All posts by h716a5.icu

The first two Investec Tests were even, but India were swept aside in the last three so thoroughly that the overall series stats look pretty lopsided

S Rajesh19-Aug-2014This five-Test series was played in two parts. In the first, which lasted two Tests, England and India were evenly matched: neither side had much of an advantage at Trent Bride, while India took the Lord’s Test by 95 runs. That was the end of the competitive part of the series, as England swept the next three matches by huge margins, with the margin in the final Test at The Oval – an innings and 244 runs – being the third-heaviest defeat ever for India.The stats illustrate the closeness between the teams in the first two Tests, and the gulf thereafter. After Trent Bridge and Lord’s, India averaged about three-and-a-half runs more per wicket with the bat, while their bowlers took wickets at a slightly better rate (one every 70.1 balls, compared to 75.6 for England). But when the home team took control, India weren’t even competitive: in the last three Tests, their average dropped to a miserable 17.71 – less than a third of England’s, while their bowlers took only 30 wickets (excluding run-outs), compared to 56 by England’s bowlers.Overall in the series England had 19 fifty-plus scores (five hundreds and 14 fifties) to India’s 17 (two hundreds and 15 fifties). While that looks close enough, it hides the fact that England batted only once in each of the last two Tests. Overall in the series, England’s batsmen played 68 innings, which means they passed 50, on average, once every 3.58 innings; India’s batsmen, on the other hand, played 110 innings in the series, which means they passed 50 once every 6.47 innings. The ratio between these two numbers – which is roughly also the ratio between the batting averages – illustrates the gulf between the two teams over the series.Compared to the numbers for the two teams in the 2011 series, the gulf in 2014 is slightly lesser, but only because of the first two Tests. In the last three, the difference was clearly more than in the four Tests in 2011.

The overall series stats for England and India

TeamRuns per wktInngs batted100s/ 50sWkts taken*Bowl SR**England44.41685/ 149453.0India25.731102/ 155977.8

England and India, in the first two and last three Tests

Runs per wktInngs batted100s/ 50sWkts taken*Bowl SR**England – 1st and 2nd Tests34.60332/ 53875.6India – 1st and 2nd Tests38.07442/ 102970.1England – last 3 Tests54.23353/ 95637.8India – last 3 Tests17.71660/ 53085.2

England v India in the four-Test series in 2011

TeamRuns per wktInngs batted100s/ 50sWkts taken*Bowling SR**England59.76567/ 117948.1India25.55883/ 94695.5
The batting numbersEngland’s dominant batting positions were clearly Nos. 3 and 5, where Gary Ballance and Joe Root pummelled India’s bowlers and scored 41% of the total runs off the bat made by England. Both topped 500 runs in the series, only the 11th time two England batsmen have scored 500-plus in a series. The last time it happened was also against India, when Kevin Pietersen (533) and Ian Bell (504) made merry in the four-Test home series in 2011. Ballance became the first England No. 3 batsman to score 500-plus in a series since David Gower’s aggregate of 710 in the six-Test Ashes series of 1985. Root’s 518, meanwhile, is the second-highest aggregate ever for an England No. 5 in a Test series, next only to Bell’s 562 in last year’s home Ashes. The third-highest for an England No. 5 in a series is 492, by Stanley Jackson in 1905.India’s top order, on the other hand, struggled throughout. M Vijay was an exception over the first two Tests, but even he fell away later, scoring only 85 in his last six innings. Shikhar Dhawan and Gautam Gambhir combined to score 147 in ten innings. Virat Kohli’s average of 13.40 is the third-lowest for an India top-four batsman in a Test series (with a cut-off of eight innings), while Cheteshwar Pujara’s average of 22.20 is the lowest for an India No. 3 batsman in a series in England (cut-off of five innings). Ajinkya Rahane shone at Lord’s and Southampton, but scored only 29 in his last four innings.

Batting averages for England and India, position-wise

EnglandIndiaPositionRunsAverage100s/ 50sRunsAverage100s/ 50sOpeners46335.610/ 454927.451/ 2No. 350371.852/ 222222.200/ 1No. 429742.421/ 113413.400/ 0No. 545490.802/ 229933.221/ 2No. 618831.330/ 132732.700/ 3No. 721543.000/ 214916.550/ 1No. 810020.000/ 130834.220/ 2No. 910125.250/ 024727.440/ 3No. 106722.330/ 0505.550/ 0No. 1111222.400/ 18621.500/ 1The partnership numbersThe average partnership, and the number of century stands, for each wicket for England and India: England had a higher average for every wicket•Sajan Nair / ESPNcricinfo LtdEngland had eight century stands in the series, including three for the second wicket alone. Ballance was involved in four of the eight century stands, and Root in three, including the series-topping stand of 198 with James Anderson at Trent Bridge. India had just two century partnerships in the entire series, one of which was for the tenth wicket.Overall in the series, England had 61 partnerships, of which there were eight century stands – an average of a hundred stand every 7.6 innings; India had two century stands out of 100 partnerships, an average of one every 50 innings. Balance and Cook were the leading pair of the series, with 414 partnership runs in five innings, while India’s best combination was Vijay and Pujara, with 325 runs in seven partnerships.The bowling numbersAgain, in the first two Tests there was little to choose between the seam bowlers of the two teams, but in the last three England’s pace attack – led by Anderson and Stuart Broad – averaged 18.83 runs per wicket, compared to India’s 58.20. Moeen Ali was ordinary with the bat, but his spin was far more effective than Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin’s.Anderson’s 25 wickets was his best haul for a series, while it’s the second successive time an England fast bowler has taken 25 wickets in a home series against India: in 2011 Broad took 25 at an average of 13.84. In the last two home series against India, Anderson and Broad have remarkably similar combined stats: Anderson has 46 wickets in nine Tests at 22.93, while Broad has 44 wickets at 17.79.

