Sri Lanka stand at serious risk of going into the World Cup without having won a single match this year

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando15-Mar-2019

Big Picture

They have won the first four games so easily that South Africa might now be thinking whether they can really read that much into these results against Sri Lanka. So weak has their opposition been that it is hardly the pre-World Cup priming that South Africa would have yearned for. Only occasionally have Sri Lanka put South Africa under pressure with the ball, while Sri Lanka’s batting has been consistently brittle – no more so than on Wednesday, when only a No. 9’s 78 prevented them from crashing to a truly embarrassing score.So what can the hosts gain from this deadest of rubbers? South Africa opener Reeza Hendricks, who could get one final chance at the top of the order, needs some big runs to assert his World Cup case (although it is possible that ship has already sailed, given his scores of 1, 29, 4 and 8 so far in the series). Aiden Markram needs a decent score to back up his monstrous domestic form as well, in order to suggest to the selectors he has what it takes to cut it mentally in top-flight limited-overs cricket. Dale Steyn could do with some wickets, while JP Duminy will be hoping to produce a performance of significance as he farewells his home ground in this format.Sri Lanka, as ever, are searching for a victory. Any victory. Their coach may be on the brink of being sacked. Their captain’s job could also be on the line. And seven ODIs into 2019, they are yet to win a match, which means they stand at serious risk of going into the World Cup without having won a single match this year.

Form guide

South Africa WWWWW (completed matches, most recent first)
Sri LankaLLLLL

In the spotlight

Not quite as fast as Kagiso Rabada, nor nearly as decorated as Steyn, Lungi Ngidi is quietly putting together the beginnings of an excellent career. He had just returned from injury, but is the top fast-bowling wicket-taker in the series, with seven wickets at an average of 17.28. He will face tougher opponents in future, but in 17 matches so far, he has 33 wickets at an average of 21.81.Can Lasith Malinga raise himself and his team out of this funk? He has been outspoken about the batsmen not taking the opportunities afforded to them through the course of this series, but has himself, at times, been lackadaisical – both in the field, and with the bat in hand. On Wednesday, he failed to slide his bat in, and got himself run-out by a direct hit. There is no doubt that he is one of the smartest cricketers to ever play for Sri Lanka, but it takes more than strategy to lead a team – particularly one that has been struggling in recent years.

Team news

South Africa may play the same XI that won the Port Elizabeth ODI.South Africa (possible): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Aiden Markram, 4 Faf du Plessis (capt), 5 JP Duminy, 6 David Miller, 7 Andile Phehlukwayo, 8 Dale Steyn, 9 Anrich Nortje, 10 Lungi Ngidi, 11 Tabraiz ShamsiSri Lanka might stick with Priyamal Perera in the middle order, despite his having been dismissed for a golden duck on debut. However, they may also think about bringing Angelo Perera into the side.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Avishka Fernando, 3 Oshada Fernando, 4 Kusal Mendis (wk), 5 Priyamal Perera, 6 Kamindu Mendis, 7 Dhananjaya de Silva, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Isuru Udana, 10 Lasith Malinga (capt), 11 Kasun Rajitha

Pitch and conditions

The weather is expected to be good in Cape Town, with temperatures in the mid-20s. This surface is expected to be a little on the slower side, with not a lot of assistance expected for the bowlers. The last two ODIs in Cape Town have yielded first-innings totals in excess of 300.

Stats and trivia

• Sri Lanka have lost both previous ODIs against South Africa at Newlands although they did beat West Indies at this venue during the 2003 World Cup.
• Quinton de Kock has 347 runs in the series so far, with an average of 86.75 and a strike rate of 113.02.
• Sri Lanka’s best batsman, Kusal Mendis, has hit 146 runs at an average of 36.5. Only Mendis and Isuru Udana have struck half-centuries for the visitors in the series.

