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The CoA has asked the Supreme Court to take note of the “disruptive and subversive conduct” of disqualified office bearers who were preventing the implementation the Lodha recommendations

Nagraj Gollapudi12-Jul-20175:55

Ugra: Old BCCI challenging Supreme Court

The Committee of Administrators has turned up the heat on the BCCI’s old guard, asking the Supreme Court to take note of the “disruptive and subversive conduct” of disqualified office bearers who were preventing the board from implementing the Lodha Committee’s recommendations.In its fourth status report which the court will consider on July 14, the COA, which was appointed by the Supreme Court to oversee the implementation of the Lodha Committee’s recommendations, named former BCCI office bearers N Srinivasan and Niranjan Shah as being particularly problematic to the process.Srinivasan and Shah had become ineligible to continue in their roles as heads of the Tamil Nadu and Saurashtra Cricket Associations, and to attend BCCI meetings, after the court approved the Lodha report on July 18, 2016. They were disqualified because they were over the prescribed 70-year age cap and had exceeded the maximum tenure for office bearers.Yet both Srinivasan and Shah have found ways to stay involved in administration and attend important BCCI meetings, including the most recent special general meetings (SGM) of the board on May 7 and June 26. Those two SGMs had been convened for the BCCI’s members – the state associations – to approve the new constitution, as per the Lodha Committee’s recommendations.The CoA said the SGM on June 26 was “manifestly disruptive”. In its report, the CoA told the court that it had managed to convince the majority of the state associations to adopt the recommendations but the SGM was “hijacked” by the disqualified former office bearers.”From an audio recording of the SGM, it appears that such disqualified persons were able to effectively hijack proceedings at the SGM by prevailing upon other attendees (who may have been otherwise willing to facilitate the reform process) to either support the cause of such disqualified person or remain silent,” the COA said.Srinivasan and Shah, and other disqualified administrators, had attended the meetings as a representative or nominee of their state association. In their defence, the TNCA and SCA said the Lodha Committee’s eligibility norms were for office bearers and not representatives. The CoA countered in its report that the “true intention” of the court’s order had been violated on a technicality.”In this manner, such disqualified persons are effectively able to do indirectly what they have been prohibited by this Hon’ble Court from doing directly,” the CoA said. “Such disqualified persons have a vested interest in stalling implementation of the Judgement because, if the Judgment is implemented, such disqualified person will have to relinquish control over their respective State/Member Associations.”The COA also noted that though the three existing BCCI office bearers – CK Khanna (acting president), Amitabh Choudhary (secretary), and Anirudh Chaudhry (treasurer) – had given written consent to the Supreme Court, only Choudhary urged the members to take “concrete steps” to implement the reforms at the SGM on June 26. Chaudhry, the COA said, was a “mute spectator, lacking the courage and conviction” to support the implementation of the Lodha Committee’s recommendations.The BCCI’s recent decision to form a special committee to shortlist “critical points” from the Lodha recommendations that it wanted the Supreme Court to reconsider, was also criticised by the CoA. Such a committee, the COA said in its report, was formed almost a year after the order was delivered last year, clearly indicative of the resistance to the reforms. The COA requested the court to “remove the impediments to implementation” of the Lodha Committee’s recommendations.

Zimbabwe coach Makhaya Ntini has said that his side would like to see teams send their strongest XI to the country, instead of using Zimbabwe as a trial series for younger players

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jun-2016Makhaya Ntini, the Zimbabwe interim coach, has demanded international teams send their best players to tour the country. According to AFP, speaking on the eve of the first ODI against an Indian outfit so inexperienced that their captain MS Dhoni has more matches under his belt than the rest of the 15 combined, Ntini said: “If you send us a team that is not your strongest team, we’re going to put them under the carpet.”Ntini hit out at other Full Members for their reluctance to send full-strength squads to play Zimbabwe, who are ranked below Afghanistan in ODIs and were the only Full Member team not to qualify for the Super 10s stage of the recently concluded World T20.”We’re sick and tired of waiting around for South Africa to send their A team,” he said. “We want to compete with the big boys. We’re creating a new venture here. We want to make sure that this country gets to play more games, and if you send us a team that is not your strongest team, we’re going to put them under the carpet so that they go home and tell people that they need to send their strongest team.”India’s interim coach Sanjay Bangar in turn said that his side’s “focus is inwards”.”We believe in [letting] our performance speak,” Bangar said. “We have a talented bunch of young players. They’ve done really well in the domestic championships and the India A circuit. We do not want to give too much attention to what the opposition is saying.”It’s [Zimbabwe tours] a great platform for the younger guys. It has provided a launch pad for a number of cricketers – Virat Kohli came here and led India for the first time [in 2013], Suresh Raina came in and then Ajinkya Rahane. We believe it’s a very, very important tour for the younger lot. It provides us an opportunity to look at the future stars emerging from the Indian scene.”