Pace and spin for England and India in the series

EnglandIndiaWicketsAverageStrike rateWicketsAverageStrike ratePace – 1st 2 Tests3036.7678.32530.8458.0Spin – 1st 2 Tests742.2872.8453.00145.7Pace – last 3 Tests4318.8341.42058.2091.2Spin – last 3 Tests1313.7625.61040.5073.4The head-to-head battlesThe story of the series was the manner in which Anderson and Broad dominated India’s batsmen, and that’s reflected in the numbers below. All the Indian top-order batsmen struggled against at least one of these two bowlers. The Anderson-Kohli battle – a highly one-sided one – was prominently talked about throughout the series, and the numbers illustrate Anderson’s dominance: he averaged 4.75 runs per wicket against Kohli, and dismissed him four times. Anderson needed to work much harder to dismiss Vijay, but towards the end of the series, especially, he dominated Vijay too, setting him up superbly with a combination of outswingers and inswingers. Either Anderson or Broad dismissed each of India’s top-six batsmen at least three times in the series: Anderson took care of Kohli, Vijay and Dhawan, while Broad handled Pujara, Rahane and Dhoni.The control factor, which measures the percentage of deliveries a batsman middled or left alone against each bowler, presents some interesting numbers too. Dhawan was dismissed three times by Anderson and never by Broad in the series, but against Broad Dhawan achieved a control factor of only 69.2%, compared to 87.2 against Anderson. That indicates Dhawan was generally more uncomfortable against Broad, even though Anderson dismissed him more often.Overall too, Anderson and Broad were extremely effective against India’s top-order batsmen. Nineteen of Anderson’s 25 wickets were of India’s top seven batsmen (including MS Dhoni), and he averaged 19.52 against them; Broad averaged slightly more but he caused more problems for the batsmen, who achieved a control percentage of only 77.5 against him, compared to 82.4 against Anderson.

Eng bowlers v Ind batsmen

BowlerBatsmanRunsBallsDismissalsAverageRuns/ overControl %James AndersonVirat Kohli195044.752.2878.0James AndersonMurali Vijay106337426.501.8883.6James AndersonShikhar Dhawan3278310.662.4687.2Stuart BroadMS Dhoni49132316.332.2271.2Stuart BroadCheteshwar Pujara206936.661.7371.0Stuart BroadAjinkya Rahane41139313.661.7681.3James AndersonMS Dhoni96187248.003.0874.9Stuart BroadMurali Vijay88266188.001.9885.3James AndersonAjinkya Rahane61125161.002.9284.8Stuart BroadShikhar Dhawan51650-4.7069.2

Anderson, Broad and Moeen against India’s top order*

BowlerRunsBallsDismissalsAverageRuns/ overControl %James Anderson3719531919.522.3382.4Stuart Broad2867851322.002.1877.5Moeen Ali257412928.553.7486.4In the head-to-heads between England batsmen and Indian bowlers, there were a few battles where the Indians came out on top, but in most of them the batsmen dominated. Bhuvneshwar Kumar had good stats against Ian Bell and Sam Robson, while Ishant Sharma dominated Bell too, but most of the other averages were overwhelmingly in favour of the batsmen. Root averaged more than 100 against Ishant, and 83 against Bhuvneshwar; Ballance averaged 105 against Bhuvneshwar, and 61 against Ishant.However, the control numbers are interesting again. Against Bhuvneshwar, the control numbers were pretty high for England’s batsmen, but against Ishant they dipped to the early 70s. He did finish with 14 wickets at 27.21 in the series, but with some luck Ishant could have finished with even more impressive numbers in the series.

Ind bowlers v Eng batsmen

BowlerBatsmanRunsBallsDismissalsAverageRuns/ overControl %Bhuvneshwar KumarIan Bell46106315.332.6085.8Ishant SharmaIan Bell194036.332.8570.0Bhuvneshwar KumarSam Robson60168320.002.1483.9Varun AaronAlastair Cook2954214.503.2270.4Ishant SharmaJoe Root1121671112.004.0270.6Bhuvneshwar KumarGary Ballance1051981105.003.1886.9Bhuvneshwar KumarJoe Root83143183.003.4888.8Bhuvneshwar KumarAlastair Cook67156167.002.5789.7Varun AaronJoe Root651080-3.6184.2Ishant SharmaGary Ballance61126161.002.9078.6

Before today, very few would have known the name Marnus Labuschagne, but his catching exploits at the Gabba have boosted his profile

Brydon Coverdale at the Gabba18-Dec-2014Just over two weeks ago, Marnus Labuschagne posted a video on Instagram of him in a kitchen, diving forward with his right hand to catch a corncob that had just been chopped by fellow Queensland cricketer James Bazley. “Short-leg catching has never been this much fun,” he posted.On day two at the Gabba, Labuschagne put those skills to good use while fielding as a substitute for Australia in the Test against India. Asked to go under the helmet while Nathan Lyon was operating, Labuschagne reacted quickly to an inside edge of the bat of Varun Aaron, diving forward onto the pitch to pouch the catch with his right hand.It has been an enjoyable summer so far for Labuschagne, a 20-year-old opening batsman who scored 83 on his Sheffield Shield debut for Queensland at Adelaide Oval and has played every match for the Bulls since. Born in Klerksdorp in South Africa, Labuschagne moved with his family to Australia as a child.”I spoke Afrikaans in South Africa — I barely spoke any English when I arrived here and it was a big change,” Labuschagne told the in October. “Adapting at school was interesting but a good experience and I wouldn’t trade it.”I remember the teacher saying ‘get your rubbers and rulers out’ and I had no idea what rubbers and rulers were. First day at school that is not what you want.”Despite his South African origins, the Australians were more than happy to claim Labuschagne as one of their own after his effort at the Gabba.

New Zealand cricket and Christchurch have seen a pleasant rebuilding in the past few years and now the country’s second sport is ready to take over, at least for six weeks

