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While Akmal and Anjum have held selection roles before, this is Butt’s first appointment with PCB since returning from a ban after the spot-fixing scandal of 2010

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Dec-2023The PCB has appointed former international cricketers Kamran Akmal, Rao Iftikhar Anjum and Salman Butt as consultant members to chief selector Wahab Riaz.The trio will take up their role in the selection panel with immediate effect. Their first assignment as consultant members begins with Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand that gets underway from January 12 after the conclusion of their Test tour to Australia.The PCB said that when the trio are not engaged in selection duties, they might be given additional tasks such as conducting skill camps.Both Akmal and Anjum have had selection responsibilities before. Akmal, who represented Pakistan in 53 Tests, 157 ODIs and 58 T20Is in a career spanning 15 years before retiring from all forms of cricket this February, was named chair of PCB’s Junior Selection committee earlier this year. He was also appointed chair of an eight-member selection committee, which would conduct Under-13, Under-16 and Under-19 trials for the selection of regional and district teams.Related

• Wahab Riaz is Pakistan's new chief selector

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• Akmal, Sami, Hameed part of Rasheed-led men's selection committee

Anjum played one Test, 62 ODIs and two T20Is for Pakistan, and was part of a three-man committee when Shahid Afridi was named interim chief selector of the Pakistan men’s national team alongside Abdul Razzaq later last year.However, this is the first time former captain Butt will be assuming an official role with the PCB since his return from a long ban for his role in the spot-fixing scandal of 2010. He played 33 Tests, 78 ODIs and 24 T20Is, and was the captain when he was handed the ban. Butt never returned to Pakistan colours after that, though he did play first-class cricket and was also offered a commentator’s job by the PCB in 2020.The appointments will raise some eyebrows. Butt was banned and has served time for his role in the 2010 scandal, but both Wahab and Akmal were questioned in and around that same episode. Akmal was sent a notice by the ICC after the T20 World Cup in 2010 – much before the spot-fixing incident broke out that year – though he was later cleared to be selected by Pakistan. Akmal did not play another Test after the episode at Lord’s, though he did feature in Pakistan’s white-ball sides.Wahab was also questioned by Scotland Yard in the immediate aftermath of the Lord’s Test that year, but was never charged with any offence. He was appointed the new chief selector of the senior men’s team two weeks back after Inzamam-ul-Haq stepped down from his position in the wake of conflict-of-interest allegations.Much later in the day, the PCB put out a statement to say that the consultants would not have any independent decision-making powers. “Consultant members assist the chief selector by providing recommendations, collecting feedback and identifying top-performing talent in domestic cricket,” it said. “Their role is to present this information to the chief selector and the selection committee for consideration in their decision-making process. The Consultant Members do not have any independent decision-making powers.”Amid the raft of changes, Mohammad Hafeez was also appointed as team director, and will also serve as Pakistan’s head coach in Australia and New Zealand.The squad for the three-match Test series in Australia was picked on November 20. The series will be Shan Masood’s first as Pakistan captain after Babar Azam stepped down from the position in all formats last month.

Lyon says the batter’s got “100% support of the changing room” and expects him to do “amazing things”

Andrew McGlashan17-Dec-2022Ricky Ponting has urged David Warner to think carefully about whether he should bring an end to his Test career but team-mate Nathan Lyon believes that all of Australia should be backing him.Warner was dismissed for a first-ball duck by Kagiso Rabada on the opening day at the Gabba when he fended a hostile short delivery to short leg where Khaya Zondo took a magnificent one-handed catch above his head.Related

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• Smith: Warner's lifetime ban from leadership 'fundamentally wrong'

• Good on David Warner for telling Cricket Australia where to get off

• 'He's eager to continue' – no hint from Warner on impending Test retirement, says McDonald

It was just the second first-ball dismissal of Warner’s Test career – which will reach the 100-mark next week in Melbourne – and added to a lean two years where he is now averaging 27.00 without a century.Australia’s next two tours are to India and England were he has underwhelming records with averages of 24.25 and 26.04 respectively, and Ponting, who himself decided to call time on his Test career amid waning powers in a series against South Africa in 2012, said that Warner deserved the chance to end on his terms rather than be dropped. The final Test of this series is on his home ground at the SCG.”I think what he should be doing is being as realistic and looking to the future as he can,” Ponting said on . “Like I said before, he deserves the chance to finish the way he wants to finish. I would hate to see him get to an Indian tour or at the start of the Ashes tour and then get the tap on the shoulder. That would be a disappointing way for his career to end…it might be after the Sydney Test. Let’s wait and see. Also, I hope that he gets some runs between now and then.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

In the West Indies series, Warner made three starts in four innings without being able to convert while the Adelaide Test was dominated by the fallout to him angrily withdrawing his bid to have his lifetime leadership ban overturned.”We all know the X-Factor of cricketer that David Warner is and the type of batter he is,” Lyon said. “He’s got 100% support of the changing room and [that] should be the whole Australian public, to be honest with you. Yes, he got a good steep bouncer today but that was a hell of a catch to hang onto. I’m expecting David to come out and do amazing things.”Ahead of the series against South Africa, head coach Andrew McDonald said that Warner remained in the team’s plan for India and added that he had not given any indication of considering an end to his career.”He’s eager to continue on at this stage,” McDonald said. “He has not hinted [at] anything else,” McDonald said. “His appetite for the work – in and around training – is still there. He’s busy at the crease, and you’ve seen signs that he is going well. He’s just found different ways to get out, and sometimes that can happen.”For South Africa’s part, Warner’s dismissal was the ideal start for them after being bundled out for 152 and they rode the wave to reduce Australia to 27 for 3 but could not sustain the pressure until a couple of late wickets, including Steven Smith, provided a much-needed lift.”When we got bowled out for 150-odd, as much as you want to try and get the energy up it can be quite difficult,” Kyle Verreynne said. “So to get the wicket the first ball of the innings, and when it’s a big player like David Warner, that just lifts everyone up and for the next 10 overs, we carried that energy and adrenalin from that ball. Unfortunately, we fell away a bit but it was definitely a massive moment.”

