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Unbeaten centuries from Alex Gidman and William Tavare guided Gloucestershire to a draw with Essex in Bristol

Press Association30-Apr-2014
ScorecardWill Tavaré continued his impressive early-season form•Getty ImagesUnbeaten centuries from Alex Gidman and Will Tavare guided Gloucestershire to a draw with Essex in Bristol.The visitors took control of the Division Two clash on Tuesday after two days blighted by bad weather. Essex reached 305 for 8, with Ben Foakes unbeaten on 132, and their first act on the final morning was to declare.That left Gloucestershire, who made just 134 in their first innings, 171 adrift and facing a testing day in order to secure a draw. And it looked like defeat could well be on the cards when both openers went early but Gidman and Tavare guided them to 251 for 2 and a draw was agreed upon.Gloucestershire lost their first wicket in the third over when Chris Dent, who was last man out in the first innings, edged behind, giving David Masters his seventh wicket of the match.Captain Michael Klinger then fell for 7, bowled by Tymal Mills to leave the hosts wobbling at 18 for 2.But there was nothing Essex could do to part Tavare and Gidman, who batted together for more than 70 overs, putting on 233 runs. It was the second 200-plus partnership of the match, with Foakes and James Foster putting Essex in control with 218 on the third day.For 24-year-old Tavare, who was on exactly 100 when a draw was declared, it was a second century in three matches this season. Gidman scored at a faster rate to reach 119, his 21st first-class century.Essex collected 11 points from the match with Gloucestershire picking up seven. Both sides have drawn two of their three matches so far this season, with Essex beating Derbyshire in their opener and Gloucestershire losing to Hampshire.

Australian fast bowler Ryan Harris, who is still recovering from a knee surgery, has signed up as a bowling mentor with Queensland Cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Sep-2014Australia fast bowler Ryan Harris, who is still recovering from a knee surgery, has signed up as a bowling mentor with Queensland Cricket. In his new role, Harris will work with Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League, Queensland Bulls, Queensland Fire women’s teams and the state’s youth squads.Stuart Law, the coach of Brisbane Heat and Bulls, said Harris could play a few games depending on the demands of Australia’s international schedule. According to Law, with the revised player eligibility rules in the Big Bash League, Harris could take up a spot on the Heat’s supplementary player list and could step in as a local replacement player.”If a Shane Watson or Mitchell Johnson is unavailable due to national commitments and Ryan was available, then he could come into the team as a player during BBL 04,” Law said. “Of course that would be a bonus if it happened – all things being equal, we would expect him to be involved with the Australian side for much of the summer.”After the UAE tour, Australia are scheduled to host South Africa for a limited-overs series in November, followed by four Tests against India and a triangular series alongside India and England before the 2015 World Cup.Harris underwent knee surgery in March after bowling Australia to a series win against South Africa in the Cape Town Test and his rehabilitation also ruled him out of the series against Pakistan. In the interim, he was the assistant coach of the Australia A squad during the home series against India A, South Africa A and the Cricket Australia National Performance Squad in July and August.

The newly-crowned league champions are the main force in the best XI this season, with Tottenham Hotspur well represented as well

Few people will be surprised to see Manchester City dominate the PFA Premier League Team of the Year by having five players named.

Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Nicolas Otamendi and Kyle Walker are the five newly-crowned English champions included in the XI due to their impressive performances for a side sitting 16 points clear at the top of the table with four games to go.

Despite Pep Guardiola's team's dominance of the league, there are more star-studded names throughout the squad.

Tottenham Hotspur are the next best represented side as star striker Harry Kane takes the centre-forward role, with Christian Eriksen and Jan Vertonghen also included. 

Although still sitting second and third in the league, Manchester United and Liverpool only have one star each in the squad, with David de Gea taking his place between the posts and 30-goal hero and PFA Player of the Year Mohamed Salah adding to a mouth-watering attack.

Amid their poor title defence, Chelsea also saw one player named in the side, with Marcos Alonso earning praise for his impressive work on the left side.

David de Gea | Manchester UnitedThe Spanish goalkeeper has been pivotal in keeping the Red Devils in the fight for second place, with some of his individual displays being enough to justify his inclusion in the squad alone.AdvertisementGettyKyle Walker | Manchester CityThe right-back has looked worth the £50 million investment City parted with to lure the England international from Tottenham Hotspur. He has been a big presence for Pep Guardiola's side and is expected to be even more important for his country at the World Cup.GettyJan Vertonghen | Tottenham HotspurThe Belgian centre-back remains a fan favourite at Spurs and a huge asset for Mauricio Pochettino's men. Christian Eriksen is the only other Tottenham player to have started as many Premier League games this term.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Getty ImagesNicolas Otamendi | Manchester CityThe Argentine's development under Pep Guardiola has earned him a great deal of praise recently and his progress has been recognised with a place alongside Vertonghen.

