All posts by h716a5.icu

Ireland Under-19s will attempt to emulate the senior team in two Under-19 one-dayers against England next year.

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Nov-2011Ireland Under-19s will attempt to emulate the senior team in two one-dayers against England next year. The games will be part of both teams’ preparation for the U-19 World Cup next August in Australia.Ireland produced the shock of the 2011 World Cup with a three-wicket win in Bangalore, largely thanks to Kevin O’Brien who struck the fastest-ever World Cup hundred.The U-19 matches will both be played at Grace Road on July 18 and 20 and will see the Ireland youngsters returning to Leicester for the first time since 2007 when the senior side beat Canada in an Intercontinental Cup match.The fixtures will act as a warm-up ahead of the teams’ meeting at the U-19 World Cup in Brisbane. Ireland and England have been drawn in the same group, alongside the hosts and Nepal.The teams last met in 2008 in Malaysia when an England side, including Steven Finn, Chris Woakes and James Taylor, comfortably won by 10 wickets. England also won their 2006 U-19 World Cup meeting when Ireland were captained by Eoin Morgan.Ireland U-19s are also scheduled to play Scotland U-19s in three one-day matches in July.

Cricket South Africa has resolved to improve its corporate governance and review the process for awarding bonuses as their months-long internal strife appears to be reaching its end

Firdose Moonda20-Aug-2011Cricket South Africa (CSA) has resolved to improve its corporate governance and review the process for awarding bonuses as their months-long internal strife appears to be reaching its end. The board took the decision at their annual general meeting in Port Elizabeth on Saturday, where they deliberated the legal advice of advocate Azhar Bham, who was appointed to investigate possible breaches of the Companies’ Act committed by chief executive Gerald Majola.Accounting firm KPMG, who were tasked with investigating CSA’s financial affairs, produced a report which stated that Majola could have violated the act four times in relation to bonus payments made after the hosting of the 2009 IPL and Champions Trophy. CSA decided to seek legal opinion on the possible breaches at a special board meeting held three weeks ago in Johannesburg.At the time, it was expected that Majola would not be fired and that the importance of governance procedures would be stressed on CSA. The core issue appears to be the methods used to pay bonuses to staff who work on non-CSA events that are hosted by the organisation, such as the IPL. Insiders confirmed that traditionally these bonuses are awarded without going through CSA’s remunerations committee (REMCO), leaving the door open for possible indiscretion. It was this type of misconduct that CSA President Mtutuzeli Nyoka said he wanted to prevent and expose.With the findings of KPMG and subsequent legal advice, CSA have admitted that they were not vigilant enough and did not employ strict enough methods of procedure. Majola was reported to have been severely reprimanded for this at the meeting and CSA have vowed to embark on a crash course in governance in order to improve their processes.”As far as CSA is concerned this matter is now closed,” AK Khan, vice-president of CSA, who chaired the meeting in Nyoka’s absence, said. Nyoka did not attend the meeting for personal reasons and has not yet responded to the resolution.If he mounts a challenge, it would further draw out the spat between him and Majola, which started when R4.7 million (US$ 671,428) was paid in bonuses to 40 staff members after the 2009 events. The payments were picked up as an irregularity by CSA’s auditors Deloitte and the body announced that they would have an external investigation to look into the matter.Instead, they chose to hold an internal inquiry first, chaired by vice-president AK Khan. In November, the Khan Commission cleared Majola of any wrongdoing but cautioned him against making “errors of judgment.” These mistakes referred to the payments not being declared to Remco.Nyoka’s outspoken views on holding an external investigation resulted in him being ousted by a vote of no confidence in February, but he challenged the decision in the South Gauteng High Court and was reinstated in April Nyoka’s demands for an audit were also met and KPMG were chosen to conduct the investigation which, once completed, did not put an end to the matter but lengthened in with the call for legal advice.

