All posts by h716a5.icu

Sandeep Patil, Mumbai’s chief selector, took responsibility for the side’s four-wicket loss to Jammu & Kashmir in their first Ranji Trophy game of the season and stressed that the 40-time Ranji champions need to “stay positive” going into the long tournam

Amol Karhadkar10-Dec-2014Sandeep Patil, Mumbai’s chief selector, took responsibility for the side’s four-wicket loss to Jammu & Kashmir in their first Ranji Trophy game of the season and stressed that the 40-time Ranji champions needed to “stay positive” going into the long tournament.The first-ever match between Mumbai, the most successful Ranji team, and J&K, last season’s quarter-finalists who had been promoted to Group A this season, was widely billed as a David vs Goliath battle. J&K, however, restricted Mumbai to scores of 236 and 254, took a first-innings lead despite a collapse, and then chased down 237 to win the game on the final day.”Rather than pointing a finger at the Mumbai players, coach, I will ask myself, where have I gone wrong. I am equally responsible,” Patil told ESPNcricinfo. “There is no point to press [the] panic button, let’s learn from the mistakes Mumbai has made. The season has just begun, let’s move forward, stay positive, think positive and play positive.”Patil also stressed on the need for all stakeholders of Mumbai cricket to remain united: “J&K beat Mumbai in all three departments, accept it. Divided you fall, united you stand up and fight the next battle.”Patil, who is also the chief national selector, was delighted with the improvement in the performance of the “so-called weaker teams”. “I am wearing two hats, I am happy for J&K as a national selector. This great game is played all over India and I am happy that [the] so-called weaker teams are playing great cricket. It is not restricted to few teams, which is a positive sign,” he said.While Patil found a bright spot in the match, the Mumbai dressing room struggled to keep their chins up. Despite their record in the tournament, Mumbai entered the season opener with one of their weakest squads.The selectors appointed young allrounder Suryakumar Yadav as captain of the side and three batsmen made their first-class debuts for Mumbai in the match. There were also selection issues before the first game. The selectors included Kaustubh Pawar in the squad without knowing that the opening batsman had been nursing a shoulder injury for a long time. Similarly, on the eve of the game, it was found that offspinner Akshay Girap, who was included in the squad, had not acquired the no-objection certificate from Railways, his previous team. Experienced middle-order batsman Hiken Shah had been inexplicably excluded despite his reasonable performances over the last couple of seasons.

“These are new players and will make mistakes. But what is important is that they know the importance of playing for Mumbai.”Pravin Amre, Mumbai coach

To add to Mumbai’s problems, their senior-most player, Wasim Jaffer will be unavailable for at least the next two games after he suffered an injury to his right index finger during the match.Sunil Joshi, the former India left-arm spinner and current J&K coach, had been involved in numerous high-intensity matches against Mumbai while playing for Karnataka and he was surprised with the composition of Mumbai’s team.”First time in the last 20 years, I am seeing a Mumbai side this weak,” Joshi said. “Historically, their batsmen have never given any chances – they are so strong in their defence. But here, in both innings, we saw that batsmen were not able to accept the challenge. Mumbai has produced so many legends in the past but this team looked vulnerable against fast bowling.”Pravin Amre, Mumbai’s coach, did his best to remain positive after the loss. “When I first became the coach of the Mumbai team in 2006 we had a few experienced players in the side but this team needs time,” he said. “These are new players and will make mistakes. But what is important is that they know the importance of playing for Mumbai. There are high expectations from a Mumbai player and he should know how to approach not only cricket but also other things in general.”After Mumbai’s mediocre outing last season, Amre was brought back for his second stint. However, his role has been limited in terms of selection with the Mumbai Cricket Association deciding that he will not have a say in the final XI. That responsibility, instead, has been handed to the selectors, who consult with the captain.Asked if he preferred more say in selection matters, Amre did not give a direct answer. “Mumbai cricket is in such a position that everyone – players, coaches, selectors and management – have to be on the same page. There was a time when getting a Mumbai cap was very tough but times have changed now. Everyone needs to deliver and not give excuses,” he said.Amre also turned to his former India team-mate Sachin Tendulkar to offer a pep-talk to the Mumbai team. Amre had approached Tendulkar on the third evening and Tendulkar agreed, irrespective of the outcome of the match. The master batsman spent a good hour talking to the youngsters after the demoralising loss.”He is a role model for everyone. It is always nice if someone like him comes and shares his thoughts. When he says something, it touches players’ heart. We all know this is a different team, it’s a challenge,” Amre said.