Alex Hales had no doubt that his match-winning hundred against Sri Lanka was the most important contribution of his international career to date.

Alan Gardner in Chittagong27-Mar-2014Alex Hales had no doubt that his match-winning hundred against Sri Lanka, the first time an England batsman had reached three figures in a T20 international, was the most important contribution of his international career to date. Hales’ stunning innings led England to their highest chase in the format to reignite a smouldering World T20 campaign.”It’s an amazing feeling. It still hasn’t sunk in what’s happened,” Hales said afterwards, looking remarkably cool despite having just launched an enormous six to win the match with four balls to spare. Twice out in the 90s previously, Hales broke the three-figure barrier by clearing the boundary off Nuwan Kulasekara’s penultimate over, from which 16 runs came in total to bring England’s target of 190 within reach.”I always had the confidence I would get the chance again,” he said. “Hundreds don’t come around very often in the short format so I’m buzzing I got it today and in a huge fixture for our country.”Alex Hales made England’s first hundred in a T20•Getty ImagesAfter a shambolic performance in the field, when England dropped four catches and missed a run-out, they flopped out of the blocks at the start of the chase, Kulasekara removing Michael Lumb and Moeen Ali in a double-wicket maiden. Hales and Eoin Morgan, slowly at first and then with increasing assurance, rebuilt the innings and by the time their 152-run partnership was broken, the pendulum was beginning to swing England’s way.”It wasn’t an ideal start but we saw by the way they batted it was an excellent wicket and the way Morgy came in straight away and took the game back to them made my job a lot easier,” Hales said. “We had plans to stay in the game as long as we could, get a partnership and reassess at the halfway stage. It paid off.”Morgan and Jos Buttler fell in the same over but Ravi Bopara deftly glided his first two balls from Lasith Malinga for four to keep England up with the asking rate. Although they had needed to score two runs a ball for around half the innings, Hales said that he began to feel the victory was possible “with six or seven overs left”.”We needed about 12 an over so we always knew it would be a tough ask,” he said. “But Morgy played brilliantly and then Ravi came in against the danger man Malinga and hit the first two balls for four. It was brilliant to see.”The win, against the No. 1-ranked side and one of the favourites for the competition, pushes England back into contention into what is turning into a close-fought group. A difficult winter in Australia has been followed by stop-start limited-overs form, a young and experimental squad disrupted by injuries while uncertainty remains about the currently vacant head coach’s position. Reaching the knockout stages in Bangladesh would an unexpected, and welcome, success”It would be massive for us, we are underdogs in this tournament, playing in the subcontinent historically we haven’t gone too well,” Hales said. “This win will help us build momentum for the next two games, we’ve still got to play Holland and SA. I think if we perform to the best of our ability we’ll get two wins.”Hales was dropped by Mahela Jayawardene on 55, small change after England donated four similar straightforward misses during the Sri Lanka innings but ultimately of great importance. Two overs later, Hales targeted Ajantha Mendis repeatedly through the leg side, hitting three sixes in an over that cost 25. In 2014, Hales had previously made 125 runs in seven innings for England; he almost equalled that in one dramatic fusillade here. A celebratory glass of wine has been well earned.”It hasn’t been a great winter personally, I probably didn’t do as well in the Big Bash as I’d have liked,” Hales said. “But I’ve still felt confident, I’ve been hitting the ball well in the nets and felt a big score was close. I’m pleased it came today in a winning side.”

