All posts by csb10.top

England stay alive in another thriller

by csb10.top Uncategorized

England 243 (Trott 47, Russell 4-49) beat West Indies 225 (Russell 49, Tredwell 4-48) by 18 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsStaying alive: England’s crazy campaigners live to fight another day•Getty Images

In a campaign of ludicrously slender margins, England gave themselves a fighting chance of reaching the World Cup quarter-finals after emerging victorious by 18 runs in a monstrous battle of wills against West Indies at Chennai. In a contest that fully lived up to the “arse-nipper” billing that Graeme Swann had given it beforehand, England once again teetered on the brink of oblivion before the spin of Swann and James Tredwell hauled them back into contention in a sensational denouement. Needing 244 for victory, West Indies were coasting on 222 for 6, before losing their last four wickets for three runs in 21 deliveries.It was a finale that would have been remarkable in any other context, but coming from a team that has managed to turn each of its six qualifying fixtures into horror-shows best viewed from behind the sofa through cracks in the fingers, it was a conclusion that teetered towards self-parody. Following a schizophrenic batting performance, in which Jonathan Trott shed his demure image to crash six fours from his first nine balls, England themselves crashed from 121 for 2 to 151 for 6, before Luke Wright justified his first call-up of the campaign with a vital 44. Their eventual total was at least 30 runs below par, but not for the first time, the team’s fighting spirit made up for it lacked in planning and application.West Indies’ reply was a tale of three cameos. Between them, Chris Gayle and Darren Sammy slammed 84 runs from 50 balls, while Andre Russell launched his own innings with 45 from 30 before going into his shell after a hugely controversial reprieve on the long-on boundary. While those three were cutting loose, aided and abetted by a string of silent partners, not least the obstinate Ramnaresh Sarwan, it was clear that England had no option but to take all ten wickets to progress.Cue the spinners – one whose last dew-sodden performance had resulted in an ICC fine for an audible display of petulance; the other whose solitary appearance of the winter came in a forgotten ODI at Hobart back in January. Between them Swann and Tredwell scalped seven of the first nine wickets, including three in the last 11 balls of their allocation, before a sharp throw from fine leg sealed the victory with Sulieman Benn well short.That it was Trott who delivered the decisive throw was fitting, because it was his superb catch running round at cow corner that looked to have removed Russell for 39 and turned the contest in England’s favour at 204 for 7. However, as he landed Trott’s momentum slid him agonisingly close to the boundary rope, and though the fielder insisted he had taken the ball cleanly, the third umpire overturned the decision and Russell came back to the crease with six more runs to his name.It was a moment that might have knocked the stuffing out of lesser sides, but England’s bottle is the one aspect of their cricket that cannot be questioned after the events of the past month. Chastised by his let-off, Russell added a further four runs from 16 deliveries before Tredwell, whose three top-order breakthroughs had given England a glimmer, nailed him lbw as he attempted to work a single to leg. One ball later, Benn survived a referral by the skin of his bails as he padded up to a straight one, but England had the bit between their teeth and the desperation to make their opportunity count.

Smart Stats

  • This was England’s fifth win over West Indies in World Cups and their sixth in global tournaments. They have lost only two matches to West Indies in major tournaments.

  • While England scored 92 runs in boundaries, West Indies were far more attacking, scoring 126 runs in fours and sixes.

  • Graeme Swann and James Tredwell picked up seven wickets for 84 runs in 20 overs. Tim Bresnan and Chris Tremlett, on the other hand, did not pick up a single wicket and conceded 93 runs in 12 overs. The 4 for 48 is Tredwell’s best bowling performance in ODIs.

  • West Indies had their best performance in the first ten overs of the innings in the 2011 World Cup scoring 78 for 2.

  • Andre Russell followed up his 4 for 49 with 49 off 46 balls. He missed out on becoming only the eighth player to score a fifty and pick up four wickets in a World Cup game.

