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South Africa have a task on hand, facing up to the No. 1 Twenty20 side and their much-vaunted short-format attack so soon after the ODI series thumping

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Aug-2013Match factsFriday, August 02, 2013
Start time 1900 local (1330 GMT)South Africa’s batsmen have the demons of the ODI series to overcome•AFPBig PictureBefore South Africa can even allow the lessons of a deflating ODI series loss to sink in, twelve of their one-day squad must now gather themselves for battle in a different format. The teams will play three matches over the next five days, beginning with a game at the R Premadasa Stadium, which has not only been the scene of two mammoth South Africa defeats in the past two weeks, but also a venue that only brought them sorrow in the World Twenty20 last year.Worse for the visitors, Twenty20 has become Sri Lanka’s strongest suit. They have been the top-ranked side in the format since October last year, and have arrived at a short-form formula few teams have successfully countered. The diversity in their attack is Sri Lanka’s greatest forte, but the top order packs a punch as well, and with two bona fide Twenty20 finishers in addition to Nuwan Kulasekara, lower down, they are not far from being a complete Twenty20 side.Chief among South Africa’s concerns has been their batsmen’s inability to handle Sri Lanka’s spinners, and they will hope the format’s demand for aggression will help them shake their funk against the slow bowlers. Ajantha Mendis was their primary tormentor in the ODIs, and though Mendis’ record has worsened in the longer formats overall, his Twenty20 statistics remain as daunting as they have ever been. Teams have unsettled Mendis by attacking him early in his spells in the past, but in order for South Africa to be in a position to do that, they must ensure the top order provides a more stable foundation than they have managed so far in the tour.Form guideSri Lanka WWWLW (most recent first, last five completed matches)
South Africa LWLWLPlayers to watchMahela Jayawardene could not make a significant score in the ODIs, and will want to emphasise his continuing importance to the side as the two other seniors have already done during the tour. He has been Sri Lanka’s best Twenty20 batsmen in the past, but his best innings have come when he has opened, which he may not do on Friday. He did not play in the fifth ODI and perhaps that short break will assist a return to form.AB de Villiers had been woeful with the bat in his first four innings in Sri Lanka, but indicated he had finally come to grips with the conditions with a run-a-ball 51 in the last match. He has been adamant that he is hitting the ball well in training, but may need to shoulder greater run-making responsibility as the most experienced batsman in the Twenty20 side. He will also be rid of the captaincy that appears to have worn him thin in the last fortnight, and perhaps a less burdened mind can spark the sort of innings his side expects from him.Team newsSri Lanka may think about batting Kusal Perera in the middle order, given that is where he has prospered in domestic cricket, but will also be tempted to try him at opener once more. Kulasekara is available for the first time in three weeks, but whether he plays or not will be determined by whether his batting now is deemed good enough for him to replace a batsman. Lahiru Thirimanne will likely make way if so.Sri Lanka (probable): 1. Kusal Perera, 2. Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3. Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4. Mahela Jayawardene, 5. Dinesh Chandimal (capt), 6. Angelo Mathews, 7. Lahiru Thirimanne/Nuwan Kulasekara, 8. Thisara Perera, 9. Sachithra Senanayake, 10. Ajantha Mendis, 11. Lasith MalingaDe Villers will likely open the innings alongside Henry Davids, as he did in South Africa’s last Twenty20 against Pakistan. Imran Tahir is likely to play as well, and will provide the attacking spin option South Africa have lacked in the ODIs, but the pace bowling spots are less secure, with at least four frontline fast bowlers vying for spots there.South Africa (probable): 1. AB de Villiers (wk), 2. Henry Davids, 3. Faf du Plessis (capt), 4. JP Duminy, 5. David Miller, 6. Ryan McLaren, 7. Chris Morris, 8. Wayne Parnell/Lonwabo Tsotsobe, 10. Rory Kleinveldt/Morne Morkel, 11. Imran TahirPitch and conditionsSlow surfaces have compounded South Africa’s woes, and they should not expect respite from the Premadasa curators for this match. Thunderstorms continue to blow through Colombo, but the rain expected for Friday is forecast to ease well before the match is set to begin.Stats and trivia If Sri Lanka defeat South Africa, they will have the best win-loss ratio in Twenty20 internationals, edging out Pakistan, who have won 1.68 games for each of their losses South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 32 runs, the last time the teams met, during the World Twenty20. The match had been reduced to seven overs a side, due to rain. Quotes”They’ve got some great Twenty20 players coming in; Wayne Parnell, Imran Tahir, Henry Davids. We haven’t played a lot of these guys before, so we can’t take this side lightly – they are still very good.”
“It’s great to have Imran with us because he gets wickets. That’s something that the Sri Lankan spinners have done very well, they’re always picking up wickets. It’s nice to have one of our own to do that and I’ll be using him to attack.”