Craig Meschede’s maiden hundred rescued Glamorgan against Surrey in a match which will live long in the all-rounder’s memory

Press Association21-Apr-2015
ScorecardCraig Meschede maiden hundred edged Glamorgan beyond the follow on•Getty Images

Craig Meschede’s maiden hundred rescued Glamorgan against Surrey in a match which will live long in the all-rounder’s memory.Meschede might have wondered whether the spotlight would ever be his after being farmed out on loan by Somerset, the move happening after fellow all-rounder Jim Allenby had made a winter switch across the Severn Bridge in the opposite direction.But in the space of three days Meschede has gone a long way to proving the wisdom of his season-long move and winning the affections of Glamorgan supporters into the bargain.On Sunday, he grabbed the headlines by ruining Kevin Pietersen’s attempt to impress the England selectors by having his fellow South African native caught at slip for only 19.The 23-year-old was back with the bat on Tuesday with Glamorgan in dire straits at 293 for 7 in this Division Two contest, still needing 121 to save the follow-on after Surrey’s massive 563 for 7 declared, and far exceeding his previous career-best 62 to make an unbeaten 101.”It means the world to me,” he said. “I have been longing for this moment for my whole professional career and finally it has happened, so it is really special for me. It’s just nice to finally get a big score under my name and kind of have some belief in myself, knowing that I can do it. That’s the main thing.”If you score runs, hopefully you can go up the order, but I am also a bowler and I have got to take that aspect in my game as well.”His 130-ball innings, which featured 16 fours and a six, guided a relieved Glamorgan to 419, although there was late anxiety when the supporting Dean Cosker was ninth man out with the hosts two runs short of their target of 414.Preventing the follow-on appeared a tall order yet, in tandem with Cosker, Meschede frustrated a Surrey attack who had hitherto provided variation and penetration and shared the wickets around on a batsman-friendly surface.Meschede revealed a full range of shots either side of the wicket but kept his best for a sweetly-timed straight drive off the economical Gareth Batty which belonged to a top-order batsman, let alone an aspiring all-rounder batting at No. 9.Two games into his new career he already has a place in the Glamorgan annals, his partnership of 119 with Cosker eclipsing the club’s previous ninth-wicket best of 88 against Surrey between Robert Croft and David Harrison at Swansea in 2006.Meschede was still five runs short of a century when Cosker departed but Andy Carter hit a single and he then struck a legside boundary before moving to three figures with his first false shot of the day, an uppish pull which just cleared the retreating fielder at midwicket.Glamorgan’s innings appeared to have turned earlier on a remarkable run out after they had just passed the 200 mark with Colin Ingram, the South African one-day international batsman, posting a first fifty for his new county.Ingram had lost his morning partner Will Bragg, bowled around his legs by Matt Dunn for 37, but the Kolpak signing and Chris Cooke were motoring along against the soft ball. But then Cooke pushed the ball firmly through the covers and it was only the enthusiasm of Zafar Ansari which prevented it going all the way to the boundary.Cooke set off for a third run but he soon realised he was in danger and to his horror he was stranded by Ansari’s direct hit from fully 70 yards. The bizarre dismissal had the effect of unsettling Ingram and he soon fell for 56 when striking Tom Curran to cover.Mark Wallace and Graham Wagg set about repairing the damage against the new ball with an entertaining post-lunch partnership which had reached 55 when the latter was bowled playing back attempting to cut Batty.Last week Wallace became the first specialist wicket-keeper in Glamorgan history to reach 10,000 runs and once again he illustrated that losing the captaincy to Jacques Rudolph at the end of last season has had no effect on his commitment to the cause.Wallace played diligently to reach his half-century from 87 balls but, after Batty had punished David Lloyd’s ill-judged sweep, Curran took his edge while he was defending and removed him for 51.At that stage Surrey must have felt they would be enforcing the follow-on at some point after tea, but Meschede and Cosker had other ideas to set up what could yet be an intriguing final day.

