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Paul Nixon is aiming for a career finale in India after confirming that he will be available for the Champions League should Leicestershire qualify

Andrew McGlashan24-Aug-2011Paul Nixon is aiming for a career finale in India after confirming that he will be available for the Champions League should Leicestershire qualify, by winning their Friends Life t20 semi-final against Lancashire on Saturday.Nixon will end his 23-year professional career this season, but Finals Day at Edgbaston will not be his last appearance for Leicestershire if they reach the final. The winners of each semi-final will head to Hyderabad in September for the qualifying phase of the Champions League to try to earn a place in the full competition.”I would definitely go, I would love to play in the Champions League and reach the final,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “That’s what the fairytale is all about. You’ve got to think, why can’t it happen?”Leicestershire earned their place at Finals Day with a memorable run-chase against Kent where Nixon played the match-winning hand with 31 off 17 balls in his last appearance at Grace Road. He was then hoisted onto the shoulders of jubilant supporters and carried around the outfield as he drank a pint in celebration and is aiming for similar scenes at Edgbaston.”It’s all about a mindset and a belief and we have that at Grace Road at the moment,” he said. “We’ve started planning for the day and we are using all of our experience. Abdul Razzaq is with us now, so along with myself and Claude Henderson we have all won big tournaments before. I think we have a better balance this year especially in terms of our batsmen who can clear the ropes.”Nixon was one of the first players to scotch the notion that Twenty20 was a young man’s game and was part of the Leicestershire team that led the way in the format by reaching the first four Final Days, winning the title in 2004 and 2006. “I love the game and Twenty20 is a new facet you have to adapt to,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed and embraced the format and maybe it’s helped my game as well.”Even if Nixon’s dream finish doesn’t materialise at Edgbaston and in India he isn’t short of memories from a long career. He has also played for Kent and, at the age of 36, earned England recognition when he was called up for the CB Series in Australia following the 2006-07 Ashes whitewash and helped the team win the tournament.”Winning any trophy is a pinnacle,” he said. “Winning the first Championship title [in 1996] was amazing and very special. But getting picked for England is a dream and getting my cap off Michael Vaughan was probably the real high of my life.”Nixon lives for cricket so it is no surprise that he will remain heavily involved as a batting coach for Leicestershire – in the last couple of years he has already worked with the county’s youngsters including James Taylor – and has ambitions to further his coaching career in the future.”I’d love a role with England, but you have to grow into that,” he said. “I’ve been very lucky to be around some world-class coaches and players. I started under Bobby Simpson who was immense and have also had Jack Birkenshaw, Tim Boon and John Wright. I’ve had some world-class knowledge, I just wish I’d put that to use earlier in my career.”

Middlesex’s bowlers hit back after their batsmen collapsed in spectacular fashion on a day when 21 wickets fell at Derby and only one player scored fifty

27-Aug-2010
ScorecardMiddlesex’s bowlers hit back after their batsmen collapsed in spectacular fashion on a day when 21 wickets fell at Derby and only one player scored fifty.The visitors lost their last seven wickets for 22 to be bowled out for 263 but Derbyshire were then skittled for 182 with Pedro Collins and Shaun Udal each taking four wickets.That gave Middlesex a first innings lead of 81 but they then lost Scott Newman for the second time in the day and Mark Footitt struck twice in successive overs to reduce them to 71 for 4 at the close, a lead of 152.There was certainly nothing in the pitch or the overhead conditions to blame for the dramatic clatter of wickets which began when Newman pulled Robin Peterson to deep midwicket after adding only seven to his first day 119. The rest of the Middlesex innings was a procession with five batsmen failing to register double figures as the Derbyshire bowlers preyed on poor shot selection.Three wickets fell with the total on 245 and Collins’ wild carve to third man to bring the innings to a close summed up what had been a lamentable display by the visitors. Derbyshire fared no better despite Chris Rogers making 75, his highest Championship score since early June, and they were two wickets down by lunch with Collins bowling Chesney Hughes with the penultimate ball of the session.The home side lost their last six wickets for 60 runs with at least four batsmen contributing to their downfall as the game advanced rapidly despite the loss of four sessions to rain. Derbyshire’s hopes of getting close to Middlesex’s total disappeared when Rogers was bowled by Udal for 75 and only some lusty blows from Steffan Jones, who hit the veteran spinner for two sixes in an over, gave them a measure of respectability.Udal had the last word when Jones was stumped giving him the charge but Middlesex were soon back in familiar territory as Tim Groenewald and Graham Wagg trapped both openers lbw in the first eight overs of their second innings.Owais Shah and Dawid Malan brought up the fifty before Footitt tempted them into rash strokes to leave both teams with a chance of winning a game that had looked destined for a draw after the loss of so much time to bad weather.

