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Assam withdrew the appeal during the tea break right after the dismissal and the decision was accepted by the umpires

Vishal Dikshit16-Feb-2024Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane was given out obstructing the field for the first time in his 16-year professional career, before he was dramatically called back to bat because the opposition, Assam, withdrew the appeal in the last league game of the Ranji Trophy at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy in Mumbai.Rahane was batting on 18 with Mumbai on 102 for 4 in the last over before the scheduled tea break, when he drove his 52nd delivery, from Assam fast bowler and debutant Dibakar Johri, to mid-on and took off for a single. But by the time his batting partner Shivam Dube denied the single and sent Rahane back, Assam captain Denish Das fired in a throw at the keeper’s end and hit Rahane who was trying to get back to the crease.The Assam players went up in an appeal immediately for “obstructing the field” and Rahane was given out by the on-field umpire on the fourth ball of the 25th over. Tea was taken two balls early with Mumbai 102 for 5 in reply to Assam’s 84 all out.Related

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However, Assam decided to withdraw the appeal during the tea break and told the umpires as much. As per the laws, the appeal for a dismissal needs to be withdrawn before the next ball is bowled and has to be accepted by the umpires for the batter to be recalled. Luckily for Rahane, there was a break in play after his temporary dismissal and both teams were back in the dressing room. The withdrawal of the appeal was accepted by the umpires and Rahane walked out to bat again about 20 minutes later.Shardul Thakur later said Rahane was reluctant to bat again “because his ethics didn’t allow him,” but also explained what he saw on the replays in the dressing room, which could have led to the withdrawal of the appeal.”We were playing the video [in the dressing room] and all we saw was he turned and he was running in a straight line,” Thakur said after the day’s play. “So at no point he changed his direction. The only direction that was changed was when he took that turn and after that he didn’t change his direction looking at the ball and he wasn’t trying to obstruct the field. But yes umpires felt that he could be given out since the throw was aimed at the stumps but I think the Assam coach also saw the video and he didn’t feel Rahane had done it purposely and obstructed the throw.”Thakur emphasised that Rahane had not changed his direction while running because as per Law 37.1, as stated by the MCC, “Either batter is out Obstructing the field if, except in the circumstances of 37.2, and while the ball is in play, he/she wilfully attempts to obstruct or distract the fielding side by word or action.” Law 37.2 further states: “A batter shall not be out Obstructing the field if the obstruction or distraction is accidental, or the obstruction is in order to avoid injury…”Thakur further said the Assam coach Trevor Gonsalves walked up to the Mumbai dressing room during the tea break to “apologise” for the appeal and asked Rahane to resume batting after the break.”They wanted to withdraw the appeal and since it was tea time, they couldn’t convey it immediately but their coach walked up to us and he said, ‘we apologise for the appeal because it was in the heat of the moment and we want to withdraw the appeal.’ He conveyed the same thing to the umpires also and probably it was mutually agreed that Rahane would go on to bat. But Ajinkya was not keen on going back again because he said once he’s given out, it’s out. But we convinced him that if it’s not out then you can go and bat again and if you do that, it’ll be for the team. His ethics didn’t allow him to do that but for the team it was needed that he goes back again and bats.”Rahane padded up again and went out with Dube but couldn’t capitalise on his luck and was bowled by the same bowler four overs after the tea break. He survived only 17 more deliveries and was eventually sent back for 22 off 69 balls.Rahane had earlier struck three fours in his innings – two through the covers and one wide of mid-on – and was reviving Mumbai’s innings with Dube after they were 60 for 4 in the 16th over. Their partnership was worth 50 off 77 deliveries, including 16 runs from Rahane, 30 from Dube and four extras.Rahane has so far had an unimpressive Ranji season with just 112 runs from eight innings at an average of 16.00. He had missed two league games with injuries when the team was led by Shams Mulani against Bihar and by Dube against Bengal.Assam were earlier bowled out in just 32.1 overs as Shardul Thakur, who returned from a niggle in the last round, ran through the visitors with figures of 6 for 21 from 10.1 overs after Mumbai had opted to bowl.It was Thakur’s first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket in two years and he was playing only his second Ranji game of the season after recovering from an ankle niggle that had kept him out of action for a few weeks. He said he was now back to full fitness and ready to bowl as many overs as required in a day.”All I tried to do was pitch in the right areas and once we got a couple of wickets, the whole idea was to take four to five wickets before lunch time,” he said. “We weren’t targeting them to take all 10 wickets but the whole idea was to take as many wickets we could and if we could take five wickets in a session that would be brilliant. Shams also chipping in after my spell, he got those two wickets, and the last three or four wickets were the icing on the cake.Mumbai are currently leading the Group B table with 30 points after four wins, one draw and a loss from six games and have already qualified for the quarter-finals.