Andrew Fidel Fernando12-Feb-2015Traipse through Christchurch this week and see cricket moving in like a pathogen on another sport’s turf. If New Zealand is rugby heartland, the Canterbury province is its aortic chamber. Here, local veins bleed the Canterbury Rugby Union’s red-and-black, grizzled men speak of All Black stars Richie McCaw and Daniel Carter as if they were their own children, whose bedrooms, by the way, are covered in posters of the same men in sporting pose.Cricket’s grip had begun to set in when Christchurch was granted the World Cup curtain-raiser. Then on Boxing Day, when the city saw its first Test match since 2006, Brendon McCullum’s breakneck 195 gave a bold new edge to the invasion. Suddenly, the chatter over café tables was no longer about backlines and forward packs. Top orders and bowling attacks captured imaginations instead.By Thursday, the cricket contagion had become an epidemic, as denizens gathered in their tens of thousands at the opening ceremony. North Hagley Park broke out in dozens of mini cricket matches, some at specially-themed stations celebrating all corners of the cricket universe, from the Caribbean’s calypso to Punjab’s bhangra. WG Grace watched over the Victorian themed match, which was attended by pretend Victorian ladies, having pretend tea on the boundary.As the sun set and the show began, the swelling masses obeyed the directions issued by the ceremony’s presenters and turned around to wave at the helicopter flying overhead – it’s camera potentially beaming their collective flailings to hundreds of millions worldwide. Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel even took the stage like the hype-woman for a 1980s rapper and bellowed “We are back”, amid other rhapsodic catchphrases. Here was a town so caught in the spirit of the event, it did not mind coming off a little naff. Here was a city so keen to resurge after four difficult years, each of its citizens were taking ownership of their own bite-sized role in hosting planet cricket.”Right from the beginning when I started working on cricket World Cup, everyone was very interested in Christchurch and how it could have a special role in the tournament,” New Zealand’s head World Cup organiser, Therese Walsh said. “What happened with the Rugby World Cup in 2011, is that matches were taken away from Christchurch after the earthquakes. It was always really important to us to bring a major sporting event back to the city. We knew we needed stadiums with bigger capacity for the quarter and semi final, so the obvious thing for Christchurch was the opening match and opening event.”It has helped no end of course, that like Christchurch, New Zealand’s cricket team has risen dramatically from the dust of its barren spell at the beginning of this decade. Not so long ago, they were pampered wastrels of ability in the public’s eye, but Brendon McCullum and Mike Hesson have now pulled off a monumentally successful rebranding campaign, not just via on-field successes, but also by adopting values that resonate with the national ethos. Tim Southee canned his trash talk. McCullum curbed his own public impetuosity. “Humility” became a buzzword, and respect the team dogma.

“Ticket sales are very strong, very early. When we launched them one year ago, we sold thousands of tickets. Even before the tournament has started, five of the six Black Caps matches are sold out.”New Zealand head World Cup organiser, Therese Walsh

New Zealand’s young quicks have begun to set pulses racing as well as any All Blacks line break, but it is not Southee and Trent Boult around whom New Zealand’s World Cup hopes have gathered. In Kane Williamson’s mellow manner and monstrous appetite for runs New Zealand has found a hero as young, as restrained, and as exquisite to behold as the country itself.There is arguably no more exciting young player in the world, yet New Zealand’s cricket fans don’t beat chests or blow trumpets. Williamson’s nation of admirers speak of him in whispers, as if the decibels of their regard could press down on his 24-year-old shoulders. “He doesn’t quite understand how good he is”, fans feel. Both they, and perhaps he, will strive to leave that unchanged. McCullum’s blitzkriegs and Ross Taylor’s legside shellackings will always exhilarate and draw great crowds, but Williamson is forming a deeper, more profound relationship with New Zealand’s public.New Zealand’s optimism about their team’s chances of lifting the trophy, is similarly subdued. They know the details of the team’s outstanding form, but they are eager to experience the World Cup journey, rather set sights too tightly on a triumphant destination.”With the rugby world cup, there was a lot of excitement, but there was also a weighing down and seriousness brought by the expectation that the All Blacks had to win,” Walsh said, having also helped oversee New Zealand’s hosting of the Rugby World Cup in 2011. “You don’t get that so much with the cricket World Cup. It’s very much a: ‘Ooh, we think the Black Caps can do pretty well in this tournament’ kind of feeling. There were a couple of years when the public was a little negative toward the team, but there has been a real re-emergence of cricket.”That re-emergence has seen thousands sign up as volunteers, while organisers’ efforts to have migrant communities from cricket-playing nations involved have also caught fire. The opening ceremony in Christchurch began with a Kandyan dance, performed by a locally-based Sri Lankan troupe. That event had plenty of Indian, Pakistani and Caribbean flavour as well.More importantly, healthy crowds are expected for matches throughout the country. “What usually happens for international cricket in this country, is we’re a little bit slow,” Walsh said. “We wait till the day and we see what the weather is like. We’re very much a walk-up crowd.”For World Cup, sales are very strong, very early. When we launched them one year ago, we sold thousands of tickets. Even before the tournament has started, five of the six Black Caps matches are sold out.”The most anticipated of those sold-out games is New Zealand’s game against Australia at Eden Park, on February 28. Though Australia have more storied cricket rivalries, no victory is more savoured in New Zealand than triumph over the men from “across the ditch”. Unlike in rugby, where the Bledisloe Cup is contested between these two teams every year, New Zealand cricket fans grumble that their side don’t tour their neighbours often enough.It is of course inevitable that when the All Blacks re-form for the approach to their defence of the Rugby World Cup later this year, that the country’s sporting allegiance will realign itself. But for the next six weeks, New Zealanders have readied to dance to the beat of leather on willow, emboldened by the devious thought their nation of four million could hold two major world titles at the end of it all.

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Apr-2015Kings XI raced to 60 in seven overs but then lost Sehwag and Glenn Maxwell in the space of seven balls•BCCIDebuant J Suchith and the experienced Harbhajan Singh tied down the Kings XI batsmen in the middle overs•BCCIDavid Miller struck three boundaries during his 24 but fell to Lasith Malinga in the 16th over•BCCIMalinga then dismissed Rishi Dhawan to leave Kings XI at 150 for 5•BCCIGeorge Bailey struck an unbeaten 61 off 32 balls, bringing up his maiden IPL fifty in the process and helped Kings XI to 177 for 5•BCCISandeep Sharma struck on the second ball of Mumbai’s innings to remove Rohit Sharma for a duck•BCCIMitchell Johnson and the Kings XI pacers shackled the Mumbai batsmen and picked a further four wickets, leaving them at a paltry 46 for 5 after 12 overs•BCCIAxar Patel chipped in with two scalps to all but seal the game. Miller had little trouble holding on to a simple offering from Kieron Pollard at long-off•BCCIHarbhajan Singh added some late drama, smoking six sixes during a 24-ball 64 for Mumbai’s fastest IPL fifty. However, he was left with too much to do in too little time, as the visitors completed an 18-run victory•BCCI

How cricketers reacted to a humdinger of a semi-final between New Zealand and South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Mar-2015

What a great game of cricket. SA did not lose that game. NZ won it. Well played NZ. And to the Proteas you can be proud of your campaign.

