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Named the Man of the Match in a Test he did not think he would play in, Ryan Harris is now intent on keeping his spot for as long as his problematic body will allow

Daniel Brettig12-Apr-2012Named the Man of the Match in a Test he did not think he would play in, Ryan Harris is now intent on keeping his spot for as long as his problematic body will allow. Harris arrived in the West Indies adamant that James Pattinson was ahead of him in the fast bowling queue, but the selectors’ decision to choose the older man was endorsed handsomely by his efforts in Bridgetown.Harris took two wickets in the first innings and three in the second, none more important than the swift dismissal of Shivnarine Chanderpaul by a delivery angling in from round the wicket, then moving away just enough to take the edge. These spells bookended Harris’ highest score in Tests, a committed 68 not out that allowed Michael Clarke the luxury of making a timely declaration on the fourth afternoon to set-up Australia’s eventual victory.If any member of the Australian attack is likely to be rested or used carefully due to a variety of physical ailments it is Harris, but he is adamant about staying in the XI for the remainder of this series and those beyond. “I’ve got a perfect fitness base now,” Harris said. “I’ve played four games back in Australia, bowled plenty of overs and got through about another 35, 36 here. Touch wood, I could fall over tomorrow and do something. I feel as if I’m going really well, feel strong and I want to be a part of this team and squad for as long as I can.”That was one of the hardest Test matches I’ve played in my short career. Those conditions, bowling on that wicket was quite tough and getting to the ground this morning I was quite sore to be honest and tired. Getting through a few overs – the first couple weren’t great but I felt as though I came back OK but to win a game like that after they batted for two days it’s pretty amazing.”Though he is now a known and respected quantity as a Test match bowler, Harris had never previously shown an international opponent just how well he could bat before his alliances with Ben Hilfenhaus and Nathan Lyon. It was a similar story in his earlier years of first-class cricket with South Australia, early dismissals not doing justice to a neat technique. Clarke gave Harris a promotion to No. 8 in the second innings in recognition of his form, and Harris would like to stay there.”We wanted to get into a position where we could win the game,” Harris said. “I was lucky enough to be out there and spend some time in the middle. I’ve been well overdue for some runs at this level, I’ve had a couple of opportunities. I feel myself getting better. I spent, as Michael said, plenty of time in the nets, it was just good to be able to contribute with the bat when it was needed.”The partnerships that I had with Hilf and Lyon and even [Matthew] Wade at one stage, we had a goal of about 150 runs for the tail and we got 151. That was what we were focused on. Whether I made 40 of them, 10 of them or 100 it didn’t matter as long as we got that goal.
“We knew if we got that we’d be in a strong position. I thought the declaration where we were weighing it up out there, how many overs we wanted and Michael took the initiative and pulled us off which I thought was good. That last over, I couldn’t score so we were probably wasting time. It shows now we needed that bit of time and we had that because of that declaration.”Clarke and the rest of the team are unabashed in their fondness for Harris, his honesty and unrelenting effort. Having now contributed to numerous Test match wins for Australia, Harris wants to keep doing so for as long as he possibly can.”I think Michael and the coaching staff have known what I can do, it’s probably doing it more and more consistently. I think that’s my goal and that’s what I hope to do over the next Test in the next year or two, however long it is.,” he said. “That’s my goal and I want to be a part of this set-up and this squad for as long as I can.”Touch wood my body holds up. Being a part of this squad and especially on days like today and in that dressing-room is something you never want to give up. All I’m trying to do is consistently take wickets or bowl to the plans we need to bowl to and if I keep doing that I’m doing my job.”Edited by Kanishkaa Balachandran

Pakistan are set to tour Sri Lanka for a full series comprising three Tests, five ODIs and two Twenty20 internationals between May 29 and July 13

Sa'adi Thawfeeq29-Apr-2012Pakistan are set to tour Sri Lanka for a full series comprising three Tests, five ODIs and two Twenty20 internationals between May 29 and July 13, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has confirmed.Pakistan are scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka on May 29 and will play the first of two Twenty20s in Hambantota on June 1. The one-day series begins in Pallekele on June 7. The first two ODIs will be played in Pallekele and the remaining three at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.The three-Test series commences in Galle on June 22 and the second Test will take place at the SSC in Colombo from June 30. The teams will return to Pallekele for the final Test starting on July 8.Pakistan and Sri Lanka last played a Test series in October 2011 in the UAE, where Pakistan won the three-match series 1-0. They last toured Sri Lanka in 2009, when they lost the three-Test series 2-0.