Though Strauss might have been tempted to wait for the tailender Benn to come onto strike, he decided there was no time to wait and unleashed Swann’s final over on the well-set Sarwan, who had been in the toilet at the fall of the first wicket but whose belated appearance at No. 6 looked set to seal the game. He had eased along to 31 from 67 balls with scarcely a shot in anger, but Swann’s first delivery turned sharply into the gloves, and looped tastily to Ian Bell at a commendably attacking short leg. Two balls later Kemar Roach slogged to Chris Tremlett at mid-off, whose extra height proved invaluable in reaching a low chance, and Bopara’s subsequent over delivered the decisive run-out.The start of the West Indies innings had been scarcely any less breathtaking. With his abdominal strain still appearing to cause him some discomfort, Gayle decided that boundaries, not singles, were the order of the day. He smashed the usually reliable Tim Bresnan for four fours in his second over of the match, before welcoming Tremlett to World Cup cricket in no-less-devastating fashion, with three fours and a dismissive six over wide long-on.After five overs, West Indies already had 50 on the board, but in a portent of thrills to come, the spinners signalled a change of tempo. Swann’s first over went for a tidy three runs, before Tredwell struck with his fourth ball of the tournament, one delivery after Gayle had swatted him for his eighth boundary in 20 balls. Leaning onto the front foot, he was rapped on the pad in front of middle, and a full four years after his maiden England tour, Tredwell finally had his first ODI wicket.One over later, he had his second, when Devon Smith got in a muddle against a yorker, and allowed Matt Prior to pull off a sharp stumping as he scooped the rolling ball in his right glove. And Tredwell made it three wickets in four overs when Darren Bravo was caught in two minds as he pushed outside off, for Strauss at slip to cling onto a sharp low catch.Sammy continued to attack the off-colour Bresnan, who switched ends to no avail, before another big six off Tredwell took him to 36 from 21 balls. However, after a relative period of calm, Bopara nailed him via an inside-edge onto the off stump, and the same mode of dismissal then accounted for Devon Thomas, who had been playing the anchor role in his 10 from 20 balls. Though Kieron Pollard played responsibly for his 27-ball 24, Swann eventually got the better of his block-it-or-slog-it approach, and at 150 for 6, the balance of power had veered towards England once again.It was a scoreline that England themselves would have recognised, for the nadir of their own innings had been 151 for 6, after a calamitous collapse of 4 for 30 in 10.2 overs. All told, it was a batting performance that epitomised England’s extraordinary campaign. While Trott was at the crease, caressing boundary after boundary in a 38-ball 47, there seemed no reason to doubt that, at the sixth time of asking, his team would finally produce the command performance that has been so glaringly absent from their efforts to date. But then, when he fell in the 22nd over to a feeble clip to short midwicket, the middle order lost all semblance of direction before Wright’s run-a-ball stand of 41 with Tredwell prompted a vital revival.Devendra Bishoo, the Guyanese legspinner, bowled supremely on debut to claim 3 for 34 in his ten overs, including 2 for 23 in a massively composed first spell of eight off the reel, while the bustling Russell was a constant threat as he mixed boundary balls with wicket-taking deliveries to finish with a career-best 4 for 49. But as they face up to yet another head-scratching post-mortem, both sides may wonder how on earth it came to this. With Bangladesh taking on South Africa on Saturday, and West Indies still to face a daunting finale against India, the tussle for qualification is far from over, even if England have taken their own fight as far as it will stretch.

Match Timeline

Solid South Australia declare in deficit

by csb10.top Uncategorized

ScorecardFile photo – Callum Ferguson led South Australia’s reply with an unbeaten 100•Getty Images

A sporting declaration by South Australia’s captain Johan Botha against Queensland has opened up the possibility of an outright result on the final day of the Sheffield Shield match at Adelaide Oval.The Redbacks were cruising at 4 for 368 when Botha called in Callum Ferguson on an even 100, leaving the Bulls with time to set a fourth-innings chase for their hosts.Ferguson enjoyed fruitful stands with Tom Cooper and Travis Head before reaching three figures, while the off spinner Jason Floros was Queensland’s only wicket-taker.First innings hat-trick taker Chadd Sayers grabbed another two early wickets when the Bulls batted again, but Joe Burns and Peter Forrest settled the innings down and will be chasing quick runs when play resumes on day four.

