All posts by h716a5.icu

Despite reassurances offered by Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board that he has not been sacked, Denesh Ramdin, has reiterated that he was told he would be replaced as T&T captain

Nagraj Gollapudi07-Nov-2014Despite reassurances offered by Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board that he has not been sacked, Denesh Ramdin has reiterated that he was told he would be replaced as T&T captain.He insisted that he was being “punished” for supporting the move by West Indies players to abandon the India tour last month. Ramdin said that the TTCB move was a “breach” of the agreement reached last week between the players, WICB and West Indies Players’ Association, where it was decided to set up a three-member task force to negotiate a deal between the three groups.Ramdin, the West Indies Test captain, said n a public statement issued on Thursday that things had been made “unnecessarily difficult and uncertain” for him since his return from India.Now Denesh Ramdin is sparring with the Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board•Caribbean Premier League”I feel compelled to state that on my return from India I was restricted from attendance at a practice session with the Trinidad and Tobago team on Thursday, October 30, 2014,” Ramdin said. “Although I felt hurt and embarrassed, I knew that I should remain committed to my responsibilities.”Ramdin’s latest response is a direct contradiction to TTCB president Azim Bassarath confirmation to ESPNcricinfo on Wednesday that Ramdin remained the T&T captain. Bassarath also said that a decision over whether to replace him as captain for the regional competitions, one of the recommendations made by the selectors, would be taken at the board’s meeting this weekend.On Monday Ramdin met with Bassarath and executives of TTCB including Suraj Ragoonath (CEO), Arjoon Ramlal (secretary), Sukesh Maniam (treasurer), Patrick Rampersad (third vice-president) and Gus Logie (T&T coach). The meeting took place at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva in Trinidad where Ramdin said he was told Rayad Emrit would be his successor.”On Monday, November 3, 2014, I attended a meeting with the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board. At that meeting, I was told that since I did not demonstrate proper leadership in relation to the tour in India, I would be relieved of the captaincy and would be replaced by Rayad Emrit. I understood this to be a punishment contrary to the undertaking given by the WICB at the meeting on Friday, October 31, 2014.”I am also advised that this action is a breach of my rights having regard to the fact that the Task Force appointed by the WICB has not made any findings and has made no findings of misconduct against me,” Ramdin said.Both Bassarath and Rampersad had explained that since Ramdin was likely to be busy playing for West Indies in various international series between October and the World Cup which ends in March, the selectors had recommended that a new captain be appointed. Both men insisted a final decision on Ramdin’s future as T&T captain would be taken at the TTCB executive meeting this weekend, though a media release on the board’s website indicated otherwise.Titled “Heavy WI schedule rules Ramdin out”, the release said: “The unavailability of Denesh Ramdin for selection for nearly all of the 2014-2015 regional cricket season was the deciding factor in the decision to appoint a new national team captain. And Ramdin, the West Indies Test team captain who was among the players who recently pulled out of a tour of India, was told this at a meeting on Monday with officials of the T&T Cricket Board.”Ramdin pointed out that on October 31 he along with fellow Trinidadian and West Indies ODI captain Dwayne Bravo along with their legal counsel attended a meeting with WICB president Dave Cameron, and Emmanuel Nanthan (vice-president) and one of the WCIB directors Baldath Mahabir, who also sits on the TTCB executive board. WIPA president Wavell Hinds participated in that meeting via Skype. Also present were the Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada. “At that meeting, the WICB gave an undertaking that the WICB would not in its selection policy victimise nor discriminate against any player who had gone on the tour to India,” Ramdin said.”I have been advised that it is improper for me to speak on the issue of the recent tour to India and that I must defer to the authority and deliberations of the Task Force appointed by the WICB to inquire into that tour. However, I wish to state that the circumstances that I have endured since my return to the Caribbean have been made unnecessarily difficult and uncertain,” Ramdin said.In a release issued on Tuesday the WICB listed what it called “updates” from the various meetings between the board of directors on October 30 and November 4. It stated that Michael Gordon QC would be chairman of the task force along with former West Indies fast bowler Wes Hall and Dennis Lalor.The WICB directors also decided after a conference call today to finalise the date next week to pick the squads for the South Africa tour, which starts in December.

