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New Zealand’s rise as a cricketing force has generated an upsurge of support, and on the day of their biggest World Cup triumph yet, Eden Park became a living, breathing, 41,000-strong cardiogram

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Auckland24-Mar-2015Cape Town, January 2013. New Zealand are decked for 45 in the first innings of a Test. Vernon Philander has five wickets. Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel the other five. New Zealand’s second innings is a little better. Their second Test is not. Through this disastrous series there is a string of meetings. Which way forward? How to overcome this almighty rut?”We knew we had to make changes – for the public who cared about this team,” Brendon McCullum has said of that time. “It was essential to all of us that we have the public’s support. The best way to get that is to go out and represent New Zealand with all you’ve got.”On Tuesday, the greatest stadium in the country became a living, breathing, 41,000-strong cardiogram for their national cricket team. Their cries lived out Trent Boult’s first, sniping spell. The ball would rush by Quinton de Kock’s blade and hands would rush to heads all over the South stand. The slips’ oohs and aahs were mouthed on both tiers, in the uncovered seating beyond deep cover. This was no ordinary home support. This was all-consuming love. This was hard-earned respect. It was the apex of New Zealand’s World Cup, and Eden Park would let the world know it.Luke Ronchi made New Zealand’s first mistake. With an outswinger that went late, at almost yorker length, Trent Boult drew de Kock’s outside edge, but the keeper spilled the chance, diving hard and low to his right. The bowler kept it together, but men and women in the stands could not. There were frustrated slaps on thighs. Gritted teeth and swearing, followed by applause to raise spirits again. Boult was so skilful early, another chance would surely come.The first three wickets were met with deafening roars, but when Kane Williamson dropped AB de Villiers at cover, he was swiftly forgiven. This is a crowd that has formed bonds to fit each player. They have seen Williamson pull off screamers at gully, so they know the drop was not for want of effort or dedication.When old man Daniel Vettori, he of the climbing one-handed grab from the last match, chased balls and reeled them in near the boundary, he was given full-blown standing ovations. He is the man who was once the blond-haired tyro at 18, then New Zealand’s talismanic captain through one of their bleakest periods. His name has been on the nation’s lips the longest, and it came easy to this crowd when he took the ball at the end of his busy run-up. He would take no wickets in his nine overs, but all through, rhythmic chants of “Da-niel Ve-ttori” rang out. Every time he touched the ball, another cheer.Like the team, Eden Park was quietened by David Miller and AB de Villiers’ late charge, but when McCullum was flaying one of the greatest quicks of the 21st century for 25 in an over, the whole stadium’s confidence rose to match his arrogance. McCullum’s 32 minutes at the crease brought for the first time a grimaced clenching of fists and a snarling intensity. The batsman’s manic bat-speed and rippling muscle had seemingly delivered assurance. Then he got out. Silence.Through the middle overs the crowd and their team lived on a precipice. Every New Zealand advance, no matter how minuscule, was celebrated. Singles were cheered like hundreds, and even South Africa’s field changes were booed. New Zealand is a laidback country. Its people are usually measured and reasonable. But here, tens of thousands of them had become fanatics.As wickets were lost and the finish approached, nerves began to fray. Twice Elliott hit balls high in the air. Once it dropped safe, in the pinpoint middle of three converging fielders. The other time, it slipped through deep square leg’s hands, as fine leg almost crashed into him. You heard the whole stadium exhale. Restless-leg syndrome swept through like a pandemic. Vettori’s last-over four through third man brought a curt welling of noisy hope. Then there was quiet as the ball left Steyn’s fingertips, fizzed through the air, pitched, and hit Elliott’s bat, but when the trajectory was certain, the noise was something else. Surely nothing louder has been heard on planet earth today. Friends were high-fiving, strangers were hugging. They were all going to the final.It wasn’t so long ago that this New Zealand team were pariahs at home: whitewashed by Bangladesh, five lost Tests in a row. It wasn’t so long ago Tim Southee spat abuse at batsmen even when he had been smeared around the ground, or Brendon McCullum said on national radio: “We stopped listening to Martin Crowe years ago,” when New Zealand’s greatest batsman had simply suggested McCullum play in a different position.But even before this long, glorious home summer, New Zealand’s public had seen change. This was not the same team that Stephen Fleming led on a verbal warpath against South Africa in 2003. This was the side that was so bruised by Phillip Hughes’ death they did not bounce their opposition for a whole day of the Sharjah Test last year. This was a team so respectful of greatness that to a man they congratulated Kumar Sangakkara after his Basin Reserve double-hundred, and later described that innings as an educational experience.It has all been said over and over this tournament: “McCullum is a dreamy captain”, “New Zealand attack without relent”, “They play like they have nothing to lose.” But never let it be forgotten they won hearts as well as matches. Don’t let it be forgotten they have stirred a nation with their humility, their unflinching devotion, their bloody-minded approach. Whatever happens in Melbourne on Sunday, whichever cricket giant they wind up playing, New Zealand were adored by their public on this electric night.Through their fans, New Zealand have found a way forward. They have overcome the rut.

