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Cursed by rain and cold since the day he arrived in Essex, the South Africa batsman Alviro Petersen described scoring runs as a “bit tough”

Charles Randall at Chelmsford10-May-2012
ScorecardAlviro Petersen did not take part in a second day restricted to less than two overs after twisting an ankle playing football in the warm-up•Getty Images

One has to feel sympathy for Alviro Petersen, Essex’s overseas signing from Johannesburg. From the heat of the highveld he has been plunged into the soaking cold bath that is Championship cricket in April and now May. He summed up his situation with as much understatement he could muster when he reckoned it was a “bit tough” scoring runs.Rain allowed only 10 balls to be bowled on the second day as Kent staggered onwards from their overnight 17 for 5, though Petersen did not join the fun in his customary position at slip. He remained in the pavilion after twisting his ankle playing warm-up football, allowing plenty of time to contemplate batting in due course. His injury was shrugged off as mild, though Ashley Young has gone to turf for less at Manchester United.Even in such a brief passage of play, Kent could have slipped further, as Geraint Jones padded up to the opening delivery from Charl Willoughby and was hit plumb in front by a sharp inswinger. Luckily for him the ball would have missed, just high. A maiden followed from David Masters, and Kent had stopped the rot for the time being.Petersen, as a Test cricketer, has stuck to his task well with Essex, and his 145 at Cardiff last week was a mature effort. He has not yet succeeded at Chelmsford, but these are early days in his attempt to claw back South African credibility at Essex after Lonwabo Tsotsobe’s embarrassing tenure as a bowler last summer.Tsotsobe started his Essex contract in the April heatwave of blessed memory and flew back home after taking only five wickets in his three first-class games. His Twitter remark declared his sojourn as the “worst two months” of his life. “It’s just impossible to work in this environment,” he said. The most printable reaction from Essex’s coach Paul Grayson was that the comment was “downright rude”.One wonders what Tsotsobe would have thought of the much harsher environment that Petersen has had to endure – tough, even for football.Rain stayed away for most of a second day lit by sunshine, with the absence of cricket caused by overnight torrents. Kent’s first task is to beat their lowest total against Essex, which was 43 at Southend in 1925. Batting is still tricky and with two sunnier days forecast the match could yet have a positive result.

Centuries from Kraigg Brathwaite and Anthony Alleyne gave West Indies Under-19s a 76-run first-innings lead

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Apr-2011
ScorecardCenturies from Kraigg Brathwaite and Anthony Alleyne gave West Indies Under-19s a 76-run first-innings lead in their three-day match against Australia Under-19s in Dubai. With only a day to play, a draw is the most likely result, especially since Australia knocked 54 runs off the lead at the end of the day, but West Indies gave themselves a chance by scoring at 4.43 runs an over while accumulating 426.Their captain Brathwaite played the anchor role, scoring 168 not out, and the rest of the team batted around him. Alleyene took just 136 balls for his 106, while Kavem Hodge got a run-a-ball 46. Australia’s legspinner Marc Simonds took the most punishment as his two wickets cost him 144 runs. Seamers Jacob Judd and Corey McMahon took two wickets each.Brathwaite, who has made two first-class centuries, said that his aim was to “bat through the innings”. Every time I get a chance to bat I see it as a golden opportunity. From the start I was looking to bat through the innings and I knew once I did that we would get a good score and get the lead,” he said.”When I went in to bat we were in a spot of trouble,” Alleyene said, “so I decided just to bat around Kraigg and get accustomed to the conditions. I have played a lot with him from Under-13 in Barbados and we are used to batting together. He helped me to relax and we just took it from there.”

Zimbabwe have been given a timely confidence boost after their shock one-run win over Australia in their World Twenty20 warm-up match

