The Australian team that dominated during the nineties and early 2000s were a settled lot, as are the current England side, something the current selectors could take a leaf from

Jack Mendel16-Aug-2013Between 1989 and 2005, Ashes series were won exclusively by Australia. It was barely a contest. As England embark on a similar quest of Ashes glory, their belief in consistency shows strong similarities with that great Australian side of world beaters.More importantly, Australia’s consistent failures show similarities with England of the 1990s, which is like basing a model of a brand new car on a broken three wheeler with engine problems.Contrasting eras can often lose perspective, and statistics often skew reality, but hopefully this can shed some light nevertheless. In order to build a team successfully, the team has to be a settled unit. If it is constantly changing, then it will always be turbulent.Between the 1989 and 2005 Ashes, the relative number of caps given by England and Australia is stark, and highlights that one built a team with minimal change, whereas the other was frenetic and never settled. Guess which was more successful? You guessed it.In that period, England gave 90 players a new cap, beginning with Angus Fraser (#537) in 1989 and ending with Kevin Pietersen (#626) in 2005, according to ESPNcricinfo.Comparatively, Australia gave just 46 new caps out, beginning with Greg Campbell (#347) in 1989 and ending with the only debutant in the 2005 series Shaun Tait (#392). That is half the number England experimented with.Of course, the correlation does not always mean that fewer caps mean more success, but it is certainly arguable that making fewer changes to a team allows for a side to plan and execute more successfully. After all, if a side is unchanged, it means that it is a working formula, so why alter it?Clearly, change is used to try and remedy a failing formula, and too much change can exacerbate an existing problem. Certainly in this current Australian side, only Michael Clarke’s selection is guaranteed, whereas in years gone past, the team would pick itself (see Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn.)In the first home Test of 2009 versus West Indies, England handed out cap # 643 to Tim Bresnan. Since that moment, and up until the present day, England have got to # 655, which is just 12 more. Quite reasonable for a four-year period.Australia, from the same date, have had a much more torrid time. In the 2009 Ashes, cap #411 was handed to Graham Manou, Australia have now reached cap #434. That is 24 new caps in four years. Compared with England, that is like adding an extra team of players.To reinforce the point, not only have England been playing less number of new players, but the number of caps per new player is also important. England’s 13 newest debutants and the number of Tests they have played since 2009 have notched up 150 caps, with a third of that almost going to Jonathan Trott with 47.They are: Tim Bresnan (21), Graham Onions (9), Jonathan Trott (47), Michael Carberry (1), Steven Finn (23), James Tredwell (1), Eoin Morgan (16), Ajmal Shahzad (1), Samit Patel (5), Jonny Bairstow (12), James Taylor (2), Nick Compton (9) and the latest, Joe Root (10).When it comes to Australia, it is clear there are many more they are prepared to discard.Graham Manou (1), Clint McKay (1), Ryan Harris (15), Tim Paine (4), Steven Smith (11), Peter George (1), Xavier Doherty (4), Michael Beer (2), Usman Khawaja (9), Trent Copeland (3), Nathan Lyon (24), Shaun Marsh (7), Pat Cummins (1), James Pattinson (12), Mitchell Starc (11), David Warner (21), Ed Cowan (18), Matthew Wade (12), Rob Quiney (2), John Hastings (1), Jackson Bird (3), Moises Henriques (3), Glenn Maxwell (2), and last but not least, Ashton Agar (2).There are a lot of single figure scores here, much like an Australian batting card, and many of them were ‘victims’ of rotation policies and indeed untimely injuries.Yet it is inescapable that there are five players that have played a single Test, four that have played in two, three that have played in three, two in four, and only eight out of 24 that have gone past 10 caps.Australia have used 11 more players than England in the last four years, yet only two more when it comes to players with over 10 caps. Something is drastically wrong and this is not sustainable. Chopping and changing is simply no way to build a team. Tweaking is fine. England tweak. Australia are not giving their players a genuine chance to cement their place.Of course, there is no more Ponting or Warne, but Australia know that. They have to make do and give it their best shot, and the only way they can conceivably do this, is by setting out a plan, sticking with certain players and investing faith in them on a long-term basis. It is getting to the stage, whereby the Australians don’t even know their best order within the team, let alone who that team should comprise.England have not scored over 400 this series. They win games because they have a formula, and their line-up, although not firing, is less incompetent than Australia’s. They find a way through. Everyone knows their role, and everyone knows that whatever happens, it is highly unlikely they will get dropped.Settled teams are winning teams. Australia must try to be decisive and consistent. Pick a team, their best team, and stick with it for as long as possible.If you have a submission for Inbox, send it to us here, with “Inbox” in the subject line

