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AB de Villiers said, after Royal Challengers won with seven balls to spare, he had read the situation to “perfection”

ESPNcricinfo staff07-May-2012Royal Challengers Bangalore needed 39 to win off 18 balls against Deccan Chargers, as AB de Villiers prepared to face Dale Steyn, who had two overs remaining. The first delivery of the 18th over disappeared for a flat six over midwicket, the beginning of 23 game-changing runs in Steyn’s over. De Villiers said, after Royal Challengers won with seven balls to spare, he had read the situation to “perfection”.”I guess we know each other pretty well,” de Villiers said of his battle against Steyn. “I can’t take anything away from Dale, he could have knocked me over with any of those balls, unfortunately for him I read it well, it was just my night.”I thought I saw him whispering to Sanga [Kumar Sangakkara]. I think they took the fine leg back. I was quite lucky, I saw them communicating about where to bowl and I saw Sanga saying short of a length and I was expecting the short delivery upfront. From there on I knew he was going to go full. I just nominated that over well, on another day he might knock me over.”De Villiers began his innings when Royal Challengers needed 76 off 37 balls, and he finished unbeaten on 47 off 17 deliveries. His awareness of the situation was so complete that, after taking 22 off the first five balls of that Steyn over, de Villiers intentionally steered the final delivery to third man to keep strike for the penultimate over. He then hit the first three balls of the 19th over from Anand Rajan to the boundary as well.”I enjoyed the situation tonight, I came in [with] 80 [to get] off 40-odd balls. I knew what was required and played to that kind of game plan and, like I said before, my game plan paid off tonight. On another night it might not, so I took full advantage tonight.”I won’t say I’m a finisher of the game. I’d like to think of myself as a guy who can play anywhere, that’s something I’ve worked on in my whole career. I’d like to be a guy that can adjust to certain situations and that’s something I strive for. I can even get better hopefully as there’s lots of room for improvement.”While de Villiers provided the finish, Royal Challengers had significant contributions from other batsmen as well. Tillakaratne Dilshan scored 71 off 54 balls, while Chris Gayle adapted to playing second fiddle during a 91-run opening stand. “I thought Dilshan played an amazing knock, and even Chris, it was a much-needed foundation we needed,” de Villiers said. “We’ve collapsed a few times in the IPL before, so we needed that foundation to finish it off well at the end, and luckily for me I was in that kind of situation to do so.”And before de Villiers launched his attack on Steyn, Mayank Agarwal had given Royal Challengers valuable propulsion by hitting 18 off the six balls he faced. It was overshadowed by the extraordinary flurry of boundaries that followed, but de Villiers acknowledged the importance of Agarwal’s contribution.”Some of the guys around me played amazing knocks. Mayank Agarwal took a lot of pressure off me with those boundaries he hit,” de Villiers said. “It was either him or me who had to take a lot of risks, and he did it before I did. So he played a very important hand tonight and set it up well for me. I could just go and play the situation at the end.”The win helped Royal Challengers move to fifth spot in the league, overtaking Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab.

Zero to one millimetre of rain is forecast for the final day in Adelaide. One millimetre can be enough to save a batsman if a bowler has overstepped the crease but it won’t be sufficient to rescue South Africa in this Test

The Report by Brydon Coverdale25-Nov-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Michael Hussey scored a half-century as Australia retained control of the match on the fourth day•Getty ImagesZero to one millimetre of rain is forecast for the final day in Adelaide. One millimetre can be enough to save a batsman if a bowler has overstepped the crease but it won’t be sufficient to rescue South Africa in this Test. They will need either an unexpected deluge or something equally miraculous from their remaining batsmen if they are to avoid defeat, and although South African sides have done remarkable things before, it is impossible to see any way out of this predicament.Michael Clarke left Adelaide Oval on the fourth evening knowing that only six wickets stood between his men and a 1-0 series lead. Even though the Australians were one bowler down after James Pattinson was ruled out of the rest of the Test summer due to injury, the strong start provided by Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon meant the effect of his absence was significantly lessened. At stumps, South Africa were 4 for 77 in their chase of 430, with AB de Villiers on 12 and Faf du Plessis on 19.Smart stats

South Africa’s run rate of 1.54 in their second innings is at the moment their third-slowest in an innings in which they’ve faced at least 50 overs since 1990. In 1994 at the same venue, they scored 129 in 105.5 overs.

