All posts by h716a5.icu

Shaun Marsh notched a timely century and Cameron Bancroft fell only one run short of his second in as many matches as Western Australia built a commanding lead over Queensland on day two of the Sheffield Shield match at the WACA Ground

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Nov-2014
ScorecardShaun Marsh’s hundred could add to the debate over Australia’s top six for the first Test against India•Getty ImagesShaun Marsh notched a timely century and Cameron Bancroft fell only one run short of his second in as many matches as Western Australia built a commanding lead over Queensland on day two of the Sheffield Shield match at the WACA Ground.Marsh’s hundred will add intrigue to the national selectors’ debate about the composition of the top six to face India in the first Test at the Gabba in December. Eighteen boundaries pinged off his bat and he now emerges as a solid competitor to Shane Watson and Alex Doolan for the No. 3 berth.Bancroft, meanwhile, was crestfallen to edge the Bulls captain James Hopes behind for 99, ending a union of 108 with Marsh following another of 107 with Michael Klinger.Hopes was a nagging threat throughout, but the rest of the Queensland attack was unable to maintain quite the same level of pressure, allowing Marsh to capitalise on the earlier good work of Bancroft and Klinger by raising the Warriors’ scoring rate under lights.

Pune Warriors have suffered a setback with West Indian batsman Marlon Samuels returning to Jamaica to recover from a groin strain

Nagraj Gollapudi26-Apr-2013Pune Warriors have suffered a setback with West Indian batsman Marlon Samuels returning to Jamaica to recover from a groin strain and to be with his mother, who broke her knee. Samuels is likely to miss the rest of Warriors’ IPL campaign, with the franchise languishing near the bottom of the league.Samuels, one of five Cricketers of the Year announced earlier this month, played only two matches, scoring eight runs and taking one wicket. He remained with Warriors for a while but the groin injury failed to improve, so Samuels requested the management to release him so that he could be with his mother in hospital.”The groin injury was taking time to heal, but after he received news about his mom having her knee plate fractured, he became restless and asked if he could head back home,” Abhijit Sarkar, Warriors’ spokesperson, told ESPNcricinfo. He confirmed the franchise would not seek a replacement for Samuels. According to Sarkar, Samuels could return if he recovered from injury and Warriors made the knockouts.After returning from a two-year ICC ban, Samuels’ resurgence was dramatic: he was West Indies’ best batsman on the tour of England in 2012. He was the Man of the Match in the 2012 World Twenty20 final, which West Indies won, and had come to the IPL after recovering from a facial injury suffered during the Big Bash.Samuels’ absence added to Warriors’ problems this IPL season. They have lost their last three matches – Chris Gayle demoralised them by smashing Twenty20 records in Bangalore – and have only two wins after eight games. Warriors are currently above last-placed Delhi Daredevils, their next opponent at the IPL’s newest venue – Raipur – on Sunday.

Sustained pressure with the ball and a brave counter-attacking innings from Ross Taylor meant that New Zealand continued to hold a slight advantage

