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Before the tour, Sri Lanka’s bowling appeared to be the weakness. But their batting collapses have left the bowlers with little to defend

Andrew Fernando02-Jan-2013Chief among Sri Lanka’s woes after the deflating loss in Melbourne has been the form of its top order, whose torrid two-month stretch in Tests culminated in a gutless 156 and 103 at the MCG. As the final Test approaches, the batting appears just as brittle as the severely depleted pace attack. Their opponents have seemingly sensed easy prey, and opted for four seamers on a track that has traditionally been the most suited to spin in Australia.Sri Lanka’s susceptibility to high-quality pace bowling was apparent even before they arrived down under, as they played out a drawn two-match series at home against New Zealand. Twice in their four innings there, Sri Lanka succumbed five wickets for less than 70 and were 102 for 4 in another. The only innings in which Sri Lanka crossed 50 unscathed was in their fourth innings chase of 92 in Galle, during which New Zealand’s best bowler did not take the field because of a niggling injury. In Australia, they have lost four wickets for less than 100 thrice.Before the tour, it was the inexperience of the visitor’s pace attack that had invited bleak assessments, but Sri Lanka’s batting failures have only compounded their torment, as they have been forced to defend meagre totals on pitches that have largely suited batting. The prospect of a spin-friendly SCG surface always presented the best chance for Sri Lanka to win their first Test in Australia, but the visiting batsmen must extend the game to the last two days for Rangana Herath’s left-arm spin to be effective, and they cannot afford the first-innings deficits that have seen them effectively relinquish any hopes of victory early in the match.There was a time where Sri Lanka’s modus operandi in home Tests was to bat first, bat big and then unleash the spinners on the opposition on a wearing pitch, and despite his batsmen’s recent form, that is the blueprint Mahela Jayawardene still hopes to follow in Sydney.”The best way that we can win a Test match is to create a situation for Rangana on a slow turner,” he said. “We have to make sure that until the fourth or fifth day, we execute a good game plan and we stay in the game.”The last two or three Tests have been a bit of a blip, but our strong point is our batting. That’s where our experience lies and that’s where we’ve controlled a lot of Test matches. We need to get that control back, whether it’s with the mental side of it or the technical side, it’s something that we need to address.”Shortcomings in both technique and temperament led to the collapses in Melbourne, with several batsmen out playing injudicious strokes in the first innings, while others struggled to handle the bounce and pace in Melbourne. Sri Lanka opted to train only twice in the five days between the matches, not wanting to risk further injury, but Jayawardene said his side had taken the time off to assess their weaknesses and regroup mentally.”To try and get over that Test match [MCG Test] was the initial thing. It is pretty hard to shake off a loss like that, but I think it’s also about individuals taking responsibility and knowing what they have to do. If you really sit down and look at what we’ve achieved through this series, it’s not that hard to say, ‘No we haven’t done enough,’ and that we need to really stand up and be counted. It has to come from within themselves as well.”Teams do go through things like that and it happened to us at the Centurion. When we were in South Africa we lost in two and a half days and we bounced back to win the next Test. What we saw in Melbourne was that Australia had different gameplans against different players. The guys have to realise what they need to do in those situations. We’ve spoken about that.”Among the top order batsmen yet to make a significant score in the series is opener Dimuth Karunaratne, who will retain his place for the third Test. Karunaratne, 24, impressed the selectors with an unbeaten run-a-ball 60 in his first Test, but his highest score in four innings since has been 30. In Melbourne, his eagerness to take a tight second run began the collapse that saw them last less than 25 overs, but Jayawardene urged patience with the batsman, whom he hoped would justify his selection.”When you have a run out sometimes you feel bad. The circumstance is that it was Dimuth in his second or third Test match and he probably had a bit more energy flowing in his veins because he’s that kind of guy. When you make those kinds of mistakes, the guys will learn quickly. I personally feel that’s a good investment for us for the future.”We made a conscious call that Dimuth was going to be the second opener in this series, and the selectors backed it and said he’d get a good run whatever happens. That’s the way to go about it in Test cricket. You need to give younger guys enough opportunities. You need to make them feel comfortable. If you can remember, Marvan [Atapattu] went through five or six ducks in his career and he came back and delivered for Sri Lanka.”

