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Reece notches first ton in more than a year before bad light, rain halt play

ECB Reporters Network19-May-2019Luis Reece scored his first County Championship century in more than a year as Derbyshire edged the first day of the Division Two match against Glamorgan at Derby.Reece made 111 and Alex Hughes an unbeaten 63 to take Derbyshire to 253 for 5 before a combination of bad light and rain ended play early.It was a mixed day for Glamorgan who summoned Andrew Salter from Wales in the morning to replace Kieran Bull after he was ruled out with a back spasm, although Michael Hogan impressed with figures of 2 for 45 from 16 overs.Billy Godleman’s decision to bat on a cloudy day might have backfired had Glamorgan been able to find a consistent line and length after an excellent opening spell from Hogan. The fast bowler beat the bat several times before a full-length ball trapped Godleman on the crease in the ninth over but Glamorgan’s inability to apply any sustained pressure allowed Reece and Wayne Madsen to rebuild the innings.Daniel Douthwaite, straining to impress on his Championship debut, leaked 31 runs from four overs, and it was only when Hogan returned that Glamorgan were able to exert some control.He tempted Madsen in his 150th first-class match for Derbyshire into a loose drive at the final ball of the morning and Glamorgan were rewarded for a more disciplined approach when Tom Lace edged Lukas Carey to third slip.But Reece and Hughes showed judgement and patience to regain the initiative, helped by a couple of wayward overs from David Lloyd and Hogan with Reece completing his first red-ball hundred since April 2018 from 159 balls.It was a timely return to form for the opener whose previous four Championship innings this season had yielded only 49 runs, but his departure shortly before tea saw another shift in the balance of the day. Douthwaite tempted him into a top-edged pull that was taken at fine leg and Glamorgan had another success to celebrate in the penultimate over of the session.The fourth-wicket stand with Hughes had put on 104 in 22 overs but only four more runs were added before Marnus Labuschagne yorked Harvey Hossain with the last ball of his first over.The Australian all-rounder almost bowled Matt Critchley who was also surprised by a bouncer from the leg-spinner but when the weather closed in, Derbyshire had secured a second batting point with Hughes following his unbeaten century in the previous four-day game at Bristol by completing 3,000 first-class runs for the county.

Lloyd Pope’s 8 for 35, the best figures in the history of the Under-19 World Cup, sent England crashing from 47 for 0 to 96 all out chasing a target of 128

Shashank Kishore in Queenstown23-Jan-2018Lloyd Pope was at the center of Australia celebrations during his record-setting 8 for 35•IDI via Getty Images

