At 34 years of age, Michael Lumb was England’s oldest debutant in this format since Paul Nixon seven years ago. He could have been forgiven for thinking his chance had gone

George Dobell in Antigua01-Mar-20140:00

Croft: Sammy muscled the bowling everywhere

If success in sport is largely due to taking chances, Michael Lumb may yet end up a double World Cup winner.Lumb, who already has a World T20 winners’ medal, earned himself a decent chance of gaining a place in England’s squad for the World Cup in 2015 with a century on ODI debut in Antigua.It was an innings that so nearly did not happen. Had a scheduling quirk not persuaded England to select their T20 team for an ODI series, had Alex Hales not pulled out with a thigh strain and had Eoin Morgan not been ruled out with a knee injury, then Lumb would not have played. At 34 years of age, he was England’s oldest debutant in this format since Paul Nixon seven years ago. He could have been forgiven for thinking his chance had gone.Michael Lumb became only the ninth player, and second Englishman, to score a century on ODI debut•Getty ImagesBut perhaps this was the sort of innings that could only be played by a man who knew he had one opportunity left. Perhaps it was the sort of innings that could only be played by a man who knows he is in danger of being remembered not just for that winners’ medal, but for being something of an unfulfilled talent.To put into perspective what an impressive achievement this innings was, Lumb was just the ninth man from any country to register a century on ODI debut. He becomes just the second England player to do so too following Dennis Amiss, who managed it in 1972. Had any of his colleagues managed to scored more than 44, it would surely have helped England to victory.That it did not was largely due to some wretched death bowling and some hapless batting. To concede 100 from the final seven overs of West Indies’ innings is reflective not just of some marvelously flamboyant batting from Dwayne Bravo, who enjoyed a fine game with bat, ball and as captain, and the typically selfless Darren Sammy, but of some muddled, inexperienced bowling.The charitable interpretation for England’s final 15 overs in the field – 15 overs in which they conceded 157 runs and allowed West Indies to recover from 112 for 4 – is that they were giving opportunities to inexperienced bowlers with a view to the challenges that await in Bangladesh. Certainly there is little other obvious reason for Stuart Broad to prefer Chris Jordan to himself towards the end and little other obvious reason to have not thrown the ball to the vastly experienced Ravi Bopara, playing his 100th ODI, Ben Stokes or even Luke Wright. He did, after all, bowl in that World T20 final.While Broad later claimed that the plan had been to bowl yorker length outside off stump, Hawk-Eye analysis showed that England actually delivered only one or two yorkers in their entire 50 overs. For all the talk of practicing such deliveries in recent days, there was precious little evidence of improvement. A tally of 11 wides and no-balls, plus the extra deliveries they offer, is unacceptably profligate at this level.The batting was almost as concerning. While Moeen Ali shaped up nicely with bat and ball before squandering his wicket away with a loose stroke, England’s middle-order lacked the composure required to play the sort of innings that Jonathan Trott once made seem so simple that his ability was routinely questioned. Their struggles against Sunil Narine not only underlined what a terrific bowler he is in such conditions but suggested that, in future, West Indies may play more than one spinner. Nor does it bode well for the trial by spin anticipated in the World T20 in Bangladesh. Bopara, for such a talented and experienced player, rarely seems to deliver when the pressure is on.The shame about all this was that it denied Lumb the support his innings deserved. This is not the first time he has sensed a glimmer of a chance and seized it. In February 2010, representing England Lions against the England side, he impressed to such an extent in scoring an unbeaten 58 to help his team to victory that he was somewhat surprisingly drafted into the World T20 squad. While he never scored more than 33 in the tournament, his positive batting ensured the speedy starts required and played a meaningful part in England’s subsequent success.He has learned to deal with setbacks, too. While his Nottinghamshire team-mate Hales, whose injury may have cost him a rare opportunity, struggled to contain his disappointment after the county refused to allow the pair to appear in the 2013 IPL auction, Lumb knuckled down and accumulated over 1000 Championship runs despite the challenges of a tricky home pitch at Trent Bridge. Such characteristics are greatly valued by this England set-up.His List A record was modest, however. Nottinghamshire may have won the YB40 trophy, but Lumb passed 50 only once in the campaign and averaged just 24.64. In normal circumstances, his form would not have warranted even consideration for ODI selection.Nor was this a perfect innings. For his first 20 or so runs, he was comprehensively outplayed by the elegant Moeen and, harsh though it sounds, he might have been expected to see his side home having built such a solid platform.Quite what England do with him now remains to be seen. In a different era, Lumb might be considered an automatic choice for the 2015 World Cup, which will be in progress at this time next year, but even without Kevin Pietersen the England top-order is a crowded place. Ian Bell, Alastair Cook and Trott all have strong claims on the top three positions, while Joe Root and Stokes filled the role without much success in Australia. Moeen, with his offspin perhaps providing an edge in selection meetings, may also be a contender. Hales may yet come into the equation, too.Certainly Lumb has earned himself an opportunity. But it may be worth reflecting on the example of Kim Barnett who, in 1988, won the Man-of-the-Match award on his ODI debut and never played again. 34-year-olds are not just given few opportunities, they are given fewer chances if they fail.There were other bright spots for England. The use and bowling of the spinners was intelligent and impressive and Moeen and Lumb’s opening stand should have been a match-defining foundation. But unless the death bowling improves rapidly, it is hard to see them challenging in Bangladesh.