Guptill's 237 drives New Zealand into semi-final

by csb10.top Uncategorized


Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

A double-century in a one-day international is not quite passé, but has become more common than ever seemed possible. A double-century in a World Cup quarter-final? is something truly special. Martin Guptill’s unbeaten 237 was the highest World Cup score of all time and the second-highest in all ODIs, but most importantly it ensured New Zealand’s progression to the World Cup semi-finals for the seventh time.Nobody in the partisan crowd in Wellington will ever forget Guptill’s innings. Nor will Marlon Samuels, who in the first over of the match grassed Guptill at square leg. It is hard to imagine a costlier one-day drop, for Guptill went on to score 60% of New Zealand’s 393 for 6. To add to the hurt, Samuels later fell to the most brilliant of catches, when a backpedalling Daniel Vettori at third man leapt and pinched a one-hander above his head that would have gone for six.It was that sort of day for New Zealand. Buoyed by the home support, they did just about everything right. West Indies kept up with the run-rate, just not the preservation rate required. They limped past Guptill’s individual tally at nine wickets down, and were bowled out for 250 in the 31st over. Trent Boult had done the damage by claiming four wickets in his opening spell.Chris Gayle pummelled 61 off 33 balls and provided some evening entertainment. Stiff with a bad back, Gayle dealt almost exclusively in boundaries. He struck eight sixes and two fours, and his innings was the most one-sided thing in a one-sided game: only one of his runs came through off. But he was bowled by Adam Milne for what was but a cameo compared to Guptill.Guptill had faced the first ball of New Zealand’s innings and the last. He played proper cricket shots, premeditating little but punishing the West Indies bowlers when they offered up half-volleys. He saw off 65 dot balls, respecting the good ones and making the most of the others. He brought up his 200 with a powerful crunch down the ground for four off Andre Russell from his 152nd delivery.It was fitting, for throughout his innings Guptill’s straight driving was so impressive you’d think he’d just had a wheel alignment. Guptill basked in the standing ovation, knowing that this was a once-in-a-lifetime moment. When he had moved past 171, he had the highest World Cup score by a New Zealander, beating Glenn Turner’s effort in their very first World Cup match back in 1975.Guptill’s 163-ball innings featured 24 fours and 11 sixes, and he alone scored 92 of New Zealand’s 153 in the final ten overs. In the 50th over he even launched a six onto the roof. New Zealand knew they had the ingredients for a show-stopping product: a huge home crowd, a good pitch, a toss won, a shaky opposition attack. But Guptill cooked up something that spilled out of the Cake Tin entirely.He scored freely throughout his innings but not surprisingly the flow of runs became an inexorable current during the late stages. His first half-century came off 64 balls and his hundred from 111. Do the maths and you’ll realise that means his second hundred came from 41 deliveries. Wherever West Indies pitched it in the final ten over, Guptill had a six waiting for them.This was a man at the peak of his powers: his 105 against Bangladesh in the previous game was just a warm-up. And though he scored 195 more than his nearest team-mate, he had plenty of support. The most prolific partnership was his 143-run stand with Ross Taylor for the third wicket; Taylor scored only 42 of those runs as he nudged the ball around for ones and twos.In fact, the run out of Taylor arguably came at the perfect time for New Zealand, as it allowed Corey Anderson and then Grant Elliott to come in and find the boundary. Elliott’s 27 off 11 balls was a fine cameo and his half-century partnership with Guptill came from only 15 legal balls. Jerome Taylor got rid of Elliott and Luke Ronchi at the end, but Elliott and Ronchi were not the problem.The West Indian effort in the field was listless. Samuels’ dropped chance was the stand-out, but the first ball of the game was ominous: Jason Holder and Sulieman Benn both lethargically pursued Guptill’s straight drive. They could have saved the boundary, but didn’t. West Indies became more disheartened as the innings wore on, and more mistakes were made.Really, they’d have needed to do everything right after losing the toss. The first wicket was encouraging, as Holder lived up to his name by running away with the flight from mid-off and clinging on to a super catch to get rid of Brendon McCullum for 12. New Zealand were 27 for 1, but from there not much went West Indies’ way.Guptill and Kane Williamson put on 62 for the second wicket before Williamson drove Russell’s slower ball to a juggling Gayle at cover for 33. But as long as Guptill was there West Indies – and a whole bunch of ODI and World Cup records – were anything but safe.The result means New Zealand will host South Africa at Eden Park on Tuesday, a meeting that guarantees a first-time finalist at this World Cup. New Zealand have reached semi-finals at six previous World Cups but have yet to emerge from one victorious. In form and at home, they may never have a better chance.

