The West Indies captain also asked his batsmen to convert starts into bigger scores, something they have lacked in the last couple of series

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jun-2018West Indies captain Jason Holder wants his players to put in the extra effort to win the series 2-0 in Barbados. Holder emphasised on how he wanted the bowlers to be a “lot more consistent” and batsmen to convert their starts into big knocks when the final match of the series – the first day-night Test in the West Indies – begins on Saturday. West Indies currently lead the series 1-0 after they won in Port-of-Spain and the controversial St Lucia Test ended in a draw.”I try to get the guys to focus on the process, we’ve got to know what we need to do in order to win a Test match,” Holder said on Friday. “We’ve got to do small things over a long period of time, our bowlers have got to be a lot more consistent, our batsmen convert most of the starts we’ve been getting. I think the guys are really up for the occasion and everybody knows what’s at stake.”We’re playing some really good cricket in the series. Individual performances have really stood out, and we really came together as a side. The first Test match was obviously exceptional, probably we were not at our best in our last Test match in St Lucia.”Among Holder’s few concerns was how his batsmen were able to start in the last few Test series, but they were not making them count with big scores. In the two Tests of the series so far, West Indies have seen a century and a fifty from Shane Dowrich, and half-centuries from Kieron Powell, Kraigg Brathwaite and Devon Smith. In their last Test series, however – in New Zealand in 2017-18 – the highest individual score in four innings was Brathwaite’s 91 even as three different New Zealand batsmen scored centuries. Among frontline batsmen, only Brathwaite averaged over 35 in the series.”Yeah, it’s obviously an area of concern for us,” Holder admitted. “We’ve had a number of starts over the last couple of Test series but the batsmen haven’t been able to carry on. I just think it’s matter for us to focus on every particular delivery, not get too far ahead. I always stress on the process and we need to be playing ball by ball and not looking too far ahead down the line. Obviously, once you get those starts, it’s about focusing a little bit harder on those twenties and thirties and push past the landmark and hopefully take it really big.”Holder had more praise for his bowlers who have headlined the series so far. Shannon Gabriel’s record-breaking 13-wicket haul in St Lucia helped bowl out Sri Lanka for 253 and 342, before the hosts drew the match on the last day. In the first Test, the bowling attack put up a combined performance when the fast bowlers helped dismiss Sri Lanka for 185 in the first innings and the spinners took over in the second, to seal a 226-run win. Holder hoped his bowlers would “adjust early” in the third Test.”I think the pitch at St Lucia offered a lot for our bowlers as well,” he said. “With these pitches offering something on the first couple of days of a Test match, it is important our bowlers find the length and line early. Some of us tend to get carried away although the pitch might be helpful, not still being able to put the ball in the correct area and draw the batsman forward and lure him into [edging] behind in the slip cordon. There’s still a chance for our bowlers to adjust to the surface, we don’t know how it’s going to play, we’re not going to sit here and assume. Whatever the situations and the conditions, I think it’s a matter for our bowlers to make the adjustment early and find the relevant length and line to bowl.”West Indies will also draw confidence from their recent record at the Kensington Oval, where they beat Pakistan and England in their last two Tests. Last year, Gabriel had taken nine wickets, including a 5 for 11 in the second innings when the hosts had dismantled Pakistan for only 81 in a chase of 188. In May 2015, their pace attack staged a fightback for a five-wicket win by keeping England to 123 in the second innings.”The pitch is very truly Caribbean,” Holder said. “And the last two pitches here in Kensington Oval in Test matches deteriorated quite quickly. This pitch seems to have a lot more grass cover on it, it should be a really good Test match. The ground looks in pretty good shape, the best I’ve seen in a long time.”

