Tamim Iqbal was a genius to retire and un-retire

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Plus, Alex Carey is a secret agent, and Bazball is a doomsday cult

Alan Gardner14-Jul-2023It was the bucket hats that should have warned us. England’s players rocked up for the start of the summer looking like they had just returned from a music festival, complete with the wide-eyed intensity that comes from having spent all night sitting in a muddy field discussing the healing power of, say, crystals or Test match scoring rates of 4.50 RPO and above.Bazball is many things – including golf and living your best life – but there’s always been a hint of rock’n’roll around its iconoclastic approach. While John Lennon famously declared the Beatles bigger than Jesus, Ben Stokes’ England are coming in more like the Stone Roses shortly after the release of their eponymous debut album. “I am the resurrection,” sang Ian Brown, to which England have simply tagged on “of Test cricket” and continued shuffling around and bopping their heads to the tunes on Brendon McCullum’s boom box.Brown, of course, was most recently in the news for spouting conspiracy theories around the Covid vaccine, which tells you a bit about the dangers for those of a messianic persuasion. And after a psychedelic couple of weeks for the Ashes, some might be beginning to worry about how much of a headache the inevitable post-Baz comedown is going to be for English cricket.Related

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How Tamim Iqbal's un-retirement unfolded

Why Baz is more of a cricket god than you think

The near-diplomatic incident at Lord’s over Jonny Bairstow’s stumping was another moment for those charting the journey from inspirational sportsters sportsing their hearts out to doomsday cult ready to barricade themselves in for the final firefight. As Stokes and McCullum spoke to their post-match interlocutors with glassy-eyed zeal about the spirit of cricket, the logical thought was: what level of proof is this spirit and did somebody mix it into the dressing-room Kool Aid?Meanwhile, down in the Long Room, some MCC members had started behaving like they’d just got back from whatever the shoes-and-slacks equivalent of a rave is, attempting to twist the melon of any passing Australian – thereby adding to the increasing number of legitimate reasons people have for wanting to knock the old ground down and replace it with a community outreach project.Alex Carey’s role in all this should not be underestimated. Carey is like one of those CIA agents sent undercover in the 1970s to infiltrate the counterculture movement, sowing confusion and discord at every turn (including, allegedly, on trips to the barbers). Perhaps Australia’s wicketkeeper succeeded in flipping his opposite number, with Bairstow wandering blindly out of his crease as a message to the authorities that he is ready to come in. Some might argue that pretty much his entire output during the series has been a cry for help.Either way, what goes up must come down – as anyone who has accidently set fire to their tent at Glastonbury and spent the rest of the night with their head between their ankles knows. And if the Bazball Ashes reduces the English game to rubble in the process, at least it would mean not having to watch the Hundred. Now that’s a suicide pact the Light Roller could sign up to!

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Meanwhile, more signs that woke nonsense has infiltrated Australia’s cricket culture. After defeat to England in the second T20I, at The Oval last week, Australia captain Alyssa Healy shockingly revealed: “We’re allowed to lose games of cricket.” As if that wasn’t enough baggy-green blasphemy for one evening, she added: “It’s the game of cricket. You win some, you lose some.” Rumours that none of the England players were invited to prepare for “broken f***ing arms”, and that some of Healy’s team-mates don’t even drink beer, are yet to be confirmed – but a CA-commissioned review can’t be far away.

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July 5: Bangladesh lose first ODI against Afghanistan by 17 runs (DLS method).July 6: Tamim Iqbal makes tearful retirement announcement. “This is the end for me. I have given my best. I have tried my best. I am retiring from international cricket from this moment.”July 7: Tamim reverses decision after meeting with Bangladesh’s prime minister, Sheikh Hasina. “The honourable prime minister invited me to her residence this afternoon. We had a long discussion after which she instructed me to return to cricket. I am withdrawing my retirement.”July 8: Bangladesh, led by Litton Das, lose second ODI by 142 runs. Which is certainly an elaborate way to ensure that Afghanistan’s first bilateral ODI series win over Bangladesh doesn’t go against your captaincy record, but fair play to Tamim. That, people, is what they call 4D chess.

South Africa smash England's World Cup six-hitting record

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The best batting team of the tournament posts another 350-plus total in the World Cup