“We know very well that if we win against India, it will be called an upset. We will try to play our best cricket”

Mohammad Isam01-Nov-20221:44

Shakib: ‘India one of the favourites – if we win, it will be an upset’

Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan has downplayed the team’s chances against India, who he feels are the “favourites”, but says he will try to produce an “upset”, when the two sides meet in the T20 World Cup in Adelaide on Wednesday. Shakib called on his young team to forget about India’s might and play with a “nothing to lose” mentality, as he feels Bangladesh are “not here to win the World Cup”.Asked what Bangladesh’s next target is after overcoming Netherlands and Zimbabwe, Shakib said: “We want to play well in the next two matches (against India and Pakistan), so if we can win one of them, it will count as an upset.Related

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“We will be happy to inflict that upset. Both teams, on paper, are better than us. If we play well, if it is our day, why can’t we win? We have seen Ireland beat England, and Zimbabwe beat Pakistan in this World Cup. A similar result will definitely make us happy.”As I said in Bangla before, India is the favourite team, they came here to win the World Cup. We are not favourites, we didn’t come here to win the World Cup. We know very well that if we win against India, it will be called an upset. We will try to play our best cricket.”These are usually not the words that fans would want to hear, particularly during a World Cup when emotions are high. India also have a better head-to-head record in T20Is, having won ten T20Is and lost only one against Bangladesh. Shakib feels India will be particularly dangerous at the Adelaide Oval, having played here 29 times compared to Bangladesh’s experience of playing in this venue only once.”I can’t say that (the day-night timing) makes it equally balanced (for both sides),” he said. “India have played plenty of matches in all formats in this ground [29 times, overall]. Only Taskin and I have played here from our team. Quite naturally, it is not the same feeling. We will try very hard to give our 100 percent, to get the best result for the team.”They have tied up teams below 160 in all their matches. We have to bat really well to get 160-170, which is a par score in this World Cup. We have to play really well against India’s bowling. They have some world class players.”He also praised his side for closing out tight matches, particularly the one against Zimbabwe in which Bangladesh were expected to struggle on the pacy and bouncy Gabba wicket. Instead, they defended 150 with consistent performances from the fast bowlers and won the game by three runs.”Most T20 matches are decided in the last two overs. It is important to hold on to the nerve,” Shakib said. “We are turning around from a time when we lost a lot of close matches. We are improving in that regard, by winning a couple of close games.”I am definitely satisfied (with our performance). We were playing well except for the game against South Africa. It can happen in T20s. We want to play well in the remaining matches, which is very difficult in different conditions and against different attacks. I believe our team is capable of playing well consistently.”He also hoped that Bangladesh’s 2015 World Cup memories at this venue, when their 15-run win over England took them to the knockout stages of a World Cup for the first time, could inspire them.

The wicketkeeper-batter is flying back to Dhaka for “family reasons”

Mohammad Isam14-Jul-2021Mushfiqur Rahim will miss the remainder of Bangladesh’s tour of Zimbabwe for “family reasons”, according to the BCB. He will travel back to Dhaka today from Harare. The visitors have an ICC Super League ODI series scheduled from July 16, and a T20I series from July 23.”The Bangladesh Cricket Board requests that all respect the privacy of Mushfiqur and his family at this time,” a BCB release said.Related

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Rahim played the one-off Test in Harare last week but, having injured his hand while batting, stayed off the field for most of the game. He was also initially supposed to skip the T20I series after the board granted him leave.He wasn’t named in the T20I squad against Zimbabwe but on Tuesday, chief selector Minhajul Abedin had said Rahim could be among the ODI squad players to stay back for the T20Is due to quarantine rules for the upcoming T20I series against Australia at home.The BCB and CA have agreed that everyone involved in the series must be in quarantine for ten days prior to entering the tour’s bio-bubble in Dhaka. As such, the selectors wanted Rahim and another player to be part of the bio-bubble in Harare, which is being considered as part of the ten-day quarantine.