Garey Mathurin, a previously unknown left-arm spinner from St Lucia, produced a remarkable spell of 3 for 9 in four overs as West Indies secured a remarkable 25-run victory in the second Twenty20 at The Oval

The Report by Andrew Miller at The Oval25-Sep-2011 West Indies 113 for 5 (Samuels 35*, Patel 2-22) beat England 88 (Mathurin 3-9) by 25 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsWest Indies were superb in the field as England subsided for 88•Getty ImagesGarey Mathurin, a previously unknown left-arm spinner from St Lucia, produced a remarkable spell of 3 for 9 in four overs as West Indies secured a shock 25-run victory in the second Twenty20 at The Oval. After being asked to bat first on a slow and low turner, they struggled to a total of 113 for 5 and looked set for a second heavy defeat in three days. But instead, they rallied supremely to bowl England out for 88 with more than three overs of their allocation to spare.With England set to embark on a tour of India next week, and with the defence of their World Twenty20 crown taking place in Sri Lanka in 12 months’ time, this was a match that will have caused a few jitters in the team thinktank. On the same pitch that proved receptive to spin in Friday’s opening game, both teams stacked their side with slow bowlers, but it was England’s new-look order that ultimately dealt with the conditions the worst.England’s innings began inauspiciously, as Mathurin’s high action and appreciable turn gave Friday’s matchwinner Alex Hales a strokeless start to his innings. He had managed just two runs from his first eight balls when Krishnar Santokie, another West Indian debutant, and this time one who hasn’t played first-class cricket, bowled him with a beauty that nipped through his defences and into off stump.Four balls later, Mathurin made his first big impression, as Craig Kieswetter – with two fours to his name – was so bamboozled by a slider that he stood his ground after being bowled, in the vain hope that the keeper had been the one to whip off the bails. Ravi Bopara was then spun out by a beauty in Mathurin’s next over, and at 26 for 3 at the end of the Powerplay, the match was exquisitely in the balance.Ben Stokes did his utmost to change the dynamic of the innings, as he greeted Devendra Bishoo with the most violent assault of the night – a six and two fours in the space of a first over that went for 17, but at the other end, Mathurin twirled away without anything being allowed to break his zone. Jonny Bairstow, the hero of the Cardiff ODI, might have been tempted to block out the final four balls of his spell, but instead he dropped to his knees for a sweep, and was bowled for 4.Stokes continued to provide England with a boundary-finding option, but as had been the case in the West Indian innings, working the singles proved to be a problem, not least when the less-than-fleet-footed Samit Patel entered the fray. He was run out by a direct hit from gully as he belatedly set off for a leg bye and, one over later, Stokes responded to three dot balls in a row with a missed sweep that left him lbw for 31.The arrival of Tim Bresnan at No. 8 was arguably the most encouraging sight for England at such a stage, but even his big-match experience couldn’t rescue his side. He drove on the up to that man Mathurin at long-off to depart for 2 from 4, and instead it was the rookie alliance of Jos Buttler and Scott Borthwick who hauled England back from the depths of 60 for 7. With more pace on the ball now that the spinners’ overs were running out, they added 23 in 17 balls before a brilliant shy from Darren Sammy at mid-on left Buttler stranded short of his crease, and England deep in the mire.Another calamitous run-out followed one over later as England began to panic. Graeme Swann turned down a single to cover with Borthwick stranded at the wrong end of the pitch, and the captain hadn’t scored from either of his two deliveries by the time England’s No. 11, Jade Dernbach, was also sent on his way via a run-out. Earlier in the match, Swann had chosen not to bowl his full quota of overs to give his team-mates the practice. It was a quiet night for the noisiest man in the camp.On a bad night for England full-stop, Borthwick’s performance with the ball was undoubtedly the highlight. In a solitary over against Ireland last month, he conceded 13 runs in unfavourable conditions. Tonight he went for 15 in a full four-over quota, without conceding a single boundary. His maiden international wicket was a collector’s item as well, a perfectly pitched googly that bamboozled Johnson Charles, West Indies’ opener, and bowled him for 21.After allowing West Indies to rattle to 42 for 0 in four overs against the seamers on Friday, Swann cannily chose to open with the spin of Patel. His first ball was swept for four by Charles, the last of his quota was nailed through the covers for another boundary, and in between whiles he was clubbed for six by Charles over long-on. But the remainder of his 21 deliveries conceded a grand total of six runs, as West Indies found no way to keep the strike rotating.Even Marlon Samuels, the most renowned batsman on display, found it tough to raise his game in the circumstances. He struggled for timing initially and had made 11 from 20 balls before drilling his first boundary at the end of the 15th over, and though he lifted his game in the closing stages, a run-a-ball 35 appeared to have done little more than hoist the West Indies total into triple figures. That, however, proved to be decisive.England’s fielding, such a strong factor in their victory on Friday, was once again sharp, with Hales sliding round the deep midwicket boundary to cling onto a slog from Christopher Barnwell, before Borthwick at long-off swallowed a firm lofted drive off Sammy to give Bopara his fifth wicket of the series, and his first of the night. Dernbach was England’s other wicket-taker, with an early lbw to remove Dwayne Smith, but at the end of a memorable summer, it was West Indies who were left to cavort around the outfield. Their season is only just beginning, but what a fillip this will be as they head off towards Dubai, Bangladesh and beyond.

