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Will they bring in Ngidi or Hazlewood instead of Bravo to handle the KKR allrounder?

Karthik Krishnaswamy06-Oct-20206:43

How should Kolkata utilise Sunil Narine?

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Their batting looked short of power and inspiration through their first four matches of the season, but something clicked into place for the Chennai Super Kings against Kings XI Punjab on Sunday. Yes, nothing masks problems like a 181-run opening stand, but that wasn’t the only encouragement the Super Kings took out of that game. With Ambati Rayudu and Dwayne Bravo back from injury, their line-up just looks a whole lot healthier, and with three No. 8s at Nos. 9, 10, and 11 – in Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar and Piyush Chawla – they have the sort of depth few other sides in the IPL can match.This isn’t to say the Super Kings have turned into a world-beating outfit overnight, or even that they can consistently beat the IPL’s heavyweights. Kings XI didn’t aim high enough with the bat, and their bowling attack is one of the weakest in the tournament. The Kolkata Knight Riders are likely to present the Super Kings a far stiffer challenge.The Knight Riders haven’t quite found their groove yet this season, with Sunil Narine and Dinesh Karthik looking off-colour and with Andre Russell and Pat Cummins not quite hitting peak form just yet. The law of averages, however, suggests at least one of them will come roaring back into form in the very near future, and the Super Kings will hope they aren’t at the receiving end when that happens.

Likely XIs

Chennai Super Kings: 1 Shane Watson, 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 Ambati Rayudu, 4 Kedar Jadhav, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Dwayne Bravo, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Shardul Thakur, 10 Deepak Chahar, 11 Piyush ChawlaKolkata Knight Riders: 1 Sunil Narine, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Nitish Rana, 4 Dinesh Karthik (capt & wk), 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Andre Russell, 7 Rahul Tripathi, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Kamlesh Nagarkoti, 10 Shivam Mavi, 11 Varun ChakravarthyMS Dhoni has a discussion with Andre Russell and Sunil Narine•BCCI

Strategy punt

• The one thing that makes all three of the Knight Riders’ big overseas hitters – Narine at the top of the order, and Russell and Eoin Morgan lower down – uncomfortable, to varying extents, is fast, short-pitched bowling. Unlike the Mumbai Indians or the Delhi Capitals, however, the Super Kings don’t have anyone in their first-choice attack who can bowl in that manner. Just for this reason, they might think of bringing back either Lungi Ngidi or Josh Hazlewood, in place of Dwayne Bravo. It wouldn’t be an easy change to make, given that Bravo, apart from his death-bowling skills, adds real heft to their lower order, and just his presence helps free up the batsmen playing above him. But if there’s one opposition that calls out for including at least one out-and-out fast bowler in your attack, it’s the Knight Riders.
• This becomes even more imperative when you consider how destructive Russell has been against the Super Kings in recent seasons. Since 2018, he’s scored 98 runs in the slog overs (16-20) against the Super Kings without being dismissed. And why leave out Bravo? Maybe because Russell has hit him for 78 runs in 30 balls across four innings in the IPL, without being dismissed.
• Why bowl fast and short to Russell? Well, since the 2018 season, fast bowlers have dismissed him significantly more times while bowling short (9) than any other length, according to ESPNcricinfo’s data, with the traditional good length (4) a distant second. His control percentage against short balls (53.25) is his lowest against any length, and his strike rate against short balls (170.13) is the second-lowest behind yorkers (110.53). Yorkers come with very little margin for error, though, with Russell striking at 228.95 against full-tosses and 337.50 against full balls. Short balls have a greater margin for error, with Russell striking at 175.32 against short-of-good-length balls.
• The key wicket for the Knight Riders, meanwhile, could be Shane Watson. The Australian opener has made ten 40-plus scores for the Super Kings, and nine of them have come in wins. How can the Knight Riders rein Watson in? Narine hasn’t been the force he used to be with the ball, but he has excellent numbers against Watson: 28 balls over six innings, conceding just 29 runs and dismissing him four times. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to hand Narine the new ball.