Former Young Lions head coach takes over after sudden departure of Grant Bradburn

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jan-2025Glamorgan have appointed Richard Dawson as their interim head coach, following the sudden departure of Grant Bradburn last month over allegations of discriminatory behaviour.Dawson had most recently been part of the England Men’s white-ball coaching team, having previously overseen England Under-19s. He spent six years coaching Gloucestershire, securing promotion from Division One in 2019 and a T20 Finals Day appearance in 2020, before moving on to work with the ECB’s performance pathway in 2021.”I’m delighted to be joining Glamorgan as head coach for the coming season,” Dawson said. “I’ve got a good idea of how the club works having spent time with Welsh Fire over the years. I’m looking forward to getting involved with the players and coaches at the club and building on the success achieved in the 50 over competition last season.”Dawson, who was capped seven times in Tests, spent most of his playing career with Yorkshire, before short stints at Northamptonshire and Gloucestershire.He is currently working with the England Lions on their tour of Australia, and will then be involved at the Women’s Premier League before taking up his role with Glamorgan from March. He will also continue as Welsh Fire assistant coach during the Hundred, with a replacement for the One-Day Cup, which Glamorgan won last year, to be announced in due course.Mark Wallace, Glamorgan’s director of cricket, said: “It’s great news for the club that we have been able to appoint a coach of Richard Dawson’s standing and quality as interim head coach until the end of the season. We were keen to move quickly and get someone in place for the 2025 season and we see Richard as the perfect fit to develop the squad and continue to move us forward this season.”

David Payne, Roelof van der Merwe and Haris Rauf contain hosts to sub-par total at Edgbaston

ECB Reporters Network10-Aug-2023Welsh Fire asserted their authority on the 2023 Men’s Hundred by thrashing Birmingham Phoenix by six wickets at Edgbaston.There is a real feeling around the Fire camp that, for the first time, they can mount a challenge in this year’s tournament and their dismantling of Phoenix certainly backed up that view.Phoenix chose to bat but mustered only 112 for 7, never shedding the shackles of a focused and fired up Fire attack. David Payne led the way with excellent sets early and late on to finish with 2 for 11 while strong support was lent by Roelof van der Merwe with 2 for 16 and Haris Rauf’s 2 for 20.Phoenix’s limp effort with the bat left them needing something dynamic with the ball but Fire blazed to 116 for 4 from 85 balls after Stephen Eskinazi launched their reply with a ferocious 18-ball 43. They charged to 50 without loss in 21 balls and never looked back.Phoenix found their early batting progress impeded by the skills of van der Merwe. The left-arm spinner removed Will Smeed, who sent up a skier, and Ben Duckett, caught at short fine leg.After Jamie Smith was bowled by an express yorker from Rauf, van der Merwe found himself under a top-edged hoik from Moeen Ali and held on at the third attempt.Roelof van der Merwe juggles a catch off Moeen Ali•ECB via Getty Images

