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Hales hopes to ‘get absolute confirmation of my current health status’ after developing fever, dry cough upon return home from PSL

Matt Roller17-Mar-20202:21

We took all measures we possibly could – PCB CEO

Alex Hales has confirmed he is self-isolating at home after developing symptoms of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) following his return from the Pakistan Super League.The PSL’s organisers confirmed on Tuesday morning that the competition’s semi-finals and finals had been postponed indefinitely after a player had shown symptoms of the virus. PCB chief executive Wasim Khan said “we cannot reveal the identity of that player”, but Ramiz Raja, who has been commentating on the tournament, told reporters: “Alex Hales has developed symptoms.”Raja’s comments led to inaccurate speculation that Hales had tested positive for the virus, which he denied in a statement.ALSO READ: PSL playoffs postponed on semi-final day“In the light of the speculation and rumour that is currently circulating within the cricket world and on social media, I felt I needed to give a full explanation of my situation,” Hales said.”Like many other overseas players, I reluctantly left the Pakistan Super League early because, with COVID-19 reaching global pandemic status, I felt it was more important to be with my family rather than face a period of lockdown thousands of miles from home.”I returned to the UK in the early hours of Saturday morning feeling perfectly fit and healthy and with absolutely no symptoms of the virus. However, I awoke early on Sunday morning having developed a fever and followed the government’s advice of self-isolation, a process I am obviously still following having developed a dry and persistent cough.”At this stage, it has not been possible to be tested although I am hopeful that might be the case later today [Tuesday] so that I can get absolute confirmation of my current health status.”Alex Hales in action for Karachi Kings at the PSL•AFP via Getty Images

reported that Hales spent Saturday socialising with Tom Curran and Jade Dernbach after returning from Pakistan, but that they were not among the six Surrey players confirmed by the club to be in self-isolation on Monday. A club spokesperson later confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that the pair are now also self-isolating.Hales had tweeted “Self-isolation begins… TV series to watch please?!” on Monday, but later deleted the post.All the players and officials of the four teams to have qualified for the PSL semi-finals, as well as broadcasters and staff involved with the games, will be tested for the virus following the competition’s postponement.Salman Iqbal, the owner of Hales’ franchise Karachi Kings, told ESPNcricinfo: “I have been asking for it to be postponed for the past two days, as we [PSL] was the only cricket going on. But, anyway, it’s a very good decision by the franchise owners and the PCB management.”

The board’s CEO Warren Deutrom lays out the obstacles in hosting matches under the current climate

Matt Roller15-Apr-2020Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom has conceded that there is a “high risk” that home series against New Zealand and Pakistan this summer will fall victim to the coronavirus pandemic.The start of the Irish season has already been pushed back to the end of May, meaning that Bangladesh’s scheduled tour for three ODIs and four T20Is has been postponed, and with international travel severely limited as things stand, it is possible that Ireland will not play a single home fixture this summer.New Zealand are due to play three ODIs and three T20Is from June 19, while Pakistan are scheduled to play two T20Is in July in between series in the Netherlands and England.”We’re all going to have to take a pragmatic approach – we just don’t know what’s going to happen even if sport does get back up and running in June,” Deutrom said. “With regards to international cricket, we remain in a wait-and-see holding pattern. Clearly, there is a high risk that our men’s home series against New Zealand and Pakistan… may be postponed if government restrictions remain in place.”Of course, some of the challenge we face in trying to bring some degree of certainty are no different to any other sport with international opposition – for example attaining visas for visiting teams and their support staff may not be possible as the Department of Foreign Affairs and the UK Foreign Office are currently not processing visa applications.”In addition, each country will take the advice of their home government, so teams may not even be in a position to travel to Europe. More specific to our situation, both New Zealand and Pakistan are visiting multiple countries on their tours, so that adds an extra layer of complexity. Then there are more logistical issues such as hotel and international flight bookings, the movement and staffing of broadcast facilities, and complying with the restrictions that may still exist around large group gatherings.”Two weeks ago, NZC chief executive David White indicated that the tour to Ireland, Scotland, the Netherlands and the Caribbean was “most unlikely”, while PCB chairman Ehsan Mani told the board’s podcast this week that “preparation for the tour might become an issue if this keeps going the way it is.””It will also depend to a large degree on what the situation is like in England and Ireland,” Mani said. “If those series are disrupted, it will have a lot of impact. [The national boards] will also obviously have a huge financial impact. To reschedule those [tours] to fit into a future FTP will become a big challenge.”Irish cricket faces a further obstacle in that it has no permanent stadium, and relies heavily on temporary infrastructure at home fixtures. “Not only does this extend our lead-times for series preparation,” Deutrom said, “but also – at this time of crisis – we are aware that there is a shortage of temporary or portable infrastructure on the market as most is understandably in use by [Irish and Northern Irish health services].”The groundsman at Malahide – the ground near Dublin due to host both fixtures against Pakistan – has been temporarily repatriated to England by the local club, and Deutrom has previously indicated Cricket Ireland would monitor its readiness to host international cricket once restrictions are lifted.Deutrom also confirmed that the board has taken measures to preserve jobs and “to buffer the organisation through at least the next two months” with revenue shortfalls expected through loss of broadcast and sponsorship revenue. All non-playing staff have taken a 20% wage cut for April and May, while Deutrom himself will take a 25% cut for the rest of the calendar year.Centrally-contracted players have not been asked to take a cut on their retainer, on account of the losses already incurred due to the absence of match fees. “To ask them to take a further cut to their base remuneration… would be unreasonable,” Deutrom said.It remains to be seen how well-equipped Cricket Ireland is to deal with the crisis financially, with the annual report for 2019 due to be published within the next few weeks. The board’s 2018 accounts showed that cash reserves had been depleted to just €13,470 (14,700 USD approx), with the achievement of Test status leading to vastly increased costs, while Mani has warned that many boards will “feel the pinch” of the crisis, not least if the T20 World Cup is postponed.