A round-up of the Regional four-day matches that ended on March 24, 2014

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Mar-2014Combined Campuses and Colleges rode on centuries from Shacaya Thomas and Chadwick Walton to roll Guyana over by seven wickets and record their first win of the season. Their efforts were crucial to securing a first-innings lead before spinners Ryan Austin and Akeem Dewar reinforced CCC’s dominance.Guyana’s batting this season has featured a father-son duo in Shivnarine and Tagenarine Chanderpaul but the sheen of the event was taken off slightly when both of them fell for single-figures. Opener Assad Fudadin (71) gave structure to the innings with a composed half-century. But he was left lacking for support, until No.8 Anthony Bramble hastened to a 68-ball 64. He spearheaded a ninth-wicket stand of 40 at better than run-a-ball to hike the total to 263. Austin was the best bowler with 5 for 71.Guyana would have counted on the momentum of that late surge to muzzle their opposition but Thomas plundered 176, with 14 fours and 4 sixes while Walton struck 107 off 193 balls to usher CCC to 391 before they declared. Spin held sway again with Veerasammy Permaul and Devendra Bishoo taking six of the nine wickets to fall.The most drastic impact of the slow bowlers was reserved for the third innings when Austin (4-22 in 26.5 overs) and Dewar (4-61) ran through Guyana. Tagenarine top-scored with 43, but his efforts were only good enough to post a highly gettable target of 46, albeit CCC lost three wickets in overhauling it.Four-wicket hauls by Sulieman Benn and Ashley Nurse helped Barbados to an innings win over Trinidad and Tobago at Kensington Oval with a day to spare. Nurse followed up his first-innings century with six wickets in the match, while Benn finished with a match haul of eight.Barbados opted to bat first and got off to a bad start, losing their captain Kraigg Brathwaite for a duck. Steady contributions by the middle order helped Barbados take control, thanks to Omar Phillips’ fifty and forties by Kirk Edwards and Jonathan Carter. The wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich and Carlos Brathwaite added a quick 82 for the sixth wicket before Dowrich fell for 53. Brathwaite and Nurse then added an unbeaten 190 for the eighth wicket, with Brathwaite scoring 109. Nurse blazed an unbeaten 130 off just 111 balls before the declaration at 479 for 8.Carlos Brathwaite struck early with his seamers and it paved the way for Benn to strike with his left-arm spin. Only Jason Mohammed resisted with 43 as the T&T collapsed to 120 in 37 overs. Benn was brought on to bowl immediately after T&T were asked to follow on. The openers Adrian Barath and Evin Lewis added 68 before Benn struck, removing Lewis for 61. Darren Bravo then cut Jason Holder to backward point before Barath was caught behind off Benn. When Mohammed was caught at leg slip off Nurse, T&T had lost three wickets for just ten runs.T&T went into lunch at 138 for 4, but lost wickets in a hurry and were bowled out for 199.

New Zealand made it clear that they were going to go hard at India, but the visitors’ tenacity could make for an exciting contest

The Preview by Sidharth Monga21-Jan-2014Match factsWednesday, January 22, 2014
Start time 1400 local (0100 GMT)Mitchell McClenaghan is all set to become the second-fastest man to 50 ODI wickets•Getty ImagesBig PictureIn Napier, New Zealand made it clear that they were going to go hard at India. It’s a series they have waited long for, quite nervously too, given the BCCI’s reluctance to honour the FTP and accountability to none. Now that it has arrived, New Zealand are out to make full use of the shortened version of the tour.
It is shaping up to be an evenly matched series: for all their aggression with the bat and the ball, and the brilliance in the field, New Zealand will still need their best at all times to get better of India, as was evident from how Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni nearly won a lost match all on their own. There was a lot of back and forth in the first ODI with both sides showing tenacity at various points of the match. If they can keep that up for over the next 10 days, we might be in for a memorable ODI series.
After the Napier win, Brendon McCullum and Mitchell McClenaghan, the bowler who did the most damage, have both said they were glad at how the bouncers worked against India – four specialist batsmen fell pulling – and that there will be no let-up despite the absence of Adam Milne, who consistently bowled around 150kmph in his first spell. Hamilton, however, might be the closest to home for India. It has slowed down recently, has been helping spinners, has short boundaries, and should bring India good memories of comfortable wins in both the Test and the ODI on their last trip to New Zealand.There is added incentive for India to win in Hamilton. If they don’t, they will momentarily lose their No.1 ranking to Australia.Form guideNew Zealand WLWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India LLLWL
In the spotlightMcClenaghan is all set to become the second-fastest man to 50 ODI wickets. He currently has 47 in 19 games; Ajantha Mendis reached 50 in 19 ODIs. It’s McClenaghan’s strike rate, though, that is stunning. He gets a wicket every 20.4 balls. The next-best strike rate for anyone who has taken a minimum of 47 wickets is 27.1. It’s McClenaghan’s ability to take wickets, never mind the runs he might concede, that New Zealand will look forward to.
Interestingly, and some might be stunned by this, among Indian bowlers who have taken a minimum of 50 wickets, the best strike rate belongs to Ishant Sharma. His economy rate of 5.7 is similar to McClenaghan’s 5.8, but Ishant doesn’t compensate enough with a strike rate of 32.9, which happens to be India’s best, though. As usual, Ishant, the trooper that he is, will keep fighting with the heat on him. Despite bowling that superb last over, Ishant was the worst bowler in the first ODI, going at eight an over. It won’t be long before India look past the spirit of Ishant. He needs a big performance some time soon.Teams newsNew Zealand have been hit by the injury to Milne, and they are almost certain to bring in Kyle Mills.
New Zealand: 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Jesse Ryder, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Brendon McCullum (capt.), 6 Corey Anderson, 7 Luke Ronchi (wk), 8 Nathan McCullum, 9. Kyle Mills, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Mitchell McClenaghanIndia don’t discuss their XI before a match, but there are two places that will be debated: Suresh Raina’s and Ishant’s. The recent slowness of Seddon Park should give the two spinners another go. Unless India make an extremely bold move of playing Stuart Binny ahead of a specialist batsman or bowler, it is unlikely he is getting his debut here.India (possible) 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Suresh Raina/Ambati Rayudu, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Ajinkya Rahane, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Ishant Sharma, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Bhuvneshwar KumarPitch and conditionsThe groundsman Karl Johnson is not sure why it is happening, but Seddon Park is observing a recent trend of slowness and assistance for spinners. However, it has rained heavily on the two days leading into the match so there could be something in there for the quicks too. It is going to be interesting to observe the pitch’s behaviour, especially if it is overcast on match day too.Stats and trivia R Ashwin has taken only one wicket in his last 80 overs in international cricket. The Napier win was New Zealand’s first in the last seven attempts against India. New Zealand have won only one of their last five ODIs at Seddon Park. Quotes”One thing I learnt in South Africa was when you are batting, whatever you are doing, you need to commit to it fully. Because people are bowling at you at 140-145 kph, there is not much time to decide and think later on, after the ball is bowled. Whatever you want to do, you got to read the length and commit to the shot. If you want to leave the ball, you have got to commit to that.”