Muralitharan named Sunrisers bowling coach

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Former Sri Lanka offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan has been named Sunrisers Hyderabad’s bowling coach and team mentor for the Indian Premier League 2015 season.Muralitharan, 42, played 66 IPL games across seven seasons for Chennai Super Kings, Kochi Tuskers Kerala and Royal Challengers Bangalore, taking 63 wickets at an average of 26.92. During his time with Super Kings, from 2008 to 2010, he claimed 52 scalps from 46 matches, helping the team win the IPL as well as the Champions League Twenty20 in 2010.In 2011, Muralitharan called time on an illustrious international career which yielded a record 1347 wickets across all three formats. He continued playing franchise cricket for a number of teams across the world including Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League, and Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League.After a disappointing season with Royal Challengers in 2014 in which he played only five matches, Muralitharan decided to end his playing career. In June last year, Muralitharan joined Australia as a coaching consultant ahead of the team’s series against Pakistan in the UAE.Sunrisers finished sixth last year and missed out on the playoffs, having lost eight of their 14 games.

Cook smashes South African batting record

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Lions opening batsman Stephen Cook has entered the record books after he made 390, the highest score in the history of South African first-class cricket, against Warriors in East London. Cook, whose score is the twelfth-highest overall in first-class cricket, overtook Daryl Cullinan’s unbeaten 337 for Transvaal against Northern Transvaal in Johannesburg 1993-94. Cook’s father Jimmy Cook had made 313 not out for Somerset against Glamorgan in Cardiff in 1990, and the pair are the first father and son to make triple-centuries in first-class cricket.Cook’s 390, laced with 53 fours and a six, came off 648 balls and in 838 minutes. In terms of time spent at the crease, his innings ranks as the fourth-longest in all first-class cricket. The game, though, was a high-scoring draw. Warriors, led by Ashwell Prince’s 154, posted 542, and Lions bettered that effort, drawing the match to a close at 690 for 9. Cook, who was trapped in front by Johan Botha, was involved in another record. He added 365 for the sixth wicket with wicketkeeper Thami Tsolekile, playing in his 100th first-class game; the stand is the highest for that wicket in first-class cricket in South Africa.Cook, 26, has played 76 first-class games, averaging 39.51 with 14 centuries and 20 fifties. His father, Jimmy, said: “Stephen recently told me he was playing the best cricket of his life so I told him to go out and make it count and he certainly did that. Naturally I am delighted and proud.”