Get your dose of analysis, stats and colour from Trent Bridge on ESPNcricinfo’s live blog

Sidharth Monga07-Aug-2021

All set up for big finale

7pmHectic finish. Look at Cheteshwar Pujara’s strike-rate. He is 12 off 13. Just what he needed perhaps. England getting desperate for a wicket instead of bowling line and length, and he managed to get some runs there. And runs are at a premium. India end the day at 52 for 1 needing another 157 to win this Test. They will fancy themselves. And after the bluff by the weather forecast today, I am not even looking at what is in store tomorrow. Instead I will leave you with a teaser from the end-of-the-day report

Joe Root and Jasprit Bumrah combined on the fourth day to set up a grandstand finish for the Trent Bridge Test, the series opener. Having fallen behind by 95 in the first innings, England roared back on the back of a colossal 21st century from Root, but just when they were slipping out of India’s grasp, Bumrah put in an immense five-for to rise above a tiring bowling unit to keep the target down to 209. India knocked 52 of those off in the awkward 65 minutes they got at the end of the day for the loss of just one wicket.England began the day 70 behind with all their wickets in hand, but it was believed they needed rain or Root to rescue their fledgling batting unit. The promised rain never arrived, but in the best batting conditions of the Test, Root batted with assured positivity to make sure England never went into a shell and put the pressure of runs on India. However, Dom Sibley, Dan Lawrence and Jos Buttler gifted their wickets away to keep India in the contest by the time the new ball arrived. Bumrah blew them away with it.

Broad too good

6.43pmIt is Stuart Broad’s first wicket of the match, but it has come just when it was all looking too flat for them and India had put on 34 for the first wicket. And it is a beauty too. There is not much KL Rahul can do with this. On a length, on off, extra bounce, holds its line. Just too good. What an amazing Test for Rahul though: coming in at the last moment, he scored 84 in the first innings, and made them bowl the best they could to get him out in the second innings.What a stat from Sampath Bandarupalli: “Before KL Rahul’s dismissal, Stuart Broad had not taken a wicket vs India in 60.2 overs since Virat Kohli at The Oval in 2018.”India 34 for 1, Rahul gone for 26 off 38, Rohit unbeaten on 7 off 27. India need 175 more to win.

India need 209 to win

5.43pmGetty Images

A couple of balls after being hit in the helmet grille, Robinson swings hard at a length ball, and India have the fly slip in place. The new ball has brought India 31 or 4. Twice in a row India have run through the England lower order. And just look at what the new ball has done. England through careless batting have lost the chance of using the second new ball. Whatever they have to do they have to do with the old one.The man of the moment, though, is the immense immense Jasprit Bumrah, who finally got the wicket of Joe Root, and then Sam Curran and Stuart Broad in two balls.We have got 65 minutes of play today. Heavy roller will come out to settle the pitch down again. India failed to chase two sub-200 scores on the 2018 trip, but will fancy themselves now because the pitch has looked flat in the third innings and because there are Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja in the lower middle order to go with a similar top order.

Toes for Broad again

5.33pmBumrah. What a bowler. He has knocked back Stuart Broad’s wicket with a straight ball following Broad as he backs away, and it ricochets onto his wicket. First ball that too. Robinson in danger of not even getting a chance to farm the strike. One more ball left this over. Bumrah on a hat-trick.He attempts the yorker on the hat-trick, but it falls just short of it, and Anderson keeps it out. Oh it is a no-ball. Torture for Anderson. The newt ball is a 140kmph offbreak, and somehow misses the edge.What a huge spell from Bumrah. 3-0-9-3 when it looked like England could just nose ahead. That’s a five-for for him. A 10-for in sight.Now the field will spread for Robinson.5.28pm

Bumrah keeps India’s noses ahead

5.28pmSam Curran and Ollie Robinson have decided they won’t just stand there and provide Bumrah target practice. They have actually gone ahead and targeted Shami at the other end. The partnership is 20 off 21, but Bumrah has bowled another beauty to get rid of the dangerous Curran. This one comes from round the wicket, pitches and jags back in to cramp Curran up, who is on the lookout for the runs. Mid-on takes the catch. England 295 for 8 in 84.4 overs, Curran gone for 32 off 45, Robinson unbeaten on 13 off 7. England effectively 200 for 8. They would have dearly loved for Curran to have been there with Broad and Anderson, but Bumrah has bowled an excellent spell with the new ball here to keep India ahead.

Bumrah stands up

5.09pmIn the first over of the new ball, Jasprit Bumrah produces the ball to finally get the edge from Joe Root. A colossal innings, but a big moment in the Test. Bumrah has stood up with the Test in the balance. England still can’t feel comfortable. They are 274 for 7 in 81 overs, effectively 179 for 7. Root is gone for 109 off 172, Curran unbeaten on 24 off 30.It is just that angle from Bumrah that makes you play at balls you don’t want to play, and then at the last moment this length ball holds its line to take the edge. Huge reception for Root as he walks off.