The third ODI between India and Pakistan is critical for India’s struggling openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir to revive selectors’ faith in them

Amol Karhadkar05-Jan-2013The result of India’s match against Pakistan at the Kotla maybe inconsequential in the context of the series, but the match is critical for India’s struggling openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir to revive selectors’ faith in them ahead of the upcoming series against England.The national selection panel is set to be convened at the end of the match for selecting the squad for the five-match ODI series against England, which begins in Rajkot on January 11. And with both Sehwag and Gambhir repeatedly failing to make sizeable contributions in the shorter format, don’t be surprised if one of them – if not both – faces the axe at least for the initial phase of the England ODIs.Since his epic 219 against West Indies in December 2011, Sehwag has had a forgettable run with the bat in the 50-over format. He has been able to score just 248 runs in 11 innings since the record knock in Indore. His solitary fifty during this period came during the series in Sri Lanka last July-August. As a result, time is running out for the veteran player.”The only way he can save himself is by coming up with a big knock tomorrow. Otherwise, it will be difficult for him to be a part of the squad thereafter,” a source close to the selection panel said.It is also uncertain if the selectors will announce the squad for all five ODIs or a part of the series. With the team in dire straits, it won’t be surprising if Sunday will see the squad for the first two or three ODIs being named.What is almost certain though is the entry of Cheteshwar Pujara into the one-day fold. The Saurashtra batsman has more than established himself as a Test No. 3. But with his ability to find gaps at will, Pujara is set to be included in the one-day squad for the first time. It remains to be seen if he replaces either of the established openers or Mumbai batsman Rohit Sharma, who yet again failed to translate his form in domestic cricket on to the international stage.

Shane Watson is confident he has the technique to handle a middle-order position on spinning Indian pitches if he is not restored to his preferred opening position on the upcoming Test tour

Brydon Coverdale09-Feb-2013Shane Watson is confident he has the technique to handle a middle-order position on spinning Indian pitches if he is not restored to his preferred opening position on the upcoming Test tour. Watson’s new role as a non-bowling specialist batsman will provide the Australian brains trust with its biggest conundrum in the lead-up to the first Test in Chennai as they decide not only where to bat Watson, but also how to balance the team’s make-up without him as a fifth bowling option.Since his decision to temporarily give up bowling in an attempt to avoid injury, Watson has spoken of his desire to return to the top of the Test order instead of filling the No.4 role he occupied against Sri Lanka. One of the reasons Watson was moved down the order last year was to allow him to juggle his batting and bowling responsibilities more easily; now that is not a consideration, although looking ahead to the Ashes tour when he wants to bowl again, it will be relevant once more.However, Watson’s impressive form against the new ball in the past two one-day internationals against West Indies has been a timely reminder of what he can do against fast men and a hard ball, even if it is in the 50-over game. Over the next week, Michael Clarke and his fellow selectors must decide whether to reinstall Watson at the top of the order in India, which would mean splitting up one of the most successful Test opening partnerships of the past couple of years.Since Ed Cowan and David Warner came together in the Boxing Day Test against India in 2011, they have scored more runs as an opening pair than any other combination in the world, and their partnership average of 44.59 is the best of any pairing who have opened in at least 10 innings together. By comparison, in the same time Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen have averaged partnerships of 38.28 and Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir’s figure is 32.82.”It certainly is different batting at No.4, 5 or 6 compared to opening,” Watson said. “You do know that batting through the middle order you’re going to be coming in against spin the majority of the time and also reverse swing, which provides big challenges. I know that’s part of what it would be to bat in the middle order but I also know that I’ve got the game to be able to negate that.”If that’s what the selectors and the captain and coach see as the best opportunity for me to score runs then I’m certainly willing to take that on. I’ve played a lot of cricket in India now in all forms of the game so I suppose I am one of the more experienced guys to be able to take on the conditions and take on the Indian bowlers. I’ve played a lot of cricket against the majority of their bowlers so I know them very well and I know the conditions.”Watson is one of only four members of Australia’s squad who has played Test cricket in India, along with Clarke, Peter Siddle and Mitchell Johnson. In his first Test series there in 2008, Watson was a No.6 whose bowling, and especially his ability to reverse-swing the ball, was important. He averaged 24.48 with the bat on that trip. When he returned for a two-Test tour in 2010 he opened, averaged 67.75 and scored his second – and still most recent – Test century.”That is where I feel most comfortable, there’s no doubt about that,” Watson said of opening. “Even opening the batting over the last couple of nights … I love taking on the quick bowlers with the brand new ball and challenging myself against the best bowlers in the world. That’s what really gets me up and going. That certainly is the exciting thing about opening the batting.”I’m not here to put extra pressure on Ed at all, because I know he wants to be doing as good a job as he possibly can. All I’ve said is the reasons why I got moved down the order was mainly to do with my bowling, to be able to get the balance exactly right. But moving forward I really don’t want my bowling to get in the way of my batting.”Cowan scored his first Test century during the home summer against South Africa but despite reaching fifty two more times, he wasn’t able to post another big score. But he has consistently shown that he can take the shine off the new ball and occupy time at the crease, an important role for a Test opener, and the Cowan-Warner partnership was solid during the summer.Cowan was part of the advance group that has already arrived in India and will take part in a two-day tour match in Chennai, before the rest of the squad lands in time for a second warm-up game, a three-day contest. Watson said it was disappointing that the squad was unable to travel as one group due to the crossover with the one-day series against West Indies, but he said a jam-packed schedule meant it could be no other way.”To think that there are different stages of the group going over, it’s not a whole team going across to make our mark straight up, makes it very disappointing,” Watson said. “But that’s just the way the schedules have worked. You’ve just got to make the most of the situation. It’s not ideal but it is part and parcel now of trying to fit all the amount of cricket in that there is at the moment.”For me, I just want to play. There’s no doubt you want to represent your country and I’ve missed quite a bit of the summer. The most exciting thing about representing your country is playing in front of your home fans, so for me I certainly would prefer to be playing here because that’s what really excites me … I’m going to be lucky enough to have a three-day tour match [in India] and I think that will be a perfect lead-in.”

