Pakistan could boycott ICC awards over Ajmal omission

PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf has reopened the debate surrounding Saeed Ajmal’s exclusion from the ICC awards shortlists by hinting that Pakistan’s players could boycott the awards function

Umar Farooq06-Sep-2012PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf has reopened the debate surrounding Saeed Ajmal’s exclusion from the ICC awards shortlists by hinting that Pakistan’s players could boycott the awards function, to be held in Colombo on September 15, as a “robust protest”. The ICC, responding to the PCB’s protest on Monday, had ruled out a rethink and the matter seemed to have ended there.However, Ashraf’s comments, made during an interview to ESPNcricinfo, suggest the issue is still alive for Pakistan. “We are facing a lot of pressure from the public and from our former players to push for his inclusion,” Ashraf said. “I think the ICC should check whether the independent jury is coming up with the best name and they should not give away the due right of any player in the world.”If anyone else has more wickets than Ajmal, then we are ready to withdraw our concern and instead we will support their pick. But this isn’t reflecting well of the ICC and they should rectify it.”Meanwhile we probably have to give a second thought to even boycott the function as a robust protest.”Ajmal was in the longlist for the Test Player of the Year award but missed out when an independent 32-member jury, which included former Pakistan captain Aamer Sohail and Pakistan journalist Majid Bhatti, nominated Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara, South Africa fast bowler Vernon Philander, Australia captain Michael Clarke and South Africa opener Hashim Amla in that category.Ajmal, 34, took 72 Test wickets between August 4, 2011 and August 6, 2012 – the qualifying period for the award – including 24 at 14.70 as Pakistan swept aside England, the then No. 1 side in the world, 3-0 in January. He has climbed to No. 3 in the ICC Test bowling rankings and is the highest ranked spinner. On Thursday, he was revealed as the top bowler in the ODI rankings.After the PCB lodged the protest, the ICC refused to reconsider Ajmal’s case, saying it had no authority to change the results of the academy. The process was monitored by the independent auditor Ernst & Young, and the longlist was prepared by a five-member Selection Panel headed by Clive Lloyd and included Clare Connor (England), Tom Moody (Australia), Carl Hooper (West Indies) and Marvan Atapattu (Sri Lanka).

Not sure KP would get in team – Adams

Chris Adams, the Surrey cricket manager, hasn’t been given any official indication over the availability of Kevin Pietersen but suggested that he’d struggle to get in the team anyway

Andrew McGlashan04-Sep-2011Chris Adams, the Surrey cricket manager, hasn’t been given any official indication over the availability of Kevin Pietersen but suggested that he’d struggle to get in the county team anyway. He also asked Andy Flower, the England team director, if they could fly Jade Dernbach down for the CB40 semi-final against Sussex, but that was refused although Dernbach will be available for the final at Lord’s.Pietersen has been rested for the current one-day series against India although reports have now emerged that he has a wrist injury that needs treatment. Last week it was also suggested that Pietersen won’t return to action until January when England play Pakistan in UAE.However, on Sunday, Pietersen said that he was still aiming for the two Twenty20s against West Indies and the one-day tour of India. The CB40 final, in which Surrey take on Somerset, is on September 17 at Lord’s, six days before the first T20 against West Indies.”Kevin is resting and I’ve no idea if he’ll be available or not,” Adams said after Surrey’s 71-run victory against Sussex. “I’ve no idea if he’d get in the side or not. We’ve come this far without two of England’s best players – Kevin Pietersen and Chris Tremlett – and if we get Jade back that will be a huge bonus. I’m guessing at this stage we won’t have Kevin. I haven’t been officially told.”Unlike Pietersen, who Surrey have seen precious little of this season due to England commitments, Adams was in no doubt that Dernbach, who has taken 19 wickets at 15.47 in the CB40, will slot straight back into the side when he’s available, and they tried very hard to have him for the semi-final. Given that England’s last ODI is a day-night game in Cardiff, a helicopter may be needed to get him to Lord’s.”Jade is one of the reasons we are where we are,” he said. “He was the stand-out bowler for us in the competition and his career is going from strength to strength. We asked the question of Flower this week if we could fly him down last night, then we’d fly him off to The Rose Bowl [for the next ODI].”He’s someone who will take a great deal of pleasure in this result, he’s a Surrey man through and through. He continues to impress on every level and if we get him for the final then that’s great.”The news is not so good for Chris Tremlett, though, who has been struggling with a bulging disc in his back since he was ruled out of the second Test against India at Trent Bridge and didn’t play again the series.”Chris may struggle to get on the park in this domestic season, but that’s with the medics and people who know,” Adams said. “I can’t speak highly enough of him, he sent us messages before, during and after this game.”Tremlett was unlikely to have been part of England’s one-day plans against India – either home or away – having not been selected against Sri Lanka, so he has time to recover before the tour to UAE in the New Year. However, he will have a fight to regain his place after the success of Tim Bresnan and won’t find pitches in UAE, or in Sri Lanka, conducive to his style of bowling.