James Vince produces the highest one-day score in England for over a decade as Hampshire cruise to victory

ECB Reporters Network26-Apr-2019James Vince produced the highest one-day score in England for over a decade with an incredible 190 as Hampshire remained unbeaten in the Royal London Cup with victory over Gloucestershire.No player had scored as many since Ravi Bopara for Essex in 2008, but Vince crashed the highest individual total for a Hampshire player in List A cricket – beating his own previous best of 178. The innings was even more special for the situation, having arrived at the crease in the second over before Hampshire were reduced to 65 for 4 and struggling.Vince put on a record 186-run stand for the fifth wicket with Liam Dawson and guided his side to 331 before Hampshire bowled Gloucestershire out for 246 to complete a 71-run victory by the DLS method.Hampshire were put in on a good-quality wicket, with variable conditions throughout the match, and initially struggled, with Chris Liddle the chief destroyer with the ball.David Payne was the first to strike as Tom Alsop attempted an extravagant drive in the second over and was bowled through the gate. Fast bowler Liddle then entered to find Aiden Markram edging behind before forcing Sam Northeast and Rilee Rossouw to chop onto their own stumps.Enter Dawson, to accompany, and save the innings with Vince. Both carefully negotiated the niggling line and length of the Gloucestershire attack before fluently moving to fifties, both from 63 balls.Together they added 186 runs to steam Hampshire into a strong position, before Dawson fell for 73 as he picked out Benny Howell at long-on to hand Liddle figures of 4 for 66.Vince has now passed fifty in three of his four one-day innings this summer – and given the England selectors a push ahead of the World Cup this summer if any of the currently selected players suffers an injury.This was must-watch cricket as he moved through the gears and struck five huge sixes – the pick of which saw him dance down the wicket and deposit a checked cover driver over the off-side. He reached 100 in 111 balls, 150 in 138 as he rattled his total from 100 to 190 in 43 deliveries.Vince’s assault saw his side score 114 runs in the last 10 overs, although James Fuller’s handy 21 off 13, which included the biggest maximum of the day over squad leg, helped the cause.Vince eventually succumbed for 190 before scooping to Tom Smith at point and was given a rapturous reception from the Ageas Bowl members.With DLS altering the target to 318 off 47 overs, Kyle Abbott stunted Gloucestershire’s reply by dismissing George Hankins in the third over, caught at point by Northeast, and then Gareth Roderick, caught and bowled. Captain Chris Dent was then run out by Northeast’s direct hit, as the visitors slumped to 38 for 3.Mason Crane, who posted 3 for 64, had James Bracey caught by a stunning outfield catch by Dawson, before Howell was lbw to the leg-spinner.Jack Taylor was bowled by Crane, before Dawson had Graeme van Buuren stumped and Smith castled to complete figures of 2 for 32. Brad Wheal bowled Ryan Higgins, before Hampshire were held up by a 50-run stand for the last wicket between Payne and Liddle, eventually completing their victory with 19 balls to spare.

For Ireland, finishing the tri-series with a win over Bangladesh should soften the blow of elimination and inject some much-needed confidence going forward

Mohammad Isam14-May-2019

Big picture

A dead rubber ahead of a final, but more importantly ahead of the World Cup means Bangladesh have the luxury to experiment with their line-up. In the matches gone by, Mashrafe Mortaza gave himself and the rest of the bowlers challenges to bowl in different phases of the innings, although he kept the batting line-up intact.Against Ireland, they could look to give any of Liton Das, Mosaddek Hossain or Yasir Ali a go, but they will also be mindful of the fact that Sabbir Rahman hasn’t had a proper bat despite playing both matches.The bowlers, who have done well in both games against the West Indies, could get a rest ahead of a busy schedule. The team management might have to assess the match fitness and form of Taskin Ahmed and Rubel Hossain, and maybe have a look at Nayeem Hasan and Farhad Reza.Andy Balbirnie’s 135 and fifties from Paul Stirling and Kevin O’Brien were bright spots for Ireland in another defeat against West Indies. They might be out of the tournament but the season’s just started and they have important cricket later this year, against Zimbabwe and England. This game is another opportunity for them to find a better combination, particularly in their bowling department, having conceded 381 in the tournament opener before failing to defend 327 in the last match. Finishing the tri-series with a win over Bangladesh should soften the blow of elimination and inject some much-needed confidence going forward.