International T20 freelancer Johan Botha talks about the IPL, the Sheffield Shield, and having lost interest in playing in South Africa

Interview by Jonhenry Wilson16-May-2015You were rejected at February’s IPL auction, but belatedly recruited by Kolkata Knight Riders a month later.
It was a major boost in the end. Obviously, like any player does, I had some hopes, but I wasn’t picked up at the auction. I thought that was that, I would just play out the rest of the Australian summer and then go home, to South Africa, in early April for about six weeks and then go over to the West Indies for the Caribbean Premier League. It’s good to be playing some cricket. Even if I don’t play every game, I am getting in some good training sessions, to build up for the CPL.You’ve now represented Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders. Has each experience been distinctly different?
In my first year with Royals, they had won the first IPL tournament the previous year, in 2008, which took a bit of pressure off them. Rajasthan were always the underdogs, with lesser-known Indian players and a few good international players huddled around Shane Warne. The Rajasthan mindset was always to upset the bigger teams, who had more cash, more support and more sponsors behind them.Moving on to Delhi, that was probably the most difficult of the three IPL teams to be involved with. There was a lot of chopping and changing. As soon as they lost a couple of games, they would change the team. It shows in the poor results.The Knight Riders franchise is the best I’ve been involved in. They are very stable and have obviously had some success, which calms guys down and shows they know what they can do. Look at last year, when they won two of the first seven matches and went nine straight to win the tournament. There have been some changes this season, with Shakib Al Hasan returning to Bangladesh to play Pakistan, and Sunil Narine has had some bowling issues. But Brad Hogg and I have stepped in well. Shakib is back now, so we will have to see how selection goes.

“In South Africa, all the guys want to do well in T20 cricket, so they can get to play in the Champions League T20 or the IPL. That’s understandable. The rand is not very strong when it comes to the exchange rate”

You can relate to Narine and Saeed Ajmal’s bans for illegitimate bowling actions. Have you seen their remodelled actions?
I can’t really comment on Ajmal, because I’ve probably only seen two deliveries on television in passing – without slow-motion replays. I can speak more about Narine’s action. We’re team-mates at Kolkata and I can see that he has put in some good work. He is bowling beautifully again and is starting to regain some confidence. All the work he is putting in off the field is starting to play its part in match situations. It was a bit harsh for them to test him a second time. Obviously he has worked through that. I’ve offered him some advice but he knows what he needs to do. He is quality – and that’s why teams want him in their line-up. Guys who can spin the ball both ways, with subtle variations, those are the guys you want to pick.You are no longer captain of South Australia in first-class cricket. Is this your career now – a globetrotting T20 cricketer?
I’ve always enjoyed the shorter format the most. Going back a bit, three years ago, when Darren Berry [South Australia coach] asked me to go over to South Australia, I really wanted to take that chance. I did not want to sit at home in ten years’ time and think, “I should have done it.” Another reason was to see if I could give my first-class cricket a full, final go – to see where I could get to, what I could get out of it. I thoroughly enjoyed those three years of Shield cricket in Australia. It was a great challenge – and some of the best first-class cricket I have been involved in.As the seasons went on and they said they did not need me any longer, I thought it was a good time to explore the T20 options more and more. I did not want to leave it until I was 36 or 37 years old. Aged 33 now, there are still a few more years of T20 cricket left in me, maybe even some one-day cricket. Those will be the formats I will concentrate on from here on in.”Kolkata Knight Riders is the best franchise I’ve been involved in. They are very stable”•BCCIAre you happy with the appointment of Travis Head as your successor at South Australia?
I think it was a big, brave decision to appoint Travis. They asked me about it and I said they should appoint him. If it goes really well, you have a skipper who can do it for the next eight or so years. It’s no good just giving the captaincy to one of the senior players for a year and then moving on to another. It’s not good when the captaincy keeps changing hands. We had a good stretch of momentum going, but there are other teams also getting better. Before I got there, they had only won one Shield game in three years, so it can be turned around. They can go further than being one wicket away from a Shield final, like we were in recent seasons. The key is the senior players in the whole situation. They need to drive the show.Are you picky about the T20 franchises you join, or do you accept the first offer received?
Playing for teams like Knight Riders or Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel in the CPL – those decisions are made for you, via the auction or late approach. The same can’t be said for me joining the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League. In Australia, there are probably three teams I could play for. I’ve always liked the way the Sixers play. They’ve been a very good team for a very long time. They are always there and thereabouts when it comes to the playoffs. I’ve always enjoyed playing against them too. It’s probably just the Sydney Sixers deal that has been my own decision.

“Sunil Narine is bowling beautifully again and is starting to regain some confidence. All the work he is putting in off the field is starting to play its part in match situations”

