All posts by n8rngtd.top

A win for Durham at Chester-le-Street would be a nice way for Paul Collingwood to go and there is every chance after Matt Salisbury set up a dominant opening day

ECB Reporters Network24-Sep-2018
ScorecardDurham have made the perfect start to Paul Collingwood’s final match, producing a strong performance to lead Middlesex by 106 runs on day one of their Specsavers County Championship Division Two clash at Emirates Riverside.Coach Jon Lewis demanded that his players put in a display to reflect the career of the former England all-rounder to respond from their humiliating defeat at the hands of Leicestershire last week. Matt Salisbury rose to the occasion with the ball, claiming his best figures in first-class cricket of 6 for 37 to bowl out the visitors for 121.Gareth Harte and Michael Richardson made fifties to lead the way with the bat as Durham bounced back from their abject efforts from Grace Road. Collingwood’s hopes of ending his career in style were dashed when he was dismissed for 32, although Harte was there at the close unbeaten on 76 with the home side ending the day 227 for 5.Middlesex made the curious choice to bat on a chilly September morning at Chester-le-Street, allowing Collingwood to receive a guard of honour from his team-mates. Nick Gubbins and Sam Robson made a decent start scoring 32 off the first seven overs. However, Salisbury made the breakthrough, producing a fine delivery to take Gubbins’ edge behind to Stuart Poynter for 19. The 25-year-old displayed a good rhythm after an underwhelming first over and he notched his second wicket of the morning by trapping Robson lbw.Chris Rushworth beat the bat several times before being rewarded with the scalp of Middlesex captain Dawid Malan. Salisbury kept bounding in with menace with almost every delivery, accounting for the wickets of Stevie Eskinazi and Robbie White. Mark Wood put Durham in control with the wickets of Max Holden and James Harris.Durham wrapped up the tail in just 16 deliveries at the start of the second session. Salisbury struck twice in the same to claim his maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket, dismissing James Fuller courtesy of a bizarre stroke along with Ethan Bamber. Wood wrapped up the innings when he bowled Tim Murtagh, claiming his third wicket of the day.The home side needed a response with the bat after being skittled twice in the sixties in their humiliating defeat at the hands of Leicestershire at Grace Road. Cameron Steel and Alex Lees were composed in the early stages, although both openers were out after making starts as Murtagh and Harris made inroads.Harte and Richardson held firm at the crease, guiding Durham past Middlesex’s first innings total. Richardson past fifty for the second time of the campaign, reaching the milestone off 67 balls, including six fours. However, he was unable to kick on as Murtagh struck to break the partnership of 89.Richardson’s dismissal brought the arrival of Collingwood, who received his second guard of honour of the day – this time from the visiting side. Harte eased the pressure on his skipper playing two fine strokes to reach his fifty off 98 balls.Collingwood was dropped on nine by Eskinazi, who took a blow to the face in the process, forcing him to exit the field. The Durham skipper played a couple of crisp drives through the covers before he fell for 32 to Bamber – leaving the crease at the Riverside for potentially the final time.Harte continued his innings unbeaten with Poynter at the end, with Durham boasting a healthy lead of 106 runs at the close.

Tasmania’s captain, George Bailey, was rewarded for his persistence as the men’s domestic player of the year

Daniel Brettig12-Feb-2018Australia’s leading allrounder Ellyse Perry has joined a select group in becoming a multiple winner of the Belinda Clark award as the nation’s women’s cricketer of the year.With 116 votes, Perry finished comfortably ahead of her nearest challenger Beth Mooney, at the end of a season in which she was a pivotal part of a successful Ashes campaign against England despite a shoulder surgery ruling out captain Meg Lanning. In doing so, Perry joined Lanning, Shelley Nitschke, Lisa Sthalekar and Karen Rolton as players to have secured the award on more than one occasion.The centrepiece of Perry’s year was a monumental, undefeated 213 in the Ashes Test match at North Sydney Oval , which secured a draw and all but ensured Australia would preserve the series lead they had established during the ODI component of the contest over the final Twenty20 matches. Perry’s all-round abilities were amply demonstrated by the fact she not only led all run-makers during the voting period but also finished third behind Megan Schutt and Jess Jonassen among the bowlers.The other major women’s winner of the night was Beth Mooney, who was named the domestic player of the year for an extremely consistent contribution with the bat over the voting period. Georgia Redmayne, the 24-year-old Hobart Hurricanes representative, was handed the Betty Wilson award as the young female player of the year.Tasmania’s captain, George Bailey, was rewarded for his persistence as the men’s domestic player of the year, racking up a combined 1468 runs at 52.43 across Sheffield Shield, domestic limited overs and Big Bash League games over the voting period, including a trio of centuries. This was a significant effort in response to his dumping from the Australian limited-overs team in December 2016, and an example to other mature-aged players (Bailey is 35) trying to improve their games.In reference to his now trademark closed stance, with his front leg and backside facing the bowler, Bailey joked that it had been a case of misunderstanding. Saying he had been devastated to lose his international place, and looking for advice, Bailey said he had been told by his father to “turn the other cheek” to the selectors. The unusual batting stance, Bailey deadpanned, had been the result.