Form guide

Ireland: LLLWL (Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh: WWLLL

In the spotlight

Andy Balbirnie has become a banker for Ireland’s top order, having scored two centuries in eight ODIs this year. He has been around since 2010, but has only started to come into his own in the last couple of years. He has been Ireland’s leading run-scorer since January 2018, averaging in excess of 47 during this period. Before that, his career average was hovering around 24.After an iffy season, Mustafizur Rahman was finally back to his best, getting his cutters to break and grip off the pitch as he took a four-for against West Indies. There couldn’t have been a better time for the seamer to find form, with the World Cup now just two weeks away.Andy Balbirnie raises his bat after a fine century•Getty Images

Team news

Ireland have a few options on the bench. Offspinner Andy McBrine, who hasn’t played in the tri-series, might get a look in. Also, will captain William Porterfield remain at No.4, after batting in that position for the first time across formats in the last match?Ireland (probable): 1 Paul Stirling, 2 James McCollum, Andy Balbirnie, 5 William Porterfield (capt), 6 Kevin O’Brien, 6 Mark Adair, 7 Gary Wilson (wk), 8 George Dockrell, 9 Boyd Rankin, 10 Tim Murtagh/Andy McBrine, 11 Josh LittleTheoretically, Bangladesh can make up to six changes but the likelihood of tweaking the bowling attack is higher.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Mohammad Mithun, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Sabbir Rahman, 8 Abu Jayed/Farhad Reza, 9 Mehidy Hasan Miraz/Nayeem Hasan, 10 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 11 Mustafizur Rahman/Taskin Ahmed

Pitch and conditions

There’s going to be a bit of cloud around but the forecast is of mostly clear weather. Should be another good day for batting.

Stats and trivia

• Shakib Al Hasan has the chance to become the fastest cricketer to complete the double of 250 wickets and 5,000-plus runs in ODIs if he takes one wicket against Ireland tomorrow. He will do it faster than Sanath Jayasuriya (304 matches), Shahid Afridi (273 matches), Jacques Kallis (296 matches) and Abdul Razzaq (234 matches) among those who have achieved this.
• Boyd Rankin is five short of 100 ODI wickets, although ten of his 95 wickets have come while playing for England.
• Their defeat to West Indies in the previous game was the third time Ireland lost after making a 300-plus score batting first.
  

England v Australia looks set to be a quality encounter with plenty of context – exactly what the World Cup should be about

George Dobell23-Jun-2019Heading into the World Cup, it was England’s batting that was perceived as their strength. It was a reasonable assumption, too, based on a succession of vast scores that had taken them to the No. 1 world ranking.The reputation of their bowling attack was more modest. It looked sound, certainly, but appeared to lack the potential match-winners that studded that batting line-up. It sometimes seemed England were resigned to conceding vast scores, but confident their batsmen could score one more.Now? Well, they have two bowlers in the top five wicket-takers in the World Cup. Their two opening bowlers have delivered the two fastest deliveries of the tournament. And they have two men in the top five of the bowling averages (with a minimum of eight wickets) and four men in the top 14 economy rates (with a minimum of 28 overs). Irrespective of the results – we’ll come on to that – you could make a case arguing they are a stronger, better-balanced side.Key to that improvement has been the emergence of Jofra Archer. Coming from a nation (Barbados) that has an incredible record of developing fast bowlers to a nation (England) with an incredible record of breaking them, his qualification has been received like a starving man coming upon an all you can eat restaurant. His arrival has not only given England’s attack a cutting edge they have lacked for a long time but his partnership with Mark Wood, every bit as quick but shorter and therefore presenting different challenges, has given England a partnership to savour. They have, between them, 27 wickets in this tournament. Wood with 12 (at an average of 16.91 and an economy-rate of 4.75) and Archer with 15 (at an average of 17.93 and an economy-rate of 4.90). Nobody has more than him.Mark Wood celebrates after dismissing Lasith Malinga•Getty Images