New Zealand were condemned to a 123-run defeat in the second ODI at Derby

Andrew Miller10-Jul-2018England 241 (Beaumont 67, Sciver 54) beat New Zealand 118 (George 3-36, Ecclestone 3-14) by 123 runs
ScorecardEngland’s women sealed their third limited-overs trophy in as many series this summer, as New Zealand were condemned to a 123-run defeat in the second ODI at Derby. A one-sided contest was sealed with 12 overs to spare, as Heather Knight’s team secured an unassailable 2-0 lead going into the final match of the rubber at Grace Road on Friday.Chasing a target of 242, New Zealand struggled initially against the pace of Katie George and Katherine Brunt, who combined for three wickets inside the first seven overs, before being swept aside by England’s redoubtable spin attack.For a time, while New Zealand were losing six wickets for 17 runs to slump to 92 for 9, it seemed the match might be done and dusted in time for the start of the World Cup semi-final between France and Belgium – no doubt a target for an England team who had been scrawling “Football’s Coming Home” and “Sir Gareth Southgate” on placards for the cameras earlier in the match. However, a last-wicket stand of 26 in 8.4 overs between Kate Ebrahim and Holly Huddleston forced them to wait for their gratification.There was no glossing over the final margin of England’s victory, however. Sophie Ecclestone, England’s player of the tournament in last week’s tri-series, was once again the pick of the attack with 3 for 14, as she proved too wily for a New Zealand team that is starting to look in need of a break after a lengthy tour that began with a record-laden stint in Ireland in June.Ecclestone claimed two wickets for seven runs in an initial six-over spell, and was ably backed up by Laura Marsh, who accounted for the key wicket of Suzie Bates for 24, and Knight, who had Leigh Kasperek caught behind for a first-ball duck. Then, after the tenth-wicket frustration, back came Ecclestone with the decisive lbw, as Huddleston was sent on her way for 12.England’s other stand-out bowler was George, who enhanced her reputation as the most exciting fast-bowling find in the country with figures of 3 for 36, the best of her fledgling career. Her opening wicket, Sophie Devine, may have been a rank bad ball, but her second was a collector’s item, as Amy Satterthwaite was bowled all ends up by one that straightened on off stump.After winning the toss and batting first, England were once again indebted to their batsman of the summer so far, Tammy Beaumont, who showcased a fluency that few of her team-mates could match in making 67 from 76 balls at the top of the order.On a two-paced pitch where no player could ever feel entirely in, Beaumont was the mainstay of the first half of England’s innings. She added 40 for the first wicket with Amy Jones, who once again gave her wicket away too cheaply as she slogged to point for a hard-earned 20, before both Sarah Taylor and Knight also fell to aggressive options – caught at mid-on and behind the stumps respectively.When Beaumont herself was trapped lbw by Jess Watkin, England were in slight danger of frittering away their platform at 149 for 4. Danni Wyatt, back in the side in place of Lauren Winfield, was unable to impose herself either as she cut Lea Tahuhu to point to depart for 8, but Nat Sciver was on hand to shore up the middle order.Sciver’s knock of 54 from 58 balls ended to the catch of the day from Bates at mid-off, who leapt backwards to intercept a lofted drive in her left hand. But with Brunt (25) and Georgie Elwiss (18) keeping the score ticking into the death overs, England were just about able to make light of the loss of their final two wickets in consecutive balls, as they were bowled out with two overs left unused.That shortcoming, however, was nothing compared to New Zealand’s later in the day. England’s World Cup winners are starting to develop an impressive rhythm as their season develops.

After being pummelled in the Tests, Bangladesh turned things around by winning the ODIs, and would hope to carry the same form into the T20Is

The Preview by Mohammad Isam31-Jul-2018

Big Picture

After a chastening defeat in the ODIs, West Indies would look to bounce back in the three-match T20I series, a format in which they are known to play with more flamboyance. Bangladesh would be at the other end of the confidence spectrum, having just won an ODI series away from home for the first time since 2009.West Indies have plenty of firepower to call upon. Despite the absence of Chris Gayle, who was rested, West Indies have Evin Lewis and Andre Fletcher in the top order, alongside Marlon Samuels, Carlos Brathwaite, an in-form Rovman Powell, and the returning Andre Russell, to bat through the 20 overs. Chadwick Walton and Denesh Ramdin can provide big hits of their own, too.The bowling attack, comprising Samuel Badree, Sheldon Cottrell, Ashley Nurse, Keemo Paul and Kesrick Williams would be further bolstered with the availability of Russell and Brathwaite. Although Cottrell’s patchy performance in the third ODI might concern them.Bangladesh have plenty of batting experience in their ranks. Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah were among the runs in the ODI series. But that only underscores Bangladesh’s overdependence on the senior pros, especially given Sabbir Rahman and Mosaddek Hossain’s parched run in the ODIs. Liton Das, who sat out the ODIs, is likely to get some game-time, alongside allrounders Soumya Sarkar and Ariful Haque, who are also part of the T20I squad.Mustafizur Rahman will once again lead the bowling attack, with Rubel Hossain, Abu Hider and Abu Jayed for company in the pace department. Mehidy Hassan Miraz, who has been in good form, and left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam, considered a T20 specialist, could both be in contention for a place in the XI.

Form guide

West Indies WLLLL (completed matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh LLLLW

In the spotlight

Rovman Powell‘s unbeaten 41-ball 74 in the third ODI came after a contrasting but decisive 44 in the previous game. In the T20Is, however, it will be his big-hitting ability, which will be required in the slog overs.Mahmudullah will be Bangladesh’s go-to batsman when it comes to slogging in the death overs. He possesses the unique ability of being able to hit cleanly from the outset in pressure situations.