You’ll be joined by fellow South Africans Jacques Kallis and Cameron Delport at Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel for the CPL. Have you weighed up the rest of the squad?
On paper, they are a well-balanced side. They’ve got some really good West Indian cricketers in there. Samuel Badree has been really good in the shortest format for a long time. Three of the international players will be toward the top of the order, and there is Kamran Akmal, as a solid wicketkeeper-batsman. Hopefully I can slot into the middle order after Darren and Dwayne Bravo. Red Steel have been there and thereabouts at the business end of the tournament. I think they’ve made it to the semi-finals each year but not gone further. Our first goal will be to get into the playoffs again, and hopefully on the day we will get it right and get into the final in my first CPL.England’s NatWest T20 Blast is missing from your résumé.
I would love to get involved in that. The rules are against you if you have not played international cricket in the last two years. I have heard whispers that they might relax those rules around the visas, where anyone from around the world can be signed. I’m obviously outside that window because I’ve been away from international cricket for almost three years. I had one season with Northamptonshire in the past and I’d love to go back to the United Kingdom to play cricket if those rules are relaxed. It’s one of my favourite places to play the game.”Sheffield Shield cricket stands out from the rest. That is the competition that all players in Australia want to win”•Getty ImagesA South Africa recall seems increasingly unlikely.
Russell Domingo [South Africa coach] has made it clear that I have to play cricket in South Africa if I wanted to be considered. I’ve lost a bit of interest now, though. We’ve settled, as a family, in Australia. We are probably about 14 or 15 months away from applying for citizenship. It has never been about me trying to play for Australia or anything like that. It has just been about us living there and for our children to have more options when they grow up. Cricket-wise, I’m just going to focus on short-format cricket around the world. That’s going to simplify things.Are you one of the most qualified to comment on the state of first-class cricket in Australia versus South Africa?
The biggest thing for me is how Sheffield Shield cricket stands out from the rest. That is the competition that all players in Australia want to win. It’s even close to being bigger than the Big Bash League. It’s about the players’ mindsets – they want to do well in the Shield to play Test cricket for Australia. In South Africa, though, all the guys want to do well in T20 cricket so they can get to play in the Champions League T20 or the IPL. It’s a real boost for South Africans, money-wise, to get to play in tournaments like the IPL. That’s understandable, though. The rand is not very strong when it comes to the exchange rate. The Australian guys get paid very well and get looked after very well, even in age-level cricket.The one thing that has changed in Australia over the last two years is the change in domestic one-day cricket, which is now played in a tournament style. When I first came to Australia, you’d play a Shield game and then have a day off – and then play a one-day game before going home. The same applied when you played at home. That was great – to play a one-day game at the WACA, Gabba, SCG or MCG. But in the last two years the Matador Cup has just been held in Brisbane and Sydney, at club venues.Are you in favour of the recent introduction of a Cricket Australia XI, made up of uncontracted players, to the Matador Cup?
Having spoken to a couple of senior Australian players and Trevor Bayliss, they’re not too sure about it yet. While picking two or three rookies from every state for this CA squad shows initiative, we might see two or three players from existing squads not getting much game time – but the guys in the CA squad get seven or eight solid domestic one-day games. It is always good to get new teams involved, though. Seven teams is good to work with – more than that and the tournament drags on for more than a month. We will see how it goes. At least it isn’t just a case of Cricket Australia sitting back and letting things happen.

After Ryan Harris was forced to retire we look back at some of his standout Test performances for Australia

Daniel Brettig04-Jul-2015Perth, 2010 – 3-59 and 6-47 v England

This match was remembered as Mitchell Johnson’s, yet it was Harris who rushed through England in the second innings to seal victory. On a fast WACA track, his movement was impossible to adjust for, as a succession of batsmen found out. Typifying this was the fourth-stump away swinger that coaxed Paul Collingwood into edging the last ball of the penultimate day. Harris’ unadulterated joy at taking that wicket was difficult to forget, and it was those sorts of memories that sustained him during his rehabilitation from the fractured foot he suffered during the next Test in Melbourne.Galle, 2011 – 0-6 and 5-62 v Sri Lanka
No less a judge than Trevor Bayliss had predicted Harris would be a handful on Sri Lankan pitches, and it is worth wondering how Australia might have performed in India had he been either chosen or available for any of the three tours there that took place during his time around the national team. The Galle pitch was to be rated “poor” by the ICC, and Harris’ consistency made him a constant threat. He fought a high-class duel with Mahela Jayawardene in the second innings, and the ball that burst through the former Sri Lanka captain after he had made a superb century ranked among Harris’ proudest – not least because it opened the path to a rare series victory on Asian shores.Chester-le-Street, 2013 – 2-70 and 7-117 v England

Left out of the first Test at Trent Bridge, Harris produced a succession of outstanding spells in the remaining four matches, exposing flaws in England’s batting that would be further exploited in the return series at home. But his most thrilling work was done during the second innings at Chester-le-Street, when he found the sort of rhythm most bowlers dream about. Few batsmen around the world are thought to have a tighter technique than Joe Root, but the fizzing, seaming delivery that angled towards middle before flicking the outside of the off stump left his blade groping helplessly. Australia would go on to lose the Test in dramatic fashion, but it was Harris who gave them a chance of winning it.Perth, 2013 – 3-48 and 1-73 v England

Did it hit the seam? Did it hit a crack? Did it swing after pitching? Whatever it did, the opening delivery Harris conjured for Alastair Cook in the second innings of the WACA Test was truly a collector’s item. Like Shane Warne’s ball to Mike Gatting at Old Trafford in 1993, this was an offering of symbolic value far beyond the fact of its taking a most important wicket in an extraordinary way. It summed up how hard Australia had worked to give themselves a chance in the series, and how wondrously all that work paid off, with a little serendipity thrown in. For the rest of his life, Harris is entitled to dine out on this ball, just as Cook is entitled to have nightmares about it.Cape Town, 2014 – 3-63 and 4-32 v South Africa

“You’ll be sitting up in the viewing room when we’re batting and he’ll go ‘feel this’ and it’ll be a little bit of bone in his knee.” With this graphic description, Mitchell Johnson summed up the pain Harris was enduring by the time of the third Test against South Africa at Newlands in March 2014. That he kept going only endeared him further to a group of players who had become used to Harris going the extra mile. As the shadows crept across Cape Town on the final day, it had looked as though Michael Clarke’s team had nothing left to scoop the final wickets. Harris himself felt he was done for, but a final cajoling from the captain had him charging in for one last tilt at victory. Looking back at the match, it is impossible to quantify how Harris found the will to do it, but his bravery was rewarded when Dale Steyn squeezed a yorker on to his off bail, and then next ball Morne Morkel did not stretch far enough forward to cover another full delivery that clattered the stumps. In that moment, Harris felt no pain in his knees, hips or shoulders. All was elation, and all was reward. It is the best way to remember him.