He has been in constant touch with Unadkat, providing inputs about the pitch and team combination

Hemant Brar in Rajkot28-Feb-2020Saurashtra will miss Cheteshwar Pujara’s batting prowess during their Ranji Trophy semi-final against Gujarat, but his cricketing know-how is still very much with his domestic side.Despite being in New Zealand, Pujara has been in constant touch with Saurashtra captain Jaydev Unadkat, providing inputs about the pitch and the team combination.”Cheteshwar has been carrying this team as much as I have been,” Unadkat said on the eve of the semi-final. “He was there with us for the first five-six games this season which was good. I have been in constant touch with him regarding how the team is doing, and he has also been asking me about things from there [New Zealand]. I had a word with him the last night for that matter, about how the pitch is and what the team composition should be going into this game. So he is very much in touch, and he does care a lot about this team and I am just happy that he is as much passionate for this team as we all are.”Pujara was instrumental in taking Saurashtra to the final last season. His unbeaten 67 against Uttar Pradesh in the quarter-finals helped Saurashtra pull off a record chase. Then in the semi-finals, he scored 45 and 131 not out against Karnataka to give his side a shot at the title. However, they faltered against defending champions Vidarbha in the final, making it their second defeat in the final in the last four years.ALSO READ: Saurashtra and Gujarat, familiar foesUnadkat, however, believes the current bunch will win a maiden Ranji title for Saurashtra in the next couple of years, if not now. “The one thing that I have been telling my team, and I would like to make it public now, is that I have told these guys that this is the group of players that is going to win the trophy for Saurashtra, be it this year, be it the next year, or two years from now. This is the group that’s gonna win the trophy.”What I tell the guys is not to take the added pressure just because we have lost a couple of finals, and what if we don’t win another final. Obviously, we are still one game away from the final, and I have been saying it’s one game at a time now, in the knockouts especially. Even if we reach the final, that will remain the same. I will tell the guys that we are already doing things we should be proud of as a team. It doesn’t really matter if we falter in one game. Obviously, I am as hungry as anyone else to win the trophy but having said that I am pretty much sure this group of players will do it at some point for Saurashtra if not now.”Jaydev Unadkat picked up 6 for 51 to stifle Himachal Pradesh•Shailesh Bhatnagar

The immediate hurdle for Saurashtra though is Gujarat, who had topped the combined Elite A and B groups and have been unbeaten so far. But, according to Unadkat, if his side can keep playing the way they have been, the can beat any side.”I believe on paper both teams are equally strong,” Unadkat said. “At the same time, it’s how we have played our cricket in the last two seasons, the brand of cricket we have played is something I am proud of and we continue that, I don’t think we cannot not beat any team, be this team or any other team.”Unadkat himself has been in great form this season and is currently the joint-leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 55 wickets at an average of 11.80 and a strike rate of 25.2. While that gives an impression it has been a one-man show, Unadkat clarified that’s not the case.”There has to be one strike bowler in the team who should be leading the attack,” Unadkat said. “It was Dhamendra[sinh Jadeja] doing it last year for us, and I have been doing that this season. I was doing well last season as well, that’s why we were bowling in tandem, which wasn’t the case this year but I still believe the way Prerak [Mankad] and Chirag [Jani] have bowled this season – they have 30 [32] wickets combined if not more than that – so I think they are supporting me well.”Yes, I have been taking the load of taking wickets, still it’s a bowling attack that’s balanced. Dharmendra has provided crucial breakthroughs, it has been just one or two breakthroughs that’s why it’s not visible that much but he has actually given us those crucial breakthroughs throughout the season. So, I just hope it continues like that and I don’t mind taking the extra load if they keep continuing doing the same job.”It’s my responsibility as a strike bowler that whenever the team requires, I provide the breakthroughs. This has happened two-three times this season that I have been able to do it and win the games. That’s why my performance is more visible this time. As far as my bowling is concerned, I am in a great mental space right now. I am not really worried about my own performance, I just want this team to win and I want to contribute to that. Side by side if I am taking wickets, that’s good for the team and for me as well. So I am just happy how things are going.”

