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“It didn’t put any more pressure on me at all, being the only black player in the team; that would’ve been torture”

Firdose Moonda30-Jul-2024If Kagiso Rabada had kept thinking that he was the only black African player in South Africa’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad, he would have gone through “torture” through the tournament. He said bearing that burden “didn’t put any more pressure on me at all”. Instead, Rabada embraced his role and encouraged a broader discussion on issues of transformation.”I’m a black player, yes. If I don’t feel like I should have been there on merit and if people don’t feel that way, then it’s fine. I’m not invincible. I can be dropped as well but I believe in myself,” Rabada said from Trinidad, where South Africa are preparing for a two-Test series against West Indies.Asked whether he was aware of the focus being put on the numbers of players in the squad – and in particular the black African contingent – and whether that created more expectation on him, Rabada said, “It didn’t put any more pressure on me at all. It would be such a heavy thought, during a World Cup, thinking about yourself being the only black player in a team. That seems like torture for me. That just takes away from focus.”Related

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If there’s one thing South Africa were at the tournament, it was focused. They enjoyed their most successful men’s World Cup and went on an unbeaten eight-match run to reach their first final. They lost, narrowly, to India but earned praise for their progress. However, they also faced criticism from various political and administrative quarters over the composition of the squad, which was also a major discussion point at CSA’s recent Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Indaba (DEI conference).CSA has acknowledged the failure of its policies to produce sufficient black African players, in particular, for the national squad, and has promised to respond to white-ball coach Rob Walter’s plea for the domestic system to “up the ante” ahead of the home World Cup in 2027. But the board also recognises the need to keep the current transformation numbers at an acceptable level for the sports ministry to be happy and has had to answer questions over why its T20 World Cup 2024 squad included only one black African player. So Rabada understands why he is in the spotlight.”These are certain challenges [we face] and you ask a valid question because you wonder how players must have felt in the past, how players in the future might feel. And these are things we need to address,” he said. “For me, it was just about winning [the World Cup]. But for other players, you never know how it feels. And also, what the media has to say about the situation can really mess up the players’ psychology or psyche. Those are certain things that we have to make peace with in South Africa because there’s a very unique landscape. And this whole transformation thing, it always seems to bubble up when we’re at World Cups for some reason.”A quick history lesson: South Africa have had transformation targets in place since 1999, seven years after readmission, which means the impetus to change has existed for 25 years. Initially, the national team was required to field four players of colour (any players who were not white) in every XI but since 2016, the target has become more specific but less rigid. Now, the national men’s team is required to field, on average over the course of a season, six players of colour of which at least two must be black African.The calculation of the target as an average means that the numbers do not apply to individual games, which meant they could go into the T20 World Cup with only six players of colour in the squad, and just one black African, but make up the target elsewhere in the season. This was the first time since 2016 that a South African World Cup squad only had six players of colour and the first time since 2015 that they have only had one black African player.Kagiso Rabada and South Africa fell at the final hurdle at the T20 World Cup•ICC/Getty Images