Stats that matter

• In Sam Curran, the Super Kings have a genuine lower-order asset they could look to promote more often. Of all batsmen who’ve faced at least 60 balls in the IPL since the 2019 season, Curran’s strike rate of 197.29 is the third-highest behind Jofra Archer (198.46) and Russell (197.87). Even more impressively, Curran’s strike rate of 177 over the first 10 balls of his innings is better than anyone else in IPL history.
• MS Dhoni has famously never hit a boundary off Narine in the IPL. That run of no fours and sixes extends to 12 meetings, which have produced 29 runs off 59 balls, and one dismissal.
• Dhoni needs one six to reach 300 in T20 cricket.
• Russell needs two wickets to reach 300 in T20s.
• Pat Cummins needs one wicket to reach 100 in T20s.

Benny Howell takes hat-trick as depleted Sussex are overwhelmed by 116 runs

ECB Reporters Network05-May-2019Gloucestershire 335 for 6 (Hammond 95, Taylor 69) beat Sussex 219 (Wiese 55) by 116 runs
Gloucestershire improved their chances of reaching the knockout stages of the Royal London One-Day Cup after a comprehensive 116-run win over Sussex Sharks at Eastbourne.They plundered 135 off the last ten overs and 76 from the last five to boost their total to 335 for 6 and a Sussex side missing Phil Salt, Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan never really threatened despite another half-century from South African all-rounder David Wiese.
Benny Howell took a hat-trick – removing Ben Brown, Abi Sakande and Danny Briggs – to finish things off as Sussex were dismissed for 219 in 43.2 overs after losing their last five wickets for 14 runs and their net run rate also suffered.The final round of South Group games on Tuesday will determine which sides join Hampshire in the knockout stages with Gloucestershire, Sussex and Middlesex all in contention.Gloucestershire’s innings was transformed a sensational barrage in the closing overs from Jack Taylor, whose unbeaten 69 came off just 26 balls and included eight sixes and two fours. None of the bowlers were spared as Taylor peppered the small boundaries at the Saffrons, although he was dropped twice in the 47th over by Will Beer on 25 and Luke Wright on 35 off the luckless Mir Hamza.The foundations had been laid by opener Miles Hammond, who quickly came to terms with a two-paced pitch and took few risks. His 95 off 105 balls contained 11 fours and two sixes and it was a surprise when he was caught trying to clear the long-off boundary in the 31st over.Hammond had shared 110 for the first wicket with skipper Chris Dent who made 46 after being dropped by George Garton in the fifth over on nine. Sussex’s spinners Will Beer and Briggs did a good job of tying Gloucestershire down during the middle part of their innings and both finished with 2 for 51. Gareth Roderick’s first 25 runs all came in singles but when he drove Briggs to extra cover for 53 in the 44th over it was the signal for Taylor to cut loose.On a small ground a run rate of 6.72 per over ought to have been well within their range, but Sussex’s innings never got any momentum in the face of some accurate bowling.Luke Wright (21) and George Garton (1) fell in the power-play and Harry Finch (29) and Stiaan van Zyl (29) were unable to build on solid starts.When Wiese, fresh from his record-breaking 171 against Hampshire on Thursday, came in during the 23rd over the required rate had climbed to 8.72 but he kept Sussex in the hunt, sharing 65 in 11 overs with Laurie Evans (44) and 56 in seven with Ben Brown.Sussex were actually one run better off than Gloucestershire as the last ten overs began and Wiese had reached 55 from 58 balls when Taylor ran in from the mid-wicket boundary to hold a diving catch off his younger brother Matt. Brown (27) was caught in the deep off Howell in the 42nd over before he finished the innings off by dismissing Sakande and Briggs from the first two balls of the 44th.Sussex must now beat Glamorgan at Hove to give themselves a chance while Gloucestershire travel to Essex knowing a third successive win could enable them to squeeze into the quarter-finals.