The fast bowler Ryan Harris has all but ruled himself out of Australia’s Test series against South Africa this summer as he continues his recovery from shoulder surgery

Brydon Coverdale24-Sep-2012The fast bowler Ryan Harris has all but ruled himself out of Australia’s Test series against South Africa this summer as he continues his recovery from shoulder surgery. Harris had an operation two months ago and he believes it is “pretty unrealistic” for him to return for the South African series, which starts at the Gabba on November 9, and is instead hoping to be available for the Test series against Sri Lanka, beginning in Hobart on December 14.Harris played two of the three Tests during Australia’s tour of the Caribbean in April and was Man of the Match in Barbados for his five wickets and unbeaten half-century. Since he made his Test debut in early 2010 only Pat Cummins and James Pattinson, who have played far fewer matches, have had better Test bowling averages for Australia than Harris, who has collected 47 wickets at 23.63 in 12 appearances.However, his workload has taken a physical toll and the Australian team management is reluctant to overuse Harris, who turns 33 next month. The only time Harris has played all the Tests in a series was during his debut series in New Zealand, and he knows that it does not make sense to take any risks in an attempt to rush himself back into contention for the South Africa matches.”I would love to be able to be back against South Africa but at this stage it is pretty unrealistic. It is one of those things I can’t control,” Harris told News Limited newspapers. “I will get back for Queensland and let the rest take care of itself before any Australian stuff. In theory I will be up and going in six weeks but it is an injury we will not rush. The pain is going, I just have to build confidence now but believe I can get back well.”Although the absence of Harris is a blow for Australia, the depth in their fast-bowling stocks should allow the attack to remain strong against South Africa. If Pattinson and Cummins remain fit they will be in contention for the Gabba Test having both impressed in their initial Tests last summer, while Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle will shoulder much of the workload. The left-armer Mitchell Starc is another candidate.The Australians will be battling for the No.1 spot on the ICC’s Test rankings when they take on South Africa, having not lost a Test series since Michael Clarke took over as captain. South Africa are on top of the rankings table and have not been defeated in a series since Australia beat them 2-1 in early 2009, but in their past 20 Tests South Africa have not won any two consecutive matches.

ESPNcricinfo previews the Irani Cup match between Rest of India and Rajasthan in Jaipur

The Preview by Siddhartha Talya30-Sep-2011

Match facts

October 1, Jaipur
Start time 0930 IST (0400 GMT)Had they not been involved in the Champions League, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina could have been part of the Rest of India team•Getty Images

Big Picture

Not for the first time the first first-class game of the Indian domestic season will be reduced to a sideshow. Last year, the Irani Cup clashed with Australia’s two-Test series in India, and this time it will fight a losing battle with the four-day game’s ultimate foe, Twenty20 cricket. It’s not so much a battle for hearts and minds of most of Indian cricket fans – that appears to have been settled – but one for putting the best team available on the field.