In what was the match of the tournament thus far, Australia defended 128 in style in Queenstown to progress to the semi-finals of the Under-19 World Cup, leaving England shellshocked in the process. England had bowled out Australia cheaply and were cruising at 47 for 0 before Lloyd Pope’s legbreaks dismantled England to 96 all out.On an afternoon when both sides ensured the fall of wickets outpaced the quota of morning and afternoon arrivals at the neighboring airstrip to Jon Davies Oval, Pope’s top-quality bowling ripped open the game for Australia.His 8 for 35 nailed England’s batsmen in an unbroken spell that drew batsmen out and had them driving and defending from the rough. Even better was captain Jason Sangha’s swift reflexes and catching at slip that accounted for the big wicket of opener Tom Banton after he had raced to a 53-ball 58, eating away more than a third of the target before the lunch break.Banton’s attempt at a cheeky reverse sweep resulted in him gloving the ball to Sangha, who initially flinched to his left, only to quickly change tack and dive right to complete an outstanding one-handed catch. This left England wobbly, but still in control at 71 for 4. In his next over, Pope once again beautifully induced Finlay Trenouth into the drive, only to have him nicking to Sangha again. Standing a touch wide, the Australia captain rose with the bounce and leapt high to complete another stunning catch as Australia went into the lunch interval a boisterous lot. At 79 for 5, England were under pressure to suddenly make a match of this.The break couldn’t have come at a better time for England. For a number of fans and parents of players from both sides who flew in to watch their boys play, the 40 minutes that followed were nerve-wracking. For England coach Jonathan Trott, boisterous and chirpy as he walked around the ground while his boys dismantled Australia in the field, this was an even bigger challenge: to calm his boys and reassure them the remaining 49 runs they had left to knock off after lunch was going to be possible, even if it meant a struggle.Instead, England came out after the interval committing harakiri. When a tight defence and calm heads were the need of the hour, they panicked. No. 5 Euan Woods shaped to cut a full delivery, only to chop on. Tom Scriven was stranded halfway down the pitch searching for a non-existent single as Jonathan Merlo swooped in to effect a direct hit at the bowler’s end.Luke Hollman was caught behind looking to play an expansive drive. Ethan Bamber was out lbw playing back to a skiddy delivery. When Dillon Pennington chopped on, Pope was ecstatic, roared in delight and then wiped tears of joy. He had just picked up the best figures in the tournament’s history.This stunning turn of events was possible despite Australia being far from their best with the bat. After electing to bat, they came out with an ultra-aggressive approach, but the ploy backfired against two skillful fast bowlers: Pennington and Bamber, who got the ball to move both ways at a lively pace.Pennington had Jack Edwards, touted as one of Australia’s best batsman in this age group, falling over with an inducker that trapped him lbw in the second over. In his next over, Pennington had Max Bryant, backed to continue as opener despite Nathan McSweeney’s 156 against Papua New Guinea, caught behind when he slashed at a delivery that didn’t have much width. Bamber got into the act seven balls later when he got one to nip back in from length to beat Merlo’s inside edge and crash into middle and leg.Australia were in trouble at 27 for 3, in dire need of stability. But it wasn’t coming. Param Uppal was caught driving on the up off Pennington to second slip. Trenouth moved instinctively to his left and nearly saw the ball fly past him but plucked a one-handed stunner to make that 27 for 4.Sangha took it upon himself to ride the wobble and steer his team out of a hole. Cautious against the faster bowlers to begin with, he opened up against spin, showing excellent feet movement both forward and back. He showed the virtues of his back-foot game in playing the cut effectively to construct a superb half-century even as his partners kept letting him down at the other end.No. 9 Zack Evans gave him excellent support, batting out 26 deliveries to make 12. His tactful farming of strike and dead-bat defence gave Sangha the confidence to try and play his shots even as England brought the fields in to attack.In an attempt to hit out, Sangha chipped one back to Will Jacks to become the ninth wicket to fall. Ultimately, in hindsight, those runs proved to be the difference, perhaps more valuable than any century he would have made in Under-19 cricket so far, and set the stage for Pope to deliver a miracle spell to put them into the semi-finals.

South Africa’s stand-in captain Faf du Plessis is risking a possible suspension by appealing his ball-tampering penalty in an attempt to clear his name

Firdose Moonda24-Nov-20162:03

Disappointed with Faf’s decision to appeal – Richardson

Faf du Plessis has launched an appeal against his guilty verdict for ball-tampering. The matter will now be heard again by a judicial commissioner who could either find du Plessis not guilty, or amend the sentence, which puts du Plessis at risk of a one-match suspension.On Tuesday du Plessis was found guilty of breaching Article 2.2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct in relation to ball tampering, and he would then have 48 hours after receiving match referee Andy Pycroft’s decision in writing to decide whether to appeal.When the verdict was announced, du Plessis immediately make known his intention to appeal, however on Wednesday some doubt was cast on that. Cricket South Africa CEO Haroon Lorgat said the body had asked du Plessis to reserve his rights until receiving Pycroft’s judgement.CSA hoped to engage with the ICC to seek clarity over what constitutes an “artificial substance” in relation to the rules regarding polishing the ball. They may yet do that but du Plessis remains determined to clear his name.”In his mind Faf is clear that he did not alter the condition of the ball nor did he intend to do so and that the match referee was not correct to find him guilty,” Lorgat said in confirming the appeal. “He is understandably feeling aggrieved.”CSA will support him to appeal the decision before an independent judicial commissioner as there are issues relating to fair and just process, interpretation of the rules, science and performance that needs to be considered.”