Sampath Bandarupalli01-Nov-202382 Sixes hit by South Africa in seven matches in this tournament, the most by a team in a men’s ODI World Cup. They surpassed England’s 76 sixes in 11 matches in the 2019 World Cup.10.2 Sixes per ODI by South Africa in 2023, the best hit-rate for a team in a year (min: 100 sixes). They have hit 194 sixes in 19 ODIs this year, the second most in ODIs, behind the 209 by West Indies in 28 matches in 2019.8 Consecutive 300-plus totals by South Africa while batting first in ODIs. It is the longest streak in men’s ODIs, bettering the seven by Australia in 2007 and England in 2019.ESPNcricinfo Ltd4 South Africa’s 350-plus totals in this tournament, the most in a men’s ODI World Cup. They now have nine totals of 350-plus runs in all World Cups, which is the joint highest alongside Australia.4 Quinton de Kock’s hundreds in this tournament. He is only the third batter with four or more centuries in a ODI World Cup, after Kumar Sangakkara (four in 2015) and Rohit Sharma (five in 2019).545 Runs by de Kock in this World Cup, the first batter to score 500-plus in a men’s ODI World Cup for South Africa, surpassing Jacques Kallis’ 485 in 2007. His tally is also the highest for a wicketkeeper in an ODI World Cup, overtaking Sangakkara’s 541 in 2015.2 Double-century stands between de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen in this tournament. They are only the second pair with two partnerships of 200-plus runs in the men’s ODI World Cup, after Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga.ESPNcricinfo Ltd8 Hundreds by South African batters in this World Cup – de Kock (4), van der Dussen (2), Aiden Markram (1) and Heinrich Klaasen (1). These are the joint-most hundreds for a team in a men’s ODI World Cup, level with Sri Lanka’s eight in 2015.357 for 4 South Africa’s total in Pune is their highest in men’s ODIs against New Zealand, surpassing the 324 for 4 in 2000 in Centurion.1999 The last instance of South Africa winning a World Cup game against New Zealand before their 190-run win in Pune on Wednesday. From 2003 to 2019, they lost all five matches against New Zealand at the World Cup.190 The margin of New Zealand’s defeat is their second-biggest at the World Cup. Their worst defeat is by 215 runs against Australia in 2007.ESPNcricinfo Ltd9 Number of ODIs won by South Africa in 2023 by 100 or more runs, the most such wins for any team in a calendar year, surpassing the eight by Pakistan in 1999. South Africa have won by 100-plus runs margin in each of their last eight ODIs where they batted first.

Bangladesh could have done without constantly shuffling batting order, admits Shanto

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Regular captain Shakib Al Hasan and the team management had defended the decision on previous occasions

Mohammad Isam11-Nov-2023Bangladesh stand-in captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has said the team would have been better without the constant rejigging of the batting order in the World Cup. This admission from a Bangladesh team member has come at the end of Bangladesh’s dim campaign, after regular captain Shakib Al Hasan and the management had defended the decision on previous occasions.Bangladesh changed their line-up for almost every game in the tournament. Past the two openers, Litton Das and Tanzid Hasan, it was too fluid. “To be honest, it is better if we don’t (shuffle the batting order) anymore,” Shanto said after the loss against Australia. “Sometimes you have to do (shuffle) against certain teams, according to their strengths. But I think the less we do it, (the better). There was a lot of (shuffling) in the World Cup but it was done with a positive intent. If we don’t do it at all, even better.”Related

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The Bangladesh management had put a lot of faith in someone like Mehidy Hasan Miraz, whose surprising batting form led to his being shuttled up and down the order. While there was merit in using him to disrupt the opposition’s plans, it led to other more established players batting out of position. The move did not always pay off either, especially against better bowling attacks. He played at No. 3 against Afghanistan, New Zealand and Netherlands, displacing Shanto, whose success with the bat in all formats in the 12 months leading into the World Cup was all at No. 3.The likes of Towhid Hridoy and Shakib too didn’t have fixed batting positions. Hridoy was groomed as an ODI No. 5 and had been playing in the position since his debut earlier this year, but he mostly batted at No. 7 in this World Cup. His best innings came against Australia, when he was sent in at No. 4.Earlier in the tournament, Shanto himself had defended the tactics, saying the players were “comfortable with it”Assistant coach Nic Pothas, too, had explained that such changes were part of “modern cricket”. After Bangladesh went down to Netherlands in Kolkata, Shakib offered very little when asked why the in-form Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim were still batting down the order. Only after that loss did Bangladesh choose stability over experimentation, a move which is understood to have come about because the BCB president Nazmul Hasan had sent instruction to stop the shuffling.Even so, head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe said before the Sri Lanka game that batting in ODIs wasn’t dependent on batters’ positions but the time they came in to bat.The likes of Mahmudullah and Towhid Hridoy also played out of position in the World Cup•ICC via Getty ImagesThe batting order shuffle was not the only reason for Bangladesh’s underwhelming World Cup campaign. Shanto pointed out their inability to convert starts into big scores, and their struggles adapting from the slow and low pitches back home to the ones in India where the pace and bounce was a little truer.In the Pune match against Australia, Hridoy top-scored with 74, while rest of the other six specialist batters could not convert their starts. Shanto said that when the top-order doesn’t fire, it puts the rest of the batters under more pressure.”I don’t want to talk about individual players,” Shanto said. “We didn’t do well as a team. The top-order batters had more opportunities. If we had big scores from the top, we could have been in better positions. We are hopeful they will get big scores in the future.”Litton (Das) , (Tanzid Hasan) Tamim and myself all got starts. We couldn’t capitalise on most of them. Our target in the future is to make use of these starts. We are saying it again and again, but we have to do it. We need to practice accordingly. Play on certain types of wickets. I am hopeful that this World Cup will help us in the future.”Shanto himself has not had a great World Cup, especially compared to his pre-tournament form. He made 222 runs at 27.75 with just two fifties and bagged two first-ball ducks. However, in not sugarcoating either his own or his team’s performances, Shanto has shown the kind of straight talk that a good leader is known for. The BCB high-ups are considering him for Test captaincy later this month.”We couldn’t win either of the matches that I captained,” he said. “There was pressure to handle against two big teams. I think there was a lot to learn, which will help me in the future. I have been leading teams for a while now. I think personally I am ready (for captaincy). If the opportunity presents itself, I will try to do it well.”