It was in fact, the 2015 ODI World Cup that caused a rethink, after Aaron Phangiso – the only black African player in that squad – went through the tournament without playing. It was also the 2015 World Cup where the transformation agenda resulted in interference in selection when then CEO Haroon Lorgat called coach Russell Domingo the night before the semi-final to remind him of the commitment to fielding four players of colour in each XI. Vernon Philander was then picked ahead of Kyle Abbott for the match against New Zealand.At this T20 World Cup, South Africa only ever fielded four players of colour per XI, and only one black African – Rabada. Although it was never explicitly stated that Rabada would be expected to play every game, had South Africa gone into a match without him, they would have had no black Africans in the side. He ended as their second-highest wicket-taker behind Anrich Nortje.The inclusion of Rabada, as a South African all-time great, in XIs is hardly ever up for debate but he explained there may be instances in which players of colour have cause to question themselves.”You ask yourself, what are some of these factors that might make a player feel that way [that they are only included because of their colour], and it’s factors such as we lost because of transformation or because we had to include players of colour or black Africans. And that always happens in World Cups,” he said. “When we’re winning series and we’re winning or losing other games, it’s not so much of an issue, so that’s where it might be a bit inconsistent. And if you ask yourself truthfully, looking back in the past, have we not won a World Cup because of transformation? You know, I mean, like, really? So sometimes things can get blown out of proportion.”Looking at 2015, it cannot be argued that South Africa lost because of transformation. The selection interference came in the semi-final, and there’s no knowing how they would have played against Australia in a final in Melbourne.The 2022 T20 World Cup was different, where South Africa committed to picking an underperforming Temba Bavuma, because he was the captain. But they had little chance of lifting the trophy in any case. They were eliminated in the group stage after losing to Netherlands in one of their worst World Cup shows.So Rabada, and CSA DEI Mudutambi Ravele, who last week asked whether the 2024 T20 World Cup squad did well “because they didn’t have black players” are right: South Africa have not lost a World Cup because of transformation. But there are still discussions to be had about how best to manage the issue of redress and a player like Rabada, who carries the current baton for black cricketing excellence, understands that.”It’s a unique system and a lot of people have different opinions on it because of where our country comes from,” he said. “And it’s not a system that is particularly easy to just understand and move on from. It’s something that has to be looked at in context.”And he is also able to separate those thoughts from the idea of celebrating achievement in whatever colour it comes. Asked to respond to South African swimmer Tatjana Smith winning the Olympic Games gold in the 100-metre breaststroke in Paris, Rabada did not miss a beat in celebrating her while identifying the similarities and differences between them.”She’s been making us proud. She’s phenomenal and really inspiring. When I look at that as an athlete, it makes me want to achieve the same feat,” he said. “She’s a white swimmer and I’m a black man, but as an athlete and as someone who wants to aspire to be better and better, I think she’s done a remarkable job. And people are watching. And they want to emulate that. Whatever field that they’re in, they just want to do the same things that these people are doing, representing us all over the world.”

Sam Hain unbeaten overnight as visitors seek to put final-day pressure on Hampshire

ECB Reporters Network08-Apr-2023Warwickshire 307 for 5 (Davies 118, Hain 83*) lead Somerset 269 for 8 (Gregory 65*, Barnard 3-54) by 23 runsAlex Davies hit his seventh first-class century as Warwickshire built a narrow first-innings lead over Somerset on the third day of the rain-affected LV= County Championship game at TauntonAfter dismissing their hosts for 284 from an overnight 269 for eight, the visitors had replied with 307 for five when bad light ended play nine overs early, opener Davies leading the way with 118, off 153 balls, with 21 fours and a six.Sam Hain contributed an undefeated 83, Will Rhodes 39 and Michael Burgess 36 not out, while Jack Leach was the most successful Somerset bowler with three for 93.The day began with Somerset’s Lewis Gregory and Leach looking to guide their side towards a second batting point.Those hopes faded when Gregory pushed forward to Chris Rushworth in the second over of the morning and departed without adding to his overnight score of 65 as Rob Yates pouched his fourth catch of the match at first slip.Oliver Hannon-Dalby wrapped up the innings by pinning Peter Siddle lbw for ten and Leach was left unbeaten on 27.Warwickshire’s reply got off to a poor start when Yates edged the third ball, bowled by Josh Davey, to Tom Lammonby at fourth slip and fell for two.But Somerset’s seamers were soon struggling to find as much assistance from the pitch as their Warwickshire counterparts, Davies and Will Rhodes batting with increasing confidence.Rhodes was the more aggressive and had moved to 39 off 52 balls, with 6 fours, when aiming an aggressive shot off Leach and picking out Craig Overton at wide mid-on.Undeterred, Davies slog-swept Leach for six on his way to a 63-ball half-century, also featuring 6 fours. He was unbeaten on 51 at lunch with the scoreboard reading 108 for two from 23 overs.The afternoon session saw Davies and Hain progressing serenely against an impotent looking Somerset attack on a pitch that appeared to offer little seam movement.Skipper Lewis Gregory had turned to Leach as early as the 15th over, but the England left-arm spinner found it hard to stem the run-rate as Davies and Hain batted positively.Davies moved to a chanceless ton with a single off Leach, having looked untroubled in facing 140 balls and extending his boundary count to 17 fours and a six.He and the equally comfortable Hain had taken their third-wicket stand to 133 in 34.1 overs when it was broken by Leach.Davies looked to increase the tempo with a reverse sweep and only succeeded in dragging the ball onto his stumps.It was 203 for three and the error was compounded with only a couple of runs added as Dan Mousley fell lbw to Leach for two.Hain had been content to play second fiddle to Davies, but when Craig Overton was introduced for a new spell from the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End, he produced a classic cover drive to register his fifth boundary.Ed Barnard helped Hain add 31, contributing 19 on his Warwickshire debut before being bowled by Siddle playing inside the line.All the while Hain was staying rock-like, reaching his fifty with his sixth boundary, a sweetly-timed back-foot shot through the covers off Gregory, He had faced 140 balls, the same number as Davies required to reach three figures.Burgess secured a first batting point for Warwickshire with a flashing cut for four off Gregory, taking the total to 253 for five.Burgess then edged Leach between wicketkeeper James Rew and first slip at catchable height, taking advantage of the narrow escape by lofting the next delivery for four as Warwickshire closed in on Somerset’s first innings total.They were three runs ahead by the time the second new ball was taken. It had little effect and the game looked to be meandering towards a draw following the first day washout when, with the floodlights on at the Cooper Associates County Ground, the umpires took the players off at 6.35pm.