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Oct-2015James Anderson picked up two wickets in an over to leave Pakistan wobbling on 3 for 2•Associated PressMohammad Hafeez helped calms nerves and, although he was run out after lunch, there was no hint of the drama to come when Pakistan were 102 for 3 at tea•Associated PressMisbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan seemed to have guided Pakistan to safety…•Associated Press…but Younis gave Adil Rashid his first Test wicket and a collapse ensued•Associated PressMisbah was bowled aiming a slog at Moeen…•Associated Press…Wahab Riaz did not last long either…•Getty Images…and Adil Rashid took the last two wickets with consecutive deliveries to bowl Pakistan out for 173•Getty ImagesRashid finished with 5 for 64, the first five-wicket haul by an English legspinner since 1959•Getty ImagesThat left England needing only 99 to win but although there were plenty of overs left, the light was fading•Getty ImagesJoe Root provided much of the impetus but England were 25 short on 74 for 4 when the umpires decided to call a halt and declare the match a draw•Getty Images

We look back at six encounters between Pakistan and England that became iconic (sometimes for the wrong reasons)

Andrew McGlashan10-Oct-2015The Oval 1954An historic moment in Pakistan’s Test history as they overturned England for the first time in a low-scoring encounter. There were just two half-centuries in the match – by Denis Compton and Peter May – but it was Fazal Mahmood, Pakistan’s first great fast bowler, with 12 wickets, who provided the defining performance. It was his second 12-wicket haul in Tests, following the 12 for 94 he claimed against India in Lucknow, which gave Pakistan their maiden Test victory in 1952. Those two hauls remain Pakistan’s best overseas. In this match he earned Pakistan a three-run lead with 6 for 53 in the first innings and then, defending 168 with England seemingly cruising on 109 for 2, claimed 6 for 46 in the second. Pakistan’s lower-order batting was also key: over the two innings the last two wickets added 138 runs. Speaking of the match, Mahmood said: “Even though we were bowled out for 133, I did not think for a second we would lose.”Faisalabad 1987Mike Gatting, Shakoor Rana and Peter Lush, the England manager, after the uneasy truce•Getty ImagesThe scorecard records Match Drawn – that does not even tell the half of it. Mike Gatting’s infamous confrontation with umpire Shakoor Rana led to the third day’s play being lost and almost caused the abandonment of the tour. England, and especially Gatting, were already peeved by the standard of the umpiring and the tension came to a head when Rana claimed that Gatting had been moving a fielder – David Capel – without the knowledge of batsman Saleem Malik. It began one of the most heated exchanges on a cricket pitch – and produced the iconic photo, taken by Graham Morris, of Gatting with his finger jabbing at Rana, who refused to stand again until an official apology was made. “It was not his job at square leg to inform the batsman what I was doing. I did nothing for which I need to apologise,” Gatting said. His hand was eventually forced, but England did not have time to press home a strong position, which had been based on Chris Broad’s hundred and then bowling out Pakistan for 191. “Mike Gatting was packed off to the headmaster’s study without so much as a to stick down the back of his trousers,” wrote Martin Johnson in the . However, in the , Ted Dexter wrote: “Regardless of the provocation, Gatting has made a mess of it and should be disciplined.”Lord’s 1992Wasim Akram celebrates Pakistan’s two-wicket win at Lord’s•Getty ImagesThe two “Ws” won many matches for Pakistan, but this one was with bat in hand – although they did share the small matter of 13 wickets. Chasing 138 against a depleted England attack down to three fit bowlers, after the loss of Phil DeFreitas and Ian Botham (in what proved his last Test), Pakistan slipped to 95 for 8 as debutant Ian Salisbury and Chris Lewis took six wickets between them. However, Lewis and Devon Malcolm ran out of gas and Salisbury could not quite cap a memorable debut as Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis held their nerve deep into the Sunday evening.”What England’s captain needed was an over from Wasim or Waqar,” said. “But they were batting for the other side and, slowly but surely, they took Pakistan to victory. Rarely can a Test crowd have been through so many emotions in a single day’s play.” Earlier in the match, Waqar had been central to sparking a trademark collapse as England fell away from 123 without loss, but in reply, Malcolm went through Pakistan’s middle order. A combination of Akram and Mushtaq Ahmed dismantled England’s second innings, although Alec Stewart carried his bat for an unbeaten 69. Lewis removed Pakistan’s Nos. 2, 3 and 4 for ducks and Salisbury hinted at a legspinning future for England, but both proved false dawns.Karachi 2000Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe celebrate victory in the dark•Getty ImagesA series that had crept along on dead pitches with slow scoring came to life on the final day as England somehow conjured a remarkable victory moments before Karachi would have been enveloped in complete darkness. Even before Graham Thorpe edged past his stumps for the winning runs, Pakistan’s fielders had remonstrated that they could not see the ball, but the protests fell on deaf ears against Steve Bucknor after their previous attempts to slow the game down. England’s astonishing victory push actually started the previous evening when Thorpe took an outstanding catch on the long leg boundary to remove Saeed Anwar, and Ashley Giles ripped a delivery across Inzamam-ul-Haq to clip his off stump. It opened the door a fraction, and on the final morning Giles, Darren Gough and Craig White chipped through the rest of the Pakistan order to leave a tantalising target of 176 in 44 overs and a race against the light. Thorpe led the way, while Michael Atherton – who, the first innings, had made what would become his final Test hundred – Marcus Trescothick and Graeme Hick all chipped in before the denouement in the gloom.Multan 2005Shoaib Akhtar demolishes Ashley Giles’ stumps during Pakistan’s final-day victory push in 2005•AFPFresh from their heady 2005 Ashes glory, England appeared set to continue their surge with victory in the opening Test of this series. They had stayed ahead of Pakistan throughout the first four days, restricting them to 274 on a flat pitch then building a lead of 144 on the back of Trescothick’s 193. Pakistan fought hard in their second innings, led by Salman Butt’s 122, but England’s pace attack – the powerful trio of Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard and Andrew Flintoff – chipped away with stamina and skill to leave a target of 198. At the close of the fourth day England were 24 for 1, losing Trescothick but still strongly placed. When they moved to 64 for 1 on the final morning all seemed in order, but then Danish Kaneria removed Ian Bell and Andrew Strauss in the same over and Pakistan sensed their moment. Paul Collingwood fell next over to make it three wickets in seven balls, and when Kaneria snared Flintoff and Mohammad Sami removed Kevin Pietersen it was all Pakistan at 101 for 6. A Shoaib Akhtar thunderbolt left just one of Giles’ stumps standing, but Geraint Jones and Shaun Udal eked out a stand of 49 to pull England within 32 of victory. However, Kaneria removed Udal and then Shoaib finished the job with another searing yorker to Jones before Harmison fended to gully. England’s 2005 bubble was burst.Lord’s 2010There was only one thing people were talking about on the fourth day at Lord’s•Getty ImagesAs the players left the field after the third day’s play, all the talk was of a world-record eighth-wicket stand of 332 between Jonathan Trott and Stuart Broad, and the implosion of the Pakistan batting, which left them 41 for 4 following on. Yet, a few hours later, the focus dramatically, and permanently, shifted. Shortly after 10pm, the broke the spot-fixing story of no-balls to order involving Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, who had etched his name on the honours broad with 6 for 84 earlier in the match. Overnight few people slept and next morning there were doubts as to whether the Test would resume. It did, but amid a torpid atmosphere where England could barely bring themselves to celebrate wickets as they secured a massive, but forever hollow, innings victory to take the series. The match was over; the real story had only just begun. The three players were found guilty and each handed prison sentences of varying lengths. Five years on, there remains a possibility that England could face Amir at some point in this tour.