Wasim Akram has said he will encourage Pakistan’s latest breed of fast bowlers to adopt an aggressive approach in order to be successful

Umar Farooq20-Apr-2013Wasim Akram has said he will encourage Pakistan’s latest breed of fast bowlers to adopt an aggressive approach in order to be successful but he can’t magically bring rewards.Akram, a former captain, has started working with the country’s quicks after coming to a short-term agreement with the PCB. He commenced a 10-day training camp at the National Stadium in Karachi for 18 of Pakistan’s top fast bowlers, including members of the national team and some new, raw talent.The camp was set up ahead of the Champions Trophy in June in England and Akram said that the change to regulations in one-day cricket were tough for bowlers.”You need to be aggressive and learn how to adapt to these rule changes. Pakistani bowlers have a lot of talent but they need to learn and adapt to the demands of international cricket.Pakistan’s pace pack at Karachi camp

Wahab Riaz (L), Zia-ul-Haq (L), Mohamamd Aftab (L), Rahat Ali (L), Mohamamd Irfan (L), Junaid Khan (L), Sadaf Hussain (L), Hammad Azam (R), Ahmad Jamal (R), Asad Ali (R), Ehsan Adil (R), Mohammad Talha (R), Bilawal Bhatti (R), Imran Khan (R), Tabish Khan (R), Anwar Ali (R), Aziz Ullah (RAF), Atta Ullah (R)

“With the change in ODI cricket, that you can’t keep more than four fielders outside the circle in a 50-over match at any time, and the rising popularity of T20 cricket means pace bowlers now need to be more adaptable.”I will advise these bowlers that to be successful in this scenario, aggression is a must with top grade fitness, pace and the ability to have length variation. T20 cricket has changed the mentality of batsmen. The odds are stacked against the bowlers. First I will tell them how to swing the ball, then reverse swing and how to make use of the yorkers.”I am not a magician able to work wonders in ten days but I will try my level best to help them in phases and hope that the same training camp is staged after a break of three to four months,” he added. “I will be there in the camp and then at the Champions Trophy so will do my best to help them to learn and mature.”Prior to the Champions Trophy, Pakistan will tour Scotland and Ireland to play a two-match ODI series each. After the South Africa tour which ended in March there is feeling prevailing around the country that Pakistan’s pace-bowling resources are declining but Akram is not too concerned about the future.””I don’t think it’s a serious concern. The talent is definitely there but these kids need experience and must learn to adapt to the demands of international cricket where they are found wanting,” he said.”It’s not easy to found someone with 145kph pace, you need to do scouting and hunting for fast bowlers and I am sure there will be talent.”The grounds in South Africa were green but you need a certain strategy to bowl, so until and unless they learn it they will not be able to turn their potential into performances.”

The Madras High Court has issued notices to the BCCI president and the IPL chairman, among others, on a PIL filed by a Madurai-based lawyer seeking a government takeover of the BCCI and the IPL

ESPNcricinfo staff22-May-2013The Madras High Court has issued notices to the BCCI president and the IPL chairman, among others, on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a Madurai-based lawyer seeking a government takeover of the administration of the BCCI and the IPL. The lawyer, V Santhakumaresan, alleged that the Indian board had failed to promote the game, and that conduct of certain activities and the receipt of income were totally commercial without any objective of charity.He asked the court to direct the CBI to conduct an investigation into match-fixing, betting and the BCCI’s source of income and financial status, and sought a stay on IPL matches to be played from May 22 to 26.Meanwhile in a decision similar to the one given by the Supreme Court of India on Tuesday, the Delhi High Court quashed a PIL refusing to ban the IPL, saying the apex court had already dealt with the issue. A division bench of the high court refused to hear the issue related to spot-fixing in the IPL, but agreed to hear a separate issue which sought the segregation of the IPL form the BCCI.The Supreme Court had rejected a petition filed by a Lucknow resident to stay the IPL playoff matches until the completion of investigations of the alleged spot-fixing in the tournament.