Former South Africa cricketers weigh in after Australia coach labels Newlands crowd behaviour “disgraceful”

Firdose Moonda in Cape Town24-Mar-20181:59

Noise, grumbling and chatter: Everything that’s taking the sheen off a great series

Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith and veteran wicketkeeper Mark Boucher, have hit out at Australia coach Darren Lehmann and his team for calling the Newlands crowd “disgraceful” following the second day’s play of the third Test in Cape Town.At the end of the second day, during which Australia opener David Warner was confronted by a fan as he returned to the changeroom, and 12 other spectators were ejected from the ground for singing distasteful songs about Warner’s wife Candice, Lehmann said the fans had “gone too far,” and had made personal remarks about the Australian players’ partners and wives. Cricket Australia lodged an official complaint with Cricket South Africa, who beefed up security in response.

Zero tolerance to anti-social behaviour by fans – Sutherland

James Sutherland, the CA chief executive, said the chairman David Peever had confronted his opposite number Chris Nenzani over crowd behaviour at Newlands.
“We are extremely disappointed that a small number of fans have directed such offensive and inappropriate behaviour towards our players and members of their families,” Sutherland said. “Our Chairman David Peever, who is in Cape Town, has taken the matter up directly with relevant CSA officials, including President Chris Nenzani.
“We acknowledge that CSA is taking steps to ensure incidents like those yesterday are not repeated and we have encouraged the strongest possible action in response to such behaviour. People who behave in such a manner should not be welcome at cricket grounds anywhere in the world, and together with the ICC and all member countries, we strongly endorse a zero-tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour by fans.”

The only reaction from the South African camp so far was fast bowler Morne Morkel urging fans not to “get out line,” but Smith and Boucher have taken on Lehmann, effectively saying Australian crowds were the same, if not worse.”Correct Darren! Fully agree! But… start cleaning up in your own country first! The personal, racial abuse I’ve witnessed in Aus was ridiculous. U guys don’t live in a glass house! Why the fuss all of a sudden? Seems fine when the shoe is on the other foot,” Boucher tweeted in response to a clip of Lehmann posted by cricket.com.au, an account run by Cricket Australia.Smith responded to Boucher, pointing to the Australia team as a whole. He tweeted: “Absolutely right, and I don’t condone any of it… But blimey I have never seen an Aussie team whinge and whine like this!”Former South Africa spinner Paul Harris also added his voice, tweeting, “I cannot repeat what I was called numerous times in Aus. The personal and racial abuse was really out there. Shouldn’t throw stones in a glass house I say.”
South African players have been subjected to abuse from Australian crowds on several occasions in the past with Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Ashwell Prince, Garnett Kruger and Shaun Pollock all complaining of racial abuse in 2005-06. On South Africa’s most recent tour to Australia in November 2016, a spectator called Hashim Amla a terrorist in graffiti written on a fence at Bellerive Oval. The fan was banned from all Australian grounds for three years. In contrast, none of the fans involved in any incidents during the ongoing Cape Town Test, including the man who confronted Warner, have been banned, and though they were removed from the ground at the time of their indiscretion, they will be allowed back in.Some of the criticism of Lehmann stems from his own history in egging on crowds to act as a 12th man. In 2013, Lehmann said
said his players had called Stuart Broad “everything under the sun,” and hoped “the Australian public give it to him right from the word go for the whole summer and he cries and goes home,” after Broad did not walk when nicking off during the first Ashes Test that summer. Lehmann also called Broad a cheat and was fined 20% of his match fee.Earlier in this series, Quinton de Kock was disciplined – 25% of his match fee and one demerit point – for saying something inappropriate, when he made a comment to Warner about his wife during the Durban Test. De Kock was responding to hours of being sledged by Warner on-field and his jibe prompted an aggressive response from Warner, who had to be physically restrained by his team-mates on the stairwell leading to the players’ changeroom. Warner was charged with and found guilty of a Level 2 offence; he earned three demerit points and was fined 75% fee for his actions.At the time, both captains said the sledging had got personal, though they disagreed about what constituted a personal sledge. For South Africa, comments about physical appearance and weight – which Warner made to de Kock – fall into the category, while Australia regard anything to do with family as personal.Some sections of the South African fan-base have latched onto the idea of shaming the opposition’s other halves and wore masks bearing the face of Sonny-Bill Williams, the rugby player with whom Candice Warner had a liaison several years before marrying Warner, during the St George’s Park Test. Two CSA officials posed with the fans and have since been suspended. The masks have not made an appearance at Newlands, but a Sonny-Bill banner was confiscated on day one and people singing songs about Williams were removed from the stadium on day two.