“We’re not going to be nice to them, we’re going to get in their face and let them know that we’re here and we’re going to put our mark on the build-up to the World Cup.”

Persistent rain in Potchefstroom has led to the cancellation of Australia’s scheduled warm-up match against a South African Invitation XI that was due to start on Wednesday

Firdose Moonda03-Feb-2014Persistent rain in Potchefstroom has led to the cancellation of Australia’s scheduled warm-up match against a South African Invitation XI that was due to start on Wednesday. Instead, the tourists will train at the indoor centre in Centurion, which is also the venue of the first Test, and hope the weather clears so they can get some outdoor practice as well.Australia arrived in South Africa last Wednesday and went straight to Potchefstroom, their preferred practice venue on every visit to the country, but rain has played havoc with their plans. Their first practice session last Friday was moved indoors because of wet weather. They managed outdoor training on both Saturday and Sunday but with downpours forecast for the rest of the week, decided not to risk staying in the university town with the possibility of no cricket.The team will move to Johannesburg today and will use the facilities at SuperSport Park from Tuesday. South Africa have also assembled in the city and their planned three-day game against a composite XI will go ahead at the Wanderers, despite the rain.”Unfortunately, with persistent heavy rain forecast for Potchefstroom we have had to look at alternative arrangements to ensure the team gets the best preparation possible ahead of the first Test,” Gavin Dovey, Australia’s team manager, said. “CSA have been very accommodating in assisting us relocate to Johannesburg, providing us with more flexibility with our training options, specifically adequate indoor training facilities to counter any the bad weather.”Although showers are predicted for every day this week, South Africa will stick to their plan of getting match-time to combat what was described as a penchant for starting slowly in Test series. They have the advantage of the Wanderers drainage, which displayed its quality just three days’ ago.On Friday, heavy rain throughout the day made it seem unlikely the domestic T20 match between the Lions and the Cobras would take place. But, the skies closed as the start neared, the game began on time and a full fixture was possible.The new arrangements mean only South Africa will have match time under their belt ahead of the three Test series, which starts next Wednesday, although their break from the whites has been longer. South Africa last played Test cricket five weeks ago against India while Australia’s Ashes ended less than a month ago.This is the second time this summer a touring team’s practice match has been cancelled in South Africa. In December, India’s two-day fixture had to be called off because of a soaked outfield at Willowmoore Park in Benoni. Although there was no rain on the day of the match and the pitch was heavy, an unusually high water table meant the playing surface was not ready in time.