Joe Burns, who has experience playing with the pink ball, has urged batsmen to remember that it will not behave like the traditional red one

Brydon Coverdale22-Nov-20152:45

Pink ball takes some getting used to – Burns

Joe Burns might be glad that in Adelaide he is not playing for his place in the team. Nobody knows quite what to expect from the inaugural day-night Test with a pink ball, but few players involved in the match have played more pink-ball games than Burns. And while he is entering the Test with an open mind, his record in the format does not make for happy reading.In four day-night pink-ball games over the past two years, at the Gabba, the WACA, the MCG and Manuka Oval, Burns has scored 15, 1, 0, 7, 25, 6 and 5. These encounters for both Queensland and the Prime Minister’s XI have given Burns a good grounding in what to expect from the pink ball, and he knows that batsmen should not expect it to behave exactly like the red Kookaburra.”I’ve played a few games now and it’s different to a red ball,” Burns told reporters in Adelaide upon the team’s arrival on Sunday. “I think you have to accept it’s not going to play the same way as your red ball. So you can’t kid yourself and go into it thinking that you can play the same way or prepare the same way.”There are differences in the way the ball reacts, and at times visibility of the ball, but you have to have an open mind as a player and just accept there will be challenges along the way you have to make sure you can stand up to. When you’re out in the middle you can’t look for excuses with the ball, you get on and play the game and whatever is coming down at you, you have to make sure you’re playing it as best you can.”One thing Burns has not experienced is a day-night match with the pink ball at Adelaide Oval, and he knows from his previous matches that not all venues handle the day-night format in quite the same way. The pink ball scuffed up significantly during New Zealand’s match against the PM’s XI in Canberra last month, but it is expected to hold its colour better at Adelaide Oval.”For me it was different on where you played,” Burns said. “I’ve never played [with the pink ball] in Adelaide. I know under lights in Brisbane and Perth it was very difficult. It seemed to swing a lot more and a lot harder to see. But it could be the stands at the Gabba maybe, and at the MCG it seemed like it was fairly consistent all the way through.”In Canberra, it seemed like visibility-wise it was better at night but just swung a little bit more. I guess you have to wait and see what the wicket plays like in Adelaide as well. I’m sure we’ll discuss it this week. Luckily, the New South Wales boys played here a few weeks ago in a pink-ball game.”Australia’s players have Monday off from training before they begin to tackle the pink ball in the Adelaide Oval nets on Tuesday, and they will train later in the afternoon and towards night time to prepare for the new challenges. Burns, who scored his maiden Test century while opening in the first Test at the Gabba, has been training with the pink ball himself to get used to it ahead of this week’s Test.”For me personally I’ve been training by myself with the pink ball just to feel a little bit more comfortable,” he said. “You start to realise that it’s just a cricket ball and you kind of play the same way.”It’s more so just understanding when the ball may react differently and having that mind-frame that in the space of half an hour might go from not swinging to swinging or vice-versa. I think the key is to just have that open mind and be ready for whatever challenge comes along.”

Chris Gayle blitzed the fastest hundred in Twenty20s and the highest score in Twenty20s as Royal Challengers ran up the tallest total in Twenty20 history

The Report by Siddhartha Talya23-Apr-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Chris Gayle brought Pune Warriors to their knees with one of the most destructive innings ever played•BCCI