Decision part of Ramiz Raja’s plans to overhaul state of pitches in Pakistan

Umar Farooq15-Mar-2022The PCB has sought the services of former MCG and ICC academy curator *Toby Lumsden for a 10-day period to oversee pitch preparation ahead of the third Test against Australia in Lahore. He will also assist local curators as part of chairman Ramiz Raja’s broader plan to overhaul the process of pitch preparation in the country.Australia’s first Test tour to Pakistan in 24 years has been marred by plenty of criticism over the state of the pitches. Last week’s series opener in Rawalpindi ended in a tame draw, with the surface being rated by the ICC s “below average,” leading to the venue getting a demerit point. ‘Only 14 wickets fell across five days. While Pakistan managed to take all 10 Australian wickets in the first innings, the visitors managed just four overall, with Pakistan making 476 for 4 declared and 252 for 0 when the match was called off.Related

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ESPNcricinfo understands the surface for the ongoing Karachi Test was originally meant to assist the spinners. However, it has also been deemed too slow and not to its character. Australia batted for over six sessions after winning the toss to put up 556, with the Test very much in their control despite Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam having put together an unbroken 171-run third-wicket stand in pursuit of 506.Raja has initiated an overhaul of pitches, and is set to look at installing readymade drop-in pitches from Australia in Lahore and Karachi as early as next year. The PCB is understood to have ordered two drop-in pitches in a bid to simulate Australian surfaces, which they believe would help their players acclimatise better on overseas tours.Lumsden landed in Lahore earlier in the week to begin work. He began at the ICC Academy in 2010 and held the job for two years before rejoining in 2017 as head curator. 1600GMT The story had earlier stated Tony Hemming as the curator PCB had summoned. This has been corrected.

The Super Kings bowlers set up the win on a slow, low Abu Dhabi track that might have reminded them of Chepauk