Many who would presumably have found a place in the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup are representing their IPL franchises in the Champions League Twenty20. Those yet to prove a point in Test cricket, Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli for example, are unavailable, and so are those who could have a Test future – R Ashwin and S Badrinath.Fans are not the only ones neglecting the start of the first-class season. The Irani Cup could have done without the selection fiasco that raised questions about the selectors’ professionalism and their communication with state associations vis-à-vis the availability of players. At a time when Indian domestic cricket is struggling to stay relevant to the needs of upcoming cricketers in the wake of other, more lucrative, options, the selection blunders and the scheduling are all the more concerning.For many players with an eye on India’s international assignments in the months to come, this is the first opportunity to attract attention. Seven members of Rest of India are part of India’s ODI squad against England, and will also be keen to stake their claim for the home series against West Indies in November.Ajinkya Rahane impressed in the limited-overs games in England, and his selection owed much to his prolific run in the previous domestic season, during which he averaged 87 in the Ranji Trophy. He’s part of a strong squad with an attacking batting line-up – Manish Pandey was the fourth-highest run-getter in 2010-11, the captain Parthiv Patel is back in the Indian squad and opener Shikhar Dhawan will want to make a return to the national side.The bowlers will be under greater scrutiny. Many would have liked to have a look at the Jharkhand seamer Varun Aaron during the ODIs in England, and he is likely to share the new ball with Umesh Yadav, who had a satisfactory tour with India Emerging Players to Australia and is in the ODI squad against England. Rahul Sharma, the legspinner, shone in this year’s IPL and won a national call-up, and joins the race for the regular spinner’s spot in the absence of Harbhajan Singh.Rest of India’s opponents, Rajasthan, made history by winning the Ranji Trophy for the first time but had problems in the build-up to this match. Pankaj Singh and Deepak Chahar, the seamers who took 20 wickets in three Super League games and 63 in the Plate League, have suffered injuries. Pankaj is out – he was replaced by Aniket Choudhary – while Chahar reportedly split the webbing of his palm, but may play. The veterans Aakash Chopra and Hrishikesh Kanitkar are key to the batting line-up and Rajasthan will hope Ashok Menaria and Rashmi Parida, who are returning from injuries, perform in the middle order.

Players to watch out for…

Abhinav Mukund made 620 runs in nine Ranji Trophy games last season, but had difficulty against the moving ball in the Tests in the West Indies and England. Abhinav will feel he could have had a better start to international cricket, and with the home series against West Indies coming up, he’s back in friendlier batting conditions. Vacancies may fill up with the return of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, but he won’t want to waste time getting into the groove should an opportunity arise.Ashok Menaria led India in the 2010 Under-19 World Cup, and after recovering from injury was elected by Rajasthan for the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals last season. He answered their call with centuries in each knockout game. He has had a run in the IPL, cracked 112 in a high-scoring game in the Emerging Players Tournament, and also bowls left-arm spin. Against a formidable Rest of India line-up, much may depend on how Menaria delivers for Rajasthan.

Pitch and conditions

The track at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur reportedly has some grass on it, and Parthiv didn’t mind that. “We have three very good medium-pacers in side in Varun Aaron, Umesh Yadav and R Vinay Kumar. So, we are not concerned about the grass,” he told .”This time it has more grass on it. Last year, it turned out to be a run feast but I hope it is a sporting one this time,” Rajasthan captain Kanitkar said. “We did not have any say in it and the chairman of the BCCI pitch committee was here to supervise.”

Stats and trivia

Somerset were left nervously watching Nottinghamshire’s quest for bonus points at Old Trafford after they were denied victory by Durham at Chester-le-Street as they failed to chase down a near-impossible 181 in 17 overs

Andrew McGlashan at Chester-le-Street16-Sep-2010
ScorecardMichael Di Venuto struck a fine 129 to frustrate Somerset•Getty Images

