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A round-up of Ford Trophy matches that took place on January 26

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jan-2012Auckland went to top spot in the tournament with a crushing win against Northern Districts at Colin Maiden Park. The Ford Trophy was resuming after more than a month’s break for the HRV Cup and Auckland re-started their campaign by winning by eight wickets and 199 balls to spare. The result was set up by fast bowler, Mitchell McClenaghan, who took a career best 5 for 30 to rout Northern Districts for 99. McClenaghan was also involved in the run out of the opposition’s top-scorer, Daryl Mitchell for 38. The innings ended in 30.4 overs. Anaru Kitchen then scored an unbeaten 55 off 45 balls to help Auckland knock off the target of 100 in 16.5 overs. Auckland now have four wins in six games, with one defeat and one no result. Northern Districts are bottom of the league.Canterbury beat Wellington by 19 runs at Basin Reserve to move past Otago to second place in the competition. Wellington were fifth. Tom Latham scored 130 off 119 balls to rescue Canterbury’s innings after they had slipped from 40 for 0 to 40 for 3. Wellington’s fast bowler Mark Gillespie had taken three wickets in four balls in the ninth over. Opener Rob Nicol, who scored 55, added 104 runs with Latham, who was eventually dismissed only in the final over, having led Canterbury to 306 for 8. Latham hit 14 fours and three sixes in his innings. Wellington lost two early wickets in the chase but Stephen Murdoch scored a brisk century to put the innings back on course. However, he did not have substantial support from his team-tames – James Franklin’s 36 was the next best score. Murdoch was eventually out for 122 of 128 balls in the 44th over. Wellington were 241 for 6 at the time and could only manage to reach 287. Ryan McCone finished with 4 for 63.The match at Invercargill was washed out after eight overs. Otago had put Central Districts in and reduced them to 34 for 3 before the rain came. Otago are third and Central Districts fourth in the league.

The secret behind Richard Levi’s scintillating century, according to Johan Botha, was his ability to keep finding the other side of the boundary even when the Powerplay was over

Firdose Moonda20-Feb-2012The secret behind Richard Levi’s scintillating century, according to Johan Botha, was his ability to keep finding the other side of the boundary even when the Powerplay was over. Levi, with his 117 not out off 51 balls, became South Africa’s only centurion in international Twenty20 cricket, the scorer of the fastest hundred in the format and the joint-highest individual score, equalling a record set by Chris Gayle.Botha said some of the South Africa camp were not all that surprised by Levi’s effort. “He has played with a few of the Cobras guys in our team and they kept saying that he plays that way,” Botha said. “But, I thought, surely he can’t keep it hitting it like that.”But, Levi could. He peppered the leg-side with sixes irrespective of who was bowling and which wickets fell around him. Hashim Amla holed out and Wayne Parnell was stumped during the early stages of Levi’s innings but their departure did not seem to have any effect on his power-hitting. Neither did the lifting of the fielding restrictions, which impressed Botha.”The good thing is – and I think that’s the way the game is going – to keep hitting boundaries after six overs and he did that to keep the bowlers under pressure,” Botha said. “A lot of guys are good in the first six overs when its field restrictions and then from overs seven to 11, they take the foot off the gas a little bit. That’s where he was outstanding.”Botha said New Zealand had no way of stopping Levi because sometimes, especially in the shortest format of the game, when momentum is with a player, it cannot be taken away. “When a guy is playing that way, you’ve got to hope he misses one at some stage and if he doesn’t, that’s the way it goes,” Botha said. “It was just one of those nights where one player can do these things. We’ve seen it with Gayle and we’ve seen it with Brendon McCullum, where you just can’t stop a guy.”Levi also rose above a verbal shower from Tim Southee who though the short ball would rattle the South Africa opener. Southee hit Levi on the helmet in the first match and accounted for his dismissal but the same ploy did not work in Wellington. Levi was prepared for Southee this time around, and had a few things to say back to the New Zealand bowler, most of them with the bat.”Richard had a few guys quiet last night,” Botha said, admitting that South Africa had braced themselves for mind-games and wordy confrontations. “We expected the players to come out hard and really be in our faces, and that’s fair enough. I think the guys know it might happen and they’ve just got to deal with it and focus on the game. Gary [Kirsten] spoke to us about it and said ‘You’ve just got to get on with it, you can’t let it affect you’. We expect more of the same in the next few games.”New Zealand have often triumphed over South Africa in mind games with their most recent victory coming at the World Cup quarterfinal in Dhaka in March last year. That win knocked an impressive-looking South Africa out of the tournament and although they claim to have recovered from the shock, they would still not pass up a chance to beat their old foes in response.The third Twenty20 in Auckland may present a situation that has some similarity to a knockout match. With the series currently at 1-1, it is effectively a final and will give both sides the opportunity to show their ability to perform under pressure. “It’s good to play in tight games,” Botha said. “It’s nice to be at one-all and I’m sure there’ll be a lot of expectation. The big games like this really matter.”