Ben Duckett demolishes India demons in match-altering onslaught

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Thrilling century included key joust with Ashwin, who tormented him on 2016 tour

Vithushan Ehantharajah16-Feb-20242:42

Manjrekar: England template has allowed Duckett to bat freely

As soon as India were bowled out for 445, thoughts immediately turned to which England batter would be R Ashwin’s 500th victim. That, after all, was what most of those in the ground were here for.By leaving the second Test in Visakhapatnam with 499, Ashwin gave everyone 10 days’ notice. Rajkot had the honour of hosting the grand occasion, with enough time for the invites to go out and RSVPs to be returned, decorations to be sorted and caterers hired. With everything set, all that was left was the “batter reveal” – who would get to be unlucky No.500? And, really, how could you have looked past the bloke Ashwin had dismissed five times in seven innings, and twice already this series?Three hours later, however, Ashwin followed that bloke – Ben Duckett – off the field at the close of day two. Ashwin had indeed claimed that one precious wicket, Zak Crawley, albeit for the concession of 37 runs in seven overs. Duckett, meanwhile, had 133 from just 118 balls in his back pocket. This might have been Ashwin’s party, but Duckett had taken the cake.It was an oversight from Rohit Sharma to only bring Ashwin on against Duckett when the opener had 55. Not just because of the last few weeks but also because of their history, dating back to England’s 2016-17 tour.Duckett has long made his peace with his chastening experience seven years ago of averaging six from three innings. He arrived this time around with the phlegmatic perspective that, of course, Ashwin would get him a few more times. But he is better equipped to give a bit back. And how.The tale between the two was of 28 runs scored off 27 balls. Duckett’s first of four boundaries against Ashwin was a good-length delivery turning into middle and off, swept way in front of square, with the front pad comfortably outside leg. The next boundary was arguably the shot of the day: Duckett pushing onto the back foot and playing a turning delivery off the surface, threading it through wide mid-on. It was a ball he would have fearfully pressed forward to back in 2016.Duckett brought up his hundred off 88 balls•Getty ImagesThe real kicker came when the last half of Ashwin’s penultimate over was taken for 13. A slog-sweep for six over cow corner was followed by another slap for four through the same region. It was at that point Ashwin took a backward step, moving the man from point to plug the gap.A flatter straighter ball was then flicked around the corner to take Duckett to 92. The evening session drinks break came and Ashwin was hooked, eventually reintroduced for the final over of the day. He thought he had his man lbw three deliveries from the end, only for DRS to confirm the ball had pitched outside leg stump.”I would have really loved to bowl at him when he was on nought, and not on 60, 70 runs,” a frustrated Ashwin said at stumps. “He’s a very different player to bowl at when he’s on 60-70 for sure.”A couple of shots that he hit, like the slog-sweeps, were really, really special. But again, like I said, Ben Duckett is a phenomenal talent in England. Credit to him, he’s made a wonderful hundred today. I wanted to clap but the hardcore competitor in me didn’t allow me to clap. Very happy for Ben, but nevertheless come the next time around I will try to take him on. That’s just who I am.”Demons like Ashwin are hard to exorcise, particularly when they happen to be an off-spinner who is statistically the most prolific bowler in history against your type (249 of his 500 dismissals have been against left-handers). But winning them over, even for one day, is the next best option.Sure, Duckett would have felt sweet liberation had he reached his century off Ashwin. He did at least send him to fetch the gorgeous on-drive off Mohammad Siraj that took him to a third Test hundred off just 88 deliveries. Not that Duckett noticed, fist-pumping as soon as he realised it was on its way to the sponge, looking to the heavens before saluting a dressing-room chuffed that one who plays so selflessly was getting his moment in the sun.He reached the close of day two on 133 off 118 balls•Getty ImagesIt’s important to state this was much more than Duckett versus Ashwin. This was Duckett versus India. Duckett versus the situation. Duckett versus perception. Duckett versus the past.A mammoth first innings cast a deep shadow over England, yet Duckett’s work – providing more than 64 percent of their overnight 207 for 2 – has given them a glimpse of light, trailing by just 238 going into day three. India’s 119 runs ground out over 44.5 overs this morning were matched by Duckett alone in just 99 balls.A six-over mini-session before tea offered the rainbows and rain that come with Duckett’s territory. There were four boundaries but also five plays-and-misses – three coming in a single over against Siraj. In any other team you’d have expected a stern word was had at the break, given what followed. But the only message Bazball’s most natural disciple was ever going to get was: “Keep doing you”.And he did. Whether top-spin-forehand-ing Siraj through cover from a tight fourth-stump line, or sweeping and reverse-sweeping Kuldeep Yadav to provide 40 of England’s fifty as early as 8.4 overs, or punching a full ball outside off from Jasprit Bumrah inside mid-on for a 19th boundary to move to 97, this was liquid Duckett.Even Rohit cracked a smile when he switched hands and launched Ravindra Jadeja over the fence at point for his 23rd and final boundary of day two. How do you stop this? It’s worth noting that, through the maelstrom of wrists and forearms, there was an inordinate amount of control. Only 14 of those initial 88 deliveries to get him to three figures were logged by ESPNcricinfo as mis-hits, and none of his first 20 boundaries were edged.Related