Being the “sole nominee” put forth by the board, there was no need for a subsequent election process

Nagraj Gollapudi15-May-2018Shashank Manohar will continue as the ICC chairman until 2020 after he was elected unopposed for a second two-year term. In a media release, the ICC stated that Manohar was the “sole nominee” put forth by the board. As a result, there was no need for an election process, which originally would have been scheduled during the annual conference in June.In 2016, Manohar had vacated his position as BCCI president to be elected unanimously as the ICC’s inaugural independent chairman. Six months in, Manohar said he would step down for personal reasons, but was persuaded by several ICC board members to stay on in the job. Manohar subsequently said he would leave by the end of the first year, halfway into his term. After the same group asked Manohar to reconsider his decision again, he opted to carry on till June this year.During Manohar’s tenure, the ICC has taken significant strides in overhauling its structure and constitution by becoming a more democratic body. Despite stiff resistance, Manohar managed to persuade bigger boards like the BCCI to adopt the new ICC governance structure as well as a new finance distribution model, which would ensure revenue from commercial deals would be shared evenly by both the major and minor members.Manohar also pushed for reforms in the ICC’s constitution including having an independent woman director. Pepsico chairperson Indra Nooyi was appointed as the ICC’s first independent woman director earlier this year, and will assume the role formally when she attends the ICC annual conference in Dublin.On being re-elected, Manohar said he was happy to continue having “fulfilled” the promise he had made when he took over the job two years ago, and was looking forward to the road ahead. “Over the next two years, we can look forward to launching a global strategy for the sport in partnership with our Members so we can grow the game and ensure more of the world can enjoy cricket,” Manohar said. “The sport is in good health but we are the guardians of the game and we must continue to work hard to maintain that.”

Samiullah Shenwari is back after being rested for the ODIs against Ireland, while Hamid Hassan, who last played international cricket in July 2016, makes a comeback to the T20I squad

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jan-2018Mohammad Shahzad is back in Afghanistan’s ODI and T20I squads for their series against Zimbabwe in the UAE in February. The wicketkeeper-batsman’s retrospective one-year doping ban ends on January 17.The allrounder Samiullah Shenwari is also back in both squads, having been rested during Afghanistan’s ODI series against Ireland in December. Among the fast bowlers, Hamid Hassan, who last played an international match in July 2016, has made a comeback to the T20I squad, while Dawlat Zadran is part of the ODI squad but has missed out on T20I selection.The series against Zimbabwe will be the newly appointed head coach Phil Simmons’ first in charge of Afghanistan.ODI squad: Asghar Stanikzai (capt), Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Javed Ahmadi, Ihsanullah Janat, Najibullah Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Samiullah Shenwari, Nasir Jamal, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Zadran, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Dawlat Zadran, Shapoor Zadran. Reserves: Noor Ali Zadran, Karim Janat, Sayed Ahmad Shirzad, Afsar Zazai.T20I squad: Asghar Stanikzai (capt), Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Usman Ghani, Karim Sadiq, Najibullah Zadran, Shafiqullah, Samiullah Shenwari, Aftab Alam, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Zadran, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Hamid Hassan, Shapoor Zadran.