The Sri Lanka captain called it a dream come true after her side qualified to the Super Sixes by defeating India

Abhishek Purohit in Mumbai05-Feb-2013Sri Lanka captain Shashikala Siriwardene and Player of the Match Deepika Rasangika’s press conference was delayed by several minutes. When President Mahinda Rajapaksa is expected to call, you wait. The conference began eventually with the President’s call expected any minute, and Siriwardene, a calm character not easily given to hyperbole, calling Sri Lanka’s qualification to the Super Six the biggest achievement of her career.”I can’t believe it actually,” Siriwardene said. “It is a dream come true for us. We finished last in [the] 2009 [World Cup] under my captaincy. So I am really relaxed and relieved. I got a call from my home and they are really excited. This is a special match that they have seen live.”Yes, it is [my biggest achievement]. I am seriously super happy. This could be my last World Cup, and I wanted to do something special for the team.”There were quite a few firsts for Sri Lanka today. Not only was it the first time they have made the Super Six stage at the World Cup, it was also the first time they beat India, four days after defeating England for the first time. It was also their first day-night ODI, according to Siriwardene.Making the occasion memorable was Rasangika, 29, who went into the match with an ODI batting average of 12, and not much to go on apart from a reputation as one of Sri Lanka’s best fielders. She was promoted to No. 3 and ended up swinging her way to a match-winning 84. Siriwardene said the side had discussed the change before the match after crashing to a 209-run defeat to West Indies two days ago.”We did not field well against West Indies,” Siriwardene said. “We wanted to move to players who are good fielders and left-arm spinners. We had to remove No. 3 batter Prasadani [Weerakkody]. The coach and management talked about it and we wanted to promote Rasangika. She had batted really well in the domestic season at No. 3.”Siriwardene hoped there would be more support for Sri Lanka from the sparse crowds that have been attending the matches at Brabourne Stadium, now that hosts India had been knocked out. “We are the only team from Asia to have qualified for the Super Six. So I think more people from India will like us winning [from] now [on].”In the run-up to the tournament, Sri Lanka had generated probably the least excitement among the media and fans. Indeed, in the pre-tournament press conference on January 27, Siriwardene had been asked hardly any question, apart from how she felt to have been born on Valentine’s Day.There was no shortage of questions today, though. Only, the press conference had to be cut short abruptly, as Mr Aroos, the team manager, walked in. “Sorry, but it is the President calling,” Aroos said. You don’t keep Mr President waiting.

Australia may never again produce batting talent on the level of Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey and Michael Clarke due to “holes in the production line”, the former captain Ian Chappell has said