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  • Why England started their innings in Rajkot with five runs on the board

Duckett’s record under Ben Stokes right now reads an impressive 1,260 runs at an average of 54.78, scored at a strike rate of 92.24. After a run of six starts between 20 and 48 in his last six knocks, he now has the showpiece innings they promised, with the third fastest recorded Test century by a visiting batter in India. Only Adam Gilchrist (84) and Clive Lloyd (85) managed quicker.Six years prior to his recall to the Test side for last winter’s tour of Pakistan, Duckett had thought all this was beyond him. In 2018 he had undergone a pre-season hand operation, but a foolish return for Northamptonshire – four weeks ahead of schedule – almost irreparably changed his batting grip. That was eventually remedied in the 2020-21 winter with the help of his Nottinghamshire head coach Peter Moores and assistant Ant Botha. By then, he assumed he had fallen out of the England loop.A penchant for a good time earned him a reputation as unprofessional, especially after a couple of notable missteps. In India, he accidentally threw up on Trevor Bayliss when hungover on a plane As a member of the Lions tour that ran parallel to the 2017/18 Ashes, he missed a tour match for pouring a drink over James Anderson . It was far from ideal (though in his defence, he didn’t start the former latter) but it seemed his card had been marked permanently for mistakes that most young twenty-somethings make.What we have seen over the last 15 months, and especially on the second day in Rajkot, is not simply maturity but a player who has grown while retaining his youthful flair. It is a hell of a combination, and one that does not happen – or can be maintained – by accident. The ability to keep striking boundaries across 35 overs after spending 130.5 in the dirt, during which he often conversed with Stokes on tactics, was a remarkable blend of attacking zeal and aerobic fitness. As of now, Duckett has been on the field for every moment of the first two days of this Test.Should he keep up that streak until tea, England might expect to have a lead. Even with Joe Root at the other end, desperate to arrest his slump, and with an equally hungry Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes to come, Duckett continuing this rampage is England’s best hope of keeping a win on the table. Few could have produced an innings like this, and fewer still have the capacity to do it all over again on day three, and turn it into a truly once-in-a-lifetime event.

Switch Hit: Jaz beats Baz in Vizag

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India levelled the series thanks to Jasprit Bumrah’s heroics in the second Test. Alan Gardner, Andrew Miller and Vish Ehantharajah sat down to discuss

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Feb-2024England’s attempts to Bazball their way to a record fourth-innings chase in India fell short – but have their methods got the home side spooked? In this week’s podcast, Alan Gardner is joined by Andrew Miller and Vithushan Ehantharajah to pick over another close-fought Test. Topics up for discussion included Jasprit Bumrah’s genius, how England’s young spin attack held their own, and what’s ailing Joe Root?

Takeaways: Why Fraser-McGurk and Smith missed out on T20 World Cup selection

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Agar’s spin seen as vital in the Caribbean while Ellis is pushing his case to start in the XI, as per chair of selectors Bailey

Alex Malcolm01-May-2024

Need for flexibility ruled out Fraser-McGurk and Smith

The omission of Jake Fraser-McGurk will stir some strong opinion from the Australian public. Despite Australia’s current selection panel picking teams that have delivered a World Test Championship, retained the Ashes away from home, won an ODI World Cup in India and three of their last four T20I series, there is a strong penchant amongst the public for new blood to be injected into a team that has looked like a closed shop to those on the outside. There certainly is a case to be made for a younger player to be added for experience with future World Cups in mind. Cameron Green, soon to be 25, is the only player under 28 in Australia’s squad.Fraser-McGurk is that new blood who is taking T20 powerplay batting to another level. The question the selectors had to answer was whether he was a better option than any of their incumbent top three in Travis Head, David Warner and Mitchell Marsh. Head has been in equally astonishing form in the IPL.Related

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  • Marsh's hamstring on track for T20 World Cup but admits he can't afford a setback

Warner is arguably Australia’s greatest T20 batter of all time. There will be those who say he’s not the player he once was, with his recent IPL returns being underwhelming before a finger injury paused his season. It is understood he is nearing a return and could be available for Delhi Capitals’ last three games. He will have a point to prove given how good Fraser-McGurk has been in his absence. But Warner also posted scores of 70 off 36, 22 off 19, 81 off 49 and 32 off 20 in his last four T20Is in February with Australia winning three of them. The man who bats No.3 for Australia is the newly-minted captain in Marsh. Australia’s chair of selectors George Bailey said Fraser-McGurk had not done enough to displace the incumbents.”He was close,” Bailey said. “His form’s been great of late and that’s fantastic. But the way we’re functioning on top of the order with the three guys we’ve had there has been really strong as well.”5:53