Jonny Bairstow helped set a formidable total before Yorkshire held off a challenge from Richard Levi to move closer to the top of North Group in the NatWest Blast

Ryan Bailey at Wantage Road13-Jun-2014
ScorecardSuch is the unrelenting nature of the county schedule, sides can seldom manage to maintain the thrust to challenge on two, let alone three, fronts. It remains early days, but Yorkshire are formulating an effective formula to do just that. A victory at the home of the defending champions Northants, orchestrated by Jonny Bairstow’s masterly half-century, moves them within touching distance of the North Group summit.Playing resources at Headingley have been weakened by England calls, but on this evidence it has done little to enfeeble their ranks. They posted a formidable total and then had an abundance of conviction and resolve to suppress a bludgeoning innings from Richard Levi that threatened to single-handedly wrestle victory from them.While attention was on Yorkshire’s overseas opener, Aaron Finch, it was South-African Levi who wowed a near capacity Wantage Road with a cameo of typical disdain. His departure, for 76 off just 47, in the fourteenth over, however, attempting to launch Azeem Rafiq for his sixth maximum, brought about the type of reaction from Yorkshire that delineated a side with a real purpose.While their bowling was steadfast, it was Yorkshire’s endeavours with the bat that proved decisive. On a surface that made elaborate strokeplay and clean hitting a heavy task, the visitors lost both openers in their struggle to attune themselves before Bairstow took control in an unbroken stand of 90 in 8.3 overs with Adam Lyth.From the first ball of his innings, the England international managed to surmount the difficulties of the pitch by doing the simple things that are so often overlooked in Twenty20. His running between the wickets alongside Alex Lees and then Lyth ran Northants ragged.Having worked the ball around the vast outfield, continually keeping the scoreboard ticking, Bairstow demonstrated the full array of shots in his armoury. Successive boundaries off Azharullah in the eleventh over was a sign of things to come.Jonny Bairstow played a starring role in Yorkshire’s victory•Getty ImagesFinch’s dismissal, caught at mid-on attempting to force one over the top, highlighted the sluggish nature of the pitch when pace was taken off the ball. But, having restricted the visitors to 100 off 13 overs with a couple of overs of spin, Bairstow released the shackles.Levi’s approach was vastly different but equally effective. He played a lone hand, however, and despite swatting deliveries to the ropes at regular junctures, the collective trumped the individual. Only Steven Crook, who clubbed a quickfire 23, managed to dictate to the Yorkshire bowlers in a similar fashion.Azeem Rafiq was particularly impressive, not least because he dismissed Levi, but because he maintained a semblance of control at one end amid the carnage Levi was creating at the other. His departure left those below him with too much to do as the hosts wilted in the late evening warmth.Northants’ slogan this season is “Reign, Defend and Conquer” but their grip on the trophy they lifted last August is slowly slipping. They certainly are not showing the same pluckiness in the field.David Willey, on his return to bowling, struggled for any rhythm and Crook apart, none of the bowlers were spared from Bairstow and Lyth’s enterprise. The latter was unbeaten on 46 but he very much played subordinate to his partner at the other end.

New Zealand is seeking to address the issue of corruption in sport before the 2015 World Cup with the introduction of a bill that makes match-fixing a crime