The big records broken

• Fastest hundred in T20s – 30 balls

• Highest individual score in T20s – 175*

• Highest team score in T20s – 263 for 5

• Most sixes hit in an innings – 17 by Gayle, 21 by RCB

Chris Gayle can shatter dreams. Ask Ishwar Pandey, the highest wicket-taker in this year’s Ranji Trophy, who got smashed for 21 in his first over this IPL. Ask Mitchell Marsh, whose decent run with the ball this tournament was blown out of his memory, with his first over going for 28. Ask Aaron Finch, the third captain for Pune Warriors this season, who bowled an over hoping to restrict Gayle but didn’t bowl again after being blasted for 29. Ask Ali Murtaza, a specialist left-arm spinner thrown into the deep end in his first game this season, only to be hammered for 45 in two overs.The fastest hundred in T20 history was built on the misery of others, most notably a struggling franchise whose owners – they spent US$370 million to buy it – watched shell-shocked at their team’s bowlers being taken apart with a ruthlessness only a game of Cricket ’97 powered with cheat codes could have matched. After Gayle’s onslaught, there was only going to be one result, and further confirmation of that arrived when four wickets fell inside the first six overs of the Warriors chase. Their defeat was the second-biggest in terms of runs in the IPL’s six seasons.The destruction inflicted on the Warriors bowlers broke a series of records. Gayle smashed the fastest century in the format, brought off 30 balls; made the highest individual T20 score (175 not out); struck the most sixes by a batsman in a T20 innings (17); helped Royal Challengers Bangalore hit the most sixes for a team in a T20 innings (21) and reach the highest total in T20 cricket (263).The helplessness of the Warriors players was writ large on their faces. Luke Wright smiled with trepidation when Virat Kohli took a single to give Gayle the strike off his bowling, Yuvraj just shook his head as he watched one ball after another sail over the boundary rope and pretended to snatch Gayle’s bat at the end of the innings as he went over to congratulate him.The only interruption to Gayle’s effort was a 33-minute rain interval. He had warmed up before that with two boundaries off Pandey, and proceeded to smack him for three more in the same over after the rain relented. Unlike some of his innings this season where he was relatively restrained at the start, he came out prepared to attack from the outset today. His previous innings, against Rajasthan Royals, was an unbeaten 49 off 44 balls during which he batted 17.5 overs.It helped Gayle that Warriors bowled to him on a length, allowing him to hit through the line and straight, with minimum effort that masked the immense power behind his strokes that cleared the boundary with ease. Only one boundary out of the 30 to his name qualified as a mis-hit, an outside edge past short third man. At least two shots cleared the roof, the shot that brought up his century hit it and rebounded back into the lower tiers.That Gayle was not going to hold himself back, having taken 29 off the fifth over from Marsh, was evident in his approach to spin when Murtaza was brought on in the seventh over. Gayle decided to target the spinner with the turn, slog-sweeping and then smashing him flat for two sixes, then making Finch regret the move to bring himself on, hammering him for four sixes, all on the on-side. A rare yorker outside off from Ashok Dinda that Gayle missed was perhaps the only moral victory he afforded Warriors before reaching his century, a landmark he celebrated with a punch of the gloves then kneeling down and raising his arms.Murtaza may just have felt he could slip in a relatively quiet over when Gayle had mellowed down, somewhat, after reaching his ton, but Gayle demolished those thoughts. He punished Murtaza for three more sixes in a 28-run over, as Royal Challengers began another phase of domination in their innings after a moment’s breather – the last six overs produced 85 runs.Gayle’s innings was supported ably by opener Tillakaratne Dilshan, who was part of a 167-run opening stand, an IPL record, during which he only made 33. He quickly ceded floor to Gayle and played some attractive, text-book shots through point and down the ground. Unlike Dilshan at the start, AB de Villiers was the dominant partner in Warriors’ ruin at the death, thrashing 31 in just eight balls in a stand worth 44.Each played their role in helping Gayle guide the innings, which he did with a big smile, good-hearted banter with the Warriors fielders during the carnage, and an animated reaction when he reached his century. He signed off in the match with a gig at picking up two wickets in the only over he bowled – all a contrast to the man who made his first international appearance against India in Toronto in 1999, when it seemed hard to imagine a debutant as shy as him would one day become one of the most colourful characters on a cricket field.

