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It wasn’t the visceral roar of an Anglo-Australian crowd fuelled by alcohol; this was joyous, unbridled passion for the teams and the game

Alex Malcolm23-Oct-2022The MCG is a magical place. The roars here are special. But of all the great sporting events this grand stadium has hosted, of all the roars this grand stadium has produced, Sunday evening’s might have been the most extraordinary.When R Ashwin struck the winning run, the noise that the 90,293 people inside the MCG made was heard in the suburbs more than two kilometres away.Related

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The late Shane Warne, who now has the great southern stand named after him at the MCG, had said he had never heard a roar louder than when he took his 700th Test wicket in front of 89,155 adoring fans on Boxing Day in 2006. This was louder.It was louder than when Mitchell Starc rattled Brendon McCullum’s stumps in the opening over of the 2015 ODI World Cup final.It was louder than any of the recent AFL grand finals that were played in front of more than 100,000 people.And it wasn’t just one roar. It was every roar. Dozens of them, in a pulsating match that ebbed and flowed across a riveting, nail-biting 40 overs between India and Pakistan.Even the sights and sounds before the game had a different feel. Hours away from the first ball, there were fans decked in blue and green teeming towards the MCG from all corners of Melbourne. It is rare to see crowds of such size so far out from the start of an event at this venue.When the winning run was scored, the noise was heard in the suburbs more than two kilometres away•Getty ImagesThey were ten deep at the nets outside the Ponsford Stand; they were chanting and singing in droves outside the members’. Inside the ground, as the players warmed up, there were cheers.India and Pakistan had played one another at the MCG before. It was in 1985. They had met twice in ODIs in the Benson and Hedges World Championship of Cricket then.Ravi Shastri was Player of the Tournament – called Champion of Champions – then, and made 63 not out in India’s win over Pakistan in the final. Now he was presiding over the toss as a commentator and received an almighty roar when he introduced Rohit Sharma and Babar Azam to the crowd. The noise was so loud that Rohit’s decision to bowl first could not be heard over the loudspeaker.The roar went up a notch when Babar’s name was announced on the big screen as the line-ups were confirmed. It was twice as loud when Virat Kohli’s name appeared.Then came the anthems. The Indian and Pakistani national anthems have been sung in stadiums all around the world, but even those that had heard them many times over had never heard them quite like this. It rivalled when 95,446 sang Liverpool’s in unison before the Reds played A-League side Melbourne Victory in a friendly at the MCG in 2013.As India’s anthem ended and the roar rang around the ‘G, Rohit threw his head back, closed his eyes, and exhaled. The emotion of the occasion was writ large all over his face.

In the Shane Warne stand, there was no animosity, no hint of the political situation that threatens to derail the next Asia Cup in Pakistan and the next World Cup in India. The fans were there to soak in the rarest of occasions, as were the players.

Then the noise reached a crescendo. When Arshdeep Singh swerved one back into Babar’s pads and Marais Erasmus’ finger went up, the MCG heard a roar unlike any other. It made the hair on the back of your neck stand up and left goosebumps on your arms.It wasn’t the guttural, visceral roar of an Anglo-Australian crowd fuelled by alcohol and a thirst for blood. This was joyous, unbridled passion for a team and the game.It seemed as though the India fans were in the overwhelming majority as Pakistan slumped to 15 for 2 and could barely lay bat to ball in the powerplay. But the green shirts and Pakistan flags proved otherwise. And Iftikhar Ahmed helped them find their voice with three mammoth sixes to have both sets of fans rocking.In the Shane Warne stand, there was no animosity, no hint of the political situation that threatens to derail the next Asia Cup in Pakistan and the next World Cup in India. The fans were there to soak in the rarest of occasions, as were the players.”It was a very good experience,” Arshdeep said after the match. “A once-in-a-lifetime experience I would say, playing in [front of] such a big crowd and a crowd loving both the teams.”The game seesawed, with the crowd barely able to draw breath. There was an attempt to start a Mexican Wave but there wasn’t a long enough lull.4:14

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Pakistan’s fans took control again as India stumbled in the chase. Haris Rauf, who had earlier heard the MCG roar for his hat-trick in the BBL, caused an even greater eruption when he dismissed Suryakumar Yadav with extreme pace.But then Kohli produced his masterpiece. Every sweet six from his blade nearly raised the roof. The last eight balls were absolute bedlam. Nearly every fan in the stadium was on their feet. Wickets, sixes, no-balls, free hits, byes and wides were met with a cacophony that reverberated around the stadium and into the surrounding areas.There was joy for India, and heartbreak for Pakistan at the end. But those who witnessed it and heard it, no matter which side of the result they were on, felt privileged to be part of it.”It was my first taste of a World Cup game, of a Pakistan-India game, and I couldn’t ask or be grateful for a better event than this,” Shan Masood, who took Pakistan to a strong score in collaboration with Iftikhar, said after the match. “Ninety-thousand people at the MCG. That shows how important Pakistan-India games are to cricket.”If we want to take this game forward, I personally feel that these are games that should happen more regularly and around the world. So it’s important for the development of the game that we see games like these, fiercely contested games that go down to the last ball.”Who knows when we will have another one. But savour this one. Savour the sights. Savour the sounds. There has never been anything like it.

On the verge of his 100th Test, the India batter looks back at his top innings and talks about the qualities that have made him the player he is

Interview by Nagraj Gollapudi14-Feb-2023A dozen Indian players have played over 100 Tests each. This select group is expected to be updated this week, when Cheteshwar Pujara plays the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. A one-format player, Pujara, who made his Test debut 13 years ago, has kept himself relevant despite regular scrutiny over the way he plays his game. By being honest to his beliefs, sticking religiously to his routines and staying disciplined, he has built a career that ranks among the finest of this era. In a chat with ESPNcricnfo, conducted before the start of the Australia Test series, Pujara opens up on his journey and where he is headed.Is it going to be just another Test or is your 100th Test special? Do you feel proud?
It is like when you are scoring runs – when you reach 50 or when you reach 100, there’s a special feeling. But again, when you score a hundred, you enjoy that moment but you still carry on. There is a satisfaction after reaching a milestone, but there is always a job to do.Yes, it will be my 100th Test match, but you still have a job to do for the team and you focus on that a bit more. It is similar to batting: when you reach the hundred, you start again. Sometimes you want to score a double-hundred. Here it is not like that – you can’t reach 200 Test matches. But you move on to the next target.Related