It is not clear why Amir’s visa was issued later than the rest of the squad’s, but his arrival will no doubt boost an inexperienced pace attack

Osman Samiuddin24-Apr-2018Pakistan will not have to wait long to be reunited with Mohammad Amir, after the fast bowler’s UK visa was issued on Tuesday. The PCB confirmed that Amir will fly out to join the rest of the squad – who flew earlier this week – on Wednesday morning. That should place him in contention to play Pakistan’s first game on the tour, a four-day game against Kent in Canterbury that starts on April 28.It is not clear why Amir’s visa was issued later than the rest of the squad’s. Speculation centred on an application he has made for a longer-term UK visa, on the basis that he is married to a British citizen, but that was denied by the PCB.He faced a similar delay when Pakistan toured England in 2016, and the PCB had to ultimately engage the ECB for support in the process. It could be linked to the time Amir spent in jail in the UK after he admitted his guilt in the spot-fixing scandal on the 2010 tour.His arrival will be a boost to Pakistan and especially to a relatively inexperienced pace attack. Even though he has played just 30 Tests, he is by far the most experienced of the four specialist fast bowlers in the squad. Rahat Ali, who is returning after a spell out of the Test side, is the next most-experienced with only 20 Tests.Mohammad Abbas, who has made an impressive start to his Test career and is already playing county cricket for Leicestershire, has played just five Tests while Hasan Ali has just two.

The former Sussex captain and England allrounder replaces Beau Casson and will arrive in Australia next month

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jul-2019Michael Yardy, the former Sussex captain and England allrounder, has been named New South Wales batting coach, replacing Beau Casson who has decided to return to Western Australia for family reasons.Yardy, 38, has been Sussex batting coach since early 2017 and has been combining that with his role as the 2nd XI coach since the 2018 English season, while also working with the England Young Lions. He will link up with New South Wales next month in preparation for the Australian domestic season which starts in October.”I would like to thank the club for giving me the opportunity to coach at Sussex, a place which will always be very special to me and my family and which is deeply ingrained within me,” Yardy said. “I’m immensely proud to have played a part in the emergence of a number of young batsmen, from players being called up to England to seeing talented young lads start their journey with debuts and achieving landmarks across all formats.”Alongside my role at Sussex, I have immensely enjoyed my work with England Young Lions as batting coach. I leave both roles knowing the players I’ve worked with are in a good place to continue to progress. Now I am excited about and looking forward to the opportunity to work at New South Wales, which is an outstanding organisation. It was an opportunity I couldn’t afford to let pass by.”Yardy scored more than 10,000 first-class in a 15-year Sussex career alongside captaining the club from 2009 to 2012. He played 28 ODIs and 14 T20Is for England, and was part of the team which won the 2010 World T20 in the Caribbean, before his international career was ended due to clinical depression which curtailed his 2011 World Cup. He has since done much work to raise awareness of mental health.Casson was appointed batting coach last August amid a backroom restructuring at NSW. He played an important part in the breakthrough season for Kurtis Patterson, who forced his way into Australia’s Test team, scoring a century in his second match against Sri Lanka, and is now pushing for an Ashes berth. Casson has also worked with the state at a time when they have a number of emerging young batsmen including Jason Sangha and Jack Edwards.Cricket NSW general manager of cricket performance, David Moore, said: “We’ve got seven or eight really good players under the age of 21 at the moment that we think are going to be good players and we think Mike is going to be able to add his experience, not just technically and tactically, but really how he thinks about the game, how he devises his innings.”He’s coached at Premier League level in the UK, he’s coached Academy level, he’s coached at 2nd XI level and he’s also been involved with the Sussex first XI, so we’re very lucky that we’ve got someone of such experience and development. We’re obviously looking for Mike to come in and fit into the team beautifully, which we’re sure he will and…to assist in the development of players that are going to play for Australia and help us win Shield titles.”Sussex director of cricket Keith Greenfield said: “Yards has been a hugely important and committed part of Sussex’s journey for the best part of three decades in his roles as player, captain and latterly as coach.”We wish him well with his new opportunity in Australia as he strives to become the best coach possible and, one day, a head coach. We’re delighted at Sussex to have helped him on his way to those goals.”