The Report by Andrew McGlashan at Lord's17-May-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJames Anderson became the fourth Englishman to take 300 Test wickets•AFPSustained pressure with the ball and a brave counter-attacking innings from Ross Taylor meant that New Zealand continued to hold a slight advantage at Lord’s, despite James Anderson’s best efforts to wrestle back control with a high-class bowling display during which he claimed his 300th Test wicket.After restricting England to 232 – scored at barely two-an-over throughout and with the last six wickets falling for 40 – New Zealand faced early problems themselves at 7 for 2 against a fired-up Anderson. By the close, which came early due to bad light, they had recovered to be 79 behind, although the loss of Dean Brownlie shortly before the end evened the scales a touch.Anderson had ended the series in New Zealand on 298 scalps and soon began closing in on his landmark when he had Hamish Rutherford well caught at first slip in the first over. Then, in his fourth over, he found the edge of Peter Fulton’s bat and the catch was held, low down, at second slip by his close friend Graeme Swann to become the fourth Englishman to the 300 mark. It was 20 years after the previous, Ian Botham in 1984, and almost 10 years to the day since his Test debut on this ground, against Zimbabwe, in 2003. Overall, he was the 26th bowler to reach the milestone in Test cricket; for England the others are Fred Trueman (307), Bob Willis (325) and Botham (383).Anderson, though, lacked support from his fellow quicks until Steven Finn, now back on his longer run, pitched the ball fuller to win an lbw against Brownlie but only after using the DRS to overturn Steve Davis’ initial not-out decision.Either side of tea, England were poor and New Zealand responded superbly to their early difficulties. In Taylor, they had the first batsman in the match to try and put some pressure back on the bowlers with a fifty that came off 49 balls. His innings would conclude with 13 boundaries: England hit 21 through their entire 112 overs.Any error in line or length – of which there were both from Finn and Stuart Broad – was punished, but Taylor also made some calculated judgements to attack deliveries that others may have played more cautiously. With Alastair Cook knowing that he did not have a mountain of runs on the board, and unable to keep Anderson going forever, the pressure was quickly reapplied to England.Although Graeme Swann gave Cook some control – and wicket-taking threat – it was no surprise that Anderson provided the lift England desperately needed. With the second ball of a new spell, this time from the Nursery End, he swung one back into Taylor’s pad for which the batsman almost walked before being given.That broke a stand of 93 in 25 overs and, though Taylor dominated, Kane Williamson more than played his part, showing his ability off the back foot. He was, though, given a life on 23 by Matt Prior – who had earlier bagged a first-ball duck to mark a tricky start to his season after being named England’s player of the year – when he went one-handed for an edge off Anderson where he may have been able to use both gloves. When collecting his award on Monday, Prior did note how “fickle” the game can be. Then, on 27, England did not review for a catch down the leg side that replays showed had grazed the bat.This match is shaping to go against the trend of relatively high-scoring encounters at Lord’s even in May. England’s batting continued to be wrapped in caution after they resumed on 160 for 4 and an innings that had crept along unravelled quickly either side of lunch as New Zealand’s diligence and discipline was rewarded.Tim Southee broke the deadlock with two wickets in two balls to spark a slide of 4 for 9 in 17 balls before the interval, and he also claimed the final wickets to finish with 4 for 48. For the second time in two series England had begun without an individual half-century.Joe Root had played very solidly, as much as any of the top order, on his first appearance at Lord’s until glancing Southee past his hip where BJ Watling, excellent behind the stumps, took the catch diving to his left. In New Zealand, and on the first day here, Southee bowled without the luck his efforts deserved so no one could begrudge him a change in fortune. But it was a tough way for Root to depart after he had played another mature innings. For the first time ever, for any team, four of the top five batsmen departed between 31 and 40.If the ball to claim Root was not the best Southee had bowled, the delivery to trap Prior was certainly up there; an off-cutter (or at least a scrambled seam) that gripped slightly on the surface to beat the inside edge in front of middle and leg. Prior opted for a review and while the decision was not plumb, ‘umpires’ call’ on hitting was enough for Southee and New Zealand.Broad survived the hat-trick ball as it slid wide of off stump, but not much longer. His part in the match-saving heroics at Auckland was all the more surprising because of the decline in his batting over the last months. On this occasion he was stone dead lbw to Wagner (so much so that even Broad knew he couldn’t ask for a review) as he was beaten by a full delivery that straightened but he did not give himself the best chance to survive by aiming towards square leg.Although Wagner sprayed the occasional ball outside off he found the most movement of the three quicks during a spell where he charged in from the Nursery End. He was quickly in the face of Swann – who was welcomed back to Test cricket with a couple of sharp bouncers having had the temerity to drive a boundary through point – but it was another full delivery that ended his brief stay and gave Watling his fourth catch.Bairstow watched from the non-striker’s end as he, too, reigned in a natural attacking instinct, but did produce a couple of strong straight drives that defied the slow outfield. He was left doing what he could with the tail for company and was just threatening to try a few more shots when he watched Southee cling onto a thumping drive.