Deivarayan Muthu01-Nov-20205:00

Tom Moody: Kings XI Punjab paid the price for poor first half of the season

After messing with the playoff chances of the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Kolkata Knight Riders, the already-ousted Chennai Super Kings took down the Kings XI Punjab along with them. The 23-year old Ruturaj Gaikwad, the second-youngest member in the Super Kings squad, provided another glimpse into their future with his third successive match-winning half-century in a chase. He calmly batted on around the more experienced Faf du Plessis, who was back from injury, and Ambati Rayudu, as the Super Kings knocked off a target of 154 and knocked out the Kings XI.The Rajasthan Royals, the Knight Riders, the Sunrisers Hyderabad, the Delhi Capitals, and the Royal Challengers will tussle for the three playoff spots that are still up for grabs.It was the Super Kings’ bowlers who had set up the victory on a slow, low Abu Dhabi track that might have reminded them of Chepauk. Lungi Ngidi had the returning Mayank Agarwal chopping on with a cross-seamer and then knocked over KL Rahul with a slower dipping yorker that was straight out of Dwayne Bravo’s playbook. Imran Tahir and Ravindra Jadeja squeezed the Kings XI so much that they went nearly eight overs without a boundary following the powerplay.
Deepak Hooda then got on top of the conditions and the Super Kings attack, cracking an unbeaten 62 off 30 balls, but it wasn’t enough in the end for the Kings XI.Rahul, Agarwal reunite at the top
Agarwal, who had been sidelined for the last three games with injury, marked his comeback with a first-ball four off Deepak Chahar. He hit four more fours off his next 13 balls before Ngidi foxed him. With Agarwal back, KL Rahul took more chances in the powerplay, swishing Chahar, Shardul Thakur and Ngidi for boundaries. The powerplay ended with Kings XI at 53 for 1, with Rahul and Agarwal scoring 26 each.Ngidi then took pace off and removed Rahul as well, with the Kings XI slipping into a mid-innings comatose. Thakur hit a hard length and had Nicholas Pooran nicking off for 2 off six balls in the 11th over and Tahir trapped Chris Gayle for 12 off 19 balls with a skiddy legbreak. After having topped the wickets charts in IPL 2019 with 26 strikes, Tahir ended this season with a solitary wicket in three games.The Kings XI then probably missed a trick by not promoting Jimmy Neesham ahead of Mandeep Singh to counter Ravindra Jadeja’s left-arm fingerspin. After the two big-hitting left-hand batsmen Gayle and Pooran were dismissed, MS Dhoni drafted Jadeja into the attack, and he knocked over Singh with a 992kph arm ball. When Ngidi had Neesham holing out, the Kings XI innings was crying out for a finishing kick at 113 for 6 in 17.1 overs.Hooda tees off
It was Hooda who gave that kick as the Kings XI took 40 off the last 17 balls. On a pitch where all the other Kings XI middle-order batsmen went at less than a run-a-ball, Hooda struck at over 200. After getting himself in with hard-run singles and doubles, he launched Tahir over extra-cover with the spin, clearing the bigger boundary.He then lined up Ngidi, smashing him for 27 off a mere nine balls. The fast bowler’s plan was to bowl wide yorkers, but he missed his lengths and Hooda punished him by repeatedly shuffling across off and hitting him cleanly through the line.CSK sign off on a high
In their last fixture, against the Kings XI in Dubai, du Plessis kept hitting over the top in the early exchanges, allowing Shane Watson some breathing space at the other end. On Saturday, du Plessis reprised that role and claimed 31 of the 57 runs the Super Kings made in the powerplay.Du Plessis’ innings could have been cut short at 5 had Hooda hung on to a difficult catch running back from mid-on off Neesham. Du Plessis finally fell for 48 off 34 balls when Jordan ditched his on-pace balls for cutters and had the batsman scooping a catch behind to Rahul.As for Gaikwad, he was middling balls, but he couldn’t quite find the gaps. He was given out caught at point by Singh on 20, but TV umpire Chris Gaffaney overturned the on-field call after checking that the ball had momentarily touched the ground before Mandeep grabbed it.It was Gaikwad who finished another chase, along with Rayudu, leaving the UAE with scores of 62*, 72 and 65* that gave him an average of 51 in the tournament, the best for a Super Kings player this season.