India Women broke their run of losses against Australia Women in the final Twenty20 of the series, coasting to an eight-wicket win with 5.3 overs to spare

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Mar-2012
ScorecardIndia Women broke their run of losses against Australia Women in the final Twenty20 of the series, coasting to an eight-wicket win with 5.3 overs to spare.Having lost the first four games, India were playing for pride. Jhulan Goswami and Archana Das produced inspired spells to make sure the hosts had at least a consolation victory to show for what has been a disappointing home series. Goswami began by bowling Alyssa Healy and Lisa Sthalekar as Australia limped to 22 for 2. Offspinner Das then wound her way through the middle order, first having Rachael Haynes stumped and then removing Alex Blackwell and captain Jodie Fields in the same over.Goswami returned to clean up the tail in spectacular fashion. Ellyse Perry was caught behind off the second ball off the 19th over. Two balls later Goswami bowled Erin Osborne and made it three wickets in four balls by repeating the feat to dismiss Sharon Millanta. Australia were dismantled for 89; Goswami’s figures read 3.5-1-11-5, four of which were bowled. Leah Poulton offered some resistance in making 30 at the top of the order and Blackwell chipped in with 20, but none of the other batsmen made it past 10.India had struggled for runs in the series but opener Amita Sharma made sure there would be no twist in the tale with a measured unbeaten half-century. Sthalekar did manage to pick up two wickets but Australia just didn’t have enough runs on the board to defend and India overhauled their target with plenty of time to spare.

Amanda Samaroo, a 19-year old allrounder from Trinidad & Tobago, has been recalled to the West Indies Women squad after an absence of more than two years

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Apr-2012Amanda Samaroo, a 19-year old allrounder from Trinidad & Tobago, has been recalled to the West Indies Women squad after an absence of more than two years, for the home series against Sri Lanka Women from April 22 to May 10. Samaroo’s last international was a Twenty20 against England Women in November 2009.Natasha McLean, 17, was the only new face in the 14-player team led by Merissa Aguilleira. McLean, who plays for Jamaica Women, replaced wicketkeeper Kycia Knight, who along with Shaquana Quintyne was unavailable for the series due to exams. Britney Cooper was also ruled out because of a finger injuryWest Indies Women will play three ODIs and five Twenty20s against Sri Lanka Women. Two T20 matches will in Barbados and the other three in Trinidad. Sri Lanka are ranked seventh in the T20 format, whereas the hosts are fifth. All the one-dayers will be held in Barbados.Squad: Merissa Aguilleira (capt), Stafanie Taylor (vc), Shemaine Campbelle, Shanel Daley, Deandra Dottin, Pearl Etienne, Stacy, Ann King, Natasha McLean, Anisa Mohammed, Subrina Munroe, Juliana Nero, Amanda Samaroo, Shakera Selman, Tremayne Smartt