Barisal Burners came out on top in the battle to avoid the bottom spot in the league, thanks to Azhar Mahmood’s all-round performance

The Report by Mohammad Isam04-Feb-2013
ScorecardBarisal Burners came out on top in the battle to avoid the bottom spot in the league, thanks to Azhar Mahmood’s all-round performance. They crushed Khulna Royal Bengals by seven wickets to remain in contention for a top-four finish, while the Royal Bengals are more or less out of the race.The Burners captain Brad Hodge made it an easy passage for his team. His 63 off47 balls led the chase of 145. Hodge hit six fours and two sixes over long-on, using the pace of the bowlers whenever it was offered on a slow wicket, but mostly worked the angles to collect singles.He added 93 for the third wicket with Azhar Mahmood, who was unbeaten on a 33-ball 52 with seven boundaries and a six. The experienced pair sensibly played out the dangerous Shapoor Zadran before attacking the rest of the bowlers, who looked insipid at most times. Hodge and Mahmood batted at more than 10 an over, making sure the target was reached in 17.5 overs.Mahmood had success with the ball too, taking 3 for 23 to keep the Royal Bengals to a sub-150 score. After bowling tightly with the new ball, he picked up three wickets in his last two overs, including the top-scorer Shahriar Nafees. The three-wicket burst stifled the Royal Bengals in the final few overs.Nafees had made 66 off 50 balls with nine boundaries, but never got support after Nazimuddin fell in the ninth over. Before his dismissal, Nazimuddin had blasted two boundaries and two sixes in his 30-ball 33, but after the opening partnership was broken, their foreign batsmen in the middle-order failed. Once Travis Birt, Daniel Harris and Riki Wessels were removed, the lower order hardly made an impression.Apart from Mahmood, Alok Kapali and newcomer Farveez Maharoof took two wickets each.

Jacques Rudolph missed a half-century but his 49 helped Titans beat Cape Cobras by six wickets to move to second place in the Ram Slam T20 Challenge in Benoni

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Mar-2013ScorecardJacques Rudolph missed a half-century but his 49 helped Titans beat Cape Cobras by six wickets to move to second place in the Ram Slam T20 Challenge in Benoni. Chasing 117, Titans lost opener Tumelo Bodibe in the second over when he was bowled by Beuran Hendricks, but Rudolph held one end and steered the chase comfortably. He added 42 runs with Roelof van der Merwe for the second wicket and 35 for the third before being dismissed by Azhar Mahmood. Another wicket fell soon after, but Albie Morkel and David Weise completed the chase with eight balls to spare.Cobras, who were put into bat, didn’t start well. they lost both their openers for just 14 on the board inside five overs. Their run-rate remained slow as Morkel and Ethy Mbhalati bowled economical spells and picked up two wickets each. It was only due to a late charge from Wicketkeeper-captain Dane Vilas, who scored an unbeaten 59 off 44 balls, that Cobras were able to cross the 100-mark.Alfonso Thomas, the Titans captain, admitted later that it was a good toss to win on a pitch that was sticky and two-paced.

Callum Ferguson continued his outstanding start to the Sheffield Shield season, producing his second century in three games to put South Australia in control on the first day against Victoria at Adelaide Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Nov-2014
ScorecardCallum Ferguson was unbeaten on 137 at stumps•Getty ImagesCallum Ferguson continued his outstanding start to the Sheffield Shield season, producing his second century in three games to put South Australia in control on the first day against Victoria at Adelaide Oval. By stumps, the Redbacks were 4 for 304 with Ferguson still at the crease on 137 and wicketkeeper Tim Ludeman on 98, within sight of his second first-class hundred.Ferguson began the campaign with 100 not out and 65 not out against Queensland and is now the leading run scorer in the competition. His 11th first-class century ensured Victoria could not build on the early wickets they claimed; South Australia were 3 for 44 after some struggles against the new ball.Peter Siddle had Phillip Hughes caught at slip for 7 and finished the day with figures of 1 for 34 from 17 overs. Spinner Jon Holland picked up two wickets and Chris Tremain collected one. Travis Head scored 31 for South Australia before Ferguson and Ludeman came together for their unbeaten 197-run partnership.