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jan-2016He found an able partner in Darren Bravo, and the pair added 91 for the second wicket to take the visitors past 100•Getty ImagesWest Indies, however, lost two quick wickets after lunch. First, James Pattinson had Bravo caught off a top edge to a short ball for 33•Getty ImagesThen Marlon Samuels’ poor Test run continued, as he was run out for 4 after a mix-up with K Brathwaite•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesRain halted play just after the fall of Samuels’ wicket, with the visitors at 3 for 115•AFPSoon after play resumed Nathan Lyon scalped Jermaine Blackwood with a ball that turned sharply from outside off to take Blackwood’s off stump•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesRain interrupted play once again after which Lyon brought an end to K Brathwaite’s patient innings at 85•Associated PressSteve O’Keefe then had Jason Holder caught at short leg, claiming his first wicket of the match•Getty ImagesCarlos Brathwaite and Denesh Ramdin though ensured that the Australian bowlers couldn’t make further inroads, taking the visitors to 6 for 207 by stumps on day one•Getty Images

Stats highlights from the final of Ranji Trophy 2015-16 where Mumbai won their 41st title beating Saurashtra by an innings an 21 runs

Bharath Seervi26-Feb-20161321 Runs scored by Shreyas Iyer – second-highest in a Ranji Trophy season. Only VVS Laxman’s 1415 runs for Hyderabad in 1999-2000 are higher than Iyer’s. In his innings of 117 in the final, he also went past the Mumbai record which was held by Wasim Jaffer (1260 runs in 2008-09). Iyer scored those runs at an average of 73.78 and strike rate of 92.70. He also hit the most sixes in this season – 28.50 Percentage of the Ranji Trophy titles won by Mumbai – 41 out of 82. The rest of the teams combined have won 50% of the finals. Mumbai have lost only four out of the 45 finals they reached, which is a win percentage of 91.11.2012-13 Last time the Ranji Trophy final got over inside three days – also between Mumbai and Saurashtra. Mumbai had won that by an innings and 125 runs . Mumbai had made just 355 runs on that occasion, 16 fewer than what they made this time.24 Wickets by Jaydev Unadkat in the knockout matches, the most by a bowler in the knockout stages of any first-class tournament in India in the last ten years. Before the knockout stages, Unadkat had taken only 16 wickets in eight leagues matches. He ended as Saurashtra’s highest wicket-taker with 40 wickets, going past Ravindra Jadeja who took 38 wickets in just four matches. Unadkat’s 40 wickets are also the second-best for a Saurashtra bowler in a Ranji season. Unadkat also completed 150 wickets in his first-class career.3 Ranji Trophy finals that have ended with an innings margin, in the last four seasons. Apart from the two finals between Mumbai and Saurashtra (2012-13 and 2015-16), Karnataka had defeated Tamil Nadu by an innings and 217 runs in the last final, at Wankhede Stadium. Overall, this was Mumbai’s tenth innings win in a Ranji Trophy final. Incidentally, no other team has won ten Ranji Trophy finals. The table below lists the ten finals won by innings margin by Mumbai.