Underlining his potency and consistency, Archer has claimed three-wicket hauls in five of the six matches England have played in the tournament. He is dangerous with the new ball, dangerous when he comes back in mid-innings and as good as they have at the death. It is a fine effort for a man new to international cricket.Tuesday offers another ‘first’ for Archer. He has yet to play against Australia in international cricket and he didn’t bowl in the warm-up game against them in Southampton. This will be, then, a first serious introduction to the oldest rivalry in the international game.Not that he is a stranger to many of the opposition. He has played with or against many of them in various T20 leagues and hopes that, despite his inexperience at international level, he can provide some tactical insight to his team. Notably, he and Ben Stokes played alongside Steve Smith at Rajasthan Royals. And while Archer describes Smith as a friend, it is clear that relationship will be shelved until the game is over.”He’s a really good guy,” Archer says of Smith. “Cricket is cricket and I guess there is time to be friends after the game. But until the game is over, there will be nothing friendly about it.”I didn’t bowl at him much in the nets during the IPL. A lot of the guys probably don’t want to face me in the nets. They like the side-arm and the throws.”But when you play with people, you pick up on things you won’t normally notice when you’re just playing against them. So hopefully me and Stokes can get together – I think we might bowl together at some point – as we probably know what to do when he’s in.”We’re pretty up for the game. The guys weren’t too down about the last game. The guys were a bit more surprised than anything. We know that anything can happen on the day and Sri Lanka bowled really well. We just have to try to make wrong things right.”ALSO READ: Langer backs Australia’s under-fire batting gameplansSo, with the bowling attack now offering similar match-winning potential to the batting line-up, why is it that England’s progress is in jeopardy? Well, if this was South Africa we were talking about, you can guarantee the ‘choke’ word would have cropped up by now. And there was something about the nervous fielding at The Oval – a key ingredient in the defeat against Pakistan – and the nervous run-chase at Headingley – a key ingredient in the defeat against Sri Lanka – that supported such a theory. It might be remembered that England suffered an attack of stage fright in the Champions Trophy semi-final of 2017 and, perhaps, in the final of 2013, too.Maybe that’s not surprising. A huge amount has been invested in this England side: they have been charged, among other things, with inspiring a new generation of supporters to the game and reviving the sport in this country. To do that, they are expected not just to win, but to win with style and a smile. All of a sudden, the burden of expectation and hope from a nation that has never won this trophy – and which may well never have another realistic chance – is starting to weigh heavily. In that context, it’s hardly surprising Jason Roy has been sent for a second scan on his hamstring. England are very keen to have him back for Sunday’s match against India.While Archer admits semi-final qualification has become “tighter than we would have liked” he has chosen to interpret England’s current situation as a positive. As he sees it – as the entire camp see it – they no longer have a chance to dwell or dither: they simply have to seize the moment and fling themselves into every match with the positivity and confidence that took them to No. 1 in the rankings. It’s less than a year since they defeated Australia 5-0 in an ODI series, after all, though this Australia looks substantially stronger.”I think this is a chance to really see where our game is,” Archer said. “They’re at the top of the table and more than likely to go through. So if we get through, we should be OK to pretty much win anything. If we could beat them now and then have to play them again we’ll be OK.”We just need to keep playing the cricket we’ve been playing for the last couple of years and we’ll be fine. There is no need to try and change anything after one loss.”He’s probably right. And while this Australia team looks much improved from the one whitewashed last year, England didn’t have Archer in the side then. This looks set to be a high-quality encounter with plenty of context. It is, in short, exactly what the World Cup should be about.

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.”

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.