New ball

5.05pmThe ball is taken as soon as it becomes available, and India turn to Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami now. Thirty-seven runs in those 10 overs for the bonus wicket of Buttler. England 272 for 6 in 80 overs, Root 108 off 168, Curran 23 off 28. England effectively 177 for 6.Big spell coming up for Bumrah and Shami. If England don’t lose a wicket in these 10 overs, they could feel they are in control. India can still break this Test open right here, right now.

RoooooooooooooooooooT

PA Images via Getty Images

4.42pmJoe Root is carrying the Test side on his back, and this time he has done long enough to bring up his 21st Test century, his first in England in three years. Under fire from every corner, England began the day needing Rain or Root to come to their aid. The rain didn’t show up, but Root did. A fluent, aggressive, precise knock in the best batting conditions of the Test so far. He has been let down by three of his partners, at least one of whom should have been here with him to put India under pressure, but Sam Curran it is who gets the congratulatory hug.After missing out on two boundary balls earlier in the 75th over, he drives one straight down the ground, and raises his arms as the ball goes past the bowler for four. Whole of Trent Bridge stands with him. England 253 for 6 in 75 overs, Root 102 off 156, Curran 10 off 10. England effectively 158 for 6. New ball available in five overs.

India have not been at their best

ESPNcricinfo Ltd

4.30pmThe thing about the Buttler wicket is that we were just discussing how India have presented boundary balls today a little more easily than on their good days. That should irk England more than they have not made India pay for it. Here is some findings from Shiva Jayaraman:

India bowlers have been guilty of bowling boundary balls to England batters fresh at the crease in this innings. Jos Buttler, who didn’t get off the mark in his first dig in this match, hit three fours in the first-ten he faced in this innings. England batters collectively hit as many as 11 boundaries (from shots that they were in full control of) in the first 20 balls faced by them in their second innings. In comparison, the England top order had hit only four boundaries in the first innings.

England gift another wicket

4.17pmJust back from tea, and it is Jos Buttler’s turn to giftwrap his wicket with a tiny bow on the top. Before tea also he survived a close lbw shout when padding up to a reversing ball. He leaves one again, and this time the gently paced Thakur gets full access to the top of off. England’s collapse in the first innings featured a few soft wickets, but you might have been okay with it given the conditions. But in flat conditions, against tiring bowlers, England have thrown away three wickets, and that is a bigger problem. This is the sixth time in Test cricket that Buttler has got out leaving the ball, four of them bowled. England 237 for 6, effectively 142 for 6.

Tea on day four

3.56pmA slightly longer middle session comes to an end. In flatter conditions, with Joe Root batting beautifully, India will be glad with the two gifts they have been given by Sibley and Lawrence. England will be disappointed because they really had a chance to bat India out of this Test in this session. Old ball, tired bowlers, Root looking immovable, freebies finally arriving, but Sibley played a poor shot and Lawrence was dozy to reverse swing. England scored 116 for 3 in that session in 30 overs. Nearly four an over tells you the pitch has eased out. And that the pitch has eased out tells you that England won’t be happy with the 180-190 targets they won with in 2018.New ball available in 10 overs. So that is another turning point to watch out for in the next session. England 235 for 5 in 70 overs, Root 96 off 138, Buttler 15 off 20. England effectively 140 for 5. See you soon.

Dozy Lawrence

3.32pmThakur was looking ordinary in this over giving leg-side offerings, not bowling high pace, but to the fifth legal ball of the over, Lawrence played for the straight ball when the ball is clearly reversing. This is just the window India needed, just the moment of dozy cricket that could cost England the Test just when it looked like England had access to tired bowlers. You just don’t plant your front foot across to the reversing ball. Lawrence is out plumb lbw for 25 off 32. England 211 for 5 in 64.5 overs, effectively 116 for 5. Root unbeaten on 90 off 125. In comes Jos Buittler, on a pair.And India sense something and have gone back to Jasprit Bumrah. Big 20 minutes to tea coming up.

Reverse swing

3.25pmIn the 64th over of the third innings, for the first time we saw signs of reverse swing in this Test. Dan Lawrence saw the shiny side outside, set himself up to play to leg, and the ball moved away to beat his edge. The next ball, with the shiny side out, took his outside edge, but it fell short. And then Mohammed Shami flipped the shine to try the inswinger, and it went, but went down the leg side, and Lawrence got a tickle for four to fine leg.England 202 for 4 in 64 overs, Root 90 off 124, Lawrence 17 off 26. England effectively 107 for 4.Good news for India; Shardul Thakur is bowling, but he has started with a no-ball. Only his eighth over in this innings. Jadeja has bowled more.

Is Shardul Thakur fine?

3.10pmIn the 60th over of the England innings, Shardul Thakur gave chase at deep third man, and he looked slow. Nagraj Gollapudi tells me he was pointing to the inside of his knee sometime ago. He also spent some time off in this session. He was also seen talking to the physio. And he hasn’t bowled at all in this session. In case he is injured, it is an illustration why you play five bowlers.England 188 for 4 in 60 overs, Root 87 off 120, Lawrence 6 off 7, effectively 93 for 4.

Bairstow finds the sweeper

3pmThis is a pull shot nailed off the absolute meat of the bat, but Bairstow has not bothered to keep it down, and Siraj has had a man back just in front of square for him all the while. And they have chosen the right man too, Ravindra Jadeja. Bairstow just can’t believe he has found the man. This looks like a wicket that has an element of fortune to it, and it is because this short ball is not even an effort ball, but India have also been looking to bowl short to Bairstow with a field for it, and the best fielder in place. Siraj is shushing Bairstow with a finger on the lip. England 177 for 4 in 57.3 overs, Bairstow gone for 30 off 50, Root unbeaten on 83 off 112. Effectively 82 for 4.