All about the grip: What makes Jake Fraser-McGurk so good

The question then becomes whether he should have found a place in the 15. Bailey and the selectors surmised that Fraser-McGurk, like Steven Smith, was not well-suited to any other role. With only four extra squad members outside the first XI and a schedule that has Australia playing four pool games in 11 days and then potentially three Super Eights games in five days before a semi-final and a final within five days after that, there is very little room to carry specialists. The selectors wanted a fourth fast bowler in Nathan Ellis. They wanted a second specialist spinner in the left-arm orthodox of Ashton Agar, given they play all of their matches in the Caribbean.The two extra batters were then required to cover multiple roles. Josh Inglis is the spare wicketkeeper, who has batted in every spot from No.2-5 in T20I cricket including making 110 off 50 balls against India at No.3 last year. Green has batted in nearly every spot from No.1-7 in the order in T20 cricket bar No.4. Like Fraser-McGurk he has an outstanding record in the top three, including a 47-ball unbeaten 100 in the IPL last year, but has struggled in the middle-order despite one promising innings for Royal Challengers Bengaluru this year. Green can probably count himself fortunate to be in the squad given his recent returns and his focus on red-ball cricket over the past 12 months. But Green’s bowling allows him to cover for Marsh and Marcus Stoinis, who both have a history of injury issues and may need to be managed in the compacted tournament.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”We’re just looking to get the balance that we want in terms of getting across there and playing each game, different opponents, different venues different surfaces and wanting to get all 15 players on the selection table for each and every game to be able to have those discussions to structure up how we want,” Bailey said.”[Fraser-McGurk] certainly looks like top of the order is where he’s best suited. We think we’ve got some other guys that have got some good flexibility around where they’ll bat and as part of the build I think we’ve seen some players perform in some different batting roles to sort of cover off that for any eventuality.”Ultimately, the selectors felt they couldn’t carry an extra top-order only batter like Fraser-McGurk or Smith. Bailey said there was room for things to change before the final squad is set in stone on May 25 but it is unlikely anything other than injury will change their thinking.

Agar a must for the Caribbean

Ashton Agar last played a T20I in the 2022 World Cup•Getty ImagesThe selectors decided they did not need an extra spinner in the squad for the ODI World Cup in India when they omitted the injured Agar to find a place for Marnus Labuschagne. Agar has not played an international since and has not played a T20I since the 2022 World Cup. His last game of cricket was at club level in March. He is still under a Cricket Australia contract until July but has lost his CA deal for 2024-25 and is set to become a freelancer.However, the selectors think the left-arm spinner is a must for the Caribbean. England are Australia’s second opponent in the pool phase in Barbados. England lost a T20I series to the West Indies in December with two left-arm orthodox spinners in Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie wreaking havoc to their right-hand heavy line-up at times. The selectors also looked back as far as 2021 and Australia’s last trip to the Caribbean for further evidence. They want the option of playing Agar, legspinner Adam Zampa, and offspinner Glenn Maxwell in the same XI if the conditions and the opponent demand it.”The last time we had a white-ball series over in the West Indies we had some surfaces that turned,” Bailey said. “I think as the tournament goes on, if you do happen to start playing on some wickets that have been played on before or have had a fair bit of traffic on them that’s certainly a possibility. It gives us the ability to structure up a little bit differently and potentially play Zamps and Ash in conjunction with Maxi as well. So you’ve got options there.”

Ellis is pushing the big three

“Nathan Ellis is challenging for a starting position in the XI,” George Bailey said•Getty ImagesThere was some debate around who should be Australia’s fourth fast bowler behind Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc with Spencer Johnson, Jason Behrendorff, Sean Abbott and Xavier Bartlett all part of the conversation. But the selectors felt Ellis stood head and shoulders above the rest given his performances for Australia when he has played. Bailey noted he could challenge the big three for a spot in the best XI given his T20 skills.”Every time he’s played for Australia he’s really impressed,” Bailey said. “I think he’s one who’s challenging for a starting position in the XI. He’s got a slightly different skill set to the other guys that are there. So I think those four quicks all complement each other really well.”Bailey said there were no concerns over Starc’s form in the IPL and backed him to fire at the T20 World Cup given his performances for Australia over a long period. Starc has not played a T20I for Australia since he was dropped for the last game of the home World Cup in 2022.