Daniel Brettig27-Mar-2013Australia may never again produce Test match batting talent on the level of Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey and Michael Clarke if numerous gaping “holes in the production line” are not addressed by Cricket Australia, the former captain Ian Chappell has said. The poverty of batting performance on a disastrous tour of India underlined problems in Australian batting that Chappell feels have been festering now for some years, exacerbated by the commercial evolution of the game.Arguing that coaching appointments and the shuffling of players by selectors will not address the issue, Chappell has called for CA to look more closely at how batsmen are being developed, addressing matters such as the amount of short-form cricket being played by juniors, the array of pitches on offer in the Sheffield Shield and the impact of a muddled schedule tossing players from Twenty20 to Tests and back again.”We are not addressing the fact that there are holes in the production line,” Chappell told ESPNcricinfo. “For instance, I have seen the next lot of batsmen at the Under-19 level World Cup and I have not seen any change in what’s happening. So I’ve got to ask the question, if our methods of producing batsmen don’t seem to be working, and in my opinion they are not, why aren’t we trying to do some other things?”I don’t hear these things being talked about and it’s just a matter of will we change the coach, will we bring in a new high-performance [manager], those things are not going to make one bit of a difference. Fix up the core problem and then we might start to get somewhere. The problem with that being, if we fix up the core problem tomorrow, you are talking about another generation before you really start to reap the benefits. So there are some major problems that I see in Australian cricket and I don’t think they are being addressed.”Citing the composure, stroke range and adaptability demonstrated by Clarke, Hussey and Ponting that was painfully absent from many of their batting descendants in India, Chappell said that Australian cricket may never see their like again.”If you think about it, Ponting, Hussey and Clarke, you would have to say are the last of that sort of generation who learnt how to survive those tough periods,” he said. “You know as a batsman when at times you have to get through half an hour, or it might be an hour, against a really good attack.”The classic examples are – Clarke at Lord’s in 2009. It was a magnificent innings against brilliant bowling from Jimmy Anderson and Andrew Flintoff. In my opinion, that’s the best innings I have ever seen from Clarke. And Ponting’s innings at Old Trafford in 2005 to save the Test match – 156 I think he got. Magnificent innings, back to the wall save the Test match type innings. That should be standard fare for other Australian Test batsmen. But at the moment you would say, when Michael Clarke retires, that may be the end of that style of batsman.”Team management on the India tour were critical of the players’ discipline, not only off the field as publicised by the suspension of four squad members in Mohali, but also on it as team plans for how to tackle India’s spin bowlers on turning pitches were not followed. Chappell said such issues were created by batsmen not growing into an adequate knowledge of their own techniques in all conditions, prompting panic when circumstances did not suit their games.”It’s easy to be patient when you know that you’ve got the technique and the wherewithal to cope with spin bowling under those conditions,” Chappell said. “Because you know that eventually you can hang around long enough to start to pick up the runs and get things going and then the boundaries come. Then you’ve got a chance of making a big score.”But if you don’t have faith in your technique and your ability to survive, that’s when the panic sets in. So it’s got nothing to do with being impatient, it’s much more to do with your technique and your non-belief in that technique that brings on the panic.”Chappell’s words echoed those of Ponting himself when asked in 2011 about how Australian batsmen were losing touch with the art of concentration. “That’s the big worry I’ve had about Twenty20 cricket, and even other shorter forms of the game being played at really developmental times in kids’ careers,” Ponting said. “Cricket for me, when I was growing up, if I was batting, it meant I was batting until someone got me out, and if that took them a week then that’s how long it took them.”The guys who played in my era that’s what it was all about – not going out there and facing two overs and then being told that you had to go and stand in the field; that’s not what cricket is. And that’s the worry I have about a lot of the developmental phases. Even Under-17s and Under-19s now, they’re playing T20 games in national championships, and at the detriment of two-day games.”Good state players these days are averaging 35. If you were averaging 35 when I was playing, your dad would go and buy you a basketball or a footy and tell you to play that. So there’s areas of concern there. I don’t know how you change them.”

When Temba Bavuma’s parents planned their end-of-year holiday to the United States, they would not have thought it may clash with their son’s Test debut