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We are playing an important series against Australia. Yes, the second Test will be my 100th, but there will be two more Tests after that which will be very important for us to win to qualify for the WTC final.Matches and series against Australia have been important in your career. It was against them that you made your Test debut in Bangalore in 2010. What do you remember of that day?
Feels like it happened yesterday. There have been many ups and downs, but that is the game I have enjoyed the most. I still remember when I was handed the cap, that feeling, that pressure moment. As a youngster you are anxious, you are nervous. The feeling of playing for the Indian team for the first time is something you can never forget. Even after that, playing your first overseas Test match, the kind of pressure you go through, you figure out that you need to work on your team to be successful in overseas conditions.I have played international cricket for more than a decade now. You learn so many things: you are tested in your character, in your temperament, in your patience, as a person. This game is not just about what you do on the field, it’s also about how you behave off the field, and that also has an impact on what you do on the field because if you are not disciplined enough in Test cricket, you will see the results eventually on the field. That’s why Test cricket is special. Yes, T20 cricket is more popular now but if you speak to any Test cricketer, regardless of how many matches they have played, they will tell you it takes a lot to become a successful Test player.At training: “It is not just concentration on the field – the combination of things you have done beforehand is equally important”•Associated PressYou only play one format, and your desire to excel in it is as strong as ever. What has kept you going?
Firstly, it’s the love for the game. My passion has become my profession. I never dreamt of doing anything else apart from playing cricket. I don’t need any kind of motivation to do well. And it’s not just about international cricket. If you look at my performances in games at whatever level – club, state, county, country – no one can question my commitment. I hate losing.As a recent example, I can talk about the Ranji Trophy game against Andhra where we lost and I scored 91. That was one of the best domestic innings I played, considering the kind of pitch we were playing on. We lost by 130-odd runs [150 runs]. I was the ninth wicket to fall. I felt if I could have done something else… because Dharmendrasinh Jadeja was batting at the other end and Yuvrajsinh Dodhiya was still to come. I still felt that there was a possibility as long as I was there. That’s the kind of attitude I normally have: as long as I am there at the crease, I can still make things possible to win a game for the team.When you are playing for the Indian team, you don’t need that motivation. It comes from within. Every time you walk onto the field, you are always switched on. I don’t think there is any drive required. I want to give my best and try and achieve the best I can.Your ability to concentrate has been a hallmark of your game. Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, your Sussex team-mate last year, said he has never seen anyone with better concentration than you. How do you manage to keep your focus intact at all times?
It is about how you are as a person, how your journey has been. I live a very simple life and that’s the reason I don’t get distracted by too many things. Also, as a person I believe in God and that’s a strength which gives me a lot of positivity when you are going through a tough time. At times there are so many things spoken about you. Sometimes people will talk negatively about you or criticise you, but to stay positive is important. That’s why I feel that when you believe in a superpower, it gives you that strength.Yoga has helped me immensely in the last several years, and I’ve been doing it regularly. That has also helped me improve my concentration.In the beginning: Pujara (centre) with his ecstatic team-mates after winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in his debut Test. Pujara counts his 72 in that match among his top innings•AFPMost importantly, if you forget the things that are around you, you can try and bring down your focus to one particular thing. For me, when I’m batting out there in the middle, I try and keep my mind blank, I try and just focus on what I have to do. And to do that you need to also forget what the bowler will do, because in cricket you have to be in the present, you have to look at the ball and let your instinct follow. For that you need to prepare well, you need to know what you are going to face, utilise your muscle memory. It is not just concentration on the field – the combination of things you have done beforehand is equally important.I’m guessing you don’t spend a lot of time on your phone?
No, I don’t. Apart from talking to friends and family, not much, I do agree. So there is one less distraction. Also, I try and avoid social media. As a sportsperson you need to be active on social media – that’s a different thing. But I don’t try and see what other people, celebrities, are doing. Even when someone is talking about me on social media, whether it is positive or negative, I stay away. Because I know my methods, I know my routine, I know what I have to do to become successful. When you have done that over a period of time, you figure out a way and you stick to that.You have always kept going back to domestic cricket. How big a role has that played in your career?
It has, definitely, without any doubt. If I look back a few years when Covid-19 was around, that was the time I had a little bit of a challenge in finding my rhythm. The reason I would say is, I didn’t play enough domestic cricket to be in touch with the game. I feel that no matter how much time you spend in the nets, playing first-class matches is very important to be successful at the international level, especially in the Test format. You need that preparation, you need that time in the middle to find your rhythm, to find your concentration, even for your feet to move.Would you advise youngsters who play just white-ball cricket for India to also play first-class cricket?
Yes. If you are just playing white-ball cricket and if you aim to play Test cricket, then you should definitely play Ranji Trophy, without any doubt. Otherwise you will eventually get exposed at the international level in red-ball cricket. If you look at examples of whoever has done well in Test cricket, they would have played some red-ball cricket – whether it is Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy or India A, Rest of India. It is slightly different for the bowlers, but for a batsman, it is important to play red-ball cricket.Which are some of your innings you look back on fondly?
Without ranking, among my top innings would be the 72 on Test debut. Then my first hundred in South Africa, 153, in 2013.You may break my body but not my spirit: Pujara grimaces after getting hit on the hand during his 56, made over five and a half hours•Tertius Pickard/Associated PressIn 2010, my first overseas series, I had a tough time. I batted at No. 5 or 6. Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel were at their peak. I still remember, I spoke to Rahul [Dravid] that I am finding it difficult because I have always played on Indian pitches where the bounce is low and the pace is slow. And in South Africa I am finding it difficult to get acclimatised and it is like facing a different challenge altogether. He gave some good advice. I worked on it. I ensured that whenever I came to South Africa next, I would do well, I wanted to be successful against those bowlers. That happened in 2013 in Jo’burg.In 2017 against Australia in Bangalore is another innings I will remember. I have said many times that sometimes your fifties are more valuable than some of your hundreds. And that was one of those knocks which decided not just that Test match but the entire Test series. If we had lost that match, the series was on the line, so it was a series-defining knock for me personally and for the team.The 123 in Adelaide in 2018 – first innings of an important series. Again, I had done my homework and it paid off and I was really pleased with that.Last one is the fifty at the Gabba in the 2020-21 series where I got hit so many times on my body and I had to work my way out. I felt it was an important innings from the team’s perspective.You have just turned 35. It is an age when chatter begins about how much longer a player might go on. James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who both only play Tests, have shown that skillsets don’t degrade. As a batter, what do you reckon?
I don’t want to set a target for myself. I want to be in the present. I want to take it one Test match at a time rather than thinking about how long I can play. It’s important to enjoy the game, it’s important to be on top of your game, and whenever you are not able to contribute, or you are not performing to the best of your abilities, you can consider the next step. I have just turned 35. There’s still some time.With his wife, Puja, in the UK in 2017•Cheteshwar PujaraWhen I first got injured [right knee surgery in 2009] I didn’t know how long I would play. I had my left ACL [anterior cruciate ligament] reconstructed, and then the second one in 2011. When I got injured in 2009, I was playing for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL in a practice game. I actually didn’t have any idea of what the injury was. Before that I had never had a serious injury, so I was in shock. I really didn’t know whether I would be able to carry on playing. So whatever has happened since then has been a bonus. At the time I wasn’t familiar with rehab and surgery – I was sort of traumatised and I didn’t know what to do. I was told I would be out of the game for six months. After I had the second knee injury in 2011, that was when I realised I needed to look after my body, and since then I have been paying a lot of attention to my fitness.It is probably accurate to say that you will play till you believe that you are capable of being the match-winner you have always prided yourself on being. But is it also your goal to ensure you average 50 before you retire?
Well, that is not a goal I would set for myself. That is something I think should happen, because as a cricketer you always want to do well and score as many runs as possible. It is about scoring runs in each and every Test match. And when I score those runs, the average will go up. My aim and goal is definitely to score runs, not to think about the average because that is a by-product.Will your family be at the Test?
Yes, they will definitely be watching. My dad has been my inspiration. He is someone who started coaching me when I was eight years old, so it’s been a long journey for him too, to see me play over that period of time, to have guided me as a coach. I’m very thankful to him and it’s a proud moment for him also to see his son play his 100th Test. And he’s a very emotional person, so for him it will be a very big moment.Also, I will be completing my tenth wedding anniversary soon. It is not just concentration on the field – the combination of things you have done beforehand to achieve that is equally important. My wife also has seen a lot of ups and downs and she has been always with me. When we got engaged, she didn’t have any knowledge about cricket. She has been following the game for about eight or nine years now, so she understands the game, she understands why my routine is the way it is. Sometimes she will tell me that you better make sure that you are completing your gym sessions rather than worrying about anything else. She has managed everything really well, not just on the house front, but there are so many things in a cricketer’s life, including endorsements, so I can be relaxed and focused on my game.