Herschelle Gibbs on the infamous tag, the 438 match, playing golf with Viv, Tiger and Ronaldo, and his football World Cup predictions

Interview by Richard Sydenham21-Jun-2014What have you enjoyed most about being out of international cricket?
Not doing warm-ups every other day. The playing side of things was lovely but once players give up international cricket, most are quite happy to not have to do the warm-ups every day.What have you enjoyed the least about being out of international cricket?
I miss the buzz, the big crowds, the big stage, the big tournaments. You live for these things as an international player for so long, so when it’s not there any more, you miss it.Was there one thing you never got to do, individually, in your 90-Test and 248-ODI career that you would have loved to have done?
I wanted a Test triple-century – even a 250 would have been nice. But frankly I am happy with my two double-centuries (228 v Pakistan and 211 v New Zealand). I got bored at 200!How many times do you get asked about dropping Steve Waugh in the 1999 World Cup?
Happily not so much anymore, but on Twitter every now and again there will be a smart alec who will come up with that one, but fortunately it’s not very often now.And on that topic – did Waugh really say, “You’ve just dropped the World Cup?”
Adam Gilchrist told me that Steve Waugh didn’t say anything of the sort but he was quite happy to go along with that rumour!What did you enjoy the most – six sixes in a World Cup, or scoring 175 in a total of 438 to beat Australia?
Definitely the 175 against Australia; when I hit the six sixes, Sir Garfield Sobers had already done it, though not in international cricket, so it was nice to be the first in that sense. But from a purely enjoyment point of view, the 175 was probably on a day when my most complete talent was on display. It is satisfying when I think of the people that were there to see it and the people who saw it on TV. And to win the match also was the icing on top.Have you still got the bats from those innings?
I have never really been interested in keepsakes. The only thing I wanted was a World Cup winners’ medal. I gave the bat from the six sixes to Allan Lamb to auction but never heard any more. The only thing I have kept is my Proteas blazer. I have nothing else left.Who is the funniest cricketer you have ever met?
I would probably say Neil McKenzie. He is just a fantastic bloke, a great team man, and I’m sure the lads at Hampshire would agree with that. He is exceptionally funny. Very superstitious, but his humour is second to none.Who was the bowler you used to dread batting against?
I would say Shoaib Akhtar. Even though I enjoyed facing fast bowlers, his action made it really awkward. He wasn’t very nice to face at all – was awkward through the air and off the wicket. You couldn’t get any quicker than that. He always felt quicker than Brett Lee, though Lee was also as quick as hell, but his action was easier to track.And who was the bowler who made you think: “I hope this bloke doesn’t get taken off just yet?”
Daan van Bunge, obviously!I really took a liking to Mick Lewis in the 438 game. And because I scored a lot of runs against England I would probably say one of their guys but couldn’t possibly single one out!Who was the most uncomfortable to face in the nets: Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini or Dale Steyn?
I would probably say Allan Donald. I remember one of the first nets I had for South Africa in 1996. He hit me on the leg just below the thigh pad. I went down like a sack of potatoes and couldn’t walk for three days. I will never forget that day.Who is the one player you have shared a cricket field with and felt genuinely privileged to have done so?
Sir Vivian Richards, when playing for Lashings. Fortunately we were on the same team. Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting also, because they made everything look really easy. It’s almost like they were taking the mickey.Who was the one player you shared a dressing room with who you were proud to go into battle with?
Mark Boucher, because it felt like he was always putting his life on the line for the team.Does it annoy you that the media often labels South Africa as chokers, or do you think it has been justified down the years?
It has been justified. You can’t really stop the media from writing what they want and they have every right to call us chokers. In the 1999 World Cup semi-final, we should have won for sure. And in 2003 we underperformed. The fear of failure for a lot of the lads was the biggest issue. And it seems to have continued right up to this day.Was there a ground that always brought the best out in you?
I would mention two: The Oval and Wanderers, Johannesburg. I always seemed to score runs at The Oval and I played some fantastic innings at Wanderers. I remember my 143 against New Zealand in the 2003 World Cup, when I was in the form of my life. The coach, Eric Simons, said to me beforehand it would be nice if I could get a scratchy 50. That was his way of saying: “Don’t go all out blazing from the word go.” And I did scratch my way to 50 but went for it after that!Which country was your favourite tour?
Australia or West Indies. Beach every day in the Caribbean. From a physical point of view, when you play every day and can then go in the sea, you hardly ever get stiff. In Australia they love their cricket. It’s hard cricket but you get plenty of respect when you do well.We know you’re a keen golfer, so who would be your ideal four-ball companions?
Tiger Woods, Sir Viv Richards and Cristiano Ronaldo. They have been the best and to be with the best in the world as a sportsman would be the ultimate. I would love to share a few stories with these guys over a beer about their careers.Which team will win the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and who will they beat in the final?
This might shock a few but I feel the pressure will get to the South Americans. My last four would be Spain, Netherlands, Portugal – because of Ronaldo – and Germany. The winner could be any of those four.Is retirement from playing cricket close?
The hunger and passion is still there and I don’t want to call it quits simply because I didn’t have any opportunity anymore. But I still want to play and prove myself because I still love the game. There’s still plenty of runs in these old bones yet.

