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Challenging light conditions and a system crash contributed to the unavailability of ball-tracking for an LBW appeal against Jason Holder late on the final day of the Boxing Day Test, the technology operators EagleEye have revealed

Daniel Brettig30-Dec-2015Challenging light conditions and a system crash contributed to the unavailability of ball-tracking for an lbw appeal against Jason Holder late on the final day of the Boxing Day Test, the technology operators EagleEye have revealed.An ageing ball and stark shadows across the MCG were making it difficult for ball-tracking cameras to pick up the ball to a level that satisfied the technology’s handlers, causing them to state to the broadcast producer that they could not provide a ball-tracking model of the Holder lbw appeal immediately.When EagleEye operators then attempted to track the Peter Siddle delivery via Nine’s video footage – the secondary option – a system crash meant they were unable to do so in time for the DRS referral, though it was shown later to demonstrate the ball was missing leg stump.Such eventualities are accounted for in DRS protocols, with the third umpire Ian Gould duly compelled to return to the on-field umpire Marais Erasmus’ original decision of not out. Australia did not lose a review as a result of the course of events. Ian Taylor, head of the New Zealand company Animation Research that provides EagleEye for the broadcaster Channel Nine, said the firm took responsibility for the outcome.”The guys weren’t happy with the first data they got because of a lighting issue so they did a re-track from the video. Unfortunately when they did that the system crashed and they lost the video,” Taylor told ESPNcricinfo. “Doing the re-track without the video takes much longer.”They had to let the producer know they weren’t happy with what they had and advised him there was no useable track available at the time. That is part of the protocol and in that case ‘umpire’s call’ stands. They did retrieve the track in the end but it was too late to use, but they did put it to air.”I want to be clear this is our responsibility. We weren’t able to track this ball to a satisfactory standard and said so.”Taylor said this was only the third such occasion that EagleEye operators had needed to indicate they were unhappy with the data they were getting, in an association with cricket in Australia that dates back to the 2010-11 Ashes summer. By contrast, Taylor said that the Marlon Samuels lbw in the first innings of the match – considered by many to be out though tracking had the ball clearing the stumps – was not a source of consternation for the company.”They were happy with it,” Taylor said of the operators at the MCG. “Side-on showed he was on his tip toes and he was hit on the top of the pad. They felt happy with that tracking, based on what the side-on cameras showed.”There are ongoing discussions between technology operators and the ICC about how to further improve the system, including the advent of a specialist third umpires rather than the current rotation between on-field and off-field duty. It is believed that this concept is also supported by the umpires themselves, as they find it difficult to make the adjustment from the instincts required in the middle to the data analysis of the television review job.Taylor is also an advocate for a system of universal DRS training to be undertaken by umpires and technology operators alike, so all are accredited with the same knowledge base and thus have a greater degree of trust in each other. The Holder lbw was discussed between the match referee Chris Broad and officials from both teams following the conclusion of the Test. Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann said his team remained staunch supporters of the system.”You just want them to get it right, that’s all, make sure the technology is up to speed,” Lehmann said. “Everyone loves it, we’re pro it, it’s just making sure they get it right. It was missing leg stump, they handled it well from a match referee/ICC point of view, where we didn’t lose a review, got that back. Making sure it’s working 100% of the time is the key.”

Mumbai captain also wants points docked for slow over rates instead of just financial penalties

Shashank Kishore28-Jan-2023Ajinkya Rahane has called for games in the group stages of the Ranji Trophy to be played over five days. At the moment, only the quarter-finals onwards are held over five days, with group-stage games lasting four days each.Rahane was speaking after Mumbai’s group-stage exit from the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy. Needing just a first-innings lead to qualify, Mumbai tied their first-innings score with Maharashtra late on the third day. This left them needing to force an outright win on the fourth and final day. Having then bowled out Maharashtra midway through the final day, they needed 253 in 28 overs. Mumbai made a good fist of the target, but were 58 short of victory when they ran out of time.”First-class cricket can become five-day cricket,” Rahane said after Mumbai’s draw against Maharashtra. “We play Test matches over five days and in five days the possibility of a result is almost guaranteed. You will get more results. Every game should be result-oriented.”In four-day games, on flat decks, you don’t really get results. We tried to get as many results as possible, but it becomes challenging. In five-day cricket, that will happen more frequently. I don’t know how it can be fit into the calendar, but five-day cricket will make domestic cricketers get used to the rigours of first-class cricket.”Rahane said stretching games by three sessions would sharpen players’ survival instincts, which could make the transition to Test cricket smoother.”If you play out a session, you can save a match in four-day games, but if you are made to slog for three more sessions, it will give them a better opportunity to develop better Test cricketers,” he said. “It can automatically be carried forward into international cricket.”How to survive sessions, how to be disciplined with the ball, all these factors can be taken care of if we play all Ranji Trophy games over five days. Anyway, the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final are five-day games. If it’s implemented in the league [stage], nothing like that.”