Remember the names – here are the breakout boys from IPL 2024

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Like every IPL season, this one too had players grabbing their opportunities and making a name

Ashish Pant27-May-2024Phil SaltPhil Salt went unsold at the auction and might not even have been part of IPL 2024 had Jason Roy not pulled out of his Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) gig. Along with Sunil Narine at the top, Salt was responsible for getting KKR off to blazing starts. He hit 296 of his 435 runs inside the powerplay, at a strike rate of 185.00. His approach didn’t change much in the middle overs, where he struck at 175.94. Salt finished the season as KKR’s second-highest run-getter and played a critical role in taking them to the playoffs as the top team in the league stage.Mayank Yadav left a lasting impression despite playing just four games in the season•BCCIMayank YadavAfter playing just four matches across two seasons for Mumbai Indians (MI), 23-year-old Tristan Stubbs was picked up by Delhi Capitals (DC) at the auction and became their designated finisher straightaway. Stubbs was DC’s second-highest run-getter in IPL 2024, smashing 378 at a strike rate of 190.90 while averaging 54.00.Related

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Stubbs – superb against spin, destructive at the death

Jake Fraser-McGurk, the ideal T20 batter

A top-order whirlwind India has never seen before

The newest version of the 360-degree player, Stubbs found runs in all corners of the ground, and with power. He was as brutal on the pull or slog sweep as on the cover drive or reverse and as proficient against pace (strike rate of 198.30) as against spin (180.00).Stubbs finished with a death-overs strike rate of 297.33 – the highest for any batter with a minimum of 100 runs in an IPL season. Between overs 17 and 20, Stubbs faced a total of 75 balls, of which only two were dots.Harshit Rana excelled with the ball in all phases•Associated PressHarshit RanaRarely has a youngster made an impact on an IPL season as quickly as Jake Fraser-McGurk did this year. The 22-year-old was picked by DC two weeks into the season as a replacement for Lungi Ngidi, and he swiftly turned all eyes towards him. He faced all of 141 balls this season and still finished as DC’s third-highest run-getter with 330 runs at a barely believable strike rate of 234.04.Fraser-McGurk struck four fifties: two off 15 balls, one off 19, and his slowest coming off 31 balls – that was on IPL debut. He finished with a powerplay strike rate of 250.94, the highest for any batter to have played two overs or more in the phase.A staggering 296 of Fraser-McGurk’s 330 runs came in boundaries (32 fours and 28 sixes). “If I get ones and twos, it’s only either because I’ve mis-hit it or maybe it’s the last ball of the over,” he said after his 27-ball 84 against MI. A boundary percentage of 89.70 is solid proof of that.Shashank Singh helped Punjab Kings achieve the highest successful chase in a men’s T20•BCCIShashank Singh”Shashank Singh” had left Punjab Kings confused at the auction, but there were not doubts about his abilities once he got going in IPL 2024. One of the few bright sparks for PBKS, Shashank finished the season as their highest run-getter with 354 runs in 14 games, striking at 164.65. He first showed his finishing skills against Gujarat Titans with an unbeaten 29-ball 61 before threatening to pull off another win against SRH five days later with a 46 not out off 25 balls, only to see his team fall short by two runs. Shashank’s finishing act of a 28-ball 68 not out against KKR was key to PBKS overhauling the highest-ever T20 target of 262.Travis Head was unstoppable in the powerplay in the league stage this season•AFP/Getty ImagesTravis HeadIt’s unusual to see someone who has been in the international circuit for eight years and has scored centuries in the WTC final and the ODI World Cup final on this list. But such has been Travis Head’s IPL graph that 2024 was the first year where he truly broke through in this competition.Before this, Head played two seasons in 2016 and 2017 with meagre returns. This year, along with Abhishek Sharma, he revolutionised powerplay batting. The highest run-getter for SRH, Head struck 567 runs this season at 191.55. Of these, 402 came in the first six overs at a strike rate of 208.29. No other batter scored more runs than Head in the phase and he didn’t even start the season for SRH.Head holds the record for three of the four fastest fifties by an SRH batter, while his century against RCB off 39 balls was the fourth-fastest in IPL history.Some shots might not have been textbook, but Abishek Porel was extremely effective for Capitals•BCCIAbishek PorelAbishek Porel came in as an Impact Sub at No. 9 in DC’s first match of the season and scored an unbeaten 32 off ten balls. Since then, the 21-year-old became a regular in the DC set-up and made the most of the opportunities at the top of the order, even keeping Prithvi Shaw out of the team. Porel ended the season with two fifties in his last three innings – a 65 off 36 balls against RR and 58 off 33 balls against Lucknow Super Giants, both coming in winning causes. In all, Porel scored 327 runs in 12 innings, at an average of 32.70 and strike rate of 159.51, finishing as DC’s fourth-highest run-scorer.Nitish Kumar Reddy has impressed with his ability as well as athleticism•BCCINitish Kumar ReddyNitish Reddy is only 21, but has shown enough proof of how good an all-round player he can be. In just his second innings of the season, he scored a crucial 37-ball 64 against PBKS, a game that SRH won by a narrow two-run margin. He also played a key role in SRH’s one-run win in a group game against RR at home, scoring 76 not out off 42 balls in the first innings. In all, Reddy recorded 303 runs in 11 innings, averaging 33.66 and striking at 142.92. He also picked up three wickets with his medium pace.The other thing on Reddy’s side is that he is a terrific outfielder and supremely fit. In a video posted on the SRH social handles, he was seen racing against Glenn Phillips, and came up short only by a whisker.