Fire bowled with pace and purpose, encapsulated by the rapid, full-length delivery which eluded a crude attempt by Liam Livingstone to land one among the spectators in the Hollies Stand. That usually raucous throng was as subdued as could be and a cadaverous haul of just six runs from the last ten balls, skilfully delivered by Shaheen Shah Afridi and Payne, did nothing to lift the noise levels.Blaze took their momentum emphatically into the batting as Eskinazi improvised magnificently. He smashed, scooped, skewered and squeezed the ball to all areas on the way to 43 in an opening stand of 67 in 32 balls with Joe Clarke.A crumb of hope came the home side’s way when Benny Howell removed both openers in five balls. When Luke Wells fell lbw, reverse sweeping Moeen Ali, three wickets had fallen for six runs in ten balls, but Fire’s fine work in the field had earned them the luxury of withstanding a wobble.Tom Abell’s 23 not out from 18 balls saw the visitors home at a canter leaving the Hollies Stand as flat as a pancake and a distinguished, sombrero-wearing, first-time visitor to the usually ebullient venue reflecting that the highlight of her day was a nap in the sunshine during the first innings.

Fifties from Gaikwad and Kishan also play a part in hosts’ dismantling of South Africa in Vizag

Firdose Moonda14-Jun-20224:18

Jaffer: Wristspinners need to be brave and Chahal was

India needed their players to step up and put in a big performance to stay alive in the five-match T20I series and Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Yuzvendra Chahal and Harshal Patel did just that. Gaikwad and Kishan shared 97 – India’s highest opening stand against South Africa in T20Is, with each scoring half-centuries. Gaikwad posted a career-best 57 to set India up for a strong total before Chahal and Harshal took three wickets apiece to give India a comprehensive win.South Africa’s defeat was only their second in the last 15 T20Is and their first in the previous eight matches while chasing. They needed a strong start and someone to bat through, but were 38 for 2 in the powerplay and no-one scored more than Heinrich Klaasen’s 29.India’s spinners applied significant pressure for the first time in the series, on the slowest surface so far. Chahal and Axar Patel gave away only 45 runs between them for seven wickets to give Rishabh Pant his first win as captain.Five, four(s)…
 
India were off to a solid but unspectacular start until Anrich Nortje came on to bowl the fifth over and Gaikwad got hold of him. Nortje started in signature fashion – short – but also bowled it wide and Gaikwad only had to stand and cut to find the boundary. Nortje delivered the next ball on a length, and Gaikwad charged down and lofted him over mid-on, prompting Nortje to default back to the bouncer. His third ball came in viciously from outside off and took the grille of Gaikwad’s helmet and raced to the third-man rope. Gaikwad was given the runs, but later taken away as leg-byes, even as he had to have a concussion test.4:15

Steyn: Gaikwad bats pretty much like KL Rahul

He was cleared to continue, and seemed just fine, as he flicked away Nortje’s follow-up, a full ball, through midwicket. Nortje moved his line closer to the stumps for the fifth ball but Gaikwad made room and opened the face of the bat late to steer the ball to short third man. Tabraiz Shamsi was stationed there and although he would have had to make good ground to take the catch, he should have stopped the ball going through his hands and to the boundary. Gaikwad swung and missed the sixth ball as Nortje saved some face. Gaikwad went on to bring up his fifty off 30 balls.Shamsi v Shreyas

Shreyas Iyer has yet to look entirely convincing in this series and scored his first runs in this innings with a top edge off Nortje that went for six. Shreyas was much more in control of his next runs, when he skipped down the track to launch Shamsi over mid-off. The spinner had already been hit for 23 runs in his first two overs and was not having as good a time as he would have liked to celebrate his 50th T20I. But he thought he had turned things around when three balls later, Shreyas was given out lbw as he tried to sweep. Shreyas reviewed immediately, with replays indicating that he had gloved the ball. Just when Shamsi may have thought his night wouldn’t improve, Shreyas swept again, but didn’t keep it down and Nortje timed his jump perfectly at square leg to take the catch.Two drops and some damage
It’s not like South Africa to put down chances and it’s even less like Miller and Rassie van der Dussen but they were both guilty of mistakes. Miller’s was the simpler of the two, when Hardilk Pandya, on 1, sliced Shamsi on the off side and he only had to hold on, but couldn’t. van der Dussen’s required running in from deep backward point when Pant, on 4, slashed at a wide Dwaine Pretorius delivery. He got to the ball but it popped out of his hands. van der Dussen’s drop only cost two runs when, later in Pretorius’ over, Pant again lofted the seamer over the offside. Bavuma ran back from mid-off to take the catch. Pandya’s let-off was more costly. He went on to score 31 runs and help India take 41 off the last five, to push the total over 175.Harshal Patel rattled South Africa’s chase with a four-wicket haul•Associated Press

