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Pakistan wicketkeeper picks up a few batting tips from India batter during pair’s stint at Sussex

Sreshth Shah11-May-2022Among all the batters Mohammad Rizwan has seen or played with, he believes Cheteshwar Pujara is second only to Younis Khan in terms of concentration.Rizwan has been observing Pujara closely, with both players representing Sussex in the ongoing County Championship in England. Last month, Rizwan shared a 154-run partnership with Pujara to help their side to a mammoth first-innings lead against Durham.”In my life, the player with the highest levels of concentration and focus I have seen is Younis ,” Rizwan told . “So No. 1 is Younis . After that, it was Fawad Alam but now Pujara is No. 2 and Fawad Alam No. 3.”Pujara has averaged 143.40 so far this season with four centuries in seven innings, and shared a few tips with Rizwan on how to bat in English conditions.”I try to find out what makes these three guys so good in terms of their focus and concentration,” Rizwan said. “I keep talking to Younis about this. With Fawad, I haven’t talked a lot about this.”With Pujara, I had a chat when I had just come to England and got out a couple of times. He told me a few things, that you should play close to your body. Now it is no secret that we play a lot of white-ball cricket and there we play well away from the body because the white-ball doesn’t swing or seam much and you are always looking for runs.”So here, I got out chasing a couple of wide deliveries early on. Then I sought him out at the nets and he said, ‘in Pakistan or in Asia, we are accustomed to forcing our drives. You cannot force your drives over here. Secondly, you have to play closer to your body.'”It’s a rare occasion for an India international and a Pakistan international to represent the same team, but Rizwan said that it didn’t feel “strange” at all. He also said that outside the international arena, cricketers feel part of a “larger family” and are looking to help each other get better at the game.”Believe me, I haven’t felt strange at all about it [playing alongside Pujara]. I even joke around with him and also tease him a lot. He is a very nice person and his concentration and focus are unreal. If you can learn something from someone else, you must take that opportunity.”The cricket fraternity is like a family for us. But if you are playing for Pakistan and your own brother is playing for Australia, then you will, of course, try to get him out because you are playing for your country. But that fight happens only on the ground. Otherwise, we are like a family. If I say ‘our Virat Kohli’, then I will not be wrong. Or ‘our Pujara’, ‘our Smith’ or ‘our Root’, because we all are one family.”Like Hasan Ali said that when he meets James Anderson, he would try to learn something from him. It just means we are all part of one family and we share knowledge with each other if it would help someone improve their cricket.”

The former captain suffered a grade one tear to his calf muscle during training

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2017Sri Lanka allrounder Angelo Mathews has been ruled out of the first Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi later this month with a calf strain. He had sustained the injury during training on Tuesday, before undergoing scans on Wednesday.SLC cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha confirmed Mathews’ unavailability.This is the latest in a long history of leg injuries for Mathews – the last 12 months having been particularly problematic. He had suffered a torn hamstring during Sri Lanka’s tour of South Africa in January, and did not play international cricket again until June. He had also missed a tri-series in Zimbabwe late last year due to “multiple injuries” in his legs.Given the recurrence of these injuries, Mathews’ workload has been closely managed over the last few months. In fact, he was only required to deliver a few overs per game in the ODIs against India, and did not bowl at all in the Tests. Nevertheless, he finds himself unable to play again, just as Sri Lanka attempt to put the torrid series against India behind them. Mathews had been excellent during Sri Lanka’s last Test series the UAE, in 2013-14, hitting 412 runs at an average of 103.Sri Lanka’s two-Test series against Pakistan begins on September 28 in Abu Dhabi. The second match will be a day-night Test, in Dubai.