— Jacques Kallis (@jacqueskallis75) March 24, 2015

South Africa DID NOT CHOKE! They got beaten by a better team today…AB led the team wonderfully well! But, well done NZ! See you in Sydney!

— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) March 24, 2015

What an unbelievable game. So proud of the @BLACKCAPS and what they have achieved. Also feel the raw pain of @OfficialCSA on an amazing day.

— Stephen Fleming (@SPFleming7) March 24, 2015

Let's take a moment to sit back right now and say, regardless of the result, what an absolute humdinger of a game.

— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) March 24, 2015

Well played NZ well deserved!! Cricket the true winner best game of the Cup!! Grant Elliot cool head magnificent innings!! #ontothefinalsNZ

— Brian Lara (@BrianLara) March 24, 2015

Congrats South Africa on this performance and your tournament. Quite simply the best match I've ever been to live! Worthy of a final

— Scott Styris (@scottbstyris) March 24, 2015

Its tough to see a side lose in a match like the semis. Well played South Africa. (1/2)

— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) March 24, 2015

Big Congratulations to New Zealand for making the ICC World Cup finals and playing amazing cricket… #CWC15 (2/2)

— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) March 24, 2015

What a game of cricket in NZ, please hold your heads high South Africa, you've done everyone proud as you gave it absolutely everything !!

— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) March 24, 2015

WHAT A GAME!!!! The eruption of Eden park there was spine tingling huge! Grant Elliot take a bow #cricketisawesome

— Graeme Swann (@Swannyg66) March 24, 2015

Still proud of my bois, good fight thru out the game. Great game of cricket by u buggers. U can stand up tall and b proud of ur perfomance.

— Lonwabo Tsotsobe (@LonwaboTsotsobe) March 24, 2015

I didnt expect that. Wow!! I really thought the game was won with the bat for SA… well played New Zealand

— Alviro Petersen (@AlviroPetersen) March 24, 2015

Bad luck SA. You can see how emotional they are and you feel for them.They wanted this desperately. They gave it all they had. #CWC2015

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) March 24, 2015

What a semi final! I feel for the SA boys. Well done to NZ.

— Mahela Jayawardena (@MahelaJay) March 24, 2015

2am start, didn't miss a ball. @grantelliottnz run chase king. lock me in a room Sunday, was particularly bad company for the last 10 hrs.

— Peter Borren (@dutchiepdb) March 24, 2015

Shane Watson and Steven Smith talk about winning the World Cup at the MCG, what lies ahead for Australia, and Rajasthan Royals’ chances in the IPL this season

Interview by Gaurav Kalra29-Apr-201520:18

‘No doubt in my mind that Steve will be the next captain’

Shane, it has been a good start to this IPL campaign for Rajasthan Royals; five wins out of seven, it’s just where you want to be?
Watson: Absolutely, it has been a great start; lost a little bit of momentum in the last two games. To be in this position halfway through the tournament is a great place to be.Last year when you came to the IPL, you were one of the most promising names in world cricket. Today Steven Smith is a superstar in world cricket. How has the journey been this last year, Steven?
Smith: I’ve enjoyed my cricket this year, that’s for sure. I’ve enjoyed being a part of the Royals. It’s a great culture here. We’ve started this tournament very well, [but] we haven’t probably played our best cricket yet, which is nice to see. Hopefully we can continue to put good performances on the board and play our best cricket come the business end of the tournament.From the outside, it appears to be a really tight unit. Will it be right to say that the guys get along well with each other?
Smith: It’s a great culture. [Captain] Shane and [coach] Paddy Upton have created a great culture here and everyone gets along with everyone. We’re really working hard for each other and, hopefully, we can have a good end to the season.Feels very comfortable to come back and play for Rajasthan every year?
Watson: It’s one of the best times of the year for me. I’ve got some incredible memories with Rajasthan where we went all the way through. It’s great fun to be involved with such a franchise, great friends. I just love to come back and help the team perform as well. I know how much it means to the guys and also to the owners who have been incredibly good to the franchise all the way through. I’ve been fairly lucky to be at the Royals and can hopefully continue to be a part of the Royals for a fair bit longer.Has it been a little disappointing to not make the finals after the first season?
Watson: The first year was a perfect start coming together. What Shane Warne did with the team we had was incredible. The coaching staff bringing the team together so quickly was our biggest advantage because it was so new and everyone didn’t really know what to expect in the first year of the IPL. But since then we certainly aren’t one of the biggest franchises financially. Some of the other teams spend all their salary caps but in the end it’s part of the evolution of our group to give an opportunity to people, like myself in the first year, to impress, and to get guys in and around our group because we know they really want to get the best out of themselves. We had a good year a couple of years ago when we made the Champions League, and this year it feels very special as well. The depth in our squad has been as good as it ever has been.Smith: “The IPL is one of the best times of the year for me. I’ve got some incredible memories with Rajasthan”•BCCIHow tough is the IPL in terms of playing day in and day out with all the extra travelling?
Smith: I think it is a very tough tournament to win. I think all the franchises, on their day, can beat anyone. If someone has a good day out, they can really get on top of you. I’ve learnt so much out of it, particularly pacing my innings in the limited-overs game. It has really been good for me in that aspect.What has clicked for you in these last few months, where your weight of runs has been incredible?
Smith: For me, it’s just about preparation – making sure I’m doing the same things over and over again, and trying to keep my routines as simple and as basic as I can. That’s one thing, my patience when I go out to bat. I know each day is a new day and I’m trying to start my innings the same way each time and build an innings. I think in the past I’ve been a little bit guilty of going too hard too early. I try to get myself in now and give myself a chance by having a look at the conditions.What has been like watching it all from the dressing room, Shane? Does it become a little bit boring?
Watson: I wouldn’t say boring. It has been a pleasure to watch Steve bat the way he has, not only in the ground but also the way he has batted in the nets and taken on our quicks in the nets. It’s very special to watch. I’ve been very lucky to be around guys at their absolute best, whether it was Ricky Ponting or Matthew Hayden. To be able to see Steve Smith where he has been for a while now is incredible to watch. Someone who has been in total control of his game against world-class bowlers is very special, and we would hope that he continues to bat the way he is so that Australia can have a lot of success over the next couple of years.Does it concern you, Steven, when people say that your unconventional approach may create difficulties for you when you are not in good form?
Smith: I don’t think the way I bat is unconventional. It’s just other people’s opinions, but, for me, it’s about knowing your game. I’ve learnt a lot over the past 12-18 months about my game, and my strengths and weaknesses. It’s just about playing to my strengths as much as I can and it’s worked pretty well for me what I’ve been doing.