South Australia’s coach Darren Berry has described the state’s new captain Johan Botha as a fierce, ruthless international competitor who will bring natural leadership qualities to the Redbacks

Brydon Coverdale31-Mar-2012South Australia’s coach Darren Berry has described the state’s new captain Johan Botha as a fierce, ruthless international competitor who will bring natural leadership qualities to the Redbacks. Botha will be released from his Cricket South Africa contract after the ICC World Twenty20 in September and will take up a two-year contract to lead South Australia, replacing Michael Klinger as captain.The move was unexpected after Klinger in February led the Redbacks to their first one-day title in 25 years, but South Australia hope Botha will bring a fresh approach to a team that has won only one Sheffield Shield match in the past two seasons. Klinger said he was fully supportive of the move, which would allow him to focus solely on his batting.”I loved every minute of captaining South Australia but I think for the betterment of South Australian cricket this decision will definitely help us go forward,” Klinger told reporters in Adelaide. “He’s a fantastic person, a disciplined character, which I think will be great for our group, and he’s a very skilful cricketer. For him to come in and be part of the leadership group and captain our side will help us move forward.”Botha impressed the South Australian hierarchy with his on-field and off-field work for the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League in December and January. He is regarded by Berry as the kind of man who can help the state’s younger cricketers develop while holding down his own place in all formats with his offspin and solid batting.”We worked with Botha during the Adelaide Strikers series and he had a really good impact on our playing group with his attitude and his leadership,” Berry told ESPNcricinfo. “We were trying to secure him for next year for the Adelaide Strikers and as his one-day career with South Africa has probably tailed off in the last six weeks or so, an opportunity has come up.”We feel that it was a wonderful opportunity to get someone of his experience and class to add to our mix. To come in and take the reins as captain as a pure outsider could be just the tonic to really help us improve and achieve what we want to in four-day cricket.”Botha has led South Africa in 10 ODIs and 11 Twenty20 internationals and his teams lost only five of those 21 matches. His role in the side is expected to vary depending on the availability of Nathan Lyon and his position will be more like that of the allrounder Aaron O’Brien, who has not been offered a South Australia contract for next summer after playing only two Shield games in 2011-12.”We don’t expect him to be a massive matchwinner for us, but what he is is a quality, ruthless international competitor,” Berry said of Botha. “He’s a jet in the field, he’s more than adequate and solid with the bat, which we need in our middle order. He’ll add some steel to our middle order, which constantly falls over. And his bowling will do a really serviceable job.”The other good thing about it, and this is why Botha is such a good leader and good person, he’s made it quite clear he will fit into the team wherever we need him to fit in. That means that whenever Nathan Lyon is available, there is no question that Nathan Lyon is the No.1 spinner and Botha will play as a batsman in those games and be the second spinner.””He’s a cool head under pressure, he’s a super-fierce competitor. He’s captained his [South African] franchise, the Warriors. We played against him in two Champions League matches and were really impressed by his tactical nous and his knowledge of the game is first-class. When you talk cricket with him he’s one of those natural-born leaders.”While Botha might take the position of a younger spinner like Cameron Williams, who made his first-class in February, Berry said the benefit the state’s younger slow bowlers would benefit significantly from working with Botha. During 2011-12, the Redbacks used several spinners – Williams played one Shield game, O’Brien played two, Cullen Bailey played three and Lyon played two.”We have some talented youngsters but they are a fair way off the mark,” Berry said. “He’ll be a good role model for them and almost like an on-the-job coach who will be able to assist them. We’re getting him to assist on the field with the development side of our young players. We might play one of our young spinners alongside him so that he can lead them on the field as well. That was part of the appeal, the impact he will have on the younger players.”Berry said Botha’s presence would be a major boost for the state’s leadership on-field and off-field, with the development of a leadership group part of his plan with the squad. And Berry stressed that Klinger had done nothing wrong to prompt the move to Botha.”What I’m trying to create is a culture of a core leadership group rather than what cricket has notoriously been about with the one sole figure-head,” he said. “At South Australia we need a group of leaders if we’re going to move forward. What did Klinger do wrong? Absolutely nothing. What we’d like Klinger to do is play cricket for Australia and continue to be a wonderful role model around our group, which he is. There was no issue with Klinger. It was just an opportunity to add an international captain to our mix.”