Ajinkya Rahane calls for points penalty for slow over rates

Rahane also hoped the BCCI would consider bringing in a points penalty in place of the current fines for over-rate offences, which have seemingly become rampant among teams looking to either sit on first-innings leads or avoid defeat on the final day. Rahane will have an opportunity to bring up these points at the BCCI’s annual captains’ and coaches’ conclave that is held after every season.”Over rates are critical,” he said. “If you don’t fine teams with points for over rate, financial penalty doesn’t really matter. But if you cut a point for slow over rate, the teams will be aware about it because it will be critical for their qualification.”Ajinkya Rahane was Mumbai’s top scorer this Ranji Trophy season•PTI

Not currently part of India’s Test plans, Rahane featured in all of Mumbai’s group games. This was his first full Ranji Trophy season since 2010-11, the year he broke through for India in ODIs. He led Mumbai this season, and they finished fourth in their group with three wins, two losses and two draws. He topped the run charts for Mumbai, with 634 runs in 11 innings at an average of 57.63. This included two centuries (191 vs Assam, and 204 vs Hyderabad) and a half-century.Having had a ringside view of the competition, Rahane expressed satisfaction at the quality of cricket on offer, but also called for players across teams to shelve flamboyance for the hard grind when needed.”In four-day cricket, majority of teams have started losing their patience too early,” he observed. “Be it batting or bowling. Everyone wants to score runs quickly or pick up wickets. Instead, you should try and play out sessions or bowl a consistently good spell. A batter should enjoy defending, a bowler should enjoy bowling a maiden.”I have seen all the teams getting desperate for wickets, rather than waiting patiently with a plan. And no one tries to bat out a session, instead they want to score quickly. I feel the basics of playing out sessions is the key in four-day or five-day cricket.”

On Mumbai: ‘This bunch definitely takes red-ball cricket seriously’

There’s an old adage in Mumbai cricket that says, if the team doesn’t win the Ranji Trophy, it’s been an unsuccessful season. Reminded of this, Rahane expressed disappointment at not making it through to the knockouts but also pointed out that this was a young group of players hungry for first-class success.Among Mumbai’s batters, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan have made giant strides in red-ball cricket. Then there’s Prasad Pawar, who made a gritty century against Maharashtra to entertain prospects of a lead. Prithvi Shaw has been scoring runs on and off and was recently rewarded with a T20I call-up.”I am extremely disappointed that we could not qualify for the knockouts,” he said. “This bunch definitely takes red-ball cricket seriously. And my message to everyone is you should enjoy four-day cricket. Everyone wants instant success but patience, focus and determination is critical for this format.”Not only on the field but the daily routine that we follow – getting up early, the warm-ups, going through the rigour even if you haven’t performed, to be disciplined all through four days, backing your team-mates – one has to enjoy all these aspects. Only scoring runs or picking up wickets is not important. That’s temporary but the real fun is when you follow the process day in and day out.”Even if things don’t go your way in two-three games. There are many boys who enjoy going through it in the red-ball format. And I have told all of them that you have to enjoy every moment because this is real cricket.”

Danny Briggs, the left-arm spinner who was once hailed as the answer to England’s one-day spin bowling needs, has sought to re-energise a faltering career by switching to Hampshire’s south coast neighbours Sussex