In the many recriminations and deliberations that followed the Newlands scandal, there was little doubt that Bancroft had the hardest road back to regaining a place in the Australian team

Daniel Brettig27-Jul-2019Seventeen months ago, Cameron Bancroft sat in a room at the WACA Ground, flanked by the state’s chief executive Christina Matthews, and conveyed his greatest disappointment about the Newlands ball tampering scandal in which he had been a pivotal figure.”Through the last few days, sitting in my own company, the thing that breaks my heart the most is that I have given up my spot in the team for somebody else for free,” he said. “People know that I’ve worked so hard to be able to get to this stage in my career, and to know that I have just given somebody an opportunity for free is devastating for me.”In the many recriminations and deliberations that followed the scandal, there was little doubt that Bancroft had the hardest road back to regaining a place in the Australian team. For while Steven Smith and David Warner were acknowledged as world class talents, Bancroft was a batsman still making his way, struggling as much as thriving in his first eight matches against England and South Africa. Countless others had the chance to bar Bancroft from returning through their own performance.Yet Bancroft never lost sight of his goal – keeping his baggy green cap in full view at home in Perth, then carrying it with him to a county stint with Durham. Through runs there, and then by wearing numerous blows to the body in making the unbeaten 93 on a fiendish Southampton pitch, Bancroft convinced the selectors he was worthy of a return, foiling the likes of Joe Burns, Kurtis Patterson, Peter Handscomb and Will Pucovski in the process. He’s got his spot back, and has no intention of giving it away “for free” again.”It’s good motivation isn’t it, to look at it and go ‘yeah i’m playing cricket but there’s something bigger I eventually want to be able to get back to’,” Bancroft said of his cap. “I guess it was good motivation to keep working hard, keep training. yeah. whenever that happened, it was out of my control. it was just a bit of inspiration and motivation to keep my goals and keep focused.”At home it’s got its little spot that it sits in outside my bedroom. yeah I kept it there . It’s something you’re obviously very proud of it. it’s a very prestigious item to have and you take good care of it because it means something to you. So that’s kind of how I dealt with that and being able to see that is obviously really good to focus your goals and where you want to be going.”Definitely times when I was challenged a lot. but like anything, you go through those moments the best you can. You learn a bit about what you need to do to keep moving forward, and just take it day by day really. If you ask me 18 months ago if I’d be sitting here, it was probably the last thing from my mind.”Ask Bancroft about Australian cricket culture since Newlands, and the response is instructive. He focuses not on fitting in around others, but on doing the right things in his own mind. Through the tribulations of the past year or so, including the loss of his contract with Durham for 2018, reinstated this year, Bancroft also learned to be somewhat less obsessive about the game. “One of the big lessons that I learnt last year was about being true to yourself,” Bancroft said.Steven Smith and Cameron Bancroft could end up in the same Australia XI once more•Getty Images

“There is no doubt that I wasn’t as true to myself as I could have been at times. You learn from those mistakes that you make and you try and be better moving forward. At the end of the day, what you do and your actions is completely up to you. I made a mistake and I’ll learn from it and move forward and get better.”I think being serious about cricket is important but I think it’s also about being able to realise the game is just a game of cricket. There’s certainly other parts of your life that you can value, that are important too. I definitely connected with more of that last year and certainly opened up new avenues that I hadn’t done before. They’ve brought a lot of enjoyment and happiness to my life, so for that it was a good experience and i’d like to think it’s helped me enjoy cricket in a different way.”Those avenues included meditation and yoga, accompanied by running plenty of kilometres (about 35 a week) to maintain the fitness and strength that helped make Bancroft one of the most durable batsmen in the Australian system. All these things helped build resilience, not only to the ball hurled down at him, but the volleys of abuse he faced with Durham that will doubtless be multiplied during the heat of an Ashes series in England.”Sure, there were times when people booed or what not, or ask you to sign pieces of sandpaper, stuff like that. But it doesn’t faze me. I just get on with it,” Bancroft said.”It doesn’t bother me too much. It is what it is. People will react how they want to react. Hopefully I can use it if people want to be like that, to give you energy to perform well. I can’t control that. I guess the journey that I’ve been through over the last 18 months, you get exposed to things like that. I’ll just deal with it and keep moving forward.”I think how people want to feel about that and react, I guess, is really how they want to deal with that. For me it’s just about playing good cricket. That’s kind of where I’m at right now. That’s definitely the thing that I can change and impact on moving forward, so that’s certainly where my focus will be right now.”Dealing with a moving ball was something central to Bancroft’s desire to return to Durham, and the lessons of the stint were writ large across his Southampton innings. Playing the ball late, judging the whereabouts of his off stump, leaning gently, head over the ball, into his drives, Bancroft combined physical toughness with the light touch required to avoid edges, pads and stumps being exposed to quality bowlers.Cameron Bancroft plays through the off side•Getty Images/NurPhoto