Report of day three from Cardiff

21-Apr-2012
Scorecard
Ben Wright scored a century to give Glamorgan a chance of securing a first victory of the season going into the last day against Hampshire at Cardiff. But Hampshire also have their own ambitions of winning. They will resume the fourth day on 112 for 4 needing another 92 runs.That was after Glamorgan made 256 in their second innings with Wright making 104 and Stewart Walters supplying a half-century.The start of the third day was held up for an hour because of torrential rain and hail, with play resuming at noon with Glamorgan on 73 for 3, a slender lead of 20. Walters and Wright continued where they left off yesterday evening, going on to put on a 100-run partnership – the first of Glamorgan’s season.Glamorgan reached lunch at 143 for 3 with the fourth-wicket pair building their lead to 90 with Walters going to his half-century from 125 balls – the first by a Glamorgan batsman this season. But he was out 11 balls later edging a drive off Sean Ervine behind. Despite the loss of Walters, Wright also went to his 50 from 87 balls.Glamorgan reached 200 in an innings at the sixth time of asking before Jim Allenby was caught by wicket-keeper Michael Bates standing up to Hamza Riazuddin. That was the first of four wickets to fall in the space of six overs. Moises Henriques was bowled by Riazuddin who struck again as Mark Wallace was caught by James Vince at backward point, before Graham Wagg chipped the bowler to mid-on as Glamorgan slipped to 237 for 8.Despite the clatter of wickets Wright kept his cool to register the fifth century of his first-class career – Glamorgan’s first hundred against Hampshire for eight years. He reached the landmark with his 13th four in 150 balls. Wright’s vigil ended when Vince took a sharp catch at leg slip off Danny Briggs and David Balcombe ended the Glamorgan innings when he yorked Dean Cosker.Tea was taken with Hampshire set a victory target of 204 and 41 overs in the final session.Wagg struck with the final ball of the first over when Hampshire captain Jimmy Adams edged to Wallace, and the left-arm seamer broke through again trapping Liam Dawson lbw.Simon Katich, the first batsman to score a Test century at Cardiff, in the 2009 Ashes Test, and James Vince consolidated as they put on 41 for the third wicket. Katich survived a loud appeal for leg before off Jim Allenby but there was no such reprieve in Allenby’s next over.Sean Ervine and Vince showed positive intent with the latter pulling Henriques for six, but the Ervine gained his revenge two balls later trapping Vince lbw for 28. Ervine was joined by Michael Bates as they shared a fifth-wicket stand of 44 before play was abandoned for bad light with 13 overs left.

Speculation surrounding the naming of England’s squad for the third Test against West Indies centres on the possibility of both senior quicks being rested

Alan Gardner02-Jun-2012It is a measure of England’s pace-bowling resources that speculation surrounding the naming of their squad for the third Test against West Indies centres on the possibility of both senior quicks being rested. The prospect may not please either James Anderson or Stuart Broad but with England 2-0 up and the series already won, Andy Flower and the selectors are already looking at challenges to come. Such is the unrelenting nature of the international schedule these days.Anderson is reportedly set to miss out on the squad altogether, while a decision on Broad is expected to be made before the start of the Edgbaston Test on Thursday. Steven Finn, who has deputised for both in the last 12 months, is favourite to step in but Graham Onions could also win a recall for the first time since 2010, to form an intriguing but inexperienced attack with Tim Bresnan. All three are likely to be included in a 12-man party, to be named on Sunday.England’s new-ball pair of Anderson and Broad are currently ranked No. 3 and No. 6 in Tests respectively and, with both keen to play against a West Indies side that has been tormented by seam and swing in the first two Tests, the management will have to use all their powers of persuasion to promote the benefits of rest. Leaving out both would be an uncharacteristic gamble – and may also provoke accusations of cheapening Test cricket – but with the upcoming visit of Australia for a one-day series, followed by the much-anticipated Test face-off against South Africa and then the defence of their World Twenty20 title later in the year, England are having to seriously address the vexed issue of rotation.While Broad has suffered with minor injuries over the last year or two and, as England’s T20 captain, may have the heavier workload to come, Anderson is the bowling unit’s prize asset.He has been almost ever-present in England’s rise to the top of the Test rankings, though he was granted a series off for the tour of Bangladesh in early 2010. Since then, Anderson has taken 111 wickets at 23.36 and missed just one Test, against Sri Lanka at Lord’s last summer – a game in which the bowlers seemed to struggle without his leadership as the tourists scored nearly 500 in their first innings and then comfortably batted out a draw on the final day. England will want him in peak condition when Dale Steyn – Anderson’s main rival for fast-bowling supremacy in Tests – and his South Africa team-mates arrive next month.In the wake of England’s victory at Trent Bridge, Andrew Strauss, the captain, addressed the possibility of changes to the side. “We’ve always viewed resting and rotating as something you have to do on a case-by-case basis so we’ll speak to the seamers, see how they’re feeling and see how we’re looking for the rest of the summer,” he said.Elsewhere, the line-up looks relatively settled, despite some disquiet about Jonny Bairstow’s shaky response to a bombardment from Kemar Roach in the second Test. The No. 6 spot is really the only area about which England may feel any uncertainty but it would go against the grain of their selection policy in recent times to discard Bairstow after just three innings (one of them 0 not out). Ravi Bopara has only played second-XI cricket since suffering a thigh injury that cost him his chance at the start of the series and, while Nick Compton, James Taylor and even Ben Stokes have played attention-grabbing innings in the last week, it seems probable that Bairstow will get another opportunity to prove himself.Should Flower and Strauss wish to indulge themselves with further experimentation at Edgbaston, however, they could consider returning Matt Prior to the No. 6 spot he recently occupied in Sri Lanka and asking Bresnan – currently making a statistical case as good as any England allrounder of recent times – to also move up the order. Having won their last seven Test series in a row at home, England are a formidable side with plenty of options but, with South Africa the last side to outdo them on their own patch, they will take every opportunity to fine tune before July 19 at The Oval.Possible squad Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Jonny Bairstow, Matt Prior (wk), Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Steven Finn, Graham Onions