Middlesex bowlers toil for little reward as Derbyshire batsmen shine

Jon Culley in Derby30-Jun-2019Middlesex’s decision to forego the toss and bowl might have looked the logical route to follow given the colour of the pitch here. Instead, it exposed their bowlers to a day of mostly unrewarding toil on a slow surface that offered them little apart from the slightly unreal experience of watching Billy Godleman, once a Middlesex player, compile a 115-ball hundred.By his own confession, Godleman’s default approach in red-ball cricket, for the most part, in a career that had him tipped to play at the highest level in his formative years at Lord’s, has been based on survival first.This is the Godleman who went back to Lord’s in only his second match as a Derbyshire player in 2013, opened the batting on day one against his former employers and took 244 balls to reach fifty, the slowest in the history of the County Championship, allowing himself the liberty of just one boundary. He is not quite so conservative these days, yet still hardly a dasher.So it must have been quite an eye-opener for the likes of Steven Finn and Dawid Malan as Godleman took it upon himself to throw caution to the wind and attack the new ball in a way that had seasoned followers of the Derbyshire captain scratching their heads to recall anything quite like it.Wielding the bat in a way that suggested he had woken convinced that the day would be his, even the fact that his first boundary almost took out his stumps off an inside edge and the second flew over the slips did not alter his mood. At one point, to general consternation, he went down the pitch to Toby Roland-Jones and belted the ball over long-off for six.This time he reached his half-century in 35 deliveries, which a check through his career record confirmed was unprecedented, as everyone watching suspected.He should have then been out almost immediately, dropped at backward point by Steve Eskinazi without adding to the 51 he had scored up to that moment. It was the leg-spinner Nathan Sowter’s first over and the chance could not have been more straightforward.Now Godleman became a little more watchful. His next 12 runs took him seven balls longer to acquire than his first 51. Luis Reece began to catch him up, reaching his own half-century from 92 deliveries. Curiously, given that he had batted with a much more conservative approach than his partner, he should have been out twice, dropped by Max Holden at midwicket without scoring off Roland-Jones and again at slip by Sam Robson on 33, in the unlucky Sowter’s second over.They reached lunch on 113 without loss. The Middlesex bowlers may have bemoaned their luck but they had also offered too many relatively easy run hits, either by bowling too short or too wide.Godleman pushed on again in the second session, completing what was also the fastest hundred of his first-class career when he cut Sowter to the third-man boundary for his 16th four, raising his arms above his head in celebration and shouting something as he looked towards the heavens. Again, he offered a chance immediately after passing the milestone. This time it was taken, at slip, as Sowter’s luck improved as he found some turn and bounce to find the edge.Reece, joined by the splendidly-named Fynn Hudson-Prentice, who will never be troubled to remember his Championship debut for Derbyshire, was by now scoring runs with increasing confidence and a hundred seemed to be his for the taking too. It was no wonder, then, that he threw his head back in disbelief as he was dismissed on 96, wondering what had possessed him to meet a seemingly innocuous ball from seamer George Scott straight to Roland-Jones at mid-on.Yet if Reece could consider himself unlucky, it was nothing compared with the agony that would befall Hudson-Prentice, whose maiden Championship innings for the county was just one run from turning into a dream start.A 23-year-old all-rounder who was released by Sussex, his home county, at the end of the 2016 season, Hudson-Prentice has been given the chance to resurrect his county career after spending last season and the start of this one on the MCC Young Cricketers’ programme at Lord’s, where his progress will have been noted by Steve Kirby, the former MCC head coach who is now Derbyshire’s assistant coach.He made a good enough impression there to earn some Second XI cricket with Derbyshire this early summer, two hundreds in May convincing the county to offer him a contract until the end of 2021.So far, it looks a good decision. Well organised at the crease, he took on a high-quality attack with confidence and no little skill, numbering some crisp drives among his 13 fours and lofting Sowter for a towering six. Middlesex took the new ball and Tom Helm had him edging to second slip only to be called for over-stepping. It seemed destined to be a perfect day.Yet, on 99 and facing the same bowler, an attempt to pull away a short ball went just wrong enough for the ball to travel upwards rather than flat. He looked on from the crease, willing Middlesex’s bad day in the field to continue, before dropping his head in stricken resignation as square-leg Finn clasped the ball safely to his chest. Helm struck again in the same over, dismissing Alex Hughes with the best delivery of the day to claw back something for Middlesex.

Growing up and hoping to emulate his famous uncle, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Imam wanted to play Tests for his country – even if he did not expect his first to be in Ireland

ESPNcricinfo staff09-May-20181:06

Imam-ul-Haq warns against underestimating Ireland

It will be a dream realised for Imam-ul-Haq, should he make his Test debut as expected this week. Growing up and hoping to emulate his uncle, former Pakistan captain and now chief selector, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Imam wanted to play Tests for his country – even if he did not expect his first to be in Ireland.Imam has already played four ODIs, scoring a century on debut against Sri Lanka last year, and he is set to slot into the top three of the Test side. In two warm-up matches over the past fortnight, Imam, 22, has scored two half-centuries – 61 against Kent and 59* against Northamptonshire. Now he hopes to provide some batting fibre in a side that has struggled somewhat since the retirement of two Pakistan greats last year.”It’s a very proud feeling,” Imam said. “Everybody knows that Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan have just retired and our young guys have to do a lot of work. It’s always good to come and prove a point, and we’re looking forward to this series. I have been scoring runs in the two four-day matches and that gives me confidence. I’m very hopeful that I’ll do well in this series.”Obviously it will be my first Test match, my first pressure match. I will be very nervous, I won’t lie – that’s what we play for, that’s my dream since I grew up, to play Test cricket for your country. I didn’t think I would play my first Test match in Ireland, so it’s different but as a sportsman you have to be ready for everything.”Malahide will be the scene for not only Imam’s Test bow, but that of the Ireland men’s team. Granted Test status last year, Ireland will welcome Pakistan as their first five-day opponents, looking to revive memories of the famous 2007 World Cup upset at Sabina Park.”I remember that match, it was a very big day for Ireland cricket and a very sad day for Pakistan,” Imam said. “But in sport, these things happen. On the same day, India lost as well against Bangladesh, so we were happy. Jokes apart, it was a sad day for Pakistan as a nation, so hopefully we’ll get our own back by winning the Test.”They are playing their first Test match, so we want to give them good luck, it’s very good for Irish cricket. We hope they will play good and be a very good side in future.”While Ireland will go into the Test as firm underdogs – a position Pakistan often revel in – Mickey Arthur’s team will have to guard against complacency. Pakistan briefly topped the Test rankings in 2016, after drawing 2-2 with England, but have since slipped to No. 7 in the world and will be hoping to avoid an ambush in what could be challenging conditions for batting.”Cricket is a funny game and you can’t take any side lightly,” Imam said. “We have to do our best, and we have to prove a point and win the game. It doesn’t matter, against Ireland or England, we have to play good cricket and that will give us confidence, and make our youngsters to do well in the England series. The conditions are difficult, as you see the rain and the wicket will be tough because it’s early [summer] here.”It’s a very young side … Test cricket is different, you need patience over here and it tests your fitness as well. Back home we had a very tough camp, so we are very hopeful and very excited. We’re hoping to do something very special here .”While Pakistan’s opening tour game was a soggy affair at Kent, they show some impressive form to brush aside Northamptonshire by nine wickets on Monday. Asad Shafiq’s 186 was the highlight, while Shadab Khan claimed a ten-wicket haul, and Imam said the players were confident of rising to the occasion.”We’ve been working hard, as a subcontinent nation it’s difficult to perform over here in England and Ireland. We’ve had two very good four-day matches, the guys were working hard and talking to our batting coach. There are personal goals there, we’re working on it and we’ll do well.”