Punishment for the county must be weighed against further hits to inclusion and diversity

David Hopps01-Apr-2023Once a war approaches its end, it is instructional to remind yourself of the point of the peace. In the case of Yorkshire cricket, that should be blindingly obvious: to create an environment in which talented cricketers have equal opportunity to succeed in a culture free from prejudice and discrimination, and in which all spectators can feel a true sense of belonging. An outcome about which everyone – or at least everyone who really cares – can take pride.Now judgment has been passed on Yorkshire’s racism scandal, focus must be upon achieving such an aim. This should not be about a thirst for further punishment, or yet more trashing of reputations. Nor should it be about the further vilification of Azeem Rafiq or the parading of holier-than-thou responses towards those he has accused. And those who think it’s all about Michael Vaughan have clearly surrendered long ago to the cult of celebrity. Although with charges against him unproven, there is no justification to prolong his absence from the BBC.The ECB chair, Richard Thompson, has already set the direction of travel, pleading that if cricket is to find lasting benefit from this, it must be “a time of reconciliation”, a chance “to collectively learn and heal the wounds”. Many still remain aggrieved. But Yorkshire cricket must never visit here again.Related

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Such aspirations are not exactly groundbreaking. They were all enshrined in the Equality Act of 2010, a hotchpotch of laws brought together in a single act by the last Labour Government: protection against discrimination not just because of race, but religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age, disability, marriage or civil partnership and pregnancy. An Act intended to underpin the basic tenets of a fair and equal society.Presumably Yorkshire were otherwise occupied at the time.Presumably much of English cricket was, too, because one of the reasons Rafiq’s allegations struck a chord was because English cricket felt guilty by association.But Yorkshire has a right to a wider context. As the media digested the guilty verdicts handed down by the ECB’s cricket disciplinary committee, Yunus Lunat, a Leeds-based lawyer with a particular expertise in discrimination in sport, underlined on BBC Look North that this is not a Yorkshire cricket problem, or even a cricket problem, this is a society problem. To deny that is to retreat into an act of supreme self-delusion.It is not to engage in “whataboutery”, or to dismiss Yorkshire’s failings as inconsequential, but merely to search for a sense of perspective, to reflect that the ECB cricket disciplinary committee announced its verdict at the end of a month in which the Metropolitan Police, the nation’s fire brigades and Welsh Rugby have been dubbed hotbeds of racism, homophobia and misogyny. Or to point to the vile racism openly on show during anti-immigration protests fanned by far-right groups last month in South Yorkshire, and captured by the News Agents podcast. There are countless other examples. All of them deeply disturbing.As culture wars play out across Britain, it is also instructional to reflect that Yorkshire admitted to institutional racism before the Department of Culture, Media and Sport Committee a year or so before the Home Secretary dismissed the phrase as “politically charged” and “not helpful”, appearing to blame the phrase itself rather than blame people’s inability – or refusal – to understand what it means.

Opportunity for disadvantaged and minority-ethnic kids is not best served by heavy fines that at best might cause cuts in development budgets and at worst tip Yorkshire into bankruptcy