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jul-2014New Zealand is seeking to address the issue of corruption in sport before the 2015 World Cup with the introduction of a bill that makes match-fixing a crime. The bill, a proposed amendment to the Crimes Act of 1961, was introduced in May and the first reading was unanimously approved in New Zealand’s parliament on Thursday.The bill seeks to classify fixing in sport as a crime and, in its current form, proposes a punishment of up to seven years’ imprisonment for individuals who manipulate or influence the outcome of a game for personal benefit. The ambit of the proposed bill extends to all matches under sporting codes as well as races, such as horse, boat or car races.New Zealand’s justice minister, Judith Collins, said the bill was designed to protect the integrity of sport in New Zealand.”This is a short, but very important bill. It is designed to protect the integrity of New Zealand sport,” Collins said.”Match-fixing is a growing problem internationally and has been described as the No 1 threat to the integrity, value and growth of sport.”As we have seen with recent events, New Zealand is not immune to this growing threat. That’s why the government is taking action on this matter.”The reading of the bill comes a few weeks after Lou Vincent’s admission of involvement in fixing. Vincent had been under investigation by the ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit since December last year, after which he was charged by the ECB for fixing domestic games. Vincent was given a life-ban by the ECB, a penalty that was supported by New Zealand Cricket.Fixing legislation in some form is also present in a few other cricket countries. In 2011, all states and territories in Australia agreed to bring in criminal legislation against fixing. While a few states have already done so, others are in the process of bringing in such laws, but there is no federal law in place. In England, the law is aimed at punters and cheating but not specifically fixing. Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman, has stated that the board is working with the government on laws that make fixing a criminal offence.The match-fixing bill will now be taken up by a law and order select committee. The bill could be passed into law before the World Cup and the FIFA Under-20 World Cup, which New Zealand will host later next year.

ESPNcricinfo previews the second women’s semi-final between England and South Africa

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan03-Apr-2014Match FactsApril 4, 2014, Mirpur
Start time 2.30pm (0830GMT)Mignon du Preez played the decisive innings in South Africa’s victory over New Zealand•ICCThe Big PictureOne of the powerhouses of women’s cricket goes up against the surprise package of this tournament. England’s women are now fully professional and the best resourced team in the world, but South Africa’s progress to the semi-finals is the latest example of other sides closing the gap.It is South Africa’s first World T20 semi-final and only their second in a global tournament, after they reached the final four of the 2000 World Cup. Their progress was secured with a tremendous victory over New Zealand, who have a stellar record at international level. They were beaten by a captain’s innings from Mignon du Preez, who made 51 off 47 balls.England recovered from losing their opening match against West Indies to win their next three. Their batting has struggled a little in the group stage – only Charlotte Edwards has more than 100 runs – but their bowling has been impressive. Anya Shrubsole leads the way, but of those who have bowled regularly Jenny Gunn has the most expensive economy and it still only sits at 5.15.South Africa’s batting has shown to have considerable power – they are second to Australia in sixes hit – and could be able to put pressure on England’s bowlers, which they did not encounter in their matches against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India. Everything points to England reaching another final, but the women’s game is becoming harder to predict.Form guide(Completed matches, most recent first)
England WWWLL
South Africa WWLWLWatch out forIn the absence of the injured Katherine Brunt, Anya Shrubsole has taken on the mantle of the attack leader and has done so with considerable success. She currently has 10 wickets in the four matches – the most by an England bowler in a World T20 and just one short of Julie Hunter’s record from the 2012 tournament – at an eye-popping strike-rate of 9.60 and an economy rate of 3.56. She will test the skill of South Africa’s top order.Marizanne Kapp is South Africa’s joint leading wicket-taker at the tournament with seven wickets, including a crucial 3 for 23 against New Zealand that contained the scalp of top scorer Sophie Devine. Then, with South Africa’s chase on the verge of difficulty at 52 for 3, she compiled a calm 23 off 24 balls in a match-winning stand of 54 with captain du Preez.Team newsEngland: 1 Sarah Taylor (wk), 2 Charlotte Edwards (capt), 3 Heather Knight, 4 Lydia Greenway, 5 Nat Sciver, 6 Amy Jones, 7 Jenny Gunn, 8 Georgia Elwiss, 9 Danielle Hazell, 10 Anya Shrubsole, 11 Rebecca GrundySouth Africa: 1 Lizelle Lee, 2 Dane van Niekerk, 3 Trisha Chetty (wk), 4 Mignon du Preez (capt), 5 Marizanne Kapp, 6 Chloe Tryon, 7 Shandre Fritz, 8 Sune Luus, 9 Shabnim Ismail, 10 Sunette Loubser, 11 Moseline DanielsPitch and conditionsThere was some turn in the first semi-final but it was slow, and it was easier to score when pace was on the ball. A new pitch will be used for the second semi, but conditions are unlikely to be vastly different.Stats and trivia England have not hit a six in the tournament; South Africa have managed 10England have not lost to South Africa in eight previous T20s – their last defeat to them in any format was in an ODI in Port Elizabeth in 2004 Dane van Niekerk and Lizelle Lee are the first two South Africa batsmen to score more than 100 runs in a World T20Quotes”Two years ago, when we played them I said they would be a force to be reckoned with within the next few years, and to see them play so well the other night kind of backed up what I was thinking a couple of years ago.”
“I think the formula we have been using has worked for us so far and we’re happy to continue with things the way that they are.”

