze (26) by trapping the latter lbw.Only Plimmer offered some resistance with the bat with a 32-ball 35 and she was the seventh batter out with the score on 91.

After a poor start to the chase, Fakhar and Khushdil consolidated and Shadab and Nawaz provided the fireworks to take Pakistan home

Danyal Rasool19-Nov-2021Pakistan made it unnecessarily complicated for themselves, but their bowlers had done enough in the first half to ensure they held on for an exciting four-wicket win in the first T20I against Bangladesh in Dhaka. In a gritty, and sometimes ugly, contest where ball didn’t come on to bat much, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr and Shadab Khan stifled the Bangladesh batters, especially in the first ten overs, to keep them to a below-par 127. Bangladesh managed just three boundaries and seven sixes all innings, with Nurul Hasan and Mahedi Hasan providing a late boost to the innings.

Hasan reprimanded, Bangladesh fined

Hasan Ali has earned himself a reprimand and a demerit point – his first one – for his send-off to Nurul Hasan in the first T20I, while the Bangladesh players were fined 20% of their match fees for maintaining a slow over-rate (one short of the target) in the game.

It was the sort of target Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam tend to knock off with ease, but on these surfaces in front of a raucous home crowd, Bangladesh weren’t going to let go easily. Mustafizur Rahman found movement with the new ball and castled Rizwan with a beauty early, while an off-colour Babar chopped on to Taskin Ahmed. Haider Ali and Shoaib Malik, too, fell cheaply to put Bangladesh on top. So it was left to Fakhar Zaman and Khushdil Shah to grind their way to keep Pakistan in touch with the asking rate, and for Shadab and Mohammad Nawaz to provide the fireworks at the end.Bangladesh off the boil
Coming off a World Cup where they disappointed, this was Bangladesh’s chance of a reset. But, instead of batting with abandon after winning the toss, they appeared to be playing within themselves, preferring caution to bravery as Pakistan’s bowlers applied the squeeze. It wasn’t until the sixth over that the first boundary was struck, and by the halfway stage, they had hobbled to 40 for 4. The lower-middle order led an impressive recovery and 87 off the final ten meant Pakistan had a chase on their hands.Taskin Ahmed sets off on a celebratory run after sending back Babar Azam•AFP/Getty Images

A poor finish for Pakistan
An odd statistical quirk of Pakistan’s generally spotless bowling performance was how each of the five bowlers had their figures spoilt somewhat by expensive final overs. The final overs of Nawaz, Shadab, Wasim, Hasan and Haris Rauf went for 15, 13, 12, 11 and 15 respectively. It meant five bowlers who had allowed just 61 in their first three overs collectively had leaked 66 in their fourths.Bowlers give Bangladesh a chance
All the good work the bowlers had done looked to have unravelled in a frenetic first ten overs of the Pakistan chase. The two-paced nature of the pitch had Babar checking many of his shots, while Mustafizur sent Rizwan packing early with a classical inswinger. Babar was fortunate not to fall a few balls earlier than he did, when a nick through to the keeper wasn’t reviewed. An untidy hoick by Haider saw him fall for a duck, but Shoaib Malik’s dismissal was the most unforgivable of all.One of the most experienced men in the game, Malik made the schoolboy error of strolling out of his crease while the ball was alive, and in the hands of Bangladesh keeper Nurul Hasan. He spotted Malik’s brainfade and had a shy at the stumps, catching the veteran out of his crease and reducing Pakistan to 24 for 4 in the powerplay.Fakhar, Khushdil heroics
When you think of Fakhar and Khushdil performing heroics for their side, you probably imagine them teeing off, blasting big runs. Instead, the two men who hit 34 each, got their runs at less than a run-a-ball, their combined 68 coming in 71 balls. The middle order had dug in after the early losses, ensuring the asking rate was within touch. They were aware Pakistan had the firepower to catch up at the death, so even when the two fell within three overs of each other, Shadab and Nawaz had an equation they could work with. The two allrounders will grab the headlines, but without the toil of Fakhar and Khushdil, they wouldn’t have had the opportunity.

Wicketkeeper’s selflessness is admirable quality, but he needs a score in third Test

George Dobell at Emirates Old Trafford23-Jul-2020Jos Buttler remains a “vital” member of the England team, according to his captain, Joe Root, and the national selector, Ed Smith.Buttler’s position has started to come under scrutiny after a year in which he has averaged 21.26 from 12 Tests. But both Root and Smith have defended Buttler’s longer-term record and insisted he contributes more to the team than is represented on the scorecard.”Jos was recalled to the side 27 Tests ago in May 2018,” Smith said. “Jos averages about 31 in that period and has contributed to a lot of wins with his own personal contributions.”Then, of course, there’s the team’s form. The team has, in that time, won 16 games, lost nine and had a couple of draws. The 27 Tests preceding that, exactly the same period of time, England had won 10, lost 14 and drawn 3. In the 27 Tests preceding that, exactly the same period of time, England won 10 [actually nine], lost 14 and drew three 3 [actually four].”So I suppose part of what we’re trying to do in selection is based around the team winning. Every player who has played in this period, even though there have been a number of players who haven’t performed as well as they would have wanted personally, have contributed to that good form as a team.”While Buttler has actually played in 15 winning teams in that period – he missed the Lord’s Test against Ireland – there is no doubt he remains highly respected within the England squad. And Root used the example of the second Test of this series to demonstrate the selfless cricket which so endears Buttler to his team-mates and which is not accurately represented by his career statistics.Twice at Emirates Old Trafford Buttler was required to accelerate the scoring: once, in the first innings, when he was left with the tail and eventually succumbed to a catch on the midwicket boundary and once, in the second innings, when he was promoted to open as England attempted to set-up a declaration. He fell for a duck in the first over after edging an expansive drive onto his stumps.ALSO READ: Root backs Archer to put isolation troubles behind him“If you look at the last game, both times he was left in a situation where he basically gave his wicket up for the good of the group,” Root said. “That’s the sort of player he is and how he goes about his cricket. That’s why he’s so vital to our team: because he’s willing to play in a manner that suits the situation that we need from him at any given point.”It must have been quite hard for him. In the first innings, he got himself in a position where he felt good and he was playing some good cricket. Then we lost a couple of wickets at the other end and he had to get on with it. I thought he could easily have got 70-odd not out and he’s in a different place, feeling on top of the world with his batting again.”In both first innings in this series, he has looked one of our better players in many ways. That’s the thing he’s got to try to look at. I feel a score is just around the corner for him.”There was, however, a first hint from Smith that England do have other options for the position. And while nobody in the team management will suggest Buttler is now playing for his place – “I would never frame things in that way,” Smith said, “as I don’t think that’s a good message for any player” – it does appear time may be running out for him. Another failure in this Test could well see Ben Foakes recalled for the Pakistan series.”What we like to have as a selection panel is depth across every position and that applies to wicketkeeper batting as much as anywhere else,” Smith said. “In the wicketkeeping position and middle-order batting we do have depth. That’s clear.”