“It has been a pleasure to watch Steven Smith bat the way he has, not only in the ground but also the way he has batted in the nets and taken on our quicks in the nets”Watson

Is the World Cup win one of the most special things you guys have accomplished as a playing unit? Both of you were batting when the winning runs were scored.
Watson: It’s the most special thing for me. It was a dream to win the World Cup on home soil. The way the treadmill of cricket is we haven’t had much time to soak it up as within a week we were here playing the IPL. That’s just the landscape of world cricket nowadays. For me, winning the Ashes series at home is the most amazing thing, and I was lucky to be a part of the team that won the 2007 World Cup. The team we had back then had outrageous talent and I was a young guy in that team. But this time, being a more senior guy in the World Cup squad, and then for us to play the way we did all the way through, and the brand of cricket we played to come together at the MCG in front of 90,000 people, and then walking in front of those people after winning was incredible.Can you describe the feeling you had when you hit the winning runs in front of that MCG crowd?
Smith: It was just a magical moment to be out there with Shane and score the winning runs in the World Cup at the MCG in front of 90,000 people. It was an amazing feeling and one that I’ll never forget. We played terrific cricket the whole way through. We had a little hiccup against New Zealand in New Zealand, but that made us up for the challenge a little bit more. I thought if we played on home soil, we’ll have an advantage over them in the final and it turned out that way in the end. The support we got from the Australian public was unbelievable. To be involved in a World Cup win in Australia is a dream come true.Do you remember saying something to each other after the winning runs were scored?
Watson: I don’t know whether anything was said other than big embraces. It’s more an unconscious state. You’re not really conscious at that moment. It’s just the elation and emotion that pours out of you at that moment. The thing I remember is the team running out on the field and it was just an incredible moment with everyone from the team being there. I just came out there with a couple of runs to go and was certainly not going to play a big shot at that time to score the winning runs. I was just happy to be out there at the end and with Steve scoring the winning runs it worked out nicely. It was very fitting for him after the summer he had and the amazing World Cup he had.How much are you looking at captaining Australia on a regular basis?
Smith: We’ll see how that goes in the future. It’s not my job to decide who is going to be the captain. I’ve had some good experiences and really enjoyed captaining the team in Michael [Clarke’s] absence in the summer against India. It was a great learning experience for me to have senior players like Shane and Brad Haddin around the group to bounce ideas off. Shane was very supportive throughout the home series and to have him and Hadds next to me while I was standing at second slip, and to have that wealth of experience beside me, was really beneficial for me at the start, and I really enjoyed the experience of captaining Australia.Smith: “I thought if we played on home soil, we’ll have an advantage over New Zealand in the final and it turned out that way in the end”•Robert Cianflone/Getty ImagesAre we talking to the next full-time Australian one-day and Test captain, Shane?
Watson: Absolutely, no doubt about that. He did a great job when he took over during the summer and he just reads the game incredibly well. He’s also got a great feel for the team environment and there’s no doubt in my mind that he’ll be the next captain when the opportunity arises. For a young guy, he has had a lot of experience, be it as the captain of New South Wales or around other teams that he has been involved in as well. Australia would be crazy not to make the most of someone who has at a young age got the leadership skills already and is only going to get better.Do you think Clarke’s relationship with other players has been focused on too much by the media, or is it just part and parcel of the game when you play for that long?
Watson: When you spend so much time like I and Michael have in the team, generally you have your ups and downs. Some days I don’t even get along with Steve either . When specific parts of media are trying to look into and find things to be able to write about, they look at certain avenues to get a story.From my perspective, in the end we wouldn’t have been able to achieve the things we have as a team if there were things going on in the group that were fracturing the whole group. We wouldn’t have been able to play the way we have over the last 18 months if there was too much going on within the group. I’ve been involved in teams before where that just breaks down the team. I actually think that things are going all right at the moment. Everyone’s loving every moment of playing in and around the Australian team. I think that’s a pretty good sign of where we are at.How much do you enjoy working with Clarke, Steve?
Smith: I think Michael has been a terrific captain for a long period of time now. He reads the game better than anyone that’s playing at the moment. He’s tactically very good and he’s a terrific player. It’s been great to have him around and learn some of his strategies and the way he goes about things in training and on the field. It’s been great to be able to watch and develop.Australia has not won an Ashes series in England now for a decade. You think this team can do differently?
Watson: I’ve got no doubt. We’ve got a very strong squad that’s going over to England. We’ve got good depth and the best part is everyone is in nearly career-best form right now, which is most important as well. There is a huge hunger within the group because we know that we haven’t won in England for the last three series. I’ve been involved in two of those. There’s a big burning desire to be involved in an Ashes-winning campaign in England. We’re as well prepared as we can be within our group. I’m incredibly excited about what’s on the horizon with the Ashes and everyone else is as well. There’s still a little bit of time with the IPL and the West Indies tour, but it’s going to be a very exciting time.

“When you spend so much time like I and Michael Clarke have in the team, you have your ups and downs. We wouldn’t have been able to achieve the things we have as a team if there were things fracturing the group”Watson

Steven, five hundreds in five Tests in the Ashes will be good after four in four against India?
Smith: Would be nice, wouldn’t it? I can’t wait to get over there and play another Ashes against England in their conditions after beating them so convincingly in Australia. It’s going to be nice to go in their backyard. If we continue to play the way we have been playing over the last 12-18 months, I don’t think that they’ll come close to us, to be honest.Have you settled on what your goals are for your career?
Smith: Not really. I’m just happy with the way things are at the moment. I don’t like looking too far ahead. I like living in the present as much as I can and enjoying each moment.Looking forward to a few more years in the game, Shane, doing everything that you do?
Watson: I still absolutely love playing the game of cricket and I love being in and around the Australian cricket team. It has been a very special time to have been in the team. The most important thing for me is to able to contribute with bat and ball, which I have not done consistently over the last 12-18 months. I still feel I have my best cricket in front of me with all the experience I have. I still feel fresh in my body and know how to get the best out of it. I’m excited to be able to play the game that I love so much and hopefully can continue for a little while longer.