Somerset’s quest for their maiden Championship title was ended in the cruellest of manners while they watched and waited on the pavilion balcony at Chester-le-Street, as Nottinghamshire pulled off their desperate quest for bonus points down at Old Trafford by posting a total of 400 before snatching three quick wickets in 4.4 overs at the end of their contest against LancashireSomerset had been in pole position going into the final day of the Championship season, but they were denied victory by Durham as they failed to chase down a near-impossible 181 in 17 overs. With the game finishing earlier than normal to allow the visitors to reach Newcastle Airport this evening, to head to London for the CB40 final, they left the field not knowing whether the draw was enough to secure them their first Championship title with Nottinghamshire having reached 400 for 9.That total had been sufficient to give them their fifth batting point, and when Samit Patel clung onto an edge from Shivnarine Chanderpaul, they drew level with Somerset on 214 points, but snatched the total with seven victories to Somerset’s six.For Marcus Trescothick, the Somerset captain, it was the second agonising near-miss of the season after losing the Friends Provident t20 final to Hampshire on virtue of wickets lost. “It’s gutting, with it being our first we realise how special it will be when we finally get there,” he said. “To get so close – level on points – is so tough but we’ll just have to wait another year now.”It’s terrible. It’s something that will live with us for a long, long time. To know we were so close, touching distance to the trophy, but so far away when Nottinghamshire got that third wicket.”Somerset could have removed all the uncertainty with a victory here, but Durham showed impressive character to battle through the final day. Michael Di Venuto continued his fine innings although he edged short of slip as Charl Willoughby found some swing before bring up his third hundred of the season from 155 ballsBen Harmison laboured to 15 off 72 balls in a third-wicket stand of 68 before was caught down the leg side off Alfonso Thomas, but it was looking increasingly likely that the results elsewhere would now be important for Somerset’s changes.Di Venuto, Durham’s leading batsman in a poor run-scoring season for the defending County Championships, continued to move along untroubled while Ian Blackwell began clubbing the ball with an end-of-season freedom. However, moments before lunch Peter Trego made his latest vital mark on this match when he found Di Venuto’s outside edge to rekindle Somerset’s hopes of forcing the outright victory.Then, two balls into Murali Kartik’s next over, Blackwell got a big inside edge into his pad which ballooned up to short leg as Somerset left the field with a spring in their step with the prospect of a chaseable fourth-innings target.But Phil Mustard and Dale Benkenstein formed another stubborn partnership which ate away at 15 overs before Mustard was trapped lbw by the tireless Thomas. Benkenstein, batting at No. 7 after being off the field yesterday, and Scott Borthwick dead-batted through 10 more overs.Somerset, though, wouldn’t give up and Trego squeezed a yorker through Borthwick which had just enough force to dislodge the bails and Willoughby swung one back into Liam Plunkett to trap him straight in front. The target was already getting out of hand but Chris Rushworth top-edged a pull and Benkenstein’s resistance ended with an edge to slip.Trescothick and Craig Kieswetter renewed their Twenty20 opening partnership, but 181 in 17 overs was a tough ask even by their standards of fast scoring especially as Durham could bowl almost where they liked and spread the field. Kieswetter missed a swing against Blackwell, Trescothick carved to cover and when Trego was stumped by miles they played out time. Then they were left to wait, and were ultimately denied.

Nathan McAndrew took 5 for 38, including Matt Renshaw for 21, as South Australia claimed a 129-run win over Queensland at Allan Border Field

AAP23-Oct-2024South Australia 314 (Hunt 136, McInerney 51, Whitney 5-57) and 352 for 9 dec (Carey 123*, McSweeney 72) beat Queensland opener Matt Renshaw did himself no favours in his bid to push for the vacancy at the top of Australia’s Test batting order, dismissed cheaply on the final day of the Sheffield Shield clash with South Australia.Already an outsider for the India series after being overlooked for Australia A, Renshaw had begun the summer with scores of 6, 15 and 2 and needed a big total on the final day of the Shield match at Allan Border Field, won by the visitors by 129 runs after wicketkeeper Alex Carey and Nathan McAndrew starred.There appeared little need for Renshaw to play at McAndrew’s delivery wide of off stump, but he mistimed his cover drive and edged the ball straight to Carey after compiling 21 runs.Bulls skipper Marnus Labuschagne said Renshaw’s failures had not helped his Test cause, but added that all was not lost.”I certainly think it counts against him. If other guys are making runs and it is going to be a tight call, it is always going to work like that,” Labuschagne said.”That doesn’t mean he can’t bat well in the next two [Shield[ games and maybe change people’s opinions or views.”Test opener Usman Khawaja (39) joined Renshaw in the pavilion, also edging to Carey without kicking on as Queensland chased 359 for victory.Labuschagne (10) and Ben McDermott (0) were dismissed either side of lunch as the hosts stumbled to 79 for 4.Jack Clayton fought hard to make 91•Getty Images

Debutant Lachlan Hearne (44) and Jack Clayton (91) got the Bulls back into it with a 106-run stand for the fifth wicket.Wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson (10) was unlucky to be given out caught behind to a lifter from speedster McAndrew as South Australia turned the screws to bundle Queensland out for 229.McAndrew completed a stellar match after taking three wickets in the first innings and making a vital 46 in the second dig.Carey was named player of the match. His first-innings 42 followed by an unbeaten 123 stamped his class, and the Test gloveman snared 10 catches, including seven in the second innings.”He has been excellent for us since coming back from his Test duties,” South Australia captain Nathan McSweeney said.”Last week he scored a 90 and a hundred for us as well. The way he plays and the runs he makes are match-winning.”It is never easy coming up here to Queensland and winning. This game has been good for our team morale. After having a couple of tough years, hopefully it is the start of a good year for us.”