Team news

With Chris Gayle rested, Andre Fletcher and Evin Lewis are expected to open. Rovman Powell’s big-hitting in the third ODI should be enough to win him a place in the XI as well.West Indies (probable): 1 Evin Lewis, 2 Andre Fletcher, 3 Marlon Samuels, 4 Denesh Ramdin, 5 Andre Russell, 6 Rovman Powell, 7 Carlos Brathwaite (capt), 8 Keemo Paul, 9 Ashley Nurse, 10 Samuel Badree, 11 Kesrick WilliamsFrom the XI Bangladesh fielded against Afghanistan in June, Abu Hider is likely to make way for Mustafizur Rahman, while Ariful Haque could retain his place at No. 7, ahead of Sabbir Rahman. Soumya Sarkar and Liton Das are likely to bat in the top order with Tamim Iqbal.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Liton Das, 2 Tamim Iqbal, 3 Soumya Sarkar, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim, 5 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Ariful Haque, 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Mustafizur Rahman, 10 Nazmul Islam, 11 Abu Jayed

Pitch and conditions

West Indies beat Afghanistan in all three T20Is at Warner Park last year. The ground offers no obvious advantage to teams batting first or second. The weather in Basseterre is likely to be dry.

Stats and trivia

• Sabbir Rahman is 94 runs away from becoming the fifth Bangladeshi to reach 1,000 T20I runs.
• Bangladesh have only once won a three-match T20I series, beating Ireland in 2012.

Quotes

“Majority of the boys have come from the Canada T20 and have been doing very well there. Traditionally we’ve been powerhouses and it’s a matter every time we get together. We will continue to exert that dominance.”
“T20 is West Indies’ most favoured format. T20s are our most difficult format. But I feel if we play to the best of our ability, it is possible to win the series.”

The Pakistan coach feels his batsmen did not stick to their roles, and his bowlers abandoned good plans too quickly against India

Shashank Kishore in Dubai20-Sep-20181:05

We were soft, and batted outside our roles – Mickey Arthur

If the Pakistan players were looking for some consolation from their coach Mickey Arthur after an eight-wicket pounding from India on Wednesday, they found none. There was no sugar coating, just an honest appraisal of what went wrong.The first glaring mistake was deviating from set plans. In nine ODIs coming into the India game, never mind that five of them were against a second-string Zimbabwe team, Imam-ul-Haq had been the grafter who looked to bat through. While he has four hundreds in these games, sceptics have felt his batting style is out-dated.On Wednesday, after facing seven deliveries for two runs, he had a Shahid Afridi moment though – advancing down the pitch to heave Bhuvneshwar Kumar after Jasprit Bumrah had bowled a maiden over to Fakhar Zaman. Imam isn’t the adventurous kind, even if he steps out. The result was a thin edge leading edge through to MS Dhoni, and Pakistan had lost a wicket in the third over.”I think the pressure told on Imam,” Arthur said. “That’s not in his area. If he comes down, he’s going to be going extra cover, not midwicket, so yes I do think there was a little bit of pressure.”Arthur wasn’t against the idea of hitting over the top, but said the team management had worked overtime to drill into each player their role. Fakhar, for example, has been empowered to biff the bowling without worrying about repercussions, because anything else would be tweaking his natural ability.”We’ve got guys, X-factor guys whose role it is to do that [hit out],” Arthur said. “If Fakhar gets out playing that way, then it’s okay, because that’s what he needs to do. If Asif Ali gets out like that it’s okay because that’s his role. But the other four batsmen certainly need to take responsibility. And I just thought we were soft – 158 dot balls out of 258 played is not good enough.”With the middle order exposed early, Pakistan’s experienced batsmen had time to forge a recovery, and while crease occupation was important, they had to be mindful of runs too. It was in trying to step out and loft Kedar Jadhav over long-on that Sarfraz Ahmed was caught brilliantly on the boundary by Manish Pandey. Babar Azam had looked compact, but was out stepping out to Kuldeep Yadav. Then a mix-up with Asif Ali cost Shoaib Malik his wicket. In the end, a tame 162 all out in 43.1 overs was all they had.The deviation from plans wasn’t just restricted to their batting. After giving away just 15 runs off the first six overs with the ball, Pakistan could have looked to build pressure by continuing to bowl full and swing the ball. Strangely enough, Usman Khan decided to adopt a short-ball strategy from around the stumps to Rohit Sharma, and saw the plan spectacularly backfire as Rohit played the hook to perfection.”On a wicket like that you need to strike really if you’re going to defend it. We didn’t strike early enough,” Arthur said. “We went away from our plans too quickly. We said that our batters batted outside our roles and that wasn’t acceptable. With our bowling, we went outside our plans far too quickly. We wanted to bowl hard lengths, hit the top of off stump.”It was tough to score then. We did that in the first six, and then [Usman Khan] Shinwari decided to come around the wicket and bowl a bouncer with fine leg up. And from there it just tumbled. We’re going to sit down and talk about that. It’s not good enough. We went outside our plans. That’s not acceptable. I think there was a bit of panic when they didn’t strike early.”It wasn’t just Usman’s poor outing that concerned Arthur. He was also mindful of the growing pressure on Mohammad Amir, whose struggle for wickets since last year’s Champions Trophy is becoming an Achilles heel, but was encouraged by what he saw in the six overs Amir bowled.”I’d be lying if I sat here and said there wasn’t [any concern about Amir],” he said. “I had a really good, long hard chat with him last night and I thought he came out and bowled really well. He hit the crease really hard. He ran in well. He’s been decelerating to the crease, but he didn’t do that today. Today he seemed more fluent, there was a little bit more pace there. And I was comfortable [with what he did], he bowled well tonight. There is pressure on him, of course there is.”With the assessment of his team done, Arthur was asked how an attack that almost failed to defend 286 against Hong Kong just the previous day transformed itself. Arthur put this down to the Bumrah factor.”You see what a difference Bumrah makes to their attack,” he said. “I thought their spinners bowled better, their lengths were far better than they were last night [v Hong Kong]. So I think they were better for the hit out. As far us, whenever we go head-to-head with India, I am comfortable that we’ve got a dressing room of players who can stand up to it. I am comfortable we’ve got a dressing room of players who, on any given day, can win. So I still think it’s a 50-50. Lucky this game was inconsequential in the tournament.”

