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After 18 years as an international cricketer, the world’s top-ranked Test allrounder Jacques Kallis, was finally named one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year

Firdose Moonda12-Apr-2013After 18 years as an international cricketer, the world’s top-ranked Test allrounder Jacques Kallis, was finally named one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year. It may seem surprising that it took so long for the publication to honour Kallis, but given that its awards are confined to performances in England, their time lag was justified.Until last July, Kallis’ record in England was modest. He averaged less than 30 and only had one century, scored in Manchester in 1998. He had done better with the ball, with 35 wickets at 27.51, but the 2012 tour improved those statistics dramatically. He scored 262 runs in three Tests, including 182 at the Oval, which saw his batting average in England surge to 35.33 and he added four crucial wickets to his tally, including Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell in the first Test.Kallis played an important role in South Africa taking the No.1 rankings off their opponents. For Kallis, to be included in the list was simply recognition for his role in ensuring the team finally summited after bubbling under for so long.”It’s a great honour, I had a pretty good season with South Africa and it’s nice to be rewarded for that,” he told Kolkata Knight Riders’ official website. “But I don’t play the game for those accolades. I play games to win for the team I am playing for. As much as it is a nice accolade, it’s nice that the team had a good year as well.”Kallis also contributed to South Africa’s series win in Australia with a hundred in Brisbane and at home against New Zealand and Pakistan. What is most noticeable is that he has begun to score at a quicker rate, playing the longest form of the game more aggressively.His continued ability to maintain standards of excellence has earned him praise from many quarters, including Brendon McCullum, his KKR team-mate. “I’d say he is probably one of the five cricketers of all time,” McCullum said. “He is a freak, so much talent and he is such a humble guy as well. He deserves every bit of the accolades he is getting because he is such a great guy, such a great team man and it’s a great privilege to play with him.”KKR are the most recent beneficiaries of Kallis’ skill. He opens both the batting and the bowling for them and Trevor Bayliss believes he will be vital to their title defence. “He just keeps doing it, batting and bowling. It’s incredible – the longevity he has shown at the very highest end of world cricket,” he said.With age creeping up on him, Kallis is being carefully managed by South Africa. His bowling loads are monitored and he no longer plays bilateral ODI series. While he knows he is in the twilight years, Kallis hopes to be able to keep going – not because he wants to continue to stack up achievements but because, to borrow from Cyndi Lauper, he just wants to have fun.”I’m getting on in life now but I’m still hungry; still enjoying it and there is still lots to achieve in the game. As long as I wake up in the morning happy to play this game and wanting to get results for the team I am playing for, I will carry on for as long as the body holds out,” he said.”I am not really one for setting personal goals. I prefer setting goals for the team. My personal targets would be to make the correct decisions for the team as many times as I can and hopefully Knight Riders will come out on top again.”

Sachin Tendulkar stressed the importance of “situational awareness” as a key factor in succeeding in the closing stages of IPL games