Michael Klinger converted his overnight hundred into a double-century, and Tim Ludeman scored a ton too, as South Australia shut out Victoria’s chances of victory at the Adelaide Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-2014
ScorecardMichael Klinger converted his overnight hundred into a double-century, and Tim Ludeman scored a ton too, as South Australia shut out Victoria’s chances of victory at the Adelaide Oval. After declaring on 6 for 513 on the second day, South Australia’s bowlers reduced the visitors to 4 for 50, before David Hussey and Glenn Maxwell staged a fightback.South Australia began the day on 2 for 273, with Klinger batting on 115. Tom Cooper added only one run to his overnight 80, though, and when Callum Ferguson and Johan Botha fell in quick succession, Victoria had reduced the hosts to 5 for 286. John Hastings had taken all three wickets.Ludeman then joined Klinger and added 174 runs for the sixth wicket, driving South Australia towards 500. On 213, Klinger became Maxwell’s third wicket, but Ludeman added 51 more with Joe Mennie. Botha declared the innings soon after Ludeman got to his century.Having been in the field for 145 overs, the Victora top order failed. Chadd Sayers bowled Rob Quiney for 11 and Kane Richardson bowled Michael Hill for 1. Sayers then removed Marcus Stoinis and Cameron White cheaply too. Victoria were in serious trouble when Hussey and Maxwell began a partnership that grew to 96 by stumps.

Baroda took only 16.4 overs on the third morning to dismiss the remaining five Madhya Pradesh batsman and register a massive 246-run win at Moti Bagh

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Nov-2013
ScorecardFile photo: Parthiv Patel struck 19 fours during his 189•ESPNcricinfoParthiv Patel struck a mammoth 189- his fourth fifty-plus score in the tournament- which was instrumental in Gujarat securing a first-innings lead over Jharkhand in Jamshedpur.His overnight partner Samit Gohel produced a patient 80, as the duo added 185 runs for the third wicket, but the rest of the batting line-up was not quite as potent. Parthiv struck 19 fours in his innings as he shepherded the lower order, and was finally the last man out before the declaration. Akshar Patel hung around long enough to put on a half-century partnership for sixth wicket with Parthiv. Samar Quadri, the legspinner, picked up four wickets including that of Parthiv’s.Jharkhand’s second essay got off to a slow start, as Bhavin Thakkar had to return to the pavilion retired hurt. Rameez Nemat dropped anchor to ensure Jharkhand endured no further casualties.Odisha 169 for 4 (Samantray 50*, Mallick 47*, HS Sharath 3-41) and 226 lead Karnataka 379 (Pandey 132, Mithun 43) by 16 runs
ScorecardKarnataka’s strength at the start of the day was somewhat relinquished as starting the day at 288 for 4, their remaining batsmen could manage only 91 runs. Odisha were jolted at the top but their middle-order, led by the captain Biplab Samantray who compiled his second fifty in as many matches, helped the team set up a slim lead.Karnataka’s overnight batsmen Manish Pandey, who was on 108, and CM Gautam were knocked over early by Suryakant Pradhan, but A 48-ball 43 from Abhimanyu Mithun recovered the lost momentum as he made his way to 43, with six fours and a six.Mithun and HS Sharath then had Odisha in some trouble early on. Odisha lost opener Girija Rout in the first over and their recovery efforts came up lacking. At 75 for 4, Samantray and first-innings top-scorer Abhilash Mallick came together and their unbeaten 95-run partnership for the fifth wicket helped them recover. The 22-year old Mallick missed out on his maiden first-class ton in the first innings by two runs, but having already scored 47 in the second, he has another chance to reach three figures on Sunday.
ScorecardMumbai were on the brink of registering a huge win in their maiden Ranji Trophy clash against Vidarbha. At the end of the penultimate day’s play, chasing an improbable target of 530, Vidarbha were 177 for 8 at Wankhede Stadium.Read the full report here.
ScorecardGuided by Gurkeerat Singh and Sandeep Sharma, Punjab overcame a torrid struggle to chase down a target of 135 and eventually beat Haryana by three wickets in Lahli.Read the full report here.