Powerplay: Women's T20 World Cup Qualifiers preview with Josephine Nkomo

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Zimbabwe are on a quest to avoid a repeat of the last edition, where they narrowly missed out

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Apr-2024Ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers, Zimbabwe’s Josephine Nkomo spoke to Firdose Moonda and Valkerie Baynes about playing – and losing out – in the last edition, her increasing sense of responsibility in the side and some of the squad’s morale-boosting songs. Plus, Valkerie and Firdose break down the eight teams which will compete, and those that missed out, in the new top-level domestic women’s competition in England and Wales from next year.

Nat Sciver-Brunt: 'Being myself and free is the best way of displaying Pride'

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

England allrounder on life, love, happiness and an extraordinary run of batting form post-marriage

Vithushan Ehantharajah25-Jun-2024″I didn’t really think at the time it would blow up as much as it did,” Nat Sciver-Brunt says. “It just felt like the normal reaction, I guess.”The allrounder is talking about a photo (below) taken after England’s defeat to Australia in 2022’s ODI World Cup final. As Nat starts to process the loss, physically and emotionally exhausted after almost single-handedly carrying England’s pursuit of a 357-run target with 148 not out, her now-wife, Katherine Sciver-Brunt, teary-eyed, holds her face and consoles her.It is a beautiful shot. There they stand, among a throng in the middle of the Hagley Oval, and somehow alone together. Love and pain in oddly comfortable harmony.”I like the photo,” Nat adds. “Well, I like the photo more for Katherine’s face than what’s gone on in the game.”This intimate shot of England cricket’s first openly same-sex couple went viral on social media. Though the pair don’t really indulge beyond “the odd scroll here and there”, they were aware of the volume of positivity sent their way for being themselves and being so visible while at the peak of their sport. It is something they hear first-hand, too.”You might be signing autographs, and people will say little bits to me and Katherine as well. In that way, it’s quite nice that it’s in-person, and people are able to say directly to us how either we’ve inspired them, or they’re really happy for us.”Those comments reinforce the role cricket can play in the LGBTQ community. This year, England Cricket are celebrating the Rainbow Laces between June 29 and July 7, with professional and recreational clubs marking the campaign at games across the country. An array of representatives from English cricket – beyond simply the ECB – will also march in the Pride in London parade.Katherine Brunt consoles her then-fiancée Nat, after England’s loss in the 2022 World Cup final•ICC/Getty ImagesUnfortunately, Sciver-Brunt has yet to attend a Pride march because of the regular clash with cricket. This year, it’s the second of a three-match ODI series against New Zealand, which begins on Wednesday. “I suppose I have to do my work in other spaces,” she says.”I guess being myself and being free in that is my best way of displaying that. Me and Katherine being who we are, together in public and just being normal about it all, really – that’s our way of being part of Pride. Pride to me is being comfortable enough to be who you are, and not having to hide it. That’s our way of being part of the march.”Achieving that “comfort” has come in stages for Sciver-Brunt.”I’m not really sure if there were any gay people at school,” she says. “There’s something about moving away from home and probably not having the expectations of your family, or living under that roof. You’re sort of left to your own devices and working out your own way of doing things.”Going to uni and not having anyone to tell you what to do or anything like that. People grow up in that phase, don’t they?”Playing for England added an extra dimension. Sciver-Brunt arrived on the scene in 2013, just as women’s cricket was about to undergo a dramatic evolution. The fact that this coincided with her own emergence as one of the sport’s finest allrounders brought its own challenges of fame and interest. She eventually warmed to both, and, in October 2019, Nat and Katherine announced their engagement in an interview with “There was no hiding within the team,” Sciver-Brunt says, when asked about coming out via the engagement. “It was just a matter of timing before doing a few media interviews around it.

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“Being in the public eye sort of found me, rather than seeking it out, if you know what I mean? I had to spend time in that space before feeling comfortable about it. I do now.”There were still aspects to overcome. She used to put her left hand in her pocket to hide her engagement ring to avoid awkward conversations about her relationship. Now, the only awkwardness comes from forgetting to put her wedding ring back on.”Katherine’s always like – ‘get that ring out, you show people!’ It feels weird when I forget to put it back on, actually. I take it off quite a lot and I don’t always remember to put it back on – but not through not wanting to put it back on!”But people are, I don’t know, more understanding, more welcoming, feel more inclusive. It’s not a thought in my mind to hide it.”It’s worth noting that marriage has had a profound effect on Sciver-Brunt’s cricket. Since tying the knot on May 29, 2022, her batting averages across formats are through the roof; 76.50 in Tests set against a career average of 43.26; 73.91 compared to 46.72 in WODIs; 35.10 to 27.21 in WT20Is. Not only has she scored her only Test hundred since tying the knot, but four of her nine 50-over hundreds have come in this period too.She laughs when this matrimony streak is brought up. It has been a point of conversation in the dressing-room.”Well, Kate Cross actually told me when we were playing against Pakistan in that final game (when she scored that ninth WODI century). So, I sort of roughly know the stats.Related