Siddique took a four-for in the chase where Oman crumbled in the powerplay

Alagappan Muthu15-Sep-2025A skillful half-century from Alishan Sharafu and a dogged one from Muhammad Waseem took UAE to 172 for 5, and then a 42-run victory as well, in their Asia Cup game against Oman on Monday.

Sharafu’s method

Both teams were searching for their first points of the tournament and their challenge in Abu Dhabi was to negotiate a slow and low pitch. Sharafu did so by charging out of the crease. Twelve attempts just within the powerplay fetched all six of his fours.On the back of that, UAE, who were 11 for 0 after three overs, collected 39 runs off the next three and never looked back. Sharafu’s best shot, though, came outside the field restrictions, an inside-out drive over cover for six against legspinner Samay Shrivastava.

Waseem’s record

Waseem became the fourth-quickest batter to 3000 T20I runs, behind Mohammad Rizwan, Virat Kohli and Babar Azam. He wasn’t really at his best in this game. The 69 off 54 balls was often a struggle, but there were also clever moments, like when he saw a new bowler – Aamir Kaleem – coming on in the powerplay and smashed him for three fours in the over. Waseem went to his fifty with a trademark six down the ground.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Oman didn’t help themselves in the field. They had a chance to dismiss Waseem on 27 off 22 but the fielder wasn’t all the way back on the long-on boundary, and not only did he miss the catch but he also let it go for four. Then with Waseem on 34 off 33, Shakeel Ahmed dropped a dolly at short fine leg.UAE finished on 172 for 5 with their middle-order players chipping in with crucial runs. Harshit Kaushik and Muhammad Zohaib put together hit 40 off 21 balls.

Oman’s collapse

Jatinder Singh briefly looked like the best batter on show as he found ways to time the ball in slow and low conditions. He raced to 20 off 10 but soon enough hitting through the line on a surface where the ball wasn’t coming on came back to bite him. The Oman captain dragged Junaid Siddique back onto his stumps during a period where his team lost three wickets in 14 balls.The powerplay was still going and Oman had lost nearly half their side. Four of their top five bagged single-digits and from a start like that – 32 for 4, then 50 for 5 – all they could do was try and play out the overs. Siddique threw a spanner in those works too, taking two wickets in the 16th over and finishing with 4 for 23. Oman were bowled out for 130.

We get two winners. Here’s everything you need to know about the tournament that will bring new meaning and context to bilateral Test cricket