India and Pakistan in high-pressure knockout

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Azeem Ghumman and Ashok Menaria were not yet in their teens when Sachin Tendulkar blitzed Pakistan at Centurion in the 2003 World Cup. They were merely 17 when Misbah-ul-Haq came agonisingly close to snatching the inaugural World Twenty20 from India in 2007. The pressure an India-Pakistan match in a World Cup brings is storied and, on Saturday, these two teenage leaders will experience it for the first time – when their teams clash in the quarter-final of the Under-19 World Cup in Lincoln.Indian and Pakistani sides have traditionally been the form teams at U-19 World Cups. They enter the tournaments as favourites and rarely fall out of contention before the semi-finals. One will tomorrow. Few expected them to come up against each other so early in the competition. Pakistan won all their league games and topped their group. India won the first two but dropped their last against England. If they hadn’t, they would be playing West Indies.”We are seething after the loss [to England], and we’ll take it out against Pakistan,” Meenaria told the . “The world comes to a standstill when an India-Pakistan match is on.”Pakistan perhaps hold the edge. They scored big against West Indies, bowled Papua New Guinea out cheaply, and held their nerve to win a thriller against Bangladesh. They have the tournament’s highest run-scorer, Babar Azam – 260 runs at an average of 130, and the joint highest wicket-taker, Usman Qadir – eight at 15 apiece.The victories India scored were against Afghanistan and Hong Kong and they ensured India’s qualification even before the loss to England. Unlike the 2008 campaign, when Tanmay Srivastava and Virat Kohli led the batting charts, this time India’s highest runscorer – Rahul Kannaur with 117 in three innings – is 15th on the list. Saurabh Netravalkar, their left-arm fast bowler, could prove to be key. He was exceptional against England, rattling the top order and finishing with figures of 3 for 25.There is an external factor – and a significant one – in India’s favour. They are familiar with conditions at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval, having played two group matches there. Pakistan only got to Christchurch a few days ago – their group matches were on North Island. The pitch at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval aids seam bowling, and is good for batting when the sun shines. Scoring runs, however, requires a disciplined approach as India found out the hard way against England. They must learn quickly from their errors; Pakistan, however, have no second chances.Another external factor, an uncontrollable one, favours Pakistan. It rained all day in Christchurch on the eve of the match and although Saturday’s forecast is brighter one can never be certain. Should the match end in a washout, Pakistan will go through to the semi-final because of their better group position. There is no reserve day.Pakistan’s manager, Shafqat Rana, says this side is the best U-19 Pakistan side he has seen but he’s aware of the gravity of the contest. “These children have never played India, forget in a World Cup game, but have grown up watching the high-intensity clashes between the two countries,” he told the . “They are aware of the expectations back home. Be it an U-13 India-Pakistan game or a veterans’ contest, it will always remain special.”And then there’s the raging controversy in the subcontinent over the Pakistan players being ignored by the IPL, and maybe it would provide the contest added edge. Rana didn’t think so. “They are kids, they have very little idea about IPL auction and other issues,” he said. The absence of intense media coverage could also help them focus better.Ghumman, Menaria and their team-mates will say they’re approaching the contest like they would any other. They can try, but all will not succeed. Even the wealth of Tendulkar’s experience in pressure situations couldn’t prevent him from living the Centurion match a year in advance. And even he slept poorly for 12 nights before d-day.

Ruhuna, Wayamba advance to final

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Ruhuna advanced to the final of the Sri Lanka Inter-Provincial Twenty20 tournament, beating Kandurata by seven runs at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Asked to bat, Ruhuna’s batsmen put in a collective effort, with useful 20s from Dinesh Chandimal, TM Sampath, Janaka Gunaratne and Chinthaka Perera. Perera’s was the quickest, his 21 coming off 10 balls and boosting Ruhuna to 155 for 8. Kandurata faltered in their chase, struggling at 29 for 4. But Tharanga Paranavitana launched a fighting recovery with a 33-ball 46 and Jehan Mubarak made a steady 28 to give Kandurata hope. But left-arm seamer Chanaka Welegedara cut through the lower order to pick up three wickets and help Ruhuna edge the semi-final.The first semi-final between Basnahira and Wayamba at the Premadasa Stadium was decided by a coin toss, owing to persistent rain and the difficulty in accommodating a bowl-out to decide the finalist. Wayamba went through to the final after winning the toss. The winner of the final will take part in the qualifier stage of the Champions League to be held in India later in the year.