Australia U-19 will feature in a tri-series alongside hosts South Africa and England, this April, for their first overseas tour

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Mar-2018The Australia women’s Under-19 team is set to play for the first time in 15 years when they travel to South Africa for a tri-series, also featuring England, in April. Having last played a match in 2003, against England at home, the tour will also be the maiden overseas foray for the Under-19 side.The Cricket Australia Women’s youth selection panel named a 14-member squad that will take on South Africa’s Emerging Women and England Women’s Academy across four 50-over matches – between April 12 and 18 – and two Twenty20s, on April 24 and 26. The final will be a 50-over match and will be played on April 28. The team will be coached by former Australia batsman and current Cricket Australia high performance coach and Under-19 head coach Leah Poulton, with Ben Sawyer and Luke Williams acting in the assistant roles.The leadership duties will be split across the formats, with 16-year-old allrounder Rachel Trenaman named captain of the 50-over side, with Tasmanian Courtney Webb her deputy. The T20 side will be led by Saskia Horley, with Annabel Sutherland shouldering vice-captaincy responsibilities.”I think it just goes to show how fast the female pathway has moved over the last few years,” Poulton said of the decision to reintroduce the Under-19 team. “It’s an exciting time for women’s cricket and if Australia wants to stay at the top we really need to invest in our pathway, which I believe we’re doing well.”The tour presents a really good opportunity for the players to get a taste of what it’s like to be in an elite touring environment. Putting your skills to the test in a variety of different conditions and situations is an essential part of being an elite cricketer.”England and South Africa are two very good teams who will present some good challenges for the group. We want the players to be tested and to be pushed outside their comfort zones and to have to adapt to the different situations they find themselves in. This is a really exciting group of players who I think all have big futures in the game so I’m looking forward to seeing how they perform.”The re-integration of an Under-19 side comes on the back of structural changes made to the female pathway which brought it in line with the male pathway, with an Australia A side, Cricket Australia XI and National Performance Squad replacing the previous Under-21 Shooting Stars.Australia Under-19 squad: Stella Campbell (NSW), Maddy Darke (NSW), Hannah Darlington (NSW), Josephine Dooley (Queensland), Ellen Falconer (South Australia), Nicole Faltum (Victoria), Saskia Horley (NSW), Hayley Silver-Holmes (NSW), Annabel Sutherland (Victoria), Rachel Trenaman (NSW), Tayla Vlaeminck (Victoria), Georgia Wareham (Victoria), Courtney Webb (Tasmania), Tahlia Wilson (NSW)

Haseeb Hameed admits he was “taken aback” to be told he had to leave the tour of India, but says he used that realisation as an excuse to meet one of his heroes, Virat Kohli

George Dobell in Mumbai08-Dec-20162:00

Archive – ‘What stands out about Hameed is his age’

Haseeb Hameed admits he was “taken aback” to be told he had to leave the tour of India, but says he used that realisation as an excuse to meet one of his heroes, Virat Kohli, at the end of last week’s third Test in Mohali.Hameed, who is now in Mumbai as a spectator having had an operation on a badly broken finger in the UK, said he was “devastated” to learn the severity of the injury and tried to plead with the coaches to let him play on with the use of painkillers.But a dressing-room encounter with Kohli helped to assuage the disappointment of the injury, as he overcame his initial reticence to pick the brains of a player whom he found to be “open, honest and humble”.”I actually took Moeen Ali with me,” Hameed said. “After I found out I was going home, I said as a bit of a joke, let’s see if we can get hold of Virat for a couple of minutes.”He’s probably the most sought-after man in world cricket at the minute. I didn’t want to miss that opportunity. Within a couple of minutes he came out. He was great. He said ‘I’m happy to do that, now or later, whenever you want’. He was very obliging.”I was just trying to get an insight into the way he goes about his business: what he thinks, because that’s what sets him apart from other players in the world.”The look on his face when he walked out and got runs… I could tell straightaway that he means business and then he went on and delivered.
“I was just trying to get into his mind as much as anything, and he was great: very open and honest. A lot of people see him as this aggressive, borderline-arrogant sort of person on the field, but I think it is pure passion and his desire to win that comes out on the field.”Off the field he’s very humble, I found, and very open with me. I was very grateful for that.”Hameed had clearly made an impression on India’s captain, both on debut at Visakhapatnam, where he batted for 50 overs in the second innings to lead England’s rearguard, and then at Mohali, where he came in at No.8 after suffering his injury, and counterattacked bravely to make an unbeaten 59.After adapting his technique to take the pressure off his injured digit, Hameed had been confident of using the downtime between the third and fourth Tests to regain sufficient fitness to complete his maiden series. England’s medical team, however, had other ideas.Taking a bow: Haseeb Hameed impressed during his debut series•Getty Images