Jacques Faul, CSA acting chief executive, tendered a letter of resignation to the board yesterday but has accepted their request to reconsider

Firdose Moonda06-Jul-2012Jacques Faul, CSA acting chief executive, tendered a letter of resignation to the board on Thursday but has accepted their request to reconsider. Faul’s intended departure is yet another administrative setback for the body, which have been entangled in a bonus scandal for close to two years and have not yet resolved the case against suspended chief executive Gerald Majola.In his letter, Faul cited a “sense of hostility,” and a “campaign to discredit” him as his reasons for resigning. “Certain board members have lost trust (or never had any) in my judgement and seek to micro-manage operations,” Faul stated in the letter.While Faul’s letter did not specify what had caused the schism between the board and himself, ESPNcricinfo understands that there was displeasure surrounding the recent sponsorship deal signed with Momentum. CSA secured the financial services company as a corporate backer after a season in which sponsorship was sparse but not everyone was happy with the decision.The concern is believed to be with Momentum’s parent company, Rand Merchant Bank, of whom Paul Harris is a co-founder. Harris is a former chairman of CSA’s remunerations committee and was in office when the much publicised bonuses that led to the scandal were paid out. Majola and other staff members received a collective R4.7 million (US$ 671.428) in bonuses after the hosting of the 2009 IPL and Champions Trophy but those payments were not disclosed to CSA’s remunerations committee and were picked up in a subsequent audit report as irregularities. Harris has since criticised CSA’s corporate governance and was one of the strongest voices against Majola when matters came to a head towards the end of 2010.Although Majola, who is awaiting disciplinary action, and Harris are no longer involved at the CSA, the board has remained “deeply divided,” as Faul put it, into pro- and anti-Majola camps. It was the constant infighting that led Faul to resign from his post but he has since been talked into reviewing his decision. Sources close to the organisation said that Faul was surprised by the support he was offered by the board when he informed them of his resignation and he may be persuaded into staying.The South African Cricketers’ Association has come out in support* of Faul. “I have worked closely with Jacques Faul over the last few months in his capacity as acting Ceo,” Tony Irish, the SACA chief, said. “He is a cricket person through and through and is doing his best to do the right thing operationally for the game. In the short time of his involvement he has been instrumental in securing the return of major sponsors to cricket. He has an open and honest leadership style, which builds relationships within the game, and is doing well in extremely difficult circumstances. He needs, and deserves, to be supported.”Faul was appointed as the acting chief executive of the CSA following Majola’s suspension in March 2012. Should Faul continue in the role, it will likely only be until October when CSA will hold their AGM. They are due to restructure their board by then and appoint a full time chief executive, provided Majola’s hearing has been completed.Failing a successful outcome for Majola, a new chief executive will have to be appointed. Haroon Lorgat, former ICC chief executive whose tenure ended last week, has expressed interest in the job, although he clarified that it would be subject to a complete board restructure.Majola’s disciplinary hearing has faced numerous delays. It was originally supposed to be complete by May 31 but has yet to begin because of various bureaucratic delays.*17.30 GMT, July 6: This story has been updated to include SACA’s reactions.