Advantage India at favoured venue

A Test series between India and Australia should be enough to whet the appetite of any cricket fan. But is that true of a contest spanning only two matches? We’re about to find out

The Preview by Brydon Coverdale30-Sep-2010

Match Facts

Friday, October 1, Mohali

Start time 9:30am (0400 GMT)

The Big Picture

A Test series between India and Australia should be enough to whet the appetite of any cricket fan. But is that true of a contest spanning only two matches? We’re about to find out. The abbreviated nature of the trip notwithstanding, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is up for grabs. India are the holders after their 2-0 win at home this time two years ago, but much has changed since then. Australia entered that tour ranked No. 1 among Test teams and India were third. MS Dhoni’s men are now at the top of the list, while the Australians have slipped to fourth. If Australia lose the series, they’ll fall to fifth and begin the Ashes ranked lower than England.There are several fascinating subplots in this series. Will Harbhajan Singh continue to mesmerise Ricky Ponting? How will Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar, Test cricket’s highest scorers, fare in what could be their final series against each other? Can Rahul Dravid find a way to dominate Australia, a team that has had his measure since 2004? Will Nathan Hauritz hold his own against the world’s best players of spin? Is Marcus North on his last chance? And what controversy will arise?India haven’t lost a Test series for two years and, despite drawing their last two, have so much talent in their batting line-up that it is hard to see how Australia can win. That is especially true of the first Test in Mohali, where India have lost only once, winning thrice and drawing five Tests. Can 20 wickets come from Mitchell Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus, Doug Bollinger and Hauritz? Australia can dream, but India are unquestionably the favourites.

Form guide

India WDLWL

Australia LWWWW

Watch out for…

It has been a heady couple of years for Suresh Raina. In that period, he has managed to force his way back from the wilderness through some compelling performances in the IPL, and done well in the shorter formats for India. Injury to Yuvraj Singh gave him a rare opening into Test cricket and he latched on with a fine debut century against Sri Lanka. That innings was testimony Raina’s mental fortitude but, coming as it did on a flat track against a friendly attack, it did not say much about his technical prowess. Questions remain over Raina’s ability to handle the bouncer and the next few months, including a tour to South Africa, offer him a chance to address those concerns. At some point over the next five days, Johnson and co. are going to test Raina with the short stuff, possibly with the help of the second new ball. How will he respond?Since Shane Watson stepped into the opening role during last year’s Ashes, only Simon Katich and Michael Clarke have scored more Test runs for Australia. Last time Australia played Tests in India, Watson was making his long-awaited return to the baggy green and slotted in as a useful, if not outstanding, No. 6. He will be wary of Ishant Sharma’s ability to jag the ball back in; that angle has been a weakness for Watson at the top of the order. Stuart Broad and Graham Onions repeatedly trapped him lbw using that method last year and three of his four dismissals against Pakistan in July also came against the ball moving in. But Watson has started the tour well, with a century in each innings of the warm-up game, and will look to use this trip to add to his one Test hundred.