The board wants them to fulfill national and domestic commitments ahead of a full series against Sri Lanka in September

Umar Farooq12-Aug-2017The Pakistan Cricket Board has abruptly revoked No-Objection Certificates given to 13 players currently in England and the West Indies and has asked them to return home to fulfill national and domestic commitments.The board had originally given as many as 10 players, including seven centrally contracted cricketers, permission to play the entire Caribbean Premier League – which began on August 4 and runs until September 9. Three cricketers without central contracts – Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir and Mohammad Sami – have also been asked to return after they were selected by Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Lahore Whites for the National T20 Cup. While there is no contractual compulsion on them to do so, it is expected that they will.

Pakistan players called back

From the CPL: Imad Wasim, Shoaib Malik, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Wahab Riaz, Babar Azam, Mohammad Sami, Sohail Tanvir, Kamran Akmal
From England: Sarfraz Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Amir

The same notices went out to Mohammad Amir, who was to stay with Essex until September, Sarfraz Ahmed, who was to play five games for Yorkshire in the Natwest T20 Blast, and Fakhar Zaman, who was set to join Somerset until the end of the season.Essex are currently top of Division One of the Championship, after Amir’s ten-wicket haul helped them to a two-day win over Yorkshire earlier this week. They are understood to be in negotiations with the PCB about when Amir is required to return, but could try to bring back New Zealand quick Neil Wagner, who filled the overseas spot in the first half of the season, as a replacement.”The centrally contracted players were given permission to participate in the CPL and English county season subject to recall if the World XI series took place in mid-September,” the PCB said in a statement. “So they are being recalled owing to the changes in the schedule brought about due to the change in the original plan of the World XI’s tour of Pakistan.”The World XI’s visit – subject to security clearance – was originally scheduled for the last week of September but it has been brought forward into a window between September 10 and 16. This change was made to ensure the series would not clash with a high profile by-election in Lahore on September 17, coming in the wake of the Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification from the post of Prime Minister last month.However, the final call over the World XI matches is expected to be taken by the government. The Law and Order Committee of Punjab has reviewed the PCB’s request to host the series in Lahore and, according to Najam Sethi, the new chairman of the board, both parties are in agreement over dates and are waiting for the approval of the chief minister.Pakistan are also set to travel to the UAE from September 21 for a full series against Sri Lanka. Amid this tight schedule, the PCB announced a National T20 Championship running from August 25 to September 10.”Owing to the late finalisation and rescheduling of the ICC World XI series to be played mid-September, the PCB has been obliged to schedule its National T20 Cup to start near the end of August and finish before the World XI series so that its national team can leave for UAE to play Sri Lanka starting September 24,” the PCB explained. “This has compelled the PCB to call back centrally contracted players in contention for selection for the World XI series next month from their ongoing Caribbean Premier League and English county stints.”The series has been brought forward to mid-September because the Punjab government wants it to be held before the NA120 election on September 17. It can’t be held after September 17 because there is no time to both hold the series and also give coach Mickey Arthur time for training his team before the series against Sri Lanka starts on September 24. The players have been asked to report for a pre-series fitness testing/training camp, as planned by the national team management and the National T20 tournament that starts in Multan on August 25.”The returning players have been asked to report to the National Cricket Academy for fitness and medical tests under Arthur’s supervision on August 22.

With an in-form batting line-up and a varied bowling attack, Afghanistan hold the aces against Zimbabwe in the knockout clash in Nagpur

The Preview by Firdose Moonda11-Mar-2016

Match facts

Saturday, March 12, 2016
Start time 1500 local (0930GMT)

Big Picture

A week hasn’t even passed yet in the World Twenty20, but a final is already in the offing. Well, a final of sorts.Zimbabwe and Afghanistan face each other in a shootout for a place in the main draw, after two wins each. The Full Member, though, isn’t the favourite. Afghanistan are ranked ninth, two places above Zimbabwe, and hold the advantage. Zimbabwe have never beaten Afghanistan in T20 internationals in four attempts. Zimbabwe’s performance has been sloppy this tournament, but they scrambled to wins over Hong Kong and Scotland. Afghanistan’s wins, on the other hand, have been more emphatic.Afghanistan have hit rhythm with a batting line-up in which everybody has contributed, supporting a largely varied attack. Zimbabwe are still searching for theirs. Their most in-form batsman, captain Hamilton Masakadza, has been run-out in both matches and the top order hasn’t provided bright starts for the middle order to build on. Zimbabwe’s bowling is their stronger suit, but they tend to let things drift. Zimbabwe need to step up in all departments if they are to put it across Afghanistan. Neutral fans are likely to back Afghanistan, the darlings of global events in recent years, and a side with the potential to topple Full Members.