Afternoon drinks

2.47pmJonny Bairstow has come in and counterattacked even under overcast skies. The partnership between him and Root is 36 in 9.1 overs, but Bairstow has scored 26 of those. It has helped that Shami and Siraj started their current spells with looseners on which he pounced, hitting two of his four bundaries. It has allowed Root to go a little easy here. England 171 for 3 in 55 overs, effectively 76 for 3, Root 81 off 107, Bairstow 24 off 40.In case you are wondering about the weather, it is drizzling somewhere in Nottingham, but it seems it is going to miss the Trent Bridge ground. It is dark and overcast at the ground so it should help India.

Sibley loses his patience

2.05pmAnd with that his wicket. A really poor shot given how he has batted. After 132 balls of watchful batting for just 28 runs he has wafted at a wide length ball. It might even have been just short of a length. And it is overcast with floodlights on. The ball nips back in after pitching, takes the inside edge and Pant takes the catch diving to his left. This is inexplicable from Sibley. even if this ball doesn’t seam, Sibley is not going to make a good connection with this one because it is so far away from him. The partnership ends at 89, and India have a new batter in with the ball just beginning to move around.England 135 for 3, effectively 40 for 3, Sibley gone for 28 off 133, Root unbeaten on 71 off 92.

Root looks to score

The difference in Root’s intent as captured by our scorers. Second innings updated till lunch•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The above image is self-explanatory. In the second innings, Joe Root has cut out the leave and looked to score off those deliveries. He has still respected the good balls as he has defended the same amount in a much shorter period, but he has attacked more and looked for the ones and twos more.1.47pmJadeja has been taken off after just one over, and Mohammed Siraj is now joining Bumrah in the attack.

We are back

1.40pmAnd India have surprisingly chosen to start with Ravindra Jadeja. Wonder if they have decided they need to block one end up and have their fresh quicks at the other end? I can tell you that clouds have rolled in so if the ball does something for Jasprit Bumrah at the other end, we will have two quicks on.

Root, Sibley hold India off

1pmAFP/Getty Images

England were 49 behind when these two came together, but going into lunch they lead by 24 runs. Contrasting styles there. Root looking to score of every opportunity he gets, Sibley looking to survive. Root 56 off 74, Sibley 27 off 116.The interesting thing is that England’s control percentage has gone down during this partnership. That’s cricket, though: Root feels the conditions are slightly easier and he can get away with mistakes. And he has. India will come back hard at the start of the next session. At this moment, you’d still want to be in the Indian camp, but they wouldn’t want this partnership to keep growing. Back after the break

Fifty for Root

12.55pmIt was rain or Root for England at the start of the innings. The rain hasn’t arrived, but Joe Root is keeping them alive with an unbeaten 51 off 68 balls. This has been a slightly streaky hand as he has looked intent on playing for the runs and not just time. He has been in control only of three balls in four. He has taken his chances, and has been excellent on the cover-drive and the late-cut. That is why England are in the lead. India can’t just attack here. They have to think about the runs too. England effectively 19 for 2.

India will bat again

12.35pmJoe Root and Dom Sibley have gone through a nervous period and have added 49 for the third wicket to level the scores. England have already lost two wickets in the process. Now England will hope to convert this into some pressure for England. There’s five-and-a-half sessions left in the Test now. England effectively 0 for 2 in the third innings.

India have a third man for Root

12.30pmGetty Images

The image there is the reason why. four of Root’s 11 boundaries in the first innings came through third man. And now, with England getting close to making India bat again, runs are at a premium. So India don’t want to give away any cheap boundaries to third man. England 91 for 2 in 31 overs, still trail by 4 runs.

India’s hour

NoonTime for the first drinks break of the day, and India have made vital inroads. Wickets of Rory Burns and Zak Crawley for the addition of 46 runs in conditions that have probably been the best for batting all Test. Joe Root has already edged twice, once wide of slips and once short of them. Another inside edge has travelled safely. England still trail by 24 runs.India have induced 28 mistakes in 25 overs of bowling this innings: a mistake ever six balls or so. In the first two innings, it was happening once every four balls.

India on their way

11.30amJasprit Bumrah makes it a double breakthrough by teasing Zak Crawley in the channel, bowling one he has to play at. It holds its line and takes the edge. The only way he surrives this is if Crawley strides forward. England down at 46 for 2. They still trail by 49.When this innings began, there was a remark made: only Root and rain stand in India’s way. The rain has disappeared. And Root is here. India will be very intense in this spell of play.

First break for India

11.20amGetty Images

Mohammed Siraj’s coaches will tell you his biggest threat is how often he can make left-hand batters play at the away-going delivery. He can just keep pitching it in the blind spot again and again, and make them push at it. There is also the threat of the odd ball that holds its line. This time, in conditions that look more settled than in the first innings, he makes Rory Burns play at one leaving him. The edge is taken, and India are on the board.And the first ball that Zak Crawley gets tells you possibly why people keep playing at him. This one holds its line against the angle to the right-hand batter Zak Crawley, and the edge flies of the slips.Also Shiva Jayaraman comes up with the numbers for Siraj to left-hand batters: “Early days in his career, but Mohammed Siraj seems to have done better against left-handed batters in comparison with right handers. At the fall of Rory Burns’ wicket, Siraj averaged 18.28 against them (7 wickets, strike rate of 38) as opposed to 34.18 against right handers (11 wickets, strike rate of 74).’England 37 for 1 in 15.1 overs, Burns gone for 18 off 49, SIbley unbeaten on 13 off 47. England still trail by 58.