David Hopps09-Oct-2015Danny Briggs, the left-arm spinner who was once hailed as the answer to England’s one-day spin bowling needs, has sought to re-energise a faltering career by switching to Hampshire’s south coast neighbours Sussex.He moves to Hove on a three-year deal with Luke Wright, recently announced as Sussex’s captain in all three formats, proclaiming that he remains the “best one-day spinner in the country.”But it is Briggs’ ambitions to develop into a Championship spinner that has provided the impetus for one of the close season’s more surprising transfers. He played only eight Championship matches for Hampshire in a season where they only avoided relegation on the last day of the season with the county preferring the extra batting skills of Liam Dawson and occasional forays with the up-and-coming legspinner Mason Crane.Hampshire’s director of cricket, Giles White, presented Briggs’ departure as all but inevitable. “Losing Danny is tough,” he said. “However this is the right decision for him and therefore he goes with our blessing. I have been lucky enough to have seen him grow into the cricketer and person that he is today and he has been a pleasure to work with throughout.”He understands the wider picture and in some ways it was inevitable, considering his ambition to progress in all forms of the game that it would lead to him moving on. I hope the move allows him the opportunity to further his career in the longer form of the game with a good club like Sussex. Danny is an extremely popular player, the team will miss him but I have no doubt that they will all wish him well.”Briggs must have been privately torn on the last day of the season as Hampshire’s survival was secured at Sussex’s expense, but arguably a season in Division Two for a county strongly expected to bounce back at the first attempt will allow him the chance to build his repertoire in less taxing circumstances, which after a few unrewarding seasons in four-day cricket may be no bad thing.Wright said: “Danny is a fantastic signing and one I am really excited about. We are signing a young England international spinner who is arguably the best one-day spinner in the country, and is young enough to develop into a top four-day bowler too. He is a hard worker and a tough competitor.”Briggs, released early from his Hampshire contract, has taken 191 first-class wickets in his 67 matches, with a best of 6 for 45 for the England Lions in 2011. His wickets have come at an average of 32.14, with an economy rate of only slightly over 3 runs per over.He made an England ODI debut against Pakistan in Dubai in 2012 – becoming the youngest Hampshire player, and the first Isle of Wight-born cricketer, to play for his country – and has also played seven times in the T20 international format.His ability in the shortest format helped Hampshire to a record six consecutive T20 Finals Day appearances from 2010 onwards. He set a club record of 31 wickets in 2010 as Hampshire won the trophy on home turf and became their go-to bowler in the shortest format, taking 119 wickets at an average of 19.4 from 94 matches.In the Championship, however, his lack of spin has counted against him. He will not find it easy at Hove, which possesses one of the smaller playing surfaces in the country.Briggs said of his move: “I’m excited for the opportunities that lie ahead. I’m really grateful that Hampshire are letting me leave early. I’d like to thank all the playing staff and the coaches that I’ve worked with.”

The ECB is under pressure to confirm whether it intends to put forward Giles Clarke, the board president, as its nominee for the forthcoming election for ICC chairman in June

Andrew Miller01-Mar-20162:46

Protesters outside The Oval call to ‘change cricket’ (Archive footage)

The ECB is under pressure to confirm whether it intends to put forward Giles Clarke, the board president, as its nominee for the forthcoming election for ICC chairman in June, in spite of his prominent role in the ICC structural reforms of 2014 that were widely discredited in last month’s board meeting in Dubai.With Clarke facing an appearance before the Department of Culture Media and Sport Select Committee later in the year, where his role in the so-called “Big Three” takeover will be scrutinised by MPs, Damian Collins, the Conservative MP for Folkestone and Hythe who sits on the committee, has called on the ECB to answer six questions pertaining to Clarke’s ongoing role and the board’s overall commitment to good governance that he believes “the cricketing public deserve to know”.

Six questions for the ECB

• What is the ECB’s vision for how the International Cricket Council should be run?
  Does the ECB feel that Transparency International (and Lord Woolf before them) has been fair in its criticism of the International Cricket Council for failing to adhere to recognised governance standards, including increased accountability and transparency? And if so, as an influential board at ICC are the ECB prepared to publicly commit to tackling these problems?
  Will the ECB be putting forward Giles Clarke as their nominee for ICC Chairman? And if so, does the ECB think it is appropriate to be endorsing someone who played such a prominent role in reforms that have been widely condemned as bullying, inequitable and ignoring the need for those basic governance standards detailed above?
  Would Giles Clarke be required to step down as President of ECB before putting himself forward for consideration as Chairman of ICC?
  Can the ECB give full disclosure as to the terms of Giles Clarke’s Presidency of the organisation?
  What do Giles Clarke’s duties as President of ECB entail? Are they limited to representing the board at ICC?