Dimitri Mascarenhas took three early wickets as Hampshire strengthened theirgrip at the top of the Friends Life t20 South Group, with their tenth win in 13matches

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2011
Scorecard
Dimitri Mascarenhas took three early wickets as Hampshire strengthened their grip at the top of the Friends Life t20 South Group with their tenth win in 13 matches. Two stoppages for rain reduced Essex’s target, but they failed by nine runs, leaving Hampshire in a strong position to qualify for the quarter-finals as group toppers.Mascarenhas took his tally for the competition to 15 for the season by dismissing Adam Wheater and Tim Southee in his first over and then Mark Pettini in his third. The Essex chase never fully recovered although Owais Shah and Ravi Bopara attempted a recovery with a stand of 55 for the fourth wicket. Shah struck four fours and a six off Shahid Afridi in a knock of 38 of 34 balls, but it was not enough.When Essex came back out after a second rain stoppage they required 56 from five overs and soon lost Ryan ten Doeschate, before Bopara perished going for a big hit at 109. Bopara made 48, his side’s top score, but was stumped down the leg side off Afridi and with him went Essex’s last hope of salvaging a surprise win.Hampshire, after choosing to bat, made a competitive 151 for seven from their 20 overs. Key to their success was a stand of 85 for the fourth wicket between James Vince and Sean Ervine. Vince, the match’s top-scorer, made 55 from 46 balls in an innings that included six boundaries before he was lbw to Phillips in the 16th over with the total on 117.Ervine’s contribution was almost as valuable, striking 45 from 35 balls. He was the third victim of the innings for Southee, who finished with creditable figures of 3 for 30 from his four overs, while the all-important wicket of the dangerous Afridi went to Bopara. Afridi made only four before he lofted Bopara to Pettini.Essex, though, were always struggling once Mascarenhas made early inroads that left them 18 for three, and never looked like keeping up with the required-rate.

The former Test opener and current selector Mohammad Ilyas has been served a showcause notice by the PCB for his part in the board’s ongoing dispute with former captain Shahid Afridi