Plays of the day for the match between Mumbai Indians and Perth Scorchers in Delhi

Kanishkaa Balachandran02-Oct-2013The hush
Perth Scorchers coach Justin Langer wanted an ‘Eric Hollies moment’ with Sachin Tendulkar. Hollies was the legspinner who famously bowled Don Bradman for a second-ball duck in his final Test innings in 1948. Cut to 2013 – Tendulkar takes strike to the left-arm seamer Jason Behrendorff. He cuts the first ball confidently to backward point for no run. The second ball is on the pads and flicked. The timing was crisp, effort minimal, but the placement wasn’t quite right. Square leg was pushed back and Sam Whiteman ran forward and though the ball dipped, he managed to hang on inches from the turf. There was a hush around the Kotla as Tendulkar walked back, with the fear that this could be his last appearance for Mumbai in the event of them failing to progress further in the tournament. Tendulkar had all but emulated Bradman with a second-ball duck, but with a twist. Mumbai went on to qualify and fans may well get to witness Tendulkar again for the semis, and possibly even the final. Not quite the eerie coincidence that Langer hoped for.The catch
There was another hush around the stadium when a Mumbai wicket fell. This time it was Dwayne Smith’s. Smith bludgeoned the Scorchers bowlers for 48 with some ferocious pulls and he had set himself up for another massive hit. He rocked back to a half-tracker from Brad Hogg and pulled him flat to deep square leg. It was that man Behrendorff who played party-pooper again as he threw himself to his right and plucked the catch on the dive. The catch deserved a better response than the silence that enveloped the Kotla for the second time.The wide call
It all happened in slow motion. Kieron Pollard angled one really wide across the left-hander Ashton Agar, who shuffled a long way across his stumps to try scoop the ball over the shoulder. Pollard followed him and delivered it very slowly. Agar failed to connect and looked embarrassed that he missed out on a freebie. However, the umpire deemed it wide enough to be penalised and Pollard stood with his hands on his waist and held the pose for a while, shocked at the umpire’s decision.The misfield
The inconsistent bounce gave Dinesh Karthik a horrid time behind the stumps with a couple of let-offs, but he wasn’t the only Mumbai Indians player guilty of a shocker in the field. Whiteman cut Glenn Maxwell towards short third man and it was played uppishly towards Harbhajan Singh. It was catchable but Harbhajan didn’t get behind it with conviction and the ball bounced and spun past him and raced to third man. Can’t blame the pitch for that.

Plays of the Day from the first day of the Chittagong Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand

Mohammad Isam in Chittagong09-Oct-2013The frenetic start
No, we’re not talking about a blazing start with the bat. Bangladesh bowled 18 overs in the first hour, and while this is no record, it was sign of captain Mushfiqur Rahim’s eagerness for wickets. Left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak, back in the team after two years, was brought into the attack after just five overs. Offspinner Sohag Gazi came two overs later, and they began bowling in tandem instantly. Robiul Islam wasn’t bowling too badly but there was hardly any carry and to stick with him wasn’t going to be the captain’s mode of attack.The shot
Only a gentle tap through midwicket would, arguably, surpass the class of a backfoot drive down the ground off a spinner. Kane Williamson unfurled both shots within the first five balls he faced, off Shakib Al Hasan. The first one took everyone by surprise as he shot it past the bowler and umpire, and it raced away for four. The next one, the most good-looking stroke of his innings, was the one that went through midwicket for another boundary, as he merely curled his wrist over the ball.The surprise
Nasir Hossain has become the Collin Miller of the Bangladesh team, generally without the wickets though. But his ability to bowl seam or spin according to conditions makes him a handy option for Mushfiqur, and he struck a big blow today. He was brought on just before the tea break and, with his sixth ball, removed Peter Fulton. The delivery was not one to talk about: scrumptiously short and slightly outside off stump. But Fulton’s full-blooded shot went to cover where Mominul Haque held on.The other debutant
There were three players debuting in Test cricket today: Bangladesh’s Marshall Ayub, and New Zealand’s Corey Anderson and Ish Sodhi. Then there was umpire S Ravi, who was also standing in his first Test match. He went by unnoticed for most of the day, until he gave Kane Williamson leg before to Shakib in the penultimate over of the day. The Indian umpire must have thought he was debuting in home conditions, with a loud audience and fielders around the bat on a dusty pitch.