Firdose Moonda in Port Elizabeth24-Dec-20141:25

‘I’m not just playing for myself’ – Bavuma

When Temba Bavuma’s parents planned their end-of-year holiday to the United States, they would not have thought it may clash with their son’s Test debut. But that is exactly what has happened. Bavuma is likely to become South Africa’s second new cap in as many matches after the stars aligned to pave the way for his promotion to international cricket.Little more than a few months ago, Bavuma was regarded as a talented prospect whose chance in the national team would likely come, but not imminently. Since then, the retirements of Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis, JP Duminy’s knee niggle and Quinton de Kock’s ankle ligament tear have fast-forwarded the rate of new batsmen into the South African Test XI. Dean Elgar has been able to establish himself as an opener, Faf du Plessis in the No. 3 spot, Stiaan van Zyl filled in for Duminy and now Bavuma is at the front of the queue.He was the only other reserve batsman in the South African squad as it was originally announced, and in keeping with both the policy of promoting players who spend time with the squad before searching outside and a strategy which is set on using seven batsmen, one source described it as “fitting” that Bavuma plays at St George’s Park. The man himself could not have asked for a better Christmas present.”I’m looking forward to the prospect of making my debut here at St George’s Park. I made my first-class debut here as well so it will be quite nice to make my debut for the national side as well,” he said.Bavuma’s first-class average of 35.95 may not strike as significant enough to merit an international call-up but the 24-year-old’s career has been on the rise since it began six seasons ago. He was the sixth-highest run-scorer in the first-class competition last season and was included in a South Africa A tour to Australia. There, he scored 162 in a match South Africa A won and shared a 343-run stand with Rilee Rossouw, who is also in the Test squad and next in line. Bavuma’s maturity and even temperament have elevated him to vice-captain of his franchise, Lions, and earmarked him for the step-up.Already, he has had a taste of the big time when he came on as a substitute fielder during the first Test. Bavuma was on the field for the entire West Indies innings and took two catches, including an impressive low grab at backward point. “It was quite exciting running on and fighting it out there with the guys. It gave me a sense of what it’s like,” he said. “When you walk onto the field and you look around, there’s more people, the intensity of the play is higher. It feels different.”And it will be even more different this time because Bavuma will officially be on the team sheet and will be expected to do much more than just field. He will bat in the lower middle order, out of his regular spot, but somewhere he has had experience before. “I’ve batted in different positions over my domestic career so I know what to expect,” Bavuma said.Whether West Indies are similarly prepared will show in how they approach Bavuma’s height. At 1.61 metres, Bavuma is seven centimetres shorter than England’s James Taylor, and as a youngster was told he may not be tall enough to play cricket. “I’ve always been short, so my whole game is built around being short,” he said. “There are disadvantages, but there also are benefits. I’ve heard from many bowlers that they struggle to find the right lengths bowling to me. In South Africa, it might be a disadvantage with the extra bounce in the wickets but I’ve played here.”That is not the only aspect of Bavuma’s appearance that will be in the spotlight. If he plays, he will become the first black African batsman to play for South Africa in any format and only the sixth to don Test whites. He follows after Makhaya Ntini, Mfuneko Ngam, Monde Zondeki, Thami Tsolekile and Lonwabo Tsotsobe, who was the last to play in January 2011. That means there has been an almost four-year long wait for a member of the country’s majority population group to play in the nations’ second-most popular sport, after football.”I’ve come to realise there’s a lot of people I do represent. I am not just playing for myself,” Bavuma said. With that comes enormous pressure but Bavuma has a plan for handling it. “I think I’ll just go out and play. I’ll obviously be aware that there are people I represent and they will be looking at me to do well but it doesn’t change the ball game for me.” Somewhere in the United States, will be the two people who most want him to put on a good show and who he may feel he represents most.

For all the talk of Kevin Pietersen and, to a lesser extent Rory Hamilton-Brown, it was two unsung returnees who gave Middlesex an overwhelming advantage on the first day at The Oval.

