All posts by h716a5.icu

Brendan Taylor has blamed Zimbabwe’s poor batting as the reason for their narrow loss in the first Test against Bangladesh

Devashish Fuloria in Mirpur27-Oct-2014Brendan Taylor has blamed Zimbabwe’s poor batting as the reason for their narrow loss in the first Test against Bangladesh. Defending a target of 101, Zimbabwe picked up the first three wickets with the score on zero and would have improved their chances further had John Nyumbu taken the catches of Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah. But despite Zimbabwe’s fight, Bangladesh sneaked through for a three-wicket win.”We have been saying 150 would have been very interesting,” Taylor said. “But at the end of the day, we batted badly and did not deserve to win the game.”They could have been 10 for 5 but that’s the way it goes. If we could have got Shakib there and (Mahmudullah) Riyad, that would have been a big difference. Good teams and good fielders will take those chances and probably we didn’t have our best fielder there at that time.”In the first innings, only one Zimbabwe batsman went past fifty as the team was bowled out for 240. Led by Tinashe Panyangara’s five-wicket haul, the visitors managed to restrict Bangladesh’s lead to 14 but when it came to their batsmen to set up the game, they fared worse than the first innings. Zimbabwe lost seven wickets in the morning session and were soon bowled out for 114 in 35.5 overs.”Losing the match always hurts,” Taylor said. “We can be proud of the way we fought and tried to defend a 100 runs but being bowled out for 114, that’s what hurts the most. We were very disappointing. The way we got out, we didn’t really show any fight. At the end of the day, if we are not going to put runs on the board and put a prize on our wickets, we are not going to win too many games. So we have got a lot to learn from this game. But I can assure you that in the second game the guys will be a lot more disciplined, lot hungrier to succeed.”The bounce on the Dhaka pitch that should have helped strokeplay, according to Taylor, was also the reason for the downfall of batsmen from both sides. But while Zimbabwe’s batsmen faltered against spin, Bangladesh’s players were undone by pace.”It was a good cricket wicket. Pace and bounce and turn, that’s going to make entertaining cricket, but definitely bad batting will have to be the case,” Taylor said. “I think we can agree that both sides batted badly, there were soft dismissals and guys didn’t apply themselves. Twenties and thirties are not going to win you Test matches. Guys need to convert those.”After the first innings in which Bangladesh spinners shared nine wickets, a lot of focus was on how Zimbabwe’s inexperienced spinners were going to bowl. But despite the help available from the pitch, the two spinners – Nyumbu and Tafadzwa Kamungozi – had just one wicket between them in the match.”I think our two spinners were a little bit weak,” Taylor said. “But unfortunately we lost two very good players, Sean Williams and Prosper Utseya, but that is not an excuse. Our spinners haven’t played a lot of first-class cricket and they weren’t good enough today. So they have got a lot to learn. Hopefully there might be a change in the second Test match. “Legspinner Natsai M’shangwe, who picked up the most wickets in the only practice match in Fatullah, could be an option. But Taylor said that the team was waiting for the bowler to recover from a minor niggle.”There is a very good chance (of M’shangwe playing in the second Test),” Taylor said. “He has been carrying a bit of a niggle so whether he is ready to go or not, I am not too sure. We will have to make a few changes and not become too predictable.”Zimbabwe came in to the series as underdogs and fought hard, but they will still go to the Khulna Test trailing 0-1. Taylor said they would have to maintain their intensity.”There are still two matches. So it’s still not gone. The momentum may be with them but we have shown we can fight. There is not much to choose between the sides. The conditions might favour them but we will have to come to Khulna with a mindset that we are going to win.”

Dwayne Smith, the West Indies allrounder, has been re-signed by Sussex as an overseas player for the Friends Life t20