The former India batsman said at the Dilip Sardesai memorial lecture that the only way to preserve Test cricket was to serve it to viewers at their convenience

Ankur Dhawan in Mumbai01-Oct-2018Test cricket needs saving and the players can be its saviours by embracing day-night Tests, Sanjay Manjrekar said at the Dilip Sardesai memorial lecture. Manjrekar felt that cricket’s “cocky” attitude towards fans and archaic traditions in dissension with the changing times were impeding the format’s popularity. He expressed a need for the five-day game to be offered to fans “as per their convenience”, as they were no longer inclined to flock to cricket grounds during work hours.”The world is ever-changing and with it the taste of people. Don’t be fooled by the crowds at Test matches in England, that’s an aberration. I travel the world and see countries struggle to pull crowds to Test cricket,” Manjrekar said at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai on Monday.”It’s not that there’s zero interest in Test cricket, just that people can’t come to the stadium or watch on TV. That’s because we are cocky. We have kept the timings such that they are working hours. Gone are the days when people would bunk office and fill up every seat at the Eden Gardens. It’s time to be humble and offer Test cricket to fans as per their convenience.”The only way to increase viewership, popularity and thereby its quality is day-night Test matches. Why aren’t we playing more day-night Tests? It’s a no-brainer. It would draw more viewership.”The game’s biggest crowd puller, India, declined to play a day-night Test proposed by Cricket Australia as part of the four-Test series later this year. They were entitled to do so under ICC’s current regulations for bilateral series, which state that hosting a day-night Test requires the consent of the visiting team. However, they are likely to be stripped off that choice once the Test Championship starts, as member boards have recommended it should only be the prerogative of the host nation.It is understood that senior Indian cricketers were wary of being thrown into a pink-ball contest without having trialled it convincingly at home. While the pink ball has been tried in the Duleep Trophy – with mixed reactions from the players – most of India’s Test regulars did not participate. Manjrekar felt that it was paramount that administrators prioritised the greater good of the game as the players, subsumed by the desire to win, are prone to a myopic attitude during their playing days.”The players are wary of it – the pink ball, the dew factor, etc. But I’ve always believed that conditions are never unfair if they are the same for both sides. What is happening is that we want to give perfect conditions for players to play, even if it means nobody is watching. There was a time when the relationship between players and boards, especially in India, was uneasy. They were always at loggerheads. But we must be careful that we don’t go to the other extreme and make players happy, come what may. Not at the cost of the game. Take the bull by the horns. Do what’s best for the game, for its long-term health. And make the players join, even if they are reluctant. They will thank us later. As a player I, too, had a narrower vision of the game than I do now.”