Let the umpires do their job. Walking – even when done with the best of intentions – undermines them

Jack Mendel17-Jun-2014In this era of technology and television replays, it’s about time that decision-making was concentrated entirely with umpires. Walking is undoubtedly done with the best of intentions but ultimately, it helps nobody.When Rangana Herath seemingly edged the ball behind in the tense final over of the Lord’s Test, the umpire Paul Reiffel was motionless. Herath thought he was out and walked, and the umpire signaled to the appealing Stuart Broad that the batsman had chosen to exit of his own volition. With only a handful of balls to negotiate to save the Test, a wicket was potentially a match-defining event; and in a series of just two games, potentially a series-defining event.Replays showed comprehensively though, that like with Edgebaston 2005, the ball had hit Herath’s glove when his hand was off the bat. He was technically not out, but had voluntarily walked off anyway. This was the equivalent of someone being falsely accused in a court of law, and admitting to doing wrong because they aren’t aware of their own innocence.In hindsight, Herath looked very silly. If that had led to a Sri Lankan loss, it would have made him public enemy number one.But what does this have to do with the laws and spirit of the game?The perception of the image of cricket; particularly Test cricket, is very important to the ECB and the MCC.Lord’s has the spirit of cricket plastered on numerous boards, on the ground; and it is of course the body that makes the rules and holds the traditions of the game. It wants to preserve those traditions that they purport to have established, such as sportsmanship and playing fair.The integrity of the game is thus crucial, so it is baffling that the laws and traditions are often at times at loggerheads. One such example is walking, whereby the umpire is essentially superseded by a player deciding on his own that he is out, even – like in this case – when he isn’t.If an outsider saw this, she would think – “why not just let the umpires do their job?”There are systems in place too. The umpire should be allowed to function without the need for intervention by players. Each team has a number of reviews to challenge what they deem to be bad decisions.This does not undermine the umpire though, because each team has a limited number of reviews [rightly so], and all reviews are relative to the original decision; with only the most compelling circumstances demanding an overturning of the decision.The DRS system is in there to change bad umpiring decisions using available technology; but it maintains a healthy role and respect for the umpire.Walking doesn’t.In football, a player cannot pick up the ball and overturn the referee’s decision for the sake of playing ‘fair’. In no other sport can the players decide their own fate; so given this fact, it seems odd that in cricket, players are allowed to walk off and decide they are out, and be berated as immoral if they don’t.If an umpire say’s not out, it should be not out. If the fielding side thinks the batsman has hit it, then the fielding side can challenge the decision. If the umpire gives him out wrongly; the batsman can challenge it.That’s how it should be, as that maintains respect for the authority of the umpire, and ultimately that is the cornerstone of playing fair and having an even, respectful game.If you have a submission for Inbox, send it to us here, with “Inbox” in the subject line

Called up to the Test side out of nowhere, Niroshan Dickwella showed there was substance to the hype that followed his schoolboy career. His challenge now is to sustain that level of performance

Andrew Fidel Fernando at the SSC25-Jul-2014A call-up from the blue. On the plane at Heathrow. Off it with less than 36 hours to go. One practice session before the match, then in to face the second new ball, bearing down at 140kph before the day is out.Niroshan Dickwella had dreamed of Thursday for years. Newspapers predicted it when he was sitting in classrooms, wrapping his head around differential equations. At family weddings, which seemed to happen every other month, uncles and aunts meant something else entirely when they asked him “When do you think the big day will be?” Co-workers wanted to know how close he was. “Has Sanath called you yet?” His coaches were hopeful, but kept warning him: “It won’t come easy. Work hard.”Then it all happens in 72 hours and 2012’s Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year is there, taking guard with the flag on his left breast. The best bowler in the world has not had much luck that day. He is leaving a trail of smoke behind him as he charges into the crease in his final spell. Before long, Dickwella is slapping Dale Steyn over the slips. He is punching Vernon Philander through the covers for four. Balls are being left on length, others defended beneath the eyes. If he is nervous, there are no outward signs. He has replaced Dinesh Chandimal – the more senior wicketkeeper-batsman at his club, Nondescripts Cricket Club, and a Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year as well, in 2009. It is all a little surreal for those who had followed his career, let alone for Dickwella himself.Even before the boundaries, South Africa had raised a mighty appeal when an advancing Dickwella was struck on the pad, and the umpire’s finger went up. He had only faced 16 balls at a level where reviews exist, but he had the presence of mind to immediately ask the umpire what he was out for. Catch or lbw? When Nigel Llong told him he was out bat-pad, Dickwella referred without a second thought. Three Sri Lanka Tests before this, Rangana Herath, a veteran, had gloved the ball after his hand had come off the bat, and walked, to leave his side on the brink of defeat. At SSC, Dickwella knew that this far down the track, a review might not overturn an lbw decision, but surely the cameras would show he had not hit it.”It just shows the maturity in the guy,” said Mahela Jayawardene, who batted alongside Dickwella for most of the debutant’s innings. “He came to bat yesterday to face 10-12 overs, and he handled that. I played a game against him last year and he batted against us and he played well. He looked a composed player that knew his strengths and weaknesses.”On day two, Dickwella was batting alongside the centurion, but it was he who enlivened the morning. The on-the-up cover-drive off Morne Morkel was sublime. The lofted shot over mid-on off Vernon Philander bold, but safe. Then later, he ran at JP Duminy to collect him at the pitch of the ball, and cash in his first Test-match six.He does not have the manic energy of a Chandimal behind the stumps. He’s not clean, quick and clinical like Prasanna Jayawardene. His A team coach Romesh Kaluwitharana had given much of the cricket world its first exposure to Sinhala with (nice one) and (catch it), but Dickwella has his head down, focusing too intently to chirp. That’s Ajantha Mendis whipping them in from the other end. The main reason Mendis plays is because he is hard to pick. Dickwella has never kept to him in a match before. Herath is a little easier, but even he has a carrom ball, and turns it different amounts each ball, pitching some up, firing others in.He lets a hard chance off Hashim Amla through, but when Dickwella snaps to his left to take a superb catch down the leg side, he is still bouncing up and down in an appeal, long after the batsman has begun to walk. Debutants – the younger the better – are almost impossible not to like, and when teammates flock to ruffle Dickwella’s hair, this one is at his most lovable.Earlier in the day, he had dispatched Morkel clinically in successive balls, either side of the pitch, then waltzed dozily into the bowler, as he watched his second shot. Morkel shoved him grumpily out of the way. No Colombo edition of Ravindra Jadeja v James Anderson here. Dickwella looked up, embarrassed. He apologised, then walked back toward the crease.”Dickwella has improved a lot in the last two years, since he’s left school,” Jayawardene said. “If he’s got the attitude and the appetite to improve, then that’s something we’re looking for in the national team. He’d be a great asset.”Debutants often come in to the public consciousness with a clean slate. But there are a few like Dickwella in the Sri Lanka camp, who have been in the public eye since since their teenage years. If he wants a career blueprint for talented youngsters, then the man he shared a 100-run stand with has laid one out. Seventeen years ago, Jayawardene had hit a fifty on his debut too. Dickwella lit up the SSC on day two. Bold, compact, brimming with ability, his challenge now is to burn bright and long.