Surrey have pulled off a second major signing by securing the services of Ricky Ponting for June and July this season.

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-2013Surrey have pulled off a second major signing by securing the services of Ricky Ponting for June and July this season.Ponting, who retired from international cricket after the third Test against South Africa in Perth in December, will fill in as the county’s overseas player while Graeme Smith, who signed a three-year deal as Surrey’s new captain, is playing in the Champions Trophy for South Africa.The signing of one of the best batsman to have ever played the game is testament to the pulling power of Surrey, who signed another world great, Smith, to lead their revival. Ponting turned down the chance to play for Somerset last season, despite a gap in the international calendar.Ponting, 38, could play in four County Championship matches – against Warwickshire, Sussex, Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire – and two Yorkshire Bank 40 League matches – against Essex and Lancashire – providing a highlight for the 75th anniversary of the Guildford festival.He will also play in the group stages of the Friends Life t20 where a mouth-watering line up of Ponting, Smith and Kevin Pietersen will feature in probably the most talented batting order ever assembled in the competition. Surrey will be hoping those three names are a guarantee not only of large attendances at The Oval but a reversal of their terrible performance in the competition last season where they finished bottom of the South group.Ponting, 38, continues to show his appetite for the game and has returned to play for his state side Tasmania. He scored an unbeaten 200 in his last first-class match against New South Wales.His career record is among the best of any batsman to have played the game: 13,378 Test runs at 51.85, 13,704 ODI runs at 42.03, 23,313 first-class runs at 55.50 – remarkable figures. Surrey will be hoping he replicates his impact of his previous stint in county cricket with Somerset in 2004. He averaged 99 from both three Championship matches and four one-day games, with three centuries.Ponting said he was “really excited” about the chance to play for Surrey. “I’d like to think I can contribute a significant amount to the club – on and off the field – and am looking forward to getting stuck in as soon as I arrive. They are a forward thinking and historic club and play at one of the greatest grounds in the world. It hasn’t been the friendliest place for me but now it will be my home for two months this summer.”Ponting has never made a century at The Oval and has a high score of 66 in his four Tests there. His best innings was 92 in his final ODI on the ground in 2010.Smith said Ponting was a great person to have involved with the club. “I was proud that they were looking at him. I have a lot of respect for Ricky. Hopefully both of us will be able to create some new philosophies at the club and hopefully we will have success there.”Surrey Team Director Chris Adams added: “We knew we would lose Graeme to the Champions Trophy in June. That given, we focused on recruiting the best possible replacement and, in Ricky Ponting, we have signed one of the greatest batsmen of the modern era.”This year, our young batsmen will enjoy a unique opportunity to learn from not just one but two of the greatest International players of the modern age.”Ponting becomes the latest very experienced cricketer to be brought in by Surrey. Jon Lewis, 37, was signed last season and for 2013, along with Smith, Vikram Solanki, the 36-year-old former Worcestershire batsman, and left-arm spinner Gary Keedy, 38, have both been signed to boost an otherwise young, inexperienced squad.