In cricket, though, there is now cause to hope that the world has changed. From all this, Yorkshire cricket must move forward, owning its shame and committed to a more enlightened future. And here’s the thing: it already is. Those who value Yorkshire primarily as a convenient symbol of bigotry might be reluctant to concede as much, or chide that they have heard it all before, and indeed they have, but a recently-constituted and more progressive board has been driving change across the county even though trust is low, opinions are entrenched, feelings run high, and the county (not for the first time) is on the verge of bankruptcy.A joint statement from the interim chair, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, and chief executive Stephen Vaughan, made the right noises, saying: “As a club we needed to accept and take accountability for the cultural issues which allowed racist and discriminatory behaviour to go unchallenged. We are making great progress in our ambition to become a more inclusive and welcoming club for all.”But this is not just noises off while the scenery collapses all around them from a county that pled guilty on four amended charges – essentially, failing to address and act upon allegations of racist and discriminatory language. Matters had to come to a head for Yorkshire to recognise their wider responsibilities, but the facts bear out that they have embarked upon a new direction.Central to Yorkshire’s ambition has been their serious attempts to transform a previously narrow performance pathway that had favoured children of monied and well-connected white parents – a charge that it has long been established can be levelled not just against Yorkshire but, to varying degrees, every county club in the land.To increase access from lower income households, match fees have been removed, free kit has been provided, winter coaching has been free of charge and there has been a hardship fund for those worthy of further support.Potential bias in selection has been addressed by abolishing private one-to-one coaching from staff involved with age-group pathways – a recognition that parents who pay for such coaching expect results from those who can influence team selection. Selection committees have been established. It would be naïve, though, to imagine a perfect world. Already there are grumblings of parental pressure and potential conflicts of interest. Junior selection in sport is a perpetual minefield wherever the power lies.Nevertheless, these and other changes have brought a 60% increase in participants from minority-ethnic or poorer backgrounds in the age-group performance pathways. Poorer kids, too, because the issues of race and class are intertwined.Under the heading “Cricket is a Game for Me”, Yorkshire’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion plan, modelled on the ECB’s “Inspiring Generations” strategy, is being implemented with conviction. Inclusivity is also increasingly at the heart of the spectator experience.So much, so boring, some social media sabre-rattlers will be thinking. What’s our next campaign? As Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart indicated on a recent The Rest is Politics podcast, the coming generation might have a stronger moral conscience than many who passed before, but by their own admission they have less appetite for civic contributions. But only by tens of thousands of hours active commitment by hundreds of people does change occur. After the dislocation must come the vision and after the vision must come the dedication.Lord Patel failed to get everyone pulling in the same direction at Yorkshire•Getty ImagesWhat still seems to be lacking in Yorkshire’s approach – and what has been lacking on all sides since the Rafiq affair began – is a recognition of the importance of education in building deep and long-lasting trust in a multi-racial environment. Lord Patel did not go in for education – despite promising upon his emergency appointment to “take people on a journey”, he summarily sacked 16 people, a decision that eroded trust and divided the county. It did not just go against natural justice, or cost the club millions in legal fees, but erroneously concluded that the problem was in the individual, rather than the culture.It is worth remembering that as much as Yorkshire can, and must, use its influence to be a general force for good, its primary function is that of a professional sports club – to find and develop elite players and to run a successful and profitable business.What Yorkshire also need therefore is a social contract for all players who appear in their age group sides and beyond, an appreciation of the cultural and sporting codes of behaviour that underpin the right to a non-discriminatory environment, but also which makes clear their own responsibilities in a talent-driven sporting environment. A new code of White Rose values that goes beyond the traditional image of playing hard and telling it straight.There will never be a better chance for minority-ethnic communities to abandon their pessimism and trust that the opportunities are for real, to play an active part in a club from which they have largely regarded themselves as excluded. Not to do so would deny Rafiq a valuable legacy and a victory – because victory it has been – of lasting substance.While Yorkshire wrestle with the many social and ethnic challenges that (apart from a brief period earlier this century) have been beyond them, to punish a county that has now embraced change would seem to be entirely counterproductive.By announcing their verdict, but delaying their sentence, the ECB’s disciplinary committee appears to recognise that. They may be in a quandary, but opportunity for disadvantaged and minority-ethnic kids is not best served by heavy fines that at best might cause cuts in development budgets and at worst tip Yorkshire into bankruptcy. By showing evidence of progress to the disciplinary committee, as they now must because the process will drag on for a while yet, they will have reason to appeal for clemency.Not everyone will be placated. If not fines, they say, then points deductions. The ECB will fear reputational damage if they are seen to be lenient and considering that they recently deducted 10 points from Durham for an oversized bat precedent is hardly in Yorkshire’s favour.But even this – a more likely option – has little purpose nearly seven years after Rafiq first complained formally about racism, and then was eventually released for the second time at the end of that season. It would be a brutal response to a young Yorkshire side that is entirely unconnected with the racism allegations. In the meantime, they must begin a second successive season not knowing what points deductions they may face, but their consolation is that with every week that passes the extent of that punishment may lessen.It is time to embrace the positives. The success over the past three years of the African-Caribbean Engagement programme, tirelessly headed by Ebony Rainford-Brent, has become the template on what can be achieved to champion diversity in sport. ACE began in South London but it has expanded into Birmingham and Bristol, and has ambitions, among others, to gain a foothold in Leeds, too. Make that happen.According to figures from , the charity has already touched 10,000 pupils in their schools’ programme and provided 44 players for county age-group sides. As Lawrence Booth, editor of , asked: “If a charity can produce them from scratch in next to no time what on earth has the game’s governing body been up to?”ACE has enjoyed substantial financial backing, not least from Sport England and the ECB, as well as attracting individual donations. Yorkshire are a long way from building the credibility to receive such support. Building their own membership and attracting sponsors is battle enough. Their expansion of coaching is already a heavy drain on their finances.But the success of ACE is a reminder that for the ECB to debilitate Yorkshire financially at precisely the time they are striving to change for the better would be one more terrible miscalculation in a saga that has been full of them.

Proof will be in the final result but long game earns slender lead despite England fightback