Tim Wigmore at The Oval15-Aug-2012
ScorecardTim Murtagh haunted his former county with five wickets on day one•PA PhotosFor all the talk of Kevin Pietersen and, to a lesser extent Rory Hamilton-Brown, it was two unsung returnees who gave Middlesex an overwhelming advantage on the first day at The Oval.Neither Tim Murtagh nor Toby Roland-Jones enjoyed the Surrey careers they would have hoped for, but with consistent and late seam movement they combined to bowl Surrey out for a meagre 144. With Middlesex 99 for 1 by the close of play, it was hard to envisage anything other than their fifth consecutive championship victory against Surrey.The contrast between the performances of Murtagh and Roland-Jones, compared to Surrey’s seamers, must have given the hosts great cause to regret that it took moves to Middlesex for them to fulfill their potential. Murtagh’s promise always exceeded his performance during his Surrey career – though he once claimed 6 for 24 against Middlesex in a T20 game – and he left after 2006 with a first-class bowling average of 37. But for Middlesex he has been consistently outstanding, claiming 342 wickets at 25. Murtagh’s bowling appears unobtrusive at times but, such is his accuracy and nip, that all he needs is a little movement to be lethal. This haul of 5 for 37, featuring two wickets bowled, two caught in the slips and one lbw, was the perfect showcase of his qualities.Given Roland-Jones’ age – 24 – his departure will irk Surrey fans even more. As recently as 2009, he featured for Surrey second XI, but Middlesex decided to offer him a contract. He has certainly vindicated their decision since, as an outstanding record of 110 first-class wickets at 21 apiece attests. The bounce he generates from his 6ft 4ins frame and, above all, his nagging line and late seam movement have consistently embarrassed Surrey: his 3 for 38, which included three of Surrey’s top four, took Roland-Jones’ record against Surrey to 22 wickets at an average of 11. Comparisons with Steve Finn are not wholly unjustified.But, outstandingly as Middlesex bowled, there was no excusing the ineptitude of some of Surrey’s shots. For the second consecutive championship match, they followed the Steve Waugh dictum of winning the toss and batting – before proceeding to be routed. They could certainly have done with Pietersen, who wasn’t released by the ECB to play in this game and has apparently gone to Portugal on holiday. Rory Hamilton-Brown did return for his first Championship game since relinquishing the captaincy. He would not have planned to walk in at 28 for 3 but such is Surrey’s batting form that he can’t have been too surprised. Hamilton-Brown made just two singles before in-movement from Murtagh exposed an injudicious gap between bat and pad to remove middle stump.Having failed to pass 160 in three innings, including the CB40, at Durham, Surrey seldom looked as if they would do so on this occasion. Rory Burns and Zafar Ansari have both provided evidence of their chutzpah on occasions this season but ultimately the two have a combined age of 41 and are not natural openers. Under cloudy skies their failures were less than surprising, even if two Ansari straight drives off Roland-Jones highlighted his compact class.A stoppage due to rain after 9.3 overs was to Middlesex’s advantage, as it allowed Murtagh and Roland-Jones to extend their opening spell to 23 overs. By this time Roland-Jones’ tight line had accounted for both Zander de Bruyn – whose duck meant he has now passed 20 in only three of 21 innings this season – and Arun Harinath, for a stoic but seemingly strokeless 14, both of whom fell lbw.Relief of sorts arrived with the introduction of Neil Dexter and Steven Crook, who were unable to maintain the parsimony. But this only made Steven Davies’ aberrant swipe outside off-stump against Dexter all the more frustrating. Jason Roy at least played with some assurance. Understandably given the struggles of his team-mates, he sometimes resorted to one-day mode, with one “flamingo” whip off Dexter almost a parody of KP, albeit not of the Twitter variety. His was a well deserved half-century; that Murali Kartik’s streaky 23 was the second top score yet another indictment of Surrey’s batting.While Gareth Batty’s decision to bat first appeared highly dubious – given recent batting woes, overcast conditions and a Middlesex bowling attack well suited to exploiting them – he actually had little choice. By opting to select two spinners and only two frontline quicks – Jon Lewis, with five wickets at 62 since the T20 break, was omitted – Surrey gambled everything on batting first and watching the ball turn later. If such a strategy suggests desperation, desperate is increasingly what Surrey are as they attempt to avoid returning to Division Two.With utter inevitability, the sun finally broke out when Middlesex started batting. Although there was some turn for Murali Kartik, Middlesex’s opening pair of Chris Rogers and Sam Robson looked utterly assured. Rogers, along with Simon Katich, is probably the best overseas batsman available who is not wanted by his country. Driving and cutting to great effect, it was rather surprising when he was dismissed for 56 in the penultimate over to a fine leg-stump yorker from Jade Dernbach, triggering exuberant celebrations that revealed Surrey’s frustration. In ending just 45 runs behind with nine wickets remaining, Middlesex could reflect on a dominant day.

A couple of days after winning India a game with an unbeaten fifty at No. 6, Suresh Raina has said he wants to bat higher up the order in ODIs so that he can score hundreds and make a case for a Test comeback