ESPNcricinfo staff07-May-2013Dwayne Smith, the West Indies allrounder, has been re-signed by Sussex as an overseas player for the Friends Life t20. Smith previously played in all formats for the county on a Kolpak agreement in 2008 and 2009, then as an overseas T20 signing the following year.Smith hit 59 from 26 balls to help Sussex to victory in the 2009 Twenty20 Cup final, part of a limited-overs double with the Pro40 league, which they also won in 2008. Smith, 30, who is currently playing in the IPL for Mumbai Indians, will join former New Zealand international Scott Styris as Sussex’s overseas players, after a deal for John Hastings fell through.”I’m very happy to be joining Sussex again,” Smith said. “I can’t wait to get back to my second home and the lovely crowd at Hove.”Having played 87 ODIs, to go with 10 Tests and 17 T20 internationals, Smith last week missed out on selection for West Indies’ Champions Trophy squad. Sussex, who were beaten semi-finalists in last season’s FLt20, will begin their campaign at home to Surrey on June 28.Sussex’s professional cricket manager, Mark Robinson, said: “Dwayne has the ability to win games by himself with the bat, he is a more-than-useful bowler and he is one of the best fielders ever to have been seen at Hove. He is immensely popular with the players, the members and the sponsors and everybody is excited about his return.”

MS Dhoni was barred by the BCCI-appointed media manager from answering any question related to the alleged corruption issues during the Champions Trophy pre-departure press conference

Amol Karhadkar in Mumbai28-May-2013On the eve of the Indian team’s departure to England for the Champions Trophy – their first assignment after a controversial IPL – MS Dhoni was barred by the BCCI-appointed media manager, RN Baba, from answering any question related to the alleged corruption issues in the league.Each time a question about the controversy was put forth during the 14-minute interaction, Baba intervened. It appeared as though Baba, who is from the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, was under strict instructions to not let the captain respond to any query that was remotely concerned with the controversy.Before the start of the press conference, Baba had announced that the interaction was “strictly pertaining to Champions Trophy and no other questions will be answered”. But considering the number of arrests that have been made in the last couple of weeks, including those of four first-class cricketers, the questions had to be asked.Four times Dhoni was asked to share his views on the alleged corruption issue. ‘What do you have to say about spot-fixing? Has there been an impact on players going into the Champions Trophy?’ ‘As the leader of the Indian cricket fraternity, why isn’t that we’ve not heard from you so far?’ ‘Can you guarantee Indian cricket fans that during the Champions Trophy, there will be no mischief on the field?’ ‘Do you know Vindoo Dara Singh personally?’Baba waited for each question to be completed before fending it off by saying, “next question, please.” Almost on every occasion, Dhoni’s face turned blank. Only once did he react with his trademark grin.This was in stark contrast to a usual Dhoni press conference that often ends up as a light-hearted interaction. But considering that Indian cricket is going through one of its most tumultuous phases that’s resulted in arrests of players, bookies, film actors and the BCCI president’s son-in-law, everyone who had congregated at a five-star hotel next to Mumbai’s international airport knew this was not going to be the usual freewheeling chat.Dhoni had evaded questions during the last week of the IPL at least three times, even skipping what used be a mandatory pre-match press conference for captains on the eve of the final. However, with the Indian team set to depart for England for participating in the last edition of the Champions Trophy, he had to face the media on Tuesday evening.Finally, a seasoned journalist diplomatically asked Dhoni whether the team would enter the Champions Trophy with an extra sense of responsibility – the last question of the interaction.”As cricketers, we always have that extra sense of responsibility with us,” Dhoni said. “It is our job to bring people into the arena and to encourage the youngsters who aspire to take up (cricket) as a livelihood and as professional cricketers. There is a responsibility on us and hopefully we can fulfill it to our potential.”

Wasim Jaffer and Sachin Tendulkar scored centuries to take Mumbai to a position of strength in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Baroda