There was neither juice in the SSC pitch nor brittleness in the visitors’ batting as Pakistan went on to score 300 in the first innings of a Test for the first time since January 2007

The Report by Sidharth Monga30-Jun-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Mohammad Hafeez came back to form, and made it a big one•AFPSri Lanka ventured, but didn’t gain. When they won the toss, they could have easily strapped their pads on and added to their already impressive records on the SSC sleeping beauty. However, they chose to try to exploit whatever juice there might have been in the first session and to put pressure on a batting line-up that has proved brittle on this tour. Milking rocks has proved easier.There was neither juice in the pitch nor brittleness in the visitors’ batting as Pakistan went on to score 300 in the first innings of a Test for the first time since January 2007. Mohammad Hafeez quietly played himself back into form before hurtling along to his personal best, also his first score of more than 37 on this tour. Taufeeq Umar allowed Hafeez the gift of inconspicuousness as he plundered 65 out of the 78-run opening stand. Hafeez then shared the booty with Azhar Ali, letting him get his eye in after the golden duck in Galle, as he himself looted 85 off 98 in the middle session. He was 20 off 73 at lunch.As for the early juice, a grand total of one ball beat the bat in the first session, and another edge fell well short of second slip. It was always going to be a risk putting a side in, and Mahela Jayawardene might even be hauled over the coals for that, but he genuinely felt this was the only way to push for a result on his notoriously lifeless home pitch. Sri Lanka did the same against Australia last year, but back then they were behind in the series.Be that as the pitch may, the importance of this effort for Pakistan can’t be overstated. Sri Lanka’s decision to field first on a batting beauty despite a lead they could sit on says a lot about the regard they held the visiting batsmen in. Pakistan needed a solid response. And solidly they began, surprisingly against Nuwan Kulasekara and Angelo Mathews, and not the quicker Nuwan Pradeep.Smart stats

Mohammad Hafeez’s 172 is the highest score by a Pakistan batsman against Sri Lanka in Tests played in Sri Lanka. Overall, it is the seventh highest by a Pakistan batsman against Sri Lanka.

Hafeez’s personal best is the seventh highest by a Pakistan opener in an away Test. It is also the third highest by an opener in Tests at the SSC.

Since 2000, no other Sri Lankan venue has had as many centuries as the SSC (50 hundreds). The SSC is second only to Lord’s on the list of venues with the most centuries since 2000.

The 256-run stand between Hafeez and Azhar Ali is the third highest for Pakistan against Sri Lanka. It is also the third highest for Pakistan for the second wicket and the highest against Sri Lanka.

The partnership between Hafeez and Azhar is the third highest at the SSC and the highest at the venue for the second wicket. The highest at the SSC is the 624-run stand between Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.

The double-century stand between Hafeez and Azhar is also the second highest by a visiting team in Sri Lanka, after the 258-run stand between Michael Hussey and Shaun Marsh in Pallekele in 2011.

This is only the second time since 2005 that 300-plus runs have been scored on the first day at the SSC. The previous time was when Sri Lanka made 312 for 2 against India in 2010.

Pradeep’s extra pace, when introduced in the sixth over, meant the keeper could stand back but also that the batsmen could drive him through the line. Hafeez didn’t bring the car keys in the first session, but Taufeeq repeatedly drove on the up. It was no coincidence that the openers came good for Pakistan. They have enjoyed, and deserved, rare faith for a Pakistan opening pairing. This is the 17th straight Test they are opening in, easily a Pakistan record. They have responded with five century stands, another record for Pakistan, and today’s was their sixth half-century association.Spin in the first hour was an expected sight, but Suraj Randiv created little impression. When Mathews came back, Taufeeq greeted him with three fours in the 18th over. The third of those brought up the half-century, out of a team score of 62. Taufeeq grew more adventurous, hit three more quick fours before edging a short delivery from Mathews, which was smartly taken by Prasanna Jayawardene when standing up to the stumps. A gift more than reward.Hafeez, 12 off 55 then, and Ali saw off the next 24 minutes without incident. It is likely Hafeez didn’t have a proper lunch because he feasted on the bowling after the break. It was as if he had spent the 40 minutes successfully looking for car keys. For when he came back he repeatedly charged down to the spinners, lapped them fine, and forced them to bowl short. And when they did pitch short, Hafeez was quick to smash them square. Even Pakistan’s nemesis Rangana Herath didn’t pose a threat.Hafeez brought up the half-century with a punch wide of point, and you could almost hear a sigh of relief. Ali, 13 off 35 then, and wearing a cap as opposed to Hafeez’s helmet, steadily picked up pace without doing anything that would draw attention to him. You want such innings once in a while.Hafeez didn’t mind the attention as he continuing lofting, lapping and punching unchecked. He miscued once, but Randiv saw that slice clear Kulasekara who ran back from mid-on. Hafeez was 65 then. In due time he brought up his century with a dink around the corner, and went down for the sajda.Circumstances continued to tease Sri Lanka; in the last over before tea, Hafeez edged down the leg side only for replays to show Mathews had over-stepped. Salt met wound when Hafeez pulled Mathews for four in the same over, Hafeez’s 12th boundary of the session. Azhar, on the other hand, scored so slyly even the scorers at the ground missed one of his singles, and informed him of his fifty when he had reached 51.The next challenge for the batsmen would be the new ball, and the two added 94 more after tea in the 23 overs before the event. Hafeez reached his first 150, and Ali was 20 short of a third century. Pakistan approached the new ball with caution, which might have slowed down the arrival of landmarks. Hafeez managed the third-highest score for a Pakistan batsman on the first day, Ali finished eight short of the century, but the two broke the record for the highest second-wicket partnership against Sri Lanka.The DRS debate made its obligatory reference when Simon Taufel seemed to have missed a thin edge from Hafeez in the 88th over, but everyone will agree that even the most advanced technology might struggle to bring life to the SSC track.