Andrew McGlashan28-Jul-20231:43

‘One-innings shootout’ to decide tight fifth Test

Not for the first time in this series, Marnus Labuschagne could barely drag himself away from the crease. Having been virtually scoreless since the start of play, he nibbled at a length ball from Mark Wood and the edge was spectacularly held by Joe Root at first slip.It was gloomy at the time and Labuschagne appeared less than impressed. He departed for 9 off 82 balls. His innings was part of a morning session in which Australia made 54 runs off 26 overs, and that was boosted by a brief flurry when Steven Smith arrived at the crease. After 47 overs, they were 96 for 2 – and with 21 of those being byes and leg byes, just 75 runs had come off the bat.Smith later said he was not aware of any specific gameplan for Australia to bat at such a tempo, but it has been the visitors’ method to try and grind down the England attack, particularly in the first two Tests where they secured the victories which have ultimately enabled them to retain the Ashes. They were also batting in conditions that have undone many previous Australia sides in England.”The clouds were in, there was a bit of swing around,” Smith said. “They might have bowled a little bit short, not given us too many scoring options, they didn’t give us many drives, so the guys were able to leave a lot of balls. Obviously, you want the scoreboard to be ticking over quicker than that. But guys are allowed to bowl well, it’s Test cricket, and you are allowed to block and leave a few, absorb some pressure.”Even if not an overall team tactic, there was logic in trying to do so here against an England attack without their spinner, as Moeen Ali remained off the field with a groin injury, and consisting of four quicks aged 33 or above. It may yet prove its worth in the second innings when Australia are chasing a target.Todd Murphy and Pat Cummins added vital lower-order runs•Getty ImagesHowever, during the afternoon it appeared that Australia could have dug themselves a hole. The danger with only absorbing pressure for long periods and barely scoring – something that stands out even more when contrasted with England’s approach – is that if wickets fall, the scoreboard hasn’t moved very far and the bowling side can get back in the game.That’s what started to transpire when Stuart Broad removed Usman Khawaja (who took his tally of balls faced in the series over 1000, comfortably the most of any batter) and Travis Head in quick succession. James Anderson then claimed his first wicket for more than 35 overs when Mitchell Marsh – after a monstrous six down the ground off Broad that went against the trend at the time – inside-edged onto leg stump.With Smith watching from the non-striker’s end, he was let down by the shot selection of Alex Carey, whose form with the bat in this series has steadily diminished, and Mitchell Starc. When the seventh wicket fell, Australia were still 98 behind and there were plenty of similarities to how the corresponding Oval Test in 2019 panned out for a weary visiting team when, on that occasion, they could not match England’s 294.That, though, was where the storylines diverged a little, although it remains difficult to call the conclusion with any certainty, as Australia secured a small lead. In a series of fine margins, it could be that the borderline run-out call which went in Smith’s favour, when third umpire Nitin Menon ruled the bail was not fully out of the groove before the bat crossed the line, has a huge bearing.Related

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Smith forged a stand of 54 with Pat Cummins, who was then able to add another 49 with Todd Murphy as he belied his position at No.10 by three times hooking Mark Wood into the stands. It was as these partnerships developed that there was a glimpse into what Australia could have achieved with their long-game approach as England’s quicks were forced into further spells with the second new ball. However, they did not have the batting left to truly make the most of it.”They stuck to the style of play that has been very successful for many years,” Broad said. “Ultimately Australia are World Test Champions, won every game in their summer, [they are] not going to change their style of play just because we are playing a different style.”That is the way the Aussies play, they try to see off the new ball, grind you down, and see off a huge number of overs. At 40 overs, it looked like that could happen, but we had to keep our patience and we felt there was enough in the pitch that you could get a quick bang-bang like happened yesterday. That is how the day did turn out.”So it’s 283 all out off 54.4 overs versus 295 off 103.1 overs. Two contrasting methods to get to a very similar position, as it was in the opening game of the series at Edgbaston. Australia are desperate to leave with their first series win in England since 2001. It’s now down to a one-innings shootout to see if they can achieve it.

England pull off a dramatic chase with one ball to spare as the runs flow in Grenada

Sampath Bandarupalli16-Dec-202321 Runs needed for England at the start of the 20th over in the third T20I. These are the joint-most target runs successfully chased by any team in the 20th over in T20Is, matching last month’s effort by Australia of chasing 21 runs in the final over against India in Guwahati.34 Sixes hit by both West Indies and England on Saturday are the second-most in a T20I match, behind only the 35 during the Centurion T20I between South Africa and West Indies earlier this year. England hit 18 sixes, the second-most by them behind the 20 against South Africa in Bristol in 2022.71 Target runs needed for England at the start of the death overs (17-20). These are the most target runs successfully chased in the death overs of any men’s T20 match, bettering Sussex’s 69 runs against Gloucestershire in 2015 (where ball-by-ball data is available).109* Phil Salt’s score in the run chase is the second highest for an England batter in men’s T20Is, behind only the unbeaten 116 by Alex Hales against Sri Lanka in the 2014 T20 World Cup.442.85 Harry Brook’s batting strike rate during his unbeaten seven-ball 31 is the second-highest for a men’s T20I innings of 30-plus runs. The highest is 520 by Dipendra Singh Airee, who scored an unbeaten 10-ball 52 against Mongolia earlier this year.9 Sixes hit by Salt during his unbeaten 109 are the joint-most for England in a T20I innings, equaling Liam Livingstone, who also hit nine maximums against Pakistan in 2021.3 Successful target chases of 220-plus targets for England in T20Is are the most by any team, going ahead of Australia and Bulgaria, who have done it twice. Only one team other than England has successfully chased down 220-plus targets on three occasions in T20s – Middlesex in the T20 Blast.448 Runs aggregated by West Indies and England in the third T20I are the most in any T20I match hosted by the West Indies. The previous highest was 428 runs in Bridgetown in 2022, also during a T20I between West Indies and England.There have been only three higher men’s T20I totals in West Indies than England’s 226 for 3 in the chase, all during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Americas Region Qualifier in 2021 in Coolidge.153 Runs collectively scored by West Indies and England during the death overs are the highest for any T20 match where ball-by-ball data is available. The previous highest was 144 by Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians in Dubai in 2020.The 79 out of those 153 runs scored by West Indies are the second most in death overs in men’s T20Is, behind the 89 by Nepal against Mongolia in the Asian Games earlier this year.

Having missed out on the WPL last year despite a stellar run in international cricket, the UP Warriorz batter is determined to make it count this year

Shashank Kishore21-Feb-2024You can see Danni Wyatt inject energy into the UP Warriorz team room as she walks in for their media day. After exchanging pleasantries with her team-mates and a few media personnel, her gaze turns to a pocket diary on the table as she sits down for our chat. In it are keywords that provide cues to help steer our conversation.”It’s a good habit, eh?” Wyatt asks, pointing to the diary. “I still maintain a journal. It’s a habit I’m incredibly proud of and have continued to keep after all these years.”At this time last year, she had written about being “embarrassed and heartbroken” after failing to attract a single bid at the WPL auction ahead of the inaugural edition. The one word on her mind this time around is “gratitude.”Related