Team news

An injury to Harbhajan has cast a cloud over India’s hopes of having their first-choice attack back in action, following endless fitness issues in Sri Lanka. Dhoni said India will take a call on the offspinner on Friday morning. If Harbhajan does not make the cut, Pragyan Ojha will assume the role of lead spinner. Mohali’s seamer-friendly reputation gives Sreesanth an opportunity to make the final XI as the third fast bowler, ahead of legspinner Amit Mishra. The batsmen pick themselves and, barring last-minute fitness issues, M Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara are likely to sit out.India (possible) 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Gautam Gambhir, 3 Rahul Dravid, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 VVS Laxman, 6 Suresh Raina, 7 MS Dhoni (capt and wk), 8 Harbhajan Singh / Amit Mishra / Sreesanth, 9 Zaheer Khan, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Pragyan OjhaAustralia are waiting to see how well Doug Bollinger and Michael Hussey train after their last-minute dash to India from the Champions League in South Africa. However, it would be a surprise if either man was left out. The only change from the team that lost to Pakistan at Headingley in July is likely to be the inclusion of Nathan Hauritz, who has recovered from his foot injury, at the expense of Steven Smith.Australia (possible) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Simon Katich, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Michael Hussey, 6 Marcus North, 7 Tim Paine (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Nathan Hauritz, 10 Ben Hilfenhaus, 11 Doug Bollinger.

Pitch and conditions

The Australians spotted a tinge of green on the pitch after heavy rain in Mohali, adding to the likelihood they would play just one specialist spinner. However, there is a chance the normally quick surface might play a little slower than usual due to the weather. It was here two years ago that Peter Siddle announced himself by thumping Gautam Gambhir on the helmet with his first ball in Test cricket. Dhoni admitted the difficulty in predicting how the pitch would play. “We will have to see the wicket tomorrow. It looks a bit damp, it’s been watered a bit. It looks like a good track. There may by a bit of skid for the fast bowlers,” he said.

Stats and trivia

  • Over the last ten years, Australia have lost more Tests to India than they have won. India are the only team that can boast of this record over Australia for the decade
  • During that period, Australia are the only team to have beaten India in a series at home
  • No bowler has dismissed Ricky Ponting more times in Test cricket than Harbhajan Singh, who has claimed his wicket on 10 occasions
  • With the retirement of Muttiah Muralitharan, Harbhajan is now the leading wicket-taker among active Test spinners, with 357
  • Michael Hussey and Simon Katich, who started their careers as opponents in Under-13s cricket in Perth, begin this series each having played 52 Tests and each having scored exactly 3981 runs

    Quotes

    “It doesn’t matter on whom the pressure is. At the end of the day, you are expected to win if you are playing at home. Your ranking doesn’t matter here much.”
    “It is going to be a very big test for our bowlers and for me as a captain. India is the No. 1 team in the world and they are there for a reason.”

    “Whenever I play against the Aussies and perform, I feel good. I will try to perform even better this time so that next time when the next series happens they should again take my name first.”

Sri Lanka confirm two Australia Tests in Galle, plus a one-off ODI

The single one-dayer will act as preparation for the Champions Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Nov-2024Australia will play two Tests in Galle on their tour of Sri Lanka from late January, which could be vital in deciding who reaches the final of the World Test Championship, while an ODI has been added to the trip as preparation for the Champions Trophy.Depending on how the five-match Border-Gavaskar series plays out, the series may be crucial to both side’s hopes of reaching Lord’s in June.Related

  • Handscomb a strong chance for a Test recall on Sri Lanka tour

  • Maxwell's Test dream: 'While there's still a glimmer, I'll keep going for it'

  • O'Keefe urges Australia to prioritise red-ball prep for Sri Lanka-bound spinners