Abhishek Purohit in Colombo30-Jul-2012A couple of days after winning India a game with an unbeaten fifty at No. 6, Suresh Raina has said he wants to bat higher up the order in ODIs so that he can score hundreds and make a case for a Test comeback. Raina, who has played 15 Tests, was ignored for India’s home series against West Indies and the tour of Australia after averaging 13.12 in four Tests in England in mid-2011.”I would love to [move up the order],” Raina said. “If I get to bat up the order I can play more overs and score more hundreds. I have scored only three [ODI] hundreds in my career. I need to play longer innings and score more runs [so that] I can come back into the Test team. Wherever I get a chance to bat, at No. 4, 5 or 6, I have to bat anywhere.”Raina started with a century on Test debut against Sri Lanka in 2010 but has been criticized for failing to tackle the short ball in the format. He said he had been working on the weakness and pointed out that of his eight Test dismissals in England, four had been to the offspinner Graeme Swann.”I have been discussing my batting with Duncan Fletcher (the coach). In Twenty20 and 50 overs you have to play your shots. I am now looking to duck the [short] ball. At the same time I need to score runs, [so I need to] tap the ball and take singles. It’s all mental. If you are playing Test cricket, you have to duck the ball. In England I did not do well. I got out once to the short ball and four-five times to Swann. Still, I have done well in Test cricket. I need to do well in two more [ODI] games and then I can be available for the No. 6 or No. 7 slot [in Tests].”Raina, who has developed a reputation as a fine finisher in limited-overs cricket, credited his “tough days” at the sports hostel in Lucknow for his calm approach under pressure in big games. “[The hostel] didn’t have good facilities. But we would get good inputs and we would practise from that. And we learnt that whatever chances we got, we would remain tough. If we got to bat in pressure situations, we would make sure that we finished the job. I have learnt a lot about middle-order batting from Yuvraj [Singh] and [MS] Dhoni. Dhoni and I have been successful as a pair while chasing.”

In Colin Munro, New Zealand will have one more allrounder in their armory as they look for victory in their one-off Twenty20 against Bangladesh on Wednesday

Mohammad Isam05-Nov-2013New Zealand may already have three capable allrounders in Corey Anderson, James Neesham and Grant Elliot, but Colin Munro’s performance on Sunday has given the team one more option to bank on, as they look for victory in their one-off Twenty20 against Bangladesh on Wednesday.Munro struck his second ODI half-century in Fatullah- an adventurous 85 which included plenty of reverse hits and blows down the ground. He dominated the 130-run fourth-wicket partnership with Ross Taylor, but eventually tried one reverse hit too many and was caught behind in the 44th over.”It is the way I play,” Munro said. “I have developed that [reverse] shot in the last two-three years. In the subcontinent where world-class bowlers are bowling at you and with the new rules they have backward point open, so it is a really good option.”It was an important innings for Munro because his previous ODI score was a first-ball duck against England in Nottingham in June this year. Although New Zealand had already lost the series going into this game, Munro said that he had a lot to play for.”Some guys said it is a dead rubber so go out there and play with freedom,” he said. “I got a duck in my last international match and so had a lot to prove yesterday. It was very pleasing to score runs in my first game here because I have been working on playing against spin.”Though New Zealand have also had good performances from allrounders Anderson, Neesham and Elliott at different times during this tour, the team hasn’t gelled as a whole. Munro, however, believes that the fight for places in the side could only be seen as a positive.”There’s a lot of competition and it is good for the team. I think the two best allrounders are Corey Anderson and Jimmy Neesham because they can bowl the full quota of overs and can contribute with the bat.”Grant Elliott and myself are more like part-timers in these conditions and at this stage of my career, I need to be realistic and work on areas that I am not good at. I have to keep doing what I am doing. I can’t rely on just one score.”Munro was praised by Taylor after their partnership, and the 26-year-old is now looking for an extended run in the team. “Ross said some good things at the end of the game. It was great batting with him as I think he absorbed the pressure in the middle period well yesterday,” he said. “Hopefully I have put my hand up and said I can play in the subcontinent, and play the first one-dayer in Sri Lanka.”Even Tim Southee viewed allrounders as New Zealand’s biggest strength, because of their ability to control the run-rate with ball, and “clear the fence”. Now New Zealand would be really hoping their strengths translate into a victory in the T20, so that they finish what has been a dismal Bangladesh tour on a high.Munro said the team hadn’t given up yet. “It would be silly of us to have our heads down halfway through a long tour [of the subcontinent]. We have a lot of cricket left, including the Twenty20 game here. If we can win that one and go to Sri Lanka, that would be great for the team.”