Poor in the powerplay
Without Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram, the spotlight was always going to shine brightly on South Africa’s opening pair and their strike rates. Temba Bavuma and Reeza Hendricks’ career strike-rates sit at 121.75 and 121.44 respectively and both struggled to get going against a classic Bhuvneshwar Kumar opening spell. He swung the ball both ways to deliver two overs for seven runs but was taken off by Pant, who has developed a habit of replacing bowlers who are applying pressure. Bhuvneshwar’s squeeze worked – Bavuma was caught at mid-on as he tried to clear the in field off Axar. Hendricks edged Chahal, but the chance didn’t carry to slip, before he swung at a Harshal slower ball and was caught at mid-off to end the powerplay on 38 for 2.No middle-order hero this time
van der Dussen was dismissed for 1 when he was caught behind off a Chahal delivery that turned away from him as he tried to cut and two overs later Pretorius went in a similar way but it was only when Miller was done in by a slower ball from Harshal that South Africa’s middle order was opened up for the first time in the series.Wayne Parnell came in at No.7, with South Africa needing 109 runs from nine overs. He had Klaasen at the other end but Chahal had the final say. In his final over, Chahal tossed it up, inviting Klaasen to go big but he could only get the ball as far as Axar at extra cover, to all but end South Africa’s chase in the 15th over. India proceeded to secure their biggest victory (in terms of runs) over South Africa in T20Is.

Work usually takes the New Zealand captain away from his family during the holidays, but this time it’s all different

Alagappan Muthu24-Dec-2020Kane Williamson has long been used to being his team’s best batsman. As New Zealand captain, he is used to the spotlight. As an international cricketer, he is used to a great many things. But on December 25, he will experience something he rarely ever does. Christmas in his own home.”Ehmm…” he said, trying to recall the last time he had lucked out like this. “Dunno. I think I might have had one at one point. Usually we have it at Christchurch or overseas or yeah, it’s been a long time.”

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Williamson was looking forward to the occasion, especially after becoming a father for the first time, although given there is a fairly important Test match also coming up, on Boxing Day against Pakistan at Mount Maunganui, his focus did drift away just a tiny little bit.”Obviously the child part out of all that would be most special. And then I suppose looking at the cricket, the context around playing a Boxing Day Test at home is really special. And you know having Christmas at home, I suppose when you’re used to having it away, it’s a slightly different feeling when you have Christmas and you’re in a hotel room somewhere. And yeah, it’ll be really nice to spend it with family this year. And I know pretty much all the guys have their families around as well to do that. So very cool. And they’ll be very excited to get into the first Test of the series.”Related

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• Ajaz Patel left out for Pakistan Tests

The public have already announced their interest in making the game a part of their festivities, with reports suggesting over 5000 tickets have been sold for the first day at Bay Oval.”Often when we play here in the other formats as well, we tend to get good crowds this time of year,” Williamson said. “It’s sort of a holiday destination. So hopefully we get a few walking in as well and it’ll be great to see a full house here and hopefully we can sustain that throughout the few days and you know it’s a great occasion to be a part of and it appears everybody has the same view of it.”Fanfare tends to follow teams that win and New Zealand are certainly that. They moved up to third place by beating West Indies 2-0 recently, creating quite a bit of congestion at the top of the Test championship table. And though they aren’t favourites just yet, they do have a chance of being one of the two teams that qualify for the final, to be played in June 2021 at Lord’s. Williamson, however, refuses to look that far ahead.Bay Oval is set to host its second-ever Test match•Getty Images