Graeme Smith’s duck is only his third in the fourth innings of a Test, and his first since the Super Test in 2005. Since that 0, he’d scored 1092 runs in fourth innings at 60.66.

AB de Villiers’ 11 off 102 balls is so far his slowest innings among those in which he has faced at least 20 balls.

The unbeaten 32-run stand between de Villiers and Faf du Plessis has consumed 29 overs – it’s the second slowest so far for any stand which has lasted 150 or more balls, since 1990.

Imran Tahir’s none for 260 is the most runs conceded in a Test without taking a wicket.

Since 1990, the most balls South Africa have survived in the fourth innings after the fall of the fourth wicket is 439 (73.1 overs) in Sydney in 2009. This pair has survived 29 overs so far.

The target never appeared particularly realistic. Smith’s men have done the seemingly impossible before, chasing down 414 in Perth four years ago, but the Adelaide Oval pitch had started to break up and was providing a much sterner challenge. The highest successful chase ever recorded in Test history was the 418 scored by West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2003, and once this target had moved into such territory Clarke was happy to declare and give his bowlers four and a half sessions to do their job.His declaration paid off handsomely. In the first over of South Africa’s innings, Smith edged Hilfenhaus to slip and was snapped up sharply by Ricky Ponting. Soon afterwards, Hashim Amla (17) also departed to an edge, his drive at a straight ball from Lyon flying to first slip, where Clarke juggled the chance on his second grab.Jacques Rudolph at no point looked like a threat and was out for 3 when he clipped Lyon off his pads and was brilliantly taken low to the ground by Ed Cowan at short leg. And the man who had been at the other end while all of those wickets fell, Alviro Petersen, made it 4 for 45 in the next over when he played on to Siddle.By the time de Villiers and du Plessis came together, the South Africans had clearly decided to shut up shop. Crease occupation was their only concern for the remainder of the day and the pair managed it. By the time stumps arrived, the South Africans had managed only one boundary in the past 43 overs, a remarkable figure given the tiny dimensions of Adelaide Oval square of the wicket. De Villiers had 12 from 101 balls; du Plessis 19 from 74.It was hard to believe it was the same match that had produced 482 runs on the first day. Australia’s runs also came quickly in the final stages of their second innings as Hilfenhaus (18 not out) and Pattinson (29 not out) found the boundary a number of times before Clarke called an end to the innings at 8 for 267, about an hour into the second session.Earlier, it was Michael Hussey who kept the scoreboard ticking over. The South Africans really needed to pick up where they left off on the third afternoon, when their fast men troubled Australia’s top order. But the runs flowed a little too easily for Hussey and Clarke during the morning, especially off the legspin of Imran Tahir, who continued to leak nearly a run a ball and ended up with the most expensive wicketless analysis ever in a Test match, 0 for 260.Dale Steyn broke the 70-run partnership when he had Clarke lbw for 38, a hopeful review from Australia’s captain not saving him. But the runs kept coming from Hussey, who was not only lightning fast between the wickets but was finding the gaps in the field with impressive regularity, and brought up his half-century from his 81st ball with a punch through cover-point for four.Hussey fell for 54 in the last over before lunch when he tried to pull Morne Morkel and succeeded only in top-edging a catch to Steyn at midwicket. Matthew Wade departed soon after lunch when he tickled a catch behind off Morkel, but by then South Africa’s task was already substantial. By stumps, substantial appeared an understatement.

Matthew Wade is confident he can do the No.6 position justice in the Sydney Test after the captain Michael Clarke declared Wade would likely move up in the absence of Shane Watson