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Apr-2013Sachin Tendulkar stressed the importance of “situational awareness” as a key factor in succeeding in the closing stages of IPL games. Tendulkar was speaking at an event in Mumbai and was asked by an audience consisting of children, amateur and aspiring cricketers, how to score ten runs off the final over to win a T20 games. He said there could be no set formula.”Basically you have got to see what the bowler is bowling and what his strengths are, weaknesses are,” Tendulkar said. “What are the areas where you can score off that particular bowler. There are many factors like the kind of surface you are playing on, the kind of field setting.” Tendulkar said what a cricketer needed at a time like that was “awareness.” “You have got to have situational awareness. Once you have that, you respond to the situation according to the bowler and the opposition.”At a gathering of about 200 people, Tendulkar answered a range of questions: about how he related to the new Mumbai Indians’ captain Ricky Ponting, the technique behind his trademark straight drive and the formula for his success.Tendulkar said he didn’t think twice before passing on a tip to Ponting. “Because I know little bit about our cricketers, which Ricky hasn’t had the opportunity to watch them much. Also a lot of things are planned in team meetings. But there are things that spontaneously come to your mind and you share your thoughts. So it is basically about sharing our knowledge and giving some background about the bowler.”Excellence on the cricket field, he said, had to be priority for any cricketer who was trying to succeed. A young cricketer he said needed to be, “madly in love” with the sport and due to that to immerse himself in his training. “You can’t count the number of hours, the number of balls you have practised, the number of balls that you have bowled. You can’t be counting. You can’t look at your watch. You have to just practise and practise.”He gave an example from his childhood to his audience, saying that his practice began at 7:30am and ended 12 hours later. “Eventually my coach had to sort of pack my kit bag and send me off saying ‘it is too dark to play cricket and we all want to go home’. ” Tendulkar said his passion for cricket was still alive, “Boys like you or even girls now, whoever wants to become a cricketer, should be passionate about the game. Cricket should be in your heart first and then as you mature and grow, slowly you will find how to score runs and how to bowl [an] over, how to bowl spells. First cricket has to be in your heart and the rest follows.”The straight drive, his signature shot, Tendulkar said started from a correct head position and balance. “If your balance is not good then you are not going to be able to play straight, you either drag it with bottom hand to midwicket or you slice it to cover or cover point.” When the body was correctly aligned, “then you can hit bowlers straight. For batting or bowling, generally on a cricket field, you have got to have good body balance.”It was also Tendulkar also stressed on the importance of concentrating solely on the game when on the field. “I don’t think about watching movies [when I bat]. You can’t think of anything else. Your mind is full of ideas, how to score against a particular bowler.” The focus he said has to be on the ball and the bowler. “The bowler is constantly asking you a question and you are responding to that question, whatever is delivered… So I have no other thoughts on [the] mind. I am just thinking of how many runs I can score and how we can win.”

Alan Richardson took three wickets as Worcestershire just about managed to stay in contention with Northamptonshire on the first day

05-Jun-2013
ScorecardAlan Richardson continued his good form with three more wickets•PA PhotosAlan Richardson took three wickets as Worcestershire just about managed to stay in contention with Northamptonshire on the first day of their Divison Two match in Northampton.After being put in to bat, Worcestershire were bowled out for just 196, with only Moeen Ali’s 79 saving them from much worse as Andrew Hall and Trent Copeland took 3 for 45 and 3 for 51 respectively. The in-form Richardson then took 3 for 43 to revive the visitors’ hopes as Division Two leaders Northamptonshire closed a frenetic day’s action on 100 for 4 as 14 wickets fell on the opening day.Northants won the toss and chose to bowl and Australia international Copeland, playing in his last match before returning home, trapped Worcestershire captain Daryl Mitchell lbw for 1 in the sixth over. His fellow opener Matthew Pardoe plundered 22 before he left Steven Crook’s delivery only to see the ball clatter into the top of his off stump.Former Sri Lanka international Thilan Samaraweera then came to the crease but he was to only make 16 before Hall’s delivery went through the gate and on to his middle and off stumps. Worcestershire finished the morning session on 100 for 3 but they lost Alexei Kervezee for 19 in the second over after lunch when his off stump was uprooted by Hall.Aneesh Kapil only made it to 4 before he was superbly run out by Crook’s direct hit from cover after Moeen attempted to run a quick single off David Willey in the following over. Moeen went on to complete his half-century off 99 balls, but wickets continued to tumble at the end other end as wicketkeeper Michael Johnson was bowled by Hall.Gareth Andrew was the next to perish when he was pinned lbw by Crook to walk for 16 before Jack Shantry edged Copeland to Rob Keogh at third slip. Moeen’s resistance was broken when he flicked Willey’s bouncer to Northants wicketkeeper David Murphy before Copeland ended Worcestershire’s innings when Chris Russell chipped him to Willey at mid-off.However, Northants lost both Matthew Spriegel and Kyle Coetzer in the first over of their reply when they were taken by Ali and Mitchell at first and second slip respectively off Richardson.Northants captain Alex Wakely made a bright 31 before mistakenly leavingAndrew’s delivery and having his off stump taken out. David Sales, having made a season-high score of 40, was then trapped lbw by Richardson with the last ball of the day, with Keogh resuming tomorrow at the other end on 26.