William Porterfield never learned to write a bike as a child – he was tooi busy playing cricket – but he is saddling up alongside his Ireland team mate Gary Wilson for a charity cycle ride the length of Ireland.

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-2012William Porterfield never learned to write a bike as a child – he was too busy playing cricket – but he is saddling up alongside his Ireland team mate Gary Wilson for a charity cycle ride the length of Ireland.Wilson, none too experienced on two wheels himself, although slightly less wobbly, devised the ride in memory of his mother, Iris, who died earlier this year. All funds raised will go to Cancer Research UK.Wilson and Porterfield plan to cycle 380 miles in five days, beginning at Mardyke CC in Cork and heading north through Kilkenny, Malahide, Armagh and Derry before finishing, assuming all goes well, in Wilson’s home city of Belfast. There will be a charity dinner at Stormont on the final evening..Both have until October to perfect their cycling skills as well as praying that the incessant wind and rain which has brought one of Ireland’s wettest springs on record will by then be a distant memory.”I was just one of those things that I never really rode a bicycle when I was young”, Porterfield said. “I guess it’s not the most difficult thing to do but I will be putting in a few miles between now and the off.”Wilson said: “It will be tough going. Cricket has, of course, kept us pretty fit but I think we’ll have to put in a lot more training before we set off.”Relatives and friends have been invited to accompany them on route and members of the public are also welcome to tag along..”It will be a long haul and I think we will be tested to the limit. But we have organised it that way in the hope that people will support us given the toughness of the task.”Route:October 9: Mardyke CC to Kilkenny.
October 10: Kilkenny to Malahide CC.
October 11: Malahide CC to Armagh.
October 12: Armagh to Bready CC.
October 13: Bready CC to Stormont.

Essex kept alive their hopes of gaining a place in the Friends Life t20 quarter-finals by beating Middlesex by two wickets in their South Group clash

05-Jul-2012
ScorecardEssex kept alive their hopes of gaining a place in the Friends Life t20 quarter-finals by beating Middlesex by two wickets in their South Group clash.Replying to a disappointing total of 109 all out, Essex got home with 14 balls to spare on the back of a superb innings from Mark Pettini. The opener never looked in any trouble as he raced to his 50 in 38 balls, a milestone he reached with a straight driven six, his third of his innings, against Gareth Berg.He was caught behind two deliveries later in the same over in which Tom Smith, the slow left-arm spinner, bowled Greg Smith for 27. That dismissal brought to an end a stand of 74 in 10 overs with Pettini, the pair coming together after James Franklin was run out without receiving a ball.Following the removal of Pettini, Essex made life difficult for themselves before the winning post was reached. Graham Napier became Smith’s third victim when he was caught on the square-leg boundary by debutant Ollie Wilkin, who then made a dramatic impact with the ball.The medium-pace man got rid of Owais Shah, Ryan ten Doeschate and James
Foster in the space of 10 balls. And with the scores level, the 20-year-old Wilkin took the catch to get rid of Adam Wheater before a wide from Ollie Rayner brought Essex victory.Wilkin finished with 3 for 12 from three overs and Smith 3 for 24 from four overs as Middlesex made a great fight of it.Middlesex were soon left regretting their decision to bat first as they struggled to make any real progress against accurate bowling backed up by keen fielding. So laboured was their batting that only four boundaries arrived from their first 15 overs, by which time they had lost half their side for 75.Their innings was held together by opener Joe Denly but his 53 consumed 56 balls before he was eighth out, caught on the long-on boundary by ten Doeschate off left-arm seamer Reece Topley.Of the other batsmen, only Berg managed to reach double figures, scoring 12 before his defences were breached by left-arm spinner Tim Phillips. The bowler was to concede a mere 12 runs in his permitted four overs while ten Doeschate and Topley each picked up two wickets.Topley’s successes come at a cost of 34 in four overs while ten Doeschate collected his at a cost of only seven in a couple of overs during an innings that featured just eight boundaries including one six.