Brendan Taylor, the Zimbabwe captain, has admitted his team were “taught a proper lesson” during their 2-0 Test series defeat against West Indies

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Mar-2013Brendan Taylor, the Zimbabwe captain, has admitted his team were “taught a proper lesson” during their 2-0 Test series defeat against West Indies. Both matches ended inside three days as the Zimbabwe batsmen, in particular, struggled to cope against a vastly more experienced West Indies side.Zimbabwe lost seven out of seven international fixtures on the tour – three ODIs, two T20s and two Tests – their first since a similarly disappointing trip to New Zealand last year. The defeat in Roseau was Alan Butcher’s last match as coach of Zimbabwe, with his contract up at the end of the month, and his replacement will have much work to do ahead of the visit of Bangladesh in April.”It’s been massively disappointing. We have been taught a proper lesson,” Taylor was quoted as saying by . “It hurts to be in this position but the West Indies were a far better side than us.”The seamers can hold their heads high and hopefully carry some momentum into the Bangladesh series but a lot of us need to go home and have a good think and then try to execute better in quiet a few areas. We can only learn from this, we are a side that will definitely try to rectify a few things.”The tour was a difficult one for Taylor personally, as he made just 123 runs from nine innings, with a top score of 39. Before Zimbabwe’s squad left for the Caribbean, Taylor had been critical of the decision to leave behind batting coach Grant Flower, bowling coach Heath Streak and fitness trainer Lorraine Chivandire and there is plenty for the support staff to work on ahead of the Tests against Bangladesh, the first of which begins on April 17.Zimbabwe only returned to the Test arena in 2011, after a six-year exile, beating Bangladesh in a one-off Test in Harare. The successor to Butcher, who guided Zimbabwe for the last three years, is expected to be one of Flower, assistant coach Stephen Mangongo or Andy Waller, a former international, and should be in place by the start of next month for Bangladesh’s return.

Steven Davies provided a welcome reminder of his class with a first Championship century in almost a year.

George Dobell at The Oval19-Apr-2013
ScorecardSteven Davies passed 50 for the first time since the death of Tom Maynard•PA Photos