Gerald Majola, the Cricket South Africa chief executive, has admitted the team will struggle to shed their chokers’ tag after the collapse which cost them the World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand in Mirpur

Firdose Moonda in Colombo27-Mar-2011Gerald Majola, the Cricket South Africa chief executive, has admitted the team will struggle to shed their chokers’ tag after the collapse which cost them the World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand in Mirpur.”We’ve always had this chokers tag with us; unfortunately we’ve allowed it to stick. We haven’t applied ourselves,” he said in Colombo, where he will watch the semi-final between New Zealand and Sri Lanka on Tuesday. “We have to accept the problem and then deal with it.”South Africa left no stone unturned to address what Majola calls “the problem” before coming to this tournament. They picked a varied and dynamic team, which they used creatively. They employed the same psychologist who worked with the national rugby team when they achieved World Cup glory in 2007. With their new look, Majola said that he was “quietly confident that we would win the World Cup.”After their first six games, he was convinced. “When I looked at the draw, I thought we would play either India or Pakistan in the final. But we failed ourselves. The match was basically a replica of the England game. We needed calm heads.”Majola knows all about being calm under pressure in sport, having played so much of it himself. He contested many finals. One of those was the SA Cup final, a rugby match, where Majola had to take the penalty kick that would force a draw. His side was down 3-0 and the kick was right in front of the posts. He missed.”I remembered that final after the New Zealand game,” he said, adding that the way he felt then was how Graeme Smith felt after South Africa’s loss. “I have known Graeme since he was 18 years old in 1998, when I was a selector, and I have never seen him so distraught.”Majola went into the dressing room after the loss and was confronted with a team that had “tears rolling” out of their eyes. Although he is disappointed in them, he said he can’t be angry because they are “taking ownership” of what happened.Times like these usually call for a massive regime change and heads to roll, but in South Africa’s case the change was always going to happen. Corrie van Zyl and Smith both announced before the tournament that they would be stepping down from their positions as coach and captain respectively. The process to appoint a new coach has already started, with applications closed. “We have a shortlist of six names that we will announce after the tournament,” Majola said. The new coach will be appointed in June and the ODI captain will be decided in consultation with him.van Zyl, who will return to his job as manager of the high performance programme, held a press conference in Johannesburg on Sunday, where he echoed what Majola said about the ghosts of the past catching up with them. “All the disappointments of the past World Cups have caught up with us,” he said. “That’s where the pressure starts piling up. We must remember that most of the squad that played in this tournament weren’t part of those campaigns, but we make them part of that by constantly reminding them of previous failures.”Although South Africa made concerted efforts to overcome pressure, when it was right in front of them, staring them in the eyes, they collapsed. “Pressure is a huge factor,” van Zyl said. “When you reach the knockout phase, there’s the feeling that this is perhaps your last opportunity and you need to make it count. It plays on you and you need to keep your composure. We didn’t do that and that was unfortunate.”He also dismissed all thoughts that the wrong selections were made, with critics saying that an experienced big hitter in the mould of Mark Boucher or Albie Morkel would have made a difference. “I don’t believe we needed anyone else but the 15 players we had. They were the right players for the conditions.”

It’s not surprising Daniel Vettori looked a tired man after New Zealand’s loss in Hamilton