New Zealand allrounder Sophie Devine on what she’d say to Roger Federer, and being a neat freak among messy team-mates

Interview by Vishal Dikshit19-Jul-2015You wear jersey number 77. Any particular reason?
It used to be the house address when I was growing up. It was 77 Woodman Drive, so I chose that number because that’s where a lot of things started for me – where I first played backyard cricket with my family. So it’s just a nice reminder of where I came from.What’s your favourite shot?
Probably a big, dirty slog over cow corner, but I’ll probably get told off! Maybe a more correct shot, a nice straight drive. Usually in the air but if it goes along the ground I’ll be happy with that.Is there anything you dislike about T20?
I actually think it can be so hit and miss where one person can change the game, whereas in 50-over cricket, even if one person can stand out it takes quite often two or three people to have really good days [for a win]. Whereas in T20 one person can take the game away from you with the bat or the ball. But it’s also a positive if you are that person who stands up.If New Zealand Women need six off the last ball to win the World Cup, who would you put on the pitch?
There’s too many to choose from. It will be hard to go past Suzie Bates or Rachel Priest – they are some of the cleanest hitters I’ve seen around.

“I’m hopeless at swimming. I love the water, I play games in the water, but I probably couldn’t swim 50 metres. I could stay afloat and doggy-paddle”

Why don’t you wear a helmet while batting?
Actually, I’ve never really worn a helmet. The only time I can really remember is playing boys’ high school cricket and a few boys were going after me, bowling at around 130-135kph, so I put one on. I back myself to get out of the way. If I get hit, I guess it’s my own fault, and probably people will be saying I’m a bit silly for that. But it’s a comfort thing as well and just something that I’ve always done.Who’s the fastest bowler you have faced?
I think when I first played I was up against Cathryn Fitzpatrick, the old Australian. She was pretty nippy. If you look recently, Lea Tahuhu from our side gets some good pace up; Katherine Brunt and Ellyse Perry all get it through at a reasonable rate of knots, so I think the exciting thing about the women’s game is that it’s growing and getting those outright quick bowlers.Sophie’s choice? White Ferns, but an Olympic medal is the dream•Getty ImagesYou were run out without facing a ball on your T20 international debut. What happened there?
Oh, was it ()? I can’t even remember! I don’t even remember who it was against – it must have been a while ago. Back when I first debuted, both 50 overs and T20, I was a bowler, I did not bat at all. So I was always lower down the order. I was probably backing up too far or just trying to get the batter on strike rather than me, or something like that. It doesn’t surprise me. I’ve slowly worked myself up the order, so you never know, I might even open at some stage.White Ferns or Black Sticks?
Well, White Ferns. I’ve been really fortunate to play for both teams and I definitely keep an eye on the Black Sticks at the moment. I’m really excited about the future of the White Ferns and the competitions coming up – the World T20 in India next year and the World Cup in England in a couple of years’ time.Olympic gold medal or World Cup?
You’re throwing the hard ones at me! That’s really tough. That’s something that hockey will always have over cricket, that it’s an Olympic sport and that a medal is a huge thing; it’s not to say that the World Cup trophy isn’t worthy. I’ll take either, whatever it is.

“My favourite shot would probably be a big, dirty slog over cow corner, but I’ll probably get told off”

If you had to pick one?
I’ll probably get shot for saying this but an Olympic medal. I’ll be dropped for the next game probably now ().What’s the one thing you’d change immediately if you became captain tomorrow?
I would love to get more girls on contracts. I think that would be a huge positive for us. It’s fantastic that we’ve got ten, but realistically we want to push that up to 15, ideally 20, contracts, so that we can get more girls in the environment and supply them with the resources that we need to keep challenging those top teams.Who is more famous in New Zealand, Suzie Bates or Valerie Adams?
Probably Valerie Adams, but they look quite similar – both tall. Valerie Adams is a hero at home, she’s got a pretty good record there with the shot put but what Bates has achieved is pretty awesome – dual international is pretty special, not too many people can say that.Who has the worst taste in music in the team?
Morna Nielsen. She’s very alternative, she would think she’s got excellent taste. She did throw a spanner in the works the other day, when she said her favourite movie was , which goes completely against all her normal selections. So she’s up there, and also Hannah Rowe. Ninety percent of her iPod is Taylor Swift. It probably shows her age a little bit – she’s only 19, the youngest and that probably does make sense.Six needed off the last ball? Call Suzie Bates•WICB Media/Ashley AllenYour favourite sporting hero is Roger Federer. How are you taking the Wimbledon loss?
Not very well. Everyone was watching in their rooms and all you could hear at one point was hooping and hollering. That’s one thing about Federer – he’s so gracious in defeat as well. I’m absolutely gutted that he didn’t win, but it’s a sign of the person he is. Looking from the outside, the way he holds himself whether he’s winning or losing, he’s definitely an idol.What would you say if you’re stuck in a lift with him?
I probably wouldn’t even be able to talk. With famous people I lose the plot, I just get really hyped up and emotional and I won’t be able to speak. Even back at home, even if it’s a men’s domestic cricketer, I lose the plot. I just get squealy like a teenage girl.Tell us something we don’t know about you
I think most people know about the diabetes now, I really like to push that up there. I’m hopeless at swimming. I love the water, I play games in the water, but I probably couldn’t swim 50 metres. I could stay afloat and doggy-paddle but I probably could not complete a 50-metre length pool. I’ve always been hopeless at swimming, so that’s something my family always takes the piss out of me about.Describe yourself in a sentence
It would probably be based around having a laugh. For me it’s just about enjoying wherever I am, whoever I’m with. I can get pretty serious sometimes, but it’s always good to crack a joke or have a laugh.