A preview of the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders

The Preview by Siddhartha Talya06-May-2013Match factsTuesday, May 7, 2013
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)Mitchell Johnson has bowled with intensity for Mumbai Indians•BCCI

Big pictureDefending champions Kolkata Knight Riders still stand a theoretical chance of making it to the play-offs, and are better placed than some other teams to spoil a party or two. They have made Rajasthan Royals’ job tougher after beating them comprehensively at Eden Gardens, and will be a threat to Mumbai Indians, who they face on Tuesday.Knight Riders may need to win each of their remaining matches to entertain hopes of staying alive; Mumbai could jump to second place should they win, else will feel a little less secure, especially if Rajasthan Royals beat Delhi Daredevils in the afternoon. Mumbai, though, are on a high after inflicting a thrashing on Chennai Super Kings, who, by their own captain’s admission, were complacent after seven wins in a row. And in a season where playing at home has played a decisive role, they’ll be favourites when they take on Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium.Form guideMumbai Indians: WLWWW (most recent first)
Kolkata Knight Riders: WLLWLPlayers to watchMitchell Johnson has bowled with intensity this season, something that was evident when he helped Mumbai defend 139 against Super Kings. He bowled with pace, got the ball to move about and, in the company of Lasith Malinga, is perhaps part of the best fast-bowling duo this IPL.Amid the clutter of stars in each team, the contributions of players like Rajat Bhatia are sometimes overlooked. If the track at the Wankhede Stadium plays as slow as it did in the game against Super Kings, Bhatia, with his medium-pace cutters, will be hard to dispatch. He’s picked up nine wickets in 11 games for Knight Riders this season, at 27.88 with an economy-rate of 7.41.Stats and trivia Sunil Narine is six short of 100 wickets in T20 cricket. His career economy-rate in T20 cricket is a remarkable 5.40. Jacques Kallis has scored the most runs off Lasith Malinga in the IPL, 74 off 56 while only being dismissed once. Shane Watson has taken him for 67 off 38. Yusuf Pathan is sixth on the list, with 42 off 35. Quotes”It’s a very good start that I have got. Out of five games I have won four and lost one. I would take that result as a captain. But I am not going to relax. We still need to play good cricket for the next five games and get to the play-offs comfortably.”

Najmul Hossain Shanto and Towhid Hridoy return for seven T20Is against UAE and Pakistan in May-June

Mohammad Isam04-May-2025Wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das has been formally announced as Bangladesh’s T20I captain, while offspinner Mahedi Hasan has been named his deputy for the seven away T20Is against UAE and Pakistan in May-June.Litton replaces Najmul Hossain Shanto in the role after the 26-year-old quit as Bangladesh’s T20I captain earlier this year. Litton had also led Bangladesh in a three-match T20I series in the West Indies last December, with Shanto unavailable due to a hamstring injury. Bangladesh had clean-swept the hosts 3-0.Litton has led Bangladesh in one Test, seven ODIs and four T20Is, but this is the first time that he has been named full-time captain in any format. The 30-year-old was recently ruled out of PSL 2025, where he was part of Karachi Kings, after he sustained a finger injury during training. He has since recovered.Related

• BCB to finalise Pakistan tour based on government directives

• Najmul Hossain Shanto steps down as Bangladesh T20I captain

• Faisalabad returns to calendar for Pakistan vs Bangladesh T20Is

Shanto, meanwhile, is one of five players who have returned to Bangladesh’s T20I squad. Apart from him, the national selectors have also included Towhid Hridoy, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam in the 16-member squad. Hridoy had also missed the West Indies series due to an injury, while Mustafizur was attending to a personal issue at the time.There was, however, no place for Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Ripon Mondol and Taskin Ahmed. Taskin is recovering from an ankle injury, while Mehidy’s exclusion is mildly surprising given he has been part of Bangladesh’s leadership group in recent months.Bangladesh will first play two T20Is against UAE in Sharjah on May 17 and 19. They will then leave for Pakistan to play a five-match T20I series, which begins on May 25. The series will conclude on June 3.