Worcestershire condemned the Netherlands to a sixth successive Yorkshire Bank 40 defeat, with Alexei Kervezee scoring an important half-century against his former team-mates

03-Jun-2013
ScorecardWorcestershire condemned the Netherlands to a sixth successive Yorkshire Bank 40 defeat in Rotterdam, with Alexei Kervezee scoring an important half-century against his former team-mates.Worcestershire posted a testing total of 293 for 4, with the returning Kervezee making a quickfire 81 and captain Daryl Mitchell top-scoring with 92, before bowling out the hosts for 249 with two overs in hand. Chris Russell’s return of 4 for 32 hastened the home side’s demise but Tom Cooper was unlucky to finish on the losing side after a fine all-round display.Kervezee, who represented the Netherlands at all levels from the age of 13, announced he would no longer be available earlier this year – instead choosing to focus on his Worcestershire career. And his return to a familiar stomping ground was profitable as he hit 81 in just 68 balls.Visiting captain Mitchell outscored Kervezee in his 104-ball innings, sharing an opening stand of 98 with Moeen Ali (48). There were also handy runs late in the innings as Ben Cox clubbed 34 not out, including three sixes, and Gareth Andrew added 20.Peter Borren’s eight over spell cost 64 and yielded only the wicket of Mitchell, but he did take both catches as Australia-born allrounder Cooper removed Kervezee and Andrew. The other wicket went to Tom Heggelman, who struck first to dismiss Moeen.Netherland made a positive start to their run-chase, adding 41 in seven overs before Jack Shantry removed Stephan Myburgh for 25. Eric Szwarczynski was run out for 18, paving the way for a momentum-shifting partnership of 92 between Wesley Barresi and Cooper.While they were together, the Netherlands seemed to be in sight of victory but Barresi’s departure to Shantry for 65 put Worcestershire back in control. Cooper continued to score freely, ending on 78 not out from 59 deliveries, but saw wickets tumble at regular intervals at the other end.Five of the next seven batsmen failed to reach double figures as Russell, abetted by Andrew, ran riot. Pieter Seelaar’s 18 was the best support Cooper found before Russell wrapped things up by clean bowling List A debutant Vivian Kingma.