Queensland build a dominant lead as Tasmania only managed three wickets all day

AAP07-Oct-2022Marnus Labuschagne appears to have lost little of his batting appetite over the winter after the Test run-machine opened his Sheffield Shield season with a century for Queensland against Tasmania on Friday.Labuschagne scored 127 in a controlled innings that lifted Queensland to 4 for 357, a hefty 210 runs clear of the visitors’ 147 at the midway point of the match at Allan Border Field in Brisbane.There were runs also for fellow Test batter Usman Khawaja and former Australian opener Joe Burns.Only one wicket fell in the opening two sessions as Tasmania’s bowlers found life much harder than it seemed to be on day one for the Queensland attack.Burns and Labuschagne put on 148 for the second wicket after Queensland resumed at their overnight 1 for 24.
As always, Labuschagne looked capable of batting all day only to be trapped lbw by former Test stalwart Peter Siddle. After shouldering arms at a Siddle inswinger, Labuschagne bizarrely seemed to be walking off before the umpire had raised his finger to confirm the dismissal. Labuschagne’s 24th first-class century included 19 boundaries and a six.It was a hard day’s toil for Tasmania’s attack who, though limiting the home side to just 2.5 runs an over during the opening session, created few wicket-taking opportunities.Former Australian Test skipper Tim Paine collected three catches at the wicket in his return to the game. The third was Queensland’s only failure of the day as Jack Clayton fell for a third-ball duck off the bowling of Riley Meredith.

The three games will be played in Edinburgh on July 27, 29 and 31

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Mar-2022Scotland will host New Zealand in July 2022 for two T20Is and a one-off ODI after New Zealand finish their tour of Ireland on July 22 in Belfast. The three matches in Scotland will be played at the Grange in Edinburgh, on July 27, 29 and 31.Scotland and New Zealand last faced each other in the Super 12s stage of the T20 World Cup last year when Scotland scared their opponents by falling just 16 runs short while chasing 173.”We are excited to welcome the BLACKCAPS to our shores this summer,” Scotland head coach Shane Burger said. “We want to keep challenging ourselves versus ICC Full Members and New Zealand are up there as one of the best.”Having reached both of the most recent T20 and 50 over ICC world cup finals, they have proven to be the most consistent team across all formats of the game in recent years.”We have 12 international ODIs to be played prior to the New Zealand series and so the squad are training well and looking forward to a busy 2022.”New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said touring Scotland would be a “great occasion” for his team.”Over the past decade we’ve seen Scotland improve as a cricketing nation and develop into a force in international cricket,” Stead said. “Having played there personally myself at Brechin Cricket Club, I know how passionate the people are about the game and I have no doubt they will be eagerly looking forward to this tour.”Playing against associate teams as a major nation is a really important part of helping them grow and that growth can only benefit the world game long term.”Cricket Scotland is likely to announce further information on the tickets and crowd in mid-April.New Zealand will fly to the UK in May-end for the three Tests against England in June, followed by the three ODIs and as many T20Is starting July 10, before they head to Scotland.