“When I was told I had to go home, I was pretty taken aback,” he said. “I didn’t expect it.”The day before my brother said ‘when will you recover from the break?’ and I said before the next Test. The swelling will go down and I’ll be fine because we’ve got an eight-day break.”But then to hear that I had to go home to have surgery… It did hit me. I was pretty devastated at the time.”I tried to persuade the coaches and the doctor to find a way to work around it. I asked if I could just take some painkillers and strap it up and get on with it in the games. But for the long-term benefit, it just felt better for me to get the surgery done. I’m sure that’s the case. Now it’s just a case of getting myself ready for the English season.”Hameed departed safe in the knowledge that he had made a fine impression at the start of his Test career. While he has only played three Tests, the composure he demonstrated – particularly when batting in that second innings at Mohali – suggested that England had found a long-term partner for Alastair Cook, and a talent that could serve them well for years to come.”I was quite determined it wasn’t going to get to me,” he said. “Obviously if you have a break it’s going to be painful, but I just had to put that to one side and give it my best shot and not let that affect me.”That was partly the reason why I had a couple of nets beforehand: to make sure I was ready. I found that, by trying to get my finger on the bat, it was probably causing me more pain and it felt quite restrictive. So I felt it was better to just hold the bat as hard as I could with the three other fingers. The physio actually said that most of the grip strength comes from the little finger, hence why I found it difficult to start off with. But the more I batted, the more I felt comfortable with it. It went all right.”He hopes to be able to start batting again in six or seven weeks. But, while he admits he has “mixed emotions” about watching his new team play without him, he will watch both this game and the final Test of the series in Chennai from the stands with the family who have been with him every step of this tour and long, long before it.”I’m very close to my family,” he said. “They obviously love the game and they’ve watched me since I was a young lad, so it was only fair for them to come out and watch me play.”Making my debut in my dad’s home state [Gujarat]… things fell into place quite nicely. Every time I went out to bat I was more confident and felt more comfortable.”I’m sure there’s something better in store for me out there because of this injury. I’m a big believer in tough times bringing out the best in you.”

Andrew Fitch-Holland, the co-defendant in Chris Cairns’ perjury trial, has denied ever asking Lou Vincent to provide a false witness statement and said that the only thing Cairns was guilty of was “not keeping his trousers zipped”

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Nov-2015Andrew Fitch-Holland, the co-defendant in Chris Cairns’ perjury trial, has denied ever asking Lou Vincent to provide a false witness statement and said that the only thing Cairns was guilty of was “not keeping his trousers zipped”.Fitch-Holland, a barrister who previously represented Cairns, is charged with perverting the course of justice over his role in the 2012 libel case against Lalit Modi. The jury at Southwark Crown Court was told last month by former New Zealand international Chris Harris that Fitch-Holland had admitted Cairns was guilty of match-fixing.Although he could not remember the conversation at an exhibition match due to drinking alcohol, Fitch-Holland said he would have been referring to Cairns’ marital situation. Cairns left his wife Carin in 2008 for the woman he is now married to, Mel Cairns.”I would have said the only thing Chris Cairns is guilty of is not keeping his trousers zipped up,” Fitch-Holland told the court.Vincent, a former team-mate of Cairns in the Indian Cricket League (ICL), has given already evidence about his own involvement in match-fixing. This included a recording of Skype conversation in which Fitch-Holland allegedly accepted Cairns’ role, saying: “we all know some of what is being said is clearly true”.However, Fitch-Holland said he have never asked Vincent to lie on Cairns’ behalf and that his statement referred to the activities of other players at the ICL.”At the time of the Skype call, I had no idea that Lou Vincent had ever been involved in match fixing or spot fixing,” he said. “I had no reason to believe he was anything other than an honest, decent chap.”At the time of the Skype call, I had no reason, nor do I now, to believe that Chris Cairns had been involved in match-fixing or spot-fixing.”Fitch-Holland, who was involved with the management of Lashings Cricket Club, met Cairns in 2006 and subsequently advised him on contracts and business deals. He said that Cairns had described rumours that he was involved in fixing during the ICL as “pub talk and bullshit”.He added: “Not a single one of the many cricketers I know has ever suggested to me, by phone or to my face, that Chris Cairns has done anything corrupt.”He also described the moment when Cairns contacted him after Modi, the former IPL chairman, made claims on Twitter about his involvement in corruption.”My mobile phone rang and it was Chris, freaking out, saying ‘You won’t believe this, Modi’s f***ed me. I’m done, He’s tweeted I’m involved in match fixing’,” Fitch-Holland said.Fitch-Holland, who will be cross-examined by the prosecution next week, revealed that he advised Cairns to settle out of court with Modi, to avoid further damage to his reputation. However, the parties had been unable to agree on a sum, with Cairns’ mounting legal costs threatening to bankrupt him, Fitch-Holland said.The trial continues.