Form guide

(last five completed games most recent first)

ZimbabweWWWWL
Afghanistan WWWWL

In the spotlight

Afghanistan’s top three have been aggressive upfront with scores 68 for 0 and 79 for 1 in the first ten overs of their previous two matches, but they will face their biggest challenge in Zimbabwe’s seamers who have the craft to tie down the batsmen in the opening passages. In their two matches, Zimbabwe had reduced the opposition to 48 for 2 and 61 for 5 at the halfway stage. Mohammad Shahzad, Noor Ali Zadran and Asghar Stanikzai will have to be wary of the threat posed by the seamers as well as left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza.

Team news

Zimbabwe have stuck to the same XI for both matches, but they may consider strengthening their batting by adding either wicketkeeper-batsman Peter Moor or allrounder Chamu Chibhabha in the middle order. They may have to leave out Malcolm Waller to do that. Vusi Sibanda, who needed four stitches on his chin, and did not take the field in the chase, after colliding with Hamilton while attempting a quick single on Thursday, has been passed fit to play.Zimbabwe: (probable) 1 Hamilton Masakadza, 2 Vusi Sibanda, 3 Richmond Mutumbami (wk), 4 Sean Williams, 5 Sikandar Raza, 6 Peter Moor/Chamu Chibhabha/Malcolm Waller, 7 Elton Chigumbura, 8 Donald Tiripano, 9 Wellington Masakadza, 10 Tinashe Panyangara, 11 Tendai ChataraHamid Hassan replaced Amir Hamza in the Afghanistan XI that beat Hong Kong but the side may be tempted to recall the left-arm spinner on these sluggish tracks.Afghanistan: (probable) 1 Mohammad Shahzad (wk), 2 Noor Ali Zadran, 3 Asghar Stanikzai (capt), 4 Mohammad Nabi,5 Gulbaddin Naib, 6 Shafiqullah, 7 Dawlat Zadran, 8 Najibullah Zadran, 9 Samiullah Shemwari, 10 Rashid Khan, 11 Hamid Hassan/Amir Hamza

Pitch and conditions

The Nagpur surface seemed to slow down from Tuesday to Thursday. So if the trend continues, run-scoring will be more difficult on Saturday, although Afghanistan’s batting line-up is in form. Of more interest will be the crowd. Tuesday’s opener had taken place in front of a sparse crowd (182 approximately) and things went bad on Thursday, when some fans were locked out of the stadium because of a ticketing fiasco. Since this is the first match on a weekend, the turnout may increase. Saturday will also be a furnace in Nagpur with temperatures set to hit 40 degrees.

Stats and trivia

• Afghanistan have won 16 of their last 20 T20 matches, dating back to March 2014, including four victories over Zimbabwe.
• Zimbabwe have never beaten Afghanistan in a T20 and have lost eight of the 14 ODIs they have played against them.

Quotes

“They just want to make a mark in world cricket and prove people wrong, and [prove] that they are good enough to play at this level. They have done everything right; they have played aggressively in this format to give themselves the best chance. More often than not, when you are aggressive in this format, you will come up trumps. Not many expected Afghanistan to [beat us] – they are forever underdogs and you are different when you are an underdog.”

Trevor Bayliss has been confirmed as England’s new coach the day after it emerged that he had become the ECB’s preferred choice ahead of Jason Gillpesie.