Australia’s attack shared the wickets around with Alana King impressing on debut

Andrew McGlashan28-Jan-2022Heather Knight almost single-handedly kept England afloat in Canberra with a magnificent century which frustrated Australia’s attempts to secure a big lead in their bid to retain the Ashes.England were in danger of not saving the follow-on when they lost their eighth wicket with 19 runs still needed, but Sophie Ecclestone stayed with Knight as she brought up her second Test hundred and then carried her team past the initial target of 188. The 127 that Knight closed on equaled Smriti Mandhana as the highest innings by a visiting female batter in Australia.To emphasise the domination of Knight’s performance, the next highest score in England’s innings was Ecclestone’s vital, unbeaten 27 at No. 10. The pair took advantage of the extra hardness of the second new ball and some weary bowlers with 37 runs coming off the last seven overs of the day. The ninth-wicket stand extended to 65 and took them through to the close with the opportunity to further eat into Australia’s lead. After two days, Knight had been on the field for all but 2.1 overs of the match.With bowling again removed as an option for Australia, the onus may come onto what size of target they want to set England although the visitors will hope to apply pressure with the ball. The forecast is not good for Saturday which may cut into the time available and Australia do not have the same urgency to win the Test given they hold the points lead in the series.It was a wonderfully-constructed hundred from Knight, whose previous Test century came at Wormsley in 2013 when England were in a similarly difficult position. Initially the innings was studded with superb cover drives, one which took her to her fifty, then her full array of sweeps were on show against the spinners. She also struck her first Test six when she sent Ashleigh Gardner over deep midwicket.Australia’s bowling success was shared around with the seamers getting the ball rolling, including maiden Test wickets for Darcie Brown and Annabel Sutherland, before the spinners started to chip in which included a first scalp for Alana King who sent down a long spell of well-controlled legspin during the afternoon and evening.Meg Lanning had declared when Australia lost their ninth wicket with them adding just 10 runs to their overnight total. Katherine Brunt claimed the two wickets, including a fantastic delivery to take the top of Sutherland’s off stump, which completed the third five-wicket haul of her career.Brown soon provided the breakthrough with her first Test wicket when she lured Lauren Winfield-Hill into a drive which was neatly held by Beth Mooney at second slip.Ellyse Perry, during a seven-over opening spell, then found a way past Tammy Beaumont as the tactics of targeting the pads paid off when a delivery nipped back to beat the inside edge and take the back leg. Beaumont reviewed but it was three reds.However, despite the two wickets Australia could have bowled better overall before lunch with the batters not made to play often enough. Brown operated with good pace but was too wide either side of claiming her wicket while Tahlia McGrath didn’t settle from either end across two spells and also had no-ball problems, of which she was not alone among the pace bowlers.But Australia continued to take key top-order wickets against an England line-up that had gone in a batter light compared to their previous Test against India last year. Sutherland found the inside edge of Nat Sciver early in the second session with a delivery that nipped back sharply to claim her first Test wicket and when Sophia Dunkley chopped against Perry it was 79 for 4.Knight continued to stand out, peppering the off side with a series of well-timed drives, to extend a fine record at Manuka Oval but struggled for support. Amy Jones had briefly offered a counterattack in a period that brought England four boundaries in six balls, but she then got a top edge against a short-of-a-length delivery and Brown took a running catch from mid-on.King’s first Test wicket came when she beat Brunt with a delivery that skidded on and she also found significant turn with her leg-break which suggested a big role to play if Australia are to force victory.Debutant Charlie Dean hung around for 40 balls alongside Knight before picking out deep midwicket the delivery after Rachael Haynes had almost managed to kick the ball up and take a parried chance at short leg. Anya Shrubsole played a poor stroke against the lightly-bowled Jess Jonassen, but there was no shifting the England captain in one of the great Ashes displays.

Former Queensland wicketkeeper Wade Seccombe has been appointed as the state’s new coach after his predecessor Phil Jaques last month announced he was returning to New South Wales

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jun-2017Former Queensland wicketkeeper Wade Seccombe has been appointed as the state’s new coach after his predecessor Phil Jaques last month announced he was returning to New South Wales.Seccombe played 115 first-class matches until his retirement in 2005 and was Queensland’s all-time leader for wicketkeeping dismissals across all formats until overtaken last summer by Chris Hartley. He also toured England with Australia’s Ashes squad in 2001 as the backup gloveman to Adam Gilchrist.Since his retirement as a player, Seccombe has served as Queensland Youth coach, as an assistant coach to Darren Lehmann at Queensland and the Brisbane Heat, and was called into national service as Australia’s fielding coach on their 2011 tour of Bangladesh. Last year, Seccombe was appointed to the Queensland Cricket board, a position from which he has stepped down to take on the coaching role.”Wade had an enviable record and gilt-edged reputation as a player, for his skill level as an individual and his dedication to the team environment,” Queensland Cricket CEO Max Walters said. “After his playing career finished, he made the decision to establish himself in business where again, he has been successful.”Phil Jaques and his coaching and support staff have put in a significant amount of work to lay the foundations for the future and I am sure the players will appreciate that effort when Wade takes on the role as head coach in a few weeks.”