South Africa’s march towards a result that will draw the series and prolong their seven-year unbeaten record away from home continued unabated, but the gloss on their seemingly impeccable performance was lost when the on-field umpires penalised them for t

The Report by George Binoy25-Oct-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSouth Africa’s bowlers made slow but steady progress towards squaring the Test series•Associated PressSouth Africa’s march towards a result that will draw the series and prolong their seven-year unbeaten record away from home continued unabated, but the gloss on their seemingly impeccable performance was lost when the on-field umpires penalised them for tampering with the ball. Graeme Smith’s team ended the third day needing six wickets to complete an emphatic victory – probably by an innings considering Pakistan were still trailing by 286 with two days remaining – but the likelihood of a meeting with the Match Referee loomed large as the sun set in Dubai.The incident occurred two overs after tea, before the start of the 31st over, following television visuals of one player rubbing the ball allegedly on the zipper of his trouser pocket. The umpires Ian Gould and Rod Tucker called Graeme Smith over for a chat and subsequently changed the ball and awarded a five-run penalty against South Africa, sanctions that are consistent with the penalty for unlawfully changing the condition of the ball. A second television visual showed another player allegedly picking at the side of the ball with his finger.On either side of that unsavoury episode, however, South Africa made strides towards victory, albeit not at the pace at which they had shut Pakistan out of the Test over the first two days. After South Africa were dismissed for 517 with a lead of 418, 16 minutes before lunch, Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander punched Pakistan in the gut by dismissing their openers in their only overs before the break.Steyn swung the ball back into Shan Masood’s front pad and the left-hand batsman continued Pakistan’s lousy use of reviews by wasting one on an lbw that was plumb. Philander then handed Khurram Manzoor his first pair in Test cricket; the right-hand batsman hung his bat outside off stump and watched Jacques Kallis dive to his right at second slip to take the catch at head height. Pakistan were 2 for 2.After lunch, Younis Khan and Azhar Ali focused on survival. Steyn swung and seamed the new ball away from the right-handers; Philander bowled with unrelenting accuracy; Morne Morkel hit speeds off 149.6 kph – the fastest ball of the Test – in his first over. With four slips and other catches in place, there were gaps to exploit on the huge outfield but only 18 runs were scored in the first 13 overs. One of Tahir’s legbreaks spun so viciously from the rough around off stump that it went straight to first slip.Azhar and Younis, however, survived all that until Smith brought on the part-time offspinner JP Duminy ten minutes before tea. His first ball spun sharply into Azhar and kept low to hit the back pad just in line with off stump. In an instant, a vast amount of hard graft had come undone and Pakistan were 48 for 3. Duminy could have struck in his second over, too, but Kallis failed to catch an outside edge from Younis off the penultimate ball before the break.Younis’ composure, which had served him well through the second session, disappeared soon after the tampering incident, when he charged Tahir and attempted a mow across the line. He missed and the ball bounced off his pad on to his stumps. At 70 for 4, Pakistan were in danger of sliding further towards defeat but Misbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq put on an unbeaten 62-run stand. Shafiq was fortunate to survive a stumping chance on 18 off Duminy, and Pakistan will need a miraculous performance from him and the rest to prevent an innings defeat.The third day had begun with promise of more records being broken, with Smith resuming on 227 and de Villiers on 157. However, with the job already done unlike when they had come together early on the second day, their stroke-play wasn’t as tight.De Villiers began to drive at Mohammad Irfan from the start, but a ball after he placed one to the straight boundary, he drove again and edged. This time Adnan Akmal caught it, 164 runs and 273 deliveries after he should have caught de Villiers first ball. Irfan had now worked up a brisk pace and soon drew an edge from Smith. Akmal dropped it again, and Irfan told the wicketkeeper just what he thought of that effort. The mistake did not cost Pakistan, though, because Ajmal had Smith caught at slip a ball later, leaving South Africa 478 for 6.What followed made Pakistan wonder about the different paths this match might have taken had Akmal not dropped de Villiers before he had scored. Irfan ran in from over the wicket and tormented Duminy with deliveries that pitched on a good length outside off stump and jagged into the left-handed batsman. Three times in a row, Irfan struck Duminy on the pad and bellowed appeals for lbw. He was denied each time because the impact was too high.In his next over, after hitting Faf du Plessis on the glove, Irfan took the umpire out of the equation by bowling Duminy between bat and pad with a fuller delivery. He celebrated with vigour, but in his next over – the innings’ 149th – Irfan ran out of rope the umpires had given him by following through on the danger area once again. He was suspended from bowling further in the innings.With Irfan lost, and Junaid Khan blunt, Ajmal was the only threat and du Plessis steered South Africa past 500 and the lead past 400. Ajmal gradually worked his way through the tail to pick up a six-wicket haul, but the end of South Africa’s innings provided little relief for Pakistan.