Cricinfo staff28-Apr-2010Zimbabwe have been given a timely confidence boost after their shock one-run win over Australia in their World Twenty20 warm-up match. Elton Chigumbura’s boundary-laden 76 helped to set up the victory and raise morale in the Zimbabwe camp after they lost both of their games against West Indies A.”It means a lot to us in terms of confidence,” Chigumbura said. “Maybe it was only a practise match for Australia but we know they were trying their hardest and we could see that they did not enjoy losing.”We need to believe that we are good enough to beat any team and this was a good reminder because results haven’t been too good on tour so far.”Alan Butcher, in his first major outing as Zimbabwe’s head coach, paid tribute to Chigumbura’s game-changing innings, highlighting just how much the win meant to them ahead of two tough engagements against New Zealand and Sri Lanka, but insisting that it was a team effort that secured the match.”It may not mean too much in the context of the tournament when it gets under way for real, but it means everything to us and to Zimbabwe cricket,” he said. “Everyone played their part, and I really mean that, although Elton played the biggest part and deserves all the headlines and praise that he gets.”Mitchell Johnson, who picked up four wickets on either side of Chigumbura’s explosive innings, expressed his side’s disappointment at the loss to the lowly Zimbabweans, but insisted that it would not affect the team’s performance in the tournament.”Obviously we would have liked to have won,” Johnson said. “When you come into these practice games you want to be pretty close to your best.”It won’t be a setback. It’s disappointing to lose in a practice match but we’ve just got to keep going forward, keep working hard in our training sessions and make sure we’re ready for the World Cup.”Australia will be hoping for a win in their final warm-up, against Windward Islands at Gros Islet on Thursday, while Zimbabwe’s last practice match before the tournament begins is against Pakistan at the same venue.

Former Hampshire captain is in favour of Lord’s taking central role in London Spirit

Matt Roller21-May-2024Mark Nicholas has left his role as chair of Southern Brave’s board. His decision to step down comes as he prepares to take over as Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) chair, at a time when the club – who are proprietors of Lord’s – could become majority owners of London Spirit.Nicholas, who captained Hampshire during his playing career, is a close friend of the club’s ex-chair Rod Bransgrove. He was appointed chair of Southern Brave – who are run jointly by Hampshire and Sussex – in 2019 ahead of the Hundred’s launch, but has now stepped down from that role in recognition of his growing involvement with MCC.Southern Brave filed paperwork to Companies House last week stating that Nicholas has resigned as a director of the company. An MCC spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo: “We can confirm that Mark has left his role as chair of Southern Brave. There aren’t currently any plans for him to join the board of London Spirit.”Related

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Nicholas has been MCC president since last year, and will take over as chair in October. He has been prominent in the club’s communication with its members around the imminent changes to the ownership model of Hundred teams, which is expected to see the ECB hand 51% stakes to their hosts – in London Spirit’s case, MCC.MCC has discussed the possibility of owning a stake in London Spirit with its members since late last year and Chris Rogers, the club’s treasurer, is chair of a ‘Hundred working group’. Nicholas has expressed his interest in MCC becoming majority owners, telling members he likes the idea of the club coming together to support a single team under its banner.The global profile of Lord’s means that London Spirit is expected to be the most lucrative team when the ECB invites bids later this year. MCC may consider using a potential windfall as an endowment for the MCC Foundation, to invest in the club’s museum, and to continue to improve the facilities at Lord’s, with approval recently granted for a £61.8 million redevelopment of the Allen and Tavern Stands.

Match referee Chris Broad noted how the fifth ball of the match threw up a puff of dust and kept deteriorating further

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Mar-20233:27

Chopra: If every Test lasts only two-and-a-half days, there is a problem

The pitch at Indore used for third Test between India and Australia has been rated “poor” by the ICC with Holkar Stadium handed three demerit points.The Test ended midway through the first session of the third day with Australia winning by nine wickets in a game dominated by the spinners.”The pitch, which was very dry, did not provide a balance between bat and ball, favouring spinners from the start,” ICC match referee Chris Broad said.”The fifth ball of the match broke through the pitch surface and continued to occasionally break the surface providing little or no seam movement and there was excessive and uneven bounce throughout the match.”

The ICC rates a pitch as poor if any of the following criteria apply

The pitch offers excessive seam movement at any stage of the match

The pitch displays excessive unevenness of bounce for any bowler at any stage of the match

The pitch offers excessive assistance to spin bowlers, especially early in the match

The pitch displays little or no seam movement or turn at any stage in the match together with no significant bounce or carry, thereby depriving the bowlers of a fair contest between bat and ball

The pitch displays excessive moisture making its playing characteristics unpredictable, or excessive dryness leading to the surface to deteriorate.