England have had an ‘honest’ discussion about their failings during the first Test against South Africa, but Ian Bell insists the team can still lay claim to the No. 1 Test ranking

Andrew McGlashan24-Jul-2012England have had an “honest” discussion about their failings during the first Test against South Africa, but Ian Bell insists the team can still lay claim to the No.1 Test ranking despite the innings margin of defeat and the fact they managed to take just two wickets at The Oval.In the moments after the match finished on Monday Andrew Strauss said each player would be told to take a look at themselves after England suffered one of their most comprehensive losses of all time. That process began in The Oval changing rooms as South Africa headed back to their team hotel to celebrate a famous victory.”We’ve had a chat. That’s the one great thing about this team is we talk and there will be honesty,” Bell said. “We’re not going to say we were outplayed – we’re going to discuss why. Andy Flower will want everyone to scratch their minds and work out how they can improve. That’s why he is such a great coach.”The result meant England have now lost five of their nine Tests in 2012, starting with the whitewash against Pakistan in UAE before losing the opening Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. As is the case now, their No.1 ranking was on the line but they responded with an impressive victory in Colombo. The series win against West Indies was workmanlike rather than emphatic and this most recent outing has brought them crashing back down to earth.A series win for South Africa will see them move to No.1, although a drawn series would allow England to cling to their ranking a little longer. “You don’t just look at the last nine Test matches, you look over the last two or three years,” Bell said. “That’s why we’re ranked No.1. The points are monitored over a long period of time. It’s been a consistent effort over a long period but there’s no doubt when you see how South Africa played we’re going to have a real scrap on our hands.””I wouldn’t say that is a concern,” he added about the Test side’s inconsistent year. “But it proves to us that no matter where you are ranked you have to keep performing, training hard and doing the right things. Opposing teams see us a bit differently now. Maybe they turn up desperately wanting to beat us because we are ranked No.1 and we have to react to that. In a way, this match has forced our hand. In the next two Tests, we have to go out and fight for every single run and wicket and try to hold on to No.1.”There are a number of areas where England were exposed during the opening Test. The most notable from the scorecard was that South Africa compiled an astonishing 637 for 2 in 189 overs which finished with the partnership between Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis unbroken on 377. It was a sobering experience for the England attack, which has remained a consistent part of their game even while the batting has faltered during the year.”Our attack has been so good for so long and, even on flat wickets in the sub-continent, they normally excel and take 20 wickets,” Bell said. “But for some reason it didn’t quite work in this game. Maybe that is credit to South Africa who really made it count when they got in. That’s again something we’ve normally done.”As Bell hinted, England’s batsmen did not come close to matching the South Africans’ longevity at the crease, even with Alastair Cook scoring an opening-day hundred. In both innings they carelessly lost wickets shortly before the second new ball was taken while the sweep shot came back to cost them dear as they tried to save the match.”The ball did a bit on that second morning but we can’t use that as an excuse,” Bell said. “We should have been good enough to get through that period. Despite losing four wickets on the fourth evening, we still believed we could save it. Myself and Matt Prior were very positive at lunch, we’ve done it before and believed we could get to tea. The new ball would go soft again after that, but Dale Steyn led their attack brilliantly and showed why he is No.1 in the world. He put in a spell when it really mattered.”

Yorkshire lived a little in Cardiff, qualifying for the Champions League in South Africa, but promotion to Division One is their priority and it is by no means certain.