Brydon Coverdale31-Dec-2012Matthew Wade is confident he can do the No.6 position justice in the Sydney Test after the captain Michael Clarke declared Wade would likely move up in the absence of Shane Watson. Usman Khawaja is on standby for Clarke, who is still carrying a hamstring niggle, but is not expected to replace the injured Watson, with the allrounder Glenn Maxwell more likely to take Watson’s place.Clarke said after the Melbourne Test that if Maxwell played he would most probably bat at No.7, with Wade to shift up to six and Clarke and the retiring Michael Hussey also moving up the list to Nos.4 and 5 respectively. That means extra responsibility for Wade, who has scored a hundred and two half-centuries during his eight-Test career, but he said his experience in the top six for Victoria would hold him in good stead.”I’d be comfortable moving up to No.6 if that’s what the team needed me to do to win a Test match,” Wade said in Sydney on Monday. “I’ve been lucky enough to bat at six for Victoria for a couple of years now. In terms of impact on keeping, it doesn’t make too much of a difference coming one up the order. I’m happy to bat at six if the team needs me, or stay at seven.”Traditionally, No.7 has been the position occupied by Australian wicketkeepers. Even the great Adam Gilchrist only batted at No.6 on 14 occasions in his Test career, while Wade’s predecessor Brad Haddin filled the role seven times. Gilchrist had success in the No.6 spot, scoring 645 Test runs at 49.61 including two centuries, but Haddin managed only 126 runs at an average of 18.But more often than not, Gilchrist had the luxury of coming in with plenty of runs already on the board. Australia’s average four-down total when Gilchrist came to the crease as a Test No.6 was 223; for Haddin, the average was 110. Given the lack of experience in Australia’s batting line-up, Wade shouldn’t be surprised if he walks out with relatively few runs on the board, but he does not believe he will be under any extra pressure.”My personal expectation if I’m at six or seven is to contribute runs to the team,” Wade said. “Personally that doesn’t change for me. Maybe outside expectation is that the No.6 needs to get a little bit more runs, but I’m trying to get runs every time I bat.”I’ll bat exactly the same. If I get the opportunity to bat at six, I’m guessing Pup will talk to me a couple of days out and he’ll just want me to bat the same but in the No.6 position. I wouldn’t be changing my game plan at all.”Wade, 25, has proven himself a consistent scorer at first-class level during a career spanning six seasons. After 92 first-class innings, Wade has scored 3055 runs at 40.19, very similar figures to those of Gilchrist at the same stage of his career. After 92 first-class innings, Gilchrist had made 3080 runs at 41.06, while Haddin had 2971 runs at 35.79.Whether a move up the order could become permanent after Hussey’s retirement remains to be seen, but if Watson chooses to give up bowling such a change would allow Australia to pick an extra bowling allrounder for each Test. Regardless of where he bats, Wade’s role in the coming months is likely to include greater leadership, for the absence of Hussey and Ricky Ponting has left the Australian line-up lacking experience.Over the past year, Wade has become a permanent presence in the Australian line-up in all three formats and only David Warner, who hasn’t missed a match, has represented Australia more times in the past 12 months than Wade, who has played 46 of a possible 49 games. In that time, the only matches he didn’t play were during last summer’s Test series against India, when Haddin remained the first-choice gloveman.Wade’s heavy workload could mean he is asked by the selectors to rest during the upcoming ODIs or Twenty20 internationals against Sri Lanka or West Indies, especially with a big year coming up, including a four-Test tour of India and two Ashes series. Wade said he was not keen to take a break but would do so if the selectors insisted.”I don’t want to stop playing cricket for Australia, not at all,” Wade said. “But I don’t think that will be my decision, that will be a decision that will be made higher up, if I am going to rest any games. I want to play every game that I can for Australia, but I fully understand where the people are coming from above.”Going forward with how much cricket we are playing, the rest of the fast bowlers and if I end up having a rest, it will be beneficial down the track. But at the time, no cricketer wants to rest. I’m not expecting it, but if it comes along I’ve got to be open to that discussion.”

Nagenahira Nagas captain Angelo Mathews believed his side had a winning total in the SLPL final which they could have defended had weather not intervened to cut the second innings short

Andrew Fernando in Colombo01-Sep-2012Angelo Mathews, the Nagenahira Nagas captain, believed his side had a winning total in the SLPL final which they could have defended had weather not intervened to cut the second innings short, and make Uva Next champions via the Duckworth/Lewis method. Mathews’ dazzling 73 from 27 balls took Nagenahira to 134 for 4 from their 15 overs after his side had spluttered to 47 for 3 from 9 overs, following a first rain delay that shortened the game. Uva then hurtled to 63 for 1 from 5.1 overs, before a second heavy downpour stopped play and the D/L calculation deemed them victors by 19 runs.”Getting to [134] after losing a few wickets early on and being 40-odd after nine overs, it was a great effort by the whole batting unit,” Mathews said. “In the remaining six overs, we got the maximum number of runs you could hope for. The wicket was pretty slow, so [134] was a very good score, but unfortunately the rain gods had their say and that was that.”Uva opener Dilshan Munaweera blasted 44 from 23 balls to propel his side beyond the D/L par score. He struck five sixes and two fours in his innings, and with a promoted Seekkuge Prasanna also contributing two sixes, Uva hit a six in each over they faced.”The way Uva batted when they came out, they had nothing to lose, so they went for their shots and batted well.”The match may not have been completed had the two captains not agreed to continue playing on a sodden outfield. Three days of heavy rain had left parts of the ground muddy and the downpour that interrupted Nagenahira’s innings made those areas more slippery. Uva captain Thilina Kandamby commended Mathews on his willingness to play on, but Mathews said it was not a difficult decision to make, given they were playing in front of around 30,000 fans – by far the biggest crowd of the tournament.”I thought it [outfield] was pretty good apart from the boundary line. We couldn’t disappoint the crowds as well because it was a huge turnout today. After all it became and exciting game.”