Nagraj Gollapudi29-Jul-2019What is this World Test Championship all about?Essentially, it is a league, like the zillions of T20 leagues out there, but this one is for Test cricket. It will be contested over two-year cycles, the first of which starts on August 1 with the opening Ashes Test at Edgbaston. The group phase officially began on July 16, 2019 and will run until March 31, 2021 after which the top two teams will contest a final.How many teams will participate?Nine of the 12 Full Member countries will contest in 27 series during the window. The nine teams are: Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Why has the WTC been brought in?For a long time, there have been attempts to bring additional context to Test cricket beyond the result of individual series. There are the Test rankings where the top team is anointed on April 1 each year, but that is just based a rolling table. The idea of the WTC is to have a Test ‘winner’ every two years – like the World Cups in other formats – creating something else to play for outside of the series result. It is also hoped that it will increase interest in all series within the WTC, regardless of who is playing, because it can have a knock-on effect on other team’s chances of reaching the final.How many series will each team play and do all series count?The teams will play three series each at home and away. Each series will comprise a minimum of two and maximum of five Test matches. Therefore, all the teams do not play each other in the WTC in the two-year cycle. There can also be series played outside the WTC – an example being the New Zealand v England in November which is part of the Future Tours Programme (FTP) but not the Championship.India go into the inaugural Test Championship as the world’s No. 1 team•Getty Images

Who decided on which series will be played under the WTC?The competing countries. Some of the series already committed in the previous FTP will now be played as part of the WTC with each team playing against some higher-ranked opposition and some lower-ranked opposition.How are points allocated?This is where things get a little complicated because, well, cricket can be complicated. For every series under the WTC, there are 120 points available, distributed evenly over the number of Tests in the series. So, for example, in the Ashes, which is a five-match series, there will be 24 points for each win. In a two-Test series (such as Sri Lanka v New Zealand and West Indies v India which also start in August) there will be 60 points for a win. A draw is worth one-third of the points for a win: so eight in the Ashes scenario above and 20 in a two-Test series. A tie, just in case we need to know, is worth half the points for a win.Ishita Mazumder/ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Anything else about the points we need to know?Recently the ICC had announced that teams will be docked points in the WTC for slow over-rates. Two points will be deducted for every over a team is behind at the end of a match.How will the finalists be determined and when will it be played?The top two teams on the points table at the end of the league phase will play the final, which will be played from June 10-14, 2021. It will be hosted by the ECB.ALSO READ: ‘We want every game in the Test championship to count,’ says Geoff Allardice, ICC general manager of cricketWhat will happen if the final ends in a draw or is tied?If the final ends in a tie or a draw, the two teams will be joint champions. Although the playing conditions allow for a reserve day, it can only be used if net playing time is lost during the scheduled five days of the final. Net playing time for every Test amounts to 30 hours of play (six hours per day).The reserve day kicks in only if the time lost during regulation play on each day is not made up on the same day. For example, if you lose an hour of play due to rain and then make it up by the end of the same day, then that is zero net time lost. But if you lose an entire day’s play due to rain and then make up, say, only three hours over the remaining four days, then you are short of net playing time for the match. That is when the reserve day kicks in.What about the other three Test-playing nations?Zimbabwe and the two latest Test nations, Afghanistan and Ireland, are the three who will not be part of the inaugural WTC. Zimbabwe are currently suspended by the ICC till October for government interference into cricket affairs. However, Afghanistan and Ireland will play Test series as part of the FTP, points from which will be considered for the Test rankings, but not the Championship.

The meeting was significant as it suggests that Kirsten is looking for a local coach to be involved in the set-up

Mohammad Isam22-May-2018Gary Kirsten, as part of his internal audit of the Bangladesh team, met with coach Mohammad Salahuddin on Tuesday morning in Dhaka. Salahuddin is a former Bangladesh assistant coach with much domestic success, including a BPL title with underdogs Comilla Victorians in 2015.The meeting was significant as it suggests that Kirsten is looking for a local coach to be involved in the set-up; once he is done with the audit, Kirsten is to offer his recommendations for the appointment of a full-time Bangladesh head coach.Kirsten also had sessions with Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman and the national selectors on the second day of the audit.More than the domestic trophies his teams have won, Salahuddin’s reputation and effectiveness with big-name players that sets him apart. Shakib Al Hasan is one of many Bangladesh cricketers who regularly take inputs from Salahuddin on technical and mental aspects. Once, during an IPL, Shakib returned to Dhaka to work on his batting for two days with Salahuddin. Last year, Mominul Haque took batting sessions with Salahuddin to deal with his struggles against against offspin.It has long been considered that Salahuddin is essential in the Bangladesh senior team’s coaching set-up. Last year, the BCB asked Salahuddin to join as a batting consultant but when he had arrived to complete formalities, he was told that the board had changed its mind.This is the first time since then that Salahuddin has been involved in any senior team matters. He said Kirsten asked him about the game in Bangladesh in general, and a little about himself too.”It was a pleasant experience meeting him but I don’t think he was meeting me as a coach. He was more of an administrator during our meeting,” Salahuddin told reporters at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel. “He had told me to come here today. He asked about Bangladesh cricket, our cricketers and he also asked about me.”