Bangladesh squad for T20Is in UAE and Pakistan

Litton Das (capt), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan (vice-capt), Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana and Shoriful Islam

Chairman says he wants PCB to be first Asian board to launch a women’s T20 league

Danyal Rasool10-Nov-2021PCB chairman Ramiz Raja hinted at the possibility of organising a women’s Pakistan Super League in the near-future. While he is yet to provide any firm plans around the logistics or timing of the move, Ramiz did say he wanted Pakistan to be the first country in Asia to have a women’s T20 league. Alongside the proposed women’s PSL, Ramiz also spoke of launching an U19 PSL.Ramiz was speaking after ECB CEO Tom Harrison visited Pakistan earlier this week to try and repair relations following the recriminations of England pulling out of a two-match T20I series last month. The ECB agreed to tack those two games onto next year’s five-match T20I series, with Ramiz revealing further plans for deeper engagement were also in the offing.”We talked about [improving the] pathways to professional cricket. In October next year, we’ll launch an U19 PSL. This is very exciting because it’s never happened anywhere else. England will send their U19 players, who we’ll look after. I also have the women’s PSL in my mind. We’ll become the first cricket board in Asia to launch that.”Related

• Bismah Maroof returns as Pakistan captain for Women's ODI World Cup

• Pakistan to procure drop-in pitches to simulate Australian conditions

• Australia to tour Pakistan for full series in March 2022

• WI to tour Pakistan in December for three T20Is and ODIs

• England's withdrawal is a slap to Pakistan's face

This is the first time a PCB chairman has publicly discussed the possibility of a women’s T20 league at any level. England and Australia have had women’s T20 leagues, while The Hundred earlier this summer also had a women’s competition. The only women’s franchise-style competition in Asia right now is the Women’s T20 Challenge that the BCCI has held alongside the IPL play-offs, although it didn’t take place this year.Since taking over as PCB chairman in September, Ramiz was handed a baptism of fire when New Zealand and England withdrew from their tours, severely denting what was billed as the first complete home season Pakistan has had in over a decade. After initially raging at what he called the “Western bloc”, Ramiz has tried to engage boards around the world further to ensure Pakistan hasn’t been set back in terms of playing international cricket at home. The tour of the West Indies in December was officially announced last week, while Australia also confirmed their participation in their first full tour to Pakistan since 1998 next year.

Greg Ritchie has been dumped from a planned speaking engagement at the annual Adelaide Test match dinner after his offensive comments at the Gabba

Brydon Coverdale in Brisbane12-Nov-2012Greg Ritchie has been dumped from a planned speaking engagement at the annual Adelaide Test match dinner after his offensive comments during a Gabba function on Friday.Ritchie was due to take part in a discussion on fielding at the black-tie event in Adelaide on November 20 and on Sunday night, the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) indicated that his appearance would go ahead. However, the SACA chief executive Keith Bradshaw said that once the organisation became aware of Ritchie’s speech and his lack of contrition, it revoked his invitation to appear at the function.”Details about Greg Ritchie’s comments at a Brisbane Test lunch were brought to SACA’s attention on Sunday evening and subsequent comments made by him came to light early this morning,” Bradshaw said. “Cricket Australia representatives in Brisbane contacted SACA early this morning to advise of the situation and immediate action was taken.”SACA and Cricket Australia are proactively committed to their formal obligations to the ICC Anti-Racism Code and to the Australian Human Rights Commission’s anti-racism campaign, of which cricket is a formal partner. SACA actively promotes details of the ICC code at all international cricket matches played at Adelaide Oval.”Cricket Australia’s spokesman Peter Young said on Adelaide radio on Monday morning that both CA and the SACA agreed that Ritchie was not an appropriate guest speaker at the function.”In the conversation that we had this morning, their view was that it’s just not tenable for him to be part of that dinner given what they now understand to be the facts from Brisbane,” Young said on ABC radio. “What we are doing today is sending a letter to all of the venues and also to all the state cricket associations reminding them of the Australian cricket commitment to the ICC anti-racism code.”After his Gabba speech was reported in South Africa’s , Ritchie expressed little remorse and claimed that his comments had been taken out of context. Ritchie also defended an anti-Muslim joke that was part of the repertoire overheard at the Gabba on Friday and Young said Ritchie would not be welcome at official functions this summer.”Effectively we are,” Young said when asked if Cricket Australia was banning Ritchie. “We do not believe that it’s appropriate for him to be speaking at international cricket events, particularly after not only the incident itself, but his follow-up comments.”