Middlesex’s offspinning allrounder Ollie Rayner has been put on standby for the England Lions tour of Sri Lanka after concerns emerged about Simon Kerrigan’s fitness

George Dobell15-Jan-2014Middlesex’s offspinning allrounder Ollie Rayner has been put on standby for the England Lions tour of Sri Lanka after concerns emerged about Simon Kerrigan’s fitness. Kerrigan has a back problem and is due to be assessed by medical staff next week.Rayner, an unusually tall spinner, claimed figures of 15 for 118 in a Championship match against Surrey at The Oval in September, the best figures by a Middlesex bowler since Fred Titmus in 1955. While his overall record remains modest, Rayner enjoyed by far the best season of his career in 2013, taking 46 first-class wickets at an average of 22.04, and, aged 28, should still have his best years ahead of him.He was called up to the England Performance Squad at the end of 2008 but has never won national selection at any level. The retirement of Graeme Swann, however, and the struggles of Monty Panesar and Kerrigan have left the door ajar for several candidates who might previously have thought international cricket would prove a step too far.Rayner will train with the Lions squad at the National Performance Centre in Loughborough this week, with the tour party set to depart at the end of January.Kerrigan, having earned a reputation as the brightest young spinner in county cricket over recent seasons, endured a chastening Test debut at The Oval in August, where his eight overs were thrashed for 53 and he was not trusted to bowl in the second innings. While he was included in the England Performance Programme squad to tour Australia, the 24-year-old slow left-armer was subsequently withdrawn to continue to work on his game in the less-pressurised environments at Loughborough and Old Trafford.

The day before England fly out to Australia for the Ashes tour, the ECB have confirmed the recipients of central contracts for the next 12 months after protracted talks which began during the summer