Shiv Thakor made 75 and Matt Boyce 55 as Leicestershire recovered from 52 for 5 to enjoy the better of the opening day at Grace Road

30-Apr-2013
ScorecardShiv Thakor’s 75 helped Leicestershire recover from 52 for 5•Getty Images

A stand of 125 between Shiv Thakor and Matt Boyce put Leicestershire in the ascendency on day one at Grace Road. The pair made half-centuries to stage a recovery from 52 for 5 before two late wickets as Gloucestershire came out to bat for nine overs made it Leicestershire’s day.Gloucestershire looked like taking control and Benny Howell claimed career-best figures of 5 for 57 as Leicestershire were dismissed for 250. But from where they were in the morning session, Gloucestershire will feel they let an opportunity slip.Thakor and Matt Boyce sparked comeback to claim two batting points. Thakor top scored with 75 and Boyce also made a half-century before veteran Claude Henderson thumped 33 off 30 balls.But it was 24-year-old allrounder Howell made the biggest impact of the
day. Before this match Howell, in his second season with Gloucestershire, had taken only nine first-class wickets with a best return of 2 for 37 against Northamptonshire last season. He had bettered that by lunch, picking up 3 for 17 runs in a superb eight-over spell.The home side were already in difficulties when Howell came on as first change. Michael Thornely was bowled by Will Gidman with the second ball of the day and Niall O’Brien soon followed after edging behind off David Payne.Howell, finding some away swing with his medium pace bowling, then had
Ramnaresh Sarwan caught at gully, trapped Ned Eckersley lbw offering no shot to a ball that straightened before bowling Josh Cobb off an inside edge.With half the side out in the space of 22 overs, Leicestershire were staring down the barrel. But for the second Championship game in succession, Thakor and Boyce dug in to bring some respectability to the batting. They stayed together for 44 overs, Thakor reaching his 50 off 110 balls with seven fours plus an all run five. Boyce went to his half-century off 120 balls with four boundaries.But both fell quickly after tea. Howell had Boyce caught at slip and Thakor was also caught low down by Hamish Marshall cutting at a ball from offspinner Jack Taylor.Howell then picked up his fifth wicket when Jigar Naik edged to slip but
Henderson’s quick-fire 33 brought some valuable late runs.And the day ended well for Leicestershire, with Robbie Williams trapping Chris Dent lbw and Ollie Freckingham having Dan Housego caught behind as
Gloucestershire closed 219 runs behind.