An MCC team including Bangladesh’s Mohammad Ashraful will take on the Tower Hamlets District Schools’ side in a match designed to highlight the renaissance of cricket in a deprived inner-city area.

George Dobell13-Jul-2012An MCC team including the club’s president Phillip Hodson will take on the Tower Hamlets District Schools’ side in a match designed to highlight the renaissance of cricket in a deprived inner-city area.Tower Hamlets is an inner-city London borough with a high ethnic diversity, significant socio-economic deprivation, and limited cricket playing facilities. Following a large investment from the Tower Hamlets School Sports Partnership in 2007, the Tower Hamlets Schools’ Cricket Association was formed, and a bespoke Cricket Development Officer was employed for the borough.Since then, a comprehensive coaching and competition programme has been introduced, which has resulted in all 83 schools in the borough now playing competitive cricket across five kwik cricket tournaments and two full hard-ball secondary competitions each summer.A Tower Hamlets District Schools’ Cricket team also exists for the most talented players to develop along the representative pathway. Since the programme was introduced, more than 50 Tower Hamlets pupils have progressed to play for an ECB Premier League focus club, with five competing at first eleven standard.In addition, eight pupils have been selected to play county age-group cricket, and at the end of last summer, Dipayan Paul, from Sir John Cass School and Blackheath CC, was selected to join the MCC Young Cricketers squad for 2012. Pupils also have the chance to undertake coaching and officiating qualifications through the programme.This game will celebrate five years of cricket being delivered in schools across the borough, and the formation of the Tower Hamlets Schools’ Cricket Association. It will start at 11.30am at Blackheath Cricket Club.The MCC play around 500 matches a year right around the world against teams ranging from schools to international sides in an attempt to help increase cricket’s reach and appeal. They also fund the MCCU system which plays a part in producing around 24% of England-qualified cricketers in the county game.

England coach Andy Flower has admitted South Africa were the better side during the three-Test series, says England hadn’t “grasped the opportunities that came our way”