David Dwyer quits as Pakistan's fitness trainer

by csb10.top Uncategorized

David Dwyer, Pakistan’s fitness trainer, has decided to part ways with the team after two and a half years with the side because of personal reasons.Dwyer, who is from Sydney, has been a popular member of Pakistan’s support staff and has become very close to most of the players in the side. “I have simply decided to move back to Sydney after two and half great years with the team purely for personal reasons,” Dwyer told Cricinfo.”It was a very difficult decision to make because I can see that we have made very good physical improvements in all of the players over the course of my time with the team,” Dwyer said. “Most importantly the friendships that I made with the coaches, players and all of those involved with the team.”Dwyer’s contribution is widely hailed within Pakistan’s set-up; a number of players have spoken of the benefits he brought to them and former captain Younis Khan, in particular, has benefitted in terms of his fitness and diet.Dwyer came to the Pakistan set-up with former coach Geoff Lawson in 2007 on a two-year contract and stayed on for over a year after Lawson was removed late in 2008. It was believed at the time that Younis and other members of the side were key in having him stay on. Dwyer’s background is in rugby – he played club rugby and his uncle Bob has coached the Australian rugby team.Though Dwyer was set to leave at the end of Pakistan’s current tour to Australia – there remains a Twenty20 in Melbourne on February 5 – it is believed that he is considering a request from the PCB to stay on and work with the side in preparing them for the World Twenty20, due to be held in the West Indies in April.

Razzak's four secures comfortable win

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Abdur Razzak’s rapid strikes ensured Bangladesh were always in control of their defence of 246•Associated Press

Mid-way through an overcast morning, Bangladesh were in a familiar predicament: the top-order had failed and Shakib Al Hasan, the reluctant captain, was saddled with the responsibility of achieving a target his spinners could defend on a pitch that assisted turn. Having had ample practice at this challenge, Shakib went about it manfully, but he also had an able ally. His risk-free batting was at odds with Mushfiqur Rahim’s impish stroke play but their 116-run stand was the bedrock of the highest total of the series. It proved more than enough.Shakib waited only three overs before entrusting the defence of 246 to a spinner. He had to wait only three balls to see that decision yield results. Abdur Razzak continued his torment of Zimbabwe in this series: his quick strikes decapitated the chase, his economy brought it to a standstill and Bangladesh were assured of a 2-1 lead by the time the mandatory Powerplay was over.The heart of the victory lay in the way Bangladesh, for the second time in succession, batted satisfactorily. They didn’t begin in that manner, though, and were 71 for 4 in the 20th over, when Shakib and Mushfiqur began their alliance. The Zimbabwe spinners had tightened the tourniquet on the run-flow and Shakib had been watchful – a back-foot cut through point would be his only boundary for 54 balls. Little Mushfiqur, in contrast, was anything but watchful at the start of his innings, slicing Prosper Utseya just wide of the fielder at point before dispatching the next ball to the midwicket boundary with a dismissive swat.The partnership would not have reached the proportions it did, had Tatenda Taibu stumped Mushfiqur on 14, when the batsman advanced and missed an on-drive. Mushfiqur, undeterred, attempted a flamboyant cut next ball and edged over the short third man. Thereafter, he too reduced the risk.Utseya made so many bowling changes during the middle overs that it was hard to keep count, but Shakib and Mushfiqur played them all adeptly. When Shakib reached his fifty in the 38th over, Bangladesh were in control. Mushfiqur’s cutting was the highlight of his innings and one off the stumps against Ray Price brought up his half-century. Shortly after, Mushfiqur swung Graeme Cremer over midwicket for the innings’ only six in the 42nd over.Bangladesh kept the batting Powerplay for the last five overs, the intention being for Shakib and Mushfiqur to surge. Those plans were undone by Utseya, standing in as captain for the injured Elton Chigumbura. He had Mushfiqur caught at deep backward square just before the Powerplay, and trapped Shakib lbw while attempting a reverse-scoop soon after. Bangladesh’s set batsmen were gone, but wayward bowling yielded 30 runs from the final two overs of the innings.Three overs into the chase, Shakib had seen enough of seam from both ends and gave Razzak the ball. Moments later, Chamu Chibhabha went back into his crease to play a ball. Mistake. Razzak skidded the arm ball through and it would have hit leg stump had the pad not been in the wayBrendan Taylor and Hamilton Masakadza made an effort to play Razzak off the front foot. Masakadza took the ploy too far, though. His charge and heave against the spin connected with nothing, and Mushfiqur stumped him. At the other end, Taylor continued pressing forward and nearly survived the mandatory Powerplay. To its final ball, he was unsure whether to move forward or not. Razzak got the ball to turn, kick, and take the edge towards first slip. Zimbabwe were 29 for 3.Shakib gave Razzak a break after that and brought back Shafiul Islam, who induced an edge from Craig Ervine that went to the third-man boundary in the 12th over – only the second four of the innings. In his next over, Shafiul drew another edge from Ervine, this time to Mushfiqur.While wickets tumbled at one end, none had fallen from the other where Mortaza was bowling, even though he found movement at a brisk pace. In the 15th over he also found the top of Tatenda Taibu’s off stump after the batsman shouldered arms. At 40 for 5, Zimbabwe were finished, and Shakib hadn’t bowled a ball. By the time Shakib brought himself on, Razzak had already taken a wicket in his second spell, trapping Regis Chakabva lbw.Razzak did not bowl again until the 44th over, which allowed Zimbabwe to reach 181 and Utseya to make a half-century, which he celebrated with a smile. Utseya’s 67 was one short of a career best, his 4 for 38 in Bangladesh’s innings was a career best. He will aim to reprise the performance in the next game and hope his team-mates lift too.

