Tag Futebol

A round-up of the matches on the seventh match-day of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2011-12

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Oct-2011A tight performance in the field and a well-paced innings from Ishank Jaggi gave Jharkhand a comfortable win against Orissa in Jamshedpur, their first of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy after their first two matches were abandoned due to rain. Orissa had three run-outs in their innings and got a low total of 103 for 9. Jaggi scored an unbeaten 37 as Jharkhand knocked off the total in 18.3 overs for the loss of four wickets. Orissa’s innings had no momentum at the top, with opener Sumitosh Praharaj getting his 40 at a strike-rate of 80.00. They did manage to lay a base, though, and got to 74 for 2 in the 15th over, but the late onslaught never came. Instead, wickets fell consistently and the total was never going to be competitive. Jharkhand started the chase cautiously but Jaggi picked up the pace and got his 37 off as many balls. Captain Saurabh Tiwary contributed 21 as Orissa were handed their first defeat of the tournament.Bengal’s bowlers limited Tripura to only 95 for 9 to set up a comfortable chase for their batsmen in Jamshedpur. Tripura lost their captain Rajib Saha and were soon reduced to 35 for 3. They then had their largest partnership of the match – 41 – between Kaushal Acharjee and Bappa Das. At 76 for 3 in the 15th over, Bengal began to wreck Tripura, taking four wickets for three runs. Ashok Dinda finished with 2 for 29 and Shami Ahmed 2 for 14. Bengal lost opening batsman Shreevats Goswami for a duck during their chase but Abhishek Jhunjhunwala and Wriddhiman Saha scored 30 and 35 to help Bengal score 98 for 4 in the 19th over. Tushar Saha took 2 for 15 in four overs for Tripura.

Sharad Pawar, the ICC president, has vowed to clean the game of corruption and also reiterated the governing body’s commitment to sustaining Test cricket

Siddarth Ravindran in Bangalore06-Oct-2010Sharad Pawar, the ICC president, has vowed to clean the game of corruption and also reiterated the governing body’s commitment to sustaining Test cricket.Pawar was speaking at the ICC Awards in Bangalore, at a time when the game is still mired in the spot-fixing scandal which broke in late August during Pakistan’s tour of England. Three leading Pakistan cricketers – captain Salman Butt, and fast bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif – were provisionally suspended by the ICC and will have their appeals heard at the end of this month in Qatar.”Cricket is going through a difficult time, but we will sort it out,” Pawar said, warning that anyone found guilty of corruption would not be spared. “Whoever it is, however towering a figure in world cricket, we will not compromise.”Pawar also addressed fears regarding the priority of Test cricket in the face of increased popularity of the Twenty20 format. Three West Indian cricketers who are sought-after Twenty20 players – captain Chris Gayle and allrounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard – turned down central contracts and New Zealand Cricket carved out a window in its calendar to accommodate the lucrative IPL.”We will never let Test cricket die,” Pawar said, a day after a VVS Laxman led India to a heart-stopping one-wicket victory over Australia in Mohali. “We will consult senior members of the cricket world, and come up with suggestions.”One suggestion the ICC came up with was to have a Test league running over four years ,with the top four teams taking part in a play-off event to determine the champions. There have also been proposals to stage day-night Tests to draw larger crowds, but the concept has been held up because of problems with the colour and type of ball to be used.Virender Sehwag, the Test Player of the Year, also stated his preference for the five-day format over the limited-overs versions of the game at the awards ceremony.

PCB has requested for an emergency meeting of the ACC board to discuss “this important and sensitive matter”