Mike Hesson has been named as the new head coach of New Zealand and has been handed a contract until the end of the 2015 World Cup

Brydon Coverdale20-Jul-2012

Mike Hesson has been confirmed as the new head coach of New Zealand and has been handed a contract until the end of the 2015 World Cup. Hesson, 37, previously spent six years in charge of Otago and took over as Kenya’s head coach after last year’s World Cup, but quit after 10 months in the role due to concerns over the safety of his family and their quality of life in Kenya.He beat the Glamorgan mentor and former New South Wales coach Matthew Mott for the role, while the New Zealand and Delhi Daredevils assistant Trent Woodhill also missed out. John Wright will remain in charge until the end of the ongoing tour of the West Indies and Hesson’s first tour with the squad will be the upcoming trip to India, which begins with a Test in Hyderabad on August 23.He will become New Zealand’s fifth coach in less than four years. John Bracewell stood down in December 2008 and his successor Andy Moles lasted barely a year. Mark Greatbatch then took over in January 2010 before being replaced by Wright, who spent 16 months in the job before deciding not to renew his contract beyond this year’s Caribbean tour.Wright cited differences with John Buchanan, New Zealand Cricket’s director of cricket, as one of the reasons he had decided not to continue in the role. Buchanan said Hesson would bring a fresh approach and new energy to the New Zealand side.”We were impressed with the way Mike presented himself and he was the stand-out applicant from a strong field of candidates,” Buchanan said. “Mike has been a successful first-class coach with the Otago team in recent years and has also had valuable experience working with New Zealand A sides. He also spent some time assisting the Black Caps coaching staff during the 2010 Chappell-Hadlee Series and we’re fortunate to have secured his services for the national team.”Mike’s impressive career path also includes the SportNZ Elite Coach Accelerator Programme where he not only had the honour of being selected for the programme, but finished as one of the highly commended participants. He will bring a freshness and new energy to the side and we know he is more than capable of developing and growing the team as we work towards the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.”Mike Hesson’s career at a glance

Started his coaching career at the age of 22

Served as director for Otago Cricket between 1998 and 2004

Appointed as the national coach for Argentina

Became head coach for Otago between 2005-06 and 2010-11 during which they won a one-day and a T20 title

Served as Kenya national coach for 10 months from 2011 to 2012 during which the team managed only one win in nine matches

Contracted as New Zealand’s head coach till the end of 2015 World Cup

As a player, Hesson represented Otago’s second XI but did not reach first-class level, and focused on coaching from a young age. In 1998 he became the youngest person to attain NZC’s level three coaching qualification and from 1998 to 2004 he was the coaching director for Otago Cricket, before he took over as the national coach of Argentina.From 2005-06 until 2010-11 he was the head coach of Otago and delivered them a one-day title and a Twenty20 title, and during that time he also served as the head coach of New Zealand A. David White, the chief executive of NZC, said Hesson had all the right coaching credentials to be successful in the job.”He was earmarked early in his career as one of the most talented coaches in New Zealand and it’s pleasing to be providing an opportunity to someone who is so deserving,” White said. “Mike is highly regarded by his peers, the players he has worked with and the wider family of cricket and I believe he is exactly what the Black Caps need as we look to move our team forward.”Hesson will be taking over a side that sits seventh on the ICC Test rankings, as they stand before the West Indies series, and eighth in the ODI rankings. One of his early challenges will be to guide the side through the ICC World Twenty20; New Zealand are sixth on the ICC T20 rankings but failed to move beyond the group stages in the past two World T20 events.”Having the opportunity to coach the Black Caps is very special for me,” Hesson said. “I am passionate about cricket in New Zealand and doing the best job I can for the players and the fans of cricket in this country. My coaching philosophy is essentially built around setting world-class standards to produce excellence and that’s what I intend to do with the Black Caps. It’s a big challenge but one I’m ready for and excited about.”