A 160-run partnership between Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma led South Africa’s dominant recovery from 94 for 6 to end the second day with a lead of 81 in Wellington

The Report by Andrew McGlashan17-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:33

‘Bavuma, de Kock saved SA from precarious position’

South Africa were taken from the potential of a significant deficit to a substantial lead by a rollicking seventh-wicket stand of 160 between Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock on the second day in Wellington. They transformed a pre-lunch position of 94 for 6 with the most dominant batting of the series to date and, although both fell short of hundreds, South Africa closed with a lead of 81 after the last-wicket pair added further frustration for New Zealand.While the South African pair batted superbly, New Zealand will ponder how things raced away at such a rate after they had managed to rumble the top order during the morning session. Colin de Grandhomme, who finished with 3 for 52, claimed the key duo of Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis while Neil Wagner continued JP Duminy’s frustrating tour. From the lowest ebb of South Africa’s innings the last four wickets managed to amass 255 runs from 65 overs.Both first innings followed similar patters: New Zealand had recovered from 101 for 5 through a stand of 116 between Henry Nicholls and BJ Watling on the opening day. As the ball grew older, the bowlers struggled to keep control, knocked back by the aggression shown by de Kock who won his little duel with Jeetan Patel for first time on the tour. Crucially, Patel could not strike or provide control for Kane Williamson while South Africa recovered as he conceded five-an-over in his first 10 overs.The gamesmanship card had been played when de Kock arrived in the middle shortly before lunch as Patel was given the last over of the session to target the man he had removed in the previous four innings. This time, despite the occasional hairy moment as de Kock refused to be dominated, he came through either side of lunch and then started to cut loose against the quicks.He upper cut Tim Southee over the slips for six and hooked Wagner onto the grass banks. At one stage, as he negotiated Patel, de Kock had 17 off 33 balls but then skipped to his half-century from 55 deliveries as the mood of the day swung back to South Africa. The short-pitched approach did not fluster him – it was arguably over-done – and Kane Williamson was soon on the retreat – a packed slip cordon replaced by scouts on the boundary.Colin de Grandhomme removed Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis in the morning session•Getty Images