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Oct-2022The PCB has taken strong exception to Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president, and BCCI secretary, Jay Shah’s statement that the 2023 Asia Cup would be moved to a neutral venue since India were not going to travel to Pakistan. The PCB said the statement was made “unilaterally” and raised the prospect of an “impact” on Pakistan’s participation in the 2023 ODI World Cup as well as ICC events in India in the 2024-2031 cycle.Saying that it had noted Shah’s comments with “surprise and disappointment”, the PCB said, “The comments were made without any discussion or consultation with the Board of the Asian Cricket Council or the Pakistan Cricket Board (event host) and without any thoughts towards their long-term consequences and implications.”After having presided over the ACC meeting during which Pakistan was awarded the ACC Asia Cup with an overwhelming support and response from the ACC Board Members, Mr Shah’s statement of shifting of the ACC Asia Cup has clearly been made unilaterally. This is contrary to the philosophy and spirit for which the Asian Cricket Council was formed in September 1983 – a united Asian cricket body to safeguard the interests of the its members and organise, develop and promote the game of cricket in Asia.”The overall impact of such statements have the potential to split the Asian and international cricketing communities, and can impact Pakistan’s visit to India for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 and future ICC events in India in the 2024-2031 cycle.”The PCB has to date not received any official communication or clarification from the ACC on the statement of the ACC president. As such, the PCB has now requested the Asian Cricket Council to convene an emergency meeting of its Board as soon as practically possible to discuss this important and sensitive matter.”The ACC has not yet met to discuss the matter, let alone for a decision to be officially taken. The ICC is unlikely to comment on the issue at the moment.On Tuesday, Shah said at the completion of the latest BCCI annual general meeting, “The Asia Cup 2023 will be held at a neutral venue. I am saying this as ACC President. We [India] can’t go there [to Pakistan], they can’t come here. In the past also, Asia Cup has been played at a neutral venue.”The new set of BCCI office bearers – president Roger Binny, treasurer Ashish Shelar, and Rajiv Shukla, who was re-elected as board vice-president – were present when Shah spoke to the media.”We [India] can’t go there [to Pakistan], they can’t come here,” Jay Shah said•Getty Images

Two of the ICC’s events are scheduled to be held in the region in the next three years: India are the hosts of the 2023 ODI World Cup, and Pakistan are the hosts of the 2025 Champions Trophy. If India cannot play in Pakistan and Pakistan cannot play in India, these tournaments could well be impacted. At the 2016 T20 World Cup, in India, Pakistan required their government’s approval to travel and got it only at the last minute.India’s last trip to Pakistan was for the 2008 Asia Cup, while Pakistan’s last visit to India was for that 2016 ICC event. Due to strained political relations between the two countries, they have not played any bilateral cricket since Pakistan toured India for a white-ball-only series in 2012-13.Both India and Pakistan have in the past pulled out of previous editions of the Asia Cup and the tournament itself has been cancelled on occasion because of poor political and diplomatic relations between the two countries. The last two editions were played in the UAE, which has hosted the tournament four times overall.

Miller was snapped up by the franchise in August, along with Jos Buttler, Obed McCoy and Corbin Bosch

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Sep-2022David Miller has been named Paarl Royals captain for the inaugural season of SA20, South Africa’s T20 league, which is scheduled for January 2023.Miller was snapped up by the franchise in August, along with Jos Buttler, Obed McCoy and Corbin Bosch. All four players have worked with the owners before, having represented Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. Miller is also part of the Barbados Royals – which was taken over by the franchise in 2021 – in the CPL and was named captain ahead of the 2022 season.”It makes me immensely proud to have been appointed as the captain of the Paarl Royals,” Miller said. “To be able to call it my home, gives me great joy. The people of Paarl and the Western Cape as a whole are great supporters of quality and entertaining cricket, and my ambition will be to lead the team in the right manner and give our fans countless memories to cheer their team on.”We already have some top cricketers on board with the likes of Jos, Obed and Corbin, and I am looking forward to working with an exciting set of players to start this SA20 journey.”In the ongoing CPL, Miller’s Royals are presently leading the points table with six wins in seven matches. Miller has scored 166 runs in six innings at a strike-rate of 155.14. He was also part of the IPL title-winning Gujarat Titans side this season, amassing 449 runs at a strike rate of 141.19. He was eighth on the list of leading run-getters this season – and second behind captain Hardik Pandya for the Titans. He also captained South Africa to a 2-0 win against England in July.Head coach JP Duminy, who is also Miller’s former South Africa team-mate, said: “David is one of the most passionate players you will meet, and his reading of the situations is something that will be very valuable to us. Over the last year or so, he has developed a killer instinct wherein he is finishing matches for his team – we’ve seen that in the IPL and for South Africa as well. Hence, we are delighted to have such an experienced player as our leader, and more importantly, someone who has a calm head on his shoulders. We will be closely working with him as well as other players of the leadership group including Jos (Buttler), who himself has a wealth of experience.”The SA20 auction is set to take place on September 19 in Cape Town. The franchises have an overall purse of USD 2 million and can buy as many players as they like, up to the maximum limit of 17. The money available to them at the auction will be based on what is left of the purse after the pre-auction signings.