Ravindra Jadeja’s drop of Alastair Cook was indicative of the challenge India face in establishing a reliable cordon

Sidharth Monga at the Ageas Bowl27-Jul-2014It is early in the morning, the pitch is fresh, the ball is seaming around a little, Alastair Cook is uncertain, he pushes at a wide delivery from debutant Pankaj Singh, and the edge is taken. Yet another failure for Cook, yet another early entry for No. 3 Gary Ballance, yet another early breakthrough for India.Hold on, though. The ball has gone knee high, to Ravindra Jadeja’s left at third slip, and has spilled out of his hands. Cook, who was only 15, goes on to score 95, India take only two wickets in the day, and you are left to wonder how the day would have panned out had India taken that catch.This is not the first time a catch has been dropped in the slips, nor is this the first time the reprieved batsman has made a team pay, but India have now dropped eight in the slip in their last seven matches. And that’s only off the fast bowlers. Spinners have suffered too. Losing four big batsmen around two years ago, almost all in one go, was a big challenge for India. This new breed of batsmen has been impressive with the bat, but that slip cordon still looks bare.It has been 19 Tests since Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman retired. India have tried five different first slips over that period, which means the cordon has been rejigged at least five times in 19 Tests. Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, R Ashwin, M Vijay and now Shikhar Dhawan have spent time at first slip. That they are being changed so often is clear indication there is something wrong.It will obviously take some time for those who are not natural slip catchers to get used to fielding there, but there haven’t been clear signs of improvement. There have been some really good catches taken: Ashwin almost turned 90 degrees to adjust to a late swerving catch at the Wanderers, Dhawan dived to his right to send back James Anderson in Nottingham, but there have been some glaring errors.Kohli failed to stay down for long enough when at leg slip to spin at Trent Bridge. When MS Dhoni chose to not go for one between him and first slip at Lord’s, Dhawan made no effort either. It was the keeper’s catch all right, but good slip fielders are always diving behind the keeper on these occasions to be there, just in case. Pujara once stood there with shin pads on, and couldn’t get to a low offering from Cook in Kolkata. Cook then scored 190. Jadeja, who got up too early today, will be thankful he got Cook out for half that score.There is no fixed right way to go about slip catching, it is mostly about what you are comfortable with, but there are wrong ways. One of the wrong ways is to have legs too far apart in your stance. Mark Taylor says shoulders’ width is ideal with the knees pointing in, almost like a skier. Jadeja’s stance is at least twice as wide, which makes moving difficult. Another wrong way is to get your hands too far between your legs because than they can get stuck in your knees when you are going for a catch to your side. Jadeja does that. And, obviously, the India slip fielders are getting up too early.India’s slip cordon are mostly excellent athletes and thus very good outfielders. Slip catching, though, is completely different, and much more crucial. You want your bowler to feel confident when running in that all he has to do is just produce the edge. Right now the India quicks can’t be confident of that.The challenge for Trevor Penney, the fielding coach, is huge. The Dhoni-Dhawan no-go is a clear sign of a raw cordon, which is still feeling its way in. They practise really hard during training sessions and take a lot of catches almost every day. They take some sensational catches too. However, it is different when someone is throwing full tosses at Duncan Fletcher from 10 yards and he is opening the face towards the fielders.We don’t know whether India have locked in on a combination now or if there will be a change soon. We don’t know if India think they are headed the right way. We don’t know if the fielding coach is happy with the cordon’s technique and their positioning vis-à-vis each other or if he is struggling to get it right. India don’t like to, or are not allowed to, discuss these things. Bullishly Joe Dawes, the bowling coach, said he is happy with the progress, and that Taylor and Mark Waugh used to drop catches occasionally.What India wouldn’t give for a couple of slips men who are half as good as Taylor and Waugh, even at their current age.