Gautam Gambhir, the Kolkata Knight Riders captain, has said that the side’s decision to keep the faith in their “core group” of players, including Yusuf Pathan, is one of the reasons for their strong performance

ESPNcricinfo staff23-May-2012Gautam Gambhir, the Kolkata Knight Riders captain, has said that the side’s decision to keep the faith in their “core group” of players, including Yusuf Pathan, has been a factor in their strong performance this season. Yusuf, who had a series of low scores throughout this IPL, came good in the first qualifier against Delhi Daredevils on Tuesday, his unbeaten 40 off 21 deliveries crucial in taking Knight Riders to the final.”After we lost to Chennai Super Kings, at Eden Gardens, I was asked why I stick to the core group of players… the answer is, because I want them to believe that I have complete faith in them,” Gambhir said after the qualifier. “Only that can boost them to give their best. That only will make them stand up to these tough challenges. I was also asked why I persist with Yusuf Pathan. I have always said that he is a magical player and that he will come good when it would matter the most. I was proved right today.”Mahela Jayawardene, the Daredevils batsman, said that the partnership between Yusuf and Laxmi Shukla – 56 runs in four overs – took the game away from his side. “In a Twenty20 game, it is tough to say anyone is out of form,” Jayawardene said. “I think there was a great platform for him [Yusuf] to come and play his natural game, which is hitting the ball clean. Our guys bowled a few good yorkers. When they did not hit those zones marginally, he hit a few good [shots]. Laxmi batted really well too. I think his cameo gave Yusuf the confidence to go after our guys.”Gambhir said that after their narrow loss to Kings XI Punjab, Knight Riders could have dropped players, which he was not in favour of. “We could have easily chopped and changed when we lost to Kings XI. We could have easily made harsh decisions but it is important [to] stick to the core group of players and make them believe that everyone backs them. Maybe that’s one of the reasons we have done well.Gautam Gambhir on Yusuf Pathan: “I have always said that he will come good when it would matter the most.”•AFP”The players who are there in the KKR dressing room are there because I have complete faith in them. Whoever sits in the dressing room, I completely back them. That is why they are part of KKR.”Everyone has been talking about Yusuf and Manoj Tiwary, but the way Manoj batted in Mumbai, those 40 [41] runs he made were as important as any runs in the tournament. I have always mentioned that those small contributions make you win games. For me Shukla’s contribution [24 not out off 11] made the difference [in the qualifier]. It is not about someone getting 60 or 70 at the top of the order. It is about someone who comes lower down the order or someone like Rajat Bhatia who can bowl two-three overs at a good economy-rate.”When asked about Brett Lee missing out on the playing XI, Gambhir said that no one was bigger than the team. “It is about the best XI that is going to go out and win the game for us. It is not about Brett Lee. It is not about individuals. From me to Jacques Kallis to no one. If I feel that I am not hitting the ball well and there is someone else who can do the job for KKR, I will be the first one sitting out. It will always be about KKR when I am [in charge].”Brendon McCullum, the Knight Riders wicketkeeper and former captain, called Gambhir an “outstanding” leader, saying that he had led from the front. “He is very soft-spoken in the changing room and around the group, and on the field he leads through performance and through actions,” McCullum told . “Technically, he has been very good and has used Sunil Narine incredibly well and he has got a lot out of the other guys as well. He has been excellent as a captain so far.”Gambhir, McCullum’s opening partner, has been Knight Riders’ best batsman by some distance this season, making six half-centuries compared to the three fifties the rest of his batsmen have scored in all. “He has been hitting the ball as well as anyone in the tournament,” McCullum said. “I, from the other end, try to give him strike – that is probably the reverse of the roles that we thought of at the start of the tournament. I can’t take credit [for] the partnerships where he has played beautifully and made my work easy, and I just try to hang in around and get him on strike.”