ESPNcricinfo staff26-May-20150:31

‘An Aussie in the ranks is a brilliant idea’ – Prior

Trevor Bayliss has been confirmed as England’s new coach the day after it emerged that he had become the ECB’s preferred choice ahead of Jason Gillespie. He will join the ECB next month ahead of the Ashes series which begins in July.Bayliss, 52, a former Sri Lanka coach who led them to the World Cup final in 2011 and No. 2 in the Test rankings, is currently coach of New South Wales where he has won two Sheffield Shield titles in separate stints, Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash and Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. He briefly coached Australia last year during a Twenty20 series against South Africa and his appointment will see him reunited with Paul Farbrace who was his assistant with Sri Lanka. Both men were in the team bus that was attacked by terrorists in Lahore in 2009.His pedigree in limited-overs cricket was a key factor in his favour ahead of Gillespie as England look to overturn their horrendous white-ball form in time for next year’s World T20 in India followed by the 2017 Champions Trophy and 2019 World Cup – both of which will be held in England.

Bayliss can be ‘strict’ – Jayawardene

Mahela Jayawardene, who was Sri Lanka captain for part of the Trevor Bayliss was coach, has said Bayliss could be “strict” and “doesn’t like the limelight” but thought he would help the captain and players and a new-look England side.

“Trevor is a good, old-fashioned coach who likes to work behind the scenes,” he told the . “He doesn’t like the limelight very much and just lets the players get on with it most of the time.

“If he sees something wrong he is very strict about it and will keep a firm line around the team, putting his foot down to make sure certain things do not happen.

“He will give the team a clear game plan but then he will let them play. He will try to help the captain in his decision-making and is very sharp on tactics, although he is not a huge guy for statistics.”

Jayawardene dismissed the suggestion that Bayliss’ lack of international playing experience was a issue.

“I don’t think it is a problem that he never had international playing experience. A lot of good coaches around the world are in the same position and you just need to look at Trevor’s record. He has been very consistent in all forms of the game.

“I am sure he knows what needs to be done and that he will give it a good try. It is a great time for him to take the job, because this is a young England side with a lot of talented players.”

“It’s an honour to be appointed England coach,” Bayliss said. “There’s a great opportunity to help Alastair Cook and Eoin Morgan shape the direction and development of their respective teams. I am also looking forward to working alongside Paul Farbrace once again as we have a similar outlook on the game, get on well after two years working together and have kept in touch.”What particularly excites me about the role is the chance to work with a very talented group of players. I firmly believe that the team has a bright future and I’ll be doing everything I can to help them realise their potential and achieve success on a consistent basis.”Bayliss was the only non-Englishman interviewed just over a year ago when England searched for a replacement for Andy Flower before they eventually settled on returning to Peter Moores – an appointment that lasted barely 12 months. Bayliss was told, at the time, that he had interviewed well but that the preference was for an English coach. While England have used specialist Australian coaches in the past – the likes of David Saker, who was bowling coach – and have had two head coaches from Zimbabwe, they have never previously employed an Australian as head coach.Andrew Strauss, the director of England cricket, said: “Trevor has an outstanding record as coach, has global experience and is very highly regarded in the game. He has proved himself in both domestic and international cricket, has a strong reputation for man-management and has shown how to build winning teams in all three formats.”His expertise in the shorter forms of the game will be vital as we build towards three major ICC events over the next four years”Trevor will also work well with Paul Farbrace, an exceptional coach who will continue as assistant coach after helping us to an outstanding victory over New Zealand in the first Investec Test of the summer. This has been a very competitive recruitment process and we’re grateful to all of the candidates who showed their interest in this role. I’m excited to have him on board.”Meanwhile, the current Australia coach Darren Lehmann looked forward to locking horns in the Ashes. “Trevor has been a great servant of the game in Australia and has had great success with NSW in both long and short format, as well as with the Sydney Sixers and Kolkata Knight Riders in T20s,” he said. “He did a great job for us when he took the reins in the International T20s against South Africa last year.”A trademark of Trevor’s teams is that they are well prepared and this just serves as another reminder to us that this Ashes will be a tough contest. I congratulate him on his appointment and wish him all the best.”Andrew Jones, the New South Wales chief executive, said: “Trevor has been an outstanding coach for NSW and internationally. He has a wonderful ability to get the best out of sides with his firm but low key approach. And his attacking attitude as a batsman develops a belief in proactive and entertaining players and teams.”His appointment as England coach is another feather in the cap for NSW cricket, which continues to produce players and coaches of outstanding quality. The highly anticipated Ashes series will now have an extra dimension, with Trevor coming up against nine NSW players he helped mentor who make up the bulk of Australia’s squad.In the short term, Farbrace will remain in charge for the second Test against New Zealand at Headingley and the limited-overs games that follow it.