KL Rahul ranks the 2-2 draw in England as among India’s best achievements in Test cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Aug-20253:49

Bangar: Series result proves India is growing in stature

KL Rahul has said that a young team drawing the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2 in England “will rank right at the top” among India list of achievements in Test cricket.”For us, as a team that wasn’t given a chance in this series, for us to fight back and to fight in every game and to get a result which is 2-2 might seem like a draw, but for us and for Indian Test cricket going in the future, I think this will rank right at the top,” Rahul told the host broadcaster right after India won the fifth Test at The Oval by six runs on the final morning. “And this is where the change begins and the Indian Test team will go on to create many things and win many more series outside of India.””I’ve played cricket for a while. I have won the Champions Trophy. I’ve seen India lifting the World Cup. I mean, nothing compares with lifting the World Cup, but so many doubts, so many questions from everybody about whether Test cricket would stay or not… I think both the teams with the way we’ve played in this series, I think we’ve answered that question.”Related

• The agony, the ecstasy: 56 minutes of Test cricket at its most glorious

• 'Devastating' – Brook expresses regret after dismissal triggers England's Oval collapse

• How Woakes defied injury to front up in England's hour of need

• Siraj the star as India square series with epic six-run victory

• Gill: 'We are a gun team, and we have gun players'

Rahul added that while India would have loved to have won the series, the draw felt like a “satisfying” result. The series has been a gruelling one with all five matches going into the fifth day and both India and England having their moments.”Feeling is hard to describe,” he said. “Been here, toiled for 25 days. It took every inch out of us. Everything that we had, physically, mentally, emotionally, this Test series has taken everything away from all of us. And I think, at the end of 25 days, we’re standing here 2-2, absolutely proud of ourselves.”So satisfying to be here and draw the series. Would have loved to win this series. But for a young team to come here and for a lot of us to step up and show the world that we can compete, we can win games outside of India, yeah, it’s truly a testament to what this team is and what Indian cricket means.”Rahul also said it felt “a bit weird” to not have the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and R Ashwin, who all retired from Test cricket over the past few months, around. That meant additional responsibility for the opener, who is on his third tour to England, and he responded with 532 runs in ten innings at 53.20 – the third-highest for the series.”Yes, it hit me when I joined the team,” Rahul said on the absence of the three seniors. “I was here about two weeks earlier playing for India A and it didn’t hit me back then, but once I joined the team and I looked around and I didn’t have a Rohit, a Virat, an Ashwin.KL Rahul was the third-highest run-getter in the series•Getty Images

“But yeah, that’s when it hit me that everyone else is looking at me, coming to me to ask about English conditions, what they need to do, how they need to prepare. That’s when it hit me that, ‘okay, I’ve stepped into a different role now and it’s time for me to help the younger guys, use all the experience I’ve had of playing Test cricket and international cricket over the years and really put my hand up and stand up for this team’.”This moment almost feels like this is a young team that’s going to stay there for a long time.”On a personal level, Rahul said he was “really happy” with his performance. “When India are touring England, it’s always a challenge,” he said. “The most important thing is for the openers to give the team a solid start and then continue and get as many runs as I can. That was my goal. I was really focused and really wanted the series to go well for me. And I wanted to do the job for the team and put my hands up and take that responsibility.”Rahul hailed the performance of Shubman Gill, who in his first series as captain scored 754 runs in ten innings, breaking a number of records on the way. He also heaped praise on several of his team-mates, who put up their hands at critical junctures all through the series.Shubman Gill had a series to remember•Getty Images