Collins confirmed that the questions, which were last week emailed to Colin Graves, the ECB chairman, in advance of Monday night’s special parliamentary screening of the award-winning documentary Death of a Gentleman, remain unanswered, raising the possibility that Clarke might already be ICC chairman by the time he is questioned in parliament.”We did get a statement back from the ECB but they weren’t able to answer any of those questions,” Collins told ESPNcricinfo. “In particular there has been no response to the issue of Giles Clarke’s suitability to stand as ICC chairman.”Although Clarke’s candidacy received a blow earlier this year, when it emerged that neither South Africa nor Australia would be willing to back his bid to become chairman, the requirement that all nominees must be either a past or present ICC Board director – as agreed in Dubai last month – may yet limit the number of viable alternatives for the role.Clarke, who was ECB chairman at the time of the ICC reforms, was handed the specially created role of ECB president in 2015 when his eight-year tenure came to an end. The ECB’s reluctance to clarify the details of his new relationship with the board appears at odds with the general move among sporting bodies towards transparent and accountable governance, in the wake of scandals that have gripped football, athletics and tennis in recent times.”This is a crucial moment for cricket,” Collins said. “We have put six key questions to the ECB, because the cricketing public deserve to know how their game is being run.”England, along with India and Australia, are the most influential boards at the ICC. In August I accused them of orchestrating a back-room power grab that saw these three countries taking over the game at the expense of the other 102.”We welcome the news from the recent ICC board meeting that the ICC is considering governance reform but we want to know what the ECB thinks that reform should look like.”It is hugely important that cricket does not miss this opportunity to embrace meaningful reform, and that the ECB are at the forefront of ensuring that the international game gets the independent, transparent and accountable governance it deserves. And if the ECB disagrees, we need to know why.”An ECB spokesman would not be drawn on the subject of Collins’ questions, but reiterated the board’s previous statement, that it welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the Select Committee’s ongoing enquiry into sports governance. To date, hearings have been with Greg Dyke, the FA chairman, over Fifa corruption; Sebastian Coe, the IAAF president, over doping in athletics; and Chris Kermode of the ATP over match-fixing in tennis.

Runaway campaign comes to a crashing halt as Vince, McDermott set stage

David Hopps07-Jul-2022Hampshire 186 for 6 (McDermott 61, Brathwaite 4-30) beat Birmingham Bears 82 (Fuller 4-17) by 104 runsBirmingham were the bullies of the North Group. They reached 200 in half of their 14 matches, overpowering most of their opponents at will. But the 15,000 or so who came to Edgbaston at such short notice for this Vitality Blast quarter-final with their anticipation whetted found the bullies receiving their come-uppance in no uncertain manner as Hampshire routed them with a 104-run win.Hampshire’s 186 for 6 was decent, founded upon an opening stand of 91 in 9.1 overs from James Vince and Ben McDermott – Vince, 31 from 22, the slightly sulky stylist, McDermott, 61 from 36, after a careful start as pugnacious as he has been all summer. But they bowled with great intelligence, too, finding more purchase from the pitch than Birmingham did and making their big-hitting batting line-up seem ponderous and one-dimensional as they dismissed them in only 13.3 overs.For the second successive season, Hampshire have repaired a potentially disastrous start in South Group to reach Finals Day yet again. Group form, and home advantage, both in Yorkshire’s defeat of Surrey 24 hours earlier, and here at Edgbaston, has so far been immaterial.This season’s sequence of big scores at Edgbaston suggested Hampshire’s score was around par, and a sun-drenched crowd sat back for the expected onslaught. But perhaps a clue to the contrary lay two pitches away – the surface on which Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root put India to the sword in the Test. The groundstaff have had limited preparation time and Hampshire found just enough seam and swing to place pressure on Birmingham that they were unable to withstand.Birmingham, who had shown their propensity for wholesale collapse when they were dismissed for 101 at Edgbaston by Yorkshire earlier in the season, had another bad night. They lost three wickets in the Powerplay. Paul Stirling was deceived by an excellent back-of-the-hand slower ball by Nathan Ellis, the Australian seamer who left Punjab Kings in the IPL for Hampshire but who has had an uneventful campaign. Alex Davies was bowled by Brad Wheal’s first ball, still on the move as he attempted a ramp shot and lost his middle stump. Sam Hain, who would have been run out on 5 had Tom Prest hit direct from extra cover, tried to charge Wheal and picked out deep midwicket; such advances down the wicket have been a key element in Hain lifting his strike rate this season, but Wheal appeared to read his intentions.James Fuller’s stock has never been higher. With bat and ball, he has been an influential figure in Hampshire’s recovery. He prevented any middle-overs recovery with a spell of 4 for 17. Adam Hose, who can pepper deep midwicket at will if he has chance to free his arms, was expertly yorked. Chris Benjamin, of similar mould, was presented with a full, wide delivery and hauled it inexpertly to mid-on. Carlos Brathwaite took a view at 64 for 6 and two balls later he was walking back to the pavilion, too, as he holed out at mid-on. The fourth was Dan Mousley: an offside slice. The rest was just a matter of time.Hampshire’s innings had started without a care in the world, only to come to a sudden halt. There are people on the internet who are obsessed with how much deceleration a human body can stand. it’s not the fall that gets you, just the sudden change in G-force at the end, although some scientists have it that you are better facing backwards.Hampshire tested the theory. They decelerated suddenly – from 93 without loss in 9.1 overs when the innings threatening to head off into outer space, co-pilots McDermott and Vince at the helm, as if Babylon Zoo by Spaceman was blaring them forward, to 94 for 2 off 9.3. They hit a force of nature name of Carlos Brathwaite. Hampshire eventually recovered. For the songsters among you, that is more than can be said for Babylon Zoo.Brathwaite has been given the captaincy of the Bears at the age of 33 and he did not want to miss a Finals Day on his home ground. Hampshire had broken Birmingham’s left-arm spinner, Danny Briggs, who spilled 33 from his first two overs, and he needed to act. He resorted, almost without variation, to the wide yorker and his figures of 4 for 30 suggested he resorted to it well.Vince’s eyes were popping out of his head when he was dismissed, caught at the wicket, but not because of deceleration, only because he felt the noise was his bat scraping against the ground. He left with a mournful expression engaged. McDermott followed three balls later, dragging on as he tried to run the ball to third man.Prest soon departed lbw, reverse-sweeping a flatter delivery from Mousley, but Joe Weatherley and Ross Whiteley restored the innings with a fourth-wicket stand of 69 in 39 balls. While Brathwaite honed his wide yorkers, Hampshire made progress at the other end with Briggs and Lintott conceding 76 between them from six overs. Birmingham held some daunting skiers in the closing stages as they tried to keep a foothold in the game.From the final ball of the innings, Brathwaite hurled himself to his right at the bowler’s end to prevent an overthrow off his bowling. He had reason to feel that he had done everything to keep the Bears in the match, but it turned out that he had done nothing of the sort. It is Hampshire who will return to Edgbaston in nine days’ time to face the winners of Saturday’s match-up between Somerset and Derbyshire.