It had been, as Elton John might have said, a long, long time. But, after a grim year and a spell spent reflecting on his career options, Steven Davies provided a welcome reminder of his class with a first Championship century in almost a year.There would have been something rather pleasing in a 147 from a Steve Davies at any time – the snooker parallels are obvious – but in the context of this game, this was a return to form that will be celebrated far beyond Surrey.Like many of his team-mates, Davies was hit hard by the death of Tom Maynard. So horribly did he lose form after the incident that he was omitted from the side by the end of the season. After June 18, the day of the incident, he averaged just 15.40 in the Championship and he had not passed 50 since making a century, also against Somerset and also at The Oval, in May of last year. A player who had once appeared joyous and natural, often appeared careworn and crushed.He responded by taking some time away from the game during the off-season. Unlikely though it sounds, he accompanied Elton John on tour in Asia – they became friends when the singer sent champagne to The Oval following news that Davies had ‘come out’ as gay in early 2011 – and, slowly, recovered his love of the game.Here Davies provided a persuasive reminder of his extravagant gifts with a chanceless century. On a pitch that remains slow and against an attack that, on the whole, maintained its discipline, he timed the ball sweetly, but also showed abilities for which he is less well known: patience, shot selection and resilience. Playing noticeably straighter than he has previously, he helped wear down an honest Somerset attack before producing some of those familiar, dreamy caresses through the off side.”Elton is a good friend,” Davies told ESPNcricinfo “and going on tour with him was the break I needed. It took me away from the game, cleared my head and allowed me to return refreshed.”It felt good today. I’ve worked hard to be where I want to be with my game and we just concentrated on spending time at the crease on a flat wicket.”Yes,” he continued with a smile, “I suppose you could say that I’m still standing.”Less than a year ago, Davies was the man the England selectors called when Matt Prior was an injury doubt ahead of the third Test against West Indies at Edgbaston. Whether he remains England’s reserve Test wicketkeeper is debatable – Jonny Bairstow and Craig Kieswetter are among those who may have usurped him – but this was an innings that will have provided some assurance that he is back in the frame of mind to be considered.But while Davies will gain the headlines, the chanceless century by Rory Burns was just as important. Indeed, it was Burns who saw off the attack at its freshest and the new ball at its hardest and Burns who laid the platform for much of what followed.Burns is not a particularly eye-catching cricketer. He does not have Davies’ innate timing – not many do – or his range of stroke. But his judgement at which balls to play at and which to leave outside off stump is exceptional, while his ability to concentrate for long periods is most unusual in a 22-year-old in the modern game.His first 50 occupied 151 deliveries – 128 of them scoreless – but his second took only 77 more as Somerset’s attack began to flag just a little. Scoring primarily between mid on and square leg, he also cut well when appropriate and looked to have a sound defence. He will face tougher attacks on tougher pitches, but he looks to have the temperament and technique to go a long way in the game.Together the pair steered Surrey from the perilous position of 87 for 4 late on day two with a stand of 159 before Burns’ innings was ended by a catch down the leg side.It is testament to Somerset’s bowling, however, that Surrey had to be content with only two batting bonus points. They had scored just 290 when the 110th over of the innings was bowled with Steve Kirby, who delivered 33 overs and remains as enthusiastic as ever at the age of 35, and Alfonso Thomas, who gained more movement off the pitch than any of his Somerset colleagues and conceded under two an over, the pick of the bowlers. Only George Dockrell, who struggled with his length, was a disappointment though in mitigation, this pitch offered him little and aged just 20, such days are bound to occur.In general though, Somerset remained patient and tight on a desperately slow wicket. They won belated reward when Gary Wilson was drawn into nibbling at one he could have left, Gareth Batty’s enterprising innings ended when he missed an attempted flick across the line and Stuart Meaker prodded outside off stump. When Davies, slogging in search of quick runs, finally fell Surrey declared to leave Somerset a potentially awkward couple of overs.There are few demons in this pitch, though, and it will take some remarkable cricket to conjure victory for either side on the final day.

Bangladesh Under-19 fought off an extraordinary final over by Ramesh Mendis to win the third one-dayer by one wicket against Sri Lanka Under-19 in Mirpur

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Apr-2013
Scorecard Bangladesh Under-19 fought off an extraordinary final over by Ramesh Mendis to win the third one-dayer by one wicket against Sri Lanka Under-19 in Mirpur. The offspinner Mendis took three wickets, but Mustafizur Rahman hit the final ball for four to give the hosts a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.After conceding one run off the first ball, Mendis removed Nehaduzzaman, Rifat Pradhan and Jubair Hossain in the space of four deliveries to give his side a great chance to win. But it was still not enough for the visitors.The chase for Bangladesh was going properly when Joyraz Sheik and captain Mosaddek Hossain put together a stand of 126 for the fourth wicket. Joyraz made 74 off 95 balls while Mosaddek missed a hundred by two runs.Earlier, Sri Lanka posted 277 for 8 through half-centuries by Sadeera Samarawickrama who made 83 off 101 balls and Sandun Weerakkody who scored 65 off 61 balls, while for the hosts, legspinner Jubair took 3 for 60.

The bottom two sides in the County Championship crossed swords at cloudy Canterbury where 14 wickets fell during a poor opening day’s cricket between Kent and Worcestershire

17-May-2013
ScorecardAlan Richardson took his 19th first-class five-wicket haul•PA Photos