Meanwhile, Ashwin believes Kohli has been “batting beautifully” despite what the numbers say

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jul-2022BCCI president Sourav Ganguly believes Virat Kohli “has got to find his way” to score runs again, while former India quick Ashish Nehra, who worked with Kohli at Royal Challengers Bangalore, says there is no harm in him taking a break to come back fresh later.Kohli has already been rested for the ODIs and T20Is in West Indies, which means he will be out of action for nearly a month.”Yes, he has had a tough time and he knows that,” Ganguly told ANI. “He himself knows by his own standards it has not been good and I see him coming back and doing well. But he has got to find his way and become successful, which he has been for the last 12-13 years or more and only Virat Kohli can do that.Related

• Gavaskar on Kohli: 'There is this anxiety to play at every delivery'

• Kohli, Bumrah, Chahal rested for T20Is in West Indies; Kuldeep, Ashwin return

• Kohli's nine-ball buy-in shows India's new way is here to stay

• Kapil Dev: 'If Kohli isn't performing, you can't keep youngsters out'

• Problem of plenty: How do India fit Kohli in their T20I XI?

“These things will happen in sport. It has happened to everybody. It has happened to Sachin [Tendulkar], it has happened to Rahul [Dravid], it has happened to me, it has happened to Kohli. It is going to happen to future players. That’s part and parcel of sport and I think as a sportsman you just need to listen, be aware of what it is, and just go and play your game.”Kohli has been in a lean patch across formats in the last few years, with his last international century coming in November 2019. After a below-par run in IPL 2022, he scored 11 and 20 in the Edgbaston Test earlier this month, followed by 1 and 11 in the second and third T20Is against England. A minor groin strain ruled him out of the first ODI and it’s unclear whether he will play the second match on Thursday.Recently, former India captain Kapil Dev added to the growing chorus questioning Kohli’s place in India’s T20I XI, especially with a number of in-form players fighting for a place in the squad. Nehra said Kohli should keep such discussions out of his head and only focus on his game.”When you are not performing, there will be discussions even if you’re not a player of Kohli’s calibre,” Nehra said in a virtual interaction for Sony Sports Network. “When you are doing broadcasting, newspaper, it is being printed every day and when you are playing, you try to focus on your game and not listen to so-called outside voices from people outside the dressing room. It is important how you are in the dressing room and how your team-mates, management and selectors are backing you. We are talking about a guy like Virat. Yes, it is not written anywhere that Virat Kohli will keep playing for India even if he doesn’t score runs. That will not happen, but when you have done so much in the past, you will always get extra chances.”While many former players, including former India coach Ravi Shastri, suggested Kohli needed a break from cricket, Kohli said he could take some time off to rejuvenate himself. He was rested for the first T20I against England following the Edgbaston Test and will not be part of the limited-overs series in West Indies from July 22.Nehra agreed a break was much needed and hoped to see a “different Virat Kohli” turning up for the Asia Cup.”Everybody knows what you have done and the talent you have. At the age of 33-34, fitness isn’t a problem for him. Everybody is hopeful that Virat Kohli will come good, the quicker the better. Let’s hope we see a different Virat after the West Indies series. If he rests for a month or five weeks, it will be helpful for him and any player will be under pressure if you do not score runs, especially the kind of player Virat has been. It has not been just 1-2 series, it has been, you can say 12 months.”Rest is not a bad thing, you just played the IPL and then you played the Test, white-ball cricket, so it is good to see that Virat is getting a break. A break does not mean one week break or a three-day break. When you come back to Asia Cup, you come back fresh.”From closer quarters, India offspinner R Ashwin said Kohli has been “batting beautifully” in the last few years despite what the numbers say, calling his energy on the field “infectious”.”The more he is in the game and the more and more charged up he is, he bats so much more better,” Ashwin said on podcast. “And I believe even for the last two and a half or whatever considerable period of time, even though he might not have got the hundreds, I still believe he’s batting beautifully. The way he’s batting it looks like he’s probably got a double-hundred in the last one. It sometimes can happen, as a batter or as a cricketer you might be bowling well but the wickets are taken by somebody else.”His energy is very infectious. Sometimes bowling in India – like recently we had a couple of Test matches I can’t remember exactly – he wasn’t playing those games and I actually missed him on the field. The kind of energy that he brings to the table. The man standing at short midwicket, stopping those singles, looking for those catches … that’s exactly what makes him. He loves that, and when he does that he definitely bats better as well, and that’s my view of him.”