Eighteen wickets fall on thrilling second day of first Test with West Indies in control against England

The Report by Valkerie Baynes24-Jan-2019West Indies 127 for 6 (Dowrich 27*, Holder 7*) lead England 77 (Jennings 17, Roach 5-17) by 339 runs
England were entitled to stride off the Kensington Oval after less than an hour’s play on day two with their chests thrust forward and grins on their faces, a job well done. They had, after all, restricted West Indies to a total of 289 on a pitch both captains wanted to bat on first.Three and a half hours later, the entrance to the field had become a dizzying turnstile for touring batsmen with shoulders hunched and jaws slack, trying to fathom what had just happened.What had just happened was an absolute demolition job as West Indies’ pace attack, led by Kemar Roach, bowled England out for 77, the lowest Test total to be posted in Bridgetown and 212 runs short of the home side’s modest first-innings score.Roach’s stunning spell of five wickets for four runs in 27 balls left England reeling at 48 for 6 and, with Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph contributing two wickets apiece, the scene ended in carnage for the tourists, who had only four batsmen reach double figures with none of them making it to 20.On a day when 18 wickets fell, however, there was much more to come as England’s Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali combined to put West Indies under some pressure at 61-5.Shimron Hetmyer, West Indies’ top-scorer with 81 in the first innings, threatened to steady the second with Shane Dowrich, until Hetmyer fell for 31 late on a spectacular day of action.Dowrich remained unbeaten on 27 at the close along with Holder (7 not out) as the West Indies held a lead of 339.After James Anderson had claimed 5 for 46 to move level with Ian Botham’s record of 27 five-wicket hauls for England, and Stokes’ 4 for 59, England looked to be in a comfortable position at the end of the West Indies’ first innings.Then came Holder and Roach.West Indies captain Holder had Keaton Jennings caught cheaply, slicing a drive straight to gully to send England to lunch at 30-1.At the resumption, Roach cut loose. He flummoxed Rory Burns and Jonny Bairstow, forcing both to chop onto their stumps. At the other end, Joe Root was lbw for 4.Roach then claimed the wickets of Stokes and Moeen with consecutive balls. First to go was Stokes with an lbw that withstood England’s review. But when Roach caught Moeen on the hop with a blazing short ball next delivery that found a thick top edge, Joseph was there, on the boundary at fine leg, to pluck the catch from mid-air and add to the day’s spectacle in thrilling fashion.By the time Roach had Jos Buttler caught behind by Dowrich off a short, sharp delivery it seemed as though mere moments had punctuated the West Indies quick’s haul and, in the scheme of things, they had.Joseph combined with Dowrich to dismiss Ben Foakes for just 2, while Sam Curran was bounced out, caught by Shai Hope off the bowling of Shannon Gabriel, before Adil Rashid was last to fall.While the day belonged to Roach, Moeen and Stokes added intrigue where no more was needed. As in the first innings, West Indies’ batsmen have so far failed to build on starts, with openers Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell falling early and Darren Bravo making a forgettable return to Tests after two years by adding just 1 to his first-innings total of 2.At stumps Moeen had 3 for 41 off 12 overs and Stokes 2 for 31 off 11.A talking point before the match was West Indies’ decision to pick just one spinner and four quicks, while England opted for two slow bowlers and left out Stuart Broad. Given the success of the home side’s fast bowlers, selection must remain at the forefront of England’s analysis.Anderson added Joseph’s wicket to his four from day one and Stokes ended West Indies’ first innings with the wicket of Hetmyer but, by the time Hetmyer fell again, caught by Buttler off the bowling of Curran, who had edged Broad out of the team, all that seemed so long ago.

Jake Ball said he hopes he “can bounce a few Aussies out” if he wins selection for the first Test in Brisbane

George Dobell in Brisbane20-Nov-2017Most players on the verge of their first Ashes Test might be hoping to emulate their heroes, but Jake Ball is hoping for the opposite. In one respect, anyway.Ball grew-up idolising Steve Harmison. Inspired by Harmison’s pace and hostility in the 2005 Ashes, Ball would take to the garden with his brother and “try to bounce him out”.But while he will not want to replicate Harmison’s infamous first delivery at the Gabba at start of the 2006-07 Ashes – the ball that went to second slip, a harbinger of doom for a grim series from an England perspective – he is still hoping to emulate the Harmison of 2005. And that means looking to bounce out the Australian batsmen.

Broad hit by golf ball

Stuart Broad escaped serious injury after he was hit by a golf ball while playing at Brisbane Golf Club on Monday. Broad was on the putting green when he was hit on the lower back by a stray ball hit by a member of the club. He did not require treatment and is not in any way an injury doubt ahead of Thursday’s first Ashes Test.