Andrew McGlashan and George Dobell22-Oct-20130:00

McGlashan: A year ago Root hadn’t played

The day before England fly out to Australia for the Ashes tour, the ECB have confirmed the recipients of central contracts for the next 12 months after protracted talks which began during the summer. There is one change among the 11 from the previous batch with Eoin Morgan losing his deal and Joe Root, who plays all three formats for England, included in his place.The make-up of the current deals will run until 2019 – although individual contracts still last 12 months – and they are understood to be considerably enhanced terms which the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) were pushing hard for throughout the process. They had claimed in February that England players were “substantially underpaid” compared to their counterparts in Australia.The initial timescale had been to announce the new contracts when the Ashes squad was named last month, but the final negotiations took extra time although there was no suggestion of talks breaking down at any stage. As part of the raft of alterations made to enable players to increase their chances of maximising their earning opportunities, England’s home Tests will be pushed back to June from May to allow a longer period for lucrative IPL appearances.Angus Porter, the PCA chief executive, said: “I am pleased that we have secured a fair and appropriate long term agreement, and have done so via amicable and constructive dialogue.”Rapid rise: Joe Root is the one new face among England’s centrally contracted players•AFPMorgan’s absence is of no surprise. Although he remains integral to both limited-overs formats – and captained England against Australia last month in Alastair Cook’s absence – he has drifted well down the pecking order for a Test berth after opting for a full stint at the IPL and has not made a first-class 50 in more than a year.His potential route back onto the Test side would be at No. 6, a position that no-one has cemented since Paul Collingwood’s retirement after the 2010-11 Ashes. That the contracts list only includes five batsman confirms that the final berth in the middle-order remains up for grabs. There are three potential candidates in the Ashes squad with Gary Ballance, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes vying for a place in the Brisbane Test.Root’s elevation to a full central contract is a natural progression after a year in which he has rapidly become a fixture in all three formats. This time 12 months ago he had not made his debut for England, but since his first appearance against India in Nagpur – where he scored a vital, composed 73 – he has produced key contributions in 20-over, 50-over and Test cricket even though his elevation to opener in the summer’s Ashes proved a challenge for him.England have resisted contracting extra fast-bowling resources, such as Boyd Rankin or Chris Tremlett, but despite his inconsistent year Steven Finn remains on the list.Geoff Miller, the national selector who was presiding over his final selection of contracts before stepping down, said: “Contracts are on-going recognition for those players who have regularly been selected for England and have performed consistently, as well as those players we feel are likely to play an important role for England over the next year.”Congratulations to Joe Root who is the one addition to the list of players awarded a central contract and this reflects the important role Joe has played for England since making his international debut last year and will I’m sure continue to play across all formats.”The outgoing managing director England Cricket, Hugh Morris, said: “We are delighted to have concluded a six-year deal and to have all contractual issues resolved in advance of what we all hope to be another successful Ashes tour. We thank the PCA, Team England Player Partnership and the ECB Board for reaching this agreement which now allows the players to focus solely on cricket, not just during this tour, but for a considerable period beyond.”Central contracts James Anderson, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Steven Finn, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Joe Root, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott

With short, straight boundaries and an Australia side with the bit between their teeth James Tredwell is ready to face another onslaught when he is given the ball at the SWALEC Stadium on Saturday.

Andrew McGlashan13-Sep-2013With short, straight boundaries and an Australia side with the bit between their teeth James Tredwell is ready to face another onslaught when he is given the ball at the SWALEC Stadium on Saturday.England have only bowled once during this series, when they conceded 315 at Old Trafford, and the innings was notable for how Australia targeted Tredwell whose eight overs cost 60 for the reward of one wicket. The new-look England team, with Ben Stokes as the third seamer, adds greater onus on Tredwell and the way he was attacked by Australia’s top order in Manchester put huge pressure on Eoin Morgan.But one tough day in the field is not going to knock Tredwell off his stride after an outstanding Champions Trophy where he ensured Graeme Swann’s various absences through injury were barely noticed. It could even be argued that Tredwell has done enough over the last 12 months to be considered England’s No. 1 one-day spinner.”It seemed to be as soon as I came on they were gunning for me,” he said. “They came pretty hard in that game, pretty much a plan by the looks of it. On another day, it might have been 3 for 20 after those four overs. When they come hard like that, it obviously gives me a chance to take wickets as well. The other day, they came off. I hope it will be my day at some stage in this series. Certainly one end here is pretty short. I’ll stay away from that one.”That phlegmatic attitude to his lot as a spinner in the modern one-day game – highlighting the advantage of picking experienced domestic cricketers – helps Tredwell to overcome his difficult days.”You tend to get hit for a few sixes. You’ve got to take that on the chin, put that behind you and try to beat them the next time – that’s the way I look at it. Sometimes it’s horrible, depending on who’s at the other end. But if someone is taking a chance, then it’s giving you one.”And if there was a major one-day final on the horizon, with Swann fit and available, is there now a serious question for the selectors to answer? “I’d like to think my name would be in the hat. I think I’ve put in the performances to be there or thereabouts. The decision wouldn’t be mine. I think I’ve done pretty well over the last little period. I need to keep that going.”Although Andy Flower has said Monty Panesar will be considered for the Ashes tour despite his troubled end to the season, if it is decided that he cannot be taken on the trip Tredwell could yet be the second spinner behind Swann. Simon Kerrigan’s horrid debut at The Oval is likely to have ruled him out – although a Lions spot should allow him to continue his development – while there are few other realistic options around the county game.”It’s always nice to be around the environment, and if you do the right things you can put your name in the ring,” Tredwell said. “”The last 12 months have been fantastic for me in this form of the game, and I just want that to continue. But it’s a totally different form of the game, so that’s out of my hands really. It’s evident for all to see there are opportunities available, and you just try to do your best and hope your name gets picked out.”