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Oct-2017Piyush Chawla’s nine-for gave Gujarat a bonus-point win as they beat Jammu and Kashmir by an innings and 64 runs in Surat. Sixteen wickets fell on the day where the hosts bundled J&K out for 130 in their second innings, with contributions from Hardik Patel (5-49) and Chawla (4-38), after getting bowled out for 455 earlier in the day.In the morning, Manprit Juneja converted his overnight score of 66 to bring up his seventh first-class century. He led the charge with his 150-run fifth-wicket stand with Chirag Gandhi (86) and lifted Gujarat to a 400-plus score post lunch.In reply to Gujarat’s first-innings lead of 194 runs, J&K had a shaky start as they lost their openers Ahmed Bandy (5) and Shubham Khajuria (17) within the first eight overs. With minimal resistance from the lower middle-order trio of captain Parvez Rasool (24), Bandeep Singh (24) and Ram Dayal (29), J&K failed to recover as Harshal and Chawla ran through the line-up to bundle them out in 34.4 overs. The win was Gujarat’s second in a row.Jalaj Saxena’s all-round show gave Kerala a 309-run lead over Rajasthan in Thiruvananthapuram. His eight-for trounced the visitors as they were bowled out for 243 in their first innings, and later in the day, brought up his 12th first-class century, along with an unbeaten third-wicket partnership with Sanju Samson (72*). Saxena became only the third man in Ranji history to take eight wickets in an innings and score a ton in the same match.Kerala lost Vishnu Vinod (8) and Rohan Prem (24) early in their second innings, but the century-stand between Saxena and Samson took them from 58 for 2 to 217 at stumps.Haryana face the prospect of an innings defeat against Jharkhand in Ranchi, after they finished the day trailing by 76 with only six wickets in hand. Jharkhand had declared on 425 for 9 earlier in the day after Ishank Jaggi’s 135 and a lower-order charge from Shahbaz Nadeem (70).In their second innings, Haryana suffered a top-order collapse as they lost their first three batsmen within nine overs, with Nadeem picking the wickets of Shubham Rohilla (0) and Chaitanya Bishnoi (11). Rajat Paliwal (44*) and Rahul Dagar (64) led the middle-order resistance as they took Haryana from 31 for 3 to 141 for 4. Dagar gave away his wicket shortly before stumps.

The 22-day tournament will feature 16 teams and will be played between January 13 and February 3

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Aug-2017Defending champions West Indies will begin their 2018 Under-19 World Cup campaign against hosts New Zealand in Tauranga on January 13, the opening day of the tournament. West Indies and New Zealand have been placed in Group A, along with South Africa and the Africa qualifier, Kenya. Tauranga will also host the tournament final, on February 3.

2018 Under-19 World Cup pools

• Group A: West Indies, South Africa, New Zealand, Kenya

• Group B: India, Zimbabwe, Australia, PNG

• Group C: Bangladesh, England, Namibia, Canada

• Group D: Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Ireland

Sixteen teams will participate in the 2018 edition, including the five qualifiers – Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Canada, Afghanistan and Ireland. The ten Test teams [prior to Afghanistan and Ireland’s elevation] and Namibia, who finished as the best Associate team in the 2016 edition, had gained automatic qualification.Runners-up of 2016 and three-time champions India, who blanked England 5-0 in the recently-concluded series, have been slotted into Group B with Zimbabwe, Australia and Papua New Guinea. Australia will make their return to the tournament, having pulled out of the 2016 edition in Bangladesh due to security concerns.Bangladesh, who were semi-finalists in 2016, will compete with England, Namibia and Canada in Group C. Two-time champions Pakistan and 2016 semi-finalists Sri Lanka are in Group D with Afghanistan and Ireland.The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super League, while the remaining eight teams will feature in the Plate competition. Twenty matches, including the Super League quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final, will be televised, with the final scheduled to be played at the Bay Oval in Tauranga. Both Super League semi-finals will be held at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval.The 11th edition of the Under-19 World Cup will be played across seven venues in four cities – Whangarei, Tauranga, Christchurch and Queenstown – over 22 days. This is the third time the tournament is being held in New Zealand, after 2002 and 2010.