“I hope I can bounce a few of the Aussies out,” Ball said as he visited the Gabba for the first time on Monday. I have the height and bounce.”I showed in the first couple of games on the tour that I can extract extra bounce and the Gabba is renowned for being a bouncy pitch. Hopefully I can show that and nick a few of the Aussies off.”I’m in a really good position at the minute. I think we’re going to hit the ground running and I hope to surprise a few people. I think we’ve a really good chance.”Ball has emerged as a near certainty to play in the first Test over the last few days, which may surprise a few. He has a Test bowling average of 114, after all – he has only played three Tests and two of them were in India – and he has been limited to just 22 first-class deliveries on tour to date after spraining his ankle in Adelaide.But the spells he did bowl clearly made a strong impression. Trevor Bayliss rated Ball as the side’s “best bowler” in the warm-up match in Perth, while Jonny Bairstow reckoned he was the quickest of England’s seamers. At every state, the management have said they wanted him to play in Brisbane where his height and ability to hit the seam could be an asset.”I’m really confident in what I’m doing,” Ball said. “I’ve played club cricket in Australia. I’ve always had in the back of my mind that these pitches can really suit my style of bowling and bowling in Perth and Adelaide reinforced that.”He admits, however, that there was a moment when he feared for his Ashes prospects in the immediate aftermath of sustaining the injury.”There was a split-second where I felt something wasn’t quite right,” he said. “I had my eyes closed and I was thinking ‘Does it hurt?’ All sorts of thoughts go through your head.”It was a bit gutting, especially with bowling so well in the first couple of games.”But the medical staff have been amazing. The last couple of days in Townsville went really well and I got through 17 overs at full pace and a couple of sessions of fielding. I’m now 100% confident that I can get through a five-day Test. I’m in a really good position.”You dream about playing in the Ashes. To be here and have a chance of playing is amazing and if I do get the nod, I’ll go out there and give 100%.”We’re not intimidated. All the batters have dealt with 90mph pace before and they will deal with it again. They can talk it up, talk about their pace, but it’s nothing that we haven’t faced before. We’ll look to put the pressure back on them.”

Peter Handscomb will captain Victoria in the Matador Cup next month and will lead a squad featuring four players uncapped in one-day cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Sep-2016Peter Handscomb will captain Victoria in the Matador Cup next month and will lead a squad featuring four players uncapped in one-day cricket. Fast bowlers Jackson Coleman and Matt Doric have been included in the 14-man group, having not played state cricket in any format, while the Bushrangers also named allrounder Ian Holland and wicketkeeper Aaron Ayre, both of whom debuted in the Sheffield Shield last summer.Former Test spinner Michael Beer is also in line to play for Victoria for the first time. Beer was originally from Melbourne, but did not get a chance in state cricket until he moved to Western Australia. However, having lost his contract with the Warriors last year, he is back in Victoria and at 32 is set to make his Bushrangers debut.Batsman Marcus Harris is also set to play for Victoria for the first time, having switched from Western Australia this year. Last summer, Harris played in the Cricket Australia XI during the Matador Cup and was the leading run scorer for the young side, with 184 at 36.80.Victoria will be without usual captain Matthew Wade, opening batsman Aaron Finch and fast bowlers Scott Boland and John Hastings, all of whom are with the Australia ODI squad in South Africa. However, the axing of Glenn Maxwell from the ODI side could prove a bonus for Victoria’s hopes in the Matador Cup, as he should be available for the whole tournament.”Coleman and Doric have shown promising form in both Premier Cricket and Pathway competitions, and will help fill the roles left by our frontline pace attack currently missing through injury and overseas commitments,” Victoria’s chairman of selectors, Andrew Lynch, said. “Add to that a solid mix of young all-rounders, as well as experienced campaigners like Glenn Maxwell, Cameron White, Bobby Quiney and Dan Christian, and we’re set for a really positive month of cricket.”Beer comes in as a seasoned campaigner, and will really add depth to our spin attack led by Fawad Ahmed and Jon Holland. To have those three as well as part-timers Maxwell and White is incredibly beneficial, and leaves us with plenty of options next month.”Peter Siddle, who retained his Cricket Australia contract this year despite the likelihood he would be sidelined for a lengthy portion of the year with stress fractures in his back, was not named in the squad. James Pattinson was not named either, as he continues to work towards a return from injury.”James has been consistent with his training output over winter,” Lynch said. “He’s working hard to have his body in the physical shape required to sustain the demands of bowling when the time comes. We don’t have a definitive date for his return yet, but his strong progress to date is promising heading into summer.”Victoria squad Peter Handscomb (capt), Fawad Ahmed, Aaron Ayre, Michael Beer, Daniel Christian, Jackson Coleman, Matt Doric, Marcus Harris, Ian Holland, Jon Holland, Glenn Maxwell, Rob Quiney, Marcus Stoinis, Cameron White.