“I’ve worked on a lot of parts to my game, where my bat comes down, my back-foot play, how I move my feet, everything,” Bancroft said. “You’re just fine-tuning all those details to be a better cricketer. I’ve had a lot of time to be off the park and in the nets to do that and I guess each time you play is an opportunity to make that a part of your batting. That learning process is never ending and I’ll keep working hard.”Certainly up in Durham, dealing with sideways movement is part of batting up there. You don’t always feel like you’re 100% on top of the bowling or the game but you just do the best you can while feeling a little bit uncomfortable out there, not feeling in complete control. I think they were the conditions in Southampton and it was nice to be able to do that and I’m sure I learned a lot at Durham. There were times out there when i felt like ‘I’ve seen this before, this is like batting at the Riverside a little bit. That’s learning i guess.”I’d certainly much rather get hit than get out at times, so yeah. It was just – there’s certainly a bit of luck involved. No doubt about it on a pitch like that – and I had my fair share of luck, no doubt about it. You just stick to a game plan you think’s going to be successful out there and as much as the ball was going up and down – frighteningly at times – the ball just nipping back and being able to attack your stumps, for me was far more dangerous than worrying about the ball was that bouncing a bit. But they’re potentially conditions we could face at some point in the series and I guess you learn from the past and that helps you in the future.”As for his reunion with Smith and Warner, Bancroft agreed that all had taken paths that were lonely at times, on their way back to the national team, its pressures and rewards. “For all three of us, really, our journeys were all different,” Bancroft said.”We all fought battles that were very personal and very different. But I think understanding each other and what each other was going through was certainly something that happened. It’s nice to be back in the side, it’s nice to see Dave, it’s nice to see all the boys, not just him. I guess as you connect closer together as a team, you build that good culture the Australian cricket team has been looking to improve.”

There may be concern that the rest of the batsmen – notably Martin Guptill who needed 24 balls to make only 22 – had left their work only half done

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Aug-2019The last time we saw Colin Munro, he was struggling to keep his place in the New Zealand side, eventually elbowed out as they went into the World Cup final on the back of several hair-raising finishes. The team wanted fast starts. He couldn’t provide them. Someone else took his place. Simple logic. And yet it never applies in T20 cricket because somehow the left-hander just raises his game when it’s shrunk like that.Munro produced another vintage show in Katunayake ahead of the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, hitting 48 off 27 balls and having to retire out so that the others could have a bit of fun. By then, he’d been responsible for nearly 70% of the New Zealanders’ total and had put them comfortably ahead of the game. That luxury eventually proved a necessity because, having opted to bat, the visitors slipped from 69 for 0 to 84 for 3 as legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga gave them a reminder of the kind of problems they will face when the T20I series begins in Kandy on Sunday.Ross Taylor was able to shore up the batting, scoring 43 brisk runs before he too retired, but there may be concern that the rest of the batsmen – notably Martin Guptill who needed 24 balls to make only 22 – had left their work only half done.The bowling, however, was top notch. Four of the six men that the captain Tim Southee used conceded less than six runs an over, including himself. Scott Kuggeleijn did the most damage, picking up three of the first four wickets to fall, by which time the Sri Lankan Board President’s XI had only made 37 runs in 8.1 overs, effectively ending the contest.Ish Sodhi had some fun with the tail, picking up 3 for 43. There was still good news for Sri Lanka despite the loss with Nuwan Pradeep playing his first competitive game since leaving the World Cup with chicken pox. The fast bowler took the new ball and sent down two overs for 18 runs. Other notable performers for the hosts included Kasun Rajitha, who picked up 1 for 23 and Dasun Shanaka who gave a glimpse of his big-hitting ability with an 11-ball 25 that included two fours and two sixes.