  • Andrew McDonald handed contract extension as Australia men's head coach until 2027

The Tests will be held from January 29-February 2 and February 6-10. The ODI will then take place on February 13 at a venue still to be confirmed with the teams then scheduled to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.The last time Australia visited Sri Lanka in 2022 the Test series was drawn 1-1 with the visitors winning in dramatic style in the first game before Prabath Jayasuriya claimed 12 wickets on debut to level it up in the second.There is a chance Australia could be without captain Pat Cummins for all or part of the tour due to the birth of his second child.”We’ll see what that looks like closer to the time,” head coach Andrew McDonald said. “We’ve got a couple of players in Mitch Marsh and Travis Head taking paternity leave at the moment. So we respect that if that was to unfold for that particular time and if he wants to miss a Test. If he’s got bigger things to take care of than a Test match in Sri Lanka, then that’s fine with us.”Australia are due to arrive on January 20 which means those in the squad with BBL deals may be available until close to the end of the regular season.McDonald and chair of selectors George Bailey have suggested they will select players specifically for Sri Lankan conditions. Glenn Maxwell is in contention for a return while left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann could be an option to supplement Nathan Lyon given the success of left-arm orthodox spinners in the subcontinent.Former Australia spinner Steve O’Keefe has urged the selectors to prioritise red-ball preparation for the spinners selected to support Lyon even if he comes at the expense of playing in the BBL.”I think if we’re really going to be serious about the young spinners going over there, whoever is going to accompany Nathan [Lyon], is the Big Bash the best preparation?” he told ESPNcricinfo. “I’d be encouraging the selectors to let these spinners be going earlier and then I’d be encouraging those spinners to practice with a red ball in between Big Bash games.”

Athapaththu leads Sri Lanka to their first win over NZ in any format

The Sri Lanka spinners did the spadework, setting up a 171-run chase, and then a 159-run stand between Athapaththu and Vishmi Gunaratne took them home

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2023New Zealand are rated higher than Sri Lanka and are ahead of them on the Women’s Championship points table, but the combined might of their spinners and the peerless Chamari Athapaththu ensured that Sri Lanka started their ODI series, at home in Galle, with a comprehensive nine-wicket win.It was Sri Lanka’s first win over New Zealand in women’s cricket in any format, and included their highest stand for any wicket in women’s ODIs – 159 between Athapaththu and Vishmi Gunaratne – as well as an unbeaten 108 from just 83 balls from Athapaththu. In a match reduced to 28 overs per side because of morning rain, New Zealand put up a decent 170 for 5. But it took Athapaththu and Co just 27 overs to run it down.The two of them, Athapaththu and Gunaratne, played contrasting innings. While Athapaththu hit ten fours and five sixes in her unbeaten century – her seventh in the format – and scored at 130.12, her partner was more sedate, scoring her 50 at a strike rate of 67.56.

Sri Lanka were, however, ahead of the asking rate, and when Sophie Devine sent Gunaratne back for New Zealand’s only success with the ball, the target was 12 runs away with 17 balls to go. Athapaththu finished the job off with Harshitha Samarawickrama for company.Earlier, Devine, the New Zealand captain, opted for first strike after winning the toss, but Bernadine Bezuidenhout was back in the fifth over, caught and bowled by left-arm spinner Sugandika Kumari.A 60-run stand between the Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr followed, but the going – especially for a shortened game – wasn’t spectacular. And when Bates (28 in 35) and Kerr (40 in 51) fell, to the offspin of Kavisha Dilhari and the left-arm spin of Inoka Ranaweera respectively, New Zealand had got to 89 in the 18th over.They needed quick runs, and they came from Devine (19 in 14), Maddy Green (38 in 30) and Georgia Plimmer (23 not out in 25), but two run-outs, of Devine and Green, hurt New Zealand’s progress. Still, 170 was a solid total. Not enough, on the day, as it turned out, not with Athapaththu blazing away.The second match of the series will be played at the same venue on June 30, followed by the third on July 3.