Mathews also said despite the poor result in the final, he was proud of his side’s performance in the SLPL, particularly as they did not have the star players other teams had secured in the draft.”We never had big names, it’s just that we gelled quite well and we enjoyed each other’s company and success. I thought the team spirit was wonderful. Each time we walked into a game we just wanted to win and the whole unit was unbelievable.”

The Australian umpire Simon Taufel will step down from the ICC’s elite panel at the end of the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Sep-2012The Australian umpire Simon Taufel will step down from the ICC’s elite panel at the end of the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka. He will be replaced by his countryman Bruce Oxenford, who will join the elite panel from November 1, having impressed the ICC with his work at international level over the past few years.Taufel, 41, will take up the newly-created role of umpire performance and training manager with the ICC, a job that he hopes will allow him to spend more time at home in Sydney with his wife and children after nearly a decade of travelling the world as a match official. Taufel was named the ICC’s Umpire of the Year five successive times from 2004 to 2008 and has remained one of the game’s most respected umpires throughout his career.In 2011, he stood in the World Cup final and has also been in the middle for the deciders of the World Twenty20 in 2007 and 2009, as well as the Champions Trophy in 2004. However, Taufel also endured the horror of being part of the group of officials shot at during the terrorist attack in Pakistan in 2009.”Following the ICC World Twenty20 Sri Lanka 2012, I’m moving on from active international umpiring for personal and professional reasons,” Taufel said. “My wife and children have supported me immensely throughout my career and it is time for me to spend more time with them.”My passion for cricket umpiring and personal professional development has shifted from on the field to off the field. In my new position as ICC umpire performance and training manager, I look forward to help create professional programmes and resources to support the current and future generations of cricket match officials. The new role includes working closely with the national cricket federations which is really exciting as is continuing to work with the entire cricket community in helping the development of our cricket umpires.”The ICC’s chief executive, Dave Richardson, said: “Simon has been one of the most respected umpires for over a decade due to his excellent decision-making and man-management skills. He has been a role model for umpires globally who look to him for inspiration and guidance.”I am delighted that he will be working with us to groom and develop the next generation of elite umpires and have no doubt that he will be equally successful in his new role as ICC’s umpire performance and training manager. In the meantime I know that Simon, thorough professional that he is, will want to focus on the job at hand, that of getting things right on the field, something he has done as well as any other umpire in the history of the game.”Taufel will leave the game having stood in 74 Test matches and 174 one-day internationals. He made his international debut at the age of 27 in a one-day international in Sydney in 1999 and his first Test appearance came in the Boxing Day Test of 2000, when he was 29.A former leading schoolboy cricketer in Sydney, Taufel was a fast bowler who played in teams alongside Michael Slater and Adam Gilchrist. However, a back injury ended his playing career and he took to umpiring at a young age.His replacement on the international panel, Oxenford, is a former first-class cricketer who played eight matches for Queensland in the early 1990s. Oxenford, 52, made his debut as an international umpires in a T20 match in early 2006 and over the past three years has regularly been appointed to tours outside Australia as part of the ICC’s international panel.”Bruce is a very experienced and respected umpire, and follows a long line of elite Australian umpires,” Vince van der Bijl, the ICC’s umpire and referee manager, said. “He has been umpiring at the first-class level for well over a decade and is committed and dedicated to officiating. We are delighted to welcome Bruce, who will add his own brand of professionalism, energy and love of umpiring to the elite panel.”