Although they face a massive deficit, Shepherd Makunura wanted his batsmen to learn from Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul Haque and fight back in Dhaka

Liam Brickhill12-Nov-2018Having watched Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul Haque bat for close to two days after they had Bangladesh on the ropes at 26 for 3, Zimbabwe have been given a thorough lesson in how to apply themselves on a pitch that has occasionally offered something for the bowlers.”Our batters can learn a thing or two from him [Mushfiqur], from how he applied himself on that pitch,” said Shepherd Makunura, Zimbabwe’s fielding coach. “Earlier on, especially in the first session, the ball did quite a bit, but he batted quite well.”Mominul’s counterattacking ton and Mushfiqur’s watchful double allowed Bangladesh to seize control of the game after Zimbabwe’s early inroads. But Makunura presented a brave face when asked about what must have been a frustrating experience for the visitors.”That’s part of cricket,” he said. “Things like that will always happen. You do get a few wickets early on, but in Test cricket there’s bound to be partnerships along the way. The way the Bangladesh batters applied themselves, they set themselves up for the other batters coming in.”One of those other batters was Mehidy Hasan, who made an attacking, unbeaten 68 at No. 9 to extend Bangladesh to a total of 522. “Coming in to a set batter like Mushfiqur made it a little easier for him, and the stage was set for a good partnership,” Makunura said of Mehidy’s knock. “They did bat quite well, the two of them.”Helpful in Bangladesh’s recovery were Zimbabwe’s lapses in the field. They dropped Mominul three times during his 161, and also offered Mushfiqur a second life in the fourth over on Monday, when an inside edge ricocheted off his thigh and wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva put the chance down.”It’s always frustrating,” Makunura said of the drops, “But it’s part of the game. You catch some, you drop some, and it’s part of the game. We have to take it in our stride, and move on from there.”Zimbabwe were made to pay for their mistakes in the field, and their bowling attack struggled to maintain the consistency that had helped set up their win in Sylhet. Fast bowler Tendai Chatara was stretched off with a suspected Grade 2 tear on his left quadriceps muscle, and though Kyle Jarvis stuck to his lines to take 5 for 71 in his absence, he was given precious little support by Zimbabwe’s spin attack, who went wicketless.”I don’t think the guys were complacent,” Makunura said. “We spoke in our change rooms earlier on this was an opportunity for us to win an away Test series, which we haven’t done in a long time. I don’t think we bowled well enough, but I wouldn’t put that down to complacency. We didn’t bowl as well as we should have, but we also must give credit to the Bangladesh batters.”Makunura remained hopeful that Zimbabwe could learn from Mominul and Mushfiqur’s example and bat themselves back into the game, pointing to the first session of the third day as being crucial to their mission.”I think the game is still evenly poised, although Bangladesh batted quite well,” he said. “It’s all going to depend on how well we bat tomorrow, especially the first session. If we can negotiate the first session, we can make life a little easier for ourselves. It’s going to take a lot of batting for us.”

Suzie Bates briefly gave New Zealand hope in their chase, but defeat left them facing the exit

The Report by Alex Malcolm14-Nov-2018
Australia’s toughest test of the tournament to-date only proved to further entrench their favouritism for the title.Alyssa Healy continued her stunning form with the bat to help Australia cruise into the semi-finals. A third consecutive half-century and a sixth in eight T20Is underpinned Australia’s strong but slightly underwhelming total given the platform set by Healy and her opening partner Beth Mooney.

NZ fined for slow over rate

New Zealand have been found to have fallen short of the targeted over rate in Guyana by one over, resulting in captain Amy Satterthwaite being fined 20% of her match fee, and her players 10% each.
The charge was levelled by the four on-field umpires and the penalty was handed by the match referee, Richie Richardson. Satterthwaite accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.
As per the ICC Code of Conduct, players are fined 10% of their fee per unbowled over, with the captain fined double that.
According to the ICC statement, if there is a second minor over-rate offence committed by the New Zealand team in a T20I within 12 months with Satterthwaite as captain, she will face a one-match suspension.