ESPNcricinfo previews the second semi-final between India and Sri Lanka

The Preview by Siddarth Ravindran19-Jun-2013Match FactsThursday, June 20
Start time 1030 (0930 GMT)Ravindra Jadeja is having a sensational year•Associated PressThe Big PictureEven as Clint McKay and Xavier Doherty were doing their darnedest to drive Australia to a sensational victory over Sri Lanka at The Oval, there were plenty of non-Australians cheering them on, just so that the cricket world will be spared yet another India-Sri Lanka ODI. In the last five years, the two sides have met a mind numbing 44 times in ODIs, and will face off again in a tri-series in the Caribbean starting next week. The teams are so familiar with each other and their strategies that MS Dhoni said: “You can also cut the extra 15 minutes of time in a team meeting and keep it simple.”At least unlike a majority of those previous encounters, Thursday’s clash is a high-stakes, high-profile game. Even that could be ruined, though, as the weather forecast is dire. Sri Lanka, whose cricket season at home is regularly blighted by rain, are the only team to have been fortunate to get three full group matches, but that run looks set to come to an end with plenty of showers expected in Cardiff.What’s worse for Sri Lanka is that, in case of a washout, India will go through on account of being winners of Group B. The Champions Trophy is marketed as a “short, sharp” tournament, but not having a reserve day for the knockout matches is stretching that concept a bit too far. The only other times these teams have met in the Champions Trophy was also in a big game, the final in 2002, which was washed out despite the reserve day.A week ago, midway through the league stage, Sri Lanka seemed headed for the exit as Ravi Bopara’s burst in the final over lifted England to 293. Sri Lanka, however, hunted down that total before reeling off an impressive victory over Australia to progress to the semi-finals, a stage they regularly reach in global tournaments. Despite that, they have precious little silverware to show so far, something the likes of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara will be desperate to change.To achieve that, they have to get past the form team of the tournament. There had been a bit of trepidation over how a revamped India would cope with the loss of vastly experienced players like Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir and Zaheer Khan. Their absence hasn’t been felt yet, as India’s new opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma have been prolific, and Ravindra Jadeja’s miraculous season continues. A team traditionally filled with slow-coaches has now been transformed to one the normally cautious Dhoni calls “the best fielding side in the world”. In the crunch matches, though, will the inexperience show?Form guide (Most recent first, last five completed matches)
India WWWLW
Sri Lanka WWLLWWatch out for…Two of Sri Lanka’s batting giants, Sangakkara and Jayawardene, have already played match-winning innings in this tournament. The third, Tillakaratne Dilshan, hasn’t hit the same heights, though he has contributed with the ball, and took an athletic caught-and-bowled that confirmed Sri Lanka’s qualification. Dilshan has top scored in Sri Lanka’s two longest ODI tournaments in recent years, the World Cup and the CB series in 2011-12. Sri Lanka will be looking to him to lift his game when it counts once again.R Ashwin has firmly established himself as India’s lead spinner, and has grown so much in confidence that he even attempted a conventional legspinner in the Pakistan match. India’s bowling has yet to be strenuously tested in this tournament, and with a callow pace attack that is yet to prove itself under serious pressure, Ashwin’s role assumes even more importance.Team newsIndia are unlikely to make any changes to the line-up that has served them so well in the league phase.India (probable) 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Dinesh Karthik, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Suresh Raina, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Umesh YadavSri Lanka are also likely to retain the same XI. The one change they might consider is bringing in Thisara Perera for Shaminda Eranga.Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Kusal Perera, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt), 6 Dinesh Chandimal, 7 Lahiru Thirimanne, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Lasith Malinga, 10 Rangana Herath, 11 Shaminda Eranga/Thisara PereraPitch and conditionsPitches in Cardiff have been of contrasting nature. More than 600 runs were scored in the opening match, and the next was a low-scoring thriller between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in which 19 wickets went down for 277 runs. The semi-final will be played on a fresh surface that hasn’t yet been used in the tournament.More than the pitch, though, the weather will be key – light to heavy rain is expected through the day, which will lead to a curtailed match or, at worst, a washout.Stats and trivia In the last five years, India and Sri Lanka have played 54 matches against each other across formats, the most by any two teams in a five-year span Among active players, no batsman has more runs against one team than Kumar Sangakkara has against India – 2435. Of Rohit Sharma’s eight ducks, five have come against Sri Lanka.Quotes”There’s no room for revenge in sport, but yes, if we can beat the Indians, I think it’ll be a great achievement for the whole team because, you know, there are thoughts about the World Cup final, and the recent history against them is not very good for Sri Lanka.”

“We are used to [Lasith] Malinga. We play him so many times in IPL. He reverses the ball and remains dangerous.”

Afghanistan will look to strengthen their chances of qualifying for the 2015 World Cup on their tour of Namibia, which begins on August 4