Here we go

10.45amWelcome to the Live Report of Day 4. Great news for India: it is nice and sunny as we speak, and we are starting on time. We have a maximum of 196 overs left in this Test. England have all their 10 second-wickets in hand, but they are still trailing by 70 runs. If there is no further rain, you’d assume England will need to bat close to four sessions to save this Test. India will back themselves here should there not be any more rain.In the 11.1 overs bowled in the second innings on the third day, the ball moved less than it did in the first two innings. It showed in how India deployed only two slips and a gully. Is that a sign of things to come? Or will the conditions change again?India’s wish: Clouds but no rain.England’s wish: Either rain or a sunny day.

Curtly Ambrose, meanwhile, has likened Bumrah to his old mate Courtney Walsh for his ability to adjust his lengths according to conditions

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Aug-2019Jasprit Bumrah’s 5 for 7 – the least expensive five-wicket haul by an Indian in Tests – helped hurry India towards a record 318-run win over West Indies in Antigua. That five-for also helped Bumrah become the first bowler from Asia to take five-wicket hauls in South Africa, England, Australia and West Indies. And beyond the numbers, he impressed two Antiguan fast-bowling greats – Andy Roberts and Curtly Ambrose – with his clarity of thought, game sense and aggression.So impressed was Roberts that, in an interview with the , he called Bumrah the “best Indian fast bowler I have seen”.”In my time, it was all spin,” he said, thinking back to the India attacks of the past. “Good ones, but they wouldn’t win you matches overseas. India had Kapil Dev and some others, but we never thought they could produce someone as lethal as Bumrah. He’s the best Indian fast bowler I have seen.”Roberts, part of the great pace quartets that also included Michael Holding, Joel Garner, Colin Croft and Malcolm Marshall, described how Bumrah’s unorthodox run-up and action broke the mental rhythm of batsmen as they prepared to face him. But what made the India bowler truly special, he felt, was his game sense and thinking, which belie the fact that he only made his Test debut in January 2018, and has only played only 11 games in the format.”When a bowler is running in, you should look at the batsmen. They are settling into a mental rhythm of their own in their mind,” Roberts said. “They are visualising the bowler, his action, the leap, the load-up, the release and things like that. Their thought processes are conditioned in such a way that if he’s a side-on bowler, the ball will come like that, if it’s high-arm it would come in a different way. Or the longer the run-up, the quicker the ball will be. With Bumrah, the batsmen have little time to get into their mental rhythm.”Look at everything else he does, he’s classical. He moves two balls into the batsmen, and the other one goes away. Then two away from him, and then one into him. This is how we did, this is how fast bowlers have operated over the years. But the best one knows how, where and when to bowl. And Bumrah seems to have this awareness, which usually takes a lot of time to develop, a lot of experience. But how old is he? How many Tests has he played? He’s a quick learner, isn’t he?”To me, it has been the most striking feature of him. Some call it maturity. I call it game sense. There seems to be clarity in his thinking, and that automatically shows in his bowling. Some bowlers, very skillful ones, don’t develop it even 10 years after they had played the game. That’s the biggest thing for a fast bowler, to learn how to use your head.”Jasprit Bumrah is swarmed by his team-mates•Getty Images

The game sense also impressed Ambrose, who said Bumrah’s ability to size up and adjust his lengths according to surfaces and batsmen reminded him of his long-time new-ball partner Courtney Walsh.”He’s good at varying his lengths, depending on the surfaces and batsmen,” Ambrose told the . “I saw that in the World Cup, how he adjusted (and altered) his lengths according to the conditions and batsmen. That makes life difficult for batsmen.”(In this regard), he reminds me a bit of Courtney (Walsh) a bit. He was wonderful in sizing up the length and bowling accordingly.”Ambrose also said Bumrah’s quiet demeanour did not make him any less aggressive on the field.”I’m not talking about body language here. I’m not talking about being hostile. Aggression is not always about what you show outwards. Some show, some don’t. It depends on the individual’s nature,” Ambrose said. “To me, it’s about how you bowl, the aggression of the delivery. And Bumrah shows a lot of it.”Could Bumrah have fitted into the fearsome West Indies attacks of the past?Roberts suggested Bumrah’s unconventional action would have added a different dimension to the attacks he was part of.”It’s the strangest action that I have seen on a cricket field,” he said. “I need to study that for a longer time to understand the mechanics of his action. But if he were born here back in our days, we would have had him. A freak was the only element missing in our bowling line-up. In fact, Bumrah is the only variety of bowler we had never produced. Then I don’t think even India would produce one like him again.”Ambrose went even further in his praise.”At times, he rekindles memories of our prime,” he said. “The pace, aggression, the hostility, the craft. The way he outclasses the batsmen, the way he out-thinks them. He could have been one of us, he’s so complete a bowler that he could have played in any era.”