The Report by Sidharth Monga06-Jan-2013
ScorecardFile photo: Mumbai’s big batsmen came good on big day•ESPNcricinfo LtdThe last time Sachin Tendulkar played first-class cricket in Mumbai, his team fell to arguably its worst defeat in Test cricket. The last time Wasim Jaffer played in Mumbai, he scored a hundred to get his side three points but had to leave midway to tend to his father who had suffered a heart attack. On Sunday in Mumbai, albeit against a limited Baroda attack, normal services resumed as the two scored centuries to take Mumbai to a position of strength in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final.This was Jaffer’s 31st Ranji century, which takes him level with Ajay Sharma as the highest centurions in Ranji Trophy. Jaffer is now just 44 short of reclaiming his record of most runs in Ranji Trophy, which he lost to Andhra’s Amol Muzumdar in the first half of the tournament. Tendulkar, too, took a step towards records. This was his 80th first-class hundred, just one behind Sunil Gavaskar’s Indian record of 81. Also, with 18 centuries in this competition, he is two behind Gavaskar’s 20.The two came together with Mumbai 35 for 2 after choosing to bat first. Jaffer had already survived an lbw decision when South African umpire Adrian Holdstock – part of umpires exchange programme – reprieved him off an inswinger from left-arm quick Gagandeep Singh. Tendulkar squashed all nerves by batting with intent, and racing away to 23 off 32 without taking any risks. A straight drive between the stumps and the non-striker stood out.Tendulkar now settled in for a big innings, and Jaffer began to look comfortable. It was a slow pitch, and scoring was not easy, which showed in how Tendulkar once ended up dragging a lofted shot to cow corner while he intended to hit it straight down the ground. He stopped taking risks then. Jaffer, who cut one wide of Yusuf Pathan at first slip just after lunch, began to score more freely with some beautiful flicks through wide mid-on and midwicket. The two were complimenting each other again.No wicket fell in the middle session as Mumbai went from 77 for 2 at lunch to 193 for 2 at tea. Tendulkar’s strike rate had dropped to around 50, but Jaffer’s had risen to about a run every two balls. Jaffer began the final session not out on 92, and soon made his only mistake of the day after an uncertain start. As he edged a cut off Gagandeep to slip, Baroda’s captain, Yusuf, couldn’t hold on to a fairly simple chance. Jaffer then went on to bring up his century with an exquisite cover-drive off the same bowler.Tendulkar wasn’t far behind, and brought his three figures up with a nudge fine of long leg and scampering for two. A spectator, a middle-aged man, charged onto the field, and embarrassed Tendulkar by insisting to touch his feet in reverence. You could see Tendulkar wasn’t comfortable with the notion, but it seemed he had no choice.Murtuja Vahora, Baroda’s spirited right-arm fast bowler, finally broke through Tendulkar’s defence with a beauty that swung prodigiously in to sneak through the small gap between bat and pad even as Tendulkar strode forward. The off stump went cartwheeling, and Vahora was overjoyed. Jaffer, though, had become even more fluent, ending unbeaten on 137. Nightwatchman Dhawal Kulkarni did his job with an unbeaten 0 off 15 balls.

Stuart Broad, England’s captain, described their final performance as “perfect” as they secured the T20 series 2-1

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Feb-2013England carried out a round tour from the sublime to the ridiculous and back again during the T20 series against New Zealand, which they secured 2-1 with a crushing ten-wicket victory in Wellington. Talk before the match had been of New Zealand comebacks but England produced the the ideal response to defeat in Hamilton, with the captain, Stuart Broad, describing their performance as “perfect” – though he needed to take a deep breath before deciding to insert New Zealand again.The pace bowlers’ use of a short length paid off and England took regular wickets, before Alex Hales and Michael Lumb peppered the boundaries to complete the highest successful chase without losing a wicket in T20 internationals. While in the second match, England’s batsmen struggled against a moving ball under lights, the only swing on offer in Wellington came in the form of another dramatic shift in fortunes between the teams.”All round, it was probably the most powerful [T20] performance I’ve seen from an England side really,” Broad said. “The result, and the way we adapted to the conditions with the ball, was brilliant. The fielding was strong as well, catches being held. It was a pretty perfect performance really.””We know early wickets kill you in Twenty20, so it was great to see the guys take their time and get used to the wicket a little bit for two or three overs … then once Alex Hales got going, it looked hard to stop him. Some of the sixes were huge. Lumby’s almost went out of the ground to finish the game.”Broad accepted responsibility for bowling first in Hamilton but his team justified the decision this time, continuing a run that has seen the chasing side win all five T20 internationals played at the Westpac Stadium. Having taken 4 for 24 in the first match in Auckland – then going for 53 in the second – Broad collected his second-best T20 figures of 3 for 15 to finish the series on a positive personal note ahead of England’s ODI and Test commitments.”After winning the toss and deciding to bowl – it took a little time to make that decision – it was important we put our wrongs right,” Broad said. “We hung into a heavy length, and the way we started with the ball, the tone we set, was fantastic. We probably kept them to 20 or 30 under par. But the power the two openers have shown there was pretty spectacular.”For Brendon McCullum, New Zealand’s captain, it was a return to lauding the opposition after his side was comprehensively outplayed. The batsmen could only manage three sixes in limping to 139 for 8 and then New Zealand’s sloppy series in the field continued as Hales was dropped twice early the England chase.”We were blown off the park tonight. [Our] batting, bowling and fielding was nowhere near the standards they need to be – and England were ruthless, and thoroughly deserved the series victory,” McCullum said. “There was some excellent hitting. We served them up … and I thought we bowled too straight; we weren’t able to get any swing whatsoever.”We were aware, once we were batting, we’d need to get somewhere near 170 – because it would skid on later – to be competitive. But in the end we probably needed 200, the way they played. We were just poor across the board, and they were excellent across the board; hence the gulf between the two teams.”