Les Smith at Scarborough28-Aug-2012
ScorecardGetty Images

Yorkshire lived a little in Cardiff, qualifying for the Champions League in South Africa next month as losing finalists on Friends Life T20 finals day. But at Scarborough their attention turned to more serious matters – their desperation to secure a return to the First Division of the Championship that remains far from assured.It is a result pitch – and with Gloucestershire 9 for 4 early on the first morning, Yorkshire seemed to have had a result. But by stumps on the first day, the position was not as clear as Yorkshire, in third place behind Derbyshire, their supposedly inferior neighbours, and Hampshire, their conquerors on t20 finals day, would have liked it to be.On a day when no batsman could confidently tell himself he was in, with the ball swinging and seaming in the first and last hours when the balls were new, and Azeem Rafiq extracting some turn during a mammoth spell of off spin bowling, the rewards went to two Gloucestershire players who batted with enterprise and dash.When Will Gidman joined Ian Cockbain, Yorkshire’s fast bowlers were rampant. They set about restoring some order to the innings, and by the time Cockbain was dismissed for 30 in the third over after lunch they had added 65 runs and Gloucestershire, while by no means comfortable, had a platform on which to build. Gidman, playing with excellent timing on both sides of the wicket, went on to reach 47 before being excellently taken at second slip by Adam Lyth off Moin Ashraf, the obsessive yorker bowler of Cardiff.The second batsman to take the initiative to Yorkshire was Jack Taylor, 20 years old and coming in at No 9. He attacked immediately, mixing the classically straight with the agriculturally robust, and fell one short of his second first-class 50 when Azeem Rafiq took a very sharp return catch. His partner Jon Batty had contributed two to a partnership of 56.The day began with Steven Patterson charging in from the Trafalgar Square End and taking three wickets in his first five overs. Benny Howell was bowled playing no shot, Dan Housego edged to Adam Lyth at second slip, and Hamish Marshall was lbw. Moin Ashraf then chipped in with the wicket of Hamish Marshall, caught low to his right by Yorkshire’s on-loan wicketkeeper from Sussex, Andy Hodd.Half an hour before lunch, with the pitch calming and Cockbain and Gidman establishing themselves, Yorkshire turned to spin. Rafiq began an unbroken spell at the Pavilion End until the close of innings after tea. He bowled 28 overs of accurate off spin, finishing with 3 for 85. His figures would have been even more impressive had not Anthony Ireland taken Batty’s dismissal as the cue to swing the bat. There were two fours and a six in his 25 not out, and together with Liam Norwell he put on 36 runs for the last wicket.Yorkshire’s innings began almost as disastrously as Gloucestershire’s. Adam Lyth nicked the second ball of the innings from Gidman to wicketkeeper Batty, and off the next ball Phil Jaques was dropped by Jack Taylor at cover.Joe Root, who along with Gary Ballance had been awarded his county cap before the start of play, was dropped twice within the space of a few balls. Batty spilled a straightforward chance off Liam Norwell, then Benny Howell a more difficult one at first slip off Gidman.Gidman had some compensation when Jacques edged a seaming ball to Batty, but then Yorkshire skipper Andrew Gale joined Root and they batted purposefully for the last nine overs of the day, adding 45 undefeated runs and leaving Yorkshire in a position, they hope, to build the sort of first-innings lead that will invigorate that promotion need.

An unbeaten half-century stand for the seventh wicket helped South Africa Women beat Bangladesh Women by four wickets in Mirpur

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2012
ScorecardAn unbeaten half-century stand for the seventh wicket helped South Africa Women beat Bangladesh Women by four wickets in Mirpur and square the three match series 1-1. Bangladesh would have fancied their chances in the match when they reduced South Africa to 130 for 6 chasing 180, but Dane van Niekerk, who scored 45 off 64 balls, and Shabnim Ismail thwarted the spin challenge and went past the target with four balls to spare.Bangladesh had chosen to bat first and put up an improved batting display, after both teams had struggled the previous day, to score 179. The highlight of the innings was a 70-run fourth-wicket stand between Lata Mondal and Farzana Haque, both batmen scoring half-centuries. But Legspinner van Niekerk, 2 for 30, and offspinner Sunette Loubser, 2 for 26, picked up regular wickets to keep Bangladesh under 200.South Africa were in trouble early in their reply as they lost four wickets with only 33-runs on board, but unlike falling to spin as in the previous game, the visitors lost three of those wickets to medium-pacer Jahanara Alam. A 64-run stand between Alison Hodgkinson (33) and Marizanne Kapp (39) stabilised the chase before the lower-order saw them through.The third and the final match of the series will be played on September 9 in Mirpur.

Shane Watson, who has yet to have a failure in this tournament, will be tested by Ajmal & Co when Australia takes on Pakistan in Colombo