Warwickshire batter has impressed in the Blast but last played a first-class game in 2019

Matt Roller29-Jul-2022Adam Hose has left Warwickshire for Worcestershire in a bid to revive his red-ball career, three years after his last first-class appearance.Hose became an integral part of Warwickshire’s T20 side this year and was the third-highest run-scorer in the Blast, but has been unable to break into the Championship side.He has now signed a three-year deal at New Road and hopes to emulate his former Warwickshire team-mate Ed Pollock, who has played nine Championship games this season after struggling for opportunities at Edgbaston.Related

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• Warwickshire land long-term target Barnard

“I’m looking forward to a new chapter in my career at Worcestershire and delighted to sign for the next three years and hopefully, beyond,” Hose said. “I’ve got a fair amount of experience under my belt, but I’m only 29 and believe that my best years are ahead of me.”I know the club has a great history and a future that looks really bright, and that excites me, especially with the talented group of youngsters that the club continually produce.”Worcestershire have had a lot of success in recent times in white-ball cricket, and I want to play my part in repeating that Vitality Blast success of 2018 and 2019. But Ed was given his chance to play more red-ball cricket after moving to Worcestershire from Warwickshire, and I’m hoping I can also earn that opportunity with my form and in training.”Hose’s signing is a coup for Worcestershire. Several counties were interested in signing him, and they have already suffered two significant blows this summer with Moeen Ali and Ed Barnard both due to leave for Warwickshire at the end of the season.”It is an excellent signing for the club,” Alex Gidman, their coach, said. “Adam has turned himself into an exceptional cricketer. From a white-ball perspective, he has become one of the best batters in the country.”He is also very keen and eager to play more red-ball cricket and prove to everyone how good he is in that format as well. We’re delighted that he wants to come and play for us.”