Ahmed Jamal, the Pakistan Customs fast bowler, has won a ‘King of Speed’ competition, a nationwide search to unearth new pace talent

Umar Farooq29-Apr-2013Ahmed Jamal, the Pakistan Customs fast bowler, has won a ‘King of Speed’ competition, a nationwide search to unearth new pace talent. His fastest delivery was clocked at 143kph and won him Rs 1 million in prize money.Jamal, 24, is from Abbottabad in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, 68 miles north of Islamabad. He took five wickets on first-class debut for Pakistan Customs in 2009, and has 127 wickets in 34 games.Jamal was one of four quicks selected for Wasim Akram’s camp from a countrywide talent hunt earlier this month. The others were Muhammad Imran from Karachi, who bowled 136 kph, and Faisalabad’s Abdul Ameer and Faisal Yaseen, who both bowled at 135kph.”I am thrilled and very happy,” Jamal said in Karachi. “My feet were on the ground before I won this and will remain on the ground after winning the prize as I want to make a name for myself. I had planned to spend this money, but I am not going to disclose it now.”Jamal was among 24 bowlers who were undergoing a 10-day training camp led by Wasim Akram. He said Shoaib Akhtar was his inspiration. “I was always inspired by Shoaib Akhtar who was very fast so I wanted to bowl like him.”At the camp, Akram worked with the country’s best fast bowlers, including members of the national team and some new talent. It was organized ahead of the Champions Trophy in England, amid growing concerns about the depth of Pakistan’s fast-bowling reserves. “These ten days are the best of my life,” Jamal said. “What I have learnt during these days are a big thing for me and I want to move from strength to strength.”Akram was optimistic about the future of fast bowling in Pakistan after the camp. “I am happy to see that we still have great fast bowling talent in Pakistan, we just need to find that talent and polish our youngsters,” he said. “Fast young bowlers like Ahmed Jamal are the future of this country; they can become part of our national team and take Pakistan cricket to new heights of glory.”It was a short camp and we will not stop here. I feel captain’s role is very important in grooming the fast bowlers, if a bowler is low on confidence then the captain can lift it by backing his bowler and that raises the confidence.”I am sure that [Mohammad] Irfan and Junaid [Khan] will improve with time,” Akram said. “Irfan is a rare talent and should be used properly and Junaid is also showing great improvement. I feel the boys showed great passion for learning and because of that my passion also increased. I think we have talent in pace department.”

Kevin Pietersen played one of the great Test innings to leave England scenting victory in the second Test during a day of high drama in Mumbai

The Report by David Hopps25-Nov-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKevin Pietersen followed Alastair Cook with his 22nd Test hundred•BCCI

Kevin Pietersen played one of the great Test innings to leave England scenting victory in the second Test during a day of high drama in Mumbai. Pietersen bestrode the first two sessions with a brilliant 186 and England’s spinners did not waste the opportunity he had provided as Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar terrorised India’s second innings in turn.Rarely has a Test of any era had such an emphasis upon spin bowling, and the result has been a compelling contest. India will start the fourth day precariously placed with a 31-run lead and three second innings remaining. Swann and Panesar, yet to win a Test in tandem for England in eight attempts, proved themselves at least the equals of India’s spinners. However, there is just a glimmer of hope for India: England will not chase any fourth-innings total above 100 with certainty.This was a historic day as Pietersen and Alastair Cook both equalled the record for most England Test centuries, it was an enthralling day of virtually perpetual spin, it even had an element of controversy in the dismissal of Jonny Bairstow, but it largely swooned in the presence of the batting genius of Pietersen, who unveiled one of his most exceptional innings for England, 186 from 233 balls on a wickedly turning pitch, an innings played with utter conviction, awash with moments of rare skill.The quality of his innings – and, in a different key, that of Cook – was emphasised by what followed. England’s tail collapsed in quick time and then India caved in in turn, only Gautam Gambhir gamely assembling an unbeaten half-century. Panesar and Swann outbowled their India counterparts on this occasion, even if the difference was overstated because of Pietersen’s brilliance, with Panesar’s extra pace making him a particularly challenging proposition on a surface where he could also turn the ball markedly.Nearly eight overs elapsed before England, holding a lead of 86, made an impression, Panesar drawing Virender Sehwag cagily forward and Swann taking a catch at gully. Cheteshwar Pujara, England’s scourge, was caught at short leg off an inside edge as Swann followed suit in the next over.The stage was set for what might prove to be Sachin Tendulkar’s final Test innings in Mumbai, but there was no heroic script, no summoning of powers of old. Tendulkar survived a stumping appeal off Panesar by a whisker as his back foot momentarily lifted and was then late on his shot against Panesar to be lbw.Was it the pressure, or merely carelessness, which then caused Virat Kohil to mistime a full toss from Swann horribly to mid-off where the substitute, Joe Root, held his nerve? Yuvraj Singh followed off the glove to short leg; MS Dhoni, a captain who had demanded turning surfaces to expose England, found himself exposed as he edged Panesar to slip. A breathless third day ended with R Ashwin’s failed attempts at adventure and a skied catch to Samit Patel at extra cover.Panesar has 10 wickets in the match to date, the first time an England spinner has done that since Hedley Verity in the 1930s. His quicker pace than India’s slow left-armer, Ojha, on a pitch where both could find substantial turn, made him a more difficult proposition.But as the dust settled – and there was lots of it – the emphasis remained with Pietersen. This was an innings of daring and presumption, one that could only be played by a batsman of great talent and even greater ego. India’s spinners waited for the storm to abate in the knowledge that only when it did normal life could be resumed.