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.

Mohammad Amir must go through a process of rehabilitation and not focus on the reduction of the ban imposed on him by an ICC tribunal, the ICC chief Haroon Lorgat has said

Nagraj Gollapudi21-Mar-2012Mohammad Amir must go through a process of rehabilitation, including educating himself and others about the perils of corruption, and not focus on the reduction of the ban imposed on him by an ICC tribunal for his involvement in spot-fixing, the ICC chief Haroon Lorgat has said. Lorgat also said the ICC rules do not allow for a reduction of the five-year ban and stressed the importance of respecting the verdict the independent tribunal had reached.In his first statement after returning to Pakistan from England on February 26, Amir had said he would not request the ICC to reduce his ban, which runs until 2015. Lorgat said Amir should start the rehabilitation process by doing the right things.”I would prefer that the starting point should not be about whether we [ICC] could reduce the sentence,” Lorgat told ESPNcricinfo in Mumbai, en route to Sri Lanka where he will release the first batch of tickets for the ICC World Twenty20. “Let that [the reduction of the ban] be the end result of a process of rehabilitation since he has now come clean, if that is indeed the case. Part of the sanction he received from the ICC tribunal was to educate himself and for him to educate others. So let us do all the necessary building blocks before we get to a point where anyone could ask, ‘Does he now deserve a review?'”Amir was released from custody after serving half of his six-month sentence for his involvement in the spot-fixing scandal during the Lord’s Test in 2010. The Crown Prosecution Service had brought charges against Amir, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif under conspiracy to accept corrupt payments and conspiracy to cheat at gambling after a sting operation carried out by the now defunct . Butt and Asif had pleaded not guilty in court but were found guilty in November 2011; Amir pleaded guilty to the charges and did not stand trial. Amir, however, had pleaded not guilty before the ICC’s tribunal in Doha in February 2011.Life could have been different and perhaps easier for Amir, Lorgat said, had he pleaded guilty in front of the ICC tribunal in Doha. Amir had maintained he was innocent at the time. The three-man tribunal – comprising Michael Beloff QC, Sharad Rao and Justice Albie Sachs – banned Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Amir for ten, seven and five years respectively, after finding them guilty of spot-fixing. Amir’s reaction to that decision was that he would appeal the ban in the Court of Arbitration of Sports in Switzerland. He later decided not to appeal.”I find it very unfortunate for Mohammad Amir. We did provide him with lots of opportunities,” Lorgat said, when asked if he was disappointed Amir did not confess in Doha. “The tribunal might have looked at it differently and who knows what decision they could have come to on sanction. It could have been a different story. I am sad for him.”In an interview on Sky TV after his release from custody, Amir said he had been tricked into bowling no-balls to order during the Lord’s Test by his agent Mazhar Majeed and his captain Salman Butt. He said he did not “have the courage” to admit his guilt to the ICC tribunal.Lorgat’s advice for Amir was to not to give up and, “do all the right things.” “Come into the education process and don’t just give up the game,” Lorgat said. “Retain your faith in the future. He must be prepared to tell his story and explain to others what they need to be careful of.”Lorgat felt the ICC, the PCB and Amir, and all other stakeholders, should work together to try and ensure no other player falls prey to corruption. He said Amir could talk, over video, to the players during the ICC Under-19 World Cup to be held in Australia later this year. “If Mohammad Amir stands up and delivers a message of caution about this murky world, people are going to sit up and listen. That is one example of rehabilitation.”