A round-up of the Ram Slam T20 matches on November 1, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Nov-2015Warriors beat Knights in the one-over eliminator as the Ram Slam T20 got off to a thrilling start at Newlands in Cape Town.A delayed started reduced the contest to six-overs-a-side and Warriors, who were asked to bat first, posted 81 for 2 in their quota of overs. Colin Ingram top-scored with a 25-ball 52, which included five fours and four sixes. In reply, Knights lost openers Tumelo Bodibe and Reeza Hendricks in the first over and were soon reduced to 40 for 4 before Ryan McLaren’s unbeaten 14-ball 34 forced the game into a Super Over, with Knights finishing on 81 for 5.Knights, who batted first in the one-over shootout, lost McLaren and Theunis de Bruyn off consecutive deliveries to pacer Andrew Birch to leave Warriors with just a run to score. Ingram then hit a boundary after one dot delivery to seal the game for Warriors.Prenelan Subrayen came up with a decisive spell of offspin bowling as Dolphins beat Titans by six runs in a high-scoring clash in Centurion. Subrayen put the brakes on with figures of 4 for 22 off his four overs as Titans were restricted to 173 for 8 in pursuit of 180. That consigned Albie Morkel’s unbeaten 34-ball 67 to second best.Dolphins, who were asked to bat, got off to a brisk start with openers Morne van Wyk (41) and Cameron Delport (25) adding 48 in just 5.1 overs. Kevin Pietersen, making his Ram Slam T20 debut, hit two fours in his 22 to set things up nicely going into the second half of the innings. David Miller, who enjoyed a modest run during the limited-overs series in India, provided the power boost, hitting eight fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 32-ball 62 to finish with a flourish.Titans’ chase hit roadblocks as the top three fell inside the eighth over. Hopes were pinned on Farhaan Behardien to pilot the chase, but his dismissal for 11 meant Titans slipped to 81 for 5 in the 12th over. Morkel then took over, and nearly single-handedly took his side home by hitting three fours and seven sixes, but regular strikes put a lid on the chase.A half-century from Rassie van der Dussen helped Lions beat Cape Cobras by seven wickets in a truncated fixture in Cape Town. Cape Cobras’ 125 for 8 in 18 overs was overhauled with eight balls to spare, with Dwaine Pretorious, who made an unbeaten 10-ball 24, hitting the winning runs.Cape Cobras got off to a brisk start as Richard Levi and Andrew Puttick added 54 in just 5.3 overs, before they lost four wickets for the addition of one run. Aaron Phangiso, the left-arm spinner, accounted for two of them on his way to figures of 2 for 8 off three overs. That Cobras put up a total of substance was courtesy Kieron Pollard’s unbeaten 29.Lions began steadily with the openers wiping out 42. But van der Dussen, who made an unbeaten 55, ensured they were ahead of the chase at all times and got home quite easily. Pollard was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets.

WA captain ‘shed a few tears’ after winning the Sheffield Shield for the first time in his 21-year career

Alex Malcolm04-Apr-2022The tears said it all. Shaun Marsh has had countless triumphs over a 21-year professional career. He’s made 13 international centuries for Australia, won Ashes series, Border-Gavaskar trophies, been the leading runscorer in an IPL, won multiple BBL and Australia domestic 50-over titles.But raising the Sheffield Shield aloft as Western Australia captain, something his father Geoff Marsh had done, something no WA captain had done in 23 years, could be his greatest achievement as a cricketer.”It’s pretty emotional to be honest,” Marsh said. “I’ve shed a few tears.”It’s definitely up there. Dad always spoke about his Shield wins as being the highlight of his career and this feeling that I’ve got inside my body now it’s definitely up there and I’m just so happy for the playing group.”Related

• Paris and Hardie trigger Victoria collapse to put WA on top

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It might be the perfect way to finish for Marsh. He began his Shield career as a 17-year-old with Western Australia in 2001, three years before his current team-mate Teague Wyllie was even born. But the 38-year-old, who has a year to run on his state contract with WA and has signed a two-year contract extension with Melbourne Renegades in the BBL, has not decided on his future just yet.”I’m not too sure,” Marsh said. “I’m not going to worry about it for a few days. I’m really going to enjoy this moment and enjoy it with the boys. We’ve really earned this moment. It’s been a few years in the making this and I’ll sit down with [coach Adam Voges] at some stage and we’ll see what next year looks like but at the moment I’m not even going to think about it. I’m going to celebrate with the boys and really cherish this moment.”WA were made to earn the title by an unrelenting Victoria outfit. They narrowly claimed the bonus point lead in the first innings thanks a superb 141 from Cameron Bancroft. Victoria coach Chris Rogers said it was the best he had ever seen Bancroft bat.Shaun Marsh lifts the Sheffield Shield•Getty Images

Then Aaron Hardie and Joel Paris orchestrated a Victoria collapse taking three wickets each after the visitors looked poised to snatch the bonus point lead and give themselves the opportunity to take the title with a drawn game. It gave WA a first-innings lead of 80.But there was one more twist in the tail on day four. Two quick wickets saw WA slump to 5 for 110, with a lead of just 190, and over five sessions left in the match. However, Sam Whiteman and Hardie both made centuries to put the game to bed and ease Marsh’s nerves.”I battled through day four,” Marsh said. “It was probably the best and worst day of my life to be honest. The emotions were going through my body and I couldn’t be more proud of Sammy and Hards in that partnership.”The game was in the balance and the way those two came out and batted it was just incredible and really put us into a commanding position. That partnership [is] up there with the best I’ve seen in 21 years.”Hardie finished with 174 not out, his highest first-class score, while Whiteman made 123 to go with his 85 in the first innings and faced over 500 balls in the match to be named player of the final.It was a special result for Whiteman, who played alongside Marsh, Bancroft and Voges in WA’s only other Shield finals during their 23-year title drought. Both were losing draws against New South Wales in 2013-14 and Victoria in 2014-15.Sam Whiteman and Aaron Hardie both made centuries•Getty Images