Rob Jones helped Lancashire to a commanding position before James Anderson and Graham Onions struck with the ball

Paul Edwards at Lord's13-Apr-2019
Saturday morning in London: fat papers thumping on to doormats; the 319 taking its time getting to Sloane Square; Van Goghs at the Tate; Renaissance nudes at the Royal Academy; Soho’s pubs opening early and the regulars meeting for convivial loneliness; pre-season practice for clubs in the Surrey Championship; Luton at Charlton and Wrexham at Barnet; Oxted Villa at Streatham Rovers, Northampton at Harlequins and Essex at Surrey. And Rob Jones at Lord’s, hoping to secure his place in Lancashire’s side. This, too, is cricket in England.Just after 3.30pm Jones reached the century which will help him achieve his goal. He cut Steven Finn to the wide third-man boundary and, just as when he scored his maiden hundred against the same opponents in 2016, he went on a merry jig full of joyful leaps and fist pumps One could understand his euphoria. Jones has had to wait for his opportunities at Lancashire and showers here meant he had to begin his innings on a couple more occasions than he might have expected.None of it seemed to trouble him and neither was he too bothered when rattled on the helmet by James Harris after lunch. He eventually became one of five batsmen dismissed after tea when the admirable Tim Murtagh got a leg-before decision from Billy Taylor, but by the time Harris bowled Graham Onions to end the innings Lancashire had a meaty 162-run advantage on first innings.That lead had not been reduced at all when Nick Gubbins blamelessly nicked James Anderson’s fifth ball of the innings to Glenn Maxwell at second slip. Yet that wicket was followed by such a secure 68-run stand between Sam Robson and Stevie Eskinazi that it seemed Middlesex would be going into the final day with nine wickets in hand. Then Eskinazi played across a straight ball from Onions five minutes before the close and that reverse bruised the home side’s hopes. No doubt someone will say it is going to be a big first hour in the morning. But if the first hour is big, the second will be enormous and the third may well disrupt space-time altogether.Whatever the result, Lancashire had earned their earlier advantage in a flinty manner that bodes well for them this season. The morning session, for example, had been a grim affair: only 13 overs were possible between the showers and the lingering images are of Dane Vilas and Jones defending with the resolution of Protestant pastors before the Inquisition. Both Murtagh and Finn found a righteous length and Jones managed just three runs off 36 balls before the first interruption.Two fours off Harris, the second a sweet thing through mid-off, may have relaxed him a trifle but conditions were no easier for Middlesex. Their players all wore thick sweaters and between balls they stood with their hands dug deep in their armpits. On the scoreboard Haseeb Hameed’s 117 shone out against Last Man, a reminder of Friday afternoon, when the ground was thronged and our talk was filled with marvellous praise.We managed only 33 balls in the afternoon session before the rain returned. There was time for a stroll in St John’s Wood: Panzer’s deli selling kumquats, yellow dates and maracuya; the pavements rinsed as though after pain; the 113 rumbling past Lord’s on its way to Oxford Circus; young-leafed poplars in Cochrane Street; couples dawdling over a late lunch in Fego’s, their gestures suggesting possibilities.The cricket resumed just before 3pm and the rest of the day was played in bright sunlight. As if reassured by the prospect of prolonged time at the crease, the batsmen played with more assurance. Vilas reached his fifty with a tucked single off Toby Roland-Jones and one fancies it will be the first of many he will score this summer. Then Jones twice pulled Harris savagely to the backward square boundary, as if taking revenge for that blow on the helmet. Those fours took him into the nineties and he soon reached his second first-class century. It was a noble effort.Ten minutes before tea, though, Vilas was leg before when attempting to sweep Malan. That ended his 143-run stand with Jones and it was also the prelude to a further tumble on the resumption. In all, Lancashire lost their last six wickets for 53 runs in 16 overs. One of those dismissed was Alex Davies, who was fit enough to bat but not to field after injuring his thumb on the first morningIt is late now. The newspapers have been reduced to their constituent parts and lie around suburban lounges, their crosswords half-completed. From the pubs around Lord’s one hears the clink of glasses and the hum of talk on this cool spring evening. Elsewhere London’s theatres are preparing for their evening performances: . A thousand restaurants have opened their doors. And somewhere in this sleepless metropolis Middlesex and Lancashire’s cricketers are resting before the final act of this contested drama between two teams whose ambitions this summer are unapologetically grand.