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“It wasn’t a good feeling last year,” she says. “We were in South Africa for the T20 World Cup. We were in the same hotel as the Indian team and they were screaming. They were all watching on a projector and there were loud cheers and high fives every time someone got picked.”We were just leaving the hotel and en route to the ground for a game against Ireland. I was on the team bus, so I wasn’t watching when my name came up. Suddenly I get a series of messages from my friends over in the UK to say, ‘You’ve not been picked.'”I was just a bit embarrassed. I had got my hopes up a lot, which I shouldn’t have done in hindsight. I’d done well in international cricket. I’d been part of BCCI’s Women’s T20 Challenge in India prior to that. I was confident of being picked. But to not get a single bid was pretty heartbreaking.”A year on from that disappointment, Wyatt is in a better state of mind. There’s a relaxed vibe to her after she had the chance to spend “more than usual” time with her family. In October, she withdrew from the WBBL, saying she was fatigued. Wyatt says she is over that phase now.Wyatt was Player of the Series in the 2023 Women’s Ashes, with 272 runs•Steve Bardens/ECB/Getty ImagesThis is her second trip to India in two months. In December, she was part of England’s squad for the Test and T20I series. Back then, a day before the auction, she struck a fierce 75 to flatten India at the Wankhede Stadium.”I was trying to be in a headspace where I was only focused on doing well for England,” she says. “It was difficult [to keep the WPL distraction away], and I must admit, as the auction drew nearer, I got increasingly nervous. I’d done well in the match before [the auction], but I was clear about one thing: I wasn’t going to let another possible disappointment chew me.”I thought, if it happens, great. If it doesn’t, it’s not meant to be. There’s more to life. I was at the gym when the auction started, and by the time my name came up, I was back in my room. When the Warriorz raised the paddle, I must admit it felt wonderful, a lot different to last year.”Wyatt says rejection is something she says she had been lucky to avoid for a better part of her journey into professional cricket.”I got into the England academy setup as a 15-year-old, made my international debut at 18. Over the years, I guess I was lucky enough to perform in front of the right people at the right time. Everything just happened, and one thing synced into another.”This is her 15th year in international cricket, and looking back now, she can see the moments that have led her to where she is now. “It was in the middle of 2017,” she says of a turning point. “I’d decided enough was enough. I was happy just being a pinch-hitter, you know. I was happy just being part of the XI. I knew something had to change.”Over the years, I guess I was lucky enough to perform in front of the right people at the right time. Everything just happened, and one thing synced into another”•Ashley Allen/ECB/Getty Images”Until then, I didn’t quite care as much about my cricket as I should have. But losing my grandfather, a massive personal loss at the time, just before the Ashes that year, made me look at things in a different light. That’s the moment when I decided I had to change.””I mean, I opened the bowling with some spin. I hadn’t rated my batting at all. There was no confidence to bat long. But that changed mindset and attitude brought about a different approach. I knew I had to be the main character, not a part-timer who could do a bit of this and a bit of that.”I sat out of the Tests, didn’t play in the one-dayers either. But in the third T20I, I grabbed my chance and scored a century, I think off 58-59 balls [57]. That I was able to finally show the world what I could do was a take-off point. I’d like to think I haven’t looked back since.”Wyatt, like so many in England, was captivated by the game in 2005. She can’t remember every game she may have played in but her memories of that year’s historic Ashes series are sharp. She was in the stands with her dad to watch the cliffhanger of a Test at Edgbaston. Her love affair with cricket began there.Nearly two decades later, she reflects on how it had a transformative effect on her career. “Just like what Bazball is doing to many these days, it was absolutely inspirational,” Wyatt says. “It’s amazing what the guys have been able to do to Test cricket over the last two years.”They’ve taken the game to the next level. It’s entertaining, inspirational, they’ve got the entire country talking about it. Surely they’re doing a lot of things right. It’s similar to the way we [England women] play. Jon Lewis [England women and Warriorz head coach] wants us playing fearlessly. It kind of suits my style; that’s when I’m playing at my best. Seeing ball, hitting ball. Pretty cool.”

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All the key numbers from another low-scoring thriller in New York

Sampath Bandarupalli10-Jun-2024114 – The target South Africa defended successfully against Bangladesh on Monday. It is the lowest any team has successfully defended at the Men’s T20 World Cup in a 20-over game. The previous lowest was 120 by India the previous day against Pakistan and in the 2014 edition by Sri Lanka against New Zealand.1 – The target of 114 that Bangladesh failed to chase in New York is the lowest they have failed to get in a men’s T20I. Their previous lowest failed chase – in a full chase where 20 overs where available – was 129 against New Zealand in Mirpur in 2021.Related

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The 114-run target is also the lowest that South Africa have defended successfully in men’s T20Is (where the match was not shortened), bettering their defence of 116 against Sri Lanka in 2013 in Colombo.2 – Number of targets lower than Bangladesh’s 114 not chased by a Full-Member team in a full 20-overs men’s T20I. Zimbabwe lost to Namibia by eight runs while chasing 102 in a T20I last year, while West Indies fell short of a 106-run target by 26 runs against Zimbabwe in 2010. England also lost while chasing a 114-run target against West Indies in 2011 at The Oval.9-0 – South Africa’s win-loss record against Bangladesh in men’s T20Is. South Africa’s nine wins against Bangladesh are the second-most for any team against one opponent in this format without losing one. Portugal’s 10-0 record against Gibraltar is the most one-sided head-to-head record in men’s T20Is.22 – Runs aggregated by South Africa’s top-four batters on Monday. These are the fewest runs by the top-four batters in a winning cause at the men’s T20 World Cup. The previous lowest was 24 runs by New Zealand against England in the 2007 edition.79 – Partnership runs between Heinrich Klassen and David Miller for the fifth wicket. It is South Africa’s highest stand for the fifth wicket or lower in men’s T20Is, bettering last month’s 77-run partnership between Rassie van der Dussen and Wiaan Mulder against West Indies.222 – Runs scored by South Africa and Bangladesh in New York. It is the lowest aggregate for a men’s T20I where both teams played the full 20 overs while losing no more than seven wickets each.These are also the fewest runs aggregated overall in a men’s T20 World Cup game where both teams played the full 20 overs. The previous lowest was 240 runs by Afghanistan and West Indies in Nagpur in 2016.