Tim Paine's career appears over after not getting Tasmania contract

The former Test captain has been on leave from playing since stepping down last year

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff12-May-2022Tim Paine’s playing career appears over with the former Australia captain not given a fresh contract with Tasmania.Paine, who stepped down as Test captain in a texting-messaging controversy before last summer’s Ashes series, hasn’t been included in Tasmania’s list for the 2022-23 season.After taking time away from cricket after his captaincy resignation, Paine returned to the Tasmanian fold as an assistant coach late last season. But his playing career remained uncertain until the release of the Tigers squad on Thursday.Related

  • 'He's got a bit more thinking to do..' – Ponting reveals Langer might be interested in coaching Hobart Hurricanes

  • Tim Paine out of Ashes after taking indefinite break from the game

  • Have we seen the last of Tim Paine on a cricket field?

  • Paine involved in Tasmania coaching set-up

Paine, 37, is understood to be keen to remain involved in cricket in a coaching or development role, but his on-field career appears to have ended after 35 Tests and 147 first-class matches.His resignation as Test captain last year came when he was recuperating from neck surgery. He made one appearance for Tasmania’s 2nd XI before making himself unavailable for the Ashes and took an indefinite break from the game.Tasmania’s contract list remained largely stable with Billy Stanlake’s arrival from the Queensland the most significant move. Tim Ward, the promising opening batter, who was the team’s leading run-scorer last season with 552 at 39.42 signing a three-year deal. Peter Siddle will continue for one more season although has previously indicated it might be his last.Tasmania men’s contracts Tom Andrews, Gabe Bell, Jackson Bird, Iain Carlisle, Jake Doran, Nathan Ellis, Brad Hope, Caleb Jewell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Lawrence Neil-Smith, Sam Rainbird, Peter Siddle, Jordan Silk, Billy Stanlake, Matthew Wade, Charlie Wakim, Tim Ward, Beau Webster, Mac Wright, Nick Davis (Rookie), Jarrod Freeman (Rookie), Mitch Owen (Rookie), Nivethan Radhakrishnan (Rookie)
In Nick Davis, Billy Stanlake | Out Tim Paine

Australia's next superstar? Get to know Cameron Green

A first-class batting of average of 55 and bowling average 21 – the Western Australia allrounder has the makings of an outstanding cricketer