When Patel returned for a second spell before tea, de Kock skipped down the pitch and deposited him straight down the ground. No doubt about the winner this time. He was nine away from a fourth Test hundred when he pushed out at a delivery from James Neesham, who produced a wholehearted burst shortly before the new ball, at a time when New Zealand were looking a little short of ideas.Bavuma took a backseat once de Kock found his stride after coming through an early trial from the short ball. He had one fortunate moment when he spliced a pull which lobbed over mid-on as de Grandhomme lost his footing. As the afternoon progressed, having batting in de Kock’s slipstream, he became far more assured and moved to his fifty from 88 balls.His off-side driving, off front and back foot, was especially eye-catching and a significant moment – a first overseas century – was on the horizon when he got underneath a pull and found deep square leg. But having come into the tour under a modicum of scrutiny, after a lean series against Sri Lanka, it has been a resounding response from Bavuma following his half-century in Dunedin. However, New Zealand could not wrap things up swiftly as Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel added an unbroken 47 for the last wicket, which included a concerning moment when Morkel took a blow on the helmet from Southee but he managed to finish nine short of his best Test score.How South Africa needed the recovery act. They had resumed on 24 for 2 with both openers already dismissed and Kagiso Rabada, the nightwatchman, soon joined them when Southee swung one through him in his first over. It did not take Wagner long to strengthen New Zealand’s position when, with his seventh ball of the day, and first to JP Duminy, he claimed him for the third time in the series courtesy of a loose flick which picked out midwicket.De Grandhomme then followed Southee after an eight-over spell with success coming almost immediately when Amla, still struggling to find his best form, could barely believe he had picked out midwicket against a delivery on his pads he would normally ease away for runs. Henry Nicholls, the star of the opening day for New Zealand, could not take the catch at the first attempt but was able to grab the rebound: when things run your way, make the most of them.Faf du Plessis appeared keen to try and wrestle back the situation with aggression – top-edging Wagner for six when he was not in control of the pull – and shortly before lunch inside-edged a drive against de Grandhomme with BJ Watling taking a low catch. At that stage even parity was a long way off, but in a series that has produced six days of counterpunches, South Africa threw the latest of them. It could be a decisive one.

Brendon McCullum’s farewell to international cricket at the second Test in Christchurch will be a “pretty sad” moment, according to fast bowler Trent Boult

Brydon Coverdale17-Feb-20162:10

‘Australia had the best of the conditions in Wellington’ – Boult

Brendon McCullum’s farewell to international cricket at the second Test in Christchurch will be a “pretty sad” moment, according to fast bowler Trent Boult, who credited McCullum with uniting the nation behind their cricket team.There was no shortage of emotion at McCullum’s 100th and penultimate Test in Wellington, but expect that only to increase when the New Zealanders walk out onto Hagley Oval on Saturday. There will be a special cap presentation to McCullum ahead of the match, although there will be no fairytale ending after Australia’s victory in Wellington, which meant the best New Zealand can do is draw the series.”I think there was a lot of emotion in this one [in Wellington] to be honest,” Boult said on Wednesday. “But his last one – it’s going to be pretty sad, to be honest. Everyone has played with him for that long and he’s good mates with everyone in the team. We’re all looking forward to running out with him for the last time.”He’s changed the game, in a way. The way the New Zealanders have got behind cricket, behind the team, is because of him and his style of play, his attacking captaincy. He’s going to be sorely missed. We’ll look forward to running out with him one last time and then I’m sure he’s left the team in good hands.”Boult is one of the many players in the New Zealand team who has thrived under the captaincy of McCullum, rising to No.1 in the ODI rankings and currently sitting at No.8 on the ICC’s Test list. He debuted in Test cricket in Australia in 2011 and a year later McCullum was named captain alongside the new coach Mike Hesson.”You can put it down to a lot of things, but he’s a true leader and everyone looks up to him in the team,” Boult said of his own success. “I owe a lot to him, to be honest. He is going to be sorely missed.”New Zealand would like nothing better than to send McCullum off into retirement with a Test victory in Christchurch, where they hope they will find a greener pitch than the one that was served up at the Basin Reserve. There was some seam movement on the first morning but there was little for the rest of the Test, although Australia’s fast men surprised New Zealand by finding reverse swing in the second innings.”We didn’t get it to go at all,” Boult said. “They got it to go nicely. We could learn a thing or two from them in regards to if nothing is happening on a flat wicket, then how valuable reverse swing is. They did that nicely, but I’m not sure how much we’ll see of that down at Hagley.”It’s not something we do often see [in New Zealand]. They got it to go nicely and it worked very effectively for them. We’ll have to learn from that and understand that when things aren’t happening or there’s no wickets on a flat wicket, you’ve got to look at other measures. I think they did that very nicely. It was pretty surprising.”This will be just the second Test played at Hagley Oval, the other one in December 2014 having provided New Zealand with an eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka after the hosts put on 441 in the first innings. McCullum made 195 in that match and Boult took seven wickets, including three in the first innings when Sri Lanka were rolled for 138.”I think the wicket here [in Wellington] was a good wicket, but as a bowler I’d love to see it a lot greener of course as well,” Boult said. “That way you can get a lot more seam off the wicket. It’s going to be interesting to see what we get down there [in Christchurch] but I’m sure it will have a tinge of green as well.”New Zealand will be without fast bowler Doug Bracewell at Hagley Oval, after he was ruled out with a shoulder injury. Neil Wagner and Matt Henry are both in the squad and available to be called on to replace Bracewell.