MatériaMais Notícias

A round-up of the third day’s play of the seventh round of matches of the Ranji Trophy Elite, 2011-12

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Dec-2011Group AMedium-pacer Rituraj Singh, playing only his second first-class match, took 6 for 75 to bowl Rajasthan to victory by an innings and 56 runs against Orissa in Jaipur. The result significantly boosted the defending champions’ chances of making the quarter-finals for the second year in a row. Orissa began the day on 76 for 6 and, though Deepak Behera and Govind Podder extended their partnership to 69, once Pankaj Singh removed Behera for 27, the end came swiftly. Sumit Mathur picked up two more wickets to finish with 5 for 30 as Orissa were bundled out for 134 in their first innings. Hrishikesh Kanitkar, the Rajasthan captain, enforced the follow-on in the quest to register an innings victory, which could fetch the bonus point necessary to keep their knockout chances alive.It was not going to be a smooth journey, though. Subhrajit Sahoo, who made 55, and Biplap Samantray, with 82, offered resistance against Rajasthan’s three-pronged pace attack. Rituraj, however, had Samantray caught behind and two overs later removed Abhilash Mallick in similar fashion to start the slide. Orissa lost their last five wickets for only 27 runs.The win, Rajasthan’s second in two weeks, gave them six points – sixteen in total – and took them to third spot in the group. Even if Saurashtra, who had an exciting victory against Railways, had same number of outright victories and points as Rajasthan, the defending champions had a better run quotient (total runs against total wickets). Rajashtan’s quotient of 0.984 was a shade higher than Saurashtra’a 0.925.If Uttar Pradesh fail to beat Karnataka, Rajasthan will make the quarterfinals because they have more wins. The only way UP can pip Rajasthan is by beating Karnataka.Saurashtra beat Railways by 97 runs at the Karnail Singh Stadium. After the carnage of the first two days, when 36 wickets fell, expecting Railways to mount a rearguard action with only four wickets in hand was always going to be more fantasy than reality. It only took 70 minutes for Saurashtra to finish the job. Ravindara Jadeja added four wickets to his kitty to finish with a ten-wicket match haul. For Railways, M Suresh had offered some hope but he could add just three runs to his overnight score before becoming Sandip Maniar’s lone wicket of the innings. Maniar had bowled only three overs across the match on a pitch where spinners reigned supreme. Jadeja then knocked over the last three wickets, including that of Ashish Yadav, who top scored with 50.”We are in a group where six of the eight teams have won the Ranji Trophy in the last 10 years. But for this game we played hard cricket,” said Abhay Sharma, the Railways coach.Group BHalf-centuries from Nitin Saini and Priyank Tehlan shifted the momentum Haryana’s way against Gujarat in Surat. Saini anchored the innings, batting for three hours to make 91. He was initially well supportd by Rahul Dewan (42) and Sunny Singh (40), but his dismissal began a period in which Haryana lost four wickets for 33 runs, two of them being run-outs. Tehlan and Amit Mishra wrested the initiative, however, adding 127 runs to take their side to 321 for 6, a lead of exactly 300. Tehlan’s 85 contained 12 fours and a six, while Mishra was more circumspect, taking 106 balls for his 39.Haryana’s declaration left Gujarat 12 overs to face before the close, which proved to be enough time for medium-pacer Harshal Patel to have opener Priyanka Panchal caught behind for 10. Gujarat ended the day on 34 for 1, needing 267 more for victory.Having already conceded the first-innings lead, Haryana need an outright win to avoid being relegated to the Plate League next year. However, should they pull off the victory and Baroda finish second to Bengal, Haryana will also qualify for the quarter-finals. If Gujarat lose the match, they will be relegated instead.A career-best 111 from Anustup Majumdar, and 99 from Laxmi Ratan Shukla, set up Bengal’s total of 390 before Ashok Dinda took three wickets to leave Baroda reeling at 103 for 5, still trailing by three runs at the Moti Bagh Stadium in Vadodara. Bengal began the day needing 21 to take a crucial first-innings lead and Majumdar and Shukla first took them past Baroda’s total of 284 and then past 300. Majumdar was eventually caught of Sankalp Vohra for 111. Shukla added a further 51 with Sourav Sarkar before being bowled by Swapnil Singh one short of his hundred.Faced with a deficit of 106, Baroda got off to the horror start, with Dinda removing both openers in his first over with only a run on the board. Rakesh Solanki battled to his half-century, but wickets fell consistently at the other end. Dinda picked up a third wicket when he bowled Pinal Shah for 10. Irfan Solanki was on 55 and Irfan Pathan on 4 at stumps.If Haryana beat Gujarat, Baroda will need a a draw to qualify for the quarter-finals.A defiant 98 from Zafar Ali could not prevent Tamil Nadu from taking a 197-run first-innings lead as Madhya Pradesh was dismissed for 289 in Chennai. Ali was the seventh wicket to fall, having faced 291 deliveries, but he received little support from the rest of the line-up. Jalaj Saxena made 43 but the next highest contributor was extras, with 38. Five bowlers shared the wickets, with Jangannathan Kaushik the pick of the bunch, taking 3 for 48 from 21 overs. Tamil Nadu then extended their lead to 227 by the close, but lost Abhinav Mukund and S Badrinath in the process, while M Vijay was forced to retire hurt. Dinesh Karthik, who made a century in the first innings, was unbeaten on 14.