The bottom two sides in the County Championship crossed swords at cloudy Canterbury where 14 wickets fell during a poor opening day’s cricket between Kent and Worcestershire.Alan Richardson bagged 5 for 41 as basement hosts Kent were skittled for 159 inside 51.2 overs, but the eighth-placed visitors also struggled in reaching 105 for 4 – to go into day two trailing by 54.Without a win from their opening three matches, Kent got off to a reasonable start at 35 without loss and having been invited to bat first by the winless visitors. But Rob Key’s decision to shoulder arms against the naggingly accurate Richardson gifted him his first wicket as the ball jagged in to peg back Key’s off stump and send Kent into tailspin that saw them lose all 10 wickets inside the next 40 overs.Richardson removed both Brendan Nash and Michael Powell for ducks. Nash caught at second slip off a leg-cutter and Powell held at third slip after Gareth Andrew parried the initial chance in the gully. Richardson took a breather after an excellent opening burst of 10-6-9-3 and though the floodlights came on soon afterwards, Kent’s situation dulled further.Ben Harmison, on his season’s first Championship appearance, clipped uppishly off his legs to be caught at midwicket and Darren Stevens also played across the line to fall lbw to Andrew.Kent’s capitulation gathered momentum after lunch as they lost their next three wickets for four runs in the space of six deliveries. Andrew skittled Geraint Jones for 16 then snared home skipper James Tredwell leg before five balls later, winning the appeal despite Tredwell’s big push forward in defence.Opener Sam Northeast square drove Andrew through cover point to post a 97-ball 50 with eight boundaries – his first half-century of the championship summer – only to be caught behind without addition when Richardson returned for a second spell.Kent saved some pride with a ninth-wicket stand worth 43 between Mark Davies and Matt Coles, who made 21 from No. 9, that ended when Coles swished across the line to depart leg before to Jack Shantry.Davies continued to hit out, clipping 40 from 51 balls, before slicing an ambitious drive against Richardson high to point to end Kent’s innings and send the players in for tea.With the floodlights still on Worcestershire’s reply began, but they too were soon in trouble as Shreck pinned Matthew Pardoe leg before when barely shuffling from the crease. Mark Davies accounted for Daryl Mitchell in similar fashion and then re-arranged the stumps of Sri Lankan Test batsman Thilan Samaraweera to leave the visitors in dire straits at 34 for 3.Moeen Ali and Alexei Kervezee dug deep in a fourth-wicket stand worth 70 in 16.1 overs with Ali notching the second 50 of the day from 86 balls and with six fours. But Tredwell’s decision to re-introduce Coles for a second spell paid immediate dividends when he had Ali caught behind from an ill-advised cut shot.

A rapid hundred from Nic Maddinson showed why he is among the best young batsmen in Australia, but also why he still has a way to go

Daniel Brettig in Bristol21-Jun-2013
ScorecardNic Maddinson peppered the boundary with regularity during his hundred•Getty Images