The ODIs have shown that this South Africa side is less afraid to make mistakes. But Graeme Smith’s absence is one of the many challenges they face against Sri Lanka as they seek to reclaim their No. 1 Test ranking

Firdose Moonda14-Jul-2014For more than a decade the first thing that emerged from South Africa’s dressing room was a square jaw and broad shoulders. They belonged to Graeme Smith. Their appearance would signal the start of a Test match.South Africans have had three months to get used to the idea that those landmarks have been replaced by something different but equally distinctive: a beard. It belongs to Hashim Amla. But that unmissable mane will not always mean a match is about to get underway.Smith was both captain and opening batsman which made him the first man on the field every time South Africa kicked off irrespective of what they were doing first. Amla is only the former which means someone else will have to lead the team out in the other sense, with the bat.Don’t be alarmed if you cannot immediately think of who that may be, because among top twos in South Africa, there aren’t many obvious choices. Smith’s constant presence meant there simply did not have to be many but even when the odd candidate emerged, their efforts went unrewarded. Stephen Cook and Rilee Rossouw are two examples of that.That’s why Dean Elgar’s likely elevation to the opening berth is such a breakthrough for South African cricket; it rewards seasons of domestic performance and shows other players that the path into the Test XI remains open even when it appears shut. Elgar has merited this spot since the 2009-10 season when he was one of three batsmen to go past 1000 runs in the domestic first-class competition. Rossouw, who scored more runs than Elgar, and Cook were the other two.That was the season Elgar fulfilled the potential he had shown as an Under-19 player. He went on to feature among the top run-scorers for South Africa A, alongside Faf du Plessis who was picked ahead of him. Elgar was eventually selected in 2012, but as a one-day player. Only an injury to JP Duminy opened the door for him to make a Test debut in Perth where he bagged a pair. Not the best start.Notable performances in his nine-match Test career are a century at Port Elizabeth – against a New Zealand side so bogged down by the Ross Taylor captaincy saga in early 2013 they could have sent paper dolls, which would have provided sterner competition – and the wicket of Misbah-ul-Haq, which opened Pakistan up in Dubai last October with one of Elgar’s signature, self-confessed “pies.”But that is not how Elgar deserves to be known. He has bided his time long enough, done the legwork in the lower-middle order and deserves the chance to show what he is capable of as a Test opener.Unfairly, he will be burdened by the simple fact that the combination of Elgar and Alviro Petersen does not inspire the same confidence as Smith and Alviro Petersen. Or Smith and Neil McKenzie. Or Smith and Herschelle Gibbs. Or Smith and Gary Kirsten. Or Smith and Ronald McDonald. You get where this is going.Smith gave gravitas to the opening stand. Only time can replace that. And that is the one South Africa do not have right now. They need to beat Sri Lanka to reclaim their No. 1 ranking and a solid top two will be one of the essential requirements to doing that.That will increase the pressure on Petersen to bat like the senior partner he now is and improve on a modest record in Asia. Despite a century on debut at Eden Gardens, he had a horror run against Pakistan last year, amid a run of 10 innings without going past 30, and was thoroughly worked over by Mohammad Irfan.It will also mean Amla, AB de Villiers, du Plessis and Duminy will have to be more prepared to compensate for Smith’s absence if need be. Du Plessis, in particular, will have the microscope on him as he will likely bat at No. 4, previously occupied by Jacques Kallis.South Africa will have to decide whether Quinton de Kock’s remarkable ODI run trumps Stiaan van Zyl consistent domestic run•AFPThe shuffling of the order leaves South Africa with a gap at No. 6 which will be filled by someone new. Since Mark Boucher’s forced retirement two years ago, the position was used to play an extra specialist batsman but management maintained it could be used in another capacity depending on conditions and circumstances.The subcontinent may merit the use of an extra spinner, even though South Africa are already planning on fielding two. Imran Tahir will be be tasked with the bulk of the role and Duminy will operate as his back-up. Coach Russell Domingo considers Duminy a frontline bowler and although he has developed in the discipline, that may be similar to considering the weather in Durban as similar to a Sri Lankan day mid-monsoon. It’s close but not quite.Dane Piedt would be a surprising but deserved debutant. Not only is the offspinner able to pull more rabbits out of the hat than a magician – the carom ball, the doosra and the topspinner are all part of his arsenal – but he can bat too. Piedt would not be out of place at No. 8 and Duminy and Vernon Philander could easily move a place up.A braver South Africa, perhaps one which did not have a No. 1 ranking to regain, may have been willing to take the chance but a South Africa careful not to rock the boat too much is unlikely to. Instead, they will probably continue to use a specialist batsman in the position to give themselves depth.Like Elgar, the two candidates are both top-order players who may not be at home marshaling the tail but that is what the selectors have given Domingo to work with. He will have to choose whether the remarkable limited-overs run Quinton de Kock has had – four centuries in six games – and the form he showed for Lions in first-class cricket a season ago trumps Stiaan van Zyl’s consistent run for Cape Cobras.Van Zyl was the highest run-scorer previous season and the second-highest two seasons ago. His technique is regarded as impeccable and more correct than de Kock’s but the latter is considered more exciting, a match-winner who can inject life into an innings. It’s as good as a choice between certainty and creativity and it would be easy to think we know which way South Africa will go based on how they have always gone in the past.We have been told this is a new South African side and it is finally starting to look like one. Over the course of the one-day series we saw that. South Africa appeared more interested in their mission than they have in a long time in the fifty-over format, more determined to make a success of it and more pleased when they did.The Domingo days have begun and they are different to the Kirsten, or Mickey Arthur eras. South Africa appear less afraid to make mistakes, more comfortable with admitting them when they do and more serious about fixing them. They were all but written off ahead of the one-dayers but they did not let that lead to insecurity about their own ability. They complained about the heat and humidity, at times excessively so, but they did not seem to suffer fatigue, dehydration or frustration because of it. They squandered an advantage with an abject batting performance in the second match but then picked themselves up to post their best total against Sri Lanka and make history.Minutes after the victory, Dale Steyn posted a picture of some of the squad with the trophy. Steyn, despite being been outbowled by Ryan McLaren and Morne Morkel, described the win as one of the most special of his career. “Great feeling to make a little history today!!! Never won in this country before until today!!!,” he posted on Instagram. Signs like that could mean the first thing that emerges from the change room in this Test series will be a sense of community and that’s not such a bad thing as South Africa rebuild.