“I mean, I think the context of that is great for the game in general, having the Test Championship,” he said. “But our focus as it was in the last couple of Tests is to basically start again and adapt to the conditions that we’re doing to have. Obviously four different surfaces, different opposition. We know how good Pakistan are and we’re going to have to be at our best starting from that first day here in the Mount and make sure we are really clear in how it is we want to operate and basically try and adjust as quickly as possible. So its coming back to those basics for us and basically playing what is in front of us rather than getting too carried away with potential eventual things, who knows”Williamson missed New Zealand’s last Test match to be there for the birth of his daughter. But that didn’t stop him from taking a couple of sneak peeks to see how his team-mates were doing without him. And what he saw – Henry Nicholls making his career-best score on a very green pitch, Kyle Jamieson continuing to come into his own in Test cricket, Neil Wagner doing what Neil Wagner does – definitely pleased him.”It’s always mixed, watching,” Williamson said. “Although I had other things on my plate, which was great, but you also always miss the guys as well when you’re so used to playing with each other. But then it was really really nice to see them play so well and work through a number of tough periods on wickets that have been sporting. But like I say, it’s just important as a group that we reassess and look at where we need to be on some of the new surfaces and against a strong side like Pakistan.”

Surrey fall short after being asked to score 52 from 25 balls following a rain delay

ECB Reporters Network09-Aug-2019Surrey were beaten by nine runs by Gloucestershire on Duckworth-Lewis-Stern calculations, suffering their sixth defeat in eight Vitality Blast outings this season, when a rain delay left them needing to score 52 from another 4.1 overs at the Kia Oval.They managed 42 of them, taking their total of 52 for 2 from 7.5 overs when the rain came, in reply to Gloucestershire’s 165 for 8, to an eventual 94 for 2. When they were left needing 25 from the last over, however, the game was already all but over.Sam Curran swung Benny Howell for six and Andrew Tye for two more maximums in the final over to reach a defiant 51 not out from 35 balls, while Ollie Pope finished on an unbeaten 13.But Howell, fellow medium-pacer Ryan Higgins and fast bowler Tye – who between them sent down the 25 balls after the restart – kept their cool despite understandably greasy conditions to earn Gloucestershire a third win of the T20 campaign and keep them in contention for quarter-final qualification from the South Group.Gloucestershire’s 20-over total was built on a 15-ball 30 up front from Miles Hammond, James Bracey’s 25-ball 33 and 40 from 28 balls from Ian Cockbain in the middle overs, and then a useful 22 not out at the end by Jack Taylor, from 12 balls and with four well-struck fours.Surrey suffered two early blows when Aaron Finch, their big-hitting Australian opener, edged a rising ball from Chris Liddle to keeper Bracey to depart for 12 to the last ball of the fourth over, and Will Jacks was caught at extra cover off a leading edge for 15 in slow left-armer Tom Smith’s first over.From 42 for 2 much depended for Surrey on the youthful third wicket pair of Curran and Pope, but they had only added ten runs when rain arrived at 8.35pm to drive the players off, with one ball of the eighth over remaining. When play was able to resume, at 9.30pm, the pair faced an almost impossible task.Gloucestershire, who won the toss, reached 48 for 1 in their initial six-over Powerplay with most of those runs coming from opener Hammond who struck Imran Tahir for two fours in the opening over, took two leg-side fours off Sam Curran in the third over and then lofted brother Tom over long-on for six in the next over.When Hammond’s violent cameo ended with a carve to deep cover off Jade Dernbach, it was left to Bracey to join Michael Klinger and add 24 for the second wicket before the Gloucestershire captain top-edged a pull at Sam Curran to deep square leg to go for 12.Bracey played some fine shots as Gloucestershire made it to 82 for 2 at the halfway point, but he was caught at long-on off Sam Curran in the 12th over and the visitors needed a busy 17 from Higgins for forward momentum until Cockbain took two straight fours and three twos off the 16th over, bowled by Dernbach and costing 15.Cockbain then swung South Africa legspinner Tahir for a massive six over midwicket but, later in the same over, perished to a catch at long-on and Howell, Tye and Smith all fell in the frenetic final overs as only Taylor’s judicious late hitting – when he could get the strike – enabled Gloucestershire to post a competitive total.

Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj are the two main spinners in the squad, which also features the uncapped Reeza Hendricks and Junior Dala

Firdose Moonda18-Jun-2018

South Africa ODI squad

Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Junior Dala, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi
IN: Junior Dala, Reeza Hendricks, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder
OUT: AB de Villiers, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir, Chris Morris, Khaya Zondo

Imran Tahir, South Africa’s top-ranked ODI bowler at No.6 in the world, has been rested from the ODI squad to play Sri Lanka in July-August as the country gears up for Vision 2019. Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, who has played two ODIs, and left-arm wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi have been included in the 15-man squad in Tahir’s place.The series, which will consist of five ODIs and a one-off T20I, is the first of five in South Africa’s build-up to the 2019 World Cup, and the first since AB de Villiers announced his international retirement. The uncapped Reeza Hendricks, wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen and Aiden Markram are the three players in contention for de Villiers’ middle-order spot.Faf du Plessis returns as captain, after missing five of the six ODIs against India earlier in the year with a broken finger, and Junior Dala, who has played three T20s, comes in as an option in place of the retired Morne Morkel. Wiaan Mulder is the only other addition from the group that played against India, and replaces Chris Morris, who is recovering from a back injury sustained during the IPL. Morris is only expected to be fit for the South African home summer, which starts against Zimbabwe in late September.The decision to rest Tahir is surprising, given that the legspinner has not featured for South Africa since February and has only had game time in the PSL and IPL since then. He will next play for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the CPL, which takes place from August 8 until September 16, and clashes with the fourth and fifth ODIs in Sri Lanka and the one-off T20I. But Tahir is not the only South African player taking part in that tournament with Hashim Amla, David Miller and Junior Dala also involved, so that is not the reason for his omission.Instead, South Africa’s convener of selectors Linda Zondi explained that leaving Tahir out had less to do with him and more to do with the other spinners in contention for the World Cup squad, and confirmed Tahir is still set to be premier player in that department. “We have taken the strategic decision to rest Imran Tahir so that we can get a clearer picture as to who our best second spinner is to back him up at the World Cup. Imran will be our first- choice spinner at the World Cup but, if we play him against Sri Lanka, it is unlikely that we will be able to play both Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj,” Zondi said. “By taking this route, we will be able to play the two of them together.”Shamsi was the leading wicket-taker in the one-day cup with 26 wickets from nine matches at 14.84 and was named the domestic one-day and T20 cricketer of the year at CSA’s annual awards. He would appear to be ahead of Maharaj, who has only played two ODIs, but who the selectors are keen to see more of in white-ball cricket.”Tabraiz has been the outstanding bowler in franchise white ball cricket this past season,” Zondi said. “Keshav has been outstanding for us in red-ball cricket and we need to give him the opportunity to show us what he can do at international level in the ODI format.”The same chance has not been extended to Dean Elgar, who has reeled off three successive fifties for Surrey in the Royal London One-Day Cup, and has made clear his desire to be considered. Elgar told reporters at the CSA Awards that he was “very much available” for ODI cricket for South Africa but was “sick and tired” of having to prove himself every year. Despite coach Ottis Gibson confirming Elgar would “come into the conversation”, he has not been considered at this stage.Neither has Dale Steyn, who made his return from a heel injury for Hampshire in a List A game earlier this month, and will continue to play for the county this season. Steyn was named in South Africa’s Test squad to Sri Lanka and it seems the selectors want him to focus on the longer format rather than have an eye on the World cup.South Africa’s attack will be led by Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi, with Dala, Andile Phehlukwayo and Wiaan Mulder as third and fourth seam options. Between them, the quintet have 78 ODI caps, and 48 of those belong to Rabada. Experience is to be found in the batting line-up, where Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock bring a familiar feel to the top order and du Plessis, JP Duminy and David Miller make up the middle order, but that is by no means set in stone as the shape South Africa will take at the World Cup.At the end of last summer, Gibson said South Africa would continue to experiment with their ODI squad and would start to refine their World Cup choices as they get closer to the tournament, in the beginning of 2019. South Africa have 21 ODIs scheduled – five in Sri Lanka, three against Zimbabwe, three in Australia, five against Pakistan and five more against Sri Lanka at home – before the World Cup, leaving ample time to tweak their XI. The ODI squad that travels to Sri Lanka will also play in the one-off T20I.The selectors have also named South Africa A squads that will travel to India for a triangular series featuring India A and Australia A, and two unofficial Tests against India A. Khaya Zondo, who was part of the ODI squad that played against India but has been left out of the group to play Sri Lanka, will captain both sides. Temba Bavuma, Farhaan Behardien and Theunis de Bruyn are some of the notable batting names that could be eyeing the World Cup squad while allrounder Dwaine Pretorius and fast bowler Dane Paterson could also push for places.South Africa A squad for triangular series: Khaya Zondo (capt), Temba Bavuma, Farhaan Behardien, Gihahn Cloete, Theunis de Bruyn, Robbie Frylinck, Beuran Hendricks, Sisanda Magala, Pieter Malan, Senuran Muthusamy, Dane Paterson, Rudi Second, Dwaine Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi, Malusi Siboto.South Africa A squad for four-day series against India A: Khaya Zondo (capt), Sarel Erwee, Zubayr Hamza, Beuran Hendricks, Pieter Malan, Senuran Muthusamy, Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Anrich Nortje, Duanne Olivier, Dane Piedt, Dwaine Pretorius, Rudi Second, Rassie van der Dussen, Malusi Siboto, Shaun von Berg.

