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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.

The first Test between Sri Lanka and England’s Under-19 teams at Galle ended in a high-scoring draw, with neither side’s bowlers able to wrest the initiative as the batsmen prospered in helpful conditions

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jan-2011
ScorecardThe first Test between Sri Lanka and England’s Under-19 teams at Galle ended in a high-scoring draw, with neither side’s bowlers able to wrest the initiative as the batsmen prospered in helpful conditions. Seven half-centuries and two hundreds scored in the course of the four-day game, Sri Lankan captain Bhanuka Rajapaksa top-scoring with 149 on the first day.Rajapaksa’s decision to bat first appeared to be vindicated when his side racked up a mammoth 376 for 4 by stumps on the first day, with opener Dhananjaya de Silva contributing 84 and Yasoda Lanka striking 12 fours in an aggressive 80. Rajapaksa was in an even more dominant mood during his innings, which included 18 fours and four sixes.England fought back almost immediately on the second day, however, when Duleeka Thissakuttige was dismissed by Tom Milnes three deliveries into the day’s play. His departure sparked a lower-order collapse and the home side were bowled out before lunch for 415.A team effort from England’s batsmen, with wicketkeeper Adam Rossington’s 113 well-supported by half-centuries from captain Lewis Gregory and Adam Ball and contributions from every player, took England to a first-innings lead of 117 as they were bowled out for 532 on the third day.There was still an outside chance of a result to the game at that stage, but Sri Lanka’s batsmen once again cashed in and only offspinner Jack Parsons, with 4 for 93, had any luck as they reached 324 for 6 before the game was called a draw.

The ICC is planning a meeting with television broadcasters in March to sort out problems arising from the Umpire Decision Review System