Andrew Fernando01-Oct-2012Even Australia’s captain is running out of words to describe Shane Watson’s current form. Four matches into the tournament, Australia’s supposedly suspect middle order has barely seen the light of day. Watson is yet to be dismissed for less than 50, has made a tournament-leading 234 runs with a strike rate of 164, has hit the most sixes and is the leading wicket-taker to boot.He prospered on the bouncy tracks at the start of the tournament, and has remained as effective when they have slowed down. Oppositions have bowled short to him, whether by plan or mistake, and Watson has been unerringly brutal. Others have tried pitching fuller, but his lofted drives have been no less merciful. He has been as comfortable against Dale Steyn’s swing as he was against Sunil Narine’s offspin. His bowling almost seems an afterthought, given how colossal he has been with the bat, but Pakistan will do well to plan for his steady seamers as well, if they wish to avoid a three-way tie for the second semi-final berth or being knocked out by an Indian victory.”Things are just falling my way at the moment,” Watson said. “Even against South Africa, bowling-wise the wicket of AB de Villiers wasn’t one of the better balls I bowled, especially with the field I had. Batting-wise I knew how important it was to get through the first four or five overs with the quality of quick bowlers South Africa had, and then you sort of hope you can get away. You’ve just got to make the most of it when you can because I know how quickly it can turn and your form can go against you.”Australia arrived at the World Twenty20 barely fending off Ireland for number 9 in the Twenty20 rankings but with four dominant victories, have established themselves as the frontrunners of their Super Eights group. Watson said although Australia had lost the Twenty20 series against Pakistan in the UAE days before arriving in Sri Lanka, that experience has played a significant role in their success at the World Twenty20 so far.”I think we all knew exactly what conditions we were going to have,” he said. “The conditions in Dubai were brilliant practice because what we had there was very similar to what we have here. We know the further the tournament goes, the more it’s going to turn. That’s going to be a big challenge for us, but at the moment, the top three [are] scoring the bulk of the runs, and when that happens you are able to keep your run rate pretty high.”Australia picked left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty ahead of seam-bowling allrounder Daniel Christian for their match against South Africa, on a drier-looking pitch than the surfaces they had encountered previously in Colombo. Doherty took 3 wickets for 20 having opened the bowling, including the scalps of Richard Levi and Jacques Kallis in the first three overs. With pitches expected to become more spin-friendly as the tournament progresses, Australia captain George Bailey said Doherty’s attitude and form was encouraging ahead of their match with Pakistan.”Xavier handled the pressure of taking the new ball really well. It was a really specific role that we wanted him for today and he got the absolute best result that he could have. To have South Africa three wickets down after that first six overs really put them on the backfoot and made it hard for them to gain any momentum through those middle overs.”Bailey said Australia are also wary of the spin threat their opponents pose. Saeed Ajmal was the leading wicket-taker in the UAE series, with six wickets at 8.66 and an economy rate of 4.33, while left arm spinner Raza Hasan and offspinner Mohammad Hafeez took five wickets between them. Bailey said Australia’s batsmen had had trouble reading Ajmal, but that they had learnt from their clashes with him in the UAE and devised new strategies for him.”I don’t know if you can decode Ajmal. He’s going to be a key for the rest of the tournament, and will probably become more dangerous the deeper the tournament goes. We’ve got some thoughts and ideas, but if he comes out and bowls unbelievably, it’s going to be tough for sure.”

Ishant Sharma, the India fast bowler, is struggling with viral fever but is expected to be fit for the first Test against England, which starts on Thursday

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Nov-2012Ishant Sharma, the India fast bowler, is struggling with viral fever but is expected to be fit for the first Test against England, which starts on Thursday. The BCCI has named Bengal fast bowler Ashok Dinda as a standby.Ishant has missed cricket for much of the year due to an ankle problem which needed surgery. He returned to the India squad for the New Zealand series three months ago, but didn’t get to play as Zaheer Khan and Umesh Yadav were preferred.The standby player, Dinda, has played 10 ODIs and five T20Is for India but is yet to make his Test debut. Dinda had a strong start to the domestic season, taking nine in the Duleep Trophy match against South Zone, but his form has tapered off since. In four subsequent first-class matches, he has only managed four wickets for 316 runs.It is unlikely that either of Ishant or Dinda will get to play the first Test in Ahmedabad as India are expected to go in with Zaheer and Yadav as the fast bowlers, with two spinners to complete the attack.Ishant missed India’s two-and-a-half hour practice session in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, while Zaheer, who was a slight fitness concern after walking off from his Ranji match against Railways with a groin problem, took part.

Mitchell Johnson pressed his Test claims with four wickets but Tasmania remained in complete control on the second day against Western Australia in Hobart, where the Warriors faced a challenge to avoid an innings defeat

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Nov-2012
Scorecard
Mitchell Johnson pressed his Test claims with four wickets but Tasmania remained in complete control on the second day against Western Australia in Hobart, where the Warriors faced a challenge to avoid an innings defeat. At stumps, Western Australia were 1 for 54 in their second innings, with Marcus North on 33 and Sam Whiteman on 19, and after their disastrous first innings they needed another 327 runs to make the Tigers bat again.Tasmania had started the day on 2 for 201 and they added another 246 for the loss of their remaining eight wickets. The opener Ben Dunk missed the chance for his maiden first-class century when he was caught behind off Nathan Coulter-Nile for 97 and George Bailey became the first wicket for Johnson when he was caught for 66.Johnson, who could come into calculations for the third Test against South Africa in Perth, picked up two more middle-order wickets before James Faulkner offered some serious resistance with an unbeaten 76. Evan Gulbis (35) and Jackson Bird (26) also provided important tail-end runs and Johnson finished with 4 for 103.