N Srinivasan has said the BCCI convinced the other member boards of the ICC to make the DRS optional by showing them a presentation on how Hot Spot had failed during India’s tour of England

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Oct-2011N Srinivasan, the new BCCI president, has said the Indian board convinced the other member boards of the ICC to make the DRS optional by showing them a presentation on how Hot Spot had failed during India’s tour of England. In an interview with , Srinivasan said the BCCI was not a bully but brought up the issue of the DRS again at the ICC executive board meeting in Dubai because the problems with Hot Spot were apparent.”The BCCI takes positions based not just on its own interests but also on its view on cricket,” he said. “In England, everyone could see the problems with Hot Spot, so we took the matter up again. We made a presentation of the decisions that clearly showed that Hot Spot was lacking accuracy. That is what convinced the members to revert to an optional DRS.” It is learned that the BCCI’s presentation showed eight correct decisions using the Hot Spot technology and also eight errors to make its point about the technology not being close to the 100% accuracy that is sought of the DRS.”We are not at all the bullies of world cricket,” Srinivasan said, “but on the contrary we go out of our way to assist other member nations. It’s difficult to dispel the notion that we are [bullies] because it is constantly referred to, but it is not a fact.”Srinivasan has taken over as president at a difficult time for the board, which is facing criticism after India’s disastrous tour of England. He refused to accept the claims that India’s slew of injuries during the England tour was down to a packed schedule or poor player management, repeating what he had said earlier about India playing the same amount of cricket as all other countries. “If we had won on the England tour no-one would have brought up the packed schedule,” he said. “It was a tour where we had bad luck. A number of players got injured during matches. Also, cricketers are highly paid professionals and are expected to take care of themselves.”He did say the board would look at the schedule again, “critically to see if anything can be done but I don’t accept the criticism that there is too much cricket being played.” He said it would be difficult to rework the schedule because the FTP was already decided and added, “It’s not so much the IPL and the Champions League, we have now got one ICC event every year … on the whole it is a crowded calendar.”Another issue that has been raised against the BCCI is that their earnings should be taxed as they are a profit-driven private body. Srinivasan denied this and said (video) the Rs 1.89 billion ($39.68 million) surplus the board made last year would all be spent on cricketing activities.”We are not a profit-driven organisation. As a professional, I would naturally like to get the best value for the product I have. So why would I sell my media rights short? Only to that extent do we run as a business.”Beyond that all the income we have is applied to cricketing activities: 26% goes back to the players, we spend on infrastructure, 70% of our income goes to the state cricketing associations and we also give them subsidies to build stadiums, plus the National Cricket Academy has a budget of 10 crores every year.”So, the 190 crores is a surplus, not a profit. By our own charter we have to spend 85% of the money we make in a year on cricket activities. If we don’t we can keep it in a fund but that needs to be spent in five years.”The reason it is important for the BCCI to have tax exemption, Srinivasan said, is because there is a lot of infrastructure that needs to be put in place and that will get delayed if the BCCI’s earnings are taxed.”If you take the number of venues we have in our country as compared to the population and size, we should have many more stadiums. It may cost thousands of crores of rupees to have all these built and the benefit of tax exemption is this can be done quickly and cricket can be taken to all parts of India.”One criticism often made of Srinivasan is that he has a conflict of interest from being a member of the IPL’s governing council and the head of the company India Cements, which owns the franchise Chennai Super Kings. Former BCCI president AC Muthiah has filed a petition in the Supreme Court asking them to pass an interim order preventing Srinivasan from functioning as the board’s president. Srinivasan said (video) there had been no occurrence in the running of the IPL to suggest any conflict of interest.”I don’t see any conflict of interest affecting my role as BCCI chief. On the IPL’s governing council there are eminent people, all independently capable of making their minds up on things. Nothing has been done specifically for one team. Everything that is decided is common for all teams.”I don’t think anything has happened which can be a cause of concern to anyone. All decisions have been fair and everyone has taken part in them. I have not really spoken on Chennai Super Kings. I have enough propriety.”Srinivasan said his first aim as the BCCI president was to ensure a better performance from the Indian cricket team than the one they put in on the England tour, and also said he wanted to “change the perception of the BCCI”.