Jesse Ryder scored a breezy hundred, Ravi Bopara made a rather more steadfast 99 but James Anderson’s four-for ensured that Lancashire remain in with a sniff of conjuring the victory required if they are to overtake Surrey

Alan Gardner at Chelmsford23-Sep-2015
ScorecardJesse Ryder scored his second Championship hundred of the season•Getty Images

It was a day for high-class operators at Chelmsford. Jesse Ryder scored a breezy hundred, Ravi Bopara made a rather more steadfast 99 but James Anderson’s four-for ensured that Lancashire remain in with a sniff of conjuring the victory required if they are to overtake Surrey and claim the Division Two title.As England’s leading Test run-scorer, Alastair Cook can probably count himself in high-class category too but he managed only 1 off seven balls before losing his duel with Anderson. Forced to watch on from the Essex balcony, it is possible some of the day’s entertainment might have been lost on him. “I didn’t get a smile at lunch,” Anderson said afterwards.Anderson sat out the last two Tests of England’s Ashes victory due to a side strain but he looked to have found his groove again here, a week before the squad flies out to the UAE.”I’ve missed playing so it’s been nice to have a couple of games for Lancashire,” he said. “It was frustrating missing maybe six weeks with injury but I think once you get a little bit older and more experienced it’s easier to come back and settle back in to four-day cricket. I’ll hopefully continue to get better rhythm and take more wickets in this game.”The last time Lancashire played here, in 2013, they bowled Essex out for 20. At 14 for 2 and then 29 for 3 after being put in on a damp September morning, there were dark murmurings that the home side would implode again. They were rescued by stands of 186 and 95 for the next two wickets, before Anderson returned with the second new ball to leave things in the balance. It is not inconceivable that a deal could be struck later on, should Surrey fail to put away Northamptonshire at The Oval.Essex may have appeared in trouble but Ryder does not seem to let too much worry him these days. After showing Anderson and Glen Chapple due deference, he tucked in against the change bowling, the bat swinging insouciantly through the line as he recorded his second Championship century of the season.Ryder has found tranquillity in Chelmsford after the turbulence that marked his earlier career. He looks like finishing short of 1000 first-class runs but the supporters do not lack for excuses to applaud his lazily destructive batting or handy seam-up bowling (he has taken another 44 wickets this season). Tom Bailey felt the brunt of his attack, conceding 37 off the 27 balls he bowled to Ryder, which included a couple of sixes swatted beyond the boundary boards.He brought up his hundred from just 115 deliveries, having also threatened the fencing at the Hayes Close End with another maximum off Luis Reece. Then, a ball after pulling Bailey dismissively over square leg, he played leadenly at a straight one to be bowled for 116, his appetite sated.Bopara looked less at ease throughout, which is perhaps to be expected after a season in which his previous top score in the Championship was 69. Anderson was peeved not to be awarded an lbw decision against him on 27 and Bopara nearly ran himself out on 78, having to dive for his crease as Bailey chased the ball into the leg side in his follow through but missed the stumps.In between times, he threaded a number of silken drives through the covers and down the ground, while Ryan ten Doeschate contributed to the flow with an aggressive 59 during a partnership of 95. He eventually spooned Anderson to mid-off and Bopara, after spending 26 balls in the 90s and five overs on 99, followed him two overs later when he got something on a rising delivery and Phil Mustard sprawled to take the catch.The fact this is now effectively a three-day match, after Tuesday’s washout, lent an old-fashioned feel to proceedings. The involvement of so many international players was also slightly retro – Lancashire’s new-ball pair had 321 England caps between them (albeit Anderson had 320 of them).Cook got off the mark with a push into the covers off Chapple but only survived one delivery from Anderson before being pinned in front. Cook once recalled that the first time he played against Anderson a decade ago “he called me everything under the sun” but he would surely have put up with the potty mouth if it had meant significant time in the middle ahead of England’s UAE tour. The next time Anderson wants a rest with England, he may have to ask his captain extra nicely.Chapple then picked up wickets 983 and 984 of his illustrious first-class career. Will he play on next season to reach the four-figure mark? It seems even he is unsure. But a demanding opening spell of 12 overs in which he had Tom Westley, Essex’s England Lions batsman, caught behind and Nick Browne, their leading scorer this season, taken at third slip, suggested he still has the skill and stamina to contribute as Lancashire attempt stay in Division One.