Club chair calls for further evidence with three members already suspended

AAP07-Jul-2023Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) members face restrictions on their movements and more space between them and players in the Lord’s Long Room as investigations continue into the second Ashes Test.Australia faced a mixed reception at Headingley on Thursday, with the country’s national anthem booed by some sections of the crowd before play on day one.Fans in Leeds were largely well behaved following the ugly scenes at Lord’s, but each Australian was still jeered onto the field as they came out to bat.The largest boos were unsurprisingly saved for Alex Carey and Pat Cummins, with the pair viewed as Australia’s chief villains in England for Carey’s controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow.But while some fans still posed with players for photos before play in Leeds, the use of camera phones was condemned by MCC chairman Bruce Carnegie-Brown in an email to members.In a lengthy address, Carnegie-Brown said members who had abused Australia’s players on day five at Lord’s had brought shame to the entire Marylebone Cricket Club. He also criticised members for posting videos of the drama, which has brought the full extent of the abuse Australia copped to light.”The video footage captured on Sunday (including some which was taken in clear breach of our regulations) is there for all to see,” Carnegie-Brown said. “The members shown on camera have brought shame on MCC. Their actions hinder our efforts to promote the positive things our club does to promote and celebrate the game.”As a result of Sunday’s drama, which included players being sworn at, abused, and tripped over as they walked up the stairs, MCC will distance players from fans for the rest of the summer.The measures will include proving a wider roped-off space for players to walk through the Long Room away from members, while also stopping members from being on the stairs when players come on and off the pitch.Related

• Ollie Robinson fit to bat but England sweat on back spasms

• Taufel: Which part of the Spirit of Cricket did Australia breach?

• Head claims Bairstow tried to dismiss him in a similar manner

• Broad to Cummins: 'All these boos are for you'

• Captains expect fiery Lord's atmosphere to spill over to Leeds

The rules will come into place for Australia’s women’s T20I against England on Saturday night. MCC have already suspended three members for directly confronting Australia’s men’s players, and have asked people to help identify other culprits.”The behavioural issue amongst members that day does not end there,” Carnegie-Brown said. “Were more evidence to come to light, and additional witness statements gathered, further disciplinary sanctions would undoubtedly be warranted.”We encourage any member with information that could lead to the identification of others involved to come forward.”It is unacceptable for any of us to point the finger of blame at others unless we are willing to intervene ourselves when we see behaviours which fall short of what is expected of members.”

Veteran seamer says new coach McCullum has made an impact already

Alan Gardner15-Jun-2022Brendon McCullum urged England to “attack the danger” during their run chase in Nottingham, with the result being what Stuart Broad called “the most outrageous hour I’ve seen in Test cricket”.Broad was padded up and watching on from the dressing room at Trent Bridge as Jonny Bairstow blew the doors off England’s chase of 299, hitting 93 off 44 balls after tea on the final day. Comparing the game to Headingley 2019, when Ben Stokes guided England to victory after a 76-run partnership for the final wicket, Broad said the win over New Zealand had been just as astounding.”Baz’s team talk was very much ‘let’s attack the danger, let’s run towards the danger’ and every part of your mind is going for this win,” he said. “Whoever is to come, the changing room has full belief that you can do your job to get the win. So it was never really a case of, if we lose one we might shut up shop. It was always we’re going to win. And if it doesn’t work, don’t worry about it, but we’re going to go for the win.”But I didn’t quite expect to see what I saw from Jonny. It was the most outrageous hour I’ve seen in Test cricket from a partnership. Obviously Headingley had incredible nerves. I felt sick watching that tight thing with Leach and Stokesy. But that was just exhilarating, astonishing. Trent Bridge giving out free tickets, I’m sure there were people in this ground who have never watched Test cricket before. How inspiring is that?”At Headingley, you could cut the atmosphere with a knife and it felt very nerve-wracking, you were sick with seeing what’s coming. Whereas that was just about shouting every time a boundary happened. I saw a stat that showed in nine overs they scored 102 after tea. It wasn’t as if Baz said ‘go and whack it, go and slog it’. It was just play with the mindset that we’re going to chase these runs down. And Jonny just got hold of a few pull shots that got him going. That striking was… only a handful of players in the world can do that. Johnny is obviously in that group.”Related