Nineteen-year-old Kuldeep Yadav wanted to become a seamer, but his coach felt he lacked the pace to be successful. He however noticed the bowler’s penchant for left-arm wrist spin, and encouraged him to try a different route

Amol Karhadkar04-Oct-2014Just like he always does before leaving for a game, Kuldeep Yadav called his coach Kapil Pandey on Saturday afternoon before Kolkata Knight Riders departed to Bangalore for the Champions League Twenty20 final. Besides just seeking the coach’s advice and blessings, Kuldeep asked Pandey to “distribute sweets to all the players at the academy” on his behalf and organise a lavish party once he returns home.”That’s the way he is. Down to earth, well-mannered and caring,” Pandey said of his favourite protégé, who earned a maiden call-up to the national side after being named in India’s squad for the first three ODIs against West Indies. “He was obviously excited but at the same time was focused on tonight’s big match.”Kuldeep, who is an exponent of a rare art – chinaman bowling, was the star of India’s campaign at the Under-19 World Cup in the UAE earlier this year, where he also became the first Indian bowler to take a hat-trick in the junior World Cup. Still, barring eight Twenty20 games – four each for Uttar Pradesh and Kolkata Knight Riders – Kuldeep does not have any experience of playing senior competitive cricket at a higher level.Though he was a part of Uttar Pradesh’s squad for the zonal one-day competition last season, he could not get a game. Pandey, the coach who transformed Kuldeep into a spin bowler from a wannabe pacer, admitted that the India call-up came much sooner than he expected.”I was always confident that Kuldeep had the potential to be a world-class bowler and had no hesitation in him playing for India soon, but this has come a little earlier than expected,” Pandey said. “I was thinking that once Kuldeep would prove himself in the Ranji Trophy and continues to trouble top batsmen, he would be selected. I am glad that the selectors are convinced he is ready to take the next step.”Pandey said as a matter of fact that it was he who asked Kuldeep at a tender age to start bowling spin, but he does not brag about converting him into a chinaman.”A few days after his father enrolled him into my coaching centre, I noticed that he was too slow to be a successful pacer, so I asked him to try spin,” Pandey said. “He was unhappy, wept for a few days but then realized he had this uncanny ability to bowl wrist spin with left hand. That was natural. But he was so consistent that I decided to give more attention towards him.”Pandey then studied the actions of various great spinners across different eras, but was particularly fascinated with Shane Warne’s legbreaks.”I noticed Kuldeep had the vital ingredient to be a quality bowler, which was to keep things simple and tight. Then we started working on the variations by watching Shane Warne’s videos. And he is such a fast learner that it’s remarkable he has added so many deliveries to his armoury at such a young age.”Son of an entrepreneur, Ram Singh, who owns a brick kiln, Kuldeep used to live with his family in Unnao, about 20 kilometres away from Kanpur. However, once he son started showing promise in street cricket, they decided to move to Kanpur, the home of Uttar Pradesh cricket.Pandey stressed that had it not been for his father’s encouragement, Kuldeep would have never been able to make a mark on the field. With cricket taking centre stage, Kuldeep’s education has unsurprisingly taken a backseat, as he is yet to appear for his higher secondary exams.
In 2012, Kuldeep was signed by Mumbai Indians in the IPL and got the first taste of top-quality cricket. Till then, he was only playing age-group cricket for Uttar Pradesh. Though his ability impressed everyone in the Mumbai dressing room, the coaching staff felt he was too slow to deceive senior batsmen and advised him to work on his fitness.Pandey said the IPL experience made Kuldeep richer and he started putting in extra yards in the gym. Then came the successful stint with the Under-19 team, which gave Kuldeep the confidence that he could be the best even at the highest level. He subsequently grabbed the CLT20 opportunity with both hands, which has given him the big break.Going by his track record, Pandey has no doubts that Kuldeep will excel in international cricket whenever he gets an opportunity to prove his worth.