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jun-2011The former Test opener and current selector Mohammad Ilyas has been served two showcause notices by the PCB; the first for his part in the board’s ongoing dispute with former captain Shahid Afridi, and the second for his appearance on a TV show on Sunday night that also included Salman Butt.Ilyas was the target of specific and personal criticism from Afridi in the days after he announced his conditional retirement from the game and launched a blitz against the board that has now taken on a legal hue. Late last week, an incensed Ilyas felt compelled to respond with his own attacks against Afridi and was duly issued with the notice on Friday, in which the board said he had violated the code of conduct applicable to officials.Afridi and Ilyas have history: Ilyas has often opposed the selection of Afridi in the side but it has ballooned in recent months. Afridi accused Ilyas of promoting his son-in-law Imran Farhat, while Ilyas responded by saying Afridi had pushed unfairly and persistently for Ahmed Shahzad, Fawad Alam and Shahzaib Hasan.Fuelling the dispute are Afridi’s comments about a “Punjab-Lahore lobby” working against him since he became captain – Ilyas is from Lahore and Afridi, a Pathan from Karachi – remarks that have seriously irked the board and a number of prominent ex-cricketers in Lahore.At a press conference in Karachi, Afridi clarified his remarks, saying that he was talking about an individual and not a region or people. “I did say it, but I only said it so that the media would understand who I am talking about,” he said. “After that I stopped saying it and I took Ilyas’s name. the work that he is using the kind of language that he is using everyone can see. I will not talk of provinces, I play for Pakistan.”Ilyas is expected to respond today to the first notice, but comments he made on Sunday night on a show on are expected to land him in further trouble. A bizarre line-up of guests on the show included Ilyas, Salman Butt, Sarfraz Nawaz, as well as a brief telephonic appearance from Ijaz Butt, chairman PCB.Ilyas repeated most of his earlier criticisms on Afridi’s performances as player and captain – stating again that he had refused to sign off on Afridi’s selection in the squad for the West Indies ODI series – as well as explaining his response to the personal attacks. One particular remark, however, is likely to prove more incendiary than others, a derogatory proverb – not to be taken literally – involving dogs.But what is likely to concern any number of observers is the presence of a board official on a talk show with Salman, who was banned earlier this year for ten years (five suspended) after being found guilty by a tribunal of spot-fixing. Butt was also critical of Afridi’s captaincy, though he stressed that he had no personal issues with him. Afridi said only, “Everyone saw who was sitting with who on TV last night, so I don’t want to say too much.”It will not be lost on neutrals and Afridi’s supporters, that another personality critical of Afridi is said to be Mazhar Majeed, the player-agent allegedly at the centre of the spot-fixing controversy and currently under trial in the UK in the same case. On what is believed to be his twitter account, Majeed has been severely critical of Afridi thrice during the course of the last week or so.”

Harbhajan Singh has said that India’s performance during the recent South Africa series will have little bearing on their World Cup campaign

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jan-2011Harbhajan Singh has said that India’s performance during the recent South Africa series will have little bearing on their World Cup campaign. India drew a Test series in South Africa for the first time, won the only Twenty20, and an under-strength one-day side led the five-match series 2-1 before losing the final two games.”From my personal experience, I can tell you that our good show in South Africa may give us a bit of confidence but that’s about it,” Harbhajan told . “Doing well in bouncy pitches in South Africa and playing in the World Cup is a different ball game altogether.”He gave the example of the 2003 World Cup, when India reached the final on the back of a forgettable tour of New Zealand. “If you remember, we had a disastrous tour of New Zealand where we lost in both Test and ODI series,” he said. “But when we played in the World Cup, it was a different story. We dominated New Zealand and went on to play the final. That’s why I feel that a bilateral series can never be an indicator to a team’s performance in a big event.”India go into the World Cup starting next month as one of the favourites, and Harbhajan said the form of the youngsters in the team would be a big factor in how far India progress. “I have loads of expectations from guys like Virat [Kohli], Yusuf [Pathan] and [Suresh] Raina. They have had enough exposure in international cricket and I am really hopeful that they would come up trumps.”

Jason Gillespie’s is no longer the sole memorable performance by an Australian cricketer in Bangladesh