But it proved too many for New Zealand, who without Suzie Bates’ lone hand of 48 may have fallen short by far more than they did.Both sides, however, may admit the margin was a little deceiving. New Zealand did expose some vulnerabilities in the powerful Australian line-up but failed to capitalise through some poor fielding. Amelia Kerr dropped Healy at point in the third over, letting a simple sliced sky ball slip through her fingers. Australia were just 16 runs from 16 balls at that stage.But a bevy of boundaries from Healy intertwined with a stack of wides from New Zealand’s bowlers saw the opening stand reach 71 in just 8.2 overs. It was the fourth consecutive 50-run opening stand between Healy and Mooney and the sixth in seven innings.Australia’s innings then stalled badly. Mooney holed out before Meg Lanning made a rare failure. Ash Gardner failed to rotate the strike adequately to leave Healy frustrated as she threw her wicket away on 53 from just 38 balls, bowled by Hannah Rowe stepping well outside her off stump trying to flick to leg.Alyssa Healy’s continued her hot streak in T20Is•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Leigh Kasperek really put the brakes on Australia as skipper Amy Satterthwaite juggled her bowlers around with good effect. Kasperek removed the dangerous trio of Mooney, Gardner and Ellyse Perry in four overs that cost just 25.But New Zealand dropped two more catches in the last two overs of the innings, crucially both off Rachael Haynes who ended up making an unbeaten 29 from 18 balls to tick the total past 150.The chase got off to a horrendous start. Anna Peterson was trapped lbw by Megan Schutt in the first over and burnt New Zealand’s sole review in the process. After Sophie Devine was clean bowled next over by Perry the review haunted New Zealand when Satterthwaite was adjudged lbw to Sophie Molineux in the third over attempting a reverse sweep. Replays showed she was struck outside the line.It left New Zealand 13 for 3. Bates and Katie Martin mounted an excellent revival that put Australia under pressure. Bates got a reprieve when Healy dropped a sharp top edge off the bowling of Perry. The pair added 69 in 7.4 overs before Healy made amends with a silky stumping off the legspin of Georgia Wareham to remove Martin.Bates keep finding the rope reducing the equation to a manageable 61 from 42 balls before Delissa Kimmince took two wickets in the 14th over to tip the game in Australia’s favour, with Healy taking a stunning catch up the stumps to confirm her Player of the Match award.Bates was correctly adjudged lbw by Gardner an over later despite skipping down the track to effectively end the chase and all-but end New Zealand’s tournament with a second straight loss.

Karnataka opener Mayank Agarwal has also been brought into the squad

Nagraj Gollapudi17-Dec-2018India opener Prithvi Shaw will miss remainder of the Test series against Australia after failing to recover completely from the ankle injury he picked during the one-off warm-up match. Shaw twisted his left ankle in the field while attempting a catch in the deep in the tour match against New South Wales second XI in Sydney. Although the team management expected him to be fit in time for the Boxing Day Test, the BCCI has confirmed that Shaw will return home and be replaced byMayank Agarwal.Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya who proved his fitness in a first-class game against Mumbai this week, will be travelling to Australia to link up with the Indian team. His state captain at Baroda, Kedar Devdhar, confirmed as much at the post-match press conference, and the same was confirmed by the BCCI which said Pandya was joining the squad as an additional member for the final two Tests of the series.Hardik, who has been out of action with a back injury sustained during the Asia Cup in September, appeared in no particular discomfort as he got through a workload of 28 overs in the Ranji Trophy match at the Wankhede Stadium. He picked up a five-for in the first innings and added a couple more wickets in the second innings. Also on show was his batting ability as he struck 73 off 137 balls even as he kept losing partners at the other end.The Indian team management is bound to treat Pandya’s inclusion as a positive development, but simultaneously it would treat Shaw’s exit as a setback. After a sparkling start to his Test career, where he finished as the Man of the Series against West Indies at home recently, Shaw started his Australian tour with a confident 50 against CA XI. Despite the freak injury India coach Ravi Shastri predicted a a “speedy recovery for Shaw. Shaw was then spotted doing light jogs during the ongoing second Test in Perth, briefly suggesting he was likely to be in contention for the third Test, starting December 26 in Melbourne.For Agarwal, a prolific scorer in domestic cricket over the past few seasons for his state Karnataka, this is the second time he is part of the Indian Test squad after being part of the 15 in the home series against West Indies. Agarwal will be a strong contender for one of the opening slots because of the poor form of M Vijay and KL Rahul.

England really shouldn’t be surprised why their record in the Caribbean continues to be so poor