Smart stats

• Kevin Pietersen’s 186 is the third-highest score by an England batsman in India. It is also the highest score by an England batsman in Mumbai surpassing Graeme Hick’s 178 in 1993.

• Pietersen and Alastair Cook, who scored 122, now have 22 centuries each and are joint-highest on the list of England batsmen with the most centuries.

• The 206-run stand between Pietersen and Cook is the third-highest third-wicket stand for England against India and and the highest such stand in Tests in India.

• Pietersen’s strike rate of 79.82 is the sixth-highest for a 100-plus score by an England batsman against India. It is also the third-highest strike rate for Pietersen in away Tests (100-plus knocks only).

• The century is Pietersen’s tenth score of 150 or more in Tests. He is now joint-highest with Wally Hammond and Len Hutton on the list of England batsmen with the most 150-plus scores.

• Cook became only the fifth England batsman to score two or more centuries in a Test series in India.

• Monty Panesar’s 10 for 190 is the second-best match haul for an England spinner against India. The best is Hedley Verity’s 11 for 153 in 1934.

• The lowest target successfully defended in Mumbai is 107 by India against Australia in 2004. India went on to win the game by 13 runs.

Pietersen’s hundred was achieved with a reverse sweep against Harbhajan Singh, outrageous, yes, but caressed with such composure there was not the merest hint of excess. For his 150, he performed an exceptional pick-up over mid wicket off Pragyan Ojha. There was also an extraordinary loft over cover for six against Ojha, which he deposited there as if in a dream.Ohja finally got his man, drawing a lavish drive which he nicked to the wicketkeeper, and when it was all over, and Pietersen fell, utterly fulfilled, England’s last five wickets fell for 31 in nine overs as the spinners restored the natural order of things, just as houses and shops are repaired and reopened after a storm has left townEngland’s collapse was quickened by the soft run out of Matt Prior, who half-attempted a stolen offside single and was then sent back by Stuart Broad, Dhoni’s rapid retrieve and throw beating his desperate dive for the crease. The rest fell quickly, with Harbhajan nipping in for two tail-end wickets and Panesar slogging Ashwin to deep midwicket. Perhaps he was desperate to get the ball in his hands.The stand of 206 in 53 overs between Pietersen and Cook moved them alongside Wally Hammond, Colin Cowdrey and Geoffrey Boycott with 22 Test hundreds. Even if one India fielder looking on, Tendulkar, had the right to remark that they had barely started, the sense of achievement was palpable in a year that has brought England little joy.Such achievements are years in the making, and they have been reached by two very different individuals following two very different routes, but they came within two overs of each other on a sunny Sunday morning in Mumbai.Cook reached his hundred with a perfectly fashioned off drive against Harbhajan, lips licked in anticipation as he leant into the shot with such poise that when his career ends a representation of the shot should rightly stand alongside Henry Moore’s Old Flo. Pietersen would be better celebrated with a dance song, complete with laser show.Cook, who continued his unparalleled record of hundreds in four successive Tests as captain, fell for 122, 35 minutes before lunch, caught at the wicket by Dhoni as Ashwin found turn and bounce. Cook and Pietersen, introvert and extrovert, loyalist and rebel, had been at the peak of their game.India took the second new ball immediately upon Cook’s dismissal and they struck again on the stroke of lunch as Bairstow, controversially, became Ojha’s third victim as he tried to work him against the spin into the leg side and got a leading edge to Gambhir at silly point. England felt they had a case that Bairstow should have been reprieved on the grounds that the ball had struck the grille of Gambhir’s helmet.England’s director of cricket, Andy Flower, approached the match referee, Roshan Mahanama, to ask for the decision to be reversed, but as Bairstow had left the field of play, the decision could only be withdrawn if India’s captain, Dhoni, withdrew his appeal. Dhoni, with the support of his coach, Duncan Fletcher, chose not to do so. By the close of a remarkable day, it all seemed quite inconsequential.