BCCI now have 14 days if they wish to appeal against the sanction. A venue will be suspended from hosting any international cricket for a period of 12 months if it accumulates five or more demerit points over a five-year rolling period.Indore was given short notice about hosting the third match of the Border-Gavaskar series. Originally it was supposed to take place in Dharamsala, but the outfield is not yet up to par after it was relaid. The BCCI announced the shifting of the venue on February 13, about two weeks before the scheduled start of the game on March 1.India prefer playing their home Tests in conditions that take turn right from day one. That certainly was the case at Holkar stadium when the home team having won the toss and opting to bat slipped to 84 for 7 in just the first session. At the lunch interval, India coach Rahul Dravid was seen inspecting the pitch with the curator in tow.The captain, though, though minced no words when talking about the 22 yards. “Honestly speaking, these are the kind of pitches we want to play on,” Rohit Sharma said. “This is our strength, so when you’re playing at your home, you always play to your strength, not worry about what people outside are talking about.”Steven Smith observes the Indore pitch ahead of the Test match•Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Australia’s stand-in captain Steven Smith didn’t mind the conditions either. “I personally really enjoy playing on these kind of wickets,” he said. “I prefer this than just a genuine flat wicket that goes five days and can be boring in stages. There’s always something happening on these wickets. You’ve got to really work hard for your runs. But it’s showed that the guys can do it. Guys can do it, you’ve got to work hard for them and you need some luck. With this one, whether it might have been a little bit too extreme, potentially from the first ball. I’m not really entirely sure, but it was still another enjoyable.”But in terms of a balance between bat and ball, the uneven degree of both turn and bounce led to only two scores of fifty or more in the entire Test match. India’s total of 109 was their sixth-lowest in a first innings at home. Australia, in their first innings, suffered a collapse of 6 for 11. Spin was responsible for all but five of the 31 wickets that fell and there were, in total, 16 single-digit scores by the time the game ended on the third morning.The last time a pitch in India was rated poor was in 2017, the Pune Test where Australia beat India on a similarly spiteful turner. Broad was the one who handed out that sanction as well.Nagpur and Delhi, the venues for the first two Tests of this tour in 2023, produced surfaces which were rated “average” by match referee Andy Pycroft.

Allrounder prepared to play through pain again but will wait to see how side strain responds to treatment

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-2022Ben Stokes has said he wants to play in the fifth Ashes Test in Hobart but admitted his availability to feature as a specialist batter would depend on how his side strain responded to treatment, with the potential to do further damage ahead of England’s Test tour to the West Indies in March.Stokes suffered a “low grade tear” while bowling in Australia’s first innings in Sydney, but played on through the pain, scoring half-centuries in each innings as England fought their way to a draw – thus ending any prospect of being whitewashed 5-0 for the third time in 15 years.England saw a number of players sustain injuries over the course of five days at the SCG, the most serious being a finger fracture that has ruled Jos Buttler out of the final Test. Jonny Bairstow took a blow on the thumb on the way to scoring a first-innings hundred, with his fitness to play in Hobart also to be assessed.Related

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All three played their part in helping England get through the final day: Stokes scoring 60 off 123 balls, Bairstow 41 off 105 and Buttler 11 off 38.Writing in his newspaper column three days out from the fifth Test, Stokes said he couldn’t say “definitively” if he would be involved.”The big question now is whether I can play in the final game as a batsman or not,” he wrote in the . “I’m not going to say definitively just yet because there are still a few days to go and we need to see how I respond to the treatment, but what I will say is that I want to play.”If it is a question of playing through a bit of pain, I know it is not going to be as bad as it was in Sydney and I got through that okay. But there are other things to consider such as the West Indies tour to come and the likelihood of doing more damage.”Stokes came into the Sydney Test with a top-score of 34 from six innings, but found some form with the bat after being forced off midway through an over on the second day. He stayed on the field, despite the injury, to ensure he would not have to give up his spot at No. 5.”I’ve never had a side strain before but when I bowled the ball that caused the low grade tear, it must be what surgery without the anaesthetic feels like, it was agony,” Stokes said. “As painful as it was, amazingly it is not the most pain that I have been in on a cricket field. That will always belong to my broken finger, but this comes a close second.”The medics and Graham Thorpe suggested perhaps I shouldn’t field, but I felt I needed to be out there to give some support to the team especially when the bowlers were having to step up and bowl my overs.”Stokes suffered the strain after being brought on for a sustained spell of short-pitched bowling, but denied England’s choice of tactics contributed to situation.”Some people might have an issue with the type of bowling, but it could happen bowling normally and I can’t start worrying about getting injured, otherwise I’m not doing my job properly. Anytime you bowl in a Test match there is a risk of injury.”