“It’s very special,” Whiteman said. “It means a lot to everyone in the group, and it varies from person to person. But you think of Shaun who’s played for 20-odd years. A lot of the group has played for 10 years now and we probably messed up a few chances along the way. You start doubting whether it’s going to come but it feels amazing.”Whiteman’s performance is made all the more extraordinary given he has reinvented himself as an opening batter, after playing as a specialist wicketkeeper in WA’s previous two finals before a finger injury forced him to give away the gloves.”Before the game my wife said to me, who would have thought you know, seven or eight years after your last Shield final that you’d be playing as an opening batter,” Whiteman said. “And yeah, I wouldn’t have guessed it, going from the keeper to opening. It’s special to be part of the team, play my small role, and, yeah, just pumped for WA cricket.”Victoria captain Peter Handscomb was left to ponder several decisions he and his side made throughout the five days including sending WA in after winning the toss and failing to chase the bonus point lead harder in the first innings.”I’m still okay with the toss,” Handscomb said. “I think hindsight is an interesting one. Looking back, we probably could have gone harder at the bonus point and then we get to try and control the game and try and get the draw that way. But at the time, we thought the wicket would deteriorate a little bit more than it did. We thought we’d be able to force a result somehow whether it be a win or a loss.”We didn’t really expect the pitch to kind of play like that. To see no cracks on a WACA wicket day four or five is a little bit interesting.”Handscomb had no qualms with WA batting Victoria out of the game noting his side would have done the same had they been in the same position. As disappointed as he was with the result, he was delighted for Marsh, who he played alongside for several years with Australia.”Bloody happy for Sos,” Handscomb said. “He’s a good mate of mine. It’s good that he’s been able to do that.”

No back-to-back Blast games for Middlesex as Morgan targets T20 World Cup in Australia

ESPNcricinfo staff25-May-2022Eoin Morgan, England’s white-ball captain, says he will need to take it “week by week” if he hopes to lead his side out for this winter’s T20 World Cup in Australia, but is prepared to own up to feeling “cooked” at any stage in this year’s busy itinerary.Morgan, 36, has not played any competitive cricket since missing the final three matches of England’s T20I tour of the Caribbean in January with a quadriceps strain. He is due to play in Middlesex’s opening fixture of the Vitality Blast on Thursday, against Gloucestershire at Radlett, but will sit out the following day’s fixture against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl, having passed the team captaincy over to Stevie Eskinazi.”There’s nothing specific [injury-wise],” Morgan told London’s Evening Standard. “I’m just old, I think! It takes longer to recover. I did play the two back-to-back games in Barbados, then I got injured. You shouldn’t get injured warming up as a batsman, but I pulled my quad warming up, which means my body just didn’t recover at all.”This surfeit of caution means that England will be obliged to have “contingency plans”, as Morgan put it, when their international season gets underway. Assuming they are fit and available, Jos Buttler or Moeen Ali are the likely captaincy stand-ins for England’s three ODIs in the Netherlands next month, including two in three days on June 17 and 19.From there, England take on India and South Africa in 12 matches across two formats in July, before Morgan’s second season of the Hundred with London Spirit gets underway in August. His winter schedule is scarcely less busy, with England now due to play seven T20Is in a fortnight in Pakistan before heading to Australia to prepare for the World Cup in mid-October.”There are back-to-back games in the international fixtures, so just getting to them and seeing how I am, will be a decision made then,” Morgan added. “There is more solace looking towards the World Cup, because there aren’t fixtures within a few days. Everywhere else we play, they see time and just want to have games.”England are set to embark on a new era across formats, following the appointment of Brendon McCullum and Matthew Mott as the new red- and white-ball head coaches, and despite expressing his excitement at working with the two new arrivals, Morgan is realistic enough to recognise that his own involvement could yet end abruptly.Related

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• Rob Key: England white-ball teams must 'keep evolving' as coaching appointment looms