442 Difference between the top-two run-scorers – Iyer 1321 and Akhil Herwadkar 879 – the highest in any Ranji Trophy season. The previous highest difference was 401, way back in 1944-45, between Rusi Modi’s 1008 runs and Vijay Merchant’s 607. Iyer scored 1.502 times the second-highest run-scorer, the highest since 1972-73 when Chetan Chauhan (873) had scored 1.507 times compared to Sunil Gavaskar’s 579.4 Man-of-the-Match awards for Iyer – most for any player this season. Jadeja (Saurashtra), Rajat Paliwal (Services), Rohan Prem (Kerala) and Herwadkar (Mumbai) got three awards each. Jadeja bagged three awards in just four matches.11 Scores of 50 or more for Iyer – joint-most by a batsman in a Ranji Trophy season. Vijay Bharadwaj (Karnataka) in 1998-99 and Abhishek Nayar (Mumbai) in 2012-13 also made 11 such scores. Bharadwaj hit four centuries and seven half-centuries, as Iyer did this season. Nayar had three centuries and eight fifties.4 Centuries for Iyer – joint-highest this season. Sudip Chatterjee (Bengal) and Paliwal also struck four centuries each.0 Century partnerships for the tenth wicket for Mumbai in first-class matches, before Siddesh Lad and Balwinder Sandhu added 103 in the final. Their highest was an unbeaten 87-run stand between Ashok Mankad and Sushil Singhvi against Gujarat in 1967-68. There have been three such century stands against Mumbai, though, and the highest stand for the tenth wicket in first-class matches in India was also against Mumbai: 233 by Ajay Sharma and Maninder Singh for Delhi in 1991-92 Ranji semi-finals.48 Dismissals by Aditya Tare – most by a wicketkeeper in a Ranji season. He went past Srikar Bharat who recorded 46 dismissals for Andhra last season. Tare took seven catches in the final to go past that mark. This season, he took 44 catches and affected three stumpings. Tare kept in 18 innings compared to Bharat’s 15.2010-11 Last time a player made his first-class debut in a Ranji Trophy final, before Prerak Mankad for Saurashtra this season. In 2010-11, Abhijit Karambelkar made his debut for Baroda against Rajasthan. Mankad also made a half-century in his debut innings. The last player to make his first-class debut in any kind of final and score 50 or more was Kirk Edwards for Barbados against Trinidad & Tobago in Carib Beer Challenge final of 2006.

No one disputes that Taskin Ahmed’s action is suspect, but Bangladesh will rue that the bowler was not called before the World T20