Television ratings for the IPL have continued to fall in comparison to 2011, but observers say the IPL is still a “very successful media property”

Tariq Engineer20-Apr-2012Television ratings for the IPL have continued to fall in comparison to 2011, but observers say the IPL is still a “very successful media property” and when it comes to ratings, it has been a victim of its own initial success.The average Television Viewer Ratings (TVR) for the first 16 games of 2012 was 3.65, down 8.75% from the average of 4.00 at the same point last season. (TVR is a time-weighted figure which accounts for time spent by viewers in addition to the number of viewers). The cumulative number of people who tuned in to watch those games also declined from 127.40 million to 122.44 million, a drop of 3%, according to TAM Sports, a division of Tam Media Research, the leading television ratings agency in India (“Cumulative reach” is the number of individuals who watched a channel/programme for at least one minute).However, the continued popularity of the league in relation to other television channels was reflected in the IPL [shown on Set Max] claiming the top five highest rated shows for the week from April 8 to April 14 and seven of the top 10, as reported by . The game that drew the highest rating was Mumbai Indians’ Kieron Pollard-inspired defeat of Rajasthan Royals on April 11, which posted a TVR of 5.26. Mumbai Indians’ last-ball victory over Deccan Chargers on April 9 finished a close second, with a rating of 5.2.”Viewership may have dropped but give me any other property that gives that kind of TVRs,” Hiren Pandit, Managing Partner-Entertainment, Sports and Partnerships at Group M, a prominent media buying agency, told ESPNcricinfo. “That in itself says everything. The story is about, are you comparing the IPL to the IPL or are you comparing it to something else.”What we need to keep in mind is that any repeat has also delivered lower TVRs. At some point, it will settle down.”Typically, if a television program on a general entertainment channel posts an average TVR of 4.00, it is considered to be a success. At this stage in 2010, the IPL had an average rating for 4.61. However, with the IPL on television screens every day for seven weeks, even an average of 3.65 is an indication of a show with a strong appeal. “Getting a three-something TVR is not bad at all,” Santosh Desai, brand analyst and managing director of Future Brands, said. “To get it consistently on a daily basis is excellent. There is nothing that compares. You are talking about a very successful media property.”Of course, none of this is to say the league does not have its concerns. Prior to the season starting on April 4, Sony had reportedly only sold 60-70% of its total inventory (at a rate of around Rs 5 lakhs for a ten-second spot) and has fewer advertisers this year than last. Executives at Sony did not respond to calls or text messages seeking comment.According to Desai, the IPL’s biggest problem is that it was overpriced at the very beginning, with too many people trying to squeeze too much money out of it. Viewership for the tournament is also based on sentiment, he said, and sentiment can change very quickly. “When the tide turns, then it can turn dramatically.”One potential explanation for the decline in ratings, Desai said, is that some of the non-cricketing audiences that took to the IPL in earlier years are now returning to their normal viewing habits. “The moment you decide to watch the IPL, you decide not to watch something else. So I think what you are seeing is a tipping of the balance back and a return to normal programming by the non-cricketing audience.”Pandit expects the ratings to be improve thanks the recent spate of close games and said that in the ultimate analysis, the league’s continued appeal with viewers will depend on the quality of the cricket and not the entertainment that surrounds it. If the matches are exciting, then “you don’t want to miss out when someone in the office tells you, ‘did you see the match last night?'”

Kane Williamson continued his impressive form with another century as Gloucestershire secured a crushing win over Leicestershire