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jul-2013Afghanistan will look to strengthen their chances of qualifying for the 2015 World Cup on their tour of Namibia, which begins on August 4.The team, which departed for Namibia today, is scheduled to play one Intercontinental Cup match and two World Cricket League Championship matches on August 9 and 11. Victory in both matches will take Afghanistan to 15 points, alongside Netherlands and Scotland, bettering their chances of a place in the World Cup. For Namibia, who are currently seventh in the league, the matches are a chance to better their ranking before their last league round matches against UAE.The last time these teams met was in March 2012, when Afghanistan beat Namibia by 28 runs in the World Twenty20 qualifiers to secure a place in the World T20 in Sri Lanka. Afghanistan’s next series will be the Asian Cricket Council’s Emerging Teams Cup in Singapore, where they will play their first match against Nepal on August 17.The CEO of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), Dr Noor Mohammad Murad, said: “We wish our national team well for their Namibia tour. We are looking forward to a top-class performance by the players, and are confident in their ability, which has shown in their performances so far in this journey to qualify for the 2015 World Cup. They have also had the benefit of a 14-day training camp in the lead up to this tour. We know they will do everything they can to make our country proud.”Fixtures:
August 4-7: Intercontinental Cup match v Namibia
August 9: WCL Championship match v Namibia
August 11: WCL Championship match v Namibia

South Africa’s franchise associations have urged CSA to finalise the itinerary for the upcoming home series against India with the BCCI quickly, with ticket sales at stake

Firdose Moonda03-Sep-2013South Africa’s franchise associations have urged Cricket South Africa to finalise quickly the itinerary for the upcoming home series against India with the BCCI, given that ticket sales are at stake. The Gauteng Cricket Board (GCB), which manages the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, is concerned it might not get to host the third Test, scheduled from January 15, but has decided to release season tickets despite the uncertainty.”All we know is what we have read (in the press),” Gauteng’s CEO Cassim Docrat said on Monday. “We could be one of the affected parties so we need to know what’s going to happen. We have (asked CSA), but (as of Sunday afternoon) we haven’t had a response from them yet.”We are going to go ahead with our season ticket sales based on the original itinerary. We can always change midstream if we need to – the longer we wait to put them on sale, the longer we keep people in limbo.”The Cape Cobras (Newlands) have already announced their ticket prices for the T20 (November 24), ODI (December 15), the New Year Test (starting January 2) and the Australia Test in March. Kwa Zulu Natal (Kingsmead, Durban), which is scheduled to host the Boxing Day Test, is also expected to release tickets soon. Johannesburg is also due to host a T20 and an ODI.Another franchise official, who did not want to be named, said they would “urge CSA to sort this out very quickly.” They also said it was discussed at last week’s CEOs conference and there were concerns over the status of the upcoming home series, which is bound to generate great interest. CSA, however, appear to be in denial that the schedule may be pruned and hence have remained mum on the issue as far as the franchises are concerned.The BCCI had already objected to the itinerary released in July, saying CSA had announced the schedule without the Indian board’s consent. It is understood that the BCCI is on the verge of giving CSA a revised schedule cutting down what was originally scheduled to be a three-Test, seven-ODI and two-T20 tour to two Tests, three ODIs and two T20s.However, BCCI president N Srinivasan said after the board’s working committee meeting on Sunday that the series is “definitely on.” A CSA official told ESPNcricinfo that the board had not been contacted by the BCCI on the schedule yet, and it would not respond till it receives “a formal proposal”.The status and length of the South Africa tour was in further doubt when on Sunday, the BCCI announced it would be inviting West Indies for at least two Tests in November. This would directly impact the South Africa schedule, as India were originally due to kickstart their tour on November 18.If CSA goes with the reduced series, the next bone of contention would be the Boxing Day Test. CSA had reintroduced the traditional Test while announcing the itinerary for India’s tour in July. However, the BCCI may demand that the Tests be played before limited-overs’ games, thus taking a Boxing Day Test out of equation.

Simon Kerrigan is determined to use the chastening experience of his Test debut to make himself into a better cricketer and earn another chance in the England team