Stats highlights from day two of the third Test between Pakistan and New Zealand in Sharjah

Bishen Jeswant28-Nov-201478 Balls in which Brendon McCullum got to his century, the fastest by a New Zealand batsman. The earlier record was 81 balls, by Ross Taylor versus Australia, in 2010.7/94 Mark Craig’s figures from the first innings, the best bowling figures in Sharjah. The previous best was Shoaib Akhtar’s 5 for 24 versus West Indies in 2002. Saeed Ajmal is the only other bowler to take a seven-wicket haul in the UAE.3 New Zealand spinners who have taken seven wickets in an innings – Craig, Stephen Boock and Daniel Vettori (twice). No New Zealand spinner has ever taken more than seven wickets.198 Partnership runs for the unbroken second-wicket stand between McCullum and Kane Williamson. This is the highest partnership for New Zealand against Pakistan, for any wicket. This the third-highest second-wicket stand for New Zealand, and the 10th-highest against Pakistan by any team.101 Catches taken by Ross Taylor in Tests; he took three in the first innings. Taylor is the second New Zealand fielder to take 100 catches, after Stephen Fleming (171), and the 33rd overall.2 Instances of Mohammad Hafeez being dismissed in the 190s. He made his career-best score of 197, and was dismissed for 196 against Sri Lanka in 2012. Only one batsman has been dismissed more often in the 190s, Mohammad Yousuf, three times.61 Runs scored by New Zealand in the first 10 overs of their first innings. Since 2001, this is the only instance of New Zealand scoring at six runs per over in the first 10 overs of a Test innings.4 Sixes hit by New Zealand in the first 10 overs of their first innings. Since 2001, this is the second-most sixes hit by any team in the first 10 overs of an innings. West Indies hit six sixes in the first 10 overs against New Zealand earlier this year.5.53 New Zealand’s run rate during their first innings so far (249 runs in 45 overs). This is New Zealand’s highest run rate for an innings of 200-plus score. There are only seven previous instances of a team scoring 200-plus runs at a run rate of 5.50 or more in a Test innings.30 Balls in which McCullum got to his fifty, the second-fastest by a New Zealand batsman. The record is 29 balls, by Tim Southee versus England, in 2008.5 Instances of New Zealand’s spinners picking up nine wickets in an innings; including today. They have taken all ten wickets twice.

Returning from injury, with his favoured spot at the top of the order under threat, Rohit Sharma emphatically ended the opening debate

Abhishek Purohit13-Nov-2014Rohit Sharma reached his fifth ODI century with a single to deep square leg. He raised his arms, pointed to the sky and went down on his knees to complete an extended celebration. He was soon driving his 25th four of the innings to the deep extra cover rope to become the first man in the world to make two ODI double-centuries. This time, the celebration was a roar that went on and on. Both celebrations spoke not only of the landmarks, but also in what context they had been achieved, and how important they were for Rohit.Rohit’s timing with injuries has been as bad as it is good with the bat. He hurt himself on the morning of what would have been his Test debut in 2010, and had to wait three more years for another chance. Then, on successive tours to England, in 2011 and 2014, he got injured again. This August, Ajinkya Rahane replaced him against England and made his maiden ODI century. Even as whispers grew about whether Rohit should drop down to the middle order on comeback, he kept saying that it was opening that got the best out of him.When asked in an interview whether there was a healthy rivalry between him and Rahane now for the opening slot, Rohit retorted by asking whether the same question was put to Sachin Tendulkar on his injury comebacks. The opening slot has made Rohit. No wonder he is so keen to retain it. No wonder that roar lasted so long.Rohit Sharma’s last eight innings in completed ODIs at home have included two double-centuries, one big hundred, and two half-centuries at an average of 113. Since the start of 2013, when he was moved up to open, Rohit has made 1765 runs in 38 innings at 53.48. For openers with at least 1000 runs, only Hashim Amla averages more in the history of ODIs. Before 2013, he had a middling average of 30.84 which has now shot up to a very respectable 38.19.This was Rohit’s first international match since August, when he broke his right middle finger in the second ODI against England. It was only around October 20 that he started batting again in the nets, wrist taped heavily. For about a week or so, he could not sense the ball properly on bat.But when he scored 142 off 111 for India A against the Sri Lankans in the warm-up game in Mumbai, things fell into place. There was still a need to guard the finger while fielding, but the feel had returned with the bat.Feel is crucial for an instinctive, flowing batting style such as Rohit’s. It didn’t seem to be with him at the start at Eden Gardens, when he was on 4 off 16, and Rahane was cracking boundary after boundary at the other end. “I am coming back after an injury so, I will be a little nervous to see how I bat,” he had said.Then he charged out at Shaminda Eranga and was dropped at third man. He wasn’t giving another chance till he had gone past the double.He got to his 50 off 72 deliveries, 100 off 100, 150 off 125, 200 off 151 and 250 off 166. The Bangalore double had been a late explosion of sixes – 96 of his 209 then had come that way. This was a case of a batsman who had found his touch immediately on comeback, and was just refusing to give it away with a rash shot, his desire to reclaim that opening position an added motivation. After he went past hundred, there was a kind of inevitability in Rohit’s approach that told you this was going to be a really, really big one.To bat more than 18 overs till the end of the innings after you have reached your hundred in a one-day match requires some application, and fitness. Even as his boundary count and strike-rate was going berserk, there was still a certain safety to Rohit’s game. There were no high-risk strokes like reverse-sweeps or scoops.He kept exploiting the field intelligently throughout his innings. When there was no deep midwicket, he swung safely in that direction. When there was no sweeper, he lofted repeatedly over cover. When there was no mid-off, he lofted cleanly down the ground. He made sure he hit the gaps with his drives and cuts.”I have worked on the mental aspect (during the injury break) and that will hopefully help me not just for the next five months but the next five years,” Rohit had said. At this rate, an ODI triple-hundred does not seem impossible any more.