Ali Asfak Thara was arrested on Monday in Bengaluru and booked for gambling under the Karnataka Police Act

Nagraj Gollapudi24-Sep-2019Ali Asfak Thara, the owner of Karnataka Premier League (KPL) franchise Belagavi Panthers, has been arrested for allegedly betting on the tournament. Thara was arrested on Monday by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) in Bengaluru and booked for gambling under the Karnataka Police Act.According to Sandeep Patil, joint commissioner of police (crime), there was enough evidence to establish Thara was involved in betting during the last edition of the KPL. “The team owner was found to be indulging in betting during the matches,” Patil told ESPNcricinfo. “We have sufficient evidence to show that he was betting.”The Panthers lost in Qualifier 2 against Hubli Tigers in the recently-concluded eighth season of the KPL. The tournament, the first T20 league conducted in India by a state association, is organised by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). Among the players in the Panthers squad is India batsman Manish Pandey.According to Patil, the police will, during their investigations, also probe whether Thara, who informed them that he was in contact with a bookie, was involved in any form of match-fixing. “He placed bets with a bookie who is allegedly in Dubai. If a team owner bets we have to see if the was any kind of match-fixing also.”ALSO READ: BCCI ACU launches inquiry into alleged approaches in TNPL 2019Patil confirmed that the police would be speaking with players and team officials as part of the investigation too. “Ali was in touch with players of other teams during KPL. The players are being enquired.”The CCB is in touch with both KSCA as well as BCCI’s anti-corruption unit (ACU) which provides cover for the KPL. “Based on the police report, the ACU will check what all violations have been conducted under our code,” Ajit Singh Shekhawat, the head of ACU, said.Incidentally, this is the second state-conducted T20 league which has come under the corruption cloud. Recently, the BCCI ACU said it had begun an inquiry into approaches made to players from alleged corrupt elements during this year’s Tamil Nadu Premier League.

Former India allrounder says the new format is an “exciting” development and could be ideal for the Olympics

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Nov-2019Yuvraj Singh, the former India allrounder, believes that 100-ball cricket could have an impact on the game similar to that of T20s.The Hundred is set to be launched in England next year, with the ECB deciding to promote a new format as part of its bid to attract fresh audiences. Although Yuvraj is not due to be involved – only one Indian player, Harbhajan Singh, entered the draft and he subsequently withdrew – he praised it as an exciting concept that may come “close to a revolution like T20″.Yuvraj, who retired from international cricket and the IPL in June, is currently participating in the Abu Dhabi T10, which got underway on Friday. Speaking to Maratha Arabians media, he suggested that 100-ball cricket was of interest to him.”I think the new 100-ball format will be an exciting format, because it’s not T10, it’s not T20, it’s about 100 balls,” he said. “That I feel could be an exciting format, close to a revolution like T20 – but we have to wait and watch.”While Eoin Morgan, England’s limited-overs captain who is also playing in Abu Dhabi, has described T10 as cricket’s perfect vehicle for Olympic Games inclusion, Yuvraj said The Hundred could also be an option.”If the tournament [Olympics] is over about two weeks, I think 100-ball would be perfect,” he said. “If the tournament is, say, ten days, then obviously T10 would be perfect. Depending on the timeframe of the Olympics. I think an Olympic gold is very prestigious, so it has to be something in which an athlete should be able to bounce back in situations, so you have to decide that.”As for the merits of ten-over cricket, Yuvraj said he was uncertain about whether it would spread further, because “you don’t have any time to get set and get going”. Yuvraj made a run-a-ball 6 in the Arabians’ defeat against Northern Warriors as the T10 league opened for its third edition.”It’s definitely an exciting tournament but I’m not sure, in terms of pacing yourself in a match – 50-over, Test match, T20 also you have time to pace yourself, but in T10 you don’t have time,” he said. “So I’m not sure, is it going to expand or is it not? T10 in Abu Dhabi and Dubai has been very popular, and the crowds have been huge, so I’m sure it’s something to look at.”