Get to know the 2024 World Cup teams: Nepal, PNG, Uganda and USA

27-May-2024Nepalby Ashish Pant
The year 2023 started with Nepal conjuring 12 miracles to make it to the ODI World Cup qualifiers and ended with them qualifying for the T20 World Cup for the first time in a decade. In the group stage of the World Cup Asia Qualifier, they beat Singapore and Malaysia and made it to the knockouts despite losing to Oman. In the semi-final, they met old foes UAE, who were entering the knockouts unbeaten. In front of a packed home crowd, Nepal restricted UAE to 134 for 9 and made it to the final with eight wickets and 17 balls to spare, which also confirmed their qualification for the T20 World Cup. They lost to Oman in the final in the Super Over, but their World Cup ticket was secured.Key players
Rohit Paudel was Nepal’s leading run-scorer in T20Is last year, with 403 runs in 13 innings at an average of 50.37. The Nepal captain is also going into the T20 World Cup in prime form having scored 265 runs in four innings, which included a century and two fifties against a West Indies A side that had bowlers of international repute.Dipendra Singh Airee, Nepal’s highest run-getter in T20Is with 1626 runs in 56 innings, has had a stunning 12 months. Last year against Mongolia he broke the T20 record for the fastest fifty, getting there in just nine balls. More recently, he smashed six sixes in an over in a T20I against Qatar. Airee is also a handy offspinner. with 37 T20I wickets, and is an electric fielder to boot.Kushal Malla, just 20 years old, holds the record for the second-fastest century in T20Is, getting there in 34 balls, against Mongolia last year. He had an excellent 2023 where he scored 402 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 193.26. Malla also bowls left-arm spin and has 19 wickets at an economy of 6.18 in T20Is.Nepal in major tournaments
This is Nepal’s first T20 World Cup appearance since 2014. They made it to the 2023 ODI World Cup qualifiers last year, but couldn’t make it to the main event. In 2023, Nepal also qualified for the Asia Cup for the first time in history but failed to register a win in two attempts.Form guide*
LWLWWSquad
Rohit Paudel (capt), Aasif Sheikh, Anil Sah, Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Lalit Rajbanshi, Karan KC, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Pratis GC, Sundeep Jora, Abinash Bohara, Sagar Dhakal, Kamal AireeOpener Tony Ura scored two half-centuries and got his 125 runs at a strike rate of 164.47 in the T20I tri-series in Hong Kong in March•Peter Della PennaPapua New Guineaby Ashish Pant
PNG booked their place in the 2024 T20 World Cup after going unbeaten through the 2023 East-Asia-Pacific Qualifier, sealing their berth with a game to go.This will be their second appearance at the T20 World Cup. Ten members of the current squad played in the 2021 edition held in the UAE and Oman. Assad Vala remains captain and allrounder Charles Amini is his deputy. The bowling unit will be led by medium-pacer Norman Vanua, PNG’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is.Key players
Tony Ura is one of PNG’s most experienced batters and is coming into the World Cup on the back of fifties against Hong Kong and Nepal in a tri-series in Hong Kong in March. He is PNG’s highest run-getter in T20Is overall and since the start of 2023, and was second on the run-scorers’ list in the EAP Qualifier.Charles Amini’s all-round abilities will hold the key for PNG at the World Cup. He is third on PNG’s run-getters’ list (994 in 48 innings) in T20Is, behind Ura and Vala, and second on the wickets charts (47 in 48 innings), behind Vanua.PNG in major tournaments
In their only previous World Cup, in 2021, PNG were placed in a group with Scotland, Bangladesh and Oman in the first round but failed to win any of their three games.Form guide*
WLLWLSquad
Assad Vala (capt), Charles Amini, Alei Nao, Chad Soper, Hila Vare, Hiri Hiri, Jack Gardner, John Kariko, Kabua Morea, Kiplin Doriga, Lega Siaka, Norman Vanua, Semo Kamea, Sese Bau, Tony UraUganda beat every team they came up against in the Africa Region Qualifier, bar Namibia, in November last year•International Cricket CouncilUgandaby Firdose Moonda
A former British colony with a substantial South Asian diaspora population (both before and after the Idi Amin dictatorship, during which Asians were expelled from the country), Uganda has a cricket history that comes from outside influence, but its present is home-grown. The majority of the current squad are Ugandan-born, developed in the sport through the schooling system and are now a pioneering generation of cricketers for their country. This is the first time a senior Uganda side will play at a World Cup, a feat that has not yet been achieved by the national football team.Uganda qualified ahead of Zimbabwe via the Africa Qualifier tournament last year, where they beat Zimbabwe by five wickets and finished second on the seven-team points table. The only side they lost to were fellow qualifiers Namibia; they convincingly beat all other opposition, including their once-up-and-coming neighbours, Kenya.Key players
Frank Nsubuga began his cricket career 27 years ago (although official records have his first cap recorded in 2004), and at 43 he will be the oldest player at this T20 World Cup. He is heralded as one of the fittest members of the squad, who runs 10km before training and aims to sign off from the international game after this event.Riazat Ali Shah, born in Gilgit, Pakistan, is Uganda’s vice-captain, one of three batters in the side with over 1000 T20I runs, and one of their most reliable run-scorers. Riazat moved to Uganda when he was 16 years old but missed out on the next Under-19 World Cup because the logistics around his eligibility were not finalised. He was 20 when he debuted for Uganda in 2018, and is now one of their top performers.Roger Mukasa and Simon Ssesazi are the other two Ugandans with more than 1000 T20I runs, and Ssesazi’s brother, Henry Ssenyondo, is the country’s leading T20I wicket-taker and six away from becoming the first Ugandan to 100 T20I wickets.Uganda in major tournaments
Uganda have never played at a cricket World Cup but have competed in several multi-team tournaments in Africa with a fair amount of success. They won last year’s East Africa Cup in Rwanda with victories in 11 out of 12 games, and reached the semi-final of this year’s African Games in Accra, where they lost to Namibia.Form guide*
LLLLLSquad
Brian Masaba (capt), Riazat Ali Shah, Kenneth Waiswa, Dinesh Nakrani, Frank Nsubuga, Ronak Patel, Roger Mukasa, Cosmas Kyewuta, Bilal Hassan, Fred Achelam, Robinson Obuya, Simon Ssesazi, Henry Ssenyondo, Alpesh Ramjani, Juma MiyagiThis will be USA’s first World Cup, in either format•ICC via Getty ImagesUSAby Hemant Brar
They have qualified for the tournament by virtue of being co-hosts. This will be their first World Cup in any format. Wicketkeeper-opener Monank Patel will lead the side; Aaron Jones will be his deputy.USA come into this World Cup having beaten Bangladesh 2-1 in a three-match T20I series at home. Before that, they trounced Canada 4-0 in a five-match T20I series, also at home.USA will face Canada once again in the World Cup opener in Dallas on June 1. India, Pakistan and Ireland are the other three teams in their group.Key players
Corey Anderson, who played one ODI World Cup and two T20 ones for New Zealand, will turn out for USA this time. He made his USA debut against Canada last month and scored 28 and 55 in two outings. Anderson held the record for the fastest ODI hundred at one time, and USA will want him to roll the clock back to the form of that period.Ali Khan, one of the biggest names in USA cricket, wanted to bowl as fast as Shoaib Akhtar when growing up in Pakistan. While that did not come to pass, he can land his yorkers at a decent pace. He has also been a regular in the CPL.After the 2012 Under-19 World Cup, Ian Chappell compared left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh, who represented India in that event, to Bishan Bedi, saying the youngster was ready for international cricket. Harmeet made his T20I debut for USA last month, scoring 34 not out off 17 balls and taking 4 for 18 against Canada.USA in major tournaments
They have never been part of a World Cup previously, though they did make it to the Champions Trophy in 2004. They came close for the 2022 T20 World Cup, when they won the Americas regional Qualifier the previous year, staying unbeaten throughout the tournament. But in the global Qualifier, with two spots to grab, they lost to Netherlands in the semi-final.Form guide*
LWWWWSquad
Monank Patel (capt), Aaron Jones, Andries Gous, Corey Anderson, Ali Khan, Harmeet Singh, Jesdeep Singh, Milind Kumar, Nisarg Patel, Nitish Kumar, Nosthush Kenjige, Saurabh Netravalkar, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Steven Taylor, Shayan Jahangir*in last five games against teams featuring in the 2024 World CupAlso read the team previews of Canada, Namibia, Netherlands, Oman and Scotland