With a bilateral series and an invite to play in the Caribbean’s domestic 50-over competition, Irish cricket has again been leant a valuable helping hand by West Indies

Ryan Bailey02-Jan-2014The Caribbean will forever hold sentimental memories for those associated with Irish cricket. Seven years ago, at the World Cup held in the West Indies, victories against Bangladesh and, most famously, Pakistan endeared Ireland to the international cricketing community, providing the catalyst for a vast and ongoing development process.In pursuit of further progress, Cricket Ireland’s administrators are doing all they can to ensure their case to become a Full Member becomes an increasingly irrefutable one for the ICC.Their bid has encountered several hurdles, not least the lack of co-operation from most Test-playing nations. That cannot be said of the WICB, however. The West Indies have played a more significant role in Ireland’s development than just providing the location for those famous days in 2007.A limited-overs series – two T20 internationals and an ODI – in March will follow Ireland’s involvement in the Caribbean domestic 50-over competition. By the time the two countries meet in their opening Group B game of the 2015 World Cup next February, they will have played each other 10 times in seven years – more than any other Full Member has faced Ireland in the same period.Although Ireland have yet to beat West Indies, they are reaping the rewards of a strengthening partnership. The continuous struggle to arrange fixtures against quality opposition, both at home and abroad, has forced Ireland to accept crumbs off sides touring England.The sport’s leading powers are reluctant to organise fixtures with Ireland and their Associate counterparts. It’s a damning situation for Warren Deutrom, chief executive of Cricket Ireland, and his colleagues but things may be heading in the right direction, underlined by the Caribbean engagements.At first glance, it is a peculiar relationship between one of the game’s traditional powerhouses and an emerging Associate. The differences are vast but both governing bodies share one goal – to develop and promote the sport while raising the playing standard to achieve and maintain international success.”Our primary focus now is to prepare for the 2015 World Cup and therefore our playing programme will be geared towards that over the next fifteen months,” Deutrom told ESPNcricinfo.”The opportunity to play in an overseas environment against high-quality teams in a short, intense tournament is a perfect start to those preparations and we’re extremely grateful for the opportunity.”We’ve built up a strong relationship with the WICB in the past few years and I was aware that England are touring the Caribbean in March, and wondered whether the West Indies might like to warm-up for that series by playing us following the completion of the Super50 competition. We made contact with the WICB and they were amenable to playing us.”

“Series like the one in the Caribbean are extremely valuable to us, with the quantity and predictability of these having the biggest impact upon the progress of the squad on the pitch”Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom

The West Indies have become an escape route. Cynics will cite the dwindling fortunes of West Indies teams as part of the rationale behind their willingness to accommodate Ireland and other lower-ranked nations when others have been averse to scheduling extended series against the non-Test playing countries. Some might even argue that the WICB is exploiting Ireland’s desperate situation to help fill a gap in its domestic competition and attract ‘low-cost’ opposition for warm-up games.Perhaps it is an attempt to re-establish the confidence and aura that has been lost from West Indies cricket in recent years but, after all, such cooperation must benefit both parties. The WICB has disregarded limited financial appeal in favour of on-field progression and the global game benefits as a result.Shortly after the heroics of the 2007 World Cup and the appointment of Trinidadian Phil Simmons as head coach, Cricket Ireland formed an allegiance with the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA). The partnership came to fruition in early 2010 when Ireland spent several weeks in the Caribbean for a seven-game tour but the key objective is to provide opportunities for young cricketers to secure lucrative contracts and scholarships in Ireland and vice-versa.Carlos Brathwaite, the 25-year-old Barbados bowler, benefited from a season in Leinster and has since made his international debut in the limited-overs formats. Most notably, Ravi Rampaul signed as Ireland’s overseas player for their 2008 Friends Provident Trophy campaign on his return from injury. The bustling fast bowler’s brief stint in green sparked his resurgence.When Ireland returned to the Caribbean in 2010, their first extended series outside a global ICC event, Rampaul spearheaded West Indies’ attack.Four years on, Phil Simmons will take his squad back to Jamaica for a similar itinerary. As in 2010, the one-day series will give Ireland competitive fixtures against quality opposition and act as preparation for the World Twenty20; while the hosts will ready themselves for the visit of England for a one-day series in March.Ireland are currently ranked tenth in the ODI rankings but with fixtures against those occupying the berths above them few and far between, opportunities to highlight their ability to compete with the best on a consistent basis are rare.Former West Indies allrounder Phil Simmons has coached Ireland since 2007•ESPNcricinfo Ltd”Unfortunately while we remain outside of the ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP), there is no obligation on any Full Member to play us,” Deutrom said. “Series like the one in the Caribbean are extremely valuable to us, with the quantity and predictability of these having the biggest impact both upon the progress of the squad on the pitch, and our ability to commercialise these activities off it.”We don’t like to jump up and down about our lack of fixtures because it might make us look ungrateful and intemperate. Therefore, we take a more measured approach by speaking to Full Members on a regular basis and try to work around their own FTP obligations in order to avoid discommoding them.”We’ll continue to make arguments at ICC level regarding our elevation at the appropriate time. I am confident we shall get there.”In recent years, only near-neighbours England and Australia deigned to visit Ireland – even then, these were brief visits for one-off fixtures. The crowded international schedule offers an excuse for the lack of co-operation but the fear of losing to a ‘minnow’ – an excuse Bangladesh and Zimbabwe have been accused of using – has a part to play.Pakistan bucked that trend this year. A week-long stay in the Irish capital included multiple school visits and coaching sessions, and culminated in a high-quality two-game series – the first of which resulted in a last-ball tie. It was a glimpse of what the future may hold but, for now, extended series for Ireland are scarce.Last year was arguably the finest in Ireland’s cricketing history, as they underlined their domination of the Associate and Affiliate ranks with a clean sweep of trophies, qualifying for both the World Twenty20 and the 2015 World Cup with minimal fuss. But the next 12 months could prove to be equally significant in their development. In addition to the two-month Caribbean tour and World T20 in Bangladesh, it is understood that a home ODI series against Sri Lanka is close to being confirmed.The importance and value of ICC global events to Ireland is unequivocal but bilateral series, such as the forthcoming one in the Caribbean, are also crucial to their progress. The WICB should be commended for their receptive approach. They are assisting Ireland’s cricketing evolution when others have turned their back.