Other matters up for discussion are venues, training facilities and quarantine measures against Covid-19

Nagraj Gollapudi27-Jul-2020The IPL Governing Council will meet on August 1 to finalise the schedule and other key arrangements necessary for the tournament to be conducted in the UAE. Recently the IPL Governing Council chairman Brijesh Patel announced the tournament would be played in the UAE between September 19 and November 10.It is understood that the Governing Council is likely to discuss the dates, venues, training facilities, the quarantine measures along with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that would be necessary for the event which comprises eight teams to play 60 matches over 50 days.Other than Patel, the meeting would also be attended by the BCCI’s office bearers including president Sourav Ganguly, secretary Jay Shah and treasurer Arun Dhumal. Incidentally, both Ganguly and Shah have finished their six-year tenures as office bearers and are supposed to undergo a three-year cooling-off period as per the BCCI constitution. However, the BCCI has sought amendments to the constitution including tweaking the cooling-off period in a plea with the Supreme Court, which has scheduled the hearing for August 17.Earlier on Monday, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) said that it had received a letter of intent from the BCCI to conduct the IPL in the UAE. That letter is understood to be signed by IPL’s chief operating officer Hemang Amin, who also is doubling up as the BCCI’s interim chief executive officer.The ECB said it was looking forward to hosting the IPL, but a “final deal” would be inked after the Indian government had given BCCI the permission to shift the tournament to the UAE.

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.

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.

South Africa’s T20 competition enters the final week with all six franchises still in contention for the playoffs. With eight matches left, here’s how things stack up for each team

Firdose Moonda06-Dec-2016South Africa’s T20 competition enters the final week with all six franchises still in contention for the playoffs. With eight matches left, here’s how things stack up for each team.

Titans

Eight matches, 24 points

The defending champions are sitting comfortably at the top of the table and only need one win to secure a playoff spot. Two could give them a home final, provided they are not leapfrogged by the Warriors. They will be mindful of being pipped at the post after tailing off in their last two games. The Titans won their first five completed matches but have since been defeated twice.Tabraiz Shamsi has already been put back in the squad and they also have Dean Elgar and Quinton de Kock – although he is suffering from a virus – in their ranks. AB de Villiers is in contention to play in their final league match on Sunday but Morne Morkel, who was due to get a game in a bid to prove his fitness ahead of the Sri Lanka series, is unlikely to feature as he continues to nurse a back niggle.

Warriors

Seven matches, 23 points

The Warriors put in dominant performances through the mid-section of the league phase – winning four matches in a row – and are a win away from guaranteeing themselves progression. They could go ahead of the Titans and slip straight into the final with three wins and some help from other results.Without many big names in their ranks, the Warriors have relied on team efforts. But one man, Andrew Birch, has stood out. He leads the wicket charts with 17 scalps at 9.23 and will likely keep Kyle Abbott on the sidelines. Sisanda Magala and JJ Smuts have also put in prominent performances so far.

Lions

Seven matches, 16 points

A stop-start campaign from the Lions could have finally taken off after they surged back into contention for the playoffs with a five-run win over the Warriors at the weekend. They need to win all three remaining games to be assured of a playoff place but can get there with two if other results go their way.They will have to do so without Kagiso Rabada, who is being given some time off in the middle of a busy season, but in his absence Hardus Viljoen has lead the attack impeccably. He is second on the wicket-takers’ charts currently. Consistency in their batting is the Lions’ main issue; they’ll be hopeful Temba Bavuma’s return does the trick for them.

Dolphins

Eight matches, 15 points
Kevin Pietersen’s return did not inspire the Dolphins to a victory that would have left them well-placed for the qualifiers. Instead, they now need to win both their remaining matches, preferably with bonus points, to get into the semi-final. However, their fate is no longer in their hands.Keshav Maharaj is back for them but they will want more from the likes of Cameron Delport and Robbie Frylinck, especially after their attack was depleted by Andile Phehlukwayo’s injury. They will remain hopeful of their chances, especially because Morne van Wyk has been in good form with the bat.

Cobras

Seven matches, 12 points
A season marred by off-field drama sparked to life when the Cobras beat the Dolphins to keep their trophy hopes alive. They need three bonus-point wins to qualify for the semi-final but could get there with three ordinary wins, provided other results go their way.They have already welcomed back Dane Vilas and will be boosted by the inclusion of JP Duminy. Even without their other national stars – Vernon Philander (rested) and Hashim Amla (neck injury) – the Cobras have a formidable XI, with Kieron Pollard and Wayne Parnell forming a powerful middle order.

Knights

Seven matches, five points

After storming to second on the first-class log earlier in the season, the Knights have hit a snag and sit bottom of the T20 competition. They will need to win all three of their remaining fixtures and hope for plenty of favours to qualify.Both David Miller and Rilee Rossouw are injured, which has left it to Theunis de Bruyn to carry the batting without too much support. Marchant de Lange has continued his fine first-class form but they need a few more wicket-takers.