As Shaun Marsh basked in the glow of a century for Australia on Test debut, he admitted that as a precocious teenager he had taken for granted the amount of application required of a Test cricketer

Daniel Brettig in Pallekele10-Sep-2011

As Shaun Marsh basked in the glow of a chanceless and near-nerveless century for Australia on Test debut, he admitted that as a precocious teenager he had taken for granted the amount of application required of a Test cricketer.In 2003, when he was 19, Marsh cracked 119 for Western Australia against Steve Waugh’s New South Wales in Newcastle, and assumed that all the garlands and overseas trips of an international career would soon follow without any great obvious effort. Instead it took another eight years and plenty of hard lessons before Marsh could finally debut, and his appreciation was clear in glistening eyes.”Definitely, there’s no doubt about that [I thought it would come easily],” Marsh said. “I probably took it for granted, playing at a young age for WA. I just thought it was going to happen, playing a lot of junior cricket growing up. I didn’t know, didn’t realise how hard it was to play first-class cricket and I’m glad I did work hard enough and turned it around.”It’s very surreal at the moment. A very proud day, I still can’t believe it really, just to be even playing Test cricket, to be given an opportunity and to go there and get a hundred in my first innings was, you dream of that sort of stuff and I’m so happy.”I was [intent on a long stay], I just wanted to stay out there for as long as I could. They bowled pretty well yesterday and especially early I couldn’t get away. I knew if I could just keep sticking to my guns I could hopefully get on top later in the day. It was just an amazing feeling, to be out there playing a Test match for your country is just something I’ve dreamt of my whole life and I can’t believe it really.”Batting at No. 3 in place of the absent Ricky Ponting, Marsh walked out to the crease with a simple objective: bat as long as he could. In the end he was there for seven hours, perhaps the most significant 420 minutes of his cricket life. He spent most of it with his fellow West Australian Michael Hussey, who crafted his own innings of substance with a meticulous 142.”It was just amazing, I said yesterday when I went out there, I wanted to stay out there for as long as I could,” Marsh said. “What you dream of doing is playing Test cricket, and just having that chance was so surreal. I had a lot of fun out there.”It was tough out there early, they bowled very well, and we had to respect that. I knew if I could just hang in there I could get over the line. I really enjoyed batting with Huss as well, especially today. To be out there with him when we both scored our hundreds was a very special day. He’s a good man and he’s certainly helped me out a fair bit since I’ve been playing international cricket.”Every ball of Marsh’s innings was worried over by his father Geoff in the stands, and Shaun spoke of how emotional their reunion had been when the younger man was finally out. Tom Moody, the coach who gave Marsh the hard word to be serious about his cricket, was also valued company.”It was pretty emotional to be honest with you,” Marsh said. “[Dad] was very happy I could see and it was very emotional for him and I was trying to hold it back in, out there with Huss … just crazy really. I spoke with Tom before this Test and what Tom’s done for me the last three years, to have him and my dad here was pretty special.”Marsh’s efforts make him close to a certainty for the third Test in Colombo, despite Ponting’s return, but the man himself was not daring to look beyond the next two days, when rain may threaten Australia’s push for a series victory.”It’s out of my control,” Marsh said. “All I’m worried about is playing this Test, that’s all I can control and I’m loving every bit of it. We’ve got two days left and all I’m focusing on is trying to win this Test.”I’m not too sure what Pup [Michael Clarke] is going to do, I think he’s got a few ideas, whether we bat on for a little longer and try to push for that 270-280 lead or he declares straight away we’ll just have to wait and see.”[The weather] is not great at the moment, but we just have to wait and see, we can’t worry about the weather. We’ve just got to worry about what we can do, and if we go out there and play some good cricket and get ourselves in a winning position that’s all we can worry about.”