Despite a decade in power as a cricket administrator, N Srinivasan’s legal troubles and tussles with various board members meant his fall was ominous and swift

Nagraj Gollapudi and Arun Venugopal09-Nov-20153:45

Ugra: Srinivasan left with no choice but to start again

BCCI president Shashank Manohar is set to replace N Srinivasan for the remainder of the latter’s term as ICC chairman. Manohar will occupy the position till end of June next year. The BCCI also appointed former ICC president Sharad Pawar as the second nominee to attend ICC meetings in case Manohar was unavailable.Srinivasan became the world body’s inaugural chairman in June 2014, immediately after the ICC revamp devised by the Big Three – comprising India, England and Australia – was put in place. Despite becoming an isolated figure within the BCCI circles in the last year – especially since the Supreme Court, investigating the 2013 IPL corruption scandal, barred him from contesting re-election as the board’s president – Srinivasan continued to be the BCCI representative at the ICC board. His nomination was confirmed by the BCCI in June at the ICC AGM, in Barbados.But since his meeting with former BCCI and ICC president Sharad Pawar in Nagpur on September 23, Srinivasan’s fall has been ominous and swift. The meeting between the two heavyweight administrators fueled speculations of an alliance in the wake of the sudden death of Jagmohan Dalimiya. A few days later, though, Manohar emerged as the unanimous choice, trumping Srinivasan.On October 4, while taking over formally as BCCI president, Manohar and BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur, who had a few run-ins with Srinivasan, expressed they had no intention of having a vindictive attitude. Srinivasan and his supporters subsequently withdrew a case of perjury filed against Thakur in the Supreme Court.Still, Manohar’s resolve to clear the cobwebs of conflict of interest was the first signal that the current power structure within the board wanted to erase all signs of Srinivasan and appear as a diametrically opposite administration. The exit of Sundar Raman, a Srinivasan confidante and one of the architects of the Big Three position paper which set into motion the ICC revamp, was another step in that direction, culminating in Srinivasan’s own removal on Monday.Srinivasan said he respected the BCCI’s decision, but refused to comment on Manohar’s candidature. “When you are at the ICC, you are sent by the BCCI. It’s for BCCI to effect the changes in representation. One has to respect that,” Srinivasan told ESPNcricinfo. “All these posts are tenure-bound. So, therefore one has to be conscious of it.”Srinivasan said he was satisfied and “proud” of the work he had put in, and that he was “particularly proud of the contribution I have made for BCCI.” According to Srinivasan, the ICC had evolved into a powerful entity following the sweeping constitutional reforms which were controversially introduced in June 2014. “I think the ICC is much stronger today. ICC is truly a members’ organisation,” he said.”I think we had a very harmonious board, and I have deep respect for all other board members who worked with me, and in particular [thankful for] the co-ordinated efforts taken by chairman (ECB) Giles Clarke and chairman (Cricket Australia) Wally Edwards along with me in delivering excellent value for the media rights tender. It is definitely a high point.”N Srinivasan – “I am proud of the contribution I have made for the BCCI”•AFPThe sequence of events that led to Srinivasan losing his stranglehold as a cricket administrator following a decade in power did not surprise BCCI officials. “This had to happen,” an official said. “You can’t have a person who has had this kind of relationship with the BCCI for a long time. He can’t represent the BCCI. It is untenable.”The official said Srinivasan’s stance against Manohar and Thakur was inappropriate. “For the last six-seven months, he has consistently been at odds against the people running the BCCI. He has had a contrary view. So how can he represent the BCCI?”One example the official provided was the ICC chief executive Dave Richardson sending a letter to Thakur asking him to stay away from suspected bookies after a picture of him in the company of an alleged bookie emerged. Thakur responded vehemently denying any wrongdoing and instead asked Srinivasan to share the details of suspected bookies with his own family members.Nonetheless, a veteran administrator who has worked with both Srinivasan and Manohar felt that India’s clout at the ICC level would remain strong despite Srinivasan’s exit, stating that the BCCI’s power did not revolve around around one individual. “It is the Indian clout, not Srinivasan that allows India to have a bigger say,” the administrator said.When asked if Manohar, who has not been to the ICC by his own admission for half a decade, would adapt easily to the workings and fit into the Big Three’s vision, the administrator said Manohar had been “very effective” in his dealings at the ICC during his first stint as BCCI president.While Srinivasan refrained from speculating on his future in cricket administration, he said his cement business would occupy much of his time hereon. “There is a large business I am involved in, which also demands a lot of attention,” he said. “I have looked at all this [cricket administration] as a job and responsibility. Like I say in lighter fashion, I will try and improve my golf. If I have neglected anything in these last eight years, it’s my golf.”

India have failed to put up any semblance of a fight despite posting large totals because they are letting the little things slip while on the field

Sidharth Monga15-Jan-2016India have now become only the third side to lose successive matches after putting 300 on the board. As has become the norm there will be a temptation to blame Rohit Sharma – particularly the shortage of singles in the earlier parts of his innings – but there have been other smaller and bigger factors with much bigger impact at play.Rohit has scored 295 off 290 balls out of India’s 617 runs, has got out only once, but has not seen his side come even close to defending any of the totals. He faced 77 dots in Perth, and 59 in Brisbane. Put together, Steven Smith and George Bailey faced 93 dots and scored 261 runs. In Brisbane the two scored a total of 122 runs, and faced just 35 dots. In these hard and cold numbers lies the argument that the ODI game has changed – 300 is not a good total and Rohit needs to go hell for leather sooner than he has been doing so that India can get a par score. However, there are other hard and cold numbers that need to be looked at before picking on Rohit.If the period after a World Cup usually marks the start of new trends, it will be instructive to look at numbers from World Cup to World Cup. Between the 2003 and 2007 editions, teams lost nine of the 60 games a 300-plus target was put up. Between 2007 and 2011, sides batting first reached 300 120 times, and lost 22 of those matches, one of them on Duckworth-Lewis calculations. Between the 2011 and 2015 World Cups, 101 scores of 300 or more were posted, out of which 18 were chased down, one thanks to D/L. Clearly more 300s are being chased, but that’s because more 300s are being scored.If you look at the ratio of 300s being defended progressively, the change is not drastic. It is still a safe total for a good bowling attack. It should at least make the chasing side break sweat, not stroll through and frustrate the captain into words to the effect of: forget about it, we will need to score at least 330.A measure of India’s new bowling low can be seen in how the opposition has treated them. Australia have tapped singles inside the 30-yard circle, and pinched the extra run on almost every throw from the deep. Smith’s men have done the little things right while playing an extremely physical game.Take the example of Barinder Sran. He has been impressive with the ball and made a fine attempt to catch Shaun Marsh at long leg, but his arm has been exposed mercilessly by the Australian batsmen. Almost every ball hit to him in the deep has yielded a minimum of two. Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma haven’t been completely spared either, but when Virat Kohli tried to do the same – he likes to give as good as he gets – a missile from Kane Richardson arrived right by the stumps.Ishant even dropped a sitter, and the agony came full circle when he drew the edge of the batsmen he reprieved, Marsh, and Manish Pandey dropped a difficult chance at first slip. Pandey was MS Dhoni’s third partner on the night, and he may well argue this was the wicketkeeper’s catch. Pandey had to dive to his right, whereas Dhoni hadn’t moved. As fantastic as Dhoni has been standing up to spin, not going for catches towards first slip when standing back has long been a weakness. As has been not running up to the stumps, which if he had done soon enough in Perth, Smith would have been run out for 9.There was another similar run-out missed in Brisbane, when R Ashwin, who has improved a lot with the ball, didn’t go behind the stumps to collect a throw from short fine leg. Instead he just banked on a direct hit with Marsh nowhere near the crease. Over the years India have improved their fielding to unrecognisable levels, but Australia have exposed the minor weaknesses ruthlessly: weaker arms which can’t be hidden on such large grounds, and not enough concentration for nearly long enough.