The Asia Cup final will be the first time the two teams will be playing each other for the title in a tournament involving five or more teams

Shiva Jayaraman07-Mar-2014Pakistan and Sri Lanka have never played each other in the finals of a major ODI tournament (involving five or more teams). Of the 25 such tournaments they have played in together, this Asia Cup is the first time that both the teams are in the final.It has been nearly 15 years since Pakistan have progressed to the final of an ODI tournament involving five or more teams. The last such game for Pakistan was the title match of the 1999 World Cup when they lost to Australia. They have played in seven such finals and have emerged as the winners in five of these.Sri Lanka have played six such matches and have won three of them, not including the 2002 Champions Trophy, which was shared between them and India after the finals were rained-off. Unlike Pakistan, they have had a more recent experience of playing in the finals of a major tournament, having played India in the 2011 World Cup.Including the last Asia Cup, in the last five years, Pakistan have made it to the finals of any ODI tournament only twice, both these instance having come in Mirpur. They have however, made the best of these two opportunities by winning on both occasions. The fact that Pakistan haven’t made it too often to the finals of an ODI series in the recent past has meant that half their current squad hasn’t played in such matches before. Shahid Afridi – who has won them their last two games – has appeared in 31 ODI finals for Pakistan and is their most experienced batsman. Afridi – whose ODI career average is 23.44 – is their top scorer in such matches, having scored 621 runs at 20.70. Mohammad Hafeez is the only other Pakistan batsman to have played in at least five finals. His batting average in these matches, however, can do with some improvement: he has scored 61 runs at 12.20.

Afridi leads the bowling list too, with 29 wickets at 31.55 in the 31 finals that he has bowled in. Umar Gul’s six wickets are the next highest in the list. Pakistan’s leading bowler Saeed Ajmal has played in only one final – in the last Asia Cup against Bangladesh – in which his returns were 2 for 40 from ten overs.

Sri Lanka have two seasoned campaigners, in Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, who have scored 1000-plus runs in such games. Jayawardene has made 1028 runs including one century and nine fifties in 31 innings. He scores at an average of 36.71 in finals, which is better than his career average of 33.15. Sangakkara too, has performed well in these crunch games. In 26 innings Sangakkara has scored 11 fifties and his 1023 runs in these matches have come at 40.92, a fraction more than his career average of 40.71.

Among bowlers from the current Sri Lanka squad, Lasith Malinga, with 14 wickets, is the leading wicket-taker in finals. However, Malinga averages almost ten runs more per wicket and gives away a run and a fraction more when bowling in such matches. Ajantha Mendis, who has taken 26 wickets at 10.42 in the Asia Cup, tends to improve his performance in the finals: his 12 wickets in these games have come at 12.58 and at an economy of 4.0.

In recent times Pakistan’s batting line-up has been the more consistent one, with three of their batsmen – Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad – scoring 1000-plus runs at an average of 40-plus in ODIs since 2013. For Sri Lanka, Sangakkara is the only batsman to average above 40 in this period – he has scored 1585 runs at an average of 63.40.As bowling units, the teams are more or less evenly matched with both sides boasting spinners and fast bowlers who have done well recently. The overall numbers for the teams look similar in matches since 2013. While Sri Lanka’s bowlers have taken 245 wickets at 29.21 and have had an economy of 4.85, Pakistan have taken 272 wickets at 30.42 and have given away 4.70 runs an over.The teams have met each other in the finals of the Asia Cup twice before this one, with Pakistan winning the 2000 edition and Sri Lanka winning in 1986. The last time these two teams met in any ODI final was the Paktel Cup in 2004, with Sri Lanka coming out on top on that occasion. Overall, the teams have played each other in 12 finals and have shared the honours, with each team winning on six occasions. Although Sri Lanka have had the upper hand in the Asia Cup, winning nine of the 13 matches they have played against Pakistan, the teams’ recent head-to-head record points to an even match-up. Including the league game in this Asia Cup, the teams have played 12 ODIs against each other since 2012, of which six have been won by Sri Lanka and five by Pakistan.