13-May-2012
ScorecardKane Williamson’s career-best one-day score of 112 led Gloucestershire to a thumping 164-run win over Leicestershire at Bristol. The New Zealander top-scored in a total of 294 for 6, receiving excellent support from Benny Howell, who made 88 and shared in a third-wicket stand of 152.In reply Leicestershire, who had won the toss, could manage only 130 as Chris Dent picked up four for 43 with his offspin and seamer Graeme McCarter 3 for 15. Robert Taylor top scored with 29 not out.Williamson walked to the wicket with Gloucestershire 44 for 2 in the seventh over. By the time he was dismissed the scoreboard read 269 for 5 and he had faced 92 balls, hitting eight fours, in beating his previous best one-day score of 108.Howell, who is hoping for a Gloucestershire contract after being employed on a match-by-match basis, excelled for the third successive CB40 game, following up scores of 72 not out against the Netherlands and 45 not out against Middlesex with another fluent innings.The former Hampshire player faced 82 deliveries and blasted nine fours and a six before being the victim of a leg-side stumping by Ned Eckersley off Taylor.Leicestershire’s fielding was sluggish and their bowlers had a tendency to drop short, a failing punished relentlessly by Williamson and Howell. Alex Gidman and Ian Cockbain made brisk contributions to a positive Gloucestershire batting display.Leicestershire made the worst possible start to their reply as, without a run on the board, Josh Cobb was caught at short midwicket off Ian Saxelby. It was 33 for 2 when Greg Smith was bowled by Will Gidman, a wicket that brought captain Ramnaresh Sarwan to the crease.He could only watch as Jacques du Toit and Matt Boyce departed in quick succession to leave their team 55 for 4 in the 15th over and already well behind the required run rate. The game was as good as over by the time Jon Batty stumped Wayne White off Dent to make it 65 for 5 in the 19th over.Sarwan himself could only struggle to 18 off 33 balls, without hitting a boundary, in a dismal Leicestershire performance. It was 74 for 6 when he was out and, despite Taylor’s late rally, Gloucestershire were soon to make it four points from their first three Group A games.

Graham Gooch has been appointed as England’s full-time batting coach, after previously working with the team on a part-time basis

George Dobell in Dubai18-Feb-2012Graham Gooch has been appointed as England’s full-time batting coach. Gooch has been working with the team on a part-time basis – 100 days per year – since November 2009, but will take on the role full time from March 5 as England prepare for their Test series against Sri Lanka.The appointment is, in part, a reaction to the struggles of the England batsmen in the recently concluded Test series against Pakistan in the UAE. England lost the series 3-0 with many of the batsmen struggling to adapt to conditions that encouraged spin bowling. England only surpassed 300 once in the series and were bowled out for under 200 on four occasions. The nadir came when they were skittled for just 72 in the second Test in Abu Dhabi.Gooch returned to England on the eve of that Test. At the time Andy Flower, the England coach, admitted that “in a perfect world” Gooch would have remained with the team for the rest of the tour and his subsequent appointment provides further evidence of the ECB’s willingness to invest in the success of the international side. England’s ability to adapt to Asian conditions will be tested further when they tour Sri Lanka next month and India before Christmas.”Graham has been working really successfully with the England team in a part-time capacity,” Hugh Morris, England’s managing director, said. “The batsmen have progressed under him in that time. He will be spending time with the Test and the one-day teams but really importantly away from the Test match grounds he will now also be able to spend some quality time one on one with our top batters.”He is one of the iconic batsmen in English cricket and the guys enjoy having him around. He has a real gravitas, he is a workaholic and that is the kind of culture we are trying to develop with the England team.”Gooch, 58, who played 118 Tests and is the leading English runscorer in the format, stood down as Essex’s first-team batting coach in December to focus on his England responsibilities. He will now have more time to work with all centrally contracted players as well as other players selected for England squads. Graham Thorpe will continue in his role as ECB Lead Batting Coach, which involves working with batsmen on the England Performance Programme and those selected for England Lions. The ECB hopes that Thorpe and Gooch will help ensure a smooth transition for batsmen between the England Performance Programme and the senior England side.Gooch said: “I am delighted to be taking on the role of England batting coach on a full time basis. I will now have the opportunity to spend a lot more time with the players and other coaches both in the build-up to series and during the series themselves. I firmly believe that with the talent we have at the moment within the batting unit and those pressing for places we can continue to develop and improve as a side which is a very exciting prospect.”Flower added: “Graham has an excellent relationship with our batsman and is already an important part of our management team so I am very pleased that he will be joining us on a full-time basis. We have a challenging period of cricket ahead of us and I am very much looking forward to continuing to work closely with Graham as we look to improve across all formats of the game.”