“But I need to tell Katherine the actual numbers now. Because I’m sure she’ll be like ‘see, well, it’s inevitable. You’ve got married to me, obviously – it was always going to happen’.”She cannot pinpoint what changed. But she does know it goes beyond watching the ball and holding better shapes into her more full-blooded slaps down the ground.”Maybe it’s more maturity? Or knowing what I need as a cricketer? What my best training would be like? What best prepares me for a game? Just being mentally ready for those challenges. And probably after I took a break from cricket (in 2022), I feel more comfortable knowing where I am mentally.”It coincided with everything just clicking, I guess? More people should just get married, shouldn’t they?”Cricketers often say having kids also has a liberating effect on their output. Sciver-Brunt grins: “Well yeah … look out!”At the start of the summer, she missed the first T20I against Pakistan to have her eggs frozen. The procedure would allow her, at 31, to continue playing without worrying about when her and Katherine could start a family. Both would like to carry a child.”You start with going to see the doctors, and you’re injecting yourself every day. From start to finish, it’s about three or four weeks until you start feeling right to push yourself in training.”Finding the time was difficult, but ultimately, if it’s something really important to you, you just do it whenever you’re ready. Cricket will be there when you get back. It’ll be waiting for you.”It certainly will be for some time. Series victories over Pakistan now lead into a ODI and T20I series against New Zealand. Another season with Trent Rockets in the women’s Hundred follows before matches against Ireland ahead of the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh – all before November.Having returned to bowling in her last appearance at the end of May against Pakistan – taking 2 for 11 “very slowly” – she has been using the time since to build herself back up. Sessions have centred around fitness and strength conditioning instead of skills. She regards the last four weeks as invaluable.”I’m sort of raring to go again, which is nice.”Nice for Sciver-Brunt, nice for England and nice for those who see her as an inspiration.

Saransh Jain, pegging away in his quest for the India blue

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

The Madhya Pradesh offspinning allrounder has impressed in domestic cricket over the last couple of years. Another good season could catapult him onto the biggest stage of them all

Rajan Raj10-Oct-2024After a superb Ranji Trophy debut in 2014, Saransh Jain, an offspinning allrounder, had flown to Australia with a club team from Madhya Pradesh to play a five-match series. Despite it being his first overseas tour, calls back home were short, with his family claiming to be “a little occupied”. This bothered Jain but not too much, because of his focus was on the series at hand, one his team would go on to win 3-0.After he returned home from that tour, though, Jain was shocked with what he saw. His father was lying on his bed, having undergone a surgery on his face. There was despair on everyone else’s face. Jain sought answers but did not get a satisfactory one, till his father asked for a paper and a pen. “I am fine now, son,” he wrote. “If you just play better, I will get well sooner.” He had been diagnosed with cancer.

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Jain still has that note from his father, the former Madhya Pradesh Ranji player Subodh Jain. And it is essentially the secret of Jain’s success. That piece of paper pushed him in his journey to become a Ranji Trophy champion with Madhya Pradesh in 2021-22, and win the Lala Amarnath Award for the best allrounder in the Ranji Trophy in 2022-23. That season he scored 360 runs and picked up 35 wickets for MP. This earned him a call-up to the India A side to play England Lions, where he scored half-centuries in both innings of the only match he played.Related

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Making the most of any given opportunity is Jain’s USP. In MP’s title-winning Ranji Trophy campaign in 2021-22, he played only three matches: the quarter-final, semi-final and the final. He returned 13 wickets and also scored a half-century.Last season, he scored 432 runs and picked up 27 wickets and he wants to maintain this momentum in the upcoming season. He has started well in that quest by picking up six wickets in the Irani Cup match against Mumbai. He was also part of the Duleep Trophy and he returned 14 wickets combined from the two red-ball competitions.Knowing fully the demands of a sport that is evolving rapidly, Saransh Jain has worked a lot on his batting too•MPCA”I performed well last season, but it is important that I perform well again and try to do something good whenever I get a chance,” Jain says. “The only lesson I have learned in my career is to try to learn something new every day. Only then can something good happen in the future. I feel good with the way I have performed recently but I am not completely satisfied. I will get that satisfaction only after wearing the [India] blue jersey, for which I have to consistently work hard.”With the game always evolving, Jain, the offspinner, is aware of the importance of contributing with the bat. His recent scores show that.”According to me, a good player should try to adapt to the circumstances,” Jain says. “I am an offspinner, and my primary task to take wickets. But in our first meeting itself, [MP head coach] Chandrakant [Pandit] sir told me that I should think like a bowler when I bowl and think like a batter and try to score as many runs as possible when I bat. This is the simple strategy that I follow.”I know how much I have to work on my batting being [primarily] an offspinner. That is important, but my first task is to take wickets. I often watch R Ashwin ; I get inspired by him. I want to pursue my cricket with the same dedication as him.”Pandit – who also won the IPL with Kolkata Knight Riders last season – taking over as MP coach ahead of the 2019-20 season worked wonders for Jain. “Chandrakant sir coming to our team as the coach has been one of the best events in my life,” Jain says. “Perhaps he taught me to believe in myself. His presence in the team inspires me a lot and I want to do something good with him this season. His presence in the team gives me a different kind of confidence.”Consistent performances over the past couple of years have put Jain on the national selectors’ radar. He is one of the best offspinning allrounders in the country and form is currently on his side. This season, can he show the consistency needed to complete his journey to that blue jersey?

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