Brydon Coverdale in Hamilton31-Mar-2010It’s not surprising Daniel Vettori looked a tired man after New Zealand’s loss in Hamilton. Captain, selector, No. 6 batsman and best bowler is a heavy burden for Vettori.He bowled 67.3 overs at Seddon Park and flies out in a couple of days to join Delhi Daredevils in the IPL. It will be a welcome break from his many tasks.However, the time will come when Vettori and his fellow selectors Mark Greatbatch and Glenn Turner must make some decisions on the future of their Test team. Their next five-day challenges come on a tour of Bangladesh and India in six months and the opportunity to regroup will be valuable after a summer in which they won two Tests, lost three and drew one.The form of Brendon McCullum was a positive from the series loss to Australia, while Martin Guptill made some progress and Ross Taylor fired with a century. But right throughout the summer New Zealand have had issues in two facets of the game that have become familiar problems.”It is probably the same old theme of trying to get more out of our top three and still looking for that strike weapon with the ball,” Vettori said after the 176-run loss in Hamilton. “If we can solve those two problems then the rest of the components within the Test side are not too bad.”The first issue will be eased by the return of Jesse Ryder, who hasn’t played a Test this summer due to an ongoing groin injury. His eventual comeback might bump Vettori down from No. 6 but it won’t solve the bowling concerns, with the form of the 35-year-old fast man Chris Martin a particular worry.Martin finished the Australian series with 1 for 260 and his season return of 16 wickets at 47.93 in six Tests was disappointing for a man who should be the strike weapon. Martin’s pace has been down but Vettori remained confident he could still play a part in the Test team’s future and build on his career tally of 181 wickets.”I hope people don’t write his obituary just yet,” Vettori said. “I know he is determined to play for a while longer. He wants 200 Test wickets and I’m really confident Chris Martin can be in the mix with the fast bowlers [for the next tours]. I know he wants to and is desperate to. He is not pleased with his performance in this Test match and hopefully that makes him hungry to get better and get stronger for next season.”Jeetan Patel was another member of the attack who struggled for impact during the summer with four wickets at 74.50 in his two Tests against Australia and Bangladesh. There are other spin options around New Zealand, including slow-bowling allrounders like Nathan McCullum and Luke Woodcock, but Vettori was happy with Patel’s status as the second-best spinner in the country.”They need to bang the door down with their domestic performances,” Vettori said. “Jeetan tends to dominate at that first-class level and he’s a very good bowler. Sometimes when he is in and out of the team it is difficult so with some Tests coming up on the subcontinent that is his real opportunity to shine.”Such decisions can be postponed for the time being. For now, the New Zealanders can focus on the shortest format. The World Twenty20 starts in a month and before that Vettori can fly to India and remember what it’s like to concentrate solely on his own game.

The fast bowler and his Canterbury team-mate Mitch Hay could make their Test debuts in the second Test against West Indies

Deivarayan Muthu06-Dec-20251:57

Latham: Can’t fault the effort when we were a couple of bowlers down

Uncapped fast bowler Michael Rae has been called up to New Zealand’s Test squad for the second match against West Indies in Wellington. Rae, 30, earned his maiden New Zealand call-up after Matt Henry (calf) and Nathan Smith (side) suffered injuries during the first Test in Christchurch.Both Henry and Smith are doubtful for the second Test, especially considering the quick turnaround between the first two games. The Wellington Test will begin on December 10, four days after the end of the Christchurch Test. Injuries to Henry and Smith reduced New Zealand’s attack to two frontline seamers and left them shouldering a heavy workload.Rae and Blair Tickner, who was the reserve fast bowler in Christchurch, could be in contention for the XI in Wellington.Rae started the second round of the Plunket Shield for Canterbury and took 3 for 65 in the first innings against Central Districts in Napier before he sat out of the second innings. Fraser Sheat replaced Rae in the second innings as the latter prepares for a potential Test debut.Related

• Henry, Santner, Nathan Smith ruled out of rest of West Indies Test series

• Blundell, Smith, Henry sustain injuries in Christchurch; Jamieson returns to Plunket Shield

At 6 feet 6 inches, Rae could give New Zealand’s attack a point of difference and replicate shifts that his Canterbury team-mate Kyle Jamieson put in for New Zealand in Test cricket. Like Jamieson, Rae is also capable of bowling fuller lengths and swinging the new ball.Along with Jamieson, Henry Shipley and Zak Foulkes, Rae has been part of a tall, funky Canterbury attack.”It’s got to be one of the tallest bowling attacks in the world,” Paul Wiseman, current Black Caps talent manager and former spinner, told ESPNcricinfo last year. “Jamieson at 6’8” and then you also have Michael Rae, who is probably 6’6”, and then the others are about 6’5”. Henners [Matt Henry] is shorter, but he’s a genius. I don’t know if we can get all those guys on the park at the same time but it will be a real test for any batter, I think. They are an exciting group and it would be great to see all of them fit in at the same time.”Rae, with his retro headband, has been a regular in domestic cricket in recent years. He has played 69 first-class matches so far, taking 205 wickets at an average of 33.06, including three five-wicket hauls.He also has some first-class exposure outside of New Zealand, having played five games for Warwickshire in county cricket, claiming 14 wickets at an average of 30.28. Gavin Larsen, the current New Zealand selection manager, has tracked Rae’s progress closely both at New Zealand domestic cricket and Warwickshire. When he was with Otago, he had also worked with current New Zealand coach Rob Walter.Michael Rae, in action, with his retro headband on•Getty Images