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Sep-2013Simon Kerrigan, the Lancashire left-arm spinner, is determined to use the chastening experience of his Test debut to make himself into a better cricketer and earn another chance in the England team.Kerrigan was handed his first cap in the final Ashes Test against Australia, at The Oval, but was treated with disdain on the opening day, especially by Shane Watson, as he bowled eight overs for 53 including a series of long hops and full tosses.He was not given another bowl in the match by Alastair Cook and Kerrigan has admitted it took a few days to feel his normal self again. But he believes quickly returning to action with Lancashire was the best thing that he could have done following some consoling words from England team director, Andy Flower.”I’m my own biggest critic and I was really disappointed with how it went. I was feeling sorry for myself for a couple of days, but getting back into things straight away with Lancashire helped,” Kerrigan told . “Andy Flower took me to one side and said ‘you are far better off having the experience you’ve had now rather than getting a go in four or five years, and it would be an even greater story if you bounced back from it and had a prospering Test career’.”As long as I keep an energy about myself, wanting to get better – an experience like that drives you on to get better, get back into the side and, if you get another chance, prove what you can do.”Kerrigan returned to Lancashire colours the day after celebrating with his England team-mates at The Oval, taking 1 for 45 in a YB40 encounter against Essex, and looked to have regained his form and confidence in the Championship match against Hampshire at Southport, where he took seven wickets and scored an unbeaten 62 at No. 11.He refuses, though, to put down his troubled debut to the easy excuse of first-game nerves. “I tried to rely on the times where I’ve been nervous but also come out of the other side and done really well from that. I wouldn’t say it was just nerves. Technically, it didn’t click. That’s what happens with young spinners. I’m 24, still learning my action and still learning the game.”

West Indies A stayed ahead by scoring 429 and removing India A’s top order for a little more than 100 runs on the second day of the first unofficial test in Mysore

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Sep-2013
ScorecardFile photo – Assad Fudadin’s unbeaten knock gave West Indies a strong total•WICB Media/Randy Brooks PhotoWest Indies A stayed ahead by scoring 429 and removing India A’s top order for a little more than 100 runs on the second day of the first unofficial Test in Mysore. After Kraigg Brathwaite and Kirk Edwards fell in the 90s on the first day, Assad Fudadin took his team to a strong total with the tail. Lokesh Rahul and Manpreet Juneja tried to stabilise India after two wickets fell before the score crossed 50, but Nikita Miller removed Rahul to give West Indies the advantage again.Resuming at 264 for 5, West Indies lost Chadwick Walton for 35 to Ishwar Pandey but Fudadin and Miller denied India any further success by putting on 88 for the seventh wicket. Miller struck five boundaries during his 49 before being run-out. Once he fell, with the score at 364, the rest of the tail did not add much but Fudadin took them past 400 with a patient and unbeaten 86 during which he faced over 200 deliveries.Offspinner Parvez Rasool took the remaining three wickets for his fourth five-wicket haul in first-class cricket and finished with 5 for 116.India put on a stable 45 for the opening stand which was broken by left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul who had Jiwanjot Singh caught behind for 16. India were given a big blow when they lost captain Cheteshwar Pujara to Miguel Cummins after adding only 3 to the scoreboard and India’s score was only 49. Rahul and Juneja steered the Indian innings with a 60-run stand, taking India past 100, but West Indies struck again when Rahul became Miller’s first victim for 46. Juneja was given company by Harshad Khadiwale for about an hour before stumps during which he made a tolerant 5 off 36.

Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh allrounder, has contracted dengue fever and will be under observation for the remainder of the ODI series against New Zealand. Shakib had missed the first ODI due to the ailment

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Oct-2013Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh allrounder, has been confirmed by medical staff to have contracted dengue fever. The Bangladesh Cricket Board had ruled Shakib out of the first ODI in Mirpur against New Zealand on the morning of the match, citing that the allrounder had been suffering a high fever. Shakib was subsequently admitted to a hospital in Dhaka to meet with medical staff.Elias Sunny, the left-arm spinner, was added to the squad as cover on Tuesday night, after Bangladesh won the opening ODI.*Vibhav Singh, the Bangladesh team physio, said that a blood test was administered in which the presence of the dengue virus was found in Shakib’s blood. “The blood test report has confirmed that it is a case of dengue fever. Shakib will remain at the hospital for further observation.”* – 1730 GMT, October 29, 2013 – Story updated with news of Sunny’s inclusion