South Africa will play a Gabba Test for the first time in 49 years and Sri Lanka will return to the MCG for their first Boxing Day Test since Muttiah Muralitharan was no-balled for throwing in 1995, as part of Australia’s international schedule for 2012-1

Brydon Coverdale19-Jul-2012South Africa will play a Gabba Test for the first time in 49 years and Sri Lanka will return to the MCG for their first Boxing Day Test since Muttiah Muralitharan was no-balled for throwing in 1995, as part of Australia’s international schedule for 2012-13. The summer will also feature a Twenty20 against Sri Lanka at Sydney’s Olympic Park on January 26, the first time in a decade Adelaide Oval has missed out on hosting the national team on Australia Day.Australia will also play an international in Canberra for the first time, a one-dayer against West Indies, who will visit for a five-match ODI series in February. The one-day tri-series, which was reinstated last summer when India and Sri Lanka competed, has not surprisingly been ditched again, and both Sri Lanka and West Indies will play separate limited-overs series against Australia.The international season will begin at the Gabba on November 9 with the first Test against South Africa, who will then move on to play Tests in Adelaide from November 22 to 26 and Perth from November 30 to December 4. South Africa’s desire to play cricket at home around the Christmas-New Year period meant the only option was to play them earlier in the season.The Gabba match will be South Africa’s first Test in Brisbane since 1963, when Ian Meckiff was no-balled for throwing and Graeme Pollock made his Test debut. Australia have not lost a Test at the Gabba since 1988, when West Indies beat them, and facing Dale Steyn and his colleagues at the venue could provide them with their toughest challenge yet to keep that record alive.Sri Lanka’s three-Test series begins in Hobart on December 14, and it could be an extra special match for the Tasmanian fans. If Ricky Ponting plays all three Tests against South Africa he will be in line to break Steve Waugh’s all-time record of 168 Test appearances for Australia and he will do so at his home ground, Bellerive Oval.Sri Lanka will then play the MCG Boxing Day Test for only the second time, and while the first holds dark memories for the Sri Lankans after Muralitharan’s no-balling, both teams have moved on since then. Ponting is the only man who played in that Test who is likely to be part of this year’s Boxing Day encounter, and the Sri Lankans have enjoyed success at the MCG in the shorter formats over the past few years.The Test summer finishes with the third Test against Sri Lanka, at the SCG from January 3 to 7, before the limited-overs part of the season kicks in. From January 11 to 23, Sri Lanka play five ODIs at the MCG, Adelaide Oval, Gabba, SCG and Bellerive, before two Twenty20 internationals in Sydney on January 26 and Melbourne on January 28.It will be the first time since 2003 that Adelaide Oval has not hosted the national team on Australian Day, a decision that came about largely because the venue is being redeveloped and will have a reduced capacity this summer. Adelaide’s Australia Day tradition is expected to resume when the ground’s redevelopment is complete.The final part of the international summer will consist of five ODIs and a T20 against West Indies from February 1 to 13. As part of Canberra’s centenary celebrations, Manuka Oval will host an ODI on February 6, and the other one-dayers will be held at the WACA, SCG and MCG, before the Gabba finishes the international season with the one-off T20.”Over the last 12 to 24 months we’ve seen some young and exciting talent injected into the Australian men’s team and those changes are starting to reap the rewards of the hard work led by Michael Clarke and Mickey Arthur,” James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia chief executive, said. “The Australian men’s team has a chance to test themselves early in the summer against a very strong South African side and the series is a great way to start the program.”We’re also fortunate to have Sri Lanka back again. They play a very entertaining and attacking style of cricket and as we saw last year have a passionate and vocal fan base around Australia. This year we also return to head-to-head Commonwealth Bank Series and a highlight will be the Australian men’s team first international match in Canberra.”The match is part of a big year of celebrations for Canberra and fans will be spoilt for choice with West Indies playing in the city twice and Sri Lanka once over the course of the summer. The Test and one-day series are again complemented by KFC T20 Internationals, including the Australia Day blockbuster at Sydney Olympic Park that I’m confident will draw a bumper crowd after last year’s first international match at the venue.”Australia’s schedule for 2012-13
Nov 2-4: Australia A v South Africans, Sydney

Nov 9-13: Australia v South Africa, 1st Test, Gabba
Nov 22-26: Australia v South Africa, 2nd Test, Adelaide Oval
Nov 30-Dec 4: Australia v South Africa, 3rd Test, WACA

Dec 6-8: CA Chairman’s XI v Sri Lankans, Manuka Oval, Canberra

Dec 14-18: Australia v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Bellerive Oval
Dec 26-30: Australia v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, MCG
Jan 3-7: Australia v Sri Lanka, 3rd Test, SCG