It’s possible that Southee won’t be in New Zealand’s XI for the Mumbai Test, but the “team first” champion will accept it, as he always has

Alagappan Muthu30-Oct-2024Tim Southee had a crucial hand in New Zealand becoming the first team in 12 years to win a Test series against India in India. He took the catch that signalled that incredible achievement. The rare fast bowler who is good enough to field in the slips, he pulled off an absolute screamer to get rid of Usman Khawaja earlier this year in Christchurch; that ball barely rose up off the ground, but the little it did was enough.In Pune, Southee was stationed on the long-on boundary, which was a hot spot considering Ajaz Patel was spinning the ball into the left-hand batter Ravindra Jadeja. The ball was tossed up. The batter came down the track. The connection was sweet. But once again, in a display of a different kind of agility, Southee ran to his left, staying perfectly balanced even though there was only inches between his feet and the boundary rope; reached up, and out in front of him, as he decelerated; and the ball just nestled in there, safe and snug.New Zealand are in the position they are now – 2-0 up with one more to play – in part because Southee is really, really good at not letting things go. He gets frustrated when his efforts to that end don’t pan out. At training on Wednesday, he went for a pull shot and didn’t connect. As the net rippled behind him, he clutched the bat handle tighter and seemed to wring it.Related

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Six back-to-back Tests in the subcontinent is the kind of assignment that New Zealand have rarely had. The batters would be put through an examination. The bowlers would be tested on their endurance. Everybody knew they were second-favourites. Ajaz, even now, considers India to have the wood over them in playing on spin-friendly pitches, which is true, but is still a pretty self-aware thing to say after demonstrably beating them at their own game just a few days ago.In the build-up to this set of fixtures, there was an understanding that New Zealand might have to take an extreme measure and drop their captain. It isn’t unprecedented. New Zealand went through the entire 2016 T20 World Cup in India with their two premier fast bowlers warming the bench. They capped Will Somerville in 2018; he was 34, and into his 13th year as a first-class cricketer. Except, unlike those two instances, which nobody saw coming, there were conversations this time – both on the inside and out – about how Southee, the guy that doesn’t like to let go, might have to.When the squad for the Afghanistan Test, which got rained out, was announced in August, the head coach Gary Stead said: “While we’re going over with an open mind around conditions, there is an understanding that all our bowling options may be needed across the different Tests. Tim and I have discussed this, and the need during these overseas tours to balance the workloads of the pace bowlers, including himself, to ensure the team is best served.”Southee was the Test captain when that squad was announced. He was appointed in 2022, 14 years on from his international debut. He had never performed the role – even in a stand-in capacity – in red-ball cricket, and was chosen over someone who had. NZC’s decision to look past Tom Latham raised a few eyebrows. But it did serve to recognise a cricketer who had given them so much for so long. A fast bowler who has found ways to reinvent himself; who refused to believe there wasn’t a way for him to matter, even when he lost his pace, even when he lost his swing.Tim Southee isn’t likely to let one go, even in training•AFP/Getty ImagesSouthee produced one of the great displays of fast bowling on New Zealand’s last tour of India, a slow and low Kanpur pitch only adding to the sheen of every wicket he took. There were five wickets in the first innings – at the cost of just 2.49 runs per over – and three more in the second. He would have backed himself to do something similar this time around, but in Sri Lanka, it became clear that there was a problem. A 2-0 defeat where they gave up over 600 runs and then got bundled for 88 in reply forced a serious bit of introspection. Two days after that series, Southee stepped down. Stead was part of the discussion that led to this decision. He said they were “delicate”.New Zealand now had the option of balancing their bowling attack a bit better; have enough spinners to exploit pitches that favour them, and bring in quick bowlers who could take the surface out of play, like Will O’Rourke. But, as it turned out, the rain in Bengaluru made sure that conditions favoured fast bowling, too. Southee started the slide that led to 46 all out. And in Pune, he took the only wicket that didn’t go to the spinners. In Mumbai, his zen-ness may be tested again. Matt Henry was bowling full tilt in the nets. It’s likely that he will be back in the XI and someone will have to make way. It won’t be the two spinners; probably won’t be the 6’4″ point-of-difference fast bowler either.Southee’s contribution to this win, with his primary discipline, is three wickets. He was arguably more effective with the bat, helping New Zealand push their lead in the first Test to 350-plus, and pushing ever higher on the list of the most prolific six-hitters in the format’s history. But more than all that, he has done something that is not always straightforward. He put the team’s needs ahead at significant personal cost.”Captaining the Black Caps in a format that’s so special to me has been an absolute honour and a privilege,” Southee said. “I’ve always tried to put the team first throughout my career, and I believe this decision is the best for the team.”New Zealand are in the position they are now – dreaming of a 3-0 win over India in India – in part because one of their greatest ever players was okay letting go of something he loved.