Sidharth Monga23-Mar-20164:14

Chappell: Taskin, Sunny ban unfair to Bangladesh

Taskin Ahmed has played 27 international matches since his debut in April 2014. He is yet to play a Test, but his pace and bounce are two reasons Bangladesh are hopeful they can move away from being a spin-oriented side.Two of Taskin’s 27 matches were against India in Dhaka, in June 2015. Rod Tucker was one of the on-field umpires in each of those matches. In those two matches, Taskin bowled 11 short balls, five of which were proper bouncers. One of them even got him Shikhar Dhawan’s wicket. Taskin came into the World Twenty20 with no official having ever cast any doubt over his action.Tucker was the standing umpire again in Taskin’s first match at the World T20, against Netherlands in Dharamsala. It was the first international match in India for nearly every Bangladesh player in the team. In that match, Taskin bowled four short balls, but none of them were what you would call a proper bouncer. Yet, at the end of the match, the Bangladesh team management received a report from the match officials that they had concerns over the legality of Taskin’s action; he had played 23 international matches over two years without any suspicion raised over his action.Taskin subsequently underwent an independent assessment in Chennai and, according to a BCB lawyer, the report of that assessment says that three of the nine bouncers that Taskin bowled in a span of three minutes were chucked. Taskin is now not allowed to bowl in international cricket until he gets his action cleared by the ICC.Bangladesh are feeling hard done by. Heath Streak, the Bangladesh bowling coach, says he has studied the footage and does not see any change in Taskin’s action from the Asia Cup or that India series, to this World T20. Chandika Hathurasingha, their coach, said a day after the report was originally filed: “If they [the officials] have a concern about my bowlers, I have a concern about their actions as well. I don’t see anything wrong [with the actions]. They have bowled the same way as the last 12 months. As you said if they have officiated the matches they have been playing, they must have seen something different yesterday. That’s all I can say.”What has especially irked the Bangladesh camp is the timing of this report. What has suddenly gone wrong, they wonder. It is not like the sudden calling of Saeed Ajmal and Sunil Narine, who too had been allowed to bowl for a long time. In their case, there was a certain watershed moment, a clear line drawn by the ICC to say no to illegal actions. Taskin’s case has come up after this turning point, which is why it begs the question, why now?However, the argument questioning how the umpires could know if the bouncer was suspect when Taskin did not even bowl a bouncer is spurious. None of the umpires in the match said that Taskin chucks, or chucks a particular delivery. They only raised a suspicion about the action, which they wanted checked at a proper independent lab. In no way was Taskin stopped from participating in matches until it was proven that the action was indeed illegal under the ICC code.Taskin Ahmed played 23 international matches without any doubt cast over his action•AFPWhat is indeed unfortunate is the timing. Bangladesh, and Taskin, have been preparing for this event for a long time. They prepared those green pitches in Asia Cup because they expected high-quality fast bowling in this event, especially in Dharamsala, which is reputed to be a hard and bouncy pitch. They got this news immediately after the first match. Now they probably wish they knew it earlier, that some umpire had suspected Taskin’s action earlier.We must not for a moment forget that the right call has been made, and that it has been scientifically proven. Even Bangladesh are only contesting the procedures and the timing, not the actual decision. If the action has not changed, and if the umpires earlier did not raise any suspicion, questions need to be asked of those umpires too.One quick look will tell you only a handful of those umpires from the ICC elite panel officiated these matches; there was no elite umpire during the Asia Cup that finished three days before the World T20. After the last World Cup, this World T20 was the first time Taskin bowled in the presence of more than one elite umpire. The decision to report a suspicion is often a collective call. It could perhaps be more than a coincidence that he has been called the first time in a year that he has bowled in front of four elite umpires.To report somebody is a big move. You need the support of your team of umpires. It is possible there was not enough as Taskin played limited-overs cricket only at home, during which you have only one elite umpire, that too in ODIs. You need to be sure to make such a report. Perhaps Tucker did not suspect it enough to make an official report in those two matches. Perhaps he took his time to make up his mind; perhaps for the first time he got a team of umpires that all agreed on Taskin’s action.There are simply not enough elite umpires to stand in every international match. There is a reason why the ones in the elite panel are there. They are also more empowered, more confident. Hence, at a big world event the scrutiny increases. It is still extremely unfortunate for Bangladesh because they deserved to know earlier.Only the umpires who stood in Taskin’s earlier matches can say why they did not raise the suspicion. It is a bit like a few uneventful no-balls going undetected but the one that takes the wicket being replayed and thus called. Had he been called earlier, the bowler might not have missed on that wicket. Had Taskin been suspected earlier, he might have not missed on parts of this World T20.

How BCCI and state association officials reacted to the Supreme Court of India accepting most of the Lodha Committee recommendations

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-2016

Niranjan Shah

On BCCI and state association office bearers having to retire at 70 (Shah is over the age cap): “Disappointing, but we respect the Supreme Court’s verdict. We will see [about voluntarily resigning]. First, we will have to go through the judgement. Not now [we haven’t convened a meeting of the Saurashtra Cricket Association]. First, let the BCCI convene their meeting, and then we will see how it affects the state associations. I think in two-three days everybody [in the state associations] will start meeting. The board has to meet immediately, there is no doubt about it. I can be a member of the BCCI if my association allows me.On one-state, one-vote (Saurashtra is one of three full-member associations from Gujarat): It means we will vote in rotation [with Gujarat and Baroda] once every three years. I have not gone through all these details. I think we are not barred in participation, organisation and subsidy. What is important is you are full member and for the next two years you become an associate member. You have done so much for cricket, so, yes, disappointed. It’s a small matter [who the voting cycle begins with]. We three associations [from Gujarat] won’t have any problem on this. We don’t know. First let BCCI structure things. Everything changes now.

Ganga Raju

On his position being in jeopardy due to his dual positions in the BCCI and ACA, and being over the age cap: If we are not there somebody else is there to take care. It’s not run by a single individual, and we have back-up people who can take the association forward. I don’t think Andhra Cricket Association will have a problem even if I am not there. ACA is in such a position that nobody is indispensable. Our help will be there to the institution and whoever runs it. I think meetings are to be conducted [by the BCCI] and judgement has to be looked into. Either way it doesn’t really matter. If we are allowed to [hold the positions], we do it. If not we have something else to do. And we can guide the people. We may not be office bearers but we can always look into [how] things are going on.On voluntarily stepping down from either position: When Supreme Court gives an order, we will have to follow it. We cannot comment on the judgement. If we disqualify ourselves [in the eyes of the] Supreme Court, we are ready to step down. Once Supreme Court has asked us, we have to conduct a meeting and find an alternative. If somebody resigns, we have to call for a meeting and then nominate somebody for those positions. Nomination, normally, is unanimous, but if there is an election [needed], then we conduct it.

Ajay Shirke

On the choice between state and BCCI: “I have always said that I have no fascination for designations. If somebody wants, they can take away both posts from me,” he told PTI. “But if you ask me, I feel at this juncture, the board needs me more than my state association. I am a person who will not run away from my responsibilities unless the members ask me to do so.”