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“Particularly with getting injured recently on the West Indies tour, I need to be as honest as I can with Keysy [England managing director Rob Key] and everyone else to make sure we are in the right position come Australia in October,” he said. “I have always said that if I am on the way to a ground and feel done or cooked, or lacking the drive for it as a leader, I will communicate ASAP to Rob.”But I think it’s important that I play it week by week to start with, and aim for the T20 World Cup.”With England’s initial focus on the revival of their Test fortunes, starting at Lord’s against New Zealand next week, Morgan said that he did not expect to see many of England’s multi-format players – most particularly Ben Stokes but Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root too – until the Pakistan tour gets underway in October.This means that England’s tour party for the Netherlands in particular could have an experimental feel – and potentially a controversial selection too, with Nottinghamshire’s Joe Clarke among those likely to feature in the selection debate, three years after his involvement in a sexist WhatsApp group that ultimately led to the rape conviction of his former Worcestershire team-mate Alex Hepburn.Key recently opened the door to a Clarke call-up by remarking that “you can’t penalise people forever”, and in an interview with The Telegraph this week, Clarke – who was sanctioned by the ECB but was not charged or accused of any crime – admitted his enduring sense of “embarrassment and shame” at his actions.”This is not about playing for England. This is about owning what I did, that I made a mistake and what I did was wrong,” Clarke said. “If there is a message in there for the victim, and if she were to read this, she will see that I know I let her down. Hopefully she will read that and she would not feel anything towards me in a bad way.”

Mumbai are still ahead by 251 runs but MP’s strong start hangs final in the balance

Shashank Kishore23-Jun-2022Madhya Pradesh slowly chipped away at the runs and have built a base camp from which they will look to scale Mumbai’s first innings score of 374 as the Ranji Trophy final is delicately poised going into the third day in Bengaluru.Having taken a wicket off the second ball to have Mumbai 248 for 6, they saw Sarfaraz Khan rally with the lower order to make his fourth century of the season. However, MP hung in there and made a solid beginning to their own innings, finishing on 123 for 1 at stumps, trailing Mumbai by 251.Yash Dubey, out to two somewhat debatable calls in the semi-finals, was unbeaten on 44. He was overshadowed by Shubham Sharma, who battled a lot more positively to keep the scoreboard moving along, thereby giving Prithvi Shaw and co something to think about as an all-out attacking field slowly spread out as the final session progressed. Towards the end, Dubey managed to even overtake Shubham as their partnership was worth 76.All said, Mumbai still have the runs to play with but MP won’t be too disappointed either, given they are also playing an extra batter in debutant Parth Sahani. Their stonewaller Himanshu Mantri would be disappointed, though, missing out on a start as he fell for 31 in the first over after tea as he played all around a full Tushar Deshpande delivery to be trapped lbw. It broke a stubborn 47-run opening stand to lift Mumbai after the fast bowlers probed away without much luck prior to the tea interval.After tea, Dubey and Shubham raised a half-century stand off 89 deliveries. Just as they were beginning to look increasingly at ease, a change of ball in the final session seemed to make a difference as Deshpande and Mohit Avasthi forced the batters to shut shop by delivering a probing spell of reverse swing bowling as stumps loomed.Reverse swing aside, Avasthi, the first-change bowler, impressed in short bursts, occasionally getting the ball to rear up to make Dubey uncomfortable, but he couldn’t sustain it for long enough. As spin came on, both batters kept milking runs. Shams Mulani, easily Mumbai’s best bowler so far this season with 37 scalps at an average of 15.64, was particularly picked off with ease. He conceded 46 runs in 11 wicketless overs. More than the runs, that he couldn’t even cause a flutter would worry the team management.The morning entirely belonged to Mumbai as Sarfaraz bailed the team out with the lower order. He found some staunch resistance from Dhawal Kulkarni as he got to a well-constructed eighth first-class century. It took him 152 balls to get to a half-century, and only 38 more for him to complete the hundred. He was particularly severe on the spinners as he used the full-blooded sweep to good effect.The first eight overs produced just 10, but Sarfaraz was happy to play himself in and temper his game to give bowlers the first hour. He reined in his shots, resisted temptation to try and pick off cheeky boundaries like he usually does, focused fully on playing orthodox cricket.After Mulani was out second ball, Tanush Kotian barely survived, pushing, and prodding against the fast bowlers before an unplayable delivery got him when Gaurav Yadav bowled him with a superb away-swinger to flatten his off stump. Yadav, who wheeled away without any luck on the opening day, had four wickets to show for his efforts by the end.Kulkarni’s stonewall for a better part of an hour allowed Sarfaraz to play big shots. He got to a century with a lofted hit down the ground off Kumar Kartikeya’s left-arm spin. His animated celebration thereafter had the sparse crowd, national selectors and his team-mates give him a standing ovation. He added 34 runs more but eventually fell playing one big shot too many. By then, Mumbai were in an excellent position, leaving MP to do all the running to try and remain in the game, which they have.