It may have been tempting for Sri Lanka to hide Sachithra Senanayake in this match, in hope the furore would blow over. But emboldened by the added pressure instead, they made his role in the match more prominent

Andrew Fidel Fernando03-Jun-2014As the Edgbaston crowd’s displeasure eddied around the ground late in England’s innings, Sri Lanka were still, at the centre of the whirlpool. Spectators had been incensed by Sachithra Senanayake’s run out of Jos Buttler – a Mankad which, upon the umpire’s inquiry, Angelo Mathews did not hesitate to uphold. The England innings was already creaking at 199 for 7, but as the boos rang around the ground, Sri Lanka did not delay delivering the final blows. With 220 to chase, this would be their game to lose.It was a brief passage of play, but one which illustrated an unwavering focus that has become a theme of this Sri Lanka team’s cricket, particularly in 2014. They had had one horror day at Sharjah in January, but quickly shed the trauma of that defeat to trounce Bangladesh across all formats.An unbeaten Asia Cup campaign came as the annual contracts tussle with the board began to bubble up. That saga erupted before the World T20, which was won with contracts unsigned, and administrators engaged in disputes with senior players. Mahela Jayawardene, the man who was most visibly shaken by the heated exchanges with SLC, was the team’s lead scorer in that campaign.Before the deciding ODI in Birmingham, Sachithra Senanayake had his action reported. “We are like family,” Mathews had said earlier in the series, and even if things are not quite as rosy as that cliché makes out, this Sri Lanka team is knit tighter than most international sides. The doubt cast over a team-mate’s bowling action will have reverberated around the dressing room.Here, the players had support from the establishment back home. SLC expressed surprise in their response to the match officials’ report on Senanayake, and the implications of that release were clear; “Why has he been reported only now, just before a must-win match in England?” Chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya also lent his support to Senanayake in public. At the toss, Mathews hinted at the collective sense of frustration in the camp. “When we travel to certain parts of the world, it happens,” he said.It may have been tempting for Sri Lanka to hide Senanayake in this match, in hope the furore would blow over. But emboldened by the added pressure instead, they made his role in the match more prominent. He came on in the sixth over of the innings – earlier than he had been on at any stage in the series – and delivered parsimony and menace, taking the wicket of Alastair Cook and conceding 36 from his ten overs. The picture of Arjuna Ranatunga shaking his finger at the umpires, when Murali was called for throwing in 1999, made the rounds on Twitter.”The report was a big motivational factor for us,” Jayawardene said. “Sachi is a fantastic young player in the group. He’s very cheerful and keeps everyone happy. So we had a special meeting for Sach last night. We had a good dinner out, just for him. We wanted to make sure that he feels comfortable with all of us and as a team we’ll walk through.”Small wonder then, that Senanayake had the moxie to be the man who removed the bails when Buttler took an unfair head-start on a run – however unintentionally. Mathews and Jayawardene said they had observed Buttler’s walking start at Lord’s as well, and were compelled to take action after repeated warnings.Sri Lanka may be among the younger teams in top-flight cricket, but they know they play a highly competitive, professional sport. The ECB left the team in no doubt of that fact, when they lured their head coach to swap sides, weeks ahead of this tour.Sri Lanka had a less convincing outing with the bat, but as has so often been the case, their bowlers had done enough to make victory manageable. Several England players, led by Buttler, spoke heated words to Mathews, during his time at the crease, and Mathews let the spray fall flat to the turf. His characteristically unruffled 42 sealed the series.Sri Lanka move to the Tests now, unfancied and outgunned, but buoyed by confidence and propelled by the fire of grievance. As Kumar Sangakkara said after the World T20 win, perhaps upheaval suits this team. England players, like many of their supporters, made their indignation known to Sri Lanka at Edgbaston, but perhaps they would be wise not to irk the visitors further.