Daniel Brettig in Mirpur11-Apr-2011For five years Jason Gillespie has strutted about as the sole claimant to the title of most memorable Australian innings in Bangladesh. Not anymore.Gillespie’s 201 not out in the second Test in Chittagong in 2006 remains a most remarkable effort, and even now the proud nightwatchman still signs his autograph as a cheeky ‘Dizzy 201’. The fact it arrived in a Test will also ensure it as revered – or jokingly reviled if you were one of Gillespie’s team-mates – for as long as Australians play cricket. But Shane Watson’s pulverising, unbeaten 185 to secure a series victory over Bangladesh in Mirpur was so compelling, even with the caveat of a compliant Bangladesh attack, that it should not sit a million miles from Gillespie’s double century.”It’s amazing that Jason Gillespie, for how amazing a bowler he was, he still signs his name ‘Dizzy 201’, so it’s nice I’ve been able to do this,” Watson said. “It’s my first tour of Bangladesh so it’s nice to be able to come and try to show your skills to different people, [and have] people appreciate what you do; so that’s a nice bonus to having a good day. It’s just one of those days where everything that you try comes out of the middle of the bat, a mis-hit goes into the gap or you get dropped.”The reason I kept going after [reaching] 100 is because I was tired, and I didn’t really want to run too much; I was either going to try to hit as many sixes as I could or get out because I was pretty tired, that was as simple as it was. It was hot and humid out there, so it was nice to be able to get a few out of the middle to save my running.”As an allrounder and now the team’s vice-captain, fatigue is an ever-present issue for Watson, and he revealed his preference for batting second in limited-overs contests.”It’s always actually easier batting second; although you do get pretty hot from bowling first, it means I can actually get through my batting innings knowing I don’t have to bowl next and don’t have to use my energy,” Watson said.”So my preferred way of playing one-day cricket personally, is actually batting second because you don’t need the energy. If it comes off like it did today, I don’t have to run too much. So it was definitely nice today.”Watson was playing in Hamilton in 2007 when Matthew Hayden smote the previous Australian record for an ODI innings, an effort that was ultimately overshadowed by a furious New Zealand run-chase. This time there was no doubt about the decisive nature of the innings.Australia’s pre-series planning had focused on the volume of left-arm spin to be bowled by the home side, and Watson used the angle into him to powerful effect by swinging all his 15 sixes into the arc between square leg and straight mid on.”Some of the balls [that] I did hit over the leg side weren’t that [leg side], it was more so the length that meant I could hit [so],” he said. “But then also I was targeting the short side as well, so I was batting on off stump to try to get it over to the leg side. When the ball’s not turning and bouncing like it can here, it makes that shot a lot easier to execute. If it’s turning and bouncing that shot’s a lot harder.”At the other end, Ricky Ponting watched with admiration, perhaps reminded of his two domineering innings in Johannesburg in 2003 and 2006. “[It] made my job easy,” Ponting said. “[I] just had to get a single to give him strike.”No one expected it to get over that fast. I have been lucky to play with some great players; Watto has played some great innings … this was an amazing innings. Some of those sixes would have cleared any boundary in the world. It probably won’t sink into us for a while now, how good that [innings] was.”As for Bangladesh, the local reaction was best summed up by a wry question lobbed Watson’s way as he discussed the innings with the media: “What did you have for lunch today?”

New Zealand began day five at Basin Reserve needing to bowl Pakistan out to square the series but their attack lacked the penetration to dislodge the opposition batsmen