Andrew McGlashan16-Dec-2020.What’s his career been like so far?In first-class cricket, outstanding. He has five centuries in 21 matches, including a career-best 197 earlier this season against New South Wales, the most recent of them was against the Indians last week – and he holds a batting average of 55.04. It was a game against Queensland at the Gabba in November 2019 where he showed what he could achieve with the bat, making 87 and 121 not out batting at Nos. 8 and 9. That was also the last game he bowled in for a year. With the ball (and more on that in a minute) he averages 21.72 for his 33 wickets which include 5 for 24 on his first-class debut against Tasmania, who he also took his career-best 6 for 30 against in 2018. His white-ball career doesn’t stand out quite so much, although he made his ODI debut a couple of weeks ago, however that’s from just a handful of matches – nine in both List A and T20. It is with the red (and pink) ball that he is getting everyone really excited at the moment.So there are some big expectations?You could say that. Greg Chappell has called him the “best since Ricky Ponting” in recent interviews and back in June (when there was no cricket) ESPNcricinfo put together the scenario of Australia playing both Tests and T20Is on the same day – which could happen next year – Chappell picked him at No. 6 in the Test side straightaway.”To me, Cameron Green is the next superstar of Australian cricket,” he said. “He is a genuine prospect with bat and ball, but I think his future is as a batsman who can offer some quality overs. Cameron is a batsman of rare talent. At 6ft 7in, he could become something very special. I would bat him at No. 6 to start with, but I reckon No. 4 is his long-term position. The sooner he gets to play at this level, the sooner he will become the player that he should be.”What about the recent injury scare?That looked a bad moment when he was struck on the side of the head by a drive from Jasprit Bumrah at the SCG. He immediately went off the field and was subbed out of the match with concussion and also went for scans which cleared him of any fracture. Fortunately, the blow has not done major damage (unlike Will Pucovski, Green doesn’t have a history of concussion) and it looks as though he will pass all the Cricket Australia protocols to be able to debut.So is he the allrounder Australia have dreamed of?Maybe, but with a bit of caution. That’s got nothing to do with the talent, but he has been on restricted bowling loads due to a back stress fracture he suffered last year. He has undergone some work on his action with the WA bowling coach Matt Mason and has so far been limited to four-over spells. This season he has not bowled more than eight overs in a day in match conditions. However, he’s still shown the knack of picking up wickets: he claimed two in the second innings against the Indians at Drummoyne Oval and produced a beauty to remove Shubman Gill before his injury at the SCG.Tim Paine also suggested the bowling restrictions will be loosened. “I’ll think he’ll bowl a few more than that, once you are selected in a Test match you are good to go. Having said that we don’t expect him to bowl a huge amount of overs with the attack we’ve got.”Has his debut come sooner than expected?In some ways, yes. In fact, just a matter of weeks ago it felt unlikely he would make the XI at the start of the series despite being named in the enlarged squad. The favoured route was that Australia would retain their traditional balance of six batsmen, a wicketkeeper and four bowlers. However, recently plans have been thrown into chaos due to injuries to Warner and Pucovksi which has led Australia to reshuffling the batting order (for one Test at least) and that has created the opening at No. 6. That is not to say Green is not deserving. On current form you could easily say he’s among the best six batsmen in Australia with Justin Langer and national selector Trevor Hohns having said he is worthy of selection for his batting alone.

Adam Rossington lives up to coach's praise with contrasting, crucial half-centuries