Saurashtra have the quality to win their semi-final against Karnataka, and, according to their superstar batsman, ‘perhaps even the final’

Saurabh Somani at the Chinnaswamy22-Jan-2019Cheteshwar Pujara averages 68.01 in the Ranji Trophy, but even in a tournament he’s dominated, he has taken his batting a notch higher against Karnataka. In six games against the eight-time champions, he averages 85.44 with two centuries and three fifties, including his first-class highest of 352 in Rajkot.On Thursday, Pujara and Saurashtra will meet Karnataka for the first time since that match in 2013. This time theyy’ll meet in the Ranji semi-finals, at Karnataka’s home ground, another venue that holds fond memories for Pujara. “I made my Test debut at the Chinnaswamy Stadium,” he said on Tuesday. “It is a special ground for me.”Pujara comes into this game on the back of two history-making events – he was Player of the Series in a first-ever Test series win for India in Australia, and part of the batting line-up that gunned down a record 372 against Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji quarter-finals.That chase has filled Pujara with confidence with regards to Saurashtra’s chances against Karnataka.”At times, we have been very desperate about winning the Ranji Trophy but this time there’s no pressure,” Pujara said. “I’m going to talk about this to all the players. Even if we lose, the kind of cricket we’ve played this season has been exceptional. The quarter-final victory was very special to me. I’m sure it is special to everyone. To make a comeback like that…”We have a very good chance of winning the semi-final and perhaps even the final. Because it shows that all the players are very determined. Throughout the season, all the players have contributed at some stage. Everyone is in form. If we play to our potential, we have a very good chance of winning this game. But there’s no pressure on any of the players.”Pujara wasn’t too keen to discuss his 2013 triple-hundred.”That’s in the past. We’ve played good cricket against them and won in Rajkot this season. I wasn’t there but the guys have played one game against Karnataka and know what to expect. The good thing is it’s a five-day game and we saw what we can do as a team. We didn’t do well in the first innings against UP but we had enough time to make a comeback. Now we’re a confident unit after chasing 372.”Cheteshwar Pujara plays the pull shot•Getty Images

He also admitted that being the batsman the team looked up to brings extra pressure.”Sometimes there is extra pressure. When I was playing the quarter-final I knew there was a lot of responsibility on my shoulders,” Pujara said. “But I also need to understand that I need to be normal to perform well. I just have to focus on the process rather than worrying about the pressure or expectations which are there. I’ve already started my preparation today. I’ll have one more net session tomorrow.”Given this desire to prepare, Pujara came straight to the Chinnaswamy from the airport, not bothering to stop at the team hotel in between. The rest of the Saurashtra team reached Bengaluru on Monday night, and Pujara joined them directly at the nets.”I feel it is important to be part of the Ranji Trophy,” he said. “For me, playing for Saurashtra is an honour. I’ve grown up playing Ranji Trophy cricket. It has helped me immensely when I’ve played international cricket. Being part of the Saurashtra unit is something I’ve always looked forward to. Especially when we are in the knockout stage, I feel if I’m around, if I can share my experience with young players, it can help the team. It’s a bit of a change coming here from Australia and playing with the SG ball… it’s slightly different. But fortunately, I got to play in the quarter-final.”I always respect the Ranji Trophy. It is always special for me. I feel youngsters should look forward to playing this tournament because it prepares you for the longer format. I made my Ranji debut for Saurashtra in 2005. After that, the number of matches I’ve played…it’s taught me many lessons on playing long innings.”Those words were echoed by Mayank Agarwal, who will be on the opposite side after having batted alongside Pujara in Australia. Agarwal has recovered from the thumb soreness that kept him out of Karnataka’s quarter-final against Rajasthan.”It means a lot,” Agarwal said, about playing for Karnataka. “The state has given a lot of opportunities and facilities and as a player. Whatever you do, you have to come back and play for the state. And put in that effort, which you did before you went to play for the country. So nothing changes.”The preparation remains the same. Whether you have played for India or not, you have to go out there and give your best and do the same things right, again and again. Obviously, you will have some confidence under your belt. Also, you have a bit more experience so that is something which you can carry forward.”