Players, coaches and officials on four major talking points from CPL 2016

Colin Benjamin15-Aug-2016The emergence of potential fast bowlers
When West Indies dominated world cricket, their battery of top-notch fast bowlers was arguably the most important facet in their armoury, and the decline in quality fast-bowling options since 2000 was a key factor in the team’s fall. Caribbean pitches now do not usually encourage the development of fast bowlers, as spinners take a lion’s share of the wickets.However, Ian Bishop noted on Twitter during the CPL how Michael Hilton, the head groundsman at Sabina Park had done an excellent job with the pitch. It was a point also reinforced by Barbados Tridents coach Robin Singh, who said, “While the competition this year was certainly better than previously, I was particularly impressed and happy about the standard of pitches.”The end result was that some upcoming West Indies fast bowlers had an encouraging tournament, on surfaces that kept them interested. They included Alzarri Joseph (who notably hit AB de Villiers on the head during the series, and went on to have an impressive debut Test versus India), Kesrick Williams, Sheldon Cottrell and Delorn Johnson. Add to this Miguel Cummins claiming a six-wicket haul in the St Lucia Test against India, and Shannon Gabriel’s improvement since the tri-series, and potentially the team has some solid fast-bowling options to work with.West Indies fast bowling legend Andy Roberts, who was part of the St Lucia Zouks coaching staff, wants to see the WICB take steps to harness the talent. “These young fast bowlers were encouraging, but it’s difficult to judge from just four overs whether they are suited for Test cricket, even though they got better pitches to bowl on in the CPL than they do in the domestic season,” he said. “I find it funny that the WICB thinks its new Professional Cricket League is the end of all of it, when clearly the production line of international-ready talent is not there.”[The bowlers] should be immediately put into a camp where they can pick the brains of those like us, if the board wishes to engage us, who have been there and done it, as well as working on their fast bowling, strength and endurance.”St Kitts and Nevis Patriots finished at the bottom of the table with two wins•CPL/SportsfileWarriors and Patriots: one up, one down
After a football season in which underdogs such as Leicester City and Portugal produced stellar team work to win the English Premier League and European Championship respectively, Guyana Amazon Warriors threatened to do the same for a while in the CPL.”We kept hearing that the Warriors was not the best team, didn’t have any big stars, so really no one was expecting anything from us,” said Amazon Warriors captain Rayad Emrit, who previously played with Barbados Tridents. “So our mantra was to use that as motivation, plus we had an owner who gave us everything we needed. It is disappointing for the franchise that after getting to another final, we couldn’t bring the title to our great fans in Guyana.”Similar to last season, when Tabraiz Shamsi’s CPL efforts led to his being called up for international service for South Africa, Australian Chris Lynn, who led the Warriors batting impressively will surely be representing Australia more in the future.At the other end were St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. “I was very surprised and disappointed at the Patriots because overall we felt there were six very evenly matched teams on show,” said CPL CEO Damien O’Donohoe. “A betting man would have certainly thought Patriots could have gone far in this competition. He went on to point out that the team management had had “a stern review” and said fans could be in for a surprise regarding what type of team Patriots have for the 2017 season.Two youngsters to watch
As noted before the competition, arguably the biggest young player to watch out for was wicketkeeper-batsman Nicholas Pooran. His two excellent half-centuries made everyone take notice. “The first time I saw him bat, I told Kieron Pollard they’ve got to find a way of including him in the national side,” said de Villiers at a post-game interview. “He’s a special talent.””He has dominated at all youth levels and I can only expect him to build on his CPL performances,” commentator Daren Ganga said.”Obviously he is still young and can further develop his game, especially his keeping,” Tridents coach Singh said. “But he is a superb talent who fits the modern trend of what most teams hope get out of keeper-batsmen.”Although he didn’t produce any major performances with bat or ball, Jamaican Rovman Powell displayed enough promise with a few cameo knocks that had some suggesting he could be the next Andre Russell.”Powell’s background – he never had a father in his life, with his mom has being his main parental figure, and his overall drive to pay her back is what is pushing him as a cricketer,” said Jamaica Tallawahs coach Paul Nixon.”Young Powell is blessed with talent, like all upcoming West Indies players,” said Ganga, “though I would like to see him exposed to first-class cricket so that his talents can be seen in all formats.”Jamaica Tallawahs’ Kesrick Williams was one of the fast bowlers who impressed through the tournament•CPL/SportsfileClub v country

West Indies have struggled in the Tests against India, and former India captain Sourav Ganguly criticised the WICB for prioritising the CPL over the Test series.A combination of retirements, injuries, and Kolpak status, meant the likes of Chris Gayle, Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Ravi Rampaul and Jerome Taylor played the CPL instead of the Tests. However, even discounting these senior players, the team was unable to pick some of impressive upcoming players even, because they were not contracted by the WICB.A CPL deal is worth more than playing Test cricket for West Indies. Young Joseph was not picked until Patriots were eliminated. Sunil Narine could not be picked, nor was talented young opener Evin Lewis. Instead, the failed experiment of using Rajendra Chandrika continued.This was a notable difference to how things operate in the Big Bash and NatWest T20, where Cricket Australia and the ECB, because they own those competitions, pay their players well and get first preference on picking players when matches in those leagues clash with home Test seasons. This issue is set to return to the fore next year, when India come back to the Caribbean for five one-day internationals.”We are operating in a cricket landscape where there is no black and white solution to deal with the rise and importance of T20 leagues,” said Ganga. “Yes there were many pros and cons to playing CPL alongside the India Tests, but for me I didn’t see any real issue doing so.””It was always going to be a challenge playing the two competitions together and we are going to work with WICB and will be sitting down to look at this with the board in September,” said O’Donohoe.