New Zealand’s team management will also carefully monitor the progress of Jamieson, who returned to the Plunket Shield for the ongoing round, and tearaway Ben Sears, who is currently playing white-ball club cricket in Melbourne. Sears, who is also prone to injuries, will not be rushed back to red-ball cricket.”I’d say he’s doubtful [for red-ball cricket] given he is going through more of a white-ball stepping stone over in club cricket in Melbourne,” New Zealand bowling coach Jacob Oram said on Friday. “Just to get him some cricket on grass, good facilities, and a good training environment around him, which he’s got over there with a contact we had internally here. Speaking to Ben the other day, I know that he’s feeling really good about his bowling but the Test series will be a bridge too far for sure.”With Tom Blundell sidelined from the Wellington Test, with a hamstring injury, Mitch Hay is poised to make his debut and take over the gloves from captain Tom Latham, who kept wicket across both innings in Christchurch in addition to scoring 145 in New Zealand’s second innings.”It’s been a long shift. I don’t think I’ve done that many amount of overs behind the stumps before,” Latham said on Saturday. “Usually 50 [overs] is about my cap, but obviously not ideal losing Tommy either, but giving to the group as much as you can in a role that I’m used to keeping. So from a familiarity point of view it was fine, just the duration was a little bit more than I’m used to.”In Blundell’s absence, Daryl Mitchell stepped in as a substitute and put in a long fielding shift in the slips though he hadn’t fully recovered from a groin injury. Mitchell Santner, too, was not available for selection in Christchurch because of his own groin injury.

Lauren Bell and Sarah Glenn made way for Filer and Wyatt in washout

Valkerie Baynes26-May-2024An incessant afternoon of rain at Taunton meant that just 41 balls were possible in the second Women’s ODI between England and Pakistan. The contest was officially called off after a final check from the umpires at 3pm, after more than three hours of delayed inspections.In the time that was possible, Pakistan – who named an unchanged team and opted to bat first after winning the toss – progressed to 29 for 0, with Sadaf Shamas unbeaten on 18 from 28 balls, and Sidra Ameen on 7 from 13.Both players had a let-off in the short time that was possible. Ameen was dropped on 1 by Sophie Ecclestone at first slip, as Lauren Filer – back in the side in place of Lauren Bell – found the edge with a quick delivery in her second over, before Shamas survived a tough chance to Danni Wyatt at point on 12, again off Filer.Wyatt, who missed the first ODI through illness, was the only other change to the side that won that match by 37 runs, as she returned to the middle-order in place of the legspinner Sarah Glenn.Sophia Dunkley, who was left out of both England’s T20I and ODI squads for Pakistan’s visit amid a lean run of form with the bat, was called up to the squad ahead of this second match after scoring a century, a fifty and an unbeaten 48 for South East Stars in the 50-over Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.She was named at No. 12 for Sunday’s match in Taunton, but could compete for a berth for what will now be a series decider, in Chelmsford on Wednesday.Pakistan: Sidra Ameen, Sadaf Shamas, Muneeba Ali, Ayesha Zafar, Nida Dar (capt), Aliya Riaz, Fatima Sana, Najiha Alvi (wk), Umm-e-Hani, Diana Baig, Nashra SandhuEngland: Maia Bouchier, Tammy Beaumont, Heather Knight (capt), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Alice Capsey, Danni Wyatt, Amy Jones (wk), Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Kate Cross, Lauren Filer