Playing his first International in over a year last week, Morne Morkel is set to do what’s necessary to “prolong his career”

Firdose Moonda13-Mar-2017The job of the crowd at a sporting event is to create the best possible atmosphere for their team. They need to be noisy in their support of the home team, nicely nasty when the opposition are around and never short of a contribution to the sporting spectacle in front of them. Dunedin’s university crowd got that exactly right, especially when it came to Morne Morkel, who had a cunning plan to win them over.”The best way to get them on your side for the rest of the day is to do something funny and I thought I will join the crowd and have a down-down,” Morkel said, referring to his antics on the third afternoon when the students were sculling their beers on the embankment and a thirsty Morkel suspected if he wanted to quench his thirst, he would have to copy their methods.”I knew if I went to the cooler box, they were going to shout ‘down down’. It has happened to me before, in Australia,” Morkel said. “After that Faf came to me and he wanted me to bowl another over but I was too bloated. So I said, ‘Faf, you need to give me half an hour here.'”Luckily for Morkel, a full stomach – and not his bad back – was the only thing that kept him from bowling at that point as he confirmed his return to the Test cricket, after 14 months out of the side. Morkel had not been part of the Test XI since January 2016, had not played an international match since June last year and had been nursing a bulging disc in his back since. During his rehabilitation, he had played just one full first-class game and coming into this Test series, the only game time he had was two List A matches.”I was more nervous that I don’t pull up [a back strain]. That’s the last thing you want, especially when you are playing three seam bowlers. I was a little bit nervous because I hadn’t been in the field for longer than 50 overs. In the back of my mind it was going to be a real test going for more 20 overs with the ball and 100 overs in the field,” Morkel said. “One of my biggest worries was that in Dunedin I knew it was going to be cold, so I was wondering if my muscles would recover. There were a lot of ifs and buts.”In total, Morkel spent 102 overs in the field and bowled 24 overs. Results aside, just to have put in that amount of time is reason enough for Morkel to declare his comeback a success. “For me to break that mental barrier was quite pleasing.and now I can put those things to rest and just focus on cricket,” he said. “All those demons that were on my mind, I managed to control it and get through it. I have that peace of mind that I can play Test matches again.”Over the last few months, Morkel has received some medical opinion that his injury would end his career. “In the back of my mind, I didn’t believe it,” he said.But he knew that in order to return, he would have to do extensive strengthening work. “The main issue was that my lower core was weak and in a way I needed to rewire my body,” he explained. “I had so many bad movements, mechanically with my body that created tension and inflammation. I had a massive bulge in the top of the core which caused spasms and all those sorts of things.”With an important tour of England coming up, Morkel has decided to skip the 2017 IPL•BCCI