George Dobell in Barbados27-Jan-2019It really shouldn’t be a mystery why West Indies raise their game against England. Or why, as a consequence, England’s record in the Caribbean is so modest.There are many former colonies, territories and dominions that have reason to resent the British. Resentments upon which the sun never sets. But nowhere – arguably, at least – is the Empire’s history more insidious than the Caribbean. Whether it’s the plantation houses, the fields of sugar cane or the palm trees that once acted as markers, the ghost of slavery lingers at every turn.Now, this is not an attempt to dredge up such unpleasant memories unnecessarily. But there is a context here. And, like the Holocaust or the fight for universal suffrage, it’s something we should never be allowed to forget as it informs the present. The fact is, around 90% of the population of Barbados, for example, is of African heritage. And that means that many of the people living here today – and the cricket team which represents them – are descended from those forcibly transported and enslaved by the British. And maybe, just maybe, that goes some of the way to explaining the remarkable record between these two sides.Put simply: England’s record in the Caribbean is poor. They have won only one series here – in 2004 – in the last half-century. While that is explained, in part, by the fact that the West Indies sides of the 1970s, ’80s and even ’90s were sensationally good, it makes less sense in recent times. In both 2009 and 2015 England were confronted by far more modest opposition and were either beaten or held to a draw. In 2019 they have, as the No. 3-rated side in the world, been thrashed in the opening Test of the series by the No. 8.To a large extent, especially for the modern-day sides, the reasons may be entirely cricketing. Cricket has been a huge part of the culture of much of the Caribbean for many years and, as a vastly popular sport, it is entirely natural that many children should want to excel in it. Furthermore, in recent times at least, conditions in the Caribbean have tended to exploit areas in which England have been least strong: the ability to play and deliver fast bowling and spin. England have been notoriously poor travellers, too.Jason Holder roars in triumph after bringing up his hundred•Getty Images

But could there not be more to it than that? For in several recent series – not least in Antigua and Barbados in 2015 or Leeds in 2017 – West Indies have produced fightbacks that hint at great spirit and resilience. Almost as if they were inspired to find a way to raise their game. So while England have won in India, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Australia in the last decade, it is 15 years since they last defeated West Indies at home.It was a point touched upon – albeit tangentially – by James Anderson after the completion of the warm-up games. Reflecting on England’s modest record in the Caribbean, he acknowledged the passion of the opponents he had encountered.”Whenever we come here, you get the feeling West Indies really want to beat England,” he said. “It’s something that has been ingrained in them. You can see it in the players’ eyes.”Now Anderson is unlikely to have been alluding to the legacy of the slave trade. Instead, he may have been referring to the history of cricket between these teams and the years in which West Indies’ dominance over England was overwhelming.But the two points might well overlap. For it was that cricketing dominance that gave many in the Caribbean diaspora a sense of unity and pride in the years after independence (Barbados was granted independence in 1966; Antigua in 1981, long after Viv Richards started playing for West Indies) and as they were making their way in the sometimes hostile new environment into which they had moved. Denied opportunities in other fields, cricket presented a rare opportunity to compete on something approaching a level playing field. And an opportunity to inflict just a little pain back upon the old colonial master.If that sounds far-fetched, think of it in the context of the Ashes. What remains one of the fiercest rivalries in sport is inspired, in part at least, by a fight for a tiny urn that may or may not contain the ashes of a bail and could well have been originally conceived as a joke. If that can inspire, surely the memories of several centuries of cruelty and oppression can, too? West Indies have never made a secret of their desire to respond to slights about their capabilities or qualities, whether it is England captains threatening to make them “grovel”, ECB chairmen referring to them as “mediocre”, or English columnists suggesting they are “short of brains” or, most recently, “very ordinary”.”We wanted to beat every side,” one former West Indies great told ESPNcricinfo. “But we had to beat England.” The Ashes sound pretty tame by comparison, don’t they?”Ah, but all this was a long time ago,” you may be thinking. And maybe you’re right. You suspect this young West Indies team, growing up in burgeoning, independent nations which are largely at peace with their past, might not feel the burning desire of their predecessors (what might be termed the Fire in Babylon generation) to make such a point against England. The vast numbers of England supporters who visit the Caribbean in the coming weeks – there were 9000 on the first day of the Barbados Test – will relish the magnificent beaches, the wonderful climate, the lively bars and treat their hosts with respect and friendliness. Neither they nor the England team are in any way responsible for the wrongs of the past.But they should know this history. They should know, when they walk through the gate named in his honour at the Kensington Oval, that Herman Griffith was the man who founded the Empire Club – a club with an extraordinary record of producing cricketers, including three knights in Everton Weekes, Conrad Hunte and Frank Worrell – after it was decided his colour and low socio-economic class prevented him from joining existing clubs.And these issues persist. It isn’t that many months since the Windrush scandal, in which Caribbean migrants – nearly all of whom were black – were illegally denied benefits, medical care or even deported from the UK. This is the generation that was invited to Britain after World War Two to help deal with severe labour shortages. Who had fought in Britain’s bloody wars, worked in her grim factories, nursed her dying and paid her taxes. All to be told they were no longer welcome.At the same time, the indirect repercussions of the Brexit vote have stirred up issues many of us thought were long resolved. There is talk of a “hostile environment” to deter immigrants, talk of needing to register to live in the UK (yes, it applies to EU citizens but it arguably perpetuates the sense that the UK has become anti-immigrant or even xenophobic), of black footballers having racist abuse hurled at them.It’s probably not the place of a privately educated white man to make these points. But imagine how it feels to hear “Rule Britannia” sung at the Proms. “Britons never, never, never will be slaves,” they sing. Well, maybe not. But they took many. And being the perpetrator of a crime is, in its own way, a lot worse than being the victim.So don’t be surprised by the glint in the eye or the fire in the belly of West Indies’ players. Be surprised – and grateful – by the warmth of the handshake that follows, in victory or defeat, and marvel at the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation it represents. It really shouldn’t be a mystery why West Indies raise their game against England.