Andrew Fernando at Basin Reserve19-Jan-2011New Zealand began day five at Basin Reserve needing to bowl Pakistan out to square the series, but barring an early burst from the seamers, their attack lacked the penetration to dislodge the opposition batsmen, especially after they began to play defensively. Daniel Vettori, however, singled out the second-innings collapse in Hamilton as the reason for New Zealand’s 1-0 series loss against Pakistan.”The reason we lost the series was because of our third innings with the bat in Hamilton,” Vettori said. “I thought we played really well yesterday to give ourselves a chance. We wanted to get a 270 score because we knew that would always be difficult out here, so to set that to win was a good effort.”Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan effectively sealed the series with their second century stand of the game, batting out almost a session and a half to take Pakistan out of danger. Both men made valuable half-centuries: Younis opted to play his strokes for 81 with one eye on a win, and Misbah’s unbeaten 226-ball vigil ensured his side would not surrender the series lead on the last day.”Misbah and Younis was the key partnership,” Vettori said. “They’re obviously very experienced players and they know their game pretty well. The wicket was good and we just couldn’t get that breakthrough early enough. I think even when we got Younis before tea there was a sniff there, but we just needed to keep getting those breakthroughs and into their inexperienced middle and lower order, but we didn’t get them.”Vettori was expected to provide the impetus for New Zealand as they pushed for wickets in the fourth innings, but his inability to turn the ball significantly on a worn fifth-day pitch blunted New Zealand’s ambitions of a Test win. Vettori troubled Younis early with changes of pace and a hint of extra bounce, but the batsman had little trouble negotiating the spinner once he was settled at the crease.”The wicket was very good. It still had enough in it [for the bowlers], but if you didn’t want to play any shots it was certainly something you could defend on. Younis played really well – it was a great way to play in a fourth innings on a fifth day. He put a little bit of pressure back on us, but mainly he was content to defend and Misbah was very content to defend. When you’re 1-0 up you can play that way and they did exceptionally well, and did what their team needed.”Waqar Younis also praised the efforts of the experienced Pakistan batsmen. “They’ve been batting well since South Africa, which was another tough series,” Waqar said. “Full credit to Younis, he’s an experienced campaigner and he knows what to do and he did exactly what we needed.”Misbah-ul-Haq embellished his record as captain, adding 70 to take his series tally to 231 in three innings, and picked up the Man-of-the-Match and Man-of-the-Series awards. His average since taking over the leadership is 112.75 in four Tests. “For some [becoming Test captain] goes wrong and for some it brings a lot of luck,” Waqar said. “He’s been playing good, defensive but positive cricket.”Waqar said the plan had been to chase down the 274 set by New Zealand for victory, but early wickets caused his side to change tack. “270 odd is a par score nowadays in Test match cricket. But on the fifth day it sometimes gets a little tricky. We wanted to win this match but losing three early wickets didn’t really help the cause and it took a bit too long to recover from that and that’s why we didn’t manage it.”Hafeez was our trump card. If he had carried on for bit longer it might have been a different story, but it was tough after that. We always knew Vettori could be [dangerous] on this fifth day pitch, so we’re happy with the result.”Both sides now look forward to the six-match one-day series, which begins on Saturday. The series will be crucial as the teams look to settle their final combinations and build some momentum ahead of the World Cup. New Zealand, in particular, will attempt to turn their one-day form around, having lost an unprecedented 11 games on the trot since June last year.”Obviously we’re on a bad run of losses,” Vettori said. “We’re comfortable playing in New Zealand. It won’t mean much in terms of performance because the grounds and the pitches will be so different [in the World Cup]. But if the guys can walk away from this series with a series win and some form, they’ll go to the World Cup in a better space.”Pakistan, too, will aim to leave New Zealand with another victory. “A win always gives you a boost,” Waqar said. “We’ll go into the one-dayers with a lot more aggression and positivity. We’ve got a few players coming and a few going back. We know that New Zealand are always a tough team in their home conditions, so we’re not going to take it easy.”

Transfer insider Dean Jones has made a claim regarding the futures of Aston Villa defenders Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings, GiveMeSport report.

The Lowdown: Summer shake-up?

Steven Gerrard is preparing for a first full season in charge at Villa Park and looks set to be backed by owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens in the transfer window.

Reports last month suggested that Gerrard will be backed financially ahead of a ‘huge’ overhaul.

Villa are apparently likely to spend more than £150m over the coming months and are happy to break their transfer record once again, 12 months on from a £34.56m move for Emiliano Buendia.

The Latest: Jones’ claim

Talking to GMS about Konsa and Mings, Jones believes the pair could both depart the Midlands this summer, adding that ‘it’s not impossible’ Gerrard could bring in decent value replacements.

“They both could leave. I think that that’s plausible. And it’s not impossible that they could find two replacements at a decent value.”

“Mings and Konsa, for where Steven Gerrard is heading with this side, I think it’s plausible that they would be open to offers for both players.”

The Verdict: Interesting…

Konsa and Mings have been regulars under both Dean Smith and Gerrard this season, so it would be a shock if both moved on over the coming months.

If they do depart, Gerrard would be left with just Calum Chambers and Kortney Hause as senior options, so you could argue that three could be required.

Stefan de Vrij, Filip Helander, Victor Nelsson, Joe Gomez and Duje Caleta-Car are just some of the centre-backs who have been linked with a move to Villa, so it could prove to be a busy summer when it comes to defensive incomings and outgoings.

In other news: Villa now edging closer to summer move for ‘clinical’ ace as Gerrard gets his way. 