Phillip Hughes is adamant he can repair his shaken confidence in three warm-up matches ahead of the first Ashes Test at Trent Bridge

Daniel Brettig in London18-Jun-2013Phillip Hughes is adamant he can repair his shaken confidence in three warm-up matches ahead of the first Investec Ashes Test at Trent Bridge, starting with Australia A’s fixture against Gloucestershire in Bristol from Friday.A paltry return of 57 runs in five limited-overs innings on this England tour so far has not enhanced Hughes’ claims to a spot in the Australian top order for the Test matches to come, particularly when they are added to his poor record against England – 154 runs at 17.11 in five Tests spread across the past two series – and a dire recent tour of India.But the selectors’ decision to send Hughes and Matthew Wade to Bristol to join Australia A will now afford Hughes a trio of first-class matches in which to strive for runs before the Test squad rolls into Nottingham. A century or three over the next two weeks would not only enhance Hughes’ chances of retention in the Test team, but also send self-recriminating thoughts of a poor Champions Trophy to the back of his mind.”I’m really looking forward to getting a couple training days in Bristol and starting Friday,” Hughes said in London. “Hopefully spend a bit of time in the middle and get my mental game around the red ball now. It was disappointing to be knocked out and lose those games of cricket in the Champions Trophy, but that’s behind us now, it’s about moving on.”We’ll be disappointed for a day or two but it’s all about the red ball now and we’ll get into preparation. Behind the scenes in the nets now all my focus will be on the red ball. It can be at times tricky to juggle formats but the beauty of it is there’s still a way to go before the Ashes and we’ve got some good cricket coming up to that first Test.”Largely due to a homespun batting technique that relies heavily on an uncluttered mind and an exceptional eye rather than precise footwork or a watertight defence, confidence is more critical to Hughes’ chances of success than most. This contention is backed up by his penchant for scoring great swathes of runs on some days and looking like the bat is an alien object in his hands on others.The latter state of affairs was in evidence at The Oval against Sri Lanka, where Hughes used the inside and outside edges far more often than the middle on his way to a fretful 13. He did not look like a batsman thinking clearly and simply about the task at hand. Nevertheless, Hughes argued that four years around international cricket now meant he would be far better prepared to do so when the Ashes begin than he had been on his previous visit to England in 2009.”It’s a tough one,” Hughes said of keeping distractions from his mind at the batting crease. “The older you get the better you are at it, I think. You speak to players in the past and they sometimes say you mature at 28-29 years of age. One thing for me is I’ve still got age on my side. I’ve been very lucky to be around the international scene for four years, and I feel like I’m in a lot better space than I was four years ago. I feel like my game’s come a long, and also mentally it’s come along. I suppose it’s a pleasing thing going forward, but day in day out I’m still looking to get better.”One thing around the Ashes is huge hype, so it’s about staying as calm as possible and wiping out as much media and outside influence as possible, and keeping a tight team unit. I remember the memories of four years ago and personally how disappointed I was and everyone was when we lost that series. That’s in the back of my mind. As a kid growing up you want to win Ashes series and that’s what we always talk about.”There was evidence of Hughes’ gathering mental strength in India of all places, where he emerged from a nightmarish first two Tests to make a fighting 69 in Mohali then a battling 45 in Delhi. Those innings don’t sound like much, but they showed rare persistence on a generally dysfunctional tour, and caught the approving eye of the Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland, among others. Hughes will need to repeat the trick over the next two weeks if he is to keep his Test spot.

Promotion-chasing Derbyshire had to settle for eight points from their County Championship Division Two clash with Leicestershire after the match was abandoned as a draw without a ball being bowled on the final day at Grace Road.

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jun-2012
ScorecardPromotion-chasing Derbyshire had to settle for eight points from their County Championship Division Two clash with Leicestershire after the match was abandoned as a draw without a ball being bowled on the final day at Grace Road.Persistent rain throughout the night and during the early part of the morning left the outfield saturated, and despite the best efforts of the groundstaff, the game was called off at 12.30pm.Top-of-the-table Derbyshire were well in command having bowled out Leicestershire for 177 and reached 259 for 5 in their reply, with Dan Redfern left stranded 19 runs short of a third Championship century of the season. Leicestershire picked up four points from the game.