Bowlers, led by Lockie Ferguson, set up the eight-wicket win by shooting Bangladesh out for 226

The Report by Mohammad Isam15-Feb-2019Martin Guptill’s second consecutive century led New Zealand to a series-clinching eight-wicket win over Bangladesh in the second ODI at Hagley Park on Saturday. The 227-run chase, set up by their bowlers again, was reduced to a stroll when Guptill and captain Kane Williamson added 143 runs for the second wicket.Guptill, who made 118 off just 88 balls, continued in Christchurch from where he had stopped in Napier. Two fours in the second over and two sixes in the sixth over of the chase signalled his intentions, and he reached his half-century – off just 33 balls – in the 11th over, soon after Henry Nicholls was caught at the deep square-leg boundary.

Back-to-back centuries for Guptill

Guptill on his century in Napier v century in Christchurch: “I was able to get off to a quicker start here than I was at Napier. It was a nice wicket to bat on, so I was able to get a few away over the top early, and carried on from there. The Napier wicket was a bit slower and holding, but today only the odd ball was holding and you could hit through the line and have the confidence of being able to do that.”
On his form: “Getting there. Today felt a bit more like me a couple of years ago, which is pleasing. Hopefully I’m able to keep pushing on from here.”
On the Bangladesh bowling: “I think they’ve got some really good bowlers. (Mashrafe) Mortaza is obviously a very experienced bowler and he can be quite difficult to get away. But I think if you put them under pressure, they just don’t have the experience here to be able to holding in there for long periods of time.”

He played all around the ground – slashes through the off-side field, pulls and straight drives, and then a tuck off the hips got him to his century in the 25th over. Guptill, who struck three of his four sixes back past the bowler, eventually fell in the 29th over with New Zealand needing just 39 to win.The remaining runs were duly knocked off by Williamson, who finished unbeaten on 65, and Ross Taylor in 36.1 overs, pointing to the gulf between the two teams in these conditions. Williamson’s was a steady hand compared to Guptill’s marauding effort, as he struck just three fours in his 86-ball knock.Earlier, New Zealand’s bowlers were clinical in shooting out Bangladesh for 226 despite seeing their fielders drop four catches. Lockie Ferguson took three wickets including that of Mushfiqur Rahim, while Matt Henry employed his variations to good effect in ten tight overs. Todd Astle and Jimmy Neesham picked up two wickets each, while Trent Boult, Henry and Colin de Grandhomme got one apiece.For the second game in a row, Bangladesh lost half their batsmen before reaching three figures, as Tamim Iqbal and Liton Das fell early, Soumya Sarkar threw away a good start (again), Mushfiqur chopped one on to his stumps, and Mahmudullah poked at an away-going delivery.It was only a 75-run sixth-wicket stand between Mohammad Mithun and Sabbir Rahman that gave the Bangladesh total some respectability. They played some sparkling shots and Mithun, who was the second batsman to get a reprieve from Ross Taylor in the slips, got stuck into Astle by hitting him through the off-side field, and even hitting a four past short third man with a reverse-paddle. His best shot, though, was a push through the covers for four off the pacy Ferguson.

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But soon after he had hit that boundary, Mithun pulled a hamstring while taking a single. The discomfort affected his batting as he began relying on boundaries, and although he struck Astle for a slog-swept six and an inside-out four in the 33rd over, he didn’t last much longer. Astle castled him in the next over for 57 – back-to-back half-centuries – ensuring Bangladesh’s lower order had to get involved for the last 14 overs.Sabbir’s was a fortuitous stay, with the bails refusing to fall when his inside-edge off Astle brushed the leg stump. Later, he did call for an excellent review, when Henry struck his pads in line but replays showed the ball going over the stumps. He timed the ball well, but Mehidy Hasan’s dismissal at the start of the 41st over slowed him down and eventually the Bangladesh innings.