Fidel Edwards and Marlon Samuels bowled West Indies to a 14-run victory to draw the Twenty20 series 1-1 in Barbados

The Report by Brydon Coverdale30-Mar-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Dwayne Smith top scored for West Indies with 63•AFP

Fidel Edwards and Marlon Samuels bowled West Indies to a 14-run victory to draw the Twenty20 series 1-1 in Barbados. Dwayne Smith and Johnson Charles started the day with a strong, aggressive opening partnership and despite Australia’s bowlers fighting back to dismiss West Indies for 160, it proved to be sufficient for the hosts as Australia’s batsmen stalled in the chase after David Warner’s quick opening.Too much was left for the final few overs for Australia, who needed 50 from the last five overs and then 19 from the last six balls, bowled by Dwayne Bravo. David Hussey was the only specialist batsmen left at the crease but he couldn’t launch the boundaries required off Bravo, who picked up two wickets in that final over as Australia fell well short of their target.Hussey was caught at deep midwicket for 19 trying to clear the boundary and Clint McKay was bowled next ball by Bravo, who finished with 2 for 27 from his four overs and changed the course of the match by running out Warner with a direct hit from side-on. Warner was hurrying back for a second run when Bravo, who had run in from the midwicket boundary, threw down the stumps at the striker’s end and it was the pivotal moment in the chase.Warner was on 58 from 43 balls and had threatened to steer Australia home, but after he departed Australia lost momentum. Hussey and Matthew Wade managed a couple of sixes but they were barely treading water with the required run-rate at ten an over, and things became even harder when Wade pushed a Samuels full toss straight back to the bowler for 17.Edwards picked up two wickets in the next over, Daniel Christian caught at cover and Brett Lee bowled for a golden duck, and West Indies had become firm favourites with 25 needed from the last 10 balls. It was quite a change from the early stages when Warner was steering Australia towards a strong position, although his opening partner Shane Watson was caught at slip in the first over off Edwards.Warner gradually found his rhythm and pulled Garey Mathurin for six, before lifting Sunil Narine over long-on for another six. George Bailey promoted himself to first drop and showed that he can clear the boundary, with a powerful slog over cow corner off Mathurin. Bailey top-edged a catch to fine leg off Samuels for 24 and Charles, who had dropped a sitter at fine leg before Bailey had scored, breathed a sigh of relief.Michael Hussey pushed a return catch to Samuels for 14 and although Warner kept the runs flowing and even forced the umpires to find a new ball when he pulled Mathurin out of the ground, West Indies kept themselves in the match. Warner’s half-century came from 39 balls but his run-out was a blow from which Australia could not recover, and they were disappointed not to chase down 161 on a fine batting pitch.The Australian bowlers had done well to peg West Indies back after the Charles-Smith opening stand, which took West Indies to 72 for 0 in the seventh over. Charles scored 37 from 21 balls and Smith made 63 from 34 deliveries, his first half-century in a Twenty20 international, but there were few other contributors and Bravo (23 from 24 balls) was the only other man who reached double figures.Charles raced out of the blocks with four, six and four from his first three balls, the six a slashing cut that cleared the point boundary off Lee. Charles was also very strong through the leg side but he was the first man to fall, when he couldn’t quite force Watson over the boundary and was caught at long-off.Kieron Pollard, promoted to No.3, edged behind off Lee for 1 and it was a major blow after his success in the previous game. But Smith, who had already been strong on both sides of the wicket, kept the runs flowing and 20 runs came off a James Pattinson over as Smith deposited him in the stands three times in the over.He started with a monstrous smash over cow corner that landed in the top tier of the Hall and Griffith Stand and followed it with a six that bounced into the windows of the Garfield Sobers Pavilion over long-on. Next ball came the most pure stroke of them all, a lofted drive hit through the line that landed over long-on and brought up his half-century from 30 deliveries.Another six off Xavier Doherty followed in the next over before Smith fell to the left-arm spinner, caught at long-on trying to maintain his tempo. That wicket was the end of West Indies’ blitz, as Bravo moved along at a run a ball and didn’t strike a boundary. McKay’s changes of pace troubled the middle order and the medium-pacers Watson and Christian were disciplined and accurate.Lee picked up two late wickets to finish with 3 for 23 as West Indies were bowled out with two balls to spare, having scored 50 for the loss of seven wickets in ten overs after Smith’s departure. It was quite a collapse, but Smith and Charles had done enough to set up victory, and just like the ODI portion of the tour, the T20s could not produce a winner. Perhaps the Tests can split these two sides.