The conditions were difficult for batting in Mirpur, but both India and Bangladesh batted as though they were playing on a flat pitch

Alagappan Muthu in Mirpur17-Jun-2014Mirpur wore a forbidding grey on Tuesday. Rain made a promised appearance and disrupted play for two and half hours. The game resumed, but the sky refused to clear. Lateral movement was almost assured. This had become the first session of a Test, but neither India nor Bangladesh paid proper mind to the change in conditions.The batsmen needed to be smart about their scoring areas. Survival should have taken precedence, especially when the match had been reduced to 41 overs and the D/L method placing a premium on wickets. Yet even a man in form like Robin Uthappa went for an awful hoick 14 balls after the rain break to lob a simple catch to mid-off. Tamim Iqbal, another opener, pranced down the track and nicked to the keeper. His target was only 106.Stuart Binny wafted at a back of a length delivery wide outside off stump and edged it. Mahmudullah offered a lazy drive and his open face was snapped up at gully. This was not the average limited-overs encounter in the subcontinent. The ball was zipping about and it’s holders only needed to place it in the right areas. The play was entirely in the batsmen’s hands but neither team was willing to guts it out. In the end, the second ODI went down in history as the lowest scoring one for the loss of all 20 wickets.Credit should be heaped on Bangladesh’s 19-year old destroyer, Taskin Ahmed, but he was bowing at batsmen who had chosen to hit their way out of trouble when another rain interruption, or even a washout, could not be ruled out. The majority of Bangladesh’s menace came in the form of two bowlers – the leader Mashrafe Mortaza and the debutant Taskin. India succumbed to their third-worst collapse in terms of overs faced.Cheteshwar Pujara spent the longest time at the crease – 66 minutes of being beaten or enduring outside edges. He could not ferret out any singles. He had waited, but waited too long. The batsmen who followed him took a different route and only one of them reached double-figures. No one tried to bat the full 41 overs.Bangladesh were worse, stumbling to their joint-worst score in ODIs. Binny’s medium-pace combined well with the conditions and he had three wickets before he had completed his second over – a flick cut short by midwicket, an on-the-up drive caught at gully and a nick down leg to the keeper. Reward for persistent bowling without breaking a sweat. It was that sort of “damp and sticky” pitch that was “ideal to bowl” on, in the words of Binny himself, but an international game merited a better display by the batsmen.At least that was what the sparse crowd had come in and stayed through the rain for. Every Bangladesh wicket had them clutching at their hair. The emotion seeped into the press box too, a merry place, even when the home side falls short of expectations. Today the atmosphere was tinged with additional excitement, born from seeing a genuine quick run through the opposition. The racket was loud and genial, their appreciation for Taskin’s wholehearted display was as clear as the smile he wore when walking off the field. They were all wary, though, and in the end the happy buzz was gone, substituted by a jarring creaking of the chairs they were sat on.It was bowlers’ day out in Mirpur and they had nothing opposing them.

ESPNcricinfo picks its team of the 2014 season, with a limit of only four foreign players in the XI

Nitin Sundar02-Jun-20147:58

Agarkar, Isa Guha pick their IPL XIs

Picking the tournament XI is among the most anticipated activities at ESPNcricinfo the end of a long tournament, and IPL 2014 was no different. Fourteen members of ESPNcricinfo’s editorial team who watched the tournament closely sent in their votes, and after the numbers were tallied, we ended up with a well-balanced and dynamic XI that ticks all the boxes, even if it has more wicketkeepers than it needs.Mohit Sharma and Suresh Raina made it to the ESPNcricinfo IPL XI for the second year running•BCCISeveral names were automatic picks – a reflection of a season where some players were consistent and impactful right through the tournament. Robin Uthappa and Sunil Narine were unanimous picks. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Suresh Raina came next, dropping just one vote each. So did Glenn Maxwell, whose slump in the latter half of the tournament would seem to have not impacted his popularity. Akshar Patel and Mohit Sharma were shoo-ins as well, with 12 votes each out of a possible 14. Wriddhiman Saha (9 votes), who capped an outstanding tournament with a century in the final was another straightforward choice in the middle order.ESPNcricinfo’s IPL XI from 2013

Chris Gayle, Michael Hussey, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, James Faulkner, Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra, Dale Steyn, Mohit Sharma