Part of Morkel’s recovery has included the use of Pilates, some of it has concentrated on his action and a lot of it has been in his mind. “I’ve had a lot of work in getting certain muscles to switch on and switch off at certain times,” he said. “I needed to find a way to relax my upper core so my lower core could work.”Getting that right took time, which is why Morkel’s return was postponed several times. He was originally due to play Tests in Australia in November last year and went on the tour but only took part in the warm-up matches, he was then ruled out of the Sri Lanka series at home with a view to playing in the ODIs but a recurrence of symptoms meant he could only return for these Tests. And still, he cannot be absolutely certain the issue has disappeared.”I don’t think I have solved it. I need to take a lot of responsibility now, to look after my body. I can’t take any shortcuts with my training and my gym work. I need to manage my load with cricket outside the South African season and just be clever with that,” Morkel said.He is already doing that. Morkel opted out of this year’s IPL auction with a view to prolonging his international career as long as possible. “Because I haven’t played any cricket for South Africa for so long, if I put my name in the auction, it will be frowned upon, plus we have some big cricket coming in England. I thought if I go well in this New Zealand series, then I’ve got four weeks at home to really get strong. For me that was the important thing: to get myself fit for South Africa and to play well for South Africa,” Morkel said.He has not put a timeframe on how much longer he is looking to play at the highest level beyond “as long as possible”. But he is expecting to take his place in the team later this week at the Basin Reserve, where he took career-best figures of 6 for 23 the last time South Africa were in New Zealand, five years ago. He hopes he can draw on his experience to enjoy similar success this time.”I bowled quite well in that [2011-12] series and for some reason my length was a touch fuller. Depending on the sort of surfaces they are going to prepare – and it looks like they are going to go with slow, turning wickets – it’s going to be crucial for me to play with my lengths. Even though It looks pretty and you can control the right with back of a length, I reckon if you want to strike and you want to get wickets you have to go a touch fuller. It worked for me last time,” Morkel said. “Then again, I also need to play to my strengths. If I just bowl full, its going to be easy for the batsmen so I need to bowl that intimidating length and get the guys on the back foot and try and strike from there. It’s about the intensity that I bowl with and to have body language. It’s about reading the situation and knowing when to go fuller.”And about reading the crowd and when to join in the fun. Now that Morkel is in the twilight years of his career, he wants to do that as much as possible.

Having been clouted to all parts of Centurion, the Wanderers and Durban, Australia’s punch-drunk bowlers will be seeking some respite in Port Elizabeth

The Preview by Daniel Brettig08-Oct-2016

Match facts

October 9, 2016
Start time 1000 local (0800 GMT)

Big picture

Having been clouted to all parts of Centurion, the Wanderers, and most brutally in Durban, Australia’s punch-drunk bowlers will be seeking some respite in Port Elizabeth. Equally, Steven Smith, the touring captain, will be eager to add some respectability to a series score line that is as stark as the contrast between crestfallen Australia and jubilant South Africa on Wednesday night at Kingsmead.Unfortunately for Smith, and coach Darren Lehmann, Australia’s options for an improved line-up are slim. Scott Boland arrived as one of the more experienced members of the attack, but was promptly dropped after game one, while Joe Mennie’s fast-medium pace also lasted only one match before he was shuffled back out. The spectre of defeat invariably leads to players starting to think of their own positions in the team, and it will be critical for Lehmann and Smith to ensure minds remain focused on the task.Lehmann has stated that he believes the biggest problem for Australia’s bowlers has been an inability to replicate training patterns under the spotlight of crowds, television cameras and confident opponents, something for assistant coach David Saker, and Ryan Harris, the bowling assistant, to ponder.”We’ve got to find a way to get some early wickets and put some pressure back on South Africa, and at the moment, we’re not doing that,” Lehmann said after Durban. “And we’re not doing the good things that we do in the nets and taking them out into the middle in front of a packed house. At the end of the day, the blokes have trained really well and prepared well, and bowled really well in the nets, but international cricket is quite pressurised. They’ve just got to get used to that.”For South Africa, Port Elizabeth will be about seeking to avoid a let-down following the heights of Kingsmead and the sealing of the series. Acting captain Faf du Plessis appeared somewhat shocked to have been on the winning end of that match, something for which he had David Miller to thank, with a century that was scored having picked up a groin injury that has proved bad enough to leave him sidelined. The hosts will also be mindful of trying to keep Australia’s batsmen under slightly more control than they managed in game three, even if a mighty total ultimately proved inadequate.

Form guide

South Africa: WWWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia: LLLWW

In the spotlight

Early in South Africa’s chase in Durban, Quinton de Kock was subjected to plenty of verballing by the Australians in reference to a slow start that was soaking up balls. That baiting seemed primarily to wake de Kock from his initial slumber, and he went on to hammer 70 from a mere 49 balls to get South Africa off to the start they needed to stand a chance. Off the back of his punishing 178 in the opening game, his wicket looms as vital to Australia’s chances.John Hastings’ reputation for miserly spells has taken something of a hit in recent days, as he has not been able to quell South Africa’s scoring in ways that he has previously managed against other teams. As the most experienced member of the bowling attack on tour, Hastings will be expected to step up in Port Elizabeth and lead a better collective display.