Stand-in captain brings considerable influence to bear for Northants

Richard Hobson in Northampton17-Sep-2019Northamptonshire 217 (Rossington 82, Rushworth 5-68) and 235 for 6 (Levi 60, Rossington 52) lead Durham 131 (Sanderson 6-54) by 321 runsDavid Ripley provided a glowing reference for Adam Rossington in June when Northamptonshire announced that the wicketkeeper would assume temporary charge of the Championship side following the resignation of Alex Wakely as captain. Over the past two days, Rossington has confirmed why the head coach was so fulsome in his praise.Victory this week may not be quite enough for Northants to guarantee promotion to the first division, but it would eliminate Durham as fellow contenders should Gloucestershire beat Worcestershire at New Road. Just when clubs are looking for captains to lead by example, Rossington has brought considerable influence to bear.He has struck half-centuries of vastly different fashion in each innings and become his county’s leading run-scorer for the summer along the way. In between, he removed Ned Eckersley with a brilliant legside stumping when his opposite wicketkeeper was trying to coax the Durham tail towards a deficit of below 50 on first innings. If Northants did champagne moments, this would have been it.All is not yet lost for Durham because the sun has burnt off much of the green tinge on the pitch and they will have plenty of time to chase whatever the fourth-innings target. But some of the bounce has been variable, Scott Steel made the odd one turn and they will be following their second lowest first-innings total of the season, 131. Ben Sanderson and Brett Hutton were all over them.Sanderson has already reached 50 wickets for the third time in four seasons and he is on course for matching the 60 victims removed in 2018. Numbers four and five of the innings accrued to his third and sixth balls of the second day, but the swarthy and powerful Hutton was at least as dangerous and moved the ball just as consistently.Rossington was prepared to stand up to both, enabling the standout dismissal of the day. With Eckersley lifting his back foot when Hutton drifted down the leg side, Rossington performed the wicketkeepers’ equivalent of the Timewarp: two skips to the left and a sweep of the arm to the right, before hitting the stumps with a flourish. All it lacked was the pelvic thrust.It needed dexterity and hand-eye co-ordination. Posting a video recording of the dismissal on Twitter, Richard Vasconcelos, the injured Northants batsman/keeper, noted: “That’s four byes if I’m there.” There might have been a touch of modesty, but it is true that even a basic stop would have drawn applause. Hutton told team-mates it had all been a ploy; not all were convinced.From 42 for 6, Durham had recovered to within a run of the hundred thanks to Eckersley and Ben Raine, prompting Rossington to return to his frontline pair. After a cluster of wickets, Matt Salisbury and Chris Rushworth offered a few late blows, but the lead of 86 looked very handy indeed. Furthermore, Durham had fallen further behind Northants on bonus points for the game.They made the early breakthrough they needed when Rob Newton, handicapped by a hand injury sustained in the field on the first day, pushed only half-forward to Raine’s first ball. Rushworth threatened, as always, but without getting the edge. Meanwhile, some of Durham’s ground fielding was poor even allowing for the scrubbiness of the late-season square.Slip catches accounted for Ben Curran and Wakely in successive overs, and when Rob Keogh fell cheaply to give Salisbury a second wicket, Northants were effectively 151 for 4 and probably only just ahead. The next hour would be critical, but it was an hour that Northants won decisively thanks to the enterprise of Richard Levi and Rossington in adding 91 at nearly five an over.Both are in a shape best described as comfortable. No matter: they were hitting cricket balls, not auditioning for the Chippendales. In his third game of the season, Levi recorded his first half-century from 59 balls and proceeded to strike Salisbury beautifully for successive fours through extra cover. Rossington, who blitzed 60 from 22 balls during a mad period on Monday, played with more circumspection this time and reached his own fifty from 94 balls.”It was a challenge and there were one or two plays and misses, but we were good enough to put the four-ball away and relieve the pressure,” Levi said. “If you show intent you have a chance. When we went four-down, I think perhaps Durham sniffed something and searched for the next wicket a bit. ‘Rosso’ was very calming and we complement each other by scoring in different areas.”Levi fell to Rushworth’s first ball back, pulling to deep square leg to give the bowler a wicket he deserved, just not with one like that. Rossington’s technique served him well. He is still at the point of release and plays straight. Raine appeared to beat him for pace, but on a warm day, the attack was entitled to tire thereafter and Luke Procter added important runs before winding down towards close.

Injured Moores launches six-hitting blitz

Tom Moores, batting with a runner, struck 27 off one over from Simon Harmer as his do-or-die innings turned the match in Nottinghamshire’s favour