Sri Lanka completed their third Test victory in five matches, and their largest win over Pakistan on the fourth day in Galle

The Report by Siddarth Ravindran25-Jun-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Asad Shafiq made a solid half-century•AFP

For a year and a half after Muttiah Muralitharan’s retirement, every match Sri Lanka played was accompanied by questions about their ability to be a top Test nation in the absence of the game’s greatest wicket-taker. Those questions will be less frequent after Sri Lanka completed their third Test victory in five matches, and their largest win over Pakistan on the fourth day in Galle. The result also snapped Pakistan’s winning streak, which included a 3-0 blanking of world No. 1 England, at five Tests.It wasn’t one-way traffic on Monday, as it had been on the three previous days as Asad Shafiq and Younis Khan defied Sri Lanka for nearly two sessions. Younis gave another demonstration of his fourth-innings mastery, while Shafiq once again showed his appetite for a scrap, as he had in his two previous Tests, against England. Their resistance stretched the game to the final minutes of the fourth day, but Sri Lanka were never in any serious danger, remaining firmly in control all through.Pakistan’s only casualty in the morning was the nightwatchman Saeed Ajmal, run-out in the second over of the day after a direct hit by Suraj Randiv from cover. An early finish to the game looked on the cards when Younis started to walk off after seemingly holing out to mid-off, but there was some doubt over whether Tillakaratne Dilshan had got his fingers under the ball as he took a low catch. It was hard to tell from the replays, and Younis was given the benefit of the doubt.The only other clear-cut chance in the session for Pakistan was when Kumar Sangakkara put down a tough catch at midwicket off Shafiq ten minutes before lunch. There were a few mild lbw appeals, and Shafiq’s french-cut for four early in his innings, but for the most part, Younis and Shafiq were more comfortable than any other Pakistan pair has been this match.They didn’t go into a defensive shell, looking to score even though the target was well out of sight. Younis used the sweep, mostly the conventional version but on one occasion the reverse as well. Shafiq capitalised on the deliveries bowled on his pads, and also pulled out some hard-hit lofted shots as Sri Lanka’s bowlers were made to wait for a breakthrough longer than they have had all match.The pattern continued after lunch as well, as the pair negated the generally slow spin easily. Both batsmen confidently used their feet against spin, and were quick to put away the loose deliveries. Sri Lanka’s fast bowlers weren’t at their best, not testing the batsmen enough and being inconsistent with their lines, while the spinners patiently plugged away. The slow bowlers managed to find a few edges which didn’t carry to slip on several occasions.As the session progressed, it seemed Sri Lanka’s best hope of a wicket would be once the new ball was taken, but Herath got one to spin off the pitch with pace, and Shafiq nicked it through to slip, via the wicketkeeper’s gloves, to fall for 80.Younis went on to become the first Pakistan batsman to complete 1000 runs in the fourth innings, but he couldn’t become the first man to score five centuries in the fourth innings of a Test. Sri Lanka hadn’t needed to wait for the second new ball to break the Younis-Shafiq stand but when they did take it, they got the big wicket of Younis in the very first over. Nuwan Kulasekara, who has been a huge threat with the new ball, got one delivery to hold its line, and not dip in as his deliveries usually do, causing a faint Younis nick to the keeper.With those two strikes, Sri Lanka were in sniffing distance of a win. Debutant Mohammad Ayub, the last of the specialist batsmen, hung around for an hour and a half before becoming fast bowler’s Nuwan Pradeep first Test victim.In a disappointing match for Pakistan, one of the bright spots for them was the wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal. Not only was he competent behind the stumps, he showed promise with the bat as well, besides conveying a sense of enjoying the game. He battled for an unbeaten 40, shielding the tail from the strike as much as he could, but couldn’t take the game into a fifth day as Sri Lanka’s spinners completed the job a few minutes before stumps.