Teams news

The groin injury which Miller sustained during his monumental matchwinning hundred will keep him out of the rest of the series which is likely to mean a recall for Farhaan Behardien. The rest of the recast batting order, which made room for Hashim Amla by shuffling Rilee Rossouw down the order, can be expected to be retained. Dale Steyn, however, may be rested now that the series is decided as could Kagiso Rabada with the possibility of playing an extra spinner.South Africa (possible): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Faf du Plessis (capt), 4 Rilee Rossouw, 5 JP Duminy, 6 Farhaan Behardien , 7 Dwaine Pretorius, 8 Andile Phehlukwayo, 9 Dale Steyn/Kyle Abbott, 10 Kagiso Rabada/Aaron Phangiso, 11 Imran TahirScott Boland may be in line for a recall by Australia’s tour selectors, after the bowling attack was hard-hit once again in Durban. Usman Khawaja is also waiting for his next chance.Australia: (possible): 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Steve Smith (capt), 4 George Bailey, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Mathew Wade (wk), 8 John Hastings, 9 Adam Zampa, 10 Chris Tremain, 11 Daniel Worrall/Scott Boland

Pitch and conditions

Spin, and pace off the ball will likely play a role on one of South Africa’s slower pitches. The weather forecast for Port Elizabeth is for fine conditions, with periods of cloud cover.

Stats and trivia

• Australia have won four of the seven ODI encounters between the two teams at Port Elizabeth, though South Africa have won the two most recent contests, in 2009 and 2011
• Australia haven’t lost four matches in an ODI series since England won 4-0 with one match rained out in 2012

Quotes

“I think we worked out we’re taking pretty much seven of our first-choice one-day team out of the bowling attack, and when you go through that it’s some high-quality bowling. But it’s an opportunity for the young guys to learn, to learn quickly and learn what they need to do to step up in international cricket. At the moment, we’re failing in that and they’ve got to get better.”

Paul Horton’s first Championship hundred for Leicestershire tightened their grip midway through their second division match against Sussex at Hove

ECB Reporters Network02-May-2016
ScorecardPaul Horton struck his first hundred since his switch from Lancashire [file picture]•PA Photos

Paul Horton’s first century since joining Leicestershire helped cement his side’s strong position on a rain-affected second day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Sussex at Hove.The former Lancashire opener made 100 as Leicestershire reached 300 for 4 replying to Sussex’s 163 in the 43.2 overs possible because of rain and bad light.But with a lead of 133 and wickets in hand, Leicestershire are still in a strong position to win their second game of the season thanks to the foundations laid by Horton and his captain, Mark Cosgrove, who put on 114 for the third wicket in 32 overs.It was Horton’s 22nd first-class hundred, which he reached with a cut off Danny Briggs that brought him his 14th four, and came after he passed 50 in three of his four previous Championship innings for his new county.However, the 33-year-old, who joined Leicestershire last winter, lasted two more balls before he was caught behind down the leg side off George Garton, sent on his way after a consultation between umpires Ian Gould and Nigel Llong. His runs came off 174 balls and he batted for just over four hours.Even with floodlights on from the start, which was delayed until 2.10pm because of morning drizzle, batting conditions weren’t ideal although there was little in the pitch to assist Sussex’s seamers.Sussex captain Ben Brown brought left-arm spinner Danny Briggs into the attack in the 54th over but it was leg-spinner Luke Wells, who bowled six overs either side of tea, who offered more threat and an appeal for a catch at the wicket off Mark Pettini when the ball turned out of the rough was turned down.Garton was the pick of the Sussex attack in two lively spells down the slope. Despite being plagued by no-ball problems – he was called for over-stepping seven times – the 19-year-old left-armer worked up a decent pace, swung the ball both ways and was rewarded with a second wicket after tea.Having just been on-driven for four by Cosgrove, he produced the perfect inswinging yorker which knocked out two stumps and Leicestershire’s captain was gone for 80, made from 136 balls with ten fours.It halted a stand of 49 in 12 overs with Brighton-born Pettini, who ended the day unbeaten on 42 with Niall O’Brien on seven. The umpires brought the players off at 5.20pm because of bad light and play was abandoned for the day shortly afterwards when rain arrived.