ECB Reporters Network22-Jun-2018
ScorecardA hobbling Tom Moores, batting with a runner, launched a blitz of sixes in a whirlwind 87 that enabled Nottinghamshire to set a beleaguered Essex a near-impossible target of 441 in 131 overs. Notts had four Essex batsmen back in the pavilion by the close.Moores, the 21-year-old son of head coach Peter, took a particular shine to Essex spinner Simon Harmer, who he deposited all around Chelmsford in an over that went for 27. In all, Moores hit seven fours and seven sixes in an 80-ball knock, and was the only contributor to a last-wicket stand of 58 from 52 balls with Harry Gurney, who was not out nought from 13 balls.With a series of pulls, straight drives, many lofted, and unorthodox shots out of the one-day repertoire, Moores followed up his maiden century in the last Specsavers County Championship match, at Taunton. He recorded his second highest first-class score despite turning his right ankle during wicketkeeping drills before the start of the third day.Notts assistant head coach Paul Franks said: “We’re not sure at the moment how serious it is. But we could see that he was in a bit of discomfort and would not be able to run between the wickets. He is in a bit of pain but these things can settle down overnight. He’s had a fantastic season and really made his mark on the team. He’s had to follow in some big footsteps.”He has a good range of shots, and sometimes it looks like he doesn’t always use them. But his ball-striking was outstanding and he managed the situation really well. Sometimes when you have a runner, batting with tail-enders chaos can ensue. But he handled it well.”Essex had agreed at lunchtime that Moores could bat with a runner, and Jake Libby duly walked out alongside him at the fall of the seventh wicket on 143. His efforts almost doubled Notts’ score and put the game far beyond Essex’s reach. Moores did not appear behind the stumps later with Riki Wessels taking the gloves briefly before young 2nd XI player Tom Keast arrived from Trent Bridge.Essex’s chase got off to the worse possible start as their top-order folded again. Alastair Cook went lbw in the second over without scoring, playing back to a ball from Matt Milnes that kept low, and Varun Chopra’s middle stump was knocked out of the ground in Milnes’s next over. To compound that, stand-in captain Tom Westley was beaten by one from Luke Fletcher that nipped back and struck off-stump.It was Cook’s second duck in nine innings for the county this summer, Westley’s fifth single-figure score in 11, while Chopra has totalled just 92 from eight Championship outings.Dan Lawrence and Ravi Bopara set about trying to save the game in the early evening, and their patient partnership reached 55 in 20 overs when Lawrence was caught and bowled by Samit Patel.But the day belonged to Moores. At the start of his innings, he was struck firmly on the boot by Neil Wagner. It did not discomfort Moores in the least as he was soon pulling Harmer for four and sweep-swiping his first six from the following ball. He went down on one knee to cart Jamie Porter over midwicket for his second six.But it was the return of Harmer, who went for 78 from his 15 overs, that sparked the fireworks. The first ball was thumped over long-off for six to reach a 63-ball fifty. The next was driven for a one-bounce boundary, followed by a swept four. There were further sixes, one on to the press-box roof and another to long-leg, before the over was completed with a single into the deep.Moores’s sixth six brought up the fifty partnership for the last wicket, and he added a second in the only over of the match bowled by Ravi Bopara. Moores finally departed, edging Porter behind.The day had not started so promising for Notts when they lost nightwatchman Milnes without addition. Patel pushed forward to Coles and sent Adam Wheater tumbling to his right to take the catch low down. Ross Taylor, centurion in the first innings, lasted just seven balls second time around, bowled trying to cut.Libby perished on 51 as Wagner found some exaggerated movement off the pitch. Switching around the wicket, the New Zealand pace bowler slanted one in to remove leg-stump.Wagner added his second straight after lunch when he got one to climb and take the edge of Wessels’s bat. Billy Root had just reverse-swept Harmer for four to reach 29 when he popped the next ball into Cook’s hands at third slip. But the Tom Moores show was about to begin.

SCG curator Tom Parker steps down

The long-serving SCG curator Tom Parker will step down later this year, just a few months before Australia’s home Ashes series

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jun-2017The long-serving SCG curator Tom Parker will step down later this year, just a few months before Australia’s home Ashes series.Parker has spent 20 years in charge of the SCG pitch and turf, and will be joined in his exit by Allianz Stadium curator Michael Finch, with the SCG Trust planning to bring both the cricket and soccer venues together under one team of groundstaff.”It’s been a privilege to work at this magnificent ground,” Parker said. “There are certainly some special moments that I’ll look back on in coming years but the opportunity to call the SCG home for the past two decades is what I’m most proud of.”SCG Trust chairman Tony Shepherd said: “Tom has been a key figure in the ground’s history and has played a huge part in its success over the years. On behalf of my fellow Trustees I would like to thank him, both professionally and personally, for the commitment he has shown to the SCG.”Despite Parker’s achievements over the past two decades, he did face criticism in 2015, when a Sheffield Shield match at the SCG was abandoned due to what was deemed an unsafe outfield. After several players slipped over, the match officials decided to abandon the match, a decision that neither Parker nor the SCG Trust believed was necessary.

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