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• Jonny Bairstow points to advantages of playing the IPL after Trent Bridge blitz

• Michael Bracewell tests positive for Covid, faces five-day isolation period

• Ben Stokes' England hurl themselves into riotous embrace of Baz-ball

Broad said that “there’s no doubt Baz has had an impact already”, with various members of the team having spoken already about the mantra of relentless positivity that has accompanied McCullum’s arrival as Test coach.”He was absolutely buzzing that we got 380 on day three,” Broad said. “It didn’t matter how many wickets, it was the run rate. How good is that? 380 in a day, well batted lads. It’s not just praising guys who get a hundred, it’s tiny little things, bits of fielding, momentum changes in the game. He will bring attention to that.”He looks like a guy who has a cricket brain that is working all the time. He is thinking how we can change the game. That doesn’t mean he’s saying ‘what about this or that’ every minute. I feel like he’s got an energy of not letting the game sit, where can we manoeuvre it to.”At tea today, the way he spoke two-three minutes before the bell, he didn’t say I’d prefer to lose than draw, but it was that mindset – it was going for a win at all costs. I want to win, find your way to do that. You have my full backing, Stokes’ full backing to go get the win.”The effect has been clear on both batting and bowling. England scored at a rate of 4.7 runs per over during the Trent Bridge Test, and continued to set attacking fields as New Zealand made 553 in their first innings. Broad struggled somewhat, with figures of 2 for 107, but saw chances go down off Henry Nicholls and Tom Blundell.”I didn’t bowl that well in the first innings, but it felt like any mistake I made on length and line it went for four,” he said. “I felt like it got even quicker as the game went on. Could we have bowled dry? Potentially, but that is a different day if we snaffle a couple of catches. [Daryl] Mitchell went down, Blundell, Nicholls. The mindset is, how do we get more fielders in wicket-taking positions rather than protection, which gives us a better chance of bowling them out?”In the second innings, Broad helped bring about crucial breakthroughs. On the fourth evening, Blundell was held by Stokes in a catching position at backward square leg to end another potentially pivotal fifth-wicket stand; then on day five, with New Zealand edging further in front, Broad’s short ball again did the trick as a change to the field tempted Matt Henry into hooking and opened up the game.”How it’s affected me is that rather than having the bloke 20 yards further back to stop the four, it’s if he strikes it well and he’s 20 yards in, he could catch it,” Broad said. “It’s a tiny little mindset change, but it’s about getting wickets, not stopping boundaries.”My role as a bowler [on day four] was how could we take 10 wickets here and get us over the line. Although it wasn’t the classical seven – it’s not like we guided them out with skill and pressure, we got seven wickets through the momentum of the game really. And once we got a sniff… I came this morning feeling very relaxed. I felt like we were going to win the game.”

Bangladesh are likely to leave for New Zealand on February 24, nine days after the Dhaka Test ends

Mohammad Isam11-Feb-2021Shakib Al Hasan will miss Bangladesh’s tour of New Zealand later this month as the BCB granted him paternity leave for the duration of the entire tour. According to BCB cricket operations chairman Akram Khan, board president Nazmul Hassan spoke with Shakib before the decision was made.”Shakib is not going [to New Zealand]. He applied [for leave] to stay with his [expecting] wife. After talking to the board president, we granted him leave,” Khan said.

New Zealand vs Bangladesh 2020-21

• March 20, 1st ODI, Dunedin

• March 23, 2nd ODI, Christchurch

• March 26, 3rd ODI, Wellington

• March 28, 1st T20I, Hamilton

• March 30, 2nd T20I, Napier

• April 1, 3rd T20I, Auckland

Shakib’s thigh strain forced him out of the ongoing Dhaka Test against West Indies. He is currently recovering under the BCB’s medical team.Khan said that the Bangladesh touring party is likely to leave for New Zealand on February 24, nine days after the Dhaka Test ends. The players will not have a training camp in Dhaka, as they will only have a short time with their family before getting into a hard quarantine in New Zealand.”The chances of holding a camp in Bangladesh are low. It’s very difficult to keep players in quarantine or bio-bubble all the time. After this series we will send them on vacation. After that, we might take them from here to there [New Zealand] and train.”