Stuart Broad has admitted that he knew his Ashes tour was over from the moment he began his second spell on Monday afternoon, as England’s famous innings-and-71-run victory at Adelaide was tempered by the loss of one of the key members of their bowling at

Andrew Miller in Adelaide06-Dec-2010Stuart Broad has admitted that he knew his Ashes tour was over from the moment he began his second spell on Monday afternoon, as England’s famous innings-and-71-run victory at Adelaide was tempered by the loss of one of the key members of their bowling attack.Broad was ruled out of the tour shortly before play on the final day of the second Test, after the ECB chief medical officer, Nick Peirce, confirmed that he had suffered a torn abdominal muscle. He is due to fly back to England on Wednesday, where he will undergo a ten-week programme of rehabilitation, with a view to returning to fitness in time for the latter stages of the World Cup in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh that gets underway on February 19.”Obviously I’m heartbroken. I’m distraught at leaving the tour,” said Broad. “Within two or three balls of my spell, I knew I was in big trouble, and I immediately said to Jimmy Anderson, ‘I might be struggling here’. I got through a few overs, but it felt like someone stabbing me in the stomach. I put a couple of bouncers in and I could hardly breathe. I knew my tour was over. I was going for broke then, and just trying to get a wicket before I was gone.”Broad briefly remained on the field after grimacing through his 11th over, but was off receiving treatment on the injury for much of the afternoon. While he was off the field, he bowled off a minimal run-up in the nets with a strap around his waist, and was seen lifting a medicine ball with considerable difficulty. He returned to the field late in the day, but did not bowl another over.”I had an injection to see if I could get through this Test, bowling and do a job from one end, but the tear was too big, and it wasn’t really feasible,” said Broad. “I’ve been fortunate in my career, because I’ve been fairly injury free, but this is a blow. It’s going to be hard to watch, but I will be watching – because the guys are playing fantastic cricket.”The lads have a fantastic opportunity to win the Ashes, and I hope they will keep playing this sort of cricket without me. It will be hard to leave this changing room. It is a fantastic place to be, but it’s a great opportunity for whoever takes my place. Everyone is capable of stepping up and delivering.”My next focus is to get it 100% right for the World Cup and be fresh and ready to perform then,” he added. “It’s eight to 10 weeks’ rehab, and the first World Cup game is nine weeks (away). But the thing about that World Cup is that it goes on for years, so even if I miss the first game I’ll still be available for the end of it. But my family are coming out for Christmas, so we will probably cross like ships in the night.”England’s captain, Andrew Strauss, admitted that Broad had known his fate before the results of the scan had been confirmed. “It was pretty clear last night what was likely to happen, so I had a couple of words with him,” he said. “He’s distraught, and I think we’re all distraught that he’s going to be leaving us because he’s a big part of our side, not just on the field but off the field too.Broad, 24, will also miss the seven-match ODI series that follows the Ashes, as his focus shifts to the second of England’s twin peaks for the winter. “Stuart will return to England shortly to commence a rehabilitation programme and we expect him to make a full recovery in time for the World Cup next year,” said Dr Peirce in an ECB statement.”Playing for England in an Ashes series in Australia has been something I’ve dreamed of for a long time so to have that cut short by injury is devastating,” said Broad. “So far the series has been everything I had anticipated and knowing I’ll play no further part is quite hard to take. Given the way we had started the series I was looking forward to playing a leading role in England retaining the Ashes but that’s not to be.”Injuries happen and there’s nothing I can do about it other than make sure I get stuck into rehabilitation and come back stronger in time for the World Cup next year. This winter is a big one for the England team so my focus will have to shift to preparing for the World Cup.”Despite claiming two wickets at 80.50 in the first two Tests, Broad’s height and aggression will be sorely missed throughout the rest of the series. It means that England’s tour match against Victoria at Melbourne, which gets underway on December 10, will take on an extra significance, with Chris Tremlett, Ajmal Shahzad and Tim Bresnan all competing for the vacancy.”He’s been one of the mainstays of our bowling attack for a while, and he’s got all the ingredients to bowl well in Australia as well,” said Strauss. “We’re devastated for him but the show moves on, and those other three have got a chance to stake a claim and have a big impact on the series now.”The likelihood is that all three of those will play in Melbourne, and we’ll see which one is looking the most potent and the most suited for Perth, which is going to be important as well,” added Strauss. “What happens in Melbourne will have some effect, but we’ve got to think what bowler is likely to make an impact.”