Ravi Bopara, who relinquished an IPL deal last year to concentrate on winning a place in England’s Test side, has changed his stance by joining the 2012 auction

George Dobell20-Jan-2012Ravi Bopara, who relinquished an IPL deal last year to concentrate on winning a place in England’s Test side, has changed his stance by joining a host of England players in the preliminary list for the 2012 player auction.Bopara chose to play County Championship cricket for Essex early last season on the advice of his England and Essex mentor Graham Gooch but his form was patchy and Eoin Morgan, who was unabashed about his preference for IPL, was preferred to him for the final batting spot in the first Test against Sri Lanka.James Anderson, Graeme Swann, Matt Prior and Chris Tremlett are among other England players who appear in the preliminary list for the 2012 IPL auction. Swann and Anderson failed to win a place last year, their appeal not enhanced by a clash with England’s first home Test series of the season.Despite a heavy schedule for England throughout 2012 – they play 15 Tests, 17 ODIs and seven Twenty20 internationals, as well as defending their World T20 title – the players are keen to follow the likes of Morgan and Kevin Pietersen in experiencing IPL and the rewards available.Stuart Broad, England’s T20 captain, might have gained from more experience in 20-over cricket but he has suffered a troubled time through injury and he will have delighted the England management by choosing to rest and recuperate.Strictly speaking, the ECB could prevent any English players from participating in the IPL by withholding no objection certificates, but their resistance seems to be lessening, perhaps after pressure from the Professional Cricketers Association.There may also be a growing recognition that players will want to enhance their earnings and that experience of playing in Asian conditions and against some of the best players in the world should prove beneficial ahead of the World T20 in Sri Lanka in September.The auction will be held on February 4 in Bangalore and the IPL season runs between April 4 and May 27. The involvement of England players is likely to be curtailed by international duty, with their series in Sri Lanka not finishing until April 7 and their series against West Indies starting on May 17.Other England, or former England, players involved in the auction are Luke Wright, who recently made the fastest century in Australian domestic T20s in the Big Bash League, Rikki Clarke, Jade Dernbach, Simon Jones and Mal Loye. Azhar Mahmood, the former Pakistan international who now has a UK passport, is also included.Swann is the only player in the preliminary list for the 2012 IPL auction to command the highest reserve price: US$400,000. Two former Australia spinners, Brad Hogg and Stuart MacGill, are the oldest players on the list, at 41 and 40 respectively. Both their reserve prices have been set at $100,000.A total of 183 players have been listed for the auction that will be held in Bangalore, but that number does not include the players from the terminated Kochi Tuskers Kerala franchise. ESPNcricinfo understands they will be included in the final list for the auction.

England have just not got their basics right in the ongoing ODI series, batsman Jonathan Trott has said, while India are a much improved side to what they were during their tour of England

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Oct-2011England batsman Jonathan Trott has said that his team have not managed to get their basics right so far in the ODI series against India. The visitors, he said, have lost key moments in the games so far, contributing to the 3-0 scoreline.”I just think we haven’t played as well as we did in England. Our basics haven’t been up to scratch. Things like big partnerships, fielding …” Trott told on the eve of the fourth ODI in Mumbai. “I think India have played well. They will admit they’ve played a lot better than what they did in the summer. But there are two games to go and a good performance in those games would give us a spring while going back.”I can’t pinpoint the exact reason [for England’s losses]. I think we lost key periods of the games or India played well in the key periods of the games.”Trott made an unbeaten 98 off 116 balls in the third ODI in Mohali, the main contributor in England’s total of 298. India, though, chased down the target with four balls and five wickets to spare. Trott said it was an improved performance by England, but it would have helped if he and Ravi Bopara had made better use of the batting Powerplay. “I think we played well the other night. Got a good total – I think 298 the other night is among England’s highest scores in India – but just could not get across the line.”I think Ravi and I could have pushed it a little bit. I think Ravi got out in the third Powerplay. So when we lose wickets, it puts the brakes on. Historically, we haven’t done well in Powerplays. We would be looking to do that right.”The spotlight has been on England’s on-field conduct – throughout the series the players have been agitated in the field – but Trott played down the issue. “Whichever XI takes the field, they are highly motivated to win,” he said. “I think guys get across very well. It just comes across differently on TV. We get the best out of each other. Sometimes you go out of way to do it, and things happen in the heat of the moment.”Trott said Ajinkya Rahane, who made 91 in Mohali, had the look of a fine player. “I played against him in the 2007-08 Duleep Trophy game [between England Lions and West Zone] and he got some runs against us. I always felt he’s a good player. He played quite well the other night.”Meanwhile, England are working out India’s spinners, he said. “They [Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin] are very good spinners – if you are a spin bowler playing for India, you have to be very good. I’ve been very keen on how to bat against them for three games in a row. Like with everything else, you need to realise [be aware of] every challenge. I think we are getting better and better against them.”