George Dobell22-Aug-2012Just as few recall the somewhat controversial catch that sealed the 2005 Ashes Test at Edgbaston and turned the series England’s way, so history may not record the key moments that allowed South Africa to take control of the 2012 Test series against England.Few dispute that they deserved to win the series and few dispute that England, with six losses in 11 Test in 2012 and one series win in four, have no place on top of the Test rankings. As England coach, Andy Flower, put it: “We have been beaten by a slightly better side in this series. I think that’s fair to say.”The disappointment from an England perspective was that they failed to do themselves justice. They dropped nine catches, gave wickets away cheaply and failed to trouble South Africa’s batsmen with medium-paced fare.The failure of England’s bowling attack is most worrying. The bowlers have impressed in all conditions in Tests since the Ashes of 2009 – even in the UAE last winter, they performed well only to be let down by poor batting from their colleagues. The series against South Africa – and the drubbing at The Oval in particular – was an abrupt departure from the norm.While South Africa batted with impressive skill and dedication, England also failed to take chances that might have altered the series. Hashim Amla was dropped before he reached 50 on the way to his triple-hundred at The Oval and before he had reached 10 at Lord’s; Alviro Petersen was dropped before he had reached 30 in his 182 at Leeds. Had such chances been taken, England’s ugly bowling averages may be a good deal prettier.”We had our chances,” Flower said. “At Lord’s we dropped two crucial catches. They’ve caught well in the slip area but I think their bowling attack was a little bit more incisive than ours. I don’t think that’s unfair on our bowlers to say that.”Their batsmen cashed in and got the big, match-turning innings. Yes, with the assistance of a dropped catch here and there from us. But in the main they deserved to win. We haven’t grasped the opportunities that came our way. And, against a good, hardened, experienced side like South Africa, you’ll suffer the consequences of that.”England are taking steps to improve the bowling. Stuart Broad has been omitted from the ODI series against South Africa not just for rest but to undergo some strength and conditioning work, which England hope will enable him to recover his nip. “We don’t often get windows with the guys that play all three forms of the game to do conditioning work,” Flower said. “Broad, we believe, needs a rest; or a combination of rest and strength work.”Tim Bresnan, James Anderson and, at Leeds anyway, Steven Finn also appeared somewhat jaded. In the longer term, it may be that England need to accept that the burden they have placed on their players – an international schedule that offers little time for mental or physical recovery – is the biggest obstacle to consistently performing at their best.Flower also suggested a decision on Andrew Strauss’ future as England captain will be left to the man himself.”Andrew is a bit drained,” Flower said. “It’s been a hard series for him. Obviously he’s been a superb leader for us, but he would have wanted to score more runs and that has a wearing effect. And then these peripheral issues have taken a lot of his energy and his enjoyment out of the last few weeks.”I think he’s done the right thing to get away for a few days with his family so he can recuperate. He’s a strong bloke and he’ll come back feeling very strong.”England’s attempt to regain the No. 1 ranking will begin with a four-Test series in India, where their record is not promising. The team is set to be weakened not only by the absence of Kevin Pietersen but also by the departure of players at various parts of the tour on paternity leave. Flower hopes, however, that the lessons learned in the UAE and the emergence of several promising young players can help England recover lost ground.”We will definitely be plotting our challenge,” Flower said. “We want to get back there. We’ve got a tough outing first up in India, but that’ll be exciting. It’ll be exciting to see if we’ve actually embedded some of the lessons we’ve learned in the UAE, because no doubt we’ll be playing on spinning pitches.”Jonny Bairstow handled the situation well. The skill, timing and courage he showed was outstanding. James Taylor has handled himself calmly as well. We’ll make our decisions based on what is best for the England side and not be scared to do so.”

Will Jefferson, the Leicestershire batsman, has been forced to retire from professional cricket after being diagnosed with a rare hip condition

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Aug-2012Will Jefferson, the Leicestershire batsman, has been forced to retire from professional cricket after being diagnosed with a rare hip condition which has kept him out of action since May.Jefferson, 32, also played for Essex and Nottinghamshire and reached as far as the England A set up in 2007. Last season he helped Leicestershire to their Friends Life t20 title when he won the semi-final Super Over against Lancashire.”It is with a heavy heart that I have come to this decision, but with the medical advice I have received, it is the right time to move on,” Jefferson said. “Deciding on this day, exactly one year on from such a happy memory, seemed a fitting way to celebrate my career.”I would like to thank the medical team at Leicestershire in particular. Also, everyone involved at the club who has helped make the final leg of my journey be such an enjoyable and ultimately fulfilling one. A special mention must go to the PCA for their continued support and the magnificent job they do.”To my coaches and teammates at Durham University, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, England A and especially Essex in the early days of my career, a big thank you to each and every one of you for contributing to my career, one that I will look back on with enormous pride.”I leave the game with friendships and memories to last a lifetime, and look forward to moving on and starting the next chapter of my life.”In his 12-year playing career, Jefferson scored 7096 first-class runs at 35.83, 3144 List A runs at 34.17 and 1254 Twenty20 runs at an average of 20.96 and a strike rate of 128.48.Leicestershire chief executive Mike Siddall said: “Everybody at Leicestershire is saddened by the news that Will is retiring from the game. None of us will forget the contribution he made to the club winning last year’s FLt20 by his incredible performance in the semi-final super-over. The club will do all it can to help Will with his rehabilitation and we wish him well for the future.”