A round-up of the Dhaka Premier Division matches played on November 15, 2014

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-2014Nazmus Sadat’s 91 was in vain as Brothers Union failed to chase down a target of 238 and lost by 14 runs to Prime Bank Cricket Club. Sadat had little support from the other batsmen of Brothers Union as they were reined in by the Prime Bank bowlers. Mohammad Forkan picked up 3 for 26, while Tapash Baisya, Farhad Reza, Enamul Haque jnr all picked up two wickets apiece. Earlier, as many as four Prime Bank batsmen were out for ducks but fifties from Dilshan Munaweera (53) and Reza (51*) helped the side post 237 for 9 on the board.An all-round performance from Jeevan Mendis, who scored a fifty and took a four-for, helped Kalabagan Cricket Academy successfully defend a total of 231 by 11 runs against Old DOHS Sports Club. Mendis broke a thriving 115-run, second-wicket stand between Shanaj Ahmed (72) and Shehan Jayasuriya (74), and then quickly snaffled three more wickets to hasten the batting side’s slide towards a defeat. Earlier, his knock of 62 and a 119-run, fifth-wicket partnership with Mahmudul Hasan (54) hauled Kalabagan from a grave 39 for 4 to 158 for 4. Mohammad Sharif’s 18-ball 33 at No. 9 then helped the team finish at 231.Chamara Kapugedera’s 106 was in vain as Victoria Sporting Club lost to Mohammedan Sporting Club by 53 runs (D/L method) in a match affected by bad light.Mohammedan Sporting Club had put up 282 runs on the board but Victoria were set a revised target of 275 in 46.1 overs. At the end of their allotted overs, the side could manage only 221 for 9 as the other batsmen failed to support Kapugedera. Alauddin Babu and Rahatul Ferdous picked up three wickets each.Earlier Naeem Islam’s 92, supported by fifties from Mohammad Mithun (83) and Angelo Perera (50), propelled Mohammedan Sporting Club’s strong total. Naeem added 122 runs for the third wicket with Mithun to help the side overcome the loss of early wickets and then added 76 for the fourth wicket with Perera.

Sri Lanka Cricket’s hunt for the next national coach is not necessarily confined to its two-man shortlist of Marvan Atapattu and Mark Davis, CEO Ashley de Silva has confirmed

Andrew Fidel Fernando20-Nov-2013Sri Lanka Cricket’s hunt for the next national coach is not necessarily confined to its two-man shortlist of Marvan Atapattu and Mark Davis, CEO Ashley de Silva has confirmed.SLC had narrowed its field of candidates down to Atapattu and Davis on November 6, stating they would carry out a final round of interviews with these two applicants. However, while either man could still end up with the job, it is possible the SLC will look further afield, if the board’s executive committee deems it necessary.The committee appointed to nominate the next coach will present its proposals to the executive committee over the next fortnight, and at least one of those proposals precludes both Atapattu and Davis from the position. De Silva, who is part of the coach-nomination committee, said the committee would be “giving some options” to the executive committee.”The committee to nominate a coach met last week, and we will make our proposal to the executive committee,” de Silva said. “Once the executive committee ratifies something, we will release it to the press. The executive committee meeting will hopefully be sometime next week – the date has not yet been set.”SLC was underwhelmed with the 11 candidates who initially applied for the role, and kept its application process open long beyond the initial deadline. The board also approached several high-profile coaches, including Greg Chappell and Tim Nielsen who turned SLC down, while talks with Steve Rixon broke down, largely over the question of pay.The coach-nomination committee does not have a specific individual in mind, if neither Atapattu nor Davis are deemed suitable by the board. However, Dav Whatmore who coached Sri Lanka to a World Cup win in the first of his two stints with Sri Lanka, has recently become free, after the Pakistan Cricket Board chose not to extend his contract.Atapattu has been Sri Lanka’s batting coach since 2011, before he was promoted to the position of assistant coach in March this year. Davis is a relatively low-profile candidate, currently among the coaching staff at Sussex. He played first-class cricket in South Africa and England.Current coach Graham Ford finishes his tenure with Sri Lanka at the end of January, after the team’s away tour against Pakistan. He had opted not to renew his contract with SLC, citing family reasons.