“Shubman has been phenomenal,” Rahul said. “He’s really led from the front, worked on the boys behind the scenes as well, forming connections which a lot of people don’t see, but I think that’s really important to do as a captain and he’s done that. He’s been tactically really good.”The changes he’s made over the series has always got us the wickets somehow. I think he will grow as a really, really good Test captain. I don’t want to speak too much about his individual performance because he has shown the world what he can do in all three formats. And, especially this series, the way he batted. I think it was phenomenal to watch, phenomenal to bat with him, and there’s so much I get to learn from him.”But also, there have been so many other performances. [Mohammed] Siraj being the highest wicket-taker in the series, [Ravindra] Jadeja has got 500 [516] runs, which is really crucial down the order. Not to forget Rishabh’s [Pant] contributions, Jassi’s [Jasprit Bumrah] contributions, Prasidh [Krishna] stepping up, Akash [Deep] stepping up, Washington [Sundar] stepping up.”I think it’s been a complete team performance. There have been four or five people in every game that have stood up and delivered for the team. So that gives us more satisfaction than this whole series. And this whole series, almost a series victory, is because of how we played as a team.”

Lancashire skittled before hitting back with ball, but visitors have final word with Jennings dismissal

ECB Reporters Network17-Sep-2024Twenty-one wickets fell on the first day of the Vitality County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford where title-chasing Somerset earned just a six-run first-innings lead over Lancashire, who probably need to win this game to avoid relegation.Replying to Lancashire’s 140 on a seam-bowler’s pitch, Somerset made only 146 but then took the vital wicket of Keaton Jennings for 4 as the home side ended a bizarre day on 16 for 1, giving them a lead of ten runs.In the first three hours of of play, Lancashire were dismissed for 140 in 40 overs with Craig Overton and Lewis Gregory picking up four wickets apiece and the only substantial resistance being offered by the home side’s skipper, Jennings, who made 56.However, Lancashire’s seamers operated just as effectively, George Balderson taking 4 for 50 and Tom Bailey 4 for 37 as Somerset took a seemingly paltry lead.Having opted to field, Somerset’s quicker bowlers made good use of an olive-coloured pitch on the edge of the square to take four wickets in the first session. The first batter dismissed was Harry Singh, whose maiden Championship innings ended on 7 when he edged Overton to Tom Lammonby at third slip.Four overs later, Josh Bohannon followed for just 4 when he was beaten by a fine ball from Overton and nicked a catch to wicketkeeper James Rew. Rocky Flintoff was bowled for 7 when he inside-edged an attempted off drive to a ball from Kacey Aldridge into his middle stump and the same bowler took his second wicket in similar fashion when Jennings’s front-foot slash only diverted the ball into his stumps.Three balls previously, Jennings had reached his fifty and three runs off the next delivery from Brett Randell saw him reach 1000 Championship runs for the season. However, his dismissal for 56 left Lancashire on 85 for 4 and Somerset might have been reflecting that things would have been even better for them had not Aldridge dropped Jennings at slip off Overton’s first ball of the game.Things declined rapidly for the home side early in the afternoon session as they lost their next four wickets for one run in 24 balls and their last six for 33 runs in less than an hour’s cricket. Gregory dismissed four of the batters to finish with 4 for 50 and Overton picked up two more to return figures of 4 for 32 from 15 overs.Despite losing Andy Umeed, caught by Jennings off Tom Bailey, to the first ball of their innings, Somerset added 58 runs in relatively untroubled fashion until they lost three wickets in 13 balls just before tea.Archie Vaughan, who made 21, and Tom Kohler-Cadmore were both caught behind off Balderson and those dismissals sandwiched the departure of Lammonby, who pushed forward to Will Williams when he had made 36 and nicked a catch to George Bell at slip.Things got no better for Somerset immediately after tea when Rew became the third batsman to be caught behind by Matty Hurst off Balderson and Rew’s dismissal for 4 was quickly followed by that of Aldridge, who lost his off stump to Balderson when he had made a single, to leave Somerset on 83 for 6.Gregory and Tom Abell inched their side towards Lancashire’s total with a 34-run partnership for the seventh wicket but Bailey had Abell caught behind for 22 and then dismissed Overton and Randell, both leg before wicket, in the space of three deliveries, Overton falling to an outrageous slower ball.Jack Leach then helped Gregory put on a priceless 25 for the last wicket before he was caught behind off Anderson Philip for 13, Hurst taking his fifth catch of the innings.Five overs before the close, Jennings edged Gregory to Andy Umeed at slip and the day ended with Singh and nightwatchman Williams defending stoutly against the Somerset attack.