Boom. A lofted straight drive clatters into the construction site at the Ashley Down Road End of the County Ground in Bristol. Whoosh. An attempt to repeat the shot next ball draws a wild swing and a near outside edge. It is 45 minutes before lunch on day one of a first-class match. This, more or less, is the existence of Nic Maddinson, arguably the most conspicuously talented of Australia’s young batsmen in England in 2013.On a day when Australia A clambered all over Gloucestershire, Maddinson’s ball-striking – and occasional ball-missing – left the most lasting impression. In a little more than three hours he crashed 181 from 143 balls, and spent just 34 balls hurtling from three figures to his final tally. Unbridled flair taking hold of modest bowling on an unexpectedly sunny Friday made for pleasant, light-hearted viewing: the Ashes are not at stake here for the tourists, nor any Division Two points at risk for the hosts.Less jaunty was Gloucestershire’s batting in response to Australia A’s 331 for 4. Jackson Bird and Ryan Harris are working back into fitness and form while Chadd Sayers has only one full first-class season behind him, but all were made to look piercing as the shadows lengthened. Sayers could count the wicket of his South Australian team-mate Michael Klinger among three victims, while Ashton Agar also nipped out the wicket of Dan Christian. Gloucestershire’s two Australians could manage only 14 runs between them.Earlier it had been possible simply to sit back and enjoy Maddinson’s spectacle, studded with 22 boundaries and a blink-inducing nine sixes. Yet amid the flurry of runs, Maddinson showed why he has some way to go before maturing as a batsman, and why at 21 he is still deciding what sort of player he will become: a Twenty20 blaster or a more rounded Test match contender.Regular visitors to Nevil Road could be forgiven for wondering aloud why a batsman so obviously gifted as Maddinson was not in the Ashes squad proper. Their answer can be provided by a record that shows that days like these do not come as the result of an easily repeatable approach to batting.The best Maddinson can offer is unforgettable, as a wonderfully free swing of the bat can send perfectly presentable deliveries soaring into the stand at square leg or bouncing percussively off the top of Gloucestershire’s new pavilion under construction. But he remains an unfinished article, vulnerable early on when the ball is new and the bowlers fresh, and prone to frequent lapses of concentration thereafter. In the early overs Maddinson struggled by comparison with the more obdurate Jordan Silk, beaten often outside off stump even if he was not aiming an almighty heave towards the cover fence.Later, well after a more experienced player would have settled in, Maddinson showed a tendency for the over eager, often following a pristinely struck boundary with a six, and then a swing-and-miss. In this he recalled nothing so much as the former Australia coach Bob Simpson’s line that Ian Healy “bats faster and faster until he gets out”. At one point Maddinson offered a vertical bat in some kind of outlandish ramp shot attempt that fell just out of reach of the field. Somewhat fittingly he was to be dismissed the ball after clouting his biggest six of all, skying Benny Howell to mid-off.Maddinson was certainly playing a game not familiar to his batting partners, two of whom have greater challenges ahead. After Silk offered no shot to be bowled by Gloucestershire’s Twenty20 signing Christian, Phillip Hughes strode out at No. 3. A few balls after his arrival Hughes faced up to Liam Norwell, who shares some quirks of a bowling action, if not a common level of skill or pace, with Andrew Flintoff. The Gloucestershire captain Klinger posting a leg slip. This show of 2009 Ashes nostalgia did not overtly perturb Hughes, and his dismissal cutting at Howell was a surprise.Usman Khawaja followed Hughes to the middle, and set about batting in an unhurried manner that did not suggest too much anxiety about not having topped 51 on tour so far and therefore not really enhancing his claims to an Ashes batting spot. He was comfortable without dominating, composed without looking commanding. Perhaps bigger runs will come in the tour matches against Somerset and Worcestershire, but it was difficult to imagine Khawaja being entirely thrilled when the captain Steve Smith – leading in place of a resting Brad Haddin – declared at tea.Smith’s decision granted his bowlers the chance of an afternoon run, and the pacemen were to find enough movement in the air and off the pitch to be dangerous. Sayers showed his command of line when Chris Dent shouldered arms and was bowled, and Harris coaxed a feather-edge from Dan Housego after he was swung around to the pavilion end in place of Bird, who was tidy in his opening spell.Sayers would go on to have Klinger taken at mid-on, and Gareth Roderick losing his off stump. Like Maddinson he is not in direct Ashes contention, but may be attracting the interest of several Championship sides with his consistency and knack for wickets. The left-arm spinner Agar had Christian snaffled at short midwicket and Fawad Ahmed, now eligible for his passport thanks to the passing of new legislation back in Australia, twirled through two overs before the close.

Leicestershire closed their Friends Life t20 campaign in style, racing to a 10-wicket win over Yorkshire with 7.5 overs to spare in a one-sided game

28-Jul-2013
ScorecardLeicestershire closed their Friends Life t20 campaign in style, racing to a 10-wicket win over Yorkshire with 7.5 overs to spare in a one-sided game at Grace Road. The Foxes bowled out Yorkshire for 105 in 17.2 overs and then Josh Cobb and Greg Smith knocked off the runs in 12.1 overs.Foxes captain Cobb, who claimed remarkable figures of 3 for 9 off his four overs, followed that up by hitting an unbeaten 52 off 44 balls, clinching victory with a straight six off Will Rhodes. Smith made 39 off 30, hitting seven fours.The massive defeat sentenced the Vikings, last year’s beaten finalists, to bottom spot in the North Group with five points from 10 matches. It was Leicestershire’s fourth win but, like Yorkshire, they failed to make it through to the quarter-final stages.The Yorkshire innings was a feeble affair after they had won the toss. Only opener Alex Lees showed any real resistance, top-scoring with 32, but it summed up his side’s day when he was run out in an almighty mix-up with Jack Leaning as they tried to take a quick single off a ball that had been signalled a wide. Lees hit five boundaries in his run-a-ball innings.The next highest scorers were Adam Lyth and Azeem Rafiq, who both made 12, but there were no partnerships of note as wickets fell in rapid succession.Cobb, who opened the batting and bowling, did the main damage as his occasional spin picked up the wickets of Gary Ballance, Leaning and Rhodes. Shakib Al Hasan took 2 for 26 and Rob Taylor 2 for 24 while 20-year-old Tom Wells held on to three catches.In contrast, Yorkshire dropped two vital catches, with Cobb put down by Lyth at cover when he was on 13 and Smith let off by Iain Wardlaw at third man on 7. They proved costly misses as the Foxes capitalised by taking 34 runs off the eighth and ninth overs, bowled by Moin Ashraf and Rafiq, and strolled to victory.