Steven Smith has challenged Virat Kohli’s suggestion that Australia broke DRS protocols repeatedly in Bengaluru, describing some of Kohli’s post-match statements as “disappointing” and “completely wrong”

Melinda Farrell in Ranchi15-Mar-20173:02

‘Saying we do it consistently, that’s complete rubbish’

Steven Smith has challenged Virat Kohli’s suggestion that Australia broke DRS protocols repeatedly in the second Test in Bengaluru, describing some of Kohli’s post-match statements as “disappointing” and “completely wrong”. Kohli, speaking ahead of the third Test in Ranchi, stood by his claims while remaining elusive about what those claims actually constituted.After the Test, the BCCI made a complaint to the ICC concerning an incident when Smith looked to the Australian dressing room when considering whether or not to use the DRS on an lbw call, before umpire Nigel Llong intervened. The BCCI withdrew the complaint later on the same day after a meeting between the BCCI and Cricket Australia.While more than a week has elapsed since India’s victory in Bengaluru, Kohli’s suggestion that he saw something similarly inappropriate on two occasions other than the Smith lbw has clearly left Smith concerned.Speaking publicly for the first time since Kohli’s press conference, Smith said: “It was a little bit disappointing. I think that obviously I made a mistake and I came out and said that. What I did was wrong and I know that.”But that was the first time it has happened. I know as a team we don’t do that. And I think his comments… I think he said that we did it twice while he was out there. I don’t think he was out there long enough for two appeals. He’s entitled to his opinion, but from my point of view he’s completely wrong.”Kohli refused to elaborate on the specific occasions he had referred to in his post-match remarks, insisting he wanted to move on and focus on the remaining two Tests without any lingering “bad taste”. But he was also adamant that his words were not emotionally driven in the wake of an often-heated contest.”I think about what I say,” Kohli said in Ranchi. “I don’t regret anything that I’ve said, but at the same time it’s very important not to be stupid and go on with the same things on a daily basis because there’s cricket to be played. There was a decent break in between, and we certainly don’t’ want to sit and think about one issue all the time.”We have two Test matches to play and that’s what we need to focus on. And I think it was a mature decision on everyone’s part to move on from that. We’ve seen instances in the past stretch too long and it just causes disharmony and there’s no outcome honestly.Steven Smith: ‘It was an error on my behalf. In regards to saying that we do it consistently, that’s complete rubbish in my opinion’•AFP