Former Test batsman Hashan Tillakaratne has replaced Hemantha Wickramaratne in Sri Lanka’s new selection panel

Andrew Fidel Fernando30-Jan-2013Former Test batsman Hashan Tillakaratne has replaced Hemantha Wickramaratne in Sri Lanka’s new selection panel, after Wickramaratne stepped down due to work commitments, new chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya said.Tillakaratne had been among the nominees sent to the sports minister by Sri Lanka Cricket, but had not been appointed in the five-member panel on Monday. Tillakaratne is a member of provincial council for the United National Party, which is in opposition to the United People’s Freedom Alliance of which Jayasuriya and the sports minister are members.Wickramaratne had resigned because he was called upon to become one of the two full-time selectors on the panel, but was unable to relinquish his other commitments. “He can’t be a full time selector with us because of his work,” Jayasuriya said. “Because of that we’ve got Hashan Tillakaratne in our panel, who has played a lot of international cricket and brings that experience.”Tillakaratne will be a full time selector alongside former fast-bowling team-mate Pramodya Wickramasinghe, while Jayasuriya, Eric Upashantha and Chaminda Mendis will be employed part-time. Tillakaratne had been a critic of the current administration, and had even alleged political interference in the last SLC elections. He said he would continue to hold his post as a member of provincial council, while he worked as a full-time selector.”I took this job because I see it as a duty,” Tillakaratne said. “I played for a long time and benefited from the game, and I think if I can help take Sri Lanka cricket forward in any way, I have a duty to do that.”I do have the time to be both a member of provincial council and a full time selector, and it is after considering all that that I decided to accept this position. Sanath was one of the best cricketers in the world and I’m enthusiastic about working with him and the rest of the panel. I think we will be able to do something good.”SLC had said it would endeavour to cut its ties with politics after Haroon Lorgat issued his report recommending less political influence in the board, but with two politicians now on the selection panel and the with no moves having been taken to cut the sports minister out of the selection process, superficially, politics has become even more embedded in cricket administration.Jayasuriya was adamant however, that his panel’s sole focus would be on cricket, and that the selectors’ political affiliation would not affect their work for SLC. “We’re not concerned with the politics of either party on this panel. What we are concerned with is Sri Lanka’s cricket and that will be our top priority. We should thank the sports minister for choosing someone like Hashan, who has played for Sri Lanka and also been a good captain.”The sports minister has given us the freedom to act independently of political affiliations and it was encouraging to hear that. We will stay focused on improving Sri Lanka’s cricket.”Tillakaratne was a stylish left-handed batsman who played 83 Tests and 200 ODIs for Sri Lanka. He captained the side in 11 Tests between 1999 and 2004, and was a member of the World Cup winning side alongside Jayasuriya and Wickramasinghe in 1996.

Northern Districts rode on Kane Williamson’s all-round performance to snuff Wellington’s challenge by 34 runs at the Basin Reserve

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-2012Northern Districts rode on Kane Williamson’s all-round performance to snuff Wellington‘s challenge by 34 runs at the Basin Reserve. Williamson did the early running at the top of the order after Northern Districts chose to bat. His 53 off 41 deliveries dominated his three partnerships and laid the base for Peter McGlashan to launch a late assault. McGlashan hammered three sixes in racing to 29 off 14 before being run out off the final delivery of the innings. Andy McKay and Luke Woodcock returned decent figures for Wellington, picking up two wickets each, but Mark Gillespie went for 49 from his four overs as Northern Districts ended on 162 for 7.Trent Boult and Scott Styris almost ended Wellington’s chase early, striking twice each to reduce them to 35 for 4, a position from which they never recovered. James Franklin was the lone batsman to produce any sort of fightback, but when he fell for 48 to Daniel Vettori, Wellington’s chase was all but over. Williamson helped himself to three lower-order wickets as Wellington were dismissed for 128 with an over to go.