Kapil Dev appears to have been left out of the list of former cricketers due to receive the one-time monetary benefit announced by the BCCI for former national and domestic cricketers who retired before 2003-04

Siddhartha Talya22-May-2012Kapil Dev appears to have been left out of the list of former cricketers due to receive the one-time monetary benefit announced by the BCCI for former national and domestic cricketers who retired before the 2003-04 season. While Kapil told ESPNcricinfo he wasn’t aware of whether he was on the list or not, the BCCI was not willing to comment or confirm either way.A report in Tuesday’s quoted a senior unnamed official as saying that Kapil had been excluded because he had not accepted the amnesty offered by the BCCI following his involvement in the ICL – the now-defunct Twenty20 league that was not recognised by the ICC or the Indian board. “Kapil didn’t turn up when the BCCI offered amnesty. He has also not been receiving his pension as he was part of the ICL. We have not considered his name,” a senior BCCI official was quoted as telling the paper.When asked if he and the BCCI were in touch about the payment, Kapil said “no” and that he “didn’t know” if he was on the BCCI’s list of those who would receive its largesse, totalling Rs 70 crore (US $12.7 million approx), taken from the profits of the IPL 2012 playoffs. Kapil, India’s 1983 World Cup-winning captain, would be eligible for a benefit of Rs 1.5 crore ($280,000 approx).The BCCI’s chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty told ESPNcricinfo he “didn’t want to speak on the matter”. The board’s media manager, Devendra Prabhudesai, said the full list was with the board president’s office; however, no one in that office was available for comment. It is understood, however, that Kapil’s name is not on the list.In April 2009, the BCCI offered amnesty to Indian players and officials involved with the ICL, giving them an opportunity to return to official cricket – from which they had been banned – if they terminated their contracts with the league within a stipulated deadline. Kapil, who was the ICL chairman at the time, said on Tuesday that he had not heard from the board about the amnesty. “I haven’t heard anything from them [BCCI],” Kapil said when asked why he didn’t take the ICL amnesty. “They haven’t told me anything.”The BCCI hasn’t released a full list of players due to receive the payments, only a list of some of them invited to the IPL playoffs where they’ll be awarded their cheques; the others, the BCCI said in a release, would be sent their cheques. Kapil’s name didn’t feature in the list of invitees to the playoffs. The BCCI’s one-time payment scheme stands to benefit around 160 cricketers.Other prominent players* missing from the list include Dilip Vengsarkar, Syed Kirmani, Gundappa Viswanath and Mohinder Amarnath. Of the four, only Vengsarkar has played over 100 Tests. Shetty said the four players were ineligible because they were already given benefit ODI matches in the past, where all the match proceeds go to the said player.”This is a one-time benefit that is being extended to players in lieu of benefit matches that players with 100 or more Tests (or an equivalent number taking ODIs into account),” Shetty told .”Those four players had been awarded ODIs as benefits but for some years now we have been unable to do so for a variety of reasons. Hence the president (N Srinivasan) suggested that we extend this one-time benefit to eligible players. He further suggested that we extend the same to those who have played less then 100 Tests and to first-class cricketers who have played long for their states.”There is reportedly uncertainty surrounding Kirti Azad, the former India allrounder who was part of the World Cup squad in 1983. Last week, Azad went on a hunger strike outside Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla to protest the IPL, following its recent off-field controversies.”I have not received any intimation from the BCCI so far. Neither has anyone contacted me,” Azad told . “The question of acceptance or refusal of payment arises only when they get in touch me. But if they think that they can stop me from raising my voice by doing that, then they are wrong.”* – 0730GMT, May 23, 2012 – The story was updated to include the position of other former players