The last remaining specialist bowling spot went to Lasith Malinga (6 votes), who was predictably effective for Mumbai until his departure for England. That left one more overseas slot to fill. David Warner (6 votes) beat competition from Dwayne Smith and Lendl Simmons to make the grade as an opener.One spot remained, and that selection proved to be the most contentious. The side needed a finisher and it had to be an Indian player, which ruled out JP Duminy and Kieron Pollard, both of whom had only one vote each in any case. It came down to Delhi Daredevils’ Kedar Jadhav and one of the usual suspects in IPL XIs – MS Dhoni. The spot eventually went to Dhoni (4 votes), whose ability to finish off games without a fuss helped Super Kings in their march to the play-offs. Dhoni’s selection gave the team it’s third wicketkeeper, but more importantly, gave it a captain.Shakib Al Hasan is the twelfth man, and a good choice since he fields well and can replace a batsman or a bowler as required. If team balance wasn’t a criterion, he would have made the starting XI. The most notable miss was David Miller, who made a strong case for a fifth overseas spot. Harbhajan Singh and Virender Sehwag, who both showed signs of a second wind during the tournament, missed out narrowly as well, as did Sandeep Sharma.The team has six batsmen, one spinning allrounder, three seam bowlers and a mystery spinner.Team of the tournament
1. Robin Uthappa (Knight Riders) – 660 runs, average 44, strike-rate 138
2. David Warner (Sunrisers) – 528 runs, average 48, strike rate 141
3. Suresh Raina (Super Kings) – 523 runs, average 40, strike rate 146
4. Wriddhiman Saha (Kings XI) – 362 runs, average 33, strike rate 145
5. Glenn Maxwell (Kings XI) – 552 runs, average 35, strike rate 188
6. MS Dhoni (Super Kings) – 371 runs, average 74, strike rate 148
7. Akshar Patel (Kings XI) – 17 wickets, average 24, economy rate 6.13
8. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Sunrisers) – 20 wickets, average 18, economy rate 6.65
9. Mohit Sharma (Super Kings) – 23 wickets, average 20, economy rate 8.39
10. Lasith Malinga (Mumbai Indians) – 16 wickets, average 16, economy rate 6.45
11. Sunil Narine (Knight Riders) – 21 wickets, average 19, economy rate 6.35
12th man: Shakib Al Hasan (Knight Riders) – 227 runs, average 30, strike rate 149; 11 wickets, average 30, economy rate 6.68

As England prepare to take on Scotland in an ODI in Aberdeen, a look at the rich history of cricket in and around Mannofield

Liam Herringshaw09-May-2014Granite and greyness, giant gulls and oil and gas. To outsiders, the Scottish city of Aberdeen conjures up various images, but top-level cricket is not normally one of them. So, as England leave Lord’s and head 400 miles north to take on the “auld enemy”, you could be forgiven for thinking this to be some kind of exhibition match. In a referendum year, it might also be seen as an ODI that is only delaying independence.Such thoughts, however, would reveal a blissful ignorance of north-east Scottish sport. More than 57 degrees north of the equator, Aberdeen may be the most poleward city ever to host an international game, but it has a thriving cricket scene with a long, illustrious history. More importantly, perhaps, despite a sizeable number of expat players, this scene is an unequivocally Aberdonian one.Mannofield has been the home of Aberdeenshire Cricket Club since it was opened in 1890. It had to wait 118 years to host a one-day international and, confusingly, it was one that didn’t feature Scotland.Ireland took on New Zealand in the first game of a triangular tournament. It was a record-breaker, as a certain BB McCullum biffed his first ODI century. His 166 off 135 balls led the Kiwis to a total of 402, which, when they dismissed Ireland for 112, enabled them to win by the biggest margin in ODI history.McCullum’s knock wasn’t the first momentous innings by an Antipodean at the ground, though. Sixty years earlier, Mannofield was the setting as the Australians concluded the “Invincibles” tour with a two-day game against Scotland.Thus Aberdeen went down in history as the city where Don Bradman played his last match on British soil. He didn’t disappoint, scoring 123 not out in front of a crowd of 10,000. It is often claimed that this was Bradman’s last first-class century, but sadly for Mannofield it wasn’t. Scotland v Australians was not a first-class match, and anyway the great man scored another 123 at the MCG in December 1948. Nonetheless, it was unquestionably Bradman’s last century in the UK, and where better to achieve it than a city that has a river named after him?Had he had more time, the “Great Master” might have been charmed by a few other grounds in the area. The Aberdeenshire cricket league is known as the Grades, and 2014 sees it mark its 130th anniversary. Across the four grades, more than 20 clubs provide 36 teams.

Aberdeen went down in history as the city where Don Bradman played his last match on British soil. He didn’t disappoint