A round-up of the Group A matches in the WICB Regional Super 50 2016-17 played on February 6, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Feb-2017Leeward Islands moved a step closer to clinching a spot in the semi-finals of the Regional Super50 with an eight-wicket win over West Indies Under-19 at North Sound on Monday. West Indies Under-19 were bowled out for 78 in 45.3 overs, 20 of which were maidens, after being sent in before Montcin Hodge and Jahmar Hamilton’s unbeaten 72-run third-wicket stand clinched victory with one ball left in the 17th over.Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein did most of the damage with the ball for Leewards, finishing with figures of 4 for 8 in ten overs with five maidens. Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph plucked out the first two wickets, getting Shian Brathwaite and Emmanuel Stewart caught behind to make it 13 for 2. Hosein then ripped through the middle order to claim the next four wickets to make it 34 for 6. Captain Kirstan Kallicharan accounted for nearly half of West Indies Under-19’s runs, scoring 33 at No. 6 before he was ninth out to left-arm spinner Jason Campbell with the score on 78 and Campbell cleaned up the tail for the last wicket with nothing added to the total.Monday’s results meant that West Indies Under-19 are the first team eliminated from semi-finals contention in either group. Leewards can clinch a semi-finals spot with a win in either of their final two group games against Trinidad & Tobago or Windward Islands. They can also qualify if Kent lose any of its final three group games against Trinidad & Tobago, Windward Islands or West Indies Under-19.Trinidad & Tobago created an eight-point cushion over Kent for second place on the Group A table with a 32-run win over Windward Islands at Coolidge. Despite a 104-run opening stand between Evin Lewis and Kyle Hope, Windwards held T & T to 214 after sending them in, but could only manage 182 in reply.Lewis propelled T&T early by dominating the opening stand with Hope, scoring 75 off 69 balls with 11 boundaries. Hope (29) and Nicholas Alexis (46) combined for another 75 as the top three accounted for the bulk of T&T’s total. Denesh Ramdin was the only other batsman to reach double-figures, making 22 before he was dismissed by Kesrick Williams at the end of the 43rd over to make it 180 for 4. His wicket sparked a rapid collapse as T&T lost their last seven wickets for just 34 runs and they couldn’t last all 50 overs, bowled out in 47.5 as Williams, Shane Shillingford and Kavem Hodge took three wickets apiece.Man of the Match Shannon Gabriel helped pin down Windwards’ reply, taking two wickets with the new ball while Rayad Emrit and Khary Pierre struck once each in the space of three balls to make it 43 for 4 in the 15th over. Sunil Ambris resuscitated the chase, continuing his superb tournament with his fifth half-century in six matches. Ambris added 58 with Hodge (27) and another 50 with captain Liam Sebastien.Gabriel though struck a controversial blow two balls into the 41st, claiming Sebastien leg-before, playing back to a good length ball which replays showed had pitched six inches outside leg stump to the left-handed Sebastien with Gabriel bowling over the wicket. With the tail exposed, Gabriel and Ravi Rampaul brought a swift end to play. Kyle Mayers fished an edge-behind off Rampaul for the seventh wicket before a pair of catches on the boundary by Alexis put T&T one away from victory which Gabriel sealed by bowling Williams with a full and straight ball two deliveries into the 47th, leaving Ambris stranded on 75. Gabriel’s 5 for 33 was his maiden five-for in List A cricket and he did it in just 50 balls delivered.A win for Trinidad & Tobago over Kent in their next match would clinch semi-final spots for both T & T and Leewards. Windwards are still mathematically alive, but need a pair of bonus point wins over Leeward Islands and Kent in their final two games, combined with three losses by Trinidad & Tobago and another Kent loss to West Indies Under-19.