They had a night’s sleep, but Pakistan and New Zealand might well have just carried on unbroken by stumps last night, so similar was the tempo today

The Report by Danyal Rasool25-Nov-2018
They had a night’s sleep, but Pakistan and New Zealand might well have just carried on unbroken by stumps last night, so similar was the tempo today.Haris Sohail and Babar Azam’s 70-over behemoth of a partnership sought to grind New Zealand into the dirt, amassing 186 runs. Both reached Test hundreds, Babar belatedly his maiden one in the format, before a surprise declaration with the score at 418 – the lowest ever for a first innings declaration in the UAE – saw New Zealand have to keep their wits about them. That they did successfully enough, going in at stumps without having lost a wicket but still trailing by almost 400 runs.Curiously, Pakistan didn’t quite pick up the pace even as the pressure lifted. Heaps of credit must go to New Zealand’s bowlers for that, whose large-hearted efforts ensured they were never – not once in 167 overs – simply going through the motions awaiting a declaration. The lines were kept tight, the plans were still being hatched, and attempts to take wickets never wavered even as it seemed the toil of a treacherously unhelpful wicket would finally take its toll.That Pakistan only managed 418 might prove crucial over the next three days; only once before has a team declared at a score under 500 in this country. That was Sri Lanka in 2014, and they ended up losing with mere overs to spare.Pakistan, however, went back to what served them best during the halcyon days of Misbah-ul-Haq. They won the toss, and they set about batting for two days, shutting everything and everyone else out. It was the sort of steel that had been absent from their soft capitulation in Abu Dhabi, and they were eager to wipe it clean from everyone’s memories. Because of that, day two was almost a cut and paste of day one, Babar replacing Azhar Ali in a monstrously energy-sapping partnership with the indefatigable Sohail.Only 67 runs had come off a morning session where Kane Williamson called upon all of his five bowlers – as well as himself – at various times in an attempt to break through with no success. Perhaps surprisingly, Ajaz Patel bowled the first over instead of Trent Boult, but once he was taken out of the attack, he wouldn’t return all session. Boult wasn’t exactly subdued, but never quite possessed the penetrative threat he had carried this time around yesterday. Sodhi continues to struggle with the considerable challenge of bowling a consistent line in Test cricket, and found himself punished whenever he wavered, particularly by Babar in an over that went for 12, accounting for almost a fifth of all the runs this morning.Despite some eyebrows raised at the particularly snail-paced nature of the scoring yesterday, Haris and Babar made it clear they would not be changing their ways. Beginning today at 207, Pakistan were still not out of the woods, and a batting collapse would have seen all the grind of yesterday count for nothing.Haris looked slightly jittery when one run from completing a deserved hundred, charging down the wicket to Sodhi to several balls without ever getting to the pitch. It was only a rushed single that got him there before he was able to revert to type, and once more looking like the player who had bet his life upon his wicket.It wasn’t that Babar went unnoticed, but so effortless was the manner of his first Test century, you forgot this was a player who barely averaged 30 in this format. Batting for the first time since being agonisingly dismissed for 99 against Australia last month, he was determined to set the record straight against their trans-Tasman neighbours. And while Sohail toiled, Babar was, relative to the pace of the game, free-flowing. He, too, stuttered upon reaching his 90s and spent the entirety of the tea break stranded on 99, but there was never any question he would be denied once again. Where much was expected of Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq in the most Misbah era, Pakistan will be heartened to see a younger duo stepping up.Sohail’s vigil did end in a lively hour after tea when he was three runs short of 150, Boult finally claiming a wicket he was due about five sessions ago. Babar and Sarfraz Ahmed picked up the pace somewhat, but never to the extent that suggested a declaration tonight was imminent. The pair added 62 runs in 18 overs, and when Babar lofted a long hop from a wicketless Sodhi for six, it looked as if a Pakistan charge was on the cards. They turned out to be the last runs Pakistan would score, however, with the Pakistan captain pulling the plug after 167 to give his bowlers a crack at a tiring New Zealand.Tests like these in this part of the world have a reputation of bursting into life over the latter half. That bodes well for any viewers who sat through the first two days; they might feel they’ve earned a bit of excitement. The challenge for New Zealand will be to gear themselves up mentally to produce the sort of patience and determination Pakistan showed after toiling in the field for nearly two days.Pakistan, meanwhile, have consciously, forcefully and successfully dredged up the formula that Misbah imparted upon them, and as things stand right now, all the equations seem to match.

He was also the manager of the Virat Kohli-led Under-19 side that won the World Cup in 2008

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Aug-2018Gopal Bose, the former India batsman and Bengal captain, died aged 71, in Birmingham on Sunday.
Bose represented Bengal in 78 first-class games from 1968 to 1978, scoring 3757 runs at 30.79 with eight hundreds. He also took 72 wickets with his offspin, with a best of 5 for 67. He also featured in eight List A games.The bespectacled opener was known for his ability to play long innings and once shared a 194-run opening stand with Sunil Gavaskar in a first-class game during the tour of Sri Lanka in 1973-74. He made 104.His only ODI appearance came against England at The Oval in 1974. He scored 13 runs and picked up the wicket of David Lloyd.Bose later served as a Bengal selector and coached their junior team as well. He was also the manager of the Virat Kohli-led India Under-19 side that won the World Cup in 2008.

Ben Stokes summoned a powerful retort in his first match since he tore a hamstring a month ago but Yorkshire ran out comfortable winners at Headingley

ECB Reporters Network05-Jul-2018
ScorecardYorkshire comfortably defended a 201 target against a Ben Stokes boosted Durham side at Emerald Headingley to make a winning start to this summer’s Vitality Blast.England all-rounder Stokes opened the batting in the chase and hit 90 not out off 68 balls in a 44-run defeat.But all in all, this was a comparatively subdued return to competitive action following the left hamstring tear he sustained in training prior to England’s Test against Pakistan here in early June.Delighted Yorkshire coach Andrew Gale said: “Adam Lyth was the glue throughout the innings. I thought he played really well. But the two debutants were outstanding. Harry Brook and Jonny Tattersall showed us what they can do. “I thought we backed it up in the field. We set the tone early. We starved Ben Stokes of the strike, and you could see how frustrated he was when he came off.”Stokes was never going to bowl against a Vikings side who amassed 200 for 3 thanks to 94 not out from Adam Lyth and an unbeaten 53 from Jonny Tattersall, the pair sharing an unbroken 110 in 8.5 overs.