Akhila Ranganna25-Jan-2010The ICC is planning a meeting with television broadcasters in March to sort out problems arising from the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS). Speaking on Cricinfo’s show, Dave Richardson, ICC’s general manager, said the system – which he said has reduced errors in decision-making since its implementation – would improve with standardisation of technology, and the meeting would discuss the cost implications in this for the member boards and broadcasters.”The only way for us to successfully standardise the technology specifications and develop protocols is first of all to discuss and determine them,” Richardson said. “The first step will be to get together with the broadcasters and the technology suppliers and come up with a more refined set of specifications. And [then] to implement those protocols and practice them.”The overall consensus across the board, whether from umpires or players or the media, is that the UDRS has worked well; that we should continue to implement it but we should look at ways of improving the technology, refining the technology and certainly as far as possible standardise the technology across all series.”One serious issue is inadequate equipment – there are currently four Hot Spot cameras available worldwide and the technology has not been used in all Test series since the UDRS was made mandatory last October. Richardson admits to the problem but says having less equipment is better than none – at least some errors will still be caught this way.However, the main hurdle on the way ahead is the cost involved in getting the system up to scratch. Richardson conceded that things were difficult “with existing agreements in place between members and broadcasters” when the system was implemented but disagreed with suggestions that the ICC should take on the cost burden to implement the technology. “When someone says the ICC must pay, in effect what we are asking is for the members to pay. Now some will argue, why should members like Afghanistan, Ireland, Holland – or even some of the other full members who do not have as many Tests – be paying the costs for Tests put on in some other full-member country?”The misgivings surrounding the UDRS reached a flashpoint during the recent fourth Test between South Africa and England in Johannesburg with umpire Daryl Harper at the centre of controversy. When Graeme Smith, on 15, cut Ryan Sidebottom, England went up for the top-edge. However, Tony Hill, the on-field umpire, turned down the appeal and Andrew Strauss asked for a review. There was no noticeable deflection on the replays so the noise from the stump microphone would have to be the decisive evidence. Harper said he couldn’t hear anything and upheld Hill’s verdict.The problem, as David Lloyd, the former England coach, explained on , was a multiplicity of broadcasters. “The [host] broadcaster, SABC, had a technical glitch in their sound department at that time so the director and the two commentators didn’t hear the nick either,” said Lloyd, who was on the commentary panel for that series. “So the information fed to Harper meant that he didn’t hear the nick, but on Supersport and Sky [who were also broadcasting the game], with different technicians, everybody heard the nick. So there is a real problem there for the ICC and the review system to ensure the broadcasting body has got the right people and the right equipment to hear the nick. Harper was also looking at a totally inadequate monitor. He has got to have the best monitor available.””[That] was a very good example of how complicated this can all get,” Richardson conceded. “Obviously if we had that series again we would make sure that the same levels or specifications that the host broadcaster was using was also being used by the other broadcasters so that there was no room for different feed going out to different people.”One of the key reasons behind the introduction of the UDRS was to reduce the scrutiny on the umpires but the Johannesburg Test showed that the results can sometimes be the opposite. “Obviously the DRS system is going to involve much more scrutiny on the third umpire himself and the role of the third umpire is crucial to the success of the system,” said Richardson. “But we are hoping that once everyone gets used to the DRS being used it will be used like it is in tennis. In so doing actually, the end result will be that the umpires won’t be blamed necessarily for causing series to be lost or players’ careers to be ended and everyone will just accept that the best decision was reached in a majority of the cases.”There is a view that the UDRS should have been trialled at the first-class level before it was introduced at the Test level but Richardson disagreed. “The problem with that is purely a practical one. First, there is very little first-class cricket that is televised. Secondly, if it is even televised, the technology that is available at those matches is very scant. Thirdly, what is needed is for players to get better understanding of when to use the system and when not to. The umpires also need to get practice at implementing the various protocols. I don’t think we would have made any progress had we initially trialled it at first-class level.”In the 13 Tests the UDRS had been used in since October 2009, the correct decision percentage had gone up from 91.3% (had the UDRS not been used) to 97.4%. But Richardson conceded that “when it comes to decisions involving thin edges, more often than not in fact, the TV technology that is available does not always help on every occasion”.The answer, he reiterated, is standardisation. “Unless we are able to improve and refine the specifications it may well be that in the end we think this is too complicated and we leave it to the on-field umpires. But I think we have already learnt enough to see that the percentage of decision-making can be improved using the DRS and, yes, it is not going to be perfect 100% of the time, so if we can get correct 97% of the time then it is all worthwhile.”

Latham suffered the injury while fielding during a Vitality Blast game earlier this month and did not recover in time for the first Test

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jul-2025New Zealand captain Tom Latham has been ruled out of the first Test against Zimbabwe, starting on July 30 in Bulawayo, with a shoulder injury. In his absence, New Zealand white-ball captain Mitchell Santner will lead the side.Latham suffered the injury while fielding during a Vitality Blast game for Birmingham Bears earlier this month and did not recover in time for the first Test. According to an NZC release, he will remain with the squad and hope to be fit for the second Test starting August 7.”It’s hugely disappointing for Tom to be missing the first Test, as captain but also as an integral part of the team,” head coach Rob Walter said.Related

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“It’s never great when you lose your captain, who’s a world-class opening batter and a great team man, but that said we’re going to work really hard to have him available for the second Test. “We’ll continue to assess and see whether a replacement player is necessary, but at this stage we are hopeful that he’ll recover in time.”Santner, who’s played 30 Tests, will be leading New Zealand in the format for the first time. New Zealand will go into the Tests fresh off a T20I tri-series win in Harare where they remained unbeaten throughout the series under Santner’s captaincy.”Mitch did a wonderful job with the T20 squad in this recent series,” Walter said. “He was excellent from a strategy point of view, and he has a strong understanding of the game.”Whilst the format is different, he certainly has the respect of the players and will be supported by some highly experienced Test cricketers, so I trust that he’s going to do a great job.”The two-match series will mark New Zealand’s first Test tour of Zimbabwe since 2016.