Australia’s coach and selector Darren Lehmann said Nathan Lyon’s performance in the third Test in Sydney was “the best he’s bowled for a long period of time” and bodes well for their upcoming tour

Brydon Coverdale07-Jan-2017Two Tests into Australia’s summer, Nathan Lyon’s position appeared to be in jeopardy. The interim chairman of selectors, Trevor Hohns, hinted ahead of the Adelaide Test against South Africa that had Steve O’Keefe not suffered a calf injury shortly before the squad was selected, he may well have taken the place of the struggling Lyon. Fast forward four Tests and Lyon is earning nothing but praise from within the Australian camp.If he was not exactly a match-winner at the SCG, he was at least a very valuable contributor, picking up five wickets in the victory. And with a four-Test tour of India beginning next month, Australia’s selectors are pleased to see Lyon returning to something close to his best. At the SCG, he often bowled in tandem with left-armer O’Keefe in what could be a preview of Australia’s spin attack for the India tour.”I thought Nathan was very good in Melbourne and brilliant in this Test match,” coach and selector Darren Lehmann said. “That’s the best he’s bowled for a long period of time. I think he’ll admit that. He used his variation really well, bowled well to right and left-handers, bowled over and around, and chopped and changed, which was really pleasing.”Sometimes he gets into the one way, he just wants to bowl over the wicket all the time. He was exceptional in this game and bowled really well. I’m looking forward to that sort of combination going to India.”Ashton Agar, who was part of Australia’s squad for the Sydney Test but was not included in the XI, also has a strong chance of being picked in the touring party. However, Lehmann also said that Victoria’s spin-bowling allrounder Glenn Maxwell would be another contender for a place in what is likely to be an expanded squad to cover for all eventualities.”He’ll certainly come under consideration with India coming up,” Lehmann said on ABC Radio on Saturday morning. “We know he plays spin bowling well and offers that extra dimension, and is a gun fielder. We want to see him make runs, and he’s had a reasonable start to the BBL. That’s the challenge for him, to keep going, and then hopefully [earn a place] in the one-day squad.”Glenn Maxwell, whose last Test was in 2014, could make a return to Australia’s scheme of things for the tour of India•Getty Images

Whichever spinners make the cut for Australia, they will need quickly to work out that bowling in India requires a very different approach compared to Australian pitches that offer plenty of bounce. Although Lyon was Australia’s leading wicket-taker on the 2013 tour of India, with 15 at 37.33, he had been dropped after leaking runs in the first Test in Chennai.”Nathan Lyon, at the moment, I think he is bowling very well,” Pakistan’s captain, Misbah-ul-Haq, said. “But if you compare Australian conditions with the Indian conditions, or any Asian conditions, there is difference of bounce, which normally spinners get in Australia. That’s why I think when our spinners come here, it is difficult for them because they have to get used to these conditions and utilize that bounce in their favour.”When the bowlers from here go to Asia, they find it difficult to utilize these sort of turning tracks, because there, under-cutter bowlers who bowl quicker are effective. Bowlers who bowl overspin and bowl slower normally get thrashed. It will be difficult for them. I think they can [do well], it’s about adjusting yourself to the conditions. The biggest challenge will be India’s strong batting line-up. They’re batting beautifully in their own conditions.”Australia’s batsmen will also face a significant challenge in India. The squad will spend two weeks in Dubai ahead of the tour, training on turning pitches at the ICC’s Academy and playing an unofficial three-day game there in an effort to acclimatise to Asian conditions. They then head to Mumbai for a tour match ahead of the first Test in Pune, which begins from February 23.”It’ll be a pretty tough camp,” Lehmann said of the Dubai leg of the journey. “Batting long periods of time is going to be the key. I think Alastair Cook summed it up really well on their tour, where they didn’t bat long enough. They got decent scores but still didn’t bat long enough. That’s going to be a challenge for the group.”We batted 135 overs in this first innings – we need to bat 150-plus in India, to post a big, big total. It’s a great challenge for the group going forward. They’re fit and strong, so they should be able to bat long periods of time.”