The selectors have to shoulder part of the blame for this. This is one of India’s more unbalanced squads. There are only five established specialist batsmen, which means Shikhar Dhawan can score three ducks in the rest of the series and there will be no cover

If there has to be a criticism of Rohit’s effort, it has to be over a little thing. No matter how he had got there, he was now batting at a run-a-ball and in his favourite part of the innings: the final few overs where he can make up for the slowest of starts. On the surface, he got out in the unluckiest fashion – run out while backing up at non-striker’s end – but you will rarely have seen Michael Hussey dismissed in this manner. That is not to say Hussey never backed up, just that when he saw the striker hit down the ground, he used to make a move back towards the stumps lest he get out the way Rohit did.Until then, Rohit had done the job his side had given him. There was more intent to hit the big shots early, but the main concern was to bat deep into the innings. In cold hard numbers his efficiency has been poorer than that of Smith and Bailey, but they have the comfort of knowing Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner are back in the hut. Rohit has Dhoni, who is a shadow of his own self, a rookie, Jadeja, who can be hit-or-miss and the bowlers. This lack of batting depth explains some of the caginess even in Dhoni. They are too worried there is no one behind them, a fear that came true when India scored only 53 after Rohit’s dismissal in the 43rd over.The selectors have to shoulder part of the blame for this. This is one of India’s more unbalanced squads. There are only five established specialist batsmen, which means Shikhar Dhawan can score three ducks in the rest of the series and there will be no cover. Suresh Raina, who can offer a few overs should one of the main bowlers have a day off, is not in the side. The allrounder provided to Dhoni doesn’t seem to be to his liking. Rishi Dhawan opens the bowling for his state Himachal Pradesh, but ahead of the series the India captain said there was no seaming allrounder in the side.All in all this ODI tour has all the ingredients of a perfect disaster and harping on minor flaws in Rohit’s batting, who has anyway been making up for slow starts with freakish regularity, is to bark up the wrong tree. Then again, perhaps that is the only field India can improve in? Dhoni won’t start diving overnight, the arms won’t strengthen overnight, nor will all five bowlers start bowling to a plan overnight. And it literally will have to happen overnight: India travel to Melbourne tomorrow and play the day after.

Stats highlights from the fourth day of the Delhi Test

Bharath Seervi06-Dec-20154 Number of Indian batsmen who have scored centuries in each innings of a Test before Ajinkya Rahane in this match – Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar (thrice), Rahul Dravid (twice) and Virat Kohli. Rahane followed his 127 in the first innings with an unbeaten 100 in the second innings.8 Number of batsmen, before Rahane, who had scored centuries in each innings of a Test when coming in to bat at No. 5 or lower. Rahane batted at No.5 in the first innings, and at No.6 in the second. Rahane is the first Indian to achieve this feat.7 Number of sixes hit by Rahane in this match – four in the first innings and three in the second. It is the joint second-highest by an India batsman in a Test. Navjot Sidhu holds the record with eight sixes against Sri Lanka in Lucknow in 1993-94. Rahane is only the second India batsman after Harbhajan Singh to hit three or more sixes in both innings of a Test.481 Target set by India in this Test; it is their highest against South Africa, going past the 461 they set against them in Kanpur in 1996-97. Against all teams, it is the fifth-highest target India have ever set.1 South Africa’s run rate at the end of the fourth day – they scored 72 in as many overs. It is the second-lowest by any team in a Test innings of at least 50 overs. It is also the slowest by any team against India (with a 50-over cut-off).72 South Africa’s score, which is the fewest runs scored by any team after 72 overs in a Test innings since 2002. The next three lowest scores after 72 overs during this period are also by South Africa: they twice scored 104 – against Sri Lanka in Colombo, and against Australia in Cape Town, both of which happened in 2014 – and also made 105 against West Indies in Georgetown in 2005.45 Number of dot balls Hashim Amla played before scoring his first run in this innings; it is the second-highest by a South African batsman in Tests. The highest is 46, by Clive Eksteen against New Zealand in Auckland in 1994-95. The overall record is 79 balls by John Murray for England against Australia in Sydney in 1962-63.11.11 Amla’s strike rate in this innings at the end of the fourth day; it is the lowest in any innings in which a batsman has faced 200 or more deliveries.0.78 The runs scored per over in the 23-run stand between Amla and AB de Villiers; it is the lowest among all partnerships of 175 or more balls (among all partnerships where balls-faced data is available). Amla and de Villiers have added these runs in 176 balls (29.2 overs). Before this partnership, Amla added 44 off 232 balls with Temba Bavuma at a run rate of 1.13, which is the is fourth-lowest. De Villiers features four times in the ten slowest partnerships of 175 or more balls, and also features twice in the ten fastest partnerships of 175-plus balls.43 Number of maiden overs bowled by India, out of the 72 overs till the end of the fourth day. It is the joint-highest maiden overs in an innings of 72 or fewer overs. There were 43 maiden overs by England bowlers in the fourth innings against West Indies in Birmingham in 1957.