'Give Lyon an extended run' – Berry

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Nathan Lyon’s state coach, Darren Berry, hopes the offspinner is given an extended run in the Test side after being named in Australia’s squad to tour Sri Lanka. Lyon was the most unexpected inclusion in the 15-man group, with only four first-class matches to his name, and he will compete with Michael Beer for the spinner’s spot in the three-Test series.Although Berry, Lyon’s mentor at South Australia, was wary of rushing the inexperienced spinner, he said it was a brave selection and he was confident Lyon could make the step up to Test cricket. However, given Australia’s recent history of discarding young spinners as quickly as they’ve been chosen, Berry said it was crucial that Lyon was not treated the same way.”I think that now they’ve shown their hand and they’ve been brave enough to pick him … they’ve got to give him every chance … not one or two Test matches and then say he’s not ready,” Berry said. “They’ve picked him, it’s their responsibility now and in Australian cricket we need to embrace this young spinner and give him an extended run.””He absolutely has the tools to be successful. He’s a very, very talented offspin bowler. He does the rare thing that not many offspinners do in the current day – he hangs the ball in the air and he has wonderful flight and variation. He’s an exciting talent. That said, no doubt Nathan this morning was quite shocked, as have many been, at his selection.”Shocked was an understatement. Lyon, 23, was not included in Australia A’s first-class matches against Zimbabwe recently, and although he performed well in the one-day matches on the trip, a Test promotion was not on his radar and the call from chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch caught him off guard.”I looked down at the phone and saw Andrew’s name pop up and thought ‘geez, what is going on here’,” Lyon said. “It has certainly come out of the blue but I’m not going to knock it back, that is for sure.”The New South Wales fast bowler, Trent Copeland, was equally surprised at his call-up, which he described as “beyond belief”. He said he was looking forward to the challenge of facing Sri Lanka and he hoped that his successful Australia A tour of Zimbabwe would hold him in good stead for the possible step up to Test cricket.”Having played against Zimbabwe for the last month, and South Africa A in a few one-dayers as well, in Zimbabwean conditions which were quite flat, slow wickets, hopefully that gets us in tune for Sri Lanka, which are renowned to be quite flat as well,” Copeland said. “Not only that, we’re coming up against some top-notch cricketers.”To win a spot in Australia’s starting line-up, Copeland will have to wait for an injury or jump ahead of one of Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle or Ryan Harris, who are expected to have the front-running for the first Test in Galle. Harris had been one of Australia’s best bowlers during the Ashes until an ankle fracture ended his series, and he is keen to resume his place in the baggy green.”It’s been very frustrating getting the injuries in the first place,” Harris said. “That broken ankle came out of nowhere. I didn’t have any warning. That’s the frustrating part about it. It’s been a hard road back, but it’s been worth it. Anything’s worth it to play for Australia. It’s great to be back in there. My bowling is going well.”