I spent three summers playing cricket in the city and county, never contributing much to my club, Bon Accord, but enjoying the variety of opponents and venues. Duthie Park is one of my favourites, a lovely little Victorian green space by the River Dee, where cricket has been played every summer since 1883. Sadly though it is now under threat.As for Aberdeen’s cricketing heart, that is the Links, and I say this not just because that was my home pitch. Matches have been held there since at least 1847 and, hemmed in by Alex Ferguson’s old stomping ground to the west, the King’s Links golf course to the north, the town ice rink to the south, and then the sea, the Links is a true sporting centre.It is also the fastest-draining cricket arena* in the western world, thanks to the coastal sand-dune system beneath. That might make it sound idyllic, but it doesn’t take account of Aberdeen’s infamous . At the switch of a tide, a sunny afternoon can transform into a mysterious grey fug, the town and sky suddenly melding into one another. The Links is the only place where I’ve ever fielded at midwicket and been unable to see my counterpart at cover.For more bucolic conditions, you need to venture further inland. On the south-western edge of town, Allan Park is the home of Bon Accord’s greatest Grades rivals, Cults. There is a certain pleasure in trying to pepper the gardens of the city’s oil barons that loom ostentatiously over the ground there. To truly get beyond the clutches of the , though, you must drive up Royal Deeside to picturesque spots such as Banchory.Bon Accord’s Fazal Awan goes on the attack against Stonehaven•Liam HerringshawAlternatively, drive south down the coast to Mineralwells Park, Stonehaven, where the tough grey granite is replaced by a rather softer, warmer sandstone, or north to the rich green fields of Ellon. Huntly is a fine old spot too, where, in a cup match team-talk, our stand-in captain told us we were rubbish and couldn’t win. He was right. Our opponents had Azhar Ali in their line-up.As for Mannofield itself, I only ever played there twice, bowled two overs, and batted briefly. Not being dismissed in my solitary innings, though, I can at least claim parity with Bradman, which is something I never thought I’d be able to say.Talking of talking, if you’re attending the game, you could arm yourself with a few choice local phrases. In Ancient Greece, Doric was the somewhat derogatory name given to the Greek spoken by people living outside Athens. By allusion, when Edinburgh was known as the “Athens of the North”, so the Aberdonians came to be known as speaking Doric.It is a language full of earthy terms perfect for a disgruntled spectator. “Fit ye deein, Buttler?” is a much richer way of exclaiming “What in heaven’s name are you playing at, Buttler?”Of course, if the weather turns , you may end up , but Aberdonian cricket lovers are nothing if not , and if their team wins they’ll be ***.So don’t declare this match doesn’t matter. Peter Moores is taking it seriously, while a Scottish victory could be a shot in the arm for Aberdeenshire cricket. Regardless of whether the weather obliges, Mannofield deserves its moment in the sun.*Literally, as arena derives from the Latin for “sandy place of combat”.**For a more detailed insight to life as an Aberdeenshire cricketer, I can’t recommend Rene van Oorschot’s marvellous Clog Blog highly enough. I’m proud to say I taught Rene everything he knows, though sadly not of cricket or sportswriting, but obscure forms of palaeontology at Aberdeen University. Needless to say, his student team easily beat the Staff XI for the “Volcanic Ashes”.***For explanations, consult this Doric dictionary.

The Plays of the day from the Champions League match between Cobras and Northern Knights

Siddarth Ravindran19-Sep-2014Ball of the day
Cobras were facing a massive target of 207 when their openers walked out. Their job got even tougher after an unplayable first ball from Trent Boult – it was quick, pitched up and curving away. Stiaan van Zyl looked to work the ball away towards midwicket, only for it to swerve past the outside edge and crash into the middle and off stumps. Not what van Zyl wanted on his 27th birthday. Boult enjoyed it though, as did the giantscreen operator – the message flashed, “Boult and beautiful.”Shot of the day
Kane Williamson might have taken his time adapting to the Twenty20 format, but he has been the player of the tournament in the CLT20 so far. There were a couple of half-centuries in the qualifying stage, and he capped it off with a 49-ball hundred today. It was the quickest century in six seasons of the tournament, and he reached the milestone with a special stroke. It was a free-hit from Vernon Philander; Williamson backed away from the stumps to make room and then carved the length ball over cover for six. He was falling away towards the leg side, but such was the timing on the shot that it still cleared the rope. Doubts over his ability in Twenty20 were also cleared.Direct hit of the day
The start of Knights’ innings was littered with half-chances, with mishits falling just wide of the fielders, and batsmen just making their ground when the stumps were broken by a throw. Knights had raced along to 140 for 0 in the 14th over when, at last, there was reward for Cobras. Williamson dug out a yorker from Philander towards point and set off for a quick single, Anton Devcich responded early but not early enough to beat a dead-on throw from Robin Peterson. With only one stump to aim at, Peterson lasered the ball to the base of the stumps to send back Devcich.Attempt of the dayIn the eighth over, Devcich went for a big hit over long-off. He didn’t get the distance, and Hashim Amla scrambled across to his right to take a difficult low chance just within the rope. Though Amla had the ball under control, he was still sliding towards the boundary and realised he couldn’t stop himself from touching the rope. He chucked the ball back into the field of play just before he hit the boundary – he might not have caused a dismissal but at least he saved four runs.