Jan 11: Australia v Sri Lanka, 1st ODI, MCG
Jan 13: Australia v Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI, Adelaide Oval
Jan 18: Australia v Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI, Gabba
Jan 20: Australia v Sri Lanka, 4th ODI, SCG
Jan 23: Australia v Sri Lanka, 5th ODI, Bellerive Oval

Jan 26: Australia v Sri Lanka, 1st T20I, Sydney Olympic Park
Jan 28: Australia v Sri Lanka, 2nd T20I, MCG

TBC: Prime Minister’s XI v West Indians, Manuka Oval, Canberra

Feb 1: Australia v West Indies, 1st ODI, WACA
Feb 3: Australia v West Indies, 2nd ODI, WACA
Feb 6: Australia v West Indies, 3rd ODI, Manuka Oval, Canberra
Feb 8: Australia v West Indies, 4th ODI, SCG
Feb 10: Australia v West Indies, 5th ODI, MCG

Feb 13: Austalia v West Indies, Only T20I, Gabba

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.

New South Wales overcame a top-order scare to beat Mumbai Indians and keep control over their progress in the tournament

The Report by Siddarth Ravindran02-Oct-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Patrick Cummins hit the 150kph mark while taking 1 for 13•Associated PressNo Australian domestic side has lost to an IPL team in three seasons of the Champions League T20, and that trend continued after New South Wales beat Mumbai Indians in a low-scoring encounter in Chennai. The win not only keeps NSW in the race for the semi-finals but also in control of their own destiny, while Mumbai Indians will have to watch other results to know whether they progress.On a hot and cloudless day, and on a track where the ball kept low and didn’t come on to the bat, each member of NSW’s attack played their part as Mumbai’s batting faltered for the third time in the tournament. Only James Franklin put in a decent effort. Faced with a target of 101, it seemed a straightforward chase, but fast bowler Abu Nechim reduced NSW to 28 for 5 before they got home through Steven Smith and Ben Rohrer’s unbroken 73-run stand.The NSW bowlers made a terrific start with Stuart Clark, four days after his 36th birthday and having reduced his playing responsibilities, showing he had lost none of his old accuracy. Handed the new ball, he didn’t strive for pace and stuck to disciplined bowling to knock over Aiden Blizzard and Ambati Rayudu in his first two overs.Patrick Cummins, who is half Clark’s age, then took over. Hitting 150kph on what was widely expected to be a sluggish track, he showed why he’s being called a superstar in the making, intelligently mixing in the slower ball to befuddle the batsmen. In his first over, he got the key wicket of Kieron Pollard, who looked to bludgeon a full ball over midwicket. In the four overs he and Clark bowled from the fifth to the eighth, only five runs were scored.Much then depended on Andrew Symonds. He has not looked his old effervescent self in this tournament, and he struggled today as well. A charge down the track to swipe Steve O’Keefe ended with the ball crashing into the top of off stump and Mumbai Indians were gasping at 51 or 5 after 12 overs.Franklin, subjected to some criticism before the game over his position at No. 4 in the line-up, cut out the Hollywood strokes his team-mates attempted, preferring to play straight, highlighted by a perfectly timed on-drive off Moises Henriques for four. Even as he lost partners regularly, he kept poking the ball around, ensuring Mumbai Indians at least avoided the ignominy of finishing their innings with a double-digit score.NSW weathered the first over of the chase from the chief threat, Lasith Malinga. It was Nechim, though, who made the big breakthroughs, removing both openers, Shane Watson and David Warner, in his first over. With Malinga then dismissing Simon Katich courtesy a trademark swinging yorker, Daniel Smith nicking Nechim behind after attempting a footwork-less slash, and Henriques picking up a duck on being given lbw to a spinning delivery from Yuzvendra Chahal that pitched outside leg, Mumbai were well and truly in the game.Steven Smith and Rohrer then stabilised the innings and slowly took the game away from Mumbai Indians. With the spinners operating, the batsmen used their feet well to punch the ball for singles. It wasn’t till the 13th over of the chase that the first six of the match was struck, Smith clouting Chahal over midwicket. A Franklin long hop was helped to fine leg for four, a wide Malinga yorker was chopped past point for four more before a bunch of boundaries from Smith settled the match in the 17th over.