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Stokes was tied down at the start of his innings, reaching four off 16 balls, but later accelerated without looking entirely comfortable, fitness wise. He reached 50 off 52 balls with a leg-side six and hit five in all.”Ben keeps getting a ball in the [right] foot,” Durham coach Jon Lewis said. “He got one there in the practice match he played on Tuesday, and he drilled one into his ankle in warm-ups before this game. It’s just bruising. The hamstring, to the best of my knowledge, is not an issue.”I think it was the running up and down which started to have an impact on what was already there. I think he’s alright. He’s certainly battled a bit and wasn’t happy with himself at the end. He’s not bowling yet fully, but I think he’s ready as a batter.”The visitors slipped to 13 for 2 and failed to recover as Jack Brooks excelled with three for 21 during his first T20 appearance in three years. They finished on 156 for 4.Although Yorkshire’s innings was built around Lyth’s effort, including nine fours and three sixes, it was lifted with the arrival of Tattersall at 90 for three in the 12th.When he came in, Lyth had 39. By the time the left-hander reached his fifty, Tattersall had 37 as he found the gaps with plenty of innovation.The Vikings wicketkeeper reached 50 off 26 balls with the penultimate ball of the innings.The game started with Yorkshire, invited to bat first, losing Tom Kohler-Cadmore to a top-edged pull at Chris Rushworth in the second over as the score fell to nine for one.Lyth then shared 81 in nine overs with Harry Brook, also on T20 debut like Tattersall.Brook hit two sixes and four fours in a brisk 44 before was caught at long-on off Imran Tahir at the end of the eleventh over.Gary Ballance then fell to Ryan Pringle at the start of the next over, superbly caught at cover by Tom Latham off a leading edge for a golden duck. But that was Durham’s last success as the Lyth and Tattersall attacked.Yorkshire started superbly with the ball as Brooks removed Graham Clark and Paul Collingwood in the space of three balls in the fourth over.Clark was caught at deep mid-wicket and Collingwood lbw for a golden duck.Although Stokes, who could play for England against India in Sunday’s T20 at Bristol, warmed to his task, he never looked like getting the Jets home.By the time he reached his fifty off 52 balls with a third six in the 15th over, Durham were 106 for four having lost Tom Latham and Will Smith to Steve Patterson and Brooks.And it was very much stand and deliver stuff at the end from the 27-year-old.

England coach Trevor Bayliss has confirmed he will step down from his job when his current contract expires after the 2019 English season

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jan-2018England coach Trevor Bayliss has confirmed he will step down from his job when his current contract expires after the 2019 English season.Speaking in the aftermath of England’s 4-0 Ashes defeat, Bayliss said that he had made clear to Andrew Strauss, the director of England cricket, a year ago that he would not be seeking an extension regardless of results.It means that Bayliss, who was appointed in 2015, will leave the role following a season that will include England’s tilt at the home World Cup and the next Ashes series.”I told Andrew Strauss probably 12 months ago that September 2019 I’m contracted to and that would see me out,” Bayliss said. “I’ve never been anywhere any more than four or five years. Whether you’re going well or not I’ve always felt that round about that four-year mark is time to change. A new voice, a slightly different approach slightly reinvigorates things. So I passed that on him 12 months ago.”England’s comprehensive Ashes defeat has continued a poor run of form away from home in Tests since beating South Africa on the 2015-16 tour. They drew 1-1 in Bangladesh, lost 4-0 to India and were flirting with another Ashes whitewash before the draw at Melbourne.However, Bayliss has overseen a dramatic improvement in England’s limited-overs cricket – they have reached the final of the World T20 and semi-final of the Champions Trophy under his watch – and he has been given the support of the ECB hierarchy during this Ashes tour so he remains safe in his job.Bayliss also hinted that he could see Joe Root still being captain for the next Ashes in Australia in 2021-22. It is very rare for an England captain to get two chances to lead in Australia – it has not happened since Johnny Douglas in 1911 and 1920, either side of the first World War.”I think someone coming for the first time as captain, even with experience, it’s going to be a hard tour to be on,” Bayliss said. “I think he handled it pretty well. He is a young captain and I would expect in four years, when he comes back with another four years experience and an away Ashes under his belt, he’ll feel a lot more comfortable.”England’s next Test assignment is two matches in New Zealand at the end of March for which the squad is due to be named on Wednesday morning in Australia although the final selection meeting has been delayed due to Root’s illness on the final day in Sydney.James Vince and Mark Stoneman are under pressure after mediocre Ashes returns. Gary Ballance, who has been the spare batsman in Australia is expected to miss out, while Moeen Ali also had a torrid series. In spite of that, Bayliss did not foresee major changes.”I can’t see too many big changes. We’ve known for a couple of years we’ve been three or four performing players short of a very, very good team. We’ve had good performances at home in Test cricket but a lot of that’s been on the back of our big five or six players.”Trying to fill those last three of four spots so you’ve got that consistency in the team would help away from home. Malan has probably done enough, he’s probably cemented one of those spots we were after.”James Vince and Mark Stoneman have shown what they’re capable of but would be a little disappointed they weren’t able to capitalise on some of their good play.”If guys like that can capitalise on their starts and make big hundreds that gives us across out top seven players who are performing well.”