“We just need to focus on the games that are left. I think it’s good for everybody that everyone moves on because you’ll always have two sides of the coin; one side will say one thing the other side will say another and that just takes the focus away from the game that we all are sitting here because of. So I think it’s best interests of everyone that we move on and focus on the game.”In an exchange with a journalist, Kohli doggedly deflected questions on his post-match comments. As in Bengaluru, Kohli could not be pinned down on the specifics of what he saw on the field.When asked if it was “appropriate for an international captain make serious allegations like that and not produce evidence to substantiate it”, Kohli replied: “What were the allegations?” Pressed further by the journalist, Kohli wanted to know “what is the allegation called”, adding that since he was not charged with any violation, what he had said could not be termed an allegation. “Because it has to be called something for me to be questioning something about someone to call it an allegation,” he said. “If no charges were pressed against me, how are those allegations?”Asked once more if he stood by his statement that there were two instances when he was batting when Australia flouted DRS protocols, and told there was no evidence to back this up, Kohli said: “As I said, we need to move on and focus on the game tomorrow and we have two more Test Matches to go. As I said, two sides to the coin, I could be speaking about it again and things are not going to move forward. Everyone sitting here has their own interests and choose to ask what they want to. But our focus remains on the game and we need to look forward.”Smith said he would like to seek clarification from Kohli on his comments when the two captains meet jointly with match referee, Richie Richardson, before play on the first day in Ranchi. Specifically, Smith would like to know which two other incidents Kohli was referring to.”Perhaps, might be able to ask a few questions. We’ll see what the mood’s like at the time,” Smith said. “Virat obviously stuck by his comments. From my point of view I think they’re completely wrong. I came out after the game and said I made a mistake. It was an error on my behalf, I had a brain fade. In regards to saying that we do it consistently, that’s complete rubbish in my opinion. I think he was wrong in his statement.”Smith said he had already met with match referee Richardson personally, ahead of Australia’s final training session on match eve. He said Richardson made it clear he expected both sides to play within the boundaries of the game so that “cricket was the winner in this Test”.

Gloucestershire have signed Cameron Bancroft, the Western Australia wicketkeeper-batsman, for the first two months of the English season

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Feb-2016Gloucestershire have signed Cameron Bancroft, the Western Australia wicketkeeper-batsman, for the first two months of the English season.Bancroft, who made his Australia debut in the final T20 against India in Sydney this month, comes with the recommendation of Western Australia team-mate Michael Klinger for who Bancroft will stand in for during the opening part the season.His signing makes it a trio of Western Australia players at Gloucestershire alongside Klinger and pace bowler Andrew Tye. Bancroft will be available for five Championship matches before Klinger returns towards the end of May.Bancroft, who was named in Australia’s Test squad for the cancelled tour of Bangladesh last year, scored 896 runs in the 2014-15 Sheffield Shield season and followed that with 224 runs in the two-match series for Australia A against India A.Richard Dawson, the Gloucestershire head coach, said: “Maxy [Michael Klinger] has given him really good reviews – he said he’s very fit, hard-working and is committed to trying to improve and kick on”His attitude and the fact that he is 23 means he is a really good fit for our changing room which is also important.”He will bolster our batting during that period and he also gives us cover with the gloves if required. I talked to him this week and his hunger to come over and have a crack at county cricket really impressed me. He wants to come and learn and improve his game and that was massive for me.”