AB de Villiers has praised his team for showing “killer instinct” to close out the series against Pakistan, especially after their poor one-day showing in Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Nov-2013AB de Villiers has praised his team for showing a “killer instinct” to close out the series against Pakistan, especially after their poor one-day showing in Sri Lanka. He said he was also pleased that Quinton de Kock was showing his batting potential “so early” in his career.”Happy and proud of the boys with this series win away from home, especially after a really bad series in Sri Lanka,” de Villiers said after the match in Abu Dhabi on Friday. “I wasn’t thinking of [the fifth and final match in] Sharjah, I was thinking of one ball at a time, not to think too far ahead. Having won here two days ago, we had the confidence. If the decider had gone to Sharjah it would have been tight, but its good we wrapped things up here.”South Africa posted 266 for 5, and then bowled Pakistan out for 238 in a see-sawing chase. That South Africa got to 266 was mainly down to 20-year-old de Kock’s maiden ODI century. In the chase, Pakistan needed 45 off 36 with five wickets in hand. Then Dale Steyn struck with the big wicket of Misbah-ul-Haq in a triple-wicket over, and eventually went on to claim a career-best 5 for 25, as Pakistan slid from 228 for 5 to 238 all out.De Kock, like the rest of the team, did well to overcome the Sri Lanka series setback, de Villiers said. “Quinton de Kock is a serious talent for the future in South Africa. I was expecting him to come through in two or three years’ time but to do it so, so early, especially after a tough tour to Sri Lanka where he had some mental and technical issues, is great.” De Kock could not go past 27 in Sri Lanka in July, and like most of his team-mates, struggled in the spinner-friendly conditions.Steyn, de Villiers said, showed good spirit. “It’s nice to have Steyn in the team, I play around him and he has that killer instinct.”In fact, everyone had it in this game. I really enjoyed captaining tonight, it was a hard game, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy and Pakistan would come at us hard which they did. We hit back with our patience and the communication was pretty good. Hashim [Amla] was always at my ear and we took out catches and got some run-outs and things worked out. It’s a very proud moment for me to win a series away from home and would love to make it 4-1.”

Andre Russell and Shawn Findlay have said that a lack of unity in the Jamaica team cost them the Caribbean T20 final against Trinidad & Tobago

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jan-2012Andre Russell and Shawn Findlay have said that a lack of unity in the Jamaica team cost them the Caribbean T20 final against Trinidad & Tobago. Russell, the West Indies fast-bowling allrounder, said the players did not behave professionally because they were playing as individuals rather than as a team.”As a team it is about sticking together and we are kind of lacking in that department at the moment,” Russell told the . “It’s not professional for players to go on the field and some are doing one thing and some are doing another. We need to work together more as a team and if we can do that then just like how we win the other tournaments we can win the T20 as well.”Jamaica are the current champions in West Indies’ first-class and domestic 50-over competitions, and beat T&T easily in the Regional Super50 tournament final in October 2011; but they were thrashed by the same team in the Caribbean T20 final, which also cost them a place in the lucrative Champions League T20. Findlay, the Jamaica batsman, said the reversal in fortunes was due to division in the team.”The team spirit was not the best,” Findlay said. “Some of the players were not pulling for each other as we wanted it to be. We are not unified as we should be. On match days you tend to have one set of players pulling to one side and the others to a next. You’re never going to win a tournament like that.”When we won the Super50 tournament everybody was gelling together. We know we can win Twenty20 tournaments if we get to gel, as it is the gelling and chemistry that teams like Trinidad have over us.”David Bernard, the Jamaica captain, was less scathing of the team and said what was needed was more practice playing Twenty20 cricket. “A better preparation period, including the playing of more Twenty20 competitions and matches going into the next tournament, will go a long way towards helping us to get better,” Bernard said. “But to do this more resources are needed and one can only hope that the Jamaican Cricket Association can get the support from corporate Jamaica to do this going forward.”