Glenn Maxwell produced a jaw-dropping 46 not out from 26 balls to deliver Australia into the tri-series final and left his batting partner Mitchell Marsh lost for words at the other end

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jun-2016In the lead-up to Australia’s must-win match against West Indies, acting coach Justin Langer spoke of how important Glenn Maxwell’s experience and finishing ability could become at the business end of the tri-series. As if on cue, Maxwell produced a jaw-dropping 46 not out from 26 balls to deliver Australia into the tri-series final and left his batting partner Mitchell Marsh lost for words at the other end.Australia needed 62 off 50 balls with six wickets in hand when Maxwell walked to the crease, a man who had failed to reach double figures in any of his past five ODI innings and had been dropped earlier in the series. But Maxwell found his x-factor and got Australia home with eight balls to spare, along the way reverse-sweeping Sunil Narine for six.”I said give yourself a few balls mate and then go for it,” Marsh said. “I was literally speechless at the other end watching an innings like that. Maxi has had a lot of doubt and hasn’t been in the greatest of form but an innings like that tonight shows why he’s one of the first picked in this side, because he’s so dangerous and can win us games like that in a few overs. Really rapt for him.”He actually told me we’ll just take them for ones. Next thing he’s playing a reverse-sweep for six. I absolutely loved it. Maxi is a free spirit, you’ve just got to let him go and do what he does. When it comes off like that it’s unbelievable to watch.”Maxwell and Marsh steered Australia to victory with their 62-run partnership, which followed on from a 122-run stand between Marsh and captain Steven Smith. Marsh’s innings of 79 not out from 85 deliveries was critical given that he had come to the crease at 99 for 3 chasing 283, and like Maxwell he had struggled for batting form in the series, having not reached 20 in any of his previous for innings.”It’s right up there, I think any time you can bat through an innings and be not out in a win in a crucial chase like that, it’s very satisfying,” Marsh said of his own innings. “I’ve put in a lot of work. I haven’t had much of an opportunity – well, I have, but I haven’t taken them in this series. So it was really nice to step up and get us over the line.”Australia’s place in Sunday’s tri-series final in Barbados is now secure, and they will take on the winner of Friday’s clash between West Indies and South Africa.

Former England batsman Mark Butcher believes people are beginning to “see the merits” of ensuring more England players are involved in future editions of the IPL

Gaurav Kalra02-May-20155:02

Should more England players be part of the IPL?

Former England batsman Mark Butcher believes people are beginning to “see the merits” of ensuring more England players are involved in future editions of the IPL. Butcher, who is India on assignment with British broadcaster , told ESPNcricinfo that watching games from the grounds has been like “nothing else I’ve ever seen at cricket grounds around the world.””It’s quite remarkable, the fervour for the game and the atmosphere and the skill level,” he said. “When the IPL first began, it was more about what was happening off the field; giving the older players a bit of a pay day. In the last three-four years, though, the standard of cricket and the way that the game is being taken a lot more seriously and the way that the skills have been elevated to a new level has made it a wonderful combination. I have no doubt whatsoever that any players – whether they being young or old – will only improve by experiencing it and playing it.”Butcher is convinced that young England players, especially those identified as key to their limited-overs plans in the years ahead, such as Jos Buttler, Alex Hales, Chris Woakes and the likes, will benefit immensely from playing in the IPL. However, he said, they can only hope to attract interest from franchises if they are available to participate in the entire season and not for a short period, as is the case currently.”At the moment, because English players initially couldn’t stay for the entire duration of the tournament which meant that their price was not worth paying, people are not even looking at English players to play in the competition,” he said. “So, that’s going to change. I have no doubt about that. It will take us a little while because it always takes us a little while to catch up with things but people are now beginning to see the merits.”England’s shocking early exit from the World Cup has led to considerable churn in the country about how to bridge the gap with other countries in the limited-overs formats. Butcher believes that outcome has put “more pressure” to try and find ways to get more English players involved in the IPL.”If you play all your domestic cricket in one country, you do not know how cricketers do it in other countries like Bangladesh or India or South Africa,” he said. “Everybody has their own different things that they bring to the table. What we’re seeing with these players is that with them being exposed to more leagues around the world, it is no longer difficult for a New Zealander to come out and play brilliantly on slow Indian pitches. They know how to do it. That’s the learning curve you get by being here for six weeks.”While Butcher didn’t think it was possible to tweak the county season to allow English players to play the IPL, he advocated considering what he described as a “short-term loss” over “long-term gain”.”I think what the ECB and the counties have to look at is how much we gain in the long run by exposing some of our brightest and the best to competitions like the IPL,” he said. “You might lose out a little bit in the short term by missing your best players but what you will gain in the long term is the knowledge of playing under pressure when they come back which will pay dividends later on in the long run. So, you have to speculate a little bit to accumulate.”Former England batsman and coach David Lloyd, who also had his first first-hand experience of the IPL as a commentator this season, was equally enthused after his stint. Writing in his blog on , Lloyd conceded that while cricket won’t enjoy the same following in the UK as India, a template similar to the Big Bash League in Australia should be considered by the ECB.”We can certainly stage something very similar to the Big Bash. That would be our template – have eight teams, who play everybody twice,” Lloyd wrote. “If we could find a three-to-four-week window and block it off – that’s what all the players want but you’ve got to sell that idea to 18 counties so there’s got to be a will to do it that way. You’d have to play it alongside Test-match cricket – as they do in Australia – to fit it into the schedule and you’d have to try to attract the best players in the world and make it a real event.”