India are not the settled one-day squad they were in the lead-up to World Cup 2011, and at the top of their list of problems is their weak and inexperienced pace bowling

Sidharth Monga in Melbourne16-Jan-2015On Friday, Australia and England played in an ODI in Sydney. The qualifying matches for Australian Open were in full swing at the tennis centre close to the MCG in Melbourne. The big screen at the sports precinct, near Federation Square, showed tennis from Kooyong. At the MCG, quietly, away from all the attention, India had their first nets session in what is now officially the lead-up to the World Cup.India have got a new training kit, a blue almost identical to the Rod Laver Arena surfaces. They are trying more things in the nets, more specific training than just reacting to the ball as in the lead up to the Tests. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is trying to hit the base of a pair of shoes left on the crease, MS Dhoni goes through a session where he wants to hit everything – no matter what the length – over cover. There is a new verve, some new energy, more focus but less order after close to a week off after the Tests, but the problems with the team are old.When India selected their squad for the last World Cup, only one slot was a matter of debate: an extra batsman in Rohit Sharma or an extra spinner in Piyush Chawla. Dhoni had what he wanted: a settled team. He wanted his side to have already gone through various close situations that arise during ODIs before they arose in the World Cup. He wanted his players to have played around 70 matches at least before they went into the World Cup. He led the ODI side from 2008 to 2011, and made sure he built just the team he wanted. Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Chawla and Yusuf Pathan might not have played that critical mass of 70 matches back then, but they were pretty certain of their roles in the side. That can’t be said of the side that has assembled in Australia.The team selected for 2015 doesn’t have that feeling of calm around it. Akshar Patel is an absolute newcomer. Dhoni didn’t trust Ambati Rayudu enough to get a single in the closing stages of a Twenty20 match in England not long ago. Rayudu is not quite what Suresh Raina was in 2011, the reserve batsman who could slide into the team seamlessly should a first-choice player lose form. A bigger issue is, before leaving for Australia India hadn’t even decided on their opening combination.The biggest issue, though, is how weak and inexperienced the pace bowling looks. India have not been able to manage any continuity from 2011 in terms of fast bowling. Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra and Munaf Patel disintegrated fast after the event. Praveen Kumar, who could have been India’s big hope in ODIs after that World Cup, is nowhere on the scene. Others just haven’t been good enough to cement a place in the side for long enough to get into that experienced bracket. As a result, Ishant Sharma, whom India had earlier preferred to keep aside for Tests and who has had quite an ordinary ODI career, is part of the attack, and it can’t even be argued that there is a better option available.The World Cup is effectively a three-match tournament (the knockouts, after a relatively relaxed group stage), which is why India can never be ruled out under the ODI astuteness of Dhoni, but it is fair to say the side is not as fine-tuned as Dhoni would have wanted it to be. There has been some experimentation since the start of the Champions Trophy in 2013. Some of it has been forced by injuries. India went to South Africa with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohit Sharma as their main ODI seamers, but it took them one game to realise Ishant was going to be required in conditions that ask the bowlers to put in much more behind the ball. Shikhar Dhawan has had two different opening partners, who have both had varying degrees of success. Dhawan himself was dropped once in New Zealand.This tri-series, four matches at the least and five if India make the final, will give India that chance to finally go over their options. They like to keep their cards close to their chests, so it will be a matter of big interest who walks out to open the innings on Sunday: Ajinkya Rahane who was consistent in England or Rohit Sharma who struggled in New Zealand but scored a double-century in India? Akshar will get chances, for he seems to be a back-up for Ravindra Jadeja, who is with the squad but is not likely to play in the triangular because of a shoulder impingement.India haven’t left themselves too many choices with seam bowlers in the World Cup: surprisingly they have picked only four, and three will play in almost every match. It won’t be as much about the personnel in the seam department as it will be about the strategy and the form they can hit. Mohit and Dhawal Kulkarni are in the reserves for the triangular, but they are not supposed to be here for the World Cup. It is possible that should Jadeja not make it to the Cup, India might go in for a quick replacement because there will be two spinners playing here already. In that light, it becomes interesting as to how much India use Mohit in the triangular.Normally this wouldn’t be time – so close to the World Cup – for such fun and games, but India can be thankful they have this triangular to sort – or try to sort – some issues out in similar conditions as they will encounter in the World Cup. Provided they don’t get exhausted by the time the real thing starts.