New Zealand have been one of the usual suspects at the knockout stages of ICC events. Despite continued troubles in the Test form, that trend might just continue

Andrew McGlashan07-Jun-2013The Champions Trophy has been good for New Zealand. In 2000, when it was still the ICC Knockout, with a view to the funds helping the developing cricket nations, Chris Cairns hit an unbeaten century in Nairobi to lead them to their only piece of global silverware.They have come close many times since – quarter and semi-finals are a regular place to find New Zealand in global events – and their surge of form ahead of the tournament has belied their No. 8 ranking. All of a sudden the problems in red-ball cricket have been shed. In a competition as short and sharp as the Champions Trophy, hitting form at the right time is key. New Zealand will just hope they haven’t peaked early.Their recent performances against England have reinforced the feeling that New Zealand’s slump in one-day cricket before this year had been more surprising than their struggles in Tests. For a format that has often been the lifeblood of New Zealand there have been precious few successes.Before the impressive 2-1 series win in South Africa earlier this year it had been a barren run in ODIs. Since losing the World Cup quarter-final against Sri Lanka in March 2011 they have won just four matches (until the tour of England) against sides excluding Bangladesh and Zimbabwe and even before that their form was far from flash with a run of 11 defeats in a row including a series loss to Bangladesh.There are signs that under Brendon McCullum and Mike Hesson, New Zealand have gone back a few generations with the structure of their one-day team. Experienced players, whose careers may have been finished, notably Grant Elliott and James Franklin, have been given another chance while they are trying to nurse Daniel Vettori back although that is proving problematic.With a strong seam attack and a middle-order featuring McCullum, Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson, plus the career-high form of Martin Guptill, they have the basis for a competitive team. And, really, it would not be a global event without New Zealand in the semi-finals.Key playerThere were signs during the Test series against England that Ross Taylor was regaining somewhere near his best form with an aggressive half-century at Lord’s and a rearguard effort at Headingley and he grew increasingly fluent in the ODIs which followed. Despite an improvement in the weather, and some flatter pitches, the Champions Trophy is unlikely to be a walk in the park for top-orders so Taylor’s role will be two-fold: lay a base for the likes of McCullum below him but also be there himself to take advantage of the last 10 overs.Surprise packageNew Zealand are not short of left-arm pace bowlers. Mitchell McClenaghan has so far been used exclusively in the one-day formats – and with some success. He impressed in South Africa and it was a significant blow when he was injured during England’s visit in March. On his return he has been used in a very attacking manner by Brendon McCullum, recalled to target key players in the opposition middle order. He doesn’t take a backward step and doesn’t mind a few words, either.WeaknessNew Zealand will cross their fingers that the Champions Trophy marks the arrival of the British summer. When the ball doesn’t move their top order is far more comfortable. Swinging conditions could still be their undoing. Although batsmen can get away with a few more edges in one-day cricket and bowlers’ spells are rationed, losing early wickets on a regular basis would leave the middle-order a lot of rebuilding to do.Champions Trophy historyWinners in 2000, New Zealand reached the final last time this tournament was staged during 2009 in South Africa where they lost by six wickets to Australia. Six of the team from that match are in this year’s squad. In 2006-07 they also came unstuck against their neighbours, this time in the semi-final, but the last time the competition was in England in 2004 they didn’t make the last four – again due to defeat against Australia.Recent formSigns of improvement. The series win in South Africa was an outstanding effort, especially after the humbling in the Tests, but conceding the series against England at home, despite having won the opening game, was a missed opportunity for them. Their response in the recent NatWest Series, though, was emphatic and bodes well for the weeks ahead.